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PLA Navy ship formation 83 begins 4-day visit in Thailand; 'beneficial for mutual learning': expert

09:02, October 17, 2025 By Liu Xuanzun, Yu Xi ( Global Times

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's ship formation 83 arrived at Sattahip port, Thailand, on Thursday, beginning a four-day visit in Thailand, according to the PLA Navy. An expert said these exchanges are beneficial for mutual learning and aim to foster joint progress.

At about 7 am local time, the training ship Qi Jiguang and the amphibious dock landing ship Yimengshan arrived in the designated waters and rendezvoused with Thailand's ship HTMS Chang. Personnel from both sides exchanged greetings using flag signals. The three ships then formed up and proceeded toward Sattahip port. Around 10 am, the Qi Jiguang and the Yimengshan slowly docked, according to the PLA Navy.

On the dock, Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jianwei and embassy staff, representatives of Chinese-funded institutions and overseas Chinese, and members of the Royal Thai Navy - more than 1,700 people in total - were present to greet them, and a grand welcoming ceremony was held. Local primary and secondary school students, holding Chinese and Thai flags and friendship banners, together with representatives of the Chinese community, sang "Ode to the Motherland" to warmly welcome the visiting Chinese naval vessels, according to the PLA Navy.

After the ceremony, the welcoming party boarded the ship for a visit. A guard of honor made up of personnel from the ship formation was reviewed by Ambassador Zhang on the flight deck of the Qi Jiguang, according to the PLA Navy.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Thursday that naval ships need to conduct various types of open-sea and oceangoing adaptation training, which cannot be carried out only in coastal or nearshore waters. "Nor can it be done solely at the academy; they must go to other distant seas and oceans, and even visit other countries and regions to strengthen exchanges. In particular, these exchanges are beneficial for mutual learning so as to foster joint progress," said Song.

Meanwhile, especially when dealing with maritime issues on the high seas, they need the knowledge and experience of a diplomat. So in order to quickly and easily become proficient in international law, for these trainees, practical exercises are necessary during the learning process and can help achieve that goal, Song said.

The ship formation composed of the ship Qi Jiguang and ship Yimengshan set sail from Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, for the ocean-going training with more than 1,200 midshipmen and sailors onboard on September 26, according to China Military Online, an official English-language military news website of the Chinese Armed Forces.

During the mission, the ship formation held open ship events in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. They also visited Cambodia, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Strengthening exchanges and cooperation, especially exchanges among trainees, will better facilitate mutual learning, and will also give trainees the chance to see what the outside world is like. It is very beneficial to the Navy's internationalization, as it enables them to understand what real maritime environments are like, according to Song.

This visit marks the third time the Qi Jiguang has visited Thailand, while the Yimengshan arrived in the country for the first time, according to the PLA Navy.

During the visit, the ship formation's crew members will tour the Royal Thai Navy's aircraft carrier "Chakri" and other military facilities, and will visit the Royal Thai Naval Academy to hold talks with academy officers and personnel, and take part in friendly ball games and other activities, according to the PLA Navy. Trainees from the PLA Dalian Navy Academy and the PLA Naval Submarine Academy will also go to that academy for in-depth exchanges, according to the PLA Navy.

While berthed at Sattahip port, the Qi Jiguang and the Yimengshan will hold ship open events for the Thai military, local government officials, overseas Chinese and staff of China-funded institutions; in addition, the Qi Jiguang will host a deck reception on Friday evening, according to the PLA Navy.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing)
AUCKLAND, 17 October 2025: EROAD today announced actions to enhance its focus on capturing the significant emerging opportunity in electronic road user charging (eRUC), including:

 a strategic change in focus towards ANZ opportunities;

 changes to Governance and Management; and

 an update to FY26 Guidance and timing for EROAD 2026 Investor Day.

Strategic change in focus towards ANZ opportunities

EROAD was founded on road user charging and is the market leader in New Zealands eRUC system. With governments in both New Zealand and Australia moving toward usage-based and time-of-use charging, EROAD is uniquely positioned to lead.

In the near-term, EROAD plans to prioritise new growth investment to ANZ to move quickly and capture this opportunity. This focus is further supported by increasing enterprise momentum in ANZ.

North America remains an important market for EROAD, however due to a variety of market conditions elongating enterprise sales cycles, growth activity in the region has not delivered within expected timeframes. North American resources will remain focused on delivering for our customers and partners, deepening relationships, and exploring further growth opportunities in cold-chain.

Mark Heine said, I am incredibly excited by the opportunities ahead at EROAD, as we focus on what matters most to our customers and our growth. Building on EROADs legacy and credibility in eRUC is particularly energising. As the world continues to trend towards more fuel-efficient vehicles, the need to fund global infrastructure sustainably and more equitably creates significant opportunity for EROAD. We see the 4.6m vehicles in New Zealand as the perfect place to start.

Changes to Governance and Management

To support the opportunity, and streamline strategic execution, the Board has made changes to governance and management. John Scott has been appointed as Executive Chair of the Board of Directors, effective immediately . The Board has determined that after a period of no longer than nine months, John Scott will revert to non-executive Chair of the Board of Directors.

John Scott, based in Auckland, New Zealand, was appointed to the Board in February 2025 as an independent director. This followed the Boards search for a director with deep technology experience, to capitalise on the opportunities in the rapidly evolving telematics sector globally.

John has held senior executive and CEO roles across several New Zealand technology companies, most recently as CEO of Invenco. He has a strong background in product innovation, scaling global businesses and driving strategic change. As Executive Chair, John brings a wide network of technology peers, practical product insight and commercial discipline. This appointment further equips EROADs capability to execute at this key strategic juncture. John also serves as Chair of two other technology companies.

John Scott said, Since joining the Board Ive seen first-hand the scope of opportunities that EROAD is focused on. EROAD is a company solving real problems for some of the largest and most complex fleets. The potential to take that further is enormous. Stepping into the role of Executive Chair means that I can support management at this crucial time, as we move at pace for this exciting opportunity ahead.

Former Chair Susan Paterson, who served as Chair since 2023, steps back into her role as Director, and will Chair the People and Culture Committee.

Susan oversaw the execution of a disciplined strategy to turn around EROAD and return it to profitability. The strong balance sheet and positive free cash flow that has been built leaves EROAD in a solid position to execute on new opportunities. The Board and I thank Susan for her role as Chair and look forward to her continued service on the Board, noted John Scott.

Together with Johns appointment as Executive Chair, Mark Heine will serve as Chief Executive Officer. David Kenneson steps down from his role as Co-CEO effective 31 October 2025, to spend time with family and pursue the next chapter in his career. David expressed his gratitude to the EROAD team, Board, and Co-CEO, Mark Heine, for their partnership and shared commitment to strengthening the business. "It has been a privilege to serve alongside such a talented and dedicated team," said David. "Together, we've achieved significant milestones, positioning EROAD for continued growth and success. I will always be proud of what we accomplished and wish the company every success in the future."

The Board thanks David for his contributions during his tenure and wishes him well in his future endeavours.

Update to FY26 Guidance

The North American telematics market remains challenging due to a combination of competitive dynamics and economic conditions. EROAD is committed to maintaining and growing our existing customer relationships and continuing to win new customers where returns on investment are appropriate.

Prioritisation of new growth investment to the significant eRUC opportunity in ANZ, combined with a large legacy North American transport customer not renewing their contract in February 2026, is expected to lead to a slower growth rate in our business this year.

EROAD now expects:

FY2026 Guidance

Current

Revenue $197m - $203m

Annualised Recurring Revenue (ARR) $175m - $183m

Free Cash Flow Margin 5% - 8%

Previous

Revenue > $205m

Annualised Recurring Revenue (ARR) > $188m

Free Cash Flow Margin 8% - 10%

As a consequence of the challenging US market that led to a change in guidance and consistent with the strategic change in focus, EROAD expects to record an impairment to carrying value of intangible assets relating to the North American region of up to $150m.

Investor Day Update

EROAD updates the market that its previously announced Investor Day will be held in March 2026 to provide insights into the emerging eRUC opportunity and share further details of its strategic plan to capture this opportunity.

EROAD is well positioned to support the New Zealand Governments recently announced plans to transition all 4.6 million vehicles to eRUC, a distance and weight-based system to replace fuel excise duties. EROAD currently collects approximately $1 billion in RUC from commercial vehicle operators on the New Zealand Governments behalf each year. This initiative builds on EROADs core capabilities and provides governments with alternatives to fund maintenance and development of transport infrastructure.

ENDS

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Which Is the Best Fertility Hospital in Bangalore for PCOS Treatment and IVF Success?

October 17, 2025 | Friday | Features

Becoming a parent is one of the most emotional and beautiful journeys of life.

However, for some couples, fertility problems can make this path more challenging. In many cases, hormonal conditions such as PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) make it harder to conceive naturally. Thankfully, medical science today offers advanced treatments, such as IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation), that can help couples overcome these challenges.

If youve been wondering how to choose the best fertility hospital in Bangalore for PCOS and IVF treatment, here is everything that will help you understand what truly matters.

Understanding the Link Between PCOS and Fertility

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS, is one of the most common causes of infertility among women. Its a hormonal condition that affects the way the ovaries function. Women with PCOS often experience irregular periods, excessive hair growth, weight gain, or acne, but one of the biggest concerns is irregular ovulation or no ovulation at all. Without regular ovulation, it becomes harder to conceive naturally.

However, PCOS doesnt mean infertility is permanent. With the proper medical support and lifestyle management, many women go on to have successful pregnancies. Treatments like ovulation induction and IVF have given thousands of couples new hope. The key is finding a fertility hospital that understands PCOS from every angle: hormonal, physical, and emotional.

Why Bangalore Is a Preferred Destination for Fertility Treatment?

Over the years, Bangalore has earned a strong reputation as one of Indias leading hubs for fertility and IVF care. The city is home to experienced reproductive specialists, advanced embryology labs, and research-driven approaches that bring higher success rates. Many fertility hospitals in Bangalore prioritise evidence-based treatment methods and ethical medical practices, enabling patients to feel confident and informed throughout their journey.

In addition to its expertise, the city also offers comfort through easily accessible healthcare infrastructure and cost-effective treatment packages, making it a practical choice for couples from across India and abroad.

What Makes the Best Fertility Hospital in Bangalore for PCOS and IVF Treatment?

Choosing the right fertility hospital isnt about popularity or advertising. Its about finding a centre that offers personalised, transparent, and comprehensive care. Here are the factors that truly define the best fertility hospital in Bangalore:

1. Expertise of Specialists

Look for hospitals with a strong team of reproductive endocrinologists, gynaecologists, embryologists, and counsellors. PCOS is a complex condition that affects hormones, metabolism, and ovulation. A multidisciplinary team ensures that every part of your treatment, from diagnosis to IVF, is handled with precision.

2. Personalised Treatment Plans

Every womans PCOS journey is different. Some respond well to medication and lifestyle changes, while others may need assisted reproductive techniques like IVF. The best hospitals dont follow a one-size-fits-all plan; they tailor treatments to your bodys response, hormone levels, and health goals.

3. World-Class IVF Laboratory

The success of IVF largely depends on the quality of the embryology lab. A good hospital maintains controlled environments for embryo growth and utilises advanced tools, including time-lapse monitoring, ICSI, and laser-assisted hatching. These technologies increase the chances of successful fertilisation and implantation.

4. Transparency and Success Rates

Hospitals that openly share their IVF success rates show integrity. Genuine hospitals explain how success rates vary depending on age, egg quality, and medical history, rather than promising unrealistic results. Transparency builds trust, which is essential when investing time, money, and hope.

5. Emotional and Psychological Support

Fertility treatment can be emotionally exhausting. The best hospitals provide counselling sessions, stress management support, and a warm, patient-friendly atmosphere. Knowing that youre cared for emotionally makes a big difference in how you experience your journey.

Common Treatments for PCOS-Related Infertility

Fertility hospitals in Bangalore usually begin with a detailed diagnosis that includes hormonal assessments, pelvic scans, and metabolic evaluations. Once the cause of infertility is clear, doctors design a step-by-step treatment plan.

Typical approaches include:

Lifestyle Management: Guidance on weight management, balanced nutrition, and regular exercise.





Medication: Ovulation induction drugs to stimulate egg release.





Laparoscopic Surgery: In some cases, ovarian drilling may help restore ovulation.





IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation): When simpler methods dont work, IVF becomes an effective solution. It involves egg retrieval, fertilisation in a lab, and embryo transfer into the uterus.





Women with PCOS often respond well to IVF when their hormone levels are carefully managed. The process might seem overwhelming at first, but a supportive medical team makes it much easier to navigate.

How to Evaluate a Fertility Hospital Before Choosing?

Here are a few practical ways to find a hospital thats right for you:

Check the Doctors Experience: Ask about their success rate in treating PCOS-related infertility.





Visit the Facility: Observe how staff communicate and whether the environment feels welcoming.





Understand the Process: Ask about treatment options, duration, and expected outcomes.





Discuss Costs Clearly: A good hospital will explain fees openly without hidden charges.





Read Real Reviews: Look for patient stories that describe empathy, clear communication, and realistic expectations.





Ask About Counselling: Mental health support is just as important as medical treatment.





Choosing a fertility hospital is a personal decision, and taking time to research will help you feel more confident and prepared.

How Technology Improves IVF Success?

Modern fertility hospitals in Bangalore use advanced reproductive technologies that increase success rates while keeping the process safe. AI-based embryo selection, genetic testing (PGT), and time-lapse imaging enable doctors to identify the healthiest embryos, thereby reducing the risk of complications and improving outcomes.

While technology is essential, its most effective when combined with human expertise. The best hospitals invest in technology to support, not replace, personalised care.

Emotional and Lifestyle Support During Treatment

Undergoing fertility treatment can stir up many emotions, from anxiety and self-doubt to hope and anticipation. PCOS adds another layer of hormonal fluctuation that can affect mood and energy levels. Thats why emotional and lifestyle support is essential.

Simple changes, such as eating balanced meals, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, practising mindfulness, or joining support groups, can help you stay positive. The best hospitals encourage such holistic care because they understand that mental well-being has a direct impact on physical recovery and IVF success.

Questions to Ask Before Starting Treatment

When you meet a fertility specialist, dont hesitate to ask questions like:

What is your experience with PCOS and IVF patients?





How do you personalise treatment based on hormone levels and cycle response?





Whats your success rate for women in my age group?





What technology do you use in your IVF lab?





What support do you provide after an IVF cycle?





How are costs structured, and what is included in the total?

Being informed helps you feel in control of your journey.

Conclusion

Finding the best fertility hospital in Bangalore for PCOS treatment isnt about chasing big names; its about choosing a place that values your trust and treats you as more than a case number. Look for a hospital that listens, guides, and supports you at every stage.

PCOS may make conception challenging, but with the right medical team, patience, and care, success is absolutely possible. Every journey is unique, but the right hands can turn uncertainty into hope and hope into the beautiful possibility of life.
Marengo Asia Hospitals acquires majority stake in Gujarat's Sunshine Global Hospitals

October 17, 2025 | Friday | News

This acquisition follows Marengo Asia Hospitals recent expansions into Varanasi

Marengo Asia Hospitals has further strengthened its Western India footprint with majority acquisition of Sunshine Global Hospitals  a prominent multi-specialty hospital chain in Gujarat with presence in Surat and Vadodara and a combined capacity of 350 beds. Both hospital units are NABH-accredited and offer more than 20 super-specialties.

Marengo Asia Hospitals focuses on providing tertiary and quaternary care, creating Centers of Excellence across medical specialties, and adopting a patient first approach. This acquisition further consolidates its presence in Gujarat where it already has two facilities located in Ahmedabad and Bhuj.

This acquisition follows Marengo Asia Hospitals recent expansions into Varanasi with Metis-The Medicity, marking its entry into a new state (Uttar Pradesh), and into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), marking its first international collaboration with Specialized Najran Hospital.

With all these additions, Marengo Asia Hospitals now operates a total of 8 hospitals with a cumulative capacity of 2,500 beds, supported by a team of over 900 doctors and 5,200 employees.

As we expand our presence in Western India, we are excited to enter 2 prominent cities of Vadodara and Surat and bring in our advanced tertiary and quaternary care expertise to the people of these cities and nearby areas. said Dr Raajiv Singhal, Founding Member, Managing Director and Group CEO, Marengo Asia Hospitals. Every new hospital we bring into the Marengo Asia Hospitals network strengthens our commitment to the Patient First approach  making specialised, affordable, and compassionate care accessible to more people, closer to their homes. Marengo Asia Hospitals aims to grow sustainably by developing clinical Centers of Excellence across specialties to deliver the best clinical outcomes for its patients.
Manipal Institute of Nephrology and Urology opens in Kolkata

October 17, 2025 | Friday | News

Focusing on diagnosis, treatment, and management of kidney and urinary tract disorders

Manipal Hospitals Kolkata has made a major advancement in the field of specialised patient care with the launch of the Manipal Institute of Nephrology and Urology (MINU) in Kolkata, joining its established network of centres in Bengaluru, Goa, Mangalore, Jaipur, Manipal, Pune, Delhi, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Vijayawada.

Combining cutting- edge technology with expert, patient-centric medical care, the new institute will serve as a comprehensive one-stop destination for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of kidney and urinary tract disorders. The inauguration also featured a special health awareness session for senior citizens, focusing on kidney and urology health, preventive strategies, and lifestyle management reinforcing Manipal Hospitals continued commitment to community well-being and preventive healthcare.

The experts shared valuable insights on maintaining kidney and urology health, highlighting the importance of early detection, regular screening, and lifestyle management. They also interacted with senior citizens, addressing common concerns, explaining preventive measures, and guiding them on managing chronic kidney and urinary conditions.

Dr H. Sudarshan Ballal, Chairman, Manipal Health Enterprise Pvt. Ltd. shared, The launch of the Manipal Institute of Nephrology and Urology (MINU) in Kolkata marks our 11th centre under this specialised vertical, following its remarkable success across South India and other regions."

Dr Arghya Majumdar, Director & Head  Nephrology, Manipal Hospital, Dhakuria, shared,  The launch of this institute is a major milestone in making advanced nephrology and urology care more accessible to the people of Eastern India. The Manipal Institute of Nephrology and Urology brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts across all our units, supported by a unified patient database and state-of-the-art diagnostic technology. This integrated model allows us to provide seamless, coordinated, and patient-centric care, from early detection to advanced treatment and long-term management."
October 17, 2025: China is now building its first nuclear powered aircraft carrier. The new ship appears to be similar to the latest class of American carriers, the Fords.

The prospect of a war between China and Pacific Rim democracies increases as China seeks to acquire foreign natural resources by force or negotiations or intimidation. The signs are unmistakable now and have been evolving for over four decades. This Chinese strategy began to emerge as the growth of the Chinese navy began in the 1990s and really accelerated after 2000. This was made possible by China becoming the largest shipbuilder in the world.

In 2024 Chinese yards built more commercial ships, in terms of tonnage, than the American shipbuilding industry had since World War II. The Chinese navy currently consists of nearly 400 ships and that will grow to over 420 ships by 2030. At the same time the U.S. Navy currently has 296 ships and by 2030 will have only 294. There is such an acute shortage of naval shipyards in the United States that the U.S. Navy has begun sending ships needing maintenance and upgrades to South Korea, and possibly Japan as well. Both are within striking distance of the Chinese air force. The U.S. government and naval leadership dismissed the possibility of this catastrophe, preferring to spend most of their budget building new ships and upgrading old ones. This is no longer possible with the small remnants of the American ship building industry.

The main reason the American warship construction and repair industry faded away was cheaper and more efficient competition from Japan, South Korea and finally China. That was a problem because twenty years ago signs first appeared that China planned to have the largest navy in the word. They could do this because they had created the largest shipbuilding industry the world. The Chinese yards were cheaper and faster than anyone else. That was the main reason American shipyards went under. They could no longer compete.

The Chinese navy has been rapidly growing since the 1980s and currently has more ships than the U.S. navy. China has not yet caught up in total tonnage because American warships tend to be heavier. The eleven American nuclear aircraft carriers are something China may never match. China is also way behind when it comes to experience. China admits that it will take decades to match and then surpass the American fleet. China often mentions 2050 as the year Chinese naval power surpasses the United States. Meanwhile China is encountering a lot of expected, and some unexpected problems.

For example, Chinese leader Xi Jinping was shocked and surprised by the growing number of problems in his military. Xi has openly complained about corruption, poor work habits and lack of discipline. Xi ordered a purge of military personnel purportedly responsible for these problems and demanded that officials in charge of military combat and support operations make the changes, or else. Efforts to identify and eliminate corrupt practices and officials responsible for them have not been successful.

Over the last decade there have been multiple purges of corrupt officials, with over a dozen generals, nearly as many admirals and a growing number of senior aerospace and shipbuilding industry officials. This included officers and officials in charge of the rocket forces that maintain short and long range missiles. Many of these missiles were found to be, on closer inspection, inoperable. In late 2023 a former defense minister was removed from the national legislature because of corruption charges.

Xi has found that there are few officials he can trust to be free of corruption and accusations of incompetence. The dismissed senior officers obtained their positions by pretending to get things done but failing to do so in the belief that there would not be a war or threat of war to expose their misdeeds.

This is a serious matter because the government has spent hundreds of billion dollars to build the largest fleet in the world. This process began in 2012 and Xi expected the Chinese fleet to be the worlds largest modern force by 2050. This actually happened in 2025, when the American government and navy leadership were finally convinced that Chinese naval power was a serious threat in the Pacific, and now the Chinese are seeking to become the dominant naval power in the Persian Gulf and waters between there and China.

The Chinese navy still has some serious problems. Corrupt shipyard officials and a navy commanded by corrupt admirals threatens to create an expensive and useless force. On paper the Chinese seem headed for success. Currently the Chinese navy has two aircraft carriers, 75 submarines and 300 other warships. The total number of ships is 743, including a large number of support ships so the navy can operate far into the Pacific or Indian Oceans. China has never had a high seas fleet like this before. This large naval fleet was made possible by China becoming the world's largest builder of commercial ships. Currently about half the world's supply of new cargo, tanker and specialized ships are built in Chinese shipyards. China has become the worlds largest importer of raw materials and exporter of manufactured goods, all of which is moved by ships through seas easily blockaded by ships and aircraft of the United States and Japan. Chinas growing fleet is intended to deal with that if necessary.

Another problem with Chinas naval expansion is obtaining the well-trained manpower to operate it. This is much truer of Chinas navy than its other military services because China lacks a naval or even maritime seagoing tradition of the sort that the United States, Japan, Britain and a few other European nations have. Effective navies must drill at sea constantly, but that requires their ship crews to spend months at a time at sea away from their families. China has discovered a major problem recruiting the necessary well-educated young men willing to do this. The on-going collapse of Chinas population size makes this recruitment problem even worse as the yearly pool of males coming of military age plummets.

If China seeks to disrupt the shipping of other nations there could be other problems. The rest of the world regards this new Chinese shipping fleet as a threat if the Chinese fleet is used to threaten merchant fleets of other nations. China decides what is offensive to them and other nations often disagree with the Chinese assessment. This could escalate to violence, as it already has in the South China Sea against the Philippines. Chinese and Filipino warships recently clashed over who could do what in the South China Sea. Other nations in the region and worldwide fear this Chinese misbehavior will spread. By 2025 the other seafaring nations were aware of the threat and developing strategies to slow and then halt the expansion of Chinese naval control. The primary weapons for this task are nuclear and modern diesel electric submarines. Between the United States and its East Asian allies, they can muster nearly a hundred submarines, most of them nuclear. Modern South Korean and Japanese air-independent subm

Meanwhile the Chinese continue to be reminded of what they are up against. For example, in May of this year the American aircraft carrier Truman was called in to deliver a knockout blow against a group that was disrupting commercial ship traffic in the Red Sea. The Truman did so with the largest ever number of airstrikes against a single target, the Houthis in Yemen. It worked and in early May this year Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping ceased.

The carrier Truman also had some difficulties on its way to its airstrike record. Earlier this year the Truman received a small gash in its hull and damage to its right side aircraft elevator when it collided with a merchant ship while approaching the Suez Canal. The Truman went to a port in the Mediterranean where it could have the damage repaired.

This wouldnt have happened if the May 2019 retirement announcement of Truman had been carried out. This was to save the cost of its mid-life upgrade and refueling of the nuclear reactors. The mid-life upgrade would cost $3.5 billion and takes five years to complete. At that point, Truman could operate another 25 years. That would cost $20 billion. By retiring the Truman the navy would save about $24 billion over 30 years and that money would be used to build new, smaller, ships and buy new weapons. Retiring Truman would also allow the navy to order and build two new Ford class CVNs at once, which would save time and money. The decision to keep Truman in service was not about money, but the fact that the new Ford class CVNs were facing major problems with launching and recovering aircraft, and somewhat less desperate problems with its new radar and some other mechanical systems. Keeping the Truman was also about the seemingly intractable problems the navy has building ships and developing new designs.

In February 2018 the navy confirmed that it had major problems with the design and construction of its new EMALS Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System catapult installed in its latest aircraft carrier; the USS Ford/CVN 78 and the three other Ford-class carriers under construction. These problems were soon fixed and it was noted that the Chinese were also using EMALS on their new carrier and doing so without any obvious problems.


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General Motors (GM) announced on Tuesday that it will record a $1.6 billion charge in the upcoming quarter following the Trump administration's rollback of federal electric vehicle (EV) incentives and relaxed emissions standards  a move that has shaken the US auto industry.

The automaker confirmed in a regulatory filing that the charges include $1.2 billion in non-cash impairment costs tied to EV production capacity changes and $400 million related to contract cancellations and other commercial settlements connected to its EV investments, Reuters said.

Shares of GM fell nearly 2% before the market opened Tuesday. The financial hit follows the end of the US clean vehicle tax credit program, which previously offered buyers up to $7,500 for new EVs and $4,000 for used ones.

Without those incentives, GM expects EV sales to decline in the near term.

"The charge is driven by our expectation that EV volumes will be lower than planned because of market conditions and the changed regulatory and policy environment," the company said in a statement.

The Trump administration's decision to scale back environmental regulations also includes easing tailpipe emissions rules and blocking federal funds for EV charging infrastructure.

The president has opposed California's plan to ban new gas-powered vehicle sales, arguing that automakers should not be forced to abandon gasoline models.

BREAKING: General Motors issues profit warning - $1.6 billion hit from EV overcapacity. @GM



GM just filed a form 8-K informing that it "approved charges of $1.6 billion in GM North America in the three months ended September 30, 2025".



GM expects it will be unable to sell its pic.twitter.com/Ms16S6Rvaj  AJ (@alojoh) October 14, 2025

GM Reevaluates Electric Future

For GM, the policy reversal marks a sharp shift from its recent years of heavy investment in electric mobility.

According to AP, the Detroit-based automaker had previously committed $27 billion toward electric and autonomous vehicles by 2025, aiming to make over half of its factories in North America and China capable of producing EVs by 2030.

CEO Mary Barra has long championed GM's electric future, once predicting that the company would outsell Tesla in the US by mid-decade.

GM also pledged to make the majority of its vehicles electric by 2035 and to reach carbon neutrality by 2040.

However, the latest policy changes are forcing automakers to reassess their strategies.

"The automakers who focused more on hybrid development, such as Toyota and Honda, are better positioned in the US market right now," said CFRA Research analyst Garrett Nelson.

While GM's realignment will not affect current electric models  including the Chevrolet Blazer EV, GMC Hummer EV, and Cadillac Lyriq  the company cautioned that additional charges may be recorded as it evaluates production and demand in a changing market.

Originally published on vcpost.com
Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has insisted he "could have won" the presidency as Fianna Fail candidate following Jim Gavin's disastrous campaign.

Mr Gavin withdrew from the race after a tenant claimed he tried to recover 3,300 in overpaid rent from Mr Gavin 16 years ago.

Fianna Fail has since announced a review of its procedure for candidate selection in presidential elections.

Senior counsel Ciaran O'Loughlin, Fianna Fail senator Margaret Murphy O'Mahony and Fianna Fail TDs Eamon Scanlon and Tom Brabazon will chair the review.

Speaking to Newstalk, Mr Ahern said: "I've been in all 32 counties... I've done various functions from big to small, you have to believe you could have won.

"I felt this was my time. I'm 74, you weren't going to get another chance and that was it."

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Mr Ahern said he was disappointed with Taoiseach Micheal Martin, adding that he should have been informed earlier that he would not be in the running for the party's nomination.

Bertie Ahern said he was disappointed with Taoiseach Micheal Martin. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Images

"If they didn't want me, they had an opportunity to tell me anywhere between Christmas and Easter.

"Then I had the choice of whether to run as an independent or not."

He also expressed sympathy for Mr Gavin, who he called a "fine person".

"Back in August, after I got over my own trials and tribulations, I should have spent the last month out for Jim Gavin... who I know well, a fine person. [He] always was kind to me and very kind to my county. I would have gladly been out for September working for him on the ground.

"They're difficult campaigns... but I wish Jim well and his family well going forward because Jim is a fine fella."

Meanwhile, Mr Martin has said the presidential election is still "all to play for".

That is despite Catherine Connolly holding a commanding 18 point lead over Heather Humphreys in Thursday's Irish Times/Ipsos poll.

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Voting will be underway this time next week in the race to be the next president.

The Taoiseach said he will be supporting Heather Humphreys - and believes she still has a shot.

"Polls don't determine elections, the real poll is on next week. I think we know from previous presidential elections that the outcome varied significantly from the polling in advance of it... so anything can happen over the next week in that regard.

"That would be my observation of it, I think it's all to play for."
Further charges have been brought against three female pro-Palestinian activists concerning an alleged security breach at Shannon Airport in May.

At Ennis District Court, Det Garda Noel Carroll of Shannon Garda Station told the court that the DPP has directed the cases to be heard in the circuit court before a jury.

In the new charges, Badhbh Ni Chathasaigh, 26, of Fr. Murphy Place, Midleton, Co Cork, and Claire Brennan, 25, of Seaview Wood, Shankill, Dublin 18, are now both charged with interfering with the operation, management or safety at Shannon Airport by entering a runway at Shannon Airport on May 1st, causing its closure.

The charge is contrary to Section 47 of the Air Navigation and Transport (Amendment) Act 1998.

In a second new charge before the court, Ms Ni Chathasaigh and Ms Brennan are also charged having under their control at Shannon Airport, a Ford Transit Van, a sledgehammer, a bolt cutters, an axe, a battery operated angle grinder and spray paint intending without lawful excuse to damage the property of Shannon Airport which they knew was likely to endanger the life of persons within Shannon Airport.

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This charge is contrary to section 4 Criminal Damage Act 1991.

Ms Brennan is also facing a dangerous driving charge of the Ford Transit Van at Shannon airport on May 1st, contrary to section 53(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1961.

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Sgt Frank OGrady said that a third accused, Sinead Ni Fhaolain, 22, of Korthion, Barnhill Road, Dalkey, Dublin, is to also face additional charges and Judge Alec Gabbett adjourned Ms Ni Fhaolain's case to next Wednesday for the purpose of charge.

Already, all three accused were facing charges of trespass in a restricted area adjacent to Hangar 20 and the Main Apron adjacent to the light aircraft parking area, Shannon Airport, and the criminal damage of the perimeter fence at Shannon Airport on May 1st last.

The court was told that Ms Ni Chathasaigh and Ms Brennan made no reply after the charge and caution before court.

All three are on bail, and Judge Gabbett extended the current bail terms on the new charges. Judge Gabbett adjourned the cases concerning Ms Ni Chathasaigh and Ms Brennan to November 5th for the Book of Evidence to be served in the case.
The High Court has agreed to suspend a doctors Medical Council registration after he was charged in the UK with offences related to alleged possession of indecent images of children.

The doctor is a resident of the UK and practised there, although his licence to practise was removed earlier this year. He has never practised in Ireland, despite his registration with the Medical Council.

The Medical Council made an application to the High Court to suspend the doctors registration after it became aware of the allegations against him.

Earlier this year, the doctor was charged by British police with various offences, including possession of 19 extreme pornographic images, and the making of 146 Category A images of children. Category A is the most serious category of indecent images.

The doctor strenuously denies the allegations.

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In a recently published judgment, High Court president Mr Justice David Barniville said he was satisfied the interest of public safety favoured granting the orders sought by the Medical Council to suspend the doctors registration.

Mr Justice Barniville said it was hard to imagine more serious allegations than those faced by the doctor, while stressing that he was not making any finding in relation to the charges.

In coming to his decision, the judge weighed the doctors constitutional rights, including his right to earn a livelihood and the right to a good name and reputation.

The judge accepted the Medical Councils submission that not much weight should be attached to the doctors right to earn a living in Ireland, in circumstances where he has never sought to practise medicine in this jurisdiction.

The judge also said he did not believe the doctors right to a good name should trump the need to ensure that the public is protected in this jurisdiction.

When the doctor filed a registration retention form with the Medical Council for 2024, the doctor answered no to a question asking whether he was aware of any criminal investigation against him.

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By the time he filed the form, the doctor had already been arrested and interviewed by police.

At the hearing of the Medical Councils application, barrister Hugh McDowell, for the council, submitted that the doctor had provided no explanation why he answered so.

In October 2023, police received information that six indecent images of children were uploaded to the internet using a Google account it said was linked to the doctor.

He was arrested following this, and various devices were seized from his address. Police uncovered further images on these devices, including the Category A images.
A homeless man in his 50s was, on Friday, charged with murdering an 89-year-old Tipperary woman in her home.

Nenagh District Court heard that Hasan Ali Gori, who was living in a tent at wetlands in Limerick City, told the Garda who charged him with the killing of Josephine 'Josie' Ray: I know nothing, sir.

Mr Gori, wearing spectacles, a blue shirt, red jacket and grey tracksuit pant, stood silently in the busy court flanked by a number of prison officers and Gardai.

He was charged before Judge Fiona Brennan with the murder of Ms Ray, at her home, at St Josephs Park, Nenagh, on Sunday, August 4th, 2024.

Detective Garda Padraig OLeary, Nenagh Garda Station, gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He told the court he arrested Mr Gori at 10.04am this Friday for the purpose of charging him with Ms Rays murder.

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Garda Sergeant Regina McCarthy told the court the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed that Mr Gori face a trial on indictment before the Central Criminal Court.

Sergeant McCarthy made an application before the court to have Mr Gori remanded in custody to appear before the court again via video-link on October 23rd.

The Sergeant said bail on a murder charge was not applicable in the district court.

If Mr Gori is to seek bail on the charge, he will have to apply for it before the High Court, Dublin.

Mr Goris solicitor, Colin Morrisey, successfully applied for free legal aid on behalf of the accused.

Mr Gori is being held on remand at Portlaoise Prison. A request for a medical report was in train, it was heard.

Judge Brennan remanded Mr Gori to appear before Nenagh District Court again on October 23rd for service of the States Book of Evidence.

Members of the victims family were present in court for Mr Goris appearance.

They included a number of Ms Rays children.

The mother of five was found dead in her bed at her home.

Gardai did not release details of the post-mortem on Ms Rays remains for operational reasons.
A father has told a court that he only became aware that his young son was circumcised when getting him ready for bed one night.

At the Family Law Court, the father told Judge Alec Gabbett that his former partner and mother of their boy did not inform him that their son had undergone a scheduled circumcision procedure in hospital.

After hearing that the father was not informed, Judge Alec Gabbett told the mother, Dad has a right to know about medical issues concerning the boy, who is under the age of six.

At the court hearing, solicitor Lisa Rynne for the father, said that her client, who is a guardian of the child, had no idea about the circumcision.

The mother, represented by solicitor, Colum Doherty, is the boys primary carer while the father has access to the child.

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The case was before court after the court previously ordered an expert assessment to provide professional insight into the child's welfare.

The father said when getting his son ready for bed one evening, his son "was covering his private area and he was very upset, and I thought there was something wrong, and then I saw the stitches.

Judge Gabbett told the court that there is nothing out of the ordinary about getting circumcised, pointing out that 95 per cent of the US male population have had the procedure.

Judge Gabbett said he didnt know how the mother consented to the procedure on her own.

Judge Gabbett said that it sounds like the mothers outlook is that he is just hers.

On behalf of her client, Ms Rynne stated: That does seem to be the common theme that she believes that he is just hers.

Ms Rynne said that in relation to schooling for the boy, the father only found out that his son was attending a certain school through a Facebook post.

Ms Rynne added that the boy was baptised without my client knowing and all these issues continue to persist- he is never advised in advance.

Mr Rynne said that on another occasion, the child was brought to hospital with a seizure by the mother, and the father was not told that the child was in hospital at the time.

Mr Rynne said the father only learned that the child was in hospital through a Facebook post by a relative.

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Judge Gabbett said that the mother may have been in a blind panic getting the child to hospital, but Dad has a right to know.

The expert report recommended that the mother keep a diary of medical and school issues concerning the son to be shared with the father, and Judge Gabbett directed that this take place.

The report also recommended a parenting course for the two, and Judge Gabbett also directed that this take place.

Judge Gabbett said: Lets have good communication from here on now, and the parenting course will assist.
Met Eireann has issued orange and yellow rain warnings for Cork, Kerry, Wexford and Waterford this weekend.

The orange rain warning is for Cork from 9pm on Saturday to 5am on Sunday, where there will be heavy rain and possible thundery downpours, which could lead to river flooding, especially in mountainous areas, and very difficult travel conditions.

There are yellow rain warnings for Cork and Kerry from 5pm on Saturday to 5am on Sunday; and for Waterford and Wexford from 8pm on Saturday to 8am on Sunday, where there may be spells of heavy rain with the possibility of a few thundery downpours. This could lead to flash flooding, very difficult traveling conditions with poor visibility, and potential damage to power lines.

The RSA is recommending that road users in areas affected by the orange warning check local traffic and weather conditions before setting out on a journey.

There is also a small craft warning in place off Ireland's coasts from Friday at 11pm until 8am on Sunday. It is expected that winds will reach gale force 6 or higher.

A yellow gale warning is in place from Loop Head to Belfast Lough to Roche's Point and on the Irish Sea, where southeast winds will reach gale force 8.
The killing of a teenager in Dublin on Wednesday and the sentencing of three men convicted of the murder of pensioner Tom Niland feature heavily on Irish front pages on Friday.

The Irish Times lead with a Ukrainian teenager who died violently in a suspected stabbing at an unregulated care unit in Dublin, Catherine Connolly being pictured with a man linked to war crimes, and the jailing of Tom Niland's killers.

The Herald lead with the 17-year-old Ukrainian boy who was stabbed to death in Dublin on Wednesday, being in Ireland for just four days.

The Irish Examiner lead with a plan for 30km/h speed limits in built-up areas, gardai planning to interview an injured juvenile suspected of the fatal stabbing of a fellow minor in Dublin on Wednesday, and the HSE's appearance at the Public Accounts Committee.

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The Irish Daily Mirror lead with three men being jailed for 43 years between them for the killing of pensioner Tom Niland.

The Irish Independent lead with gardai alerting schools when a child has experienced or witnessed domestic abuse at home as part of an information-sharing initiative.

The Belfast Telegraph lead with two men who were charged with the murder of a nurse shortly before Christmas last year having their charges downgraded to manslaughter.

The Irish Daily Mail lead with Catherine Connolly's claims about her visit to Syria being disputed.

The Irish Daily Star lead with an interview with a priest who survived after being stabbed at a Galway barracks 14 months ago and is now five months into a tour of duty as a chaplain in Lebanon.

The Echo lead with Fota Wildlife Park being closed after four birds tested positive for bird flu, and Cork City Council investigating the leaking of a report following a threatening email sent to councillors about it.
A woman who subjected another woman to a humiliating internal search following a row about drugs has been jailed for three years.

Winifred Joyce, 30, with an address at Parliament Street, Dublin 2, pleaded guilty to common assault and sexual assault in November 2022.

Judge Orla Crowe on Friday handed Joyce a sentence of three years and six months, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions.

Judge Crowe said Joyce subjected the victim to a humiliating internal search, which was inexcusable. She said this was a brutal, humiliating attack on the victim.

The judge said this was a very serious matter, adding that the case had its origins in drug addiction.

Judge Crowe said the court noted that it is accepted by the prosecution that there was no sexual gratification involved in this case.

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The court heard that Joyce has addiction issues, which she is making significant efforts to address, accepts responsibility for her actions and has expressed remorse. She also has a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Joyce has 62 previous convictions, including 29 for theft and one for assault causing harm.

Judge Crowe set a headline sentence of five years, which she reduced to three years and six months, taking account of the mitigation.

She suspended the final six months of the sentence and directed Joyce to engage with the Probation Service for 18 months post-release.

Other conditions include that Joyce continue to engage with mental health supports and addiction treatment services.

The court heard evidence that there was a row about drugs between Joyce and the victim at a Dublin city centre hostel on a date in November 2022.

Joyce grabbed the woman by her hair and pulled her down from the top bunk. She then forced the woman to crawl on her hands and knees to look for the drugs, striking her a few times.

Joyce sexually assaulted the woman by digitally penetrating her anus and vagina while looking for the drugs. The woman was also scratched internally by one of Joyce's nails.

The woman managed to leave the room and raise the alarm. She was scared afterwards and declined to go to a sexual assault treatment unit. No victim impact statement was provided to the court.

Joyce made admissions to gardai in relation to assaulting the woman, but denied sexual assault.

The court heard that Joyce's partner died in tragic circumstances and that she has a history of addiction issues.

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The probation report assessed Joyce at high risk of re-offending and stated that she has made progress in addressing her addiction issues. A positive governor's report, letter of apology and other certificates were handed to the court.

Joyce is from a Travelling background and has experienced homelessness.

The court was told that Joyce is abstaining from drugs while in custody and receiving support with her addiction issues.

Judge Crowe directed that Joyce should be given credit for any time served in custody on this matter alone.
Extending voting rights in Irish presidential elections to citizens living in Northern Ireland would be overstepping the mark, Stormonts deputy First Minister has warned.

Emma Little-Pengelly said the difference between political reality and political aspiration had to be recognised, as she stressed that Northern Irelands head of state was the King.

Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle ONeill offered an opposing view to her DUP counterpart as Stormonts co-leaders were asked about the issue at a press conference following the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in Dublin.

(left to right) Tanaiste Simon Harris, Taoiseach Micheal Martin, First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly after the meeting of the North South Ministerial Council. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

Ms ONeill said it was a huge democratic deficit that she, as an Irish citizen, could run to be president of Ireland but yet could not vote in the elections, as she lives north of the border.

In 2013, a constitutional convention in the Republic of Ireland recommended extending the voting franchise to Irish citizens living outside the state.

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Such a move would require a referendum on amending Irelands constitution.

A vote was due to take place in 2019 but was postponed amid the turbulent political context of post-Brexit negotiations focused on the Irish border.

Sinn Fein has been pressing the Irish government to push ahead with the issue but there has been no fresh commitment for a referendum.

Ms Little-Pengelly made clear her opposition to the prospect of the move as she addressed the question following the NSMC meeting on Friday.

In relation to presidential voting rights, Northern Ireland has a head of state, and that head of state reflects the political reality, she said.

Its the difference between a political reality and a political aspiration.

And I think we need to be very careful not to overstep into that mark, which is around the delicate equilibrium of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, recognising the legitimacy and aspiration, but the difference between aspiration and political reality, in that Northern Ireland remains entirely within the United Kingdom and that is the first and key principle of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, and that should be reflected and respected.

First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle ONeill. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

Ms ONeill offered a contrary perspective.

In terms of the presidential voting rights, thats a huge democratic deficit, obviously, she said.

I, as an Irish citizen living in the north, could stand for the position, but cannot vote in that election.

So thats a democratic deficit that I think that we all want to see corrected, and we need to see that done at pace.

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We shouldnt have another presidential election where were left out.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin told reporters that a lot of work has to be done in relation to any move to extend voting rights.

It would have to be consistent with the ethos of the Good Friday Agreement, the whole parity of esteem issue, and also creating opportunities for people to participate in an election such as the presidency, he said.

But it would involve a constitutional amendment. It would require that, but therell be a lot of significant work in respect of it.

Tanaiste Simon Harris said he agreed with Mr Martins comments on the issue.
Heather Humphreys has accused her rival for the Aras, Catherine Connolly, of using the language of Nigel Farage.

In a speech on the EU, delivered to her supporters in central Dublin on Friday, she said: The other candidate in this race spoke the language of Nigel Farage when she accused those of us who wanted to warn of the dangers of Brexit, of Project Fear, and concluded the British people had not been fooled.

It showed bad judgment then, and even poorer judgment now.

Project Fear was a label given by pro-Brexit campaigners to some of the arguments of those who advocated for the UK to remain in the EU during the 2016 referendum.

Presidential candidate Heather Humphreys speaking to supporters in central Dublin. Photo: PA/Bairbre Holmes.

In the speech she also reiterated criticism of Ms Connollys attitudes towards Irelands allies when discussing the countrys presidency of the Council of the EU, which it is due to hold from July to December next year.

She said 40 European leaders are expected to visit Ireland for the largest head of government and state meeting ever held here and said she certainly wont be insulting them.

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During previous media appearances Ms Humphreys has claimed Catherine Connolly insulted some of Irelands allies, in particular when Ms Connolly made comments comparing Germanys current military build-up with its militarisation under the Nazis in the 1930s.

Ms Connolly previously described the allegations as scurrilous.

Later the Fine Gael candidate appeared on RTEs Six One News where she was challenged by Sharon Tobin that many people, especially conservative voters, dont feel there is a candidate that represents their views in this election.

Ms Humphreys responded saying: Well, I would represent everybody if I am president and Im asking people to put their trust in me.

Im saying to them, Im a middle ground person. Im a centre, a centrist.

I am pro-European, and I wont let this country down.

Presidential candidate Heather Humphreys and Fianna FAil minister Darragh OBrien campaigning in Howth, Dublin (PA/Bairbre Holmes)

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She also spent some time on Friday out and about campaigning in Howth Harbour in north Dublin where she sampled some chips from Leo Burdocks, the iconic fish and chip shop.She was joined by Fianna Fails Darragh OBrien TD who said he is supporting her in a personal capacity.

The minister said he believes Heather is the best person for the job, adding his daughter is a massive fan.

Asked if he would vote for Jim Gavin, his partys candidate whose name remains on the ballot, despite withdrawing from the race, Mr OBrien said whats happened has happened and weve moved on from that.
A Dublin solicitor, who is alleged to have been Airbnb-ing his 3,350-a-month city centre rented apartment, has been directed by a judge to take down online listings, cancel bookings and desist from further short-term lettings until a further court order.

The directions were made by Judge John OConnor in the Circuit Civil Court on Friday against Geoffrey Curran, who has been living in the apartment at Blind Quay, Exchange Street Lower, Dublin 8, for the past five years.

Barrister David Geoghegan, who appeared for Robert, David and John Paul Ranson, company directors with addresses in Clontarf, Dublin, said it was believed Mr Curran had been operating an Airbnb business, allegedly in breach of his lease and without planning permission, for more than a year.

Mr Geoghegan, who appeared with Robert Coonan Solicitors, said his clients discovered in August last that Mr Curran had been Airbnb-ing the property and persistently engaging in short-term leasing and sometimes leased the entire apartment to guests.

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He said that according to a review left online by Brian in Virginia, three couples had used the premises at the same time, and there was no doubt Mr Curran was Airbnb-ing the property in breach of his obligations. There were also other reviews posted online from people from all over the world.

While Mr Curran lived at the address, he was renting out the rest of the three-bed apartment.

After having failed to appear in court on Tuesday last, for which he apologised to Judge OConnor on Friday, Mr Curran told the court in written evidence that the apartment is his principal private residence, which he has shared with other persons who had changed from time to time.

The Ransons, as personal representatives of the estate of the late Robert Ranson, Senior, had sought the legal restraints against Curran, who, told the court on Friday that at no point had he sublet, signed over or granted any interest in the property to other parties.

I have from time to time taken paying licensees or guestswho were occasional and incidental, and when I was, at all times, in occupation as my principal private dwelling, Mr Curran stated. I have not, at any time, operated a business from the property.

Mr Curran said in his written evidence that he was concerned the proceedings formed part of a concerted effort to secure his removal from the apartment through collateral means.

He had reported certain issues to Dublin City Council under the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, and following an inspection, the local authority found the regulations had been contravened. A report had directed structural repairs and the restoration of mould and water damage in several areas of the apartment.

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The Ransons claim that, under an April 1998 lease with Temple Bar Properties Ltd, the deceased Mr Ranson Sr was leased the apartment at Blind Quay for 500 years. Under a residential sublease, they claim the apartment was sublet in 2020 to Mr Curran.

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Mr Geoghegan told Judge OConnor his clients claimed Mr Curran was allowed to use the property only as a private dwelling for three people and was not permitted to operate a business from there or take in lodgers or short-stay guests.

Barrister Jack Fenton, who appeared today with Martins Solicitors for Mr Curran, told the court his client had not let the entire property for more than 90 days in any calendar year.

Mr Currans case, he said, was that a short-term let was a licence to occupy and not a tenancy. An assignment was a transfer by a tenant to another person, and there was a clear difference between a sub-let assignment and a short-term lease.

Earlier, the court heard that in July a Residential Tenancies Board adjudicator determined that a notice of termination served by the landlord on Mr Curran last January was valid. Mr Curran has appealed the determination and remains in the apartment pending the hearing of that appeal.
Nigel Farage has called Vladimir Putin a very bad dude in an apparent bid to counter accusations that he cannot be trusted with Britains national security.

The Reform UK leader also backed shooting down Russian jets that enter Nato airspace and spending frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.

With the party riding high in the polls, rivals have sought to promote perceptions that it and its leader are weak on Moscow after Mr Farage previously said he admired the Russian president as an operator, but not as a human being.

Gotta shoot them down Nigel Farage

But seeking to toughen his line on Thursday, he told Bloombergs The Mishal Husain Show: Clearly, Putin is not a rational man.

The idea that Im soft on this is just nonsense.

He also said: Obviously, Putin is a very bad dude.

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I was really hoping that Trump would bring Putin to heel, that some kind of compromise could be struck, as its just been recently struck with Gaza and Israel. Clearly, that is not going to happen.

Reform has come under pressure after Nathan Gill, the partys former leader in Wales, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in exchange for making pro-Russian statements while he was a member of the European Parliament.

We had a bad apple in this bloke? Yes, Mr Farage said, adding: I believe, 100 per cent, with all my heart, theres nobody else.

Asked what he would do if Russian jets crossed into allied airspace, Mr Farage said: Gotta shoot them down.

He said frozen Russian assets should be used to provide loans for Ukraine if theyre there through illegal means.

The Clacton MP said that, in the event of a ceasefire, he could support the presence of British troops in Ukraine as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force if he became prime minister.

But he repeated arguments that the endless eastward expansion of Nato and the European Union contributed to Mr Putins decision to invade Ukraine.

Foreign policy expert Sophia Gaston said on X: If you say you support Nato (encouraged by the resilience of British public support) and Ukraine but blame Nato expansionism (a response to Russian aggression) for provoking Russia, then you dont support Ukraine and youre not credible on European security, full stop.

It comes after UK defence secretary John Healey warned last month that Mr Farage could not be trusted with Britains national security, accusing him and his party of looking up to Mr Putin.

I dont think Nigel Farage or his party can be trusted with national security, the Cabinet minister said.
Hamas has announced plans to hand over the remains of an additional hostage after the militant group brought out bulldozers in Gaza to dig for remains in a bid to shore up a tenuous ceasefire with Israel.

The Hamas armed wing, known as the Qassam Brigades, did not say whose remains will be handed over  only that they were pulled out earlier in the day  or where they would be handed over.

The statement from the Qassam Brigades said the remains are of an occupation prisoner, suggesting they belonged to an Israeli rather than one of the hostages of several other nationalities also taken by Hamas.

Hamas has said it is committed to the terms of the ceasefire deal, including the handover of bodies.

The effort to find bodies followed a warning from US President Donald Trump that he would clear Israel to resume the war if Hamas does not live up to its end of the deal and return all 28 hostages bodies.



Palestinians watch members of the Hamas militant group searching for bodies in Hamad City, Khan Younis (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

So far it has handed over the remains of nine, along with a 10th body that Israel said was not that of a hostage.

In its statement, Hamas said some hostages remains were in tunnels or buildings that were destroyed by Israel, and that heavy machinery is required to dig through rubble to retrieve them. It blamed Israel for the delay, saying it had not allowed any new bulldozers into the Gaza Strip.

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Most heavy equipment in Gaza was destroyed during the war, leaving only a limited amount as Palestinians try to clear massive amounts of rubble.

On Friday, two bulldozers ploughed up pits in the earth as Hamas searched for hostages remains in Hamad City, a complex of apartment towers in the city of Khan Younis. Israeli forces repeatedly bombarded the towers during the war, toppling some, and troops conducted a week-long raid there in March 2024.

Hamas urged mediators to increase the flow of aid into Gaza, expedite the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and start reconstruction. It also called for work to start immediately on setting up a committee of Palestinian independents who will run the Gaza Strip and for Israeli troops to continue pulling back from agreed areas.

The ceasefire plan introduced by Mr Trump had called for all hostages  living and dead  to be handed over by a deadline that expired on Monday. If that did not happen, Hamas was to share information about dead hostages and try to hand them over as soon as possible.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will not compromise and demanded that Hamas fulfil the requirements laid out in the ceasefire.



Benjamin Netanyahu (Evan Vucci/AP)

Hamas has assured the US that it is working to return dead hostages. American officials say retrieval of the bodies is hampered by the scope of the devastation, coupled with the presence of unexploded ordnance.

The militant group has also told mediators that some bodies are in areas controlled by Israeli troops.

Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages on Monday. In exchange, Israel freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

In Israel, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said it will continue holding weekly rallies until all remains are returned.

Israel has also returned to Gaza the bodies of 90 Palestinians for burial. Israel is expected to turn over more bodies, though officials have not said how many are in its custody or how many will be returned.

A Palestinian forensics team examining the remains said some of the bodies showed signs of mistreatment.

Israels campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government in the territory. The ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. Thousands more people are missing, according to the Red Cross.

In the attack on Israel on October 7 2023, militants killed around 1,200 people and took 250 hostage.



Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages on Monday (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

France said it is working with the UK and the US to propose a UN resolution in the coming days that would provide a framework for an international force for Gaza.

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux told a news conference that Arab countries want a UN mandate for the force. Arab countries are expected to be among those contributing troops to the force, which will oversee Egyptian-trained Palestinian police.

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Mr Confavreux said details on funding, equipment and which countries will participate still need to be worked out.

The UN says the flow of aid remains constrained because of continued closures of crossings and restrictions on aid groups.

UN tracking of its own aid trucks into Gaza shows 339 trucks have been offloaded for distribution since the ceasefire began a week ago. Under the agreement, 600 humanitarian aid trucks would be allowed to enter Gaza daily.

Crossings were closed on Monday and Tuesday for the exchange of hostages and prisoners and a Jewish holiday.

Cogat, the Israeli defence body overseeing aid in Gaza, reported 950 trucks  including commercial trucks and bilateral deliveries  crossing on Thursday and 716 on Wednesday, according to the UN office for the co-ordination of humanitarian aid.

Tom Fletcher, who heads that office, said UN humanitarian teams are executing a 60-day plan to massively scale up aid, but he warned that the challenges ahead are immense and urged the opening of more crossings to allow more aid and workers into Gaza.
An army colonel who seized power in a military coup has been sworn in as Madagascars new leader in a power grab that ousted the president and sent him into hiding.

Colonel Michael Randrianirina, the commander of an elite army unit, took the oath of office to become the new president at a ceremony in the main chamber of the nations High Constitutional Court.

His ascent to the presidency came just three days after he announced that the armed forces were taking power in the sprawling Indian Ocean island of around 30 million people off Africas east coast.

The United Nations has condemned the military takeover as an unconstitutional change of government.



Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in at the high constitutional court (AP)

The coup  which came after three weeks of anti-government protests by mainly young people  also led to Madagascar being suspended from the African Union.

Madagascar has high rates of poverty, which affect around 75% of the population, according to the World Bank.

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The former French colony, widely known as the worlds largest vanilla provider, has a tumultuous history of political instability. The country has seen several coups and attempted coups since gaining independence in 1960.

President Andry Rajoelinas whereabouts are unknown after he left the country, claiming his life was in danger following the rebellion by soldiers loyal to Col Randrianirina.

He reportedly escaped on a French military plane. In his absence, Mr Rajoelina was impeached in a vote in parliament on Tuesday, just before the colonel announced the military was taking power.

Col Randrianirina, who is believed to be 50 or 51-years-old, swapped his military camouflage for a dark suit and blue tie for the swearing-in ceremony, which was attended by military officers, civilian officials and foreign diplomats.



Soldiers loyal to Col Randrianirina guard the entrance to the high constitutional court (Brian Inganga/AP)

Military guards of honour on either side of the room drew ceremonial swords to mark the moment, and a line of soldiers blew trumpets.

The colonel, who emerged from relative obscurity to lead the rebellion by his CAPSAT military unit less than a week ago, was briefly imprisoned two years ago for an attempted mutiny.

He said he spent most of the three months he was detained in late 2023 and early 2024 at a military hospital.

Mr Rajoelina himself came to power as a transitional leader in 2009 after a military-backed coup.

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Col Randrianirina has said Madagascar will be run by a military council with him as president for between 18 months and two years before any new elections, meaning the young people who inspired the uprising against Mr Rajoelina may have a long wait before they are able to choose their new leader.

The protests, which began last month, have echoed other Gen Z-led uprisings in Nepal, Sri Lanka and elsewhere.

Young Madagascans first took to the streets last month to rail against regular water and power outages, but have raised other issues, including the cost of living, the lack of opportunities and alleged corruption and nepotism by the elite.





I condemn the unconstitutional change of government in Madagascar & call for the return to constitutional order & the rule of law.



I encourage all the Malagasy stakeholders, including the youth to work together to address the underlying causes of instability in the country.



The  Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 16, 2025

Col Randrianirina seized on the momentum last weekend by turning against Mr Rajoelina and joining the anti-government protests that called for the president and government ministers to step down.

There was a brief clash between his soldiers and members of the gendarmerie security forces still loyal to Mr Rajoelina, during which one CAPSAT soldier was killed, the colonel said.

But there has been no major violence on the streets and Col Randrianirinas troops have been cheered and their takeover celebrated by Madagascans.

Speaking on Thursday, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres condemned the unconstitutional change of government and called for the return to constitutional order and the rule of law, his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said.

The African Union said it totally rejects the takeover.
Italys prime minister Giorgia Meloni has condemned those behind an explosive device that detonated under the car of one of the countrys leading investigative journalists while it was parked outside his home.

No-one was injured after the blast which destroyed the vehicle of Sigfrido Ranucci and damaged a second family car and the house next to it in Pomezia, south of Rome.

Report, the investigative series on Italys state-run RAI3 channel, said the explosion was so powerful that it could have killed anyone passing by.



Ms Meloni hit out after the explosion (AP)

Police, firefighters and forensic crews are investigating, Report said.

Ms Meloni expressed her solidarity with Mr Ranucci, the lead anchor of Report, and condemned what she called the serious act of intimidation he has suffered.

She added: Freedom and independence of information are essential values of our democracies, which we will continue to defend.

Report is one of the few investigative programmes on Italian television and regularly breaks news involving prominent Italian politicians, business leaders and public figures.

Just this week, Mr Ranucci was absolved in the latest defamation case he has faced for one of Reports stories.
A Polish court has blocked the extradition to Germany of a Ukrainian man suspected of involvement in the 2022 attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines and ordered his release, a ruling welcomed by Polands prime minister.

Volodymyr Zhuravlov, 46, was arrested near Warsaw on September 30 on a German warrant.

German prosecutors have described him as a trained diver and allege that he was part of a group that placed explosives on the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm three years ago.

The Warsaw District Court rejected his extradition on Friday and ordered his immediate release.



Ukrainian defendant Volodymyr Zhuravlov, right, shakes hands with his lawyer in court on Friday (Czarek Sokolowski/AP)

The mans lawyer, Tymoteusz Paprocki, said ahead of the hearing that my client doesnt admit guilt, he didnt commit any crime against Germany and he doesnt understand why these charges were made by the German side.

He also said he would argue that no Ukrainian should be charged with any action directed against Russia.

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Speaking as he announced his ruling, Judge Dariusz Lubowski said that the attack on the pipelines should be understood as a military action in a just war, and therefore not subject to criminal responsibility on the part of an individual.

He also questioned German jurisdiction for various reasons, including the fact that the explosions occurred in international waters.

Poland, whose successive governments have been staunchly anti-Russian, has a history of opposition to the pipelines.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said it would not be in Polands interest to hand over the suspect.

Mr Tusk noted in a post on X Friday that the court had rejected extradition, and rightly so.

He added that the case is closed.

Undersea explosions on September 26 2022 severely damaged the pipelines.

The damage added to tensions over the war in Ukraine as European countries moved to wean themselves off Russian energy sources, following the Kremlins full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The explosions ruptured the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which was inaugurated in 2011 and carried Russian natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea until Russia cut off supplies at the end of August 2022.

They also damaged the parallel Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which never entered service because Germany suspended its certification process shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

The problem of Europe, the problem of Ukraine, the problem of Lithuania and Poland is not that Nord Stream 2 was blown up, but that it was built Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk

Germany had previously pushed ahead with the Nord Stream 2 project despite opposition from central and eastern European countries and the US, which argued it would increase Europes dependence on Russian gas and give Russia the possibility of using gas as a geopolitical weapon.

Mr Tusk said earlier this month that the problem of Europe, the problem of Ukraine, the problem of Lithuania and Poland is not that Nord Stream 2 was blown up, but that it was built.

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He said that the only people who should be ashamed of and quiet about Nord Stream 2 are those who decided to build it.

At the time of his arrest, Mr Zhuravlov was a resident of Poland, where he lived with his wife and children, Polish prosecutors said.

His wife has told Polish media her husband is innocent and that they were together in Poland at the time the pipelines were blown up.

He is one of two Ukrainians whose extradition German judicial authorities have been trying to secure in the case.



A leak from Nord Stream 2 on September 28 2022 (Swedish Coast Guard via AP)

A man suspected to have been one of the co-ordinators of the attack was arrested in Italy in August.

This week, Italys top court annulled a lower courts decision to order his extradition and called for another panel of judges to reassess the case, his lawyer said.

The German government has declined to comment on Mr Tusks remarks this month, and has noted that the ongoing proceedings are in prosecutors hands.

Neither the government nor German federal prosecutors, who are in charge of the case, had any comment on Fridays ruling.
The Red Cross has received the remains of another hostage returned to Israel from Gaza, the Israeli military said, after Hamas worked to shore up a tenuous ceasefire by using bulldozers to help search for bodies it says remain trapped under rubble.

The army said the coffin of a hostage was on the way to Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip.

The handover came after Hamass military wing said it would hand over the body of a hostage that was pulled out earlier in the day to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The statement from the Qassam Brigades said the remains were of an occupation prisoner, suggesting they belonged to an Israeli rather than one of the hostages of several other nationalities also taken by Hamas.



Palestinians watch members of the Hamas militant group searching for bodies in Hamad City, Khan Younis (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

The Israeli military and the Shin Bet security service, in a joint statement, said official identification of the remains would first be provided to the families, adding: Hamas is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the deceased hostages.

Hamas has said it is committed to the terms of the ceasefire deal, including the handover of bodies. So far it has handed over the remains of nine, along with a 10th body that Israel said was not that of a hostage.

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The effort to find bodies followed a warning from US President Donald Trump that he would clear Israel to resume the war if Hamas does not live up to its end of the deal and return all 28 hostages bodies.

In its statement earlier on Friday, Hamas said some hostages remains were in tunnels or buildings that were destroyed by Israel, and that heavy machinery is required to dig through rubble to retrieve them. It blamed Israel for the delay, saying it had not allowed any new bulldozers into the Gaza Strip.

Most heavy equipment in Gaza was destroyed during the war, leaving only a limited amount as Palestinians try to clear massive amounts of rubble.

On Friday, two bulldozers ploughed up pits in the earth as Hamas searched for hostages remains in Hamad City, a complex of apartment towers in the city of Khan Younis. Israeli forces repeatedly bombarded the towers during the war, toppling some, and troops conducted a week-long raid there in March 2024.

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Hamas urged mediators to increase the flow of aid into Gaza, expedite the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and start reconstruction. It also called for work to start immediately on setting up a committee of Palestinian independents who will run the Gaza Strip and for Israeli troops to continue pulling back from agreed areas.

The ceasefire plan introduced by Mr Trump had called for all hostages  living and dead  to be handed over by a deadline that expired on Monday. If that did not happen, Hamas was to share information about dead hostages and try to hand them over as soon as possible.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will not compromise and demanded that Hamas fulfil the requirements laid out in the ceasefire.



Benjamin Netanyahu (Evan Vucci/AP)

Hamas has assured the US that it is working to return dead hostages. American officials say retrieval of the bodies is hampered by the scope of the devastation, coupled with the presence of unexploded ordnance.

The militant group has also told mediators that some bodies are in areas controlled by Israeli troops.

Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages on Monday. In exchange, Israel freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

In Israel, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said it will continue holding weekly rallies until all remains are returned.

Israel has also returned to Gaza the bodies of 90 Palestinians for burial. Israel is expected to turn over more bodies, though officials have not said how many are in its custody or how many will be returned.

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A Palestinian forensics team examining the remains said some of the bodies showed signs of mistreatment.

Israels campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government in the territory. The ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. Thousands more people are missing, according to the Red Cross.

In the attack on Israel on October 7 2023, militants killed around 1,200 people and took 250 hostage.



Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages on Monday (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

France said it is working with the UK and the US to propose a UN resolution in the coming days that would provide a framework for an international force for Gaza.

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux told a news conference that Arab countries want a UN mandate for the force. Arab countries are expected to be among those contributing troops to the force, which will oversee Egyptian-trained Palestinian police.

Mr Confavreux said details on funding, equipment and which countries will participate still need to be worked out.

The UN says the flow of aid remains constrained because of continued closures of crossings and restrictions on aid groups.

UN tracking of its own aid trucks into Gaza shows 339 trucks have been offloaded for distribution since the ceasefire began a week ago. Under the agreement, 600 humanitarian aid trucks would be allowed to enter Gaza daily.

Crossings were closed on Monday and Tuesday for the exchange of hostages and prisoners and a Jewish holiday.

Cogat, the Israeli defence body overseeing aid in Gaza, reported 950 trucks  including commercial trucks and bilateral deliveries  crossing on Thursday and 716 on Wednesday, according to the UN office for the co-ordination of humanitarian aid.

Tom Fletcher, who heads that office, said UN humanitarian teams are executing a 60-day plan to massively scale up aid, but he warned that the challenges ahead are immense and urged the opening of more crossings to allow more aid and workers into Gaza.
A Dublin firefighter charged with allegedly raping a woman in a Boston hotel in the US while visiting the city as part of St Patricks Day celebrations last year has gone on trial for a second time.

Terence Crosbie, 38, who has been in custody for 18 months, is accused of raping an American woman at the Omni Parker House hotel in downtown Boston after celebrating at the Black Rose bar on March 14th, 2024. He is pleading not guilty.

Last June, his court hearing, which ended in a mistrial, was told that Mr Crosbie, 38, from Dublin, was in the American city with work colleagues as part of the St Patricks Day celebrations on March 14th last year.

It is alleged that on March 15th last year, Crosbie raped the now 29-year-old woman at the hotel. Mr Crosbie had flown to Boston from Ireland on the same day of the alleged incident with colleagues and he was scheduled to leave the following Tuesday, March 18th.

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Mr Crosbie was sharing a hotel room with a fellow firefighter, whom the victim said she had consensual sex with after meeting earlier in the Black Rose pub. They subsequently fell asleep in separate beds.

The victim alleged that she woke in the early hours of the following day to another man sexually assaulting her, and identified him to police as the defendant.

Prosecutors argued surveillance video shows Mr Crosbie in the room at the time the woman says she was raped.

According to an arrest report, Mr Crosbie admitted to entering the room but denied any physical contact or interaction with the woman.

After being interviewed by police, Mr Crosbie booked a flight for 10.10pm that night, days before his scheduled departure date. At the airport, Mr Crosbie boarded an even earlier flight, departing at around 7 pm. However, State police stopped the plane on the Logan Airport tarmac and removed Crosbie.

A medical examination was performed at Massachusetts General Hospital. Two clinical experts reportedly testified that while DNA from two males was found in a swab, the results did not contain enough DNA to identify their source.

Opening statements were heard in Suffolk Superior Court on Thursday afternoon, according to NBC Boston News and Court TV.

Prosecution attorney Daniela Mendes detailed the events of the day and night in question and argued that the alleged victim was clinically sober despite having alcoholic drinks throughout the day.

Attorney Patrick Garrity gave the defences opening statement, arguing the alleged victim never identified Mr Crosbie as the attacker, despite claiming the lights were on in the room and that she got a good look at the suspect, which points to reasonable doubt.

Dr Lindsay Walsh, an ER doctor at Mass General Brigham Hospital, gave evidence of treating the alleged victim on March 15th, last year.

The alleged victim arrived at the emergency department just after 3am and was discharged seven hours later at 10am.

Mr Crosbie has been in custody on a $50,000 bail at the Suffolk County Jail since his arrest.

The trial continues.
The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to allow the deployment of National Guard troops in the Chicago area, escalating Donald Trumps conflict with Democratic governors over using the military on US soil.

The emergency appeal came after a judge prevented, for at least two weeks, the deployment of Guard members from Illinois and Texas to assist immigration enforcement.

A federal appeals court refused to put the judges order on hold.

The conservative-dominated court has handed the president repeated victories in emergency appeals since he took office in January, after lower courts ruled against him and often over the objection of the three liberal justices.

The court has allowed Mr Trump to ban transgender people from the military, claw back billions of dollars of Congress-approved federal spending, move aggressively against immigrants and fire the presidentially appointed leaders of independent federal agencies,

In the dispute over the Guard, US District Judge April Perry said she found no substantial evidence that a danger of rebellion was brewing in Illinois during Mr Trumps immigration crackdown.
President Donald Trump was hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for talks at the White House on Friday, with the US leader signalling he was not ready to agree to sell Kyiv a long-range missile system that the Ukrainians say they desperately need.

Mr Zelensky arrived with top aides to discuss the latest developments with Mr Trump over lunch, a day after the US president and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a lengthy phone call to discuss the conflict.

At the start of the talks, Mr Zelensky congratulated Mr Trump over landing last weeks ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza and said Mr Trump now had momentum to stop the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

President Trump now has a big chance to finish this war, Mr Zelensky said.



US President Donald Trump held talks with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House (Alex Brandon/AP)

Mr Zelensky also suggested he had come with a proposition in which Ukraine could provide the United States with its advanced drones, while Washington would sell Kyiv the long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Mr Trump said he believed Ukraine was manufacturing very good drones but expressed reluctance about tapping into the US Tomahawk supply.

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I have an obligation also to make sure that were completely stocked up as a country, because you never know whats going to happen in war and peace, Mr Trump said.

In recent days, Mr Trump had shown an openness to selling Ukraine long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, even as Mr Putin warned that such a move would further strain the US-Russian relationship.

But following Thursdays call with Mr Putin, Mr Trump appeared to downplay the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles (1,600km).

We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too, Mr Trump said.

We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean, we cant deplete our country.

The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha

Mr Zelensky had been seeking the weapons, which would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory and target key military sites, energy facilities and critical infrastructure.

He has argued that the potential for such strikes would help compel Mr Putin to take Mr Trumps calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.

But Mr Putin warned Mr Trump during the call that supplying Kyiv with the Tomahawks wont change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries, according to Yuri Ushakov, Mr Putins foreign policy adviser.

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Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said that talk of providing Tomahawks had already served a purpose by pushing Mr Putin into talks.

The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace, Mr Sybiha said on X on Thursday.

Ukrainian officials have also indicated that Mr Zelensky plans to appeal to Mr Trumps economic interests by aiming to discuss the possibility of energy deals with the US.



Mr Zelensky, left, said Mr Trump now had momentum to stop the Russia-Ukraine conflict (Alex Brandon/AP)

Mr Zelensky is expected to offer to store American liquefied natural gas in Ukraines gas storage facilities, which would allow for an American presence in the European energy market.

He previewed the strategy on Thursday in meetings with energy secretary Chris Wright and the heads of American energy companies, leading him to post on X that it was important to restore Ukraines energy infrastructure after Russian attacks and expand the presence of American businesses in Ukraine.

It was the fourth face-to-face meeting for Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky since the Republican returned to office in January, and their second in less than a month.

Mr Trump announced following Thursdays call with Mr Putin that he would soon meet with the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss ways to end the war.

The two also agreed that their senior aides, including secretary of state Marco Rubio, would meet next week at an unspecified location.

Fresh off brokering a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, Mr Trump has said finding an endgame to the war in Ukraine is now his top foreign policy priority and has expressed new confidence about the prospects of getting it done.
US President Donald Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for talks at the White House on Friday, with the US leader signalling he is not ready to agree to sell Kyiv a long-range missile system that the Ukrainians say they desperately need.

Mr Zelensky gets his one-on-one with Mr Trump a day after the US president and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a lengthy phone call to discuss the conflict.

In recent days, Mr Trump had shown an openness to selling Ukraine long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, even as Mr Putin warned that such a move would further strain the US-Russian relationship.

We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too. We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean, we can't deplete our country US President Donald Trump

But following Thursdays call with Mr Putin, Mr Trump appeared to downplay the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles (1,600km).

We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too, Mr Trump said.

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We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean, we cant deplete our country.

Mr Zelensky had been seeking the weapons that would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory and target key military sites, energy facilities and critical infrastructure.



Volodymyr Zelensky, pictured, was meeting Donald Trump a day after the US president and Vladimir Putin held a lengthy phone call to discuss the conflict (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)

He has argued that such strikes would help compel Mr Putin to take Mr Trumps calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.

But Mr Putin warned Mr Trump during the call that supplying Kyiv with the Tomahawks wont change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries, according to Yuri Ushakov, Mr Putins foreign policy adviser.

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said that talk of providing Tomahawks had already served a purpose by pushing Mr Putin into talks.

The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace, Mr Sybiha said on X on Thursday.

Ukrainian officials have also indicated that Mr Zelensky plans to appeal to Mr Trumps economic interests by aiming to discuss the possibility of energy deals with the US.

Mr Zelensky is looking to offer to store American liquefied natural gas in Ukraines gas storage facilities, which would allow for American presence in the European energy market.





During my meeting with Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy Chris Wright, we discussed in detail energy capacities and potential projects for partnership in the energy sector.



I spoke about Russias strikes on Ukraines energy system and the need to restore the affected pic.twitter.com/4Jj2uyLMtp  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) October 17, 2025

He previewed the strategy on Thursday in meetings with energy secretary Chris Wright and the heads of American energy companies, leading him to post on X that it is important to restore Ukraines energy infrastructure after Russian attacks and expand the presence of American businesses in Ukraine.

It will be the fourth face-to-face meeting for Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky since the Republican returned to office in January, and their second in less than a month.

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Mr Trump announced following Thursdays call with Mr Putin that he would soon meet with the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss ways to end the war.

The two also agreed that their senior aides, including secretary of state Marco Rubio, would meet next week at an unspecified location.

Fresh from brokering a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, Mr Trump has said finding an endgame to the war in Ukraine is now his top foreign policy priority and has expressed new confidence about the prospects of getting it done.
Donald Trump has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky he is leaning against selling long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv, but offered optimism that the war is moving towards an end that would mitigate a need for the powerful weapon.

Mr Zelensky at the start of the White House talks said he had a proposition in which Ukraine could provide the US with its advanced drones, while Washington would sell Kyiv the long-range cruise missiles that Ukrainian officials say they need to motivate Russian President Vladmir Putin to get serious about peace talks.

But Mr Trump said he was hesitant to tap into the US Tomahawk supply, a turnabout after days of suggesting he was seriously considering sending the missiles to help Ukraine beat back Russias invasion.

We'd much rather have them not need Tomahawks. We'd much rather have the war be over, to be honest Donald Trump

I have an obligation also to make sure that were completely stocked up as a country, because you never know whats going to happen in war and peace, the US president said.

He added: Wed much rather have them not need Tomahawks. Wed much rather have the war be over, to be honest.

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After the meeting, he called on Kyiv and Moscow to stop where they are and end the war.

Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts, he wrote on social media. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!

Mr Zelensky told reporters after the meeting that it was time for a ceasefire and negotiations, but appeared to stop short of embracing Mr Trumps call for an immediate end to the war.

The president is right, we have to stop where we are, and then to speak, Mr Zelensky said.

Mr Zelensky and his senior aides met Mr Trump and his team over lunch, a day after the US leader and Mr Putin held a lengthy phone call to discuss the conflict.



A Tomahawk cruise missile (Alamy/PA)

The Ukrainian president congratulated Mr Trump over last weeks ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza and said the US leader now has momentum to stop the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

President Trump now has a big chance to finish this war, Mr Zelensky added.

Mr Trumps shifting rhetoric on Tomahawks is disappointing to the Ukrainians. In recent days, he had shown an openness to selling Ukraine the Tomahawks, even as Mr Putin warned that such a move would further strain the US-Russian relationship.

But after Thursdays call with Mr Putin, Mr Trump began downplaying the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles.

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Mr Zelensky had been seeking the Tomahawks, which would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory and target key military sites, energy facilities and critical infrastructure. He has argued that the potential for such strikes would help compel Mr Putin to take Mr Trumps calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.

The Russian leader warned Mr Trump that supplying Kyiv with the Tomahawks wont change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries, according to Yuri Ushakov, Mr Putins foreign policy adviser.



Russian President Vladimir Putin (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo/AP)

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said that talk of providing Tomahawks had already served a purpose by pushing Mr Putin into talks. The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace, Mr Sybiha said.

Mr Zelensky also used Fridays meeting to discuss the possibility of energy deals with the US.

He was expected to offer to store American liquefied natural gas in Ukraines gas storage facilities, which would allow for an American presence in the European energy market.

Mr Zelensky previewed the strategy on Thursday in meetings with energy secretary Chris Wright and the heads of American energy companies, saying it is important to restore Ukraines energy infrastructure after Russian attacks and expand the presence of American businesses in Ukraine.

It is the fourth face-to-face meeting for Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky since the Republican returned to office in January, and their second in less than a month.

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Mr Trump announced on Thursday after his call with Mr Putin that he would soon meet the Russian leader in Budapest to discuss ways to end the war.

The US president said on Friday that it was to be determined if Mr Zelensky would be involved in the talks in Hungary, suggesting a double meeting with the warring countries leaders is the most workable option for productive negotiations.

These two leaders do not like each other, and we want to make it comfortable for everybody, Mr Trump added.
The US has taken survivors into custody after its military struck a suspected drug-carrying vessel in the Caribbean, a defence official has said.

It is the first attack with any survivors since Donald Trump began launching deadly attacks in the region last month, officials said.

The president later confirmed the attack, saying: We attacked a submarine, and that was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs.

Secretary of state Marco Rubio did not dispute that there were survivors, but repeatedly said details would be forthcoming.



Marco Rubio (Leon Neal/PA)

The strike on Thursday took the death toll from the Trump administrations military action against vessels in the region to at least 28.

It is believed to be at least the sixth strike in the waters off Venezuela since early September, and the first to result in survivors who were picked up by the US military.

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It was not immediately clear what would be done with the survivors who were being held on a US Navy vessel, sources said.

Mr Trump has justified the strikes by saying the US is engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels, relying on the same legal authority used by the Bush administration when it declared a war on terror after the September 11 attacks.

That includes the ability to capture and detain combatants and to use lethal force against their leadership.

Some legal experts have questioned the legality of the approach. The presidents use of overwhelming military force to combat the cartels, along with his authorisation of covert action inside Venezuela, possibly to oust President Nicolas Maduro, stretches the bounds of international law, legal experts said this week.

The survivors of Thursdays strike face an unclear future and legal landscape, including questions about whether they are considered to be prisoners of war or defendants in a criminal case.

The strikes in the Caribbean have caused unease among Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, with some Republicans saying they have not received sufficient information on how the strikes are being conducted.

A classified briefing for senators on the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month did not include representatives from intelligence agencies or the military command structure for South and Central America.

However, most Senate Republicans stood behind the administration last week when a vote on a War Powers Resolution was brought up, which would have required the administration to gain approval from Congress before conducting more strikes.

Their willingness to back the administration will be tested again. Democratic senator Tim Kaine is bringing another resolution that would prevent Mr Trump from outright attacking Venezuela without congressional authorisation.
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Updated BusinessCompaniesUS politics The Australian does a U-turn on controversial Pentagon press rules Calum Jaspan Updated October 17, 2025  12:51pm ,first published October 17, 2025  10:30am 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 215 View all comments

News Corps The Australian has done a dramatic U-turn on its decision to sign up to the Pentagons new controversial press rules, which led every major news outlet, including Murdoch-owned Fox News, to hand over their passes. Just hours after The Australian was revealed to be one of just 11 global news outlets to have agreed to the new rules, a spokesperson told this masthead that it had revoked our assent, citing press freedom concerns. Major news organisations packed up and left The Pentagon this week. The Australian had opted to retain its access, then revoked the call. AP The Australian has reviewed the Pentagons new press rules and requirements. They raise serious concerns and place undue limits on press freedoms, a spokesperson for The Australian said following questions from this masthead. Because of The Australians long-held position on independent journalism and press freedom, we have advised the Pentagon that we have revoked our assent.

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This masthead sent questions to The Australians Washington correspondent, Joe Kelly, about how the newspaper signed up to the Pentagon rules, but he did not respond. Nor did the papers editor-in-chief, Michelle Gunn. The decision to sign up to the rules was out of step with the vast majority of major news organisations, including fellow News Corp outlets, who have handed in their passes. Related Article US politics We are not backing down: Reporters pack up, walk out as Pentagon confiscates almost all press badges The Australian was initially among global outlets, including the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency, newspaper Aksam and The Federalist, along with far-right publications One America News Network and The Epoch Times, to agree to the new rules put forward by the Pentagon. The newly renamed US Department of War this week demanded reporters sign a new document stipulating they cannot solicit information that isnt explicitly authorised for release by the Pentagon, a move roundly criticised for its limitations on press freedom and potential for severe punishment of reporters.

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This week, the major US television networks, including Fox, CNN, ABC, CBS and NBC, released a rare joint statement, speaking out against the new guidelines and noting their reporters would not be signing up. Today, we join virtually every other news organisation in declining to agree to the Pentagons new requirements, which would restrict journalists ability to keep the nation and the world informed of important national security issues, they said. The new policy threatens core journalist protections, the outlets said, calling the move by former Fox News host and now War Secretary Pete Hegseth without precedent. Michelle Gunn, editor-in-chief of The Australian. Hegseth, a former weekend TV host on Fox, was selected by President Donald Trump as defence secretary, with the department later rebranded as the Department of War.

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Major news organisations, including The New York Times, News Corp stablemate The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, also refused to sign up to the rules, as did the pro-Trump network Newsmax. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.
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Eating outGood Food Guide The record-breaking, westward march of the Good Food Guide hats Why youre more likely to find a hatted restaurant in Newtown than Potts Point this year. Bianca Hrovat October 17, 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

As featured in the SMH Good Food Guide 2026 Awards collection. See all stories .

A record number of restaurants in Sydneys inner west received a coveted chefs hat from The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide on Tuesday, marking the hospitality sectors westward migration from historical hot spots such as Potts Point and Paddington. The 41st annual Good Food Guide, published across an 80-page newspaper liftout and the Good Food app, contains independent reviews of more than 600 restaurants, cafes and bars in NSW and the ACT. Only restaurants which score exceptionally high on standardised measures of food, hospitality, experience and value are awarded a chefs hat. Twenty years ago, there wasnt a single hatted restaurant in Newtown, but of the 111 Sydney restaurants awarded a hat this year, 12 are located within the Inner West Council area. Enmore Road alone now has more hatted restaurants than all of Potts Point, a traditional hatted stronghold, says Good Food Guide co-editor Callan Boys. Good Food Guide co-editors Callan Boys (R) and David Matthews at the awards ceremony on Monday. Dion Georgopoulos For the first time, a Lidcombe restaurant (Korean soup specialist Yeodongsik) made it onto the hat list, and a Guildford cafe (Yum Yum Bakery) was awarded Cafe of the Year Award.

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Restaurateur-chef Alessandro Pavoni says he can afford to be more adventurous with dishes at his Italian restaurants at Enmore (one-hatted newcomer Vineria Luisa) and Summer Hill (one-hatted Postino Osteria, which opened late last year), than those in the CBD (aMare) and Mosman (Ormeggio at The Spit). I like to put on out-of-the-ordinary dishes, using offal, giblets, things like that, and in the inner west theyre happy to try it, they love it, they come back for it, and you can show what Italian food really is, beyond the mainstream dishes, Pavoni says. The hospitality veteran made his first moves into the inner west with wife Anna Pavoni in September 2024, lured by the nighttime economy, cheaper property prices and a higher proportion of renters with discretionary income. Restaurateurs Alessandro and Anna Pavoni at Vineria Luisa. Flavio Brancaleone There are good deals around here, opportunities for both young and seasoned chefs to open a successful business here, and the customers will follow, and they will want to come and try new and different things, he says.

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Boys notes ambitious restaurateurs are often attracted to high-income, high-density areas, where people are more likely to dine out regularly. This is also why there are fewer hatted restaurants in the northern suburbs  if youve got a big kitchen, youre more inclined to eat at home, he says. As smart operators continue to follow the market and suburban growth, I suspect were going to see more innovation, ambition and investment in restaurants outside the inner-city bubble. The team at Maiz on Enmore Road. The Good Food Guide has also introduced changes to its 30-year-old scoring system to broaden its scope, says co-editor David Matthews. There used to be two points out of 20 awarded for X-factor, which tended to disproportionately prop up venues with water views or a well-known chef. After COVID, we replaced X-factor with value, and that has shaken things up.

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Theres no utility in marking down a family-run noodle restaurant because it doesnt offer table service, just like theres no point bumping up a fine-dining restaurants score because it does. It needs to execute [whatever it has set out to do]. The more we push the scoring in that direction, the more well see hats awarded to restaurants nailing their brief instead of fitting into a box. Firepop owners Alina Van and Raymond Hou. Edwina Pickles Juan Carlos Negrete is the head chef and co-owner of Newtown Mexican restaurant Maiz, which moved to Enmore Road in 2024 and received one hat in the Good Food Guide. He says the rising number of hats west of Pyrmont represents a cultural shift in the way we look at food. On one hand, in the CBD there are the big operators who have the capital to create big beautiful places and hire amazing chefs. But theres also emerging recognition for a different type of restaurant, where chefs share their culture through a diversity of produce and techniques.

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Further down Enmore Road, chef Raymond Hou weaves traditional Chinese flavours with NSW produce and fire-cooking at Firepop, the one-hatted restaurant he co-owns with partner Alina Van. The menu is entirely singular, with dishes including wagyu toast with sea urchin butter and native lime, and scallops skewers with pork jowl and oyster cream. Mister Grotto, Newtown. Jennifer Soo On Australia Street, restaurateurs Elvis Abrahanowicz, Sarah Doyle and Joe Valore were among the first hospitality groups to expand from Surry Hills (where they still operate Argentinian steakhouse Porteno) to Newtown, opening Continental Deli in 2015. They joined a wave of successful independent restaurants gaining traction in the area, including two-hatted Cafe Paci, one-hatted Osteria di Russo and Russo, and Hartsyard (now closed). Earlier this year, the Continental team expanded its Australia Street presence to a further three venues: Osteria Mucca and Mister Grotto (both of which received hats on Monday); and Joes Tavern, which opened on Wednesday. Lauren Eldridge, the executive pastry chef behind those venues, was named Oceania Cruises Chef of the Year at the awards.

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The hospitality scene here has just gotten stronger and stronger, Doyle says. Its not just cheap eats or fast food, its so much more  and Id like to think Continental has given confidence to other people that, yes, there are legs in the inner west. The Good Food app is the home of the 2026 edition of the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, with more than 600 reviews including 115 Critics Picks. The app is free for premium subscribers of the SMH and also available as a standalone subscription. You can download the Good Food app here.
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NationalQueenslandBrisbane development South Bank 2.0 was called a white elephant. The new plan has its critics too William Davis October 17, 2025  5:55pm 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 26 View all comments

Plans for a new South Bank-style parkland around the river bend in South Brisbane have been scrapped, with the land now earmarked for thousands of new apartments as part of a mixed-use precinct. The Queensland government is seeking input from developers, and believes the 7.1-hectare Visy site on Montague Road could host more than 4000 homes, as well as parks, entertainment spaces and riverfront promenades. The announcement on Friday drew a strong backlash from the areas Brisbane City Council representative, Trina Massey, of the Greens. An artists impression of how the Visy site in South Brisbane may look when redeveloped. This isnt revitalisation, its a blatant act of privatisation at the expense of local communities, she said in an afternoon statement.

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Every time we privatise public land, we lose the chance to create genuine affordability and long-term housing security. Ive been consulting with residents  they want parkland, outdoor sporting fields, schools, and community facilities like libraries, halls, and creative spaces. The LNP wouldnt know because they dont speak to people, only to their developer mates. Images released by the government show residential buildings, a pool on the river, boating area, and public park. The former Labor government had chosen the block as a temporary broadcast centre for the 2032 Olympics. There were plans for it to then be converted into a South Bank 2.0 parkland after the Games. Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner was a supporter at the time.

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For a decade and more, people have talked about South Bank being extended along this part of our river, and I am so pleased were now moving forward to make those dreams become a reality, he said in 2021. In a Friday afternoon media release, Schrinner said the new proposal would best serve the city. Visys South Brisbane glass manufacturing site was secured for the 2032 Olympics international broadcast centre, but the government has since confirmed it will not be used. Matt Dennien Our plan means were able to deliver new homes in an area where more people want to live, while protecting the character of Brisbanes suburbs, he said. Earlier this year the government confirmed it would no longer use the land for the Olympic broadcast centre, following the findings of its 100-Day Review.

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The block  which is one of the last undeveloped riverfront sites in Brisbane  was bought by the Labor government in mid-2022 for $165 million. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the new plan would help support housing supply and deliver a legacy project for Brisbane. Plans to extend South Bank date back to at least 2012, when former Labor premier Anna Bligh proposed using the same site. The plan was later axed by the Newman government. Courtney Kruk Labors plan for the Visy site was to waste more taxpayer money on yet another white elephant project that didnt stack up and delivered no new homes for Queenslanders, he said. Instead of yet another Steven Miles wasteful white elephant vanity project, [we] will partner with the private sector to reverse Labors housing crisis while delivering a new world-class precinct for the city.

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The premier echoed those views. Were unlocking one of the last golden stretches of riverfront to create a world-class legacy precinct that all Queenslanders can be proud of, he said. This is a once-in-a-generation moment to reshape Brisbanes inner city and deliver lasting benefits. Developers are being asked to submit proposals with the government. Construction could begin as soon as 2027.

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South Brisbane is on track to completely transform the city skyline in coming years, with multiple developments  including the largest tower outside the CBD  already approved under new height limits 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 TechnologySoftware Silicon Valleys Trump courtship is backfiring spectacularly David Swan October 17, 2025  2:15pm 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 159 View all comments

San Francisco: On a Friday evening in late September, Amazons immigration team sent urgent messages to thousands of employees: return to the United States before midnight on Saturday or risk being stranded abroad. Microsoft and JPMorgan Chase issued similar warnings. The reason? President Donald Trump had just imposed a $US100,000 ($155,000)fee on new H-1B visas, effective immediately. The move blindsided an industry that had spent months courting the president. Just 16 days earlier, 33 Silicon Valley executives had gathered at a White House dinner, lavishing praise on Trump and announcing billions of dollars in investments. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman told Trump he was a very refreshing change. Now, his employees were scrambling to airports. Donald Trump with Oracles Larry Ellison, SoftBanks Masayoshi Son and Sam Altman of OpenAI. Bloomberg The US tech sector is experiencing an unprecedented AI boom. In the first half of 2025 alone, venture capital funding for AI companies in the San Francisco metro area surpassed $US29 billion ($45 billion)  more than double the amount during the same period in 2022. Over the past five years, AI-related companies have leased more than 465,000 square metres of San Francisco office space. The city has become home to OpenAI, Scale AI, Anthropic, Perplexity, and Databricks  companies collectively valued at hundreds of billions of dollars.

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That amount of energy being concentrated in San Francisco has just been huge for the city, says Vijay Karunamurthy, former field chief technology officer at Scale AI, who has witnessed the citys boom-and-bust cycles over 25 years. It means every single night, theres AI events. If you go to a coffee shop, youll run into people working on AI. But this flurry of activity is playing out against the backdrop of Trumps mercurial governance, creating a volatile environment where billion-dollar companies operate at the mercy of presidential whims. The dinner and the betrayal A September 4 White House dinner epitomised the awkward dance between tech and Trump. Thirty-three Silicon Valley leaders gathered in the State Dining Room after weather forced the cancellation of a Rose Garden event. Metas Mark Zuckerberg, Apples Tim Cook, Microsofts Bill Gates, Googles Sundar Pichai  nearly every major figure attended. (Notably absent was Elon Musk, whose public falling-out with Trump earlier in the year had made him persona non grata.)

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Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, turns around before President Donald Trumps speech at a dinner last month in the State Dining Room of the White House. AP Photo/Alex Brandon In what The Wall Street Journal described as a version of his cabinet meetings, each executive took turns thanking and praising Trump. Cook announced Apple would invest $US600 billion in the US, telling Trump: I want to thank you for setting the tone such that we can make a major investment in the United States. Altman declared: Thank you for being such a pro-business, pro-innovation president. Its a very refreshing change. The mood was reportedly upbeat, optimistic  a celebration of partnership between government and industry. Then, just 16 days later, Trump signed the H-1B proclamation. A hard reality check The $US100,000 fee represents a seismic shift for an industry built on global talent. Amazon employed more than 14,000 H-1B holders as of June 2025, with Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Google each employing more than 4000. Under the previous system, entering the H-1B lottery required minimal fees, with subsequent costs amounting to several thousand dollars. The new fee represents an increase of up to 50-fold.

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AI The AI bubble just got a little bigger and no one knows when it will burst Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist The tech industrys dependence on H-1B visas runs deeper than most realise: an estimated 65 per cent of H-1B beneficiaries work in computer-related occupations, and the visa program has become the backbone of Silicon Valleys talent pipeline. Indians comprise more than 70 per cent of H-1B beneficiaries, with Chinese nationals making up 11.7 per cent. Adding new fees creates disincentive to attract the worlds smartest talent to the US, wrote Deedy Das, a partner at venture capital firm Menlo Ventures on Bluesky. If the US ceases to attract the best talent, it drastically reduces its ability to innovate and grow the economy. 

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The market reaction was swift. Shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions, heavily reliant on H-1B visa holders, fell nearly 5 per cent following Trumps announcement, while US-listed shares of Indian tech firms Infosys and Wipro fell between 2 and 5 per cent. The China factor The H-1B shock arrived alongside escalating trade tensions with China that threaten the tech industrys global supply chains. On October 10, Trump announced plans to impose an additional 100 per cent tariff on Chinese imports, over and above any tariff that they are currently paying, starting on November 1. He also threatened export controls on any and all critical software. The announcement sent Chinese tech stocks tumbling and reignited fears of a global recession. For Silicon Valley companies that manufacture in China or depend on Chinese components, the tariffs represent an existential threat. Shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions, heavily reliant on H-1B visa holders, fell nearly 5 per cent following Trumps announcement. Bloomberg

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In the short term, Washington may collect a windfall; in the long term, the US risks taxing away its innovation edge, trading dynamism for short-sighted protectionism, said eMarketer analyst Jeremy Goldman. The timing was particularly brutal. China had just imposed restrictions on rare earth mineral exports  materials critical for semiconductors, electric vehicles and defence systems. China mines and processes most of the worlds rare earth metals, making Trumps retaliation a high-stakes gamble with American innovation. Benioffs contradictions mirror the industry At Salesforces annual flashy Dreamforce summit this week, where 50,000 attendees descended on San Francisco, the tech worlds bittersweet relationship with Trump was on full display. Chief executive Marc Benioff, a staunch Democrat, proclaimed that AI would help every employee and every company achieve more than they ever thought possible, showing off the companys new AI offerings. He announced a new $US15 billion investment to cement San Franciscos status as an AI hub.

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Marc Benioff, the CEO of Salesforce, speaks at the 2025 Dreamforce conference in San Francisco on Tuesday. Bloomberg Just days earlier, in an interview with The New York Times conducted from his private jet, Benioff had called for Trump to deploy National Guard troops to San Francisco. We dont have enough cops, so if they can be cops, Im all for it, he said. The comments sparked immediate backlash. State Senator Scott Wiener said: We do not need the US military, National Guard or otherwise, here in San Francisco. That would be illegal. After the outcry, Benioff attempted to clarify his remarks, emphasising collaboration with local police and praising mayor Daniel Lurie. Yet, Benioffs contradictions mirror those of the industry he represents. At a state dinner hosted by King Charles at Windsor Castle in September, he told the Times he spent the evening telling Trump how grateful I am for everything hes doing. The executive is simultaneously a major philanthropist with hospitals bearing his name and an advocate for military intervention in his own city.

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The courtship that failed David Sacks, Trumps AI and crypto tsar, has continued to work as a Silicon Valley investor. Getty Images The tech industrys courtship of Trump has yielded decidedly mixed results. Apple CEO Tim Cook gave Trump a 24-karat gold stand during an August visit to the Oval Office. Executives have poured millions into inaugural funds and promised massive US investments. The price of admission seemed clear: show up, pay homage, and secure favours and preferential treatment. But so far, the result looks like the opposite: the H-1B fee increase will cost companies millions annually. The tariff uncertainty threatens the fundamental supply chain model that made many Silicon Valley companies dominant. The ability to recruit the worlds best talent regardless of passport  a cornerstone of Silicon Valleys success  now faces a $US100,000 barrier.

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Meanwhile, the administrations interventions have grown increasingly brazen. Trump struck deals requiring chipmakers Nvidia and AMD to give the government a 15 per cent cut of sales to China. The White House took a 10 per cent stake in Intel after Trump criticised chief executive Lip-Bu Tans China exposure. David Sacks, Trumps AI and crypto tsar, says Americas AI arms race with China is existential, necessitating drastic action. Whoever wins this AI race will have tremendous ramifications for both our economy and our national security, he told Benioff in an on-stage interview at Dreamforce. To win this AI race, we have to be the most innovative; you cant regulate your way to beating your competitor, you have to out-innovate them ... Innovation comes from the private sector, not the government, so we have to do everything we can to help our companies win, to help them be innovative. That means getting a lot of red tape out of the way.

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An Australian alternative As Australia grapples with questions about AI, talent and immigration policy, San Franciscos Trump-era experience offers lessons. Australia has developed a robust tech ecosystem that has produced global giants such as Atlassian, Canva, Afterpay and Airwallex  proof that Australian founders can build world-class companies without relocating to the Bay Area. Tech Council chair Scott Farquhar. Dominic Lorrimer The Tech Council of Australia, formed in 2021, set ambitious goals: 1.2 million Australians employed in technology jobs by 2030, and tech reaching $250 billion in economic activity by the same year. Despite raising less than $US34 billion in total venture capital funding since 2000, Australia ranks fifth globally in creating decacorns  companies valued over $10 billion  a report from Side Stage Ventures and AWS shows.

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Software The vibes are extremely off with Silicon Valleys latest brain fart David Swan Technology editor Were in a gold rush period at the moment, and I do know that people are getting very lucrative offers to go work overseas. I think thats been the case forever, Tech Council chairman and Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar tells this masthead. There are a lot of benefits to living and being in Australia, particularly at this stage in the geopolitical landscape. Its a very safe and moderate ... And great weather. All the reasons why we live here. While I dont believe were ... in the short term, going to build fundamental AI models here in Australia, I believe theres so much that can be built on the back of those models. Theres so much that we can do here in Australia. Entry-level positions at leading Australian tech companies typically start at $85,000, with senior roles reaching $150,000 or more, alongside comprehensive benefits including health insurance, paid parental leave and learning allowances. The packages are competitive globally, while Australias immigration system also offers a stark contrast to Americas lottery. The General Skilled Migration program provides clear pathways for skilled workers through points-based assessment, with processing times and requirements that proponents say are transparent and predictable. Australian companies are increasingly hiring globally, with 89 per cent of mid-sized companies planning to hire overseas talent in 2025.

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Some Australian companies aim to provide an alternative to Trumps America. Atlassians Team Anywhere policies allow employees to work from almost anywhere in countries where the company has legal presence. Canvas hybrid working model allows employees to work where theyre most productive. Related Article Software Atlassian splashes $1b on AI browser as chief defends redundancy video call I think theres a huge opportunity for Australia, Farquhar says. The league table of the world is upended. You get a chance to reset the scoreboard ... And we need government, businesses and all of us to get together to make the decisions for a bright future. A fundamental question The question now facing Silicon Valley isnt whether Trump will deliver what he promises: hes already shown he wont. The H-1B fee increase came just weeks after executives pledged billions at his dinner table. The China tariffs emerged despite extensive corporate lobbying about supply chain dependencies. And the overwhelming unpredictability is putting Americas mammoth AI gains at risk.

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Farquhar says Australias current government will probably be reliable when it comes to tech policy. With Ayres and Charlton [Australian Innovation Minister Tim Ayres and Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy Andrew Charlton], we have a group of people that really think about whats best for Australia, and they take a long-term view on things ... They want to make sure that we have jobs, and they want to make sure that people get paid well and make sure the benefits are spread around. For US executives, the industry that disrupted countless others is learning what it means to be disrupted by a president who operates by the same rules they celebrated: move fast and break things, and prioritise disruption over stability. The tech titans thought they were dining with a fellow disruptor. Instead, they were on the menu. David Swan travelled to San Francisco as a guest of Salesforce.
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Analysis WorldEuropeRoyal family The final straw for a King whose brother had become poisonous Hannah Furness October 18, 2025  6:46am 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

Not in a lifetime has there been such a downfall of a duke. Prince Andrew, once a war hero heartthrob, has given up his Duke of York title, under growing public pressure and a King who has lost his patience. A century after the last royal dukedoms were stripped from Britains declared enemies in World War I, Andrew has chosen to stop using his own. Prince Andrew and the then-Prince Charles, pictured in 2012. Getty Images It follows a conflagration of sex assault claims, a friendship with a human-trafficking paedophile and a relentless drip of Chinese spy allegations that became intolerable for palace and public.

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An email from 2011 finally sealed his fate: five words Andrew sent to Jeffrey Epstein after the paedophile financier had already been jailed: Were in this together. The revelation this week blew apart his claims that he had cut ties with his friend: the tip of the iceberg in Duke of York-related scandals over the past few years, but the one that swept away any pretence that he had been simply misunderstood. Andrew has now relinquished the use of his title voluntarily. Years after he claimed to be too honourable  in a Newsnight interview so disastrous he had to step down as a working royal  he has finally taken the chance to do the right thing. Loading

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His statement was tinged with his customary bullishness. The continued accusations against me distract from the work of the monarch, he said. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. That he was permitted to explain it thus was a final concession from the King, who has been so reluctant to act rashly against his younger brother, or be seen to be cruel. Even so, the situation had become intolerable. What was at first a difficult sideshow for the monarchy had escalated into a poisonous crisis that threatened to undermine it.

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Prince Andrews appearance outside Westminster Cathedral for the funeral of the Duchess of Kent illustrated the problem for all the world to see. Andrew, laughing and mingling, could not have seemed more out of step; Prince William studiously avoided him. Prince Andrew (left) pictured with the royal family at the Duchess of Kents funeral in London last month. AP Optics are not everything in the royal family, but they are not nothing, either. If there had been one scandal, Andrew would have survived it. In fact, he endured more than one for a long time. He had the quiet support of his mother, and the most serious accusations against him have never been proven in a court of law.

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Related Article Royal family Prince Andrew to give up royal title of Duke of York after talks with King Charles But with each headline, and each poll putting him at the bottom of the public opinion, so the pressure on King Charles grew. First, palace sources looked back to what the late Queen Elizabeth had already done. The Duke had stepped back from public and working life, but remained a family member  as such, he could attend family events. He couldnt be banned from church, one source said not long ago, referring to the only venue where he was regularly seen in public with his family. Then, the King and his aides made clear they wanted him to leave Royal Lodge, the large Windsor home, but it was impossible to lure him out. They lost that battle publicly, when Andrew produced his water-tight contract with the Crown Estate.

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There will be no Christmas walk at Sandringham for Andrew, no Order of the Garter finery, and a low profile, if any profile at all, at so-called family occasions. PA While constitutional experts spelt out exactly how the Duke of York title could be removed, and even the title of Prince, the palace hoped it would still not be necessary to follow through with it. The King, whose diagnosis and treatment for cancer has so affected his reign, has had other pressing priorities. Days ago, he was still said to be at a loss about what to do to solve the Prince Andrew problem. The Prince of Wales, without saying a word in public, had made clear he was more minded to take stronger action if it fell to him one day.

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Now, finally, that will not be necessary: the King has done the honours. Or, more accurately, encouraged his brother to abandon the honours. It will have caused no little upset within the family unit. The King is said to be glad of the outcome, even if he did not relish its process. Prince William was consulted. For the former Duke of York, this is the end of the royal road. Or should be. In practical terms, this decision will have few major consequences. No Christmas walk at Sandringham, no Order of the Garter finery, and a low profile, if any profile at all, at so-called family occasions.

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Related Article Literature Prince Andrew saw sex with me as his birthright, Virginia Giuffres book claims He has become accustomed to a quiet life in Windsor, riding and spending time with his ex-wife, two daughters and young grandchildren. But it will hurt a prince who has enjoyed his status and privileges, and prides himself on having served his country. His entry in the history books, as one of few dukes whose title disappeared from use in ignominy, will not make for happy reading. Even the abdication of Edward VIII, so scandalous in its day and so consequential for British history, was not so distasteful by todays standards, nor so protracted.

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The King and his heir will hope the perennial question, how do you solve a problem like Prince Andrew, has been solved once and for all. It has been decades in the making, and personally troubling for all. It is also a compromise: the title has not been stripped, it has been relinquished. With his statement, finally, Prince Andrew has ticked one major issue off his brothers to-do list. There is some small saving grace in that. The Telegraph, London
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Few people have been involved in more American efforts to broker peace in the Middle East than Aaron David Miller. A veteran State Department negotiator, he worked on Arab-Israeli relations for 15 years, including the Oslo Accords under Bill Clinton, and then in the George W. Bush administration. How, then, does he assess President Donald Trumps achievement this week? Trump has clearly oversold it, he says, including some awfully grandiose statements about its place in the pantheon of global peacemaking. The day after: Gaza has been left in ruins and what comes next is still uncertain. AP It is not a peace agreement, Miller tells this masthead in Washington. It is not the most important peace agreement in 3000 years. It comes nowhere close to rivalling the Egyptian-Israeli or Israeli-Jordanian peace treaties. But, Miller says: It is an extraordinary moment, delivered by a president who has acted in ways that are quite unprecedented. It could  offer a road map to end the war in Gaza on terms that normal people would regard as an actual end of the conflict. Former hostage Eitan Horn is welcomed home to Kfar Saba in Israel on Wednesday. Getty Images The positives of this week are obvious. After two years, the last live Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas are at home with their families; photographs and footage of the reunions provided a rare moment of hope in the otherwise long and bleak conflict. Some 2000 Palestinian prisoners were also released by Israel.

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However, the ceasefire has been shaky. Israeli forces withdrew to an agreed line, and Palestinians returned to their homes  or what little is left of them. However, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says Israeli fire has killed at least 23 people since the ceasefire started only days ago. Israel and Egypt are yet to reopen the border crossing into Gaza at Rafah, and Israel is restricting aid into the enclave while it presses Hamas to find and return more bodies of deceased hostages, with 19 still remaining. Israel has committed to allowing in more aid, but the situation remains desperate for many Palestinians. AP During a whirlwind trip to the region at the start of the week, Trump was welcomed to the Israeli Knesset as a hero, and returned to the United States triumphant in his highly dubious claim of having ended eight wars since January. But, as Miller puts it: After the celebration, the Monday morning blues kick in. People turn to each other and say: What are we going to do now? After the celebration, the Monday morning blues kick in. People turn to each other and say: What are we going to do now? Aaron David Miller, veteran State Department negotiator That question is one for the whole world. While Trump has taken credit for the ceasefire (as well as crediting Qatar, Egypt and Turkey), the next phase will require a truly global effort to demilitarise Gaza, ensure aid is delivered, manage negotiations with Israel and Hamas, raise money and start rebuilding the shattered strip.

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Trumps 20-point peace plan essentially calls for three outfits to be formed, including an international stabilisation, or peacekeeping, force to provide security, with about 200 Americans in oversight roles (but not combat boots on the ground). On Thursday, a senior US adviser said Indonesia, Egypt, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates and other Arab nations had expressed interest in participating in the force, adding: Some of the goodness that has happened here is infectious. The plan also calls for an apolitical, technocratic Palestinian committee to manage the provision of everyday services in Gaza, while high-level co-ordination would be directed by an international board of peace. Trump has identified himself as a potential chairman of that board, though he has also suggested he might be too busy, while former British prime minister Tony Blairs name has also circulated. But that is governance. On the ground, concerns are about coming home, cleaning up, and staying safe. Hamas militants executed seven men: members of a local clan accused of collaborating with Israel. Its members have returned to Gazas debris-strewn streets: establishing checkpoints, brandishing guns and reasserting power. Hamas is meant to disarm under the deal, but has shown no sign of doing so. AP Reports from the ground suggest Hamas fighters emerged from underground in fresh clothes, with functional weapons and sparkling clean pick-up trucks. Ibrahim Dalalsha, director of the Horizon Centre for Political Studies in Ramallah, told the Financial Times: New cars, new gear, new equipment, new uniforms, printing presses with massive slogans. What has Israel been bombing for two years? Israel says the ratio of non-combatant to combatant casualties in Gaza is less than two to one, in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the United Nations last month was an astoundingly low ratio, especially given the territorys population density. But now the true state of Hamass degradation will be revealed. It appears the militant group  designated as a terrorist organisation in Australia and elsewhere  maintains significant manpower, equipment and capability, not to mention appeal.

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Miller says: If you ask me what is the pre-eminent political, military and security entity in Gaza right now other than Israel, its Hamas. A masked fighter of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, stands guard in central Gaza as the Red Cross prepares to receive Israeli hostages on Monday. AFP Khaled Elgindy, of the Centre for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University, said Hamas would take time to figure out its identity and capability. Its leadership has been largely wiped out, but it still has military commanders who can make and execute decisions. And it is still recruiting new members. Related Article Analysis

Israeli-Palestinian conflict Grisly video shows how Gaza peace can fall apart This is a very different world, Elgindy said on the Foreign Affairs magazine podcast this week. It was never really in the cards that Hamas was going to be totally obliterated, but its going to be a very different Hamas. Whatever the present status of Hamas, its ongoing presence and authority in Gaza exposes an impasse at the centre of the ceasefire: Israel wants Hamas gone entirely, and it wont do that. The end goals of the current Israeli government and the Islamic resistance movement are mutually irreconcilable, says Miller. Hamas wants to survive as a political organisation, at a minimum, keeping its light weapons. They will no longer be able to govern Gaza, but they want to remain the most pre-eminent political force there. They want to remain a fixture as a movement and continue their influence to take over the Palestinian nationalist movement.

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That fundamental and until now, implacable, irreconcilable endgame has been the single greatest reason why the war in Gaza has not ended and will not end. To me, that is the greatest challenge. Potential pitfalls Under the Trump plan, Israel will slowly withdraw from Gaza based on milestones and timelines linked to the demilitarisation of Gaza and the stability of the international stabilisation force. These points will be agreed between the Israel Defence Forces, the peacekeeping force, the guarantors, and the US, the plan says. Released hostages David and Ariel Cunio arrive back in Israel earlier this week after 738 days in captivity. Getty Images There are many potential pitfalls. As the Atlantic Councils Daniel Mouton notes, there is room in the plan for Israel to maintain some military presence in Gaza to monitor the disarmament of Hamas. Netanyahu said on October 10 that this would be achieved either diplomatically or militarily, by us. Israel is divided, with far-right politicians against any further withdrawal from Gaza. But everyday Israelis are less likely to support more combat now that the hostages have been returned. Shira Efron, the Israel policy chair at RAND Corporation, told the Foreign Affairs podcast that defeating Hamas is an elusive and nebulous goal and the Israeli public, for the most part, at this point, is against the war. Mouton said the IDFs full retreat would depend on the Trump administrations ability to enforce the plan. Still, Israels security needs would override any political concerns about US unhappiness with Israels adherence.

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Gardai in Carlow are investigating a break-in to a house in Valley View, Clonegal, County Carlow sometime between midnight on Sunday 5 October and 10am on Wednesday 8 October.

The culprits broke into the house via a rear bedroom window which they forced open. All bedrooms within the house were ransacked before the culprits left the property through the same window.

At the time of reporting the incident, the only property the homeowner reported stolen was a pillow case. Detective gardai in Carlow are investigating this burglary and are appealing for any further CCTV or dashcam to be made available to them. Contact them on 059 9136620 or by email to KC.Carlow.CE@garda.ie
Gordon Deegan

Further charges have been brought against three female pro-Palestinian activists concerning an alleged security breach at Shannon Airport in May.

At Ennis District Court, Det Garda Noel Carroll of Shannon Garda Station told the court that the DPP has directed the cases to be heard in the circuit court before a jury.

In the new charges, Badhbh Ni Chathasaigh, 26, of Fr. Murphy Place, Midleton, Co Cork, and Claire Brennan, 25, of Seaview Wood, Shankill, Dublin 18, are now both charged with interfering with the operation, management or safety at Shannon Airport by entering a runway at Shannon Airport on May 1st, causing its closure.

The charge is contrary to Section 47 of the Air Navigation and Transport (Amendment) Act 1998.

In a second new charge before the court, Ms Ni Chathasaigh and Ms Brennan are also charged having under their control at Shannon Airport, a Ford Transit Van, a sledgehammer, a bolt cutters, an axe, a battery operated angle grinder and spray paint intending without lawful excuse to damage the property of Shannon Airport which they knew was likely to endanger the life of persons within Shannon Airport.

This charge is contrary to section 4 Criminal Damage Act 1991.

Ms Brennan is also facing a dangerous driving charge of the Ford Transit Van at Shannon airport on May 1st, contrary to section 53(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1961.

Sgt Frank OGrady said that a third accused, Sinead Ni Fhaolain, 22, of Korthion, Barnhill Road, Dalkey, Dublin, is to also face additional charges and Judge Alec Gabbett adjourned Ms Ni Fhaolain's case to next Wednesday for the purpose of charge.

Already, all three accused were facing charges of trespass in a restricted area adjacent to Hangar 20 and the Main Apron adjacent to the light aircraft parking area, Shannon Airport, and the criminal damage of the perimeter fence at Shannon Airport on May 1st last.

The court was told that Ms Ni Chathasaigh and Ms Brennan made no reply after the charge and caution before court.

All three are on bail, and Judge Gabbett extended the current bail terms on the new charges. Judge Gabbett adjourned the cases concerning Ms Ni Chathasaigh and Ms Brennan to November 5th for the Book of Evidence to be served in the case.
By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The Taoiseach has said his meeting with former Syrian president Bashar Assad was very different to presidential candidate Catherine Connollys trip to the country nine years later.

Ms Connolly said she had no control over who she met while on her 2018 visit to Syria, in which she encountered pro-Assad figures.

The Irish Times reported on Friday that one of the men Ms Connolly met in Syria was a leader of a group charged with killing Palestinians in a refugee camp.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin (Brian Lawless/PA)

Asked if she was aware of this, Ms Connolly said: No, I wasnt.

Speaking during a debate on RTEs Morning Ireland, she said: I went to Syria on a fact-finding mission. The first port of call was the Palestinian refugee camp outside Damascus.

We were to go to Beirut, but we joined the group later, and the group had gone to a Palestinian refugee camp outside of Beirut.

We went from Beirut to Damascus on a trip, a fact-finding trip  we met different groups.

Ms Connolly added: You have no control when you go to a country like that as to who will come into your presence or not.

Thats no endorsement of the regime. Im on record for condemning the regime, I did not meet with (then-president) Assad.

The independent candidate said she went to deepen her understanding of the experiences of the Palestinian refugees and discovered that the camp was utterly destroyed.

I think my visit was a much earlier phase back in 2009, on the advice of Department of Foreign Affairs officials at the time, because it was a wider Middle East visit to do with the peace process and Palestine Taoiseach Micheal Martin

She insisted that she had met Palestinians who spoke to us as openly as they could within a dictatorship.

Ms Connolly has also noted that Mr Martin directly engaged with Mr Assad in 2009.

At a press conference on Friday, Mr Martin defended that meeting, saying: I think my visit was a much earlier phase back in 2009, on the advice of Department of Foreign Affairs officials at the time, because it was a wider Middle East visit to do with the peace process and Palestine.

He said Syria had been involved in discussions with Israel and Turkey at the time.

On Ms Connollys trip, Mr Martin said the context of her visit was much, much different.

He said she had met people who had been involved in the persecution of Palestinians.

Mr Martin said: Clearly no advanced research went into that, it seems to me from what Ive hard.

At the same press conference, Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said it was very unfair for Ms Connolly to conflate her trip to Mr Martins.

Tanaiste Simon Harris. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

He said she had suggested she was on a humanitarian mission but it had since emerged she was in the presence of war criminals.

Mr Harris added: Its also emerged in recent days that she didnt fund the trip, we the Irish people did, and therefore I think full transparency and breakdown of the costs is important in relation to that.

On the Syria trip as well as her engagement with Oireachtas officials about an access pass for a woman convicted of a firearm offence, Mr Harris said: Theres a lot of things that the deputy is kind of considering.

She gets asked a difficult question, she considers it  with a week left (until the election), it would be useful if her considerations could come to a conclusion.

In the presidential debate with Ms Connolly on Friday, Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys also said she did her best for a constituent despite voting against an inquiry into the circumstances of her sons death.

The family of Shane OFarrell. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.

Lucia OFarrell has been critical of the former ministers level of support for her campaign for justice for her late son Shane, who was hit by a car driven by a man who should have been in jail.

Ms Humphreys said she made representations to justice ministers at the time and added: I made representations on her behalf. Im sorry that she says I didnt do enough. Im sorry if thats the case. I really am, but I did my best.

Pressed on why she did not support a vote for a public inquiry, Ms Humphreys said she voted with the Government.

She said: There was reason behind that. I dont know exactly the detail of it.

Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA

The two candidates were questioned on a series of controversies during a Morning Ireland debate on RTE Radio One, a week out from the vote on October 24th.

The latest opinion poll put Ms Connolly on 38 per cent and Ms Humphreys trailing on 20 per cent, with a large amount of undecideds still to play for.

Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin remains on the ballot paper and his votes will be counted as usual, despite the former GAA manager declaring he was no longer contesting the race.

Mr Harris said Ms Humphreys campaign is growing day by day as he rejected a suggestion she was doomed.

Fianna Fail leader and Taoiseach Micheal Martin speaks to former taoiseach Bertie Ahern (Niall Carson/PA)

Mr Martin maintained its all to play for with one week to go ahead of polling day, as he reiterated his support for the Fine Gael candidate.

The party leader faced internal disquiet about the process to select Mr Gavin as the Fianna Fail candidate, which resurfaced after he dropped out of the race when it emerged he owed a former tenant thousands of euros.

Asked about former party leader Bertie Ahern saying he had been let down by Fianna Fail leadership for not supporting his ambitions, Mr Martin said: I received no call from Bertie at any stage in advance of that, but these are matters that I can elaborate in greater detail in terms of the review that the Fianna Fail party will undertake.

Pressed on the fact that Mr Ahern had contacted the partys national executive several times, Mr Martin said the matter would be examined under the review.
By David Young, PA

Politicians should be prepared to talk about what a unified Ireland would look like, Tanaiste Simon Harris has said.

The Tanaiste was commenting after his Fine Gael partys candidate for the presidency, Heather Humphreys, suggested unification could involve the retention of a devolved parliament at Stormont.

Ms Humphreys insisted that people in Northern Ireland who have a British identity had nothing to fear from constitutional change, as the Presbyterian from Co Monaghan highlighted her own experience as part of a minority community in the Republic of Ireland.

Her remarks came on the same morning that political leaders from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland gathered in Dublin for a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council.

Tanaiste Simon Harris, Taoiseach Micheal Martin, First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle ONeill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly at the North South Ministerial Council. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

At a post-meeting press conference, Mr Harris, Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Stormont First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little- Pengelly were asked about Ms Humphreys suggestion.

The Tanaiste said: I think what Heather was doing today was showing a sophisticated understanding of the fact that these conversations, when they need to happen, that they need to consider all of these things.

And Ive heard other politicians talk about these things as well. You know, youve got to be willing to talk about what a new Ireland would look like, and I think thats what Heather was doing.

But we also need to be very honest about what the role of the president is and what the role of the president isnt.

And the president of Ireland wont decide when there is or isnt a referendum  thats a matter for the Secretary of State of the British Government, and the president of Ireland wont decide government policy.

But what the president of Ireland can do, and weve seen people do this very well  weve seen (former president) Mary McAleese do it extraordinarily well  is use their office, use their power, their soft power, to facilitate conversations, to bring people together, to promote reconciliation, to prompt and spark debates, to visit communities, to listen.

And I, of course, believe that Heather is eminently and uniquely qualified to do that in the years ahead.

Mr Martin was not drawn on the issue of retaining a devolved Stormont post-unification. He said his immediate focus was on reconciling people across the island.

Reconciliation involves a lot of hard work and, in my view, we should focus on connecting and reconciling people from different communities, different traditions, north and south, and creating a far more natural, seamless interaction between peoples. And that is easier said than done, he said.

The Taoiseach added: My agenda is really how do we share the island together in a pragmatic and effective way that benefits people, the people who live on the island.

You could be talking about devolved government in Northern Ireland as part of an overall Irish solution Heather Humphreys

Ms ONeill said she welcomed that the question of Irish unity was at the heart of the presidential debate.

I think thats only a healthy thing, she said. I think more and more people are entering into the conversation.

The Sinn Fein vice president added: My call, I suppose, in terms of the Irish governments role here, is that the planning needs to happen, the preparation needs to happen, and I really want to see that happen at pace. And I think that will be crucially important.

DUP deputy First Minister Ms Little-Pengelly insisted there was no momentum towards constitutional change.

I think there are so many issues that we need to tackle, around health, around education, around growing our economy, she said.

I do believe that we better serve the people of Northern Ireland by focusing on those issues that really impact on them, day in and day out, week in and week out. Thats what I am about.

I dont see any momentum towards the abolition of Northern Ireland. I dont think any of the figures or the statistics play that out.

I think that people are attempting to build that momentum. But Im not going to be distracted by that. Im going to focus on delivering for Northern Ireland and making Northern Ireland the very strongest it can be.

The issue of reunification and accommodating unionists within any new Ireland was debated between Ms Humphreys and rival independent candidate Catherine Connolly on an election debate on RTE Radio One on Friday morning.

You could be talking about devolved government in Northern Ireland as part of an overall Irish solution, Ms Humphreys said when asked how a British identity would be reflected within a united Ireland.

Those are all conversations that we have to have. And theres no point in pre-empting anything before you go in, you talk to people.

The first thing we have to do is build trust. If we dont have trust, we have nothing. So we have to build trust. We have to deepen understanding.

And I can see that very clearly  theres still a lot of misunderstanding out there, so we have to deepen that understanding, build trust and work together, because I believe that we must unite people first, as John Hume (former SDLP leader) said, and that is so, so important.

And I feel Im very well placed to bring that conversation forward and to bring and work on it, to work towards a united Ireland.

Independent candidate Catherine Connolly. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

Ms Humphreys said that if elected, she would make sure the presidents residence at Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin would be a safe place for unionists to come and outline their concerns.

She said she would also seek to facilitate conversations between unionists and nationalists.

Galway TD Ms Connolly said a reunified Ireland would have to respect and value differences.

I will do that as president in as much as I can, she added.

Ms Connolly said the Government was not doing enough to examine the issues around unification as she claimed a report on constitutional change compiled by a parliamentary committee in Dublin had been left sitting on a shelf.

My vision as president will be to reach out to communities on all sides, she said.

Ive visited Northern Ireland repeatedly, I visited different communities.

I will facilitate open forums in relation to listening and building on the work thats ongoing. Its really important, the meticulous, methodical work that is ongoing by civic organisations on the ground.

Whats lacking is a government response. There was a cross-party committee that reported last year. That report is sitting on a shelf.

That committee asked the government to prepare a green paper to outline the issues and outline the direction for a united Ireland.

That hasnt happened unfortunately.
By Bairbre Holmes, PA

Heather Humphreys has accused her rival for the Aras, Catherine Connolly, of using the language of Nigel Farage.

In a speech on the EU, delivered to her supporters in central Dublin on Friday, she said: The other candidate in this race spoke the language of Nigel Farage when she accused those of us who wanted to warn of the dangers of Brexit, of Project Fear, and concluded the British people had not been fooled.

It showed bad judgment then, and even poorer judgment now.

Project Fear was a label given by pro-Brexit campaigners to some of the arguments of those who advocated for the UK to remain in the EU during the 2016 referendum.

Presidential candidate Heather Humphreys speaking to supporters in central Dublin. Photo: PA/Bairbre Holmes.

In the speech she also reiterated criticism of Ms Connollys attitudes towards Irelands allies when discussing the countrys presidency of the Council of the EU, which it is due to hold from July to December next year.

She said 40 European leaders are expected to visit Ireland for the largest head of government and state meeting ever held here and said she certainly wont be insulting them.

During previous media appearances Ms Humphreys has claimed Catherine Connolly insulted some of Irelands allies, in particular when Ms Connolly made comments comparing Germanys current military build-up with its militarisation under the Nazis in the 1930s.

Ms Connolly previously described the allegations as scurrilous.

Later the Fine Gael candidate appeared on RTEs Six One News where she was challenged by Sharon Tobin that many people, especially conservative voters, dont feel there is a candidate that represents their views in this election.

Ms Humphreys responded saying: Well, I would represent everybody if I am president and Im asking people to put their trust in me.

Im saying to them, Im a middle ground person. Im a centre, a centrist.

I am pro-European, and I wont let this country down.

Presidential candidate Heather Humphreys and Fianna FAil minister Darragh OBrien campaigning in Howth, Dublin (PA/Bairbre Holmes)

She also spent some time on Friday out and about campaigning in Howth Harbour in north Dublin where she sampled some chips from Leo Burdocks, the iconic fish and chip shop.She was joined by Fianna Fails Darragh OBrien TD who said he is supporting her in a personal capacity.

The minister said he believes Heather is the best person for the job, adding his daughter is a massive fan.

Asked if he would vote for Jim Gavin, his partys candidate whose name remains on the ballot, despite withdrawing from the race, Mr OBrien said whats happened has happened and weve moved on from that.
David Raleigh

A homeless man in his 50s was, on Friday, charged with murdering an 89-year-old Tipperary woman in her home.

Nenagh District Court heard that Hasan Ali Gori, who was living in a tent at wetlands in Limerick City, told the Garda who charged him with the killing of Josephine 'Josie' Ray: I know nothing, sir.

Mr Gori, wearing spectacles, a blue shirt, red jacket and grey tracksuit pant, stood silently in the busy court flanked by a number of prison officers and Gardai.

He was charged before Judge Fiona Brennan with the murder of Ms Ray, at her home, at St Josephs Park, Nenagh, on Sunday, August 4th, 2024.

Detective Garda Padraig OLeary, Nenagh Garda Station, gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He told the court he arrested Mr Gori at 10.04am this Friday for the purpose of charging him with Ms Rays murder.

Garda Sergeant Regina McCarthy told the court the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed that Mr Gori face a trial on indictment before the Central Criminal Court.

Sergeant McCarthy made an application before the court to have Mr Gori remanded in custody to appear before the court again via video-link on October 23rd.

The Sergeant said bail on a murder charge was not applicable in the district court.

If Mr Gori is to seek bail on the charge, he will have to apply for it before the High Court, Dublin.

Mr Goris solicitor, Colin Morrisey, successfully applied for free legal aid on behalf of the accused.

Mr Gori is being held on remand at Portlaoise Prison. A request for a medical report was in train, it was heard.

Judge Brennan remanded Mr Gori to appear before Nenagh District Court again on October 23rd for service of the States Book of Evidence.

Members of the victims family were present in court for Mr Goris appearance.

They included a number of Ms Rays children.

The mother of five was found dead in her bed at her home.

Gardai did not release details of the post-mortem on Ms Rays remains for operational reasons.
By David Young, PA

Presidential candidate Heather Humphreys has suggested Irish unification could involve the retention of a devolved parliament at Stormont.

The Fine Gael contender insisted that people in Northern Ireland who have a British identity had nothing to fear from constitutional change, as the Presbyterian from Co Monaghan highlighted her own experience as part of a minority community in the Republic.

The issue of reunification and accommodating unionists within any new Ireland was debated between Ms Humphreys and rival Independent candidate Catherine Connolly on a debate on RTE Radio One on Friday morning.

Presidential candidates Heather Humphreys (left) and Catherine Connolly (Conor OMearain/PA)

You could be talking about devolved government in Northern Ireland as part of an overall Irish solution, Ms Humphreys said when asked how a British identity would be reflected within a united Ireland.

Those are all conversations that we have to have. And theres no point in pre-empting anything before you go in, you talk to people.

The first thing we have to do is build trust. If we dont have trust, we have nothing. So we have to build trust. We have to deepen understanding.

And I can see that very clearly  theres still a lot of misunderstanding out there, so we have to deepen that understanding, build trust and work together, because I believe that we must unite people first, as John Hume (former SDLP leader) said, and that is so, so important.

And I feel Im very well placed to bring that conversation forward and to bring and work on it, to work towards a united Ireland.

Ms Humphreys said that if elected, she would make sure the presidents residence at Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin would be a safe place for unionists to come and outline their concerns.

She said she would also seek to facilitate conversations between unionists and nationalists.

Galway TD Ms Connolly said a reunified Ireland would have to respect and value differences.

Independent candidate Catherine Connolly (Brian Lawless/PA)

I will do that as president in as much as I can, she added.

Ms Connolly said the Government was not doing enough to examine the issues around unification as she claimed a report on constitutional change compiled by a parliamentary committee in Dublin had been left sitting on a shelf.

My vision as president will be to reach out to communities on all sides, she said.

Ive visited Northern Ireland repeatedly, I visited different communities.

I will facilitate open forums in relation to listening and building on the work thats ongoing. Its really important, the meticulous, methodical work that is ongoing by civic organisations on the ground.

Whats lacking is a government response. There was a cross-party committee that reported last year. That report is sitting on a shelf.

That committee asked the government to prepare a green paper to outline the issues and outline the direction for a united Ireland.

That hasnt happened unfortunately.
A WOMAN charged with stealing 461 worth of goods from a branch of Dunnes Stores was last week convicted and fined when she appeared before Carlow District Court. Claudia Veresan was fined 400 for stealing the goods from Dunnes Stores, Graiguecullen on 27 July this year. Sergeant Peter Smyth told Judge Geraldine Carthy that the defendant left the shop without paying on that date.

Solicitor Tash Van Eeden said that all the goods were recovered by the shop and that Ms Veresan (40), who is Romanian, had 460 in court which she could pay into the court poor box and so avoid a conviction.

Judge Carthy didnt allow the submission and instead convicted and fined Ms Veresan of Island Road, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme
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The head of Kazakhstans Cement and Concrete Producers Association (QazCem), Erbol Akimbayev, has accused Uzbekistan of introducing a confidential order that effectively blocks Kazakh cement exports, according to local media.

It is alleged that in July the Uzbekistan cabinet issued a directive setting a minimum customs valuation of US$300 per tonne for imported cement from Kazakhstan - a 10-fold increase from the average market price of around US$30 - thereby making it impossible for Kazakh cement producers to export profitably.

As a result, in August, imports of Kazakh cement to Uzbekistan dropped to zero for the first time in seven years, said Mr Akimbayev. At that price, no one in Uzbekistan will buy it. But if Uzbekistan acts this way, Kazakhstan has every right to introduce reciprocal measures.

Although he was unable to present any evidence of the order he cited a photo shown to him by a border customs officer. QazCem has commenced consultations with Kazakh government agencies and industry partners to assess possible responses.

Uzbekistan has long been a steady customer of the Kazakh cement industry and is also one of the regions largest construction markets. Mr Akimbayev suggested the move was intended to shield local producers amid domestic oversupply, but warned that Kazakhstan may take retaliatory measures.
25-010894  4000 BLK Wade Drive - Prowler/Proximity Restriction 25-000213

A party was trespassed from his neighbor's house after police discovered him naked, intoxicated, and apparently lost in his own neighborhood. Police determined he harbored no malevolent intentions but had consumed too many alcoholic beverages. Plus, the weather was nice.

Day Shift October 15 : B Squad



25-010737- 6600 BLK Ringgold Rd- Follow-Up to Original Theft from Vehicle

Police attempted to contact a party regarding her previous theft complaint from her vehicle at the hotel on Saturday, October 11. Officers were unable to reach her at the time of attempted contact.



25-010861- 1 BLK Frawley Rd- Suspicious Activity

Police responded to a suspicious activity complaint when the RP noticed the gate was opened by what appeared to be people not operating city vehicles. ERPD spoke with the parties on sight and discovered they were employees sent out by Chattanooga to work out of this location. No signs of forced entry were seen.



25-010863  6300 BLK Ringgold Road - Alarm

Police responded to the establishment in reference to an alarm. An employee advised it was an accidental activation.



25-010864-500 BLK Sharondale Drive-Domestic Disorder

The caller reported to police that she and her roommate had gotten into a verbal altercation around 4:30 over how to properly care for their two dogs. The RP requested that the incident be documented.

25-010865- 6400 BLK Ringgold Rd- Delayed Assault

Police spoke with the minor reporting party regarding an assault that took place this morning at approximately 6:30 a.m. The suspect's name was given, and police are waiting for video footage to confirm the allegations. Police also spoke with the RP's guardian to inform him of the situation and see how he would like for police to proceed. A report is on file, and an officer will

conduct a follow-up once video footage is able to be viewed.



25-010874  6900 BLK Glen Errol Way- Harassment

Police spoke via phone with a party regarding a harassment complaint. This being a first-time complaint, police advised her to contact the County Clerk's Office to obtain a restraint/protection order to start a paper trail for her records.



25-010876  6000 BLK Welworth Avenue - Theft

The caller reported the theft of a ladder and a rake from the side of her residence over the span of a month. The complainant suspects some of her neighbors for the theft.



25-010880- 700 BLK Germantown Circle- Property

The caller reported he lost his Tennessee Registration plate. He last saw it after a vehicle crash on September 20th. It was entered into NCIC as missing/lost.



25-010882  5300 BLK Oakdale Avenue - Alarm

Police responded to this residence for an alarm. Police checked the property and found all the doors and windows were secure.



25-010883- 500 BLK Layfield Dr- Harassment

Officers responded to this location after the RP reported her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend was sending threatening messages on social media. Due to this being a first-time complaint of the incident, police instructed the her to go to the County Clerk's Office to obtain a court order to cease further

communication from the alleged suspect.



Night Shift October 15: D Squad



25-010884  5700 BLK Ringgold Road - Suspicious Activity

The manager was handed a suspicious powdery substance in a Ziplock bag discovered by a customer in the parking lot. Police seized the unidentified powder and transported it to the East Ridge Police Department for destruction.



25-010887- 1000 BLK S Seminole Drive- Assist Other Agency

Police were dispatched to assist the East Ridge Fire Department for a possible residential fire at the listed address. Upon arrival, it was found that there was only a small trash fire in the backyard. Police stood by while ERFD extinguished the fire.



25-010893  5300 BLK Ringgold Road - Burglar Alarm

Police checked the bakery following a motion alarm detection. No signs of a break-in were found. All windows and doors at the business remained locked and/or secure.






The Hamilton County Coalition, the Drug Enforcement Administration and community partners will host National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at locations across Southeast Tennessee.Attendees will be able to dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medications, vape pens and e-cigarette devices.Officials said, "For more than a decade, this event has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unwanted medications to ensure that meds arent improperly disposed in our precious waterways or diverted for illicit use."We can all play a part in reducing unintentional overdoses and harms caused by improper medication disposal to our environment.Simply, bring your unwanted meds to one of our DTB locations, said Hamilton County Coalition Executive Director Camilla Bibbs.Drug Take Back Day offers free and anonymous disposal of medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide. The Hamilton County Coalition is partnering with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to host a total of 18 drop-off sites in Hamilton County and surrounding counties.Locations include:Mt. Canaan - 4801 SR-58, Chattanooga, Tn. 37416Food City - 3901 Dayton Blvd., Red Bank, Tn. 37415Walgreens - 3605 Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37411Walgreens - 2289 Gunbarrel Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421Walgreens - 5301 Ringgold Road, East Ridge, Tn. 37412Walgreens - 9307 Lee Hwy., Ooltewah, Tn. 37363Walgreens - 5478 SR-153, Hixson, Tn. 37343Elks Lodge #91 - 1067 Graysville Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421Food City, Harrison - 8634 Hwy. 58, Harrison, Tn. 37341Hamilton County Health Dept. - 921 E. 3rd St., Chattanooga, Tn. 37403Parkridge - 7402 Lee Hwy., Chattanooga, Tn. 37421Avondale Community Center - 1305 Dodson Ave., Chattanooga, Tn. 37406Coca-Cola - 2111 W Shepherd Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421 (9 a.m.-1p.m.)Dayton Walmart - 3034 Rhea County Hwy., Dayton, Tn. 37321Spring City Police Department - 229 Front St., Spring City, Tn. 37381Graysville Police Dept. - 136 Harrison Ave., Graysville, Tn. 37338Rock Creek Pharmacy, 9971 TN-56, Coalmont, Tn. 37313Standefer Pharmacy - 3051 Main St., Pikeville, Tn. 37367Leisure Time Bowling - 2739 Keith St. NW, Cleveland, Tn. 37312Click here to learn more and find a collection site near you.
Governor Bill Lee and Deputy Governor and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter will travel to Asia next week for a strategic international recruiting trip.The upcoming trip marks Governor Lees sixth international recruitment trip since taking office in 2019, and comprises travel to three countries: Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. Governor Lee and the dep. governors itinerary includes a host of prospective meetings, as well as several customer service-related meetings with existing Tennessee-based companies, including Quanta Manufacturing, Hyosung HICO, LG Chem, Bridgestone and SK ON.Tennessee is a global leader for its pro-business climate, low taxes and highly skilled workforce, and were proud to showcase what makes our state a top destination for industry and innovation, said Governor Lee.As states across the nation compete for world-class companies, its our responsibility to cultivate strong international relationships and strategic partnerships that demonstrate Tennessees unwavering commitment to expanding opportunity and prosperity for Tennesseans.Officials said, "The state currently operates five foreign direct investment offices based in key countries across Europe and Asia. Their local presence strengthens relationships and builds trust with global companies through direct in-market engagement. In order to continue building new partnerships abroad with countries that are driving innovation, during the trip, Tennessee will announce the creation of its first FDI office in Taiwan, marking the states sixth international office."Combined, companies across Taiwan, South Korea and Japan employ more than 60,000 Tennesseans, which we believe is a clear reflection of our states long-standing commitment to building strong international relationships, said Dep. Governor McWhorter. At TNECD, supporting our global partners is central to our mission in recruiting additional investment and job creation in Tennessee. I look forward to strengthening and building upon our existing partnerships over the course of next weeks visit, which will in turn expand opportunity for continued collaboration and growth.Officials said, "Governor Lee and Dep. Governor McWhorter will also attend the 47th SEUS-Japan Annual Meeting while in Tokyo. The meeting is a prestigious gathering of global business leaders celebrating longstanding economic and cultural ties. The strong and enduring partnership between Tennessee and Japan continues to deepen and is reflected in the many business successes and cultural connections we share. This annual meeting provides an opportunity to celebrate those achievements, strengthen long-standing relationships and forge new connections  not only with Japan, but also among the seven southeastern U.S. member states."In 2026, Tennessee will host the 48th SEUS-Japan Annual Meeting, which returns to the state every 14 years.Tennessees longstanding international success dates back decades, and the partnerships formed are a true testament to the profound leadership the state has seen."Current Foreign Direct Investment from Japan $20,798,640,236 Capital Investment by Japanese Companies 49,917 Tennesseans employed by Japan-owned businesses 207 Japanese-owned establishments in TennesseeCurrent Foreign Direct Investment from Taiwan $158,717,040 Capital Investment by Taiwanese Companies 861 Tennesseans employed by Taiwanese-owned businesses 9 Taiwanese-owned establishments in TennesseeCurrent Foreign Direct Investment from South Korea $6,035,552,409 Capital Investment by South Korean Companies 4,595 Tennesseans employed by South Korean-owned businesses 24 South Korean-owned establishments in TennesseeFor more details about Tennessees international achievements or industry breakdowns, visit here
Two closely related words that animated the call for independence from Great Britian were liberty and freedom. Those two words called not only for independence from the then-governing power but also for individual liberty and freedom for the colonists. And by that, they meant the liberty and freedom to live their lives without undue government intrusion or interference.Although personal liberty and freedom were prime objectives, the Founders understood that without some degree of government to ensure order, personal liberty and freedom would devolve into chaos in which only the strongest would enjoy the benefits of liberty and freedom. This would have been contrary to their goal. And they also knew that order without freedom could quickly slide into tyranny.Balancing Personal Freedom and Ordered LibertyBalancing these two competing objectives was the basic challenge the Founders faced in drafting the Constitution. On the one hand, if everyone was free to do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, then the rights of others would be infringed. The powerful would be in a position to take advantage of the powerless, and larger or majority groups would be in a position to oppress smaller or minority groups. So some limitations on personal freedom were necessary. As James Madison warned in Federalist Paper No.10 about the dangers of a pure democracy: the majority, having such coexistent passion or interest, must be rendered . . . unable to concert and carry into effect schemes of oppression.On the other hand, a system that overly restricted personal freedom would be akin to tyranny. Tyranny was exactly what the Founders felt they had escaped in breaking with Great Britain.The Founders thus sought a system that allowed the majority the freedom to rule while also protecting the personal liberty of the individual, even when the individual was not in the majority. The system of checks and balances set out in the Constitution ensures that the rule of the majority never completely extinguishes the rights of the individual.The Role of the Federal Courts in the Delicate BalanceThe balance struck in the Constitution provides for a well-functioning government that gives order and stability for the populace. It fulfills the wishes of the majority and ensures that people can live their lives the way they wish, with personal freedom and liberty. In keeping these two competing interests in balance, our federal courts play an indispensable role. They protect personal liberties that might otherwise be swept aside by popular and passing sentiment, and they give structure to freedom by applying the law evenhandedly. The courts ensure that the majoritys will is respected, so long as it operates within constitutional bounds, while also safeguarding the rights that belong to all, regardless of political or economic power or social status.In doing so, the judiciary respects the legitimate functions of democratic governance. Courts do not legislate; they interpret. They do not impose their own will; they uphold the peoples laws, the laws passed by the peoples representatives, provided those laws do not violate the Constitution. It is the delicate balance between individual liberty and collective decision-making that has allowed our system to thrive over the years.Federal Courts are a Stabilizing ForceIn moments of deep national discord and disagreement, the courts serve as a stabilizing force. They are where passions cool, arguments are tested, and the rule of law prevails over the rule of individuals. They provide reasoned judgment where passion and fleeting sentiment might otherwise prevail. They remind us that freedom is not a license to do whatever one wishes, but rather the right to live in an ordered society under laws that treat everyone with equal dignity.In the end, the genius of our founding lies not merely in the promise of liberty, but also in the mechanisms that preserve it. One of those mechanisms, the impartial and independent federal courts, ensures that our nations great experiment in self-government remains true to its first principlesthat liberty and justice belong to all, and that freedom, though contested, always finds its safeguard in the law.Curtis L. CollierUnited States District JudgeChair, Eastern District of Tennessee Civics and Outreach CommitteeCarrie Brown StefaniakLaw Clerk to the Honorable Curtis L. CollierKatherine E. PhilyawLaw Clerk to the Honorable Curtis L. CollierMeghna MelkoteLaw Clerk to the Honorable Curtis L. Collier
Real risk in China-Europe economic and trade ties is 'de-cooperation': Global Times editorial

Global Times) 09:06, October 17, 2025

Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

In recent days, Europe's China policy has once again stirred waves over issues such as the EU's new technology transfer requirements, the UK's unilateral sanctions on certain Chinese entities, and the recent Nexperia contention. China has maintained a clear and consistent position on cooperation with Europe, supporting trade and investment cooperation between Chinese and European companies based on market principles and for win-win results. China opposes forced technology transfer against WTO rules, interference in companies' normal operations, and protectionist and discriminatory practices taken under the pretext of enhancing competitiveness.

At present, the overextension of "security exceptions," the intensifying protectionist impulses, and the politicization of market principles are collectively squeezing the space for multilateral rules, which now face increasing marginalization. What Europe should do is to stay committed to policy consistency and avoid allowing "willful" policy shifts to disrupt the business strategies and compliance expectations of companies in the region.

The key weakness in Europe's industrial development lies not in whether it is "secure enough," but in how "security" is governed. The Nexperia semiconductor case fully exposed that security reviews were coerced under the US "piercing rules," leaving no room for strategic autonomy. These reviews have been distorted into post entry barriers, targeting Chinese enterprises while undermining Europe's own business environment.

Bundling "market access" with "technology transfer" essentially amounts to disguised forced technology transfer, which not only violates WTO rules but also runs counter to Europe's long-standing narrative of openness and innovation. The UK's unilateral sanctions against China constitutes "extraterritorial jurisdiction" and lacks any foundation in international law. Such actions only heighten compliance uncertainty and raise the institutional costs of cross-border trade and investment, eroding regulatory credibility and dampening business confidence.

The true driving force behind Europe's industrial development lies in improving total factor productivity, with innovation-driven growth at its core - not market protection through barriers. The 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded to the theory of "innovation-driven economic growth," which fully reflects that, even amid the current surge of protectionism, what is most valuable is respect for the spirit of contracts, economic laws, and the continuous advancement of technology.

Technological progress requires stable institutional expectations and policy expectations. Arbitrary intervention in enterprises under the pretext of a "generalized concept of security" only leads to more pessimistic expectations, higher transaction costs, slower diffusion of technology, and weaker accumulation of knowledge - ultimately undermining the momentum of economic development.

Technological progress requires robust market competition. However, when "enhancing competitiveness" becomes an excuse for forced technology transfers, it squeezes the marginal returns of corporate R&D, distorts price signals and resource allocation, and over time leads to "inefficiency lock-in," weakening the momentum for innovation and development. Technological progress requires broad international cooperation. Europe's industrial development, especially the advancement of green and digital economies, is the result of interdisciplinary, cross-enterprise, and cross-border knowledge integration. Only through predictable cross-border collaboration can the spread of knowledge accelerate, and industries grow in a healthy and sustainable way.

China and Europe have long maintained a deeply interdependent relationship, with their interests closely intertwined. In sectors such as semiconductors, new energy, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, high-end equipment manufacturing, and green and low-carbon technologies, their industrial and supply chains are highly interconnected. Chinese and European enterprises cooperate closely along the value chain, sharing both opportunities and benefits. Today, the global economy is experiencing severe turbulence, with recovery weak and growth especially difficult. The real risk to China-EU economic and trade cooperation is not the so-called "mutual dependence," but rather using "de-risking" as a pretext for "de-cooperation" and even de-sinicization. Europe's development dilemma does not lie in compliance and adherence to rules, but in arbitrary restrictions and in building barriers under the guise of "de-risking."

What enterprises desire most is certainty, what the enterprises hope for most is positive expectations, and what is most crucial in policy is stable boundaries. Europe needs to clearly define security boundaries and lay out procedural rules. Only in this way can cooperation operate within a workable framework, competition return to a fair track, and enterprises gain room to grow.

Overall, the European side should turn its "security anxiety" into rational, rules-based institutional dialogue, and put aside short-term tug-of-war for lasting mutual benefits. China's policy stance has been consistent: it prefers to resolve issues on the basis of equality, and to manage differences within the framework of laws and rules. For non-compliant practices, China has both the capacity and the resolve to reciprocate; for constructive cooperation, China has ample sincerity and space to engage positively.

The sooner Europe returns to genuine multilateralism, the greater the room for China-EU cooperation, the stronger the resilience of European industries, and the greater the confidence in global markets.

History has repeatedly shown that only a policy mix grounded in rules, multilateralism, and cooperation first can weather economic cycles, stabilize expectations, and secure the future. As long as both sides approach issues with openness, resolve differences professionally, and use institutional tools to consolidate consensus, China and Europe will be fully capable of pulling their relationship back from the edge of contention to the center of rationality, making "anchoring in multilateral rules and focusing on cooperation" not just a declaration, but a tangible and actionable institutional reality.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing)
Home News Armenia arrests bishop, 12 clergymen as feud between church leaders, PM deepens

A bishop in Armenia's Apostolic Church and 12 clergymen have been arrested as part of a widening rift between church leaders and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government. The arrests are the latest in a string of detentions targeting clergy critical of the administration.

Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan of the Diocese of Aragatsotn was charged with coercing citizens to participate in public gatherings, obstructing electoral rights and misusing his office to commit large-scale theft, Armenia's Investigative Committee claimed this week, according to The Associated Press.

Authorities began investigating Proshyan in September, after a fellow clergyman accused church officials of pressuring members to attend anti-government demonstrations in 2021 and alleged corruption in Proshyan's diocese. Twelve other clergymen were detained from the same diocese, though their current status is unclear.

The Armenian Apostolic Church denounced the arrests, calling them part of a "systematic campaign" to interfere with its operations. "There is obvious malicious intent to hinder the normal activities of the church," it said in a post on social media.

Leaders with the Armenian Apostolic Church, which dates back nearly two millennia, have largely opposed Pashinyan, a former journalist who rose to power in 2018 after a wave of pro-democracy protests. The prime minister has sought to reduce Russian influence and improve relations with Turkey. Some also credit him with helping open Armenia to Western influence.

However, the charges against Proshyan follow a series of arrests of Apostolic Church figures and opposition leaders in recent months, including the high-profile sentencing of Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan in September.

He was convicted of calling for the overthrow of the government and sentenced to two years in prison, the AP reported earlier.

Ajapahyan's lawyer, Ara Zohrabyan, was quoted as saying that his client was prosecuted for expressing an opinion and called the verdict politically motivated. The church also condemned the ruling, calling it "one of the clear manifestations of the authorities' anti-church campaign."

The charge stems from an interview he gave over a year ago, in which he was quoted as saying there is a "need for a coup," according to the Armenian outlet CivilNet.

The outlet notes that at the time, the Prosecutor General's Office reviewed the same statements and found they didn't merit prosecution.

Ajapahyan's arrest came weeks after security forces attempted to detain him at the church headquarters, prompting a confrontation with clergy and supporters. He appeared before the Investigative Committee after being summoned by Armenia's National Security Service and was placed in pretrial detention by a Yerevan court the next day.

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, another vocal critic of Pashinyan and leader of the Sacred Struggle opposition movement, was arrested earlier this year on charges of plotting to overthrow the government. His legal team dismissed the allegations as fabricated.

Pashinyan has repeatedly accused Catholicos Karekin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, of violating his celibacy vow and called for his resignation. Proshyan is Karekin II's nephew.

Church leaders, including those associated with Sacred Struggle, were prominent in organizing mass demonstrations in April 2024 after Armenia agreed to hand over several border villages to Azerbaijan as part of a plan to normalize relations. The movement initially focused on territorial concessions but expanded to include broader grievances against Pashinyan's rule.

Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, another outspoken critic of Pashinyan, was also arrested in June for allegedly advocating the government's removal, which he denied.

On Thursday, Pashinyan received a visit from Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian on behalf of the Catholicos Aram I of the Lebanon-headquartered Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, a move seen as an attempt to ease tension between the Armenian Apostolic Church's Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and Pashinyan's government. According to a press release from Pashinyan's office, the prime minister was gifted with a book published on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the enthronement of Aram I.

On Friday, Aram I reiterated his condemnation of the clergy arrests and urged the need to "restore healthy church-state relations."

The deepening political divide comes as Armenia and Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim country led by President Ilham Aliyev, whose family has held power for decades, continue efforts to reconcile after decades of conflict. The two countries have disputed control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region since the early 1990s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The central point of contention is the church's opposition to Pashinyan's territorial concessions to Azerbaijan, specifically the handover of several Armenian border villages and the normalization of relations with Azerbaijan following the 2023 Nagorno-Karabakh offensive.

Many clergymen, including those affiliated with the Sacred Struggle opposition movement, have publicly resisted the handover, viewing it as a betrayal of Armenia's national and religious identity. The church has also been critical of Pashinyan's leadership and his attempts to consolidate power, especially through actions perceived as undermining traditional institutions like the Apostolic Church. Tensions escalated further with Pashinyan's calls for the resignation of Catholicos Karekin II.

Armenia, widely regarded as the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 A.D., lies at a strategic and often volatile crossroads between Europe and Asia.

On Sept. 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a swift military offensive to take full control of Nagorno-Karabakh, which it described as an "anti-terrorist operation." The assault followed a 10-month blockade that restricted access to food and medicine, and led to the forced displacement of the region's estimated 120,000 ethnic Armenian inhabitants. Azerbaijan formally declared the dissolution of the ethnic Armenian enclave on Jan. 1, effectively ending its self-governance and bringing it fully under Baku's authority.

Human rights groups have accused Azerbaijan of using the offensive to erase Armenian Christian cultural presence from the region. The European Centre for Law & Justice documented the targeted destruction of churches, religious artifacts, and monuments, calling the campaign a "cultural genocide." The group warned of ongoing efforts to falsify historical records and eliminate Armenian heritage from the region, urging international institutions to take action.

In August, Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders met at a White House summit where their foreign ministers initiated a draft peace treaty to end decades of hostilities, though it has not yet been ratified.
Home News Ex-county GOP chair pleads no contest to murder of pastors wife, grandchildrens mother

More than a year after she was charged along with several others with the murder of her grandchildren's mother, Veronica Butler, and Jilian Kelley, a beloved pastor's wife, former Cimarron County GOP Chair Tifany Machel Adams has pleaded no contest to their murders in Texas County, Oklahoma.

When a defendant enters a plea of no contest, it means they are accepting a criminal conviction and punishment without admitting guilt. Adams' plea deal filed in the District Court of Texas County on Tuesday shows that she also pleaded no contest to two counts of unlawful removal of a dead body and two counts of desecration of a human corpse in the deaths of Kelley, 39, and Butler, 27.

Kelley was the wife of Pastor Heath Kelley, who at the time of her death last year led Hugoton First Christian Church in Kansas. Heath Kelley had recently agreed to serve as the new pastor of Willow Christian Church in Nebraska, starting in June 2024.

Both women disappeared in Oklahoma on March 30, 2024. A source close to Butler told ABC 7 that the missing mom was supposed to pick up her 6-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son in Eva, Oklahoma, to celebrate her daughter's birthday. Butler had been involved in an ongoing custody battle with the family of her children's father, Wrangler Cole Rickman, who is Adams' son.

Jilian Kelley had traveled with Butler from Elkhart on what was supposed to be a 16-mile trip, but the trip ended three miles short of their destination.

Their vehicle was found abandoned near Highway 95 and Road L, south of Elkhart, Kansas, in rural Texas County. In April, investigators would find their bodies buried in a freezer.

In addition to Adams, investigators who found evidence suggesting foul play in the women's disappearance also charged Tad Bert Cullum, 44; Cole Earl Twombly, 51; and Cora Twombly, 45.

Investigators confirmed that the murders were connected to a five-year custody battle between Butler and Adams, who had been fighting to keep her grandchildren away from both Butler and her son  a drug addicted convict. It is alleged that while her grandchildren were in Butler's care, the children were sexually abused by Butler's brother.

In the affidavit against Adams, investigators note that: "At times Adams refused to let Rickman have his children, even though Rickman had legal custody of them. Law enforcement previously responded to a call for service where Adams refused to give Rickman his children. Reportedly, the officer told Rickman he believed the children were better off in Adams' care."

Adams also did not want Butler to have unsupervised access to the children anymore because of the sexual abuse claims, but Butler's attorney told investigators that she was on the verge of winning unsupervised visits with her children and Adams did not want that to happen. A hearing was scheduled for the case on April 17.

It is alleged that before the women went missing on March 30, the four suspects tried to kill Butler, but Butler would not leave her home.

Investigators learned from the 16-year-old daughter of Cora Twombly and Coby White that her mother and her stepfather, Cole Twombly, as well as the other murder suspects, were part of God's Misfits, described as an "anti-government group that has a religious affiliation." The group met weekly with the Twomblys and at the home of Barrett and Lacy Cook.

Before her arrest for murder, Adams served as the Cimarron County GOP Chair, which Oklahoma State Sen. Nathan Dahm confirmed.

"This is a tragic situation, with innocent children being at the center," Dahm said of the murders at the time of Adams' arrest, according to KOCO News 5. "We ask everyone to join us in praying for the family and most especially the children devastated by this horrible tragedy."
Home News James MacDonald says he settled defamation lawsuits against Mancow Muller, Harvest Bible Chapel for $10M

James MacDonald, the founder and former leader of Harvest Bible Chapel in greater Chicago, Illinois, says he has settled defamation lawsuits against his former church and, most recently, radio personality Erich "Mancow" Muller, for nearly $10 million collectively to cap a six-and-a-half-year campaign to clear his name.

"These lawsuits were about anyone who's ever been slandered by those who believe their microphone makes them untouchable, or their board seat puts them beyond reach," MacDonald said in a statement Thursday.

"So few have the wherewithal to stand up to such bullies. These costly litigations were only ever about defending my integrity as a minister for the sake of those we led. For ourselves, we have never stopped serving the Lord and have no plans to. I am thankful to close this chapter, allowing me to move forward with my name cleared and my focus fully on ministry again."

MacDonald sued Muller in 2019, alleging multiple counts of defamation. He sought at least $50,000 in compensatory damages for the spread of allegedly false information, which MacDonald claimed caused him emotional distress and significant harm to his reputation.

He also named Cumulus Media, Inc., a Delaware corporation that owns and operates WLS-A.M. 890 Radio, which used to broadcast Muller's morning show in Chicago, along with individuals involved in the production of Muller's podcasts.

The Christian Post reached out to Harvest Bible Chapel and Cumulus Media for comment on MacDonald's settlement claims. Responses are pending.

His controversial Feb. 12, 2019, ouster from Harvest Bible Chapel was triggered by "highly inappropriate recorded comments" made public on Muller's radio program as well as "other conduct."

MacDonald was puportedly recorded talking about planting child pornography on then Christianity Today CEO Harold Smith's computer and making crude remarks about independent investigative journalist Julie Roys  including joking that she had an affair with former CT Editor-in-Chief Mark Galli  and a vulgar reference to Ed Stetzer, then executive director of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College and contributing editor to CT, who had accepted the gift of a Volkswagen Beetle from MacDonald.

The lawsuit claimed the recording broadcast by Muller was made through illegal eavesdropping. It also challenged other allegations made against MacDonald, such as the former pastor allegedly seeking to hire a hitman or trying to plant child pornography on anyone's computer.

"MacDonald never asked Muller if he could find someone to plant 'kiddie porn' on someone's computer, never asked Muller to find a hitman or any person to kill any of his rivals, and did not conspire to commit murder. Muller intentionally and knowingly fabricated his accusations or acted with reckless disregard for the truth in publishing the above statements so as to constitute actual malice," the lawsuit argued.

The lawsuit also disputed claims made by a woman identified as Anne Green on Muller's show, who claimed that MacDonald had inappropriate contact with her during a mission trip.

As the dispute over his ouster erupted in 2019, MacDonald was later investigated for financial abuse. That year, Harvest Bible Chapel published a summary of a legal and financial review of MacDonald's reign, suggesting he had extensively misused the church's financial resources for improper financial benefit.

"With this outcome, MacDonald completes his six-and-a-half-year insistence that his former church face legal accountability for false statements they made and paid others to make," the news release said. "As a result of these legal actions, MacDonald won nearly $10M from defendants who chose large sum settlements, rather than face verdicts exposing the extent of their egregious slander."

Since being forced out of Harvest Bible Chapel, MacDonald has been involved in helping post-incarcerated and other men struggling with addiction through his Act Like Men Sobriety Houses, headquartered at "Rock Bottom" in Elgin, Illinois.

"I'm ready to turn the page and continue moving forward," MacDonald declared. "My desire is to help shape a future where broken lives are restored, faith is renewed, and the hope of Christ is never out of reach for anyone."

MacDonald is no longer facing a felony charge of assault and battery against a 59-year-old woman in connection to a 2023 traffic incident in California. MacDonald's attorney, Michael Pancer, said in a statement to The Chicago Sun-Times at the time that the charges were not an accurate portrayal of "what took place."

Pancer said his client "would never intentionally harm another human being" and that MacDonald's intent was "neither malicious nor correctly assigned in the charges filed." MacDonald later said that he was struggling with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder when the incident occurred.

Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that MacDonald is no longer facing a felony charge of assault and battery. An earlier version incorrectly stated that he was still facing the charge.
Home News Massachusetts court blocks Catholic statues from public safety building

A court has blocked a Massachusetts city from erecting two 10-foot-tall bronze statues of Catholic saints as part of the construction of a new government building.

Massachusetts Superior Court Justice William F. Sullivan issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday against Quincy officials from including the two statues on the facade of the new public safety building.

Sullivan ruled the plaintiffs, an interfaith group of local residents, have "demonstrated that they are likely to succeed at proving that the permanent display of the oversized overtly religious-looking statues have a primary effect of advancing religion."

"Plaintiffs will likely be able to show that the statues convey to the public observing them the implicit government support for the religious doctrine and adherents of Catholic / Christian faith, and as a result, the subordination of other religions," wrote Sullivan.

Sullivan also rejected the defendants' argument that stopping the installation of the statues would violate the First Amendment by caving in to the plaintiffs' anti-Catholic bias.

"This argument has no merit and would turn constitutional jurisprudence on its head," he wrote. "Plaintiffs are not government actors; Defendants are. Plaintiffs do not seek to exclude, burden, or target Catholic beliefs."

The plaintiffs are represented by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and Cloherty & Steinberg LLP.

Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United, said in a statement released Tuesday that she considered the preliminary injunction "a win for religious freedom and church-state separation."

Laser blasted the efforts of local officials to install the statues, saying that they are "violating the constitutional promise of church-state separation and sending a message to all who rely on city services that one faith is favored over all others."

Quincy garnered controversy after moving to add the bronze statues of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian, patron saints of police and firefighters.

The two statues were to be on the facade of the building and cost of approximately $850,000 out of an overall construction project that costs $175 million, reported Boston.com.

In an interview with AM Quincy in February, Mayor Thomas Koch defended the statutes, describing them as "beautiful public art" and something that he does not consider "specifically as religious."

"It's not like Tom Koch is imparting an image, trying to put on the fire, police. That image has been related to both of those services for decades across the world, not just here in Quincy," said Koch.

"I think people in the end will understand that it's beautiful public art, and it connects with both the fire service and the police service."
Home News Michael Youssef unveils faith-based chatbot rooted in Scripture: We want to redeem AI

Michael Youssef, founder and president of Leading The Way and pastor of the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia, believes it's time to redeem and reclaim what many Christians fear most: artificial intelligence.

"I listen carefully to what people are saying, and I understand why so many are terrified of AI," the 77-year-old Egyptian-American pastor and bestselling author told The Christian Post. "For some good reasons, the potential is huge both ways. But I asked myself, how do we redeem AI? And I believe with all my heart that we've succeeded."

That success, he said, has taken shape in My Faith Assistant, a new digital tool designed to deliver "clear, scripturally sound responses" to spiritual questions anytime, anywhere.

Built by Leading The Way's in-house team in collaboration with faith-minded technologists and businessmen, the platform functions like a ChatGPT except, as Youssef described it, it's "rooted solely in Scripture and faithful teaching from the Word of God."

The platform, now live at MyFaithAssistant.com and through Leading The Way's mobile app, represents what Youssef referred to as a defining moment in digital ministry, as it's the first AI-driven tool of its kind in the Christian world, offering instant biblical guidance alongside access to real-time pastoral care.

Youssef, who has written 58 books and has a global television network reaching millions, said the idea for My Faith Assistant began with a simple conversation.

"I sat with my technical teams, I'm not a technical man at all, but I know enough to bring the right people to the table," he said. "We have an expert on AI heading up our social media team full time, and together with some business leaders who run AI companies, we just talked about it. How do we redeem AI? How can we use it for the glory of God?"

The result is a system that allows users to type any question, like "What does the Bible say about forgiveness?" or "How can I share my faith with my co-worker?" and receive a concise, Bible-based answer drawn from decades of Youssef's preaching and writings.

The tool has already facilitated more than 2,400 pilot-phase conversations across 191 biblical topics.

"The internet came, and everybody panicked, saying it was going to bring all this horrible stuff," Youssef reflected. "And sure enough, it did. But also, now so many people are using the internet to proclaim the Gospel. A knife can hurt somebody or cut bread; everything can be used for the glory of God or as the enemy's tool. So let's bring this light to the forefront and let God's people use it and be blessed by it."

While My Faith Assistant offers instant answers, Youssef emphasized that its deeper goal is spiritual growth and the opportunity for discipleship. The system can recommend Bible reading plans, direct users to Youssef's sermons and ultimately connect them to Leading The Way's pastoral care team for prayer or further support.

"This isn't just a Q&A machine," he said. "It's a discipleship tool. Someone in a remote area, without anyone to guide them, can literally go and find the right tools to help them walk with Christ as His disciple."

According to Youssef, the feature was inspired by the ministry's previous "Finding True Peace" campaign, which used brief television spots on secular networks to invite viewers to faith.

"When we were overwhelmed with responses from Finding True Peace, we assembled a group of retired pastors to personally pray with people," Youssef recalled. "One of them said, 'I've led more people to Christ through this than in all my years in ministry.' So when someone using My Faith Assistant wants that personal touch, we have those pastors ready."

For Youssef, who has spent decades broadcasting the Gospel through radio, television and online platforms, My Faith Assistant represents a continuation of his ministry.

Since its founding in 1988, Youssef said Leading The Way has been defined by its embrace of innovation, as the ministry's early shortwave broadcasts reached believers in restricted nations.

Satellite TV programming soon followed, including THE KINGDOM SAT, a 24/7 Arabic-language Christian channel broadcasting across the Middle East. The organization's solar-powered Navigator devices now deliver the Bible to remote villages, while its global prayer network connects believers in more than 190 countries.

My Faith Assistant is simply the next step, the pastor stressed. "We've always broken through barriers to reach people with God's Word," Youssef said. "This tool lets anyone, from the curious skeptic to the mature believer, receive trustworthy answers rooted in Scripture."

"We exist for one purpose," he said. "That is to honor the Lord Jesus Christ by ministering to His people, regardless of background or denomination. I often say: yes, we can curse the darkness, but let's not stop there. Let's light a candle. And this is one of those candles."

Youssef, a father and grandfather, said his heart is burdened by the thought that the next generation take ownership of the faith now, not later. "I'm seeing it even in our own church," he said. "The younger generation is into technology, and I'm bringing them into leadership now, not waiting until they get older."

That includes his own son, Jonathan Youssef, who now shares the pulpit at the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta. "He's 41 and preaching more and more," Youssef said. "We're raising up the next generation. I tell them, 'You have to carry the baton. You can't wait until we're gone.' We don't want to be the generation with whom the Gospel dies."

Through Leading The Way's global reach, including new initiatives in digital discipleship, the pastor hopes to see young leaders worldwide take up the same charge.

"We've lost so many wonderful giants of the faith," he said, referencing Voddie Baucham and John MacArthur, who died this year. "It grieves me, but that's why I tell this generation: you need to rise up now, not in the future."

"Everything we do is for the audience of one," he said, "One day I want to stand before Jesus and hear, 'Well done.'"
Home News Most churchgoers don't think Bible has clear teachings about homosexuality, transgenderism: poll

Most churchgoers don't believe the Bible has clear and decisive teachings about homosexuality and transgenderism, causing concern that some churches are failing to effectively communicate the teachings of the Bible, a new study finds.

The Washington-based social conservative advocacy organization Family Research Council, in conjunction with the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, released its "Social Issues and Worldview" survey Monday, examining American churchgoers' views on several Christian teachings.

The findings are based on responses collected in July 2025 from 1,003 adults who regularly attend church. The new research comes two years after the publication of a similar study.

When asked if the Bible had clear positions on hot-button social issues dominating American political discourse, a majority of respondents (51%) agreed that the Bible had "clear & decisive" teachings about abortion, down from 65% who said the same in 2023.

About 21% of Christians in the 2025 survey described the Bible's teachings on abortion as "unclear or ambiguous," while 17% maintained that the Bible "does not address" the topic. Meanwhile, 11% did not know whether the Bible addressed the issue.

Around 59% of churchgoers described the Bible as "clear & decisive" about religious liberty, while 20% considered the Bible "unclear or ambiguous" on the topic, and 11% apiece thought the Bible does not address it or did not know whether it does.

A larger majority (65%) of churchgoers agreed that the Bible has "clear & decisive" teachings about the definition of a legitimate marriage, while 19% characterized the Bible's position on marriage as "unclear or ambiguous" and 8% apiece insisted that the Bible "does not address" it or did not know whether it does.

By contrast, only a plurality (47%) of churchgoers surveyed believed that the Bible has "clear & decisive" teachings about "whether homosexuality is morally acceptable," compared to 63% in 2023. More than one-quarter (26%) of churchgoers thought the Bible was "unclear or ambiguous" about homosexuality, while 16% insisted that the Bible does not address homosexuality, and 11% did not know.

An even smaller share of churchgoers (40%) expressed confidence that the Bible was "clear & decisive" on "whether transgenderism is morally acceptable," compared to 52% in 2023. Twenty-three percent thought the Bible is "unclear or ambiguous" about transgenderism, while nearly one-quarter (24%) believed that the Bible does not address transgenderism, and 11% did not know.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a Baptist pastor and one of Washington's leading Christian conservative activists, believes the research shows a "great need for biblical teaching" on the "great issues of our day." He stressed that the Church must continue to "teach, live, and defend a biblical worldview."

"Many pastors, many churches are not systematically teaching the word of God," Perkins told The Christian Post in an interview. "And that's really what we've got to get back to."

"I think people, some pastors are afraid they're going to offend or lose people by  addressing these controversial issues," he continued. "And the result is it's created a vacuum that is being filled by the broader culture in the media. So that's what's shaping the worldview of many Christians."

It's not so much that Christians are "hearing the wrong thing in church," Perkins stressed, but that "they're not hearing anything as it pertains to these issues."

Perkins praised Calvary Chapel churches as the houses of worship that are "most consistent" in providing a biblical perspective on all issues, including sexuality.

"That goes back to Chuck Smith just basically teaching his pastors to preach through the Bible," Perkins said, referencing one of the key leaders of the Jesus Movement that began in the late 1960s. "And that way ... when those issues come up, you just have to deal with them."

Perkins said Calvary Chapel churches are examples of churches that "systematically teach the word of God, even chronologically teaching or going through the Bible on a regular basis."

"As these issues come up, they teach on them," Perkins said.

"That way, it's not as if they're cherry-picking these issues, but they deal with them as they come up," he clarified.
Home News Obama accuses liberals of adopting 'holier-than-thou superiority' akin to 'dangerous' Moral Majority

Former President Barack Obama is accusing some liberals of embracing what he refers to as a "holier-than-thou superiority" that he likened to the conservative Christian Moral Majority movement, which he described as "dangerous."

Obama appeared on the "WTF" podcast with comedian Marc Maron on Monday. The two discussed political polarization in the United States and the importance of engaging in discussions with people with opposing views.

"There's been a lot of post-mortem about Democrats and progressives," Obama said, telling Maron that he saw his stand-up routine where he suggested that Democrats "figured out how to be so annoying." Maron recalled how he had previously suggested that Democrats "annoyed the average American into fascism."

Obama insisted that he has repeatedly told Democrats and progressives, "You can't just be a scold all the time."

"You can't constantly lecture people without acknowledging that you've got some blind spots too and that life's messy," he said.

"The vulnerability, I think, comes in saying  'I've got some core convictions, I've got beliefs that I'm not going to compromise but I'm also not going to assert that I am so righteous and so pure  and so insightful that there's not the possibility that maybe I'm wrong on this.'"

Obama, 64, lamented what he described as "some progressive language" that came across as "a holier-than-thou superiority that's not that different from what we used to joke about coming from  the right and the Moral Majority."

The Moral Majority political movement materialized in the late 1970s and sought to fight progressivism by working to register Evangelical Christians to vote and advocate for conservative positions on abortion and sexuality. The Moral Majority is credited with bringing socially conservative voters who previously supported Democrats into the Republican Party and making "values voters" an important part of the Republican coalition.

The 44th president characterized the Moral Majority as "a certain fundamentalism about how to think about stuff that I think was dangerous."

David Closson, the director of the Family Research Council's Center for Biblical Worldview, reacted to Obama's comments in an interview with The Christian Post. He characterized the Moral Majority as a movement "animated by deep convictions related to the American family."

"The Family Research Council was born out of some of those efforts" in 1983 in response to concerns that "the American family did not have a voice in Washington, D.C., Closson said.

"I think no one's going to be surprised that Barack Obama is lobbing insults towards the Moral Majority when his two terms as president were largely fueled by convictions that tried to undo many of the policies that the Moral Majority fought for, whether that's issues related to family, religious freedom, protecting the unborn," Closson added. "And so I don't think anyone should be looking to Barack Obama for an accurate history of the Moral Majority and the convictions that animated their work."

For his part, Obama insisted that he didn't adopt a "holier-than-thou superiority" when talking to his political opponents.

"If I talked about trans issues, I wasn't talking  down to people and saying, 'Oh, you're a bigot,'" he said. "I'd say, 'You know what? It's tough enough being a teenager. Let's treat all kids differently. Why would we want to see kids bullied?'"

Obama also expressed his disapproval of people who look down on others who don't "see things exactly the way I do."

While the podcast focused heavily on the importance of civil discourse, the conversation was not without criticism of Obama's political opponents.

"What you're seeing right now is a reassertion of this idea of like, 'Nope, if you don't look a certain way, you don't think a certain way, you don't practice a certain faith  you're not a real American," Obama maintained.

When Maron used the terms "authoritarianism" and "fascism" when discussing the current political climate in the U.S., Obama agreed that "There is no doubt that a lot of the norms, civic habits, expectations  institutional guardrails that we had, that we took for granted for our democracy have been weakened deliberately."

The discussion about political discourse in the U.S. comes just over a month after the politically motivated assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which has led to a renewed national conversation about the importance of civility. While Obama and Maron did not touch upon the Kirk assassination, they did briefly talk about the suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for erroneously suggesting that the conservative influencer's killer was a supporter of President Donald Trump.
Home News Orthodox Anglicans create new communion renouncing ties to archbishop of Canterbury

The GAFCON movement of orthodox Anglicans is forging its own path away from the leadership of the archbishop of Canterbury with the launch of the Global Anglican Communion.

It will be distinct from the worldwide Anglican Communion that is under the spiritual leadership of the archbishop of Canterbury and which recognises other Institutes of Communion like the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), and the Primates' Meeting of senior archbishops.

Unveiling its plans on Thursday, GAFCON said its intention is to "reorder" the Anglican Communion with only the Bible as its foundation. It will not recognize the archbishop of Canterbury or other Institutes of Communion.

"We cannot continue to have communion with those who advocate the revisionist agenda, which has abandoned the inerrant word of God as the final authority and overturned Resolution I.10, of the 1998 Lambeth Conference," said the Most Rev Laurent Mbanda, chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council, and Primate of Rwanda.

"Therefore, Gafcon has re-ordered the Anglican Communion by restoring its original structure as a fellowship of autonomous provinces bound together by the Formularies of the Reformation, as reflected at the first Lambeth Conference in 1867, and we are now the Global Anglican Communion.

"Provinces of the Global Anglican Communion shall not participate in meetings called by the Archbishop of Canterbury, including the ACC, and shall not make any monetary contribution to the ACC, nor receive any monetary contribution from the ACC or its networks."

Provinces aligned with the new Global Anglican Communion have been told to amend their constitutions to remove any reference to being in communion with the See of Canterbury and the Church of England.

The first formal gathering of the Global Anglican Communion has been planned for March 3 to March 6, 2026, in Abuja, Nigeria.

Archbishop Mbanda added, "As has been the case from the very beginning, we have not left the Anglican Communion; we are the Anglican Communion."

The announcement follows the appointment of Sarah Mullally as the first female archbishop of Canterbury.

GAFCON was one of the first to denounce her appointment on Oct. 3, calling on Mullally to repent for her support of same-sex blessings.

"Since the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury has failed to guard the faith and is complicit in introducing practices and beliefs that violate both the 'plain and canonical sense' of Scripture and 'the Churchs historic and consensual' interpretation of it (Jerusalem Statement), she cannot provide leadership to the Anglican Communion," said Archbishop Mbanda at the time.

"The leadership of the Anglican Communion will pass to those who uphold the truth of the gospel and the authority of Scripture in all areas of life."

This article was originally published by Christian Today.
Home News Trump threatens: If Hamas continues to kill people well have no choice but to kill them

After initially signaling his approval for Hamas bloody crackdown against its internal opponents, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened the terror group with renewed violence if it didnt stop.

If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them. Thank you for your attention to this matter, Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Since Israels partial withdrawal following the ceasefire, uniformed, masked, and heavily armed Hamas forces have reappeared in the areas vacated by the IDF.

Hamas forces have clashed with armed Palestinian clans several times, and even filmed themselves executing civilians  bound and blindfolded  in the streets.

Hamas officials admitted carrying out operations against alleged lawbreakers and collaborators with Israel, claiming they are working to restore order and security in the enclave.

Trump initially signaled his approval for these actions, likening them to his own operations against Venezuelan gangs in the United States

However, on Wednesday, Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command, condemned Hamas for the crackdown.

We strongly urge Hamas to immediately suspend violence and shooting at innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza  in both Hamas-held parts of Gaza and those secured by the IDF behind the Yellow Line, Cooper stated.

This is an historic opportunity for peace. Hamas should seize it by fully standing down, strictly adhering to President Trumps 20-point peace plan, and disarming without delay.

Trump also changed his tone on Wednesday, telling CNN that he would consider allowing Israel to resume its war against Hamas if the terror group does not fulfill its obligations under the Gaza ceasefire plan.

Whats going on with Hamas  thatll be straightened out quickly, he said, adding Hamas is going in and clearing out the gangs, violent gangs. When asked if it's possible that Hamas was executing innocent Palestinians, Trump responded, Im doing research on it, and, Well find out about it. It could be gangs plus.

When asked what he intends to do if Hamas refuses to disarm, Trump said, I think about it.

Israel will return to those streets as soon as I say the word. If Israel could go in and knock the crap out of them, theyd do that, he added.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff also addressed the issue in remarks at an event at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, an event to commemorate the second anniversary of Hamas Oct. 7 invasion and terror attack in southern Israel, which launched the war in Gaza.

Hamas must unequivocally disarm, and they can have no future in Gaza; no future as they have been, Witkoff said.

Only when extremism ends can prosperity begin. Peace in the region will save countless lives of Israelis and Gazans alike, and bring dignity to those who have suffered for far too long, he added.

This article was originally published by All Israel News.
Home Opinion Advice: Waiting for Mr. Right who manages money well

Dear Chuck,

Im a 28-year-old professional female, a committed Christian, and single. Although I date occasionally, I am in a waiting pattern for the right man. So many of my friends say I am too picky, but I want to marry a man who knows how to manage money well so we have financial security. What is the best way to know if they are good with money?

Looking for Mr. Right

Dear Looking for Mr. Right,

While you have a great general idea, I am so grateful that Ann and I got married in spite of my financial shortcomings. We married in December 1979, during our senior year in college. It took us 21 years to get on the same page financially. We had our share of struggles over money, but our commitment to the Lord and one another enabled us to stand against the storms.

I will give you some guidelines but remember this: the world will use anything to subvert marriage and strong families. Our enemy definitely wants to prevent Christians from marrying, having children, and filling the world with more Christ followers!

The capstone model vs. the cornerstone model

Like you, many couples want to have their finances in order and certain goals met before getting married. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal addresses how marriage seems to increasingly be for the affluent:

The idea of both parties waiting to build a career or wealth before tying the knot is called a capstone model of marriage. It has replaced the cornerstone approach, where couples married in their early 20s and worked together to meet financial goals: buying a home, building a nest egg, and progressing in careers. Brad Wilcox, sociology professor at the U of VA and fellow at the Institute for Family Studies, says, You achieve a measure of success educationally and professionally before you put a ring on it. Its whats driving up the age at which people are first married or postponing it all together [sic].

Kasen Stephensen at the Institute for Family Studies writes that the capstone model comes with two major risks:

Assuming that success can be established before marriage.

Biological and social deadlines converge in the early 30s.

He cites a study showing that merging bank accounts actually increases marital satisfaction. Couples fight less about money and are more satisfied with how finances are handled.

By seeking marriage earlier rather than postponing it indefinitely, youre creating the opportunity to dance through lifes challenges and triumphs with someone who loves you, supports you, and helps you grow.

Marriage is good for women

A recent survey of American women conducted by the Institute for Family Studies and YouGov concluded that marriage and children are both good things. They found that married women are happier than unmarried women, and married mothers are the happiest of all. They report:

Being less lonely.

Receiving more affection.

Having a greater sense of purpose.

Marriage is good for men

Another recent article explains why marriage is good for men. The data cited points to married men as:

Financially more secure.

More productive, working harder and smarter.

Happier.

Healthier.

Marriage and Charlie Kirk

Charlie wrote on Instagram, Having a family will change your life in the best of ways, so get married and have kids. You wont regret it. He was a powerful influencer, and I hope many young adults listen to his advice.

Look for these qualities in a future spouse

A foundation based on Deuteronomy 6:5 is necessary in marriage: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Cement it with Pauls words in Ephesians 4:32: Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. In a future spouse, look for someone who:

Reads and believes the Bible.

Works as unto the Lord.

Tracks spending and knows how to live on a budget.

Saves money.

Is content with little.

Gives generously.

Serves others.

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:45 ESV).

He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord (Proverbs 18:22 ESV)

Children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward (Psalm 127:3 ESV)

It is time young adults recognize the lies because statistics verify the great benefits of marriage. They must recognize the worlds idols they have fallen for and repent: sex outside of marriage (sexual sin in general), financial success, and the freedom to pursue self-interests without the burden of a family.

I hope pastors and parents will counter the lies of the world by modeling the beauty of marriage. Fertility rates are dropping. Young adults cannot assume they will have a lot of money and a family if they postpone marriage for years and years.

Financial security is a worthwhile goal, but dont let it stop you from finding Gods best for your future spouse! Faith and character are more important than money. With those two traits, a couple can learn to handle money wisely while married.

Here are some extra articles that may be helpful:

Crown has many beneficial resources regarding family and finances. From podcasts and videos to courses and calculators, let Crown encourage you as you pursue a godly marriage.
Home Opinion How to properly practice Christian marriage

Many, many Americans are perplexed by why so many of their fellow countrymen find it difficult to grasp and understand the model for Christian marriage that is outlined in Holy Scripture.

One reason is that historically in Western culture, the true biblical model as laid out in the New Testament has been so often ignored, misinterpreted, misapplied and used to perpetuate male hierarchy in practice.

In order to properly practice Christian marriage, we must first understand the true Christian biblical model. In order to hit the target, we must first have the right target defined.

First, for a husband and a wife to have a Christian marriage, both partners need to be professing Christians. A true Christian is someone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior, having accepted His sacrifice on the cross for their sins, confessed that they are sinners and have asked Jesus to forgive them and to live in their hearts, and they are trusting Him and Him alone for their eternal salvation.

Christian husbands are commanded to love (agape) their wives as Christ loved the church and gave His life for it. Only genuine Christian men are capable of loving their wives with the sacrificial agape love (a fruit of the Holy Spirit in a believers life, Gal. 5:22), which is defined so eloquently in the 13th chapter of I Corinthians.

A non-Christian is never going to be able to fulfill the agape in-spite-of, sacrificial, servant-oriented love commanded by the New Testament. Only a Christian in whom the Holy Spirit resides can fulfill that command. Furthermore, it has been my observation in what is now a 64-year ministry that only genuinely Christian wives in whom the Holy Spirit resides are capable of consistently putting themselves under the authority of their own husbands as unto the Lord (Eph. 5:22).

At this point, I feel compelled to say that, having pastored or interim pastored more than a dozen churches during my ministry, I have seen men who have become Christians who, through sacrificially loving their wives as Christ loved the church, led their wives to become born-again, spirit-indwelt Christians, and experience the transformation in their partners lives.

Conversely, I have also seen Christian wives who have attempted to fulfill their new roles as Christian wives in such a way that it led to their husbands becoming born-again, spirit-indwelt Christians.

It should also be pointed out that, as a Baptist, I believe in a free church in a free state. In other words, when people attempt to have a Christian marriage with the complementary roles of husband as servant leader and the wife as a partner submitting to her husbands authority, they do so voluntarily, not from any coercion by the government.

Also, the wife is to put herself under the authority of her own husband as unto the Lord.

A wife is not under any other mans authority, just her husbands.

It must also be understood that the husbands position of authority is not a position of privilege, but it is a position of responsibility and sacrificial service. If a Christian home is not functioning as God would desire for it to function, God is going to hold the husband responsible. He is the spiritual leader of the family.

I have had colleagues challenge me on husband headship by saying that if the husband and wife cannot agree, then the person who should make the decision is the one to which the issue is most important to them. What if you cant agree on that? Sometimes a decision has to be made, and when you cannot agree, it is the husbands responsibility to make the decision after the wife has had the opportunity to give all the input she desires.

For example, back when the original Salk polio vaccine came out in the early 1950s, my younger brother and I (8 and 5 at the time) were scheduled to get the polio shot at our elementary school. We lived in the high polio area (Houston), and if you did not get the shot on your scheduled day at school, it was going to be several months before individual pediatricians would have the shot.

In the understandable rush to get the Salk vaccine out, some children received live doses and contracted polio. My mother did not want us to get the shot, and my father did. One of them had to sign the permission slip for us to get the shot. To my parents credit, they sent my brother and me outside while they discussed the issue. However, it was before air conditioning, the windows were open, and my brother and I caught the gist of the discussion. It was the first time I can remember my parents raising their voices to each other.

It was unusually quiet at dinner that night, and as my brother and I were preparing for bed (we shared a bedroom), my brother asked me, Richard, are we getting that shot tomorrow?

I replied, I dont know!

The next morning, it was unusually quiet at breakfast, and then my father (who was a welder and who worked for an hourly wage) took time off from work and, for the only time I can remember, took us both to school and handed in the signed permission slip for us to receive the vaccine.

When I was an adult, I asked my dad about that episode, and asked, Do you remember that?

He said, You better believe it! I prayed, please dont let these boys get polio. If they do, their mother will kill me!

The point of the story is that a decision had to be made, and they both understood that it was my fathers responsibility to make the decision.

In my marriage, my wife and I have faced four situations in 54 years where a decision had to be made, and we could not agree on what should be done. We now agree that I was right twice and I was wrong twice.

I once bought a house my wife had not seen (it was going up 15% the next day!). My wife finally agreed that I made the right decision five years later when we sold the house for a little more than twice what we paid for it.

The only place where the Bible teaches wifely submission is in the home. It in no way precludes women from holding office in government or business. The only reason it would not be allowable for a woman to be in a position of authority in the secular world would be if her husband did not want her to do it.

Next week: Womens role in the church
Home Opinion Israeli hostages released: One thing we learned these past 2 years

On my way home from the Knesset, where President Trump delivered a historic address on the peace agreement he brokered  not just for Israel, but for the entire Middle East and the world  I found myself reflecting on a simple truth: Redemption from the Lord comes in the blink of an eye.

For the first time in two years, we can say it: All of the living hostages are home.

Two years ago, we were broken. We cried out, wondering whether Israel would survive the storm of war that had erupted on Simchat Torah  a day once filled with joy, transformed instantly into one of terror, grief, and despair. We didnt know how we would get through it. But we did. And today, we stand in awe of the miracles we have witnessed.

These miracles  miracle after miracle  came not only through divine intervention but also through the servants God raised up to bless Israel: President Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and countless others whose names may never be known but whose actions and sacrifices will never be forgotten.

In the past two years, Israel faced attacks on seven fronts. Seven. Yet today, each of those threats has been met with strength and resilience, and Israel is safer and stronger than ever. Of course, leadership played a crucial role  but so did something else: the silenced majority.

Those who prayed. Those who stood tall when the world tried to confuse light with darkness. Those who refused to be swayed and boldly defended Israel and the Jewish people.

To all the faithful, the prayerful, the clear-eyed: this moment belongs to you as well.

This Simchat Torah, we return to joy. We dance once again with the Torah, not with fear in our hearts but with thanksgiving on our lips. We celebrate the return of our people, the promise of peace, and the possibility that, with Gods help, the days ahead will be brighter  not only for Israel but for the entire world.

And yet, in the midst of joy, there remains pain. We are retrieving not only our living, but also the bodies of our fallen. We remember the brave soldiers, the children, the mothers, the fathers  those who will not return to their homes, whose lives were the price of our future.

To their families, we offer more than words  we offer love. We hold you close as we give thanks for the miracle of hope returning to the Holy land.

Over the past two years, your support  whether through prayer, action, or generosity  has made a difference. At the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, we were able to distribute hundreds of millions of dollars in lifesaving aid, build bomb shelters, deliver food, and bring hope to those in greatest need. You stood with us, and because of that, lives were saved.

Now begins the real healing, and the real work. In the coming days and weeks, decisions will be made, challenges will arise, and we will need each other more than ever. But today, we pause to give thanks. We pause to remember. And we pause to celebrate the miracle of this moment.

So many people are skeptical that peace is really possible. Our job right now is to build the vessels to believe that peace is possible  and leave it up to God to figure out how to bring it. If we dont believe its possible, it will never come.

And if weve learned one thing these past two years, its that we have no clue what the future holds, and that God can do anything  in the blink of an eye.
Some sector leaders have expressed concerns over culture secretary Lisa Nandys plans to enable the Charity Commission to bar anyone convicted of hate crimes from serving as a trustee.

Nandy told the Daily Telegraph last Saturday that the watchdog would be handed greater powers to pursue charity leaders who use their positions to promote violence or hatred.

She said: We have seen too many shocking cases where extremists have tried to exploit charities to spread hate and division. That cannot be allowed to continue.

That is why we will ensure the Charity Commission has the powers it has asked for to bar anyone convicted of hate crimes from serving as a trustee or using charitable status as a shield for extremist activity. There can be no place for hate in our charity sector.

The commission confirmed the plans, with a spokesperson saying: We are robust in using the powers parliament has granted us whenever required, dealing robustly with those who misuse charities for malign purposes including supporting extremism or terrorism.

As the range of these threats grows, we know our powers must keep pace. We are in welcome dialogue with the government to ensure our powers and our corresponding resources are fit for the present and the future.

Nandys comments came days after Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat said in an interview with Talk TV at his partys annual conference that the regulator needed extra powers to combat Muslim Brotherhood ideology in the UK.

Concern over blanket ban

People with certain unspent convictions including for some offences such as those related to terrorism, money-laundering and bribery are already automatically disqualified from being trustees or senior charity managers.

Automatically disqualified people can also apply for a waiver from the regulator, although only one was granted last year.

Speaking to Civil Society, Unlocks chief executive Paula Harriott said she would not be in favour of a blanket ban for people with hate crime convictions from being trustees.

We can add that crime to the safeguards but I dont think we should just automatically say nobody with that crime can ever become a charity trustee, because people change some might have been convicted of a minor hate crime, said the CEO, whose charity supports people with convictions.

Meanwhile, Debra Allcock Tyler, chief executive of the Directory of Social Change, said tackling extremism in the sector was way more complex than simply banning folk convicted of hate crimes from being trustees.

Some of the best trustees in our sector have lived experience, she said in a LinkedIn post.

There are many who have been convicted of crime who tell a powerful and compelling story of redemption and not letting the past dictate your future and who would shine and inspire in a trustee role.

She added, however, that some charities do spread hate, and appear to be allowed to under current rules.

Their leaders, as far as I am aware, have not been convicted of any crimes and they are able to spread division under the cover of charity law, she said.

sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector,
Whether you refer to it as spooky or pumpkin-spiced latte season, or simply the archaic autumn, Society Diary hopes you are staying safe, reader, as the cold nights draw in.

To brighten up our Friday, Diary this week sat down with experienced charity sector leader, Wanda Wyporska, to discuss important topics such as wine, ketchup and Vigil van Dijk.

But read on with caution, as Dr Wanda also draws from her expertise in early modern Polish witchcraft to answer a couple of Halloween-related queries.

Wanda, are you a morning person?

In that if I need to sleep through a morning, I happily will, or if I feel lively, Ill grab a craft book, make tea and bliss out. Id like to say that Im coming home at that time, but those were the days.

As a witchcraft scholar, whos your favourite witch?

Always the one in a trial where the scribe had clear, wonderful handwriting and who gave full, interesting answers, describing the Devil and the Sabbat in full technicolour detail.

Do you enjoy Halloween?

I love giving sweets to polite children. I clearly need to sample them first. I hate anyone telling me that they would have been regarded as a witch because they are an outspoken woman. My side eyes and eye rolls are second to none.

How has being a Liverpool fan influenced your leadership skills?

Will I get a season ticket or at least a match ticket for this? I look for depth and versatility in a squad, and like people to try out different roles. Crucially, every team needs a Virgil van Dijk, but as a leader, I need to remember that even Virgil makes mistakes. We all do.

What can other charity leaders do to be the best at social media?

Cultivate at least 20 crafts, worship cats, support the mighty LFC and be a historian of witchcraft. Oh, and work in multiple sectors and be extremely nosy. It seems to have worked for me.

As a doctor, how would you diagnose the health of the charity sector?

Fortunately, Im not that type of doctor, but my diagnosis is strong heart, but needs an intensive injection of resources, equity and self-reflection to enable it to come off life support.

What makes Britain great?

Proper chippies with good thick chips and curry sauce with no fruit in it. Bonus points if it does Chinese as well, for a half and half.

Fine wines or low-price plonk?

Mines a large Petrus, please garcon.

If you could live in a different time, when would you pick?

Surprisingly, given all I know about it, the seventeenth century. Obviously, as long as I was a rich widow with beautiful dresses, sitting in a manor, surrounded by cats, stitching embroidery whilst sipping mead. Im really that shallow. Thats next weekend sorted.

Do eggs and ketchup go in the fridge?

They do in my house, am I missing something?

If you are brave enough to volunteer as the next Society Diary interviewee, please message [email protected]
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Last week, counter to what his name might suggest, Don Craven stood up for his principles, and those of journalists, by resigning as chief executive of the Illinois Press Association. Under his authority as the groups CEO and legal counsel, Craven had added the IPA to a lawsuit brought by press groups against the Trump administration over its arrests and aggressive physical tactics against reporters covering protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and troop deployments in the Chicago area. Not so fast, the IPAs board responded. It ordered Craven to remove the associations name from the list of plaintiffs, according to an email he wrote to colleagues. Craven compliedand promptly quit in protest. In his email, Craven wrote that the lawsuits aim was to preserve and protect the First Amendment rights of journalists. Surely thats a concept a press association can get behind.

Russias abduction of Ukrainian children since its invasion in early 2022 has been one of the great subsidiary tragedies and outrages of its long and brutal campaign. Thousands of childrenthe estimated number varies wildlyhave been stolen from their families and guardians by Russian authorities and trafficked across the border. Some have been put up for sham adoptions; others have been forced into military training. The nonpartisan Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale, which pegs the number of stolen children at thirty-five thousand, has called it the largest mass child kidnapping since the Nazi atrocities of World War II. Ukraines government has called it an act of genocide. And yet last week, when Melania Trump noted raising the subject with Vladimir Putin, Russias president, the news coverage was strangely shallow and muted.

Only a few stories noted the breathtaking vastness of Russias systematic abuse, or bothered to call it what the International Criminal Court in The Hague did in indicting Putin in 2023: a war crime. Euphemisms flourished: the Washington Post repeatedly described the Ukrainian children as separated from their families, as if theyd gotten lost on a busy street. Reuters wrote, passively, that the children had been caught up in the war. Politico called the children war-displaceda technically accurate but wholly misleading framing. The New York Times said the children were missing and had been taken into Russian territory. It didnt mention who had done this taking.

Melanias speech, all of six minutes, was light on details, though she arguably deserves credit for raising concern. The mainstream press earns no plaudits. Reporting on a monstrous crime and tragedy of this scale deserves and demands context, accuracy, and detail, if not some heart and passion.

Sometimes it isnt just about the money. Robert Decherd, the former chairman and controlling shareholder of DallasNews Corp. (ne A.H. Belo Corp.), spent his summer at the center of a bidding war for the companys legacy asset, the Dallas Morning News. Last month, Decherd finally agreed to sell to Hearst. In so doing, Decherd became a rarity: an investor-owner willing to accept less than he could have gotten. Hearsts $16.50 per share offer was 17 percent less than MediaNews Groups final bid, $20 per share. But Decherd, the great-grandson of the papers founder, weighed another consideration: MediaNews Group is controlled by Alden Global Capital, the investment fund known for acquiring newspapers, cutting costs, stripping any remaining value, and then reselling for scrap. Despite the lower price, Decherd contended that Hearst was a better steward for the family jewel.

As CJRs Ivan L. Nagy wrote, the Pentagons draconian restrictions on press access were met with a nearly unanimous wall of resistance from news organizations this week. Nearly. The only domestic outfits that agreed to abide by Secretary of Defense I Mean War Peter Hegseths odious source-approval requirements were The Federalist, the Epoch Times, and One America News, the cable network. Given the overtly MAGA-friendly orientation of all three outlets, maybe its just as well that their news reports out of the Pentagon should now be viewed with enhanced cynicism. But at a moment when reporters from across the ideological spectrum found Hegseths dictates so onerous that they handed in their press badges in protest, its striking that all three effectively acknowledged that they dont subscribe to the same principles.

Rural America has been ground zero for the news-desert phenomenon of the past two decades; professional news sources have entirely disappeared in more than two hundred counties. Then there are the gritty, fighting-the-good-fight outfits, such as the Hooker County Tribune in Mullen, Nebraska. Located in a sparsely populated corner of the state, the paper is largely the work of one energetic individual. Owner Gerri Peterson not only reports the news and sells the ads, but keeps the paper going by taking third-party printing jobs (she also sells art and office supplies on the side). Something seems to be working, despite the odds. The Tribune has a larger press run (757 copies) than there are people in Hooker County (population 698), a market penetration the Local News Initiative at Northwestern University calls astounding.

If you have a suggestion for this column, please send it to laurelsanddarts@cjr.org. We cant acknowledge all submissions, but we will mention you if we use your idea. For more on Laurels and Darts, please click here. To receive this and other CJR newsletters in your inbox, please click here.
The Mississippi Supreme Court declined to reconsider its 2024 decision to uphold almost $15 million in punitive damages and attorney fees against USAA in one of the longest-running claims disputes to come out of Hurricane Katrina.

The court ruling, stemming from litigation brought by the prominent Minor family after the storm destroyed their 130-year-old Ocean Springs home, was deemed so important that a national property insurance group, a former Mississippi governor and business groups urged the court to reconsider. The Mississippi insurance commissioner also stepped in and filed his own amicus curiae brief with the court in support of USAA.

Ive been practicing 35 years and Ive never seen a commissioner do that, said David Baria, co-counsel for the Minor family in the case.

The commissioners action in the case was likely due to extraordinary political pressure brought by the insurance industry and its advocates in Mississippi, Baria said.

Commissioner Mike Chaney told Insurance Journal that he has authorized friend-of-the-court filings in other cases through the years. This time, he said he felt compelled to get involved to help protect the property insurance market in the state: Insurers dont collect premiums for punitive damages, and such large verdicts can scare insurers away.

Im not being partial to either side, Chaney said.

As an example of his scrutiny of the insurance industry, Chaney pointed out that in early October he notified State Farm Insurance that the Mississippi Insurance Department is taking the unusual step of launching a targeted market conduct examination of the insurance giant, due to numerous consumer complaints about unpaid claims.

USAAs own claims practices were also questioned throughout the 18-year litigation in the Minor case.

San Antonio-based USAA, one of the largest property-casualty carriers in the country, and its attorneys in the case did not respond to requests for information on the Minor litigation. Others involved in the case said its likely that USAA will now ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the matter, based on constitutional questions about punitive damages.

In addition to punitive damages, the state high court said last week that USAA must now pay the costs of the state appeal.

The case began in 2005, when the Minors historic coastal home, designed in part by world-famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, was heavily damaged by the wind and waves of Hurricane Katrina. Paul Minor, patriarch of the family and a former plaintiffs attorney himself, said his family repeatedly offered to settle, but USAA responded only with scorched earth tactics that left plaintiffs baffled.

The state Supreme Court agreed that USAA had acted in bad faith on the claim.

The evidence presented at trial revealed that USAA wished to reap the benefits of the insurance policy premiums while depriving the Minor Estate the full benefits of that policy, Justice David Ishee wrote for the majority of the court.

We find that the evidence presented at trial demonstrates a type of conduct for which punitive damages are designed, the court wrote in its 5-3 decision, handed down in December 2024. The Minor Estate provided sufficient proof that USAA acted in bad faith, with complete disregard for the Estates rights.

Baria said he hopes the decision sends a strong message to other insurance companies that may try similar tactics with insureds. That is the purpose of punitive damages, he said.

At the heart of the litigation was the question of whether the damage was from wind or storm surge. But the cause of much of the loss was in dispute. The Minor estate showed that the historic home was elevated and that much of it was above the water level. Testimony differed on the depth of the surge.

Three major points seemed to carry the day for the insureds in the litigation and appeals, Baria said. One, despite having information early on about the high value of the contents in the renovated home, USAA refused to consider contents coverage for years, he said. Two, the insurer ignored or missed other structures on the property, including a boathouse, shed and pier. And three, after the first trial and a jury returned a verdict faulting USAAs claims handling, the carrier did not undertake any sort of analysis to determine what went wrong and how they could improve their claims-handling process.

The deposition testimony of USAAs former senior claims examiner and catastrophe site leader, James Burke, also proved damaging to the insurer. Burke agreed that USAA may have engaged in behavior that went against the Unfair Claims Settlements Practices Act, a model law devised by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Most states, including Mississippi, have adopted versions of the law.

Claims adjusters were not specifically trained on standards for prompt investigation and settlement of claims, nor on handling wind-loss claims, Burke testified. He also said that the Minors home appeared to have sustained wind damage, that a field adjuster had provided incorrect information to the homeowners, and that other, relevant information about wind damage was left out of the claim file.

Chaney argued that much of the homes damage was from storm surge, and the Minors should have had flood insurance coverage. Paul Minor noted that National Flood Insurance Program would have covered only $250,000, far less than the value of the home and contents.

USAA spoke to local news outlets after the 2024 Supreme Court decision.

USAA helped thousands of families recover from Hurricane Katrina, with countless employees working tirelessly to handle member claims, USAA said in a statement to local news sites. We are very disappointed in the Mississippi Supreme Courts decision as the evidence does not support the excessive punitive damages and attorneys fees.

Read more about the courts 2024 decision here.
Johnson & Johnson is facing the first lawsuits in Britain over allegations that its talc products cause cancer, as it fights tens of thousands of similar claims in the United States.

The lawsuit was filed at the English High Court on Tuesday against J&J and Kenvue UK Limited, a subsidiary of Kenvue, J&Js former consumer health unit which was spun off in 2023.

KP Law said it filed the case on behalf of more than 3,000 people who allege their ovarian cancer, mesothelioma or other diseases were caused by use of J&Js baby powder between 1965 and 2023.

The firm says J&Js talc products contained carcinogenic fibers, including asbestos, which has been linked to deadly mesothelioma. J&J has long maintained that its talc products are safe and do not contain asbestos.

J&J referred queries to Kenvue, which it said retained the responsibility and any purported liability for talc-related litigation outside of the United States and Canada.

Kenvue said in a statement that J&J baby powder did not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.

Latest Lawsuits Over Talc

J&J is separately facing tens of thousands of lawsuits in the U.S., where claimants allege they were diagnosed with cancer after using baby powder and other company talc products.

J&J stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the U.S. in 2020, switching to a cornstarch product. It did the same in the United Kingdom in 2023.

The company has sought to resolve the litigation through bankruptcy, a strategy that has been rejected three times by federal courts.

Last week, J&J was ordered to pay $966 million to the family of a woman who died from mesothelioma, one of the largest awarded against the company that could be reduced on appeal.

Damages awarded by courts in England are generally limited to compensation for losses caused by a defendants actions, whereas $950 million of last weeks award in the U.S. was for punitive damages.

In England, courts can award so-called exemplary damages where, for example, a defendant has wilfully wronged a claimant, though sums are typically far smaller than in the U.S.

KP Law said it had estimated the value of the lawsuit at around 1 billion pounds ($1.34 billion).

Significantly, these lawsuits  like virtually all civil suits in England  will be determined by a judge, rather than a jury.

Kenvue said in its statement that it believed a judge will conclude its talc-based baby powder does not cause cancer.

($1 = 0.7472 pounds)

(Reporting by Tobin; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Bill Berkrot)
A federal judge blocked the emergency deportation of two Haitian women who arrived in the U.S. legally under a humanitarian aid program. Getty Images

CLEVELAND, Ohio  A federal judge in Youngstown stopped the government from quickly deporting two Haitian women who legally entered the United States under a humanitarian aid program.

U.S. District Judge Benita Pearsons late Thursday ruling said that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security violated the womens due process rights and overstepped its legal authority.

She ordered that the women go through standard immigration court proceedings, which afford greater legal protections.

The public has an interest in preventing noncitizens from being wrongfully removed, particularly to countries where they are likely to face substantial harm, Pearson wrote.

The judge barred Homeland Security from moving the women to a jail outside northern Ohio. She also ordered that one woman, identified E.V., be given medical treatment for her umbilical hernia and the other woman, a 70-year-old identified as M.F.E., be given eyeglasses so she can read legal documents.

The women are currently held in the Mahoning County Jail.

Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached to the Department of Homeland Security and the womens attorney, Brian Hoffman, for comment.

The ruling aligns with an August decision by a Washington, D.C., judge who rejected Homeland Securitys expanded use of expedited removal proceedings against people who had previously been granted legal status.

Both women were granted legal status in 2024 under a program that allowed people facing persecution in Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to be granted the ability to live in the United States for at least one year if they checked in with federal officials.

The women fled violence in Haiti  E.V. narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt by a criminal syndicate. Her husband once ran for Port-au-Prince mayor and is an advocate for social change in the country, court records say. M.F.E. was robbed at gunpoint, according to their lawsuit.

Both argued they feared for their lives if they were deported to Haiti.

They entered the United States through the humanitarian aid program in May and June of last year. The Trump administration ended the program in April of this year.

The women were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on July 29 after the car they were riding in broke down while driving through Ohio.

The women were placed in expedited removal proceedings after their arrest in Ohio, a process typically reserved for recent arrivals with no legal status.
U.S. Rep. Dave Taylors office is drawing fire after an image circulated online showing an American flag with a swastika pinned on a cubicle wall behind a Taylor staffer during a video meeting. U.S. House

Republicans often bristle when critics draw parallels between Donald Trumps movement and Nazi Germany, calling such comparisons unfair or hysterical.

But in the Friday episode of Today in Ohio, the news discussion podcast from cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, hosts said those same Republicans are now looking away as Nazi symbols and rhetoric take root in their own ranks  even inside the office of a sitting congressman.

Fridays conversation, began with the startling image of a swastika embedded in a U.S. flag hanging behind a staffer during a Zoom call from Ohio Congressman Dave Taylors office. The photo, which spread quickly online, showed the flag pinned neatly to a bulletin board  not the work of vandals, the hosts said, but a deliberate display.

Taylor claimed office vandalism, insisting he was shocked by the image and that Capitol Police would investigate. But to the podcast hosts, the flag was less a mystery than a metaphor  a visible sign of how far parts of the Republican Party have traveled toward embracing the very ideology they once vowed to destroy.

Theyre going down that road

Theres no way you would miss it if you went into that office, Chris Quinn said. Pretending to be shocked might have worked once, but not now. The Republican Party is going down the road of the Nazis.

Quinn and Laura Johnston spent the episode connecting that single image to a broader trend: the normalization of fascist tactics, rhetoric, and even admiration for Hitler among segments of the GOP.

Theres a huge buzz this week because a bunch of Republicans, millennials and younger, have been in a chat room for the past year and a half saying racist things and praising Nazis, Quinn said. Of all the regimes to want to emulate in the history of this planet, you pick the worst one. You may as well just partner with Satan. But they are praising it.

His outrage deepened as he drew parallels between the Trump administrations use of federal agencies and the terror tactics of Nazi Germany. We have ICE becoming Trumps version of Hitlers SS, he said. Its starting to surveil Americans. Its intimidating Americans. This is what the SS did.

Excuses that sound like approval

Johnston said the partys response to such incidents  from the flag in Taylors office to pro-Nazi comments online  has been disturbingly tepid. Im actually surprised theyre doing all the shock-and-awe routine, she said. Bernie Moreno says Dave Taylor is a very, very good man who would never approve of a swastika in his office. But its in his office. Its right behind him. Youd have to know its there.

She said the silence from top Republicans mirrors the dismissive tone used to downplay hate speech within their own movement. We have young Republicans talking about Nazis and saying they love Hitler, she said. And J.D. Vance  good old Ohio  says theyre just kids making edgy jokes. No, theyre 25 to 40 years old. Those are not kids. And its not an edgy joke. Its the absolute worst of humanity thats ever been.

Quinn noted that Vances public response was even more jarring: He actually said, Im not going to clutch my pearls over this.

Some of them are actually representatives, Johnston replied. Some of them are elected.

A moral collapse

For Quinn, whats most alarming isnt the extremist fringe  its how much of the mainstream now tolerates it. This should be condemned in every way possible, he said. It is not what America stands for. And yet the vice president  an Ohioan, God forbid  is defending it, saying its okay, its just college kids in a chat.

He paused before listing the signs of a country losing its moral footing. Weve got government stormtroopers marching. Weve got a swastika in a congressmans office. We have young Republicans across the country in a chat room saying horrendous things. When does an elected official stand up and say, Stop. This is not who we are. Stop it?

Johnston said its not clear anyone will. Weve got the No Kings protest this weekend  but it doesnt feel like members of his own party are pushing back. And those are the people you really need to speak up.

From intimidation to imitation

The discussion ended with Quinn warning that the next step of authoritarianism is already unfolding. The governor of Texas is sending the National Guard to intimidate the No Kings rallies in Texas, he said. Thats the way Republicans are responding to the exercise of free speech.

In his view, the echoes of 1930s Germany are unmistakable: a political party deploying militarized force against protesters, while shrugging off Nazi imagery among its supporters.

When will someone say stop?

The podcast closed without resolution, only a question hanging in the air: When will Republican leaders stop pretending not to see whats happening in their own ranks?

The swastika in Congressman Taylors office may soon fade from the headlines. But to Quinn and Johnston, its more than an isolated scandal  its a warning sign that America is losing its ability to tell right from wrong.

What unnerved them most was not the symbol itself, but how easily so many are willing to look away.

Listen to full Today in Ohio episodes where Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with Editorial Board member Lisa Garvin, Impact Editor Leila Atassi and Content Director Laura Johnston.
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, on Friday, 17 October, called upon Indian businesses to prioritise locally available alternatives to imported intermediate goods, in a bid to support domestic industry and advance the Swadeshi initiative.Speaking at the 105th Annual General Meeting of ASSOCHAM in New Delhi, Goyal pointed out the tendency of Indian firms to opt for imports even for marginal cost savings, contrasting this with the practices of companies in Japan and South Korea, which favour local suppliers.He noted that Mahatma Gandhi had first articulated the concept of Swadeshi at an ASSOCHAM AGM, underscoring its historical significance. Goyal added that every dollar invested in India yields output comparable to that in the United States and that the cost of establishing data centres in India is half the global average.Highlighting the government's efforts to foster innovation, Goyal revealed that work is underway to establish norms for a 10,000 crore start-up fund. He emphasised that research and development should not be viewed as ancillary to business, but as its core in a rapidly evolving global landscape.On trade policy, the Minister stressed the importance of strategic planning around tariffs and negotiations, acknowledging that trade deals often involve compromise and reciprocity.He cited free trade agreements (FTAs) with Chile, Peru, and Australia as avenues for enhanced collaboration in rare earths, warning against over-reliance on any single country in an era where trade is increasingly weaponised.Goyal outlined the tangible benefits of Indias FTA with Australia, including the elimination of double taxation, increased employment opportunities for Indians and reduced import costs for coking coal and lentils.He also hailed the European Free Trade Associations (EFTA) commitment of $100 billion in investment as a testament to Indias robust intellectual property regime and reputation as a trustworthy investment destination.Calling for a balanced and structured growth trajectory, Goyal advocated for doubling the size of the Indian economy every eight years.He cautioned against unsustainable growth, recalling that Indias attempt to accelerate beyond its absorptive capacity following the global financial crisis led to a sharp decline in growthfrom a high in 200910 to just 4% by 2014.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has taken up the mantle against the ever-growing reach of artificial intelligence, which has now seeped into just about every facet of society, consequences be damned. Hes been even more vocal about the need to stringently regulate the technology. Now, hes taken his advocacy against unregulated A.I. to Californias top boss.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Levitt called California Governor Gavin Newsom too scared to sign a bill that would put more legal oversight on A.I. Newsom vetoed the legislation on Monday, which would prevent minors from accessing A.I. chatbots.

Don't Miss

While I strongly support the authors goal of establishing necessary safeguards for the safe use of A.I. by minors, (the bill) imposes such broad restrictions on the use of conversational A.I. tools that it may unintentionally lead to a total ban on the use of these products by minors, Newsom said in a statement regarding his decision.

Levitt, of course, wasnt satisfied with Newsoms decision. Governor @GavinNewsom failed to stand up to Silicon Valley and put our kids in harms way, he captioned a video he posted to X. Levitt criticized the other bill that Newsom did sign regarding A.I. regulation, which Levitt claims is chock-full of loopholes designed to make it easier for tech companies to evade ethics stands. Per Levitt, the bill is a big do nothing bill that will not hold Big Tech accountable for the ways in which its products impact kids.

Hearing Levitt speak, its hard not to think about a recent guest on The Daily Show. Talking to Jon Stewart, Tristan Harris warned about the dangers of unregulated A.I., particularly the goal of A.I. tech giants targeting children with chatbots. Harris is an ethicist and the co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, and his predictions for the future of A.I. were absolutely chilling.

Theres nothing humanitarian about these tech companies pushing for more intimate relationships with chatbots, either. Youre seeing now all of these companies release these A.I. companions, Harris explained. You know, the number one use case for ChatGPT, according to Harvard Business School, is personal therapy. So people are sharing their most intimate thoughts with this thing.

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Were seeing Meta release this and actively tell in their internal documents that were released, (in) a Wall Street Journal report, that they wanted to actively sensualize and romanticize conversations with as little as eight-year-olds, Harris continued.

This information stunned Stewart, who repeatedly uttered, Eight-year-olds?

These seem to be the stakes that have Levitt upset. I dont think its a coincidence that just weeks before the deadline to sign or veto all these bills that could regulate A.I., Big Tech: Google, Meta, OpenAI launched these huge Super PACs worth hundreds of millions of dollars aimed at attacking candidates who might regulate A.I., Levitt continued in his video. I guess Mr. Newsom was scared that if those hundreds of millions of dollars were directed at attacking him, it might hurt his chances at winning (the presidency) in a few years when he runs.

Levitt and Harris arent pulling their fears out of thin air. On top of the ample reporting regarding the potential and established harms of A.I., OpenAIs own Sam Altman recently shared on X that ChatGPT will soon support erotica content for adults.

Newsom might not be afraid to stand up to President Trump, but it seems hes lost that courage when it comes to standing up to creepy tech giants.
Photo-Illustration: Curbed; Photos: Getty

In late 2017, when bitcoin surged 1,000 percent in value to nearly $20,000 a coin, there was a flurry of excitement about how crypto might replace traditional down payments and mortgages. But the visions of crypto bros snapping up luxury condos in dogecoin didnt exactly pan out. Developers were wary, most sellers dismissed crypto financing outright, and co-op boards hated it to the extent that many brokers thought it was better not to mention owning crypto at all. Landlords were even reluctant to consider renters whose assets were largely in crypto, even if those assets were substantial. The ensuing years of widespread speculation, meme coins, volatility, and the fall of Sam Bankman-Frieds FTX quelled any remaining enthusiasm.

In the past year or so, however, things have started shifting again thanks to bitcoins multitrillion-dollar market cap, the Trump administrations support of the industry, and wild stock-market fluctuations. Crypto, despite its past volatility and a lingering aura of shadiness (and criminality), is increasingly accepted as part of the mainstream finance world, especially after the passage of the Genius Act and Clarity Act over the summer, which laid out the first federal regulations and rules for the industry (and which also happen to be very favorable to it). It helps, of course, that one bitcoin is now worth roughly $111,000. And those trying to sell real estate right now, struggling with a spotty, slumpy market since the post-pandemic boom, are eager to make a sale in any currency. A few months ago, Christies even launched an entire division dedicated to crypto buyers.

Despite these recent changes, its still an emerging field and one that is largely shunned in New York  brokers say that California and Miami are really the hotbeds of crypto transactions at the moment. We talked to a number of brokers and developers in the city and beyond about their experiences with crypto clients and deals.

The hardest thing to deal with is less the crypto itself and more the personalities of people who own a lot of crypto.

Arielle Biscayart, agent with Coldwell Banker Realty, Southeast Florida and Miami Beach to West Palm Beach

In the Miami area, there are a lot of people who have been here for less than two years and dont have credit, dont qualify for a mortgage, but may have savings in other currencies, such as crypto. So its a niche you can add that expands the range of potential buyers and the exposure. Now there are a growing number of title companies that deal with crypto clients and lenders who will issue short-term mortgages with crypto as collateral in Florida.

The hardest thing to deal with is less the crypto itself and more the personalities of people who own a lot of crypto. They tend to be younger, on the restless side, very hectic. A lot of them do YouTube videos on the side or are influencers. Many are self-employed and have a nomadic lifestyle with an unconventional schedule, which can make it a bit challenging when guiding them through a real-estate transaction and its deadlines.

I would say the market will stay more of a niche until theres less speculation and the financial institutions really accept crypto payments. Right now, its often more marketing than anything else. Its funny  I went to an open house a few weeks ago. I was talking to the agent about the renovation, and he says, By the way, the seller is open to crypto transactions, and hes rolling his eyes to the ceiling. The seller invests in crypto and wanted to market his house to crypto holders. And the broker is thinking, Like Im going to find a crypto buyer for this property.

When the majority of a crypto buyers net worth is in cryptocurrency

Neyshia Go, agent with Sothebys International Realty, Los Angeles

I had my first successful transaction using crypto in August. [Go represented the seller of 8230 West 4th Street, which closed for $4.92 million.] I was showing the property when the other agent brought up that the buyer would like to use crypto so they didnt have to pay the capital-gains tax. The first thing my client said to me is Am I going to end up with a bunch of bitcoin Im going to have to sell? When I said, No, it comes to you as cash, they said it was fine. Once you sit down and explain how it actually works, I think a seller understands green is green. If you get cash proceeds at the end and its legal, do you care?

I would say it probably is more common with bigger transactions. It depends on how open and savvy the seller is, and people who own in the $3 million to $5 million range, they all have some form of crypto. Your entry-level sellers probably have less experience looking at crypto as a legitimate asset.

The three crypto offers Ive had, the majority of the buyers net worth is in cryptocurrency. Were talking $20 million to $40 million on the ledger sheet. A few months ago, we were about to accept a deal at $17 million  thank goodness I was versed in it, because the buyers agents werent  but the buyer backed out. I think if you have a property thats been on the market for a while and you get a decent offer and its a crypto transaction, the onus is on the brokers to make sure you can do it.

Its simpler than it seems. Essentially, its just a different form of escrow. We work through an intermediary who converts it and sends it to the seller as cash. If you take crypto out and convert it to cash yourself, its a taxable event and you pay capital-gains tax. If you do it through an intermediary, they charge 1.5 to 2 percent. Thats a lot less than capital-gains tax. Although almost everyone has an issue with the 1.5 to 2 percent fee. I think thats really ironic given that theyre saving 25 to 30 percent overall.

If I get the sense its a more old-school co-op board, I wont even have the buyer include it.

Jacob Wood, associate real-estate broker with Coldwell Banker Warburg, New York

In 2017, I was working with a buyer from Virginia who was looking to buy an investment condo in Manhattan for under $500,000. We focused on upper Manhattan since it had appreciated rapidly compared to the rest of the island and found a Harlem condo he liked. He had about $10,000 in bitcoin that he wanted to use  bitcoin had appreciated rapidly; it was the first big uptick  and he planned to get a mortgage. He wanted to get it from his bank, which was Chase. The banks reaction was This is trash; this is digital. Not only will we not consider this, we wont talk to you. He needed to liquidate his bitcoin  not to get the mortgage but for Chase to even talk to him.

He bought the condo, and over the next year, bitcoin contracted about 40 percent. We were feeling pretty good that wed timed things correctly and got him into the Manhattan condo market. He rented it out for a good amount for a few years, but Harlem condos plateaued in 2017, and bitcoin has gone up about nine times since then. Eventually, he sold the condo for a bit of a loss.

Ive worked with buyers since then who had bitcoin, but no one wanted to use it to purchase. Its been my experience that people who own it are pretty evangelical about it and theyre looking to hang on to it. Co-op boards generally look on it favorably now, but you cant use it to qualify  they dont consider it a dollar-to-dollar match with other investments. If you have $100,000 in bitcoin, theyre not going to see it as the equivalent of having $100,000 in an equities account. If the board is younger (40s and 50s, as opposed to 70s and 80s) and the crypto is bitcoin instead of something even less stable, Ill have the buyer include it. The board will likely see it as similar to a retirement account: It doesnt necessarily help satisfy a post-closing liquidity requirement, but the board is happier with it being there than not. If I get the sense its a more old-school board, I wont even have the buyer include it because it will raise more questions than answers.

In New York, there is not a lot of confidence in crypto.

Milan Nikolic, agent with Corcoran, New York and Florida

Ive lived in Dubai and Miami, and I am also licensed in Florida. Both of those places are much more investor-friendly, and theyre very into coin. I remember when bitcoin was first a big thing in 2016 or 2017. Our office had a listing in Miami  it was in an Icon building in Biscayne Bay  where you could buy it for, like, ten bitcoin. It wasnt even in dollars. In New York, there is not a lot of confidence in crypto. Its not as investor-friendly, and there are a lot more finance people here than crypto people. People are wary, its uncharted territory, and there were scams that didnt give it a good name.

Im seeing an apartment in the Waldorf Astoria with a buyer from southeastern Europe who is looking for an investment unit. The country theyre from is developing rapidly, but its hard to get money out. They would be interested in buying it in bitcoin, so well see if thats possible, but I think well have to do it the old-fashioned way. They are also interested in One Manhattan Square, which may be more open. Most developers in New York are not interested.

My clients are crypto rich and cash poor. They havent needed a job in, like, ten to 15 years.

Erik Mendelson, head of the cryptocurrency real-estate division at Avanti Way, Florida

When bitcoin was $38,000 to $40,000, I was going to brokerages and trying to create a crypto division, but none were interested. It had bad connotations. Then it gets to $68,000 and a large brokerage in Miami calls me about starting a division. Then they changed their mind; I guess the CEO was still uncomfortable. Once Trump got in office and it hit $100,000 a coin, I had every brokerage calling me. I went with Avanti. I think we were the first to create a division, before Christies, although they may have spoken about it first.

After COVID in 2021, I was a little drunk at a party and a client pulled me aside and said, Im worth $40 million in crypto, but no bank will give me a loan. Can you help me buy something? I said, Of course, but I had no idea how I could help him out. None of the banks at the time spoke bitcoin; no one understood bitcoin. Banks said, Your client could liquidate and sell his position. He could lose all this tomorrow and then hed have nothing. I said, Yeah, but if youre lending on a job, the person could lose it the next day. The banks would rather lend to someone who makes a $100,000 W-2 salary consistently than someone who has $5,000 in their account but is worth $40 million in bitcoin. A week later, someone else came to me in a similar situation with about $60 million in bitcoin.

Now its changing. In June, Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, issued an order for Fannie and Freddie to prepare proposals for considering cryptocurrency to qualify customers for loans instead of just looking at their cash holdings  without requiring the borrower to first convert the crypto to U.S. dollars, which would create a capital-gains event.

People who have a lot of bitcoin, its their most valuable asset. Its appreciated 60 percent over the last 15 years. Its not good for an agent to say, Sell your most prized asset. And clients dont want to pay capital gains. My strategy is to direct them to crypto-lending companies that are outside FDIC. Then they dont have to sell their most valuable asset. If I want a million-dollar loan, I give $2 million in bitcoin and theyll give me a loan tomorrow. When I pay back the loan, lets say at 10 percent interest, I get my bitcoin back. I give up custody in the short term, but I get it back.

These days, six or seven developers in Miami are accepting crypto. A few years ago, it was, like, one. And developments Cove and the Rider can take crypto directly into their crypto wallets.

Most of my clients are wealthy and they havent needed a job in, like, ten to 15 years. When they have monthly expenses, they sell a little of their bitcoin. Theyre hoping the bitcoin goes up faster than their mortgage payments. From what I can see, there are not too many people using crypto to buy anything  leveraging is their preferred method. I did have clients in the past who were so rich in bitcoin they didnt mind selling off enough to buy a property for $1 million or $2 million. But bitcoin has gone up, like, 300 percent since they bought it, and their property may have gone up 70 percent.

Theres a whole new financial class getting rich off crypto. As I say, the riches are in the niches. You dont know who the crypto buying community is; you cant judge the crypto banking community by the cover. Its not necessarily someone driving a Tesla. Theyre technologically-minded, progressive  its a small community. Anonymity is important. One of my customers sold smoothies at festivals and events for bitcoin when bitcoin was below $100. Now hes filthy rich.

A client with $10 million in crypto who finally upgraded his house after ten years: His wife was the happiest

Jesse Ottley, president of the development-sales division at Cervera Real Estate, Florida

You hear a lot about crypto transactions, but its largely been through intermediaries. We are actually transacting directly, wallet to wallet, at the Rider Residences in Midtown  a coup for us, a coup for the developer.

The way it works, our developer has a wallet; he had it set up for the purpose of taking crypto. We proceed with  know your crypto and know your coin  due diligence. Were working with a platform called Milo. Kraken or Gemini also. They allow you to trade and convert crypto, do due diligence into the history of the coin and the client. Then they take the crypto into escrow and take out a U.S. line of dollar credit against that crypto. During the transaction, value could go up or down, so we make sure that the buyer cushions any differences in the time it takes to do the trade. Weve done a transaction like that as well at the Rider Residences. The last buyer actually made $400 during the closing.

Developers have been cautious because of the fluctuations, but were in a social and market environment where its becoming a lot more common. Instead of this underworld, niche product, its becoming institutionalized. Its a milestone for our industry. And Miami has become something of a crypto-culture capital. Mayor Francis Suarez famously took his salary in bitcoin.

Whats interesting about a lot of these buyers is their belief in the concept. Its more ideological  were seeing that across the board. Were seeing buyers who dont want to give up their crypto, buyers who bought it for 50 cents and now its $110. They believe its going to go to $1,000.

The typical crypto buyer is in their early 40s, a fintech professional, Northeast transplant whos been living and renting in Miami for more than four years. Stealth wealth, drives a Tesla, a bitcoin lifer. No plans to buy real estate until they found out they could leverage rather than spend their coin.

A lot of these crypto owners are asset rich but may not have income streams from their day jobs or careers that match their wealth in crypto. It can be hard to get traditional financing. There was one individual that bought through Milo who had over $10 million of acquired crypto. He was still living in the $250,000 house hed bought over ten years ago. He was able to leverage that and buy a $3 million house. His wife was the happiest. She has been with this guy who had $10 million in crypto forever in this $250,000 house, and now shes living the life that someone with $10 million should be living.
China contributes irreplaceable strength and solutions to global space exploration

Global Times) 09:08, October 17, 2025

Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

According to Xinhua News Agency, China's first international standard in the field of manned spaceflight - ISO/NP 14620-5 "Space Systems - Safety Requirements - Part 5: Manned Spacecraft" - has been officially registered as a new project by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Proposed and organized by China's National Technical Committee on Manned Spaceflight Standardization, this marks a historic breakthrough as Chinese standards become one of the global references and guarantees in aerospace safety.

This is the first successfully registered international standard in China's manned space sector. It signifies China's transformation in the global space governance system - from a contributor of technological achievements to a formulator of international standards. This achievement not only stems from decades of technological accumulation and engineering strength but also represents the expansion of China's institutional influence, injecting Chinese wisdom into global aerospace safety and development, and demonstrating the responsibility and value of "Chinese standards" on the world stage.

The foundation of these "Chinese standards" lies in decades of extensive manned space practice. It embodies China's hard-earned experience across the entire chain of spacecraft design, manufacturing, testing, launching, in-orbit operation and recovery. From Shenzhou-5's first manned flight to the full completion and long-term operation of the Tiangong Space Station, each landmark mission provides solid and indisputable evidence for the scientific rigor, reliability and validity of this proposed standard. Every steady step in China's decades-long space journey has built the confidence and strength that now support the internationalization of "Chinese standards."

Historically, manned spaceflight standards have been dominated by Western countries, creating both technical barriers and rule-based monopolies. "From China's perspective, we have explored our own unique path of developing manned spaceflight," said Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert. This successful registration provides a valuable reference for other countries, especially emerging spacefaring nations. "It is also a vivid manifestation of China's commitment to building a community with a shared future for humanity. It reflects China's responsibility as a major spacefaring power," Song added.

Chinese standards have also become benchmarks that extend beyond aerospace, particularly in the infrastructure, playing an increasingly important role in global development. For instance, China's standards for high-speed railways, bridges, and ports have spread worldwide through the Belt and Road Initiative, becoming synonymous with quality and reliability. Whether for spacecraft in the sky or infrastructure on the ground, the rise of Chinese standards is underpinned by the same forces: strong engineering capability, rigorous quality management, and a forward-looking spirit of innovation.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China led the formation of 1,079 international standards and advanced mutual recognition for over 500 standards with other countries. Chinese standards have been applied in eight railway cooperation projects, including the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, the China-Laos Railway and the Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Railway in Indonesia, showcasing their expanding influence across technological fields.

Why are Chinese standards increasingly recognized by the international community?

According to Song, "Because Chinese standards are built on real, large-scale practice. Whether in massive infrastructure construction or in our aerospace programs, each standard is grounded in implementation and experience. We are willing to share these lessons with the world, helping other countries avoid detours and achieve mutual benefit. That is what we call 'Chinese wisdom' and 'Chinese responsibility.'"

These examples align closely with the establishment of the international manned spaceflight standard, revealing the deeper logic behind the rise of "Chinese standards": They are supported by China's powerful engineering capacity, meticulous quality systems, and relentless innovation. Whether in high-speed trains racing across land, bridges spanning vast rivers, or spacecraft exploring the universe, each stands as a living advertisement for the excellence of Chinese standards.

This is just the beginning. China will continue, with an open and cooperative attitude, to transform more of its tested technologies and management experience into public goods that are widely accepted by the international community. From gazing at the stars to defining the safety rules of space navigation, China is taking firm steps to contribute its irreplaceable strength and vision to the peaceful use of outer space and to a safer, more prosperous future for humanity.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing)
It's been a long time coming, but Prince Andrew has finally done the right thing. On Friday, he voluntarily relinquished all titles conferred on him, including his dukedom and status as Knight of the Garter.

With fresh revelations about his closeness to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and friendship with a Chinese 'spymaster', the scandal and sleaze surrounding this most tainted of royals had reached a critical mass.

His presence, even on the fringes of the House of Windsor, had become too much for the family to bear  and a growing danger to the stability of the monarchy.

Had he not given up the titles, King Charles would have had little option but to strip him of them. It is to the monarch's credit that he achieved a negotiated compromise.

It must have been hard to see his younger brother in such public disgrace. But the family had to be distanced from Andrew's appalling conduct and poor judgment.

As son of the previous monarch, he will continue to enjoy the status of prince, though not formally as HRH. He will also continue living in the Royal Lodge at Windsor, which he has leased from the Crown Estate until 2078.

If he really wanted to atone for his many sins, he would give that up, too, and move to some sequestered vale in the deep countryside  preferably abroad.

The latest scandal, reported in Friday's Daily Mail, concerns his friendship with China's alleged intelligence chief Cai Qi, who is said to have masterminded the Westminster espionage plot.

Prince Andrew has finally done the right thing by relinquishing all titles conferred on him as his very presence had become a growing danger to the stability of the monarchy

Andrew has long been trying to forge lucrative business links with Beijing, leading to accusations he was offering access to the highest levels of the British establishment for cash. That a senior member of the Royal Family and former naval officer should be so cavalier about our national security is truly shaming.

But shame clings to this prince like a rancid smell. His closeness to the infamous Epstein has been especially damaging.

And it gets worse with each new revelation. Last week's Mail on Sunday published an email sent by Andrew to Epstein three months after the prince said he had ended their relationship.

He wrote: 'We're in this together  Let's play some more!!!!' Does that sound like someone who had severed all ties?

A day before the email, a picture had emerged of Andrew with his arm around then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she was groomed and 'passed around' by Epstein to other men  including the prince.

He claims never to have met her and that the picture is fake, yet he paid her a reported 12 million to end a lawsuit.

In her biography, published posthumously this week, Ms Giuffre claimed: 'Prince Andrew believed having sex with me was his birthright.' How did he ever become embroiled in such a moral cesspit?

The Order of the Garter is this country's highest expression of chivalry, something for which Andrew is hardly renowned. However, by surrendering the honour he has shown a little of that quality.

In Macbeth, after the traitorous Thane of Cawdor faces his execution with courage and repentance, Malcolm says of him: 'Nothing in his life became him like the leaving of it.'

Giving up the Garter rather than waiting to be stripped of it has allowed Andrew to preserve a similar shred of dignity  and spare his elder brother the added pain of having forcibly to cast him out.
The linen shirts have been tucked away, the baking tins are back in the cupboard, and Netflix has stopped filming slow-motion shots of chicken feeding. Presumably someone else is scattering organic seeds for the hens now.

Instead, royal watchers have spent the past fortnight captivated by Meghan Markle's high-glamour comeback.

In just two weeks, the archetypal Californian housewife has made a splash in Paris with a surprise front-row Fashion Week appearance, scooped up an award, wined and dined with celebrity pals in the Big Apple, and breezed into Washington, D.C., to deliver a keynote address.

So, will the real Duchess of Sussex please stand up?

Until recently, the former Suits actress seemed to be cultivating a sort of Martha Stewart-inspired public image rooted in wholesome homemaking, courtesy of her series With Love, Meghan and social media posts.

Think As Ever jam jars, edible flowers, and a steady stream of rose.

Dare I say it, even the trad wives were living for it.

Meanwhile, her husband Prince Harry has taken a different route, continuing to evolve into the space of a pseudo-royal.

Meghan Markle was a surprise guest at Paris Fashion Week, attending the Balenciaga runway show on October 4

With tell-all memoirs and snippy interviews in the rearview mirror, the prince has returned to the kind of humanitarian work he championed before his move to the U.S.

During a recent trip to London, he resembled the Harry of old as he animatedly chatted with hospital staff and young patients in his role as WellChild patron.

There was even an olive branch extended from the Sussexes, with reports that Harry's camp had offered to share his diary of engagements with the main branch of the Royal Family to avoid awkward clashes.

Yet, just as it seemed Meghan and Harry had finally settled into new roles in 2025, a fresh identity crisis appears to be brewing.

Their latest brand refresh? A return to the glitz and glamour of the celebrity A-list.

It started, of course, with that front row appearance at the Balenciaga show.

For those in the farrr-shun know, Balenciaga is a top-tier design house - so Meghan's attendance as the brand's surprise reveal guest is a coup on all sides.

Indeed, reports from the runway show suggested that all eyes were on the duchess.

Wearing his-and-hers two-piece black suits, the glam Sussexes stepped out at the Project Healthy Minds gala on October 9 - just days after Meghan had returned from Paris

Afterwards, Meghan suggested that Balenciaga's Creative Director, Pierpaolo Piccioli, had personally invited her to the runway show as 'the culmination of many years of friendship'.

Yet a later interview with Piccioli painted a rather different picture.

Pierpaolo said that Meghan - with whom he's exchanged text messages intermittently over the years - reached out to ask if she could attend the October 4 runway show, effectively inviting herself.

Nevertheless, the fabulous life of a jet-setting A-lister must roll on. Meghan - now with husband Harry in tow - headed next to New York City.

The reason for the trip was to receive an award at the Project Healthy Minds gala.

Donning his-and-hers black two-piece suits, the elegant couple walked the red carpet before proudly accepting the Humanitarians of the Year accolade.

While it's not an Emmy, we're sure it'll still look great on the mantlepiece.

While in New York, the couple embraced true celebrity style.

Meghan and Prince were in NYC on October 9 to collect a Humanitarians of the Year award (left). While in the Big Apple, Meghan was seen heading to SoHo House to meet celebrity pals

Meghan and Harry were spotted  not once, but twice  at exclusive members club Soho House.

One outing saw the royal couple grab lunch with Serena Williams. On another evening, they were seen dining with Ed Sheeran.

Naturally, these outings were documented by the ever-present media posted outside Soho House.

Still, it's hard to ignore that the Sussexes' star-studded circle remains much the same as it ever was, and they don't seem to be expanding their celebrity Rolodex.

Adding to the glamour of the past few days, Chrissy Teigen also chimed in with an unexpected endorsement to remind everyone how kind and down-to-earth Meghan is.

'It is insane to me how polarising she is for so many different people, when she really is just such a kind, good person that wants the best for all her friends and the best for people around her, and the best for her own relationship and for her children,' Chrissy told People magazine.

Whether a nod from Chrissy - herself arguably as divisive as Meghan - will win hearts and minds remains to be seen, however.

Following whirlwind trips to Paris and New York City, Meghan headed to Washington, D.C., on October 14 to attend Fortune's annual Most Powerful Women Summit

Meghan spoke at the summit with Fortune editor-in-chief and chief content officer Alyson Shontell (left) about her lifestyle brand and entrepreneurial endeavours

Chrissy Teigen said of Meghan in a recent interview: 'It is insane to me how polarising she is for so many different people, when she really is just such a kind, good person'

The celebrity makeover kept on rolling with yet another headline-worthy appearance.

Days later, Meghan joined the likes of Kamala Harris and Selena Gomez in Washington, D.C., to attend Fortune's annual Most Powerful Women Summit.

Looking business chic in an all-white ensemble, she took to the stage on October 14 to reflect on her lifestyle brand and entrepreneurial endeavours.

Fashion shows, Soho House, women's summits - this all certainly sounds like the bingo card of a bona fide Hollywood A-lister.

With impeccable timing, royal commentator Jennie Bond mused this week that her interpretation of Harry and Meghan was that they have 'moved on from their royal roles'  and are instead leaning into all the glitz and glamour.

'They are now full-blown celebrities,' she declared to The Mirror.

How full-blown? Well, that all depends on how well this latest celebrity-led PR offensive to shoot Meghan and Harry onto the A-list pans out.

After all, we've seen countless reinventions of Meghan - from Hollywood star to royal, advocate to Netflix homemaker, and now back to Hollywood. It's becoming hard to keep up.
Australia's latest health report card has exposed a stark divide between the nation's fittest and fattest suburbs.

This year's index shows persistence of cardiometabolic risk factors and confirms that one in four Australians now suffer from obesity.

According to new data from Wesfarmers Health, suburbs in Sydney's leafy North Shore have taken out the crown for the country's healthiest region, while a vast district of South Australia has been branded the unhealthiest.

The hefty annual report is drawn from 3.6 million health checks from 2.4 million Australians and paints a striking picture of national wellbeing.

Using anonymised data from the free SiSU Health Stations found in Priceline Pharmacies and stores, the Index ranks every electorate by key heart-disease risk factors.

The categories fall under body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, body fat, diabetes risk and smoking.

And for the first time, this year's findings also capture vaping habits, which have revealed alarming trends among younger Australians.

The affluent Sydney constituency Bradfield - which includes Lindfield, St Ives, Turramurra, Wahroonga and Willoughby - scored a staggering 316, which is nearly triple the national healthy average.

Recent results show fewer people with multiple risk factors than before COVID, but experts warn obesity, diabetes, and youth vaping remain serious concerns. The Index pinpoints areas where Australia's health risks are most concentrated

The affluent Sydney constituency Bradfield - which includes Lindfield, St Ives, Turramurra, Wahroonga and Willoughby - scored a staggering 316, which is nearly triple the national healthy average

At the other end of the scale, South Australia's Barker electorate, which includes the likes of Murray Bridge (pictured) the Barossa and Riverland, has recorded an Index score of just 55, with soaring obesity and diabetes risks

A quick summary: The top health findings from the report - Bradfield (NSW) - Australia's healthiest, with an Index score of 316, almost triple the national average - Barker (SA) - the unhealthiest, scoring 55 - Wentworth (NSW) - home to Bondi and Double Bay - has the lowest obesity rate in Australia (11.9%) - Blair (QLD) - west of Brisbane - is the nation's obesity capital (40%) and has the highest smoking rate (20.2%) - Calwell (VIC) - in Melbourne's north - tops the charts for vaping (12%) - Victoria has the highest blood pressure rates in the country, with the rural electorates Mallee in outback Victoria, Monash, south-east of Melbourne, and Gippsland, on the south-east coast, taking the top three spots - Macarthur (NSW) - including Campbelltown - has Australias highest diabetes rate (11.5%) Australias overall health is improving, with the national Index score rising to 107 (up from 92 in 2024), but experts warn obesity and vaping remain major red flags. Advertisement

Earlier this year, Bradfield was named the most expensive electorate to buy a home in the nation with a median property price of $2.72 million - that's 16.5 times the typical household income of $164,877.

At the other end of the scale, South Australia's Barker electorate, which includes the likes of Murray Bridge, the Barossa and Riverland, has recorded an Index score of just 55, with soaring obesity and diabetes risks.

Experts say the results could reflect lifestyle and access differences between city and country areas. Regional South Australia has long faced limited access to healthcare and preventative services, particularly when it comes to mental health.

In fact, a 97-page report into rural mental health in 2023 found regional South Australia had the lowest number of psychiatrists per person in the country - a shortage that can contribute to untreated stress, poor lifestyle habits and chronic illness over time.

Elsewhere, Wentworth (home to Sydney's Bondi and Double Bay) boasts the nation's lowest obesity rate at 11.9 per cent.

Meanwhile Blair, west of Brisbane and home to most of the city of Ipswich, was named the nation's obesity capital. They also have the highest smoking rate.

The extensive results show fewer people with multiple cardiometabolic risk factors compared with pre-COVID levels, but experts warn the gains are still not ideal.

Wesfarmers Health Managing Director Emily Amos said the results show both progress and cause for concern.

The electorate of Dobell (pictured, Tuggerah), is the most 'at-risk' area health-wise in NSW

Using anonymised data from the free SiSU Health Stations found in Priceline Pharmacies and stores, the Index ranks every electorate by key heart-disease risk factors. The categories fall under body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, body fat, diabetes risk and smoking

'The Index highlights both progress and ongoing challenges for Australians' health,' she said in a statement.

'While we're seeing encouraging improvements in some areas, rising obesity, diabetes risk, and vaping among young people show there's still more work to do.'

She added that the Index's unique data set offers a powerful window into where health risks are most concentrated.

'Using machine-measured health metrics, a geographic lens and the capacity to provide predictive 'over-the-horizon' views of cardiometabolic health, the Index offers valuable insight into where in Australia the risks are most concentrated, and where action can make the greatest difference,' she said.

Elsewhere, Wentworth (home to Sydney's Bondi and Double Bay) boasts the nation's lowest obesity rate at 11.9 per cent

Wesfarmers Health Managing Director Emily Amos (pictured) said the results show both progress and cause for concern

The findings reveal one in nine adult Australians (12 per cent) lives with an elevated risk of heart disease, while nearly one in six teens now vape every day.

Men are driving much of the nation's rising obesity rate, with three in ten (3.2 million) affected. And experts predict 872,000 Australians will likely develop type 2 diabetes in the next five years.

Meanwhile, almost three in five Australians (58 per cent) haven't had their blood pressure tested in the past year - a worrying sign for early detection of heart disease.

But it's Queenslanders who are officially the country's biggest puffers, with 13.3 per cent smoking daily and 8.2 per cent vaping - well above the national averages.

Wesfarmers Health pharmacist Amy Jones encouraged Australians to take advantage of free five-minute Health Station checks available nationwide.

'Knowing your numbers is the first step to preventing serious health conditions,' she added.

'A SiSU Health Station check is free, self-service, accessible and takes five minutes - making it quick and easy for Australians to check their blood pressure, weight, diabetes risk and more.'
It was a classic Gwyneth Paltrow 'humble brag'.

Dressed up in a trademark Gwynnie word salad, the lifestyle guru revealed that she hasn't smoked a cigarette in seven years - not for health reasons, but because she identifies as one of the new nine 'must have' personality types currently doing the rounds in celebrity circles.

During an interview with British Vogue, the wellness advocate, 53, revealed that she was able to give up smoking on the night of her wedding to Brad Falchuk in 2018, thanks to her 'Enneagram 1' personality type.

'We were redoing our paperwork and I got life insurance, and it said that if anything happened to me and they knew that I had smoked a cigarette, it would nullify the whole thing,' she told her interviewer. 'Because I'm such an Enneagram 1  which is like, 'integrity is everything'  I never smoked again. I miss it, though.'

The Enneagram scale comprises of nine interconnected personality 'types', each rooted in a person's view of the world and their traits.

Find out which type you are by using our interactive graphic below. Simply hover over one of the main nine types, or 27 sub-types, to see if the definition matches your personality...

Your browser does not support iframes.

Needless to say Paltrow - whose immensely popular wellness and lifestyle brand Goop has amassed her millions, both in cash and loyal devotees - identifies as type one; known as a 'Reformer', perfectionist and all round high-achiever.

THE NINE ENNEAGRAM PERSONALITY TYPES

1. The Reformer (Perfectionist) 2. The Helper (Giver) 3. The Achiever (Success-oriented) 4. The Individualist (Romantic) 5. The Investigator (Thinker) 6. The Loyalist (Loyal Skeptic) 7. The Enthusiast (Adventurer) 8. The Challenger (Confident) 9. The Peacemaker (Mediator) Advertisement

Ones, as they are known, are 'conscientious and ethical', with a strong sense of right and wrong, and characterised by the strive for perfection.

The nine-point diagram is often used by businesses to help explore behaviours in the workplace and the tool is often said to aid self-awareness and the potential road to personal discovery.

It's also increasingly popular in celebrity circles. The creator of the White Lotus, Mike White, had each cast member take the test and then diagnosed each character on the Enneagram - while Tina Fey (a Type 3), says it's 'more accurate than horoscopes'.

The Enneagram scale was first popularised by the teachings of Oscar Ichazo from the 1950s and Claudio Naranjo in the 1970s - but proponents of the system say it has roots as far back as the ancient Greeks.

According to the Enneagram Institute, everyone emerges from childhood with one 'dominant' personality type, though they may also relate to certain aspects of other types.

Unlike other popular personality tests, such as Myers Briggs, the test looks at internal motivations, rather than external factors.

The Enneagram focuses on whether a person is led by their head or mind (groups 5, 6 and 7), heart and feelings (groups 2, 3, and 4) or body and gut instinct (groups 8, 9 and 1), creating specific overlaps between each section.

There are also 27 different 'subtypes' within each section, providing a detailed and complex personality analysis.

So, which one are you? Explore below to find out...

TYPE 1: The Reformer

Famous examples: Gwyneth Paltrow, Mother Theresa, King Charles

According to the Enneagram Institute, the 'Reformer' is principled, purposeful, self-controlled and perfectionistic.

As a 'Reformer' therefore, Gwyneth Paltrow credits her self-control to her personality type, revealing that she hasn't smoked in seven years and was last properly drunk on her '43rd birthday'.

Ones, as they are known, are 'conscientious and ethical', with a strong sense of right and wrong. According to an article in the National Library of Medicine, ones were likely raised in an environment where making 'mistakes were not allowed' .

In the workplace, this may mean they become teachers or other advocates for change.

Their strengths may include wisdom and being discerning, while at the same time being realistic and noble.

Potential weaknesses may see this group display a tendency towards dogmatism, inflexibility, perfectionism and being critical of others if they do not meet their strict standards for right and wrong.

Their key motivations in life are to be good and right, hoping to improve the world and be consistent with their ideals.

Gwyneth Paltrow admitted this week that she identifies as Enneagram type one. Pictured at Milan Fashion Week last month

TYPE 2: The Helper

Famous examples: Elizabeth Taylor, Dolly Parton, Desmond Tutu

The 'Helper' is generous, demonstrative, people-pleasing and possessive.

Those in personality group two are usually 'empathetic' and 'warm-hearted', with a desire to be well meaning and close to others.

This means their strengths are often being deeply unselfish for the sake of other people, often giving out unconditional love.

They approach tasks with compassion, showing empathy for others, and always being able to see someone's good side.

However Helpers may struggle with going out of their way to help others in order to be seen as needed, and typically struggle with possessiveness and manipulation.

Career recommendations for those in Type 2 often include people facing roles such as healthcare and nursing, or any jobs that benefit the community.

People with the personality type will usually have 'grown up in a world where being helpful was emphasised'.

Their key motivations in adult life will include being able to express their feelings for others, being needed, and seeking responses from others.

TYPE 3: The Achiever

Famous examples: Prince William, Taylor Swift

The Type 3 Achiever is 'adaptable, excelling, driven and image conscious', according to the Enneagram Institute.

This means that they will often be ambitious and energetic, meaning they are very motivated in the workplace.

They are a leader who will be motivated even in a tough situation, and will persevere despite the odds.

The Achiever will often be seen in high-flying roles in the workplace, such as executives, project managers and entrepreneurs.

At their best, threes are role models who inspire others, self-accepting, and ambitious for self-improvement.

However, this may also mean they're driven by status, struggle with competitiveness and a fear of failure, and may even seek to sabotage the work of others.

Their key motivations in life are hoping to be affirmed in their skills, distinguishing themselves from others and wanting to be admired.

TYPE 4: The Individualist

Famous examples: Johnny Depp, Amy Winehouse

Individualists are more sensitive and introspective than their counterparts, with a tendency to be expressive and dramatic.

Typically, Individualists are self-aware and sensitive, and may be more reserved in their approach to others.

However, although they may feel 'different' from others, they do not actually want to be alone, but want to speak to others who can connect with them and understand their feelings.

Their strengths include creativity, self-awareness and emotional honesty, feeling inspired by their surroundings.

Johnny Depp shows character traits that mark him out as a type 4 'Individualist'

But they may also tend towards moodiness and self-consciousness, more than the other personality types. This can lead to feelings of self-pity and melancholy, especially when finding it hard to achieve their dreams.

Fours' strengths will typically lead them to more creative professions, such as writing, graphic designs, photography, or careers in academia.

During their upbringing, they may have been raised in an environment where they were encouraged against being 'too functional' or 'too happy'.

Overall, they seek to express themselves, surround themselves with beauty, focus on emotional needs and, often, attract a 'rescuer'.

TYPE 5: The Investigator

Famous examples: Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates

Investigators are perceptive in their manner, and often innovative, secretive and isolated.

In short, they are observers, alert and curious with the ability to process complex information and come up with ideas.

Investigators' childhoods will often have focused on autonomy, rather than personal comfort, leading them to adopt similar traits and needs in adulthood.

Their strengths include a unique way of viewing the world and being open-minded in a way that helps them see things with insight, and gain mastery over what they seek to achieve.

Weaknesses may include a tendency to become preoccupied with their thoughts, being reclusive, or becoming frightened of their own discoveries and developing phobias.

Type fives are commonly writers, engineers, analysts, or any job that comes with a high degree of problem solving.

Overall, they long to understand the environment, maximise their knowledge and learn as much as possible to protect themselves from threats.

TYPE 6: The Loyalist

Famous examples: Sigmund Freud, Princess Diana, Jennifer Aniston

The loyalist is engaging and responsible, but will also display traits of anxiety and suspicion.

Type sixes are often relied upon by others due to being hard working, responsible and trustworthy.

Their strengths include spotting problems in advance, appealing to others' emotions and becoming deeply dedicated to values and movements aligning with them.

Potential weaknesses could be a tendency towards anxiety and self-doubt, especially when it comes to personal security.

In childhood, the Loyalist may have shown early signs of questioning authority figures.

Those fitting the type 6 basic type may choose to become therapists or counsellors, risk managers, lawyers or caregivers.

Their key motivations in life focus around personal security and to receive reassurance from others.

TYPE 7: The Enthusiast

Famous examples: Katy Perry, Leonardo Di Caprio, Britney Spears

Katy Perry is a classic Enthusiast

The Enthusiast tends to keep themselves busy and seeks variety and spontaneity in their life.

Usually, they are extroverted, mainly optimistic and enjoy seeking out new exciting experiences.

Sevens will often find easy happiness and enjoy the simple things in life, finding experiences and meeting new people joyful. They find accomplishment in life easy and are often multi-talented.

However, enthusiasts may scatter themselves among too many people, meaning they can become distracted and overtired. Sometimes, they find it hard to stop, act out of impulse and overspend their energy.

As Enthusiasts are likely to have multiple passions, they can often go through several careers and enjoy a wide variety of jobs.

They may thrive in careers with the opportunity for travel, such as becoming a pilot, but they may also be drawn towards the creative industries such as film and magazines.

The Enthusiast will strive for freedom and happiness in life, keeping themselves occupied and making the most of new experiences.

TYPE 8: The Challenger

Famous examples: Winston Churchill, Pink, Matt Damon, Donald Trump

The Challenger above all seeks to be powerful and dominating, with self-confidence in abundance.

They are strong, assertive and willful in their everyday interactions, not shying away from confrontation.

Those in type eight are protective over those close to them, resourceful and straight talking.

This means they can be heroic and inspiring of others, courageous in dangerous situations and aren't afraid to stand up for themselves, making them natural leaders.

However, they may also tend towards being confrontational and refuse to obey authority, and seek to dominate others.

In childhood, eights will often have been taught never to be vulnerable and that it is important above all to be respected.

In adulthood, Challengers excel in careers of law enforcement, such as police officers or detectives, and often take on positions of leadership, such as CEOs, in HR or even in politics.

They usually aim for self-reliance and to avoid showing signs of weakness, instead becoming important in their spheres of influence.

TYPE 9: The Peacemaker

Famous examples: Queen Elizabeth II, Walt Disney, Morgan Freeman

Peacemakers are usually easygoing, agreeable and receptive to the thoughts and opinions of other people.

Their optimism and creative thinking usually means they are supportive and trusting, and willing to go along with the plans and thoughts of others.

People in the Type 9 category will often be easily fulfilled, receptive to others and emotionally stable, with a calming and healing influence.

However, they can display a tendency to over-simplify problems, especially if it deals with upsetting matters and go along with the opinions of others in order to keep the peace. This may lead to a high level of repression and an inability to face problems head-on.

Often, peacemakers will have experienced having to deal with conflict as a child and found it difficult to cope with, leading to a desire to avoid it at all costs later in life.

They often seek to play the role of mediator in the workplace, such as in human resources or in the non-profit sector. They may also look for a career promoting comfort and stability, such as administration or accounting.

Overall, they seek to create harmony and avoid conflict, avoiding any material that could be upsetting, and keeping things as they are.
READ MORE: Meghan Markle is struggling to find her value amid appearances

Nearly a month ago, she was hospitalized in Munich for her chronic Lyme

Bella Hadid rocked the runway as a Victoria's Secret angel last night at Victoria's Secret Fashion Show - but according to body language expert Judi James, the outing may have 'cost her a lot' as she recovers from a recent stint in the hospital.

The model, 29, made her appearance just weeks after her mom, Yolanda Hadid, posted a series of heartbreaking pictures of the star, 29, in the hospital.

It was later revealed exclusively by Daily Mail that she spent one month undergoing invasive treatments at Germany's St George Hospital as she battles chronic neurological Lyme disease.

The photos showed Bella as she suffered through a myriad of treatments, including what is suspected to be Chelation therapy, which removes heavy metals from the body.

One particularly distressing picture saw Bella crouched down in an elevator, appearing quite weak.

However, the professional model was able to turn things around and present a stunning look for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

She wore a silky, red lace set with a matching garter to open the show, and then went down the runway again in an outfit change that had her in a bedazzled, silver lingerie set.

The famous 'angel' wings that she wore weighed nearly 50 pounds, she later wrote on Instagram, and were adorned with white roses.

Bella Hadid rocked the runway as a Victoria's Secret angel last night at Victoria's Secret Fashion Show - but according to body language expert Judi James , the outing may have 'cost her a lot' as she recovers from a recent stint in the hospital

The model, 29, made her appearance just weeks after her mom, Yolanda Hadid , posted a series of heartbreaking pictures of the star in the hospital

She wore a silky, red lace set with a matching garter to open the show, and then went down the runway again in an outfit change that had her in a bedazzled, silver lingerie set

However, as she walked down the runway wearing the wings, some fans were seemingly alarmed, commenting that it looked like she was almost about to 'faint' at one point.

The model didn't appear to be her upbeat, bouncy self as she strutted down the runway for the second time that night, observers pointed out.

And per Judi James, fans might be on to something here.

'Bella's illness is known to produce symptoms of fatigue and chronic pain so, although she looks strikingly beautiful on this runway appearance, her subtler body language cues hint that the outing might have cost her a lot in terms of resolve and effort,' James told Daily Mail exclusively.

'Her walk looks a little tentative with some rather careful hip and torso placements,' James continued.

'Her hands hold her upper thighs in a suggestion of vulnerability, but it's the way her head is slightly lowered and then drops lower still that suggests there might be a brave amount of effort being put into this outing,' she shared.

'Her eyes are lowered too in a suggestion of a lack of peak-style energy here.'

However, the body language expert noted that her stance became a lot different as she finished her walk.

The model didn't appear to be her upbeat, bouncy self as she strutted down the runway for the second time that night

However, the body language expert noted that her stance became a lot different as she finished her walk

Just one month ago, Bella was in the hospital on the outskirts of Munich, where they have a Lyme Specialized Center

'Her walk looks a little tentative with some rather careful hip and torso placements,' James continued

'As she reaches the end of the runway though it looks like muscle memory kicks in as her static poses are pitch-perfect,' James told Daily Mail.

'We can see her much more meaningful, camera-seeking sultry facial expression re-appear here as she arches her back showing more flexibility in her torso again,' she explained.

When she was at the end of the runway, Bella blew a kiss and waved to the audience, which James says was a meaningful move.

'Bella blows a kiss, and it looks like a signal to the fans to imply all is well and even some thanks for their love and support,' she said.

'Then comes the much sweeter signal of vulnerability as she raises both hands in what is called a "baby wave," a clutching and unclutching of the fingers that is less about her sensual outfit and more about a cutely touching tie-sign of recognition to her audience,' James explained.

While James believes that Bella's trip down the runway may have been quite taxing, some fans couldn't help notice the same.

After a video taken by Vogue was posted to TikTok on Wednesday night, many fans left messages of concern for the model.

'She's stunning, but she looks so sad. Maybe because of her illness hope she recovers soon and gets back better than ever!' one person wrote.

One particularly distressing picture saw Bella crouched down in an elevator, appearing quite weak

The treatment slowly raises a patient's body temperature to 107F and then maintains it for two to three hours while they're sedated

Her stay at the clinic  which also offers laser therapy, detox footbaths, colon cleansing and controversial ozone therapy (the process of administering ozone gas 'intravenous and/or rectally') as a treatment for Lyme disease  was reportedly suggested by her mother, and would have cost upwards of $100,000

'She was just hospitalized. Cut her slack. She killed the walk in the red outfit,' one user wrote

Someone else typed, 'She kept looking down during this. Might've been a shoe issue. still gorgeous though.'

'She's clearly in pain or something,' another seconded.

Others, however, defended the star and the heavy wings.

'She was just hospitalized. Cut her slack. She killed the walk in the red outfit,' one user wrote.

Another wrote, 'She was sick y'all and we don't know if she's 100% better plus those wings weigh 50lbs+ in heels? Yea I would probably walk the same lol.'

Just one month ago, Bella was in the hospital on the outskirts of Munich, where they have a Lyme Specialized Center.

It is focused on using whole body hyperthermia treatment to kill the bacteria  Borrelia burgdorferi  responsible for the tick-borne disease. The clinic claims to have 'successfully treated more than 800 patients with chronic Lyme disease'.

The treatment slowly raises a patient's body temperature to 107F and then maintains it for two to three hours while they're sedated.

Bella is said to have had two rounds, one week apart, according to an insider, as well as two weeks of antibiotics, Chelation therapy (the process of removing heavy metals from the body) and multiple peptide infusions.

Pictures shared by Yolanda and Bella also show her with what appears to be an apheresis catheter in her neck which is used for the removal of specific blood components.

Her stay at the clinic  which also offers laser therapy, detox footbaths, colon cleansing and controversial ozone therapy (the process of administering ozone gas 'intravenous and/or rectally') as a treatment for Lyme disease  was reportedly suggested by her mother, and would have cost upwards of $100,000.
Waking up in an Algarve villa, a glimpse of azure blue sky through the curtains of my bedroom made me feel relaxed and happy about the beach day that lay ahead.

But as I got up and walked to the bathroom I was struck by intense dizziness and collapsed to the floor, throwing up and passing out. I was drifting in and out of consciousness for around an hour.

Whenever I came to, my mind was so foggy that I couldnt even call out to my friend Chloe, who was asleep in the bedroom.

Eventually, I remembered I was wearing my smart watch and phoned her on it. She immediately came running and, seeing me collapsed, phoned an ambulance.

In A&E, however, the doctors took one look at me - I was only 23 at the time - and assumed I was just another young person whod partied too hard on holiday.

They ascribed my inability to walk, difficulty speaking and intense wooziness to a drink spiking incident, or dehydration and heatstroke.

They ascribed my inability to walk, difficulty speaking and intense wooziness to a drink spiking incident, or dehydration and heatstroke

As I got up on holiday and walked to the bathroom I was struck by intense dizziness and collapsed to the floor, throwing up and passing out

One asked Did you take something? and as I tried to answer no - the night before Chloe and I had been for a quiet meal and a few drinks, nothing remotely wild - my voice was weak.

It was only when, hours later, my condition hadnt improved and I couldnt even get out of bed unaided that I was taken for a CT and MRI scan.

Thats when the doctor delivered the shocking news: I had suffered a stroke.

The blood flow to a part of my brain had been cut off. At that stage, they didnt know why.

I was rushed to ICU, hooked up to machines and drips, feeling exhausted, deeply shaken and confused.

Strokes only happen to older people, dont they? Not 20-somethings having the time of their life on a girls holiday. I was fit and healthy and had never had any medical problems before, and there was no family history of stroke. This had come completely out of the blue.

I spent three weeks in hospital in Portugal, where a multitude of tests still failed to establish the cause of the stroke

Chloe, 26, a university friend, and I had flown to Portugal in August 2022 for a long weekend at my familys holiday home.

Having recently graduated with a degree in Spanish and Italian, I was working in my first job in sales, living at home in Surrey but planning a move to London for this new, exciting chapter of my life. This holiday was meant to be a lovely break to recharge our batteries.

I vividly remember sitting on the plane feeling so positive. Nothing could have prepared me for what was to come just two days later.

Over the following days, I learned that the stroke had affected the cerebellum, which is responsible for co-ordination and balance.

As a result, although I wasnt paralysed and could still eat and drink, my fine motor skills were very poor - I couldnt make simple movements like holding a pen. I was also wobbly on my feet, with climbing stairs very difficult.

My speech was also affected; I knew what I wanted to say but struggled to form the words as my tongue muscle was so weak.

I spent three weeks in hospital in Portugal, where a multitude of tests still failed to establish the cause of the stroke. In fact, I only learnt the truth a year later.

Tests showed I had a patent foramen ovale - a hole in my heart - which had been there since birth and left me at increased risk of stroke. Although it affects around 25 per cent of the population, for most it doesnt cause any symptoms or problems.

The unlucky ones, like me, only find out when something does go wrong.

In September 2022, I flew home to the UK. Getting on the plane was emotional, not just because I was scared I might fall ill in the air with no one to help me, but I was also very worried about what lay ahead.

For the next three months, I was cared for at home by my parents, Juliet and Paul, and nurses from a local hospital, which had a neuro-rehab unit. I had regular sessions with a physio, speech therapist and a psychotherapist.

With a lot of effort, I re-learned how to walk properly, and perform day to day tasks like making a cup of tea again. It was tiring and there were days I feared Id never get back to normal, but as the weeks passed, things did improve.

My friends and boyfriend Josh visited daily, but even though I was surrounded by people who couldnt have been more supportive, I had some dark days when I struggled with the trauma and uncertainty about my future.

Five days after returning home, Mum and Dad took me to a local cafe for a brief outing but I was still suffering tremors on my right side, and anxious about falling.

Even now, three years on, I still occasionally have them when Im overtired after a busy day. Doctors have told me I may always have them from time to time.

I was extremely sensitive to noise and lights; just a few hours out socialising left me fatigued for days, and that can still happen today.

However, what I found even tougher than the physical recovery was the emotional one.

Stuck at home while friends were working, socialising and travelling, I felt like a pause button had been pressed on my adult life, just as it had been getting started.

Id feel angry and envious, followed by guilt for feeling such resentment towards people who cared for me.

There were times Id lash out verbally and be very moody, but they were all incredibly patient and understanding. But nobody truly understood what Id experienced, and I felt very alone.

Thankfully I was able to have sessions with a psychotherapist, and support from a charity called Different Strokes, which helps young stroke survivors like me, also became an essential part of my emotional recovery. I felt less alone seeing my emotions mirrored in other young people.

Around four months after my stroke, I gradually started working again; a few days a week to begin with, and by the eight-month mark I was back full time. It felt good to have that normality again.

I later had keyhole surgery to close the hole in my heart. Though closing a patent foramen ovale does reduce the risk of having another stroke, my risk still remains greater than someone without the condition.

Two years after my stroke I finally moved to London in September 2024, and life is moving forward in the direction I planned, if later than I thought it would.

While outwardly youd never know what I went through, I still do experience fatigue and have to be mindful of that when planning my work and social life, to avoid crashing with exhaustion.

And emotionally theres no doubt the stroke has shaped me; its something I carry with me every day.

But I remind myself that my experience can give hope to others that recovery - both physical and emotional - is possible.

Find out more about strokes at differentstrokes.co.uk

AS TOLD TO EIMEAR OHAGAN
My heart was pounding in terror as I stared at the reflection in the mirror. My teeth were dotted with chunks of flesh  blood-red, fresh and oozing.

Oh my god, my baby. Had I actually eaten my baby?

It took a few minutes for me to calm down and realise that, of course, I hadnt. There was a plum stone in my trembling hand, and my two-month-old daughter, Rosalie, was fast asleep in her cot.

While undoubtedly extreme  and even a little darkly comical  many would put this incident down to one too many sleepless nights for me as the mother of a newborn baby.

After all, lack of sleep can do horrible things to even the strongest mind. But this went beyond that.

Which is how, in February this year, I found myself a patient at the Thumbswood Mother and Baby Unit in Radlett, Hertfordshire  a specialist psychiatric hospital for new mothers experiencing serious mental health crises.

I had recently suffered a terrifying bout of postpartum psychosis, tormented by delusions that saw me nearly sectioned and placed on suicide watch after two attempts to take my own life.

This was no cry for help; I truly wanted to die. Death had seemed the only way out of the nightmare I was trapped in.

Im sharing my story now to try to make sense of my still-fresh experience; I was released from hospital at the end of March and only started to feel normal again in August.

I also want to raise awareness of this condition, which affects one in 1,000 women  usually in the first six to eight weeks after giving birth  and which couldnt be further from the baby blues that most people associate with those difficult early days of motherhood.

Prompt detection and intervention mean that most mothers go on to lead healthy lives but, sadly, most women dont have any idea what is happening to them when they find themselves immersed in this hell.

Certainly, there was no indication of what would happen to me. Ive no history of mental illness and hadnt really heard of postpartum psychosis before I experienced it.

I had recently suffered a terrifying bout of postpartum psychosis, tormented by delusions that saw me nearly sectioned and placed on suicide watch after two attempts to take my own life

I was living a perfectly normal life before Rosalies birth. My husband Alex and I had been together ten years, meeting when we both worked in the music industry, before I took up a role as media and PR manager for the domestic abuse charity Refuge.

We had conceived with relative ease when I had just turned 33 and I was classified as a low-risk pregnancy.

I was all set for a chilled-out water birth, complete with Neom essential oils and my own playlist.

But, as they so often do, things took a drastic turn when I was 40 weeks and six days pregnant in December 2024.

Uncomfortably overdue, I went in for a general check-up with the midwife at the childrens centre, expecting perhaps a suggested intervention to get things moving.

Instead, I was sent straight to hospital with protein in my urine and sky-high blood pressure.

On the maternity ward at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, I was quickly diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia. Things were no longer going to plan. Panic set in.

Id heard about pre-eclampsia in my antenatal classes, a serious condition that can cause seizures and be fatal to both mother and baby.

Wed been told to look out for headaches, swelling and stomach pain  but I suffer from chronic migraines, so how was I supposed to know the difference?

Plus, I was 40 weeks pregnant and the size of a small whale, so it was easy to miss any swelling.

People say all births are traumatic and painful, and maybe this is true, but it wasnt the pain of childbirth that left me reeling. It was the confusion, the feeling I wasnt being listened to, that will forever haunt me.

I went from everything as expected to being hooked up to a drip surrounded by doctors discussing the risk of organ failure and seizures within a matter of hours.

Looking back, its no wonder my brain lost its equilibrium. The treatment for pre-eclampsia is to get the baby and placenta out as quickly as possible, usually via an emergency C-section.

The operating team was fantastic and, with Alex by my side, dressed in scrubs and trying to reassure me, despite being terrified himself, 30 minutes later little Rosalie, weighing a healthy 7lb 13oz, took her first lusty cry.

And thats where the drama should have ended  that first awe-struck cuddle with my newborn, a few days recuperation, then to our home in Bedfordshire for our new life as a family of three. But various infections and post-birth complications meant I stayed on that recovery ward for a fortnight.

Despite being a place of healing, a hospital can feel like the very worst place to be when youre an exhausted, bewildered new mother: staff changeovers, the constant bleep of machines and bright lights both night and day meant I got no sleep at all.

Despite being a place of healing, a hospital can feel like the very worst place to be when youre an exhausted, bewildered new mother: staff changeovers, the constant bleep of machines and bright lights both night and day meant I got no sleep at all

Once, I got so teary and distressed that  despite being surrounded by medical professionals  I was given a number for the mental health support line.

I dont have post-natal depression, I pleaded. I just need to go home. A few days later I finally did go home, laden with an A4-sized bag of blood pressure medication and a healthy baby girl.

New motherhood is a maddening time for everyone. The endless cycle of nappy changes, feeds and laundry makes most women feel like a shell of their former selves. Yet normally, with time and growing confidence, things settle down.

Except for me, they never did. It just got worse and worse.

I have often wondered what it was that triggered my psychosis. Was it fluctuating hormones? Lack of sleep? The trauma of a chaotic birth? Or was it a potent cocktail of all three?

While its true that postpartum psychosis is more common in women who have had a difficult birth, like many illnesses specifically affecting women the exact causes are unknown.

Its often overlooked, too, as the first signs are so often confused with exhaustion. Certainly, my health visitor and GP saw no red flags.

I was exclusively breastfeeding, and as such wasnt getting much sleep. I was snappy, raging constantly at Alex, who bit his tongue and nobly assumed this was part and parcel of new family life.

He urged me to consider bottle-feeding at night, desperate to do anything to help, but I was determined to do everything by the book.

But before long, my symptoms went beyond that of tired new mum.

One day, three weeks after giving birth, I woke up utterly convinced that Roz was dead in the bed with me.

It was terrifying, and took a few minutes for me realise that what I was looking at was the pattern on our floral bedspread  not my babys dead face. It felt so real, and my heart was racing. This was the first hallucination of many, each one more bizarre than the next.

I saw Rosalies face in the chandelier, and then  the oddest of them all  I literally watched her face morphing into that of the actor Jason Watkins, who played Prime Minister Harold Wilson in The Crown.

Then, a week later, came a line from a 1990s pop song that kept playing on a loop in my head. It was from Brimful of Asha by Cornershop and went: Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow, everybody needs a bosom.

On and on, round and round in my brain.

You might be laughing now, and I dont blame you  even I can see the funny side, months on. But when youre living it, all day, its utterly petrifying. I began to think Rosalie wasnt there at all, and Alex had replaced her with a pillow or an animatronic doll  before becoming convinced Alex actually was Rozzy, all grown up.

Clearly the doesnt she look like her dad? comments from well-wishers had triggered something in my scrambled brain.

Initially Alex thought my confusion was funny; then he started to get scared. One morning, after Id sat up talking gibberish all night, he told me: I cant do this any more, this is so much harder than I thought it would be.

At first in between my delusions I was lucid and scared, knowing at any point my mind could trick me again. But by two weeks after my initial hallucination, Id completely lost touch with reality, my delusions spreading beyond my baby.

I thought the house was on fire. The television was talking to me, telling me I had to figure it out. I treated the house like an escape room, thinking if I did certain rituals I would win the prize of getting my sanity back.

Alex was back at work by this point. Normally, I would have relied on my mum  who is my best friend  but in a cruel twist of irony in my delusional state we had a huge argument, culminating in my telling her that I didnt want to see or speak to her.

Shes told me since that she knew something was wrong, but again just thought it was hormones, and I would calm down in a few weeks. But towards the end of February Id started asking where I was, and what the date was, over and over again.

Alex took time off work to look after me and wanted me to go to hospital, but even the mention of it made me agitated, reminding me of the trauma of giving birth.

Unbelievably, I had a general check up with the GP for my blood pressure during this time, who didnt seem the slightest bit concerned about anything.

In fact the GP  a mother of two  tried to reassure me my behaviour was normal. Just focus on the breastfeeding and you will feel better soon, she told me.

That is the other insidious thing about this scariest type of mental illness: it stops you being able to communicate your distress adequately, so you dont get the help you need. Only now do I realise how deadly delaying getting the right help can be.

Look at the recent case of Alice Mackey, who was jailed earlier this month for drowning her two-year-old daughter Annabel while in the grip of postpartum depression. She had stopped taking her anti-psychotic medication when she killed her little girl, thinking she would be better off dead than with a mother like her.

Luckily, I was never assessed as a threat to my daughter, but who knows what might have happened had my family not intervened when they did.

The flashpoint came when we had ordered a Thai takeaway as a treat the evening after that GP appointment. When it arrived, I was convinced it was covered in flies and couldnt be persuaded otherwise. Once I started shouting at the television, Alex overruled me and called an ambulance.

In A&E I was told I most likely had postpartum psychosis and sent home with community support in place, with Alex put in charge of my medication while they arranged for an assessment.

After my official diagnosis, doctors made moves to section me under the Mental Health Act but Alex  my absolute rock  was determined I shouldnt be separated from my daughter and pushed for me to get a place at a specialist mother and baby unit, which I did.

But I needed the nightmare to end, and so I decided, the morning I was meant to go to the unit, to drown myself in a scalding hot bath. Alex, of course, was constantly checking on me and intervened. I arrived at Thumbswood still wet and wrapped in a towel that I refused to remove.

Its hard to recall this period clearly, or describe what I was feeling other than utter confusion and fear. Psychosis completely alters your perception of reality.

As they showed me around the hospital I cried hysterically; nothing was making any sense.

That night, I tried to kill myself again, attempting to suffocate myself with a pillow to make the noise both inside and outside my head stop. Staff intervened, but I tried again the next day; this time Mum stopped me. The staff looked after Rosalie overnight, feeding her formula in a bottle  and me drugs to help me sleep.

I was still experiencing delusions  like my conviction that I had eaten my baby when I had actually eaten a plum  but the anti-psychotic medication mercifully took effect quickly.

As my mind cleared, the floodgates opened and in poured shame and embarrassment  but most of all relief.

Roz wasnt dead. I wasnt a bad mother. Those thoughts were just tricks made up by my brain.

After a month, I was deemed well enough to go home. I was so relieved, but terrified of being left alone with my baby and suffering hallucinations and delusions again. Everything felt very loud, and I felt very fragile, so Alex had to work from home indefinitely.

What followed was  somehow  the part that hurt the most. Postnatal depression crept up on me slowly. However, within a month of being sent home from the psychiatric unit it was all-encompassing.

I would wake up distraught that I hadnt died in my sleep, not knowing how to get through the day. Then, like clockwork, the mum guilt would kick in as Id hear Alex feeding Roz breakfast while I was unable to get out of bed. I was meant to be well now, I was meant to be in control  how could I still be this ill?

To add insult to injury, the anti-psychotic medication that was solving one issue was making me feel like a zombie, making my depressive symptoms worse.

It took me months to recover from the depression, but with the help of antidepressants, my family and community workers Ive started to feel more like myself again and enjoy motherhood.

Its still early days. Rosalie and Alex have been my rocks throughout and, now nine months old, she has been unfazed by her mothers brush with madness.

Friends and family have been sympathetic and understanding and I know Im lucky to have such a close support network

Looking back, it feels like something that happened to someone else. Im still making sense of what happened  that I had a baby and literally went mad.

But if I could give one message to everyone reading this, it would be to continue checking in on new mothers after the excitement of the initial visits wears off.

Its during these baffling months of sleeplessness and isolation that mental illness can creep in  and, untreated, potentially prove fatal. Keep watching, keep vigilant and never be afraid to step in. Im so thankful someone loved me enough to do that for me.

For more information and support visit Action On Postpartum Psychosis (app-network.org) and the Pandas Foundation (pandasfoundation.org.uk) for perinatal mental illness

For free confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
Nestled deep within NSW 's picturesque Wolgan Valley - a 20 minute drive from the Blue Mountains - is a tiny house that is making huge waves.

'Ligo', an architecturally designed tiny house that was built with the protection of the surrounding environment at its forefront, has just has just taken out a top honour at the annual Airbnb Host Awards.

This cosy and secluded escape was just awarded the prize as 'Best Nature Stay', which recognises hosts who showcase the best of Australia's stunning natural landscape.

Owned by Airbnb hosts Eddie and Ange, the small retreat set in the heart of the Wolgan Valley surrounded by UNESCO-listed Blue Mountains National Park stood out to the judges for its sleek look and environmentally conscious design.

Built from reclaimed materials after bushfires and floods, this off-grid escape offers cosy interiors, passive heating and cooling and expansive bushland views.

Described as the 'perfect base to reconnect with the wild beauty of the Australian bush' - some of the accommodation highlights are the outdoor bath under the stars, surrounding peaceful walking trails and the fact it offers a genuine digital detox.

All in all, this destination is one ready made for nature lovers seeking solitude and serenity - and made it a clear winner in the eyes of Airbnb Host Awards judge, Sarah Huang.

'Ligo is a masterpiece of minimal, low-impact, off-grid design,' Sarah said.

Ligo in Wolgan Valley was just awarded the prize for 'Best Nature Stay' at the annual Airbnb Host Awards

Owned by Airbnb hosts Ange and Eddie (pictured) the secluded property was commended for merging 'wilderness and architecture with humility and intention'

'It merges wilderness and architecture with humility and intention.'

'The outdoor bath, reclaimed timber, solar innovations, and immersive wild setting make this a deeply atmospheric escape  elegant in its restraint.'

For weary city folk looking to escape, this stay offers the seclusion and ruggedness of the Australian bush, while style offering style and comfort.

Located just over two hours drive from Sydney, the property listing encourages guests to switch off by 'leaving behind your laptop, phone and deadlines'. (They won't be of any use out there anyway.)

'You will find no wi-fi, television or mobile phone reception here,' reads the property listing. 'Relish only the silence and the beauty of your surroundings.'

And why wouldn't you.

Ligo is surrounded by a hundred acres of natural bushland and riverfront, with the residence itself tucked back into the landscape.

The result? Complete privacy and a sense of seclusion.

The first unmissable feature? An open-air, freestanding outdoor tub on the wraparound wooden deck

Ligo is surrounded by a hundred acres of natural bushland and riverfront. The house itself is modular in its appearance with a striking all-black exterior

The house itself is modular in its appearance with a striking all-black exterior.

The inside layout is a simple and well-appointed space that has been thoughtfully designed to ensure you have everything you need and nothing you don't.

A wooden wrap around timber deck welcomes you as the entry point to the residence - but also serves as an alfresco area, complete with outdoor BBQ and dining set.

But before you notice that, what will catch your attention first is the completely open-air outdoor freestanding tub on the deck - perfect for bathing under the stars.

Once inside, you'll immediately take in the sleek and modern timber and black finishes.

The house has been thoughtfully designed for comfort with passive heating and cooling, lofted ceilings, insulated flooring and expansive double glazed windows.

Go inside and head towards the end to discover the bedroom hideaway. There's a queen bed overlooked by a gloriously oversized triangular-shaped window to take in the majestic bush views.

This is next to a compact bathroom - that still manages to squeeze in a generous rainfall shower and other amenities. (And yes, there is hot running water!)

The interior of the tiny houses boasts a clever and compact design - with everything you need, including a bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette

The bedroom hideaway features a gloriously oversized triangular-shaped window to take in the majestic bush views

A compact bathroom has all the amenities - including a rainfall shower

The modern kitchenette comes equipped with a mini fridge, microwave and portable induction stove. Prepare to do your own cooking throughout the stay

With the property designed following ecologically sustainable principles, note that there's a waterless and odourless eco-friendly compost toilet and that all water in the basin, and shower is sourced from rainwater tanks.

At the front is a kitchenette including a mini fridge, microwave and portable induction stove.

Essentials like ground coffee, organic tea, olive oil, salt, and pepper are supplied - as is a French press coffee set that invites you to make a brew.

Ligo's secluded location means you will need to organise food supplies in advance - and you'll be self-catering for the duration of the stay.

With bushland as far as the eye can see, this stay instantly inspires you to wander along the peaceful trails, or follow the riverbank as it winds through the landscape.

As night falls, you may feel inspired to light up the fire pit - with provided fire wood - and gather around it for a conversation over a glass of wine.

Up above the stars glisten brightly on crisp, clear evenings.

And don't forget about that outdoor tub that cries out for a long relaxing soak at night time - or indeed, anytime.

At night, light the nearby fire pit and enjoy with a glass of wine in hand

The stars can be exceptionally bright and clear at night in Wolgan Valley. You'll even be able to star gaze out the window from the comfort of the bedroom hideaway

Set amongst the bushland, you'll feel inspired to explore the surrounding trails and rivers

Perhaps the only tricky part of this stay is that the property has limited road access.

Following the November 2022 Wolgan Road landslide, the usual road into the Wolgan Valley via the Wolgan Gap has closed permanently, replaced by a steep temporary access road that's restricted to use by local residents and businesses with 4WD vehicles only.

What this means for guests staying at Ligo is that they will park their vehicle in a pre-arranged secure spot for the duration of their stay and then be provided with a 4WD transfer to and from the isolated property. (So, be prepared that once you arrive, you most likely won't be departing again until your stay is complete.)

And remember - the peace and serenity of a bushland setting does sometimes come with encounters and minor inconveniences of local insects and native animals. So keep that screen door closed!

There is a minimum two night stay at Ligo with prices starting from $1060.09 for two nights.

This is the type of place where you can unwind, take in the expansive views, and let nature set the tone of your escape.
A popular London restaurant has opened its first Australian outpost in Sydney.

The Palomar, a popular Mediterranean restaurant located in London's SoHo, has arrived in Sydney, taking over the former Grand Pacific Blue Room site on Oxford Street in Paddington.

The new Sydney venue is found inside the 25Hours Hotel Sydney, The Olympia and is a 110-seater restaurant that officially opened its doors on October 9.

The original UK restaurant is well regarded for its menu inspired by flavours from Southern Spain, North Africa and the Levant.

In London, the restaurant has won huge acclaim, even earning a place in the Michelin Guide.

Now, the restaurant's signature bold flavours and warm service have been brought down under by London-based hospitality siblings Layo and Zoe Paskin of Paskin Studio.

The Palomar Sydney is headed up locally by Sydneysider Mitch Orr, who takes on the role of culinary director.

Mitch has an impressive track record, having previously helmed popular Sydney spots Kiln and Acme.

Newly opened restaurant The Palomar Sydney is located on Oxford Street in Paddington inside the 25Hours Hotel Sydney, The Olympia.

The Palomar London (pictured) is a UK institution - and has just recently branched out to open up its first Australian outpost in Sydney

The Aussie chef already has a personal connection with The Palomar London after previously spending time working there while abroad.

Mitch told Hospitality magazine that he's excited to now be involved in the next chapter of the restaurant.

Sydney chef Mitch Orr (pictured) is The Palomar Sydney's culinary director

'The Palomar is about more than bringing a restaurant to a new city  it's about creating a space that feels true to its surroundings while carrying the identity that makes the original so beloved,' Mitch said.

The new Sydney outlet has seen Mitch collaborate with siblings Layo and Zoe on a new menu that suits local tastes.

'For me, it's important that it sits comfortably within Sydney's dining culture,' Mitch said.

The Palomar Sydney's menu takes inspiration from its London counterpart, while also bringing Australian produce to the forefront.

Central to the new restaurant is a woodfire grill, which is a showpiece of the kitchen and is utilised to add smoky flavours to several of the menu's dishes.

The current menu includes delectable bites such as smoked cod's roe with breakfast radish and Urfa $14 and shawarma lamb croquette with pickled walnut $12.

A woodfire grill is a showpiece in The Palomar Sydney kitchen

The Sydney menu is inspired by the original London restaurant, while also showcasing Australian produce. Standout dishes include cucumbers with green tahini and crispy chilli oil (left) and butterflied blue mackerel with chermoula (right)

Other smaller plates include cucumbers with green tahini and crispy chilli oil $22 and coral trout crudo with burnt blood orange and capers $34.

A seafood-heavy mains offering includes southern calamari with preserved lemon $48 and whole flounder with Ras el Hanout butter $85.

For non-fish fans, mains options include spatchock with yoghurt and chilli butter $45 or Berkshire pork chop with roasted grapes and sherry $50.

For dessert, you can't go past a pistachio ice cream baklava sandwich.

Working alongside Mitch is Luke Davenport (Hubert, The Ledbury London, Noma Copenhagen) as The Palomar's Sydney head chef.

Like Mitch, he too has a prior work connection with the restaurant's owners, having previously worked with Studio Paskin in London.

'Together with Mitch, we want to create a kitchen  bar where vibrant, flavourful dishes meet a dining experience that truly embodies the spirit and energy of The Palomar,' Luke told Hospitality Magazine.
Princess Diana's niece, 34, looked glamorous at the Santona Palace last night

Lady Kitty Spencer posed up a storm last night in a strapless dress as she took to the red carpet during a charity gala in Madrid.

Kitty, 34, who is the late Princess Diana's niece, wore a strapless black column dress with a thigh-high slit as she stepped out for the fifth edition of ELLE for Hope, which supports the fight against cancer.

The star-studded event was held at the Santona Palace, a historic building in the Spanish capital that often plays host to cultural events.

Kitty, who is the first cousin of Prince William and Prince Harry, showed off her bare bronzed shoulders, accentuated by her blonde tresses that flowed down her mid-back.

The model's dress also featured sparkling embellishments on the torso and she added several inches to her height with black slingback stilettos.

She wore a natural yet glam make-up look, opting simply for a pink shimmer on her eyelids with a light smoky eyeliner and a light pink lip colour.

Kitty also kept her number of accessories to a minimum, opting for diamond earrings, a diamond bracelet and two rings, including her wedding band.

The daughter of Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, is married to multi-millionaire businessman Michael Lewis, 66, with whom she shares a two-year-old daughter, Athena.

Lady Kitty Spencer posed up a storm last night in a strapless dress as she took to the red carpet during a charity gala in Madrid

Lady Kitty Spencer, 34, showed off her bare bronzed shoulders in an elegant black strapless column gown while attending the ELLE for Hope charity event in Madrid, Spain

Michael has three adult children from his previous marriage to Leola Lewis, whom he wed in 1985.

Other famous faces attending the ELLE for Hope event included actress and model Rossi de Palma, writer and model Mabel Lozano, actor Alvaro Rico, actress and TV host Eva Gonzalez, and actor and theatre director Sergio Peris-Mencheta.

Kitty's trip to Madrid comes after she attended Dolce & Gabbana's show at Milan Fashion Week last weekend, where she took photographs with celebrities including Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, Naomi Campbell and Edward Enninful.

Sharing pictures of the moment on Instagram, the model posted a slideshow of images from the event.

Kitty, who looked elegant in a black lace dress, flashed a glamorous smile as she posed next to Meryl.

She captioned the post: 'The Devil Wears Dolce Icons Miranda Priestly and Nigel aka Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci joined us for the show during Milan Fashion Week.'

The royal later dialed up the glamour at the Dolce & Gabbana afterparty.

She put on a dazzling display in a gem-encrusted mini dress for the star-studded outing, teaming her sleeveless number with a pair of shimmering silver stilettos.

Kitty's outing in Madrid was in support of the fifth edition of ELLE for Hope, ELLE's charity gala in support of the fight against cancer

Kitty, who is the first cousin of Prince William and Harry, showed off her bare bronzed shoulders, accentuated by her blonde tresses

The model's dress also featured sparkling embellishments on the torso and she added several inches to her height with black slingback stilettos

Lady Kitty Spencer attends the fifth edition of ELLE for Hope, ELLE's charity gala in support of the fight against cancer at Santona Palace

The socialite completed her look with a pop of colour, holding a velvet pink handbag in one of her hands.

She scraped her thick, blonde tresses into a sleek, back ponytail, and wore soft but glamorous makeup with a glowing base, pink lipstick, and shimmering orange eyeshadow.

Kitty's calendar appears to be packed with social events after she enjoyed a luxurious summer holiday in the French Riviera with her family.

The model took to Instagram to share a selection of photographs from her holiday in the South of France alongside her rarely-seen-husband, Michael.

She looked sophisticated in a loose, cotton shirt with matching shorts and a pair of oversized sunglasses.

Kitty's South African multi-millionaire husband, also dressed in a shirt and shorts, appeared to enjoy dancing with his wife before stopping to have an animated chat with her.

Elsewhere in the post, captioned, 'Summer snapshots, South of France', Kitty also shared photographs of her daughter, Athena.

She wore a natural yet glam make-up look, opting simply for a pink shimmer on her eyelids

The event was held at at Santona Palace, a historic palace in the Spanish capital that often plays host to cultural events

She added a light smoky eyeliner and a light pink lip colour for her night out in Spanish city

The daughter of Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, is married to multi-millionaire businessman Michael Lewis, 66

The adorable snaps showed the two-year-old enjoying the summer sunshine against multiple stunning backdrops, including the beach.

In one particularly sweet mother-daughter moment, Kitty and Athena were seen walking together while heading out, both donning summery dresses.

Lady Kitty, then 30, wed the multi-millionaire Michael Lewis at the Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati, a gorgeous country mansion with views out towards Rome, on July 24, 2021.

Having delayed their wedding for two years due to the pandemic, the celebrations stretched across three days and were attended by close friends, including the pop star Pixie Lott and the Marchioness of Bath.

The pair have since welcomed their daughter Athena, who was born on April 29, 2023.
King Charles will become the first British monarch in 500 years to pray in public with a pope when he makes an historic visit to the Vatican City next week.

The 76-year-old monarch will take part in an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel with Pope Leo XIV as they mark the Catholic Church's 2025 'Jubilee year'.

Buckingham Palace says is it the first time since Henry VIII's Reformation of the 1530s that a sovereign - and Head of the Church of England - has taken part in a public act of worship with the leader of the Catholic Church.

And in recognition of his lifetime of campaigning on issues of inter-faith harmony, Pope Leo will make Charles a 'Royal Confrater' of the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St. Paul's Outside the Walls.

The gift of 'confraternity' is a recognition of spiritual fellowship  'frater' meaning brother in Latin.

In further celebration of this new bond, a special seat has been created for His Majesty, which will remain in the Basilica as a perpetual mark of mutual respect between Pope Leo and The King as Heads of State.

The special chair is decorated with His Majesty's Coat of Arms and will be used by the King during the service, after which it will remain in the apse of the Basilica for future use by the monarch and his heirs and successors.

The King's short visit with Queen Camilla will take place on Wednesday and Thursday but is, nevertheless, loaded with symbolism.

King Charles (pictured with Queen Camilla and the late Pope Francis in April last year) will become the first monarch in 500 years to pray in public with a pope next week

It will be their first meeting with Pope Leo since his election in May. The couple met briefly with the previous incumbent, Pope Francis, when they visited in April but had to cancel several planned engagements due to his ill health.

Traditionally marked every 25 years, the Jubilee is a special time for the Catholic Church.

The visit will also mark a significant moment in relations between the Catholic Church and Church of England, of which His Majesty is Supreme Governor.

Buckingham Palace said it would be the first State Visit since the Reformation 'where the Pope and the Monarch will pray together in an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel, and the first time the Monarch will have attended a service in St Paul's Outside the Walls, a church with an historic connection to the English Crown'.

The King and Queen will meet Pope Leo in the Apostolic Palace, as well as Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See's Secretary of State.

Her Majesty will also view the Pauline Chapel, which houses Michaelangelo's last two frescoes of St Peter and St Paul.

Both the King and Queen will then join the Pope for the special ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel, focused on the theme of 'Care for Creation'.

This reflects Pope Leo's and His Majesty's commitment to the protection of Nature and concern for the environment.

Charles will take part in an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel with Pope Leo XIV (seen in St Peter's Square earlier this month) as they mark the Catholic Church's 2025 'Jubilee year'

The Children of the Choir of His Majesty's Chapel Royal and the Choir of St George's Chapel, Windsor, will sing during the service, accompanied by the Sistine Chapel Choir.

The Queen will remain in the Sistine Chapel following the service, to meet the choirs, whilst The King and the Pope will join a meeting on sustainability, before Their Majesties officially depart.

In another significant and historic step, the couple will then visit the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St. Paul's Outside the Walls.

One of the four major Papal Basilicas, it is the one most closely associated with the Catholic Church's ecumenical commitment and has historic links with the English Crown.

For centuries, the heraldic shield of the Abbey has been surrounded by the insignia of the Order of the Garter, the UK's highest order of chivalry.

Before he departs King Charles will attend a reception at The Pontifical Beda College, a seminary which trains priests from across the Commonwealth, meeting students and members of the British and Vatican community.

Meanwhile, Her Majesty will meet six Catholic Sisters from The International Union of Superiors General, who are working around the world at grassroots level to support female empowerment, through girls' education programmes, improved access to healthcare, climate action, peace building and tackling sexual violence and human trafficking.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: 'At a time of global instability and conflict, the UK's relationship with the Holy See is more important than ever  and this historic State Visit will be a key moment to strengthen this relationship.

'The Holy See has been a key actor on the international stage, promoting peace, effective measures to combat climate change and promote human dignity.

'The Catholic Church is the largest denomination of the world's largest religion; it is the world's largest non-state education provider, educating 68 million students worldwide, and delivers a quarter of the world's healthcare.

'His Majesty's visit will therefore strengthen the UK's relationship with this crucial and influential partner, helping to deliver on the Government's priorities  from promoting peace and security around the world to working with our international partners to tackle climate change.'
The waterfront dwelling has four bedrooms and three full bathrooms

The beautiful property was home to lead character Dawson Leery on the show

Dawson's Creek's most recognizable home is up for sale.

The picturesque waterfront house, which served as the dwelling of lead character Dawson Leery (played by James Van Der Beek), has hit the market for $3.25 million.

Located in Wilmington, North Carolina, the four-bedroom and 3.5-bathroom house, which has been owned by the same family since it was built, features a large eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, and spacious living room.

Sitting on 1.7 acres of land, the also property boasts of French doors which open to an expansive screened front porch that overlooks the water.

'Outside, the property offers 134 feet of direct water frontage with a private pier and floating dock, providing easy access to the Intracoastal Waterway and Wrightsville Beach by boat,' the listing description reads.

Built in 1880, the beautiful home, which is being sold as is, is described as a 'true Wilmington landmark.'

It also features high ceilings and light-filled rooms designed to capture coastal breezes.

The house served as Dawson's home in all six seasons of the teen drama, which aired from 1998 through 2003 on The WB.

The iconic Dawson's Creek house is for sale and has been listed at $3.25million

The four-bedroom and 3.5-bathroom home is located in Wilmington, North Carolina

The show, which also starred Michelle Williams, Joshua Jackson, and Katie Holmes, followed the group from high school through college in the sleepy town of Capeside.

Last month, Dawson Leery actor James left fans feeling concerned after he looked frail during a virtual appearance at the Dawson's Creek reunion.

The 48-year-old actor, who is currently battling colon cancer, made a surprise cameo at the charity event in a pre-recorded video after he was forced to cancel his in-person visit due to illness.

In his message, James explained that he had been excited for the reunion, which marked the first time in 22 years that the entire Dawson's Creek cast had come together.

However, he revealed he had to pull out at the last minute due to suffering two stomach viruses.

Worried fans expressed their heartache after seeing James, with many noting that he did 'not look well.'

Dawson's Creek stars Katie, Joshua and Michelle joined forces for a live reading of the show's pilot episode to benefit F Cancer held at the Richard Rogers Theatre in New York City.

Mary Beth Peil, John Wesley Shipp, Mary-Margaret Humes, Nina Repeta, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe, and Busy Philipps were also present.

Built in 1880, the home is described as a 'true Wilmington landmark'

Dawson's Creek starred Michelle Williams, Joshua Jackson, James Van Der Beek, and Katie Holmes and ran for six seasons

Despite cancelling his in-person appearance, James still showed up at the charity event virtually.

In his message to fans, James said: 'I have been looking forward to this night for months and months ever since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together.

'I can't believe I'm not there. I can't believe I don't get to see my cast mates, my beautiful cast in person.

'And just I want to stand on that stage and thank every single person in the theater for being here tonight.

'From the cast to the crew to everybody who's doing anything and has been so generous, and especially every single last one of you  you are the best fans in the world.

'Thank you for coming. It's just absolutely humbling just how much you did for this night, and I just want to say thank you. Thank you to every single person here.'
An insider tells Daily Mail that his allegations couldn't be further from the truth

Don Jr claimed Whoopi swore at the audience after they 'turned on her'

A television insider has slammed Donald Trump Jr's claims that The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg swore at the audience in-between takes.

The president's son, 47, made shock allegations that the award-winning actress, 69, hit out at the live studio audience after they 'turned on her' during his appearance in 2019.

Taking to social media on Wednesday, he said: 'I've been on The View, and if you want to have some fun, you should go back and watch the episode.

'If you want to have even more fun, you should force ABC to release the footage during the commercial breaks.'

Don Jr then sensationally claimed 'it was truly epic watching Whoopie MFing the crowd who turned on her.' [sic]

A television insider, however, has fiercely rebuked Don Jr's claims.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail, they said: 'This doesn't ring true.

'Whoopi's relationship with the audience is always good natured even if on occasion she has to temper their enthusiasm so you can hear what's happening at the table.'

Donald Trump Jr sensationally claimed that Whoopi Goldberg lost her cool with The View audiences in 2019

'Whoopi's relationship with the audience is always good natured,' an insider told Daily Mail

Daily Mail has contacted The View for comment.

Don Jr was a guest on the ABC talk show alongside his then girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle.

The duo's appearance on The View instantly made headlines after he became embroiled in several heated exchanges with the show's panel.

His father's on-going impeachment investigation was a hot topic at the time, as was the infamous leaked Access Hollywood tape in which Trump senior was heard bragging about grabbing women 'by the p****.'

After his appearance on the show, Don Jr tweeted: 'I don't think I've enjoyed an interview this much in my life. Guess you could say that I just #Triggered The View!!!'

The panel got fiery when hosts Whoopi and Joy Behar accused President Trump of 'lowering the discourse' to a 'horrible level for this country.'

Fellow host Meghan McCain also said President Trump had disrespected veterans.

Whoopi and Joy added that he had also 'called Mexican's rapists' and 'attacked the handicapped.'

Don Jr and his then partner Kimberly Guilfoyle were guests on The View in 2019

The episode was particularly fiery with accused President Trump of 'lowering the discourse' to a 'horrible level for this country'.

Don Jr rebutted questions regarding controversies in his father's history by pointing out contentious moments in certain members of the panel's pasts.

Speaking on The View, he said: 'We've all done things we regret. If we're talking about bringing the discourse down, Joy, you have worn blackface.'

The outburst drew audible gasps from the audience. The accusation came in reference to video of Joy speaking on The View in 2016 when she admitted to dressing up as what she described as 'a beautiful African woman' for Halloween in the 1970s.

Joy repeatedly denied the accusation, saying: 'No I have not - I have not!'

Meanwhile, Whoopi jumped to Joy's defense and insisted that she was 'not in blackface.'

'Being Black, I can recognize blackface,' she said. 'This I can say, okay?'

'Now that you've broken this piece of ice, because I guess it is the fight you wantedare you questioning my character?' she asked.

Don Jr hit back: 'I'm not questioning your character. I'm talking about, you're questioning my father's character, and I say we all have done and said things.'

During the show, he also defended his decision to tweet the name of the now-famous Ukraine whistle-blower at the center of the impeachment investigation against his father.

'I didn't even realize that this thing is some sort of big secret!' he said.

Don Jr agreed to go on the show as part of a promotional tour for his newly released book Triggered.

In the days that followed his appearance, he slammed The View panel for not allowing him to talk about the book.
A ground-breaking blood test can accurately detect almost two thirds of deadly cancer cases, research has found.

The Galleri test  dubbed the 'holy grail' for cancer  screens for more than 50 cancers, often picking up signs before symptoms even appear.

Now, results from a key US trial involving more than 23,000 patients show it can accurately detect 62 per cent of cases.

Scientists also discovered it could accurately detect 74 per cent of cases of the 12 most deadly cancers, including bowel, lung and pancreatic.

Experts said the findings, due to be presented at a world-leading cancer conference today, provide the reassurance needed to roll the test out more widely.

Developed by US company Grail, it looks for tiny fragments of tumour DNA circulating in the bloodstream.

The NHS is also currently conducting a major trial of the test involving more than 140,000 people and has previously hailed it a potential 'gamechanger'.

Sir Harpal Kumar, president of International Business and BioPharma at Grail, which pioneered Galleri, and former head of Cancer Research UK, said: 'We're really very excited and we think this is a further step along the way in really transforming cancer outcomes.'

The Galleri test  dubbed the 'holy grail' for cancer  screens for more than 50 cancers, often picking up signs before symptoms even appear

'What we wanted to assess was, what added value does the test provide over and above existing screening?

'And one of the most important and exciting results is the fact that it detected seven times as many cancers as the other screening programmes put together.'

He added: 'Assuming we do get positive results from NHS Galleri, the opportunity to find substantially greater numbers of cancers before they present clinically, means we should be able to find a lot more of them at an earlier stage.

'This is also particularly effective in those types of cancer where we have no other screening at the moment  and in those types that are typically diagnosed very late, like pancreas, head and neck, liver and ovary, and so on.

'Once we get those results next year, we would hope the NHS would move very quickly to an implementation evaluation in the NHS.'

In the US trial, researchers recruited 23,161 patients who took the blood test and were followed-up over at least 12 months.

The test detected a cancer signal in 216 people, and cancer was diagnosed in 133 of these.

This equated to correctly identifying 61.6 per cent of people with cancer, a measure known as sensitivity.

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In 92 per cent of cases, the test could pinpoint in which organ or tissue the cancer arose, meaning time and money could be saved on other scans and other tests.

It also correctly ruled out cancer in 99.6 per cent of people who did not have the disease, a measure known as specificity.

But the test performed better for 12 cancers whose tumours tend to release higher amounts of abnormal DNA into the blood and which tend to have lower survival rates, including bladder, bowel, stomach, liver, lung, gullet and pancreatic.

The accuracy for this group was 73.7 per cent at stages one to three, with the test better at finding cancers at a later stage.

There are four stages of cancer, with stage four the latest, at which most cancers are terminal.

The results of the trial will be presented in full at the European Society of Medical Oncology annual congress in Berlin.

Responding to the findings, Professor Nitzan Rosenfeld, director of the Barts Cancer Institute at Queen Mary University of London, who was not involved in the trial, said they were 'impressive'.

The 62 per cent accuracy figure was also 'very encouraging and provides strong evidence that this test could be safe and informative', he added.

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The NHS is also currently conducting a major trial of the test involving more than 140,000 people and has previously hailed it a potential 'gamechanger'

But he noted that further data was vital before the test was rolled out.

Professor Anna Schuh, an expert in molecular diagnostics at the University of Oxford, meanwhile, who was also not involved in the trial said the 62 per cent result was 'disappointing as it is only fractionally better compared to tossing a coin'.

She added: 'Although it is better compared to current screening tests where still most positive results turn out to be nothing.'

Grail says its Galleri test would not replace routine cancer screenings, and should instead be paired with them.

NHS screening programmes currently include those for breast, cervical and bowel.

Around 385,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the UK every year, which is the equivalent of more than 1,000 cases being spotted every day.

Research published in the journal BMJ Open in May found that an annual blood test for cancer could lead to 49 per cent fewer late-stage diagnoses and 21 per cent fewer deaths within five years compared to patients receiving usual care.
Millions of Britons who have been told they are perfectly healthy could in fact be obese, scientists have revealed.

Under the current rules, a body-mass-index (BMI) score of 18.5 to 25 is healthy, 25 to 29 is overweight, and 30 or above counts as obese  the point at which the risk of serious illness soars.

But obesity experts have a proposed a 'radical overhaul' of how it is diagnosed, arguing BMI charts alone are not 'nuanced' enough.

Shocking research this week found that adopting the new definition would expand the number of people classed as obese by almost 60 per cent.

Fat, the scientists argued, can build up in people who are not typically considered overweight or obese under current rules, where it then sits around the middle.

Older bodies also have an increased fat build-up around the waist that, combined with age-related muscle decline, means there is no overall change in total weight.

This means that despite piling on the flab  a phenomenon dubbed by some as 'skinny fat'  the BMI system fails to raise the alarm, the researchers said.

And people don't realise they are at risk of obesity related health problems, including 'organ dysfunction'.

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Instead, they suggest adding waist size and weight-to-height ratio to help diagnose obesity to give a fuller picture of health  and many people may, in theory, be obese without realising it.

Under the new rules, obesity would be defined as either a BMI or over 40, or a BMI above 30, plus at least one raised measure, such as an increased waist circumference or waist-to-height ratio.

People could also be deemed obese under the new rules if they had a BMI below 30 but at least two raised measures.

According to the NHS, an unhealthy waist circumference measures 37in (94cm) or above for men and 31.5in (80cm) or above for women.

An unhealthy waist to height ratio, meanwhile, is defined as if a person's waist measurement is half (0.5) or more than half of their height.

The average UK man, for example, who stands at 5ft 9in tall and weighs 85.4kg, would be considered obese under the new definition if he had a waist circumference measurement of 37in.

This is because his waist to height ratio would sit at 94cm: 175cm, giving him a score of 0.54.

Despite a BMI of 27.9, putting him in the overweight category under the old criteria, he would have two raised measures.

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A woman, meanwhile, who stands at 5ft 2in tall and weighs the average UK female weight of 72.1kg would also be classed as obese under the new criteria and overweight using the old.

This is because, with an unhealthy waist circumference of 31.5in, her waist to height ratio would also be 0.51, giving her two raised measures.

In Britain, around 13 million adults are currently obese. The new calculation could see that figure soar to nearly 21 million.

Researchers backed up their findings with a study of over 300,000 American adults aged between 38-to-65-years, split roughly equally between men and women.

Writing in JAMA Network Open, the Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital researchers said: 'The prevalence of obesity increased by 60 per cent when using the new definition compared with the traditional BMI-based one.

The new definition of obesity was first proposed in January in a report by 58 global experts published in the prestigious Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal.

At the time, their recommendations were endorsed by numerous organisations, including the Royal College of Physicians.

Experts have previously criticised BMI as a measure of health.

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Devised by a Belgian mathematician in the 1830s, doctors have relied on BMI for almost two centuries.

It comes as a raft of long-awaited anti-obesity measures came into force in England earlier this month.

Under new Government laws, buy one, get one free deals on sweets, crisps, sugary drinks and other snacks have been outlawed in England, along with free refills of fizzy drinks in restaurants and cafes.

The crackdown will be followed in January by a ban on online adverts for unhealthy food and drink, and restrictions on TV advertising before 9 pm.

Ministers say the policies are designed to curb Britains growing obesity crisis.

A sobering report last year warned that Britains spiralling weight problem has fuelled a 39 per cent rise in type 2 diabetes among under-40s, with around 168,000 young adults now living with the disease.

Excess weight has also been linked to at least 13 types of cancer and is the second-biggest preventable cause of the disease in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK.
Patients are complaining about GPs more than ever, official figures have revealed.

More than 134,000 written grievances were penned about England's GP practices in 2024/25.

This is up over 10,000 on the previous year and almost double the number logged the year before Covid struck.

Communication, clinical treatment, staff attitude and behaviour, and appointment availability were the areas most complained about.

However, just half of all grievances were either fully or partially upheld by the health service.

Ministers have been under renewed pressure to fix the crisis in general practice.

Disgruntled patients have even previously complained of having to visit A&E instead, heaping extra pressure on swamped casualty units.

But the Government has repeatedly pledged to tackle the crisis head on and 'bring back the family doctor'.

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According to the figures, published by NHS England, there were 134,501 complaints submitted about GP services in 2024/25, an increase of 10 per cent on the 122,475 logged in 2023/24.

Clinical treatment and errors were the most complained about area for GP surgeries, making up 15 per cent of grievances.

Communication followed, accounting for 13.4 per cent of all complaints.

The attitude and behaviour of staff was also commonly criticised, being the focus of 12.4 per cent of complaints.

Prescription issues and the availability and length of GP appointments were other frequent issues, accounting for 8.5 per cent of grievances each.

But just 29.4 per cent of all complaints were fully upheld by the NHS, with 20.7 per cent partially upheld.

Access to GP appointments has been a bugbear of patients for years, with getting a slot likened to securing a ticket to Glastonbury because of the hated 8am phone line scramble.

In total, there are now over 28,000 fully-qualified full-time GPs in England. Numbers have dwindled over the past decade despite attempts to recruit thousands more.

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Many are retiring in their 50s, moving abroad or leaving to work in the private sector because of soaring demand, paperwork and aggressive media coverage of the NHS.

At the same time, the population has also grown, exacerbating the problem.

Patient satisfaction has also plunged to its lowest level in four decades as a result of the never-ending appointments crisis.

Health secretary Wes Streeting has vowed to make it easier for patients to access their GP practice.

Surgeries in England are now required to keep online forms open for the duration of their working hours for non-urgent appointment requests, medication queries and admin requests.

The move, ordered by the Government and introduced nationwide on October 1, was aimed at reducing the so-called '8am scramble'.

Many surgeries already have a system that allows patients to request consultations online, with staff reviewing these and booking appointments accordingly.

But the Department of Health says there is a lack of consistency, with some surgeries choosing to switch the function off in busier periods.

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Defending the change, Mr Streeting said there were 'safeguards' in place and that it was 'absurd' people can book a haircut online yet some GPs still refuse to let patients make appointments in the same way.

The British Medical Association, however, which warns doctors that carrying out more than 25 appointments a day is dangerous, has since dangled the threat of a formal dispute.

Union chiefs said safeguards were never put in place and no additional staff were brought in to manage what it predicts to be a 'barrage of online requests'.

But GP written complaints, was not the only record figure logged in the NHS data released this week.

Figures also showed the number of written complaints submitted to the health service as a whole in England had risen year-on-year to a new record high.

Experts said the stat should serve as a 'wake-up call'.

Some 256,777 complaints were made to the NHS in 2024/25, up from 241,922 a year earlier.

The figure is a 6.1 per cent increase year-on-year and the highest since data collection started in 2014/15.

Health secretary Wes Streeting (pictured) has vowed to make it easier for patients to access their GP practice

Reacting to the data, Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: 'The record number of NHS complaints in the past year should be a wake-up call.

'Every complaint represents a patient who felt unheard, dismissed, or failed by a system meant to care for them in their moment of need.

'Patients tell us that being listened to and taken seriously is one of the most important parts of their care, yet too often their experience falls short.

'Navigating a stressful and complex complaints process after a poor experience can compound the harm, especially for those who already face barriers to having their voices heard.'

As part of its 10-year plan, the Government has pledged to reform the NHS complaints process and improve response times to patient safety incidents.

However, Rebecca Curtayne, external affairs manager at Healthwatch England, said: 'The public needs clarity on what those reforms will involve and when they will be delivered'.

'We call on the Department of Health and Social Care to act swiftly,' she added.

'This should start with consulting the public on the design of the new complaints system, one that responds quickly when things go wrong, treats people with empathy, and genuinely learns from mistakes.'
Scientists are warning that the same chain of events suspected of starting the Covid pandemic in China could take place in Europe.

Under the 'natural origins' hypothesis, backed by the World Health Organization (WHO), scientists argue that the Covid virus jumped from bats to humans via a third 'intermediary' animal, such as a pig or pangolins, likely after it was exposed to bat droppings.

Now, researchers say similar conditions exist in Italy, and likely many other western countries, after they tracked bat activity at 14 pig farms.

Overall, they found bats were present at every piggery, with each hosting 500 to 8,000 pigs, and would pass through farms an average of 45 times a night. A total of eight different bat species were detected at the pig farms.

Tests for coronaviruses showed 15 percent of bats were infected with at least one strain of the virus. The bat species that visited the farms most often was found to carry at least two different types of coronavirus.

This raises the risk of an outbreak by making it more likely that pigs will come into contact with coronavirus-infected bats or their droppings, potentially catching the virus and then passing it on to humans through handling, farming or contaminated food and water. Once inside humans, the virus could acquire mutations that make it better adapted for human-to-human transmission, causing an outbreak.

Despite the potential outbreak risk, the researchers noted that there were no physical barriers to prevent contact between bats and their droppings and pigs, potentially risking the emergence of a new pandemic.

The scientists, from Italian universities in Rome and Padua, wrote in their paper: 'While urbanization and other [human] pressures are known as a threat for biodiversity, animals can be attracted to and thrive in [human] environments.

Shown above are people wearing face masks during the Covid pandemic in July, 2020 (file photo)

Pictured above is virologist Shi Zhengli, known as 'Batwoman' for her work on coronaviruses in Wuhan. Some suggest that the Covid pandemic was triggered by a leak from her laboratory

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'Species included in these environments... are more likely to act as a source of pathogens, due to higher interaction with humans and domestic animals.

'Therefore, understanding the actors and the triggers of these interactions might then be a crucial step in the risk assessment for the emergence of novel diseases.'

The Covid pandemic killed more than 1.2million people in the US alone, and disrupted hundreds of millions of lives, with schools closed, people sent to work from home, and hospitals turned into 'Covid wards'.

In early 2021, a team from the WHO concluded that the most likely cause of the pandemic was a coronavirus spreading from bats to humans via an intermediary animal, such as a pangolin or a pig.

In the agency's latest report from its top panel in June this year, it again concluded that a 'natural origin' was the most likely cause of the pandemic based on 'available evidence', and again said an undetermined intermediate species was likely involved.

Many experts, including US intelligence agencies like the FBI and CIA, believe, however, that SARS-CoV-2 escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), where coronaviruses were being studied at the time.

In the Italian study, published in PLOS One, researchers monitored 14 farms in northeastern Italy involved in the production of dry-cured San Daniele ham.

At each, a microphone was set up to record sounds made by bats and was turned on from dusk to midnight, the times when bats are most active, every night for five days.

It monitored farms in April and October in 2021 and 2022. These recordings were then analyzed to determine the presence of bat species.

The above image shows four bats leaving a cave (stock photo)

Visual inspections also revealed that three pig farms hosted bat colonies, with scientists collecting feces from these six times for analysis for coronaviruses. At least 20 bats were also caught from each of these colonies and tested for coronaviruses.

Scientists also caught bats at three private properties located near at least one of the pig farms and also tested these for the presence of coronaviruses.

Overall, the team obtained 86 days of sound recordings that contained a total of 4,587 calls from bats.

Of the 353 bats that were tested for coronaviruses, 55 tested positive for the presence of coronaviruses, or 15 percent.

Of the three colonies on farms, each was found to be from the species Kuhl's pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii). Testing on guano from these colonies revealed the presence of coronaviruses in guano in one of these colonies.

Of the eight species detected on the farms, the three most active were: Kuhl's pipistrelle, passing over farms 200 times per night on average and, in one case, more than a thousand times; the pipistrellus species, passing through farms 48 times per night on average; and Savi's pipistrelle, which passed through farms six times per night on average.

The other species detected were: the Serotine bat (Eptesicus serotinus), the Mouse-eared bat (Myotis sp.), the Lesser noctule bat (Nyctalus leislerii), the Lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) and the Greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum).

The scientists warned: 'Our study outlines a potential transmission route of bat [coronaviruses] to swine.

'[It also] highlights key risk factors [for an outbreak], including farm structures, biosecurity gaps, bat species involved, viral diversity and seasonal patterns of virus circulation.'
A common painkiller taken by millions could have cancer fighting properties, slashing the risk of womb, bowel, lung and prostate cancers, experts have suggested.

Ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory taken to relieve everything from headaches to muscle cramps, may also inhibit cancer growth and even alter how DNA is packaged within cells, potentially boosting immunotherapy treatments, medics claim.

The painkiller, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NAID) works by blocking two key enzymes called called COX-1 and COX-2 which send pain signals to the brain.

These enzymes break down fats in the body into prostaglandins, a chemical involved in pain, with COX-2 driving inflammation.

By blocking these pain signals, ibuprofen can help reduce inflammation and cell growthincluding tumour development, Professor Ahmed Eldbewidya cancer biology and clinical biochemistry expert at Kingston Universitysuggests.

Writing in the Conversation, the researchers cited a recent study, published in the European Medical Journal, which found the painkiller may lower the risk of endometrial cancer, the most common type of womb cancer.

One of the biggest modifiable risk factors for endometrial cancer, which starts in the lining of the womb, is being overweight or obese, since excess body fat increases levels of oestrogena hormone that can trigger uncontrollable cell growth.

Other known risk factors include age, oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapy (HRT), diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)which experts think may be due to the hormone imbalance.

Ibuprofen is taken by millions to reduce inflammation and ease pain, but experts now say it could help in the fight against cancer

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Early onset menopause, late menopause or not having children can also increase the risk of womb cancerwith cases doubling over the last 20 years.

Endometrial cancer typically starts in the lining of the womb, causing abnormal bleeding, discharge that may appear pink or brown in colour, and persistent abdominal pain.

In the study, researchers analysed data from over 42,000 women aged 55-74 from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial, over a 12-year period.

They found that those who took at least 30 ibuprofen pills a month had a 25 per cent reduced risk of developing endometrial cancer than those taking fewer than four tablets a monthwhile aspirin showed no measurable effect.

The researchers said their findings offer new insights into potential chemopreventive strategies, especially amongst women with heart disease.

However, ibuprofen's potential cancer-fighting effects don't stop there Prof Eldbewidy suggests; it may also reduce the risk of bowel, breast, lung and prostate cancer.

For example, a 2016 study found that bowel cancer survivors were less likely to relapse if they took ibuprofen. Other studies have shown that the painkiller can limit colon cancer growth, and some evidence even suggests a protective effect against lung cancer in smokers by reducing chronic inflammation.

However, the growing body of research remains conflicting, with a recent review finding that regular use of NAIDs like ibuprofen could increase the risk of kidney cancer, highlighting how complex the interaction between inflammation and cancer really is.

Womb cancer affects around 9,7000 women every year in the UK. Nicknamed a silent killer, when the disease is diagnosed at later stages, only 15 per cent of women will survive

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For now, Prof Eldbewidy says: 'The idea that a humble painkiller could help prevent cancers is both exciting and provocative.

'If future studies confirm these findings, ibuprofen might one day form part of a broader strategy for reducing cancer risk, especially in high risk groups.'

But, because regular use doesn't come without significant risks, experts say it it better to focus on focusing on lifestyle factors, such as eating more anti-inflammatory foods, maintaining a healthy weight staying physically active to help ward off disease.

It comes as cancer cases are predicted to soar to record highs by 2040, with one Briton told they have the disease every two minutes.

The analysis, carried out by a coalition of 60 cancer organisations, known as One Cancer Voices, shows the most common cancers  breast, prostate and lung  will hit unprecedented levels, while more than 63,000 cases are predicted in children and young people.

The risks

And it's not that ibuprofen is a miracle drug, with doctors long warning that regular use can increase the risk of kidney failure, stroke and heart attack.

Dr Dean Eggitt GP and CEO at Doncaster Local Medical Committee previously told the Daily Mail that even slightly exceeding the recommended dose over the course of a week or month, not just a day, can cause permanent kidney damage.

This is because of how the drug is processed by the body, irritating the stomach lining and increasing the risk of stomach ulcers, which can lead to peritonitis.

Peritonitis occurs when the lining of the stomach becomes infected, which can be caused by heavy painkiller use.

Left untreated the condition can be life threatening. The peritoneum covers internal organs including the kidneys, liver, and bowel, which can become damaged when the lining is infected.
Hidden fat surrounding organs and stored in the liver may quietly damage arteries  even in people who look thin  according to a major study.

Researchers at McMaster University in Canada analysed MRI scans and health data from more than 33,000 adults in Canada and the UK.

They found that visceral fat  the type that builds up in and around internal organs  was strongly linked to thickening and clogging of the carotid arteries, which supply blood to the brain.

Narrowing of these arteries is a major risk factor for stroke  and may also indicate that other vital blood vessels, such as those supplying the heart, are becoming blocked.

The findings, published in Communications Medicine, challenge the long-standing reliance on body-mass index (BMI) as a measure of obesity.

'This study shows that even after accounting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors like cholesterol and blood pressure, visceral and liver fat still contribute to artery damage,' said co-lead author Professor Russell de Souza, from McMaster's Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact.

He described the results as 'a wake-up call for clinicians and the public alike.'

Co-lead author Professor Marie Pigeyre, of McMaster's Department of Medicine, said the research highlights the need for more advanced ways to assess fat distribution  not just overall weight or waist size.

Hidden fat surrounding organs and stored in the liver may quietly damage arteries  even in people who look thin  according to a major study

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'You can't always tell by looking at someone whether they have visceral or liver fat,' added Professor Sonia Anand, corresponding author and vascular medicine specialist at Hamilton Health Sciences.

'This kind of fat is metabolically active and dangerous  it's linked to inflammation and artery damage even in people who aren't visibly overweight.'

Experts say the results underline the importance of imaging-based methods to spot 'hidden' fat deposits that raise heart-disease risk, and could lead to more personalised prevention strategies.

The news comes as up to 60 per cent more adults could be classed as obese under a radical shake-up of the BMI system proposed by experts.

Under current rules, a BMI score of 18.5 to 25 is healthy, 25 to 29 is overweight and 30 or above counts as obese  the point at which the risk of serious illness soars.

But 58 international specialists this week suggested an overhaul of how obesity is diagnosed, arguing that BMI alone is too blunt a tool.

They suggest adding waist size and weight-to-height ratio to give a fuller picture of unhealthy body fat.

Researchers from Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital, who examined data from more than 300,000 American adults, found that adopting the new definition would expand the number of people classed as obese by almost 60 per cent.

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In Britain, where about 13 million adults are currently obese, the same calculation could see that figure soar to nearly 21 million.

Experts called the findings 'important' and warned the 'substantial rise in obesity prevalence' could have 'profound financial and public-health implications'.

Under the proposed rules, people could also be deemed obese if they had a BMI below 30 but at least two raised measures, such as a waste circumference of more than 37ins for men and 31.5ins for women, or a raised waist to height ratio.

Writing in JAMA Network Open, the Harvard team said: 'The prevalence of obesity increased by 60 per cent when using the new definition compared with the traditional BMI-based one.'

Although their BMI appeared healthy, these so-called 'anthropometric-obesity' individuals had a significantly higher risk of organ dysfunction and diabetes than people without obesity  and were more than three times as likely to suffer organ damage.

The researchers also found that nearly 80 per cent of participants aged 70 or over were classed as obese under the new criteria  double the current rate.

Earlier this year, 50 experts from around the world proposed a 'radical overhaul' of how obesity is diagnosed and treated by including waist and height measures alongside BMI. Their recommendations were endorsed by the Royal College of Physicians.

A raft of long-awaited anti-obesity laws came into force this month.

'Buy one, get one free' offers on sweets, crisps, sugary drinks and other snacks have been banned in England, along with free refills of fizzy drinks in restaurants and cafes. From January, there will also be a ban on online adverts for junk food and restrictions on TV advertising before 9 pm.

Ministers say the crackdown is designed to tackle Britain's growing obesity crisis  with excess weight linked to at least 13 types of cancer and blamed for a 39 per cent rise in type 2 diabetes among under-40s.
Drug deaths in England and Wales have reached an all-time high, and experts warn that the trend will continue following a terrifying emergence of a 'zombie' substance 300 times stronger than heroin.

A record-breaking 5,565 drug poisoning deaths were recorded in 2024  a rate of 93.9 deaths per million people, according to new figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Alarmingly, 195 of these deaths involved nitazenes, a powerful synthetic opioid, nearly quadrupling the 52 fatalities recorded in 2023.

The ONS's figures cover drug abuse and dependence, fatal accidents, suicides and complications involving both illegal drugs as well as prescription and over-the-counter medications.

The statistics body also said figures for drug misuse and for specific substances are undercounts because in around a fifth of cases, no information is provided about the specific drug or drugs involved on a death registration form.

In England and Wales, the North East continued to have the highest rates of deaths relating to drug poisoning, the figures showed.

It is three times higher than the lowest region, the East of England.

There has also been a considerable rise in drug deaths in London, increasing to 662 from 500, experts say can be attributed to the cost of living crisis and rising levels of deprivation in the capital.

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In the North West there were 873 deaths from drug misuse and drug poisoning, with nearly 300 in Manchester alone.

Ian Hamilton, associate professor of addiction at the University of York, told the Daily Mail: 'A rise in deaths from nitazines, is a reflection of wider use, and this is a real concern.

'There is also a delay in reporting these figures, so there is likely already wider use than people realise. This is just the start of a trend of rising nitazene deaths. It will undoubtedly rise next year and be with us as a problem for a while.'

The fear is that the drug is being cut into commonly used drugs without people realising and it could lead to a crisis like in the US where fentanyl, a similar drug, has taken hold.

The opioid fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and is the primary drug in North America, where synthetic opioids are estimated to have caused 75,000 deaths in the US last year.

Nitazenes have similar properties to fentanyl, but can be up to 300 times stronger than heroin.

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They were first detected in the UK from a sample of white powder found in the back of a taxi in Wakefield in April 2021, nitazenes have since been found in heroin, cannabis, cocaine, in a vape and most prevalently in black market pills sold as the anti-anxiety drug diazepam.

Mr Hamilton said: 'This is a cheap and incredibly potent drug, so it is unsurprising that it is being used to bulk up supply of other substances. What that means though is that people are unknowingly consuming the harmful drug.'

The Turning Point charity, which helps people with substance abuse problems, called for increased availability of medication to be given in the event of opioid overdoses.

Chief operating officer Clare Taylor said: 'Synthetic opioids continue to flow into the market.

'Lab-produced opioids pose a significant risk to life due to their potency and this is reflected in the fact that deaths related to nitazenes have increased four-fold compared to the previous year.

'We would like to see continuing efforts to increase availability of naloxone, a life-saving medication which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

'If Government is serious about tackling regional health inequalities, then proper investment in drug and alcohol treatment is needed.'

Overall this is the twelfth consecutive annual rise in drug deaths. Since the 1990s annual record drug deaths have doubled.

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Figures show while deaths spiked among middle-aged Britons, fatalities among Gen Z fell for a fourth year in a row.

While drug deaths for those under 20 is now a third of what it was in the 90s, the increase in deaths for those aged 40-49 is up by a quarter in the same period.

By drug, cocaine killed a record number of people last year, with annual deaths due to the illicit substance having soared 10-fold in just a decade.

The substance made up 23 per cent of all deaths recorded, a three per cent rise on last year.

A quarter of all cocaine-related deaths were among the over-50s, the highest proportion ever recorded. Nine victims were over the age of 70.

Britain is believed to snort around 117 tonnes of cocaine per year, according to the UK's National Crime Agency, and has the second highest consumption rate in the world.

Rates were highest among people in Generation X, who were born between 1965 and 1980, and are now in their 40s and 50s.

The data revealed that men were also twice as likely to suffer from a drug related death.

It added that because of delays, around half of the deaths registered in 2024 will have occurred in previous years.

David Mais, from the ONS, said: 'We are seeing a small but continued increase in the rate of deaths relating to drug poisoning, with opioids and opiates, such as heroin and morphine, the drugs most commonly mentioned on death registrations.

'However, in a fifth of cases, no information is provided about the specific drug or drugs involved.

'The more information coroners can provide on registrations, the more detailed our analysis can be of the substances most associated with drug poisoning deaths.'
Two people in California have been infected with a potentially deadlier strain of Mpox acquired within the US.

The Los Angeles County Department of Health this week confirmed two unidentified residents in the county have tested positive for 'Clade I' Mpox, which kills up to one in 10 people it infects.

The individuals had not traveled outside of the US to high-risk areas like East Africa, meaning they acquired it locally. This is the first time Clade I has been acquired locally in the US.

The first case, reported Tuesday, involved a resident of nearby Long Beach, while the second, reported Thursday, was in a resident of Los Angeles County.

Both patients were hospitalized but are now recovering at home, health officials said. No further details have been released.

The Clade I strain is more severe than the Clade II type, which is currently circulating in the US and was behind the 2022 outbreak. Clade II has a fatality rate of less than three percent and has killed 63 Americans since the 2022 outbreak.

Clade I, which has a fatality rate of up to 10 percent, spreads more easily, 'including through close personal contact,' such as massages, cuddling and sex, health officials said.

There have been six cases of Clade I Mpox reported in the US among people who have traveled to areas associated with outbreaks in Central and East Africa, according to the CDC, including a California resident infected last November. The agency said none of those cases were linked to each other.

The above 2024 image shows a patient in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) infected with Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox

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That California resident last year had a mild illness, officials in San Mateo County said at the time.

Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement: 'While the overall risk of ... exposure to the public remains low, we are taking this very seriously.

'This underscores the importance of continued surveillance, early response and vaccination.'

Cases of Clade I Mpox in Africa are not closely tracked, but the most recent estimates from the CDC in late 2024 have counted nearly 40,000 suspected cases in the Central and East Africa, namely in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Formerly known as monkeypox, Mpox spreads through close, intimate contact such as through bodily fluids, sores, sharing bedding or clothing, kissing, sex, coughing or sneezing.

Symptoms 'include rash or unusual sores that look like pimples or pus-filled blisters on the face, body and genitals, fever, chills, headache, muscle aches or swelling of lymph nodes,' the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said.

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services advised avoiding sex and intimate contact and seek immediate medical help if individuals develop 'an unexplained rash or lesions.'

The above file image shows Mpox particles in red within an infected cell (blue)

In the DRC, CDC officials said transmission has been from 'contact with infected dead or live wild animals' and 'household contact often involving crowded households,' along with sexual contact.

Most patients recover on their own, though antiviral treatments 'may be considered for individuals with or at risk of developing severe illness,' the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services said.

Anyone in the US who suspects they have been exposed to Mpox in the last 14 days or has certain sexual risk factors, such as gay or bisexual men, can receive two doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine to prevent infection.

People with HIV or who are immunocompromised are also eligible.




Bog Queen is available now from the Mail Bookshop

BOG QUEEN by Anna North (W&N 18.99, 288pp)

Norths previous novel, Outlawed, was an alternate-reality Western imagining an American flu pandemic during the 19th century.

Her new book offers another slantwise take on historical fiction.

It follows Agnes, a forensic scientist investigating the death of a woman discovered in a Shropshire bog  not a murder victim from the 1960s, as colleagues say, but an Iron Age druid from more than 2,000 years ago.

As Agnes finds her work at the bog obstructed by big business and green activism, the novel cuts to the fateful life of the long-dead woman, leaving us to detect parallels.

North cleverly splices the on-trend genre of eco-fiction with the timeless appeal of whodunnit to dish up a prehistoric murder mystery meditating on the condition of women through the ages.

Heap Earth Upon It is available now from the Mail Bookshop

HEAP EARTH UPON IT by Chloe Michelle Howarth (Verve 16.99, 288pp)

Howarth made the shortlist for the Nero Book Award for Debut Fiction with her first novel, Sunburn, celebrated for its nail-biting depiction of girl-on-girl desire in small-town Ireland in the 1990s.

Simmering secrecy is likewise the order of the day in her new book, a slow-burn rural Gothic perfect for chilly autumn nights.

At the centre of the story are four orphaned siblings who attract gossip about their hidden past when they pitch up at a village in rural Ireland in search of a new life.

While a mysterious prologue keeps us guessing why exactly theyre staying quiet, we watch a dangerously hot attachment develop between one of the siblings, Anna, and a local farmers wife Betty.

Name-tagged chapters alternate between everyones point of view  not always reliable  as the novel rattles to its powder-keg finale.

The Four Spent the Day Together is available now from the Mail Bookshop

THE FOUR SPENT THE DAY TOGETHER by Chris Kraus (Scribe 16.99, 320pp)

AMERICAN writer Kraus achieved cult status with her 1997 autofictional novel I Love Dick, later screened on TV with Kevin Bacon and the comedian Kathryn Hahn.

Her latest book, also drawn on her own life, follows a writer named Catt, although shes barely distinguishable from Kraus herself.

We see her as a delinquent schoolgirl in the 1960s, then as a celebrated author blighted by the alcoholism of her second husband.

Then theres a breakneck swerve in emphasis, once Catt grows fixated on a real-life murder committed by three teenagers in Minnesota.

Reminiscent of Edoardo Albinatis 2019 novel The Catholic School, which also mixed memoir and true crime, its an intriguing experiment  yet the degree to which Krauss left turn brings the novel to life cant help but cast doubt on the need for the rest of the book.
Silent Bones is available now from the Mail Bookshop

Silent Bones by Val McDermid (Sphere 22, 448pp)

Lead cold-case detective, DCI Karen Pirie  known to millions in two TV series  returns in a gripping mystery that opens with the discovery of a skeletal body buried in a motorway embankment.

It turns out to be investigative journalist, Sam Nimmo, who disappeared 11 years ago after the murder of his pregnant fiancee.

The world believed he fled because he killed her, but Pirie and her Historic Cases Unit have other ideas.

Meanwhile, the accidental death of an Edinburgh hotel manager starts to look like murder, leading the team to a book club with just 12 members who are among the most powerful in Scottish society.

Fine characters and a corkscrew twist at every turn.

The Hawk is Dead is available now from the Mail Bookshop

The Hawk is Dead by Peter James (Macmillan 22, 512pp)

Queen Camilla is a fan of Jamess Brighton-based Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and now finds herself the principal character in his 22nd Grace story, which begins with the derailment of the Royal Train in a tunnel in Sussex, when Camilla is on the way to visit hospices in the county.

Her Majesty survives, but Private Secretary Sir Peregrine Greaves is shot by a sniper after the pair have climbed to safety.

The obvious conclusion is that Camilla is the target, but Grace is less certain and so begins this wonderful example of Jamess talents. Could there be a plot in Buckingham Palace, and if so, what? Packed with detail about the workings of the modern monarchy, the plot thunders along, underlining just how consummate a crime novelist James is.

Lucky Thing is available now from the Mail Bookshop

Lucky Thing by Tom Baragwanath (Baskerville 22, 336pp)

Police records clerk Lorraine Henry, who made her debut in the award-winning Paper Cage, returns in this dramatic story about a female student, who is found almost dead and dumped in the New Zealand bush.

Lorraines detectives dont know what to think, and feel that it could just be an accident. But the indefatigable clerk does not agree and starts to investigate herself  even though she is a middle-aged woman who isnt an accredited detective.

But Lorraine knows who has secrets to hide among the inhabitants of her little town, and she doesnt mind that she is underestimated by her colleagues.

Wonderful, emotional storytelling with a fine protagonist  an Antipodean Miss Marple, but fiercer makes this too good to miss.
He WAS the King. No dispute. Springsteen fans can revere The Boss, but in the history of rock music, Elvis still reigns supreme.

The beautiful boy from Tupelo, Mississippi, may have become a bloated, drug-addled shadow of former glory and yet, to those of us who hero-worshipped him, his crown shines as brightly as ever  that is, as long as you clear your mind of unpleasant facts.

Elviss infidelities, his dissolute life at Graceland with his notorious entourage, his utterly appalling irresponsible attitude to raising his daughter. All of it is very well-documented  but the sound of Thats All Right can drown out carping truths.

Newly-weds: Elvis and Priscilla boarding their private jet following their wedding in Las Vegas

A strange, obsessive adoration still turns Priscilla Presley into his No 1 super-fan. The young wife who did the unthinkable and left him (after 13 years together) in February 1972 will never kick her Elvis habit. After more than five decades, Priscilla is still declaring her love. I never regretted my decision to leave Elvis, she writes. But I never ceased to mourn it.

Undying love is the theme that runs insistently throughout her new memoir: He was the most beautiful, talented, loving human being I have ever known.

Presley has already told the story of her courtship by Elvis when she was a rather shockingly young 14 (he was ten years older) and the marriage at 22 which left thousands of women fuming with jealousy.

This memoir picks up where her 1985 book, Elvis And Me, left off and seems to be more frank. Its as if the passing of years has made her feel more free  and in any case, we live in the era of tell all.

Whats more, Priscilla Presley is very much her own woman  one who with determination, confidence and the Presley ego, forged a successful career in acting and in business and saved Graceland. Whether or not she feels, in any dark night of the soul, that she made a success of her relationships with men and of motherhood is another matter.

M ost women will find her honesty about being a Sixties woman in the States astonishing: The expectations for girls . . .was to find and secure a good husband. I worked hard to meet those expectations. There were rules for almost everything girls did back then. I should never phone a boy, for that would be forward.

Lovers: Priscilla with Robert Kardashian, 1976

A womans purpose was to meet her mans needs before considering her own. I was to listen to my husband without expecting him to listen to me. I should never question his instructions or behaviour. I felt it was my job to keep him happy, not the other way around. And so on.

Needless to say, Southern-boy Elvis just loved all that. He expected to tell her what to do, what to wear, what to cook, and needed her to lay out his pyjamas every night. He got what he demanded: a docile wife who would always greet him with full hairdo and make-up in place, listen to him talk endlessly and never question what he did  or who with.

True Love?: Priscilla never warmed to Michael Jackson, only meeting him twice during his marriage to her daughter Lisa Marie

She had to tolerate the guys in his entourage bringing pretty girls into Graceland to meet the man who was king of all he surveyed. No wonder she says: The struggle wore me down and I began to feel like the proverbial bird in a gilded cage. Priscilla reveals that even after their divorce she and Elvis still prattled in their old, intimate baby-talk. He would telephone her at all hours, even if she was in bed with other men.

And although she was entitled to act as she pleased, Priscilla was careful not to annoy him.

Once, she was in bed with Robert Kardashian when the phone rang and she just knew who it was. Surely only a woman still enthralled by her ex would creep out of bed at 2am, chat as long as he wanted, then creep back to her slumbering lover? He never knew Elvis had called. And Elvis never knew about Robert.

If Elvis had, he would have gone ballistic and he always carried a loaded gun.

The issue was that, despite our divorce, he still couldnt wrap his head around my being with somebody else.

Michael Jacksons quick courtship of her daughter Lisa Marie met with her disapproval. Lisa Marie divorced the man who was probably the only one to truly love her, Danny Keough, and married Jackson three weeks later. I was appalled, Presley says. I didnt believe he loved her.

She describes going to a dinner party at Lisa Maries house, hoping to get to know Jackson. But the superstar Jackson stayed as far away from me as possible, playing outside with the children. Thats a rather chilling detail.

He later showed up at a tribute to Elvis in Memphis, where they didnt speak. Those were the only two times she saw her son-in-law. Cue another disaster.

Priscillas story is shot through with the kind of loss that would floor most people.

You cant help wondering at the forces that led to so much bad luck within one family  but the words privilege and drugs do spring easily to mind.

She tells of the relentless addiction struggles of her son Navarone Garcia (with Brazilian screenwriter and computer programmer, Marco Garibaldi Garcia), recounts the terrible suicide of her grandson Benjamin Keough and, of course, the premature death of her daughter, Lisa Marie, Elviss only child.

The saga would be relentless were it not told with an almost detachment, perhaps due to having a professional writer as intermediary.

Softly, As I Leave You is available now from the Mail Bookshop

Or perhaps a life spent in the public eye has taught her iron self-control.

Priscilla Presley is 80 now, and arguably more beautiful than she was as an over-made-up teenager courting Elvis.

The complex story of her relationship with tragic Lisa Marie  my wild child  is as riveting and heartbreaking as ever.

To understand the other side I recommend the daughters own story, From Here To The Great Unknown, written with Priscillas granddaughter, the talented actress Riley Keough.

For the Presley family story never ceases to enthral.

This latest instalment begins and ends with sincerely expressed, almost obsessive love for Elvis  the ghost who will surely haunt his ex-wife as long as she remains in the Heartbreak Hotel of her life.
Olivia Attwood opens up on divorce rumours as she admits she and Bradley Dack 'really weren't getting on very well' as she reflects on using partying to cope


Reality TV star Jennifer Welch has sparked fury by suggesting that 'white people test the racist water' during an appearance on CNN.

Welch, 52, appeared on Newsnight with Abby Philip Thursday where a panel was discussing Vice President JD Vance's response to an explosive group chat associated with the Young Republican National Federation organization.

The chat featured hundreds of racist and sexist messages including praises of Adolf Hitler and one description of rape as 'epic,' a Politico investigation revealed.

Vance on Wednesday seemingly brushed off the offensive messages, saying that 'kids do stupid things' and 'tell edgy, offensive jokes.'

He added that he would encourage his children to be careful what they post online and teach them to always assume that 'some scumbag is going to leak it in an effort to try to cause you harm or cause your family harm.'

Welch hit back at Vance's response, telling CNN that she grew up in a conservative state where she believes racist rhetoric is normalized.

'This is beyond locker room talk. I'm a white woman that has lived in a red state my entire life, and I can tell you when I'm around white people, they test the racist water,' the interior designer and former Sweet Home Oklahoma host said.

Her comments were massively criticized online, including by Senator Ted Cruz who dismissed her as someone who 'spends her time with Democrats.'

Reality TV star Jennifer Welch sparked fury on CNN Thursday night by suggesting that 'white people test the racist water'

Welch (left) appeared on CNN's Newsnight with Abby Philip Thursday night where a panel was discussing Vice President JD Vance's response to an explosive group chat associated with the Young Republican National Federation organization

'They test it on people like you all, all the time,' Welch said of racist white people as she addressed the diverse panel around her.

'They try to say off-color things. I put my hand up. It absolutely happens and you're fortunate that maybe you haven't experienced it -'

'I'm from a different generation,' Kmele Foster interjected.

Ashley Allison replied: 'Can I just say, literally this August a white person said the n word - in front of me.'

'The vice president of the United States. This is a horrible,' Welch said.

'These were not kids. These were grown men,' Allison added. 'If they committed a crime, they would be prosecuted as adult.'

Welch added that some of the alleged racist comments were made by women.

She also slammed Vance, whom she pointed out 'has mixed race children,' for not calling out 'this horrible racism.'

Welch's remarks were heavily criticized by social media users, some of whom branded her a 'liar' while others argued the comments actually 'revealed she is a racist.'

'Jennifer definitely exposed herself for being a racist last night,' one X user wrote.

'So all the white people she hangs out with are racist? I'm not surprised,' said another, while one added: 'I think she's referring to the voices in her head.'

Her comments were massively criticized online, including by Senator Ted Cruz who dismissed Welch as someone who 'spends her time with Democrats'

'Just because you hang with racists does not actually mean we are racists,' another added.

Others blasted CNN for even allowing Welch's commentary to air.

'To allow this type of racism to go out over the public airways is appalling. Revoke CNN's license,' one tweeted.

'Can we, the white people in red states, sue CNN for discrimination?' one furious social media user wrote.

'Bet she'll end up as a new The View host. She'll fit right in,' echoed another.

Some users rushed to Welch's defense, saying they too have experienced the narrative she described.

'I can co-sign what she is saying. I look like a friendly to the racists. They accidentally say things in front of me all the time,' one X user wrote. 'You Trump white nationalists can try and say racism doesnt exist, but some of us white people know the truth.'

Another added: 'Growing up in Alabama, I can attest to what she's saying.'
Fox News viewers joked that host Martha MacCallum was left smitten after interviewing New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani.

The 33-year-old Democratic Socialist, who is the Democratic nominee in the race, made his Fox News debut on Wednesday in a sit down with MacCallum.

Almost immediately, MacCallum laughed and smiled ear-to-ear after Mamdani cracked a joke about his opponent, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

'Last night I asked ChatGPT where is the global finance center of the world, and it said New York City. Which made me feel good', MacCallum said.

After she asked Mamdani if he was proud of that fact, he joked: 'We should be proud of it.

'That is one thing you have in common with Andrew Cuomo because he also uses ChatGPT to answer many questions, including how to solve the housing crisis.'

MacCallum laughed at the remark and as the camera panned back round towards her she was seen flashing a charmed smile back at the state assemblyman.

Commenters on Fox News's YouTube page were tickled by the rapport between the anchor on the famously conservative network and a hard-left lawmaker.

Martha Maccallum enjoyed a warm rapport with Democrat NYC Mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani during an interview on Wednesday, surprising some viewers

Mamdani made his Fox News debut on Wednesday when he appeared to quickly win over MacCallum

'She's trying to hide that she likes him', one person commented, as another posted: 'She's smitten', following by several laughing emojis.

Another said: 'His smile is making her smile and she even LOL at his joke about Cuomo!'

'Not sure what's better, Mamdani winning over a Fox host in real time, or the cope in the comments', one other added.

Maccallum also won praise for conducting the interview in a professional manner and pushing Mamdani hard to clarify his left-wing views and costly plans to lower inequality in the Big Apple.

While on Fox, Mamdani took the opportunity to directly address Donald Trump, saying he would speak with the president about lower the cost of living.

Staring down the camera, he admitted that Trump 'might be watching right now' and he wanted to 'speak directly' to him.

He said that he would work with anyone, including Trump, to make his goals of an affordable New York City come true.

'I want to build not only with Washington DC, but anyone across this country,' he said.

'It's important because too often the focus on the needs of working-class Americans are put to the side as we talk more and more about the very times of corrupt politicians like Andrew Cuomo that delivered us into this kind of crisis.'

After the network shared their exchange to their YouTube page, users felt the 61-year-old anchor was left 'smitten'

Trump has consistently branded Mamdani a communist, while Mamdani previously labeled himself as 'Trump's worst nightmare'.

The interview came one day before New Yorkers tuned in to Thursday night's debate involving Mamdani, Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.

Mamdani maintained his smiling, hopeful and charismatic persona that has come to characterize his campaign throughout the face off.

He is currently leading in polls by double digits after campaigning on a host of populist left-wing policies.

Mamdani has said he wants to make the city's buses free, open a government-run supermarket and tax those earning $1 million or more a year an extra one per cent to fund his plans.

He has won huge support among younger and working class New Yorkers who say the city is becoming too expensive for people on low or average incomes to survive.

But many business leaders and police have vowed to flee New York if Mamdani wins.

They worry his socialist policies will raise the cost of doing business, with Mamdani's previous attacks on the New York Police Department as 'racist' also raising cops' hackles.

The aspiring mayor apologized for attacking the police on Fox News.

Many New York Jews have also expressed concern over his staunch pro-Palestine stance and vow to have Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested should he set foot in the Big Apple during a Mamdani term.

Mamdani has denied being anti-Semitic.

Mamdani won the Democratic primary by a significant margin, which forced Cuomo to run on an Independent ticket.
Drivers of petrol and hybrid cars can breathe a sigh of relief after new figures showed the crimewave of hacking catalytic converters off the underside of vehicles has almost dissipated entirely.

During epidemic levels seen in 2021, over 7,000 motors were targeted for their catalytic converters and the precious metals they contained.

Just five years ago, gangs were regularly stealing catalytic converters in broad daylight by sawing and smashing them off exhaust systems while vehicles were parked on driveways, at the roadside and even in public car parks - often causing thousands of pounds worth of damage and writing off cars in the process.

However, the number of reported instances dwindled to around 150 last year as manufacturers and police forces across the country reacted to the spree by putting measures in place to tackle it.

Auto Express says catalytic converter theft 'may soon be a thing of the past' as a result.

But another reason for why the volume of catalytic converter thefts has declined is because criminals now have a new, more lucrative, target.

As revealed earlier this week by Daily Mail and This is Money, EV charging cables have become prime prey for thieves looking to make a quick buck - and, like catalytic converters, it's all down to a rising metal price...

During epidemic levels seen in 2021, over 7,000 motors were having catalytic converters stolen for their precious metals inside. But that number has shrunk to around 150 by 2024 as gangs switch focus to a new lucrative target...

Auto Express issued a freedom of information request to all 48 police constabularies across the UK requesting the volume of catalytic converter thefts reported over the past six years.

Following responses from 30 forces, it concluded that thefts of the vehicle part have fallen by 98 per cent when compared with 2021.

At the height of the issue four years ago, these 30 forces held records of 6,909 catalytic converter thefts.

But last year this figure shrunk to a mere 150 over the 12-month period.

In South Yorkshire, for example, there were 850 incidents of theft registered under the term catalytic converter in 2021. However, this dropped to only five last year.

Criminals had been preying on the exhaust devices because they contain valuable metal parts that can be sold at a premium

Number of catalytic converter thefts reported to police 2019: 3,008 2020: 5,331 2021: 6,909 2022: 5,442 2023: 1,991 2024: 150 Source: Data provided to AutoExpress following FOI request to all 48 UK police forces (30 responding with figures)

Criminals had been preying on the exhaust components because they contain valuable metals that can be sold at a premium.

Catalytic converters are designed to trap harmful toxins from being emitted out of the exhaust pipe of petrol and hybrid models. Diesel cars do not have them, instead using diesel particulate filters (or DPFs).

One of the metals found inside catalytic converters is palladium.

The price of this commodity more than doubled between 2019 and 2021, eventually peaking in early 2022. At the time, it was more valuable than gold.

Values have since dropped back, but palladium prices have been on the rise again since April this year.

Rhodium - another precious metal used in catalytic converters - followed a similar rise and fall in value as palladium over the same period.

The third metal inside the exhaust part is platinum. Prices for platinum are currently soaring at a 10-year high.

The price of palladium and rhodium - precious metals used in catalytic converters - rose dramatically post-pandemic, which saw the exhaust devices become easy targets for thieves

The catalytic converter is part of a vehicle's exhaust system. Criminals during the peak of the crimewave would hack them off the underside of the car in seconds, causing irreversible damage even write offs

During the epidemic of thefts, gang even created a shopping list of models known to have the best quality devices.

All were hybrid cars, which were ripe due to their higher concentration of the precious metals.

Insurer Admiral told us at the time that the most susceptible hybrids were the Honda Jazz, Toyota Prius, Toyota Auris and Lexus RX of all generations and ages.

Speaking to Auto Express about why there has been a decline in catalytic converter thefts - particularly in the previous two years - assistant chief constable of the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), Sarah Grahame, said forces across the country had effectively 'worked with partner agencies to tackle the issue'.

This included the implementation of a database to register and track stolen catalytic converters.

Manufacturers - including Toyota - also took to forensically marking the parts to help trace the major gangs behind the crimewave.

To tackle catalytic converter thefts, the police implemented a database to register and track the stolen parts. Manufacturers also took to forensically marking the parts to help trace the major gangs behind the crimewave

Where have criminal gangs turned their attention?

With catalytic converter thefts in decline, thieves are instead turning their focus to electric car charging points - and, more importantly, the copper-laden cables.

The price of the metal has climbed 3.7 per cent between September and October as global supply contracted following production losses at Indonesias Grasberg mine.

As such, charging cables have moved up thieves' pecking order of easy - and lucrative - targets in recent months.

EV charging cables have become the new prize target for thieves now that copper prices are rising

Data gathered from police forces has revealed there have been more than 200 attacks on EV chargers across the UK costing millions of pounds.

Public charging operator Allego UK this week warned that this is just the 'tip of the iceberg' as many incidents go unreported and many police forces do not hold relevant records linked to charging cable thefts.

InstaVolt, one of the country's biggest charging providers, exclusively told This is Money and Daily Mail that it has started to use state-of-art security measures to stay ahead of organised crimes to protect their assets.

CEO Delvin Lane told us it has introduced a patent-pending EV cable protection system called CableGuard - a sheath that encases the cable and is forensically traceable, upgraded its CCTV to 24-hour coverage and rolled out real-time live tracking GPS.
Have you ever wished you were brave enough to dine alone? Or maybe you've wanted for a truly intimate experience for two?

Well now you can - and in perhaps the most unique way yet because Hyundai has launched what might be the nation's smallest restaurant.

That's because it's in the back of a tiny electric car.

Called 'Backseat Bites', it's located in a Hyundai Inster electric car, providing a 'one-of-a-kind' encounter at a time when Britons are 'hungry for new experiences'.

The 23,305 Inster is the South Korean brand's smallest EV, which is just 3.8 metres long and 1.6 metres wide offering a mere 66 square feet of dining space - smaller than any other eatery in the country.

The mini and portable restaurant plays to the fact that the Inster hails from Korea, just like the cultural phenomenon of Honbap - meaning to dining alone. The Inster EV has been selling in Korea since 2021 as the 'Casper' and is officially the company's smallest model.

If an electric, bonkers, compact and cultural food experience is for you then you can sample Korean cuisine for one day only - the 22nd of October in Soho, London.

The world's smallest restaurant? Hyundai has turned its Inster EV into a 'Backseat Bites' restaurant for experimental diners

Hyundai says it has designed the Inster Backseat Bites with 'both solo diners and curious duos in mind', to bring Korea to the streets of London.

The electric city car - which has a range of up to 229 miles - is transformed into a compact dining space, complete with bespoke Korean street art by illustrator Yoy Han, and a menu curated by the culinary experts at ChungDam.

Hyundai is offering guests an opportunity to experience authentic Korean delights and delicacies including Beef Tartar, BBQ Pork Belly, and Cold Kimchi Noodles.

And it's all because of a 'cultural shift' that's seeing an appetite for personal escapes, with 45 per cent of Britons saying they've gone solo to the cinema, more than half have holidayed alone and two thirds are going out for food by themselves.

Eating out alone at a cafe, pub or restaurant was voted the most empowering, with 66 per cent of people finding it so.

The 4m long, just over 1.5m and 1.6m tall city EV is complete with bespoke Korean street art by illustrator Yoy Han

The menu has been curated by the culinary experts at ChungDam - does it take your fancy?

Diners can experience authentic Korean delights and delicacies including Beef Tartar, BBQ Pork Belly, and Cold Kimchi Noodles

Hyundai has found that Britons, but young people especially are wanting to have 'soo experiences' with eating out alone at a cafe, pub or restaurant voted the most empowering

In particular, Gen Z are the most likely to plan a solo experience seeking discovery and empowerment in the next six months - and Hyundai's hoping these people will wind up at its tiny Soho restaurant on wheels.

Ashley Andrew, president of Hyundai, said: 'Backseat Bites is more than just a restaurant. Designed for the nation's adventurers, whether solo or with friends, it offers guests an entirely unique taste of Korea from an unexpected location  the backseat of a car.

'Hosted from the comfort of our brand-new INSTER, its spacious, stylish interior and fold-flat seating makes this latest addition to our range of EVs the perfect host for this unique experience.

'From the bespoke artwork to the traditional cuisine, Backseat Bites is a celebration of Korean culture and a tribute to the joy of doing things your own way.'

Backseat Bites is open to the public on Wednesday 22nd October at 35-36 Greek Street, from 1pm to 8pm. It's free but you need to book online as tickets are limited.

'From the bespoke artwork to the traditional cuisine, Backseat Bites is a celebration of Korean culture and a tribute to the joy of doing things your own way,' Ashley Andrew, President of Hyundai and Genesis UK, said

Backseat Bites is open to the public on Wednesday 22nd October at 35-36 Greek Street, from 1pm to 8pm. It's free but you need to book online as tickets are limited

The Hyundai Inster is the South Korean brand's smallest EV, as well as its cheapest electric offering, starting from 23,305

Is the Inster the smallest UK restaurant experience?

We can't know for sure but it seems highly likely that the Hyundai Inster Backseat Bites on wheels also qualifies for the smallest restaurant in the UK.

The other competitor to the tiny title would be a Norfolk restaurant that ITV believed could take the title in 2023 because it can only fit a single table.

The restaurant, owned by Charlie Hodson, accommodates for one reservation at a time, with between two and 20 diners accommodated for.

But the Inster can only provide food and seating for two, it definitely beats Hodson and Co. No 23 in Aylsham.

Perhaps an even smaller electric car diner experience will pop up?
Ros Altmann is a former Pensions Minister who now sits in the House of Lords.

Recent weeks have seen an almost non-stop flow of suggested pension policy reforms for the upcoming Budget.

Because so much public money is spent on pensions, and many commentators believe money should be redistributed away from the old to the young, several radical ideas have been proposed.

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves should aim to change as little as possible in the near-term and avoid adding new complexities, while ideally encouraging more pension contributions to benefit British growth and investment.

Pensions could help revive the British economy, but damaging policy changes could also undermine the whole concept of pension saving and destroy confidence for the future, leaving millions poorer in later life.

Let's run through what the Chancellor might introduce in the Budget on 26 November, plus a couple of pension reforms which I consider beneficial and would get my support.

Here's how the Chancellor COULD overhaul pensions in the Budget

1. Cut tax-free cash

There have been strong rumours that the Chancellor would like to reduce the amount of tax-free cash that people can take from their pensions. Currently, up to a quarter of most pension funds can be withdrawn tax-free and spent as you like.

Unless you have a protected sum, the maximum amount of tax-free withdrawals is capped at 268,275. This could be reduced to, say, 50,000.

Ros Altmann: Pensions could help revive the British economy - but damaging policy changes could undermine them

This change would particularly hit people relying on using their tax free lump sum to pay off a mortgage or other loans, who would now face a high tax bill to withdraw the money.

The rumours of this possible change have already caused huge amounts of money to be withdrawn from pensions, just in case the limit is lowered.

Many of those taking money out now may regret this later if there is no change, while those not quite at age 55 (the minimum age that you can make such withdrawals) will be most upset if the change does happen.

The pros of reducing tax-free cash would be significant extra revenue for the Chancellor, without hitting those with more modest pensions, so from a social equity perspective the Government may find this tempting.

The cons of such a draconian retrospective change include severely damaging confidence in pension saving and undermining the attraction of pensions overall.

2. Impose National Insurance on pensions in payment

Another change that has been rumoured is for the Chancellor to start charging National Insurance on the income older people take from their pensions.

Currently, pensioners' income is subject only to income tax, and a quarter is tax-free.

The Chancellor could introduce a new National Insurance pension levy, which could be at much lower levels than the full rate of 8 per cent that applies to anyone earning more than around 12,500 a year.

It could perhaps be set at the 2 per cent rate which applies to working age people earning over around 50,270 a year.

Average pensioner incomes in the UK are approximately 21,000 a year. Assuming say, eight million pensioners pay 2 per cent on 9,000 of income (the amount above the personal allowance) they would each pay around 180 a year in new tax and the Chancellor would receive about 1.4billion in extra revenue.

The pros would be the Chancellor receives significant extra revenue, and higher taxes on pensioners would 'level the playing field' with working people.

It could be portrayed as an issue of inter-generational fairness, which is a theme that has been very popular with this Government.

But this would seem to break the Government's promise not to increase income tax, NI or VAT, and would upset millions of pensioners.

3. Abolish higher rate pension tax relief

This has been proposed for many years. The Treasury very nearly introduced a completely new system of pension incentives in 2016, but ultimately shied away from the negative headlines that would accompany such a radical change.

It has long been argued that pension tax relief is unfair to average earners and mostly benefits the 'rich'. The higher earners receive much more generous reliefs than basic rate taxpayers.

Those earning over 50,270 a year can receive much more money from the Government to add to their own pension contributions than someone earning less than them.

With basic rate tax of 20 per cent, the tax relief is equivalent to a 25 per cent bonus added to your pension. For every 4 you put into your pension, the Government adds another 1.

But for a 40 per cent taxpayer, the bonus is 66 per cent added to your contribution. For every 3 you put into your pension, the Exchequer adds another 2.

The deal is even better for 45 per cent taxpayers, but the very highest earners do face reduced annual allowances (see below).

There have been many studies pointing out that an incentive system based on a flat-rate top up to pension contributions, rather than using tax relief, would be much fairer and would ensure the incentives are less inequitable.

A 25 per cent bonus would mean everyone receives the equivalent of basic rate tax relief, so all higher or upper rate taxpayers would lose out.

A 30 per cent bonus added to each person's pension contribution would redistribute the 70billion of tax and National Insurance reliefs that His Majesty's Revenue and Customs spends each year, so that lower and middle earners receive more help to build their pension than now, while higher earners receive less.

This sounds attractive in theory, but would also be fiendishly complicated to introduce. It would probably take several years, and would require careful modelling, consultation and analysis, to prepare administration systems for this kind of change.

Depending on how the new incentive 'bonus' would work, there could be significant long-term cost savings for the Treasury, while enhancing its efforts to redistribute income from higher to the middle and lower earners.

4. Turn pensions into Isas

This option was seriously considered in 2016 as well. It would save huge amounts of money to the Treasury in the near term, because suddenly the Government would not be spending any money on tax reliefs for new pension contributions.

Isa contributions are made out of taxed income, and then there is no more tax to pay on the investment returns or on withdrawals.

An Isa-Pension could operate on similar principles, but of course without any tax relief on the way in, less money would be going into these types of pensions initially.

The costs to employers would also need to be considered. The Lifetime Isa was an attempt to try out the concept of an Isa-Pension, but it has not proved popular.

Allowing tax-free withdrawals at age 60 would most likely see people cashing in their pension as soon as they can

The Government adds 25 per cent to your own payments into the Lifetime Isa account, which is the equivalent of basic rate tax relief, however the product has serious drawbacks.

This is partly due to the confusion between using the Lifetime Isa for house purchase, or using it as an addition (or replacement) for the annual allowance pension contributions.

Lifetime Isas have arbitrary age limits and money is locked until age 60, rather than 55, and a major problem is the 25 per cent penalty imposed on early withdrawals that are not used for purchasing a qualifying property.

The 25 per cent penalty is more than the 25 per cent bonus added at the beginning, so people have complained about being worse off after putting money into the Lifetime Isa than if they'd invested in an ordinary account.

This radical option would, in my view, undermine pension saving.

Allowing tax-free withdrawals at, say, age 60 would most likely see people cashing in their pension as soon as they can, just in case a future Government changes the rules and imposes new taxes.

5. Change annual allowance rules

The annual allowance is a threshold which restricts the amount of pension savings you are allowed to earn tax relief on each year to 60,000.

The total annual pension contribution cannot be greater than your earnings, so anyone on average earnings could not contribute anywhere near the annual limit.

The Chancellor might want to reduce this to, say, 30,000, saving some money spent on tax relief.

Rachel Reeves may be tempted, more for ideological 'hit the rich' reasons than to raise serious revenue, to reduce or even abolish the 'tapered annual allowance', which only applies to the very highest earners - those earning over 200,000.

Their permitted annual pension contributions reduce as their so-called 'adjusted earnings' increase from 200,000 to 260,000, reaching a reduced maximum of 10,000. It would not save much money as there are relatively few top earners.

Budget 2025: Chancellor Rachel Reeves will announce her plans on 26 November

There is also the 'money purchase annual allowance', which the Chancellor may decide to reduce or even scrap altogether.

The MPAA is a 10,000 limit on annual pension contributions that receive tax relief for those who have already taken more than their tax-free cash out of their money purchase defined contribution pension.

Again, this is unlikely to save much money as it only applies to a small proportion of people.

Reducing these annual allowances is straightforward  it is easy to understand and not too complicated to administer. The changes would not really impact the majority of working people, as only the higher earners are likely to find their contributions restricted by these lower limits.

Such changes would also save money in the first year they were introduced, and be maintained in future years, pending a stronger fiscal situation.

The huge drawback to any changes to the allowances relates to defined benefit salary-linked pensions.

The public sector schemes, including NHS, would be seriously impacted as senior staff would find that their high salaries and large pension accruals each year will push them over the lower limit, meaning they will end up paying possibly significant sums in tax on their pension contributions.

The Chancellor could decide to apply the lower annual allowances only to DC pensions and exclude anyone paying into a DB scheme, but that would be deeply unpopular with well-paid workers in the private sector and likely to attract very negative media headlines.

Drawback: Changing pension allowances could impact senior staff in the public sector

6. Limit pension allowance carry forward rules

The current system allows people who have already used their full annual allowance of 60,000 this year to carry forward any unused annual allowance from the last three years as well.

The Chancellor could decide to reduce the number of years that contributions can be carried forward, or even stop carry forward altogether for next year and save some tax relief that way.

Again, this would mostly hit the higher earners, but would not raise significant amounts of revenue.

7. Make auto-enrolment compulsory - and axe tax relief on the minimum contribution levels

The Chancellor could take advantage of current very low opt-out rates for workplace auto-enrolment pensions and follow the Australian example of compulsion.

With participation rates for eligible workers in auto-enrolment being around 90 per cent, changing the rules to make all minimum auto-enrolment contributions compulsory, would affect only a small proportion of the workforce.

The benefits of compulsory contributions would be to ensure all workers were actually building up a private pension fund, to supplement state pensions and also that the Government would no longer need to add an 'incentive' to these contributions, because they are compulsory.

Currently, the tax relief on minimum auto-enrolment levels is only a minor element. Employees earning below 50,270 (those on basic rate tax) pay 4 per cent of their 'band earnings' into their workplace pension, with the employer adding a further 3 per cent and tax relief at basic rate adds only 1 per cent.

Higher-paid workers receive more than this in tax relief, as explained above.

But all low-paid workers in a 'net pay' scheme actually contribute 5 per cent themselves and do not receive any tax relief, so the Government might be tempted to level the playing field under a compulsory system, but ensure all basic rate taxpayers put in 5 per cent (just as the lowest earners in a net pay scheme do) and the employer will add 3 per cent as now.

Because the Chancellor would no longer be paying tax relief to millions of workers, there would be significant cost savings to the Treasury.

Of course, this does mean that there could also be new incentives introduced to encourage people to contribute more than the minimum level, for which they would then receive extra incentives from the Government, but that does not have to happen immediately.

The biggest positive would be significant fiscal savings for the Chancellor. With opt-out rates so low, most workers would be relatively little affected.

But compulsory pension contributions may be very unpopular and could be portrayed as a new type of workplace tax. Increasing the workers' contributions from 4 per cent to 5 per cent of 'band earnings' (between 6,240 and 50,270 a year) would have some social equality merit, but would potentially see workers' take-home pay reduced.

There could be pressure on employers to pay the extra 1 per cent instead of their employees, adding to cost problems faced by many since recent employer National Insurance increases.

8. Scrap National Insurance relief and salary sacrifice

The cost of National Insurance relief is estimated to be around 20billion a year and is often considered an anomaly of the incentive system.

This is because tax relief was designed to be deferred tax, which allows people to contribute to their pension without being taxed, but then they would pay tax on the pension they receive in retirement.

However, allowing employers to claim National Insurance relief for the pension contributions they pay on behalf of staff is pure tax leakage.

Pensioners do not pay National Insurance on their pension income. In addition employers can use 'salary sacrifice' to pass on the savings in National Insurance to workers as well, giving an extra boost to their pension, at no additional cost.

The operation of salary sacrifice is widespread, with the majority of auto-enrolled workers using this system.

Employers have set up costly and complicated administration systems to ensure their auto-enrolment schemes are operating properly.

A decision to ban the use of salary sacrifice and end employer National Insurance reliefs for pension contributions would save billions of pounds a year, but would up-end pension administration systems and add new costs to employers who would have to change all their systems.

It is unlikely this could be introduced quickly  and could take years.

Two pension reforms that would help savers AND the economy

9. Require 25 per cent of all new pension contributions to be invested in British assets

Pension funds should use tax relief to invest in British companies, infrastructure and property assets.

This would help the Chancellor fulfil her economic objectives, at no additional cost to the Treasury.

She needs to boost the economy, revive growth, attract investors to British infrastructure, property and sustainable alternative energy projects, and increase support for British businesses - both new ventures struggling to raise start-up or follow-on finance and established firms that are languishing at low ratings.

At least, say, 25 per cent of all new pension contributions could be invested in British assets - quoted companies, venture capital, start-up capital and real assets such as infrastructure, property and alternative energy.

It could be a game-changer for corporate UK, with billions of pounds newly flowing into British businesses and assets.

Pension funds in all other countries invest with a significant home bias  most other countries have well over 20 per cent or 25 per cent in their domestic assets.

UK pension funds used to have around 50 per cent invested here too, but over the past decade or two, they have consistently been selling UK equities, underinvesting in British businesses, abandoning our markets and putting most of their money overseas.

This has contributed to a major de-rating of corporate valuations, with great British companies  old and new - being unable to find sufficient long-term equity capital.

This has made us all poorer and weakened growth.

It used to be the case that British pension funds were constantly looking for good domestic companies to invest in. But now, these good domestic companies are constantly seeking long-term investors. Losing the reliable flow of pension capital has seen companies struggling to grow, or being snapped up cheaply by overseas competitors.

If pension funds want to put more than, say, 75 per cent of their contributions in overseas assets, instead of here, they would not receive help from British taxpayers.

It would be their choice. This is not mandation, it is a quid pro quo for receiving the taxpayer money.

The Chancellor's decision to impose inheritance tax retrospectively on unused pensions on death, starting in April 2027, is a disastrous change

10. New tax on unused pensions that bypasses inheritance tax

The Chancellor's decision to impose inheritance tax retrospectively on unused pensions on death, starting in April 2027, is a disastrous change which has raised too little opposition from the pension industry and commentators.

By including pensions in a person's estate, the Treasury is going to cause chaos for the loved ones trying to administer and pay tax on the person's assets.

Currently, there is no difficulty because the pension or other death benefits are mostly outside your estate.

From 2027, the proposal is to force anyone who is responsible for managing the affairs of someone who has died to find out what pensions they had and how much they are worth, to prove that they are the person who is administering the estate, to identify who would inherit the pensions, and to say how much inheritance tax (if any) needs to be paid.

All of this information needs to be verified, calculated and checked carefully for accuracy within six months of the date someone passes away  otherwise not only will inheritance tax be due, but HMRC will charge 8 per cent interest on any inheritance tax not yet paid.

This will put an almost impossible burden on many personal representatives - executors and administrators of estates - who will struggle to provide the right paperwork to pension firms, and will not know all the complexities of the different types of pensions and other benefits that could be paid out.

Instead. to avoid what is obviously going to be an absolute nightmare, the Chancellor could consider introducing a new tax on unused pension benefits, administered completely outside the inheritance tax system, payable by the pension provider.

This could be set at a level of, say, 10 per cent, 15 per cent or 20 per cent, but would apply to all unused pensions, regardless of whether the person's estate pays inheritance tax.

It would be a straightforward amount to collect and would raise extra revenue for the Chancellor.
Australia's housing crisis is reshaping the country in ways few anticipated - and could well lead to significant political upheaval.

What began as a property affordability issue has spiralled into a runaway crisis, with the median house price surging from $192,000 in 2000 to nearly $1million today.

As home ownership slips further out of reach, young Aussies are delaying parenthood, giving up cars, and staying in homes they can't afford to leave unless 'the Bank of Mum and Dad' steps in.

It's quietly rewriting the rules of love, family and politics, and effectively reshaping the fabric of the Australian way of life.

Divorce rates falling but love isn't the glue

With financial stress often cited as a major factor in relationship breakdowns, it stands to reason that the cost of living crisis would drive divorce rates higher.

The opposite has occurred. The rate of divorce is at its lowest level since the introduction of no-fault divorce in 1976.

But for many, it's not about staying together for love - rather it's about keeping a roof over their heads.

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Divorce comes with obvious costs - lawyers, moving, and most significantly, running two households instead of one

For many, the prospect of joining the difficult search for two homes in Australia's overheated, understocked housing market is more daunting than staying with a soulmate who now resembles an insufferable flatmate.

University of Sydney economics lecturer Luke Hartigan co-authored a study that found lower house price growth increases the likelihood of separation, while higher-than-expected growth discourages it, especially among low-income households, women with lower education, and older couples.

He said the consequences of soaring house prices and their relationship to marriage and divorce have largely been ignored, with the trend unlikely to subside if property prices continue to rise.

'We found the likelihood of divorce was typically more pronounced for high-education and high-income couples with children,' he said.

'We also found divorce was more likely for couples with a mortgage as well as younger couples.'

Renters abandoning the major parties

In 1987, less than two per cent of Australians voted for third parties. At the last election, it was one in three voters. (Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is pictured)

The rising cost of living is reshaping how Australians vote, with housing affordability now one of the most decisive issues in federal elections.

Home ownership has been steadily declining for decades, with nearly one in three Australians now renting. Alarmingly, three out of five renters believe they will never be able to afford a home of their own.

Futurologist Rocky Scopelliti said that, for the first time, young Australians are not expecting to live better than their parents - they're expecting to live smaller.

'As younger Australians realise they are inheriting both a broken housing market and an ageing fiscal system, the sense of intergenerational inequity is deepening,' he said.

'That disillusionment has political consequences.'

Historically, homeowners have leaned conservative while renters skew progressive, notes Professor Scopelliti. But when ownership itself becomes unattainable, new political identities emerge.

'This could explain the rising volatility of younger voters and the increasing appeal of minor parties or independent movements,' he said.

Futurologist Rocky Scopelliti (pictured) said the housing crisis is shifting voting habits

'The next political realignment in Australia may not be left versus right, it may be own versus rent.'

Demographer Simon Kuestenmacher said that in 1987, less than two per cent of Australians voted for third parties. At the last election, it was one in three voters.

He predicts that within a few election cycles, we may well see a prime minister from outside Labor or Liberal.

'If home ownership doesn't become much more affordable soon, the third parties will continue to gain ever more votes,' he said.

Priced out of parenthood

Australia's fertility rate has fallen to its lowest level on record, as steep rents and mortgage repayments delay major life decisions such as starting a family.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data shows the total fertility rate dropped from 1.84 births per woman in 2000 to 1.48 in 2024, well below the replacement rate of 2.1.

Analysis by KPMG attributes the decline primarily to economic pressures, noting changes in disposable income have a significant impact on the nation's birth rate.

Urban economist Terry Rawnsley said rising rents, mortgage payments and childcare costs in metropolitan areas are putting a handbrake on people's parenthood plans.

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For many married couples, staying together is a financially necessity as the cost of living bites (stock image posed by models)

He said Perth had previously done the heavy lifting when it came to driving Australia's population growth, but the increase is still well below pre-pandemic levels.

'Perth's relatively strong fertility rate is driven by the fact its housing market is still much more affordable compared to the east coast,' he said.

'Young families can find a decent-sized block much closer to the city than they can in Sydney or Melbourne, for just a fraction of the price.'

ABS head of demography Beidar Cho said in 2024 the median age of mothers was 32.1 and fathers was 33.9, showing a slow but steady increase over the past decade.

'This shift toward older parenthood reflects broader social changes and economic shifts,' she said.

'This includes things like more time spent in education such as university and TAFE and higher workforce participation by women.'

Australians racing the biological clock, turning to IVF

The soaring cost of property has become a silent macroeconomic force behind the boom in Australia's assisted reproduction industry, with UNSW data revealing one in 16 babies is now born via IVF.

Among women aged over 35, that figure rises to nearly one in 10.

As couples spend their prime fertile years saving for a home and building careers to cover rising living costs, many are delaying parenthood and facing a ticking biological clock.

Emily Gentles has spoken of her struggles to conceive Eloise (pictured) after delaying parenthood

This trend is driving a surge in couples seeking IVF, often undergoing multiple costly rounds of treatment.

Melbourne mum Emily Gentles defied the odds to become a parent at 43.

After multiple failed IVF rounds and a heartbreaking miscarriage, motherhood felt out of reach. But two years later, she welcomed baby Eloise without medical intervention.

'Building a career and more importantly not being with the right partner until this age were the main reasons [for] the delay in trying to have a baby,' she said.

'However, as soon as we made the decision to try for a family, we were greeted with statistics that made it feel like a near-impossible task.

'After six months of trying naturally, we embarked on an IVF journey as we were told, "At your age, this is really your only viable option."'

Professor Georgina Chambers (pictured) said it's a common misconception that IVF can easily solve infertility

Professor Georgina Chambers, director of UNSW's National Perinatal Epidemiology and Statistics Unit, said it's a common misconception that IVF can easily solve infertility.

'For each fresh or frozen IVF cycle started in 35-year-old women, the live birth rate is around 30 per cent,' she said.

'This drops to 15 per cent for a 40-year-old and 10 per cent for a 42-year-old.'

We're unhappier

Australia's housing crisis is not just an economic issue - research shows a clear link between housing stress and rising levels of psychological distress.

The HILDA survey has been asking Australians every year since 2001 to recall how often they felt happy, joyful, sad, tired or depressed in the last month.

In 2013, less than one in five Australian men and women reported they had experienced distress.

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More than one in four women reported being in distress in the annual HILDA survey

Fast forward a decade, and more than one in four women (27.5 per cent) and nearly one in four men (22.8 per cent) reported being in distress, an increase of roughly 50 per cent.

The largest increase in psychological distress was reported for those aged 25 to 44.

The Salvation Army's Red Shield Report 2025 found 71 per cent of people experienced housing stress and 33 per cent feared homelessness.

According to advocacy group Everybody's Home, renters now need to earn $130,000 a year to afford an average unit.

It's not just renters feeling the squeeze.

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth were named among the top 15 most unaffordable places in the world to buy a home in the 2025 Demographia International Housing Affordability Report.

Everybody's Home spokeswoman Maiy Azize said tax breaks that inflate house prices and lock people out of home ownership must be wound back.

'Every year, billions of taxpayer dollars are handed to property investors through negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount, with everyday Australians paying the price,' she said.

Sydney (pictured) was named the second-most impossibly unaffordable city in the world, only behind Hong Kong

'These tax breaks are among the most unfair and distortionary in our economy. They make housing less affordable, benefit higher-income Australians, and lock everyday people out of safe and affordable housing.'

Small business feels the squeeze

There's a strong link between Australia's surging property prices and the mounting challenges faced by small businesses, with half of the businesses launched in 2019 closing their doors by 2023.

In major urban centres like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, commercial property prices and rents have soared, stifling the nation's 2.7 million small businesses from thriving and surviving.

According to the ABS Counts of Australian Businesses, 370,500 small businesses closed in the last financial year, a 21 per cent increase from pre-pandemic levels.

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There's a strong link between Australia's surging property prices and the mounting challenges faced by small businesses, as commercial rents have soared

Nearly half (49.3 per cent) of those businesses are owned or operated by individuals or families.

While traditional storefronts and offices face mounting pressure from rising rents and a workforce increasingly drawn to remote work, a different kind of workspace is thriving: the virtual office.

Remote work adoption has accelerated this shift, allowing companies to operate without the burden of expensive physical office space in prestigious districts.

Virtual office services in Sydney CBD towers like Barangaroo and Melbourne's Collins Street start at just $19 a month for a basic address, and can climb to $600 for full-service packages that include mail handling, receptionist support and access to meeting rooms.

Large dog breeds are vanishing from our cities

Declining housing affordability has driven many Australians, especially younger renters and apartment dwellers, towards higher-density urban living.

This shift, coupled with rising costs, has led to a preference for smaller, lower-maintenance pets such as cats, small dogs or fish over larger dogs, which require more space, according to a report by Animal Medicines Australia.

It found that while overall pet ownership remained high (69 per cent), the proportion of households with larger dogs has declined, while cat ownership has risen.

Large dog breeds like golden retrievers are becoming less common in Australian cities

And as the nation struggles through a cost-of-living crisis, there's been a surge in pet surrendering, with rescue shelters reporting that large dog breeds are becoming homeless more than any other pet.

RSPCA animal operations general manager Kristy Blake said that in the past year alone, there was a 52 per cent spike in animals waiting to enter its shelters simply because their families can no longer afford to care for them.

If housing is the foundation of a stable society, then Australia is building on shaky ground.

Professor Scopelliti said Australia's housing crisis is a psychological and cultural fault line running through the heart of the nation.

'When a generation loses its stake in housing, it doesn't just lose financial security, it loses emotional security,' he said.

'The Australian dream has long served as a social contract between generations. That contract is being rewritten, and the next generation wasn't invited to the table.'
A Metropolitan policewoman has been struck off after running a tanning business for two years while telling the police she could not report for duty due to mental health issues.

PC Jennifer Stowers, 37, based within Central West Command Unit, ran her mobile spray tanning firm, @jenniferstowerstan via Instagram, between May 18, 2023 and April 2, 2025, while claiming to be unable to work in person, the misconduct panel heard.

On November 23, 2023, the officer was referred to occupational health after informing her line manager she could no longer work in the office due to her mental health, for which reasonable adjustments were made.

However, her line manager later found her firms Instagram page where PC Stowers offered tanning services to wedding parties, hen dos and private home visits on April 2, 2025.

A professional standards panel concluded that her actions were intentional and deliberate and had an 'adverse effect on the police service and public confidence.

The panel was told the officer tanned numerous clients away from home, and on May 2, 2023, posted an advertisement where she said she was happy to travel and give clients a safe and sunkissed tan in the comfort of [their] own home.

In 2024, PC Stowers had also made numerous posts which included clients and availability, the appropriate authority said.

That same year, she was also crowned Spray Tanning Artist Of The Year both nationally and in the region for southeast England by Gb Beauty & UK Hair Awards.

And during an interview, on June 4, 2025, PC Stowers admitted she may have tanned a friend of two during regular breaks while on duty.

PC Jennifer Stowers, based within Central West Command Unit, ran her mobile spray tanning firm, @jenniferstowerstan via Instagram, between May 18, 2023 and April 2, 2025, while claiming to be unable to work in person

She is also alleged to have failed to apply for a business interest and of running it while on duty, Scotland Yard said

During evidence, PC Stowers said: It was just a hobby I was interested in, and it made me feel better to be honest.

When questioned she said she had purchased her 2024 award, adding it wasnt legitimate, while also claiming her five thousands plus followers were because of a following loop and were also not genuine.

Chairing the panel, Commander Katie Lilburn asked PC Stowers if she had tanned during work time due to the timings of her social media posts, to which the officer said she had scheduled posts in advance to get optimum engagement

PC Stowers also claimed to have realised the firm was more of a business than a hobby when people gave her payment for [it].

She also claimed she charged just to cover the costs of the business such as petrol, hair nets and other supplies and she wasnt profiting from her mobile tanning firm.

The 37-year-old said she never posted a price list publicly and had only mentioned costings on social media openly via a Kent wedding forum.

The appropriate authority argued that if the officer was fit to run a spray tanning business and travel to clients, she was fit to return to office in her role as a police officer.

They also claimed, by running the spray tanning business, PC Stowers had undermined public confidence in the Metropolitan Police.

The Daily Mail has also seen a video of Ms Stowers carrying out a spray tan on a client on August 19 of this year

Ms Stowers tanning business was crowned Spray Tan Artist of the Year in the southeast region and the UK by GBbeauty & UKhairawards in 2024

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By failing to register the business to the force or inform her line manager, PC Stowers was found to be in breach of discreditable conduct.

For running the business while working from home due to mental health, PC Stowers was found to have breached standards for integrity.

And, for tanning clients during breaks, she was found to have breached standards of duties of responsibilities, amounting to gross misconduct.

Commander Lilburn found an advertisement posted by PC Stowers on May 2, 2024 was to attract customers and was not essential travel

She also noted that PC Stowers had been pictured on social media at nightclubs, bars and at a wedding, suggesting she was a model for a stylist.

Commander Lilburn told the panel: The officer has lied to her line manager and to occupational health, and in doing so had breached honesty and integrity, [which] is essential to the role of a police officer.

She therefore found PC Stowers guilty of gross misconduct, and dismissed the policewoman without notice.

Commander Lilburn said PC Stowers was intentional and deliberate in running the spray tanning firm over a two-year period.

She has lied to her supervisor and Occupational Health for her own benefit, she added.

I find the level of culpability to be high.

There was no direct harm but there is an adverse effect on the police service and public confidence.
Two weeks ago, Elle Rugari took her daughter Alice to hospital hoping for a quick fix to lingering pain in her left foot, but instead left the appointment with their world turned upside down.

The four-year-old had been diagnosed as anaemic last year and was often getting nosebleeds.

She complained about pain in her foot, so her mother took her to Noarlunga Hospital in southern Adelaide, where they did blood tests.

The doctor described the initial results as 'spicy' and did some more tests.

Earlier this month, the family was given a devastating diagnosis. Alice had B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

'My heart dropped,' Ms Rugari, 31, told Daily Mail.

'If I could take it from her and go through this and it would be my fight, I would 100 per cent take it from her.

'It's hard to process and it's starting to kick in for her. We had to tell her on Monday night that she was going to lose her hair and that was really rough.'

Alice went into hospital with a sore foot and found out she had cancer

Alice has a long fight on her hands but is described at sassy and headstrong by her mother

Alice may have to fight the cancer for up to three years but the survival rate is good

In the past two weeks, Alice has received steroids twice a day, had five doses of chemotherapy, two red blood cell transfusions and a platelet transfusion.

'We're in the induction period which goes for a month before another bone marrow biopsy decides which treatment path they go down,' Ms Rugari said.

'We're in the early stages so they haven't given us a prognosis, but they did say the treatment would last nearly three years.'

One of the hardest things for Ms Rugari was watching her daughter undergo surgery for a chemotherapy port, which is an implanted device that allows drug delivery without the need for constant injections.

'She was holding onto my hand so tight,' she said.

'The doctors said "no she's asleep you need to leave the room", but she was holding on. That was the hardest I've cried. I had to put my child to sleep for this surgery because she has cancer.'

Alice is described by her mother as a 'cheeky, sassy, headstrong girl', and that determination will be vital in her fight against the potentially deadly disease.

Around 85 per cent of children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia remain cancer free after five years.

A GoFundMe page has attracted plenty of interest with many donations coming in

The four-year-old has been told she would lose her hair as she undergoes cancer treatment

The five-year survival rate is only 40 per cent in adults, but is above 90 per cent in children.

B-cell is the most common subtype of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

'She knows how to give a good fight. She's very assertive with the doctors. If she doesn't like something she will tell them,' Ms Rugari said.

'It's very scary for her and she's vocal about that.

'She didn't quite understand what was happening at first and we had to tell her something.

'We told her that her body was making some bad bug blood and that she would get some superhero medicine which would go into her to fight the bad bug blood.'

Ms Rugari and her husband Cody Rugari also had to break the news to their six-year-old son Leo who has autism, along with Mr Rugari's daughter Layla, 15.

A GoFundMe page has raised nearly $20,000 for the family.
Buoyed by a Middle East triumph that has won over even some of Donald Trump's doubters, White House aides now see a president who is undoubtedly riding a high, but whose optimism is tempered by his history with an indomitable adversary.

A White House source familiar with conversations surrounding the president's meeting with Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Trump is in an 'ambitious mood,' even as he's realistic about Vladimir Putin's playbook.

'He feels he has momentum on his side to tackle this, but I know he is extremely frustrated with Putin because he thinks he is making him look bad on the world stage.

'He is going in even more skeptical and ready to use more aggressive tactics if he has to,' the aide said, when describing Trump's posture with Putin.

Trump spoke to Putin in a 'productive' phone call on Thursday and the pair agreed to fresh peace talks in Hungary in the coming weeks, although a date has not been confirmed.

The stakes could not be higher. But a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza and subsequent hostage-prisoner swap will be a walk in the park when compared to the relentless, unpredictability of Putin, analysts tell the Daily Mail.

Putin commands a nuclear arsenal, controls Europe's energy supply and has shown no signs of backing down after almost four years of grinding war in Ukraine.

'Putin is a mob boss. Hamas are street thugs,' said Len Khodorkovsky, a former deputy assistant secretary of state.

'Putin is a master manipulator... former KGB,' said a former senior defense official in the Biden administration. 'He's made it clear he wants to continue the war.'

A Ukrainian serviceman stands among the rubble in the courtyard of destroyed residential buildings in the frontline town of Kostyantynivka, Donetsk region, on Sunday

Ukrainian soldiers take part in trench training at a British base on Wednesday

Trump walks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as they arrives at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on August 15 in Anchorage, Alaska

Since their frosty Oval Office clash in February, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance openly criticized Zelenskyy for what they called a 'lack of gratitude,' the dynamic between the American president and his Ukrainian counterpart has thawed.

Trump has moved from a handsoff approach with Putin to a tougher stance, even declaring that Ukraine could reclaim land taken by Russia. In a September Truth Social post, he labeled Russia a 'paper tiger' and, for the first time, called it the aggressor in the war.

President Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, marking a clear shift toward strengthening USUkraine relations following months of pressure on Kyiv to make compromises in its conflict with Russia.

A recent phone call between the two leaders reportedly included discussions about the potential transfer of longrange Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv, a topic expected to be revisited during their meeting.

According to the former senior Biden Defense Department official, Trump's recent strong posture in Gaza means his high-pressure tactics are now taken very seriously.

'Trump was able to strongarm Netanyahu,' the official said, pointing to his influence in the recent Gaza ceasefire negotiations.

Trump speaks to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport before boarding his plane to Sharm El-Sheikh, on October 13

In Tel Aviv, Israel on October 13, 2025, residents and families of hostages gathered at Hostage Square, awaiting the return of those held by Hamas as Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal

Released Israeli hostage Avinatan Or greets wellwishers upon arriving at Beilinson Hospital in the Rabin Medical Centre in Petah Tikva in central Israel

With Iranthe main funder of Hamas'basically eliminated' following the 12day war, the official said, 'that gave Trump the ability to go back to Netanyahu and basically say, enough is enough.'

The Senior Biden administration official warned that Ukraine presents a very different kind of challenge, even though Trump said this week it's a war Putin should've won in a week.

'There's no one capability that's going to change the battlefield dynamics,' the official said, noting that even advanced systems like Tomahawk missiles won't present a silver bullet. 'The way the war ends is at the negotiating table.'

Russia has an enormous army and vast battlefield resources. But its technology is generally thought to be far inferior to the western weapons that have flooded into Ukraine courtesy of the United States.

John Sitilides, National Security Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, observed that Russia is advancing its military campaign at a striking pace, in contrast to Hamas, whose military capabilities have dwindledparticularly as its primary backer, Iran, has been significantly weakened.

'Russia continues to produce artillery shells and advanced drones at an astonishing rate, far surpassing the output of Ukraine or even NATO.'

Israeli soldiers salute as vehicles transporting the bodies of four hostages handed over following a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza, arrive to the National Center for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv on October 13

Trump greets Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska

Sitilides, a former State Department consultant, says Trump's Middle East success has left Putin more isolated diplomatically.

Putin relied on ties with nowweakened Iran and Syria and alienated Israel by aligning with proPalestinian forces. 'Almost all of his Middle East partners are on the wrong side of the historic peace agreement,' Sitilides said.

He cautioned that Putin is unlikely to engage in real peace talks unless major concessions are made, such as conceding Crimea, eastern Ukrainian territories, and Ukraine's NATO exclusion.

Meanwhile, a former Biden defense official noted the window for peace may be closing for both sides, as the Biden administration had prioritized maximizing Ukraine's leverage before talks.

Still, the source argued the White House can take a key lesson from Trump's recent Middle East breakthrough: 'Friends and allies matter When the whole region turns against you, that's incredibly powerful,' they said. 'Standing shoulder to shoulder with more people is an incredible message to an aggressor.'
'Oh my God, she stabbed herself!'

Those were the words on a harrowing 911 call that kicked off 14 years of questions, uncertainty and a fight for answers over the 2011 death of 27-year-old elementary schoolteacher and bride-to-be Ellen Greenberg.

This week, that fight came to a screeching halt when the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office once again ruled her death a suicide - even in the face of a U-turn from the very pathologist who conducted Greenberg's autopsy and the findings of numerous independent experts.

Now, as Greenberg's parents Sandee and Josh Greenberg face a quandary as to what to do next, Nancy Grace is making a public appeal to Pennsylvania's top federal prosecutor to step in and take on Greenberg's case.

Grace launched her own extensive, years-long investigation into Greenberg's death and published the findings in her book, 'What Happened to Ellen? An American Miscarriage of Justice', this year.

As a result of her investigation, the former prosecutor and victims' rights advocate is convinced Greenberg was murdered. Following what she calls this week's 'disturbing' ruling, she believes there is only one thing left to do.

'The only answer is to bring in federal investigators,' she told the Daily Mail.

Ellen Greenberg was found with 20 stab wounds inside her apartment in Philadelphia in January 2011

At the time of her death, Ellen was planning her wedding to TV producer Sam Goldberg (pictured together)

'It happens all the time. You've got federal prosecutors in the Charlie Kirk case. You have federal prosecutors that have entered into the Luigi Mangione case. The feds were involved in the Sean Combs case. Ellen Greenberg's case is no less important than those cases.'

She added: 'What upsets me a great deal is that, on one occasion, I was speaking with Ellen's mother, and she said to me point blank: 'I think they're waiting for us to die and for this whole thing to go away'. That is a very sad state of affairs for Lady Justice.'

That's why Grace is begging David Metcalf, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to take on Greenberg's case and launch an independent federal probe into the teacher's violent death.

Through the Daily Mail, Grace issued a direct, heartfelt message she wanted to send to Metcalf.

'Mr Metcalf, you are here to serve the people as you well know. That includes Ellen Greenberg, God rest her soul and her parents Josh and Sandee,' she said.

'Please hear their plea and the thousands and thousands of people that signed petitions asking for an independent investigation into Ellen's murder.

'Please don't let them go their final days angry, disillusioned, and distraught over the lack of justice in their daughter's case. Even a civilian, a lay-person can see Ellen did not commit suicide. How can local authorities be so blind?'

Former prosecutor Nancy Grace has been investigating the Ellen Greenberg case for years

The findings of Nancy Grace's investigation were published in her book this year

It was January 26, 2011, and a huge nor'easter was sweeping Philadelphia, covering the city in snow and ice, shuttering schools and businesses, and sending residents hunkering down inside the safety and warmth of their homes.

That afternoon, Greenberg had returned to the sixth-floor apartment she shared with her TV producer fiance Sam Goldberg in Manayunk.

Goldberg said he went to the gym in their building and returned to find the door locked from the inside.

Nancy Grace is begging David Metcalf, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to take on Greenberg's case

Around an hour later, he called 911 saying he had broken down the door to find his fiance covered in blood on their kitchen floor, a knife protruding from her chest.

Greenberg had been stabbed at least 20 times, including 10 times to the back of the neck and head, and her body was covered in bruises in various stages of healing. A 10-inch kitchen knife was sticking out of her chest.

Based on the account that the door was locked from the inside and no one else was inside the apartment, police instantly treated Greenberg's death as a suicide.

The next day, pathologist Dr Marlon Osbourne conducted an autopsy and ruled Greenberg's death a homicide. Dr Osbourne changed the ruling to suicide a few weeks later following a meeting between the medical examiner's office and law enforcement.

Fourteen years later, as part of a legal settlement between Philadelphia and Greenberg's parents, the medical examiner's office agreed to reexamine the teacher's death again.

Diagram of the knife wounds suffered by the 27-year-old elementary school teacher

Josh and Sandee Greenberg with their daughter Ellen. The Greenbergs have fought for 14 years to get the truth about what happened to Ellen

That review culminated in Philadelphia's Chief Medical Examiner Dr Lindsay Simon's bombshell 32-page report this week, which stood by the controversial decision and concluded that 'the manner of Ellen Greenberg's death is best classified as "suicide.'"

Grace said she was left 'stunned' and 'floored' by Simon's ruling, calling it 'very disturbing'.

'There is no way Ellen could have performed all the stabs to her back, and much less continued stabbing herself,' she said. 'The so-called "independent review" of Ellen's death is very flawed and I believe it was just a way to rubberstamp a predetermined decision.'

Grace points out that one wound to Greenberg's spinal cord did not cause a hemorrhage. One of the city's own pathologists had previously testified that this could indicate it was inflicted post-mortem.

'There's no way this was a suicide. When you have the attending physician that performed the autopsy state he now believes the death was not a suicide, that stinks to high heaven,' Grace said

'And it leads me to ask who benefits from the truth not coming out?'

Grace insists 'the only way to get to the bottom of Ellen's murder is to bring in independent investigators'.

The Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office has now doubled down on the ruling that Ellen Greenberg died by suicide

As well as sidestepping the city of Philadelphia, Grace believes the case cannot be left in the hands of Pennsylvania state officials either due to their ties to the case.

'They all know each other. They're not going to tip the apple cart. My question is why?' Grace said.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro looked into Greenberg's case in 2018 when he was Pennsylvania's Attorney General. Shapiro's office, at the time, doubled down on the suicide ruling and denied a request to reinvestigate the case.

Shapiro's apparent connection to the Goldberg family then surfaced and he passed the case to the Philadelphia DA's Office, which then passed the case to the Chester County District Attorney's Office - citing an 'appearance of a conflict'.

Grace said she believes the only way the Department of Justice will get involved is if there is a public outcry.

'I hate that it has come to that. It's so difficult that the parents have to go through this in order to get justice,' she said.

'But I think that the only way is to beg the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. I don't know what else to do at this point.'

Having grown close to the Greenbergs over the years, Grace said it is upsetting to see justice fail them.

'I'm torn between being angry and exhausted and being depressed that our justice system is failing,' she said.

'I just don't know how the parents are enduring the pain.'
Modesty is not always a virtue in MAGA online circles dominated by 'traditional' Christian women.

That axiom is certainly proving to be the case in the vicious feud between a pair of self-described Christian influencers who have a combined follower count that soars into the millions across social media sites.

Ex-Turning Point USA star Isabella DeLuca and right-wing provocateur Isabella Moody - both twenty-something MAGA darlings - are locked in an increasingly vicious feud that's testing loyalties while captivating their massive young female audience - and it all kicked off over a bikini pic.

Vile barbs have escalated and now allegations of secret lesbian desires and marriage woes are boiling over in exclusive interviews with the Daily Mail.

The two MAGA pundits have long been rivals ever since their friendship was left in tatters in 2022 following claims by Moody that DeLuca was plagiarizing others' work.

Moody, married with a newborn child, frequently lashes out at DeLuca, a proud Christian and January 6 rioter, for showing off her body on social media.

'She's a lying sl*t,' Moody told the Daily Mail while accusing DeLuca of being dishonest about not wanting to post risque photos.

'She still is [posting revealing photos] while claiming to be some conservative Christian woman that will never post sl*tty photos because she's waiting for her future husband.'

DeLuca's bikini started a massive argument between her and Moody over modesty within online MAGA circles

Isabella Moody once dressed as a bride with a female friend in college for a Halloween party

Moody is married to her husband Josiah. The couple have a child and live in Arizona

DeLuca, meanwhile, accused Moody of sleeping with married men while also having a lesbian past in college.

'She was a lesbian. She had a fake lesbian wedding in college,' DeLuca told the Daily Mail.

'And there's a picture of her kissing another woman and they're both wearing bride lingerie costumes.'

DeLuca then suggested that Moody's frequent criticism may be rooted in her alleged lesbian desires.

'There's a lesbian on this app that's constantly talking about me and now has a hot screenshot of me from three months ago in her phone. Like maybe there, maybe there's something there.'

During Moody's college days, she and a close female friend dressed up as scantily clad brides for a Halloween party. A picture emerged online recently showing Moody kissing her at the soiree.

Moody admits that she was an atheist during her college days, but she's embraced a new Christian life.

'I'm embarrassed about it, but it's a part of my past... I'm not a lesbian!'

DeLuca then suggested that Moody's frequent criticism may be rooted in her alleged lesbian desires

When asked about DeLuca's insinuation that Moody has a secret sexual desire for her, the right-wing provocateur gave a blunt response.

'She's stupid,' Moody said. 'No.'

During Isabella's phone call interview with the Daily Mail, her husband, Josiah Moody, could then be heard saying, 'She's such a narcissist! She thinks you want to f*** her! That's hilarious!'

Meanwhile, DeLuca claims that Moody's husband initially wanted to marry her instead of his current wife.

DeLuca describes the 22-year-old Josiah as 'literally looking like a child' and claims Moody is jealous.

'Josiah, was constantly messaging me, asking him to take me out, telling me he was gonna marry me, even messaging my mom, telling me that he was gonna marry me,' DeLuca mused.

'I never went for Josiah, I never entertained it because Josiah was practically a child. Yeah. Okay. Well, now Isabella Riley Moody starts going out with him, they get married, they have a baby.

'Really weird situation, in my opinion. So it's like, I feel like there's some maybe jealousy because your husband wanted me first. I feel like there's discontent in her current relationship.'

DeLuca describes the 22-year-old Josiah as 'literally looking like a child' and claims Moody is jealous

Josiah, however, claims that DeLuca first contacted him by 'sliding' into the comment section on his Instagram page years before he met her rival Moody.

'Isabella DeLuca slid into my comment section on my Instagram,' Josiah said. 'She commented, she was thirsty, she wanted me.

'Most Isabellas do. And so, yeah, I mean, we talked and I know her mom, her mom was down for us to like hang out or date or whatever.

'My mom was cool with it too. It was like all in my comment section on an Instagram post. I was 17 at the time. I think she was older. But this is all like in the past.'

Moody then provided the Daily Mail a recorded video of an Instagram post from Josiah dated August 24, 2021, showing her husband smiling at the camera with the caption, 'You a blonde female? Hit my DM.'

Under the comment section of the post, DeLuca wrote the following comment: 'Hi [attached with an emoji of a blonde woman raising her hand].'

DeLuca and Moody's friendship ended in December 2021 after the former was fired from a PR firm following accusations of plagiarism.

DeLuca and Moody's friendship ended in December 2021 after the former was fired from a PR firm following accusations of plagiarism

DeLuca claims that Moody's husband initially wanted to marry her instead of his current wife

According to Moody, who served in the company as director of content management at Arsenal Media group, DeLuca was hired on September 17, 2021 and fired just after Christmas a few months later.

'This is what she's known for. Even people that don't work at Arsenal, they know DeLuca plagiarizes tweets and she's so shameless about it.

'Word for word, verbatim! It's like you almost have to give her some points for how shameless she is.'

DeLuca's early career online started in 2021 after she became an ambassador for Turning Point USA in college at Stony Brook University in New York.

Her relationship at TPUSA went as high as the organization's now-deceased founder Charlie Kirk.

In October 2020, Kirk claimed DeLuca had been assaulted at a Women's March rally, claiming she was 'assaulted by BLM activists while at a rally for our great president.'

The future of this conflict is uncertain as the two influencers continue throwing accusations of unholiness at each other.

Moody resides in Arizona with her husband and child, while DeLuca lives not too far away in East Texas.

Every few months the conflict dies down before one-party throws out new bombshell accusations, leading to more attention and online engagement from the young MAGA followers.
Sydney locals say the number of Airbnbs out of hand

Sydneysiders are calling for stronger restrictions on the thousands of short-term holiday homes that are pushing locals out of their own suburbs.

Airbnb listings in the state capital are only occupied on average 71 nights per year, yet they drive up property prices, Unions NSW has argued.

The report, published in June, found that of the Airbnbs in Sydney, more than 30 per cent are owned by investors with 10 or more listings.

Sydney City Greens launched a petition this week to restrict owners of short-term holiday homes to leasing their properties to tourists for no more than 60 days per year. The limit is currently 180 days.

The campaign said inner-city suburbs like Darlinghurst, Potts Point, Paddington and Millers Point have streets where most of the homes are Airbnbs.

Dawes Point resident Melanie Tait, 47, said the lack of available rental homes due to a growing number of short-term holiday properties is taking a toll on her suburb.

'I'm not the biggest fan of the poor regulation,' she told the Daily Mail.

She said while there is a place for holiday rentals, the high number in her area is 'unfair' for locals who want to foster a sense of community in the neighbourhood.

Sydneysider Melanie Tait (pictured with her daughter) said the high number of holiday rentals i her area is impacting on the community feel in the neighourhood

Ms Tait said affordable housing is possible in Sydney but properties rented to holidaymakers on websites like Airbnb should be used for their intended purpose as homes (stock image)

'In our area, investors are purchasing whole homes or whole blocks of apartments with the sole purpose of having them as short-term rental accommodation income,' she said.

'They install a dummy host so we have three or four main hosts who have, between them, hundreds of properties and that gets them around the 180-day limit.'

Ms Tait, who has lived in the area since 2016, said Airbnbs were converted to long-term rentals during the Covid-19 pandemic which locals loved.

'We had police officers, we had nurses, we had teachers, we had cleaners - and it brought a layer of diversity to the community that made it feel more wholesome and complete,' she said.

'It was really sad post-Covid (when) we saw them all get evicted one-by-one.

'We can achieve affordable housing in Sydney with private stock that's available (but) it needs to be used for its intended purpose, housing and not as hotel accommodation.'

Greens councillors Matthew Thompson and Sylvie Ellsmore will be tabling a motion for the 60-day cap at the next City of Sydney council meeting on October 27.

'In the middle of a housing crisis, when rents have never been higher, the vacancy rate never lower, every house should be a home, not an expensive holiday rental,' Mr Thompson said in a statement on social media.

Sydney City Greens councillor Matthew Thompson (pictured) has launched a petition for holiday home owners to be restricted to leasing their properties to tourists for 60 days

'In the City of Sydney alone there are thousands of homes that sit empty for a lot of the year, used as Airbnbs  and that number is only getting bigger.

'In parts of the city, half the homes that could be rentals sit empty for most of the years. Now parts of these suburbs are a ghost town.'

Daily Mail has contacted the City of Sydney council for comment.

Sydney's Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Miller told the Sydney Morning Herald that a cap would be too difficult to enforce and would produce too many loopholes.

Instead, Ms Miller suggested a ban on new un-hosted short-term rentals until vacancy rates increase to a minimum of 2.5 per cent.

It would not be the first local authority to tighten restrictions on short-term holiday rental homes. Byron Bay implemented the same rule in September 2024.

The decision is the first 60-day restriction for any region in NSW amid hopes the change will positively impact the long-term rental market.
Shocking claims that China stole Britain's state secrets using a backdoor into sensitive Whitehall data systems have brought home the threat of foreign espionage.

In a major blunder, the Chinese were allowed to buy a company that controlled a data hub used by government departments to exchange information, including on highly classified projects.

Former No 10 aide Dominic Cummings said on Wednesday that the communist superpower stole 'vast amounts' of material. He said this included the 'most sensitive data' belonging to the British state, although this was denied by the Cabinet Office.

But has the reach of the Chinese state already extended into a much more personal place - our very own homes?

That's the verdict of cyber experts and China watchers, who told the Mail that smart devices - from TVs and mobile phones to switches and doorbells - risk giving Beijing access to our own private secrets.

These gadgets operate as part of the so-called Internet of Things (IoT), which share information with each other - and their manufacturers - with limited regulatory oversight.

Ian Reynolds, principal cyber security consultant at SecureTeam Ltd said this left them open to exploitation.

'When you connect a smart device to your home or office network, it makes a connection back to the manufacturer's servers to allow the device (like a smart switch or heating controller) to be controlled through a mobile app or a website,' he said.

'For the average consumer, it's not possible to know where in the world your smart device is connecting back to, and in many cases, the manufacturer's servers may be in a country that the UK Government considers to be a hostile nation (such as Russia, China or North Korea).

Smart devices - from TVs and mobile phones to switches and doorbells - risk giving Beijing access to our own private secrets, experts warn

'If there is malicious code inside that smart device - whether planted in by the manufacturer or by a foreign intelligence service - then it could allow an adversary to gain remote access into the network on which you've installed the smart device.

'There's a risk that the device could not only be controlling your lights or heating, but also allowing a malicious individual to gather sensitive information (like Wi-Fi passwords) or to use the smart device as a method of launching attacks into other vulnerable devices on that network for the purposes of hacking into them.'

Devices like smart speakers are designed to be constantly listening for human commands, while some smart TVs have built-in cameras for tasks like video calls.

Asked if it was possible for these gadgets to be used to collect audio or video of their users by a hostile actor, Mr Reynolds said: 'Quite possibly.

'If this remote access functionality has already been built into the firmware on the device or if a software 'backdoor' has been introduced by a malicious individual.'

'When someone installs a camera in their house there's a chance it could be used to gather images or video.

'Users can reduce this risk by choosing strong passwords for the camera's web interface and by always making sure that the latest firmware has been installed from the manufacturer.....providing you trust the manufacturer of course.'

The cyber expert said there was a higher risk for smart items used in China due to the requirement for Chinese companies to allow a level of access to the authorities in Beijing.

But he added: 'It's not limited to China. The same could be said for other countries like North Korea and Russia.

'Any countries that wish to spy on UK consumers or businesses could potentially be conducting spying operations through compromised smart devices.'

Alicia Kearns, the Tory MP who was one of the targets of the alleged spying operation involving her former aide, Chris Cash, warned of smart devices being 'weaponised' by China.

'Doorbells, security cameras, payment machines, cars - anything that can be controlled through an app is a risk,' she told the Mail.

'China has recognised that these devices provide a significant opening for them that allows them to harvest a significant amount of data that could be used for blackmail.

'And any smart device in your home is listening to you all the time, so that could be incredibly useful to somebody too.

'We haven't woken up as a country or a public to these risks. People shouldn't just buy the cheapest thing as that will often be made in China.'

Devices like smart TVs are designed to listen out for your commands. File photo

Dominic Cummings said on Wednesday that China stole 'vast amounts' of material using a backdoor into sensitive Whitehall data systems

The CPS dropped the case against Cash and a second man, Christopher Berry, in September after deeming the evidence did not show China was a threat to national security.

Both men, who deny wrongdoing, had been accused of passing secrets to China.

Prosecutors said the case had been abandoned because evidence could not be obtained from the government referring to China as a national security threat - sparking a huge political row.

Mike Wills is a cyber security expert who has just launched Be Hard to Hack, a platform giving families tips on staying safe online.

He urged Brits to behave carefully around devices like smart speakers.

'We know how to keep ourselves safe in the physical world, so we need to have that same approach with the digital world,' he said.

'We know smart devices are passively listening to be able to react to us.

'If you're having a private conversation, you would adjust the way to talk to someone in the presence of the other people, so you need to have that same awareness with smart speakers.

'We don't know for certain that someone is listening, but it's good to have a healthy scepticism.'

Beijing is known to monitor the lives of its own citizens through electronic goods connected to the internet, such as TVs and smartphones.

Kayla Blomquist, director of the research institute Oxford China Policy Lab, previously warned that data harvested from British homes could be used by communist officials for influence operations and 'sophisticated online disinformation campaigns'.

Thomas Balogun, a chartered security professional, said the Internet of Things had been established with a minimal 'compliance framework' and called for this to be strengthened.

'Given that IoT devices - such as surveillance cameras, sensors, and communication tools - may be exploited as digital entry points, their secure configuration is of critical importance,' he said.
An Oklahoma man has been accused of pretending to be an attorney to visit his girlfriend in jail, prosecutors said.

Aaron Oldham visited the Oklahoma County Detention Center on October 13 to get power of attorney paperwork signed for his inmate girlfriend, Christine Hillier, 41.

Prosecutors allege that Oldham presented himself at the attorney's visitation area, and led jail staffers to believe that he was Hillier's attorney.

But once he was inside the jail and had filled out the documentation, Oldham started 'hugging and kissing' Hillier in the private booth, court documents said.

Investigators quickly realized Oldham did not have any legal training or a license to practice law, and he was promptly arrested that same day in Oklahoma City for false personation.

But Oldham claims it is all a mix-up.

'Its a silly misunderstanding and I will never interact with that system again, hopefully, Oldham told KFOR. 'Im a very law-abiding person.'

While he wasn't prepared to discuss the allegations, he told the outlet he trusted the US legal system.

Aaron Oldham was arrested after allegedly claiming he was an attorney in order to visit his locked-up girlfriend

Christine Hillier, 41, was supposedly Oldham's client - but she was actually his significant other

He later posted on Facebook: 'A love of a lifetime is full of silly misunderstandings.'

Oklahoma County Detention Center online records said his girlfriend was booked into the jail on October 6 at 11.38pm.

She was detained in relation to charges in Douglas County, Nevada.

On Facebook, Oldham claimed the jail had admitted that 'it was their fault' and they were 'retraining the staff.'

He wrote: 'I never said I was a lawyer, they just assumed because I am always well dressed and visited a ton.'

In a separate reply, Oldham added that 'a heart full of love is fueled to power through all of the chaos.'

Oklahoma County Detention Center records said Hillier was booked into the jail on October 6

The Oklahoma County Detention Center said that a jail staff member had not followed 'established verification procedures,' paving the way for Oldham to enter the facility and visit his girlfriend.

The staff member involved in Oldham's breach has since been 'disciplined,' the jail said.

Still, the event left some in Oklahoma's legal scene disconcerted.

Criminal defense attorney Ed Blau told KFOR: 'I've been to the jail a couple of hundred times in my career, and I've never seen a situation where somebody out of the blue showed up and pretended to either be a bonds person or an attorney.'

Jason Lowe, an Oklahoma County commissioner, called the situation 'concerning' and said it should never happen again.

He called for changes at the jail.

Lowe said: 'We need more staff at the Oklahoma County Detention Center. We need more funding.'
A CEO worth $305 million killed in an ATV accident at his newly purchased dream farmhouse had multiple past brushes with the law and a scandalous love life.

Doug Lebda, who ran online marketplace LendingTree, died at his riverfront farm in Polk County, North Carolina, on October 12.

A wave of tributes poured in for the 55-year-old millionaire, who also had mansions in the state and Nantucket, as well as a superyacht.

Now public records obtained by the Daily Mail show that Lebda had at least 11 criminal filings to his name, caused by an array of speeding and reckless driving offenses.

The executive also endured a split from first wife Tara Garrity, 53, that was so nasty Garrity now touts the experience in her role as a 'high-conflict divorce consultant.'

The mother of Lebda's three children says her background enables her to help other women 'regain their power' after a marriage implodes.

Divorce records show that the couple separated in June 2011 - a year after Lebda's second wife, Megan Greuling, 37, joined LendingTree as a marketing coordinator.

Lebda became engaged to Greuling in 2015 and the couple wed in a lavish ceremony in 2016, the year before she was named as Director of PR and Communications at his company.

Following the CEO's sudden death, she paid tribute to him as a 'magnetic' leader who was 'compassionate, generous, and endlessly curious about the world.'

LendingTree CEO Doug Lebda, 55, with his second wife Megan Greuling, 37, notched up a litany of reckless driving offenses and a bitter divorce before he was tragically killed in a freak ATV accident on his sprawling North Carolina estate on October 12

Lebda enjoyed a life of luxury, which included a $10.6 million mansion on North Carolina's Wrightsville Beach (pictured), a sprawling 277-acre farm, a Nantucket hideaway and a yacht

The executive endured a turbulent divorce with his first wife Tara Garrity, a divorce consultant who touts her personal experience to 'help women regain their power'

Lebda's death was announced by his company in a statement on October 13, and a police report said he was found dead in a wooded area on his newly purchased farm at around 7.30pm the day before.

Greuling was listed as a 'witness' on the report but investigators said Lebda was driving his Honda ATV alone at the time of his fatal accident.

According to public records seen by the Daily Mail, Lebda had a long history of driving infractions, speeding and reckless driving arrests dating back to 2004.

His first arrest came in North Carolina that year, when he was caught speeding at 75mph in a 55mph zone, resulting in a $150 fine.

This arrest was followed by another $120 speeding ticket two years later, and in 2009 he was again charged with speeding after driving 75mph in a 55mph zone and not having a proper speedometer. The ordeal set him back $221.

In March 2010, Lebda was again hit with a $155 fine for speeding at 71mph in a 50mph zone. Two weeks later, he was also caught speeding at 75mph in a 55mph zone, and was fined $155. Two months after that case, he was caught speeding at 78mph in a 60mph zone.

Over the next two-and-a-half years, Lebda was arrested three more times, including for reckless endangerment, speeding at 88mph in a 55mph zone, and speeding in a school zone.

The bulk of Lebda's arrests came soon after his contentious divorce from his first wife Garrity, when their 14-year marriage came to an end.

Lebda was found dead on his sprawling North Carolina estate (pictured) that he bought for $2.75 million two months before. His family said he always dreamed of owning his own farm

Lebda was described by his wife Megan Greuling as 'an amazing man with a heart so big it seemed to have room for everyone he met'

Lebda tied the knot with Greuling in a lavish ceremony in 2016, the year before she was named as Director of PR and Communications at his company

It is unclear what triggered the split.

Court records seen by the Daily Mail show that the pair fought over custody of their youngest daughter for years after their separation, including a filing from the CEO against his ex-wife earlier this year.

In January, Lebda attempted to hold his ex-wife in contempt of court in a criminal filing, alleging that she violated their custody agreement not to slander each other in front of their children.

In his filing, which Lebda went on to rescind, he claimed that their youngest daughter spent Christmas Day in 2024 at his home, before leaving to spend the evening with her mother.

Once his daughter got to her mother's home, he claimed that she told him that she did not want to go on vacation with him to the Bahamas at the end of their winter break, much to his dismay.

He said that Garrity had a 'long history of disparaging' him in front of their daughter, violating their agreement to be civil after their divorce.

Lebda boasted a net worth of over $305 million, and he owned part of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers. He was also a major sponsor of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, and is pictured with minority owner Fred Whitfield

Tributes poured in for Lebda following his death, including his interior designer who said he was 'forever grateful' to have worked on his multi-million dollar properties in Charlotte, Nantucket and his yacht

Tributes poured in for Lebda following his death.

His interior designer J Layton shared glossy snaps of projects he'd completed for Lebda in Charlotte, Nantucket and on the superyacht.

'I am in tears as I write this,' Layton said.

'Yesterday was a very hard day. I learned my dear client and friend Doug Lebda tragically died in an accident. '

'I have been so shaken by this news. I literally cannot believe it. This man and his beautiful wife Megan have meant the world to me.

'I was blessed to have worked with them on their house in Charlotte, their yacht and then finally their amazing property in Nantucket.

'They are wonderful people who put their trust in me and my work and I will forever be grateful. Their home in Charlotte was my first project to be published nationally. I have shared a few images and a video.'

Lebda was remembered by many as a visionary businessman who built his fortune from scratch in 1996 after being frustrated by his attempts to secure his first mortgage.

He said he came to believe the system was stacked against people like him at the time, and he launched LendingTree to make it easier for everyday people to navigate the financial world.

His obituary said that 'whether it was to buy a home, consolidate debt, plan for the future, or simply to enjoy life, Doug believed that financial services should be readily available and understandable to everyone.'

The businessman built his platform in the early years of the internet, and was seen as a pioneer of price comparison sites.

The firm grew into one of the most prominent price-comparison sites in the US, and had reported an expected revenue of upwards of $1 billion this year.

The founder was remembered by many as a visionary businessman who built his fortune from scratch in the early days of the internet

Lebda was also known for his philanthropy in Charlotte, including donating more than $1 million to help the city through the pandemic and supporting The Foundation for the Carolinas.

He also served as co-chairman of the 2020 Republican National Convention in Charlotte and owned part of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In Greuling's statement announcing his death, she wrote that it is 'impossible to capture the depth of who Doug was and what he meant to all of us.

'He was an amazing man with a heart so big it seemed to have room for everyone he met,' she continued.

'Doug was compassionate, generous, and endlessly curious about the world and the people around him. He made friends everywhere he went. His energy was magnetic, his smile contagious, and his presence was a source of comfort and inspiration.

'Dougs greatest joy was seeing others succeed. His generosity knew no limits, and his kindness touched every single person who crossed his path. He lifted people up, believed in their potential, and celebrated their wins as if they were his own.

'He took care of everyone he loved -- family, friends, colleagues, and strangers. He always made sure everyone knew how deeply he cared.

'Our hearts are broken, but we are also deeply grateful for the love and support that has poured in from across the world,' she concluded.
Locals are warning foreigners to stay away from a once-utopian Scandinavian city that has been deemed as dangerous as Baghdad after being overrun by immigrants.

Malmo, Sweden, has been branded a 'disgrace' as violence continues to escalate in the Nordic country.

The city has more crime than Baghdad, according to online database Numbeo which compares living conditions, and residents are increasingly sharing fears about the area's future on social media.

The warning caught the eye of Elon Musk on Wednesday, with the SpaceX founder responding to a post highlighting the chaos, sharing '!!' in reaction.

Musk's acknowledgment triggered a wave of concerned locals to discuss their concerns and warn Americans about about Malmo.

One person wrote: 'We need help in Sweden and in Europe in general.

'Its [sic] far worst than people think. Its [sic] complete media blackout and only a fraction of whats going on is shown on media.'

Another person even asked how it was possibly to 'escape' Sweden and relocate to the US with his wife.

Malmo, Sweden, was ranked as more dangerous than Baghdad

Some have blamed Sweden's increased violence on immigration

They wrote: 'How do we as Swedes escape from Sweden to the US? We live in the city of Malmo which is 70% immigrants, resulting in high crime.

'My wife is a nurse and I am retired. We have 3 teenagers and want to get away from this hell.'

A third added: 'Geez those Swedes in Malmo really went rogue.'

As of 2024, Malmo had 365,644 residents and was considered the fastest growing large city in Sweden  but it was also a hotbed for dangerous activities.

Malmo had the second most explosions and bombings in Sweden from 2018 to 2013, per data published by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention.

As a whole, Sweden averaged one bombing per day at the beginning of 2025, according to the Nordic Times.

One person whose profile on X said they were 'sad about Sweden's decline' wrote: 'It's like bombs go off every night in New Sweden.'

European Parliament member Alice Teodorescu Mawe was more succinct: 'Malmo is a disgrace to Sweden.'

Sweden averaged one bombing per day at the beginning of 2025, per the Nordic Times

The Scandinavian utopia has seen 554 explosions over the last five years

One user responded to her: 'No, Malmo is a disgrace to the world.'

Over the last five years, there have been 554 explosions in the Scandinavian nation.

Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson admitted the country did not 'have control over this wave of violence.'

He said, according to Euractiv: 'Sweden is in the midst of a new wave of violence. It's primarily the bombings that are increasing, with almost one occurring every day.'

'But it's not just blasts. Sweden has also seen an uptick in gun violence.

Last year, 44 people were killed with a firearm.

In February, the European Parliament said Sweden was 'currently battling a wave of gang violence.'

The 'increasing' crime included vandalism, bombings and murders.

Bahgdad (pictured in 2006) was considered safer than Malmo, according to Numbeo's crime index

Swedish authorities said terrorist threats stemmed from lone actors inspired by 'violent Islamist or violent rightwing extremist ideology'

One Reddit user weighed in: Sweden is the worst country in the EU when it comes to shootings.

'Not to mention the whole hellish situation with bombings. Why this constant denial of reality?

One X user asked, What happened to Sweden?

Then, they listed: Bombings, shootings, ambulance murders, underage murderers, tax evasion, school shootings.

In February, Swedish authorities said that terrorist threats in the country stemmed from lone wolves inspired to action based on violent Islamist or violent rightwing extremist ideology.

People from 187 different countries live in Malmo, according to statistics posted on the city's website.

The most common country of origin is Iraq  with about 11,600 Iraqis represented in Malmo's population of 365,644.

Charlie Weimers, of the right-wing conservative Sweden Democrats, said 'uncontrolled migration' was at fault for Sweden's violence

Sweden had 59 vulnerable areas, which some have called 'no-go areas'

Other countries of origin touted by the city included Syria, Denmark, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Iran.

As of 2023, Sweden had 59 vulnerable areas, which some have called 'no-go areas' - for fear that outsiders might get attacked if they enter.

Malmo had eight of those areas, with two listed as 'particularly vulnerable.'

Vulnerable areas are those with 'low socio-economic status and where the criminals have an impact on the local community,' per Swedish police.

Some on social media blamed immigration for Sweden's burgeoning violence.

Have you even been to, for example, Rosengard or Lindangen? You've clearly not grown up with bombings in your neighborhood, they posted, referring to the Malmo neighborhoods.

I've been forced to do that because of the ongoing Islamizationthink about that. It's time you start fixing the millions of problems we have in Sweden before you try to help others.

Users took to social media to comment on what they believed was a decline of their country

Another X user blasted what they said was 'Arab-Islamic extremism and anti-Swedishness.'

He posted about a refugee who had been admitted into Sweden: 'She'd probably feel more at home in Syria. Send her back.

A third, posting about 'a just Sweden,' wrote: 'There would be mass deportation of immigrants instead of taking in a medium-sized city every year, and the best interests of Swedes would be prioritized over other countries or peoples.'

Charlie Weimers, of the right-wing conservative Sweden Democrats, claimed gang criminals had vowed in secret chats to make 2025 the worst year ever for bombings in Sweden.

He said in February: Broken shards of glass hang like jagged teeth from a shattered window, the frame barely holds.

'Inside colorful children's posters decorate the walls. A criminal threw an explosive device into a child's bedroom. One man was injured.

'This isn't fake news  this is a daily occurrence. This is last night in Sweden.

He claimed gangs 'vowed' to make 2025 the 'worst year ever for bombings in Sweden

Weimers blamed 'uncontrolled immigration' for the increased bombings and violence in Sweden.

Swedish police linked the recent explosions to aggravated criminal networks.

They said the blasts appeared to target housing, rather than businesses.

Hand grenades, usually smuggled into the country, were used in some explosions.

The purpose of the explosions was often to 'intimidate' rather than cause injury, police added.

The nature, however, was unpredictable.

In 2019, Malmo municipal police asked people to be 'a little more cautious' about spotting bombs on the street.
Donald Trump has been crowned the Peace President by American voters after brokering a historic Middle East deal that secured the release of Israeli hostages and negotiated a delicate ceasefire between bitter enemies.

Trump promised a 'new dawn' and the 'end of an age of terror and death' as his 20-point peace plan was signed in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt to mark the end of the two-year Gaza war.

The accord has reunited families torn apart by the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack and is being hailed as one of the most significant breakthroughs in decades, even as questions linger over how long the truce will last.

A new Daily Mail/JL Partners poll shows that voters at home are giving Trump the credit - and see him as the architect of a lasting peace where others failed.

When asked which president had done the most for the Middle East, Trump received more votes than his four White House predecessors combined.

Voters also gave Trump a 51 percent approval rating, a drop from the astonishing 55 percent in a Daily Mail poll from September.

However, his personal favorability has shot up to 47 percent from 44 percent in July.

Voters also said the Middle East was the most successful issue Trump has dealt with, with immigration second.

Donald Trump is getting high marks from the American public for his work toward achieving Middle East peace, new polling from the Daily Mail and JL Partners shows

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Hamas has already been accused of violating Trump's peace agreement by refusing to surrender the bodies of hostages and engaging in violent clashes with rival Palestinian factions as Israeli troops pull back.

Footage emerging from Gaza appears to show the terror group executing fellow Palestinians, prompting threats of a military response from Trump himself.

Despite that uncertainty, when asked which president had done the most for the Middle East, Trump received more votes than his four White House predecessors combined, in the Daily Mail/JL Partners poll.

The results also suggest that a majority in the United States believes Trumps role in stopping the fighting will be one of the crowning moments of his presidency.

'Trump is the Peace President,' James Johnson, JL Partners co-founder, told the Daily Mail. 'Thats the verdict of the American public who give him the title of the living president to have done most for peace in the Middle East.'

'And though Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, voters overwhelmingly think that Trump has done more for peace than Obama,' Johnson added. 'Trump might not have the Nobel Peace Prize yet, but America has spoken: they believe he is the Peace President.'

Fifty-five percent of voters believe Trump has handled peace in the Middle East well - more than double who said he was handling it badly (24 percent), according to the survey.

Additionally, 28 percent said that Trump did a lot better than expected in pushing for peace in the Middle East, while another 24 percent said he did somewhat better than expected.

Trump traveled to Israel and Egypt on Monday and inked a peace plan with hopes to revolve the more than two-year-old conflict between Israel and Hamas

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Even a third of Democrats - 33 percent - praised his performance as exceeding their expectations.

When voters were asked to name a president who has done the most for peace in the Middle East, 38 percent said the current commander-in-chief.

Another 16 percent said Obama, while 7 percent each said Joe Biden, as well as fellow Democratic president Bill Clinton.

Only 4 percent credited Republican president George W Bush. Another 27 percent of respondents answered that they were unsure.

When Trump's legacy was compared against Obama's and then Biden's, he beat both Democrats easily.

When respondents were asked to choose between Trump and Obama, 48 percent said Trump and 35 percent said Obama, a previous recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

The president fared even better against Biden, who was president during the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack on Israel, which left at least 1,219 people dead.

Biden bartered for 24 hostages to be released over Thanksgiving that year - but negotiations for a further ceasefire between Hamas and Israel never took hold, despite the Democrat pushing for a plan similar to Trump's near the end of his term.

On Monday, however, Trump arrived in Israel as the final 20 Israeli hostages were released, a product of his 20-point plan to achieve peace in Gaza, with hopes that the demolished Palestinian territory could eventually be rebuilt.

The poll showed that 51 percent of voters credited Trump with doing more for Middle East peace, while 25 percent credited Biden.

The Trump administration saw a slight uptick in how voters feel about how the president is representing the US on the world stage, with more saying good for the first time.

The latest survey found that 44 percent said the administration is good for the US on the world stage, while 43 percent said it represented the US badly, a more divided result.

In June, those numbers were 42 percent who said good and 50 percent who rated the Trump administration badly, and in April, just 38 percent rated the Trump administration well, while 54 percent - a majority - said badly.

Trump held a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday and will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House Friday, indicating the Ukraine war is his next major conflict he plans to tackle.

The poll consisted of 1,004 registered voters and was conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday, in the aftermath of Trump's whirlwind trip to Egypt and Israel.

The margin of error was plus or minus 3.1 percent.

Mark Bednar, a Republican strategist, told the Daily Mail that the American people believed Trump to be the 'President of Peace and an overall foreign policy savant.'

'He's shown time and time again that he's willing to think outside of the box, bring people together, and get outcomes that result in a stronger America and a safer world,' Bednar said.

'He thrives on momentum so it's exciting to see where this win will take the country.'
Room 2501 of the Internal Revenue Service's imposing headquarters on Constitution Avenue is to become the nerve center of Donald Trump's new effort to investigate liberal funding groups.

It is home base for the IRS criminal investigation unit, known as IRS-CI, and its members are not ordinary tax agents. They carry guns and their predecessors succeeded where all other law enforcement agents failed - by taking down notorious mobster Al Capone over his finances.

Now, President Trump wants to give IRS-CI a new mission - to investigate left-wing funding groups, including those linked to billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros, 95.

The move comes ahead of nationwide 'No Kings' protests on October 18, which organizers claim will be the 'single biggest day of protest in American history.'

'This will be a Soros paid-for protest for his professional protesters,' Republican Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas said. House Speaker Mike Johnson called it a 'hate America rally.'

Soros, a hedge fund titan and his $32billion Open Society Foundations (OSF) have poured millions into left-wing causes. The OSF is now run by his son Alex, 39, who is married to former Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin.

Trump recently said Soros is a 'bad guy' and 'should be 'in jail'. Soros denies any wrongdoing, including any links to funding political violence.

'The most logical first step to me would be looking at the tax exempt statuses of these nonprofit organizations, including Soros,' Ryan Mauro, an investigator with the conservative Capital Research Center think tank (CRC) told the Daily Mail.

'The smoking gun could be a an undisclosed bank transaction. I pivot to the tax exempt status because it's just an easier approach.'

Investor and philanthropist George Soros addresses an event at the World Economic Forum in Davos on May 24, 2022

Although no potential targets have been named the White House has dropped hints as to who else could be under the IRS spotlight, with possibilities including LinkedIn co-founder and Democrat megadonor Reid Hoffman, and Indivisible, the nonprofit which backs the 'No Kings' protests.

Gary Shapley, a former IRS-CI agent who was a whistleblower in the Hunter Biden tax investigation, is expected to be promoted to lead the unit, and there is likely to be a reduction in IRS lawyers' restraining influence over who gets investigated.

The IRS involvement is part of a wider effort by the White House to crack down on financial networks it accuses of funding and organizing political violence, including nonprofits and educational institutions.

In addition to IRS investigations to strip nonprofits of tax-exempt status, there may be criminal probes by the Justice Department and FBI, surveillance by federal law enforcement agencies, and other moves by the Joint Terrorism Task Force and Department of Homeland Security.

Investigators may also use racketeering laws usually deployed against organized crime gangs, and financial investigations under anti-terror laws.

White House adviser Stephen Miller is believed to be heavily involved in the strategy, which also includes input from Attorney General Pam Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Attorney General Pam Bondi in the Oval Office on October 15

In a recent statement the White House said: 'Left-wing organizations have fueled violent riots, organized attacks against law enforcement officers, coordinated illegal doxing campaigns, arranged drop points for weapons and riot materials, and more.'

In the Oval Office on September 25, Trump vowed to 'identify and disrupt financial networks that fund domestic terrorism and political violence.'

He then named Soros and Hoffman.

'If they are funding these things, they're going to have some problems. Because they're agitators and they're anarchists,' Trump said.

A spokesman for Soros' network of charitable foundations said: 'Neither George Soros nor the Open Society Foundations fund protests, condone violence, or foment it in any way. Claims to the contrary are false.'

Hoffman, through a spokesperson, declined to comment.

Separately, the White House has highlighted a series of political protests in the last few years that included violence against law enforcement and incidents of vandalism at Tesla dealerships.

In doing so it named nine liberal groups, donors or fundraising organizations that it claimed helped finance or plan protests where those incidents occurred.

It is not known if they will be on the IRS list, but they included Soros's OSF and ActBlue, the funding arm of the Democratic Party, and Indivisible.

The headquarters of the Internal Revenue Service in Washington

The list also included the Los Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, and two Jewish nonprofits that oppose Israel's war in Gaza.

All those groups have denied ever calling for violence.

Last month, Vice President JD Vance suggested two potential targets - OSF and The Ford Foundation - which he said had received 'generous tax treatment.'

Investigating groups' funding and potentially stripping them of tax-exempt status could force some of them to close down, according to nonprofit heads.

Diane Yentel, chief of the National Council of Nonprofits, said: 'Baseless criminal and civil investigations into nonprofits are not about preventing violence, they are about silencing organizations and individuals with which the administration disagrees.'

More potential targets for the newly emboldened IRS were contained in a 113-page dossier that was handed to Trump last week.

Drawn up by the Capital Research Center it focused on America's homeless services system, which the right-wing advocacy group claimed had been 'captured' by what it called radical nonprofits funneling money into political activism.

The report claimed well-funded advocacy groups with charitable tax status were diverting billions of dollars' into campaigns that push 'extremist political agendas.'

President Donald Trump and Pam Bondi are looking at the finances of left-wing funding groups

Alex Soros is married to former Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin

Among the groups named in that report, in addition to OSF, were major foundations including Ford and Tides, which were accused of 'reinforcing extremist agendas' by funding legal challenges to public camping bans and police enforcement.

The Ford and Tides Foundations were among over 100 progressive organizations that recently signed a letter denouncing political violence.

They said: 'We reject attempts to exploit political violence to mischaracterize our good work.'

Also identified in the report were the National Homelessness Law Center, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Los Angeles Community Action Network, and the Alliance for Global Justice, which were described as 'ideological gateways' between homelessness activism and the far left.

The Daily Mail contacted the groups named in the report but received no response.

It is not known if they will now be investigated by the IRS.

Gary Shapley will head the IRS-CI unit as it looks into liberal fundraising groups

Hillary Clinton and Huma Abedin in 2017 in Cambridge, MA

Hungarian-born Soros founded OSF decades ago to support democracy movements in communist and post-communist countries.

By the 1990s, it had expanded into the United States, where it bankrolls progressive causes from racial justice to climate activism.

That record has made the hedge fund billionaire a villain on the American right, which accuses him of masterminding unrest and violent protests through a sprawling web of nonprofits.

Two years ago he handed control of OSF to his son who has pledged to step up the fight against what he calls authoritarianism at home and abroad.

Last month a senior Justice Department official instructed several U.S. attorneys' offices to draft plans to investigate the OSF.

They suggested possible charges against the organization ranging from arson to material support of terrorism.

In response, the OSF said: 'These accusations are politically motivated attacks on civil society, meant to silence speech the administration disagrees with and undermine the First Amendment right to free speech.

'The Open Society Foundations unequivocally condemn terrorism and do not fund terrorism. Our activities are peaceful and lawful, and our grantees are expected to abide by human rights principles and comply with the law.'
Ukrainian President Zelensky delivered a pointed rebuke to Donald Trump's assessment of the war in Ukraine on Friday, insisting Vladimir 'Putin doesn't want peace' even as the American president continued to express confidence a resolution was in sight.

'We want peace, Putin doesn't want peace. That's why we need pressure on him,' Zelensky said, underscoring Kyiv's call for stronger US support.

At the same meeting, Trump said he believed Putin wants to finish the war.

'I think President Putin wants to end the war, or he wouldn't be talking this way,' Trump said.

Later in questions with reporters, Trump said he was concerned about being played by Putin, revealing his conflicting feelings around the quagmire that has lasted three years and eight months.

'I have been played all my life by the best of them,' Trump acknowledged, a signal of his lingering reticence with Putin following a long conversation with the Russian leader on Thursday.

Zelensky started off his part of his remarks Friday celebrating Trump's success in the Middle East while noting the challenges of codifying a lasting truce.

'Even now you see in the Middle East, it's very difficult to hold ceasefire. Everywhere in every war, it's very difficult,' Zelensky noted.

'We want peace, Putin doesn't want peace. That's why we need pressure on him,' Zelensky said, underscoring Kyiv 's call for stronger US support

A new Daily Mail/JL Partners poll shows that voters at home are giving Trump the credit for Middle East peace. When asked which president had done the most for the Middle East, Trump received more votes than his four White House predecessors combined.

Reporters questioned what concessions Ukraine's president might be willing to make, noting that Trump has 'stuck out his neck' in these wars. Zelensky replied that before any decisions could be made, 'they will have to sit down and talk first.'

Trump dodged a direct question about who is negotiating better  Putin or Zelensky  insisting both leaders are 'doing a great job' but need to 'take some of their hatred for each other' out of the equation. He said he had spoken with Putin and believes the Russian president wants to 'get it done.'

Zelensky called for a ceasefire and indicated openness to negotiations in any format, but stressed the need for 'strong security guarantees.' While NATO membership remains his goal, he suggested a bilateral US-Ukraine defense pact could be a viable alternative.

Trump acknowledged the strain of continuing large-scale military aid and expressed caution about providing Tomahawk missiles. 'We need Tomahawks. One reason we want this war over is because it's not easy for us to keep sending massive weapons,' he said, citing the need to preserve US military readiness.

In response, Zelensky proposed a mutual production deal: US missiles for Ukrainian drones  a capability-sharing agreement to strengthen both countries' defense industries.

Trump hinted at a potential peace summit hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, bringing Zelensky and Putin together. He acknowledged the personal animosity between the wartime leaders but expressed confidence that diplomacy could prevail.

The meeting came just one day after Trump agreed to a second sit-down with Putin in Hungary, with the White House playing up the Russian president's flattery.

Trump said that after the call, he was more convinced that Putin was ready to make peace.

'It just seems to me that, you know, it's how I feel,' the president explained. 'That's all I've done in my whole life, I've made deals, I know about deals, I do it well.'

'I don't think any president has ever ended a war, frankly,' Trump also offered.

In a post on X Thursday night, Zelensky made clear he was dubious that Putin was truly ready to come to the negotiating table.

'Nothing has changed for Russia- it is still terrorizing life in Ukraine,' Zelensky said.

'Russia will be forced to stop the war once it is no longer able to continue it,' the Ukrainian leader continued. 'And Russia's true readiness for peace lies not in words - Putin has never been short of those - but in actually ceasing the strikes and killings, and that's precisely where he has a problem.'

Trump has been in contact with Putin throughout his second term - and met him face-to-face in August in Alaska - but the Russian leader hasn't slowed down his assault on Ukrainian territory.

The president said he still viewed the Alaska meeting positively, though the US walked away with no concrete peace deal and Putin was able to herald the visit as his return to the world stage, after being turned into a pariah since the February 2022 invasion.

'Well, I think Alaska actually set a stage and that wasn't very long ago, but it set a stage,' Trump said Thursday.

Ukrainian President Zelensky delivered a pointed rebuke to Donald Trump 's assessment of the war in Ukraine on Friday, insisting Vladimir 'Putin doesn't want peace' even as the American president continued to express confidence a resolution was in sight

Trump has been in contact with Putin throughout his second term - and met him face-to-face in August in Alaska - but the Russian leader hasn't slowed down his assault on Ukrainian territory

A Ukrainian soldier stands among the rubble in the courtyard of destroyed residential buildings in the frontline town of Kostyantynivka, Donetsk region, on October 12

Prior to this week's call with Putin, Trump appeared to have grown frustrated with the Russian leader, often lamenting that he thought the Ukraine war would be the easiest to end - thanks to his good relationship with Putin - and instead it's been the hardest.

Trump also credited first lady Melania Trump with opening his eyes to Russia's consistent bombing and killing of civilians in the aftermath of friendly phone calls with Putin.

Zelensky is expected to ask Trump for long-range Tomahawk missiles for Kyiv, capabilities that might make Russia more eager for peace.

Washington has been hesitant to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles, such as Tomahawks, out of concern that such a step could escalate the war and deepen tensions between the United States and Russia.

But Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Wednesday in Brussels that if Russia won't budge from its objections and refuses to negotiate a peace deal, Washington 'will take the steps necessary to impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression.'

The president revealed that he had teased giving Zelensky the Tomahawks to Putin on their call Thursday.

'I did actually say, 'Would you mind if I gave a couple of thousand tomahawks to your opposition?' I did say that to him. I said it just that way. He didn't like the idea,' Trump said. 'You have to be a little lighthearted sometimes.'

Relations between Trump and Zelensky have warmed since their late February viral spat in the Oval Office in which the president told his Ukrainian counterpart: 'You don't have the cards.'

Zelensky is expected to ask Trump for long-range Tomahawk missiles for Kyiv, capabilities that might make Russia more eager for peace

But it appeared Trump might wait for his second in-person meeting with Putin before green-lighting the Tomahawks, which he called 'vicious,' 'offensive' and 'incredibly destructive.'

The president said his second Putin summit would be hosted by his political ally, Hungarian President Victor Orban, and would happen soon.

Putin has yet to commit to sitting down with Zelensky face-to-face.

'I mean, we have a problem. They don't get along too well, those two, and it's sometimes tough to have meetings,' Trump said. 'So we may do something where we're separate, but separate but equal,' the president floated.

'This is a terrible relationship the two of them have,' Trump said.
The black Florida mom who screamed 'I can't breathe' during a viral brawl with a white officer has a rap sheet dating back two decades  and a history of defying cops, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Erika McGriff, 39, claims she was the victim of police brutality after she was filmed grappling with Officer Randy Holton when he tried to ticket her for illegally parking outside her daughter's school.

Footage of her begging for help and bleeding from her arm during the October 7 takedown ignited social media outrage but the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office insists Holton did nothing wrong.

McGriff faces a slew of felonies for allegedly biting and punching Holton but has hired powerhouse civil rights attorney Ben Crump  who represented the families of George Floyd, Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown  to fight the charges and explore 'every possible legal avenue'.

Daily Mail can now disclose that McGriff has a history of fiery altercations and run-ins with the police including one instance when she booted a suspect in the stomach while officers were trying to arrest him.

In another encounter, she ignored police commands during an 'armed dispute' and marched across a neighbor's yard despite being ordered to stop.

'I already paid for those convictions and what I went through in my past. That's over with,' McGriff told Daily Mail, when asked for comment.

Her record spans two decades and includes battery, petit theft, drug possession and prostitution.

Erika McGriff's mugshot. She is charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and operating a motor vehicle with a revoked driver's license as a habitual traffic offender

The incident sparked outrage on social media after video of Jacksonville Sheriff's Deputy Randy Holton grappling with McGriff while trying to arrest her outside her daughter's school on October 7 went viral

She was still in her teens when she registered her first arrest in 2005 for misdemeanor battery and was placed on probation and ordered to take anger management classes.

The following year she was accused of possessing a controlled substance and resisting an officer though the charges were later dropped.

In 2008 McGriff's boyfriend was arrested for pulling her hair and punching her sister Jerrika while the trio were out apartment hunting.

McGriff 'came up behind the officers and began kicking the suspect in the abdomen,' according to a police report, earning herself a simple battery charge and a probation violation.

In 2010 she was jailed for three days after she agreed to perform sex acts on an undercover vice cop and was caught with a hydrocodone pill in her purse.

She spent a further two days behind bars after police were called to a dispute between McGriff and her neighbors in March 2021.

'During our investigation the suspect and her family repeatedly screamed obscenities and threats, despite officers warning them to stop and remain away from the victims and witnesses,' arrest papers state.

'The suspect [McGriff] began advancing towards the victim's home, crossing into her yard and ignored repeated commands to stop by officers. While she walked to the victim she threatened to "beat her ass".'

McGriff had been picking up her nine-year-old daughter up from IDEA charter school in Jacksonville when an officer approached her to ask about an illegally parked car

The mom was placed in handcuffs but her family continued to yell insults until backup arrived to stabilize the scene, according to police.

McGriff 'said she didn't hear officers telling her to step away,' the papers say. She pleaded no contest to trespassing.

McGriff is also a repeat offender when it comes to her motoring record, Daily Mail can reveal.

She's been fined hundreds of dollars for infractions including careless driving, speeding and failing to wear a seatbelt.

Between 2016 and 2023 cops caught her driving with a revoked or invalid license on multiple occasions  an offense she allegedly committed again prior to last Tuesday's clash with Holton.

McGriff was picking her nine-year-old daughter from IDEA charter school in Jacksonville when the officer spotted her parking illegally and leaving her vehicle unattended, according to arrest documents.

She denied she was the driver, refused to walk back to the GMC Yukon, then took off her slides like she was 'preparing to run,' Holton claimed afterwards.

'I then grabbed her right arm to control her into the back of my marked patrol car,' he said in the police report.

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office latest arrest and booking report for Erika McGriff

McGriff, 39, spoke at a press conference alongside her attorney, powerhouse civil rights advocate Ben Crump, saying her arrest by Jacksonville Officer Randy Holton as 'uncalled for and unfair'

'It began raining and she became slick from the rain, and she was able to snatch her arm away from my grasp as I was attempting to open my back door.

'While trying to control her, she bit me on my left forearm causing a massive welp but did not break the skin.

'After she bit me, she was able to face up to me and punched me with a closed fist on the left side of my face.

'I then returned a closed first to her upper shoulder and regained control and took her to the ground with a straight arm takedown. While on the ground she continued to resist arrest.'

The fistfight was filmed by a bystander and caught on Holton's bodycam.

Blood could be seen dripping down McGriff's arm as she screamed 'I can't breathe' and complained of being choked, reminiscent of the May 2020 death of George Floyd.

'All I was trying to do was get my daughter out of the school, from out of school, without getting wet, drenched in the rain,' she told a press conference Tuesday.

'That's all and none of this. Everything that happened that was just like uncalled for and it's not fair.'

McGriff can be seen with her child during the confrontation with the police, in the officer bodycam footage released by JSO

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters has dismissed allegations of racial bias, saying the confrontation stemmed from McGriff 'violently resisting' a police officer who was 'just trying to do his job'

Crump, a longtime campaigner against police brutality, said the footage was clear evidence of excessive force.

'The type of force used on Erika McGriff  the chokeholds, the hair grabbing, being punched with closed fists in the face, having a knee put on her neck  should be reserved for armed and dangerous criminals who are a threat to the public and our safety,' he said

'Not for mothers who are doing their part to go pick up their daughter from school so she won't get rained on.'

McGriff is nonetheless facing charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence and operating a vehicle with a revoked license - all third-degree felonies, punishable by up to five years in prison.

Two more women, Anita Gibson, 59, and Jasmine Jefferson, 36, were charged with violating Florida's Halo Law, which states the public must leave a 25ft buffer around first responders who are making arrests.

Crump dubbed them 'The Jacksonville Three.'

But Jacksonville's Republican Sheriff T.K. Waters insists Holton followed department policy and that it was McGriff who escalated a traffic citation into a full-blown fight.

'If you violently resist our officers, if you punch them, if you bite them, you will be arrested,' he said last week.

'If you crowd and harass our officers or any first responder after a verbal warning, you will be arrested.'

The Daily Mail has contacted Crump for comment.
Can there be a sadder book than Virginia Giuffres autobiography, published posthumously after she committed suicide earlier this year at the age of 41?

Nobodys Girl is out this month and tells the tale of a lost innocent whose life was ruined by terrible, selfish, greedy, sexually depraved men, including our very own Prince Andrew.

Virginia writes of her grisly first (of three) sexual encounter with the royal when they met at Ghislaine Maxwells London home. There, Groomer Ghislaine and her ghoulish pimp-predator boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein proudly presented Virginia to Prince Andrew as if she were the luscious showstopper in their evil Bake-Off Tent, which is a fair approximation of the situation.

When asked to guess her age, Andrew  as if taking part in a jolly parlour game  correctly surmised that the teenager before him, dressed in Britney Spears jeans and a crop top, was 17 years old, adding that his own daughters were only slightly younger.

That simple fact, baldly stated, would have stopped decent men from progressing further down this contemptible path of lust and disgrace. Yet, as has been proved repeatedly over recent years, Prince Andrew is a thousand miles adrift from that little desert island called decency, sinking deeper every week into his own sea of shame.

According to Giuffres account, Andrew (then aged 41) was friendly but entitled  as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright. He was also keen to get on with things  Ill bet he was  rushing through the bathing-naked-together stage and getting straight down to business.

He paid particular attention to my feet, Virginia writes, worried at the time that she would have to reciprocate and do the same to him. The poor child.

Prince Andrew and Virginia, after being introduced by Ghislaine Maxwell

Virginias story reveals that her whole life was bookended with horror at the hands of men. She alleges her father sexually molested her and traded her to a family friend when she was between the ages of seven and 11 years old.

Her father, Sky Roberts, strenuously denies this but make what you will of the fact that the friend later spent 14 months in prison for abusing another minor and was on Americas registered sex offenders list for over a year.

In the months before she died, alone in a remote farmhouse in Australia, Virginia had tried to revise her book following alleged domestic violence at the hands of her husband, Robbie Giuffre, with whom she was in a custody battle for their three children.

She had originally described him in her pages as part guru, part goofball, but even that dream had soured, too. There was to be no happy ever after for poor Virginia, who could never escape her past.

It cant have helped her mental state that Prince Andrew has essentially called Giuffre a liar  and for many years has repeatedly denied sexually assaulting her. In 2022 he paid her a multi-million-pound out-of-court settlement while making no admission of guilt. And in his famous Newsnight interview in 2019, he even denied ever meeting her.

It didnt happen. I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened. I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever, he told Emily Maitlis back then.

Yet it has now been revealed that when the infamous photograph of the prince with his arm around Virginia was first published in the British media in 2011, Andrew sent Jeffrey Epstein a yelping email to say we are in this together to keep in close touch and lets play some more soon.

Virginia Giuffre, with a photo of herself as a teenager

All of which suggests Prince Andrew knew all along exactly who Virginia Giuffre was, remembered precisely what they had done together and had not forgotten the nature of their liaisons. What other explanation could there be for the tone and content of his correspondence? Absolutely none.

All of this puts further pressure on the Duke of York and the Royal Family. Not just because so many of his denials have turned to dust or that his personal recollections of his own behaviour vary and stray from the accounts of others.

Yet the big question is not how can the royals carry on living with soiled Prince Andrew festering away in their midst, it is how can he live with himself? What role did he have in the death of this young woman?

Of course, the Duke is not directly responsible for Virginia Giuffre killing herself  but he is a golden stitch in this tapestry of shame. His lofty insistence that they had never met despite her claims to the contrary must have taken a toll. It must have been humiliating, at the very least.

Dont forget that Virginia Giuffre was one of the earliest and loudest voices who called for criminal charges against Epstein and his enablers, including Ghislaine Maxwell. Other abuse survivors later credited her for giving them the courage to speak out, too, and bring at least some of these men  and one woman  to justice.

Virginia was damaged but she was brave until the end, despite the fact that throughout her life men had abused her, denied her, dismissed her and disparaged her.

It is part of our national disgrace that Prince Andrew was one of them.

I'm smitten by the showgirl in love

Yes, I do understand why many music lovers are not Swifties and cannot understand the fuss over TS, even if she is the biggest pop star in the world.

Indeed, after the first few listens I didnt much like The Life of A Showgirl, her new album. Then it grew on me like a chain, a crown, a vine  now I think it is three parts masterpiece, one part genius and lets not talk about Wood.

However, songs such as The Fate Of Ophelia and Opalite are the sound of a woman in love, with all the joy that suggests. After finding her prince, Taylor is in a post-toad euphoria, and the resulting music is irresistible.

Elsewhere the production values, the costumes, the choreography, the work ethic, the professionalism, the style, the sheer verve, exuberance and ambition of it all is just gasping.

The video for The Fate Of Ophelia alone puts all Swifts contemporaries in the shade. In her feathers and sequins Taylor makes Dua Lipa and Katy Perry look like schoolgirls performing in an end of term panto.

What a show, girl.

Maggie had an affair? Don't be so ridiculous

When it comes to Margaret Thatcher there is a determination  an obsession!  from the Left to rewrite history and depict her as the worst political ogre to ever besmirch Parliament with her presence.

Ive lost count of the negative depictions of her in derogatory BBC dramas and also from pious documentaries which always focus on her faults, never her achievements.

Lady T is still spoken of with fury in some quarters and regarded as the woman who ruined Britain in others, when it seems clear that the opposite was true. Mrs Thatcher had her faults, but she saved us from at least a decade of discontent  and the rest  but few care.

The latest maligning concerns her sex life. Did Margaret Thatcher have an affair? Two affairs? I double doubt it, but author Tina Gaudoin floats these allegations  and then fails to back them up in The Incidental Feminist, her new biography of the former Conservative leader.

Just because Thatcher had a particular weakness for handsome men of a certain age who stood up straight and wore well-cut suits  dont we all?  doesnt mean she was sleeping with them, too. Where would she find the time, for a start?

Jonathan Aitken, Tim Bell and Humphrey Atkins  these are the torrid names in the Maggie frame. The first is a convicted perjurer, the second was a drug-taking womaniser and the third was a minister who some say was incompetent but who kept getting promoted under Maggie. Dont all snigger at once.

Why was that? chin-stroking gossips now wonder. For me, this last one was the clincher. Even if demotic, workaholic Maggie  she only needed five hours sleep a night  was having sex with her then Northern Ireland Secretary, she wouldnt be giving him promotions for the privilege and the pleasure.

Quite the opposite, in fact. Humphrey would have been Minister for Paper Clips sooner than he could put a shaking hand on her knee. If this book is meant to be a feminist retelling of events, it insultingly forgets that Mrs Thatcher was a formidable politician and tactician, not some giddy Spice Girl kicking off her knickers at the first sight of a handsome chappie pouring her a whisky.

Every prime minister needs a Willie, she once famously said. Yet this wasnt a lonely clarion call for sexual congress, just an acknowledgement of her trusty deputy William Whitelaws managerial skills. Poor Maggie! She deserves better than this.

Victorias Secret brought the sexy back with their new lingerie show. The US underwear giant previously tried to change their image with sensible knicks and sedate advertising, but their woke rebrand failed  as woke rebrands tend to do.

Now they are back to the skimp and the plunge, giving the opportunity for every model and nepo baby in showbiz to climb into suspenders, eye-popping bras and a pair of porn pants while pretending that they are doing it all for the beauty of art. Or something.

Im doing it to show that motherhood can be subversive, said Emily Ratajkowski in an orchid-petal pink thong. Of course you are, dear.

What's the type for insufferably smug?

Oh hello. Gwyneth Paltrow has described herself as an Enneagram Type 1.

This is a form of personality typification based on ancient wisdoms  when are they not?  and which is currently popular in California.

There are nine types of personality and GP says she is one called The Reformer; someone who is rational, idealistic, principled, purposeful, self-controlled and perfectionistic. Very good, even if people who describe themselves as perfectionists must be avoided at all costs.

One worrying thing about the Enneagram classifications is they are all incredibly flattering. You are either agreeable or decisive or versatile or engaging or perceptive or sensitive or driven or generous.

Where is the category for methodical, dull, cautious, clumsy, emotionally constipated and an embarrassment on the world stage?

Only asking because Keir Starmer wants to know.
An Aussie mum who faked her seven-year-old son's cancer diagnosis to collect donations from kind-hearted Aussies has broken down in tears in court as she pleaded guilty to almost a dozen charges.

Michelle Bodzsar, 45, was arrested in December last year for claiming her son had eye cancer and dressing him as if he were going through radiotherapy treatment.

Prosecutors alleged she shaved her son's hair, wrapped his head in bandages, and kept him in a wheelchair in Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday.

The court heard, by way of her pleading guilty to the charges, that she had lied to a number of people for financial benefit, The Advertiser reported.

The majority of the sums donated to the family through a fundraiser were between $500 and $1,000, with one payment totaling $3,000.

Earlier this year, the mother-of-two faced one count of criminal neglect and 57 counts of deceiving another to benefit herself.

She was also charged with 14 counts of dishonestly dealing with property, alleging that the total amount secured was $21,962.

But on Thursday, the court was told a plea bargain had been agreed and Bodzsar would plead guilty to 11 charges, with the rest dropped.

Mother-of-two Michelle Bodzsar (pictured) has pleaded guilty to 11 offences related to scamming people out of their money by claiming her son had cancer

Prosecutors told an Adelaide court that Bodzsar shaved her son's hair, wrapped his head in bandages and kept him in a wheelchair to suggest that he had gone through radiotherapy treatment (pictured, a donation page for Bodzsar's son)

An online fundraising post previously seen by Daily Mail said the family had suffered 'every parent's nightmare'.

'Young [boy's name], 6 years old was diagnosed with eye cancer. It is stage 1,' the fundraising page said.

Bodzsar remained composed as she plead guilty to the 10 counts of deceiving another to benefit herself via video link from Adelaide's Women's Prison.

But the mum-of-two broke down in tears as she pleaded guilty to engaging in acts to cause harm to her son, and was seen burying her face in her hands.

Through her pleas, Bodzsar admitted to engaging in acts likely to cause harm to her son, knowing or recklessly disregarding that likelihood, between November 17 and December 13 last year.

Magistrate Patrick Hill remanded Bodzsar into custody and she will face the District Court in November for sentencing submissions.

Bodzsar's husband Ben Stephen Miller, also 45, was initially charged but those charges were dropped in May this year.
A Sydney gay club has issued a grovelling public apology after its exclusive entry policy was slammed as 'tone-deaf' and 'disappointing' by Aussies.

Kevin Du-Val and Michael Lewis, aged 80 and 57 respectively, own and run popular gay club Palms on Oxford Street in Darlinghurst together.

The enterprising pair now plan to open a new multi-level club, initially under the name 'Pink Pony', in early December on the same strip.

But the couple were slammed as 'tone deaf' after they highlighted the club will be aimed at young gay men between 18 and 35-years-old.

Mr Lewis told Gay Sydney News the venue will 'unashamedly be targeted at the boys, pretty much 18 to 35, and of course there'll be overlapping above that, just as there is underlap at Palms [with] under 35s'.

'Gay people understand gay people more than maybe some of the (other) venues understand what they (gay people) want,' Mr Du-Val said.

'We're not doing anything miraculous (with Pink Pony); we're doing what I like and what Michael likes, and that's what the gay people like.

'Of course the girls will be welcome, but it would be our desire that it is predominantly gay boys, and when I say predominantly, I'm sort of talking 90 per cent plus.'

Kevin Du-Val and Michael Lewis, 80 and 57, are opening a multi-level club in early December at 231 Oxford Street (pictured) in Darlinghurst

A Sydney gay club named after lesbian pop star Chappell Roan's hit Pink Pony Club has come under fire for targeting young game men as its specific target audience

Chappell Roan has said her hit 'Pink Pony Club' was inspired by a visit to The Abbey, a gay bar in West Hollywood known for its inclusivity.

The couple's decision to name their new bar after the song was slammed by Heaps Gay, a Sydney-based events organiser, as 'so disappointing and tone deaf'.

'Appropriating lesbian culture for your own $/benefit for gay men!! What?? We have been fighting for inclusion for the last decade and this feels like a million steps backwards,' a post on social media read.

Other Aussies were quick to join the fierce debate.

'So they want to appropriate the work of a Queer woman to name their club, but they don't want Queer women in said club? Gross,' one said.

'I guess gay men are invisible after the age of 35?' a second quipped.

'Ironically, what is most interesting in Europe is the number of bars targeted at older gay men and their admirers.'

The couple have been forced to discard the name, with their Instagram page now titled: 'New name coming soon'.

'Of course the girls will be welcome, but it would be our desire that it is predominantly gay boys, and when I say predominantly, I'm sort of talking 90 per cent plus,' co-owner of the new club, Kevin Du-Val (pictured), told Gay Sydney News

The club owners released an apology following backlash about their targeted clientele

A single post shared an 'open letter' from 'Kevin and Michael' apologising for any hurt or offence caused.

'In our excitement to announce the launch of our new venture, our first thought was to let those in the community we envisioned would be the core clientele know we were building something for them,' they said.

'In hindsight our communication was clumsy and very poorly worded.'

They also address the 'error in judgement' by choosing 'Pink Pony' as the venue name due to Roan's 'well-deserved reverence with queer women'.

'Growing up as young gay men dancing to Dancing Queen, we selfishly considered the song another gay anthem completely overlooking the wider implications of using it,' the pair said.

'We can see the issue with using the song name as inspiration for what was expected to be a predominantly gay venue.

'We have taken the time to see from the perspective of others in our community, and see that we appeared arrogant & selfish, for that, we are sorry.'

The couple said all members of the LGBTQI+ community are welcome in their venues, and acknowledged their 'nomination of a preferred mix was tone deaf and hurtful'.

'Everyone is just looking to find their tribe and a place to belong,' they said.
The father of seven-month-old Emmanuel Haro, whose disappearance in August launched a frantic search across Southern California, has admitted to killing his son after weeks of claiming the infant had been kidnapped.

Jake Haro, 32, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, assault causing bodily harm to a child 'resulting in the death of said child,' and filing a false police report, according to court records.

He cried in court as he entered his plea, changing it from not guilty to guilty on all counts.

'In a plea to the court, a defendant enters guilty pleas to all charged counts and the judge in the case determines the sentence a defendant will serve,' the Riverside County District Attorney's Office said in a statement, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Haro now faces 25 years to life in prison.

His sentencing is scheduled for November 3 - the same day his wife, 41-year-old Rebecca Haro, is due in court for a preliminary hearing after pleading not guilty to an amended complaint.

Officials have not yet disclosed the details of that complaint, according to KABC.

The harrowing case began on August 14, when Rebecca reported being attacked outside a retail store on Yucaipa Boulevard while changing her son's diaper.

Jake Haro (pictured), 32, pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree murder, assault causing bodily harm to a child 'resulting in the death of said child,' and filing a false police report

The father of seven-month-old Emmanuel Haro (pictured) whose disappearance in August launched a frantic search across Southern California, admitted to the murder of his son after weeks of claiming the infant had been kidnapped

Emmanuel was reported missing on August 14 after his mother, Rebecca Haro, reported being knocked unconscious by an unknown man only to find her infant son missing, triggered an extensive search for the missing infant. Pictured: San Bernardino County investigators conducting a search operation at home of missing baby

She told deputies she was knocked unconscious by an unknown man and awoke with a black eye to find her son missing, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office said.

The report triggered an extensive search for the missing infant.

But, investigators soon uncovered inconsistencies in her story and when confronted, she stopped cooperating, leading detectives to suspect foul play.

About a week later, on August 22, baby Emmanuel's parents were arrested at their home in Cabazon and charged with murder.

Search teams later scoured an isolated field in Moreno Valley - 27 miles from Cabazon - with Jake in custody and present, but no trace of the baby was found.

Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin said investigators had 'a pretty strong indication' of where Emmanuel's remains might be and that the child had been 'severely abused over a period of time.'

However, authorities have not yet located the seven-month-old's remains.

About a week after Emmanuel's reported disappearance, baby Emmanuel's parents were arrested at their home in Cabazon and charged with murder

Haro faces 25 years to life in prison. Pictured: Jake Haro arrested at his Cabazon home and booked into custody

Prior to their arrest, the parents (pictured) pleaded with the public to find their child

'The filing in this case reflects our belief that baby Emmanuel was abused over time and that eventually because of that abuse, he succumbed to those injuries,' Hestrin added.

Hestrin also described Haro as an 'experienced child abuser,' noting that he 'should have gone to prison' after a 2018 conviction for abusing another child with his ex-wife.

Instead, Haro received probation - a decision Hestrin called 'an outrageous error in judgment.'

Authorities said the child in that case remains bedridden due to the injuries.

'If that judge had done his job as he should have done, Emmanuel would be alive today,' Hestrin said.

The 2018 case involved a baby girl who was hospitalized with a skull fracture, multiple healing rib fractures, brain hemorrhages, and other injuries, according to police records.

Haro claimed he accidentally dropped the baby while bathing her, but doctors said the explanation was inconsistent with the severity of the injuries.

When Emmanuel was reported missing in August, Riverside County authorities removed a 2-year-old child from the Haros' home.

San Bernardino County investigators searched the family's home for the missing baby

Search teams later scoured an isolated field in Moreno Valley - 27 miles from Cabazon - with Jake (pictured in orange jumpsuit) in custody and present, but no trace of the baby was found

The Uvalde Foundation for Kids, a nonprofit that offered a reward early in the search, criticized the lack of updates from law enforcement about Emmanuel's remains.

The group's founder, Daniel Chapin, said in a statement that Jake's guilty plea was a 'necessary step toward accountability' but that 'justice for Emmanuel is incomplete until his remains are recovered.'

'Our fight now centers on recovering Emmanuel and enacting 'Emmanuel's Law' to protect other children from falling through the cracks of a broken system,' Chapin said.

Officials said the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department continues to lead the search for Emmanuel's remains, while the Riverside County District Attorney's Office is overseeing the criminal case.
A mother who smothered her autistic son after claiming to have heard a voice telling her to kill him was jailed for life today.

Claire Button, 35, murdered five-year-old Lincoln at their home in South Ockendon, Essex, following months of struggling to cope with his complex needs and her own declining mental health.

The part-time florist had admitted manslaughter, saying she followed the commands of a 'dark, deep, scary, demanding, male voice', but was convicted of murder by a jury at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

She returned to the court today, where Judge Samantha Leigh handed her a life sentence with a minimum of nine years before parole will be considered.

Judge Leigh said: 'Those who sat through the case know she was very unwell and had on a number of occasions sought help because she knew she was unwell, and had got worse... The facts of this case are truly heartbreaking.'

Button was 'a loving, caring mother' to her 'very challenging' son', she added, saying she accepted she was suffering from mental illness which 'impaired her judgement'.

But the judge said the jury had decided that it was not of a degree that gave her a defence of diminished responsibility.

In a statement after the hearing, the Button family described what had happened as the most painful chapter in our lives and thanked the police officers who treated us with compassion and dignity and who helped us navigate the unimaginable.

Claire Button, 35, was convicted of murdering five-year-old Lincoln at their home in South Ockendon, Essex, on December 15 last year

Saying they would carry [Lincolns] memory with us always, they added: We continue to love and support Claire through this incredibly difficult time.

Social media photos show Button in sun-soaked photos on a Moroccan holiday with a friend where she posed by the pool and tried local dishes.

There are also pictures of her handmade bridal bouquets and sweet images of Lincoln in his school uniform with the caption: Cannot wait to see my Son xxx.

Describing Lincoln's last moments during the murder trial, prosecutor Andrew Jackson said: Lincoln was quite clearly a loving child. In his own way, he knew how to show love.

We heard how each morning he'd get into her bed for a cuddle.

'And minutes before she smothered him to death, hed gone into her [Button's] room, taken her by [the] hand, led her to his room when she was obviously distressed, because he wanted her to watch the trains from the window.'

He added: 'It appears that the challenges of caring for an autistic child had caused the defendant to become depressed and she chose to murder her child.

Lincoln, who lived at home with his mother and father, was a physically healthy boy who 'loved' going to the mainstream school that he attended, the trial heard.

CCTV showed Button leaving her flat with Lincoln on his scooter as they made their way to a local supermarket, hours before she killed him

Button said she was hearing voices urging her to kill her son, who she smothered to death with a pillow before trying to take her own life

Social media photos show Button in sun-soaked photos on a Moroccan holiday

Button, pictured in a summer dress, had been 'fighting demons', according to her husband

Button had previously posted photos of her young son on Instagram showing him on a swing in a playground in his school uniform. The caption read: 'Cannot wait to see my son xxx'

Button's mother lived nearby and was 'part of a large network of family support' and had even qualified as a carer so that she could help look after Lincoln.

During the school summer holidays in 2024 Button was taken by her mother to a mental health unit at Basildon Hospital, where she was diagnosed with depression and given medication.

The medication 'appeared to be having a positive effect' after a week and by the time Lincoln returned to school things had become better.

But the October half-term break 'marked a return to the problems'.

Button visited her GP and was prescribed an increase of the medication given to her for her depression. Her condition again improved once Lincoln was back at school, Mr Jackson said.

But he added: '[With] the school Christmas holidays on the near horizon, the defendant was again saying that her health had deteriorated.'

Jurors were shown footage of Lincoln and his mother entering a Lidl supermarket on December 14, a day before he was killed.

The youngster appeared fixated on the store's automatic entrance door, being filmed going to and from them multiple times.

Button was jailed for life and told she would have to serve a minimum of nine years before she could be considered for parole

Lincoln's mother Claire Button, 35, admitted manslaughter but has now been found guilty of his murder following a trial at Norwich Crown Court

The following day Button briefly visited her mother with Lincoln. During the visit she told her about what happened at the supermarket.

At 11.25am that same day, December 15, the defendant made a call to emergency services where she asked for an ambulance. She reported to the call handler that 'she was about to take an overdose'.

Button, who was at home with her son, was asked if she was with anyone and she replied that she was alone.

The 999 operator advised her to wait with a friend as they 'might not be able to get an ambulance to her for ten hours'.

Mr Button made the tragic discovery of his son when he returned home from work just before 3pm that day.

Paramedics rushed to the scene but Lincoln was declared dead at 3.55pm.

Button was taken to hospital after telling medics that she had taken an overdose. She was later arrested by police officers on suspicion of murder.

Button told the jury she had been having suicidal thoughts while struggling to cope with her son's behaviour when they were out shopping on the day she killed him.

A voice told me to take my own life but that I also had to take my son's life, she said.

I just thought the ambulance service didn't want to help if they were going to take that long and the voice told me I had to go through with it.

I was talking back to it saying No, I love him too much to do this" before it then asked me to pick up a pillow. The voice was telling me we didn't belong in this world.

I remember taking the pillow off of Lincoln's face, before it told me it was now my turn.

It was a dark, deep, scary, demanding, male voice and it wouldn't leave me alone unless I did it.

Mr Button returned home from work to find his son dead and his wife unconscious beside him.

A note left on the coffee table read: He does not fit in the world and where he doesnt fit, I dont either.

He told the court his wife must have been going through hell but didnt tell anyone how much she was suffering.

Referring to the murder charge, he said: This is not Claire's character, she was fighting demons, no-one had any idea.

This wasn't pre-meditated over time - something happened to trigger an inner demon.

No-one has a bad word to say about Claire. Sweetest person you'll ever meet.

He added Lincoln, who loved trains, was so attached to his mother that he was like her shadow.

In the weeks leading up to his death, Lincoln had become obsessed with his scooter and balance bike in the communal hallway of their block of flats, Mr Button added.

He described how his wife was getting dragged outside 15 times a day and if you don't do it, you get tantrums and lashing out.

He believed more medication was needed for his wife, who he said had not properly revealed the extent of her emotional distress.

In video evidence played to the court, Mrs Button's mother, Lisa Penfold, said her daughter had the best heart ever and hated getting into arguments.

Psychiatrist Dr Frank Farnham added he believed a defence of diminished responsibility was plausible.

Medical treatment for depression had mixed effects for some patients and Mrs Button had been offered a non-medical intervention called social prescribing but she had never properly received it, he told the jury.

During sentencing, Judge Leigh described Mr Button  who requested that his victim impact statement wasnt read out in court - as a broken man who has lost his son [and] he's lost his wife who he stands by and still loves.

She said Lincoln had suffered a meltdown when he repeatedly played with the sliding doors at the supermarket on the day of his death and it took Button some time to calm him down.

This incident was the pinchpoint which led to the murder, while the long delay for an ambulance to arrive was the final straw.

The defendant would have died from her injuries if she had not been found by her husband, Judge Leigh noted, adding her mental illness allowed a substantial reduction in the minimum term she had to serve in prison.

The fact that Button was now getting more help behind bars than she had before the murder was an indictment on society.

In my view, the whole case was completely avoidable with a number of missed opportunities, Judge Leigh added.

Mark Cotter KC, mitigating, said Button was of previous good character and, at the time of the murder, held the belief, albeit an irrational one, that she was acting out of mercy.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Blakesley, who led the investigation, said: My thoughts throughout this investigation, and today, remain with Lincolns family and all those who knew and loved him.
Karoline Leavitt slammed Democrats as 'Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals,' while crediting Donald Trump with having 'freed Palestine.'

The White House Press Secretary was frustrated with leftists like New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and the protesters who hacked airport messaging systems to send anti-Israel screeds.

When asked about both by Fox News, Leavitt said: 'The Democratic Party's main constituency is made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals,' she said.

Leavitt then wondered why the pro-Palestine crowd refused to give Trump credit for having brokered peace between Israel and Hamas.

'I would like to ask, where are all the 'Free Palestine' protesters? It's President Trump, who freed Palestine - literally, and they're now very much quiet about why they can't stand President Trump. And that is the basis of the Democratic Party today.'

Mamdani was non-committal toward giving Trump credit for peace in the Middle East during a Fox News interview Wednesday.

He said it was too early to know if the cease-fire in Gaza would work, but said Trump deserved credit if it 'proves to be something that is lasting, something that is durable.'

Pressed repeatedly during the interview about his past criticisms of Israel, Mamdani said he was primarily focused on issues that matter to New Yorkers, but maintained his pledge to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he steps foot in the city.

Karoline Leavitt slammed Democrats as 'Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals,' while crediting Donald Trump with having 'freed Palestine'

The White House Press Secretary was frustrated with leftists like the protesters who hacked airport messaging systems to send anti-Israel screeds

Elsewhere on Thursday, a major international airport in Pennsylvania received a terrifying message when hackers breached the PA system and delivered a foul-mouthed tirade against Israel and Trump.

Passengers were waiting to board their flights at Harrisburg International Airport when a barrage of messages supporting the Palestinian movement were blasted through the speaker system on Tuesday.

'F**k Netanyahu. F**k Trump. Free, free Palestine. Free, free Palestine,' the message repeatedly said. 'Turkish hacker cyber Islam was here.'

Also, at Kelowna International Airport in Canada screens flashed messages praising Hamas and calling for 'Free Palestine.'

'Israel lost the war, Hamas won honorably,' the screen read. 'You are a pig Donald Trump.'

Harrisburg Airport spokesman Scott Miller said the incident was being investigated by police, but did not cause any major delays.

'An unauthorized user gained access to the airport PA system and played an unauthorized recorded message,' he said.

'The message was political in nature and did not contain any threats against the airport, our tenants, airlines, or passengers.

Mamdani was non-committal toward giving Trump credit for peace in the Middle East during a Fox News interview Wednesday

'The PA system was shut off, and the incident is under investigation by police. We should not comment on the information in the message.'

At the time the message was played, one flight was in the process of boarding.

Miller said 'out of an abundance of caution, the aircraft was searched.

'No security issues were found, and the flight departed safely. The airport is operating normally.'

The message comes after Trump helped to broker a peace deal between Israel and Hamas which saw the remaining 20 surviving hostages freed.

'We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to put the old feuds and bitter hatreds behind us,' Trump said at a post-handover peace summit.

There, he urged leaders 'to declare that our future will not be ruled by the fights of generations past.'

Trump promised to help rebuild Gaza, and he urged Palestinians to 'turn forever from the path of terror and violence.'

Netanyahu hailed Trump as 'the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,' and he promised to work with him going forward.

'Mr. President, you are committed to this peace. I am committed to this peace,' he said. 'And together, Mr. President, we will achieve this peace.'

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for the release of the final hostages held by Hamas; 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.
MAGA supporters have come together to demand Donald Trump deports a Democrat influencer who is an American citizen.

Harry Sisson, a TikTok star, sent the loyalists into meltdown this week after criticizing the President's plan for peace in the Middle East.

The 23-year-old wrote on X on Tuesday: 'Biden got more hostages released than Trump.'

He later shared another creator's post questioning why none of the hostages who were released on the back of Trump's deal were women.

'Joe Biden got them released. That's why. You can thank him now like you thanked Trump,' he wrote.

In the days that followed those two posts, conservative X users have come together to get the phrase 'deport Harry Sisson' trending on the platform.

'Harry Sisson has only lived in America for 5 years. Yes you heard that right,' one user wrote.

'He was born in Singapore. I want every MAGA account on X that is currently active to comment, ''Deport Harry Sisson'' on this post.'

Harry Sisson, a 23-year-old TikTok star, sent MAGA into meltdown this week after criticizing Trump's plan for peace in the Middle East

The phrase was trending on X after a wave of posts calling for Sisson's deportation

Former Israeli hostage Eitan Horn celebrates as he returns home after being in Hamas captivity

His rally cry was answered with thousands of comments, reshares and new posts calling for Sisson's deportation.

'In your own words born in Singapore educated in Dubai and Dublin. You weren't born here, you weren't educated here, you didn't move here until you were 16, and you're not an American,' another user wrote.

Sisson soon caught wind of the movement and questioned whether the MAGA crowd calling for his deportation knew he was American.

'You guys know I'm an American citizen by birth right? The MAGA weirdos are not very bright!' Sisson wrote.

'Im also more American than any of these MAGA freaks who support the traitorous felon in the Oval Office!'

Once the phrase became the number one trending search on the platform, he added: 'Im flattered that MAGA got Deport Harry Sisson trending to number 1.

'Just proves theyre scared of me and my peers. All of the wins Democrats have secured recently have shaken them to their core. Keep it coming, MAGA dorks!'

Trump was widely celebrated for brokering the peace deal between Israel and Hamas, and Benjamin Netanyahu described him as a great friend of the nation.

'Biden got more hostages released than Trump,' Sisson wrote on X on Tuesday, sparking the initial backlash

Trump has made several attempts to alter America's birthright citizenship process

Sisson said Biden released more hostages than Trump after the president secured a monumental peace deal

I think Trumps Middle East peace plan will collapse very soon. Heres why: pic.twitter.com/v0VBqFZpL6  Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson) October 14, 2025

Sisson is a registered Democrat living in New York. He often shares political takes online.

He was born in Singapore and raised first in Dubai and then Dublin, Ireland. He later moved to the United States, where he attended high school and college.

A person born overseas can claim American citizenship if they have at least one parent who is a US citizen.

Trump has made several attempts to alter America's birthright citizenship process, including threatening to revoke US citizenship for his longtime critic Rosie O'Donnell.

He also signed a birthright declaration order upon returning to the White House for his second administration which stated that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.

The order is being contested in court.

The order would upend more than 125 years of understanding that the Constitutions 14th Amendment confers citizenship on everyone born on American soil, with narrow exceptions for the children of foreign diplomats and those born to a foreign occupying force.

During his public fallout with former first buddy Elon Musk, Trump threatened to withdraw his citizenship. While the world's richest man was born in South Africa, he became a naturalized US citizen in 2002.
A renewed search effort for missing four-year-old August 'Gus' Lamont will be 'completed' three weeks after the little boy vanished without a trace.

The little boy was last seen playing on a mound of dirt on his grandparents' remote property near Yunta, in South Australia's Mid-North, on September 27.

Police called off the exhaustive six-day search almost a week later over fears for the safety of on the advice of experts.

A second search involving police and ADF personnel resumed on Tuesday, with a specialist taskforce established to scour the remote bushland.

Search efforts were paused on Thursday as searing temperatures soared past 40C.

It resumed on Friday morning, but no trace of the four-year-old was found.

The search will be 'completed' at 12pm, police said in a statement on Thursday.

'The search resumed in zones outside of the original search area at sunrise, but was concluded at midday because of extreme heat and windy conditions,' it read.

Gus Lamont disappeared from his grandparents' homestead without a trace three weeks ago

Search efforts were renewed earlier this week (pictured)

The search for Gus is expected to be called off later on Friday

'It will resume on Friday, when it is anticipated the searching of the remaining identified zones will be completed.'

The update comes as new details emerged about what Gus' family were doing when the little boy vanished about 5pm on September 27.

It's understood Gus was playing outside as his grandmother looked after his little brother Ronnie inside the house.

Gus' mother Jess and his other grandparent were 10km away, tending to the stations sheep, Seven News reported.

His father Josh was not at the property at the time as he lives two hours away.

The grandmother discovered Gus was missing when she went to call him inside for dinner about 5.30pm.

The family reported Gus' disappearance to police three hours later.

Police gave a heartbreaking update on the renewed search on Wednesday that no evidence had been found.

Police and ADF personnel (pictured on Friday) have spent the last three days searching for Gus

Police returned to the outback property but have found no further clues of how Gus vanished

'More than 100 search team members, including SA Police, ADF members and SES volunteers, have each been walking between 20 and 25km each day in hot, harsh conditions,' a police statement read.

Speaking on radio station FIVEAA on Tuesday, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said Gus' family have cooperated, adding the decision to resume the search was not due to any fresh leads.

'This (extended search) is essentially just exploring every possibility, he said.

'We have nothing to suggest foul play at this time, but we're obligated to consider every possibility.

'Our efforts are focused on comprehensively searching the property and we're endeavouring to recover Gus for his family.

'We've done everything we can, based on expert advice, in relation to where we should be searching, but this is making sure we leave no stone unturned.'

The search has already covered an estimated 470 square kilometres, with police comparing the effort to searching 100 city centres. The boy's family said they remain 'devastated' and 'deeply distressed'.

'I would describe them as stoic,' Commissioner Stevens added.

'But you can imagine just how they are feeling, without having Gus and without having answers to exactly where Gus is and what's happened to him.

'This would be traumatic for any family.'

Gus was last seen playing in a mound of dirt on his grandparents' remote property near Yunta in South Australia's Mid-North
John Bolton compared President Donald Trump to 'Stalin's head of secret police' after he was indicted Thursday on charges of mishandling classified information.

The former National Security Advisor has been accused of sending classified documents through his personal AOL account, and could face a decade behind bars if convicted.

He blasted the allegations on Thursday, branding the legal effort against him as an act of 'retribution' for speaking out publicly against Trump after working for him briefly in the first administration.

'Then came Trump 2 who embodies what Joseph Stalins head of secret police once said, You show me the man, and Ill show you the crime'',' Bolton said of the charges.

Under Joseph Stalin's brutal rule of the Soviet Regime, his notorious secret police agency were responsible for mass arrests, torture, and execution of his critics.

'These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct,' Bolton said.

'Dissent and disagreement are foundational to Americas constitutional system, and vitally important to our freedom.'

Bolton has vowed to defend his 'lawful conduct and to expose his [Trump's] abuse of power.'

He hit out at the allegations on Thursday, branding thet legal effort against him as an act of 'retribution' for speaking out publicly against Trump after working for him briefly in the first administration (pictured, Trump and Bolton in 2018)

Trump maintains he wasn't aware of the indictment, but Bolton insists it is an act of 'retribution' by the president

According to the indictment, Bolton is alleged to have sent out diary notes via email about his daily activities while he was national security adviser. Two of the people who received those emails did not have security clearance, and the emails contained 'national defense information' and details classified as 'top secret.'

Bolton's emails were later hacked by someone with links to the Iranian government, according to the indictment. Bolton reported the hack to the FBI.

The indictment comes two months after FBI agents raided Bolton's Washington, D.C. office and suburban Maryland home.

The FBI was looking for possible violations of the Espionage Act, a law that dates back to 1917 and makes unauthorized possession of national security documents illegal.

At Bolton's D.C. office, federal agents discovered documents marked 'confidential' that referenced weapons of mass destruction, according to unsealed court records.

At his Maryland home, agents seized two cell phones, documents in folders labeled 'Trump I-IV' and a binder labeled 'statements and reflections to Allied Strikes,' the court records also showed.

Despite Bolton blaming Trump, the president claimed on Thursday he was unaware of the grand jury indictment until it happened.

'I didn't know that, you're telling me for the first time, but I think he's a bad person,' Trump told a reporter who asked a question about the indictment in the Oval Office.

Under Joseph Stalin's brutal rule of the Soviet Regime, his notorious secret police agency were responsible for mass arrests, torture, and execution of his critics.

Bolton waves to the press on the day his house was raided by FBI agents in August

'I think he's a bad guy, yeah, he's a bad guy. Too bad, but that's the way it goes.'

Bolton was tapped as Trump's third national security adviser during his first term after previously serving as President George W. Bush's ambassador to the United Nations.

After leaving the Trump White House, Bolton became a prominent critic of the president, calling him 'stunningly uninformed' in his memoir, which the administration had tried to block.

Trump indicated early on in his second term that Bolton would be a top target in his vengeance campaign.

Just a day after his swearing-in, Trump had Bolton's Secret Service detail pulled.

Bolton said in his Thursday statement he devoted 'four decades' of his life 'to America's foreign policy and national security.'

'I would never compromise those goals. I tried to do that during my tenure in the first Trump Administration but resigned when it became impossible to do so.

'Donald Trumps retribution against me began then.'

FBI agents remove boxes from the Washington, D.C. office of former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton on August 22

Bolton said he was merely 'the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies.'

Last month Trump appeared to publicly order Attorney General Pam Bondi to ramp up prosecution of his political enemies, naming former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff.

Days later, Comey was indicted by a federal grand jury over charges related to making false statements to Congress.

Trump fired Comey in 2017 amid the Russia probe, which the president has labeled a 'hoax.'

Last week, James was indicted by a federal grand jury in Virginia on one count of bank fraud and one count of making false statements to a financial institution.

James had previously brought fraud charges against the president and his company.
A suburban Chicago police officer was left stunned when ICE agents arrested him after officials discovered he was living in the United States illegally.

Radule Bojovic, of Montenegro, was off duty on Thursday morning when he was approached by immigration officials and handcuffed in a parking lot in Rolling Meadows.

The cop - who said he 'loves America' - admitted to agents that he has been working as a sworn officer with the Hanover Park Police Department since January.

He taken into custody during Operation Midway Blitz, which aims to rid Illinois of 'the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Chicago'.

The Department of Homeland Security said Bojovic had overstayed a B-2 tourist visa, and was supposed to have left the US by March 31, 2015.

However, he was 'still illegally' in the country more than a decade later.

Ben Bergquam, founder of FrontlineAmerica.com and host of Law and Border on Real Americas Voice News, was on the scene during Bojovic's arrest and captured the moment he was cuffed by ICE officials.

When Bergquam asked Bojovic how long he had been a police officer, he replied: 'January 8 [2025]'.

Bojovic confirmed that when he was hired, he had provided work authorization documents and advised that he was able to carry a firearm on-duty.

Radule Bojovic, of Montenegro, said he 'loves America' and admitted to agents that he has been working as a sworn officer with the Hanover Park Police Department since January

He had overstayed a B-2 tourist visa and was supposed to have left the US by March 31, 2015

He taken into custody during Operation Midway Blitz, which aims to rid Illinois of 'the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Chicago'

Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS assistant secretary, blasted Illinois governor JB Pritzker for allowing 'violent illegal aliens' into Illinois.

She said: 'Governor JB Pritzker doesn't just allow violent illegal aliens to terrorize Illinois's communities, he allows illegal aliens to work as sworn police officers.

'Radule Bojovic violated our nation's laws and was living ILLEGALLY in the United States for ten years  what kind of police department gives criminal illegal aliens badges and guns?

'It's a felony for aliens to even possess a firearm. A so-called law enforcement officer who is actively breaking the law.'

ICE said Bojovic had no weapons on him at the time of his arrest since he was only authorized to carry a firearm while on duty.

He also provided his employee identification card and confirmed that he was a Hanover Park Police Department officer.

Bojovic was approved by the Pension Fund Board of Trustees in January 2025 and was eligible to receive a starting salary of $78,955.70, per the DHS.

A Facebook post from the police department said Bojovic had graduated on August 22 from the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy and would begin an 'intensive' 15 weeks of field training and evaluation.

Hanover Park is a Chicago suburb, about an hour away from the Windy City.

Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS assistant secretary, blasted JB Pritzker for allowing 'violent illegal aliens to terrorize' Illinois

Bojovic's arrest took place during Operation Midway Blitz, the DHS said

Additional police records said his 2025 earnings were $205,707, including $9,276 for FICA/Medicare taxes.

The Village of Hanover Park said Bojovic had been hired in January 2025 'in full compliance with federal and state law.'

Bogovic had legal work authorization from the federal government prior to hiring him, a statement from the village claimed.

A full background check was also conducted.

The village said: 'The bottom line is that all information we received from the federal government indicated that Officer Bojovic is legally authorized to work in the United States as a police officer. Clearly, without that authorization, the village would not have hired him.'

Hanover Park had not received 'any notice from any federal or state agency' that Bojovic's work authorization had been revoked.

The village said Bojovic had been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of his immigration proceedings.

He will be 'returned to full duty status' if allowed to stay and work in the US.

The Village of Hanover Park said Bojovic had been hired 'in full compliance with federal and state law'

The Montenegro man will be 'returned to full duty status' if allowed to stay and work in the US

ICE called Bojovic's arrest the 'latest instance of Governor JB Pritzker's continued refusal to abide by federal laws.'

Sam Olson, the field office director for ICE's office in Chicago, said: 'Illegal aliens are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms  full stop.

'This is the second known instance in recent months of a local police department hiring an illegal alien and unlawfully issuing him a firearm while on duty in violation of federal law.

'It is alarming how local jurisdictions continue to disregard federal law to the detriment of their communities.'

In July, ICE officers in Maine arrested Jon Luke Evans from Jamaica and accused him of unlawfully attempting to buy a firearm.

Evans was a reserve police officer with the Old Orchard Beach Police Department.

He admitted he was trying to purchase the firearm for his job, ICE said.
The Home Office only has 12 staff working on its 'one-in, one-out' returns deal, according to Britain's border security commander.

The agreement, made in July, sees France accept asylum seekers who crossed from its shores to the UK but cannot prove a family connection there.

The scheme agreed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron sees that for each one it takes, Britain grants asylum to another who has arrived from France.

But Martin Hewitt admitted to the Commons home affairs select committee the small size of the team dedicated to working on the deal, The Times reports.

He emphasised to MPs 'a whole host of other people' are involved in the process too.

The official pointed to staff who process migrants selected for removal at the Manston centre in Kent.

He also noted those at the immigration detention centre at Heathrow, where migrants are held before deportation to France.

And overall, more than 5,000 civil servants in the Home Office and National Crime Agency (NCA) are working on the small boats crisis.

Britain's border security commander Martin Hewitt admitted to the Commons home affairs select committee the small size of the team dedicated to working on the deal. Pictured: French police officers take photos of migrants boarding a small boat to Britain from France on September 19, 2025

Border Security Command, the immigration enforcement agency Hewitt heads up after his appointment a year ago, funds around 1,000 of them.

Some 26 migrants have been removed under the one-in, one-out deal so far.

To date this year, 36,365 migrants have crossed the Channel, which is a third more than by this time last year.

The record was set in 2022, when 37,099 migrants had arrived by this time of the year.

Mr Hewitt said: 'I, more than anybody, find the numbers frustrating and really challenging, and this issue could not be more high-profile.

'But I am convinced that the plan, the sort of cross-spectrum plan that we have in place, is a plan that will deliver, but we need to keep pushing and delivering that plan.'

He also told the committee of his frustration that the scheme has been beset by other difficulties too.

The official said bureaucratic and legal difficulties have prevented French police officers starting to intercept small boats up to 300m from the coast.

He explained the force is still being given specialist training to make sure they are not liable for any deaths which happen in the process.

It also comes amid instability in the French government, which collapsed earlier this month, for the third time in a year.

Though prime minister Sebastien Lecornu was reappointed after his resignation, surviving two confidence votes, interior minister Bruno Retailleau who pushed through the changes at the border has been replaced.

The French government had promised officers would be out intercepting dinghies by the end of the summer.

But currently, they cannot legally step in once the boats are on the water unless passengers ask to be rescued.

Delays to implementation have also come from the French police union, which has requested better equipment and protection.

Mr Hewitt said the prevention of crossings will be made easier once officers are able to intervene.

But when asked about it by the Commons committee, he said 'we await that being deployed'.

The agreement, made in July, sees France accept asylum seekers who crossed from its shores to the UK but cannot prove a family connection there. Pictured: Migrants wade into the sea to board a small boat from France on October 10, 2025

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The commander continued: 'This was referred to by President Macron at the summit in July when he spoke with the prime minister, so it is frustrating that it's taken the time that it has the political instability, clearly that has been a backdrop.'

He explained the rise in violence and deaths on Channel crossings on poor migrants from the Horn of Africa storming small boats without paying for their passage.

Eritrea was the most common nationality of migrants crossing the Channel in the first half of this year, with 3,543 from the country making the journey.

Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, meanwhile, were all in the top eight.

NCA director-general of operations, Rob Jones, explained to the Commons committee: 'What has happened this year is the Horn of Africa cohort, through their violent behaviour and then through an accommodation with the smugglers, have driven those numbers up, and that's what we're talking about in terms of injuries and fatalities.'

Some 18 migrants have come from France to the UK as part of the 'inward' route agreed with Mr Macron's government in the summer as of last week.

Meanwhile, 10,040 small boat migrants have reached Dover by small boat since the scheme launched on August 6.

It included 1,075 on Wednesday last week week alone.

Sir Keir scrapped the Conservatives' Rwanda asylum deal as one of his first acts in office.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'Labour is swindling the British public. This is just a massive con.

'Since the deal became operational over 10,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the Channel and Labour have removed a mere 26. This will obviously not deter anyone.

'We need to leave the European Convention on Human Rights which will enable us to deport people in days - this would be a real deterrent.'

But Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood trumpeted the numbers removed from Britain under the new deal with France.

'The contrast couldn't be clearer. The last government's Rwanda scheme took years and cost hundreds of millions of pounds, and failed to forcefully remove a single person,' she said.

'In a matter of weeks, we've returned 26 through our historic agreement with France.

'We must put an end to these dangerous crossings which put lives at risk and money in the pockets of criminal gangs.

For each one it takes, Britain grants asylum to another who has arrived from France, according to the scheme agreed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron (pictured at the summit in July)

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'With flights to France now underway and ramping up, we are sending out a clear message: if you come here illegally, you face being detained and removed, so think twice before making that journey.'

The Home Office released images of migrants being sent back to France - the first time they have used a charter flight for removals under the scheme.

It comes as people traffickers have begun using deadly 'mega dinghies' to send migrants on their perilous journey across the Channel.

At the end of last month one of the massively overloaded inflatables - at around 40ft - was photographed on the Channel for the first time.

Labour has said the 'one in, one out' scheme will undermine people traffickers' tactics and 'smash the gangs' by persuading would-be migrants that crossing the Channel may be fruitless.

But the programme has been slow to take off after being mired in legal difficulties and even when fully up and running is expected to remove only around 50 migrants a week.

The all-time record for daily arrivals is 1,305, set on September 3, 2022.

The Home Office has been contacted for comment.
A woke university is telling students that JRR Tolkien demonises people of colour in the Lord of the Rings books, according to reports.

A history module called Decolonising Tolkien et al, taught at the University of Nottingham, uses a text that says orcs and other dark-skinned characters in the best-selling trilogy are the victims of 'ethnic chauvinism'.

The historian who leads the module, Dr Onyeka Nubia, argues that eastern races in the fantasy novel are depicted as evil while fairer-skinned peoples of the west are shown as virtuous.

In academia, 'decolonising' usually refers to moving away from from a white, Western-centric world view.

In the module's key text, Dr Onyeka writes that maligned peoples include Easterlings, Southrons and men from Harad.

The trilogy also features the dark-skinned orcs, evil creatures that do the bidding of Sauron, known as the 'Dark Lord'.

It adds that Tolkien's treatment of the fictional races participates in a tradition of 'anti-African antipathy', in which people from Africa are depicted as 'the natural enemy of the white man'.

The module also explores racial issues in CS Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

A woke university is telling students that JRR Tolkien demonises people of colour Lord of the Rings books

A history module called Decolonising Tolkien et al, taught at the University of Nottingham , uses a text that says orcs and other dark-skinned characters in the best-selling trilogy are the victims of 'ethnic chauvinism'. Pictured: An orc

The historian who leads the module, Dr Onyeka Nubia, argues that eastern races in the fantasy novel are depicted as evil while fairer-skinned peoples of the west are shown as virtuous. Pictured: Ian McKellen as Gandalf in the film The Lord Of The Rings - The Return Of The King

The Calormen in the fantasy novel have long been seen by some as exhibiting oriental stereotypes. They are described as 'cruel' people with 'long beards' and 'orange-coloured turbans'.

Students of the course in Nottingham will also learn to 'repopulate' the literary canon of British folklore, The Telegraph reports.

Dr Nubia provided articles which stated medieval England had diverse populations but that ethnic chauvinism was evident in literature, including Milton's Paradise Lost, and that the theme persisted in the works of Tolkien and Lewis.

He also claims in the core module text that Shakespeare's work helped to promote a vision of a 'fictional, mono-ethnic English past'.

His plays are said to be problematic for failing to include direct references to Africans living in England, creating the 'illusion' of racial homogeneity in England.

This isn't the only time universities have face controversy over so-called 'woke' decisions recently.

Just days ago, students were reportedly told that former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher shared a similar leadership style to Adolf Hitler during a lecture at Leicester University.

The claims were allegedly made in a business management class on Monday, where slides also described Donald Trump as a 'terrorist leader' type of business chief.

According to the lecture material, the Iron Lady was compared to both the Nazi dictator and Russian President Vladimir Putin for having 'dictated policies and procedures' while demanding obedience from others.

Mr Trump, meanwhile, was reportedly grouped with figures such as Osama Bin Laden - the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks - and Elliot Rodger, the London-born killer who murdered six people before taking his own life in California in 2014.

The Sun reported one student said: 'No one understands why they are going out of their way to make these comparisons.'

Leicester University later defended the lecture, saying it was intended to explore 'how theoretical frameworks relate to a range of well-known people'.

Responding to the lecture, former Conservative Education Secretary Sir Gavin Williamson told GB News: 'It is completely out of order and a shocking comparison.

'Margaret Thatcher has been one of our greatest leaders and it is shocking that this lecturer has said this and should immediately withdraw the remarks and apologise.'
The grieving family of a toddler who vanished from a popular beach more than half a century ago believe detectives botched the case by going to the public about a $10,000 ransom note too early in the investigation.

Three-year-old Cheryl Gene Grimmer was enjoying a day at the beach with her mother and three brothers when she was abducted outside a toilet block at Fairy Meadow Beach in Wollongong, on the NSW south coast on January 12, 1970.

Numerous searches since have found little to indicate what happened to the British-born toddler, whose remains have never been found.

A fortnight after NSW Police launched a fresh search for Cheryl's remains, her family on Friday will release their scathing findings into the initial investigation.

Days after Cheryl vanished, a ransom note addressed to her father Vince and police was sent to Bulli Police Station, just kilometres from where Cheryl was last sighted.

The handwritten letter promised to return Cheryl in exchange for $10,000 at the local library the following Saturday.

Police swiftly went to the media with the ransom note - a move Cheryl's surviving siblings now claim 'completely ruined' any hopes of finding her alive.

'While we don't rule out the possibility of it being a hoax, I am causing police to treat it as being a genuine ransom note,' the Wollongong Superintendent told media on January 16, 1970 - just four days after Cheryl disappeared.

Three-year-old Cheryl Grimmer (pictured right with her brother Ricki) was abducted from a Wollongong beach on January 12, 1970

The toddler was abducted outside this shower block at Fairy Meadow Beach in January 1970

Four days after the toddler disappeared, police spoke on WIN News about a ransom note they'd received, - a move Cheryl's family now claim 'completely ruined' hopes of finding her

'Should anyone recognise the handwriting we are most anxious for them to contact Wollongong detectives.'

The author of the note failed to show at the planned 'exchange' the following week.

Cheryl's family have since slammed the move as 'grossly incompetent', and one of multiple mistakes they believe police made in the years-long investigation.

A 15-year-old boy confessed to Cheryl's murder a year later in a police interview and led officers on a walk-through of the abduction and killing.

But without a body or any physical evidence, police decided not to lay charges.

In March 2017, detectives who re-examined the confession extradited the man only ever known as Mercury from Victoria and charged him with Cheryl's murder.

Mercury would not confess a second time and pleaded not guilty. The confession he made as a minor in a 1971 police interview was ruled inadmissible by the Supreme Court and he walked free in 2019.

This was because no parent, adult or legal practitioner was present at any stage of the interview, raising concerns about how the boy was cautioned.

The handwritten ransom note promised to return Cheryl in exchange for $10,000

A man only ever known as Mercury was extradited from Victoria in connection to Cheryl's disappearance. A murder charge was dropped two years later

Cheryl's surviving family are still without answers, almost 56 years after she vanished

Cheryl's family plans to release a scathing document detailing the errors of the police investigation which resulted in Mercury never facing a murder trial.

Her older brother Ricki Nash, who was seven when she was taken, will address the media in Wollongong after news.com.au reported some of the findings.

'After years of research, evidence review, and documentation of the failures that began the day Cheryl was taken, our family is now prepared to release our findings,' he said in a statement.

'Cheryl was an innocent child, and for 55 years our family has carried this pain without answers. The public deserves to understand how this case was mishandled and why justice has not been achieved.'

'It is time the truth was heard - clearly, respectfully, and without obstruction.

The family believe there were serious institutional and procedural errors that have prevented full transparency and accountability in the investigation.

They will also call for a public inquiry into how NSW authorities handled the case.

Stephen Grimmer is seen addressing the media following a new development in 2016

Cheryl's brother Ricki Nash (pictured) will call for public inquiry into how NSW authorities handled the toddler's disappearance

NSW Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham hopes to get permission from Cheryl's family to publicly name Mercury in state parliament.

'I've availed myself of the facts and the evidence that the family and the police have and it's clear that there is a perpetrator free in the community and that's utterly unacceptable,' he told news.com.au.

'So on the advice of the family, I stand ready to name this person who has been subject of these inquiries and subsequently the suppression order in Parliament because that's what parliamentary privilege is for.'

In 2011, a coronial inquest found Cheryl was very likely dead, although the cause and manner of her death are undetermined.

Nine years later in 2020, NSW Police announced a $1million reward for information about the abduction and likely murder of Cheryl.
A no-nonsense cleaner has blasted a landlord who claimed their tenant had 'stained' their concrete driveway when the marks had been naturally caused.

Fiona Morris, the founder of the Better Clean Team, was asked to perform a routine end-of-lease clean at a rental in Newcastle Beach, NSW.

Her team were asked to clean 'two tyre marks and staining present' on the driveway.

Butt the cleaner was less than impressed by the request, revealing the 'stains' were actually clean spots where the tenant had parked on the driveway.

'Two tyre marks and staining present on the poorest, cheapest s*** concrete,' she said in a video shared to TikTok.

She then pointed to the marks, adding: 'So just fun fact, Mr. Real Estate, because you've obviously got a f***ing issue, (but) it's not connecting.

'They are clean spots where the person has parked their car and the rest is naturally stained from rain and dirt.

'The tenant went over this on the weekend with a pressure cleaner, obsessively went over this with a pressure cleaner.'

Expert bond cleaner Fiona Morris (pictured) was left unimpressed when a landlord asked her to clean tyre marks and a stain from a driveway which she claimed was poor, cheap quality

Ms Morris said the alleged stains were clean spots on the driveway where the tenant had parked their car (pictured, the cleaner points out one of the 'stains')

Australians praised Ms Morris for defending the tenant.

'Heaven forbid we use the driveway or the weather effects it,' one person quipped.

'What is with landlords expecting their properties to stay in brand new condition when people cant control the outdoors?' a second asked.

A third said: 'I am literally a property manager and this is insane to me. My god I would not have even noticed that'.

A local said some areas are naturally dirtier due to industrial residue.

'In Newcastle district (it) has a coal dust issue. You can clean it one day and it's back again the next day,' they said.
A newly-graduated university student has been arrested on terrorism martyrdom charges - but had dreams of one day becoming a high school teacher.

Shantel Shandil, 24, was seized by cops at a home in Quakers Hill, in Sydney's north west, on Thursday following a four-month investigation by police.

Shandil had allegedly been sharing content on two social media accounts that intended to motivate or inspire people to commit violent acts, and glorified martyrdom and allegiance to known terrorist groups.

The Australian Federal Police launched a probe into the social media accounts in July after receiving a tip-off, with officers raiding Shandil's home later that month.

Police will allege a phone seized from the property contained 43 files of 'violent extremist material' which Shandil had posted online.

Shandil has been charged with using a carriage service for violent extremist material and possessing or controlling violent extremist material obtained or accessed using a carriage service.

Daily Mail can reveal Shandil, who also uses the surname Hussain, only graduated from Charles Sturt University with a Bachelor of Islamic Studies in September.

She is also enrolled in a Master of Secondary Education and Teaching at the same university, which the Daily Mail understands she began earlier this year.

Shantel Shandil, 24, has been charged with allegedly sharing extremist material online

Shandil recently graduated from a Bachelor of Islamic Studies and had commenced a Masters of Secondary Education and Teaching

The 24-year-old was arrested in Quakers Hill on Thursday

During her time at CSU, Shandil frequently penned blog posts for a university forum, providing insights into her life as a student and offering study tips to fellow pupils.

In March this year, she revealed she chose to study Islamic studies because it allowed her to 'deepen' her faith in her religion as well as kickstart her 'long-term career goal in teaching'.

'Growing up, I always felt a strong connection to my religion, but I wanted to gain a deeper, more structured understanding of Islam, its rich history, teachings, and how it influences our daily lives in the modern world,' one blog reads.

'Furthering my knowledge in these areas made me really excited to be able to gain not only a degree but also a teaching pathway through the studies.

'What really inspired me about this degree was the idea of using my knowledge to contribute to the community... This degree has given me the foundation to pursue a career where I can teach, mentor, and inspire others.

'After two years studying this degree as I finish my studies, I will be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to make a positive impact in both the academic and wider community.'

The following month, Shandil announced in another blog that she had begun studying her master's degree as she offered advice for others commencing a postgraduate degree.

The student described the transition as an 'exciting step towards becoming an educator' for someone like her who 'has wanted to be in the teaching industry since I was young'.

Shandil shared photos of her book collection in blogs about her life as a student

Another photo shows how she marked up a text for the purpose of studying

Shandil said she had gained a following on TikTok by sharing information about her studies

Other blogs post subjects include her daily routine as a student, how to build your personal brand, the impact of social media, and how to start a creative project or side hustle.

In August 2024, Shandil revealed that she had attracted more than 50,000 followers on TikTok by sharing content she had learned through her studies on Islam.

'This experience for me was incredibly rewarding for many reasons, for example, I managed to target other Islamic students on TikTok who were from all over the world such as Medina, Turkey and Pakistan,' she said.

'Through my videos, I connected with other religious communities who wanted to learn about Islam and have also learned quite a lot from them about their religion.'

In January this year, she again spoke about the power of social media - cautioning students about the importance of managing accounts professionally as 'your digital footprint can impact job opportunities'.

'Today most recruiters actually conduct online searches to learn about the people who have applied before inviting them for an interview,' she wrote.

'If they come across (for example) a bunch of memes you share daily, it may be seen as questionable content and come across as unprofessional, which could influence their decision.

'Even photos and language that might seem harmless to you could be seen as unprofessional. Employers look for people who reflect the companys values... So consider whether your social media aligns with the impression you want to give.'

Shandil has been hit with two charges and refused bail

Last year, Shandil also provided advice for those seeking to earn some extra income while studying.

She said her knowledge came from her own experiences of launching her own business in 2021 selling abayas - loose-fitting robes worn by Muslim women.

Aside from her fashion side hustle, Shandil sought cash by offering tutoring services to Muslim youths seeking to learn more about Islam.

'I am offering personalised Zoom classes to teach 18-year -olds and under who seek to have a deeper understanding of Islamic knowledge,' she wrote in an Islam Facebook group in 2023.

'Classes start from $10, weekly readings and tasks will be provided.'

Shandil is today spending her 24th birthday - October 17 - behind bars after being refused bail in Blacktown Local Court on Thursday.

If found guilty, each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt has expressed concern that extremist groups are targeting young people online.

'The AFP will not allow Australia to become a hotbed for violent extremism and will not hesitate to lay charges,' Mr Nutt said.

'The AFP believes extremist groups  and their supporters  are targeting vulnerable and young individuals online as they are more susceptible to being influenced, in very similar ways to how child sex offenders attempt to groom children.

'We cannot emphasise enough the importance of parents, schools, health and social services, and technology companies playing a role in preventing access to, and the consumption of, violent extremist material online and to spot the early signs of radicalisation.'

Shandil is next due before Blacktown Local Court on October 24.
An innocent woman allegedly stabbed in the chest while walking to work in Melbourne's CBD has revealed her horror at the senseless attack.

Sushi chef Wan-Ting Lai, 36, was allegedly stabbed near the intersection of Little Bourke Street and Spencer Street, in Melbourne's CBD, around 7.40am on October 2.

CCTV footage of the unprovoked attack showed a woman run up behind her, pull out a knife, look her in the eye and stab Ms Lai once on the right side of her chest before running away.

Police have since arrested Lauren Darul, 32, who was on bail at the time, over the alleged attack. She intends to make another bail application next week.

'Im still recovering physically and emotionally, and I truly hope the justice system prioritises community safety,' Ms Lai told Daily Mail upon hearing of the bail application.

Ms Lai had been walking to work at Southern Cross Station on Spencer Street where she works as a sushi chef for Maki Roll.

Now, two weeks on, she has revealed her ongoing struggle to come to terms with the horrific attack.

Ms Lai said she was still recovering both 'physically and emotionally'.

'I'm still relying on painkillers to manage the pain, and I'm still recovering both physically and mentally,' she revealed.

The sickening attacked shocked Australia

'After returning home, I'm reluctant to think about the incident, and I'm still having trouble leaving the house alone.'

She said she was now too scared to return to the spot where the alleged attack took place.

'My familiar living environment no longer gives me the comfort I once had,' she said in a post on Threads.

'I loved this neighborhood and lived there for over four years, but now, because of this incident, I'm so scared that even walking around here makes me nervous.

'My heart races, and I think even the sound of footsteps behind me is dangerous.

'Accompanied by my sister and brother-in-law, I tried to walk back to the area, but anxiety kept creeping in.

'I longed to return to Melbourne, where I could live peacefully and breathe happily, and I hoped to slowly return to those days.

'Two voices in my head alternated: fear and the hope to bravely step forward.'

She described the moment she was allegedly attacked by the 'homeless person' and said she had never imagined a random stranger would allegedly stab her on the streets of Melbourne.

'I was walking on Little Bourke Street, near the back of the Higher Ground building, when I was stabbed by a homeless person,' she said.

Lauren Darul, 32, will go for bail again on Tuesday

Sushi chef Wan-Ting Lai was allegedly stabbed by a woman while walking to work

'It was early in the morning, and the streets were deserted. The stab wound to my right chest caused a hemothorax (collapsed lung).

'Fortunately, a woman across the street witnessed the entire incident and immediately ran over to help me apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding.'

That Good Samaritan called the police and an ambulance while a Korean couple and several other people on their way to work also rushed over to help.

'Their kindness and timely actions bought me precious time for treatment. Upon arrival at the hospital, the doctors performed debridement and chest drainage surgery. I'm recovering well,' Ms Lai said.

Ms Lai paid tribute to the courage and warmth of strangers who came to her aid, but had left her frighteningly aware of how close she came to dying.

'I am deeply grateful to those who offered a helping hand, and I am deeply grateful for the support and concern of my colleagues and friends,' she said.

'By sharing this experience, I hope to remind everyone: Please be extra careful on your commute, always be aware of your surroundings, and take good care of your own safety and health.

'Life is fragile, but by supporting each other, we can make this world a safer place. Stay safe, everyone.'

Darul, 32, has been charged over the alleged attack

Wan-Ting Lai and a large bunch of flowers she received from work colleagues while in hospital

Ms Lai spent three days at the Royal Melbourne Hospital before she was even able to walk to the bathroom, and now faces a long and exhausting road to recovery.

'But even this short walk leaves me breathless and exhausted,' she shared at the time.

'I've also had trouble eating these past few days, unable to chew properly. I can only manage liquids, which fill my throat after just two or three mouthfuls, and the resulting hiccups cause a throbbing pain in my right chest.

'I've been confined to bed most of the time, recuperating, and it might take a while.

'When I do speak, I can only speak in fragments, describing simple snippets. For the past two days, I've been completely confined to bed, completely tethered to various testing tubes, using only one hand to check everyone's messages.'

Her injury has been compounded by the knowledge that her own father died from a lung infection following surgery.

'This has made me even more cautious about the recovery process, and inevitably filled me with anxiety,' she said.

Ms Lai said she faces an uncertain future as her job calls for her to be on her feet most of the day.

'It's really scary to have no income and no expenses, but still have to run around. I can't help but worry about what to do next. But now, all I can do is slowly recover step by step,' she said.

'While I'm certainly under financial pressure, I'm also afraid to burden everyone. I'm torn between these two feelings, and I feel embarrassed to ask for help.'

Ms Lai's followers, who consist largely of international friends and visitors, have expressed their horror at Melbourne's lawlessness.

Police told her the alleged attacker was a resident in a nearby council-backed shelter that provides 50 housing units to 'meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness'.

Ms Lai's alleged attacker was living at Make A Room (pictured) in the heart of Melbourne's CBD

'The property management has also asked police not to allow her to return to the building after her release, and three additional police teams will be patrolling the area,' Ms Lai said.

Ms Lai said she held little hope her attack would force any kind of changes at the housing facility where her alleged attacker was living and she planned to move out on Friday.

'The City Council has also met with Make Room's CEO. Unfortunately, they currently do not consider Make Room responsible for residents' behavior outside the home,' she said.

'City council members are actively discussing possible assistance for me, including the financial losses suffered by me and my family, as well as the potential costs and support for rehabilitation and psychological treatment. I've also started preparing to move out of the area.'

On Melbourne radio on Friday, Lord Mayor of Melbourne Nick Reece admitted he was aware of the attack before it became public.

'I was aware that that incident had occurred,' Mr Reece told 3AW's Ross and Russ.
An Aussie bloke has claimed Australia's housing market has left the majority of first home buyers 'screwed' in an expletive-laden rant.

His furious tirade started as a critique of a housing development in Box Hill, 48km north-west of Sydney, but it quickly escalated.

The man, who shared the video under the username 'Soaringvlogs', was horrified by how closely the houses were built and the subsequent privacy concerns.

'You might have put a bit more land on each house,' he said.

'It's all just houses. There's no yard, there's nothing, there's no space to do nothing.

'Who in their f***ing right mind would want their neighbour to look at you in your own f***ing backyard or in your lounge room and the f***ing neighbour in their bathroom?'

As his frustration grew, the man declared Sydney's brutal housing market was a symptom of a nationwide problem.

'You're best off to f*** off up the coast or down the coast - or go to f***ing Perth or Gold Coast because Sydney living, especially for anyone my generation and younger, you're screwed, buddy. You're screwed,' he said.

An Aussie bloke (pictured), who posts on TikTok under the name 'Soaringvlogs', shared an expletive-laden rant about the state of Australia's housing market

He suggested neighbours in Box Hill had no privacy as their homes were too close together

'There's no way you're buying a house unless you get some inheritance, or you get real successful with a business, or you do some really good investing.'

The man then moved his attention to the threat of AI robots.

'With all the other robot s***... that's coming too. They're gonna take your job. What do you got left? Got nothing, mate, you got nothing,' he said.

'So consider yourself lucky if you were buying property in Sydney in the 2010s and before that, because that was probably the only time it was affordable.'

He then took aim at Labor's First Home Buyers Scheme, which was introduced to help buyers purchase a home with a five per cent deposit.

On October 1, it was rebranded as the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme with unlimited places, no income caps and increased property price caps.

But the man warned Aussies the scheme was 'full of twists and turns'.

'They'll get you stuck for life, mate,' he said. 'They just want you in a debt trap, and it's the way they're doing it to everyone my age and below.

A man said Sydneysiders were better off moving up or down the coast, or moving to Perth or the Gold Coast than living in a housing development (pictured, Point Piper in Sydney)

'I'm 26 years old and... I'm trying to do things the best way I know how. This is definitely not the way to go if you're a first home buyer, that is for sure.'

Aussies shared their shock at the cramped development.

'I grew up in Box Hill. Was beautiful. Where the hell did all the trees go!!' one said.

'I live in Jordan Springs and was one of the first to build down the street. But no one tells you how close your next door neighbour is to you,' a second wrote.

'You can pretty much high five them. There is no privacy at all.'

But a third said there were some positives to the neighbourhood.

'I live here in Box Hill and yes it's overcrowded, road infrastructure is non existent and it's overpriced,' they said.

'But it's a quiet, clean and safe neighbourhood for me to live, at the end of the day.'
The US military carried out a new strike on Thursday against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean - and three members of the crew appears to have survived.

The strike came as President Trump deploys heavy artillery off the coast of Venezuela and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth oversees more changes at the Pentagon.

The Trump administration has labeled those targeted in the strikes as narcoterrorists. The Pentagon did not immediately return a request for comment.

The US military launched search and rescue assets, but it was not clear if any survivors were rescued, according to Fox News.

Prior to Thursday's operation, US military strikes against suspected drug boats off Venezuela killed at least 27 people, raising alarms among some legal experts and Democratic lawmakers, who question whether they adhere to the laws of war.

The Trump administration argues the US is already engaged in a war with narcoterrorist groups from Venezuela, making the strikes legitimate.

Videos presented by the Trump administration of previous attacks showed vessels being completely destroyed, and there have been no prior accounts of survivors.

The strikes come against the backdrop of a US military buildup in the Caribbean that includes guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and around 6,500 troops as President Donald Trump escalates a standoff with the Venezuelan government.

The US military carried out a new strike on Thursday against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean, and in what is believed to be the first such case, there were survivors among the crew. Pictured: the wreckage from one of the five previous attacks the Pentagon has made against what they call narcoterrorists

It comes as President Trump continues to deploy more heavy artillery to the Caribbean and Pete Hegseth oversees more changes at the Department of Defense

Special operations helicopters, B-52s and C-17s are among the aircraft the US has built up in the region, The Washington Post reported.

On Wednesday, Trump disclosed he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, adding to speculation in Caracas that the United States is attempting to topple Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In a letter to the United Nations' 15-member Security Council, seen by Reuters, Venezuela's UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada asked for a UN determination that the US strikes off its coast are illegal and issue a statement backing Venezuela's sovereignty.

Less than a week ago, the Pentagon announced its counter-narcotics operations in the region would not be led by the Miami-based Southern Command, which oversees US military activities in Latin America.

Instead, the Pentagon said a taskforce was being created that would be led by II Marine Expeditionary Force, a unit capable of rapid overseas operations that is based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

That decision came as a surprise to US military-watchers, since a combatant command like Southern Command would normally lead any high-profile operations.

Earlier on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the admiral who leads US Southern Command will step down at the end of this year, two years ahead of schedule, in a surprise move.

The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed, called Admiral Alvin Holsey's unexpected resignation troubling given mounting fears of a potential US confrontation with Venezuela.

The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed, called Admiral Alvin Holsey's unexpected resignation troubling given mounting fears of a potential US confrontation with Venezuela

Special operations helicopters, B-52s and C-17s are among the aircraft the US has built up in the region

'Admiral Holsey's resignation only deepens my concern that this administration is ignoring the hard-earned lessons of previous U.S. military campaigns and the advice of our most experienced warfighters,' Reed said in a statement.

Holsey became the leader of U.S. Southern Command only in November, overseeing an area that encompasses the Caribbean Sea and waters off South America.

These types of postings typically last between three and four years.

The news of Holsey's upcoming retirement comes two days after the U.S. military's fifth deadly strike in the Caribbean against a small boat accused of carrying drugs.

The Trump administration has asserted its treating alleged drug traffickers as unlawful combatants who must be met with military force.

Frustration with the attacks has been growing on Capitol Hill.

Some Republicans have been seeking more information from the White House on the legal justification and details of the strikes, while Democrats contend the strikes violate US and international law.

Holsey said in a statement posted on the command's Facebook page that it's 'been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend our Constitution for over 37 years.'

'The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so,' he said. 'I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe.'

US Southern Command did not provide any more information beyond the admiral's statement.
Mysterious Chinese heiress LanLan Yang was a no-show at court again on Friday - and has now been ordered to appear in person as she faces up to seven years in jail.

The elusive mega-wealthy student, 23, allegedly ploughed her $1.5million Tiffany blue Rolls-Royce into Kyle Sandilands' chauffeur in a devastating early morning crash.

Yang's lawyer, eminent barrister John Korn, had indicated Yang would enter a plea in Sydney's Downing Centre Court on Friday morning.

Her courtroom was packed with an army of her new-found Chinese-Australian fans who were keen to catch a glimpse of the shadowy socialite.

But instead Mr Korn appeared in court to ask for another adjournment while talks continued 'with the police hierarchy' over the charges she faces.

A clearly annoyed deputy court registrar told Mr Korn that Yang 'was excused on the last occasion by Magistrate (Megan) Greenwood.

'On 15 November I would expect her to be here,' the registrar said.

The court heard there would be a further additional charge against Yang, who Mr Korn said was 'on standby' via telephone if she had been needed on Friday.

LanLan Yang (pictured) has been free on bail since first charged and has put on an eye-popping fashion show while reporting to Rose Bay police station as part of her bail conditions

He told the court his client would enter pleas if letters sent to police and conversations with the alleged victim, driver George Plassaras, had an 'expected result'.

Outside court, Mr Korn described Yang as 'very shy' and said she did not face 'the most serious of charges'.

He compared it to with one of his previous clients, Chinese actor, Yunxiang Gao  'China's Hugh Jackman'  who was charged with rape in Sydney in 2019.

Mr Korn successfully represented Gao, who was cleared in 2020 and returned to China. Mr Korn said Yang's charges were not as serious as those relating to sexual assault.

Yang faces a charge of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm which could put her behind bars if convicted, with a maximum penalty of seven years in jail.

A back-up charge of negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm was recently added.

She is also accused of failing to submit to a breath test and not giving her particulars to police.

She has been free on bail since first charged and has put on an eye-popping fashion show while reporting to Rose Bay police station as required by her bail conditions.

On one occasion, she appeared wearing a $16,000 purple Chanel vest, accessorised with a $54,000 vintage white gold Van Cleef and Arpels bracelet

The elusive mega-wealthy student, 23, allegedly ploughed her $1.5million Tiffany blue Rolls-Royce into Kyle Sandilands ' chauffeur in a devastating early morning crash

On one occasion, she appeared wearing a $16,000 purple Chanel vest, accessorised with a $54,000 vintage white gold Van Cleef and Arpels bracelet.

But Yang has rarely appeared in person in court, where she risked heavy media coverage.

She has also avoided a crowd of ultra-curious Australian-Chinese 'fans' desperate to catch a glimpse of the camera-shy heiress.

The crash took place about 3.20am on July 26 at Rose Bay in Sydney's ritzy eastern suburbs.

Police allege Yang crossed double yellow lines before the head-on collision with the Mercedes van.

Mr Plassaras was left with devastating injuries including a broken spine, two broken hips and two broken femurs.

He also suffered a ruptured spleen and torn-open abdomen.

'The injuries are life-changing,' a source close to the investigation told Daily Mail. 'This wasn't just a fender bender. It was catastrophic.'

Yang (left) has 'rarely appeared in person at court where she risked heavy media coverage and is rarely seen without a facemask on in public

Daily Mail has previously revealed Yang lives in a multimillion-dollar penthouse overlooking Sydney Harbour

She keeps a second Rolls-Royce - a white Ghost convertible worth up to $800,000 - in her garage

Daily Mail has revealed the astonishing details of Yang's luxury lifestyle since moving to Sydney.

Yang's Instagram account once featured a visit to Yoshii's Omakase restaurant at Crown Sydney where she indulged in a $1,000 bottle of Dom Perignon.

Booking one of the 10 seats there can take more than two years and the Japanese dining experience will set you back a minimum $380 per person.

And in the week before Christmas last year, she was one of the guests when Chanel hosted a private performance of The Nutcracker at the Sydney Opera House.

Big-spending clients and other guests were also treated to dinner at Bennelong restaurant.

Among the 'Very Very Important Persons' to receive an invitation were Liam Hemsworth and his partner Gabriella Brooks.

Daily Mail has previously revealed Yang lives in a multimillion-dollar penthouse overlooking Sydney Harbour where she keeps a second Rolls-Royce - a white Ghost convertible worth up to $800,000 - in her garage.

Yang was on the guest list when fashion house Chanel hosted a private performance of The Nutcracker at the Sydney Opera House, as well as dinner at Bennelong. She is pictured at the event

Yang's Instagram account once featured a visit to Yoshii's Omakase restaurant at Crown Sydney where she indulged in a $1,000 bottle of Dom Perignon.

Neighbours said Yang decorated the dashboard of her Rolls-Royce Cullinan with scarce Labubu collectible plush toys.

The vehicle is believed to have cost $1.5million after all options were fitted.

'We move in the same friend circle and have many mutual friends,' an acquaintance told Daily Mail.

'She only socialises within the Chinese community because her English is poor.'

The acquaintance said Yang's Instagram had been filled with images of her 'shopping crazy'.

She visited some of the best restaurants in Sydney but was obsessive about obscuring her face in posts.

'She eats fine dining every single day,' the acquaintance said of Yang's life before the collision.

'She also frequently shops at Chanel and Louis Vuitton, sometimes renting out the entire store for herself.'

Lanlan Yang, wearing her favorite designer Chanel, walks with her driver after reporting for bail in Sydney in July

Yang's pet dog also lives in finery, with a designer collar blanket and a Louis Vuitton cushion

Another of Yang's contemporaries said Yang was enrolled in a business course at the University of Sydney.

'But she never actually goes to school herself,' the acquaintance said.

Whenever Yang has been seen in public over the past two months she has been dressed head to toe in designer clothing.

She particularly favours Chanel, Hermes and Louis Vuitton.

Her acquaintance said Yang had been invited to Chanel's performance of The Nutcracker due to the amount of money she spent.

'Chanel VVIP clients are typically those who spend over one million Australian dollars a year with the brand,' she said.

Mr Korn said his client's parents had sent her to Australia to attend school when she was 14.

She had rarely returned to China and was now a permanent resident.

Yang's Instagram had been filled with images of her 'shopping crazy' at exclusive fashion outlets. She is pictured in a Celine fitting room

Neighbours said Yang decorated the dashboard of her Rolls-Royce Cullinan with scarce Labubu collectible plush toys. The vehicle is pictured on Sydney's Broadway

He also said Yang 'hardly leaves her home' and had 'considerable' mental health issues.

Yang wears a face mask when she expects to be the subject of attention such as reporting to police.

Her bail conditions initially required her to check in with police three times a week, but this was reduced to once-a-week reporting, along with surrender of her passport.

She must also adhere to a curfew, remaining in her Sydney apartment between 8pm and 6am. Yang is also prohibited from driving any vehicle.

During another visit to Rose Bay cops two months ago, Yang wore a vintage Chanel jacket worth more than $18,000, matched with a $3,000 cap, $1,500 Chanel Camelia pumps and $750 Miu Miu sunglasses.

When Yang's matter was first listed on August 15, scores of Chinese Australians lined up outside the court complex, desperate to catch a glimpse of her.

One onlooker told Daily Mail: 'It's very rare to see someone in person who is ultra wealthy and has power.'

'You don't see 23-year-olds who can drive two Rolls-Royces.'

Yang is pictured wearing a vintage Chanel jacket worth more than $18,000, matching $3,000 cap, $1,500 Chanel Camelia pumps and $750 Miu Miu sunglasses

Speculation about Yang has surged in China, where wildly inaccurate claims have circulated on platforms such as Douyin and Weibo, as well as in mainstream media

Yang has not made any comment about the crash.

She has not appeared in person either time her case has been mentioned in court.

Friday's plea hearing was set down after Ms Najm granted Mr Korn a three-week adjournment to allow more time to prepare his client's defence because he had only met Yang on September 23.

The acting deputy registrar had made it clear at the previous hearing that Yang must make a formal plea at Friday's hearing.
A tiny Picasso painting has vanished whilst it was being moved from Madrid to Granada in Spain.

Spanish police have launched an investigation into the disappearance of the 'Still Life With Guitar' painting which was scheduled to go on display at an exhibition in the southern city.

The oil-on-canvas painting is valued at 600,000 euros (520,000) and was set to be on show at an event organised by the CajaGranada foundation, which opened last week, local newspaper Ideal reported.

However the picture, which was painted by Pablo Picasso in 1919, never made it to its destination.

The artwork, alongside all of the others in the show, is privately owned. A collector in Madrid owns the painting and had loaned it for the show.

A van carrying the paintings arrived in Grenada on Friday, October 3, but the foundation did not discover the artwork was missing until Monday.

The foundation said the delivery was unloaded and checked but some of the carefully packaged works had not been numbered, which hindered their ability to check the contents thoroughly.

National police sources confirmed that the painting's disappearance was under investigation but provided no further details, citing confidentiality rules.

The Still Life with Guitar tiny painting by Pablo Picasso which has now gone missing in Spain

Spanish media suggested the van may have stopped overnight near Granada, and that the two people aboard may have taken turns guarding its contents.

Thieves have frequently targeted Picasso works given their high value - two of his paintings sold for more than $140 million at auctions in recent years.

One of the most notorious thefts occurred in 1976, when more than 100 of the artist's paintings were stolen from the Palais des Papes museum in Avignon, southern France.

All of the works were eventually recovered.

Pablo Picasso, who was born in 1881 in Malaga in southern Spain and died in 1973, is widely acknowledged as one of the most important artists of all time.

He challenged conventional ideas and experimented with a wide range of styles and themes throughout his long career.
Pop star Renee Rapp has issued a foul-mouthed rebuke of President Donald Trump and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials on stage in Portland, Oregon.

The 25-year-old Leave Me Alone hitmaker was performing at Portlands Moda Center on Monday night when she slammed the administration over Trump's efforts to deploy National Guard troops to the city in an effort to reduce crime.

'F**k ICE, f**k this administration and f**k Trump,' she told the cheering crowd.

The Mean Girls star went on to describe Portland as a 'wonderful, wonderful city' after Trump said the city was 'burning to the ground' amid widespread unrest over the actions of ICE agents.

'And it just happens that we're here at the same time as some people who shouldn't f***ing be here are.

'You are very gracious hosts. Thank you for having us,' she said, adding that she wanted to make her position on Trump's actions 'abundantly clear.'

Portland has been gripped by anti-ICE protests since Trump vowed to deploy the National Guard to deal with crime.

The move was temporarily blocked by a federal judge following a last-ditch lawsuit brought by the state and city.

Pop star Renee Rapp has issued a foul-mouthed rebuke of President Donald Trump and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials on stage in Portland , Oregon

Portland has been gripped by anti-ICE protests since Trump vowed to deploy the National Guard to deal with crime

Trump hit out after the judge's ruling, insisting there are 'insurrectionists all over the place, it's antifa.

'You've seen it  the place is burning down and they pretend like there's nothing happening.'

According to California Governor Gavin Newsom, he skirted the ruling by deploying 300 federalized members of the California National Guard to Oregon.

The judge later ruled that, too, was temporarily blocked.

The president called the city 'war-ravaged', a characterization Oregon officials described as ludicrous.

The 25-year-old Leave Me Alone hitmaker (pictured) was performing at Portlands Moda Center on Monday night when she set upon the administration over Trump's efforts to deploy National Guard troops to the city in an effort to reduce crime

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland has been the site of nightly protests

Rapp, who starred in The Sex Lives of College Girls for HBO Max, amassed widespread praise from liberals after video of her comments went viral

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in the city has been the site of nightly protests that typically drew a couple dozen people before the deployment was announced.

Rapp, who starred in The Sex Lives of College Girls for HBO Max, amassed widespread praise from liberals after video of her comments went viral.

'I don't know who this goddess is, but I'm going to look into her,' one new fan wrote.

'Need more celebrities to do this, you go girl,' another added.
Socialist New York City mayoral favorite Zohran Mamdani came under fire during a debate when Andrew Cuomo challenged him on his refusal to condemn Hamas.

Mamdani, 33, leads by double digits in the polls but his left-wing economic proposals and intense criticisms of the Israeli government's military actions in Gaza have unnerved some centrists and conservatives.

Cuomo again tried to characterize Mamdani as dangerous to Jewish New Yorkers by highlighting his past reluctance to condemn use of the phrase 'globalize the intifada,' which is seen by many Jews as a call to violence.

'Why wouldn't he condemn Hamas?' Cuomo said. 'He still won't denounce Globalize the intifada - which means kills all Jews.'

Since the primary Mamdani has said he does not use the phrase and would discourage people from saying it.

But Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa said it wasn't enough.

'Jews don't trust that you are going to be there for them when they are the victims of antisemitic attacks,' he said.

During an appearance on Fox News earlier this week, Mamdani sidestepped a question about whether Hamas should lay down arms as part of a fragile truce that has paused the two-year Israel-Hamas war.

Socialist New York City mayoral favorite Zohran Mamdani came under fire during a debate when Andrew Cuomo challenged him on his refusal to condemn Hamas

From left, Mayoral candidates Independent candidate former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participate in a mayoral debate

On Thursday he did not equivocate, saying, 'Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms.'

Cuomo even referenced Mamdani's inability to condemn left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, who once said 'America deserved 9/11.'

'I find the comments that Hasan made on 9/11 to be objectionable and reprehensible,' Mamdani said.

'And I also think that part of the reason why Democrats are in the situation that we are in, of being a permanent minority in this country, is we are looking only to speak to journalists and streamers and Americans with whom we agree on every single thing that they say.'

The leftist assemblyman fired back by accusing Cuomo of discounting the city's Muslim community, claiming that it took losing to a Muslim candidate for Cuomo to step inside a mosque.

'It took me to get you to even see Muslims as part of this city,' Mamdani said.

Cuomo, now running as an independent after losing the Democrat primary, continued to try to cast Mamdani's agenda as too extreme, saying he lacks the experience to lead America's biggest city.

Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, countered with attacks on the former governor's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and sexual harassment allegations that Cuomo denies.

Cuomo again tried to characterize Mamdani as dangerous to Jewish New Yorkers by highlighting his past reluctance to condemn use of the phrase 'globalize the intifada,' which is seen by many Jews as a call to violence

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa speaks during a mayoral debate

Meanwhile Curtis Sliwa, a Republican and the colorful creator of the Guardian Angels crime patrol group, tried to vault his underdog campaign to the fore amid calls for him to drop out.

Though he could have helped Cuomo by ganging up on Mamdani, he instead spent much of his time undercutting the former governor.

Mamdani came under attack straight out the gate, as Cuomo highlighted the 33-year-old's relative lack of job experience.

Cuomo, stressing his own executive experience, said being mayor 'is no job for on-the-job training'

'This is not a job for a first timer,' he said, adding that Mamdani would be 'Bill de Blasio Light,' a reference to the unpopular former mayor.

Mamdani hit back at Cuomo's integrity and decision-making as the COVID-19 pandemic spread through nursing homes.

'What I don't have in experience, I make up for in integrity. What you don't have in integrity, you can never make up for in experience,' he charged.

Mamdani's brand of economic populism - a laser focus on lowering the city's astronomical cost of living through the idea that government should do more to help the lower and middle classes instead of wealthy people - has generated buzz and excitement.

Mamdani looked directly into the camera and addressed Donald Trump during a combative interview with Fox News Wednesday

Donald Trump, who has threatened to arrest Mamdani, to deport him and even to take over the city if he wins, was invoked early and often.

Pressed on how they would handle the President, Mamdani said he would stand up to him while also being willing to work with him on lowering costs and affordability.

'What New Yorkers need is a mayor who can stand up to Donald Trump and actually deliver,' he said.

Cuomo warned that if Mamdani wins, 'It will be Mayor Trump.'

'I'd like to work with you. I think we could do good things together. But No. 1, I will fight you every step of the way if you try to hurt New York,' Cuomo pledged.

He said Sliwa would not stand up to Trump, and as for Mamdani, the President 'would knock him on his face.'

Sliwa warned that taking too contentious a tone would end up hurting the city.

'If you try to get tough with Trump,' he said, 'New Yorkers will suffer.'

Mamdani maintains a sizable lead on the other candidates

The trio are vying to replace Eric Adams (pictured), a Democrat who suspended his reelection campaign late last month after being deeply wounded by a now-dismissed federal corruption case and his relationship with the Trump administration

The underdog candidate found himself caught in the middle - literally and figuratively - with the Republican's lectern positioned between his two opponents as they lobbed attacks at one another.

At one point Sliwa complained that he was not getting enough speaking time, saying, 'I am being marginalized out of this.'

At other times Sliwa aggressively attacked both Mamdani and Cuomo, including after the former governor stressed his willingness to take on Trump.

'You think you're the toughest guy alive, but let me tell you something, you lost your own primary, rejected by your own Democratic party,' Sliwa said.

Then, in a reference to Cuomo's sexual misconduct accusations, he added: 'You have a difficult understanding of what the term no is.'

Sliwa has resisted calls to exit the race from Mamdani critics who want to frame up a one-on-one race between Cuomo and Mamdani

So far little has changed the trajectory, including Eric Adams's departure.

The incumbent mayor, a Democrat, suspended his reelection campaign late last month after being deeply wounded by a now-dismissed federal corruption case and his relationship with the Trump administration.

A poll of New York City likely voters conducted by Quinnipiac University in early October, after Adams ended his bid for a second term, found that Mamdani continued to hold a lead over Cuomo.

The poll suggested that Cuomo may have benefited somewhat from Adams's departure, but the current mayor's exit did not appear to have a meaningful impact on the state of the race.

Adams was not included in the poll but remains on the November ballot because he didn't withdraw his candidacy before a balloting deadline.

The candidates are scheduled to meet for a second and final debate next week.
A Wisconsin couple who were found dead in their car each suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head, preliminary autopsy results have revealed.

The bodies of Rachel Dumovich, 29, and her husband, Brandon, 30, were discovered in the vehicle on a highway in Harvard, Illinois, just before midnight on October 6.

A police officer had spotted a car stopped on Route 14 northbound near Burbank Street with its hazard lights flashing.

When the cop approached the vehicle, he found both occupants dead - Rachel in the driver's seat and Brandon in the passenger seat.

Authorities briefly issued a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents before confirming there was no ongoing threat.

Harvard Police Chief Tyson Bauman said while a murder-suicide is a potential scenario, no final determination has been made.

However, the McHenry County Coroner's Office has now indicated that each victim had a single gunshot wounds to the head, Fox News Digital reports.

The autopsy report with the coroner's office's full results is yet to be released.

Rachel Dumovich, 29, and her husband, 30-year-old Brandon, were found dead in their car in Harvard, Illinois, just before midnight on October 6

The couple were days away from celebrating their first wedding anniversary

The McHenry County major investigative assistance team, which includes multiple law enforcement agencies and the state's attorney's office, was called to assist with the case and Route 14 was closed overnight, Lake & McHenry County Scanner reported.

'At this time, this appears to be an isolated incident and there is no evidence to suggest that there is any danger or threat to the public,' police said in a statement.

The Dumoviches were days away from celebrating their first wedding anniversary when they were found.

According to a wedding page on The Knot, Rachel and Brandon were middle-school sweethearts who met when Rachel was 12.

'I caught Brandon's attention by stealing cologne from his locker and running away with it,' she wrote on the page, adding that the two reconnected in adulthood after 15 years of friendship.

The couple married on October 12, 2024, at Big Cedar Lake in Wisconsin.

The McHenry County Coroner's Office said in its preliminary findings that both victims suffered single gunshot wounds to the head

The McHenry County Major Investigative Assistance Team, which includes multiple law enforcement agencies and the state's attorney's office, was activated to assist with the case

On the same day that the couple was found dead, Rachel updated her Facebook profile picture with a selfie alongside Brandon.

Minutes later, she uploaded a picture the couple took during a trip to Greece, captioned: 'Forever chasing sunsets. Wishing we were back in Greece!'

The couple were found dead by police that night.

A public obituary for Brandon said he was born in Barrington, Illinois, and had served in the US Navy as a petty officer.

He was remembered for his 'extraordinary ability to lift spirits and bring people together.'

There was no mention of his wife.

Brandon was also not mentioned in Rachel's public obituary, which recalled her as a 'natural connector, advocate, and loyal friend' with a 'strong sense of empathy, compassion, social justice, and fair play, always championing those who needed a voice.'

According to a wedding page on The Knot, Rachel and Brandon were middle school sweethearts who met when Rachel was 12

The couple married on October 12, 2024, at Big Cedar Lake in Wisconsin

The Highland Park, Illinois, native was listed as a 2018 graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

She had last worked as a human resources manager.

The investigation remains ongoing.

'Our thoughts remain with the families and all those affected as the investigation moves forward,' Chief Bauman said.
A staffer at a Massachusetts school died after allegedly being kicked in the chest by a teenage girl.

Amy Morrell, 53, was assaulted by a 14-year-old student at Meadowridge Academy in Swansea on Wednesday evening, authorities said.

The teenager was trying to leave a dorm building without permission when the altercation occurred around 6.55pm, according to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office.

Morrell was trying to restrain the girl, per investigators, only to receive a kick to the chest that proved to be a fatal blow.

The staffer collapsed shortly after she was assaulted.

School staff immediately began CPR and called 911.

Morrell was rushed to a local hospital overnight and pronounced dead Thursday afternoon, the Bristol County District Attorney's office said.

Amy Morrell, 53, died after being kicked in the chest by a girl, 14, at a Massachusetts school

Morrell was rushed to a local hospital overnight and pronounced dead Thursday afternoon

Andrew Ferruche, a family friend who considered Morrell a relative, told WCVB: 'It never crossed my mind. Never thought of it. I couldn't believe it when I got the call today.'

He described her death as a 'horrible accident.'

Ferruche said: 'You get in a fight, you don't think you're going to hit somebody and they're going to die right there - especially if you're a kid.

'That child's life is probably ruined. [Morrell's] life is gone. It's just a tragic situation.'

A public social media profile for Morrell said she lived in Riverside, Rhode Island, and had completed her education at the University of Maine.

The teenage girl, who has not been identified, was charged with assault and battery causing serious bodily injury.

She was arraigned Thursday morning in Fall River Juvenile Court.

Meadowridge Academy is a 'comprehensive therapeutic residential school' in Swansea, Massachusetts.

Meadowridge Academy provides 'comprehensive treatment' to young adults with mental health issues and behavioral difficulties

The Bristol County District Attorney's Office charged the teenager with with assault and battery causing serious bodily injury

The school is located in Swansea, Massachusetts, about 50 miles south of Boston

The school provides 'comprehensive treatment' to young adults with mental health issues, behavioral difficulties and complex trauma histories, according to its website.

Enrollment data published by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said Meadowridge Academy had 35 total students for the 2024-25 school year.

The institution is operated by the Justice Resource Institute, a Massachusetts nonprofit that aims 'to pursue the social justice inherent in opening doors to opportunity.'

Morrell worked at the school as a direct care staff member.

Swansea is about 50 miles south of Boston and 15 miles east of Providence, Rhode Island.

The school said, per NBC Boston: 'The Meadowridge Academy community is deeply saddened by the passing of direct care staff member, Amy Morrell.

'We extend our heartfelt condolences to Amy's family during this difficult time.

'Support services and resources are available to assist students and staff as we grieve this tragic loss.'

The Daily Mail reached out to Meadowridge Academy and the Justice Resource Institute for further comment.

The police investigation is ongoing.
A diabetic who spent nine days stranded alone in the wilderness lit a fire in an attempt to attract help after fearing he would never be found alive.

Troy Milne, 61, was last seen driving off from his family's campsite at Woodside Beach, south-east of Melbourne, on October 7 to buy supplies.

His disappearance sparked an extensive search to locate the insulin-dependent diabetic, amid fears he had suffered a medical episode or become disorientated.

Mr Milne was last captured on CCTV appearing 'lost and confused' at a service station in Omeo the following day.

Nine days after taking a wrong turn off the highway in his Jeep Wrangler, which became bogged in rugged terrain, rescuers finally located Mr Milne after he lit a fire in a desperate effort to attract help on Thursday afternoon.

He was found near Kirby Cross Track at Buchan in the Gippsland region - more than 200km from the caravan park where he had been camping.

Mr Milne spent the night recovering in hospital before he was airlifted to Melbourne for further treatment and to be reunited with his relieved family on Friday.

Lying on an ambulance stretcher, a tired Mr Milne managed a smile and thumbs-up, later revealing he survived the ordeal simply by drinking a lot of water.

Diabetic Troy Milne (pictured) admitted he's lucky to be alive after he was airlifted to Melbourne for further treatment on Friday

Mr Milne was captured on CCTV looking 'lost and confused' at a service station in Omeo on October 8 - the day after he was reported missing (pictured)

Mr Milne described the moment he was found as 'surreal' and thanked his rescuers.

'I thought I was a dead duck in water,' he told 9News.

'I thought that was it. They saved my life, mate.'

It's understood he had been without insulin for at least a week and was 'in all sorts of trouble.

'He was in remarkably good shape considering what he had been through,' Ambulance Victoria senior manager Dave Jones told 3AW on Friday.

'I suspect his bloods were out of whack by the time they got some pathology done.'

Mr Milne told his rescuers that he had remained in the same spot for four days after his Jeep became bogged.

Police said the outcome was remarkable after admitting they had feared the worst.

Emergency service responders spent nine days searching for the missing camper

'To be able to contact Troy's family and give them the fantastic news was a wonderful result,' Inspector Wayne Rothwell said.

'Troy was without his medication for a long period which left him disorientated and confused so we believe he turned off the highway at some point and became lost in the bush.

'It was a challenging search due to the huge area that Troy had been spotted travelling around so it was extremely difficult to narrow down where to concentrate our efforts.

'Once Troy lit the fire, it drew the attention of our fire crews who quickly responded and located him.'
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has lost yet another military commander amid a mass exodus from his department.

Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey will leave his job in December, two years before his three-year contract is set to expire.

'Serving as your commander and deputy for the past 34 months has been a tremendous honor,' Holsey said in a statement announcing his decision.

Holsey also served as deputy commander from 2023 to 2024.

His departure is a bitter blow for Hegseth, who has faced mounting pressure after a wave of departures and leaks from his department.

Holsey has been overseeing a crackdown on narcoterrorists in the Caribbean, but sources claim tensions had been rising between him and Hegseth over the operation.

The revelation that Holsey will step down comes after the US military carried out a new strike on Thursday against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean.

Three members of the crew appear to have survived.

The US military launched search and rescue assets but did not locate the survivors, according to Fox News.

Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey will leave his job in December, two years before his three-year contract is set to expire

His departure is a bitter blow for Hegseth, who has faced mounting pressure after a wave of departures and leaks from his department

Prior to Thursday's operation, US military strikes against suspected drug boats off Venezuela killed at least 27 people, raising alarms among some legal experts and Democratic lawmakers, who question whether they adhere to the laws of war.

The Trump administration argues America is already engaged in a war with narcoterrorist groups from Venezuela, making the strikes legitimate.

But sources told The New York Times that Holsey had expressed concerns about the escalating attacks on alleged drug boats.

One source said Holsey had questioned whether he would be fired as Hegseth sought to clear out the Pentagon.

He reportedly fired former head of the US Defense Intelligence Agency Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse back in August, as well as Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore, who was chief of the Navy Reserve and Rear Admiral Milton Sands, a Navy SEAL officer who oversees Naval Special Warfare Command.

Earlier this month, Hegseth fired Navy chief of staff Jon Harrison, one of his top aides who had been helping him with his unprecedented reorganization of the Pentagon's bureaucracy.

Arguably the most high-profile dismissal was General Charles Q Brown Jr, who had been serving as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from May 2023 to February 2025.

The administration also stripped security clearances from additional current and former national security officials.

The top Democrat on the Senate armed services committee, Senator Jack Reed, called Admiral Alvin Holsey's unexpected resignation troubling given mounting fears of a potential US confrontation with Venezuela.

The US military carried out a new strike on Thursday against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean, and in what is believed to be the first such case, there were survivors among the crew. Pictured: the wreckage from one of the five previous attacks the Pentagon has made against what they call narcoterrorists

It comes as President Trump continues to deploy more heavy artillery to the Caribbean and Pete Hegseth oversees more changes at the Department of Defense

'Admiral Holsey's resignation only deepens my concern that this administration is ignoring the hard-earned lessons of previous US military campaigns and the advice of our most experienced warfighters,' Reed said.

Holsey became the leader of US Southern Command only in November, overseeing an area that encompasses the Caribbean Sea and waters off South America.

These types of postings typically last between three and four years.

He said he was 'honored to serve our nation' over 37 years in a moving social media statement paid tribute to his team.

'The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so,' he wrote.

'I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe,' he wrote.

The department has been targeting vessels suspected of carrying drugs into the United States.

Videos presented by the Trump administration of previous attacks showed vessels being completely destroyed, and there have been no prior accounts of survivors.

The strikes come against the backdrop of a US military buildup in the Caribbean that includes guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and around 6,500 troops as President Donald Trump escalates a standoff with the Venezuelan government.

Special operations helicopters, B-52s and C-17s are among the aircraft the US has built up in the region

Special operations helicopters, B-52s and C-17s are among the American aircraft in the region, The Washington Post reported.

On Wednesday, Trump disclosed he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, adding to speculation in Caracas that the United States is attempting to topple Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In a letter to the United Nations' 15-member Security Council Venezuela's UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada asked for a UN determination that the US strikes off its coast are illegal and that the body issues a statement backing Venezuela's sovereignty.

Less than a week ago, the Pentagon announced its counter-narcotics operations in the region would not be led by the Miami-based Southern Command, which oversees US military activities in Latin America.

Instead, the Pentagon said a taskforce was being created that would be led by II Marine Expeditionary Force, a unit capable of rapid overseas operations that is based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

That decision came as a surprise to US military-watchers, since a combatant command like Southern Command would normally lead any high-profile operations.
In the lead up to Gus Lamont's disappearance, the heartbroken father of the missing four-year-old had been painstakingly renovating a house in a nearby town, preparing it for his young family to move into before the little boy vanished.

Joshua Lamont, who lives about 200km from Yunta in the small South Australian town of Jamestown, had spent years fixing up a modest two-bedroom cottage so his partner Jess and their two boys could finally live together under one roof.

Friends say the devoted dad was counting down the months until Gus began school, eager to create a stable home life after years of living between two properties.

But that dream was shattered when Gus vanished from his grandparents' remote property near Yunta 19 days ago, sparking one of South Australia's largest police searches in years.

The little boy was last seen playing on a mound of dirt near the house on September 27 while his grandmother cared for his baby brother Ronnie inside.

Gus' mother Jess and his other grandparent were about 10km away tending to the station's sheep.

Mr Lamont was not at the property at the time and friends said he only learned his son was missing when police arrived at his door in the early hours of the morning.

The grandmother discovered Gus was gone when she went to call him inside for dinner about 5.30pm and the family reported him missing three hours later.

Gus vanished from his grandparents' remote property near Yunta 19 days ago

Joshua Lamont wanted his partner Jess and their two boys to live together

He has been renovating the modest two-bedroom cottage for years

The pre-schooler lived at the Yunta homestead with his mother and two grandmothers, Shannon and Josie Murray.

Josie transitioned several years ago and now identifies as female.

Gus' parents also share one-year-old Ronnie, but have been living apart due to what locals describe as an ongoing family dispute.

Property records show Mr Lamont purchased the two-bedroom cottage, set on 10 acres of land, in March 2021, around the same time Gus was born.

The $89,000 property was advertised as a 'project home with a beautiful rural outlook', and is situated about 15km from Jamestown.

Pictures from the listing show the older home needed extensive work throughout to bring it up to a liveable condition.

A neighbour told Daily Mail that Mr Lamont often travelled between Yunta and Jamestown while slowly restoring the home.

'He is not a tradie, he just does odd jobs,' the neighbour said, adding he had recently started work on the bathroom and was looking at schools for Gus nearby.

He purchased the house in 2021 around the same time Gus was born

Pictures from the listing show the older home needed extensive work throughout

Joshua Lamont had recently started renovating the bathroom

The cottage is set on 10 acres of land

'He wanted him in Peterborough, not Jamestown.'

Peterborough Primary School is about a 30-minute drive from Mr Lamont's renovation and also has a campus in Yunta.

The neighbour added that Mr Lamont had not returned to the property since Gus disappeared.

More than 100 searchers, including South Australian Police, ADF members and SES volunteers, have scoured the rugged terrain in punishing heat.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the family had fully cooperated with investigators and stressed that the renewed search effort was not based on new leads.

'This is about exhausting every possibility,' he said. 'We have nothing to suggest foul play at this time, but we are obligated to consider every scenario.'

The search has covered roughly 470 square kilometres, an area police say is comparable to combing through 100 city centres.

Gus' devastated family remain 'deeply distressed' as they continue to cling to hope.

Mr Lamont has not returned to his partially renovated home since Gus disappeared

'I would describe them as stoic,' Commissioner Stevens said.

'But you can imagine how they're feeling without their boy, and without answers about what's happened to him.

'This would be traumatic for any family.'

Police have this afternoon confirmed that they found no trace of Gus and that the search will likely end today.
An Iranian man has had his fingers amputated as punishment despite his victim forgiving him.

Mohsen Ashiri, 37, had four of his fingers ripped from his hand on September 30, according to Norway-based human rights group Hengaw.

The group said that Ashiri, from central Iran, was initially sentenced to six months in prison, as well as the amputation of four of his fingers on his right hand, though this wasn't yet administered.

He was released after serving his prison sentence and posting bail of around 10 billion rials (180,000).

But Ashiri was later summoned by the Isfahan Criminal Court and ordered to pay a new bail of 200 trillion rials.

Failing to pay the ludicrous sum, authorities amputated the thief.

Iran is infamous for its arbitrary justice system that has trapped both citizens and foreigners alike.

Last month, it was revealed that a British woman being held in an Iranian jail cell on alleged espionage charges has been put on a drip as her family's fears for her health grow ahead of a court hearing.

Mohsen Ashiri (pictured) had four of his fingers ripped from his hand on September 30

Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 52, were arrested in Kerman, southern Iran, on January 3 as they embarked on a motorcycle trip around the world to Australia.

The couple, from east Sussex, had intended to travel from Armenia to Pakistan via Iran when they were intercepted by authorities and later charged with espionage, allegations their family strongly denies.

They are due to appear in court in mystery proceedings about which relatives have been told next to no details, as the couple suffer from 'worse than poor' jail conditions which are having a 'harrowing' impact on their health.

Separated from her husband, Ms Foreman is being kept in Qarchak women's prison near the Iranian capital Tehran, a hellhole jail criticised for its dire conditions by human rights groups.

Her son Joe Bennett, from Folkestone, Kent, said she has recently been put on a drip in her cell, which she shares with 70 other women, but the reason for this is not known.

He has described how the prison is unbearably hot and has frequent power outages and poor food, with his mother given only a metal bunk with no mattress to sleep on.

Meanwhile Mr Foreman was transferred from Fashafouyeh prison to the notorioous Evin jail, where British-Iranian charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was detained for almost six years.


Former Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce is reportedly weighing up a move to One Nation, joining forces with Pauline Hanson in a political bombshell that has sent shockwaves through Canberra.

On Friday afternoon, Senator Hanson did not deny ongoing discussions with Joyce when asked by the Sydney Morning Herald.

'If Barnaby wants to come to One Nation, I'd be happy to have him,' she said.

Earlier this year, Hanson revealed she had already invited Joyce to join her party, sharing the story in a video posted to social media.

'Some of his colleagues wanted him gone out of parliament,' she said.

'I thought: no, I like Barnaby. I like what he stands for. We're on the same page, we think alike, and we say it the way we see it. So I asked Barnaby.

'Guess what? He comes back and said, "Thanks, Pauline, but no thank you". So he's remained loyal to the Nationals.'

But that loyalty may now be wavering.

Barnaby Joyce (pictured) is reportedly in talks to join Pauline Hanson as a One Nation MP

National Party insiders have told Daily Mail they were blindsided by the reports, with some dismissing the claim as a rumour.

The speculation comes amid deepening divisions within the Coalition under Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, whose leadership has been rocked by internal dissent and policy clashes, particularly over climate and energy.

Ley's recent reshuffles followed the high-profile exits of Andrew Hastie and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from the frontbench, both of whom expressed dissatisfaction with the party's direction.

Hastie, a prominent conservative, stepped down citing exclusion from immigration policy discussions, while Price was removed after refusing to endorse Ley's leadership.

The Coalition's internal rift has been exacerbated by growing tensions over Net Zero targets.

Joyce has been a vocal critic of the policy, recently introducing a private member's bill to scrap Australia's commitment to Net Zero by 2050.

'What Net Zero has become is about trying to achieve the impossible, rather than doing what's sensible,' Joyce said.

On Monday, Steven Coxhead, former chairman of the Nationals' Tamworth branch, located within Joyce's New England electorate, resigned last week after a decade in the role to join One Nation.

Pauline Hanson did not deny she was in talks with Barnaby Joyce when asked on Friday

'I could no longer support policies that fail to represent the interests of regional and rural New South Wales voters,' Coxhead said.

He cited native vegetation laws, energy policy, and Net Zero targets as key reasons for his departure, accusing the Nationals of being 'unwilling or unable to move away from those policies.'

Joyce publicly supported Coxhead's decision, saying: 'It is every citizen's right to choose their political path.'

One Nation will officially launch its Tamworth branch next week, with Pauline Hanson expected to attend.

Australian politics is facing fresh upheaval following the resignation of former Treasurer Wayne Swan as President of the Australian Labor Party, bringing an end to his 30-year career in public life.

Swan will remain in the role until July next year, ensuring a transitional period before his departure.

Daily Mail contacted Barnaby Joyce and Pauline Hanson for comment.
Donald Trump has hinted that he will not give Ukraine Tomahawk missiles ahead of his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky.

In recent days, Trump had shown openness to selling Ukraine long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, even as Putin warned that such a move would further strain US-Russia relations.

But following last night's call with Putin, Trump appeared to downplay the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles.

'We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too,' Trump said, adding: 'We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean we can't deplete our country.'

Zelensky had been seeking the weapons that would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory and target key military sites, energy facilities and critical infrastructure.

The Ukrainian leader has argued such strikes would help compel Putin to take Trump's calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.

And Trump appeared to buy into this line of thinking, telling reporters on Air Force One on Sunday en-route to the Middle East: 'I might talk to [Putin], I might say, "Look, if this war is not going to get settled, I'm going to send them Tomahawks." I may say that.

'The Tomahawk is a incredible weapon, very offensive weapon, and honestly, Russia does not need that.'

File image of a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) being launched from the guided missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill

Donald Trump (pictured) has hinted that he will not give Ukraine Tomahawk missiles

But Putin warned Trump during the call that supplying Kyiv with the Tomahawks 'won't change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries,' according to Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy adviser.

It will be the fourth face-to-face meeting for Trump and Zelenskyy since the Republican returned to office in January, and their second in less than a month.

Trump announced following Thursday's call with Putin that he would soon meet with the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss ways to end the war.

The two also agreed that their senior aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, would meet next week at an unspecified location.

Fresh off brokering a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, Trump has said finding an endgame to the war in Ukraine is now his top foreign policy priority and has expressed new confidence about the prospects of getting it done.

Ahead of his call with Putin, Trump had shown signs of increased frustration with the Russian leader.

Last month, he announced that he believed Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia, a dramatic shift from the US leader's repeated calls for Kyiv to make concessions to end the war.

Trump, going back to his 2024 campaign, insisted he would quickly end the war, but his peace efforts appeared to stall following a diplomatic blitz in August, when he held a summit with Putin in Alaska and a White House meeting with Zelensky and European allies.

Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured) has argued such strikes would help compel Putin to take Trump's calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously

A powerful explosion erupts on the horizon as birds fly over destroyed buildings damaged by artillery fire in the frontline city of Kostiantynivka on October 16, 2025 in Kostiantynivka, Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers inspect a vehicle recently struck by a Russian FPV kamikaze drone that ambushed them near the frontline on October 16, 2025 in Kostiantynivka, Ukraine

Trump emerged from those meetings certain he was on track to arranging direct talks between Zelensky and Putin. But the Russian leader hasn't shown any interest in meeting with Zelensky and Moscow has only intensified its bombardment of Ukraine.

Trump, for his part, offered a notably more neutral tone about Ukraine following what he described a 'very productive' call with Putin.

He also hinted that negotiations between Putin and Zelensky might be have to be conducted indirectly.

'They don't get along too well those two,' Trump said. 'So we may do something where we're separate. Separate but equal.'
A Somali youth is to face questioning by the police after a Ukrainian teenager was killed in a frenzied knife attack on his head, eyes and chest at an Irish refugee centre.

Vadym Davydenko, 17, was stabbed to death with a kitchen knife at emergency accommodation provided by the Irish Child and Family Agency (Tusla), in north Dublin on Wednesday morning.

He had only been in Ireland for four days before his death at the centre in the Grattan Wood apartment complex in Donaghmede.

He had been due to be transferred to accommodation for Ukrainians.

A female staff member who tried to intervene and stop the fight was also hospitalised with defensive wounds.

A Somali teen, currently under medical supervision in a Dublin hospital, is a person of interest in the case.

His injuries are non-life-threatening, according to Gardai.

The Somali was one of four teens in the accommodation, along with Vadym.

Gardai continue their investigations at an apartment block in Grattan Wood, Donaghmede, Dublin where a teenage Ukranian boy was fatally injured in an incident on October 15

The accommodation is for teenagers who arrived in Ireland unaccompanied by adults.

Vadym is understood to have left war-torn Ukraine for Ireland to try and get a better life and education.

A Garda source told the Irish Daily Mail: It will be a number of days before the investigating gardai can talk to the suspect to try and piece together why this happened because hes going to be under medical supervision for a while.

'He cant be questioned in that state.

Vadym was severely injured during the fatal incident that occurred at around 11.00am local time Wednesday and emergency services pronounced him dead at the scene.

His body was removed on at approximately 5.30pm before a post-mortem began late that morning.

A spokesperson for the Ukrainian Embassy told the Mail that it is in contact with Vadyms family and that his body will be repatriated to Ukraine after physical investigations have concluded.

The embassy was informed by Tusla of Vadyms death.

We express our deepest condolences to Vadyms family and loved ones during this time of profound grief, a spokesperson said.

The embassy is in close contact with An Garda Siochana, who are currently investigating the circumstances of the incident. We are also in regular contact with Vadyms family.

'The results of the investigation will be shared with both the family and the embassy once available.

We are providing consular assistance to the family and are making the necessary arrangements for the repatriation of Vadyms body to Ukraine.

A Ukrainian Facebook user who claims to have a daughter in the same class as Vadym posted a photo of a young man, alleging 8,000 is needed to bring him back to Ukraine. An online fundraiser with the same goal appears to have raised over 1,300.

Tusla interim service director Lorna Kavanagh told the Oireachtas Justice Committee on Tuesday that the agency has space for 400 children in residential centres and the remaining 150 or so minors are cared for by agency staff in rented property, such as that in Donaghmede.

Ukraine was the most common country of origin for unaccompanied minors arriving in Ireland, the committee was told, followed by Somalia and Afghanistan.

Hours after the attack, residents of the Grattan Woods apartment complex told the Mail they werent aware of the centres existence until they heard the news of the stabbing.

We didnt know about it, but I did notice there were more young men coming and going of different nationalities recently, one elderly woman said.

The chief executive of Childrens Rights Alliance (CRA), Tanya Ward, stated that an independent review is urgently needed into the circumstances of Vadyms death.

Ms Ward is the chair of an independent review of over 40,000 Tusla cases that were closed during the pandemic and previously served as an expert on an investigation on the management of child abuse allegations by Tusla.

This is really devastating and distressing news. At the heart of this is a 17-year old boy who was in Ireland on his own, she said.

We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.

It is vitally important that the next step is an independent review by the National Review Panel to establish the circumstances of the death and whether there was any possibility to prevent it from happening.

Donaghmede councillor Micheal MacDonncha, of Sinn Fein, told the Mail: Its essential Tusla enquire how this happened and if the place was resourced adequately.

'It raises concerns that a private company was involved in the running of this centre. Regardless of the status of those living there in terms of nationality, whats more important is that they were juveniles.

There have been legitimate concerns about Tusla for years, but ultimate responsibility goes back to the Government because their policy of privatisation often leads to inadequate care.

Vadym was one of four separated children seeking international protection, or SCSIPs, being housed in the apartment.

The accommodation was contracted by Tusla as a special emergency arrangement (SEA).

The use of such emergency accommodation for vulnerable children has been criticised because they are unregulated, staffed by private providers, and not inspected by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa).

A Hiqa spokeswoman, asked whether it had inspected the Donaghmede facility, told the Irish Times: 'This service does not fall within the remit of the Health Information and Quality Authority.

'Childrens residential centres run by voluntary or private organisations commissioned by Tusla are not within Hiqas remit, nor are special emergency arrangements.'

The report quoted a source close to Vadym, who said he was 'quite into sport' and was 'studying IT, he wanted to move on to cybersecurity and, with everything happening in Ukraine, to support the military against the Russian aggression ... to [go back] and fight on the frontline lines in a cyberdivision'.

He had a girlfriend in Ukraine who was hoping to visit him in Ireland, and is understood to be 'devastated' following the news of his death.

Tusla said it could 'confirm that a serious incident took place at one of our emergency residential units in North Dublin, which is staffed on a 24-hour basis to provide care to four separated young people seeking international protection'.

The incident involved 'two young people, during which a fatal injury was sustained'.

Gardai have also confirmed that they are not looking for any other person in relation to the attack and investigators are following 'a definite line of enquiry'.

The other juveniles and staff who were in the apartment complex have been transferred to alternative accommodation.
Two Egyptian asylum seekers accused of raping a woman on Brighton beach have been pictured for the first time.

Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, and Ibrahim Alshafe, 35, who both live in the same migrant hotel in West Sussex, appeared at Crawley magistrates' court on Thursday.

They were charged with rape alongside Abdulla Ahmadi, a 25-year-old Iranian.

The 33-year-old woman said she was attacked in the early hours of Saturday, October 4, after she left a nightclub in Brighton.

The hearing was told that the three suspects were arrested soon after.

Both Egyptians gave their address as an asylum hotel in a village near Horsham, West Sussex.

Crawley magistrates' court heard Al-Danasurt is being investigated for suspected immigration offences.

He is charged with two counts of rape, and confirmed his name and date of birth through an Arabic interpreter.

Ibrahim Alshafe, 35, appeared in court yesterday charged with the rape of a woman

Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, is pictured outside court yesterday

The alleged rape took place on Brighton beach (pictured) in the early hours of Saturday October 4, a Sussex Police spokesman said

Prosecutor Melanie Wootton told the court: 'This was a stranger rape on Brighton Beach by this accused with two others.

'Dragging a female to Brighton Beach and subjecting a female to a pretty terrifying ordeal.'

He was remanded to appear at Lewes Crown Court next month.

Failed asylum seeker Alshafe appeared at Crawley magistrates' court charged with two counts of rape.

The prosecutor said the alleged rape took place the day after his asylum claim was rejected.

Alshafe confirmed his name and date of birth through an Arabic interpreter and was also remanded to appear at Lewes Crown Court next month.

Failed asylum seeker Ahmadi, 25, appeared in a separate hearing at Brighton magistrates' court also charged with two counts of rape.

He confirmed his name and date of birth through a Kurdish interpreter.

Prosecutor Maria Goptareva told the court: 'Police received report a woman had been raped by multiple males who were all strangers to her on the Brighton Beach.

'She was vulnerable and intoxicated.

'She was approached by the three males, taking her to a secluded place in the beach where she was  raped by all three of them.'

Ahmadi was remanded to appear at Lewes Crown Court next month.

A Sussex Police spokesman said the woman was raped on Brighton's lower esplanade.

Detective Superintendent Andy Harbour said: 'This has been a fast-paced investigation with all three suspects having been identified through investigative work.

'I commend the bravery of the victim who we continue to support with specialist officers.

'I understand how distressing this incident will be for the community and our dedicated partnership operations to protect women and girls will continue in earnest.

'Three men have been remanded in custody, and we are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with the investigation.'
Fears are mounting that Russia could trigger NATO Article 5 and spark all-out war by attacking Western satellites.

Russia has been stalking UK and German military satellites amid concerns of a new frontier emerging in the sky.

Article 5, which states if one NATO country is attacked it will be considered an attack against all members, could be activated if Vladimir Putin launches a satellite assault, NATO officials have warned.

Concerns that Europe could be dragged into further conflict have seen Brussels reveal plans for a space shield as part of a new scheme to prepare for war with Moscow within the next five years.

The EU will build a series of defensive systems which will protect European satellites that deliver military and civilian services, including intelliegence and navigation, from Vladimir Putin.

A European air shield, to defend against incoming missiles and other aerial threats, is being planned.

The shield, along with a counter-drone system and a plans to fortify the eastern border with Russia 'across land, air and sea', are part of a 'roadmap' for Europe to defend itself by 2030.

Conflict in space is seen as a new battlefield between NATO and Russia.

Fears are mounting that Russia could trigger NATO Article 5 and spark all-out war by attacking Western satellites

It is one of the 'capability gaps' identified in a paper published by the European Commission on Thursday.

'To ensure peace through deterrence, Europe's defence posture and capabilities must also be ready for the battlefields of tomorrow, in line with the changing nature of warfare. Technological innovation and iteration  developed at speed and scale  will dictate strength on the battlefield,' a document published on Thursday said.

The new defense plans come amid a surge in Russian provocations across Europe, raising fears that Moscow is testing NATO's resolve.

The head of UK space command, Major General Paul Tedman, warned this month that Russian forces were stalking British satellites and trying to disrupt military activity.

'They've got payloads on board that can see our satellites and are trying to collect information from them,' he said.

Similar warnings emerged from Germany last month.

German defence minister Boris Pistorius revealed that Russia had been tracking two Intelsat satellites used by the German military.

'They can jam, blind, manipulate, or kinetically disrupt satellites,' he said at a space conference in Berlin.

The mutual defence policy could be activated if Vladimir Putin launches a satellite assault, NATO officials have warned

While tensions have escalated between NATO and Russia, with Poland and Romania, both member states, reporting drones breaching their airspace.

Estonia, another member, requested urgent consultations with other alliance members in September after Russian warplanes violated its airspace.

Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, said: 'Danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends. It is clear we need to toughen our defences against Russia.'

The EU roadmap has triggered tension with NATO because of the similarities in their defence plans.

But earlier this week, Mark Rutte, NATO secretary-general, said: 'The EU is doing a lot of stuff. We're doing a lot of stuff. We will make sure that it all works to speed up each other's initiatives, making use of each other's strength.'
Police have called off the search for a four-year-old boy in Australia after a huge three-week search failed to find any trace of him.

August 'Gus' Lamont went missing from his grandparents' Outback homestead around 186 miles from Adelaide on September 27.

He was last seen playing outside by his grandmother around 5pm, but when she went to call for him 30 minutes later, he was nowhere to be found.

His disappearance triggered a massive hunt, one of the biggest operations in South Australis's history, with hundreds of volunteers, cops, and the Australian Defence Force joining in.

However, all efforts have failed to produce any clue of what could have happened to Gus.

Police, who say they do not expect that foul play was involved, have said that although the search had been called off, they would continue investigating the case.

A statement today read: 'The original search area extended well beyond this with the use of the mounted operations unit and Polair. This area has been estimated at 470 square kilometres.'

It added: 'The fact Gus is a small child, the terrain is extremely rugged, harsh and subject to changing weather conditions has made the searching difficult and more challenging for those involved.'

At the start of the month, authorities announced they were scaling back the operation after a week of searching.

At the time, an official said: 'While we've all been hoping for a miracle, that miracle was not eventuated,' he said.

'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.'

However, last Tuesday, there was fresh hope as they announced that the hunt had been restarted with 80 personnel from the Defence Force.

Four-year-old August 'Gus' Lamont has been missing since Saturday, September 27. Today, police in Australia announced that they had called of the search for the boy

His disappearance led to one of the biggest operations in South Australia's history, with the Australian Defence Force joining in

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Since his disappearance, the search party has covered around 470 sq km. The search only yielded one bizarre clue - a single footprint that cops described as unusual.

Described as a shy but adventurous boy, Gus was last seen wearing a blue long-sleeved Minions T-shirt and a grey broad-brimmed hat.

Speaking about Gus' family earlier this week, police commissioner Grant Stevens said: 'You can imagine just how they are feeling... without having answers as to exactly where Gus is and what's happened to him.

'This would be traumatic for any family.'

This week, the Daily Mail pictured the boy's parents, Joshua and Jessica, for the first time.

A task force consisting of 12 specialists will now continue to work on the case.

Detectives, however, have not ruled out the possibility that there could be future searches of the area.

The case has gripped Australia and prompted a flurry of online speculations and theories of what could have happened to the boy.

Cops were even forced to tell the public to desist from calling in with their opinions on the case.

Fake images of the boy made with AI have also been circulated on social media.

Gus' parents, Joshua and Jessica were pictured for the first time this week by the Daily Mail

Gus was last seen in a blue Minions T-shirt and a grey broad-brimmed hat

Search teams have covered around around 470 sq km of ground. The only thing detectives found was a single footprint which they said was unusual

A picture exclusively obtained by the Daily Mail shows one of the wells that authorities and locals believe Gus may have fallen in

A local landowner revealed to the Daily Mail that other residents believe Gus may have fallen into one of the several pits that line the area.

He said: 'I would be more worried about the unmarked wells and mines he may have fallen into. That's the talk [among locals].

Some of the shafts and mines are easy to spot, but others are unmarked, only covered with weeds.

The local added: 'Most aren't on any maps. Some are easy to see, some definitely not but hopefully [Gus] is just lost and not perished.'
A Queensland mother has walked free from court after failing to seek help for her newborn son, who was fatally injured when her then-partner violently shook him in a fit of frustration.

Kristie Lee Willmot appeared before the Brisbane Supreme Court on Friday, surrounded by tearful relatives, as she was sentenced for her role in the 2021 death of her 37-day-old baby, Michael.

Willmot and her former partner, Robert Alan Gee, were originally charged with murder after baby Michael was found unresponsive in a Logan car park.

The pair later admitted to lesser offences with Gee pleading guilty to manslaughter and Willmot to cruelty to a child under 16.

The court heard Willmot and Gee were in a relationship and often spent time together at his Logan caravan park.

On June 11, 2021, Willmot left Michael in Gee's care while she went to 'source drugs for a friend'.

In that short time, Gee became agitated by the baby's crying and 'violently shook him for a few seconds before throwing him into a couch'.

A photo sent to Willmot soon after showed Michael appearing well and asleep, but over the following days, his condition deteriorated rapidly.

Kristie Lee Willmot (pictured) was given a suspended sentence of four years, walking free

Willmot noticed her son struggling to feed and later used a syringe to try to give him formula, but she never sought medical help.

Prosecutors told the court Willmot failed to act 'in accordance with her obligations as a mother', despite clear signs her child was gravely unwell.

When questioned by police, she admitted she feared authorities would take Michael away if she went to hospital.

On June 14, Michael stopped breathing.

Paramedics could not revive him. An autopsy revealed 'catastrophic injuries' consistent with violent shaking.

Justice Martin Burns said that while Willmot was not present when the fatal injuries were inflicted, she bore responsibility for her inaction.

'It became quite apparent to you upon return the baby was unwell,' he said.

'Any doubt should have been dispelled as you watched his condition deteriorate over the coming days.'

Wilmot's ex-partner Robert Alan Gee (pictured) will be sentenced for manslaughter next month

The court was told Willmot's life had been marred by drug use, domestic violence, and instability, but she had since remained clean and cooperative with police.

After serving time in custody, Willmot was sentenced to four years in prison, suspended immediately.

She walked free from court on Friday.

Gee, who admitted to killing baby Michael, will be sentenced on November 13.
A victim of a 28 million scam which saw timeshare sharks con pensioners to fund their lavish lifestyles has told how he lost 14,000, and was treated like 'scum' by the fraudsters.

Des, 73, from Surrey, told how the scammers behind firm Sell My Timeshare 'didn't care' about their victims and he was left 'absolutely gutted' after realising he had lost the money.

He was one of around 3,500 pensioners who were duped out of a total of 28 million after being persuaded to invest in a bogus holiday and retail voucher scheme on the promise that their timeshare apartments would be sold for bumper profits.

Victims were flown out to the firm's fake offices in Tenerife and put up in hotels where they were bombarded with six hours of high-pressure sales pitches, promising their investments would double in 14 months.

The meetings saw victims pushed to trade in their timeshares and make an additional payment for the company's 'Monster Credits' scheme, which promised discounts on holidays and shopping, as well as the opportunity to trade them with other customers on a dedicated platform.

In many cases, victims took out loans to purchase the credits, typically investing around 8,000, the CPS said.

They would later discover that not only were the credits worthless, but in most cases, they still owned and incurred the costs of their timeshares.

In total, 3,583 victims across the UK were defrauded out of 28.1 million, with the highest individual loss being 80,000 - all while those behind the scam lived lives of luxury.

Mark and Nicola Rowe (pictured) hired former Hollyoaks actress Julie Peasgood to promote their company offering help to sell timeshares for elderly owners worried about rising maintenance fees - while spending the cash on luxuries such as private jets

Des, 73, from Surrey, told how the scammers behind firm Sell My Timeshare 'didn't care' about their victims and he was left 'absolutely gutted' after realising he had lost the money

Des, from Mitcham, Surrey, told the BBC: 'I was absolutely gutted. It was a kick in the guts really because you were up against a brick wall. There was no way of getting my money back.

'We were basically the scum. They didn't care about us normal people. They get greedy and greedier and they were living a life of luxury.'

He recalled being persuaded to take out a loan by the scammers and was later alerted to the fraud by the police.

'We were devastated because I wanted to retire at the time, but now I couldn't afford to,' he said, adding: 'How do these people sleep at night?'

Fraudsters-in-chief Mark and Nicola Rowe, both 54, hired former Hollyoaks actress Julie Peasgood to promote their company to lure in innocent victims, and are two of 14 people to have been convicted over the scheme.

Senior investigating officer Peter Highway said a 'lot of the money was spent on luxury' by managing director Rowe and his wife, who acted as the company's finance director.

Investigators said the Rowes spent more than 110,000 on private school fees, a house in Hampshire with stables valued at 2.4 million, and 26,000 on one private jet trip to Tenerife.

They added that 8 million was received into Mark and Nicola Rowe's personal account, with 185,000 spent at art galleries including 31,500 for a pencil sketch by LS Lowry with the title 'Street Scene'.

Mark Rowe and his wife Nicola enjoyed a jet-set lifestyle splashing out on homes in Tenerife and a 2.4million home in Hampshire

The living room in Mark and Nicola Rowe's luxury Hampshire home

A double bedroom inside the couple's luxury house, featuring a stylish interior

And the couple enjoyed 3,600 shopping trips to Selfridges and Harvey Nichols for designer clothing, and spent 9,000 on watches while spending 1,000 a night at the Dorchester Hotel.

Meanwhile their victims, 500 of whom had lost more than 10,000, often ended up deep in debt.

The majority were aged in their 60s to 80s, with the oldest victim aged 94. Some died before they could ever see justice.

One pensioner told the court: 'I'm now supposed to be retired and enjoying life, but as a result of being a victim of Mark Rowe's fraud my quality of life has been reduced to a struggle - I'm unable to afford to even pay my own rent.

'I've been a successful businessman all of my life, but feel that I've let my wife down, and I cannot see how I can put this right in the time that we have left.'

Rowe, of Los Blanquitos in Tenerife, was sentenced in January to seven-and-a-half years' imprisonment after being found guilty of conspiracy to defraud.

His wife, also of Los Blanquitos in Tenerife, will be sentenced on Friday at Southwark Crown Court after pleading guilty to money laundering.

A total of 14 people were convicted following four trials held over two years at Southwark Crown Court - with reporting restrictions in place until Nicola Rowe's guilty plea.

The fake offices in Tenerife, where the fraudsters took their victims for sales pitches that would last for up to six hours

Victims as old as 94 lost their life savings and pensions after investing as much as 80,000 (Pictured: The brand's offices in Tenerife)

Following the first trial from October 2023 to October last year, several people were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud including Jodi Beard, 43, of El Roque, Tenerife, who was sentenced to two years' imprisonment suspended for two years, and Paul Harrison, 55, of Weymouth, who was sentenced to four-and-a-half years' imprisonment.

Also found guilty of conspiracy to defraud were Nihat Paul Salih, 57, of Poole, Dorset, who was sentenced to three years' imprisonment; and Lisa Salih, 56, of Poole, who was sentenced to two years' imprisonment suspended for two years.

Credits administrator Samantha Macaulay, 52, of San Miguel De Abona, Tenerife, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment suspended for 18 months after being found guilty of fraud by false representation. Macaulay was found not guilty of conspiracy to defraud.

Following the second trial from October last year to February, Simon Walker, 58, of Costa Adeje in Tenerife, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years' imprisonment and Joanne Physick, 46, of Los Christianos Arona, Tenerife, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment after being found guilty of conspiracy to defraud.

After the third trial in June and July, David Taylor, 65, of East Yorkshire, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.

Joanne Taylor, 53, of East Yorkshire, was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment suspended for two years and Lee Evans, 51, of Preston, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment suspended for two years after both pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation.

Two people who worked as 'senior client advisers', Barrie Fox, 69, of Worcester, and Josephine Cuthill-Fox, 60, of Worcester, will be sentenced on Friday after also pleading guilty to fraud by false representation.

CPS specialist prosecutor Gayle Ramsey said: 'These defendants acted in a completely selfish and manipulative manner to make huge sums for themselves and exploited timeshare owners, many of whom were elderly.

'They provided victims with the false hope of disposing of timeshares in exchange for a valuable investment when in reality they were each left tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket after purchasing something which was worthless.'
A British tourist is set to be questioned in Greece today as his three-year-old niece fights for her life in hospital after police say she spent ten minutes undetected in a hotel swimming pool.

The child is in critical condition at the PAGNI hospital in Crete, where doctors are battling to save her life.

Her uncle, 34, who was looking after her at the time of the incident and a 54-year-old Greek travel agency manager, responsible for customers at the hotel, were arrested after cops launched an investigation.

They have been accused of grievous bodily harm by negligence and are set to be questioned by authorities probing the circumstances of the incident.

According to local media reports, the case filed says that it occurred shortly after noon on October 14 at a hotel in Lardos, Rhodes.

Cops have also reviewed CCTV footage that captured what happened.

Reports say that the film shows that at 12:10pm, the girl, who was unaccompanied by an adult at the time, went towards the hotel's ladder and entered the water.

It has been suggested that no one else was in the pool at the time.

Ten minutes after the girl entered, a woman who was lying on a sunbed is said to have spotted the girl, rushed to pull her out, and started to administer CPR.

The South Rhodes police and the Emergency Medical Service were then called to the scene. Upon arrival, doctors fought to keep her alive before taking her to Rhodes Hospital.

According to local media reports, the incident occurred shortly after noon on October 14 at a hotel in Lardos, Rhodes. The girl's 34-year-old British uncle is set to be questioned by prosecutors today

That same night, she was transferred to the PAGNI Hospital in Heraklion, where she remains in critical condition.

It has been reported that two hours after the incident, police arrested her uncle and the hotel staff.

Accompanied by their lawyers, Antonis Zervos and Stefania Kouloumbri, they were taken before the Rhodes District Court Prosecutor, where they were officially charged.
An Algerian woman raped, tortured and murdered a 12-year-old girl after a dispute with the child's mother, a court heard today in a case that has shocked France.

Dahbia Benkired, 27, is accused of luring Lola Daviet to her death, partially severing her head before suffocating her, after the girl's mother refused to give her a pass key to an apartment block.

Investigators say Benkired slashed the schoolgirl with scissors and a box cutter then bound her up in duct tape, including around her face, leading to her death by asphyxia.

Depraved Benkired admitted in court today that she forced the young girl to undress and wash herself, then perform a sex act on her 'for my pleasure'.

The presiding judge of the Assize Court told the jurors that Lola's 'head was partially severed' at the neck.

In October 2022, Lola's body was found in a trunk in the lobby of the building where her father and mother worked as caretakers.

Building residents saw Benkired in the lobby of the apartment block in the 19th district, carrying suitcases and a heavy trunk covered in a blanket, the investigation showed.

An hour and a half earlier, security footage showed Benkired approaching the girl as she returned from school, then leading her into the flat her sister occupied in the building.

Dahbia Benkired (pictured) is accused of raping, torturing and murdering the 12-year-old girl in 2022

Lola Daviet (pictured) went missing in Paris in 2022, and her body was then found in a trunk in the lobby of the building where her father and mother worked as caretakers

CCTV footage showed the Algerian woman luring Lola to her tragic death

She placed the body in a trunk and exited the building, pausing outside a cafe, where she told a client who suspected something strange in her luggage that she was 'selling a kidney', investigators said.

She then convinced a friend to drive her and the bags to his home, before taking a taxi with the trunk back to the building where her sister lived.

She fled when she saw police deployed in the area, but was arrested the next day.

A police investigation revealed that a pair of scissors, an oyster knife and an IKEA knife were found in Benkired's flat with traces of blood.

The Algerian woman had a tough upbringing with aunts before she settled in France in 2013, the investigation showed.

She told the court that she had been abused by family and neighbours as she grew up, claiming her aunts 'forced her to watch pornographic films... and groped her in the forest.'

It was reported at the time of the killing that she was was the subject of an expulsion order, prompting stinging criticism from the right and one of the most bitter political debates in recent memory.

Lola is pictured in this CCTV footage still wearing a white coat and carrying what appears to be her schoolbag

Delphine Daviet, mother of Lola, accompagnied by relatives, arrives at the Paris Assize Court for the trial of Dahbia Benkired, accused of raping, torturing, and killing Lola Daviet, a 12-year-old girl, in 2022, on October 17, 2025

She claimed to have suffered something of a mental breakdown following her parents' deaths in 2019 and 2020. She said she would smoke up to '20 [cannabis] joints a day' to deal with this 'tipping point'.

She had overstayed a student visa and had failed to comply with a notice issued in August to leave France within 30 days.

She told investigators she had been angry with the girl's mother, who had refused to give her a badge to get through the apartment block's front door, after her sister had given her a key to her flat.

The probe showed she had conducted searches online into witchcraft days before the murder.

Benkired, whose trial is to last until next Friday, faces a maximum sentence of life in jail.

The girl's family sat in court on Friday, wearing T-shirts with the words: 'You were the sun of our life, you will be the star of our nights.' One woman in her fifties broke down in tears when the defendant entered the dock.

When asked by the judge what they expected from the trial, Lola's family said they wanted just and for the truth to be revealed.

Lola's brother Thibault Daviet said, referencing his late father: 'I would like to speak on behalf of the whole family... and of course my father, who is unfortunately no longer here because of the same person.

Lola's parents Delphine and Johan (pictured) are professional caretakers of a number of buildings in northern Paris, including the one where they live

'We would like you to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, to all of France and to us'.

Benkired, speaking to the girl's mourning family, today said in court: 'I would like to ask the whole family for forgiveness. What I did was horrible and I regret it'.

Conservative and far-right politicians seized on the case to call for better immigration law enforcement, after Benkired was found to have overstayed a student visa and failed to comply with a notice to leave France.

But the victim's mother urged politicians to stop exploiting her daughter's death.
A former Just Stop Oil activist convicted of causing 5,000 of criminal damage to a Cornish university has complained after a mural she created was painted over.

Holly Astle, an illustrator from Falmouth, Cornwall, accused the local council of whitewashing her art on a wall at the Lawn Steps in her hometown for 'political' reasons.

The local BID (business improvement district) responsible has hit back and rubbished the claims, saying the mural was instead removed to tackle graffiti.

Ms Astle first painted the artwork, which featured colourful ships against a blue background, in 2022 with the help of the Falmouth BID.

But it was recently painted over completely in white, prompting the artist to claim she had been told the decision had been taken due to the BID's stance on 'political neutrality'.

The team has now apologised for any 'incorrect communications' and said the decision was actually taken to counter vandalism and graffiti.

Ms Astle, a former Just Stop Oil activist, was convicted of causing 5,000 of criminal damage to Falmouth University in a protest on October 11, 2023.

She and fellow activist Ethan Paul sprayed a university building with bright orange paint in a series of coordinated protests at campuses around the country.

Holly Astle (centre, with the mural), an illustrator from Falmouth, Cornwall, accused the local council of whitewashing her art on a wall at the Lawn Steps in her hometown for 'political' reasons

Ms Astle is pictured in front of the newly-painted wall in Falmouth where her mural used to be

They were accused of causing damage worth in excess of 11,000 to one building and 5,000 to another - but at trial, the prosecution failed to produce evidence to support the larger claim.

Ms Astle was convicted of one count of criminal damage and cleared of a second, while Mr Paul was cleared of both charges. At the time, she told the court the protest had been an 'act of love'.

The artist was given a 12-month community order with 60 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay 4,000 compensation to the university.

A year later the artist accused Falmouth Town Council and Falmouth BID, which originally commissioned her mural, of destroying it because of her previous involvement in Just Stop Oil protests.

It came after the work was subject to vandalism and graffiti.

It's understood the BID team had planned to allow children from local schools to paint over the instances of graffiti, but Ms Astle insisted to them that she would need to be consulted first.

'I emailed the BID team to say that I need to be consulted first, as I retain copyright over the artwork, and said would happily be involved in engaging the kids on this project without any payment,' she said.

'It was important to me that I could oversee it, so that I could colour-match the paints, and make sure any work was completed to a standard I was happy to be associated with.

Falmouth University Graduate Holly Astle was convicted of causing 5,000 of criminal damage at the campus in 2023 in a protest in support of Just Stop Oil

The artist was given a 12-month community order with 60 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay 4,000 compensation to the university

'Instead, the Falmouth BID team explicitly stated they wouldn't be associated with me due to their stance on "political neutrality", and would be seeking alternative solutions.'

She accused the council of attempting to use her artwork 'without credit' for 'a celebratory press release'.

She added: 'Painting over my mural is in itself a political act. You can't present neutrality when you censor the work of artists that are politically engaged.'

But a spokesperson for Falmouth BID and Falmouth Town Team says the decision to paint over the mural entirely was taken due to it being subject to repeated vandalism.

They added that they had engaged with Ms Astle but were unable to find a 'workable solution'.

They said: 'This graffiti, and these acts of vandalism and antisocial behaviour, have been a cause for complaint by the local community.

'Earlier this year, a Falmouth school approached Falmouth BID with the idea of involving their pupils in work around the mural projects. Initial discussions were had, including potential overpainting and restoration of the Lawn Steps vandalism.

'The town team was then contacted by Holly Astle, expressing her need to be involved in any amendments to the Lawn Steps mural.

'In this case, a workable solution involving Ms Astle could unfortunately not be found, despite discussions with the artist.

'In addition, ongoing consultation with the Falmouth BID member businesses has highlighted a collective wish for future artworks to be created with a stronger 'wayfinding' practical purpose stated within the brief.

'Taking these factors into consideration, a joint decision was made by Falmouth Town Team and Falmouth BID not to progress the restoration of the Lawn Steps mural at this time, and it has now been painted over to eradicate the unfortunate, antisocial graffiti.

'Falmouth BID and Falmouth Town Team collectively wish to apologise to Holly Astle for any incorrect communications which may have given the false impression that her previous protest action was a reason for the painting over of her mural created for, and commissioned for, Falmouth BID.'
China today threatened Britain with 'consequences' after Labour ministers delayed approval of its planned new 'super-embassy' in London.

Beijing wants to create a huge diplomatic headquarters on a historic site near the City of London, despite opposition from campaigners and local residents.

A decision on whether the Government would give the go-ahead for the development had been due next week.

But Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reed has now pushed back the deadline on whether to grant planning approval until December 10.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian expressed 'grave concern and strong dissatisfaction' about the delay in a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.

In comments reported by Bloomberg, the spokesman said China had displayed 'the utmost sincerity and patience' in talks about the embassy.

But Britain had shown 'disregard for contractual spirit, acting in bad faith and without integrity', he continued.

The UK should 'immediately fulfill its obligations and honor its commitments,' the spokesman said, adding: 'Otherwise the British side shall bear all consequences'.

It came after Dominic Cummings, a former senior Downing Street aide, issued a fresh warning that China was planning to use the new embassy as a 'spy centre'.

An artist's illustration of the proposed frontage of the Chinese 'super-embassy' in Tower Hamlets, east London

China wants to create a huge diplomatic headquarters on a historic site near the City of London

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer pictured with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Brazil last year

Downing Street rejected Beijing's suggestion that 'commitments' had been made by the Government over the new embassy.

A No10 spokesman said: 'I don't recognise any claims of commitments or assurances.

'In terms of the planning process here, this is a decision that is independent of the rest of Government.

'It's a quasi-judicial decision and it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the cases before MHCLG [The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government] ministers.'

The spokesman declined to comment on China's reference to 'consequences', but added: 'The Government has clearly set out its position on China.'

Mr Cummings said, while working as a chief adviser in No10 between 2019 and 2020, he had been warned about China's proposed new embassy by UK security services.

The planned embassy site is close to fibre optic cables carrying communications to and from financial institutions in the City of London.

Concerns have been raised that China could tap into the cables and eavesdrop on key information.

Mr Cummings told ITV's Talking Politics podcast: 'So MI5 and MI6 said to me explicitly: China is trying to build a spy centre underneath the embassy.

'It's extremely bad idea to allow this to go ahead. It's particularly a bad idea given the exact location and various cables which run underneath London.'

Pressure has grown on the Government to reject Beijing's plans for a new London embassy amid fresh scrutiny of the UK's relationship with China.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing an ongoing row over the collapse of the trial of Christopher Cash, 30, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, 33, a teacher.

The two men were accused of spying for China and were charged last year under the Official Secrets Act. They both denied the charges.

The case was dropped after the Government failed to provide evidence that would support the assertion that China represented a threat to national security.

Luke de Pulford, of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said: 'We know the UK is under heavy diplomatic pressure from China to green-light the embassy application.

'It is very difficult to believe that this delay has not been caused by the current spy scandal, making it impossible to approve the application without seeming unacceptably weak on China.'

Drawings of the Chinese 'super-embassy' site originally submitted as part of the planning process contained blacked-out areas.

This fuelled suspicions from critics that Beijing intends to use the site as a base for espionage activities.

Sir James Cleverly, the Tory shadow housing secretary, said: 'It is essential the planning review has access to the full unredacted drawings for the Chinese embassy, and that the UK security agencies are able to submit evidence in private, using established processes.

'The Government has actively sought to silence the warnings about the threats to national security from the mega-embassy.

'If Keir Starmer had any backbone, he would ensure his Government threw out this sinister application  as Ireland and Australia did when faced with similar embassy development proposals from Russia.'

Calum Miller, the Liberal Democrats' foreign affairs spokesperson, said: 'This week we have seen the extent of China's espionage efforts laid bare.

'But instead of blocking the monster embassy for good, the Government is kicking the can down the road in the hope no one will notice if it approves it at a later stage.

'It's beyond time this embassy proposal was put out of its misery - and that the Government send a signal to China that we will no longer roll over in the face of their industrial espionage.'

In a letter to DP9, the planning consultancy working for the Chinese government, Mr Reed's department on Thursday said he needed more time 'for full consideration of the applications'.

'The Secretary of State hereby gives notice that he has varied the timetable for the decision which was previously set, and a decision will now be issued on or before 10 December 2025,' the letter added.

China bought the former home of the Royal Mint, near the Tower of London, for 255million in 2018.

It purchased the historic site with the aim of moving its embassy eastwards across London from its current Marylebone location.

But Beijing's plans for a 'super embassy' were left in disarray after its proposed redevelopment of Royal Mint Court was rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022.

It had been thought China had subsequently scrapped the plans but - following Labour's general election victory last year - a planning application was resubmitted.

Sir Keir later revealed that ministers took over decision-making for the proposed embassy after the Chinese President raised it with him.

The Prime Minister said the Government had 'called in' China's planning application after a phone call with Xi Jinping.

Mr Reed on Tuesday insisted national security concerns will be 'paramount' in the embassy decision.

He said he expected to see full, unredacted plans for the proposed site before making his decision.

In a letter to DP9, the planning consultancy working for the Chinese government, Steve Reed's department said he needed more time 'for full consideration of the applications'

Sir Keir's official spokesman told reporters on Thursday: 'Given the detailed nature of the representations that have been provided, and the need to give parties sufficient opportunity to respond, MHCLG consider that more time is needed for full consideration of the applications.

'You are aware that this is a quasi-judicial decision, independent from the rest of Government. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to comment further when the case is before MHCLG ministers.'

The new December 10 deadline date for a decision is 'not legally binding', the spokesman added, suggesting the timeline could slip again in future.

Ministers have blamed the collapse of the spying case involving Mr Cash and Mr Berry last month on the previous Tory administration for failing to officially designate China as a threat while in office.

But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has suggested Labour took 'a deliberate decision to collapse the case' in order to 'curry favour' with Beijing.

Newly-released statements provided by deputy national security adviser Matt Collins, as part of the Crown Prosecution Service's case, have prompted fresh questions about why it collapsed.

They showed the Government's evidence warned of Beijing's large-scale espionage but stressed the desire to seek a positive relationship with the economic superpower.

MPs are meanwhile due to hold an inquiry into the case.
The NHS could ban workers from wearing pro-Palestine badges while permitting crosses and Star of David religious symbols.

New guidelines on NHS uniforms will be issued as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a review of antisemitism within the health service.

There would potentially be a crackdown on dress code breaches, with scarves, shirts and badges promoting political causes barred.

But religious symbols such as a cross or Star of David are expected to remain admissible, it has been reported by the Telegraph.

Sir Keir yesterday launched a review of antisemitism in the NHS, saying there were too many cases 'simply not being dealt with'.

There have been complaints made about some health service employees including junior medic Dr Rahmeh Aladwan making allegedly antisemitic statements.

An announcement from the Department of Health and Social Care said: 'NHS England is reviewing the uniform and workwear guidance last updated in 2020, in light of recent successful approaches rolled out at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

'NHS England will engage stakeholders on its proposals and issue new guidance shortly.

Sir Keir Starmer announced a review of antisemitism and other racism in the NHS during a visit to the Community Security Trust in north London on October 16 2025

There have been complaints about some NHS medics' pro-Palestine statements - with footage suggesting Dr Rahmeh Aladwan at a protest in London in July

'The guidance will protect freedom of religious expression while ensuring patients feel respected at all times.

'The guidance will not impact staffs freedom to protest and speak out on political issues, but it will ensure that the political views of staff do not impact on patient care.'

Sir Keir yesterday ordered a review of antisemitism in the NHS, saying there were too many cases 'simply not being dealt with'.

He said Lord John Mann, the Government's independent adviser on antisemitism, would lead the review as part of a wider clampdown on antisemitism in the UK.

During a visit to the Community Security Trust. which provides protection for Jewish communities in the UK, Sir Keir also announced a 10million boost for security at sites including synagogues and Jewish schools.

He told the CST: 'We have heard loud and clear in the last few days and weeks that words are not enough, action is what matters.'

Announcing Lord Mann's review, he said: 'We've already put in place management training in relation to the NHS, but I think we need a wider review.

'Because in some cases, clear cases are simply not being dealt with.'

Sir Keir announced the NHS review on Thursday alongside Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood

In a separate review published in July, Lord Mann and former Conservative minister Dame Penny Mordaunt warned of rising antisemitism across British society, including a 'specific unaddressed issue' within the NHS.

Lord Mann said his review would 'look at the issues that can undermine the confidence of individuals when seeking or receiving healthcare'.

It is expected to focus on how healthcare regulators tackle antisemitism and other forms of racism, while all 1.5million NHS staff will be required to undergo updated mandatory antisemitism and anti-racism training.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Social Care said NHS England would review guidance on staff uniforms to 'protect freedom of religious expression while ensuring patients feel respected at all times'.

NHS England and other healthcare bodies will also be asked to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism.

This states: 'Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.

'Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed towards Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, towards Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.'

Health Secretary Wes Streeting told of being 'appalled by recent incidents of anti-Semitism by NHS doctors', adding: 'I will not tolerate it.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service ruled last month that no suspension was necessary, allowing Dr Rahmeh Aladwan (pictured) to carry on working - but she faces a second hearing

'There can be no place in our NHS for doctors or staff continuing to practise after even persistently using anti-Semitic or hateful language.

Patients put their lives in the hands of healthcare professionals. They treat us at our most vulnerable. They therefore have a special responsibility to provide total comfort and confidence.'

It comes as an NHS doctor facing claims of antisemitism and Holocaust denial openly called for Jihad on the streets of London and described armed Palestinian fighters as 'heroes'.

Dr Rahmeh Aladwan, a trainee trauma and orthopaedics doctor, has come under investigation over several 'dangerous' social media posts littered with praise for terrorist organisation Hamas and previously said she would 'never condemn' the October 7 attack.

She also once described a hospital in north London as a 'Jewish supremacy cesspit'.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service ruled last month that no suspension was necessary because her posts did not amount to 'bullying or harassment'.

Dr Aladwan's lawyer told the MPTS she was exercising her freedom of speech to oppose crimes by Israel, including those identified by the United Nations.

He told the regulator she is a Palestinian doctor with an impeccable clinical record and is, herself, a direct victim of genocide and of dispossession.

Dr Aladwan now faces a new tribunal hearing scheduled for October 23

The tribunal ruled there was not sufficient evidence to show that Dr Aladwan posed a real risk to patients and added that allowing her to remain practicing would not undermine public confidence in the medical profession.

In a speech after she left the tribunal building, Dr Aladwan said she hoped the ruling would encourage other medical professionals to 'speak up'.

Following criticism over the decision including by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, the General Medical Council has referred the case back to the MPTS, with a new hearing set for October 23.

In response to Mr Streeting's comments, Jahad Rahman - partner at Rahman Lowe Solicitors, - which is representing Dr Aladwan, said: 'We are concerned by the recent public comments made by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

'As set out in our recent open letter to Mr Streeting, politicians must refrain from making statements that could be perceived as seeking to influence or direct the outcome of judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings.

'The independence of the judiciary, including independent tribunals such as the MPTS, is a fundamental principle of our legal system.

'When senior Government figures make comments on the merits or outcomes of ongoing cases, there is a real risk of undermining public confidence in the impartiality of those proceedings, the administration of justice and the rule of law.

'We are also deeply concerned by the decision to rehear the case and any external or political pressure on the tribunal would be wholly unreasonable, irrational, and likely to give rise to grounds for an application for judicial review.

'Dr Aladwan continues to participate fully in the tribunal process and remains confident that the MPTS will assess the evidence fairly and independently, free from any external or political pressure.'

Now footage has emerged of Dr Aladwan openly showing her support for Jihadist fighters, as one peer and former MP told Daily Mail the GMC must 'get a grip' and suspend her.

The video was taken at a protest held outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in Whitehall on July 21, to coincide with a reported visit by Major General Tomer Bar, head of the Israeli Air Force.

Speaking to dozens of protesters, who were flanked by Met Police officers, Dr Aladwan spoke about the five 'Palestinian principles of liberation'.

Andrew Gilbert, vice-president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, has welcomed the latest announcement by Sir Keir of an NHS review - saying Jewish staff and patients had felt 'let down by the NHS while antisemitism has been allowed to flourish and thrive'.

Sir Keir also criticised universities that had been 'too slow' in dealing with cases of antisemitism, singling out the University of Oxford, which is understood to have suspended a student on Wednesday after he was arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred.

The student is alleged to have chanted for Gaza to 'put the Zios in the ground' during a protest in London on Saturday.

Sir Keir said: 'Look at Oxford this week. That was a slow reaction to the clearest of cases.'

Lord John Mann has been appointed to head a review of antisemitism and racism in the NHS

His visit comes in the wake of the terrorist attack at the Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester on October 2 that left two men dead.

And figures released by the Home Office last week suggest antisemitic hate crime remains near record levels.

Sir Keir said: 'The figures are all going in the wrong direction - and it's not just the figures, it's the feeling of insecurity and the fear that it instils in our community.'

Sir Keir also paid tribute to the work of the CST, both in responding to the attack in Manchester and in protecting the Jewish community, saying he felt the benefit of its work when he attended synagogue with his family.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who accompanied the Prime Minister on his visit to the CST on Thursday, said she was reviewing protest legislation and providing additional police protection outside synagogues and other locations.

But she added that the 'bigger question' was how to improve community cohesion so that Jewish children could 'go to school without learning what a lockdown is'.

Mark Gardner, chief executive of CST, said he had had a 'very straightforward and very productive' meeting with Sir Keir and Ms Mahmood.

He said: 'Things that I was told to say, I didn't really need to say, because both the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary said it in a very straightforward way, what the problem is and what needs done about it.

'And also that security is a bandage. We don't want to live behind high walls for the rest of our lives.'

The Government said that it would also look at how best to support Muslim communities, which have experienced an increase in hate crime over the past year.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care today said: 'The NHS is a universal health service, which means that everyone, regardless of race, religion, or creed, should feel safe seeking its care.

'NHS England is reviewing its uniform and workwear guidance to protect freedom of religious expression while ensuring patients feel respected at all times.

'The political views of staff should never impact on patient care.'
Three farright extremists who idolised Hitler and amassed an arsenal of more than 200 weapons have today been sentenced to 29 years in prison for plotting terrorist attacks on mosques and synagogues across Britain.

Christopher Ringrose, 34, Marco Pitzettu, 25, and Brogan Stewart, 25, were jailed for 10 years, eight years and 11 years respectively at Sheffield Crown Court of preparing acts of terrorism and collecting information useful to wouldbe attackers.

The trio  from Staffordshire, Derbyshire and West Yorkshire  were obsessed with Nazi ideology and glorified mass murderers, exchanging racist slurs and violent fantasies in encrypted online chats.

During a twoday sentencing hearing, prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford KC told the court the men had 'justified, encouraged and glorified serious violence' and had been preparing to strike at religious sites.

He said that by early 2024 the group had begun identifying potential targets, including one location in Leeds, where they intended to kill multiple victims in an act of farright terror.

Stewart, described by prosecutors as the ringleader, appointed Ringrose and Pitzettu as his 'armourers', urging them to make or acquire firearms and explosives.

When police raided their homes, officers uncovered a terrifying weapons cache, including machetes, swords, crossbows, and an illegal stun gun. Ringrose had also 3Dprinted most of the parts for a semiautomatic firearm.

Mr Sandiford said the men were attempting to recruit others to their extremist cause and to build up their stockpile of 'more deadly' weapons in preparation for future attacks.

The court heard that the three had never met in person before appearing together in the dock, instead forming their 'terror cell' online, where they shared violent propaganda and Nazi imagery.

'Vile' neoNazis Brogan Stewart, 25 (left), Marco Pitzettu, 25 (centre) and Christopher Ringrose, 34, amassed an arsenal of weapons and plotted to attack worshippers at a mosque in Leeds

Ringrose (pictured) had also 3Dprinted most of the components of a semiautomatic firearm at the time of his arrest and was trying to get the remaining parts

The judge, Mrs Justice Cutts, outlined how the online group the trio belonged to were preparing for an attack on an Islamic Education Centre in Leeds before they were arrested by counter-terror police.

She said she did not believe a terrorist attack was 'imminent' and the group had not decided exactly what they were going to do.

She said: 'Mercifully your plans and preparations were being monitored and were ultimately thwarted by the authorities.

'For that reason, they did not advance as far as I am satisfied they would otherwise have done.

'I do however find that a terrorist attack was likely in the not too distant future.'

During their trial at Sheffield Crown Court the trio claimed they were preparing for a 'sh*t hits the fan' scenario such as a Russian invasion or a zombie apocalypse.

But prosecutors said in reality they preparing for a race war, discussing potential targets including religious centres and asylum hotels.

The homemade assault rifle was manufactured by Ringrose  a manager at a car parts supplier  using a 165 3D printer.

Called the FGC9 Mk II, it was devised by a German man called Jacob Duygu, known as JStark.

He claimed he came up with it in order to take on the 'surveillance state' and 'authoritarian regimes'.

It was released as a series of computer files in 2021 and has featured in a number of recent far right cases, but this is the most complete version yet seized.

The weapon was missing the barrel and firing pin but the men were sourcing the remaining components.

They had also planned a training session on woodland in Derbyshire as they prepared the attack an Islamic educational centre in Leeds.

But on January 5 last year, Stewart  a selfstyled 'stay at home domestic terrorist' who had never had a job, and lived with his mother  messaged 'Blackheart' on the encrypted Telegram app.

Stewart  who had previously called for Rishi Sunak to be tortured and executed  told him he was disillusioned with other far right groups that just 'sit around and talk'.

'I want to get my own group together because action speaks louder than words,' he added.

In one message he complained: 'All our f*****g money is being handed to no good scummy bastards that want a free living for nothing.'

The 3D printed gun found in a box in the loft at 'armourer' Christopher Ringrose's house in Cannock, Staffordshire

Terror plotter Brogan Stewart, 25, lived with his mother in Tingley, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire where his bedroom featured childish wallpaper of diggers and cranes on one wall and a Nazi flag and white supremacist posters on another

Far right terror plotter Brogan Stewart's tattoo of a black sun symbol used by the Nazi SS

Mr Sandiford said the men were attempting to recruit others to their extremist cause and to build up their stockpile of 'more deadly' weapons in preparation for future attacks

In another he boasted that he was a 'stay at home domestic terrorist' and added: 'I can't stress how much I want to kill a politician.'

On January 23, Stewart messaged the group, which he had named Einsatz 14  a reference to Nazi paramilitary death squads and a white supremacist slogan.

'Gentlemen, the time for talk is now over,' he wrote.

'We will be discussing and planning a mission against migrants. This is compulsory.

'First we must locate such a target, then agree on a time and date.'

Stewart told the undercover officer that he wanted to capture and interrogate a local imam 'who will probably be giving orders to foot soldiers.'

He said he would torture the imam using a blow torch, Stanley knife, pliers, a hammer, bleach and a syringe.

On January 30, Stewart reposted a video to the group by farright activist Tommy Robinson and issued a 'mandatory order' for a 'gathering to start attacks on blacks and P***s.'

He then sent a voice note to Blackheart identifying the mosque he planned to target with a 'beating with batons and bats or something more serious.'

On February 5 he told the group they would 'cruise around' looking for 'human targets' then 'do what whatever we do then back at mine for tea and medals and a debrief.'

A crossbow found by police. 'Armourer' Pitzettu, a mechanic from Mickleover, Derbyshire, shared videos of the Christchurch mosque attack and a racist shooting spree in Buffalo, New York

Selfstyled 'stay at home domestic terrorist' Brogan Stewart wearing a Nazi helmet in his childhood bedroom

The group's fearsome arsenal included a crossbow with a set of bolts and a machete found at Christopher Ringrose's house in Cannock, Staffordshire

An axe and a sword that were discovered as part of a weapons cache owned by the trio

The members  who had never met in person  were to meet in woodland in Derbyshire on February 18 to 'cement that brotherhood'.

But the training session was cancelled because of bad weather and the group was arrested two days later.

Stewart lived with his mother in Tingley, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

Images released today by police show his bedroom with childish wallpaper of diggers and cranes on one wall and a Nazi flag and white supremacist posters on another.

Ringrose, from Cannock, Staffordshire, had manufactured the 3D firearm using a Creality Printer widely available on Amazon and other suppliers.

In March 2022 a video filmed in his bedroom showed he had made most of the parts, including the trigger mechanism and magazine, and had acquired blankfiring bullets.

Appointed 'armourer' of the group, Ringrose  whose wife was pregnant with their second child  posted a picture of his oneyearold son wearing a skull mask associated with the far right and the words 'choose violence'.

Fellow 'armourer' Pitzettu, a mechanic from Mickleover, Derbyshire, shared videos of the Christchurch mosque attack and a racist shooting spree in Buffalo, New York.
A 'poster girl' for the Royal Navy who starred in their infamous TV advert conned the military out of more than 2,000 by fraudulently claiming travel expenses.

Able Seaman Louise Dorsett, 30, claimed a travel allowance despite renting out her home over 400 miles away from where she was based in Bristol.

Because she was a landlord for her mortgaged home in Scotland, AB Dorsett was not eligible for the 'Get You Home' allowance that is intended to cover travel costs for service people.

The logistician writer also breached Navy rules because she didn't ask for permission to rent out the property in Fife, in her home country of Scotland.

She has been ordered to pay back the full amount of 2,034 after she admitted fraud by false representation and failing to perform a duty.

Bulford Military Court, Wilts, heard AB Dorsett was a 'poster girl' for the Navy.

She had starred in a glossy TV advert which showed her working and that she was 'Born in St Andrews' but 'Made in the Royal Navy'.

Reading from an emotional letter, she told the court she had a difficult childhood growing up in foster care.

Able Seaman Louise Dorsett, 30, (pictured outside Bulford Military Court Centre) claimed fake travel allowance despite renting out her home over 400 miles away

She was a 'poster girl' for the Royal Navy who starred in their infamous TV adverts

The glossy TV advert which showed her working and that she was 'Born in St Andrews' but 'Made in the Royal Navy'

Prosecutor Commander Edward Hannah told the court that her offending occurred while she was working in Bristol.

Cdr Hannah said AB Dorsett failed to seek permission to rent out her Scottish property between October 2 2020 and March 31 2021.

Cdr Hannah said: 'She was a recipient from the Forces Help to Buy, but didn't seek permission before letting the property. She owned the property.'

As of 2025, the Forces Help to Buy scheme enables service people to borrow up to half of their salary, up to a maximum of 25,000 interest free towards the purchase of a property.

People who make use of this scheme are meant to inform the Ministry of Defence if they want to rent out the property.

Between the same dates, she dishonestly claimed 'home travel allowance to her property in Fife' from a naval support unit in Bristol where she was based at the time.

Assistant Judge Advocate General John Atwill said: 'That allowance is designed to compensate service personnel in being posted to a place far from their home, to allow them to return to that home.

'That allowance was paid to you regularly during your post to Bristol.'

He said that if she notified the Ministry of Defence that she was renting out her Scottish property, this would 'bring attention' to the fact that she was ineligible for the travel allowance she had been claiming.

Because she was a landlord for her mortgaged home in Scotland, AB Dorsett was not eligible for the 'Get You Home' allowance that is intended to cover travel costs for service people

She can be seen in the advert working in a fish and chip shop

The logistician writer also breached Navy rules because she didn't ask for permission to rent out her home in Fife, in her home country of Scotland

AB Dorsett was caught following a logistics inspection at her unit in February 2023.

Speaking about when AB Dorsett was interviewed by service police about the alleged fraud, the prosecutor said: 'She said it was her home residence, accepting Get You Home travel to the property, but she denied letting it out.

'She travelled to it two to three times a month and during leave periods.'

The judge said she was then shown a 'tenancy agreement' during a second interview.

Judge Atwill said: 'You said what you said in the first interview had been a mistake and made no further comment.'

The prosecutor added that AB Dorsett said she rented out the property because the tenant's home had been flooded.

For the defence, Jon Anders told the court that AB Dorsett, who enlisted with the Royal Navy in 2016, was 'highly regarded' and featured in an advert for the military.

Mr Anders said: 'The defendant was a poster girl for the Royal Navy, something of which she was proud and something she took very seriously.'

The advert says AB Dorsett was 'Born in St Andrews' and 'Made in the Royal Navy'.

As of 2025, the Forces Help to Buy scheme enables service people to borrow up to half of their salary, up to a maximum of 25,000 interest free towards the purchase of a property

People who make use of this scheme are meant to inform the Ministry of Defence if they want to rent out the property

In a letter written by AB Dorsett and read to the court on her behalf, she said: 'I grew up in foster care and residential childrens' homes from the age of six and a half'

She can be seen working in a fish and chip shop before lining up with fellow members of the Royal Navy and working out in a gym.

He said that a probation officer found 'the level of criminality was negligible' in her case, and noted that a previous application she made to withdraw her guilty plea had been turned down.

In a letter written by AB Dorsett and read to the court on her behalf, she said: 'I grew up in foster care and residential childrens' homes from the age of six and a half.'

AB Dorsett cried as her letter was read out.

Judge Atwill said that she had been responsible for a 'substantive loss of public funds'.

Sentencing AB Dorsett, the judge said it was a 'tragedy' to see her in court, and noted that she came from 'such a difficult starting point' before joining the military.

'Your decision to act dishonestly has a significant impact on your career and reputation,' he said.

The judge sentenced her to a service community order of 12 months and 90 hours of unpaid work.

AB Dorsett, who was also posted at HMS Nelson in Portsmouth, is no longer serving in the Royal Navy for unrelated reasons.
Donald Trump laughed off suggestions that the White House would look to build a tunnel linking Alaska to Russia in a lighthearted moment during his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky.

The leaders were referencing a proposal from Moscow to construct a 70-mile rail tunnel between the two nations, which would have been built by Elon Musk.

Asked about the suggestion in his sit-down with the Ukrainian leader on Friday, Trump chuckled as he responded: 'I just heard about it, that's an interesting one we'll have to think about.'

Trump added that his administration has, 'just done a nice road in Alaska, that's going to get us to a lot of minerals.'

As he turned to Zelensky for his take on the outlandish plan, Zelensky bluntly said: 'I'm not happy with this idea.'

'I didn't think you were going to like it,' Trump added, drawing laughter from the room.

The tunnel, which would go under the Bering strait, was touted by the Kremlin as having the potential to unlock joint exploration of natural resources and 'symbolize unity', a Kremlin envoy said.

The proposal suggested using The Boring Company, a US tunnel construction company owned by Elon Musk, to construct the $8billion bridge.

Donald Trump laughed off suggestions that the White House would look to build a tunnel linking Alaska to Russia in a lighthearted moment during his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky

Asked about the suggestion to build the tunnel in his sit-down with the Ukrainian leader on Friday, Trump chuckled while Zelensky said bluntly: 'I'm not happy with this idea'

It comes as the Kremlin desperately tries to stop Donald Trump from providing crucial Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

Kirill Dmitriev, President's Vladimir Putin's investment envoy and head of Russia's RDIF sovereign wealth fund, said Moscow and 'international partners', including Musk, could build the rail and cargo link in under eight years.

While it would typically cost more than $65bn, Musk's firm's technology could reduce the cost to under $8bn, Dmitriev said.

Dmitriev, who is behind a Russian charm offensive designed to revive US-Russian relations, floated the idea on Thursday after Putin spoke to Trump by phone and agreed to meet in Budapest to try to find a way to stop the war in Ukraine.

'The dream of a USRussia link via the Bering Strait reflects an enduring vision  from the 1904 SiberiaAlaska railway to Russia's 2007 plan,' Dmitriev wrote on X.

'RDIF has studied existing proposals, including the USCanadaRussiaChina railroad, and will support the most viable.

The Bering Strait, which is 51 miles wide at its narrowest point, separates Russia's Chukotka region from Alaska.

Moscow proposed a 70-mile Elon Musk-built 'Putin-Trump' rail tunnel which would link Russia and America

Kirill Dmitriev (right) said Moscow and 'international partners', including Musk, could build the rail and cargo link in under eight years

Ideas to link the two points have been around for at least 150 years, with various projects drawn up but never implemented.

Dmitriev has forged ties with Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, and spoken of the possibility of U.S. energy majors taking minority stakes in Russian projects in the Arctic.

'Imagine connecting the US and Russia, the Americas and the Afro-Eurasia with the Putin-Trump Tunnel - a 70-mile link symbolizing unity,' he wrote to Musk on X.

He said a similar idea - to build a 'Kennedy-Khrushchev World Peace Bridge' - had been floated during the Cold War and published a sketch showing the route it might have taken between Chukotka and Alaska.

'RDIF has already invested in and built the first ever Russia-China railroad bridge. The time has come to do more and connect the Continents for the first time in human history. The time has come to connect Russia and the US,' said Dmitriev.

Musk is yet to comment on the proposal.
The family of a three-year-old British girl who disappeared on an Australian beach 55 years ago are set to reveal the identity of a man suspected of her abduction and murder.

Cops say that Cheryl Grimmer was taken from Fairy Meadow beach in Wollongong, Australia, in 1970. But despite decades of investigation, no one has ever been convicted.

A man, known only as Mercury, was charged in 2017 after a historic police confession surfaced. However, his 2019 trial collapsed when a judge ruled that the confession he gave as a teenager could not be used as evidence.

He now denies any wrongdoing in Cheryl's disappearance. His identity has been sealed as he was a minor at the time of his arrest.

But a politician has offered to reveal his name under parliamentary privilege. It comes after her family are asking authorities for a fresh probe into her disappearance.

Today, Cheryl's brother, Ricky Nash, told journalists: '[Mercury] has got until Wednesday night.'

Jeremy Buckingham, a New South Wales lawmaker who has been assisting the family, has said he would name the suspect at the next parliamentary sitting on Thursday.

Cheryl's brother wants the man to explain how he knew key information in his confession and to confirm whether they were true or not.

The little girl had been spending the day at the beach with her family on January 12, 1970. They had migrated from Bristol to Australia under the Ten Pound Poms scheme.

Cheryl's family are demanding answers more than 55 years after she disappeared from an Australian beach. They have now threatened to unveil the identity of a man who was arrested on suspicion of her abduction

After police came across a confession, they charged the man, only known as Mercury, but a court said the evidence was not admissible in court

As the family were preparing to leave the beach, Cheryl ran and laughed into the women's changing rooms and would not come out.

Too shy to enter to retrieve her, her older brother, Nash, went to call their mother to help get her out.

But when he returned with her just 90 seconds later, Cheryl was nowhere to be found.

Despite a massive search, Cheryl was never found, and the case went cold. But in 2017, it received a fresh boost after cops located a sensational confession a teenage boy made to investigators in 1971.

It led to Mercury's arrest, but the case fell apart when a judge ruled that the confession was not admissible in court.

But today, the girl's family issued a lengthy statement that detailed what they believe were failings and delays by the authorities.

They believe this includes the fact that cops went public with a ransom note that demanded $10,000 in exchange for the girl.

At the time, investigators appealed for anyone who recognised the handwriting in the note to come forward.

It read: 'We've made various requests to NSW authorities for a fresh prosecution or a fresh inquest but to no avail.

'We feel that we have been fobbed off numerous times by the police, saying that they're conducting reviews of the case or exploring leads that make no sense to us.

'The incompetence and negligence in the NSW police investigation of this case over much of the past 55 years is unfathomable.'

Cheryl was snatched outside this shower block at Fairy Meadow Beach in January 1970. She was left alone for less than two minutes

Her brother, Ricki Nash, told reporters that the suspect had until Wednesday night to reveal how he knew details in his confession

Cheryl ran into a women's changing room during a day out at the beach. When Nash returned just 90 seconds later with their mother, she was nowhere to be found

However, police have rejected the criticisms and say they are still chasing every possible lead.

They also said that a cash reward of A$1million is still available for anyone who provides information that would help them crack the case.

In a statement, officials said: 'Police continue to examine every line of inquiry and search for answers into Cheryl's death.'

After a BBC podcast was aired in 2022, the details of two potential witnesses were passed on to investigators.

However, Cheryl's family were dealt a fresh blow when they were told a review of the case, which had spun four years, failed to provide any evidence that would lead to a conviction.

Police made the conclusion, even though the two witnesses who came forward were never officially interviewed.

Earlier this month, Cheryl's family joined volunteers and cadaver dogs to search an area they believed could hold fresh clues about her disappearance.

But after police subsequently scoured the area, they told the family that only animal bones had been found.

Cheryl's family have accused police of several failings and delays. They believe investigators going public with a ransom note demanding $10,000 for her release, was a mistake

Cheryl's family have launched a fresh campaign to find evidence of what happened to her

Cheryl's relatives have said they do not agree with cops and say volunteers are working in the area today to collect soil samples that will be sent to the United Kingdom and the United States for tests.

The campaign to find out what happened to Cheryl has led the NSW parliament to announce an inquiry into long-term missing persons cases.

The probe will look into how cases were handled and determine what could be learned from any failings.
Australian schools will soon be required to respond to bullying complaints within 48 hours as part of sweeping reforms aimed at tackling what experts have described as a national crisis.

The changes follow a landmark 120-page review into bullying in schools, released by Federal Education Minister Jason Clare after a meeting with state and territory education ministers on Friday on the Gold Coast.

The review, made up of 1,700 submissions from students, parents, and educators, called for a uniform national standard to ensure faster responses to bullying, trauma-informed training for teachers, and improved accountability measures.

Education ministers from all states and territories have agreed to adopt the recommendations, marking what Clare described as a 'historic' step forward in protecting children.

Under the new standard, schools must initiate a response to any observed or reported harmful behaviour and formally record incidents within two school days.

This includes documenting details of those involved, evidence provided, and actions taken, along with clear timelines.

The move aims to prevent delays that have left many families frustrated and to give parents a benchmark for holding schools accountable.

The federal government will invest $10million to support the reforms.

Schools will be required to respond to bullying complaints within 48 hours as part of new rules

Cyberbullying complaints have skyrocketed by 456 per cent over the past five years (stock)

This includes $5million for a national awareness campaign and another $5million for new resources to help teachers, students, and parents prevent and respond to bullying.

A central resource hub will also be established to provide educators with evidence-based programs and tools.

The review highlights the severe consequences of bullying, noting that victims are three to six times more likely to experience depression and suicidal thoughts.

It warns that bullying undermines attendance, engagement, and academic outcomes, and can have lifelong health and relationship impacts.

The reforms also promote the concept of 'upstanders', encouraging students to intervene safely when they witness bullying, rather than remaining passive bystanders.

Teachers will receive specialised training to identify and address harmful behaviour early, with a focus on trauma-informed practices.

Speaking in Sydney earlier this week, Clare said the changes build on recent national measures such as the mobile phone ban in public schools and efforts to curb social media harm.

Clare stressed that the new standard is about giving teachers the tools they need and ensuring every child feels safe at school.

Jason Clare (pictured) said the review would ensure schools respond faster to bullying

'This is about making sure schools act quickly and consistently, and that parents know what to expect,' he said.

The review was co-chaired by clinical psychologist Dr Charlotte Keating and suicide prevention expert Dr Jo Robinson.

Both experts emphasised the urgent need for reform, citing the devastating personal stories shared during consultations.

Implementation of the national standard will begin in 2026, with states and territories working to align existing policies with the new framework.

Recent data shows that one in four Australian students from Year 4 to Year 9 are bullied every few weeks or more, while cyberbullying complaints have skyrocketed by 456 per cent in the past five years.

According to the eSafety Commissioner, reports have surged from 536 cases in 2019 to almost 3,000 in 2024.

Meanwhile, Kids Helpline recorded a sharp rise in distress calls from children aged 10 to 14, with many expressing suicidal thoughts linked to bullying.
A 13-year-old boy whose ICE detention sparked outrage is a member of a criminal gang, the Trump administration has claimed.

Arthur Yuri De Almeida Silva Berto was arrested on October 9 in Massachusetts after a classmate said he had shown her a concealed gun on school property, authorities said.

The classmate said Berto, from Brazil, was looking for a boy he had been fighting with and said he was going to 'shoot and kill him,' per court documents. Officials said Berto was carrying a 5-inch Milwaukee knife when he was detained.

The arrest was questioned after the boy's mother gave several interviews explaining she and her son had a pending asylum case.

The teen's mother told the Boston Globe her 'world collapsed' when she learned he had been taken to ICE's holding facility in Burlington.

But the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement on Thursday saying the teen is a suspected member of the '33' gang and has 11 prior police complaints that include breaking and entering, vandalism, theft, fighting and 'flash mob' style shoplifting.

Little is known about the so-called '33 gang' and the DHS gave no additional information about it other than to say it was a Brazilian crime ring.

The teen was transferred to ICE custody after ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations determined he was a 'public safety threat,' Fox News Digital reported.

The Trump administration has claimed Arthur Yuri De Almeida Silva Berto, 13, was arrested by ICE because he is associated with a gang in Massachusetts

The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement on Thursday saying the teen is a suspected member of the '33' gang and has 11 prior police complaints. The latest complaint against the teen is seen above

Berto entered the US with his family in September, 2021, through the Arizona border, officials said.

The teen's contact with police began in June, 2024, when he was allegedly found with known gang members after officers responded to a disturbance report.

The next month Berto was observed on video stealing two bicycles and a cellphone, according to police.

Last March, after other contact with police, Berto was determined by police to be a 'high-risk juvenile.'

Berto was allegedly caught on video in May taking part in a 33 gang 'flash-mob-style' shoplifting incident at a convenience store.

'Here are the facts: This individual and suspected gang member posed a public safety threat with an extensive rap sheet, including violent assault with a dangerous weapon, battery, breaking and entering and destruction of property,' DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.

'Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, federal law enforcement is restoring common sense and law and order to our streets. This public safety threat will stay in juvenile detention pending further proceedings.'

Berto's mother Josiele Berto declined to comment on the teen's alleged criminal record when interviewed by CNN.

Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem speaks during a roundtable on antifa in the State Dining Room of the White House on October 6

The teen is a 7th grader at Albert N. Parlin School in Everett, MA

'Regardless of the nature of the allegations, they remain just that - allegations - and every individual is entitled to due process of law,' said the family's lawyer Andrew Lattarulo.

'That principle applies even more strongly to a minor who is far below the age of legal consent.'

ICE in Massachusetts has arrested multiple teens as part of what the Trump administration has called Operation Patriot 2.0.
The late Duchess of Rutland made her daughter-in-law cry after she said 'sorry' that she hadn't given birth to a son.

The dowager had been disappointed that after the birth of a third girl there was yet to be a male heir.

Frances, the former Duchess of Rutland, told the current duchess: 'Sorry to hear the news ... another girl.'

Emma Manners, 62, who was then the Marchioness of Granby, said she waited for privacy and 'found a bed I could lie down on and then I cried and cried,' according to a new book.

She has four daughters and two sons; her first born Violet Garnock, 32, who is now Viscountess Garnock, Lady Alice, 30, Lady Eliza, 28, Charles, 26, the Marquess of Granby and Hugo, 22.

Violet Manners told the Cheltenham Literature Festival that her mother felt mounting pressure to have a son was part of her role as duchess.

In remarks reported by the Times, she said: 'All three of us girls came first, so yes my grandmother was slightly on tenterhooks when Eliza arrived.'

It comes after the duchess revealed she was in remission following a shock diagnosis of stage two breast cancer.

Emma Manners, who was then the Marchioness of Granby, said she waited for privacy and 'found a bed I could lie down on and then I cried and cried,' according to a new book

Emma pictured with her daughters Lady Alice Manners, Lady Eliza Manners and Lady Violet Manners in 2018

Frances, the late Duchess of Rutland, told the current duchess: 'Sorry to hear the news ... another girl.' The late dowager Duchess of Rutland with her son David Manners

Emma admitted she has at times felt 'guilty' following the diagnosis and 'blamed herself' after having ten pregnancies, five children and taking up smoking in her 40s.

Her mother-in-law, the dowager duchess, died last year at the age of 86 at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire.

She was known as frosty and was often aloof from the family and left just 5,000 of her 5.6million fortune to her daughter and granddaughters.

While a majority was inherited by her eldest grandson and heir, Charles Manners.

The Viscountess was in Cheltenham to discuss Eleanor Doughty's book, Heirs and Graces.

The book details how when Charles was born seven cannons were fired from Belvoir Castle to celebrate his long-awaited arrival.

Frances Manners adhered unwaveringly to the aristocratic code and accomplished successes (pictured in April 2017)

For many, the late Duchess of Rutland will be remembered for her association with one of Britain's biggest high-society scandals, which saw her mother, Margaret, Duchess of Argyll branded the 'Dirty Duchess'.

The embittered divorce of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll in 1963 was one of the most turbulent court cases of the 20th century, fraught with forgery, bribery, theft and scandal surrounding explicit photographs.

By contrast, Frances, Duchess of Rutland, adhered unwaveringly to the aristocratic code and accomplished successes.

This included mastering seven languages, training Arabian horses and chairing the local Conservative Party committee in later life.
An asylum seeker who groped a teenage girl on the Tube has been locked up and warned he faces deportation to Saudi Arabia.

Muslih Alotaibi, 39, assaulted the 17-year-old on the Central Line between Oxford Circus and Mile End station on September 2 last year, a court has been told.

When he tried to put his hand under her leg, the girl complained to another passenger and Alotaibi was detained by the police shortly after.

Alotaibi came to the UK in 2023 as an asylum seeker from Saudi Arabia, where his children and ex-wife still live.

He appeared at Inner London Crown Court for his sentencing hearing wearing grey prison clothes and was aided by an Arabic interpreter.

Oliver Wellings, prosecuting, said: 'The offence occurred on the London Underground system. The victim was 17 years old. She boarded the eastbound Central Line on 2 September 2024 in the early evening.

'She had texted her mum saying that she was coming home.

'She described the defendant clearly as wearing what she described as a floral top. Shortly after boarding the train she sat down. The defendant deliberately sat down next to her.

Muslih Alotaibi (pictured), 39, assaulted his 17-year-old female victim on the Central Line between Oxford Circus and Mile End station on September 2 last year

'He put his hand on her thigh and rubbed the thigh repeatedly. She described him putting his hand under her leg, trying to make contact with her bottom.

'She noticed a female standing nearby who saw what was taking place. She believed he was trying to touch her crotch area.'

The teenager moved away from Alotaibi and sat next to the woman, and told her what had happened.

Other passengers pushed the emergency button and Alotaibi was detained by police.

Mr Wellings continued: 'The complainant said that the incident left her shocked. She said that it left her scared and that she doesn't want to travel again by piublic transport.'

When interviewed by police, Alotaibi initially denied the offence - claiming he was playing chess on his phone and his victim 'cried for no reason', the court heard.

Libby Anderson, defending, said: 'The defendant came to the UK as an asylum seeker in 2023. He is now aged 39 and is divorced. His ex-wife and children still live in Saudi Arabia.

'At the time of the offence he was of no fixed abode. He was sofa surfing, living with a friend, and not doing very much.

'The last contact he had with the Home Office was some months ago. At that time he was on immigration bail.

'The pre-sentence report says that he is an overstayer and is subject to a removal notice.'

Alotaibi has said he wants to return to Saudi Arabia as soon as possible.

Sentencing Alotaibi Judge Benedict Kelleher told him: 'The victim of the assault was a teenage girl aged 17 who was travelling home in the evening on the Underground.

'She was perfectly entitled to go about her business without being molested, and young women should feel free not to worry about something like that happening to them on the underground.

'You were obviously attracted to her You deliberately sat down next to her, and then began to touch her on the leg. You then tried to get your hand underneath and near her bottom. You tried to hide what you were doing with your jacket.

'She says in her statement that when you did that to her her mind went blank, and she didn't know what to do. That is because something like this can be a very frightening experience for a young woman.

'The author of the pre-sentence report was concerned that you didn't fully appreciate the seriousness of it.'

Alotaibi, of no fixed address, was jailed for 19 weeks, not including the time he has already been in custody.

The judge added: 'You may be released within the next few days, if not within a few weeks.'

Alotaibi will also be subject to a five-year sexual harm prevention order, and he will be required to only use a credit card or oyster card in his name when using public transport.

'That is so you can be traced if you do it again', said the judge.

'I see that you are illegally in the UK. The Home Office should be aware of this conviction and take steps to carry out their duties to remove you.'
Laurence Fox's libel claim after he was called a 'racist' on social media is set to face a retrial, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

The outspoken actor-turned-activist, 47, has won a partial victory at the Court of Appeal after challenging rulings that saw him ordered to pay 90,000 each to drag artist Crystal and charity boss Simon Blake.

Fox, who clashed with both online back in 2020 over Sainsbury's support for Black History Month, was branded a 'racist' during a furious Twitter row.

Mr Blake, ex-Coronation Street star Nicola Thorp and Drag Race UK's Crystal - real name Colin Seymour - had each described him as either 'racist' or as 'a racist' in response to his tweets.

In response, he called Crystal and Mr Blake 'paedophiles', sparking a high-profile libel fight that has rumbled on for years.

Earlier this year, Mrs Justice Collins Rice found in favour of Mr Blake and Crystal and threw out Fox's own claims against them and Ms Thorp.

But on Friday, the Court of Appeal overturned parts of that decision, ruling that Fox's counter-claims must be heard again and slashing his damages bill in half.

Fox and his partner Elizabeth Barker arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, where he is challenging two High Court rulings

Pictured is drag artist Crystal, whose real name is Colin Seymour, arriving outside court

Lord Justice Warby said that the tweets describing Mr Fox as a racist were capable of causing serious harm to his reputation and his libel claim should be reconsidered at a retrial.

He also reduced the amount of damages Mr Fox was ordered to pay to Mr Blake and Mr Seymour to 45,000, with Lord Justice Dingemans describing the previous sums as 'manifestly excessive'.

Lord Justice Warby said: 'I am acutely aware of the need for this court to respect the function of the trial judge, and show due restraint.

'Having reflected on the arguments and revisited the written materials presented to us I have however concluded that the judge's approach was in some respects wrong in law in ways that are material to the outcome.'

The Court of Appeal judge dismissed Mr Fox's bid to overturn the finding that he had libelled Mr Blake and Mr Seymour.

In two judgments in 2024, Mrs Justice Collins Rice ruled in favour of Mr Blake and Mr Seymour, and said Mr Fox should pay them 90,000 each in damages.

The judge had dismissed Mr Fox's counter-claims against them and Ms Thorp over tweets accusing him of racism.

The Court of Appeal has now said she made an error in law and that her conclusions were 'unsound' because she had wrongly treated the tweets calling Fox 'racist' as being less likely to harm his reputation because they were opinions.

The actor-turned-activist was successfully sued by now-Stonewall chief executive Simon Blake (pictured) and drag artist Crystal over a row on social media platform X

Following the decision, Mr Fox said in a video posted on X: 'This has been a long and sometimes very dark five years.

'I believe, and I continue to believe from the bottom of my heart, this is a fight worth fighting.

'We don't want to live in a country where conversations and careers are destroyed and shut down by that most appalling of slurs.

'I hope now, in fact I know now, that people will think twice before making that horrible allegation again.

'I was cancelled entirely from the job I love, and I still love and I hope to do again, overnight, so I am so grateful for this outcome and I hope it plays a part in putting free speech exactly back where it belongs, at the cornerstone of any free society.'
A Georgia man has been arrested for allegedly terrorizing New York women in a string of violent home invasions more than 30 years ago.

On Thursday, Michael Benjamin, 57, was charged with rape, sodomy, sexual assault and burglary over claims he attacked five women in New York from 1995 to 1997.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Benjamin was responsible for numerous violent home invasions during the late 1990s in the neighborhoods of Jamaica, St Albans, Laurelton and Brookville.

Prosecutors claim Benjamin broke into the home of the first victim on July 24, 1995, through a window while she slept.

He allegedly pulled a sheet over her head, tied the victim up, raped her and fled with her cash and jewelry.

Benjamin is accused of striking again on August 24, 1996, when prosecutors say he broke into the home of the second victim while she slept and placed a jacket over her head while he raped her.

On September 16, 1996, Benjamin allegedly attacked a third victim as she walked to her front door, held her at gunpoint and threatened to kill her husband and child, who were at home, if she did not comply with his demands.

Prosecutors said Benjamin then raped the victim before fleeing the home with cash.

Michael Benjamin (pictured), 57, has been arrested for allegedly terrorizing New York women in a string of violent home invasions more than 30 years ago

He was charged with rape, sodomy, sexual assault and burglary over claims that he attacked five women in Queens, New York (pictured) from 1995 to 1997

He is then accused of breaking into the home of the fourth and fifth victim on February 8, 1997, with a gun and raping the victims before fleeing with cash and jewelry.

Katz explained that the District Attorney's Office was able to charge Benjamin 30 years later because he was originally indicted on the charges in 2005 as an unidentified John Doe based upon evidence collected.

In May 2024, DNA from a discarded cup used by the defendant and retrieved inside the Rockdale County Sheriffs office in Georgia, where Benjamin relocated some time after the crimes, was submitted and matched the DNA retrieved from the victims at the time of the crimes.

He was arrested in Georgia on September 22, then extradited to New York on Wednesday.

'Although decades have passed, these cold cases were not forgotten. Thanks to the bravery of the victims, vital DNA evidence was gathered, which helped law enforcement identify the person responsible,' Katz said to CBS News.

'It is never too late for justice, and I thank my prosecutors and the detectives for their work on this case.'

Benjamin is being held without bail and his next court date is scheduled for December 5. If convicted of the top charges he faces up to 25 years in prison.

Benjamin is a registered level three sex offender after pleading guilty to attempted rape of a 12-year-old in 1990

Benjamin denied the charges against him on Thursday, shouting at reporters, 'I didn't do this!' according to WABC.

'I didn't do none of this! What witness? What fingerprints? I didn't do this!' Benjamin said.

Benjamin is a registered level three sex offender, the highest risk repeat offender, with a lifetime registration requirement.

He was arrested in Brooklyn for raping a 12-year-old over 10 months in 1990, and pleaded guilty to attempted rape in 1991 and was sentenced to five years' probation.

His defense attorney, Joseph Amsel, also stood by his client's professed innocence.

'My client vigorously, vehemently, and vociferously denies the allegations. I think that most of these charges are probably outside the statute of limitations before we even get into the merits of the case,' he said.

'I think he stands ready, willing, and able to fight this case, and he looks forward to his day in court.'
Salmon advocates are warning the species could face extinction on the Columbia River as they urge a federal court to approve changes to dam operations.

Environmental groups and the state of Oregon filed an injunction on Tuesday seeking to force federal dams on the lower Snake and Columbia Rivers to lower reservoirs and increase the amount of water they spill downstream, reported OPB.

It is the latest move in a decades-long battle that was revived after Donald Trump pulled out of the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement in June.

The pact with Washington, Oregon and four Native American tribes, reached during the Biden administration in late 2023, was a $1 billion plan to help depleted salmon populations recover in the Pacific Northwest.

'When the Trump administration reneged on this carefully negotiated agreement  and offered no alternative plan to restore imperiled salmon and steelhead  we had no option but to resume our longstanding litigation to protect endangered salmon,' Earthjustice Attorney Amanda Goodin said.

Following the federal withdrawal from the deal, 'returning to court is the best tool we have to prevent the collapse of these imperiled fish populations,' Mike Leahy, senior director of wildlife, hunting and fishing policy for the National Wildlife Federation, said.

The Columbia River Basin, which is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest, was once the world's greatest salmon-producing river system, with at least 16 stocks of salmon and steelhead.

Today four species are extinct and seven are listed under the Endangered Species Act.

Salmon advocates are warning the species could face extinction. The Columbia River chum salmon (pictured) is a threatened species

Environmental groups and the state of Oregon filed an injunction ask a federal court to approve changes to dam operations after the Trump administration backed out if a $1 billion plan to help depleted salmon populations recover in the Pacific Northwest

A population of killer whales, another iconic but endangered Northwest species, depend on the salmon and could be threatened by their extinction.

The injunction seeks to increase the amount of water spilled at the top of dams to make it easier for juvenile salmon to migrate over them and avoid the deadly turbines, according to Oregon Live.

The filing also wants to lower dam reservoir levels on the rivers, which would decrease fish mortality by lowering the water temperatures and reducing the time salmon spend migrating through them.

'The stagnant, hot water reservoirs created by the dams on the lower Snake River continue to drive these fish toward extinction,' Bill Arthur of the Sierra Club said.

The dams for which changes are being sought are Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, Lower Granite, Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day and McNary.

Opponents of the proposed dam changes include the Inland Ports and Navigation Group, which said in a statement that increasing spill, 'can disproportionately hurt navigation, resulting in disruptions in the flow of commerce that has a highly destructive impact on our communities and economy.'

Northwest Public Power Association executive director Kurt Miller said the injunction is 'an alarming threat to the livability of the Northwest'.

'The potential consequences are clear: less clean energy, soaring costs for families, schools, farms, and businesses, and a genuine danger of blackouts,' he said. 'The stakes could not be higher. Every Northwest resident stands to lose.'

The dams for which changes are being sought are Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, Lower Granite, Bonneville (pictured), The Dalles, John Day and McNary

The Columbia River Basin was once the world's greatest salmon-producing river system, with at least 16 stocks of salmon and steelhead. Today four species are extinct and seven are listed under the Endangered Species Act

However the dams are also viewed as a main culprit behind the decline of salmon, which regional tribes consider part of their cultural and spiritual identity.

'They are the backbone of an entire ecosystem. They are a key economic and cultural resource for the whole region, and they are central to the way of life for so many Native American tribes,' said Goodin.

'Losing them, I think, means losing part of who we are as a people in the Northwest.'

Daily Mail has contacted the White House for comment.
Finland to strengthen China partnership, deepen multi-area cooperation in years to come: Finnish senior official

09:12, October 17, 2025 By Kou Jie, Wang Xiaoping, Wu Chaolan ( People's Daily Online

Jukka Salovaara, the permanent state secretary in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, gives a speech to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Finland in Beijing, Oct.15, 20025. (People's Daily Online/Wang Xiaoping)

Finland remains committed to maintaining and strengthening partnership with China in the years to come, and there is strong potential in deepening cooperation between the two nations in multiple fields. The two nations will also make joint contributions to peace and stability under the framework of the UN charter, said Jukka Salovaara, the permanent state secretary in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

"Our long-standing relationship provides a strong foundation for open and constructive dialogue, even when on some issues where we don't fully agree. I'm very pleased that Finland and China have elevated our cooperation on many practical fields, such as in circular economy, low carbon development and fight against climate change," Salovaara told People's Daily Online during an interview.

"Looking ahead, we see a lot of potential to deepen long-term cooperation in sustainable forestry, water management and other green transition sectors. (Such cooperation) will not only benefit our countries but the planet overall," he noted.

Salovaara made the remarks during his visit in Beijing on Oct. 15, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Finland. Finland recognized the People's Republic of China on Jan. 13, 1950, and established diplomatic relations with China on Oct. 28 within the same year. Since then, China-Finland diplomatic relations have been developing steadily, and making remarkable achievements in the fields of political, economic, scientific, technological, and cultural cooperation.

"I've been traveling to China on a regular basis since 1994," Salovaara stated, "I can see how much China has developed during this time, and Finland wants to be a partner in that development."

In recent years, the Future-oriented New-type Cooperative Partnership between China and Finland enjoys all-round development. In October 2024, Finnish President Alexander Stubb paid his first state visit to China, during which China and Finland published the Joint Action Plan between China and Finland on Promoting the Future-oriented New-type Cooperative Partnership 2025-2029.

"I'm very happy that with the joint action plan, we are taking our cooperation to a very practical level where we can provide expertise and also learn from each other," said Salovaara.

According to the Finnish Permanent State Secretary, Finland and China have seen great progress on cooperation such as vocational higher education, seeking circular economy solutions, low carbon development, and smart water management.

"All these areas are sort of areas where Finnish expertise sort of aligns strongly with China's long-term development goals," said Salovaara.

He also welcomes the constructive participation of China in Arctic governance.

"It's important that (arctic governance) should be based on international law, scientific cooperation and environmental sustainability. The big emphasis there is in a way that whatever we do in the Arctic, it has to be sustainable and mindful of the environment," he added.

The Finnish Permanent State Secretary also reiterated the importance of Finland-China cooperation in supporting the UN and multilateral relations.

"Finland and China are both active supporters of multilateral cooperation, and (both countries) work well in the multilateral sphere and the United Nations. We stand firmly for international laws and the UN charter, China's role as a permanent member of the UN Security Council remains crucial, and Finland itself is a candidate for the UN Security Council," said Salovaara.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chengliang)
Several lawmakers have accused Michigan's government of abusing its power after it made the 'unnecessary and cruel' decision to condemn a rescued baby deer to death.

On Thursday, lawmakers called on Governor Gretchen Whitmer to stop the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) from euthanizing two animals that could not be released into the wild: Peanut the fawn and a coyote named Kota.

Wildlife unable to survive on their own must either be transferred to an approved educational facility or euthanized under state law.

Peanut was scheduled to be put down next week.

The department claimed that the Detroit Animal Welfare Group (DAWG), a non-profit no-kill sanctuary caring for Peanut, missed a paperwork deadline and can no longer keep the animal in human care.

But DAWG argued they had met all requirements and accused officials of demanding Peanuts death over an 'arbitrary deadline,' despite her being healthy and safe.

Thankfully, Peanut was spared on Friday after public outrage and bipartisan pressure pushed state officials to reverse course and grant her a last-minute reprieve.

'Peanut is a gentle animal who relies on staff for daily care,' DAWG said in a statement. 'We believe the decision to euthanize her is both unnecessary and cruel.'

Michigan lawmakers called on Governor Gretchen Whitmer to immediately prevent the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) from euthanizing Peanut, a rescued baby fawn (pictured)

DNR claimed that the Detroit Animal Welfare Group (DAWG), a non-profit no-kill sanctuary that cared for Peanut (pictured), missed a paperwork deadline and can no longer keep the animal in human care

Though Peanut has been granted a reprieve the ongoing fallout from the bitter dispute threatens to be politically damaging to the state's leaders.

Republican Rep Angela Rigas said: 'This isn't just about one deer. It's about whether unelected bureaucrats get to decide life and death without accountability.'

Writing before the decision to let Peanut live the lawmaker added: 'This is not just about wildlife. It's about compassion, common sense and the proper role of government.'

Peanut arrived at the rehab facility in critical condition, with DAWG revealing in a Facebook post that she was lying on her side, too weak to move.

The medical team warmed her, raised her glucose levels with IV fluids and dextrose, and began treating her as a neurologic patient.

After months in intensive care, Peanut began with lifting her head and learning to stand. Soon, she walked on her own for the first time.

But her neurological issues, impaired vision, domesticated behavior and dependence on humans made it unsafe for her to ever return to the wild.

Former Republican Michigan gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon said: 'Whitmer (pictured) and her band of enforcers are obsessed with malicious obedience to their unreasonable government regulations'

In a fiery letter to Whitmer lawmakers demanded a reprieve for both animals and urged her to order the DNR to secure permanent homes for rescued wildlife

Peanut (pictured) arrived at DAWG in critical condition, with the facility revealing that the fawn was lying on her side, extremely weak and unable to move

After completing treatment, Peanut was moved to a wildlife center as an educational ambassador where she could thrive among other non-releasable fawns.

The DNR then claimed that DAWG had missed an unknown deadline to apply for an educational permit allowing Peanut to remain in permanent care.

The sanctuary pushed back, arguing that the animals have been safely housed and routinely inspected since obtaining their rehabilitation license in 2014.

State lawmakers accused the government of overstepping and prioritizing a 'technical deadline' over an animals life, especially since the animals had been safely housed and inspected for the past decade.

'These animals are not threats, they are survivors,' Rigas said in a news release. 'Governor Whitmer must commute the death sentences of these animals.'

Lawmakers claim the case exposes how state agencies can wield excessive power, often at the expense of citizens acting in good faith.

An immediate review of DNR procedures over 'a lack of transparency, arbitrary deadlines and aggressive enforcement tactics' was called for.

Rigas said the no-kill facility was being 'harassed' by the agency, which she claimed is notorious for enforcing inconsistent rules on its own terms.

Republican Rep Angela Rigas (pictured) said that the no-kill facility was being 'harassed' by the DNR, which she claimed is notorious for enforcing inconsistent rules on its own terms

On Friday morning, DAWG shared a long-awaited update on Facebook: Peanut will live

'No consistency, no fairness,' Rigas told Fox News Digital. 'Theyre overfunded, overstaffed and this is a perfect example of how government overreach hurts good people.'

In a statement to Fox, former Republican Michigan gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon said: 'Whitmer and her band of enforcers are obsessed with malicious obedience to their unreasonable government regulations.'

'Too bad Peanut didnt illegally cross the border,' he added. 'Shed have free healthcare for life.'

Lawmakers also urged Whitmer to establish a fairer and more humane rescue-appeal process, stop prosecuting DAWG and issue the necessary permits for ongoing care.

On Friday morning, DAWG announced that baby Peanut will be at the Howell Nature Center, where visitors can see her as early as next week.

'Peanut is scratching her head this morning on why her life was almost taken,' the sanctuary wrote. 'She is sniffing the fresh fall air and taking a deep breath now.'

But DAWGs work isn't over, as they are now urging the community to speak up for Kota, who Whitmer has yet to respond to despite bipartisan requests for her rescue.

'They now have filed to revoke our permit AGAIN stating we have Kota illegally,' they wrote in a desperate plea.

Lawmakers said Peanut's situation is part of a bigger pattern of 'government overreach' and blatant disregard for 'compassion and common sense' (pictured: signatures of lawmakers on letter)

DAWG is now urging the community to speak up for Kota (pictured), who Whitmer has yet to respond to despite bipartisan requests for her rescue

'They have spent an estimated 1 million dollars of Michigan tax payer dollars on these unjust court cases. If they win they will KILL ALL THE WILDLIFE IN OUR CARE!' they added.

'Please be their voice! Stop the DNR harassment! Animals in our community need us!'
The former mayor of South Lake Tahoe who resigned after admitting to stealing $300,000 from a church was previously accused of defrauding an insurance company.

Tamara Wallace had served as mayor of the California city since December 2024, and for one year in 2022, but resigned on Monday after admitting to the theft.

The scandal-plagued mayor sent a confessional letter to several local news outlets, blaming her struggles with mental health for stealing from the Presbyterian Church over several years.

But Wallace also previously faced a lawsuit from Federal Insurance Company, now a subsidiary of insurance firm Chubb, for 'theft of funds' totaling over $100,000, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The records reviewed by the outlet showed that Wallace agreed to repay the money after the alleged fraud was discovered in 2006, but then failed to repay the cash, prompting a second lawsuit from the firm in 2021.

The lawsuits reportedly did not give details over how Wallace allegedly stole from the insurance company, however the first lawsuit was dismissed months after it was filed.

The second lawsuit alleged that Wallace fraudulently received a payout of $122,193, but then failed to follow a payment plan that she had agreed to 15 years before when it was found to be erroneous.

The company said Wallace agreed to pay just $200-a-month until the balance was paid off, but she stopped paying around February 2017, despite an agreement that she would be liable for the full amount if she ceased her payments.

Tamara Wallace, former mayor of South Lake Tahoe who resigned this week after admitting to stealing $300,000 from a church, has also been accused of defrauding an insurance company before the scandal

Wallace, pictured with her husband Duane, faced a lawsuit from Federal Insurance Company for 'theft of funds' totaling over $120,000

After Wallace was allegedly caught in 2006, she signed a promissory note acknowledging she owed the money and insisted she would pay it back, the company said.

At the time she stopped paying, Wallace still owed more than $110,000, the Chronicle reported.

In June 2022 Wallace was ordered by a judge to repay the company, and she signed a second promissory note agreeing to make $400 monthly payments, on top of a $2500 initial payment.

The emergence of the alleged insurance fraud adds another layer to the political scandal which forced her to leave office earlier this month.

Dana Tibbitts, a member of the El Dorado County Government Watch group, told the Chronicle after the scandal emerged, 'the most important thing is that (the theft from the church) was not her first rodeo.

'She has been down this road a long time and we probably dont know the half of it.'

Wallace served as mayor of the California city since December 2024, and previously for one year in 2022, but resigned on Monday after admitting to stealing from a church where she previously worked

Wallace's public admission over her embezzlement from the Presbyterian Church captured national headlines earlier this month.

She said she routinely stole funds from the church, and 'because of this, on September 11, 2025, my birthday, I tried to end my life.'

Wallace said for her safety, she then spent 18 days in a mental health facility where she was being treated with medication as well as intense individual and group therapy sessions.

The mayor, who was a part-time administrator of the church, wrote that she turned herself in.

'I had not been found out; in effect, I turned myself in. I had prepared a list of account numbers and passwords that I provided to the Church, while still in the hospital, so that my actions could be more easily discovered,' she wrote.

Wallace said in the note that she justified the money she stole from the church because she used, 'most of those funds to help others, such as my deceased sons three children.'

She also stated that she suffered years of childhood sexual abuse, and her own health struggles contributed to her alleged crime.

Wallace's public admission over her embezzlement from the Presbyterian Church captured national headlines earlier this month, as the mayor blamed her battles with mental health as a reason for the scandal

Her confession prompted a criminal investigation by the El Dorado County District Attorneys Office, and Wallace said in her letter that she expected to face criminal charges as a result.

'I must repay every cent and accept whatever punishment comes to me,' she wrote.

Wallace is married to her husband, Duane, and has three sons and a daughter.

'Sorry is not a strong enough word to explain the depths of my regret and shame. I do not think anyone can be as angry at me as I am at myself,' Wallace said in her letter.

Sheree Juarez, a spokesperson for the City of South Lake Tahoe, said: 'The El Dorado County District Attorneys Office is handling this matter, and therefore we have limited information about the investigation.'

'The City is in no fiscal harm from this situation and continues to provide essential services to our residents. We have no further comment at this time.'

The Chronicle reported that she declined to respond when contacted by the outlet.

Daily Mail has contacted Wallace and her attorney Steven Bailey for comment.
Palestine Action's cofounder can proceed with a High Court challenge against the Government over the group's ban as a terror organisation, the Court of Appeal has ruled, as it dismissed a Home Office appeal.

Huda Ammori, cofounder of Palestine Action, launched a legal challenge against Home Secretary Yvette Cooper after the group was proscribed as a terror organisation in July.

The decision followed a series of actions by members which culminated in activists breaking into Brize Norton RAF base and vandalising British military planes.

The ban, which began on July 5, made membership of, or support for, the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Mr Justice Chamberlain later cleared Ms Ammori to proceed with a challenge over the ban after finding that two arguments put forward on her behalf were 'reasonably arguable'.

But in September, the Home Office brought an appeal against this decision to the Court of Appeal in London, claiming a judicial review through the courts should be a 'remedy of last resort'. This appeal has now been dismissed.

At a hearing last month, barristers for the Home Office said Ms Ammori could bring her legal challenge to the Home Secretary and then the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC), rather than the High Court for a 'judicial review'.

Lawyers for Ms Ammori said the POAC was not the only suitable place to challenge the lawfulness of a ban.

Palestine Action cofounders Richard Barnard and Huda Ammori, pictured in 2023  Ms Ammori has won the latest stage in a court battle to challenge the group's proscription as a terrorist organisation

People stage a protest to demand the British government to lift its ban on Palestine Action in Trafalgar Square on Saturday, October 4

Reacting to the ruling handed down on Friday, Ms Ammori described the verdict as a 'huge victory' against 'one of the most extreme attacks on civil liberties in recent British history'.

It comes after weeks of protest in support of the group that have seen more than 2,000 people arrested, mainly for expressing support for a proscribed organisation, according to campaign group Defend Our Juries. A total of 134 people have so far been charged with the offence.

Hundreds have descended on central London every Saturday and unveiled signs that read: 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.'

The Home Office last month launched an appeal to prevent the judicial review from going ahead and instead called for the ban to be reviewed by the POAC.

But today judges ruled that this would not be appropriate as this process is not intended in cases where a group wishes to appeal against the initial decision to proscribe it.

They also agreed Ms Ammori can bring two further arguments into the High Court challenge, over whether thenhome secretary Yvette Cooper had 'regard to relevant considerations' and whether she had complied with her own policies.

Two further grounds of appeal were dismissed.

In a 37page judgment, the Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, sitting with Lord Justice Edis and Lord Justice Lewis, said the process of applying for deproscription and appealing against a refusal at POAC 'is intended to deal with another situation'.

Protesters unfurl a banner on Westminster Bridge as part of a demonstration organised by Defend our Juries, in support of Palestine Action on October 4

Protesters hold signs declaring their support for Palestine Action during a protest in Trafalgar Square, central London on October 4

Baroness Carr said the process 'is not intended to be a means of challenging the initial decision to proscribe and does not provide for the removal of the consequences of an initial decision to proscribe an organisation'.

Giving her conclusion, she said that relying on an application to the Home Security and POAC review was not 'not an available, nor in any event an adequate, alternative remedy to a claim for judicial review of the initial decision to add an organisation to the list of proscribed organisations.'

In a summary of the Court of Appeal's decision, Baroness Carr added: 'Judicial review would be a quicker means of challenging the order proscribing Palestine Action than applying to deproscribe.

'Judicial review would enable the High Court to give an authoritative judgment on whether or not it was lawful to proscribe Palestine Action.

'That judgment could then be relied on in criminal courts hearing charges against any person arrested in connection with their support of Palestine Action.'

After the ruling Ms Ammori said: 'This is a landmark victory: not only against one of the most extreme attacks on civil liberties in recent British history, but for the fundamental principle that Government ministers can and must be held accountable when they act unlawfully.

'The Government's effort to avoid judicial scrutiny of its blatantly antidemocratic proscription  branding a protest group as 'terrorists' for the first time in British history  has backfired spectacularly, and we now head into the judicial review in November with an even stronger legal footing.

'Arresting peaceful protesters and those disrupting the arms trade is a dangerous misuse of counterterror resources, with over 2,000 people having now been arrested  a staggering 3,100 percent increase in counterterror arrests.

'Rather than being used to protect the public, the Terrorism Act is being used as a political tool to silence them.

'This ban doesn't just affect Palestine Action supporters  it casts a chilling shadow over anyone speaking out against Israel's atrocities and the UK's complicity in them, and sets a dangerous precedent that can be used against any protest group.

'It's time for the Government to listen to the overwhelming and mounting backlash  including from the United Nations, human rights watchdogs and free speech defenders to the former Director of Public Prosecutions, as well as the vast majority of its own Party members and voices across the political spectrum  and lift this widely condemned, utterly Orwellian ban.'

A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We note the decision made by the Court of Appeal, and will now carefully consider the implications of the ruling.

'Palestine Action has conducted an escalating campaign. This has involved sustained criminal damage, including to Britain's national security infrastructure, as well as intimidation, alleged violence and serious injuries.

'Palestine Action remain a proscribed group and those who support them will face the full force of the law.

'Everyone should remember: supporting Palestine and supporting a proscribed terrorist group are not the same thing.'

Currently, 81 organisations are already proscribed under the 2000 Act, including Hamas, al Qaida, and National Action.

The judicial review which will examine Palestine Action's proscription will begin on November 25.

Responding to today's ruling, Kerry Moscogiuri, Amnesty International UK's Director of Campaigns and Communications, said: 'It is welcome news that the court has upheld the decision for the judicial review to go ahead.

'There are serious human rights concerns around the proscription decision and the consequences it has had on free speech and assembly rights.

'Amnesty International UK and Liberty will be intervening in the case to raise our urgent concerns about the disproportionate use of the government's terrorism powers in proscribing Palestine Action.

'It is clearly in the public interest for the proscription decision to be subject to full judicial scrutiny.'
Francis Ford Coppola's granddaughter admitted she was left baffled after UC Berkley invited her to speak at an event just because of her famous family.

Romy Mars revealed the invitation to address students at the Californian university 'isn't sitting right with me'.

The 18-year-old is the daughter of Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sofia Coppola and granddaughter of Francis Ford.

'I don't even know what you want me to give advice on. I was born into this. I don't have work ethic, and I don't have tips and tricks. I don't have insight on the business,' Mars confessed.

'Honestly I just sit on my a** and write songs, and post on TikTok. And you want me to do a speech at UC Berkeley?!' she continued.

Mars added that UC Berkeley has previously hosted the creators of Khan Academy, PayPal, and medical chiefs to speak on campus.

She was stunned that the university wanted her to come and speak, asking her followers: 'Why? What's going on?'

UC Berkeley has had a slew of impressive speakers grace their campus, including the first female secretary of state Madeleine Albright, the co-founder of Apple Steve Wozniak, former speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Nobel Prize winner Dr Randy Schekman.

Romy Mars confessed that she didn't have the experience or work ethic to give advice to students at UC Berkeley

Mars is Francis Ford Coppola's granddaughter (pictured together). She appeared in his recent film Megalopolis last year and was pictured with him at the Cannes Film Festival

Her mom is Academy Award-winning filmmaker, Sofia Coppola (Pictured: Mars with her sister Cosima and mom)

Mars didn't elaborate on whether she officially declined the invitation. The Daily Mail reached out to her team for comment.

UC Berkeley clarified in a statement to The Daily Californian that a campus club called The Berkeley Forum had invited Mars to speak.

'From our perspective, Romy Marss value as a speaker is directly linked to the interest the Berkeley community would have in her insight (not her familial connections),' a representative said.

'Giving opportunities to nepo babies isnt our goal; giving opportunities to the Berkeley community is.'

The statement added that the forum was interested in inviting Mars because of the way she acknowledges her 'nepo baby' status and to give her insight into the public sphere.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the media team at UC Berkeley for additional comment.

Mars's followers loved her refreshing honesty and rushed to the comments of her post to praise the video.

'Honestly love this reaction bcuz at least youre checking your own privilege,' one comment read.

'GIRLLLL youre my favorite nepo baby ur so real,' another added.

'Honestly this made me like you 10x more keep being you queen,' a third wrote.

Mars has gone viral on social media multiple times for her candid takes on being a nepo baby, seen left with actor Jacob Eloridi and right with singer Lana Del Rey

Some even suggested that she should do the speech, with one writing: 'I actually feel like it could be really interesting to hear about your experience as a Nepo baby.

'A lot of the student body at Berkeley was also born into a lot of privilege, and you have achieved a level of self-awareness of your privilege that not many of those students have.'

Mars has become an internet favorite personality for her candid takes on being a 'nepo baby' and her humor towards the glamorous lifestyle she was born into.

She first went viral for a video where she admitted she was grounded for trying to charter a helicopter from New York to Maryland on her father's credit card to have dinner with a friend from camp.

Mars's father is Thomas Pablo Croquet, known professionally as Thomas Mars, the frontman of indie-pop band Phoenix.

She also went viral last month for dancing with actor Jacob Elordi to Lil MU's song, Top of Cars.

Elordi starred in the Sofia Coppola-directed film, Priscilla, as Elvis Presley.

UC Berkeley clarified in a statement that a campus club called The Berkeley Forum invited Mars to speak, not the university's administration

Mars has decided to follow in her father's footsteps by becoming a musician. She's released a few singles titled A-Lister, Stuck Up, and Ego

Mars also posted a photo of herself drinking a glass of wine with him on her Instagram and captioned it 'A-Listers,' a nod to her recent single of the same name.

Mars released her first singles, Stuck Up and From a Distance, last year.

Her song, A-Lister, went viral on TikTok over the summer, and she dropped a single called Ego in August.

Mars also appeared in her grandfather's film, Megalopolis, last year, and made her red carpet debut alongside him at the Cannes Film Festival.
A nine-year-old Missouri girl was killed while riding her bike to school.

Hazen Workman-Duffy, a third grader, was crossing the street at a busy intersection when she was struck by a van in Kansas City.

She was within the marked crosswalk and even had the signal to begin going over the street toward Ingels Elementary School, police confirmed to the Daily Mail.

'Preliminary investigation revealed that a white Ford Transit van was traveling northbound on Food Lane Drive and was turning westbound onto Longview Road at the intersection,' a spokesman for Kansas Police Department said.

They added: 'At the same time, a juvenile female was riding her bicycle within the marked crosswalk and had a green signal.'

The van made a left turn into the intersection without noticing the girl and crashed into her on Tuesday morning.

Workman-Duffy's family said that van was transporting another student to school.

Witnesses said an onlooker administered CPR as paramedics rushed to the scene.

Hazen Workman-Duffy, nine, was killed on her way to school Tuesday after being hit by a car in a crosswalk

Her family started a GoFundMe in her honor and said she was 'a nine-year-old fireball.' Her mom (left) said she was 'heartbroken and angry'

The girl was rushed to the hospital where she passed away without ever regaining consciousness.

Her mother, Diana Shields, said shared an emotional tribute to her daughter.

'I'm so angry and heartbroken,' she said. 'Hazen didn't deserve to have her life cut short, we were just getting started. Hazen was such a sweet, kind, affectionate, strong-willed soul.'

Kansas City Police confirmed her death and told Fox8Live that the driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with the investigation.

A witness told KSHB the motorist appeared devastated.

'He was on his knees holding this girl's arm, praying over her,' said Kailey Thompson.

Resident Kelly Betow said the intersection had always been dangerous, but many children cross the street there every day.

'Especially for kids who are crossing, trying to get to the school thats right there,' she said.

Workman-Duffy loved coloring, biking, swimming, and playing with her friends

Members of the community have already set up a makeshift memorial in her honor

A witness noted that there was no crosswalk attendant on duty, pointing out that it could have saved Workman-Duffy's life.

'I just hope the city acts on it and then this is something that they take into account and actually implement things that are going to prevent future occurrence,' said witness Ruby Perkins.

State Representative Mark Sharp told KCTV5 that Workman-Duffy was the fourth person killed in the area this month.

He called for increased police presence and a crossing guard in the intersection.

Members of Workman-Duffy's family started a GoFundMe page to help cover the unexpected costs of her memorial.

In their tribute, her great aunt and uncle wrote that their niece loved coloring, biking, swimming, and playing with her friends.

'Hazen was a nine-year old ball of fire that enjoyed life,' a statement on the fundraiser said.

Ingels Elementary school also addressed the unexpected loss of their student.

Residents noted that the Kansas City intersection where the girl was killed was not monitored by a crossing guard

'We are deeply saddened to confirm that an Ingels Elementary School student passed away following a bicycle accident that occurred on the way to school this morning,' they wrote in a statement obtained by Fox8.

'Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the students family, friends, and the Ingels Elementary community.'

A representative for Hickman Mills school district told Fox4 that counselors will be available for students and staff as they process the loss.

Members of the community have begun a memorial in Workman-Duffy's honor, placing stuffed animals near the intersection where she was struck.

The Daily Mail reached out to Ingels Elementary School, the Mayor's office, and Workman-Duffy's family for comment.
President Donald Trump went berserk on a 92-year-old veteran Republican senator for acceding to a long-held Senate process that permits Democrats to block his nominees.

Trump accused Democrats of using the blue slip rule to block his judicial nominees from moving through their Senate confirmation.

The rule allows for senators from the home-state of the nominee to veto district court judge and U.S. attorney nominees.

The commander-in-chief told his followers on Truth social his eight highly respected attorney nominees will not be confirmed for their positions in various Highly Consequential States only because theyre Republicans.

Trump then appeared to shift the blame to Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, 92, for honoring this blue slip rule on behalf of the Democrats.

Democrats have convinced Chuck Grassley to honor the stupid and outdated Blue Slip tradition, which precludes very talented and dedicated people from attaining High Office. The Democrats violate this practice in order to get people in, but Republicans just dont.

These GREAT peoples careers have been badly hurt by the Radical Left Democrats, using an old and ridiculous custom strictly to their advantage, Trump wrote. What a shame!

Back in 2022, then-President Joe Biden did not nominate conservative judge Chad Meredith because Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell never consulted with his fellow Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. It is standard precedent for the Senate Judiciary Committee chair to not move forward with US attorney nominations until both senators representing the state return a blue-slip document greenlighting the nominee.

Trump accused Democrats of using the blue slip rule to block his judicial nominees from moving through their Senate confirmation.

The rule allows for senators from the home-state of the nominee to veto district court judge and U.S. attorney nominees

Trump raged at Grassley on Friday night over his refusal to undo the 'blue slip' rule

Trump continued raging about the blue slip rule into the early hours of Friday morning via Truth Social.

A Blue Slip means that if youre a Republican President, and there happens to be just one Democrat Senator in a state where you are appointing a U.S. Attorney or District Court Judge, you will never be successful in getting a Republican confirmed.

The president then suggested that the Senate nomination rule is unconstitutional.

The only one I can appoint is a Democrat, and thats not the deal. Nobody can say that is fair or, even, Constitutional.

Trump started raging about the Senate norm back in August after claiming his presidential authority to appoint judicial nominees was being completely taken away from me.

Grassleys response to the president at the time was claiming that he is setting Trumps nominees up for success not failure.

The senator wrote on X that nominees without a blue slip does not hv the votes to get confirmed on the Senate floor & they dont hv the votes to get out of cmte.

Grassley defended his decision to keep the 'blue slip' back in August by claiming he's trying to set up Trump's nominees for 'success'

Grassley concluded, As chairman I set Pres Trump noms for SUCCESS NOT FAILURE.

Trump had to withdraw his nomination in July for Alina Habba, his former civil attorney, to be U.S. attorney for New Jersey because the states two Democratic senators opposed her appointment.
A 13-year-old Washington teen was goaded into livestreaming his own suicide after falling prey to a sickening group of online predators led by a German medical student, investigators say.

Jay Taylor was found dead in the early hours of January 17, 2022, after hanging himself in the parking lot behind a grocery store in the sleepy Seattle suburb of Gig Harbor.

The 'painfully shy' teenager's death was initially treated as a suicide, but investigators soon discovered that an iPhone propped up next to his body had been broadcasting his final moments on Instagram.

Authorities told the Washington Post they discovered the livestream had been witnessed by several online viewers who coerced the troubled youth into killing himself.

The horrific group chat included users asking Jay, 'You got a rope?', and trying to persuade him to kill himself naked because it would be 'hotter'. Jay was transgender, but his parents were fully supportive of his decision to live as a boy and left utterly bereft by his suicide.

The investigation led authorities down a twisted rabbit hole to a violent online group known as '764', where members seek out mentally ill teenagers to victimize.

The group, named after the Zip code of a Texas boy who founded the vile forum aged 15, targeted Jay through social media app Discord in chats about cutting and self-harm.

The alleged ringleader of the incident used the alias 'White Tiger' and has been identified by the authorities as an 18-year-old German medical student named Shahriar.

Jay Taylor, a 13-year-old Seattle teen, was goaded into livestreaming his own suicide after falling prey to a sickening group of online predators led by a German medical student, investigators say

The alleged predator Shahriar, who allegedly went by the alias White Tiger online, is accused of grooming and blackmailing several children into committing violent and disturbing sexual acts against themselves

Photos of the alleged predator's unsmiling face have been shared by Germany's biggest newspaper Bild.

FBI Agent Pat McMonigle told the Post that he was repulsed when he began looking into the 764 group.

'The lack of any kind of mercy for this kid, the manipulation they used, was shocking,' he said.

Members used the forum to brag about what they had convinced troubled teenagers to do to themselves, including carving their tormenter's names or swastikas into their skin.

Others coerced minors into livestreaming themselves performing a slew of violent and disturbing sexual acts on themselves.

The FBI agent said he had previously worked as a counter-terrorism agent and had fought against al-Qaeda, but found the online forums to be a threat he had never encountered before.

While overseas, he said 'You know who the enemy is, al-Qaeda guys in caves', whereas 764 was made up of predators dotted throughout the globe, most of whom were beyond his jurisdiction in the US.

After a long battle with his superiors, McMonigle was able to get subpoenas for Discord and Instagram servers that were based only in America which a cache of evidence that traced to Germany.

Jay, a transgender teenager, was lured into the depraved online group because it targeted mentally ill youths

Shahriar, whose second name has not been revealed due to German privacy laws, went by 'White Tiger' online, and described himself as an 'E-girl groomer/extorter, pedophile', according to the Post.

The investigation revealed the sickening tactics that the accused Iranian-born predator allegedly used to snare Jay, as well as a number of other teenagers.

McMonigle said he would often lure in young girls with love and attention before convincing them to send him naked pictures of themselves.

He would then allegedly use those pictures as blackmail, coercing his victims into self-mutilation and, in some cases, killing themselves.

One victim in his contacts was spotted by the investigators as a user who had watched Jay kill himself live on Instagram, and McMonigle said he was stunned to see she had played a role.

The girl, 12, from Scandinavia, was lured in by White Tiger in 2021 as a depressed and suicidal girl, according to the FBI agent.

He allegedly convinced her to perform a variety of disturbing acts including writing his name out in her blood.

But when she refused to kill herself, McMonigle said she became convinced that she could spare herself if she found a different young victim to do it instead.

FBI Agent Pat McMonigle (pictured) said the ringleader of the incident was eventually tracked to Germany and a sickening online group known as '764'

Jay was found dead in the early hours of January 17, 2022, after hanging himself in the parking lot behind a grocery store in the sleepy suburb of Gig Harbor (pictured)

Investigators said Shahriar mentored her on how to ensnare a mentally ill teen and she found Jay.

The Washington Post reported that on the night Jay died, he had been speaking with someone who convinced him to kill himself, despite him repeatedly saying he didn't want to.

The other person had deleted their messages so it was not clear who sent them, but Jay had said repeatedly that he didn't want to die, and said: 'I got some stuff going on that I want to live for lol.'

At around 2:30am, something the other person said appeared to convince him to change his mind, as he said: 'I'll think about it... my mom wakes up at 5 so i got some time to think.'

Investigators told the outlet that the Scandinavian girl sent the messages, and changed his mind by telling him she wanted to kill herself too and that they should do it together.

Jay was still hesitant, saying in other messages: 'if your gonna do it dm [direct message] me and ill do it with you, preferably not tho.

'just dont kys [kill yourself] without me.'

Once in the parking lot, White Tiger took over the conversation, and sent Jay the horrific messages telling him to strip naked before killing himself.

McMonigle said the toll the case took led him to eventually quit the FBI, saying: 'It broke me'

Despite handing the evidence to German authorities, they decided not to pursue the case any further due to the complex nature of the law.

McMonigle said the toll of the case caused mental health struggles which led him to eventually quit the FBI.

But in June 2025 - over three years after Jay's death - McMonigle said he received a text saying that German police had arrested Shahriar.

German authorities said they raided his home where he lived with his parents, and found a trove of videos and photos showing child abuse, beheadings and suicides.

Prosecutors said the 764 group had become a twisted form of competition, where members tried to one-up each other with their depravity.

The medical student was also found to possess an array of incriminating material in his home, including instructions for making car bombs, chemical weapons, and plans for terrorist attacks.

According to German investigators, he planned on going into medicine to find more vulnerable victims and move his online torture activities to in-person.

He was hit with 123 counts, focusing on harm he inflicted on eight different teenagers from four countries, including the murder of Jay Taylor in Seattle.

Investigators said the horrific case was made more complex by the fact that Jay was coerced while in Gig Harbor (pictured), by a predator the other side of the world

On Wednesday the case was escalated and Shahriar was hit with 81 more charges, accusing him of victimizing more than 30 teenagers, including five attempted murders.

Shahriars defense lawyer, Christiane C. Yuksel, told the Post that her client denies the charges.

She said she took on the case due to its legal complexity.

'There are questions of who is responsible,' she said. 'Questions of how we regulate the internet. These are important questions.'

For help and support call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on 988
A cybercriminal who used a 'fake phone tower' hidden inside a suitcase to blast thousands of spam text messages to commuters during a busy rush hour has been jailed.

Kong Ji Chen, 31, was foiled when an alert commuter received a spam text message while travelling on the Victoria Line at Victoria underground station in London.

The text, which claimed to be from 'Parcel Mail', said a parcel had arrived for the recipient but that 'shipment has been suspended due to [sic] missing house number'.

It then went on to ask recipients to enter their personal details on a fraudulent web link.

A commuter who was familiar with 'SMS blaster' technology became suspicious after seeing Chen waiting on the platform on July 1 this year with a large suitcase, and not boarding any trains. The witness then informed police.

When questioned, Chen claimed he was waiting for a friend and had been given the suitcase earlier in the day by another man.

Bodycam video of the moment he was arrested shows officers checking inside the suitcase to find a portable battery attached to an electrical unit with a green flashing light and black antenna.

After handcuffing Chen, the arresting officer told him: 'The time is 18.34, you're currently under arrest on suspicion of fraud.'

A cybercriminal who used a fake phone tower hidden inside a suitcase to blast thousands of spam text messages to commuters during a busy rush hour has been jailed

Kong Ji Chen, 31, was foiled when an alert commuter received a spam text message while travelling on the Victoria Line at Victoria underground station in London

After taking him to custody, the officer noticed he had also received a copy of the spam text message on his own phone.

At court, Chen pleaded guilty to one count of possessing or controlling an article for use in fraud.

A technical security adviser reported that there were 165 reports to mobile phone carriers of the same spam text message coming from the same number on July 1.

He was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison at Inner London Crown Court on Wednesday this week.

Investigating officer DC Adrienne Curzon, from British Transport Police, said afterwards: 'I'm very pleased with the result in this case. Chen targeted potentially thousands of commuters, attempting to harvest their data.

'The conviction was achieved thanks to the close work our officers undertook with mobile network operators including BT, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone as well as the National Cyber Security Centre and Ofcom.

'Thanks to the vigilance of one member of the public, our officers were able to act and prevent more people from being targeted and becoming victims of Chen's fraudulent endeavour.

'We rely on members of the public to report anything they see that they feel might be suspicious.

This was one of the spam texts that Kong Ji Chen sent to London Underground commuters

British Transport Police have released footage of his arrest, following his sentencing

Bodycam video of the moment he was arrested shows officers checking inside a suitcase to find a portable battery attached to an electrical unit with a flashing light and black antenna

Chen has been sentenced at Inner London Crown Court to 24 weeks in prison

'If you see something that doesn't look right, text us on 61016 and we'll investigate.'

According to Android's parent company Google, devices such as SMS blasters - known as 'cell-site simulators,' 'false base stations', or 'stingrays' - mimic real mobile towers to lure phones to connect to them.

The devices are commonly used for security and privacy attacks, as well as in surveillance and communication interception.

SMS blasters trick phones into connecting to a fake unencrypted 2G network and send out texts to all phones in range.

The devices, which can be operated without deep technical expertise, are advertised for sale online for as low as $3,500 (2,600).

The texts sent are then used for 'smishing' scams - a phishing attack over SMS.

As the blaster devices avoid sending texts over the actual phone network, network spam and anti-fraud filters are powerless to stop devices from receiving them.

Those who want to protect themselves from the attacks can disable 2G in their phone settings.

Android users can disable 2G to ensure their phones only connect to 3G, 4G, and 5G networks.

Users with iPhones can put their phones into 'Lockdown Mode' to disable 2G - however this will also disable other features such as incoming FaceTime calls.
A disgraced Democrat who was Boston's first Muslim lawmaker is heading to jail on Friday over a $7,000 kickback scheme.

Former Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges after prosecutors accused her of taking most of an inflated bonus that she paid to a relative who worked for her.

She was sentenced to one month and three years of probation, and was ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution.

'I feel disgusted, like I can't forgive myself,' Fernandes Anderson said at her sentencing hearing, as reported by the Boston Herald.

Anderson told her relative that she would give her a $13,000 bonus, which was more than twice as much as the combined bonuses she gave to the rest of the staff, according to prosecutors.

After taxes, the staffer received about $10,000. She withdrew the money in several bank transactions in May and June of 2023 before exchanging texts to meet Anderson in a City Hall bathroom that June 9, where she gave Anderson $7,000 of the money.

According to the indictment, Fernandes Anderson lied about being related to the staffer when the hire was made.

She also allegedly claimed the extravagant bonus was awarded to pay the staffer for previous volunteer work.

Former Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson is heading to jail on Friday for one month after pleading guilty to participating in a kickback scheme

Boston City Council member Tania Fernandes Anderson leaves federal court in Boston after initially pleading not guilty after her arrest in December

Video obtained by shows disgraced Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson clearing out her City Hall office weeks before she agreed to plead guilty to federal criminal charges

The government initially charged Anderson with six crimes and was seeking a sentence of one year and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $13,000.

Anderson could have faced up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the fraud charges, but prosecutors dropped four of them before she pleaded guilty.

Boston's Democratic mayor Michelle Wu urged Anderson to resign after her arrest.

'The serious nature of these charges undermine the public trust and will prevent her from effectively serving the city. I urge Councilor Fernandes Anderson to resign,' she said in December.

Despite being paid $115,000 a year, Anderson was going through financial difficulties in 2023, partly because the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission told her it would fine her $5,000 for hiring immediate family members, according to prosecutors. Council members aren't permitted to hire immediate family members as paid staff.

'Councilor Fernandes Anderson abused her position of trust for personal gain and turned a public checkbook into her own private slush fund,' United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said in a statement.

'Her constituents deserve better than this. They deserve a city representative who respects the role of public service and does not use the power and position to line her own pockets... Ms. Fernandes Anderson leaves a legacy not of a selfless trailblazer, but one of fraud, greed, and deceit.'

Anderson struck a pose for the photographer at her final City Hall meeting

Boston's Democratic mayor Michelle Wu urged Anderson to resign after her arrest

The government initially charged Anderson with six crimes and was seeking a sentence of one year and one day in prison

Anderson remained on city council despite her guilty plea in April, due to state law that bars removing a member until after sentencing.

She announced she would step down on July 4.

At the time, she vowed to continue her service, saying: 'This is not an ending, it is a return to the base, to the roots, where real power lives, with all the people.

'I will still be fighting, not from this chamber but from the community, with you, always.'
This is the moment an asylum seeker was filmed laughing and dancing just minutes after allegedly stabbing a woman who worked at the migrant hotel where he lived, a court has heard.

Sudanese national Deng Chol Majek, who claims he is 19, is on trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court accused of the vicious murder of Rhiannon Whyte, 27, as she waited to catch the train home after a late shift at the Park Inn Hotel, Walsall.

Ms Whyte was stabbed 23 times with a screwdriver on a deserted train platform at Bescot station at 11.13pm on October 20 last year. She died three days later.

Today, a jury were shown CCTV of a man who prosecutors claim is the defendant in the aftermath of the attack.

After running up the stairs to the station platform, the man is seen throwing Ms Whytes phone into a nearby river, where it was later recovered by police divers.

CCTV then showed the individual visiting two separate off-licences, with prosecutors alleging that he bought alcohol at the second one. The man returned to the Park Inn Hotel at 12.13am.

The jury were shown footage that had been captured on a camera phone by another resident of the hotel allegedly showing Majek laughing and dancing to music in the hotel car park around 20 minutes later.

The eight-second clip shows the man alleged to be Majek swaying to music, before the camera zooms in to show the sirens of emergency vehicles in the distance.

Michelle Heeley KC said the footage showed he was 'dancing and laughing, clearly excited about what he had done', when she opened the case against Majek on Monday.

The jury were shown footage from the night Rhiannon Whyte, 27, died

Mobile footage showed a man alleged to be Deng Chol Majek dancing in a car park after the attack (left) and allegedly buying alcohol from an off licence (right)

Majek allegedly visited two off licences after attacking Ms Whyte, with prosecutors claiming he bought alcohol in the second shop

The man alleged to be Deng Col Majek was seen staring at Rhiannon Whyte for hours in the migrant hotel where she worked on the night she was killed

As she walked the jury through the footage today, Ms Heeley asked Det Sgt Rebecca Haywood: 'We can see blue lights flashing on that clip, where were those lights coming from?'

The officer replied: 'Those lights were coming from the train station.'

Ms Heeley said: 'That's the emergency services at the train station at that point?'

'That's correct, yes,' Det Sgt Haywood replied.

Majek was seen by one employee at the hotel drinking, smoking and having a good time after the fatal attack, the jury heard.

Tyler English, who worked as a housing officer at the hotel, told the court he had rushed to the deserted station platform after hearing of an incident, to find his colleague lying gravely injured.

Mr English described how he returned to the hotel after Ms Whyte was taken away by paramedics at around midnight.

He described seeing the defendant  whom he knew by the initials DC - among a group of other migrants in the hotel car park.

Earlier that night, around an hour before the attack, he had seen Majek looking very low, almost seemed sad, so he decided to approach him in the car park to check on him.

At this point, it was just drinking, smoking and chatting among his group of friends, he told the court.

He described how the group were listening to music which was playing from a portable speaker.

They were almost like having a good time, in a sense, he said. At that point, it was smoking and drinking.

Michelle Heeley KC, prosecuting, asked him: How did his mood seem then compared to his mood earlier?

Mr English replied: His mood was definitely a lot better, seeing him in the parking lot compared to earlier on in the evening, so I went up to see if he was OK.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Ms Whyte, 27, was attacked moments after leaving work and died in hospital with her family by her side

Police outside the Park Inn by Radisson Hotel in Bescot, Walsall - where Ms Whyte worked - in the aftermath of the attack

Opening the trial on Monday, prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC told jurors that, at the time of the attack, Ms Whyte had been on the phone to a friend, who heard three screams as she was struck 'over and over again' at 11.13pm. The line went dead shortly afterwards.

She was found by a train driver slumped on the platform 11 minutes later, but was too seriously injured to be saved and died surrounded by family on October 23.

Ms Heeley said: 'He left her bleeding to death and then casually went back to his hotel.'

Police were very quickly able to trace the defendant because he was wearing very distinctive clothing and made an arrest shortly afterwards at the hotel, Ms Heeley said.

They found him in possession of clothes including the jacket the attacker from the CCTV could be seen wearing, as well as jewellery and a pair of sandals, all of which were found to have Ms Whytes blood on them, the court heard.

Ms Whytes DNA was found underneath the fingernails of the defendant, the jury were told. He is alleged to have disposed of both the screwdriver and Ms Whytes phone before returning to the hotel.

Ms Heeney said: The prosecution say this was a murder because the person who attacked Rhiannon carried out a vicious and frenzied attack. They meant to seriously hurt Rhiannon, to kill her, and they carried out the attack by stabbing her repeatedly in the head with a weapon.

We say you can be sure it was this defendant and no one else. He can be seen on the CCTV staring at Rhiannon, he then follows her from the hotel to the station. CCTV then follows him all the way back to the hotel.

His clothes have her blood on, his fingernails have her DNA under them, she had injuries from where she tried to defend herself.

The defendant was said to accept he was at the hotel that night, but claims the issue is one of misidentification.

The prosecutor said that Ms Whyte had worked at the hotel for around three months, where she helped with all manner of things including cleaning and serving food.

Majek lived at the hotel, which had been turned into a hotel for asylum seekers.

He also claimed to be 18 (at the time), but there are doubts about that, Ms Heeley said.

Majek denies murdering Ms Whyte and a second charge of possessing a screwdriver in a public place.

The trial continues.
A young New Zealand man died in agony after drinking an imported can of Canadian Honey Bear Beer that had been filled with methamphetamine.

Aiden Sagala, 21, was unknowingly gifted a case of liquid narcotics disguised as beer from his boss Himatjit 'Jimmy' Singh Kahlon on March 2, 2023.

After he got home from work, Sagala and his brother-in-law Billy Anelusi decided to crack open two of the cans.

Sagala knew something was wrong after his first sip of the beer, which reportedly tasted like 'sea salt with chemicals,' according to an CTV News investigative report.

Anelusi, who claimed his beer tasted normal, swapped drinks with Sagala and gave it a taste, immediately spitting it out without swallowing.

Anelusi did not feel any effects but Sagala quickly fell ill. He became aggressive, agitated and repeatedly screamed out 'I want my mom, I'm dying,' the outlet reported.

Sagala's face turned blue and his sister performed CPR on him. She called 911 but it took paramedics an hour to arrive.

He was transported to a nearby hospital in Auckland, but became comatose and died five days later. The medical examiner determined he died of organ failure caused by a meth overdose.

Police determined the can of beer that Sagala had consumed contained no alcohol at all and was actually pure liquid methamphetamine, prompting a massive two-year investigation that has now resulted in a $200million drug bust.

Aiden Sagala, 21, (pictured) died in March 2023 after unknowingly drinking an imported can of Canadian Honey Bear Beer that had been filled with methamphetamine

Police say 28,800 cans labelled as Honey Bear Beer were imported from Toronto, Canada, to New Zealand. Some of those cans did hold beer, while others were disguising liquid meth

Officers seized around 700 kilograms of liquid meth that had been disguised as other beverages from a storage unit in Auckland

Investigators traced Sagala's beer back to a storage unit in Auckland and carried out a raid of the facility.

Officers seized around 700 kilograms of liquid meth that had been disguised as other beverages including Honey Bear Beer, coconut water and kombucha.

The raid also unveiled buckets of crystal meth. Police believed the imported liquid meth was being crystalized in the facility and then prepped for sale.

Investigators estimate the meth seized in the raid was worth around $210 million.

Police determined that local supermarket owner Baltej Singh had been importing large amounts of liquid meth for several years, CTV reported.

Singh imported the beer from Canada, kombucha from the US and coconut water from India, according to police.

Investigators believe Sagala's boss, Kahlon, helped with the distribution process. He was caught on camera carrying cans out of the unit, surveillance footage showed.

Some of the cans in the unit did actually contain beer, like the one Anelusi opened.

Kahlon would give away the untainted beer and, according to police, left a can of meth in the case he gave Sagala without realizing it.

Himatjit 'Jimmy' Singh Kahlon (pictured) helped with the distribution process. He was caught on camera carrying cans out of the unit, surveillance footage showed. Kahlon was convicted of manslaughter and possession for supply of methamphetamine, and jailed for 21 years

Police determined that local supermarket owner Baltej Singh (pictured) was the 'mastermind' behind the drug network. He was found guilty of multiple drugs offences in February and sentenced to 22 years behind bars

Kahlon was arrested and charged with manslaughter in connection to Sagala's death, as well as possession for supply of methamphetamine.

He has since been convicted and sentenced to 21 years in prison, according to New Zealand police.

Singh, believed to be the 'mastermind' behind the drug network, was charged with running the import operation. He was found guilty of multiple drugs offences in February and sentenced to 22 years behind bars.

He was not charged in Sagala's death, but will still be ineligible for parole for at least 10 years, India Today reported.

Singh, originally from India, is the nephew of Satwant Singh, the assassin convicted of killing former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

He also has reportedly been linked to pro-Khalistan activities in New Zealand.

The Khalistan movement is a campaign seeking to create a separate Sikh-majority sovereign state in India and is considered a security threat by the Indian government.

New Zealand police have also seized $36million worth of properties linked to the importation and supply of meth.

Aiden Sagala died of organ failure caused by a meth overdose

The raid also unveiled buckets of crystal meth. Police believed the imported liquid meth was being crystalized in the facility and then prepped for sale

Investigators estimate the meth seized in the raid was worth around $210,000,000

Officers seized four residential and commercial rural properties connected to the operation, including a clandestine laboratory. Stockpiles of meth were also found inside the properties.

'Police have been quietly focused on unpicking the financial activities of this group,' Detective Inspector Chris Allan said in a Wednesday press release obtained by The Daily Mail.

'Given the scale of this criminal enterprise, this proceeding is an indication of the determination New Zealand Police have to investigate, disrupt and dismantle organized crime.

'This restraint represents significant capital that otherwise would have been at the disposal of the group to carry out further drug imports and create further harm in the community, until now.'

He vowed that officers will continue to investigate drug networks and aim to 'remove the unlawful benefits from those who engage in significant criminal activity.'
Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi cried 'Allahu akbar' as he attacked prison officers with homemade weapons and hot cooking oil, a court heard today.

Abedi, 28, who appeared in court flanked by four security guards in full riot gear, denied the attempted murder of three prison officers with 'five makeshift knives' and oil at HMP Frankland in County Durham in April.

The convicted terrorist appeared at the Old Bailey today for a preliminary hearing via video link from HMP Belmarsh, wearing a grey prison tracksuit. He showed no emotion throughout the hearing.

Abedi is already serving a record-breaking minimum term of 55 years for helping his brother Salman plot his suicide attack, which killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in 2017.

He is now accused of the attempted murder of Paul Crampton, Gary Speight and Catherine Herbert, and assaulting Craig Thompson causing actual bodily harm, on April 12 this year.

Abedi, who chose to represent himself at the hearing, spoke to confirm his personal details, telling the court clerk: 'Yep'.

He denied three counts of attempted murder, one count of causing actual bodily harm and one of having an 'unauthorised possession in prison of knife or offensive weapon'.

Abedi had been housed in a separation unit at the maximum security unit in the County Durham jail.

A court sketch showing Hashem Abedi appearing at Woolwich Crown Court via video link from HMP Belmarsh in south-east London at a previous hearing

He was cooking in the prison kitchen when he carried out the attack on four officers, the Old Bailey heard.

Officer Crampton suffered stab wounds and burns, Officer Speight suffered serious stab wounds and Officer Herbert suffered burns from what is believed to be 'melted butter', it was heard.

Prosecutors said he twice shouted 'Allahu akbar', during the attack.

Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC said bodyworn footage from one of the prison officers and CCTV footage captured the attack on camera.

Outlining the allegations, she said: 'This case concerns an incident on April 12 2025 at HMP Frankland when Mr Abedi was being detained.

'During the course of a session where he was permitted to use cooking equipment he attacked and attempted to murder three prison officers using hot oil and makeshift weapons he had constructed himself. He also assaulted a fourth prison officer.'

Ms Ledward KC said witness statements will be provided by the victims in the attempted murder charges but not from the fourth witness, the victim of the assault.

Expert evidence relating 'to the basic processing of CCTV' and 'evidence from a metal expert into how the weapons were fashioned' will also be provided, Ms Ledward KC said.

Abedi was jailed for life in August 2020 for assisting his brother, Salman Abedi, in killing 22 people by detonating a homemade rucksack device at an Ariana Grande concert in 2017

The judge, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb asked Abedi: 'Do you intend to remain unrepresented?'.

Abedi replied: 'Yeah, basically I don't want to attend anyway, that is what it is.'

The judge added: 'I hope you have understood what has happened today. The next time we meet will be on 30 January next year. By that time the prosecution will have served their evidence on you.

'After this hearing, you will get a copy of the order I have made. That will set out the timetable that the court experts and you and the prosecution to work to.

'You are not represented. I am well aware that you understand that. If you decide very late on in the process that you would like to be represented, I cannot guarantee the court will allow you to change the position.

'I encourage you to think carefully about representation.

'There may be some discussion about what the jury should know about you and your history. If you had a lawyer, they may well argue what the limits should be as to what the prosecution will put before the jury.

'If you fail to attend your trial then the hearing can proceed in your absence. Do you understand all of these things?'

Abedi replied: 'You see you said I must attend but in the prison I was told that if I do not attend I would be forced to attend. Like for example today.

Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb KC replied: 'Well it is a matter for the prison authorities to determine.

'I am ordering you to attend on the 30th of January in 2026 and I am sure the prison authorities will do what they need to do to ensure that order is complied with.'

She asked Abedi: 'Is there anything you want to say about what the prosecution has told the court about the terrorist conviction.'

Abedi replied: 'No'.

He was remanded in custody ahead at HMP Belmarsh ahead of his trial on January 18, 2027 at the Old Bailey.

Abedi will next appear at the Old Bailey on January 30, 2026 for his next hearing where the prosecution will have served their evidence.
France has been left in shock by the case of a 12-year-old girl who was allegedly raped, tortured and murdered by a migrant who was supposed to have returned to Algeria.

Lola Daviet was allegedly lured into an apartment in Paris by Dahbia Benkired, 27, who severed her head and suffocated her as revenge for the girl's caretaker mother refusing to give the migrant a key to an apartment block.

Benkired's trial started today in Paris.

The killer, who was homeless and unemployed, settled in France in 2013, aged 14, but was subject to an expulsion order after overstaying a student visa in August 2022, just two months before Lola was murdered.

Benkired slashed the schoolgirl with scissors and a box cutter then bound her up in duct tape, including around her face, leading to her death by asphyxia on October 4, 2022.

The 12-year-old was seen entering the building with Benkired at around 3pm before being taken into an apartment, and it is alleged she was forced to undress and wash herself, then perform a sex act on Benkired 'for her pleasure'.

Benkired left the building at 5pm and the young girl's dead body was thrown into a plastic trunk which she dragged around Paris before dumping on the street. It was later found by a homeless man at around 11pm.

Horrific images of Lola's naked body squashed into the trunk were shown to the Assize Court on Friday, prompting her family to walk out.

The shocking photographs showed her arms bound together and her face completely covered in tape. A large wound on her jaw, a severed neck and a slashed back could also be seen.

Lola Daviet (pictured) went missing in Paris in 2022, and her body was then found in a trunk in the lobby of the building where her father and mother worked as caretakers

Dahbia Benkired (pictured) is accused of raping, torturing and murdering the 12-year-old girl in 2022

Lola is pictured in this CCTV footage still wearing a white coat and carrying what appears to be her schoolbag

The presiding judge of the court told the jurors that Lola's 'head was partially severed' at the neck.

The 12-year-old girl was 'vaginally and anally penetrated' while she was still alive, according to the medical examiner's examinations.

Building residents saw Benkired in the lobby of the apartment block in the 19th district, carrying suitcases and a heavy trunk covered in a blanket, the investigation showed.

An hour and a half earlier, security footage showed Benkired approaching the girl as she returned from school, then leading her into the flat her sister occupied in the building.

She placed the body in a trunk and exited the building, pausing outside a cafe, where she told a client who suspected something strange in her luggage that she was 'selling a kidney', investigators said.

She is then said to have convinced a friend to drive her and the bags to his home, before taking a taxi with the trunk back to the building where her sister lived.

She fled when she saw police deployed in the area, but was arrested the next day.

A police investigation revealed that a pair of scissors, an oyster knife and an IKEA knife were found in Benkired's flat with traces of blood.

Speaking in court, Lola's mother Delphine Daviet, who was wearing a white T-shirt with a picture of her daughter, demanded 'justice'.

The girl's family sat in court on Friday, wearing matching t-shirts with the words: 'You were the sun of our life, you will be the star of our nights.'

CCTV footage showed the Algerian woman allegedly luring Lola to her tragic death

Benkired settled in France in 2013, aged 14, but was subject to an expulsion order after overstaying a student visa

Delphine Daviet, mother of Lola, accompanied by relatives, arrives at the Paris Assize Court for the trial of Dahbia Benkired, accused of raping, torturing, and killing Lola Daviet, a 12-year-old girl, in 2022, on October 17, 2025

The Algerian killer had a tough upbringing with aunts before she settled in France in 2013, the investigation showed.

She told the court that she had been abused by family and neighbours as she grew up, claiming her aunts 'forced her to watch pornographic films... and groped her in the forest.'

It was reported at the time of the killing that she was was the subject of an expulsion order, prompting stinging criticism from the right and one of the most bitter political debates in recent memory.

Asked why she didn't want to return to Algeria, Benkired said: 'I feel free in France. In Algeria, we have no life. There was no reason. I studied here, I grew up here, I have my whole family here. What am I going to do there?'

She claimed to have suffered something of a mental breakdown following her parents' deaths in 2019 and 2020. She said she would smoke up to '20 [cannabis] joints a day' to deal with this 'tipping point'.

She had overstayed a student visa and had failed to comply with a notice issued in August to leave France within 30 days.

She told investigators she had been angry with the girl's mother, who had refused to give her a badge to get through the apartment block's front door, after her sister had given her a key to her flat.

The probe showed she had conducted searches online into witchcraft days before the murder.

Lola's parents Delphine and Johan (pictured) were professional caretakers of a number of buildings in northern Paris, including the one where they lived

Benkired, whose trial is to last until next Friday, faces a maximum sentence of life in jail.

When asked by the judge what they expected from the trial, Lola's family said they wanted justice and for the truth to be revealed.

Lola's brother Thibault Daviet said, referencing his late father: 'I would like to speak on behalf of the whole family... and of course my father, who is unfortunately no longer here because of the same person.

'We would like you to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, to all of France and to us'.

Benkired, speaking to the girl's mourning family, today said in court: 'I would like to ask the whole family for forgiveness. What I did was horrible and I regret it'.

Conservative and far-right politicians seized on the case to call for better immigration law enforcement, after Benkired was found to have overstayed a student visa and failed to comply with a notice to leave France.

But the victim's mother urged politicians to stop exploiting her daughter's death.
A twin who killed two Amish children with her car received a short prison sentence of four years after falsely claiming it was her sister who was behind the wheel.

Samantha Jo Petersen, 37, pleaded guilty to hitting the Amish buggy with her SUV and killing Wilma Miller, 7, and Irma Miller, 11, in southeastern Minnesota.

She is only expected to serve two and two-thirds of her prison term before she is freed on supervised release, as reported by The Minnesota Star Tribune. She must also pay the children's family $40,000 in restitution for medical bills.

Samantha was sentenced after her twin Sarah Beth Peterson pleaded guilty to lying about the deadly collision in order to cover for her sister.

The horror smash in September, 2023, killed sisters Wilma and Irma while older sister Rose, then 13, and their brother Allan, then nine, survived their injuries.

Samantha was high behind the wheel at the time of the crash, so the twins schemed to make it look like Sarah was driving to reduce a possible jail sentence, prosecutors said.

Sarah Beth Petersen (left), an identical twin who covered for her sister by lying about driving a car that killed two Amish children, has been sentenced to three months in jail

Wilma, 7, (second from right) and Irma, 11 (right) were killed in the collision in September 2023 which also injured their brother Allan, 9, (back left) and older sister Rose, 13 (not pictured)

Samantha Petersen (pictured) hit a horse drawn buggy on a road outside the small town of Spring Valley on September 25 2023 while under the influence of meth

When the cops arrived at the scene, both sisters were present along with two vehicles both in Samantha's name including the silver SUV which struck the kids.

Sarah was then unwittingly caught on a deputy's pocket recorder openly bragging about the plot as she sat in the back of the squad car.

'I think one of the guys is onto me, but I don't really care,' she was recorded as saying, according to the charges obtained by the Star Tribune.

'There's no way they would ever know the difference between the two of us, so they can't tell.'

Investigators said Samantha's silver SUV was travelling at up to 71mph in a 55mph zone when it slammed into the children.

A blood test revealed she had methamphetamine, amphetamine and THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in her system.

According to County Attorney Brett Corson, during her sentencing Samantha 'did a very good job of admitting what she did and saying she was sorry for what happened.'

'She said she wanted to make a number of changes in her life and attend [substance abuse] treatment,' Corson added.

Both sisters have a colorful rap sheet, including two DWI convictions for Samantha, one for alcohol and one for a controlled substance.

Sarah was convicted in January 2022 on a federal charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and is currently on parole.

Sarah Petersen (pictured) agreed to confess to the accident to save her sister potential prison time

One witness also told police he saw one blonde woman at the crash site, then shortly later another woman who liked similar arrive, and embrace the first woman

While Sarah was in prison on the drug charge, Samantha cared for her two children, a potential motive for Sarah offering to cover for her in return, according to the criminal complaint.

It is also not the first time the twins have attempted to change places to evade law enforcement.

Sarah was convicted of giving law-enforcement her sister's name in 2017 and giving a false name earlier that same year, according to court records.

Samantha was convicted of giving a false name in 2007.
John Bolton pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges he shared classified secrets with relatives and hoarded top secret documents at his home, refusing to speak to reporters as he left the Maryland courthouse.

The former national security adviser - who turned on Donald Trump with a scathing 2020 memoir - surrendered to authorities in Greenbelt and stood before US magistrate judge Timothy Sullivan to deny an 18-count indictment relating to transmitting information related to national defense.

Bolton's high-powered lawyer Abbe Lowell hit back at prosecutors, claiming the case is nothing more than a vendetta to punish his client for writing The Room Where it Happened - the explosive behind-the-scenes book that savaged Trump and sent the former administration into a fury.

Bolton was indicted Thursday on charges of mishandling classified information, a stunning development that could see the outspoken critic of the president spend a decade in jail.

The case is seen as part of a series of prosecutions against critics of Trump, with Bolton signaling a readiness to fight the charges and expose alleged misuse of power by the administration.

A federal grand jury in Maryland accused Bolton of sending national security documents through his personal AOL account.

The indictment comes two months after FBI agents raided Bolton's Washington, D.C. office and suburban Maryland home.

The FBI was looking for possible violations of the Espionage Act, a law that dates back to 1917 and makes unauthorized possession of national security documents illegal.

Bolton surrendered himself at the Greenbelt Federal Courthouse in Maryland on Friday morning

Bolton was escorted by a private security guard as he left his home on Friday

The former national security adviser was indicted Thursday on charges of mishandling classified information

Court records also said a foreign entity had hacked Bolton's email account, but the details were redacted.

Bolton described the indictment as 'retribution' from Trump for their sour relationship.

'Then came Trump 2 who embodies what Joseph Stalins head of secret police once said, You show me the man, and Ill show you the crime'',' Bolton said of the charges on Thursday.

Under Joseph Stalin's brutal rule of the Soviet Regime, his notorious secret police agency was responsible for mass arrests, torture, and execution of his critics.

'These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct,' Bolton said.

Bolton was tapped as Trump's third national security adviser during his first term after previously serving as President George W. Bush's ambassador to the United Nations.

Bolton was major advocate of the Iraq war and has pushed for regime change in Iran

Bolton claimed the criminal charges from the DOJ are designed to silence him for bashing Trump

At Bolton's D.C. office, federal agents discovered documents marked 'confidential' that referenced weapons of mass destruction, according to unsealed court records.

At his Maryland home, agents seized two cell phones, documents in folders labeled 'Trump I-IV' and a binder labeled 'statements and reflections to Allied Strikes,' the court records also showed.

After leaving the Trump White House, Bolton became a prominent critic of the president, calling the former real estate developer 'stunningly uninformed' in his memoir, which the Trump administration had tried to block.

As Wikileaks founder Julian Assange fought to stay out of prison for his role in disclosing classified information, Bolton famously argued that the journalist should receive a '176-year' sentence. Bolton now faces decades behind bars for similar offenses.

Trump's Justice Department has also leveled indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

But unlike the cases against Comey and James, career prosecutors are behind the case against Bolton, with the investigation launching before the second Trump administration.

Bolton's next scheduled court hearing is set for November 21.
A mother who tragically died alongside her newborn baby after opting for a homebirth was part of an online group run by a 'sacred chanting and drumming' fan who encourages women to take control of their own pregnancies.

Jennifer Cahill, 34, from Greater Manchester, opted against medical advice to give birth to her daughter with no drugs and minimal outside interference in June last year.

She died in hospital after suffering a post-delivery bleed at home. Her newborn baby passed away in hospital a few days later.

An inquest into Ms Cahill's death this week heard that she was a member of the Home Birth Support Group UK - a Facebook group with more than 14,000 members.

The page, which was run by 'experienced Doula' Samantha Gadsden, was closed this week following reports it had been the subject of a police investigation.

Doulas are non-medical professionals who offer emotional, physical and educational support to mothers before, during and shortly after childbirth.

They are usually used by women in addition to midwives and doctors and many mothers have safe and successful homebirths.

It is also understood that no further police action is being taken against the Home Birth Support Group UK after it said it does not offer any medical advice to pregnant mothers.

However, the Daily Mail can reveal that Ms Gadsden, who charges up to 1,995 for her Doula service, has been the focus of a series of controversial social media posts.

Samantha Gadsden, who charges up to 1,995 for her Doula service, has been the focus of a series of controversial social media posts

Jennifer Cahill, 34, and her newborn baby daughter Agnes Lily both died in June 2024 after she decided on a home birth

Screenshot shows that Ms Gadsden's Facebook page had nearly 15,000 members before it was shut down by the admin this week

In one video posted to her personal Instagram account, Ms Gadsden told her followers that 'you do not need permission from a midwife to birth in your home'.

Meanwhile in another post the mother-of-four, compared sending 'traumatised women back to hospital' to 'going back to a restaurant after food poisoning for a second dose.'

'Home birth is not inherently dangerous, hospital birth is not inherently safe,' she added in the caption.

Furthermore in the introductory post to her Facebook group, Ms Gadsden wrote that here 'we question the medical norms in an induction heavy current system'.

She encouraged members to post their birthing stories and ask 'any questions that you have'.

One social media post uncovered by the Daily Mail shows Ms Cahill asking for advice from fellow members on the birth of her second child.

She said she was 'really excited' about the prospect of a homebirth after she felt 'unsupported' in hospital when she had her son three years earlier.

However, after choosing not to deliver in hospital, Ms Cahill became 'fatigued' as her contractions intensified, and while both she and her newborn daughter were rushed to A&E, neither could be saved.

Mrs Cahill had suffered a postpartum haemorrhage after the first birth - a potentially fatal condition involving heavy bleeding.

As a result doctors advised to also have her second child in hospital.

Jennifer Cahill delivered baby Agnes Lily at her home in the presence of her husband Rob and two midwives in June last year (pictured with their son)

Jennifer Cahill had suffered a postpartum haemorrhage after the first birth - a potentially fatal condition involving heavy bleeding

In addition to the Home Birth Support Group UK, Ms Gadsden ran a freebirth forum, which women and birthkeepers pay to join (50 and 65 respectively).

The group was launched during the Covid-19 pandemic in response to a growing demand for homebirths when many hospital trusts stopped offering them.

Members can also buy merchandise off Ms Gadsden's website with prices ranging from 35 for hoodies to 15 for tote bags and 11 for mugs.

Ms Gadsden said according to The Times: 'Families, mothers and babies are being failed by NHS maternity services.

'I have built trust with my community, supporting them to do their own research and make their own informed decisions.'

She added that her 'priority is always the safety and emotional and physical wellbeing of families, mothers and their babies.'

Ms Gadsden, who is based in Cardiff, has always insisted that she doesn't advocate for any one type of birth.

She also runs a sacred chant and drumming group, which she says 'brings the community together'.

That organisation's Facebook page has also been taken down.

Ms Gadsden was approached for comment.
Salesforce has been rocked by the resignation of an investor known as the Godfather of Silicon Valley after the company's CEO called for Trump to clean up San Francisco.

Ron Conway resigned from the Salesforce Foundation's board on Thursday in a fiery email to CEO Marc Benioff where he said their values were no longer aligned, the New York Times reported.

Conway, a prominent Democratic donor, said he was resigning because of Benioff's comments to the newspaper where he backed President Donald Trump's plan to send National Guard troops to San Francisco, where Salesforce is based.

'It saddens me immensely to say that with your recent comments, and failure to understand their impact, I now barely recognize the person I have so long admired,' Conway wrote to Benioff.

Conway had been a director of Salesforce's philanthropic arm for a decade and a close friend of Benioff for over 25 years, per the NYT.

Benioff, who owns Time magazine, angered Democrats after he declared his full support for additional law enforcement officers in Fog City.

The New York Times also reported that Benioff pitched ICE on hiring 10,000 new agents and enhancing deportation operations using Salesforce AI tech.

Tech billionaire Marc Benioff is facing backlash after urging Trump to deploy National Guard officers in San Francisco

Conway had been a director of Salesforce's philanthropic arm for a decade and a close friend of Benioff for over 25 years, per the NYT

'Salesforce is a great San Francisco company that does so much good for our city. Inviting Trump to send the National Guard here is not one of those good things,' California Senator Scott Weiner wrote on X.

'Quite the opposite. We neither need nor want an illegal military occupation in San Francisco.'

San Francisco District Attorney General Brooke Jenkins 'broke her silence' and also lashed out at Benioff on Friday.

'@KristiNoem and @realDonaldTrump have turned so-called public safety and immigration enforcement into a form of government sponsored violence against U.S. citizens, families, and ethnic groups.'

Elon Musk backed the fellow tech giant CEO in an X post on Sunday, writing: 'SF downtown is a drug zombie apocalypse.'

Benioff's statement followed Trump's fiery shots at the Democrat-run city in August, slamming it's leadership and current state.

'Look at what the Democrats have done to San Francisco,' the president told reporters in a press statement.

Salesforce, which owns the tallest skyscraper that dominates in the downtown financial sector, boasts a philanthropic history of donating millions to fund San Francisco.

San Francisco still faces a drug epidemic and petty crime issues despite it's overall crime rates dropping

Elon Musk then backed the fellow tech giant CEO in an X post on Sunday, writing: 'SF downtown is a drug zombie apocalypse'

However, arrests for petty drug crimes have increased amid Mayor Daniel Lurie's attempts to crackdown on the city's drug problem.

Benioff's claims seemingly contrast with his previous progressive beliefs, leaving many San Franciscans shocked.

In 2018, he slammed his fellow San Francisco billionaires by saying they're 'hoarding' money and not aiding the homelessness crisis.

The billionaire criticized Jack Dorsey, co-found of Twitter, in an interview with the Guardian.

'He just doesn't want to give, that's all. And he hasn't given anything of consequence in the city.'

Benioff has called out affluent business moguls in the past to aid in the homeless crisis, and even runs the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative.

In 2018, he funded a city ballot measure campaign to tax businesses, including Salesforce, to fund services for the homeless.

Salesforce this week announced their $15 billion investment to the city over the next five years because they 'believe deeply in it's future'.

The billionaire mogul wrote on X that he believes the city's public safety challenges are real.

Benioff (pictured at an event with Gavin Newson last year) said that his political affiliation is independent and he's supported both Democratic and Republican candidates

'Every possible pathway' needs to be explored to create a safer city, he said, adding that Salesforce is providing an $1 million to support larger hiring bonuses for new police officers.

'It's proof that collaboration works and a reminder that the city needs more resources to keep San Franciscans safe year-round,' he wrote.

For his company's Dreamforce conference this week, Benioff hired hundreds of off-duty law enforcement officers to patrol the convention area,

Speaking to the NYT, he warned that the city's police force is underfunded, and said he planned for there to be cops 'on every corner... how it used to be.'

Benioff said that his political affiliation is independent and he's supported both Democratic and Republican candidates.

The Daily Mail reached out to Salesforce for comment on this story.
An Afghan migrant who was deemed an adult by UK authorities because he had a 'protruding Adam's apple' has won 25,000 after an asylum judge ruled he was a child at the time.

The migrant - who came to Britain on a small boat - was awarded the payout after an immigration judge ruled that officials were wrong to conclude he was over 18.

The Afghan had a large Adam's apple, bags under his eyes, and skin that 'did not appear youthful', a tribunal heard.

Official age assessors at St Helens Borough Council in Merseyside concluded he was therefore aged between 23 and 25 when he arrived.

But the Upper Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber has overturned that decision, ruling that the authorities had relied on 'pseudoscientific indicators'.

The Upper Tribunal said the date of birth the Afghan gave was correct and found that he was 17 upon his arrival.

He was awarded 25,000 to cover his publicly-funded legal costs after winning his appeal.

The Upper Tribunal heard that the man, from an unnamed village in Afghanistan, told the Home Office he was born in 2005 when he arrived in the UK.

Age assessors at St Helens Borough Council found that the asylum seeker was aged between 23 and 25 in July 2024, disputing the date of birth he later claimed which was January 5 2007.

the Upper Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber has overturned that decision, ruling that the authorities had relied on 'pseudoscientific indicators'

This would make him a child when he arrived in the country.

The Upper Tribunal heard he told council assessors 'he was stressed and confused' when he came to the UK and did not know what he was pointing to when he pointed at a date of birth of May 25 2005 on arrival.

He said he had not eaten in more than two days at that point and did not speak much English.

The tribunal judge accepted that he had not eaten for some period of time.

The migrant's mother later told him his date of birth according to Afghanistan's Pashto calendar over the phone - before that point, he said 'dates of birth were just not important to him when he was in Afghanistan'.

The asylum seeker - who has been granted anonymity - had not gone to school because the one in his area had been 'blown up in the war'.

The assessors found: 'The [migrant]'s skin did not appear youthful. The [migrant] has established lines within features of his face that are common with maturity.

'The [migrant] had bagginess in the upper and lower eye lined and bags. The [migrant]'s face also features established lines each side of his eyes, the nose to the corners of the mouth.

'The [migrant] also has a protruding Adam's apple and an established line on his neck that run from left to right. The [migrant]'s facial structure appears fully developed.

'These features are consistent with a person who has exceed maturity, and more common with an adult and less likely features of a child under the age of eighteen years.

'However, it is acknowledged that the [migrant]'s life in Afghanistan and journey to the UK could have had an impact on his physical development.'

They added that his 'physical appearance and demeanour does not appear consistent with a person who has only recently commenced puberty'.

The asylum seeker said 'he had fled Afghanistan because of his father having issues with the Taliban connected to his father's role as a police officer'.

A tribunal judgment said that information from other sources 'suggested that the [migrant] presented as younger than 18 years of age'.

At the judicial review held by the Upper Tribunal, Upper Tribunal Judge Abid Mahmood criticised the age assessment for relying on the migrant's Adam's apple as an indicator of his age, saying 'an Adam's apple adds very little in assessing whether [he] was above the age of 18'.

He added: 'I did not observe lines on [his] face.'

The migrant arrived in the UK on a small boat (file photograph of migrants in the Channel)

Judge Mahmood said: 'The judgment concludes that the local authority's age assessment was procedurally unfair and substantively flawed.'

He noted that one of the 'key deficiencies' of the assessment was the 'reliance on pseudoscientific indicators such as physical appearance without medical expertise'.

The judge also said the that evidence showed the migrant 'tends to gravitate towards younger people in their mid to late teens but is uncomfortable with people in their 20s'.

The judge found that the man's date of birth was the date he claimed, making him 18 years old now.

The judge said that there was not 'an opportunity for the [migrant] to respond' to the result of the council's age assessment, and that not enough care was taken for his welfare.

The tribunal heard he was seen 'shaking' and 'hitting his head on the table' after he was informed of the result of the original age assessment.

The judge concluded that St Helens Borough Council will pay for his legal costs, which were publicly-funded.

They said: 'The [council] shall pay the [migrant]'s costs on the standard basis. Such costs to be assessed by way of detailed assessment, if not agreed.

'There shall be detailed assessment of the [migrant]'s publicly funded costs.'

The migrant's asylum claim is being considered separately.
A teacher has been awarded 140,000 in compensation for harassment after a co-worker told her she 'let colleagues down' by taking sick leave for a back operation.

Making such a comment can be 'offensive', employment judge Adam Partington has ruled in the case brought by Annika Robinson at a tribunal in Watford.

The design and technology teacher, who was disabled due to back pain and migraines, had taken about five months off work following an operation and took another period of sick leave shortly afterwards.

Miss Robinson, who was on 47,600 a year, was invited to a meeting with six members of school staff when she was told she had 'let her colleagues down and her students down' by being absent from work.

The mother, who branded the comments as 'extremely disrespectful' and 'disgusting', was awarded damages after winning complaints of harassment relating to disability.

The tribunal was told that Miss Robinson started working for Southgate School in Enfield, north London, run by Middlesex Learning Trust, in September 2020.

The teacher worked in the school's design and technology department, where she was hired on a 12 month contract.

In October that year, Miss Robinson took sick leave due to Covid-19 and later that month provided a fit note for absence due to sciatica.

Annika Robinson has been awarded 140,000 after taking a case to an employment tribunal over her time working at Southgate School (pictured) in Enfield, north London

It was heard her condition left her unable to leave the house and she had to 'lie flat most of the day'.

In early November 2020, Miss Robinson underwent surgical discectomy and later provided a fit note for absence for recovery from spinal surgery.

The teacher produced another fit note for the same reasons the following month.

Miss Robinson was off work because of her back from October 2020 to March 2021.

In early 2021, the trust undertook a curriculum review and it was decided that Miss Robinson's contract should not be renewed after the year.

It was heard they did not plan on replacing Miss Robinson, as a decision had been made to reduce the hours of teaching in design and technology to allow for additional time for students in maths and English.

Miss Robinson was sent an email informing her of the school's decision not to renew her contract.

In April, she was on a phased return to work - but the following month, she started sickness absence due to migraines.

In June 2021, while the teacher was on sick leave, she was invited to a meeting to discuss her time off.

During this meeting, in which Miss Robinson met six members of staff, senior deputy head Paul Ferrie said: 'Both students and colleagues have suffered as a result of [Miss Robinson's] absence.'

It was heard he also said that Miss Robinson had 'let her colleague and the students down'.

The headteacher of the school also made a comment in which said 'that it would be easy to be cynical in that [Miss Robinson's] return to work from her back operation coincided with when she was due to go to half pay and that she returned to work for a few days before going off with ill health again'.

Miss Robinson's contract ended in August 2021 and the teacher took the trust to an employment tribunal.

She sued for disability harassment, disability discrimination, and failure to make reasonable adjustments.

The panel found that Miss Robinson was disabled by reason of back pain and migraines.

Miss Robinson alleged that her bosses did not recognise her as disabled and therefore did not treat her in accordance with the Equality Act.

Miss Robinson sued for harassment in relation to the remark made by Mr Ferrie, among others.

Employment judge Mr Partington deemed the comment to be unwanted conduct, saying: 'We were not persuaded by [Mr Ferrie's] evidence that saying this provided a way into the conversation or was in some way to acknowledge the guilt [Miss Robinson] might be feeling about her absence.

'We find this statement to be unsympathetic and unnecessary and that it had the effect of violating [Miss Robinson's] dignity or creating a hostile, degrading or offensive environment.

'Again, Miss Robinson's account of her reaction at the time we find to be genuine in light of the evidence of [Mr Ferrie] which noted [Miss Robinson's] distress, and that it prompted [Miss Robinson] to follow up in writing where she described the comments as 'extremely disrespectful' and 'disgusting'.

'We find that it was reasonable for [Miss Robinson] to have that perception given the nature of the language used and the circumstances in which it was used - namely [Miss Robinson's] absence arising from her disabilities.'

Miss Robinson won a claim of harassment in relation to this remark, the comment made by her headteacher, and the fact that six people attended the June 2021 meeting on behalf of the trust.

She also won claims for unfavourable treatment arising from disability.

The tribunal recommended that the trust implements disability awareness training for its management staff.

The teacher has been awarded 137,112 in compensation.

Other claims made by Miss Robinson were dismissed.
A horrifying scheme to find people willing to kill ICE agents for $10,000 a head has been disrupted, as authorities arrested a man in Texas.

Eduardo Aguilar, 23, has been arrested by federal agents in Dallas after he allegedly tried to recruit would-be assassins via TikTok, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.

The US Attorney's office in the Northern District of Texas released the image of the TikTok posted they claim was made by Aguilar.

'I need 10 dudes in Dallas with determination (guts) who arent afraid to [two skull emojis],' the illegal immigrant from Mexico posted online on Oct. 9.

Skull emojis are believed to represent death, the US Attorney's office said.

'Offering 10K for each ICE agent,' the post continued.

The TikTok plot was hatched just two weeks after a shooter opened fire at Dallas' ICE facility, killing two migrants in federal custody, although the intended targets were agents.

Additionally, Trump officials claim Mexican cartels have set $50,000 bounties to murder federal agents taking part in the administration's controversial immigration raids in Chicago.

Federal prosecutors released this image of an alleged plot to recruit people to kill ICE agents via TikTok. The post was made Oct. 9 in Dallas, Texas, the US Attorney's office stated

Federal agents in Chicago clash with protestors on the city's east side on Oct. 14

The White House claims that threats against federal agents, including ICE and all the other agencies, helping to carry out its planned mass deportations, are up 1,000%.

A US Border Patrol agent was killed earlier this year during a traffic stop in Vermont.

Swanton Sector Border Patrol agent David Maland, 44, was killed when the passengers of a car started firing at him when he stopped them about 20 miles from the US-Canada border on January 20.

The suspected shooters have been identified as Teresa Youngblut, 21, of Washington and Felix Bauckholt - a German national who was shot dead at the scene.

But prosecutors believe the Vermont shooting was not an isolated incident- tying Youngblut to a double homicide in Pennsylvania and a fatal stabbing in California.

Federal prosecutors in Texas did not reveal whether Aguilar was successful in recruiting anyone online.

However, the migrant did make an initial appear in court Wednesday.

A man who opened fire at an ICE facility in Dallas, killing two detainees, has been named by officials as 28-year-old Joshua Jahn

A massive police response was seen outside the Dallas ICE facility after a shooter opened fire on Sept. 24. Four migrants were shot, two were killed, although the intended targets were federal agents

FBI Director Kash Patel shared an image of the bullets used in the Dallas shooting suspect, reading: 'Anti-ICE'

Federal agents patrol the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on October 15, 2025 in New York City. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and other federal agencies continue to make detainments in immigration courts as people attend their court hearings

US Border Patrol agents keep watch as people protest outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Broadview facility in Chicago, Illinois on October 3

'Threats against our law enforcement officers are completely unacceptable,' said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson.

'All threats against our agents and officers will be investigated thoroughly, and anyone who threatens or puts a bounty on agents will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.'

Aguilar could be sentenced to up to five years in prison if he's found guilty.
Police are searching for a terrifying trio who wore Halloween masks while trying to break into a Virginia home.

Disturbing doorbell footage captured the group taunting the family inside at around 10pm ET Tuesday in Alexandria, just a few miles south of Washington, DC.

One figure wore a Michael Myers mask from the slasher film franchise Halloween, while the others dressed as a distorted clown and a nun.

The group stood in front of the home and made threatening gestures, such as running their hands across their throat, while shouting, 'It's your worst nightmare!'

'Open the door!' one voice said. 'It's either you coming out or we coming in,' added another.

The homeowner's daughter, Shayla, told WUSA she was staying with her mother because her father had recently passed away.

'At first I thought it was just a Halloween joke, a little prank,' she said. 'So I said, "Happy Halloween."'

However, she quickly realized it was not a group of jokesters as they doubled down on their threats.

Police are searching for a terrifying trio who taunted a family inside their Alexandria, Virginia home on Tuesday night

The group stood in front of the home and made threatening gestures, such as running their hands across their throat

'They kept knocking on the door,' Shayla said. 'The knocks would get harder and harder.

'It's not even a joke gone wrong. They tried to enter into the home. My heart dropped when they said they were gonna take a chair and break down the door.'

Despite calling 911 and announcing that the cops were on their way, Shayla said the group tried to enter through the back of the house.

'This whole thing they broke down, as you can tell, they hopped up on here and went through there,' she said, while indicating their movements.

'It could have been bad. Our Second Amendment right was not used and could have been, like being very transparent.'

Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire announced on Thursday that his department has launched a criminal investigation into the ordeal.

'This is a very serious matter. They began to make threatening and alarming comments to the family,' McGuire said.

'Specifically, they said, "If you do not come out, we will come in," and also threatened to do bodily harm, stating that they would ultimately kill them.'

One figure wore a Michael Myers mask from the slasher film franchise Halloween (pictured). The group shouted several threatening messages including, 'It's your worst nightmare!'

Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire announced that the people in the terrifying footage could face criminal charges

The homeowner's daughter, Shayla (pictured), said she was staying with her mother on the horrifying night because he father had recently passed away

Police believe the group may have fled in a vehicle and are analyzing additional video footage from neighboring homes and businesses.

McGuire said the suspects could face charges including burglary and making criminal threats.

'They attempted to enter a residence, and under Virginia state law, that constitutes burglary,' he said.

'It's a warning to people: do not go up to people's doors, make threats, advance their doorways, and play with their lives, because it ultimately can end up in a dangerous event.'

The police chief noted that incidents like this can escalate quickly, especially during the Halloween season.

'Historically, we have seen pranks around the nation with people wearing masks, trying to mimic movie scenes or horrific films,' he said.

'These are serious matters because they are frightening, but most importantly, they can result in serious injury.'

He warned bad actors that residents have the legal right to defend themselves and encouraged the trio to come forward.

'If you are the one that engaged in this type of behavior, we're actively searching for you,' McGuire said.

'If it was someone young, I encourage parents to come forward. It is better to address this voluntarily than wait for us to make an arrest.'
A network TV writer fired back at Keira Knightley after the actress brushed off criticism of author J.K. Rowling's controversial opinions about the trans community.

Jill Weinberger slammed the actress and said she 'cares so little about trans people'.

Weinberger is credited for popular shows NCIS, Chicago Fire, Station 19, and Leverage: Redemption.

She was responding to a now viral clip of Knightley where she was asked about fans calling for a boycott of the Harry Potter audiobook due to Rowling's anti-trans views.

The actress, who voices the role of Professor Dolores Umbridge in the forthcoming series, said she was 'not aware' of the controversy' followed by an awkward laugh.

'I think we're all living in a period of time right now. We're all going to have to figure out how to live together, aren't we,' Knightley responded.

'We've all got very different opinions. So I hope we can all find respect.'

But her answer was deemed lackluster by Weinberger who took to social media app Bluesky to slam the remarks.

TV Writer Jill Weinberger (pictured) called out actress Keira Knightley and said she 'cares so little' about trans people

Keira Knightley was asked about J.K. Rowling's outspoke dissent for the trans community while being interviewed for her new movie The Woman in Cabin 10

'Keira Knightley cares so little about trans people that she couldn't even be bothered to prep an answer about working w/ Rowling & just seemed very angry to be asked,' the writer said.

'And no, I don't believe that she didn't know. Come on.'

Rowling has been an open dissenter of trans rights for years and has faced an intense backlash over her outspoken beliefs.

Earlier this month the author wrote on X, 'A woman is someone who doesn't need to put in any work to become a woman, because she's already a woman.'

In May she posted that 'nobody sane believes, or has ever believed, that humans can change sex, or that binary sex isn't a material fact.'

By contrast Weinberger is an outspoken advocate for the trans community.

Her social media bio reads, 'TERFs, racists, anti-Semites, homophobes, etc. - this is not the feed you're looking for.'

Commenters under Weinberger's post seemed to agree with her assessment.

Knightley was asked about the controversy during a press junket for her latest project

Fans have chosen to boycott JK Rowling's new Harry Potter audiobooks because of her anti-trans views

'I've never been impressed with Keira Knightley, and this just solidifies that opinion,' wrote one commenter.

'Maybe not "very angry"? BUT entirely disingenuous and deceitful,' another said.

'Were all going to have to figure out how to live together, arent we? she said, without a trace of self-awareness,' a third added said.

However some defended Knightley on Decider's video saying: 'Big ups to Keira Knightley for not getting baited by this interviewer.

'It's about time people were able to take on projects or work without having to worry about being cancelled because of someone else's views.'

'Good for her! Just ignore the noise, everyone's trying to cancel everyone. She's right, just get along!,' another added.

Knightley recorded the audiobooks alongside a star studded cast including James McAvoy, Leo Woodall, and Kit Harrington.

The series will begin to roll out November 4, 2025 with the final book released on May 12, 2026.

Daily Mail has reached out to Knightley, Rowling and Weinberger for comment.
A cafe owner has been told to remove a Union Flag mural painted onto the outside wall of her business - following a single complaint that it amounted to a 'racial slur'.

The red, white and blue flag with a picture of a lion, as well as an image of the St George's Cross flag are believed to have triggered an anonymous complaint to New Forest District Council.

Officials then contacted Nina Stevenson to inform her that both images breached advertising planning rules.

She was given the choice of either removing them or applying for planning permission to keep them.

As a gesture of goodwill, the shop owner replaced the image of the lion for just a Union Flag - however this was still considered a breach of the rules.

Nina, 52, pointed out that two other picture signs below the offending images had been in place for four years without any issue. They show a hungry customer and a shark sharing a giant baguette.

Nina, who runs Cookie Corner in New Milton, Hampshire, said: 'The council called me and said I needed planning permission for any picture on the side of my building.

'I told them I have had the picture of a shark eating a baguette for four years and they have never had an issue with that.

Cafe owner Nina Stevenson has been told to remove a Union Flag mural painted onto the outside wall of her business - following a single complaint that it amounted to a 'racial slur'

As a gesture of goodwill, the shop owner replaced the image of the lion for just a Union Flag - however this was still considered a breach of the rules

'[The official] said that hadn't been brought to their attention before and that any pictures on the side of the wall had to have planning permission.

'She said a complaint had been made.

'We have the same picture of the lion and Union Jack on our sandwich van that drives around industrial estates.

'One woman recently told our driver that it was a racial slur, I bet it is the same person who has complained now.

'It is utterly ridiculous. I am proud to be British. This is our country's flag, it should be celebrated, not censored.

'I am not giving in and I won't take them down or remove them. They will have to take me to court. I know I am in the right.

'We have been here for 24 years. I can't believe we have reached this point.'

The four images appear in filled-in windows to the side of the sandwich shop and were created by a professional signwriter.

Ms Stevenson was given the choice of either removing the images or applying for planning permission to keep them

In an email to Nina, a planning enforcement officer at New Forest District Council told her the two lower adverts of the shark and a baguette may be fine as they refer to activity at the premises.

But the upper two patriotic images do not.

They added: 'To rectify this breach of advertising consent the adverts can either be removed or a planning application should be submitted.'

In a statement New Forest District Council said: 'Following a complaint received from a member of the public, we investigated and found that two advertisements were being displayed, consisting of adhesive vinyl applied externally to ground floor windows of a business premises.

'These advertisements do not fall within the parameters of deemed consent under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 and were therefore unauthorised.

'In accordance with our Local Enforcement Plan, the proprietor was requested to remove the unauthorised advertisements or seek advertisement consent retrospectively for their continued display.'

The incident comes amid numerous Union and St George's flags being displayed outside buildings, hung from lampposts and even painted onto roundabouts amid the so-called Operation Raise the Colours campaign.

Supporters say the flags represent patriotism to Britain, but critics argue the campaign is divisive and anti-immigrant.
A former teacher has been banned from returning to the profession after she exchanged thousands of messages with a 15-year-old pupil and met up with him on several occasions.

It was also revealed that the teenager had sent the teacher an explicit image of himself as well as a message containing pornography.

Rebecca Whitehurst, a former languages teacher at Wellacre Academy in Urmston, was cleared of all charges of sexual relations with a pupil in July 2022 after a jury at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court found her teenage accuser had faked incriminating WhatsApp messages and lied about sexual encounters.

But now, three years on, the 49-year-old has been given a ban from teaching over the same incident.

A panel assembled by the government's Teaching Regulation Agency ruled in September that while innocent and initially well-intentioned, the parts of the relationship between Ms Whitehurst and the pupil that were agreed to be true amounted to serious professional misconduct.

The panel found that the mother-of-two, from Lymm, had shared her personal phone number with the pupil, exchanged messages, met him outside of school, received gifts from him, received an explicit image of the pupil and on one occasion received pornographic images from him.

In a report published this month, the panel decision maker, Sarah Buxcey, said: 'The panel was concerned about the nature and extent of the communication between Ms Whitehurst and Pupil A.

'The evidence included almost 1,000 pages of messages exchanged between Ms Whitehurst and Pupil A over a few days in August 2019. The language and tone of these messages was suggestive of a deeply personal relationship between them which was wholly inappropriate between a teacher and a pupil.'

Rebecca Whitehurst, 49 (pictured) was cleared in 2022 of all charges of sexual relations, but has now been given a ban from teaching over the same incident

The panel found that Rebecca (pictured) had exchanged thousands of messages with the 15-year-old pupil and had met up with him on several occasions

The misconduct hearing heard how Ms Whitehurst notified the school that she had been communicating with Pupil A via their personal mobile phones and over social media on September 17, 2019.

She explained that she had obtained his phone number on a school trip and disclosed that he had sent her inappropriate or indecent images of himself.

She said she had met him a couple of times outside school and then confirmed this had happened on eight occasions.

On three consecutive days in August 2019, Ms Whitehurst and Pupil A had exchanged a number of messages on social media, including messages in which he expressed suicidal thoughts.

She did not report those messages to the school or any external safeguarding authority.

The panel issued an indefinite ban on Ms Whitehurst working in the teaching profession - meaning she cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.

But she will be able to apply for her prohibition order to be reviewed after five years.

Ms Buxcey continued: 'The panel considered that Ms Whitehurst's conduct could potentially damage the public's perception of a teacher, given the seriousness of her conduct and the risk of harm it presented to a vulnerable child.

'The panel was satisfied that Ms Whitehurst did not target Pupil A for attention at the outset and that her breach of professional boundaries started from a desire to help him.

'Ms Whitehurst was aware that Pupil A had particular vulnerabilities before exchanging personal contact details and entering into a relationship with him that breached professional boundaries.

'The conduct took place over a considerable period of time between March and September 2019. It was not an isolated incident.

'The panel considered that over this period there were lots of opportunities for Ms Whitehurst to step away from the situation and seek appropriate help.

'Even accepting Ms Whitehurst's account that she did not request indecent images from Pupil A and that she deleted them immediately after she received them, she did not report receiving them or take any effective action to prevent Pupil A from continuing to send them to her.

'Ms Whitehurst was fully trained in safeguarding and would have been very well aware of the risks of not following.

'This resulted in significant risk of harm to Pupil A, and to Ms Whitehurst and others around her. This harm materialised in that Pupil A exhibited signs of distress as a result of the events flowing from her breach of professional boundaries.

'For these reasons, the panel was satisfied that the conduct of Mrs Whitehurst amounted to misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.'
Eight people have pleaded not guilty to causing more than 1 million of damage at a Kent factory allegedly targeted by the now-banned protest group Palestine Action.

Activists allegedly filmed themselves breaking into Instro Precision in Sandwich in the early hours of June 17, 2024, throwing stock to the ground and smashing computers with a crowbar.

It is alleged they caused 1.4 million in damages to weapons manufactured inside the site, which is owned by Israel-based Elbit Systems.

The factory produces military-grade electro-optical equipment, used for target acquisition and surveillance.

It also manufactures XACT nv33 Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) for the British Army as part of a contract awarded by the UK Ministry of Defence to the company in 2021.

The intruders cut through three layers of fencing to break into the site.

On Friday, a group of nine appeared at the Old Bailey for a plea hearing before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb.

All but one of the defendants pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal damage to property, aggravated burglary with intent, and violent disorder.

Eight people have pleaded not guilty to causing 1 million of damage at a Kent factory allegedly targeted by the now-banned protest group Palestine Action. Pictured: Protesters outside the Old Bailey gather in support of the defendants

Activists allegedly filmed themselves breaking into Instro Precision in Sandwich in the early hours of June 17, 2024, throwing stock to the ground and smashing computers with a crowbar. Pictured: Protesters outside the Old Bailey on Friday

They are: Nasser Akhtar, 37, of Crystal Palace; Elliot Wilson, 25 from Liverpool; Maximillian Dixon, 29, of Brockley, south-east London; Nirad Abrol, 25, of Birmingham; Seirol Davies, 30, from Plymouth; Xavi Davies, 21, of Binfield, Berkshire; Eoin O'Meara, 34 of Bristol, Hannah Davidson, 52, of Edinburgh.

A ninth defendant, Julija Brigadirova, 32, from Manchester, was not asked to enter pleas to the same charges.

The charge alleges that on June 17, 2024 they 'without lawful excuse destroyed or damaged property to a value estimated to be over 1 million belonging to Instro Precision Limited, Discovery Park, Sandwich, Kent, intending to destroy or damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be destroyed or damaged'.

On the same date it is alleged the defendants trespassed on Instro Precision Limited 'with intent to do unlawful damage to the said building or anything therein and at the time of committing the said burglary had with you a weapon of offence'.

It is further alleged on June 6 last year they 'threatened unlawful violence' that would 'cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for his or her personal safety'.

Prosecutor Anne Whyte KC said video evidence will be played at trial.

All but one of the defendants pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal damage to property, aggravated burglary with intent, and violent disorder. Pictured: Protesters outside the Old Bailey on Friday

The defendants face an eight-week trial from October 5, 2026 at the Old Bailey.

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb adjourned the preparatory hearing until February 13.

All the defendants are on bail except Davidson and Brigadirova who appeared by videolink from prison.

Their bail conditions include surrendering their passport, having no contact with each other or any member of Palestine Action, a curfew from midnight to 6am, not travelling outside of the country and to sign on at a police station every week.
A 'predatory' Catholic school teacher has been jailed after grooming and sexually assaulting three teenage girls - and telling one of them 'I'm old enough to be your dad'.

Disgraced English teacher Leo Norman, 46, preyed on vulnerable pupils over a five-year period, touching and 'caressing' them in classrooms and corridors at St Anne's Catholic School in Southampton, Hampshire.

The court heard how the married teacher wrote poems for his victims, let them sit on his lap and showered them with compliments and 'little soft touches'.

One girl said Norman made her feel like a 'siren' and convinced her it was her 'fault' that he was attracted to her.

Another told how the English and media teacher used after-school study sessions to touch her inappropriately - once pulling her into his chest and saying: 'I know you fancy me I'm old enough to be your dad.'

Norman was regarded as 'down to earth' by pupils, but behind his friendly image he exploited his position of trust to target girls who were struggling or looking for support.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard that one victim even claimed adults at the school 'knew what he was doing and didn't step in to protect me or others'.

Norman admitted three charges of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust and was jailed for 14 months.

Disgraced English teacher Leo Norman, 46, preyed on vulnerable pupils over a five-year period, touching and 'caressing' them in classrooms and corridors at St Anne's Catholic School in Southampton, Hampshire

The offences took place between 2014 and 2019 against three teenage girls at St Anne's Catholic School.

Christopher Hewertson, prosecuting, said one of his victims was a sixth former who would visit Norman to seek help on her assessments and coursework, it was heard.

At the time, she was going through 'difficulty in her life' and the teacher would be 'extremely welcoming'.

On one occasion, Norman would place his foot over hers leaving her wondering 'how on earth she could put a stop to it'.

On another, Norman asked the girl to sit on his lap in a private room. He then placed one hand on her hip and used the other to 'caress her thigh'.

The teacher also gave the teenager a book called On Chesil Beach by British writer Ian McEwan, which was said to focus closely on sexual relations and was 'in parts very explicit'.

The second victim, who was in year 11 at the time, was in Norman's English literature class when the offending occurred.

It was heard the teenager opened up to Norman and when she told him she thought that 'no one liked her', he responded and said: 'You should never think like that. You're really attractive.'

It was heard that the victim was falling behind on her coursework for GCSE and arrangements would be made for him to see her after school.

During these after-school sessions, Norman would rest his hand on her knee and rest his knee against hers.

She described these incidents as 'little soft touches'.

On one occasion, after a school event, Norman invited the student into his office and then told her: 'I know you fancy me.'

The victim, who said she was 'shaking' at the time, said Norman then pulled her into his chest in what the prosecutor described as a 'sexually improper embrace'.

Norman then asked her how she could fancy him, adding, 'I'm old enough to be your dad'.

Afterwards, Norman apologised and told her to 'please forget I said anything'.

The third victim was also finishing her GCSEs at the time of the offending.

The court heard how the married teacher wrote poems for his victims, let them sit on his lap and showered them with compliments and 'little soft touches'. Pictured outside court today

The court heard that on one occasion, she was crying about her exams and he touched her face, telling her 'you look so beautiful when you cry'.

During a school event, he stole the teenager's shoe and ran off into the men's toilet. When she didn't follow him in, he left the toilet and said 'oh, boring'.

The court heard that at one point, the pair met up outside of school and Norman had tried to kiss her.

While this did not occur, he did touch her bottom. The victim said she felt 'completely weirded out'.

It was heard Norman was regarded as a 'down to earth' by pupils at school and 'would occasionally swear and talk about sex in a casual way'.

In a powerful victim impact statement read directly to the court, his first victim said: '[Norman] made me believe he was a teacher I could trust and turn to however I was very wrong.

'He abused his position in order to abuse me. During my time at St Anne's Catholic school, adults knew what he was doing and didn't step in to protect me or others.'

The victim said she was 'warned to stay away from Norman', adding: 'He was in the wrong. He was the teacher and I was the student.

'I was made to feel that I played a part in his depravity but only in adulthood did I know it was all him. No one thought to protect me or anyone else. I had to protect myself and remove Leo Norman from life.'

She told the court that Norman had written a poem for her and said it was 'clear' that he wanted to have sex with her.

She added: 'I was not a siren, I was a child. Leo Norman should not have been able to do what he did and get away with it...for as long as he had.

'He made me believe that I had lured him in and that it was my fault that he was attracted to me. I was not a siren to Leo Norman - I was his student and a child.'

Another one of his victims said she was in a 'vulnerable' place when the offending started, adding: 'People told me to talk to you because everyone knew you as a trusted teacher at the school who was... down to earth and caring.

'You have impacted my life significantly, to the point where I have recurring nightmares about situations you put me in.

'I feel you have stolen a part of my childhood innocence which I will never get back.'

Graham Gilbert, mitigating, said that Norman - who has no previous convictions - was 'unsuitable to be a teacher' and was 'emotionally immature'.

He said former teacher has shown 'remorse' and is a 'man who knows what he did was wrong'.

His Honour Judge Daniel Sawyer sentenced Norman to 14 months in jail.

Sentencing him, he said: 'Teaching is a privilege. It's a role that allows you to be a role model, an inspiration, a support, a guide, and someone who can be looked back on in adult life as a force for good.

'You, by your conduct, have undermined all of that because when faced with those three vulnerable girls... you took advantage of their trust. The impact that it both shocking and entirely predictable. You are undoubtedly a risk to teenage girls.'

Other teachers at St Anne's Catholic School have been charged with historic sexual abuse however their cases have not yet been heard.
Rachel Reeves has warned Labour MPs she's ready for a fresh battle over welfare reforms despite the Government's humiliating climbdown earlier this year.

The Chancellor told her party they 'can't leave welfare untouched', adding: 'We can't get to the end of this Parliamentary session and I've done nothing, basically.'

She said, without changes, that Britain's benefits bill would continue to soar and leave less money for the NHS and schools, while forcing her to raise taxes even further.

In an interview with Channel 4 News, Ms Reeves also said her 'discipline' on spending makes her the right person to be Chancellor.

She suggested this was backed up by the turmoil in financial markets that was seen when she openly wept in the House of Commons in July.

At the time, analysts said the cause of the markets reaction was frenzied speculation about Ms Reeves' future that had been sparked by the scenes of her upset.

The Chancellor later said she had been dealing with a 'personal issue', but it also came shortly after she and Sir Keir Starmer had been forced to abandon most of their efforts to cut welfare spending.

In the face of a major revolt by Labour MPs, Ms Reeves and the Prime Minister ditched proposed restrictions to Personal Independence Payment - the main disability payment in England - until after a review.

The Chancellor and Sir Keir were instead left to push through slimmed-down legislation in the Commons.

Rachel Reeves has warned Labour MPs she's ready for a fresh battle over welfare reforms despite the Government's humiliating climbdown earlier this year

In a TV interview, the Chancellor also spoke about how she was seen visibly weeping during Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons at the beginning of July

In the Channel 4 News interview, Ms Reves insisted even those MPs that opposed the Government's now-abandoned benefits cuts 'recognise that the welfare system is not working'.

'It's not doing enough to protect the most vulnerable, it's not enough to help people that want to work into work, it's clearly not working for taxpayers either,' she said.

'But you know we've now committed to doing reform in a different way, but we can't leave welfare untouched.

'We can't get to the end of this Parliamentary session and I've done nothing, basically.

'Because if more and more of our money that we spend as a government is spent on welfare, you've got less for the NHS, you've got less on schools and you have to put more on people's taxes.

'I'm not prepared to do that and Labour MPs don't want to do either. But we have to do reform in the right way and take people with us.'

Ms Reeves also spoke about how she was seen visibly weeping during Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons at the beginning of July.

Asked if she felt 'vindicated' by the market response at the time, she said: 'I've always felt that at 12 o'clock on a Wednesday, my job is to sit next to the Prime Minister during PMQs.

'That was not a good day. People saw that. Other people have bad days at work. They're not on national television when it happens. They might go and find a quiet spot to be upset.'

Analysts suggested that the negative market reaction to Ms Reeves weeping reflected concerns that, if she left her job, then control over the Government's finances would weaken.

Asked if the episode had helped her win the argument on fiscal discipline, she replied: 'I think increasingly people recognise the difficult job that I have as Chancellor.

'And that you can't just keep making more demands because you've got to make sure that the money is there to pay for things.

'And, you know, the market said very clearly that they want that discipline in economic and fiscal policy making.

'I offer that discipline, and I think my colleagues - and actually the country - saw the pressure that we are under to make sure the numbers do add up because it is the right thing to do by our country.'
A TikTok influencer who murdered her mother's toyboy lover and his friend in a high-speed car chase should have her sentence reduced, a court has heard.

Mahek Bukhari was jailed for a minimum of 31 years in September 2023 after she recruited 'followers' to 'jump' Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin before their deaths in February 2022.

Her mother, Ansreen, was also convicted and imprisoned for at least 26 years for plotting to kill Mr Hussain - after he blackmailed her and threatened to expose their three-year affair to her son and husband.

Mr Hussain had threatened to release sexually explicit material of Ansreen if she did not pay him the 3,000 he claimed to have spent on her during their secret romance, jurors at Leicester Crown Court heard during their trial.

Prosecutors said Mr Hussain and Mr Ijazuddin, both 21 and from Banbury in Oxfordshire, were 'lured' to 'one last meeting' with the Bukharis in a Tesco car park in Hamilton, Leicester, under the pretence of returning the money.

But the Bukharis and others - who were also convicted - ambushed the pair, pursuing Mr Ijazuddin's Skoda along the A46 in two vehicles and deliberately ramming them off the road before they exploded in a fireball, the trial heard.

At the Court of Appeal today, barristers argued that Mahek's sentence should be reduced as it did not reflect that Mr Hussain had demonstrated 'controlling behaviour' towards her mother in the hours before the killing.

Christopher Millington KC said this had left Mahek - who was 24 at the time of her sentencing - with a 'wholly disproportionate' sentence.

Mahek Bukhari (right) and her mother Ansreen (left) are pictured at Leicester Crown Court in April 2023

Mahek (right) had more than 135,000 followers on TikTok and had amassed more than 3million likes on her videos, on which her mother (left) would regularly feature

Mr Millington said Mr Hussain had threatened to release the sexually explicit material at 'the end of a very long series' of intimidating messages, which had a 'direct evidential bearing' on their decision to travel to Leicester to meet them.

He added: 'None of this, we submit, was reflected in the fixing of the minimum term as it should have been.'

Mr Millington also said that the killing was 'heat of the moment, rather than cold-blooded murder'.

He continued: 'There was a plan, but it was not a plan to kill Saqib, or anyone else. It plainly involved the real possibility of violence, beating up perhaps, it was never considered to be a plan to kill or cause really serious bodily injury.'

Mr Millington told the hearing in London that Mahek's age and 'lack of maturity' also should have led to a shorter sentence.

He concluded: 'One has been left with a term that is wholly disproportionate.'

After the car chase began, Mr Hussain told police in a 999 call moments before his death that his and Mr Ijazuddin's car was being 'rammed off the road' by assailants.

Analysis by forensic collision investigators showed that one of the cars involved in the chase reached speeds of up to 100mph.

Barristers for Mahek (above) have argued that her minimum 31-year sentence is 'wholly disproportionate'

Ansreen (left) was convicted and imprisoned for at least 26 years for plotting to kill Mr Hussain - after he blackmailed her and threatened to expose their affair to her son and husband

When sentencing, Judge Timothy Spencer KC told Mahek that her 'tawdry fame' through her career as an influencer made her 'utterly self-obsessed with a wholly unjustified sense of entitlement'.

At one point she had more than 135,000 followers on TikTok and had amassed more than 3million likes on her videos, on which her mother would regularly feature.

The mother and daughter both denied two counts of murder and two counts of manslaughter, but they were found guilty of double murder following a three-month trial.

Two others were also convicted of the murders, with a further three found guilty of two counts of manslaughter.

Collingwood Thompson KC, for the Crown Prosecution Service, acknowledged at the hearing today that blackmail by Mr Hussain 'undoubtedly existed' and was 'relevant', but that the sentence should not be reduced.

He said: 'The fact is that the appellant did contemplate with her mother going to the police, and if they had gone to the police, none of this would have happened.

'A conscious decision was made not to go to the police and deal with it in that way, and deal with it another way.'

He concluded: 'This was a tough sentence, but it was not manifestly excessive.'

Lord Justice Warby, Mr Justice Lavender and Judge Sylvia De Bertodano will give their judgment in writing at a later date.
A judge will decide 'at a later date' whether a council will be allowed to block asylum seekers from being housed in an Essex hotel that became the focal point of protests and violent demonstrations over the summer.

Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) is taking legal action against Somani Hotels, which owns the Bell Hotel in Epping, claiming that accommodating asylum seekers there breaches planning rules.

The company opposes the claim, with its barristers telling a hearing in London that the move does not constitute a 'material change of use'.

And the Home Office is intervening in the case, telling the court the council's bid for a High Court injunction is 'misconceived'.

Mr Justice Mould said at the conclusion of a three-day hearing on Friday that he will give his ruling in writing - at a later date.

He said: 'I, of course, appreciate that it is in everybody's interests that I give my decision as soon as I can, and that is what I aim to do.'

The judge said on Thursday that it was 'highly regrettable and totally unacceptable' that some witnesses in the case had received threats since the council began legal action in August.

Jenny Wigley KC, for Somani Hotels, said one member of staff had received 'very serious threats' and had to temporarily move out of their home.

A judge will decide 'at a later date' whether Epping Forest District Council will be allowed to block asylum seekers from being housed in the Bell Hotel, Essex

Epping Forest District Council is taking legal action against Somani Hotels, which owns the Bell Hotel in Epping, claiming that accommodating asylum seekers there breaches planning rules

The hotel became the focal point of protests and violent demonstrations over the summer

Mr Justice Mould said: 'What we are dealing with here is a planning matter.

'It is a matter that raises, understandably, quite strong emotions, but we are in the field of planning control, and really, people ought to be able to divide, discuss and disagree about matters.'

The Bell has been used to house single adult males since April, with barristers for the Home Office telling the court on Friday that it currently houses around 95 people.

It first housed asylum seekers from May 2020 to March 2021 and accommodated single adult males from October 2022 to April 2024, with the council taking no enforcement action.

Barristers for Somani Hotels previously told the High Court that the company applied for planning permission for a 'temporary change of use' in February 2023, but later withdrew the application as it had not been determined by April 2024.

The Bell was at the centre of a political malestrom this summer after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Epping in July.

EFDC was then granted a temporary injunction in mid-August but this was overturned at the Court of Appeal later that month.

Philip Coppel KC, for the council, said in written submissions for the latest hearing that the use of the Bell Hotel to house asylum seekers had caused 'increasingly regular protests' and left residents 'increasingly fearful'.

The Bell was at the centre of a political malestrom this summer after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Epping in July

He said: 'Quartering asylum seekers in the Bell Hotel is not 'use as a hotel'.

'It is a material change in the character of the use of the Bell Hotel, and it is one that is having a significant adverse impact, both visual and otherwise, on the amenity of those living, working, visiting and otherwise in the area.

'EFDC has properly concluded that it is necessary and expedient for this breach of planning control to be restrained by an injunction.'

Ms Wigley said in written arguments that an injunction was an 'exceptional last resort'.

She said: 'In this case, there has been no abuse of the system, persistent or otherwise, and no conventional enforcement action of any kind has been tried.

'Nor is there any reason to believe that conventional enforcement action, if taken, would not succeed in dealing with the breach if proven.'

James Strachan KC, for the Home Office, said in written submissions that the closure of hotels as asylum seeker accommodation 'requires a structured response'.

He said bids by individual councils 'ignore the obvious consequence that closure of one site means that capacity then needs to be identified elsewhere in the system'.

The Bell has been used to house single adult males since April, with barristers for the Home Office telling the court on Friday that it currently houses around 95 people. Pictured: Demonstrators march towards the hotel during protests in August

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an Ethiopian national who arrived in the UK on a small boat days before sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Epping, was jailed for 12 months in September.

A second asylum seeker who was a resident at the hotel, Syrian national Mohammed Sharwarq, was also jailed for 16 weeks last month after admitting assaulting two fellow residents and two members of staff at the site.

Several others were also charged with offences related to demonstrations outside the hotel.

Currently, there are about 32,000 asylum seekers still housed in hotels nationally.

Former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper had vowed to overhaul the asylum system in a bid to cut down the number of migrants staying in hotels while they wait to find out whether or not they will be deported.

At the moment, it takes on average just over a year for an appeal to be heard - with 51,000 cases still awaiting a decision.

During this time, failed asylum seekers are accommodated at the taxpayer's expense.

A report by government spending watchdog the National Audit Office earlier this year warned the cost of asylum hotel contracts had ballooned from a predicted 4.5billion to 15.3billion over ten years.

During 2024/2025, Britain spent about 108million a month on housing migrants in hotels.

The Home Office said: 'At its peak, less than two years ago, there were 400 asylum hotels in use at a cost of almost 9million a day.

'We have taken urgent action over the past year to fix that system, doubling the rate of asylum decision-making, and reducing the amount of money spent on asylum hotels by almost a billion pounds.'
Two Ukrainian men have denied plotting arson attacks on properties linked to Sir Keir Starmer.

Roman Lavrynovych, 21, and Petro Pochynok, 35, are accused of targeting two homes and a car alongside a third defendant, Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 27.

Two of the fires took place in Kentish Town, north London  one in the early hours of May 12 at the home where Sir Keir lived before becoming Prime Minister, and another four days earlier, on May 8, when a car was set alight on the same street.

A third blaze is said to have been started on May 11 at the front door of a house converted into flats in Islington.

A Toyota RAV4 once owned by the PM, and later sold to a neighbour, was also set alight on the same street four days earlier, on May 8.

Today, the defendants appeared at the Old Bailey by videolink from Belmarsh prison before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb.

Lavrynovych, described as an aspiring model, and Pochynok pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life between April 1 and May 13.

The charge alleges that the defendants, 'together with others'conspired to damage by fire property 'belonging to another and intending to endanger the life of another or being reckless as to the life of another would thereby be endangered'.

The dark blue Toyota Rav 4 engulfed in flames as firefighters fought the blaze on May 8

Drawing of Stanislav Carpiuc, appearing via videolink at court today

Ukrainian national Petro Pochynok, 34, who previously appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court

Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Roman Lavrynovych, appearing via videolink at the Old Bailey

Carpiuc was not asked to enter his plea to the same charge.

The prosecution indicated that the case was not being treated as having a terrorist connection.

Prosecutor Sarah Przybylsk told the court two defence statements had 'not been served yet' and are due by November 7.

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said the circumstances of the alleged offences were 'somewhat opaque', adding: 'Plainly they are co-ordinated and must have some motive or purpose behind them.'

Carpiuc, who studied business at Canterbury Christ Church University, had written on a modelling website that he wanted to be the 'top male model in the world'. He has since been working in construction and living in Romford, east London.

Lavrynovych, a roofer from Sydenham, is said to have bought fuel from B&Q days before allegedly carrying out the attacks.

The three defendants were remanded in custody.

A provisional trial has already been set for April 27 next year in front of a High Court judge.

A further hearing in the case will take place on November 28.

Lavrynovych, of Lewisham, south-east London, Carpiuc, from Romford, east London, and Pochynok, of Islington, north London, were assisted by interpreters in court.
When three Scottish mothers met on Mumsnet eight years ago, they could never have imagined their late-night forum posts would lead to the Supreme Court.

Still less could they have predicted their fight with the Scottish Government over the legal meaning of woman would catch the attention of TV producers  and the journalist behind Mr Bates vs The Post Office.

Nick Wallis, the investigative reporter who exposed the scandal and was a consultant on the award-winning drama, believes the story of For Women Scotland (FWS) lends itself to a TV drama.

He said this gender story is even bigger than the Post Office scandal, adding: 'I know a bit about what's been happening in TV land with regard to this story and I have to be careful what I say.

'Unlike the horizon is robust mantra, which relied on a complex knowledge of an IT system, this is an argument about foundational truths of meaning, sex, gender, language and understanding and logic.



'From Mumsnet to the Supreme Court, there is a story arc of three women aided by Sex Matters but three women on an extra ordinary journey.'



Trina Budge, a farmer from Caithness, Marion Calder, an NHS administrator, and Susan Smith, a former financial adviser from Edinburgh, were united by a shared unease over proposed laws which they believed eroded womens rights in the name of gender ideology.

Susan Smith and Marion Calder, of For Women Scotland, celebrate after their extraordinary court room victory against the Scottish Government earlier this year

The story of For Women Scotland lends itself to a television drama like Mr Bates vs the Post Office, investigative reporter Nick Wallis said

Under the name For Women Scotland  a play on Four Women Scotland in tribute to the groups original four founders, one of whom died of cancer  they launched a judicial review challenging the decision to include transwomen in the definition of woman.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court ruled that the definition of sex in the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex, and is not based on a medical certificate or how a person chooses to identify.

Mr Wallis told the SEENinJournalisms podcast:  I think theres something in this. Transwomen are women is the big lie of the gender movement.

Ms Calder acknowledged there has been some interest shown in putting their story on television.

She said: Who would play us? It would have to be Meryl Streep for me and I know Susan loves Margot Robbie. Trina, well, shed like Holly Hunter.

FWS won the support of Harry Potter author JK Rowling who braved a social media backlash to help champion their cause.

And now their story could be dramatised for millions.
A Scots fisherman landed a monster tuna just months after obtaining one of only 15 commercial licences for the fish in the UK.

Angus Campbell caught the bluefin tuna while fishing off Harris.

At a whopping 353kg  around 800lbs  it is the first to be caught in Scotland this year and thought to be the biggest landed anywhere in the UK this season.

Weighting more than a Harley Davidson motorbike, it was a battle to pull it on board and shocked by its size, Mr Campbell posed for pictures next to his catch to show the scale.

The 64-year-old and his crewman Christopher Gunn, 49, were out on Wednesday when they caught the beast.

He said: It took about an hour and 40 minutes. There were just the two of us so it took a bit longer.

Chris Gunn, left, and Angus Campbell, who caught more than they bargained for when they landed the 800lbs tuna

Our lines are for 200lbs and this was 800lbs so we had to be gentle and make sure we dont break the lines.

The giant has since been sold locally with the skipper at Isle of Harris Sea Tours and Kilda Tours laughing: It will feed a good few folk for sure.

Its great that it can be used locally.

It is not the first time the pair have landed a bluefin tuna.

In September 2013 the duo and James Morrison took an hour to haul in a 515lbs catch  the first caught by rod and reel in Scottish waters.

The fish is considered one of the most expensive in the world and are highly prized for both big game angling and Japanese cuisine.

Although common around Scotlands shores in the past, their numbers were depleted by the 1990s due to overfishing.

Earlier this week, Clyde Cetacean Sightings which tracks the appearance of whales, dolphins and porpoises around the Clyde Marine Area in the west coast, filmed a massive bluefin tuna  estimated to be some 5ft in length and 500lbs in weight  circling the waters.
A new fund for community projects in Scotland will be controlled by Labour ministers because they dont trust the SNP to spend it wisely.

The local growth fund is being developed by the UK Government for the country, with nearly 1.4billion set to be invested over the next decade in town centre upgrades, regeneration projects and other schemes to boost growth.

But while the Labour-led Welsh Government announced this week that decisions around its 500million funding pot will return to Wales, the equivalent scheme north of the Border will be controlled by the UK Government and handed directly to Scottish local authorities.

The issue led to a major row yesterday ahead of devolved finance ministers and the Treasury holding talks in Edinburgh about the upcoming UK Budget, with SNP Finance Secretary Shona Robison claiming Scotland was in danger of being short-changed compared to Wales.

But she was accused of stoking grievance after demanding urgent clarity on whether the Welsh local growth fund will be replicated in Scotland.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: The UK Labour Government has delivered record funding for Scotland. My first question to Ms Robinson and the SNP is where has that money gone?

Communities need this money  not an SNP Finance Secretary evidently unable to deliver the effective use of public resources that in Scotland we deserve. The UK Government is planning to invest 1.4billion in local growth projects in Scotland over the next 10 years, using money which replaces funds previously controlled by the European Union.

Scotland's deputy First Minister Shona Robison has been accused of stoking grievance

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said the UK Government has delivered record funding for Scotland

Scottish Tory MSP said Shona Robison was trying to 'deflect from her own government's failures'

But its approach to decision-making about how the money is spent differs from Wales, where the Labour-run administrations will be responsible for choosing the projects that benefit.

Scottish Labours manifesto for last years general election said the party would restore decision-making over the allocation of structural funds to the representatives of Scotland.

It also said power should be pushed out of Holyrood and into the regions of Scotland to empower communities and better support regional economic growth. Ahead of yesterdays talks, Ms Robison called for the Budget to deliver real support for public services, infrastructure and the cost of living.

She said: Scotland has been short-changed in the past, and we must not be left as an afterthought in the UK Governments Budget.

Scottish Conservative public finance spokesman Alexander Stewart said: Shona Robison appears to have extended the SNPs grievance machine to railing against other parts of the UK in a desperate attempt to deflect from her own governments failures.

A UK Government spokesman said: Local growth funding is designed to fit the needs and circumstances of each nation.
A trans woman with a penis who gained notoriety after suing beauty spas that refused to bikini wax has had a warrant issued for her arrest.

Police in Alberta, Canada, are searching for Jessica Yaniv, also known as Jessica Simpson, in relation to a criminal harassment charge according to Western Standard.

The outlet spoke with the complainant who said they are trying to confirm if the search extends to British Columbia, where Yaniv is from.

No court records have yet been released in relation to the case and Calgary Police have yet to comment, so further details of the harassment have not been disclosed.

In Canada warrants can be forced across different provinces if they are filed under a national database or authorized under a interprovincial cooperation agreement.

Yaniv first made headlines in 2018 after filing suit against a number of salons after they refused to wax her.

She claimed they had actively discriminated against her for her gender identity and male genitalia. The cases were all later dismissed.

In 2019 she was also hit with accusations that she had engaged in sexually inappropriate communications with a minor.

Police in Alberta, Canada , are searching for Jessica Yaniv, also known as Jessica Simpson

In 2019 she was also charged with possession of a prohibited weapon after she waving a taser while on a livestream, she received a conditional discharge

One woman, Jessica Rumpel, previously told the Daily Mail that Yaniv had sent her her sexually inappropriate messages when she was just 14.

Those are said to have included questions about whether it would be ok for her to change in front of another woman, and how to go about making that happen.

Rumpel went public with her claims after others posted about similar alleged incidents on social media.

Yaniv went on to say that she doesn't know Rumpel and suggested someone posing as her may have contacted her.

Rumpel however shared Twitter messages from 2014 that appear to have come from Yaniv's current verified account.

'I feel [Yaniv] took advantage of me,' Rumpel told the Daily Mai back in 2019. 'I felt [Yaniv] kinda took my kindness for granted.'

She said that at the time Yaniv sent the message she was unphased and only later realized the behavior was predatory.

In 2019 she was also charged with possession of a prohibited weapon after she waving a taser while on a livestream, she received a conditional discharge.

According to her Instagram page, she is a rights activist, social justice warrior and human rights advocate

Yaniv first made headlines in 2018 after filing suit against a number of salons after they refused to wax her

That same year Yaniv claimed on social media that gynecologists refused to see her, saying it left her 'shocked, confused and hurt'.

'Are they allowed to do that, legally? Isn't that against the college practices,' she tweeted at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.

The organization protects the public by establishing and enforcing high standards in the practice of medicine.

According to her Instagram page, she is a rights activist, social justice warrior and human rights advocate.

The Daily Mail has approached the Calgary Crown Prosecution Office for comment on the warrant.
TikTok video showing a hooded figure creepily peering through a womans window in Philadelphia is now linked by authorities to the disappearance of a Miss USA hopeful.

Police believe the man in the viral clip is Keon King, 21, who was charged this week with kidnapping and reckless endangerment in connection with the disappearance of Kada Scott, 23.

Scott, a former Miss Pennsylvania USA contestant, was last seen Oct. 4 leaving her job at an assisted-living facility in Chestnut Hill in the middle of her shift. The recent Penn State graduate seemingly vanished, leaving her car parked at work and taking her phone offline.

The TikTok video, originally posted by another woman claiming that the man in the clip tried to break in to her home, is now part of the investigation.

Police said the clip appears to show King, who in January allegedly climbed a fence at his ex-girlfriends home and tried to break in.

In the video, the woman tells King to leave and urges someone off camera to call police. Moments later, King is seen walking to the side of the house, peering into another window and appearing to try to break in, investigators say.

Later that day, he allegedly abducted the woman from the street, forcing her into his car, driving at high speed, and biting her face while choking her. She was later treated for minor injuries.

Kings 2-year-old child was in the backseat of the car during the incident, Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski told NBC10.

A TikTok video showing a hooded figure peering through a womans window is now linked by authorities to the disappearance of a Miss USA hopeful

Kada Scott, a 23-year-old former Miss Pennsylvania USA contestant, was last seen Oct. 4 leaving her job at an assisted living facility in Chestnut Hill in the middle of her shift

Police believe the man in the viral clip is Keon King, 21, who was charged with kidnapping and reckless endangerment in connection with the disappearance of Kada Scott

While King was charged for the incident, the case was withdrawn in May 2025 because the victim didnt show up to court, officials said.

In November 2024, King allegedly forced the same woman into bed and violently choked her, but those charges were also dropped when she failed to appear in court three times.

King's gold 1999 Toyota Camry was recovered Wednesday and is being searched for DNA evidence that may provide more information.

NBC 10 reported that Scott, 23, might have been inside the car before going missing. Police are also working on obtaining video of King's Toyota Camry.

After King's arrest in connection with Scotts disappearance, prosecutors refiled earlier kidnapping charges against him for the incident involving the TikToker.

King now faces a long list of charges, including kidnapping for ransom, false imprisonment, stalking, criminal use of a communication facility, reckless endangerment, and tampering with evidence.

His bail was set at or $250,000, and he remains held at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Philadelphia.
Donald Trump sent a massive F-bomb to Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro during a cabinet meeting with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky.

A reporter asked Trump about how Maduro has 'offered everything' to the President following US airstrikes on Venezuelan drug boats.

He snapped back with a quick response directed at Maduro: 'He has offered everything, you're right. You know why? Because he doesn't want to f*** around with the United States.'

The US military on Friday announced it is holding two survivors aboard a Navy ship after pulling them out of a suspected drug boat that was targeted by a strike. The bombing reportedly killed two other individuals.

The recent disclosure from the military indicates they are prisoners of war following Trump's vow to eliminate 'narcoterrorist' threats in the Caribbean.

The vessel was moving underwater and was possibly hit by a submarine, according to Reuters.

Trump provided more details during his Friday cabinet meeting with Zelensky by stating 'it was a submarine.'

'That was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs. Just so you understand, this was not an innocent group of people.'

Donald Trump made the F-bomb comment toward toward the Venezuelan dictator during a cabinet meeting on Friday with Ukraine's President Zelensky

Over the last two months, the US military has struck five Venezuelan boats carrying illegal narcotics in the Caribbean sea

Trump has given the CIA the greenlight to conduct operations inside Venezuela

Trump's F-bomb to Maduro comes after US elite Special Operations aviation forces flew less than 90 miles from the coast of Venezuela, according to the Washington Post.

An official said that the helicopters were conducting training exercises for a possible land mission into Venezuela to neutralized alleged drug traffickers.

Over the last two months, the US military has struck five Venezuelan boats carrying illegal narcotics in the Caribbean sea, killing approximately 27 people.

Trump announced Wednesday he has given the Central Intelligence Agency permission to conduct missions inside Venezuela.

The President also unveiled on Truth Social earlier this week that Secretary of War ordered the lethal kinetic on a narco-terrorist vessel.

Trump said that Pete Hegseth conducted the deadly operation with his permission.

The operation is believed to have killed six male narco-terrorists aboard the drug vessel while they were traveling in international waters.

Since being back in the White house, Trump has accused Maduro of being a drug lord and dictator.

Maduro denounced Trump's military threats as 'desperate'

Maduro, meanwhile, on Wednesday denounced Trump's use of the CIA to institute a possible a regime change as 'desperate.'

'How long will the CIA continue to carry on with its coups? Latin America doesnt want them, doesnt need them and repudiates them,' Maduro said in a televised address.
A 93-year-old man had an emotional reunion with his beloved Labrador named Sunny two weeks after the dog vanished in southern California.

Norman Feigenbaum's seven-year-old dog went missing earlier this month after escaping through a fence in the backyard in his Los Angeles-area home.

Last week Feigenbaum asked the community for help finding Sunny, describing her as his loyal companion.

'She's a loving, sweet, fine dog - and I've got to find her,' he said as he asked local media for help.

'It's lonely without her, desperately so,' he added.

The Dog Days Search & Rescue stepped up to look for Sunny after Feigenbaum asked the community for help. On Friday, they announced they had located her.

'OMG! Sunny is SAFE,' the Dog Days Search & Rescue wrote in their announcement on social media.

Norman Feigenbaum, 93, had an emotional reunion (pictured) with his Labrador, Sunny, after she went missing for nearly two weeks

Feigenbaum adopted Sunny four years ago from a shelter after her previous owner had died

'We just trapped and reunited her with 93-year-old Norm after 13 days! She has a few cuts and is exhausted after her long adventure but she will be fine!'

The Dog Days Search & Rescue shared heart-warming images of Feigenbaum's reunion with Sunny.

They showed the two embracing after the nearly two week search came to an end.

Feigenbaum previously shared he was devastated when he returned from from the store and found Sunny gone.

'Normally she would be at the back door, wagging her tail, wagging her entire body,' he told NBC 4. 'But this time she was gone.'

The Dog Days Search & Rescue had asked area residents to check their security cameras for any sighting of Sunny.

They said Sunny was found near the Chatsworth Reservoir in Los Angeles.

Feigenbaum adopted Sunny four years ago from a shelter after her previous owner had died.

He nursed the dog, who was then skittish, back to health, he said.

Feigenbaum had asked the community for help finding Sunny, describing her as his loyal companion

Sunny was found near the Chatsworth Reservoir in Los Angeles, the rescue shared

The Dog Days Search & Rescue is a nonprofit that focuses on finding lost pets.

They said they will release more footage from Feigenbaum's reunion with Sunny at a later date.
The ex-wife of a former Wall Street tycoon charged with sex trafficking and prostitution has begged for him to be released on bail by insisting he is a 'devoted grandfather'.

Howard Rubin, 71, allegedly lured women into a soundproofed 'sex dungeon' in a penthouse near New York's Central Park, where he 'engaged in conduct beyond the scope of the women's consent,' according to his indictment.

His personal assistant, Jennifer Powers, 45, was also indicted for allegedly transporting women for sex acts with Rubin.

Rubin has been in custody in Sunset Parks Metropolitan Detention Center since his arrest, but on Thursday his legal team asked a district judge to be release him on a $50 million bond.

The motion, which was almost 100 pages in length, included a letter from his ex-wife, Mary Henry, who insisted he is not a flight risk.

'I understand far too well the serious charges before the Court,' Henry wrote in her letter to New York District Judge Brian Cogan.

'I can only speak from my own experience when I say they do not represent the Howie Rubin I saw: a caring father, a loving son-in-law, and devoted grandfather known affectionately as Pops."'

The couple married in 1985 and have been divorced since 2001.

The ex-wife of a former Wall Street tycoon Howard Rubin, who is charged with sex trafficking and prostitution, has begged for him to be released on bail by insisting he is a 'devoted grandfather'

Mary Henry said in her letter to the judge that even though she and her husband lived separate lives, they still co-parented their children and grandchildren

Jennifer Powers, 45, was also arrested for sex trafficking charges for allegedly helping to transport and recruit the women for sex acts with Rubin

Henry described Rubin as an intelligent, quick-witted, and kind man whom she fell in love with while in graduate school.

She painted the picture of a successful businessman and loving father who earned a reputation as a 'nice' trader on Wall Street.

Henry detailed the relationship Rubin had with her mother, noting that she wasn't alive to see her ex's shocking arrest.

'I was shocked and angered by the news of Howies arrest just as I was by the news of his civil suit almost eight years ago,' Henry continued.

'Although I realized my marriage was over many years ago, in both 2017 and 2025, my thoughts immediately turned to my children who I knew would be devastated by the news of their father whom they always loved and admired.'

Henry spoke of their three adopted children and how Rubin retired at the age of 44 to help raise them.

'Howie was well known as a most devoted parent among teachers, family, adult friends, and the friends of his children,' she added.

'Through it all, the children always knew they were deeply loved and supported by their father. He has been a constant, unwavering presence in their lives.'

Powers (pictured with husband Steve) was arrested at her home in Texas and arraigned in New York for her alleged role in the sex trafficking scheme. She denies the charges

Henry said that even though she understood the charges against her ex-husband, she believed that he wouldn't abandon his family

Rubin's ex-wife and daughter praised him in letters to a judge for his role as a father and grandfather

She went on to say that although the two live separate lives, they've maintained a relationship as co-parents and grandparents.

Henry maintained that her ex would 'never' abandon his family and believed that he wouldn't flee if released on bond.

Rubin's daughter, Annalee, also wrote a letter to the judge in support of her father. She wrote about his help with her three children, including a detailed schedule of how he supports her family.

'To our family, he has been an extraordinary source of love, stability, and support,' Annalee wrote.

'I respectfully ask the Court to consider these qualities of my fatherthe caring, dependable, and engaged grandfather I knowwhen evaluating his case.'

Annalee described her father as 'devoted' and 'loving,' recalling a moment where he dressed up as a character from Frozen to make her children smile.

Rubin's brothers, Jonathan and Kenneth, his niece Molly, his landlord Denise, his former Harvard roommate Michael, Annalee's partner Eli, a neighbor, and a dance teacher also wrote letters in support.

Rubin's ex-wife and his brother put up their million-dollar homes for collateral. Henry and Annalee also offered to co-sign his $50 million bond.

Henry said she fell for Rubin at graduate school, describing him as an intelligent, quick-witted, and kind man

Rubin faces sex trafficking charges for allegedly coercing former Playboy models to his 'sex dungeon' in Manhattan, according to his indictment

The former financier has been accused of trafficking former Playboy models and other women to Manhattan from 2009 to 2019.

'During many of these encounters, Rubin brutalized women's bodies, causing them to fear for their safety and/or resulting in significant pain or injuries, which at times required women to seek medical attention,' the indictment alleges.

Rubin and Powers were accused of spending at least $1 million to operate the sex trafficking network, and allegedly transported women out of state, including to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Rubin allegedly gave the models a 'safe word,' but disregarded it when the acts continued and was allegedly violent with the women without their consent.

One occasion described in the indictment detailed that Rubin allegedly hit a woman so hard that her breast implant flipped upside down.

After the encounters, Rubin and Powers allegedly paid the women $5,000 if he was 'satisfied,' through wire transfer, PayPal, or Venmo, according to the indictment.

Powers was arrested at her home in Texas and was arraigned in New York. She was released on a $850,000 bond on September 29 and has pleaded not guilty.

Rubin has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. The motion to modify his bail was referred to a magistrate judge. The US Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York didn't comment on the motion.

The Daily Mail reached out to Rubin's representation for additional comment.
A senior property manager who sued her bosses for discrimination after they failed to congratulate her on her one-year anniversary at the firm on WhatsApp has been pictured for the first time.

Portuguese-born Rita Nunn first joined HES estate management on August 11, 2022 as a senior property manager - a firm that offers professional property services to around 300 blocks in London, Surrey and surrounding counties.

And in July 2023, she informed her employers she was pregnant after undergoing IVF treatment.

But when her first-year anniversary rolled around and she did not receive a 'congratulations' in a company WhatsApp chat, she complained she was being treated unfavourably by bosses.

Following this, she took her employers to tribunal where she attempted to sue them for age and pregnancy discrimination after feeling 'overlooked' because she never received the message.

However, a month before, in July 2023, another member of staff had received a 'congratulatory' message marking her one-year anniversary, the tribunal in South London was told

But after the message, the staff member who was celebrating 'complained about the large volume of messages being sent on the group', sparking a change in policy at the firm.

'As a result the directors decided no longer to mark work anniversaries and to restrict celebratory messages to birthdays,' the judgement read.

Rita Nunn took her employers HES estate management to tribunal for pregnancy and age discrimination after 'overlooked' when she never received a one-year congratulatory message

Her claims of pregnancy and age discrimination have since been dismissed by employment judge Nicholas Cox

The occasional anniversary message was sent afterwards, but often only as 'exceptions' such as an employee who was celebrating two-decades of service, it was heard.

And a colleague of Ms Nunns whose work anniversary was also th same months as hers also received no message, due to the change in policy regarding the group chat.

In September 2023, a message celebrating an employee's three year anniversary had been 'sent in error'.

Ms Nunn eventually resigned from her role as a senior property manager after taking 10 months of maternity leave in September 2024.

Employment judge, Nicholas Cox, dismissed her claims, adding that Ms Nunn was not treated unfavourably and such messages were 'not an entitlement'.

He also ruled that not receiving congratulatory emails is not an example of pregnancy discrimination.

'The failure to send [Ms Nunn] a work anniversary congratulatory message was not unfavourable treatment,' the judge said. 'First, the sending of such messages was not an entitlement.

'It was an additional, non-financial benefit, or to put it another way, more favourable treatment, which had been historically practiced.

'A failure to treat an employee less favourably than they might have been treated does not in itself constitute unfavourable treatment.

'Second, and critically, I have found that the practice had been, or was at least intended to have been, ended for all employees before [Ms Nunn's] work anniversary came round (with a few limited exceptions for, for example, exceptional long service).

'[Ms Nunn] was not therefore treated unfavourably because the practice was ended.

'Other employees would also not by the relevant date have been congratulated on first work anniversaries.

'Accordingly, the claim for pregnancy-related harassment is not well founded and is dismissed.'

Other claims made by Ms Nunn were also dismissed.
A transgender man's desire to conceive a child is not a barrier to him being granted a gender recognition certificate (GRC), a High Court judge has ruled.

In February this year, the Gender Recognition Panel declined to issue the man, known only as W, a GRC.

It said he had not explained why 'it was not incompatible to live as a man when trying to conceive and carry a pregnancy'.

The man challenged the decision at the High Court in London, and in a ruling on Friday, Mr Justice Hayden found in his favour and granted the certificate.

In his written judgment, he said: 'It is clear that there are two main currents coursing through the applicant's life: his clear and settled identification as male, in which sex I find there is abundant evidence that he continues to live, and his desire to have a family.

'In my judgment, there is nothing further he could do to reconcile these two powerful instincts.

'To require him to abandon either one for the other would be to dismantle and fracture the person he is.'

He added: 'I am satisfied that the applicant continues to live in his acquired gender and intends to do so for the rest of his life.'

A transgender man's desire to conceive a child is not a barrier to him being granted a gender recognition certificate (GRC), a High Court judge has ruled. Pictured: the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, London

The court also found that the panel had been 'plainly wrong' to suggest the man had not taken up its offer to give input on whether his wish to conceive a child was incompatible with his 'declared intention to live as in the male gender' for the rest of his life.

Mr Justice Hayden said: 'The fact that the newly constituted panel were apparently unaware of the applicant's contribution is fatal to the integrity of their decision. It cannot stand.

'This is not a minor procedural error.'

The judge said the appeal presented 'points of great sensitivity in a sphere which is both complex and contentious'.

Mr Justice Hayden said that W, who has had several miscarriages and stopped taking testosterone so that he could undergo IVF, said he had always dreamt of having a big family, and had reflected on how conceiving and carrying a child would affect his decision to live in the male gender.

The man continued: 'I expect that being pregnant will cause me some dysphoria, but I believe experiencing a level of dysphoria for nine months will be worth it for a lifetime of love having a family. '

In response to the ruling, W, who was supported by the Good Law Project, said: 'I am absolutely ecstatic at the result of this judgment and cannot thank Good Law Project enough for all their help and guidance throughout. I truly couldn't have done it without their unwavering support.

'I'm also proud of myself for not giving up and continuing to fight for what I felt was right, and I hope that this judgment can go towards helping other trans people in my position.

'I now finally feel safe and protected in my conviction to have a child as a trans person.'

Jess O'Thomson, Good Law Project's trans rights lead, said: 'This is a huge victory for trans people's human rights in this country, at a moment where things have felt particularly dark.

'We are delighted that the court has recognised the dual importance of trans people's right to have their gender identity legally recognised, as well as their right to have a family.'
It was some time just before 5am on the morning of June 3 last year when Jennifer Cahill began to realise her dream of a peaceful and natural home birth for her second child was going badly wrong.

By then the 34-year-old, who'd been scarred by a traumatic hospital delivery of her son three years earlier, was tired after almost eight hours of labour, yet her daughter was still no closer to being born.

'I really want to do this, I am a warrior,' Jennifer shouted in desperation. 'Why will my body not let me?' Although baby Agnes was finally delivered around 6.50am, by then it was too late  the damage had been done.

By the next day, Jennifer was dead, having suffered a repeat of the severe haemorrhaging she'd experienced with her son the first time around.

Unlike in 2021, however, doctors were unable to save her this time. She suffered a cardiac arrest in the ambulance and died of multiple organ failure at North Manchester General Hospital.

Sadly, only a few days later at the same hospital, Jennifer's devastated husband, Rob, had to say goodbye to his three-day-old daughter as well.

Agnes  who was born not breathing, with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck  was kept alive on a ventilator so he and other relatives could spend some time with her before she, too, passed away.

In evidence given to an inquest in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, this week, Rob said: '[Agnes] was able to meet my family. I held her and told her stories about her mother, who never got to hold her or say goodbye. Nothing can be done now to reverse these awful facts.'

Jennifer Cahill (right, pictured with her husband Rob) died after suffering severe haemorrhaging when giving birth to her second child, who tragically died a few days later

That inquest is ongoing, but already shocking details have emerged about the apparent failure of the NHS to spell out the potential fatal dangers of a home birth to Jennifer, who was deemed high-risk because of the previous haemorrhage, or the unwillingness of medics and midwives to question and challenge her strict birth plan, which stipulated no drugs and no intimate examinations.

Rob Cahill told the court that his wife had been left traumatised by the 'highly stressful' forceps birth of their son and was determined to avoid a repeat of the complications she suffered afterwards. (She had needed two blood transfusions and spent seven days in hospital with the newborn. Her son contracted Group B strep after she tested positive for the bacteria in labour, and subsequently developed sepsis.)

Consequently, when Jennifer, an international export manager, became pregnant with the couple's second child, she was steadfast in her belief that having her daughter at home would be the best option.

She joined a home birth group on Facebook, and one comment posted in December 2023, when she was already 16 weeks pregnant, perhaps explains why she was so fearful of returning to hospital.

In response to another mother who was blaming herself for her baby developing an infection, Jennifer wrote: 'I've been through this and it was the toughest week of my life in hospital with a poorly baby and the nights on your own are so lonely, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.'

Earlier this week it emerged at the inquest that police have investigated the Facebook group, Home Birth Support Group UK, which is run by private doula and self-professed birthing activist Samantha Gadsden, but decided to take no action.

The group, which had 14,000 members but was taken offline this week, boasted: 'We are not your average group...we question the medical norms...please respect this.'

As well as birthing tips, it offered discounts on birthing pools and also encouraged pregnant women to donate via Ms Gadsden's personal website. Midwives are charged 50 to join and mums-to-be can also pay up to 60 for personalised advice.

However, comments posted on social media and seen this week by the Daily Mail before the site, and Ms Gadsden's Instagram account, was locked down, reveal an aggressive anti-hospital, pro-home birth agenda. Just last month Ms Gadsden posted: 'You do not need permission from a midwife to birth in your own home.'

While in older posts she professed: 'Hospital birth is not safe. Home birth is not dangerous'. She added: 'Sending hospital birth-traumatised women back to hospital is like going back to a restaurant after food poisoning for a second dose.'

Ms Gadsden, who has described NHS maternity services as 'broken,' slammed the door and refused to comment when contacted by the Daily Mail at her home in a village close to Caerphilly, south Wales, yesterday.

One midwife who specialises in home births and who joined Ms Gadsden's Facebook page told the Daily Mail she believed Ms Gadsden had kicked her off the forum because she'd pulled Ms Gadsden up for spreading misinformation.

Jennifer (above) suffered a cardiac arrest in the ambulance and died of multiple organ failure at North Manchester General Hospital after the home birth of her daughter Agnes

The midwife described her as 'selfrighteous' and more bothered with 'appearing knowledgeable' than actually giving women balanced information.

'I was looking into these groups about home births and had seen she was advising someone about high blood pressure,' the midwife told the Daily Mail. 'I thought I would offer my advice, too, as I had high blood pressure for my first two pregnancies.

'It was about a woman having to go into a medical assessment unit [in hospital] and she [Ms Gadsden] was telling them they didn't need to.

'I said what I thought about the matter and she gave me a right mouthful back, saying it was her site and I cannot comment on it.'

How much Jennifer was influenced by the group or chatter online may never be known, but Dr Azel el Adwan, an obstetric trainee, who discussed the risks of a home birth with Jennifer during a clinic visit, said she had seen a rise in requests for home births from expectant mothers 'affected' by social media.

The medic admitted it wasn't common practice to use the word 'death' when talking to pregnant women about the risks of home births because fatalities were so rare. She insisted 'we cannot persuade a patientto do something they don't want to do'.

But what is clear is that by 9pm on June 2, when Jennifer went into labour, she had opted to go against medical advice and had devised what Julie Turner, one of the two attending community midwives, described as the 'most intense' home birthing plans she had ever seen.

Ms Turner, and her colleague, Andrea Walmsley, had already worked a 12-hour shift that day, but were on call and arrived at the Cahills' home, in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, at around 11.20pm.

They told the inquest that they were shocked to find the birthing room lit by just a few tealights. Jennifer explained her plan to the midwives, insisting she wanted no drugs (including the medicine syntometrine, which is administered to prevent excessive bleeding), no observations and no intimate examinations. She also told them she wanted to keep the environment as calm as possible, so they should keep their voices to a whisper when talking to her.

At first, everything seemed to be going well, with Jennifer requesting just gas and air to help her through the pain. However, by around 2.30am the midwives realised the canister delivering the gas and air was faulty and Jennifer was in distress. Ms Turner left to get a new canister. When she returned 50 minutes later, Jennifer responded immediately to the new gas and air, which helped reduce her discomfort.

But she continued to refuse the midwives' requests to give her a strep B test or a vaginal examination, even turning her back when Ms Walmsley asked for a urine sample. 'I thought I had overstepped the mark,' the midwife said. 'I felt that I would be thrown out if I said the wrong thing.'

By 4am, however, it was clear the labour was going off-track. Jennifer's blood pressure was recorded as being slightly raised, and she finally agreed to be examined so the baby's heart rate could be monitored. At this stage, it was still strong, so when Jennifer's waters broke, at around 4.45am, she was advised to push.

After being left traumatised by the 'highly stressful' forceps birth of her first child, which came with an array of medical complications, when Jennifer fell pregnant with the couple's second child she was steadfast in her belief that having her daughter at home would be the best option

But problems continued and, although Agnes's head was visible around half an hour later, it 'kept retracting'  most likely, the inquest heard, because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. Ms Walmsley said: 'Jen was not pushing properly. She was pushing with her face instead of with her bottom. We were talking in whispers because the birth plan asked us to keep interference to a minimum.'

It was around this time that Jennifer started 'beating herself up' about not being able to deliver her baby. Ms Turner said: 'She was struggling and shouted: 'I really want to do this. I am a warrior. Why will my body not let me?' '

Records also show that, between 5.45am and 6.24am, Agnes's heart rate was steadily falling. The baby girl was eventually born at 6.49am but she was not breathing and was covered in meconium  the first, sticky stool of newborns  which can cause serious breathing difficulties if accidentally inhaled.

Ms Turner started to try to resuscitate Agnes, but the mask in the sterile emergency resuscitation kit the midwives had didn't fit. Ms Walmsley said her colleague was 'absolutely covered' in the meconium as she tried to give Agnes mouth to mouth. 'I was in a blind panic,' she admitted. 'It was absolute chaos. We were both in complete shock.'

At the same time, Mr Cahill dialled 999. When the first ambulance arrived just four minutes later, senior paramedic Sean Scroop immediately took control, ordering the curtains to be opened and the lights turned on.

By the time the ambulance left with the baby at 7.09am, however, Jennifer was also in trouble. Minutes later, she began to bleed heavily after delivering the placenta. She, too, was taken to hospital but lost almost half the amount of blood in her body and went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance. Jennifer died of multi-organ failure the following day.

Paramedic Adrian George said ideally they would have done more observations before transporting Jennifer but added: 'She wanted us to leave her alone. I was comfortable with respecting her wishes.'

The inquest was told Greater Manchester Police officers had spoken to Ms Gadsden, who said she didn't 'recall any previous conversations with Jen'. The coroner also noted that, in the Facebook group's description, it stated that no medical advice was given.

Both midwives admitted to the inquest that prior to Jennifer's death there had been growing 'unease' at work about a 'significant increase' in call-outs to high-risk home births. 'We seemed to be getting more women with complex plans,' Ms Turner said. 'Staff were fearful. It is one of the reasons we now go out in twos so that we can support each other.'

The midwives, who repeatedly broke down in tears at the inquest, admitted to keeping poor records and failing to follow NHS guidelines on monitoring Jennifer's blood pressure and Agnes's heart rate, or comply with national standards for resuscitation.

Ms Walmsley insisted she noted down the baby's heart rate on an incontinence pad, which was subsequently thrown away, while Ms Turner said she scribbled other readings down on a piece of paper that has since been lost.

Ms Walmsley explained it had been difficult to make notes in the dark room and that others were only made the following day after both of them had been up for more than 24 hours.

Asked by coroner Joanne Kearsley whether midwives ought not to be attending high-risk home births straight after finishing a long shift, Ms Walmsley said this was typical of working in an over-stretched NHS.

'It doesn't happen in community midwifery,' she replied. 'There is no back-up, there is no help. If you dare to stick your head up you just get shot at.' Both midwives have not returned to work since Jennifer's death.

Although the inquest will come to a close next week, for Rob Cahill, their little boy and the rest of Jennifer's loved ones, the agony will never end.
The mother of a nine-year-old California girl has allegedly refused to help cops find her.

The search for Melodee Buzzard started Tuesday after a school administrator reported her 'prolonged absence,' according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

Law enforcement said they had attempted to contact the girl and her mother Ashlee Buzzard at their home in Lompoc - about 60 miles north of Santa Barbara.

However, they were not at their Mars Avenue residence and 'no clear explanation was provided' for Melodee's whereabouts.

On Friday, Santa Barbara police said Ashlee had been 'uncooperative with investigators.'

Police originally said Melodee had not been seen since October 2024, but now added that the nine-year-old girl had been spotted this August.

There was still no verified information regarding her current location, Santa Barbara police said.

The search for Melodee Buzzard started Tuesday after a 'prolonged absence' from school

Santa Barbara police said her mother Ashlee had been 'uncooperative with investigators'

It was not immediately clear when exactly or where Melodee was seen.

The Daily Mail reached out to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office for further comment.

Law enforcement previously said Melodee's most recent photograph available was taken two years ago.

On Wednesday, deputies returned to the Buzzard residence and saw Ashlee - but not Melodee, according to ABC News

Police executed a search warrant on the home that night.

The sheriff's office confirmed to the Daily Mail that the mother and daughter were the only two residents of the home, as Melodee's father is dead.

Santa Barbara police thanked the Lompoc Unified School District for their help in the search for Melodee.

Police originally said Melodee had not been seen since last October but now said the girl had been spotted this August

Police executed a search warrant on the Buzzard residence this week

Chris Gotschall, a lieutenant from the Criminal Investigations Division said: 'Lompoc Unified School District deserves credit for recognizing that something wasn't right, reaching out, and continuing to assist with this investigation.'

Melodee was most recently enrolled at Buena Vista Elementary School, KSBY reported, and had attended a homeschooling program about one year ago.

Gotschall added: 'This important update helps narrow a significant gap in the timeline of when she was last known to be seen and because of that, we're closer to understanding what happened to Melodee.'

Lizabeth Meza, Melodee's aunt, told KSBY that she had not seen the nine-year-old in more than four years because of Ashlee.

She said: '[Melodee] has a beautiful smile. She's very, very loving, very welcoming. She loved to be around her family.'

On Facebook, Meza posted that the situation was 'extremely confusing' with a 'wild' timeline.

Melodee was most recently enrolled at Buena Vista Elementary School (pictured), per KSBY

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office thanked the Lompoc Unified School District for helping in the search for Melodee

She said Child Protective Services was not 'saying much' due to the active nature of the investigation.

Meza added: 'Unfortunately, after my brother in law passed away the family was unable to see or have contact with Melodee.

'The mom is extremely mentally unstable and last time we seen [sic] Melodee was about 4.5 years ago.'

The Daily Mail reached out to Meza for further comment.

A neighbor on the 500 block of Mars Avenue said he had not seen Melodee in at least a year.

The nine-year-old's disappearance is a missing person investigation, per ABC News.

Santa Barbara police continued to urge anyone with information regarding Melodee's whereabouts to come forward.

'Even small details may be critical in helping investigators ensure her safety,' law enforcement added.
Chinese spies are creating fake job adverts to trick civil servants, military staff and academics into handing over State secrets, MI5 has warned.

In a new escalation in Beijing espionage targeting Britain, hundreds of thousands of suspicious job ads are appearing on online platforms offering bumper salaries and tempting fees in exchange for unique insight reports.

MI5 fears scores of Britons may have been lured in by fake recruitment consultancies set up by China.

The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), a branch of MI5, has issued an alert warning that foreign intelligence services are daily posing bogus job adverts to target government staff, academics, think-tank employees, private defence contractors and others.

In October 2023, MI5 chief Sir Ken McCallum warned that Chinese spies had targeted 20,000 officials on LinkedIn.

But since then, tactics have evolved with false employment sites, bogus recruitment firms or spoof legitimate companies being set up. In some cases, people are being offered 2,000 for a single report on matters such as foreign policy, defence and government insight.

MI5 chief Sir Ken McCallum warned Britons to be wary of a tempting job advert in your sector [that] is just too good to be true

Sir Ken hinted at the issue in a wide-ranging speech on Thursday, warning Britons to be wary of a tempting job advert in your sector [that] is just too good to be true.

The NPSA alert warns professionals: Your insights and network of contacts can form valuable pieces of the jigsaw when brought together with other information. Anyone with access to sensitive information are told to be wary of generic job titles such as geopolitics, international affairs and political risk, or buzz words such as unique insights and hot topics.

The practice often involves payment through unconventional means such as cryptocurrency. Once hooked, victims can be enticed into flying to a non-Western country where they are directly pressed into spying for China.

Earlier this week, the NPSA issued separate guidance to politicians on how to avoid being spied on.

Beijings threat over embassy delays

By Martin Beckford and Greg Heffer

Beijing has threatened Britain with consequences if its super-embassy in London is not given the go-ahead.

China expressed its strong concern and opposition after ministers again put off a decision on the huge new building which many fear will be a spy centre.

And it suggested it had been given assurances that the application would be approved by calling on the Government to honour its commitments.

A graphic showing the site of the proposed 750million Chinese 'mega-embassy' in London

The comments sparked uproar, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp saying the Government should not roll over in the face of threats like this. And former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith added: The decision over the embassy is a legal process... it would be unlawful for ministers to offer China any assurances about the outcome.

Weeks after Labour was elected, China resubmitted a rejected application for the embassy at the former Royal Mint near the Tower of London. Angela Rayner, then Housing Secretary, called in the plan and was due to decide last month.

But the deadline was pushed back to next week and then to December as China refused to reveal the full floor plans.

A No 10 spokesman said: I dont recognise any claims of commitments or assurances.
Tech billionaire Marc Benioff made an about face after calling on Donald Trump to send the National Guard to San Francisco after facing outrage from inside and outside his company.

The Salesforce CEO and former Hillary Clinton donor said the commander in chief should deploy federal troops to the struggling city in a New York Times interview earlier this week.

Benioff claimed he was most concerned about safety surrounding Dreamforce, the annual tech conference his company runs in San Francisco, now heavily focused on AI technology.

However, his comments quickly received backlash as entertainers booked for the event pulled out and a key investor resigned. Benioff then said he was sorry for asking the president to do what he did in Washington to the city by the bay.

'Having listened closely to my fellow San Franciscans and our local officials - and after the largest and safest Dreamforce in our history - I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco,' Benioff said.

'My earlier comment came from an abundance of caution around the event, and I sincerely apologize for the concern it caused,' Benioff added.

'Its my firm belief that our city makes the most progress when we all work together in a spirit of partnership. I remain deeply grateful to Mayor [Daniel] Lurie, SFPD, and all our partners, and am fully committed to a safer, stronger San Francisco.'

When reached for comment, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson called Trump's deployment to DC 'tremendously successful' and called on Benioff and Bay Area liberals to get with the program.

Tech billionaire Marc Benioff (pictured right) is apologizing after shocking liberals with his call for Donald Trump to send the National Guard to San Francisco

Benioff has said he is sorry for asking the president to do what he did in Washington to the city by the bay

'San Francisco Democrats should look at the tremendous results in DC and Memphis and listen to fellow Democrat Mayor Bowser and welcome the President in to clean up their city.'

Benioff, who owns Time magazine, angered Democrats after he declared his full support for additional law enforcement officers in Fog City.

The New York Times also reported that Benioff pitched ICE on hiring 10,000 new agents and enhancing deportation operations using Salesforce AI tech.

Elon Musk backed the fellow tech giant CEO in an X post on Sunday, writing: 'SF downtown is a drug zombie apocalypse.'

Benioff's statement followed Trump's fiery shots at the Democrat-run city in August, slamming it's leadership and current state.

'Look at what the Democrats have done to San Francisco,' the president told reporters in a press statement.

However, liberals balked at the statement, with comedians Kumail Nanjiani and Ilana Glazer canceling their appearances at Dreamforce, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Furthermore, Ron Conway - a man nicknamed 'The Godfather of Silicon Valley' resigned from the Salesforce Foundation's board on Thursday in a fiery email to Benioff.

When reached for comment, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson called Trump's deployment to DC 'tremendously successful' and called on Benioff and Bay Area liberals to get with the program

Benioff had previously been supported by friend Elon Musk (pictured right) in protecting San Francisco

Conway, a prominent Democratic donor, said he was resigning because of Benioff's comments.

'It saddens me immensely to say that with your recent comments, and failure to understand their impact, I now barely recognize the person I have so long admired,' Conway wrote to Benioff.

Conway had been a director of Salesforce's philanthropic arm for a decade and a close friend of Benioff for over 25 years, per the NYT.

Salesforce, which owns the tallest skyscraper that dominates in the downtown financial sector, boasts a philanthropic history of donating millions to fund San Francisco.

However, arrests for petty drug crimes have increased amid Mayor Daniel Lurie's attempts to crackdown on the city's drug problem.

Benioff's claims seemingly contrast with his previous progressive beliefs, leaving many San Franciscans shocked.

He donated to the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016 and has spoken of his friendship with Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom.

In 2018, he slammed his fellow San Francisco billionaires by saying they're 'hoarding' money and not aiding the homelessness crisis.

Ron Conway - a man nicknamed 'The Godfather of Silicon Valley' resigned from the Salesforce Foundation's board on Thursday in a fiery email to Benioff

San Francisco still faces a drug epidemic and petty crime issues despite it's overall crime rates dropping

The billionaire criticized Jack Dorsey, co-found of Twitter, in an interview with the Guardian.

'He just doesn't want to give, that's all. And he hasn't given anything of consequence in the city.'

Benioff has called out affluent business moguls in the past to aid in the homeless crisis, and even runs the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative.

In 2018, he funded a city ballot measure campaign to tax businesses, including Salesforce, to fund services for the homeless.

Salesforce this week announced their $15 billion investment to the city over the next five years because they 'believe deeply in it's future'.

The billionaire mogul wrote on X that he believes the city's public safety challenges are real.

'Every possible pathway' needs to be explored to create a safer city, he said, adding that Salesforce is providing an $1 million to support larger hiring bonuses for new police officers.

'It's proof that collaboration works and a reminder that the city needs more resources to keep San Franciscans safe year-round,' he wrote.

For his company's Dreamforce conference this week, Benioff hired hundreds of off-duty law enforcement officers to patrol the convention area,

Speaking to the NYT, he warned that the city's police force is underfunded, and said he planned for there to be cops 'on every corner... how it used to be.'

Benioff said that his political affiliation is independent and he's supported both Democratic and Republican candidates.
During a highly anticipated meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky, President Donald Trump made a comment that was characteristically not on policy or diplomacybut on Zelensky's outfit.

Right at the top of Friday's White House meeting, Trump took the time to admire the Ukrainian president's fashion, describing it as 'very stylish.'

'I think it looks beautiful in his jacket. Yes, beautiful. I hope people notice. It's a good  it's actually very stylish. I like it,' he said.

What began as light and complimentary banter soon turned into a more tense conversation about the war in Ukraine and Vladimir Putin's desire for piece. But the wardrobe praise from Trump is a long way from where the two leaders started.

Zelensky's wardrobe shift came after the Trump administration criticized his casual military attire during a February Oval Office visit that exploded into a bitter back-and-forth.

During that meeting, a reporter questioned Zelensky about his choice not to wear a suit, to which Zelensky responded, 'I will wear a suit after this war finishes.'

Trump's longtime fixation on physical appearance has become more frequent in recent months  and he does not discriminate, whether they are men or women, reporters, world leaders or even anyone from his own staff.

Even when conducting diplomacy over war, Trump sees aesthetics as half the battle.

During a highly anticipated meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky , President Donald Trump made a comment that was surprisingly focused not on policy or diplomacybut on Zelensky's outfit

Later that day while attending the Gaza peace ceremony in Egypt, Trump drew attention to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, commenting on her looks

And in another instance, back in late June at a peace signing event between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda  President Trump made comments about the beauty of Angolan journalist Hariana Veras

During a conversation with reporters, Trump also commented on his press secretary Karoline Leavitt's looks. 'That face and those lips,' he remarked. 'They move like a machine gun, right?' Trump said with a laugh

While addressing the Israeli Knesset on Monday, President Trump singled out Defense Forces Chief Eyal Zamir, saying, 'You know, the guy's central casting. Let's put him in a movie. Look at him.'

Shortly after, Trump shared a memory with the lawmakers about meeting Gen. Dan Caine, now the US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with other military leaders. 'Everybody was like central casting,' Trump added. 'Between him and you guys over here, we could get rich making movies, okay?'

Later that day while attending the Gaza peace ceremony in Egypt, Trump drew attention to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, commenting on her looks.

'She's a beautiful young woman,' he remarked. 'In the US, calling a woman 'beautiful' can end your political career, but I'm willing to take that risk.

He continued, 'Where is she? There she is. You don't mind being called beautiful, do you? Because you truly are.'

And in another instance, back in late June at a peace signing event between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda  President Trump made comments about the beauty of Angolan journalist Hariana Veras.

'I shouldn't say this because it's politically incorrect: She's beautiful,' Trump said. 'And you are beautiful,' before joking about how he shouldn't say things like that because it could be the end of his political career.

Nevertheless, the comments continued.

In August, Trump made the same comments regardless of him joking it could 'get him into trouble.'

'I look at Pam. I would never say she's beautiful, because that's going to be the end of my political career,' he said.

During his September visit to Great Britain, Trump told Catherine, Princess of Wales, 'You're beautiful, so beautiful.'

During a conversation with reporters, Trump also commented on his press secretary Karoline Leavitt's looks.

'That face and those lips,' he remarked. 'They move like a machine gun, right?' Trump said with a laugh.

There was even one time, where he commented on his own looks, when a reporter asked him if he would be visiting Argentina.

'I'd love to go to Argentina. I'd like to be like Biden. I'd like to go to the beach,' Trump said. 'You know, my legs are not quite as thin as his, since my legs are slightly heavy and my arms are slightly larger. My body is a little bit larger. I'm not sure it would be appreciated on the beach, but I'm not going to take a chance.'
President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of George Santos, releasing the disgraced former Republican congressman immediately.

The remarkable move by Trump comes about three months after Santos - a serial fabulist and onetime drag queen - reported to a federal prison in New Jersey in July to begin serving a seven-year sentence.

'George Santos was somewhat of a 'rogue,' but there are many rogues throughout our Country that aren't forced to serve seven years in prison,' Trump wrote in a lengthy Truth Social post.

'George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated. Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck George, have a great life!', the president continued.

Santos pled guilty to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges for deceiving donors and stealing people's identities in order to fund his congressional campaign.

Despite his crimes and his lies, Santos had his backers.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene formally came to his aid this summer arguing the length of his term represented 'a grave injustice.'

The plea, which was sent to a Justice Department pardon attorney, came less than two weeks after Santos began his sentence.

President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of George Santos, releasing the disgraced former Republican congressman immediately

George Santos boastied about performing as a drag queen in Rio de Janeiro - despite later claiming that he had never done any such thing

Trump made the announcement about Santos commutation on Friday evening

'While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges,' Greene, a Georgia Republican, wrote without elaborating.

'I strongly believe in accountability for one's actions, but I believe the sentencing of Mr. Santos is an abusive overreach by the judicial system.'

Last month, Greene once again tweeted at length as to why Santos should be released.

'Former Congressman George Santos has been in solitary confinement for nearly 30 days in FCI Fairton NJ. They say its for his safety due to threats. Im told he is in his cell 24 hours per day and he is only allowed to get a shower 3 times a week,' Greene began.

'He does not get any sunlight. Hes only allowed to buy stamps from the commissary and is drinking water from the sink...This is torture. I have sent a letter asking for his sentence to commuted, 87 months is way too long for the crimes he was sentenced for.... George should be pardoned!!!'

On Friday night, Greene publicly thanked Trump for his compassion.

'THANK YOU President Trump for releasing George Santos!! He was unfairly treated and put in solitary confinement, which is torture!!'

In recent months Greene has has become an unlikely critic of the Republican leadership.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene formally came to his Santos' this summer arguing the length of his term represented 'a grave injustice'

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene formally came to his aid this summer arguing the length of his term represented 'a grave injustice.'

On Friday night, Greene publicly thanks Trump for his compassion

Santos is seen arriving at federal court for sentencing in April in Central Islip, New York

Trump made the announcement on Friday evening just after 6pm

Elected to office in 2020, has become one of the most controversial figures in American politics, leaving a trail of racist and antisemitic statements and unapologetically embracing conspiracy theories.

But while still a supporter of Trumps agenda, she has also shown a willingness to break with her party on issues including Israels war in Gaza; the release of the Epstein files; and now the fight to end the government shutdown.

Santos, meanwhile, was once heralded in the Republican Party for winning a perennially contested New York congressional seat covering parts of Queens and Long Island. But then it became clear that he fabricated much of his life story.

In one bizarre story from Santos past, there were picture of circulated of him performing as a drag queen in Rio de Janeiro.

When initially reported last year, Santos denied he ever dressed in drag at gay pride events, but later admitted to it and at one point even used his former persona to bring in funds.

Among his famously false claims were that his mother died in the 9/11 attacks. He also had to explain that he was 'Jew-ish,' not Jewish, when questions were raised about his claim that his grandparents had fled the Holocaust.

He survived two expulsion attempts before a scathing House ethics committee report in late 2023 led to his ouster from Congress, making him only the sixth member in the chambers history to be removed by colleagues.

The former New York Republican was sentenced to 87 months in prison for aggravated identity theft and wire fraud committed around his brief stint on Capitol Hill.

Santos pathologically lied about his life when running for Congress in 2022. The tall tales were not revealed until after the election and he was later expelled from Congress

Santos was sentenced to seven years for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and had been serving time at Federal Correctional Institution Fairton (pictured) in New Jersey

In recent months Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has has become an unlikely critic of the Republican leadership

The fabulist liar made up a host of twisted tails about working on Wall Street, being a collegiate volleyball star and an heir to a real estate empire.

Santos, 37, took office in January 2023, becoming the first openly gay Republican to be elected. He was expelled later that year after his web of lies began to unfurl.

At one point, he falsely claimed that his mother died in the 9/11 attacks. At another, he had to clarify that he was 'Jew-ish,' not Jewish, when pressed about a claim that his grandparents had fled the Holocaust.

The lies made him a political pariah before he even got to Washington.

Once there, he survived two expulsion attempts before a scathing House ethics committee report in late 2023 sealed his fate.

He was expelled from Congress after a vote later that same year, becoming the sixth member in the chamber's history to be removed by colleagues.

Prosecutors presented evidence of Santos spending political donations on Botox, designer clothes, casino holidays, and OnlyFans fees.

He was also ordered to pay at least $373,749.97 in restitution and forfeit over $200,000, according to a plea agreement he made last year.

Since his sentencing, Santos had been vying for Trump to commute his sentence - as evidenced by long rants he's posted to social media claiming he is the victim of unfair legal prosecution.

'From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news what a ride it's been,' he wrote before heading to prison. 'I may be leaving the stage (for now), but trust me legends never truly exit.'

Federal prosecutors indicted Santos for defrauding his own political supporters the same year he took office.

After being removed from office, Santos once again dressed as his drag persona Kitara Ravache in red lipstick, a red feather boa and a brown wig to bring in much-needed funds

He took their donations and moved them into his own bank accounts, later using the funds on a slew of personal expenses, prosecutors claimed.

Santos also as alleged to have fraudulently applied for COVID pandemic benefits despite not meeting the qualifications, the feds said.

In addition, the ex-lawmaker lied on his campaign paperwork to qualify for funding from the Republican Party, prosecutors alleged. He also was accused of using his donor's payment information to make contributions in their name to his campaign.

At his sentencing the judge noted how Santos appeared unrepentant for his actions and crimes.

'Where is your remorse? U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert asked Santos during the Friday sentencing. 'Where do I see it?'

With the disgraced lawmaker, the judge said, 'it's always someone else's fault.'

Santos wept as he told the court he felt 'humbled' and realized he had betrayed his constituents' trust.

'I offer my deepest apologies,' he said, adding: 'I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.'
He was confronted by media as he touched down in Sydney

Incident occurred in the bathroom of a nightclub in 2016

A Sydney businessman found guilty of raping a woman in Greece during a holiday organised by parents of an elite private school has been captured in a heated confrontation with a reporter at Sydney Airport.

Nicholas 'Nic' Stavropoulos, 50, was found guilty in May by a Greek court in the city of Naxos of raping a woman in the bathroom of a Mykonos nightclub in 2016.

The attack took place during a holiday organised by families associated with elite eastern suburbs private school Kambala Girls for a 40th birthday.

Stavropoulos, 50, who pleaded not guilty, was sentenced to six years' jail after a panel of three judges and a jury of four found him guilty of rape.

He immediately launched an appeal and is currently living freely in Point Piper, Australia's most expensive suburb, until a full retrial takes place in Greece.

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.

The victim's civil case in the NSW District Court  seeking damages for mental health treatment and legal costs  was due to resume on October 16.

On Friday night, Stavropoulos was confronted by The Australian as he touched down in Sydney, one day after he was a no-show at his Thursday court mention.

Nicholas 'Nic' Stavropoulos, 50, was confronted by media as he touched down in Sydney

Stavropoulos appeared to try and grab the reporters phone several times during the altercation

He then pointed at the reporter, as he recorded the altercation on his iPhone

Stavropoulos's girlfriend Pembe Bekir was close-by as the confrontation unfolded

Sources previously told Daily Mail he was instead in Paris with his girlfriend Pembe Bekir, the former best friend of his ex-wife Litsa Stavropoulos.

Stavropoulos - dressed casually in a white t-shirt, black pants and Samba sneakers - was seen being approached by a reporter in wild footage from the terminal.

Ms Bekir, who was also dressed comfortably in a grey hoodie and tracksuit pants, was pictured standing close-by as the altercation took place.

'Hey, don't touch my phone,' the reporter was heard telling Stavropoulos as he appears to try to snatch it from his hand several times.

'Nick, do you have anything to say about your rape charge in Greece that you're appealing? Anything at all?'

'I'm innocent and not under bail,' Stavropoulos said, later telling the publication: 'There are no bail conditions set only a full re-trial to be scheduled'.

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.

Litsa and Nicholas Stavropoulos (pictured on one of their European getaways) ended their marriage in February

The Stavropouloses are seen with their children on a separate holiday in happier times

After the Stavropouloses quietly ended their marriage, Nicholas began dating Pembe Bekir (left), the former best friend of his ex-wife Litsa Stavropoulos (right)

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.

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.'
On December 9, 1992, Prime Minister John Major announced to the public that Prince Charles and Princess Diana would be separating.

The publication of Andrew Mortons book, Diana: Her True Story, in June of the same year revealed the extent to which the Waleses' marriage was struggling.

What followed were four years of Charles and Diana tearing each other apart before the world's Press.

After the Tampongate tapes were released in 1993, Charles went on to give a TV interview with Jonathan Dimbleby in June the next year, in which he confessed to an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles after his marriage to Diana had 'irretrievably broken down'.

Charles gave Dimbleby unprecedented access to private letters and diaries for the book The Prince of Wales, which was published in November that year.

The biography depicts Prince Philip as a domineering father who forced his son into a loveless marriage.

Journalist Tina Brown, who was editor-in-chief of The New Yorker magazine during this period, met Diana several times - including at a lunch with fashion tycoon Anna Wintour shortly before the princess's death.

In her book, The Palace Papers, Brown wrote that Princes William and Harry listened to Major's announcement in the headmaster's sitting room at Ludgrove School. They had been warned by their parents in advance.

Princess Diana, Prince Harry, Prince William and Prince Charles at a VJ Day parade in 1994

Charles and Jonathan Dimbleby at Highgrove during the filming of a documentary in 1994

In her book, The Palace Papers, Tina Brown wrote that Princes William and Harry listened to Major's announcement in the headmaster's sitting room at Ludgrove School

'I hope you will both be happier now,' William said, according to Brown, 'with heartbreaking maturity, after both boys had shed their tears.

'They were heartsick at their father's admission to Jonathan Dimbleby that he had been forced into marriage to Diana by Prince Philip, and that he had been unfaithful to Diana with Camilla.

'On the morning of October 17, 1994, they were summoned to the headmaster's study for a meeting with Diana, who had rushed to Ludgrove once again to perform damage control.

'They wanted answers. According to Andrew Morton, William, then 12, asked her, "Is it true, Mother? Is it true that Daddy never loved you?"'

Brown added that while Ludgrove made every attempt to shield the boys from the 'deluge of dirty laundry', William used to slip into his protection officer's room to watch how his parents' problems were covered on television.

In 1995, Diana hit back at Charles in a BBC Panorama interview. She detailed the extent of the troubles between the two, including the famous line: 'There were three of us in the marriage, so it was a bit crowded.'

'[Journalist] Martin Bashir's Panorama interview inflicted more wounds,' wrote Brown.

'William, then only two months into his first term at Eton, chose to view the broadcast alone in housemaster Dr [Andrew] Gailey's study.

'After a year of turmoil on the home front, William was already in a fragile state.

Martin Bashir interviews Princess Diana in Kensington Palace for BBC Panorama in 1995

'The Queen told a Palace source that she was worried he was going to have a breakdown. His housemaster was worried too.

'According to Ingrid Seward, when Dr Gailey heard that the interview was going to air, he called Diana and urged her to prepare William in person for what was coming.'

'Is that really necessary?' she reportedly replied.

'Much had changed since she had rushed to Ludgrove to comfort her emotionally bruised eldest son after the Dimbleby interview,' Brown wrote.

'Her intrigues were consuming her, and she preferred not to consider their consequences. Only when Gailey pushed did she agree.'

In recent years, Dimbleby has openly slammed Bashir over using alleged 'deception and lies' to secure an explosive interview with the 'troubled' Princess Diana.

When the interview with Diana was broadcast 30 years ago, it was watched by 23million viewers.

It has been alleged that Bashir won the trust of the late royal through his use of questionable methods, including producing fake bank statements showing payments of thousands of pounds from newspapers to 'traitors' allegedly 'spying' on the Spencer family.

In allegations also made by her brother, Earl Spencer, Bashir is said to have played on Diana's paranoia by telling her lies about the Queen's health, Charles being 'in love' with William and Harry's nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke and Diana's staff betraying her to MI5 and newspapers during his attempt to secure the interview.

Dimbleby, who interviewed the Prince of Wales in 1994 for ITV's Charles: The Private Man, The Public Face, added: 'It can be done by a variety of means. But none of them should involve deception and lies.'

A month after her interview, the Queen urged the separated couple to divorce, which they did in 1996.

Just one year later, Diana died in a car crash in Paris, aged 36.
Meghan Markle has been lampooned after revealing a 'tacky' tote with her royal initials emblazoned across it.

The Duchess of Sussex posted a reel on Instagram charting her PR blitz in New York and Washington DC that repeatedly showed a black and blue bag with a giant 'DS' on it.

People magazine has said the monogram stands for the Duchess of Sussex.

The DS bag was spotted after Meghan insisted on her Netflix show that her surname is now Sussex, not Markle.

The new video, set to Dolly Parton's hit 9-5, shows the bag on top of a suitcase on top of luggage being pulled down a hallway.

Meghan also showed herself smiling next to the tote in an elevator.

The video continues then moves on to show the former Suits backstage before her appearance at Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit.

One critic tweeted: 'Please don't tell me she had a bag made with the initials DS for Duchess of Sussex? Didn't she say in the Fortune monologue that she was "Recovering from her time in the institution"?'

Another said: 'So heinously tacky.' A third critic added: 'Oh God that is cringe!'.

Meghan Markle's Instagram post showing a bag that appears to be monogrammed with DS - a reference to the Duchess of Sussex. Critics called it tacky

Meghan also showed herself in the elevator with the bag behind her. She says her surname is Sussex, not Markle

The video also showed the Jefferson Memorial, toasting champagne glasses and finally the Duchess of Sussex grinning in the cockpit of an airplane before some images from the window.

'Love being surrounded by strong women supporting each other!' she wrote.

'Thanks to @fortunempw, my team, DC, and my sweet friends for the 24 hours of impact (and fun!)'.

Meghan's supporters have suggested that the 'DS' may not be her's because it appeared to be being carried by someone else.

But People, considered Meghan and Harry's preferred publication in the US, insist it does belong to the duchess and that the DS tote bag is 'nod to her royal title'.

And others pointed to her Instagram post and said that a member of her 'team' may have been helping carry her luggage.

A spokesman for the Duchess declined to comment.

Meghan recently admonished a celebrity friend on her new Netflix show claiming her surname is now Sussex not Markle.

Meghan is the first Duchess of Sussex in history and Prince Harry is only the second ever Duke of Sussex - but only visited together once in 2018, for six hours.

She and Harry were handed the dukedom of Sussex on the day of their wedding in May 2018 by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The couple were cheered on the streets of Chichester, Bognor Regis, Brighton and Peacehaven during a packed day of engagements when they visited in October 2018.

That was the only time they visited together with Meghan spending around six hours there in her entire royal life.

But in March she insisted her surname is Sussex as she corrected her celebrity friend Mindy Kaling in an awkward moment on her new Netflix cookery show.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on their only visit to the county in 2018

The moment Meghan told Mindy Kalling 'you know I'm Sussex now' when her friend called her Markle

As Mindy looked confused, Meghan, who has only visited Sussex once, continued: 'You have kids and you go "No, I share my name with my children"'

In episode two of With Love, Meghan, she was joined by Mindy, 45, as she shows her fellow mother how to host a children's party.

As Meghan carefully demonstrated how to assemble a cucumber sandwich, the pair spoke about their favourite fast food growing up.

The Duchess of Sussex called herself a 'latchkey kid' who 'grew up with a lot of fast food and TV tray dinners', listing off US chains Pollo Loco, Taco Bell and Jack In The Box.

But Mindy appeared to get under Meghan's skin with her response, as she said: 'I don't think anyone in the world knows that Meghan Markle has eaten Jack In The Box and loves it.'

Trying to hide her frown with a smile, she replied: 'It's so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle, you know I'm Sussex now.'

As Mindy looked confused, Meghan, who has only visited Sussex once, continued: 'You have kids and you go "No, I share my name with my children".

'I didn't know how meaningful it would be to me but it just means so much to go "This is our family name. Our little family name".

After being corrected, Mindy awkwardly responded: 'Well, now I know and I love it.'

Days later Drew Barrymore became the first celebrity to fall in line and refer to the Duchess of Sussex as 'Meghan Sussex'.

She popped up at a glitzy vegan banquet in Los Angeles last night celebrating women 'owning their power' and helping 'each other get s**t done'.

As her two-week PR blitz in the US continued last night, the Duchess of Sussex was guest of honour at a party thrown by her friend and fellow podcaster Emma Grede, the British-born CEO of fashion brand Good American and a founding partner of Kim Kardashian's Skims line.

Meghan is out about again, this time in LA, at a dinner thrown by her friend, entrepreneur Emma Grede

Guests clink glasses of Meghan's wine, which washed down an entirely plant-based dinner

The dinner was at the home of designer Kelly Wearstler, where celebrity chef Camilla Marcus produced an entirely plant-based menu, washed down with Meghan's As Ever wine.

Ms Grede shared a number of images on Instagram and showed Meghan sat right next to the host.

She said: 'This dinner series is about making that energy ours. About women coming together to share openly, trade resources, and help each other get s**t done.

'Because when women choose to collaborate, to champion each other, and to speak honestly about the highs and the hard parts, we don't just change our own stories. We change what's possible for every woman who follows.

'Here's to more seats, more voices, and more women leading, building, and owning their power'.

Emma posed with Meghan and shared a video of the women clinking glasses. But while Meghan appeared to be drinking her own sauvignon blanc.

Emma had red wine, which As Ever does not sell, although fans were quick to suggest that

Meghan did her best to command attention in a typically chic ensemble, complete with a Giuliva Heritage Stella Linen Blazer in camel, teamed with the matching trousers and a white crop top to show off her toned midriff.

Adding a touch of glitz to her smart outfit, the Duchess opted for her Cartier Love gold bracelet and a statement collar necklace from Aurate New York.
The King is urgently and actively considering banishing Prince Andrew from the Order of the Garter, the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal.

Top-level discussions are this afternoon under way at Buckingham Palace after the latest embarrassing scandals involving the Duke of York.

It is even possible there could be an official announcement later today.

The Order of the Garter, founded by Edward III in 1348, is Britain's most senior order of chivalry.

It is an honour known to be highly prized by Andrew, and its removal would be a serious blow for him.

The monarch can strip the honour from members of the order, although it is understood that Charles would much prefer his brother to voluntarily relinquish the title.

As well as losing his membership of the Order of the Garter, tonight it emerged that Andrew could even give up all of his titles, including the Duke of York.

Andrew and Charles at Westminster Cathedral last month after the Duchess of Kent's funeral

It was claimed he could put his titles in abeyance  but would remain a prince, having been born the son of Elizabeth II.

It is understood Andrew has come under huge pressure from the King.

It was also claimed that the Dukes ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, could relinquish her title as well.

The final straw for the King is understood to have been The Mail on Sunday's exclusive revelation last weekend that Andrew responded to the paper's original report about his alleged sexual encounter with Virginia Giuffre by emailing Jeffrey Epstein and saying 'we are in this together'.

Of course now the Duke claims never to have met Virginia and insists The Mail on Sunday's extraordinary photograph of him with his arm around the then-17-year-old's midriff was fake.

One of the last people to be removed from the Order of the Garter was Emperor Hirohito of Japan after his country joined the Second World War in 1941.

Another option could be to strip Andrew of his Duke of York title, but this would involve an Act of Parliament and considerable parliamentary time, so is much less likely.

REBECCA ENGLISH: Why Andrew should spare his brother the anguish and fall on his sword

By REBECCA ENGLISH, ROYAL EDITOR

There have been many 'bad weeks' for the Duke of York in recent years.

But this one feels different from others.

For a start it has seen incontrovertible proof, thanks to a world exclusive in The Mail on Sunday, that Prince Andrew out-and-out lied when he claimed to have only met convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in December 2010 to break the news he could have nothing to do with him again.

Andrew told the BBC he felt meeting his friend face-to-face was the 'honourable' thing to do and he never had contact with him again.

Now we know that just 12 weeks later he secretly emailed the billionaire predator to reassure him, the day after a picture of them with alleged teenage sex victim Virginia Giuffre was first published, that 'we are in this together' and would have to 'rise above it'.

Sickeningly he concluded: 'Otherwise keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon.'

It was signed 'A, HRH The Duke of York, KG', the final letters of which I will return to.

So much of the saga of recent years concerning the late Queen's (allegedly favourite) son, Epstein and Mrs Giuffre - who tragically took her own life earlier this year but whose eviscerating beyond-the-grave memoir has also just been released - has focused on what amount to little more than claim and counter-claim.

Virginia Giuffre photographed with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell in London in 2001

The revelation of the email that he sent to the paedophile changes that.

Added to the latest unwelcome revelation that Andrew invited the senior Chinese official at the centre of the current Beijing spy case into Buckingham Palace for lunch in 2018 (one of too-many-to-mention scandals involving his shady business activities), it is fair to say that the situation has prompted crisis talks at Buckingham Palace.

My understanding is that 'all options are on the table' and that 'active consideration' is being given to everything from stripping him of his dukedom to finally kicking him out of the Order of the Garter, the country's most ancient order of chivalry that most senior members of the Royal Family belong to for their loyal service to the Crown. This is given in the gift of the King.

Andrew also remains a Counsellor of State, able to step in and act for the monarch should he become incapacitated.

In reality, the chances of this happening are slim, but it is still a position of authority he holds.

Indeed, Andrew still - unbelievably - remains listed on the website as a member of the Royal Family, albeit with a significantly smaller profile alongside that of fellow royal troublemakers, Harry and Meghan.

When serious allegations first began to seep out against the prince more than 15 years ago, the Royal Family and their advisors were initially abysmally slow to act.

In 2011 Andrew was forced to step down from his roving role as a trade and industry 'ambassador' - seen by many as little more than a fig leaf to enjoy foreign jaunts and line his own pockets - after years of scandals.

But it wasn't until January 2022 that Queen Elizabeth finally stripped him of his military titles and royal patronages and use of his HRH title following a judge's ruling that he must defend a civil sexual assault claim brought by Mrs Guiffre in the United States. He eventually settled out of court without any admission of liability.

King Charles has similarly taken up cudgels against his younger brother in a private capacity, despite friends repeatedly emphasising that it is impossible for him to 'sack' him as a member of his family.

Shortly after acceding the throne, he quietly stripped Andrew of his private family allowance (he lost any remaining official tax-payer funding when he was forced to quit as a working royal) in a bid to 'smoke' him out of Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion he still lavishly occupies with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York at Windsor.

The feeling in the King's camp is that Andrew's pig-headed insistence on remaining in his Berkshire palace (for which he holds a 100-plus year lease) is placing him even more at risk from his own hubris - and at the mercy of forces hostile to the UK who will happily exploit both his stupidity and his desperation for money.

Should Andrew have accepted his offer of a smaller, more manageable property on the royal estate, Charles was even willing to reinstate his stipend and pay out of his own pocket for the prince to have private security guards.

But as a friend told me earlier this year: 'There is only a limited amount that the king can do given that his brother is a grown man and a private individual now. He has cut him off financially, he no longer holds any official royal role, he has tried to help him - but that has all been rejected.'

The only option remaining to the King now is to strip his younger brother of every last vestige of respectability or links with public life.

Andrew, who was promoted as a Knight of the Order of the Garter in 2006, has always taken great delight including the letters KG after his name. It was in his sign off to that now-infamous email to Epstein and is something I am told he still uses today.

Until now honours such as the Order of the Garter have only ever been taken away for treason or heresy.

But there is a growing feeling that, while no charges have ever been laid against him formally, Andrew's cumulative behaviour over the years amounts to clear dereliction of his duty to both Crown and country.

As I said on the Daily Mail's Palace Confidential show just this week, it would be a final act of public censure - and our viewers at least are clearly clamouring for the king to act.

Perhaps Andrew will save his brother the agony, do the decent thing and recuse himself?

Certainly it's what the King has always hoped for.

'The Garter is, of course, our highest honour of chivalry. How ironic it would be if the first time that quality was demonstrated by the Duke was in its voluntary forfeiture,' one courtier said to me recently. 'People might, just might, even respect him for it.'
Prince Andrew was tonight finally forced to relinquish all of his remaining royal titles.

After another week of scandal, he announced he would no longer be known as the Duke of York and was stepping down from membership of the Order of the Garter  the country's most ancient order of chivalry.

Andrew will also relinquish his position as Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victoria Order but he will remain a prince, having been born the son of Queen Elizabeth.

His ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, with whom he will continue to live at the lavish 30-bedroom Royal Lodge at Windsor, will now be known as plain Sarah Ferguson. The prince's decision was made after strong pressure from King Charles and in discussion with other family members, including Prince William, as heir to the throne, as well as Andrew's other siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward.

There was a sense of relief at Buckingham Palace that the King's brother had finally 'fallen on his sword' after years of pressure to keep a low profile, despite being already being stripped of his HRH title and made to step down from public duties in 2022.

But there was also an air of weariness that the monarchy had been forced to endure another week of deeply damaging headlines at the disgraced duke's hand.

It is understood that the King, who is believed to have spoken to his brother by phone from Scotland about the issue, feels 'glad' at the outcome. 'Something had to be done,' a source said.

In a statement issued by Buckingham Palace on his behalf, Andrew made clear he continued to deny allegations of sexual assault made against him by the late Virginia Giuffre, who he met through paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Prince Andrew at the Order of the Garter service in 2019 outside St George's Chapel in Windsor

King Charles III yesterday during a visit to the High Commission of Australia in London

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in June 2016 at Royal Ascot

But he conceded continued revelations about his dealings with Epstein, as reported by The Mail on Sunday, were a 'distraction' from the good work of the Royal Family.

He said his decision was prompted by his desire to 'always... put my duty to my family and country first'  echoing his infamous comment that he chose to break off relations with Epstein by flying to New York to tell him the news personally, because he was an 'honourable' man.

Tonight, in a statement, the family of Ms Giuffre, who took her own life in April, said Andrew's decision was 'vindication for our sister and survivors everywhere'.

They added: 'This moment serves as victory for Virginia, who consistently maintained, 'He knows what happened, I know what happened, and there's only one of us telling the truth, and I know that's me'.'

Last weekend, the MoS exclusively revealed that Andrew had publicly lied when he claimed he never had contact with Epstein again following a 'final' meeting with him in December 2010.

It obtained emails sent 12 weeks after that meeting in which Andrew contacted the sex offender to reassure him, the day after a picture of the prince with Ms Giuffre was published, that 'we are in this together' and would have to 'rise above it'.

Sickeningly, Andrew concluded: 'Otherwise keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon!!!' It was signed 'A, HRH The Duke of York, KG', as a knight of the Order of the Garter.

Andrew and Charles at Westminster Cathedral last month after the Duchess of Kent's funeral

It was also revealed that Andrew met, on at least three occasions, the alleged Chinese spymaster at the centre of the current Whitehall espionage case.

Sources have told the Daily Mail that things came to a head this week after a 'constant drip, drip' of fresh claims, of which the MoS's email revelations proved the 'most significant issue'. The changes will take effect immediately and were decided upon in recognition of the fact that the prince's personal issues continued to be an 'unwelcome distraction' from the work of the wider Royal Family.

However, the King has acknowledged that he cannot legally force Andrew out of his Royal Lodge home and he will continue to remain there so long as he can afford the rent.

The prince has a 100-year-plus private tenancy agreement with the Crown Estate which is said to be 'unaffected' by issues relating to his honours and titles.

The prince's titles, rather than being stripped from him, are 'in abeyance'  they effectively remain 'extant but inactive'.

It is understood that part of the King's thinking was to prevent a waste of parliamentary time formally taking the titles away. Any move to do so would have required an Act of Parliament.

But His Majesty was also very keen to 'protect' Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who remain Her Royal Highnesses as granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth. If their father's titles had been removed, theirs would have been affected too, and Charles was keen to avoid this as he holds them 'in high regard and affection'.

'He wouldn't have wanted to sign off on anything that would impact them,' a source said.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson at the Duchess of Kent's funeral in September 2025

Prince Andrew's statement released by Buckingham Palace

Andrew remains a prince because he is the son of Queen Elizabeth II, according to Letters Patent  a written expression of wishes by a monarch  issued in 1917 by George V, updated by Queen Elizabeth in 2012. A source confirmed: 'The title of duke will not be used and consider in 'abeyance'.

'His HRH title is already inactive. The prince's other titles and honours now join it.'

Notably Andrew formally remains a Counsellor of State: to act on behalf of the King, in 'limited and defined circumstances' should he become incapacitated or is abroad. Prince Harry is another who could theoretically act in such circumstances.

But sources stressed that it was already made clear, via Parliament in 2022, that non-working members of the Royal Family will not be called to serve in this capacity so the position is again inactive and not worth taking up parliamentary time to change.

Sources also confirmed  as previously revealed by the Mail  that Andrew will not join the Royal Family at Christmas at Sandringham ever again, although his daughters are welcome.

A royal source told the Mail: 'There is relief that this is over.'

A source close to Sarah Ferguson said she had always used her maiden name professionally and had 'fallen into line' behind Andrew's decision.

'It won't actually affect her in any way and she remains supportive of him,' they said.

Virginia Giuffre photographed with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell in London in 2001

In a statement, Virginia Giuffre's family members said: 'We, the family of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, believe that Prince Andrew's decision to give up his titles is vindication for our sister and survivors everywhere. This decisive action is a powerful step forward in our fight to bring Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's child sex-trafficking network to justice.

'Further, we believe it is appropriate for King Charles to remove the title of Prince.

'This moment serves as victory for Virginia, who consistently maintained, 'He knows what happened, I know what happened, and there's only one of us telling the truth, and I know that's me'.

'This is not just a victory for her, but for every single survivor of the horrific crimes perpetrated by Epstein and his co-conspirators.

'The recent release of emails between Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein, specifically one sent in early 2011, just after a photo of Virginia, Prince Andrew, and Ghislaine Maxwell was published, raises serious questions about the nature of their relationship.

'In that email, Prince Andrew wrote, 'we are in this together,' and 'we'll play more soon,' comments that further validate the truths that Virginia had long spoken about. This evidence starkly contradicts Prince Andrew's claims during his 2018 BBC interview, when he stated he had ceased all contact with Epstein in 2010.

'Epstein pled guilty to soliciting underage prostitution in 2008. These emails not only highlight Prince Andrew's contradictory statements but also suggest a disturbing willingness to deflect from the truth and evade accountability. His actions and words indicate a belief that he could escape the consequences of his associations.

'We hope that the days of impunity for the powerful are over, and protection for predators will no longer be tolerated. We hope a higher standard has been set for our leaders in office in the United States one we will work tirelessly to follow here. It is time for accountability, transparency, and justice for all survivors.'

The Order of the Garter, founded by Edward III in 1348, is Britain's most senior order of chivalry.

It is an honour known to be highly prized by Andrew, and its removal is a serious blow for him.

The monarch can strip the honour from members of the order, although it is understood that Charles would much prefer his brother to voluntarily relinquish the title.

One of the last people to be removed from the Order of the Garter was Emperor Hirohito of Japan after his country joined the Second World War in 1941.

With additional reporting by Ed Holt
Virginia Giuffre's family have described the stripping of Prince Andrew's titles as 'vindication for survivors everywhere'.

In a statement Ms Giuffre's family members, Sky and Amanda Roberts and Danny and Lanette Wilson, have also called on the King to remove Andrew's title of Prince.

This evening Prince Andrew has finally agreed to relinquish all his remaining titles following another week of damaging scandal.

Following pressure from the King, he is now handing back all the honours that he had clung onto despite being stripped of his HRH title and public duties over the Epstein scandal and numerous 'shady' business deals.

These include his title of Duke of York, membership of the Order of the Garter - the country's most ancient order of chivalry awarded for loyal service to the Crown - and his position as Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victoria Order, also given to him by his late mother.

He will, however, remain a Prince having been born a son of Queen Elizabeth.

Reacting to the news, Ms Giuffre's family said: 'We, the family of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, believe that Prince Andrew's decision to give up his titles is vindication for our sister and survivors everywhere. This decisive action is a powerful step forward in our fight to bring Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's child sex-trafficking network to justice.

'Further, we believe it is appropriate for King Charles to remove the title of Prince.

'This moment serves as victory for Virginia, who consistently maintained, "He knows what happened, I know what happened, and there's only one of us telling the truth, and I know that's me".'

Prince Andrew at the Order of the Garter service in 2019 outside St George's Chapel in Windsor

Virginia Giuffre photographed with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell in London in 2001

The family continued: 'This is not just a victory for her, but for every single survivor of the horrific crimes perpetrated by Epstein and his co-conspirators.

'The recent release of emails between Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein, specifically one sent in early 2011, just after a photo of Virginia, Prince Andrew, and Ghislaine Maxwell was published, raises serious questions about the nature of their relationship.

'In that email, Prince Andrew wrote, "we are in this together," and "we'll play more soon," comments that further validate the truths that Virginia had long spoken about. This evidence starkly contradicts Prince Andrew's claims during his 2018 BBC interview, when he stated he had ceased all contact with Epstein in 2010.

'Epstein pled guilty to soliciting underage prostitution in 2008. These emails not only highlight Prince Andrew's contradictory statements but also suggest a disturbing willingness to deflect from the truth and evade accountability. His actions and words indicate a belief that he could escape the consequences of his associations.

'We hope that the days of impunity for the powerful are over, and protection for predators will no longer be tolerated. We hope a higher standard has been set for our leaders in office in the United States one we will work tirelessly to follow here. It is time for accountability, transparency, and justice for all survivors.'

Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, with whom he still lives at lavish 30-bedroom Royal Lodge at Windsor, will also now be known as plain Sarah Ferguson.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, Andrew maintained the allegations made against him were false but said: 'In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from then work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

'With His Majesty's agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

King Charles III yesterday during a visit to the High Commission of Australia in London

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in June 2016 at Royal Ascot

There was a sense of relief at Buckingham Palace last night that the King's brother had finally 'fallen on his sword'.

But there was also despair that the monarchy had been forced to endure another week of scandal at the disgraced duke's hand.

A world exclusive in The Mail on Sunday revealed that Andrew had out-and-out lied when he claimed to have only met with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in December 2010 to break the news he could have nothing to do with him again.

The prince told the BBC he felt meeting his friend face-to-face was the 'honourable' thing to do and he never had contact with him again.

The paper revealed, however, that just 12 weeks later he secretly emailed the billionaire predator to reassure him, the day after a picture of him with alleged teenage sex victim Virginia Giuffre was published, that 'we are in this this together' and would have to 'rise above it'.

Sickeningly he concluded: 'Otherwise keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon!!!'

It was signed 'A, HRH The Duke of York, KG', as a knight of the Order of the Garter.

Added to the latest unwelcome revelation that Andrew invited the senior Chinese official at the centre of the current Beijing spy case into Buckingham Palace for lunch in 2018 - one of too-many-to-mention scandals involving his shady business activities - and the publication of the late Virginia Guiffre's autobiography, the situation prompted crisis talks at Buckingham Palace.

However the King has acknowledged that he cannot legally force Andrew out of his home and he will continue to remain there.

The Prince has a private tenancy agreement with The Crown Estate which is said to be 'unaffected' by issues relating to his honours and titles.

Andrew and Charles at Westminster Cathedral last month after the Duchess of Kent's funeral

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson at the Duchess of Kent's funeral in September 2025

Prince Andrew's statement released by Buckingham Palace

The changes will take effect immediately and were decided upon in recognition of the fact that The Prince's personal issues continued to be an 'unwelcome distraction' from the work of the wider Royal Family.

The Mail understands that the announcement was taken in close consultation with The King, who has suffered a difficult relationship with his brother in recent years.

His Majesty is said to be 'glad' of this outcome.

Prince William, as Prince of Wales, was also consulted as were other family members such as Prince Edward and Princess Anne.

Sources said the duchess has for many years used Sarah Ferguson in her professional capacity and will do so in all other areas.

Andrew remains the son of Queen Elizabeth II. The title of 'Prince' is in accordance with Letters Patent issued in 1917 by George V which were updated by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012.

The title of Duke will not be used and consider in 'abeyance'.

His HRH title is already inactive. The Prince's other Titles and Honours now join it.

It is understood the titles and positions of his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, remain 'wholly unaffected'.

Buckingham Palace said his role as a Counsellor of State was 'inactive'.

Two Counsellors of State act on behalf of The King, in limited and defined circumstances.

Sources said the palace had already made clear, via Parliament in 2022, that Non-Working Members of The Royal Family will not be called to serve in this capacity.

Sources also formally confirmed - as previously revealed by the Mail - that Andrew was banned from Christmas at Sandringham. Princess Beatrice and Eugenie can still attend.

The Order of the Garter, founded by Edward III in 1348, is Britain's most senior order of chivalry.

It is an honour known to be highly prized by Andrew, and its removal is a serious blow for him.

The monarch can strip the honour from members of the order, although it is understood that Charles would much prefer his brother to voluntarily relinquish the title.

One of the last people to be removed from the Order of the Garter was Emperor Hirohito of Japan after his country joined the Second World War in 1941.
When nobleman Osbert Giffard abducted two nuns from a nunnery in 1286, he was deemed to no longer represent the very finest chivalry that England expected, and it was ordered he 'be deprived' of his 'spurs, saddle, bridle and sword'.

It was this aristocratic miscreant's banishment from English high society that helped inspire the fabled Order of the Garter, which was proclaimed in 1348 to uphold the greatest honour and impose severe reprimands for any knights guilty of 'bringing shame'.

The Most Noble Order of the Garter was founded by King Edward III, and is Britain's most senior order of chivalry.

Prince Andrew was made one of its royal knights in 2006. Since the 14th Century, membership has been bestowed by the sovereign personally for exceptional service to Crown or contribution to national life.

Now Andrew has relinquished his highest honour, alongside the use of his dukedom, it will be for history to judge how he fares in comparison to the rogues gallery of his disgraced predecessors thrown out of the Order of the Garter.

A century or so after Giffard's run-in with the nuns, Garter member Sir Ralph Grey fell foul of its rules during a War of the Roses battle in which he, a Lancastrian, was defeated by forces from Yorkshire and duly denounced as a traitor to the King, Edward IV of the House of York.

In 1464, Sir Ralph was sentenced to 'have his spurs struck from his heels by the cook', and for his coat of arms to be 'torn from his body', historian Stephanie Trigg records. If that wasn't bad enough, he was ordered to wear a 'reversed' coat of arms.

If Sir Ralph had optimistically hoped such humiliations - dreadful though they were in 15th century high society - might settle his punishment, he would have been disappointed to discover they were merely to be carried out on his way to visit an executioner who then duly cut off his head.

Prince Andrew at the Order of the Garter in June 2015 outside St George's Chapel in WIndsor

The former Emperor of Japan Hirohito in 1935. Hirohito was removed from the order during World War Two where Japan fought alongside Nazi Germany against the UK and the Allies

Sir Ralph Grey (pictured) was stripped of his title before having his head chopped off

Indeed over the long and bloodied history spanned by the Order of the Garter, those who besmirch its distinguished reputation have felt the sharp end of an executioner's blade before any appeals to European-style judges were invented.

These days, the sanctions may be less physically acute, but they remain reputationally fatal. In nearly 700 years, only around 40 knights of the Garter have been subjected to the process of 'degradation', the name for being kicked out.

While Andrew has not suffered that fate, with his title in abeyance, he is still among dubious company, alongside the likes of Emperor Hirohito of Japan, who was 'degraded' in 1941.

In Hirohito's case, it was felt the honour of chivalry was incompatible with the fact that his bloodthirsty troops were waging a brutal campaign of terror on British soldiers forced to work - and die - on the Burma Railway.

And yet even Emperor Hirohito, after the Second World War, had his membership restored by the late Queen, in 1971, to symbolise renewed diplomatic relations.

Her late husband Prince Philip was once quoted as saying of the Garter: 'It's a nice piece of pageantry which I think a lot of people enjoy...rationally, it's lunatic, but in practice everyone enjoys it, I think.'

It was, perhaps inevitably, Henry VIII who gave proper consideration to the punishments to be bestowed on miscreant knights. Between 1516 and 1519, he revised the statutes to include the specific measure of 'degradation' for 'any knights who be living in a disgraceful manner'.

In the fourteenth century, Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford, was 'degraded' after being found guilty of treason. He fled and was sentenced to death in absentia, but ended up dying in 1392 of injuries sustained in a boar hunt.

In 1397, Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, was dumped from the Order of the Garter after being charged with high treason and thrown in the Tower of London, although he was later let off.
She's been known as the Duchess of York for nearly 40 years but on Friday Sarah Ferguson lost her precious royal title after her ex-husband Prince Andrew agreed to give up his own.

The prince's decision was made after strong pressure from King Charles and in discussion with other family members, including Prince William, as heir to the throne, as well as Andrew's other siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward.

Andrew will also relinquish his position as Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victoria Order and his Order of the Garter.

He has retained his title as prince having been born the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

And his and Fergie's children, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will also retain their titles thanks to their grandmother.

Fergie - who only received her royal title through her marriage - will now be known as plain Sarah Ferguson in any official capacities.

Her Duchess of York title was the only connection to the Royal Family Fergie had retained after she divorced Andrew in 1996 and ceased being a Royal Highness.

Despite their divorce, the couple have continued to live together and they will remain at the lavish 30-bedroom Royal Lodge at Windsor despite tonight's announcement.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson at the Duchess of Kent's funeral in September 2025

Last night, Buckingham Palace issued a statement on the prince's behalf, where he made clear he continued to deny allegations of sexual assault made against him by the late Virginia Giuffre, who he met through paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

But he conceded continued revelations about his dealings with Epstein, as reported by The Mail on Sunday, were a 'distraction' from the good work of the Royal Family.

Fergie's own relationship with Epstein has also come under scrutiny after a newly uncovered email from 2011 revealed that she called the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein a 'supreme friend'.

Since the email, which also included a private apology for Fergie's public rejection of Epstein, was made public multiple charities dropped the duchess as a patron.

This is just the most recent headline grabbing controversy involving the former Duchess of York.

Perhaps most notoriously she was pictured lying on a sunbed in St Tropez, while Texan millionaire John Bryan kissed and sucked her toes.

The intimate images remain some of the most embarrassing pictures of a royal ever made public.

Virginia Giuffre photographed with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell in London in 2001

Last weekend, the MoS exclusively revealed that Andrew had publicly lied when he claimed he never had contact with Epstein again following a 'final' meeting with him in December 2010.

It was also revealed that Andrew met, on at least three occasions, the alleged Chinese spymaster at the centre of the current Whitehall espionage case.

Sources have told the Daily Mail that things came to a head this week after a 'constant drip, drip' of fresh claims, of which the MoS's email revelations proved the 'most significant issue'. The changes will take effect immediately and were decided upon in recognition of the fact that the prince's personal issues continued to be an 'unwelcome distraction' from the work of the wider Royal Family.

However, the King has acknowledged that he cannot legally force Andrew out of his Royal Lodge home and he will continue to remain there so long as he can afford the rent.

The prince has a 100-year-plus private tenancy agreement with the Crown Estate which is said to be 'unaffected' by issues relating to his honours and titles.

The prince's titles, rather than being stripped from him, are 'in abeyance'  they effectively remain 'extant but inactive'.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in June 2016 at Royal Ascot

Andrew and Charles at Westminster Cathedral last month after the Duchess of Kent's funeral

It is understood that part of the King's thinking was to prevent a waste of parliamentary time formally taking the titles away. Any move to do so would have required an Act of Parliament.

It obtained emails sent 12 weeks after that meeting in which Andrew contacted the sex offender to reassure him, the day after a picture of the prince with Ms Giuffre was published, that 'we are in this together' and would have to 'rise above it'.

Sickeningly, Andrew concluded: 'Otherwise keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon!!!' It was signed 'A, HRH The Duke of York, KG', as a knight of the Order of the Garter.

In a statement, Virginia Giuffre's family members said: 'We, the family of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, believe that Prince Andrew's decision to give up his titles is vindication for our sister and survivors everywhere. This decisive action is a powerful step forward in our fight to bring Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's child sex-trafficking network to justice.

'Further, we believe it is appropriate for King Charles to remove the title of Prince.

'This moment serves as victory for Virginia, who consistently maintained, 'He knows what happened, I know what happened, and there's only one of us telling the truth, and I know that's me'.

'This is not just a victory for her, but for every single survivor of the horrific crimes perpetrated by Epstein and his co-conspirators.

'The recent release of emails between Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein, specifically one sent in early 2011, just after a photo of Virginia, Prince Andrew, and Ghislaine Maxwell was published, raises serious questions about the nature of their relationship.

'In that email, Prince Andrew wrote, 'we are in this together,' and 'we'll play more soon,' comments that further validate the truths that Virginia had long spoken about. This evidence starkly contradicts Prince Andrew's claims during his 2018 BBC interview, when he stated he had ceased all contact with Epstein in 2010.

'Epstein pled guilty to soliciting underage prostitution in 2008. These emails not only highlight Prince Andrew's contradictory statements but also suggest a disturbing willingness to deflect from the truth and evade accountability. His actions and words indicate a belief that he could escape the consequences of his associations.

'We hope that the days of impunity for the powerful are over, and protection for predators will no longer be tolerated. We hope a higher standard has been set for our leaders in office in the United States one we will work tirelessly to follow here. It is time for accountability, transparency, and justice for all survivors.'
A volcano long believed extinct for 710,000 years is showing signs of life.

Scientists studying Taftan, in southeastern Iran, detected a summit uplift of 3.5 inches over 10 months from 2023 to 2024, and it has yet to subside.

The team said the swelling could be caused by hot fluids and gases accumulating beneath the summit, or by magma intruding three miles below the surface and pressurizing the overlying hydrothermal system.

Local reports in 2024 also noted increased volcanic activity, including visible smoke and ash emissions from the crater. Volcanoes are classified as extinct if they have not erupted since the Holocene Era, which began 11,700 years ago.

With its recent activity, study senior author and volcanologist Pablo Gonzalez told Live Science that Taftan is better described as dormant rather than extinct.

This means that while it is not currently erupting, pressure is building beneath the volcano, which could eventually be released quietly or violently in the future.

'Our findings reveal that Taftan is more active than previously recognized,' reads the study published this month.

The team also said the findings highlight the urgent need to reassess the Makran subduction volcanic arc, a chain of volcanoes in southern Iran and Pakistan, as new activity at Taftan suggests current hazard evaluations may be outdated.

Scientists studying Taftan, in southeastern Iran , detected a summit uplift of 3.5 inches over 10 months from 2023 to 2024, and it has yet to subside

The team found that, over the 10 months, vents at the summit released gases like water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen fluoride, with sulfur dioxide emissions averaging about 20 tons per day.

Volcanoes have magma and hot fluids beneath the surface, and as these materials heat up, gases are released, like water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and hydrogen fluoride.

When the pressure underground rises, the gases try to escape, so they move up through cracks and vents at the surface.

Two larger gas events occurred on May 16 and 28, 2024, indicating temporary increases in pressure and gas flow.

The team made the findings using a new satellite data method called the common-mode filter, which enabled them to remove interference from the atmosphere and get a much clearer picture of the ground movement.

By analyzing the timing of the uplift, they determined that the source of the deformation is shallow, about 1,540 to 2,070 feet below the summit.

The volcanos western and eastern flanks also moved, but the pattern of deformation did not match rainfall or earthquakes, which suggested it was caused by processes inside the volcano.

'The absence of post-unrest reversed subsidence signals highlights the potential for persistent pressurization beneath the summit, suggesting that the Taftan volcano remains a hazardous area,' the study concluded.

Local reports in 2024 also noted increased volcanic activity, including visible smoke and ash emissions from the crater

While the study is alarming Gonzalez told Live Science that there is no reason to fear an imminent eruption, he said, but the volcano should be more closely monitored.

'This study doesn't aim to produce panic in the people,' he said. 'It's a wake-up call to the authorities in the region in Iran to designate some resources to look at this.'

Taftan is a stratovolcano located in southeastern Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province, near the border with Pakistan.

It stands approximately 13,000 feet above sea level, making it the highest peak in the region.

The nearest Iranian city is Khash, about 81 miles to the northwest, while Zahedan, the provincial capital with a population of over 500,000 people, lies roughly 100 miles away.

Across the border in Pakistan, the town of Taftan in Balochistan is approximately 62 39 miles northeast of the volcano and has a population of around 18,500.

If Taftan were to erupt, nearby communities could face a variety of hazards, including ashfall that could disrupt air travel, damage crops, contaminate water supplies, and cause respiratory problems.

Lava flows and pyroclastic flows would be capable of destroying infrastructure, homes and farmland.

Toxic gas emissions, such as sulfur dioxide, could lead to acid rain and poor air quality.
Fears are growing as a 'killer' insect species is conquering new ground in the UK.

Authorities have confirmed that multiple Asian Hornets have been found in Northern Ireland for the first time.

At least two of the invasive insects have been found in eastern Belfast in the past week, according to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).

About about an inch in length, the Asian Hornet is capable of a painful sting that can be fatal for people with certain allergies.

The creature is distinguishable by its bright yellow leg tips, thin yellow stripes on its upper abdomen, and vibrant orange face.

More than ever, authorities are now relying on the public to report Asian Hornets and their nests so they can be destroyed by qualified pest technicians.

'This is a harmful species that I do not wish to see becoming established in Northern Ireland,' said Northern Ireland's Environment Minister Andrew Muir.

'It presents a serious threat to both biosecurity and local ecology, particularly valuable pollinating insects.'

In the last week, there have been several Asian Hornet sightings in the Dundonald area of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Officials are working to establish the location of a potential nest in the area. Pictured, one of the Asian Hornets found in east Belfast. Note the distinguishing features - bright yellow leg tips and thin yellow stripes on upper abdomen

An immediately identifiable feature of the Asian Hornet is its bright yellow leg tips compared to the European's brown legs. Note also the distinctive thick black stripes on its body

The first Asian Hornet to be found in Northern Ireland was spotted in the Dundonald area of Belfast on October 10 by a member of the public.

Since then, there have been further sightings in the Dundonald area, suggesting the existence of at least one nest there.

'Officials are working to establish location and remove any potential nest in the area,' said the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in an X post.

Authorities stress suspected nests shouldn't be disturbed under any circumstances and sightings should be reported immediately on the Asian Hornet Watch app.

It's unclear how many specimens have been found in Northern Ireland; NIEA has been contacted for more information.

While the sightings in the past week are the first Asian Hornets found in Northern Ireland, they're not the first to be found on the isle.

This summer, two Asian Hornet nests were found and destroyed about 200 miles further south, in Cork, Republic of Ireland.

It followed the first identification of an Asian Hornet in Ireland in the Dublin area in 2021, although this was 'not associated with a wild viable population', Biodiversity Ireland said.

Pictured, an Asian Hornet snapped by a beekeeper at a bait station, on the roof of City Hall in Cork, August 21, 2025

Christopher O'Sullivan, Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, called Asian Hornets 'a threat to our native pollinators and our biodiversity'. Pictured, a dead Asian Hornet found in Cork, Republic of Ireland, in summer 2025

The Asian Hornet The Asian Hornet, scientific name Vespa velutina, is an invasive non-native species from Asia. It is thought to have first arrived in France in 2004, and has since been spreading rapidly, with the first UK sighting in 2016. It is a highly effective predator of insects, including honey bees and other beneficial species. Queens grow up to 3cm in length, and workers up to 2.5cm. It can cause significant losses to colonies, other native species and potentially ecosystems. Advertisement

Christopher O'Sullivan, Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity based in Cork, called Asian Hornets 'a threat to our native pollinators and our biodiversity'.

'We must take even a single sighting very seriously,' O'Sullivan said. 'Members of the public are our eyes on the ground.

'Early detection is key if we are to prevent the establishment of this invasive species.'

The Asian Hornet, also known as the yellow-legged hornet, is native to southeast Asia and considered invasive across most of Europe.

The species was first seen in the UK in 2016 (near Tetbury in Gloucestershire) but has started to spread far more aggressively in recent years.

Sightings have so far been largely in the South East of England, with Kent being the most affected due to its proximity to France, but also in Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and London, with isolated confirmed sightings across parts of South-West England and as far north as Yorkshire and Northumberland.

They've also recently been found in Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands between England and France.

According to the UK government's latest online update, there's been a total of 245 confirmed Asian Hornet nests since 2016, all of which were destroyed.

Asian hornet nests are made out of wood fibres and saliva. Unfortunately, all wasp and hornet nests look similar, so the best way to identify a nest is to see the bug living in it. This is tricky because experts advise keeping your distance. Pictured, an Asian Hornet nest near Canterbury, Kent, May 2024

How to spot Asian Hornets Asian Hornets can appear similar to the native European hornet, but there are a few key differences: Asian Hornets are smaller than European hornets.

Asian Hornets have an orange head when viewed from the front.

Their bodies are almost entirely black with fine yellow stripes and an orange 4th segment near their stinger.

Their legs are bright yellow like they have been 'dipped in paint'. If you do see an Asian Hornet you can report it through the 'Asian Hornet Watch' app. Source: The British Beekeepers Association Advertisement

The last confirmed sighting of a nest in Britain, also destroyed, was in Goodnestone, Kent on October 1.

Last month, meanwhile, there were 52 Asian Hornet nests found and destroyed in the UK, and the overwhelming majority (41) were in Kent.

The Asian Hornet is such a concern because it has a devastating impact on our native insect populations.

Asian Hornets have an appetite for Britain's wasps and honey bees, which are vitally important because they pollinate crops and wildflowers.

Earlier this year, a University of Exeter study found about 1,400 different species in the guts of Asian hornets, including bees, wasps, flies, beetles, butterflies, moths and spiders, although by far honey bees were their favourite prey.

Hornets are a lot larger than bees, although it's worth bearing in mind that not every hornet is an Asian Hornet.

Asian Hornet is often mistaken for the native and ecologically important European Hornet, which is not aggressive and doesn't typically pose a threat to healthy honey bee colonies.

'One of the easiest ways to identify them is by looking at their legs,' said Professor Helen Roy, an ecologist at UKCEH and the University of Exeter.

'Yellow-legged hornets [Asian Hornets] have yellow and brown on their legs, whereas European hornets' legs are only brown.'

Asian Hornets are also smaller and more slender than their European counterparts and have vibrant orange shading on their heads.

Asian Hornets live in oval-shaped nests constructed by a lone queen out of wood fibres and saliva, which can be found in trees, hanging down from ceilings, in the corner of sheds, and many other locations.

Unfortunately, all wasp and hornet nests look similar, so the best way to identify a nest is to see the bug living in it - although you shouldn't get too close.

From a safe distance, about 10 feet away, keep an eye on the nest to see if any hornet comes in or out of it.

In the nest's vicinity, remain calm and avoid any sudden movements, such as swatting which can provoke them.

Make sure any pets, children or people with allergies stay well away, as one sting from an Asian Hornet could kill a person who is allergic to their venom.
It sounds like a scene right out of the latest sciencefiction blockbuster.

But flying car races are now a reality, as the 'Formula One of the skies' holds its firstever event.

Incredible footage shows four flying cars headtohead in a winding race around an aerial track, as part of the 'Jetson Air Games'.

Each pilot was driving a Jetson One, a personal electric aircraft with a terrifying top speed of 63 miles per hour (102 km/h) and a range of up to 20 miles (32 km).

In a video of the race, the cars lift off at the starting line before careening into the course, executing tight turns and perilous overtakes.

Jetson says this first race was just a proof of concept for what a competitive format might look like for their futuristic flying machines.

But on social media, fans are already demanding to see more.

'Hell yes! This is what we were promised back in the 80s. We need more of this,' one fan enthusiastically wrote.

It sounds like a scene right out of the latest sciencefiction blockbuster. But flying car races are now a reality, as the 'Formula One of the skies' holds its firstever event

The race took place at the UP.Summit in Texas, where Jetson demonstrated its flying car's abilities.

In addition to hosting the very first race, pilots also took part in the first fourperson formation flight.

Tomasz Patan, Jetson's cofounder, who also took part in the race, says: 'The energy from the crowd was incredible.

'It was a proud moment for our team and a clear signal that Jetson is ready to lead the next chapter in aviation.'

The company is yet to confirm when or where it will be hosting its next race, or to provide details about its plans for the Jetson Air Games.

However, fans have already begun to clamour for more races.

On YouTube, one commenter wrote: 'Never could have thought this became reality in my lifetime ... What a time to be alive!!!!'

'This is something I thought was a thing of scifi when I was a kid! It's now a reality,' another commenter wrote.

The 'Jetson Air Games' is the brainchild of Jetson, a startup which produces singleperson electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft

The race saw four pilots go headtohead to be the first through a winding aerial track. Each racer was driving a Jetson One personal flying vehicle, with a terrifying top speed of 63 miles per hour (102 km/h)

The Jetson One: Key specs Top speed: 63mph Range: Around 20 miles Weight: 190lbs (86kg) Maximum pilot weight: 210lbs (85kg) Dimensions: 97in /59in / 40in Width when folded: 35in Flight controls: 3 axis joystick, throttle lever Battery type: High discharge LithiumIon Chassis: Allaluminium space airframe Motor type: High power output electric brushless outrunner Advertisement

Another chimed in: 'I remember the first time I saw one of these I thought it was a miracle. Now it's becoming something attainable it's crazy.'

However, many tech enthusiasts were also extremely concerned about how safe this kind of race might be.

One concerned fan wrote: 'When and if this becomes a genuinely competitive sport then this will be more lethal than F1!'

Another wrote: '5000rpm propellers with open cockpit and no propeller guards giving me shivers.'

While one commenter joked: 'The words 'Everyone is a pilot' should scare the heck out of everyone who actually is a pilot.'

The Jetson One is a singlepassenger eVTOL vehicle which uses eight powerful rotors to provide lift.

With a carbon fibre and aluminium frame, the octocopter weighs just 115 kg, 60 kg of which comes from the massive batteries.

That allows the Jetson One to provide about 20 minutes of flight time up to a height of 1,500 feet (457 metres) above ground level.

Jetson says that this first race was just a proof of concept of what a competitive format might look like for their flying vehicles

Although Jetson hasn't announced plans to run more races, fans on social media are already clamouring to see more action

In order to keep the pilot safe, Jetson says that the vehicle can safely fly with only one propeller and automatically land in case of an emergency.

Each Jetson One is also fitted with a ballistic parachute, which can shoot out of the roof to slow a potentially dangerous fall.

However, this performance doesn't come cheap  the vehicle currently costs $128,000 (95,380) with prices planned to rise to $148,000 (110,290) on November 3.

Perhaps the most surprising feature is that you don't need a pilot's licence to fly one of these craft in the US.

The company's motto is 'everyone is a pilot', and its extremely easytouse and lightly regulated aircraft are helping make that a reality.

After launching in October 2021, the first available models immediately sold out, and the company is now accepting orders for delivery in 2028.

The company delivered its first commercial model in September to the defencetech entrepreneur Palmer Luckey.

According to Jetson, Mr Luckey was able to complete the ground training in just 50 minutes and was then free to fly.

Jetson says it has 550 outstanding orders for the Jetson One, having made the first delivery in September to the defencetechnology entrepreneur Palmer Luckey (pictured)

Jetson recently conducted trials with the Polish Mountain Rescue Service, testing the aircraft in reallife emergency situations as an option for reaching remote regions

Jetson says it currently has nearly 550 outstanding orders and has total future sales reaching $75 million (55.9 million).

Recently, the company completed a series of trials with the Polish Mountain Rescue Service, testing the aircraft in reallife emergency situations.

Despite winds gusting up to 36 miles per hour, the Jetson One was able to deploy and manoeuvre through the remote Tatra Mountains.

The vehicle is still subject to flying restrictions, which vary from country to country, meaning it can't currently be flown in cities.

But the founders believe this will change as people open their minds to travel by flight, not road.

Cofounder Peter Ternstrom previously told Daily Mail: Going forward, we want to make big cities better places to live.

'For our children, the cities can be greener  there won't be space needed for loads of parking and roads because it's all going up in the air.

'People think it's crazy, but believe me, evolution happens quickly. Our goal is to make everyone a pilot within a decade.'
Archaeologists excavating near Jordan's southeastern Dead Sea have uncovered evidence that may link the biblical 'sin cities' to real historical sites.

The discoveries include Sodom at Bab edh-Dhra and Gomorrah at Numera, both showing Early Bronze Age occupation, fire-ravaged ruins and permanent abandonment.

Admah and Zeboim, associated with Fifa and Khanazir, also had signs of occupation and destruction, though further excavation is needed to confirm their identities.

Zoar, near modern Safi, stood out for its continuous habitation from the Bronze Age through the Byzantine period, with excavations uncovering churches, tombstones, Nabataean remains and a cave tied to an ancient prophet said to have pleaded for God to spare the city for his refuge.

Dr Titus Kennedy, a field archaeologist, shared on the Digging for Truth podcast that the findings at Zoar help anchor the biblical narrative and contextualize the destruction of the other cities.

All five sites follow a north-south alignment along hilltops near ancient streams, reinforcing the biblical account.

'You've got five cities that potentially all look the same and the same types of things happened there in the right geographical area,' Kennedy emphasized.

The discoveries include Sodom at Bab edh-Dhra, which is one of the famous wicked cities of the Bible

According to the Old Testament, these cities were destroyed by fire and brimstone as divine punishment for extreme wickedness, including cruelty, corruption and moral decay

'And I think that is very compelling for identifying this with the five cities of the plain.'

According to the Old Testament, these cities were destroyed by fire and brimstone as divine punishment for extreme wickedness, including cruelty, corruption and moral decay.

Genesis describes Sodom and Gomorrah as places where 'the outcry against them was so great and their sin so grievous' that God decided to obliterate them.

A prophet, named Lot, and his family were spared because of their righteousness, with Zoar serving as their refuge.

The story has long been interpreted as a warning against immorality and defiance of divine law, giving the archaeological discoveries a powerful narrative context.

Bab edh-Dhra, the strong candidate for Sodom, contained cemeteries showing charnel houses burned from above, consistent with Genesis 19's description of fire from heaven.

'When they were excavating in the cemetery, they found that the charnel houses had been burned on the inside,' Kennedy said.

'Initially, they thought this might have been done to cleanse the grave so it could be reused.

Gomorrah is believed to be at Numera, as excavations found it had Early Bronze Age occupation, fire-ravaged ruins and permanent abandonment. The same was determined at Bab edh-Dhra

'But as they continued excavating, they uncovered one particularly well-preserved example, including the roof.

'Upon further examination, they discovered that the fire had actually started on the top of the roof, burned through it into the chamber and then spread throughout.

'This suggests that the destruction came from above, rather than being intentionally set inside the graves.'

Skeletal remains found at Numera, a proposed site for Gomorrah, were unearthed from under a collapsed tower, indicating a sudden catastrophe.

'We don't find a lot of intact human skeletons just lying around archaeological sites,' Kennedy explained, noting that it is because ancient humans of this time typically placed the dead inside sealed tombs.

Both cities align geographically with Zoar and follow a north-south line of hilltop settlements near wadis, supporting the biblical narrative of the cities of the plain.

Despite some radiocarbon dates suggesting earlier destruction, pottery and other archaeological material fit the biblical timeline, reinforcing Bab edh-Dhra and Numera as plausible historical counterparts to Sodom and Gomorrah.

Limited cemetery excavations at Fifa and Khanazir suggested destruction patterns similar to those at Bab edh-Dhra and Numera, aligning with the biblical account of Admah and Zeboim's fiery end in Genesis 19.

Kennedy emphasized: They need to be excavated thoroughly officially to give us some more detailed and correct information, underscoring the need for future research to confirm their identities.

Skeletal remains found at Numera, a proposed site for Gomorrah, were unearthed from under a collapsed tower, indicating a sudden catastrophe

Like Sodom and Gomorrah, these cities were likely abandoned after their destruction, fitting the biblical narrative of divine judgment on the cities of the plain.

Zoar, confidently identified near modern Safi, stands out as the only city spared destruction, serving as Lot's refuge in Genesis 19.

Excavations over the past 30 years have uncovered two large Byzantine churches, a Roman fort, Nabataean habitation and Bronze Age pottery, confirming continuous occupation from Abraham's time through the Byzantine period.

'So far, there are two large churches that have been partially excavated. It's certainly a significant Christian city at that period,' Kennedy noted.

A key discovery was Lot's Cave, located in nearby mountains, which Kennedy described as 'pretty astonishing' due to its Early and Middle Bronze Age pottery and a Byzantine church with inscriptions linking it to Lot.

'They found pottery from the early Bronze Age and the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age, and then it ceased to be used for millennia. And so, it fits the correct time as a cave in use during the life of Lot,' he said.

Ancient sources, including the 6th-century Madaba Map and 1st-century historian Josephus, who noted that 'the Dead Sea extended as far as Zor of Arabia,' corroborate Zoar's location.

A tombstone for a bishop named Opsis, dated to 369 AD, and referenced by pilgrims like Egeria, further affirms Zoar's enduring significance.

'This is one reason why Zoir is very important  because we know where Zor is still. It's definitely established because it was never lost to history,' Kennedy said, highlighting Zoar's role in anchoring the locations of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim.
Alaska has been hit by a strong 5.0 magnitude earthquake, just days after remnants of Typhoon Halong brought a record storm surge to western Alaska on Sunday.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) detected the quake at 11:48am ET, about 39 miles off the coast of Akutan, which is home to nearly 1,600 people.

While a small community, Akutan has the largest fish processing plant in North America, which processes millions of pounds of fish daily.

More than a dozen people have issued reports of shaking to the USGS, with the number increasing.

The earthquake struck along the Aleutian Arc, which consists of several active and dormant volcanoes.

The seismic activity to the south comes as thousands of people living in the northwestern region of Alaska are being airlifted to safety.

The record storm surge battered their low-lying communities over the weekend, wiping away homes and killing at least one person. Two others are missing.

The coastal villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were among the hardest hit, with homes completely demolished and submerged.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) detected the quake at 11:48am ET, about 39 miles off the coast of Akutan, which is home to nearly 1,600 people

The seismic activity to the south comes as thousands of people living in the northwestern region of Alaska are being airlifted to safety

The Aleutian Arc marks the region where the Pacific Plate subducts into the mantle beneath the North American Plate.

It is a seismically active region, evidenced by the thousands of earthquakes occurring each year.

While the earthquake hit nearly 40 miles offshore, the shock waves were strong enough to reach Dutch Harbor, a harbor on Amaknak Island in Unalaska.

Dutch Harbor serves as a crucial center for the largest US and one of the world's largest sustainable fisheries, the Alaska pollock fishery.

It is also an important international shipping hub due to its ice-free status and proximity to major Pacific Rim routes.

Typhoon Halong was moving in the Pacific near Japan last week, which would have been equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane should it have made landfall.

The typhoon remnants ripped through Alaska on Sunday, unleashing water levels more than six feet above the highest normal tide line in some areas.

However, remnants of the storm rippled across the Pacific and fueled turbulent weather heading toward Alaska.

In one of the most significant airlifts in Alaska's history, hundreds were flown about 500 miles to Anchorage, after a shelter in the regional hub city of Bethel was filled with dozens of evacuees

As it moves into the North Pacific, the fast-moving jet stream absorbs the typhoon's energy, intensifying storms along the storm track.

This phenomenon, caused by 'recurving typhoons,' can send far-reaching effects across the ocean.

In one of the most significant airlifts in Alaska's history, hundreds were flown about 500 miles to Anchorage, after a shelter in the regional hub city of Bethel was filled with dozens of evacuees.

In Kwigillingok, the US Coast Guard rescued two dozen people from their homes after the structures floated out to sea in high water.

The coastal village of Kipnuk was among those hit the hardest. Pictured is the community before the typhoon

Officials on Thursday said 121 homes were destroyed in Kipnuk (pictured after the typhoon), but all people have been accounted for

Ella Mae Kashatok, 67, was found dead in Kwigillingok, and authorities on Monday night called off the search for two men, Chester Kashatok, 41, and Vernon Pavil, 71, after their home was swept away.

Officials on Thursday said 121 homes were destroyed in Kipnuk, but all people have been accounted for.

Cellphone service had been restored in Kwigillingok by Thursday, authorities said, and restrooms were operational at the school there, where about 350 people had sheltered overnight Tuesday.

Damage was also serious in other villages. Water, sewer and well systems were inoperable in Napaskiak, according to a statement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Jeremy Zidek, a spokesperson with the state emergency management office, said he did not know how long the evacuation would take, explaining that authorities were looking for additional shelters.

The aim is to get people from congregate shelters into hotel rooms or dormitories, he said.
The interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS has displayed behavior never before seen in a comet.

In August, the Two-Meter Twin Telescope in the Canary Islands captured an image showing a faint jet extending roughly 3.7 miles from the object's nucleus, pointing toward the sun.

This stream of gas and dust is unusual because comet tails are typically pushed away from the Sun by solar radiation and wind.

Harvard professor Avi Loeb said on Friday: 'The existence of an anti-tail pointed toward the sun is an anomaly that raises two questions: What is the nature of the anti-tail?

'Why are comet experts ignoring this anomaly while insisting that 3I/ATLAS is a familiar comet?'

Weeks earlier, the Hubble Space Telescope observed a similar phenomenon, capturing an extended glow aimed sunward in late July.

Loeb explained that the glow stretched roughly ten times longer than it was wide, forming what he described as the geometry of a jet directed at the Sun, a pattern unlike any known comet.

'Realizing this is as shocking as photographing an animal your family thinks is a street cat, only to see a tail coming out of its forehead,' Loeb said.

In August, the Two-Meter Twin Telescope in the Canary Islands captured an image showing a faint jet extending roughly 3.7 miles from the object's nucleus, pointing toward the sun

He noted that while many specialists hailed the Hubble image as evidence that 3I/ATLAS behaves like a comet, they overlooked the critical detail: the jet points the wrong way.

Both the Hubble and ground-based observations show material moving toward the Sun, contradicting the physics that normally shape comet tails.

Loeb suggests the unusual orientation could indicate the object is ejecting large, heavy particles less affected by sunlight, or that an entirely new type of outgassing mechanism may be at work.

The professor has speculated that 3I/ATLAS could be of extraterrestrial origin, the moment it was identified in July.

Loeb said there is a 30 to 40 percent chance the object 'does not have a fully natural origin,' noting the possibility it is a 'Trojan Horse,' where a technological object masquerades as a comet.

However, the world could soon know the answer when 3I/ATLAS makes its closest approach to the sun on October 29.

The object should 'disintegrate into fragments' if it is a comet.

'When a comet gets close to the sun, solar radiation heats its icy nucleus,' Loeb explained.

Comet 3I/ATLAS streaks across a dense star field in this image captured by a telescope in Chile

'Volatile ices like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or water sublimate directly into gas, carrying away dust and small rocks.

'This process can cause the comet to break apart if the mix of ice and dust cannot withstand the thermal stress.'

The European Space Agency's Jupiter probe will have a front-row seat, capturing the moment it either breaks apart or, as Loeb speculated, 'releases mini-probes as a technological mothership.'

The ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) craft will have a view of the object when it comes 125 million miles from the planet and monitor it through November.

'During November and December, terrestrial observatories will also be able to monitor 3I/ATLAS and check whether it disintegrated like a natural comet or released mini-probes as a technological mothership,' Loeb explained.

While the professor believes there is a possibility it is of alien origin, NASA has long said the object is a natural comet.

The American space agency released images of 3I/ATLAS as it soared past Mars on October 3, showing it as cylindrical-shaped.

Stargazers on social media shared color-enhanced images of the object, which showed the interstellar visitor having a green glow.

Loeb and many other scientists are anticipating the visitor's journey to the sun as it will finally put the mystery to rest.

3I/ATLAS will appear as a fuzzy ball of light in the blackness of space, and if it does disintegrate, the professor said it will break into independent, smaller dots of light.
Forget the crushing crowds and sky-high costs in Santorini, as Italy offers a remote town that looks just like it - for a fraction of the price.

Ostuni, located in the southern region of Puglia, is perched on a hilltop overlooking the olive groves and vineyards of Valle d'Itria and the surrounding Adriatic Sea.

The 'White City' is famed for its whitewashed architecture, featuring bright buildings that are refreshed each year by the local government to maintain the city's appearance.

Starting as a tradition in the 17th century as a way to combat the plague, white lime wash, made from limestone dust and water, is believed to have antibacterial benefits from the calcium carbonate, and seen as a miracle that warded off disease.

Today, custom is continued not only for sanitary and historical reasons, but also to help reflect heat and keep the area cool, along with brightening its narrow alleyways.

Ostuni, derived from the Greek term 'Astyneon', which means new city, is also known for its maze-like layout of streets, arches and stairways - the chaotic outcome of a city that was built without a master plan.

It offers an authentic Mediterranean vibe, with its beachside bars, crystal-blue shores, lush landscapes, and rustic restaurants serving up regional cuisine, along with historic monuments and regional experiences.

Foodies visiting Ostuni are in for a treat, as the city offers everything from olive oil tasting tours and cooking classes to sampling gelato and cafes in Piazza della Liberta.

Ostuni, located in the southern region of Puglia, is perched on a hilltop overlooking the olive groves and vineyards of Valle d'Itria and the surrounding Adriatic Sea

The 'White City' is famed for its whitewashed architecture, featuring bright buildings that are refreshed each year by the local government to maintain the city's appearance

A bustling local market is also held every Saturday, while a large flea market takes place in the off-season on Sundays.

Visitors can soak up the sun on nearby beaches, such as Pilone Beach, take day trips to neighbouring towns, like Alberobello, or explore the labyrinthine streets across Centro Storico.

The Romanesque-Gothic architecture of the Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta in Ostuni Cathedral is a must-see, while the Masseria Brancati, an ancient fortified Masseria in from AD 1500, offers a fascinating look at a pre-Roman underground olive mill.

The area has seen a significant rise of visitors over the years thanks to its uncanny resemblance to some of Greece's most distinguished hotspots, earning it the nickname 'Santorini of Italy.'

To get to Ostuni from the UK, the best way is to fly from a London airport to Brindisi Airport (BDS), followed by a short transfer to Ostuni.

A two-hour Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Brindisi Airport starts at 30, while a scenic train ride from Brindisi to Ostuni costs little over 3 and takes an hour and a half.

With temperatures in Ostuni averaging 30C in summer and 18C in winter, the city is perfect to explore throughout the year - so, what are you waiting for?

Meanwhile, an Italian city has been described as the country's 'treasured secret' with a beautiful coastline.

The area has seen a significant rise of visitors over the years thanks to its uncanny resemblance to some of Greece's most distinguished hotspots, earning it the nickname 'Santorini of Italy'

A two-hour Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Brindisi Airport starts at 30, while a scenic train ride from Brindisi to Ostuni costs little over 3 and takes an hour and a half

View at the square with Saint Orontius column in Ostuni

According to Lonely Planet, Genoa is one of the world's best cities to visit in 2025 and one of Italy's best hidden gems.

A port metropolis on Italy's northwest coast, Genoa was the 26th most-visited city in Italy during 2017 with far fewer tourists than the likes of Venice and Rome.

Lonely Planet reveals: 'Few places in Italy are "undiscovered", but Genoa feels like a treasured secret.

'With a new high-speed-train connection in the works, now is the time to seek out this stately city with superlative culinary chops, a stunning seaside and a well-earned reputation as one of Italy's most historically and culturally vibrant cities.'
France has dropped a series of controversial border interrogation questions for British visitors to avoid delays of up to four-hours.

As part of a new digital borders scheme, British tourists entering the EU could face questioning by border guards and be required to provide fingerprints and photographs at London St Pancras, Folkestone and the Port of Dover.

The Entry/Exit System (EES), launched on October 12, requires holidaymakers to use new electronic kiosks and provide proof they have sufficient funds to enter the Schengen zone, a return ticket, booked accomodation and medical insurance.

But there were mounting concerns that the added regulations would see European airports struggling to cope with the number of travellers passing through.

One industry chief even warned Brits they would need to wait up to four hours at border checks after landing in EU countries.

As well as delays some passengers, unaware of the new restrictions, could be ineligible to travel.

The new border checks are being rolled out over a period of 180 days, from October 12 to April 9.

But French authorities have now revealed that Brits will not need to answer questions from border guards in the initial six months.

France has dropped the controversial border interrogation questions for British visitors to avoid delays of up to four-hours

As part of a new digital borders scheme, British tourists entering the EU could face questioning by border guards

Simon Lejeune, chief stations and safety officer for Eurostar, told the House of Lords justice and home affairs committee: 'We know those Schengen questions have caused significant confusion when our passengers answer these, particularly within the kiosk process.

'We're really happy that, through discussions with the French interior ministry and our colleagues, it's been agreed that those questions can be technically removed from the kiosks during the initial six-month introduction period of the new system.

'A sense of pragmatism is returning. This questioning is becoming less systematic and more targeted, which is positive.'

But from April 'the French interior ministry position was quite clear that they are not going to compromise on border fluidity, nor will they compromise on border security either.'

The new scheme is being introduced as the EU looks to crack down on people overstaying their VISA.

It was supposed to be implemented in November 2024 but faced delays with border units not ready for it.

The digital system will require non-EU passport holders and those crossing Schengen borders to provide biometric data and fingerprints.

Passengers will need to scan their passports at an automated self-service kiosk.

The system will replace passport stamping for visitors to Europe's Schengen area.

Passport stamps can be used until April 2026, when only digital checks will be allowed.
Located in north-east Wales, Glyndwr is Britain's proposed next national park, however some locals aren't too happy about it.

Glyndwr National Park could stretch from Prestatyn to northern Powys and is currently undergoing the consultation process.

The proposed area is home to Britain's highest waterfall, Pistyll Rhaeadr, and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

There is even a Grade I castle in the suggested spot - Chirk Castle.

But it might not be a smooth approval, as residents are split on whether they want their local area to be a national park.

Surveys from 2023 and 2024 show a split in opinions, and the most recent one resulted in a 10 per cent majority supporting the plans, The Telegraph reports.

Tearoom owner Phill Facey raised concerns over dealing with overtourism and how busy the area can get.

He told the publication: 'There are weekends where it is so busy. You come here on a Saturday and there's nowhere to park. Imagine double that number.

Glyndwr National Park could stretch from Prestatyn to northern Powys and is currently undergoing the consultation process

The proposed area is home to Britain's highest waterfall, Pistyll Rhaeadr, and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

'During lockdown, the road was gridlocked for more than four days.'

Plaid Cymru councillor Elwyn Vaughan notes that some 20 per cent of Wales is already national park.

He argued: 'Before you know it, Wales will be one big national park. Is that what we want Wales to be? A play area for people to come away? Some of us will say not.'

The local also pointed out concerns of 'townies' gaining an unrealistic, 'romantic notion' of what a rural area is.

Elwyn emphasised there are issues like sustaining biodiversity in the area that are important to focus on, too.

In a different interview, he told the BBC how he worried national park status would cause 'increased pressure on communities'.

He added that issues like it possibly impacting house prices were also raised since the proposals.

Meanwhile, others have been more positive about the area becoming a national park, including Ash Pearce from Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

Tearoom owner Phill Facey raised concerns over dealing with overtourism and how busy the area can get

He told the BBC: 'We know change can be difficult but, with the right approach, a new national park could bring real benefits for people, wildlife and the local economy.

'This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect nature, support communities, and shape a better future for this stunning part of Wales.'

Martin Murray, who is a member of the Dee Valley Environmental Network, explained how he thought tourism would 'benefit' the area.

He shared how his village has no primary school or pub and that the residents were 'very upset'.
The 'worlds biggest budget airline' has revealed the revamped interiors of its economy planes, complete with extra legroom and a 'futuristic' design.

Southwest Airlines has revealed the much-anticipated revamped interiors of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes.

The US airline's redesign was rolled out on October 16, marking a 'major milestone' in the cabin overhaul of the aircraft, which Southwest has used since 2017.

'Each of these enhancements brings us closer to creating an elevated experience our customers told us they wanted,' Southwest said in a statement.

These 'elevated' additions, which the budget carrier has been teasing for a year, include extra legroom rows, larger overhead bins and power outlets, along with spacious new seats.

The seats will feature a multi-adjustable headrest cushion, an integrated tablet and phone holder on the rear and a tray table with two cup holders

A refreshed lighting, an updated carpet, and a palette of cool blue tones round out the plane's 'futuristic' reboot, according to the New York Post.

The plane will also debut an 'Extra Legroom' section, with more top-of-the-line snack options, complimentary premium beverages and earlier boarding positions once the airline starts offering premium and assigned seating on January 27, 2026.

Southwest Airlines has revealed the much-anticipated revamped interiors of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes

The US airline's redesign was rolled out on October 16, marking a 'major milestone' in the cabin overhaul of the aircraft, which Southwest has used since 2017

The seats will feature a multi-adjustable headrest cushion, an integrated tablet and phone holder on the rear and a tray table with two cup holders

More than half of the carriers planes have now been fitted with extra legroom as of mid-October 2025.

Extra legroom seats also come with two free checked bags, early boarding, premium drinks and snacks, and free Wi-Fi.

'As we continue to enhance our onboard experience, in-flight WiFi is a key element in that journey and allows us to provide meaningful value to our loyal Customers,' said the company.

Southwest Airlines has been struggling to find its footing after the COVID-19 pandemic.

To address this, the airline is changing policies like ending open seating and introducing fees for checked bags.

Critics claimed that ending these policies was the wrong move as they distinguished the airline from other carriers.

However, activist investor Elliott Management, which took an 11 per cent stake in Southwest in 2024 and pushed the carrier to do away with many of these hallmark policies, argued that the airline had long suffered from 'poor execution' and a 'stubborn unwillingness' to modernise.

It comes as a futuristic 14.5million plane with TV screens instead of windows has been unveiled.

These 'elevated' additions, which the budget carrier has been teasing for a year, include extra legroom rows, larger overhead bins and power outlets, along with spacious new seats

A refreshed lighting, an updated carpet, and a palette of cool blue tones round out the plane's 'futuristic' reboot

The jet, called Phantom 3500, will use technology on the outside of the plane to provide immersive views. The creators, Otto Aerospace, plan to launch the aircraft in 2027.

It also features an ultra-smooth exterior, which enhances the laminar flow of the plane - significantly reducing drag and increasing fuel efficiency and performance.

Without windows dragging the aircraft down, it should provide economic fuel usage  around 60 per cent less than traditional planes  as well as improved range.

The system of state-of-the-art cameras will provide real-time views of the outside of the plane.

Passengers will find a two-metre high cabin which offers enough space for nine people to travel comfortably and inside the cockpit there will be cutting-edge technology and next-gen avionics for precision control.

Otto Aerospace said: 'Passengers enjoy stunning, uninterrupted views of the sky and landscape, all while benefiting from the enhanced aerodynamics and efficiency that come with complete laminar flow design.'
An American airline has launched new bag checking rules that are set to make international travel easier.

United Airlines carries millions of passengers a year across its domestic and international routes.

The company recently introduced the International Remote Baggage Screening (IRBS) process on September 23.

It means passengers on connecting flights do not need to check their bags in again on some international journeys.

Travellers jetting from Australia's Sydney Airport to San Francisco International Airport, a daily route by the airline, on a connecting flight can take advantage of the new process.

The new procedure comes alongside a new scheme by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Since its launch, more than 160 passengers on each flight have used the process and managed to save up to 45 minutes during their connection.

The airline said this relieves 'the stress of making their connecting flights to their final destinations'.

United Airlines carries millions of passengers a year across its domestic and international routes

United's Vice President of Customer Operations Strategy and Execution Jennifer Schwierzke said: 'We're streamlining the international arrival process by eliminating extra steps for travellers to pick-up and re-check their bags on connecting flights.

'Together with CBP, we're testing this new process on routes between Sydney and San Francisco and plan to expand to additional international routes in the months ahead.'

The airline outlined how passengers can drop off their luggage at Sydney Airport like usual.

Holidaymakers with connecting flights to another destination, and who stop off at San Francisco, then head through customs, immigration and agriculture inspections.

They then go to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for security screening.

At this point, under the new process, passengers typically do not need to pick-up checked bags at baggage claim and re-check them to their final destinations.

However, they do if they have been specifically referred by CBP for further inspection.

The company recently introduced the International Remote Baggage Screening (IRBS) process on September 23

Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton praised the new procedure and noted how helpful it will be for passengers.

He said: 'It's great to see United Airlines trialing bag re-check elimination on the Sydney - San Francisco route, one of our busiest long-haul services.'

The airport boss described how 'seamless' the journey would be now.

Scott added: 'It's a win for passengers  saving valuable time, making connections easier, and showing how Sydney Airport and our airline partners are working together to deliver smoother, more seamless journeys.'
Food tourism has risen exponentially in recent years, with travellers keen to get their hands on regional delicacies and local cuisine while abroad.

While some places have gastronomy that is famed worldwide - France and its baguettes, Italy and its pasta, Spain and paella - other places might be well-kept secrets.

Many tourists also prefer to avoid the crowds and queues of busy cities such as Paris and Rome.

Europe's best foodie destination away from the crowds have been revealed - and the city topping the list is a more under-the-radar spot.

Heraklion in Crete has been named the best authentic food destination with fewer crowds, according to a new study.

The study analysed 5,000 restaurants across 125 European cities using Google review data to track where diners praised food as 'authentic'.

This was combined with tourist volume data to reveal the hidden hotspots boasting traditional, timeless food.

Heraklion is internationally recognised for its traditional, flavourful food, becoming a UNESCO City of Gastronomy in 2023.

Heraklion in Crete has been named the best authentic food destination with fewer crowds, according to a new study

Heraklion is internationally recognised for its traditional, flavourful food, becoming a UNESCO City of Gastronomy in 2023

UK Masterchef winner Irini Tzortzoglou revealed her top tips for experiencing authentic Greek food in Heraklion to Saga Holidays, who commissioned the study.

She says, 'Go for bougatsa (cheese pie topped with sugar and cinnamon) in Kirkor by the Lions Square, enjoy a traditional meal at the awarded Peskesi restaurant, or for great fish, go to any of the seafood tavernas in the suburb of Alikarnassos.

'Wherever you eat in Crete, try the dakos (barley rusk topped with tomato and feta cheese) and fava (split yellow bean puree drizzled with great extra virgin olive oil).'

Yet, while nearly eight in 10 Brits (79 per cent) say finding authentic food is important when abroad, three quarters admit they struggle to know where to go beyond the tourist hotspots.

The research shines a light on cities with lower tourism volumes but high reviews and authenticity scores for those who want to avoid the crowds whilst taking in culinary delights.

After Heraklion, Thessaloniki in Greece comes second on the list.

In third place is Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal, followed by Kalamata in Greece.

And in fifth place is Pula in Croatia.

Plenty of travellers and locals enjoy authentic Greek food in Heraklion

Irini said: 'I believe that there are certainly markers that the offering is not authentic; overloaded menu, tourist cliches (Greek salad, moussaka, souvlaki, etc), generic descriptors, stock photos, etc.

'A menu that lists horta [Greek boiled greens], fava, dakos [paximadi bread topped with fetaand tomatoes], gigantes [beans] and kokoretsi [lamb intestines wrapped around offal], alongside familiar dishes, like moussaka, is more authentic than one that just gives tourists what they expect.'

Saga also listed popular places for authentic food tourism overall.

Budapest tops Saga Holidays authentic food ranking, boasting dishes such as goulash and traditional street food such as langos, a deep-fried flatbread topped with sour cream and cheese.
Kate Garraway scrambled to grab some tissues as a Good Morning Britain guest broke down in tears as she revealed how the police seized her late husband's dying letter with his last words to her on it while on Friday's show.

Louise Shackleton and her late husband Antony - who had motor neurone disease - travelled to Dignitas clinic in Switzerland in December last year so that he could take his own life.

The mum appeared on the latest instalment of the ITV programme, hosted by Kate, 58, and Robert Rinder, 47, to talk about Antony's decision, and how the case against her has since been dropped.

Louise self-reported Antony's death to the police and they opened an investigation, which took over 10 months to find a verdict.

Robert pointed out: 'During that time, they said you had a legal duty on pain of prosecution to protect and preserve anything that might be evidence - that included your husband's computer.'

'Funnily enough Rob, nobody told me that but because I've worked within the legal field and within the courts, I was aware that tablet had evidence on it, from my husband's own hand,' Louise said.

Kate Garraway scrambled to grab some tissues as a Good Morning Britain guest broke down in tears as she revealed how the police seized her late husband's dying letter with his last words to her on it while on Friday's show

Louise Shackleton (pictured) and her late husband Antony - who had Motor Neurone Disease - travelled to Dignitas clinic in Switzerland in December last year so that he could take his own life

'I didn't know what was on it but I knew that was where he made his arrangements, he'd done things, he could speak into it, instead of type.'

Kate then asked what she had found on his laptop.

Clearly getting very emotional, Louise said: 'It was a love letter to me from my husband.

'It was the last thing that he had written.'

Kate then told her that she was going to get some tissues and told her: 'I know that this is hard.'

Louise continued: 'He was clear in it that it was for me when I came back, it was him trying to support me knowing that the times were going to be hard for me, and the boys.

'And it was him supporting me, it was his last words to me and I've been denied those for 10 months.

'The police didn't take any of his electronic equipment, his phone I had already used while I was in Switzerland, the tablet, I knew that had evidence.

She said: 'His last wish wasn't granted because of the laws we have in place because of the draconian, ridiculous law that we have in place. This is why it needs to change'

'I knew that had evidence to support me if there was a prosecution, so I didn't want to taint any evidence and be accused of fiddling with the information of it.'

She continued: 'His last wish wasn't granted because of the laws we have in place because of the draconian, ridiculous law that we have in place.

'This is why it needs to change.'

Louise Shackleton, a mother-of-three from North Yorkshire, said she received a phone call informing her that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had decided it was not in the pubic interest to pursue charges.

Speaking to The Mirror she said: 'On top of the death of my husband and my grieving, I have had the excruciating pressure of a possible court case.'

Reflecting on the Assisted Dying Bill currently before the House of Lords, Shackleton added: 'Assisted deaths need to be open, not driven underground.'

Campaigners say her ordeal highlights the urgent need for clarity in the law surrounding assisted dying - a debate that continues to divide the nation.

It comes six months after Shackleton revealed the awful moment Anthony had received an email detailing the date he would die.

Speaking to The Mirror she said: 'On top of the death of my husband and my grieving, I have had the excruciating pressure of a possible court case.'

Reflecting on the Assisted Dying Bill currently before the House of Lords, Shackleton added: 'Assisted deaths need to be open, not driven underground.'

Campaigners say her ordeal highlights the urgent need for clarity in the law surrounding assisted dying - a debate that continues to divide the nation.

For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace has opened up on her horror experience taking a fake fat jab in desperation to lose weight, which nearly killed her.

The TV personality and model took to Good Morning Britain on Friday to open up about the experience of buying fake Ozempic off an illegal seller on Facebook - and to beg viewers considering doing so 'not to play Russian roulette with their lives'.

Aisleyne, 46, joined Rob Rinder and Kate Garraway on the ITV series to be quizzed on the reasons why she turned to the botched fat jabs in the first place.

She explained: 'My friend had got it and it had worked for her, and it didn't feel illegal, it felt like, "well my friends doing it", so it doesn't feel wrong.'

The Big Brother star added that if she had 'gone to the GP', she would not have qualified for the drug as she was 'not morbidly obese', driving her to other routes to source the injections.

She contacted a Facebook supplier to buy the botched jabs, but it did not have the same effect for her as it had on her friend who had revealed it 'worked for her'.

Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace opened up on her horror experience taking a fake fat jab in desperation to lose weight

The TV personality and model took to Good Morning Britain on Friday to open up about the experience of buying fake Ozempic off an illegal seller on Facebook

Aisleyne was soon suffering horrendous side effects from the jab, which when tested, had more than double the starting dose for a new user.

'It was horrific,' she told hosts Rob, 47, and Kate, 58. 'I honestly thought, "This is it, this is my fate, I'm going to go", and it was really, really scary.'

Aisleyne explained that the injections were delivered to her home without the correct packaging on them, which carries risks of a 'dirty needle' and 'bacteria'.

Reflecting on her decision, she begged viewers tuning in not to turn to buying the drug on social media, and instead take the correct route by seeing a GP.

She said: 'I just want people to know not to do it. Don't play Russian Roulette with your life.'

Aisleyne previously opened up on the ordeal on GMB earlier this year, admitting she was 'in such a bad place' and 'mortified' by her choices.

'I was in my bed for three days. I was in and out of consciousness. There were bags of vomit,' she explained of the side effects.

'I was in such a bad place, my vision was blurry. It was really, really scary.

Aisleyne previously appeared on Good Morning Britain in August to talk about the ordeal, which left her 'mortified' to go out in public

The Big Brother star added that if she had 'gone to the GP', she would not have qualified for the drug as she was 'not morbidly obese'

'I didnt go public 'till months and months later because I was so mortified. I was really embarrassed that I did something so stupid.'

Aisleyne warned: 'It was a really foolish thing to do, and I want people to know to never do that, and dont copy me. I thought I was going to die.'

The once-a-week jab, which contains the drug semaglutide, is offered on the NHS to help type 2 diabetes patients control their blood sugar levels.

Also known by the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, it triggers weight loss, earning it praise as a 'miracle' slimming injection.

The drugs mimic GLP-1, a hormone made naturally in the body that helps slow the passage of food through the stomach  which makes people feel less hungry.

In June the World Health Organization (WHO) announced three counterfeit batches falsely claiming to be manufactured by Ozempic-makers Novo Nordisk had entered the market.

The UN agency detected the fake injectable pens, which could prove 'life threatening', in Brazil and the UK last October, and the US in December.

Aisleyne told Closer Magazine she was in a 'dark place' before inadvertently using a counterfeit version of the drug - initially developed as a treatment for diabetes - and struggling with awful side effects.

The TV personality told the magazine: 'I won't lie, and I'm not proud, but I bought Ozempic injections from the black market...

'I must have had a dodgy batch because my body reacted so badly.

'For three days, I thought I was going to die. I was in my bed, waking up vomiting, suffering with diarrhoea and falling asleep again. At one point, I had three bags of vomit by my bedside.

'Frighteningly, I started losing my vision, my eyes were going blurry, and I couldn't even see my phone. I had no idea what was going to happen to me.'

Despite being in a poor state of health, she felt 'too embarrassed' to seek urgent medical attention.

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
He wowed audiences with his shocking and 'spellbinding' performance as an incel teenager on EastEnders - but now actor Max Murray is looking for pastures new.

The soap actor, 18, joined the BBC One soap earlier this year as troubled teen Joel Marshall, the son of Alex Walkinshaw's Ross Marshall.

The father and son duo moved back to the UK from Australia after Joel was caught upskirting a female classmate, with dad Ross paying $50,000 in exchange for the horrified families' silence.

His storyline has developed over his six-month stint on the show, with school-aged character Joel getting sucked in by 'incel' culture online.

While Joel was already engaging in misogynistic behaviour towards other residents of Albert Square, things escalated when he began watching videos from an influencer online who is part of the 'Manosphere', a series of website, blogs and videos promoting misogyny.

Max's performance on the soap was culminated in a shock final scene earlier this month, which saw his character Joel attack Alice Haig's Vicki Fowler and leave her for dead - fleeing the Square.

Max Murray, 18, joined the BBC One soap earlier this year as troubled teen Joel Marshall, the son of Alex Walkinshaw's Ross Marshall

His storyline has developed over his six-month stint on the show, with school-aged character Joel getting sucked in by 'incel' culture online

Now, it's been revealed that Max is leaving the soap, and is already looking 'for his next role' after impressing viewers with his performance.

An insider told Metro: 'Max is leaving EastEnders following an incredible year.

'Theres still lots to come in the weeks ahead that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats.

'Following his spellbinding performance, theres no doubt that producers will be keen to snap him up  and Max is already on the lookout for his next role.'

Max's shocking antics on the soap as character Joel left Walford residents rocked to the core - and fearful of his increasingly misogynistic behaviour.

The teen brutally attacked Vikki Marshall after she tried to get through to him after her played an extreme pornographic video in school.

In scenes inspired by Netflix's Adolescence, Joel hacked his teacher's computer to play the footage and then attacked fellow teen Amy Mitchell.

After informing her dad about the attack, Jack, Denise and Priya all confronted Joel's dad Ross about his behaviour and he shockingly defended his son.

Now, it's been revealed that Max is leaving the soap, and is already looking 'for his next role' after impressing viewers with his performance.

Max's performance on the soap was culminated in a shock final scene earlier this month, which saw his character Joel attack Alice Haig's Vicki Fowler

He then privately told the teen off for his actions before Vikki sent him outside to avoid any violence between the father and son.

'You know what, you can take your toxic masculinity and go and live with your mum,' Vicki told Joel. 'It is all a power trip and you know it.

'You get off in making women feel small. Thats why you told me I needed a good slap. That's not wrong? That's not disgusting?'

She added: 'Do you know how pathetic that is? How weak that makes you?

'You are just a scared little boy who throws a tantrum when he doesnt get his own way and it doesnt matter what you hear on your stupid little videos because my eyes are open and I can see the truth.

'You will never be a real man because you don't even know what it means. Youre a pathetic little beta male, a silly little twerp.

'And you should feel embarrassed, you should feel humiliated because I am so much stronger than you.'

The teen brutally attacked Vikki Marshall after she tried to get through to him for playing an extreme pornographic video in school

In response to the telling off, Joel punched Vicki to the floor and proceeded to film her as she lay there bleeding.

The teen brutally continued to beat Vicki before eventually leaving the house.

The shocking world of incel culture was recently brought to the fore of British consciousness earlier this year through Netflix's hit show Adolescence.

It centres around a teen boy, Jamie, who is accused of murdering one of his female classmates.

Through police interrogation, the horrifying truth of what really happened emerges over four episodes.

It shed a shocking light on the misogynistic world of incel culture and how it can inspire young men to commit acts of heinous violence.

EastEnders airs Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.
Michelle Keegan headed to her local petrol station to pick up some nappies for her daughter Palma, just hours after her 80k Range Rover Sport got keyed by vandals.

The actress, 38, donned a casual grey loungewear set as she was pictured filling up her car in Cheshire.

Her laid-back look consisted of a slouchy-fit T-shirt with an elasticated waistband and low-rise wide-leg jogging bottoms.

She completed her ensemble with beige trainers and tied her brunette locks up in a half-up-half-down hairstyle.

Michelle then emerged from the shop carrying a white carrier bag filled with nappies as she stocked up on essentials for her Palma, who is seven months old.

Michelle Keegan headed out on a quick nappy run at her local petrol station in Cheshire, just hours after her 80,000 Range Rover Sport HSE got keyed by vandals

The actress, 38, donned a grey loungewear set as she was pictured filling up her car at a station in Cheshire

She took to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday to reveal the extent of the damage to her vehicle, as she blasted the culprits for the cruel act

It comes after Michelle shared her anger and misery with her fans after vandals deliberately scratched the paintwork off the side of her car.

She took to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday to reveal the extent of the damage to her vehicle, as she blasted the culprits for the cruel act.

She filmed a video pointing out the scratch before panning the camera across to show how far it extended along the entire length of her car.

While not revealing which car had been keyed, Michelle has previously been snapped driving a black Range Rover SVR, which costs a whopping 100,000.

She and her husband, Mark Wright, have also been spotted taking their 80,000 Range Rover out for a spin in Cheshire.

It's not the first bit of bad luck to befall the couple's vehicles, after their 65,000 Range Rover Sport was previously stolen right out of their own driveway.

Back in December 2020, Mark appealed for help from his followers after the luxury car was snatched while they were at home, but luckily he later revealed it had been recovered 20 minutes away.

Sources at the time claimed the couple were convinced thieves had been watching them as they knew exactly when the gates to their Essex home would be open to steal the vehicle.

Her laid-back look consisted of a slouchy-fit T-shirt with an elasticated waistband and low-rise wide-leg jogging bottoms

She completed her ensemble with beige trainers and tied her brunette locks up in a half-up-half-down hairstyle

Michelle then emerged from the shop carrying a white carrier bag filled with nappies as she stocked up on essentials for her baby girl, Palma, who is seven months old

She was pictured popping the nappies into her lavish SUV before making her way home

Pictured Michelle and Mark's toddler Palma

Mark took to Twitter to blast the 'unbelievable' culprit, asking his fans: 'If Anyone sees a black Range Rover Sport in the Chigwell area heading away from Abridge number plate ET68LVO please tweet me.

'Just this second stolen off my drive whilst we are home. Unbelievable.'

Luckily for the TOWIE star, just an hour after his initial appeal, he was able to share some good news with his worried fans and reveal the vehicle had been found.

Announcing the positive turn of events, Mark tweeted: 'Car has now been found 20mins away.

'Thank you to @MetaTrakUK @metpoliceuk @EssexPoliceUK for your incredible work. Thank you to all the people who tweeted and showed support. X'

Meanwhile, the damage to her car comes as the second blow for Michelle in just two weeks, after her show Ten Pound Poms was axed after two series.

It comes after Michelle shared her anger and misery with her fans after vandals deliberately scratched the paintwork off the side of her car

Meanwhile, the damage to her car comes as the second blow for Michelle in just two weeks, after her show Ten Pound Poms was axed after two series (seen in show)

The BBC drama followed a group of British citizens who emigrated from post-war Britain to Australia in the 1950s, with Michelle playing nurse Kate Thorne.

It first hit screens in 2023 and drew in a respectable 6.37 million viewers for its first season, but ratings were halved to just 3.15 million by the end of series two, which concluded in April.

The second series also saw Michelle's story end on a tense cliffhanger, with her character Kate determined to reclaim her son Michael from his adoptive parents.

A BBC spokesperson confirmed the cancellation to the Daily Mail, saying: 'It's been a joy to bring the story of the Ten Pound Poms to life for BBC viewers and we are really grateful to Danny Brocklehurst, Eleven and all the cast and crew who have worked on the series.'
Steve McBee Sr. has been sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to crop insurance fraud.

The 52-year-old father-of-four  who stars on the reality series McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys  was ordered to serve two years behind bars by US District Court Judge Stephen R. Boug on Thursday.

His sentence also includes two years of supervised release and an order to pay $4,022,124 in restitution, per People.

Steve Sr. has until Monday, December 1 by 2pm to self-surrender.

Prosecutors previously asked the judge to sentence the TV personality to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

The patriarch received messages of support from two of his four sons via social media on Thursday.

Steve McBee Sr. has been sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to crop insurance fraud

The 52-year-old father-of-four - who stars on the reality series McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys - was ordered to serve two years behind bars by US District Court Judge Stephen R. Boug on Thursday

Steve Jr wrote, 'Love ya Dad. Whole family is here for you,' while Cole said, 'We will get through anything together. To the hardest working man I know, its our turn to be her for you. We got you dad.'

Thursday's sentencing was meant to take place in March but was delayed multiple times.

It comes on the heels of news that the family's reality show has been renewed for a third season.

Cameras returned to the Missouri ranch to document this week's events.

Season one, which premiered in March 2024, began with the patriarch claiming that McBee Farm & Cattle Company was on its way 'to being a billion-dollar company.'

He waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty to a federal investigation that charged him with one count of federal crop insurance fraud on November 5, 2024.

He admitted that he engaged in fraudulent activity from 2018 to 2020 by submitting false reports to insurance companies.

Steve Sr. underreported to Rain and Hail, a company reinsured by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, that his farming operations produced only 340,476 bushels of corn and 190,171 bushels of soybeans in 2018.

In reality, his farming operation sold more than 1.2 million bushels of corn and nearly 416,000 bushels of soybeans.

The patriarch received messages of support from two of his four sons via social media on Thursday, with Steve Jr. writing that the 'whole family is here for you'

His son Cole vowed, 'We will get through anything together. To the hardest working man I know, its our turn to be here for you. We got you dad'

L-R Steve Jr., Jesse, and Brayden McBee pictured with their dad

Steve's sentencing comes on the heels of news that the family's reality show has been renewed for a third season

As a result of the false reports, the farmer received $2,605,943 in federal crop insurance benefits, as well as $552,980 in federal crop insurance premium subsidies.

He also provided false information to Rain and Hail to obtain insurance for the McBee farming operations 2019 soybean crop by misrepresenting that soybeans were the first crop in certain fields when wheat had already been harvested from those fields.

In 2020 the farm planted corn after the last planting date that year, which made the crop ineligible for insurance.

However, Steve Jr. provided false plant dates on crop insurance documents to NAU Country Insurance.

The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys returned for a second season in 2025 and was moved from streaming on Peacock to Bravo.
Selena Gomez revealed one piece of shrewd advice her famous friend Taylor Swift gave her during their 17-year friendship, which always stuck with her.

'She said, "If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room,"' the 32-year-old newlywed said at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, DC on Wednesday.

'And that's why I surround myself with really incredible people that there's no dumb questions. You just you have to learn and not be afraid of all the things that you might lose out on.'

Selena - who wore a $149 LILYSILK 'Tailored Shirt' - went on to call the 35-year-old pop star 'one of the most brilliant people I've ever met.'

'She is very strong in her lane and she great gives great advice all the time,' Gomez gushed.

'I'm not sure what I would say I've done for her other than been there as a friend.'

Selena Gomez revealed one piece of shrewd advice her famous friend Taylor Swift gave her during their 17-year friendship, which always stuck with her (pictured September 27)

The 32-year-old newlywed said at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, DC on Wednesday: 'She said, "If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room"'

The billionaire BFFs - nicknamed 'Taylena' - originally met in 2008 when they were each dating members of the boyband, Jonas Brothers.

And Taylor was by Selena's side as she wed Grammy-nominated music producer Benny Blanco at a reported $4M ceremony held at the Sea Crest Nursery in Santa Barbara, CA on September 27.

Gomez - who boasts 677.9M social media followers - captioned her October 6th Instagram post: 'In honor of [your new album Life of a] Showgirl... blessed to have you by my side almost 20 years later gator! I love you!'

Insiders told Daily Mail that Swift spoke at the reception about 'always having Selena's back and how they are sisters' during her tear-jerking wedding toast.

The 14-time Grammy winner told the 170 guests in attendance that 'when Selena finally came to the realization that she was just fine with who she was and concentrated on being just her that she fell in love with Benny.'

Taylor added that the two-time Grammy nominee and her 37-year-old groom were the 'perfect pair' and that 'in all the years she has known Selena, she has never seen her so happy.'

Swift 'joked in the speech that Selena beat her to altar but at least they both have found the loves of their lives' ahead of her upcoming wedding to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Selena executive produced and reprised her role as artist Mabel Mora in the fifth season of Steve Martin and John Hoffman's comedy series Only Murders in the Building, which airs Tuesdays on Hulu.

Gomez, Martin Short, and Steve are said to earn well over $600K/episode to produce and star in the critically-acclaimed who-done-it.

Selena said: 'And that's why I surround myself with really incredible people that there's no dumb questions. You just you have to learn and not be afraid of all the things that you might lose out on'

Gomez - who wore a $149 LILYSILK 'Tailored Shirt' - went on to call the 35-year-old pop star 'one of the most brilliant people I've ever met'

The billionaire BFFs - nicknamed 'Taylena' - originally met in 2008 (pictured) when they were each dating members of the boyband, Jonas Brothers

And Taylor was by Selena's side as she wed Grammy-nominated music producer Benny Blanco (R) at a reported $4M ceremony held at the Sea Crest Nursery in Santa Barbara, CA on September 27

Gomez - who boasts 677.9M social media followers - captioned her October 6th Instagram post: 'In honor of [your new album Life of a] Showgirl... blessed to have you by my side almost 20 years later gator! I love you!'

Insiders told Daily Mail that Swift spoke at the reception about 'always having Selena's back and how they are sisters' during her tear-jerking wedding toast

The 14-time Grammy winner 'joked in the speech that Selena beat her to altar but at least they both have found the loves of their lives' ahead of her upcoming wedding to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (L)

Selena executive produced and reprised her role as artist Mabel Mora in the fifth season of Steve Martin and John Hoffman's comedy series Only Murders in the Building, which airs Tuesdays on Hulu

The Rare Beauty founder has shed substantial weight ahead of taking on the role of 11-time Grammy winner Linda Ronstadt in David O. Russell's untitled biopic produced by her former manager John Boylan.

'That's still happening, though I'm not sure when,' Selena updated THR last November.

'With Linda, once I met her and read two books, one of them over and over, I just found her to be so [compelling]. She had such an interesting perspective on music and life, and I really admired that.

'She never really needed to be as successful, and she was willing to try different things. But theres a reason it's taking time. We want to make sure it's going to be good.'
Simon Cowell has revealed his absence from the Britain's Got Talent auditions was because he fell down a flight of stairs.

The TV judge, 66, was unable to attend the first two days of filming in Birmingham after he injured himself in the fall.

He reappeared on the third day of filming, after Stacey Solomon filled in on the panel, and sported a bruise on his forehead but no explanation was given.

However, Simon revealed the cause of his absence on Thursday during the auditions in Blackpool when a choir made up of ambulance workers took to the stage.

According to The Sun, Amanda said the ambulance workers might be there in case anything went wrong with Simon again.

He replied: 'I fell down some steps... and I bumped my head but I'm fine now.

Simon Cowell has revealed his absence from the Britain's Got Talent auditions was because he fell down a flight of stairs

The TV judge, 66, was unable to attend the first two days of filming in Birmingham after he injured himself in the fall (L-R Simon, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli)

'I wish you had been around a couple of weeks ago when I actually bashed my head. Seriously  no one sang for me then!'

A source added: 'Simon bumped his head when he stumbled on some steps. It's the sort of thing that can happen to anyone. And, thankfully, he's absolutely fine now.'

Daily Mail has contacted representatives of Simon Cowell for comment.

Simon previously suffered a terrifying fall in 2017 that forced him to pull out of The X Factor live shows.

The star explained he had fainted due to 'low blood pressure', and vowed to start 'taking good care of himself' from now on, for the sake of his son Eric, who was three at the time.

Simon admitted the horrific fall had reminded him he was not 'invincible', and that he has a 'responsibility' to take control of his health as a father.

The media mogul also broke his back in 2020 after a near-fatal e-bike crash. He was thrown off the bike when he was testing the vehicle at his home in Malibu, California.

He underwent extensive surgery after the shock accident including having a metal rod put in his back to stabilise it and he has overhauled his lifestyle in the years since.

He reappeared on the third day of filming, after Stacey Solomon filled in on the panel, and sported a bruise on his forehead

Simon (pictured in April) revealed his surgeon feared he would never walk again following his near-fatal e-bike crash in 2020

Simon spoke more about the devastating impact of the crash earlier this year, revealing his surgeon didn't know if he'd be able to 'fix' his back due to the severity of the injury.

Speaking to Elizabeth Day on the How To Fail podcast, Simon revealed he 'could have died' in the accident and his surgeon warned him he might never walk again.

He shared: 'He showed me the X-ray and he said ''look, I'm not going to lie Simon, I don't know if I can fix this, which means you probably won't walk and secondly, the operation could take 11 hours''.

'They said the obvious - it could go wrong - and all I could think about was my family and everything. In that moment you kind of realise the most important thing is your health and don't do stupid things.'

The former X Factor judge said the horror accident was a major 'wake-up call' about his 'crazy' lifestyle and taught him to stop taking risks in life.

'It was a wake-up moment, which is I'm crazy,' he explained.

'It kind of happened for a reason because I thought I was fit but then when I had to do all the physio after, just walking, they make you walk very quickly, I pretty much couldn't move and then I started to walk a lot and thought ''oh God, I was in a really bad place''.'

Though his surgeon initially feared he would be paralysed from the accident, Simon has made a full recovery and says he is now fitter than he was before the crash.

He has since shed three stone and has gradually ditched smoking, which saw him have 80 cigarettes a day at the height of his habit.
An iconic Aussie TV personality has shared some images of his son - and fans are going nuts.

Larry Emdur took to Instagram on Thursday to share a couple of pictures of his son Jye in a campaign for The Morning Show host's whiskey brand The Ben Buckler.

'Dear Insta, please please help!' the 60-year-old began the post's caption.

'I can't choose which pic for a cool new Ben Buckler campaign. Pic A or Pic B?'

He added: 'Also, should Jye charge me a 'fee' for modelling or should he do it for free coz he's my son?'

In the first picture, Jye held a glass of whiskey in hand while wearing a pinstripe suit, seated in front of a red Ducati motorcycle.

Larry Emdur took to Instagram on Thursday to share images of his son Jye Emdur (pictured) in a campaign for his whiskey brand, The Ben Buckler

His tattooed biceps were on full display for the photoshoot, starting a frenzy in the comments section of the post

Sweeping his full head of hair back to reveal his impressive bone structure, the 31-year-old looked suave as he posed for the camera.

Another snap showed Larry's son in a more casual outfit, wearing a white singlet and blue jeans as he sipped his whiskey.

His tattooed biceps were on full display for the photoshoot, starting a frenzy in the comments section of the post.

'You're just lucky #booktok hasn't seen this yet. As an MC Romance author, I definitely approve of pic B lol,' one person shared.

Another added: 'Oh Lordy! He's your son??? Defs B!! That's [fire emoji]'

'Dear god Larry .. we need more of Jye,' one person gushed.

'Both are seriously [fire emoji] why not use them both,' another offered.

Larry married his stunning wife Sylvie in 1995.

'Should Jye charge me a 'fee' for modelling or should he do it for free coz he's my son?' the TV presenter wrote. Both pictured

Larry married his stunning wife Sylvie in 1995. The couple share two children: Jye and daughter Tia.

The couple met in the 1990s on a plane while she was working as a flight attendant and they went on to tie the knot.

The couple often gush over their successful relationship and have built an extensive property portfolio over the years.

Meanwhile, Jye has over 8000 followers on Instagram and frequently posts photos of his globetrotting lifestyle.

His glamorous and equally genetically-blessed sister Tia married husband Rowell Jauco in a lavish ceremony in February 2024.
Kristen Stewart rushed to embrace Imogen Poots as they led the stars arriving at the premiere of The Chronology Of Water on Thursday, during the 69th BFI London Film Festival.

The actress, 35, put on a very leggy display at the screening in a short black and white minidress, leaving both her new tattoos that were inspired by the film, on full display.

The Spencer star had the words 'WHY' and 'MINE' inked on her bicep and thigh, respectively, to commemorate the project.

Kristen beamed as she joined Imogen, 36, on the carpet, who exuded Hollywood glamour in a velvet maroon gown that clung to her lithe frame, teamed with a coordinating scarf.

The Chronology of Water is Kristen's directorial debut, which she also co-produced and adapted for the screen from the visceral 2011 memoir by American swimmer Lidia Yuknavitch.

Imogen stars as Lidia in the stirring drama, which tells her story about becoming a competitive swimmer after surviving an abusive childhood.

Kristen Stewart rushed to embrace Imogen Poots as they led the stars arriving at the premiere of The Chronology Of Water on Thursday, during the 69th BFI London Film Festival

The actress, 35, put on a very leggy display at the screening in a short black and white minidress, leaving both her new tattoos that were inspired by the film, on full display

The Spencer star had the words 'WHY' and 'MINE' inked on her bicep and thigh, respectively, to commemorate the project

The two stars were joined at the screening by fellow cast members Esme Allen, Esme Creed-Miles, Anna Wittowsky and Earl Cave.

Esme turned heads as she put on a racy display in a sheer blue gown, flashing her underwear beneath and major side boob.

While Earl - who plays Lidia's first husband in the film - looked the spitting image of his famous father, Nick Cave, as he posed in an Argyle patterned sweater vest and a black knit cardigan.

Rounding out the talented cast for the drama are Jim Belushi, Tom Sturridge, Thora Birch and Sonic Youth rock band's Kim Gordon.

Kirsten first presented the film at Cannes Film Festival earlier in May - where the film was met with critical acclaim and and a standing ovation.

Variety called it 'a stirring drama of abuse and salvation, told with poetic passion', while Indiewire critic David Ehrlich said 'there isn't a single millisecond of this movie that doesn't bristle with the raw energy of an artist'.

Following the Cannes premiere, Kristen opened up about her passion to tell Lidia's story, telling AFP: 'I had just never read a book like that that is screaming out to be a movie, that needs to be moving, that needs to be a living thing.

She gushed how it was awe-inspiring how Lidia was 'able to take really ugly things, process them, and put out something that you can live with, something that actually has joy.

Kristen beamed as she joined Imogen, 36, on the carpet, who exuded Hollywood glamour in a velvet maroon gown that clung to her lithe frame, teamed with a coordinating scarf

The Chronology of Water is Kristen's directorial debut, which she also co-produced and adapted for the screen from the visceral 2011 memoir by American swimmer Lidia Yuknavitch

Imogen stars as Lidia in the stirring drama, which tells her story about becoming a competitive swimmer after surviving an abusive childhood (pictured in film)

The two stars were joined at the screening by fellow cast members Esme Allen, Esme Creed-Miles, Anna Wittowsky and Earl Cave (L-R)

Esme turned heads as she put on a racy display in a sheer blue gown, flashing her underwear beneath and major side boob

While Earl - who plays Lidia's first husband in the film - looked the spitting image of his famous father, Nick Cave, as he posed in an Argyle patterned sweater vest and a black knit cardigan

'The reason I really wanted to make the movie is because I thought it was hilarious in such a giddy and excited way, like we were telling secrets. I think the book is a total lifeboat.

It certainly saved Lidia and made her a cult writer, with her viral TED Talk The Beauty of Being a Misfit inspiring a spin-off book, The Misfit's Manifesto.

Kristen told AFP: 'Being a woman is a really violent experience. Even if you don't have the sort of extreme experience that we depict in the film or that Lidia endured and came out of beautifully'.

The Twilight star insisted there were no autobiographical parallels per se that drew her to the original book.

She explained: 'I didn't have to do a bunch of research. I'm a female body that's been walking around for 35 years. Look at the world that we live in.

'I don't have to have been abused by my dad to understand what it is like to be taken from, to have my voice stifled, and to not trust myself. It takes a lot of years (for that) to go.

'I think that this movie resonates with anyone who is open and bleeding, which is 50 percent of the population.'

Kristen told reporters she was never really tempted to play Lidia herself, before deciding to cast Imogen, who she called 'the best actress of our generation'.

Rounding out the talented cast for the drama are Jim Belushi, Tom Sturridge, Thora Birch and Sonic Youth rock band's Kim Gordon

Kirsten first presented the film at Cannes Film Festival earlier in May - where the film was met with critical acclaim and and a standing ovation

Variety called it 'a stirring drama of abuse and salvation, told with poetic passion', while Indiewire critic David Ehrlich said 'there isn't a single millisecond of this movie that doesn't bristle with the raw energy of an artist'

The Twilight star insisted there were no autobiographical parallels per se that drew her to the original book

Kristen told reporters she was never really tempted to play Lidia herself, before deciding to cast Imogen, who she called 'the best actress of our generation'

Kristen described her movie's fever-dream energy as 'a pink muscle that is throbbing' and that Imogen was able to tap into, channelling Lidia's ferocious but often chaotic battle to rebuild herself and find pleasure and happiness in her life

She added that Lidia's book 'sort of meditates on what art can do for you after people do things to your body - the violation and the thievery, the gouging out of desire. Which is a very female experience'

Kristen said Lidia discovered that the only way to take desire back was to 'bespoke it... and repurpose the things that have been given to you in order for you to own them'

She gushed: 'She is so lush, so beautiful and she's so cracked herself open in this. She has this big boob energy in the film - even though she is quite flat-chested - these big blue eyes and this long hair.'

Kristen described her movie's fever-dream energy as 'a pink muscle that is throbbing' and that Imogen was able to tap into, channelling Lidia's ferocious but often chaotic battle to rebuild herself and find pleasure and happiness in her life.

'Pain and pleasure, they're so tied, there's a hairline fracture there,' Kristen told the Cannes Festival's video channel.

She added that Lidia's book 'sort of meditates on what art can do for you after people do things to your body - the violation and the thievery, the gouging out of desire. Which is a very female experience.'

Kristen said Lidia discovered that the only way to take desire back was to 'bespoke it... and repurpose the things that have been given to you in order for you to own them.'

She added: I'm not being dramatic, but as women we are walking secrets.'
Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have been left 'devastated' over the death of former KISS bandmate Ace Frehley as they led emotional tributes to the late rock legend.

Frehley passed away at the age of 74 on Thursday after suffering a brain bleed that left him on life support.

The late guitarist - who was one of the original members of the famed rock band -was taken off of life support by his family after he was hospitalized and put on a ventilator, per TMZ.

Simmons and Stanley issued a joint statement to The Hollywood Reporter following the news of Frehley's passing.

'I am devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history.'

They added, 'He is and will always be a part of KISS's legacy. My thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.'

Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have been left 'devastated' over the death of former KISS bandmate Ace Frehley as they led emotional tributes to the late rock legend; Frehley seen in 2018 in NYC

Frehley passed away at the age of 74 on Thursday after suffering a brain bleed that left him on life support; KISS band seen in 1982

Simmons and Stanley issued a joint statement to The Hollywood Reporter following the news of Frehley's passing; Simmons and Stanley seen in 2014

KISS was formed in 1973 in New York City with Simmons, Stanley, Frehley and Peter Criss as the original founding members.

Frehley had been the lead guitarist for the band and was also known for inventing the persona called The Spaceman.

He performed with the group until he left in 1982 and proceeded to form his own band Frehley's Comet.

Frehley later joined KISS once again in 1996 for a reunion tour but would depart from the rock band in 2002.

KISS was known for a number of hits such as Rock And Roll All Nite, I Was Made For Lovin' You and Detroit Rock City.

Amid his own solo career, Frehley released eight studio albums including Trouble Walkin' (1989), Space Invader (2014) and Origins Vol. 2 (2020).

Other celebrities paid tribute to the late music artist on Thursday such as Bret Michaels - who is the lead singer of rock band Poison.

He uploaded a photo of himself posing with Frehley while also penning, 'Ace, my brother, I surely cannot thank you enough for the years of great music, the many festivals we've done together and your lead guitar on Nothing But A Good Time.'

'I am devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history,' Simmons and Stanley said; Frehley seen in 1977 in Connecticut

Other celebrities paid tribute to the late music artist on Thursday such as Bret Michaels - who is the lead singer of rock band Poison

'Ace, my brother, I surely cannot thank you enough for the years of great music, the many festivals we've done together and your lead guitar on Nothing But A Good Time,' Michaels wrote

Michaels continued, 'All my love and respect, from my family and myself - may you rest in peace!!!'

Tom Morello - who is known for being a part of the band Rage Against The Machine - also shared a message on Instagram alongside a photo of the late guitarist.

'My first guitar hero, Ace Frehley, has passed away. The legendary Space Ace Frehley inspired generations to love rock n roll and love rock n roll guitar playing.'

He added, 'His timeless rifts and solos, the billowing smoke coming from his Les Paul, the wobble and his unforgettable laugh will be missed but will never be forgotten. Thank you, Ace for a lifetime of great music and memories.'

MJ Keenan - the frontman for 90s band Tool - also took to Instagram on Thursday to share, 'Godspeed, Ace.'

The Hollywood Walk of Fame uploaded a photo of the band when they received their star back in 1999.

A statement also read: 'In tribute to Walk of Famer Ace Frehley, flowers will be placed on his star today, October 16, 2025 at 5:30 pm.

'Frehley's star and that of his bandmates Kiss was dedicated on August 11, 1999, and is located at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard, near La Brea Avenue.'

Tom Morello - who is known for being a part of the band Rage Against The Machine - also shared a message on Instagram alongside a photo of the late guitarist

MJ Keenan - the frontman for 90s band Tool - also took to Instagram on Thursday to share, 'Godspeed, Ace'

The Hollywood Walk of Fame uploaded a photo of the band when they received their star back in 1999; Frehley (far left) seen with Stanley, Criss and Simmons

A statement also read: 'In tribute to Walk of Famer Ace Frehley, flowers will be placed on his star today, October 16, 2025 at 5:30 pm'

The Kennedy Center wrote that it is 'saddened to hear of the passing of one of this year's Kennedy Center Honorees Ace Frehley of the band KISS.

'We send our deepest condolensces to his friends, his family, and millions of fans worldwide. We will be paying tribute to Ace, his work, and his legacy at our ceremony in December.'

Rock guitarist Richie Kotzen shared a photo of himself with Frehley and penned, 'Saddened to hear about the passing of Ace Frehley, a true legend. RIP Hero.'

Mike McCready of Pearl Jam said, 'I heard about Ace Frehley's passing from Rick Friel who I played with in a show called Shadow.

'Rick was also the first guy on the bus in 1977 with a KISS lunchbox to tell me about Ace...just changed my life. I got a guitar in 1978 to join Rick's band Warrior which turned into Shadow. We covered "C'mon and Love Me."'

He continued, 'All my friend have spent untold hours talking about KISS and buying KISS stuff. Ace was a hero of mine and also I would consider a friend. I studied his solos endlessly over the years....

'Just listen to "Alive," I used his solo from "She' as a template. Ace jammed on "Black Diamond" with Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden... a dream come true for me.'

McCready added, 'I would not have picked up a guitar without Ace and KISS's influence. RIP it out Ace, you changed my life. Thank you. - Mike.'

The Kennedy Center wrote that it is 'saddened to hear of the passing of one of this year's Kennedy Center Honorees Ace Frehley of the band KISS'; seen in 2018 in NYC

'We send our deepest condolensces to his friends, his family, and millions of fans worldwide. We will be paying tribute to Ace, his work, and his legacy at our ceremony in December,' the message also read

Rock guitarist Richie Kotzen shared a photo of himself with Frehley and penned, 'Saddened to hear about the passing of Ace Frehley, a true legend. RIP Hero'

Mike McCready of Pearl Jam said, 'I heard about Ace Frehley's passing from Rick Friel who I played with in a show called Shadow'

Frehley reportedly collapsed in his home studio a few weeks ago, hitting his head in a frightening fall that triggered the medical crisis, per TMZ.

Frehley's rep Lori Lousararian told Rolling Stone that the musician's health deteriorated following a 'recent fall at his home,' though details beyond that were not immediately clear.

In the days leading up to his death, Frehley canceled all remaining tour dates - a decision he called 'difficult' in an Instagram post to fans.

Sources close to Frehley told TMZ that he had been on a ventilator for days, with doctors seeing little improvement before the heartbreaking decision was made.

Frehley's family issued a statement obtained by Rolling Stone saying they 'are completely devastated and heartbroken' by his passing, but relieved they were able to provide him with comfortable conditions at the end.

'In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth,' Frehley's family said.

Frehley's family honored the musicians legacy as well as 'his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others.'

They continued: 'The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension.

'Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace's memory will continue to live on forever!'

Frehley reportedly collapsed in his home studio a few weeks ago, hitting his head in a frightening fall that triggered the medical crisis, per TMZ; seen in 1999 in Miami

Frehley's family honored the musicians legacy as well as 'his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others'; seen far left with KISS in 1975 in L.A.

Frehley is the first member of the original four members of Kiss to pass away. The original lineup consisted of him, singer/guitarist Paul Stanley, bass player Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss.

The musical ensemble, which formed in 1973, in 2014 was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Frehley played a pivotal role in shaping the bands wild, face-painted legacy, bringing essential elements of showmanship to KISS's act.

The band famously blended hard rock anthems - such as Detroit Rock City, I Was Made for Lovin You, and Rock and Roll All Nite - with elaborate costumes, wigs, platform boots and over-the-top pyrotechnics.

Frehley was one of the first performers to introduce to the stage guitars that glowed, emit smoke and shot rockets, with many in the industry following his lead in enhancing their instruments to give fans another element of the show to look forward to.

After leaving the group in 1982, he launched Frehleys Comet before reuniting with KISS for their blockbuster 1996 reunion tour.

He remained active in the band until 2002, continuing to perform and record solo in the years that followed.

Frehley told the website Antihero in April of 2024 that he was proud of carving his own niche as a singles artist as well as a part of the band.

'Out of the four founding members of Kiss, I definitely have been the most successful solo artist,' he said, a claim backed up by his 1978 hit New York Groove.

Frehley brought an essential elements of showmanship to KISS's act with elaborate costumes, wigs, platform boots and over-the-top pyrotechnics; the rock band seen in 1979 in NYC

Frehley said that he was also very proud to be influential in his industry, acclaimed clearly backed up by the influx of memorials crediting him for his ingenuity.

'I have to say, almost every guitar player I meet, at least 75 percent, if not more, say to me, "I picked up the guitar because of you. When I heard Alive!, that was it, I decided to pick up a guitar and start learning your songs,"' he said.

Said Frehley: 'That's going to be pretty much my legacy that I was able to make the transition from a supergroup like Kiss to being a successful solo artist.'

Amid his recent health woes, Frehley's official Instagram assured fans he was 'fine' in an Instagram post on September 25, though doctors had ordered him not to travel.

Just a week later, a follow-up post confirmed he was canceling the remainder of his 2025 dates, citing 'ongoing medical issues.'

The emotional posts left fans frantic for answers, especially after Frehley abruptly announced he was canceling the rest of his 2025 tour.

'Due to some ongoing medical issues, Ace has made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of his 2025 dates,' read the somber message posted to his official Instagram on Monday, October 6.

It was the second time in weeks the 'Spaceman' musician pulled out of shows due to health concerns. Just last month, he revealed he had suffered a 'minor fall in his studio' that landed him in the hospital.

The post at the time read: 'Dear Rock Soldiers, Ace had a minor fall in his studio, resulting in a trip to the hospital. He is fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time.

'As a result, he is forced to cancel his performance at the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, California on Friday, September 26th.

'Please go to the fair to support his friends in Quiet Riot and Vixen, and Ace looks forward to continuing on his tour and finishing work on his next album, Origins Vol. 4.'

The tragic news about Frehley comes just days after his KISS bandmate Simmons broke his silence following a frightening car crash in Malibu; Simmons seen in 2013

The tragic news about Frehley comes just days after his KISS bandmate Simmons broke his silence following a frightening car crash in Malibu.

The 76-year-old star was hospitalized last week after apparently passing out while driving down Pacific Coast Highway and slamming into a parked car.

Simmons was treated at a local hospital and later released, telling fans hes 'completely fine.'

Taking to X, the bassist joked about his driving skills while thanking everyone for their support: 'Thanks, everybody, for the kind wishes. Im completely fine. I had a slight fender bender. It happens. Especially to those of us who are horrible drivers. And thats me. All is well.'

NBC4 LA reported that Simmons Lincoln Navigator veered into a parked vehicle after he allegedly fainted behind the wheel.

The rock icon has since reassured fans hes recovering and doing well.
Ethan Hawke and Andrew Scott shared a playful embrace on the red carpet at the premiere of their new film, Blue Moon.

The co-stars arrived at the glamorous event on Thursday, which was held as part of the BFI London Film Festival.

For the occasion, Ethan, 54, looked sharp in a dark navy blue suit paired with a crisp white shirt featuring subtle black stitching.

Meanwhile, Andrew, 48, opted for a timeless look, wearing a sleek black suit layered over a plain black top.

The duo appeared to be in high spirits as they posed for snaps before making their way into the screening venue.

Other notable attendees at the event included Victoria Brown, Giles Surridge, and Stevie Ruffs.

Ethan Hawke and Andrew Scott shared a playful embrace on the red carpet at the premiere of their new film, Blue Moon

The co-stars arrived at the glamorous event on Thursday, which was held as part of the BFI London Film Festival

Blue Moon tells the story of Broadway songwriter Lorenz Hart and his struggles with alcoholism and mental health during the opening of Oklahoma!.

Ethan plays Lorenz while Margaret stars as his protegee and Yale student Elizabeth Weiland.

Andrew plays Lorenz's longtime composing partner, Richard Rodgers.

Lorenz is known for the lyrics to songs such as Blue Moon, The Lady Is A Tramp, Manhattan and My Funny Valentine.

The film, from Richard Linklater, is set for release on October 24 through Sony Pictures Classics and Renovo Media Group.

Ethan has opened up about his transformation into a balding Hart - who also stood at five feet tall.

The actor shaved his head for the leading role which was topped with a greasy comb over style - which Ethan expressed was 'demolishing to my vanity,' per The Hollywood Reporter.

'We did it with old stagecraft thing, to make me look shorter, but all day long, I was lower than I am in real life, doing scenes just staring up at Margaret Qualley.'

For the occasion, Ethan, 54, looked sharp in a dark navy blue suit paired with a crisp white shirt featuring subtle black stitching

Meanwhile, Andrew, 48, opted for a timeless look, wearing a sleek black suit layered over a plain black top

Victoria Brown was also at the event

Giles Surridge looked stylish posing for snaps

Stevie Ruffs was also in attendance

Chris Kowalski cut a trendy figure at the VIP event

Blue Moon tells the story of Broadway songwriter Lorenz Hart (Ethan) and his struggles with alcoholism during the opening of Oklahoma!

He reflected" 'It's very interesting how people treated you differently, particularly the way women treat youEverybody giggles at you, they poke your ear, they pat your head and they dont take you seriously.

'It was very really important for me to understanding Larry Hart and how he moved through the world.'

His outing comes after Ethan revealed that he finds it 'crazy' that actors get cast in projects solely based on their Instagram following.

The Before Sunrise actor shared his thoughts on the topic during an appearance at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival in February.

The star explained he is baffled by the idea that social media followers are considered by some casting directors to be more important than talent and experience.

'I really feel for these people. It's really hard,' Ethan stated, per Variety. 'Sometimes I'll be setting a movie up and someone will say, "Oh, you should cast Suzie." I'm like, "Who is she?" "She has ten million followers."'

He added: 'So if I don't have this public-facing [platform], I don't have a career? And if I get more followers I might get that part? What?'
Pete Davidson made his first appearance on the set of his new movie One Night Only in New York City on Thursday.

The 31-year-old comedian's role as a detective in the Universal Pictures drama came as a surprise as it was never publicly announced that he'd been cast.

Pete's costume consisted of a full suit beneath a beige trench coat, black leather gloves, Oxfords, and a NYPD badge hung around his neck.

Davidson was famously only seven years old when his firefighter father Scott, who served with Ladder Company 118 in Brooklyn Heights, was tragically killed in the World Trade Center during the 9/11 terrorist attack.

Last month, The Pickup actor faced substantial backlash for performing in the Riyadh Comedy Festival considering 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudi nationals.

'I've heard there's subreddits of like, "I think all these people are in bed with that." I just, you know, I get the routing, and then I see the number, and I go, "I'll go,"' Pete sarcastically defended himself on Theo Von's This Past Weekend podcast September 23.

Pete Davidson made his first appearance on the set of his new movie One Night Only in New York City on Thursday

'I've been getting a little bit of flak just because my dad died [in] 9/11. So they're like, "How could you possibly go there?!"'

On Thursday, Davidson shot a tense street scene with Callum Turner and 'fellow detective' Bobby Cannavale.

The Staten Island native could be seen pleading with the 35-year-old Englishman as the 55-year-old Emmy winner placed one of his gloved hands on his back while shooting the sequence.

But the talented trio were all smiles goofing around and taking selfies when the cameras stopped rolling.

One Night Only stars Callum and Monica Barbaro as 'two strangers who scramble to find someone to sleep with on the one night of the year when premarital sex is legal in their society.'

That same day, director Will Gluck posted a monitor-style Instagram selfie captioned 'here we go' for the flick already scheduled to hit US theaters August 7, 2026.

Pete's street sighting came the day after his ex-girlfriend Kim Kardashian reflected on their doomed nine-month romance, which spanned November 2021 to August 2022.

At the time, the 44-year-old reality star was legally single, but not yet divorced from her third ex-husband Kanye 'Ye' West who sparked a nasty feud with Davidson whom he nicknamed 'Skete.'

'There [have] been situations where I'll get maybe close to someone, then it's like, "Wait, wait, wait, wait, I don't really want to deal with your ex. And I don't want to deal [with] if he's gonna say something,"' Kim lamented on Call Her Daddy.

'It has been a little frustrating but then I get really, my person wouldn't care about that, you know? But it is a big thing and I get it. It's not an easy thing. And I get that.'

The 31-year-old comedian's role as a detective in the Universal Pictures drama came as a surprise as it was never publicly announced that he'd been cast

Pete's costume consisted of a full suit beneath a beige trench coat, black leather gloves, Oxfords, and a NYPD badge hung around his neck

Davidson was famously only seven years old when his firefighter father Scott, who served with Ladder Company 118 in Brooklyn Heights, was tragically killed in the World Trade Center during the 9/11 terrorist attack

Last month, The Pickup actor faced substantial backlash for performing in the Riyadh Comedy Festival considering 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudi nationals

Pete sarcastically defended himself on Theo Von's This Past Weekend podcast September 23: 'I've heard there's subreddits of like, "I think all these people are in bed with that." I just, you know, I get the routing, and then I see the number, and I go, "I'll go"'

He continued: 'I've been getting a little bit of flak just because my dad died [in] 9/11. So they're like, "How could you possibly go there?!"'

On Thursday, Davidson shot a tense street scene with Callum Turner and 'fellow detective' Bobby Cannavale

The Staten Island native could be seen pleading with the 35-year-old Englishman (L) as the 55-year-old Emmy winner (M) placed one of his gloved hands on his back while shooting the sequence

But the talented trio were all smiles goofing around and taking selfies when the cameras stopped rolling

One Night Only stars Callum and Monica Barbaro as 'two strangers who scramble to find someone to sleep with on the one night of the year when premarital sex is legal in their society'

That same day, director Will Gluck posted a monitor-style Instagram selfie captioned 'here we go' for the flick already scheduled to hit US theaters August 7, 2026

Eight months before their divorce was finalized, the disgraced 47-year-old dropped his music video for EAZY - which depicted him kidnapping, decapitating, and burying the 6ft3in funnyman alive.

'That made me feel really sad. That really wasn't fair for him,' Kardashian said.

'And I felt so sad and sorry for him and he was such a great man [who] was like, "I got this, don't worry, it's all good." Or at least acted that way."

'It just, it must suck to be put in that position. So it's had me put up this guard where I don't want to put anyone in that position.'

One week later, Pete hit back through his friend Dave Sirus' Instagram account by posting his private texts with Ye where he taunted him with the message: '[I am] in bed with your wife.'

Davidson has since lasered off the many tattoos he got in honor of the thrice divorced mother-of-four including all of her children's initials (K-NSCP) on his neck.

The girl-crazy comedian is currently 'stoked' to be expecting his first child with girlfriend Elsie Hewitt, whom he only began dating in March.

Pete's street sighting came the day after his ex-girlfriend Kim Kardashian (R, pictured in 2022) reflected on their doomed nine-month romance, which spanned November 2021 to August 2022

At the time, the 44-year-old reality star was legally single, but not yet divorced from her third ex-husband Kanye 'Ye' West (L, pictured in 2019) who sparked a nasty feud with Davidson (R) whom he nicknamed 'Skete'

Kim lamented on Call Her Daddy: 'There [have] been situations where I'll get maybe close to someone, then it's like, "Wait, wait, wait, wait, I don't really want to deal with your ex. And I don't want to deal [with] if he's gonna say something"'

Eight months before their divorce was finalized, the disgraced 47-year-old dropped his music video for EAZY - which depicted him kidnapping, decapitating, and burying the 6ft3in funnyman alive

Kardashian said: 'That made me feel really sad. That really wasn't fair for him. And I felt so sad and sorry for him and he was such a great man [who] was like, "I got this, don't worry, it's all good." Or at least acted that way." It just, it must suck to be put in that position'

One week later, Pete hit back through his friend Dave Sirus' Instagram account by posting his private texts with Ye where he taunted him with the message: '[I am] in bed with your wife'

Davidson has since lasered off the many tattoos he got in honor of the thrice divorced mother-of-four including all of her children's initials (K-NSCP) on his neck

The girl-crazy comedian is currently 'stoked' to be expecting his first child with girlfriend Elsie Hewitt (L, pictured September 21), whom he only began dating in March

Pete gushed to Late Night host Seth Meyers in August: 'I can't wait, let's go. I can't wait, let's go. I'm so excited. I've never been more excited for anything'

On Tuesday, the London-born, LA-raised 29-year-old took to TikTok to complain about having no appetite aside from ice cubes and when she does eat she feels nauseous

Elsie said: 'We were going to the movies and then I was like, "I don't even think I can do it." I just feel so sick. I didn't eat enough today, I know that'

'I can't wait, let's go. I can't wait, let's go. I'm so excited. I've never been more excited for anything,' Pete gushed to Late Night host Seth Meyers in August.

'I'm just excited for that excuse I could use, "Ah, the kid. I can't come out tonight. I'm sorry." Oh, I can't wait!'

On Tuesday, the London-born, LA-raised 29-year-old took to TikTok to complain about having no appetite aside from ice cubes and when she does eat she feels nauseous.

'We were going to the movies and then I was like, "I don't even think I can do it,"' Elsie said.

'I just feel so sick. I didn't eat enough today, I know that. But, like, my mouth does not want food. My stomach wants food even though it's [small and squished]. I just have no appetite at all whatsoever.'

Davidson will next appear in Angus Wall's Eddie Murphy documentary Being Eddie, which premieres November 12 on Netflix.

The Home producer-star's other upcoming films include David Leitch's heist flick How to Rob a Bank, Doug Liman's bitcoin thriller Killing Satoshi, and David Michod's long-delayed stoner comedy Wizards!
Sofia Richie has revealed she is expecting baby number two with husband Elliot Grainge as she gave a glimpse at her bump in an Instagram snap on Thursday.

The 27-year-old media personality already shares daughter Eloise, one, with Elliot - whom she tied the knot with in 2023.

The daughter of Lionel Richie jumped to social media and uploaded a photo as she snapped a quick mirror selfie.

Sofia could be seen sporting a pair of black trousers as well as a brown-patterned jacket which she slightly lifted up to excitedly show off her growing baby bump.

Her blonde locks were styled into a chic up do and she completed the look with a pair of mini earrings.

In the caption of the latest post, the star penned to her 11 million followers: 'On my way to launch these babies + @srgatelier.'

Sofia Richie, 27, has revealed she is expecting baby number two with husband Elliot Grainge as she gave a glimpse at her bump in an Instagram snap on Thursday

In the caption of the latest post, the star penned to her 11 million followers: 'On my way to launch these babies + @srgatelier'

The media personality already shares daughter Eloise, one, with Elliot - whom she tied the knot with in 2023; the couple seen in March in Beverly Hills

The star was spotted out later in the night in Los Angeles, after announcing her pregnancy, wearing the same chic look.

The glowing expectant mother flashed a smile as she strolled down the street.

In her caption, the socialite was referencing to her new fashion like SRG Atelier which officially launched on Thursday.

'This has been my dream. This has been my goal, and it's always just been a matter of when I felt it was the right time,' Sofia recently told Harper's Bazaar.

The collection offers 50 pieces and she explained to the outlet, 'I feel like I learned a lot.'

'I studied these brilliant minds, and I just watched and observed, but mainly I discovered myself throughout the process, and now I'm in a space where I feel really confident.'

She further expressed, 'I am married, I am a mom, and I just know aesthetically with fashion what I want and how I want to portray it to a consumer.'

Along with reaching a major milestone in her career, Sofia is also celebrating her growing family.

The star was spotted out later in the night in Los Angeles, after announcing her pregnancy

The glowing beauty flashed a smile as she strolled down the street

The media personality welcomed her first child - a daughter named Eloise - last year in May

At the time, Sofia shared a black and white photo of the newborn's tiny feet on Instagram alongside the caption, 'Eloise Samantha Grainge 52024 best day of my life'

The media personality welcomed her first child - a daughter named Eloise - last year in May.

At the time, Sofia shared a black and white photo of the newborn's tiny feet on Instagram alongside the caption, 'Eloise Samantha Grainge 52024 best day of my life.'

Back in July, Sofia gushed how becoming a mother has helped with her confidence for Vogue's Beauty Secrets clip.

'I think having a daughter made me realize the importance of feeling confident without makeup,' the star explained.

'I talk to her a lot about that. I love how I'm saying I talk to her a lot about that, because she's 1 and she barely speaks, but I am convinced that she can understand me. Therefore, we have deep, deep chats about life.'

Sofia also told British Vogue late last year that she has no plans to change her style since becoming a mom.

'I'm slowly starting to get back into my clothes, so that has made things a little different,' she said at the time.

'But no, I'm not altering my style because I'm a mom. I'm super confident and comfortable in the way that I dress. If anything, my bag is just a lot fuller.'

'I think having a daughter made me realize the importance of feeling confident without makeup,' the star shared back in July

'So the hardest thing I ever had to do, I think literally was leave my daughter two days postpartum. It was horrendous,' Sofia recalled

Last year while on the SHE MD podcast with Dr. Thais Aliabadi, Sofia got candid about the postpartum complications she faced after Eloise was born.

The star explained that after suffering from symptoms such as exhaustion and swelling, she was diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia.

Postpartum preeclampsia 'is a rare condition that occurs when you have high blood pressure and excess protein in your urine soon after childbirth,' per Mayo Clinic.

'So the hardest thing I ever had to do, I think literally was leave my daughter two days postpartum. It was horrendous,' Sofia recalled.

'I actually hid in the closet and cried, and my poor husband was like, "I have to get you to the hospital because Dr. A...is saying it's just not safe. It's not safe that you're home."'

She stayed in the hospital for 24 hours and 'was on six to eight weeks of blood pressure medication, and that blood pressure medication really just takes life out of you.

'So I kind of felt like I had preeclampsia, the feeling, that sick feeling, for like six to eight weeks, which was really hard.'

In April 2023, Sofia walked down the aisle and the couple said 'I do' during a ceremony that took place in the south of France; seen in 2024 in West Hollywood

Back in 2021, it was confirmed that Sofia was dating Elliot - who is the son of CEO of Universal Music Group Lucian Grainge.

The following year, he popped the big question during a romantic proposal during a getaway to Hawaii.

In April 2023, Sofia walked down the aisle and the couple said 'I do' during a ceremony that took place in the south of France.

The nuptials went viral on social media when the beauty launched her TikTok only days before the big day - and drew massive attention for its 'quiet luxury.'
Sharni Vinson certainly turned heads this week when she stepped out for a dip on the Sunshine Coast.

The former Home and Away star, 42, has never been shy about showing off her enviable beach body on social media.

And she did just that again on Friday, taking to Instagram to share yet another jealousy-inducing snap.

The photo showed Sharni, with her back to the camera, stepping into crystal clear surf on a gorgeous Sunshine Coast day.

She showed off her pert derriere in a skimpy leopard-print G-string bikini.

Her toned and tanned back was on full display, obscured only by her cascading brunette locks.

Sharni Vinson (pictured) certainly turned heads this week when she stepped out for a dip on the Sunshine Coast

The photo showed Sharni, with her back to the camera, stepping into crystal clear surf on a gorgeous Sunshine Coast day

Sharni followed up the beach snap with another enviable shot on her Instagram story.

She gave fans an insight into how she maintains her trim figure, stepping out for a spot of Pilates at a local Sunshine Coast studio.

Before her workout, Sharni found the time to snap a quick mirror selfie that showed her insanely toned abs.

Beaches and bikinis have been a running theme on Sharni's Instagram as she splits her time between Australia and Indonesia.

Sharni appears to frequent Bali often and shares several moments from her travels to her social media account.

Earlier this year, she uploaded several photos of herself posing in a skimpy bikini beside landmarks in Nusa Lembongan  an island southeast of Bali.

Sharni rose to fame on Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, first appearing in minor roles in 2001 and 2003.

She then landed a permanent role, starring as Cassie Turner from 2005 to 2008.

Sharni followed up the beach snap with another enviable shot on her Instagram story

Beaches and bikinis have been a running theme on Sharni's Instagram as she splits her time between Australia and Indonesia

The actress was just 22 years old when she debuted on the long-running drama.

She has also made appearances on popular U.S. crime shows such as NCIS and CSI.

Most recently, Sharni starred in the Netflix series The Guardians of Justice and Australian Survivor.

Sharni recently enjoyed somewhat of a Summer Bay reunion back in March.

Seventeen years after she bid farewell to Summer Bay, she was back in the company of Home and Away stalwart Lynne McGranger.

Both actors looked chuffed to be in each other's company as they stopped for a happy snap at The Sunshine Coast Events Centre in Caloundra.

Sharni was in the coastal Queensland town to catch Lynne in the musical comedy The Grandparents Club 2.

Sharni recently enjoyed somewhat of a Summer Bay reunion back in March. Seventeen years after she bid farewell to Home and Away, she was back in the company of Lynne McGranger

Sharni rose to fame on Channel Seven soap, first appearing in minor roles in 2001 and 2003. She then landed a permanent role, starring as Cassie Turner from 2005 to 2008

'Away from home with @lynnemcgranger,' Sharni captioned the image, adding the hashtag #reunion as well as a push for fans to vote for Lynne to win a Gold Logie at this year's awards which proved to a quite the good omen.

Home and Away fans were quick to gush over the photo, with many still hoping for Sharni's return to Summer Bay.

'Cassie & Irene reunion. I hope we will see you back on Home and Away,' one fan gushed.

Another chimed in with: 'The reunion we never knew we needed! I love this!'
Abbie Chatfield appeared downcast when she stepped out solo in Sydney on Friday.

It was the first time she had been spotted out and about since former Married At First Sight star Harrison Boon announced he was launching defamation action against the influencer, just days after she settled another defamation case.

Despite looking quite forlorn, Abbie stepped out in a colourful outfit, including a lemon-coloured tube top that featured a cute floral embellishment.

She also wore an eye-catching $250 maxi dress from Sydney-based label Katherina Lou.

The pink plaid dress flowed freely down Abbie's legs, finishing just above her ankles.

The influencer finished the casual look with a pair of black leather boots and a similarly coloured canvas bag that she slung over her shoulder.

Abbie Chatfield appeared downcast when she stepped out solo in Sydney on Friday Married At First Sight star Harrison Boon announced he was launching defamation action against the influencer, just days after she settled another defamation case

Leaving her trademark curly brunette locks down for the occasion, Abbie accessorised with a pair of subtle silver earrings and a horseshoe pendant necklace gifted to her by boyfriend Adam Hyde.

The necklace, designed by Melbourne-based artist Millie Savage, is a replica of one worn by Abbie's late grandmother, Carmel.

Abbie's new piece was made even more meaningful by the inclusion of her and Adam's birthstones.

She appeared lost in thought on her outing, sporting a downcast expression as she strolled.

It comes after MAFS star Harrison Boon revealed that he had launched a GoFundMe to help pay for a proposed defamation action against the former Bachelor star.

Just six days ago, Harrison launched a GoFundMe to bankroll his legal costs, accusing Abbie of spreading 'constant lies, slander and bullying' that he claims have cost him business and tarnished his name.

Harrison took issue with a series of explosive social media posts by Abbie in which she labelled Harrison a 'sexist' and 'alt-right freak' who 'supports fascism' and 'stands by Nazi ideology'.

Daily Mail does not suggest any of these allegations are true.

Despite looking quite forlorn, Abbie stepped out in a colourful outfit, including a lemon-coloured tube top that featured a cute floral embellishment

She also wore an eye-catching $250 maxi dress from Sydney-based label Katherina Lou

Harrison claimed that those comments were false, defamatory, and deeply damaging to both his reputation and livelihood.

All funds raised by Harrison's GoFundMe will go directly towards his lawyer and court filing fees, as well as mediation and expert witness costs.

The fresh legal action comes after Abbie recently settled another defamation case this time with her former 'male best friend'.

The social media influencer will be forced to pay law student and former Virgin Australia guest services officer Heath Kelley $79,000 after she consented to a Federal Court judgment against her.

The court has also ordered Abbie pay Heath's legal costs, which amount to an estimated $30,000, leaving her facing a total bill of more than $100,000.

Heath sued Abbie for defamation after his lawyers sent her a concerns notice stating her online comments about him were indefensible and false.

She did not attempt to fight the claim and earlier this month Justice Wendy Abraham made orders against her by consent.

Abbie, who has about 550,000 followers on Instagram, published the defamatory remarks about Heath on her Stories about 5.30pm on May 7.

It comes after MAFS star Harrison revealed that he had launched a GoFundMe to help pay for a proposed defamation action against the former Bachelor star

Harrison took issue with a series of explosive social media posts by Abbie in which she labelled Harrison a 'sexist' and 'alt-right freak' who 'supports fascism' and 'stands by Nazi ideology'

That day, Abbie had posted in support of Greens leader Adam Bandt who lost his seat of Melbourne to Labor's Sarah Witty at the 2025 federal election.

Heath, who had known Abbie since their school days from about 2011, responded by sending her a private message containing a video and comment about the Greens leader.

Further private messages were then exchanged between Abbie and Mr Kelley which Abbie later published to her followers.

Abbie: 'Why are you sending me this.. ? Are you pro Israel? Gross.'

Heath: 'Sending you this because its incredible news that he lost his seat. And I'm going to sleep better at night knowing the Jewish population of Melbourne will feel safer with him gone.'

He continued: 'And yes, as a supporter of gay and women's rights, I am pro Israel having been to the region twice.'

Abbie: 'Okay so you've lost the plot. By (sic) dude lmao.'

She then took to her Instagram Stories, reproducing some of her exchange with Mr Kelley, naming him and tagging his account.

The fresh legal action comes after Abbie recently settled another defamation case this time with her former 'male best friend' Heath Kelley

The social media influencer will be forced to pay law student and former Virgin Australia guest services officer Heath Kelley $79,000 after she consented to a Federal Court judgment against her.

'Not my high school ex friend (EX FRIEND for a reason) sending me this???' she posted. 'We haven't spoken in 3 years, and before that maybe 6 or 7 years???

'Delusional g*cide supporter now weirdly trolling me about a PROGRESSIVE AND KIND politician narrowly losing his seat.'

Abbie and Heath were once so close that their relationship sparked romance rumours.

The pair made tabloid headlines in 2019 when they danced together in a raunchy online video. Abbie ground up against Heath and said, 'I love this song and I love this man.'
Eminem is reportedly dating his longtime glam squad member, Katrina Malota, who's also worked for 50 Cent, Snoop Dog, and Robin Thicke.

The legendary rapper - who's celebrating his 53rd birthday this Friday - has entrusted the fellow Michigan native with his hair and grooming on several music video and photoshoots, according to TMZ.

On her website, Katrina describes Eminem (born Marshall Mathers III) as 'her local home town genius' and she gave him a shout-out on Facebook for his 'shocking' Oscars performance in 2020.

Malota's TikTok and Instagram accounts are private, but she recently detailed her substantial 'health and weight-loss journey' on Facebook.

'Aside from having bariatric surgery a little over five years ago, the last year and a half I've spent doing peptides, and GLP-1 [agonist drug] to be specific,' the 6 Salon staffer admitted on May 8.

'It has changed my life and I want to help it change yours.'

Eminem is reportedly dating his longtime glam squad member - Katrina Malota (pictured November 26) - who's also worked for 50 Cent, Snoop Dog, and Robin Thicke

The legendary rapper - who's celebrating his 53rd birthday this Friday - has entrusted the fellow Michigan native with his hair and grooming on several music video and photoshoots (pictured in 2024)

The FDA has only approved three GLP-1 drugs specifically for weight loss - the semaglutide Wegovy, the liraglutide Saxenda, and the tirzepatide Zepbound - and the rest are specifically for patients suffering from type 2 diabetes.

Celebrities who've admitted to taking the trendy injectables include Oprah Winfrey, Kathy Bates, Kelly Clarkson, Whoopi Goldberg, Serena Williams, Meghan Trainor, Elon Musk, Rebel Wilson, Chelsea Handler, Amy Schumer, Sharon Osbourne, and Tori Spelling.

Back in 2022, Katrina agreed on the 'accuracy' of a game that labeled her as 'always doing the right thing, being passionate, having a loving heart, and needing constant reassurance.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to his rep for comment.

The 15-time Grammy winner famously divorced his ex-wife Kimberly Scott Mathers twice, in 2001 and 2006, after less than three years of marriage.

Eminem and the troubled 50-year-old became grandparents on March 14 when their daughter Hailie Jade Mathers and her husband Evan McClintock welcomed their first child, Elliot Marshall McClintock.

The Oscar-winning songwriter also adopted Kim's nonbinary 23-year-old child Stevie Laine as well as her late sister Dawn's 32-year-old daughter Alaina.

In 2021, Scott was rushed to the hospital after 'taking a bunch of pills' and 'cutting herself' the day after her own mother Kathleen Sluck's funeral - according to The Sun.

On her website, Katrina describes Eminem (born Marshall Mathers III) as 'her local home town genius' and she gave him a shout-out on Facebook for his 'shocking' Oscars performance in 2020

Malota's TikTok and Instagram accounts are private, but she recently detailed her substantial 'health and weight-loss journey' on Facebook (pictured December 16 on right)

The 6 Salon staffer confessed on May 8: 'Aside from having bariatric surgery a little over five years ago, the last year and a half I've spent doing peptides, and GLP-1 [agonist drug] to be specific. It has changed my life'

The FDA has only approved three GLP-1 drugs specifically for weight loss - the semaglutide Wegovy, the liraglutide Saxenda, and the tirzepatide Zepbound - and the rest are specifically for patients suffering from type 2 diabetes (pictured May 8)

Back in 2022, Katrina agreed on the 'accuracy' of a game that labeled her as 'always doing the right thing, being passionate, having a loving heart, and needing constant reassurance'

The 15-time Grammy winner famously divorced his ex-wife Kimberly Scott Mathers (L, pictured 2000) twice, in 2001 and 2006, after less than three years of marriage

Eminem and the troubled 50-year-old became grandparents on March 14 when their daughter Hailie Jade Mathers and her husband Evan McClintock welcomed their first child, Elliot Marshall McClintock (pictured July 15)

It was his Lincoln High School sweetheart's second suicide attempt after intentionally driving her Cadillac Escalade into a telephone pole back in 2015.

Aside from Kim, Eminem has been rumored to have romanced Mariah Carey in 2001, which she denied and sparked an epic feud, as well as Nicki Minaj in 2018.

[Dating] is tough. Since my divorce I've had a few dates and nothing's panned out in a way that I wanted to make it public,' the Stans star lamented to Vulture in 2017.

'Dating's just not where Im at lately.'

Eminem revealed he used to use the apps Tinder and Grindr as well as frequenting strip clubs: 'Going to strip clubs is how I was meeting some chicks. It was an interesting time for me.'
Myleene Klass graced the red carpet at the Ethnicity Awards at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square on Thursday.

The TV personality, 47, wore a champagne satin co-ord which boasted a strapless top and figure-hugging skirt.

Myleene's look also featured a white lace trim while she added extra height to her frame with a pair of strappy suede heels.

The stunner completed the stylish ensemble with gold jewellery including statement earrings and a simple pendant necklace.

Accentuating her features with glam make-up and styling her caramel tresses into loose waves Myleene posed up a storm on the red carpet.

Earlier this month Former popstar Myleene expressed her relief that 'my family and I finally have peace' after a schizophrenic man was convicted of stalking her.

Myleene Klass, 47, graced the red carpet at the Ethnicity Awards at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square on Thursday

She added extra height to her frame with a pair of strappy suede heels

The TV personality wore a champagne satin co-ord which boosted a strapless top and figure-hugging skirt

Peter Windsor was found guilty of stalking the star after sending her an air pistol and calling her a naughty vixen during a nine-month campaign of harassment.

He also asked her in sick correspondence to 'correct him' with a whip and cane, as well as sending her letters and gifts including fancy dress costumes and jewellery.

The 61-year-old, from Stetchford, Birmingham, tried to argue some of his gifts were a joke, but was found guilty of stalking Myleene between November 2023 and August 2024, following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

He was also found guilty of also stalking her Classic FM colleague Katie Breathwick, 54, after sending her a pair of binoculars, running shoes with spikes, a bottle of champagne and a stamp collection for her son.

He sent her between 80 and 100 items over a period spanning March 2020 to December 2023.

In a statement following the verdicts, which she posted on Instagram, Myleene said: 'After a horrific year, my family and I finally have peace.

'Thank you for your love and support, especially to Birmingham Police, in particular PC Marius Dinescu, Judge Tom Rochford, State Prosecutor Timothy Sapwell, Members of the Jury and Birmingham crown court, Katie Breathwick, Classic FM, Global radio, Severine Berman and Simon jones.'

The trial also heard Windsor sent a letter signed in blood to former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in which he pledged his soul to satan.

Myleene's stylish look also featured a white lace trim

Accentuating her features with glam make-up and styling her caramel tresses into loose waves Myleene posed up a storm on the red carpet

Earlier this month Former popstar Myleene expressed her relief that 'my family and I finally have peace' after a schizophrenic man was convicted of stalking her

The items and correspondence addressed to the two Classic FM presenters were intercepted at Global radio's London office where the pair worked.

The air pistol was stopped by police before it reached Myleebe, the court heard.

Jurors reached their unanimous guilty verdict on Peter Windsor after deliberating for four hours and eight minutes over two days.

Windsor, wearing a grey sweatshirt, sighed and pursed his lips in the dock as the verdicts were announced.

Judge Tom Rochford told Windsor, who has been on remand throughout his trial, that the options for his sentencing included prison or two types of hospital order.

Sobbing in court as she gave evidence, Ms Klass described her 'sheer terror' at finding out she had been sent a cache of 'overtly sexual' letters and presents over four years including a set of handcuffs with a note saying 'whip me, beat me priestess Myleene'.

Peter Windsor was found guilty of stalking the star after sending her an air pistol and calling her a naughty vixen during a nine-month campaign of harassment

He also asked her in sick correspondence to 'correct him' with a whip and cane, as well as sending her letters and gifts including fancy dress costumes and jewellery

He was also found guilty of also stalking her Classic FM colleague Katie Breathwick, 54, after sending her a pair of binoculars, running shoes with spikes

The mother-of-three had to pause several times in the witness box to compose herself as she recounted how a police officer called her while on the school run to tell her about the weapon, which was an air pistol.

'He said that whilst this gun wasn't necessary for a licence, at close proximity, right up to six feet it could prove fatal,' she told jurors. 'I think anyone receiving a gun would be terrified.

'I was extremely shocked because suddenly it felt extremely real. I think we spend so much time as women trying to justify why we feel the way we do, have we misinterpreted it? There was no grey area here, there was a gun in a box with my name on it.'

Myleene said she had been forced to enhance security at home after being targeted by Windsor.

Letters and parcels sent to Ms Klass and Mrs Breathwick were also shown to the jury.

One of the notes tells how he managed '5,000 pull ups in 19 hours' while another talks about the women's' 'alien' eyes and how he would like to paddle in a lake outside Buckingham Palace with them.

He also sent the two women a bottle of Champagne each. Wilson sent Mrs Breathwick perfume and a stamp collection for her son. In some he referred to himself as 'Sir Peter Windsor'.
Coleen Rooney poked fun at the Wagatha Christie saga in a new hilarious Paddy Power advert, starring alongside Danny Dyer and Gemma Collins.

The WAG, 39, became famous for her Wagatha Christie investigator skills when she turned detective to figure out who had been leaking stories about her to the press. This resulted in a court case against Rebekah Vardy, which Coleen won.

And in the new video for Paddy Power Gaming, EastEnders legend Danny tasked her with solving another mystery.

While walking through a casino, Danny spots pal Peter Crouch before Gemma is heard shouting her famous line, with a slight twist: 'I'm claustrophobic Danny!'

Moments later Danny shouts: 'Oi! Which melt has left their drink on my felt?'

Coleen then sends a text to Danny which reads, 'It's... Gemma Collins'.

Coleen Rooney poked fun at the Wagatha Christie saga in a new hilarious Paddy Power advert, starring alongside Danny Dyer and Gemma Collins

In the new video for Paddy Power Gaming, EastEnders legend Danny tasked her with solving another mystery

Danny brands Coleen a 'silent assassin' before the camera turns to her playing a slot game, and she gives a cheeky wink.

The clip ends with Danny sitting shirtless in a bathtub playing on the gambling website, before dropping his mobile phone in the water, leaving him furious.

Rebekah unsuccessfully sued Coleen in the High Court in 2022 after she was publicly accused of leaking stories about her to the press.

She agreed to pay 1,190,000 of Coleen's legal bill, plus was ordered to pay a further 212,266 in assessment costs, after sensationally losing their high-profile libel case.

This takes the total Rebekah must pay to at least 1,402,266.20. Daily Mail understands she has already paid some of the bill, including 800,000 four years ago and 100,000 last year.

The catalyst for the famous Wagatha Christie case was a dramatic open letter written by Coleen and posted on social media in October 2019 in which she revealed she had turned detective to figure out who had been leaking the stories.

Coleen publicly claimed Rebekah's account was the source behind three newspaper stories featuring fake details she had posted on her private Instagram profile - her travelling to Mexico for a 'gender selection' procedure, her planning to return to TV and the basement flooding at her home.

Penning that she had a 'suspicion' of who it could be, Coleen told her millions of followers that 'to try and prove this' she 'came up with an idea'.

Coleen, 39, became famous for her Wagatha Christie investigator skills when she turned detective to figure out who had been leaking stories about her to the press. This resulted in a court case against Rebekah Vardy, which Coleen won

While walking through a casino, Danny spots pal Peter Crouch before Gemma is heard shouting her famous line, with a slight twist: 'I'm claustrophobic Danny!'

'I blocked everyone from viewing my Instagram stories except ONE account,' she wrote.

For the next five months, she uploaded 'a series of false stories' to see if 'they made their way' into the press.

'And you know what, they did!' she penned 'The story about gender selection in Mexico, the story about returning to TV and then the latest story about the basement flooding in my new house.'

She continued to build suspense, writing: 'It's been tough keeping it to myself and not making any comment at all, especially when the stories have been leaked, however I had to. Now I know for certain which account/individual it's come from.

'I have saved and screenshotted all the original stories which clearly show just one person had viewed them.'

And then, she delivered her final iconic line: 'It's.......... Rebekah Vardy's account.'

What followed was a tearful appearance from Rebekah on ITV's Loose Women in February 2020 in which claimed the stress over the dispute had caused her to have anxiety attacks so severe she 'ended up in hospital three times'.

The emotional display was met by Coleen with a statement to say she did not want to 'engage in further public debate' on the matter.

Moments later Danny shouts: 'Oi! Which melt has left their drink on my felt?'

Coleen then sends a text to Danny which reads, 'It's... Gemma Collins'

Danny brands Coleen a 'silent assassin' before the camera turns to her playing a slot game, and she gives a cheeky wink

Four months later, in June 2020, Rebekah began legal proceedings against Coleen for libel with her lawyers alleging she had 'suffered extreme distress, hurt, anxiety and embarrassment as a result of the publication of the post and the events which followed'.

At the first preliminary hearing in London's High Court in November the same year, Mr Justice Warby ruled that Coleen's famous letter 'clearly identified' Rebekah as being 'guilty of the serious and consistent breach of trust'.

He concluded the 'natural and ordinary' meaning of the posts was that Rebekah had 'regularly and frequently abused her status as a trusted follower of Mrs Rooney's personal Instagram account' by secretly informing the press of Coleen's 'private posts and stories'.

When the case returned to the courts in February 2022, a series of explosive messages between Rebekah and her agent Caroline Watt were revealed with Coleen's lawyers alleging they were about her.

Rebekah denied that one message calling someone a 'nasty b****' was in reference to Coleen.

When asked by defence lawyers to present Ms Watt's phone so they could further investigate the WhatsApp messages, they were told it had fallen into the North Sea when Ms Watt was on a boat during a holiday.

Coleen was denied permission to bring a High Court claim against Ms Watt for misuse of private information to be heard alongside the libel battle as it was brought too late.

Rebekah has made many attempts in the past to bring down the sum she is expected to pay for Coleen's legal costs which were set at 1,833,906.89 (Pictured: Rebekah and her husband Jamie Vardy)

Ms Watt was then dubbed not fit to give oral evidence, revoked permission for her witness statement to be used and withdrew her waiver which would have allowed journalists to say whether she was a source of the leaked stories.

Coleen's barrister then told the High Court Rebekah 'appears to accept' her agent was the source of the leaked stories and argued her new statement suggested this but Rebekah claimed she 'did not authorise or condone her'.

In May 2022, the women finally came face-to-face in court to give evidence as the Wagatha Christie trial began in the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Coleen secured her victory the next month when Mrs Justice Steyn delivered her verdict, dismissing the claim made by Rebekah and finding Coleen had proved the meaning of her famous accusatory letter was 'substantially true'.

Whilst Coleen said she was 'pleased' the judge had ruled in her favour, Rebekah declared she was 'extremely sad and disappointed' at the decision.

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Coleen Rooney for comment.
Gemma Collins fears skinny jabs left her with 'agonising' health woes following her three stone weight loss transformation.

The TV personality, 44, who stars in Paddy Power's latest gaming ad with Coleen Rooney and Danny Dyer, told Daily Mail that she had a 'gallbladder attack' in August and is still on medication months on.

Earlier this year, Gemma revealed she had gone from a size 26 to a size 20 in just three months after she started using Mounjaro injections but she has since reduced her usage.

But, a day before flying to Cyprus for her partner Rami Hawash's birthday, she dropped to the floor in pain.

Worried she would need to go to A&E, her doctor paid her a home visit and diagnosed her with gallstones.

Gallstones are small stones that form in the gallbladder and if they cause pain, some people may need surgery to remove the organ, according to the NHS.

Gemma Collins told Daily Mail she fears skinny jabs left her with 'agonising' health woes following her 3st weight loss transformation

The TV personality who stars in Paddy Power's latest gaming advert, told Daily Mail that she had a 'gallbladder attack' and is still on medication months on

When asked if she ever experienced any bad side effects, Gemma told Daily Mail: 'I had a little gallbladder attack. I'm not sure if it's linked, they say it can be linked, it's not always the case, so I've had to slow down on it all for a bit.

'We were going away for Rami's 50th and I was in excruciating pain. I'd taken him to a Ferrari day because it was his 50th birthday and we were flying the next day.

'I fell to the floor, whilst he was going round the track. And I was like, whoa, I'm in pain. And then I was thinking I'm gonna have to go and sit in A&E.

'I called my doctor and he said, 'let me come to your house scan you'. When he scanned me, it was gallstones.

'But gallstones, this is where I'm not 100 per cent convinced at the minute, gallstones, everyone can have gallstones and they can flare up at any time.

'You know, I was in such pain, but I've got the medication at the minute that's helping me.

'At the time, it was agonising and I thought I'm, I'm not gonna make it to Cyprus.

'But, you know, the doctors were great and I've got pain relief for it now so we're just gonna really have to see how it goes, you know.'

Earlier this year, Gemma revealed she had gone from a size 26 to a size 20 in just three months after she started using Mounjaro injections but in August was diagnosed with gallstones (pictured left in August and right in May)

One of the reported common side effects to taking Mounjaro is gallstones, according to Superdrug doctor Dr Babak Ashrafi.

He wrote on the company website: 'Gallbladder problems such as gallstones or inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis) are rare but serious side effects of Mounjaro.

'GLP-1 inhibitors like Mounjaro can cause gallbladder problems because they can reduce the amount of a hormone called cholecystokinin, which is important for healthy gallbladder function.'

While Gemma at the time was proudly displaying the results of her weight loss, she also suffered from a more immediate side effect from the jabs.

Gemma was left concerned that her weight loss made her 'look older' as she shared a candid Instagram post, pointing out her 'next level' crow's feet.

She said: 'I really don't know what's happened to me, I really don't, it's just come on me overnight. But it has been a year since I've had any little tweakments.

'I don't know if it's since I've been losing weight. I sure haven't got 'Ozempic face' yet, but it would be the dream right now.

'I've always had a fuller face, as you know. I do like the expression around my eyes. I want to look natural still. But this just isn't right.

'What has happened? I am 44, but this is taking it to levels that I never, ever imagined it'd get to.'

Gemma stars in PaddyPower's latest gaming advert alongside Danny Dyer, Peter Crouch and Coleen Rooney.

The ad, created by BBH London, promises more cinematic glamour, mischief and star power than a Hollywood heist, and hits screens this Saturday 18th October.

Swapping the Queen Vic for the bright lights of Las Vegas, the tongue-in-cheek campaign sees Danny front and centre as casino kingpin, dripping in swagger as he walks through a larger-than-life Paddy Power world.

With his no-nonsense charm, he welcomes viewers into Paddy Power Games' outrageously over-the-top casino universe that features 'All sorts of games for all sorts of treacles.'

Gemma has recently starred in PaddyPower's latest gaming advert alongside Danny Dyer (pictured right), Peter Crouch and Coleen Rooney (pictured left)

The ad, created by BBH London, promises more cinematic glamour, mischief and star power than a Hollywood heist, and hits screens this Saturday 18th October

Set against a backdrop of velvet tables, gold chips, and brazen luxury, the campaign transforms gaming into a world that's bold, playful, and bursting with personality.

Gemma delivered one of her most iconic one-liners, plus the ultimate scene-stealing take down from the UK's favourite lead investigator, as Paddy Power Games reminds players that confidence is always in style.

Speaking of the advert, Gemma said: 'Let me tell you something, this ad is pure glamour, and did you see the dress, that gorgeous number came home with me!

'Paddy Power Games went all out with this one, it felt like being on a Hollywood set  lights, camera, casino! I had the best time living my best life at that craps table.

'It's bold, it's fun, and it's got The GC written all over it!'
Sarah Paulson was visibly emotional on Thursday night as she reflected on the loss of her close friend Diane Keaton during the Alls Fair red carpet premiere.

The American Horror Story alum, 50, hit the LA event alongside her co-stars Kim Kardashian, Glenn Close, Teyana Taylor, Niecy Nash-Betts, and Naomi Watts for the world premiere of Hulus new legal drama.

But amid the star-studded celebration, Paulsons heart was elsewhere.

The actress is still grieving the sudden death of Keaton, who passed away Saturday at age 79. Her family later confirmed the beloved Oscar winner died from pneumonia.

Paulson, who first met Keaton while filming Garry Marshalls 1999 drama The Other Sister, was asked about what the late icon meant to her  and the moment quickly turned emotional.

After telling multiple reporters she was 'profoundly sad,' Paulsons composure finally cracked during a later interview.

Sarah Paulson was visibly emotional on Thursday night as she reflected on the loss of her close friend Diane Keaton during the Alls Fair red carpet premiere

After telling multiple reporters she was 'profoundly sad,' Paulsons composure finally cracked during a later interview

Fighting through tears, she told Access, 'She was a very dear friend of mine, so it's not something I'm able to talk about yet.'

She continued 'What you thought she was as a performer ... she was even more spectacular as a human being.

'And I was the luckiest person in the world to have had her in my life the way that I did.'

Quickly glancing down at the floor, Paulson hugged the interviewer and then hurriedly walked away.

The interview comes after Paulson was seen looking somber outside Keatons residence on Saturday following the sad news.

The star appeared visibly distraught during the visit and was even spotted sharing an embrace with someone outside.

She later sat in the drivers seat of a black car before making her way down the street as she left Keatons home.

Paulson and Keaton shared a close friendship over the years and had often been seen spending time together.

Fighting through tears, she told Access , 'She was a very dear friend of mine, so it's not something I'm able to talk about yet' (pictured 2015)

She continued 'What you thought she was as a performer ... she was even more spectacular as a human being. And I was the luckiest person in the world to have had her in my life the way that I did' (pictured 2015)

Back in July 2021, the Ratched star and her partner Holland Taylor joined Keaton for dinner in Beverly Hills. Later that same year, the trio enjoyed a lowkey outing at Il Piccolino restaurant in West Hollywood.

In a past conversation with Interview magazine, Keaton responded to playful questions from her famous friends, including Paulson.

What person, place, or thing makes your heart sing? (You can say me), Paulson had humorously asked.

In reply, the Book Club actress said, Of course, Sarah, you make my heart sing. My friends make my heart sing.

Paulson attended the Alls Fair premiere just hours after Keatons former flame Al Pacino spoke out about her death.

Pacino  who shared an on-and-off romance with Keaton from 1974 to 1990  poured his heart out in a moving tribute after taking a few days to process the devastating loss while filming in Paris, according to Deadline.

I am deeply saddened by Diane Keatons passing, he wrote in the message shared with the outlet on Thursday night.

He continued, 'When I first heard the news, I was shaken. Diane was my partner, my friend, someone who brought me happiness and on more than one occasion influenced the direction of my life.

'Though over thirty years has past since we were together, the memories remain vivid, and with her passing, they have returned with a force that is both painful and moving.

Pacino  who shared an on-and-off romance with Keaton from 1974 to 1990  poured his heart out in a moving tribute after taking a few days to process the devastating loss while filming in Paris; (pictured 1989)

I am deeply saddened by Diane Keatons passing, he wrote in the message shared with the outlet on Thursday night; (1972's The Godfather)

Pacino went on to praise Keatons boundless spirit, reflecting on the way she 'lived without limits, and everything she touched carried her unmistakable energy.'

He also honored her screen presence, writing that she was 'magneticlightning and charm, hurricanes and tenderness. She was a wonder.'

'Acting was her art,' the Dog Day Afternoon star continued, 'but it was only one of the many ways she expressed her imagination and creativity.'

Pacino ended his tribute with words that cut straight to the heart: 'People will miss her, but more than that, they will remember her. She left a mark that cannot fade. She was unstoppable, resilient and above all, deeply human.

'I will always remember her. She could fly  and in my heart, she always will.'

The sweet message comes after Pacino was seen for the first time since the heartbreaking death.

He was photographed arriving at LAX on Monday with his ex-girlfriend Noor Alfallah, looking somber as he made his way through the terminal.

A close friend of the actor told the Daily Mail this week that Pacino will 'forever regret' not staying with Keaton. 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 insider shared.

He continued, 'When I first heard the news, I was shaken. Diane was my partner, my friend, someone who brought me happiness and on more than one occasion influenced the direction of my life'

'Though over thirty years has past since we were together, the memories remain vivid, and with her passing, they have returned with a force that is both painful and moving,' (pictured 1989)

Pacino ended his tribute with words that cut straight to the heart: 'People will miss her, but more than that, they will remember her. She left a mark that cannot fade. She was unstoppable, resilient and above all, deeply human. 'I will always remember her. She could fly  and in my heart, she always will'; (1990's The Godfather Part III)

Keaton once reflected on their relationship herself, admitting Pacino was the one who got away.

On Monday, the Scarface star appeared visibly downcast as he headed toward a private jet alongside Noor, with whom he welcomed son Roman in 2023  his first public outing since losing the woman many believed was the love of his life.

The pair were both dressed down in all-black ensembles  a quiet reflection, perhaps, of the somber mood of the day.

Pacino and Keaton's romance would last beyond Coppola's The Godfather Part III, released in 1990, and Keaton later admitted her former co-star was the great love she never ended up with.

'I didnt even want him to propose,' she told The Times of their relationship in 2017. 'I just thought maybe he would marry me, eventually. I thought, "dont even propose - lets just do it."

'But that never happened, and that is a blessing for both of us. It would have been a nightmare for him.'

She added 'Were very eccentric, he needed a woman that was going to take care of him, I needed a man who would take care of me.

'It was just very important that we left each other alone, said goodbye. But it wasnt my choice.'

Keaton and Pacino won accolades for their respective roles as Kay Adams and mafia don Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy.

The two dated on and off from 1971 to 1987 after famously playing husband and wife in Francis Ford Coppola s 1972 classic The Godfather

The late actress passed away in California on Saturday at the age of 79 (pictured in 2019)

Neither would marry, and Pacino later admitted regretting his decision to walk away from his screen wife.

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 string of women, his four children have always been the most important thing in his life.

Al adores all his kids, the source added. 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 affair would last beyond Coppola's poorly received The Godfather Part III, released in 1990 (pictured) and Keaton later admitted her former co-star was the one who got away

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.

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.

But I hadnt seen her in months, the neighbor said. Now I wonder if she may have been ill for a while.

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.

While Keaton never married, she would adopt two children (L-R: son Duke Keaton, Diane Keaton, and daughter Dexter Keaton)

She also shared a close relationship with Woody Allen for two decades, but it wasnt the same kind of relationship she shared with Pacino.

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.

Diane could definitely have seen herself marrying Al, and them having kids together. 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!"'

The source added: '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.
Sandra Paiz lets out a gasp and her eyes immediately pool with tears. She puts a hand to her mouth in shock and with the other picks up a mobile phone. Her son, Braian Paiz, is calling from an Argentine jail cell where the former waiter has languished for nine months accused of selling drugs to the late popstar Liam Payne two days before his death.

I love you, my boy, Sandra says, wiping away the tears: I will never leave you behind.

When the Daily Mail visited Sandra Paiz in her two-room home outside Buenos Aires earlier this week, there was no indication that her son might call.

Braians phone time in prison is strictly limited and his conversations are closely monitored by prison authorities. And yet, in the remarkable brief exchange between him and his mother, there was a sobering reminder that Liam Paynes death in Buenos Aires last year has had a devastating effect not only on those directly involved in the tragedy, but on their loving families too.

Im calmer now, Braian revealed to the Daily Mail over the phone after speaking with his mother, explaining he had been moved to a new prison. Its very different in this place than where I was before. The conditions at the previous facility were terrible.

We didnt even have running water, and the mattresses were very damp. I had a bad cold and cough for several weeks without medical attention. During winter, we bathed almost the entire time with cold water.

And I was in a really bad place anyhow. I couldnt stop overthinking, I felt terrible.

'The news of Liams death hit me hard. But now, Im focusing a lot on my freedom and on getting out.

Sandra Paiz receives a video call from her son Braian, who is being held in an Argentine prison accused of selling drugs to late popstar Liam Payne

Also at home with Sandra is her youngest daughter Nicole, 19

Suddenly Braian stopped talking. There seemed to be a commotion around him with prison officers jangling keys and rattling chains. Finally, it quietened again and Braian revealed that officers had come in to adjust a security camera so as to see  via the CCTV  who it was he was talking to.

Its a sobering reminder of Braians new life, one of constant supervision, restraint and denial.

Before he had to ring off, I had a chance to ask Braian one more question. Does he regret meeting his idol Liam Payne?

Ive suffered so much psychological damage due to all this and the social condemnation, and of course Im worried now I might be in prison for many years Braian paused. But I dont regret meeting Liam. I was a fan.

There is a clang of metal gates in the background and then the screen goes black.

Sandra takes the phone back and smiles. Braian, at least for now, appears to be ok. But it hasnt always been that way.

One of the first times Braian called me after his arrest, he said: I cant breathe. Please, Mum, get me out. I cant stand it anymore. Sandra recalled, the smile disappearing from her face. He made a mistake and he takes responsibility for it. But just because someone he met died two days later, why should he be condemned like this?

On Saturday, the Daily Mail revealed how Braian first met Liam Payne on the evening of October 2 last year at the exclusive Cabana Las Lilas restaurant in the upmarket Puerto Madero area of Buenos Aires, where Paiz was working as a waiter and Payne was dining with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy and close friend Roger Nores.

Close to midnight, as the restaurant was closing up, Payne, who was unsteady on his feet, spoke with a star-struck Braian after the pair had made eye contact then asked if he had any cocaine.

Braian did not, but it was a fateful moment, for he wrote down his Instagram handle on a scrap of paper and stuffed it into Liams hand as he left the restaurant. And 11 days later, on October 14, Payne contacted him again, once more asking for drugs.

This time, as Braian admits in his witness statement, He ended up convincing me to get [drugs] for him. And, in all honesty, I didnt want to miss the opportunity to see him again. Thats why I agreed to do it.

Braian, who is gay, delivered the cocaine to Paynes hotel and spent what he described as an intimate night with him, in which he helped the star to shave and took drugs with him. Whatever took place was clearly intense, but Braian has previously insisted the two men did not have sex.

Two days later, the One Direction star was dead, having fallen in a state of semi-consciousness from his hotel balcony. Braian was arrested and jailed a few weeks later.

The Daily Mail travelled 30km south from Buenos Aires to the deprived suburb of Berazategui to meet the heartbroken single mother of seven, 46-year-old Sandra Paiz, whose life has been turned upside down by her middle sons incarceration. A situation made worse by the fact Braian not only denies the drug dealing charge against him  he insists he provided the cocaine but did not sell it  but no date has yet been set for a trial due to bureaucratic wrangling over whether the case falls under national or local jurisdiction.

In this highly emotional interview, Sandra Paiz describes the torment her family has suffered at what she describes as a brazen miscarriage of justice and gives the most honest account yet of the young man she affectionately calls Nahuel, but who the rest of the world knows as Braian Paiz, the 26-year-old who spent the night with Liam Payne just before the stars death.

Berazategui is a world away from the well-heeled glamour of Buenos Aires. The single-storied homes are crumbling, with cracks in the walls, missing windowpanes and front doors held shut with padlocks and chains.

It was nightfall as the Daily Mail arrived at Sandras dilapidated home. Stray dogs were barking into the darkness and Sandra opened the door just ajar, peeping anxiously down the street in both directions.

Inside and we sat around a small dining table in the main room  a bedroom was concealed by a thin curtain  and shared a cup of mate tea while Sandra produced a small box of colourful pastries.

The Daily Mail's Fred Kelly visited Sandra and Nicole at their home in Berazategui, a suburb of Buenos Aires

Braian in prison. Sandra tells Fred: 'I only get to see him through glass. I have no direct contact with him. It makes me so angry'

In one corner of the room theres a rusting cooker with missing gas knobs, a small fridge and a microwave. Black mould is creeping down from the ceiling and theres a large crack in the wall leading to the bedroom Sandra now shares with her youngest daughter, 19-year-old Nicole.

The Paiz family used to live around the corner in a larger home. However, following Braians incarceration in January this year, insurmountable legal bills meant Sandra had no choice but to downsize. I had to sell everything. I had almost finished setting up a little hairdressing salon, but with everything that happened with my son, I had to sell it all.

Today, she scrapes by on a modest state benefit while working one day a week as a cleaner in affluent Puerto Madero  the same district where her son Braian worked as a waiter before his arrest.

The first Sandra heard of her sons implication in Liam Paynes death was on November 8 last year. She was lying in bed watching the news  totally oblivious to who Liam Payne even was  when Braians face appeared on the broadcast. Her heart dropped. It was a mothers worst nightmare.

The following day, Sandra launched a desperate bid to find her son, who had moved apartments in July in order to work in the heart of Buenos Aires.

The next day, we couldnt find him, Sandra recalled, the panic repeating in her face. My daughter went to look for Braian and she found his apartment. He was locked inside, nervous, listening to music. And he wasnt answering the door to anyone.

Sandra went on to explain how on November 5  almost three weeks after Paynes intoxicated fall from a third-floor balcony  Braian had been fired from his job at Las Lilas restaurant, leaving him without an income and he had been warned of imminent eviction by his landlord as it was clear he would no longer be able to afford the rent.

To begin with, he didnt dare tell us what had happened, Sandra continued. He was just waiting in that little apartment to see what would happen, if any notification from the authorities would arrive.

Sandra did what any mother would and took Braian back to the family home.

He was climbing the walls like a spider, Sandra said. He didnt want to talk to anyone. He locked himself in a little bedroom and wouldnt come out. He didnt want to eat unless I lay down with him. I tried to bathe him. He just cried and cried.

On Friday, January 3 this year, after two months fraught with anxiety, officers from Argentinas Special Investigations Division turned up at the family home and arrested Braian on suspicion of selling drugs to Payne in the early hours of October 14.

At first, we didnt understand anything, Sandra recalled. I asked him at the time, and he didnt understand either  he was in shock. My son never tried to flee or anything. He always looked for ways to cooperate with the investigation.

The nine months since the arrest have been a living hell with Braian formally charged in February and since denied a move to house arrest despite being beaten up in jail for his sexuality and suffering a serious urinary tract infection for which proper medical assistance was not immediately provided.

I am very angry about the justice system, Sandra explained. Because, unfortunately, they acted poorly and didnt conduct a proper investigation before charging him. For example, even though I handed in his mobile phone, it wasnt even examined until March.

For now, Sandra has to survive on the occasional phone call from Braian and intermittent visits to him in prison: I only get to see him through glass. I have no direct contact with him. It makes me so angry. The other day we were both crying.

Sandra also has the burden of providing Braian with food  as is common for families of imprisoned Argentines: Theyre supposed to give you food in prison, Sandra explains. But its bad food.

Furthermore, Braian, like many other inmates, has had to give away some of his food and cigarettes to other inmates in an attempt to guarantee his safety  while inside he has been burnt with boiling water, struck with a metal canister and threatened with electrocution.

Thankfully, a few days ago Braian was moved to a new prison where conditions are significantly better. In the new facility, Braian is being held in a special LGBT wing: He can only share space with two other people in the LGBT unit, Sandra explains. Its a bit bigger, but there are cameras everywhere, bars, constant surveillance.

One thing Sandra has done to protect her son on the inside is insist that only family members are allowed to visit him. I dont want other friends going, she explained. Because they might try to pass him something they shouldnt

Sandra went on to clarify that while she is aware that her son smoked weed, he was never in a dependent relationship with drugs. Obviously, when you open the door and they go out into the world, youll never know as a mother how they will behave. But I never gave my children a bad example.

'He was super polite. If you ask anyone what he was like, theyll tell you he was very respectful. As his mother, he never once answered back to me,' Sandra recalls of her son as a child

At this point in our conversation, Sandra was handed a shoebox full of mementos from Braians childhood by her daughter, Nicole. It contained everything from a kindergarten award for being a best friend to a hairdressing certificate, CVs and modelling photos.

He had so many friends, Sandra recalled, shuffling through the documents. All his life he wanted to become someone. He was very focused on doing things. Even when other kids didnt understand something, he had no problem helping. And he was super polite. If you ask anyone what he was like, theyll tell you he was very respectful. As his mother, he never once answered back to me.

It was impossible not to think Sandra was speaking as if Braian was gone for good.

When people started saying Braian could spend many years in prison, I got really angry, Sandra continued with tears in her eyes. They cant treat him like this if they sentence my son for having sold those grams, then the justice system isnt working properly.

Of the five individuals originally implicated in Liam Paynes death, the only two to have been formally charged are Braian Paiz and Ezequiel Pereyra. Two working-class boys from rough neighbourhoods.

Pereyra  a cleaner at the CasaSur hotel  has similarly been charged with selling Payne drugs and is also languishing in a jail cell awaiting trial. Speaking to the media earlier this week, Pereyra confessed that If the hotel had acted differently Liam could have been saved. Indeed, haunting pictures the Daily Mail published last year of the pop star being dragged from the hotel lobby unconscious minutes before his death have long thrown into question the actions of hotel lobby staff.

And yet, two CasaSur employees  chief receptionist Esteban Grassi and senior manager Gilda Martin  had the charge of negligent homicide against them dropped in February this year.

When the Daily Mail approached Mr Grassi this week for comment on the anniversary of Paynes death, the tall greying man sniffed down his nose and said he wasnt even aware of it.

The last hug I had with Nahuel was as we lay in bed at home, Sandra told me as we said goodbye. We hugged and we cried. And I told him as I always do: Ill never leave you behind.
Bella Hadid has opened up about her much-talked about 'dizzy' Victoria's Secret walk which sparked widespread concern for her health.

Fans speculated the supermodel, 29, who has endured a public battle with Lyme disease, looked faint while walking the runway this week, as she seemingly struggled to stay steady while strutting in a pair of massive 50-pound wings.

'You can tell in her face. She looks a little stiff here,' one fan said. 'And look how she's trying to play with her shoulders trying to keep those d**n wings on. She's still killing it though.'

Despite doing her best to appear unfazed, the fan also noted that Hadid appeared to 'almost faint' toward the end of her walk.

The incident occurred as the Vogue cover girl was dressed in an ethereal all-white and silver look, which featured a fitted corset top and pleated skirt.

Social media users flooded the comments with messages of concern, referencing Hadid's recent hospitalization.

Bella Hadid has opened up about her much-talked about 'dizzy' Victoria's Secret walk which sparked widespread concern for her health

However Hadid wrote in a now-deleted post per The Hollywood Reporter: 'Ok were not going to pretend these wings werent 50 pounds but HOW BEAUTIFUL.'

One fan wrote: 'Omg I thought it was just me  she looked like she was in pain.'

'She was literally just hospitalized. I don't know why they pushed her that much,' another added.

'Those wings are heavy asf and she's a very light person. She's also really sick. Still ate tho,' a third remarked.

On Reddit, similar discussions unfolded as users debated the physical toll of the show.

'She looked like she was either going to pass out or the wings were too heavy,' one person wrote.

'She looked SO uncomfortable she had to hold onto the wings to give them better support,' another noted.

'She said on Instagram that the wings were 50 pounds!' one user recalled, while others criticized producers for assigning such heavy props to a model recently recovering from illness.

Fans speculated the supermodel, 29, got 'dizzy' while walking the runway this week - as she seemingly struggled to stay steady while strutting in a pair of massive 50-pound wings

However Hadid wrote in a now-deleted post per THR: 'Ok were not going to pretend these wings werent 50 pounds but HOW BEAUTIFUL'

'Look, she's barely keeping the momentum going,' he added. '[They] are weighing her down completely. See, she's struggling with them here'

Some even speculated that the materials used this year made the accessories significantly heavier than previous years.

'If Bella wasn't feeling well that day and couldn't walk properly, they should have given the wings to another girl,' one user commented.

Hadid's runway appearance came just weeks after she returned from Germany, where she spent time receiving treatment for chronic neurological Lyme disease at the St George Hospital near Munich.

Last month, the model shared raw, emotional photos from her hospital stay  showing her hooked up to IVs and oxygen tubes  alongside a heartfelt apology to her 61 million Instagram followers for being 'MIA.'

'She doesn't respond [to texts] for days or even weeks,' a source recently told the Daily Mail. 'But when things are better, she will text back. She doesn't ghost  she just says, 'I can't talk today, sorry.' Everyone who loves her gets it.'

According to the insider, Hadid often retreats from the spotlight during difficult recovery periods.

Social media users flooded the comments with messages of concern, referencing Hadid's recent hospitalization for Lyme disease

'Bella is as functional as she can be, but there's always room for improvement,' they said. 'When things get bad, she retreats. Her batteries seem to recharge when she's alone.'

Hadid has been open about her decade-long fight with chronic Lyme disease, which causes neurological symptoms including headaches, brain fog, sensitivity to light and noise, inflammation and numbness.

She has also been candid about her mental health, sharing that she suffers from depression and anxiety.

On World Mental Health Day, the Vogue cover star posted a screenshot of a heartfelt message that began, 'Hi. Sorry I haven't texted you back,' capturing the silent struggle that often accompanies anxiety.

Hadid's runway appearance came just weeks after she returned from Germany, where she spent time receiving treatment for chronic neurological Lyme disease. Seen with her mother

Last month, the model shared raw, emotional photos from her hospital stay  showing her hooked up to IVs and oxygen tubes

Hadid has been open about her decade-long fight with Lyme disease, which causes symptoms like headaches, brain fog, sensitivity to light and noise, inflammation and numbness

Last week, she reflected on Instagram about the 'weight' of her mental health battles in a vulnerable Instagram post.

'The weight of anxiety and depression can sometimes feel all-consuming, paralyzing, and invisible to the outside world,' she wrote.

'Over the years, I've learned that this is not a weakness  it's a part of me. My sensitivity, my awareness, my empathy in many ways, it can be a superpower.'

The insider noted that Hadid has a strong network of family and friends supporting her  including her mother Yolanda, siblings Gigi and Anwar Hadid, and boyfriend Adan Banuelos, a 36-year-old Mexican-American rodeo star.

Last week, she reflected on Instagram about the 'weight' of her mental health battles in a vulnerable Instagram post

The couple began dating in late 2023, shortly after Hadid relocated to Texas, a move she described as both a romantic and personal reset.

'After ten years of modeling, I realized I was putting so much energy and love and effort into something that, in the long run, wasn't necessarily giving it back to me,' she told Allure in 2024.

'If I don't feel good, I take time for myself for the first time now, I'm not putting on a fake face.'

'Now when anybody sees me in pictures and they say I look happy, I genuinely am,' she added. 'My bad days now were my old good days.'
Jennifer Lawrence flashed her sideboob as she attended the premiere of her new film Die My Love at the BFI London Film Festival on Friday.

The actress, 35, looked incredible as she arrived on the red carpet wearing a black sleeveless dress with a plunging neckline.

The garment also featured a backless detail and Jennifer added to her look with an eye-catching gold and silver necklace.

Letting her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders, the film star added height to her frame with a pair of open toe heels.

Jennifer looked in good spirits prior to the premiere as she left her hotel carrying a black jacket with a shearling collar and cuffs.

Die My Love is based on a 2017 novel by Argentine writer, Ariana Harwicz, which details a new mum's battle with postpartum depression and subsequent psychosis.

Jennifer Lawrence cut a glamorous figure as she attended the premiere of her new film Die My Love at the BFI London Film Festival on Friday

The actress, 35, looked incredible as she arrived on the red carpet wearing a black sleeveless dress with a plunging neckline

Jennifer revealed that she and co-star Robert Pattinson perform a naked interpretive dance in the film.

The Oscar winner made the revelation during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show which airs on Friday, describing the experience as 'totally humiliating'.

Jennifer laughed: 'Lynne Ramsay the director challenged us during rehearsals, Robert Pattinson and I had to do interpretative dance lessons together. We both embarrass quite easily, and we didn't really know each other so it was totally humiliating.

'Then on the first day of filming she asked whether we remembered what we did and asked if we would do it naked.'

Fellow show guests Bruce Springsteen, Jeremy Allen White and Tessa Thompson were stunned and left full of questions, to which Jennifer quipped: 'Should I have said no? You all seem quite shocked'.

Speaking about how she landed the role she said: 'Martin Scorsese brought this to us after he had read the book at his book club, which is adorable.

'He said I should play the character. When I read the book, I had had a hard time imagining it as a movie, but I wasnt going to correct Marty!'

In the film, Jennifer stars as Grace, a new mother whose mental health begins to deteriorate as her marriage crumbles, with Robert, 39, starring as her husband Jackson.

The star admitted that since having children, it has changed her perspective on her career, and described motherhood as 'brutal and incredible'.

Jennifer added height to her frame with a pair of open toe heels

The Oscar winner was joined on the red carpet by film producer Justine Ciarrocchi

Jennifer looked in good spirits prior to the premiere as she left her hotel carrying a black jacket with a shearling collar and cuffs

The star hung a white fur throw over her arms to keep warm

Jennifer showed off her incredible sense of style as she headed to the red carpet

The actress beamed from ear to ear as she arrived on the red carpet

Jennifer ensured all eyes were on her as she posed for the cameras

Jennifer signed autographs and posed for selfies with fans as she walked the red carpet

She posed for snaps with Trent Luckinbill, Molly Smith, Director Lynne Ramsay, BFI Festivals Director Kristy Matheson, Justine Ciarrocchi and Andrea Calderwood

She added: 'Well, having children changes everything.

'It changes your whole life. But it's brutal and incredible. And so not only do they go into every decision of if I'm working, where I'm working, when I'm working.

'It taught me... I didn't know that I could feel so much. My job has a lot to do with emotion. They've opened up the world to me. It's almost like feeling like a blister or something, so sensitive.

'So they've changed my life, obviously, for the best, and they've changed me creatively. I highly recommend having kids if you want to be an actor.'

This film is the first time Jennifer and Robert have worked together, and the Twilight star, who welcomed his first child with fiancee Suki Waterhouse last year, echoed his co-star's sentiments.

He said: 'I think in the most unexpected way, having a baby gives you the biggest trove of energy and inspiration.

'Ever since she was born, it's reintegrated the way I approach work.'

Jennifer revealed that she and co-star Robert Pattinson perform a naked interpretive dance in Die My Love

Die My Love is based on a 2017 novel by Ariana Harwicz, which details a new mum's battle with postpartum depression and subsequent psychosis (Pictured with Robert on the movie)

Jennifer and Robert both rose to fame in the 2010s, with Jennifer starring in film adaptations of The Hunger Games series as Katniss Everdeen and Robert Pattinson gaining worldwide fame for his role as Edward Cullen in Twilight.

Jennifer is a four-time Oscar nominee, but her only success was scooping the Best Actress gong in 2013 for Silver Lining's Playbook.

But now 12 years after her crowning moment, Jennifer could be a contender for yet another Academy Award if recent reviews are anything to go by after the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 17.

And while co-star Robert and supporting cast including Sissy Spacek, 75, have been hailed for their roles, it is Jennifer's stand-out turn as mentality fragile wife and mother that stands out.

Vogue's Radhika Seth remarked: 'Several critics at Cannes have already labeled her as one to watch ahead of the 2026 Oscars, and if an effective comeback narrative is constructed (its been a staggering 12 years since her Academy Award win and a decade since her last nomination), then I could certainly see it - despite its outlandishness, her turn is pure Oscar bait.

Die, My Love was released on May 17 but is set to hit UK and Ireland's theatres on November 14, 2025.
Ben Stiller's kids have accused the star of being absent during their childhood as he pursued his hugely-successful Hollywood career.

The 59-year-old actor and producer reflects on fatherhood in his new AppleTV+ documentary about his parents, Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, which examines his mother Anne Meara and father Jerry Stiller's 61-year marriage.

In one candid moment, the Zoolander actor recalled his 23-year-old daughter Ella - an actress who recently starred in And Just Like That - telling him: 'I literally cant ever remember you being around when I was growing up.'

And his 20-year-old son Quinlin admitted he often felt he 'came last' on his Hollywood star's list of priorities.

He said: 'After a tough day, or if something was going wrong, you can kind of get into your own head and when you get into that place, its hard to get you out of it. So that would kind of put a damper on the fun part of being on vacation.

He added: 'You have all these hats that youre trying to balance, you know? Being a director, an actor, a producer, a writer. But also just, like, a father. And sometimes, I felt that would come last to these other things.'

The Zoolander sensation shares his two kids with longtime wife Christine Taylor, 54.

Ben Stiller's kids accused the star of being absent during their childhood in a candid new documentary; pictured September 14

Ben pictured with wife Christine Taylor and their kids Quinlin and Ella in 2016

Speaking with The Sunday Times about the documentary earlier this month, he shared, 'Like any parent, I remember things that werent happy about my childhood and go, "Ill do better."

'And then I realized it was impossible to avoid making the mistakes [my parents] made. I feel like I have a really great relationship with my kids, but its complicated and has at times been strained.'

He explained, 'When they were young, I did not get it. I thought, "Oh, the kids are young, I can work away and be a good dad earning for the family." But the bonds you form with your kids when theyre young are so important.'

Ben grew up alongside older sister Amy Stiller, 64, while their parents worked in showbiz.

He said their mom and dad's careers 'totally affected' them.

The father-of-two recalled, 'I just remember missing them terribly. And when they would come back, my sister and I would act out Jesus Christ Superstar or something in the lounge.'

He confessed, 'But, then, I probably f***ed up more with my kids than my parents did with us.'

The 59-year-old actor and producer reflects on fatherhood in his new AppleTV+ documentary about his parents, Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, which examines his mother Anne Meara and father Jerry Stiller's 61-year marriage - pictured 2008 with his parents and wife Christine Taylor

In one candid moment the Zoolander actor recalled his 23-year-old daughter Ella - an actress who recently starred in And Just Like That (pictured) - telling him: 'I literally cant ever remember you being around when I was growing up'

Stiller - seen in 2008's Tropic Thunder -previously said: 'When they were young, I did not get it. I thought, "Oh, the kids are young, I can work away and be a good dad earning for the family." But the bonds you form with your kids when theyre young are so important'

Ben's daughter Ella shared a photo taken 'circa 2005' of her, her dad, and her late grandparents Jerry and Anne via Instagram in September 2024

Ben grew up alongside older sister Amy Stiller, 64, while their parents worked in showbiz

The actor shines a light on his upbringing as the son of comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara in his documentary (pictured: Stiller practices the violin for his parents in 1972)

Elsewhere in his documentary, Ben spoke to Ella about his regret in cutting her from one of his films.

She was due to make her feature film debut in the 2013 movie Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which was directed and co-produced by her A-lister father, who also played the titular role.

However, in post-production, he decided he no longer wanted to include the scene in which his daughter appeared.

She had starred as the much younger sister of her dad's character, Odessa Mitty.

'I cut you out of Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It's probably the worst decision I ever made in my life,' Ben laments in the doc.

Ella, however, argued that the scene 'didn't make sense in the movie.'

'For me it kind of goes deeper,' Ben told his daughter. 'What it relates to is my own issues with my own obsession with my work, or "perfectionism."'
He may be one of Britain's best-loved pop stars, but Gary Barlow's wine company has hit a bum note with private-members' clubs.

The Daily Mail can reveal that wholesalers tried to woo a series of bosses at several 200,000-a-year private-members' clubs into stocking Gary Barlow Wines but feedback was less than complimentary.

One exasperated Mayfair boss who spoke to this newspaper on condition of anonymity said it was 'not good quality' and suggested Barlow 'stick to singing'.

They said: 'Our members include A-listers, the business elite, artists and stars from sport and showbiz.

'They typically spend between 50 and 500 on a bottle of wine depending on the size of wallet.

'We would not stock a wine you can buy for just a few pounds in Tesco  alongside one of Mr Barlow's albums.'

While celebrities once clamoured for a perfume line, a number have forayed into the wine industry.

He may be one of Britain's best-loved pop stars, but Gary Barlow's wine company has hit a bum note with private-members' clubs

Coleen Rooney and Gary Barlow attend the launch of Gary Barlow Wines new Organic Sauvignon Blanc and Blush at Harvey Nichols on July 04, 2023

Barlow's creations  such as a Sauvignon Blush selling for 8.25 at Tesco  can be found on shelves alongside other celebrity brands, including from Sarah Jessica Parker, Kylie Minogue and Cara Delevingne.

Reviews posted on the Tesco website reveal a mixed bag of verdicts on the star's organic range.

A one-star review posted earlier this month stated: 'Bought this for my husband who loves his red wine but hadn't tried it before.

He reliably informs me that it is the worst wine he has tasted. "Very bitter with no depth." Back to the drawing board Gary.'

But one five-star review said: 'Not only am I a fan of Mr Barlow in Take That. I'm now a fan of his wine. A lovely Malbec. I would even buy if not on offer.'

Barlow, 54, started the wine range in 2021, saying at the time: 'After months of learning about the process and tasting different blends, I'm very proud to now launch my own range.'

The star also fronts ITVX show Gary Barlow's Wine Tour, in which he travels the world sampling top wines.

Gary Barlow Wines was contacted for comment.
Clinic offers fresh path to neurological rehabilitation

China Daily) 09:27, October 17, 2025

Doctors conduct the clinical trial of the invasive brain-computer interface in East China's Shanghai, March 25, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Outside a consultation room at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital in Hangzhou, the provincial capital, Liu tightly clutches her husband's medical records, unable to conceal her excitement and anticipation.

Her husband lost sensation and motor function below the waist after a traffic accident damaged his spinal cord. Liu (not her real name), after learning that the hospital had opened a brain-computer interface and neuromodulation evaluation outpatient clinic on Wednesday, came to the city hoping that the treatment would help ease her husband's suffering.

Brain-computer interface, or BCI, technology enables interaction between biological and machine intelligence by building information channels between the human brain and machines.

As the first clinic of its kind in the province, all appointment slots were instantly snapped up.

"After a spinal cord injury, the disruption of neural pathways is the core challenge. Our brain-computer interface technology can capture the brain's signals of 'intent to move', assisting movement through exoskeletons or functional electrical stimulation.

"Simultaneously, it incorporates neuromodulation to improve muscle tone and reduce the risk of complications," Ye Xiangming, chief physician in charge of the clinic, told Liu. Neuromodulation is the alteration of nerve activity through electrical stimulation or chemical agents.

As traditional methods fail in the treatment of some neurological diseases, the use of BCI technology is expected to find new paths to recovery, Ye said.

Among the first group of patients seeking help at the clinic were those suffering from strokes, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, refractory epilepsy and major depressive disorders, and many of the patients were from outside the province, according to the hospital.

Patients need to undergo a multidimensional assessment before three experts collaboratively evaluate their rehabilitation potential, feasibility of surgical intervention, and psychological adaptability, in order to determine whether they are suitable for the therapy.

"BCI technology can help patients recover faster and better. For example, many patients who have had a stroke cannot complete precise hand movements. But BCI can shorten treatment time from about three months to one-and-a-half months, also helping them improve their ability in daily life," he said.

Ye added that noninvasive treatment has been proved safe, with infection being the main risk in semi-invasive and invasive treatments.

Furthermore, "since the device is not opened to the wide internet, and the whole process is strictly controlled, there is no access for hackers", he said, adding that there is great potential for expanding applications and improving the therapeutic effects of brain-computer interface technology.

Currently, the clinic serves four categories of patients: those with severe motor dysfunction, hearing loss, refractory neurological and psychiatric disorders, and communication impairments.

Since May, when Beijing Tiantan Hospital opened the country's first BCI clinic, such services have been expanded to more places, including Wuhan in Hubei province and Shenzhen in Guangdong province.

In August, multiple Chinese authorities jointly issued a set of guidelines aimed at promoting the innovative development of the BCI industry, including calls for the accelerated adoption of brain-computer interface products across sectors such as industrial manufacturing, healthcare and consumption by 2027.

The National Medical Products Administration released China's first standards for BCI medical devices in September.

Qu Yan, director of neurosurgery at Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Medical University in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, said: "The establishment of BCI outpatient clinics provides a standardized and professional channel for consultation and assessment to patients with real needs. This not only helps screen for patients who are most suitable for clinical trials or treatment, but also gives direct feedback to the scientific research side."

Qu added that managing the expectations of patients and the public is the greatest challenge. "BCI's clinical application is still in a very early exploratory stage," he said. "Technologically, both invasive and noninvasive methods face bottlenecks such as signal stability, long-term biocompatibility and the accuracy of decoding algorithms," he added.

In addition, he said surgical risks, data privacy and complex ethical issues are hurdles that must be overcome before large-scale promotion can occur.

Wei Wangyu contributed to this story.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing)
China must be treated as a pariah state by the West. For too long China has plundered the Western nations, and become a bloated money-rich nation by selling cheap shoddy manufactured goods as well as blatantly stealing secrets/blueprints/data. China poses an existential threat to the entire globe.

March 19, 2021, the day history changed course. Chinese top diplomat Yang Jiechi: U.S. has no qualification to speak to China from a position of strength. We thought too well of the United States. We thought the U.S. would follow by the necessary diplomatic protocol. pic.twitter.com/GgT0lDQeP6  Shen Shiwei  (@shen_shiwei) October 17, 2025

Through the CCP Belt and Road Initiative, China has also enslaved and exploited many African and Third World countries, as well as used its position of strength to spread global communism. China has imperialistic ideals and wants to completely dominate the globe.

China has abused its position to impose itself in many nations, and has through economical means acquired many positions in infrastructure projects in the West as well, thus posing a significant security risk.

Western nations need to immediately seize these assets back from the Chinese and cease trading with China completely. Any Western nation that continues trading with China overtly or covertly should also be ostracised until they comply with Western rules and principles.

Enough is enough, the threat from China to Western democracy and its economy has passed a threshold that demands immediate action.

Forget about 100% tariffs, slap on 100,000% tariffs and completely cut off the Chinese despots from their parasitical lifeline. China is a leech sucking the lifeblood from Western nations and until this parasite is removed there will be truly destructive damage committed on Western nations that will prove to be fatal.

It is not too late to act, and the USA must proudly lead this action without hesitation. To hesitate and dilly-dally would be another sign of weakness that China would capitulate on.

China under its current leadership is a dangerous aggressor that only seeks to exploit and harm the West. If China is allowed to continue plundering and exploiting nations for their resources and adding huge volumes of pollution into the environment any longer, they will take the entire globe down with them with their utter greed and lust for power.
Psychiatrists are calling for urgent investment in mental health services in Northern Ireland.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Northern Ireland said the call is to protect both patients and staff after a new survey revealed the scale of workforce pressures across mental health services in the region.

The research by the body found that 89% of psychiatrists have experienced or witnessed moral injury, which is distress caused by being unable to meet patients needs because of system pressures.

It also found that 65% said they had faced non-clinical pressure when making clinical decisions such as staff shortages, bed pressures and service targets.

The body said the survey results underline the need for mental health reform to remain at the top of the Executives agenda.

It is calling for government to recruit and retain more psychiatrists and mental health professionals as well as expand community and crisis services to ease hospital pressures.

It is also calling for more investment in leadership and workforce wellbeing to tackle burnout and restore morale.

Dr Julie Anderson, chairwoman of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Northern Ireland, said Stormont ministers must act now.

Our survey speaks for itself  Northern Irelands mental health system is running on goodwill, she said.

Working on the frontline were being forced to choose between what we know is right and what the system allows.

Moral injury reflects systemic workforce strain, not personal weakness and this story must be told so Northern Ireland can adequately address population mental health and begin to heal its mental health workforce.

That is why were calling on urgent investment in staffing, leadership and community services to restore moral integrity and trust in our mental health care system.

Ministers must act now so future generations can rely on a system that is safe, fair and fit for purpose.
Dropping Irelands interstate case against the UK is on the agenda of negotiations between the two governments in dealing with legacy issues in Northern Ireland, the Taoiseach has said.

The UK Government has put forward new legislation aimed at dealing with the legacy of the Northern Ireland conflict, which has been welcomed by Dublin following extensive engagement.

The original Legacy Act brought by the last Conservative government was opposed by victims groups and political parties in Northern Ireland, and it led the Irish government to launch an interstate legal case against the UK, claiming it breached the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has welcomed progress on the matter, telling reporters on Friday that there had been significant improvement on the old legislation.

He said the new proposals meet a lot of the concerns articulated by victims groups.

Speaking to reporters at the North-South Ministerial Council on Friday, he said: It is important, I think its a moment in time when we can get over the line a comprehensive legacy framework. Weve been a long time working on this.

The Irish Government and the British Government are working in harmony on the matter.

Asked if the Irish Government would drop its case as a confidence-building measure for unionists, he said: Thats all on the agenda in terms of the negotiations that have taken place.

The whole context is to have an agreed position between the Irish Government and the British Government in respect of legacy.

Weve achieved that, and we have to bring in legislation as well. The UK Government has published its legislation, so were making very good progress.

Mr Harris said the Irish Government is still analysing the UK Governments legacy legislation but found it encouraging.

At a first read, it does seem to be true to the Joint Framework Agreement between the two governments.

On the proposal for the UK Government to bring in digital ID cards, Mr Harris said: Theres a long way to go on this. The British Government has a proposal, again, interestingly, its opposed by many parties in Northern Ireland for many different reasons.

Im obviously very conscious that anything to do with identity and an identity card and Northern Ireland is extraordinarily sensitive and Ive had an initial conversation with (Northern Ireland Secretary) Hilary Benn on this.

Ministers from both sides of the border are discussing a range of issues including emergency planning, business promotion and gender-based violence at the council.

The 30th plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council, a body set up after the Good Friday Agreement, was held at Farmleigh House in Dublin.

It brings together ministers from the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive twice a year.

The Northern Ireland Executive delegation was led by First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

Ministers also attended a dinner on Thursday evening.
The First Minister has said she hopes a dispute over nurses pay can be resolved within days.

Michelle ONeill made the prediction as she was asked to provide clarity on the situation after differing messages emerged after Thursdays Executive meeting at Stormont Castle.

During the meeting ministers agreed to allocate 150 million to departments facing shortfalls on public sector pay demands.

The largest allocation was 100 million to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt who had asked for 200 million to enable him to deliver a recommended raise for healthcare workers.

Nurses have been warning of imminent strike action if a 3.6% increase recommended by the independent Pay Review Body was not met.

On Thursday, Ms ONeill said the Executive had agreed to provide an additional 100 million and Mr Nesbitt had found the other 100 million in his own existing departmental budget.

However, he later stressed that the additional 100 million had not yet been identified in his department and his officials were still exploring every angle to meet the shortfall.

The Health Minister cautioned that negotiations with healthcare unions and professional bodies were at a sensitive stage with work continuing for a workable solution.

On Friday, Ms ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly attended a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Dublin.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, it was put to the ministers that the differing comments from the Executive had led to confusion.

I mean, Im very certain in terms of the pathway that we have in terms of trying to get a resolution, replied Ms ONeill.

I think thats the will of the entire Executive, that we get a resolution to nurses pay, so I think we just need to create the space over the next couple of days to allow those conversations to continue and that we get that positive outcome, because ultimately, thats where we want to be.

I think it was consistent in terms of the Executive yesterday that we have to end this cycle, break this cycle of nurses being left to the end of the line in terms of getting their pay settlement.

So theres a commitment for pay parity (with pay offers elsewhere in UK), theres a commitment that that will not happen again in terms of the waiting. And Im hopeful over the next couple of days we can get a resolution.

The devolved administration adopted the same 50% allocation approach with other ministers who had asked for additional money to deliver pay awards.

Education Minister Paul Givan is receiving 37 million, which is half of what he had asked for.

Justice Minister Naomi Long and Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins will get 6.7 million each, which is also 50% of what they had requested to fund pay awards for police and prison officers and Translink transport workers respectively.

Ms Little-Pengelly acknowledged it was important that ministers convey exactly what happened and what was decided at meetings, but she said she was confident Mr Nesbitt would be able to source the further 100 million he needed.

It is a complex picture, I did reflect that yesterday, she said.

The ministers right across all the departments are in a very difficult financial situation, theres a lot of pressures on, we recognise that. We welcome the fact that we got some additional money, and that has really helped and supported but it didnt go far enough in terms of meeting what is a very significant pay pressure across a number of departments, particularly with arms-length bodies or those pay bodies.

She added that ministers would be facing hard decisions as they attempted to find extra resources from their own budgets.

There will be hard decisions that will have to be made about either slowing down or stopping certain activity within those departments, she said.

But we do believe they are in a much better position now, with having that additional 50% coming from the Executive and only having to find the 50% within their budget than where they were several weeks ago, with having to try to find that 100%.

Ms Little-Pengelly said Mr Nesbitt now had a job to do.

Weve been able to find 100 million for him, she said.

That brings him 50% of the way. Now he has a job to do. Its not easy, but we believe and we have reason to be confident that he will be able to do that. And we wish him well with the negotiations with the unions, but that should provide some reassurance to those unions that some work has been done, more yet to be done.

But we are optimistic that we will find a way through this in terms of a reasonable settlement.
5G private networks gaining momentum in Taiwan

The Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) announced that Taiwan's government-driven push for 5G private networks and dedicated spectrum has benefited more than 100 enterprises as of September 2025. By significantly reducing frequency usage fees to incentivize site owners, the initiative supports innovative applications despite skepticism about the 4.8-4.9GHz band and the development of 5G O-RAN technology.

According to a press release from Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) on October 15, the Department of Industrial Technology (DOIT) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has invested resources through specialized projects to promote 5G smart manufacturing technologies and applications. This includes subsidizing ITRI and Pegatron to develop energy-efficient 5G O-RAN private networks and establishing 5G smart factories overseas in Vietnam and Indonesia.

Government subsidies have also supported Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), ITRI, and Atayalan in deploying 5G private networks at Ever Green Timber Products, enhancing production efficiency and quality.

The APEC summit is scheduled for late October in South Korea, with related meetings taking place across member economies. A symposium, "Advancing Supply Chain Resilience in APEC Economies Through 5G Smart Manufacturing," was held in Taipei on October 15 and 16. Discussions included common 5G private network applications, such as equipment connectivity, intelligent sensing, and remote operation. Former deputy minister of science and technology Jason Yi-Bing Lin also participated in the symposium.

Presenting a report at the parliament on October 15, MODA minister Yi-Jing Lin highlighted progress in issuing 83 mobile broadband dedicated telecom licenses and approving 24 license-exempt cases. The ministry continues to advance and promote innovative communications applications, including AI RAN and 5G Advanced technologies, to accelerate new business model development.

MODA emphasized that government subsidies are enabling telecom operators to rapidly expand 5G base stations, achieving over 97% population coverage nationwide (95% in rural areas). The government encourages the adoption of equipment from domestic vendors, aiming for 40% of local content in newly built 5G base stations.

Looking ahead to key 6G bands in the upper 6GHz range, MODA has completed the field test setup and field link verification measurement of existing user frequency shift replacement technologies, including microwave, optical communication, and fixed wireless access.

Industry associations note that despite years of 5G development, challenges remain due to high construction costs and slowing revenue growth. Consequently, some stakeholders place hopes on 6G, which offers not only low latency but also integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) capabilities. ISAC transforms mobile networks from mere data transmission channels into nodes capable of environmental awareness and intelligent interpretation.

ITRI explained that ISAC analyzes wireless signal reflections and variations to detect object location, speed, and dynamics, providing sensing functions. As 3GPP standards evolve alongside advances in high-frequency and algorithmic technologies, ISAC is expected to see broad application in transportation, healthcare, industrial automation, and security monitoring. Combining AI analytics with multi-source sensor fusion further enhances ISAC's precision and intelligence.

Article edited by Jack Wu
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There were distressing scenes on the outskirts of Kilkenny this morning following the discovery of a number of dead horses on the Ring Road, between McDonalds and the M9 motorway, Friday, 17 October.

Gardai have confirmed to Kilkenny Live that they attended the scene of a road traffic collision involving a vehicle and two horses on the slip road at Junction 8 on the M9 Southbound at Kilkenny City at approximately 6 am this morning.

No injuries to occupants of the vehicle were reported by Gardai.

However, as reported by Kilkenny Live earlier, a number of dead horses were discovered at the scene leaving drivers and passers by horrified.

Read More: Distinguished country house owned by well-known whiskey maker goes back on the market

Gardai and the local fire brigade attended the scene of the incident.

Online outrage has been sparked by the grim occurrence.

Another social media user wrote: "What are the repercussions for these people".

Another netizen speculated: "Multiple horses dead is strange."

The route has now been fully cleared, and is open to motorists.

Earlier this morning, Stephaine McDermott of the Kilkenny Traveller Community Movement joined Brian Redmond on The KCLR Daily 96FM radio show to say the dead animals were not from a nearby Kilkenny Horse Project field.
The Taoiseach has said his meeting with former Syrian president Bashar Assad was very different to presidential candidate Catherine Connollys trip to the country nine years later.

Ms Connolly said she had no control over who she met while on her 2018 visit to Syria in which she encountered pro-Assad figures.

The Irish Times reported on Friday that one of the men Ms Connolly met in Syria was a leader of a group charged with killing Palestinians in a refugee camp.

Asked if she was aware of this, Ms Connolly said: No, I wasnt.

Speaking during a debate on RTEs Morning Ireland, she said: I went to Syria on a fact-finding mission. The first port of call was the Palestinian refugee camp outside Damascus.

We were to go to Beirut, but we joined the group later, and the group had gone to a Palestinian refugee camp outside of Beirut.

We went from Beirut to Damascus on a trip, a fact-finding trip  we met different groups.

Ms Connolly added: You have no control when you go to a country like that as to who will come into your presence or not.

Thats no endorsement of the regime. Im on record for condemning the regime, I did not meet with (then-president) Assad.

The independent candidate said she went to deepen her understanding of the experiences of the Palestinian refugees and discovered that the camp was utterly destroyed.

She insisted that she had met Palestinians who spoke to us as openly as they could within a dictatorship.

Ms Connolly has also noted that Mr Martin directly engaged with Mr Assad in 2009.

At a press conference on Friday, Mr Martin defended that meeting, saying: I think my visit was a much earlier phase back in 2009, on the advice of Department of Foreign Affairs officials at the time, because it was a wider Middle East visit to do with the peace process and Palestine.

He said Syria had been involved in discussions with Israel and Turkey at the time.

On Ms Connollys trip, Mr Martin said the context of her visit was much, much different.

He said she had met people who had been involved in the persecution of Palestinians.

Mr Martin said: Clearly no advanced research went into that, it seems to me from what Ive hard.

At the same press conference, Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said it was very unfair for Ms Connolly to conflate her trip to Mr Martins.

He said she had suggested she was on a humanitarian mission but it had since emerged she was in the presence of war criminals.

Mr Harris added: Its also emerged in recent days that she didnt fund the trip, we the Irish people did, and therefore I think full transparency and breakdown of the costs is important in relation to that.

On the Syria trip as well as her engagement with Oireachtas officials about an access pass for a woman convicted of a firearm offence, Mr Harris said: Theres a lot of things that the deputy is kind of considering.

She gets asked a difficult question, she considers it  with a week left (until the election), it would be useful if her considerations could come to a conclusion.

In the presidential debate with Ms Connolly on Friday, Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys also said she did her best for a constituent despite voting against an inquiry into the circumstances of her sons death.

Lucia OFarrell has been critical of the former ministers level of support for her campaign for justice for her late son Shane, who was hit by a car driven by a man who should have been in jail.

Ms Humphreys said she made representations to justice ministers at the time and added: I made representations on her behalf. Im sorry that she says I didnt do enough. Im sorry if thats the case. I really am, but I did my best.

Pressed on why she did not support a vote for a public inquiry, Ms Humphreys said she voted with the Government.

She said: There was reason behind that. I dont know exactly the detail of it.

The two candidates were questioned on a series of controversies during a Morning Ireland debate on RTE Radio One, a week out from the vote on October 24.

The latest opinion poll put Ms Connolly on 38% and Ms Humphreys trailing on 20%, with a large amount of undecideds still to play for.

Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin remains on the ballot paper and his votes will be counted as usual, despite the former GAA manager declaring he was no longer contesting the race.

Mr Harris said Ms Humphreys campaign is growing day by day as he rejected a suggestion she was doomed.

Mr Martin maintained its all to play for with one week to go ahead of polling day, as he reiterated his support for the Fine Gael candidate.

The party leader faced internal disquiet about the process to select Mr Gavin as the Fianna Fail candidate, which resurfaced after he dropped out of the race when it emerged he owed a former tenant thousands of euros.

Asked about former party leader Bertie Ahern saying he had been let down by Fianna Fail leadership for not supporting his ambitions, Mr Martin said: I received no call from Bertie at any stage in advance of that, but these are matters that I can elaborate in greater detail in terms of the review that the Fianna Fail party will undertake.

Pressed on the fact that Mr Ahern had contacted the partys national executive several times, Mr Martin said the matter would be examined under the review.
A motorist was gifted an all inclusive package along with a free lift to the station by Gardai in Cork when he was charged with five different offences at a Garda stop.

The driver tested positive for drugs - and was also found in possession of drugs by the Gardai.

To add to the motorists spate of alleged offences, the car in question was found to have no tax, no insurance and no NCT (national car test).

Cork Garda Siochana wrote on social media that the driver received: The All-Inclusive Package, which included a free lift to the station and a day out in court courtesy of Cork City Roads Policing!

Read More: PICTURES: 'Charming' old school house goes up for sale at a steal

A social media user commented on Facebook, that the Driver was very brave in a lot of ways. Key one  being willing to chance the muling in a Mazda 6. Real hero to risk that alone.

A fellow netizen wrote that they hope the motorist receives a free bed and breakfast.

A third Facebook commenter wrote: The lights are on but no ones home

READ MORE: Gardai stand down search for missing 13-year-old amid significant development
Extending voting rights in Irish presidential elections to citizens living in Northern Ireland would be overstepping the mark, Stormonts deputy First Minister has warned.

Emma Little-Pengelly said the difference between political reality and political aspiration had to be recognised, as she stressed that Northern Irelands head of state was the King.

Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle ONeill offered an opposing view to her DUP counterpart as Stormonts co-leaders were asked about the issue at a press conference following the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in Dublin.

Ms ONeill said it was a huge democratic deficit that she, as an Irish citizen, could run to be president of Ireland but yet could not vote in the elections, as she lives north of the border.

In 2013, a constitutional convention in the Republic of Ireland recommended extending the voting franchise to Irish citizens living outside the state.

Such a move would require a referendum on amending Irelands constitution.

A vote was due to take place in 2019 but was postponed amid the turbulent political context of post-Brexit negotiations focused on the Irish border.

Sinn Fein has been pressing the Irish government to push ahead with the issue but there has been no fresh commitment for a referendum.

Ms Little-Pengelly made clear her opposition to the prospect of the move as she addressed the question following the NSMC meeting on Friday.

In relation to presidential voting rights, Northern Ireland has a head of state, and that head of state reflects the political reality, she said.

Its the difference between a political reality and a political aspiration.

And I think we need to be very careful not to overstep into that mark, which is around the delicate equilibrium of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, recognising the legitimacy and aspiration, but the difference between aspiration and political reality, in that Northern Ireland remains entirely within the United Kingdom and that is the first and key principle of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, and that should be reflected and respected.

Ms ONeill offered a contrary perspective.

In terms of the presidential voting rights, thats a huge democratic deficit, obviously, she said.

I, as an Irish citizen living in the north, could stand for the position, but cannot vote in that election.

So thats a democratic deficit that I think that we all want to see corrected, and we need to see that done at pace.

We shouldnt have another presidential election where were left out.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin told reporters that a lot of work has to be done in relation to any move to extend voting rights.

It would have to be consistent with the ethos of the Good Friday Agreement, the whole parity of esteem issue, and also creating opportunities for people to participate in an election such as the presidency, he said.

But it would involve a constitutional amendment. It would require that, but therell be a lot of significant work in respect of it.

Tanaiste Simon Harris said he agreed with Mr Martins comments on the issue.
The 2025 Ferdia Festival, a vibrant new one-day celebration of arts, music and community in Ardee, takes place on Saturday, 1st November, with activities happening throughout the town.

The theme of the inaugural event is Samhain and Halloween, with Ardee itself taking centre stage.

Visitors can expect roaming street arts and activities hosted in outdoor spaces and indoor venues, including St Marys Church, Ardee Library, the historic Hatchs Castle, the School of Music, and the Dee Hub.

Funded by Louth County Council Arts Office and the Arts Council of Ireland, the festival features a mix of activities for all ages, including art workshops, a Halloween film screening, a pop-up museum, circus performances, live music, and theatre.

Professional arts performers will appear alongside community-led arts activities like dance, childrens art workshops, a spooky trail and more!

READ NEXT: Louth lights up this Autumn with music, food and culture

In the lead-up to the festival, the children of Ardee are encouraged to participate in a Schools Art competition, while Ardee businesses are also invited to embrace the Samhain and Halloween theme by decorating their shop windows.

Support is provided through the Ardee Traders Association, in partnership with Louth County Council.

Cllr Sean Kelly, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, said: Louth County Council is delighted to support the inaugural Ardee Ferdia Festival.

This is a real community effort and follows months of planning by locals on the ground who have been supported by the Arts Office staff to deliver this one-day festival.

It is great to see such a variety of community and professional arts being offered here and there is something for all ages, young and old.

Cllr Dolores Minogue, Cathaoirleach of Ardee Municipal District, said: I am delighted to see this festival come to Ardee, a fantastic event that celebrates our community and offers something for all the family to enjoy.

I would like to sincerely thank the entire committee for their hard work and dedication in bringing this wonderful event to life.

Its been a real team effort, and its great to see Ardee come together for such a positive occasion.

The Ferdia Festival builds on Ardees tradition of arts programming in November, shifting the focus to include participation with the community and local heritage.

While the mid-Louth town has long hosted the Ardee Baroque Festival, this new initiative builds on this by engaging more local communities in the arts and creativity of the festival.

The festivals name - Ferdia Festival - has been chosen to reflect Ardees rich creative and cultural heritage, and the festival committee, along with the Louth.

County Council Arts Office, hope that it will become a key annual event in the Ardee cultural calendar.

If you have any accessibility requirements, require information in an alternative format, or would like to volunteer on the day, contact the Louth County Council Arts Office at arts@louthcoco.ie or on 042 933 5457.

Full event details, timings, ticket information, and age guidance can be found on www.createlouth.ie/ferdia-festival
Dunnes Stores on West Street in Drogheda will close on 31st October, it has emerged.

The store has served the town for over half a century. It is believed over 20 employees will be affected by the shutdown.

Louth Senator Alison Comyn has said the move will be devastating for workers and their families.

The senator further said: It is an important store because it is on the main street and is used by elderly people and vulnerable customers, so it will be a great loss to them. There are two others on the outskirts of the town.

The irony is that Ben Dunne himself trained as a draper on West Street in Drogheda in the 1920s, where he first worked in Anderson's. The store on West Street has been there since the 1960s and, as I said, its closure will decimate the main street.

Another irony is that we have just received funding from the living city initiative in Drogheda and in Dundalk. This is designed to encourage the use of town centre stores, town centre locations, living over the shop and all those kinds of things that will breathe life into our town centres. I want to try to promote a wider discussion for the likes of retailers to please have a look and see what the removal of such a vital store will do to a town centre.

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There are stores on the outskirts, but not everybody has a car or other means of transport to and from those larger stores. We are trying to breathe life into our town centres, so for this to happen is devastating. My first thoughts, of course, are with the staff, but second are to the customers and residents in the town centres. It is another conversation we need to have about protecting our town centres.
This week, with the support of Inniskeen Community Centre a new branch of the Irish Rural Link, The Farmers Haggart movement was established in the parish of Inniskeen.

Supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, this nationwide initiative was spurred on by the growing decline of social connection in local farming across Ireland.

The Farmers Haggart suggests that the best of change, brings the best of the past with it. Irish farming in recent years, as a way of life as much as an industry, has become much less social.

The newly formed group believes that the time where neighbouring farmers worked together, did the odd job together, for practical, safety and social reasons has in many communities disappeared. Farmers no longer welcome their neighbours and friends into their haggart or farmyard for a chat or cup of tea as much as they used to. Sadly, the group added, the time of the great neighbour is not quite what it once was.

Read also: Construction began on just eight apartments in Louth this year

By revisiting the past, The Farmers Haggart looks to inspire a modest return to the great neighbour concept of friendship, help and assistance in local farming communities. The goal is to foster local connections between farmers to further develop rural farming networks, and support community wellbeing.

Niamh Monahan, Irish Rural Links Farm Safety Community Champion for Co Monaghan was there to support and explain how the group will operate. One of nine regional appointees, Niamh is working with parish organisations across Co Monaghan to assist in the setting up of Farmers Haggart Groups.

Im thrilled to be here in Inniskeen Community Centre and to see such strong interest from our area in the farmers haggart. It is fantastic to see whole farm families out tonight, supporting each other. said Niamh. A big thank you to Inniskeen Community Centre for facilitating the event here tonight and thank you to our guest speakers for sharing such excellent and practical information, it was valuable not only in farming, but for everyday life.

"I think tonights event highlighted the collaborative nature of Inniskeens community, reflecting a community that supports each other and looks forward to continued growth and shared success for all our farm families. We are really looking forward to the next farmers haggart event in Inniskeen."

Niamh was joined at the launch by Community Alert Development Officer for Muintir na Tire, Catriona Sinnott; Crime Protection Officer for Cavan and Monaghan, Joe Glackain; local farmer, PJ Fitzsimmons; and Alma Jordan, founder of AgriKids.

Gerry Dooley, Chairperson of Inniskeen Community centre said, farming is a massive part of life in Inniskeen. Were delighted to see this new network set up in Inniskeen and will support it in any way we can. Its great to see the numbers that have come out tonight and brilliant to see people in the area getting involved.

Niamh Monahan adds that for those interested in getting involved, setting up a Farmers Haggart group in their own parish is very straightforward and starts with a local meeting.

If youd like to see a Farmers Haggart Group in your parish please contact Fam Safety Community Champion for Co Monaghan, Niamh Monahan, or visit https://www.farmers4safety.ie/.
The Changing Ireland Galleries was officially launched at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, marking the biggest expansion of public galleries at the National Museum of Ireland in over two decades, with highlights including key objects from Louth, which feature prominently throughout the exhibition.

The Changing Ireland Galleries feature hundreds of political, social and cultural objects from the Museums 20th and 21st century collections  extraordinary and everyday artefacts that have borne witness to the last 150 years. On entering the galleries, visitors are invited to reflect on the objects and consider the question Cad Is Ann Eire Dar Leat?  What Is Ireland to You?

Objects from Louth at the exhibition include the protest placard used at the official Border Communities Against Brexit demonstration at Carrickcarnon, Dundalk / Newry border on 26 January 2019, symbolising the local communitys response to Brexit and an Irish Army crate of shell dressings manufactured by Ovelle of Dundalk (19391946), including a shell fragment found on Donore Terrace after a bombing by German aircraft on 3 January 1941 during World War II.

With capital funding from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sports Decade of Centenaries Programme, and working in partnership with the Office of Public Works, the new galleries open following a full refurbishment of a part of Collins Barracks that had been untouched since the departure of the Defence Forces almost 30 years ago.

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In keeping with the Museums desire to develop dynamic and engaging exhibits, the new galleries have been meticulously designed to accommodate regular changes in the display, giving the public unprecedented access to the collection and supporting the long-term conservation of the objects.

Enabling greater inclusivity, a range of perspectives and different voices will be invited through co-curated projects, video interviews, and artistic interventions. New commissions, including poetry by Paula Meehan, are woven through 426 square metres of interconnected rooms, offering a lyrical dimension to the galleries.

Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence, Simon Harris, T.D., visited the National Museum to officially open the galleries, accompanied by Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick ODonovan T.D., and Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Kevin Boxer Moran T.D.

Chair of the National Museum of Ireland Board, Professor Cathal ODonoghue, said: This is a momentous day for the National Museum, and we would like to express our gratitude to Government for the funding to expand the galleries in this way. There are millions of objects in the Museums collection, and our physical infrastructure only allows us to have a fraction of that on display at any one time. The expansion of our galleries and the nature of this new display will ensure that the Museum can share more of Irelands history with visitors in years to come.

Director of the National Museum of Ireland, Lynn Scarff, said: The opening of the Changing Ireland Galleries marks a transformational moment for the National Museum. Reflecting the new direction set out in our Strategic Plan, it is object-focused, non-linear, and exploratory, and aims to be a place of sanctuary and surprise without predetermined narratives.

"By including many voices in the Gallery spaces, we have been able to create a space that will change and evolve and more accurately reflect the dynamic nature of our contemporary history and its intergenerational impact right up to the present day. The galleries invite visitors to connect with history on their own terms and to question what Ireland means to them today.

Lead Curator of the Changing Ireland Galleries, Brenda Malone, said: The galleries have been designed to allow for the regular rotation of objects, which helps us to preserve these important artefacts for future generations while ensuring the galleries remain dynamic and continually offer fresh perspectives on modern Irelands history. The galleries also embrace sensory experiences, using music, visuals, and immersive audiovisual installations to add context, mood, and texture to the display.

Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence, Simon Harris, T.D., said: These new galleries provide an important opportunity to reflect on and connect with Irelands story in fresh and deeply meaningful ways. It reminds us that our shared history is not static but continues to evolve with every generation, shaped by the people who call this island home.

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick ODonovan T.D., said: The Changing Ireland Galleries are a legacy project of the Decade of Centenaries Programme and a testament to the power of cultural reflection. This new space at the National Museum ensures that our shared history, in all its complexity, can be explored by future generations.

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Kevin Boxer Moran T.D., said: The Office of Public Works has worked collaboratively with the National Museum of Ireland on this significant project which has included the careful refurbishment of a floor of Collins Barracks. The result is a visually striking and welcoming space that adds significantly to the existing gallery space at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks.

The Changing Ireland Galleries at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks is now open. Admission is free.
Louth based estate agent DNG Duffy has been awarded DNG Branch of the Year 2025 in the Mid East Region. This award was proudly sponsored by Hamptons International, at the DNG National Awards ceremony which took place at The Curragh Racecourse in October.

The Awards Ceremony brought together over 150 delegates from DNG oces nationwide. It was a vibrant day of celebration and connection; while recognising excellence, dedication and professionalism across the DNG network.

From insights into the future of Irelands property market, to the latest developments in the DNG exclusive partnership with Hamptons International, the event delivered a dynamic mix of knowledge, innovation and inspiration.

Speaking after receiving the award, Keith Duy, Managing Director of DNG Duy said, Were proud to be recognised for our work in the North East property market. At DNG Duy, our focus has always been on combining deep local knowledge with the strength of the national DNG network.

Read also: Plans progressing for 84 new houses in mid-Louth

From leading the way in new homes to supporting families through resales, our success is down to the dedication of our team and the trust of our community.

The awards continue to highlight DNGs commitment to excellence in estate agency and recognises offices and individuals who consistently deliver results and outstanding client service.

DNG add that is proud to sponsor this years DNG Race Day at The Curragh, with an exciting program of races including The DNG Handicap, The DNG Nationwide Handicap and the DNG Gold Handicap.
Cork-born electronic music producer Ruairi Lynch, who releases music under the moniker Bantum, has released his new single Big Flute.

It follows the single Carousel, released last month, which was taken from his self-titled album Bantum, and his performance at this years Sounds From a Safe Harbour festival.

Bantum said the new single feels like a natural progression for my sound.

It started with a pretty simple flute loop and progressed into more of a funk dance belter. The working title stuck!

Ive been listening to a lot of Nicolas Jaar, Darkside, Daphni, Bonobo, and Four Tet lately, and you can tell the influences are there. Once these are out and played in a live format, Im itching to work on more Bantum material next year.

Mixing electronica, funk, dance and hip hop, Bantum has been releasing music for close to 15 years, with his album Move receiving a 2016 Mercury Prize nomination. He has performed in Ireland, the US and the UK, including at festivals such as Electric Picnic and Body & Soul.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has been called upon to take immediate and decisive action as almost 800 people have been left without a bed across hospitals in Cork so far in October.

According to figures published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), there were 786 patients across Cork University Hospital (CUH), Mercy University Hospital, and Bantry General Hospital treated on emergency department trolleys, or without a bed in a ward, between October 1 and October 16.

During this period, CUH saw the majority of patients treated without a bed, at 536 people.

This was followed by Mercy University Hospital, which saw 219 patients treated without a bed, and Bantry General Hospital, with 31 patients treated without a bed.

Yesterday, there were 66 patients waiting for beds across Cork, 52 of whom were waiting in emergency departments, while the remaining 14 were waiting in wards elsewhere in the hospitals. The highest number of patients waiting for a bed in one day across CUH, Mercy University Hospital, and Bantry General Hospital so far this month stands at 82, recorded on Wednesday, October 8.

Speaking to The Echo, a spokesperson for INMO said the HSE must urgently implement a number of measures to relieve the current pressures felt by staff across Corks hospitals.

There has been a significant number of patients on trolleys in both CUH and the Mercy Hospital in recent weeks, the spokesperson said. When both emergency departments are operating at full capacity, there is no release valve available to alleviate the pressure on services. Priority must be given to the recruitment of additional nurses to fill existing vacancies and to provide adequate staffing for the new beds due to come on stream.

The HSE must take immediate and decisive action to ensure that all patients requiring emergency care can access it in a timely manner, they added.
Four birds have tested positive for bird flu at Fota Wildlife Park, in what the parks director has described as an extremely uncertain and worrying time.

A spokesperson for the park said that following confirmed cases of bird flu at Fota Wildlife Park, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has suspended public access to the park until further notice.

At this stage, four confirmed cases of unvaccinated birds have tested positive for H5N1 at the park, they said, adding that the team has a robust zoonotic disease prevention and response programme in place, which includes a well-established avian influenza vaccination programme for the birds in its care.

The safety of all staff, and the welfare of the animals in the care of the Fota Wildlife Park team, remains paramount during this time, they added.

Aileen Tennant, Fota Wildlife Parks director, said: This is an extremely uncertain and worrying time for all of us at Fota Wildlife Park. We are working closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and remain focused on the care and welfare of our team and the wildlife in the park.

We are very grateful for the outpouring of support from members of the public, visitors, annual pass holders, as well as from our partners and international colleagues. I am conscious that this is a complex and dynamic situation, and we will continue to work closely under the departments guidance, with a focus on getting to the stage where the park can reopen when it is safe to do so.

The spokesperson explained Fota Wildlife Park is a not-for-profit organisation, with a 100 acre footprint, which relies on support from the public and visitors to the park to carry out its core mission of conservation, education, and the protection of endangered species.

With average weekly operational costs of approximately 120,000, the closure of Fota Wildlife Park has a significant impact on its ability to generate revenue, they added.

Meanwhile, a poultry farmer who is based near Fota Wildlife Park has expressed concern that bird flu will spread to his flock via migratory birds.

In an interview with RTEs Morning Ireland, farmer Richard Fitzsimmons said that it is a stressful time for him as turkeys are their big business in the run up to Christmas: If God forbid, we did get it [bird flu], it would financially destroy the business. We are living in the flight path between Ballintubber and Rostellan and migratory birds fly over us daily.

And its just a worrying time that turkeys could pick up this in H5N1, and if they do, first of all, it would be very serious for the welfare of the birds, obviously, and second of all, financially.

He said their turkeys are currently inside. They are doing everything they can to keep them virus free. He added he has been advised by officials not to leave the turkeys outside.

He said: I suppose for the greater population of poultry farmers, I would like to see action being taken in a housing order and definitely if it gets any worse, we do need to be very aware and get an exclusion zone because its our livelihoods. Basically, were doing everything we can. Weve disinfected the doors, the traffic in and out of the premises is at a minimum. So, were doing our best.

Mr Fitzsimmons added that it will be hard to contain bird flu in Ireland.
Communications between phones belonging to parties in the Kieran Quilligan murder trial were outlined to the jury today in respect of the day he disappeared.

Rhona Campbell of the Garda Siochana Analysis Service testified today on day 8 of the trial of Niall Long and Luke Taylor who both deny the charge of murder.

27-year-old Luke Taylor, formerly of Cherry Lawn, Blackrock, Cork, and 33-year-old Niall Long, formerly of St Michaels Close, Mahon, Cork, are on trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork facing the same charge of murder.

The murder count which each man denies, states that on a date unknown between September 1 2023 and January 29 2024 at an unknown location within the state in the District Court area of Cork city he did murder Kieran Quilligan, 47, contrary to Common Law.

Defence senior counsel Ray Boland for Niall Long said that the phone described as Kieran Quilligans was also used by his partner, so that a call made on that phone could have been made by her as well as by Mr Quilligan. Ms Campbell agreed with that proposition.

She said there were four calls from Kieran Quilligans phone to Niall Long between 10.04am and 11.18am on September 1 2023.

At 12.52 that day, there was a call from Luke Taylor to Niall Long and another at 1.44pm.

Then Niall Long rang Luke Taylor six times between 2.07pm and 6.25pm and another three calls at 8.44pm, 8.55pm and 9.05pm.

Niall Longs Google email address was used to pinpoint where the phone was at various times during September 1 2023. Ms Campbell testified that on this basis, he was at St Michaels Close in Mahon at 8.48pm.

At 9.06pm and again at 9.08pm he was at the junction of Ford Street/Dean Street/St Fin Barres Place.

At 9.42pm and again at 9.44pm he was at Courtstown in East Cork.

By 10.12pm he was back at the South Ring Road in Cork city and specifically Jacobs Island until 10.15pm. He was at St Michaels Drive in Mahon at 10.20pm and at St Michaels Close in Mahon at 11.02pm

The trial continues before Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford and the ten men and two women of the jury.
A man working at Cork Builders Providers on Togher Rd, Cork, in July/August 2024 carried out thefts from his employer totalling over 3,500.

Since that occurred, Kevin Kavanagh, aged 27, of Connolly Park, Ballyphehane, Cork, has repaid all of the money to his former employer.

Solicitor Killian McCarthy said: He has been very frank and honest. He pressed a button on a machine and he realised it operated in a certain way and he took advantage of it. It was not pre-planned.

Essentially, he was approached and he offered his resignation immediately. He went into very specific details to assist the gardai.

Judge Mary Dorgan noted that the defendant had a gambling addiction but that he did not have debts arising from it.

He said he knew he was likely to get caught but was unable to stop. The part of the report that I thought was kind of him was to say that while he lost his job he felt that he was treated well where he was working and expressed appropriate remorse. He has repaid all of the money and has no previous convictions whatsoever, Judge Dorgan said.

Mr McCarthy said: He has qualifications, he has employment again, and he has been open and frank about this matter with his new employer. The probation services places him at low risk of reoffending. He has a strong history of employment. He does not have any difficulty with alcohol or drugs.

Unfortunately, he started gambling at 18. He stopped in late 2024. He has not attended counselling but would do so if required.

Concerned

Judge Dorgan said she was concerned about the seriousness of the offences.

I am going to adjourn for him to fully engage with counselling and Gamblers Anonymous. I do think more work has to be done. Gambling addiction is very difficult to overcome.

Telling the defendant that he must attend with any services recommended by the probation service, Judge Dorgan adjourned until January 15, 2026, for finalisation of the case.

Sergeant John Kelleher said previously: The accused was at the time an employee of Cork Builders Providers on Togher Rd. During the course of his work he created false cash sale refund dockets for various amounts of money.

In so doing he gave the impression that goods were being returned. He selected genuine cash sale dockets in the system and this enabled him to make the false cash sale refund dockets. Knowing that company policy required that any cash sale refund over 500 had to get approval, he kept the false documents underneath the set threshold.

When arrested he was cooperative and admitted all matters. The total amount stolen was 3,539.

All of this has been repaid. He pleaded guilty to 15 counts of theft and 16 using a false instrument to carry out the theft.
Regardless of where your allegiances or convictions fall within the divide, it is impossible to overlook the role Gerry Adams played in The Troubles and the ensuing Northern Ireland peace process.

From his early years as an activist, he emerged as a polarising figure, often facing heavy media scrutiny regarding his alleged ties to paramilitary organisations.

Despite the controversies surrounding him, his unwavering commitment to activism has endured.

Throughout his career as an activist and politician, Adams has maintained a strong sense of privacy, with interviews focused solely on the goals.

Now, for the first time, he has agreed to be interviewed for a documentary in his own words, directed by Trisha Ziff, who uses extensive archive footage to give context to his words.

Gerry Adams: A Ballymurphy Man offers a fascinating exploration of the Civil Rights Movement in Northern Ireland and provides a glimpse into the private thoughts of one of Irelands most notable public figures.

The documentary begins with Adams discussing his childhood and growing up in Ballymurphy, West Belfast. He talks about the poverty he grew up in, but it was widespread; kids didnt feel disadvantaged, and every family was in the same boat.

As the oldest child of a large family, Adams was sent to live with his grandmother, who introduced him to the joy of reading. It was at this time that he fully began to see the effects of colonialism on Northern Ireland, and the seeds of activism were planted.

He talks about the dehumanising of the people of Northern Ireland by having their language stripped, the culture stomped out, and the attempts to silence them. Adams comes of age as the Civil Rights Movement takes off.

The Ballymurphy man notes that the movement was part of a global wave of change, with civil unrest against segregation in the U.S, student campaigns in Europe, and the start of the protests against apartheid in South Africa.

Adams highlights that the universal desire for change aligns with the rise of television, allowing people worldwide to witness events in different countries. This collective yearning empowered those fighting for change, as footage of global protests showcased the momentum behind this movement.

We see footage of the Battle of the Bogside - the first step in a significant change. What begins with youngsters throwing sticks and petrol bombs at the RUC becomes a call to protest for all members of society.

Adams speaks about how the protesters started as ordinary householders, but soon teachers and doctors joined in. Protest is no longer the playground of the working class; all members of republican society are joining in.

The response to the actions in the Bogside was devastating. The British army arrived en masse and 3,500 families were burnt out of their homes in just one month in 1969. Most were left with nothing and were forced to move into schools and community halls. Street fighting became part of daily life. Curfews were imposed in certain areas, and people could not leave their homes under any circumstances under it.

Adams talks about how the IRA was largely quiet for many years, but came to the fore in response to the harsh conditions placed on the republican movement.

There is fascinating footage of the women who gathered not to fight with arms, but to protest.

As the situation escalates, internment begins, and Adams describes his experiences. He was interned more than once and talks about being released to travel with Martin McGuinness for peace talks. The talks happen; peace does not.

The documentary recounts Bloody Sunday, the infamous hunger strikes, and the death of Bobby Sands. We see attempts to ban large funerals for activists, the banning of the word volunteer from death notices in one of the Norths largest newspapers, and Adamss transition from activism to politics. The road to the peace process begins.

We get a whistle-stop view of the peace process, the Irish bond with South Africa, Nelson Mandela being given his freedom, and how Adams turned to local priests to help the new peace process find its feet.

The documentary doesnt challenge Adams; it doesnt question him; it allows him to tell his side of the story. Some might want something more probing, and no doubt there are other documentaries to be made, but this is a fascinating look into a crucial Irish figure and an in-depth examination of the Irish Civil Rights movement by a man who lived it.

Gerry Adams: A Ballymurphy Man, in cinemas, Oct 17, cert 12a, ****
Everybody wants to be a DJ, everybody wants to be an MC. So rapped De La Soul over 35 years ago on The Magic Number, one of the many great singles from their seminal album 3 Feet High and Rising.

Throughout the 90s in Cork, it seemed that everybody really did want to become a DJ, and record sales were through the roof at a time when vinyl was being phased out by the major record companies. Many young DJs eventually grew out of it, and during the 2000s I remember a time when another of De La Souls statements became true. After Eminems 8 Mile movie, many of the youngsters suddenly wanted to become MCs and rappers, and this far more economically viable hobby led to a kind of golden age for rap here in Cork, where loads of great young MCs developed their craft.

I would argue that in the 2010s more people actually learned how to produce the music rather than DJing and rapping, and the clubscene of the day reflects that, where much fewer opportunities were on offer. Producing music also became much cheaper and more accessible in this era. Things always go in cycles, however, and the pandemic brought a wave of new DJs to the turntables.

The turntables are usually DJ controllers these days, and DJing is bigger than ever, though the club scene does remain fragmented at best. We live in an online world more than ever though, and while weve chilled on the post covid streaming slightly, there are more DJs than ever posting clips and content in 2025. Many older DJs are up in arms and moaning about this, and complaining that the barriers to entry are now gone, but Id argue that this is a welcome development, and that DJing is a great hobby.

Whats the problem? I get the point that there is a lack of quality control, but the gatekeepers should remember that this was always the way. There were plenty of crap DJs back in the day too.

I think one of the big gripes is with technology and, yes, anyone can mix these days and press a button called Sync. But mostly, this is just another DJ tool and a technological advancement. It wont turn you into Jazzy Jeff unless you have the talent  and talent, creativity, and practice are still gonna separate the bad and the good from the great.

Another technological gripe comes from DJs who play only vinyl, but this in itself is another part of gatekeeping culture that is full of hypocrisy. I can comfortably speak on this as a DJ with an extensive vinyl collection, but I bought these records mainly when I was actively DJing five or six nights a week. How can someone afford to buy vinyl unless they are from a privileged background or making loads of cash? These days, the prices are more expensive than ever, and even the second-hand stuff is priced high.

Many of the best DJs have come from modest backgrounds, and in 2025 the talented next generation should not be excluded just because they havent got a trust fund or the ability to spend thousands on records. Also, those of us playing new music cant afford to wait around for vinyl to be pressed, and if you play genres such as new afrobeats, jersey club, baile funk, and more, it will generally never get pressed on wax anyway.

DJing is a lot more democratic gender-wise these days too. I grew up in a time where tons of girls were DJing in Cork, but I looked back at the line-up to one of my first ever festivals the other day, and the lack of female DJs was very noticeable. At Homelands 99, it was nearly all white men on the decks  a similar festival in 2025 would feature lots of women and DJs of other colours too.

One of the big gripes is that influencers and other celebs have suddenly become DJs without putting work in, and I can at least see some of the point here.

Again, there was always an element of this even when we didnt have so-called influencers and Instagram but, again, Id suggest that those who stick it out to DJing as a career are generally the ones who have a passion for it. It may seem glamorous on the outside but, like all hobbies, it requires a lot of time and effort to turn into a career, and generally the best ones will put in that work.

At the end of the day, its great that people want to share their music through DJing, and its great that DJ culture is more celebrated.
WELL, its always weird to see people attach their, sort-of, moral values to yours  whether it be good or not  because once you release a product out, you become the product and not you anymore. Does that make sense? Im no longer a human being, because its just  I commodified that piece, yknow?

Tariq Ravelomanana, the Baltimore, Maryland-based producer and musician also known by his nom-de-plume of Infinity Knives, cuts a pleasant, unassuming figure on the other side of a video call  discussing his new digs, pals from Cork, and a guitar that your writer has accidentally left in shot during the conversation  but when it gets down to brass tacks, is exactly as blunt and intentional as the music hes involved with.

Currently one half of a duo with rapper and fellow Baltimore resident Brian Ennals, hes limbering up for a European excursion, including an October 26 stop at UCC Librarys Creative Zone, in support of their most recent LP, A City Drowned in Gods Black Tears, which opens with The Iron Wall  a skittish, noisy tone-setter in direct confrontation of the prevailing world powers, the lyrics of which would probably give our legal department palpitations to reprint most of: You can get blown up any time of day/but the bombs will stay Made in USA, for one relatively tame example.

From the people I really cared about, who really saw it firsthand, they saw how much of a toll it took on me, he says, when asked about the response to the records release back in April.

Then theres a passive listener whos like, this is cool, or this is bad. Or people really had something to say, which is like  its a confrontational album. So I expected pushback, right?

The thing I did not expect, though, is the bad-faith arguments, at least in the beginning.

There was still some sympathisers [of the Israeli forces aggression in Gaza], I dont know, they were conned into thinking that this was like some holy war, whatever the f**k, yknow  so I got a lot of s**t from those people, so I dont know. Its just  its out there. I dont know, Im on to the next thing.

The creation of A City Drowned brought with it a number of creative and technical setbacks and challenges, unfortunately coinciding with no small amount of personal tumult and trauma on the parts of its main players and their circles  Everyone I Love is Depressed being no subtle nod to this background tension  which would ultimately serve to intensify the conditions in which the record was made.

I mean, I had so much. [Brian] would just show up, lay down lines, and they were good.

Sometimes we had plans to do certain songs in certain ways, and then he would just come in and steamroll everything. That Kobe Bryant line, I remember I hit record, it was supposed to be a different line, he said that, and I stopped it.

I was like, dude, what the f**k, and he was like, dont do that to me again. Im a grown man. Lets run it back. And then we did it.

I wasnt, like, this angel keeping s**t together. I was also dealing with my own bullshit, losing my computer, and having to literally, one by one, find stems (isolated instrument and vocal tracks) that I had to hard-copy from one computer to another [By the end of that period of time], I literally lost my house.

And it was supposed to be, like, more or less smooth sailing.

Its a difficult album, forged in difficult circumstances, that more or less finds Ravelomanana and Ennals stripping their practice and intent back down to the very, very basics, as a response to the wider state of the world.

Far from an incoherent howl at alienation in late-capitalist America, however, it developed in the manner that it did as a coping mechanism for all parties involved. What began as an intended change of pace for the duo ended up becoming, to say the least, a statement of purpose.

First of all, we wanted to make a pop record. We wanted to make a fun record. But it would have been so disingenuous, and I didnt want to be. If anything, you can say, whatever the f**k we are artistically, whether you like it or not, were not dishonest about who we are.

Were very blunt, even in how we speak. We dont like to rap s**t and metaphors, and try to be clever and all that s**t, because thats f***ing whack, and its counter-intuitive.

I dont want my music to be for the academics or what have you. Yknow, thats how we got Donald Trump to begin with, because I feel like the left and its [long-time] parties completely abandoned the working people, and Donald Trump is a result. He might be the face of it all, but he is America. Dont get me wrong, like, f**k the dude, but he is literally the same old America that weve all known  its always been like this.

Responding to the present moment, amid ongoing intensification of social, economic, and structural inequities, is, for any artist, no mean feat. Indeed, the very nature of mounting an artistic response amid the continuing untethering of a commonly held and understood reality is in question, given that the strategy of mainstream politics has, in too many countries, increasingly become simply about moving fast and breaking things, to use a tired old term.

This is not an educated hypothesis. This is my own thing. This is my personal belief. Because Im not an academic.

I dropped out of high school, but Im gonna say, the only way through it, is through it.

Its definitely not going to be holding hands or shaking hands. Rather I should say, some dumb s**t is gonna have to happen, unfortunately.

The worst part about it is that the underprivileged folk and the working people are gonna feel it the most, but in the long run, and this is speaking from America only  I think it would be beneficial for the world, for America to step down and stop being the police of the world  and thats sort of happening.
Gordon Deegan

If all potential legal cases are to proceed against An Coimisiun Le Rinci Gaelacha (CLRG) it may not be able to continue as a going concern to govern our beautiful art form.

That is the warning sounded by directors of Irish dancings most prestigious governing body, CLRG in new 2024 accounts, which show that it recorded losses of 717,796 last year as it continued to count the cost of dealing with the fallout from the 2022 global scandal of alleged cheating in Irish dancing.

Accounts filed to the Companies Office for CLRG show that its finances were sent reeling further by the alleged feis-fixing scandal as last year's losses of 717,796 included a 500,000 special provision for potential litigation.

In the face of the mounting losses, the CLRG wrote to members last year to advise that it was abandoning its own investigation into the alleged cheating in Irish dancing.

However, in a note attached to the new accounts on making the 500,000 legal cost and settlement provision, the directors state that there are several potential legal cases that may be taken against An Coimisiun Le Rinci Gaelacha.

The note states that one registrant has issued proceedings against the organisation regarding the suspension of registration in 2022.

It states that there is concern that the company may face further litigation from additional registrants based on the outcome of the above.

It adds: Following discussions with the company lawyers, the company has estimated a potential outflow of 500,000 for damages and legal fees.

The note cautions that however, the exact amount will be determined by the court and is subject to the outcome of the legal process.

It states that directors have also considered a potential range of additional cases, in the region of 10 - 12 cases, when making the provision.

They state that going forward such legal costs would not be able to be met from company reserves leading ultimately to there being no organisation to govern our beautiful art form.

They caution that if all potential legal cases as outlined by the solicitors were to proceed, then the organisation may not be able to continue as a going concern.

However, they state that they are satisfied that with continued and enhanced financial stewardship should ensure that the organisation returns to a viable position.

The directors point out that before the 500,000 legal costs and settlements provision is taken into account, CLRG recorded a deficit of 217,796.

In the accounts signed off on September 11th, they state that the changes implemented by the directors throughout 2024 have resulted in reduced costs and increased income.

They state further that the company has continued to hold meetings online, thus reducing significant costs.

The note states that the directors have also focused on increasing the profitability of the annual main flagship events.

The note states that registrant numbers have also increased. These changes have led the company to be in a strong trading position in 2025.

The accounts disclose that 2024 income included a grant of 475,712 from Glasgow Life.

The new accounts lay bare the financial impact of the alleged feis-fixing scandal on the CLRG.

Prior to the scandal erupting in 2022, the CLRG had accumulated profits of 2.1m at the end of 2021 and at the end of last year, CLRG was sitting on an accumulated loss of 370,364 - a negative swing of 2.47m across the three years.

At the end of December last, the CLRG had a shareholders deficit of 111,274.

During 2024, the CLRGs cash funds plummeted from 1.22m to 326,381.

In a statement on Thursday, the CLRG stated that throughout 2024, CLRG have implemented a range of initiatives to reduce costs and increase revenue for the organisation.

"By continuing to hold meetings online, the company has achieved significant savings, while a renewed focus on enhancing the profitability of our flagship events has delivered strong results.

It added: Enhanced communication amongst members has led to more transparent financial reporting. Notably, the company recorded a net deficit of 217,796 for the year ended 31 December 2024, compared with 704,269 in 2023. Cash-flow forecasting for the next 12 months also indicates substantial improvement in our financial position.

They state: We are delighted to see a rise in registration numbers, reflecting an international level of support. CLRG remains committed to enhancing our financial stewardship and ensuring that we can govern this beloved art form for many years to come.

In his report on the 2024 financial statements, Eoin ORiordan of Chartered Accountants and Statutory Audit Firm, Leahy ORiordan states that while the company is in a stronger trading position than in previous periods, the impact of the potential legal cases may be significant.

He said: This condition indicates that existence of a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern.
Ann O'Loughlin

The lengthy civil case against former banker Michael Fingleton, who is alleged to have negligently mismanaged the Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS) which collapsed after failed financial and property "gambles", has finally concluded at the High Court.

Mr Fingleton, 87, who is in ill health after a stroke, ran the building lender from 1971 to 2009, as managing director and chief executive. At its height in 2007, it had reported assets of 16 billion but was a high-profile casualty of the financial crisis of 2008.

Mr Fingleton's ill health meant he was unable to give any evidence in the case, which concluded on Friday.

Liquidators for the Irish Banking Resolution Corporation (IBRC) took the case against Mr Fingleton, who denied the allegation of negligent mismanagement.

The losses had been estimated by IBRC at 6 billion relating to property loans. However, only a figure of around 250 million in damages was being pursued by IBRC, relating to five loans made by INBS, allegedly approved by Mr Fingleton.

Mr Fingleton, acting through his wife, Eileen Fingleton and son Michael Fingleton Jnr, under their powers of attorney, made several attempts through court challenges and appeals to halt the case, originally taken in 2012, but ultimately failed.

Closing submissions in the case concluded today at the High Court with Mr Justice Michael Quinn informing all parties he is reserving judgment but would endeavour to deliver his ruling as soon as possible.

Barrister Lyndon MacCann SC for the plaintiff had said it was IBRC's case that INBS operated on a speculation that property could only "go up, and up, and up, and up" and that a "blase" attitude had been taken to warning letters from auditors and the financial regulator.

Counsel had said the claim against Mr Fingleton was for damages for alleged "profound mismanagement" of INBS for whom he was the equivalent of the chief executive and director for 38 years until his exit in 2009, "or, the boss".

Counsel had submitted the claim against Mr Fingleton was "enormous" and that compensation was sought for "huge losses" for the alleged "negligent mismanagement in the stewardship of the society over decades".

The five loans "approved" by Mr Fingleton relate to property development projects in Ireland, France and the UK between 2006 and 2008, counsel had said.

Mr MacCann had said Mr Fingelton "gambled" with the society's money when he himself allegedly approved "speculative, risky" commercial loans, which sometimes had already been greenlit by him before they were taken before the board of directors, on which he also sat.

Counsel for the Fingleton side claimed there had been "black holes after black holes" in the case, amounting to a lack of evidence that meant there could be no adverse finding against Mr Fingleton.

Solicitor Niall Clerkin had said there were "large substantial tracts of documents missing" in the case and that important witnesses had not been called by the plaintiff. Mr Clerkin said this ultimately amounted to an "unfairness" against the Fingleton side's ability to defend the case.

The case began on May 6 last and involved 41 days of evidence and submissions before Mr Justice Quinn and involved some 1.6 million documents of discovery.

The Fingleton side was represented by solicitors Kevin Lynch and Mr Clerkin of Clerkin Lynch LLP, while senior counsels John D Fitzgerald and Mr MacCann, instructed by McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors, represented the IBRC side.

The State-run National Asset Management Agency (Nama) took over INBS' commercial property loans in 2010. The following year, the government merged it with Anglo Irish Bank and established IBRC to take on the finances of both lenders.

Mr Fingleton was a prominent presence in Irish business during the Celtic Tiger and was reported to have been worth around 75 million in 2006; however his son has told the courts that his father is reduced to 25,000 in two personal bank accounts and has outstanding judgment debts of more than 10.7 million.
(Photo: File photo. Aid to the Church in Need)Armed security personnel stand guard outside the Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral in Lahore, Pakistan.

It is not always easy to be a Christian in Pakistan, where prisoners who are followers of the faith and adherents of other non-Muslim religions face cruel treatment and discrimination within the judicial system, says International Christian Concern.

The ICC had, in August, cited the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, reporting that Pakistan's blasphemy laws are second in severity only to Iran.

The country's penal code instructs that blasphemers be given a sentence of anywhere from 10 years to the death penalty.,

More recently, on Oct. 8, another Christian advocacy group, CSW UK, reported that a 62-year-old pastor who spent 13 years in prison on blasphemy charges, said to be unfounded, died of a cardiac arrest at his home in Pakistan, just three days after he was released from prison following his acquittal by the Lahore High Court.

Pastor Zafar Bhatti, founder of Jesus World Mission Church, had fought 'fabricated blasphemy' charges from 2012 before dying in Rawalpindi, Punjab Province, earlier in October.

Bhatti was arrested in July 2012 after a Muslim cleric accused him of sending text messages which defamed the mother of the Prophet Mohammed, according to CSW UK.

https://www.csw.org.uk/2025/10/08/press/6625/article.htm

He was reportedly tortured in custody to confess to the crime, and in May 2017, he was given a life sentence in prison under the Pakistani Penal Code, which criminalises insulting the Prophet Mohammed.

Bhatti was convicted for allegedly sending text messages defaming the mother of Prophet Muhammad, which he denied, but was reportedly tortured to confess.

Pastor Bhatti, founder of Pakistan-based neo-Christian Jesus World Mission Church, died at the age of 62 of a cardiac arrest on Oct. 5 at his home in Rawalpindi of Punjab province, his lawyer, Saif ul Malook confirmed.

He left behind a bereaved wife. He had no children.

He was released from jail after the Rawalpindi branch of Lahore High Court overturned his blasphemy conviction on Oct. 2.

Bhatti was arrested in July 2012 after a Muslim cleric filed a complaint accusing him of sending text messages defaming the mother of Prophet Muhammad. He was reportedly tortured in custody to confess to the crime.

Pakistan's Penal Code makes defamation of Islam and Prophet Muhammad serious crimes, warranting maximum death and life sentences.

In September 2014, rumors had spread that Bhatti had been shot dead by a police officer in jail, but those reports were later proven false.

On May 3, 2017, Bhatti was sentenced to life imprisonment. His conviction was upheld by a sessions court judge in Rawalpindi on June 22, 2021. Next year, his sentence was increased to the death penalty.

According to Malook, Bhatti was healthy when he was arrested, but in jail, he suffered from various health problems, including diabetes and heart disease.

He had heart attacks in 2019 and 2020, and wounds in his feet and legs, the lawyer said, adding that other ailments included hypertension, vision problems, and depression.
OpenAI has paused video generations of Martin Luther King Jr. on Sora at the request of King Inc., the estate that manages his legacy. The company said in an announcement on X that it worked with the estate to address how his "likeness is represented in Sora generations" after people used the app to create disrespectful depictions of the American civil rights leader. It's not quite clear if OpenAI intends to restore Sora's ability to generate videos with MLK in the future, but it's wording implies it does and that it has only suspended the capability as it "strengthens guardrails for historical figures."

After OpenAI launched the Sora app, users generated videos with likenesses of dead public figures, including Michael Jackson, Robin Williams and MLK. Williams' daughter, Zelda Williams, had to beg people to stop sending her AI videos of her father. "To watch the legacies of real people be condensed down to this vaguely looks and sounds like them so that's enough, just so other people can churn out horrible TikTok slop puppeteering them is maddening," she wrote on Instagram. MLK's daughter, Bernice A. King, wrote on Threads that she agreed and also asked people to stop sending her videos of her father.

According to a report by The Washington Post, the Sora-made videos that were posted online included King making monkey noises while he was giving his "I Have a Dream" speech. Another video showed King wrestling with Malcolm X, whose daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, questioned why AI developers weren't acting "with the same morality, conscience, and care... that they'd want for their own families" in a statement made to The Post.

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OpenAI said that while there are "strong free speech interests in depicting historical figures," it believes "public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used." It also said that the estate owners of other historical figures and their representatives can ask the company for their likenesses not to be used in Sora videos, as well.
Apple just announced its fall slate of devices powered by its new M5 chip: A 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and revamped Vision Pro. In this episode, Devindra and Sam Rutherford dive into what's actually new this time around. (Spoiler: Its really all about the new GPU.) Also, Sam goes deep on his review of the ROG Xbox Ally X, Microsofts first stab at a portable Xbox.

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Topics

Apple refreshes of the Macbook Pro, Vision Pro and iPad Pro with M5 chips  1:24

Sam Rutherfords review of the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X  18:45

Microsoft makes big promises with Copilot Voice, can it follow through?  39:00

OpenAIs Sora app reaches 1M downloads in less than 5 days, faster than ChatGPT  50:42

Sam Altman announces youll be able to sext with ChatGPT starting in December  54:00

Working on  1:06:50

Pop culture picks  1:09:41

Credits

Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Sam Rutherford

Producer: Ben Ellman

Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien
SpaceX may be violating international telecommunication standards by allowing its Starshield satellites to transmit to Earth on frequencies it's not supposed to use, NPR reports. Starshield is a classified version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite network offered on contract to government agencies "to support national security efforts," according to the company's website.

The report is based on findings from amateur satellite tracker Scott Tilley, who observed what appeared to be Starshield satellites broadcasting on frequencies normally dedicated to "uplink" transmissions from the Earth to satellites in orbit. Using the frequencies that way violates standards set by the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency dedicated to coordinating the use of radio spectrum across the world.

Standards around which frequencies are used for uplink and downlink broadcasts to satellites were created to avoid interference, among other technical issues. "Nearby satellites could receive radio-frequency interference and could perhaps not respond properly to commands  or ignore commands  from Earth," Tilley told NPR. It's not clear yet whether SpaceX ignoring these rules is causing any issues with satellite communication, but should problems arise, there's now a possible cause.

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SpaceX's first major Starshield project was a $70 million contract with US Space Force in 2023. More recently in 2024, there were reports that SpaceX's Starshield division had been tasked with building out a network of spy satellites to gather imagery of Earth for the Department of Defenses National Reconnaissance Office.




I've been wearing the $800 Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses daily for ten days and I'm still a bit conflicted. On one hand, I'm still not entirely comfortable with how they look. I've worn them on the bus, at the office, on walks around my neighborhood and during hangouts with friends. Each time, I'm very aware that I probably look a bit strange.

On the other hand, there's a lot I really like about using these glasses. The built-in display has helped me look at my phone less throughout the day. The neural band feels more innovative than any wrist-based device I've tried. Together, it feels like a significant milestone for smart glasses overall. But it's also very much a first-generation device with some issues that still need to be worked out.

Meta 76 100 Expert Score Meta Ray-Ban Display An exciting first-gen product, if you can get past the thick frames. Pros Display is bright, clear and doesn't feel overwhelming

Ability to preview and zoom in with the camera makes it way easier to frame shots

Visual feedback for Meta AI prompts is surprisingly helpful

Neural band is very accurate and reduces reliance on voice commands Cons Frames are way too thick for most people's comfort

Display is only compatible with a handful of apps

Text messages can be wonky More info at Meta

Chunky statement glasses or hideously nerdy?

To once again state the obvious: The frames are extremely chunky and too wide for my face. The dark black frames I tried for this review unfortunately accentuate the extra thickness. I won't pretend it's my best look and I did feel a bit self-conscious at times wearing these in public. Meta also makes a light brown "sand" color that I tried at the Connect event, and I think that color is a bit more flattering, even if the frames are just as oversized. (Sidenote: Smart glasses companies, please, please make your frames available in something other than black!)

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But, everyone has a different face shape, skin tone and general ability to "pull off" what one of my friends charitably described as "chunky statement glasses." What looks not-great on my face, may look good on someone else. I really wish Meta could have squeezed this tech into slightly smaller frames, but I did get more used to the look the more I wore them. Overall, I do think the size is a reasonable tradeoff for a first-generation product that's pretty clearly aimed at early adopters.

Here's how they look in the lighter "sand" color. (Karissa Bell for Engadget)

The reason the glasses are so thick compared with Meta's other frames is because there are a lot of extra components to power the display, including a mini projector and waveguide. And, at 69 grams, the display glasses are noticeably heavier. I didn't find it particularly uncomfortable at first, but there is a noticeable pressure after six or seven hours of wear. Plus, the extra weight and width also made them consistently slide down my nose. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable wearing these on a bike ride or a jog as I'd worry about them falling off.

While I tested these, I was very interested to get reactions from friends and family. I didn't get many positive comments about how they looked on my face, though a few particularly generous colleagues assured me I was "pulling them off." But seeing people's reactions as soon as the display activated was another matter. Almost everyone has had the same initial reaction: "whoa."

Quality display with some limitations

As I discussed in my initial impressions, these glasses have a monocular display on the right side, so it doesn't offer the kind of immersive AR I experienced with the Orion prototype last year. You have to look slightly up and to the right to focus on the full-color display. It's impressively bright and clear, but doesn't overtake your vision.

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At 20 degrees, the field of view is small, but it never felt like a limitation. Because the content you see isn't meant to be immersive, it never feels like what's on the display is being cut off or like you have to adjust where you're looking to properly see it. The display itself has three main menus: an app launcher, a kind of home screen where you can access Meta AI and view notifications and a settings page for adjusting brightness, volume and other preferences.

The display is in the right lens. (Karissa Bell for Engadget)

For now, there are only a handful of Meta-created "apps" available. You can check your Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger inboxes and chat with Meta AI. There's also a simple maps app for walking navigation, a music/audio player, camera and live translation and captioning features. There's also a mini puzzle game called "Hypertrail."

One of my favorite integrations was the ability to check Instagram DMs. Not only can you quickly read and respond to messages, you can watch Reels sent by your friends. While the video quality isn't as high as what you'd see on your phone, there's something very cool about quickly watching a clip without having to pull out your phone. Meta is also working on a standalone Reels experience that I'm very much looking forward to.

I also enjoyed being able to view media sent in my family group chats on WhatsApp. I often would end up revisiting the photos on videos once I pulled out my phone, but being able to instantly see these messages as they came in tickled whatever part of my brain responds to instant gratification.

There's some impressive tech inside those thick frames. (Karissa Bell for Engadget)

The display also solves one of my biggest complaints with Meta's other smart glasses: that it's really difficult to frame photos. When you open the camera app on the display model, you can see a preview of the photo and even use a gesture to zoom in to properly frame your shot. Similarly, if you're on a WhatsApp video call you can see both the other person's video as well as a small preview of your own like you would on your phone's screen. It's a cool trick but the small display felt too cramped for a proper video call. People I used this with also told me that my video feed had some quality issues despite being on Wi-Fi.

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The glasses' live captioning and translation features are probably the best examples of Meta bringing its existing AI features into the display. I've written before about how Meta AI's translation abilities are one of my favorite features of the Ray-Ban smart glasses. Live translation on the display is even better, because it delivers a real-time text feed of what the person in front of you is saying. I tried it out with my husband, a native Spanish speaker, and it was even more natural than the non-display glasses because I didn't have to pause and wait for the audio to relay what he was saying. It still wasn't an exactly perfect translation, and there were still a few occasions when it didn't catch everything he said, but it made the process so much simpler overall.

Likewise, live captions transcribes conversations in real-time into a similar text feed. I've found that it's a cool way to demo these glasses' capabilities, but I haven't yet found an occasion to use this in anything other than a demo. However, I still think it could be useful as an accessibility aid for anyone who has trouble hearing or processing audio.

Another feature that's useful for travel is walking navigation. Dictate an address or location (you can say something like "take me to the closest Starbucks") and the glasses' display will guide you on your route. The first time I tried this was the roughly 10-minute walk from my bus stop to Yahoo's San Francisco office. The route only required two turns, but it didn't quite work. My glasses confidently navigated me to an alleyway behind the office building rather than the entrance. These kinds of mishaps happen with lots of mapping tools  Meta's maps rely on data from OpenStreetMap and Overture  but it was a good reminder that it's still early days for this product.

I don't use Meta AI a ton on any of my smart glasses, but having a bit of visual feedback for these interactions was a nice change. I retain information much better from reading than listening, so seeing text-based output to my queries felt a lot more helpful. It's also nice that for longer responses from the assistant, you can stop the audio playback and swipe through informational cards instead.

Meta AI on the glasses' display delivers information in a card-like interface. (Meta)

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While cooking dinner one night, I asked for a quick recipe for teriyaki salmon and Meta AI supplied what seemed like a passable recipe onto the display. The only drawback was the display goes to sleep pretty quickly unless you continue to interact with the content you're seeing, so the recipe I liked disappeared before I could actually attempt it. (You can view your Meta AI history in the Meta AI app if you really want to revisit something.)

My main complaint is that I want to be able to do much more with the display. Messaging app integrations are nice, but I wish the display worked with more of the apps on my phone. When it worked best, I was happy to be able to view and dismiss messaging notifications without having to touch my phone; I just wish it worked with all my phone's notifications.

There are also some frustrating limitations on sending and receiving texts. For example, there's no simple way to take a photo on your glasses and text it to a friend with the glasses. You have to wait for the glasses to send a "preview" of your message to your phone and then manually send the text. Or, you can opt in to Meta's cloud services and send the photo immediately as a link, but I'm not sure many of my friends would readily open a "media.meta.com" URL.

The glasses also don't really support non-WhatsApp group chats, at least on iOS. You can receive messages sent in group chats, but there's no indication the message originated in a group thread. And, it's impossible to reply in the same thread; instead, replies are sent directly to the person who texted, which can get confusing if you're not checking your phone. It was also a little annoying that reading and even replying to texts from my glasses wouldn't mark the text as read in my phone's inbox. Meta blames all this on Apple's iOS restrictions, and says it's hoping to work with the company to improve the experience. The company tells me that group messaging should work normally for people with Android devices and that there is also a dedicated inbox for checking texts on the glasses. I havent tested this out yet.

The band + battery life

The glasses are controlled using Meta's Neural Band, which can translate subtle gestures like finger taps into actions on the display. Because the band relies on electromyography (EMG), you do need a fairly snug fit for it to work properly. I didn't find it uncomfortable, but, like the glasses, I don't love how it looks as a daily accessory. It also requires daily charging if you wear the glasses all day.

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But the band does work surprisingly well. In more than a week, it almost never missed a gesture, and it never falsely registered a gesture, despite my efforts to confuse it by fidgeting or rubbing my fingers together. The gestures themselves are also pretty intuitive and don't take long to get used to: double tapping your thumb and middle fingers wakes up or puts the display to sleep, single taps of your index and middle fingers allow you to select an item or go back, and swiping your thumb along the side of your index finger lets you navigate around the display. There are a few others, but those are the ones I used most often.

The Meta Neural Band requires a snug fit to work properly. (Karissa Bell for Engadget)

Each time you make a gesture, the band emits a small vibration so you get a bit of haptic feedback letting you know it registered. I've used hand tracking-based navigation in various VR, AR and mixed reality devices and I've always felt a bit goofy waving my hands around. But the neural band gestures work when your hand is by your side or in your pocket.

The other major drawback of these glasses is that heavy use of the display drains the battery pretty quickly. Meta says the Ray-Ban Displays battery can go about six hours on a single charge, but it really depends on how much you're using the display. With very limited use, l was able to stretch the battery to about seven hours, but if you're doing display-intensive tasks like video calling or live translation, it will die much, much more quickly.

The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, charging case and neural band. (Karissa Bell for Engadget)

The glasses do come with a charging case that can deliver a few extra charges on-the-go, but I was a bit surprised at how often I had to recharge the case. With my normal Ray-Ban Meta glasses I can go several days without topping up the charging case, but with the Meta Ray-Ban Display case, I'm charging it at least every other day.

Privacy and safety

Whenever I write or post on social media about a pair of Meta-branded glasses, I inevitably hear from people concerned about the privacy implications of these devices. As I wrote in my recent review of Meta's second-gen Ray-Ban glasses, I share a lot of these concerns. Meta has made subtle but meaningful changes to its glasses' privacy policy over the last year, and its track record suggests these devices will inevitably scoop up more of our data over time.

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In terms of privacy implications of the display-enabled glasses, there isn't a meaningful difference compared to their counterparts. Meta's policies are the same for all its wearables. I suppose you could use live translation to surreptitiously eavesdrop on a conversation you wouldn't typically understand, though that's technically possible with Meta's other glasses too. And the addition of a wrist-based controller means taking photos is a bit less obvious, but there's still an LED indicator that lights up when the camera is on.

The neural band allows you to snap photos without touching the capture button or using a voice command. (Karissa Bell for Engadget)

I have been surprised at how many people have asked me if these glasses have some kind of facial recognition abilities. I'm not sure if that's a sign of people's general distrust of Meta, or an assumption based on seeing similar glasses in sci-fi flicks, but I do think it's telling. (They don't, to be clear. Meta currently only uses facial recognition for two safety-related features on Facebook and Instagram.) Meta hasn't done much to earn people's trust when it comes to privacy, and I wish the company would use its growing wearables business to try to prove otherwise.

On a more practical level, I have some safety concerns. The display didn't hinder my situational awareness while walking, but I could see how it might for others. And I'm definitely not comfortable using the display while driving. Meta does have an audio-only "driving detection" setting that can automatically kick in when you're traveling in a car, but the feature is optional, which seems potentially problematic.

Should you buy these?

In short: probably not. As much as I've been genuinely impressed with Meta's display tech, I don't think these glasses make sense for most people right now. And, at $800, the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are more than twice as much as the company's very good second-generation Ray-Ban glasses, which come in a wide range of much more normal-looking frame styles and colors.

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The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, on the other hand, still look very much like a first-gen product. There are some really compelling use cases for the display, but its functionality is limited. The glasses are also too thick and bulky for what's meant to be an everyday accessory. At the end of the day, most people want glasses that make them look good. Theres also the fact that right now, these glasses are somewhat difficult to actually buy. They are only available at a handful of physical retailers, which currently have a very limited supply, Meta is also requiring would-be buyers to schedule demo appointments in order to buy, though some stores  like the LensCrafters where I bought my pair  arent enforcing this.

Still, there's a lot to be excited about. Watching people's reactions to trying these has been almost as much fun as using them myself. Meta also has a solid lineup of new features already in the works, including a standalone Reels app, a teleprompter and gesture-based handwriting for message replies. If you're already all-in on smart glasses or, like me, you've been patiently waiting for glasses with a high quality, usable display, then the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are worth the investment now  as long as you can accept the thick frames.

Update, October 17, 2025, 3:42PM PT: Added more information about group text functionality on Android.




In March 2025, Maria Kovalchuk, a 20-year-old Ukrainian model, vanished after attending what she believed was an exclusive high-end party in Dubai. Ten days later, she was found unconscious by the side of a roadbattered and suffering from multiple fractures.

Dubai Police claimed she had fallen at a construction site. But her family suspects something far more sinister. The disturbing incident has reignited global scrutiny over the so-called 'Porta Potty' circuita rumoured subculture of luxury, secrecy and exploitation, where influencers are allegedly flown in under the guise of glamour and offered vast sums for degrading acts.

What Is the 'Porta Potty' Scandal?

The term may sound like internet slang, but its connotations are far darker. Rumours first surfaced in 2022, suggesting that young womenoften influencerswere being offered tens of thousands of pounds to attend private parties hosted by ultra-wealthy individuals in Dubai.

However, these events reportedly go far beyond luxury and exclusivity. Leaked messages and anonymous accounts claim the women were subjected to humiliating or degrading treatment, including acts involving bodily functions. While originally dismissed as online gossip, the consistency of testimoniesand now Kovalchuk's casehas given the claims a chilling resonance.

When Did the Allegations Begin?

Talk of 'Porta Potty' parties began circulating online in early 2022, with Reddit threads, anonymous confessions and TikTok videos detailing the alleged encounters. Screenshots, supposed leaked contracts and first-hand stories added to the noise.

For years, the scandal lived primarily in the shadows of social media. But the hospitalisation of a young womanallegedly lured under false pretenceshas forced the rumour into the spotlight.

Where Are These Parties Taking Place?

These alleged gatherings are far from the public eye. According to multiple sources, they occur not in beach clubs or glitzy nightspots, but in private penthouses, secluded mansions and luxury yachts. Security is reportedly tight, with phones confiscated upon arrival and non-disclosure agreements allegedly signed.

Dubai's reputation for wealth and discretion makes it an ideal backdrop for such secretive events, critics say.

Who Is Behind the Invitations?

The identities of those hosting the parties remain largely unknown. Descriptions range from unnamed billionaires and property magnates to individuals with ties to royalty. The women invited are often foreign nationalsmodels or social media personalities with growing online followings.

According to her family, Kovalchuk believed she was attending a modelling-related event. What transpired that night remains unclear, but it's precisely that ambiguity that fuels concerns of systemic exploitation.

Why Is There So Little Accountability?

Dubai's strict laws around defamation, public morality and cybercrime make it difficult for victims to speak out. In some cases, victims could even face charges themselves for violating local laws.

With powerful figures allegedly involved, few are willing to go on record. Meanwhile, platforms like Instagram and TikTokoften used to recruit influencershave yet to implement meaningful protections for vulnerable users navigating offers that appear glamorous on the surface.

How Can This Cycle Be Broken?

Awareness is key. Conversations around influencer safety and the hidden costs of fame must be amplified. Those pursuing opportunities in modelling and social media need to be informed about the risks, and the platforms that enable these connections must be held accountable.

Maria Kovalchuk's case is not just another viral headline. It is a human tragedyand if the allegations are true, one of many. Behind Dubai's dazzling skyline, a disturbing undercurrent may still be operating in plain sight.

Originally published on IBTimes UK
Hailey Bieber is setting the record straight about her feelings toward Selena Gomez and she isn't holding back.

In a new interview with Wall Street Journal Magazine, the 28-year-old model and Rhode Skin founder addressed the constant comparisons between her and Gomez, especially when it comes to their beauty brands.

"It's always annoying being pitted against other people," Hailey said, clearly frustrated with the public's ongoing attempts to create rivalry. "I didn't ask for that."

She went on to explain that once people decide how they want to see you, there's not much you can do.

"When people want to see you a certain way and they've made up a story about you in their minds, it's not up to you to change that," she added, TMZ reported.

But it was one comment in particular that got fans talking. When asked whether she felt competitive with other beauty founders like Gomez, Hailey replied, "I think there is space for everybody. I don't feel competitive with people that I'm not inspired by."

Many saw the remark as a subtle jab at Gomez, the founder of Rare Beauty, especially given the history between the two women.

Gomez famously dated Justin Bieber on and off for years before he married Hailey in 2018.

"I'm more competitive with myself, I don't feel competitive with people i'm not inspired by" - hailey bieber pic.twitter.com/jyiPwbRnfs  Elo (@luvshelo) October 14, 2025

Fans Still Compare Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez

Despite multiple attempts to shut down rumors of a feud, fans have continued to link the two women in both love and business.

Their beauty lines are both sold at Sephora, and fans often compare Rare Beauty's success to Rhode's rapid growth.

According to Yahoo, Rhode recently made headlines after a $1 billion acquisition by e.l.f. Cosmetics and a major launch at Sephora, putting it in direct competition with Rare Beauty on the shelves.

Though the two women have occasionally shown small gestures of peace  such as Hailey liking Gomez's engagement post to Benny Blanco  they haven't publicly interacted beyond that.

Gomez didn't invite Hailey to her private Montecito wedding last month, a detail fans didn't miss.

Hailey didn't mention Selena by name, but the undertone of her comment left many online speculating.

Still, the model maintains that she's not interested in drama. "It's not my job to fix how people see me," she said.
Prince William is preparing to reshape the role of the monarch by asserting a greater public voice on issues of conscience, according to people familiar with his thinking, a move that could prompt a debate over the limits of royal neutrality once he inherits the throne.

Palace aides and former staffers say the 43yearold Prince of Wales has grown increasingly uncomfortable with a strictly ceremonial monarchy and wants a sovereign who can, on occasion, challenge ministerial advice or make moral interventions on global issues. The sources spoke to RadarOnline on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions.

According to BBC, William's public comments earlier this year expressing "deep concern" over the humanitarian toll of the Gaza conflict and calling for increased aid were cited by supporters as an example of the approach he favors: measured statements aimed at drawing attention to suffering without endorsing political positions.

The reaction at Westminster was mixed, with some politicians and commentators praising the intervention as compassionate and others warning it risked breaching the constitutional expectation of royal neutrality.

Those warnings carry historical weight. Under Britain's unwritten constitution, the sovereign acts on the advice of ministers and is expected to remain above party politics. According to Emerald, past monarchs have faced fierce criticism when their actions were seen as politicized. Supporters of William argue that the monarchy must adapt to contemporary expectations that public figures speak on human rights, climate and crises that transcend borders.

"William feels that the monarchy has to evolve with the times. He's not interested in being a distant figure who simply cuts ribbons and signs papers. He believes that a modern king must have the moral courage to speak when it truly matters", a palace insider told RadarOnline.

Former private secretaries and constitutional scholars caution that any sustained shift could provoke institutional friction.

William's reported thinking was influenced, aides say, by episodes such as the 2019 prorogation crisis and his observation of his father, King Charles, who has long campaigned on environmental issues. Charles's more overt advocacy prompted questions during his reign about how far a modern monarch can engage public debate without compromising the neutrality expected of the institution.

Constitutional experts say a monarch seeking a larger public role would likely rely on convention and careful messaging rather than formal legal change. Any move to alter the royal prerogative or the relationship between sovereign and ministers would require political agreement and potentially parliamentary legislation  a prospect that could attract intense public scrutiny and political contest.

For now, William's inner circle portrays a prince driven by a belief that the monarchy's survival depends on relevancy and moral credibility. One associate said, "he respects the rules, but he also believes the sovereign's duty isn't just to sign off on advice  it's to question it when conscience demands".
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Book launch in Sofia highlights cultural dialogue between China, Bulgaria

Xinhua) 09:34, October 17, 2025

Visitors view posters with some of the images and texts included in the book "101 Paintings from Bulgaria" at its launch in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Oct. 16, 2025. The launch event for the bilingual book "101 Paintings from Bulgaria" was held at the Confucius Institute in Sofia here on Thursday. The book features 101 images of Bulgaria's most significant historical and architectural landmarks, depicted in traditional Chinese paper-cutting by a young Chinese artist, with accompanying texts in both Chinese and Bulgarian. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua)

SOFIA, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- The launch event for the bilingual book "101 Paintings from Bulgaria" was held at the Confucius Institute in Sofia here on Thursday.

The book features 101 images of Bulgaria's most significant historical and architectural landmarks, depicted in traditional Chinese paper-cutting by a young Chinese artist, with accompanying texts in both Chinese and Bulgarian.

It is a result of creative collaboration between the Confucius Institute in Sofia and the Institute of Balkan Studies, and the Center for Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Although the book is still being printed, guests viewed a short video introduction and an exhibition of posters featuring selected works.

Zhang Yanbo, cultural counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria, called the project "a vivid embodiment" of the Global Civilization Initiative, illustrating Bulgarian culture through the lens of Chinese paper-cutting art.

Georgi Valchev, rector of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", praised the collaboration, expressing hope for more such academic exchanges in the future.

Ding Hao, vice-president of Beijing Foreign Studies University, highlighted the book's creative concept as "a practical example of deep dialogue between Chinese and Bulgarian civilizations."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
CANTON, Ohio  For millions of Americans, it really isnt Christmas until they watch A Charlie Brown Christmas again.

A new traveling exhibition from the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, opening Nov. 1 to Jan. 31, 2026, in the Keller Gallery at the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, examines the making of the animated classic and celebrates the anticipation, joy and pitfalls of the holiday season.

There will be an opening celebration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 1. The event is free with Museum admission. The McKinley Presidential Library & Museum is located at 800 McKinley Monument Dr NW in Canton.

The exhibition consists of 50 Peanuts daily and Sunday comic strips, over 50 vintage Peanuts-themed seasonal novelties, a Santa letter writing station and a photo op for children of all ages. Also included in the exhibition is a video featuring Charles Schulz, producer Lee Mendelson and animator/director Bill Melendez that details the sometimes magical and often madcap making of A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown is organized and toured by the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, Santa Rosa, California.

The Keller Gallery is the Museums temporary exhibition space and features a variety of topics each year. The Museum also includes the McKinley National Memorial, McKinley Gallery, Street of Shops, The Stark County Story, Discover World, Ramsayer Research Center and the Hoover-Price Planetarium. The Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The Museum is closed on Monday. Visit McKinleyMuseum.org for more information.
Dame Angela Eagle has ruled out softening the inheritance tax hike on farmland, despite growing anger from rural communities who warn the move could push family farms out of business.

The farming minister said the Treasury is not going to move on Chancellor Rachel Reeves plans, which were announced last October and are due to come into force in April 2026.

The controversial measure will see agricultural property relief (APR) capped at 1 million, with anything above facing a 50 percent liability.

Farmers have warned that families could be forced to sell land, livestock and equipment to pay the bills, leaving businesses unviable.

Speaking on the BBCs Farming Today on Friday (17 October), Eagle stressed: The announcements have been made and the situation will be as it was announced.

"But remember that three-quarters of estates will continue to pay no inheritance tax at all, while the remaining quarter will pay half of the inheritance tax that most people pay."

Earlier this month, reports suggested the Treasury had been presented with other models in the run up to November's autumn budget, including the minimum share rule proposal from the Centre for the Analysis of Taxation (CenTax) that would overhaul the current system.

Under this approach, full relief would apply up to 5 million per person (10m for couples) where farmland or business assets make up at least 60% of an estate. Between 5m and 10m there would be 50% relief, with no relief beyond 10m.

Advisers described the idea as a potential game changer for British agriculture, claiming it could not only protect small and medium-sized farms but also double projected revenues from the reform  raising an estimated 1bn instead of 500m.

But Eagle told the BBC earlier today: "Im afraid there arent going to be any changes with respect to the announcement that were made previously about inheritance tax, in this instance.

"We have been in discussions, the Treasury have made their announcements and they arent going to move."

For almost a year, farming groups have rallied against the governments plans, with thousands protesting in Westminster and a new nationwide day of unity protest set for 24 November.

This will feature tractor-led go-slow demonstrations, with farmers staging protests on major routes across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Organised by numerous grassroots groups, including Farmers To Action and Digon Yw Digon (Enough is Enough), they argue the current scheme risks penalising family businesses that underpin the UKs food production.

With Reeves holding firm and farmers vowing to escalate their action, the standoff over inheritance tax looks set to become one of the most heated flashpoints between government and the countryside in the months ahead.
Britains world-class dairy products are carving out a bigger share of global markets, with exporters urged to seize fresh opportunities following a 20% rise in overseas sales this year.

The message came at AHDB's first-ever Dairy Export Conference, which brought together farmers, processors, government officials and international trade specialists.

The invite-only event, supported by the Provision Trade Federation (PTF) and RM Boulanger, explored how UK producers can expand their reach in fast-growing markets from the Middle East to Asia.

UK dairy exports are already worth more than 1.1 billion in the first half of 2025 alone, fuelled by demand for British cheese, butter, milk powders and specialist dairy ingredients.

Cheddar remains a flagship product, but growing markets for whey, infant formula and premium dairy lines are also driving sales.

Lucy Randolph, AHDBs head of international trade development for dairy, told delegates the conference "provided valuable industry insight and practical advice for our exporters to maximise global opportunities for our world-class dairy produce."

Rod Addy, director general of the PTF and chair of the Dairy Export Taskforce, said the UKs reputation abroad is strong: UK dairy producers are rightly respected on the world stage for their reliability and consistency in delivering a wide variety of high-quality, tasty, nutritious and sustainable products.

"While international markets remain volatile, lucrative opportunities exist for those armed with the right support and information.

Delegates also heard from AHDBs in-market representatives in the US, Middle East and Asia, who highlighted opportunities in markets hungry for high-quality imports.

Demand in Asia for protein-rich powders and in the Middle East for premium cheeses and butters is expanding rapidly, with UK exporters well-placed to compete.

The conference followed AHDBs work this year supporting 36 UK companies at 14 international trade events, including Octobers Anuga show in Cologne  the worlds biggest food and beverage fair  where British dairy businesses showcased their products to global buyers.

Randolph said the challenge now was to keep the momentum going: We have had a busy year supporting the dairy sector at events around the world and the figures for the first half of 2025 were very encouraging. Our aim is to continue supporting our exporters to help build on what has been achieved to date.

British dairy exports have grown steadily over the past decade, reaching more than 135 markets worldwide. Ireland, France and the Netherlands remain key destinations, but growth is strongest in non-EU regions, where rising middle-class populations are demanding more protein, convenience and premium-quality dairy products.

Global demand for dairy is forecast to keep rising through this decade, with OECD-FAO projections pointing to steady growth across cheese, milk powders and butter, particularly in Asia and the Middle East.

Analysts warn, however, that competition is intense. Irish dairy firms, backed by strong EU branding and favourable trade deals, are expanding aggressively into the same markets. Exchange rate shifts and regulatory barriers also present hurdles for UK exporters.

But with demand set to grow, industry leaders say the UK has the products, reputation and expertise to capture more of the market.

A stronger focus on branding, sustainability and provenance could help ensure British cheese, butter and milk powders remain staples on shelves worldwide.
Farmers and vets have launched a major initiative to prove the UK ruminant sector is serious about responsible antibiotic use  warning that failure to act could damage exports and stall progress in animal health.

The UK has cut antibiotic use in farming by almost 60% in the past decade, with cattle and sheep among the lowest users.

But with over 100,000 producers across four nations, collecting accurate data remains a major hurdle. Without it, experts say, Britain risks falling behind Europe.

The project, funded by UK Research and Innovation and led by veterinary charity RCVS Knowledge, will create a sector-wide roadmap to show how antibiotics are being used responsibly.

Mark Jelley, who represents the cattle industrys stewardship group, said: Time is running out. Having led the way we are now falling behind Europe, and risk missing out on export opportunities. We have a superb product to offer but need to be able to demonstrate this.

The roadmap working group  chaired by Jelley, vet Fiona Lovatt and British Cattle Veterinary Association president David Black  was unveiled at a launch event on 29 September attended by nearly 80 industry representatives.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, the UKs Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance, backed the effort: The world is truly facing an antibiotic emergency. This groups plan to develop a ruminant roadmap marks a bold step forward.

Over the next year, surveys, workshops and focus groups will shape the roadmap, ahead of a summit in summer 2026 and publication that autumn. The findings will feed into the next round of national antibiotic reduction targets.

Lovatt said the moment was critical: This is a pivotal moment for all cattle and sheep farmers and vets. We are calling on individuals from all parts of the UK ruminant sector to get involved so that we can develop practical solutions together.

The collaboration already includes leading veterinary and farming organisations, with more invited to join.
Tenant farmers have written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, warning that government promises to protect their livelihoods are being ignored as solar energy projects expand across the countryside.

In a letter from the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), chief executive George Dunn accused the government of abandoning commitments made before the 2024 general election.

He wrote that when solar developments are approved on tenanted land, invariably the tenant farmer will be evicted from that land, rarely with adequate compensation for their loss.

The TFA letter reminded Sir Keir of remarks he made as Labour leader in 2023, when he told the NFU conference: Tenant farmers need a fair deal. They need to know their futures are secure But we cant do it by taking advantage of tenant farmers, farmers producing good British food on carefully maintained, fertile land.

Since entering Downing Street, however, the association argues those words have been forgotten. It said: It appears that it is easy to promise in opposition what is not delivered in government.

The TFA cited several solar projects approved either as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) or at appeal, even when local authorities had refused them on the grounds of harm to tenant farmers.

The row highlights a growing tension between the UKs drive for renewable energy and the need to safeguard domestic food production.

Solar developers argue large-scale schemes are vital to cut carbon emissions and deliver cheaper energy, while critics warn they risk displacing farming from some of the countrys most productive land.

According to government figures, solar already generates around 5% of the UKs electricity, and the Solar Taskforce has set ambitions to quadruple capacity by 2035.

Much of this expansion will come from ground-mounted solar farms, which are increasingly being proposed on agricultural land.

Tenant farmers, who often have little security beyond medium-term leases, say they are particularly vulnerable. Unlike owner-occupiers, they can be forced off land once landlords see an opportunity to switch to energy production.

Existing compensation rules, set under tenancy law, have long been criticised as inadequate  a point highlighted in the Rock Review of agricultural tenancies published in 2022.

The TFAs concerns have been amplified by a recent High Court decision against North Yorkshire farmer Robert Sturdy, who had challenged a solar scheme covering nearly half his tenancy.

Judges found inspectors were entitled to rely on existing statutory compensation provisions, with the court noting that the Inspector is entitled to rely upon what parliament has already determined as the correct level of compensation. For tenant advocates, this underlined the urgency of reform.

The government has already acknowledged the problem in its Solar Roadmap, promising that compensation for displaced tenants should be adequate and fair.

But the TFA says the commitment is meaningless without clear detail. Dunn said: It is essential that we now have a firm commitment from the government to review and amend these provisions without further delay.

He added that there was also a moral obligation upon you to meet with Rob and Emma Sturdy to explain why your very clear promise to them and other tenant farmers has been so quickly and easily abandoned by the government that you lead.
The use of high-concentration CO2 gas to stun pigs before slaughter should be phased out within five years, according to a landmark report by the governments independent Animal Welfare Committee (AWC).

The advisory body  which provides guidance to Defra and the devolved administrations  warns that exposing pigs to CO2 causes significant welfare issues, including pain, respiratory distress and fear.

The report describes how these effects are observed before loss of posture and hence occur in the conscious phase of the stunning process.

Currently, around 90% of pigs reared in England and Wales are stunned with CO2 in paternoster gas chambers used in abattoirs, according to the Food Standards Agencys 2024 Slaughter Sector Survey. The remaining 10% are stunned by electrical or percussive methods.

The AWC findings build on previous warnings from the Farm Animal Welfare Council in 2003 and the European Food Safety Authority in 2004 and 2020, which also urged the phasing out of CO2 stunning on welfare grounds.

A number of other European countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, are already exploring alternatives to CO2, with pilot projects under way to test inert gases and electrical systems.

The committee assessed possible alternatives, including the use of inert gases such as argon or nitrogen, electrical stunning and captive bolt devices.

It noted that immersion in argon causes minimal immediate visible reaction, since these gases cannot be sensed directly by the pig  but unconsciousness is induced only gradually, and all lethal gas mixtures involve some degree of welfare compromise.

The report also ruled out any benefit from mixing CO2 with inert gases, and considered wider issues such as meat quality, costs, and the ethics of various stunning methods.

The AWC has recommended that the use of CO2, including in combination with inert gases, should be prohibited in order to prevent pigs experiencing avoidable pain, distress or suffering at slaughter.

It advised that any transition period for industry should be as short as possible and in any case within five years, with businesses urged to implement change more quickly where feasible.

The committee also recommended that slaughter lines be limited to a specified number of animals per hour so that each pig can move through the system without the need for physical coercion.

In addition, it suggested that legislation be amended to require pigs to be kept in small social groups, ideally with animals from their rearing group, during lairage and slaughter.

Finally, it encouraged government and industry to support research into new technologies, such as automated video monitoring systems, to assess animal welfare and detect harms in handling, stunning and slaughter processes.

National Pig Association (NPA) chief executive Lizzie Wilson acknowledged the concerns raised: The NPA acknowledges concerns that the slaughter of pigs could and should be more humane, and we are part of a UK pig sector group which is committed to exploring alternatives and finding a solution that can deliver on animal welfare at the time of stunning and slaughter.

She stressed that any new approach must also be practical and affordable: Any new approach must be commercially viable, to ensure uptake, to ensure quality of meat, and to prevent any unintended consequences for welfare  for example, throughput capacity must be sufficient to ensure that pigs are not held on farm or in lairage for longer than necessary.

Wilson added that while the report provided a comprehensive review, unfortunately there is still no conclusive best alternative due to issues with throughput capacity, meat quality and cost. The UK pig industry must now work together to decide how we go forward.

The government is expected to consider the AWCs recommendations in the coming months, with Defra likely to consult industry on potential alternatives.
Scotlands farmers are heading for one of their strongest harvests in recent years, with forecasts suggesting cereal production could climb above 3.2 million tonnes  comfortably higher than the five-year average.

The figures, released by the Chief Statistician this week, show that crops across Scotland have held up well despite a season marked by extremes.

A dry spring and the hottest summer on record brought significant challenges, but strong winter crop performance is expected to lift overall production well above recent norms.

According to the report, winter crops, including winter barley, oilseed rape and wheat, are predicted to perform well, with some very good yields being reported.

Wheat is expected to see a sharp rise on last year, thanks to strong yields and more land sown. Winter barley and oilseed rape are also set to deliver high yields, even though the oilseed rape area is smaller.

The outlook for spring crops is more mixed. Spring barley, Scotlands largest cereal, is forecast to produce around the five-year average despite drought.

Oats production is expected to increase too, though statisticians caution that early harvesting and limited data make predictions less reliable at this stage.

Final results, based on a wider sample of farms, will be published once the harvest is complete in December.

For now, officials say the signs point to a good year for the Scottish cereal and oilseed rape harvest, with strong winter crops compensating for the tougher conditions faced by spring plantings.
Nivin Pauly has officially started shooting for Benz, joining Raghava Lawrence in the much-anticipated fourth film in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU). The Malayalam star shared the news on his social media handles, confirming his role as Twin Fish Walter, a character first teased in a brief promo earlier this year.



Nivin Pauly Steps Into Lokeshs Expanding World



Benz is directed by Bakkiyaraj Kannan, known for Remo (2014) and Sulthan (2021). This project is particularly significant because it is the first film in the LCU not directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj himself. Lokesh, however, remains closely involved as producer and creative supervisor, ensuring that the storyline fits seamlessly within the shared world established by Kaithi, Vikram, and Leo.





Raghava Lawrence headlines the film as the titular Benz, while Samyuktha has been cast in a key role. Fans have been speculating about the dynamic between Lawrence and Nivin Paulys characters, especially after early reports suggested that Walter may serve as the films antagonist.



Director Bakkiyaraj Kannan has spoken about the decision to bring in Nivin Pauly from the Malayalam industry, noting that actors from different regions bring a unique energy and identity to a story like Benz. This creative choice also reflects the LCUs ongoing expansion beyond Tamil cinema, inviting a larger South Indian audience into its orbit.



Power Team Behind the Camera



Benz features a strong technical lineup. Music is by Sai Abhyankkar, marking his first major Tamil film score. Goutham George is in charge of cinematography, while Philomin Raj handles the editing. The art direction is led by Jacki, known for his detailed, realistic set designs.



The film is jointly produced by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Sudhan Sundaram, and Jagadish Palanisamy under the Passion Studios, G Squad, and The Route banners. Pradeep Boopathi serves as creative producer. Production began in Chennai in May 2025, with the initial schedule wrapping up in early June.



What makes Benz particularly exciting is its placement within the larger LCU timeline. While official plot details are being kept secret, industry buzz suggests that the story may connect to events that unfolded in Vikram and Leo, continuing Lokeshs tradition of linking characters and storylines across multiple films.



Reports have also hinted at a special appearance by actor Ravi Mohan, who is expected to play an important supporting role. With its powerhouse cast and cross-industry collaborations, Benz appears ready to push the boundaries of the LCU further than ever before.



For fans, this film marks the beginning of a new phase for the cinematic universe, one where Lokesh Kanagaraj steps back from directing to guide the storytelling vision from behind the scenes.







Also Read: Dear Students Teaser: Nivin Pauly and Nayanthara Head Back to School








Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 16, 2025) - Sage Potash Corp. (TSXV: SAGE) (OTCQB: SGPTF) ("Sage Potash" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of the annual general and special meeting of the shareholders of the Company held on October 16, 2025 (the "Meeting").

A total of 12,559,870 common shares of the Company were represented at the Meeting in person or by proxy, representing approximately 11.89% of the total votes attached to all issued and outstanding common shares of the Company as of the record date on September 11, 2025.

All matters put forth at the Meeting were approved as follows:

MOTIONS NUMBER OF SHARES PERCENTAGE OF VOTES CAST FOR AGAINST WITHELD /

ABSTAIN FOR AGAINST WITHELD /

ABSTAIN Setting Number of Directors 12,555,482 4 ,388 N/A 99.97% 0.03% N/A Election of Directors:

(i) Peter Hogendoorn 8,135,130 N/A 444,500 94.82% N/A 5.18% (ii) Gordon Ellis 7,793,600 N/A 786,030 90.84% N/A 9.16% (iii) Matthew Lechtzier 7,835,600 N/A 744,030 91.33% N/A 8.67% (iv) David Reid 7,835,600 N/A 744,030 91.33% N/A 8.67% (v) Stockwell Day 8,322,630 N/A 257,000 97.00% N/A 3.00% Appointment of Auditor 12,555,482 N/A 4,388 99.97% N/A 0.03% Approval of Stock Option Plan Amendments 8,399,795 179,835 N/A 97.90% 2.10% N/A Ratification of Stock Option Grants (by disinterested shareholders) 7,507,740 191,835 N/A 97.51% 2.49% N/A

Sage Potash further confirms that, following its May 16, 2025 news release announcing certain shares for debt transactions (the "Shares for Debt News Release") and subject to final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"), the Company is only proceeding at this time with issuing 500,000 common shares at the deemed price of $0.27 per share as disclosed in the Shares for Debt News Release following a shares for debt agreement date of May 16, 2025, resulting in the settlement of a total of $135,000. This shares for debt transaction is with one creditor that is not a 'Non-Arm's Length Party' to the Company within the meaning of TSXV policies. The 500,000 common shares being issued under this shares for debt transaction will be subject to a four month hold period from the date of issuance.

About Sage Potash Corp.

Sage Potash Corp. (TSXV: SAGE) (OTCQB: SGPTF) is dedicated to the development of its flagship Sage Plain Potash Project, located in the Paradox Basin, Utah. With a large and high-grade resource base, the Company is advancing toward its goal of establishing a secure and sustainable domestic potash production platform in the United States. Sage Potash is committed to food security, environmental stewardship, and creating value for shareholders and stakeholders alike.

For more information, please visit: www.sagepotash.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Peter Hogendoorn - Chief Executive Officer; (604) 764-2158

Rod Reum - Chief Financial Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date of this news release only, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "projects", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to future events or future performance of Sage Potash and with respect to the shares for debt transaction, including regarding the proposed issuance of securities. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict, that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including, but not limited to, the risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors and Uncertainties" in the Company's Management's Discussion & Analysis available for review under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgement based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270801

SOURCE: Sage Potash Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 16, 2025) - Pantera Silver Corp. (TSXV: PNTR) ("Pantera" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced (October 7th, 2025) non-brokered private placement financing (the "Private Placement"), issuing a total of 7,700,000 units ("Units") at a price of C$0.50 per Unit (the "Offering Price") for aggregate gross proceeds of C$3,850,000 (the "Offering"). The offering was originally anticipated to raise up to $3.5-million. However, due to significant excess demand from subscribers, the Company exercised a 10% over-allotment, as approved by the TSX Venture Exchange.

Each Unit consists of one common share of Pantera and one-half () of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one additional common share at an exercise price of C$0.75 per share for a period of two years from the date of issuance.

Jay Roberge, CEO and Chairman of Pantera Silver Corp., commented:

"We sincerely thank our shareholders-both new and existing-for their confidence and participation in this oversubscribed financing. This strong response reflects growing recognition of Pantera's opportunity to make a significant silver discovery. With a fortified treasury, an experienced technical team, and strong local partnerships, we are well-positioned to advance our exploration programs aggressively and responsibly. Our focus remains on creating meaningful value for shareholders while delivering tangible real benefits to the communities and environments in which we operate."

In connection with the Private Placement, the Company will pay cash finder's fees totaling C$9,000.00 to arm's length finders.

The closing of the Offering remains subject to customary conditions, including the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals and final acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued under the Offering are subject to a four-month plus one-day statutory hold period, expiring on February 17, 2026, in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. There are no material facts or changes regarding the Company that have not been generally disclosed.

About Pantera Silver Corp.

Pantera Silver Corp. is a mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing a portfolio of silver-dominant projects through disciplined exploration, strategic partnerships, and experienced local and technical teams. The Company actively pursues high-quality, unencumbered assets through research, staking, and strategic acquisition. Pantera is committed to responsible resource development that fosters local prosperity, environmental stewardship, and the supply of raw materials critical to the transition toward a low-carbon, sustainable economy.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual financial results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Pantera Silver Corp disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether resulting from new information, events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release publication, distribution or dissemination directly, or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270800

SOURCE: Pantera Silver Corp.
One of just nine voucher recipients chosen and the only one in the eye space, the selection spotlights Dompe's dedication to accelerate innovation and deliver breakthrough therapies to patients who urgently need them.

With this selection, Dompe receives a voucher shortening the marketing application review from the standard 10-12 months to just 1-2 months.

Dompe plans to apply the voucher to its Biologics License Application (BLA) for an intranasal form of Nerve Growth Factor (Cenegermin-bkbj) for the treatment of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).

Dompe's intranasal NGF platform builds on the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of neurobiologist Professor Rita Levi-Montalcini and biochemist Dr. Stanley Cohen.

Dompe, a leading biopharmaceutical company with operations in Italy and the US, announced today its selection by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to participate in the Commissioner's National Priority Voucher (CNPV) program. Because of its selection, Dompe has been awarded a voucher granting a significantly shortened review timeline for marketing application and enhanced collaboration with the FDA. Dompe intends to apply the voucher for the Biologic License Application (BLA) for an intranasally administered formulation of Nerve Growth Factor (Cenegermin-bkbj) for the treatment of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). The intranasal administration of NGF is a novel approach, patented by Dompe, offering a non-invasive delivery method.

"The CNPV represents a strategic lever to accelerate access to transformative therapies for patients with unmet medical needs as NAION," said Sergio Dompe, Executive President at Dompe. "Building on our pioneering achievement with Oxervate-the first NGF-based therapy approved for Neurotrophic Keratitis in 2018-we are now advancing a novel, intranasal formulation of NGF (Cenegermin-bkbj), to bypass the blood-brain barrier and redefine possibilities in neuro-ophthalmology."

NAION refers to a loss of blood flow to the optic nerve which causes sudden vision loss, that usually occurs spontaneously. There are approximately 6,000 new cases in the United States per year, and the number of cases is growing because of the aging population and rising prevalence of risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and other obesity-related conditions like sleep apnea. As many as three out of four patients experience substantial visual impairment, and approximately one in 10 patients experience profound loss of vision and legal blindness.1

There are currently no approved treatments to reverse vision loss or prevent worsening in patients with NAION.

"NAION, strongly associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease and an aging population, is the most common acute optic neuropathy in people over 50 and can lead to severe, permanent vision loss," said Ahmed Enayetallah, Chief Development Officer at Dompe. "Given this unmet need, we are thrilled by the opportunity to expedite its development and bring potential solutions to patients sooner through the CNPV voucher."

Dompe is developing intranasal NGF with aims of preserving and improving visual function in patients with vision loss secondary to NAION. A registrational pivotal trial program is planned in more than 130 sites across 16 countries.

About Dompe

Dompe farmaceutici S.p.A. is a privately held, global biopharmaceutical company on a mission to bring the full potential of nerve growth factor (NGF) to patients. As the first company to unlock the therapeutic potential of NGF, Dompe developed the first FDA-approved NGF treatment. Today, our clinical pipeline reflects our commitment to redefining treatments across ophthalmic, neurological and pain-related conditions. Building on 130 years of independence, we are embracing the challenge to transform our science and ourselves by delivering first-in-class, disease-modifying therapies through NGF and other breakthrough molecules to help people improve their sight, support neurological recovery and manage pain effectively. Today, Dompe employs more than 950 employees worldwide and maintains a US commercial operations hub in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Learn more at https://www.dompe.com/us/.

About Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)

Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) is a neurotrophin, a member of a family of proteins essential for the growth, maintenance and survival of neurons, with broad therapeutic potential. NGF was discovered by the Italian neurobiologist Professor Rita Levi-Montalcini and American biochemist Dr. Stanley Cohen, earning them the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1986. In their research, Drs. Levi-Montalcini and Cohen uncovered that NGF plays a crucial role in the proliferation, differentiation and survival of sympathetic and sensory neurons. Dompe is the first company to unlock the therapeutic potential of NGF, building upon a Nobel Prize-winning discovery to deliver a breakthrough treatment for a rare neurotrophic eye disease.?

About Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION)

Optic neuropathies are disorders caused by damage to the optic nerve, disrupting visual signals from the retina to the brain due to injury, inflammation, poor blood flow, or genetic and degenerative factors. The result is progressive or sudden loss of vision, often affecting central or peripheral sight, color discrimination, and in severe cases, leading to permanent blindness. Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is the most common cause of acute optic nerve injury and optic neuropathy in people over 50. It affects men and women equally, usually starting around age 66. While the exact cause isn't fully understood, common risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Despite its frequency, and risk of severe permanent vision loss, there is no proven treatment to improve visual outcomes.

About the Commissioner's National Priority Voucher (CNPV) Pilot Program

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched the Commissioner's National Priority Voucher (CNPV) pilot program to accelerate the development and review of prescription drugs and biological products that address critical U.S. national health priorities. Announced in June 2025, the program offers companies the opportunity to reduce standard application review times from 10-12 months to just 1-2 months through a collaborative, multidisciplinary review process.

Selected companies receive a voucher that provides enhanced communication with the FDA and a rolling review to facilitate a faster timeline, while maintaining the agency's rigorous standards for safety and efficacy. The program focuses on transformative therapies that tackle major public health challenges and large unmet medical needs.

About Oxervate

OXERVATE (cenegermin-bkbj) ophthalmic solution 0.002% is indicated for the treatment of neurotrophic keratitis. Important Safety Information: Contact lenses, either therapeutic or corrective, should be removed before applying OXERVATE. Contact lenses may be reinserted 15 minutes after OXERVATE administration. Eye Discomfort, such as eye pain, that can be mild to moderate can occur with OXERVATE. Patients should contact their health care provider if a more serious eye reaction occurs. The most common adverse reaction with OXERVATE (~16%) was eye pain. Other adverse reactions with OXERVATE (1% to 10%) included corneal deposits, foreign body sensation, ocular hyperemia, ocular inflammation, photophobia, tearing, and headache.

References:

Dattilo M, et al. Neuroophthalmology. 2020;45(1):23-28.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251016094029/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact:

Charlie Gould Ruder Finn

+1 917 626 7968 Charlie.Gould@ruderfinn.com

Guido Romeo Director Corporate Communications and Public Affairs

+39 349 4154010 guido.romeo@dompe.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 16, 2025) - Stardust Solar Energy Inc. (TSXV: SUN) (OTCQB: SUNXF) (FSE: 6330) ("Stardust Solar" or the "Corporation") announces that at the Corporation's September 18, 2025, Annual and Special Meeting (the "Meeting"), all proposed resolutions set out in the Company's Information Circular dated August 17, 2025 were passed at the Meeting.

At the Meeting:

(i) Mark Tadros, Vitaly Melnikov, Eamonn McHugh, Ohad David and Paul Baluch were elected directors of the Corporation;

(ii) Davidson & Company, Chartered Professional Accountants, were appointed Auditor of the Corporation for the ensuing year at a remuneration to be fixed by the directors;

(iii) The Corporation's Amended Omnibus Plan of the Corporation dated effective September 24, 2025, as amended on August 11, 2025 was ratified, confirmed and approved; and

(iv) A share unit awards increase under the Amended Omnibus Plan, to total a maximum of 8,880,014 common shares for share unit awards under the Amended Omnibus Plan was ratified, confirmed and approved.

Also at the Meeting and further to the Company's August 8, 2025 news release, shareholders ratified, confirmed and approved the Corporation's new Canada Business Corporations Act by-law being a by-law relating generally to the conduct of the business and affairs of the Corporation ("By-Law No. 1"), and including and introducing an advance notice requirement in connection with shareholders intending to nominate directors in certain circumstances (the "Advance Notice Provisions"). By-Law No. 1 is attached as Schedule "B" to the Corporation's Meeting Management Proxy Circular dated August 17, 2025.

A copy of By-Law No. 1 dated effective July 30, 2025 can be accessed under the Corporation's SEDAR+ corporate profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

About Stardust Solar Energy Inc.

Stardust Solar is a North American franchisor of renewable energy installation services, specializing in solar panels (PV), energy storage systems, and electric vehicle supply equipment. The Company equips entrepreneurs with branded business management services, cutting-edge equipment, and comprehensive support, including marketing, sales, engineering, and project management. With franchises across Canada and the United States, Stardust Solar drives the adoption of clean energy solutions that boost economic development and create a more sustainable future.

This press release was prepared on behalf of the Board of Directors, which accepts full responsibility for its content.

DISCLAIMER

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans, and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the adoption, effectiveness, and ratification of New By-Law No. 1, and the Advance Notice Provisions on the Corporation's corporate governance. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties, and as a result of a variety of factors, actual results, expectations, achievements, or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those forward-looking statements or from future results. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any such statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Corporation disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, or otherwise.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270806

SOURCE: Stardust Solar Energy Inc.
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - October 16, 2025) - Wilton Resources Inc. (TSXV: WIL) (the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it closed its non-brokered private placement of units of the Corporation ("Units") at a purchase price of $0.35 per Unit for total aggregate gross proceeds of $782,669.90 (the "Offering"). The principal use of the proceeds of the Offering will be for general corporate purposes and as a reserve to pursue the acquisition of an international oil and gas property.

Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Corporation ("Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share for a period of 12 months from the date of issuance at an exercise price of $0.45.

The Corporation paid a finder's fee to Haywood Securities Inc. ("Haywood") consisting of a cash payment equal to 7.0% of the aggregate proceeds raised from the sale of Units to subscribers introduced to the Corporation by Haywood and 7.0% of the aggregate Units issued to subscribers introduced to the Corporation by Haywood in non-transferable finder's warrants ("Finder Warrants"), being 16,030 Finder's Warrants. Each Finder Warrant is exercisable and will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share for a period of 12 months from the date of issuance at an exercise price of $0.45.

The Common Shares, Warrants and Finder's Warrant issued in connection with the Offering and the Common Shares underlying the Warrants and Finder's Warrants will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus one day from the date of completion of the Offering, being February 17, 2026, in accordance with applicable securities legislation.

Insiders of the Corporation (as such term is defined under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV")) purchased a total of 142,857 Units in the Offering, which is considered a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Corporation relied on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of MI 61-101 based on a determination that the fair market value of the Offering, insofar as it involves the Insiders, does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Corporation. No new Insiders and no Control Persons were created in connection with the Offering (as such terms are defined under the policies of the TSXV).

For more information concerning the Corporation, please refer to the Corporation's profile on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca.

Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "intend", "may", "will", "expect", and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Corporation's current beliefs or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information with respect to the principal uses of the proceeds of the Offering. Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Corporation. The material facts and assumptions include the intended use of proceeds remaining in the best interests of the Corporation. The Corporation cautions the reader that the above list of risk factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Corporation is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Due to the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward- looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release.

Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. Securities Laws.

THE SECURITIES OFFERED HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES ABSENT REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS. THIS PRESS RELEASE SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270807

SOURCE: Wilton Resources Inc.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 16, 2025) - Impact Development Group Inc. (TSXV: IMPT) ("Impact", "IDG" or the "Company") wishes to provide an update to its shareholders on the impact of the current delays and suspension of mail service in Canada as a result of the nationwide strike of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (the "Postal Strike") as it relates to the requirements to send proxy materials (the "Meeting Materials") for the Company's upcoming annual general meeting (the "Meeting"). The Company may rely on the CSA Coordinated Blanket Order 51-932 Temporary Exemption from Requirements in National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations and National Instrument 54-101 Communication with Beneficial Owners of Securities of a Reporting Issuer (the "Order") which provides temporary relief from the requirement for companies to deliver proxy-related materials for annual meetings.

The Meeting is to be held November 14, 2025 at 10:00am ET at the offices of Cozen O'Connor LLP (40 Temperance Street, Suite 2700, Toronto, ON M5H 0B4). On October 10, 2025, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers announced that the union was moving from a full, national strike to rotating strikes (the "Rotating Strikes"). While the Company will make all efforts to attend to the mailing when possible during the Rotating Strikes, shareholders are reminded that there is uncertainty and instability in the postal service and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers has no service guarantees at this time.

The Company's Meeting Materials, comprising of the Notice of Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, the Management Information Circular, the Form of Proxy, the Form of Voting Information Form and Financial Statements Request Form, are accessible on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. and on the Company's website at https://investors-ihcpanama.com/news-events.html. Shareholders of the Company are encouraged to access the Meeting Materials directly through the above-mentioned websites, or may contact the Company's transfer agent, Odyssey Trust Company, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00p.m. from Monday to Friday, at 1-800-517-4553 or email shareholders@odysseytrust.com to request copies of the Meeting Materials or voting control numbers for voting online at https://vote.odysseytrust.com. Objecting beneficial shareholders should contact their broker to request their voting instruction forms, voting control numbers and instructions for voting. In the event that the Postal Strike ends prior to the Meeting, the Company will mail the Meeting Materials to its shareholders in the normal course, but there can be no assurance that the Meeting Materials will be received by the shareholders prior to the Meeting.

As set out in the Meeting Materials, shareholders will be asked to consider and approve the following resolutions: (i) set the number of directors; (ii) election of directors for the ensuing year; (iii) appointment of auditors for the ensuing year and to authorize the directors to fix the auditor's remuneration; and (iv) approval of the Company's omnibus equity incentive plan.

The Company has satisfied all the conditions to rely on the exemption from the requirement to send proxy-related materials under the Order.

Change of Auditor

The Company also announces that it has changed its auditor from MNP LLP (the "Former Auditor") to Horizon Assurance LLP (the "Successor Auditor" or "Horizon"), effective October 1, 2025. The change in auditors was approved by the Company's Board of Directors to better align audit and advisory services with the Company's growth strategy and evolving operations.

The appointment of Horizon will be submitted to shareholders for approval at the Meeting.

The Former Auditor's reports on the Company's financial statements for the two most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, did not contain any modifications or reservations, and there are no reportable events as defined in National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations ("NI 51-102") in connection with their audits through the date of change.

In accordance with NI 51-102, the Company has filed a Notice of Change of Auditor along with the required letters from both the Former Auditor and the Successor Auditor on SEDAR+.

About Impact

Impact is a Panamanian based real estate developer that provides affordable housing solutions to Panama's growing middle-class supported by a longstanding subsidized government program. The vision of IDG is effectuated by a vertically integrated model which coordinates all services necessary to develop high-quality residential and commercial buildings, including land acquisition, financing, architectural, engineering, off-site manufacturing, general contracting, property management, and administration.

For further information, please contact:

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

All statements, analysis and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events or results constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements even if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270810

SOURCE: Impact Development Group Inc.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Standard Lithium Ltd. ("Standard Lithium" or the "Company") (TSXV: SLI) (NYSE.A: SLI), a leading near-commercial lithium company, announced the pricing of its previously announced underwritten public offering (the "Offering") of 29,885,057 common shares (the "Common Shares") at a price of US $4.35 per Common Share (the "Issue Price") for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of US $130 million.

The Offering is being conducted through a syndicate of underwriters led by Morgan Stanley and Evercore ISI as co-lead book-running managers and includes BMO Capital Markets, as a book-running manager, Canaccord Genuity, Raymond James, Roth Capital Partners and Stifel (together, the "Underwriters").

The Company has granted the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 4,482,758 additional Common Shares (the "Over-Allotment Option") at the Issue Price, exercisable, in whole or in part, for up to 30 days after the closing of the Offering.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to fund capital expenditures at the South West Arkansas Project and the Franklin Project in East Texas (each, as defined in the Prospectus Supplement (defined below)), and for working capital and for general corporate purposes.

Closing of the Offering is expected to occur on or about October 20, 2025, and is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of required approvals of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") and the NYSE American.

In connection with the Offering, the Company filed, with the securities commissions in all of the provinces and territories of Canada other than Quebec, a preliminary prospectus supplement (the "Prospectus Supplement") to the Company's existing base shelf prospectus (the "Base Shelf Prospectus") filed with the securities commissions in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, and filed a preliminary prospectus supplement in the United States (the "U.S.Prospectus Supplement", together with the Prospectus Supplement, the "Prospectus Supplements") to the Company's existing base shelf prospectus (the "U.S. Base Shelf Prospectus", together with the Base Shelf Prospectus, the "Base Shelf Prospectuses") forming part of an effective registration statement on Form F-10 (File No. 333-289110) (the "Registration Statement") filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") under the U.S./Canada Multijurisdictional Disclosure System.

The Offering is being made in the United States and in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, except Quebec. The Prospectus Supplements, the Base Shelf Prospectuses and the Registration Statement contain important information about the Company and the proposed Offering. Prospective investors should read the Prospectus Supplements, the Base Shelf Prospectuses and the Registration Statement and the documents incorporated by reference therein before making an investment decision. The final prospectus supplement (together with the related Base Shelf Prospectus) will be available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The final U.S. prospectus supplement (together with the Registration Statement) will be available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the final Prospectus Supplement (together with the related Base Shelf Prospectus) may be obtained, when available, upon request by contacting Morgan Stanley Canada Limited: Morgan Stanley and Co. LLC, 180 Varick St, 2nd Floor, or BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., Brampton Distribution Centre C/O The Data Group of Companies, 9195 Torbram Road, Brampton, Ontario, L6S 6H2 by telephone at 905-791-3151 Ext 4312 or by email at torbramwarehouse@datagroup.ca, and the final U.S. Prospectus Supplement (together with the Registration Statement) may be obtained upon request, when available, by contacting Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC: 180 Varick St, 2nd Floor, or Evercore Group L.L.C.: Equity Capital Markets, 55 East 52nd Street, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10055, by telephone at (888) 474-0200 or by e-mail at ecm.prospectus@evercore.com.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor will there be any sale of the securities in any province, territory, state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such province, territory, state or jurisdiction. The securities being offered have not been approved or disapproved by any regulatory authority, nor has any such authority passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the Prospectus Supplements, the Base Shelf Prospectuses or the Registration Statement.

About Standard Lithium Ltd.

Standard Lithium is a leading near-commercial lithium development company focused on the sustainable development of a portfolio of large, high-grade lithium-brine properties in the United States. The Company prioritizes projects characterized by high-grade resources, robust infrastructure, skilled labor, and streamlined permitting. Standard Lithium aims to achieve sustainable, commercial-scale lithium production via the application of a scalable and fully integrated Direct Lithium Extraction and purification process. The Company's flagship projects are located in the Smackover Formation, a world-class lithium brine asset, focused in Arkansas and Texas. In partnership with global energy leader Equinor, Standard Lithium is advancing the South West Arkansas project, a greenfield project located in southern Arkansas, and actively advancing a promising lithium brine resource position in East Texas.

Standard Lithium trades on both the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") and the NYSE American, LLC under the symbol "SLI".

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Investor Inquiries

Daniel Rosen

+1 604 409 8154

investors@standardlithium.com

Media Inquiries

media@standardlithium.com

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "occur" or "be achieved". The forward-looking statements contained herein may include, but are not limited to, information concerning the expected filing of the Prospectus Supplements, expected sale of Common Shares under the Offering, whether and when the Offering may close, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the Offering, the anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering, anticipated use of the proceeds of the Offering, and statements regarding the anticipated benefits and impacts of the Offering. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current beliefs and assumptions as to the outcome and timing of future events, including, but not limited to, that the completes the Offering, that the proceeds of the Offering will be deployed as anticipated, and the anticipated benefits and impacts of the Offering being realized. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance and opportunities to differ materially from those implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, among other things: the ability of the Company to successfully close a financing, including filing the Prospectus Supplements, and completing the Offering, the anticipated use of proceeds from any offering made under the Company's Base Shelf Prospectuses and any offerings to be conducted thereunder including the Offering, the benefits and impacts of the Offering not being as anticipated, the risks and uncertainties relating to exploration and development, the ability of the Company to obtain additional financing, the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations in Canada and the United States, fluctuations in the prices of commodities, operating hazards and risks, competition and other risks and uncertainties and other such factors as are set forth in the Base Shelf Prospectuses and the Prospectus Supplements, as well as the management discussion and analysis and other disclosures of risk factors for the Company, filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Although the Company believes that the information and assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
97,000 children will benefit from UNHCR and local partners' expanded response

NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is scaling up the education response to the Sudan regional refugee crisis. Since the outbreak of the war in neighboring Sudan in April 2023, more than 850,000 refugees have fled to Chad. In response to the escalating crisis, ECW announced today US$2 million in additional funding in Chad.

The expanded First Emergency Response, delivered by UNHCR along with local partners, will reach an additional 27,000 children impacted by the multi-dimensional crisis, bringing the total girls and boys reached through ECW's First Emergency Response to 97,000.

"ECW's continued support is critical to the refugee education response in Chad. The additional funding will support education activities in Wadi Fira and Ennedi Est, two provinces where recent arrivals have significantly increased, humanitarian actors are fewer and unmet needs are rising. Over the years, thanks to ECW's First Emergency Response grants, significant progress has been made - not least in the enrolment of Sudanese refugee girls who now outnumber boys at all education levels, from pre-primary to secondary. But too many refugee children and youth remain out of school. We call on public and private donors to continue sustaining and scaling-up the education response in Chad," said UNHCR Representative Magatte Guisse.

The continuing influx of over 150,000 new refugees has pushed the already fragile education system in Chad to the edge. Classes now house over 100 students and seasonal floods - made worse by climate change - damaged or destroyed 125 classrooms in the Wadi Fira province alone, according to UNHCR. In all, it is estimated that two-thirds of all refugee school-aged children currently living in Chad are out of school.

Sudan's war continues to devastate lives and livelihoods. It has set off the world's largest hunger crisis, millions have been displaced, and UNICEF has received alarming reports of grave violations against children, including killings, sexual violence and forced recruitment into armed groups.

To support the Government of Chad in responding to the resulting refugee crisis, the expanded funding focuses on reaching refugee and host community children alike with inclusive, quality education, providing holistic services such as mental health and psychosocial support, and reinforcing local community structures.

Despite this contribution, the educational response to the Sudan crisis remains severely underfunded. The Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan calls for US$1.7 billion in total resources, including US$69.6 million for the education response. Prior to ECW's latest investment, only 22% of this funding requirement had been met.

To scale-up its response to the Sudan regional refugee crisis, ECW is calling on donors and the private sector to urgently mobilize more resources.

About Education Cannot Wait:

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises. We support quality education outcomes for refugee, internally displaced and other crisis-affected girls and boys, so no one is left behind. ECW works through the multilateral system to both increase the speed of responses in crises and connect immediate relief and longer-term interventions through multi-year joint programming. ECW works in close partnership with governments, public and private donors, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and other humanitarian and development aid actors to increase efficiencies and end siloed responses. ECW urgently appeals to public and private sector donors for expanded support to reach even more vulnerable children and adolescents.

On X/Twitter, please follow: @EduCannotWait @KentPage

Additional information available at: www.educationcannotwait.org

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About Sopra Steria Sopra Steria, a major Tech player in Europe with 50,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, is recognised for its consulting, digital services and solutions. It helps its clients drive their digital transformation and obtain tangible and sustainable benefits. The Group provides end-to-end solutions to make large companies and organisations more competitive by combining in-depth knowledge of a wide range of business sectors and innovative technologies with a collaborative approach. Sopra Steria places people at the heart of everything it does and is committed to putting digital to work for its clients in order to build a positive future for all. In 2024, the Group generated revenues of 5.8 billion.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - The Canadian dollar weakened against most major currencies in the Asian session on Friday. The Canadian dollar declined to a 16-year low of 1.6450 against the euro and nearly a 2-week low of 106.73 against the yen, from Thursday's closing quotes of 1.6432 and 106.90, respectively. Against the U.S. dollar, the loonie edged down to 1.4052 from yesterday's closing value of 1.4046. If the kiwi extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 1.65 against the euro, 105.00 against the yen and 1.41 against the greenback. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Blood test to aid cancer treatment and recurrence monitoring now available from a German lab for potentially faster results

HAMBURG, Germany, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MVZ HPH Institute for Pathology and Hematopathology GmbH, today announced the availability of HPH MRD, a new tumor-informed circulating-tumor DNA (ctDNA) blood test for detecting minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients diagnosed with solid tumor cancers. The HPH MRD test is an in-house test manufactured by HPH that makes use of Haystack MRD technology and is available through a license from Haystack Oncology, a subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), which developed and provides the Haystack MRD in-house developed test in the United States. The technology was purpose-built to detect ultralow levels of ctDNA with exceptional sensitivity and specificity, enabling the reliable identification of residual or recurrent disease.

HPH MRD testing will be performed in the company's laboratories in Hamburg, Germany, providing clinicians with potential access to next-generation MRD testing. Local availability will help ensure improved clinical implementation and timely delivery of results. All testing and data will remain with HPH in Germany, facilitating compliance with data protection and regulatory standards while supporting access. The HPH MRD test leverages whole-genome sequencing to analyze a patient's tumor tissue and design individualized patient panels, potentially providing greater insight into ctDNA levels than conventional methods.

"At HPH, our mission is to provide patients and clinicians with the highest quality diagnostic tools to guide personalized cancer care," said Prof. Markus Tiemann, CEO, MVZ HPH Institute for Pathology and Hematopathology GmbH. "By licensing Haystack's groundbreaking MRD technology to develop our own test in our local Hamburg laboratory, we can now offer our patients access to testing that was previously only available abroad, with potentially faster results".

ctDNA MRD testing is rapidly transforming cancer care by detecting molecular evidence of disease and providing insights that often remain undetectable with standard imaging methods. Cancer treatment typically involves surgery followed by chemotherapy or other therapies; however, tiny amounts of cancer can sometimes persist and lead to disease recurrence. By identifying tumor-derived DNA fragments in the bloodstream, ctDNA MRD testing may enable earlier and more accurate detection of residual or recurrent disease-empowering clinicians to make timely, evidence-based treatment decisions with confidence.

"Patients and physicians in Europe have lacked convenient access to the most sensitive MRD technologies, with samples often needing to be shipped internationally," said Dan Edelstein, Vice President & General Manager and a co-founder of Haystack Oncology. "Our licensing agreement with HPH is an important step toward making next-generation MRD testing part of routine care beyond the U.S."

About MVZ HPH Institute for Pathology and Hematopathology

MVZ HPH Institute for Pathology and Hematopathology was founded as a partnership in October 2004 and specializes in the diagnosis of solid tumors and hematopathological diseases. Our expertise lies in the differentiated diagnosis of solid tumors, molecular pathology, leukemias, and lymphomas. For diagnostics, we utilize a broad range of methods, including conventional histology, immunohistochemistry, immunophenotyping, and NGS. Our molecular diagnostics also extend to the analysis of solid tumors, enabling personalized therapy in these cases. With clear diagnoses, we help clinically active hematologists and oncologists make sound treatment decisions. We are all committed to the service philosophy and are always available to support colleagues and patients with our expertise.

For more information send an email to: mrd@hp-hamburg.de

www.haematopathologie-hamburg.de

About Haystack Oncology

Haystack Oncology represents the culmination of over 20 years of collaboration to advance technical and clinical development in liquid biopsy technologies by cancer genomics pioneers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics, developed Haystack MRD, a tumor-informed, next-generation MRD test that detects ultralow levels of ctDNA to uncover residual or recurrent disease with exceptional sensitivity and specificity. Haystack Oncology works with biopharmaceutical companies to accelerate and inform clinical development programs and advance important therapeutics to global markets, from early phase clinical development to companion diagnostics. Haystack MRD was developed and validated in a CLIA-certified laboratory and is available for commercial use as a lab-developed test (LDT) by Quest Diagnostics. Haystack MRD is also available for clinical trials as an investigational device by Haystack Oncology in laboratories located in Baltimore, Maryland; Hamburg, Germany; and Helsinki, Finland. www.haystackmrd.com

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics works across the healthcare ecosystem to create a healthier world, one life at a time. We provide diagnostic insights from the results of our laboratory testing to empower people, physicians and organizations to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from one of the world's largest databases of deidentified clinical lab results, diagnostic insights provided by Quest reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve healthcare management. Quest Diagnostics annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and over 55,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives and create a healthier world. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.

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SIMAGIC Showcases Next-Generation Simulation at SimRacing Expo 2025

October 17-19, 2025 | Hall 3, Booth BC6 | Messe Dortmund, Germany

DORTMUND, Germany, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SIMAGIC, a global leader in high-performance sim racing hardware, is set to make a major impact at SimRacing Expo 2025 with its most comprehensive showcase to date. From October 17-19, visitors can explore cutting-edge products, take part in on-site competitions, and meet some of the most recognized creators in the sim racing community.

A Showcase of Innovation

At the heart of the booth, SIMAGIC will unveil its latest technologies - including the P700 Pedals, EVO Ultra Wheelbase, and the Zeus Formula Steering Wheel. Each product embodies the brand's pursuit of realism, precision, and modular versatility, offering racers an unprecedented level of control and immersion.

Special Guests: Super GT and Jackzer

Fans will have the chance to meet two of the scene's most influential voices.

Super GT (Steve) - Known globally for his blend of humor, high-level racing, and real-world competition in the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS), he brings unique insights into the connection between simulation and motorsport.

Jackzer - Recognized for his authenticity and engaging approach to iRacing content, Jack's focus on sim racing psychology and driver mindset adds a refreshing new perspective for enthusiasts.

Time Attack Challenge: Race. Compete. Win.

Visitors can test their skill behind the wheel in the SIMAGIC Time Attack Challenge. The fastest laps of the weekend will earn exclusive SIMAGIC prizes, with a live leaderboard tracking every contender throughout the event.

Live Content & Interactive Experiences

The excitement doesn't stop at the booth. Portions of the event will be streamed live, featuring behind-the-scenes moments, commentary, and guest appearances from creators and SIMAGIC engineers.

Join the Experience

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/simagic-at-simracing-expo-2025-a-triple-reveal-302586246.html
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Spark Energy Minerals Inc. (CSE: SPRK) (OTCID: SPARF) (FSE: 8PC) ("Spark" or the "Company") reports new assay results from 103 surface samples collected at its flagship Arapaima Project in Brazil's Lithium Valley. The new results expand known lithium anomalies and support ongoing drill planning at the Cruzeta, Agua Branca, Grota do Maquem, and Caladao targets. These results, together with the ongoing exploration work - including mapping, geochemical analysis, and sampling - further support the definition of high-priority critical-mineral drill targets.

Batch Highlights:

Three lithium anomalies exceeding 1,000 ppm Li defined from surface rock samples at Cruzeta.

defined from surface rock samples at Cruzeta. Stream-sediment sample at the Caladao Target returned total rare earth oxide (TREO) values above 10,000 ppm (1%), extending the anomalous footprint southward.

Samples were analyzed by SGS Geosol (Vespasiano, MG, Brazil), an internationally certified laboratory suitable for resource and reserve reporting. Preparation and analytical methods were selected by sample type; stream-sediment and rock/core samples were prepared and analyzed under SGS's standard protocols, and Spark's QA/QC program included routine blanks, duplicates, and certified reference standards.

The Company is finalizing logistics and permitting for its initial diamond drill program at the Cruzeta, Agua Branca, and Grota do Maquem lithium targets, and for air-core or reverse-circulation drilling at the gallium-REE Caladao Target, located adjacent to recent publicly reported ionic-clay gallium and REE discoveries developed over the Caladao Granite. Drill targeting will be guided by ongoing geochemical interpretation and field mapping. Initial drilling will test the subsurface continuity of lithium-bearing pegmatites and gallium-REE mineralization zones identified through surface sampling and mapping. With multiple anomalies now defined and drill planning underway, Spark's exploration team is preparing to advance its first subsurface testing program within the district.

"Our ongoing exploration work has clearly delineated key lithium and gallium-rare-earth targets," said Eugene Hodgson, CEO. "The correlations we're observing between lithium and key pathfinder elements, particularly at Cruzeta and Grota do Maquem, provide a strong technical foundation for our first-phase drilling. We're now advancing permitting and logistics to begin as soon as practicable."

Figure 1. Location of Spark Energy Minerals' Arapaima Project in Brazil's Lithium Valley, highlighting the priority lithium and gallium-REE targets (right), relative to competitor areas (left).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10093/270791_4c9d31a484eb8817_002full.jpg

Figure 2. Geochemical vectoring map of the Cruzeta Target, highlighting the recent lithium assay results from surface samples.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10093/270791_4c9d31a484eb8817_003full.jpg



Figure 3. Geological map of the Caladao Target, highlighting the recent REE assay results from surface samples.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10093/270791_4c9d31a484eb8817_004full.jpg

Figure 4. Geological map of the Caladao Target, highlighting the recent gallium assay results from surface samples.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10093/270791_4c9d31a484eb8817_005full.jpg

Table 01: SGS Results for the Li2O in the stream sediment samples.

Sample ID Cs2O (ppm) Ga2O3 (ppm) Ga2O3 (gpt) Li2O (ppm) Nb2O5 (ppm) Rb2O (ppm) Sc2O3 (ppm) Tl2O (ppm) ARA-SS-253 41.98 52.38 52.38 307.81 91.55 475.71 12.27 3.43 ARA-SS-256 19.08 63.12 63.12 191.57 42.92 241.68 9.20 1.77 ARA-SS-275 16.11 73.87 73.87 133.46 64.37 194.66 N/A 1.66 ARA-SS-257 14.84 52.38 52.38 120.54 37.19 150.92 N/A 1.35 ARA-SS-255 13.57 41.63 41.63 111.93 28.61 196.85 N/A 1.35 ARA-SS-281 10.71 53.72 53.72 109.78 75.82 205.60 N/A 1.77 ARA-SS-254 7.85 29.55 29.55 83.95 32.90 94.05 N/A 0.62 ARA-SS-279 9.97 57.75 57.75 83.95 58.65 147.64 N/A 1.35 ARA-SS-283 11.45 63.12 63.12 83.95 61.51 146.54 N/A 1.35 ARA-SS-274 10.39 49.69 49.69 81.80 52.93 203.41 N/A 1.35 ARA-SS-273 9.12 51.03 51.03 77.49 51.50 166.23 N/A 1.14 ARA-SS-282 7.21 37.60 37.60 77.49 114.44 166.23 N/A 1.14 ARA-SS-272 1.17 64.46 64.46 73.19 134.47 50.31 13.80 N/A ARA-SS-277 7.10 38.95 38.95 73.19 47.21 168.41 N/A 1.14 ARA-SS-280 5.83 36.26 36.26 71.03 41.48 124.67 N/A 0.94 ARA-SS-278 5.09 32.23 32.23 64.58 62.94 131.23 N/A 0.94 ARA-SS-270 0.85 38.95 38.95 60.27 203.13 80.93 15.34 0.73 ARA-SS-271 0.64 42.98 42.98 60.27 978.47 48.12 23.01 0.52 ARA-SS-267 0.95 67.15 67.15 58.12 296.12 75.46 19.94 0.62 ARA-SS-262 0.64 64.46 64.46 51.66 532.15 63.43 16.87 N/A ARA-SS-266 0.74 68.49 68.49 47.36 238.90 48.12 26.07 N/A ARA-SS-269 0.64 60.44 60.44 45.20 135.90 56.87 12.27 0.62 ARA-SS-259 0.64 67.15 67.15 38.75 233.17 28.43 19.94 N/A ARA-SS-265 0.53 51.03 51.03 38.75 308.99 40.46 21.47 N/A ARA-SS-263 0.32 64.46 64.46 36.59 267.51 7.66 13.80 N/A ARA-SS-264 0.32 65.81 65.81 36.59 748.16 14.22 16.87 N/A ARA-SS-268 0.42 65.81 65.81 36.59 216.01 5.47 15.34 N/A ARA-SS-258 0.42 65.81 65.81 34.44 462.06 10.94 21.47 N/A ARA-SS-260 0.11 81.92 81.92 32.29 240.33 N/A 23.01 N/A ARA-SS-261 0.21 83.27 83.27 32.29 546.46 3.28 24.54 N/A

Table 02: SGS results for Li2O in the chip rock.

Sample ID Cs2O (ppm) Ga2O3 (ppm) Ga2O3 (gpt) Li2O (ppm) Nb2O5 (ppm) Rb2O (ppm) Sc2O3 (ppm) Tl2O (ppm) ARA-CR-116C 172.39 212.38 212.38 7990.08 799.66 5728.26 127.31 22.45 ARA-CR-215 141.64 206.82 206.82 4150.02 1369.00 3825.40 141.11 19.95 ARA-CR-122 283.71 151.89 151.89 3721.67 841.14 3221.74 16.87 15.59 ARA-CR-114B 113.23 161.30 161.30 3007.04 590.80 3251.26 16.87 18.60 ARA-CR-112 24.60 135.76 135.76 2619.59 391.96 1815.37 26.07 11.12 ARA-CR-212 49.09 126.24 126.24 2567.93 871.18 2012.22 75.16 12.99 ARA-CR-131 94.57 155.79 155.79 2202.01 713.83 3290.63 9.20 18.70 ARA-CR-136 162.85 126.24 126.24 1956.62 437.74 2545.89 13.80 13.40 ARA-CR-205 762.59 141.02 141.02 1319.48 205.99 1786.94 N/A 6.96 ARA-CR-203 46.97 115.50 115.50 992.30 331.88 1154.84 23.01 5.61 ARA-CR-132 88.31 84.61 84.61 908.36 268.94 1641.49 7.67 10.39 ARA-CR-147 57.46 162.50 162.50 858.85 347.61 1931.29 N/A 7.38 ARA-CR-135 73.68 150.42 150.42 727.55 263.21 1849.27 15.34 7.59 ARA-CR-134 29.05 150.42 150.42 628.53 300.41 1521.19 15.34 6.86 ARA-CR-112B 11.56 81.92 81.92 589.79 135.90 571.95 N/A 3.22 ARA-CR-133 13.99 123.56 123.56 477.86 160.22 1386.68 7.67 7.17 ARA-CR-207 125.95 51.03 51.03 462.79 67.23 383.85 N/A 1.97 ARA-CR-208 42.83 68.49 68.49 460.64 120.16 484.46 52.15 1.97 ARA-CR-237 36.89 76.55 76.55 443.42 128.75 597.10 26.07 2.60 ARA-CR-231 28.20 52.38 52.38 413.28 90.12 448.37 10.74 2.18 ARA-CR-210 79.30 47.01 47.01 385.30 50.07 554.45 N/A 3.01 ARA-CR-201 62.23 83.27 83.27 380.99 90.12 833.32 12.27 5.61 ARA-CR-238 30.85 68.49 68.49 376.69 91.55 539.14 15.34 2.49 ARA-CR-137 40.92 61.78 61.78 325.03 144.48 1175.62 N/A 6.44 ARA-CR-112A 7.53 76.55 76.55 301.35 44.35 562.11 N/A 4.05 ARA-CR-034A 4.13 32.23 32.23 266.91 68.66 400.26 9.20 2.39 ARA-CR-204 38.70 37.60 37.60 223.86 57.22 406.82 N/A 2.49 ARA-CR-216 6.26 38.95 38.95 219.56 70.10 171.69 9.20 1.45 ARA-CR-219 1.38 28.20 28.20 206.64 38.62 285.43 N/A 2.18 ARA-CR-227 15.48 32.23 32.23 202.34 28.61 333.55 N/A 1.87 ARA-CR-220 5.19 41.63 41.63 195.88 226.02 382.76 24.54 2.91 ARA-CR-247 14.21 60.44 60.44 193.73 90.12 367.45 N/A 1.45 ARA-CR-235 14.21 36.26 36.26 187.27 24.32 523.83 N/A 2.81 ARA-CR-149 10.18 41.63 41.63 178.66 77.25 531.49 N/A 5.20

Table 03: REE (TREO/MREO) assay results from stream sediment samples on Caladao Target.

Sample ID CeO2 (ppm) Dy2O3 (ppm) Er2O3 (ppm) Eu2O3 (ppm) Ga2O3 (ppm) Ga2O3 (gpt) Gd2O3 (ppm) Ho2O3 (ppm) La2O3 (ppm) Lu2O3 (ppm) Nd2O5 (ppm) Pr2O3 (ppm) Sm2O3 (ppm) Tb2O3 (ppm) Tm2O3 (ppm) Y2O3 (ppm) Yb2O3 (ppm) TREO (ppm) MREO (ppm) MREO (%) ARA-SS-271 4,708.18 54.63 19.55 2.44 42.98 42.98 116.09 8.48 2,252.19 2.83 1,659.87 502.15 222.18 13.05 2.67 208.19 17.08 10,016.31 2,467.70 24.64 ARA-SS-270 966.30 17.49 7.34 3.17 38.95 38.95 28.33 3.00 502.41 0.90 296.26 94.27 45.22 3.49 1.01 80.49 6.15 2,099.41 459.73 21.90 ARA-SS-266 1,010.23 14.22 7.35 2.81 68.49 68.49 19.46 2.74 251.21 1.02 167.84 54.26 29.69 2.69 0.98 68.12 6.60 1,683.26 270.44 16.07 ARA-SS-269 815.44 16.79 7.47 2.69 60.44 60.44 24.18 2.94 339.63 0.86 215.20 69.80 38.96 3.28 0.97 78.88 6.04 1,658.81 346.26 20.87 ARA-SS-272 857.14 9.67 4.55 0.96 64.46 64.46 17.08 1.73 318.17 0.74 206.57 65.96 30.85 2.04 0.64 45.46 4.44 1,605.13 317.17 19.76 ARA-SS-265 726.07 12.23 6.61 2.58 51.03 51.03 16.16 2.33 204.77 1.05 139.73 45.88 25.98 2.27 0.91 61.58 6.38 1,284.77 227.56 17.71 ARA-SS-253 546.17 13.07 6.25 1.71 52.38 52.38 19.95 2.33 292.61 0.82 174.26 55.80 31.66 2.61 0.94 74.30 5.58 1,250.68 279.18 22.32 ARA-SS-267 868.85 7.14 4.11 2.07 67.15 67.15 8.73 1.40 98.86 0.67 58.55 22.48 13.57 1.31 0.59 36.35 4.10 1,167.48 103.78 8.89 ARA-SS-262 712.49 4.40 3.88 1.17 64.46 64.46 3.43 1.09 32.02 1.00 9.68 7.48 4.87 0.64 0.74 29.96 5.35 847.58 27.32 3.22 ARA-SS-259 402.33 7.00 4.19 1.63 67.15 67.15 7.77 1.45 115.99 0.73 64.15 21.72 11.94 1.23 0.66 38.87 4.55 699.83 106.75 15.25 ARA-SS-268 310.74 6.20 4.31 0.38 65.81 65.81 5.18 1.39 53.24 0.77 34.17 11.60 6.73 0.91 0.70 38.91 4.78 490.63 59.99 12.23 ARA-SS-260 382.54 3.98 3.12 0.49 81.92 81.92 2.81 0.96 27.79 0.67 8.98 5.21 3.59 0.54 0.54 25.93 4.10 485.85 22.48 4.63 ARA-SS-264 245.38 7.45 6.17 1.08 65.81 65.81 6.45 1.75 53.83 1.44 44.56 12.96 8.70 1.10 1.07 48.96 7.97 453.20 75.19 16.59 ARA-SS-263 225.35 4.80 3.10 1.08 64.46 64.46 5.28 1.03 78.22 0.60 50.27 15.14 8.23 0.82 0.49 28.03 3.53 433.83 79.75 18.38 ARA-SS-261 291.30 4.53 4.06 0.49 83.27 83.27 2.73 1.18 25.10 1.05 9.68 4.55 3.25 0.60 0.74 33.36 5.92 396.85 22.77 5.74 ARA-SS-255 146.88 3.33 1.46 0.85 41.63 41.63 5.33 0.60 84.09 0.22 48.75 15.04 8.23 0.68 0.24 17.69 1.59 340.96 76.51 22.44 ARA-SS-254 123.69 3.18 1.57 0.53 29.55 29.55 4.51 0.58 67.08 0.23 41.06 12.72 6.96 0.64 0.25 17.94 1.59 287.33 64.97 22.61 ARA-SS-274 114.20 4.71 2.10 0.64 49.69 49.69 6.09 0.79 58.64 0.27 40.24 12.35 8.58 0.91 0.31 25.75 1.94 281.50 67.18 23.87 ARA-SS-256 113.26 3.14 1.42 1.20 63.12 63.12 4.32 0.57 58.52 0.19 37.67 11.20 6.96 0.60 0.22 17.31 1.37 262.43 59.93 22.84 ARA-SS-258 125.44 4.89 4.13 0.59 65.81 65.81 3.50 1.20 31.78 1.03 20.99 6.24 4.06 0.70 0.75 34.42 5.69 246.00 37.09 15.08 ARA-SS-257 107.52 2.39 1.15 0.76 52.38 52.38 3.52 0.44 48.90 0.15 31.49 9.62 5.68 0.48 0.17 12.70 1.14 230.49 49.97 21.68 ARA-SS-277 62.19 5.58 2.77 0.41 38.95 38.95 4.70 1.01 40.23 0.39 26.94 7.61 4.87 0.94 0.46 36.19 2.85 197.53 46.20 23.39 ARA-SS-282 54.58 5.70 3.19 0.37 37.60 37.60 4.38 1.09 34.83 0.42 23.33 6.79 4.87 0.87 0.51 37.79 3.19 181.58 41.79 23.02 ARA-SS-281 65.83 2.73 1.36 0.52 53.72 53.72 3.58 0.53 33.89 0.19 22.98 6.89 4.75 0.55 0.19 16.51 1.37 163.93 38.13 23.26 ARA-SS-280 48.61 3.44 1.83 0.32 36.26 36.26 3.11 0.66 27.79 0.30 17.15 5.23 3.48 0.53 0.31 21.45 2.16 136.73 30.00 21.94 ARA-SS-275 54.82 2.70 1.15 0.63 73.87 73.87 3.09 0.44 26.97 0.16 19.60 5.85 3.71 0.47 0.18 13.42 1.14 136.03 32.52 23.91 ARA-SS-283 51.54 2.20 1.19 0.37 63.12 63.12 2.54 0.41 25.92 0.17 17.61 5.38 3.59 0.44 0.17 13.09 1.14 127.30 29.41 23.10 ARA-SS-278 28.58 5.03 3.24 0.23 32.23 32.23 2.84 1.10 15.36 0.56 10.50 3.09 2.20 0.71 0.57 40.82 3.87 116.28 21.64 18.61 ARA-SS-273 37.48 3.83 1.99 0.37 51.03 51.03 2.64 0.71 20.88 0.26 12.83 3.82 2.67 0.59 0.27 24.15 1.94 114.42 23.86 20.86 ARA-SS-279 27.76 2.02 1.06 0.29 57.75 57.75 1.64 0.37 15.60 0.16 9.21 2.83 1.86 0.33 0.16 12.22 1.14 76.94 16.35 21.25

Table 04: REE (TREO/MREO) assay results from chip rock samples on Caladao Target.

Sample ID CeO2 (ppm) Dy2O3 (ppm) Er2O3 (ppm) Eu2O3 (ppm) Ga2O3 (ppm) Ga2O3 (gpt) Gd2O3 (ppm) Ho2O3 (ppm) La2O3 (ppm) Lu2O3 (ppm) Nd2O5 (ppm) Pr2O3 (ppm) Sm2O3 (ppm) Tb2O3 (ppm) Tm2O3 (ppm) Y2O3 (ppm) Yb2O3 (ppm) TREO (ppm) MREO (ppm) MREO (%) ARA-CR-220 N/A 35.46 13.53 8.77 41.63 41.63 65.17 5.83 995.56 1.30 778.67 216.64 102.63 7.84 1.67 152.66 9.34 3,901.24 1,148.09 29.43 ARA-CR-217 2,543.66 4.98 2.66 1.73 83.27 83.27 7.66 0.94 142.14 0.44 127.95 31.07 15.54 1.07 0.41 22.87 2.73 3,027.30 181.59 6.00 ARA-CR-132 1,102.99 29.39 8.79 1.76 84.61 84.61 49.94 4.06 564.22 1.02 407.07 118.66 72.24 6.87 1.14 117.98 7.29 2,543.40 638.04 25.09 ARA-CR-216 N/A 24.43 9.88 10.12 38.95 38.95 43.47 4.18 749.99 0.90 528.72 153.69 69.34 5.19 1.23 118.31 6.60 2,310.70 786.24 34.03 ARA-CR-219 N/A 23.16 8.74 8.05 28.20 28.20 41.06 3.88 631.30 0.82 383.15 104.19 55.55 5.05 1.06 112.86 5.58 1,912.20 574.42 30.04 ARA-CR-212 481.63 21.70 10.70 2.93 126.24 126.24 27.04 3.93 213.21 1.54 202.13 58.23 41.40 4.01 1.66 136.94 10.59 1,232.29 329.36 26.73 ARA-CR-215 87.96 10.09 4.36 6.44 206.82 206.82 20.09 1.74 427.47 0.48 332.42 92.45 41.51 2.23 0.57 45.20 3.42 1,080.16 481.61 44.59 ARA-CR-211 592.08 3.98 1.60 2.19 71.18 71.18 7.48 0.68 149.88 0.16 87.71 31.91 14.50 0.87 0.21 17.31 1.25 940.23 139.99 14.89 ARA-CR-218 N/A 9.61 4.06 5.59 41.63 41.63 16.19 1.63 309.14 0.40 188.95 56.60 25.86 1.98 0.51 45.86 2.96 840.89 284.79 33.87 ARA-CR-222 721.27 2.13 1.40 0.41 87.30 87.30 2.22 0.46 46.68 0.27 - 5.90 3.48 0.37 0.23 12.47 1.82 832.51 12.19 1.46 ARA-CR-135 353.02 11.97 3.22 0.87 150.42 150.42 20.18 1.62 154.92 0.28 114.07 37.36 27.37 2.88 0.37 46.23 2.16 792.72 194.86 24.58 ARA-CR-221 N/A 11.03 5.07 3.75 38.95 38.95 14.00 2.03 212.86 0.43 128.88 37.92 19.25 2.06 0.65 49.87 3.30 637.80 200.36 31.41 ARA-CR-202 N/A 5.61 2.16 0.53 26.86 26.86 8.79 0.92 139.68 0.24 69.05 24.44 13.22 1.24 0.29 25.81 1.71 567.32 114.35 20.16 ARA-CR-213 115.02 5.41 2.07 3.05 69.84 69.84 10.17 0.90 194.45 0.20 129.58 38.35 17.86 1.19 0.27 26.00 1.48 551.27 193.60 35.12 ARA-CR-034A N/A 6.19 3.03 3.43 32.23 32.23 8.56 1.15 110.12 0.33 75.46 23.89 12.64 1.20 0.41 33.84 2.39 524.51 120.14 22.90 ARA-CR-214 107.64 3.70 1.42 2.48 67.15 67.15 7.00 0.62 126.19 0.14 89.93 26.27 12.18 0.83 0.19 16.52 1.02 401.13 133.73 33.34 ARA-CR-133 59.38 7.86 4.37 1.88 123.56 123.56 7.63 1.56 74.71 0.44 58.09 17.99 9.16 1.34 0.59 65.59 3.30 314.00 95.02 30.26 ARA-CR-203 77.66 7.38 3.91 1.02 115.50 115.50 6.20 1.40 37.18 0.47 38.26 10.81 7.89 1.21 0.58 44.46 3.76 242.53 65.90 27.17 ARA-CR-149 N/A 7.44 3.95 1.83 41.63 41.63 8.77 1.43 43.04 0.48 51.90 13.61 10.09 1.35 0.55 47.38 3.30 222.35 84.83 38.15 ARA-CR-112A 82.46 4.09 0.87 1.11 76.55 76.55 6.33 0.50 46.68 0.07 37.09 10.95 9.04 0.97 0.11 13.59 0.46 218.23 62.50 28.64 ARA-CR-112B 65.01 3.73 1.35 1.02 81.92 81.92 4.84 0.61 38.70 0.14 30.33 8.64 6.61 0.76 0.21 16.53 1.14 181.90 50.34 27.68 ARA-CR-150 N/A 5.10 2.30 0.66 30.89 30.89 4.65 1.02 36.24 0.32 26.94 7.84 5.45 0.77 0.40 28.73 2.28 178.86 46.36 25.92 ARA-CR-201 73.56 3.05 1.91 0.42 83.27 83.27 3.11 0.68 30.14 0.28 25.78 7.77 4.75 0.49 0.32 21.55 1.82 177.62 42.10 23.70 ARA-CR-148 74.96 0.67 0.14 0.27 51.03 51.03 1.28 0.09 49.26 N/A 17.15 6.83 2.55 0.16 N/A 2.45 0.11 159.75 27.58 17.26 ARA-CR-112C 39.12 3.93 1.80 1.22 64.46 64.46 4.53 0.73 26.39 0.17 21.69 6.18 5.45 0.73 0.24 24.64 1.25 138.90 38.18 27.49 ARA-CR-239 N/A 0.93 0.38 0.60 34.92 34.92 1.58 0.15 20.99 N/A 11.90 3.83 2.09 0.21 N/A 4.85 0.23 85.80 19.07 22.23 ARA-CR-134 14.17 3.05 1.81 0.73 150.42 150.42 2.59 0.62 12.31 0.19 13.88 3.94 2.78 0.47 0.24 24.57 1.48 82.18 24.26 29.52 ARA-CR-209 N/A 1.47 0.64 0.81 25.52 25.52 1.86 0.26 12.67 0.08 14.11 3.82 2.67 0.30 0.08 7.47 0.57 78.77 22.49 28.55

Table 05: Ga2O3 assay results from chip rock samples on Caladao Target.

Sample ID CeO2 (ppm) Dy2O3 (ppm) Er2O3 (ppm) Eu2O3 (ppm) Ga2O3 (ppm) Ga2O3 (gpt) Gd2O3 (ppm) Ho2O3 (ppm) La2O3 (ppm) Lu2O3 (ppm) Nd2O5 (ppm) Pr2O3 (ppm) Sm2O3 (ppm) Tb2O3 (ppm) Tm2O3 (ppm) Y2O3 (ppm) Yb2O3 (ppm) TREO (ppm) MREO (ppm) MREO (%) ARA-CR-114C 5.86 1.02 0.44 0.30 221.79 221.79 0.85 0.14 4.93 N/A 4.90 1.39 0.81 0.14 0.06 6.77 0.34 N/A N/A N/A ARA-CR-116C 19.44 0.99 0.50 0.40 212.38 212.38 1.34 0.15 27.79 0.07 18.31 5.48 1.86 0.16 N/A 4.24 0.46 N/A N/A N/A ARA-CR-215 87.96 10.09 4.36 6.44 206.82 206.82 20.09 1.74 427.47 0.48 332.42 92.45 41.51 2.23 0.57 45.20 3.42 1,080.16 481.61 44.59 ARA-CR-147 4.92 0.11 N/A N/A 162.50 162.50 0.14 N/A 2.81 N/A 1.28 0.46 0.35 N/A N/A 0.62 - 11.29 2.83 25.06 ARA-CR-131 12.77 1.33 0.83 0.25 155.79 155.79 1.03 0.26 8.21 0.10 5.37 1.69 1.28 0.21 0.13 7.71 0.91 41.83 9.92 23.72 ARA-CR-122 27.52 2.12 0.98 0.48 151.89 151.89 2.14 0.32 12.31 0.09 12.68 3.23 2.67 0.32 0.10 9.37 0.68 N/A N/A N/A ARA-CR-135 353.02 11.97 3.22 0.87 150.42 150.42 20.18 1.62 154.92 0.28 114.07 37.36 27.37 2.88 0.37 46.23 2.16 792.72 194.86 24.58 ARA-CR-134 14.17 3.05 1.81 0.73 150.42 150.42 2.59 0.62 12.31 0.19 13.88 3.94 2.78 0.47 0.24 24.57 1.48 82.18 24.26 29.52 ARA-CR-205 16.40 0.40 0.18 0.14 141.02 141.02 0.55 0.06 8.21 N/A 5.13 1.63 0.93 0.09 N/A 2.18 0.11 36.86 8.23 22.33 ARA-CR-212 481.63 21.70 10.70 2.93 126.24 126.24 27.04 3.93 213.21 1.54 202.13 58.23 41.40 4.01 1.66 136.94 10.59 1,232.29 329.36 26.73 ARA-CR-136 8.08 0.68 0.32 0.15 126.24 126.24 0.51 0.10 3.75 N/A 3.15 0.95 0.70 0.09 N/A 3.52 0.34 22.53 5.59 24.83 ARA-CR-133 59.38 7.86 4.37 1.88 123.56 123.56 7.63 1.56 74.71 0.44 58.09 17.99 9.16 1.34 0.59 65.59 3.30 314.00 95.02 30.26 ARA-CR-203 77.66 7.38 3.91 1.02 115.50 115.50 6.20 1.40 37.18 0.47 38.26 10.81 7.89 1.21 0.58 44.46 3.76 242.53 65.90 27.17 ARA-CR-222 721.27 2.13 1.40 0.41 87.30 87.30 2.22 0.46 46.68 0.27 - 5.90 3.48 0.37 0.23 12.47 1.82 832.51 12.19 1.46

Samples were analyzed by SGS Geosol (Vespasiano, metropolitan Belo Horizonte), an internationally certified laboratory for resource and reserve reporting. Methods were selected according to sample type and expected element/oxide ranges. Stream-sediment samples were prepared using PRS80J-PA (Soil & Sediment; 80# sieving). Rock and core samples (fresh or weathered) were prepared using PRP70J_A2-PA (crush 75% <3 mm; pulverize 250 g to 95% <150#; Jones split). Chemical analyses employed ICM90A (sodium-peroxide fusion with ICP-OES/ICP-MS finish). QA/QC measures included a blank at the start of preparation, duplicates every 15 samples, and one certified reference standard per analytical batch.

Qualified Person:

The scientific and technical information disclosed in this document has been approved by Jonathan Victor Hill, BSc Hons, FAusIMM, the Company's Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Spark Energy Minerals Inc.

Spark Energy Minerals Inc. is a Canadian company advancing the exploration and development of critical minerals essential to the clean-energy transition. The Company's primary focus is Brazil, where it controls a significant land position within the country's emerging Lithium Valley - a region recognized for its lithium, gallium, and rare-earth potential. Spark's flagship Arapaima Project spans approximately 91,900 hectares and hosts multiple targets for lithium and gallium-REE mineralization. Through systematic exploration, Spark aims to help strengthen the secure and sustainable supply of minerals that power electrification, renewable energy, and modern technologies. The Company is committed to responsible exploration practices and supporting Brazil's development of a transparent, sustainable critical-minerals supply chain.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE COMPANY'S WEBSITE AT

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer

Certain statements contained in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward-looking information") as those terms are used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could," "intend," "expect," "believe," "will," "projected," "estimated", "anticipates" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the business of the Company, the Property, financing, and certain corporate changes. In addition, it should be noted that rock, soil, and stream sediment samples are inherently selective samples and may not represent the true underlying mineralization. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270791

SOURCE: Spark Energy Minerals Inc.
FUZHOU, China, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On 16 October, the World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025, hosted by the People's Government of Fujian Province, officially opened in Fuzhou, the capital city of Fujian Province.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

With the annual theme "Setting Sail for Greener Development", the conference features major activities including the Opening Ceremony, the Fujian Marine Economy Industry Cooperation and Innovative Development Conference, the Review and Outlook on Fujian's Efforts to Accelerate the Building of National Marine Economy Demonstration Zones, the Maritime Equipment Conference Forum (Main Forum), and the Maritime Innovation "Five-Chain Integration" Promotion Event, along with 13 sub-forums. The agenda focuses on fields such as natural sciences, marine economy, industrial innovation, and the application of scientific and technological achievements. The conference will run until 19 October.

Held concurrently, the 3rd China Maritime Equipment Expo 2025 has set up 12 specialized exhibition zones. Enterprises from 25 countries and regions are participating, with the Netherlands serving as the Guest of Honor.

For the first time, the conference has introduced the Maritime Innovation "Five-Chain Integration" Promotion Event, inviting participation from more upstream and downstream enterprises, research institutions, and professional service organizations across the global industrial chain. In parallel, an "Industry-Research Integration" event has been organized to facilitate the application of scientific and technological achievements, fostering a collaborative and mutually beneficial ecosystem within the marine equipment industry.

Concurrent events will also include the 3rd China Maritime Equipment Expo 2025, the 2025 International Maritime Organization Seminar on Sustainable Maritime Innovation, the 2025 Fuzhou International Sailing Regatta, and the Marine Industry Integrated Innovation Competition.

Since its inaugural session in 2023, the World Maritime Equipment Conference has achieved investment and trade agreements exceeding 300 billion yuan, effectively driving the dual empowerment of industrial and ecological chains.

Source: Organizing Committee of the World Maritime Equipment Conference

Contact person: Mr. Lin, Tel: 86-10-63074558
VIENNA, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Smartee Denti-Technology, a global leader in digital orthodontic solutions and clear aligner therapy, showcased its latest clinical and technological advancements at the Austrian Society for Aligner Orthodontics (ASAO) Congress 2025, held in Vienna on October 10-11.

As part of its ongoing expansion across Europe, Smartee presented its GS Mandibular Repositioning Technology, highlighting its innovative approach to malocclusion correction through functional mandibular repositioning and adaptive condylar remodeling, which minimizes the need for surgery or extractions. The company's participation underscored its strategic focus on strengthening its presence in Austria and Central Europe, where patient demand for aesthetic orthodontic solutions continues to grow.

Clinical Recognition: GS Technology in Austrian Practice

One of the highlights of the congress was a keynote lecture by Dr. Thomas Felkai, a respected orthodontist and one of Austria's early adopters of Smartee GS mandibular Repositioning Technology. Drawing from his clinical experience, Dr. Felkai shared how this innovative protocol provides a new approach to malocclusion treatment by advancing mandible at the first phase of treatment and establishing occlusal contact more efficiently at the second phase of treatment, enabling clinicians to manage Class II malocclusion with greater predictability.

"I was seeking new solutions for well-known challenges. With Smartee GS, I found systems that are unique, effective, and supported by a responsive and competent team," said Dr. Felkai. "Especially for children and teens, Smartee's S8 and S11 solutions set the brand apart. With continued investment in education, Smartee can play a major role in advancing orthodontics in Austria."

Dr. Felkai also noted that Austria's orthodontic market is experiencing steady growth in clear aligner adoption-driven by rising patient demand for both aesthetic and comfort-creating opportunities for innovative invisible orthodontic solutions.

Strengthening Europe's Digital Orthodontic Ecosystem

Building on its strong European presence, particularly in Spain, France and Italy, Smartee sees Austria as a strategic gateway to Central Europe. The company plans to expand local training programs and academic collaborations, empowering clinicians to integrate GS Technology into their clinical practice.

"Our vision is to empower more orthodontists worldwide to deepen their understanding of this transformative technology and apply it effectively in clinical practice-so that more patients can benefit from its non-surgical and evidence-based outcomes," said Garie Chou, Head of Smartee International Business. "Austria marks another step forward in Smartee's European journey."

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/smartee-expands-european-footprint-with-invisible-mandibular-repositioning-technology-at-asao-vienna-2025-302587391.html
AM Best will speak and exhibit at the European Captive Forum, which will be held 5-6 November 2025 in Luxembourg.

Mathilde Jakobsen, senior director, analytics, AM Best, will be speaking in a panel session, titled, "Cash Pooling Pros and Cons: Intra-Group Lending Across Borders," on Wednesday, 5 November. Jakobsen joined AM Best in 2008 and manages a team of financial analysts responsible for rating European insurers and reinsurers out of the rating agency's Amsterdam office.

Riccardo Ciccozzi, director, market development Europe, along with Roisin Gallagher, associate director, market development, also will be attending the forum and will be available to conduct bilateral meetings and answer questions about Best's Credit Ratings and the credit rating process, Captive Insurance Information as well as other insurance sector reports, data and analytic resources that AM Best offers to insurance professionals. AM Best will exhibit at booth No. 604. To schedule a meeting with AM Best at the European Captive Forum, please contact Roisin Gallagher at roisin.gallagher@ambest.com or Riccardo Ciccozzi at riccardo.ciccozzi@ambest.com.

The European Captive Forum, which will be held at European Convention Centre, is the biggest event dedicated to captive insurance in Europe. For more information about the forum, click here.

AM Best remains the leading rating agency of alternative risk transfer entities, with more than 200 such vehicles rated throughout the world. Learn more about Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best's rating approach to captive insurance companies at http://www.ambest.com/ratings.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com

Copyright 2025 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251017011477/en/

Contacts:

Charlotte Shoesmith

Executive Assistant Senior Events Coordinator

+44 20 7397 0273

charlotte.shoesmith@ambest.com
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging former National Security Advisor John Bolton with serious crimes related to the mishandling of classified information. The indictment charges Bolton, who was the NSA under the first Trump administration, with eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of its unlawful retention. The indictment alleges that Bolton illegally transmitted NDI by using personal email and messaging application accounts to send sensitive documents classified as high as Top Secret. These documents revealed intelligence about future attacks, foreign adversaries, and foreign-policy relations. The indictment also alleges that Bolton illegally retained NDI documents within his home. These documents included intelligence on anti-U.S. leaders as well as information revealing sources and collections used to obtain statements on a foreign adversary. If convicted, Bolton faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of unlawful retention of NDI and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of transmission of NDI. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence, U.S. Department of Justice said in a press release. The FBI Baltimore Field Office launched a criminal investigation against Bolton in 2022 after his emails were hacked by Iran. Bolton, 76, is the third high-profile former official and Trump's political adversary to be indicted within a month. 'The FBI's investigation revealed that John Bolton allegedly transmitted top secret information using personal online accounts and retained said documents in his house in direct violation of federal law,' said FBI Director Kash Patel. 'There is one tier of justice for all Americans,' said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. 'Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.' Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Shareholders approve capital reduction to offset accumulated losses and cancel treasury shares during the General Assembly held on 16 October 2025

Following completion, and subject to final regulatory approvals, Salama will issue, through a special purpose vehicle, up to AED 175 million in Mandatory Convertible Sukuk (MCS) to a select group of strategic investors with confirmed participation interest

The recapitalisation will reinforce Salama's solvency, regulatory capital position and balance sheet strength in line with requirements of the Central Bank of the UAE

Strategic investors' participation reflects strong market confidence in Salama's fundamentals, governance and long-term stability

Dubai, UAE, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Islamic Arab Insurance Company (Salama) (DFM: SALAMA), one of the UAE's leading Takaful providers, has announced that the Company's shareholders have approved a capital reduction and subsequent capital increase as part of a comprehensive plan to restore solvency and reinforce its financial position in line with regulatory requirements of the Central Bank of the UAE.

At the General Assembly held on 16 October 2025, shareholders approved a capital reduction to offset accumulated losses and cancel treasury shares. Following completion and final approval by the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), Salama will proceed, through a special purpose vehicle, with the issuance of up to AED 175 million in Mandatory Convertible Sukuk (MCS) to a select group of strategic investors. The Sukuk will be mandatorily converted / exchanged into new shares under the approved terms.

This capital restructuring marks a critical milestone in Salama's ongoing efforts to reinforce solvency, ensure full regulatory compliance and provide a stable foundation for future operations.

Mohamed Ali Bouabane, Group Chief Executive Officer of Salama, commented:

"The approval of our capital restructuring plan marks an important step toward strengthening Salama's balance sheet and meeting all regulatory capital requirements. The continued support of our shareholders and strategic investors reflects strong confidence in the company's fundamentals and long-term stability.

"Looking ahead, our focus will remain on generating tangible value for shareholders by maintaining strong underwriting discipline, optimising our expense base, strategically deploying capital and delivering superior claims service ensuring Salama remains a simpler, leaner and more resilient organisation."

The new capital will strengthen Salama's solvency position and ensure compliance with capital requirements of the Central Bank of the UAE, while supporting its well-diversified portfolio across product lines and geographies providing stability and multiple avenues for sustainable growth.

Salama reported steady financial improvement in the first half of 2025, with total equity rising to AED 351.84 million, a 5.2% increase compared to the previous year. The Company also achieved a net profit of AED 8.25 million and Takaful revenue of AED 515.36 million as of 30 June 2025, demonstrating disciplined operations and improved financial performance.

S&P Global Ratings recently affirmed Salama's long-term issuer credit and insurer financial strength rating at 'BBB-' with a Developing outlook, highlighting the Company's improving fundamentals and progress toward a stronger capital position.

Notes to Editor

About Salama Islamic Arab Insurance Company

Salama Islamic Arab Insurance Company (Salama) is one of the world's largest and longest-established Shariah-compliant Takaful solutions providers listed on the Dubai Financial Market, with paid-up capital of AED 939 million.

Since its incorporation in 1979, Salama has been a pioneer in the Takaful industry, having won many industry awards and accolades. Salama's stability and success can be attributed to its customer-centric approach that keeps its customers and partners at the heart of the business, while staying committed to its Takaful principles. The company is recognised for providing the most competitive and diverse range of family, motor, general and health Takaful solutions that meet the ever-changing demand of its individual and corporate customers in the UAE and, through its extensive network of subsidiaries and associates, in Egypt and Algeria.

As the preferred Takaful provider for its partners and customers, Salama remains committed to shaping tomorrows, together.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/salama-shareholders-approve-landmark-capital-restructuring-to-strengthen-solvency-and-regulatory-capital-position-302587383.html
MANILA, Philippines, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Startek, a digital-first global customer experience (CX) solutions provider, has been honored with two prestigious awards at The Philippines Leadership Awards 2025 by the World HRD Congress. The company received recognition as an Organisation with Innovative CSR Practices and as one of the Happy Employer Brands 2025, reaffirming its commitment to social responsibility, employee well-being and ethical business practices.

The Organisation with Innovative CSR Practices award acknowledges Startek Philippines for effectively mobilizing resources to create sustainable impact within local communities, integrating ethical values into its operations, maintaining transparency and good governance, and protecting the environment through community-focused initiatives.

The Happy Employer Brands 2025 award highlights the organization's consistent track record in nurturing talent, fostering high morale and building a culture where people are valued before profits. This recognition underscores the Startek philosophy of putting people at the center of its growth while driving excellence and inclusivity across all levels.

"At Startek, we believe that creating long-term value begins with empowering our people and positively impacting the communities where we operate," said SM Gupta, Global Chief People Officer, Startek. "These awards reinforce our purpose-driven approach to business - one where social responsibility and employee happiness go hand in hand with operational excellence."

The Philippines Leadership Awards by World HRD Congress celebrate outstanding organizations and leaders who demonstrate excellence in human resources, corporate governance, and social innovation.

About The Philippines Leadership Awards:

Organized by the World HRD Congress, The Philippines Leadership Awards celebrate organizations and individuals that exemplify excellence in HR and business leadership. The awards recognize the transformative role of human capital in driving organizational success and highlight practices that foster innovation, diversity, wellness and strategic alignment. The winners are selected following a rigorous evaluation process by a jury comprising respected professionals across industries.

About Startek:

Startek is a global leader in customer experience management, delivering comprehensive digital transformation and CX solutions. With over 35 years of expertise, Startek empowers businesses across diverse industries to create memorable, personalized customer interactions. Operating in 13 countries with a team of 38,000 plus associates, Startek is committed to connecting brands with their customers through innovation, empathy, and operational excellence.

To learn more, visit www.startek.com and follow us on LinkedIn @Startek.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2222919/4299556/Startek_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/startek-philippines-recognized-with-dual-honors-at-the-philippines-leadership-awards-2025-302587438.html
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Around 42,000 workers have been repaid by their employers, including well-known high street brands, with employers receiving fines totaling 10.2 million pounds for breaking the rules, the UK Department for Business and Trade said Friday. 'Every worker deserves a fair day's pay for a fair day's work, and this government will not tolerate rogue employers who short-change their staff,' Business Secretary Peter Kyle said. 'I know that no employer wants to end up on one of these lists. But our Plan to Make Work Pay cracks down on those not playing by the rules. This ensures a level playing field where all businesses pay what they owe whilst workers receive the boost to their living standards they deserve.' This action comes as the Government introduces the biggest upgrade to workers' rights and enforcement for a generation through its Plan to Make Work Pay, which is set to directly benefit around 15 million, or half of all British workers. As well as ensuring hard work is properly rewarded with fair treatment and decent pay, from April 2026 the Employment Rights Bill will also establish a new Fair Work Agency with more powers to tackle employers underpaying workers and failing to pay holiday and sick pay. Friday's announcement follows significant increases to National Minimum Wage rates earlier this year. From April, millions got a pay rise with those on the National Living Wage who work full-time seeing their families supported by an extra 1,400 pounds per year, according to the Department for Business and Trade. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
JAKARTA, Oct 17, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - PT TransNusa Aviation Mandiri (TransNusa) is strengthening its base in Bali by introducing a new international route from the renowned tourism destination to Changi, Singapore.TransNusa started selling the flight tickets for the scheduled flight from Bali to Singapore today, October 17. Tickets are priced from as low as SDG109, MYR285, USD65 and IDR999.000. The TransNusa flight tickets can be purchased at transnusa.co.id or any secure online travel agent.TransNusa Group Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Bernard Francis said that TransNusa has introduced this new international route in order to provide passengers with additional travel choices."In addition, the Bali - Singapore international route is significant to TransNusa as Singaporeans are one of ASEAN's top tourists for Bali. Hence, the demand for this route is equally significant," said Datuk Bernard, adding that TransNusa is will be launching the maiden flight from Bali to Singapore on November 17, this year.On the details of the scheduled flights, Datuk Bernard explained that at the initial stage, TransNusa will operate three scheduled flights a week and will be increased gradually."From November 17 to November 29, TransNusa will have three scheduled daily flight weekly. The scheduled flight will be operated Mondays, Fridays and Sundays. On November 30, we will have daily scheduled flights from Bali to Singapore," said Datuk Bernard, explaining that the introduction of this new route is part of TransNusa's international expansion plan for 2025.TransNusa's scheduled flight, 8B 551 (DPS-SIN), will depart Bali at 07.30am from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport and arrive at the Singapore Changi Airport at 09.55am. The flight, 8B 552 (SIN-DPS), will depart Singapore Changi Airport at 10.55am and arrive at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali on 13.30pm. TransNusa will be utilising its Airbus A320 that has a seat capacity of 174 for this international route that has a 2 hours and 30 minutes flight duration.For its international flights, TransNusa not only provide premium services with competitive ticket prices, but the airline also has attractive product bundles called SEAT, SEAT-PLUS and FLEXI-PRO."Our passengers will enjoy check-in baggage 20kgs," Datuk Bernard said, explaining that the baggage offering was over and above the 7kgs limit offered as a passenger's hand carry."For the highest package, FLEXI-PRO, we provide services such as free baggage up to 30kgs, free to choose seats, free food, and drinks, priority at check-in and boarding counters. In addition, TransNusa also provides its FLEXI-PRO passengers with the flexibility to change their flight schedule without restrictions and obtain refund when needed," added Datuk Bernard.TransNusa, which aims to ensure its passengers travel with ease and comfort, has also configured their A320s with a 174-seat configuration, which allows for passengers to enjoy about 30 inches of legroom, comparable to the experience passengers would get in a full-service airline."We are committed to providing affordable and competitive ticket prices, while still providing premium services to our customers," stressed Datuk Bernard.TransNusa, A Short HistoryThe 3-year old TransNusa, led by aviation expert and veteran, Datuk Bernard, made waves in the aviation industry with its unique domestic and international business development and growth strategy.Within just 6 months of operations, in 2023, the airline, known then as a new player with new rules, launched its first international route between Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, followed by the launch of scheduled flights between Jakarta and Singapore.TransNusa, which established itself as a Premium Service Carrier, made headlines in Malaysia, Singapore, China and around the world with news of being the first airline in Indonesia to introduce new exciting routes. In 2023, during its first year of operations, TransNusa became the second Indonesian airline to receive approval to fly to China. In 2024, TransNusa became the first in the world to develop and introduce a new domestic route connecting Bali and Manado. In October 2025, TransNusa added yet another milestones by becoming the first Indonesian airline and second airline in the world to launch scheduled flights from Manado to Guangzhou, China.TICKET BOOKINGSPassengers can book TransNusa flights tickets directly at www.transnusa.co.id, through any secure online travel agent, through authorized travel agents in Singapore and Indonesia, or by contacting the airline's customer service centre at, +62216310888. For the Singapore market, passengers can contact TransNusa's General Sales Agent, Chariot Travels Pte Ltd, at +65 86602719.Media Contact:Trina Thomas RajMobile: +6012 4992672E-mail: trina@myqaseh.orgSource: TransNusaCopyright 2025 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Dallas, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - ExcelMindCyber Institute has announced the launch of a transformative program designed to change how people enter the cybersecurity field. The new initiative removes long-standing barriers, offering a path into high-paying Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) roles without requiring prior IT experience, degrees, or certifications.

ExcelMindCyber Institute Launches Fast-Track Cybersecurity Career Program

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For years, professionals seeking to break into cybersecurity were told to spend years studying, pay thousands of dollars for certifications, or hold technical backgrounds. ExcelMindCyber Institute is proving otherwise. Through a structured 90-day training model, the program helps professionals from industries such as finance, healthcare, retail, and administration pivot into cybersecurity careers. Graduates are already securing multiple remote six-figure roles, demonstrating that a technical background is no longer a prerequisite for entry.

Why GRC is Reshaping Cybersecurity Careers

The focus on Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) is central to the Institute's program. Unlike more technical branches of cybersecurity, GRC emphasizes policy, risk management, and compliance with security frameworks, skills that are in growing demand across all industries.

Organizations around the world face mounting regulatory requirements and increasingly complex security environments. This has fueled an urgent need for professionals who can bridge the gap between compliance and business operations. GRC specialists are at the forefront of this shift, and they consistently command six-figure salaries.

By tailoring its program exclusively toward this sector, ExcelMindCyber Institute provides students with a direct path to the industry's most lucrative roles.

A 90-Day Pathway from Beginner to Professional

The Institute's approach prioritizes speed, practical application, and mentorship. Rather than stretching over years, the program is structured to make students job-ready in 90 days.

Participants receive hands-on training in the fundamentals of cybersecurity frameworks, compliance regulations, and risk management. Beyond technical knowledge, the program integrates career-focused guidance, including resume building, interview preparation, and tailored job search strategies.

ExcelMindCyber Institute's mission is to make high-paying cybersecurity careers accessible to everyone, regardless of their starting point. The program demonstrates that with the right support, professionals from any background can transition into cybersecurity roles that were once thought to be out of reach.

Career Transformations That Tell the Story

Behind the program's success are the real journeys of its students. Professionals from backgrounds in nursing, retail management, and administrative support have completed the program and quickly secured remote roles as GRC analysts and compliance specialists.

Many graduates report earning multiple six-figure incomes through opportunities that previously seemed unattainable. These stories highlight not only the accessibility of the program but also its ability to deliver measurable career outcomes.

The Institute's diverse faculty of cybersecurity experts plays a key role in these transformations. By combining academic knowledge with real-world insights, they provide students with the confidence and skillset to succeed in a competitive field.

Meeting an Urgent Industry Need

The cybersecurity workforce shortage is well documented, with recent industry studies projecting millions of unfilled roles worldwide in the coming years. GRC positions, in particular, are seeing rapid growth as organizations increase investment in compliance and regulatory alignment.

ExcelMindCyber Institute is responding directly to this market gap, equipping non-IT professionals to step into roles that organizations urgently need to fill. For employers, the program represents a new source of skilled professionals who can bring fresh perspectives into cybersecurity teams.

A Program Designed for Accessibility

Accessibility remains a defining feature of the Institute's work. Traditional barriers, expensive certifications, technical prerequisites, or lengthy academic commitments, are deliberately removed. The program's design ensures that participants without IT backgrounds can understand, practice, and apply GRC concepts effectively.

This inclusive approach aligns with a broader vision of diversifying the cybersecurity workforce. By welcoming talent from non-traditional paths, ExcelMindCyber Institute is expanding the pool of professionals who can contribute to the industry's growth.

About ExcelMindCyber Institute

ExcelMindCyber Institute is an education provider committed to making cybersecurity careers accessible to individuals from all professional backgrounds. Specializing in Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC), the Institute offers a 90-day training program that equips students with the skills, mentorship, and career guidance needed to secure high-paying cybersecurity roles. By removing traditional barriers to entry, ExcelMindCyber is redefining how professionals begin their journey in cybersecurity.

Website: https://www.excelmindcyber.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269772

SOURCE: Plentisoft
PARIS, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Themed "Thrive with Net5.5G for All Intelligence," the Net5.5G Intelligent IP Network Summit was held during UBBF 2025 in Paris on October 14. Huawei introduced its fully upgraded AI WAN Solution featuring an AI-Centric architecture. By redefining experience awareness, computing-network limits, security resilience, and the O&M model, the solution drives new growth for carriers.

Leon Wang, President of Huawei's Data Communication Product Line, delivered a speech entitled "AI-Centric Xinghe Intelligent Network: Boosting New Growth for Carriers." He stated that Huawei's AI WAN Solution has undergone a comprehensive AI-Centric upgrade. Through a three-layer architecture-comprising AI-Centric devices, AI-Centric connections, and an AI-Centric brain-the solution redefines IP bearer networks in the Net5.5G era, accelerating carriers' transition toward the Net5.5G R2 AI UBB phase.

To address stagnant home broadband growth and severe package homogenization, Huawei's AI WAN Solution incorporates Xingluo identification and profiling engines, enabling application-level monetization. It helps carriers design differentiated service packages and uses multi-dimensional profiling to raise potential customer identification accuracy to above 90%.

To meet surging enterprise demand for AI computing, Huawei's AI WAN Solution helped China Telecom Shanghai launch intelligent computing private lines, resolving performance bottlenecks in traditional networks. Its Xingluo lossless algorithm ensures precise flow-level congestion control and, with the vector conversion engine, safeguards data. Supporting edge-cloud collaborative training, the solution is projected to raise carriers' ARPU tenfold and deliver ROI within just two years.

To counter increasingly complex network attacks, Huawei's AI WAN Solution strengthens security resilience across device, network, and configuration layers. It supports session-level fault isolation and quantum-resistant encryption. Online configuration simulation verifies tens of thousands of devices within 10 minutes, eliminating human error. This multi-dimensional security framework protects customer services with reinforced resilience.

As networks continue to scale, traditional O&M models face immense pressure. Huawei's NetMaster system provides 24/7 network protection, enabling a shift from passive response to proactive O&M. In fault handling, China Mobile Guangdong cut diagnosis time from 45 to 5 minutes using a 300,000-case knowledge base. For risk identification, MasOrange Spain deployed an L4 IP autonomous driving network powered by Huawei's AI WAN Solution, reducing mean time to repair while lowering costs and improving efficiency.

The summit concluded with the Net5.5G Pioneer Award Ceremony, honoring winners from over 10 global carriers and accelerating global commercial rollout of Net5.5G.

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Oil prices fell over 1 percent on Friday and were on course for a third weekly decline due to mounting concerns over a significant supply glut in the oil market and ongoing U.S.-China tensions. Benchmark Brent crude futures were down 1.4 percent at $60.19 a barrel in European trade, while WTI crude futures fell 1.3 percent to $56.69. Investors were focused on oversupply and the fallout from renewed U.S.-China trade tensions. Data from the Energy Information Administration showed U.S. crude oil inventories increased for a third straight week, rising by 3.524 million barrels for the week ending October 10 as production increased. Economists had expected crude oil inventories to inch up by 0.1 million barrels. Meanwhile, the latest flare-up in trade tensions between the world's two largest economies doesn't seem to be anywhere close to abating, dampening the global demand outlook. A sudden surge in scrutiny of U.S. regional banks is also causing jitters in markets. On the geopolitical front, U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have agreed to meet again to discuss Ukraine. The proposed summit will be held in the next two weeks in Budapest. The announcement came as Trump appeared noncommittal on providing long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine after his conversation with Vladimir Putin. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The European Commission has released funding for Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia as part of the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. This decision acknowledges the significant reforms partners have made to better align with EU standards, the Commission said.



Albania will receive its first disbursement of 99.3 million euro, out of which 46.2 million euro will be paid directly to the state budget, and the remaining funds will support infrastructure projects through the Western Balkans Investment Framework, or WBIF.



Montenegro is to receive its second disbursement of 8.1 million euro, including 3.8 million euro paid directly to the state budget and the rest earmarked for infrastructure projects via the WBIF.



North Macedonia will receive its second disbursement amounting to 16 million euro, with 7.4 million euro paid directly to the state budget and the rest funding infrastructure projects through the WBIF.



Once approved by the WBIF Board, these funds will support infrastructure projects in areas such as sustainable transport, clean energy, digital and human capital development, in close cooperation with Western Balkan partners and international financial institutions.



Since the start of the Western Balkans Growth Plan, the total amounts disbursed add up to 99.3 million euro for Albania, 18.3 million euro for Montenegro, and 25 million euro for North Macedonia. The Growth Plan incentivises enlargement partners' preparations for EU membership, by bringing forward benefits ahead of full integration into the EU. This in turn accelerates the speed of the enlargement process and the growth of their economies, the European Commission said in a press release.



Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



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 2025 AFX News
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands across Canada, is pleased to announce that, further to its June 18th, 2025 news release announcing the signing of a franchise agreement and real estate location for iQ Food Co. in Toronto, the Company will now celebrate the grand opening of this newest iQ Food Co. location this Saturday, October 19th, in Toronto's vibrant Avenue & Lawrence neighbourhood at 1542 Avenue Road. iQ Food Co. ("iQ") is a Toronto-based quick-service restaurant (QSR) concept renowned for its vibrant menu of nourishing, clean-eating dishes-including healthy bowls, smoothies, sandwiches, soups, and salads-crafted to satisfy a wide range of tastes and lifestyles.

Happy Belly 1

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This milestone marks the third brand within our portfolio to become operational in this high-potential neighborhood and is owned and operated by a seasoned multi-unit franchisee who currently owns and operates several Heal Wellness restaurants across Toronto.



"Opening our newest iQ Food Co. location at Avenue & Lawrence underscores our momentum in bringing premium, health-forward dining experiences to communities across Canada," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly Food Group. "This neighbourhood aligns perfectly with iQ's brand - an urban, wellness-oriented community that values quality, clean ingredients, and a modern approach to convenient dining. We are proud to continue executing on our growth plan and expanding our footprint in one of Toronto's most dynamic corridors."

Happy Belly 2

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"This will mark the brands seventh (7th) open location, reflecting our commitment to growing iQ through disciplined, organic expansion, with a clear focus on key urban markets across Canada. iQ has firmly established itself as a leader in the premium healthy eating category, strategically located in high-density urban and business districts. With a strong and growing base of health-conscious customers-ranging from downtown professionals to local residents-the brand is also scaling its catering services to extend its reach. This strategy continues to drive brand awareness, customer loyalty, and sustained word-of-mouth growth."

Happy Belly 3

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Since its acquisition in late 2024, iQ Food Co. has expanded rapidly through new franchising and area development agreements across Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Atlantic Canada - with more than 75 new franchised locations currently under development. Each restaurant features iQ's signature menu of nourishing, chef-inspired bowls, smoothies, sandwiches, soups, and salads, crafted to serve the needs of health-conscious consumers and families seeking delicious, wholesome meals.

Happy Belly Food Group now has 626 contractually committed retail franchise locations across its portfolio of emerging brands-including Heal Wellness, Rosie's Burgers, Yolks Breakfast, Via Cibo Italian Street Food, and others-in various stages of development, construction, and operation nationwide.

"We are just getting started," added Sean Black.



About iQ Food Co.

iQ is a flagship brand in Canada's premium healthy eating market and is strategically located in urban and central business districts. iQ serves a variety of delicious and wholesome food options such as healthy bowls, smoothies, sandwiches, soups, and salads, along with other flavorful clean-eating dishes that the whole family can enjoy. iQ caters to thousands of health-conscious customers from local businesses, while expanding into catering services to service an even greater audience in downtown densely populated areas. This strategy has fostered strong brand recognition and a loyal customer base driven by word-of-mouth and, most importantly, satisfied customers.

Franchising

For franchising inquiries please see www.happybellyfg.com/franchise-with-us/ or contact us at hello@happybellyfg.com.

About Happy Belly Food Group

Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company") is a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands across Canada.

Happy Belly 4

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Sean Black

Chief Executive Officer

Shawn Moniz

Chief Operating Officer

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur and include the future performance of Happy Belly and her subsidiaries. Forward-Looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Happy Belly described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedarplus.ca.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270827

SOURCE: Happy Belly Food Group Inc.


LONDON (dpa-AFX) - The powerful UK-led Carrier Strike Group, or CSG25, has conducted military drills with the Indian Armed Forces, completing a successful visit to India as part of its ongoing eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region, known as Operation Highmast.



During the visit, aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales and accompanying vessels joined with the Indian Navy's Carrier Strike Group, led by the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. This joint activity, known as Exercise Konkan, was conducted in the western Indian Ocean, and enhanced the warfighting capabilities of both nations, through developing deeper understanding between the two militaries, the UK Ministry of Defense said.



HMS Prince of Wales and the UK Carrier Strike Group conducted combined air exercises with the Indian Air Force, further demonstrating the growing strategic alignment between both nations in the region, and helping keep Britian secure at home and strong abroad.



CSG25 will depart the Indo-Pacific region for the Mediterranean Sea for the final phase of the deployment prior to returning to UK waters by the end of the year.



The UK Government has commited to increase defence spending to 2.6 percent of GDP from 2027.



UK DefenSe Minister Lord Vernon Coaker said, 'It has been incredible to see the strength and reach of the UK Armed Forces as the Carrier Strike Group continued its deployment in South Asia this week.??Alongside our leadership on global security, we have showcased leading-edge defence innovation which strengthens our trading relationship with India and secures British jobs'.??



The CSG visit and joint exercises further strengthen a growing military partnership between the two countries, following a recent 350 million pound deal, which is set to deliver UK-manufactured Lightweight Multirole Missiles to the Indian Army.



As per the contract, air defence missiles and launchers will be manufactured in Northern Ireland for the Indian Army. These strategic weapons are currently being manufactured in Belfast for Ukraine.



Following Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to Mumbai last week, a broader complex weapons partnership between the UK and India is being negotiated between the two governments.



Last week, the UK and India signed the Implementing Arrangement to advance collaboration on electric-powered engines for naval ships to the next stage, worth 250 million pounds.



Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

 2025 AFX News
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Germany's DAX is down sharply on Friday with stocks tumbling amid concerns about the health of U.S. banking sector after Zions Bancorp and Western Alliance Bancorp disclosed on Thursday that they were exposed to alleged fraud by borrowers. Concerns about U.S.-China trade tensions, and the ongoing war in Ukraine are also weighing on sentiment. The DAX, which plunged to 22,682,63 earlier, was down 497.74 points or 2.05% at 23,775.19 a little while ago. Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank are down 6.5% and 3.4%, respectively, hurt by concerns about the health of U.S. banking sector. Zions Bancorporation, a Utah-based lender, said it would write off $50m on two loans, while Phoenix-headquartered Western Alliance said it had started legal proceedings over a bad loan said to be worth $100m. Rheinmetall is down 5.7%, Siemens Energy is declining 3.8%, MTU Aero Engines is down 3.2% and Daimler Truck Holding is lower by nearly 3%. Allianz, Siemens, Infineon Technologies, Zalando, Heidelberg Materials, Munich RE, SAP and RWE are down 2 to 3%. Adidas, Scout24, Hannover Rueck and GEA Group are also down sharply. Shares are automotive supplier Continental are rising more than 7.5%, buoyed by a rating upgrade of the stock by Deutsche Bank to 'buy'. Deutsche Bank Research has upgraded the stock's rating after Continental's third-quarter revenues, EBIT margin and cash flow exceeded expectations. Beiersdorf is gaining nearly 1%, while Fresenius, Fresenius Medical Care and Henkel are up marginally. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Technical Report Highlights:

Base Case shows US$66.2M post tax NPV5, 24.4% IRR, with a payback multiple of 1.9 at a US$2,300/oz gold price

Upside Case shows US$243.3M post tax NPV5, 168.4% IRR, with a payback multiple of 8.4 at a US$3,500/oz gold price

286k ounces of gold produced at an AISC of US$1,626 per AuEq ounce over a 6.1-year mine life with US$45M initial CAPEX

US$40M increase in base case post-tax NPV5 and US$9.4M reduction in initial capital expenditure from the previous technical report

La Colorada Indicated Mineral Resources grow by 62k ounces to 513k ounces, grading 0.79 grams per tonne

Expansion potential with Veta Madre Plus. Potential to convert up to 28k Indicated Mineral Resource ounces to Mineral Reserves to support a larger pit with drilling to be completed in Q4, 2025

Permits received in August and September 2025 to expand the leach pad at La Colorada

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Heliostar Metals Ltd. (TSXV: HSTR) (OTCQX: HSTXF) (FSE: RGG1) ("Heliostar" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of an updated study on the La Colorada Mine ("La Colorada"). This updated life of mine plan includes the results from the first two phases of drilling performed from November 2024 to March 2025 from the Company's ongoing ~20,000-metre drilling campaign.

Heliostar CEO, Charles Funk, commented, "Today's results show that the La Colorada mine can continue to be a high-margin, low CAPEX operation with a 6.1-year mine life. This updated study is focused on the open pits at La Colorada, demonstrating positive economics at conservative gold prices and a compelling opportunity at current gold prices. The Company aims to continue to maximize cash generation from stockpiles in the near term and internally fund capital requirements for open-pit production planned in 2027. Indicated gold resources grew significantly with higher or maintained resource grades at El Creston and Veta Madre. Reserves remained almost unchanged with ounces defined by new drilling offset with more conservative pit wall angles at the El Creston pit."

"Beyond this study, three clear growth opportunities exist - Veta Madre Plus, an expanded pit at El Creston and the exploration potential of the larger land package. Veta Madre Plus will be tested with an infill drilling program this quarter that could quickly show the ability to expand the pit and add an additional 28k ounces of reserves. Should higher gold prices sustain, a larger pit at El Creston may allow for steeper pit walls, increasing reserves. The exploration potential of La Colorada remains significant with open resources and compelling exploration targets across the property. These have been virtually untested over the last 10 years despite their proximity to permitted mine infrastructure - this will change in late 2025 and 2026."

The technical report supporting this news release will be available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and on the Company's website (www.heliostarmetals.com) within the next 45 days. The La Colorada technical report that is the subject of this news release will be reported in United States dollars (USD or US$) unless otherwise noted.

La Colorada Mine Updated Technical Report

Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates, as well as a life-of-mine (LOM) plan, were updated for the 100% owned La Colorada Mine located in Sonora, Mexico. The LOM plan in the La Colorada technical report is based on production from three deposits staged sequentially: continued production from the Junkyard Stockpile, the Veta Madre pit expansion (Veta Madre), and the El Creston pit expansion (El Creston).

The study includes updated Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates for Veta Madre and El Creston. The LOM plan indicates an overall Probable Mineral Reserve of 376.2k ounces of gold (a decrease of 0.8k ounces of gold compared to the previous technical report due to mining depletion), with Veta Madre having a forecast mine life of 1.3 years and El Creston a forecast mine life of 4.6 years, respectively. The operation will have production rates up to the 13,000 t/d nameplate throughput capacity of the process plant at an estimated LOM average US$1,626 per AuEq ounce all-in sustaining cost (AISC).

The La Colorada technical report is anticipated in November 2025.

Key Highlights

La Colorada - Mineral Reserve & Forecast Production Highlights Probable Mineral Reserves (kt) 1 17,117 Gold Grade (g/t Au) 0.68 Contained Gold (koz Au) 376.2 Silver Grade (koz Ag) 9.2 Contained Silver (koz Ag) 5,055.9 Contained GEO (k GEO) 2 385.4 Processing Rate (t/d average) 3 8,200 Life of Mine (years) 4 6.1 Annual Production (oz GEO per year, average 2025-2031) 4 46,106

Probable Mineral Reserve. GEO - Gold Equivalent Ounces. Processing throughput rates vary over the life of the mine, up to the nameplate capacity of the process plant, about 13,000 t/d. Includes production from the Junkyard Stockpile from May 2025 onwards.

La Colorada - Forecast Financial Highlights Average Cash Operating Costs (US$ per payable oz GEO) 1 1,533 Average AISC (US$ per payable oz GEO) 1 1,626 Total Initial Capital Cost (US$M) 2 44.5 Total Sustaining Capital Cost (US$M) 2 12.5 Total Life of Mine Capital Cost (US$M) 3 63.8

Non-International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) measures. All-in sustaining costs (AISC) were first issued by the World Gold Council (WGC) in 2013, with an updated Guidance note issued in 2018. The initial capital cost reflects capital and capitalized investment before the first metals production from Veta Madre. Total sustainable capital cost of US$12.5 million is included for capitalized pre-strip before first metals production from El Creston. Includes US$7.0 million reclamation expenditure at the end of the mine life.

La Colorada Forecast Return Estimates based on Gold Price 1, 2

US$2,300/oz 3 US$3,500/oz 4 IRR (%) 24.4 168.4 NPV @ 5.0% discount (US$M) 66.2 243.3 Payback (years) 3.4 2.0

All other key parameters are set at base assumptions, including the 5% discount rate used. More detailed analysis will be presented in the full technical report. After tax return estimates. Base gold price assumption used in the La Colorada technical report. Comparison of the gold price of US$3,500 with reference to the US$4,110.82 London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) PM gold price on the trading day of October 15, 2025.

The study shows improved economics on the majority of the key metrics. The table below outlines the differences in the base case between the January 2025 technical report and the updated technical report. Drilling completed in 2024 and 2025 contributed additional indicated gold ounces (39k ounces at El Creston and 30k ounces at Veta Madre). Reserves and LOM gold production have not materially changed due to recognition of faults in the El Creston pit wall requiring more conservative pit wall designs. Resequencing production from the three deposit areas further improved the economics, increasing the NPV and the IRR in the updated technical report for La Colorada compared to the January 2025 technical report for the operation.

Changes in Key Metrics

January 2025 Technical Report Updated Technical Report Change Gold Price US$2,000 US$2,300 15% After Tax NPV5% US$25.9M US$66.2M 155% After Tax IRR 11.9% 24.4% 105% LOM Cash Flow US$54.9M US$105.5M 92% Payback multiple 1.4x 1.9x 36% Reserve gold ounces 377 koz 376.2 koz -1% Reserve gold grade 0.65 g/t 0.68 g/t 5% GEOs produced 297 koz 293 koz -1% Mine life 6.5 years 6.1 years -6%* Initial Capital Cost US$53.9M US$44.5M -17% Total Cash Costs (per GEO) US$1,549 US$1,602 3% AISC (per GEO) US$1,763 US$1,626 -8%

The LOM plan outlines sequential exploitation of the three deposits beginning with continued mining from the Junkyard Stockpile through 2025, followed by exploitation from Veta Madre, then El Creston through the following six years.

Figure 1 - Site Overview

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Note: Infrastructure in green, stockpiles in yellow and open pits in blue

Figure 2 - Ore Mined by Pit Phase

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Note: Figure prepared by Hard Rock Consulting, 2025

La Colorada Forecast Operating Cost Estimates

The mining method and process circuit at the La Colorada Mine remains unchanged for the proposed LOM plan compared to the January 2025 technical study. The exploitation of the three deposits benefits from the existing infrastructure at the mine, including the installed crushing and stacking equipment with a capacity of 13,000 tonnes per day. The expected operating performance and operating cost forecasts were compiled with the benefit of benchmarking current and historical performance at La Colorada, the industry standard processes being used at the mine informing the expected consumption quantities of key supplies, and commercial pricing for goods and services in Mexico.

Total Operating Cost Summary

Operating Costs Operating Cost (US$/oz AuEq) Operating Cost (US$/t ore) Operating Cost (US$/t mined) Total mining 1,087 18.64 2.11 Total processing 350 6.00

Total site general and administrative 68 1.17 Refinery and transport 28 0.48 Cash operating costs 1,533 26.28 Production taxes 46 0.78 Royalties 23 0.39 Total cash costs 1,602 27.46 Sustaining capital costs 23 0.40 Total AISC 1,626 27.86

La Colorada Forecast Capital Cost Estimates

The Junkyard Stockpile is currently in production and requires only working capital.

The initial capital cost for Veta Madre is estimated at US$44.5M, including US$11.9M capital for leach pad expansion and US$30.1M mining capitalized pre-stripping costs until first metal production.

The initial sustaining capital cost for El Creston is estimated at US$12.5M for mining pre-stripping costs until first metal production. Additional pre-stripping is required to fully exploit the El Creston deposit, comprising both capitalized and expensed pre-stripping costs shown in the technical report to be ongoing during ore production from Veta Madre. With additional pre-stripping expenses at El Creston, a maximum negative cash flow of US$117.6M is projected at the base gold price assumption and US$46M at the upside case of US$3,300/oz.

The LOM plan includes US$6.9M for reclamation work at the end of the mine life.

Forecast Capital Cost Summary

Capital Costs Initial (US$M) Sustaining (US$M) Total LOM (US$M) Mine pre-production development 30.1 12.5 42.6 Contractor mobilization 0.2 0.0 0.2 Slope radar system 0.5 0.0 0.5 Leach pad expansion 11.9 0.0 11.9 Total direct costs 42.7 12.5 57.0 Owner costs and reclamation 0.00 6.9 6.9 Indirects and contingency 1.8 0.0 1.8 Total indirect costs 1.8 6.9 8.7 Total 44.5 19.3 63.9

La Colorada Economic Analysis

The economic analysis shows a base case after-tax net present value at a discount rate of 5% of US$66.2M, an after-tax internal rate of return of 24.4%, and a payback period of 3.4 years at US$2,300/oz gold. The forecast mine life is 6.1 years in the study. Approximately 374.9k ounces of gold are projected to be mined, with 286.3k ounces of gold recovered and sold.

Summary Economic Results

Project Valuation Overview Units After Tax Before Tax Total cashflow US$ M 105.5 162.6 NPV @ 5.0% (base case) US$ M 66.2 108.5 Internal rate of return % 24.4 33.1 Payback period Years 3.4 3.3 Payback multiple

1.9 2.4 Total initial capital US$ M 44.5 44.5

Metal Prices

The gold market has experienced significant upward price movement in the past few years. The gold price is about 80% above the base case gold price used in the study.

The sensitivity analysis presents gold price scenarios up to US$4,100/oz Au to understand the potential impact of continued gold price movement. From the base case price of US$2,300/oz, a change in the average gold price of 10% (US$230/oz Au) would change the NPV5% by approximately US$34M.

With ongoing exploitation of the Junkyard Stockpile during 2025, the project will generate revenues from sales based on current gold prices, which are expected to be significantly higher than the base case gold price used in the study.

The LOM plan and Mineral Reserves estimates are most sensitive to changes in the gold price and gold grade. Since silver is projected to contribute only about 4% to the revenues, LOM variations in the silver price have a limited impact on the cashflow forecast. The LOM plan and Mineral Reserves estimates are less sensitive to operating cost changes and least sensitive to changes in capital costs.

Gold Price Sensitivity Analysis

Au Price

(US$/oz Au) Net Cash Flow

(US$M) After-Tax NPV

@ 5.0% Discount Rate

(US$ M) IRR

(%) Payback Period

(years) Payback Multiple 500 -444.25 -364.85 - - 0.0 800 -335.58 -280.57 - - 0.0 1100 -227.32 -196.62 - - 0.0 1400 -120.04 -113.37 -29.0% - 0.0 1700 -12.88 -30.20 -2.6% 6.0 0.0 2000 50.44 21.07 10.6% 3.8 1.3 2300 105.45 66.21 24.4% 3.4 1.9 2600 160.45 111.05 41.4% 3.0 2.8 2900 215.46 155.36 62.5% 2.6 4.5 3200 270.46 199.36 91.9% 2.3 6.6 3500 325.47 243.35 168.4% 2.0 8.4 3800 380.47 287.35 - 0.7 10.4 4100 435.48 331.35 - 0.5 12.8

Note: Dash indicates values have exceeded the limits of parameters calculated using the economic model

Commentary by Company on Next Steps, Funding and Additional Opportunities

The mining of the Junkyard Stockpile will continue through the remainder of 2025. The Company expects to mine additional stockpile material already identified ahead of production from the Veta Madre Pit.

The total Mineral Reserve in the study is 374.9k ounces of gold, including the Junkyard Stockpile, Veta Madre and El Creston.

The Veta Madre Mineral Reserve can be exploited subject to receiving a Change of Land Use (CUS) permit, which the Company expects to receive in late 2025. The El Creston expansion is expected to be sequenced into the schedule in 2027.

In August and September 2025, the Company received approvals of modifications to two existing environmental permits; the modifications authorize the expansion of the current leach pad to include an additional 9.6Mt of capacity. This is forecast to be sufficient to mine and process material from stockpiles included in the mining sequence and the Veta Madre pit. An additional leach pad expansion is planned for the processing of material from the El Creston expansion and will require an amendment of an existing environmental permit.

Since the development plan for La Colorada represents a continuation of the historical operations, minimal capital investment is required for new equipment and facilities; however, pre-stripping at Veta Madre and El Creston will need to be funded. The Company expects this to come from a combination of cash generated from the operations and potentially additional non-dilutive project financing if required.

A number of opportunities at La Colorada will become a focus for the Company upon submission of the updated technical report

Stockpiles have the potential to fund stripping costs at Veta Madre. Drilling and analysis of their financial viability is ongoing and expected to be completed in Q4, 2025

28k Indicated Mineral Resource ounces at Veta Madre are not included in the mine plan. Infill drilling of these areas is planned for 2025, and the company is targeting converting these to reserves that would support a larger pit, known as the Veta Madre Plus pit

A larger pit at El Creston may allow for steeper pit walls, increasing resource to reserve conversion at this deposit

Drilling beneath the current pit boundary at El Creston revealed widths and grades of gold mineralized veins that maybe amenable to underground mining. The Company will further explore extensions of high-grade mineralization at depth at El Creston and Gran Central in late 2025 and 2026

Outside the boundaries of the Mineral Resource estimate, several exploration targets remain largely unexplored. These include fault offsets from known mineralization, consistent gold-in-soil anomalies above 0.2 g/t, and areas with undrilled rock chip samples exceeding 1 g/t gold in zones of strong alteration. Further prospecting, geophysics, drill targeting and drilling are planned for the remainder of 2025 and 2026.

The La Colorada concession area covers 10,085ha and has seen very limited exploration beyond the immediate areas where Mineral Resources have been estimated.

Figure 3 - Veta Madre Plus Opportunity

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Mineral Resource Estimates

Mineral Resources were estimated at La Colorada for three deposits: El Creston, Veta Madre and the Junkyard Stockpile, and are summarized in the following table. Mineral Resources have an effective date of April 30, 2025 and are reported in situ, using the 2014 Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (2014 CIM Definition Standards).

Mineral Resources Statement

Classification Zone Tonnes

(kt) Gold Grade

(g/t) Silver Grade

(g/t) Contained Gold Metal (koz) Contained Silver Metal (koz) Indicated El Creston 13,678 0.91 13.0 402 5,721 Veta Madre 3,915 0.74 3.6 94 452 Junkyard 2,620 0.21 7.2 18 602 Total 20,213 0.79 10.4 513 6,776 Inferred El Creston 34 0.40 19.1 0 21 Veta Madre 94 0.44 2.1 1 6 Junkyard 1,017 0.46 38.7 15 1,264 Total 1,144 0.45 35.1 17 1,291

Notes to accompany Mineral Resource table:

Mineral Resources are reported insitu, using the 2014 CIM Definition Standards, and have an effective date of April 30, 2025. The Qualified Person for the estimate is Mr. David Thomas, P.Geo., of Mine Technical Services. Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral Resource estimates for El Creston and Veta Madre use the end-of-month October 2024 topography. Mineral Resource estimates for the Junkyard use the end-of-month April 2025 topography. Mineral Resources at El Creston and Veta Madre are constrained by a conceptual pit shell using the following assumptions: a gold price of US$2,400/oz Au; a silver price of US$29/oz Ag; a rock mining cost of US$2.44/t mined; a backfill mining cost of US$1.75/t mined; a crushing and leaching cost of US$1.84/t processed; at El Creston a process cost of US$4.84/t processed and at Veta Madre a process cost of US$3.72 $/t; a general and administrative cost of US$1.12/t processed; a selling cost of US$0.88/t processed; at El Creston a gold metallurgical recovery of 78% and a silver metallurgical recovery of 19% were used. Pit slope angles varied from 22 (pad) to 35-42 (pit). At Veta Madre, a gold metallurgical recovery of 67% and a silver metallurgical recovery of 5.0% were used. Pit slope angles averaged 45. Junkyard Mineral Resources are reported using the following assumptions: a gold price of US$2,400/oz Au; a silver price of US$29/oz Ag; a stockpile rehandle cost of US$1.30/t mined; a crushing and leaching cost of US$1.72/t processed; a process cost of US$3.10/t processed; a general and administrative cost of US$1.15/t processed; a selling cost of US$0.66/t processed; a gold metallurgical recovery of 66%; and a silver metallurgical recovery of 27%. Mineral Resources are reported at gold equivalent cut-offs of 0.15 g/t AuEq at El Creston and Junkyard and 0.13 g/t AuEq at Veta Madre. Gold equivalents are calculated using AuEq = (Au + Ag/equivalency factor), where equivalency factor = ((Au price in US$/g * Au recovery) / (Ag price in US$/g * Ag recovery)). This results in Au:Ag ratios of 1:339.75, 1:1,108.97 and 202.3 respectively. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

Mineral Reserve Estimates

Mineral Resources were converted to Mineral Reserves for El Creston, Veta Madre and the Junkyard Stockpile. Mineral Reserves have an effective date of April 30, 2025, are presented at the point of delivery to the process plant, and are reported using the 2014 CIM Definition Standards.

The Mineral Reserve estimate is based on the operation of the existing crusher and conveyor system having a nameplate throughput capacity of about 13,000 t/d, and continued operation of the heap leach and carbon-in-circuit (CIC) process circuit and refinery to process ore from the three deposits. The Mineral Reserve estimate is presented in the following table.

Mineral Reserves Statement

Classification Zone AuEq Cut-off

(g/t) Tonnes

(kt) Gold Grade

(g/t Au) Silver Grade

(g/t Ag) Contained Gold

(koz) Contained Silver

(koz) Probable El Creston 0.165 12,596 0.77 10.61 312.2 4,295.3 Veta Madre 0.167 2,072 0.71 3.1 47.9 207.4 Junkyard Stockpile 0.149 2,449 0.20 7.0 16.1 553.2 Total

17,117 0.68 9.19 376.2 5,055.9

Notes to accompany Mineral Reserves table:

Mineral Reserves are reported using the 2014 CIM Definition Standards. Mineral Reserves have an effective date of April 30, 2025. The Qualified Person for the estimate is Mr. Jeffery Choquette, PE, of Hard Rock Consulting. A 0.165 g/t AuEq cut-off is used for reporting the Mineral Reserves at El Creston, and a 0.167 g/t AuEq cut-off is used for reporting Mineral Reserves at Veta Madre. Cut-offs were calculated based on a gold price of US$2,100/oz Au, silver price of US$25/oz Ag, processing costs of US$6.68/t for El Creston and US$5.56/t for Veta Madre, general and administrative costs of US$1.12/t, refining and selling costs of US$0.88/t, gold recovery of 78% for El Creston and 67% for Veta Madre and a silver recovery of 19% for El Creston and 5% for Veta Madre. The AuEq cut-off for Junkyard is 0.149 g/t AuEq based on metal prices of US$2,100/oz Au, and US$25/oz Ag, processing costs of US$4.82/t, general and administrative costs of US$1.15/t, refining and selling costs of US$0.66/t, gold recovery of 66% and a silver recovery of 27%. The AuEq calculation uses the formula AuEq = (Au + Ag/equivalency factor), where equivalency factor = ((Au price in US$/g * Au recovery) / (Ag price in US$/g * Ag recovery)). Mineral Reserves are reported within the ultimate reserve pit design. An external dilution factor of 14% was factored into the Mineral Reserves estimates. Tonnage and grade estimates are in metric units. Mineral Reserve tonnage and contained metal have been rounded to reflect the accuracy of the estimate, and numbers may not add due to rounding.

Qualified Persons

The technical report for the La Colorado Mine will be prepared for Heliostar Metals Inc. by Mr. Todd Wakefield, RM SME, Mr. David Thomas, P.Geo., Mr. Jeffrey Choquette, P.E., Mr. Carl Defilippi, RM SME, and Ms. Dawn Garcia, CPG. Each of these Qualified Persons has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release in their area of expertise and is independent of the Company.

Qualified Persons with respect to this News Release

Gregg Bush, P.Eng. and Mike Gingles, the Company's Qualified Persons, as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, have reviewed the scientific and technical information not derived from the updated technical reports and included in this news release in the Company Overview, Commentary by the Company on Relevant Matters and Commentary by the Company on Next Steps and Permitting sections for each property and have approved the disclosure herein.

Data Verification

In addition, the Qualified Persons for the updated technical report verified the data in the reports in their areas of expertise and concluded that the information supported Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimation and could be used in mine planning and economic analysis. The verification completed by each Qualified Person is discussed in each technical report and included site visits, and could include data audits, suitability of data for use in estimation and mine planning, quality assurance and quality control checks, review of available technical and economic study data, review of data collection and evaluation methods, review of production data including reconciliation where available, review of actual cost data for operations, and review of third-party inputs to forecasts.

The Company's Qualified persons verified the information that was not derived from the technical reports. The data verification included site visits, data audits, review of available study data, review of data collection and evaluation methods, review of production data, including reconciliation where available, review of actual cost data for operations, and review of third-party inputs to forecasts, and consideration of the Company's plans for the projects.

About Heliostar Metals Ltd.

Heliostar aims to grow to become a mid-tier gold producer. The Company is focused on increasing production and developing new resources at the 100% owned La Colorada and San Agustin mines, and on developing the Ana Paula, Cerro del Gallo and San Antonio deposits in Mexico.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "would", "could", "schedule" and similar words or expressions, identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things, timing and economics of mineral production, ability to expand production, resources, and exploration potential.

These statements reflect the Company's respective current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of other assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: precious metals price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Company's mining activities in foreign jurisdictions; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company's management team and outside contractors; risks regarding exploration and mining activities; the Company's inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of public health crises; the economic and financial implications of public health crises, ongoing military conflicts and general economic factors to the Company; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company's interactions with surrounding communities; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and the factors identified under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's public disclosure documents. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.

This news release includes certain non-International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) measures. The Company has included these measures, in addition to conventional measures conforming with IFRS, to provide investors with an improved ability to evaluate the project and provide comparability between projects. The non-IFRS measures, which are generally considered standard measures within the mining industry albeit with non-standard definitions, are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Cash costs (Cash Costs) are a common financial performance measure in the gold mining industry but with no standard meaning under IFRS. The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate each project's economic results in the technical reports and each project's potential to generate operating earnings and cash flow. All-in Sustaining Costs (AISC) more fully defines the total costs associated with producing precious metals. The AISC is calculated based on guidelines published by the World Gold Council (WGC), which were first issued in 2013. In light of new accounting standards and to support further consistency of application, the WGC published an updated Guidance Note in 2018. Other companies may calculate this measure differently because of differences in underlying principles and policies applied. Differences may also arise due to a different definition of sustaining versus growth capital. Note that in respect of AISC metrics within the technical reports because such economics are disclosed at the project level, corporate general and administrative expenses were not included in the AISC calculations.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270792

SOURCE: Heliostar Metals Ltd.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION TO THE UNITED STATES

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / Prospect Ridge Resources Corp.(the "Company" or "Prospect Ridge") (CSE:PRR)(OTCQB:PRRSF)(FRA:OED) is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of up to $3,000,000 through the issue of up to 25,000,000 critical mineral flow-through units (the "Units") at a price of $0.12 per Unit.

Each Unit will consist of one flow-through common share (an "FT Share") of the Company and one-half of a warrant, with a whole warrant (a "Warrant") being exercisable to purchase one non-flow-through common share (a "Warrant Share") of the Company at a price of $0.18 for a period of two years after closing. The Warrants will be subject to accelerated expiry if the Company's common shares trade or close on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange") at $0.35 or more for ten consecutive trading days.

The Company intends to use the gross proceeds from the FT Shares to incur, on its mineral projects in British Columbia, eligible "Canadian exploration expenses" that will also qualify as "flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures" under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "ITA"). The Company intends the bulk of the gross proceeds to finance the recently announced 2,000 meter drill program on the Issuer's Camelot project, located near Horsefly, B.C.

The closing of the Offering is subject to certain closing conditions, including the receipt of all necessary approvals including Exchange acceptance. All securities issued will be subject to a statutory and/or Exchange hold period of four months plus one day from closing. The Company may pay finder fees in compliance with applicable securities laws and Exchange policies and subject to the receipt of any necessary regulatory approvals.

The securities to be offered under the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Prospect Ridge Resources Corp.

Prospect Ridge Resources Corp. is a British Columbia-based exploration and development company focused on critical metals and gold. Led by a management and technical team with over 100 years of combined mineral exploration experience, Prospect Ridge is dedicated to advancing its portfolio of properties in the Golden Horseshoe and Cariboo regions of north-central British Columbia that have the potential to become the next large copper/gold porphyry discovery across this vastly under-explored region.

Contact Information

Prospect Ridge Resources Corp.

Mike Iverson - Chairman, Director

Email: mike@miverson.ca

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This release includes certain statements and information ("FLI") that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. FLI relates to future events or future performance and reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company's management. Anything that is not historical fact is FLI. Generally, FLI can be, without limitation, identified by the use of forward-looking wording such as "plans", "intends", "believes", "expects", "anticipates" or "estimates", and statements or phrases that certain actions, events or results "may", "might", "could", "should" or "would" occur, and similar expressions. FLI is not historical fact, is made as of the date of this news release and includes, without limitation, statements and discussions of future plans, intentions, expectations, estimates and forecasts, and statements as to management's intentions and expectations with respect to, among other things, positive exploration results at the Camelot, Holy Grail/Knauss Creek, Castle or Excalibur Projects. FLI involves numerous risks and uncertainties, and are based on assumptions, and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any FLI. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the availability of financing to continue exploration activities, the availability and cost of qualified exploration personnel and service providers, and that future exploration results at the Camelot, Holy Grail/Knauss Creek, Castle or Excalibur Projects will not be as anticipated. In making any FLI in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that future exploration results at the Camelot, Holy Grail/Knauss Creek, Castle or Excalibur Projects will be as anticipated. Although management has endeavored to evaluate and use reasonable assumptions and to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in FLI, these assumptions may prove incorrect and there may be other factors that cause results not to be as intended, expected, anticipated or estimated. There can be no assurance that FLI will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed in FLI. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on FLI, and are further cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any FLI expressed or incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.

SOURCE: Prospect Ridge Resources Corp

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/prospect-ridge-announces-non-brokered-private-placement-1088421
TORONTO, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emerita Resources Corp. (TSX-V: EMO; OTCQB: EMOTF; FSE: LLJA) (the "Company" or "Emerita") announces ongoing diamond drilling results that continue to intersect high grades and significantly expand the El Cura deposit. The latest drill hole (EC080) intercepted excellent grades and extends the mineralization at least 90m further to the west. The Company has approved an additional 12,000 meters of drilling to continue the expansion drilling at El Cura. El Cura is part of Emerita's wholly-owned Iberian Belt West project ("IBW" or the "Project"; Figure 1) which includes three identified Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide (VMS) deposits: La Romanera, El Cura and La Infanta. Results contained in this news release are from El Cura deposit.

A complete list of drill holes completed since the last update (News Release August 20, 2025) are included in Table 1 below. Recent highlights from the ongoing drilling campaign at El Cura include:

Drill hole EC080: 4.1m grading 3.9% copper, 3.6% lead, 8.5% zinc, 4.08 g/t gold and 96.39 g/t silver, including a 1.4m interval grading 5.7% copper, 4.1% lead, 9.7% zinc, 3.89 g/t gold and 102.86 g/t silver.

Drill hole EC069: 3.8m grading 1.8% copper, 2.3% lead, 6.2% zinc, 3.60 g/t gold and 70.24 g/t silver, including a 1.0m interval grading 3.3% copper, 3.5% lead, 10.1% zinc, 5.89 g/t gold and 103.50 g/t silver.

Drill hole EC070: 2.5m grading 1.2% copper, 0.4% lead, 1.2% zinc, 4.37 g/t gold and 33.40 g/t silver, including a 1.0m interval grading 1.8% copper, 0.3% lead, 1.3% zinc, 10.05 g/t gold and 40.00 g/t silver.

Drill hole EC077: 2.9m grading 1.0% copper, 0.2% lead, 0.1% zinc, 1.77 g/t gold and 21.24 g/t silver, including a 1.2m interval grading 2.0% copper, 0.3% lead, 0.2% zinc, 3.83 g/t gold and 23.0 g/t silver.

Drill hole EC075: 3.5m grading 0.7% copper, 0.4% lead, 0.7% zinc, 0.67 g/t gold and 25.09 g/t silver, including a 1.1m interval grading 1.9% copper, 0.4% lead, 0.3% zinc, 1.21 g/t gold and 30.00 g/t silver.





Figure 1. IBW tenement and locations of La Romanera, El Cura and La Infanta deposits.

View Figure 1 here: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4abcce8a-1def-421a-86f4-2f6a4f349bcd

Table 1 details drill results contained in this news release. Drill hole traces are shown in Figure 2.

Table 1: Recent drilling results received for the El Cura deposit.

View Table 1 here: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/79a6de2d-4993-48d5-8d8a-c5c8d6cf487d





True width of the intercepts is expected to range between 85% to 95% of core width for these drill holes.

Figure 2. Plan view map showing drill hole traces of the El Cura drilling. Hole traces in this news release are colored red.

View Figure 2 here: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ea95320-f421-419c-9780-b9367bc017be

Figure 3. Vertical longitudinal section of El Cura deposit, oriented east-west, looking north. Holes EC069, EC070, EC071, EC073, EC075, EC077 and EC080. The deposit as presently delineated is indicated in green.

View Figure 3 here: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b74c626b-efb8-400e-b650-f5e8751a6d38

Discussion

Immediately following the updated 2025 MRE (please see the Company's press release dated March 17, 2025 for further details), drills were engaged with the objective of converting Inferred mineralization to the Indicated category and on expanding the deposit extents at depth and to the west.

Drilling is presently from three platforms along approximately 650m of strike length. Holes reported here targeted the upper, lower and western extents of the deposit. All holes returned mineralized intercepts with the exception of EC073 that encountered faulting in the expected target area not seen in nearby hole EC004 (3.0m 0.6% copper, 1.2% lead, 2.0% zinc, 1.12 g/t gold, 38.13 g/t silver). EC073 is one of a series of holes designed to test the upper 150m of the central portion of the deposit with a specialized drill rig capable of drilling shallow-angle holes.

High gold and copper grades continue to characterize El Cura deposit. Several holes at El Cura have returned high-grade intercepts, with gold grades exceeding 4.0 g/t and copper grades exceeding 5.0%. Drill hole EC080 intercepted 4.1m thick massive sulfide grading 3.9% copper, 3.6% lead, 8.5% zinc, 4.08 g/t gold and 96.39 g/t silver, extending the western boundary of El Cura by 90m. This notable intercept extended the deposit still further, proving that mineralization remains open to the west and at depth, with strong continuity of high-grade zones consistent with the overall geometry of the system.

Historic workings at El Cura were limited to several shallow shafts of less than 24m during the Roman era, and shaft and drift exploration in the mid-20th century. The only recorded production from the deposit dates to 1882, which amounted to 300 tonnes1. These modest workings are approximately 600 meters to the east of the deposit the area presently being drilled by Emerita. In Emerita's mapping and reconnaissance of the property only small traces of oxidized sulphide were observed in the vicinity of the historic workings, there is no surface expression of the mineralization in the area being drilled. As such, the Company interprets El Cura as an intact deposit, undeveloped and uneroded, with its full potential yet to be realized. Mapping has identified areas of intense boxwork and gossan along with strong chloritization at surface to the west of the present drilling. Chloritization and gossanous boxwork alteration are common identification criteria for VMS deposits globally and suggest excellent potential in that direction.

A qualified person, as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has not done sufficient work on behalf of Emerita to classify the historical results reported above as current mineral resources or mineral reserves and Emerita is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The historical results should not be relied upon.

Reviewing recent results of the El Cura drill program, Emerita President, Joaquin Merino, commented, "The exceptional results of recent drilling in western El Cura, including copper grades of 5.7% and gold grades to 10 g/t, demonstrate the existence of zones of significant enrichment and the persistence of the deposit to the west and at depth. Holes EC069, EC075, EC077 and EC080 of this news release are west of the Inferred resource boundary reported in March 2025 and are expected to contribute substantially to the growing resource at El Cura and the IBW Project overall."

Given the consistent high-grade results and continued expansion of the deposit, Emerita has elected to extend the El Cura drill program by an additional 12,000 meters to continue testing the western and deeper portions of the system.

Figure 4: Map view of El Cura area geology, transparent to show planned and completed Emerita drilling below. 2025 MRE Inferred boundary indicated by black line. EC080 is 90m west of the Inferred boundary and recent prospect sampling with strong alteration and boxwork after sulfide from the continuation of the host package has been mapped 375m to west of Inferred boundary suggesting excellent prospects for expanding the deposit further along strike to the west.

View Figure 4 here: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cb6ee986-ab08-4b2b-9972-ac0d16495e4a

Figure 5. Geological cross sections. A: Section 649500E showing holes EC075, EC077 and EC080. B: Section 649550E showing holes EC069, EC075 and EC077. C: Section 649850E showing hole EC070. D: Section 650100E showing hole EC071.

View Figure 5 here: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0d033745-4f3a-4499-9e31-646281982052

Figure 6. Photos of El Cura drillcore as described in this release: A: EC069 fine polymetallic massive sulphide with galena/sphalerite rich veinlets and chalcopyrite in crystals along the ore interval. B: EC070 Chalcopyrite-rich massive sulphide. C: EC071 pyritic massive vein with small chalcopyrite crystals within a chloritically altered siliceous dacitic tuff.

View Figure 6 here: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/87b461bf-bd71-4fbb-86a4-caa949685c32

Figure 6 continued. Photos of El Cura drillcore as described in this release: D: EC075 pyrite-rich massive sulphide with well-developed chalcopyrite veining. E: EC077 pyritic-rich massive sulphide with associated chalcopyrite veins F: EC080 Polymetallic massive sulphide with chalcopyrite and galena-rich veinlets.

View Figure 6 continued here: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5bdf72b9-371c-46b1-bdfe-4f22d2accbd2

Quality Assurance/Quality Control

Drilling at El Cura is HQ size and core is placed into core trays at the drill site and transported directly from the site to Emerita's coreshack (15Km) from El Cura. Once the cores are received at Emerita's coreshack they are photographed, and geotechnical logging is performed. Geological, mineralogical and structural logging follows and mineralized zones are identified. The samples are marked every 1m or less, and respecting lithological contacts, with most of the samples 1.0m long. The zone immediately above and below the mineralized zones are also sampled. Core samples are sawed in half and half of the core is returned to the core tray for future reference. Once the core samples are cut, bagged and tagged, they are shipped to the ALS laboratory in Seville by Emerita personnel where sample preparation is done. In Seville, ALS performs the mechanical preparation of the samples and then the pulps are sent to ALS Ireland (ICP) and ALS Romania (fire assay). The analysis at ALS Lab corresponds to the ME-ICPore (19 elements) package, together with the Au-AA23 fire assay (Gold). ALS is independent of Emerita.

10% of the analyzed samples correspond to control samples (fine blanks, coarse blanks, high, medium and low-grade standards). In addition, 10% of pulps are reanalyzed at a second independent certified laboratory (AGQ Lab Sevilla). When the analysis is completed, the certificates are received from the laboratory and the QA/QC protocol identifies any deviation or anomaly in the results and the entire batch is re-assayed in such case. Once the data is approved by the QA/QC protocol assays are entered digitally directly into the database.

Qualified Person

Scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Joaquin Merino, P.Geo., who is a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Merino is President of the Company and is not considered independent of Emerita.

About Emerita Resources Corp.

Emerita is a natural resource company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Europe, with a primary focus on exploring in Spain. The Company's corporate office and technical team are based in Sevilla, Spain with an administrative office in Toronto, Canada

For further information, contact:

Ian Parkinson

+1 647 910-2500 (Toronto)

info@emeritaresources.com

www.emeritaresources.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the prospectivity of the IBW project and El Cura, the mineralization and the IBW project, the economic viability of the IBW project, the Company's exploration program, the Company's future exploration plans and the Company's future plans. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward- looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Emerita, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of current exploration activities; risks associated with operation in foreign jurisdictions; ability to successfully integrate the purchased properties; foreign operations risks; and other risks inherent in the mining industry. Although Emerita has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Emerita does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE

1 Source: D. Joaquin Gonzalo Y Tarin, 1888, "Descripcion Fisica, Geologica y Minera de la Provincia de Huelva", Memorias de la Comision del Mapa Geologico de Espana.
BERLIN, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of the three-year campaign 'Choose the European Friendship: Piadina Romagnola IGP', tradition, taste and quality come together in a simple but flavourful product: Piadina Romagnola IGP.

This typical Italian speciality, originating in Romagna, is produced according to the criteria of the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), the European quality mark that has guaranteed not only its origin but also the traditional use of simple, genuine ingredients for over 10 years: flour, olive oil or lard, water and salt.

Piadina Romagnola PGI has its roots in rural history: in ancient times, it was a poor man's bread, often stuffed with wild herbs gathered by hand along the country paths of Romagna. This practice still continues today: among the herbs most commonly used to fill Piadina are rosola, a young poppy plant, tender and slightly bitter, and watercress, with its fresh and pungent notes that go perfectly with the delicate taste of the Piadina dough.

For this reason, despite its simplicity, it is a product that never ceases to amaze due to its versatility: stuffed with cold cuts and cheeses or with wild herbs, for a green, sustainable and zero-waste alternative, Piadina always represents a new discovery rich in flavour!

During this final year of the campaign, the 'Choose The European Friendship: Piadina Romagnola PGI' project will continue with numerous activities across Germany: collaborations with influencers and food creators, advertising campaigns, Piadina Romagnola PGI tastings in stores and local events to reach consumers directly and allow them to experience first-hand the quality and authenticity of the real Piadina Romagnola PGI, the only original.

In fact, the project, co-funded by the European Union and the Consortium for the Protection and Promotion of Piadina Romagnola PGI, has as its main objective the promotion and enhancement of Piadina Romagnola PGI in Italy and Germany, raising awareness of the value of PGI certification in these countries, strengthening its recognition and expanding the product's presence on the German market. The initiative aims to spread the culture of certified quality by telling the story, tradition and uniqueness of Piadina Romagnola PGI, which represents the identity of the Romagna region and at the same time embodies the European values of quality and sustainability.

Press office:

SECNewgate Italia - Giorgia Rizzi giorgia.rizzi@secnewgate.it

https://www.piadinaandfriends.com/



Information regarding the Consortium for the Promotion and Protection of Piadina Romagnola PGI

The Consortium for the Promotion and Protection of Piadina Romagnola PGI was established to promote and enhance the reputation of Piadina Romagnola (also known as Piada Romagnola) and its variant, Piadina or Piada Romagnola alla Riminese (flatbread Rimini-style), as well as to enforce the regulations and reference text for the production of piadina according to the traditional recipe. The consortium's efforts led to the recognition of the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) on 24 October 2014. The consortium currently comprises 12 companies of various sizes from the Romagna region, representing the artisanal production, industrial and kiosk sectors. The consortium acts as an intermediary and representative for these companies.

Funded by the European Union. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the funding authority can be held responsible for them.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Senior military leaders from the United Nations and three countries gathered in Naqoura, Lebanon, for the 11th Pentalateral meeting where officials aligned priorities for maintaining the cessation of hostilities in southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Lebanese Hizbollah.



Military leaders from the United States, France, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) discussed the LAF's continued disarmament operations. The LAF has successfully removed nearly 10,000 rockets, almost 400 missiles, and over 205,000 unexploded ordnance fragments during the past year, the U.S. Central Command said in a press release.



'Our Lebanese partners continue to lead the way in ensuring the disarmament of Lebanese Hizbollah is successful,' said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM. 'We remain committed to supporting the LAF's efforts as they work tirelessly to strengthen regional security.'



Last week, Lt. Gen. Joseph Clearfield became the senior U.S. military representative in Lebanon and chairman of the Mechanism during a ceremony in Beirut.



The Mechanism was established in November 2024 and is responsible for monitoring, verifying and assisting the enforcement of commitments made by Israel and Lebanon, including disarming Lebanese Hizbollah.



'We are working with the LAF, UNIFIL, and our French and international partners to ensure the success of the cessation framework,' said Clearfield. 'We have a shared interest in preserving peace and stability in Lebanon.'



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Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

 2025 AFX News
Verona, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - DEVELOP LLC, a leader in single-source manufacturing automation, today announced it has become a certified FANUC Authorized System Integrator (ASI). This certification recognizes DEVELOP's deep expertise and rigorous training in FANUC robot integration, strengthening its ability to deliver optimal, custom automation solutions to manufacturers across the Midwest.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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As a FANUC ASI, DEVELOP is now part of a capable and trusted network of robotic solution providers. The partnership provides clients direct access to FANUC's cutting-edge technology, training programs, and expert technical support, all channeled through DEVELOP as a single point of contact, guiding manufacturers in choosing the right robots for automation. This ensures that every FANUC robot integration is designed to meet the highest industry standards for performance and reliability.

"This certification is a commitment to excellence," said Matt Moseman, CEO of DEVELOP LLC. "Our team has always been focused on building reliable, high-performance systems. Our partnership with FANUC simply formalizes that commitment and gives our clients an even stronger foundation for success. We're proud to bring this level of certified expertise to manufacturers right here in the Midwest."

DEVELOP's engineers are rigorously trained and certified directly by FANUC, ensuring this expertise is correctly applied to a wide range of applications, including Pick and Place, Packaging and Palletizing, Machine Tending, and Material Handling. By providing local, on-site expertise, DEVELOP is uniquely positioned to help regional manufacturers transform their operations with reliable, high-performance FANUC robotics.

The partnership with FANUC reinforces DEVELOP's mission to be an extension of its clients' teams, not just a contractor. By offering a unified, single-source approach from initial design to in-house manufacturing, programming, and ongoing support, DEVELOP eliminates the common pitfalls of juggling multiple vendors, ensuring a cohesive and successful project outcome.

About DEVELOP LLC

DEVELOP LLC is a single-source manufacturing automation company based in Verona, Wisconsin. We specialize in engineering, designing, and building custom automation solutions, with expertise in embedded systems, industrial robotics, and vertical integration. Our mission is to help manufacturers achieve greater efficiency, productivity, and ROI through innovative, high-performance automation.

About FANUC America

FANUC America Corporation is a leading provider of robotic automation products and services. With over 27 million robots installed worldwide, FANUC is a globally recognized leader in industrial robotics, providing customers with comprehensive solutions for their manufacturing needs.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269009

SOURCE: GYT
DENVER, COLORADO / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / Borderless Food Truck, Denver's premier late-night global kitchen, has been named the 2025 Consumer Choice Award recipient in the Food Truck Catering category for the Denver region. This recognition celebrates their dedication to offering bold, flavorful street eats-from gyro fries to global tacos-backed by moonlit hours and a menu that travels the world.

Borderless Food Truck invites customers to "unlock a world of flavor" with late-night operating hours and chef-prepared dishes that reflect a fusion of global cuisines. With a recent partnership in Denver's cloud kitchen scene and expanded brand options, they're serving everything from steak and chicken tacos to shawarma-style gyro fries 6?PM-12?AM across the metro area.

A Menu Without Borders

Their catering offerings include:

Gyro & Carne Asada Fries combining global spices, tzatziki, lime crema, guacamole, and fresh pico

Fried favorites like wings, mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, and churros

Sandwiches & Burgers such as chicken gyros, spicy Italian sausage hoagies, and grass-fed cheeseburgers

Tacos & Quesadillas featuring steak, chicken, and ground beef options, served with guac and sour cream

Their menu is available for pick-up, delivery, and catered events, with a $75 minimum order and a focus on quality, convenience, and flavor.

Flavor That Works for Every Occasion

Borderless Food Truck's flexible model allows them to adapt to events of any size-corporate functions, college food fairs, community festivals, or late-night cravings. Known for its reliability, fresh ingredients, and consistent service, the operation accommodates group ordering, regular lineup tours, and partnerships with local food hubs.

"We're thrilled to be recognized by the Consumer Choice Award," says the Borderless Food Truck team. "It's gratifying to know that our commitment to global flavors and late-night convenience resonates with Denver diners."

Trusted by Diners and Businesses Alike

With hundreds of positive reviews on platforms like DoorDash (4.3 average rating) and recognition as a reliable pick for office delivery, Borderless Food Truck is praised for quality and caring service. Customers note fast responsiveness, generous portions like the nacho fries, and a commitment to correcting any order issues promptly.

Moonlight Meets Global Taste

Borderless isn't just about flavor; it's also about timing. Operating during late-night hours ensures residents, shift workers, and students can enjoy global eats well past dinner. Inspired by Denver's cloud kitchen movement, they deliver delicious meals to front doors with little wait time-ideal for "food near me now" moments.

Commitment That Crosses Borders

Their recent partnership with a local cloud kitchen reflects their innovative and customer-centered approach to food service. Operating four nights each week, Borderless Food Truck blends international recipes with consistent freshness and service reliability.

"Whether it's a casual night out or a full catered event, we aim to bring bold flavors that cross culinary borders," the team adds. "This award inspires us to keep pushing the envelope and delivering for Denver."

Find them at Denver's cloud-kitchen locations or book them for catering via borderlessfoodtruck.com or CLICK HERE.

About Borderless Food Truck

Borderless Food Truck is Denver's late-night global kitchen, offering an adventurous menu of tacos, gyro fries, burgers, sandwiches, and more. Operating from 6?PM to midnight, they serve catered events, office deliveries, and roaming food-truck stops. Known for global flavors and dependable service, Borderless brings the world to Denver's tables.

About Consumer Choice Award

Consumer Choice Award has been recognizing and promoting business excellence in North America since 1987. Its rigorous selection process ensures that only the most outstanding service providers in each category earn this prestigious recognition. Visit www.ccaward.com to learn more.

Contact Information

Sumi Saleh

Communications Manager

ssaleh@ccaward.com

SOURCE: Consumer Choice Award

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/borderless-food-truck-wins-2025-consumer-choice-award-for-food-t-1087435
LONDON, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Brands Magazine Honors Zenith Bank PLC with Two Prestigious Awards: Best Website Design & User Experience and Best Bank in Digital Marketing, Nigeria, 2025. These accolades celebrate Zenith Bank's exceptional leadership in delivering innovative digital solutions and impactful marketing strategies in Nigeria's financial services sector.

The Global Brand Awards celebrate outstanding achievements across industries worldwide. Zenith Bank PLC earned these recognitions for its innovative approach in the financial sector.

Commenting on the awards, Jay Reddy, CEO of Global Brands Magazine, stated, "We are incredibly proud to recognize Zenith Bank for its outstanding achievements in digital innovation and marketing excellence. Their commitment to creating a user-centric digital experience and leveraging innovative marketing strategies has set them apart as a leader in Nigeria's banking industry."

The Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, said "We are thrilled to receive these awards which recognize our commitment to delivering exceptional digital experiences to our customers. We are proud to be recognized for our digital marketing efforts which have enabled us to connect with and provide value for our customers globally. As a customer-centric brand, Zenith Bank would continue to invest in digital innovation and excellence, ensuring that our customers receive the best possible banking experience comparable to that of top global banking brands."

ABOUT ZENITH BANK PLC

Zenith Bank Plc was established in May 1990 by Jim Ovia, CFR and commenced operations in July of the same year as a commercial bank. The Bank became a public limited company on June 17, 2004, and was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) -now rebranded as Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), on October 21, 2004, following a highly successful Initial Public Offering IPO). Since its inception, the bank has grown to become Nigeria's largest and one of Africa's largest financial institutions by tier-1 capital, with shareholders' funds totaling NGN3.19 trillion as at 31st December, 2024.

ABOUT GLOBAL BRANDS MAGAZINE

Based in the UK, Global Brands Magazine (GBM) is a leading publication delivering insights, news, and opinions on brands shaping their industries. With over 8.4 million annual visitors and 14 million page views, GBM is a premier source of brand-related content. The magazine boasts a strong social media presence, with 35,000+ Facebook followers, 20,000+ Instagram followers, 25,000+ Twitter followers, and 4,000+ LinkedIn followers.

ABOUT THE GLOBAL BRAND AWARDS

The Global Brand Awards recognise excellence in brand performance across sectors such as finance, education, hospitality, and technology. Hosted at iconic venues like The Address Downtown, Waldorf Astoria, and Grand Hyatt Dubai, the 2025 ceremony continued this tradition of grandeur at the Grand Hyatt in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

For a complete list of winners, visit:

https://www.globalbrandsmagazine.com/brand-awards-winners/.

To nominate a company or leader for the Global Brand Awards 2025, visit: https://www.globalbrandsmagazine.com/nomination-form/.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2648066/5568931/GBM_Awards_2025_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/zenith-bank-plc-wins-big-at-global-brands-awards-2025-302587528.html
Coquitlam, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Nord Precious Metals Mining Inc. (TSXV: NTH) (OTCQB: CCWOF) (FSE: 4T9B) (the "Company" or "Nord") is pleased to announce that further to the Company's news releases dated October 2, 2025 and September 15, 2025, the Company has closed its Listed Issuer Financing Exemption ("LIFE") Offering with a concurrent non brokered private placement financing raising total gross proceeds of $4,000,000 subject to final TSX Venture Exchange ("Exchange") acceptance.

The LIFE Offering consisted of 13,056,041 units at a price of $0.12 per share for gross proceeds of $1,566,724 through the Amended LIFE Offering Document. In addition, the Company raised $2,433,275 through the non-brokered private placement which consisted of 20,277,292 units at a price of $0.12 per share for gross proceeds of $2,433,275.

Each Unit of the LIFE and non-brokered financing consisted of one common share of the Company ("Common Share") and one common share purchase warrant of the Company ("Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase an additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.155 for a period of five years following the closing of the Offering.

The 20,277,292 units that were issued in connection with the non brokered private placement are subject to a four month and a day hold period in accordance with Canadian securities laws.

Research Capital Corporation ("Research or the "Finder") who were the exclusive Finders assisted with the Financings were paid the amount of $226,256 cash, and 1,885,467 non-transferable finder warrants ("Finder Warrants'). The Finder Warrants are at an exercise price of $0.12 per share for a period of five years from closing.

Also, in connection with the Research's Advisory Services, the Company paid Research a work fee equal to $25,000 (the "Fee") and issued 175,000 advisor shares (the "Advisor Shares") at a deemed price of $0.12 per share. The Finder Warrants and Advisor Shares are subject to a four month and a day hold period in accordance with Canadian securities laws and all Finder's fees are subject to final Exchange acceptance.

Nord's primary business objective over the next 12 months is to increase the silver resource at the Castle East property and identify potential economics of tailings processing and metal recovery from tailings.

Nord intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to test tailings recovery through the Ontario Ministry's unique Recovery Permit and continue pilot scale testing of the Re-2Ox process with SGS Lakefield. Diamond drilling will continue on the Castle East Property to test new targets and, using new intersections, update the Company's Resource Estimate and for general working capital.

Insiders of the Company purchased a total of 1,533,333 units under the Private Placement, which is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company relied on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a), respectively, of MI 61-101 in respect of such insider participation. No new insiders and no control persons were created in connection with the private placement.

The Units were offered for sale pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106") as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption and Section 2.3. The Offering was made in all provinces of Canada (except Quebec) and other qualifying jurisdictions, including the United States. The Units offered under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption will be immediately "free-trading" under applicable Canadian securities laws. The Units sold under NI 45-106 (Non LIFE) will have a hold period of four months and one day post closing. Units sold to subscribers resident in the United States will be subject to additional restrictions on trade.

About Nord Precious Metals Mining Inc.

Nord Precious Metals Mining Inc. operates the only permitted high-grade milling facility in the historic Cobalt Camp of Ontario, where the Company has established a unique position integrating high-grade silver discovery with strategic metals recovery operations. The Company's flagship Castle property encompasses 63 sq. km of exploration ground and the past-producing Castle Mine, complemented by the Castle East discovery where drilling has delineated 7.56 million ounces of silver in Inferred resources grading an average of 8,582 g/t Ag (250.2 oz/ton).

Nord's integrated processing strategy leverages the synergistic value of multiple metals. High-grade silver recovery supports the economics of extracting critical minerals including cobalt, nickel, and other battery metals, while the company's proprietary Re-2Ox hydrometallurgical process enables production of technical-grade cobalt sulphate and nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) formulations. This multi-metal approach, combined with established infrastructure including TTL Laboratories and underground mine access, positions Nord to capitalize on both precious metals markets and the growing demand for battery materials.

The Company maintains a strategic portfolio of battery metals properties in Northern Quebec including its 35% ownership in Coniagas Battery Metals Inc. (TSXV: COS) as well as the St. Denis-Sangster lithium project comprising 260 square kilometers of prospective ground near Cochrane, Ontario.

More information is available at www.nordpreciousmetals.com.

"Frank J. Basa"

Frank J. Basa, P. Eng.

Chief Executive Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information in this news release or other communications unless required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270819

SOURCE: Nord Precious Metals Mining Inc.
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The UK market is down sharply on Friday, hurt by a sell-off in the financials sector amid concerns about the health of U.S. banks after a couple of regional banks disclosed that they were exposed to alleged fraud by borrowers, spreading jitters about credit market turmoil. The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 133.39 points or 1.41% at 9,302.70 a few minutes past noon. Shares of lenders are hurt by concerns about the health of U.S. banking sector. Zions Bancorporation, a Utah-based lender, said it would write off $50m on two loans, while Phoenix-headquartered Western Alliance said it had started legal proceedings over a bad loan said to be worth $100m. Barclays is down more than 6%. Standard Chartered is down 4.1%, Natwest Group is declining by about 2.7%, Lloyds Banking Group is down 1.9%, and HSBC Holdings is lower by about 1.6%. Intermdiate Capital Group is down 6.2%. Scottish Mortgage, Prudential and Legal & General are also down sharply. Schroders, Antofagasta, Babcock International, Melrose Industries, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce Holdings, Croda International, Exprian, BP and IAG are down 2.5 to 4.3%. Among the gainers, Pearson is up 4.7% after it reported a 4% rise in underlying group sales for Q3 2025. Smiths Group is rising 3.2%. The industrial conglomerate has announced plans to sell or demerge two of its four core divisions. Coca-Cola, Unilever, Diageo, Imperial Brands and Haleon are up 0.4 to 1%. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / NextSource Materials Inc. (TSX:NEXT)(OTCQB:NSRCF) ("NextSource" or the "Company") wishes to confirm that operations at its Molo Graphite Mine in southern Madagascar and shipments of its SuperFlake graphite concentrate remain unaffected by the current political situation in Madagascar.

Mining and processing activities at the Molo mine continue under normal conditions, with the Company maintaining its regular campaign production and logistics schedules. Shipments of SuperFlake graphite to international customers are proceeding from the port of Tulear without disruption.

NextSource maintains close engagement with community stakeholders to ensure continued collaboration and stability around its operations, and reaffirms its ongoing commitment to the well-being of its employees, the local community, and to social development programs in Madagascar, which continue as planned.

The Company continues to monitor events in Antananarivo, Madagascar's capital city, located approximately 900 kilometres from its Molo operations, and will provide further updates if warranted.

About NextSource Materials Inc.

NextSource Materials Inc. is a battery materials company based in Toronto, Canada that is intent on becoming a vertically integrated global supplier of battery materials through the mining and value-added processing of graphite and other minerals.

The Company's Molo graphite project in Madagascar is one of the largest known and highest-quality graphite resources globally, and the only one with SuperFlake graphite. The Molo mine has begun production through Phase 1 mine operations.

The Company is also developing a significant downstream graphite value-add business through the staged rollout of Battery Anode Facilities capable of large-scale production of coated, spheronized and purified graphite for direct delivery to battery and automotive customers, in a fully transparent and traceable manner. The Company is now in the process of developing its first BAF in the UAE.

NextSource Materials is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "NEXT" and on the OTCQB under the symbol "NSRCF".

For further information about NextSource Materials, please visit our website at www.nextsourcematerials.com or contact us at +1.416.364.4911 or email Brent Nykoliation, Executive Vice President at brent@nextsourcematerials.com.

Safe Harbour: This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Forward looking statements and information are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "potential", "possible" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "will", "could", "expected" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements include any statements regarding, among others, timing of construction and completion of the BAF and proposed timing of future locations of additional BAFs, timing and completion of front-end engineering and design and ESIA permitting, the economic results of the BAF Technical Study including capital costs estimates, operating costs estimates, payback, NPV, IRR, production, sales pricing and working capital estimates, the construction and potential expansion of the BAFs, expansion plans, as well as the Company's intent on becoming a fully integrated global supplier of critical battery and technology materials. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions that involve a number of risks, which could cause actual results to vary and, in some instances, to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company and described in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur or, if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive there from. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on what management believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.

SOURCE: NextSource Materials Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/nextsource-materials-confirms-uninterrupted-mine-operations-and-shipments-of-supe-1088456
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Bell Copper Corporation (TSXV: BCU) (OTCQB: BCUFF) ("Bell Copper" or the "Company") reports that the Arizona Geological Survey at the University of Arizona, with funding from the United States Geological Survey and the State of Arizona, has initiated a new study at the Company's Big Sandy porphyry copper discovery to assess potential new resources of critical minerals in Arizona. The Company is contributing core samples from its 100% owned Big Sandy porphyry copper project, a large, concealed porphyry copper-molybdenum project located in northwestern Arizona, approximately 30 kilometers from the Company's Perseverance Project.

Several critical minerals are commonly enriched in deposits like Big Sandy

Big Sandy core records the continuous transition from leached capping to supergene blanket

Initial Samples have been contributed from the Company's drill core

The Arizona Geological Survey ("AZGS") research initiative, led by Dr. Carson Richardson, Senior Research Scientist, and Ms. Zoey Plonka, AZGS Research Scientist, is a two-pronged project with one component focused on constraining both the timing of exhumation (via thermochronology) and supergene processes (via Ar-Ar geochronology of alunite and jarosite). The other component would include a detailed study of the Big Sandy supergene profile using systematic sampling to quantify elemental/critical mineral presence and variability. This sampling work has now been completed.

A previous study of Big Sandy core samples culminated in the publication of a University of Arizona Master's Thesis entitled "Integrating Geochronology and Ore Mineralogy Constraints to Correlate the Formation of the Diamond Joe Pluton and Big Sandy Porphyry Copper Prospect, NW Arizona, USA" by Jonothan Chappell, generally supporting the Company's concept of a genetic link between the Big Sandy porphyry and the root zone at Diamond Joe Peak, 13 kilometers to the west.

The Big Sandy core has been demonstrated to contain significant amounts of copper, rhenium, and silver, elements which, notably, the U.S.G.S. included on its 2025 Draft List of Critical Minerals.

Dr. Timothy Marsh, Bell's President and CEO, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI43-101, said,

"Bell is pleased to contribute further samples of the Big Sandy core to aid this assessment of the nation's critical mineral resources. Big Sandy's status as one of the few complete profiles from leached capping through supergene enrichment in an unmined porphyry copper deposit gives the AZGS a great example to study."

Bell Copper continues the work of securing funding to complete the drilling of BS-4 at Big Sandy, which was suspended in August 2024. The BS-4 drill hole is located 900 meters from the previous drill hole, BS-3, which had an intersection of 200 meters of chalcocite-bearing porphyry (see June 7, 2022 news). The Company plans to drill BS-4 into bedrock using an angle capable mud rotary drill, to be followed by coring into bedrock.

About Bell Copper

Bell Copper is a mineral exploration company focused on the identification, exploration and discovery of large copper deposits located in Arizona. Bell Copper is exploring its 100% owned Big Sandy Porphyry Copper Project and the Perseverance Porphyry Copper Project which is under a Joint Venture - Earn In.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including, but not limited to, the ability of Bell to identify a mineral resource at the Perseverance or Big Sandy Projects. There is no certainty that the present exploration effort will result in the identification of a mineral resource or that any mineral resource that might be discovered will prove to be economically recoverable. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "potential", "target", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which Bell Copper operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic, and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include actual exploration results, interpretation of metallurgical characteristics of the mineralization, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, delays or inability to receive required approvals, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including those described.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270829

SOURCE: Bell Copper Corporation
"The Critical Minerals and ZEO Company"

~ Antimony, Cobalt, Tungsten, and Zeolite ~

DALLAS, TX / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / United States Antimony Corporation ("USAC," "US Antimony," the "Company"), (NYSE American:UAMY)(NYSE Texas:UAMY), a leading producer and processor of antimony, zeolite, and other critical minerals, announced today that after obtaining the necessary permits from the Department of Environmental Quality ("DEQ") this month, the Company immediately initiated exploration and bulk sampling operations on Stibnite Hill, which is located directly adjacent to our Thompson Falls, Montana smeltering operation that is currently under significant expansion.

Antimony ore has now been trucked in a number of loads off the mountain to a flotation mill in Montana for crushing and sampling prior to further review by our metallurgical chemist. Management is highly encouraged due to the high quality of this material.

Commenting on this significant achievement announced today, Joe Bardswich, Executive Vice President and Chief Mining Engineer for USAC said, "Earlier this year, we began the process of acquiring mineral leases and actual real property purchases in and around the Stibnite Hill mine previously operated and mined by the Company over twenty years ago. Once the necessary permits were obtained from the DEQ this month, we began our exploration efforts. Those have resulted in our first four loads of raw antimony ore for our existing operations to begin processing this year. While we fully expected our first actual product from the Company to come from our Alaska operations, the delay in permit approvals in that state for approximately five months, allowed Montana to be first. This achievement now makes United States Antimony Corporation the first company in the world to be fully integrated from mining operations to finished products of antimony."

About USAC:

United States Antimony Corporation and its subsidiaries in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada ("USAC," "U.S. Antimony," the "Company," "Our," "Us," or "We") sell antimony, zeolite, and precious metals primarily in the U.S. and Canada. The Company processes third party ore primarily into antimony oxide, antimony metal, antimony trisulfide, and precious metals at its facilities located in Montana and Mexico. Antimony oxide is used to form a flame-retardant system for plastics, rubber, fiberglass, textile goods, paints, coatings, and paper, as a color fastener in paint, and as a phosphorescent agent in fluorescent light bulbs. Antimony metal is used in bearings, storage batteries, and ordnance. Antimony trisulfide is used as a primer in ammunition. The Company also recovers precious metals, primarily gold and silver, at its Montana facility from third party ore. At its Bear River Zeolite ("BRZ") facility located in Idaho, the Company mines and processes zeolite, a group of industrial minerals used in water filtration, sewage treatment, nuclear waste and other environmental cleanup, odor control, gas separation, animal nutrition, soil amendment and fertilizer, and other miscellaneous applications. During 2024 and 2025, the Company began acquiring mining claims and leases located in Montana, Alaska and Ontario, Canada in an effort to expand its operations as well as its product offerings.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's future operations, production levels, financial performance, business strategy, market conditions, demand for antimony, zeolite, other critical minerals, and precious metals, expected costs, and other statements that are not historical facts. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about the industries in which the Company operates, as well as management's beliefs and assumptions. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "could," and variations of these words or similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements, including, but not limited to: fluctuations in the market prices and demand for antimony and zeolite; changes in domestic and global economic conditions; operational risks inherent in mining and mineral processing; geological or metallurgical conditions; availability and cost of energy, equipment, transportation, and labor; the Company's ability to maintain or obtain permits, licenses, and regulatory approvals; changes in environmental and mining laws or regulations; competitive factors; the impact of geopolitical developments; and the effects of weather, natural disasters, or health pandemics on operations and supply chains. Additional information regarding risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

Contact:

United States Antimony Corp.

4438 W. Lovers Lane, Unit 100

Dallas, TX 75209

Jonathan Miller, VP, Investor Relations

E-Mail: Jmiller@usantimony.com

Phone: 406-606-4117

SOURCE: United States Antimony Corp.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/united-states-antimony-corporation-announces-mining-operations-initiated-at-stibn-1088331
After 5 years, Kisqali  plus endocrine therapy consistently shows significant and clinically meaningful benefit in invasive disease-free survival 1





plus endocrine therapy consistently shows significant and clinically meaningful benefit in invasive disease-free survival Kisqali remains the only CDK4/6 inhibitor demonstrating consistent and clinically meaningful benefit across the broadest population of HR+/HER2- early breast cancer (EBC) patients, including those with node-negative disease 1





Data also show a 29.1% risk reduction in distant disease-free survival, and a positive trend in overall survival* 1





With a median of around two years post-completion of treatment with Kisqali, no new safety signals were observed1

Basel, October 17, 2025 - Novartis today announced results from the five-year analysis of the pivotal Phase III NATALEE trial of Kisqali (ribociclib) that demonstrated a sustained benefit at a median of two years after a three-year treatment with Kisqali (median follow-up: 58.4 months). Results showed a 28.4% reduction in risk of recurrence (HR=0.716; 95% CI 0.618-0.829; nominal p-value <0.0001) in the broadest population of patients with high-risk stage II and III hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) early breast cancer (EBC) treated with Kisqali plus endocrine therapy (ET) compared to ET alone1.

The five-year invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) rates were 85.5% in the Kisqali plus ET arm versus 81.0% in the ET alone arm, representing a clinically meaningful 4.5% improvement1. These late-breaking results will be presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025.

"For the thousands of people diagnosed with early breast cancer each year, the fear of recurrence, often as incurable advanced disease, weighs heavily on patients and their families," said Dr. John Crown, Consultant Medical Oncologist at St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, and NATALEE investigator. "These five-year results show that the benefit of ribociclib persists well beyond the completion of treatment, offering these at-risk patients a greater chance of living breast cancer-free."

As follow-up continued, the confidence intervals (CIs) became narrower1. This pattern held across clinically relevant subgroups, reinforcing the robustness of the observed iDFS benefit1.

"These data reinforce the potential of Kisqali to significantly reduce the long-term risk of breast cancer recurrence, extending well beyond the three-year treatment period. This provides physicians and patients with greater confidence in long-term disease management. Kisqali is redefining the standard of care in adjuvant therapy, including in patients with node-negative disease," said Dushen Chetty, Global Head of Oncology and Hematology Development at Novartis, Ad Interim. "The consistency of the benefit observed across both advanced and early breast cancer settings, together with Kisqali's established safety profile, underscores its position as the CDK4/6 inhibitor with the most comprehensive Phase III evidence base for improving patient outcomes."

Overall survival (OS) continues to show an encouraging trend, with further improvement in the hazard ratio (HR) to 0.800 and narrowing CI (95% CI: 0.637-1.003; one-sided nominal p-value 0.026) compared to the final iDFS analysis (OS HR = 0.892 (0.661-1.203)), demonstrating a 20% reduction in the risk of death compared to ET alone1. The NATALEE trial will continue follow-up to ensure sufficient data is collected for OS and other long-term endpoints.

iDFS results across pre-specified subgroups1:

Subgroups Hazard ratio 95% CI Absolute risk reduction at 5 years Overall population 0.716 0.618-0.829 4.5% Stage II 0.660 0.493-0.884 3.7% Stage III 0.730 0.615-0.865 5.6% Node-negative (N0) 0.606 0.372-0.986 5.7% Node-positive (N1-3) 0.737 0.631-0.860 4.4%

With a median of around two years after all patients completed Kisqali treatment, long-term safety shows no new safety signals1. Overall, rates of secondary primary malignancies (SPMs) were 2.7% (Kisqali plus ET) and 3.0% (ET alone), while SPMs leading to deaths were reported in one patient in each group1.

Kisqali remains the only CDK4/6 inhibitor to demonstrate statistically significant OS benefits across three randomized controlled trials in advanced breast cancer (MONALEESA-2, MONALEESA-3, and MONALEESA-7)2-12.

*OS data remain immature at the five-year NATALEE analysis

About NATALEE

NATALEE is a global Phase III multi-center, randomized, open-label trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Kisqali with ET as an adjuvant treatment versus ET alone in the broadest range of patients with stage II and III HR+/HER2- EBC, being conducted in collaboration with TRIO13,14. The adjuvant ET in both treatment arms was a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor (NSAI; anastrozole or letrozole) and goserelin if applicable13,14. The primary endpoint of NATALEE is invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) as defined by the Standardized Definitions for Efficacy End Points (STEEP) criteria13,14. A total of 5,101 adult patients with HR+/HER2- EBC across 20 countries were randomized in the trial13,14.

About Kisqali (ribociclib)

Kisqali (ribociclib) is a selective cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, helping slow the progression of cancer by inhibiting two proteins called cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6). These proteins, when over-activated, enable cancer cells to grow and divide quickly. Targeting CDK4/6 with enhanced precision plays a role in tumor control.

Kisqali has been approved as a treatment for breast cancer by regulatory authorities in more than 100 countries worldwide, including the U.S. FDA and the European Commission15,16. In the US, Kisqali is indicated in combination with an AI as an adjuvant treatment for adults with HR+/HER2- stage II and III early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence, as well as for the treatment of adults with HR+/HER2- advanced or MBC as initial ET; Kisqali is also approved in the metastatic indication in combination with fulvestrant as initial ET or following disease progression on ET15. In the EU, Kisqali is approved in combination with an AI for the adjuvant treatment of patients with HR+/HER2- early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence; and for the treatment of women with HR+/HER2- advanced or MBC in combination with either an AI or fulvestrant as initial ET or following disease progression16. In pre- or peri-menopausal women, the ET should be combined with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist15,16.

In EBC, Kisqali is the only CDK4/6 inhibitor recommended by the NCCN Guidelines for breast cancer as Category 1 preferred for both all node-positive disease as well as for patients with no nodal involvement with high-risk disease characteristics, such as tumor size >5 cm, or for tumors sized 2-5 cm, either Grade 2 with high genomic risk/Ki-67 =20% or Grade 317. Kisqali approvals in EBC from regulatory authorities worldwide are ongoing, including recent approval from China's National Medical Products Administration18. In MBC, Kisqali has consistently demonstrated statistically significant overall survival benefit across three Phase III trials2-12. The NCCN Guidelines also recommend Kisqali as the only Category 1 preferred CDK4/6 inhibitor for first-line treatment of people living with HR+/HER2- MBC when combined with an AI, making Kisqali the preferred first-line treatment of choice for US prescribers in HR+/HER2- MBC17.

In addition, Kisqali has achieved the highest score (A) on the European Society for Medical Oncology-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS) for EBC19; and has the highest rating of any CDK4/6 inhibitor on the ESMO Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale, achieving a score of four out of five for first-line pre-menopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer20. Further, Kisqali in combination with either letrozole or fulvestrant has uniquely, among other CDK4/6 inhibitors, received a score of four out of five for post-menopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer treated in the first line21.

Kisqali was developed by Novartis under a research collaboration with Astex Pharmaceuticals.

Please see full Prescribing Information for Kisqali, available at www.Kisqali.com (https://www.kisqali.com/)

About Novartis in Breast Cancer

For more than 30 years, Novartis has been at the forefront of driving scientific advancements for people touched by breast cancer and improving clinical practice in collaboration with the global community. With one of the most comprehensive breast cancer portfolios and pipeline, Novartis leads the industry in discovery of new therapies and combinations in HR+/HER2- breast cancer, the most common form of the disease.

Disclaimer

This is a legal statement identifying forward-looking statements involving known and unknown risks and uncertainties. You should include the standard disclaimer in your release as outlined in the Global Press Release Approval Guidelines.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "may," "could," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Novartis is an innovative medicines company. Every day, we work to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people's lives so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are empowered in the face of serious disease. Our medicines reach nearly 300 million people worldwide.

Reimagine medicine with us: Visit us at https://www.novartis.com (https://www.novartis.com/) and connect with us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/novartis/), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/novartis/), X/Twitter (https://twitter.com/Novartis) and Instagram (https://instagram.com/novartis?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==__;!!N3hqHg43uw!pjp8z253J5NjaOYrW65UbAAlHeHRdQ-w0m4ezZxEQEl0ptafXN2M99VRIk39pf49PAc8NbK93Pxp3uaSBQkAf8oEnzWXG8Sk$).

References

Crown J, Stroyakovskii D, Yardley DA, et al. Adjuvant Ribociclib Plus Nonsteroidal Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy in Patients With HR+/HER2- Early Breast Cancer: NATALEE 5-Year Outcomes. Presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress; October 17-21, 2025; Berlin, Germany. Yardley DA et al. Pooled exploratory analysis of survival in patients (pts) with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer (ABC) and visceral metastases (mets) treated with ribociclib (RIB) + endocrine therapy (ET) in the MONALEESA (ML) trials. Poster presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology Congress. September 9-13, 2022. Paris, France. Neven P et al. Updated overall survival (OS) results from the first-line (1L) population in the Phase III MONALEESA-3 trial of postmenopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with ribociclib (RIB) + fulvestrant (FUL). Mini oral presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Breast Cancer Congress. May 4, 2022. Paris, France. Hortobagyi GN, Stemmer SM, Burris HA, et al. Overall Survival with Ribociclib plus Letrozole in Advanced Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2022;386(10):942-950. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2114663. Hortobagyi GN et al. Overall survival (OS) results from the phase III MONALEESA (ML)-2 trial of postmenopausal patients with hormone receptor positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with endocrine therapy (ET)  ribociclib. LBA 17. Proffered paper presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology Congress, September 16-21, 2021. Lugano, Switzerland. Im SA, Lu YS, Bardia A, et al. Overall survival with ribociclib plus endocrine therapy in breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(4):307-316. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1903765. Slamon DJ, Neven P, Chia S, et al. Overall Survival with Ribociclib plus Fulvestrant in Advanced Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(6):514-524. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1911149. Slamon DJ et al. Overall survival (OS) results of the Phase III MONALEESA-3 trial of postmenopausal patients (pts) with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor 2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with fulvestrant (FUL)  ribociclib (RIB). LBA7_PR. Presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology Congress. September 29, 2019. Barcelona, Spain. Slamon DJ et al. Updated overall survival (OS) results from the Phase III MONALEESA-3 trial of postmenopausal patients (pts) with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with fulvestrant (FUL)  ribociclib (RIB). Presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. June 5, 2021. Chicago, USA. Tripathy D et al. Updated overall survival (OS) results from the phase III MONALEESA-7 trial of pre- or perimenopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with endocrine therapy (ET)  ribociclib. Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. December 9, 2020. Texas, USA. Yardley D et al. Overall survival (OS) in patients (pts) with advanced breast cancer (ABC) with visceral metastases (mets), including those with liver mets, treated with ribociclib (RIB) plus endocrine therapy (ET) in the MONALEESA (ML) -3 and -7 trials. Presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. June 2020. Chicago, USA. O'Shaughnessy J et al. Overall survival subgroup analysis by metastatic site from the Phase III MONALEESA-2 study of first-line ribociclib + letrozole in postmenopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer. Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. December 7-10, 2021. Texas, USA. Slamon D, Lipatov O, Nowecki Z, et al. Ribociclib plus Endocrine Therapy in Early Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2024;390(12):1080-1091. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2305488 Clinicaltrials.gov. NCT03701334. A Trial to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Ribociclib With Endocrine Therapy as Adjuvant Treatment in Patients With HR+/ HER2- Early Breast Cancer (NATALEE). Accessed October 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03701334 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03701334) Kisqali. Prescribing Information (US FDA). Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; 2017. Accessed October 2025. https://www.novartis.com/us-en/sites/novartis_us/files/kisqali.pdf (https://www.novartis.com/us-en/sites/novartis_us/files/kisqali.pdf) Kisqali. Summary of product characteristics (SmPC). Novartis Europharm Limited; 2017. Accessed October 2025. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/kisqali-epar-product-information_en.pdf (https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/kisqali-epar-product-information_en.pdf) NCCN Guidelines. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) - Breast Cancer. Accessed October 2025. https://www.nccn.org (https://www.nccn.org/) National Medical Products Administration. Drug Evaluation Information Disclosure: Drug Evaluation Approval Results. National Medical Products Administration. Published May 21, 2025. Accessed October 2025. https://www.nmpa.gov.cn/zwfw/sdxx/sdxxyp/yppjfb/20250521151427103.html (https://www.nmpa.gov.cn/zwfw/sdxx/sdxxyp/yppjfb/20250521151427103.html) European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO). ESMO MCBS scorecards; NATALEE. Accessed October 2025. https://www.esmo.org/guidelines/esmo-mcbs/esmo-mcbs-for-solid-tumours/esmo-mcbs-scorecards/scorecard-468-1 (https://www.esmo.org/guidelines/esmo-mcbs/esmo-mcbs-for-solid-tumours/esmo-mcbs-scorecards/scorecard-468-1) European Society for Medical Oncology. Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale Scorecard. Accessed October 2025. https://www.esmo.org/guidelines/esmo-mcbs/esmo-mcbs-for-solid-tumours/esmo-mcbs-scorecards?scorecard=158-1 (https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.esmo.org/guidelines/esmo-mcbs/esmo-mcbs-for-solid-tumours/esmo-mcbs-scorecards?scorecard=158-1__;!!N3hqHg43uw!szlyVWn8ypnC9srgXJJam6w2bJcNHULeCFVw2oLXoQ3c4yb78Fi0NUAxnd9bFVSNrjEpGfZTCbCQ6NwZb8O8mCs5_7_PQouY4bA$___.YzJ1OnBhdWxiYWtlcm5vdGlmaWVkY29tOmM6bzo2MmNjZGFlZWI2ZmRjNjlmYTU3OWYzOWY1ZGE0NGQ1NTo3OmVjYmE6MGRkYTZhYjAzYjYzODViZmRlZGJkNjI5ODdjYzI0NmFmYTZlY2U4NGRjMDY0MWQyZWVkZDY3Mjc4M2I2ODhmNjpoOlQ6Tg) European Society for Medical Oncology. Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale Scorecard. Accessed October 2025. https://www.esmo.org/guidelines/esmo-mcbs/esmo-mcbs-for-solid-tumours/esmo-mcbs-scorecards?scorecard=9-1 (https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https:/urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.esmo.org/guidelines/esmo-mcbs/esmo-mcbs-for-solid-tumours/esmo-mcbs-scorecards?scorecard=9-1__;!!N3hqHg43uw!szlyVWn8ypnC9srgXJJam6w2bJcNHULeCFVw2oLXoQ3c4yb78Fi0NUAxnd9bFVSNrjEpGfZTCbCQ6NwZb8O8mCs5_7_PK5W-0gI$___.YzJ1OnBhdWxiYWtlcm5vdGlmaWVkY29tOmM6bzo2MmNjZGFlZWI2ZmRjNjlmYTU3OWYzOWY1ZGE0NGQ1NTo3OjA1OWM6ZGFmNmI5NDVjZjhmOTg2YzBhNTM0OWM5NDhjZmJkNzlhYjcyZjZlZGRjYjU4Yjk0ZTU2OTQxMjEyNTExNjgxYzpoOlQ6Tg)



# # #
The "Greece Existing Upcoming Data Center Portfolio" database has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Athens is home to all the upcoming data centers in Greece, with more than 250 MW of total IT power capacity. The upcoming data center capacity is now almost 5x larger than the existing capacity across the country.

New players such as Edgenex and Apto Dromeus Capital signal growing investor interest and market diversification. Digital Realty and Italia Telecom Sparkle are currently the largest data center operators in the Greek market, with a combined total of over 174,000 sq. ft of white/raised floor space.

Key Market Highlights

This database (Excel) product covers the Greece data center market portfolio analysis, which provides the following information on colocation data centers:

Detailed Analysis of 17 existing data centers

Detailed Analysis of 5 upcoming data centers

Locations covered: Athens, Crete, Heraklion, Thessaloniki, Volos

Existing white-floor space (square feet)

Upcoming white-floor space (square feet)

Current IT load capacity (2025)

Future capacity additions (2025-2029)

Retail Colocation Pricing Quarter Rack (1/4) Half Rack Cabinets (1/2) Full Rack Cabinet (42U/45U/47U/etc.)

Wholesale colocation (per kW) pricing

Existing Data Centers (17 Facilities)

Market Snapshot

Location (Region/Country/City)

Facility Address

Operator/Owner Name

Data Center Name i.e., (ZUR1 or ZH5)

Core Shell Area (White-Floor Area)

Core Shell Power Capacity (IT Load Capacity)

Rack Capacity

Year of Operations

Design Standards (Tier I IV)

Power/Cooling Redundancy

Upcoming Data Centers (5 Facilities)

Investment Snapshot

Location (Region/Country/City)

Investor Name

Area (White-Floor Area)

Power Capacity (IT Load Capacity)

Investment ($ Million)

Electrical Infrastructure Investment ($ Million)

Mechanical Infrastructure Investment ($ Million)

General Construction Services Investment ($ Million)

Announcement Year

Project Status (Opened/Under Construction/Announced Planned)

Active or Expected Year of Opening

Target Audience

Data center Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT)

Data center Construction Contractors

Data center Infrastructure Providers

New Entrants

Consultants/Consultancies/Advisory Firms

Corporate and Governments Agencies

Key Topics Covered:

1. About the Database

2. Scope Assumptions

3. Definitions

4. Snapshot: Existing Upcoming Data Center Facility

5. Existing Data Center Database

6. Upcoming Data Center Facility

7. Existing vs. Upcoming Capacity (Infographics)

8. Colocation Pricing

Major Operators/Investors Covered in This Greece Data Center Market Database

Apto Dromeus Capital

CloudRock

Data4 Group

Digital Realty

Edgenex

Friktoria

Hostmein IKE

Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO) and Serverfarm

Italia Telecom Sparkle

Lancom

Synapsecom Telecoms

For more information about this database visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6mj6s7

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251017871390/en/

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Boba Mint Holdings Ltd. (CSE: TNJ) (OTCQB: WERDF) ("Boba Mint" or the "Company") and its subsidiary WERD Studios are pleased to announce that Amino, the new AI-powered calorie counter app, announced the completion of a successful first month since launch, marked by strong user growth and the first of several planned celebrity endorsements, as on October 14, Kyle Forgeard, creator of NELK and Full Send, officially endorsed Amino in a dedicated Instagram story post introducing the app to his followers. Mr. Forgeard receives compensation for his role as a brand ambassador of Amino, however no securities have been issued to Mr. Forgeard in connection with this role.



Amino's first month focused on marketing tests, performance analysis, and establishing a scalable growth framework. The company's initial strategy utilized digital-only channels, including paid Instagram advertising, micro-influencer partnerships, and organic community engagement. With a modest initial marketing budget and small-scale influencer activations, Amino signed up more than 11,000 users during the first 30 days.

Early campaign performance showed strong acquisition efficiency and user engagement, confirming the effectiveness of Amino's data-driven creative strategy. The combination of paid media, influencer-generated content, and organic community activity has demonstrated a cost-efficient and repeatable model. Based on these results, Amino plans to expand marketing investment in the next phase while continuing to refine performance across all active channels.

During active paid and influencer campaigns, Amino has averaged approximately 100 new downloads per day. Forgeard's initial Instagram post generated nearly 2000 new users within 24 hours, bringing total users to approximately 13000. The post featured a simple demonstration of the app with no direct promotional messaging, underscoring the impact of authentic creator-driven engagement.

Building on this foundation, Amino plans to increase its marketing spend and expand partnerships through additional NELK team members and other high-profile creators with large followings. The company also confirmed that TikTok advertising campaigns will launch shortly as part of its next phase of user acquisition, further accelerating visibility and growth across key demographics.



Amino is available now on iOS and Android.

Download Amino today:

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amino-rewards/id6670493968

Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aminomove&hl=en_CA



About Boba Mint Holdings

Boba Mint Holdings is a forward-thinking blockchain gaming and digital innovation company that develops and invests, directly and through its wholly owned subsidiary WERD Studios, in innovative consumer apps and blockchain projects that blend cutting-edge technology, gamification, and real-world utility. Our mission is to create engaging products that people love using every day - and that make a positive impact.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

Boba Mint Holdings Ltd.

"Rody Lazar"

CEO

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the CSE policies) accepts responsibility for this release's adequacy or accuracy.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements". Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Boba's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Such statements include those relating to game development and the Company's expectations and plans. Although Boba believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by their nature, forward-looking statements involve assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments in the blockchain sector; the Company's ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; mobile video game industry and markets in Canada and generally; the ability of Boba to implement its business strategies; competition; and other assumptions, risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in Boba' Form 2A Listing Statement dated April 19, 2024 which is available on Boba's profile at http://www.sedarplus.ca and on the CSE website at https://thecse.com/listings/boba-mint-holdings-ltd/.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state, province, territory or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state, province, territory or jurisdiction.

We seek Safe Harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270849

SOURCE: Boba Mint Holdings Ltd.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - In a space where small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) struggle to balance quality and cost in professional services, Push Digits Chartered Accountants is offering premium accounting, auditing, and financial consultancy at prices SMEs can afford. This initiative aims to empower business owners to access the same caliber of expertise typically reserved for large corporations-without the hefty price tag.

Operating from Dubai, Push Digits has built its reputation on providing transparent, technology-driven, and client-focused financial services. The firm's team of chartered accountants and consultants has designed flexible packages tailored for growing businesses that demand both reliability and efficiency in managing their financial operations.

"Our mission has always been to make high-quality accounting support available to all businesses, regardless of size," said Farhan Aqil, spokesperson for Push Digits. "SMEs deserve the same level of financial insight and accuracy that big enterprises receive. We combine professional expertise with cost-effective solutions to make that possible."

Push Digits leverages automation and cloud-based systems to reduce manual overhead and pass cost savings directly to clients. Their affordable service model includes core offerings such as accounting and bookkeeping, VAT and tax consultancy, audit and assurance, CFO outsourcing, and compliance support. By streamlining workflows with the latest accounting technologies, the firm enables entrepreneurs to make data-driven decisions in real time-without overextending their budgets.

The firm's emphasis on personalization also sets it apart. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all packages, Push Digits conducts detailed assessments of each client's needs and tailors service plans accordingly. This approach ensures that businesses receive scalable financial solutions that grow with them, aligning perfectly with the dynamic SME market in the UAE.

Industry observers note that Push Digits' strategy reflects a larger shift in the accounting landscape, where accessibility, transparency, and automation are reshaping client expectations.

About Push Digits Chartered Accountants

Push Digits is a leading accounting and audit firm based in Dubai, UAE, offering comprehensive financial services including accounting, auditing, tax consultancy, virtual CFO services, and business advisory. The firm is committed to helping businesses of all sizes achieve financial clarity, compliance, and growth through a combination of professional expertise and innovative technology.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270692

SOURCE: Economical Network
St. Lewis, Newfoundland and Labrador--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Search Minerals Inc. (TSXV: SMY) ("Search Minerals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Jason Macintosh, B.Comm, MBA, CPA, CGA as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Mr. Macintosh is a results-driven professional with over 25 years of comprehensive finance experience. He has a strong commitment to professional integrity, shareholder wealth preservation, and the alignment of finance strategies with overall business objectives. Most recently, he served as CFO & Corporate Secretary for STLLR Gold Inc., a Canadian gold development company with significant projects in Ontario and the Northwest Territories. In this role, he provided the strategic leadership for accounting and finance operations, established robust policies and controls, while supporting the company's continued growth and exploration efforts.

Commenting on his new role, Mr. Macintosh stated, "I'm excited to join Search Minerals at such a pivotal stage of growth. The Deep Fox and Foxtrot Projects are key assets in strengthening Canada's critical minerals supply chain. As CFO, my focus will be on supporting the company's financial strategy and ensuring the capital discipline needed to drive long-term shareholder value."

Joseph Lanzon, CEO and Director commented, "The Board is delighted to welcome Jason to our executive team. His appointment strengthens our leadership capacity, reinforcing a prudent approach to fiscal discipline and the generation of long-term value for shareholders and our community and Indigenous partners. Jason's financial and corporate experience will greatly benefit the company as it advances the Deep Fox and Foxtrot Critical Rare Earth Elements projects to development."

About Search Minerals

Search Minerals is focused on exploring for and developing Critical Rare Earths Elements (CREE) as well as transition metals Zirconium (Zr) and Hafnium (Hf) within the emerging Port Hope Simpson - St. Lewis CREE District of South-East Labrador. The Company controls two deposits (Foxtrot and Deep Fox), two drill ready prospects (Fox Meadow and Silver Fox) and numerous other CREE prospects, including Fox Valley, Foxy Lady and Awesome Fox, along a 64 kilometre long belt forming a CREE District in Labrador.

Search Minerals also controls additional CREE assets in the Red Wine CREE District of central Labrador. These include: the drill ready Two Tom Lake CREE-Be-Nb deposit, the Mann #1 CREE-Nb-Be prospect and Merlot CREE Prospect.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases or variations of such words and phrases or statements such as "anticipate", "expect" "plan", "likely", "believe", "intend", "forecast", "project", "estimate", "potential", "could", "may", "will", "would" or "should". Forward-Looking Information in this news release are based on certain material assumptions and involve, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Search Minerals to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. Such risks and other factors include, those factors discussed in Search Minerals' public filings. Although Search Minerals has attempted to identify important factors that could affect Search Minerals and may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. For further information on these and other risks and uncertainties that may affect the Company's business, see the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis filed with certain Canadian securities regulators, which are available at www.sedarplus.ca. Except as required by law, Search Minerals does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270843

SOURCE: Search Minerals Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - ExGen Resources Inc. (TSXV: EXG) (OTC Pink: BXXRF) ("ExGen", the "Company") and MTB Metals Corp. (TSXV: MTB) (OTCQB: MBYMF) (FSE: E8H) ("MTB"): ExGen and MTB are pleased to announce that they have entered into an Arrangement Agreement dated October 16, 2025 (the "Arrangement"). The Arrangement sets terms and conditions between ExGen and MTB pursuant to which ExGen and MTB will combine their operations, business, assets and properties (the "Proposed Transaction"). The Proposed Transaction will be subject to approval by MTB shareholders, the court, and the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V"), and other closing conditions customary in transactions of this nature. The Proposed Transaction will be an Arm's Length Transaction for both companies under the policies of the TSX-V. There are no finders fees.

TERMS OF THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION

Under the Proposed Transaction, ExGen would acquire all the issued and outstanding securities of MTB, on the basis of 0.286 of an ExGen share for each MTB share, with the result that the current securityholders of MTB will become securityholders of ExGen and will hold approximately 35% of the combined company (subject to potential changes resulting from other potential transactions).

Signing of the Arrangement Agreement advances the proposed transaction from the Letter of Intent that was announced on August 13, 2025. In addition to setting definitive terms and conditions, both companies have now initiated work on National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") reports on their flagship projects.

BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION

The Proposed Transaction would create a well-funded exploration and development company with a strong balance sheet, a stronger combined management and technical team and assets in multiple favorable jurisdictions.

Consolidation of the DOK property interest with the balance of MTB's Telegraph copper-gold project in the fertile Golden Triangle of British Columbia.

Exposure for MTB's shareholders to ExGen's 20% carried interest in the Empire copper-gold development-stage mine in Idaho as well as to ExGen's other copper and lithium projects.

Lawrence Roulston, CEO of MTB, commented, "This merger combines MTB's exposure to copper and gold projects with ExGen's carried interest in the development-stage Empire copper mine. The Empire interest offers a clear path to near-term cash flow. The combined company will have a strong balance sheet, providing a solid basis for an evolving business plan in which exploration expenditures will be funded by others. We intend to continue to expand our portfolio of royalties and carried interests as well as continuing a highly selective exploration program aimed at acquiring high potential prospects with potential to quickly unlock value."

Jason Riley, CEO of ExGen, commented, "Over the past few years, ExGen has actively sought the right transactions to expand our portfolio as we believed the metal and resource markets were due for a rebound. Now, together with MTB, our combined companies' will be ideally positioned with the right assets, the right technical and management team, and a rising metals market. The Proposed Transaction provides our shareholders with incredible leverage to both near-term production potential and a new porphyry discovery, and in a time of rising copper and gold prices. We look forward to providing further updates on a number of potential catalysts across our portfolio throughout the rest of this year."

ASSETS OF EXGEN

Empire Mine: ExGen holds an effective 20% carried interest in the Empire Mine project in Idaho. A 2020 NI 43-101 Resource Calculation outlined an open pit mine plan(1). Sulphide veins underlying the open pit area were historically mined from underground. A 2021 drillhole encountered 8.4% copper along with significant values of gold, silver, and zinc over 0.5m, for further information see ExGen news release dated December 10, 2021. The sulphide vein zone represents considerable upside potential for the project.

Dok Project, BC: ExGen holds the Dok claims, representing 27% of the area of MTB's Telegraph project in British Columbia's Golden Triangle.

Spark North Lithium Project, Nevada: 2300 acres of unpatented claims in Elko County, Nevada, directly north of Surge Battery Metals Inc's (TSXV: NILI) Nevada North Lithium Project.

Buena Vista Copper Project, Nevada: a copper and gold project with field work in 2011 and 2012 identifying extensive areas of copper mineralization and two large areas of chargeability (2).

Gordon Lake Project, NWT: A high-grade gold exploration prospect in the NWT.

Boss Project, Nevada: a past-producing gold mine in Nevada. A 2013 43-101 Technical Report identified an 8 km by 6 km area that hosts copper gold mineralization and evidence of a copper-gold porphyry system (3).

Macrex Project, BC: a 5,115 acres copper, gold, and silver project located in the Alberni Mining District of British Columbia, approximately 20 km from Port Alberni.

National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report: Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Empire Mine Project Custer County, Idaho USA, prepared by Hard Rock Consulting LLC., authors: Jeff Choquette, P.E., State of Montana, J. J. Brown, P.G., SME-RM, and Richard A. Schwering, P.G., SME-RM. Report dated November 25, 2020. GEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT and EXPLORATION PROPOSAL (2013/14) for the BUENA VISTA PROJECT Copper Kettle Mining District Lovelock Area, prepared by Phil Van Angeren P.Geol. Report dated April 25, 2013. Geological Assessment and Exploration Proposal (2013/2014) for the Boss Project, Goodsprings Mining District" dated September 26, 2013 was prepared by Mr. P Van Angren, P.Geol. Report dated September 26, 2013.

ASSETS OF MTB

Telegraph: 350 square kilometer consolidated land package in the vicinity of 4 notable porphyry deposits being advanced by major mining companies: Galore (Teck/Newmont), Schaft (Teck), Saddle (Newmont) and the operating Red Chris copper-gold mine (Newmont). The property hosts multiple district-scale porphyry copper-gold targets with compelling evidence of fertile copper-gold porphyry systems. Early drilling successes on the Dok trend have outlined a copper-gold bearing porphyry system over 3.3 km and the zone remains open in all directions. MTB has an option with ExGen to earn a 60% interest in the DOK claims, an option to earn a 100% interest in the Dok-X/Yeti claims and a 100% interest in 191 square kilometers of staked claims.

Southmore: 50 square kilometers, 100% owned. The property hosts structurally controlled precious and base metal mineralization; bedded massive sulphides of copper/lead/zinc and skarn mineralization with copper peripheral to intrusions and evidence of underlying porphyry mineralization. Surface samples include a sample with 12.7% copper and another with 29.4 g/t gold.

Royalties: MTB has royalties on 4 projects in the Golden Triangle, encompassing gold, silver and copper, including two past-producing mines.

MTB also holds 480,072 shares of Dolly Varden Silver Corp (NYSE: DVS), presently valued at over $3.2 million.

FURTHER DETAILS AND NEXT STEPS

MTB will now seek an interim court order regarding the arrangement and will then hold a special meeting of MTB shareholders, following which MTB will seek a final court order to approve the plan of arrangement. It is anticipated that the special meeting of MTB shareholders will be held in early to mid December.

QUALIFIED PERSONS

Mr. Andrew Wilkins, PGeo. is the Responsible Officer for Lithos Geological Inc. and is the Qualified Person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101 responsible for the accuracy of technical information contained in this news release in so far as it relates to MTB. Mr. Wilkins is a geological consultant with Lithos Geological Inc. He has been QP for MTB and managing MTB's exploration programs since 2018. Lithos Geological Inc. has a permit to practice #1004267 with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia.

Kieran Downes, Ph.D., P. Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, and a director of ExGen, has reviewed and verified the technical information provided in this release, in so far as they relate to ExGen.

OTHER INFORMATION

Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions and contingencies being satisfied, waived or removed by one or both of ExGen and MTB, including the approval of MTB's shareholders together with any requisite disinterested shareholder approvals, court approval and acceptance of the TSXV. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the MTB management information circular to be prepared in connection with the Proposed Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of MTB and ExGen should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the Proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

ABOUT MTB METALS CORP.

MTB is advancing two copper-gold projects in the prolific Golden Triangle of northern British Columbia.

Telegraph: 350 square kilometre property located in the vicinity of 4 notable porphyry deposits all being explored or mined by major mining companies. Field work by MTB, together with earlier results, provides compelling evidence for the presence of one or more porphyries similar to the others in the area.

Southmore: 50 square kilometer property hosts several significant copper and gold occurrences. Surface samples include a sample with 12.7% copper and another with 29.4 g/t gold.

MTB also holds royalties on four projects in the Golden Triangle, including two past producing mines and it holds 480,072 shares of Dolly Varden Silver.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains certain forward-looking information. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information in relation to: the Proposed Transaction and the potential completion of the Proposed Transaction, the potential business upon the completion of the Proposed Transaction being a copper, gold and lithium exploration and development company, the potential benefits of the Proposed Transaction to ExGen and MTB shareholders, including the potential creation of a well funded exploration and development company, the potential conditions and satisfaction of those conditions for the completion of the Proposed Transaction, and the potential benefits of the Proposed Transaction to ExGen and MTB shareholders, the potential for near term cash flow from the Empire project, the potential funding of the resulting issuer's high-risk exploration expenditures by others, the potential expansion of the resulting issuer's project portfolio of royalties and carried interests, the potential identification of high potential projects, the potential of the DOK property, the potential development of the Golden Triangle, the stronger combined management and technical team, the belief that the metal and resources markets are due for a rebound and that the metals markets are rising, the potential of the resulting issuer to create a near-term production asset and a new porphyry discovery, the potential of the resulting issuer's combined projects and the provision by ExGen of further updates on a number of potential catalysts across ExGen's portfolio throughout the rest of this year. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. In the forward looking information contained in this news release, ExGen and MTB have made numerous assumptions, based upon practices and methodologies which are consistent with the mineral industry. In addition, ExGen and MTB have assumed: the satisfaction of any conditions to the Proposed Transaction set in the Arrangement Agreement, including, without limitation, the acceptance of the Proposed Transaction by the TSX-V and typical closing conditions; the receipt of all required approvals for the Proposed Transaction, including TSX-V acceptance, court and any board approvals or third party consents; and market acceptance of the Proposed Transaction. While ExGen and MTB consider these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause ExGen's and MTB's observations, actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Known risk factors include, among others: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; volatility of commodity prices; competition; accidents and other risks inherent in the mining industry; delay or failure to receive board of directors, third party or regulatory approvals; competition; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting ExGen or MTB; the early stage development of ExGen and MTB and their projects; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; conclusions of economic evaluations and appraisals; the possibility that the analytical results from future core sampling does not return significant grades of mineralization; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology; continuity and grade of mineralization; there is no certainty that any work programs will result in significant or successful exploration of ExGen's and MTB's projects or development of such projects into a producing mine; uncertainty as to the actual results of exploration and development or operational activities; uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; ExGen and MTB may not be able to comply with their ongoing obligations regarding their properties and projects; lack of insurance; currency fluctuations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; and lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals. A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in ExGen's and MTB's disclosure documents on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. Although ExGen and MTB have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. ExGen and MTB do not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270797

SOURCE: MTB Metals Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Universal Digital Inc. (CSE: LFG) (FSE: 8R20) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed the second and final tranche of its previously announced private placement offering (the "Offering"), issuing 500,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.60 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $300,000. Combined with the first tranche, which closed on September 18, 2025, the Company has raised total gross proceeds of $1,758,780 under the Offering.

Each Unit issued under the Offering consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole Common Share purchase warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share (each, a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $0.80 per Warrant Share until September 18, 2027.

The net proceeds from the Offering are intended to be used for working capital and general corporate purposes.

The Units were issued by way of the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106") and in reliance on the amendments to Part 5A of NI 45-106 set forth in Coordinated Blanket Order 45-953 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, and are not subject to a statutory holder period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States. The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

About Universal Digital Inc.

Universal Digital Inc. is a Canadian investment company focused on digital assets, businesses and private and publicly listed entities that are involved in high-growth industries, with a particular focus on blockchain, cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency technologies. The Company aims to provide shareholders with long-term capital growth through a diversified investment approach, and to participate in the transformation of global finance through the integration of digital asset strategies.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statements

This news release includes statements containing certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering, and whether the proceeds of the Offering will be sufficient for the purposes of the Company moving forward. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "should", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties (including market conditions) and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the Company not being able to close a subsequent tranche of the Offering on the timing described herein or at all, the Company not using the proceeds as described herein, and those risk factors described in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form filed with Canadian securities regulators and available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270848

SOURCE: Universal Digital Inc.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. (OTCQB: PHRRF) (CSE: PHRM) (the "Company" or "PharmaTher"), a specialty life sciences company focused on unlocking the pharmaceutical potential of ketamine, today applauds the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's ("FDA") announcement on October 16, 2025 of the first-ever recipients of the new Commissioner's National Priority Voucher ("CNPV") pilot program, which include "ketamine for domestic manufacturing of a critical drug for general anesthesia." The pilot elevates ketamine as a national priority.

The CNPV is expected to a catalyst for the ketamine market-and PharmaTher is positioned at the forefront. By prioritizing ketamine, the FDA is signaling to hospitals, GPOs, and public buyers that on-shore, quality-assured supply is a national objective, potentially amplifying demand for reliable U.S. sources. At the same time, the program's team-based review and ~1-2 month decision window reduce regulatory friction for aligned, complete filings, enabling faster conversion of supply into sales. Finally, ecosystem signals-public announcements referencing ketamine API under CNPV and the resolution of multi-year U.S. shortages (February 2018 to August 2025)-point to sustained momentum for ketamine.

Strategic Highlights - What This Means for PharmaTher

CNPV fuels PharmaTher's Momentum. FDA's naming of ketamine as a national-priority anesthesia medicine creates a durable U.S. demand tailwind precisely where PharmaTher can participate economically via its previously announced ANDA sale.





FDA's naming of ketamine as a national-priority anesthesia medicine creates a durable U.S. demand tailwind precisely where PharmaTher can participate economically via its previously announced ANDA sale. Economic participation without heavy spend. The Company's sterile-injectables partner (the purchaser of the ANDA) brings experienced manufacturing and U.S. regulatory/commercial capabilities. The transaction provides potential payment milestones of up to US$25 million and is not limited to US$25 million due to a multi-year profit-sharing component-enabling upside participation without building plants, carrying inventory, or funding a national sales force.





The Company's sterile-injectables partner (the purchaser of the ANDA) brings experienced manufacturing and U.S. regulatory/commercial capabilities. The transaction provides potential payment milestones of up to US$25 million and is to US$25 million due to a multi-year profit-sharing component-enabling upside participation without building plants, carrying inventory, or funding a national sales force. Reinforcing PharmaTher's Opportunity. The previously announced ketamine ANDA sale reduces PharmaTher's execution risk and capital requirements, while preserving significant long-term upside linked to potential U.S. ketamine growth. Importantly, the ANDA sale applies only to generic ketamine sales in the U.S. ; PharmaTher retains all rights to non-generic applications of ketamine-including new indications, novel formulations and delivery technologies, and its 505(b)(2) programs, which include Parkinson's disease (LID-PD), ALS, CRPS, and the Company's proposed brand, KETARx.





The previously announced ketamine ANDA sale reduces PharmaTher's execution risk and capital requirements, while preserving significant long-term upside linked to potential U.S. ketamine growth. Importantly, the ANDA sale applies only to ; PharmaTher retains all rights to non-generic applications of ketamine-including new indications, novel formulations and delivery technologies, and its 505(b)(2) programs, which include Parkinson's disease (LID-PD), ALS, CRPS, and the Company's proposed brand, KETARx. From supply tailwind to pipeline compounding. The same policy focus that lifts ketamine supply also reinforces the Company's capital-light 505(b)(2) strategy-creating a pathway to additional potential NDAs that can compound value beyond the ANDA economics.

How CNPV potentially accelerates PharmaTher's capital-light ketamine-based 505(b)(2) strategy

Regulatory mechanics favor completeness and speed. CNPV encourages robust CMC pre-submission and a senior, multidisciplinary review that can deliver ~1-2 month decisions once the file is complete-aligning with the Company's approach to submit its FDA-aligned CMC, while executing focused clinical "bridges" suitable for 505(b)(2).





CNPV encourages robust CMC pre-submission and a senior, multidisciplinary review that can deliver ~1-2 month decisions once the file is complete-aligning with the Company's approach to submit its FDA-aligned CMC, while executing focused clinical "bridges" suitable for 505(b)(2). CMC leverage from PharmaTher's ketamine experience. The Company's FDA-aligned ketamine CMC know-how (validated methods, specifications, stability programs) from its recent ANDA approval now supports future 505(b)(2) filings.





The Company's FDA-aligned ketamine CMC know-how (validated methods, specifications, stability programs) from its recent ANDA approval now supports future 505(b)(2) filings. RWE acceptance strengthens PharmaTher's model. FDA's growing framework for fit-for-purpose Real-World Evidence supports using high-quality RWD/RWE to complement efficient clinical packages for already-approved drugs seeking new indications-further de-risking timelines and cost.





FDA's growing framework for fit-for-purpose Real-World Evidence supports using high-quality RWD/RWE to complement efficient clinical packages for already-approved drugs seeking new indications-further de-risking timelines and cost. CNPV recognition of ketamine signals a constructive FDA outlook for the category. PharmaTher intends to evaluate potential future CNPV nominations and, where appropriate, pursue other expedited programs (e.g., Fast Track, Breakthrough Therapy) for differentiated ketamine assets.

Partner momentum: a stronger case to commercialize novel ketamine products

CNPV's explicit focus on domestic, reliable ketamine supply strengthens the rationale for pharmaceutical partners to engage in the development and commercialization of novel ketamine products for new indications. Consistent with its October 2, 2025 corporate update, PharmaTher continues active discussions and is positioned first in line to collaborate with U.S.-focused manufacturers and commercial organizations seeking differentiated ketamine programs under the 505(b)(2) pathway.

PharmaTher's Digital Health AI for ketamine tailwind

With ketamine now elevated under CNPV, PharmaTher expects increased data and partnering activity to unlock its ketamine-based pipeline and act as a potential growth driver for its Digital Health AI division, which comprises KetaVault (the Company's proprietary ketamine data repository) and the KetAImine platform for indication discovery, prioritization, and regulator-aligned program design.

LID-Parkinson's: Phase 3-Ready package under 505(b)(2)

PharmaTher is preparing a Pre-Phase 3 (Type B) FDA package to align on a single, well-controlled registrational trial for LID-PD, consistent with prior Agency feedback. The Company has communicated a U.S. market opportunity of ~US$0.75-$2.2B and continues active partner discussions to support registrational development and commercialization.

"With the FDA's CNPV spotlight for ketamine, our focus continues on the bigger picture and the path ahead," said Fabio Chianelli, Founder & CEO of PharmaTher. "By design, the ANDA sale reduces execution risk and capital burden while preserving substantial, non-dilutive upside through sales milestones and uncapped profit sharing. Coupled with the FDA's CNPV selection for ketamine and the FDA's expanding guidance around RWE, we see a larger, de-risked opportunity in front of PharmaTher. Our capital-light 505(b)(2) approach-grounded in FDA-aligned ketamine CMC know-how-positions us to convert these tailwinds into durable value and pharma partnerships."

For additional information visit www.pharmather.com and download PharmaTher's latest corporate presentation (here).



Note: PharmaTher is not asserting that it-or any partner-is a CNPV recipient. The Company is commenting on the program's explicit inclusion of ketamine, the potential implications for the U.S. market, and for PharmaTher.

About PharmaTher

PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. (OTCQB: PHRRF) (CSE: PHRM) is a specialty life sciences company focused on unlocking the pharmaceutical potential of ketamine. For more information, visit PharmaTher.com.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider have reviewed or accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. There can be no assurance that the Company will proceed with the clinical development and that the FDA will support any potential request for an expedited path to approval. These risks include, among others, the commercial performance of the ANDA product, FDA acceptance of the regulatory plan, clinical development, CMC package, regulatory approvals, market acceptance and opportunities, competition, market size, the Company programs being partnered. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. PharmaTher disclaims any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements except as required by law. In addition, this press release contains cautionary and forward looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "aim", "anticipate", "before", "believe", "closer", "confident", "could", "eligible", "enable", "ensure", "estimated", "expect", "intend", "lead", "leverage", "makes", "may", "mitigate", "plan", "position", "potential", "prior", "promise", "projected", "proposed", "provide", "purpose", "ready", "significant", "strong", "toward", "will", "would", and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. (the "Company") current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by the Company at the date of the information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended May 31, 2025, dated September 26, 2025, which is available on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state, province, territory or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state, province, territory or jurisdiction.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270847

SOURCE: PharmaTher Holdings Ltd.
CEAT Specialty chosen as the preferred OEM tyre partner for Mahindra's future-ready OJA tractor range in Australia.

Range includes tyres for agricultural, industrial and turf applications for the compact and sub compact tractors (20-25 hp range)

BRISBANE, Australia, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CEAT Specialty partners with Mahindra & Mahindra's next-generation OJA tractor range, launched in Australia this September. Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), the world's largest tractor manufacturer by volume, unveiled its future-ready OJA series in Brisbane with CEAT as its first-source tyre supplier.

Ahead of the launch, CEAT supplied desired quantities to Mahindra Australia in August 2025. With in-house rim assembly capability at CEAT's Ambernath facility, the company ensured complete, ready-to-fit solutions for Mahindra's OJA tractors. The supply covers Farm/Industrial as well as Turf applications, supporting tractors equipped with loaders, backhoes and mowers designed for hobby farming.

CEAT Specialty, already an established brand in the Australian market, has developed tyres precisely engineered to meet the unique demands and challenging terrains of the region. Leveraging its deep understanding of local requirements, CEAT's engineers worked closely with the M&M team to deliver a meticulously designed range of products tailored for Australian customers

FARMAX - built for superior traction and durability in agriculture.

TYROCK Super X3 - designed for industrial strength with loaders and backhoes.

TURF XL - ensuring low compaction and smooth turf care for hobby farmers.

Built tough and purpose-driven, Mahindra & Mahindra's OJA tractors are engineered with robust construction to take on demanding Australian conditions while offering longevity, reliability, and operator comfort. By offering superior traction, durability, and low-compaction performance, CEAT Specialty tyres further strengthen the OJA series, benefiting farmers and hobby users alike

Amit Tolani, Chief Executive, CEAT Specialty, said: "We are proud to partner with Mahindra once again, this time for their future-ready OJA launch in Australia. Our tyres are engineered to deliver performance across industries and applications. This partnership is another step forward in our journey with Mahindra, and a strong example of how CEAT is enabling farmers worldwide with trusted, efficient products."

Speaking about the partnership, Ravindra S Shahane - Head, Global Product Planning & International Operations (ASEAN & ROW), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., commented, "We are proud to introduce the globally acclaimed Mahindra OJA tractor range in an important market like Australia. CEAT Specialty and Mahindra already share a long-standing partnership in the United States, where CEAT has been delivering high performing tyres for farmers. This extension into Australia further strengthens the bond between the two brands, both committed to offering future-ready solutions."

Setting new standards for Australian farmers and property owners, the OJA range is based on an ergonomic platform with advanced technologies, powerful engine technology and first in segment innovations like button-operated PTO and loader with class-leading lift capacity. The new Mahindra tractors are equipped with features like a digital driver display panel, advanced hydraulics, power steering system and optional cabin configurations - delivering unmatched comfort and control.

With this milestone, CEAT Specialty further cements its position as a global OEM partner of choice, delivering tyres that power some of the world's most trusted tractor brands.

About CEAT Specialty (www.ceatspecialty.com)

CEAT, an RPG Company, is one of India's leading tyre companies making passenger car, two-wheeler, truck and bus, light commercial and off highway tyres. It caters to leading OEMs as well as domestic and international markets, exporting to 110+ countries. CEAT is the first tyre brand globally and one amongst only 33 companies in the world ever to be awarded the Deming Grand Prize for its contribution to Total Quality Management. CEAT is also the first tyre brand globally to be accorded 'Lighthouse Designation' for adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies by the World Economic Forum. CEAT Specialty is CEAT's division for off-highway (OTR and Agricultural) tyres.

About RPG Group (www.rpggroup.com)

A US$ 5.2 billion diversified global conglomerate, RPG Group was founded in 1979 by the legendary industrialist Dr R.P. Goenka and has a lineage dating to the early 19th century. Today, its businesses span key sectors of infrastructure, tyres, IT & technology, pharmaceuticals, energy products and plantations among others, with a footprint in over 135 countries. RPG Group's prominent companies include CEAT, KEC International, Zensar Technologies, RPG Life Sciences, Raychem RPG, Harrisons Malayalam and Spencer International Hotels. The group is home to over 35,000 RPGians from 40 nationalities and is widely recognised for its high standards of corporate governance and a culture of respect for people and the environment.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2799203/CEAT_Specialty_Logo.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/future-ready-together-ceat-specialty-partners-with-mahindra--mahindra-for-oja-tractor-launch-in-australia-302587582.html
A Rare Earth Delegation is Coming to visit APOZ this month

HOUSTON, TEXAS / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / ASC Global Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Token Communities (OTCID:TKCM), ASC Global Inc. is making an announcement today that a rare earth trade delegation from Asia is coming to visit APOZ next week.

According to Mr. David Champ, the president & CEO of the company, a MOU of bilateral cooperation was executed with this rare earth company on June 8th this year, and an invitation was issued to this delegation shortly after. On August 1st, this delegation received visa approval from the U.S. General Consulate for coming to visit APOZ and conduct further discussion about setting up operation at APOZ in Texas. On the other hand, ASC Global Inc. has been exploring the feasibility of building a joint-venture entity in Vietnam for rare earth mining for many months already since late last year.

The proposed operation at APOZ will be the final stage of Precipitation and Conversion (purified REFs are precipitated as oxalates / hydroxides, then calcined to form Rare Earth Oxides). These oxides will then be further reduced to metals using electrolysis and/or metallothermic reduction. David Champ further stated, this delegation will land and arrive in New York on the 20th of October, and then meet up with the APOZ management team shortly after.

For any further information, please contact Mr. David Champ at (631) 397-1111.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this presentation contains "forward-looking information", including "future-oriented financial information" and "financial outlook", under applicable securities laws (collectively referred to herein as forward-looking statements). Except for statements of historical fact, the information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements and includes, but is not limited to, the (i) projected financial performance of the Company; (ii) completion of, and the use of proceeds from, the sale of the shares being offered hereunder; (iii) the expected development of the Company's business, projects, and joint ventures; (iv) execution of the Company's vision and growth strategy, including with respect to future M&A activity and global growth; (v) sources and availability of third-party financing for the Company's projects; (vi) completion of the Company's projects that are currently underway, in development or otherwise under consideration; (vi) renewal of the Company's current customer, supplier and other material agreements; and (vii) future liquidity, working capital, and capital requirements. Forward-looking statements are provided to allow potential investors the opportunity to understand management's beliefs and opinions in respect of the future so that they may use such beliefs and opinions as one factor in evaluating an investment.

These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or result expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Although forward-looking statements contained in this presentation are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: Token Communities Ltd.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/real-estate/apoz-team-is-excited-to-receive-a-rare-earth-delegation-from-asia-1088154
Chicago, Illinois--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - American Marketing Association Chicago Chapter (AMA Chicago), the largest chapter in the AMA North American network, announces that Tara Giuliano, Chief Marketing Officer at Nuveen, has been named 2025 "Marketer of the Year." Giuliano was honored during an award ceremony at the AMA Chicago CMO Forum on October 7.





Nuveen's Chief Marketing Officer, Tara Guiliano, is named American Marketing Association Chicago's 2025 Marketer of the Year



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10936/270716_

The annual award recognizes an outstanding marketer in the Chicagoland area who has made notable contributions to the field.

AMA Chicago's Marketer of the Year award celebrates a top Chicagoland marketer who is leading their brand forward. Chicago is a hub for marketing's creative minds promoting brands of all sizes, and this award honors the most exceptional professional in a highly competitive field.

At Nuveen, Giuliano oversees a marketing organization that develops and executes go-to-market strategies focused on acquiring, retaining, and expanding client relationships. Her team delivers compelling investment stories that distinguish Nuveen from its competitors and strengthen the firm's global presence.

Prior to joining Nuveen in 2018, Giuliano held senior marketing roles at UBS Asset Management, Morningstar, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, and Nationwide. She was named Chief Marketing Officer of the Year by WealthManagement.com and has received multiple awards for her leadership in innovative marketing programs. Giuliano earned a B.S. from The Ohio State University and an M.A. in Communications from DePaul University. She also serves on the Marketing Steering Committee for the Investment Management Education Alliance and is a board member of the Chicago Children's Museum.

"It's an incredible honor to be recognized by AMA Chicago," says Giuliano. "Chicago is home to so many talented marketing professionals, and to be acknowledged among them is deeply meaningful. This recognition also reflects the hard work and creativity of the entire Nuveen marketing team."

"Tara Giuliano truly represents the excellence and vision that our Marketer of the Year Award celebrates," says Bonnie Massa, Executive Director of AMA Chicago. "Her leadership at Nuveen demonstrates how strategic, creative marketing can inspire trust, drive growth, and make a lasting impact on both business and community."

The "Marketer of the Year" award was developed by AMA Chicago to highlight individuals with significant achievements in and contributions to the field of marketing. Examples include marketers who have evolved a brand and changed how consumers view it; marketers who made headlines and built engagement and awareness of their brand; marketers who led a successful brand or product pivot; and marketers whose specific campaigns yielded remarkable results.

"We congratulate Tara on this milestone in her remarkable career and look forward to seeing more groundbreaking marketing work from her in the years to come," says Chris McGuire, President of AMA Chicago.

To learn more about the AMA Chicago chapter, visit AMAChicago.org.

About American Marketing Association Chicago

AMA Chicago, the largest professional chapter in the American Marketing Association's North American network, is 88 years strong. AMA Chicago provides ongoing development opportunities for Chicagoland marketers to expand knowledge, improve skills, and grow careers through access to innovative marketing thought leaders and cutting-edge programming. Marketers from agencies, brands, small businesses, non-profit organizations, and consultancies are invited to join AMA Chicago to connect with marketers from every industry and skill set. Visit AMAChicago.org to learn more and join.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270716

SOURCE: American Marketing Association Chicago
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
The "Netherlands Existing Upcoming Data Center Portfolio" database has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Digital Realty, Equinix and EdgeConneX ranks among the leading data center operators in the Netherlands by total white/raised floor area and IT power.

The existing IT power capacity in the Netherlands is more than twice the upcoming data center capacity, indicating a strong current infrastructure. The upcoming data center capacity is heavily focused in Amsterdam, with about 90% of the new rack capacity planned there.

Existing data centers have around 159,000 racks, reflecting a mature and well-established market. Switch Datacenters and CloudHQ are the major players driving the upcoming data center development, together accounting for most of the new IT power and rack capacity.

Key Market Highlights

This database (Excel) product covers the Netherlands data center market portfolio analysis, which provides the following information on colocation data centers:

Detailed Analysis of 127 existing data centers

Detailed Analysis of 9 upcoming data centers

Locations covered: Aalsmeer, Almere, Almere, Alphen aan den Rijn, Amsterdam, Apeldoorn, Arnhem, Delft, Deventer, Dronten, Ede, Eemshaven, Eindhoven, Enschede, Geleen, Gemert, Goes, Groningen, Haarlem, Hague, Hengelo, Hilversum, Hoogersmilde, IJsselstein, Leeuwarden, Lelystad, Limburg, Loon op Zand, Maastricht, Markelo, Megen, Meppel, Mierlo, Naaldwijk, Nieuwegein, Oude Meer, Roermond, Roosendaal, Rotterdam, s-Hertogenbosch, Steenbergen, Tjerkgaast, Ugchelen, Utrecht, Waalwijk, Wormer, Zwolle.

Existing white-floor space (square feet)

Upcoming white-floor space (square feet)

Current IT load capacity (2025)

Future capacity additions (2025-2029)

Retail Colocation Pricing Quarter Rack (1/4) Half Rack Cabinets (1/2) Full Rack Cabinet (42U/45U/47U/etc.)

Wholesale colocation (per kW) pricing

Existing Data Centers (127 Facilities)

Market Snapshot

Location (Region/Country/City)

Facility Address

Operator/Owner Name

Data Center Name i.e., (AMS1 or AMS5)

Core Shell Area (White-Floor Area)

Core Shell Power Capacity (IT Load Capacity)

Rack Capacity

Year of Operations

Design Standards (Tier I IV)

Power/Cooling Redundancy

Upcoming Data Centers (9 Facilities)

Investment Snapshot

Location (Region/Country/City)

Investor Name

Area (White-Floor Area)

Power Capacity (IT Load Capacity)

Investment ($ Million)

Electrical Infrastructure Investment ($ Million)

Mechanical Infrastructure Investment ($ Million)

General Construction Services Investment ($ Million)

Announcement Year

Project Status (Opened/Under Construction/Announced Planned)

Active or Expected Year of Opening

Target Audience

Data center Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT)

Data center Construction Contractors

Data center Infrastructure Providers

New Entrants

Consultants/Consultancies/Advisory Firms

Corporate and Governments Agencies

Key Topics Covered:

1. About the Database

2. Scope Assumptions

3. Definitions

4. Snapshot: Existing Upcoming Data Center Facility

5. Existing Data Center Database

6. Upcoming Data Center Facility

7. Existing vs. Upcoming Capacity (Infographics)

8. Colocation Pricing

Major Operators/Investors Covered in This Netherlands Data Center Market Database

AtlasEdge

Atom86

BIT

Bytesnet (Eurofiber Cloud Infra)

CapitaLand

Cellnex

CloudHQ

Cogent Communications

ColoHouse

Colt Data Centre Services

CyrusOne

Data Facilities Data Centers (DFDC)

Datacenter Groningen (Weserve)

Datacenter.com

DataOne

Digital Realty

EdgeConneX

Equinix

Eurofiber Cloud Infra

Global Switch

Google

Great Grey Investments

Greenhouse Datacenters

Gyro Centre (nLighten)

Interconnect

IPTP Networks

Iron Mountain

ITB2 Datacenters

Keppel Data Centres

Lumen Technologies

maincubes SECURE DATACENTERS

NIKHEF Hosting

nLighten

NorthC

NTT DATA

Penta Infra

Previder

QTS Realty Trust

Serverfarm

Serverius

Smartdc

Switch DataCenters

Yondr

For more information about this database visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mjz1q5

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

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Final FDA Type C Meeting December 11, 2025 - biomarker data to be available

October 10, 2025 FDA/Osteosarcoma Institute Workshop narrows focus for OST-HER2 overall survival, biomarker correlation & canine osteosarcoma data

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - OS Therapies Inc. (NYSE American: OSTX) ("OS Therapies" or "the Company"), a clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy and antibody drug conjugate biotechnology company, today announced that the United States Food & Drug Administration ("FDA") has granted a second Type C Meeting, following its successful End of Phase 2 Meeting. The primary purpose of the meeting is to gain alignment on the clinical efficacy data endpoints to support a Biologics Licensing Application ("BLA") under the Accelerated Approval Program ("Accelerated Approval") for OST-HER2 following a successful Phase 2b clinical trial in the prevention or delay of recurrent, fully resected, pulmonary metastatic osteosarcoma (the "Metastatic Osteosarcoma Program"). The meeting is scheduled for December 11, 2025, which allows for sufficient time for the Company to receive biomarker data from the Phase 2b trial to correlate immune activation with clinical outcomes.

Concurrently, the United Kingdom's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ("MHRA") granted a pre-Marketing Authorization Application ("pre-MAA") Meeting for OST-HER2 Metastatic Osteosarcoma Program. The Company will be reviewing the data it has submitted as part of an expected rolling review process targeted to begin in November 2025. This Company is seeking to align BLA and MAA submission timing, in accordance with Project Orbis.

"We believe the recent FDA / Osteosarcoma Institute Workshop was a great forum that moved the field to focus on areas where meaningful clinical progress can be made in the near-term, given the shortage of treatment options available," said Paul Romness, MPH, Chairman & CEO of OS Therapies. "We were pleased to see consensus gained on the value of the canine osteosarcoma model, given its similarity to human osteosarcoma that has jumpstarted the Comparative Oncology Field. Consensus was gained on the need to focus on overall survival data as the ultimate efficacy outcome endpoint. Significant time was also spent discussing clinical trial designs that could be more appropriate for the immunotherapies and targeted cytotoxic drugs of the future, as compared with the chemotherapies of the past. We believe FDA's August 18, 2025 Overall Survival in Oncology Clinical Trials guidance is exactly what the field needed to focus on what matters most to patients: long term survival and quality of life."

About OS Therapies

OS Therapies is a clinical stage oncology company focused on the identification, development, and commercialization of treatments for Osteosarcoma (OS) and other solid tumors. OST-HER2, the Company's lead asset, is an immunotherapy leveraging the immune-stimulatory effects of Listeria bacteria to initiate a strong immune response targeting the HER2 protein. OST-HER2 has received Rare Pediatric Disease Designation (RPDD) from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and Fast-Track and Orphan Drug designations from the U.S. FDA and European Medicines Agency. The Company reported positive data in its Phase 2b clinical trial of OST-HER2 in recurrent, fully resected, lung metastatic osteosarcoma, demonstrating statistically significant benefit in the 12-month event free survival (EFS) primary endpoint of the study. The Company anticipates submitting a Biologics Licensing Application (BLA) to the U.S. FDA for OST-HER2 in osteosarcoma in 2025 and, if approved, would become eligible to receive a Priority Review Voucher that it could then sell. OST-HER2 has completed a Phase 1 clinical study primarily in breast cancer patients, in addition to showing preclinical efficacy data in various models of breast cancer. OST-HER2 has been conditionally approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the treatment of canines with osteosarcoma.

In addition, OS Therapies is advancing its next-generation Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC) and Drug Conjugates (DC), known as tunable ADC (tADC), which features tunable, tailored antibody-linker-payload candidates. This platform leverages the Company's proprietary ph-sensitive silicone Si-Linker and Conditionally Active Payload (CAP) technology, enabling the delivery of multiple tri-specific payloads. For more information, please visit www.ostherapies.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements and terms such as "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "may," "will," "should" or other comparable terms involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of OS Therapies and members of its management, as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based. OS Therapies cautions readers that forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to the approval of OST-HER2 by the U.S. FDA and other risks and uncertainties described in "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other subsequent documents the Company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by the federal securities laws, OS Therapies specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270842

SOURCE: OS Therapies
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

As summer transitioned to fall - a time when most kids are heading back to school - pediatric patients at Corewell Health Children's Hospital also enjoyed a little change of pace with the arrival of My Special Aflac Duck, a cuddly companion to help bring them comfort through their cancer treatment journey.

"We know that a cancer diagnosis often comes with challenges both visible and invisible, and with the delivery of each My Special Aflac Duck to these precious young patients, we not only bring them a new companion, but also give them a day to get away from their usual setting and have a little fun," said Buffy Swinehart, senior manager, Aflac Corporate Social Responsibility. "It is such a joy to see their sweet spirits shine through as they meet their new friends for the first time, and we're grateful to the team at Children's Miracle Network at Corewell Health for allowing us to be a part of the incredible work they do to make a difference in the lives of these children and their families."

As kids were welcoming a new buddy into their lives, they also got to choose a name for their My Special Aflac Duck, make beaded necklaces and enjoy the coloring station. The event is part of the more than 40,000 ducks distributed free of charge to children 3 and above with cancer and blood disorders since the program began in 2018.

My Special Aflac Duck is a social robot powered by innovative technology that helps kids prepare for medical procedures, communicate their feelings, practice distraction techniques and more. The robotic companion was designed in consult with more than 100 children, families and medical professionals in conjunction with Empath Labs. A three-year study, conducted by researchers, involved 160 children and families at 8 different hospitals. It revealed that patients reported a reduction in distress, nausea, pain and procedural anxiety compared to those in the study who had not yet received a duck. In addition, parents and caregivers reported a reduction in stress and anxiety, showing how My Special Aflac Duck helps children's support system.

The My Special Aflac Duck program is a hallmark of Aflac's more than $191 million given toward research and treatment for pediatric cancer and blood disorders as part of the company's commitment to support the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Health care providers, support organizations and families can order My Special Aflac Duck free of charge for children 3 years or older who have been diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell disease at MySpecialAflacDuck.com.

Aflac WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

Z2500971

EXP 10/26

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Aflac Incorporated on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Aflac Incorporated

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/aflac-incorporated

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Aflac Incorporated

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/my-special-aflac-duckr-lands-in-motor-city-delivers-day-of-fun-for-p-1088467
Honoring First Responders with Premium Challenge Coins, Medals, and Other Promotional Products

MOUNT VERNON, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / LogoTags, a leading manufacturer of military dog tags, custom challenge coins, medals, and promotional items, is proud to announce its attendance at the upcoming EMS World Expo 2025 from October 22-24th, in Indianapolis. LogoTags operates under Ball Chain Manufacturing Co., Inc., the world's largest manufacturer of ball chain and related accessories.

LogoTags, the U.S. Leader in Custom Challenge Coins, Showcasing at EMS World Expo 2025

LogoTags is proud to support emergency medical professionals through high-quality promotional products that honor their service and dedication.

As America's leading challenge coin manufacturer, LogoTags proudly combines unmatched craftsmanship with the reliability of a fourth-generation, family-owned company. Founded in 1938, our team has earned the trust of our customers including military units, first responders, and organizations nationwide by delivering the highest quality custom challenge coins made with care and precision. Every order comes with free design services, no set-up fees, and the personal attention that only a family business with over 85 years of experience can provide.

LogoTags is proud to support emergency medical professionals through high-quality promotional products that honor their service and dedication. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore LogoTags' latest offerings in EMS-themed custom challenge coins, medals, and dog tags, each designed to celebrate the bravery of first responders with precision and purpose.

"We're excited to connect with the EMS community and share products that celebrate their service," said Dawn Milanese, Division Manager for LogoTags. "Our goal is to provide meaningful tokens of recognition that reflect the strength and commitment of those on the front lines."

This year, EMS World Expo is making its debut in Indianapolis. Visit LogoTags at booth #615, where it will feature its latest products from challenge coins and medals to other promotional items. Designed to honor the everyday heroism of emergency responders, these custom pieces offer a tangible way to recognize service and build team pride. Visitors can stop by for exclusive giveaways and conversations about how thoughtful design can strengthen connections within the EMS community.

LogoTags provides many services on-site and has exclusive arrangements with suppliers and manufacturers around the world. In addition, the LogoTags customer service team prides itself on ensuring that each customer is treated with the greatest care and respect. For more information about custom challenge coins and other promotional products, visit LogoTags at www.Logotags.com.

More about Ball Chain Manufacturing Co., Inc. and LogoTags, a division of Ball Chain

Bill Taubner, the current company President, honors his great-grandfather and grandfather who started Ball Chain Manufacturing Co., Inc. (Ball Chain) in a small garage behind their home in the Bronx, NY. The company has been family-owned and operated since 1938. Ball Chain is now the world's largest manufacturer of ball chains, seen on military dog tags, ceiling fans, handbags, and light pulls, among many other goods. The company manufactures more than 3 million feet of product per week at its Mount Vernon, New York, factory (all ball chains are made in the USA). LogoTags, Ball Chain's promotional products division, provides custom dog tags, military challenge coins, bottle openers, lapel pins, charms and metal tags to name just a few items. LogoTags fabricates custom promotional products at its Mount Vernon, New York, manufacturing facility and works with long-time production partners overseas to bring customers the finest items from across the globe.

Contact Information

Bill Taubner

President

bill@logotags.com

914-720-3164

Victoria Entsuah

Director of Marketing

victoria@ballchain.com

864-607-5321





SOURCE: LogoTags

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/consumer-and-retail-products/logotags-the-u.s.-leader-in-custom-challenge-coins-showcasing-at-ems-w-1088465
With median follow-up of 14.3 months, pimicotinib demonstrated increasing ORR over time, from 54% at Week 25 to 76.2%

Global Phase 3 MANEUVER study demonstrated ongoing improvements in key secondary endpoints including pain and function

Application for marketing authorization under review by China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), with additional applications planned in the U.S. and other markets

Not intended for Canada-, UK- or US-based media

Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced the presentation of longer-term results from the global Phase 3 MANEUVER trial evaluating pimicotinib, an investigational colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R) inhibitor in development by Abbisko Therapeutics Co., Ltd., for the treatment of patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT). This latest analysis showed that, with a median follow-up of 14.3 months, the objective response rate (ORR) for people treated with pimicotinib from the beginning of the study increased considerably to 76.2% (95% CI: 63.8, 86.0) by blinded independent review committee (BICR) per RECIST v1.1, from 54% at Week 25. The study also showed continued clinically meaningful improvements in key secondary endpoints related to patient outcomes such as pain and function. The safety profile was consistent with previously reported data. The results are being presented today in the Sarcoma mini-oral session at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025 (Presentation #2690MO).

"With the initial results of the global MANEUVER study presented earlier this year at ASCO, pimicotinib demonstrated the highest objective response rate seen in a Phase 3 clinical trial of a systemic therapy in TGCT," said Prof. Niu Xiaohui, Director of the Bone and Soft Tissue Tumour Diagnosis and Research Centre at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. "These latest findings build on those impressive results, showing that these tumor responses not only persist but deepen over time. Importantly, we also see continued improvements beyond one year in the patient-reported symptoms and functional outcomes that truly make a difference in patients' abilities to go about their daily lives. Together, these findings indicate the potential for pimicotinib to be a best-in-class systemic treatment for patients with TGCT."

"TGCT causes pain, stiffness, and loss of range of motion, affecting patients' ability to participate in activities of daily living and with their families or communities. Ultimately, this affects everyone and takes a mental and physical toll," said Sydney Stern, PhD, MS, TGCT Support, a Program of the Life Raft Group. "Patients benefit from more options that address their symptoms and shrink the disease. Importantly, addressing their symptoms enables patients to be the parents, partners, carers, and people they want to be without wondering when their TGCT will take over their life again."

The latest analysis of the global Phase 3 MANEUVER trial includes results from 63 patients who received pimicotinib for 24 weeks in Part 1 and then continued on pimicotinib in the open-label phase of the trial. With a median follow-up of 14.3 months, tumor responses continued to improve:

ORR per BIRC based on RECIST v1.1 increased to 76.2% (95% CI: 63.8, 86.0), from 54% at Week 25.

ORR per BIRC based on tumor volume score (TVS), an endpoint designed specifically for TGCT, increased to 74.6% (95% CI: 62.1, 84.7), from 61.9% at Week 25.

At the time of the data cutoff, the median duration of response was not reached (range: 0.03-19.81 months), with 93.7% of pimicotinib-treated patients experiencing a reduction in tumor size by BIRC per RECIST v1.1 at longer-term follow up.

Pimicotinib also demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements with longer-term follow-up up to week 73 in key patient-reported measures including range of motion, pain, stiffness and physical function that significantly impact people living with TGCT:

For relative range of motion, pimicotinib showed a mean change from baseline of 23.9% (increased from 15.6% at week 25).

Mean change from baseline continued to show improvements in physical function as measured by the patient-reported PROMIS-PF scale, and reductions in stiffness and pain as measured by the Worst Stiffness Numeric Scale Rating and Brief Pain Inventory worst pain rating, respectively.

The analysis also includes results for patients who were initially randomized to receive placebo in Part 1, then switched to pimicotinib in the open label part of the study (n=31). These patients experienced a clear benefit from pimicotinib treatment, with an ORR of 64.5% both by BICR per RECIST v1.1 and by TVS with a median follow-up of 8.5 months after switching to pimicotinib.

At longer-term follow-up, in patients who had received pimicotinib throughout the study, there were no new safety signals, and no evidence of cholestatic hepatotoxicity, drug-induced liver injury or hair/skin hypopigmentation. Most treatment-emergent adverse events remained mild in severity and were manageable.

"These longer-term results highlight the potential of pimicotinib to transform care by providing a systemic therapy that delivers meaningful, lasting benefit not only in terms of reducing tumor burden but in helping patients regain function and live with reduced pain," said Victoria Zazulina, M.D., Head of Development Unit, Oncology, Healthcare business of Merck. "Guided by this robust global study-conducted across North America, Europe and China-we are working with regulatory authorities as we seek to make this treatment available to patients as quickly as possible."

An application for marketing authorization of pimicotinib as a Class 1 innovative drug for adult patients with TGCT has been accepted for review by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). Additional applications are planned in the U.S. and other markets around the world.

About MANEUVER

The pivotal global Phase 3 MANEUVER study is a three-part, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the efficacy and safety of pimicotinib in patients with TGCT who require systemic therapy and have not received prior anti-CSF-1/CSF-1R therapy. The study is being conducted by Abbisko Therapeutics in China (n=45), Europe (n=28), and the U.S. and Canada (n=21).

In the double-blind Part 1, 94 patients were randomized 2:1 to receive either 50 mg QD of pimicotinib (n=63) or placebo (n=31) for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) at week 25, as measured by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1 by blinded independent central review (BICR) in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population. Secondary endpoints include tumor volume score (TVS), relative range of motion, stiffness by Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), pain by Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), and physical function measured by Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS-PF).

After the double-blind Part 1, eligible patients could continue to the open-label Part 2 for up to 24 weeks of further treatment. Patients who completed Part 2 could then enter the open-label extension phase (Part 3) for extended treatment and safety follow-up.

About Pimicotinib (ABSK021)

Pimicotinib (ABSK021), which is being developed by Abbisko Therapeutics, is a novel, orally administered, highly selective and potent small-molecule inhibitor of CSF-1R. Pimicotinib has been granted breakthrough therapy designation (BTD) for the treatment of inoperable TGCT by China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and priority medicine (PRIME) designation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Merck holds worldwide commercialization rights for pimicotinib.

Advancing the Future of Cancer Care

At Merck, we strive every day to improve the futures of people living with cancer. Building on our 350-year global heritage as pharma pioneers, we are focusing our most promising science to target cancer's deepest vulnerabilities, pursuing differentiated molecules to strike cancer at its core. By developing new therapies that can help advance cancer care, we are determined to create a world where more cancer patients will become cancer survivors. Learn more at www.merckgroup.com.

About Merck

Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 62,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices the company is everywhere. In 2024, Merck, generated sales of 21.2 billion in 65 countries.

The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark "Merck" internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare and EMD Electronics in electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company.

All Merck press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the EMD Group website. In case you are a resident of the USA or Canada, please go to www.Merckgroup.com/subscribe to register for your online, change your selection or discontinue this service.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251017654940/en/

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Media Relations

noelle.piscitelli@emdserono.com

Phone: +1 781 427-4351
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Patient Experience Technology Market, valued at US$0.59 billion in 2024, stood at US$0.66 billion in 2025 and is projected to advance at a resilient CAGR of 11.8% from 2025 to 2030, culminating in a forecasted valuation of US$1.16 billion by the end of the period. Growing emphasis on value-based care, regulatory mandates for patient experience, and the integration of AI and analytics to streamline clinical workflows are key factors driving the growth of the patient experience technology market.

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Browse in-depth TOC on "Patient Experience Technology Market"

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By offerings, the patient experience technology market is segmented into software and services. The software segment is expected to dominate the patient experience technology market during the forecast period. The growth is driven by the increasing adoption of digital tools that enhance patient engagement and streamline healthcare operations. This segment includes on-premise, cloud-based, and hybrid models, offering flexibility and scalability to healthcare organizations. Growth is further supported by the integration of AI, analytics, and interoperability features that enable real-time insights, personalized patient experiences, and seamless coordination across multiple care touchpoints.

By end user, the patient experience technology market is segmented into healthcare providers, healthcare payers, pharma & biotech companies, and other end users. The healthcare payers segment is projected to register a significant CAGR during the forecast period, supported by the growing need for improved patient communication, claims management, and personalized engagement solutions to enhance member satisfaction and operational efficiency. Additionally, payers are increasingly leveraging digital platforms to reduce administrative costs, streamline authorization processes, and offer value-based care programs, further driving the adoption of patient experience technologies.

By geography, North America holds a significant share of the patient experience (PX) technology market. The region's dominance is driven by its advanced healthcare infrastructure, high digital literacy among providers as well as patients, and substantial investments in patient-centered care solutions. Hospitals and large health systems are increasingly adopting PX platforms to enhance patient engagement, streamline operations, and improve care outcomes across the continuum of care. The ongoing shift toward value-based care models and the rising emphasis on patient satisfaction are further accelerating adoption. In July 2025, Cedars-Sinai (US) implemented an AI-powered virtual care platform, CS Connect, automating patient intake, symptom assessment, and treatment recommendations, improving access and reducing administrative burdens. Similarly, in June 2025, Ellipsis Health (US) raised USD 45 million to expand its AI-driven platform, Sage, which autonomously engages patients between appointments to support medication adherence and discharge instructions. These developments highlight that AI-powered PX technologies are reshaping care delivery by enhancing access, reducing provider workload, and ensuring continuous patient engagement beyond clinical encounters, thereby driving North America's leadership in patient experience technology adoption.

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As of 2024, the key players operating in the global orthopedic braces and supports market are DJO LLC (US), Ossur HF (Iceland), Breg, Inc. (US), Bauerfeind AG (Germany), Essity AB (Sweden), 3M Company (US), Zimmer Biomet (US), Ottobock Healthcare (Germany), Thuasne (France), ALCARE Co., Ltd (Japan), Nippon Sigmax (Japan), Bird & Cronin (US), and DeRoyal Industries (US) among others.

Press Ganey

Press Ganey is one of the major providers of patient experience measurement, performance analytics, and strategic advisory solutions for healthcare organizations. It serves over 41,000 healthcare facilities, offering comprehensive platforms for patient, employee, consumer, and member experiences, along with tools for safety, high reliability, and clinical excellence. The company's patient experience platforms, including CAHPS & Regulatory surveys, iRound, and NarrativeDX, help healthcare providers deliver personalized care, streamline patient rounding, and optimize real-time service recovery. The company provides products to more than 125,000 customers through a direct sales force, third-party distributors, and independent sales representatives.

NRC Health

NRC Health is a prominent provider of experience management solutions tailored for the healthcare industry. Its platform leverages artificial intelligence to collect and analyze feedback from patients, employees, and communities, offering insights to help healthcare organizations enhance service delivery and patient satisfaction. The company offers nQuire, an AI-powered tool that analyzes patient feedback to uncover hidden insights, enabling healthcare providers to make data-driven decisions to improve patient experience. The Huey AI engine assists healthcare organizations in understanding and responding to patient needs, fostering more personalized and human-centered care. The company has a comprehensive approach to experience management that encompasses patient, employee, customer, and market experiences.

Medallia Inc.

Medallia Inc. is one of the leading providers of experience management solutions. It offers the Medallia Experience Cloud, an AI-driven SaaS platform that unifies feedback from surveys, voice, digital interactions, and social media into actionable insights. The company operates as a private entity focused on innovation and expansion across industries, including healthcare. Its platform captures real-time patient signals, enabling hospitals to personalize care, close feedback loops, and enhance service delivery. In healthcare, it offers tools such as the Medicare Stars Solution and Ambulatory Patient Experience Suite, supporting payers and providers in improving quality scores and patient engagement. Key developments include AI-powered tools such as Ask Athena and Smart Response.

For more information, Inquire Now!

Related Reports:

Patient Monitoring Devices Market

Healthcare IT Market

Healthcare Analytics Market

Home Healthcare Market

Remote Patient Monitoring Market

Get access to the latest updates on Patient Experience Technology Companies and Patient Experience Technology Market Size

About MarketsandMarkets:

MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report.

MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe.

Today, 80% of Fortune 2000 companies rely on MarketsandMarkets, and 90 of the top 100 companies in each sector trust us to accelerate their revenue growth. With a global clientele of over 13,000 organizations, we help businesses thrive in a disruptive ecosystem.

The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion in new revenue streams that are replacing existing ones within this decade. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing.

Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we collaborate with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies to keep them future-ready. Our insights and strategies are powered by industry experts, cutting-edge AI, and our Market Intelligence Cloud, KnowledgeStore, which integrates research and provides ecosystem-wide visibility into revenue shifts.

To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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ATLANTA and GLASGOW, Scotland, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Invisors, a Workday Services Partner, has been recognized in the ISG Provider Lens 2025 Workday Ecosystem report, receiving top honors across multiple categories for a third consecutive year. After being named a Rising Star in 2023, Invisors has achieved back-to-back Star of Excellence awards in 2024 and 2025, a distinction earned by receiving the highest customer experience score among all participating providers.

The Star of Excellence is ISG's recognition for customer experience (CX) excellence, reflecting the voice of clients across key performance metrics. The most important CX pillar is Execution and Delivery, and being open to constructive criticism or suggestions for improvement is what the clients indicated they liked the most. In the 2025 Star of Excellence CX research, Invisors earned a 95.3% CX score.

"Invisors continues to redefine what a focused Workday partner can achieve, blending vertical expertise with rapid innovation to deliver measurable outcomes," said Gaurang Pagdi at ISG. "Its rise as a leader in Built on Workday solutions reflects a unique ability to anticipate client needs and translate them into market shaping capabilities."

In the 2025 report, Invisors was also named a Leader in four key categories, spanning both the U.S. and Europe and a Rising Star in a fifth category.

Leader - Transformation Services (U.S.)

Leader - Performance and Optimization Services (U.S.)

Leader - Innovation on Workday (U.S. and Europe)

Leader - Deployment and Integration Services (U.S.)

Rising Star - Deployment and Integration Services (Europe)

ISG's Rising Star designation is awarded to only one provider per category and signals a provider with a promising portfolio, strong market presence and a clear roadmap for becoming a Leader. The Leader designations signify Invisors' proven capabilities, deep domain expertise and continued investment in delivering high-impact Workday solutions globally.

"Being recognized by ISG for three years in a row is a reflection of our team's relentless focus on delivering value, listening to client feedback and staying ahead of the curve in the Workday ecosystem," said Abe Anzardo, Partner at Invisors. "The Star of Excellence is especially meaningful because it's based entirely on our clients' feedback. It validates our focus on continuous improvement, collaboration and helping organizations realize the full potential of their Workday investment."

To view the full ISG Provider Lens 2025 Workday Ecosystem report or learn more about Invisors' Workday services, visit invisors.com/isg-workday-ecosystem-2025.

About Invisors

As a certified Workday Services Partner, Invisors helps customers utilize their organizational data to make better-informed business decisions through the deployment of Workday. We believe the most important measure of our team's success is our client's ability to achieve their big-picture vision. From initial deployments to ongoing projects, we are focused on elevating perspectives + transforming results. Learn more by visiting invisors.com.

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DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global POP Treatment and Management / Pelvic Organ Prolapse Market, valued at US$0.72 billion in 2024, stood at US$0.77 billion in 2025 and is projected to advance at a resilient CAGR of 6.6% from 2025 to 2030, culminating in a forecasted valuation of US$1.06 billion by the end of the period. POP Treatment and Management / Pelvic Organ Prolapse products are essential in treating various pelvic prolapse disorders, as they restore anatomical support and improve quality of life. The product range includes advanced solutions such as robotic-assisted systems and biological grafts, surgical products like synthetic mesh and sutures, and traditional options such as vaginal pessaries. Pelvic floor therapy devices and diagnostic and assessment tools are also needed for prolapse management and diagnosis. These products are widely accessible and used across hospitals, specialty clinics, and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Adhering to clinical guidelines and regulatory standards ensures effective management of prolapse conditions and enhances patient outcomes.

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Browse in-depth TOC on "POP Treatment and Management / Pelvic Organ Prolapse Market"

345 - Tables

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By treatment, The POP Treatment and Management / Pelvic Organ Prolapse market is divided into two main segments based on treatment: surgical and non-surgical. Surgical treatment type is further divided into colpocleisis, colporrhapy, sacrocolpopexy, sacrohysteropexy, and uterosacral or sacrospinous ligament fixation. The surgical segment of the POP Treatment and Management / Pelvic Organ Prolapse held the largest market share in 2024. The segment remains dominant as it provides effective, long-term relief for moderate to severe prolapse cases. Advancements in minimally invasive and robotic-assisted techniques have enhanced precision, reduced recovery time, and minimized complications. These innovations have increased patient and physician preference for surgical intervention. As a result, surgery is often considered the most reliable option for lasting pelvic floor support.

By end user, the POP Treatment and Management / Pelvic Organ Prolapse market is divided into hospitals, specialty clinics, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), and others. Among these end users, the hospitals segment held the largest market share in 2024 for POP Treatment and Management / Pelvic Organ Prolapse. The hospitals segment is dominant due to the availability of advanced surgical infrastructure and skilled specialists required for complex POP procedures. Hospitals offer comprehensive pre- and post-operative care, ensuring better patient outcomes. Most robotic and minimally invasive surgeries are performed in hospital settings due to equipment needs. Additionally, higher patient trust and referral rates drive treatment volumes in hospitals.

By geography, The POP Treatment and Management / Pelvic Organ Prolapse market is segmented into five major segments, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. North America had the largest market share in the POP Treatment and Management / Pelvic Organ Prolapse market in 2024. The region holds a dominant position due to its well-established healthcare infrastructure and high awareness of pelvic organ prolapse disorders. It has a large aging female population, contributing to a higher prevalence of POP cases. Widespread adoption of advanced technologies, including robotic-assisted surgeries, supports market growth. Strong presence of leading medical device companies drives innovation and accessibility. Additionally, favorable reimbursement policies and higher healthcare spending accelerate treatment uptake.

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Prominent players in the POP Treatment and Management / Pelvic Organ Prolapse market include Boston Scientific Corporation (US), Coloplast Group (Denmark), Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (US), CooperCompanies (US), Johnson & Johnson (US), GE HealthCare (US), Integra LifeSciences Corporation (US), B. Braun SE (Germany), and pfm medical gmbh (Germany).

Boston Scientific Corporation (US):

Boston Scientific is a global medical technology company committed to advancing treatment solutions through innovation, strategic expansion, and strong R&D investments. The company has reinforced its presence in the pelvic organ prolapse (POP) segment by increasing its R&D spending and introducing advanced technologies to improve pelvic organ prolapse outcomes. In 2023, it boosted its R&D investment by USD 91 million to support a robust pipeline of new products. Boston Scientific continues to strengthen its market leadership in POP treatment with a global footprint covering over 130 countries and a strong presence across hospitals and outpatient settings.

Coloplast Group (Denmark)

Through its Interventional Urology division, Coloplast offers a comprehensive portfolio of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) treatment solutions, including synthetic mesh and biological grafts. These products are designed to support pelvic organ prolapse, focusing on safety, durability, and patient-specific needs. The company's commitment to innovation, supported by physician training and ongoing clinical research, enhances the effectiveness and adoption of its POP solutions. By delivering high-quality surgical materials and expanding its global reach, Coloplast continues to strengthen its position as a leading provider in pelvic health and reconstruction.

Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (US)

Intuitive Surgical is a global leader in robotic-assisted surgery, known for pioneering advanced solutions that transform surgical care. In the pelvic organ prolapse (POP) space, the company continues to drive innovation through its robust R&D pipeline and advanced technologies like the da Vinci robotic systems. With the recent FDA clearance of the da Vinci 5 in March 2024, Intuitive has further strengthened its leadership in minimally invasive pelvic procedures. The company's focus on imaging, instrument control, and clinical integration supports improved surgical precision and outcomes. Through strong partnerships with physicians, hospitals, and technology providers, Intuitive promotes wider adoption of robotic surgery and addresses economic barriers with tailored acquisition models. These strategic efforts reinforce its position as a key enabler of innovation in pelvic organ prolapse.

For more information, Inquire Now!

Related Reports:

Surgical Sutures Market

Minimally Invasive Surgical Instruments Market

Surgical Robots Market

Medical Robots Market

Top 10 Medical Device Technologies Market

Get access to the latest updates on POP Treatment and Management / Pelvic Organ Prolapse Companies and POP Treatment and Management / Pelvic Organ Prolapse Market Size

About MarketsandMarkets:

MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report.

MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe.

Today, 80% of Fortune 2000 companies rely on MarketsandMarkets, and 90 of the top 100 companies in each sector trust us to accelerate their revenue growth. With a global clientele of over 13,000 organizations, we help businesses thrive in a disruptive ecosystem.

The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion in new revenue streams that are replacing existing ones within this decade. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing.

Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we collaborate with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies to keep them future-ready. Our insights and strategies are powered by industry experts, cutting-edge AI, and our Market Intelligence Cloud, KnowledgeStore, which integrates research and provides ecosystem-wide visibility into revenue shifts.

To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Contact:

Mr. Rohan Salgarkar

MarketsandMarkets INC.

1615 South Congress Ave.

Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445

USA: +1-888-600-6441

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TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / XlentPay, an innovative all-in-one digital finance platform, launches in Canada today, setting a new standard of speed, simplicity, and security in money management. Built for both personal and business use, XlentPay offers a seamless mobile experience that combines smart financial tools with regulatory-grade compliance.

XlentPay



From paying bills and getting paid to tracking spending and managing cash flow, XlentPay makes it simple - all in one sleek, user-friendly app.

"We didn't just build another digital finance app - we built a modern money platform for the way Canadians live and work today," said Joao Monteiro, CEO of XlentPay. "XlentPay is fast, transparent, and flexible - whether you're managing your personal finances or running your own business."

Now available on the Apple App Store and Google Play, the XlentPay app gives individuals and entrepreneurs powerful digital tools to manage money smarter. Open an account in minutes, send and receive funds, track real-time insights, and skip the hassles of traditional banking - no branches, no paperwork, no waiting.

Key Features:

Fast Account Setup - Open in minutes, fully online

Multicurrency Accounts - CAD, USD, EUR, GBP, AED & BRL

Virtual & Physical Cards - Spend globally, your way

Real-Time Insights - Smarter money management

Low Fees, No Surprises - Transparent pricing you can trust

24/7 Support - Help whenever you need it

XlentPay is a fully authorized Money Services Business (MSB) in Canada, registered with FINTRAC under MSB Registration Number C100000337. The platform complies with Canadian financial regulations to ensure security, transparency, and peace of mind for users.

"We take compliance seriously. Being FINTRAC-registered isn't just a requirement - it's a reflection of our commitment to trust and accountability," added Andreas Orphanides, Chief Compliance Officer of XlentPay. "Our users deserve a digital finance experience that feels modern without compromising on safety."

XlentPay enters the market at a time when demand for digital-first financial solutions is rapidly growing. With Canadian consumers and small business owners increasingly seeking alternatives to legacy banking models, XlentPay offers a smarter, simpler, and more empowered way to manage money - built from the ground up with the user in mind.

Discover the future of digital finance at xlentpay.com or download the app today.

Contact Information:

Press Contact

press@xlentpay.com

SOURCE: XlentPay

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/xlentpay-launches-in-canada-ushering-in-a-new-era-of-digital-finance-1088473
Apply by May 15, 2026, for a chance to win $2,500 in academic financial aid.

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / Beginning this year, fathers and other qualifying students have the opportunity to apply for financial support through Reel Fathers Rights . The law firm's new scholarship, the Fathers' Advocacy Scholarship, promises $2,500 to a qualifying student who completes their scholarship packet by May 15, 2026.

To apply for the Fathers' Advocacy Scholarship, students must compose an essay between 500 and 1,000 words sharing a story about how they or someone they know experienced challenges in the family law circuit relating to fathers' rights. An applicant's essay can address:

Biased court procedures

Child support deliberations

Parental alienation

Efforts to establish paternity

Custody deliberations

The scholarship essay should highlight what the writer learned from the experience within the family law circuit and how that experience contributed to their understanding of justice and/or fairness. The scholarship selection committee also asks that applicants propose at least one change in the policies, social norms, laws, or actions of the community that might limit instances of bias against fathers in family law cases.

Applicants have until May 15, 2026, to complete and submit their essays for consideration. Reel Fathers Rights requests that students not use AI to create their essays. The use of AI to generate a scholarship essay for the Fathers' Advocacy Scholarship will see a student's application removed from the applicant pool.

Interested applicants can visit the scholarship page on the Reel Fathers Rights website for more information about formatting and submission criteria.

Once the scholarship's submission deadline passes, the scholarship selection committee with Reel Fathers Rights reserves up to three months to select its winner, after which it will send the scholarship winnings directly to the winner's academic institution of choice.

The family law lawyers with Reel Fathers Rights look forward to celebrating the achievements and thoughtfulness of a qualifying applicant soon!

About Reel Fathers Rights

The fathers' rights and divorce lawyers in Los Angeles with Reel Fathers Rights pride themselves on serving as one of the preeminent Southern California family law firms. The support that the team offers to men working within the family law circuit ensures that fathers can fight back against instances of bias that might impact child custody, child support, parental alienation, and paternity assessments.

The firm specifically recognizes the unique challenges that plague fathers within the family law circuit. As a result, the firm strives to remove any obstacles that might see fathers treated unfairly within that circuit. Clients can count on the firm's unwavering advocacy and commitment to justice when they come to Reel Fathers Rights for legal support .

Contact Information

Jeremy Jones

marketing@reelfathersrights.com

951-339-3826





SOURCE: Reel Fathers Rights

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/reel-fathers-rights-debuts-the-fathers-advocacy-scholarship-1088516
MIAMI, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / ABC Institute (ABCI), the largest apprenticeship provider in the state of Florida, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Uplift Training (OTC:NRPI), an AI-first immersive learning company, to develop ABC Labs, a new virtual reality (VR) training platform designed to transform how apprentices learn critical trade skills.

ABC Labs will bring cutting-edge, gamified VR technology into ABCI classrooms and labs, starting with electrical training and expanding to all seven trades currently offered, including HVAC, plumbing, pipe fitting, line erector, roofing, and fire sprinkler. With ABCI's 50-year history of training apprentices, this collaboration represents a bold step forward in blending tradition with innovation. This revolutionary technology will be gradually deployed at all 13 campuses throughout Florida.

By leveraging VR technology, ABC Labs will allow instructors to extend training beyond the limits of physical equipment. For example, when only six electrical panels are available for a class of 20 students, the VR tool provides an additional layer of practice and reinforcement - making learning more accessible and engaging. This approach is expected to resonate strongly with younger generations, drawing new talent into the trades through interactive and immersive experiences.

"This collaboration allows us to reimagine how apprenticeship training is delivered," said Sonny Maken, Chief Operating Officer of ABC Institute. "By bringing VR into our classrooms, we're ensuring that every apprentice has the opportunity to learn and practice, regardless of lab space or equipment constraints. It's about preparing the next generation of craft professionals with the tools they need to succeed."

For Uplift, the partnership highlights the company's commitment to scaling workforce training through AI-driven, immersive technology. Uplift designs VR, AR, and XR training modules that are industry-aligned, scalable, and future-proof, serving students, adult learners, workforce boards and employees in a variety of industries including construction.

"Virtual reality has the power to unlock learning opportunities that were previously limited by physical resources," said Josh Hanes, CEO of Uplift Training. "Through ABC Labs, apprentices will be able to learn, practice, and master skills in ways that are both hands-on and scalable-helping to build a stronger, more resilient workforce for the future."

Looking ahead, ABC Labs is expected to become a valuable resource not only for ABCI students but also for other apprenticeship programs seeking to expand capacity without major infrastructure investments.

About ABC Institute (ABCI)

ABC Institute is Florida's largest provider of state-registered apprenticeship programs, training over 10% of all apprentices in the state. With more than 50 years of experience, ABCI currently offers programs in seven trades: electrical, HVAC, plumbing, pipe fitting, line erector, roofing, and fire sprinkler. ABCI invests over $3.5 million annually in construction education and training, equipping students with the skills and certifications needed for lifelong careers in construction. For more information, visit https://www.wetrain.org.

About Uplift Training (OTC: NRPI)

Uplift Training is an AI-first educational training company transforming workforce development through immersive virtual reality. We design and deliver adaptive, skills-based training that blends artificial intelligence with hands-on VR simulations to accelerate learning, boost engagement, and improve performance. Our programs align with industry needs and give learners practical pathways into high-demand careers. Learn more at https://www.uplifttraining.com/

Media Contact

Jennifer Clarin, BoardroomPR

jclarin@boardroompr.com | 954-816-4093

SOURCE: NRP Stone, Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/aerospace-and-defense/abc-institute-and-uplift-training-partner-to-develop-vr-powered-apprenticeshi-1088655
San Francisco, California--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Webcor, LP and GCON announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Webcor will acquire GCON. The transaction is expected to close in Q4 of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Webcor is a full-service commercial builder headquartered in San Francisco, CA, and GCON is a full-service construction management firm based in Phoenix, AZ with a strong reputation in technology, including active mission critical environments, data centers, and semiconductor projects spanning 10 states.

Through this strategic relationship, Webcor will leverage GCON's expertise in the technology space to expand into new, high-growth markets, while GCON will take advantage of Webcor's and Webcor parent company Obayashi's financial strength to pursue larger projects.

"This is an exciting opportunity for Webcor to expand our portfolio and enter previously untapped markets," says Webcor President and CEO Matt Rossie. "GCON brings deep expertise in the technology sector. Together, we'll be able to pursue new opportunities while respecting each of our unique strengths and capabilities."

GCON will continue to operate separately under its existing leadership and brand, with oversight from Webcor, LP. Both companies will preserve their individual strengths while gaining the benefits of additional resources and shared expertise.

"We're thrilled to be launching our strategic relationship with Webcor," says GCON CEO Mike Godbehere. "We're joining forces with a respected California construction firm that aligns with our steadfast commitment to safety, quality, innovation, and community. We're excited to continue growing and serving our clients with the support of Webcor's resources and capabilities."

As part of Webcor, GCON will continue operating as a separate company, retaining its leadership, employee base, company vision, brand identity, and its Phoenix, AZ, headquarters. Both Webcor and GCON remain deeply committed to their clients, project partners, and communities and look forward to the mutual growth, expanded reach, and strengthened capabilities fueled by this strategic relationship.

RBCCM served as GCON's exclusive financial advisor for this transaction, and BaseRock Partners represented Webcor.

About Webcor

Webcor is a premier provider of commercial construction services, known for its innovative and efficient approach, wide range of experience, cost effective design-build methodology, skill in concrete construction, and expertise in building landmark projects. Webcor's mission is to build structures of superior quality with integrity, continuously improve its processes by employing the best talent in the industry and add social and economic value to its communities. Founded in 1971 and repeatedly honored as one of the Best Places to Work, Top California Contractors, Largest Bay Area General Contractors, Top Green Contractors, and Top Design-Build Contractors, Webcor has offices throughout the state in San Francisco, Alameda, San Jose, San Diego, and Los Angeles. More information is available on the Webcor website and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Threads, and Instagram.





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About GCON.

GCON is a full-service construction management firm providing value-based services nationwide. The company is solution driven to service clients at the highest level. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, GCON has a footprint in 23 states with operations in technology, healthcare, aviation, commercial, higher education and public works. Its purpose is to elevate the construction experience, forging dedicated partnerships and building highly specialized teams that advance GCON's work and fuel a commitment to serve. Learn more at the GCON website.





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SOURCE: Webcor
SMG Swiss Marketplace Group Holding AG / Key word(s): IPO

SMG announces partial exercise of over-allotment option



17-Oct-2025 / 18:06 CET/CEST

Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





FOR RELEASE IN SWITZERLAND - THIS IS A RESTRICTED COMMUNICATION AND YOU MUST NOT FORWARD IT OR ITS CONTENTS TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM FORWARDING THIS COMMUNICATION IS PROHIBITED BY THE LEGENDS CONTAINED HEREIN. NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CANADA, JAPAN OR AUSTRALIA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.





Media release / Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

Zurich, 17 October 2025 SMG Swiss Marketplace Group Holding AG (the "Company" or "SMG", and together with its consolidated subsidiaries, the "Group"; SIX: SMG), a pioneering network of online marketplaces in Switzerland, today announces the partial exercise of the over-allotment option granted in connection with its Initial Public Offering ("IPO"). In connection with its Initial Public Offering on the SIX Swiss Exchange on September 19, 2025, SMG Swiss Marketplace Group Holding AG announces that following the end of the stabilisation period the over-allotment option has been partially exercised in the amount of 2,053,541 existing registered shares (~70% of the total over-allotment option), of which 1,962,902 registered shares were granted by General Atlantic SC B.V. and 90,639 registered shares by Ringier AG. Including the shares placed in connection with the over-allotment option, a total of 21,682,581 existing registered shares were sold through the IPO. As a result, the free float is expected to increase to c.22%. Based on the IPO offer price of CHF 46.00, the total placement volume amounted to c.CHF 997 million. Following the IPO and the partial exercise of the over-allotment option, the pre IPO shareholders (the "Principal Shareholders") hold the following ownership in SMG (in % of number of shares issued): TX Group AG: 30,151,200 registered shares (30.7%) Schweizerische Mobiliar Holding AG: 18,965,960 registered shares (19.3%) Ringier AG: 18,875,321 registered shares (19.2%) General Atlantic SC B.V.: 7,885,898 registered shares (8.0%) The Company and Principal Shareholders agreed to a lock-up period of 180 calendar days after the first day of trading in the connection with the IPO. Members of the senior management team and Board of Directors agreed to a lock-up period of 360 calendar days after the first day of trading in connection with the IPO. Each such lock-up undertaking is subject to customary exceptions and waiver by the Joint Global Coordinators. Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE, J.P. Morgan Securities plc and UBS AG acted as Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners for the IPO. Barclays PLC, BNP PARIBAS, Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc and Zurcher Kantonalbank acted as Joint Bookrunners. Evercore GmbH acted as independent financial advisor to SMG and the Selling Shareholders. Information on stabilisation transactions carried out by UBS AG as stabilisation agent is available here . Contact

SMG Swiss Marketplace Group

Roswitha Brunner

Head of Corporate Communication & Public Affairs

media@swissmarketplace.group

+41 76 577 15 29



Luka Janjis

Director Investor Relations

ir@swissmarketplace.group

+41 78 808 71 15 About SMG Swiss Marketplace Group SMG Swiss Marketplace Group is a pioneering network of online marketplaces and an innovative digital company that simplifies people's lives with groundbreaking products. SMG Swiss Marketplace Group provides its customers with the ideal tools for their life choices. Its portfolio includes real estate (ImmoScout24, Homegate, Flatfox, Immostreet.ch, alle-immobilien.ch, home.ch, Publimmo, Acheter-Louer.ch, CASASOFT, IAZI), automotive (AutoScout24, MotoScout24), general marketplaces (anibis.ch, tutti.ch, Ricardo) and finance and insurance (FinanceScout24, moneyland.ch). The company was founded in November 2021 by TX Group AG, Ringier AG, Die Mobiliar and General Atlantic. Disclaimer This document is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of offers to purchase or subscribe for shares. This document is not a prospectus or a similar communication within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act and not a prospectus under any other applicable laws. Copies of this document may not be sent to, distributed in or sent from jurisdictions in which this is barred or prohibited by law. The information contained herein shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any jurisdiction. This document constitutes advertising in accordance with article 68 of the Swiss Financial Services Act. Such advertisements are communications to investors aiming to draw their attention to financial instruments. Any investment decisions with respect to any securities should not be made based on this advertisement. A decision to invest in securities of SMG Swiss Marketplace Group Holding AG should be based exclusively on the issue and listing prospectus published for such purpose. Copies of such issue and listing prospectus (and any supplements thereto) are available free of charge from UBS AG, Swiss Prospectus Switzerland, P.O. Box, CH-8098 Zurich, Switzerland (email: swiss-prospectus@ubs.com). In addition, copies of the prospectus and any supplements thereto are available free of charge in Switzerland from SMG Swiss Marketplace Group Holding AG, Investor Relations, Thurgauerstrasse 36, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland (email: ir@swissmarketplace.group). This document is not for publication or distribution in the United States of America (including its territories and possessions, any State of the United States and the District of Columbia), Canada, Japan or Australia or any other jurisdiction into which the same would be unlawful. This document does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities in such countries or in any other jurisdiction into which the same would be unlawful. In particular, the document and the information contained herein should not be distributed or otherwise transmitted into the United States of America or to publications with a general circulation in the United States of America. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or the laws of any state and may not be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration under or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. There will be no public offering of the securities in the United States of America. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer of securities to the public in the United Kingdom. No prospectus offering securities to the public will be published in the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom this document is only directed at persons who (i) are qualified investors[1] and who are also (ii) investment professionals falling within article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "FSMA Order"); (iii) persons falling within Articles 49(2)(a) to (d), "high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc." of the FSMA Order and (iv) persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 may otherwise be lawfully communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. In any member state of the European Economic Area (each a "Relevant State") this document is only addressed to qualified investors in that Relevant State within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, as amended). Information to Distributors: Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II and (c) local implementing measures (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the securities have been subject to a product approval process by each underwriter established in the EEA, which has determined that the securities are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the "MiFID II Target Market Assessment"). Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook (the "UK Product Governance Requirements"), and/or any equivalent requirements elsewhere, and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the UK Product Governance Requirements and/or any equivalent requirements elsewhere) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the securities have been subject to a product approval process by each underwriter established in the UK, which has determined that the securities are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all permitted distribution channels (the "UK Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the MiFID II Target Market Assessment and the UK Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the securities may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the securities offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the securities is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The MiFID II Target Market Assessment and the UK Target Market Assessment are without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Offering. Furthermore, it is noted that, notwithstanding the MiFID II Target Market Assessment, the underwriters established in the EEA will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties under MiFID II and that, notwithstanding the UK Target Market Assessment, the underwriters established in the UK will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties under Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook. For the avoidance of doubt, the MiFID II Target Market Assessment and the UK Target Market Assessment do not constitute: (a) in the case of the MiFID II Target Market Assessment, an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II and, in the case of the UK Target Market Assessment, an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of Chapters 9A or 10A respectively of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business Sourcebook; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the offered securities. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own relevant target market assessment in respect of the offered securities and determining appropriate distribution channels. Except as required by applicable law, the Company has no intention or obligation to update, keep updated or revise this publication or any parts thereof following the date hereof. None of the underwriters (comprising the Joint Global Coordinators and the Joint Bookrunners) or any of their respective subsidiary undertakings, affiliates or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, advisers, agents, alliance partners or any other entity or person accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for, or makes any representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information or opinions in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to the Company, its subsidiaries or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Accordingly, each of the underwriters and the other foregoing persons disclaim, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all and any liability, whether arising in tort or contract or that they might otherwise be found to have in respect of this announcement and/or any such statement. The underwriters are acting exclusively for the Company and the Selling Shareholders and no one else in connection with the Offering. They will not regard any other person as their respective clients in relation to the Offering and will not be responsible to anyone other than Company and the Selling Shareholders for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients, nor for providing advice in relation to the Offering, the contents of this announcement or any transaction, arrangement or other matter referred to herein. [1] Pursuant to The Prospectus (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, from January 2021 a qualified investor in the United Kingdom is defi ned as: "(a) a person described in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to the markets in financial instruments regulation (Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014 on markets in financial instruments and amending Regulation (EU) No 648/2012 (Text with EEA relevance) (Retained EU Legislation)), other than a person who, before the making of the off er, has agreed in writing with the relevant fi rm (or each of the relevant fi rms) to be treated as a non-professional client in accordance with paragraph 4 of that Schedule; (b) a person who has made a request to one or more relevant fi rms to be treated as a professional client in accordance with paragraphs 5 and 6 of that Schedule and has not subsequently, but before the making of the off er, agreed in writing with that relevant fi rm (or each of those relevant fi rms) to be treated as a non-professional client in accordance with paragraph 4 of that Schedule; (c) a person who (i) is an eligible counterparty for the purposes of Section 6 of Chapter 3 of the Conduct of Business sourcebook, and (ii) has not, before the making of the off er, agreed in writing with the relevant fi rm (or each of the relevant fi rms) to be treated as a non-professional client in accordance with paragraph 4 of Schedule 1 to the markets in financial instruments regulation; or (d) a person whom (i) any relevant fi rm was authorized to continue to treat as a professional client immediately before January 3, 2018 by virtue of Article 71.6 (transitional provisions) of Directive 2004/39/EC on markets in financial instruments; and (ii) the fi rm was entitled immediately before exit day to continue to treat as a professional client by virtue of Section II.2 of Annex II to the markets in financial instruments directive. For the purposes of this definition, "relevant firm" means an investment firm (within the meaning of Section 424A of FSMA) or qualifying credit institution (within the meaning in Section 417 of FSMA) acting in connection with the offer."

End of Inside Information
CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eavor Technologies Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Fitzgerald as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective October 20, 2025.

"We are pleased to welcome Mark Fitzgerald to this role at Eavor," said Doug Beach, chair of Eavor's board of directors. "His operational and international experience will augment Eavor's team as they advance and scale its closed-loop geothermal technology worldwide. We are hugely grateful for Robert Winsloe's leadership, who as interim CEO accelerated Eavor's advancement through the duration of our recruiting effort. Robert will continue to be a powerful part of Eavor's executive team."





Fitzgerald brings more than 35 years of executive leadership experience in the energy sector, most recently serving as President and CEO of PETRONAS Canada, where he led the company through strategic growth and international expansion. His tenure included a near three-year assignment in Kuala Lumpur as Vice President of International Assets for PETRONAS.

"I'm honored to join Eavor at such an important time of global growth and market expansion," said Fitzgerald. "This is an exciting opportunity to lead a company on the forefront of making clean, reliable, affordable energy available everywhere. Eavor's team is dedicated and innovative, and the talent in the company is truly world-class. I am looking forward to progressing the company's vision."

Fitzgerald's career includes senior roles at Penn West Energy, Acclaim Energy Inc., Canetic Energy Trust, Dominion Exploration Canada Ltd., and Chevron Canada Resources. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta and a Master of Business Administration specializing in Executive Management from Royal Roads University.

Fitzgerald is also active in the Calgary community. He serves on the boards of STARS Air Ambulance, Alberta Cancer Foundation, and the Calgary Counselling Centre, and is a founding board member of Classroom Champions.

Eavor welcomes Mark Fitzgerald to its leadership team.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Tracy Larsson

Senior Communications Specialist

368-338-8154

tracy.larsson@eavor.com

About Eavor Technologies Inc.

Eavor (pronounced "Ever") is a next-generation geothermal technology company led by a team dedicated to creating a clean, reliable, and affordable energy future on a global scale. Eavor's solution (Eavor-Loop) represents the world's first truly scalable form of clean, dispatchable, baseload capable, and flexible heat and power. Eavor achieves this by mitigating or eliminating many of the issues that have traditionally hindered geothermal energy. Eavor instead circulates a benign working fluid that is completely isolated from the environment in a closed-loop, through a massive subsurface radiator. This radiator simply collects heat from the natural geothermal gradient of the Earth via conduction. Eavor has been supported by equity investments made by several leading global energy producers, investors, developers, and venture capital funds including Vickers Venture Partners, bp Ventures, Chubu Electric Power, BDC Capital, Temasek, BHP Ventures, OMV, Canada Growth Fund, Kajima Corporation, and Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund. Learn more at Eavor.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/01fe6cca-b818-4a86-bbac-0f4970f89459
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Excellon Resources Inc. (TSXV: EXN) (OTC Pink: EXNRF) (FSE: E4X2) ("Excellon" or the "Company") announces that its upcoming annual and special meeting (the "Meeting") of shareholders (the "Shareholders") of the Company will be held virtually through the platform of AGM Connect at www.agmcmeeting.com on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time).

The Company has sent the proxy-related materials (the "Meeting Materials") by mail; however, due to the recent disruption of Canada Post's services as a result of labour action by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, there is no assurance that the Meeting Materials will be received by the Shareholders prior to the Meeting.

Shareholders are encouraged to access the Meeting Materials directly through the Company's website at www.excellonresources.com, under the Company's profile on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca or through AGM Connect's website at www.agmconnect.com/current-meetings, and to vote before the proxy deadline of 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time) on Friday, November 14, 2025.

How Registered Shareholders Can Vote

Registered shareholders are shareholders who hold their shares in the Company directly and not through a broker, depository company or other intermediary. Registered shareholders experiencing a delay in receiving the Meeting Materials can call AGM Connect at 416-222-4202 or toll-free at 1-855-839-3715 to request their individual 12-digit control number and further instructions on how to vote.

Registered shareholders are strongly encouraged to vote via internet or telephone at:

Internet: www.agmcvote.com

Telephone: 1-855-839-3715

Alternatively, registered shareholders may submit their votes by completing, signing and dating the form of proxy available through the above-mentioned websites and sending it to AGM Connect at vote@agmconnect.com. Completed and signed proxies must be received by AGM Connect by 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time) on November 14, 2025.

How Non-Registered Shareholders Can Vote

Non-registered shareholders are shareholders who hold their shares through a broker, depository company or other intermediary. There are two types of non-registered shareholders: (i) those who do not object to their identity being made known to the issuers of securities which they own ("NOBOs") and (ii) those who object to their identity being made known to the issuers of securities which they own ("OBOs").

The Company has arranged to send Meeting Materials directly to NOBOs. NOBOs experiencing a delay in receiving the Meeting Materials can call AGM Connect at 416-222-4202 or toll-free at 1-855-839-3715 to request their individual 12-digit control number and further instructions on how to vote.

NOBOs are strongly encouraged to vote via internet or telephone at:

Internet: www.agmcvote.com

Telephone: 1-855-839-3715

Alternatively, NOBOs may submit their votes by completing, signing and dating the voting instruction form available through the above-mentioned websites and sending it to AGM Connect by email at vote@agmconnect.com. Completed and signed voting instruction forms must be received by AGM Connect by 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time) on November 14, 2025.

OBOs experiencing a delay in receiving the Meeting Materials should contact their broker or other intermediary for assistance in obtaining their individual voting control number and further instructions on how to vote. OBOs are strongly encouraged to vote via internet at www.proxyvote.com.

Amended and Restated Share Incentive Plan

The Company also announces that its board of directors has approved an amended and restated share incentive plan (the "Share Incentive Plan"), providing for the grant of stock options, restricted share units, performance share units and deferred share units. Amendments to the Share Incentive Plan were made to comply with the rules and policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") following the listing of the common shares of the Company on the Exchange. The Share Incentive Plan is subject to the approval of Shareholders at the Meeting in accordance with the policies of the Exchange, as well as the final acceptance of the Exchange. Further details and a copy of the Share Incentive Plan is included in the management information circular for the Meeting.

About Excellon Resources Inc.

Excellon's vision is to realize opportunities through the acquisition and advancement of quality precious and base metal assets, leveraging an experienced management team for the benefit of its employees, communities and shareholders. The Company is focused on the potential restart of the Mallay Silver Mine in Peru. Excellon also holds a portfolio of exploration-stage projects, including the Tres Cerros Gold/Silver Exploration Property in Peru; Kilgore, an advanced gold project in Idaho; and Silver City, a high-grade epithermal silver district in Saxony, Germany, providing additional growth upside. Additional details on Excellon's properties can be found at www.excellonresources.com.

For Further Information, Please Contact:

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained, referenced or incorporated by reference in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as: "actively", "advance", "anticipated", "assess", "believe", "cause", "commence", "completion", "conditions", "consideration", "continues", "development", "due course", "expectation", "exploration", "extend", "extension", "flexibility", "focused", "forward", "further", "future", "if", "implement", "liquidity", "looking", "maturity", "may", "negotiations", "occur", "opportunities", "options", "outcome", "outstanding", "potential", "providing", "reach", "restructuring", "risk", "subject to", "to be", "update", "vision", "waive", "when", "will", and "would", or variations of such words, and similar such words, expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results can, could, may, should, to, will, would (or not) be achieved, occur, provide, result, complete or support in the future or which, by their nature, refer to future events. In some cases, forward-looking information may be stated in the present tense, such as in respect of current matters that may be continuing, or that may have a future impact or effect.

Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the timing and ability of the Company to receive necessary regulatory approvals, including the final acceptance of the Share Incentive Plan from the TSX Venture Exchange; and the Company's objectives, goals and future plans and strategies. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct, and any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future actions, results or performance. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, estimates, expectations and opinions, which are considered reasonable and represent best judgment based on available facts, as of the date such statements are made. If such assumptions, estimates, expectations and opinions prove to be incorrect, actual and future results may be materially different than expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors which may cause the actual results or performance of the Company to be materially different from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors include, among others, the "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated March 31, 2025 (the "2025 AIF"), and the risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors identified in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis, and accompanying financial statements, for the year ended December 31, 2024, and the Company's other applicable public disclosure (collectively, "Company Disclosure"). The foregoing list of risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors is not exhaustive; readers should consult the more complete discussion of the Company's business, financial condition and prospects that is provided in the 2025 AIF and the other Company Disclosure. The forward-looking statements referenced or contained in this news release are expressly qualified by these Cautionary Statements as well as the Cautionary Statements in the other Company Disclosure. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release (or as otherwise expressly specified) and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270893

SOURCE: Excellon Resources Inc.
San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Sigyn Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB: SIGY), a developer of dialysis-like therapies to address cardiovascular disease and cancer, announced today that it will be presenting at the 19th annual Main Event on Tuesday, October 21st at 4:00 PM PT at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California. Jim Joyce, CEO and Inventor will be giving the presentation.

"The Main Event is a culmination of over 25 years of hard work and passion for small company investing. There is no organization on planet Earth that cares more about small companies succeeding than LD. To be able to connect with our community in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable brings me considerable joy. We look forward to welcoming all of our patrons and ensuring that they have a wonderful time," stated Chris Lahiji, Founder of LD Micro.

Event: LD Micro Main Event XIX

Date: Tuesday, October 21st

Time: 4:00 PM

Register to watch the virtual presentation here.

Summary of LD Micro Main Event XIX

The 2025 LD Micro Main Event XIX will run from October 19th to the 21st at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California.

The first day will consist of registration, keynote speakers, and some gorgeous views of the Pacific. It will be followed by two full days of company presentations and one-on-one investor meetings concluded with a closing reception.

This three-day event will feature around 120 companies, presenting in half-hour increments, and attending private meetings with investors.

About Sigyn Therapeutics, Inc.

Sigyn Therapeutics is developing dialysis-like therapies to address cardiovascular disease and cancer. Sigyn CardioDialysisTM is a first-in-class blood purification technology being advanced to treat cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of global deaths. CardioDialysisTM is designed to reduce the circulating presence of inflammatory molecules that drive cardiovascular disease progression while simultaneously targeting cholesterol transporting lipoproteins that contribute to heart attacks, strokes, and other major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The Company's development pipeline includes ImmunePrep to optimize the delivery of immunotherapeutic antibodies; ChemoPrep to enhance the targeted delivery of chemotherapy; and ChemoPure to reduce chemotherapy toxicity. To learn more about Sigyn Therapeutics, visit: www.SigynTherapeutics.com

About LD Micro

LD Micro is dedicated to being the definitive resource in the small-cap space. From its industry-recognized index and robust data to hosting some of the most influential events each year, LD Micro's mission is to provide unparalleled access and insight for those seeking the next generation of great companies.

To learn more about LD Micro, visit:

http://www.ldmicro.com

To learn more about Freedom US Markets LLC, visit:

https://www.freedomcapmkts.com/

To present or register, please contact registration@ldmicro.com.

SOURCE: LD Micro
An investment of more than $240 million makes the site the largest gypsum wallboard facility in the world; expansion doubles production capacity and will create 110 new jobs.

MALVERN, PA / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / Saint-Gobain, through its building product subsidiary CertainTeed Interior Products Group, today held a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark completion of major expansion activities at its CertainTeed Gypsum manufacturing facility in Palatka, Florida. First announced in 2023, the project has doubled production capacity at the facility and will create 110 new jobs in the greater Jacksonville area.

The event, hosted at the facility, included remarks from Saint-Gobain North America President and CEO Mark Rayfield, President of CertainTeed Interior Projects Group Jay Bachmann, Putnam County Chamber of Commerce CEO Laura Pavlus and JAXUSA Vice President of Business Development John Freeman. In addition to ribbon cutting celebrations, today's event included remarks from Greer Horne, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Susan G. Komen to commemorate the strong partnership between CertainTeed and Susan G. Komen.

Now the largest gypsum wallboard manufacturing facility in the world, replacing its sister site in Silver Grove, Kentucky, the additional production volume will help CertainTeed to meet growing demand, especially in the southeastern United States. With advanced, energy-efficient technology, including a new industrial dryer, the plant is equipped to enhance its production efficiency and capacity. With practices already in place to recycle and reuse gypsum material, the plant will continue its work to promote circular economy practices in its production to further reduce waste.

"As a vital part of our operations, the expansion of our production activities in Palatka is a testament to our commitment to serving our customers, especially in the fast growing southeastern United States market," said Mark Rayfield, President and Chief Executive Officer of Saint-Gobain and CertainTeed. "Congratulations to the entire team in Palatka and all of our partners who made this project possible. Together, we will work to continue providing high-quality gypsum wallboard solutions that builders and homeowners rely on."

"Today's ribbon cutting ceremony in Palatka is the culmination of years of hard work to ensure we continue to deliver on our promise to provide high-quality, state-of-the-art gypsum wallboard products to our customers," said Jay Bachmann, President of CertainTeed Interior Products Group.

"I would like to thank our entire plant and construction team, the Palatka community, Putnam County, and the State of Florida for all of their support on this project that will serve the entire southeastern United States and bring quality, high-paying jobs to the local area."

The project was generously supported with more than $7 million in cash benefits and high-impact investment tax credits, including a State of Florida Capital Investment Tax Credit, a Career Source Florida Quick Response Training Grant, a grant from Putnam County, and a Clay Cooperative Economic Development Rate.

The plant, which first began operations in 2001 is one of the largest employers in Palatka and Putnam County. A current list of job openings at CertainTeed Palatka and all Saint-Gobain locations, can be found on the company's career website.

Today's announcement comes as Saint-Gobain celebrates its 360 year anniversary, and continues to strengthen its presence in North America, now one of Saint-Gobain's largest markets by revenue. Other recent investments include:

Last month, Saint-Gobain and CertainTeed Canada celebrated the completion of expansion activities at its gypsum wallboard facility in Sainte-Catherine, Quebec, outside of Montreal. This project included the complete electrification of the facility, making it the first net-zero gypsum wallboard plant (scopes 1 and 2) in North America and the largest in the world;

In February, Saint-Gobain NorPro announced it will begin a $40 million investment to build a new ceramics facility in Wheatfield, New York.

CertainTeed Roofing is nearing completion of two major projects, including a $100 million expansion at its CertainTeed Roofing facility in Peachtree City, Georgia and a new glass mat facility in Oxford, North Carolina, both of which will further support the fast-growing market in the southeast United States.

About CertainTeed

With innovative building solutions made possible through its comprehensive offering of interior and exterior products, CertainTeed is transforming how the industry builds. As leaders in building science and sustainable construction, CertainTeed makes it easier than ever to create high-performance, energy-efficient places to live, work and play, so that together we can make the world a better home.?

A subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, one of the world's largest and oldest building products companies, CertainTeed has more than 6,900 employees and more than 60 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. www.certainteed.com ?

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group, celebrating its 360th anniversary in 2025, remains more committed than ever to its purpose "MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME".

https://www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com/careers

46.6 billion in sales in 2024

More than 161,000 employees, locations in 80 countries

Committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050



View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Saint-Gobain on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Saint-Gobain

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/saint-gobain-north-america

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Saint-Gobain

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/industrial-and-manufacturing/saint-gobain-celebrates-completion-of-major-expansion-at-certainteed-g-1088659
Why wait? With more gowns, bridesmaids' dresses, and special occasion dresses on hand than any other retailer, David's makes it easy to "Get It Now" with Free Shipping over $99

KING OF PRUSSIA, PENNSYLVANIA / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / David's Bridal, Inc. ("David's"), the largest AI-powered marketplace, media network and planning ecosystem for life's magical moments, is delivering on-demand access with more than 500,000 gowns in stock and ready to ship for free on orders over $99, including over 200,000 bridesmaids' styles. David's is answering the need for immediacy in the wedding space by offering unparalleled speed, scale, and service.

Unlike other marketplaces that rely on weeks-long shipping timelines, David's combines its national retail footprint, extensive inventory, and robust logistics to deliver dresses on time.

"Consumer expectations have shifted," says Elina Vilk, President & Chief Business Officer of David's Bridal. "Special occasion shoppers want their dresses now, not six weeks from now. Our "Get It Now" promise delivers speed, confidence, and the largest selection in the category without compromising quality. Due to our tariff-resistant strategy, David's stateside inventory is insulated to ensure that customers have uninterrupted access to the styles they want, when they want them."

David's is committed to meeting its customers where they are. Here's how David's ensures every special occasion shopper can find what she needs, when she needs it:

Over 500,000 Dresses in Stock: Styles range across every size, style, and budget.

200,000+ Bridesmaids Dresses: The largest in-stock assortment available compared to any other retailer

Same-Day Free Shipping : Orders over $99 placed online by 2 PM ship for free and are mailed out the same day. Need it even sooner? Customers can upgrade to expedited shipping for an even faster arrival

Same-Day Styling Appointments In-Store: Customers can try on and take home a dress the same day - walk-ins welcome or make an appointment online

Expert Alterations Teams : Ready whenever you are, David's expert alterations team offers custom fit and personalization.

No Compromise on Quality: Luxury looks with the immediacy today's shoppers expect

From rich seasonal hues to classic silhouettes to trendy designs, David's guarantees customers have a wide range of options available at their fingertips. Styles are available in sizes from 0-30W,ensuring an inclusive fit for all brides, bridesmaids and special occasion shoppers.

All purchases made online at DavidsBridal.com and in-store nationwide are eligible to earn rewards points through David's Diamond Loyalty Program . With over three million members, David's Diamond Loyalty program is the industry's only loyalty program offering shoppers the best perks and deals to save on every shopping trip and earn points for a free honeymoon or vacation.

For additional assets, please see the media kit here .

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About David's Bridal

With over 70 years of experience dressing people for all of life's special occasions, David's Bridal exists for magical moments. Since its "Aisle to Algorithm" strategic pivot, David's has evolved from iconic bridal retailer to wedding technology company, media powerhouse, and marketplace platform transforming how people plan, shop, and celebrate life's biggest moments. From assuming full production of Vera Wang Bride to launching Diamonds & Pearls, a curated couture boutique experience, David's entrance into this new era marks a pivotal moment for retailers going beyond traditional scopes and expanding into new categories.

At the center of David's technological and retail evolution is Pearl by David's, Pearl Planner and Pearl Media Network - the all-in-one digital wedding destination connecting consumers with everything from AI-powered planning tools, inspiration and vendor directories, expanded retail categories and leading content, while enabling brands tap into David's unmatched market reach to authentically connect with consumers through media across the web, social, podcast, streaming, video, in-store and more.

Under the Pearl Media umbrella is Love Stories by David's, the top wedding media brand taking a digital-first approach to wedding content and inspiration with over 20M viewers per month across content platforms, including the wedding industry's sole podcast network, streaming TV and Snap Discover channels, and largest YouTube and TikTok channels, and a library of over 30,000 real wedding videos. Each video comes equipped with wedding data and details, contributing to a marketplace of over 60,000 wedding professionals to help couples better dream about, research and plan their big day.

With more than 190 stores across the US, Canada, and franchise locations in Mexico, David's Bridal offers the convenience of one-stop shopping for every magical event in her life, including weddings, Quinceanera, graduations, proms, communions, or simply making the world her runway and beyond. To learn more about David's , sign up for Pearl Planner , and connect on social media through Instagram , YouTube , Pinterest , Facebook , X , TikTok , and LinkedIn .

Contact Information

David's Bridal

mediarequests@dbi.com

Related Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN0WTdRyi9k





SOURCE: DAVID'S BRIDAL CORPORATE

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/consumer-and-retail-products/get-it-now-with-over-500-000-dresses-in-stock-from-bridal-to-wedding-g-1088683
Honoring an emerging MD elevating the health community through service, innovation, and collaboration.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / The Mindshare Summit recently announced that Travis Bond, MD, a recently graduated physician and rising voice in patient-centered care, has been selected for the 2025 Rising Tide Award.

The honor celebrates an emerging leader each year who elevates others in the health and wellness world through generosity, collaboration, and measurable impact.

"Dr. Bond represents the next generation of physician leadership," said JJ Virgin, founder of the Mindshare Summit and the Health Business Growth Collective. (JJ Virgin is a Fitness Hall of Famer and four-time New York Times best-selling author.)

Virgin also added, "Dr. Bond leads with service, he shares what works, and he brings people together to create better outcomes for patients and communities. That spirit is exactly what the Rising Tide Award is about."

The 2025 Rising Tide Award was presented at the Mindshare Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona. This event is an annual live gathering of health business leaders and innovators. It provides training, collaboration, and community for practitioners and health brand builders who are committed to real-world results. The Summit features world-class speakers, hands-on workshops, and curated networking, designed to spark collaborations to improve health at scale.

For more information about the Mindshare Summit, please visit: https://pages.thehbgc.com/summit/

For media inquiries about the Pinnacle Award, please contact: support@thehbgc.com

About the Health Business Growth Collective (Formerly Mindshare)

The Health Business Growth Collective (HBGC) is the leading community for health and wellness professionals who are building ethical, evidence-informed businesses that change lives. Founded by JJ Virgin, HBGC provides training, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities and powers the annual Mindshare Summit. The community was formerly known as Mindshare Collaborative.

About Dr. Travis Bond

Dr. Travis Bond, MD, is a recently graduated physician and emerging clinician-educator focused on practical, lifestyle-first strategies that support patient health. He is committed to clear communication, collaborative care, and programs that help people apply evidence-informed habits in daily life.

SOURCE: Health Business Growth Collective

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/dr.-travis-bond-receives-the-2025-mindshare-summit-rising-tide-a-1088676
Dallas, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Mod Op LLC ("Mod Op"), a full-service digital marketing agency backed by Alterna Equity Partners, today announced the acquisition of Ascend Marketing, a Texas-based provider of advanced marketing solutions, customer engagement strategies, demand generation and data-driven services. The transaction further enhances Mod Op's integrated offerings across creative, digital, and performance marketing services.

Founded in 2004, Ascend Marketing has built a strong reputation for designing and executing customer engagement strategies, leveraging data, analytics, and marketing technology to deliver measurable results for Fortune 500 and growth-stage companies.

"This partnership with Mod Op marks an exciting new chapter for Ascend," said Rich Herbst, Founder of Ascend Marketing. "Our clients are increasingly seeking integrated solutions that combine strategy, technology, creativity, and performance. By joining Mod Op, we gain access to expanded resources and expertise that will help us scale our impact while continuing to deliver meaningful customer experiences."

Mod Op, headquartered in Miami, FL, is a full-service marketing and advertising agency known for driving client growth through creativity, data science, and innovation to global brands across various industries. The addition of Ascend broadens Mod Op's reach in data-driven engagement, aligning with the company's mission to deliver measurable, ROI-focused marketing outcomes.

"Ascend has built an impressive track record of helping clients harness customer insights to drive growth," said Eric J. Bertrand, CEO of Mod Op. "Their team's expertise in customer engagement and marketing technology complements our integrated platform perfectly. Together, we will be able to provide even more comprehensive, performance-driven solutions for our clients."

This acquisition demonstrates the ongoing support of Alterna Equity Partners, a private equity firm specializing in investments in lower, middle-market companies. Alterna has actively supported Mod Op's growth strategy through targeted acquisitions that expand capabilities and market reach.

"This transaction is another important step in building Mod Op into a leading national marketing solutions provider," said Casey Swercheck, Co-Managing Partner at Alterna Equity Partners. "We are excited to welcome Ascend and look forward to supporting the combined team's growth trajectory."

Sett & Lucas, a global investment bank specializing in technology and marketing services, acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Ascend Marketing in this transaction.

Tyler Block, Sett & Lucas Managing Director, stated, "We are thrilled to have played our part in pairing these two great companies together. The combined company is well positioned to achieve the kind of growth that neither company could have achieved separately." This milestone transaction was made possible through the dedication and expertise of the entire Sett & Lucas team, including Subhasis Mishra, Suraj Raghavendra, Vaishnavi J, and Sridevi Srinivasan, whose collaborative spirit was instrumental in driving this successful outcome.

About Ascend Marketing

Ascend Marketing is a customer engagement agency dual headquartered in Dallas and Austin, Texas. The firm specializes in designing and executing customer strategies enabled by data, analytics, and marketing technology to deliver measurable business results.

About Mod Op

Mod Op is a leading insights-driven marketing agency that merges creativity, data science and artificial intelligence to deliver efficient, effective and sustainable growth for our clients. Mod Op services for both B2C and B2B markets include strategy and execution for creative, communications, technology, and digital media, as well as other digital marketing services. For additional information, please visit Mod Op's website.

About Alterna Equity Partners

Alterna Equity Partners is a Fort Lauderdale-based private equity firm focused on investing in middle-market companies with significant growth potential. Alterna partners with management teams to execute strategies that accelerate growth, enhance profitability, and build long-term enterprise value.

About Sett & Lucas

Sett & Lucas is a global investment bank providing M&A advisory, capital raise, and strategic advisory services. With offices in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia, the firm specializes in advising technology, media, and marketing services businesses on transformational transactions.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270873

SOURCE: Sett & Lucas
GROS ISLET, LC / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / NordFX has received the Best Fastest Payout Award at Forex Expo Dubai 2025, recognizing the broker's dedication to delivering rapid and reliable withdrawal processing for traders worldwide. The award was presented during the two-day event held on October 6-7 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, where NordFX participated as a Diamond Sponsor.

Forex Expo Dubai remains one of the largest and most influential industry events, drawing thousands of professionals from the trading, fintech, and investment sectors. The awards highlight innovation and quality of service across the global financial ecosystem. NordFX recognition in the Fastest Payout category underscores the company's focus on efficient transaction systems and strong customer support.

Over recent years, NordFX has introduced a series of payment-processing upgrades aimed at accelerating withdrawals and ensuring around-the-clock accessibility. A key component has been the automation of crypto withdrawals, enabling traders to access their funds within minutes and outside of traditional banking hours. Together with optimized systems for card, bank, and e-wallet transactions, these advances have positioned NordFX among the industry leaders in payout speed.

The award also reflects NordFX wider goal of improving trust and transparency in online trading. By ensuring that clients can move funds quickly and securely, the company supports a more flexible trading experience where capital can be redeployed across markets with minimal delay.

At Forex Expo Dubai 2025, the NordFX team engaged with traders, partners, and industry representatives to discuss evolving payment standards and the growing role of crypto in international finance. The Fastest Payout recognition further reinforces NordFX long-term commitment to innovation, reliability, and service excellence.

Media Contact

Organization: NordFX Ltd.

Contact Person Name: Vanessa Polson

Website: https://nordfx.com/

Email: marketing@nordfx.com

Address: Ground Floor, The Sotheby Building

Address 2: Rodney Village, Rodney Bay

City: Gros-Islet

Country: Saint Lucia

SOURCE: NordFX Ltd.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/blockchain-and-cryptocurrency/nordfx-receives-best-fastest-payout-award-at-forex-expo-dubai-2025-1088731
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Provenance Gold Corp. (CSE: PAU) (OTCQB: PVGDF) ("Provenance" or the "Company") is pleased to announce an investment commitment from a strategic investment group for $4,500,000. The group has agreed to participate in a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of 18,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") which will be offered at a price of $0.25 per Unit. Each Unit will consist of one common share and one-half-of-one share purchase warrant exercisable at a price of $0.30 good for a period of five years. The Offering is expected to close on or about October 24, 2025 and investors have agreed to a one-year hold period on all the securities issued in the Offering.

Concurrently with the closing of the Offering, the strategic investor group and Provenance will enter into an investor rights agreement, pursuant to which the group will be granted certain rights provided they maintain certain ownership thresholds in the Company, including: the right to participate in future equity financings and top-up holdings in the event of dilutive issuances in order to maintain their pro rata ownership in the Company.

"This Offering, completed at market price, reflects mounting investor interest and confidence in our Company and projects. Having strategic investors that share our vision and have the capability to add resources as the project continues to grow is extremely beneficial. I firmly believe we are greatly undervalued as we continue to fast track exploration activities in an effort to maximize shareholder value. Solidifying long-term strategic shareholders that share our vision and understand the true value of our projects is critical for our trajectory at this junction" stated Rob Clark, Provenance's President.

Completion of the Offering remains subject to satisfaction of customary closing deliverables and regulatory approval. In connection with closing, a finders' fee is owing to an arms-length brokerage firm that assisted in introducing the strategic investor group.

About Provenance Gold Corp.

Safe Harbor Statement: Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange, nor its regulation services provider, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270910

SOURCE: Provenance Gold Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Fuerte Metals Corporation (TSXV: FMT) (OTCQB: FUEMF) ("Fuerte" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of the acquisition of Goldcorp Kaminak Ltd. ("Kaminak"), the owner of the Coffee Gold Project ("Coffee") in Canada's Yukon Territory, from Newmont Corporation ("Newmont"). The acquisition of Kaminak (the "Transaction") was previously announced on September 15, 2025. Pursuant to the Transaction, the Company paid approximately US$10 million in cash and issued US$40 million in common and preferred shares (22,729,126 common shares and 10,842,989 preferred shares of Fuerte at a deemed price of $1.65 per share) to an affiliate of Newmont as part of the consideration. As the remaining consideration for the Transaction, the Company assumed an intercompany note payable to Kaminak in the amount of US$65 million, in connection with the grant to Newmont of a 3% net smelter return ("NSR") royalty on Coffee. The Company may repurchase the NSR from Newmont for US$100 million at any time up to one year following the announcement of commercial production. Following the close of the Transaction, Newmont will indirectly own 26% of the outstanding common shares of the Company on a partially diluted basis (assuming the conversion of the preferred shares into common shares).

Tim Warman, President and CEO of Fuerte commented: "We are very pleased to finalize the acquisition of Coffee. Like our partners at Newmont, we welcome the opportunity to create value for communities and shareholders alike. Since announcement of the deal, we have been actively engaging with our First Nations partners and the Yukon government as we seek to maintain and strengthen the relationships needed to advance our short and long-term project plans. We anticipate providing a market update later this quarter to outline our plans, including a PEA in the first half of 2026 as well as exploration plans and project works in Q2/Q3 2026. Finally, I would like to thank Agnico Eagle, Pierre Lassonde, and Trinity Capital for their continued financial and strategic support. Our ownership structure is consistent with the interests of management and the board, which collectively own approximately 5% of the Company following the close of the Transaction."

To fund the cash component of the Transaction and to advance exploration and development activities at Coffee, the Company completed an offering of 34,848,485 subscription receipts ("Subscription Receipts") of its subsidiary, 1555489 B.C. Ltd., at a price of $1.65 per Subscription Receipt for gross proceeds of approximately $57.5 million on October 9, 2025 (the "Offering"). Further particulars relating to the Offering are set forth in the Company's press release dated October 9, 2025. With the closing of the Transaction and the satisfaction of certain other closing conditions, each Subscription Receipt automatically converted into one unit of the Company (a "Unit"). Each Unit is comprised of one common share of Fuerte and one common share purchase warrant of Fuerte, with each warrant entitling the holder to acquire one common share of Fuerte at a price of $2.50 for a period of five years from the closing date of the Offering.

Following the close of the Offering and the Transaction, the Company has 120,915,268 common shares and 10,842,989 preferred shares issued and outstanding. The preferred shares are non-voting, but economically equivalent to the Company's common shares. The preferred shares are expected to automatically convert into common shares on a one for one basis on February 14, 2026. Currently, the Company has a total cash balance of approximately C$43 million which will be used to advance Coffee and complete the permitting process in preparation for a construction decision. The Company will be strengthening its management team and board to manage and lead this transition to a gold producer.

The Company also entered into an investor rights agreement granting Newmont, as a shareholder of the Company, among other things, the right to participate in certain securities offerings to maintain its pro rata ownership, the right to acquire additional securities to maintain its pro rata ownership in the event it is diluted by securities offerings that do not trigger its participation right, the right to nominate one director to the Company's board of directors and certain information rights, and piggy back and demand registration rights.

In addition, the Company issued 2,000,000 units at a deemed price of $1.65 per unit, each unit being comprised of one common share and one common share purchase warrant of the Company, to Trinity Advisors Corporation in consideration for its services as the Company's financial advisor in connection with the Transaction. The warrants are exercisable at a price of $2.50 per share for a period of five years from the closing date of the Transaction.

The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. "United States" and "U.S. person" are as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act.

Details of the Coffee Gold Project can be found in the Company's press release of September 15, 2025, and in the technical report titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report for the 2025 Mineral Resource Estimate Update on the Coffee Gold Project, Yukon, Canada" with an effective date of August 21, 2025 and prepared by Messrs. Alan J. San Martin, P.Eng and Charley Murahwi, P.Geo from Micon International Limited (the "Coffee Technical Report"). The Coffee Technical Report is available on the Company's website at www.fuertemetals.com and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

About Fuerte Metals Corporation

Fuerte Metals is a Vancouver-based exploration and development company focused on advancing high-potential base and precious metals projects across the Americas. Our flagship asset is the 100%-owned Coffee Project in the Yukon, Canada - a high-quality gold project advancing through the final stages of permitting, engineering, and resource expansion drilling in preparation for a construction decision. In addition to Coffee, Fuerte holds a portfolio of copper and gold assets, including the Placeton-Caballo Muerto Project in Chile and the Cristina and Yecora Projects in Mexico, offering additional growth and exploration upside. At Fuerte, we are committed to building value through disciplined project development, responsible stewardship of the land, and a focus on creating long-term returns for shareholders.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the use of proceeds of the Offering; information relating to the business of the Company including exploration and development activities and management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the synergies expected from the Transaction not being realized; business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties.

There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Not for distribution to U.S news wire services or for dissemination in the United States

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270850

SOURCE: Fuerte Metals Corp.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Lorne Park Capital Partners Inc. (TSXV: LPC) ("Lorne Park" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed the previously announced plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") of the Company pursuant to which an affiliate (the "Purchaser") of Sagard Private Equity Canada ("Sagard") acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company (the "Shares") for cash consideration of C$2.23 per Share (the "Consideration"), other than certain Shares held by certain Shareholders (the "Rollover Shareholders") who entered into equity rollover agreements with the Purchaser.

As a result of the Arrangement, Lorne Park's Shares are expected to be delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange after the end of trading on October 20, 2025. Lorne Park has applied to the relevant securities commissions for it to cease to be a reporting issuer under applicable Canadian securities laws.

"We are pleased to complete this transaction, which provides a significant cash premium to our shareholders and positions Lorne Park to act on opportunities in the wealth management sector," said Robert Sewell, President and CEO of the Company. "We look forward to partnering with Sagard to execute our long-term growth plans."

Full details of the Arrangement and certain other matters are set out in the management information circular of Lorne Park dated July 14, 2025 (the "Information Circular") and letter of transmittal (the "Letter of Transmittal"). A copy of the Information Circular and other meeting materials can be found on the Company's website at www.lpcp.ca or under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Registered Shareholders who have not already done so must complete and sign the Letter of Transmittal and return it, together with the certificate(s) / DRS advice(s) representing their Shares and any other required documents and instruments, in accordance with the procedures set out in the Letter of Transmittal, in order to receive the Consideration for their Shares. Lorne Park shareholders who have questions or who may need assistance with the completion of the Letter of Transmittal are advised to contact Odyssey Trust Company, the depository for the Arrangement, at:

North American Toll Free: 1-888-290-1175

Telephone: (587) 885-0960 (Outside North America)

Email: corp.actions@odysseytrust.com

Early Warning Disclosure

Pursuant to the requirements of National Instrument 62-104 - Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids and National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues, each of the Purchaser, Robert Sewell and Steve Meehan (including an entity controlled by him) will file an early warning report in accordance with applicable securities laws, which will be made available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Further information and a copy of each of the early warning reports may be obtained by contacting: Lorne Park Capital Partners Inc., investor.relations@lpcp.ca, (905) 337-2227.

Immediately prior to closing of the Arrangement, neither the Purchaser nor Sagard, its sole shareholder as of such time, exercised control or direction over, directly or indirectly, any Shares. Upon completion of the Arrangement, the Purchaser acquired all of the Company's 54,653,575 issued and outstanding Shares, with Sagard owning 37.9% of the shares of the Purchaser and the Rollover Shareholders owning the balance of the shares of the Purchaser. The consideration paid by the Purchaser for the Shares was C$2.23 per Share, other than with respect to Shares held by the Rollover Shareholders, who exchanged Shares for shares of the Purchaser at an implied value of C$2.23 per Purchaser share. The Purchaser's address is 199 Bay Street, Commerce Court West, Suite 5300, Toronto, Ontario, M5L1B9, Canada.

Immediately prior to closing of the Arrangement, Mr. Robert Sewell, 1295 Cornwall Road, Unit A3, Oakville, Ontario, L6J 7T5, beneficially owned and controlled 17,570,587 Shares (representing 32.1% of the issued and outstanding Shares) and stock options to acquire up to 625,000 Shares (the "Options") (both the Shares and Options combined representing approximately 32.4% of the issued and outstanding Shares). In connection with the Arrangement, Robert Sewell sold certain of his Shares directly or indirectly to the Purchaser at an implied value of $2.23 per Share and certain of his shares for aggregate cash proceeds of $1,210,553. Following the completion of the Arrangement, Robert Sewell became a shareholder of the Purchaser and no longer beneficially owns or controls any Shares. Mr. Sewell now indirectly owns or controls approximately 35.8% of the equity in the resulting private company.

Immediately prior to closing of the Arrangement, Mr. Steve Meehan (including entities controlled by him), 1295 Cornwall Road, Unit A3, Oakville, Ontario, L6J 7T5, beneficially owned and controlled 6,089,778 Shares (representing 11.1% of the issued and outstanding Shares) and 350,000 Options (both the Shares and Options combined representing approximately 11.4% of the issued and outstanding Shares). In connection with the Arrangement, Steve Meehan sold certain of his Shares directly or indirectly to the Purchaser at an implied value of $2.23 per Share and certain of his shares for aggregate cash proceeds of $11,672,143. Following the completion of the Arrangement, Steve Meehan, through an entity he controls, became a shareholder of the Purchaser and no longer beneficially owns or controls any Shares. Mr. Meehan now indirectly owns or controls approximately 2.1% of the equity in the resulting private company.

About Lorne Park Capital Partners Inc.

Lorne Park was created to bring together boutique investment management and wealth advisory firms in order to deliver robust, cost-effective investment solutions to affluent investors, foundations, estates and trusts. Lorne Park's unique strategy creates better alignment between investment managers and wealth advisors while providing them with additional resources to accelerate their growth.

Cautionary Notes

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", "plan", and other similar expressions. Forward-looking information addresses possible future events, conditions and financial performance based upon management's current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. In particular, the forward-looking information contained in this news release includes statements regarding the timing of delisting of the Shares from the TSX Venture Exchange. Management of Lorne Park considers the assumptions on which the forward-looking information contained herein are based to be reasonable. However, by its very nature, forward-looking information inherently involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such information. Such risks include, without limitation, changes in economic conditions, applicable laws or regulations. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Lorne Park disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAW/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270892

SOURCE: Lorne Park Capital Partners Inc.
Tokyo and Kanagawa, Japan, Oct 17, 2025 - (JCN Newswire) - SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD. Fujitsu Limited, and SAP Japan Co., Ltd. today announced the comprehensive modernization of SEKISUI CHEMICAL's management platform. This modernization project aims to enhance data-driven and agile management decision making by implementing SAP S/4HANA Cloud [1] as the new core system. The first phase, focusing on accounting systems, commenced in April 2025. Moving forward, SAP S/4HANA Cloud will be gradually rolled out to approximately 100 SEKISUI CHEMICAL Group companies around the world, enabling SEKISUI CHEMICAL to centralize and unify administration and data management across its group companies globally, while also standardizing platforms for sales and purchasing management in addition to the accounting foundation.SEKISUI CHEMICAL initiated a company-wide digital transformation project to enhance long-term corporate value in today's uncertain business environment where companies must respond quickly to change. As part of this, the company launched a global management transformation project in 2021, beginning the modernization project to adopt SAP, a global standard. Through this project, SEKISUI CHEMICAL aims to enhance company management and create new value through the establishment of a data-driven approach.Fujitsu, leveraging its original methodology [2] - a culmination of over 40 years of experience as a global SAP partner - provided robust support for the execution and implementation of SAP S/4HANA Cloud and other solutions, including SAP Business Technology Platform [3]. For this project, Fujitsu utilized its Japan Global Gateway and Global Delivery Center in India to establish a system for speedy and high-quality core system modernization. Fujitsu will continue to provide comprehensive support until the project's completion, drawing on its extensive expertise and internal implementation references.SAP Japan will continue to support SEKISUI CHEMICAL in building a management foundation. Through providing Japanese and global insights, case studies, and optimal solutions, SAP Japan will contribute to SEKISUI CHEMICAL's sustainable corporate value creation by enabling integrated utilization of a wide range of financial and non-financial information.[1]SAP S/4HANA Cloud:Cloud ERP system offered by SAP.[2]Original methodology:Fujitsu's proprietary implementation methodology for SAP S/4HANA Cloud. It is based on SAP's Activate methodology, incorporating elements of Fujitsu's long-standing standard system construction process framework in areas outside of SAP.[3]SAP Business Technology Platform:A mission-critical, multi-cloud platform that provides generative AI-enabled development capabilities, automation, integration features, as well as data and analytics - covering both SAP and non-SAP applications.About SEKISUI CHEMICALHeadquartered in Japan, SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD. (TSE: 4204) and its subsidiaries make up the SEKISUI CHEMICAL Group. 26,000 employees in over 155 companies throughout 20 countries and regions aim to contribute to improving the lives of the people of the world and the earth's environment. Thanks to a history of innovation, dedication and a pioneering spirit, SEKISUI CHEMICAL now holds leading positions in its three diverse business divisions as well as top global market share in interlayer film, foam products, conductive particles and more.About FujitsuFujitsu's purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers around the globe, our 113,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: AI, Computing, Networks, Data and Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$23 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: global.fujitsuAbout SAP JapanSAP Japan was established in 1992 as the Japanese subsidiary of SAP SE. As a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, SAP (NYSE:SAP) stands at the nexus of business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted SAP to bring out their best by uniting business-critical operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit www.sap.com.# #This document contains forward-looking statements, which are predictions, projections, or other statements about future events. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to materially differ. Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risk factors section of SAP's 2024 Annual Report on Form 20-F. 2025 SAP SE. All rights reserved. SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries.Additional trademark information and noticesPress ContactsFujitsu LimitedInquiriesSource: Fujitsu LtdCopyright 2025 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
STUTTGART (dpa-AFX) - Porsche AG (POAHY) has appointed Dr. Michael Leiters as its new CEO, effective January 1, 2026. He succeeds Dr. Oliver Blume, who led the company for a decade and will continue as CEO of Volkswagen Group. Chairman Dr. Wolfgang Porsche praised Blume for steering Porsche through challenging times, achieving record financial results, a successful IPO, international expansion, and major motorsport wins. He also commended Blume's long-term approach to leadership transition. Blume said his decision to step down was in Volkswagen Group's best interests, expressing confidence in Leiters' ability to lead Porsche's next phase. He noted that Porsche has realigned its structure and product strategy to adapt to shifts in key markets like the U.S. and China, ensuring strong positioning for the future. Leiters, currently CEO of McLaren Automotive and former Ferrari CTO, previously spent over 13 years at Porsche overseeing the Macan and Cayenne series. Dr. Wolfgang Porsche said Leiters' extensive automotive experience and leadership make him well-suited to guide Porsche AG through upcoming challenges. POAHY currently trades at $3.93 or 1.03% higher on the OTC Markets OTCPK. Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil has risen on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump suddenly reversed his hardline stance on China, triggering confidence warmer bilateral trade relations could lead to an increase in energy demand.



WTI Crude Oil for November delivery was last seen trading up by $0.20 (or 0.35%) at $57.66 per barrel.



The U.S. and China are the largest economies in the world and for the past four to five months, negotiations to end the 'tariff war' were on track.



Last week, trade tensions renewed between the U.S. and China as China's export curbs on its rare earth minerals angered U.S. President Donald Trump, who announced new 100% tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S. This triggered concerns of a possible slowdown by the economy and low demand for energy.



Trump had previously indicated he would not Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea later this month as previously planned.



However, in an interview to Fox Business that aired today, Trump surprisingly struck a different note by sounding pragmatic when he maintained that the 100% tariffs were not sustainable. He also confirmed meeting Xi as scheduled and went on to express admiration for him.



Trump's change in tone pushed markets to foresee smoother U.S.-China bilateral trade ties and thereby increasing energy demand.



The Gaza Peace Plan proposed by Trump is now almost a done deal. The exchange of prisoners and captives by Israel and Hamas are now complete. With the ceasefire in place, so far, no adverse events have been reported. The geopolitical risk premium that existed earlier is now out.



After brokering a successful peace deal in the Middle East, Trump has set his sights on bringing the drawn-out Russia-Ukraine war to an end.



Yesterday, Trump announced that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the next 2-3 weeks in Budapest, Hungary, along with 'high-level delegations' to discuss ways to end the conflict. This raises the likelihood of more Russian oil flowing into the market.



Yesterday, data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration revealed that for the week ending October 10, crude oil inventories rose by 3.524 million barrels. Economists had expected crude oil inventories to inch up by 0.1 million barrels.



At 423.8 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories remain about 4% below the five-year average for this time of year.



For the same period, gasoline inventories declined by 267,000 barrels, distillate inventories decreased to 4529,000 barrels, and heating oil inventories fell by 519,000 barrels.



In addition, the data indicated a rise in U.S. production to 13.636 million barrels per day.



Baker Hughes Company reported today that in the U.S., for the week ending October 17, crude oil rigs remained unchanged at 418 from the previous week and total rigs increased to 548 from 547 from the previous week.



In its recent monthly oil market report, the OPEC alliance kept its global oil demand growth forecasts largely unchanged at 1.3 million barrels per day and 1.4 million barrels per day for 2025 and 2026, respectively. Similarly, the group also maintained its supply projections and expects those from producers outside the wider OPEC+ alliance to rise by 810,000 barrels per day in 2025 and 630,000 barrels per day in 2026.



In the U.S., the government shutdown has entered day number 17.



U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell this week acknowledged the sharp slowdown in hiring and indicated the need to end quantitative tightening.



Even with the absence of key official economic releases, expectations are running high among traders over the U.S central bank's rate cuts.



Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

 2025 AFX News
Launching the "AjmanPay Advanced Individual" and "AjmanPay Silver Corporate" prepaid cards to deliver an exceptional and innovative customer experience.

DUBAI, UAE and AJMAN, UAE, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its commitment to meeting customer needs and advancing the emirate's cash-free vision, the Department of Finance in Ajman continued to expand the coverage of its unified payment platform, AjmanPay, by unveiling two new prepaid cards during its participation at GITEX Global 2025, in the presence of Abdul Ghaffar Al Khaja, Director of the Department of Government Accounts at DOF.

Under the Ajman Government Platform, and in collaboration with First Abu Dhabi Bank, the Department launched "AjmanPay Advanced Individual" -a prepaid card within the AjmanPay platform that enables customers to pay official and commercial fees digitally, securely, and easily-without the need for a bank account. The card is issued free of charge, valid for five years, and supports balances of up to AED 75,000. It can be used across government entities and retail outlets within the UAE, and comes with exclusive benefits and offers through the Visa Platinum network.

The Department also introduced the "AjmanPay Silver Corporate", a prepaid card with a five-year validity and a maximum balance of AED 2.5 million. Businesses can obtain the card without opening a bank account and use it to pay government and commercial fees, while enjoying offers and discounts available through the Visa network.

Abdul Ghaffar Al Khaja affirmed that the launch of both cards underscores the Department's firm commitment to supporting Ajman's digital transformation journey and enhancing the efficiency of the government financial services ecosystem in line with the emirate's strategic directions. He added: "This step reflects our focus on harnessing modern technologies to develop innovative financial solutions that elevate customer experience, strengthen operational efficiency, and advance integrated digital systems that keep pace with future requirements."

He further noted that these solutions form part of a comprehensive suite of digital services the Department is delivering to enhance customer satisfaction, adding that it will continue to develop strategic initiatives and projects that drive smart financial transformation, contribute to sustainable development in the emirate, and fortify its competitiveness.

The Department of Finance in Ajman participates annually in GITEX Global as a leading platform to showcase its latest digital solutions that support financial sustainability in Ajman and reinforce its global standing in financial innovation.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2799482/Ajman_Department_of_Finance.jpg

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Dieppe, New Brunswick--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Colibri Resource Corporation (TSXV: CBI) ("Colibri" or the "Company") wishes to clarify and correct certain information regarding the structure of its securities offerings as disclosed in its news releases of October 6 and 16, 2025.

The Company is currently conducting the following offerings:

A non-brokered private placement of up to 8,333,333 units (the "Unit Offering") at a price of $0.15 per unit (a "Unit") for gross proceeds of up $1,250,000, Each Unit will consist of one (1) common share and one (1) common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one common share (a "Common Share") of the Company at a price of C$0.25 per Common Share for a period of 24 months;

A debt conversion of approximately $520,000 in exchange for up to 3,466,667 units. The units carry identical terms to the Units being offered in the Unit Offering. The debt being converted represents principal and interest from convertible debentures which matured in August 2025. See the Company's news release dated August 6, 2025. There are no insiders or non-arm's length parties participating in this debt conversion; and

A non-brokered private placement of up to 250 convertible debenture units (the "Debenture Units") for gross proceeds of up to US$250,000 (the "Debenture Offering"). Each Debenture Unit consists of one (1) US$1,000 principal amount 10% unsecured convertible debenture (the "Debenture") and 5,200 common share purchase warrants (the "Debenture Warrants"). Each Debenture will bear interest at the rate of 10% per annum, calculated in US dollars, from the date of issuance, payable in arrears quarterly and upon maturity or redemption. The Debentures will mature on the date that is two (2) years from the date of issuance (the "Maturity Date"). The principal amount of the Debentures are convertible into Common Shares, at the holder's option, at the rate C$0.25 per Common Share (the "Conversion Price") any time prior to the Maturity Date. For purposes of the Conversion Price, the Debentures carry a fixed foreign exchange rate of C$1.30 for each US$1 of the principal amount. All interest accrued on the Debentures will be payable in cash only and there can be no conversion of the Debenture interest into Common Shares of the Company. Each Debenture Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one Common Share at a price of C$0.25 per Common Share for a period of 24 months following the closing of the offering. A portion of the Debenture Offering is anticipated to be taken up by former debenture holders whose debentures matured in August 2025. Those persons participating on this basis will not represent new money to the Company.

Insiders of the Company may acquire securities in the Unit and/or Debenture Offerings. Any participation by insiders will constitute a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company expects such participation will be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the securities subscribed for by insiders, nor the consideration paid, is expected to exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization.

Securities issued in accordance with the foregoing offerings will be subject to a statutory four-month-and-one-day hold period. The Company may pay finder's fees in accordance with TSX Venture Exchange policies.

About Colibri Resource Corporation

Colibri Resource Corporation is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: CBI) and focused on acquiring, exploring, and developing prospective gold and silver properties in Mexico. The Company holds four high-potential precious-metal projects: (1) 100% ownership of the EP Gold Project in the prolific Caborca Gold Belt, (2) 49% of the Pilar Gold & Silver Project (near-term production potential), and (3) a 60% interest in the Diamante Gold & Silver Project in the Sierra Madre region.

For more information, please visit: www.colibriresource.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements". These statements are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward- looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of exploration, project development, reclamation and capital costs of the Company's mineral properties, and the Company's financial condition and prospects, could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for minerals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological and operational difficulties encountered in connection with the activities of the Company; and other matters discussed in this news release. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270938

SOURCE: Colibri Resource Corporation
TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / Psyence Group Inc. (CSE:PSYG) ("Psyence" or the "Company"), announces that it granted an aggregate of 721,448 restricted share units (each an "RSU") to certain executives, officers, directors and consultants of the Company pursuant to the Company's Amended and Restated Restricted Share Unit Plan, of which one third vests six months after the grant date, another one third after twelve months and the remaining balance after eighteen months. All RSUs expire December 31, 2030. Each RSU represents the right to receive, once vested, one common share in the capital of the Company for every RSU held.

ABOUT PSYENCE GROUP: www.psyence.com

Psyence is a life science biotechnology company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE: PSYG), with a focus on natural psychedelics. Psyence works with nature-derived psilocybin products for the healing of psychological trauma and its mental health consequences in the context of palliative care. Our name "Psyence" combines the words psychedelic and science to affirm our commitment to producing psychedelic medicines developed through evidence-based research.

Informed by nature and guided by science, Psyence works to develop advanced nature-derived psilocybin products for clinical research and development.

Contact Information

Learn more at www.psyence.com.

Email: ir@psyence.com

Media Inquiries: media@psyence.com

General Information: info@psyence.com

Phone: +1 416-477-1708

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Certain statements in this news release related to the Company are forward-looking statements and are prospective in nature. Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "should", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "anticipate", "expect", "believe" or "continue", or the negative thereof or similar variations. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information. Risks and uncertainties include the anticipated outcomes of RSU grants under the Company's long-term incentive plans. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These, and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information, are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

The Company makes no medical, treatment or health benefit claims about the Company's proposed products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada or other similar regulatory authorities have not evaluated claims regarding psilocybin, psilocybin analogues, or other psychedelic compounds or nutraceutical products. The efficacy of such products has not been confirmed by approved research. There is no assurance that the use of psilocybin, psilocybin analogues, or other psychedelic compounds or nutraceuticals can diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. Vigorous scientific research and clinical trials are needed. The Company has not conducted clinical trials for the use of its proposed products. Any references to quality, consistency, efficacy, and safety of potential products do not imply that the Company verified such in clinical trials or that the Company will complete such trials. If the Company cannot obtain the approvals or research necessary to commercialize its business, it may have a material adverse effect on the Company's performance and operations.

SOURCE: Psyence Group Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/psyence-group-inc.-announces-rsu-grants-1087663
Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Sona Nanotech Inc. (CSE: SONA) (OTCQB: SNANF) (the "Company", "Sona"), announces that it will host a webinar on Monday, October 20th at noon EDT to discuss its first-in-human, early feasibility clinical study for its Targeted Hyperthermia Therapy cancer treatment. Ten advanced stage melanoma patients who were failing to respond to standard immunotherapy treatment were recruited into this early feasibility study.

Interested parties can register here: http://bit.ly/3JcFls5. A recording of the webinar will be made available following the webinar in the Investor Information section of the Company's website.

About Sona Nanotech Inc.

Sona Nanotech is developing Targeted Hyperthermia, a photothermal cancer therapy, which uses therapeutic heat to treat solid cancer tumors. The heat is delivered to tumors by infrared light that is absorbed by Sona's gold nanorods in the tumor and re-emitted as heat. Therapeutic heat (42-48C) stimulates the immune system, shrinks tumors, inactivates cancer stem cells, and increases tumor perfusion - thus enabling drugs to reach all tumor compartments more effectively. Targeted Hyperthermia promises to be safe, effective, minimally invasive, competitive in cost, and a valuable adjunct to drug therapy and other cancer treatments.

Sona has developed multiple proprietary methods for the manufacture of gold nanoparticles which it uses for the development of both cancer therapies and diagnostic testing platforms. Sona Nanotech's gold nanorod particles are cetyltrimethylammonium ("CTAB") free, eliminating the toxicity risks associated with the use of other gold nanorod technologies in medical applications.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This press release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding the anticipated applications and potential opportunities of Targeted Hyperthermia Therapy, and Sona's preclinical and clinical study plans. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions or estimates that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including the risk that Sona may not be able to secure the remaining required regulatory approvals for the Pilot Study, enroll study participants in a timely manner, successfully obtain sufficient clinical and other data to submit regulatory submissions, raise sufficient additional capital, secure patents or develop the envisioned therapy, and the risk that THT may not prove to have the benefits currently anticipated. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Sona disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270935

SOURCE: Sona Nanotech Inc.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / Future Fuels Inc. (TSXV:FTUR)(FSE:S0J)(OTCQB:FTURF) ("Future Fuels" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has concluded the Phase One gravity exploration program (the "Gravity Survey") at its wholly owned Hornby Basin Project (the "Hornby Project" or the "Project"), located approximately 95 kilometres southwest of Kugluktuk, Nunavut.

Highlights

A 2,000-hectare Gravity Survey with 200-400 m line spacing and 100 m station intervals was completed over the Mountain Lake uranium system and radioactive boulder trains at Curiosity and Sauna Lakes, where Imperial Oil reported up to 6% U3O8 in 1973 (AR 080161).

The goal of the gravity survey was to build on the success of two previous surveys (2022 and 2024) that demonstrated gravity/density can distinguish between Unit 11 sandstones and Unit 12 shales and highlight structural offsets and controls on uranium mineralization (Aurora Geosciences, 2022, 2024).

Operators in the Athabasca and Thelon basin have also recognised gravity surveys are effective in identifying alteration associated with unconformity style uranium systems.

Results of the gravity survey are currently being processed and will be presented as soon as they become available.

"We have concluded and begun processing the newly acquired gravity survey data at our Hornby Project," said Rob Leckie, President & CEO. "This new survey significantly enhances the resolution of our previous datasets and bridges critical gaps between historical grids, allowing us to vector more effectively toward the extensions of uranium-bearing horizons previously identified at Mountain Lake."

The 2025 program consisted of a high-resolution ground gravity survey over the historic Mountain Lake uranium system to infill and connect the two historical gravity surveys conducted by Iso Energy Ltd. The survey was also designed to extend coverage to include highly anomalous radioactive boulder trains near the Curiosity and Sauna Lakes, where Imperial Oil sampled up to 6% U3O8 in 1973 (AR 080161). Please refer to the Company's technical report in respect of the Project, available under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca, for more information about historical exploration of the Project.

Historical Gravity Work

The two historical surveys at Mountain Lake demonstrated the effectiveness of the method in mapping uranium mineralization and stratigraphy:

2022 Aurora Geosciences survey (IsoEnergy Ltd.): 84 stations over an ~800  1300 m grid successfully mapped the eastern portion of the Mountain Lake uranium system. A gravity high was coincident with mineralization, while a secondary high was consistent with a nearby intrusion (Aurora Geosciences, 2022).

2024 Aurora Geosciences survey (IsoEnergy Ltd.): 43 stations over three lines targeted the Helmut Fault, which offsets stratigraphic Units 11 and 12. Results showed a gravity high spatially associated with the fault and gravity lows tied to Unit 11 sandstones, confirming gravity as an effective tool for mapping density contrasts and fault displacements (Aurora Geosciences, 2024).

Future Fuels' 2025 program has more than tripled the coverage of the gravity dataset and the subsequent integration, inversion and interpretation aims to provide further geological insight into the uranium mineral systems present at Mountain Lake.

Geological Context - Units of Importance

The Mountain Lake uranium system is hosted within the Dismal Lakes Group, a Proterozoic succession that includes:

Unit 11 - LeRoux Formation (Sandstone):

Light grey to white, quartz-rich sandstones and basal conglomerates, 20-500 m thick. Acts as the fluid conduit, allowing uranium-bearing fluids to migrate. Characterized by gravity lows due to relatively low density (Armitage, 2007; Aurora Geosciences, 2024).

Unit 12 - Fort Confidence Formation (Shale and Siltstone):

Black shales and siltstones interbedded with quartzitic siltstone, typically ~45 m thick but locally >120 m. Acts as the chemical trap, where reducing conditions cause uranium to precipitate. Associated with gravity highs relative to Unit 11 (Armitage, 2007; Aurora Geosciences, 2024).

The Unit 11-12 contact is the principal stratigraphic control on uranium mineralization at Mountain Lake, analogous to settings in the Athabasca Basin. Both units are offset by major structures including the Imperial, Aquitaine, and Helmut Faults. The 2022 and 2024 surveys demonstrated that gravity effectively distinguishes Unit 11 sandstones from Unit 12 shales and images fault offsets, making it a powerful tool for targeting unconformity-related uranium systems (Aurora Geosciences, 2022, 2024).

The survey was conducted in partnership with Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd. and EarthEx Geophysical Solutions Inc., combining technical expertise, advanced equipment, and on-site support.

Looking Ahead

The results of the 2025 survey will directly inform the design of the Company's planned 2026 diamond drilling campaign, which will represent the first subsurface testing by Future Fuels at Hornby Basin.

Environmental and Community Engagement

Future Fuels remains committed to conducting exploration with the highest environmental standards. Field operations are guided by a detailed Environmental and Wildlife Management Plan, including measures to protect caribou, muskox, and migratory birds. Engagement with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, local Hunters and Trappers Organization, and the Hamlet of Kugluktuk is ongoing, with opportunities for community participation in the program.

References

Ahuja, S.P. (1973) Exploration - 1973, YUK mineral claims, Mountain Lake (6031), Mackenzie Mining District, N.W.T.; Trigg, Woollett & Associates Ltd. report prepared for Imperial Oil Limited, Assessment Report 080161

Armitage, A. E. (2007). Technical report on the Mountain Lake uranium property, Nunavut, Canada. Triex Minerals Corp., NI 43-101 Report.

Aurora Geosciences. (2022). Assessment report on the Mountain Lake Property, Nunavut: Gravity survey for IsoEnergy Ltd. Government of Nunavut Assessment Report files.

Aurora Geosciences. (2024). Assessment report on the Mountain Lake Property, Nunavut: Gravity survey for IsoEnergy Ltd. Government of Nunavut Assessment Report files.

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

Nicholas Rodway, P. Geo, (NAPEG Licence # L5576) is a consultant of the Company and is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Properties. Mr. Rodway has reviewed and approved the technical content in this release.

About Future Fuels Inc.

Future Fuels' principal asset is the Hornby Project, covering the entire 3,407 km Hornby Basin in north-western Nunavut, a geologically promising area with over 40 underexplored uranium showings, including the historic Mountain Lake System. Additionally, Future Fuels holds the Covette Project in Quebec's James Bay region, comprising 65 mineral claims over 3,370 hectares.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

FUTURE FUELS INC.

Rob Leckie, CEO and Director

info@futurefuelsinc.com

604-681-1568

X: @FutureFuelsInc

www.futurefuelsinc.com

Forward Looking Statements

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking statements and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include but are not limited to market conditions and the risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the Hornby Project, the prospects of the mineral claims forming the Hornby Project, which are not at an advanced stage of development, the Company's anticipated business and operational activities, and the Company's plans with respect to the exploration or advancement of the Hornby Project. Factors that could cause actual results to vary from forward-looking statements or may affect the operations, performance, development and results of the Company's business include, among other things, the Company's ability to generate sufficient cash flow to meet its current and future obligations; that mineral exploration is inherently uncertain and may be unsuccessful in achieving the desired results; that mineral exploration plans may change and be re-defined based on a number of factors, many of which are outside of the Company's control; the Company's ability to access sources of debt and equity capital; competitive factors, pricing pressures and supply and demand in the Company's industry; and general economic and business. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law.

SOURCE: Future Fuels Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/future-fuels-concludes-gravity-survey-at-the-hornby-basin-project-1088891
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE" or "the Exchange") today announced market statistics for September 2025.

September 2025 Operating Statistics

Trading volume of CSE listed securities totaled 1.6 billion shares;

Trading value of CSE listed securities was $633 million;

CSE issuers completed 92 financings that raised an aggregate $196 million; and

The CSE welcomed listings from three new companies, bringing total listed securities to 742 as at September 30, 2025.

"The Canadian Securities Exchange maintained its recent momentum in September, with trading activity remaining at multi-year highs," said Richard Carleton, CEO of the CSE. "Record-high gold prices are driving increased investor demand for junior mining securities, and we are also encouraged by the continued interest in other sectors, including technology and life sciences. We look forward to the closing of our acquisition of the National Stock Exchange of Australia, which will further strengthen our competitive position and benefit the global marketplace for securities of emerging companies."

What's On at the CSE

The CSE team is excited to be down under in Sydney, Australia for a couple of important events. First off is Bridging Australian and Canadian Capital Markets on October 20, an exclusive event co-hosted by the CSE and the NSXA. It will focus on the acquisition of the NSXA and will feature insights on transaction details, upcoming collaborations, and how Canada and Australia are positioning themselves for resource exploration and capital raising. The speakers include Richard Carleton and Max Cunningham, Managing Director and CEO of the NSXA, who will share insights on Canadian and Australian market dynamics and the opportunities available for issuers and investors.

Right after that is the International Mining and Resources Conference + Expo (IMARC), which takes place on October 21-23. It is a massive conference featuring more than 10,500 registrants, 500 companies and 450 speakers and will feature deep discussion of Australia's mining sector. The CSE is a lead sponsor of the Mining for Beer networking event at IMARC on October 22.

Following those events, Richard Carleton and Anna Serin, the CSE's Director of Listings Development for Western Canada/United States and Vancouver Branch Lead, will spend additional time in Sydney and Perth, Australia to meet with stakeholders and to promote the CSE and the acquisition of the NSXA.

The CSE is pleased to be a returning sponsor of the Red Cloud Fall Mining Showcase, taking place in Toronto on November 4-5. The conference, which is presented in partnership with PearTree, features mining company presentations, keynote speakers, one-on-one meetings, and networking opportunities. The line-up of presenting companies includes the CSE issuers Ares Strategic Mining Inc. (ARS), ESGold Corp. (ESAU), Foremost Clean Energy Ltd. (FAT), Libra Energy Materials Inc. (LIBR), McFarlane Lake Mining Ltd. (MLM), and Strathmore Plus Uranium Corp. (SUU). To register, please click here.

TAKESTOCK's Calgary Investor Forum is returning to the Calgary Petroleum Club on November 5, and the CSE is excited to be sponsoring an afternoon reception at the conference. The event connects investors and companies with high-growth opportunities in a wide variety of industries, including tech, mining and finance. Market caps for participating companies range from $1 million to $1 billion.

New Listings in September 2025

Super Lithium Corp. (SL)

Kleen HY-DRO-GEN Inc. (KLN)

Commodore Metals Corp. (C)

About the Canadian Securities Exchange:

The Canadian Securities Exchange is a rapidly growing exchange invested in working with entrepreneurs, innovators and disruptors to access public capital markets in Canada. The Exchange's efficient operating model, advanced technology and competitive fee structure help its listed issuers of all sectors and sizes minimize their cost of capital and enhance global liquidity.

Our client-centric approach and corresponding products and services ensure businesses have the support they need to confidently realize their vision.

The CSE offers global investors access to an innovative collection of growing and mature companies.

STAY CONNECTED WITH THE CSE

=============================

Website: https://thecse.com/

Blog: https://blog.thecse.com/

CSE TV on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/csetv

CSE's "The Exchange for Entrepreneurs" Podcast: https://blog.thecse.com/category/cse-podcast/

Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/canadian-securities-exchange

X (Twitter): https://x.com/CSE_News

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canadianexchange/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanadianSecuritiesExchange/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270963

SOURCE: Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE)
China's museums grab the spotlight on world stage

China Daily) 09:41, October 17, 2025

SONG CHEN/CHINA DAILY

The world record attendance to see Shanghai Museum's On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egyptexhibition came as no surprise to observers of China's growing fascination with museum visits.

After concluding a successful 13-month run, the museum announced on Aug 18 the event was the best attended single paid exhibition among museums globally, with over 2.77 million visits and more than 760 million yuan ($106.75 million) in revenue generated.

While the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) urged a more robust museum system in China, major achievements in archaeological studies have infused museums with fresh vitality, helping them present dazzling new exhibitions to the public.

China had 7,046 registered museums as of the end of 2024, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration, recorded nearly 1.5 billion visits in total, and held about 43,000 exhibitions last year.

"During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the public's demand for museums has become increasingly evident," said Pan Shouyong, a museology professor at Shanghai University. "Visiting museums to explore new exhibitions and 'check in' has become a common phenomenon."

He added that behind the visible surge in numbers of museums, exhibitions and visits is strong support from both the government and broader society.

Upgraded efforts

Over the past five years  to better promote the development of museums  China has stepped up efforts to construct museum echelons by consolidating the museum grading system, according to Pan.

This system regulates three tiers of museums nationwide based on their performance in management and infrastructure; their collection management and scientific research; and their exhibition and social services. All these factors provide direction for further improvements.

Museums including the National Museum of China and the Palace Museum in Beijing and 15 key museums are supported by both the central and local governments. They are strong contenders for becoming world-class museums.

The remaining museums will implement a classification system. Last year, the latest grouping of China's first-, second- and third-tier museums was announced, bringing the total number of such museums in China to 1,660 and meeting different needs of visitors.

A guideline to promote the reform and development of China's museums, which was issued by nine departments in 2021, encouraged the formation of a museum development framework that is well-planned, structurally optimized, distinctive, institutionally sound, and fully functional by 2025.

"At that time, we thought the goal was a bit too ambitious," Pan said. "But looking back, we find the goal has been achieved as a complete museum system has begun forming," he said, adding that work to boost China's museum strength is continuing.

Cities such as Beijing, Taiyuan, Shanxi province and Nanjing, Jiangsu province, have integrated their rich museum resources into city development and each tried to build themselves into "a city of museums", hoping to give full play to the strength of museums to meet people's aspirations for improved lifestyles, said Pan.

Key players

China's museum professionals are also playing increasingly important roles on the international stage in decision-making and contributions to the industry.

"If we say that during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) China's museums began to be known by the global profession, then in the past five years, we have shown our abilities and strength on the global stage," said Pan.

For example, An Laishun, a professor at Shanghai University, who once worked as vice-president of the International Council of Museums, voted with his peers for the new definition of museum, which was released by the ICOM in 2022.

Zhao Feng, honorary director of China National Silk Museum, is currently a member of the executive board of the ICOM.

More Chinese experts are working in ICOM Regional Alliance of Asia-Pacific countries and other cross-regional projects related to museums and heritage.

"With China's museum professionals gaining international influence  Chinese professionals' voices and opinions are becoming indispensable in making key decisions on big events," said Pan.

"The number of Chinese people learning and working in top overseas universities and institutes cultivating museum professionals has surged in recent years as well."

The achievements of museums are inseparable from the booming archaeology work in China.

Rao Quan, head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said at a meeting held in Chengdu, Sichuan province in September that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, under the high attention of China's top leadership, with strong support from governments at different levels and through the concerted efforts of all cultural relics and archaeological professionals, significant new achievements have been made in archaeological work.

Archaeological progress

Archaeological work is transitioning from the ivory towers of in-depth academic research to becoming a solid support for the national cultural strategy, according to Rao.

In the past five years, for instance, the fifth phase of a major research project to trace the origins of Chinese civilization has been completed, exploring the regional characteristics of the areas where Chinese civilization began and the underlying components.

Progress has also been made on 21 major subjects included in the "Archaeology China" program, which tries to study early Chinese history through well-planned excavations. A total of 1,284 active archaeological projects are well advanced, shedding fresh light on key research areas.

For example, the discovery of a million-year-old human skull in Shiyan, Hubei province, on May 18, 2022, provides key information in the origins of human beings.

The so-called No 3 skull of Yunxian county man was discovered 33 years after No 1 skull was found. With a complete structure, the skull presents features of Homo erectus and provides more information on human beings from the period.

Other discoveries provide key evidence on the origins of agriculture, China's development as a unified country with multiple ethnic groups, and the cultural inheritance of the Xia (c.21st century-16th century BC), Shang (c.16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c.11th century-256 BC) dynasties, Rao said.

The deep integration of archaeology with natural scientific methods has been a feature of China's archaeological studies in recent years, said Jia Xiaobing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Archaeology.

DNA analysis of ancient materials, molecular biology and isotopic analysis have been applied in complicated subjects like the migration of ancient people and their subsistence patterns, helping unveil the evolution of civilization.

"The technological means are no longer auxiliary tools, but an indispensable part of explaining archaeological discoveries," said Jia.

Archaeology is also cooperating with other social sciences like history, philology, philosophy, sociology, anthropology and religious studies to advance understanding.

In addition to exploration work in their homeland, Chinese archaeologists are making contributions to archaeological studies overseas.

Over the past five years, Chinese scholars have carried out six cultural relics restoration projects in four countries and taken part in 49 joint archaeological projects in 28 overseas countries and regions with their foreign counterparts.

"Ancient China always maintained intricate connections with the outside world, with the Silk Road, for example, serving as a channel for these interactions since ancient times," said Wang Wei, a senior archaeologist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "Without understanding foreign historical and archaeological materials, it is difficult to conduct in-depth research on the development of ancient Chinese history and culture," he said.

"Chinese archaeological scholars are showcasing our abilities on the global stage. With our strength and advanced technological methods, we have become a significant power worldwide in this field," he added.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing)
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Tethys Petroleum Limited (TSXV: TPL) ("Tethys" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the Company's operations in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Operations update

Oil production is continuing from wells KBD-02, KBD-06, and KBD-07 with a gradual increase of about 330 tons per day over the last month. Gas production has been averaging about 240,000 m3 per day from 20 wells.

The gas turbine repair has experienced a delay and the gas turbine is now scheduled to be put into service on November 1. This should allow for the oil production to increase to about 500 tons per day in November.

The interpretation of the seismic data for the Aral-4 block is underway and expected to be completed by the end of October. The Diyar seismic processing is ongoing.

The Astana Economic Court (1st instance) rejected the Company's claim to the Ministry of Energy for extending the Akkulka Oil contract (license #265) on September 9, 2025. The Company has filed an appeal on this decision at the 2nd instance court.

Presentation

In an effort to provide more information and visibility into the Company's operations and business outlook the Company has updated its corporate presentation and is providing this information to all shareholders on the Company website under Investor Relations/Company Reports & Notices. https://tethys-group.com/reports/corporate-presentation-october-2025/

Non-Binding Letter of intent to acquire the Company update

On September 15, 2025 Fincraft Group LLP announced that it has submitted a non-binding letter of intent to the Board of Directors of Tethys in respect of a proposed transaction pursuant to which Fincraft would acquire all of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of Tethys at a price of 1.38 CAD per share. The Tethys Board of Directors formed a special committee made up of the independent Directors to review the proposal. The Special Committee has responded to the Fincraft Letter of Intent with a request for additional information including documentation of committed financing, the calculations used to arrive at the bid price, evidence of indications of regulatory approval for the proposed transaction, and additional information on the shareholders and creditors of Fincraft. To date the Special Committee has not received a response to these questions.

About Tethys

Tethys is focused on oil and gas exploration and production activities in Central Asia..

Disclaimer

Some of the statements in this document are forward-looking. No part of this announcement constitutes, or shall be taken to constitute, an invitation or inducement to invest in the Company or any other entity and shareholders of the Company are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Save as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake to update or change any forward-looking statements to reflect events occurring after the date of this announcement.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contact Information:

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270968

SOURCE: Tethys Petroleum Limited
Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - HyperFund AI, the first behavioral science AI platform applying patent-pending neurological frameworks to transform fundraising into predictable, repeatable success, announced today that it will be attending the 19th annual Main Event at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California.

"The Main Event is a culmination of over 25 years of hard work and passion for small company investing. There is no organization on planet Earth that cares more about small companies succeeding than LD. To be able to connect with our community in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable brings me considerable joy. We look forward to welcoming all of our patrons and ensuring that they have a wonderful time," stated Chris Lahiji, Founder of LD Micro.

"AI is inevitable - The question isn't whether it transforms business, it's whether you become a pilot or passenger in that transformation. At LD Micro, we'll reveal how HyperFund's behavioral science AI applies neurological frameworks that turn investor engagement into predictable outcomes. We've validated the approach - $40 million raised using our methodology, 5,000+ founders analyzed, and measurable results: 3 - 5x faster fundraising, 240% higher success rates, and 227 - 1,096x ROI on time investment. This isn't generic AI chaos - This is the infrastructure that makes fundraising success inevitable."- John Kohl, Founder & CEO, HyperFund.

Event: LD Micro Main Event XIX

Dates: October 19-21

Register to watch the virtual presentation here.

Summary of LD Micro Main Event XIX

The 2025 LD Micro Main Event XIX will run from October 19th to the 21st at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California.

The first day will consist of registration, keynote speakers, and some gorgeous views of the Pacific. It will be followed by two full days of company presentations and one-on-one investor meetings concluded with a closing reception.

This three-day event will feature around 120 companies, presenting in half-hour increments, and attending private meetings with investors.

About HyperFund AI

HyperFund is the first behavioral science AI platform purpose-built for fundraising, transforming capital raising from unpredictable art into repeatable science. Through patent-pending technology applying neurological frameworks to investor decision-making, HyperFund enables founders to raise more money while recovering 320 - 480 hours per fundraising cycle - worth $96,000 - $240,000 in opportunity cost.The platform serves three customer segments: founders and executives raising capital, strategic partners seeking to scale deal flow support (family offices, VCs, accelerators, investment banks), and enterprise clients requiring custom AI workflow automation. With rigorous research analyzing 5,000+ founders and a proven track record securing $40+ million in capital, HyperFund delivers institutional-grade infrastructure previously available only through expensive consulting.HyperFund's complete infrastructure includes AI-generated institutional-grade investor data rooms, intelligent CRM for relationship management, and automated thought leadership that establishes founders as market authorities - On autopilot. The platform's behavioral science methodology achieves measurable outcomes: 3 - 5x faster fundraising cycles, 240% higher success rates, 70 - 90% time savings, and 227 - 1,096x ROI on time investment.Based in Las Vegas and positioned as category-defining infrastructure for the AI era, HyperFund empowers visionary founders to pilot their fundraising success rather than remaining passengers hoping for favorable outcomes.

About LD Micro

LD Micro is dedicated to being the definitive resource in the small-cap space. From its industry-recognized index and robust data to hosting some of the most influential events each year, LD Micro's mission is to provide unparalleled access and insight for those seeking the next generation of great companies.

To learn more about LD Micro, visit:

http://www.ldmicro.com

To learn more about Freedom US Markets LLC, visit:

https://www.freedomcapmkts.com/

To present or register, please contact registration@ldmicro.com.

SOURCE: LD Micro
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Emperor Metals Inc. (CSE: AUOZ) (OTCQB: EMAUF) (FSE: 9NH) ("Emperor Metals" or the "Company"), a mineral exploration and development company focused on Quebec's Southern Abitibi Greenstone Belt, is pleased to announce that, further to its press release dated October 9, 2025, it has completed the second and final closing of its previously announced "best efforts" private placement for additional gross proceeds of approximately $1,150,333.80 (approximately $11,093,333.60 in the aggregate across all closings) (the "Offering"). Pursuant to the second closing of Offering, the Company issued an additional 5,751,669 units of the Company (the "Common Units") at a price of $0.20 per Common Unit. Each Common Unit is comprised of: (i) one (1) common share of the Company (a "Common Share"); and (ii) one-half of one (1/2) Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant") with each whole Warrant exercisable to acquire an additional Common Share at a price of $0.35 per Common Share for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Offering.

The Offering was led by SCP Resource Finance LP ("SCP") acting as lead agent and sole bookrunner on behalf of a syndicate of agents including Canaccord Genuity Corp. (together with SCP, the "Agents"). The Offering was conducted pursuant to an agency agreement dated October 9, 2025, between the Company and the Agents. In connection with the second closing of the Offering, the Agents partially exercised their agents' option for 5,466,668 Common Units.

The Common Units were issued pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The Common Units issued under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption are not subject to a hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws.

The net proceeds raised from the sale of the Common Units will be used by the Company for general and administrative expenses and working capital purposes as further described in the Company's offering document under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption dated September 12, 2025.

In connection with the second closing and as consideration for the services rendered by the Agents under the Offering, the Agents received, among other things, 345,100 non-transferable broker warrants, each exercisable for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Offering to acquire one Common Share (each, a "Broker Warrant Share") at an exercise price per Broker Warrant Share of $0.20.

Early Warning

In connection with the second closing of the Offering, Evanachan Limited ("EL"; 150 King St. West, Suite 2800, Toronto, ON, M5H 1J9, Tel. (647) 258-0395), a private company controlled by Robert McEwen, acquired 750,000 Common Units at a price per Common Unit of $0.20 for an aggregate purchase price of $150,000.00, representing approximately 1.65% of the total number of units sold under the Offering. Prior to the second closing of the Offering, EL held 13,000,000 Common Shares and 6,500,000 Common Share purchase warrants of the Company, which represented approximately 7.1% of the total number of issued and outstanding Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the second closing of the Offering, or approximately 10.2% on a partially diluted basis (assuming the exercise of all Common Share purchase warrants held by EL immediately prior to the second closing of the Offering). Following the second closing of the Offering, EL now holds 13,750,000 Shares and 6,875,000 Common Share purchase warrants of the Company, which represents approximately 6.9% of the total number of issued and outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis following the second closing of the Offering, or approximately 10.0% on a partially diluted basis (assuming exercise of all Common Share purchase warrants of the Company held by EL). The Common Units are being acquired by EL for long-term investment purposes. EL may acquire additional securities of the Company, including on the open market or through private acquisitions, or sell securities of Emperor in accordance with applicable securities laws depending on market conditions, reformulation of plans, and/or other factors that EL considers relevant from time to time.

About Emperor Metals Inc.

Emperor Metals Inc. is a high-grade gold exploration and development company focused on Quebec's Southern Abitibi Greenstone Belt, leveraging AI-driven exploration techniques. Emperor Metals is dedicated to unlocking the substantial resource potential of the Duquesne West Gold Project and the Lac Pelletier Project, both situated in this prolific mining district.

Emperor Metals is led by a dynamic group of resource sector professionals who have a strong record of success in evaluating and advancing mining projects from exploration through to production, attracting capital and overcoming adversity to deliver exceptional shareholder value. For more information, please refer to SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), under Emperor Metals' profile.

Under an option agreement, Emperor Metals agreed to acquire a 100% interest in a mineral claim package comprising 38 claims covering approximately 1,389 ha, located in the Duparquet Township of Quebec (the "Duquesne West Property") from Duparquet Assets Ltd., a 50% owned subsidiary of Globex Mining Enterprises Inc. (TSX: GMX).

The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state of the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Neither Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made and information contained in this news release, including statements regarding the use of proceeds raised under the Offering, is "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the intended use of the net proceeds raised from the Offering are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, changes to exploration plans and activities and the costs and timing associated therewith, results from exploration activities, changes in commodities markets, conditions of financial markets, economic conditions including any governmental regulations with respect thereto including tariffs, protective governmental regulations, relations with first nations, governments and other stakeholders, changes to environmental and other laws and regulations affecting mining activities, weather, management's discretion with respect to the use of proceeds and the use of the available funds following completion of the Offering, including the timing and cost of planned activities and the use of funds in connection therewith, and the other risk factors described in our securities filings available at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information relate to future events and future performance and include statements regarding the expectations and beliefs of management based on information currently available to the Company.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, changing circumstances, or otherwise.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR

FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270979

SOURCE: Emperor Metals Inc.
Quebec City, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - October 17, 2025) - Folks has announced the launch of Folks Payroll, completing its move into a full all-in-one HR platform for Canadian businesses. By extending the platform beyond recruitment and employee management into compensation, the new module gives companies a unified way to oversee the entire workforce cycle through a single system.

Photo Courtesy of: Folks

Folks Payroll equips employers with the tools to manage payroll tasks with accuracy and efficiency. The platform supports automated pay statements, direct deposits, and customizable pay schedules to fit company operations. It also manages deductions, benefits, and multi-location tax management across Canada, with all payroll data stored securely in Canada to meet local standards.

Designed specifically for Canadian workplaces, the platform is fully bilingual, serving both English- and French-speaking teams. This built-in capability allows companies across the country to adopt the software without relying on additional integrations or workarounds.

Building on that accessibility, organizations can also decide how they want to manage payroll. Options include running payroll directly, receiving step-by-step support, or outsourcing the entire process to local specialists through Folks' turnkey service. This flexibility allows both small and large businesses to tailor payroll management to their needs.

With payroll now integrated, Folks HR provides a unified solution for Canadian employers. The platform covers the full employee journey, from hiring and performance management to compensation.

The launch of Folks Payroll establishes the platform as a true all-in-one solution for Canadian organizations. By combining HR, payroll, and compliance support in a single system, the platform simplifies operations while enhancing the employee experience. This development signals a broader shift toward integrated, user-focused HR technology for businesses across the country.

Canadian businesses ready to simplify HR and payroll can learn more and request a demo here.

About Folks

Founded in 2010, Folks is a Canadian tech company dedicated to creating HR management solutions tailored to the needs of small and medium-sized businesses across Canada. From recruitment and onboarding to employee record management, time-off requests, performance evaluations, and payroll, Folks' solutions centralize every aspect of HR management.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269780

SOURCE: Baden Bower
The first attacked happened on July 10, the next on August 8, and now in October

Comedian Kapil Sharma made an attempt to expand his base and started a cafe in Canada called Kaps Cafe. However, from July till October, it has been attacked and shot at three times with gangster Lawrence Bishnois members taking full responsibility. The first attacked happened on July 10, the next on August 8, and now in October.

Surrey Police issue statement

Surrey Police Service (SPS) is investigating an early morning shooting into a business in the Newton area of Surrey. On October 16, 2025, at approximately 3:43 am police responded to reports of a shooting in the 8400 block of 120 Street, Surrey. SPS Frontline members located a business that had been damaged by numerous bullets. It was also quickly determined that there were staff on site at the time of the shooting but fortunately nobody was injured.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

What Gangsters Goldy Dhillon and Kuldeep Sidhu said

I, Kuldeep Sidhu, and Goldy Dhillon take responsibility for the three shootings that took place (at Kaps Caffe). We have no enmity with the general public.

Those with whom we have a dispute should stay away from us. Those who engage in illegal (illegible) work and do not pay people should also be prepared, the gangsters said.

The attack in August

A Facebook post surfaced on social media in which Goldy Dhillon of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has allegedly claimed responsibility for the shooting in the comedians cafe and sent a warning to Kapil Sharma.

JAI SHRI RAM, Satshriakal ram sare bhaiyo ko aj jo y kapil sharma k kaps cafe..Surrey m firing hui iski jimevari, Goldy dhillon, Lawrence bishnoi gang lete h isko hamne call ki thi isko ring nhi Sunai di to karwai krni pdi ab b ring n sunegi to next karwai jaldi hi Mumbai krege (We take responsibility for the firing in Surrey. We had called him, but he did not hear the ring, so we had to take action. If he still does not hear the ring next action will be in Mumbai)" the post read.
Dr Kruthika M Reddy, a 29-year-old dermatologist, suddenly died of natural causes in Bengaluru. Six months later, forensic investigations reveal her husband, Dr Mahendra Reddy, a reputed surgeon, reportedly orchestrated her murder. All it took to crack the case was a suspicion by the victims sister, Dr Nikita M Reddy, who refused to believe preliminary explanations and pushed for a post-mortem of the body

While Dr Mahendra x suggested there was no need for a postmortem, dr Kruthika's sister, Dr Nikitha Reddy, a radiologist, insisted on it. Image courtesy: News18

A young Bengaluru doctors sudden death, once dismissed as natural, has now exposed a chilling tale of betrayal and murder.

Dr Kruthika M Reddy, a 29-year-old dermatologist with a promising career, was found dead on April 24, 2025. Initially, her sudden passing was treated as a tragic loss, leaving her family, friends, and colleagues in shock.

But the story took a dark turn, thanks to the determination of her sister, Dr Nikita M Reddy. Refusing to accept the preliminary explanations, Nikita pushed for forensic testing of Kruthikas samples at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).

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Tests revealed that Kruthikas death was not natural but deliberate. The investigation led directly to her husband, Dr Mahendra Reddy, a surgeon, who has now been arrested and accused of orchestrating her murder.

How did the horrifying murder unfold

On April 24, 2025, Kruthika was rushed to Cauvery Hospital from her parents home in Marathahalli, Bengaluru, where she had been staying. She was declared brought dead, and both authorities and her family initially believed her passing was due to natural causes.

In the days leading up to her death, Kruthika had complained of gastritis. Her husband, Dr Mahendra Reddy, a general surgeon at Victoria Hospital, reportedly treated her at home, administering multiple IV injections over two days.

A day before her passing, Kruthika even messaged him on WhatsApp, asking if she could have the IV drips removed because of the pain she was enduring. Mahendra allegedly refused and later returned to administer more medicine through the IV lines.

The next day, she was found unresponsive, shockingly, Mahendra, despite being a trained doctor, did not attempt CPR.

Shockingly, the couple had been married less than a year, tying the knot on May 26 last year. According to Kruthikas brother-in-law, the family had spent roughly Rs 2 crore on the wedding.

Bengaluru murder case: The couple had been married less than a year, tying the knot on May 26 last year. According to Kruthikas family they had spent roughly Rs 2 crore on the wedding. Image courtesy: News18

Kruthika, a respected dermatologist at Victoria Hospital, is remembered by her colleagues as deeply dedicated and compassionate. She always spoke about empowering women through dermatology, one colleague told The Hindustan Times. Its devastating that her own husband betrayed that trust.

Also read: Cyberfrauds, offences against women & more: The crimes on the rise in India

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Kruthikas sister raises suspicion

Initially, Kruthikas family accepted the explanation that her death was natural. Mahendra and his family members even opposed conducting a post-mortem. The police filed an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) based on the hospital memo, but her sister, Nikitha Reddy, a radiologist, remained unconvinced and pushed for clarity on the cause of death.

Six months later, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) found traces of Propofol, a powerful anaesthetic typically used only in hospital surgeries, in Kruthikas organs. Following this discovery, Bengaluru Police raided Mahendras home and reportedly recovered medical equipment allegedly used to administer the anaesthetic, according to reports.

A murder case was then registered based on a complaint filed by Kruthikas father, Muni Reddy K, Mahendra was arrested in Manipal, Udupi district, nearly 400 km from Bengaluru.

In a statement, Muni Reddy said, Dr Kruthika trusted her husband completely  she believed in his love and in his profession. But the same medical knowledge that should have saved lives was used to destroy hers. Our family seeks the harshest punishment for this premeditated act and justice for our daughter, whose loss is not just personal but a loss to society.

Also read: BMW, gold sovereigns, & property: How hefty dowry demand claimed a young doctor's life in Kerala

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What was Mahendras motive?

Police said Mahendra had grown upset after discovering that his wife, Kruthika, suffered from long-standing gastric and metabolic disorders, details her family had allegedly not disclosed before the marriage.

He knew her medical vulnerabilities and used his professional knowledge to exploit them. The evidence shows deliberate and precise use of anaesthetic drugs, said Whitefield DCP M. Parashuram.

While authorities believe frustration over his wifes health may have played a role, Kruthikas father also claimed that Mahendra frequently demanded money from the family.

In his complaint, Muni Reddy said, He wanted me to build a private hospital for Kruthika, and I refused, stating I did not have that much money. Meanwhile, Mahendra was ignoring my daughter while growing close to another woman. He treated her gastrointestinal issues by administering liquids intravenously.

According to an Indian Express report, Mahendra was produced before a magistrate on Wednesday and remanded to police custody for nine days. Despite questioning, he reportedly remained composed, insisting that his wifes death was natural and showing no visible emotion.

He is now officially booked under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

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With input from agencies
With the first day of Diwali, Dhanteras, just a day away, many have one question on their mind: Whats the price of gold and silver? This year, the sheen of the festival may be a bit dull as gold and silver prices continue their bull run  the yellow metal is inching closer to Rs 1.3 lakh per 10 grammes, while the white metal has hit Rs 1,64,660 per kilogramme

A salesperson calculates the weight of a gold necklace for customers at a jewellery showroom in Ahmedabad, India. Every year, there's a gold rush during Diwali. File image/Reuters

Will India see a gold rush this Diwali?

With Dhanteras, the beginning of the Diwali festivities scheduled for October 18, everyone is readying themselves to buy gold and silver as it is considered an auspicious time to do so. However, as the cost of the yellow and white metal (silver) keeps rising, theres uncertainty if the public will indulge.

As we prepare for Diwali, heres everything you need to know  from how expensive is gold and silver to whether purchasing the precious metals make sense this festive season.

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Dhanteras and tradition of buying gold

Dhanteras, also known as Dhantrayodashi, is the beginning of Diwali festivities in India. This year, it will be observed on October 18. Dhanteras is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi (wealth and prosperity), Lord Dhanvantari (divine healer) and Lord Kubera (treasurer of the gods).

On this day, traditionally people buy gold or silver, as it is believed to be auspicious. Many note that the tradition is linked to Lord Dhanvantari, the deity of health and wealth, making gold purchases a way to seek blessings for the coming year.

An employee arranges gold jewellery kept for display at a store in Amritsar. On Dhanteras, people buy gold or silver, as it is believed to be auspicious. File image/AFP

Purchasing gold coins and bars during the auspicious festive season of Dhanteras continues to hold immense significance in our culture. Dhanteras marks the beginning of Diwali and purchasing gold is a traditional custom, symbolising prosperity and well-being, either for oneself or as a gifting option. It is also associated with Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Dhanvantari, who are linked to wealth and health. Purchasing even a small gold coin during this auspicious time symbolises inviting abundance and long-term prosperity. Gifting gold at this time gives an enduring emotional and spiritual meaning, Samit Guha, Managing Director & CEO, MMTC-PAMP, was quoted as telling Upstox.

Gold and silver prices reach sky high

However, this year Diwali celebrations are under a cloud as gold and silver continue their bull runs, surging to new peaks.

Gold prices in India hit a new lifetime high of Rs 1,28,395 per 10 grammes on Thursday (October 16). Internationally too, gold touched a new peak above $4,300 an ounce on Friday, marking its best weekly performance in five years.

Similarly, silver prices too are soaring  hitting Rs 1,64,660 per kilogramme. In the global markets, the white metal surged past $54 an ounce, breaking its all-time record from 1980.

But why are the prices breaking records? Experts point to a number of factors for the rise in bullion prices. Sustained central bank buying, increased investments in gold-backed ETFs, and a series of rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve is one of the reasons the yellow metal is seeing such a surge in costs. Theres also the safe-haven demand that has increased recently, driving up the price of gold and silver.

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Price surged after US President Donald Trump reignited trade tension on Friday by threatening to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on Chinese imports and tighten export controls on critical technology, said Tejas Shigrekar, Chief Technical Research Analyst at Angel.One to Republic News.

This, coupled with the ongoing US government shutdown has spooked investors and driven them toward safe-haven asset, said Sugandha Sachdeva, Founder of SS WealthStreet.

And there seems to be no signs of the prices of gold and silver reducing anytime soon. Some experts expect gold to trade between Rs 1,20,000Rs 1,30,000 per 10 grammes this Dhanteras, with a potential target of $4,1504,250 per ounce. We may even see Rs 1,50,000 in early 2026, Vandana Bharti, Head of Commodity Research at SMC Global Securities, told Moneycontrol.

Silver is also seeing a surge in prices due to a demand supply mismatch. File image/AFP

Silver too has seen a surge in prices due to a demand supply mismatch.

As a result of this, many are wondering how to buy gold this Diwali. In fact, many are rethinking their purchases with some considering silver to be a better alternative. Many jewellers are noting that an increasing number of customers are already asking for silver than gold at their stores. Bullion market trader Ratan Jain told PTI, People are attracted by the rise in silver prices over the past year. Obviously, the expectation of good returns is driving the increase in silver investment.

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To buy or not to buy

In light of these circumstances, many are wondering if they should buy gold or silver this Diwali  that is if they can afford it.

Analysts note that the intent behind the buying would decide the answer. Suvankar Sen, MD and CEO of Senco Gold and Diamonds told India Today, For purchases tied to weddings, Dhanteras, or gifting, cultural and emotional value usually outweighs short-term price concerns. Customers still want to mark special occasions, even when rates are high.

Gold prices in India are closing in on the Rs 1.3 lakh mark for 24-carat gold. File image/AFP

However, if ones intent is investment-driven then a staggered approach is better. Some may prefer to buy in phases rather than wait for a dip, especially given the unpredictability of macroeconomic signals. This strategy helps reduce timing risk while still maintaining exposure.

Even Puneet Singhania, Director at Master Trust Group, told Moneycontrol, For those investors who wish to get exposure this Diwali to these metals, taking a staggered investment route through gold/silver ETFs or mutual fund will be an efficient means of dealing with volatility and possible corrections following such a dramatic rally while still capturing long-term trend.

Anuj Gupta, Director at Ya Wealth Global, was quoted as saying: Theres no need to rush into buying gold right now. Experts anticipate that gold prices might undergo a correction after the Diwali festival. This potential dip could present a better opportunity to enter the market. So, it might be wise to wait until after Diwali before starting your gold purchases, allowing you to potentially buy at more favourable prices.

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Digital gold sees a boom

Experts have noted that this time around, theres a shift from physical gold to digital  we are talking about gold ETFs. According to data from ICRA Analytics, inflows into Gold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) have surged over six-fold in September 2025, touching Rs 8,363 crore, compared to Rs 1,232 crore during the same month last year  a 578 per cent jump year-on-year.

And experts note that this Dhanteras, one should take a balanced approach: digital gold for flexibility and physical gold for legacy. Thats the way, experts believe, one will hedge both volatility and tradition.

With inputs from agencies
Greece is pushing through a polarising labour reform allowing employees in select sectors to work up to 13 hours a day for limited periods annually. The Mitsotakis government insists the measure boosts flexibility, but unions call it a rollback of workers rights

Protesters gather near the Greek parliament, during a one-day strike as parliament debates a government plan to allow employers to extend working hours and other labour reforms, in Athens, Greece, October 14, 2025. File Image/Reuters

Greece is preparing to implement one of the most contentious labour reforms in the European Union  a measure that will, under certain conditions, permit employees in the private sector to work up to 13 hours a day.

The proposed legislation, which the Greek Parliament debated this week has drawn criticism from unions, opposition lawmakers, and civil society groups, all of whom argue that the measure undermines long-established worker protections.

While the government insists that the law enhances flexibility for both employers and employees, the plan has set off widespread strikes and demonstrations across the country, marking one of the largest waves of labour unrest in recent years.

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What does the legislation say?

Under the proposed legislation, workers in certain sectors  including manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and hospitality  could work for up to 13 hours per day, but only on a limited number of occasions each year.

The law specifies that this extended workday can occur for a maximum of 37 days annually, translating to roughly three days per month.

Employees will remain bound by an overall cap of 48 working hours per week, calculated on a four-month average, with the general 40-hour workweek continuing as the standard.

The total annual overtime permitted remains 150 hours, and workers performing overtime will receive an additional 40 per cent on top of their regular wages.

The government has highlighted that participation in the 13-hour schedule will be strictly voluntary and subject to the employees consent.

The expression 13-hour workday implies that we will all work for 13 hours a day, all year round. Is it valid? Can it be done every day? No, is the answer. It can be done up to 37 days a year, i.e. on a pro rata basis of three days a month. Therefore, the term 13 hours is wrong and misleading. Secondly, it requires the agreement of the employee, said Labour Minister Niki Kerameus in an interview with Skai TV.

According to the Labour Ministry, no employee can be dismissed for refusing to participate in the scheme. The legislation, Kerameus said, gives a boost to the private sector and strengthens the employees.

The measure forms part of a broader labour reform package that also introduces other changes: employees can fragment their annual leave into more than two periods across the year; firms will be permitted to arrange flexible weekly schedules; and a new digital platform will allow for rapid hiring on short-term, two-day contracts.

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These mechanisms, according to the government, aim to help companies meet urgent operational needs in a modernised labour market.

Supermarkets and certain industries are excluded from the scope of the 13-hour provision, which the government says primarily applies to seasonal or staff-constrained enterprises.

How have Greeks reacted?

The prospect of longer workdays has sparked a powerful backlash across Greece. The country was brought to a standstill by general strikes  two within a single month  organised by the nations major labour federations.

Public transport systems in Athens and Thessaloniki were halted, ferries remained in port, and many hospitals and schools saw staff walk out in protest.

Flexible working hours in practice means the abolition of the eight-hour workday, the dissolution of every concept of family and social life and legalisation of overexploitation, said the public sector union ADEDY in a statement.

The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), which represents private-sector employees, denounced what it described as the further flexibilisation of our working conditions.

The union called for the full restoration of a framework of free collective bargaining  the only path toward a fundamental improvement in workers employment terms and pay.

Another letter from GSEE to the Labour Ministry warned that the new policy violates the daily rest rule of 11 hours and endangers the health and safety of workers.

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It added that obtaining genuine consent for overtime work may be virtual (due to the inequality of employee  employer) and that the employees refusal may lead to unfair consequences (transfers, demotion, etc.).

In Thessaloniki, Stefanos Chatziliadis, a senior member of ADEDY, voiced his opposition during a protest.

Our health, both mental and physical, and the balance between personal and professional life are goods that cannot be replaced with money. Making it legal to work from morning till night is not normal and cannot be tolerated by our society. It is truly barbaric. It is inhuman.

Many protesters fear that while the law claims to protect the right to refuse overtime, employees could face pressure to comply in practice.

What is the govts defence?

The government led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis maintains that the reform is necessary to sustain Greeces economic recovery and respond to chronic labour shortages.

The countrys workforce has been shrinking due to demographic decline, and many employers, especially in tourism and agriculture, report difficulties finding staff during peak seasons.

Since assuming office in 2019, Mitsotakis has pursued a pro-business agenda aimed at reshaping Greeces labour market.

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His administration previously allowed six-day working weeks in certain industries starting in 2024, offering a 40 per cent pay premium for the sixth day.

The prime minister has described these measures as part of a broader effort to make Greeces economy more competitive and flexible.

Kerameus reiterated that the new provisions were designed with flexibility in mind. The public sector is not affected at all by the bill, she explained, pointing out that it was about how we will support workers in the private sector.

The minister also noted that she had received, and rejected, collective agreement requests proposing even longer hours.

Government officials argue that with unemployment at 8.1 per cent in August 2025, compared to 28 per cent at the peak of the financial crisis, the labour market now has room for negotiated flexibility.

Kerameus said that with unemployment levels at a 17-year low [], you can understand how much this strengthens the position of the employee.

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How is Greeces economy faring?

Although Greeces economy has recovered from its devastating debt crisis and the three bailout programs that followed, the gains have not translated into high living standards for most citizens.

Salaries remain among the lowest in the European Union, and the cost of living  especially for housing and food  continues to rise sharply.

According to the European Committee of Social Rights, nearly half of Greek households cannot afford basic necessities, and the country ranks second to last in the EU in purchasing power.

The minimum monthly wage, currently 880, while higher than it was before 2019, remains among the lowest in the bloc.

Labour statistics show that Greeks already work longer hours than most Europeans. Data from Eurostat indicates that the average Greek works 39.8 hours per week, compared with the EU average of 35.8 hours.

Roughly one in five Greeks works more than 45 hours per week  the highest proportion in the Union. OECD figures from 2023 placed Greece fifth in the world in annual working hours, behind only Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Chile.

The persistent gap between work intensity and living standards has fuelled resentment toward policies perceived as favouring employers.

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Many workers are forced to take on multiple jobs to make ends meet, and unions argue that extending legal work hours will deepen inequality rather than alleviate it.

How has the Opposition in Parliament reacted?

Opposition parties across the spectrum have accused the government of undermining the foundations of fair employment.

Dimitrios Mantzos, a member of the main opposition Pasok party, said in parliament that the reform would deregulate labour relations, heighten job insecurity and disrupt work-life balance.

Efi Achtsioglou, an MP from the New Left party, was even more forceful.

The mere fact that we are here discussing such a bill is unacceptable, it is shameful, it is backward. It is unthinkable that in 2025 we are still debating whether to legislate a 13-hour work day.

Despite this opposition, the bill is widely expected to pass due to the ruling partys parliamentary majority of 156 out of 300 seats.

The government insists the reform represents progress toward a more adaptable and modern economy, but critics see it as a rollback of rights won over decades of labour struggle.

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Experts have also questioned the rationale of the move. Labour economists have warned that expanding work hours could worsen health outcomes, increase the likelihood of workplace accidents, and lead to burnout, ultimately damaging productivity.

Studies worldwide have shown that excessively long working days tend to reduce efficiency and diminish the quality of goods and services.

While some European nations have experimented with shorter workweeks to boost productivity and well-being, Greece is moving in the opposite direction, citing its unique economic challenges.

Union leaders see it as the culmination of a long-term effort by the government to weaken collective bargaining power.

Greece has limited labour inspection resources, leading unions to fear that employers could misuse voluntary overtime provisions without consequence.

These regulations exacerbate job insecurity and reinforce the model of flexible and unprotected work, the Greek General Confederation of Labour wrote in a formal objection submitted in late September.

With inputs from agencies
Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kumar, who was posted with the cyber cell in Haryanas Rohtak, allegedly died by suicide. He left behind a three-page note and a video message, accusing the late IPS officer Y Puran Kumar of corruption and hijacking the system by using caste politics. A few days ago, Kumar took his life after allegedly suffering from years of caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation by his seniors

Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kumar, called senior IPS officer Y Puran Kumar an 'absolutely corrupt cop' and claimed that he had taken his own life out of fear that his alleged misdeeds would soon be exposed. Image courtesy: News18

The sudden death of another Haryana police officer has added a dramatic twist to the ongoing investigation into the suicide of senior IPS officer Y Puran Kumar.

Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kumar, who was posted with the Cyber Cell in Rohtak, allegedly shot himself in a field on Tuesday using his service revolver. He left behind a three-page suicide note and a video message, both of which accused the late IPS officer of corruption.

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In his note, Sandeep called Puran Kumar an absolutely corrupt cop and claimed that the IPS officer had taken his own life out of fear that his alleged misdeeds would soon be exposed.

Only a few days earlier, Y Puran Kumar, who was serving as Inspector General at the Police Training Centre in Sunaria-Rohtak, had died by suicide, accusing several senior officials of caste-based discrimination, humiliation, and targeted mental harassment. His wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, also made shocking allegations following his death.

Now, with ASI Sandeep Kumars suicide, the case has taken an unexpected and troubling turn. Heres what we know so far.

What did Sandeep Kumars final note say

In his last note and video message, ASI Sandeep Kumar made a series of explosive allegations against the late IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, saying he had hijacked the system by using caste politics.

Y Puran Kumar was a corrupt officer. There is a lot of evidence against him, the note read. Sandeep claimed he feared arrest in connection with the ongoing investigation but wanted to expose what he described as a corrupt system before ending his life.

I am sacrificing my life to demand an impartial probe. This corrupt family should not be spared, he wrote, saying he was giving up his life for the truth.

In his video message, the cyber cell officer went further, alleging that corruption and caste-based favouritism had deeply infected the department.

The day this other officer was posted, he started doing caste politics and started getting rid of people. He appointed his own corrupt people. These corrupt people then started to look at files, searching for clerical errors, and then called officers, tortured them, and extorted money. Women police officers were threatened with transfer and molested, he alleged.

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According to reports, Sandeep Kumar had earlier caught Y Puran Kumars gunman accepting a Rs 2.5 lakh bribe from a liquor contractor. The contractor had approached Puran Kumar after being threatened by a gangster. Once the bribery allegations surfaced, the IPS officer allegedly gave the matter a caste angle before taking his own life.

Roots of his corruption run very deep. He has committed suicide fearing the complaint against him, Sandeep said. He added, This is not a caste issue. Truth must come out. He was corrupt.

It is heartbreaking to listen to ASI Sandeep Singh who committed suicide accusing ADGP of corruption and misuse of authority. This is first time in modern India when a man commits suicide not for himself but for society. It's like watching movie    .Shame that a corrupt pic.twitter.com/VJcSzcdAUV  Lt Col Sushil Singh Sheoran, Veteran (@SushilS27538625) October 14, 2025

Sandeep also expressed admiration for Rohtak police chief Narendra Bijarnia and Haryana Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur, one of the senior officers named in Puran Kumars suicide note.

The DGP (Shatrujeet Kapur) is a very honest man. This IAS lobby wants the DGP removed so they can enjoy the cream. They are destroying the country, Kumar alleged.

Following the uproar over Puran Singhs suicide, Bijarnia was transferred, while DGP Kapur has been sent on leave.

The probe into the case is underway with the ASIs suicide, and the allegation is further complicating the investigation.

Jat community seizes Sandeeps body, refuses cremation

Tension ran high in parts of Haryanas Rohtak and Jind districts on Tuesday after members of the Jat community seized the body of Sandeep Kumar and refused to perform his cremation.

The protesters, expressing anger and grief, demanded the immediate arrest of IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, the wife of the late officer Y Puran Kumar, whose name has repeatedly surfaced in connection with the ongoing controversy.

According to CNN-News18, the demonstrators carried Sandeeps body to the Julana-Lakhan Majra stretch of the highway linking Punjab and placed it near the Julana district road.

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VIDEO | Haryana Police ASI Sandeep allegedly shoots himself dead in Rohtak. His family refuses to hand over the body to police and takes it to their native village, Ladhot.#HaryanaPolice



(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/I6wmR2N1ew  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 14, 2025

As per The Indian Express, the ASI, a Jat native of Julana in Jind, had been living with his maternal uncle, Balwan Deswal, on Rohtaks Ladhot Road.

A farm labourer nearby reportedly heard a gunshot and rushed to the house, built in the middle of a field. Inside, he found Sandeep lying in a pool of blood. The worker immediately alerted Balwans son, Ajit, who then called the police.

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Sandeep Kumar is now survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son. His father, Dayanand, who had served as an Inspector in the Haryana Police, tragically died in a train accident about 20 years ago.

Y Puran Kumars allegations of harassment and caste bias

Just days before Sandeep Kumars death reignited the controversy, Y Puran Kumar had died by suicide under troubling circumstances.

A 2001-batch IPS officer, Kumar was serving as Inspector General at the Police Training Centre in Rohtaks Sunaria when he allegedly shot himself in the head with his service revolver while seated in his office chair.

According to The Indian Express, a nine-page suicide note was recovered from his pocket. In it, Kumar named between 12 and 13 senior officials  including 7 to 8 IPS officers and two IAS officers  accusing them of caste-based discrimination, public humiliation, targeted mental harassment and atrocities.

According to his note, he repeatedly raised these issues with senior officials but received no response.

Having waited for sufficient time and with no response, I am left with no option but to take this extreme step. I hope and pray that this animosity towards me ends with me now.

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After his death, Kumars wife, Dr Amneet P Kumar, filed a formal complaint naming DGP Shatrujeet Singh Kapur and then-Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya, accusing them of abetment to suicide.

This is not a case of ordinary suicide but the outcome of relentless harassment by powerful officers who drove him to the brink, she alleged in her complaint.

According to reports, she also refused to allow the post-mortem until action was taken against those named in her complaint.

She has told the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary that she wants justice and will not agree to a post-mortem examination until a case is registered. She has questioned how those responsible for her husbands death can go scot-free, sources told The Indian Express.

The case has sparked intense political and social debate in Haryana.

Chief Minister Nayab Saini called Kumars death a very tragic incident and promised a fair probe, asserting, No matter how influential the guilty person is, they will not be spared.

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With input from agencies
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has passed an order banning food and beverage firms from using the Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) tag on products that do not meet the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. This was brought about as a result of efforts from Dr Sivaranjani Santosh, a paediatrician based in Hyderabad. Heres how she waged a near-decade-long battle

Dr Sivaranjani Santosh from Hyderabad has won after campaigning for years for the World Health Organization (WHO) standard for Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) to be upheld by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Image courtesy: drsivaranjanionline/Instagram

A paediatricians nearly decade-long battle to have the Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) tag removed from energy drinks and beverages has finally resulted in victory.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has now passed an order banning food and beverage firms from using the label on products that do not meet the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).

This came as a result of efforts from Dr Sivaranjani Santosh from Hyderabad.

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But what happened? What do we know about Dr Sivaranjanis long court battle to get the tag removed?

Lets take a closer look.

First, lets take a brief look at Oral Rehydration Salts.

What are ORS?

ORS are a glucose-electrolyte formula first used in 1969 and approved by the WHO and UNICEF.

They are used to treat dehydration from diarrhoea among infants and children. This is no small matter given that acute diarrhoeal diseases are among the leading causes of mortality in infants and young children in many developing nations.

The logo of the World Health Organization is seen at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.The WHO and UNICEF have laid out a precise formula for ORS  2.6 grams of sodium chloride, 1.5 grams of potassium chloride, 2.9 grams of sodium citrate, and 13.5 grams of dextrose anhydrous (sugar) per litre. Reuters

In the majority of cases, death occurs due to dehydration. This can be solved effectively and cheaply by giving children extra fluids at home. However, in more extreme cases, they also can be administered ORS orally. According to the WHO, ORS have had a dramatic effect on reducing mortality from diarrhoeal disease around the world since their introduction.

The WHO and UNICEF have laid out a precise formula for ORS  2.6 grams of sodium chloride, 1.5 grams of potassium chloride, 2.9 grams of sodium citrate, and 13.5 grams of dextrose anhydrous (sugar) per litre.

This is the latest formula adopted by the WHO Expert Committee on Specifications for Pharmaceutical Preparations at its meeting in October 2005. The combination replenishes electrolytes, restores lost fluids and is safe for both children and adults.

What happened?

The FSSAI, in an order dated October 14, w ithdrew all permission allowing food and business operators to use the term ORS as part of their brand names or as a trademark.

All food business operators are directed to remove the word ORS from their products and ensure strict compliance with labelling and advertising requirements prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the FSSAI said in its order.

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No food product shall use the term ORS as part of its name, trademark, or brand unless it conforms to WHO-recommended formulation standards, the regulator ordered.

It added that the use of ORS in any food products name, whether fruit-based, non-carbonated, or ready-to-drink, violates the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related regulations. The FSSAI said such labelling misleads consumers by way of false, deceptive, ambiguous, and erroneous names or label declarations, and therefore contravenes multiple provisions under the Act.

The food safety governing body also revoked two previous orders dated July 14, 2022, and February 2, 2024, which had allowed companies to use ORS with disclaimers that said the product is not an ORS formula as recommended by WHO.

The long battle

Dr Sivaranjani had for years campaigned for this WHO standard to be upheld by the FSSAI. She had claimed that beverages were falsely being marketed and sold as ORS despite having dangerously high sugar levels and improper electrolyte balances. Dr Sivaranjani told India Today she found that many such products had over 120 grams of sugar per litre combined with dangerously low electrolyte levels. She said that they would be detrimental to the health of dehydrated children.

If your child is sick and you go to a pharmacy asking for ORS, the very solution meant to save lives, and youre handed a sugary drink that worsens the illness, how would you feel as a parent? Dr Sivaranjani enquired. As a paediatrician, watching children suffer from something so preventable made me furious. How can anyone label a drink this way and market it so deceptively? she wondered.

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Dr Sivaranjani initially began reaching out to parents about the dangers of such products via Instagram and other social media. However, the regulators remained unmoved. Dr Sivaranjani approached the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) but was told it wasnt within their purview. The body instead told her to reach out to the FSSAI.

Dr Sivaranjani Santosh had claimed that beverages were falsely being marketed and sold as ORS despite having dangerously high sugar levels and improper electrolyte balances. Representational image

Dr Sivaranjani did so, and also contacted the health ministry. In 2022, she also filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Telangana High Court challenging the sale of such products to the public. After a ruling from the court, the regulator initially sided in her favour.

In April 2022, the FSSAI restrained companies selling non-medical beverages from using the ORS tag. However, in July 2022, the FSSAI did a U-turn. It allowed companies to use the label albeit with a small disclaimer that read: This product is not an ORS formula as recommended by WHO.

Dr Sivaranjani had had enough. She filed yet another PIL before the Telangana High Court, this time with Central Health Ministry, FSSAI, and several companies, including Dr Reddys Laboratories and Kenvue as respondents. Now, after years of battle, the FSSAI has finally ruled in her favour on October 14.

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It has been eight years since I persisted, and I have won it, an emotional Dr Sivaranjani said on Instagram after the verdict. No high sugar drinks can have ORS on its label anymore, and they cannot sell a single drink from here on.

Dr Sivaranjani had doubled down on her campaign after the death of several children in Maharashtra and Rajasthan who had drunk contaminated cough syrups.

All it took for change was the persistence of one doctor.

With inputs from agencies
Marwan Barghouti, the 66-year-old former leader of the Fatah Party, which runs the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and is an ideological rival of Hamas, has been in an Israeli prison for decades. During the recent hostage-prisoner swap, Palestinians wanted Barghouti to be released, but Israel refused. Now, reports have emerged that Barghouti was beaten unconscious by security guards in jail

Was Marwan Barghouti beaten unconscious by Israeli prison guards?

Thats what the family of the high-profile Palestinian prisoner has alleged. The 66-year-old former leader of the Fatah party, which runs the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and is an ideological rival of Hamas, has been in jail for decades.

While Israel regards him as a terrorist, many others see him as the Palestinian Nelson Mandela  a man who could lead a unified Palestinian movement and is the potential successor to PA President Mahmoud Abbas. Though the Palestinians have attempted to have Barghouti released several times over the years, Israel has consistently refused.

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Barghoutis son earlier claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not want his father released because he doesnt want a partner for peace.

But who is Barghouti? Is he being mistreated in prison?

Lets take a closer look.

Early years

Marwan Hasib Ibrahim Barghouti was born on June 6, 1959, in Kobar  near Ramallah on the West Bank. At the time he grew up, the area was under the control of Jordan. Barghoutis father was a builder and his family of nine lived in a cramped two-bedroom home.

Barghouti was eight years old when the Six-Day War broke out in 1967. This is when Israel seized control of the West Bank. Barghouti then spent the next years of his childhood living under Israels control. Barghouti witnessed his neighbours being mistreated for flying the Palestinian flag. He also noted how military bases and Jewish settlements came up in the area. Israeli soldiers killed the family dog for barking.

Barghouti at this time became involved with the Communist Party, who believed in non-violence and a two-state solution. He spent his time after school marching in protests held at Ramallah. However, the lack of achievements by the Communist Party left Barghouti frustrated. It was at this time that he joined the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), which was run by Fatah. He joined the group, which was frequently involved in launching violent attacks on Israel, when he was still a teenager.

In 1978, Barghouti was arrested by the authorities and reportedly tortured while in custody. He spent the next four and a half years in prison, where he read voraciously. After he was released, he married his neighbours daughter Fadwa and enrolled in Bir Zeit University  the top institution for Palestinians. It was here that he studied history and political science.

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Political rise

Barghouti was frequently arrested by Israel over the next few years. In 1987, Israel forcibly sent Barghouti to Amman, Jordan. It was the same year the Intifada erupted, in which Barghouti would play a key part by raising money from sympathetic groups. He and his wife Fadwa also had four children during these years. He joined the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as its liaison officer in Amman and Tunis.

A man walks past a mural depicting the Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, with a message that reads in Arabic, See you soon, on Israels separation barrier in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. AP

Barghouti returned to the West Bank in 1994 after the Oslo Accords, which ended the Intifada following a deal between PLO leader Yasser Arafat and Israels then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Barghouti spent the next few years slowly ascending the ranks of Fatah. He became Fatahs Secretary General in the occupied West Bank and a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, the parliament of the newly-created Palestinian Authority (PA), in 1996.

By the start of 2000, Barghouti was widely popular with the Palestinian public and viewed as a protege of Arafat. He was also one of the few who dared to call out corruption and human rights abuses by Arafats security forces.

Second Intifada and imprisonment

Barghouti was seen by Israel as one of the main leaders of the Second Intifada, which erupted in 2000. He is believed to have taken over Tanzim and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the armed wings of Fatah, at this time.

Authorities arrested Barghouti in 2002  at the height of the movement against Israel. Barghouti, who refused to put on a defence in his trial, was convicted of planning attacks that left five Israeli citizens dead. He was sentenced to five life sentences plus 40 years in prison. Barghouti also rejected the authority of the Israeli court to try him, given that he was a member of the Palestinian Authoritys Parliament.

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Fadwa Barghouti talks about the visit of the Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to her husband Marwan Barghouti. Reuters

I reserve the right to protect myself, to resist the Israeli occupation of my country and to fight for my freedom. I am not a terrorist, but neither am I a pacifist, he wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post.

Though Barghouti has not been interviewed in years, he was known to have advocated for a two-state solution. He has claimed that the US cannot be an honest broker in bringing peace because it is too close to Israel. He has said Israel must completely withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza and demolish its settlements, as well as recognise the right of the Palestinian state to exist.

Is he being mistreated in prison?

Barghouti has not been seen publicly in years. Only a few photos and videos of him have surfaced over the years. The last glimpse the public got was in August, when a video of far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir taunting Barghouti emerged online.

You will not win. He who messes with the people of Israel, he who will murder our children, he who will murder our women, we will wipe him out," Ben-Gvir told Barghouti, who appeared old and frail. You need to know this, throughout history. The Palestinian Authority condemned the video as the epitome of psychological, moral and physical terrorism.

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Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir speaks to Marwan Barghouti, in an unidentified location, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video released on August 14, 2025. Reuters

Since the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas, Barghouti has been kept in solitary confinement. Barghoutis family has said that he was beaten unconscious by several Israeli prison guards on September 14. They said this occurred while Barghouti was being transferred between Ganot and Megiddo prisons.

The family said that Palestinian prisoners who have been released claimed he was beaten to the point of falling unconscious and that he had fractured four ribs. They said he could barely walk when he arrived at Megiddo. They said this is the fourth such beating Barghouti has endured at the hands of prison guards over the past four years.

Israel has rubbished such claims.

The murderer Barghouti knows that today, terrorists like him are dealt with firmly, which is why he invents fake news in an attempt to rouse his loathsome terrorist comrades who left him behind in the deal, Ben-Gvir said in a statement.

He added that he was proud that the conditions under which Barghouti was being held have drastically changed.

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Hamas has yet again tried to secure Barghoutis release in a hostage-for-prisoner exchange, but has been unable to do so. It remains to be seen whether Israel relents or whether Barghouti, who many see as a ray of light, will die in an Israeli prison.

With inputs from agencies
Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton has been indicted on 18 federal charges, including mishandling and transmitting top-secret information. The case, unsealed in Maryland, accuses the outspoken Trump critic of retaining and sharing classified material from his time in office

Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton listens to a question from a student at the John F Kennedy Jr Forum at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, September 29, 2025. File Image/Reuters

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton, one of the most outspoken critics of United States President Donald Trump, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Maryland on charges related to the mishandling and transmission of classified national defence information.

The 77-year-old diplomat, attorney, and veteran of multiple Republican administrations faces eighteen criminal counts, including eight for transmitting national defence information and ten for unlawful retention of classified material.

The charges were unsealed on Thursday, in yet another legal escalation between Trumps Justice Department and some of his most prominent political adversaries.

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The indictment follows an extended investigation that began several years ago, originating during the Biden administration in 2022, and centres on Boltons personal records from his time at the White House.

The indictment was first reported by CNN, citing two sources.

What is the case against Bolton?

Prosecutors allege that Bolton meticulously kept what they call digital diaries  thousands of pages of daily records written during his tenure as National Security Adviser from 2018 to 2019.

These entries, according to the indictment, contained information classified up to the TOP SECRET level and were shared and stored on personal devices at his home.

Investigators claim Bolton routinely took handwritten notes during sensitive meetings in the White House and other secure facilities.

He later retyped these notes on his personal computer and emailed copies to non-governmental accounts hosted by AOL and Google. The material allegedly described secure settings and classified deliberations, which he then retained after leaving office.

The indictment also asserts that Bolton distributed this information to his family members through private online chats. In one cited example, prosecutors say Bolton created a chat group for the purpose of saving his notes for Diary in the future!!!

FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement that, The FBIs investigation revealed that John Bolton allegedly transmitted top secret information using personal online accounts and retained said documents in his house in direct violation of federal law.

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The Justice Department contends that Boltons actions violated clear national security protocols, especially since he had been publicly critical of others accused of similar behaviour.

The indictment references a 2017 comment from Bolton criticising Hillary Clintons email practices, in which he said, if I had done at the State Department what [senior US Government official] did, Id be [imprisoned] right now.

Prosecutors argue this demonstrated his understanding of the rules surrounding classified information and the consequences of breaching them.

What is Boltons defence?

Following the indictment, Bolton released a statement describing himself as a target of political persecution. He accused Trump of manipulating the Justice Department to punish dissenters and suppress criticism.

Bolton stated that his 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened, had been reviewed and cleared by the appropriate, experienced career clearance officials.

He also stated that the FBI had been fully informed about his email being hacked by Iranian actors in 2021, but that no charges were filed during the entire Biden presidency.

Then came Trump 2 who embodies what Joseph Stalins head of secret police once said, You show me the man, and Ill show you the crime, Bolton said.

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These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct.

He added, Dissent and disagreement are foundational to Americas constitutional system, and vitally important to our freedom. I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power.

How did the investigation against Bolton begin?

While the current charges were filed under Trumps second administration, the inquiry traces its origins to 2022, when the FBI and Justice Department began examining a cyber intrusion attributed to Iranian hackers who had compromised Boltons private email accounts.

The breach, officials say, exposed a trove of communications and files that allegedly contained national defence information.

The materials led investigators to uncover thousands of diary-like notes and emails referencing restricted government discussions, including some related to US foreign policy and national security deliberations.

The initial probe was launched quietly under the Biden administration, after the Justice Department had already closed earlier cases involving Boltons memoir.

Those earlier cases  one civil and one criminal  had been initiated during Trumps first term, when his administration sought to block publication of Boltons book on the grounds that it contained classified content.

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A federal judge had rejected the governments attempt to halt the books release, though the Trump administration pursued a separate civil lawsuit seeking to seize Boltons profits from the book.

The Biden administration dropped both actions in 2021, saying further prosecution was unnecessary.

The current indictment, however, revives concerns about the same material, citing evidence uncovered during the Iran-related cyber investigation.

What does the indictment say?

Court filings detail a series of allegations surrounding Boltons conduct, including retention of printed classified notes, transmission of top-secret material via personal email, and storage of defence information on unapproved devices.

Prosecutors say Bolton repeatedly used his own non-governmental accounts to send and receive restricted information.

The indictment alleges that his actions were willful and that he shared data with individuals lacking the required security clearances.

Each of the 18 counts carries a potential sentence of up to ten years in federal prison, meaning that Bolton could face a lengthy term if convicted on all charges.

The case has been assigned to US District Judge Theodore Chuang, who was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014.

The indictment was signed by Maryland US Attorney Kelly Hayes, a career prosecutor who has served in various senior roles since 2013.

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The document also bears the names of Thomas Sullivan, head of the offices National Security Division, and several other career attorneys  a point the Justice Department has highlighted to underscore that the case was not purely politically driven.

How has Trump reacted?

At the time the indictment was announced, Trump was at the White House addressing a policy event on IVF drug prices. When asked by reporters about Boltons indictment, Trump responded, Hes, you know, a bad person. I think hes a bad guy. Yeah, hes a bad guy, too bad, but thats the way it goes, right?

Trumps hostility toward Bolton dates back to their bitter split in September 2019, when Bolton exited the administration amid deep policy disagreements. Bolton said he had resigned voluntarily, but Trump insisted he had fired his national security adviser.

Their relationship worsened further when Boltons book  released in 2020  portrayed Trump as stunningly uninformed and overly influenced by foreign adversaries.

How did Trump and Bolton fall out?

Bolton joined the Trump administration in April 2018 as National Security Adviser, replacing HR McMaster.

His tenure was marked by fierce internal debates over Iran, North Korea, and Afghanistan. He strongly opposed the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, pushing for US withdrawal  a move Trump ultimately carried out in May 2018.

By 2019, tensions between the two men had become untenable. Bolton advocated for a harder line on Iran and North Korea, while Trump favoured direct diplomacy.

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The relationship fractured completely following disagreements over negotiations with the Taliban and North Koreas Kim Jong-un.

After Boltons departure, he remained a frequent critic of Trumps foreign policy, arguing that the president was guided by personal political considerations rather than national interest.

Following Trumps re-election and return to the White House in January, one of his early decisions was to revoke Boltons security clearance and withdraw his protective detail, citing expired necessity.

We take a job, you take a job, you want to do a job, were not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives, Trump told reporters at the time. I think there was enough time hes a very dumb person.

Their public feud continued when Bolton denounced Trumps decision to host Russian President Vladimir Putin in the United States to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war, describing it as a diplomatic blunder.

Trump, in turn, attacked Bolton personally, calling him a warmonger and a man obsessed with war.

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Is this a broader campaign against Trumps critics?

Boltons indictment arrives amid a wave of prosecutions targeting other figures long at odds with the US president.

Since returning to office, Trump has made clear his intention to pursue legal accountability for perceived enemies, frequently framing such efforts as restoring justice after years of investigations into his own conduct.

US Attorney General Pam Bondis Justice Department has brought charges against several high-profile individuals, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, both of whom were involved in prior cases scrutinising Trumps actions.

Former FBI Director James Comey is sworn in prior to testifying before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Russias alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential election on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, June 8, 2017. File Image/Reuters

Comey faces allegations of making false statements to Congress and obstructing congressional proceedings, while James has been charged with bank fraud and providing false information to financial institutions.

Both have denied wrongdoing.

In those cases, indictments were filed by Lindsey Halligan, a Trump appointee who replaced US Attorney Erik Siebert after Siebert reportedly resisted pursuing cases due to insufficient evidence.

The Justice Department insists that Boltons case is substantively stronger than those of Comey or James. Officials involved in the case say that the investigation into Bolton had been ongoing for years and retained bipartisan support from career prosecutors who were not political appointees.

Still, the department faces criticism for what some observers describe as selective enforcement.

Earlier this year, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth came under scrutiny after sharing classified details of a planned US operation in Yemen with a small private chat group that included family members and a journalist.

That case, however, was quickly closed, and no criminal investigation was pursued.

What next for Bolton?

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 20, 1948, John Robert Bolton has been a fixture of US conservative politics for over four decades. He graduated from Yale University and Yale Law School, later serving in key national security and foreign policy roles under multiple Republican presidents.

Bolton first rose to prominence during the Reagan administration, working as Assistant Attorney General from 1985 to 1989.

Under President George HW Bush, he became Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, a post he held until 1993.

He later served as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs under President George W Bush from 2001 to 2005.

In 2005, Bush appointed him US Ambassador to the United Nations through a recess appointment after Senate Democrats blocked his confirmation. He served until December 2006, stepping down once the recess term expired.

Bolton has long been regarded as a foreign policy hawk, favouring regime change and military pressure against adversarial states.

He was also affiliated with the American Enterprise Institute and worked as a Fox News commentator, later advising Mitt Romneys 2012 presidential campaign on national security matters.

Bolton is expected to surrender voluntarily to federal authorities in Greenbelt, Maryland, though a court date has not yet been set.

Legal analysts suggest the case could hinge on whether prosecutors can prove that Bolton knowingly disseminated classified information and that the materials in question were properly marked and restricted.

Also Watch:

With inputs from agencies
Pakistans cross-border strikes against Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan hideouts in Afghanistan triggered clashes that killed dozens and destroyed multiple outposts before a Qatar- and Saudi-mediated ceasefire. As the Taliban celebrated, Afghan social media erupted with the 93,000 pants meme  a reference to Pakistans 1971 surrender to India, which saw 93,000 troops capitulate in Dhaka

An Afghan Taliban fighter sits on a tank near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spin Boldak, Kandahar Province, following exchanges of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces in Afghanistan, October 15, 2025. File Image/Reuters

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have once again escalated into a full-blown confrontation.

This week fierce border fighting between the two neighbouring states was followed by an unexpected twist online: Afghans began mocking Pakistan with references to 93,000, a number that still haunts Islamabad from its 1971 surrender to India.

How the Pakistan-Afghanistan clashes began

The most recent flare-up began when Pakistani forces reportedly carried out a cross-border operation into Afghan territory, targeting suspected hideouts of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned militant organisation responsible for numerous attacks inside Pakistan.

Islamabad has long accused the Taliban-led Afghan government of harbouring and providing refuge to TTP fighters, a claim consistently denied by Kabul.

The operation quickly escalated into intense clashes that raged for several days along the Durand Line  the contentious, British-drawn boundary that separates the two countries.

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Heavy artillery fire, air raids, and ground skirmishes left scores of casualties on both sides. Reports from the Afghan side claimed that over 60 Pakistani soldiers were killed and more than 20 border outposts were destroyed during the fighting.

Though Islamabad did not confirm these figures, officials described the exchanges as some of the most severe hostilities between the two nations since the Talibans return to power in 2021.

Following days of violence, the two governments agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire. Pakistans Foreign Ministry announced that Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a temporary 48-hour ceasefire following days of intense border clashes, describing it as a decision taken with mutual consent.

However, the Taliban leadership portrayed the truce differently. In a statement to Tolo News, Taliban official Ali Mohammad Haqmal said, The Mujahideen carried out effective attacks against the Pakistani forces, putting them in a state of emergency and worsening their situation. Thats why they requested to stop the fighting.

While both sides publicly blamed each other for instigating the conflict, mediation efforts by Qatar and Saudi Arabia reportedly played a crucial role in bringing about the temporary truce.

The ceasefire remains fragile, and both militaries continue to keep their forces on alert along the border.

How the 93,000 pants mock came about

As the guns went silent, the internet lit up with an unprecedented outpouring of mockery, memes, and nationalistic taunts. Afghan and Pakistani users flooded social media platforms, each side attempting to shape the narrative of victory.

Several videos circulating online showed Taliban fighters celebrating what they described as a successful defence of Afghan territory.

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One viral clip showed Taliban forces parading with what were claimed to be captured Pakistani tanks and weapons near the border regions. Another widely shared video depicted fighters waving trousers, allegedly belonging to Pakistani soldiers who fled their positions during the clashes.

Afghan journalist Daud Junbish posted such a video on X earlier this week, writing: Empty trousers, recovered from abandoned military posts of the Pakistani army near Durand Line displayed in eastern Nangrahar province, Afghanistan.

Empty trousers, recovered from abandoned military posts of Pakistani army near Durand Line displayed in eastern Nangrahar province, Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/MvjAOsdCgC  Daud Junbish  (@DaudJunbish) October 14, 2025

Another journalist, Wakeel Mubariz, ridiculed the situation by tweeting, Today was the day of 93,000 Pants ceremony 2.0, directly invoking the memory of Pakistans 1971 surrender to India.

                                                 



       pic.twitter.com/uC23kges0y  W.A. Mubariz -    (@WakeelMubariz) October 15, 2025

The phrase quickly went viral, becoming a trending topic on X across Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. The imagery and the phrase 93,000 Pants became a digital metaphor for humiliation, tying Pakistans current troubles to its most infamous historical defeat.

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The symbolism was clear to many: just as Pakistan had surrendered to India with 93,000 troops in 1971, the abandoned clothing of its soldiers was now being interpreted as another moment of disgrace.

Afghan activist Fazal Afghan joined the online discourse, writing, 1971: Surrendered to Indians. 2025: Surrendered to Afghans. Long time, but nothing changed for team 93000.

In another post, he said, Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but definitely one day Afghanistan is going to break Indias record of 93,000. The mocking tone struck a nerve in Pakistan, where users attempted to counter the narrative with their own posts.

Pakistani commentator Usman Pervaiz Malik responded by sharing a video and writing, We congratulate Afghan athletes for running at such a high speed. Dressed in an Afghan army uniform.

Others posted images of small bombs with captions reading Love from Pakistan, while Afghan users compared the violence to Israels military campaign in Gaza, accusing Islamabad of similar aggression.

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Hello world, take a look at the Pakistani Zionists they behave just like the IDF.#AfghanistanAndPakistan pic.twitter.com/AAxtDwmBfe  AK  (@abbaskhan678) October 15, 2025

Even politicians joined the online exchanges. When Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused the Taliban of fighting a proxy war on Indias behalf, former Afghan MP Mariam Solaimankhil shot back.

Pakistan didnt host Afghans- it milked them for billions, global relevance, cheap labor and geopolitical leverage.



Enough with the victim act. Afghans paid the bill for your survival. https://t.co/PCB16Jifz1  Mariam Solaimankhil (@Mariamistan) October 16, 2025

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Pakistan didnt host Afghans, it milked them for billions, global relevance, cheap labor and geopolitical leverage. Enough with the victim act. Afghans paid the bill for your survival.

What the 93,000 reference actually is

The sudden resurfacing of the number 93,000 on social media rekindled one of the darkest chapters in Pakistans history  its surrender to India in December 1971 during the Indo-Pak war that led to the creation of Bangladesh.

The 1971 war began after months of political and humanitarian turmoil in East Pakistan, where Pakistani forces were accused of widespread atrocities against the Bengali population.

India, under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, intervened in December 1971 in support of the Bengali liberation movement and the Mukti Bahini fighters.

Within just 13 days, Indian forces achieved a decisive victory.

The Indian Air Force quickly gained control of the skies, the Navy established a naval blockade to isolate East Pakistan, and the Army advanced rapidly from multiple directions  2 Corps, 4 Corps, and 33 Corps spearheading the assaults on key towns including Jessore, Khulna, and Tangail.

The fall of major garrisons effectively cut off Dhaka from reinforcements and supply lines. The Pakistani militarys initial strategy of fortifying fortress cities to defend the region backfired, as Indian troops bypassed them and advanced directly toward the capital.

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By December 13, the Indian Air Force bombed the Governor House in Dhaka, where a meeting of senior officials was underway. The strike caused widespread panic, prompting the East Pakistan government to resign on the spot.

On December 14, Indian forces closed in on Dhaka, leaving no escape route for Lt Gen AAK Niazi, who commanded the Pakistani troops.

Recognising the futility of further resistance, he reached out to Indian Army Chief Gen Sam Manekshaw for a ceasefire. The next day, Niazi agreed to surrender unconditionally.

At 4:31 pm on December 16, 1971, Niazi signed the Instrument of Surrender before Indias Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora in Dhaka, officially ending the war.

The ceremony was witnessed by senior Indian officers and members of the Mukti Bahini, and the moment was captured in photographs that would become enduring symbols of Indias military success.

In total, 93,000 Pakistani soldiers laid down their arms  the largest military surrender since World War II.

According to IAF accounts, when asked why he surrendered while still having men under command, Niazi pointed to an Indian pilots wings and said, Because of this! acknowledging Indias air superiority.

The wars outcome reshaped the subcontinent, leading to the birth of Bangladesh and marking a turning point in regional geopolitics.

Indias diplomatic manoeuvring also played a key role. The Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation ensured Moscows support against any external interference.

When then US President Richard Nixon deployed the Seventh Fleet led by the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise to the Bay of Bengal  a move intended to pressure India  the Soviet Navy dispatched its own warships to shadow the US fleet, averting direct confrontation.

China, recovering from internal upheavals after the Cultural Revolution, refrained from intervention.

How India remains an enduring shadow in Pakistans modern crises

The India connection in this episode runs deeper than symbolic references. The Pakistani defence ministers claim that the Taliban were fighting a proxy war on Indias behalf exposes how Islamabad continues to interpret regional dynamics through the lens of its rivalry with New Delhi.

Meanwhile, Indian social media users and commentators revived their own memories of 1971. The image of Lt Gen Niazi signing the surrender document resurfaced across timelines, accompanied by posts from Indian veterans such as Lt Gen Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, who wrote, 93,000 was always a favourite number.

The anniversary of Indias triumph  Vijay Diwas, celebrated every December 16  remains a moment of national pride, and the renewed visibility of 93,000 in 2025 served to reinforce Indias military legacy in the regions consciousness.

That legacy is rooted in facts that continue to command respect across global military circles. Indias swift 1971 victory was achieved through precise coordination among the Army, Navy, and Air Force  from the naval blockade enforced by INS Vikrant to the IAFs bombing runs that crippled Pakistani defences.

Today, as Pakistan faces embarrassment over its border clashes with Afghanistan, the historical shadow of that defeat looms larger than ever.

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With inputs from agencies
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A took its maiden flight today from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltds (HAL) Nashik facility. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will witness the momentous occasion, as he also unveils HALs newly established third production line for the indigenous combat aircraft. An advanced version of the Mk1 aircraft, this version will strengthen the Indian Air Forces capabilities

The first Aircraft LA5033 of the Tejas Mk1A Aircraft series after taking off from HAL facility in Bengaluru, March 28, 2024. File Photo/PTI

The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A took its maiden flight from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltds (HAL) Nashik facility today (October 17), in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He is also unveiling HALs newly established third production line for the indigenous fighter jets Mark 1A variant.

These warplanes are replacing the ageing MiG-21 fighter jets, which were retired by the Indian Air Force (IAF) last month. The IAF is expected to receive its first LCA Tejas Mk1A aircraft by the end of October.

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This is a significant milestone in Indias indigenous fighter jet programme.

Lets take a closer look.

HALs third LCA Tejas production line

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate state-owned HALs third production line for the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mark 1A. The facility at Nashik will have the capacity to manufacture eight aircraft per year.

This is the third production line for the Tejas fighter jets, with two lines in Bengaluru that currently manufacture 16 aircraft annually. The Nashik plant will take HALs total production of Tejas jets to 24 annually. This facility was initiated in 2023 to fast-track the delivery of LCA Tejas aircraft.

The Tejas Mk1A aircraft is a multi-role fighter jet. File Photo/PTI

Singh will also unveil the second production line for the Hindustan Turbo Trainer (HTT)-40 basic trainer aircraft.

#WATCH | Maharashtra | HAL manufactured LCA Tejas Mk 1A, HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft and Su-30 MKI flying at the inauguration of the third line of LCA Mark 1A and second line of HTT-40 at HAL facility in Nashik. https://t.co/OhSUaXT5Fo pic.twitter.com/w5fWhGoR0P  ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2025

A senior HAL official told The Hindu earlier that the LCA Tejas Mk1A will take its maiden flight on Friday. Produced by HALs Aircraft Manufacturing Division in Nashik, the step is a major boost to Indias goal of becoming self-reliant in defence.

Why Tejas maiden flight matters

The Tejas Mark 1A variant is an advanced, multi-role fighter jet. The indigenous 4.5-generation, all-weather combat aircraft is developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

These fighter jets are designed for deployment in high-threat aerial environments. The Tejas Mk-1A boasts several upgrades over the Tejas Mk-1 version, including Israel EL/M-2025 AESA Radar, Advanced Electronic Warfare Suite with a jammer, and Beyond Visual Range (BVR) capabilities.

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A homemade digital fly-by-wire flight control computer has been integrated into the Tejas jet. These fly-by-wire systems replace mechanical flight controls in an aircraft with an electronic interface.

The combat aircraft has about nine hard points to carry different types of weapons, including the Israeli-built Derby missiles and the indigenous ASTRA missile.

The Tejas Mk1A will have an advanced electronic RADAR, warfare and communication systems, additional combat capability and improved maintenance features, according to HAL.

The aircraft is capable of air defence, maritime reconnaissance, and strike missions.

The LCA Tejas Mk1A, the advanced version of the Mk1 aircraft, took its first successful test flight on March 28 last year.

Challenges remain

The Indian Air Force is operating much below its sanctioned strength of 42 fighter squadrons. Currently, it has only 29 squadrons.

In September, two MiG-21 squadrons were retired at a decommissioning ceremony at Chandigarh Air Force Station.

The delay in the delivery of Tejas fighter jets has further frustrated the IAF.

In February 2021, the Defence Ministry signed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL for procuring 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF. The delivery was to begin in February 2024; however, it has faced delays due to slow deliveries of F404 engines by Americas GE Aerospace.

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Hungry mouths are ready, waiting for food now," Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said recently, voicing concerns of the IAF. He underlined that the air force requires two squadrons  around 30 to 40 jets  produced every year to maintain optimal strength.

HAL is planning to complete the delivery of these aircraft to the IAF within four years.

In September, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract with HAL for the procurement of an additional 97 LCA Mk1A, including 68 fighters and 29 twin-seaters, at a cost of over Rs 62,370 crore.

As per the Defence Ministry, the aircraft will contain indigenous content of over 64 per cent, with 67 additional items included. The integration of advanced indigenously developed systems such as the UTTAM Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and control surface actuators will further strengthen the Aatmanirbharta initiatives, it said in a statement.

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Capable of tracking multiple targets, the UTTAM radar has a range of more than 200 km, which gives the aircraft a 360-degree scanned view of its surroundings, as per NDTV.

The delivery of these aircraft is likely to begin by 2027-28 and conclude over a period of six years.

With inputs from agencies
Comedian Kapil Sharmas restaurant in Canada, Kaps Cafe, faced a third shooting attack in the last four months. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Soon after, gangsters Goldy Dhillon and Kulvir Sidhu (known as Nepali) from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang reportedly claimed responsibility, warning that bullets can come from anywhere

According to local outlet, bullets were fired at comedian Kapil Sharmas cafe in Canada for the third time. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Image courtesy: Instagram

Shots rang out once again at comedian Kapil Sharmas cafe in Canada, for the third time in just four months.

According to local outlet News Derby, three bullets were fired at the cafe earlier this week. Fortunately, no one was hurt. A video circulating online shows the aftermath, with police vehicles arriving at the cafe moments after the shooting.

Located in Surrey, British Columbia, Kaps Cafe is co-owned by Kapil Sharma and his wife, Ginni Chatrath. The establishment was first attacked on July 10, when some employees were still inside. A second, more intense assault followed on August 8, with nearly 25 shots fired at the cafe.

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So, who is behind the attack this time, and why is Kapils cafe being targeted repeatedly? Heres a closer look

Kapil Sharmas cafe attacked: Whos responsible?

Soon after the latest shooting, gangsters Goldy Dhillon and Kulvir Sidhu (known as Nepali) from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.

The duo allegedly took to social media, warning the public to stay away from the area. I, Kulvir Sidhu and Goldy Dhillon, take responsibility for the three shootings that took place (at Kaps Cafe). We have no enmity with the general public, read their alleged post.

They added a chilling warning, Those with whom we have a dispute should stay away from us. Those who engage in illegal (illegible) work and do not pay people should also be prepared.

The gangsters reportedly also issued threats to those in Bollywood who speak against religion, cautioning, They should be prepared bullets can come from anywhere.

Fangsters Goldy Dhillon and Kulvir Sidhu (known as Nepali) from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang reportedly claimed responsibility for the Kap Cafes attack. Image courtesy: X

It is worth noting that the authorities are yet to verify the authenticity of the social media post.

This marks the third incident targeting Kaps Cafe, following previous shootings in July and August. During the August 8 attack, over 25 rounds were fired at the property.

According to viral screenshots of the gangsters alleged post, Dhillon claimed he had tried to call Kapil Sharma but he didnt hear the ring, which led to the shooting. The message added a further threat, If he still doesnt hear the ring, the next action will be conducted in Mumbai.

Gangster Goldy Dhillon, associated with Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility



"We called him, but he did not answer the call.. If he still does not respond, we will take further action in Mumbai soon...," Goldy stated in SM post #Canada #KapilSharma https://t.co/jw8XVWlOje pic.twitter.com/P8Sl38AS2D  Ishani K (@IshaniKrishnaa) August 7, 2025

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Following this, authorities reportedly tightened security around Kapil Sharmas Mumbai residence.

The first attack happened on July 10, just days after the inauguration, when at least nine shots were fired at the eatery.

The responsibility for that incident was claimed by the Laddi gang, which is linked to the banned Khalistani terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).

Who is Goldy Dhillon?

Gangster Gurpreet Singh, better known as Goldy Dhillon, is a prominent member of the Lawrence BishnoiGoldy Brar criminal network.

According to police officials, Dhillon began his criminal career working under Goldy Brar before aligning himself more closely with the Bishnoi group. Originally from Rajpura in Patiala, he fled India in 2022 through illegal channels. However, he has been active both in India and abroad.

His criminal record dates back to 2022, when he was first booked for attempted murder. Since then, he has been linked to more than a dozen serious offences, including extortion, targeted killings, and Arms Act violations, across Punjab, particularly in Mohali, Rajpura, and Chandigarh.

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Gangster Gurpreet Singh, better known as Goldy Dhillon, is a prominent member of the Lawrence BishnoiGoldy Brar criminal network. Image courtesy: X

In June 2024, Dhillon reportedly claimed responsibility for the murder of 57-year-old Surrey businessman Satwinder Sharma, a well-known figure in the local Punjabi community who ran a workforce supply company since 1992.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) later took over the case, naming both Dhillon and Goldy Brar in the chargesheet, which included charges such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). They were declared fugitives, with the NIA announcing a Rs 10-lakh reward for information leading to Dhillons arrest, while Brar was officially designated a terrorist.

Last month, Surreys mayor revealed that the city had also set aside a $250,000 reward fund to aid in securing convictions.

Earlier this year, Punjab Police announced they had dismantled Dhillons target-killing module by arresting two of his operatives in Patiala, who were allegedly assigned to carry out assassinations in Mohali and Rajpura.

There were also reports about Dhillons growing proximity with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) cells in Europe and other countries, a senior official from the Punjab Polices Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

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Why is Kapil Sharmas cafe targeted?

Several reports have suggested that Kapil Sharmas decision to invite Bollywood star Salman Khan for the cafes inauguration may have angered the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

An audio clip accessed by India Today reportedly revealed Bishnoi gang member Harry Boxer admitting a connection between Salman Khan and the attacks on the cafe.

The first and now the second firing at Kapil Sharmas restaurant happened because he had invited Salman Khan to the inauguration on a Netflix show, the gang member allegedly said in the clip, according to the outlet.

Notably, Salman Khan appeared in the opening episode of Season 3 of The Great Indian Kapil Show, which premiered on Netflix on June 21.

Several reports have suggested that Kapil Sharmas decision to invite Bollywood star Salman Khan for the cafes inauguration may have angered the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. File image/PTI

After the first shooting in July, another figure, Harjit Singh Laddi, a fugitive wanted in India on multiple terrorism-related charges, had claimed responsibility for the attack. Laddi reportedly planned the shooting after finding a remark made during Kapils show offensive.

According to NDTV, a member of the banned group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) said that a participant in the show had made some humorous comments about the attire and behaviour of Nihang Sikhs, which allegedly hurt the communitys sentiments.

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Has Kapil Sharma reacted to the incident?

So far, Kapil Sharma has not issued any public statement regarding the latest shooting at his cafe.

Following the first attack in July, the cafe remained closed for more than a week before reopening. In a social media post at the time, it wrote, We opened Kaps Cafe with hopes of bringing warmth, community, and joy through delicious coffee and friendly conversation. To have violence intersect with that dream is heartbreaking. We are processing this shock, but we are not giving up.

Bullet holes are seen in the windows of Kapil Sharmas Kap Cafe, in Surrey, British Columbia on Thursday, July 10. The Canadian Press/AP

The post added that the cafe would stand firm against violence and continue to serve as a space of warmth and community for its visitors.

Just days before the second incident in August, the cafe had shared an Instagram reel showing Surrey Police Service officials visiting the outlet.

Thank you to the mayor of Surrey, Brenda Locke, @surreypoliceservice, and all the officials who visited @thekapscafe_ to show their love and support. United we stand against violence. Were truly grateful, the caption read.

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_

With input from agencies_
Britains espionage case against two men accused of spying for China has collapsed. Prosecutors dropped the charges after failing to prove that China was officially deemed a threat to national security. It has left the MI5 chief frustrated

Flags of China and the Union Jack stand during the China-UK Energy Dialogue in Beijing, China, March 17, 2025. Representational Image/Reuters

Britain has been shaken by the sudden collapse of a landmark espionage case that accused two men of spying for China  a case that has now spiralled into a political storm.

What began as a high-stakes national security prosecution has evolved into a test of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmers government.

How did the China spy case begin?

The espionage case first came to public attention in March 2023 when British police arrested two men on suspicion of spying for China.

The accused were identified as Christopher Cash, 30, a former director of the China Research Group think-tank and one-time parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, 33, an academic.

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Christopher Berry, 32, who has been charged with spying for China, arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court, in London, UK, April 26, 2024. File Image/Reuters

According to investigators, the two were suspected of passing politically sensitive information to a Chinese intelligence operative known by the alias Alex.

The alleged offences were said to have taken place between December 2021 and February 2023.

In April 2024, prosecutors charged Cash and Berry under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) of 1911  legislation originally introduced to combat espionage during the era of German intelligence threats before World War One.

The charges claimed the men had communicated information useful to an enemy and had violated the OSA by sharing data that could compromise Britains security or foreign policy interests.

Both men denied the allegations. China, for its part, dismissed the entire case as fabricated and malicious slander, calling the accusations politically motivated.

At the time, the prosecution was seen as a rare and serious move against alleged Chinese intelligence activity in the UK.

It followed several warnings from Britains intelligence agencies about Beijings influence operations targeting politicians, academics, and the business sector.

Why did the charges collapse?

The case was expected to go to trial this month, but in a dramatic turn, the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) abruptly dropped the charges in mid-September  only weeks before proceedings were due to begin.

The CPS explained that it could no longer proceed because the evidential threshold had not been met.

Specifically, prosecutors said they had requested further documentation from the government to confirm whether, at the time of the alleged offences, China was officially regarded as a threat to national security.

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Under a legal precedent set by a July 2024 ruling in an unrelated espionage case involving Bulgarian nationals found guilty of spying for Russia, the Court of Appeal clarified that, under the Official Secrets Act, an enemy must be defined as a state posing a current threat to Britains national security.

When the charges were brought in April 2024, Britains then-Conservative government had labelled China an epoch-defining challenge, but had stopped short of describing it as a threat.

That distinction became central to the CPSs decision to abandon the prosecution.

Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson stated that the CPS had sought new evidence from the government over many months to determine whether China met the threshold of being a national security threat.

However, despite several witness statements provided by government officials, none contained an explicit statement defining China as such during the period of the alleged offences.

The CPS said that, given this omission, it could not legally sustain the charge that Cash and Berry had communicated information useful to an enemy.

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What did the witness statements in the case say?

The evidential dispute centred on three witness statements provided by Britains Deputy National Security Adviser, Matthew Collins.

His submissions, made at different stages between December 2023 and August 2025, outlined Chinas intelligence activities and the governments evolving position on Beijing.

In his second statement, Collins wrote that China posed the biggest state-based threat to the UKs economic security and that its intelligence agencies conduct large-scale espionage operations against the UK.

However, he also said, It is important for me to emphasise, however, that the government is committed to pursuing a positive economic relationship with China.

The third statement reiterated the governments three Cs framework  We will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must, including on issues of national security.

While these submissions described the scale of Chinese espionage and influence operations, they did not explicitly define China as a threat to national security at the time the offences allegedly occurred.

The CPS later concluded that without that formal designation, the case could not meet the legal test required to proceed.

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Starmers government subsequently published the witness statements to provide transparency. Opponents, however, claimed that the documents weakened rather than clarified the governments stance.

Former Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Macdonald said, These statements were more than adequate to proceed with a prosecution in my view, arguing that the CPS may have misjudged the evidential standard.

How has Westminster reacted to this?

Critics have accused the Labour government of undermining the prosecution to avoid jeopardising economic ties with China.

Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch alleged that the prime minister wants to suck up to Beijing, accusing Starmer of failing to prioritise national security.

Conservative lawmakers said the governments refusal to provide the CPS with sufficient evidence had directly led to the trials collapse.

Some critics also questioned whether Jonathan Powell, the Prime Ministers National Security Adviser, had any influence over the process, citing his known preference for engagement with Beijing.

The government categorically denied this, saying Powell had no involvement in the preparation or submission of evidence.

UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis told Parliament that Collins had been given full freedom to provide evidence without interference from ministers or advisers and that his evidence did not materially change between his statements.

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Starmer rejected claims that his government had interfered, stating that the CPS had made its decision independently.

He said the prosecution could only rely on the policy language of the Conservative government in power when the alleged offences took place, not Labours later classification.

The decision to drop the case was made independently by the CPS, Starmer said, expressing disappointment over the outcome but denying that political motives played a role.

How did UKs MI5 react?

Ken McCallum, the Director General of MI5, voiced his frustration following the cases collapse. Of course, I am frustrated when opportunities to prosecute national security threatening activity are not followed through for whatever reason, he said in his annual security briefing.

McCallum confirmed that MI5 had intervened operationally against Chinese actors in the previous week, though he declined to provide details.

Director General of MI5 Ken McCallum delivers the annual Director Generals Speech at Thames House, the headquarters of the UKs Security Service, in London, UK, October 16, 2025. File Image/Pool via Reuters

When asked whether Chinese state operatives posed a threat to Britains national security, he responded, Do Chinese state actors present a UK national security threat? And the answer is, of course, yes, they do, every day.

He also acknowledged that Britains relationship with China was complex, involving economic, political, and security considerations that fell within the governments policy domain.

That one is perfectly legitimately a matter for government, he said.

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How did Beijing react?

Chinas government has consistently rejected the espionage allegations, calling them baseless and politically motivated. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in London said the witness statements were rife with unfounded accusations.

China never interferes in other countries internal affairs and always acts in an open and above-board manner, the embassy said. It also urged the UK to stop hyping up anti-China narratives.

For Beijing, the collapse of the case serves as a diplomatic vindication. Chinese state media has highlighted the failure as proof of what it calls unsubstantiated Western paranoia.

However, British officials have stressed that the collapse does not change their broader assessment of Chinese espionage activities.

Intelligence agencies continue to warn about extensive Chinese cyber operations, attempts to cultivate political influence, and infiltration of academic institutions.

How has this endangered Starmers balancing act with Beijing?

Since taking office, Starmers government has sought to reset relations with China as part of its strategy to boost Britains economic growth.

Senior ministers, including Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, have visited Beijing, while National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell has advocated a pragmatic engagement approach.

Starmer has described this as the three Cs strategy: to compete, cooperate, and confront China where necessary. This framework aims to protect British interests while maintaining dialogue on global trade, climate, and regional stability.

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But the China spying case has complicated that message. Critics say the governments careful diplomacy has left it vulnerable to accusations of weakness.

Proponents argue that maintaining communication channels with Beijing is essential given global interdependence and shared economic interests.

For now, Starmer has maintained that the UKs approach balances vigilance with engagement.

The government is committed to pursuing a positive economic relationship with China, one of Collinss statements reaffirmed, while underscoring the UKs readiness to challenge where we must.

What next?

Some lawyers argue that if prosecutors had enough material to bring charges in April 2024, the subsequent Court of Appeal ruling should not have invalidated the case.

Others suggest the CPS was right to proceed cautiously, given the narrow legal definitions under the Official Secrets Act and the evolving nature of Britains national security classification system.

The OSA, which dates back more than a century, does not define enemy in modern geopolitical terms. The 2024 ruling effectively linked that designation to the governments official security policy  creating a legal gap between espionage activity and political wording.

This gap, critics say, exposed how national security law has failed to keep pace with contemporary threats such as cyber espionage and political interference.

Several lawmakers have since urged the government to update or replace the OSA to reflect modern conditions.

Meanwhile, parliamentary committees are preparing inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the cases collapse, including whether government departments and the CPS communicated effectively and whether ministers should have provided clearer guidance.

For now, both Cash and Berry have been cleared of charges, maintaining their innocence throughout.

Also Watch:

With inputs from agencies
Pushkaraj Sabharwal, father of late Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, joined by the Federation of Indian Pilots, filed a petition contending that the preliminary probe by the Aircraft Accidents Investigation Board (AAIB) is profoundly flawed and lacks credibility.

Wreckage of the Air India plane that crashed moments after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport, lies on a building, in Ahmedabad. File image/PTI

Four months after the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, which claimed 260 lives, the father of the deceased pilot-in-command, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, has moved the Supreme Court, seeking a judicially monitored investigation into the tragedy.

Pushkaraj Sabharwal (88), joined by the Federation of Indian Pilots, filed a petition contending that the preliminary probe by the Aircraft Accidents Investigation Board (AAIB) is profoundly flawed and lacks credibility.

The core of the petitioners grievance centres on the investigations focus, which they argue has been unfairly directed at the deceased flight crew, who are unable to defend themselves. The preliminary AAIB report had previously suggested human error was a contributing factor, citing cockpit audio that pointed toward a possible fuel cut-off incident.

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The petition alleges that this approach has resulted in a failure to adequately examine, or rule out, other more plausible technical and procedural factors.

Additionally, the petitioners have raised serious concerns over the composition of the five-member investigation team.

They argue that the team is dominated by officers from DGCA, the very state aviation authority whose procedures, oversight, and potential lapses are implicated in the disaster. This structure, the plea states, violates the fundamental principle of natural justice, creating a clear conflict of interest where regulators are effectively investigating themselves.

Also read | Air India Dreamliner goes down in Ahmedabad: History of airlines crashes

Highlighting his sons career, Pushkaraj Sabharwal noted Captain Sabharwals unblemished career spanning over 30 years, with 15,638 hours of incident-free flying.

The AI-171, an Air India flight travelling from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed on June 12, killing all 12 crew members, 229 of the 230 passengers, and 19 people on the ground as the aircraft hit a medical college hostel.

To ensure a thorough, transparent, and credible determination of the true causes, the petition demands the formation of a judicially monitored committee, to be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and staffed with independent aviation experts, free from the influence of regulatory bodies.

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The move follows a previous observation by the Supreme Court, which described the premature pilot error narrative as unfortunate during an earlier hearing on the crash.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the UN today still reflects the realities of 1945, not of 2025, asserting that for the UN to be effective, it must reform, becoming more inclusive, democratic, participative and representative of the current world.

The United Nations today still reflects the realities of 1945, not of 2025, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Thursday, emphasising that for the UN to remain effective, it must undergo reforms to become more inclusive, democratic, participative and representative of todays global landscape.

Speaking at the concluding session of the United Nations Troop Contributing Countries (UNTCC) Chiefs Conclave, Jaishankar highlighted how the nature of conflicts has evolved, driven by the rise of non-state actors and the increasing prevalence of asymmetric warfare. He stressed the need to recalibrate global peacekeeping strategies to align with these changing realities.

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The External Affairs Minister called for peacekeeping mandates to be determined in close consultation with all stakeholders, including troop-contributing and host nations, ensuring that operational decisions are both effective and collaborative.

Jaishankar also recalled his recent visit to New York to attend the 80th UN General Assembly, underlining the ongoing global discussions on the future of multilateral diplomacy and peacekeeping.

Let me share with you some key insights of that experience. One, the United Nations today still reflects the realities of 1945, not of 2025. Eighty years is a long time by any standards, and during this period, the UN membership has actually quadrupled. Two, institutions that fail to adapt risk irrelevance. Not just irrelevance, but eroding legitimacy and leaving us without recourse in times of uncertainty, the EAM said.

Three, for the UN to be effective, it must reform, becoming more inclusive, democratic, participative, and as I said, representative of todays world. And, four, it must amplify the voices of the developing world and reflect the aspirations of the rising Global South. The UNs legitimacy, and I would say, the UNs credibility, depend on it doing so, he said.

India hosted the conclave from October 14-16, which was attended by delegates from countries that contribute troops to the UN peacekeeping missions around the globe.

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 missions.

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On Thursday, a delegation of the members participating in the conclave called on President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

Highlighting the positive contribution of Indian peace-keepers, the president appreciated all the participating countries in their resolve towards sustainable peace and prosperity.

She expressed her happiness over coming together of countries in the UNTCC Chiefs Conclave to collectively evolve workable framework for future peace-keeping operations in the challenging world order.

Murmu stressed on the need to co-opt all stakeholders and exploit technology to ensure deeper cooperation, enduring friendship and safety of UN peace-keepers, the defence ministry said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, EAM Jaishankar in his address at a session held at the Manekshaw Centre, he emphasised that while UN peacekeeping remains a cornerstone of global stability, it must adapt to emerging challenges through realistic mandates, better technology and enhanced safety for peacekeepers.

Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi held a series of bilateral meetings with the Army chiefs of Burundi, Tanzania, Poland, Ethiopia, Nepal and Uganda during the course of the conclave, the defence ministry said in a statement.

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The discussions centred on strengthening defence cooperation, enhancing interoperability and fostering closer coordination in future peacekeeping missions. These engagements reflected the conclaves overarching spirit of dialogue, partnership and shared commitment towards promoting global peace, stability and collective security, it added.

The conclave concluded with a unanimous affirmation that UN peacekeeping must adapt to new realities through inclusive decision-making with a stronger voice for troop-contributing nations.

And, also safeguard peacekeepers and ensure their safety through realistic mandates, leverage indigenous and cost-effective technologies for mission success, and enhance interoperability and training frameworks to prepare troops for complex environments, it said.

Over the past three days, the conclave brought together UNTCC chiefs from 32 nations, senior UN officials, policymakers and industry leaders.

The deliberations, cultural exchanges and operational showcases stood as a testament to Indias commitment to bring together consensus through a collaborative approach towards a shared vision of a secure, inclusive and stable world order, the ministry said.

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Earlier in the day, the distinguished UNTCC chiefs, accompanied by their spouses, paid homage at the National War Memorial here, honouring the supreme sacrifice made by Indias bravehearts.

This was followed by a tree plantation ceremony at the Manekshaw Centre, symbolising a joint pledge towards sustainability and a greener future, in line with the spirit of peacekeeping.

The Ashoka saplings planted in the Peacekeepers Grove is in consonance with the national initiative  Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, symbolising gratitude, care and the nurturing bond that connects humanity and nature, it said.

With inputs from agencies
Announcing the results of the election held on Tuesday, the UNHRC in a social media post said Indias three-year term will begin on January 1, 2026.

(File) The United Nations headquarters building is pictured with a UN logo in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, on March 1, 2022. Reuters

India has been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2026-28 term, marking the countrys seventh stint on the Geneva-based rights body.

Announcing the results of the election held on Tuesday, the UNHRC in a social media post said Indias three-year term will begin on January 1, 2026.

Indias Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, in a social media post, thanked all delegations for their overwhelming support.
India is learnt to have pitched for supply of Akash missile system to Brazil as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday held wide ranging talks with Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin.

India is understood to have proposed the supply of its indigenously developed Akash surface-to-air missile system to Brazil as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held extensive discussions with Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The two leaders reviewed the broader contours of the IndiaBrazil strategic partnership and identified key areas for deepened cooperation, particularly in defence manufacturing and technology.

According to Indias Ministry of Defence, both sides identified priority areas for collaboration, including potential co-development and co-production of advanced defence equipment.

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Brazilian Defence Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro Filho also participated in the talks, which focused on strengthening bilateral defence ties amid growing cooperation between the two major emerging economies.

People familiar with the discussions said that India proposed supplying the Akash missile system, a medium-range, mobile surface-to-air defence system designed by Indias Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Akash system is capable of engaging multiple aerial targets and has already been inducted by Indias armed forces.

The renewed outreach reflects Indias push to expand its defence exports and build collaborative security relationships with like-minded nations in the Global South. Both New Delhi and Brasilia are members of the BRICS grouping and share interests in defence self-reliance, technology transfer and diversification of global supply chains.

With inputs from agencies
The Supreme Court allowed sale and use of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR from October 18 to 21 under strict timing and monitoring rules

recrackers may be sold only at designated points, and patrol teams will conduct regular inspections of manufacturers. (Photo: AFP)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday authorised the sale and bursting of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR region from October 18 to 21, restricting the timings to 6-7 am and 8-10 pm. The top court described the move as a balanced approach between festive celebrations and environmental protection.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran said the order is temporary, intended to test whether a regulated relaxation can coexist with pollution control efforts. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and state boards have been directed to monitor air and water quality during the period and submit reports from October 14 to 21 on the impact of fireworks.

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We have to take a balanced approach, permitting it in moderation while not compromising with the environment, the CJI said, adding that smuggled firecrackers cause far greater harm than certified green ones.

Framework and oversight for firecracker use

The court laid out a detailed framework for the temporary arrangement. Firecrackers may be sold only at designated points, and patrol teams will conduct regular inspections of manufacturers. QR codes of green crackers must be uploaded to official websites to ensure traceability, and crackers from outside the NCR will not be allowed. Licences of manufacturers found selling non-compliant products will be suspended immediately.

The bench said the measures aim to balance festive sentiment, industry livelihoods, and citizens right to clean air. The order follows a previous hearing, when the court considered allowing firecrackers on a trial basis, despite warnings from environmental experts and the court-appointed amicus about enforcement challenges.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, emphasised that only NEERI-approved green firecrackers would be permitted, with traditional fireworks remaining banned. He urged the court to allow children to celebrate Diwali with fervour, while assuring that strict oversight would continue.

Experts, however, caution that similar relaxations between 2018 and 2020 led to severe pollution spikes, even when only green crackers were used, whose emissions are around 3035% lower than conventional fireworks. The 2018 Arjun Gopal ruling had allowed green firecrackers and supervised community displays, balancing festive rights with the constitutional right to clean air, but spikes in pollution have persisted during Diwali in subsequent years.
After the latest round of surrenders by Maoist leaders and cadres, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has declared Abujhmarh and North Bastar areas of Chhattisgarh as free of Maoism.

After the latest round of surrenders by Maoist leaders and cadres, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday declared Abujhmarh and North Bastar areas of Chhattisgarh as free of Maoism.

Shah said that the Maoist movement, which is also called Naxalism, was on its last legs. He said the government remained committed to end the movement in the country by March 31, 2026.

Shah said, It is a matter of immense pleasure that Abujhmarh and North Bastar in Chhattisgarh that were once terror bases have today been declared as free from Naxal terror. Now a trace of Naxalism exists in South Bastar, which will be wiped out soon by our security forces.

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Shah said that 170 Maoists surrendered in Chhattisgarh today whereas 27 laid down their arms yesterday.

Shah further said, In Maharashtra, 61 returned to the mainstream, yesterday. In total, 258 battle-hardened left-wing extremists have abjured violence in the last two days.

Since January 2024, 2,100 Maoists have surrendered, 1,785 have been arrested, and 477 have been killed in Chhatisgarh, said Shah.

Elsewhere as well, surrenders by Maoists have risen. Earlier this week, top Maoist leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao Sonu surrendered with 60 cadres in Maharashtras Gadchiroli district in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Surrender of face wrath

Shah said the governments policy was clear that either Maoists would surrender and live or keep their arms and face the wrath.

Our policy is clear: those who want to surrender are welcome, and those who continue to wield the gun will meet the wrath of our forces. I appeal again to those who are still on the path of Naxalism to lay down their weapons and join the mainstream, said Shah.

This year, several top Maoist leaders have been killed. In May, Chhattisgarh Police killed Nambala Kesava Rao alias Basavaraju, the General Secretary of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-M), in forests in states Narayanpur district. Since then, many senior leaders like Sahadev Soren, Raghunath Hembram, Virsen Ganjhu, and Modem Balakrishna have also been killed.

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Overall, security forces have killed 471 Maoists so far this year, according to UNI.
Pakistanis possibly unwittingly let out their awards list last month on the 14th of August, and the number of posthumous awards that they awarded suggests to us now that their casualties on the LoC were also in excess of 100, said Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai

Indian Armys Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai on Tuesday said that Pakistan is believed to have lost over 100 military personnel along the Line of Control (LoC) during Operation Sindoor.

He said the assessment was based on a list of gallantry awards and posthumous honors conferred by Pakistans military following the operation.

#WATCH | Delhi | Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai says, "... The fact that the Pakistan army and its chief were under duress at the time is known to everybody. There was a need for him to revive not only his image, but that of the Pak army itself. The best pic.twitter.com/BLaxgaAuYR  ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2025

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Pakistanis possibly unwittingly let out their awards list last month on the 14th of August, and the number of posthumous awards that they awarded suggests to us now that their casualties on the LoC were also in excess of 100 Actions were carried out on the LoC and we were prepared for this, he said.

He further said that Pakistan lost at least 12 aircraft during the May conflict, reaffirming earlier claims made by Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, Chief of the Air Staff.

The Pakistan Army, he said, acted under significant internal pressure during Operation Sindoor.

It was evident that the Pakistan Army and its leadership were under duress at the time. There was a pressing need for them to revive their public image, and the only method they chose  as cowardly as it may have been  was predictable, he added.

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He said the Indian response was inevitable but measured.

We had clarity in our objectives. We targeted terrorist infrastructure. Once that was accomplished, it was not our intent to escalate the situation unless forced to do so, Ghai explained.

He also confirmed that Pakistan responded with cross-border firing immediately after Indian forces engaged terror targets. However, there was no direct kinetic contact between Indian and Pakistani troops.

He emphasised that Indian forces were prepared for Pakistani reactions across the LoC and had executed their operations with precision and restraint.

Calling the operation a fusion of military precision and diplomatic agility, he said, This was a fusion of military precision and diplomatic agility, informational superiority and economic leverage Im speaking about the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 being put into abeyance the moment the terror attack was perpetrated at Pahalgam.

#WATCH | Delhi | Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai says, "88 hours is what it took for the enemy to come and ask for a cessation of hostilities. You're well aware of that. For that call to be made by my counterpart, then. We achieved our political and pic.twitter.com/iBciGUvFxQ  ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2025

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Revealing striking details of the Indian Air Forces precision strikes carried out on May 7 against terror infrastructure in Pakistan, particularly targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba strongholds in Muridke and Bahawalpur, Lt Gen Ghai, said, If we come down to Muridke  the terror hub of Lashkar-e-Taiba  you can see on the screen the Indian Air Force strike, along with before-and-after images. Several high-value targets were neutralised.

#WATCH | Delhi | Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai says, "If we come down to Muridke. This is the terror hub of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. That's the Indian Air Force strike you can see on the screen right on top. The before and after pictures, some high-value pic.twitter.com/W0H1peEvd8  ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2025

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He said over 100 terrorists were eliminated during the early morning strikes, describing the operation as a significant blow to Pakistan-based terror groups.

Referring to satellite images from Maxar Technologies of Bahawalpur, another known terror hotspot, Ghai pointed out clear evidence of missile and rocket impacts.

The visuals clearly show where the rockets and missiles struck. What was surprising, even to us, was the open flaunting of the terror-military nexus, he said.

Lt Gen Ghai also highlighted how a UN-designated terrorist was seen leading prayers for the deceased, attended by top Pakistani military officials.

No less than the GOC of Pakistans 4 Corps was present at the funeral ceremony, along with several prominent figures. The picture says it all  caution had been completely discarded, he added.

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Talking about the Pahalgam attack perpetrators, he said that it took us 96 days but we did not let them rest. When these three were found and terminated clinically, it seemed as if they were exhausted from running, and they also seemed very malnourished Often, people can turn around and ask us where they have vanished. But it is sometimes like searching for a needle in a haystack.

The Army carried out Operation Sindoor in retaliation to Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. The operation targeted nine terror sites including the hub of Lashkar-e-Taiba among others. The military operation was halted on May 10 after bilateral talks between the two nations.

With inputs from agencies
Odinga, 80, breathed his last in Ernakulam district of Kerala on Wednesday where he was receiving medical treatment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) with former Prime Minister of Kenya Raila Odinga (left)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed condolences over the death of former Prime Minister of Kenya Raila Odinga and hailed him as a towering statesman and a cherished friend of India.

Odinga, 80, breathed his last in Ernakulam district of Kerala on Wednesday where he was receiving medical treatment.

Deeply saddened by the passing of my dear friend and former Prime Minister of Kenya, Mr. Raila Odinga. He was a towering statesman and a cherished friend of India, Modi said in a post on X.

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Deeply saddened by the passing of my dear friend and former Prime Minister of Kenya, Mr. Raila Odinga. He was a towering statesman and a cherished friend of India. I had the privilege of knowing him closely since my days as Chief Minister of Gujarat and our association continued pic.twitter.com/Nmya9C3LZi  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 15, 2025

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.)
A student at South Asian University in New Delhi was allegedly sexually assaulted by four individuals on campus, sparking hours-long protests by students.

A woman student at South Asian University (SAU) in New Delhi was allegedly sexually assaulted by four individuals on the campus, prompting massive protests by fellow students. The incident came to light after the student, who had been reported missing a day earlier, was discovered injured with her clothes torn on October 13, police said on Tuesday.

According to officials, a PCR call was made to Maidan Garhi police station around 3 pm on Monday, informing authorities that the missing student from SAUs Chhatarpur campus had been found in distress. The call was made by an acquaintance of the student. Police teams responded immediately. Based on her statement, an FIR has been lodged under appropriate sections. The investigation is being conducted with full sensitivity and urgency, said DCP (South) Ankit Chauhan.

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The student was located near the university auditorium after an internal search. She was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation and is currently receiving counselling. Police sources confirmed that the FIR includes charges of attempted gangrape. The student reportedly told police she was attacked by four people near the auditorium. Authorities have asked the university administration to hand over CCTV recordings to help trace her movements after she left her hostel.

Investigators learned that the student had moved to the SAU campus around two weeks ago after spending a year in Kota. During questioning, she revealed she has been under treatment for depression following her parents separation, her father resides in Bihar while her mother lives in Mumbai.

After the news broke Monday evening, students gathered outside the administrative block to protest what they alleged was the universitys slow response and negligence. The demonstration continued for about eight hours.

In a statement, SAU condemned the alleged act of sexual violence and reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance toward harassment, asserting its solidarity and full support for students.
India and Mongolia have expanded their decade-long strategic partnership with new agreements in energy, defence, culture, and education.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with Mongolia's President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, October 14, 2025. (Photo: India's Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS )

India and Mongolia strengthened their decade-old strategic partnership as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa met at Hyderabad House on Tuesday. The two leaders announced major agreements spanning energy, defence, cultural exchange, free e-visas to Mongolian citizens and education, reaffirming shared values and regional cooperation.

10 pacts were signed covering cultural exchange, immigration cooperation, geology and mineral resources, humanitarian aid, cooperatives, yoga, and the renovation of Mongolias historic Bogd Khan Palace. Modi confirmed that India will fund Mongolias Oil Refinery Project through a $1.7 billion line of credit, its largest global development partnership involving over 2,500 Indian professionals. He said the project would strengthen Mongolias energy security and deepen bilateral trust.

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Highlighting defence collaboration, Modi announced new capacity-building programmes for Mongolias border security forces and the appointment of a Defence Attache at the Indian Embassy in Ulaanbaatar. India will also provide training to the Mongolian armed forces as part of the expanded defence cooperation framework.

Shared heritage and future collaboration

Describing India and Mongolia as spiritual siblings bound by Buddhism, Modi said the holy relics of Lord Buddhas disciples Sariputra and Maudgalyayana will be sent to Mongolia next year. India will also send a Sanskrit teacher to the Gandan Monastery and assist in digitising one million ancient manuscripts. Nalanda University and Gandan Monastery will be linked to strengthen academic and cultural ties.

A new MoU between the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council and Mongolias Arkhangai Province aims to enhance cultural relations. Modi noted that both nations share a commitment to a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific and continue to collaborate closely on global platforms to amplify the voice of the Global South.

President Khurelsukh praised Indias role in Mongolias development and its leadership in clean energy, particularly through the International Solar Alliance. He also planted a banyan tree in memory of his late mother under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative, symbolising friendship and growth between the two nations.

On economic cooperation, MEA Secretary (East) P Kumaran stated that discussions are ongoing to explore Mongolias potential as a source of coking coal for India. However, logistical challenges remain due to Mongolias landlocked geography, with routes via Tianjin in China or Vladivostok in Russia under consideration.

PM Modi said that Indias private sector is also exploring new areas of cooperation in critical minerals, rare earths, digital innovation, and miningmarking a new chapter in the IndiaMongolia partnership.

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Top Maoist leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao Sonu has surrendered along with 60 cadres in Maharashtra. The surrender has come weeks after he issued a statement on behalf of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-M) to shun arms and enter into peace talks with the government.

In a major blow to the Maoist movement, top leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao Sonu on Tuesday surrendered with 60 cadres in Maharashtras Gadchiroli district, according to CNN-News 18.

Sonus surrender has come weeks after he offered ceasefire and sought peace talks with the Centre. The surrender has come at a time when the Maoist movement has been significantly weakened from sustained operations by central and various state forces that have killed some of the top Maoist leaders this year.

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In May, Chhattisgarh Police killed Nambala Kesava Rao alias Basavaraju, the General Secretary of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-M), in forests in states Narayanpur district. Since Raos killing, several top leaders like Sahadev Soren, Raghunath Hembram, Virsen Ganjhu, and Modem Balakrishna have been killed.

An undated photograph of top Maoist leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao Sonu

Overall, 471 Maoists have been killed so far this year, according to UNI.

Separately, surrenders have also surged this year, with surrenders in Chhattisgarh reporting an 18 per cent increase as 1,040 Maoist cadres have laid down arms so far this year, as per the news agency.

Save yourself, dont make meaningless sacrifices

Sonus surrender has come days after he issued a letter to Maoist cadres and urged them save themselves and not make meaningful sacrifices, according to CNN-News 18.

In the letter, Sonu said that the armed struggle could not be continued under existing circumstances.

In the previous letter that emerged in September, Sonu had said that Maoists had decided to shun arms in the wake of changed national and global circumstances. He said that the CPI-M wished to join mainstream politics.

However, Sonus unilateral surrender has shown the rift within Maoist ranks.

ALSO READ: Who is Mallojula Venugal Rao, the Maoist leader behind the ceasefire offer?

While the top leadership continues to believe in the armed struggle, at least three Maoist divisions the Maad Division, North Bastar Division, and Gadchiroli Division have issued statements supporting Sonus call to surrender call, indicating deepening divisions within the outfit, according to UNI.

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Why Sunus surrender is big deal

Sonu was a member of the outlawed CPI-Ms politburo, the body within the central committee that essentially runs the organisation. He was also a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the outfits top military affairs body, and also served as its spokesperson under the nom de guerre of Abhay.

Sonu is also known by other names, such as Abhay, Bhupati, Vivek, and Rajan. His wife, Tarakka, and older brother, Mallojula Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji, were also part of the Maoist movement. While Tarakka surrendered in Maharashtra last year, Kishenji was killed in a gunfight in West Bengal in 2011.

Sonu was the ideological head of the CPI-M as well as its communication specialist and the thread that connected it to the world outside the forests of Chhattisgarh, intelligence sources told The Indian Express.

Sonu used to have ties with the outside world. He used to be the connect with Maoist sympathisers and frontal organisations. With his exit, it is clear that the Maoist party has suffered a setback, an intelligence official told the newspaper.
US President Donald Trump turns to Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif amid his speech at the summit on ending the Gaza war, amid a US-brokered prisoner-hostage swap and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Reuters

The Gaza ceasefire deal, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey under US President Donald Trump, is trumpeted as historic and momentous to restore peace and stability in the Middle East. Sharm el-Sheikh, a Red Sea resort in Egypt, hosted this highly anticipated international event. The prolonged war in Gaza since October 7, 2023, came officially to an end.

The first phase of kinetic war is over. Israel no doubt takes the credit for the military victory. But the post-war period opens up the second phase, which is equally complex. Here, diplomacy, narrative and many more subtle forms of deception, twisting and push-and-pull unfold and secure salience.

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The narrative war that was in swing during the conflict may become more visceral and vengeful. It is important to see how Israel manages the post-war scenario and what the rubble in Gaza speaks or is made to speak.

Therefore, there is much to unfold once the kinetic action is over on the ground, paving the way for non-kinetic warfare through media and the boardroom. Be that as it may, what is important is to decode Trumps Declaration of Enduring Peace and Prosperity. Trumps showmanship adds new features to the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Trumps Pronouncement of Peace

The pronouncement recognises the tragic loss and suffering of life during the Israel-Gaza conflict and asserts the importance of peace, security, stability, and prosperity in Gaza and the Middle East at large. Dignity, education, peaceful coexistence, and protection of human rights were underlined as milestones of prosperity. The Declaration demonstrated that violence, radicalisation, extremism, and ideological indoctrination are unfriendly to civil life and growth and a deterrent to prosperity.

It is envisioned to secure peace and stability in the Gaza Strip through deradicalisation and disarmament of Hamas, post-war reconstruction ventures, stationing an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) trained by Egypt and Jordan, transitional governance by technocrats under the Board of Peace spearheaded by President Trump, development of a Special Economic Zone, and interfaith dialogue to foster the culture of peaceful coexistence.

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But the trajectory of Middle East geopolitical architecture indicates fragility, fragmentation, and diplomatic unsteadiness that underlines the urgent need for engagement, investment, entrepreneurship, and inclusive development.

Paradoxes

Trumps profound vision of peace is seemingly verbose, full of platitudes, and an extraordinary deficit of common sense. It is disconnected from reality. Disarmament of Hamas, post-war political process in Gaza minus Hamas, Gaza reconstruction from the massive debris, closure of the factories of ideological insemination, etc., are some of the burning issues that require serious attention. Without solving these issues, the path to peace and prosperity is empty rhetoric.

Hamas has undoubtedly been defanged but not eliminated. Its leadership is liquidated, but its rank and file continue to operate on the ground. They are not identifiable as a distinct and isolated group with a visible trademark. They are embedded in the people, and their river-to-sea ideology gains significant support in the minds of the people in Gaza and inspires events.

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Unless this is addressed effectively, all peace plans are cosmetic and not enduring. Rhetoric does not solve an issue that lingers for such a long time. History, identity, religion, culture and ideology are so deeply interlaced that they cannot be solved with one stroke of Trumps diplomatic magic. Hamas is not a thing. It is a thought and ideology that has seeped into the minds of people for a considerable time.

The Hamas ideology, technology and soft infrastructures have to be dismantled to inaugurate peace. This is the right time because its umbilical cord has been severed with Iran. Irans weakness can be weaponised to make the ideology of Hamas ineffective. However, an ideology can be defeated by a counter-ideology, not military aggression or economic development. It is a cultural problem that cannot be solved by force or economy.

Where is Trumps counter-ideology or counter-narrative? Will Israel develop the soft infrastructures in terms of developing counter-ideology to defeat Hamas completely? Will it engage in counter-narrative in the post-war period to choke Hamass ideological mutation? These are important issues which require immediate attention, and they will give dividends in the long run. They will solve the issues and take the mood of the region in a different direction, where economy, development and diplomatic engagement will ensure meaningful results.

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What Trump does is very synthetic. Hamas is weak; therefore, it toes the line of peace. Once it finds its ground, it will resurface with more lethality. The process of peace will end in achieving nothing. It gets back to ground zero. This is not a new thing in the region. It has happened in the past. History repeats not with difference but with predictable sameness in the Middle East, especially the Israel-Palestine reality.

The more recent example is the Abraham Accords, which were signed in 2020, a landmark in connectivity and trade infrastructures. The October 7 Hamas attack on Israel pushed everything back to non-existence. This is the power of ideology. Trump seems ignorant of this and basks in delusion as the president of peace.

Trumps Showmanship

The Gaza ceasefire deal is a one-man show. It is Donald Trump. Of course, other leaders were present. Their presence was so dwarfed that they only decorated the background. The spotlight was so selectively on Trump that others became non-entities.

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Trump took away the singular credit as a broker-in-chief of peace. From his speeches to the handshake moments, it was evident that everything begins with him and ends with him. This makes his candidacy for the Nobel Peace Prize stronger. Will this exhibitionism catapult the process of peace to a new stability? The answer seems an emphatic No. The ground reality is very different from what meets the eye.

What is more awkward and irritable is Trumps crafty comments on India and allusions to India-Pakistan disengagement during Operation Sindoor. Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, used this occasion, though Trump gave him this occasion, to shower praises on Trump as an uncompromising peacemaker.

Had the Nobel Peace Prize been in Shehbaz Sharifs hand, he would have given it to Trump then and there. If sycophancy has a name, it is none other than Shehbaz Sharif. It was sensible on the part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to have avoided visiting this event, which was designed to amplify Trumps publicity. It was a massive embarrassment clothed as a historic event.

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Self-adulation has seemingly been Trumps obsession. India was represented by Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs and Environment, Forest and Climate Change, at Sharm el-Sheikh. India is unequivocal in its support for the Gaza peace process and the end of the conflict in Gaza. But the way Trump made a mess out of the Gaza ceasefire deal, referring to India and Pakistan, was unnecessary and infantile.

Trumps obsession with world peace without a solid understanding of the global conflict is phenomenal. The personality cult that he carries around and tries to establish without the foreknowledge of climate, condition, and correlation impedes his prospects.

Strategic Balance

While India supports peace in Gaza and in the region, it also maintains its strategic autonomy. It is a party to the process and yet maintains strategic balance. This has been its most measured response without jumping onto the USs bandwagon of peace for peaces sake, without addressing the deeper issues ingrained in the process of peace. Russia and China have also maintained strategic silence, though they have not rejected the US-Europe-led peace process.

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However, the USs double standard is colossal and requires no decoding. It strangely conflates the peace process in Gaza with India-Pakistan de-hyphenation and the possible cooperation. It was unnecessary, but who will tell Trump about the need for a fine line between diplomacy and transactionalism? He applies his template of transactionalism everywhere without recognising its limitations.

Jajati K Pattnaik is an associate professor at the Centre for West Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Chandan K Panda is an assistant professor at Rajiv Gandhi University (a central university), Itanagar. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The US silence, as the ISI funds and shelters IS-KP members in Balochistan and builds centres for the LeT, JeM and Hizbul in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is nothing but complicity in Pakistans sinister designs

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, US President Donald Trump, and Field Marshal Asim Munir pose for a photo at the White House in Washington, on September 25, 2025. X / @GovtofPakistan

A series of events after Operation Sindoor shows Pakistans new strategy to further its sinister designs against Indiaand with the support of its all-weather ally America.

Connecting the dots since India humiliated Pakistan in the four-day operation, the most daring military strike since the 1971 War, reveals a dangerous collusion between Pakistan and the US.

With Donald Trumps open support for Islamabad in exchange for a $500 million rare earth minerals MoU and a personal cryptocurrency deal, the decades-old allies have started a new chapter in their alliancethe Cold War tactics of Pakistan directly targeting India with the USs tacit approval.

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The US has always backed Pakistan despite Islamabad being the biggest state sponsor of terrorism against India since the early 90s, supporting the Taliban and the Haqqani Network and sheltering global terrorists like Osama bin Laden and others.

Afghanistans addition to the India-Pakistan calculus could trigger more volatility in the region.

Pakistans Unfounded Accusations Against India over TTP Attacks

Pakistan has been riding a tiger for decadesand the predator started turning against its master in 2000.

According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), a Pakistani first think tank, around 900 people were killed and another 599 injured in 329 terror attacks and counter-terror operations in Pakistan, a 46 per cent surge in overall violence in Pakistan, in the third quarter of 2025.

Compared to the three quarters in 2024, the number of fatalities in the same period this year increased by 58 per cent (from 1,527 to 2414). So far, more than 2,414 people have been killed this year, compared to 2,546 in 2024.

CRSS data shows that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan accounted for more than 96 per cent of the violence in the third quarter of this year.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), formed by Baitullah Mehsud in erstwhile FATA in December 2007 against Pakistans military operations targeting terrorists in the region, has caused the maximum casualties.

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Initially an alliance of five terrorist groups, the TTP later comprised 40 tribal and non-tribal outfits to overthrow the Pakistani government.

Terrorist attacks against the Pakistani Army and cops, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (which now also includes FATA) and Balochistan, have jumped since 2022.

TTP emerged as the fastest-growing terrorist group globally in 2024 with a 91 per cent increase in attributed deaths from 293 in 2023 to 558. It was one of the top four terrorist groups responsible for the most deaths globally, 4,204, in 2024, according to a Global Terrorism Index report released in March.

The groups attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa more than doubled in 2024from 182 attacks causing 265 deaths in 2023 to 462 attacks resulting in 545 deaths. The TTP, the deadliest terrorist organisation in Pakistan for the second year, was responsible for 52 per cent of deaths in 2024.

In the latest TTP attacks, 20 security personnel and 3 civilians were killed in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 10.

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Though not created or funded by Pakistan, the ISI is indirectly responsible for the TTPs creation.

The Deobandi jihadist group shares its ideology with the Afghan Taliban, which has been sheltering and supporting it. The Pakistan Taliban helped their Afghan counterparts in fighting the 20-year American occupation of Afghanistan.

Mullah Omar, who co-founded the Taliban in Kandahar in August-September 1994, was trained by the ISI in the 80s to counter the Soviets. Later, Pakistan continued to support Omar financially and militarily as he ruled Afghanistan as the Supreme Leader from 1996 to 2001. In fact, Pakistan was one of the three nations (Saudi Arabia and the UAE were the other two) to recognise the Talibans Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in the late 90s.

After the US-led coalition ousted the Taliban in December 2001, Omar and other senior leaders relocated to Quetta, Balochistan, under the ISIs protection. The Taliban resumed attacks against the coalition forces three years later and survived only because of the ISIs training, funds and military expertise.

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The Taliban and Al Qaeda, in turn, helped create the TTP. When the TTP lost large swathes to the Pakistani Army, its members entered Afghanistan under Taliban protection. The bonds are close, according to the United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team.

Pakistan, aware of the TTP-Taliban links, started accusing India of backing the group, without any substantial evidence.

As TTP attacks escalated, Pakistan blamed India all the more. Pakistan now refers to the TTP as the Fitna al Khwarij alleging it to be an Indian proxy.

Pakistan Using IS-KP Against Afghanistan, India

Pakistan-Taliban ties continued even during the US occupation. When the Taliban seized power in August 2021, Pakistans then-PM Imran Khan said that Afghans had broken the shackles of slavery.

However, once in complete control, the Taliban gradually realised that relying only on Pakistan wouldnt serve Afghanistans wider interests. The Taliban want to portray Afghanistan as any other nation controlled by a proper government, not a group of fighters.

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TTP became the flashpoint in ties with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of providing a base to the group from where they were plotting and executing attacks on its soil with Indias help.

Pakistan was livid after Afghanistans foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqis six-day visit to India this month. On his first day of visit, October 9, two blasts in Kabul and another in the border province of Patika were reported. Afghanistan accused Pakistan of orchestrating the blasts, violating Kabuls sovereign territory and an unprecedented, violent, and provocative act.

Accusations against India of using Afghanistan to help the TTP carry out attacks have increased as Muttaqi landed in New Delhi and said that his country will not allow terrorist groups to attack other nations.

Afghanistan has always denied assisting the TTPmuch like Pakistan denies providing sanctuary to the LeT, JeM, Hizbul Mujahideen and other terrorist groups targeting India.

Now, a new and dangerous dimension has been added to the Afghanistan-India-Pakistan equationthe Islamic State of Khorasan Province (IS-KP).

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The IS-KP, a TTP splinter group formed in January 2015 after owing allegiance to the Islamic State, operates in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The group aims to establish a caliphate in the region and impose the Sharia.

The IS-KP has carried out some of the bloodiest attacks in the region and outsidethe August 2021 Kabul airport suicide bombing (13 US military personnel and 169 Afghans dead) and the July 2018 twin suicide bombings in Pakistan (131 dead).

A December 2024 suicide bombing in Kabul killed seven people, including Taliban refugee minister Khalil Haqqani, brother of the late Jalaluddin Haqqani, who founded the Haqqani network. He was the highest-ranking Taliban leader killed since the 2021 Taliban takeover.

The IS-KPs deadliest attack on foreign soil was at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Russia, in March 2024, when four gunmen fired at civilians and used incendiary devices, killing around 150.

An arch-rival of the Taliban, the group is still active though the number of attacks and their intensity have reduced amid a massive crackdown.

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The Taliban wants to finish off the IS-KP and continue supporting the TTP. On the other hand, Pakistan prefers it the other way to target both India and Afghanistan.

First, the three main Pakistani-sponsored terrorist groups against India have found a new base.

After India destroyed nine major terror launch pads in mainland Pakistan and PoK, Let, JeM and Hizbul have moved their bases to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to an intelligence report in September.

Pakistan seeks to take advantage of the regions rugged terrain and proximity to the Afghan border to target TTP, Afghanistan, the Baloch Liberation Army and the Balochistan Liberation Front and avoid Indian military strikes.

Second, the most dangerous development in the evolving terror landscape in the region is the ISI-sponsored covert tie-up between the IS-KP and LeT in Balochistan, according to a classified Indian intelligence dossier.

The ISI has been backing the IS-KP since 2015. Two major operational bases were established in the Mastung and Khuzdar districts, Balochistan, by 2018. The Crocus (Russia) attack and the Kerman (Iran) twin suicide bombings, which killed 95 at the memorial procession for Quds Force Commander General Qassem Soleimani in January 2024, were planned by the IS-KP in Balochistan.

According to Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban governments chief spokesperson, ISIS-K leader Sanaullah Ghafaribetter known by his nom de guerre Shahab al-Muhajirand his associates are in Pakistan.

The recent IS-KP-LeT partnership takes Pakistans sinister collaboration with terrorist groups to a different level.

A recent photo shows ISI asset Mir Shafiq Mengal, who funds and arms ISKPs operations in Balochistan, presenting a pistol to LeT commander Rana Mohammad Ashfaq.

Pakistans latest move in Balochistan is also dangerous for India as it brings the IS-KP, notorious for its brutal and bloody suicide bombings, closer to Kashmir. Recent editions of Yalgaar, the IS-KPs propaganda magazine, show how the group plans to target Kashmir.

Per the dossier, the emerging coalition of extremist entities not only intensifies the threat to Afghanistan but also signals Pakistan Armys intent to reignite militancy in Jammu & Kashmir thereby destabilising regional peace under the guise of plausible deniability.

US is Biggest Destabilising Force in Region

The three blasts in Afghanistan triggered a fierce border clash between Pakistan and the Taliban in Helmand, Kandahar, Zabul, Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar and Kunar, along the Durand Line. The Taliban claimed to have killed 58 Pakistani soldiers and 20 IS-KP members while Pakistan claimed to have killed around 200 Taliban fighters.

Now, Donald Trump, in his usual bombast, has already declared the clash a war he wants to solve. On his way to Israel and then to Egypt for the Gaza peace summit, he told the media on Sunday that this will be my eighth war that I have solved, and I hear there is a war now going on between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The US has been the biggest destabilising force in the Afghanistan-Pakistan-India Triangle.

First, the US twice abandoned Afghanistan and let chaos run supreme.

America overlooked the Mujahideen factions fighting for supremacy during the Second Afghan Civil War (19921996) and allowed the Taliban to take over in September 1996. In December 2001, the US dislodged the Taliban, as part of the Global War on Terrorism, and pulled out in August 2021, allowing the group to take control of Afghanistan.

Second, the US supported Pakistan economically and militarily and allowed the ISI and the Army to target India.

Starting in 1988, the US rewarded Pakistan for its role in training and arming the Mujahideen against the Soviets in Afghanistan by turning a blind eye as then-President and COAS Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq planned Operation Topac. As terrorists, including Mujahideen fighters, infiltrated Kashmir after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, the US looked the other way.

The latest US move to warm up to Pakistan despite the Pahalgam attack and earlier terrorist attacks in India isnt surprising. The US has played a disruptive role in India-Pakistan relations by allowing it to sponsor, train and shelter terrorists who have targeted India and other nations.

The US role in the current Afghanistan-India-Pakistan dynamics could spiral into a more volatile situation.

Trumps latest fantasy is the Baram Air Base.

The president wants the US to retake control of the sprawling air base, around 800 km from the Chinese border and the main American base in Afghanistan for 20 years, to counter China. Its an hour away from where [China] makes its nuclear weapons, he said last month. Besides, the US can also monitor Iran and Pakistans tribal belt.

When the Taliban flatly rejected Trumps idea, he warned that bad things are going to happen to Afghanistan. However, Muttaqi reiterated the Talibans stand on the air base, once a drone base and a logistics and detention centre.

If someone wants to have ties with us, they can come through the diplomatic mission, but not in military uniform. Its not acceptable to us, he told the media in New Delhi last week.

Several other nations in Central and South Asia are also opposed to Trumps idea. At a meeting in Moscow last week, Russia, India, Pakistan, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan opposed any foreign military base in Afghanistan.

Trump has always batted for non-intervention in foreign wars or countries. However, his stand is changing in the second termthe best example was the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites in June.

Trumps latest Afghanistan fascination, which could end soon or later, is a warning sign and could reshape the strategic balance in the region.

Trump, eager to extract the US from Afghanistan in his first term, was behind the disastrous Doha Accord, signed between the US and the Taliban without involving the Ashraf Ghani government during Joe Bidens term in February 2020.

Now, Trump wants the US to return to the very country it left in haste.

The strategic and military reasons are evidentChina, Iran and terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

However, another factor that could be part of Trumps idea is Afghanistans vast known deposits of rare earth and other minerals worth, at least, a trillion.

According to a report published by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, Afghanistan has 1.4 million tonnes (MT) of rare earth minerals, 30 MT of copper, 4.5 MT of aluminium, 152 MT of barite, 2.2 billion tonnes of iron ore, 1.3 billion tonnes of marble and an estimated 2,698 kg of gold deposits.

Since 2021, the Taliban has awarded around 205 mining contracts to 150-plus companies. In September 2023, Afghanistan signed mining deals worth more than $6.5 billion. In May 2024, China, Qatar, Turkey, Iran and the UK invested more than $7 billion in Afghanistan to tap the rich mineral resources.

With China leading other nations in tapping the minerals in Afghanistan, Trump doesnt want to be left behind.

In the new American gamble in the region, India stands to lose the most. Before, during and after the US presence in Afghanistan, Pakistan always got the leeway against India. While Pakistan has publicly opposed the proposed US takeover of the Bagram Air Base, an American presence will bolster its confidence.

The American silence, as the ISI funds and shelters IS-KP members in Balochistan to target the rebels, the TTP, Afghanistan and India and builds centres for the LeT, JeM and Hizbul in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is nothing but complicity in Pakistans sinister designs.

The writer is a freelance journalist with more than two decades of experience and comments primarily on foreign affairs. He tweets as @FightTheBigots. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaas state visit to India this week, marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, represents far more than ceremonial pageantry

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with Mongolia's President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, October 14, 2025. (Photo: India's Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS )

Across the vast Mongolian steppe, where endless horizons stretch almost to meet the skies, two fine steeds have emerged racing towards a shared destination  one that transcends geographical distance and defies geopolitical constraints. India and Mongolia, separated by the towering Himalayas yet united by ancient Buddhist bonds, are galloping forward, leaving dust clouds of diplomatic significance in their wake.

Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaas state visit to India this week, marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, represents far more than ceremonial pageantry. At the heart of this relationship lies an intriguing dimension that Beijing watches with particular unease: the Dalai Lama angle. It is the question of His Holinesss eventual reincarnation.

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The spiritual dimension of India-Mongolia ties runs deeper than most diplomatic relationships. Both nations share what Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed a deep, soulful, and spiritual bond rooted in Buddhism.

India will send the sacred relics of Lord Buddhas disciples, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana, to Mongolia next year for a visit, and this exemplifies this unique connection. These relics, following the successful exposition of the Kapilavastu relics in 2022, represent more than religious artifactsthey are symbols of civilisational continuity that bind these spiritual siblings together.

Indias commitment to enhancing Sanskrit teaching at Mongolias Gandan Monastery and supporting the digitisation of one million ancient manuscripts further demonstrates the depth of cultural cooperation. The linking of Nalanda University with Gandan Monastery revives a historical scholarly connection. Such cultural soft power often proves more enduring than economic agreements or military pacts.

Yet, it is the Dalai Lama dimension that adds particular strategic weight to this partnership. Mongolias unique position in the complex geopolitics of Tibetan Buddhist succession cannot be understated. Mongolia has historically played a crucial role in the reincarnation process of Tibetan Buddhist leaders. The very title Dalai Lama derives from the Mongolian word for ocean, reflecting centuries-old spiritual ties. The Dalai Lama himself has acknowledged this connection: Mongolians and Tibetans have historically been like twins.

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The succession question gains urgency as the 14th Dalai Lama approaches his 90th year.

Mongolia could well become the birthplace of the next Dalai Lama  a prospect that sends Beijing scurrying. Chinas 2007 regulations asserting state control over reincarnation processes reflect deep anxiety about losing influence over this sacred tradition.

The recognition of the 10th Jebtsundamba Khutuktu by the Dalai Lama in 2023  a young Mongolian-American boy  serves as a preview of tensions surrounding the eventual succession.

Mongolia is the likely testing ground for Chinas campaign to control Buddhist reincarnation. This spiritual battleground carries profound implications for India-Mongolia relations, as both nations seek to preserve authentic Buddhist traditions against authoritarian interference.

Beyond the Spiritual Pipeline

Beyond spiritual dimensions, the partnership delivers tangible economic benefits. Indias $1.7 billion oil refinery project in Mongolia represents the countrys largest overseas development initiative, employing over 2,500 Indian professionals alongside Mongolian counterparts. Expected to commence operations in 2028, this facility will process 1.5 million tonnes of crude oil annually, significantly enhancing Mongolias energy security.

The minerals dimension offers equally promising prospects. Mongolias uranium reserves, estimated at 90,000 tonnes, have captured Indian attention as New Delhi seeks to diversify nuclear fuel sources. With Mongolia recently signing a $1.6 billion uranium extraction deal with France, India has expressed keen interest in similar partnerships.

However, geography poses persistent challenges. As a landlocked nation squeezed between Russia and China, Mongolia faces complex logistics in trading with distant partners like India. Mineral shipments must transit either through Chinas Tianjin port or Russias Vladivostok facility, with the latter preferred despite higher costs due to India-Russia strategic ties.

Defence cooperation has emerged as another pillar of the partnership. Indias decision to post a resident defence attache in Ulaanbaatar and launch new capacity-building programmes for Mongolias border security forces reflects growing strategic alignment. Joint exercises like Nomadic Elephant and Khaan Quest demonstrate practical military cooperation. India has also undertaken a major cyber security initiative with Mongolia.

The timing of this deepening partnership proves particularly significant. Cultural initiatives announced during President Khurelsukhs visit  including free e-visas for Mongolian nationals, exchange programmes, and commemorative stamps  reflect an understanding that sustainable partnerships require robust people-to-people connections. The memorandum between Ladakh and Mongolias Arkhangai Province creates direct ties that could prove remarkably durable.

As these two steeds continue their gallop across the diplomatic steppe, their partnership appears firmly in the saddle. The combination of spiritual bonds, economic opportunities, strategic alignment, and cultural affinity creates a foundation that seeks to transcend geography. It wont be easy, but their shared commitment to preserving authentic Buddhist traditions against external manipulation offers a model for civilisational resilience.

The writer is a senior journalist with expertise in defence. Views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of Firstpost.
Hasinas legacy deserves critical scrutiny, yes  but it also demands fair and balanced reporting, not trial by innuendo

Sheikh Hasinas trophy cabinet? Its not just full  its a monument to decades of grit and resilient leadership. From the Unesco Peace Prize to the UNs Champions of the Earth Award and the prestigious Indira Gandhi Peace Prize, she has earned global honours that mark a journey paved with sacrifice and resolve. These arent just medals; they are recognition of a leader who stood firm during challenging times  sheltering the stateless, defending democracy, and placing womens rights at the heart of a rising nation.

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Yet, despite international accolades, some sections of the Western mainstream media have at times focused more on sensationalism than on substance, often overlooking the tangible progress under her leadership. Through every wave of criticism, Hasina remained steadfast  driven not by applause, but by a commitment to the future of Bangladesh. Although she has now gone out of power, her legacy continues to influence the nations trajectory.

Autocrat or Architect of Stability?

Sheikh Hasina is sometimes labelled autocratic, but this label does not fully capture the complexities of her leadership. She assumed power in a Bangladesh marked by political unrest, violence, and extremism. Where many might have faltered, she remained resolute.

Under her leadership, Bangladesh not only endured but began to transform. The countrys per capita income grew significantly, poverty rates declined, and the military was kept out of civilian governance. During the rise of global terror threats, she led with determination, maintaining stability in the face of challenges.

Progress of this magnitude requires conviction and courage. The Padma Bridge, a symbol of national pride, was completed amid global scepticism because of her resolve. Food security improved markedly, showing the impact of focused, determined governance.

Sheikh Hasina has led with both firmness and compassion, championing womens empowerment through meaningful change and responding to humanitarian crises such as the Rohingya refugee situation with empathy. Her leadership reflects transformational qualities necessary for a nation facing complex challenges.

Strategic Statesmanship: Hasinas Foreign Policy

In a world marked by division and distrust, Sheikh Hasina has demonstrated visionary foreign policy grounded in a deep understanding of history and geography. Viewing Bangladeshs strategic location as an asset, she has built bridges  both diplomatic and economicthat connect nations and people.

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Guided by the principle Friendship to all, malice toward none, she has skilfully balanced relations with regional powers like India and China while maintaining ties with the United States, Russia, and others. Her approach prioritises Bangladeshs sovereignty and development over rigid allegiances.

Her leadership has positioned Bangladesh as a respected regional partner, contributing actively to alliances like Bimstec and Saarc. During the Rohingya crisis, her governments compassionate response resonated worldwide, highlighting Bangladeshs commitment to human dignity.

Sheikh Hasinas advocacy in climate diplomacy has also been notable, turning Bangladesh from a vulnerable frontline state into a leading voice for climate justice. Her invitation to the 2023 G20 Summit marked international recognition of her statesmanship.

Through pragmatic and steady leadership, she has steered Bangladesh towards sustainable growth and enhanced its role on the global stage.

Complex Realities Behind Protests and Media Coverage

The student protests in July 2024, sparked by the reinstatement of a job quota for descendants of freedom fighters, reflected deep societal tensions. Unlike many leaders facing unrest, Prime Minister Hasina acknowledged the students right to protest and supported their legal recourse.

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Unfortunately, misinformation, including unsubstantiated claims linking her to inflammatory remarks, exacerbated tensions and fuelled unrest. Security responses, though controversial, were undertaken to restore order amid acts of violence targeting infrastructure.

Subsequent judicial inquiries were initiated but received limited coverage internationally. Instead, much Western media focused on unverified allegations, raising concerns about reporting standards and balanced coverage.

Issues such as enforced disappearances warrant serious attention everywhere, but fair criticism requires consistency. Notably, subsequent governments have faced less scrutiny for delays or inaction on similar issues.

The resulting narratives often oversimplify Bangladeshs political landscape, undermining the complexity of its evolving democracy.

Due Process or Media Misrepresentation?

David Bergman, a journalist long recognised for his scrutiny of war crimes trials in Bangladesh, has raised serious questions about the fairness of the ongoing proceedings against Hasina. At the heart of his concerns lies a disturbing procedural flaw: the state has reportedly appointed the same defence attorney to represent both Hasina and her co-accused  a blatant conflict of interest that strikes at the very foundation of due process.

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This kind of legal arrangement is not only ethically questionable; it undermines the legitimacy of the entire trial. How can justice be served when the defence is effectively hamstrung from the outset? Yet this glaring contradiction has largely escaped international attention.

Even before a verdict has been reached, much of the global narrative has cast Sheikh Hasina as guilty by assumption. Its a reckless dismissal of the principle of presumed innocence  a cornerstone of any fair judicial system. The damage to her public image has been swift and calculated, driven not by evidence but by optics and opportunism.

The situation took a darker turn with the abrupt and controversial departure of Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan, who was reportedly pressured into early retirement following courtroom unrest and direct interference from Law Minister Asif Nazrul. Such developments cannot be brushed aside as routine. They raise serious red flags about the erosion of judicial independence in Bangladesh  an issue that, shockingly, remains underreported by major Western media outlets.

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Where is the outrage from the same global press that so quickly cries foul in other parts of the world? Where are the editorial condemnations that would surely flood in if these events unfolded in another country? The selective silence is deafening.

Western medias gaze has largely fixated on the banning of the Awami League, portraying it as a textbook case of authoritarian suppression. Yet far less attention has been paid to what is happening behind prison walls: reports of overcrowded detention centres, deaths in custody, and a growing body of credible evidence pointing to torture and extrajudicial killings under the Yunus-backed administration.

What is unfolding in Bangladesh bears uncomfortable echoes of the Gulag era  yet the international response has been tepid at best. The global community cannot claim ignorance; it can only claim indifference.

Its time to move beyond the reductive comparisons that some Western observers have made  lazily equating Sheikh Hasina with autocrats. This is not just inaccurate; its insulting to the intelligence of Bangladeshis, both at home and abroad.

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Despite the current political restrictions on the Awami League within Bangladesh, support for Hasina continues to grow across the diaspora  including among dual citizens and naturalised citizens of Western countries. This surge of solidarity suggests a major disconnect between Western media portrayals of Hasinas leadership and the lived experiences of many in the Bangladeshi community.

Hasina was not a despot. She was a democratically elected leader with a complex legacy  one that includes major strides in economic development, infrastructure, womens empowerment, and climate diplomacy. That legacy deserves critical scrutiny, yes  but it also demands fair and balanced reporting, not trial by innuendo.

Justice must be universal  or it is not justice at all. The Wests current double standard not only weakens its moral authority but risks enabling a dangerous distortion of reality in Bangladesh.

Its time to ask harder questions, expose deeper truths, and resist the temptation of easy narratives. Because whats at stake isnt just one leaders fate  its the credibility of democracy, due process, and international accountability itself.

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Beyond the Strongman Stereotype

While Hasinas leadership style may appear strong and sometimes unilateral, it is essential to recognise the democratic structures that were still present in Bangladesh during her rule: elections, protests, and an operational judiciary, though challenged.

Her decisions often reflect efforts to protect national interests amid regional volatility rather than mere power consolidation. This context is frequently overlooked by Western media in favour of simplified narratives.

A Balanced Perspective

No leader is above criticism, including Hasina. However, critiques should be grounded in full context and fairness, reflecting the complex realities of governing a nation like Bangladesh, shaped by history, development challenges, and geopolitical pressures.

Hasinas legacy includes significant advances in economic growth, infrastructure, womens rights, and climate leadership. While critical examination is necessary, it must be balanced and nuanced, avoiding ideological biases.

In seeking to understand Sheikh Hasinas leadership, a deeper, more responsible dialogue is essential  one that respects Bangladeshs sovereignty and the aspirations of its people.

Anjuman A Islam, PhD, is an engineer and researcher by training and a political analyst based in the US. S M Faiyaz Hossain is a Bengali political columnist and commentator. He currently lives in Australia and tweets at @FaiyazBengali. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The first recall affects around 44,000 units of the earlier Tang hybrid series, produced between March 2015 and July 2017. A faulty drive motor controller could cause the circuit board to overheat and, in severe cases, result in a complete power failure

In May, automaker BYD cut the prices of nearly two dozen electric and plug-in models by up to 34 per cent  a move that left its competitors stunned and sent share prices of companies including its own tumbling. Reuters

BYD, the worlds largest electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, is recalling more than 115,000 vehicles in China due to technical defects affecting both hybrid and pure-electric models. The two separate recalls, announced by Chinas State Administration for Market Regulation, follow official investigations into the companys vehicle components.

The first recall affects around 44,000 units of the earlier Tang hybrid series, produced between March 2015 and July 2017. A faulty drive motor controller could cause the circuit board to overheat and, in severe cases, result in a complete power failure.

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The second and larger recall involves approximately 70,000 Yuan Pro electric crossovers made between February 2021 and August 2022. These vehicles have a battery waterproofing flaw that may reduce power output. BYD plans to fix the issue by applying sealant to the battery housing.

Quality woes as BYD pursues global expansion

The recalls come at a critical time for Shenzhen-based BYD, which is aggressively expanding into international markets while facing fierce price competition at home. Analysts warn that pressure to cut costs in Chinas intensifying EV price war may be leading to quality control lapses, prompting government scrutiny.

Although vehicle recalls are common, these particular defects involve key components, drive systems and batteries, potentially raising consumer concerns about EV safety. Regulators are currently drafting stricter safety rules, including requirements for door handle mechanisms, following fatal incidents linked to hidden designs popularised by Tesla.

The news also follows a slump in BYDs domestic sales. In September, the automaker saw its first monthly sales decline in 18 months and lost its position as Chinas top-selling brand. Amid tough market conditions, BYD has lowered its 2025 sales target from 5.5 million units to 4.6 million.
Amid the war in Ukraine, Russia has increased its cyber-attacks on Nato nations by 25 per cent over the past year, Microsofts annual digital defence report reveals

Amid the war in Ukraine, Russia has increased its cyber-attacks on Nato nations by 25 per cent over the past year. According to the latest analysis by Microsoft, nine of the top 10 countries most affected by Russian state cyber-activity were members of the Nato alliance. The attacks are coming at a time when the Kremlin has escalated its hybrid war against European countries.

The tech giant noted that these attacks against NAO nations increased by a quarter compared with the previous year. As per their assessment, the US was the most targeted region, at 20 per cent of all attacks, followed by the UK at 12 per cent and Ukraine, the only non-Nato member in the top 10.

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While Microsoft declined to give exact details of Russian state hostility, they maintained that most of these attacks targeted the government sector, followed by research and academia, and thinktanks and non-governmental organisations. Amy Hogan-Burney, a vice-president for cybersecurity policy at Microsoft, said the company expected to continue to see activity across many Nato-based areas.

Meanwhile, experts and politicians warned that Russia is conducting  hybrid warfare  the term for a range of unconventional tactics such as drone incursions, sabotage or cyber-attacks that occupy a grey zone between peace and war  against Nato members.

The victims of the attack

Last month, Eliza Manningham-Buller, former head of British spy agency MI5, warned that the UK may already be at war with Russia because of the intensity of cyber-attacks and other hostile activity orchestrated by Moscow against the UK. Buller said it was a different sort of war, but the hostility, the cyber-attacks, the physical attacks, the intelligence work is extensive.

Some of the other Nato nations were severely affected by Russia-linked incidents in Poland. The country recently witnessed 19 unarmed Russian drones crossing into its airspace last month. Meanwhile, Denmark was forced to close its airports due to unidentified drones. In another incident last month, Nato intercepted three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets that violated Estonias airspace over the Baltic Sea in a 12-minute incursion.

Microsoft added in its annual digital defence report that Russia was using the countrys highly active cybercriminal community to carry out its aims. It is pertinent to note that Russias cybercrime is most commonly associated with ransomware attacks, which have crippled businesses and public bodies around the world.

In its latest assessment, the tech giant noted that it had observed the Russian state tapping the cybercrime ecosystem for access to targets, using its malicious software or as proxies for carrying out attacks. Jamie MacColl, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) thinktank, told The Guardian that while the revelation is concerning, it is not surprising.

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It is not surprising, given the general uptick in Russian covert, and sometimes overt, action against Nato member states over the past 12 months. The way states use their cyber operations mirrors their broader approach to statecraft, so it makes sense these attacks are increasing," MacColl said.
As Tomahawks are primarily launched from ships and submarines and Ukraine lacks a functional navy, can it really use these missiles to make a difference in the war with Russia?

Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) conduct an operational Tomahawk missile launch in a training area off the coast of California in this September 29, 2010, file photograph and released to Reuters on March 19, 2011. (Photo: Woody Paschall/US Navy photo/Handout/Reuters)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to buy US-made Tomahawk missiles to intensify the ongoing campaign of strikes deep inside Russia. But there are doubts about the countrys ability to use these missiles  and that has nothing to do with its militarys skills.

Tomahawks are primarily launched at sea from ships and submarines  the United States attacked one of the three Iranian nuclear sites in June with submarine-launched Tomahawks. But, as Ukraine lacks a functional navy, such missiles are out of bounds for the country.

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While such an impediment would suggest that any US supply to Ukraine could reduce Tomahawks to cosmetic value, there are workarounds that could indeed allow Ukraine to use the missile  and Ukraine has shown throughout the war that it is up for improvising weapon systems to adapt to battlefield conditions.

Last year, the United States adopted land-based launchers for Tomahawks that are in service with the US Army and Marines. Moreover, US defence giant Oshkosh unveiled a ground-launch vehicle this week, X-MAV, that can carry and launch four Tomahawk missiles.

While X-MAV has not yet been tested, it could directly be deployed to Ukraine. There is precedent for Western military systems being directly deployed to Ukraine, such as Germanys Skyranger air-defence system that is being deployed to Ukraine even before its adoption by the German military.

Can Ukraine really use Tomahawk missiles?

The decisive factor would be the availability of land-based launchers. And there are signs that arranging launchers or workable solutions is possible.

Kyiv Post has reported that there are two batteries each with four launchers of land-based launchers with the US Marine Corps that are not in use.

If US President Donald Trump would really want to signal his shifting position to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, he could send those launchers to Ukraine  since they are not in use anyway.

Moreover, if X-MAV has entered production, Ukraine can directly buy those launchers from the manufacturer.

If these solutions work out, Ukraine could be in a position to launch Tomahawks deep inside Russia within a matter of weeks if not a few months.

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Tomahawks can make a difference

While Tomahawks will not be a silver bullet for Ukraine, these missiles coupled with other Ukrainian weapons like Flamingo can definitely make a difference.

Tomahawks are cruise missiles with a range of 1,2502,500 kilometres. In addition to being extremely precise, they are also quite stealthy as they hug the terrain, flying just 30-50 metres above the surface, to minimise detection.

Tomahawks have demonstrated in Syria that they could bypass Russian air defences, according to Andriy Kovalenko of Ukraines Center for Countering Disinformation.

Russian systems covered Syrian targets at the time but failed to down Tomahawks, Kovalenko told DW News.

Kovalenko further said that Tomahawks are especially effective when launched in salvos, as overloading air defenses increases their success rate.

Kovalenko added that Russian S-400 or Pantsir air-defence systems are weak against Tomahawks.

Ukraine is expected to use Tomahawks along with its other homegrown drones and missile to target Russian weapon manufacturing sites, energy facilities, railways, and command and control centres of the military.

For months, Ukraine has been battering Russian energy facilities. The damage has been such that Russia has fuel shortage at the moment and has banned the export of petrol and partially banned the export of diesel. Ukraine has struck 21 of 38 major Russian oil refineries  including some of the biggest refineries like Kirishi and Ryazan. Ukraine has claimed that Russias refining capacity has fallen by 21 per cent.

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While Russian oil output has fallen and its critical infrastructure has suffered damage, the pinch has not been enough to force Putin to the negotiating table. Zelenskyy would hope that Tomahawks could add to the pressure on Putin.

If all goes well, Ukraine may get up to 200 missiles. Consider this: an average Nato weapons package for Ukraine is of half a billion US dollars and The New York Times has reported that one Tomahawk costs around $2.5 million.
Violent protests in Peru led by Gen Z activists demanding the presidents resignation leave one dead and over 100 injured. Authorities investigate amid widespread unrest fuelled by youth grievances over pensions, wages, crime and corruption.

FILE - A demonstrator waves a Peruvian flag as a cardboard doll burns in front of Congress during a protest against new President Jose Jeri in Lima, Peru, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia, File)

Protests led by young activists in Peru demanding the resignation of the countrys president escalated into violence overnight, leaving at least one civilian dead and prompting authorities to launch investigations on Thursday. Officials reported that around 100 people were injured, including 80 police officers and 10 journalists.

The demonstrations, which began a month ago with calls for improved pensions and wages for youth, have grown to encompass broader grievances over crime, corruption and decades of public disillusionment with successive governments. The unrest intensified after Peru swore in its seventh president in less than a decade on October 10, with protesters targeting both the new president and certain lawmakers.

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Perus prosecutors office said it is investigating the death of 32-year-old protester and hip-hop artist Eduardo Ruiz, who was shot during a mass demonstration in Lima. Authorities stated that they had ordered the removal of Ruizs body from a hospital and directed the collection of audio-visual and ballistic evidence from the scene, noting the incident occurred in the context of serious human rights violations.

Footage from local media and security cameras showed Ruiz collapsing on a street after a man, reportedly fleeing from a group of protestersfired a shot. Witnesses claimed the shooter was running away after being accused of being a plainclothes police officer embedded among demonstrators.

The Peru Ombudsmans Office confirmed that at least 24 protesters and 80 police officers were injured during the unrest. In addition, six journalists were struck by pellets, and another four were assaulted by police, according to the National Association of Journalists.

The ongoing protests reflect growing frustration among Perus youth and broader segments of the population, as they confront long-standing governance challenges amid a cycle of political instability and social unrest.

The Peruvian protests comes amid a wave of protests unfolding across the world, driven by generational discontent against governments and anger among young people. Protests have broken out in Nepal, the Philippines, Indonesia, Kenya, Peru and Morocco with protesters often carrying black flags with the One Piece anime symbol, a pirate skull wearing a straw hat.

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In Limas main plaza 27-year-old electrician David Tafur said he decided to join the demonstration after learning about it on TikTok.

Were fighting for the same thing against the corrupt who here are also killers, he said, referring to violent 2022 protests and government crackdown in which 50 people were killed.

The escalating tensions come just days after Perus Congress ousted President Dina Boluarte, was known as one of the least popular presidents in the world for repressing protests and failing to control crime.

Jose Jeri, the 38-year-old president of Congress, then took office, promising to get a recent crime wave under control. He swore in Ernesto Alvarez, a ultraconservative former judge active on social media, as prime minister.

The president expressed regret over the protesters death. Alvarez has not yet commented on it, but previously claimed said that Perus Gen Z is a gang that wants to take democracy by storm and does not represent the youth who study and work.

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Criticisms of Jeri and his government quickly emerged because he previously faced an investigated after being accused of a woman of raping her. The prosecutors office dismissed the case in August, though authorities continue to investigate another man who was with Jeri the day of the alleged rape. Protesters also condemned Jeri because as a legislator he voted in favour of six laws that experts say weaken the fight against crime.

Protesters demanded Jeri and other lawmakers resign and repeal the laws they say benefit criminal groups.

During the protest, more than 20 women shouted The rapist is Jeri or Jeri is a violin, a slang expression in Peru where violin means rapist. Protesters launched fireworks at police, who responded with tear gas and rubber pellets.

That anger was built upon decades of frustration by Peruvians, who have seen their leaders, year after year, plagued by corruption scandals, fueling a feeling of cynicism and deception in many of Perus youth.

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After the pension issue, other frustrations followed  linked to insecurity, the erosion of state capacity in Peru, and corruption, said Omar Coronel, a sociology professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, who studies social movements.

Violent scenes from the protest drew back memories of violent protests in the early months of Boluartes government, when 50 protesters were killed.

Protesters held signs reading Protesting is a right, killing is a crime. One woman carried a poster that read From a murderess to a rapist, the same filth, criticizing the change in government.

For me, its about outrage over abuse of power, corruption and killings, said Tafur, the protester.

With inputs from agencies
From December 10, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube would be facing a fine of up to 50 million Australian dollars if they fail to take steps to curb social media use among teens

FILE - 14-year-old Henry, right, and Angel, 15, use their phones to view social media in Sydney, on Nov. 8, 2024.

The Australian government has launched a campaign offering tips to parents and others on how to phase out the use of social media among children ahead of a world-first national 16-year age limit taking effect in December.

Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Friday that information on her agencys website, esafety.gov.au, explained the new laws and how to navigate them.

From December 10, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube would be facing a fine of up to 50 million Australian dollars if they fail to take steps to curb social media use among teens.

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Messages raising awareness will also be shared starting Sunday across digital channels, television, radio and billboards.

We want children to have childhoods. We want parents to have peace of mind and we want young people  young Australians  to have three more years to learn who they are before platforms assume who they are, Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters, referring to the current de facto 13-year age limit for social media accounts based on US privacy legislation.

What are the tips that have been offered?

The eSafety Commission has issued a guidebook of sorts that contains checklists and conversation starters about ways to make the transition, such as following an online influencer through a website rather than a social media account.

Inman Grant said, How do we start weaning them from social media now so it isnt a shock on Dec. 10? How do we help them download their archives and their memories and how do we make sure that theyre in touch with friends and are aware of mental health support if theyre feeling down when theyre not tethered to their phones over the holiday period?

She added that the social media age restriction would be a very monumental event for a lot of young people.

Denmark to follow suit?

Earlier this month, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that the country is exploring the possibility of banning social media for preteens, saying that smartphones and social networking apps are stealing our childrens childhood.

We have unleashed a monster. Never before have so many children and young people suffered from anxiety and depression, Frederiksen said at the opening of Folketing, the Danish parliament, as she announced the ban proposal.

She said that prolonged use of social media by children has affected their reading skills and messed up their concentration, adding that on screens they see things no child or young person should see.

With inputs from agencies
Bangladesh police used teargas, batons, and stun grenades on Friday to disperse protesters near the National Parliament, as tensions rose over the signing of the July Charter. The demonstrators demanded recognition, legal protection, and rehabilitation for those injured in last years uprising.

Bangladesh police on Friday (Oct 17) fired teargas, used batons, and deployed stun grenades to disperse protesters who refused to leave the area near the National Parliament, amid uncertainty over the signing of the July Charter.

Hundreds of protesters gathered at the stage set for the signing ceremony, demanding state recognition, legal protection, and rehabilitation for those injured during the demonstrations that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas Awami League government in August 2024, according to bdnews24.com.

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The protesters reportedly entered the Parliament premises in the morning by scaling the main gates and sat on chairs reserved for guests while chanting slogans. Security personnel tried to stop them, but clashes broke out as tensions escalated.

Some protesters vandalised police vehicles and makeshift tents, while others clashed with soldiers and security officials. Several people were injured, news agency AP reported, citing witnesses.

The incident occurred shortly after 1 pm at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building, where the signing of the July Charter was scheduled. Police intervened to disperse the crowd with teargas, batons, and stun grenades.

The demonstrators described themselves as participants in the uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina in July last year. They criticised the new charter, saying it failed to address their concerns despite the deaths of their loved ones in the mass uprising.

Earlier on Thursday night, hundreds of people had gathered near Gate 12 of the Parliament complex under the banner of July Martyrs Families and Injured Fighters. Protesters reportedly entered the premises and occupied guest chairs while chanting slogans, Dhaka Tribune reported. The protests continued outside the Parliament on Friday.

The interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus had invited major political parties to sign the new charter on Friday as part of the countrys political reform efforts.

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The July National Charter, named after the uprisings of July 2024, sets out plans for constitutional amendments, legal reforms, and new laws. A National Consensus Commission formed by the Yunus government drafted the charter after talks with major political parties, except for Hasinas Awami League.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and eight allied parties said they would sign the charter. Some parties, like the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, remained undecided, while the student-led National Citizen Party refused to participate.

Sheikh Hasina, ousted last August, remains in exile in India and is being tried in absentia on charges of crimes against humanity. Yunus has promised elections in February, but concerns remain about whether the vote will be inclusive without Hasinas party and its allies.
A Belgian court in Antwerp has approved the extradition of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi to India, ruling that his arrest earlier this year was lawful. Officials described the decision as a key milestone in Indias efforts to bring him back

New Delhi has been trying to get Mehul Choksi  the fugitive businessman detained in Belgium in April  extradited to India since 2018. News18

A Belgian court in Antwerp has approved the extradition of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi to India, ruling that his arrest by Belgian authorities earlier this year was lawful.

Officials described the decision as a major breakthrough in Indias efforts to bring Choksi back, though he retains the right to appeal to a higher court. The first and very important stage is cleared, officials told PTI.

On Friday, the Antwerp court heard arguments from both Belgian prosecutors representing India and Choksis legal team. After reviewing the evidence, the court ruled that Indias extradition request and Choksis arrest on April 11, 2025, were valid. The 65-year-old has been in Belgian custody for over four months, and his multiple bail pleas have been rejected.

The court noted that Choksi can still appeal the decision, meaning he will not be immediately returned to India. Authorities called the ruling a crucial first step in the extradition process.

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Dual criminality and legal basis

During the hearing, the court found that the offences Choksi faces in Indiaincluding criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, destruction of evidence, and corruptionare also punishable under Belgian law, fulfilling the dual criminality requirement under international extradition treaties.

India has charged Choksi under several sections of the Indian Penal Code120B, 201, 409, 420, and 477Aand under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The CBI has also cited the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), both of which Belgium has ratified.

The CBI team has visited Belgium three times to submit evidence and hired a European law firm to assist with the extradition proceedings.
Chinas mission to the WTO accused the US of undermining the rules-based multilateral trading system since the new administration took office in 2025 and renewed calls for Washington to adhere to WTO rules.

China has accused the United States of systematically undermining the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and distorting global trade norms through a series of unilateral sanctions, reciprocal tariffs and discriminatory trade measures enacted under President Donald Trumps new administration.

In a statement released on Friday, Chinas mission to the WTO said Washingtons recent actions violate its multilateral commitments and erode the credibility of the global trading system.

The Chinese delegation added that Beijings upcoming commerce ministry report on US trade practices will assess Americas compliance across 11 areas, including tariffs, export controls and technology restrictions.

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According to the Chinese mission, the report aims to renew calls for the United States to abide by WTO rules and join other members in defending the stability and fairness of global economic governance.

Washingtons new tariffs rekindle trade tensions

The accusations come amid a renewed surge in USChina trade tensions as the Trump administration pursues a tougher line on technology and rare earthskey materials used in electric vehicles, semiconductors and defence systems. China also said that Washingtons trade measures erode trust in the multilateral system as tensions escalate over rare earths and technology exports

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent this week defended the administrations new tariff measures, telling NBC News that they were necessary to protect American workers and national security interests. Bessent said the US cannot allow strategic sectors like clean energy and AI to be dominated by a state-subsidised system that doesnt play by the rules.

The United States has also moved to expand sanctions against Chinese technology firms and tighten export restrictions on advanced chips and related equipment, citing national security concerns. In response, Beijing has accused Washington of weaponising trade policy and attempting to decouple the global economy under the guise of economic security.

China calls US approach discriminatory and protectionist

Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang said that the latest US tariffs and sanctions were discriminatory and protectionist, designed to suppress Chinas industrial development rather than promote fair competition. He added that such unilateral actions undermine the foundation of trust upon which the multilateral trading system was built.

Li described the Trump administrations approach as reminiscent of the trade war logic of 20182019 but with sharper tools and broader targets. Beijing, he said, would respond through lawful means within the WTO framework and by strengthening economic ties with partners in Asia, Africa and the Global South.

Rare earths and critical minerals in spotlight

One flashpoint in the latest escalation is rare earth minerals. As NBC News reported, the US has announced new tariffs on imports of Chinese rare earth magnets and signalled plans to reduce dependency on Chinese processing facilities.

In retaliation, China has hinted it may tighten export controls on key minerals such as gallium and graphite, critical for EV batteries and semiconductors. Analysts told CNN that such measures could disrupt global supply chains, given Chinas dominance in refining and processing rare earths, which account for nearly 70% of global output.

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This is not just a trade disputeits a contest for technological leadership and economic leverage, said a Beijing-based trade researcher quoted by Al Jazeera. The WTO is being sidelined and thats a dangerous precedent for global governance.

WTO under pressure as great-power rivalry deepens

The latest standoff adds pressure on the WTO, already struggling to remain relevant in a world increasingly defined by unilateralism and economic nationalism. Trade experts note that both Washington and Beijing have used national security exemptions to justify measures that critics say flout WTO rules.

The US is invoking security arguments too broadly, said a Geneva-based diplomat quoted by Reuters. If every country follows this path, the WTOs rule-based system could collapse.

Trump administration officials, however, insist that current policies are compatible with WTO obligations. Were not undermining the WTOwere saving it from irrelevance, Bessent told NBC News, arguing that the WTO must adapt to the realities of state-capitalist models like Chinas.

A global call for balance

As the worlds two largest economies escalate their trade confrontation, other nations are increasingly caught in the middle. Many developing countries particularly in Africa and Southeast Asia, fear that the fragmentation of the global trading system could derail growth and investment flows.

Globalisation was built on predictability, said a senior ASEAN official quoted by Reuters. What were seeing now is fragmentation and uncertainty driven by the very countries that created the system.
Indias diplomatic tightrope exemplifies sophisticated economic statecraft in a multipolar world, analysts said, adding that the govt must simultaneously safeguard strategic ties with Russia, maintain energy security and secure economic gains through a landmark trade deal with the US.

India is orchestrating a delicate diplomatic and economic balancing act as it seeks to secure a trade deal with the United States while preserving its longstanding strategic partnership with Russia.

The trade negotiations, reportedly focused on reducing US tariffs on Indian goods by up to 50 per cent are unfolding amid intense scrutiny from Washington over Indias continued purchases of Russian oil.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had indicated India would cease buying Russian oil, a central demand from the US. Unlike prior categorical denials, New Delhis response on Thursday was notably cautious. Without explicitly mentioning Trump or Russia, India conveyed that it would increase US oil imports while continuing to secure cost-effective energy supplies.

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India needs the trade deal with the US and it needs energy access at reasonable prices, Ashok Malik, a partner at the Asia Group, told Bloomberg. Economic statecraft would require Indian diplomacy to achieve both. And that is what Indias trying to do.

Indias predicament is intensified by its reliance on Russian crude. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022, India has become a major buyer of discounted Russian oil, which currently constitutes about a third of its overall imports. Analysts note that an abrupt halt in purchases without alternative, economical sources could strain domestic refineries and push up energy costs for consumers.

Despite this, Indian refiners are preparing to scale down Russian oil imports modestly and ramp up purchases of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the US. A senior trade official in New Delhi said India could boost US oil imports by as much as $15 billion, signalling a willingness to align with Washingtons strategic priorities while preserving energy security.

Trump has repeatedly criticised India for buying Russian oil, arguing it helps fund President Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine and undermines Western efforts to isolate Moscow. Yet this week, he adopted a more conciliatory tone, acknowledging that while India may not halt Russian oil purchases immediately, New Delhi could resume them once the conflict ends. The US leader said Modi had given assurances that India would eventually comply with Washingtons requests.

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The strategic calculus extends beyond energy. Indias trade relationship with the US is pivotal, with the country seeking to reduce tariffs of up to 50 per cent on key exports as part of ongoing negotiations. Modi and Trump have held multiple recent discussions on the matter, with a New Delhi delegation currently in Washington exploring the possibility of clinching a deal as early as next month.

The narrative has shifted dramatically from two months ago, when it seemed like the talks had stalled, Shumita Deveshwar, chief economist at GlobalData, told Bloomberg. Theres tangible hope now that a deal will be struck.

For India, the stakes are profound. Maintaining strong ties with Russia is crucial for its defence and strategic interests, given Moscows long-standing role as a supplier of military hardware and technology. At the same time, deepening economic and trade links with the US, Indias largest export market, is essential to sustaining growth and investment flows.

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The Modi government is effectively pursuing dual-track diplomacy, Malik noted. On one hand, it signals cooperation with Washington to secure a beneficial trade deal. On the other, it cautiously preserves energy and strategic partnerships with Russia.

As Indian refiners and policymakers adjust to this complex reality, global observers are attentive. Analysts caution that any misstep could jeopardise either energy security or critical economic gains. For now, Indias approach appears calibrated to preserve equilibrium, buying time to reconcile Washingtons trade ambitions with Moscows strategic importance.

The balancing act is delicate, but it is a pragmatic reflection of Indias geopolitical and economic priorities, said a senior official in New Delhi. The goal is to avoid forcing a choice between two essential partners.

As the New Delhi team continues discussions in Washington, global observers are watching whether India can thread the needle, satisfying Trumps demands while protecting its strategic and economic imperatives. The outcome could reshape global trade patterns and energy flows, reflecting Indias growing influence on the international stage.

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Egyptian FM Abdelatty, in an exclusive conversation with Firstposts Palki Sharma, called India a natural partner in regional security and defence cooperation. He discussed ways to boost bilateral trade, defence collaboration, and green energy investments, as both nations work to deepen ties.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr Badr Abdelatty, while speaking with Firstpost Managing Editor Palki Sharma, discussed strengthening bilateral economic and defence ties and shared visions for a multipolar world. Egyptian FM calls India a natural partner in regional security and defence cooperation.

He emphasised that Egypt is optimistic about the $12 billion trade target with India and is exploring green energy investments as both countries aim to double trade and expand investments in green hydrogen, AI, and Industry 4.0.

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He is in New Delhi for the first strategic dialogue between India and Egypt since the two nations elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership in 2023.

Abdelattys very successful visit

In a wide-ranging conversation with Firstposts Palki Sharma, Dr Abdelatty described his visit as very successful, highlighting the deep historical ties between the two ancient civilisations. Now is the time to build on this strong foundation to look ahead. This visit marks the first strategic dialogue since our leaders agreed to elevate our relationship to a strategic partnership in 2023. I carried a verbal message from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to his close friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.

Opening new horizons in trade and cooperation: Abdelatty

Dr Abdelatty said the dialogue would open new horizons not only politically, but also in trade, investment, and economic cooperation, while deepening consultations on regional and global issues. He added that both countries share objectives in upholding multilateralism, international law, humanitarian principles, and the UN Charter, and agreed on the need to reform the UN Security Council and the global financial architecture.

Bilateral trade ambitions

On India-Egypt trade, he expressed optimism about reaching the ambitious $12 billion target over the next five years. I believe it is absolutely achievablewith strong political will, sincere efforts by the competent authorities, and mutual interest. This is a win-win relationship, he said.

Abdelatty highlighted sectors such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, food security, and manufacturing, as well as new areas like digitalisation, Industry 4.0, AI, and renewable energy.

He said that he also met with CEOs of Indian companies interested in investing in Egypt, particularly in green ammonia and green hydrogen, noting Egypts strategic location as a hub connecting Africa and Europe.

Both nations collaborate: Abdelatty on strengthening defence cooperation

On defence cooperation, Dr Abdelatty called the partnership excellent, citing Indias Defence Ministers visit to Egypt last year and Indias participation with 700 soldiers in the Bright Star exercise alongside around 40 other countries. He said both nations collaborate on training, capacity building, and potential joint manufacturing projects.

Regional security and strategic balancing

Discussing the broader security framework across West Asia and the Indo-Pacific, Dr Abdelatty said Egypt follows President Sisis doctrine of strategic balancing, which emphasises non-interference, respect for sovereignty, and avoidance of military alliances.

We maintain strategic relations with Russia, China, the United States, the European Union, India, Brazil, and South Africa. Our approach is inclusiveopen to cooperation with all, he added. He stressed that security in South Asia, the Indo-Pacific, and the Middle East is interconnected, and that political and diplomatic solutions, rather than military ones, are key to resolving crises.

On regional connectivity, Dr Abdelatty said Egypt fully supports initiatives linking East and West, North and South, leveraging its strategic location and the Suez Canal. We believe in complementarity, not competition. Integrationnot rivalryshould be the goal, he said. However, he emphasised that lasting normalisation in the region depends on resolving the Palestinian question.

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Normalisation is not a substitute for resolving the Palestinian issue

Regarding the ongoing crisis in Gaza, he said, Without a political settlement, no project can progress. President Sisi has been clear, normalisation is not a substitute for resolving the Palestinian issue. Even if Israel normalises ties with all Arab or Muslim countries, peace will not be sustainable without addressing this core issue based on internationally agreed parameters.
Emmanuel Macrons once-dominant political project faces its toughest reckoning yet. As his controversial pension reform deepens Frances social and political divides, analysts say the end of Macronism may be unfolding, exposing the limits of his centrist experiment and reshaping Frances political future. Read here

In 2018, months into his presidency, Emmanuel Macron sat for an interview with Fox News ahead of his first state visit to the United States. When asked whether he might back down on controversial reforms amid domestic pushback, he paused and replied emphatically: No. Chance.

Seven years later, that self-assured defiance seems a distant memory. Facing mounting parliamentary resistance, public anger and dismal approval ratings, Macron has been forced to suspend the only major economic reform of his second term, his landmark pension overhaul. The decision, analysts say, could mark not just a political setback but the symbolic end of Macronism itself.

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A reluctant retreat

For months, Macron resisted opposition calls to shelve the reform, which aimed to raise Frances retirement age further and overhaul its fragmented pension system. But as the countrys worst political crisis in decades deepened, the president conceded, delaying implementation until after the 2027 presidential election.

The retreat was a calculated move to preserve stability. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornus fragile minority government survived two no-confidence votes last week, averting an immediate collapse. But the price was high, both politically and economically. According to Frances national auditors, freezing the reform could create a 13 billion ($15 billion) annual shortfall by 2035 if the measure is not reinstated.

Its a bitter pill to swallow, but we had to swallow it, admitted Macrons party lawmaker Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade. Others in his camp were less forgiving. In our rush to exit the crisis, were sacrificing the only structural reform that truly matters for the future, former minister Olivia Gregoire told Reuters.

The unravelling of Macronism

Macrons climbdown is striking for a leader who built his brand around defying entrenched interests and pushing through reforms where predecessors had faltered. During his first term, he abolished the wealth tax, relaxed labour laws and trimmed housing benefits, earning praise from markets and scorn from unions.

Backing down on the one and only major societal reform since his re-election, if its not a final blow, its at least a clear sign the president has stopped making his mark, Stewart Chau of Verian Research told CNN.

The erosion of his political leverage began after his 2022 re-election, when he lost his parliamentary majority. The pension law, raising the retirement age from 62 to 64  had to be forced through without a vote, triggering mass protests and violent clashes across French cities.

According to BBC News, the move alienated not only left-wing parties but also the centrist and moderate voters who had once been the backbone of Macrons coalition. His failed gamble on early elections in 2024 deepened the crisis, leaving France with a fragmented parliament split between the far-right, the left, and Macrons shrinking centrist bloc.

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The left demands its due

The latest retreat came under pressure from the Socialists, who used their leverage to demand a symbolic concession from Macrons government. The far-right National Rally had already vowed to oppose any government motion, leaving the Socialists in a kingmaker position.

Socialist leader Boris Vallaud told Al Jazeera that his party had made no commitments on the budget, warning that fiscal tightening measures could still face resistance. This uncertainty casts a shadow over Macrons broader reform agenda particularly his efforts to rein in the deficit and defend earlier tax cuts for the wealthy.

Legacy at risk

For Macron, the reversal is more than a policy defeat, its a reputational one. His approval rating has slumped to just 14%, according to Reuters, reflecting a deep public disillusionment with a president once hailed as Frances moderniser-in-chief.

Inside the Elysee, aides privately acknowledge the limits of his domestic ambitions. Pension reforms are never what is put to a presidents credit, one Macron ally told BBC. What we remember presidents for is how they handled crises, rearming Europe, recognising Palestine. Maybe tomorrow therell be other conquests.

Yet, as Frances political paralysis deepens and the economic cost of delay mounts, Macrons vision of a dynamic, reformed France appears to be fading. The man who once declared himself the antidote to stagnation now finds himself trapped by it.

For many in Paris, the question is no longer whether Macron can salvage his presidency but whether Macronism itself has reached its end.

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Israel has accused Hamas of breaching the ceasefire deal by not returning all the bodies, although the US has downplayed the claim

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, DC. File image/Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he is determined to bring back all the remaining dead hostages from Gaza after Hamas declared that it has returned the remains of all the captives it has retrieved, adding that it cannot recover any more bodies without special equipment.

Netanyahus comments came as he addressed a memorial for victims of the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, where he vowed to fight terrorism with full force. Israel has accused Hamas of breaching the ceasefire deal by not returning all the bodies, although the US has downplayed the claim.

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Our fight against terrorism will continue with full force. We will not allow evil to raise its head. We will exact the full price from anyone who harms us, Netanyahu said.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel has asked Netanyahus government to immediately halt the implementation of the ceasefire deal till the 19 bodies are returned.

Will go in and kill Hamas

US President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to go in and kill Hamas if it keeps killing people in Gaza, in an apparent reference to recent shootings of Palestinian civilians following a ceasefire deal with Israel.

If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network.

Trump did not elaborate on what he meant by we. But he said on Wednesday that we wont need the US military to be involved in Gaza.

Fully committed

Meanwhile, Hamas has stressed its commitment to the ceasefire deal with Israel and said it wants to return all the remaining bodies of hostages left in Gaza.

The process of returning the corpses of Israeli prisoners may require some time, as some of these corpses were buried in tunnels destroyed by the occupation, while others remain under the rubble of buildings it bombed and demolished, the Palestinian militant group said.

With inputs from agencies
The United Kingdom and France, in coordination with the United States, are preparing a UN Security Council resolution for the deployment of an international force in the Gaza Strip. They have maintained that the UN mandate would provide a strong legal foundation to the force.

France and Britain, in coordination with the United States, are working to finalise a UN Security Council resolution in the coming days that would lay the foundation for a future international force in Gaza, France said on Thursday.

With a shaky US-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holding, planning has begun for an international force to stabilise security in the Palestinian enclave, two senior US advisers said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters in Paris, French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said such a force needed a UN mandate to provide a strong foundation in international law and ease the process of getting potential contributions from countries.

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France is working closely with its partners on the establishment of such an international mission, which must be formalised through the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution, he said.

Discussions, notably with the Americans and British, are ongoing to propose this resolution in the coming days.

US President Donald Trumps administration is speaking with many countries interested in contributing to the force, a White House official said on Thursday.

We are also in conversations about a potential UN Security Council resolution to support this effort, the White House official said.

Stabilisation force will take some time, says Britain

Paris hosted talks with other European and Arab powers on October 10 to flesh out ideas for Gazas post-war transition, including how an international force could take shape.

Diplomats said the stabilisation force would not be a formal United Nations peacekeeping force paid for by the world body.

Instead, a Security Council resolution could mirror action taken by the 15-member body to back the deployment of an international force to combat armed gangs in Haiti.

That resolution spells out and authorises the mission and states contributing to the force to take all necessary measures code for the use of force to carry out the mandate.

The stabilisation force will take some time, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told parliament on Tuesday. The terms of reference are still being drawn up. There is a United Nations Security Council resolution on the establishment of the force, or I hope there will be, but the wider terms of reference are not yet agreed.

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Indonesia previously offered 20,000 troops

Among the countries the US is speaking to about contributing to the force are Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, and Azerbaijan, the advisers said on condition of anonymity.

There are also currently up to two dozen US troops in the region to help set up the operation, serving in a coordination, oversight role, they said.

Italy has publicly said it was willing to take part.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto told the United Nations General Assembly on September 23 that if there was a UN resolution, Indonesia was prepared to deploy 20,000 or more troops in Gaza to help secure peace.

The 193-member UN General Assembly last month overwhelmingly voted to endorse a declaration that aimed to advance a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, which supports the deployment of a temporary international stabilization mission mandated by the UN Security Council.

(This is an agency story. Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.)
Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, the first Black commander of US Southern Command, led operations across Central and South America and their surrounding waters

Admiral Alvin Holsey was the first Black head of the US Southern Command. Reuters

The US military commander responsible for operations in Latin America will step down as tensions with Venezuela simmer over President Donald Trumps so-called war on drugs and his administrations bid to overthrow the current government in Caracas.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday that Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, the commander of US Southern Command, will retire by the end of 2025 after being at the post for less than a year.

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The surprise announcement comes at a time when Trump said that he is considering striking the Venezuelan land to target drug cartels, potentially expanding the military activity beyond the seas.

Who is Holsey?

Holsey, the first Black commander of US Southern Command, led operations across Central and South America and their surrounding waters. He is the latest senior military official to depart since the beginning of Trumps second term, as a broad national security shake-up continues.

The Southcom team has made lasting contributions to the defence of our nation and will continue to do so. I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe, Holsey had said in a statement.

More leadership changes

Meanwhile, Hegseth has said that he will make more leadership changes in the US military as Trump ramps up his campaign in Venezuela, the one that is backed by recent Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado.

In May, the defence secretary mandated a 20 per cent reduction in four-star generals and a 10 per cent cut across all general and flag officer ranks.

The US military strikes and naval buildup in the Caribbean are widely viewed as an attempt to pressure Venezuelas authoritarian leader, Nicolas Maduro, whom Trump regards as illegitimate and accuses of leading a drug cartel.
Amid the brewing tensions in West Asia, Yemens Houthis announced that their military chief of staff, Mohammed al-Ghamari, was killed in an Israeli attack

Amid the brewing tensions in West Asia, Yemens Houthis announced that their military chief of staff, Mohammed al-Ghamari, was killed in an Israeli attack. While the statement released by the group gave no details about the incident, it noted that Ghamari and his teenage son died during what it described as the honourable battle against the Israeli enemy.

The statement came after the Israeli military carried out rounds of strikes over Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) argued that the strikes were conducted in response to repeated Houthi drone and missile attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping linked to the Gaza war.

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In a separate statement, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Ghamari died of wounds he sustained in an Israeli air strike in Yemens capital Sanaa in late August, which also killed the Houthi governments prime minister and other ministers. Another chief of staff in the line of terror chiefs who aimed to harm us was eliminated, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. We will reach all of them.

Source of pride

The group declared the deaths of its top leaders as a source of pride. The Houthi statement published on Thursday acknowledged that a large number of great martyrs, both civilians and military personnel, were killed during what it called the criminal American-Zionist aggression against the country over the past two years.

The martyred leader, Major General Mohammed Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, along with some of his companions and his martyred son, Hussein, aged 13, ascended as a blessed martyr in the course of his jihadist work and the fulfilment of his religious duty, it added in the statement obtained by the BBC. The group went on to pledge to avenge these deaths.

The rounds of conflict with the enemy have not ended, and the Zionist enemy will receive its deterrent punishment for the crimes it has committed, it warned. In his X post, Katz wrote that Ghamari had joined his thwarted comrades of the Axis of Evil in the depths of hell. We have worked hard against the Houthis to remove significant threats - and we will do so against any threat in the future as well, he added.

It is pertinent to note that the Israeli military has not yet reported any Houthi missile or drone attacks since Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of the ceasefire deal proposed by US President Donald Trump. The Houthis leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, has said the group will remain ready to act against Israel if it fails to comply with the agreement.

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The Department of Homeland Security said that the officer, Radule Bojovic, overstayed his tourist visa, which expired in 2015. Bojovic was encountered during a targeted enforcement action in ICEs immigration-focused operation in Illinois

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents make an arrest during an early morning operation in Park Ridge, Ill., Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. AP file

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested a police officer in Chicago, accusing him of being an undocumented immigrant from Montenegro.

The Department of Homeland Security said that the officer, Radule Bojovic, overstayed his tourist visa, which expired in 2015. Bojovic was encountered during a targeted enforcement action in ICEs immigration-focused operation in Illinois.

Who is Bojovic?

In August, the Hanover Park Police Department announced on Facebook that Bojovic had recently graduated from the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy. The post also noted that he had begun an intensive 15-week field training and evaluation program as he continues his preparation to serve the Hanover Park community.

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The mayor of Hanover Park, Rodney Craig, has said that his office will closely follow Bojovics immigration proceedings. If allowed to stay in the country, Bojovic can return to full active duty at the police department.

I encourage all our residents to gather all the available facts before forming their own opinion as to whether hiring the officer was appropriate. I can tell you with the utmost confidence it was appropriate, Craig said.

He added that the police officer was legally authorised to work in the US before he was hired. Background checks performed by the FBI and Illinois State Police revealed no criminal history. If Officer Bojovic did not hold federal work authorisation, he would not have been hired, the mayor noted.

Violated our nations law

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told CNN, Radule Bojovic violated our nations laws and was living ILLEGALLY in the United States for 10 yearswhat kind of police department gives criminal illegal aliens badges and guns? Its a felony for aliens to even possess a firearm. A law enforcement officer who is actively breaking the law.
In a first, a US strike on a boat said to be carrying drugs has left survivors, according to a US official.

This handout photo released by the US Defence Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) shows the US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely in the Red Sea on June 7, 2024. It is one of the warships deployed towards Venezuela for counternarcotics operations. AFP file

In a first, a US strike on a boat in the Caribbean Sea on Thursday purportedly carrying drugs has left survivors, a US official told Reuters.

Since last month, the US military has struck at least six boats off Venezuelan waters in the Caribbean Sea at the orders of President Donald Trump. At least 27 people were killed in previous five strikes. The toll of the sixth strike on Thursday was not known. The strike has not yet been formally announced.

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The official did not disclose whether the US military delivered aid to those survivors or took them in custody, possibly as prisoners of war, as per Reuters.

While Trump has claimed that all those killed were Venezuelan drug smugglers, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has said one of the boats struck by the US military was Colombian and was carrying Colombian nationals. In another case, a Trinidadian family has said one of its members was likely killed in another strike.

War on drugs on illegal strikes setting stage for attack on Venezuela?

Trump has said that these strikes target narco-terrorists but critics have questioned their legality.

For a long time, the norm had been for law enforcement personnel, such as from the Coast Guard, to intercept suspected drug-carrying boats and arrest persons.

However, Trump has claimed that he has the power to order their summary execution without checking whether these boats actually carry drugs or without checking identities of people whose killings he is ordering.

Trumps strikes on purported drug-carrying boats have come at a time when he has ramped up his campaign against Venezuelan ruler Nicolas Maduro. The United States has destroyed up to seven warships, F-35 fighter planes, a nuclear submarine, and around 6,500 troops in the Caribbean Sea around Venezuela, leading to concerns that he could be planning an armed invasion of the country.

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Trump has raised the bounty on Maduros head to $50 million  double of the bounty that Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden once had. He has said that Maduro has been running a narco-state and is waging a war through drugs on the United States. He has also authorised the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela.

Concerns that Trump could be planning to attack Venezuela have been bolstered by the fact that the US Department of Defense has announced that Caribbean Sea operations would no longer be handled by the Southern Command but by a task force led by II Marine Expeditionary Force, a force capable of rapid overseas operations such as an invasion, according to Reuters.
In an apparent charm offensive to please US President Donald Trump, Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev has proposed building a Trump-Putin tunnel to connect the United States and Russia through the Bering Strait. He also proposed the joint exploration of natural resources.

US President Donald Trump salutes as he walks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac after they arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025. (Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP)

In an apparent charm offensive aimed at pleasing US President Donald Trump, Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev on Friday proposed the construction of a TrumpPutin Tunnel to connect the United States and Russia via the Bering Strait, and to jointly explore natural resources in the region.

The tunnel could be built by The Boring Company, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, according to Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russias RDIF sovereign wealth fund and Vladimir Putins Special Envoy for Investment and Economic Cooperation.

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Dmitrievs proposal came just hours before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys scheduled arrival at the White House for a meeting with Trump, who has recently expressed growing frustration over Russian President Vladimir Putins refusal to agree to a ceasefire in the ongoing war with Ukraine.

During his second term, Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to reset USRussia relations and transform Russia into a political and economic ally. He has suggested that the two nations should collaborate in extracting natural resources such as oil and gas. However, the continuing Russia-Ukraine war has so far prevented such a reset.

Dmitrievs big bitch and bigger challenges

In posts on X, Dmitriev said the proposed TrumpPutin Tunnel and joint resource exploration would symbolise unity between the two nations.

Dmitriev envisioned a 112-kilometre-long rail and cargo link across the Bering Strait, claiming that Musks The Boring Company could complete the project within eight years at a cost of $8 billion.

The dream of a USRussia link via the Bering Strait reflects an enduring vision  from the 1904 SiberiaAlaska railway to Russias 2007 plan. RDIF has studied existing proposals, including the USCanadaRussiaChina railroad, and will support the most viable, Dmitriev said.

The Bering Strait is a narrow waterway separating the continents of Asia and North America, and by extension, Russia and the United States. The US state of Alaska and Russias Chukotka region lie on opposite sides of the strait, which is just 85 kilometres wide at its narrowest point.

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For over 150 years, proposals to link the two sides have surfaced, but construction challenges and doubts over the practicality of such a connection have prevented any from materialising. Both Alaska and eastern Russia are sparsely populated, with limited trade or movement of people to justify such a link.

Moreover, neither side currently has railway infrastructure in the region, meaning hundreds of kilometres of track would need to be built even after the tunnel is completed.

Despite these challenges, Dmitriev remained optimistic, stating that The Boring Companys technology could significantly reduce the projects cost.

Imagine connecting the US and Russia, the Americas and Afro-Eurasia, with the PutinTrump Tunnel  a 70-mile link symbolising unity. Traditional costs exceed $65 billion, but The Boring Companys tech could reduce it to under $8 billion. Lets build a future together, Dmitriev said.

Dmitriev also cited the success of the first-ever RussiaChina railway bridge, adding, The time has come to do more and connect the continents for the first time in human history. The time has come to connect Russia and the US.

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China has expelled its second-ranking military general, He Weidong, and top military official Miao Hua from the Communist Party and the army in an anti-corruption crackdown, the Ministry of National Defence said on Friday. This marks a rare purge at the highest levels of the Peoples Liberation Army.

The fusion-centric warfare that China demonstrated using terrorists, ISI and Pakistan armed forces as a front is a clear demonstration of its cynical prowess. Reuters

In the latest move in the ongoing purge, Chinas second-ranking military general, He Weidong, along with another top military official, Miao Hua, has been expelled from the Communist Party and the army as part of an anti-corruption investigation, the Ministry of National Defence announced on Friday.

He, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and a member of the 24-member Politburo, is the first serving Politburo member to face such a probe.

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Along with him, the armys top political officer, Miao Hua, was expelled for serious violations of discipline and law, the ministry said.

The purge is part of an ongoing anti-corruption campaign targeting the leadership of the Peoples Liberation Army since 2023. He is also the third CMC member to be removed since the current line-up took office in 2022.

The CMC, chaired by President Xi Jinping, is Chinas highest military authority. Of the seven members appointed at the 20th Party Congress in 2022, only four remain: Xi, vice-chairman Zhang Youxia, Liu Zhenli, head of the Joint Staff Department, and Zhang Shengmin, who leads the militarys discipline inspection commission.

Officials said the removals mark a level of turnover in the militarys top ranks not seen in decades.

He Weidongs removal marks the first time a sitting general on the Central Military Commission has been expelled since the Cultural Revolution (19661976). He has not been seen in public since March, and Chinese authorities had not previously disclosed the investigation into his activities.

Defence ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said He, Miao Hua, and seven other senior military officials seriously violated Party discipline and are suspected of serious duty-related crimes involving an extremely large amount of money. The ministry added that their offences were of a grave nature, with extremely detrimental consequences.

He, 68, held a seat on the 24-member Politburo, the Communist Partys second-highest body, making his expulsion significant beyond the military. As one of the two vice-chairmen of the CMC, he was the third-most powerful commander in the Peoples Liberation Army and considered a close associate of President Xi Jinping.

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The announcement came just days before the Communist Partys Central Committee, comprising more than 200 senior officials, is set to hold its Fourth Plenum in Beijing, where further personnel decisions, including expulsions, are expected to be formalised.

Miao Hua had been removed from the Central Military Commission in June, following an investigation into serious violations of discipline that began last November.
India is looking to increase purchases of crude oil and natural gas from the US as it aims to diversify its energy sources, said Trade Secretary Rajesh Agarwal. The move came at a time when Trump had been opposing New Delhis purchase of Russian oil amid the Ukraine war

India said that it is looking to ramp up the purchase of crude oil and natural gas from the US, amid Washingtons dismay over New Delhis purchase of Russian oil. On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told him that India would not buy Russian.

While New Delhi on Thursday rejected the assertion, it noted that India is looking to diversify its energy sources. It is pertinent to note that India is the second biggest buyer of Russian oil after China. Trump cited its purchases from Moscow when he announced 50 per cent tariffs on imports from India in August.

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In the Thursday statement, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that New Delhis priority is to safeguard the interests of Indian consumers in a volatile energy environment. Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy. This includes broad basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions, said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

He mentioned that the Trump administration had shown interest in deepening energy cooperation between the two nations, and talks in this regard are currently underway. Meanwhile, Indias Trade Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said Wednesday that India was willing to increase its purchases of American oil and natural gas if prices were competitive.

Price remains a key contention

While speaking to the reporters, Agarwal said that India has been buying around $12-$13 billion worth of crude oil and gas from the US annually and that there was no room to nearly double that without causing disruptions for Indian refiners.

A team of Indian government officials was visiting the US to discuss a bilateral trade agreement that includes energy cooperation, Agarwal averred. In discussions we are in, we have indicated very positively that India as a country would like to diversify its portfolio as far as energy imports are concerned. Thats the best strategy for a big buyer like India, he said.

The tension between India and the US is coming at a time when Trump has been frustrated by his inability to force an end to the war in Ukraine, which began with Russias invasion almost four years ago. Hes expressed dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he increasingly describes as the primary obstacle to a resolution, and hes scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.

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In recent weeks, PM Modi has engaged positively with Trumps social media posts. He recently congratulated the American leader after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first part of his ceasefire deal, suggesting New Delhi is keen to expand cooperation with the US. In turn, Trump called Modi his friend and wished him well on his birthday last month.

With inputs from the Associated Press.
India has urged Bangladesh take necessary measures to uphold the sanctity of the International Boundary after three Bangladeshi smugglers, who entered illegally, were killed in a clash with villagers in Tripuras Khowai earlier this week.

India on Friday (October 17, 2025) urged Bangladesh to uphold the sanctity of the International Boundary after three Bangladeshi smugglers, who had entered illegally, were killed in a clash with Indian villagers in Tripuras Khowai district earlier this week.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India remains committed to maintaining peace along the border. We expect the Bangladesh authorities to take necessary measures to uphold the sanctity of the International Boundary, he said.

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Jaiswal also emphasised that Dhaka should support fencing efforts along the border to help prevent cross-border crimes and smuggling.

The MEA said the three men had crossed the border illegally and attempted to steal cattle from Bidyabil village.

The Bangladeshi nationals allegedly attacked local villagers with sharp weapons, injuring several and killing one. As more villagers gathered and fought back, two of the attackers were killed on the spot, while the third died in hospital the next day. The ministry added that the bodies of all three had been handed over to Bangladesh, and police have registered a case.

Bangladesh lodges protest, calls it heinous act

In response, Dhaka condemned the incident, calling it a heinous act and a grave violation of human rights and the rule of law.

In a statement, Bangladeshs Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, The Government of Bangladesh strongly protests and condemns the brutal beating and killing of three Bangladeshi citizens by a mob in Tripura, India, on 15 October 2025.
Bolton, the third Trump foe to be hit with criminal charges in recent weeks, was indicted on Thursday and accused of sharing classified files by email with two unauthorized individuals who are not identified but are believed to be his wife and daughter.

National Security Advisor John Bolton speaks to Fox News outside the White House May 1, 2019, in Washington, DC.

John Bolton, who served as Donald Trumps national security advisor before becoming an outspoken critic of the US president, pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges of mishandling classified information.

The 76-year-old veteran diplomat entered the not guilty plea to 18 counts of transmitting and retaining top secret national defence information at a court hearing in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Bolton was released on his own recognizance by Magistrate Judge Timothy Sullivan, who set the next hearing date for November 21.

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Bolton, the third Trump foe to be hit with criminal charges in recent weeks, was indicted on Thursday and accused of sharing classified files by email with two unauthorized individuals who are not identified but are believed to be his wife and daughter.

The Justice Department said the documents revealed intelligence about future attacks, foreign adversaries, and foreign policy relations.

Each of the counts carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Bolton did not speak to reporters at the Greenbelt courthouse on Friday but he rejected the charges in a statement on Thursday, saying he had become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department.

Boltons indictment follows the filing of criminal charges by the Trump Justice Department against two other prominent critics of the Republican president  New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI director James Comey.

James, 66, was indicted in Virginia on October 9 on charges of bank fraud and making false statements related to a property she purchased in 2020 in Norfolk, Virginia.

James, who successfully prosecuted Trump for financial fraud, has rejected the charges as baseless and political retribution.

Comey, 64, pleaded not guilty on October 8 to charges of making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding.

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His lawyer has said he will seek to have the case thrown out on the grounds it is a vindictive and selective prosecution.

- Unfit to be president -

Trump recently publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi in a social media post to take action against James, Comey and others he sees as enemies, in an escalation of his campaign against political opponents.

Trump did not specifically mention Bolton in the Truth Social post, but he has lashed out at his former aide in the past and withdrew his security detail shortly after returning to the White House in January.

Trump called Bolton a bad guy on Thursday.

Bolton served as Trumps national security advisor in his first term and later angered the administration with the publication of a highly critical book, The Room Where It Happened.

He frequently appears on television news shows and in print to condemn the man he has called unfit to be president.

Since January, Trump has taken a number of punitive measures against perceived enemies, purging government officials he deemed to be disloyal, targeting law firms involved in past cases against him and pulling federal funding from universities.

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The cases against James and Comey were filed by Trumps handpicked US attorney, Lindsey Halligan, after the previous federal prosecutor resigned, saying there was not enough evidence to charge them.

Appointed to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation by then-president Barack Obama in 2013, Comey was fired by Trump in 2017 amid the probe into whether any members of the Trump presidential campaign had colluded with Moscow to sway the 2016 election.
In addition to around 15,000 soldiers and artillery supplies, North Korea has been providing illegal cluster munitions to Russia that are being used in the war in Ukraine, according to an investigation.

Ukrainian soldiers fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions near Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on March 7, 2023. (Representative Photo, Credit: AP/Libkos)

In addition to soldiers and artillery supplies, it has emerged that North Korea has been providing illegal cluster munitions to Russia for its war on Ukraine.

Investigators from the Conflict Armament Research (CAR), a British weapons research group, have found that Russia has been using North Korea cluster munitions in its drones that are modified versions of American munitions first used in the 1990s.

Cluster munitions are weapons that contain smaller sub-munitions inside them called bomblets that are dispersed in the air. A cluster munition may contain dozens to hundreds of bomblets that are dispersed over a wide area, sometimes as large as thousands of square metres. Each bomblet explodes on impact. Such munitions are banned under international law but several major powers, such as the United States, Russia, Ukraine, and India, have rejected the ban.

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Investigators from the CAR found that Russia had used North Korean cluster munitions in its drones used to attack Kherson as early as last month.

On 10 October 2025, a CAR field team in Ukraine physically documented a modified North Korean submunition that was recovered following an attack on the port city of Kherson on 23 September 2025.  (1/5) pic.twitter.com/4la40LYs9e  CAR (@conflictarm) October 16, 2025

Such a partnership between Russia and North Korea has not been previously reported.

Along with China, North Korea has emerged as the principal supporter of Russia in the war on Ukraine. Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has provided around 15,000 soldiers that fought on the frontlines in key battles to Russia. He also supplied artillery pieces, missiles, and artillery shells to Russia, with some estimates saying that North Korea has consistently supplied around half of Russias artillery requirement in the war.

North Korea builds upon US munitions to help Russia

Bomblets in North Korean cluster munitions appear to be a copy of an American munition, the M42 Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition, that was first used in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Damien Spleeters of CAR told The New York Times.

In its report, the CAR said that the North Korean munition appears to be used in both anti-personnel and anti-armour roles.

Among the many modifications, the North Koreans removed the arming and stabilisation ribbon mechanism and replaced it with a 3D-printed detonator holder and added an electric detonator, according to the report.

The usage of 3D-printed parts suggests that weapon-makers are improvising in the lack of proper suppliers, resorting to ingenious ways to secure supplies.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have extended their 48-hour ceasefire until peace talks in Doha conclude. The truce aims to halt border clashes that killed dozens and ensure a stable environment for negotiations.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to extend their 48-hour ceasefire until the conclusion of planned peace talks in Doha, officials confirmed on Friday.

A Pakistani delegation has already arrived in the Qatari capital, while the Afghan delegation is expected to reach Doha on Saturday, according to three Pakistani security officials and one Afghan Taliban source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The temporary truce, first established on Wednesday, had paused several days of intense fighting along the border that left dozens dead and hundreds injured. The extension aims to provide a stable environment for diplomatic engagement and reduce civilian casualties as both sides prepare for negotiations.

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Earlier today, as the 48-hour truce between Pakistan and Afghanistan inches closer to the end, the countrys Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, said that he is ready to hold talks with the Taliban. The Pakistani premier maintained that he is willing to have a peaceful resolution of the conflict on reasonable terms, and the ball is now in Afghanistans court.

The remarks from Sharif came during his address at the federal cabinet meeting on Thursday, Geo News reported. Sharif made it clear that it is for the Taliban to decide if they want a permanent ceasefire. However, during the meeting, Sharif repeated his minister Khwaja Asifs rhetoric, claiming that the Taliban regime carried out the recent attack on Pakistan at Indias behest.

He pointed out that the attack came when Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was on a visit to India, without delivering any evidence of the accusation. Interestingly, the fight between the two nations escalated when Pakistan conducted two strikes in Kabul, prompting the Taliban to take what they called retaliatory measures.

With inputs from agencies
Russian leader Vladimir Putins history rant at the Alaska Summit and rejection of ceasefire proposals nudged US President Donald Trump closer to Ukraine and adopt a relatively harsher stance towards Russia, according to a report.

US President Donald Trump walks to shake the hand of Russian President Vladimir Putin during a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, on August 15, 2025. (Photo: AP)

Vladimir Putins history rant at the Alaska Summit and rejection of ceasefire proposals nudged US President Donald Trump closer to Ukraine and adopt a relatively harsher stance towards Russia, according to Financial Times.

Trump hosted Putin at Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15 to strike a deal to end the Russian war on Ukraine. But the summit did not result in any deal.

Instead, Putin rejected Trumps offer of sanctions relief in exchange for a ceasefire and stressed that he would only end the war if Ukraine capitulated and ceded more territory in the Donbas region in the countrys east, as per the FT.

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ALSO READ: Did Putin outplay Trump at Alaska summit? What Russias response to peace proposals tells us

While Trump and Putin greeted warmly on the tarmac and travelled to the venue together in the US presidential car Beast, the newspaper reported that the warmth disappeared as soon as the two leaders began the meeting with a small group of officials behind closed doors.

What particularly pushed Trump to the edge was Putins rambling history lesson that justified the war on Ukraine, the report said.

In the weeks since the Alaska Summit, Trump has increasingly shown frustration over Putins refusal to agree to a ceasefire. He has also agreed to sell more weapons to Ukraine and US intelligence agencies have been reportedly helping Ukraine in its campaign of strikes deep inside Russia on critical infrastructure.

Trump wanted a peace deal but Putin delivered history lessons

The FT reported that Putin rambled about Russias medieval history and talked of Rurik of Novgorod, Yaroslav the Wise, and Cossack chieftain Bohdan Khmelnytsky  figures he has often cited to make his point that Russia and Ukraine are essentially one nation and Ukraine should not be a sovereign state.

Taken aback at the history lesson, Trump raised his voice several times and at one point threatened to walk out, people aware of the matter told the newspaper.

Eventually, Trump cut the meeting short and cancelled a scheduled lunch after the meeting where broader delegation-level talks would have taken place. Those talks would have been aimed at boosting US-Russia trade and economic ties.

ALSO READ: Is Trump giving Putin reasons to believe hes weak? Russia expert explains Ukraine U-turns

The newspaper described the Alaska Summit as a nadir in the Trump-Putin relationship that set off a US shift to the benefit of Ukraine.

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The newspaper reported that Trumps perception that Putin would be willing to make territorial concessions in a deal were based on misconceptions. The report said that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, had misunderstood Putins terms in a meeting with the Russian leader in Moscow earlier that month.

He [Wifkoff] misunderstood everything Putin said about what the summit was going to be about, a person briefed on the talks told FT.
The meeting also focused on strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries, ahead of Brazilian President Lulas scheduled visit to India in February

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during a meeting with Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Defence Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro Filho in New Delhi on Wednesday. ANI

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday thanked Brazil for its solidarity following the Pahalgam terror attack as he held talks with Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Defence Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro Filho in New Delhi to advance bilateral defence cooperation.

#WATCH | Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh meets Brazilian Vice President, Geraldo Alckmin and Defence Minister of Brazil, Jose Mucio Monteiro Filho



Defence Minister Singh says, "Our leaders have jointly prioritised defence and security cooperation as one of the five pillars pic.twitter.com/uOnzxyXNcZ  ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2025

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Let me also avail this opportunity to express our deep appreciation for the support and solidarity expressed by the Brazilian President after the dastardly terror attack on innocent civilians at Pahalgam in April this year, ANI quoted Singh as saying during the meeting, which focused on reviewing the existing defence partnership and exploring new areas of collaboration.

Singh highlighted the shared values and global aspirations of the two countries, saying, As two large democracies and growing major economies, we have common interests and aspirations to play a larger role in international governance and economic architecture our defence and security partnership can contribute in furthering international peace and security.

Singh also called for enhanced cooperation in military training, defence technology, and industrial partnerships, framing the talks as a significant opportunity to strengthen strategic ties.

Brazilian Vice President Alckmin, who is on an official visit to India, announced that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva would visit New Delhi next year in February, further reinforcing the momentum in bilateral ties.

#WATCH | Delhi: During his meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Brazilian Vice President, Geraldo Alckmin says, "...At the beginning of next year, precisely in February, President Lula will pay a visit to India."



"I would like to say it is really a satisfaction and an pic.twitter.com/OLYgM7dGeX  ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2025

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We were very happy to receive Prime Minister Modi back in July 2024 in Brazil. At the beginning of next year, precisely in February, President Lula will pay a visit to India, Alckmin said, while recalling the long-standing relationship of trust and partnership between the two countries.

He also confirmed the signing of a new presidential decree to prevent double taxation and promote reciprocal investments, signalling broader economic cooperation alongside defence engagement.

During the meeting, Brazilian Defence Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro Filho said Brazil is seeking to expand its defence and space cooperation with India, with a key agreement on defence industry collaboration currently in the final stages.

#WATCH | Delhi: During his meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister of Brazil, Jose Mucio Monteiro Filho, says, "...The recent memorandum of understanding on the defence industry is currently in the process of being signed, which seeks to expand collaboration pic.twitter.com/ZMSvTuNjqv  ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2025

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The recent memorandum of understanding on the defence industry is currently in the process of being signed, which seeks to expand collaboration in the development, production and trade of defence products, said Filho

He added that the upcoming Brazil-India Defence Industry Dialogue  scheduled to take place in the Brazilian city of Santos from November 24 to 28  would provide another platform to strengthen bilateral ties in the sector.

The Brazil-India defence industry dialogue will be another opportunity to consolidate and expand this exchange, approaching or putting our industry bases in the area of defence together and promoting partnerships in research, maintenance and co-production, he said.

On space cooperation, Filho praised Indias expertise and ongoing collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), noting the success of the joint satellite launch as a foundation for future work.

In the space domain, Brazil recognises the vast expertise of India. The collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, opens up perspectives for the development of space technologies and the use of launch centres in Brazil in future joint missions, he said.

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The launch of the Amazonia 1 satellite in the Indian territory is a milestone of this fruitful partnership that we wish to expand, he added.

With inputs from agencies
As the 48-hour truce between Pakistan and Afghanistan inches closer to the end, the countrys Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, said that he is ready to hold talks with the Taliban.

Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif waits for his meeting with President Donald Trump, in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, in Washington. AP

As the 48-hour truce between Pakistan and Afghanistan inches closer to the end, the countrys Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, said that he is ready to hold talks with the Taliban. The Pakistani premier maintained that he is willing to have a peaceful resolution of the conflict on reasonable terms, and the ball is now in Afghanistans court.

The remarks from Sharif came during his address at the federal cabinet meeting on Thursday, Geo News reported. Sharif made it clear that it is for the Taliban to decide if they want a permanent ceasefire. However, during the meeting, Sharif repeated his minister Khwaja Asif's rhetoric, claiming that the Taliban regime carried out the recent attack on Pakistan at Indias behest.

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He pointed out that the attack came when Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was on a visit to India, without delivering any evidence of the accusation. Interestingly, the fight between the two nations escalated when Pakistan conducted two strikes in Kabul, prompting the Taliban to take what they called retaliatory measures.

During the Thursday cabinet meeting, Sharif said: Unfortunately, despite all efforts, [the Taliban regime in] Afghanistan did not prioritise peace and adopted the path of aggression.

India reaffirms support for Afghanistan

Amid the chaos, India reaffirmed support for Afghanistan, accusing Pakistan of harbouring terrorism. While speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India is closely monitoring the situation, emphasising that three things are clear."

He went on to accuse Pakistan of hosting terrorist organisations, blaming its neighbours for internal failures, and being angered by Afghanistan asserting sovereignty over its own territory. He maintained that India will continue to remain fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan.

Several international players, like the United Nations and China, have been calling for a lasting ceasefire between the two nations. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan welcomed the ceasefire and said it was still assessing the number of casualties. It said the heaviest toll was in the south on Wednesday.

Current information indicates that at least 17 civilians were killed and 346 were injured in Spin Boldak on the Afghan side of the border, the UN mission said. UNAMA calls on all parties to bring a lasting end to hostilities to protect civilians and prevent further loss of life, the mission added.

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The 48-hour deadline is scheduled to end on Friday, 6 pm (local time). It remains unclear what will happen afterwards.
Zelenskyy claimed that Russia had fired over 300 drones and 37 missiles at Ukraine overnight, accusing Moscow of deploying cluster munitions and conducting repeated strikes on the same target to hit emergency crews and engineers working to repair the grid

Most parts of Ukraine witnessed blackouts after Russias drone barrage crippled the countrys energy infrastructure. The attack comes ahead of President Volodymyr Zelenskyys meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday.

Eight Ukrainian regions experienced blackouts after the barrage, Ukraines national energy operator, Ukrenergo, said. DTEK, the countrys largest private energy company, reported outages in the capital, Kyiv, and said it had to stop its natural gas extraction in the central Poltava region due to the strikes.

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Zelenskyy claimed that Russia had fired over 300 drones and 37 missiles at Ukraine overnight, accusing Moscow of deploying cluster munitions and conducting repeated strikes on the same target to hit emergency crews and engineers working to repair the grid.

This fall, the Russians are using every single day to strike our energy infrastructure, Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has also been conducting airstrikes against oil refineries and related infrastructure that are crucial for Russias economy and war effort. Ukraines general staff said Thursday that its forces struck the Saratov oil refinery, in the Russian region of the same name, for the second time in two months. The facility is located some 300 miles from the Ukrainian border.

Trump talks to Putin

On Thursday, Trump said he had a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, just a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet the US president.

I am speaking to President Putin now. The conversation is ongoing, a lengthy one, and I will report the contents, as will President Putin, at its conclusion. Thank you for your attention to this matter! Trump said on his Truth Social network.

The US president said he would meet Putin in Hungary by the end of this month, with Trump administration officials already making arrangements for such a meeting.

The Kremlin welcomed the extremely frank and trustful call and said it was immediately preparing for the summit.

I believe great progress was made with todays telephone conversation, Trump said on his Truth Social network, saying he and Putin would meet to see if we can bring this inglorious War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end.

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With inputs from agencies
Trump plans to meet Putin in Budapest to advance peace in Ukraine following the Gaza ceasefire. US officials are preparing talks, while Trump considers supplying Kyiv long-range Tomahawk missiles to pressure Moscow into direct negotiations.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, in a bid to end the war in Ukraine. No specific date has been set, but Trump described the initiative as building on great progress made during a recent phone conversation with Putin.

The announcement comes as Trump positions himself as a mediator on two of the worlds most intractable conflicts. Fresh from brokering a fragile ceasefire and hostage arrangement in Gaza, he is now turning his focus to Europes largest armed conflict since World War II. Interestingly, we made progress today, because of whats happened in the Middle East, Trump said Wednesday evening while addressing supporters.

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Ahead of the planned meeting with Putin, US officials, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will hold discussions with Russian representatives next week, although the location of that meeting has yet to be confirmed. These preparatory talks aim to lay the groundwork for a potential breakthrough in a conflict entering its fourth year.

Trump has indicated that he is considering providing Kyiv with long-range Tomahawk missiles, which would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly pressed for these weapons, arguing they would create operational pressure on Moscow and incentivise direct negotiations.

Trump previously signalled this approach during his trip to Israel, telling reporters, Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I dont think so. I think I might speak to Russia about that.

While ending the wars in Gaza and Ukraine has been central to Trumps 2024 reelection campaign, he has so far faced the same diplomatic impasses as his predecessors, with Putin reluctant to engage in direct talks with Zelenskyy. Nevertheless, the recent Gaza truce has emboldened Trump, who is now signalling readiness to increase pressure on Russia should the talks stall.

Earlier this week in Jerusalem, Trump also highlighted the broader strategic context, suggesting that the Gaza ceasefire could pave the way for improved relations between Israel and its Middle Eastern neighbours. Yet he made clear that ending the Ukraine conflict remains his top foreign policy priority. First we have to get Russia done, he said, turning to his special envoy Steve Witkoff, who has also served as his chief interlocutor with Moscow.

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Trumps planned engagement in Budapest highlighted the U.S. administrations continuing effort to leverage West Asian diplomacy into progress on European security.

Trump weighs Tomahawks for Ukraine

Trump is set to host Zelenskyy for talks Friday, their fourth face-to-face meeting this year.

Ahead of the meeting, Trump has said hes weighing selling Kyiv long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. Putin has made clear that providing Ukraine with Tomahawks would cross a red line and further damage relations between Moscow and Washington.

But Trump has been undeterred.

Hed like to have Tomahawks, Trump said of Zelenskyy on Tuesday. We have a lot of Tomahawks.

Agreeing to sell Ukraine Tomahawks would be a splashy move, said Mark Montgomery, an analyst at the conservative Foundation for Defence of Democracies in Washington. But it could take years to supply and train Kyiv on the Tomahawk system.

Montgomery said Ukraine could be better served in the near term with a surge of Extended Range Attack Munition, or ERAM, missiles and Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS. The U.S. already approved the sale of up to 3,350 ERAMs to Kyiv earlier this year.

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The Tomahawk, with a range of about 995 miles (1,600 kilometers), would allow Ukraine to strike far deeper in Russian territory than either the ERAM (about 285 miles, or 460 km) or ATACMS (about 186 miles, or 300 kilometers).

To provide Tomahawks is as much a political decision as it is a military decision, Montgomery said. The ERAM is shorter range, but this can help them put pressure on Russia operationally, on their logistics, the command and control, and its force disbursement within several hundred kilometers of the front line. It can be very effective.

Signs of White House interest in new Russia sanctions

Zelenskyy is expected to reiterate his plea to Trump to hit Russias economy with further sanctions, something the Republican, to date, has appeared reluctant to do.

Congress has weighed legislation that would lead to tougher sanctions on Moscow, but Trump has largely focused his attention on pressuring NATO members and other allies to cut off their purchases of Russian oil, the engine fuelling Moscows war machine. To that end, Trump said Wednesday that India, which became one of Russias biggest crude buyers after the Ukraine invasion, had agreed to stop buying oil from Moscow.

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Waiting for Trumps blessing is legislation in the Senate that would impose steep tariffs on countries that purchase Russias oil, gas, uranium and other exports in an attempt to cripple Moscow economically.

Though the president hasnt formally endorsed it  and Republican leaders do not plan to move forward without his support  the White House has shown, behind the scenes, more interest in the bill in recent weeks.

Administration officials have gone through the legislation in depth, offering line edits and requesting technical changes, according to two officials with knowledge of the discussions between the White House and the Senate. That has been interpreted on Capitol Hill as a sign that Trump is getting more serious about the legislation, sponsored by close ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., along with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

A White House official said the administration is working with lawmakers to make sure that introduced bills advance the presidents foreign policy objectives and authorities. The official, who was granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations, said any sanctions package needs to give the president complete flexibility.

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday the administration is waiting for greater buy-in from Europe, which he noted faces a bigger threat from Russian aggression than the US does.

So all I hear from the Europeans is that Putin is coming to Warsaw, Bessent said. There are very few things in life Im sure about. Im sure hes not coming to Boston. So, we will respond  if our European partners will join us.

With inputs from agencies
Pakistan launched airstrikes in a border province of Afghanistan, shattering a fragile ceasefire that had brought two days of relative calm to the frontier. Earlier in the day, both nations had agreed to extend their 48-hour truce until peace talks in Doha concluded.

Afghan residents stand next to a damaged road in Kabul on October 16, 2025, a day after an airstrike during cross-border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan.- AFP

Pakistan launched fresh strikes on Afghan soil late Friday, killing at least 10 people and breaking a ceasefire that had brought two days of calm to the border, AFP reported.

Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika province, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Afghanistan will retaliate.

Pakistan launched strikes on Afghan soil late Friday, killing at least 10 people and breaking a ceasefire that had brought two days of calm to the border, officials told AFP.

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The development came after as earlier today, both the countries agreed to extend their 48-hour ceasefire until the conclusion of planned peace talks in Doha.

A Pakistani delegation has already arrived in the Qatari capital, while the Afghan delegation is expected to reach Doha on Saturday, according to three Pakistani security officials and one Afghan Taliban source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The temporary truce, first established on Wednesday, had paused several days of intense fighting along the border that left dozens dead and hundreds injured.

Pak can no longer afford relations with Afghanistan: Defence Minister Asif

Meanwhile, Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Friday Pakistan can no longer afford relations with Afghanistan as in the past, as he threatened to extract a heavy price from wherever terrorism originated against his country.

Pakistan can no longer afford to maintain relations with Kabul as it did in the past, Asif said in a social media post.

All Afghans residing on Pakistani soil must return to their homeland; they now have their own government/caliphate in KabulOur land and resources belong to 250 million Pakistanis," he said.

Self-respecting nations do not thrive on foreign land and resources, he said.

Asif said that despite Pakistans efforts and sacrifices over five years, there has been no positive response from Kabul. Pakistan issued 836 protest notes to the Afghan side and another 13 demarches, he said.

He threatened to extract a heavy price from wherever terrorism originated against Pakistan.

There will no longer be protest notes or appeals for peace; no delegations will go to Kabul. Wherever the source of terrorism lies, it will have to pay a heavy price, he warned.

Asif also alleged that Afghanistan has become a proxy of India and is conspiring against Pakistan along with New Delhi and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

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The rulers of Kabul, who are now sitting in Indias lap and conspiring against Pakistan, were once under our protection, hiding on our land, he said.

Asif reaffirmed Pakistans readiness and capability to defend itself in the face of further aggression from Kabul.

With inputs from agencies
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Donald Trump at the White House on Friday to push the US leader for long-range Tomahawk missiles that can strike deep inside Russia.

President Donald Trump, left, gestures as he greets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

US President Donald Trump suggested Friday it would be premature to give Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, saying as he hosted Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he hoped to secure peace with Russia first.

Zelenskyy arrived with top aides to discuss the latest developments over a working lunch, a day after Trump held a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the conflict in Ukraine.

The meeting comes a day after Trump announced a fresh summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin  and cast doubt on giving Kyiv the powerful cruise missiles.

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Hopefully they wont need it. Hopefully well be able to get the war over with without thinking about Tomahawks, Trump told journalists as the two leaders met at the White House.

Ukraine has been lobbying Washington for Tomahawks for weeks, arguing that they could help put pressure on Russia to end its brutal three-and-a-half year war.

Trump added that he was confident of getting Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war following a phone call with President Putin a day earlier.

The US and Russian presidents agreed on Thursday to a new summit in the Hungarian capital Budapest, which would be their first since an August meeting in Alaska that failed to produce any kind of peace deal.

I think that President Putin wants to end the war, Trump said.

But Zelensky, who wore a dark suit for his third meeting with Trump in Washington since the US presidents return to power, demurred, saying that Putin was not ready for peace.

Ukraine has been lobbying Washington for Tomahawks for weeks, arguing that the missiles could help put pressure on Russia to end its brutal three-and-a-half year invasion.

But on the eve of Zelenskys visit, Putin warned Trump in a call against delivering the weapons, saying it could escalate the war and jeopardize peace talks.

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Trump said the United States had to be careful to not deplete its own supplies of Tomahawks, which have a range of over 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles).

Trump also said he would meet with Putin in Hungary within two weeks or so to discuss the war in Ukraine.

Welcoming Zelenskyy outside the West Wing, Trump greeted the Ukrainian president before the start of the working lunch. Invited to speak first, Zelenskyy congratulated Trump on the Gaza ceasefire.

Congratulations with your successful ceasefire in the Middle East. I think this is momentum to finish Russias war against Ukraine, Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy added that Russian President Putin is not ready for peace but expressed confidence that with US support, the war can be ended. Im confident, with your help, we can stop this war, he said.

Many questions

Diplomatic talks on ending Russias invasion have stalled since the Alaska summit.

Ukraine had hoped Zelenskys trip would add more pressure on Putin, especially by getting Tomahawks, which have a range of over 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles).

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But Trump, who once said he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, appears set on pursuing a new diplomatic breakthrough to follow the Gaza ceasefire deal that he brokered last week.

The Kremlin said Friday that many questions needed resolving before Putin and Trump could meet, including who would be on each negotiating team.

But it appeared to brush off suggestions Putin would have difficulty flying over European airspace.

Hungary said Friday it would ensure Putin could enter and hold successful talks with the US despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes.

Budapest is the only suitable place in Europe for a USARussia peace summit, Hungarian President Viktor Orban said on X on Friday.

Trump frustration

Zelenskys visit to Washington, Ukraines main military backer, will be his third since Trump returned to office.

During this time, Trumps position on the Ukraine war has shifted dramatically back and forth.

At the start of his term, Trump and Putin reached out to each other as the US leader derided Zelensky as a dictator without elections.

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Tensions came to a head in February, when Trump accused his Ukrainian counterpart of not having the cards in a bombshell televised meeting at the Oval Office.

Relations between the two have since warmed as Trump has expressed growing frustration with Putin.

But Trump has kept a channel of dialogue open with Putin, saying that they get along. The US leader has repeatedly changed his position on sanctions and other steps against Russia following calls with the Russian president.

Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a special military operation to demilitarize the country and prevent the expansion of NATO.

Kyiv and its European allies say the war is an illegal land grab that has resulted in tens of thousands of civilian and military casualties and widespread destruction.

Russia now occupies around a fifth of Ukrainian territory  much of it ravaged by fighting. On Friday the Russian defense ministry announced it had captured three villages in Ukraines Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions.

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With inputs from agencies
Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Friday said US President Donald Trump misplaced his hand with India by imposing tariffs.

US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are pictured in a mirror as they attend a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, DC, US, February 13, 2025. File Image/Reuters

Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Friday (October 17) that US President Donald Trump misplaced his hand with India by imposing tariffs.

Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2025, Abbott said the 21st century belongs to India, and decades from now, whichever leader heads the country could take the mantle of leader of the free world from the US president.

Abbott analysed Indias relations with the US, China, and Pakistan, saying only Delhi can check Beijings ambitions to dominate the world. They want to be a hegemonic power and this spells trouble for all of Chinas neighbours, as well as the world, he said. He added that India has three major advantagesdemocracy, the rule of law, and the English languageas it prepares for the economic and military rise China achieved decades ago.

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I am a supporter of President Trump, but I think he misplayed his hand with India recently when he imposed those punitive tariffs, particularly given there are other countries that are cheating here, especially China, that didnt get the same kind of treatment, Abbott said. He described the move as a serious setback but hoped it would be temporary and could be remedied very quickly.

Abbott also criticised the US for its historic tilt towards Pakistan. He said Americas core interests are better served by maintaining a strong partnership with India. One of the big mistakes that America made during the Cold War was consistently tilting towards Pakistan, a military dictatorship, as opposed to India, a liberal democracy, he said.

The US recently imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, including a 25% penalty on Russian energy purchases, citing concerns that such transactions fund Moscows war in Ukraine. India has maintained that its energy purchases are guided by market forces and national security needs, not geopolitical alignment.

Abbotts comments come after Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him India would stop buying Russian oil, a claim India denied.
The phone call is taking place one day before Zelenskyy is due to meet Trump at the White House

Donald Trump said on Thursday that he had a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, just a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet the US president.

I am speaking to President Putin now. The conversation is ongoing, a lengthy one, and I will report the contents, as will President Putin, at its conclusion. Thank you for your attention to this matter! Trump said on his Truth Social network.

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Trump and Putin last met at a summit in Alaska in Augusttheir first meeting since Trumps re-election. The event was promoted as a potential move toward peace in Ukraine, following Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022.

With global media watching, the leaders held private talks, rolled out red-carpet ceremonies, and took part in a rare joint press conference.

However, the meeting ended without any significant progress.

The call between Trump and Putin comes just a day before Zelenskyy is set to meet the US president at the White House.

Zelenskyy is expected to urge the US to supply long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to aid Ukraines defence against Russian forces.

Earlier this week, Trump hinted that he might support sending the missiles, which have a range of 2,500 kmenough to reach Moscow from Ukraine. This marks Zelenskyys third visit to Washington since January.
Trump said the tariffs imposed on China were not sustainable as trade tensions rise ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He confirmed the two leaders will meet in two weeks, hinting at a possible thaw

The latest escalation follows Chinas move last week to impose export restrictions on rare earth minerals, a sector in which it holds dominant global control. (File Photo: Reuters)

US President Donald Trump has said that the tariffs imposed on China were not sustainable, even as tensions between Washington and Beijing rise ahead of his expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks.

Days after claiming there was no reason to meet Xi, Trump confirmed that the meeting will take place, signalling a possible easing in trade tensions between the two countries.

Trump, who last week announced a 100 per cent tariff on all Chinese imports, acknowledged in an interview with Fox Business that such a move could not last indefinitely.

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Its not sustainable, he said, when asked about the tariff measures both nations have imposed this year. But thats what the number isit could stand, but they forced me to do that.

He added that he expected things with China to be fine after his meeting with Xi.

China is always looking for an edge

China is always looking for an edge, Trump said during the interview. I dont know whats going to happen. Well see what happens.

The trade dispute between the two nations has pushed US import taxes on Chinese goods to as high as 145 per cent, sparking concerns of a global economic slowdown.

Although both sides agreed to several 90-day truces, the latest one is set to expire on 10 November unless extended.

We have to have a fair deal

Last week, Trump threatened to impose additional tariffs by 1 November and even considered cancelling the planned meeting with Xi, which is expected to take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea later this month.

I get along great with him, Trump said of Xi. I think were going to be fine with China, but we have to have a fair deal. Its got to be fair.

When asked about the possibility of a trade war with China if a deal isnt reached, Trump said, Well, youre in one now. We have a 100 per cent tariff. If we didnt have tariffs, we would be exposed as being a nothing.
Turkey has deployed dozens of disaster relief specialists to help search for bodies under the mountains of rubble in Gaza, as US President Donald Trump fired a warning at Hamas Thursday over a spate of recent killings in the territory

Children search for salvage at the mound of rubble at the site of the collapsed Sussi Tower, which was destroyed earlier by Israeli bombardment, in Gaza City on September 6, 2025. AFP

Turkey has deployed dozens of disaster relief specialists to help search for bodies under the mountains of rubble in Gaza, as US President Donald Trump fired a warning at Hamas Thursday over a spate of recent killings in the territory.

Trump characterised the killings as a breach of the ceasefire deal he spearheaded, under which the Palestinian militant group returned its last 20 surviving hostages to Israel.

Hamas says it has also handed back all the bodies of deceased captives it can access but the bodies of 19 more are still unaccounted for and believed to be buried under the ruins alongside an untold number of Palestinians.

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The Palestinian militants stressed their commitment to the ceasefire deal with Israel, and that they want to return all the remaining bodies of hostages left in Gaza.

More from World Hamas to release hostages from Gaza before Trump's peace summit in Egypt

But it said in a statement that the process may require some time, as some of these corpses were buried in tunnels destroyed by the occupation, while others remain under the rubble of buildings it bombed and demolished.

Turkey has sent staff from its disaster relief agency to help in locating the bodies but the families of the dead have fumed at Hamass failure to deliver their loved ones remains.

The main campaign group advocating for the hostages families demanded Thursday that Israel immediately halt the implementation of any further stages of the agreement as long as Hamas continues to blatantly violate its obligations regarding the return of all hostages and the remains of the victims.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his determination to secure the return of all hostages after his defence minister warned on Wednesday that Israel will resume fighting if Hamas failed to do so.

Trump had appeared to call for patience when it came to the bodies return  insisting Hamas was actually digging for hostages remains  but later expressed frustration on Thursday with the groups conduct since the fighting halted.

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If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them, Trump said on Truth Social in an apparent reference to recent shootings of Palestinian civilians.

Hamas has been accused of carrying out summary executions in Gaza since the ceasefire went into effect.

Clashes have also taken place between the groups various security units and armed Palestinian clans, some of which are alleged to have Israeli backing.

Aid hopes

The ceasefire deal has so far seen the war grind to a halt after two years of agony for the hostages families, and constant bombardment and hunger for Gazans.

According to Trumps 20-point plan for Gaza, the next phases of the truce should include the disarmament of Hamas, the offer of amnesty to Hamas leaders who decommission their weapons and establishing the governance of post-war Gaza.

The plan also calls for renewed aid provision, with international organisations awaiting the reopening of southern Gazas Rafah crossing in the hope it will enable a surge of supplies.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on the sidelines of a summit in Naples that preparations were being made for the strategic crossing, and that he hoped it would reopen Sunday, Italian news agencies reported.

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Israel, however, said earlier on Thursday that the crossing would only be open to people, not aid, and Saar did not appear to elaborate, according to the reports.

The humanitarian situation has been dire in Gaza throughout the war, with the UN declaring famine in parts of the north in August.

The World Health Organization has warned that infectious diseases are spiralling out of control, with only 13 of the territorys 36 hospitals even partially functioning.

Whether meningitis diarrhoea, respiratory illnesses, were talking about a mammoth amount of work, Hanan Balkhy, regional director for the UN health body, told AFP in Cairo.

My children are home

The families of the surviving hostages were able, after two long years without their loved ones, to rejoice in their return.

My children are home! Two years ago, one morning, I lost half of my family, said Sylvia Cunio, mother of Ariel and David Cunio, who were released from captivity.

Israel returned the bodies of 30 Palestinians to Gaza on Thursday, the territorys health ministry said.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was to turn over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli returned.

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For many in Gaza, while there was relief that the bombing had stopped, the road to recovery felt impossible, given the sheer scale of the devastation.

Theres no water  no clean water, not even salty water, no water at all. No essentials of life exist  no food, no drink, nothing, said Mustafa Mahram, who returned to Gaza City after the ceasefire.

As you can see, all thats left is rubble.

The war has killed at least 67,967 people in Gaza, 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.

Hamass October 7 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
UK PM Starmers push to strengthen economic ties with China faces criticism after a high-profile espionage trial collapsed. Analysts warn the strategy risks political fallout and national security while offering modest economic gains.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmers push to deepen ties with China is drawing criticism at home amid the collapse of a high-profile espionage case, raising questions about whether economic ambitions are being pursued at the expense of national security.

Last week, prosecutors announced they were dropping the trial of two British men accused of spying for China in parliament, after the government reportedly refused to declare Beijing a national security threat.

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Starmers administration denies any interference to protect diplomatic relations, but opposition lawmakers and security experts argue the decision reflects a pattern of prioritising engagement with Beijing over safeguarding Britains domestic security.

This is the sixth time the government has seemed to favour improved relations with China over security or human rights concerns, opposition MP David Jones told BBC News. Critics also highlight the governments failure to publish a long-delayed audit of UK-China relations and its omission of China from a list of countries subject to stricter foreign influence rules.

Balancing trade and security

Starmers government has framed engagement with China as crucial for the UK economy, particularly post-Brexit. China is Britains fifth-largest trading partner, accounting for 5.5% of trade. However, British exports to China fell 12% in the year to March, the second-sharpest decline among the countrys top 20 partners since Labour took office in July 2024. Foreign investment from China remains minimal, contributing just 0.2% of total inward investment.

We fully recognise that China poses a series of threats to UK national security, yet we must also be alive to the fact that China does present us with opportunities, Security Minister Dan Jarvis told parliament this week. Britain has largely focused on expanding services exports, such as wealth and pension products, which rose 12% to 13.2 billion ($17.6 billion), rather than goods like cars or pharmaceuticals, which face tariff and regulatory uncertainties.

Former trade adviser Allie Renison, now at SEC Newgate warned that Beijings approach is holistic and strategic, not compartmentalised. China doesnt play silos, the way the UK might want. They could curtail investments in renewable infrastructure or other sectors if they felt politically challenged, she told Reuters.

Political fallout

The espionage case has become front-page news, exposing Starmer to criticism that he is weak on national security. MI5 chief Ken McCallum emphasised the tightrope the government walks: I will never back off from confronting threats to the UK, he told CNN, underscoring that engagement with China must be balanced with defence imperatives.

Starmer also faces scrutiny over a politically sensitive decision regarding Chinas planned embassy in London, set to become Europes largest. Former security officials suggest that rejecting the embassy now would be diplomatically complex, yet approving it could feed perceptions that economic interests are taking precedence over security.

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Strategic necessity or overreach?

Despite domestic criticism, proponents argue that the UK cannot afford to ignore Beijing. Can Britain  post-Brexit  afford not to have an economic relationship with the second-largest economy in the world? No, it cant, a former senior security official told Aljazeera. Another former diplomat noted that China leads in many emerging technologies and that cooperation could provide Britain with critical investment and know-how.

The Starmer governments approach highlights the delicate balance between economic opportunity and political risk. With the global economy still reeling from trade disruptions and Britains domestic growth challenges, forging a functional relationship with China may be necessary but missteps, such as the collapsed spying trial, threaten to overshadow the potential gains.

As the UK navigates this high-stakes engagement, observers will be watching whether Starmer can secure the economic benefits without undermining national security or domestic political credibility.
The Department of Justice on Thursday indicted former NSA John Bolton on 18 counts, accusing him of transmitting and retaining highly classified information under the Espionage Act. Heres how Bolton reacted

Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton speaks at a panel hosted by the National Council of Resistance of Iran  US Representative Office (NCRI-US) at the Willard InterContinental Hotel on August 17, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images North America/Getty Images via AFP)

In the latest attack against US President Donald Trump's rivals, the Department of Justice has filed federal charges against former National Security Advisor John Bolton. Before turning into Trumps biggest critic, Bolton served as the Republican firebrands NSA from 2018 to 2019 and continues to remain Trumps longest-serving security adviser.

The Department of Justice accused Bolton of transmitting and retaining highly classified information under the Espionage Act. On Thursday, a grand jury in Maryland handed an 18-count indictment to Bolton. The former NSA was charged with sending diary entries to two unnamed individuals about his day-to-day activities when he was national security adviser. The DoJ maintained that many of these entries contained highly classified information.

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When asked about the latest indictment against another political rival, Trump told reporters on Thursday that he was not aware of it. However, the American leader went on to call Bolton a bad guy. Interestingly, the investigation against Bolton actually gained momentum during the Biden administration over disclosures that troubled the US intelligence community.

What the indictment against Bolton entails

It is pertinent to note that the US DoJ pursues Espionage Act cases in the event of so-called aggregating factors, such as willful mishandling of classified information, vast quantities of classified information to support an inference of misconduct, disloyalty to the US and obstruction.

BOLTON took detailed notes documenting his day-to-day meetings, activities, and briefings. Frequently, BOLTON handwrote these notes on yellow notepads throughout his day at the White House complex or in other secure locations, and then later re-wrote his notes in a word processing document, the indictment against the former NSA read.

The notes that BOLTON sent to Individuals 1 and 2 using his non-governmental personal email accounts and messaging account described in detail BOLTONs daily activities as the National Security Advisor. Often, BOLTONs notes described the secure setting or environment in which he learned the national defence and classified information that he was memorialising in his notes.

Meanwhile, in a response statement, Boltons lawyer Abbe Lowell argued that his client had not engaged in wrongdoing. These charges stem from portions of Ambassador Boltons personal diaries over his 45-year career  records that are unclassified, shared only with his immediate family, and known to the FBI as far back as 2021, Lowell said. Like many public officials throughout history, Ambassador Bolton kept diaries  that is not a crime.

The indictment accused Bolton of using personal email accounts and a group chat that existed during and after his tenure as national security adviser to share notes and diary entries containing classified information with two individuals who did not have security clearances.

On or about September 24, 2019, fourteen days after he was no longer employed as the National Security Advisor, BOLTON left the messaging chat group with Individuals 1 and 2 that he had used to send them more than a thousand pages of notes memorialising his time as National Security Advisor, the indictment said.

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The indictment came months after the FBI searched Boltons home in Maryland and his office in Washington. From there, they retrieved boxes of papers, computer files and other materials. Court filings related to the case later showed some of those materials had low-level classification markings.

I have become the latest target: Bolton

Reacting to his indictment, the former NSA said that he had become the latest target in the presidents weaponisation of the Department of Justice. For four decades, I have devoted my life to Americas foreign policy and national security. I would never compromise those goals. I tried to do that during my tenure in the first Trump administration, but resigned when it became impossible to do so, he said in a statement published by CNN.

Donald Trumps retribution against me began then, continued when he tried unsuccessfully to block the publication of my book, The Room Where It Happened, before the 2020 election, and became one of his rallying cries in his re-election campaign.

Now, I have become the latest target in weaponising the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts, he furthered. In the statement, Bolton accused Trump of an abuse of power, saying the president embodied what Joseph Stalins head of secret police once said: You show me the man, and Ill show you the crime.
The New York City mayoral debate witnessed a clash of words between former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the Democratic Partys face for the race, Zohran Mamdani and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. Here are the 5 key takeaways

The New York City mayoral debate witnessed yet another clash between former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Democratic Partys face for the race, Zohran Mamdani. Much of the two-hour debate was centred around Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist and clear front-runner in the polls.

Given the intense back-and-forth between the three candidates, Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee, started an answer just 15 minutes into the event by saying, First of all, there are high levels of testosterone in this room. It is pertinent to note that Cuomo has been running as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary.

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Here are the key takeaways from the debate

The Trump question

Throughout the debate, Mamdani and Cuomo traded familiar barbs about the Queens native in the White House. However, Cuomo went on to say that the US President Donald Trump would end up dominating Mamdani and undermining his authority if he became the NYC mayor.

If the assemblyman is elected, Mayor Donald Trump will take over in New York City, and it will be Mayor Trump, Cuomo said. Mamdani refuted the argument, accusing Cuomo of being a coward. He noted Cuomo failed to mention Trump in a statement he issued condemning the Department of Justices indictment of State Attorney General Letitia James.

Interestingly, Mamdani, Cuomo and Silwa all asked the last time they spoke to Trump. Cuomo said he spoke with the American president after an assassination attempt last year and again denied a New York Times report that the two had recently spoken about the mayoral race. Meanwhile, Sliwa said he hadnt spoken with Trump in years, saying he had last spoken with Trump years ago about the Veterans Day parade.

Mamdani, on the other hand, said that he had never spoken to Trump. When asked what he would say to Trump in a hypothetical first call if elected mayor. He said he would be willing to speak and work with the president as long as it was focused on issues of affordability.

I would make it clear to the president that I am willing to not only speak to him, but to work with him if it means delivering on lowering the cost of living for New York, Mamdani said. Thats something that he ran his presidential campaign on, and yet, all hes been able to deliver thus far.

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The Gaza crisis

The Israel-Hamas war also found a place in the NYC mayoral debate. It is pertinent to note that Mamdani has proactively repeated the opposition to Israel he expressed consistently from college through his time as an assemblyman.

During the debate, Mamdani recalled the conversations he had with Jewish New Yorkers since becoming the Democratic nominee that have opened his eyes to the existence of antisemitism in ways he said he hadnt fully realised existed. He went on to acknowledge how the phrase globalise the intifada could be hurtful.

However, he did not say whether he believes Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state, saying only that he does not support any country that exists with racial or religious hierarchies. Mamdani also backtracked on his remarks at a Fox News interview.

When pressed about whether he would call for Hamas to lay down their weapons, as is called for in the ceasefire agreement, Mamdani said he didnt have an opinion on the matter beyond following international law. On the debate stage, he did have an opinion: Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms.

Mamdani then directed his attack at Cuomo and accused him of fanning anti-Muslim sentiment, arguing that Cuomo never visited a mosque until after losing the primary to him. What Muslims want in this city is what every community wants and deserves, he said. They want equality and they want respect.

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In a Cuomo vs Mamdani show, Silwa attempted to mark his presence

Before the debate, it was expected that the discussion would more or less surround Mamdani and Cuomo. However, the Republican nominee came out swinging. Free of his signature red beret, Sliwa leaned into the centre-stage spot given to him to go after both of his opponents.

Interestingly, he separated himself from the political establishment as he countered a question about his lack of political experience by saying, Thank God I am not a politician. Sliwa, best known as the founder of the crime watch group Guardian Angels, focused many of his attacks on Cuomo, questioning his toughness and, at one point, invoking his father.

The Republican candidate alleged that when Cuomo was the governor, the state parole board released people accused of killing police officers. Your father, when he was governor, released none. I knew Mario Cuomo; youre no Mario Cuomo, Sliwa said. When it comes to Mamdani, Silwa called his Democratic rivals ideas fantasies. Mamdani generally ignored Sliwa, other than repeatedly correcting the Republicans mispronunciations of his first name.

Tax the rich

While the three Mayoral candidates discussed a wide range of issues, one of the major areas of contention was taxing the rich. Mamdani doubled down on his plan to raise taxes for the citys wealthiest residents despite Hochuls opposition, saying he believed the same energy that buoyed his underdog campaign would create support for his push to increase taxes.

A lot of people called even my campaign a nonstarter when we first began, Mamdani said. Now I stand before you proud to be the Democratic nominee who got the most votes in city primary history, and I believe we will see the same thing with our push to ensure that we are taxing the wealthiest and the most profitable corporations the fair amount that they should pay.

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However, it is pertinent to note that Mamdani would not have the power to raise taxes on his own. He would need the approval of the state legislature and for the governor to sign off on the increase. The taxes have remained a politically difficult proposition for any executive, particularly in an election year, which Hochul will be facing next year.

Interestingly, Mamdani declined to endorse Hochul for reelection, saying he was focused on winning the mayoral race, even as Hochul became one of the first major New York Democrats to endorse him for mayor. Im focusing on November, and I appreciate her support, and I appreciate her work, Mamdani said when pressed by a moderator.

Mamdani apologises for referring to the police as racist

Since winning the June Democratic primaries, Mamdani has distanced himself from tweets referring to police officers as racist and wicked, though he has a long history of being critical of law enforcement.

In the Thursday debate, he repeated his apology to New York Police Department officers but also mentioned the names of Black men who have died in police encounters, including the five young men of colour who were wrongfully accused and convicted in the Central Park jogger case in 1989.

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Cuomo used the opportunity to draw a contrast between himself and Mamdani by proposing to increase the police officer headcount, calling himself a tough-on-crime candidate. Mamdani, on the other hand, proposed creating a Department of Community Safety, which would, in part, dispatch social workers to calls involving people in mental health crises instead of solely relying on police officers.

He wants to use social workers on domestic violence calls, which are very dangerous, and hes told you what he thinks, Cuomo replied.
In a press release regarding the lawsuit, the Chamber said the new fee is unlawful since it overrides provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act that govern the H-1B program, including the requirement that fees be based on the costs incurred by the government in processing visas.

A US flag and a US H-1B Visa application form are seen in this illustration taken, September 22, 2025. File Image/Reuters

The US Chamber of Commerce has sued the Trump administration over its new policy of imposing a $100,000 fee on H-1B worker visas.

In a press release regarding the lawsuit, the Chamber said the new fee is unlawful since it overrides provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act that govern the H-1B program, including the requirement that fees be based on the costs incurred by the government in processing visas.

Last month, President Donald Trump announced that he would increase the fee on the H-1B visa to $100,000 per year. The program allows US employers to hire foreign workers in speciality fields, and technology companies in particular rely heavily on workers who receive H-1B visas.

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Critics of H-1Bs and other work visa programs say they are often used to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labour. But business groups and major companies have said H-1Bs are a critical means to address a shortage of qualified American workers.

Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer at the US Chamber said, The new $100,000 visa fee will make it cost-prohibitive for US employers, especially start-ups and small and midsize businesses, to utilize the H-1B program, which was created by Congress expressly to ensure that American businesses of all sizes can access the global talent they need to grow their operations here in the US.

Employers who sponsor H-1B workers currently typically pay between $2,000 and $5,000 in fees, depending on the size of the company and other factors.

Trumps order bars new H-1B recipients from entering the United States unless the employer sponsoring their visa has made an additional $100,000 payment. The administration has said the order does not apply to people who already hold H-1B visas or those who submitted applications before September 21.

Trump in his unprecedented order invoked his power under federal immigration law to restrict the entry of certain foreign nationals that would be detrimental to the interests of the United States.

He said that high numbers of lower-wage workers in the H-1B program have undercut its integrity and that the program threatens national security, including by discouraging Americans from pursuing careers in science and technology. He said the large-scale replacement of American workers through the H-1B program threatens the countrys economic and national security.

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Venezuela has urged the UN Security Council to condemn US strikes off its coast as illegal and to uphold its sovereignty, accusing Washington of killing civilians and violating international law.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks as he presents a proposal to reform the constitution in a session of the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela on February 15, 2025. Reuters File

Venezuela has asked the UN Security Council to declare recent US strikes on vessels off its coast illegal and issue a statement defending its sovereignty, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

The letter, sent by Venezuelas UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada, said at least 27 people were killed in civilian vessels transiting international waters and called on the council to investigate the strikes and reaffirm the principle of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

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The strikes came after President Donald Trump ordered a major US military buildup in the southern Caribbean. Washington claimed the targeted vessels were linked to drug trafficking but provided no evidence.

In Caracas, President Nicolas Maduro accused the CIA of being authorised to carry out operations aimed at destabilising Venezuela. No government had ever publicly said it ordered the CIA to kill, overthrow, and destroy countries, Maduro said, calling the US campaign an open conspiracy against Venezuelas peace and stability.

However, any UN action remains unlikely as the US holds veto power in the Security Council. The body met last week at the request of Venezuela, Russia, and China to discuss the tensions.

Defending the operations, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said the strikes were consistent with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows self-defence against armed attacks.

Venezuela can bring whatever they want to the UN, Waltz told Fox News. You know whats also part of the UN is Article 51 of the UN Charter that enables a country to defend itself. And thats what President Trumps doing and is going to do.
Samsung launched the Galaxy S25 Edge earlier this year, and there are rumours of Samsung continuing the slim phone trend with the Galaxy S26 Edge. Even the CAD-based renders of the phone surfaced recently, showing a large camera deco.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge dropped?

Now, a new report from South Korean site newspim says that the company doesnt have plans to launch the Galaxy S26 Edge next year. An earlier report said that the Galaxy S25 Edge experienced plummeting production and low sales, with around 300,000 units planned from September to December.

The new report says that the company will discontinue the Galaxy Edge lineup with the Galaxy S25 Edge, which is expected to be discontinued once all secured stock is sold out.

Samsung to continue with Galaxy S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra

Earlier this month, The Elec said that Samsung has resumed development of the Galaxy S26+, internally codenamed M Plus. A new report from Sammobile says that the Galaxy S26 will still be the name of the entry-level S series model and not be called as the Galaxy S26 Pro. So, Samsung will still continue with Galaxy S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra.

Based on earlier rumours, the Galaxy S26 is said to get a 4300mAh battery, significantly higher than the Galaxy S25s 4000mAh battery, retain similar camera setup as the S25, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra is said to retain the 5000mAh battery. Rumours indicate Exynos 2600 chip and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy SoC for the S26 and S26+ depending on the market while retaining Snapdragon chip for the S26 Ultra in all the market markets.

We can expect the Galaxy S26 series to be introduced sometime in early 2026. We should know more details in the coming months.

Source 1, 2
Senior CPC official meets Singaporean minister for social, family development

Xinhua) 10:05, October 17, 2025

Chen Wenqing, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Singaporean Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chen Wenqing, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), met with Singaporean Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli on Wednesday in Beijing.

Chen, who is a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, noted that this year marks the 35th anniversary of ties between China and Singapore, and said that the two countries' leaders have mapped out a strategic blueprint for bilateral relations and pragmatic cooperation in various fields.

China hopes that both sides will adhere to the important consensus reached between their leaders, give full play to the role of the China-Singapore Social Governance Forum as a platform for cooperation, and deepen high-quality and forward-looking cooperation in the fields of law enforcement, security and social governance, aiming to contribute more to the well-being and prosperity of their two peoples, Chen said.

For his part, Masagos expressed a willingness to strengthen communication with China to better serve bilateral relations and the development interests of the two countries.

Chen Wenqing, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Singaporean Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
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Timberline Bank is offering interest-free loans to furloughed federal workers during the ongoing federal government shutdown.

The program begins today.

The bank is offering the special loan program at all three of its locations in Grand Junction (where it is headquartered), Montrose and Aspen.

Were going to have very generous qualifications. Basically, you need a pay stub, you need proof you work for the federal government and proof that youve been furloughed. Itll be really quick with 0% interest charged, Grand Junction Branch President Louise Goodman told The Daily Sentinel.

If our community needs help and needs support, we want to be there for them, so what were doing is taking an existing loan program and adjusting it so that its zero-interest and no payments for six months in order to help the federal employees being affected by the shutdown.

Timberline opted to establish this program after bank leadership discovered that Alpine Bank is not offering such a loan program after it had notably done so in 1995-1996, 2013 and 2019.

This is Timberline Banks first time offering such a program to help federal employees during a shutdown, but it did draw from its experience during the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We really do consider ourselves to be a true local community bank, and our leadership and ownership is all on the Western Slope, so we dont have a lot of layers to get through. Were really pretty nimble. If theres something that we feel needs to be done, were usually able to figure it out quite quickly, Goodman said.

We did something very similar during COVID when we rolled out the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loans. We got everybody in a room and figured out how were going to do it. We just jumped in and did it.
NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of KBR, Inc. (NYSE: KBR) between May 6, 2025 and June 19, 2025, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important November 18, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm.

SO WHAT: If you purchased KBR 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 KBR class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=42136 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 18, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) despite the knowledge that the U.S. Department of Defenses Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) had, for months, had material concerns with HomeSafes ability to fulfill the Global Household Goods Contract, defendants claimed that the partnership was without issue, and would ramp up in future quarters; and (2) as a result, defendants statements about KBRs business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the KBR class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=42136 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

case@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com
SHANGHAI, Oct. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co., Ltd (Junshi Biosciences, HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180), a leading innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, announced that the investigational new drug (IND) application for an open-label, two-arm, randomized, active-controlled, phase 2/3 clinical study comparing the companys product, recombinant humanized anti-PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody (code: JS207), to nivolumab for the neoadjuvant treatment of patients with stage /, resectable, actionable genomic aberration (AGA)-negative, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the FDA).

Lung cancer is currently a malignant tumor with the highest prevalence and mortality rate in the world. According to GLOBOCAN, there were approximately 2.48 million new lung cancer cases and approximately 1.82 million lung cancer deaths worldwide in 2022. NSCLC is a major subtype of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 85% of all cases. Amongst these cases, 20%-25% are surgically resectable at first diagnosis, but even after radical surgical treatment, 30%-55% of these patients suffer from post-surgical recurrence and death. Currently, immune checkpoint inhibitors, represented by anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies combined with chemotherapy, have been widely used in the perioperative treatment of resectable NSCLC, and show significant improvements in event-free survival (EFS), pathological complete response (pCR), and overall survival (OS). However, patients with resectable NSCLC still face low survival and cure rates, among other unmet clinical needs.

The study is an open-label, two-arm, randomized, active-controlled, international multi-center phase 2/3 clinical study comparing the efficacy and safety of JS207 to nivolumab for the neoadjuvant treatment of patients with stage /, resectable, AGA-negative NSCLC. JS207 is now the first PD-1/VEGF dual-target drug approved for conducting confirmatory study in patients eligible for surgery. Professor Yilong WU from Guangdong Provincial Peoples Hospital will be the principal investigator.

Dr. Jianjun ZOU, General Manager and CEO of Junshi Biosciences, said, As a high-potential candidate in Junshi Biosciences' next-generation immuno-oncology portfolio (I-O 2.0), JS207 has undergone a series of proof-of-concept (POC) studies targeting prevalent cancers in China and globally. In this ongoing Phase 2/3 clinical trial evaluating neoadjuvant therapy for resectable lung cancer, we have chosen to directly challenge first-generation PD-1 monoclonal antibodies with JS207. By harnessing cutting-edge innovative therapies, we aim to offer more patients better treatments and a better future. The international regulatory authorities have recognized our clinical demand-driven R&D plus scientifically rigorous study design, and their validation is highly encouraging. Moving forward, we will accelerate our global development efforts to make JS207 a cornerstone of the I-O 2.0 porfolio and achieve evolutionary breakthroughs in immuno-oncology.

About JS207

JS207, a recombinant humanized anti-PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody, was independently developed by Junshi Biosciences for the treatment of advanced malignant tumors. Currently, JS207 has been approved for conducting phase 2/3 clinical study, and multiple ongoing phase 2 clinical studies are exploring it in combination with chemotherapy, monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and other drugs in NSCLC, colorectal cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, liver cancer and other tumor types.

JS207 can simultaneously bind to PD-1 and VEGFA with high affinity, effectively blocking the binding of PD-1 to PD-L1 and PD-L2 while also inhibiting the binding of VEGF to its receptor. JS207 has the efficacy of both immunotherapeutic drugs and anti-angiogenic drugs. Through the neutralization of VEGF, JS207 inhibits the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells, improves the tumor microenvironment, and increases the infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment, thereby achieving better anti-neoplasm activity.

JS207s design is based on the high-affinity, clinically proven and differentiated anti-PD-1 drug, toripalimab as the backbone. The anti-PD-1 moiety of JS207 adopts a Fab structure to maintain binding affinity to PD-1, thereby attaining better enrichment in the tumor microenvironment. The anti-VEGF moiety has a binding affinity for human vascular endothelial growth factor that is comparable to that of bevacizumab. In non-clinical in vitro cytological tests, compared with the combination of an anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monoclonal antibody and a VEGF monoclonal antibody, a bispecific antibody simultaneously targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and VEGF demonstrated significantly enhanced PD-1 antigen binding and internalization, as well as synergistic enhancement of the NFAT signaling pathway, thereby better activating immune cells in the tumor microenvironment.

About Junshi Biosciences

Founded in December 2012, Junshi Biosciences (HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180) is an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics. The company has established a diversified R&D pipeline comprising over 50 drug candidates, with five therapeutic focus areas covering cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, neurological, and infectious diseases. Five of the companys products have received approvals in China and international markets, one of which is toripalimab, Chinas first domestically produced and independently developed anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody. Toripalimab has been approved in over 40 countries and regions including China, the US, and Europe. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Junshi Biosciences actively shouldered the social responsibilities of a Chinese pharmaceutical company through its involvement in developing etesevimab, MINDEWEI, and other novel therapies for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

With a mission of providing patients with world-class, trustworthy, affordable, and innovative drugs, Junshi Biosciences is In China, For Global. At present, the company boasts approximately 2,500 employees in the United States (Maryland) and China (Shanghai, Suzhou, Beijing, Guangzhou, etc.). For more information, please visit: http://www.junshipharma.com.

Junshi Biosciences Contact Information

IR Team:

Junshi Biosciences

info@junshipharma.com

+ 86 021-6105 8800

PR Team:

Junshi Biosciences

Zhi Li

zhi_li@junshipharma.com

+ 86 021-6105 8800
NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential breaches of fiduciary duties by the directors and officers of Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR).

If you currently own shares of Danaher stock, please visit the firms website at https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=17717 for more information. You may also contact Phillip Kim of Rosen Law Firm toll free at 866-767-3653 or via email at case@rosenlegal.com.

Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40thFloor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

case@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com
PERTH, Australia, Oct. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX:PDN, TSX:PDN, OTCQX:PALAF) (Paladin or the Company) advises its shareholders (Shareholders) that the Notice of Meeting and accompanying forms of proxy and voting instruction form (collectively, the Meeting Materials) for the Companys upcoming annual general meeting (AGM) are now available on Paladins website (www.paladinenergy.com.au), on the ASX website (www.asx.com.au) and under Paladins profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).

The Company advises Shareholders who hold shares of Paladin (Shares) recorded in the Companys Canadian register of Shares (Canadian Shareholders) maintained by Paladins Canadian transfer agent, Computershare Investor Services Inc. (Computershare Canada) that delivery of the Meeting Materials to Canadian Shareholders may be delayed due to potential postal service disruptions in Canada resulting from the strike by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (the Canadian Postal Disruption). Accordingly, the Company encourages Canadian Shareholders to access the Meeting Materials electronically to obtain information regarding the AGM, including instructions on how to vote at the AGM.

Shareholders who hold Shares recorded in the Companys Australian register of Shares maintained by the Companys Australian transfer agent, Computershare Investor Services Pty Ltd., should not be impacted by the Canadian Postal Disruption and it is anticipated that the Meeting Materials will be delivered to such Shareholders in the normal course before the AGM.

Date, Time, and Location of the AGM

The AGM will be held in person on November 18, 2025 at 9:00 am (Australian Western Standard Time) (November 17, 2025 at 8:00pm (Eastern Standard Time) at Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Level 6, Brookfield Place, Tower Two, 123 St Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000.

Business to be Conducted at the AGM

In addition to receiving and considering the Financial Report, Directors Report and Auditors Report for the financial year ended 30 June 2025, Shareholders will be asked to consider and vote on the following matters at the AGM, each of which is more particularly described in the Notice of Meeting:

the adoption of the remuneration report set out in the Companys annual report for the financial year ended 30 June 2025; the election of Ms Anne Templeman-Jones as a director of the Company; the election of Ms Michele Buchignani as a director of the Company; the ratification of the issue of Shares in connection with the ASX institutional placement in September 2025; the ratification of the issue of Shares in connection with the Canadian bought deal private placement in September 2025; the approval of Companys performance share rights plan; and the approval of an increase in the maximum aggregate fees payable to non-executive directors of the Company.



Instructions for Canadian Shareholders

In light of the Canadian Postal Disruption, the Company strongly encourages Canadian Shareholders to vote their Shares online, by facsimile or by phone (as described below and in the Notice of Meeting). To ensure their vote is counted at the AGM, Canadian Shareholders are encouraged to NOT send their completed form of proxy or voting instruction form (VIF) by mail.

If Canadian Shareholders have any questions about voting their Shares, or want to request electronic copies of the Meeting Materials, please contact Computershare Canada by calling 1-800-564-6253 (toll free within North America).

Additional information regarding voting at the AGM can be found in the Notice of Meeting under the section entitled Attendance and Voting Information.

Canadian Registered Shareholders

Canadian Shareholders who are the registered holder of their Shares (Canadian Registered Shareholders) should vote their Shares either (i) online at www.investorvote.com , (ii) by facsimile at +1-888-453-0330, or (iii) by phone at 1-866-732-VOTE (8683). Canadian Registered Shareholders may request their control number online at https://www.investorvote.com or by contacting Computershare Canada at 1-800-564-6253 (toll free within North America).

Canadian Registered Shareholders voting by proxy must do so no later than 15 November 2025, at 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) (the Proxy Cut-off Time).

Canadian Beneficial Shareholders

Canadian Shareholders who hold their Shares beneficially (Canadian Beneficial Shareholders) through a stockbroker, securities dealer, bank, trust company, a clearing agency in which such an intermediary participates or other intermediary (Intermediary) should receive instructions on how to vote their Shares at the AGM from their Intermediary. Every Intermediary has its own procedures and provides its own instructions to its clients. Canadian Beneficial Shareholders should contact their Intermediary to obtain instructions on how to vote their Shares at the AGM and to obtain copy of their VIF and/or their control number required to vote online using www.proxyvote.com. Canadian Beneficial Shareholders should follow the instructions of their Intermediary carefully to ensure that their Shares are voted at the AGM. Canadian Beneficial Shareholders must submit their completed VIF in accordance with the instructions provided by their Intermediary at least one business day before the Proxy Cut-off Time.

This announcement has been authorised for release by the Company Secretary of Paladin Energy Ltd.

For further information contact:

Investor Relations

Head Office

Paula Raffo

Paladin Investor Relations

T: +61 8 9423 8100

E: paula.raffo@paladinenergy.com.au





Canada

Bob Hemmerling

Paladin Investor Relations

T: +1 250-868-8140

E: Bob.Hemmerling@paladinenergy.ca



Media

Head Office

Anthony Hasluck

Paladin Corporate Affairs

T: +61 438 522 194

E: anthony.hasluck@paladinenergy.com.au

Canada

Ian Hamilton, Partner

FGS Longview

T: +1 905-399-6591

E: ian.hamilton@fgslongview.com

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Australian securities laws and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively referred to in this document as forward-looking statements). All statements in this document, other than statements of historical or present facts, are forward-looking statements and generally may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as anticipate, expect, likely, propose, will, intend, should, could, may, believe, forecast, estimate, target, outlook, guidance and other similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements involve subjective judgment and analysis and are subject to significant uncertainties, risks and contingencies, many of which are outside the control of, change without notice, and may be unknown to Paladin.

Although as at the date of this press release, Paladin believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements due to a range of factors. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate.

Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and should rely on their own independent enquiries, investigations and advice regarding information contained in this press release. Any reliance by a reader on the information contained in this press release is wholly at the readers own risk. The forward-looking statements in this press release relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made. Paladin does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No representation, warranty, guarantee or assurance (express or implied) is made, or will be made, that any forward-looking statements will be achieved or will prove to be correct. Except for statutory liability which cannot be excluded, Paladin, its officers, employees and advisers expressly disclaim any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the material contained in this press release and exclude all liability whatsoever (including negligence) for any loss or damage which may be suffered by any person as a consequence of any information in this press release or any error or omission therefrom. Except as required by law or regulation, Paladin accepts no responsibility to update any person regarding any inaccuracy, omission or change in information in this press release or any other information made available to a person, nor any obligation to furnish the person with any further information. Nothing in this press release will, under any circumstances, create an implication that there has been no change in the affairs of Paladin since the date of this press release. Readers are cautioned that this information may not be appropriate for any other purpose and readers should not place undue reliance on such information.
Colorado Springs, CO, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Googles Gemini, Anthropics Claude, and other large language models (LLMs) have rapidly shifted from novelty to necessity. They now assist with drafting articles, summarizing research, generating marketing copy, writing software code, and even brainstorming creative works. Yet, as their use spreads, a pressing question has emerged: When an AI system generates text, images, code, or music, could it be infringing a copyright?

The answer is complicated. AI models are trained on vast datasets that include copyrighted works. They do not simply copy and paste, but under certain conditions, they can produce material closely resembling protected works. That possibility raises legal and ethical concerns for businesses and creators alike. For attorneys who advise companies on safeguarding intellectual property (IP), understanding these risks is critical.

This article explores how AI systems use copyrighted material, what U.S. copyright law says about derivative works, how courts are approaching these questions, and what steps both businesses and legal teams can take to reduce risk.

How Large Language Models Are Trained and Why That Matters

To understand copyright risk, one must first grasp how modern AI systems learn. Large language models and other generative AI tools are built by ingesting massive volumes of data. These datasets often include public web pages such as Wikipedia and news outlets, public domain works, licensed content, open-source code repositories, and user-generated material from forums and Q&A sites. Inevitably, some of what they absorb is copyrighted.

The training process does not mean the model stores literal copies of everything it reads. Instead, it creates a complex mathematical map of patternsstatistical weights and probabilities that help it predict the next word in a sentence or the next pixel in an image. Nevertheless, if a piece of content appears frequently or is highly distinctive, the model can memorize it. Researchers have shown that large models sometimes reproduce code snippets, poetry, or paragraphs nearly verbatim. This phenomenon, sometimes called regurgitation, is relatively rare but not negligible.

This dynamic is crucial for lawyers and IP professionals. A model trained on copyrighted material without permission may later generate outputs so close to the original that they constitute infringement. Even if the training itself were eventually found to be lawful, the output could still create liability if it reproduces protected expression.

Copyright Law Basics and the Concept of Derivative Works

Copyright protects original works of authorship fixed in any tangible mediumbooks, articles, software code, photographs, music, films, and more. It does not protect ideas or facts, but rather the particular expression of those ideas. The copyright owner alone holds the right to reproduce the work, prepare derivative works, distribute copies, and publicly perform or display the work.

A derivative work is one that recasts, transforms, or adapts a preexisting work into something newfor example, a sequel novel, a movie based on a book, or a remix of a song. If AI-generated content qualifies as a derivative work of someone elses protected expression, distributing or selling it could constitute infringement.

Fair use provides an important exception. U.S. law allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission for criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Courts analyze several factors: the purpose and character of the use (especially whether it is transformative or commercial), the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount used, and the effect on the originals market.

While some scholars argue that training AI models is transformative and thus fair use of copyrighted material, this is not settled law. More importantly, even if training is fair use, outputs that substantially copy protected text or images are not automatically shielded.

The Unsettled Legal Status of AI Training and Outputs

Whether training a model on copyrighted data is legal remains one of the most pressing questions in IP law. Some argue that using copyrighted works to train an algorithm is transformative because the model learns patterns rather than storing copies, and because the resulting product serves a different purpose than the original material. Others counter that training involves reproducing entire works for commercial gain and could undermine the market for those works.

Several lawsuits aim to clarify this debate. The Authors Guild has sued OpenAI, claiming its models reproduce excerpts from their books. Getty Images has sued Stability AI, arguing that its photos were scraped and used to train image generators. Artists such as Sarah Andersen have brought actions claiming that image generators copy their work and style. The New York Times has filed suit against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging that their models can output articles nearly word-for-word.

So far, courts have not issued a sweeping decision that settles whether training is fair use. For now, companies must operate in a gray area.

Another open question concerns whether AI outputs themselves can be copyrighted. The U.S. Copyright Office has made clear that purely machine-generated works without human authorship are not eligible for protection. If a user provides only a simple prompt and accepts the output without modification, they may not own the copyright. But if the user exercises meaningful creative controlediting, directing, or shaping the outputtheir contributions can be protected.

That distinction matters because users might be unable to claim exclusive rights to unedited AI-generated material. Yet at the same time, they could still face liability if the output infringes someone elses rights. In other words, you may not own the AI-generated work, but you could still be sued for publishing it.

AI Intellectual Property Risks: Real-World Scenarios Where Copyright Infringement Can Arise

These legal nuances translate into concrete risk scenarios.

A marketing team might use ChatGPT to write a blog post, only to find that parts of it closely match an existing copyrighted article.

A developer could accept code from an AI assistant that reproduces licensed or proprietary snippets, inadvertently violating a license.

An artist might generate an image that imitates the protected style or even the distinctive composition of another creator.

Companies fine-tuning their own models on internal or third-party data may inadvertently incorporate protected manuals, reports, or images, later generating outputs that violate contracts or IP rights.

For most everyday writing tasks, the risk is low but not zero. AI tends to paraphrase rather than copy. But accidental reproduction can occur, particularly with widely circulated works or with prompts that explicitly ask the AI to mimic a specific source. In high-stakes contextssoftware development, commercial art, and corporate publishingthe consequences of infringement could be significant. And as the capability of AI continues to evolve, so do the risks.

How Derivative Works Risk Plays Out in Practice

The distinction between copying ideas and copying expression is critical. Copyright law does not stop someone from writing about a wizard school, but it does forbid reproducing J.K. Rowlings specific wording from Harry Potter. An AI asked to write a fantasy story about a young wizard will be safe. An AI told write the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone might produce something infringing.

Visual art introduces a murkier question: Can a style itself be protected? Generally, copyright covers specific works, not general artistic styles. Yet, some artists are suing AI companies for style mimicry, arguing that it undermines their market. Courts have not conclusively answered whether closely imitating a living artists style is infringing, but the risk is rising as these lawsuits proceed.

The concept of transformative use also looms large. Courts may ask whether the AI output merely repackages protected work or truly transforms it into something new. If an AI rephrases an article but keeps its structure and unique turns of phrase, the risk increases. If it uses the article only as raw material to create something novel with a different purposefor instance, statistical analysis or satirethe risk decreases.

Unintentional Copyright Infringement and AI Copyright Lawsuits

Under U.S. copyright law, infringement does not require intent. A company that publishes AI-generated material can be held liable even if it believed the work was original or if it had no reason to suspect copying. For example, a marketing team could use ChatGPT to write an article that happens to reproduce portions of a protected text. If that content is published or monetized, the copyright holder could bring a claim regardless of whether the team knew about the infringement.



This risk is amplified by the opacity of AI training data. Users typically have no insight into the sources the model has seen or the probability that certain outputs might closely mirror protected works. Even prompts that seem safesuch as asking for a technical explanation or a product descriptioncan yield language taken almost verbatim from a copyrighted source.



Businesses relying on AI without legal review may also be exposing themselves to reputational damage and costly litigation. Courts can award statutory damages for infringement even when it is accidental, and the financial impact can be significant. Moreover, claiming that AI created the content does not absolve the user, because the person or entity that publishes or profits from the work is generally responsible for ensuring it does not violate intellectual property rights.



To mitigate these risks, organizations should adopt proactive review and vetting processes, similar to how they handle content from freelancers or third-party contractors. Plagiarism detection, legal review of high-profile publications, and clear policies around AI use can help reduce the likelihood of accidental infringement. Education is also critical: Employees should understand that AI tools do not guarantee originality and that responsibility ultimately falls on the user.

FAQs

Can AI-generated content infringe copyright?

Yes. Even though AI tools like ChatGPT or image generators dont intentionally copy, they may reproduce copyrighted text, code, or images. If the output closely resembles a protected work, publishing or using it could count as infringement.

Who owns the copyright to AI-generated works?

In the U.S., purely machine-generated content without human authorship is not eligible for copyright protection. If a user edits or significantly shapes the output, their creative contributions may be protected, but simple prompts usually are not enough. So, understanding AI-related intellectual property risks is essential.

Is training AI on copyrighted material considered fair use?

This is unsettled law. Some in the AI fair use debate argue that training is transformative and thus falls under fair use; others contend it copies entire works for profit. Several lawsuits are underway, and courts have not yet provided a definitive ruling.

What are some examples of AI copyright infringement risks?

Businesses face several AI-related copyright infringement risks. For example, a generative AI could produce a blog post that is substantially similar to a published article or create code that improperly reuses licensed snippets. In the art world, a model might generate images that unlawfully copy a living artists unique and recognizable style. Furthermore, a significant underlying risk involves the AI models themselves, as corporations could face liability for training their systems on vast amounts of third-party copyrighted data without permission.

How can businesses reduce copyright risk when using AI?

To reduce copyright risk when using AI, businesses can implement several key strategies. It's crucial to educate employees about copyright liability and fair use principles, while also training them to avoid prompts that ask AI to mimic specific creative works. Additionally, companies should run plagiarism checks on AI-generated outputs and have their legal teams review any high-profile publications before they are released.

What lawsuits highlight the AI copyright issue?

Notable cases include:

The New York Times v. OpenAI and Microsoft (news content)

(news content) Getty Images v. Stability AI (photographs)

(photographs) Authors Guild v. OpenAI (book excerpts)

(book excerpts) Sarah Andersen v. Stability AI (art style imitation)

Protect Your Organization From Generative AI Copyright Issues

Now, you have a solid foundation for understanding AI and copyright issues. For strategies to protect your organizations intellectual property and minimize liability when using AI tools, look for our article A Practical Guide to Managing Generative AI Copyright Risk.

If you have specific questions about your organizations use of AI or need legal guidance, our team at Martensen can help. Contact us today.

Book Your Free Consultation!

About Martensen IP

At the intersection of business, law and technology, Martensen understands the tools of IP. Martensen knows the business of IP. We understand the tech market, especially when the government is a customer, and we know how to plan, assess, and adjust. Patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, licenses are our tools.

https://www.martensenip.com

Martensen IP Media Contact

Mike Martensen | Founder

(719) 358-2254
Hydro's third quarter results 2025 will be released at 07:00 CEST (01:00 EDT, 06:00 BST, 05:00 UTC/GMT) on October 24, 2025. The quarterly report and presentation will be available on hydro.com at the same time as the release.

President and CEO Eivind Kallevik and Executive Vice President and CFO Trond Olaf Christophersen, will host a webinar in English at 08:30 CEST the same day. There will be a Q&A session directly after the presentation. There will be no physical presentation or press conference.

To join the webinar and ask questions, use the link to the webcast page.

The webcast is powered by Zoom. No login or registration in advance is required.

It is also possible to log in using the dial-in option:

Norway +47 2400 4736

London, UK +44 330 088 5830

New York, US +1 929 205 6099

Find your local number

Meeting ID: 933 0129 2025

We advise you to investigate in advance if your company has any restrictions on using the Zoom platform.

Investor contact:

Martine Rambl Hagen

+47 91708918

martine.rambol.hagen@hydro.com
The Quadient X Series locker combines solar and battery-powered autonomy for zero CO impact with outdoor durability, easy returns drop-off, and on-demand label printing





Quadient (Euronext Paris: QDT), a global leader in parcel locker and intelligent automation solutions, today announced the launch of its pilot program for the X Series, an industry-first solar-powered autonomous battery locker, fully equipped with returns and label printer features. Debuting this fall in the United Kingdom, this technology operates with complete energy autonomy while offering expanded consumer services.

As of this month, Quadient is launching a pilot in the UK to validate performance and adoption, while onboarding carriers and partners. The new lockers will also be showcased at Parcel+Post Expo, October 2123, 2025, in Amsterdam, where visitors can experience the technology firsthand.

Quadients new X Series lockers combine solar and battery-powered operation with rugged outdoor construction, the award-winning returns Drop Box, and a built-in label printer, a unique combination in the market today. Powered by a low-energy operating system with smart stand-by cycles, the units run 24/7 with zero CO impact, even during extended low-light periods. Installation is quick and flexible thanks to an embedded stabilizer that eliminates the need for building work or anchoring, and no grid connection is required. By removing these barriers, the X Series enables deployment in locations previously out of reach, extending Quadients open locker network and making secure parcel services more accessible for greater customer convenience.

Quadient is focused on making parcel delivery and returns more efficient, reliable and accessible for customers, said Benoit Berson, Chief Solution Officer Lockers, at Quadient. The X Series pilot will be showcasing how innovation and sustainability can work hand in hand to strengthen our open locker network and contribute to our net-zero objectives under the Elevate to 2030 strategy.

Additional features include half-width compartments for small parcels, consumer-to-consumer exchanges, spare parts, and key handoffs, as well as remote monitoring of solar panels and batteries, with alerts to support reliable service for operators and carriers. By eliminating the need for electrical work or permitting, the X Series reduces installation costs and accelerates network expansion, offering carriers and partners more flexibility in site selection or relocation.

For more information on Parcel Pending by Quadients open locker network, visit parcelpending.com.

About Quadient

Quadient is a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections through digital and physical channels. Quadient supports businesses of all sizes in their digital transformation and growth journey, unlocking operational efficiency and creating meaningful customer experiences. Listed in compartment B of Euronext Paris (QDT) and part of the CAC Mid & Small and EnterNext Tech 40 indices, Quadient shares are eligible for PEA-PME investing. For more information about Quadient, visit www.quadient.com.

Contacts

Kiley Ribordy Joe Scolaro, Quadient Walker Sands Global Press Relations Manager Senior PR Director +1 203-301-3673 quadientpr@walkersands.com j.scolaro@quadient.com

Attachment
Press Release

Vlkanova, Slovakia, 17. October 2025

Raw materials for the arms industry  the beginning of vertical integration

Ammunition for Poland

GEVORKYAN, a.s. has successfully completed a major project for the Polish defense industry. The project involves the production of unique defense products made of composite materials, based on the long-standing know-how, professional experience, and patents of the company's founder Artur Gevorkyan, M.Eng.. The entire project was completed in an exceptionally short time thanks to excellent cooperation with Polish partners. "We have already implemented several projects specifically for the Polish market and are working on others. The Polish defense industry is on the rise, and I believe it will be extremely successful in the coming years. We want to be part of it," says Artur Gevorkyan.

Among the best

For the third year in a row, GEVORKYAN has won the Best Managed Companies award in Slovakia. "We are grateful for this prestigious award, which testifies to the vision, courage, and ability of our team to constantly move forward. I am proud to have been part of this story for 10 years. We greatly appreciate the trust, time, and effort that the owner of the company has given us, thanks to which a new generation of the company is growing. Today, each of us manages our own department: development, production, quality, construction, automation..." says Production Director PhD. Adrii Domin.

Launch of in-house production of materials for the arms industry

The company has completed the first phase of a strategic project for the in-house production of composite materials. After two years of intensive development, the project was designed to meet the demanding requirements of the defense industry. GEVORKYAN, a.s. is working on the development of innovative components for this sector, where there are situations where no standard material is available on the market for use. In-house production of basic materials enables vertical integration for the strategic development of the company in the defense industry. Covering material needs in-house also brings significant financial savings, which ultimately translate into profitability for GEVORKYAN, a.s. and keep EBITDA stable at over 30%, with expected sales growth above 60%.

GEVORKYAN is set to participate in the 14th Annual WOOD's Winter Wonderland EMEA Conference on December 2-5, 2025, at the Hilton Prague. To schedule a meeting with management, investors are encouraged to register at the event page https://events.wood.cz/praguewinter, or reach out to woodswinter@wood.com.

From the left: founder of the company Artur Gevorkyan, M.Eng., Production Director Andrii Domin, Ph.D.

About GEVORKYAN

GEVORKYAN, a.s. is a leading powder metallurgy company in Europe, a global supplier for large multinational companies, and one of the most innovative companies in this industry worldwide. For more information, please visit https://www.gevorkyan.sk/en.

Contact Information

Investors: Maxim Platonov, investor.relations@gevorkyan.sk

Media: Alexandra Hazuchova, marketing@gevorkyan.sk




FUZHOU, China, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On 16 October, the World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025, hosted by the People's Government of Fujian Province, officially opened in Fuzhou, the capital city of Fujian Province.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

With the annual theme "Setting Sail for Greener Development", the conference features major activities including the Opening Ceremony, the Fujian Marine Economy Industry Cooperation and Innovative Development Conference, the Review and Outlook on Fujian's Efforts to Accelerate the Building of National Marine Economy Demonstration Zones, the Maritime Equipment Conference Forum (Main Forum), and the Maritime Innovation "Five-Chain Integration" Promotion Event, along with 13 sub-forums. The agenda focuses on fields such as natural sciences, marine economy, industrial innovation, and the application of scientific and technological achievements. The conference will run until 19 October.

Held concurrently, the 3rd China Maritime Equipment Expo 2025 has set up 12 specialized exhibition zones. Enterprises from 25 countries and regions are participating, with the Netherlands serving as the Guest of Honor.

For the first time, the conference has introduced the Maritime Innovation "Five-Chain Integration" Promotion Event, inviting participation from more upstream and downstream enterprises, research institutions, and professional service organizations across the global industrial chain. In parallel, an "Industry-Research Integration" event has been organized to facilitate the application of scientific and technological achievements, fostering a collaborative and mutually beneficial ecosystem within the marine equipment industry.

Concurrent events will also include the 3rd China Maritime Equipment Expo 2025, the 2025 International Maritime Organization Seminar on Sustainable Maritime Innovation, the 2025 Fuzhou International Sailing Regatta, and the Marine Industry Integrated Innovation Competition.

Since its inaugural session in 2023, the World Maritime Equipment Conference has achieved investment and trade agreements exceeding 300 billion yuan, effectively driving the dual empowerment of industrial and ecological chains.

Source: Organizing Committee of the World Maritime Equipment Conference
FORM 8.5 (EPT/RI)

PUBLIC DEALING DISCLOSURE BY AN EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER WITH RECOGNISED INTERMEDIARY STATUS DEALING IN A CLIENT-SERVING CAPACITY

Rule 8.5 of the Takeover Code (the Code)

1. KEY INFORMATION

(a) Name of exempt principal trader: Investec Bank plc (b) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:

Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree Treatt plc (c) Name of the party to the offer with which exempt principal trader is connected: Investec is Joint financial adviser, Rule 3 adviser and corporate broker to Treatt plc. (d) Date dealing undertaken: 16th October 2025



(e) In addition to the company in 1(b) above, is the exempt principal trader making disclosures in respect of any other party to this offer?

If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state N/A N/A

2. DEALINGS BY THE EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(b), copy table 2(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

(a) Purchases and sales

Class of relevant security Purchases/ sales



Total number of securities Highest price per unit paid/received Lowest price per unit paid/received



Ordinary shares



Sales



73,819 275 260

(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. CFD Nature of dealing

e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type

e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

(ii) Exercise

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant security Nature of dealing

e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable) N/A N/A N/A N/A

3. OTHER INFORMATION

(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:

Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state none



None





(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any other person relating to:

(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or

(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:

If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state none None









Date of disclosure: 17th October 2025 Contact name: Abhishek Gawde Telephone number: +91-9923757332

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

The Panels Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Codes dealing disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.
Garching / Munich, Germany, October 17, 2025  ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM), a leading radiopharmaceutical biotech company, today announced that post hoc subgroup analyses data from its recent Phase 3 COMPETE trial will be presented in an oral presentation at the 2025 North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (NANETS) Multidisciplinary NET Medical Symposium held from October 22  October 25, 2025 in Austin, Texas. The company will also host a medical booth (booth number: 16) at the conference and a satellite symposium on advancing targeted therapies and molecular imaging in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs).



Oral Presentation Details

Title: Efficacy of 177Lu-edotreotide vs Everolimus in patients with Grade 1 or Grade 2 GEP-NETs: Phase 3 COMPETE trial (post hoc subgroup analyses)

Session: Featured Abstracts 2: Advancing Targeted Therapies and Molecular Imaging in GEP-NETs

Date and Time: Friday, October 24, 2025, from 3:35 pm  4:50 pm CDT

Location: JW Marriott Austin

Presenter: Jaume Capdevila, MD, PhD, study investigator and senior medical oncologist at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona



Satellite Symposium Details

Title: Whats Your Next Move? Sequencing Therapies in GEP-NETs

Date and Time: Friday, October 24, 2025, from 7:00 am - 8:00 am CDT

Location: JW Marriott Austin, Lone Star Salon E-H

Moderator: Namrata Vijayvergia, MD, Section Chief, Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology; Associate Professor, Department of Hematology/Oncology; Medical Director, Medical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center

Panelists: Jaume Capdevila, MD, PhD, study investigator and senior medical oncologist at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital; Jessica Maxwell, MD, MBA, Assistant Professor, Department of Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Jonathan Strosberg, MD, Professor, Moffitt Cancer Center; Harshad Kulkarni, MD, Chief Medical Advisor, BAMF Health



About the COMPETE Trial

The COMPETE trial (NCT03049189) evaluated 177Lu-edotreotide (ITM-11), a proprietary, synthetic, targeted radiotherapeutic investigational agent compared to everolimus, a targeted molecular therapy, in patients with inoperable, progressive Grade 1 or Grade 2 gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). This trial met its primary endpoint, with 177Lu-edotreotide demonstrating clinically and statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to everolimus. 177Lu-edotreotide is also being evaluated in COMPOSE, a Phase 3 study in patients with well-differentiated, aggressive Grade 2 or Grade 3, SSTR-positive GEP-NET tumors.



About ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE

ITM, a leading radiopharmaceutical biotech company, is dedicated to providing a new generation of radiopharmaceutical therapeutics and diagnostics for hard-to-treat tumors. We aim to meet the needs of cancer patients, clinicians and our partners through excellence in development, production and global supply of medical radioisotopes. With improved patient benefit as the driving principle for all we do, ITM advances a broad precision oncology pipeline, including multiple Phase 3 studies, combining the companys high-quality radioisotopes with a range of targeting molecules. By leveraging our two decades of pioneering radiopharma expertise, central industry position and established global network, ITM strives to provide patients with more effective targeted treatment to improve clinical outcome and quality of life. www.itm-radiopharma.com



ITM Contact

Corporate Communications

Kathleen Noonan/Julia Westermeir

Phone: +49 89 329 8986 1500

Email: communications@itm-radiopharma.com



Investor Relations

Ben Orzelek

Phone: +49 89 329 8986 1009

Email: investors@itm-radiopharma.com





Attachment
BEIJING, China, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zhihu Inc. (Zhihu or the Company) (NYSE: ZH; HKEX: 2390), a leading online content community in China, debuted its popular Yanyan Story platform at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany this week, representing a significant milestone in the international expansion of Chinese short-form online literature.

As the worlds largest publishing exhibition and a leading global platform for culture, the Frankfurt Book Fair draws publishers, authors, and readers from across the globe. This years event featured over 4,000 publishers from 92 countries and regions.

Expanding Global Reach for Chinese Online Literature

According to the China Online Literature International Communication Report (2025), released by the Online Literature Center of the China Writers Association, Chinese online literature now reaches around 200 million active overseas readers across more than 200 countries and regions, with a market value exceeding RMB 5 billion. The report notes that AI-powered translation has rapidly accelerated the spread of Chinese online literature, while preserving human creativity and cultural authenticity.

Yanyan Story: Where Technology Meets Community

Derived from Zhihus community ecosystem, Yanyan Story integrates storytelling, technology, and user participation to create a new model for global literary engagement.

The platform spans multiple content formatsfrom books and digital reading to audio dramas and cultural productsand serves as a key driver of Zhihus 13.2 million paid subscribers. To date, Yanyan Story has licensed over 100 works for publication both in China and overseas, with its online literature titles translated into several languages, including English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Thai, and Indonesian.

The Rise of Short-Form IP

Yanyan Storys participation in the Frankfurt Book underscores the growing international appeal of short-form digital literature, a format increasingly suited to modern reading habits. In the second quarter of 2025, Zhihus revenue from IP licensing grew in triple digits both year-over-year and sequentially. To date, more than 100 Yanyan Story IP titles have been licensed for film, animation, and short drama adaption. Several of these works already generated revenue, and Yanyan Story titles received three major awards in the 2024 China Online Literature Influence Ranking.

Short-form literature and IP adaptation are redefining how stories travel across cultures and media, said Junmei Fan, Vice President of Zhihu and Head of the Paid Membership Business. Yanyan Story shows that when technology empowers a vibrant creative community, stories transcend boundaries and evolve into shared cultural experiences. Our Frankfurt Book Fair debut marks a new step in Zhihus commitment to connecting creators and readers worldwide.

About Zhihu Inc.

Zhihu Inc. (NYSE: ZH; HKEX: 2390) is a leading online content community where people come to find solutions, make decisions, seek inspiration, and have fun. Since the initial launch in 2010, Zhihu has grown into the largest Q&A-inspired online content community in China. For more information, please visit https://ir.zhihu.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Companys beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as may, will, expect, anticipate, target, aim, estimate, intend, plan, believe, potential, continue, is/are likely to, or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Companys filings with the SEC and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

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Positive recommendation based on phase II NOBILITY and phase III REGENCY data showing Gazyva/Gazyvaros superiority over standard therapy alone1,2

Gazyva/Gazyvaro is the only anti-CD20 antibody to demonstrate a complete renal response benefit in lupus nephritis in a randomised phase III study 2

Lupus nephritis is a debilitating condition that severely impacts a persons quality of life and affects more than 1.7 million people worldwide3,4

Basel, 17 October, 2025 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that the European Medicines Agencys Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended the approval of Gazyva/Gazyvaro (obinutuzumab) in combination with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) for the treatment of adult patients with active Class III or IV, with or without concomitant Class V, lupus nephritis. These disease classifications describe the extent and nature of damage to the kidneys and renal function. A final decision from the European Commission is expected in the near future.

As the only anti-CD20 to demonstrate a complete renal response benefit in a randomised phase III study of lupus nephritis, Gazyva/Gazyvaro has the potential to address an important unmet need for many people with this disease, said Levi Garraway, MD, PhD, Roches Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. Recognising the challenges faced by people with lupus nephritis and their caregivers, Gazyva/Gazyvaro may offer a new treatment option that can limit kidney damage and potentially prevent or delay end-stage kidney disease.

The recommendation is based on positive results from the phase II NOBILITY and phase III REGENCY studies. In REGENCY, data showed that nearly half of the participants (46.4%) on Gazyva/Gazyvaro plus standard therapy (mycophenolate mofetil and glucocorticoids) achieved a complete renal response (CRR) compared to 33.1% on standard therapy alone. This was accompanied by a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction of corticosteroid use, and an improvement in proteinuric response, all signalling improved disease control. The safety profile of Gazyva/Gazyvaro was consistent with the well-characterised profile observed in its haematology-oncology indications.2

Earlier this year, data from the phase III REGENCY study were used to file a supplemental Biologics License Application with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is expected to make a decision on approval this year.

Gazyva/Gazyvaro is being investigated in systemic lupus erythematosus, membranous nephropathy, idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, and in children and adolescents with lupus nephritis.5-8 In addition to Gazyva/Gazyvaro, Roche has a broad pipeline dedicated to target the immune drivers of rare and common kidney and kidney-related diseases.

About Gazyva/Gazyvaro

Gazyva/Gazyvaro (obinutuzumab) is a Type II engineered humanised monoclonal antibody designed to attach to CD20, a protein found on certain types of B cells.9 In lupus nephritis, disease-causing B cells drive persistent inflammation that damages the kidneys and reduces their ability to function properly.10 Data suggests that Gazyva/Gazyvaro depletes disease-causing B cells, helping to limit further damage to the kidneys and potentially preventing or delaying progression to end-stage kidney disease.2

Gazyva/Gazyvaro is already approved in 100 countries for various types of haematological cancers. In the United States, Gazyva is part of a collaboration between Genentech and Biogen.

About the REGENCY study

REGENCY [NCT04221477] is a phase III, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study investigating the efficacy and safety of Gazyva/Gazyvaro (obinutuzumab) plus standard therapy (mycophenolate mofetil and glucocorticoids) in people with active/chronic International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society 2003 proliferative Class III or IV lupus nephritis, with or without Class V. The study enrolled 271 people, who were randomised 1:1 to receive either Gazyva/Gazyvaro plus standard therapy or placebo plus standard therapy. REGENCY was designed based on robust phase II data and conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study population was representative of the real-world population of people with lupus nephritis.

About lupus nephritis

Lupus nephritis is a potentially life-threatening manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disease that commonly affects the kidneys.11 Lupus nephritis is characterised by an irreversible loss of nephrons, the filtering structures of the kidneys. Periods of intense disease activity, known as flares, can speed up the loss of nephrons and, if left unchecked, may lead to a progressive loss of kidney function. Even with the latest treatments, up to a third of people will progress to end-stage kidney disease within 10 years, where dialysis or transplant are the only options and life expectancy and quality of life are substantially reduced.12

Lupus nephritis affects more than 1.7 million people worldwide - predominantly women, mostly of colour and usually of childbearing age.13 Currently, there is no cure for lupus nephritis.11

About Roche

Founded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, as one of the first industrial manufacturers of branded medicines, Roche has grown into the worlds largest biotechnology company and the global leader in in-vitro diagnostics. The company pursues scientific excellence to discover and develop medicines and diagnostics for improving and saving the lives of people around the world. We are a pioneer in personalised healthcare and want to further transform how healthcare is delivered to have an even greater impact. To provide the best care for each person we partner with many stakeholders and combine our strengths in Diagnostics and Pharma with data insights from the clinical practice.

For over 125 years, sustainability has been an integral part of Roches business. As a science-driven company, our greatest contribution to society is developing innovative medicines and diagnostics that help people live healthier lives. Roche is committed to the Science Based Targets initiative and the Sustainable Markets Initiative to achieve net zero by 2045.

Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan.

For more information, please visit www.roche.com.

All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.



References

[1] Furie RA, et al. B-cell depletion with obinutuzumab for the treatment of proliferative lupus nephritis: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Rheum Dis. 2022 Jan;81(1):100-07.

[2] Furie RA, et al. Efficacy and safety of obinutuzumab in active lupus nephritis. N Engl J Med. 2025 Feb;392:1471-83.

[3] Tian J, et al. Global epidemiology of systemic lupus erythematosus: a comprehensive systematic analysis and modelling study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2023 Mar;82:351-56.

[4] Bastian HM, et al. Systemic lupus erythematosus in three ethnic groups. XII. Risk factors for lupus nephritis after diagnosis. Lupus. 2002;11(3):152-60.

[5] Clinicaltrials.gov. A study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of obinutuzumab in participants with systemic lupus erythematosus (ALLEGORY). [Internet; cited 2025 October 9]. Available from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04963296.

[6] Clinicaltrials.gov. A study evaluating the efficacy and safety of obinutuzumab in participants with primary membranous nephropathy (MAJESTY). [Internet; cited 2025 October 9]. Available from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04629248.

[7] Clinical trials.gov. A study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of obinutuzumab versus MMF in participants with childhood onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INShore). [Internet; cited 2025 October 9]. Available from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05627557.

[8] Clinicaltrials.gov. A study to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of obinutuzumab in adolescents with active class III or IV lupus nephritis and the safety and PK of obinutuzumab in pediatric participants (POSTERITY). [Internet; cited 2025 October 9]. Available from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05039619.

[9] Herter S, et al. Preclinical activity of the type II CD20 antibody GA101 (obinutuzumab) compared with rituximab and ofatumumab in vitro and in xenograft models. Mol Cancer Ther. 2013 Oct;12(10):2031-42.

[10] Atisha-Fregoso Y, et al. Meant to B: B cells as a therapeutic target in systemic lupus erythematosus. J Clin Investig. 2021 Jun 15;131(12):e149095.

[11] Hocaoglu M, et al. Incidence, prevalence, and mortality of lupus nephritis: a population-based study over four decades using the Lupus Midwest Network. Arthritis & Rheumatol 2023 Apr;75(4):567-73.

[12] Mok C, et al. Treatment of lupus nephritis: consensus evidence and perspectives. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2023 Apr;19(4):227-38.

[13] Anders HJ, et al. Lupus nephritis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2020 Jan 23;6(1):7.

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Attachment
NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- iFLYTEK has officially launched the AINOTE 2 tablet on October 14, 2025, combining a sleek design with cutting-edge features to cater to business consultants, journalists, lawyers, and other professionals who rely on high-performance tools. The AINOTE 2 has set a new standard in the world of productivity devices. It is officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the thinnest E-ink tablet, with an average thickness of 4.2 mm, AI integration, and a highly efficient design aimed at professionals who demand portability, performance, and focus.

Revolutionary E-Ink Design for Portability and Performance

The AINOTE 2 is the thinnest E-Ink tablet on the market, measuring just 4.2 mm in thickness. This ultra-slim profile makes it incredibly portable, fitting easily into any bag or briefcase without compromising functionality. With a 4000 mAh battery, it offers impressive battery life that supports long workdays and frequent travel without the constant need for recharging.

AI Integration with GPT-5: A Boost to Professional Efficiency

One of the standout features of the AINOTE 2 is its integration with GPT-5 AI, which brings powerful productivity tools directly to the device. This includes capabilities such as real-time transcription, content generation, and automated meeting minutes, which are particularly valuable for busy professionals like lawyers, journalists, and business consultants. The real-time transcription feature, which supports multiple languages, makes it an invaluable tool for transcription-heavy tasks, such as interviews or legal proceedings. Additionally, AI-powered functions like automatic summarization and task generation help professionals save significant time, allowing them to focus on critical decision-making and content creation.

Paper-Like Writing Experience: Enhanced Focus and Productivity

The 10.65-inch E-Ink display provides a paper-like writing experience, which is crucial for professionals who require precision and focus. Unlike conventional tablets with bright screens, the AINOTE 2's low-latency writing technology offers immediate feedback as you write, simulating the sensation of pen on paper. This makes it ideal for note-taking, writing, and editing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the iFLYTEK AINOTE 2 is a versatile, high-performance productivity tool that offers professionals a sleek, efficient, and intelligent solution for their daily tasks. For more information on the iFLYTEK AINOTE 2, visit https://store.iflytek.com/products/iflytek-ainote-2?utm_source=pr

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/30075b8d-28af-44a3-a191-1f0815309d46
If approved, Scemblix will be indicated for adults with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), both newly diagnosed and previously treated, expanding access to four times as many patients in Europe





Scemblix is the only CML treatment with a superior efficacy and favorable safety and tolerability profile versus available first-line treatments 1 ,2





Despite available first-line treatments, 50% of patients newly diagnosed with CML miss treatment goals within one year, many of whom experience adherence challenges due to treatment tolerability3,4

Basel, October 17, 2025  Novartis announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion and recommended granting marketing authorization for Scemblix (asciminib) for the treatment of adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (Ph+ CML-CP) in all lines of treatment.



For people living with CML, long-term therapy can be physically and emotionally demanding, and many face challenges in reaching treatment milestones without compromising quality of life, said David FitzGerald, Member of the CML Advocates Network. The availability of more treatment options earlier in the care pathway is a welcome development that brings forward additional possibilities for patients and their healthcare teams to choose approaches that best support both clinical goals and patient well-being.



The positive CHMP opinion is based on data from the Phase III ASC4FIRST trial, which compared Scemblix with investigators choice of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment in patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML-CP1,2. In the trial, Scemblix demonstrated superior major molecular response (MMR) rates when compared against all TKIs (imatinib, nilotinib, dasatinib and bosutinib) and also when compared against imatinib alone1,2. Patients treated with Scemblix also required fewer dose reductions and experienced half the rate of adverse events leading to discontinuation1,2.



"To give patients newly diagnosed with CML the best chance to reach key efficacy milestones while maintaining quality of life, it is critical to intervene early with a more selective treatment that combines superior efficacy with tolerability," said Professor Andreas Hochhaus, Head of the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Jena University Hospital, Germany. "If approved, Scemblix could provide patients with a well-tolerated option that may deliver faster, deeper and longer-lasting molecular response with fewer treatment discontinuations due to adverse events, compared with available first-line treatments  potentially paving the way for more patients to reach treatment-free remission."



Scemblix is approved in earlier lines in more than 20 countries, including the US, Japan and China5,6. Scemblix is recommended for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML-CP by the 2025 European LeukemiaNet recommendations for the management of CML and by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines)7,8. Since 2021, Scemblix has been a standard of care (SoC) in more than 80 countries for patients previously treated with two or more TKIs5,6,9.



People newly diagnosed with CML need treatments that deliver both better efficacy and excellent tolerability to achieve early, deep molecular response, which is critical to achieve long-term outcomes like treatment-free remission, said Patrick Horber, M.D., President, International, Novartis. Scemblix is the only treatment that has demonstrated superior efficacy and tolerability compared to current first-line treatments. Todays positive CHMP opinion marks a major milestone in our 25-year journey to improve CML care and could help establish a new standard of care in Europe."



Following the CHMPs recommendation to approve Scemblix for the treatment of adults with Ph+ CML-CP in all lines of treatment, the European Commission (EC) will make a final decision within two months.



About ASC4FIRST

ASC4FIRST (NCT04971226) is a Phase III, head-to-head, multi-center, open-label, randomized study of oral Scemblix 80 mg QD vs. investigator-selected first- or second-generation TKIs (imatinib, nilotinib, dasatinib or bosutinib) in 405 adult patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML-CP10. The trial met both primary endpoints with Scemblix demonstrating superior MMR rates at week 48 vs. investigator-selected SoC TKIs (67.7% vs. 49.0%) and imatinib alone (69.3% vs. 40.2%)1,10. Additionally, Scemblix showed a numerical improvement versus the 2G TKI stratum (66% vs. 57.8%)1,10. At week 96, Scemblix demonstrated sustained superior MMR vs. all investigator-selected TKIs (74.1% vs. 52%) and vs. imatinib alone (76.2% vs. 47.1%)2.47.1%), meeting both ASC4FIRST key secondary endpoints2.

About Scemblix (asciminib)

Scemblix is the first CML treatment that works by Specifically Targeting the ABL Myristoyl Pocket (referred to as a STAMP inhibitor in scientific literature)11-13. Other currently approved CML treatments are TKIs that target the ATP-binding site (ATP-competitive)13.

Scemblix is approved to treat newly diagnosed adults with Ph+ CML-CP in more than 20 countries, including the US, Japan and China4,5. It is also approved in more than 80 countries, including the EU, to treat those with Ph+ CML-CP who have previously been treated with two or more TKIs 5,6,7. In some countries, including the US, Scemblix is also approved in patients with Ph+ CML-CP with the T315I mutation5-7.

Scemblix has been studied across multiple treatment lines for Ph+ CML-CP, both as a monotherapy and as a combination therapy5,6,10-12,14-26.



Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as potential, can, will, plan, may, could, would, expect, anticipate, look forward, believe, committed, investigational, pipeline, launch, or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AGs current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.



About Novartis

Novartis is an innovative medicines company. Every day, we work to reimagine medicine to improve and extend peoples lives so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are empowered in the face of serious disease. Our medicines reach nearly 300 million people worldwide.



Reimagine medicine with us: Visit us at https://www.novartis.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram.

References:

Hochhaus A, Wang J, Kim DW, et al. Asciminib in newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2024;391(10):885-898. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2404069 Cortes JE, Hochhaus A, Hughes TP, et al. Asciminib Continues to Provide Superior Efficacy and Favorable Safety and Tolerability vs Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors In Newly Diagnosed Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in ASC4FIRST: Week 96 Update. Presented at: 66th ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition; December 7  10, 2024; San Diego, CA. Kota VK, Wei D, Yang D, et al. Treatment Patterns and Modifications of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKI) Therapy in Early Lines in Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in Chronic Phase (CML-CP): Real-World Analysis from a Large Commercial Claims Database in the United States (US). Blood. 2023;142:5190. Hochhaus, A., & Ernst, T. 2021. TKI discontinuation in CML: How do we make more patients eligible? How do we increase the chances of a successful treatment-free remission? Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2021;1:106112. Scemblix (asciminib) Prescribing information. East Hanover, New Jersey, USA: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; October 2024. Novartis data on file. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Version 1.2026. Accessed September 11, 2025. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/cml.pdf Apperley JF, Milojkovic D, Cross NCP, et al. 2025 European LeukemiaNet recommendations for the management of chronic myeloid leukemia. Leukemia. 2025;39:17971813. doi:10.1038/s41375-025-02664-w. Scemblix. EMA Summary of Product Characteristics. Novartis Europharm Limited; 2022. A Study of Oral Asciminib Versus Other TKIs in Adult Patients With Newly Diagnosed Ph+ CML-CP (ASC4FIRST). ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04971226. Updated March 25, 2024. Accessed September 11, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04971226 Rea D, Mauro MJ, Boquimpani C, et al. A Phase 3, Open-Label, Randomized Study of Asciminib, a STAMP Inhibitor, vs Bosutinib in CML After 2 or more prior TKIs. Blood. 2021;138(21):2031-2041. doi:10.1182/blood.2020009984 Cortes JE, Hughes TP, Mauro MJ, et al. Asciminib, a First-in-Class STAMP Inhibitor, Provides Durable Molecular Response in Patients (pts) with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) Harboring the T315I Mutation: Primary Efficacy and Safety Results from a Phase 1 Trial. Oral presentation at: ASH Annual Meeting; Dec. 7, 2020. Schoepfer J, Jahnke W, Berellini G, et al. Discovery of Asciminib (ABL001), an Allosteric Inhibitor of the Tyrosine Kinase Activity of BCR-ABL1. J Med Chem. 2018;61(18):8120-8135. doi:10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01040 Wylie AA, Schoepfer J, Jahnke W, et al. The allosteric inhibitor ABL001 enables dual targeting of BCRABL1. Nature. 2017;543(7647):733-737. doi:10.1038/nature21702 Hughes TP, Mauro MJ, Cortes JE, et al. Asciminib in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia after ABL Kinase Inhibitor Failure. N Engl J Med. 2019; 381(24):2315-2326. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1902328 Hughes TP, et al. Expanded Phase 1 Study of ABL001, a Potent, Allosteric Inhibitor of BCR-ABL, Reveals Significant and Durable Responses in Patients with CML-Chronic Phase with Failure of Prior TKI Therapy. Presented at: ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition; Dec. 5, 2016. Ottmann OG, Alimena G, DeAngelo DJ, et al. ABL001, a Potent, Allosteric Inhibitor of BCR-ABL, Exhibits Safety and Promising Single- Agent Activity in a Phase I Study of Patients with CML with Failure of Prior TKI Therapy. Blood. 2015;126(23):138. doi:10.1182/blood.V126.23.138.138 Mauro MJ, Kim DW, Cortes J, et al. Combination of Asciminib Plus Nilotinib (NIL) or Dasatinib (DAS) in Patients (PTS) with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML): Results from a Phase 1 Study. Presented at: EHA Annual Meeting; June 15, 2019. Cortes JE, Lang F, Kim DW, et al. Combination Therapy Using Asciminib Plus Imatinib (IMA) in Patients (PTS) with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML): Results from a Phase 1 Study. Presented at: EHA Annual Meeting; June 15, 2019. Manley PW, Barys L, Cowan-Jacob SW. The specificity of asciminib, a potential treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia, as a myristate-pocket binding ABL inhibitor and analysis of its interactions with mutant forms of BCR-ABL1 kinase. Leuk Res. 2020;98:106458. doi:10.1016/j.leukres.2020.106458 Study of Efficacy of CML-CP Patients Treated with ABL001 Versus Bosutinib, Previously Treated With 2 or More TKIs. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03106779. Updated February 7, 2024. Accessed September 11, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03106779 Asciminib in Monotherapy for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in Chronic Phase (CML-CP) With and WithoutT315I Mutation (AIM4CML). ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04666259. Updated September 7, 2023. Accessed September 11, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04666259 Study of Efficacy And Safety Of Asciminib In Combination With Imatinib In Patients With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia In Chronic Phase (CML-CP). ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03578367. Updated March 22, 2024. Accessed September 11, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03578367 Study of Efficacy and Safety of CML-CP Patients Treated With Asciminib Versus Best Available Therapy, Previously Treated With 2 or More Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04795427. Updated October 19, 2023. Accessed September 11, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04795427 A Phase I Study of Oral ABL001 in Patients With CML or Ph+ ALL. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02081378. Updated March 18, 2024. Accessed September 11, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02081378 Asciminib Treatment Optimization in  3rd Line CML-CP. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04948333. Updated February 28, 2024. Accessed September 11, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04948333
QINGDAO, China, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 10th China International Copyright Expo (CICE) & 2025 International Copyright Forum is held in Qingdao, Shandong Province from October 16 to 18, 2025. The event is co-hosted by China's National Copyright Administration and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and co-organized by Shandong Provincial Copyright Bureau and Qingdao Municipal People's Government.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

Themed "Creative Industries in Digital Age: Reimagining Copyright-Driven Development," the forum brought together over 400 distinguished delegates from domestic and international copyright sectors. Participants agreed that China's innovative copyright practices have not only fueled its socio-economic advancement but also unlocked opportunities for global copyright progress. Moving forward, the global copyright community will prioritize refining international governance frameworks, strengthening copyright protection mechanisms, and expanding cross-border collaboration. During the forum, the NCA and WIPO jointly presented the 2025 China Copyright Gold Awards, while the NCA showcased pivotal copyright initiatives.

With "Digital Intelligence Leads the Future, Copyright Promotes Innovative Development" as its theme, the Expo featured five thematic zones spanning nearly 50,000 square meters. It attracted 57 delegations and over 1,100 enterprises, spotlighting global achievements in copyright digitization and intelligent innovation. The event reviewed China's historic progress in copyright endeavors during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, established a world-class platform for copyright product exhibitions and trade, and promoted in-depth exchanges and dialogues in the international copyright field. On the opening day, the Expo hosted dynamic cultural exchange events and promotional roadshows.

As the Guest Province of Honor, Shandong unveiled its "Shandong Copyright: Embracing Innovation" showcase through four pavilions according to distinctive copyright strengths and developmental trajectory. This multidimensional presentation highlighted Shandong's technological breakthroughs in copyright digitalization and reinforced its core strengths in intellectual property innovation.

Source: Qingdao Municipal People's Government
WUHU, China, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On October 16, 2025 (Beijing Time), the Endless Horizon Worry-Free Voyage Chery Super Hybrid (CSH) Global Endurance Test successfully concluded in Wuhu, China. The closing journey spanned three provincesShanxi, Henan, and Anhuicovering a total of 1403 kilometers. With a premium lineup consisting of TIGGO7 CSH, TIGGO8 CSH, and TIGGO9 CSH models, the motorcade once again showcased the strong capabilities of CSH technology, validating its stability and comfort across diverse road conditions.

A Journey of Craftsmanship Proves True Strength: The TIGGO Family Proves Its Strength

For the finale of CSH Global Endurance Test, a fully authentic testing approach was adopted"real vehicles, real roads, real conditions." An international motorcade, joined by guests from multiple countries, took on comprehensive challenges under the rigorous "full tank, sealed fuel cap" standard, navigating complex and varied road conditions. Global audiences were also able to witness the authentic results of the challenge via live stream.

The motorcade departed from Taiyuan and traveled through cities including Luoyang and Suzhou, encountering a wide variety of complex road conditions such as highways, mountain passes, and rural routes. In Luoyang, guests immersed themselves in traditional Chinese craftsmanship by painting figurines at the Tang Tri-Color Cultural Park. They also enjoyed hand-brewed coffee powered by the vehicle's V2L functiona feature that added a touch of warmth to the journey. While passing by the Yingtianmen Scenic Area, the Automated Parking Assist (APA) system completed reverse parking in just 9 seconds, freeing the guests from manual operation and allowing them to experience the convenience of intelligent technology.

Ultimately, this immersive journey of cultural exploration across China culminated in a flawless performance by the Chery TIGGO CSH family, offering diversified choices to meet the varied needs of global users. TIGGO9 CSH achieved an impressive combined range of 1403 kilometers, demonstrating benchmark-level capability as a flagship model and effectively eliminating range anxiety for intercity travel. Equipped with a 3.3 kW V2L function, TIGGO7 CSH powered devices such as coffee machines during outdoor stops, adding both warmth and convenience to the journey. Meanwhile, TIGGO8 CSH not only delivered stable performance across various road conditions but also recorded a cabin noise level as low as 54 dB when passing through bustling urban areas. Its ultra-low NVH noise-reduction technology struck an ideal balance between performance and comfort, creating a serene and refined driving environment.





International guests enjoy an in-depth experience with the Chery TIGGO CSH family

A Triumphant Finale Heralds a New Beginning: Chery Brand User Summit Set to Launch

Amidst an audience of international media and distinguished guests, the closing ceremony for the CSH Global Endurance Test was formally held. At the event, Zhu Shaodong, Executive Vice President of Chery International, addressed the audience: The Endless Horizon Worry-Free Voyage CSH Global Endurance Test has traversed more than 20 countries and spanned over 20,000 kilometers, demonstrating the powerful capabilities of China's hybrid technology through outstanding real-world performance. This finale is not an end, but a new beginning. Chery will continue to work hand in hand with global users to foster innovative development in a green and intelligent mobility ecosystem." Following his remarks, Mr. Zhu presented the "Best Experience Officer" award to participants who had shown exceptional engagement and performance throughout the endurance test.





Zhu Shaodong, Executive Vice President of Chery International, delivers a speech at the closing ceremony

During the guest sharing session, guests reflected on their experience: In just three days, we were able to experience not only Chinas profound intangible cultural heritage, but also the impressive advances in its automotive manufacturing. The L2+ intelligent driving assistance system greatly reduced driving fatigue and improved road safety. Whats more, both the vibration absorption on uneven roads and the accuracy of the automatic parking function were executed with remarkable precision.





2025 CSH Global Endurance Test concludes successfully

The successful closing ceremony not only marked a perfect conclusion to the CSH Global Endurance Test but also set the stage for the upcoming 2025 Chery Brand User Summit. Moving forward, Chery will continue to develop a new intelligent mobility ecosystemone that seamlessly connects people, vehicles, and lifedriven by deep insights into the needs of users worldwide.

Media Contact

Company Name: Chery Automobile Co., Ltd.

Contact: Zhang Tianyi

Website: https://www.cheryinternational.com

E-mail: zhangtianyi1@mychery.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/26da7feb-dea8-4a3e-b4ce-9f3ffea86534

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/733c0b38-1653-4f1f-b3b4-53634152e145

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cfec7552-bc2c-4f94-abc6-a3ee0724d1f5


Austin, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Personalized Medicine Outsourcing Market Size & Growth Analysis:

According to SNS Insider, the Personalized Medicine Outsourcing Market was valued at USD 109.88 billion in 2024. The market is expected to grow to USD 281.72 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 12.54 percent from 2025 to 2032. The market is being strengthened by the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and rare diseases globally, the increasing use of companion diagnostics, and the incorporation of artificial intelligence.

In the US, the market was worth USD 30.61 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 77.07 billion in 2032. North America maintains its leadership in this sector due to the country's strong healthcare infrastructure and high R&D investment.





Get free Sample Report of Personalized Medicine Outsourcing Market: https://www.snsinsider.com/sample-request/8194

The demand for personalized treatments is increasing in the healthcare sector. Biopharma companies are entering into strategic partnerships with contract research organizations (CROs), contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs), and diagnostic service providers for research and development. This approach reduces research time and saves costs.

Major Players Analysis Listed in the Personalized Medicine Outsourcing Market Report are

Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services

Syngene

Syneos Health

Infosys

Parexel

Catalent

ICON

HCL Technologies

Lonza

Thermo Fisher Scientific

LabCorp

Charles River Laboratories

WuXi AppTec

PRA Health Sciences

PPD

IQVIA

Recipharm AB

Samsung Biologics

Fujifilm Diosynth

Eurofins Scientific

BioRad Laboratories

Frontage Laboratories

Svar Life Science

Sino Biological

Almac Group

SCTbio

Ology Bioservices

BioSpring

Segmentation Analysis:

By Phase

The clinical phase segment accounted for the largest share of the market in 2024, with a 66.41%, due to the increasing number of precision medicine clinical trials, growing patient recruitment across oncology, rare diseases, and chronic illnesses. The preclinical segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period due to a surge in investment for early-stage drug discovery for personalized therapies.

By Application

The oncology segment held the largest personalized medicine outsourcing market share in 2024 with 55.2%, owing to the high occurrence of different cancers and associated benefits of targeted therapies. The rare diseases segment is expected to grow significantly in the forecast years, owing to the increasing emphasis on developing orphan drugs and the growing implementation of genomics and personalized treatment plans.

By Service

Due to the growing requirement for scalable production of custom-made therapeutics, particularly cell and gene therapeutics, the contract manufacturing segment occupied the largest value share of the personalized medicine outsourcing market in 2024. During the forecast years, the contract development segment is expected to experience the highest growth, as increasing personalized medicine development has become increasingly complex, and requires highly specialized capabilities.

By Type

In 2024, the inhibitor pharmaceuticals segment dominated the personalized medicine outsourcing market because of their widespread use in targeted therapies for chronic and life-threatening ailments such cancer, autoimmune diseases, and cardiovascular disorders. The cell & gene therapy segment is anticipated to register fastest growth over the forecast period, owing to significant technological breakthroughs, increasing approvals from the FDA and EMA, and growing investment by pharmaceutical giants into this area.

By Region

Due to the established healthcare infrastructure, vigorous regulatory frameworks, and high health expenditure, the global personalized medicine outsourcing market is primarily driven by North America, with a 36.6% market share in 2024.

Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing region in the personalized medicine outsourcing market trend due to an increase in healthcare expenditure, the increasing pharmaceutical manufacturing activities, and the increasing number of clinical trial activities.

Buy the Personalized Medicine Outsourcing Market Report Now: https://www.snsinsider.com/checkout/8194

Recent News:

July 2024  Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services, a contract research, development, and manufacturing organization (CRO/CDMO) based in India, said that it has signed an agreement to offer discovery services in cell therapy to Edity Therapeutics, an Israeli-headquartered biotechnology firm.

Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services, a contract research, development, and manufacturing organization (CRO/CDMO) based in India, said that it has signed an agreement to offer discovery services in cell therapy to Edity Therapeutics, an Israeli-headquartered biotechnology firm. July 2024  Syngene International, a contracted research, development, and manufacturing organization (CRDMO), launched a novel protein manufacturing platform for rapid and efficient protein production. The platform combines a cell line and transposon-based technology licensed from ExcellGene, a Swiss company with expertise in developing mammalian cell lines.

Exclusive Sections of the Report (The USPs):

PERSONALIZED MEDICINE ADOPTION METRICS  helps you evaluate adoption rates across therapy types, healthcare settings, and regions, providing insight into market maturity and potential outsourcing hotspots.

 helps you evaluate adoption rates across therapy types, healthcare settings, and regions, providing insight into market maturity and potential outsourcing hotspots. PRECISION DIAGNOSTICS OUTSOURCING INDEX  helps you understand growth trends in companion diagnostics, genomic profiling, and biomarker discovery services, highlighting innovation-driven outsourcing opportunities.

 helps you understand growth trends in companion diagnostics, genomic profiling, and biomarker discovery services, highlighting innovation-driven outsourcing opportunities. CLINICAL TRIAL OUTSOURCING ANALYTICS  helps you assess regional trends, trial volumes, and time-to-market advantages achieved through outsourcing personalized drug development.

 helps you assess regional trends, trial volumes, and time-to-market advantages achieved through outsourcing personalized drug development. R&D AND HEALTHCARE SPENDING BENCHMARKS  helps you identify how public and private stakeholders allocate budgets for personalized medicine and gauge outsourcing spend as a share of total R&D investment.

 helps you identify how public and private stakeholders allocate budgets for personalized medicine and gauge outsourcing spend as a share of total R&D investment. REGULATORY AND REIMBURSEMENT FRAMEWORKS  helps you analyze FDA and EMA initiatives, evolving reimbursement models, and IP/data compliance trends influencing outsourcing preferences globally.

 helps you analyze FDA and EMA initiatives, evolving reimbursement models, and IP/data compliance trends influencing outsourcing preferences globally. INNOVATION & COLLABORATION INDEX  helps you track strategic partnerships between CROs, CDMOs, and healthcare institutions driving precision medicine scalability and long-term growth.

Personalized Medicine Outsourcing Market Report Scope

Report Attributes Details Market Size in 2024 USD 109.88 Billion Market Size by 2032 USD 281.72 Billion CAGR CAGR of 12.54% From 2025 to 2032 Base Year 2024 Forecast Period 2025-2032 Historical Data 2021-2023 Key Segments  By Product (Clinical, Preclinical)



 By Application (Oncology, Rare Diseases, Infectious Diseases, Others)



 By Service (Contract Manufacturing, Contract Development)



 By Type (Inhibitor Drugs, Monoclonal Antibodies, Cell & Gene Therapy, Others)



 By End Use (Pharmaceutical Companies, Biotechnology Companies, Others) Regional Analysis/Coverage North America (US, Canada), Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Poland, Rest of Europe), Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, ASEAN Countries, Rest of Asia Pacific), Middle East & Africa (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, South Africa, Rest of Middle East & Africa), Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Rest of Latin America).

Access Complete Report Details of Personalized Medicine Outsourcing Market Analysis & Outlook: https://www.snsinsider.com/reports/personalized-medicine-outsourcing-market-8194

[For more information or need any customization research mail us at info@snsinsider.com]

About Us:

SNS Insider is one of the leading market research and consulting agencies that dominates the market research industry globally. Our company's aim is to give clients the knowledge they require in order to function in changing circumstances. In order to give you current, accurate market data, consumer insights, and opinions so that you can make decisions with confidence, we employ a variety of techniques, including surveys, video talks, and focus groups around the world.
NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Fluor Corporation (Fluor or the Company) (NYSE: FLR) and certain officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, and docketed under 25-cv-02496, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired Fluor securities between February 18, 2025 and July 31, 2025, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials.

If you are an investor who purchased or otherwise acquired Fluor securities during the Class Period, you have until November 14, 2025, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com . To discuss this action, contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

Fluor provides engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC), fabrication and modularization, and project management services worldwide. The Company operates through three segments: Urban Solutions, Energy Solutions, and Mission Solutions.

Throughout 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, Fluors Urban Solutions segment accounted for the largest portion of the Companys revenue and profit. The Urban Solutions segment offers EPC and project management services to the advanced technologies and manufacturing, life sciences, mining and metals, and infrastructure industries, as well as provides professional staffing services. The Companys infrastructure projects in this segment include work on, inter alia, the Gordie Howe International Bridge (Gordie Howe), as well as the Interstate 365 Lyndon B. Johnson (I-635/LBJ) and Interstate 35E (I-35) highways in Texas.

In February 2025, Fluor provided financial guidance for the full year (FY) of 2025, including adjusted EBITDA of $575 million to $675 million and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.25 per share to $2.75 per share. Defendants reaffirmed the foregoing financial guidance in May 2025, notwithstanding their acknowledgement of the potential negative impacts of ongoing economic uncertainty on Fluors business resulting from trade tensions and other market conditions. Contemporaneously, Defendants touted, inter alia, the purported health and stability of Fluors and its customers operations and the strength of the Companys risk mitigation strategy, both for itself and its clients.

The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding Fluors business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) costs associated with the Gordie Howe, I-635/LBJ, and I-35 projects were growing because of, inter alia, subcontractor design errors, price increases, and scheduling delays; (ii) the foregoing, as well as customer reduction in capital spending and client hesitation around economic uncertainty, was having, or was likely to have, a significant negative impact on the Companys business and financial results; (iv) accordingly, Fluors financial guidance for FY 2025 was unreliable and/or unrealistic, the effectiveness of the Companys risk mitigation strategy was overstated, and the impact of economic uncertainty on the Companys business and financial results was understated; and (v) as a result, Defendants public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On August 1, 2025, Fluor issued a press release reporting its financial results for the second quarter (Q2) of 2025. Among other results, the press release reported Q2 non-GAAP EPS of $0.43, missing consensus estimates by $0.13, and revenue of $3.98 billion, representing a 5.9% year-over-year decline and missing consensus estimates by $570 million. Defendants blamed these disappointing results on, inter alia, growing costs in multiple infrastructure projects due to subcontractor design errors, price increases, and scheduling delays, as well as reduced capital spending by customers. The same press release also provided a negatively revised financial outlook for FY 2025, guiding to adjusted EBITDA of $475 million to $525 million, down significantly from Defendants prior guidance of $575 million to $675 million, and adjusted EPS of $1.95 per share to $2.15 per share, down significantly from Defendants prior guidance of $2.25 per share to $2.75 per share, citing client hesitation around economic uncertainty and its impact on new awards and project delays and results for the quarter[.]

The same day, Fluor hosted a conference call with investors and analysts to discuss the Companys Q2 2025 financial results. During that call, the Companys Chief Executive Officer, Defendant James R. Breuer, disclosed that the infrastructure projects that had negatively impacted Fluors Q2 2025 results were the Gordie Howe, I-635/LBJ, and I-35 projects.

Following the foregoing disclosures, Fluors stock price fell $15.35 per share, or 27.04%, to close at $41.42 per share on August 1, 2025.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com .

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Danielle Peyton

Pomerantz LLP

dpeyton@pomlaw.com

646-581-9980 ext. 7980
Dublin, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "HVAC Air Filters Market Size, Share, Trends, Growth Opportunities & Forecast by Filter Type, MERV Rating, End-Use Industry, and Region - Global Outlook 2025 to 2035" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



According to the research report, the HVAC air filters market is projected to reach $14.08 billion by 2035, at a CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period 2025-2035. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the global HVAC air filters across five major regions, emphasizing the current market trends, market sizes, recent developments, and forecasts till 2035.



The growth of this market is driven by the growing indoor air quality awareness, strict air quality regulations, growth in construction activities, rising HVAC system installations, health consciousness post-pandemic, energy efficiency requirements, increasing air pollution levels, and green building certifications. Moreover, smart filter technologies, antimicrobial filter development, emerging market expansion, retrofit material expansion, and e-commerce channel growth are expected to support the market's growth.

Asia-Pacific is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period across the overall HVAC air filters market. This growth is fueled by rapid urbanization, expanding infrastructure, and increasing awareness of indoor air quality in densely populated countries such as China, India, and Southeast Asian nations. Rising demand from commercial and residential construction, coupled with stricter environmental and air quality regulations, is driving the adoption of advanced HVAC filtration systems across the region.

Additionally, industrial growth and increased investment in smart buildings and energy-efficient technologies are further accelerating market expansion. The booming e-commerce sector and growing middle-class population also contribute to higher HVAC product consumption.



Based on filter type, the HEPA filters segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period of 2025-2035.

The rapid growth of this segment is mainly due to the increasing demand for high-efficiency filtration in applications where air quality is critical. This growth is driven by heightened health and hygiene awareness following the COVID-19 pandemic, the expansion of the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors, and rising usage in cleanrooms, laboratories, and even premium commercial and residential spaces.

HEPA filters, which can capture at least 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns, are seen as essential for removing allergens, bacteria, and viruses from indoor air. As indoor air quality becomes a public health priority and end-users become more informed, the adoption of HEPA filtration is rising swiftly, especially in markets emphasizing wellness, infection control, and stringent regulatory compliance.



Based on MERV rating, the MERV 5-8 segment is expected to account for the largest share of the HVAC air filters market.

MERV 5-8 filters are widely used in residential and light commercial settings due to their optimal balance of cost and performance. They are preferred by homeowners and small business operators who seek meaningful improvements in air quality but do not require significant upgrades to their existing HVAC systems. As the residential retrofit market rapidly expands and fundamental indoor air quality standards become more prevalent, the use of MERV 5-8 filters continues to grow, sustaining the segment's dominance.

Furthermore, these filters provide superior allergen control and dust reduction compared to basic fiberglass alternatives, while remaining fully compatible with most existing HVAC infrastructures. This compatibility makes them particularly appealing to cost-conscious consumers looking for an effective, value-driven solution.



Based on the distribution channel, the e-commerce segment is projected to register the highest CAGR from 2025 to 2035.

This growth is driven by the increasing consumer preference for online shopping due to convenience, wider product availability, competitive pricing, and fast delivery options. The rising penetration of smartphones and internet connectivity, along with growing awareness of indoor air quality, is accelerating online purchases of HVAC air filters.

Additionally, e-commerce platforms offer product comparisons, customer reviews, and subscription-based models for filter replacements, further enhancing user experience. Manufacturers and brands are also leveraging digital channels to expand their reach, streamline logistics, and offer customized solutions directly to consumers. As digitalization continues to reshape buying behavior, the e-commerce distribution channel is expected to play an increasingly vital role in the HVAC air filter market's expansion.



Based on end-use application, the commercial segment is expected to account for the largest share of the HVAC air filters market in 2025.

This dominance is primarily driven by the increasing demand for efficient air filtration systems in offices, hospitals, educational institutions, shopping malls, hotels, and other public buildings. With growing awareness of indoor air quality, energy efficiency regulations, and health and safety standards, commercial facilities are prioritizing the installation of high-performance HVAC filters to ensure clean, safe, and comfortable indoor environments.

Additionally, post-pandemic health concerns have heightened the need for advanced air filtration solutions in commercial spaces to minimize airborne contaminants and improve ventilation. The rising number of commercial buildings, particularly in urban areas and emerging economies, further contributes to the segment's substantial market share and ongoing growth trajectory through the forecast period.



Key Questions Answered in the Report

What is the current revenue generated by the HVAC air filters market globally?

At what rate is the global HVAC air filter demand projected to grow for the next 5-7 years?

What are the historical market sizes and growth rates of the global HVAC air filters market?

What are the major factors impacting the growth of this market at the regional and country levels? What are the major opportunities for existing players and new entrants in the market?

Which segments in terms of filter type, MERV rating, end-use applications, and distribution channel are expected to create major traction for the manufacturers in this market?

What are the key geographical trends in this market? Which regions/countries are expected to offer significant growth opportunities for the manufacturers operating in the global HVAC air filters market?

Who are the major players in the global HVAC air filters market? What are their specific product offerings in this market?

What are the recent strategic developments in the global HVAC air filters market? What are the impacts of these strategic developments on the market?

Market Insights

Factors Affecting Market Growth

Drivers

Rising Indoor Air Quality Awareness

Stringent Air Quality Regulations

Growth in Construction Activities

Increasing HVAC System Installations

Health Consciousness Post-Pandemic

Energy Efficiency Requirements

Rising Air Pollution Levels

Green Building Certifications

Restraints

High Cost of Advanced Filters

Energy Consumption Concerns

Lack of Awareness in Developing Markets

Filter Disposal Challenges

Maintenance Requirements Maintenance Requirements

Opportunities

Smart Filter Technologies

Antimicrobial Filter Development

Emerging Market Expansion

Retrofit Market Potential

E-Commerce Channel Growth

Trends

IoT-Enabled Filter Monitoring

Sustainable Filter Materials

Nanofiber Technology Adoption

Standards and Regulations

ASHRAE Standards

Regional Air Quality Standards

North America (EPA, ASHRAE)

Europe (EN Standards)

Asia-Pacific (National Standards)

Latin America and MENA

Technology Adoption Trends Across Applications

Competitive Landscape

Overview

Key Growth Strategies

Competitive Benchmarking

Competitive Dashboard

Industry Leaders

Market Differentiators

Vanguards

Emerging Companies

Market Share/Position Analysis

Company Profiles

M Company

Camfil Ab

Mann+Hummel Gruppe

American Air Filter Company, Inc. / AAF International

Parker Hannifin Corporation (HVAC Filtration Division)

Donaldson Company, Inc.

Filtration Group Corporation

Freudenberg Filtration Technologies Se & Co. Kg

Koch Filter Corporation

Air Filters, Inc.

Honeywell International Inc.

Carrier Global Corporation

Trane Technologies Plc

Johnson Controls International Plc

Ahlstrom-Munksjo Oyj

Emirates Industrial Filters LLC

General Filter Air (USA)

Smith Filter Corporation

Dynamic Filtration Ltd.

Scope of the Report

HVAC Air Filters Market Assessment - by Filter Type

Pleated Filters

Fiberglass Filters

HEPA Filters

Electrostatic Filters

Activated Carbon Filters

UV Filters

Other Specialty Filters

HVAC Air Filters Market Assessment - by MERV Rating

MERV 1-4

MERV 5-8

MERV 9-12

MERV 13-16

MERV 17-20

HVAC Air Filters Market Assessment - by Distribution Channel

Distributors and Wholesalers

Direct Sales/OEM

Retail Channels

E-Commerce Platforms

Aftermarket and Service Providers

HVAC Air Filters Market Assessment - by End Use Application

Residential

Commercial

Industrial

Transportation

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/r7s80d

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
Ottawa, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global security printing services market size was recorded at USD 33.16 billion in 2025 and is forecast to increase to USD 48.43 billion in 2034, as per findings from a study published by Towards Packaging, a sister firm of Precedence Research.

Request a Custom Case Study and Research Report Built Around Your Goals: sales@towardspackaging.com

The market growth is driven by the increasing integration of digital technologies, such as QR codes and RFID tags, with physical documents, the advancement of anti-counterfeiting measures like holograms and microprinting, and a growing focus on biometric security features in IDs and passports. Additionally, the rising development of smart inks, demand for environmentally sustainable solutions, and the need to secure both physical and digital documents are contributing to market growth.

What is Security Printing?

Security printing is the process of producing documents and products with built-in features designed to prevent tampering, counterfeiting, and unauthorized duplication. This involves the use of specialized techniques and materials, such as holograms, special inks, and watermarks, to add layers of protection to items like banknotes, cheques, passports, and event tickets. These services are commonly used for documents and products that require a high level of authenticity, integrity, and traceability. The security printing industry is being driven by the growing threat of counterfeiting and fraud, which is increasing the demand for secure documents such as currency, identification cards, and travel documents.

Get All the Details in Our Solutions - Access Report Sample: https://www.towardspackaging.com/download-sample/5188

What are the Latest Trends in the Security Printing Services Market?

Integration of Digital Authentication Methods



The adoption of digital authentication technologies provides a multi-layered defense against increasingly sophisticated counterfeiters. Solutions such as QR codes, NFC tags, and blockchain enhance traditional physical security features, enabling more secure, efficient, and accessible verification for both companies and consumers. These technologies allow instant product authentication using smartphones or compatible devices, empowering consumers and supply chain partners to verify authenticity in real-time, thereby strengthening brand trust and transparency.

Environmental Sustainability



Driven by rising consumer expectations, regulatory demands, and corporate responsibility goals, the security printing industry is under pressure to reduce its environmental footprint. As a resource-intensive sector, it is increasingly adopting greener practices and sustainable materials. Companies are moving toward eco-friendly substrates such as recycled paper and alternative fibers like bamboo, grass, or cocoa husks, helping minimize deforestation and improve sustainability in production.

Integration of Digital and Blockchain Technologies



A significant shift is occurring towards hybrid security solutions that combine physical and digital authentication methods. Over 55% of new security printed documents now feature machine-readable biometric identifiers such as fingerprint or iris data. Additionally, 38% of new projects are utilizing blockchain technology to verify the authenticity of printed materials, enhancing traceability and reducing fraud.

Expansion of Smart and Secure Document Solutions



Governments worldwide are increasing investments in secure documentation, such as vaccination certificates. This trend reflects a broader move towards digital identity solutions and secure document issuance.

What Potentiates the Growth of the Security Printing Services Market?

Advancements in anti-counterfeiting technology are driving market growth by increasing demand for sophisticated and robust printed security features. The use of unique serial numbers, barcodes, and QR codes on printed materials enables strong track-and-trace capabilities throughout the supply chain.

Customers and retailers can instantly verify a products authenticity by scanning a code with a smartphone. While initially focused on currency and government IDs, security printing has expanded into high-value and sensitive sectors such as electronics, luxury goods, pharmaceuticals, and automotive parts. For example, the pharmaceutical industry relies heavily on secure packaging to combat counterfeit drugs.

Limitations & Challenges in the Security Printing Services Market

Key challenges include the high cost of advanced technologies, the complexity of integrating new security features into existing systems, and the ongoing race to outpace increasingly sophisticated counterfeiters. Additional hurdles involve navigating diverse regulatory requirements, addressing the environmental impact of materials and processes, and ensuring data security against cyber threats, particularly with the rise of remote work.

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Regional Analysis

Who is the Leader in the Security Printing Services Market?

North America led the market while capturing the largest share in 2024. This is because strong government and financial sector demand for anti-counterfeiting measures, advanced technological infrastructure, and strict regulations for securing documents such as currency and passports. Stringent government mandates to combat counterfeiting and fraud have driven consistent demand for high-security printing solutions.

U.S. Market Trends

The U.S. security printing services market is growing rapidly, fueled by increasing concerns over counterfeiting and fraud, and rising demand for advanced security features like holograms, RFID tags, and biometric authentication. While lithographic printing remains the largest segment, digital and inkjet printing methods are growing faster due to their flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

Canada Market Trends

The Canadian security printing services market is expected to grow at a steady rate, driven by increasing counterfeiting concerns and the adoption of advanced anti-counterfeiting technologies such as holograms and RFID. There is also a rising trend of integrating conventional printing with digital authentication methods, including QR codes and blockchain technology, to improve traceability and verification of printed materials.

How is the Opportunistic Rise of Asia Pacific in the Security Printing Services Market?

Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the fastest rate in the market. The rise in counterfeit goods, fake currency, and forged documents is driving demand for advanced high-security printing solutions. Increasing incidents of counterfeit banknotes and consumer product piracy across the region further fuel this growth. Additionally, the thriving pharmaceutical industry, especially in India, heightens the need for secure packaging, including tamper-evident seals and specialized barcodes to ensure product authenticity.

China Market Trends

Chinas market growth is supported by government initiatives focused on secure documents such as IDs and passports, increased investment in anti-counterfeiting technologies, and integration of digital elements like QR codes and biometrics. The adoption of biometric features such as facial recognition and fingerprint scanning is a key trend for enhancing security in passports and ID cards. Government documents and personal IDs remain major application areas.

Japan Market Trends

There is a high demand for sophisticated security features like digital watermarks, holograms, and multi-layered security elements to combat advanced counterfeiting. Hybrid printing techniques that combine traditional security features with digital information embedding are gaining traction. Smart inks, including UV and thermochromic inks, are also widely used to add additional security layers.

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Segment Outlook

Application Insights

The legal & government documents segment dominated the security printing services market in 2024. This is due to the high demand for secure documents like passports, visas, and identification cards to prevent counterfeiting and detect theft and fraud. Governments and legal bodies need advanced security features, such as holograms and RFID chips, along with specialized paper, to guarantee the integrity and authenticity of vital documents and to comply with regulatory mandates. Moreover, governments increasingly usage security printing technologies like holograms, embedded threads, microprinting, and even RFID chips to deter tampering and also verify authenticity.

The banknotes segment is expected to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period. This is due to the increasing demand for advanced anti-counterfeiting measures, the continued reliance on physical currency in expanding nations, and the ongoing cycle of printing and replacing old banknotes. Despite the growth of digital payments, cash remains a dominant form of transaction in various parts of the world, particularly in developing countries across Asia Pacific, Africa, and Latin America, ensuring a continued need for physical currency.

Recent Breakthroughs in the Market

In September 2024, HP Indigo and Agfa declared a unique variable design security solution for various brand protection and even security printing. HP Indigo Secure Studio Powered by ECO3 makes unique graphic designs with endless variations.



Top Security Printing Services Market Players

HP Development Company, L.P.

CSX

3M Company

NanoGrafix

OMR Technologies

Thales Group

Security Print Solutions Limited

Eltronis

Authentix

Fluke Infotech

Arrow System Inc.

SPGPrints

Segments Covered in the Report

By Application

Banknotes

Legal & Government Documents

Cheques

Personal ID

Certificates

Others

By Geography

North America U.S. Canada

Europe U.K. Germany France

Asia-Pacific China India Japan South Korea Malaysia Philippines

Latin America Brazil Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa (MEA) GCC North Africa South Africa Rest of the Middle East & Africa



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DONCASTER, United Kingdom, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Unipart, the supply chain performance improvement partner, today celebrated the official opening of its new facility, Trax Park, in Doncaster. The site was officially opened by the Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, at an event attended by local dignitaries, industry leaders, and Unipart partners.

The new multi-sector facility represents a significant long-term investment in the region and Uniparts commitment to strengthening the UKs domestic supply chain. While serving customers across all sectors, Trax Park will play a crucial role in supporting the UK rail industry, providing a hub to build a more efficient, resilient, and sustainable railway for the future.

The opening event showcased Uniparts advanced capabilities, including demonstrations of UK-based manufacturing, digital signalling solutions, and predictive maintenance technology designed to improve safety and performance across the rail network.

Darren Leigh, Unipart Chief Executive Officer, said: I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Lord Hendy for joining us today and officially opening Trax Park. This facility is more than just a building; it's a testament to our long-term commitment to our customers and to British industry. As our guests saw on the tour, our true differentiator is our unique culture, The Unipart Way. It empowers our people to drive the continuous improvement and innovation that is fundamental to building the resilient, efficient, and sustainable supply chains our customers, and the UK, needs for the future.

Dr David McGorman, Managing Director, Unipart Rail and Technology, said: The technology and innovation showcased here today, from digital signalling to predictive maintenance, are not just concepts for the future; they are practical solutions we are delivering now to create a safer, more reliable, and modern railway for Britain. Trax Park is a hub where we turn that innovation into reality, ensuring the UK rail sector is equipped to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said: It was an honour to officially open this new Doncaster site, which represents a major milestone and investment by Unipart in our rail supply chain.

This Government is supporting the supply chain through our forthcoming rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, and private investment like today's is crucial to the British rail industry and the local economy of places like Doncaster.

I am excited to see the work that has already happened on site and wish everyone at Unipart the best for the future.

The event concluded with Lord Hendy formally cutting the ribbon to declare Trax Park officially open.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at Unipart opens new facility in Doncaster - Unipart

About Unipart

Unipart is a supply chain performance improvement partner that designs, makes, moves, and improves components in its customers supply chains, keeping their operations working better, for longer. Uniparts 11,000 employees serve customers in multiple sectors including automotive, rail, technology, defence, aerospace, industrials, consumer, retail and ecommerce.

As a 1bn turnover Great British private company with operations in 22 countries, Unipart has been headquartered in Oxford, UK, for more than 50 years. The company's ambition is to be the driving force behind efficient, resilient and sustainable supply chains.

Central to Uniparts success is its unique culture, The Unipart Way, which empowers all colleagues to challenge processes and continuously improve, ensuring outstanding service for customers, saving time, cost and carbon.

Unipart has a deep, industry-recognised commitment to sustainability and safety. Its ambitious goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040 is validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and its world-class safety standards are evidenced by multiple awards from the British Safety Council.

Rail & public transport

Unipart entered the rail and public transport sector in the late 1990s, and today is a global partner, delivering technology, engineering and supply chain solutions that enhance efficiency and reliability for infrastructure and rolling stock customers. Unipart helps operators address critical challenges, from sustainability to supply chain disruption, and provides key components, driving sustainable performance worldwide.
The Central Bank of Iceland Resolution Authority announced today that a resolution plan for Kvika has been approved and thereby a decision on the minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL) for the bank, in accordance with the Act on Resolution of Credit Institutions and Investment Firms, no. 70/2020.

According to the Resolution Authoritys decision, Kvikas MREL requirements are 21.9% of Total Risk Exposure Amount (MREL-TREA) and 6.0% of Total Exposure Measure (MREL-TEM). The decision is effective from the date of the announcement, and the bank is already considered to meet the MREL requirements.

For further information, please contact Kvika's Investor Relations at ir@kvika.is or by phone at +354 540 3200.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa and DALLAS, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UPAY Inc. (OTCQB: UPYY), a U.S.-based fintech innovator, today announced that its South African subsidiary, Automated Credit Provider Administration System (ACPAS), will proudly sponsor the MicroFinance South Africa (MFSA) Annual General Meeting and Conference, taking place on October 22, 2025, at the Radisson Hotel & Convention Centre Johannesburg.

This years AGM marks a historic milestone for the industry as MFSA prepares to unveil its new name and brand identity  CASA, the Credit Association of South Africa. The rebrand reflects the organizations evolution and its enduring commitment, spanning nearly three decades, to promoting responsible and inclusive credit practices across South Africas financial landscape.

As part of its ongoing partnership with the MFSA, ACPAS will also participate as a Legacy Partner in this milestone launch, underscoring the companys continued dedication to supporting the microfinance and credit sectors. The event is expected to bring together key industry stakeholders, regulators, and technology partners to celebrate the beginning of a new era for CASA and its members.

ACPAS has had the privilege of collaborating with MFSA for many years, and we are honored to stand as a Legacy Partner during this important transition to CASA, said Jaco Folscher, CEO of ACPAS and current board member of MFSA. Having served on the MFSA board during this period of transformation, I have witnessed first-hand the dedication and vision driving this rebrand. It signifies growth and renewal within our industry, and ACPAS remains fully committed to empowering responsible credit providers through innovation and technology.

UPAY Inc. congratulates the MFSA leadership team on reaching this milestone and looks forward to supporting CASA in its mission to strengthen South Africas credit ecosystem through collaboration, compliance, and technological advancement.

About MFSA / CASA:

Founded nearly three decades ago, the MicroFinance South Africa (MFSA) has long served as the member association and voice of the responsible credit provider in South Africa. In 2025, the association proudly transitioned to its new identity as CASA  the Credit Association of South Africa, reflecting its expanded mandate to represent and support the broader credit industry. Currently representing more than 1,800 registered credit providers, CASA continues to champion ethical lending, consumer protection, and industry advancement through collaboration, education, and advocacy.

For more information, visit www.mfsa.net

About ACPAS:

ACPAS is a leading Loan Management Software provider in South Africa, offering advanced automation solutions that streamline loan origination, management, and compliance processes. With a strong commitment to empowering microfinance and credit institutions, ACPAS delivers technology-driven tools that enhance operational efficiency and regulatory compliance. As a subsidiary of UPAY Inc., ACPAS continues to play a key role in advancing digital transformation within the financial services industry. For more information, visit www.acpas.co.za .

About UPAY:

UPAY Inc. is a publicly traded holding company at the forefront of the fintech industry. By investing in innovative technologies, UPAY delivers comprehensive Financial Software Platforms that offer full system automation, intelligent data solutions, and an enhanced user experience. The Company bridges the gap between clients and consumers in an evolving financial ecosystem, driving engagement and lasting impact. For more information, visit www.upaytechnology.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined under applicable securities laws. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements due to new information, future events, or other circumstances. No information in this publication should be interpreted as any indication whatsoever of the Companys future revenues, results of operations, or stock price.

Contact Information

UPAY INC.

Media Relations

info@upaytechnology.com
Woodstock, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WOODSTOCK, GA - October 17, 2025 - -

This year marks an important milestone for Plumb N Plumber Company, LLC, a family-owned and operated plumbing business proudly serving Cherokee County. Three years have passed since the company relocated its headquarters from Canton, Georgia to its current home in Woodstock, Georgiaa move that has allowed the team to better serve local residents and strengthen its roots in the community.

Founded by owner Matthew LoPiccolo, Plumb N Plumber has built a trusted name in the region over the past decade through reliable service, honest communication, and a strong sense of local pride. The company's relocation to Woodstock represented more than just a change in addressit was a commitment to growing alongside the community it serves.

"Moving to Woodstock was one of the best decisions we ever made," said LoPiccolo. "It brought us closer to many of our customers and helped us connect with even more families in Cherokee County. This community has supported us from the beginning, and we're so grateful for that continued trust."

Since settling into its new office, the company has continued to provide a wide range of professional plumbing services, including drain cleaning, water heater installation and repair, leak detection, sewer line work, toilet repairs, and water filtration systems. Whether handling an emergency repair or installing new equipment, Plumb N Plumber's technicians focus on reliability, communication, and respect for every customer's home.

LoPiccolo emphasized that the company's success is built on community relationships and consistency, not advertising or big promises. "Our goal has always been to treat people right and stand by our work," he said. "We don't take shortcuts, and we don't leave until the job is done right. Our customers know they can count on usand that's something we're really proud of."

Over the past three years, Plumb N Plumber has grown its reach throughout Cherokee County, serving homeowners in Woodstock, GA, as well as Canton, Holly Springs, and other nearby communities. Much of the company's growth has come from word-of-mouth referrals, a reflection of the trust built through years of dependable service and customer satisfaction.

The company's team of licensed and insured technicians arrives fully prepared to handle plumbing issues efficiently and safely, with minimal disruption to the homeowner's routine. Each joblarge or smallis approached with care, attention to detail, and a focus on lasting results. It's an approach that has earned the company a loyal customer base and a reputation for reliability across the region.

Community involvement remains at the heart of Plumb N Plumber's identity. The team often participates in local events and supports neighboring small businesses, seeing themselves as part of a broader effort to strengthen the Cherokee County area.

"We live here, work here, and raise our families here," added LoPiccolo. "The people we serve are our neighbors, our friends, and the people we see every day. That's why we take so much pride in what we doit's personal."

As Plumb N Plumber celebrates its three-year anniversary in Woodstock, the company remains focused on providing honest, dependable plumbing solutions for homeowners who want peace of mind when it matters most. Residents can reach out for same-day service in many cases, and the team continues to respond quickly to emergency needs throughout the county.

Those interested in learning more about Plumb N Plumber's services or requesting a service call can visit their website, https://plumbnplumber.com, or contact the office directly at (678) 725-0042.

About Plumb N Plumber Company, LLC

Plumb N Plumber Company, LLC is a family-owned and operated plumbing company based in Woodstock, Georgia. Serving Cherokee County and surrounding areas for more than a decade, the company offers a full range of residential plumbing services including drain cleaning, leak detection, water heater repairs, and water filtration installations. Built on honesty, reliability, and quality workmanship, Plumb N Plumber continues to serve its community with the same family values it was founded on.

###

For more information about Plumb 'N' Plumber Company, contact the company here:



Plumb 'N' Plumber Company

Matthew LoPiccolo

(678) 725-0042

info@plumbnplumber.com

2449 E Cherokee Dr

Woodstock, GA 30188
SINGAPORE, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) is excited to announce the official opening of its Asia Regional Office in Singapore on October 15, 2025. Located in the Manulife Tower at 8 Cross Street in the citys Central Business District, the new office establishes a physical presence for APF Canada in the Indo-Pacific and reflects the Foundations commitment to deepening Canadas engagement across the wider region.

The establishment of the Office is a core component of APF Canadas Indo-Pacific Initiative, a comprehensive suite of new programs and activities supported by the Government of Canada through its 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy. The opening was officiated by Canadas Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Honourable Anita Anand.

This new office is a bridge for Canadas engagement in the region  in business, education, research, and culture. Its a sign of Canadas lasting presence and momentum in the Indo-Pacific, said Minister Anand in her keynote remarks, describing the Office as a hub of discovery and collaboration for partners across the region.

This is a moment 40 years in the making, said Jeff Nankivell, President & CEO of APF Canada. Our new office will be a place where Canadians can tell the story of todays and tomorrows Canada, refresh perceptions, and build meaningful partnerships across the Pacific.

Added Barrett Bingley, APF Canadas Asia Regional Director: Were here to be a force multiplier for the entire Canadian ecosystem. This space will enable collaboration with ASEAN and Indo-Pacific partners, driving innovation and opportunity for both sides of the Pacific.

The Office will enable APF Canada to support Canadians, their institutions, and firms in making a greater impression and establishing new partnerships in Asia, providing an accessible, multipurpose venue for collaborative events and high-level networking for stakeholders across business, government, academia, and the media.



For Canadian and Asian partners, the Office offers opportunities to :

Host presentations and events in our flexible convening space.

Participate in business networking events, industry workshops, expert panels, and training sessions hosted by APF Canada.

Access actionable policy advice, including clear, specific, and relevant recommendations to support business strategies and policy development.

Engage with high-quality research and analysis, including timely insights into CanadaAsia relations.

With its head office in Vancouver and offices in Toronto and Singapore, APF Canada continues to advance its mission to strengthen Canadas strategic, economic, and people-to-people ties with Asia.

Event Photos

View our Flickr album

Contacts



Information:

Barrett Bingley

Asia Regional Director,

APF Canada

barrett.bingley@asiapacific.ca

Media:

Mohammed Jahafar,

Marketing and Communications Lead, Asia Regional Office

APF Canada

jahafar.abdullah@asiapacific.ca
HOUSTON, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Dr. Andrew Gomes Scholarship for Veterans proudly announces the launch of its annual program dedicated to supporting U.S. military veterans who are pursuing undergraduate education. This scholarship recognizes the courage, dedication, and leadership of veterans, offering them an opportunity to continue making an impact beyond their years of service.

Created by Dr. Andrew Gomes, a nationally recognized Diagnostic and Non-Vascular Interventional Radiologist based in Texas, the scholarship reflects his long-standing commitment to both excellence and service. With over 15 years of distinguished experience in the healthcare field, Dr. Andrew Gomes understands the values of perseverance and disciplinequalities that resonate deeply with those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

The Dr. Andrew Gomes Scholarship for Veterans invites eligible applicants from across the United States to apply. It is open to all U.S. military veterans, including those who have served in the Reserves or National Guard, who are currently enrolled as undergraduate students at accredited U.S. colleges or universities.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the scholarship, applicants must:

Be a U.S. military veteran (any branch, including Reserves and National Guard)

Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at an accredited U.S. college or university

Submit a completed application, including an original essay



Essay Prompt

Applicants are required to submit a 500750 word essay responding to the following prompt:

How has your experience in the military shaped your personal values, academic goals, and vision for your future? In what ways do you hope to lead, serve, or create impact in your next chapter?

Essays will be evaluated on originality, clarity, depth of insight, and alignment with the scholarships mission to honor service, encourage personal growth, and foster leadership in civilian life.

The Dr. Andrew Gomes Scholarship for Veterans seeks to recognize those who have translated their experiences in uniform into a drive for learning and community betterment. Through this initiative, Dr. Andrew Gomes hopes to uplift individuals who exemplify leadership, integrity, and commitmentvalues that continue to shape the foundation of both military and civilian excellence.

Scholarship Details

The scholarship will offer a one-time financial award of $1,000 to the selected recipient.

Application Deadline: March 15, 2026

March 15, 2026 Winner Announcement: April 15, 2026

About Dr. Andrew Gomes

Dr. Andrew Gomes is a leading figure in Diagnostic and Non-Vascular Interventional Radiology, with extensive expertise in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). His pioneering work includes advanced imaging techniques such as Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), which are instrumental in the diagnosis and legal validation of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Beyond his clinical contributions, Dr. Andrew Gomes is deeply invested in advancing educational opportunities and supporting individuals who have dedicated themselves to service. His vision for the scholarship stems from a belief that veterans possess unique perspectives and leadership qualities that can enrich the academic and professional communities they join.

By founding this scholarship, Dr. Andrew Gomes continues his lifelong dedication to service and education, fostering a culture of growth and resilience. The initiative aims to bridge the transition from military service to academic success, ensuring that veterans are recognized for their continued contributions to society.

How to Apply

Eligible veterans are encouraged to visit the official website https://drandrewgomesscholarship.com/ for full application details and submission guidelines. Applicants should carefully review the eligibility requirements and essay prompt before submitting their entries.

A Commitment to Service and Education

The Dr. Andrew Gomes Scholarship for Veterans stands as a meaningful tribute to those who have served the nation. By providing financial support and recognition, the scholarship underscores the importance of education as a tool for continued leadership and positive impact.

Veterans who are pursuing academic goals embody the very spirit of service and perseverance. Through this scholarship, Dr. Andrew Gomes aims to ensure that their dedication is celebrated and their future aspirations supported.

Contact Information:

Spokesperson: Dr. Andrew Gomes

Organization: Dr. Andrew Gomes Scholarship for Veterans

Location: Houston, Texas

Website: https://drandrewgomesscholarship.com/

Email: apply@drandrewgomesscholarship.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/76309d2f-d5e0-49f0-87e3-6f4d47272bad
TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Dr. Edward Lubin Scholarship for Medical Students proudly announces the opening of applications for its 2026 award cycle, inviting undergraduate students across the United States who aspire to make a meaningful mark in the field of medicine. This annual initiative, founded by Dr. Edward Lubin, aims to recognize and assist emerging medical professionals whose vision, dedication, and compassion reflect the core principles of healthcare excellence.

The Dr. Edward Lubin Scholarship for Medical Students was created to inspire the future leaders of medicinestudents who are determined to contribute to healthcare innovation and improve patient lives through both knowledge and empathy. Rooted in Dr. Lubins lifelong commitment to patient-centered care and medical advancement, the scholarship serves as a guiding opportunity for undergraduates preparing to enter one of the most demanding yet rewarding professions.

About the Scholarship

Applicants must currently be enrolled as undergraduate students at an accredited college or university in the United States and demonstrate a strong interest in pursuing a medical career or related healthcare field. In keeping with Dr. Lubins belief in purposeful medicine, candidates are required to submit an original essay responding to the prompt:

In 500 words or less, describe how you hope to use your medical education to make a meaningful impact on the future of healthcare. What personal experiences or goals drive your passion for medicine, and how do you envision your role in improving the lives of others?

The application deadline for the Dr. Edward Lubin Scholarship for Medical Students is April 15, 2026, with the winner announcement scheduled for May 15, 2026. The recipient will receive a one-time award of $1,000, recognizing both academic promise and heartfelt dedication to the medical field.

Dr. Edward Lubins Vision for the Future of Medicine

Dr. Edward Lubin established this scholarship as an extension of his ongoing efforts to advance healthcare through education, research, and mentorship. His professional background spans neuroscience research, surgical training, and interventional pain medicineexperiences that have shaped his understanding of how future physicians can bridge science and compassion to achieve transformative outcomes in healthcare.

Through this initiative, Dr. Edward Lubin seeks to support students who not only aspire to clinical excellence but also to leadership, empathy, and innovation. He believes that the next generation of doctors will be defined not solely by academic success but by their capacity to listen, adapt, and lead with integrity in a rapidly evolving medical landscape.

The foundation of every great physician lies in curiosity, compassion, and a relentless pursuit of understanding, says Dr. Edward Lubin. This scholarship honors those qualities and encourages students to embrace both the science and humanity of medicine.

Encouraging Educational Growth Across the Nation

The Dr. Edward Lubin Scholarship for Medical Students is open to applicants nationwide and is not bound to any specific city or state within the U.S. This national reach reflects Dr. Edward Lubins belief that talent, dedication, and vision in medicine should be nurtured wherever they are found. The scholarship is designed to provide meaningful financial and moral support to students during their formative years, as they lay the groundwork for careers that will shape the future of healthcare.

By supporting aspiring doctors early in their academic journeys, Dr. Edward Lubin continues to promote the values of intellectual rigor, empathy, and service that have guided his own career. His ongoing contributions to the medical community serve as both an example and an inspiration to young scholars striving to follow in his footsteps.

Application Details

Interested students can learn more about eligibility requirements, essay guidelines, and submission instructions by visiting the official website at https://dredwardlubinscholarship.com/.

Contact Information

Spokesperson: Dr. Edward Lubin

Organization: Dr. Edward Lubin Scholarship for Medical Students

Location: Tampa, FL

Website: https://dredwardlubinscholarship.com/

Email: apply@dredwardlubinscholarship.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/03ce3def-d572-4585-b500-2c4460230746
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Arman Gabay Real Estate Scholarship announces its annual call for applications, inviting the next generation of real estate professionals to contribute their vision for the future of the industry. This initiative, established by real estate professional Arman Gabay, supports undergraduate students across the United States who are poised to shape the built environment through technology and innovation.

The scholarship provides a one-time award of $1,000 to an undergraduate student currently enrolled in an accredited college or university who demonstrates a clear commitment to a career in real estate. The program seeks to identify and assist emerging talent who are thinking critically about the intersection of technology, sustainability, and community-centric development.

Arman Gabay, the founder of the scholarship, brings a perspective shaped by over two decades of experience in real estate development and community revitalization. His work, particularly in Southern California, reflects a long-standing dedication to projects that serve and enhance communities. The creation of this scholarship is a direct extension of Arman Gabays commitment to fostering new talent and encouraging forward-thinking approaches within the real estate sector.

The real estate landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by new technologies and a greater emphasis on sustainable and inclusive design, commented Arman Gabay. It is crucial to support the students who are not just observing these changes but are actively preparing to lead them. This scholarship is an investment in their potential to build smarter, more efficient, and more connected communities.

To be considered for the Arman Gabay Real Estate Scholarship, applicants must submit a complete application, including an original essay. The essay prompt challenges students to discuss the evolving role of technology in modern real estate development. Applicants are asked to analyze how specific technological advancements are reshaping the industry and to propose innovative strategies for integrating technology to enhance sustainability, operational efficiency, and community engagement in future projects.

The application deadline for the Arman Gabay Real Estate Scholarship is January 15, 2026. An anonymous committee will review all submissions, with the winner being announced on February 15, 2026. The selection process will prioritize candidates who demonstrate a strong understanding of real estate principles, innovative thinking, and a commitment to ethical practices.

The scholarship is open to all eligible undergraduate students in the United States, reflecting the national scope of both the real estate industry and the need for innovative thinkers. By supporting academic pursuits, the Arman Gabay Real Estate Scholarship aims to contribute to a more dynamic and responsive real estate industry for the future.

For further details on eligibility requirements, the application process, and the essay prompt, interested parties are encouraged to visit the official website at https://armangabaeescholarship.com/.

About the Arman Gabay Real Estate Scholarship

The Arman Gabay Real Estate Scholarship is an annual program founded by real estate professional Arman Gabay. Based in Beverly Hills, California, the scholarship is dedicated to supporting the educational goals of undergraduate students who are pursuing careers in the real estate industry. The initiative underscores a commitment to mentoring the next generation of leaders by providing financial assistance and recognizing innovative ideas that will influence the future of real estate development.

Contact Information:

Spokesperson: Arman Gabay

Organization: Arman Gabay Real Estate Scholarship

Website: https://armangabaeescholarship.com/

Email: apply@armangabaeescholarship.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d67321b6-a8d5-4fee-afcc-83b059b83521
BUFFALO, N.Y., Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Dr. Joel Durinka Scholarship for Future Doctors is now accepting applications from undergraduate students across the United States who are dedicated to pursuing a career in medicine. This annual scholarship, established by Dr. Joel Durinka, aims to provide financial assistance and recognition to the next generation of physicians.

The scholarship offers a one-time award of $1,000 to an undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university who demonstrates academic excellence and a clear commitment to the medical field. The selection process is designed to identify individuals who not only excel academically but also possess a profound passion for healthcare and a clear vision for their future contributions.

Applicants are required to submit an essay between 500 and 800 words addressing their motivation for a career in medicine and how they plan to make a positive impact on the healthcare field. The essay also allows students to articulate how the Dr. Joel Durinka Scholarship will aid them in achieving their professional objectives. The application deadline is April 15, 2026, with the winner being announced on May 15, 2026.

The creation of this scholarship is a direct reflection of Dr. Joel Durinka's own commitment to medical excellence and community service. As a physician educated at St. Georges University School of Medicine and Canisius College, Dr. Joel Durinka understands the dedication and resources required to build a successful medical career. His extensive training in Family Medicine, General Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care across prestigious institutions informs the scholarship's mission to support students with similar drive and ambition.

The scholarship evaluation committee will assess candidates based on their academic records, the clarity of their career goals, their demonstrated passion for medicine, and the overall quality of their essay submission. This comprehensive approach ensures that the award recognizes well-rounded individuals poised to make significant future contributions.

The Dr. Joel Durinka Scholarship for Future Doctors is more than a financial award; it is an investment in the future of patient care and medical innovation. By alleviating some of the financial burdens associated with undergraduate education, the scholarship allows students to focus more intensely on their studies and early professional development.

Dr. Joel Durinka, a board-certified physician with active medical licenses in Michigan and New York, continues to advocate for medical education through initiatives like this scholarship. His professional journey and dedication to mentorship serve as an inspiration for applicants. The scholarship stands as a testament to the enduring commitment of Dr. Joel Durinka to foster growth and excellence in the upcoming generation of healthcare providers.

Prospective applicants can find full details on eligibility criteria and the application process on the official scholarship website. The Dr. Joel Durinka Scholarship for Future Doctors looks forward to reviewing the applications of many talented and motivated students.

About the Dr. Joel Durinka Scholarship for Future Doctors

The Dr. Joel Durinka Scholarship for Future Doctors is an annual award established to support undergraduate students in the United States who are pursuing a career in medicine. Founded by Dr. Joel Durinka, the scholarship aims to identify and assist future physicians who demonstrate academic excellence, a clear vision for their career, and a deep-seated passion for advancing the healthcare field.

Contact Information:

Spokesperson: Dr. Joel Durinka

Organization: Dr. Joel Durinka Scholarship for Future Doctors

Website: https://drjoeldurinkascholarship.com/

Email: apply@drjoeldurinkascholarship.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6dc40eb8-2b78-4666-a1cb-8e43e0dd1e5a
WISE, Va., Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Dr. Felix Shepard Scholarship is now accepting applications from undergraduate students across the United States who are dedicated to pursuing a career in medicine. Founded by Dr. Felix Shepard, a distinguished urologist known for his profound commitment to patient care and medical education, this one-time $1,000 award aims to support the next generation of healthcare leaders.

The scholarship reflects the professional ethos of Dr. Felix Shepard, who has personally witnessed the transformative power of dedicated medical service. Through this initiative, Dr. Felix Shepard seeks to alleviate some of the financial pressures faced by students in demanding pre-medical and science programs, allowing them to focus more intensely on their studies and professional development.

Applicants for the Dr. Felix Shepard Scholarship must be currently enrolled as undergraduate students at an accredited U.S. college or university and must be pursuing a course of study that leads to a career in medicine, including pre-med, biology, chemistry, public health, or related fields. Beyond academic standing, candidates must demonstrate a clear dedication to leadership and a genuine passion for the healthcare field.

A central component of the application is a 500-word essay. Students are asked to describe how their personal experiences have shaped their journey into medicine and articulate how they intend to impact the future of healthcare through their education and career. This essay provides a platform for applicants to share their vision and commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.

The establishment of this scholarship is a direct extension of the professional life of Dr. Felix Shepard. For over two decades, Dr. Felix Shepard has served as a leading urologist, educator, and medical leader. His career includes over 14 years as the only urologist across seven underserved counties in Southwest Virginia and Eastern Kentucky, where he addressed a critical healthcare gap for thousands of patients. His hands-on experience in rural medicine has provided him with a unique understanding of the diverse needs within the American healthcare system and the importance of cultivating passionate, skilled physicians to meet those needs.

The deadline to apply for the Dr. Felix Shepard Scholarship is April 15, 2026. A winner will be selected and announced on May 15, 2026. The scholarship is open to all eligible undergraduate students in the United States, reflecting a national call for the future leaders of medicine.

By investing in students today, the Dr. Felix Shepard Scholarship contributes to a stronger, more dedicated healthcare workforce for tomorrow. The initiative underscores a belief in the potential of hardworking students to drive innovation and provide compassionate care in their future careers.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Dr. Felix Shepard

Organization: Dr. Felix Shepard Scholarship

Website: https://drfelixshepardscholarship.com/

Email: apply@drfelixshepardscholarship.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9dce820d-13fd-41a2-bff4-443f7607d43d
Boston, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the latest study from BCC Research, Targeted Alpha Therapies for Cancer Treatment: Global Market was valued at $199.6 million in 2024, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 44% during the period 2025 to 2030, reaching a value of $1.1 billion.

The report reviews the global market for targeted alpha therapies (TAT) in cancer treatment. It examines key market trends, revenue data, and segmentation by cancer type. It also explores industry challenges, emerging technologies, and corporate ESG initatives.

Additionally, the report provides insights into the competitive landscape, including pipeline analysis and company profiles with financials, product portfolios, and recent developments. Overall, it serves as a valuable resource for understanding the current dynamics and outlook of the TAT market.

The factors driving the markets growth include:

Rising Prevalence of Cancer: The global increase in cancer cases, driven by increasingly aging populations and lifestyle factors, is creating demand for more effective and targeted treatments like TAT, which can address cancers that are difficult to treat with conventional methods.

Demand for Precision Medicines: TAT aligns with the growing trend of precision medicine by delivering radiation directly to cancer cells with minimal damage to healthy tissue, making it ideal for personalized treatment strategies.

Unmet Treatment Need in Oncology: Many cancers still lack effective treatment options, especially in advanced stages. TAT offers a promising solution by providing high efficacy with fewer side effects, addressing critical gaps in current oncology care.

Increasing Strategic Initiatives: Pharmaceutical companies, governments, and research institutions are investing in TAT through partnerships, clinical trials, and regulatory support, accelerating its development and market growth.

New Targets and Combination Therapies: Ongoing research is expanding the use of TAT to new cancer types and exploring its combination with other therapies, enhancing its effectiveness and broadening its clinical applications.

Request a sample copy of the global market for targeted alpha therapies for cancer report.

Report Synopsis

Report Metric Details Base year considered 2024 Forecast period considered 2025-2030 Base year market size $199.6 million Market size forecast $1.1 billion Growth rate CAGR of 44% for the forecast period of 2025-2030 Segments covered Cancer Type, and Region Regions covered North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Rest of the World Market Drivers Rising prevalence of cancer.

Demand for precision medicines.

Unmet treatment need in oncology.

Increasing strategic initiatives.

New targets and combination therapies.

Interesting fact:

Until now there has been only one approved product in the market and even that drug did not attain blockbuster status, even though Bayer had the first mover advantage in the market.

It is only recently that established players have started focusing on the development of targeted alpha therapies for precision oncology and have entered the market through strategic initiatives such as licensing, collaboration, and acquisitions.

The pipeline analysis indicated the likelihood of approval and launch of two TAT products by the end of the forecast period. Of these two drugs, RYZ101 will receive approval for neuroendocrine tumors and FPI-2265 will receive approval for prostate cancer. Notably, beta emitting therapies available in the market from Novartis are approved for these indications only.

Emerging startups:

Ariceum Therapeutics GmbH

ARTBIO Inc.

Cellectar Biosciences

Modulation Therapeutics

The report addresses the following questions:

What are the projected size and growth rate of the market?

The global market for targeted alpha therapies for cancer treatment was valued at $199.6 million in 2024, and it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 44% during the period of 2025 to 2030, reaching a value of $1.1 billion.

What are the factors driving the growth of the market?

The global markets growth is due to the increasing prevalence of cancer, unmet treatment needs for oncology, growing demand for precision medicine, and limitations associated with beta therapies.

What are the restraints/challenges affecting the growth of the market?

The global market for targeted alpha therapies for cancer is restrained by factors such as manufacturing and supply chain issues associated with isotopes, dosimetry calculations, recoil effect, and regulatory hurdles.

What are the opportunities affecting the growth of the market?

The global market opportunities for growth include ongoing research for new targets and combination therapies.

Which market segments are covered in the report?

The global market for targeted alpha therapies for cancer is segmented by cancer type.

Which cancer type will be dominant through 2030?

The prostate cancer segment will be dominant through 2030.

Which region has the largest market share?

North America holds the largest share of the market and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Currently the market is not segmented based on region, as only one product is available, with sales less than $300 million.

Market leaders include:

ACTINIUM PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

ADVANCELL PTY LTD.

BAYER AG

CONVERGENT THERAPEUTICS INC.

FUSION PHARM

NOVARTIS AG

ORANO MED

PERSPECTIVE THERAPEUTICS

RADIOMEDIX INC.

RAYZEBIO INC.

Related reports:

Radiopharmaceuticals: Technologies and Global Markets: This report offers a detailed overview of the global radiopharmaceuticals market. It covers market segmentation by product, application, production method, and region, while examining key drivers, challenges, and opportunities. The report also highlights competitive dynamics, emerging trends, and recent developments such as emerging technologies, acquisitions, and collaborations.

Purchase a copy of the report direct from BCC Research.

For further information on any of these reports or to make a purchase, contact info@bccresearch.com.

About BCC Research

BCC Research market research reports provide objective, unbiased measurement and assessment of market opportunities. Our experienced industry analysts' goal is to help you make informed business decisions free of noise and hype.

For media inquiries, email press@bccresearch.com or visit our media page for access to our market research library.

Any data and analysis extracted from this press release must be accompanied by a statement identifying BCC Research LLC as the source and publisher.
Chicago, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CHICAGO, IL - October 17, 2025 - -

Chicago's search marketing sector has grown into one of the most data-driven in the country, and NEWMEDIA.COM Chicago has positioned itself as a technical SEO provider serving businesses in this competitive environment. With more than 100,000 local businesses competing for organic visibility in Google search results, the agency has developed a structured approach to search optimization that emphasizes measurable outcomes and transparent reporting. To learn more visit: https://newmedia.com/chicago-seo-company

The company's methodology begins with comprehensive technical audits that examine every aspect of a client's website infrastructure. This includes analysis of crawl depth, indexation efficiency, schema markup implementation, site speed performance, and mobile responsiveness. Each identified issue is cataloged, assigned a severity score, and scheduled for resolution within defined timeframes. This systematic approach allows clients to understand exactly what work is being performed and why it matters for search performance.

Once technical foundations are stabilized, NEWMEDIA.COM Chicago develops structured content clusters designed around user intent rather than traditional keyword density models. These topic clusters help search engines associate authority with specific subjects and geographic areas. For local businesses, this often involves creating content optimized for specific Chicago neighborhoods such as River North, Lincoln Park, the Loop, and other high-traffic commercial districts. For clients with national reach, the strategy extends to multiple metropolitan markets while maintaining relevance to local search patterns.

Authority building follows a similarly methodical framework. Rather than pursuing volume-based link acquisition, the agency identifies referring domains that align with each client's industry vertical and trust profile. Every backlink opportunity is evaluated for quality signals, contextual relevance, and proper indexation before outreach begins. This selective approach aims to build gradual authority growth that remains stable through algorithm updates and competitive shifts.

According to case studies published on the company's website, select client campaigns have achieved traffic increases exceeding 400 percent and lead generation growth above 90 percent over documented measurement periods. These results are tracked through detailed analytics dashboards that clients can access in real time. The agency provides regular reporting cycles that break down performance across multiple dimensions including organic traffic growth, keyword ranking improvements, conversion rate changes, and revenue impact where applicable.

The Chicago office functions as both a client service center and an internal laboratory for testing optimization techniques. Methods refined through Chicago campaigns are often deployed across NEWMEDIA.COM's broader network, which includes offices in Denver, Nashville, and New York. The Chicago team has contributed to national SEO programs for recognizable brands including Six Flags, PostNet, and YMCA, while simultaneously managing local campaigns for healthcare providers, educational institutions, retail businesses, and professional service firms throughout the metropolitan area.

NEWMEDIA.COM Chicago's client base spans multiple industries where small improvements in search visibility can generate significant revenue impact. In sectors like healthcare, a single ranking position change for high-intent keywords can mean the difference between full appointment schedules and unused capacity. In education, visibility for program-specific searches directly influences enrollment numbers. In retail, local search performance determines foot traffic to physical locations as well as e-commerce conversion rates.

The agency's process incorporates five criteria it considers essential for sustainable SEO results. First is technical depth, including proper site architecture, structured data implementation, and performance optimization. Second is documented metrics from verified campaigns that demonstrate actual outcomes rather than projections. Third is local SEO capability that extends to neighborhood-level optimization for businesses serving specific geographic areas. Fourth is ethical link building that complies with search engine guidelines and emphasizes quality over quantity. Fifth is consistent reporting cadence with transparent communication about both successes and challenges.

NEWMEDIA.COM's Search Engine Optimization Services Chicago team operates from 444 West Lake Street, Suite 1700, in the city's central business district. The team includes SEO strategists who develop campaign frameworks, data analysts who monitor performance and identify optimization opportunities, content specialists who create search-optimized material, and web developers who implement technical recommendations across various platforms and content management systems.

As search technology evolves with increased integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the agency's focus remains on creating factually accurate, well-documented content that serves both algorithmic evaluation and human user needs. The company maintains that transparency in methods and measurement continues to differentiate effective SEO providers from those relying on outdated tactics or unverifiable promises. For more information visit: https://newmedia.com

###

For more information about NEWMEDIA.COM Chicago, contact the company here:



NEWMEDIA.COM Chicago

Steve Morris

312-416-8466

hello@newmedia.com

Chicago 444 W Lake St,

Suite 1700 Chicago, IL 60606
Vancouver, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nearly eight in 10 (78%) BC bars and restaurants are worried about their survival as the BC General Employees Union (BCGEU) strike blocking BC Liquor stores and warehouses drags on for a seventh week with no resolution in sight.

The survey, conducted among members of Restaurants Canada and other stakeholder associations impacted by the strike, also found that two-thirds (67%) of restaurant operators have seen a moderate to severe decline in sales. Nearly a third (29%) of restaurants have had to cut staff hours, 6% have laid off staff, and another 41% expect to cut staff hours or lay off staff if the strike continues.

Restaurants Canada continues to urge the BC government and the BCGEU to reach an agreement. The BC government should also immediately allow restaurants and bars to purchase liquor directly from private liquor stores and third-party warehouses as the strike has caused a critical backlog of orders. If the BC government cant find a solution, it needs to consider back to work legislation as this labour dispute has reached untenable proportions.

Mark von Schellwitz, Vice-President for Western Canada, Restaurants Canada

About Restaurants Canada

Restaurants Canada is a national, not-for-profit association advancing Canadas diverse and dynamic foodservice industry. Restaurants are a $124 billion industry employing nearly 1.2 million Canadians and the number one source of first-time jobs in Canada. Visit restaurantscanada.org for more information.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Koryx Copper Inc. (the "Company") (TSX-V: KRY) (NSX: KYX) is pleased to announce the voting results of the Company's special meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") held on October 15, 2025 to approve the transfer of the Company's registered office and place of central administration to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg with continuation of the Company's legal personality as a public limited company (societe anonyme) under the name Koryx Copper S.A. and, consequently, change of the nationality of the Company (the "Continuation"), as well as certain ancillary resolutions (collectively, the "Resolutions"). A total of 51,606,515 common shares were represented in person or by proxy at the Meeting, constituting approximately 53.75% of the Company's total issued and outstanding common shares as of the record date for the Meeting.

Each of the Resolutions put forward before the Company's shareholders for consideration and approval at the Meeting, as described in the Management Information Circular dated August 29, 2025, as amended by the Company's press release dated October 7, 2025, was duly approved by the shareholders, as detailed in the voting results below:

Approval of the Continuation Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 51,605,932 99.999% 583 0.001% Acknowledgement of the composition of the share capital Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 47,699,262 92.43% 3,907,253 7.57% Approval of the Company's financial year and full restatement of the Company's Articles of Association Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 51,605,932 99.999% 583 0.001% Approval of the Company's new registered office and place of central administration in Luxembourg Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 51,605,932 99.999% 583 0.001% Confirmation of the current directors Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 51,605,932

99.999% 583 0.001% Fixing the number of directors Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 51,605,932

99.999% 583 0.001% Appointment of new Luxembourg resident director  Tarik El Hanch Votes For % of Voted Votes Withheld % of Voted 51,606,412

99.999% 103 0.001% Appointment of new Luxembourg resident director  Cristina Lara Votes For % of Voted Votes Withheld % of Voted 51,606,412

99.999% 103 0.001% Appointment of statutory auditor in Luxembourg Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 51,605,932

99.999% 583 0.001%

Further to its press release dated October 7, 2025, the Continuation will become effective on the later of (i) the day on which authorization of the Registrar of Companies under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the "BC Registrar") is obtained; and (ii) the day after the Luxembourg notary signs the notarial deed recording the Resolutions.

The Company will issue a further press release to confirm the effective date of the Continuation.

About Koryx Copper Inc.

Koryx Copper Inc. is a Canadian copper development Company focused on advancing the 100% owned Haib Copper Project in Namibia whilst also building a portfolio of copper exploration licenses in Zambia. Haib is a large, advanced (PEA-stage) copper/molybdenum porphyry deposit in southern Namibia with a long history of exploration and project development by multiple operators. More than 80,000m of drilling has been conducted at Haib since the 1970's with significant exploration programs led by companies including Falconbridge (1964), Rio Tinto (1975) and Teck (2014). Extensive metallurgical testing and various technical studies have also been completed at Haib to date.

The Haib Copper Project has a current mineral resource of 511Mt @ 0.33% Cu and 51 ppm Mo for 1,668kt of contained copper and 25.9 kt contained molybdenum in the Indicated category and 308.9Mt @ 0.31% Cu and 40 ppm Mo for 949kt of contained copper and 12.4 kt contained molybdenum in the Inferred category (0.15% Cu cut-off), as described more particularly in the current Technical Report which is publicly available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Mineralization at Haib is typical of a porphyry copper deposit and it is one of only a few examples of a Paleoproterozoic porphyry copper deposit in the world and one of only two in southern Africa (both in Namibia). Due to its age, the deposit has been subjected to multiple metamorphic and deformation events but still retains many of the classic mineralization and alteration features typical of these deposits. The mineralization is dominantly chalcopyrite with minor bornite and chalcocite present and only minor secondary copper minerals at surface due to the arid environment.

Additional details of the Haib Copper Project are available in the Company's current Technical Report which comprises its PEA titled, "Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Haib Copper Project, Namibia, National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report" dated effective September 4, 2025 (the "Technical Report"). The Technical Report and other information is available on the Company's website at https://koryxcopper.com and under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Heye Daun"

President, CEO and Director

Additional information is also available by contacting the Company:

Julia Becker

Corporate Communications

jbecker@koryxcopper.com

+1-604-785-0850

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the Continuation, the Company's ability to complete the Continuation, the timing for completing the Continuation, the Company's ability to obtain the approval of the BC Registrar, and the future or prospects of the Company. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market, and economic risks, uncertainties, and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, other factors may cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management discussion and analysis. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
DAYTON, Texas, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gulf Inland Logistics Park , managed and developed by Liberty Development Partners, officially celebrated the grand opening of Phase One of development at the CMC Railyard on Friday, October 10, marking a major milestone in regional economic development. The event highlighted the completion of Phase One infrastructure and the arrival of seven anchor tenants, representing more than 400 new jobs and approximately $250 million in capital investment to the Dayton area.

This day represents nearly two decades of vision and determination, said Marcus Goering, Principal at Liberty Development Partners. Since we first identified this property in 2007, we've invested in the infrastructure and partnerships needed to create the premier rail-served industrial facility on the Gulf Coast. Today, we celebrate not just what we've accomplished, but what is yet to come.

Community Partnership and Local Support

The recent grand opening celebration featured remarks from elected officials, including U.S. Rep. Brian Babin (36th District of Texas), Texas House of Representatives member Janis Holt (District 18), Liberty County Judge Jay Knight, and City of Dayton Mayor Martin Mudd. Congressman Babin was instrumental in securing a U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant that helped fund the construction of the first road into Gulf Inland Logistics Park.

(Gulf Inland Logistics Parks) impact on the economy of this region will be felt for generations to come, Congressman Babin said. Gulf Inland Logistics park is a prime example of private, local, state, and federal partners all working and coming together to create opportunities for the infrastructure needed to support job growth and capital investment, which will keep America and Texas great.

The event also highlighted community engagement, with students from the Dayton High School hospitality program assisting with the celebration. Local businesses contributed to the festivities, including Weaver's BBQ (recognized as a 2025 Texas Monthly BBQ Top 50 honorable mention), Sweet Scoops ice cream, and Liberty Sweet Treats.

What we're building here is critical for our young people and the future of Liberty County, Goering said. Liberty County is experiencing over 30% population growth and is poised for continued expansion. Gulf Inland Logistics Park is the engine driving job opportunities and economic development that benefit our entire community.

Phase One Success and Strategic Location

The park's strategic positioning at the intersection of major transportation corridors makes it uniquely attractive to industrial operators. Gulf Inland Logistics Park offers immediate access to Union Pacific Railroad and the BNSF Railways' major processing yards, combined with proximity to U.S. Highway 90, the Grand Parkway, State Highway 146, Interstate 10, and Interstate 59. The facility is located just 30 minutes northeast of Houston, 30 minutes from the Port of Houston (the largest U.S. port by tonnage), and within 100 miles of four additional Texas ports.

Gulf Inland Logistics Park represents the intersection of rail and road  the most efficient location on the Gulf Coast for rail-served industrial, manufacturing, distribution, and operations, Goering said. Our tenants enjoy days faster transit times compared to other satellite rail developments, providing significant competitive advantages.

Since June 2022, Liberty Development Partners has successfully located seven companies at Gulf Inland Logistics Park:

Phoenix Oil Inc.

Omnisource LLC

EGF Energy Partners

GPL Development

United States Lime & Minerals Inc.

Chemvest Holdings US Inc.

Midcontinent Steel and Wire (Deacero Division)





Infrastructure and Job Creation

The development has already delivered substantial infrastructure improvements, including three new roads, over 20 miles of new railroad track, and nearly 1 million square feet of completed vertical construction. Phase One tenants are already creating hundreds of jobs, with additional operations launching this fall.

Projections indicate that Gulf Inland Logistics Park will create over 10,000 jobs and bring more than $2 billion in capital investment to the region over the coming years, positioning Liberty County as a key hub for industrial growth.

Looking Forward

With Phase Two now in motion, Liberty Development Partners is pursuing new tenant opportunities and preparing to announce the eighth and final tenant from Phase One. The company also anticipates expansion into additional phases as demand continues to grow.

This is just the beginning, Goering said. We've built the foundation. Now we're ready to scale.

For more information about Gulf Inland Logistics Park and tenant opportunities, contact Jeff Nations at jeff@tir-llc.com , Marcus Goering at marcus@ldp-llc.com , and Paul Connor at paul@connorinv.com .

About Gulf Inland Logistics Park

One of the few dual, rail-served sites available in the region, Gulf Inland Logistics Park provides an unmatched location for logistics, transportation, and manufacturing businesses to locate and expand. Gulf Inland Logistics Park features immediate access to the two largest US Class I Railroads, the BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. CMC Railroad has a planned capacity of more than 2,000 railcars, which will all be open by 2026.

The parks location at the intersection of the Grand Parkway and US Highway 90 also provides expedient access to Interstate 10, Interstate 59, Interstate 45, and State Highway 146. Gulf Inland Logistics Park is also within 100 miles of five Texas ports  Houston, Beaumont, Port Arthur, Galveston, and Freeport. Gulf Inland offers spaces for sale, lease, or build-to-suit from 100,000 square feet to 1,500,000 square feet. For more information on Gulf Inland Logistics Park, visit https://www.gulfinlandlogisticspark.com/ .

Media Contact:

Carrie Ward, PR for Gulf Inland Logistics Park

832-407-5347

Carrie@hellobrightspot.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3ac7c8fb-05ff-48de-bfcf-bc3b53e27330

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/392d3624-e489-4ba9-8c88-eb8bae653f43

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9c50851a-d34e-422e-a54a-93511b06de0d

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ba9100b2-08fb-4576-afec-377dc82e7f21

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/46ed19fa-ed90-42f6-824d-ded391741566

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/89caee3c-ca5a-4dcb-8e93-988d19344607

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a3fe2c54-c011-40e0-94f9-0951d9d4181e

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/33334421-d5cf-40a3-8231-11a2e26fc856
LIBERTY, Mo., Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ferrellgas, L.P. (the Company) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Ferrellgas Finance Corp. (together with the Company, the Issuers) announced today that the Issuers priced an offering of $650.0 million aggregate principal amount of 9.250% senior notes due 2031 (the Notes) at an offering price equal to 100% of the principal thereof. The offering of the Notes is expected to close on or about October 27, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

The Notes will be senior obligations of the Issuers and will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by Ferrellgas, Inc., and each existing and future subsidiary of the Company, subject to certain exceptions. The Issuers intend to use the net proceeds received from the offering of the Notes, together with cash on hand, to redeem all of the Issuers 5.375% Senior Notes due 2026 (the 2026 Notes). The redemption of the 2026 Notes is conditioned upon the completion of the proposed offering of Notes and the entry into an amendment to the credit agreement governing the Companys existing revolving credit facility.

The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws. The Notes are being offered and sold only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to certain non-U.S. persons outside the United States in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, the Notes, the 2026 Notes or any other securities, nor shall there be any offer or sale of the Notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful. This press release does not constitute a notice of redemption under the indenture governing the 2026 Notes.

About Ferrellgas

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., through its operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P., and subsidiaries, serves propane customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

Cautionary Notes Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Statements included in this release concerning current estimates, expectations, projections about future results, performance, prospects, opportunities, plans, actions and events and other statements, concerns, or matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined under federal securities laws. These statements often use words such as anticipate, believe, intend, plan, projection, forecast, strategy, position, continue, estimate, expect, may, will, or the negative of those terms or other variations of them or comparable terminology. A variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause results, performance, and expectations to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, and expectations, including the effect of weather conditions on the demand for propane; the prices of wholesale propane, motor fuel and crude oil; disruptions to the supply of propane; competition from other industry participants and other energy sources; energy efficiency and technology advances; significant delays in the collection of accounts or notes receivable; customer, counterparty, supplier or vendor defaults; changes in demand for, and production of, hydrocarbon products; inherent operating and litigation risks in gathering, transporting, handling and storing propane; costs of complying with, or liabilities imposed under, environmental, health and safety laws; the impact of pending and future legal proceedings; the interruption, disruption, failure or malfunction of our information technology systems including due to cyber-attack; economic and political instability, particularly in areas of the world tied to the energy industry, including the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and in the Middle East; disruptions in the capital and credit markets, related to the evolving global tariff environment or otherwise; and access to available capital to meet our operating and debt-service requirements; and the anticipated completion of a refinancing. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors also include those discussed in the Annual Report on Form 10 K of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., Ferrellgas, L.P., Ferrellgas Partners Finance Corp., and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2025, and in other documents filed from time to time by these entities with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made only as of the date hereof. Ferrellgas disclaims any intention or obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.
Vamikibart is the first non-steroid targeted therapy designed to address inflammation driving UME and may offer a potential new treatment option for patients

Vision improvements were seen in both pivotal studies, achieving statistical significance in MEERKAT and nominal significance in SANDCAT

The MEERKAT and SANDCAT trials are ongoing and the data will be discussed with health authorities globally

Basel, 17 October 2025 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today results from two phase III studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of two doses of investigational vamikibart (0.25 and 1 mg) compared with a sham procedure that mimics intravitreal (IVT) injections in people with uveitic macular edema (UME).1 UME is characterised by the buildup of fluid in the macula due to uveitis, an inflammatory condition of the eye, that can result in vision loss.2 Across both studies, the primary and secondary endpoint data support the potential for rapid improvements in vision and reductions in macular thickness (swelling in the back of the eye due to retinal fluid) with vamikibart treatment.1 The data were presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting (AAO 2025) in Orlando, Florida, United States.

The totality of data from these pivotal vamikibart studies represent an important step towards addressing a clear unmet need for people with uveitic macular edema, said Levi Garraway, MD, PhD, Roches Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. UME is a major cause of vision loss and blindness in people of working age. We look forward to discussing the data for this potential first-in-class treatment with regulatory authorities.

UME is most commonly treated with steroids that, when injected in the eye, are associated with significant side effects such as increased pressure in the eye, which can lead to glaucoma and cataract formation, said study investigator Eric Suhler MD, MPH, Professor of Ophthalmology at the Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, United States. These data seen across multiple endpoints in both phase III studies, along with the overall low rate of treatment-related ocular adverse events, suggest that vamikibart could provide a clinically relevant, locally injectable non-steroid treatment option for people with UME.

In both trials, a numerically higher proportion of patients treated with vamikibart gained vision, with primary endpoint data demonstrating statistically significant superiority over sham in MEERKAT, though not in SANDCAT.1 Consistently across both trials, key secondary endpoints showed rapid and clinically meaningful improvements in average change from baseline in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and average change from baseline in central subfield thickness (CST), a key measure of macular edema, supporting the overall efficacy profile of vamikibart.1

The underlying variability of BCVA as an endpoint, along with variations in patient baseline characteristics and concomitant medications, may have influenced the differences in trial primary outcomes and further analyses are currently underway.1

Vamikibart was generally well tolerated in both studies, with a low incidence of treatment-related ocular adverse events (AEs) and intraocular inflammation (IOI) events, and no events of retinal occlusive vasculitis.1 The most common AEs (5%) in either trial in patients receiving vamikibart were conjunctival hemorrhage and raised intraocular pressure.1

Key data from the pivotal vamikibart phase III MEERKAT and SANDCAT studies:1

MEERKAT (n=245) SANDCAT (n=256) Sham (n=80) 0.25 mg vamikibart (n=74) 1 mg vamikibart (n=78) Sham (n=82) 0.25 mg vamikibart (n=85) 1 mg vamikibart (n=86) Primary endpoint: proportion of patients with a 15 letter or more improvement from baseline in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at week 16 Difference compared with sham IVT injections - 19.9% (95% CI: 8.1, 31.4; P=0.0008) 36.9% (95% CI: 23.7, 48.5; P<0.0001) - 20.7% (95% CI: 7.6, 32.8; P=NS*) 10.9% (95% CI: -1.4, 22.6; P=0.0699) Secondary endpoint: average change from baseline in BCVA at week 16 Average BCVA change, letters +3.5 +9.6 (P=0.0002) +12.8 (P<0.0001) +5.0 +11.9

(P=NS) +9.2

(P=NS) Secondary endpoint: average change from baseline in central subfield thickness (CST) at week 16 Average CST change, m 58.5 187.5 (P<0.0001) 196.1 (P<0.0001) 43.5 209.7 (P=NS) 194.7

(P=NS) Tolerability: incidence of treatment-related ocular AEs and IOI events Proportion of patients experiencing one or more treatment-related ocular AEs 0% 4.1% 1.3% 3.7% 4.7% 3.5% Proportion of patients experiencing one or more IOI events 0% 4.1% 1.3% 1.2% 3.5% 1.2%

*NS = Nominally Significant

About the MEERKAT and SANDCAT studies

MEERKAT and SANDCAT are identical phase III, global, parallel, multicentre, randomised, double-masked, sham comparator-controlled trials of intravitreal (IVT) vamikibart in uveitic macular edema (UME).1,3,4 In both trials, patients were randomised and received treatment every four weeks with either 0.25 mg vamikibart, 1 mg vamikibart or sham IVT injection, for up to 16 weeks.1,3,4 The primary endpoint of both phase III trials was the proportion of participants with a 15 letter or more improvement from baseline in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at week 16.1,3,4 Key secondary endpoints included the average change from baseline in BCVA and CST at week 16.1,3,4 The safety of vamikibart was assessed through adverse events (AEs) such as treatment related ocular AEs, intraocular inflammation (IOI) and retinal occlusive vasculitis.1,3,4 The studies included participants with and without prior IVT treatment history and included patients with history of raised IOP and glaucoma.1,3,4

About uveitic macular edema (UME)

UME is characterised by the buildup of fluid in the macula due to uveitis, an inflammatory eye condition.2 Although rare compared to other eye diseases, UME has a disproportionate impact on vision loss and blindness globally.2,5-10 It is the leading cause of moderate and severe vision loss in people with uveitis, and the most frequent sight threatening complication in uveitis.7-12 Uveitis accounts for 10% to 20% of blindness in the United States and Europe, and up to 25% of blindness in the developing world.13 UME has a significant negative impact on people's quality of life, including physical and mental health, social functioning, and visual function for day-to-day activities such as driving and reading.12,14,15 Steroids, the current standard of care for UME, are associated with significant serious side effects such as increased pressure in the eye, glaucoma and cataracts, and have recognised efficacy limitations.16-21

About vamikibart

Vamikibart is an investigational monoclonal antibody that has been specifically engineered for IVT administration.1,22 It targets interleukin-6 (IL-6), a key cytokine in the inflammatory pathway in UME.1,22 In the phase I DOVETAIL study, vamikibart provided rapid vision improvements and resolution of macular edema in people with UME.1,22 Vamikibart was also well tolerated, with no treatment-related serious adverse events reported.22 Based on the promising phase I DOVETAIL data, Roche initiated the two identical phase III vamikibart studies MEERKAT and SANDCAT. Vamikibart is being investigated in retinal diseases with recognised inflammatory pathways, including in people with UME. Vamikibart has orphan drug designation in the United States and European Union.

About Roche in Ophthalmology

Roche is focused on saving peoples eyesight from the leading causes of vision loss through pioneering therapies. Through our innovation in the scientific discovery of new potential drug targets, personalised healthcare, molecular engineering, biomarkers and continuous drug delivery, we strive to design the right therapies for the right patients.

We have the broadest retina pipeline in ophthalmology, which is led by science and informed by insights from people with eye diseases. Our pipeline includes innovative treatments across different modalities, such as antibodies, and gene and cell therapies targeting multiple vision-threatening conditions, including retinal vascular and diabetic eye diseases, geographic atrophy, and autoimmune conditions, such as thyroid eye disease and uveitic macular edema.

Applying our extensive experience, we have already brought breakthrough ophthalmic treatments to people living with vision loss. Susvimo (previously called Port Delivery System with ranibizumab) 100 mg/mL for intravitreal use via ocular implant is the first United States Food and Drug Administration-approved refillable eye implant for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) that continuously delivers a customised formulation of ranibizumab over a period of months. Vabysmo (faricimab) is the first bispecific antibody approved for the eye, which targets and inhibits two signalling pathways linked to a number of vision-threatening retinal conditions by neutralising angiopoietin-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor-A. Vabysmo is approved around the world for people living with nAMD, diabetic macular edema (DME) and macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Lucentis (ranibizumab injection) was the first treatment approved to improve vision in people with certain retinal conditions.

About Roche

Founded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, as one of the first industrial manufacturers of branded medicines, Roche has grown into the worlds largest biotechnology company and the global leader in in-vitro diagnostics. The company pursues scientific excellence to discover and develop medicines and diagnostics for improving and saving the lives of people around the world. We are a pioneer in personalised healthcare and want to further transform how healthcare is delivered to have an even greater impact. To provide the best care for each person we partner with many stakeholders and combine our strengths in Diagnostics and Pharma with data insights from the clinical practice.

For over 125 years, sustainability has been an integral part of Roches business. As a science-driven company, our greatest contribution to society is developing innovative medicines and diagnostics that help people live healthier lives. Roche is committed to the Science Based Targets initiative and the Sustainable Markets Initiative to achieve net zero by 2045.

Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan.

For more information, please visit www.roche.com.

All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.



References

[1] Khurana RN, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Vamikibart in Patients With Uveitic Macular Edema: First Report of Phase 3 MEERKAT/SANDCAT Trials. Presented at: the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting (AAO 2025); 2025 October 17; Orlando, Florida, United States.

[2] Massa H, Pipis SY, Adewoyin T, Vergados A, Patra S, Panos GD. Macular edema associated with non-infectious uveitis: pathophysiology, etiology, prevalence, impact and management challenges. OPTH. 2019;Volume 13:1761-1777. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S180580

[3] Hoffmann-La Roche. A Phase III, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Masked, Sham-Controlled Study to Investigate the Efficacy, Safety, Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Vamikibart Administered Intravitreally in Patients With Uveitic Macular Edema. clinicaltrials.gov; 2025. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05642312

[4] Hoffmann-La Roche. A Phase III, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Masked, Sham-Controlled Study to Investigate the Efficacy, Safety, Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Vamikibart Administered Intravitreally in Patients With Uveitic Macular Edema. clinicaltrials.gov; 2025. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05642325

[5] Teper SJ. Update on the Management of Uveitic Macular Edema. J Clin Med. 2021;10(18):4133. doi:10.3390/jcm10184133

[6] Fardeau C, Champion E, Massamba N, LeHoang P. Uveitic macular edema. Eye. 2016;30(10):1277-1292. doi:10.1038/eye.2016.115

[7] Smith JR, Thorne JE, Flaxel CJ, et al. Treatment of Noninfectious Uveitic Macular Edema with Periocular and Intraocular Corticosteroid Therapies: A Report by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Ophthalmology. 2024;131(9):1107-1120. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2024.02.019

[8] Sood G, Patel BC. Uveitic Macular Edema. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2025. Accessed September 11, 2025. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562158/

[9] Tomkins-Netzer O, Lightman SL, Burke AE, et al. Seven-Year Outcomes of Uveitic Macular Edema: The Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment Trial and Follow-up Study Results. Ophthalmology. 2021;128(5):719-728. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2020.08.035

[10] Matas J, Llorenc V, Fonollosa A, et al. Systemic Regulatory T Cells and IL-6 as Prognostic Factors for Anatomical Improvement of Uveitic Macular Edema. Front Immunol. 2020;11. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.579005

[11] Tomkins-Netzer O, Talat L, Bar A, et al. Long-Term Clinical Outcome and Causes of Vision Loss in Patients with Uveitis. Ophthalmology. 2014;121(12):2387-2392. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2014.07.007

[12] Tallouzi MO, Moore DJ, Bucknall N, et al. Outcomes important to patients with non-infectious posterior segment-involving uveitis: a qualitative study. BMJ Open Ophth. 2020;5(1). doi:10.1136/bmjophth-2020-00048

[13] Cunningham ET, Zierhut M. Vision Loss in Uveitis. Ocular Immunology and Inflammation. 2021;29(6):1037-1039. doi:10.1080/09273948.2021.2017152

[14] Tomkins-Netzer O, Lightman S, Drye L, et al. Outcome of Treatment of Uveitic Macular Edema: The Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment Trial 2-Year Results. Ophthalmology. 2015;122(11):2351-2359. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2015.07.036

[15] Frick KD, Drye LT, Kempen JH, et al. Associations among Visual Acuity and Vision- and Health-Related Quality of Life among Patients in the Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment Trial. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012;53(3):1169. doi:10.1167/iovs.11-8259

[16] Rosenbaum JT, Bodaghi B, Couto C, et al. New observations and emerging ideas in diagnosis and management of non-infectious uveitis: A review. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2019;49(3):438-445. doi:10.1016/j.semarthrit.2019.06.004

[17] Leandro L, Beare N, Bhan K, et al. Systemic corticosteroid use in UK Uveitis practice: results from the ocular inflammation steroid toxicity risk (OSTRICH) study. Eye. 2021;35(12):3342-3349. doi:10.1038/s41433-020-01336-6

[18] Nguyen QD, Hatef E, Kayen B, et al. A Cross-sectional Study of the Current Treatment Patterns in Noninfectious Uveitis among Specialists in the United States. Ophthalmology. 2011;118(1):184-190. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2010.03.029

[19] Fini ME, Schwartz SG, Gao X, et al. Steroid-induced ocular hypertension/glaucoma: Focus on pharmacogenomics and implications for precision medicine. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2017;56:58-83. doi:10.1016/j.preteyeres.2016.09.003

[20] Sen HN, Vitale S, Gangaputra SS, et al. Periocular Corticosteroid Injections in Uveitis: Effects and Complications. Ophthalmology. 2014;121(11):2275-2286. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2014.05.021

[21] Rice JB, White AG, Scarpati LM, Wan G, Nelson WW. Long-term Systemic Corticosteroid Exposure: A Systematic Literature Review. Clinical Therapeutics. 2017;39(11):2216-2229. doi:10.1016/j.clinthera.2017.09.011

[22] Sharma S, Suhler E, Lin P, et al. A novel intravitreal anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody for uveitic macular edema (UME): preliminary results from the phase 1 DOVETAIL study. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2023;64(8):5100.

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Attachment
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mawson Finland Limited (Mawson or the Company) (TSX-V: MFL) is pleased to highlight the closing of First Nordic Metals Corp.s (TSX-V: FNM, FNSE: FNMC SDB, OTCQX: FNMCF, FRA: HEG0) (First Nordic) $80 million financing which was comprised of a concurrent brokered and non-brokered offering of subscription receipts of First Nordic (the Subscription Receipts) at a price of $0.38 per Subscription Receipts. Please see First Nordics press release dated October 15, 2025 for further details.

On September 14, 2025, First Nordic and Mawson entered into a definitive arrangement agreement (the Arrangement Agreement) pursuant to which First Nordic agreed to acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of Mawson by way of a plan of arrangement (the Transaction, with First Nordic following completion of the Transaction referred to herein as NordCo Gold). Refer to the press release of First Nordic and Mawson dated September 15, 2025 for further details on the Transaction. Each Subscription Receipt entitles the holders thereof to receive, for no additional consideration and without further action on part of the holder thereof, at the effective time of the Transaction, one (1) common share of NordCo Gold (to be adjusted to reflect a 4:1 consolidation to be completed by First Nordic prior to completion of the Transaction).

Noora Ahola, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, stated, We are pleased that NordCo Gold will be well-capitalized following the closing of the Transaction with sufficient resources to advance First Nordics Barsele project and Mawsons Rajapalot project.

Mawson announces that its upcoming special meeting of shareholders (the Special Meeting) to vote on the Transaction has been scheduled for December 4, 2025. Mawsons management information circular with respect to the Special Meeting will contain details of the Transaction and will be mailed to Mawson shareholders around the second week of November and will also be available at Mawsons issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Mawson encourages shareholders to vote as soon as proxy materials are made available to shareholders.

Subject to receipt of the approval of 66% of the votes cast by Mawson shareholders at the Special Meeting, approval of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List), final acceptance of the TSXV of the Transaction and satisfaction or waiver of the other closing conditions set out in the Arrangement Agreement, the Transaction is expected to close in December 2025.

In connection with the Transaction, First Nordic has agreed to provide bridge financing to Mawson in the form of a loan of up to $1,000,000 to be advanced from time to time to the Company in such principal amounts as agreed to by the parties (the Loan). Advances under the Loan are intended to be used for payment of various costs related to the Transaction and for general working capital and corporate purposes.

Interest under the Loan accrues at 8% per annum. The principal amount outstanding under the Loan and all accrued interest is due and payable by the earlier of the date upon which the Arrangement Agreement is terminated and January 30, 2026. Neither the principal amount nor the interest under the Loan is convertible into securities of Mawson and no loan bonus or finders fees are being paid by Mawson in connection with the Loan.

About Mawson Finland Limited

Mawson Finland Limited is an exploration stage mining development company engaged in the acquisition and exploration of precious and base metal properties in Finland. The Company is primarily focused on gold and cobalt. The Corporation currently holds a 100% interest in the Rajapalot Gold-Cobalt Project located in Finland. The Rajapalot Project represents approximately 5% of the 100-square kilometres Rompas-Rajapalot Property, which is wholly owned by Mawson and consists of 13 granted exploration permits for 11,262 hectares. In Finland, all operations are carried out through the Companys fully owned subsidiary, Mawson Oy. Mawson maintains an active local presence of Finnish staff with close ties to the communities of Rajapalot.

Additional details related to the Transaction is included in the Arrangement Agreement which is available under the Companys issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Additional disclosure including the Companys financial statements, technical reports, news releases and other information can be obtained at mawsonfinland.com or on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Media and Investor Relations Inquiries

Please contact: Neil MacRae Executive Chairman at neil@mawsonfinland.com or +1 (778) 999-4653, or Noora Ahola Chief Executive Officer at nahola@mawson.fi or +358 (505) 213-515.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No securities regulatory authority has reviewed or approved of the contents of this news release.

Forward-looking Information

All statements, trend analysis and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events or results constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as seek, anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, expect and intend and statements that an event or result may, will, should, could or might occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Transaction, the closing of the Transaction and the timing and terms thereof, the timing of the Special Meeting and the availability of meeting materials in connection therewith, , the use of proceeds of the Loan, that NordCo Gold will be well-capitalized following the closing of the Transaction with sufficient resources to advance First Nordics Barsele project and Mawsons Rajapalot project, statements with respect to the consolidation of the First Nordic shares, the approval of shareholders of Mawson of the Transaction, and the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the Transaction, including receipt of TSXV approval. Although Mawson believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in the Companys periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators, and assumptions made with regard to: the Companys ability to complete the proposed Transaction; the Companys ability to secure the necessary shareholder, securityholder, legal and regulatory approvals required to complete the Transaction and the estimated costs associated with the advancement of the each companies projects. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Companys expectations include risks associated with the business of First Nordic and Mawson; risks related to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions to the closing of the Transaction; non-completion of the Transaction; risks related to reliance on technical information provided by First Nordic and Mawson; risks related to exploration and potential development of the projects; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies and indigenous groups in the exploration and development of the projects and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop the projects and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; and other risk factors as identified in First Nordics and Mawsons filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ (available at www.sedarplus.ca). Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to Mawson. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is made as of the date hereof and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Mawson disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UNITED LITHIUM CORP. (United or the Company) (CSE: ULTH; OTCQX: ULTHF; FWB: 0UL) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with Swedish Minerals AB (SM) to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of SM (the Transaction).

The combination of United and SM will seek to establish a leading Nordic-based strategic-metals explorer with a diversified portfolio of lithium, uranium, and rare-earth assets positioned to support Europes accelerating clean-energy transition and nuclear-power resurgence.

Transaction Summary

Acquisition: United will acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding shares (each, a SM Share) of SM.

United will acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding shares (each, a SM Share) of SM. Consideration: In consideration for the SM Shares, SM shareholders will receive an aggregate of 25,000,000 common shares (each a Share) of United at a deemed price of $0.20 per Share (pre-consolidation), and $450,000 in cash, payable as a $50,000 non-refundable deposit upon execution of the LOI and $400,000 at Closing (as defined below) (unless an exclusivity extension is exercised, in which case the balance shall be adjusted as set forth below), all on a pro rata basis. All Shares issued in connection with the Transaction shall be subject to applicable resale restrictions and prior Canadian Securities Exchange (the Exchange) approval.

In consideration for the SM Shares, SM shareholders will receive an aggregate of 25,000,000 common shares (each a Share) of United at a deemed price of $0.20 per Share (pre-consolidation), and $450,000 in cash, payable as a $50,000 non-refundable deposit upon execution of the LOI and $400,000 at Closing (as defined below) (unless an exclusivity extension is exercised, in which case the balance shall be adjusted as set forth below), all on a pro rata basis. All Shares issued in connection with the Transaction shall be subject to applicable resale restrictions and prior Canadian Securities Exchange (the Exchange) approval. Share Consolidation: In connection with the closing of the Transaction (the Closing), United will conduct a consolidation of its issued and outstanding shares on the basis of one post-consolidation Share for every two (2) pre-consolidation Shares (the Consolidation), which is anticipated to result in a total of approximately 43,870,527 Shares being issued and outstanding.

In connection with the closing of the Transaction (the Closing), United will conduct a consolidation of its issued and outstanding shares on the basis of one post-consolidation Share for every two (2) pre-consolidation Shares (the Consolidation), which is anticipated to result in a total of approximately 43,870,527 Shares being issued and outstanding. Leadership & Board: Upon Closing, the board of directors of United will be reconstituted to comprise five members, with three directors nominated by United and two directors nominated by SM (the United Board Reconstitution). All director nominees will be mutually agreed upon by both parties prior to execution of the definitive agreement. In addition, Andrew Bowering will be appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer and Jonathan Franklin will be appointed President of the Company, following the Closing (together, the Management Appointments).

Upon Closing, the board of directors of United will be reconstituted to comprise five members, with three directors nominated by United and two directors nominated by SM (the United Board Reconstitution). All director nominees will be mutually agreed upon by both parties prior to execution of the definitive agreement. In addition, Andrew Bowering will be appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer and Jonathan Franklin will be appointed President of the Company, following the Closing (together, the Management Appointments). Royalty: Upon Closing, United will grant to the shareholders of SM a 1.75% net smelter return royalty on all properties currently held by SM on terms to be agreed upon by the Parties.



Either party has the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate the LOI at any time prior to the expiry of the exclusivity period (including any extension) if, upon completion of due diligence investigations (including legal, financial, technical, and operational matters), title search, or financial review, either party is not satisfied with the results, or if any material adverse financial matter is identified. In the event of termination by United, any deposit(s) paid by United to SM shall be retained by SM as consideration for exclusivity. In the event of termination by SM, all deposits are to be repaid.

For a period of 30 days following execution of the LOI (the Exclusivity Period), SM has agreed to not solicit, negotiate, or accept any alternative acquisition or financing proposals relating to SM or its assets. United may, at its sole discretion, extend the Exclusivity Period for an additional 30 days by paying a further non-refundable deposit of $50,000, which shall also be creditable against the purchase price at Closing.

Strategic Rationale

The acquisition unites Uniteds lithium development portfolio with SMs high-grade uranium and rare-earth portfolio spanning Finland and Sweden, two of Europes most mining-friendly and energy-independent jurisdictions.

SMs uranium division controls one of the largest privately held uranium portfolios in the EU, including:

Riutta Project (Finland): A 100%-owned exploration-stage property located in southeast-central Finland near the town of Eno. The project covers a large area within an established mining region with road access, nearby infrastructure, and proximity to the Terrafame mining operation.

A 100%-owned exploration-stage property located in southeast-central Finland near the town of Eno. The project covers a large area within an established mining region with road access, nearby infrastructure, and proximity to the Terrafame mining operation. Duobblon Deposit (Sweden): A 100%-owned, 630-hectare exploration-stage property located in Swedens established Gold Line Belt near Sorsele. The property benefits from excellent access to road, power, and other regional infrastructure within a proven mining district.

A 100%-owned, 630-hectare exploration-stage property located in Swedens established Gold Line Belt near Sorsele. The property benefits from excellent access to road, power, and other regional infrastructure within a proven mining district. Norr Dottern Project (Sweden): The Norr Dottern Project is a 100%-owned, 2,900-hectare exploration-stage property located near Arvidsjaur in north-central Sweden. The project lies within a well-known mineral belt and is accessible year-round by existing road and power infrastructure.

The Norr Dottern Project is a 100%-owned, 2,900-hectare exploration-stage property located near Arvidsjaur in north-central Sweden. The project lies within a well-known mineral belt and is accessible year-round by existing road and power infrastructure. Marrviken Project (Sweden): A 100%-owned, 2,710-hectare exploration-stage property located near Ange in central Sweden. The project lies within a well-established mineral belt and is supported by nearby road and power infrastructure.

The LOI is an arms-length transaction. Closing of the Transaction is subject to conditions precedent customary for transactions of a similar nature, including but not limited to: completion of satisfactory due diligence of SM by United, completion of the Consolidation, United Board Reconstitution and the Management Appointments, and receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including all required filings with the Exchange. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be consummated on the terms contemplated above, or at all.

Unit Financing

United also announces a non-brokered private placement to raise aggregate gross proceeds of up to $2,250,000 (the Unit Financing), through the issuance of up to 15,000,000 pre-Consolidation units (each, a Unit) at a price of $0.15 per Unit. Each Unit will be comprised of one pre-Consolidation Share and one pre-Consolidation share purchase warrant (each, a Warrant), with each Warrant exercisable in to one additional pre-Consolidation Share at a price of $0.30 per Share for a period of 24 months, subject to an acceleration provision whereby in the event that the pre-Consolidation Shares have a closing price on the Exchange (or such other exchange on which the Shares may be traded at such time) of $0.60 or greater per Share for a period of ten (10) consecutive trading days at any time after the Closing, United may accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants at any time after the date that is four months and one day after Closing, by giving notice to the holders thereof (by disseminating a news release advising of the acceleration of the expiry date of the Warrants) and, in such case, 100% of the then unexercised Warrants will expire on the thirtieth day after the date of such notice.

The Unit Financing is not conditional upon the closing of the Transaction, and United intends to proceed with same whether or not the Transaction completes. The proceeds from the offering are anticipated to be used for general working capital purposes and for continued exploration of the Companys properties. A portion of the proceeds may be used in connection with the Transaction and for exploration activities on SMs properties following the Closing. All securities issued in connection with the Unit Financing will be subject to applicable resale restrictions.

On Behalf of The Board of Directors

Scott Eldridge

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Telephone: +1-604-428-6128

About United Lithium

United Lithium is an exploration & development company energized by the global demand for lithium. The Company is targeting lithium projects in politically safe jurisdictions with advanced infrastructure that allows for rapid and cost-effective exploration, development, and production opportunities.

The Companys consolidated financial statements and related managements discussion and analysis are available on the Companys website at https://unitedlithium.com or under its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

ForwardLooking Statements:

This news release contains forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information (collectively, forwardlooking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian legislation. Forwardlooking statements are typically identified by words such as: believes, expects, anticipates, intends, estimates, plans, may, should, would, will, potential, scheduled or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. All statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forwardlooking statements and include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations and orientations regarding the future. Specifically, the forward-looking statements include: (i) Uniteds ability to complete satisfactory due diligence and title review of SM and its properties, (ii) that the Transaction or the Unit Financing will be approved by the Exchange, and (iii) that either the Transaction or the Unit Financing will close. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable and reflect expectations of future developments and other factors which management believes to be reasonable and relevant, the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. In making the forwardlooking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that market fundamentals will support the viability of critical mineral resource exploration, the availability of the financing required for the Company to carry out its planned future activities, the availability of and the ability to retain and attract qualified personnel, and the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. Other factors may also adversely affect the future results or performance of the Company, including general economic, market or business conditions, future prices of minerals, changes in the financial markets and in the demand for minerals, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting the mineral exploration industry, as well as the risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in the Companys annual and quarterly managements discussion and analysis and in other filings made by the Company with Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Companys SEDAR+ profile. Ongoing labour shortages, inflationary pressures, rising interest rates, the global financial climate and the conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine and surrounding regions are some additional factors that are affecting current economic conditions and increasing economic uncertainty, which may impact the Companys operating performance, financial position, and future prospects. Collectively, the potential impacts of this economic environment pose risks that are currently indescribable and immeasurable. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forwardlooking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned that forwardlooking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly, are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forwardlooking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update such forwardlooking information whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Vancouver, October 16, 2025 - Maple Gold Mines Ltd. (TSXV: MGM) (OTCQB: MGMLF) (FSE: M3G0) ("Maple Gold" or the "Company") wishes to update its shareholders regarding the Company's upcoming annual general and special meeting, which is to be held at the Company's offices at 600-1111 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 2J3, on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) (the "Meeting"). The Company confirms the availability of its Meeting Materials (as defined below) and wishes to advise its shareholders, due to the ongoing Canada Post service disruption, alternative options are available to access materials and vote their shares in connection with the Meeting.

The Meeting is being held for the following purposes:

(a) to receive the Company's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024, and the report of the auditors thereon;

(b) to set the number of directors of the Company at five (5);

(c) to elect the directors of the Company for the ensuing year;

(d) to appoint De Visser Gray LLP, Chartered Accountants, as the auditors of the Company for the ensuing year and to authorize the directors to fix their remuneration;

(e) to re-approve (with or without variation) the Company's Equity Incentive Plan (unchanged from prior year); and

(f) to transact such further business as may be properly brought before the Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

Electronic copies of the Notice of Meeting, Management Information Circular and related proxy materials (collectively, the "Meeting Materials") have been filed and are available under Maple Gold's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca and are posted under the heading "Investors" on the Company's website at https://www.maplegoldmines.com/index.php/en/investors/agm-materials. Shareholders are encouraged to access the Meeting Materials directly via SEDAR+ and the Company's website, or to contact the Company at info@maplegoldmines.com or +1 (647) 265-8688 to obtain copies. In the event that conclusion of the Canada Post mail strike is at least 15 days before the Meeting, the Company intends to mail the Meeting Materials; however, there is no assurance that mailed Meeting Materials will arrive before the Meeting.

Shareholders are not required to attend the Meeting in person to vote. In accordance with the Orders (as defined below), Maple Gold is waiving the proxy cut-off time specified in the Meeting Materials and will accept proxies submitted to and received by the Company's transfer agent. Computershare Investor Services Inc., by 5:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) on Monday, November 24, 2025.

Registered shareholders are shareholders who hold their shares directly in the Corporation, and not through a brokerage account or depository company. Registered shareholders may vote in advance online at www.investorvote.com or by telephone as indicated on their form of proxy. Registered shareholders requiring a voting control number may obtain it by contacting Computershare Investor Services Inc. at 1-800-564-6253 (North America) or 1-514-982-7555 (international). Beneficial shareholders should contact their broker or intermediary to obtain their voting control number and submit their instructions under the applicable procedures.

Copies of the Company's audited financial statements and management discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 ("Financial Statements & MD&A") have been filed and are available under Maple Gold's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Physical copies of the Financial Statements & MD&A will be made available to shareholders upon request by email (info@maplegoldmines.com). Once mail service resumes, the Company will mail requested copies in the ordinary course.

The Company confirms that it has fulfilled all conditions to rely on, and will be relying on, the Canadian Securities Administrators' Coordinated Blanket Order 51-932 - Temporary Exemption from requirements in National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations and National Instrument 54-101 Communication with Beneficial Owners of Securities of a Reporting Issuer to send certain proxy-related materials during a postal suspension and the corresponding British Columbia Securities Commission's adoption thereof (collectively, the "Orders"), to be exempt from the requirement to mail proxy-related materials for the Meeting. The Orders provide temporary relief from mailing requirements during a postal suspension for meetings that address only "annual matters" and are not contested. Maple Gold confirms that each item on its Meeting agenda is an "annual matter" for purposes of the Orders. The Company has satisfied and continues to meet all other conditions required by the Orders, including timely filing, public posting, alternative delivery options, and waiver of the proxy cut-off.

About Maple Gold

Maple Gold Mines Ltd. is a Canadian advanced exploration company focused on advancing its 100%-owned, district-scale Douay/Joutel Gold Project located in Quebec's prolific Abitibi Greenstone Gold Belt. Douay/Joutel benefits from exceptional infrastructure access and boasts ~481 km2 of highly prospective ground including an established gold mineral resource at Douay with significant expansion potential as well as the past-producing Telbel and Eagle West mines at Joutel. In addition, the Company holds an exclusive option to acquire 100% of the Eagle Mine Property, a key part of the historical Joutel Mining Complex.

Maple Gold's property package also hosts a significant number of regional exploration targets along a 55-km strike length of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone that have yet to be tested through drilling, making the property ripe for new gold and VMS discoveries. The Company is currently focused on carrying out exploration and drill programs to grow mineral resources and make new discoveries to establish an exciting new gold district in the heart of the Abitibi. For more information, please visit www.maplegoldmines.com.

ON BEHALF OF MAPLE GOLD MINES LTD.

"Kiran Patankar"

Kiran Patankar, President & CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements and Cautionary Notes:

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation in Canada. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective,", "strategy", "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the Meeting, including the timing, conduct and matters to be considered at the Meeting. Although the Company believes that forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct, as forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimate of future events on the date the statements are made and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of additional risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements in this news release, please refer to the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators available on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval Plus (SEDAR+) at www.sedarplus.ca or the Company's website at www.maplegoldmines.com. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and/or the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any intention to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270715
Vancouver, October 16, 2025 - Nevada Sunrise Metals Corp. (TSXV: NEV) (OTC Pink: NVSGF) ("Nevada Sunrise" or the "Company") is pleased to announce an increase to the size of the non-brokered private placement announced earlier today of up to 7,000,000 units, to a new total of up to 12,000,000 units (the "Offering") at a price of $0.05 per unit (the "Units") for gross proceeds of up to $600,000, due to investor demand. The Units will be issued on the same terms as those previously announced and will consist of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase an additional common share (a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $0.075 per Warrant Share for a period expiring three years following the closing date of the Offering.

Proceeds of the Offering will be used for:

Exploration work on the Company's Nevada gold, copper and lithium properties;

Other mineral property investigations, and general working capital.

The Offering is available to accredited investors and individuals that may qualify under certain other statutory exemptions. The securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a statutory four-month hold period. Finder's fees may be payable to parties at arm's length to Nevada Sunrise that have introduced the Company to certain subscribers participating in the Offering. The Offering is subject to acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.

This news release does not constitute an offer of sale of any of the foregoing securities in the United States. None of the foregoing securities have been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any applicable state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) or persons in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor will there be any sale of the foregoing securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Nevada Sunrise

Nevada Sunrise is a junior mineral exploration company with a strong technical team based in Vancouver, BC, Canada, that holds interests in gold, copper and lithium exploration projects located in the State of Nevada, USA.

Nevada Sunrise holds the right to purchase a 100% interest in the Griffon Gold Mine Project, located approximately 50 kilometers (33 miles) southwest of Ely, NV.

Nevada Sunrise holds the right to earn a 100% interest in the Coronado Copper Project, located approximately 48 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of Winnemucca, NV.

Nevada Sunrise owns 100% interests in the Gemini West, Jackson Wash and Badlands lithium projects, all of which are located in the Lida Valley in Esmeralda County, NV.

As a complement to its exploration projects in Esmeralda County, the Company owns Nevada Water Right Permit 86863, also located in the Lida Valley basin, near Lida, NV.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release may contain forwardlooking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur and include disclosure of anticipated exploration activities. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forwardlooking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Forwardlooking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date such statements were made. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forwardlooking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Such factors include, among others, risks related to future plans for the Company's Nevada mineral properties; reliance on technical information provided by third parties on any of our exploration properties; changes in mineral project parameters as plans continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices of commodities; possible variations in grade or metallurgical recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays due to pandemic; delays due to weather; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the Nine Months ending June 30, 2025, which is available under Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

Although Nevada Sunrise has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Nevada Sunrise disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270793
VANCOUVER, Oct. 16, 2025 - Apollo Silver Corp. ("Apollo" or the "Company") (TSX.V:APGO, OTCQB:APGOF, Frankfurt:6ZF) is pleased to announce that it has filed the independent technical report for the updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") for the Calico Silver Project ("Calico" or the "Calico Project").

The report titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate for the Calico Silver Project, San Bernardino County, California, USA", is dated October 16, 2025 (with an effective date of June 30, 2025) (the "Technical Report"). The Technical Report is available under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and on the Company's website (www.apollosilver.com).

The Technical Report was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects by Stantec Consulting Ltd. ("Stantec") of Denver, Colorado. There are no material differences in the Technical Report from those results disclosed in the Company's press release dated September 4, 2025.

Highlights of the MRE announced on September 4, 2025, include:

New combined Measured and Indicated total of 55 million tonnes ("Mt") at a grade of 71 grams per tonne ("g/t") silver ("Ag") for a total of 125 million ounces ("Moz") Ag (1) (2) 61% increase in tonnage and a 14% increase in Ag ounces representing an increase of 15 Moz contained Ag

Inferred total of 0.6 Mt at a grade of 26 g/t Ag for a total of 0.51 Moz contained Ag (1) (2)

Inaugural barite ("BaSO 4 ") and zinc ("Zn") resources are estimated as: Indicated: 36 Mt @ 7.4% BaSO 4 and 0.45% Zn for a total content of 2.7 Mt BaSO 4 and 354 million pounds ("Mlbs") Zn (1) ( 2 ) Inferred: 17 Mt @ 3.9% BaSO 4 and 0.71% Zn for a total content of 0.65 Mt BaSO 4 and 258 Mlbs Zn (1) ( 2 )

") and zinc ("Zn") resources are estimated as: Gold ("Au") ounces have increased by 86% in the Inferred category for a new total of 17 Mt at a grade of 0.25 g/t Au and total Au content of 0.13 Moz (1) ( 2 )

One single pit for all metals at the Waterloo deposit with a low strip ratio of 0.8:1

Updated Langtry MRE now includes 24 million tonnes at a grade of 73 g/t Ag for a total Ag content of 57 million ounces ( 1 ) (3)

The increased quantities of Ag and Au, the addition of two new critical minerals, and the larger single pit with low strip ratio have derisked the Calico Project

Sensitivity analyses show resiliency of the Ag resource to changes in metal price

Significant growth opportunities remain



(1) The 2025 MRE has been prepared by Derek Loveday, P. Geo., of Stantec Consulting Services Ltd., an independent Qualified Person, in co-operation with Mariea Kartick, P.Geo. (independent Qualified Person for drilling data QA/QC) and Johnny Marke P.G. (independent Qualified Person for resource estimation). CIM definitions are followed for classification of the mineral resource. The 2025 MRE was produced in conformance with NI 43-101. The 2025 mineral resource estimate has an effective date of June 30, 2025. Ounces are reported as troy ounces. No drilling was completed on the Waterloo Property and Langtry Property since the declaration of the 2023 MRE for Waterloo and 2022 MRE for Langtry. The 2025 MRE update accounts for changes in commodity prices, mining costs since 2022/2023, and barite testing of existing drill samples from the Waterloo Property. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that any mineral resource will be converted into a mineral reserve.



(2) For the Waterloo Property, a silver equivalent cut-off grade was calculated using the following variables: surface mining operating costs (US$2.8/st), processing costs plus general and administrative cost (US$26.5/st), Ag price (US$28/oz), BaSO4 price (US$120/t), Zn price (US$1.22/lb), Au price (US$2,451/oz), and metal recoveries (Ag 65%, Au 80%, BaSO4 85%, Zn 80%). For the Waterloo Property gold-only resources the Au cut-off grade was calculated using the above Au price, Au recovery and gold-only processing costs plus general and administrative cost (US$8.2/st).



(3) For the Langtry Property, a silver-only equivalent cut-off grade was calculated using the aforementioned Ag price, Ag recovery and silver-only processing costs plus general and administrative cost (US$24/st).





The 2025 MRE for the Waterloo Property comprises 125 Moz Ag in 55 Mt at an average grade of 71 g/t Ag (M&I categories), 0.51 Moz Ag in 0.60 Mt at an average grade of 26 g/t Ag (Inferred category), 130,000 oz gold in 17 Mt at an average grade of 0.25 g/t gold (Inferred category), 2.7 Mt BaSO4 and 354 Mlbs Zn in 36 Mt at an average grade of 7.4 % BaSO4 and 0.45 % Zn (Indicated category), and 0.65 Mt BaSO4 and 258 Mlbs Zn in 17 Mt at an average grade of 3.9 % BaSO4 and 0.71 % Zn (Inferred category). The 2025 MRE for the Langtry Property comprises 57 Moz Ag in 24 Mt at an average grade of 73 g/t Ag (Inferred category).

ABOUT THE CALICO PROJECT

Location

The Calico Project is located in San Bernardino County, California, and comprises the adjacent Waterloo, Langtry and Mule properties, which total 8,283 acres. The Calico Project is 15 km (9 miles) east from the city of Barstow, 5 km (3 miles) from commercial electric power and has an extensive private gravel road network spanning the property.

Geology and Mineralization

The Calico Project is situated in the southern Calico Mountains of the Mojave Desert, in the south-western region of the Basin and Range tectonic province. This 15 km (9 mile) long northwest-southeast trending mountain range is dominantly composed of Tertiary (Miocene) volcanics, volcaniclastics, sedimentary rocks and dacitic intrusions. Mineralization at Calico comprises high-level low-sulfidation silver-dominant epithermal vein-type, stockwork-type and disseminated-style associated with northwest-trending faults and fracture zones and mid-Tertiary (~19-17 Ma) volcanic activity. Calico represents a district-scale mineral system endowment with approximately 6,000 m (19,685 ft) in mineralized strike length controlled by the Company. Silver and gold mineralization are oxidized and hosted within the sedimentary Barstow Formation and the upper volcaniclastic units of the Pickhandle formation along the contact between these units.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical data contained in this news release was reviewed, and approved by Derek Loveday, P.Geo., Johnny Marke P.G. and Mariea Kartick, P.Geo., from Stantec and are Qualified Persons independent of the Company. Mr. Loveday is a registered Professional Geoscientist in Alberta, Canada, and Mr. Marke is a registered Professional Geologist in Oregon, USA and both are responsible for the mineral resource estimation. Ms. Kartick is a registered Professional Geoscientist in Ontario, Canada, and is responsible for data QA/QC.

This news release has also been reviewed and approved by Isabelle Lepine, M.Sc., P.Geo., Apollo's Director of Mineral Resources. Ms. Lepine is a registered Professional Geoscientist in British Columbia, Canada, and is not independent of the Company.

About Apollo Silver Corp.

Apollo Silver is advancing one of the largest undeveloped primary silver projects in the US. The Calico Project hosts a large, bulk minable silver deposit with significant barite and zinc credits - recognized as critical minerals essential to the US energy and medical sectors. The Company also holds an option on the Cinco de Mayo Project in Chihuahua, Mexico, which is host to a major carbonate replacement (CRD) deposit that is both high-grade and large tonnage. Led by an experienced and award-winning management team, Apollo is well positioned to advance the assets and deliver value through exploration and development.

Please visit www.apollosilver.com for further information.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ross McElroy

President and CEO

For further information, please contact:

Email: info@apollosilver.com

Telephone: +1 (604) 428-6128

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



This news release includes "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with respect to the potential of the Calico Project and its overall investment attractiveness; the expectation that the Calico Project will continue to increase in value, scale and optionality; the potential economic significance of the updated mineral resource estimate, including the newly defined barite and zinc resources in addition to silver and gold; the potential recovery rates; the potential to further expand the resource estimate and upgrade its confidence level, including prospective silver, gold, barite and zinc mineralization on strike and at depth; the potential impact of barite and zinc being designated as critical minerals in the United States; assumptions regarding mineralization at shallow depths and strip ratios; timing and execution of future planned drilling, exploration, preliminary engineering and additional metallurgical activities; timing of commencement and completion of a preliminary economic assessment or other technical studies; the potential for additional discoveries, overall project development and other growth opportunities; and the Company's ability to advance, develop, and permit the Calico Project. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "potential", "target", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.

Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis, and opinions of the management of the Company made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by the Company as at the date of such information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may have caused actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: risks associated with mineral exploration and development; metal and mineral prices; availability of capital; accuracy of the Company's projections and estimates; realization of mineral resource estimates, interest and exchange rates; competition; stock price fluctuations; availability of drilling equipment and access; actual results of current exploration activities; government regulation; political or economic developments; environmental risks; insurance risks; capital expenditures; operating or technical difficulties in connection with development activities; personnel relations; and changes in Calico Project parameters as plans continue to be refined. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to the price of silver, gold zinc and barite; the demand for silver, gold, zinc and barite; the ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the timely receipt of any required approvals; the ability to obtain qualified personnel, equipment and services in a timely and cost-efficient manner; the ability to operate in a safe, efficient and effective matter; and the regulatory framework regarding environmental matters, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking information contained herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information contained herein is presented for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Company's expected financial and operational performance and the Company's plans and objectives and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Vancouver, October 16, 2025 - Sage Potash Corp. (TSXV: SAGE) (OTCQB: SGPTF) ("Sage Potash" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of the annual general and special meeting of the shareholders of the Company held on October 16, 2025 (the "Meeting").

A total of 12,559,870 common shares of the Company were represented at the Meeting in person or by proxy, representing approximately 11.89% of the total votes attached to all issued and outstanding common shares of the Company as of the record date on September 11, 2025.

All matters put forth at the Meeting were approved as follows:

MOTIONS NUMBER OF SHARES PERCENTAGE OF VOTES CAST FOR AGAINST WITHELD /

ABSTAIN FOR AGAINST WITHELD /

ABSTAIN Setting Number of Directors 12,555,482 4 ,388 N/A 99.97% 0.03% N/A Election of Directors:

(i) Peter Hogendoorn 8,135,130 N/A 444,500 94.82% N/A 5.18% (ii) Gordon Ellis 7,793,600 N/A 786,030 90.84% N/A 9.16% (iii) Matthew Lechtzier 7,835,600 N/A 744,030 91.33% N/A 8.67% (iv) David Reid 7,835,600 N/A 744,030 91.33% N/A 8.67% (v) Stockwell Day 8,322,630 N/A 257,000 97.00% N/A 3.00% Appointment of Auditor 12,555,482 N/A 4,388 99.97% N/A 0.03% Approval of Stock Option Plan Amendments 8,399,795 179,835 N/A 97.90% 2.10% N/A Ratification of Stock Option Grants (by disinterested shareholders) 7,507,740 191,835 N/A 97.51% 2.49% N/A

Sage Potash further confirms that, following its May 16, 2025 news release announcing certain shares for debt transactions (the "Shares for Debt News Release") and subject to final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"), the Company is only proceeding at this time with issuing 500,000 common shares at the deemed price of $0.27 per share as disclosed in the Shares for Debt News Release following a shares for debt agreement date of May 16, 2025, resulting in the settlement of a total of $135,000. This shares for debt transaction is with one creditor that is not a 'Non-Arm's Length Party' to the Company within the meaning of TSXV policies. The 500,000 common shares being issued under this shares for debt transaction will be subject to a four month hold period from the date of issuance.

About Sage Potash Corp.

Sage Potash Corp. (TSXV: SAGE) (OTCQB: SGPTF) is dedicated to the development of its flagship Sage Plain Potash Project, located in the Paradox Basin, Utah. With a large and high-grade resource base, the Company is advancing toward its goal of establishing a secure and sustainable domestic potash production platform in the United States. Sage Potash is committed to food security, environmental stewardship, and creating value for shareholders and stakeholders alike.

For more information, please visit: www.sagepotash.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Peter Hogendoorn - Chief Executive Officer; (604) 764-2158

Rod Reum - Chief Financial Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date of this news release only, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "projects", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to future events or future performance of Sage Potash and with respect to the shares for debt transaction, including regarding the proposed issuance of securities. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict, that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including, but not limited to, the risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors and Uncertainties" in the Company's Management's Discussion & Analysis available for review under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgement based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270801
Fidelity Minerals Corp. (TSX-V: FMN | FSE: S5GM | SSE: MNYC) ("Fidelity" or the "Company") announces it has agreed to issue an aggregate 3,361,344 common shares in the capital of the Company at a deemed price per common share of $0.13 to settle approximately $436,975 in debt (the "Shares for Debt Settlement") owed to Lions Bay Capital Inc. ("Lions Bay"). Lions Bay is a major shareholder of the Company and has provided continued support in the form of unsecured non-interest-bearing advances ("Loans") to support the Company until it secured financing on October 7, 2025. The Shares for Debt Settlement represents the total amount owed to Lions Bay.

The board of directors and management of the Company believe that the proposed Shares for Debt Settlement is in the best interests of the Company because it allows the Company to preserve its funds for operations.

The Shares for Debt Settlement is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval.

The settlement shares will be subject to a statutory four-month hold period from the date of issuance.

The debt settlement will be a "related party transaction" under Policy 5.9 of the TSX Venture Exchange and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The debt settlement is exempt from the minority approval and formal valuation requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to subsections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the debt, nor the fair market value of the shares to be issued in settlement of the debt, exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization.

About Fidelity Minerals Corp.

Fidelity Minerals Corp. has assembled a portfolio of high-quality mining assets and is targeting large scale copper and gold and aims to delineate major deposits on these properties that could attract the interest of mid-tier and major mining companies. The Company is focused on progressing its most advanced project - Las Huaquillas, which is a gold, copper and silver in Northern Peru. Fidelity is also looking to opportunistically expand its project portfolio with accretive acquisitions. The Company is backed by an experienced management team with diverse technical, market, and commercial expertise and is supported by committed, and sophisticated investors focused on building long-term value.

On behalf of the Board of Fidelity Minerals.



Ian Graham

CEO and Director

Phone: 1-604-671-1353

Email: igraham@fidelityminerals.com

For more information, please visit the corporate website at http://www.fidelityminerals.com or contact:

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

Disclaimer & Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the Shares for Debt Settlement is subject to regulatory approval, including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange; the Company's plans with respect to its resource projects and the timing related thereto, the merits of the Company's projects, and the Company's objectives, plans and strategies. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective,", "strategy", "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include the risk of accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, or the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other agency or governmental clearances, necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, risks of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes in the jurisdictions where the Company carries on its business that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) at www.sedarplus.ca for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects.


CALGARY - Ashley Gold Corp. (CSE: "ASHL") ("Ashley" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that prospecting and channel cuts over the Alto-Gardnar system will be expanded.

President Noah Komavli on the update;

"The team was active on the Howie Project viewing outcrops and structures on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the team explored the ~350m strike of the exposed Alto-Gardnar system and began channel cuts. 5m of cuts were completed so far and initial visual indicators seem positive.



Due to these visual factors, we will be expanding our campaign to ensure additional data is collected.



These samples will be deposited to ActLabs in Dryden at the end of the campaign, and when assays are received, we will plot them over the Alto-Gardnar system with some georeferences to the imagery provided.



I look forward to keeping our investors informed as we progress."



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Figure 1: Example Mineralization - Alto 2025 Sampling



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Figure 2: Example Mineralization - Alto 2025 Sampling



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Figure 3: Example Mineralization - Alto 2025 Sampling



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Figure 4: One Channel Sampling Completed



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Figure 5: Shannon Baird, Exploration Manager Inspecting Samples



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Figure 6: North Exposure of the Alto-Gardnar System

Howie Project

The company wishes to make a correction to the prior press release, dated Tuesday October 14, 2025. In Image 1, 87-SB-03 had an incorrect unit of measurement in the label of the historic drill hole, and should have read "0.54 g/t Au over 10.41m". All other figures and tables are accurate as presented.



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Figure 7: Corrected Howie Map



Project History - Alto Project

1937:

Gold discovered at Alto-Gardner by l.W. Alto and W. Gardnar (Berger, 1989).

1940:

Sandybeach Lake Syndicate; stripping, trenching, bulk sampling, including 125-ton bulk sample from an open cut with a reported grade of 0.231 ounces per ton (opt). In 1943, Satterly (in Berger, op.cit.) reported the bulk sample ran 0.081 opt, although the discrepancy between the two values is unresolved.

1982:

Ground restaked by K. and M. Bernier, who cut a grid and conducted a ground VLF survey, in addition to resampling historic trenches. (in Berger, op.cit.)

1983:

Report highlighting a strong northeast-southwest striking quartz vein system in Keewatin greenstone intruded by quartz porphyry, with favorable geology for gold mineralization similar to nearby deposits. The main vein extends over 1,000 feet with widths up to 24 feet, showing visible gold, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and commercial assays up to 0.37 oz/ton gold. (Report, 1983)

1986:

Loydex Resources Inc. flew airborne magnetometer and EM survey over the area including the Alto-Gardnar shear zone (Terraquest, 1987)

1995:

Champion Bear Resources drilled four diamond drill holes on the Alto-Gardnar property (Pryslak and Sears, 1995).

2006:

Gossan Resources conducted a field program involving 340 meters of mechanical stripping, detailed geologic mapping, channel sampling of 273 samples, prospecting, and MMI soil sampling to define the structural controls and extend the shear zone. Results revealed anomalous gold values up to 9.69 g/t primarily in sheared mafic volcanics with quartz stringers and alteration, alongside identification of potential shear extensions up to 2.3 km northeast. Conclusions highlight two styles of gold mineralization-in quartz veins and shear zones-recommending re-assaying for nugget effects, petrographic analysis, and drilling to further evaluate the property's potential.

October 2022:

Ashley acquires the Alto-Gardnar project.

May 2024:

Ashley Gold Discovers New Vein at Alto-Gardnar Assaying 106 g/t Au. (News Link)

NI 43-101 Disclosure

The technical information in this news release was prepared and reviewed by Darcy Christian, CEO, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Christian is registered as a Professional Geoscientist with Engineers Geoscientists of Alberta. Mr. Christian is non-independent of Ashley Gold Corp.

Some results discussed in this document are historical. Ashley nor the qualified person have performed sufficient work or data verification of the historical data. Although the historical results may not be reliable, the Company nevertheless believes that they provide an indication of the Project's potential and are relevant for any future exploration program.

Management cautions that grab samples are selective in nature, and the assay results may not necessarily represent true underlying mineralization.

ABOUT ASHLEY GOLD CORP.

Ashley Gold Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focussed on acquiring and developing highly prospective gold and polymetallic deposits in Canada's top mining regions. The Company's flagship assets are in the Dryden Area in Ontario with a 100% ownership in Tabor/Sakoose, Burnthut, Howie, and Alto-Gardnar claims as well as in British Columbia with the Icefield Portfolio having three highly prospective claim packages.

For more information, please refer to the Company's information available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), or visit us at www.ashleygoldcorp.com.

Contact Information

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Noah J. Komavli, P.Eng, President, Director

C: (647) 567-9840

E: info@ashleygoldcorp.com

X: KKomavli

-Or-

Darcy Christian, P.Geo, CEO

C: (587) 777-9072

E: dchristian@ashleygoldcorp.com

Connect With Ashley:

www.ashleygoldcorp.com

X: https://x.com/AshleyGoldCorp

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, and by their very nature involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on currently available information, Ashley Gold Corp. provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Factors which cause results to differ materially are set out in the Company's documents filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) (www.sedarplus.ca). Undue reliance should not be placed on "forward-looking statements."

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
Vancouver, October 17, 2025 - Provenance Gold Corp. (CSE: PAU) (OTCQB: PVGDF) ("Provenance" or the "Company") is pleased to announce an investment commitment from a strategic investment group for $4,500,000. The group has agreed to participate in a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of 18,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") which will be offered at a price of $0.25 per Unit. Each Unit will consist of one common share and one-half-of-one share purchase warrant exercisable at a price of $0.30 good for a period of five years. The Offering is expected to close on or about October 24, 2025 and investors have agreed to a one-year hold period on all the securities issued in the Offering.

Concurrently with the closing of the Offering, the strategic investor group and Provenance will enter into an investor rights agreement, pursuant to which the group will be granted certain rights provided they maintain certain ownership thresholds in the Company, including: the right to participate in future equity financings and top-up holdings in the event of dilutive issuances in order to maintain their pro rata ownership in the Company.

"This Offering, completed at market price, reflects mounting investor interest and confidence in our Company and projects. Having strategic investors that share our vision and have the capability to add resources as the project continues to grow is extremely beneficial. I firmly believe we are greatly undervalued as we continue to fast track exploration activities in an effort to maximize shareholder value. Solidifying long-term strategic shareholders that share our vision and understand the true value of our projects is critical for our trajectory at this junction" stated Rob Clark, Provenance's President.

Completion of the Offering remains subject to satisfaction of customary closing deliverables and regulatory approval. In connection with closing, a finders' fee is owing to an arms-length brokerage firm that assisted in introducing the strategic investor group.

About Provenance Gold Corp.

Safe Harbor Statement: Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange, nor its regulation services provider, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270910
VANCOUVER, Oct. 17, 2025 - Koryx Copper Inc. (the "Company") (TSX-V: KRY) (NSX: KYX) is pleased to announce the voting results of the Company's special meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") held on October 15, 2025 to approve the transfer of the Company's registered office and place of central administration to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg with continuation of the Company's legal personality as a public limited company (societe anonyme) under the name Koryx Copper S.A. and, consequently, change of the nationality of the Company (the "Continuation"), as well as certain ancillary resolutions (collectively, the "Resolutions"). A total of 51,606,515 common shares were represented in person or by proxy at the Meeting, constituting approximately 53.75% of the Company's total issued and outstanding common shares as of the record date for the Meeting.

Each of the Resolutions put forward before the Company's shareholders for consideration and approval at the Meeting, as described in the Management Information Circular dated August 29, 2025, as amended by the Company's press release dated October 7, 2025, was duly approved by the shareholders, as detailed in the voting results below:

Approval of the Continuation Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 51,605,932 99.999% 583 0.001% Acknowledgement of the composition of the share capital Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 47,699,262 92.43% 3,907,253 7.57% Approval of the Company's financial year and full restatement of the Company's Articles of Association Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 51,605,932 99.999% 583 0.001% Approval of the Company's new registered office and place of central administration in Luxembourg Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 51,605,932 99.999% 583 0.001% Confirmation of the current directors Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 51,605,932

99.999% 583 0.001% Fixing the number of directors Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 51,605,932

99.999% 583 0.001% Appointment of new Luxembourg resident director - Tarik El Hanch Votes For % of Voted Votes Withheld % of Voted 51,606,412

99.999% 103 0.001% Appointment of new Luxembourg resident director - Cristina Lara Votes For % of Voted Votes Withheld % of Voted 51,606,412

99.999% 103 0.001% Appointment of statutory auditor in Luxembourg Votes For % of Voted Votes Against % of Voted 51,605,932

99.999% 583 0.001%

Further to its press release dated October 7, 2025, the Continuation will become effective on the later of (i) the day on which authorization of the Registrar of Companies under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the "BC Registrar") is obtained; and (ii) the day after the Luxembourg notary signs the notarial deed recording the Resolutions.

The Company will issue a further press release to confirm the effective date of the Continuation.

About Koryx Copper Inc.

Koryx Copper Inc. is a Canadian copper development Company focused on advancing the 100% owned Haib Copper Project in Namibia whilst also building a portfolio of copper exploration licenses in Zambia. Haib is a large, advanced (PEA-stage) copper/molybdenum porphyry deposit in southern Namibia with a long history of exploration and project development by multiple operators. More than 80,000m of drilling has been conducted at Haib since the 1970's with significant exploration programs led by companies including Falconbridge (1964), Rio Tinto (1975) and Teck (2014). Extensive metallurgical testing and various technical studies have also been completed at Haib to date.

The Haib Copper Project has a current mineral resource of 511Mt @ 0.33% Cu and 51 ppm Mo for 1,668kt of contained copper and 25.9 kt contained molybdenum in the Indicated category and 308.9Mt @ 0.31% Cu and 40 ppm Mo for 949kt of contained copper and 12.4 kt contained molybdenum in the Inferred category (0.15% Cu cut-off), as described more particularly in the current Technical Report which is publicly available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Mineralization at Haib is typical of a porphyry copper deposit and it is one of only a few examples of a Paleoproterozoic porphyry copper deposit in the world and one of only two in southern Africa (both in Namibia). Due to its age, the deposit has been subjected to multiple metamorphic and deformation events but still retains many of the classic mineralization and alteration features typical of these deposits. The mineralization is dominantly chalcopyrite with minor bornite and chalcocite present and only minor secondary copper minerals at surface due to the arid environment.

Additional details of the Haib Copper Project are available in the Company's current Technical Report which comprises its PEA titled, "Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Haib Copper Project, Namibia, National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report" dated effective September 4, 2025 (the "Technical Report"). The Technical Report and other information is available on the Company's website at https://koryxcopper.com and under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Heye Daun"

President, CEO and Director

Additional information is also available by contacting the Company:

Julia Becker

Corporate Communications

jbecker@koryxcopper.com

+1-604-785-0850

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the Continuation, the Company's ability to complete the Continuation, the timing for completing the Continuation, the Company's ability to obtain the approval of the BC Registrar, and the future or prospects of the Company. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market, and economic risks, uncertainties, and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, other factors may cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management discussion and analysis. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Its Saturday night, and Washington, D.C., Police Chief Cathy Lanier is in her cruiser, rolling through Barry Farm at 20 miles per hour. Barry Farm is a public housing development east of the Anacostia River thats known for its high crime rate. But Lanier has the windows of her car down and she is waving cheerfully to a group of residents whove gathered for a roadside cookout.Most big city police chiefs ride in unmarked cars or SUVs. Not Lanier. Her vehicle of choice is an ordinary police cruiser distinguished only by four stars stenciled below the front windows and a set of custom rims, a gift from a fellow officer. Still, residents seem to have no trouble recognizing her.What yall cooking? Lanier calls out to a group of people gathered just off Sumner Road.Hey, its the chief, one of the men replies. Would you like some fish? a woman asks. We got fish, baby.Chief Lanier waves a friendly no thanks from the front seat and rolls on.For years, Washington had a reputation as the murder capital of the nation. In 1990, the year Cathy Lanier joined the department, D.C. experienced 474 murders -- a stunning figure for a city with a population of 578,000 residents. Only 40 percent of the killings were ever solved, a clearance rate far below the national average of 60 percent. As in most cities, a small number of neighborhoods accounted for most of the crime. In D.C., 60 percent of the citys violence took place in Anacostia. Barry Farm was the epicenter.This used to be murder central, Lanier says.This particular Saturday evening marks the kickoff of All Hands on Deck, Laniers annual early summer effort to deploy her 4,500-member police force in high-crime areas across the city. But the goal isnt to make arrests; its to make connections. As Lanier waves from her cruiser, she isnt just being friendly -- though she is unfailingly that. Shes modeling how she wants her force to interact with the citizenry. Its an approach that has made her the most popular public official in Washington and endeared her to residents across the city.When Lanier steps out of the squad car a few blocks over, a family gathered in its backyard immediately recognizes her.Thats Chief Lanier! someone shouts. Spotting Lanier isnt hard. Shes the nearly 6-foot-tall, white, blond woman in uniform in the middle of a housing project that is almost 100 percent African-American. A woman hustles over, pushing a shy teenage boy in front of her.My nephew is visiting from Florida, the woman says. Can we get your photo? Lanier poses for a photo and some chitchat before strolling back to her car. It happens everywhere, all evening long.It wasnt always this way. Five years ago, when then-Mayor Adrian Fenty unexpectedly selected her to lead the department, police in D.C. patrolled areas such as Barry Farm in a very different fashion. Instead of engaging community members, the force emphasized zero tolerance and hot spot policing. The inspiration came from New York Citys approach to fighting crime. The ideas were based on the broken windows theory of policing developed by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling in the 1980s, which held that minor disorder left unattended can give rise to more serious crimes.We had always done the same thing as New York, says Lanier. Flood the neighborhood with a lot of cops, zero tolerance. If youre outside drinking a beer on your front stoop, you got an open container, youre going to jail.Beginning in the early 1990s, New York had reduced its violent crime rate by more than 80 percent. As a copycat, D.C.s violent crime rate fell too, by more than 50 percent. But absolute levels of crime were still high, and an unfortunate fallout was building. Police tactics seemed to be turning high-crime neighborhoods against the cops. The way Lanier saw it, zero tolerance-hot spot policing wasnt driving crime down; it was making it harder to solve crimes.When youre doing zero-tolerance policing, she says, who are you picking up and who are you alienating? Your residents, your victims and your witnesses. Now they have no respect for the police. They have no reason to speak to the police.Lanier changed course. Instead of cracking down on minor disorder in high-crime neighborhoods, she encouraged patrol officers to develop sources. At the same time, the department embraced social media and encouraged a savvy population to engage with police in new ways.Five years later, Lanier says the results vindicate her change of strategies. At the January meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors earlier this year, she presented her stats to an attentive audience of mayors: homicide, down 42 percent over the past three years; this years homicide clearance rate, above 90 percent; anonymous tips to the police, up sixfold.Lanier dislikes the way police departments chase trends; she thinks specific problems demand customized solutions. Nevertheless, Laniers claims raise a provocative question: Is everything we know about effective policing wrong? At a time when crime reductions have stalled in most cities and resistance to tactics such as stop-and-frisk is rising, the idea that police departments can reduce crime by increasing cooperation with high-crime communities is an appealing proposition. Has Washington, D.C., developed a new, more effective form of community policing, or are Laniers achievements -- in the words of D.C. police union head Kris Baumann, an outspoken critic of the chief -- all smoke and mirrors? The future of American policing may well turn on the answer.Its fitting that Cathy Lanier should emerge as a critic of policing orthodoxy: No big city police chief has had a more unorthodox path to the top.Lanier joined the D.C. police force in 1990. Her path to policing was a difficult one. Lanier grew up across the D.C.-Maryland border in Tuxedo, Md. When she was 14, she got pregnant. She married the childs father and dropped out of high school. The marriage didnt last, and a year later she was back at home -- a welfare mom with a baby boy. She earned a GED, worked as a waitress, sold awnings, sold make-up and hair products, and worked as a secretary. Then a boyfriend told her about a job opening at the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) that would provide tuition reimbursement for college.I knew that if I was going to be able to take care of my son, I needed some college education, says Lanier. So she signed up to take the test, scored well and entered the academy. She was 21.After six months in the academy, Lanier was assigned to walk the beat in Mount Pleasant, a mixed neighborhood of Central American immigrants and gentrifiers in Northwest Washington, D.C. The night before her first day on the job, a rookie patrolman shot and killed a Latino immigrant. Rumors spread that the killing had been an execution. The following day, her first on the job, a riot broke out. It took the police five days to restore order.I went to work for my first day, and I was at work for a week, she says wryly.Lanier took courses at the University of the District of Columbia during the day and walked the beat at night. Walking a beat is usually a feature of community policing, but in this case, Lanier says, the beat walking was not because we believed in community policing. It was because we didnt have [money] for cars.The district did have 16 community policing officers, paid for with federal money, but they were roundly disliked by the rank and file, including Lanier. They got day work with weekends off, and they walked foot beats along the business corridors, right, so we hated those guys, Lanier says. Were like, This is the grin-and-wave squad. They dont do no police work. By separating the 16 community policing officers from the 4,500 rank-and-file police, what the department was essentially saying to the rest of the police department was, Lanier says, We dont expect any of the rest of you to talk to the community. These 16 guys will do it for the city.Instead, the department was imbibing the lessons of New York: instituting CompStat, the computerized crime-mapping and tracking system developed by the New York Police Department in the early 1990s, and beginning to experiment with zero-tolerance policing. Although community policing was an annoying sideshow for beat officers like Lanier, even then she recognized that police-community relations in D.C. were bad. She remembers an incident that occurred in 1994 just a few days after she made sergeant. Lanier had stopped at a rush-hour traffic accident off Benning Road near the Maryland-D.C. border. Across the way, she spotted an older African-American woman, perhaps 80 years old, sitting by herself on her porch and gesturing toward the police officers at the scene. At first, Lanier thought she was waving. Then she realized the woman was doing something else: giving them the finger.They just hated us, says Lanier of the residents in many of the neighborhoods she patrolled. We would go places and people would throw stuff at us, and theyd curse at us -- it was awful.There was plenty to dislike. The culture of the MPD was, in Laniers words, just bad from the top on down. Drinking, misconduct and sexual harassment were common. After making sergeant, a superior officer harassed Lanier to such an extent that she decided to sue the department. She won and continued her rise through the ranks, making lieutenant in 1996. While working with the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton on a reorganization of the police department, she met Chicago Deputy Police Superintendent Charles Ramsey, whod been called in as a consultant. The two hit it off, and when Ramsey became chief of the D.C. police in 1996, he tapped Lanier to lead the narcotics division, which was on the front lines of the citys battle against crack cocaine. Ramsey moved her into command positions throughout the organization, pushing her to finish her bachelors degree and earn a masters degree in the process. (She would eventually get two.)As a commander, Lanier began to grapple with an issue that had troubled her since her earliest days on the force -- a significant portion of the population really disliked the police. She realized that the problem that had sparked the riots in Mount Pleasant on her first day on the job was not so much the shooting; it was the lack of information and connection with the community. That void was what allowed rumors to spread, ultimately sparking a riot. She created an advisory council to help build bridges. She also began to experiment with different types of deployments, drawing on her academic studies.Her interest in innovating and her success with reaching out to residents soon caught the attention of an ambitious young councilman, Adrian Fenty. When Fenty became mayor in 2006, he surprised everyone by choosing Lanier to be chief.At first, Lanier was worried about the prospect of an inexperienced, young, white woman leading the police force of a high-crime, majority-black city. But during her confirmation hearings, she was pleasantly surprised by the community support she commanded -- support that was strongest in the areas of the city that she had once worked as a beat officer. The experience confirmed a goal she and the mayor-elect had already formulated for the police department -- expanding beat patrols.Lanier wasnt afraid of tough tactics. In 2008, she cracked down on a gun-blazing gang war in the Trinidad neighborhood (a beef that occasioned 11 shootings and seven homicides in a single weekend) by essentially blockading the neighborhood and forcing everyone entering it to submit to police checkpoints. But she was also developing a style for interacting with the citys residents in a very different way, one at odds with what she understood to be broken windows policing.It is, without doubt, the most influential idea in the history of policing.In 1982, James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling publishedin. The articles central metaphor came from a famous experiment conducted in the late 1960s by Stanford psychologist Philip Zimbardo. Zimbardo had arranged to have two automobiles without license plates parked with their hoods up. One was on a street in the Bronx; the other on a street in Palo Alto, Calif. The car in the Bronx was attacked by vandals within 10 minutes of its abandonment. The car in Palo Alto sat untouched for a week -- until Zimbardo smashed part of it with a sledgehammer. Within a few hours, it too had been turned upside down and utterly destroyed. In both instances, the vandals were primarily well-dressed whites.From such experiments and from fieldwork conducted by Kelling on the role of the beat patrol in Newark, the authors drew several striking conclusions. One was that police didnt just make arrests; they engaged in order maintenance. The other was that untended problems such as broken windows send a signal that no one is in control and lead to the breakdown of community controls, increasing fear and inviting other more serious crimes.Wilson and Kelling werent the first researchers to posit a link between disorder and crime. Two years earlier, Harvard sociologist Nathan Glazer had written about how rampant graffiti sent the message that the New York subway was a world of uncontrollable predators. Meanwhile, New York City Deputy Mayor Herb Sturz had begun to urge police to restore order in Midtown Manhattan. Wilson and Kelling provided a philosophical underpinning for such thinking. In the mid-1980s, New York City Transit Authority President David Gunn announced a zero tolerance policy toward graffiti on subway cars. Cars that were tagged were immediately pulled and cleaned. As taggers began to realize that their artistic endeavors would be immediately effaced, the practice ebbed.Kelling never saw broken windows as something synonymous with zero tolerance. There are circumstances in which we would want to think about zero tolerance, he says, that is where we dont allow certain behavior and take very strong actions against that behavior. Graffiti on subway cars was one.For him, zero tolerance was a tactic, suitable under certain limited circumstances for a very particular problem. Broken windows was a broader theory of disorder. Broken windows has always been a negotiated sense of order in a community, in which you negotiate with residents about what is appropriate behavior in an area, he says. But if you tell your cops we are going to go in and practice zero tolerance for all minor crimes, you are inviting a mess of trouble.Much of the public, however, failed to make the distinction. When in 1989 the New York City transit police, led by a brash young chief named Bill Bratton, cracked down on farebeaters (many of whom turned out to be carrying handguns or were wanted on outstanding warrants) and embraced broken windows as the linchpin of his philosophy, the two concepts were further intermingled. Brattons crackdown as police commissioner on the so-called squeegee men who harassed motorists further strengthened the connection between broken windows and zero tolerance in the mind of the public. However, Bratton himself avoided the latter term.The only place we used the term zero tolerance was in regard to police corruption, says Bratton. For both Bratton and Kelling, the idea that police should not exercise discretion was absurd. Bratton wanted the most aggressive policing to be conducted not by regular patrol cops but by well trained, specialized units. In short, even the people credited with creating zero-tolerance policing rejected it as a panacea.With 23 years of experience backing her up, Lanier knew she couldnt instruct her officers to go out and do community policing. I know what that is going to be: negative, negative, negative. So instead, Lanier went to her patrol officers with a different directive: develop sources.And how do you develop sources? she asks. You get to know people. You treat people with respect. You establish relationships. You know who knows what, and you have to know everybody to get information.It was a big change. Previously, cultivating sources had been something detectives did. Designating someone as a confidential informant involved paperwork and payments. However, patrol officers walking the beat responded enthusiastically to the challenge. At the end of last year, 85 percent of all active informants originated with beat officers.Lanier also embraced technology. She worked to get in-car computers and BlackBerrys to her officers. She made it clear that she expected them to give their cellphone number to the old lady sitting on her porch drinking her beer at 9 oclock in the morning instead of making her dump her beer. She also looked for new ways to connect the community to the police. One initiative was the creation of an anonymous text tip line, cleverly named 50 411 (50 being slang for the police). In 2008, it received 292 tips. By the end of 2011, that number had jumped to 1,200.The type of tips we get in is just simply unbelievable, Lanier says. As soon as a shooting happens, or if theres a beef that wells up in the schools and my school resource officers dont already have it, were getting names, addresses, descriptions on cars, everything before the violence even starts.Jim Bunn, a retired African-American businessman who chairs the seventh district neighborhood advisory panel in Anacostia, agrees that the department has changed for the better. I have seen the time when the lieutenant and the captain didnt talk to you, much less the police chief, Bunn says. In contrast, Lanier is prepared to sit down anytime, anywhere and talk.That has spread into the department as a whole: It doesnt matter who you are now, Bunn says. If you are [a member of] the Metropolitan Police Department, it is drilled into your head every day that you are here to serve the community. Out on the streets, Bunn sees fewer young African-American men proned out by police, more officers patrolling neighborhoods and more information sharing.Departmental statistics seem to bear out the change. Rewards paid for information leading to arrests have jumped sharply, from roughly $200,000 a year when Lanier took office to more than $400,000 today. As the citys homicide rate fell -- down 40 per-cent over the past three years -- the homicide clearance rate soared. In the process, Cathy Laniers approval ratings started hovering around 80 percent. When Councilman Vincent Gray defeated incumbent Mayor Adrian Fenty in November 2010, he quickly announced that he was retaining Lanier as chief. Last month, she inked a new five-year contract that could pay her up to $250,000 a year, which would make her the fourth-highest paid police chief in the country.Not everyone shares an enthusi- asm for Lanier. Kris Baumann, who heads D.C.s police union, has clashed repeatedly with the chief. Asked about Laniers achievements, he notes that while homicides have fallen significantly over the past five years, between 2006 and 2010, other types of crime such as rape, robbery burglary and theft actually increased slightly. The claim that MPD ended zero-tolerance policing? He simply doesnt see it.I work in the seventh district, says Baumann. We didnt do zero tolerance. We didnt have enough police officers to do zero tolerance. I dont know where this is coming from.To Baumann, initiatives like All Hands on Deck capture the essence of Lanierism: public relations masquerading as policing strategy.Theres at least some truth to Baumanns charges. Washington, D.C., under Chief Lanier hasnt experienced the broad crime declines of New York City or Los Angeles. The fact that the D.C. police department previously deployed zero tolerance in an indiscriminating form (if, indeed it deployed zero tolerance) speaks poorly of the departments understanding of police strategy. But in writing off operations such as All Hands on Deck as mere P.R., Baumann is dismissing something important, something that Washingtonians, particularly in the highest-crime sections of the city, seem to crave. Its a police department that cares for the communities it serves -- that cares and consoles them.She gives and she gets in return what she gives to others, says Tijwanna Phillips, a community activist in Ward 8.Thats whats made Cathy Lanier a beloved public official in Washington, D.C., and community policings most compelling proponent.
Ferrari closes ranks to deny Horner rumours

Ferrari, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have all moved to shut down renewed speculation that Frederic Vasseur could be replaced by Christian Horner - insisting the team remains united and focused heading into this weekend's US GP.

Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Azerbaijan GP 2025

 Ferrari

Reports in Britain and Germany claimed Horner had held exploratory talks with Ferrari chairman John Elkann, but a team spokesperson told Marca that such claims are baseless.

These rumours don't even deserve to be commented on, really, the Ferrari source said.

Let's look at the facts instead of the rumours - the fact is that our senior management renewed its confidence in Fred two months ago.

Leclerc, speaking to Sky Italia, said the chatter had become a distraction. It's quite a difficult time, in the sense that there are so many things around the team that I don't understand where they're coming from, he said.

But it's not just the rumours about Horner. That's also why I hope for a good weekend for the team - to forget all these things and turn the page.

The Monegasque driver also reiterated his commitment to Ferrari amid reports his management has explored alternatives. I've always said I want to win with Ferrari and become world champion. Nothing has changed, Leclerc said.

Ferrari attracts speculation like a magnet, and people spout nonsense that isn't based on facts. That's pretty annoying at times.

Hamilton, meanwhile, also dismissed the Horner stories when questioned by reporters in Austin.

I don't know where the rumours have come from, he said. "It's a little distracting for us as a team.

The team have made it clear where they stand in terms of re-signing Fred, added the seven time world champion. "Fred, I, and the whole team are working really hard on the future. These things aren't helpful.

Everyone back in the factory is working incredibly hard, focused, and these sorts of rumors can sometimes be distracting.

Leclerc said Ferrari's goal for the final rounds is to secure second in the constructors' standings. We don't have the raw speed of McLaren, Mercedes, and Red Bull, he acknowledged, but we're not even a second behind, he said.

If we have a good weekend, we can challenge for podium finishes - and maybe take second place from Mercedes.

Ferrari halted development of its 2025 car early to focus on the major regulation overhaul for 2026, a decision Leclerc hopes will pay off. We've stopped development to focus entirely on 2026, he confirmed. I hope that pays off next season.

(GMM)
FIA unveils ADUO to prevent 2026 engine imbalance

The FIA has announced a new system designed to prevent any single engine manufacturer from dominating Formula 1 when the radical 2026 regulations begin - introducing the concept of "Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities" (ADUO).

Start, Singapore GP 2025

 Red Bull

The move was confirmed following a World Motor Sport Council meeting chaired by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who joined the session via video from the federation's new London office.

I am delighted to be joining you today from our new FIA office in London - a milestone that reflects our continued efforts to strengthen and globalise our Federation, Ben Sulayem said.

In a statement, the FIA said the changes - covering the survival cell, suspension, aerodynamics, and power unit - aim to ensure greater development opportunities for PU manufacturers who find themselves significantly behind their competition.

Under the ADUO system, engine performance will be monitored throughout 2026, with formal reviews after Races 6, 12, and 18. Manufacturers judged to be lagging significantly may be granted extra test-bench hours, limited cost cap relief, or additional chances to modify their homologated power units.

The measure is intended to avoid a repeat of 2014, when Mercedes' hybrid engine dominated for several years. Spanish outlet Soy Motor described ADUO as a soft balance of performance designed to help underperforming suppliers like Audi or Red Bull Powertrains close early gaps.

The FIA also confirmed cost cap leniency for manufacturers suffering serious reliability issues, to prevent long-term setbacks under the strict budget rules.

Speaking separately to Marca, Aston Martin CEO Andy Cowell - who oversaw Mercedes' 2014 hybrid success and now leads the team's Honda-powered 2026 project - hailed the complexity and ambition of the next era.

Referring to Honda, he said: What I see is an engineering-led organisation putting in maximum effort into developing performance, improving efficiency, saving mass, and pursuing ambitious reliability targets, Cowell said.

(GMM)
Not getting Red Bull seat would hurt says Hadjar

Isack Hadjar says it would be a "huge disappointment" if he misses out on a 2026 Red Bull Racing seat alongside Max Verstappen - though the Frenchman insists he's not feeling pressure as the decision looms.

Isack Hadjar, Singapore GP 2025

 Red Bull

Speaking to AFP and L'Equipe in Austin, the 21-year-old confirmed he expects Red Bull to decide after Mexico , echoing Dr Helmut Marko's latest comments.

Oh yes, hugely, Hadjar said when asked if he would be disappointed to miss the chance. "F1 is a sport with a short memory, a culture of the moment. But I know there are six races left and that I'll still score points, get into Q3, and put in some strong performances. So I'm not worried at all.

Yes, I've shown enough - I got a podium.

Hadjar, currently impressing in his rookie campaign, is widely regarded as the frontrunner to replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull next season. Asked whether he would welcome an early promotion before the end of 2025, Hadjar smiled: "Absolutely.

If I'm 100 percent sure I'll get the seat next year and have the chance to gain some experience, I'd love to do it. It's interesting, and it's a good idea!

Marko, speaking to Kleine Zeitung, confirmed the team's decision will come after the Mexican GP. "Isack has established himself and is currently enjoying his situation.

He's achieved incredible things, the Austrian said, while adding that Tsunoda knows he still needs results.

Tsunoda, however, believes he's shown progress. I feel like I've improved a lot, especially over long runs, the Japanese driver said in Austin.

The last two races have made qualifying more difficult, but overall everything's good. If I can put it all together, I'll be fast.

Liam Lawson, also waiting to learn his 2026 fate, said pressure within the Red Bull system is nothing new. It's always been like that from a young age, the New Zealander said. We're pressured to build everything around results - that's just the way it works.

Meanwhile, Marko hinted that 18-year-old Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad could make his Formula 1 debut with Racing Bulls in 2026. He's even younger than Hadjar, Marko noted, "and we've seen that age can be important in Formula 1.

But he's another of our hopes - we'll see him in the car this year too.

As for speculation linking former McLaren junior Alex Dunne to Red Bull, Marko was clear: He's not an option for us.

(GMM)
China Coast Guard warns off Philippine aircraft from Huangyan Dao airspace

Xinhua) 11:10, October 17, 2025

BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Thursday tracked, monitored and warned off two Philippine aircraft from the territorial airspace over China's Huangyan Dao, in accordance with the law and regulations.

Recently, the Philippine side has been frequently dispatching aircraft to approach the sea and airspace near Huangyan Dao under various unfounded pretexts, engaging in provocations that seriously infringe upon China's sovereignty and undermine regional peace and stability, said CCG spokesperson Liu Dejun.

Liu urged the Philippines to immediately cease its infringements, provocations, agitation and hyping.

Stressing that Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory, Liu said the CCG will continue to carry out rights protection and law enforcement operations in waters under China's jurisdiction to firmly safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Guams health care system, already stretched thin, is now in crisis.

The decades-old Guam Memorial Hospital is literally running on borrowed time. Its outdated infrastructure, limited capacity, and recurring compliance findings have become a symbol of how far weve fallen behind the basic health care standard our people deserve.

Years of patch-and-paint maintenance have given way to full system failuresaging electrical, plumbing, and oxygen systems that regularly threaten patient safety and continuity of care. Engineering assessments have warned that a major typhoon or earthquake could cripple the facility.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerreros administration has projected a new medical campus in Mangilao costing roughly $743 million and even under the best of circumstances, wont be completed until the early 2030s.

Rather than build another single-purpose hospital, Guam could pioneer a dual-use, multi-mission medical campus that serves civilians, veterans, and military members in one integrated system of readiness and care.

We dont have to imagine what that looks likeit already exists in Illinois.

The Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center near Chicago is Americas first fully integrated Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. Under one roof, it serves active-duty service members, retirees, veterans, and their families.

The results have been transformative. The Lovell Center saved millions in duplicate infrastructure, shortened patient wait times, and improved access to specialty care by pooling staff, technology, and clinical services.

Instead of three separate hospitals competing for funding, Illinois got one modern, efficient, 24/7 healthcare system that scales up for surge operations.

That modelcivilian, military, and veteran integrationfits Guam perfectly.

We sit on the front line of the Indo-Pacific, hosting one of the densest concentrations of U.S. military power west of Hawaii, while caring for a civilian population with some of the highest rates of chronic disease in America.

A dual-use campus on Guam could combine trauma capability, rehabilitation, and veteran specialty care in a single mission-assured complexqualifying for Defense Community Infrastructure Program, DCIP, support and making Guam the forward medical node for the Pacific.

In January, the governor proclaimed 2025 as The Year of the Veteran Count. Its more than a sloganits a strategic necessity.

For years, there has been a major disconnect between the number of veterans reported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the figures understood locally.

Official VA estimates put Guams veteran population somewhere around 8,000 to 9,000 but community organizations, service groups, and local advocates believe the true number could be two to three times higher once you include retirees, reservists, and those whove returned from service but never formally registered with VA systems.

This data gap matters. Health care planning, VA resource allocation, and federal funding all depend on accurate counts. If the system only sees 8,000 veterans, it will build capacity for 8,000when in truth, 20,000 or more may need services not just on Guam, but across larger Micronesia.

By embedding a VA-certified wing in the new dual-use medical campus, Guam can turn those data insights into real accessspecialty care, mental health, rehab, prosthetics, and chronic disease management delivered locally rather than through off-island referrals.

Leveraging private sector powerhouses

The government doesnt have to shoulder this transformation alone. Guam already has world-class private health care institutions: Guam Regional Medical City, American Medical Center and other local clinics.

They have proven track records of excellenceGRMC with its tertiary hospital facilities and AMC with its community-based, multi-clinic model that includes occupational health, behavioral health, and full diagnostic capacity.

Guam could link the new hospital with GRMC and local clinics through formal public-private partnerships, PPP, frameworkssharing labs, imaging, specialist rotations, and telehealth coverage.

The government pays for performanceshorter wait times, more patient throughput, better outcomesnot bureaucracy.

The private sector brings innovation, technology, and operational discipline that public systems often struggle to sustain.

This isnt privatizationits collaboration. The new medical readiness campus could operate as a hub, while GRMC and local clinics function as spokes in a connected network.

That structure would give Guam diversified access points for daily care and scalable surge capacity during crises, all while building the integrated data systems that support public health and emergency response.

One system, one mission

At its core, this is about redefining readiness. A modern hospital on Guam isnt just a health care facilityits an engine of deterrence, resilience, and dignity. Its where our veterans, service members, and families stand side by side under one system of care.

If Guam builds smartintegrating the VA and engaging the private sectorit can turn todays healthcare crisis into tomorrows model of innovation.

Lets innovate a better health care system.
Residents wanting to learn how they can help care for the island are invited to a community conservation event at Kotto (COTAL) Conservation Area on Cross Island Road on Saturday.

The Guam Department of Agriculture is hosting "AG s GU: From Ridge to Reef - Protecting What Connects Us," a free, family friendly community conservation event at Kottot un front of the wind turbine from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

The event is a relaxed, outdoor day full of activities for kids and adults who want to learn, play, and help care for the island.

AG s GU events rotate among different conservation areas to increase community exposure to DOAGs work around the island.

The event will feature:

 Fun games and activities for kids and families

 Smokey Bear and his outreach trailer with wood cookies to paint

 Live beehive display and coconut rhinoceros beetle and little fire ant information

 Coastal coloring station and Guihan coloring station

 Ocean touch pond with live marine life

 Sign up to be a brown tree snake trapper

 Microscope activity to explore tiny entomological wonders

 Live demonstrations on proper tree pruning & care and a native tree to take home

 Kalamansi planting giveaways, grafting demonstration, and Ask a Farmer

 Free tree giveaways and educational materials

The event is a chance to enjoy the outdoors, learn practical ways to protect our water, soil, and wildlife, and to connect with neighbors and local experts, Department of Agriculture said.

AG s GU is about coming together to celebrate and protect the places that connect us - from the ridge down to the reef, said Chelsa Muna, director of Guam Department of Agriculture, in a statement. Bring your family, roll up your sleeves, learn about the work done by your Department of Agriculture, and join us in protecting Guam!




Haiti - Security : Donation of 90 Kawasaki motorcycles and logistical equipment to the PNH





The Organization of American States (OAS), in cooperation with the Canadian government, donated 90 Kawasaki KLX 300 and KLR 650 motorcycles, as well as significant logistical equipment, to the Haitian National Police (PNH) to strengthen police deployment in various contexts of intervention against armed gangs.



As part of this equipment transfer, Cristobal Dupouy, Representative of the OAS Secretary General in Haiti, discussed institutional cooperation with Vladimir Paraison, Acting Director General of the HNP. Topics discussed included structural reforms, modernizing the police's operational capabilities, addressing current security challenges, and improving police officers' social benefits.



It should be noted that to address the critical situation of violence in Haiti, the PNH has acquired various equipment and vehicles, either directly or through donations from foreign governments and international organizations. Major contributors include the United Nations (UN) and the governments of Canada, the United States, France, and Taiwan (Republic of China).



Last September, the National Police received 10 Harrow Tygor E1 4x4 armored vehicles and personal protective equipment purchased by the Haitian government https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45723-haiti-flash-the-pnh-receives-a-first-batch-of-armored-vehicles-and-equipment-video.html and from the USA, 20 Captain APV armored personnel carriers (level 2 protection) from the Canadian company Canada Roshel Smart Armored Vehicles between October 28 and November 3rd, 2025 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45940-haiti-flash-the-united-states-has-delivered-20-new-armored-vehicles-to-haiti.html



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45940-haiti-flash-the-united-states-has-delivered-20-new-armored-vehicles-to-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45723-haiti-flash-the-pnh-receives-a-first-batch-of-armored-vehicles-and-equipment-video.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Internationalization of the UEH : Signature with the Colombian University (UMAYOR)





On Thursday, October 16, Dieuseul Predelus, Rector of the State University of Haiti (UEH), as part of his official mission to Cartagena, Colombia, signed a Framework Agreement for Academic Cooperation with Rector Juan Alberto Arraut Camargo of the Institucion Universitaria Mayor de Cartagena (UMAYOR).



The signing ceremony was attended by academic officials from both institutions, marking an important step in the UEH's internationalization process.



This partnership is of strategic and historic significance, as it establishes South-South cooperation between two Caribbean institutions that share common challenges and convergent aspirations in higher education and scientific research.



The signed agreement provides for several key areas of collaboration : academic mobility for students, teachers, researchers, and administrative staff; the joint development of research and innovation projects in areas of common interest; Institutional capacity building through the exchange of best practices in university management and quality assurance; language training, including the promotion of Spanish at UEH and French and Creole at UMAYOR; continuing education through the joint organization of seminars, university diplomas, and workshops; and the implementation of international internship and professional practice programs to enhance student employability.



The agreement, initially for four years with automatic renewal, provides for the creation of a Technical Coordination Committee to monitor the commitments made and ensure the sustainability of the cooperation.



In his speech, the Rector of UEH emphasized the importance of this collaboration, which goes beyond academic exchanges. "This signing symbolizes the conviction that the university remains a privileged place where bridges are built between peoples, solutions to the challenges of our time are developed, and hope for a better future is forged."



Should be noted that as part of UEH's internationalization efforts, other agreements will be signed with certain Canadian universities.



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Haiti - News : Zapping...





Violent attack in Chandel

On Thursday, October 16, 2025, a group of heavily armed criminals from the "Kokorat San Ras" gang attacked the locality of Chandel, in the commune of Liancourt (Artibonite Department). The attack began with the looting of rice crops and the destruction of several farmland before opening fire on the terrified population, killing at least two people and injuring several others. The next day, after taking control of the area, the bandits burned and destroyed numerous agricultural plots and set fire to dozens of homes.



Agriculture : $1.6M USD from Taiwan

On Thursday, October 16, 2025, Vernet Joseph, Haitian Minister of Agriculture, and Cheng-Hao Hu, Ambassador of Taiwan (Republic of China), signed an agreement to finance the project to Strengthen National Rice Seed Production (REPONSE) in Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43074-haiti-agriculture-signing-of-an-agreement-with-taiwan-to-improve-rice-production-in-the-country.html to the tune of $1.6 million USD. This financing will also significantly increase yields, the efficiency, and effectiveness of agricultural and hydro-agricultural infrastructure, among other things.



Canadian Embassy closed

The Canadian Embassy in Haiti will be closed on October 17, 2025, to commemorate the death of Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines. Activities will resume on Monday, October 20. In case of a consular emergency, please contact : toll-free at +1-613-996-8885



Condolences from the U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Embassy in Haiti learned with deep sadness of the passing of Mr. Robert Denis, President of the National Association of Haitian Media (ANMH) and Director of Canal Bleu, on October 14, 2025 https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-46006-icihaiti-obituary-death-of-robert-denis.html . Mr. Denis was a respected professional, recognized for his commitment to press freedom, diversity of opinion, and the promotion of responsible journalism in Haiti. His passing is a great loss for the Haitian media sector and for all those who work to defend democracy and truth. We offer our sincere condolences to his family, his colleagues at Canal Bleu and the National Association of Haitian Media (ANMH), as well as to the entire Haitian journalism community. May his example of courage and professionalism continue to inspire future generations.



Environment : Swiss Cooperation in the South

The GERER-Sud program (2025 to 2028) is an initiative of the Swiss Cooperation in Haiti aimed at strengthening the resilience of communities in the South region to natural hazards and environmental challenges. Present in five municipalities: Roche-a-Bateau, Coteaux, Port-a-Piment, Chardonnieres and Les Anglais, the program focuses on both risk governance and sustainable natural resource management. The program pays particular attention to the participation of vulnerable groups, particularly women and girls, in local governance processes and decision-making spaces.



Egyptian Khaled El-Enany elected head of UNESCO:

The Ministry of Culture and Communication welcomes with deep joy and respect the election of the eminent Egyptian archaeologist and former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Khaled El-Enany, to the position of Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). On behalf of the Government and people of Haiti, the Ministry extends its warmest congratulations to Khaled El-Enany and its most sincere wishes for success in this high office.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















The meeting, held behind closed doors following a working lunch, comes as Trump prepares for a separate summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin , expected to take place in Hungary within two weeks.

U.S. President Donald Trump has signalled hesitation over providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, warning of the risk of escalation in a war he now says might be nearing a negotiated resolution. He made the comments during a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , where both leaders addressed the ongoing conflict and possible arms transfers.

Trump confirmed that the choice of Budapest was made jointly with Putin, citing a shared respect for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

We both like him, Trump said, referring to Orban. Its a good place to talk.

Earlier, Trump and Zelensky appeared before reporters and confirmed that discussions would include Ukraines request for Tomahawk missiles. The weapons, capable of striking targets at distances up to 2,000 kilometres, have been viewed by Ukrainian defence officials as essential for offsetting Russian firepower.

Trump, however, questioned the timing and necessity of the transfer.

They could be a major escalation. A lot of bad things can happen, he said. We need them too so I dont know what we can do about that.

In response, Zelensky offered an alternative proposal. Ukraine, he said, is prepared to provide the United States with domestically produced drones in exchange for Tomahawk systems.

They [the U.S.] can get our thousands of drones, Zelensky told reporters. We want to work together and help strengthen U.S. capability.

Trump described the idea as interesting and confirmed that U.S. officials were looking at Ukrainian drone technology. They make a very good drone, he said.

While no agreement was announced, both leaders suggested the proposal would be part of ongoing discussions.

Zelensky used the meeting to thank Trump for what he called a successful Middle East ceasefire, telling him, I think we can end this war with your help. He also noted that American energy and defence companies were willing to invest in Ukraine after the war.

Trump, in turn, said he believed Putin wanted peace. He wants to get it ended, Trump told reporters, describing a recent two-hour phone call with the Russian leader. Now we have to get it done.

He added that peace would only be possible if all three presidents  himself, Zelensky, and Putin  were involved in talks, referring to himself as the mediator president.

When asked directly whether Putin was merely trying to buy time, Trump admitted it was possible.

He could be. But Im pretty good at this, he said. I think he wants a deal.

Zelensky disagreed, stating that Putin had shown no signs of wanting to end the war. Still, he expressed confidence in Trumps ability to lead a negotiation process.

Trump did not commit to including Zelensky in the upcoming Hungary summit. Its to be determined, he said, citing bad blood between the two presidents.

Zelensky also confirmed that Ukraine would continue to seek bilateral security guarantees from the U.S., regardless of its NATO membership prospects.

Reporters also asked Trump if the use of long-range missiles by Ukraine to strike deeper into Russia would be acceptable. Its an escalation, but well be talking about it, he said.

The question of territorial concessions also came up. Trump declined to offer a clear position, saying only, War is very interesting. You never know.

During the session, Trump repeated a previous claim that Russia should have won the war in a week, blaming the delay on tanks getting stuck in the mud. He added, In war, you have a lot of luck too.

At one point, Trump asked Zelensky for his opinion on a rumoured Russian plan to build a tunnel between Russia and Alaska. Zelensky replied that the idea did not sound good.

While Trump has remained cautious about committing additional U.S. weapons to Ukraine, he has maintained that a deal is possible. We want to see if we can get this done, he said. We had to set the table properly. I think the table is set now.

Zelensky, speaking last, said he believed both sides were beginning to understand each other better. Trump is well-briefed on the battlefield situation. That helps, he said. But we are still in a war.

HT
(JNS) - I've been thinking a lot about Yaakov Kirschen now that the year 5785 has ended and a new one has begun. I had long known of him but had just started getting to know him, meeting the man behind the "Dry Bones" political cartoon - recognized far and wide in the Jewish news world - on the last Saturday in March.

I happened to be in the same place he was that Shabbat, spending time with family in a suburb of Tel Aviv before flying back to the States that night. He was convalescing from a recent stroke (not his first) in a rehab facility about a dozen blocks away.

Days earlier, I had asked...
(JNS)  The Netflix animated series Long Story Short, which premiered last month, is drawing attention both for its creator, Raphael Bob-Waksberg, of BoJack Horseman fame, and for its treatment of Jewish family life through humor.

The series follows the Schwoopers, a middle-class Jewish family, across decades. It proceeds in a non-linear fashion, highlighting the tensions, joys and incongruities of American Jewish life.

Jeremy Dauber, Atran professor of Yiddish language, literature and culture at Columbia University and director of its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, told JNS that...
(JNS) - Customers at Fuzzy's Pizza Katy in West Houston have the option of ordering something a little bit more lofty than just a tomato pie as part of a current promotion. The family-owned pizza shop is offering a limited-edition Elie Wiesel keepsake box in honor of the Sept. 30 birthday of the late Holocaust survivor.

Wiesel died on July 2, 2016, at the age of 87.

It's an opt-in program; owner Jeff Hajjar said he started with 72 keepsake boxes (as of Tuesday night, he had 19 left) in the 12-inch, or medium, size. When requested, customers will get an empty Elie Wiesel box, along with a comme...
(JTA) - When Rita Zohar stepped into the role of Bessie Stern, a Holocaust survivor whose death sets in motion Scarlett Johansson's new film "Eleanor the Great," she wasn't simply acting.

Zohar, 81, is a childhood survivor of the Holocaust. She was also drawing on her lived experience of loss and resilience to bring life to her character.

"This role in this movie has given me a voice," Zohar told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. "Even though this is not my story, this is not what happened to me or my family, but still, by being able to verbalize it, I connected to Bessie, and I became Bessie in...
Beverly Ann Osser, 70, died on October 1, 2025, in Orlando, Florida.

Born Beverly Ann Jarvis on June 5, 1955, in Lexington, Ky., to Robert and Barbara Ann (Dickerson) Jarvis, she grew up with a natural curiosity about the world around her and a deep appreciation for the stories that connect us to our past.

After graduating from Georgetown High School in Georgetown, Ky., Bev pursued her calling in healthcare, training to become a radiology technologist. It was a career that would span decades and touch countless lives. She brought both technical expertise and genuine compassion to her work, first at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Ky., and later at AdventHealth in Orlando, where she continued to serve patients with skill and kindness until her retirement.

On Oct. 20, 1985, she married Jerold Jerry Lee Osser in Lexington, beginning a partnership that would last nearly four decades. Together, they built a life centered on family, filled with love and laughter.

Bevs home was a reflection of her spirit and varied interests. Her two German Shepherds, Gunner and Xena, were constant companions, along with Napoleon, an African Grey parrot whose personality matched her own vivacity, and Tweety, a gentle cockatiel. Animals were never just pets to her; they were beloved family members.

A collector at heart, she found particular joy in dolls and Barbies, amassing a cherished collection over the course of many decades. Each piece told a story, much like the historical records she so loved to explore. Her passion for history extended beyond collectibles to an extensive genealogical quest that traced her family lineage back to the Revolutionary War. Through meticulous research and countless hours of investigation, she uncovered the threads that wove her family into the fabric of American history, preserving these connections for future generations. She became a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and was also a Kentucky Colonel, the highest honor bestowed upon a Kentucky citizen.

Bev is preceded in death by both of her parents. She is survived by her husband, Jerry; her daughter, Chrystal Danielle Fravel (Michael); her son, David Samuel Osser; her granddaughter, Lily Virginia Fravel; and her brother, Scott Jarvis and his wife Linda.

Graveside Service were held at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Kentucky with Rabbi Shani Abramowitz of Ohavay Zion Synagogue officiating. May she rest in peace and may her memory always be a blessing.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Bevs name to the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando (https://petallianceorlando.org/ways-give/memorials/), honoring her lifelong devotion to animals and ensuring that other creatures find the same love and care she so freely gave.

Service entrusted to Beth Shalom Memorial Chapel, 933 Lee Road, Suite 101, Orlando, Florida 407-599-1180.
(JNS) A major security breach took place in the Binyamin community of Naale late this past Friday night, in the southwestern Samaria Plain, as two masked Arabs managed to infiltrate the hamlet, steal property and escape.

Israels Channel 12 aired security footage of the intruders wandering freely between homes, apparently looking for soft targets to burglarize.

Channel 12 claimed the men went undetected for about three hours. The Binyamin Regional Council could not confirm how long the pair were inside the community, but it told JNS that at some point a resident noticed the interlopers and n...
After a successful launch two years ago, Temple Israel's Annual Book Fair and Corned Beef Sandwich Day returns on Sunday, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Roth Social Hall at 50 S. Moss Road in Winter Springs.

There are thousands of donated books to choose from, organized by fiction, nonfiction, and childrens, as well as miscellaneous media such as games, puzzles, CDs, and other make-an-offer items. Hardcover books are priced at two dollars while paperbacks cost one dollar each. This year for the first time books will also be sold by the bag. Fill a brown paper sack for twenty dollars. Af...
(JNS)  On the 84th anniversary of the notorious Babi Yar massacre, the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center revealed the names of more than 1,000 newly identified victims, announced publicly for the first time at a ceremony at the site on Monday.

In Jerusalem, BYHMC and March of the Living hosted a parallel memorial at the National Library of Israel, where the newly discovered names were also read out. Speakers included BYHMC Chairman Natan Sharansky, Ukraines Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk and Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan.

Memory is a moral weapon against denial, oblivion and dist...
(JNS)  Meeting with European diplomats on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly went as one would expect of representatives of countries that have been recognizing a state of Palestine, which the Jewish state and others say rewards Hamas, according to Daniel S. Mariaschin, CEO of Bnai Brith International.

What we have here on an international level is a dont confuse me with the facts worldview, Mariaschin told JNS. All of these arguments, which we feel are well grounded, are clearly not getting through in terms of persuading, because minds were made up 12 months ago a...
(JNS)  The FBI is cutting ties with the Anti-Defamation League and Southern Poverty Law Center, Kash Patel, director of the federal U.S. law enforcement agency, stated in a pair of social media posts last week.

Patel blamed the ADL partnership on his predecessor, James Comey, who the U.S. Justice Department indicted last month for allegedly making false statements and obstruction of justice. Those allegations relate to Senate testimony he gave about the 2016 investigation into potential links between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia.

James Comey wrote love letters to the ADL and...
(JNS)  Eli Sharabi, a former Israeli hostage held by Hamas in Gaza, is being featured on the cover of TIME magazine that hits newsstands on Oct. 27. An excerpt of his memoir, documenting his survival of 491 days of captivity in the Strip, was published online on Oct. 1.

As they dragged me out, I called out to my girls, Ill be back.

I had to believe that. But that was the last time I ever saw them. I didnt know I should have said goodbye, forever, said the 53-year-old Beeri resident.

He was kidnapped from the kibbutz during the Oct. 7, 2023, mass invasion of the northwestern Negev and r...
Hours after freeing 20 living hostages to a jubilant Israel, Hamas released the remains of four deceased hostages  far fewer than the 28 it is holding and obligated under the terms of the ceasefire to release.

The group had already indicated that it was not prepared to release all of the deceased hostages remains immediately, following two years of war in Gaza, and Israel and negotiators had accepted that it could take some time. Still, the small number of bodies released on Monday represented a disappointment for many who had hoped that Monday would bring closure to those who have spent yea...
(JNS)  Families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have sent an urgent letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, calling on the body to award the Nobel Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump for his efforts to end the Israel-Hamas war.

After almost two years of suffering, we have reached a critical turning point, the families wrote, according to a statement from the Hostage and Missing Families Forum Headquarters.

President Trumps determination to bring peace made possible what many said was impossible. We strongly urge you to award President Trump the Nobel Peace Prize because he has v...
(JNS)  Hundreds of Christians marched through the streets of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi in a faith-based show of support for Israel.

The event, which commemorated the second anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught on southern Israel, offered a stark contrast with the throng of anti-Israel protests held the same day throughout Europe as well as in Australia. This follows an intensive Israeli outreach to the African continent.

The nearly two-mile peaceful March for Israel, which was convened by the King Jesus Celebration Church Worldwide, the Africa-Israel initiative, the Israel A...
In one of her last interviews, renowned British primatologist Jane Goodall said that she wanted to send Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with several other world leaders she disliked, on a one-way trip to space.

There are people I dont like. And I would like to put them on one of [Elon] Musks spaceships and send them all off to the planet hes sure hes going to discover, Goodall said on Netflixs Famous Last Words: Dr. Jane Goodall, which was filmed earlier this year and premiered following her death last week at 91.

When asked who she would like to see shipped off to sp...
(JNS)  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to join world leaders in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to finalize the U.S.-brokered deal aimed at ending the war on Hamas.

The Sharm el-Sheikh summit will soon begin with the participation of 30 countries and international and regional organizations, to celebrate the signing of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, a spokesman for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisis office told Arabic media.

In addition to Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas is al...
(JNS)  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday marked two years since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, pledging that Israel will prevail and reaffirming his commitment to achieving all the wars objectives  the return of hostages, the elimination of Hamas and ensuring that Gaza will never again pose a threat to the Jewish state.

In a statement issued by the Prime Ministers Office, Netanyahu recalled the immense suffering caused by the attacks, in which some 1,200 people were murdered and 251 were abducted into the terror tunnels of Gaza. He stressed that the government conti...
Where has the time gone? The organizing committee is actively planning the Ninth annual Mens Night Out, to be held at Congregation Ohev Shalom on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2025, starting at 5:30 pm.

Organized and presented by Congregation Ohev Shalom, Temple Israel, Congregation of Reform Judaism, Southwest Orlando Jewish Congregation, in conjunction with Shalom Orlando, Mens Night Out is a collaborative outreach program and a community driven gathering designed to bring all affiliated and unaffiliated Jewish men in the Orlando community together to share their common bond, learn about community o...
(JTA) - Scenes of joyful reunions played out in public and private.

All 20 of the Israeli hostages still alive two years after being taken hostage by Hamas have returned to Israel, following an emotional morning that commanded the attention of Jews around the world who had lobbied for their release.

Unlike in past hostage releases, Hamas did not stage release "ceremonies," a condition of the deal the group in charge of Gaza made in striking a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal last week. But in another departure, the group provided phones for hostages waiting for Red Cross vehicles to use to call th...
(JNS)  Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, referred on Monday to convicted Palestinian terrorists held in Israeli prisons, including those with blood on their hands, as political prisoners during a press briefing.

Leavitt confirmed that Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for special missions, and Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trumps son-in-law and former senior adviser, are in Egypt to lead technical talks with Israel and Hamas on implementing the peace plan which Trump unveiled last week.

Leavitt said that Hamass conditional acceptance of the plan on Friday is t...
(Israel Hayom/JNS via JNS)  U.S. President Donald Trump has dispatched envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Egypt for ongoing talks on ending the war in Gaza, as Hamas presses new demands not part of the original agreement Israel accepted.

As technical discussions advance on the initial stages of a ceasefire, including the release of hostages and the entry of aid supplies, the terrorist group has thrown a curveball in the negotiations. Among its demands are the release of senior terrorists Jerusalem has said are red lines, international guarantees to prevent renewed fighting and the depl...
(JNS)  World leaders from across the globe on Thursday welcomed Israel and Hamass agreement to the first phase of Trumps ceasefire deal, reflecting both intense global relief that the end to the two-year-old war may be in sight and respect for the American president.

Among those praising the move were countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Australia, who defied the American administration by recognizing a Palestinian state just last month.

United Kingdom

I welcome the news that a deal has been reached on the first stage of President Trumps peace plan for Gaza, said Brit...
I am writing this column on the morning of Oct. 9, 2025, a few hours since the announcement that an agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas for release within 72 hours of all the remaining hostages; the 20 that are still alive and the remains of the 28 who were murdered by their captors.

Along with my co-religionists in the Diaspora and the citizens of Israel, I am elated and excited about our hostages coming home; and momentarily dreaming that peace in the Middle East may finally be at hand.

But I know better than to allow my dream to prevail over my common sense. There is an old...
What a week.

President Donald Trump forced the prime minister of Israel to grovel before the Emir of Qatarthe same autocrat who bankrolls Hamas. Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the Jewish state, was compelled to apologize for Israels attempted strike on Hamas officials being hosted in Doha and to promise never to do it again. It was a humiliating spectacle: the sovereign leader of a U.S. ally bowing before the financier of the Oct. 7 massacre, at the insistence of an American president.

It wasnt Netanyahus first humiliation at the hands of a foreign ruler. Ironically, the other incident invo...
(JNS)  A close look at the boats used by anti-Israel extremists aboard the so-called Gaza Flotilla, which attempted to evade Israeli navy vessels and land in the Gaza Strip on Yom Kippur, reveals much about their true motivationsomething that both journalists and Israels supporters have missed, though should not have.

You might have expected that the banners on the ships would feature messages like Stop the Blockade, Feed Gaza or even Stop the Genocide, but the boats I saw in the photos had no such messages at all. Thats because the anti-Zionist radicals on the boats dont really c...
Sharm el-Sheikh, October 9 (U.S. time): Israel and Hamas signed a first-phase agreement that promises a pause in fighting, a partial Israeli pullback, and hostageprisoner exchanges, with releases expected shortly after Israeli cabinet ratification. Much to hope for. But peace isnt just paperwork  it rests on trust and, not to be forgotten, on what children are taught. As President Ronald Reagan said, Trust, but verify. There are three sobering clues from recent history which explain why verification cant be a footnote, its the whole ballgame. Two are about trust; one is about textbooks....
(JNS)  Oct. 7, 2023, was the worst day in the history of the State of Israel and will be remembered as such for all time. But as New York Times columnist Bret Stephens noted in a column analyzing the lessons of that day and the war that followed, For all its undoubted horrors, this war may ultimately be remembered as liberating.

Israel responded to Hamass day of genocide by waging war to destroy the Iran axis of which Hamas was a member. Stephens explained how Israels war had liberated the peoples of the region.

In Lebanon, thanks to Israels decimation of Hezbollah, the people are free f...
(JNS)  As a law student at American University Washington College of Law in the early 1970s, I worked part-time as the administrator of the campuss Abraham S. Kay Spiritual Life Center, a building in the center of the Quad, donated by the Jewish Kaye family and designed to look like a giant eternal light unto the nations.

The Kay buildings use reflected its design, as its ground floor served as offices for clergy members of up to a dozen religious organizations and as a social hall. The main floor provided a nondenominational prayer and ceremonial hall.

Kay had a somewhat convivial atmosphe...
China's energy cooperation with Russia legitimate, lawful: FM spokesperson

Xinhua) 11:19, October 17, 2025

BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- China's normal trade and energy cooperation with other countries, including Russia, is legitimate and lawful, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday.

Lin made the comment at a regular press briefing in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks that it's time to get China to do the same thing as he had received an assurance from India to stop buying oil from Russia.

Lin said what the United States has done is typical unilateral bullying and economic coercion, which will severely disrupt international economic and trade rules and threaten safety and stability of global industrial and supply chains.

Noting that China's position on the Ukraine crisis is objective, just and aboveboard, Lin said China firmly opposes the U.S. directing the issue to China and imposing illicit unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction on China.

He said if China's legitimate rights and interests are harmed, China will take countermeasures to firmly defend its sovereignty, security and development interests.

In response to the move that Britain added Chinese energy companies and port operators to a list of entities sanctioned for supporting the Russian energy sector, Lin said China deplores Britain's decision and has protested to the country.

China opposes unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law or authorization of the UN Security Council, the spokesperson said.

While China is committed to promoting talks for peace on the Ukraine crisis, the normal exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Russian companies should not be disrupted or affected, Lin said.

China will do what is necessary to firmly defend its legitimate and lawful rights and interests, he added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Chinese tech shines at UAE tech exhibition

Xinhua) 13:22, October 17, 2025

DUBAI, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- At the ongoing Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX Global), held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Chinese innovations ranging from flying cars to artificial intelligence (AI) robots have drawn significant attention, highlighting their growing footprint in the Middle East's tech landscape.

Taking place from Oct. 13 to 17 at the Dubai World Trade Center, the event, as one of the world's most influential technology and AI exhibitions, has attracted over 6,800 tech firms and 2,000 startups from around 180 countries. Exhibitors are showcasing breakthroughs in AI, the Internet of Things, big data and digital governance.

Among the 300 Chinese tech companies in the spotlight were industry giants like Huawei, China Mobile, China Electronics Corporation, ZTE, H3C, iFlytek and Xpeng AEROHT. Their cutting-edge innovations attracted significant attention throughout the exhibition.

At the booth of Etisalat, the UAE's telecom powerhouse, crowds gathered around several futuristic flying car models. Among the highlights were XPENG AEROHT's latest modular "Land Aircraft Carrier" and two innovative flying cars, AirCab and AirCar, developed by Guangzhou Automobile Group's subsidiary brand GOVY.

"We were invited by Etisalat to join GITEX. The Middle East market has strong interest in Chinese tech products, and the region's digital transformation presents valuable opportunities for collaboration," said Zhao Deli, founder of XPENG AEROHT.

"China's low-altitude economy is developing rapidly, and GITEX has become a key platform for Chinese firms to display intelligent manufacturing to the region and the world," said GOVY's PR Director Li Shuhan, highlighting the significant interest from local potential partners during the event.

During the exhibition, Etisalat and ZTE signed a memorandum of understanding accelerating UAE's green energy transformation. The partnership aims to build smart, green telecom infrastructure, enhance energy efficiency, optimize AI-driven management and expand solar, grid and storage solutions to support sustainable operations.

A delegation of nearly 30 tech companies organized by Beijing Zhongguancun Science City Innovation Development Co., Ltd. has also presented innovations spanning AI, digital health, and frontier technologies. The delegation includes both early-stage startups and established players, such as leading software provider Kingsoft Office.

Bilal Al-Rais, vice president of Technology and Digital Cluster at Dubai World Trade Center, organizer of GITEX Global, praised Chinese technological innovation during a visit to the Zhongguancun zone, expressing hope that more global enterprises would engage with the cluster's dynamic ecosystem.

At the booth of China Mobile International Limited (CMI), strong visitor traffic underscored the rising demand for the company's services.

Zhang Ruiping, managing director of CMI Middle East and the North Africa region, said the company, which established its UAE office in 2017, now serves markets across the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, as well as Pakistan, Nepal and Egypt.

"We will continue to support Chinese companies as they expand overseas, while also deepening our cooperation with local UAE enterprises. This will help boost the region's digital transformation and economic growth," Zhang said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
The Skirvin, a Hilton Hotel, has unveiled a $22 million renovation, revitalizing the historic 225-room property. The nine-month project, led by Robinson Park and managed by Hilton, touched nearly every corner of the hotel, from guest rooms and meeting spaces to the grand lobby, ensuring The Skirvin continues to shine as a landmark of Oklahoma City.

Reimagined Guest Rooms

The renovation underscores The Skirvin's unique ability to honor its storied past  where presidents, celebrities, and civil rights history converged  while shaping the future of hospitality for the next generation of travelers in Oklahoma City.

Each of the 225 guest rooms has been carefully redesigned to balance historic character with modern sophistication. Thoughtful details, from custom furnishings to rich fabrics to warm and layered lighting create a sense of quiet elegance. Bathrooms have been refreshed with spa-inspired finishes, featuring polished stone surfaces, glass-enclosed showers, and golden fixtures that elevate the everyday into an indulgent experience. Generous windows frame views of downtown Oklahoma City, filling rooms with natural light by day and the glow of the city skyline at night.

Grand Meeting & Event Spaces

The Skirvin now offers more than 20,000 square feet of versatile meeting and event space, each designed to reflect the hotel's timeless grandeur while accommodating the needs of today's travelers. Crowned at the top of the hotel, the restored Venetian Room surrounds guests with sweeping windows that capture the daylight and frame the evening sky, creating a breathtaking backdrop for galas, weddings, and milestone events. Ballrooms and breakout spaces throughout the property blend historic architecture with refined finishes, ensuring every gathering, from intimate board meetings to epic celebrations feels iconic, memorable, and perfectly staged.

Amenities with Local Flair

Guests can enjoy dining at Perle Mesta, a signature culinary concept created by Oklahoma's only James Beard Award-winning chef, Andrew Black. The restaurant marries The Skirvin's historic grandeur with Chef Black's innovative approach, delivering an elevated dining experience that celebrates both local flavors and world-class technique.

Chef Black's journey comes full circle at the Skirvinwhere his culinary career in Oklahoma began nearly two decades ago. Today, as the state's first James Beard Award recipient and acclaimed restaurateur, he returns to the very kitchen that launched his path, bringing with him a celebrated perspective that redefines fine dining in Oklahoma City.

Guests can expect thoughtfully crafted menus featuring seasonal, locally sourced ingredients alongside globally inspired pairings. Whether enjoyed in an intimate dinner setting or as part of a grand celebration, Perle Mesta offers a culinary experience that is both distinctly Oklahoman and internationally refined.

The hotel's signature Red Piano Lounge continues to set the tone for evenings with live music, while the addition of a Boomtown Creamery ice cream parlor brings a playful, local twist to the property. Wellness amenities have also been elevated, with a top-tier fitness center and an indoor pool.

Connected Through Hilton Honors

As part of Hilton's portfolio of world-class brands, The Skirvin participates in Hilton Honors, Hilton's award-winning loyalty program. Members who book directly through Hilton channels enjoy exclusive benefits such as flexible booking with Points and money, special discounts, free standard Wi-Fi, and contactless technology through the Hilton Honors app, including Digital Key.

For more information or to make reservations, please visit The Skirvin, a Hilton Hotel or call +1 405-272-3040.

Read more about Hilton Hotels & Resorts at stories.hilton.com.

Hotel website
Aloft Abu Dhabi has unveiled award-winning Bianca Bara as its new director of sales & marketing.

With over 12 years of extensive experience in hospitality and commercial leadership, Bara is highly regarded in the industry. She has previously held senior positions across key Marriott properties, including Marriott Al Forsan Abu Dhabi, Marriott Hotel Downtown Abu Dhabi, and Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road.

Throughout her career, Bara has been recognised for an outstanding ability to exceed revenue targets, foster high-performing teams and drive strategic growth in competitive markets. Her achievements include being honoured as Leader of the Quarter and Golden Circle Platinum Achiever, reflecting her consistent dedication to excellence. Due to the way in which she performs in her role, Bara is admired for her dynamic energy, innovative approach, and genuine passion for people, while also being renowned for creative thinking, people-first leadership and her vibrant energy.

Prior to joining Aloft Abu Dhabi, Bara spent just under four years as director of sales for Marriott Al Forsan Abu Dhabi. That particular role was preceded by a 10-month spell as multi-property assistant director of sales, where she worked across The Abu Dhabi EDITION, Marriott Downtown Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments Abu Dhabi. In total, Bara has worked under the Marriott umbrella for over nine years having joined the company in February 2016. Other positions include senior sales manager, sales manager and sales executive.
Amwaj Rotana Hotel has announced the appointment of Zeina Abbas, who boasts over 15 years of industry leadership experience, as its new director of operations.

Abbas is highly respected having served in senior positions across the Middle East, most recently at Media Rotana in Dubai, where she worked as director of rooms.

Throughout her career, Abbas has consistently delivered outstanding results with key achievements including an increase in overall guest satisfaction, a boost in colleague engagement with reduced turnover, and the successful execution of major enhancement projects which upheld top brand standards while driving operational excellence and profitability. An impressive career trajectory has seen Abbas rise to director of operations after starting out in the hospitality industry as a front desk manager. Other positions she has held include assistant director of front office, director of front office and director of rooms.

Abbas attended the Lebanese University, where she studied banking and finance, before starting out on her journey in the hospitality industry.
The hospitality industry is facing an immediate and existential competitive threat unlike any seen since the rise of the OTAs. In the past, your website data was a marketing expense; today, it has become the primary fuel source for the next generation of conversational AI and automated booking agents.

The simple rule is that if your data is published, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can, and will, scrape it to train its models and service its customers. This practice is fundamentally transforming the distribution landscape by creating a massive, scalable data problem that bypasses the hotelier's website entirely.

This shift pits the world's most powerful technology companies (Google, Microsoft, OpenAI) and their integrated partners (Expedia, Booking.com) directly against your direct channel strategy.

This article details the specific technical, commercial, and strategic mandates you must execute and highlights the crucial legal parameters you must be aware of to control your data flow, mitigate intellectual property (IP) risk, and strategically position your property to compete in the new AI Agentic Age.

The Core Conflict: Data Visibility vs. Data Value

The simplest rule is this: If you publish it, an AI can, and likely will, scrape it. For a long time, data visibility was a pure marketing win; now, that same data is used by AI to generate direct answers, often bypassing your website entirely. This has ignited global debate over data theft and Intellectual Property (IP) rights.

Pros (Marketing Platform) Cons (Revenue Risk) Attracts Eyes / Searchability Your general content (destination guides, amenities, unique offerings) boosts your ranking in search. Thought Leadership Deep, unique insights into your location or a curated experience build a stronger brand narrative. Data Commoditization Prices, policies, and simple availability are extracted and compared instantly, pressuring margins. Erosion of Direct Channel AI agents can give customers the answer and then suggest a booking partner, cutting you out.

The Critical Separation: Content vs. Commerce

You must enforce a logical separation between marketing/experience content and proprietary/commerce data:

Type What to Include Visibility Strategy Marketing / Experience Content General information, rich destination guides, brand story, unique amenities. Full visibility. This is your marketing engine. Proprietary / Commerce Data Pricing, real-time inventory, policies, tactical details that drive transactions. Controlled access. Provide only on your terms (APIs, gated views, contracts).

The Global Legal Chessboard: Where Your Data Stands

Your data is being processed under a patchwork of global laws. This complexity dictates your level of risk and the urgency of implementing a firewall strategy.

Jurisdiction Current Legal Position (Opt-In / Opt-Out Reality) Business Risk for Hoteliers European Union (EU) The Global Standard Setter (Opt-Out / Regulated): The EU AI Act mandates AI providers must respect a creator's reservation of rights (opt-out) from text and data mining (TDM). This applies extraterritorially. Highly regulated. High compliance burden for AI companies means your IP is less likely to be infringed, but you must implement an effective machinereadable optout. United Kingdom (UK) The Principles-Based Approach (Pending Opt-Out): The UK is debating a proposal to allow commercial TDM by default, unless the creator opts out. Uncertain but shifting. Your IP could be fair game for AI training unless you actively reserve your rights. United States (US) Case-by-Case Litigation (Unsettled): No comprehensive federal AI law. IP rights are being tested in lawsuits around "Fair Use." High risk / high uncertainty. Protection is ambiguous and costly to enforce; scraping may be defended as Fair Use. Japan (JP) ProInnovation (Broad Exception): Training AI on copyrighted material will generally not be deemed an infringement. Low. Your data is likely to be used for AI training without legal recourse. China (CN) StateDriven & Regulated: Generative AI regulation requires training data to be legitimate and noninfringing. Highly regulated. As a nonChinese entity, your best defense is technical protection.

Fortifying the Firewall: Protecting Your IP

The solution starts with technology that gives you back control. Companies like Cloudflare are rolling out solutions designed to combat unwanted AI scraping.

Key Action Items for Your Tech Team

Bot Management / Rate Limiting: Detect and slow down aggressive harvesting bots.

Detect and slow down aggressive harvesting bots. AI Auditing: Gain visibility into which AI crawlers access your site and how they interact with content.

Gain visibility into which AI crawlers access your site and how they interact with content. Monetize / Block: Block unwanted AI crawlers or explore paypercrawl arrangements for training access.

Block unwanted AI crawlers or explore paypercrawl arrangements for training access. Internal IP Protection: Monitor staff use of public AI tools to prevent accidental disclosure of proprietary information.

The Operational Reality: AI Platforms Have Already Chosen Their Partners

The shift in the distribution landscape is driven by direct commercial integrations that establish the OTA's position as the high common denominator for product, price, and availability.

AI Platform / Model Primary Travel Affiliations / Integrations Strategic Goal ChatGPT (OpenAI) Expedia, Booking.com, Tripadvisor (upcoming), Uber (upcoming) Enable realtime flight and lodging discovery and booking within the chat interface. Microsoft Copilot Booking.com, OpenTable, Tripadvisor, Expedia, Kayak, Skyscanner Use Copilot Actions to proactively make reservations and bookings via partners. Google Gemini Google Flights, Google Maps, Google Hotels, Google Docs (via Gemini Apps) Deliver AI trip planning, itineraries, and price tracking across Google's ecosystem. Perplexity Expedia Group (via Comet browser), Tripadvisor, Selfbook, OpenTable Answer complex travel queries with realtime data and provide booking links. Baidu AI (ERNIE Bot) Ctrip, Baidu Search integration Power China's market with integrated travel services and customer support. Anthropic (Claude) Limited direct travel integrations Focus on core model capabilities (reasoning, longcontext, enterprise security). Meta AI (Llama) Meta apps (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram); travel via social commerce Leverage social and messaging channels for commerce discovery.

Final Strategic Mandate: Control the Data, Win the Channel

For AI travel agents to function, they must access clean, reliable inventory and pricing data that converts. The path of least resistance for all platformsfrom Microsoft's Copilot to Baidu's ERNIE Botis immediate, deep integration with OTAs and aggregators.

The OTA is the New Gatekeeper The Price of Entry is Excellence OTA inventory is becoming the primary data fuel for highconverting AI pointofsale channels.

Your position in OTA search rankings increasingly dictates visibility to AI agents. AI agents will favor options with availability, competitive price, and superior presentation.

Ensure your content quality and conversion flow outperform aggregator defaults.

TwoTrack Strategy

Technical Fortification: Deploy machinereadable optout and advanced bot management to control access to proprietary data, enforcing the distinction between marketing content and commerce data.

Deploy machinereadable optout and advanced bot management to control access to proprietary data, enforcing the distinction between marketing content and commerce data. Channel Optimization: Make your direct channel the most frictionless path, convincing both AI agents and human users that bypassing aggregators delivers undeniable value.

The winning strategy in the AI Agentic Age is to treat your data as a critical, defensible asset that must be protected, leveraged, and perfectly presented in every channel.
Chastity Belt on Tourcations, Lucinda Williams & House Parties : A Handstamp Interview

From Handstamp, an interview with Julia Shapiro of the band Chastity Belt on the music of her youth and adulthood, band chemistry, memorable shows and tourcations.

This interview originally appeared on Handstamp

Flags everywhere. The shopfronts of my hometown, on seemingly every bridge of the M1 and if you believe my social media timeline, on the mini roundabouts of every estate across the nation. This week, theyll be draped around the streets of London, punctuating some thoroughly researched opinions, Id bet.



If you happen to be in the Venn diagram of keen American noise-pop, indie rock fans and casual English nationalists reading this, do me a favour and dont subscribe.

Distractions are never more welcome than during weeks like these. So, Im pretty grateful I get to release new music and speak to artists about shows in my spare time. I caught up with Julia Shapiro of tremendous Washington band Chastity Belt on the brink of a uniquely exotic European tour. She talked to me about her surprisingly gig-less upbringing.

Julia Shapiro: I grew up in Palo Alto, California. There wasnt much of a scene there, so if I wanted to see live music, Id go to San Francisco, which is about 45 minutes north.

I didnt go to many live shows as a teenager, that didnt happen until college really. I went to college in Walla Walla, Washington. There also is not much of a music scene there, so wed have to drive to Seattle, Portland or Spokane.

But yeah, it was kind of interesting getting into playing live shows with very little experience attending live shows.

Handstamp: Strangely, youre not the first person Ive spoken to recently with that perspective. It feels as though growing up seeing shows would sort of train you in the dynamics of putting on a show, or at least teach you what an audience wants. Did you have much music playing around the house?

Julia Shapiro: Not necessarily from my family, but I definitely was really into music. I would spend a lot of time on indie blogs, finding new music. I started playing guitar when I was 12, because I was really into Blink 182 and Third Eye Blind. I went to a Blink 182 concert when I was 13, but Id already decided they werent cool anymore. They played with No Doubt, but I was over it.

Handstamp: Was that your first show?

JS: No, my dad dragged me to a Jimmy Buffett concert, thats my first memory of live music. But then in high school, I went to San Francisco for a Devendra Banhart show and then the first festival I went to was called Download Festival. The line-up was Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, Beck and way more. That was at a place called Shoreline Ampitheatre and it was pretty cool.

Handstamp: Unlike the Buffett show, it feels like the festival would have made an impact on you, as a future performer?

JS: Yeah, totally. At the time, I could have never imagined myself on stage. But it definitely was inspiring. I remember at the time, Beck had puppets imitating the band behind them, which was pretty memorable.

Handstamp: Performing didnt feel like an option for you back then?

JS: At that point, I had never played music with other people, it didnt seem possible, it felt so far away. But once I got to college and was going to friends shows, shitty house shows, it started to feel possible.

We got our start at those shows and it felt natural because our band started as a joke, so we just took over other peoples shows when theyd finish, grabbing their instruments and messing around.

But yeah, the audience would be drunk college kids at a shitty house party. Nothing serious, didnt have the limits of a real show.

Handstamp: When did they start to feel real?

JS: When we played in Seattle. We played a couple of shows there in our senior year. We played The Josephine and The Rendezvous. At the time, they were our big city shows and looking back now, theyre tiny. Felt huge at the time.

Handstamp: By the time you were playing regularly, had you already built a big of a scene at college and that carried over?

JS: Kind of, yeah. All of our friends from school who were in bands moved to Seattle a couple of years ahead of us, which is how we got shows in Seattle after that. Then once we graduated, we quickly tapped into a scene that already existed.

I cant really speak for the music scene now, but at the time it was super tight-knit, everybody was supportive and we seamlessly integrated right out of college.

Handstamp: Most people I speak to have a wealth of experience consuming live music before they start playing, then when they become touring musicians, their relationship with going to shows changes. Your journey is obviously a bit different, as you didnt experience that sea change, how do you feel watching shows from the audience now?

JS: I think that still happened to me. I enjoyed live music a lot more before I started touring myself, but thats probably mainly due to oversaturation. I used to look up to the performers I was watching, as it felt so big to me. Now, I know whats going on, so its different.

Even listening to music is different now. Just from mixing and recording, the way I listen to music has gone from feeling magical, to more of an analysis kind of thing. It used to be more of a feeling than a thought.

Handstamp: Its like being in The Magic Circle.

JS: Honestly, I wish I could go back to listening to music that way. I want to hear music the way I did in high school.

Handstamp: Almost all artists think about shows differently when it becomes their job. Some think about the gear, some about the production quality, some about the business decisions that have been made to put the show on.

JS: I find myself paying attention to the band members dynamics with each other. I can tune into whether they are friends, if they get along and it makes a huge difference for me. When a band is laughing and having a good time, not taking it too seriously, thats when I enjoy a show the most.

Handstamp: Do you have a recent example of that?

JS: The last show I saw like that was Pavement. They played Bumbershoot Festival last year and we were watching from side of stage. They were a little drunk, having a good time and the vibes were good. You could tell that they werent going through the motions, which you see regularly.

Handstamp: Yeah, you can sense when bands are sick of being in a van together for so long. In that respect, do you feel your show benefits from the fact you started the band as long-term friends?

JS: Yeah, I would say so. We have the most fun touring with bands where everybody is friendly. That is important to me, because its what makes music personal and real, not a sort of forced, professional pursuit. Half of what keeps the band going is our friendship.

Handstamp: If you were to recommend one place in the world to experience live music, where would you choose?

JS: Weve always had so much fun in Manchester. The crowds are so lively. Theres such a specific energy to Manchester shows, so we always try to hit it when were in the U.K.

Handstamp: Can you name some of the shows that had the biggest impact on you?

JS: Recently, that Pavement show was the first show I had seen in a while that reminded me what music really is.

I saw Jonathan Richman in LA a few years ago, which was really cool. He has such a fun live energy, it feels off-the-cuff and natural. I also saw John Prine a couple years before he passed away, here in Seattle and that was pretty special. Also, Fiona Apple at The Paramount back in 2013, or 2014. I loved her in high school, so it felt really nostalgic to me.

Oh, Lucinda Williams too. So genuine, will talk and tell stories between songs. I saw her at the zoo here once and it was so fun to witness. It seems like she was a little bit drunk and would talk for 15 minutes between songs. She would tell super long stories about dating guys and what went wrong.

Handstamp: I love the idea of her playing like four songs and the rest of it being tipsy shit-talking.

JS: [laughs] She was RAMBLING.

Handstamp: I definitely regret not seeing Prine live.

JS: He was so sweet and that really came through in the show. He was such a teddy bear.

Handstamp: Whats next for Chastity Belt?

JS: We just reunited for our first rehearsal since last September. We are going on tour in a couple of weeks, playing festivals in the UK and Europe. We are also recording for a few days on an island in Greece called Hydra. Were treating it like a tourcation, because we only have eight shows.

Handstamp: That sounds like the absolute dream.

JS: Its definitely the most extravagant thing weve ever done.

Chastity Belt released their last studio album Live Laugh Love last year.

Subscribe to Handstamp on Substack for future interviews, follow @itshandstamp on social media and just bloody listen to Chief Springs on your chosen platform, will you? Illustrations by the excellent Alice Bowsher.

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North Adams Man Killed In Stamford Motorcycle Accident

STAMFORD, Vt.  Conner Caron, 20, of North Adams, Mass., was pronounced dead at the scene of a motorcycle crash Thursday afternoon in Stamford, Vt., according to Vermont State Police.

The Bennington Banner reported that troopers from the Shaftsbury barracks were dispatched to the scene on VT Route 100 near Robillard Road around 3:47 p.m.

Police reported that a preliminary investigation indicated that a 2018 Jeep Cherokee, driven by Rita Bolognani of North Adams, was preparing to enter Vermont Route 100 from a side road connecting Robillard Road and VT Route 100.

As Bolognani neared the road's edge, Carons motorcycle struck the front driver's side area of the Jeep, causing Caron to be thrown from the vehicle. Bolognani was not injured in the incident.

Based on witness statements, police also reported that speed was a factor in the crash.

The Stamford Fire Department, Northern Berkshire EMS, and Vermont AOT were also on scene to assist with the investigation.

The accident is still under investigation.
This years MassKara Festival is about to get even more exciting as LIFT, the newest drink from Coca-Cola Philippines, joins the celebration with its first major festival activation. From October 17 to 19, festival-goers can visit the LIFT booth along Lacson Street and take on the brands signature Dare to Switch challenge, a call to embrace new experiences and celebrate every mode of life.

The booth will feature a lineup of fast-paced games and challenger activities designed to bring out everyones competitive side. Participants can race against the clock, beat high scores, and win exclusive prizes in true LIFT fashion: bold, confident, and always ready for whats next.

Visitors can also drop by for free samples of LIFT and join interactive mini-games throughout the weekend. Whether you are with your barkada, your team, or just exploring on your own, the LIFT booth promises a fun, high-spirited stop where you can unwind, play, and switch things up.

Do not miss the chance to Dare to Switch this MassKara. Visit the LIFT booth on Lacson Street, join the challenge, enjoy your free drink, and take part in the celebration.

Follow LIFT Philippines on Facebook and Instagram for updates and festival highlights.
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Taiwan has barred its officials, students and teachers from attending events in China marking the 80th anniversary of Taiwans retrocession to Chinese rule, accusing Beijing of twisting history to serve its political agenda.

Next Saturday marks eight decades since Japan gave up its control of Taiwan, a colony of Japan since 1895, bringing an end to 50 years of colonial rule and placing the island under the administration of the Republic of China (ROC) in 1945.

The handover, commonly referred to as Taiwans retrocession, followed Japans surrender at the close of Second World War and was at the time acknowledged by both Taipei and Beijing.

However, the two sides interpret the 1945 handover in sharply different ways. Taipei regards it as the restoration of Taiwan to the Republic of China  the government that fought alongside the Allies and accepted Japans surrender at the end of World War II.

At that time, the Republic of China was based on the mainland and recognised internationally as Chinas legitimate government.

Taiwan says it was the Republic of China that fought the war, not the People's Republic of China, which was founded by Mao Zedong's communists in 1949 after they won the civil war. The Republic of China government fled to Taipei and the Republic of China remains Taiwan's formal name.

Beijing, on the other hand, presents the event as proof that Taiwan rightfully belongs to the Peoples Republic of China. Beijing maintains that it alone inherited Chinas wartime legacy and that Taiwans status was conclusively determined by Japans surrender  a claim Taipei firmly rejects.

In a video statement, Chiu Chui-cheng, head of Taiwans mainland affairs council, said Beijing had repeatedly fabricated false narratives.

He said that in the events related to the retrocession, Beijing has sought to concoct the claim that Taiwan is part of the Peoples Republic of China.

The ultimate goal is to eliminate the Republic of China and annex Taiwan.

He said that the government has banned all officials, students, teachers and all others to put the national interest first and also not take part in the Chinese events.

While Beijing has not revealed its own commemorative plans, Taipei will mark 25 October instead with East Asias largest Pride march.

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office told reporters in Beijing that the retrocession marked a key outcome of Second World War and represented a shared victory for all Chinese people, including those in Taiwan.

Earlier in August this year, Taiwan also warned its entertainers not to echo Chinese propaganda ahead of Beijings 3 September Victory Day parade that marked the 80th anniversary of Japans defeat in Second World War.

The Mainland Affairs Council said Taiwanese celebrities working in China must avoid supporting Communist Party messaging or actions that belittle Taiwan or undermine the Republic of China (ROC).

It was also reported that authorities are investigating at least 20 Taiwanese entertainers for amplifying Chinese state media content or echoing remarks by mainland officials.

The probe stemmed from a March incident in which several high-profile figures  among them Ouyang Nana, Mark Chao, Patty Hou, Joe Chen, Michelle Chen and Jiro Wang  shared an image reading Taiwan must return to China, shortly after Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi asserted that Taiwan has never been a country and never will be.

Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province that must eventually be brought under its control  by force if needed  and has stepped up military pressure around the island since president William Lai Ching-te assumed office.

Although most nations, including the United States, do not formally recognise Taiwan as a sovereign country, Washington remains its key supporter, pledging to help the island defend itself and warning China against any military aggression.
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A Taiwanese airline has apologised after requesting paperwork related to a sick leave application from a deceased employee, triggering outrage in the country.

An Eva Air flight attendant, surnamed Sun, died on 10 October, days after falling ill during a flight from Milan to Taoyuan, Taiwan. The 34-year-old flight attendant was admitted to hospital after her condition worsened and later died.

An Eva Air representative reportedly sent a message to Suns phone on the day of her funeral, asking her to submit documents proving that she requested sick leave in late September, her family said.

The family said they sent a copy of Sun's death certificate.

Eva Air said it was deeply saddened by her death and offered its deepest apologies to her family, saying the incident occurred because a staff member was insufficiently familiar with their work duties.

Taiwanese authorities and the airline have launched an investigation into her death to determine whether she was denied medical help or discouraged from taking leave. Sun, who joined the airline in 2016, fell ill on 24 September during a flight to Eva Airs base in Taoyuan City and sought treatment at a nearby clinic before returning home.

She was admitted to Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital on 26 September and was later transferred to China Medical University Hospital in Taichung on 8 October when her condition deteriorated. She died two days later.

In a press conference on Friday, Eva Air president Sun Chia-Ming said "the departure of Ms Sun is the pain in our hearts forever".

"We will carry out the investigation [into her death] with the most responsible attitude," he said.

The case sparked anger in Taiwan after an online post by one of her colleagues revealed the airlines request and alleged that staff were overworked.

An anonymous user claiming to be a cabin crew member wrote: This was not some regrettable coincidence, but the result of systemic and long-term indifference to crew members health.

Her death has prompted protests, with cabin crew union members demanding reforms to leave policies.

The incident has also put a spotlight on the working conditions of aircrew and the airlines system of evaluating employees performance based on their use of personal or sick leave.

Several union members have protested outside the Legislative Yuan, holding white flowers and placards while shouting: Life is priceless; requesting leave is not a crime.
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US president Donald Trump has claimed that Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has agreed to halt the import of Russian oil, even as New Delhi has clarified that the discussions on the topic are ongoing.

Indias increasing import of Russian energy since the start of the war in Ukraine has emerged as one of the most contentious points in India-US relations under Mr Trumps second term. The US has directed its anger towards India for taking advantage of the discounted prices offered by Moscow, which Mr Trump claims have helped fund Vladimir Putins war efforts.

The Trump administration imposed secondary sanctions on India with a 50 per cent tariff on goods from the country as a punishment for Indias reliance on Russian energy, putting a strain on India-US ties for the first time in years.

Talking to reporters at the White House, Mr Trump said Mr Modi agreed to phase out the purchase of Russian oil during a conversation on Wednesday, which was previously not disclosed.

Mr Trump called it a big step and said India will halt imports "within a short period of time".

I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia, Mr Trump told reporters at the White House, referring to Mr Modi. Thats a big step. Now Ive got to get China to do the same thing.

Mr Trump added that India could not "immediately" halt shipments, calling it "a little bit of a process, but that process will be over soon".

The Indian foreign ministry did not confirm if it was complying with Mr Trumps demand, but said discussions have been ongoing.

Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said in Thursdays statement that Indias energy policies are guided by the need to safeguard consumer interests, ensure stable prices, and secure diversified supplies, and that no definitive decision on Russian oil imports has been announced.

India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective, Mr Jaiswal said.

Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy. This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions, the statement added.

Where the US is concerned, we have for many years sought to expand our energy procurement. This has steadily progressed in the last decade. The current Administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing, it said.

India, which is the worlds largest importer of oil, has become a major importer of Russian crude since the start of the war in 2022, from buying almost nothing before the invasion. India imported 1.62 million barrels per day in September, roughly one-third of the country's oil imports. However, China remains the largest buyer of Russian energy through both seaborne and pipeline imports.

India has accused Washington of singling out New Delhi as Mr Trump has largely avoided placing similar pressure on China.

Analysts believe that a US trade war with Beijing has complicated diplomatic efforts, with Mr Trump reluctant to risk further escalation by demanding a halt to Chinese energy imports from Russia. The US is now ramping up pressure on Japan to stop importing Russian energy.

Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, said he told Japanese finance minister Katsunobu Kato at a meeting in Washington that the Trump administration expects Japan to stop importing Russian energy.

"Minister Kato and I also discussed important issues pertaining to the US-Japan economic relationship and the Administration's expectation that Japan stop importing Russian energy," Mr Bessent said on X.

Tokyo has already pledged to phase out Russian oil imports as part of the G7s coordinated sanctions response to Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine. However, Japan continues to buy Sakhalin Blend crude  a byproduct of liquefied natural gas (LNG) production from the Sakhalin-2 project in Russias Far East. The energy source remains crucial for Japan, providing about 9 per cent of its total LNG imports, a key component of its energy security.

Japan will do what it can based on the basic principle of coordinating with G7 countries to achieve peace in Ukraine in a fair manner, Mr Kato told reporters when asked whether Japan was urged by Mr Bessent to stop importing Russian energy.
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The Indian foreign ministry has denied claims that prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump had a call in which New Delhi agreed to stop the import of Russian oil, once again signalling its reluctance to give in to pressure to reduce economic cooperation with Moscow.

In a weekly briefing of the Indian foreign ministry, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal denied that any conversation took place between the two leaders on the topic while refraining from making further comments.

I can say, to the best of my knowledge, that there was no conversation between prime minister Modi and president Trump yesterday, Mr Jaiswal said on Thursday as he fielded multiple questions on Mr Trumps claims.

It was the Indian governments second response after Mr Trump said Mr Modi assured me today that he will not purchase Russian oil, calling it a big step.

I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia, Mr Trump told reporters at the White House, referring to Mr Modi. Thats a big step. Now Ive got to get China to do the same thing.

Mr Trump added that India could not "immediately" halt shipments, calling it "a little bit of a process, but that process will be over soon".

Routes for Russian oil to India yo reach India, tankers bringing oil from Russia can either go from the Baltic Sea through the Danish Straits, Gibraltar and the Suez Canal, or from the Black Sea through the Bosphorus Strait and Suez Canal ( Datawrapper/The Independent )

The Indian government appeared to dismiss the assertions and said discussions were still ongoing with the US over its Russian oil purchases.

It said the current US administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India and talks are ongoing.

It added that Indias policy remains guided by efforts to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario given its huge reliance on import of oil and gas.

Russia on Thursday said it was confident of its energy partnership with India, saying it would continue.

"We continue to cooperate with our friendly partners," deputy prime minister Alexander Novak said, referring to India.

"Our energy resource is in demand, it's economically advantageous and practical, and I'm confident that our partners will continue to work with us, interact, and develop energy cooperation."

Under pressure from Western allies to reduce its reliance on Russian energy, India has tried to walk the diplomatic tightrope while maintaining its longstanding and historic ties with Russia.

Russia has been Indias largest defence supplier for decades, providing fighter jets, helicopters, submarines, and missile systems while energy ties have flourished since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.

Indias continued purchases of Russian crude oil shunned by Europe at steeply discounted prices, have caused distress between India-US relations under the Trump administration.

The Trump administration imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on imports of Indian goods, as a punishment for its import of Russian energy, taking the total levies to 50 per cent, one of the highest imposed on any country.
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Japan has recorded a record number of deaths from bear attacks this year, the environment ministry said amid mounting concern over another possible victim after a man went missing.

At least seven people have died in bear attacks since April, making it the largest toll since 2006, when the country started keeping a record of bear attack deaths.

Authorities fear a 60-year-old man, who went missing on Thursday while cleaning an outdoor hot spring bath, could be the latest victim of a bear attack. At least five others sustained injuries following attacks in Akita and Fukushima prefectures, Fuji Television network reported.

Bear sightings have been increasing across several parts of Japan in recent years, partly due to habitat loss and a shortage of food in the wild. Experts say the climate crisis and the rising temperature are also impacting the hibernation patterns of the animals.

Last week, a 1.4m adult bear was spotted entering a supermarket in Japan's Gunma region, north of Tokyo. More than 100 other people have been left with injuries, including bites and deep gashes from bear attacks, according to reports.

Earlier in October, a man in his 70s was found dead in the northern Iwate region after being attacked by the animal. His head and torso had been separated, local media reported. Two days later, the body of another man in his 70s was discovered in a forest in Iwate.

A woman in her 80s was taking a walk in Akita Prefecture when a bear pounced on her from behind, leaving her with facial injuries that required stitches.

"It was so sudden. I only remember the feeling that it was a bear. I won't go out by myself anymore. I don't know where a bear might appear, she was quoted by NHK World as saying.

Japan's environment ministry has previously issued advisories urging local governments to take preventive measures, such as installing warning signs and using noise deterrents.

It also loosened restrictions on shooting bears in residential areas in the wake of an alarming rise in bear attacks. Until now, hunters were banned from shooting at bears in densely populated areas without explicit police permission. Critics said this often slowed the response to dangerous situations.

The revised law, passed in April, grants municipal authorities the power to ask licensed hunters to cull or capture brown and black bears directly.

Japanese environment minister Keiichiro Asao last month said the government would "provide training, share case examples and offer financial support to ensure smooth implementation.

Japans local governments reported 3,032 bear sightings in April and May alone, about 500 more than in a typical year.
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A prosecutor in a special domestic tribunal in Bangladesh sought the death penalty for ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a case involving charges of crimes against humanity in a mass uprising last year that forced her to leave the country.

During the protests in July and August 2024, hundreds of people, including students, security officials and political activists, were killed in the weeks-long violence.

Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam, in his closing arguments to the International Crimes Tribunal in the capital, Dhaka, also called for former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan to be sentenced to death because of the gravity of his crimes.

In his closing, the prosecutor left a decision on the sentence for former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun up to the tribunal. Mr Al-Mamun, who is in custody, became a state witness against Hasina and had earlier pleaded guilty.

Ms Hasina has been in exile in India after fleeing the country on 5 August last year. More proceedings are needed to complete the trial before a verdict is rendered.

Hasina did not appoint any lawyers to represent her, and she had earlier rejected the trial process as a kangaroo court.

The next proceedings will be held Monday. A state-appointed counsel for Hasina has sought a week to present his arguments.

Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus took over as the head of an interim government three days after Hasinas fall. Dr Yunus vowed to punish Hasina and banned the activities of her Awami League party.

Islam in his arguments called Hasina the mastermind and principal architect behind the crimes against humanity committed during the uprising.

The United Nations in a February report said up to 1,400 people may have been killed in the violence, while the countrys health adviser under the interim government said more than 800 people were killed and about 14,000 were injured.

Hasina and her party have raised questions about the figures and demanded independent investigations.

Referring to the UN figures, Islam said Thursday that if each of the 1,400 deaths were to be punished separately, Hasina should get 1,400 death sentences.

He told the tribunal that Hasina personally ordered the killings. No immediate reaction from Ms Hasinas party was available.

Thursdays development came as tensions mount in Bangladeshi politics over the indictments of 25 former and serving military officials, including some former heads of a powerful military intelligence unit.

They have been indicted in three separate cases that include charges of enforced disappearances during Hasina's 15-year rule.

The military said Sunday that 15 officers were taken in custody and kept in a jail inside the Dhaka Cantonment, where army headquarters are located.

Many of the suspected officials are believed to have left the country.

Dr Yunus has said repeatedly that an election would be held in February to hand over power to a democratically elected government. Hasinas Awami League party has little chance to join the race as its activities have remained banned.
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Three Australians accused of fatally shooting a fellow countryman in Bali are facing the prospect of the death penalty after being charged with premeditated murder.

Darcy Francesco Jenson, 27, Mevlut Coskun, 22, and Tupou Pasa I Midolmore, 26, are accused of planning and executing the killing of Zivan Radmanovic, according to Badung police chief Arif Batubara.

We have officially handed over the suspects and evidence to prosecutors today, Mr Arif said on Wednesday, according to the Jakarta Post.

Sutrisno Margi Utama, the head of the Badung prosecutors office, said the three Australians will be charged for premeditated murder and for the illegal possession of firearms. "The suspects will remain in detention at Kerobokan Prison while awaiting trial, he added.

Radmanovic, a 32-year-old from Melbourne, was killed just after midnight on 13 June at a villa near Munggu Beach in Balis Badung district. A second man, a 34-year-old from Melbourne, was beaten up.

Police earlier said they had detained two suspects, but further investigation led police to arrest a third man who allegedly helped them prepare the killing.

Witnesses at the villa told investigators that two gunmen arrived on a scooter at the villa around midnight. Radmanovic was shot in a bathroom of his room, where police found 17 bullet casings and two intact bullets.

The crime scene investigation and surveillance cameras showed that the two suspects were the shooters, Bali police chief Daniel Adityajaya told reporters. The third suspect helped the others by buying a hammer used to break down the villa door, renting two cars and three motorcycles and buying ferry and bus tickets to flee the island, he added.

Radmanovics wife, Gourdeas Jazmyn, 30, told police that she suddenly woke up when she heard her husband screaming. She cowered under a blanket when she heard multiple gunshots.

She later found her husbands body and the other injured Australian, whose wife also testified to seeing the attackers.

One of the suspects was caught at Jakartas Soekarno Hatta international airport on 16 June, and the following day the other two were arrested with the help of Interpol, in Singapore and Cambodia, and sent back to Indonesia.

Police have not yet revealed a motive for the shooting. If convicted of premeditated murder, the three could potentially face the death penalty under Indonesian law.
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Cambodias senate president Hun Sen has accused Thailand of broadcasting high-pitched ghost sounds along the disputed border after the countrys human rights commission urged the UN to investigate what it described as psychological warfare.

Hun Sen, the former prime minister, said Cambodias human rights commission had written to the UN to investigate the intense, high-pitched noises that were causing anxiety and discomfort among people living near the border.

Pre-recorded and high-decibel sounds of ghosts, wailing children, howling dogs, rattling chains, and roaring helicopters have been blasted through loudspeakers at night since 10 October, according to human rights organisations.

It comes after Cambodia and Thailand agreed to a ceasefire along their disputed border following talks in Malaysia in July, ending the worst border clashes between the two armies in a decade that killed nearly 40 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.

On Thursday, Mr Hun Sen shared a letter dated 11 October from the commission to the UN high commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk.

open image in gallery Thai police with shields standing next to barbed wire in a disputed area along the Cambodia-Thailand border in Sa Kaeo province ( Royal Thai Army )

The letter said the tactic was a grave violation of human rights involving the use of disturbing sounds as a form of psychological intimidation and harassment along the border between the two countries.

These sounds, described as intense, high-pitched noises lasting for prolonged periods, have disrupted sleep, provoked anxiety and caused physical discomfort among residents, including women, children, the elderly, the sick and persons with disabilities, it said.

Mr Hun Sen said he had spoken with Malaysias deputy prime minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to inform him about the alleged noise campaign.

He expressed his gratitude to Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim for helping to broker the ceasefire, but said the situation along the border remained tense.

open image in gallery Thai army and police (bottom) facing Cambodian people in a disputed area along the Cambodia-Thailand border, as seen from Sa Kaeo province ( Royal Thai Army )

Child Rights Coalition Cambodia said the relentless noise campaign by Thailand is having an adverse impact on childrens mental health, leading to symptoms of trauma and anxiety.

First, it affects childrens mental health. When there is noise  especially frightening and unsafe sounds  it disrupts their sleep. Loud and scary noises often cause children to have nightmares and panic attacks at night, Yan Lay, executive director of the organisation said.

These disruptions also impact childrens daily education. Many are afraid to go to school in the morning or evening. When they are scared, they cannot focus on their studies, he added.

Kannawat Pongpaibulwech, a self-proclaimed Thai crusader and influencer, has claimed responsibility for blasting the loud sounds along the border, according to The Nation, with the permission of the Thai Army overseeing border security.

He said his aim was to drive out Cambodian settlers encroaching into Thai territory, according to the report.

The five days of clashes in July saw both sides trade artillery fire and air strikes along contested stretches of their 817km border. It was their deadliest border conflict in more than a decade.

The violence began at a flashpoint near the ancient Ta Moan Thom temple in Thailands Surin province, and quickly spread to other disputed areas. Cambodian officials accused Thailand of launching air strikes and dropping bombs on roads inside its territory.

A truce, brokered by Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, was reached on 28 July after US president Donald Trump said he had spoken to the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia.
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Nearly 500 companies have been fined by the government for failing to pay employees the legally mandated minimum wage.

Among the 491 employers identified by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) for underpaying staff over several years are Centrica, owner of British Gas, Holland & Barrett, and EG Group.

These breaches of labour law have resulted in a combined fine of 10.2 million for the implicated firms. The underpayments involved wages falling short of either the national minimum wage or the national living wage, the latter applying for those aged 21 and over.

In total, around 42,000 people have been repaid by their employers after being left out of pocket, the DBT said.

EG Group short-changed its workers the most, according to the governments latest investigation of pay between 2018 and 2023.

The company, which was co-founded by the billionaire Issa Brothers, but who have since stepped back from leading the firm, failed to pay 824,384 to 3,317 workers.

This meant individual employees were underpaid about 250 on average.

open image in gallery Centrica, which owns British Gas, is among the list of companies that have been fined ( (Alamy/PA) )

The company has significantly reduced the size of its UK operations over the past year, selling its UK petrol forecourts business and Cooplands bakeries. It still runs Starbucks franchise stores across the UK.

Another in the top 10 was Centrica, which owns British Gas, having failed to pay 167,815 to 356 workers  amounting to about 460 on average.

High street retailers Go Outdoors and Holland & Barrett were also identified by the DBT in its latest naming round.

Go Outdoors was number seven on the list, owing 240,106 to 2,058 workers.

Holland & Barrett was ninth, having failed to pay 153,079 to 2,551 employees.

The national living wage was 11.44 in the year to the end of March, and has risen to 12.21 since April.

The minimum wage for 18-20-year-olds rose to 10 this year, and for apprentices and those aged under 18 it rose to 7.55.

The DBT released a list of more than 500 employers in June that underpaid workers between 2015 and 2022, including Pizza Express, Lidl and British Airways.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said: Every worker deserves a fair days pay for a fair days work, and this government will not tolerate rogue employers who short-change their staff.

open image in gallery Business Secretary Peter Kyle ( Getty Images )

I know that no employer wants to end up on one of these lists. But our Plan to Make Work Pay cracks down on those not playing by the rules.

A spokeswoman for Holland & Barrett said: Holland & Barrett has been named by the government under the National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme, following a historic issue dating back to 20152021 which was fully resolved in 2022.

This was not a case of deliberate underpayment. The issue stemmed from legacy practices such as requiring team members to wear specific shoes, unpaid training completed at home, and time spent preparing for shifts at our Burton distribution site.

All arrears  totalling around 150,000 across the six-year period  were repaid in full once identified, and we acted swiftly to upgrade processes and systems.

While we respect the transparency of the scheme, we are disappointed that naming has occurred over three years after the matter was settled.

EG Group, Centrica and Go Outdoors have been contacted for comment.
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Leading scientists are advocating for annual prostate cancer screening for men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.

Experts at the London-based Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) state that the significantly elevated risk for these individuals justifies such preventative checks.

The ICR team has focused on identifying those most susceptible to the disease, thereby highlighting candidates for targeted examinations.

This recommendation comes as the UK National Screening Committee reviews evidence for a broader prostate cancer screening programme, prompted by calls for annual tests for all men, or those at highest risk.

At present, there is no national screening programme owing to concerns the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is not reliable enough and can lead to men undergoing invasive tests and being treated for cancers that will not harm them.

However, it is known that BRCA gene mutations are linked to a higher chance of developing prostate cancer at a younger age and in a more aggressive form.

Of 100 men with a BRCA2 variant, for example, between 21 and 35 of them will develop prostate cancer before the age of 80, research has found.

open image in gallery Men with the BRCA1 genetic fault are more than three times as likely to have aggressive prostate cancers compared with people without the fault. ( Getty Images )

Back in 2019, the ICR team said men with BRCA2 mutations have such a high risk of aggressive prostate cancers that they should be offered annual PSA testing.

Now, their latest study findings, presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Berlin, suggest men with BRCA1 mutations should also be offered an annual PSA test.

The Impact study, which is funded by Cancer Research UK, the ICR and others, assessed the potential benefits of PSA testing in men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations at 65 centres in 20 different countries around the world.

It found that men with the BRCA1 genetic fault were more than three times as likely to have aggressive prostate cancers compared with people without the fault.

The study found there was no difference in age of diagnosis, or the risk of developing prostate cancer, for BRCA1 carriers compared with non-carriers.

The new results also point to the risk of prostate cancer in BRCA2 carriers being more than double than in non-carriers, from 1.4% to 3.1%.

Meanwhile, the average age of diagnosis is 60 for carriers, compared with 65 for non-carriers.

open image in gallery Ccientists are calling for guidance to be updated so that both BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers can receive annual PSA testing. ( Getty Images )

The ICR team said that while more accurate prostate cancer tests  such as a saliva test to detect genetic risk of cancer  are being trialled, targeted screening using a PSA test for those at highest risk could significantly improve early detection of the disease.

The scientists are also calling for guidance to be updated so that both BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers can receive annual PSA testing.

Ros Eeles, professor of oncogenetics at the ICR, who led the study, said: Our research shows that men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations face a significantly higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

Until more accurate diagnostic tests become available, targeted PSA screening in this high-risk group could detect these cancers earlier, when treatment is more effective.

We are urging regulatory bodies to act on the evidence and update current guidance so that all men from 40 years with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation are offered annual PSA testing.

We are expecting an update to this guidance soon, and we hope to see the inclusion of BRCA carriers in any targeted screening programme, to give these men more control over their health and improve timely diagnosis.

The study offered annual PSA testing to more than 3,000 men for five years.

open image in gallery The average age of diagnosis is 60 for carriers of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. ( Getty Images )

When looking at more widespread population screening, scientists and charities seem to be divided on the issue.

Evidence suggests PSA levels can rise for many reasons, including simple infections, and 75% of people with a raised PSA do not have prostate cancer.

A raised level can mean men are referred for unnecessary biopsies or MRI, or treated for tumours that may never cause harm.

The PSA test can also miss aggressive cancer. Evidence suggests around 15% of people with a normal result may actually have prostate cancer.

Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: These exciting findings confirm that annual PSA blood tests would enable men with the BRCA gene variant to find aggressive prostate cancers at an earlier, curable stage. Its important evidence that men at the highest risk of this disease would benefit from screening.

Three years ago, Prostate Cancer UK submitted evidence to the UK National Screening Committee that made the case for screening men with a family history of prostate cancer and black men  we await their decision.

Were proud that Prostate Cancer UK has funded Professor Eeles work for many years  and that she is now one of the lead researchers on our 42m Transform screening trial, which will find the missing evidence and new tests needed to build a safe and effective screening programme for all men.
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Fake versions of highly sought-after weight-loss jabs are being sold illegally on social media, an investigation has found.

Retatrutide, seen as the King Kong of weight-loss drugs, works twice as fast as existing drugs to help people lose weight, according to early studies.

The drug is being developed by Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical giant behind Mounjaro, but Retatrutide is still in clinical trials and has not yet been licensed for use anywhere in the world.

Yet on major social platforms such as Facebook and TikTok, people are selling weight-loss injections they claim are Retatrutide.

open image in gallery Weight loss jabs are being illegally sold on social media platforms, an investigation has found ( Getty/iStock )

An investigation by Channel 4 News exposed how easily an undercover reporter was able to buy and collect a fake version of the drug.

When pushed by the reporter, the seller falsely claimed the injections were obtained from a pharmacy and are available on the NHS. The reporter was also given conflicting instructions about how many times she should use the jabs per week.

The investigation found that two companies were selling fake or illicit versions of weight-loss drugs. Eli Lilly said it is taking action against the companies. The Independent has contacted both for comment.

open image in gallery Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace said she was in torture after taking fake weight-loss jab ( Getty )

Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace, a former Big Brother housemate, said she lost vision in one eye after she took a copy of a weight-loss drug she bought on TikTok.

When she received her package containing the jabs, she said it had no guidance, no instructions.

She told Channel 4: There were bags of vomit just lined up by my bed. I couldnt make it to the toilet. It was just literally the worst time of my life physically. My vision had gone in one eye. I thought, thats it. Im either gonna die or Im gonna be blind. It was just torture.

open image in gallery Sales of weight-loss jabs Mounjaro and Wegovy reached 2.5 million in July this year ( PA )

When shown one of the illegal jab packages, Dr Nancy Allen, an NHS GP who prescribes licensed weight-loss medications, said she had never seen it before, and expressed serious concerns about patient safety.

Sales of fat-fighting jabs Mounjaro and Wegovy reached 2.5 million in July, seven times more than the same period last year, according to figures seen by The Telegraph.

The Ozempic-style drugs are set to be made widely available on the NHS under plans drafted by Wes Streeting, but they are currently rare on a free prescription and many people are choosing to go private.

The popularity of the jabs has soared over the past year as they are increasingly being used to tackle obesity. Around 4 per cent of households in the UK currently use them.

Following the investigation, both TikTok and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, removed the content.

Meta added that it is constantly working to get better at detection.

TikTok has also banned associated hashtags and search suggestions, and pointed to its community guidelines, which it said are clear that we don't allow trading, marketing, or providing access to regulated, prohibited, or high-risk goods and services. It added: This includes regulated substances such as products marketed for weight loss or muscle gain.

A statement from Eli Lilly said: Retatrutide is an investigational molecule that is legally available only to participants in Lillys clinical trials. Anyone purporting to sell Retatrutide for human use is breaking the law, and no one should consider taking anything claiming to be retatrutide outside of a Lilly-sponsored clinical trial.

The programme, called Inside the black market for illegal weight-loss jabs, aired on Channel 4 News on Wednesday night.
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The number of drug overdose deaths has soared to a 32-year high, including a fourfold increase in lives lost after taking synthetic drugs up to 100 times more potent than heroin.

Official figures show 5,565 people died from drug poisoning in England and Wales in 2024, the highest since records began in 1993.

This includes 195 people who died after taking lethal new synthetic opioids called nitazenes, which it is feared are flooding the British drugs market. This is up from just 52 deaths linked to the substances in 2023.

Drug experts have branded the figures a national scandal and called for urgent government action to bring deaths down.

open image in gallery 150,000 nitazene tablets were seized in one police raid in 2023 ( Metropolitan Police )

Mike Trace, CEO of the Forward Trust and former government drug czar, told The Independent: Every year these drug-related death figures should be a national scandal.

He noted the number of lives lost is almost four times those killed in road traffic accidents, yet successive governments have shown inertia over harm reduction reform.

He said the Scottish government has pursued a mission to bring down these death rates, but Westminster remains relatively silent on the problem.

The government needs to take these figures much more seriously and take action to bring deaths down, he said, adding that leaders are often squeamish about adopting policies to help ensure active drug users can seek advice and support to prevent overdose.

While historically drug-related deaths were dominated by heroin overdoses, there is now a wider cocktail of drugs involved.

He fears the number of deaths recorded as linked to novel synthetic substances like nitazenes could be the tip of the iceberg due to inquest delays and testing only just catching up.

The nature of these new synthetic substances means there are many more ways to get them into the country and even produce them in the country, he said.

The biggest risk is they are much higher potency. Its that potency which is the main driver of the death rate.

open image in gallery Claire Rocha with her late son, Dylan ( Claire Rocha )

Last year, grieving mother Claire Rocha told The Independent the drugs were a ticking time bomb after her son Dylan unwittingly took a substance laced with isotonitazene - a type of nitazene which is up to 500 times stronger than morphine.

The talented musician died aged just 21 in July 2021, in what is thought to have been one of the first deaths linked to nitazenes in Britain.

The Office for National Statistics, which published the latest figures, warned that some of the data is incomplete because in around a fifth of cases, no information is provided about the specific drug or drugs involved on a death registration form.

It added that because of delays, around half of the deaths registered in 2024 will have occurred in previous years.

Those aged between 40 and 49 were most at risk, with an average age of 45.5 years for men and 48.5 years for women.

Heroin and other opiates or opioids were a factor for the most deaths, having been linked to 2,621 deaths in 2024, up 2.7 per cent on the previous year.

Deaths linked to cocaine, Britains second most-used drug, were also up 14.4 per cent on the previous year, with 1,279 registered in 2024.

open image in gallery Nitazenes have also been detected in counterfeit diazepam pills, a drug testing service found ( Wedinos )

Sir Richard Branson, who is a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, said the figures show a national crisis worsened by dangerous synthetic opioids like nitazenes.

Not every drug death is preventable, but the vast majority are, the Virgin founder said. Yet the UK government continues to ignore the evidence.

He called for a radical shift to focus on harm reduction measures such as drug checking services and medically supervised drug consumption rooms. Only one such facility, The Thistle in Glasgow, exists in the UK.

The charity Turning Point, which helps people with substance abuse problems, called for increased availability of medication to be given in the event of opioid overdoses.

Its chief operating officer Clare Taylor said: Synthetic opioids continue to flow into the market.

Lab-produced opioids pose a significant risk to life due to their potency and this is reflected in the fact that deaths related to nitazenes have increased fourfold compared to the previous year.

We would like to see continuing efforts to increase the availability of naloxone, a lifesaving medication which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: This government is committed to cutting the number of drug-related deaths through treatment, advice and support and focusing on those deprived areas suffering most.

This week we launched a new campaign to alert young people to the dangers of ketamine, counterfeit medicines and contaminated vapes.

Through mission-driven government, we will continue to work with partners across health, policing and wider public services to drive down drug use, reduce harms and build a fairer Britain for all.
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Three Nazi-worshipping extremists have been jailed for up to 11 years for planning terrorist attacks on mosques and synagogues.

Christopher Ringrose, 35, Marco Pitzettu, 25, and Brogan Stewart, 25, were preparing to use more than 200 weapons they had amassed, including machetes, swords, crossbows and an illegal stun gun, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

Ringrose had also 3D-printed most of the components of a semi-automatic firearm at the time of his arrest and was trying to get the remaining parts.

On Friday, Stewart was jailed for 11 years, Ringrose for 10 years and Pitzettu for eight years by a judge who said she believed they all continued to adhere to their extreme right-wing ideology. The trio are not believed to have met in the real world before they appeared together in the dock.

The judge, Mrs Justice Cutts, outlined how the online group the trio belonged to was preparing for an attack on an Islamic Education Centre in Leeds before they were arrested by counter-terror police.

open image in gallery Court artist sketch of Brogan Stewart, Christopher Ringrose and Marco Pitzettu ( PA )

In May, a jury rejected claims the defendants were fantasists with no intention of carrying out their threats and found Ringrose, of Cannock, Staffordshire, Pitzettu, of Mickleover, Derbyshire, and Stewart, of Tingley, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, guilty of a charge of preparing acts of terrorism and charges of collecting information likely to be useful to a person preparing or committing an act of terrorism.

Ringrose was also convicted of manufacturing a prohibited weapon.

The judge said she believed each of the defendants would be dangerous after their release from prison and gave them extended sentences, with additional licence periods.

She said the trios ideology was laid bare in a 374-page dossier of internet activity put before the jury.

The judge said: These pages were filled with hate towards black and other non-white races, especially Muslim people and immigrants, with ideas of white supremacy and racial purity together with a belief that there must soon be a race war.

She said this was coupled with the glorification and admiration of the policies and actions of Hitler and the German Nazi Party, including antisemitism, and of mass killers who had targeted black or Muslim communities.

open image in gallery Marco Pitzettu's crossbow ( Counter Terrorism Policing North East )

The nine-week-long trial heard how the defendants formed an online group called Einsatz 14 in January 2024, with like-minded extremists who wanted to go to war for their chosen cause.

The jury was also shown a short video Stewart posted of himself wearing a German army helmet, a Nazi armband and a skull face covering.

Prosecutors explained how Stewart discussed torturing a Muslim leader using his information extraction kit with an undercover officer.

Stewart called himself Fuhrer of the Einsatz 14 group and appointed an undercover officer called Blackheart as the Obergruppenfuhrer, which the other two defendants also joined.

Stewart developed a mission statement for the group, which said its basic duties included to target mosques, Islamic education centres and other similar locations.

And he sent Blackheart details of the Islamic Education Centre on Mexborough Road in Leeds, including a Google Maps image.

The officer asked Stewart for more detailed information about the plan and he replied that they could smash windows or ambush someone, the court heard.

According to prosecutors, Stewart said: It depends how far we are willing to go. It could be a beating with batons and bats or something more serious.
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Palestine Action can proceed with a legal challenge against the government over the groups ban as a terror organisation, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

Founder Huda Ammori took legal action against former home secretary Yvette Coopers decision to proscribe the group under anti-terror laws.

The ban, which began on 5 July, made supporting the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Around 2,000 protesters have so far been arrested and face possible charges under the Terrorism Act for defying the controversial ban in a series of major demonstrations.

Ms Ammori was initially granted permission to launch a judicial review by Mr Justice Chamberlain, after finding that two parts of her case were reasonably arguable.

However, in September, the Home Office brought a challenge against this decision to the Court of Appeal in London.

Barristers for the Home Office argued Ms Ammori should bring her legal challenge to the home secretary and then the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC), rather than the High Court for a judicial review.

open image in gallery Nearly 500 people were arrested for supporting Palestine Action in a vigil staged in Trafalgar Square earlier this month ( PA Wire )

Lawyers for Ms Ammori insisted the POAC was not the only suitable place to challenge the lawfulness of a ban.

On Friday, the Home Offices bid to halt the judicial review was dismissed in a ruling by Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, which Ms Ammori hailed as a landmark victory for her case.

Baroness Carr concluded: Judicial review would be a quicker means of challenging the order proscribing Palestine Action than applying to deproscribe.

Judicial review would enable the High Court to give an authoritative judgment on whether or not it was lawful to proscribe Palestine Action.

That judgment could then be relied on in criminal courts hearing charges against any person arrested in connection with their support of Palestine Action.

Following the judges ruling, Ms Ammori said: The Court of Appeal has rightly rejected Yvette Coopers attempt to block a legal review of her absurdly authoritarian ban, while granting us additional grounds on which to challenge it.

open image in gallery Police officers at a Palestine Action protest earlier in October ( PA )

This is a landmark victory: not only against one of the most extreme attacks on civil liberties in recent British history, but for the fundamental principle that government ministers can and must be held accountable when they act unlawfully.

In a 37-page judgment, Baroness Carr, sitting with Lord Justice Edis and Lord Justice Lewis, said the process of applying for deproscription and appealing against a refusal at POAC is intended to deal with another situation.

Baroness Carr said the process is not intended to be a means of challenging the initial decision to proscribe and does not provide for the removal of the consequences of an initial decision to proscribe an organisation.

She added: We consider that the fact that judicial review would be a more expeditious means of challenging the order, given the public importance of the issues raised, and, in particular, the fact that persons were facing convictions for acting in ways made criminal as a consequence of the order, justified using judicial review rather than the process of applying for an order to remove Palestine Action from the list of proscribed organisations.

open image in gallery Many of those detained during the Palestine Action protests needed to be carried from Trafalgar Square ( Reuters )

Almost 500 peaceful protesters were hauled away by police for holding placards declaring I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action at the most recent demonstration against the ban in Trafalgar Square earlier this month, bringing the total arrested to roughly 2,000.

On Thursday, Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said building cases against so many protesters is placing a big burden on counterterrorism officers. At least 138 have so far been charged under the Terrorism Act.

Protest organisers Defend Our Juries have promised a major escalation in their campaign ahead of the judicial review on 25 November, after Shabana Mahmood announced a further crackdown on large, repeated protests.
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An immigration barrister could face a disciplinary probe after a judge ruled he used AI tools such as ChatGPT to prepare his legal research.

A tribunal heard that a judge was left baffled when Chowdhury Rahman presented his submissions, which included citing cases that were entirely fictitious or wholly irrelevant.

A judge found that Mr Rahman had also attempted to hide this when questioned, and wasted the tribunals time.

The incident occurred while Mr Rahman was representing two Honduran sisters who were claiming asylum in the UK on the basis that they were being targeted by a violent criminal gang called Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).

After arriving at Heathrow airport in June 2022, they claimed asylum and said during screening interviews that the gang had wanted them to be their women.

They had also claimed that gang members had threatened to kill their families, and had been looking for them since they departed the country.

One of the authorities cited to support his case had previously been wrongly deployed by ChatGPT ( AP )

In November 2023, the Home Office refused their asylum claim, stating that their accounts were inconsistent and unsupported by documentary evidence.

They appealed the matter to the first-tier tribunal, but the application was dismissed by a judge who did not accept that the appellants were the targets of adverse attention from MS-13.

It was then appealed to the Upper Tribunal, with Mr Rahman acting as their barrister. During the hearing, he argued that the judge had failed to adequately assess credibility, made an error of law in assessing documentary evidence, and failed to consider the impact of internal relocation.

However, these claims were similarly rejected by Judge Mark Blundell, who dismissed the appeal and ruled that nothing said by Mr Rahman orally or in writing establishes an error of law on the part of the judge.

However, in a postscript under the judgment, Judge Blundell made reference to significant problems that had arisen from the appeal, regarding Mr Rahmans legal research.

Of the 12 authorities cited in the appeal, the judge discovered upon reading that some did not even exist, and that others did not support the propositions of law for which they were cited in the grounds.

Upon investigating this, he found that Mr Rahman appeared unfamiliar with legal search engines and was consistently unable to grasp where to direct the judge in the cases he had cited.

Mr Rahman said that he had used various websites to conduct his research, with the judge noting that one of the cases cited had recently been wrongly deployed by ChatGPT in another legal case.

Judge Blundell noted that, given Mr Rahman had appeared to know nothing about any of the authorities he had cited, some of which did not exist, all of his submissions were therefore misleading.

It is overwhelmingly likely, in my judgment, that Mr Rahman used generative Artificial Intelligence to formulate the grounds of appeal in this case, and that he attempted to hide that fact from me during the hearing, Judge Blundell said.

He has been called to the Bar of England and Wales, and it is simply not possible that he misunderstood all of the authorities cited in the grounds of appeal to the extent that I have set out above.

He concluded that he was now considering reporting Mr Rahman to the Bar Standards Board.
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Ferrari has reduced the number of cars it sells in the UK after wealthy residents are leaving the country following the scrapping of the non-dom tax status.

In a bid to prevent a decline in the residual value of the luxury Italian cars, Ferrari said it began limiting the number of vehicles it exported to the UK six months ago.

Benedetto Vigna, the chief executive of the carmaker, said the company had seen a stabilisation in sales following the reduction of vehicles allocated to the UK.

Some people are getting out of that country for tax reasons, he told the Financial Times, but added that there are many different factors for a decline in residual values.

Maybe when you sell to the UK, that car cannot be sold somewhere else [because of its right-hand wheel], he said.

open image in gallery Benedetto Vigna, the chief executive of Ferrari, says company has seen a stablisation following reduction of vehicles sent to UK ( PA )

Non-domiciled means UK residents whose permanent home, or their domicile for tax purposes, is outside the UK. This meant that so-called non-doms paid tax in the UK only on income generated in the UK, meaning any income earned overseas was exempt from British taxation.

However, Labour abolished the non-dom tax status in April following backlash that wealthy residents could enjoy the benefits of living in the UK without paying as much tax.

The UK has experienced its most significant drop in billionaires ever recorded, according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2025. This year's list marks the steepest decline in the Rich List's 37-year history- from 165 billionaires to 156- coinciding with Labour's crackdown on the non-dom tax status.

But chancellor Rachel Reeves has denied allegations that the UK is losing wealthy residents due to the tax change.

She told The Guardian earlier this week that such talk was just scaremongering, adding: This is a brilliant country and people want to live here.

open image in gallery Rachel Reeves denies claims UK is losing wealthy residents following tax change ( PA Wire )

However, she also underscored that the wealthy would be taxed more heavily in next months Budget.

Last week, Ferrari raised its 2025 financial forecast despite facing 15 per cent tariffs on foreign car imports to the US, as it unveiled the new powertrain and chassis of its first fully electric production vehicle.

Under the carmakers new five-year plan, 40 per cent of the product lineup will be the brands core internal combustion engines, 40 per cent will be hybrid and 20 per cent will be electric by 2030, with an average of four new launches a year in the period.

The new business plan calls for more models with lower volumes of each.
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Prince Andrew has been forced to finally relinquish all his remaining titles  including the Duke of York  following another week of damaging scandal under pressure from his older brother, King Charles.

The prince is handing back all the remaining honours he clung onto despite being stripped of his HRH title and public duties by his mother, the late queen.

It comes just days before the publication of a memoir by Andrews late alleged victim, Virginia Giuffre, to whom he paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case, and after revelations he had held three meetings with a senior Chinese Communist Party official at the heart of the China spy case scandal.

Andrew will remain a prince, as he has been since birth.

His ex-wife, Sarah, with whom he still lives in a sprawling house near Windsor, will return to plain Sarah Ferguson  as she was prior to their royal wedding in 1986.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, Andrew said that in discussion with the King and his immediate and wider family, it had been decided that the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family.

I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first, he said. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

Andrew will retain the dukedom, which can only be removed by an act of parliament, but not use it.

He will also give up his knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) and his Garter role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

open image in gallery Andrew with Cai Qi, the alleged spymaster at the heart of the collapsed China spy case ( Foreign Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal Peoples Government )

Prince Andrew held meetings in 2018 and 2019 with Cai Qi, currently the first-ranked member of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and de facto chief of staff to Xi Jinping.

Mr Cai was suspected of being the recipient of sensitive information allegedly passed to China by two British nationals accused of spying for Beijing.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped charges against suspected spies Christopher Berry and Christopher Cash last month, citing a lack of evidence. Both have denied any wrongdoing.

Prince Andrew met the senior CCP figure at least three times, according to The Telegraph, in both London and Beijing during the time period when Mr Berry and Mr Cash were allegedly recruited for espionage.

Meanwhile, an extract from the posthumous memoir of Virginia Giuffre, published on Wednesday by The Guardian, alleged that she had three separate encounters with the prince.

Ms Giuffre settled a sexual assault lawsuit against Andrew, who has always vehemently denied any wrongdoing, in February 2022. Ms Giuffre died earlier this year.

open image in gallery A picture purporting to show Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and Jeffrey Epsteins confidante Ghislaine Maxwell ( DOJ )

Giuffre described the prince in the book, Nobodys Girl: A Memoir Of Surviving Abuse And Fighting For Justice, as friendly enough, but entitled as she had sex with him on various occasions, including while staying at the house of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins former girlfriend, near Hyde Park, London, in March 2001.

The extract states: Maxwell woke me up that morning by announcing in a sing-songy voice: Get out of bed, sleepyhead! It was going to be a special day, she said. Just like Cinderella, I was going to meet a handsome prince!

Andrew will also no longer use titles given to him on his wedding day  the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh.

He stepped down from public life six years ago in 2019 after his disastrous Newsnight interview in which he said he did not regret his friendship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who had trafficked Ms Giuffre.

He was heavily criticised for failing to show sympathy with the sex offenders victims.
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Laurence Foxs libel claim after he was called a racist on social media is set to face a retrial, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

In a decision on Friday, Lord Justice Warby said that the tweets caused serious harm to his reputation and his libel claim should be reconsidered at a retrial.

It comes after the actor, who is now a right-wing political activist, lost his recent libel appeal over social media posts where he called two people paedophiles in a row over Black History Month.

Mr Fox was sued by now-Stonewall chief executive Simon Blake and drag artist Crystal over the exchange on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Mr Fox, 47, called Mr Blake and the former RuPauls Drag Race contestant, whose real name is Colin Seymour, paedophiles in an exchange about a decision by Sainsburys to mark Black History Month in October 2020.

Mr Fox called for a boycott of the supermarket and was called a racist by the men, as well as broadcaster Nicola Thorp, before he responded with the paedophile tweets, which led to the libel claims.

open image in gallery Simon Blake (left), Nicola Thorp and Colin Seymour (right) attending the trial in November 2023 ( PA )

During the trial, Mr Seymour, who is Canadian, said he had faced overwhelming and distressing abuse after the tweet, while Mr Blake said the false suggestion that all gay men were paedophiles was a trope as old as the hills.

In two judgments in 2024, Mrs Justice Collins Rice ruled in favour of Mr Blake and Mr Seymour, and said Mr Fox should pay them 90,000 each in damages.

The judge dismissed Mr Foxs counterclaims against them and Ms Thorp over tweets accusing him of racism.

Mr Fox then challenged this decision at the Court of Appeal in London, where his lawyers described the previous judges decision as plainly wrong.

Patrick Green KC, for Mr Fox, said in written submissions that the judgment which found Mr Fox had libelled the men should be quashed because of errors of approach by the judge, including over whether Mr Blake and Mr Seymour were caused serious harm.

The barrister added that Mrs Justice Collins Rice had wrongly decided damages for the men, who, with Ms Thorp, opposed the appeal.

open image in gallery Fox had made the remarks in a dispute over Black History Month in October 2020 ( PA )

He said that in one of her rulings, the judge ignores the actual words used, or their all-important context.

Adrienne Page KC, for Mr Blake, Mr Seymour and Ms Thorp, said in written submissions that Mr Foxs appeal was lacking in merit.

She later said: Whichever way one looks at it, the judge was fully entitled to reach the factual conclusions that she did on the serious, real-world, reputational impact of the appellants tweets, for the reasons which she gave.

There was nothing wrong with her analysis in fact or law.

After very careful and conscientious evaluation, the judge was, unsurprisingly, not persuaded of this on the facts.

And in a decision on Friday, Lord Justice Dingemans, Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing and Lord Justice Warby ruled in Mr Foxs favour on his counterclaims and the level of damages.

Lord Justice Warby said that the amount of damages Mr Fox was ordered to pay to Mr Blake and Mr Seymour was manifestly excessive, halving both sums to 45,000.

Lord Justice Warby said: I am acutely aware of the need for this court to respect the function of the trial judge, and show due restraint.

Having reflected on the arguments and revisited the written materials presented to us I have however concluded that the judges approach was in some respects wrong in law in ways that are material to the outcome.

The Court of Appeal judge dismissed Mr Foxs bid to overturn the finding that he had libelled Mr Blake and Mr Seymour.
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Activist group Palestine Action has been allowed to challenge the Home Office in court over its proscription as a terrorist organisation, after the Court of Appeal dismissed a Home Office appeal.

The direct action group was banned by the government after several of its members were accused of breaking into an Oxfordshire RAF base to spray-paint military planes.

Formed in 2020, Palestine Action has conducted a series of direct action protests over the past five years, largely against arms manufacturers operating in the UK and selling weapons to Israel.

Unveiling the intention to ban the group following the incident on 23 June, former home secretary Yvette Cooper said it was the latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action.

open image in gallery Pro-Palestinian activists are accused of breaking into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire ( Palestine Action )

Proscription has branded the group a terrorist organisation and made it illegal to become a member of Palestine Action or solicit support for it.

Co-founder of the group Huda Ammori had sought to challenge the governments decision, with her lawyers arguing that the ban breaches the right to free speech and is gagging legitimate protest.

Around 2,000 people have been arrested on suspicion of publicly showing support for Palestine Action since it was banned.

Building cases against all of the protesters is placing a big burden on counterterrorism officers, said Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police commissioner.

Almost 500 were hauled away by officers for holding placards declaring I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action at the most recent demonstration in Trafalgar Square earlier this month.

In a summary of the Court of Appeals decision dismissing the Home Offices appeal, the Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr said: An application to deproscribe, with right of appeal to POAC (the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission) was not intended to be a means of challenging the initial decision.

She added: Judicial review would be a quicker means of challenging the order proscribing Palestine Action than applying to deproscribe.

What else has Palestine Action done in the past?

Palestine Action was established on 30 July 2020 after a group of activists broke into and spray-painted the interior of Elbit Systems UK headquarters in London.

The defence contractor has continued to be the main target of Palestine Actions protests since its formation. Based in Israel, Elbit Systems is the countrys largest weapons manufacturer. It supplies the majority of the drones and land-based equipment used by the Israeli military.

In the UK, Elbit has multiple UK subsidiaries which operate across 16 sites across the country, with 680 employees. Its latest site is a manufacturing and development facility in Bristol, opened in 2023.

On 19 May 2021, four members of Palestine Action dressed in boiler suits climbed onto the roof of an Elbit-owned drone factory in Leicester.

The action was taken in response to a period of unrest in May of that year, in which 256 Palestinians and 17 Israelis were killed.

open image in gallery Home secretary Yvette Cooper announced the decision to proscribe Palestine Action in June ( House of Commons )

Similar occupations have been carried out at Elbit-owned sites in Bristol, Oldham and Tamworth.

In April 2024, the group targeted Somerset County Hall, a Grade II-listed building owned by Somerset Council, by splashing it with red paint. This was in response to the local authority leasing a building to Elbit near Bristol.

This site was targeted by Palestine Action for the 17th time in March 2025, with four of the groups members using a cherry picker to damage the building. One used a sledgehammer on a rope to smash windows, while others spray-painted the building.

In June 2025, four activists allegedly part of the group are accused of damaging two planes at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire by using repurposed fire extinguishers to spray red paint into their turbine engines and cause further damage with crowbars.

Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) said the four had been charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage. Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the incident, saying it was a protest against the UK's support of Israel's war in Gaza.
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Prince Andrew met a senior Beijing official at the heart of the China spy scandal at least three times, according to reports.

The Duke of York held meetings in 2018 and 2019 with Cai Qi, currently the first-ranked member of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and de facto chief of staff to Xi Jinping.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped charges against suspected spies Christopher Berry and Christopher Cash last month, citing a lack of evidence; both have denied any wrongdoing.

Before the charges were dropped, Mr Cai was suspected of being the recipient of sensitive information allegedly passed to China by the two British nationals who were accused of spying for Beijing.

Prince Andrew met the senior CCP figure at least three times, according to The Telegraph, in both London and Beijing during the time period when Mr Berry and Mr Cash were allegedly recruited for espionage.

Chinese state media reports reveal that the Duke was among the British officials that met Mr Cai and the Beijing delegation in May 2018, alongside then-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Scottish former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, ex-Cabinet Office minister David Lidington, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

open image in gallery Prince Andrew went to China twice between 2018 and 2019 ( Foreign Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal People's Government )

British officials in attendance said that cooperation between the two countries had huge potential, amid talks of a golden era of British-Chinese relations.

Some weeks later, Prince Andrew travelled to China to launch a boot camp for his Pitch@Palace business initiative at Peking University and expressed a desire to help Chinese businesses get access to the global market, state media reported at the time. A meeting allegedly took place between the Duke and Mr Cai, as well as other senior CCP members in 2018, where he expressed hopes to boost Sino-British cooperation in technology, according to The Telegraph.

The Duke returned to China in April 2019, where he brought Pitch@Palace to Shenzhen, south Chinas Guangdong Province. He reportedly met with Mr Cai again, The Telegraph reported, with the pair saying that jointly building a golden era in China-UK relations has become a consensus among the two governments.

open image in gallery Prince Andrew meeting Cai Qi in 2019 ( Foreign Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal People's Government )

This isnt the first time the Princes links to China have drawn attention, as he faced criticism for his friendship with alleged spy Yang Tengbo in December. Mr Yang was detained under the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act in 2021 where correspondence was found on his digital devices that implied he was working for the United Front Work Department  a shadowy arm of the Chinese Communist Party  which led him to be barred from the UK.

Mr Yang appealed to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, which dismissed his appeal and made his case public. The judgement cited evidence provided by the Home Office alleging Mr Yang was a close confidant of the Prince, acting on his behalf with investors in China.

Information about the Dukes links to China comes as the government and CPS face growing pressure to explain why the Chinese spying case collapsed as the head of MI5, Sir Ken McCallum, said he was frustrated by the move.

open image in gallery Prince Andrew was reportedly close to alleged spy Yang Tengbo ( Sky News )

MPs have demanded that CPS chief Stephen Parkinson provide a fuller explanation for the dropping of charges, which he blamed on insufficient evidence that China represented a threat to the UK at the time of the alleged offences.

Meanwhile, Downing Street have responded to questions as to why the prime minister didnt intervene in the case. Sir Keir Starmers spokesperson said: The suggestion that the prime minister should have stepped in at this point is frankly absurd.

If he was to do so, he would have been interfering in a case related to a previous government, a previous policy, previous legislation.

A Chinese embassy spokesperson said the published witness statements were rife with unfounded accusations against China.

The Independent has approached the Duke of York for comment.
Close Virginia Giuffre speaks about Prince Andrew in resurfaced Panorama interview: 'I was a toy'

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Unseen footage of a BBC interview with the late Virginia Giuffre has aired, in which she reflected on her introduction to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.

I was a toy. I was there to be passed around, she said. But I was still a human being with feelings and emotion and sadness. And to know that this man had daughters, that he was still capable of abusing me. It's... it just doesn't make sense.

In the interview, which featured on BBC Panorama on Tuesday night, the late Ms Giuffre told the story of how she met Andrew in London in 2001 when she was 17 years old.

The prince vehemently denies the allegations that Ms Giuffre was forced to have sex with him three times after being trafficked by Epstein. Ms Giuffre told the BBC: "He knows what happened, I know what happened. And there's only one of us telling the truth."

Andrew was formally stripped of his remaining royal titles on Thursday. A statement from Buckingham Palace said Andrew continued to deny all allegations against him.
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The Scottish governments nature agency has been accused of prioritising the welfare of seagulls over people, after figures revealed an increase in the number of blocked applications to remove the nuisance birds.

Data shows that NatureScot had approved more than 80 per cent of applications to remove gulls and nests as recently as 2022.

However, The Times reports that the figure had dropped to less than a third by last year, leading to calls for the agency to be stripped of its ability to rule on applications.

A recent summit organised to discuss ways to tackle the threat posed by urban seagulls was branded a sham, with MSPs told those at the event were urged to walk around waving their arms and to draw eyes on takeaway boxes in order to deter the birds from divebombing.

open image in gallery Locals have complained of seagulls divebombing and making loud noises in urban areas ( PA Archive )

Agriculture minister Jim Fairlie convened the special event in Inverness in September, saying it had been organised in response to increasing public concern about the impact of gull populations in towns and cities.

Douglas Ross, the former Scottish Tory leader, described the huge disparity between the number of applications and those granted removals as shocking, explaining some locals were fearful to leave their homes due to gull attacks and could not sleep due to the noise.

Calling for the responsibilities of NatureScot to be broken up, he said: It is ludicrous to have an agency that is responsible for both protecting bird numbers but also responsible for handing out licences to control them.

A Freedom of Information request showed that in 2022, 83 per cent of 2,385 applications to remove gulls or their nests were approved. But just 31 per cent of 1,619 applications were approved in 2024.

Mr Ross previously said he had been contacted by councillors, community councillors, resident associations and others who were bitterly disappointed and quite frankly angry at being excluded from the government-organised summit. But the MSP added: The feedback I have had from those who did attend is that it was a frustrating waste of time.

open image in gallery Former Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross described a government summit on seagulls as a sham ( PA Archive )

The Conservative claimed the practical solutions put forward at the summit included telling people to walk around waving their arms because it would stop the gulls swooping on you. He also said it was suggested that for takeaway boxes, the solution was to draw on eyes because gulls are scared of being stared at.

It would be funny if it wasnt so serious, he added.

His comments came as he hit out at the chaotic and comical approach from this government and its quango NatureScot on the issue.

With complaints including persistent noise from the birds and their aggressive behaviour, Mr Fairlie said in response: These concerns are real and I want to assure the chamber they are being taken seriously and this government will take targeted action where necessary.

He stressed the need to tackle the root causes of the problem, such as the availability of food and nesting sites for the birds in urban areas. But he added such action would require a coordinated effort from the government, councils, health boards, housing associations and individual households.

A NatureScot spokesperson said: We understand gulls can sometimes cause problems in our towns and cities. At the same time, gull populations are facing serious declines. NatureScot has a duty to balance health and safety concerns with gull conservation.

Over the last five years, we have supported many individuals, businesses and communities to better manage gulls without the need to kill the birds or destroy their nests.

As a result, the number of licence applications to destroy nests and eggs and kill chicks has reduced, from 2,633 in 2023 to 1,601 in 2024.

"There will be times when gulls are causing a health and safety issue and, in these circumstances, we have and will continue to issue licences. But as the recent Scottish government gull summit highlighted, in the longer term, we need to find ways to live alongside gulls and other wildlife.

Measures to tackle the root causes and to manage gull issues in our urban environments will be crucial ahead of next years breeding season. Over the coming months, well be working closely with local authorities and others in the areas most affected to help them put in place collaborative and effective plans to manage gulls, backed by the funding of 100,000 that has been announced.
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Walkers has announced it is the end of the line for much-loved crisp brand Tomato Snaps.

Final batches of the spicy tomato flavoured crisps are available over the next few weeks from wholesalers, shops and online stores.

The crisps, which were shaped as a curled rectangle, and packaged in a distinctive bright red packet, were made at Walkers' factory on Newark Road, Lincoln.

open image in gallery Walkers announce they are discontinuing Tomato Snaps ( The Independent/Amazon )

Social media users have expressed their grief over the news online, as #saveoursnaps has been reposted.

One user tagged PepsiCo on X, writing: Are you really discontinuing Tomato Snaps?? Please reconsider! Ive introduced so many people to them and now we have to find a new favourite. #saveoursnaps.

PepsiCo, owners of Walkers, told the BBC: Smith's Tomato Snaps have had a great run and will always hold a special place in our history, but evolving our portfolio allows us to focus on making more of the brands and flavours people love."

A PepsiCo spokesperson added that they know fans of Snaps will be sad to see them go, as they thanked fans for the support throughout the years.

open image in gallery Walkers released new flavours in August this year ( Walkers )

Earlier this year, Walkers released two new flavours to their crisp line: Sticky Teriyaki and Masala Chicken.

The packaging claims that the Sticky Teriyaki flavour is inspired by the flavours of Japan, while the Masala Chicken takes its inspiration from India.

The new editions to Walkers core range mark the first time in decades that brand-new flavours have made the cut.

Classic flavours Ready Salted, Cheese & Onion and Salt & Vinegar were first introduced in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Other classics like Prawn Cocktail, Roast Chicken and Smoky Bacon came later, around the 1970s.

Since then, Walkers has largely focused on limited-edition flavour campaigns, with very few making the leap to the permanent range of products.
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The UK is set for a miserable weekend ahead after the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning in Northern Ireland for Sunday.

Heavy rain will hit the whole of Northern Ireland on Saturday night, before it gradually clears to the east on Sunday morning, the Met Office said.

According to the forecaster, the rain will be heaviest in the South East. Around 20 to 30mm of rain is expected to accumulate widely, while 60 to 100 mm could build up over the Mournes up to the early hours of Sunday morning.

The warning is in place from midnight on Sunday to midday.

Flooding of some homes and businesses is likely, as well as interruptions to power supplies and other services. The Met Office also said journey times will be affected due to spray and flooding on roads.

open image in gallery The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning in Northern Ireland for Sunday ( Met Office )

The rest of the UK is in for a mixed bag this weekend, but Saturday is set to feel brighter. Met Office meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer said: Well definitely see the best of any sunshine, as we have seen, in probably eastern areas.

Its hard to say exactly where well see the sunniest spells but it might just feel a bit brighter than weve seen recently.

She warned it could still be a cloudy day for many, but with a few more breaks in the cloud on Saturday compared to what weve seen recently.

open image in gallery A damp start is in store for Sunday in most places ( PA Wire )

Ms Glaisyer said there will probably be quite a damp start to Sunday with most places likely to see rain throughout the day and windier conditions as well.

She continued: That weather front clears through later Sunday and then were into a generally quite changeable setup as we head into the early part of next week  sunny spells, heavy blustery showers, perhaps merging into some longer spells of rain, and its a kind of similar setup throughout much of the week.

A phenomenon known as anticyclonic gloom  brought about by an anticyclone or high-pressure system settled over the country  has caused the grey conditions this week, according to the forecaster.

It occurs when air sinks towards the ground under high pressure, trapping a thin layer of moisture or low cloud close to the surface which the October sun cannot break through.

UK five-day weather forecast

Tonight

Remaining settled albeit rather cloudy overnight with further light drizzle in places. Feeling chilly beneath clear skies in Scotland with patchy fog forming by dawn. Breezier in the far West.

Saturday

Cloudy for many with any brighter breaks short-lived, as a veil of high cloud spills from the West. Becoming breezier for all later, with rain moving into the far West.

Sunday to Tuesday

Unsettled and breezy, with rain spreading eastwards through Sunday, prolonged and heavy in places. Further blustery showers from Monday, some thundery, though a few sunny spells too. Temperatures near normal.
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With Labours second autumn Budget taking place today, speculation about further tax rises has grown rife.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves may need to find at least 22bn next month, pre-Budget research from the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found, as rising borrowing costs and weak growth forecasts drastically reduce her room for manoeuvre.

She has warned she will not be making easy choices at the fiscal event on 26 November, as No 10 looks appears less concrete on its commitment not to raise taxes on working people. This means no increase to the headline rates of income tax, VAT or national insurance contributions.

Should these three largest bases of tax revenue closed off, the chancellor has fewer places to look to raise revenue, making it more likely she will pick from a diverse range of taxation tweaks.

Changes to how property and capital gains are taxed have now been forecast by many economists, but some have also predicted that changes to pension policy could make an appearance.

open image in gallery Pre-Budget research has found that the chancellor may need to find at least 22bn next month ( PA )

Speaking in September, pensions minister Torsten Bell appeared to push back against the idea, saying: We should always be looking ahead with pension policy.

If you ever find yourself tweaking a pension policy to try and fix a problem thats happening right now, then youre in the wrong business, the MP told the Social Market Foundations pensions conference.

However, the former Resolution Foundation chief  who is also part of the chancellors Treasury team  stopped short of ruling out any policies when asked by The Independent, instead refusing to comment on Budget speculation.

A major change to pension policy also featured in last years Budget, when it was announced that defined contribution pensions would be subject to inheritance tax for the first time from April 2027.

Budget uncertainty changes pension saver plans

The uncertainty around the future of the pensions landscape has now had a knock-on effect on savers, providers are warning, as many rush to change their plans to get ahead of speculated tweaks.

Data from the Financial Conduct Authority shows that pension withdrawals were up by 36 per cent in 2024/25, rising from 52.2bn to 70.9bn.

open image in gallery Pensions minister Torsten Bell appeared to push back against the idea, saying: We should always be looking ahead with pension policy ( PA )

Investment platform AJ Bell agrees that it has seen pension savers adjusting their plans due to Budget speculation, and has launched a petition calling on the government to introduce a Pension Tax Lock  a commitment not to reduce the amount people can withdraw from their pension tax-free or the amount of tax relief given on pension contributions

Tom Selby, AJ Bells director of public policy, said: The constant speculation about the future of pension tax incentives damages peoples confidence in saving for retirement. Why should I lock my money up for decades if there is a risk the goalposts will be moved?

With the chancellors final decision remaining uncertain, here are the most likely options should she choose to take aim at pensions:

Cutting higher rates of tax relief

Pension tax relief effectively boosts savers contributions with a top-up from HMRC.

Savers who pay basic rate tax get a 20 per cent boost to their pension contributions, while higher rate taxpayers get 40 per cent, and additional rate earners get 45.

The scheme effectively ensures that no tax is paid on pension contributions. It is designed to encourage people to save more for retirement, as income that would be taxed as wages can instead go virtually untaxed as pension deposits.

open image in gallery Pension providers are warning that Budget speculation has caused some to change their plans ( Getty )

The proposal would see this relief cut back for high earners, meaning everyone gets pension tax relief at a flat rate of 20 per cent, regardless of their income tax bracket.

A report from the IFS last year found that this would create 15bn more a year for the Exchequer, the vast majority of which would come from those who are in the top fifth of earners.

Abolish or cap 25 per cent tax-free lump sum

Under current rules, people take a quarter of their private pension tax-free, up to a maximum of 268,275.

The estimated annual cost of this is 5.5bn, with 70 per cent of the relief going to pensions accumulated by those in the top fifth of earners, the IFS has previously found.

This could be changed, the influential think tank added, with the amount capped closer to 100,000. This could pull back around 2bn a year, researchers found, with losses concentrated among the relatively wealthy.

Either of these options may wash well with the chancellor, who told The Guardian on Wednesday that tax rises on the wealthy would be part of the story at the Budget, after previously ruling out a mooted wealth tax.

However, pensions minister Steve Webb warned last month that both of these policy changes would adversely affect public sector workers and likely be very politically damaging.
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Donald Trump declared on Friday that Christianity in Nigeria faces an existential threat, announcing the West African country's inclusion on a State Department watch list for countries of particular concern.

This has been a push Senator Ted Cruz has been pushing for due to alleged severe violations of religious freedom in Nigeria. This designation, which currently applies to nations such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China, could lead to U.S. sanctions.

Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter, Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He stated he had requested U.S. Representatives Riley Moore and Tom Cole, along with the House Appropriations Committee, to investigate the matter and report their findings directly to him.

We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World! Trump wrote.

open image in gallery Nigeria has long faced insecurity from various fronts including the Boko Haram extremist group ( AP Photo/Sunday Aghaeze )

Cruz has been spearheading a contentious effort to designate Nigeria as a violator of religious freedom, making unfounded claims of "Christian mass murder"  assertions the West African nation has vehemently rejected as false.

A Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Cruz is pushing for Nigeria to be labelled a country of particular concern.

A bill introduced by the senator last month is awaiting action in the Senate, though its ultimate approval is not guaranteed.

Cruz's assertions have been amplified by some US celebrities and commentators, often without substantiating evidence, with certain figures going as far as alleging a "Christian genocide."

His office has not responded to questions, including those concerning his motivation for these allegations.

Here's what to know:

Both Christians and Muslims are killed

Nigerias 220-million-strong population is split almost equally between Christians and Muslims. The country has long faced insecurity from various fronts including the Boko Haram extremist group, which seeks to establish its radical interpretation of Islamic law and has also targeted Muslims it deems not Muslim enough.

open image in gallery A police officer stands guard inside the St. Francis Catholic Church, a day after an attacked that targeted worshipers in Owo, Nigeria ( Associated Press/Sunday Alamba )

Attacks in Nigeria have varying motives. There are religiously motivated ones targeting both Christians and Muslims, clashes between farmers and herders over dwindling resources, communal rivalries, secessionist groups and ethnic clashes.

While Christians are among those targeted, analysts say the majority of victims of armed groups are Muslims in Nigeria's Muslim-majority north, where most attacks occur.

Both Muslim and Christian communities, and groups, have at various times alleged genocide during religiously motivated attacks against both sides.

Such attacks are often in the north-central and northwestern regions struggling, among other forms of violence, with farmer-herder conflict that is between farming communities  predominantly Christians  and Fulani herders who are mainly Muslims.

Joseph Hayab, a former chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna state, among the worst hit by the insecurity, disputed claims of Christian genocide.

open image in gallery Cruz, a Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wants Nigeria to be designated a country of particular concern as one with severe violations of religious freedom ( AP )

While thousands of Christians have been killed over the years, things have been better than what they were before," Hayab said, warning, however, that every single death is condemnable.

Nigeria's government rejected Cruz' claims, which have been discussed among Nigerians.

There is no systematic, intentional attempt either by the Nigerian government or by any serious group to target a particular religion," Information Minister Idris Muhammed told The Associated Press.

Nigeria was placed on the country of particular concern list by the US for the first time in 2020 in what the State Department called systematic violations of religious freedom.

The designation did not single out attacks on Christians. The designation was lifted in 2023 in what observers saw as a way to improve ties between the countries ahead of then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit.

Responding to the latest claims from US commentators, the Christian Association of Nigeria said it has worked to draw attention over the years to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

In its 2024 report, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom highlighted attacks targeting both Christians and Muslims in what it called systematic religious freedom violations in Nigeria.

"Violence affects large numbers of Christians and Muslims in several states across Nigeria, the commission added.

What the data says

open image in gallery Responding to the latest claims from US commentators, the Christian Association of Nigeria said it has worked to draw attention over the years to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. ( Associated Press )

Data collected by the US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data program shows 20,409 deaths from 11,862 attacks against civilians in Nigeria between January 2020 and this September.

Of those, 385 attacks were targeted events against Christians () where Christian identity of the victim was a reported factor, resulting in 317 deaths, ACLED says.

In the same period, there were 417 deaths recorded among Muslims in 196 attacks.

While religion has been a factor in Nigeria's security crisis, its "large population and vast geographic differences make it impossible to speak of religious violence as motivating all (the) violence, said Ladd Serwat, senior Africa analyst at ACLED.

Analysts reject claims of genocide

open image in gallery Analysts say Nigerias complex security dynamics do not meet the legal definition of a genocide ( Associated Press )

Analysts say Nigerias complex security dynamics do not meet the legal definition of a genocide.

The UN convention on preventing genocide calls it acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group."

If anything, what we are witnessing is mass killings, which are not targeted against a specific group," said Olajumoke Ayandele, an assistant professor at New York Universitys Center for Global Affairs who specialises in conflict studies.

The drumming-up of genocide might worsen the situation because everyone is going to be on alert.

Chidi Odinkalu, a professor at Tufts Universitys Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a former chairman of Nigerias National Human Rights Commission, said Nigerian authorities, however, need to address the rampant violence.

Reuters contributed to this report.
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Dozens of San Antonio educators spent a blistering Saturday exploring AI's role in teaching.

While marvelling at its instant grading and transformation of lesson plans into podcasts or online storybooks, one high school English teacher voiced a widespread concern: "Are we going to be replaced with AI?"

This pivotal question underpins an unlikely partnership between teachers' unions and major technology companies.

Their common goal: to keep the country's four million educators relevant and equip students to use this technology wisely, preparing America's future workforce.

Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic are providing millions for AI training to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the nation's second-largest union.

This offers tech companies a significant foothold in schools, influencing students and securing an advantage in the AI dominance race.

open image in gallery Natalie Cone, head of OpenAI Forum, center, speaks with attendees during a Microsoft AI skilling event ( Associated Press/Darren Abate )

AFT President Randi Weingarten admitted her negotiations were skeptical, but highlighted the tech industry's substantial financial resources, lacking in schools.

"There is no one else who is helping us with this. Thats why we felt we needed to work with the largest corporations in the world," Ms Weingarten explained. "We went to them  they didnt come to us."

Weingarten first met with Microsoft CEO Brad Smith in 2023 to discuss a partnership. She later reached out to OpenAI to pursue an agnostic approach which means any company's AI tools could be used in a training session.

Under the arrangement announced in July, Microsoft is contributing $12.5 million to AFT over five years. OpenAI is providing $8 million in funding and $2 million in technical resources, and Anthropic has offered $500,000.

Tech money will build an AI training hub for teachers

open image in gallery Northside American Federation of Teachers President Melina Espiritu-Azocar, right, speaks with middle school teacher Celeste Simone during a Microsoft AI skilling event ( Associated Press/Darren Abate )

With the money, AFT is planning to build an AI training hub in New York City that will offer virtual and in-person workshops for teachers. The goal is to open at least two more hubs and train 400,000 teachers over the next five years.

The National Education Association, the countrys largest teachers union, announced its own partnership with Microsoft last month.

The company has provided a $325,000 grant to help the NEA develop AI trainings in the form of microcredentials  online trainings open to the unions 3 million members, said Daaiyah Bilal, NEAs senior director of education policy. The goal is to train at least 10,000 members this school year.

We tailored our partnership very surgically, Bilal said. We are very mindful of what a technology company stands to gain by spreading information about the products they develop.

Both unions set similar terms: Educators, not the private funders, would design and lead trainings that include AI tools from multiple companies.

The unions own the intellectual property for the trainings, which cover safety and privacy concerns alongside AI skills.

The Trump administration has encouraged private investment, recently creating an AI Education Task Force as part of an effort to achieve "global dominance in artificial intelligence.

The federal government urged tech companies and other organizations to foot the bill. So far, more than 100 companies have signed up.

open image in gallery Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic are providing millions of dollars for AI training to the American Federation of Teachers, the countrys second-largest teachers union ( Associated Press/Darren Abate )

Tech companies see opportunities in education beyond training teachers.

Microsoft unveiled a $4 billion initiative for AI training, research and the gifting of its AI tools to teachers and students. It includes the AFT grant and a program that will give all school districts and community colleges in Washington, Microsofts home state, free access to Microsoft CoPilot tools.

Google says it will commit $1 billion for AI education and job training programs, including free access to its Gemini for Education platform for U.S. high schools.

Several recent studies have found that AI use in schools is rapidly increasing but training and guidance are lagging.

The industry offers resources that can help scale AI literacy efforts quickly. But educators should ensure any partnership focuses on whats best for teachers and students, said Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education.

These are private initiatives, and they are run by companies that have a stake, Lake said.

Microsoft CEO Brad Smith agrees that teachers should have a healthy dose of skepticism about the role of tech companies.

While its easy to see the benefits right now, we should always be mindful of the potential for unintended consequences, Smith said in an interview, pointing to concerns such as AIs possible impact on critical thinking. We have to be careful. Its early days.

Teachers see new possibilities

open image in gallery Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith speaks about the company's initiative to increase access to AI software and training for teachers and students across Washington ( Associated Press/Cedar Attanasio )

At the San Antonio AFT training, about 50 educators turned up for the three-hour workshop for teachers in the Northside Independent School District. It is the city's largest, employing about 7,000 teachers.

The day started with a pep talk.

We all know, when we talk about AI, teachers say, Nah, Im not doing that, trainer Kathleen Torregrossa told the room. But we are preparing kids for the future. That is our primary job. And AI, like it or not, is part of our world.

Attendees generated lesson plans using ChatGPT, Googles Gemini, Microsoft CoPilot and two AI tools designed for schools, Khanmingo and Colorin Colorado.

Gabriela Aguirre, a 1st grade dual language teacher, repeatedly used the word amazing to describe what she saw.

It can save you so much time, she said, and add visual flair to lessons. She walked away with a plan to use AI tools to make illustrated flashcards in English and Spanish to teach vocabulary.

With all the video games, the cellphones you have to compete against, the kids are always saying, Im bored. Everything is boring, Aguirre said. If you can find ways to engage them with new technology, youve just got to do that.

Middle school teacher Celeste Simone said there is no turning back to how she taught before.

As a teacher for English language learners, Simone can now ask AI tools to generate pictures alongside vocabulary words and create illustrated storybooks that use students' names as characters.

She can take a difficult reading passage and ask a chatbot to translate it into Spanish, Pashto or other languages. And she can ask AI to rewrite difficult passages at any grade level to match her students' reading levels. All in a matter of seconds.

I can give my students access to things that never existed before, Simone said. As a teacher, once youve used it and see how helpful it is, I dont think I could go back to the way I did things before.
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A Georgia mother was terrified she could lose custody of her child after an urgent care center mistakenly claimed her five-year-old daughter had multiple sexually transmitted diseases, triggering a brief investigation by the states Division of Family and Children Services.

The mother, whose identity was not revealed by Fox 5 Atlanta to protect the familys privacy, said the ordeal happened after she brought her sick daughter to an urgent care center in the College Park area of Atlanta for testing.

They ended up telling me that she had trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and I knew right then it was incorrect because I protect my daughter," the mother told Fox 5 in an interview.

Under state law, the urgent care staff had to report the results to Family and Children Services.

The mother said she couldnt even breathe when officers showed up at her home.

An urgent care center in Georgia mistakenly reported that a five-year-old girls test results were positive for multiple STDs ( Getty Images )

"I was really thinking like theyre about to take my child away from me, the mother said, tearfully. I knew I was the best mom, and nothing happened to her."

Follow-up testing at the Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, as well as at the urgent care, indicated the STD results were negative.

But the mother says the situation has left her young daughter feeling violated and confused.

"My daughter is five and you dont want to put those kinds of things on a five-year-old," the mother said. "Shes still wondering, why did that happen to her? Why did the doctor and the police come? Why was she looked at down there?"

Stephen Fowler, an attorney representing the family, told Fox 5 Atlanta that the case is still being investigated, but the family is considering next steps to get justice.

"Were still looking for results and answers and responses. But what weve seen so far, there is evidence of some serious concerns of the handling of this childs healthcare, Fowler told the news outlet.

In a statement to Fox 5 Atlanta, attorneys at Delgado Heidari LLC, which represents the urgent care center, said the facility is obligated to follow all laws ranging from protecting patient privacy to mandatory reporting requirements.

The attorney said the urgent care only reports results and uses a third-party lab for testing.

The Independent has contacted Delgado Heidari LLC, the Fowler Firm and the Division of Family and Children Services for comment.
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Chick-fil-A has issued a grovelling apology after a Black cop was forced to pay for a meal while his white colleagues were given their food for free.

Tracey Reid, a sergeant in the Clover Police Department in South Carolina, said that he felt "humiliated" during the incident, which he feels was racially motivated.

Reid said that the incident occurred in a Georgia branch of the fast food chain a few weeks ago.

He told WOSC that he was standing with his colleagues while they were in line for their order and that they were clearly in the same uniform.

However, when they were given their food for free, Reid was told that he needed to pay.

I was kind of humiliated and embarrassed, you know, at the whole situation. It seemed like it was a racial issue to me, he said.

open image in gallery Tracey Reid says that all of his white colleagues were given free food at Chick-fil-A where he was forced to pay ( YouTube/WSOCTV9 )

Chick-fil-A Augusta owner-operator Kenny Hanna shared a statement with Channel 2 Action News in which he described the incident as an oversight.

We regret the unintentional impact this incident had and sincerely apologize to our guest, the apology read. We were deeply concerned by this claim.

It appears to have been an honest oversight across separate lines and registers. We are strongly committed to supporting our communitys first responders.

Reid said that he had written a letter to the brands corporate office, demanding that they retrain its employees at the location in Augusta. He also said that the company needed to strengthen its nationwide policies to comply with civil rights laws.

In response, he was given two free meal cards and an apology from Chick-fil-A, which stated that the person who processed the meal was not usually at the register.

It said it was perceived that it was a racial incident, which I didnt like, because it wasnt perceived; it actually happened, Reid said.

His colleague, detective Thomas Barnette, said that Reid was not the only one that perceived it.

open image in gallery Donald Trump famously visited a Chick-fil-A branch during his 2024 campaign ( AP )

We all did, and its not perception, its what happened. It was a racial issue, he added.

Barnette offered to say something while police officers were in the restaurant, but he says that Reid did not want to cause a scene.

But I could tell the way he looked; he just looked at his plate, he looked sad and humiliated, and that made me really mad, he said.

The Independent has contacted Chick-fil-A and Clover Police for further comment.
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Diane Keatons former co-star and romantic partner, Al Pacino, was shaken by her death, saying in a tribute, She left a mark that cannot fade.

Pacino and Keaton starred in the gangster Godfather films together as Michael Corleone and Kay Adams-Corleone and began a romance off-screen.

Pacino said he was deeply saddened by Keatons passing Saturday in a new statement to Deadline.

When I first heard the news, I was shaken. Diane was my partner, my friend, someone who brought me happiness and on more than one occasion influenced the direction of my life, Pacino, who is currently filming a movie in Paris, said.

open image in gallery Diane Keatons former co-star and partner, Al Pacino, was 'shaken' by her death, saying in a tribute, 'She left a mark that cannot fade' ( Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images )

Keatons family told People Wednesday the 79-year-old Hollywood star died of pneumonia. They asked fans to make donations to causes close to Keatons heart as a tribute.

"She loved her animals and she was steadfast in her support of the unhoused community, so any donations in her memory to a local food bank or an animal shelter would be a wonderful and much appreciated tribute to her, they said.

Keaton told People in 2017 she had a crush on Pacino when they worked together on the first Godfather film in 1971.

I was mad for him. Charming, hilarious, a nonstop talker," she said.

open image in gallery Keatons family said the 79-year-old Hollywood star died Saturday of pneumonia ( Rachel Luna/Getty Images )

Pacino had some kind words to share about the energy of his former flame as well.

On screen, she was magnetic  lightning and charm, hurricanes and tenderness, he said. People will miss her, but more than that, they will remember her. She left a mark that cannot fade. She was unstoppable, resilient and above all, deeply human.

Pacino and Keaton dated on and off, primarily through the 1980s, until they officially broke up in 1990.

open image in gallery An image of Keaton is projected on a video screen while Pacino speaks onstage during the American Film Institute's 45th Life Achievement Award gala tribute to Keaton at the Dolby Theatre on June 8, 2017, in Hollywood, California ( Kevin Winter/Getty Images )

The relationship ended after Keaton gave Pacino, who wouldnt pop the question, an ultimatum.

I worked hard on that one. I went about it in not a perfect way, she told People.

Keaton also dated Hollywoods Woody Allen and Warren Beatty.

Keaton won an Academy Award for her leading role in Allens 1977 film Annie Hall, and was later nominated for her roles in Beattys 1981 film Reds, the 1996 film Marvin's Room and the 2003 film Something's Gotta Give.
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Two mpox cases in California are under investigation as potentially the first instances of local transmission of a distinct variant of the virus within the United States, health officials have announced.

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services confirmed one case this week, followed by a second similar infection reported by Los Angeles County officials. While six previous US cases of clade I mpox were linked to international travelers infected abroad, these new diagnoses suggest domestic spread.

Officials maintain that the risk to the public is low. Both infected people in California were hospitalized, and they are now recovering at home. Officials declined to give other details.

Long Beach is located in Los Angeles County, but has its own city health department. Investigators there say they have not found a close contact who traveled abroad, nor have they confirmed additional cases. A few of the person's close contacts have been given a vaccine, said Nora Balanji, the Long Beach departments communicable disease coordinator.

Both infected people in California were hospitalized, and they are now recovering at home. ( Alamy/PA )

We dont have any proof that there has been ongoing community transmission, she said. "Its something were looking into. Thats something were concerned about."

Mpox  also known as monkeypox  is a rare disease caused by infection with a virus that is in the same family as the one that causes smallpox. It is endemic in parts of Africa.

Milder symptoms can include fever, chills and body aches. In more serious cases, people can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.

One version of the virus  called clade II  was the source of an international health crisis in 2022, when infections escalated in dozens of countries, mostly among men who have sex with men. At one point, the U.S. was averaging close to 500 cases per day.

The infections were rarely fatal, but many people suffered painful skin lesions for weeks. Those outbreaks waned later that year, thanks in part to a vaccine against mpox made by Jynneos.

The other version  known as clade I  likewise can spread through sex, but also through other forms of contact. In Africa it has infected a broader range of people, including children.

A newer form of the clade I virus has been widely transmitted in eastern and central Africa. The World Health Organization declared the situation a public health emergency, but last month it said the problem had waned enough that it was no longer an international emergency.

Still, its concerning if this virus has come here and now is starting to be transmitted from person to person, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University.

The case report comes amid a federal government shutdown and the layoffs of hundreds of employees at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  the agency that usually would be involved in responding.

Balanji said a few CDC experts have been available to talk to her department about the situation. But Schaffner noted that the longer the shutdown, the more impaired public health responses are to any outbreaks.

A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson referred questions to local health officials.
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A New Hampshire teenager has sued his former high school principal and other officials, alleging an illegal search of his vehicle based solely on his status as a gun owner.

Jack Harrington, 18, who graduated from Hillsboro-Deering High School in June, claims he was harassed and interrogated by school staff about two months prior. This followed him reportedly telling a fellow student he had informed police of a lawfully stored handgun in his glove box during an off-campus traffic stop.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court by the Second Amendment Foundation, names the superintendent, principal, vice principal, and school resource officer. School officials subsequently searched Harrington's truck in the school car park but found nothing.

Weeks later, on April 24, school officials asked him about that conversation, confirmed he owned a gun and began to badger him about searching his truck. State law prohibits students from bringing firearms onto school property.

open image in gallery Though Harrington said he never brought the gun to school and had no intention of doing so, the school resource officer told him, "You can say whatever you want. ( Danny Lawson/PA )

Though Harrington said he never brought the gun to school and had no intention of doing so, the school resource officer told him, "You can say whatever you want, we're going to search it anyway," the lawsuit claims.

Courts have found that school officials can conduct such searches if they have a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed, but Harrington's attorneys argue that knowledge of gun ownership alone falls far short of that standard.

"Being public about exercising your private rights cannot be grounds for being harassed and searched on campus," said Bill Sack, director of legal operations for the Second Amendment Foundation. "The apparent position of the school district here is 'choose to exercise one right, give away another.' That's just not how it works."

Messages seeking comment were left Thursday for Superintendent Jennifer Crawford. Harrington declined a request for an interview. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
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Venezuelan government officials have floated a plan in which President Nicolas Maduro would eventually leave office, a bid aimed at easing mounting U.S. pressure on the government in Caracas, according to a former Trump administration official.

The proposal, which was rejected by the White House, calls for Maduro to step down from power in three years and hand over authority to his vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, who would complete Maduro's current six-year term that runs until January 2031, according to the official who was briefed on the plan but was not authorized to comment publicly on the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Rodriguez would not run for reelection under the plan, the official said, adding that the White House had rejected the proposal because it continues to question the legitimacy of Maduro's rule and accuse him overseeing a narco-terrorist state.

The revelation of Maduros attempts to offer a plan to slowly ease himself out of power comes amid growing unease in the Venezuelan leaders government that President Donald Trump could order military action to try to oust him.

Aspects of the Venezuelan effort were first reported by the Miami Herald earlier Thursday. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Rodriguez described the alleged plan for Maduro to step down as fake news Thursday.

FAKE!! Rodriguez wrote in English on her Telegram account. More media that add to the garbage dump of the psychological war against the Venezuelan people.

She added that Venezuelas leadership is united.

Since early September, the U.S. military has carried out a series of strikes on alleged drug smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea, including against at least four boats that originated from Venezuela.

Those strikes followed Trump deploying three Aegis guided-missile destroyers to the waters off Venezuela as part of what the administration has framed as an effort to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels.

Psyops in play as White House tries to create a fracture in Venezuela: expert

Trump on Wednesday took the unorthodox step of confirming to reporters that he had authorized covert CIA action in Venezuela. He added the administration is looking at land as it considers further strikes in the region. But he declined to say whether the CIA has authority to take action specifically against Maduro.

The Republican president's acknowledgement that he had greenlit CIA action further escalated tensions with the South American nation, already heightened because of the strikes on boats.

A commander-in-chief publicly addressing covert CIA operations is unlikely to be found in any spy manual. But analysts says it may have spurred a desired effect for the White House: creating even more unease among Maduro and his allies that their days may be numbered.

It's psyops, said Brian Fonseca, a scholar at Florida International University who studies Venezuela, using shorthand for psychological operations. This is about putting pressure on the Maduro regime and trying to create a fracture among the country's political and military elite, and see if you can then get that fracture into dislodging Maduro from power."

Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term in January despite credible evidence that he lost last years election.

Tom Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, noted that U.S. opposition to the Maduro government is not new, but declined to comment on Trump saying he's approved covert CIA operations in Venezuela.

It was, and is, however, the policy of the Trump and Biden Administrations that Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela, Cotton said in a statement.

Trumps pressure campaign on Venezuela is likely designed to encourage Venezuelas military leaders to drop their support for Maduro, leaving him with few allies and few options but to resign, said Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and an expert on drug trafficking and security issues.

Thats likely one reason why Trump took the step of announcing the CIAs involvement publicly, she said.

Its clearer and clearer by the day that the purpose of these actions in the Caribbean is to bring down the Maduro regime, Felbab-Brown said. The administration is trying to create enough pressure on the military to abandon Maduro.

A small group of top administration officials  including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Trump aide Stephen Miller  have driven the push to carry out the fatal strikes.

Rubio, dating back to his days in the Senate, has advocated for taking a harder line on Maduro.

During Trumps first term, Maduro was indicted on U.S. federal drug charges, including narcoterrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. This year, the Justice Department doubled a reward for information leading to Maduros arrest to $50 million, accusing him of being one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world.

Trump has focused attention on the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which he claims is serving as a front for Maduro, and said members of the gang were in the first boat targeted last month. No details on alleged affiliations have been released in the other strikes.



AP writers Farnoush Amiri at the United Nations, Jorge Rueda in Caracas, Venezuela, and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed reporting.
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A prestigious Christian private school in Nashville, Tennessee, has been attacked for its handling of students efforts to mourn the late MAGA activist Charlie Kirk.

The Turning Point USA founder, 31, was shot dead by a rooftop sniper as he debated students on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, Utah, on September 10, sending shockwaves across the political divide.

His widow, Erika Kirk, was presented with his posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Donald Trump at a White House ceremony on Tuesday, on what would have been Kirks 32nd birthday.

open image in gallery Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at an event on a Utah college campus on September 10 ( Getty )

While conservatives across the U.S. have been looking for ways to pay tribute to the influential activist, from erecting statues to renaming roads, Lipscomb Academy in Nashville comprehensively failed in honoring his memory, according to reality TV star turned conservative activist Savannah Chrisley, who appeared on Newsmax on Thursday to discuss the issue.

Guesting on National Report, Chrisley, 28, explained that her younger sister is in seventh grade at the institution and that it had been she who first told her that pupils had been prevented from wearing suit jackets and red ties in tribute to Kirk, prompting Chrisley to draw attention to the situation on social media.

According to The Tennessean, the incident in question occurred on September 12. It involved 12-15 boys, who were told by Upper School Head of School Jesse Savage that they must remove the ties because they violated Lipscombs dress code.

When these children were told to take off ties because it was in violation of a dress code... to see these kids struggling and mourning and not having the faculty to rally around them was really heartbreaking, Chrisley told Newsmax. Wearing the red ties, for it to be a dress code violation, was honestly laughable.

The schools student handbook stipulates, according to The Tennessean, that attendees are allowed to wear a variation of khakis or pleated skirt with an approved Lipscomb shirt. However, certain approved sweaters, blouses, and vests are also permitted. Buttons, badges, and pins are not, however, and only a Lipscomb spirit tie may be worn.

open image in gallery Savannah Chrisley discusses the Charlie Kirk controversy at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, on Newsmax on Thursday October 16 2025 ( Newsmax )

A school spokesperson previously told Fox News in a statement: To clarify, on Friday, September 12, a small group of Academy students wore red ties to honor Charlie Kirk. While this was out of dress code, they were not disciplined but were asked to remove them.

The morning of the very next school day, Monday, September 15, Academy administrators met with these students to understand their experiences and to support them in finding a meaningful way to honor Charlie.

As a result of this meeting, the students were given approval and planned to wear red ties on another day. But, instead they chose to collaborate with the Academys team to plan a future chapel focused on being bold and impactful in their faith.

Lipscomb subsequently issued a press release on September 25, apologizing for its handling of the tie episode in response to complaints from students and parents. Still, this did not stop protesters from gathering on its front lawn the following morning.

Chrisley subsequently cheered the development on X and told the boys: Your school and faculty didnt just miss the mark.they betrayed you in a moment that called for faith, unity, and truth.

open image in gallery Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, a prestigious private Christian school ( Google Streetview )

The chapel service to honor Kirk was also a cause of chagrin to Chrisley, who complained on Newsmax that it only lasted 23 minutes.

Unfortunately, at Lipscomb you have these far left-wing activists that have come into the school and theyre trying to control everything, she alleged.

These staff members have referred to Charlie Kirk as a racist, a fascist, and that's the sad part. This is a private Christian school.

Chrisley further claimed that a member of the schools leadership hierarchy had written a dissertation on applying DEI initiatives in southern Christian teaching institutions, which she felt would offend parents if it were more widely known, and said the school suffered from a lack of strong male leadership.

The Independent has reached out to Lipscomb Academy for comment.

A former reality TV star known for appearing in Chrisley Knows Best and Growing up Chrisley, Savannah Chrisley successfully lobbied President Trump earlier this year to pardon her parents of tax evasion and fraud charges.
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A Democratic candidate for attorney general of Virginia used a Thursday debate to once again apologize for a series of leaked past text messages where he compared a former Republican colleague to Hitler and said he should be shot.

I am ashamed, I am embarrassed, and I am sorry, Jay Jones said during the debate of his messages about Todd Gilbert, the former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.

I am sorry to Speaker Gilbert, I am sorry to his family. Im sorry to my family and Im sorry to every single Virginian, Jones, a former Virginia state lawmaker, continued from the debate stage at the University of Richmond. I cannot take back what I said, but you have my word that I will always be accountable for my mistakes, and you also have my word that I will spend every waking moment fighting for you.

In the messages, first reported by National Review, Jones mentioned Gilbert alongside Hitler, fantasized about shooting the Republican, described the speakers children as little fascists, and said he would piss on the graves of certain Republicans when they died.

Joness rival candidate, the incumbent Republican Jason Miyares, condemned the texts during the debate.

open image in gallery Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones used Thursdays debate to once again apologize for a series of leaked text messages where he made offensive and violent comments about a former Republican colleague ( AP )

Abraham Lincoln said that character is what you do in the dark when no one is watching, Miyares said in his opening remarks. But now we know what he was doing in the dark.

Joness comments have received bipartisan criticism and have roiled races across the state.

The Democrat candidate for AG in Virginia has been fantasizing about murdering his political opponents in private messages, Vice President JD Vance wrote on X earlier this month.

I'm sure the people hyperventilating about sombrero memes will join me in calling for this very deranged person to drop out of the race, he added, referring to recent backlash against the White House for making a racist, AI-doctored video of top Democratic leaders amid government shutdown negotiations.

open image in gallery The fury over Joness texts comes amid heightened concern about political violence following the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last month ( Andrew Harnik/Getty Images )

During a debate last week, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger called the messages abhorrent.

The outrage over Joness texts comes amid wider concerns of the threat of political violence in the U.S., following the September assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a speaking event in Utah.

Republicans have sought to paint Democrats as the principal cause of political violence in the country, and the administration has launched a crackdown on left-wing groups including Antifa in response.

Studies show that right-wing political violence has claimed more lives in recent decades than attacks by adherents of any other cause, though left-wing attacks are rising.
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John Bolton, former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, pleaded not guilty Friday to 18 counts related to mishandling classified information.

Bolton, 76, stood before Judge Timothy Sullivan at the federal district courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, and declared himself not guilty during his initial court appearance and arraignment, just before 11:30 a.m.

The former Trump adviser, sitting beside his attorney Abbe Lowell, responded that he understood the charges against him, with each count carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. If found guilty, Bolton could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Shortly after, Judge Sullivan said Bolton could be released so long as he surrendered his passport to the court, preventing him from flying outside of the United States.

Bolton, a former adviser-turned-Trump critic, is the latest person to be indicted by the Justice Department, which the president has promised to use in a retribution campaign against his perceived enemies.

open image in gallery A courtroom sketch of John Bolton, former national security adviser to Donald Trump, who pleaded not guilty to 18 counts of mishandling classified information in a Maryland courtroom Friday ( AP )

open image in gallery Bolton slammed Trump in his 2020 memoir, The Room Where it Happened claiming his former boss was unfit to serve as president ( Getty Images )

On Thursday, a grand jury in Maryland returned an 18-count indictment against Bolton on accusations that he unlawfully retained and shared national defense information using his personal email and a messaging app.

The indictment alleges Bolton shared more than 1,000 pages of diary notes about his daily activities with family members while serving as Trumps national security adviser in 2018 and 2019.

The former adviser has denied any wrongdoing and accused Trump of weaponizing the DOJ to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts.

Trump fired Bolton in 2019 after repeatedly clashing with him over foreign policy issues. Since then, the former adviser has become an outspoken Trump critic, claiming his former boss was unfit to be president, and subscribes to chaos as a way of life.

When asked about Boltons charges Thursday, Trump referred to his former national security adviser as a bad guy.

Although Bolton is on Trumps perceived list of enemies, the probe into his handling of classified information began after Bolton published his 2020 memoir,The Room Where it Happened, that detailed his time working in the administration and was highly critical of Trump.

In June 2020, a judge determined Bolton likely jeopardized national security by disclosing classified information in violation of his nondisclosure agreement obligations in his book. However, the following year, the Department of Justice under the Biden administration, closed the case.

open image in gallery Bolton arrived at the federal courthouse in Maryland Friday morning, prepared to surrender to authorities less than 24 hours after being indicted on 18 counts ( AP )

open image in gallery Abbe Lowell, Boltons attorney in the case, is also representing James Comey, Letitia James and Lisa Cook  all people Trump has sought to bring charges against ( REUTERS )

Boltons attorney, Lowell, has insisted Bolton has not broken the law. The underlying facts in this case were investigated and resolved years ago," Lowell said in a statement.

Lowell is also representing other people recently indicted by the administration and targeted by Trump including former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

While Bolton joins Comey, also a perceived enemy from Trumps first administration, in being indicted, the charges against Bolton were brought differently.

Career prosecutors in Maryland investigated and charged Bolton with the 18-count indictment following normal procedure. But Trump had to fire and replace a prosecutor in Virginia who refused to bring charges against Comey, citing lack of evidence, in order to obtain charges against the former FBI director.

Due to the complexities of handling classified documents, its likely Boltons case will take more time before heading to trial.

His next court date is scheduled for November 21.
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Donald Trumps former national security adviser John Bolton delivered a damning rebuke of the charges against him after he became what he called the latest target in the presidents politically motivated crusade against his enemies.

An 18-count federal grand jury indictment accuses Bolton of illegally transmitting and retaining classified documents  allegations that appear to cover a period in which Bolton was collecting material for a damning tell-all book about his time in the first Trump administration.

The veteran diplomat  who also served as ambassador to the United Nations during the administration of President George W. Bush  said in a searing statement Thursday night that he has devoted my life to Americas foreign policy and national security.

I would never compromise those goals. I tried to do that during my tenure in the first Trump administration, but resigned when it became impossible to do so, he said.

He said the president launched a retribution campaign against him, which escalated with the publication of Boltons book The Room Where It Happened, and he is now the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts.

Bolton and his attorney Abbe Lowell argue that the contents of the book were cleared for publication by government officials, and over four years of the prior administration, after these reviews, no charges were ever filed.

Then came Trump 2 who embodies what Joseph Stalins head of secret police once said, You show me the man, and Ill show you the crime, Bolton wrote Thursday.

open image in gallery John Bolton compared the Trump administrations retribution campaign to Joseph Stalins secret police in a damning statements after an 18-count indictment against him ( AFP/Getty )

These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct, Bolton added.

Dissent and disagreement are foundational to Americas constitutional system, and vitally important to our freedom, he said. I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power.

The indictment against Bolton marks the third case in as many weeks against a prominent Trump critic, after the president publicly instructed the Department of Justice and Attorney General Pam Bondi to begin politically motivated criminal prosecutions against his enemies.

We cant delay, Trump wrote on his social network site Truth Social last month.

After leaving the first Trump administration, from which the president claims Bolton was fired, the veteran diplomat published The Room Where it Happened, a scathing account of the first days of Trumps presidency, where an erratic Trump emerged as a stunningly uninformed leader, Bolton wrote.

But unlike the indictments against former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, which were brought by Trumps former personal attorney Lindsey Halligan, the case against Bolton is being handled by Maryland U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes, who was tapped by Trump to lead the office in February.

open image in gallery Bolton is accused of illegally retaining and transmitting classified documents ( AFP/Getty )

Boltons home and office were raided by FBI agents this summer.

The indictment was presented to a grand jury by career prosecutor Tom Sullivan, who also signed the document.

Bolton faces eight counts of transmitting national defense information and 10 counts of unlawful retention.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for each count, though it is unlikely a judge would issue the maximum penalty.

There is one tier of justice for all Americans, Bondi said in a statement Thursday. Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.

Hes a bad guy, Trump said from the White House Thursday in response to a question about the indictment, moments after it was filed. Thats the way it goes.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has said he plans to deploy state troopers and members of his states National Guard to the streets of Austin on Saturday to help police the latest round of No Kings protests against the Donald Trump administration.

Today, I directed the Dept of Public Safety and National Guard to surge forces into Austin ahead of an Antifa-linked protest, Gov. Abbot wrote on X on Thursday. Texas will NOT tolerate chaos. Anyone destroying property or committing acts of violence will be swiftly arrested. Law and order will be enforced.

Abbott provided no evidence to support his claim that the nationwide No Kings demonstrations, which were first held on June 14 in over 2,000 cities and towns, are affiliated with Antifa, the name given to a loose grouping of left-wing activists that Trump has accused of engaging in domestic terrorism, but which do not appear to have a central organizing structure of any kind.

open image in gallery Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has claimed the No Kings demonstrations are Antifa-affiliated, without providing any evidence ( Reuters )

In response, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said in a statement of his own that the Guard will be on hand but not called upon unless there is a determination that there is an emergency need.

The city of Austin and I will continue to protect the right of people to peacefully assemble, Watson said. I support people exercising their right to engage in peaceful protest against politics and policies that they disagree with.

Power should always stay with the people, where it belongs. I share the belief in our democracy. I am committed  now more than ever  to stand against efforts to devalue and dismantle our democracy.

The mayor went further, adding: Let me be clear: I dont condone the militarization of our streets Much of what we see out of Washington is to create fear and chaos. Unfortunately, our state engages in this, too. We should not play into these politics.

Michael Bullock, President of Austin Police Association, said: Our department has been very accommodating to make sure that we help people express their first amendment rights in a peaceful manner so that way they can exercise their rights. However, that does not include criminal behavior.

I would encourage anybody that may be considering engaging in illegal behavior to be aware that the department does monitor things and we are prepared for things and its not worth going down that route. Its always best to just remain peaceful and to not engage in any criminal behavior.

The Texas Department of Public Safety told Fox 7 Austin that its Homeland Security division will be monitoring Saturdays event, investigating any possible terror links, and making swift arrests if anyone breaks the law.

open image in gallery A drag queen performs a routine at the Texas State Capitol in Austin during the original No Kings rally on June 14 2025 ( AFP/Getty )

Abbotts attempt to tie the No Kings rallies to Antifa follows Transport Secretary Sean Duffy doing the same during a Fox Business appearance earlier this week, claiming without evidence that the demonstrators set to take part are paid members of Antifa.

This is part of Antifa, paid protesters, it begs the question whos funding it? Duffy asked host Maria Bartiromo Monday.

Democrats want to wait for a big rally of a No Kings protest when the bottom line is: whos running the show in the Senate? Chuck Schumers not running the show. The No Kings protesters or organizers are running the show.

Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall has, meanwhile, accused protesters of being paid by George Soros, a favorite boogeyman whose Open Society Foundations network is under investigation by the Department of Justice under Trumps direction.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson is among the conservatives who have labelled the protests Hate America rallies and accused opposition Democrats of being unable to control their rabid base.

The No Kings organizers shot back at Johnson over those remarks, accusing him of running out of excuses for keeping the government shut down.

Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, hes attacking millions of Americans who are peacefully coming together to say that America belongs to its people, not to kings, they added.
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Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani has pledged to work with Donald Trump, if elected, even though the president has vowed to defund New York City if he wins.

During a Thursday night debate, Mamdani was asked what he would say in his first official call with Trump to set the tone for your relationship if hes elected NYC mayor on November 4.

Mamdani, who has publicly feuded with Trump, said, I would make it clear to the president that I am willing to not only speak to him, but to work with him, if it means delivering on lowering the cost of living for New Yorkers.

But convincing Trump to talk to Mamdani is another story.

Trump raged against Mamdani on Truth Social late last month, writing, Remember, he needs the money from me, as President, in order to fulfill all of his FAKE Communist promises. He wont be getting any of it, so whats the point of voting for him?

open image in gallery The New York City mayoral candidates have pledged to work with President Donald Trump as Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa faced off in a Thursday night debate ( Angelina Katsanis-Pool/Getty Images )

Mamdani has called Trumps administration authoritarian and railed against the presidents mass deportation efforts.

Donald Trump and his ICE agents are snatching our immigrant neighbors from our city in broad daylight right before our eyes, Mamdani said at a campaign rally on Monday.

In July, the president threatened to arrest Mamdani if he won the election and followed through on his promise to defy immigration raids in New York City.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa also answered how they would respond to a call from Trump if they won the mayoral race.

Cuomo, who is running as an independent and has also had a rocky relationship with the president, said, I would say to the president in the first conversation, Look, we have had many, many battles. We fought together every day during Covid...I'd like to avoid them.

Sliwa said hed negotiate with Trump over New York City infrastructure projects.

I've had a love-hate relationship with Donald Trump that goes back over 30 years, but I know one thing...you can be tough, but you can't be tough if it's going to cost people desperately needed federal funds, Sliwa said.

White House budget office director Russell Vought announced earlier this month roughly $18 billion in New York City infrastructure projects, specifically, the Hudson River tunnel project and the Second Ave Subway project, were paused to ensure funding is not flowing based on unconstitutional DEI principles.

open image in gallery Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has run on a platform of affordability with promises of rent freezes and free buses ( Angelina Katsanis/Pool/AFP via Getty Images )

Next month, New Yorkers from the five boroughs will flock to the polls to cast their ballot for the citys new mayor.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has run on a platform of affordability with promises of rent freezes and free buses.

During the debate, Mamdani said he would freeze the rent for more than two million rent-stabilized tenants and build 200,000 truly affordable homes across the five boroughs over the next 10 years to ensure that tenants, whether rent stabilized or market rate, can actually have more housing such that they are not being priced out of this city.

Cuomo has also campaigned on affordability, but has focused on public safety as well. He wants to add 5,000 more police officers to the streets of New York City.

As the founder of the Guardian Angels, a community safety group, Sliwa is also big on law and order. He wants to hire an extra 7,000 police officers. Mamdani says he wants to keep the police force the same size.

open image in gallery Cuomo and Sliwa have campaigned on public safety and law and order ( Angelina Katsanis-Pool/Getty Images )

The police will be on the subways, and they will be patrolling the old-fashioned way where they need it, going up and down the moving subway cars, where people want to see the visual protection, Sliwa said of his vision for the New York City Police Department.

Cuomo criticized Mamdanis lack of political experience during the debate. Mamdani has been a New York state assemblyman representing a district in Queens since 2021. Cuomo was governor for nearly 11 years and New Yorks attorney general before that.

He has no experience, and this is not a job for someone who has no management experience to run 300,000 people, no financial experience to run $115 billion budget, Cuomo said.

Mamdani is leading in the polls. A recent Quinnipiac University poll found Mamdani with 46 percent of support from likely voters, Cuomo with 33 percent and Sliwa with 15 percent. Another survey from Fox News saw Mamdani leading with 47 percent of likely voters and Cuomo trailing with 29 percent. Sliwa had only 11 percent of voter support.

Former Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has endorsed Mamdani, wrote on X Thursday night in reaction to the debate, They say @ZohranKMamdani is dreaming and his plans are impossible. EXACTLY what they said about Pre-K for All until we made it happen.

Former Republican New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has endorsed Sliwa, wrote, Curtis Sliwa is a New Yorker through and through. He knows this cityand its neighborhoodsbetter than almost anyone alive. If New Yorkers pay attention and wake up, theyll elect this good man as their next mayor.
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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr used a press event at the White House on Thursday to make the extraordinary claim that American teenagers now have less sperm and testosterone than 65-year-old men.

Kennedy joined President Donald Trump in the Oval Office for a gathering to promote a new deal providing discount fertility drugs to couples trying for children, when he was invited to the lectern to say a few words.

Thank you, Mr President, the secretary began, before launching into a bizarre address on the U.S. fertility rate, which he said was in decline and represented a national security threat.

open image in gallery Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr talks about teenage sperm counts at the White House on Thursday October 16 2025 as President Donald Trump looks on ( Getty )

When my uncle was president, the fertility rate in this country was 3.5 percent, he declared. Today, it is 1.6 percent. The replacement rate, in other words the amount of fertility that you need in order to keep your population even, is 2.1 percent. We are below replacement right now.

That is a national security threat to our country and we know why this is happening, and President Trump is addressing the root causes through his MAHA [Make America Healthy Again] agenda of reducing endocrine disruptors, the exposure to chemicals that decrease fertility.

He continued: Today, the average teenager in this country has 50 percent of the sperm count, 50 percent of the testosterone as a 65-year-old man. Our girls are hitting puberty six years early, and thats bad, but also our parents arent having children.

Parents who want to have children do not have access. I have seven children. I feel that God has blessed me with that and I cant imagine how different my life would be if I did not have that blessing.

Sperm counts are known to decline with age, meaning a teenage boy is likely to have a much higher count than a man in his late sixties, according to experts.

That said, data on young mens sperm counts is scarce.

This is a very contentious issue in our field, and for every paper that you find that suggests a decline and raises an alarm for this issue, theres another paper that says that the numbers arent changing, and that theres no cause for concern, Dr Scott Lundy, a reproductive urologist at the Cleveland Clinic, told NBC News this summer.

open image in gallery RFK Jr telling Fox News's Jesse Watters that teenage boys have lower testosterone levels than men nearing their 70s on his show on April 23 ( Fox News )

HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon cited two papers from 2017 and 2022 to support Kennedys claims and told NBC, A growing body of peer-reviewed research shows significant declines in sperm counts over the past decades, and pretending this isnt a serious trend is irresponsible. The data is real, the stakes are high and ignoring it doesnt make it go away.

Virility remains a major preoccupation of the manosphere, where wellness influencers and pro-natalists commonly stew over its supposed decline on podcasts and social media. They often recommend radical lifestyle changes to combat it, despite there being little real consensus on the seriousness of the problem.

This is nothing new for Kennedy, an environmental lawyer by trade. He made similar remarks to Fox News host Jesse Watters in April during a conversation about additives in foods marketed at children, putting the age of the hypothetical sexagenarian in the case at 68, not 65.

An incredulous Watters responded: Wait, wait, a wait, an American teenager has less testosterone than a 68-year-old man?

Thats right, because the testosterone levels have dropped 50 percent from historic levels, the secretary answered. And that is a problem and its an existential problem.

Kennedy was not the only official to make a queasy claim at Thursdays event.

Medicare administrator Dr Mehmet Oz predicted there would be a lot of Trump babies as a result of the presidents IVF treatment reforms, after years of America being under-babied.

The fundamental creative force in society is about making babies, Oz said.
Z-20T helicopter dazzles in Tianjin, showcasing broad combat versatility

China Daily) 13:30, October 17, 2025

The Z-20T helicopter releases flares during its flight demonstration at the 7th China Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin on Thursday. TAO RAN/FOR CHINA DAILY

A senior designer has outlined the capabilities of the Z-20T, the latest variant of China's Z-20 utility helicopter, highlighting its ability to carry out both troop deployment and airstrike missions.

Zhu Minfeng, deputy chief designer at the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute, said in addition to rapid deployment and cargo transportation, the Z-20T can use its own munitions to hit enemy targets or provide fire support to ground troops.

"The helicopter can operate on plains and plateaus, and can use a wide range of munitions such as anti-tank missiles, air-to-air missiles and rockets," he said at the 7th China Helicopter Exposition that opened in the port city of Tianjin on Thursday.

"As China's first domestically developed medium-lift utility helicopter, the Z-20 features big potential for modification, which means it can be easily refitted into various configurations. In fact, we made a plan from the beginning of the Z-20 project to build a family of variants for different tasks," Zhu said.

Compared with the baseline model, the Z-20T has two stub wings that can be equipped with modular weapons pylons, electronic warfare pods or external fuel tanks. It also has an opticalelectronic target detection device capable of scanning for and guiding munitions toward targets.

Wang Yanan, editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said the Z-20T will strengthen the combat capability of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force's air assault forces.

"It will be very flexible in operations  it can transport and deploy soldiers, provide escort to transport helicopters, and attack ground enemies and their helicopters.

"With the big load of munitions, the Z-20T can conduct troop transportation and penetration operations on the battlefield and doesn't necessarily need the escort of dedicated attack helicopters," he said.

The Z-20T was first spotted by Chinese weapons enthusiasts in January 2021 when a prototype was photographed during a test flight.

The aircraft was declassified at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in November 2024.

Several Z-20Ts from the PLA Ground Force took part in a grand parade last month in Beijing, marking their first flight performance in public.

At the ongoing helicopter expo in Tianjin, a Z-20T sent by the PLA Ground Force has been participating in demonstrations.

Nearly 400 enterprises from more than 30 countries and regions are taking part in the industry expo, the only helicopter show in the world that features flight performances. Fifty-two aircraft, including 38 helicopters, are on display at the four-day expo.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing)
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President Donald Trump on Thursday waived away pro-life concerns within his coalition over the White Houses recently announced initiative to increase access to vitro fertility treatments, the latest reminder of IVFs divisive status within the Republican Party.

When asked about the anti-abortion movements concerns over his work supporting IVF, the president said the White House plan to lower costs on a common IVF drug and encourage workplaces to insure such treatments was in fact a pro-life policy.

I think this is very pro-life, Trump said. You cant get more pro-life than this.

As part of the plan, drugmaker EMD Serono will offer reduced prices on its popular Gonal-f drug, which the president said will be accessible through the administrations forthcoming TrumpRx website.

The initiative will also see federal agencies create new rules reducing red tape and allowing workplace insurance to offer fertility treatments as a standalone type of coverage, akin to dental or vision insurance.

open image in gallery President Trump claims his plan to increase access to common in vitro fertilization drugs is pro-life, despite criticisms from the anti-abortion wing of the MAGA movement ( Getty Images )

Some within the broader pro-life movement criticized the presidents plan.

Im thankful theres no new healthcare mandate forcing coverage for the destructive IVF industry, but IVF, as its practiced, still destroys countless humans in the embryonic stage, Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, wrote on X. Its time to find real solutions that help families grow and flourish without killing Life in the process.

IVF kills more babies than abortionmillions of embryos are frozen, discarded, or destroyed, Lila Rose, founder of the anti-abortion group Live Action, wrote on X. Only 7% of embryos created survive to birth. Not a solution to fertility struggles.

On the campaign trail, Trump was an outspoken backer of IVF, calling himself the father of the procedure and promising a policy that would mandate insurance companies or the government pay for the medical procedure.

open image in gallery The White House on Thursday announced that a common fertilization drug will be sold to Americans directly at a discount through the TrumpRx website ( AP )

In office, his actions have been more modest, and the Trump administration eliminated a team of CDC experts responsible for tracking IVF outcomes across the country.

Nonetheless, the president and his claims the GOP would become the party of IVF have fractured parts of the Republican coalition.

Though we share his desire for Americans to have more babies, Trumps plan to fund in vitro fertilization for all American women is in direct contradiction with that hope, Pro-Life Action League President Ann Scheidler told Politico in September.

open image in gallery Republicans across the country have sparred over IVF following the 2022 Supreme Court ruling striking down the right to an abortion ( Getty Images )

Similar divisions have played out at the state level, where Republicans have sparred over IVF, in the wake of appointed conservatives on the Supreme Court helping overturn the constitutional right to an abortion in 2022.

Last year, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos are people, citing the 2022 decision, though state lawmakers swiftly passed a bill restoring IVF access.

Similar intraparty disputes have played out in states including Tennessee and Georgia.
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A federal grand jury has indicted President Donald Trumps former National Security Adviser John Bolton  the latest in the growing feud between the president and his ex-confidant turned critic.

Trumps Justice Department, which is prosecuting the case, announced the indictment Thursday, with Attorney General Pam Bondi saying, No one is above the law.

The FBI conducted an early-morning raid at Boltons home in Bethesda, Maryland, in August. It was reported at the time to be part of a classified document investigation.

Following the raids, Boltons attorney Abbe Lowell said the material was nothing more than the ordinary records of a 40-year career serving this country.

Bolton has become an outspoken critic of Trump, particularly with regard to the presidents approach to Russia. But just a few years ago, Bolton was one of Trumps top foreign policy advisers during the president's first term in the White House. He served as national security adviser from 2018 to 2019 and was admired by the president.

But the two clashed, especially on North Korea, and Trump fired Bolton with a social media post. That led to Bolton becoming a frequent critic.

Here is what you need to know about the feud between the two men and some of the pivotal moments:

open image in gallery A federal grand jury has indicted Donald Trumps former National Security Adviser John Bolton ( AP )

March 2018

One year after first being interviewed for the position of national security adviser but losing out to H.R. McMaster, Trump announced on Twitter, now X, that Bolton would be taking up the role  despite rumors that the president was not a fan of Boltons signature mustache.

Things started seemingly well, and a month later, Bolton pressed the president to withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Deal, which he did in May.

July 2018

The pair continued to be in step in July after Bolton declined to comment definitively on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin had been involved in the Kremlins cyberattacks on the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Even after 12 Russian military intelligence officers were indicted by the U.S. for hacking the DNC, Bolton remained diplomatic, telling Russian radio station Echo Moskvy that any such interference had not affected the outcome of the election.

It came despite Boltons previous rhetoric in 2017 that any interference by Russia would be a true act of war, and one Washington will never tolerate.

May 2019

By May the following year, cracks began to show in the relationship, with The New York Times reporting Trump was complaining about Bolton and his advice in private  he later undercut him publicly on North Korea and Iran.

August 2019

The disconnect continued following the emergence of a scandal that alleged Trump had attempted to coerce Ukraine into investigating his political rival Joe Biden to damage the Democrats 2020 presidential campaign.

Bolton later wrote in his memoir that the president had told him in August 2019 that he wanted to continue to freeze aid to Ukraine until officials there pursued investigations into his rival and other top Democrats.

open image in gallery Bolton served as national security adviser from 2018 to 2019 ( Getty Images )

September 2019

In a post online, Trump announced that Bolton had been fired, saying that he disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration  though he did thank Bolton very much for his service.

Accounts appeared to differ, however, with Bolton writing in response: I offered to resign last night and President Trump said, Let's talk about it tomorrow.

The firing came as Bolton tried to stop Trump from signing a peace agreement with the Taliban, according to the New York Times. Trump didnt sign the deal but was upset with how the situation played out. Trump and his advisers were mad about media reports about where Bolton stood and how much support he had for his viewpoint.

November 2019

Despite the firing, Bolton refused to attend his scheduled deposition in the House impeachment inquiry against Trump, threatening to take legal action if he was subpoenaed.

He later said he was willing to testify, but only after a federal court had ruled on the competing claims of the Trump administration and Congress.

January 2020

The Trump administration forced a delay in the publication of Boltons memoir, The Room Where it Happened, later filing a federal lawsuit claiming he breached his contract by failing to complete a pre-publication review for classified information.

The 577-page book was eventually published in June that year and offered an unflattering description of the president, painting him as grossly ill-informed about foreign policy. Trump saw conspiracies behind rocks, and remained stunningly uninformed on how to run the White House, let alone the huge federal government, Bolton wrote.

June 2022

Bolton defended Trump in an interview on CNN about the January 6 riots, according to Axios, saying it was not a planned coup.

"That's not the way Donald Trump does things," Bolton told CNN. "It's rambling from oneidea to another, one plan that falls through, and another comes up."

open image in gallery In May 2019 cracks in Trump and Boltons relationship began to show and Trump announced he had fired Bolton in September. Bolton claimed he had offered to resign the night before ( Getty Images )

April 2023

Bolton went back to criticizing Trump, saying it was a mistake for Republicans to align with the president for the 2024 election.

"It goes to the question of character and fitness for the presidency," Bolton told CBS News.

January 2024

In a new foreword to the book, Bolton relayed his fears about a second Trump presidency, saying the president was unfit for the top job. "If his first four years were bad, a second four will be worse, he wrote.

"For someone who professes to have such great disdain for President Trump, 'Book Deal Bolton' sure has found a way to grift off the relationship, Trump campaign spokesperson Jason Miller told Axios at the time.

January 2025

Almost immediately after returning to office in January 2025, Trump stripped Bolton's security protections along with those of other political adversaries.

August 2025

Bolton expressed deep skepticism ahead of the Alaska meeting between Trump and Putin and about the possibility of peace between Russia and Ukraine. I dont think theres a peace deal anywhere in the near future, Bolton told CNNs Jake Tapper.

One week later, Bolton continued to blast Trumps attempts at diplomacy. Meetings will continue because Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize, but I don't see these talks making any progress, he wrote on X.

Boltons home was raided on August 22.

October 2025

Bolton is accused of illegally sending hundreds of pages of classified national defense information to members of his family, including information from foreign intelligence and details about covert actions from the U.S. government, among other documents labeled top secret, according to his indictment.

He was charged with eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of unlawful retention of NDI.

Bolton denies wrongdoing in the classified documents case and released a statement Thursday saying the charges are part of Trumps 'effort to intimidate' opponents.

With reporting from Rachel Dobkin.
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President Donald Trump swore live on air during a high-stakes meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

Trump was taking questions from reporters during Fridays meeting and was asked about tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro when he dropped the expletive.

He has offered everything, Trump said, referring to Maduro. You know why? Because he doesn't want to f*** around with the United States.

After using the swear word, Trump swiftly brought the press conference to a close.

Broadcasters apologized to viewers for the presidents language.

open image in gallery After using the swear word, Trump swiftly brought the press conference to a close and broadcasters apologized to viewers for the presidents language ( REUTERS )

As the camera panned out from Trump, Vice President JD Vance broke into a smile and laughed at what just happened.

Pro-Trump accounts on X commended the president for his potty mouth.

President Trump using the F Bomb.he means business, said one MAGA supporter.

A well placed F bomb is an art and President Trump knows how to use it, added MAGA influencer Link Lauren.

LOL Trump dropping the F bomb. Liberals heads are spinning. I love it! another MAGA account posted.

Others were less impressed.

Grandpa trump comes off crass in trying to look tough for the press, someone said, while another called it immature.

open image in gallery As the camera panned out from Trump, Vice President JD Vance broke into a smile and appeared to laugh. ( Fox News/X )

In June, Trump lashed out with the same language after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran he announced earlier appeared to break down.

We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they dont know what the f*** theyre doing, a frustrated Trump told reporters at the White House as he departed for a NATO summit in the Netherlands.

Trumps language became more expletive in his third presidential campaign, according to analysis by The New York Times. In 2024, Trump cursed in public more than 1,700 times, according to the newspaper.

In 2016, Trump told his supporters, Were gonna have businesses that used to be in New Hampshire that are now in Mexico. Come back to New Hampshire, and you can tell them to go f*** themselves.

Fridays outburst was prompted by a question about what more Venezuelas Maduro could do to ease tensions with the U.S. after the Trump administration escalated the military campaign against the leaders regime this week.

Trump claimed Wednesday that he authorized CIA operations on Venezuelas soil because Venezuela emptied their prisons into the United States of America and flooded the country with drugs.

Last month, the administration declared the U.S. is formally engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels that the president has labeled unlawful combatants, according to a confidential notice to members of Congress.
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President Donald Trump falsely claimed that the U.S. has never had a president that solved one war, as he spoke to reporters ahead of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky arrived at the White House on Friday to discuss strengthening U.S. support for Kyiv amid Russias war in Ukraine. Trump also announced Thursday he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary.

Trump made the false claim about his predecessors while in the White House Cabinet Room, shortly before kicking off talks with the Ukrainian leader.

Every time I solve one, they said, Sir, if you solve one more, you're going to be known as a peacekeeper, Trump said. To the best of my knowledge, we've never had a president that solved one war, not one war. Bush started a war. A lot of them start wars, but they don't solve the wars.

The Independent has contacted the White House for comment on Trumps remarks.

open image in gallery President Donald Trump falsely claimed the U.S. has never had a president that solved one war ( REUTERS )

There are several U.S. presidents whose administrations have played a key role in ending conflicts. This list includes, but is not limited to:

President Theodore Roosevelt, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for having negotiated peace in the Russo-Japanese War.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who sought an end to the Korean War. An armistice was signed in July 1953, seven months after his inauguration.

President Abraham Lincoln, who was commander-in-chief when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865. This marked the most significant surrender in the conflict. Lincolns successor, President Andrew Johnson, then formally ended the war in 1866. Grant also served as president from 1869 to 1877.

President Harry S. Truman, who worked with Great Britain and China during World War II to issue the Potsdam Declaration, which demanded Japans unconditional surrender. When Japan did not accept, Truman authorized the use of the atomic bomb. The U.S. bombed Japan twice, and the nation surrendered afterward, effectively ending World War II.

open image in gallery President Theodore Roosevelt introduces Russian and Japanese delegates at the Portsmouth Peace Conference. There, Roosevelt played a key role in negotiating peace and later won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts ( Getty Images )

Before making this claim about former U.S. presidents, Trump boasted that he had ended eight wars and complained he did not win a Nobel Peace Prize for any of them.

Look at all of the wars that we solve, and every time I solve one, they say, If you solve the next one, you're going to get the Nobel Prize, he said. I didn't get a Nobel Prize.

Trump and his allies campaigned for him to win a Nobel Peace Prize earlier this month after he announced the first phase of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. When the prestigious award instead went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung accused the Nobel committee of placing politics over peace.

President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives, he wrote on X. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.

Machado went on to dedicate her award to Trump.
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When President Donald Trump announced plans for yet another sit-down with Russian president Vladimir Putin following a Thursday phone call between the two leaders, it looked like yet another sign that Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky was in for a rough ride when he visited the White House Friday.

Just eight months ago, the Ukrainian president and his delegation were unceremoniously ushered out of the West Wing after an unprecedented Oval Office shouting match that included scolding the wartime leader on his choice of clothing and his supposed ingratitude for the billions Washington has provided in defense aid and financial assistance since Russian troops invaded his country three years earlier.

At the time, Trump berated Zelensky, whod come to Washington to press for yet more assistance to repel Moscows forces from his land, about how the Ukrainian leader was risking World War Three by keeping up a fight that he played no role in starting.

It looked as if Trumps new administration was dead set on pulling the plug on Americas support for Kyiv.

But February seems like forever ago now.

open image in gallery Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky once got into a shouting match in the White House. But the mood on Friday was vastly different. ( REUTERS )

Zelensky flew to Washington Thursday for meetings with some of Trump's cabinet and multiple American defense contractors before spending the night at the president's official guest house across from the White House. When he arrived at the West Wing the next day, he was greeted by a smiling president whose mood appeared to have been buoyed by his previous Oval Office guest, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.

He and his delegation proceeded to the Cabinet Room, where with cameras rolling Trump introduced Zelensky in glowing terms once reserved for the autocratic leaders he admires  including Putin.

"It's an honor to be with a very strong leader, a man who has been through a lot," Trump said.

He added that Zelensky was "a man who I've gotten to know very well" and noted that they had "gotten along really very well" in recent months.

"President Zelensky of Ukraine has endured a lot  I mean, he really has," Trump continued. "He's endured a lot, and we've endured it with him."

Trump even went so far as to praise the more businesslike wardrobe the Ukrainian leader has adopted since that February disaster, telling reporters that Zelensky "looks beautiful" in the tie-less dark suit and shirt he was wearing and calling his outfit "very stylish."

Zelensky had come to Washington to ask Trump for U.S.-built Tomahawk missiles  small, pilotless aircraft that can fly upwards of 1,000 miles before striking targets with incredible precision.

open image in gallery With cameras rolling, Trump praised Zelensky and continued to push for Russia to end the conflict with Ukraine ( REUTERS )

Ukraines armed forces are desperate for the American-made weapons because they would give Kyiv the ability to strike deep into Russian territory  as far as Moscow or beyond. The missiles would permit Ukraine to retaliate against Russias myriad attacks against civilian targets, brazen strikes often carried out with the Russian-built equivalent.

Trump, who has been mostly unwilling to take any action that would be viewed as increasing American involvement in the nearly four-year-old conflict, acknowledged to reporters that providing Ukraine with them long-range weapons would be an escalation, but he said the matter would be discussed nonetheless.

He also repeatedly claimed that Putin, in his estimation, still wants to end the war, and said he and the Russian leader had went through a lot of details during their two-hour phone call this week.

The president did not say he would be providing Ukraine with the cruise missiles Zelensky has sought. He also stressed that the U.S. needs to have adequate stockpiles for its own use.

But even as he didnt say yes, he did not say no, either.

open image in gallery Trump even appeared warm to the idea of allowing Kyiv access to the weapons in exchange for Ukrainian-built drone technology developed by the countrys homegrown defense sector ( AP )

Trump even appeared warm to the idea of allowing Kyiv access to the weapons in exchange for Ukrainian-built drone technology developed by the countrys homegrown defense sector  technology that has often allowed Ukrainian forces to punch well above their weight against Russias massive military machine.

With a hint of admiration in his voice, Trump hinted at an interest in such a weapons swap and said the Ukrainians make a very good drone.

As the question-and-answer session continued, the president still pressed on with his assertion that Putin wants to end the war he started without provocation. Trump said he hoped his planned summit in Budapest would make it unnecessary for any provision of Tomahawks to Kyiv.

But he also conceded that there is a possibility he is being played by the Russian leader, who, according to the Financial Times, spent a large part of their August meeting in Alaska engaging in a rambling historical discursion that left Trump infuriated to the point of raising his voice multiple times and eventually cutting the planned summit program short.

Meanwhile, The Independent understands that Zelensky came to Washington ready to engage Trump with a map-laden presentation showing the American leader exactly how the Tomahawks could be used to inflict terrible blows on the Russian war machine and the Russian oil sector.

The president, according to aides, likes maps. And the more time he spends with Zelensky, the more he appears to like him, too.

Zelensky might not get his Tomahawks today. But little by little, hes winning Trumps respect and making him feel like a trusted friend.

And if Trump feels as if Putin is playing him when they meet again in Budapest, theres no telling what benefits Zelensky could reap from that breach.
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Virginia Giuffre revealed in a posthumous memoir that she endured nightmares of greedy, heaving men on top of me, years after she said she was sexually exploited by Jeffrey Epstein and his affiliates.

Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, had alleged that she was the victim of sex trafficking and that Prince Andrew was among Epsteins circle of connections.

In a new memoir to be released next week, she wrote that she was still haunted by trauma almost 20 years later, while in hospital with Covid, according to excerpts obtained by The Sun.

All feelings of sadness and shame overtook me. I was sick of the nightmares; greedy, heaving men on top of me, men whose faces I recognized and would never forget. I felt hollowed out, she wrote. Giuffre did not identify the men in the extracts published.

open image in gallery Virginia Giuffre (C) was infamously pictured with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell when she was younger ( PA Media )

Her book, Nobodys Girl, describes alleged abuse after she said she was recruited by pedophile financier Epsteins former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, as a massage therapist.

The memoir calls Epstein a master manipulator and describes three instances in which she alleges Prince Andrew had sex with her. Without any admission of liability, the prince reached a financial settlement with Giuffre in 2022 and has always vehemently denied wrongdoing.

Giuffre wrote that she struggled with thoughts of suicide years later and had attempted to take her own life twice before, according to The Sun. She described concerns over the stress and worry she felt she brought into the lives of her husband and children.

Giuffre died at the age of 41, six months after completing the book, which is co-written with author Amy Wallace. During the memoir she also claimed that Epstein had made threats against her family, and that she lost a child after becoming pregnant by one of her alleged abusers.

We know where your brother goes to school, Epstein was alleged to have told her, according to an extract published by The Guardian. You must never tell a soul what goes on in this house.

open image in gallery Virginia Giuffre died aged 41 in April 2025 ( PA Media )

In that extract, she recounted the day Maxwell took her to meet Prince Andrew who, she said, correctly guessed that she was 17 at the time.

It describes Giuffre going to the Tramp nightclub with Andrew and adds: He was sort of a bumbling dancer, and I remember he sweated profusely.

She said that Maxwell told her, When we get home, you are to do for him what you do for Jeffrey. She claimed she later ran Andrew a bath before they had sex.

The book states: He was friendly enough, but still entitled  as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright.

In an interview with the BBCs Emily Maitlis in November 2019, Andrew denied claims that he slept with Giuffre, saying: I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened. I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.

Andrew claimed in his interview that he had a medical condition in 2001, after suffering an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands War when he was shot at, that meant he did not sweat.

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

Giuffre met British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000 while working as a locker room attendant at Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort.

She said Maxwell offered her an interview to train as a massage therapist and claimed the socialite gave her instructions on how to massage Epstein at his home in Palm Beach while he was naked. Giuffre claimed that the job interview soon turned into years of abuse.

Maxwell was later found guilty of recruiting and trafficking young girls for Epstein to abuse. Epstein was found dead in his prison cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges at a facility in New York in 2019.

Nobodys Girl: A Memoir Of Surviving Abuse And Fighting For Justice is released on Tuesday.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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The family of Prince Andrew's late sexual abuse accuser, Virginia Giuffre, is celebrating the royal relinquishing his remaining titles amid continued fallout over his ties to the late sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein.

This is not just a victory for her, but for every single survivor of the horrific crimes perpetrated by [Jeffrey] Epstein and his co-conspirators, family members told The New York Post in a statement.

The family has called for Andrew, who has denied all wrongdoing, including Giuffres allegations, to lose his title of prince next.

Earlier Friday, in a statement released by Buckingham Palace, Andrew said a decision had been reached in discussion with the King to relinquish his remaining titles, including the Duke of York, as the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family.

Giuffre, who died by suicide earlier this year, was one of the first people to publicly call for charges against Epstein and has been an outspoken advocate for his alleged victims.

open image in gallery The family of Prince Andrew sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre hailed the royal relinquishing his titles as a victory for survivors of the Epstein ring ( DOJ )

Giuffre alleges that as a teenage victim of Epsteins sex trafficking ring she had sex with Prince Andrew multiple times, which he denies.

In 2022, Andrew reached a multi-million-pound settlement with Giuffre to end a civil case against him.

As part of the settlement, Andrew expressed his regret for associating with Epstein and donated to Giuffres victim advocacy work.

Public attention into Andrews Epstein ties continued throughout the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins right hand, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison for trafficking.

open image in gallery In a forthcoming posthumous memoir, Giuffre details how she was groomed to be a part of Epsteins sex trafficking ring and allegedly had multiple encounters with Prince Andrew ( PA Media )

A posthumous memoir by Giuffre, Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, is slated for release on October 21.

The memoir details Giuffres account of meeting Maxwell while working the front desk at a spa inside Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort.

Elsewhere, Giuffre writes of what she said were three sexual encounters with Andrew, including one that was preceded by the prince guessing she was 17 years old.

Outside of the scandal associated with Giuffre, Prince Andrew is facing separate allegations he met multiple times in 2018 and 2018 with a senior Chinese official at the heart of the China spy scandal.
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Australia has launched a public education campaign, offering guidance on how to help children disengage from social media, ahead of a world-first national 16-year age limit.

The new rules, taking effect in December, mean platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube could face fines up to 50 million Australian dollars (26 million) if they fail to prevent under-16s from holding accounts.

Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated on Friday that her agency's website, esafety.gov.au, details the legislation. Awareness messages will also be broadcast from Sunday across digital channels, television, radio, and billboards.

We want children to have childhoods. We want parents to have peace of mind and we want young people  young Australians  to have three more years to learn who they are before platforms assume who they are, Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters, referring to the current de facto 13-year age limit for social media accounts based on U.S. privacy legislation.

open image in gallery In this image taken from a video, Australias eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant speaks to reporters in Gold Coast, Australia, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation via AP) ( Australian Broadcasting Corporation )

The Australian age restrictions have already proved polarizing, with some experts warning the changes will harm as well as protect children. More than 140 Australian and international academics signed an open letter to the government last year opposing a social media age limit as too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively.

Despite that warning, the laws passed with resounding support last year. The platforms had a year to figure out how to comply without foolproof technology available to verify ages.

Inman Grant said the social media age restriction would be a very monumental event for a lot of young people.

Her agency offered checklists and conversation starters about ways to make the transition, such as following an online influencer through a website rather than a social media account, she said.

How do we start weaning them from social media now so it isnt a shock on Dec. 10? How do we help them download their archives and their memories and how do we make sure that theyre in touch with friends and are aware of mental health support if theyre feeling down when theyre not tethered to their phones over the holiday period? she added.

open image in gallery A school girl holds her phone while crossing a street in Sydney, on Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File) Social Media ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Australias move is being watched closely by countries that share concerns about social media impacts on young children.

Denmarks Ambassador to Australia Ingrid Dahl-Madsen said her government would use its current presidency of the Council of the European Union to push the agenda of protecting children from social media harms.

This is something that is a global challenge and we are all looking at how we can manage it best and we are looking to Australia and we will be looking at what Australia does, Dahl-Madsen told Australian Broadcasting Corp. in Melbourne on Monday.

Its so important that Australia and Demark and the EU  we share lessons, we compare experiences and we can push forward hopefully practical progress on this, she added. It was about "protecting our children in this digital world that is increasingly complicated."

The Danish government last week proposed legislating an age limit of 15. But Dahl-Madsen said Denmark would consider letting parents exempt their children who were 13-14. Australia has no similar exemption.
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Authorities concluded the latest effort to locate a four-year-old boy, whose disappearance in the rugged outback of South Australia gripped the nation.

The operation to find Gus Lamont covered 95sqkm on foot, expanding beyond areas previously combed by the police and the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Southern Australian Police confirmed on Friday that despite a detailed, meticulous and protracted effort, the search yielded no new evidence.

Police had been hopeful the extensive ground searches would uncover any evidence of Gus, but this has not been the case, they said.

The fact Gus is a small child, the terrain is extremely rugged, harsh and subject to changing weather conditions has made the searching difficult and more challenging for those involved.

Gus went missing on 27 September while playing outside his home on a remote homestead near Yunta in South Australia  about 300 km from Adelaide.

His grandmother had left him unattended for around 30 minutes and found him gone, sparking one of the largest land and air searches in the states history.

Gus, known for being adventurous yet shy, was last seen wearing a grey hat, light-grey trousers, boots, and a blue long-sleeve T-shirt with a yellow Minion design.

( South Australia Police )

The boys disappearance captured national attention, with images of his blond, curly hair circulating widely in the media and online speculation running high. A number of other fake images of the boy were also spread online, including several claiming to show breakthroughs in the case.

Police had earlier urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified opinions and instead rely on credible sources for information.

Police do not suspect foul play and have described the case as a recovery operation now. In a statement, SA Police said: In the initial stages, police had hoped to find Gus alive, but sadly the search has become a recovery operation.

Earlier this month, police, assisted by sniffer dogs, drones and helicopters, launched one of the largest and most intensive searches of South Australia in recent years to find the blond-haired boy, but were unable to locate him even after six days after his disappearance.

Addressing a press conference at the time, assistant police commissioner Ian Parrott said that the search had been scaled back, but that they would continue to investigate all lines of inquiry. We are confident that weve 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, he said at the time.

Around 50 personnel worked on the ground to search for the boy near the homestead and surrounding bush, covering a 470sqm area over the past week. Searches on foot covered about 25km every day, police said.

On Tuesday, search teams found a footprint around 500m from the sheep homestead, but no further clues.

Authorities resumed the search on Tuesday, this time joined by around 80 personnel from the Australian Defence Force. Police Commissioner Grant Stevens explained that the expanded search zone was determined by updated evaluations from survivability, medical, and search experts, rather than new leads.

SA premier Peter Malinauskas said his thoughts are with Gus and his family.

We would love to have resolution to this matter, but not any more than the family would themselves, he said on Friday.

What I am proud of is the way that South Australian Police have thrown everything at this, along with other agencies that have assisted, particularly the ADF, but others as well.

Speaking about the family of Gus, commissioner Stevens said: You can imagine just how they are feeling... without having answers as to exactly where Gus is and whats happened to him. This would be traumatic for any family.

Nikii Smith, president of the Centre for Missing Persons, described situations like this as heartbreaking for the families involved.

Its very hard to understand what families are going through, she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

From the get-go its a rollercoaster of emotions.

Its a heartbreaking feeling because it brings everything up that happened in the early days with our loved ones  it makes it fresh, she said.

The boys family, via a spokesperson, had earlier said they were devastated and deeply distressed by his disappearance.
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A valuable 1919 Pablo Picasso painting has mysteriously vanished while in transit to a temporary exhibition in the southern Spanish city of Granada, sparking a police investigation.

The CajaGranada Foundation, which is organising the display, confirmed the loss in a statement issued late on Thursday. The missing artwork, a small framed gouache titled 'Still life with guitar', was part of a larger consignment of pieces transported from Madrid to the Andalusian city. It was destined for the exhibition 'Still life: The eternity of the inert'.

The foundation confirmed on Friday that the painting, owned by a private collector and measuring 13 x 10 centimetres (5 x 4 inches), was insured for an appraised value of 600,000 euros ($700,000).

The shipment was delivered to the CajaGranada cultural centre on the morning of October 3, a Friday.

open image in gallery Granada's red-walled Alhambra palace complex ( Getty/iStock )

The loss was not discovered until the following Monday, when the exhibit's curator and the foundation's head of exhibitions began unpacking the crates.

"As not all packages were properly numbered, it was not possible to carry out a thorough check without unpacking them," the foundation added.

The CajaGranada Foundation said it had reviewed the security footage from that weekend and confirmed "no incident occurred" during that time.

After discovering the painting was missing, the foundation filed a complaint with Spain's national police.

The organisation said it has made all its resources available to investigators and expressed confidence in the authorities' ability to resolve the case.
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A Kremlin envoy has proposed a Putin-Trump rail tunnel between eastern Russia and the US state of Alaska to symbolise unity, even suggesting that it could be built by billionaire Elon Musk.

Kirill Dmitriev, Moscows special envoy on international economic and investment cooperation and a key negotiator in Ukraine peace talks, suggested the project could be completed within eight years by Musks Boring Company, at a cost of $8bn (6bn). This could be funded by Moscow and international partners, he added.

He envisaged the 70-mile rail and cargo link beneath the Bering Strait could unlock joint exploration of natural resources.

A graphic shared by Kirill Dmitriev of the proposed project ( Kirill Dmitriev/X )

Elon Musk, imagine connecting the US and Russia, the Americas and Afro-Eurasia, with the Putin-Trump Tunnel - a 70-mile link symbolising unity, he wrote in a series of posts on X on Thursday.

Traditional costs are [over] $65bn, but the Boring Company's tech could reduce it to [under] $8bn. Let's build a future together!

He added: This mega-project will connect continents and make the Boring Company the most exciting infrastructure innovator ever!

Musk does not appear to have responded to the proposal.

Dmitriev floated the tunnel idea shortly after Russian president Vladimir Putin spoke to Mr Trump on the phone and agreed to meet in Hungary in the coming weeks to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

The Bering Strait, which is 51 miles wide at its narrowest point, separates Russias Chukotka region from Alaska. The idea to link the two countries is nothing new  it dates back at least 150 years, with various projects drawn up but never implemented. Dmitrievs suggestion came in response to recently released US congressional documents on the late president John F Kennedy, which revealed a proposal for a World Peace Bridge between Alaska and Siberia.

A man of many hats, Mr Dmitriev is the head of Russias RDIF sovereign wealth fund and Mr Putins emissary of choice to court better relations with the US.

He shared a graphic of his proposed Kennedy-Khrushchev World Peace Bridge showing the route the new tunnel could take between Chukotka and Alaska, but he did not specify whether he had discussed his idea with Russian or American officials or explain how sanctions might affect the project.

RDIF has already invested in and built the first-ever Russia-China railroad bridge. The time has come to do more and connect the continents for the first time in human history. The time has come to connect Russia and the US, he said.

Mr Trump has not commented on the proposal.
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Vladimir Putin has pulled off a mini-coup in the White House, driven a painful wedge into the European Union, and is repairing his reputation as an indicted war criminal  all in one phone call.

In a couple of weeks, he will get the red-carpet treatment again, this time as a guest of Hungarys Victor Orban, a leading light of the wannabe dictator club, to hold meetings with Donald Trump, no fan of democratic institutions himself.

He will swagger into Europe untroubled by the International Criminal Court indictments against him for war crimes in Ukraine, and as he stands gazing at Budapests golden Danube riverfront, he will breathe in the irony of the moment.

The former KGB officer managed to get hold of Trump on the phone before his meeting with Zelensky at the White House on Friday, and bend the US president back to his will.

I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, and it was a very productive one, Trump said on social media. President Putin congratulated me and the United States on the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East.

open image in gallery Donald Trump spoke to Vladimir Putin for two hours before Volodymyr Zelesnky arrived in the US ( Getty )

Then he revealed how easily he was manipulated by Putin, who told him that peace in the Middle East was something that, he said, has been dreamed of for centuries. I actually believe that the Success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the war with Russia/Ukraine.

Trump has not helped negotiate peace in the Middle East. He has been part of a ceasefire agreement that is barely holding but was, critically, at a moment when Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had won his war against Hamas  with American weapons.

Putin is keen to make sure that Ukraine is always seen by Trump as the loser and that the US is not tempted to give Kyiv any extra help.

He managed to do just that over the blower.

As he draws in the Budapest air, hell reflect that 26 years ago in the same city, Britain, Russia, the US and Ukraine agreed to protect Kyivs independence in return for it giving up its vast nuclear arsenal.

And that he invaded Ukraine in 2014, annexed the Crimea soon after, and waged a war against Kyiv that for eight years was deliberately and publicly denied the protection and help it needed to see off the Kremlin  by the UK and the US.

Through this period, Russia also campaigned against the European Union. The EU had absorbed newly minted democracies from the wreckage of the Soviet empire and Warsaw Pact in eastern Europe  offering Russias citizens a vision of what freedom looked like.

Putin hated it.

He also hated Ukraines revolution that threw off Moscows control over its neighbour in 2013.

He has argued his whole political life that Ukraine is a Russian land  and ignored Moscows vile history here, which includes the deliberate starvation of 3-7 million people in the Holodomor of the 1930s.

open image in gallery Zelensky arrives in the US to meet Donald Trump ( X/@ZelenskyyUa )

Ukraine is no natural colony of Russia, but it has lots of Russian speakers who are very glad they dont live under Putin and are on track for EU membership, they hope to join Nato, and have democracy and a free press.

Putin is accused of new war crimes over the mass abduction of Ukrainian children and the murder of civilians on the outskirts of Kyiv.

Hungarys foreign minister has said that even though his country is a (reluctant and leaving) member of the ICC, arrangements will be made to make sure that Putin doesnt get cuffed on arrival.

We will ensure that he enters Hungary, has successful negotiations here, and then returns home, Peter Szijjarto said.

We will receive [Putin] with respect, host him, and provide the conditions for him to negotiate with the American president, he added.

These talks are over Ukraine. But Zelensky will not be there.

He is not part of the Putin gang of proto-dictators who dont like the EU.

Orbans Hungary has been criticised by the EU for the drift away from liberal democracy there. The country is also the EUs biggest importer of Russian fossil fuels  paying Moscow 416m (362m) last August alone, which Putin no doubt put towards the war against Ukraine.

open image in gallery Trump meets Victor Orban in 2019 ( Getty )

Orban is an enthusiast of Brexit. So are Trump and Putin. Anything that weakens European economic and political ties is good news for the Kremlin.

This explains his keen support over the years for what the Soviets used to call useful idiots like Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson, and Frances right-wing Le Pen dynasty, who all campaigned against the EU.

But it is over Ukraine where true colours are being shown.

Over the last month or so, it had appeared that Trump had shifted away from his vocally pro-Putin stand on Moscows invasion.

He had previously insisted that Ukraine was losing and would have to cede territory. Trump tried to make sure of that by ending US support for Ukraines defence, and caused Kyiv to stumble in its fight against Russia and many tens of thousands of casualties with an elongation of the war.

But he recently indicated, after painstaking diplomacy from Zelensky, that he thought Russia a paper tiger and that he would consider selling Tomahawk missiles to European nations for use by Ukraine. He has also been looking at boosting Ukraines air defences.

Zelensky went to lunch with Trump at the White House to plead for this help.

But as his delegation was already on the ground, talking to American arms suppliers, Putin got through on the red phone to the Oval Office and changed Trumps agenda with spymaster purrs.
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Volodymyr Zelensky wants Tomahawk missiles to smash Russias command and control of its war in his country and hes headed back to the White House Friday to make his case.

Donald Trump has said hes tempted to sell them to Kyiv, which prompted the Kremlins chief extremist and former president Dmitry Medvedev to boast thatll end badly for all  especially the US.

Why all the fuss?

Tomahawk missiles can fly up to a thousand miles (1,600km), carry almost half a tonne of explosives, can be guided onto targets in Russia, are accurate to within a few metres, and can loiter in the skies to dive on targets of opportunity. The US has this year launched Tomahawk against the Houthis in Yemen and against Iran to devastating but not strategic effect.

Ukraine has made its own long-range missile, the Flamingo, or FP-5. It can hit a target at 1,600 miles (3,000km) and carries over a tonne of explosives.

If Zelensky persuades Trump to sell European donors Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine, it would be a huge military boost for Kyiv.

More importantly, it would signal that Trump has switched sides in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Hes hinted that he might, but has so far favoured Russia over Ukraine, a former US ally.

open image in gallery A tactical Block IV cruise missile is escorted by a Navy F-14 fighter during a controlled test in southern California ( US Navy )

He has become frustrated that Putin has brushed off his efforts to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine, where Nato estimates Russia has suffered 1.1 million casualties.

Last Sunday, Trump said on social media: Yeah, I might tell him [Putin], if the war is not settled, we may very well do it. We may not, but we may do it ... Do they want to have Tomahawks going in their direction? I dont think so.

Riding a wave of diplomatic machismo after he has been so widely praised for getting a ceasefire agreed in Gaza, Trump may be feeling more confident in his support for Zelensky  once a hate figure among Maga supporters heavily influenced by Russian propaganda. That is certainly what Zelensky hopes.

open image in gallery The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Barry launches a Tomahawk cruise missile in the Mediterranean Sea ( US Navy )

So too does Europe. The latest warnings over the dangers to the continent came from Germanys spy chief Martin Jaeger, head of its foreign intelligence service.

We are already under fire today, he told Germanys parliamentarians. The means Moscow uses are well known  attempted manipulation of elections and public opinion, propaganda, provocations, disinformation, espionage, sabotage, airspace violations by drones and fighter jets, contract killings, persecution of opposition figures living abroad.

The Dutch are sending Ukraine 290m for drone development, Estonia has recently announced tens of millions of euros for Kyiv in drones, and Nato members have been rushing to increase the capabilities of its Baltic Sentry and Eastern Sentry air defences after repeated penetrations of Nato airspace by Russian drones and aircraft.

open image in gallery Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky are set to be reunited at the White House on Friday (17 October) ( AP )

Trump wont be moved by what the German spook-in-chief says. He doesnt believe in Russian attempts to subvert democracy (since Moscow has been accused of interfering in his own election).

But he does, his Knesset speech this week has shown, love to back a winner  especially one who wins using American weapons which, he claimed, had contributed to Israels victory in Gaza.

Tomahawk missiles can attack Russian command centres. They can smash Moscows complex resupply routes, airfields and bridges. These are all targets that Ukraine has been hitting for more than a year. Kyiv is reeling from identical counterattacks by Russia  but Putins army could be forced into collapse if it starts to feel cut off from the motherland.

Trump has said that Russia may be a paper tiger, and Zelensky would like him to add Tomahawks to his arsenal. So far, only the blowhard-in-chief of the Putin administration, Medvedev, has reacted to the Tomahawk threat. And pretty feebly at that.

open image in gallery Tomahawks could be a game-changer in the Ukraine war ( US Navy )

The delivery of these missiles could end badly for everyone. And first of all  for Trump himself, said the former Russian president.

Zelensky has worked hard to win Trumps ear after being told he didnt have any cards to play in the war with Russia by a raging Trump in the Oval Office in February.

He has flattered and schmoozed the US commander-in-chief and been supported in his efforts by grovelling and hand-wringing among Europes leaders, who have been prepared to sacrifice personal dignity for strategic support.

Its not there yet. But Ukraine and its allies know that Putin has overplayed his cards with Trump, who could himself throw down some aces, some Tomahawks and more.

Hed like to see Putin humbled, and Zelenskys best play is that Trump would enjoy forcing the Kremlin to fold and ask for a seat at the peace table.
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Donald Trump has agreed to a second Ukraine war summit with Vladimir Putin after a productive phone call between the pair on the eve of a White House visit by Volodymyr Zelensky.

A date has not been set, but Mr Trump wrote on social media that the meeting would take place in Budapest.

I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation, the US president wrote after the conversation, which lasted more than two hours.

Their previous summit, in Alaska in August, ended without any significant diplomatic breakthroughs for Mr Trump. Yuri Ushakov, Putins foreign affairs adviser, said the Russian president initiated the call, which he described as very frank and trusting.

It came as Mr Zelensky was heading to the White House to push for more military support, including long-range Tomahawk missiles that would allow Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory.

Mr Zelensky has argued such strikes would help compel Mr Putin to take Mr Trump's calls for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to end the war more seriously.

Mr Trump had told reporters travelling with him to Israel on Sunday that he had planned to discuss the Tomahawks with Mr Putin as a way to pressure him to end Russia's war in Ukraine.

open image in gallery Volodymyr Zelensky is due to visit the White House on Friday ( AP )

Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I don't think so, Mr Trump said on Sunday. I think I might speak to Russia about that.

The Tomahawk, much sought after by Mr Zelensky, has a range of about 1,600km (995 miles) but experts warned that it could take years to provide the equipment and training necessary for Ukraine to use them effectively.

With a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal holding, Mr Trump has said he is now turning his attention to bringing the war in Ukraine to an end and is weighing providing Kyiv with long-range weaponry as he looks to prod Moscow to the negotiating table.

Ending the wars in Ukraine and Gaza was central to Mr Trump's 2024 re-election pitch, in which he persistently pilloried President Joe Biden for his handling of the conflicts.

Yet, like his predecessor, Mr Trump has also been stymied by Mr Putin as he has unsuccessfully pressed the Russian leader to hold direct talks with Mr Zelensky to end the war, which is nearing its fourth year.

But fresh off the Gaza ceasefire, Mr Trump is showing new confidence that he can finally make headway on ending the Russian invasion.

He is also signalling that he is ready to step up pressure on Mr Putin if he does not come to the table soon.

Mr Putin has made it clear that providing Ukraine with Tomahawks would cross a red line and further damage relations between Moscow and Washington.

But Mr Trump has been undeterred. He'd like to have Tomahawks, he said of Mr Zelensky earlier this week. We have a lot of Tomahawks.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Thursday night that the Budapest meeting will be preceded by a phone call between US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in the coming days.

Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report
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Russia launched a blistering assault on Ukraine overnight, killing at least six people and injuring 35. Some 430 drones and 18 missiles targeted the country, Ukraines president said, calling the strikes a deliberate and calculated attack aimed at causing maximum harm to people and civilian infrastructure.

Ukraines air force said most of the drones and missiles were shot down, but officials said falling debris and fires damaged high-rise apartments, a school, a medical facility and administrative buildings across nine districts in the city of about three million.

"At that moment you don't know what to do first: save yourself, your child, or run to help people, because so many people were screaming and needed help," said Anastasia, 29, whose apartment block was hit.

The attacks came just two days after Russias foreign ministry indicated it was ready to resume direct talks with Ukraine on ending the war in Istanbul. An official told TASS the ball is in Ukraines court.

Russia continues to escalate its strikes on Ukraine while coordinating its messaging to present a show of good faith to the United States. Nearly four years since the invasion, the Kremlin maintains its maximalist designs on Ukraine.

Zelensky said that Ukraine was responding to the strikes with long-range strength, and called for greater sanctions to be imposed on Russia.

open image in gallery The overnight attacks hit residential buildings, despite Russias insistence it does not target civilians ( AFP/Getty )

Russia has waged a devastating aerial campaign against Ukraine since its all-out invasion of its neighbour nearly four years ago. US-led diplomatic efforts this year to stop the fighting have so far come to nothing.

Friday's aerial assault, which also targeted Odesa in the south and Kharkiv in the northeast, was mostly aimed at Kyiv, where drones and missiles smashed into high-rise apartment blocks, according to Zelensky.

Mariia Kalchenko said it was a miracle she survived after her building was hit. "I didn't hear anything, I just realised that my hair was on fire," the 46-year-old volunteer rescue dog handler said.

In the Odesa region, Russian drones struck a busy street on market day in Chornomorsk, killing two people and injuring 11 others, including a 19-month-old girl, regional military administration chief Oleh Kiper said.

Moscow denies targeting civilian areas, with the Russian Defense Ministry saying Friday it carried out an overnight strike on Ukraine's "military-industrial and energy facilities."

Analysts nevertheless accuse Russia of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure in order to wound morale.

open image in gallery Eight of the capital's 10 districts reported damage. Emergency crews fought fires in apartment blocks, debris from explosions was strewn across yards and cars parked in the streets were set ablaze ( Reuters )

Natia Seskuria, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said that the systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure was a central element of Russias strategy, designed to terrorise the Ukrainian population and erode public morale.

The underlying calculation is that a war-weary society subjected to sustained attacks might exert pressure on the government to accept almost any settlement that promises an end to hostilities, she told The Independent.

Thus far, however, this strategy has proven ineffective, as Ukrainians have demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination in the face of ongoing aggression.

Fridays attack was the biggest on Kyiv in almost three weeks. Most recent Russian aerial attacks have aimed at electricity infrastructure around the country ahead of the bitter winter months.

With no sign of the war abating, millions of Ukrainians face one of the harshest winters in years as humanitarian organisations scramble to deliver essentials to the frontlines and affected areas.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warned on Friday that people whose livelihoods have been destroyed by the war are entering the winter with no financial buffer to support themselves.

open image in gallery At least six people were killed in the strikes overnight, Ukrainian officials said ( Reuters )

Frequent power cuts continue to plunge neighbourhoods into darkness, cut heating and force hospitals to use emergency power. For older people and vulnerable people in high-rise buildings, blackouts can mean hours or days of isolation without elevators, heat, and often without food or medicine, the IFRC warned.

Almost four years of conflict have eroded peoples resources. Many families are entering this winter with no financial buffer  seven out of ten people said they dont have any savings left, said Jaime Wah, Deputy Head of Delegation for IFRC in Ukraine.

We have been providing support to people for several years, but our resources are also running thin, Wah added. The scale of the needs is overwhelming, and with each passing day, those needs only grow.

Keir Giles, a fellow of the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatham House, told The Independent that Moscows attacks are designed to cause the maximum possible misery and suffering among the civilian population.

Thats the principle we saw applied in Syria, in Chechnya and in countless others of Moscows wars dating back decades and centuries, he said.

Mr Giles said Ukraine was the victim of Russias attempts to demoralise its victims through inhumanity.

Thats the reason for attacks on maternity hospitals, and nurseries, targeting the most vulnerable in society, as well as for the systematic torture and starvation of Ukrainian military and civilian captives  not for any objective purpose other than deliberate and demonstrative cruelty.

These attacks continue despite Russias insistence that it is open to talks moving towards a ceasefire.

open image in gallery ( Reuters )

Foreign ministry official Alexei Polishchuk said on Wednesday that Russia was ready to resume negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul. No face-to-face talks have taken place between the two sides since they met in the Turkish city on July 23.

Overtures towards peace come after a proposed summit between Russias Vladimir Putin and US president Donald Trump broke down in October, reportedly over Moscows intransigence over its demands.

The two leaders have not met since August, when a summit held in Alaska failed to produce a deal. Mr Trump said the meeting was very productive, but the diplomatic push to end the war has yet to yield any results.
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Fifteen members of a Ukrainian militia group were convicted by a Russian military court on Friday of taking part in "a terrorist organisation" and sentenced to between 15 and 21 years in a maximum security penal colony, Russia's prosecutor general said.

The men were members of Ukraine's Aidar Battalion who were captured in 2022. Their trial took place behind closed doors in a military court in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.

There was no immediate comment on the verdicts from Ukraine, whose human rights ombudsman has previously described the proceedings as shameful.

Rights groups, including Russia's Memorial, have alleged that the prosecution of the men was a violation of the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war.

open image in gallery In this photo taken and distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, a Russian soldier attends a combat training at one of the training grounds of the Moscow Military District. (Alexander Polikarkin/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP) ( Russian Defense Ministry Press Service )

Russia rejects that, as the charges were based on alleged activity dating back up to eight years before the start of the full-scale war between the two countries in 2022. The men were not accused of war crimes.

Aidar was one of dozens of volunteer battalions that emerged in Ukraine after fighting broke out in 2014 with Russia-backed groups that declared breakaway "republics" in the east of the country. The units, some with ultra-nationalist roots, were later absorbed into Ukraine's armed forces.

The charges against the men related to the period from August 2014 to March 2022, when they were accused of taking part in a banned terrorist group and of committing acts aimed at "the violent seizure of power and the overthrow of the constitutional order of the Russian Federation".

Russian news outlet Mash quoted a lawyer for the accused men as saying that two of them had admitted their guilt but that the other 13 planned to appeal.
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Volodymyr Zelensky suggested Ukraine could exchange drones for US Tomahawk missiles during his White House meeting with Donald Trump on Friday.

The Ukrainian president spoke during a press conference in the cabinet room as the leaders met for the second time this year at the White House, eight months after their disastrous encounter in February.

The tone was markedly different as Mr Trump praised Mr Zelensky for his strength as a leader  and choice of dress  before questions turned to the possible provision of long-range missiles, called into doubt in the wake of Mr Trumps call with Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

Mr Trump insisted he would rather end the war and avoid having to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, but didnt reject the idea outright. He also acknowledged the possibility he was being played by Mr Putin.

open image in gallery Trump and Zelensky and their respective delegations receive questions from the press ( AFP/Getty )

Later on, he acknowledged the impact American weapons have had in Ukraines defence, telling reporters: I think that [Mr Putin] should have won the war in a week, before outlining the value of US aid.

Mr Trump insisted throughout the gathering that he believed both Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky wanted to end the war, eyeing up the chance to end a ninth conflict during his presidency.

The US leader took a diplomatic tone throughout, telling reporters he thought both were doing a great job when asked whether Mr Putin or Mr Zelensky was doing a better job of negotiating.

He avoided a question on whether Ukraine could get back all of its territory, after suggesting it could earlier this year.

You never know, he said. War is very interesting. You never know, do you?

Mr Zelensky was careful not to ask too much of his counterpart, but did suggest that Ukraine could trade the coveted cruise missiles for Ukrainian drones when Mr Trump said he hoped to end the war without having to send Ukraine more weapons.

open image in gallery Trump stressed throughout that he would rather end the war than give Ukraine missiles, but did not reject the idea outright ( AP )

Mr Trump insisted that the US needs to take care of its own stockpiles, including Tomahawks, before sending them abroad.

Mr Zelensky, asking politely to interject, said there was an array of support in demand, and said he wanted to work with Mr Trump to both secure Ukraines needs and strengthen US production.

Mr Zelensky pointed out that Ukraine has "thousands" of highly advanced drones developed during the war and suggested that Ukraine could trade that home-grown technology in exchange for the Tomahawks.

Asked by a reporter whether he'd be interested in such a deal, Mr Trump replied: We are  yeah, we would. We build our own drones, but we also buy drones from others, and they [Ukraine] make a very good drone.

But Mr Trump reiterated that he would still rather end the war and later warned that sending them to Ukraine could be interpreted as an escalation.

The proposal to make a deal with Mr Trump over continued US support was one of the few times Mr Zelensky spoke up during the press conference.

open image in gallery Trump gestures to the press as he welcomes Zelensky to the White House ( AP )

The supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine had been in focus ahead of Fridays summit. The cruise missiles would bolster Ukraines ability to hit deep into Russia.

Before the meeting, Mr Trump suggested he may be open to providing Ukraine with Tomahawks. After the call with Mr Putin, however, he started to stress the USs own needs.

Mr Trump was asked on Friday whether he was concerned that Mr Putin was trying to buy more time to prolong the war.

Yeah I am, Mr Trump replied. But Ive been played all my life by the best of them  so its possible.

He added: I think Im pretty good at this stuff. I think he wants to make a deal. Ive made eight of them. Im going to make a ninth.

Mr Trump also referred to the looming summit with Mr Putin in Hungary, announced after Thursdays call. A date has still not been set.

He said he imagined the meeting in Budapest as a double meeting without Mr Zelensky, as we want to make it comfortable for everybody.

Mr Trump said that the call with Mr Putin would be on Fridays agenda, and that the topic of sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would come up as well.

Colonel Philip Ingram, a former British Army officer and intelligence expert, told The Independent that the provision of Tomahawks would have two values to Ukraine.

They are very, very accurate and have a stealth better than most other missiles in the Ukrainian arsenal, he said.

But more importantly, the political value would be in sending a very clear message to Putin that the US is committed to Ukraine and angry at Russia.
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The fragile Gaza ceasefire is on the brink of collapse, as Hamas accuses Israel of killing at least 24 people in the past six days.

The families of Israeli hostages have meanwhile called on the ceasefire to be terminated if Hamas does not release the remaining bodies of dead captives.

US President Donald Trump waded into the dispute late on Thursday as he threatened that there would be no choice but to go in and kill Hamas if it it continued to kill people in Gaza.

It follows Hamas execution of seven Palestinians for collaborating with Israel, actions which Trump appeared to condone at the time comparing it to gang violence and recent US strikes on Venezuelan drug boats.

The tensions have mounted less than a week after the ceasefire, which has been marked by accusations of breaches from both sides, came into effect on Friday. The deal initially saw aid deliveries ramped up until Wednesday, when Israel said it would halve the amount of daily aid from 600 trucks to 300 in response to Hamas failure to release the remaining hostages.

On Thursday, Israel said it was preparing to reopen Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt to let Palestinians in and out, but said aid deliveries would not yet be permitted. Israel has set no date for the crossing to be opened.

open image in gallery The Ministry of Defence said British surveillance flights over Gaza ceased on October 10 ( AP )

Addressing the alleged killing of dozens Palestinians since the ceasefire came into place, a senior Hamas official told Reuters: The occupying state is working day and night to undermine the agreement through its violations on the ground.

The Israeli military has not responded to the statement by Hamas, but in recent days it has accused Palestinians of ignoring warnings not to approach Israeli positions, prompting troops to open fire to remove the threat.

Local health authorities said an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis killed two on Thursday. Israel said its forces fired at several individuals who emerged from a tunnel and approached troops, posing an immediate threat.

Under the terms of the US-backed agreement, Hamas has released all of the 20 living hostages and captives and nine of 28 bodies.

The remaining 19, Hamas says, will be harder to reach. With Gaza reduced to rubble by Israels military campaign, the admission of heavy machinery and excavating equipment into the Israel-blockaded enclave would be needed to locate the remaining hostages.

open image in gallery Mourners embrace each other at the funeral of Israeli captive Tamir Nimrodi, a soldier who was kidnapped during the October 7 attacks ( REUTERS )

The Israeli government and families of the hostages have said the failure to return all the bodies is a breach of the ceasefire terms.

The agreement cannot continue to be implemented without Hamas returning all the hostages, the Hostage Families Forum Headquarters said in a statement. Any decision that weakens pressure on Hamas or allows the agreement to continue while hostages remain unreturned would be a grave moral and leadership failure.

It marks a major departure in the stance of hostage families, who, while there were still living hostages in Gaza, had campaigned vigorously for a ceasefire deal.

Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters on Thursday that Israel remained committed to the agreement and continued to uphold its obligations, demanding Hamas return the bodies of the 19 deceased hostages it had not handed over.

open image in gallery Trucks carrying humanitarian aid line up at the Rafah border on the Egypt side and enter the crossing into the Gaza Strip ( REUTERS )

Later on Thursday, the Gaza health ministry said Israel had released 30 bodies of Palestinians killed during the conflict, taking the total of bodies it has received since Monday to 120.

Israel's military aid agency Cogat said coordination was under way with Egypt to decide a date for reopening the Rafah crossing for movement of people after completing the necessary preparations.

Cogat said the Rafah crossing would not open for aid as this was not stipulated by the truce deal at any stage. All humanitarian goods bound for Gaza would pass through Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom after undergoing security inspections.
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Gazas water, sanitation, and energy systems are on the brink of a total collapse after nearly two years of war. As residents begin returning following a ceasefire, the regions environmental damage could make its recovery impossible without urgent action, a new report warns.

Analysts said Gazas ecosystems have been devastated by bombardments, almost entirely ruining croplands and water systems, leaving two million people at continuous risk of a humanitarian crisis.

Thousands of displaced Gazans began returning to what is left of their homes after a ceasefire was announced this week between Israel and Hamas. However, the study released by the Arava Institute on Wednesday estimated that 69 per cent of Gazas infrastructure has been damaged. It warned that environmental degradation now threatens public health, food security, and regional stability.

As malnutrition rates surged to 10 times their pre-conflict levels, satellite imagery showed approximately 80 per cent of all croplands in Gaza had been either damaged or destroyed by March 2025, the report said.

Intensive military activities, such as the movement of heavy machinery, compacts, erodes, and depletes fertile topsoil, making it difficult for vegetation to grow, the report said.

It added that this devastation of fertile land is of serious detriment to the regions ability to feed itself.

open image in gallery Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip ( AP )

Gazas environment is in freefall  poisoned water, ruined croplands and a shattered power grid are pushing the territory to the brink, said Dr David Lehrer, the Arava Institutes director of applied environmental diplomacy.

What we are witnessing is not just a humanitarian catastrophe but an ecological collapse that threatens the very possibility of recovery.

The report said local Israeli security measures in Gazas coastal waters have rendered fishing activities virtually impossible since the onset of the conflict, killing 120 fishermen and forcing many to fish perilously close to the coast.

In a statement to The Independent, the Israeli military claimed the State of Israel has allowed the operation of water lines supplying millions of liters daily to the Gaza Strip. Accordingly, three water lines to Gaza have continued functioning throughout the war.

As for the maritime arena, it said security restrictions have been imposed on the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip following Hamass use of naval assets, including fishing boats, during the October 7 attack.

In line with the decision of the political leadership, these restrictions remain in effect due to the ongoing and significant threats Hamas continues to pose from the maritime domain. The area has been designated as a combat zone, and the civilian population in Gaza has been informed of the restrictions, it added.

The report added that 93 per cent of households now faced water insecurity, with per-person availability dropping to 8.4 litres a day  well below the World Health Organisations emergency minimum of 15 litres.

All wastewater treatment plants have stopped functioning, forcing raw sewage into makeshift lagoons that threaten to overflow into streets to peoples houses, and could seep into the shared coastal aquifer, the territorys main groundwater source.

Almost half of households report sewage or stagnant water within 10m of their shelters, increasing the risk of cholera and other waterborne disease outbreaks that could spread beyond Gazas borders.

Electricity generation capacity has also fallen by over 80 per cent, and power outages last up to 22 hours a day. Fossil fuel generators, particularly diesel, remain the primary source of electricity for humanitarian operations in Gaza, due to Gazas collapsed central power grid.

open image in gallery Displaced Palestinians gather to collect water from a truck at a makeshift camp in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip ( AP )

The Arava Institutes report proposed a phased, community-led strategy for rebuilding Gazas essential systems, beginning with localised, off-grid water, energy and food networks.

Its absorptive phase focuses on immediate humanitarian needs such as emergency shelter and water access. The adaptive phase emphasises decentralised power and wastewater treatment, while the transformative phase calls for restoring ecosystems, embedding climate resilience into urban planning, and creating joint regional governance mechanisms for shared resources.

Technologies already piloted in Gaza include solar-powered microgrids, biofiltration wastewater systems, atmospheric water generators and construction materials made from recycled rubble known as GreenCake blocks.

open image in gallery US President Donald Trump speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Knesset, Israels parliament in Jerusalem ( Getty )

The reports release comes days after a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump ended two years of war between Israel and Hamas. World leaders meeting in Egypt this week hailed the truce as a first step toward Gazas reconstruction, though key details  including how the territory will be governed  remain unresolved.

The World Bank, the United Nations and the European Union estimated earlier this year that the cost of rebuilding Gaza would be about $53bn. Wealthy Arab states are expected to help with that cost; however, the roadmap remains unclear, with the biggest challenge lying not only in construction but in restoring basic services and public trust. The Arava Institutes authors said environmental recovery must also be treated as integral to that process, not as an afterthought.

Waiting for politics to catch up is not an option, Dr Lehrer said. Recovery must start now, with community-driven solutions that can restore the land, water and air.

The report urges governments, international donors and aid agencies to align funding with locally led approaches, warning that rebuilding damaged infrastructure without addressing contamination and ecosystem collapse would leave Gaza trapped in a cycle of crisis.
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Greta Thunberg claims she was hit and kicked while in Israeli custody after she was detained from her Gaza aid flotilla.

The young Swedish activist has accused Israeli guards of having no empathy or humanity, recalled seeing dozens of people in handcuffs with their foreheads on the ground, and says she had to beg for water while in 40C heat.

Thunberg also claimed Israeli guards wrote the words wh*** and drew images of a penis and the Star of David on her suitcase. Israel has hit back at the activist and claimed her allegations are ludicrous and baseless.

The 22-year-old was detained after attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza on dozens of vessels, in a breach of Israels naval blockade of the flattened enclave. She was deported on 6 October.

open image in gallery Greta Thunberg alleges being kicked in Israeli detention, though the countrys officials deny the claims ( Reuters )

She recalled seeing a dystopian area with iron fences, where around 50 detainees had been tied up and were sitting with their foreheads against the ground.

They dragged me to the opposite side from where the others were sitting, and I had the flag around me the whole time. They hit and kicked me, she told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.

Theres a lot I dont remember. So much is happening at once. Youre in shock, youre in pain, but you go into a state of trying to stay calm, she said. The Israeli guards also took selfies with her while she was in prison, she said.

Israeli authorities strongly deny Thunbergs claims. The foreign ministry said in a statement to The Telegraph: All of her legal rights were fully upheld. Interestingly enough, Greta herself refused to expedite her deportation and insisted on prolonging her stay in custody. She also never lodged any complaint with the Israeli authorities regarding these ludicrous and baseless allegations  because they simply never happened.

open image in gallery Thunberg raises her fist upon arrival in Athens alongside activists who were sailing aboard the Gaza aid flotilla ( AFP/Getty )

The Independent has contacted the Israeli foreign ministry and the Israel Defense Force (IDF) for further comment.

Thunberg also claimed the guards laughed at her while holding water bottles as she was begging for water in 40C heat in the prison.

When people fainted, we banged on the cages and asked for a doctor. Then the guards came and said: Were going to gas you. It was standard for them to say that. They held up a gas cylinder and threatened to press it against us, she said.

During the nights, guards regularly came by and shook the bars, shining flashlights, and several times a night they came in and forced everyone to stand up.

open image in gallery Thunberg, Brazilian activist Thiago Avila and others, after Israel intercepted some of the vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla, aiming to reach Gaza ( Reuters )

She was detained in early October after the flotilla had set sail in August, with more than 40 vessels and 500 activists on board looking to deliver aid to Gaza.

The Israeli navy had earlier warned the activists via radio to turn back, as they risked entering an active warzone, adding: If you continue and attempt to break the naval blockade, we will stop your vessel.

The warning was effectively ignored and the Israeli military stormed the vessels and seized the activists, including Thunberg, Nelson Mandelas grandson, Mandla Mandela, and several European politicians.
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One week into the Gaza ceasefire and there is still not enough aid going into the north of the war-torn enclave, with infectious diseases spiralling out of control, humanitarian organisations have warned.

Around 560 metric tons of food have entered the Gaza Strip per day since the US-brokered ceasefire came into effect last Friday, but levels in the first week have been described as a trickle  not the flood needed. UN humanitarian affairs chief Tom Fletcher has said thousands of aid vehicles would have to enter weekly to tackle widespread malnutrition, homelessness and a collapse of infrastructure.

Aid groups now face growing uncertainty over crossing closures and administrative challenges as queues of trucks amass at the southern border. They have also not been allowed to bring food and medicine in through the major Rafah crossing, which has largely remained closed since the conflict erupted in 2023.

Israel threatened to keep the crossing shut and reduce aid this week, accusing Hamas of returning the bodies of hostages too slowly. On the first day of the ceasefire, more than 500 aid trucks entered Gaza, Israel said. But in a major setback, Israels military aid agency COGAT this week said it would halve the number allowed in from 600 daily to 300.

open image in gallery Trucks carrying aid line up at the Rafah crossing amid uncertainty about deliveries into Gaza ( Reuters )

With Gazas civilian population still facing hunger, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned that they were working in a narrow window of opportunity to scale up deliveries as others said millions of pounds worth of aid was sitting in warehouses waiting to go in.

The issue is particularly impacting northern Gaza, where aid convoys are struggling to reach famine-hit areas. Around 950 trucks entered south and central Gaza on Thursday via the Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings with Israel, the UNs humanitarian coordination agency said, citing figures from Israels military aid agency COGAT presented to mediators.

But the WFP said it had not begun distributions in Gaza City, pointing to the continued closure of two border crossings, Zikim and Erez, with Israel in the north of the enclave where the humanitarian debacle is most acute.

Oxfam said on Friday it has more than $2.5m worth of lifesaving aid sitting in warehouses outside Gaza and ready to distribute.

open image in gallery Gaza has been devastated by two years of war, but aid is still struggling to get in despite a fragile ceasefire ( AP )

Bushra Khalidi, Oxfams policy lead in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Gaza, said: Right now, a trickle of aid is entering Gaza, when what is needed is a flood. The ceasefire promised access to aid organisations, yet many international NGOs with decades of experience remain blocked from entering and doing their jobs.

Multiple aid groups say that bureaucracy is proving an obstacle in delivering the aid to where it is most needed.

In March, Israel announced a registration process for all humanitarian organisations working in the Palestinian territories. Any groups seen to be delegitimising Israel, or employing someone who has called for a boycott of Israel in the last seven years, could lose their authorisation to operate.

Milena Murr, spokesperson for aid group Mercy Corps, told The Independent it was exploring every possible avenue to scale up their response.

However, we continue to face bureaucratic challenges linked to the interim period of the re-registration process, which has not been implemented as initially envisioned, she said. While these administrative barriers persist, our teams continue to focus on service delivery and will be prepared to move lifesaving assistance into Gaza and distribute it the moment access is granted.

open image in gallery Food prices have shot up as the agreement struck last week shows signs of failing ( AP )

Israeli officials said Israel decided to slow aid and delay plans to reopen the border with Egypt because Hamas had been too slow to turn over the remains of dead hostages  an issue that has placed enormous strain on the ceasefire this week.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel will not compromise and demanded that Hamas fulfil the requirements laid out in the ceasefire deal about the return of hostages bodies.

Food prices in Gaza have meanwhile shot up amid fears the ceasefire will not hold, after coming down last week in anticipation of an armistice.

But food is not the only concern. With medical centres woefully under-supplied, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that infectious diseases in the enclave were spiralling out of control.

Hanan Balkhy, regional director for the UNs health body, told the AFP news agency that there was a mammoth amount of work to do to tackle surging health conditions including meningitis and respiratory illnesses.

open image in gallery Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced from their homes by the war ( AP )

Balkhy stressed the urgent need for fuel, food, medical equipment, medications, medics and doctors in Gaza, with the enclaves health system decimated by two years of bombardment. Only 13 of 36 hospitals are even partially functioning despite the cessation of hostilities.

With outbreaks of violence in Gaza in the last week there are fears that there may only be a limited time to deliver the support needed before the ceasefire fails.

Abeer Etefa, spokesperson for the WFP, said: The ceasefire has opened a narrow window of opportunity, and WFP is moving very quickly and swiftly to scale up food assistance.

The WFP was able to get some 560 tons of food per day on average into Gaza, she said on Friday, but some areas were still unreachable. The UN has a further 190,000 metric tons of aid waiting and ready to go in.

Etefa said access to the north, including Gaza City, was extremely challenging, and that convoys were struggling to navigate damaged or blocked roads from the south.

open image in gallery Palestinians are still awaiting news that aid groups can bring food and essentials through the Rafah crossing ( AP )

Then there is the ongoing issue of the Rafah crossing, which had been due to reopen but has yet to do so. COGAT said this was being coordinated between Israel and Egypt in accordance with the ceasefire deal. But a date has still not been set and even when it reopens it will only allow for the movement of people across the border, not aid.

It should be emphasised that humanitarian aid will not pass through the Rafah Crossing, a COGAT spokesperson said. This was never agreed upon at any stage. Humanitarian aid continues to enter the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom Crossing and additional crossings following Israeli security inspection, in full compliance with the signed agreement.

The IDF, through COGAT, will continue to uphold its commitment to the agreement in accordance with the directives of the political echelon.
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For two and a half hours, Sayfollah was left to die with no medical assistance, struggling to breathe, blood filling his lungs, and his body broken after being brutally beaten by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

The 20-year-old, a dual US citizen who runs an ice cream shop in Florida, was only meant to be visiting family and friends in the village of Al-Mazraa ash-Sharqiya, north of Ramallah, for the summer.

On 11 July, his family say a gang of armed settlers attacked him and his relatives as they stood on their own land.

Despite the fact that Sayf  as he is known  was in a critical condition, the Palestinian ambulance called to rescue him was blocked by Israeli security forces, according to his younger brother Mohammed, who was trying to help.

In a panic as Sayfs face began to turn blue, Mohammed called their father, Kamel Musallet, who was over 10,000km away in Tampa and powerless to do anything.

Saif died exactly four minutes before the ambulance reached him and before he was finally  and futilely  placed on a stretcher.

They tried CPR, they tried everything, but it was just too late, Kamel tells The Independent, his voice cracking as he opens up for the first time about that moment his son was beaten to death.

open image in gallery Sayf (centre) stands with his father Kamel (right) in one of the last photos taken before he was beaten to death by settlers ( Bel Trew/The Independent )

According to medical reports, Sayf was hit on his back, on the shoulders, he had head injuries  possibly made by rods. He lost all ability to breathe properly, and his heart stopped for lack of oxygen.

Mohammed, a softly-spoken teenager standing near the spot where the attack happened, says he is still haunted by that moment, kneeling helplessly by his older brothers side.

He had blood in his mouth, he was throwing up, he had bruises all over his back, legs, everywhere. He couldnt talk. He couldnt reply. Then he went blue, he adds, before trailing off.

I started to call my dad, everyone I knew, just to do something. No one could reach us, not even the ambulance. I couldnt do anything by myself. I was praying for someone to come help.

Sayfollah is among nearly 1,000 people  four of them US citizens  that Israeli forces or settlers have killed in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023.

In fact, the death toll is so high that multiple international and Israeli rights groups say it is the bloodiest period the area has witnessed since Israel first occupied the land in 1967, over 60 years ago.

The fear is that despite a fragile ceasefire holding in Gaza, it will not be applicable here. Donald Trumps 20-point peace plan does not even mention the West Bank.

And despite the US president declaring a new dawn of peace in the Middle East during a visit to Israel this week, he failed to mention the US citizens killed by Israeli forces and settlers or those held in Israels prisons.

open image in gallery Kamel Musallet prays by his sons grave in the West Bank ( Bel Trew/The Independent )

Israel has repeatedly denied that its forces have violated international law, and has blamed the uptick in violence on Palestinian attacks on Israeli citizens: since October 2023, UN data shows 41 Israelis have been killed in the West Bank, including 23 soldiers.

The Israeli military said its soldiers operate to prevent violent incidents perpetrated by Israeli civilians in the [West Bank] area, and it is their duty to protect all residents  both Israelis and Palestinians.

It declined to comment in detail on Sayfs murder, saying an investigation is pending.

But the US did get involved.

The hardest thing that a father can ever do is to put his son in the ground Kamel Musallet

Its ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, visited his family and personally vowed to investigate the matter and find the perpetrator, calling it a terrorist act, Kamel says.

But the family say so far nothing has been done. In desperation, Kamel travelled to Washington DC in September to petition the Trump administration for help, enlisting the support of members of Congress, including Pramila Jayapal, Chuy Garcia, Rashida Tlaib, Mark Pocan and Lateefah Simon.

Together they held a joint press conference on Capitol Hill demanding answers for Sayf, and also other US citizens killed, including Aysenur Eygi, a Turkish American woman who was shot and killed by Israeli military forces during a protest against illegal Israeli settlements near Nablus last September.

At the gathering, Jayapal said there was absolutely no forward movement on any accountability, no US-led investigation and no insistence that the United States protect at a minimum our own US citizens against Israeli government forces.

The Independent reached out to the State Department but has yet to receive a reply.

Back in the occupied West Bank, the family say they have received no information from the Israeli authorities either.

For Kamel, he cannot stop thinking about the last phone call he had with his son, who told him he had met a woman he wanted to marry. Kamel says his mind is also trapped on the horror of that day.

I was in shock. I just fell to my knees and froze, he says. The hardest thing that a father can ever do is to put his son in the ground.

open image in gallery Sayf, 20, an American from Tampa, was beaten to death by settlers in July ( Courtesy of the Musallet family )

Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza in the 1967 six-day war, an occupation which the International Court of Justice has deemed illegal and is in defiance of the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood.

Since then, Israel has built and expanded its settlements to such an extent that the West Bank is now home to over 500,000 Israeli settlers.

Surrounded by these ever-expanding settler outposts, towns and even cities  illegal under international law  are 3 million Palestinians who live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited autonomy in scattered enclaves.

For years there has been violence, but nothing as bloody as the period since Hamass deadly attacks on 7 October in southern Israel and Israels devastating bombardment of Gaza, which a UN enquiry has since concluded is a genocide.

Israel plans to cut the West Bank in half

Israeli forces have stormed and emptied four refugee camps  Jenin, Nur Shams, Tulkarm and Fara  forcibly displacing more than 40,000 people in February.

The settlers, meanwhile, have been armed by the state and recruited into what Israel has called regional defence units, which international, Israeli and Palestinian rights groups say have been getting bolder and more violent every day.

Foreign countries, among them the UK, are so alarmed by the surge in violence, they have even imposed sanctions on individual settlers.

open image in gallery A Palestinian man runs across a hill as he tries to chase off Israeli settlers in the village of Sinjil  which is near where Sayf was killed  in the occupied West Bank in July 2025 ( AFP/Getty )

There are deep concerns now of further bloodshed and even annexation after the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his extreme-right cabinet last month approved a major settlement project, E1, just outside Jerusalem.

Rights groups say it will cut the West Bank in half and further sever it from East Jerusalem, making it virtually impossible to establish a viable Palestinian state.

In fact, Netanyahus extreme-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has even boasted the E1 plan would bury the idea of Palestinian statehood and has separately released his own maps annexing more than 80 per cent of the occupied West Bank, a plan he says will take maximum land with minimum Palestinians on it.

The situation is so dire that the UN commission of inquiry concluded last month that Israel has demonstrated a clear intent to forcibly transfer Palestinians, expand Israeli Jewish civilian presence and annex the entirety of the West Bank.

Shai Parnes from Israeli rights group BTselem said that since 2023, the Israeli military not only protects and supports violent settler behaviour, but the settlers themselves have access to state-supplied weapons, and are actually part of the army now.

They get total impunity. Before, these attacks happened at night, they were bothered to wear masks. Now they dont even care if its in broad daylight without any face covers, he adds.

Settler violence caught on camera

In some instances, they do not seem to care that they are caught live on camera.

This happened in July in Umm al-Khair, which is part of Masafer Yatta, in the south of the occupied West Bank, where the plight of Palestinian communities and the relentless attacks they face from settlers was featured in Oscar-winning film No Other Land.

There, Awdah Hathaleen, 31, a Palestinian activist who worked on the documentary, actually filmed his own murder.

It was 28 July, just a few weeks after Sayf had been killed.

In the harrowing mobile phone footage, shared with The Independent, it is clear that the father of three is a good 50 metres away and behind a wire fence, partially draped with tarpaulin.

This was confirmed by multiple eyewitnesses and family members who pinpointed Awdahs pool of blood, which remains on the ground at the spot where he fell.

In the video, settler Yinon Levi, who is sanctioned by the UK and the European Union, is seen waving a gun at a group of Palestinian residents, as he accompanies a bulldozer which had just injured other Palestinians present.

The Biden administration had sanctioned Levi for violence in the community in early 2024. But those sanctions were lifted by an executive order signed by Trump early on in his presidency, which also removed Levis name, among others, from the US Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.

In the clip, Levi, who is screaming, is seen cocking his gun, pointing and shooting directly at Awdah, who falls to the ground.

Awdahs cousin Ahmed, 30, who was a witness, says that earlier the settlers from the nearby settlement Carmel, which butts up against their village, drove across their land with a bulldozer and ignored the Palestinian residents who told them it was forbidden.

Ahmed says he was hit by the bulldozers massive multi-tonne claw, injuring his head and shoulder, wounds he was still suffering from. Then, as the situation escalated, Levi turned and shot Awdah, even though he was nowhere near the crowds.

Awdahs injury was fatal, he continues, sitting next to the dried pool of blood. We called for an ambulance. Even though the Israeli ambulance was only two minutes away and could have arrived, it didnt. Still, Awdahs wounds were critical and deadly. About an hour and a half later, we were informed that Awdah had been martyred.

BTselem says that Levi was put under house arrest, but that was lifted a few days later, on 1 August. On 4 August, he was once again filmed invading Umm al-Khair land, accompanied by another armed settler, unimpeded.

Awdahs brother Khalil says the Israelis, meanwhile, arrested multiple members of his community and withheld Awdahs body for 11 days.

When the body was finally released, Israeli forces temporarily turned the area into a closed military zone so no one could enter to attend the funeral.

Its impossible to describe how we feel, he says, his voice faltering.

open image in gallery Awdahs cousin Ahmed, injured from the attack, sits next to the dried pool of blood where his relative was shot dead by settlers in the West Bank ( Bel Trew )

In late August, families in Umm al-Khair said seven new settler caravans installed themselves directly next to residents homes.

Later, the settlers also cut the communitys water supply, further undermining access to basic services. Levi himself appeared with a bulldozer, cutting the electricity line. Residents said armed soldiers and settlers cut down 120 olive trees ahead of the harvest, and destroyed fences.

The shooter is not in jail, he can do whatever he likes  Eitan Peleg, lawyer

Eitan Peleg, an Israeli lawyer representing Awdahs family, says in this atmosphere of impunity, they have little hope of securing justice: The shooter is not in jail, he is not in house custody, he can do whatever he likes.

The last 20 years of investigations like this one end up with nobody found guilty.

The Independent asked the Israeli military (IDF) about the accusations of violence. It said the Israeli military mission was to ensure the security of all residents in the area and to act to prevent terrorism and activities that endanger the citizens of the State of Israel, as well as to protect both Israelis and Palestinians.

It declined to directly comment on the killing of Awdah and instead directed inquiries to the police, adding that In instances where soldiers fail to comply with IDF orders, the incidents are thoroughly investigated, and disciplinary measures are taken accordingly.

The Independent reached out to the spokesperson for the Mount Hebron Regional Council, an Israeli body that administers settlements in the area, but was told they were not interested in speaking to British media.

Yishai Fleisher, an Israeli settler leader and activist, said accusations of a surge in violence by settlers were antisemitic.

Whats obvious to me is the Jews are victims of jihadist violence. And sometimes violence meets violence, he said.

He also attacked British sanctions against settlers, including Levi, accusing the British government of being under the mental control of jihadist thinking.

Back in Al-Mazraa ash-Sharqiya, Safallahs family have still had no updates about their sons killing, and no time to mourn him, as they are fighting a second nightmare: the continued detention of Saifs youngest cousin, a now 16-year-old boy also called Mohammed.

open image in gallery Mohammed, 16, was arrested in an Israeli military dawn raid on his home and has been held without charge or trial, with no contact with his family ( Courtesy of Mohammeds family )

In February, Israeli soldiers stormed the family home in the middle of the night, blindfolded and took Mohammed, who was then just 15, for allegedly throwing stones  something the family vehemently deny.

Mohammeds family  who, like Sayfs, also have US citizenship  have been unable to see the teenager, who turned 16 behind bars in Israels notorious Megiddo Prison, where many minors are held.

Thousands of teenagers detained without charge

Despite being a child, Mohammed is among more than 3,500 Palestinians being held in Israeli administrative detention, which can be indefinitely renewed and means he has not been charged or sent to trial.

According to Israeli rights group HaMoked, 87 per cent of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons are held without charge or trial  rights groups have said it amounts to arbitrary detention.

The Israeli Prison Service has denied allegations of violations of human rights in the past, saying that it operates under the law.

All prisoners are detained according to the law. All basic rights required are fully applied by professionally trained prison guards, it said in a statement.

But Mohammed, a teenage school boy, has been barred from family visits and phone calls and has since been moved to Israels notorious Ofer prison, where The Independent revealed evidence showing multiple instances of torture, abuses, sexual violence, deaths in detention and medical neglect.

Mohammeds father, Zaher, said US embassy officials have managed to see him briefly and told them that Mohammed, who was already small for his age, has lost significant amounts of weight and has been suffering from scabies.

The family had hoped he might be included in a hostage exchange swap in the latest truce, but he was not included on the lists.

open image in gallery Kamel stands next to his sons grave after he was beaten to death by settlers in the occupied West Bank ( Bel Trew )

Kamel has also been petitioning the US government for any assistance or answers  for either the killing or the jailing  to no avail.

Weve sent emails. We spoke to the embassy, we have tried to speak out everywhere. Were going through so much as a family, my son getting murdered, my nephew at prison at 15 for allegedly throwing a rock. And the US has done nothing, he says in desperation, as he stands by his sons grave, a Palestinian flag waving in the wind.

Kamel says there is still no movement on Saifs case either, he explains, adding that with armed settlers around, they fear for their lives.

As a father, you always think youre going to grow old, your sons going to get married, hell have kids and then hell put you in the ground when you die. You never imagine this, he says, his hand on his sons plaque.

I dont want to see this ever happen again. I dont want any more fathers to put their sons in the ground. And so my message is we need justice.

We need the settlers to finally stop somehow stop terrorising us, stop taking lands, stop the killing. I worry that the world will stay silent.
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From sightseeing to sunbathing, there is plenty to consider when packing for a cruise.

You need to prepare for different temperatures at a variety of cruise port stops and there may even be dress codes on board.

Cruise lines tend to have similar weight limits to airlines for luggage but unlike going on a aeroplane, you can have as many suitcases that will fit in your cabin.

This is especially helpful if you are UK-based and sailing from a port such as Southampton as you just need to fit your cases into a car and transfer them onto the ship.

There is no need to overpack, though.

While there are, of course, the holiday essentials youd expect to ack  such as a toothbrush, suncream and spending money, as well as the obvious items including swimming costumes and comfortable shoes for exploring  its worth noting that many essentials may be available to buy on the ship or even provided for free.

We asked two cruise experts what items passengers really do and dont need in their suitcase for a sailing.

open image in gallery You can take as many suitcases as you like on board but there are weight limits ( Marc Shoffman )

Themed and formal nights

If you like getting dressed up, dont forget to pack your tuxedo or cocktail dress.

Most cruises will have a formal or cocktail night where guests are encouraged to wear smart attire.

These arent compulsory but can be a fun way to have a more elegant evening and get some smart pictures while on holiday.

There may also be themed party nights such as a 1980s disco so you may want to pack your leg warmers or come equipped with fun accessories.

open image in gallery Marc and Danielle Shoffman went back to the 1980s with Ambassador Cruise Line on a themed cruise ( Marc Shoffman )

You can often find out what the themes will be by checking Facebook groups for previous sailings.

Staterooms have plenty of storage, so guests have more space than they think, said Janet Parton, vice president of business development for the UK, Europe and Australia at Celestyal.

We favour relaxed style cruising, and our cruises include casual days and a few slightly smarter evenings, so a small selection of versatile outfits that can be mixed and matched is ideal.

"Its also worth considering dining. Breakfast and lunch are generally casual, while dinner is usually smart casual, with more formal wear for gala nights. On Celestyal, we also host sail away parties and celebration evenings such as our blue-and-white themed Greek night and a white night, which are always popular and give guests the chance to dress up if they wish.

Read more: My wild weekend on a 1980s cruise

The essentials

open image in gallery Most cruise lines such a MSC Cruises will supply towels so you don't need to pack your own ( Marc Shoffman )

You will want to bring your own toiletries such as a toothbrush and makeup, but there are some items you can leave at home.

Parton added: "Before setting sail, always check whats already included on board. Items such as hairdryers, pool towels and toiletries are provided, which saves luggage space for gifts and unique souvenirs from destinations.

Read more: The best cruise deals for winter sun

The benefits of a backpack

There are lots of items you may need to carry around a cruise ship such as you phone or cruise card, and you may need your passport and money when exploring ashore.

A backpack is therefore a pretty useful item to pack for a cruise.

Ambassador Cruise Lines chief experience officer Bob McGowan said: Having a compact bag whilst at dinner, enjoying a show or popping to the bar can be handy  helping to avoid that moment of panic when you realise youve left your phone in the restaurant  whilst a rucksack is great for a big day of exploring once in port.

Parton added:Keep a small day bag handy for shore excursions, with essentials such as a swimming attire for a cooling dip in the sea or pool onboard when you return, sunscreen and a hat, a reusable water bottle and local currency. Any necessary medication should go in your carry-on so its accessible straight away.

With a little planning, guests can pack lighter, stay organised, and enjoy every moment on and off the ship.

Prepare for seasickness

open image in gallery Seasickness can strike any sailors ( Marc Shoffman )

Even seasoned sailors can get seasick so whether you are a first-time cruiser or an experienced passenger, it is always worth packing motion-sickness tablets.

Some passengers also use sea bands or put special patches behind their ears, which are designed to alleviate the symptoms of motion sickness.

Read more: How to avoid getting seasick on a cruise

Having a few seasickness tablets stowed away in your suitcase can provide peace of mind, even if you dont end up using them, McGowan added.

Alternatively, many cruise brands including Ambassador have seasickness tablets freely available to offer to travellers when on board.

Holiday reading

open image in gallery You may not need to pack many books if there is a library on the ship ( Getty Images/iStockphoto )

A book is a must-have item on any type of holiday but McGowan says passengers shouldnt worry about bringing too many on a cruise.

He explained: Most cruise ships have their own library or at the very least a book swap arrangement so you can find a whole selection of literature to choose from during your sailing.

Read more: The best cruise ships you must travel on in your lifetime
This is the moment a would-be assassin ambushed a wealthy businessman outside his home in broad daylight.

Eddie Jawad, who owns a chain of gas stations in Michigan, was attacked as he left his home in a gated community in Macomb Township at 10.18am on Tuesday, October 14. He was grazed by a bullet but survived the attack.

Authorities believe the gunman was lying in wait for an hour before launching the assault. He is described as a thin Black male, approximately 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, and fled in a black Ford Escape.
Waterford-based firms turnover decreased due to product mix and transfer prices across the group

The main Irish arm of biopharma giant Sanofi last year paid out dividends of 800m.

New accounts show that Sanofi subsidiary Genzyme Ireland Ltd paid out the dividend as pre-tax profits increased by 6.5pc from 308.29m to 328.5m.

This followed revenues declining by 8pc last year from 1.78bn to 1.65bn.

Sanofi purchased Genzymes global business in 2011 and since then has invested over 700m in the Waterford facility.

Genzyme is one of the largest private employers in the south-east where employee numbers further increased last year from 905 to 959.

In October of last year, Waterford man Cian OBrien was appointed site head at Sanofi Waterford and replaced Kilkenny woman Amy Brennan, who departed her Waterford post to a new role as head of rare disease, oncology and immunology (RDOI) cluster for Sanofi.

Mr OBrien joined the Waterford team as a project engineer in 2003 and was a member of the site leadership team since 2019.

The directors state that Genzymes turnover decreased due to the product mix and transfer prices across the group.

The workforce at the Waterford site is made up of 345 in manufacturing, 318 in quality, research and development, 142 in administration, 84 in engineering and 70 in materials.

Underlining the contribution of the Waterford site to the local economy, staff costs last year increased from 90.1m to 99.9m that included share-based payments of 2.12m.

Pay to directors last year increased from 475,000 to 551,000, made up of emoluments totalling 515,000 and pension contributions of 36,000.

The company recorded post-tax profits of 281.39m after incurring a corporation tax charge of 47.12m.

The corporation tax charge included a 7.8m domestic top-up tax charge. A note states: The company is subject to domestic top-up tax under Pillar Two tax legislation. The top-up tax relates to the companys operations in Ireland.

Established in Waterford in 2001, Sanofi Waterford is a primary distribution centre for many of the firms major treatments. The revenues were generated by 1.44bn in pharma sales and interest received from group undertakings amounting to 212.63m.

The firms spend in R&D last year decreased from 13m to 12.8m while combined non-cash depreciation and impairment costs totalled 33.34m. The profit also takes account of exchange different losses of 2.45m.
An operator at the Indaver facility in Duleek, Co Meath. Photo: Frank McGrath

The projected spend by Belgian firm Indaver on its planned incinerator for Ringaskiddy in Co Cork has increased to 200m.

That is according to a raft of new planning documents lodged with An Coimisuin Pleanala as Indaver Ireland is looking to advance the long-running project.

Plans were first lodged for the incinerator almost a decade ago in January 2016 and Indaver did secure planning permission for its incinerator in Co Cork in 2018.

The project was then estimated to cost 160m and have the capacity to treat up to 240,000 tonnes of waste per annum.

However, that permission has been subject to a High Court challenge by a local environmental group and the Supreme Court in September 2022 upheld a High Court ruling that the application can be remitted back to An Coimisuin Pleanala for fresh consideration.

Up to 320 people will be employed during the construction

The new planning documentation states that if permission is granted, it is expected to be operational in 2030.

The planning report said: Up to 320 people will be employed during the construction phase and 63 people will be employed when the facility is operational.

In June 2024, the High Court ruled that due to the passage of time since the initial submission of the application, Indaver was to submit any updated or further information of relevance on the application; an updated environmental impact statement and an updated natura impact statement.

That information has now been lodged and third parties now have until November 17 to make submissions.

Construction work on the planned incinerator is to take 31 months.

The report said a community fund worth about 240,000 a year will be available for the life of the facility. It will fund environmental and other community projects and initiatives in the Ringaskiddy area. According to the planning documentation, a similar fund is in operation in Co Meath, where Indaver operates an incinerator at Duleek, and that has amounted to over 3m to date.

The non-technical summary said the waste-to-energy facility will bring much-needed waste management infrastructure to the Munster region.

The report said that arising from the proposed facility, 21MW of electricity will be generated, of which up to 18.5MW will be exported to the national grid.

It adds that this will be enough to supply the power needs of approximately 30,000 households. The remaining 2.5MW will be used to run the facility itself.
The lengthy civil case against former banker Michael Fingleton, alleged to have negligently mismanaged Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS) which collapsed after failed financial and property "gambles", has concluded at the High Court.

Mr Fingleton (87), who is in ill health, ran the lender from 1971 to 2009, as managing director and chief executive. At its height in 2007 it reported assets of 16bn but a year later it was a casualty of the financial crisis.
The 130 cabin crew, who are on substantially lower pay than their Irish-based colleagues, have voted to take the action over the upcoming mid term break from October 30 to November 2.
An investment of 3.7m (4.25m) by Duke Capital Ltd has led to the completion of the sale of Galway Bay FM.

The station has been bought by Bay Broadcasting, which describes itself as the largest Irish-owned radio group and which already owns Classic Hits, Radio Nova and Sunshine 106.8.
Eircom has been ordered to stop a promotion that offered households a 50 gift card if they signed up for fibre broadband on its Open Eir network through certain retailers. The inducement was targeted at about 77,000 premises.
The Swiss company has been impacted by US tariffs and supply chain disruption

The Swiss food giant, which makes Nescafe, KitKat, pet foods and many other well-known consumer brands, said yesterday that the job cuts will take place over the next two years. The company also said that it is raising targeted cost cuts to 3bn Swiss francs (3.23 bn) by the end of next year, up from a planned 2.5bn Swiss francs.
A court has suspended a doctors registration after hearing he has been charged in the UK with possessing indecent images of children.

The accusations faced by the doctor, who had been registered to work in Ireland since 2023, were described as extremely serious in nature by the president of the High Court.
Gangland bagman asks for more free legal aid in battle with Cab over Dublin home

In July, the High Court granted Patrick Lawlor and his wife, Leonie, free legal aid to challenge Cab's case against them

Patrick Lawlor.

Paul Neilan Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 09:43

A convicted bagman for an organised crime gang has asked the High Court for more free legal aid in order to have a quantity surveyor value his home as he fights a Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) bid to seize the property.
Specialist child interviewers to speak with teens living in Tusla unit in which Ukrainian boy was stabbed to death

A garda investigation into the incident is currently underway

Gardai continue their investigations at an apartment block in Donaghmede yesterday. Photo: Collins

Robin Schiller Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Specialist child interviewers have been brought in to speak with two juveniles who were present inside Tusla emergency accommodation when a 17-year-old was stabbed to death this week.
Gardai have asked the public not to share footage recorded of an assault on a man, aged in his 70s, in a Dublin park last week.
Gardai see rise in predators coercing children into abuse and self-harm after contacting them online

The Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau identify 55 child victims of online sexual abuse in Ireland in last 15 months

Stock image

Keith Kelly Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 08:57

Gardai have identified and safeguarded 55 child victims of sexual abuse online in Ireland in the last 15 months.
Male colleagues and managers in Ireland know little about menopause in the workplace, according to a new study.

The study  Menopause in the workplace  was carried out by academics in University of Galway and University College Cork and included surveys of more than 1,600 workers across seven public sector organisations in Ireland.
Ministers from both sides of the Border to discuss co-operation on key issues

Politicians from Irish government and the Northern Ireland Executive meet for 30th plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Dublin

Micheal Martin will lead Dublin delegation. Photo: Collins

Cillian Sherlock Press Association Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Ministers from both sides of the Border will discuss co-operation on emergency planning, business promotion and gender-based violence at a major meeting today.
Blaming me for Heather Humphreys difficulties is like blaming Roy Keane for Man United problems, says Ivan Yates

Broadcaster insists smear comments are not to blame for poll slump

Broadcaster Ivan Yates. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Maeve McTaggart Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Broadcaster and former Fine Gael minister Ivan Yates has rubbished the idea that his comments about smearing the bejaysus out of presidential candidate Catherine Connolly had damaged Heather Humphreys campaign.
Connolly gets warm welcome on Wexford canvass  but no sign of former Labour leader on home patch
Mary Regan: Another presidential debate, and we still have no idea who organised Catherine Connollys trip to Syria

Independent candidates answers about her 2018 trip to the war-torn country have only raised more questionsHeather Humphreys has not been clear over her contacts with family of man who was killed in a hit-and-run in 2011

Catherine Connolly (second left) with Mick Wallace and Clare Daly in Aleppo in 2018

Mary Regan Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 14:55

At least six debates have taken place in this presidential election, and we have lost count of the number of interviews. Yet, Catherine Connolly has still not answered a key question around her trip to Syria in 2018: who organised it?
Bray councillor Joe Behan has decided to get behind the growing groundswell of people who are planning to spoil their vote, with less than a week to go before they decide on who will become our next president.

In an earnest video posted on his social channels, the independent councillor said he had found a lot in common with the rising number of people who are not happy with the choice they're getting, on Friday, October 24, and had put a lot of thought into what course of action he could take.

The decision was one that he has clearly not taken lightly, as he explained a lot of deep thinking had gone into it, while he also conceded that friends and relations had a part to play in his choice to send a strong message to both the government parties and those in opposition.

I'm not happy with the choice we're getting and for the first time ever I'm going to spoil my vote, he said.

"I'm not happy with Heather Humphreys because she's now the Fianna Fail as well as the Fine Gael candidate, who represents this and previous governments who have made such a mess of this country  whether you look at housing and problems of homelessness, the lack of affordable housing, whether you look at health and the fact that our health system is not catering to the needs of this growing population in this country.

When you look at education and in particular the provision of supports for children with additional special education needs, you look at the cost-of-living crisis, infrastructure crisis, I could go on. So, Heather Humphreys is out as far as I'm concerned, he continued.

Turning his attention to the only other candidate, Catherine Connolly, Cllr Behan declared that she too is out, because she is supported and is the candidate now of five parties in the opposition, who have been a disaster.

"So I'm talking about Sinn Fein, Social Democrats, People Before Profit, Labour and the Greens. And one example I would give you is that in the referendums that were held last year, the Care and the Family referendums, they joined forces with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to tell us, the people of Ireland, to vote yes and yes to two disastrous proposals.

Now on that occasion, the people decided to turn around and say no, we're not taking your advice, we're voting no, he continued, and added that these same parties combined in various ways across the country to deny any other candidate the opportunity to take part in this election.

There were plenty of other available candidates who certainly would have made for a more balanced presidential election and a more balanced debate. I'm thinking in particular of Nick Delahanty and Maria Steen, but there were others as well. But the party establishment system in this country basically combined to prevent a contest.

My answer to those parties, all of the parties who are out there denying the rights of other candidates to run, is to say no to all of you. That means not voting for Catherine Connolly and not voting for Heather Humphreys. So when I go into the polling station, I will be crossing out the two names."

The frank video had clocked up over a thousand positive responses on X, formerly Twitter, and hundreds of harmonious comments from users who echoed his sentiments, with one calling the race very upsetting and frustrating.

Others praised Cllr Behans courage, while one expressed their concerns that we are on a dangerous road to no longer living in a democratic country.

I'll be writing a big N-O, no

They werent all in agreement, with one user calling his decision disappointing, and another, vying for Catherine Connolly as an outstanding person of integrity, said spoiling your vote won't do any good.

I'll be writing a big N-O, no, Joe continued, and I'm hoping that many more people will decide to spoil the vote in whatever way they wish. Some people are going to write a particular name on the ballot paper, cross out the others.

Some people are just going to write messages on the ballot paper. It really doesn't matter. A spoiled vote is a spoiled vote and they would all be counted.

You might argue, well, what is the point of that? Well, the point is that if enough people did it, it would send the same message that people sent during the referendum last year, which is that we're not happy with the government or the opposition, he explained.

"We're not happy with the establishment political parties in this country and something needs to change. So I know it's a very personal decision for everybody when you go into the polling station what you decide to do, but I'm just making clear my stance on this.
Principal with 50 autistic children on waiting list criticises Department of Educations disingenuous solution

Pupils have been forced to leave their communities to seek places in special classes

'We have 50 children on the waiting list for autism classes - they're not getting any support'

Sarah O'Mahony Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 06:30

More than 50 children with autism are waiting for a place at Stapolin Educate Together National School in Dublin, with no option but to leave their community and travel long distances to an alternative school.
You have to take it on the chin  Joey OBrien notes gap in class but fears Shels players showed Palace too much respect
From the desk in his surgery at The Slaney Medical Centre in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, Dr George Leslie speaks with many other Indian doctors across the country.

Although its now 27 years since he moved to Ireland, where he became part of the fabric of the community in the town he now practices, he still retains a strong sense of identity and kinship with fellow Indian professionals who are either practicing or seeking to practice medicine in Ireland.
These properties represent solid options for those who want to stay within a budget

Asking price: 450,000

Agent: Coonan Property (01) 628 6128

Theres nothing run-of-the-mill about this A-rated semi in the Millerstown development, named after Kilcocks long history of water-powered mills dating back to the 13th century. Measuring 1,291 sq ft, its a bright, spacious home with a living room, kitchen/diner, utility, guest WC, three bedrooms (one en suite) and a family bathroom. Its about 25 minutes to Dublin from the nearby train station. The university town of Maynooth is 6km away and you can get to Liffey Valley shopping centre in 20 minutes.

Bealkelly, Tuamgraney, Co Clare

Bealkelly, Tuamgraney, Co Clare

Asking price: 450,000

Agent: Brian Tuohy Auctioneers (061) 927 004

Built in 1997, this bungalow in East Clare stands on an elevated 0.6 acre site overlooking Lough Derg and Holy Island with its ancient monastic round tower and ruined churches. Totalling 1,237 sq ft, it has a kitchen/dining room, utility room, sitting room, three bedrooms (one en suite) and a bathroom. While the decor could do with a refresh, its in good condition with double-glazed windows, a floored attic and two Velux windows. Its about a 40-minute drive to Limerick, Ennis and Shannon.

35A Dublin Road, Renmore, Galway City

35A Dublin Road, Renmore, Galway City

Asking price: 450,000

Agent: ODonnellan & Joyce (091) 564 212

This three-bed semi on the outskirts of Galway City is part of a small development about five minutes walk from the Bon Secours Hospital and five minutes drive from Merlin Park Hospital. Spanning 1,338 sq ft, it has a kitchen/dining room, sitting room and bathroom on the ground floor, with three bedrooms (one en suite) and another bathroom upstairs. A converted attic with Velux windows would make an ideal home office. Its also within walking distance of schools and the ATU college campus.

43 Rosanule, Phoenix Park Racecourse, Castleknock, Dublin 15

43 Rosanule, Phoenix Park Racecourse, Castleknock, Dublin 15

Asking price: 450,000

Agent: Murphy Mullan (01) 821 2311

Presented as a showhouse apartment when the Rosanule development was launched in the mid-2000s, No43 on the second floor is a stylish residence with a south-facing balcony and a B3 BER. Extending to 861 sq ft, accommodation includes a kitchen, living/dining room, two double bedrooms (one en suite) and a bathroom. Its a 20-minute drive to Dublin Airport and about 30 minutes to the city centre. Residents have a designated underground parking space and the annual service charge is 2,700.
From the Medieval Mile trail to the busy surroundings of Temple Bar, here are four houses situated close to tourist destinations

Asking price: 1.25m

Agent: DNG Ted Healy (064) 663 9000

Located just outside Killarney town, this handsome house is within walking distance of Killarney National Park, Irelands first such amenity, with 25,000 acres of walking trails, lakes, mountains and woods. It measures 4,370 sq ft and if new buyers want more space, a 1,130 sq ft attic could be converted, subject to PP. A grand entrance foyer leads on to a sitting room, dining room, living room, kitchen, laundry room, a double bedroom and guest WC. Upstairs are four bedrooms (all en suite) and a bathroom.

4 Aston Court, Bedford Row, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

4 Aston Court, Bedford Row, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Asking price: 395,000

Agent: DNG Central (01) 679 4088

Set in the heart of Temple Bar, this first floor apartment has a host of attractions on its doorstep  among them, the Irish Rock n Roll Museum, Button Factory, IFI, Olympia Theatre and Trinity College. Spanning 753 sq ft, its a bright space with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Liffey. Accommodation includes an open-plan kitchen/dining/living area, two bedrooms, a recently installed bathroom and a home office. The annual management fee to maintain communal areas is 3,700.

Bawnlusk, Kells Road, Co Kilkenny

Bawnlusk, Kells Road, Co Kilkenny

Asking price: 780,000

Agent: Ann ONeill Auctioneers (056) 776 3963

This detached house is less than a 10-minute drive from Kilkenny Castle and the start of the Medieval Mile trail. Set well back from the road behind electric gates, Bawnlusk is on a four-acre site with a paddock, outbuildings, kennels, an office/storeroom with WC and a garage. Built in 1981, the property has 3,089 sq ft of living space including a living room, dining room, family room, kitchen/diner, utility, conservatory, study, lounge, guest WC, six bedrooms (two en suite) and a bathroom.

Lislea, Arigna, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Roscommon

Lislea, Arigna, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Roscommon

Asking price: 389,950

Agent: Gallagher Auctioneers (071) 962 1000

Overlooking Lough Allen in Roscommon, this B2 BER-rated house is 5km from the Shannon Blueway and a five-minute drive from the Arigna Mining Experience museum, which documents Irelands coalmines from 1700 to 1990. Mod cons include underfloor heating, an internal vacuum system and new gas boiler. Totalling 3,197 sq ft, it has a kitchen/diner, utility, living room, sunroom, two bedrooms and a shower room downstairs. Upstairs are four double bedrooms (two en suite) and a bathroom.
Mark Keenan: Why Ireland needs to take a chainsaw to rent controls

Argentine President Javier Mileis radical action on rent controls  and his surprising success in bringing the cost of rentals down by 40pc  indicates why we might want to borrow his chainsaw

Since Dublin became a Rent Pressure Zone, the supply of rental property available has declined by 47pc

Mark Keenan Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Argentine President Javier Milei visited the White House this week to seek financial support from Donald Trump in order to fend off a run on the countrys peso currency as mid term elections loom in Argentina.
Operation Encompass is a way for schools to know if any of their pupils are from families experiencing domestic abuse. Working in the UK and Northern Ireland, the information is passed by the police to a confidential safeguarding officer to allow schools to offer immediate support to the child.

Set up in the UK in 2011, its aim was to make sure schools were informed, before the start of the next school day, if the police had been called out to a childs house the previous evening due to a domestic incident. The idea was to ensure children were recognised as victims of domestic abuse in their own right. It was backed up by a teachers helpline providing free, confidential consultations for school staff when supporting children who are victims of domestic abuse.

Research finds there is significant psychological damage done to children who live in homes where there is domestic abuse. Separate research praises the approach of the school providing support. A paper from Northumbria University last year found school staff were extremely clear on the critical role the notification plays in how they appropriately support children who are experiencing domestic abuse.

A universal, child-centred and individualised approach

Operation Encompass forms part of a wider, multifaceted provision of safeguarding and pastoral care within a school that prioritises a nurturing learning environment and a universal level of mental health and well-being support to all children who attend there, the study says.

This is essential when report notifications from the police will not identify all children within the schools care that are experiencing domestic abuse. The responses of the children  through their conversations and creative collages  affirmed the importance of the school taking this universal, child-centred and individualised approach.

Mirroring the experience in the UK and Northern Ireland, the same type of system is to be introduced here. Information on domestic violence will be shared with a designated teacher with a view to supporting children impacted by what is happening in their home.

The policy currently provides for gardai to notify Tusla of every domestic-abuse case impacting children. Teachers dont have to take any action, but it will enable them to be sensitive to what the child is going through and alert them to the wider context if the child is upset. The level of information provided will be limited to a notification of an incident.

Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan will bring forward legislation to put the system on a statutory footing. The welcome move is included as a proposal in the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Its not about turning teachers into social workers, but it is about ensuring schools can do their jobs effectively.

At a time when the States response to child protection is coming under scrutiny, as a result of a number of high-profile cases, the enactment of this legislation acknowledges the necessity for a wider societal response.
Fast forward 12 months, she is now looking to become Irelands next president and currently trails behind Independent Catherine Connolly in the most recent poll taken.

The road to the Aras hasnt been plain sailing for the Humphreys campaign with the opposition taking aim at her.

Today on the Indo Daily, Fionnan Sheahan is joined by presidential candidate Heather Humphreys to tackle some of her controversial decisions as government minister, from her time as director of elections in the failed referendums on family and care, to her appointment of John McNulty to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 2014.
Substandard housing should be blacklisted by Cork County Council so that the landlords who own them dont receive any further housing support payments until the accommodation passes inspection by local authority inspectors, a Cork councillor has said.

In a motion at this weeks meeting of Cork County Council, Cllr Ger Curley called on the local authority to stop all payments to a landlords property after a tenant has received social housing from the council under the unfit conditions criteria.

The reason for this motion is because of recent social housing allocation, the Cllr said, in reference to a specific town in which three families were allocated housing because of the unfit housing criteria. In fact, those accommodations were so bad they should be classed as slums owned by slum landlords. My fear is that these apartments will be leased out again without any upgrades having been carried out, the Independent Ireland councillor said.

Cllr Curley described the properties in question as having no heating, very little ventilation, damp and dangerous conditions, and a complete disregard for fire safety. The majority of landlords are decent and have their property in great condition but the rogue landlords are a disgrace.

Im calling on any premises that has been perceived as unfit for human habitation to be put on a restriction list for financial support by Cork County Council for HAP [Housing Assistance Payment] or any support until substantial work has been carried out and that this premises is inspected by housing staff before support is given out again, he said.

Cllr Curleys motion was widely supported. Cllr Sinead Sheppard said it's just a vicious circle that we're in with these landlords. We're paying out HAP for some of these properties and the condition that they're in is actually deplorable. It leads to pressure on us to try and house these people really quickly. We're housing them to get them out of this situation but then the landlords are going back and re-renting the same properties.

Cllr Sheila OCallaghan said the issue is quite prevalent throughout the county while Cllr Mary Linehan Foley said every councillor has it in every area, were well aware of it every day of the week. It's a vicious cycle, unfortunately, because people will take anywhere because they have no other place to go.

Cork County Council Divisional Manager Michael Lynch, in answering the motion, said that the council has a dedicated inspection team for private rented dwellings. Local authorities are required to commence the inspection process within eight months of HAP support being provided, if the dwelling was not already inspected within the previous 12 months. If there are issues with the property the inspectors will issue improvement notices and, in the absence of progress, prohibition notices.

Cllr Curley responded that he isnt satisfied with the eight-month timeframe. It needs to be done straightaway, otherwise that property is given out and rent is collected. What I'm saying is that that property should be blacklisted before any other payment goes in there.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Cork City Council has voted to approve plans for 155 social and affordable homes in Lehenaghmore on the southside of the city despite concerns voiced by residents and councillors about serious infrastructure deficits in the area.

The proposed development between the N40 and Cork airport will consist of 107 houses, 8 duplex units and 40 apartments as well as a 42-child creche and 207 parking spaces. Eighty-eight of the homes will be made available for sale privately under an affordable housing scheme and the remainder will be provided for social housing. The buildings will range in height from two to four storeys and will be built for the city council under a project agreement with a developer.

The council received 55 submissions on the scheme, with concerns voiced that the existing road network does not have the capacity for an additional 155 homes. Residents said they have been waiting indefinitely for road upgrades and the area lacks amenities and facilities.

Councillors voted 27 to one to approve the scheme. Cllr Joe Lynch said he supports the development because it will provide much-needed housing but pointed to the serious infrastructure issues in Lehenaghmore.

There is no childcare, there's no educational facilities, the traffic is chronic, roads are still unsafe even if progress is now moving forward in that respect, there's no playground. It has been the worst of Celtic Tiger planning and people do feel ignored and they do feel neglected and I don't blame them, the Sinn Fein councillor said.

Cllr Albert Deasy (Independent) also criticised the lack of facilities in the area. You've no shops, no public houses, no church, no community centre, no doctors surgery. There is nothing there to serve 1,100 people who live in absolute congestion, he said.

Cllr Sean Martin (Fianna Fail) said the city council is investing 17m into infrastructure in the area and he blamed Cork County Council for not investing in places such as Lehenaghmore that were under its control before the 2019 city boundary extension.

I think we should also put in the record the fact that these infrastructure deficits come from the county. All of them. Every single one of them has come from the county and landed on our plate here. I think up to now definitely we're paying dearly for some of the county areas that have come in here because the money was handed back to the developer by the county council because they sat on it for 10 years, he said.

The city council has agreed that upgrades are required to the local infrastructure in Lehenaghmore. A road improvement project commenced there in August and is due to be completed in approximately 18 months.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Planning permission for 345 new affordable homes in Wilton has been approved.

The development, delivered by the Land Development Agency (LDA), will consist of 16 townhouses and 329 apartments in a mix of one, two and three bed apartments built across three blocks and ranging to six storeys in height.

The 2.61 hectare site is located on former ESB lands on Sarsfield Road, just over 4km from Cork city centre.

The project will go to tender in the coming weeks, and once a construction partner is appointed, works are targeted to begin in 2027, with the first homes delivered in 2029.

The new homes will be located next to Wilton Shopping Centre, and close to other amenities such as Cork University Hospital, University College Cork, schools and other local services.

148 car parking spaces and 503 bike spaces will be made available.

John Coleman, Chief Executive of the Land Development Agency said the site has great potential.

We are delighted to have reached this important milestone for the Wilton project and in our wider delivery of much-needed affordable housing in the heart of Cork City.

Wilton is a fantastic site with great potential that we will now be able to realise. Our vision is to turn this underutilised site into high-quality affordable homes, which will enhance an already active local community and create positive societal impact for Cork City, he said.

LDA is set to deliver the first of 267 homes at the site of the former St. Kevins Hospital in Shanakiel early next year and will be lodging a planning application for 147 homes at Anglesea Terrace imminently.

The Agency is also active in the Cork Docklands, developing 302 apartments at Horgans Quay in partnership with HQ Developments Residential Company Ltd and a further 337 apartments in partnership with Glenveagh Properties at Marina Depot.
Dublin City Councils planning enforcement department has opened an investigation into the site

The wall recently, which appears to have been largely replaced by wooden boarding

The wall behind the grotto before major construction work on the site began

The Molyneux Hotel will have 232 beds, according to the developer

Councillors and local residents in the Liberties have accused the developer of an under-construction hotel in the Liberties of damaging the structure of a grotto on Meath Street.

A wall propping up a portion of the grotto from the rear has been demolished during the construction of the Molyneux Hotel, raising concerns about the structural integrity of the sacred refuge for local residents.

Dublin-headquartered Salamisso Developments began construction on site in the last few months, amidst opposition from local people, who worried it would contribute to the hollowing out of the area and damage the grotto next door.

Speaking at yesterdays meeting of the South Central Area committee of Dublin City Council (DCC), Sinn Fein councillor Ciaran O Meachair said two weeks ago residents noticed the damage to the walls of the grotto dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes.

"This seems to have come from the hotel construction work taking place on the other side of the grotto, he said, adding that it felt like a kick in the teeth to residents who already opposed the hotel development.

Mr O Meachair said it was one of the most sacred sites in the Liberties, and to have it damaged by the development was quite sickening.

DCC confirmed to Mr O Meachair that an investigation into the matter had been launched by the planning enforcement department on foot of the reports.

I acknowledge that planning enforcement have said they have commenced their investigation  but its really terrible that its come to this, he said.

The grotto on Meath Street. Picture credit: DubhEire/Wikimedia Commons

Other councillors echoed the sentiments of Mr O Meachair, with Labours Darragh Moriarty saying that the concerns around the grotto were well-aired long before construction on the hotel began.

"I dont think anyone would take any pride in saying I told you so, but thats exactly what has now come to pass, he said.

Social Democrats councillor Lesley Byrne said she felt the destruction of the wall was symbolic of the wider damage being done to the Liberties area.

The wall behind the grotto before major construction work on the site began

"Its like a physical manifestation of the actual violence that is being done in the Liberties in terms of hotels, student accommodation, all the things that have been mentioned here tonight, she said.

The wall recently, which appears to have been largely replaced by wooden boarding

"I think its our responsibility, every single one of us in this room, to really make sure other councillors, actually even in other areas, who have responsibility for the city as a whole, not just the areas they represent, are actually fully aware or taking stock of what is happening to a really, really crucial and important part of the city.

When you look at some of the images of streets, when you walk down streets, its sterile, its completely losing its value of who it is and what it is, she added.

Council management present at the meeting said the planning enforcement section of the authority was taking the report seriously, and a site inspection would be arranged over the coming days.

"From the area perspective, well continue to keep an eye on it, they said.

Salamisso Developments has been contacted for comment.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Entrecote Dublin has confirmed it is 'closed for a brief time'

A new Dublin restaurant, which opened just less than a month ago, has confirmed it is closed for a brief time for some maintenance and to revamp the menu.

In response to a query from the Irish Independent, Entrecote Dublin said: Entrecote Dublin has welcomed hundreds of customers in recent weeks and is grateful for the custom and feedback.

We are now closed for a brief time for some maintenance and to revamp our menu. We will reopen soon with a new and improved offering. We look forward to seeing our customers again soon.

Entrecote Dublin on Clarendon Street, Dublin 2. Photo: Photocall

Today's News in 90 Seconds - Friday, October 17

Ahead of its launch on September 25, a press release described Entrecote Dublin as part of the beloved French institution, with locations in Paris, London, New York and more.

The statement led to widespread confusion, with numerous media reports that Dublin was getting an official branch of the famous chain.

However, the French Entrecote group later denied it had any link to the new Dublin restaurant.

The PR firm handling the original opening of the Dublin restaurant then released a statement noting it had terminated its relationship with Entrecote Dublin effective immediately.

A further statement then confirmed Entrecote Dublin is merely inspired by the French-dining experience in the original restaurants, such as Le Relais de Venise: Son Entrecote.

Since opening, Entrecote Dublin has operated on a walk-in-only basis, serving Tipperary-sourced steaks with the restaurants own version of the classic French sauce, accompanied by hand-cut Irish fries.

Entrecote Dublin has confirmed it is 'closed for a brief time'

Paul McGlade, the founder behind the Dublin venture, previously clarified the restaurants position, stating: Entrecote Dublin is a new independent restaurant offering a French-inspired dining experience, no bookings, high-quality steak, unlimited fries and so on, he said.

Entrecote Dublin is not associated with similar LEntrecote / Entrecote restaurants around the world.

There are many separate operators inspired by a similar concept, which originated in France.

We would like to clarify that while we were keen to convey the influence of the well-known concept on the offering, Entrecote Dublin is an independent business and looks forward to continuing to provide this concept to Dublin diners, he added.
On a visit to Kerry, the presidential candidate said the focus of the trip was to learn about the challenges faced by Palestinian refugees

Catherine Connolly pictured with Sinn Fein TD Pa Daly during her visit to Tralee on Friday afternoon. Photo by Mark O'Sullivan

Catherine Connolly during her visit to Tralee on Friday afternoon. Photo by Mark O'Sullivan

Catherine Connolly flanked by Kerry Sinn Fein TD Pa Daly and supporters during a visit to Tralee on Friday afternoon. Photo by Mark O'Sullivan

Catherine Connolly during her visit to Tralee on Friday afternoon. Photo by Mark O'Sullivan

Catherine Connolly has said that encountering a militia leader linked to war crimes against Palestinian refugees didnt take from her trip to Syria.

Ms Connolly and an Irish delegation, which included Mick Wallace and Clare Daly, visited a Palestinian refugee camp in Yarmouk, in the southern part of Damascus in 2018.

Speaking on a visit to Maddens Cafe in Tralee on Friday, Ms Connolly said the only reason they visited was to educate themselves in relation to Palestinian refugees.

Pictures emerged today in the Irish Times of Ms Connolly being guided around the "utterly destroyed" camp by a militia leader linked to war crimes against Palestinian refugees, Saed Abd Al-Aal.

Mr Al-Aal led a pro-Assad armed group responsible for killing and starving Palestinian refugees in the camp.

Ms Connolly maintained that she had no control over who stood before her in Syria.

That didnt take at all from the main reason we were there, the only reason was to educate ourselves in relation to the Palestinian refugees, she said.

Ms Connolly said the trip was absolutely invaluable.

It was invaluable to me in deepening my understanding of the challenges faced by Palestinian refugees going back generations. We got an actual factual perspective in addition to what I have read since in relation to the history of the refugees, from 1948, that particular Nakba, she said.

Asked if she should have done more research on the backgrounds of those who would be accompanying her on the trip, Ms Connolly repeated that she went on a fact finding mission.

I went and visited Syrian Christians, I visited a UN organisation, I visited a hospital, and the whole focus in addition to that was on the Palestinian [refugees], she said.

Ms Connolly, who was also scheduled to launch an Irish language initiative in Dingle, denied that her campaign is a divisive one.

In Tralee, she was flanked by Kerry Sinn Fein TD Pa Daly and his supporters.

Though the town has a Labour party mayor, councillor Terry OBrien, and she has the backing of Labour leader Ivana Bacik, no Labour representative accompanied her on the visit.

Members of the local Green Party and the Social Democrats were present.

What I see is party and non-party members coming together, putting aside their differences, Ms Connolly said.

Putting aside our difference for a different direction, zoning in on what similarities you have, she added.

I would see my presidency in a similar way, zoning in on similarities rather than difference, and cherishing the differences and respecting them.
James Greanys experiment could mean farmers see game-changing returns on profitless marginal land

Fields radiant with verdant hemp might pair amicably with a backdrop of azure Caribbean seas or tropical rainforest, but hardiness of one of the worlds most infamous plant species might surprise you.

The windblown and rain doused hillsides of the Dingle Peninsula might be the last place youd expect to find the iconic variety, but a young Kerry-born entrepreneur is looking to change all that.

As 22-year-old James Greany tells it, hemp could be the most profitable crop in all of Ireland if the plants potential is fully realised. And its not just a matter of pocket change  the scorned shrub could sell for ten times the price of Irelands next best vegetal offering, the spring bean.

Now you might be rolling your eyes  selling drugs is (in a short-term way) supremely profitable  but the specific variety James is concerned with produces almost negligible amounts of THC  the psycho-active chemical that drug users use it for. While medical cannabis is typically between 20% and 30% THC, the Finola species of hemp is only around 0.2% concentrate.

Of particular interest to James is the unique fibre extracted from the stalk of the plant. His search for more sustainable clothing led him to discover the lesser-known special properties of the herb. Thus in 2016, his first business venture, Skyscraper, was born. The thread from hemp is in fact extremely durable and strong, while also needing fewer hazardous chemicals for its processing. Its applications are vast  clothing, fuel, insulation, bricks, the list goes on  and it goes without saying that it bypasses the sweat-shop-child-labour supply chain of many cheap cotton products that abound in our global markets today.

Skyscrapers venture into selling planet friendly products, including hemp, soon took James down the rabbit hole of the plants production and processing. His imagination captured, he established Irish Hemp in 2021 and began a pilot on a plot of land at Maharees, near Castlegregory. The results were astounding, though not unexpected  James had done his reading  hemp grew superbly in the poor soil and wet climate.

We wanted to find something that was a little bit different because everyone was doing the same kind of stuff but much of it in my opinion was lazy - simple enough things that were a little bit environmentally friendly but not really, said James.

Once I came across hemp online there wasnt a lot being done with it, so then we really had to start from scratch.

Hemp was always a challenge to work with because there was a lack of suppliers and experience but it was the over all best material.

James, accredited with Rising Star in Sustainable Products by the All-Ireland Business Foundation

Arriving at the plot on day, with the crop in full blossom, James was slightly frightened by the transformation of the place. The rich flowers had attracted swarms of bees which darted around the abundant field.

When we went down there it was just hundreds of them. It was the most amazing sound, he said.

It actually flowers twice a year, so the bees absolutely love it.

Though the harvest from the pilot project was never sold, the profit from properly grown hemp crop could be prolific. Just the fibre from the stalk could be worth around 1,500 per acre James says, while processing the flower for CBD oil could add another 1,500 to 2,000 per acre. Multiply that with the possibility of harvesting the valuable crop twice a year  planting in May and again in late summer  and youve hit the jackpot.

So wheres the catch? Though things are moving fast, Irish Hemp has yet to produce any product yet. The thorn in James side is regulation  or the lack of it. Due in some part to nascent Irish hemp industry, worth around a paltry 50,000, being concerned with CBD production, regulation falls under the restrictive purview of the Health Products Regulatory Authority.

The upshot is the very slow processing of mandatory hemp growing licences and gallic shrugs when any agricultural issue is raised. Ordinance survey maps must be drawn up of the growing area, a requirement waved in traditional agriculture, and the documentation is mountainous. James says the regulation of hemp farming needs to be transferred to the Department of Agriculture for the industry to grow.

It would speed up the licensing process because at the moment its all very manualthey just need so much information that in my opinion is not necessary, he said.

Youre dealing with people who are just not interestedtheyre looking at maps and seeing if the site is suitableits not their department really.

It almost as if when they made it legal to grow hemp in 2014, they made the laws and then never looked at them since.

James still doesnt know if it legal to set up at hemp processing plant despite numerous enquiries by himself and his lawyer. No one can tell him because the laws basically dont exist yet. While the EU and UK have established regulations and significant hemp production industries, Ireland lags behind. Its still illegal to grow the plant if its CBD content is over 0.2% but in Europe the ceiling is 2%. For James this is the difference between being able to harvest the hemps flowers, boosting yields by another 2,000 per acre, and having to dispose of half the plant.

Councillor and Dingle resident Robert Brosnan has been following James project and is excited by its potential. However, regulations need to be overhauled if the industry is to spread its wings.

The regulations are really hampering a lot of possibilities, so the ministers need to get involved in clarifying and making proper regulations that are fair to everybody so that these opportunities can be pursued and ensure something for the next generation going forward, he said.

Theres a big opportunity for farmers and for young entrepreneurs like James to develop jobs in an area where we need full time to jobs, because a lot of our jobs are seasonal and a lot of people have to become unemployed because theyre working in the hospitality sector.

Were losing a lot of native Irish speakers in west Kerry where the remaining roots of the language are still living. To lose generations because they cant find jobs in the area they grew up in is just tragic.

With much work needing to properly germinate the sector, James remains optimistic. Local farmers are very interested in the project, eyeing the crop for its low initial investment and its miraculous ability to grow in the rugged Dingle terrain. In a few months James hopes to announce Irish Hemps first product and begin trading soon thereafter.

It mightnt be too long before high slopes of the peninsula provide more deserving returns for the hard-working local farmers. Theres every chance the auburn hillsides might develop a rich sheen of green in the years to come.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting scheme
Robert McKeever from Cornerstones has been awarded the Support Worker of the Year Award

Ardee man Robert McKeever from Cornerstones has been named Support Worker of the Year at the Praxis Care Annual Staff Awards, in recognition of his outstanding commitment to empowering the people he supports through collaboration and community involvement.
Farmers in Sligo will benefit from funding which has been described by Minister Marian Harkin as vital for sustaining farm families and the rural communities that depend on them

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has announced that advance payments under the 2025 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and the Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) schemes will begin issuing from Thursday, October 16.

Minister of State Marian Harkin said the news will come as a major boost to family farms across Sligo, Leitrim, and Donegal, with over 50 million in payments expected to flow into the northwest economy in the coming days.

These payments are absolutely vital for sustaining farm families and the rural communities that depend on them, Minister Harkin said. In counties like Sligo, Leitrim, and Donegal - where farming is often on smaller, more marginal holdings - this support is essential to maintaining livelihoods, ensuring generational continuity, and keeping rural Ireland alive.

Under the Departments latest figures, farmers in the northwest are set to receive significant allocations: Donegal: 29.4 million across 7,701 herds; Leitrim: 10.9 million across 3,153 herds and Sligo: 12.8 million across 3,545 herds.

Minister Harkin said this represents A strong recognition of the central role small and medium-sized farms play in regional sustainability.

This investment doesnt just stay on the farm gate - it circulates through local businesses, co-ops, and communities. It means income for farm families, but it also means trade for shops, services, and contractors across the northwest, she added.

Minister Harkin commended the Department for ensuring that over 93% of eligible applicants will receive payments immediately, in line with the Farmers Charter commitment to timely delivery. She also encouraged any farmers with outstanding documentation to engage with the Department as soon as possible to ensure payments can be finalised.

The efficient rollout of these supports demonstrates that government can and does deliver for rural Ireland when systems work well. I will continue to advocate for fair, timely, and regionally balanced delivery of all CAP supports, Minister Harkin said.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Deputy Martin Kenny has highlighted the fact that staff shortages are resulting in infants missing out on scheduled development assessment

Deputy Martin Kenny had raised the matter in the Dail asking, the Minister for Health If she is aware that the public health nurse service in the Sligo-Leitrim area is being reduced, with a move to a priority status service and will no longer deliver child health and development services.

Deputy Kenny said the matter came to light when a constituent received a letter stating, Public Health Nursing Service is moving to priority status in your area. This means that due to a staff shortage, we must prioritise the services that we can provide.

Deputy Kenny said, Child screening is a vital part of health care for infants and young children in order to identify any issues in a childs development and ensure early intervention.

The Minister for health must ensure that this service is provided to all infants and children in the Sligo Leitrim and south Donegal area when they are due to receive screening.

These appointments cannot be pushed down the line as it will result in early diagnosis being missed and adversely affect the development of some children.

In reply to his parliamentary question, Deputy Kenny received correspondence from Aisling ONeill, Community Healthcare Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo saying, Regrettably, there are currently a number of vacant Public Health Nursing (PHN) posts in the Sligo, South Donegal/Leitrim, West Cavan (SSD/LWC) area. Consequently, a number of interim measures have been initiated to prioritise resources within the PHN Service in the SSD/LWC area.

Ms ONeill added, Public Health Nurses in adjoining areas provide cover in the SSD/LWC area, in order to ensure that all new mothers and their babies are prioritised, during the post-natal period. Also, during the summer months, the School Public Health Nurses provide support in areas where there are currently vacant PHN posts. This facilitates the completion of Child Development Screening for infants and children, who are overdue their screening.

"Staffing resources will increase, as a number of Public Health Nurses are due to return to their posts in the coming week, following their respective temporary absences. In addition, four student Public Health Nurses, who are being sponsored by the PHN Service SSD/LWC, have recently commenced their (Postgraduate Diploma) in Public Health Nursing.

"Please be assured that all children will receive an appointment for Child Health Screening. However, I acknowledge that, in some cases, it will be later than the recommended screening timeframe. The letter issued to effected parents advised of other resources they can avail of until staffing issues are fully resolved.

In the meantime, the My Pregnancy and My Child books are available on the HSE Mychild.ie website and are a very good resource for information. The My Pregnancy Book provides advice for pregnancy and the first few weeks after birth. The My Child Books 0-2 years and 2-5 years provides advice to help you and your baby/child.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Over 120 rowers from across Ireland competed in the competition, with New Ross the scene of a dramatic finish in front of the iconic Dunbrody Famine Ship

This years Barrow Challenge took place on Sunday, October 12, delivering a festival of endurance, camaraderie, and local pride along the scenic River Barrow where the unique 18-kilometre head race launched from St. Mullins in Carlow, with crews beginning at the Mullicain Cafe and arriving in New Ross for a dramatic finish in front of the iconic Dunbrody Famine Ship.

Over 120 rowers from across Ireland competed, representing clubs from as far afield as Dublin, Limerick, Cork, Waterford, and Athlone. There were also local clubs from the Wexford area including St Kearns and Edermine, as well as Graiguenamanagh in nearby Co. Kilkenny. The event welcomed over 40 boats with coxless quads, doubles, coxed quads and singles, alongside classic wooden clinker skiffs and coastal craft.

The spectators of the event gathered along every stretch of the river as there were ideal viewing locations at the launch at St Mullins, embankments at Ferrybridge and the Red Bridge, and the town quay at OHanrahan Bridge where the first boats arrived and turned at the Dunbrody Ship. The public was warmly welcomed into the New Ross Boat Club grounds to see the boats up close and cheer the rowers, with entry free for families and supporters. The fleet passed beneath historic bridges and through picturesque countryside over the demanding 18km course.

Isaac, Wyatt and Remy Roche from New Ross

This event also brought active tourism to St. Mullins, New Ross town and the surrounding area, as crews and supporters spent time before and after the race exploring local restaurant, cafes, and shops. The influx of visitors provided a boost to the local economy and showcased New Ross as a vibrant destination connected to its river heritage.

The President of Rowing Ireland, Tom Clarkin, commented on the annual event and said: The Barrow Challenge has become a historic event in Irish rowing, connecting athletes, families, and visitors to the heart of our sport and the rich history of New Ross. As we approach the clubs 150th anniversary next year, this race stands as both a celebration of endurance and community spirit.

Lourde Connick, Jenny Murphy, Margaret Furlong

Its an important winter training opportunity and a tribute to the generations who have shaped rowing along the Barrow, he added.

Also commenting on the atmosphere and engagement created by the event, Amy OHanlon, Captain of New Ross Boat Club and event host, said: It was fantastic to see so many faces in New Ross for the Barrow Challenge and we were thrilled to host crews and families from all corners of Ireland.

The course is truly one-of-a-kind in the Irish rowing calendar, and it was wonderful to witness everyone enjoying the challenge and the camaraderie. Theres nothing better than happy, tired rowers crossing the finish line along our beautiful river right in the heart of New Ross town.

Following the race, crews lifted their boats out at the New Ross Boat Club pontoon and enjoyed hot food, teas, coffees, and cakes in the clubhouse.

Looking ahead, in February 2026, the same course will be used again for another Head of the River event, this time limited to flat water rowing boats. It will be by far the longest head of the river held in Ireland, and will take place during the clubs landmark 150th anniversary year, making it a truly special occasion in New Ross and Irish rowing calendars.

New Ross Boat Club extends "heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers whose dedication made our event possible.

From safety boat drivers past and present, the Hook Sub Aqua Club and River Search and Rescue teams, to everyone who launched and recovered boats, baked cakes, marshalled car parks, served tea, coffee and hot food, and those who worked behind the scenes to administer and ensure the event ran safely  your efforts and generosity embody the true spirit of our community, and we are deeply grateful, said a spokesperson for the club.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back for our Flat Water Head of the River event in February next year, they concluded.

Results

 Fastest Adult Male: Composite boat of New Ross and Skibbereen 2X

 Fastest Adult Female: St. Michael's (Calvin, S) 1X

 Fastest Junior Male: New Ross J18A 4X-

 Fastest Junior Female: Waterford A J18A 4X-

Category Results

 Mens Masters 4X+: Graiguenamanagh

 Mens J16 4X+: Waterford

 Mens J15 4X+: Waterford B

 Mens Masters 2X: Athlone

 Mens J18A 1X: Waterford (Brady, H)

 Women's J18A 1X: New Ross (Brennan, O)

 Womens J18A 4X-: Waterford A

 Womens Masters 4X+: Shandon B
Tributes have poured in following the passing of a popular Wexford mother of one. Linda OConnor of Strandfield Manor and formerly Walnut Grove sadly passed away on Wednesday following a lengthy battle with illness.

It was a battle which Linda faced head on with tremendous bravery and dignity, determined to continue to live her life as best she could, despite any prognosis. Indeed, her approach to her illness served as an inspiration to many around her, encouraging them to seize the day and make every moment count.

A hair stylist by trade, it would be fair to say that Linda made an impression on nearly everyone who sat in the salon chair in front of her. Her warm and engaging personality made her an ideal fit for the job and she made friends for life through her work. Indeed the salon will be all the quieter without Linda's infectious laugh.

She was also incredibly passionate about her trade, which led her to her co-founding HOUSE Hair and Beauty, originally located in Selskar Square before moving to Wygram Place.

Her devastated colleagues paid tribute to Linda in a post on social media.

"The salon will be closed until next week as we take time to grieve, remember and celebrate the woman who helped start it all, it read.

"Rest easy, Linda  youll always be part of HOUSE.

Lindas customers, many of whom had become friends, were deeply saddened by the news of her passing. Tributes poured in, describing her as a beautiful girl, inside and out, a fierce warrior woman and the kindest and most generous person.

"Linda was so brave and fought until the end, one tribute read. She always had a smile and never complained. Rest easy now.

Lindas loss comes as a devastating blow to her son Lee, parents Susan and John and her siblings Sue Ellen, Lorraine, Sean and Mary.

Pre-deceased by her niece Holly, she is also sadly missed by her nieces Casey, Abbi and April, great-nephews Ashley and Sonny, aunts, uncles, extended family and a large circle of friends.

Lindas remains will repose at her residence at Strandfield Manor on Friday, October 17, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Removal will take place on Saturday at 9.40 p.m. to Rowe Street Church for funeral mass at 10 a.m., followed by cremation at Mount Jerome Crematorium in Dublin.
Wexford student raises over 4,000 with swim from Saltee Islands to Kilmore Quay

Every year, approximately 150 people are diagnosed with MND. While there is no cure, Tommys fundraising effort will help improve their quality of life

Pictures from the swim.

Cillian Boggan Wexford People Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 07:40

A secondary school student from Bridgetown College has raised over 4,000 for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA) and Wexford Swimming and Water Polo Club, with an epic swim from the Saltee Islands to Kilmore Quay.
Peader McDonald handing over the Save Lady's Island Lake petitions to the Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council Cllr Joe Sullivan outside the Wexford County Council on Monday. Pic: Jim Campbell

Wexford County Council (WCC) is expecting some serious funding to be allocated towards the restoration of Our Ladys Island Lake after local officials confirmed the project had the full support of the Taoiseach. Earlier this year a report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that the lake was one of the most polluted lagoons in Ireland and had undergone a significant ecological deterioration in the past 40 years due to agricultural nitrate pollution.

The report also revealed that around 60 tonnes of nitrogen enter the lake annually and that high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus have been deposited on the bed of the lake since the 1980s.

Accepting that returning the lake to its former state will take some time, director of services with WCC, Eamonn Hore, said he had been liaising with those in the highest office to secure funding for what will be an extensive project.

Weve had our fourth meeting with the steering group which includes the Minister (for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity) Chris OSullivan, and we believe he will be making an announcement of some serious funding for the lake in the coming weeks, said Mr Hore. Weve asked Uisce Eireann for additional information on the treatment plant and have met at least 20 of the farmers down there and in fairness they are on side.

"There is a concerted effort by everyone involved to work together on this, we have the full backing of the most senior people in the department including the taoiseach and I have no doubt we will see improvements there. It will take a long time to get the lake back to its former state but we should start seeing improvements by the end of the year.

Mr Hore was speaking at the October meeting of WCC, a meeting which saw the members of the Save Our Ladys Island Lake group gather outside to petition councillors and officials making their way into County Hall. Green Party member Peadar McDonald is the chairperson of the group and he said their campaign to save the lake had garnered support from the world over.

We have a small group of people but were here to present a petition signed by over 1,100 people from around the country  even some from abroad, he said as he outlined the groups goals. In particular, we want to see more water testing and follow up action. If theres pollution being caused, we want to see the enforcement action under the Water Pollution Acts.

Its not enough to just make agreements with people or make plans and speeches  we need to see more feet on the ground and a visible presence there.

As a regular visitor to the lake, Mr McDonald said it was unfortunate that many people are unaware of the pollution.

Because the lake looks fine from the surface, people dont realise that there is up to 60 tonnes of fertiliser a year going into the lake. If that was 60 tonnes of oil, you can imagine the rumpus there would be.

Its unfortunate, because it looks well, people dont realise how bad it actually is  most of the plants and grass have gone out of it. Its a lot worse than it actually looks.

Campaign spokesperson Ciara Murphy said: "Today marks an important milestone for our campaign. The hand-over of our paper petition, combined with the launch of our online petition, demonstrates the widespread public support for urgent action to save Lady's Island Lake. We were encouraged by the productive conversations with several councillors today, and we remain committed to working with all levels of government to reverse this ecological catastrophe."

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
As the eyes of the world are still focused on Gaza, Wicklow residents have the opportunity to see two separate productions centred on the conflict, one on stage, the other on screen, at Brays Mermaid Arts Centre and in The Whale Theatre in Greystones.

As part of Irish Visual Artists for Gazas Culture Week, the Whale Theatre is showing a screening of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, on Tuesday, October 21, at 8pm.

Directed by Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor, the screening will be introduced by the award-winning film and TV director, Lenny Abrahamson, and all proceeds will be donated by The Whale Theatre to Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Ireland.

The four Palestinian-Israeli collective of activists produced the film focusing on what they describe as the gradual erasure in the municipality of Masafer Yatta, as soldiers destroy the homes of families in the communitythe largest single act of forced transfer ever carried out in the occupied West Bank.

The film was recorded between 2019 and 2023.

Basel Adra, a young Palestinian activist, crosses paths with Yuval, an Israeli journalist who joins his struggle while reporting on what he sees his own government doing to West Bank communities. The film follows Adra and the residents of Masafer Yatta as they confront Israeli forces carrying out demolition orders.

The documentary was selected for the Panorama section at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on February 16, 2024, winning the Panorama Audience Award for Best Documentary Film and the Berlinale Documentary Film Award. The film also won Best Documentary Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards, in March this year.

'No Other Land', at The Whale.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, October 29, at 8pm, Mermaid Arts Centre hosts Sarab by the Palestinian Circus. The production is a 55-minute tragic theatre circus, that was produced in 2017 to highlight the difficulties faced by refugees around the world. The Palestinian performers use the circus-theatre medium to reflect on their history, and the repetition of it today for millions of people.

The show has toured the world to critical acclaim, and the Palestinian performers are in Ireland for the first time.

The production was originally intended to be a performance solely about Palestinian refugees. However, when other conflicts in the Middle East arose in 2017, including the Syrian and Afghan refugee crisis, the creative team at the Palestinian Circus School decided to take a wider approach and it became a performance about the difficulties faced by all refugees worldwide.

It tells the story of the faces behind the refugees, as the five Palestinian performers use their juggling, climbing, and acrobatic skills to tell their own story on stage, to reflect on their own history and how it is repeated today for millions of other people.

The original version was directed by British circus director Paul Evans and toured many European countries in 2018. Now, the Palestinian Circus School, founded in 2006, is returning with an updated version under the direction of Mohammad Abu Taleb.

Note the performance contains themes of war. Recommended age 14+ years
Bray Independent Ireland councillor Ian Neary has responded to a scathing attack by the local Sinn Fein rep, Denise Cahill, following his partys vote of confidence in the Tanaiste and Wicklow TD Simon Harris on Wednesday.

Independent Ireland has backed their Wicklow representative, saying he has autonomy to focus on local issues, unlike Sinn Fein who are whipped at every level of local and national government.

Brays Sinn Fein representative slammed Independent Ireland following the vote of confidence in the Dail on Wednesday, which Deputy Harris won comfortably by 94 votes to 65.

Calling the move a total betrayal of the people who believed they were voting for real independence and real change, Ms Cahill rounded on Cllr Neary on Thursday, and asked him to explain why it was that his party has so much confidence in Harris.

Ms Cahill said: They fooled people into voting for them. People genuinely believed they were bringing something different to politics. And yet here we have them lining up to support Simon Harris  a man who has brought so much pain on ordinary people.

She added that it was extraordinary that any party claiming to represent ordinary people could back a leader whose record is defined by failure.

Condemning the Tanaistes role in the National Childrens Hospital debacle, Ms Cahill called it one of the worst examples of waste and mismanagement in the history of the State, and added that the Greystones ministers failures extend to housing and homelessness, where ordinary families in Wicklow and Bray continue to struggle while this Government has failed to deliver affordable homes or protect vulnerable people.

Simon Harris has failed our community over and over again, she said. For Independent Ireland to look at all of this and say they have confidence in him is unbelievable. They have shown they are not independent at all  they are propping up the very system they claimed to oppose.

He needs to tell the people of Bray and Wicklow why he and his party have so much confidence in someone who has failed us time and time again. The public deserves answers.

Following the tirade, Independent Ireland issued a statement on behalf of the party, in which it emphasised that local councillors, including Cllr Neary, have no role in Dail votes and operate autonomously within their local authorities and remain focused on representing their communities, unlike Sinn Fein who are whipped at every level of local and national government.

Responding personally to the verbal assault, Cllr Neary said he was quite surprised by its tenor, as he knows and respects Ms Cahill.

"I don't understand why someone who I have the utmost respect for, would go to the local media when they have my personal phone number and can contact me directly if they want or need my opinion, he said.

The decision made in the Dail was one for TDs and the TDs make up their own minds on national issues, I make decisions and vote on local issues. The TDs have outlined the reason for their decision, they are led by the families involved in this issue, they are not led by other political parties or attempts at political point scoring."

This article was amended at 11.29am on Monday, October 20, 2025, to reflect Denise Cahills correct title.
A Wicklow TDs idea to create an American presidents trail linking the ancestral homes of US presidents in Ireland is set to be included in Irelands America250 celebrations next year.

Fine Gael Deputy Edward Timmins first floated the idea earlier this year, comparing its potential to the success seen along the Wild Atlantic Way.

I am pleased to announce that I have developed a roadmap for the potential American Presidents trial, he said. I have pinpointed several key counties to consider, along with a suggested route.

Ultimately, this map would benefit all parts of Ireland, enhance relations between the two countries and boost tourism. Tourism numbers in this country are down this year. This project should be a part of a national strategy of Tourism Ireland and Failte Ireland.

Never has it been so important to highlight the close relationship we have with the United States, and this trail would promote closer ties. It is a perfect example of the use of soft power.

Soft power is something we have with the US, and we need to constantly remind ourselves of this fact. We must develop it and not take it for granted.

It has contributed to the massive investment by the US in this country. he added.

Following correspondence with Deputy Timmins, Arts Minister Patrick ODonavan indicated that the trail is an initiative that is being considered.

The trail is being considered as a community-led, commemorative initiative that could be delivered in partnership with the local authorities. This would be with support from my Department through the annual local authority commemorations grant funding.

A draft proposal for the American Presidents trail will shortly be shared with the new commemorations advisory committee, which provides independent and expert advice to the State on commemorative matters.

Wicklow TD Edward Timmins.

As the minister with responsibility for commemorations, Deputy ODonavan is aiming to bring a memorandum for information to the Government that will contain the approved events that will form the national programme for America250, a celebration around July 4, 2026, that will mark 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in the US.

It is not just the presidents of the United States; three of the signatories to the Declaration of Independence were born on the island of Ireland, said the minister. That is something the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs is anxious to promote for the events that will take place in the United States in 2026.

Deputy Timmins expressed the need for the government to actively consider his proposal.

It would fit the whole purpose of the shared island fund, boost the economy of Northern Ireland and deliver benefits that we cannot predict.

It would also improve the co-operation between both parts of these islands and develop relationships that do not currently exist.

Concluding the conversation Minister ODonavan pledged to support Deputy Timmins with his proposal.

My Department and I will work with him over the coming months in advance of bringing forward a memorandum to the Government to see how his views can be best represented in that.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Cllr Gerry O'Neill has raised concerns about the lack of local support for those currently on the housing list.

Housing Minister James Browne has confirmed that legal proceedings in relation to a cancelled social housing programme in west Wicklow have been initiated by way of judicial review against the Department of Housing.

Mr Browne said legal documents have been received by the department in relation to legal proceedings over the Social Housing Public Private Partnership (PPP) Bundle 3 project.

The project involved the delivery of around 486 social homes across six sites in Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare and Sligo, with 106 of those sites earmarked for a site in Blessington.

However, the Department of Housing decided not to proceed with the homes due to value for money concerns.

The social housing PPP programme was announced in 2014 aiming to deliver around 1,500 units in three phases (Bundles 1 3) with 25-year maintenance and tenancy management commitments before transferring to local authorities.

In 2021, the Housing for All plan extended the initiative, identifying Bundles 4 7 to deliver approximately 2,850 additional units.

Bundles 1 and 2 were completed in 2021 and delivered 999 new social homes across eight counties.

Minister Browne has asked his Department to initiate, with the help of the NDFA, a review of PPP Bundles 4 to 7 to consider potential options and determine the optimal procurement and delivery strategy for the Exchequer.

Cllr Gerry O'Neill has raised concerns about the lack of local support for those currently on the housing list.

All six sites have full planning permission, and the department is determined to deliver the homes quickly under a new procurement and delivery strategy, but it still remains unclear when the homes will now be delivered.

Figures from October 2024 show there were more than 4,000 people on the social housing list, which Cllr Gerry ONeill raised during the October monthly meeting of Wicklow County Council.

People on the housing list, whether they are local people or people in temporary accommodation, have a stay of three years, so it's crazy. Micheal Martin tackled the CEOs there only a couple of weeks ago, including our own CEO here in talking about the rezoning of land to stop building.

A week before that his own minister shelled 106 houses in the Blessington area. So, we are in dire straits with housing. I'd like to get some announcement soon that those houses will start construction. I mean the site in Burgage where they are building 106 houses, the works had started on them and the minister put a stop to it.

It is a little bit cheap of Micheal Martin, that's if he's around much longer, to take on CEOs in the county. he added.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
IFA Wicklow Hill Farming chair Peter Behan, Pat Dunne and Caillin Conneely, IFA National Hill Farming chair, at the IFA Hill Farming Committee meeting held on Pat's farm in Glenmalure, Co Wicklow.

The IFA Hill Farming Committee at their committee meeting held on Pat Dunne's farm in Glenmalure, Co Wicklow.

Wicklow hill farmers called for stronger government backing last week as the IFA National Hill Committee met in Glenmalure.

The quarterly meeting was hosted by Pat and Margaret Dunne on their farm in the Glenmalure Valley. Wicklow IFA hill farming chair Peter Behan thanked the Dunne family for hosting and said it was important that national representatives saw first-hand the challenges facing hill farmers in the county and the wider upland communities.

Speakers highlighted the pressures of rising regulation, low margins, dog attacks and a shortage of young entrants to farming.

IFA national hill farming chair Caillin Conneely said the Budget had been a disappointment from a hill farming perspective.

OK, we kept the Sheep Welfare Scheme, which was a positive, he said. But its high time the unique challenges faced by hill farmers  and the critical role farming plays in places like Glenmalure and across Wicklow  are matched by real and tangible support.

Its harder and harder to make a living on the hills, and its not hard to see why the next generation just arent coming through. Despite political platitudes, our ANC budget is still back 50m on where it was, at a time when costs and regulation are rising and the country is awash with money.

Later, at the Glenmalure Lodge, IFA animal health chair TJ Maher briefed members on the new TB Plan, the Deer Management Plan and the incidence of Bluetongue. The meeting also discussed correcting ceiling valuations under the OFMV scheme and the efficient rollout of the Wildlife Programme.
latest | Orange warning issued for one county and yellow for three others as Met Eireann warns of flooding and very difficult travel conditions

The forecaster is warning of the possibility of thundery downpours leading to localised flooding and difficult driving conditions

Stock image: Photo: Collins

Keith Kelly Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 17:28

Met Eireann has issued a Status Orange rain warning for tomorrow and Sunday for Cork and a yellow warning for three other counties as unsettled weather is set to carry into next week.
Oscar Wildes readers card has been reissued by the British Library, 130 years after the original was revoked over his conviction for gross indecency.

The library excluded the celebrated novelist from its reading room in 1895 after he was charged for having homosexual relationships, which was a criminal offence at the time.
US President Donald Trump said Friday he had commuted the sentence of former US Representative George Santos, who is serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges.
Donald Trump to meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest in new bid to end conflict

US president has talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky today

Donald Trump speaks during a ballroom dinner in the White House. Photo: Reuters

Aamer Madhani Associated Press Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 06:30

US president Donald Trump has said he will meet again with Russias Vladimir Putin in an effort to end the war in Ukraine.
French prime minister Sebastien Lecornu to revive budget talks after surviving no-confidence votes

Failure of motions by far-left and far-right parties sees government collapse avoided

French prime minister Sebastien Lecornu. Photo: Reuters

Taz Ali UK Independent Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 06:30

French prime minister Sebastien Lecornu has survived two no-confidence votes, avoiding another government collapse and giving president Emmanuel Macron some respite before a bigger battle over the national budget.
Donald Trumps former national security adviser John Bolton delivered a damning rebuke of the charges against him after he became what he called the latest target in the presidents politically motivated crusade against his enemies.
Israel and Hamas trade blame over violations of ceasefire

Moves to reopen Rafah crossing, but aid will not be allowed through

Displaced Palestinians walk past destroyed buildings in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City. Photo: AP

Nidal al-Mughrabi and Alexander Cornwell Reuters Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Israel said yesterday it was preparing for the reopening of Gazas Rafah crossing with Egypt to let Palestinians in and out, but set no date as it traded blame with Hamas over violations of a US-mediated ceasefire.
Israeli guards told jailed Gazan his family were dead. It was a lie

Photographer had believed his wife and children had died in bombing until he was freed under deal and found them alive

Shadi Abu Sido with his wife Hanaa Bahlul and their children. Photo: Reuters

Mahmoud Issa Reuters Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Shadi Abu Sido said his world shattered in Israeli detention when guards told him his wife and two children had been killed in the Gaza war.
Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community!

Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region.
Meet Irelands delicious TikTok star

( Image credit : Instagram/thegreenerguru| Noone, a 24-year-old Irish creator, his signature catchphrase, Follow me, Im delicious,  has become emblematic of his brand )

When medieval meets memes

( Image credit : Instagram/jackmcgarry1| Noone's appearance at the Rock of Cashel shows how social media creators are increasingly serving as cultural ambassadors )

History gets a viral makeover

( Image credit : Instagram/fucards4857| Noone's involvement with the site demonstrates how cultural heritage can thrive when combined with creativity and relatability )



From TikTok to tourist trails

In a delightful blend of modern social media influence and Irelands centuries-old heritage, TikTok sensation and musician Garron Noone recently visited the iconic Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary. The historic site, renowned for its medieval architecture and stunning views of the Irish countryside, greeted Noone with a playful post: "Delighted to have welcomed Garron Noone to the Rock of Cashel today...we're delicious now!"Noone, a 24-year-old Irish creator, has carved out a distinct niche by blending humor, music, and travel reviews in a way that appeals to millions of people online. His signature catchphrase, Follow me, Im delicious, has become emblematic of his brand, drawing in over 4 million followers across platforms, including 2.1 million on TikTok, with more than 54 million views.While his content frequently features quirky towns and humorous rants, his latest visit highlights a deeper connection: exposing Ireland's ancient riches to a global audience in an interesting, contemporary manner. Noone's appearance at the Rock of Cashel shows how social media creators are increasingly serving as cultural ambassadors, transforming centuries of history into bite-sized, entertaining stories for younger audiences throughout the world.Beyond the viral films and catchy slogans, Noone's involvement with the site demonstrates how cultural heritage can thrive when combined with creativity and relatability. The Rock of Cashel, which has stood for nearly a century, becomes more than a historic monument; it transforms into a canvas on which past and present meet, and storytelling evolves alongside technology.As social media continues to impact travel and tourist narratives, Noone's visit may foreshadow a larger trend: the rise of digital influencers as unexpected but successful keepers of cultural heritage, bringing history to life one amusing video at a time.
( Image credit : General Hospital Wiki | Anna approaches Brennan with a dangerous plan )

( Image credit : TV Insider | Carly begins a quiet investigation into her childrens secrets )

( Image credit : IMDb | Britt and Brook Lynn cross paths )

In todays General Hospital episode viewers will get to see Nathan (Ryan Paevey) is doing everything possible to rebuild his life and provide for his son. With Maxie (Kirsten Storms) lying in a coma, he feels a heavy sense of responsibility to keep their family steady. His first step? Trying to get reinstated at the PCPD. Though Anna (Finola Hughes) warned him the odds were slim, she agreed to give it a try.During a brief meeting in her office, Nathan crosses paths with his old partner Dante (Dominic Zamprogna). Their reunion is far from casual  Nathan has pressing questions. What happened during the years he was gone? What secrets might Dante be holding back?Meanwhile, Anna heads to meet Brennan (Chris McKenna), who was last seen visiting Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) at the Steinmauer prison in Switzerland. Annas approach is cautious  she knows Brennan is juggling multiple agendas. Recently, he extracted details from Valentin about Cesar Faisons final operation, raising suspicions about his true motives.As the Port Charles WSB Station Chief, Brennans eyes are already on Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), Nathan, and others like Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) and Sidwell (Carlo Rota). But his challenges dont stop there. With Jason (Steve Burton) revealing Josss hidden activities to Carly (Laura Wright), Brennans involvement could spiral into unexpected chaos. What does Anna truly seek from him this time?Carly, meanwhile, is preparing to do some quiet investigating of her own. Whether its about Michaels (Rory Gibson) shaky alibi from the night of Drews shooting or Josss (Eden McCoy) suspicious overseas trips, Carlys motherly instincts are flaring. Her doubts about Josss WSB involvement could lead her straight into a storm of half-truths and hidden motives.Elsewhere, tension rises as Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) grows increasingly uneasy around Britt. Ever since returning to Port Charles, Britt has depended on favors and confrontations to regain her footing. Now, shes gearing up to ask for yet another favor  but from whom, and at what cost?As secrets pile up, alliances will be tested in Port Charles  and no one may escape the consequences of truth.
Amelia struggles to cope with Monicas death



( Image credit : X @GreysABC | Amelia struggles to cope with Monicas death in Greys Anatomy season 22. )

Maggie Pierces return brings a big surprise



( Image credit : X |@GreysABC Maggie Pierces return brings a big surprise in Greys Anatomy season 22. )

Amelia takes a break from work



Links painful road to recovery



( Image credit : X @GreysABC | Links painful road to recovery in Greys Anatomy season 22. )

Owen and Teddys marriage on the edge



Lucas, Simone, and the messy love triangle



Ben gets promoted, and Jules faces her grief



Greys Anatomy season 22 episode 3



returned this week with another emotional ride in season 22 episode 2, titled We Built This City. The episode picked up right after the tragic explosion that ended last weeks premiere and showed how everyone at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital is trying to move on. From heartbreak and recovery to new surprises, this episode had everything, and it proved once again whystill has its heart after all these years.The loss of Dr. Monica Beltran has hit everyone hard, but no one more than Dr. Amelia Shepherd. She was hoping to build something more than friendship with Monica, but their story ended before it could begin. Heartbroken and filled with guilt, Amelia shut herself off from everyone. She stayed in bed, replaying every moment in her head, believing she could have stopped what happened.But her sisters, Dr. Meredith Grey and Dr. Maggie Pierce, refused to let her drown in sadness. Maggie flew in from Chicago to help Meredith support Amelia, and together, they reminded her that shes not alone. They told her it wasnt her fault, that sometimes things go wrong for no reason at all. With their help, Amelia finally got out of bed and began to face her grief.Maggies visit wasnt just about supporting her sister. She also had a big secret to share, shes pregnant! The news shocked Meredith and Amelia, especially when Maggie explained that she used a sperm donor. She said she was ready to be a mother on her own and didnt want anyones approval.The sisters were happy for her but honest about how hard it can be to raise a child alone. Meredith, remembering her own struggles as a working mom, told Maggie that motherhood would be tough but also full of joy. The three sisters shared a quiet, emotional moment, a rare bit of light in an otherwise heavy episode.After opening up to her sisters, Amelia made another big decision. She went to Dr. Richard Webber and told him she wanted a sabbatical. She admitted that shes been using work as a way to stay busy and avoid her feelings. As a recovering addict, she explained that sometimes people replace one addiction with another, and for her, that addiction was surgery.Richard supported her decision. He understood that she needed time to heal, both from Monicas loss and from years of pushing herself too hard. When Richard asked where she would go, Amelia simply said, Wherever my people are. It was a quiet but powerful moment, a sign that shes finally putting herself first.While Amelia was taking a step back, Dr. Atticus Link Lincoln was trying to push himself too far. Still recovering from his injury, Link wanted to get back on his feet and return to work. He hated being treated like a patient, especially by Dr. Jo Wilson, his wife. To him, her care felt like pity, and that made him angry.Links frustration came from fear, fear of being weak, of missing out on helping his pregnant wife, and of not being there for his growing family. His temper led to fights with Jo and reckless choices in rehab. Dr. Owen Hunt, who was overseeing his recovery, should have stopped him from overdoing it, but Owen was too distracted by his own problems.Owen and Dr. Teddy Altman are still struggling in their marriage. Theyve been friends for over twenty years, but now they cant even be in the same room without arguing. After opening their marriage, things only got messier. Owen used that freedom to sleep with someone else, while Teddy realized she didnt want anyone else at all.Their relationship now feels broken, with Owen staying at the hospital and Teddy at home with the kids. Even though theyre apart, their personal issues are spilling into their work, and Links case showed just how much that tension is affecting their patients too.Over in the intern group, things werent any calmer. Dr. Lucas Adams is still hurt over his breakup with Dr. Simone Griffith, especially after learning that she slept with another intern named Dr. Wes soon after. Lucass anger showed in his attitude during surgery, leading Dr. Ben Warren to remove him from the operating room for unprofessional behavior.To make matters worse, Lucas discovered the truth about Simone and Wes mid-shift, and the realization crushed him. His heartbreak was clear, even if he tried to hide it behind sarcasm and frustration. Its safe to say that this love triangle isnt ending anytime soon.In the middle of all the chaos, Dr. Ben Warren proved himself once again. After helping save a man who was impaled by a forklift, Dr. Miranda Bailey promoted him to Chief Resident. She said she needed someone she could trust to manage the residents while she focused on bigger hospital challenges.Meanwhile, Dr. Jules Millin realized she hadnt truly processed Monicas death. During surgery, she froze, a sign that her grief was still fresh. Later, she gathered her fellow residents for a quiet memorial in Monicas honor. It was a small but meaningful moment, allowing everyone to finally say goodbye.The episode ended on a hopeful note, with Amelia starting to heal, Maggie embracing new beginnings, and the interns learning to lean on each other again. But things are far from calm at Grey Sloan Memorial.Next weeks episode, titled Between Two Lungs, will air on October 23, 2025, and focus on a risky lung transplant that pushes the surgical team to their limits. Dr. Miranda Bailey will also face a tough trauma case that could change everything for her patient.
( Image credit : YOUKU | Love in the Clouds Episode 19 online )

Love in the Clouds: Release date and time for Episode 19





Where to Watch Love in the Clouds Episode 19 Online?





Love in the Clouds: Plot

I'm always hesitant to praise a cdrama that has just started airing bc they often get worse later but I feel like #LoveInTheClouds is exactly what I've been looking for. Interesting story, beautiful cinematography and insane chemistry between the leads, I'm loving it! pic.twitter.com/zBqNevWIxI  Kala (@captnswilson) October 10, 2025

Love in the Clouds: Cast and Characters





FAQs

Fans of the Chinese dramacan stream Episode 19 online on October 17, 2025, at 9:30 AM IST / 4:00 AM GMT / 12:00 AM ET, according to the official release schedule.At the Qingyun Conference, Ji Bo Zai, a former convict from Jixing Abyss, defeats seven-time champion Ming Yi, instantly rising to fame. Ming Yi, hiding her identity as a dancer, gets close to him, sparking a thrilling game of deception and attraction.Episode 19 airs on Wednesday, October 17, 2025, at 9:30 AM IST / 4:00 AM GMT / 12:00 AM ET. It will also be available to international viewers via simultaneous streaming on YOUKU, Netflix and Viki with English subtitles to make the series accessible to a global audience.Episodes 19 is available to stream on YOUKU - the main legal platforms offering high-quality video and English subtitles. For viewers in the U.S., Canada, India, Indonesia and more Netflix and Viki remains the top choice for watching the series.At the grand Qingyun Conference in the Hexu Six Realms, Ji Bo Zai - a battle-hardened warrior with a checkered past from the Jixing Abyss - shocked everyone by defeating Ming Yi, the icy warrior goddess who had dominated the arena for seven straight years. By morning, Ji Bo Zai had become the latest sensation in the Jixing Abyss.Meanwhile, Ming Yi wasnt ready to reveal her true self. Masking her identity, she took on the role of a dancer to infiltrate Ji Bo Zais world. Beneath their false facades, the two warriors were drawn into a dangerous and electrifying game, where deception and desire intertwined in a thrilling, unpredictable dance.The historical dramastars Hou Minghao as Ji Bozai, Lu Yuxiao as Ming Yi, and Yu Chengen as Situ Ling. Other supporting actors include Quan Yilun, He Nan, Zhu Lilan, and Pan Junya. The 36-episode series premiered on YOUKU on October 8, 2025.Episode 19 will be released on October 17, 2025, at 9:30 AM IST / 4:00 AM GMT / 12:00 AM ET.You can stream Episode 19 ofon YOUKU, Netflix and Viki. All three platforms offer English subtitles.Yes, the series is fully subtitled in English on YOUKU, Netflix and Viki including Episode 19.Yes,is available on Netflix. It officially streams on YOUKU, Netflix and Viki.
( Image credit : X/dyatlov75 | Mehul Choksis extradition to India gets a major boost )

Court validates Indias request

Charges against Choksi

( Image credit : AI generated | Mehul Choksis extradition to India gets a major boost )

Indias legal and prison assurances

( Image credit : AI generated | The Punjab National Bank fraud, one of Indias largest banking scams )

Overview of the PNB scam

A Belgian court on Friday ruled in favour of Indias request to extradite fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi. The Antwerp court deemed his arrest by Belgian authorities, based on Indias request, valid. This marks a significant step in Indias effort to bring Choksi back to face charges in connection with the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.A senior official told PTI, The order has come in our favour. The court has termed his arrest by the Belgian authorities on India's request valid. The first legal step in getting him extradited is now clear. Choksi, who owns the Gitanjali Group jewellery chain, still has the option to appeal in a higher Belgian court.During the hearings, Belgian prosecutors representing India presented detailed arguments, while Choksis legal team contested the extradition. The court upheld that both his arrest and Indias extradition request were legally sound. Mehul Choksi, 65, was arrested by Antwerp police on April 11 following a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) request. His multiple bail applications in Belgian courts have so far been rejected.India sought Choksis extradition under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 120B (criminal conspiracy), 201 (destruction of evidence), 409 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), and 477A (falsification of accounts). Provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, sections 7 and 13, were also invoked. All charges are punishable under Belgian law, fulfilling the dual criminality requirement. India additionally cited the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the UN Convention against Corruption to strengthen its case.Indian officials from the External Affairs Ministry and the CBI played a key role in assisting Belgian prosecutors. India submitted evidence of Choksis alleged fraud, diversion of funds, and efforts to evade authorities. The government assured that if extradited, Choksi would be held in Barrack No. 12 of Mumbais Arthur Road Jail, which meets European Committee for Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment standards. Prosecutors also emphasized that Choksi remains a flight risk and should not be released from custody.The Punjab National Bank fraud, one of Indias largest banking scams, involved Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi. Between 2011 and 2018, certain PNB employees issued unauthorized Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) through the SWIFT system without recording them in the banks core systems. These LoUs allowed Nirav Modis firms, including Diamond R US, Solar Exports, and Stellar Diamonds, to secure overseas credit without proper collateral. The scam caused a loss of Rs 6,097.63 crore to PNB and formed part of the larger Rs 13,850 crore fraud.This ruling by the Belgian court is a key milestone in Indias long pursuit of Mehul Choksi. While the fugitive still has the right to appeal, the judgment lays the foundation for his return to India and trial over one of the countrys largest financial frauds.
( Image credit : Buffalo 8 Movie Channel/YouTube | Jujji trailer gives a glimpse into a dark world. )

Jujji trailer gives a glimpse into a dark world



What is the plot of Jujji?



( Image credit : Buffalo 8 Movie Channel/YouTube | Jujji follows two detectives )

Jujjis global recognition and Upcoming Release



( Image credit : Buffalo 8 Movie Channel / YouTube | Jujji is set in Rawalpindi. )

When and where to watch Jujji



The trailer for Jujji, a gripping Pakistani crime thriller, has been released by Buffalo 8, setting the tone for what looks like one of the most daring stories to come out of Pakistan this year. The film is directed by Habib Shahzad and written by Ahmad Umar Ayaz. The trailer gives a peek into a world where every decision comes at a cost, and justice and revenge blur into one another.The trailer for Jujji opens with a chilling voiceover that instantly draws viewers into the films disturbing world. It describes three kinds of murders: one where a person kills themselves, another where someone known kills a known person, and the third where a stranger kills a stranger. Each line hits harder than the last, setting up a story thats as psychological as it is suspenseful.Dark visuals flash by, creating a sense of confusion as haunting music builds toward something explosive. A quick text overlay reveals a chilling setup, a serial killer on the loose and cops struggling to find any clues.Set in Rawalpindi, Jujji follows two detectives, SI Naveed and Constable Arshad, as they hunt a mysterious serial killer terrorising the city. The killer, played by Muhammad Arsalan, is as intriguing as he is terrifying. Mustafa Rizvi and Anjum Habibi portray the officers whose chase for the truth pushes them to confront their own moral limits.As the investigation deepens, the line between right and wrong begins to disappear. What starts as a routine case soon becomes personal, forcing both detectives to question their sense of duty. The trailer also hints at this internal conflict with tense interrogation scenes, desperate chases, and moments of raw emotion that show the human cost of justice.Jujji is more than just a thriller, its a bold step for Pakistani cinema. The film, developed over two years, began as an independent project to showcase the real stories of Rawalpindi. Its unique approach and fearless storytelling have already earned it recognition on the festival circuit, winning the top prize at the Gandhara Independent Film Festival 2024 and Best Feature at the Punjab Police Film Festival 2024.Buffalo 8, a U.S.-based company known for supporting independent films, has picked up global distribution rights. Head of distribution Nikki Stier Justice described Jujji as a bold, genre-defying story that brings South Asian cinema to a global stage.The film will be available on demand starting November 21, 2025, in the U.S. and U.K. through Amazon and Verizon Fios/Vubiquity, with more regions to be announced soon.
Putin call influences Washingtons position

 Zelensky has landed in the USA.

Today - a meeting with Trump.

So as I understand he was met by his own delegation and crew members only  pic.twitter.com/Ehe2RGbORX  Roberto (@UniqueMongolia) October 17, 2025

Zelenskyys push for long-range strikes

Donald Trumps schedule for tomorrow. So far, no Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy, only a bilateral lunch. After that, Trump is scheduled to depart the White House for his residence in Palm Beach. pic.twitter.com/gpCHCxN5ER  Ostap Yarysh (@OstapYarysh) October 17, 2025

Efforts to end the war and upcoming talks

Trump calendar. No open press or conference with Zelenskyy except arriving and shaking hands. Then he is off to his 1,000,000 per person fundraiser at MAL. pic.twitter.com/lqDRPTBTGg     @halifaxidocious.bsky.social (@Halifaxidocious) October 17, 2025

A shifting US tone on Ukraine

Trump and Zelenskyy to meet 10/17/25



Q 4886 10/17/20

Ukraine, China, Iraq, Iran,  opens the door far beyond the BIDEN family.

How do you protect your interests [shelter from prosecution _public awareness]? pic.twitter.com/0Q9n8Msf5D  TenSpirits (@TenSpirits1) October 17, 2025

Neutral tone and possibility of indirect talks

US President Donald Trump is set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, October 17, 2025. The meeting comes amid growing uncertainty over whether Washington will agree to supply Kyiv with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles  a move Trump has signalled he is not yet ready to approve.The one-on-one meeting follows a lengthy phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday. The two leaders discussed the conflict in Ukraine, with Putin cautioning that the transfer of Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv would cause substantial damage to US-Russia relations.Although Trump had earlier expressed openness to the sale, he appeared to soften his stance after speaking with Putin. We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too, Trump said, explaining that while the US has a large stock, it cannot deplete our country.President Zelenskyy has argued that access to long-range missiles could help Ukrainian forces strike deep into Russian territory  targeting military sites, energy hubs, and key infrastructure. He believes this would push Moscow to take Trumps calls for direct peace talks more seriously.However, following Putins warning, Trump has made no firm commitment to Kyivs request. The Tomahawks, with a range of about 1,600 kilometres, remain a sensitive issue as Washington tries to balance support for Ukraine with the risk of further straining relations with Russia.Fridays meeting will mark the fourth face-to-face encounter between Trump and Zelenskyy since Trumps return to office in January, and their second in less than a month. After Thursdays phone call, Trump announced plans to meet Putin in Budapest, Hungary, soon to discuss potential pathways to end the war.Senior aides, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are also expected to meet Russian officials next week at an undisclosed location. Trump, who recently helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, has said resolving the war in Ukraine is now his top foreign policy focus.Trumps tone toward Russia has shifted in recent weeks. Ahead of his latest talks with Putin, he expressed frustration with Moscows actions, even suggesting Ukraine could reclaim all territory lost since the war began. This marked a departure from his earlier calls for Kyiv to make concessions.Last year, Trump promised during his 2024 campaign that he would end the war swiftly. Yet, his efforts appeared to stall after a round of diplomacy in August  including a summit with Putin in Alaska and a White House meeting with Zelenskyy and European allies. Despite his optimism then, direct talks between Zelenskyy and Putin never materialised, and Russian bombardments intensified.After Thursdays productive call with Putin, Trump struck a more neutral tone about Ukraine. He hinted that negotiations between the two presidents might have to happen indirectly. They dont get along too well, those two, he said. So we may do something where were separate  separate but equal.Trumps meeting with Zelenskyy could redefine US involvement in Ukraine, but missile decisions remain uncertain amid Putins growing pressure.
European organizations are increasingly vocal about their desire to reduce their reliance on US-based hyperscalers like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. This goal stems from a growing need to achieve digital sovereignty, comply with stricter data privacy regulations, and counter geopolitical challenges that make it risky to depend on non-EU infrastructure. European policymakers are pushing for technological infrastructure that is both localized and strategically independent.

Forresters 2026 European Predictions report suggests that although the desire for cloud sovereignty is both clear and justified, the practical challenges make it unlikely that any European company will completely disentangle itself by 2026. The report cites operational, economic, and technological constraints as key roadblocks to achieving complete independence, but it understates the growth and capability of alternative platforms within the EU. Sovereign clouds, non-US providers, and local managed services providers are steadily evolving, offering real alternatives. The real question is less about capacity or availability and more about whether European companies are genuinely ready to invest the time, resources, and energy in such a significant change to their cloud strategy.

EU interest in cloud sovereignty

Three main issues drive the EUs effort to disconnect from US cloud providers. First, geopolitical instability has increased concerns about relying heavily on US-based infrastructure, especially when US laws like the CLOUD Act (Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data) can compel US companies to disclose data stored abroad. This creates compliance challenges for EU companies, especially those protected by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Detectives on the scene at 29th and Clearfield Streets where a man was shot and killed on December 7, 2023. Read more

Just four years ago, Philadelphia saw the most homicides in its history  and police solved them at the lowest rate on record.

Now, those trends have flipped.

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The city is now on pace for the fewest killings in half a century, and detectives are solving murders at the highest rate in recent memory.

The homicide clearance rate this year has hovered between 86% and 90%  the highest since 1984, when the department recorded a 95% clearance rate.

The change is a welcome improvement from the challenges of 2015 to 2022, when the rate of solved homicides hovered around 50% or less and dropped to a historic low of 41.8% in 2021, according to police data.

Just as theres no single explanation for the drop in shootings, theres no simple answer to why detectives are closing cases more quickly this year. And a higher arrest rate doesnt account for whether a defendant is convicted at trial.

But interviews with law enforcement officials and a review of police data and court records suggest a few likely factors: the overall decline in violence, which gives officers more time to investigate, and recent investments in technology that give detectives faster access to evidence.

Here are five things contributing to the improved clearance rate:

Simple math

The clearance rate is calculated by dividing the number of homicide cases solved in a given year  regardless of when the crime occurred  by the number of homicides that occurred in that same year.

And so the apparent improvement partly comes down to simple math: with dramatically fewer killings this year, even fewer total arrests can boost the clearance rate.

Through August, police had solved about 60% of the killings in 2025, but because theyve cleared nearly 50 others from previous years  and because there are a third as many homicides as three years ago  the rate goes up.

Still, that number is notable. Only about a third of killings that occurred in 2021 and 2022 were solved that same year, according to an Inquirer analysis of court records and police data.

Time

The significant reduction in violence this year has given detectives the time to solve their cases, both old and new.

During the pandemic  as the city recorded about 2,000 homicides in just four years  detectives were handling 10 to 15 cases each year, more than twice the workload recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice.

This year, its half that.

Thats making a difference. Detectives this year appear to be solving cases more quickly than years past, according to an Inquirer analysis.

Through August, police arrested a suspect within a week in about 31% of cases  up from just 15% three years ago.

Cameras are everywhere

Just in the last year, police have doubled the number of real-time crime cameras on Philadelphias streets. In 2024, police said there were 3,625 of the ultrahigh-resolution cameras across the city. This year, there are 7,309.

And there are tens of thousands of other cameras through SEPTA, private businesses, and residents home-surveillance systems that give detectives leads on suspects.

Police have also recently installed hundreds of license plate readers  650 for every patrol vehicle and another 125 on poles across the city.

The department also subscribes to a software that taps into a broader network of millions of other plate readers  on tow trucks, in parking garages, and even private businesses across the region.

Police said the tools are helping them track shooters movements before and after a shooting and locate getaway cars more quickly, by searching a vehicles license plate or even by its make and model.

Phones and social media

Philadelphia police and the district attorneys office have greatly expanded their digital evidence tools in the past two years.

Where cases once relied on grainy video and often-reluctant witnesses, detectives now have high-definition video footage, partial DNA processors, and cell phone location data  evidence that never goes away and doesnt lie, said Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore.

Getting access to a suspects  and victims  phones and social media can often tell the story behind a crime.

The Gun Violence Task Force, which investigates gang violence and works closely with homicide and shooting detectives, had just two cell phone extraction devices two years ago. Now, it has 14, plus a host of advanced software that helps investigators track and map gang networks.

Between the homicide unit and the task force, nearly 2,000 phones were processed last year  often giving detectives crucial evidence and information about crimes beyond the one they were initially investigating.

Improved morale

Some detectives, who asked not to be identified to speak frankly about their work, said morale in the homicide unit  and across the department  has improved.

During the pandemic, when shootings surged, tensions in the unit went unchecked, and conditions at the Roundhouse headquarters were dire. The office was overcrowded and infested with vermin, and investigators shared just 15 computers among nearly 100 detectives.

Since moving in 2022 to new offices at 400 N. Broad St., each detective now has a desk and computer, and that has boosted productivity, they said.

The detectives also said that patrol officers seem more empowered than during the height of the gun violence crisis to engage with their neighborhoods and gather information that ends up being important to their investigations.
Nearly two weeks since Kada Scott went missing, her family is holding on to hope  fragile now, but still alive  that they will soon be reunited.

We raised Kada, her father Kevin Scott said Friday, his voice steady, but tired. Shes a strong, beautiful young woman. ...Shes going to make her way out of it. Im confident, Im still hopeful that shes OK.

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But each day without her, he said, that confidence frays, and his greatest fear begins to creep in.

The detectives searching for her share that unease. As of Friday, they were still pursuing leads  following dozens of tips that continue to come in from a public moved to help in what District Attorney Larry Krasner called a remarkable, unusual, and extraordinary way.

The man police say abducted Scott  Keon King, 21  has not been cooperative, according to law enforcement sources who asked not to be identified to discuss the ongoing case. And as investigators press on, more women have stepped forward, accusing King of violence and abuse, Krasner said, declining to share specifics.

 READ MORE: Philly DAs Office says it was a mistake to withdraw earlier kidnapping case against the man charged with abducting Kada Scott

Taken together, the voices of Scotts father and those of investigators paint a picture of a search growing more desperate by the day  one thats stretched from Chestnut Hill to Southwest and Northwest Philadelphia, as detectives traced her last messages, combed through hours of surveillance footage, and followed a digital breadcrumb trail that led them to a suspect.

As day 14 nears, hope hangs in the balance.

Scotts disappearance

Scott grew up in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia and graduated from Pennsylvania State University last year with a degree in communications, her father said in an interview at his North Philadelphia home. Shes a vibrant and social young woman who loves music, he said  Rihanna, Jay-Z, and Michael Jackson oldies.

She was interested in finding a job in fashion, he said, but when she moved home to Philly, she struggled to find one. In the interim, she started working as a community nursing assistant, and, about a month ago, got a full-time job working the overnight shift at The Terrace, a nursing home in Chestnut Hill.

When Scott didnt come home Oct. 5 after her shift, her family immediately grew worried. They reached out to her managers at work, but they had few answers, her father said, and there were no surveillance videos inside or outside of the facility.

They called the police that night, and investigators later learned that around 10 p.m. on Oct. 4, not long after Scott began her shift, she walked outside  and never came back.

Her mothers car was still parked outside. Her phone had been turned off.

The hunt for King

Investigators with the police departments Northwest Detectives division initially handled the search, pulling surveillance video and honing in on the people Scott had been in touch with before she disappeared.

They found that she had been texting with a number linked to TextNow, a law enforcement source said, a messaging app that offers free texts and calls but that can be difficult to trace because users dont need to provide real personal information.

According to the source, Scott and the person at that number discussed meeting outside the nursing home that night.

She told the person, identified over text as Kel, that she was outside and to call when they got to the corner, said the source.

That was the last message she sent, the source said. Moments later, her phone went dark.

Homicide detectives were called in to help with the investigation on Oct. 9, and that night, they searched a Southwest Philadelphia home associated with the number. They were led to a witness who knew the person behind the TextNow account only as K, the source said.

Detectives continued to pore over surveillance footage and, using the hundreds of license plate readers across the city, traced the route of a heavily tinted gold Toyota Camry that the likely suspect was driving, the source said.

But they still didnt have a name.

Then, officials remembered that an earlier witness had recently been a passenger in an old Camry stopped by police. When they reviewed the officers body-worn camera footage, the source said, they saw the man behind the wheel: Keon King.

K.

All night Sunday and into Monday, police searched for King. After speaking with Kings mother, and then his lawyer, Shaka Johnson, he turned himself in Tuesday.

But where was Scott?

The race to find Scott

Over the last week, police have searched the grounds of several parks, including Awbury Arboretum, where Kings cell phone location data placed him on the night that Scott disappeared, according to another law enforcement source.

They found nothing that suggested Scott had been there. Then, on Wednesday, they received a tip that sent them to Ada H.H. Lewis Middle School, next to the arboretum. There, outside the vacant abandoned school building, they found Scotts debit card and a pink phone and iPad case that may have belonged to her, a source said.

Shortly after, police located Kings Toyota Camry in the parking lot of an East Falls condominium.

That night, another tip led them to a stolen car that had been set ablaze days earlier at 74th and Ogontz Avenue  an area where Kings phone data placed him.

And as Friday came to a close, investigators searched for another car linked to King, holding onto hope that it holds the answers to her whereabouts.

Kevin Scott said he is trying to stay strong for the rest of his family. For nights after her disappearance, Kada Scotts mother and 17-year-old sister were scared to stay in their Mount Airy home, because Kadas keys went missing with her. The city paid to have the familys locks replaced this week, he said.

They wait by their phones for updates from police, each alert a reminder of the uncertainty.

Im fearful for her and her life right now, Kevin Scott said. And Im just hoping shes OK.
Members of Macao SAR 8th Legislative Assembly sworn in

Xinhua) 13:42, October 17, 2025

MACAO, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- All members of the eighth Legislative Assembly of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) were sworn in on Thursday, and Cheong Weng Chon was elected as the legislature's president.

Administered by Macao SAR Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, the legislators took the oath of office in accordance with the Law on Oath-taking, in the presence of guests attending the ceremony.

The eighth Legislative Assembly held its first plenary session on Thursday afternoon. Cheong was elected as the president and then took the oath of office.

Sam met with the newly sworn-in president and members of the eighth Legislative Assembly. He said that the new legislature has a more diverse composition and a more balanced structure, fully demonstrating its broad representation and overall competence.

He also expressed hope that the new-term legislators would further strengthen the assembly's role in political guidance, legislative oversight, and as a key bridge.

The election for the eighth Legislative Assembly was held on Sept. 14, having 14 directly elected and 12 indirectly elected seats. The chief executive of the Macao SAR appointed seven other members.

The term of office of the eighth Legislative Assembly is four years.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
A Maryland man has been charged with third-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of a 16-year-old girl in North Philadelphia earlier this week, police said Friday.

Anas Bey, 18, of Greenbelt, Md., also faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and recklessly endangering another person. He was being held in jail Friday in lieu of $900,000 bail.

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Beys court-appointed attorney, Pierre LaTour, declined to comment Friday.

Police responded to reports of a shooting on the 2400 block of Colorado Street about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and found the girl, Londyn Major, on the first floor with gunshot wounds in her stomach and leg.

Police rushed her to Temple University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 6:46 p.m.

The shooting happened in second-floor rear bedroom, where officers found a spent shell casing, a loaded ammunition magazine, and a small amount of blood, Chief Inspector Scott Small said Tuesday. They also found two semiautomatic handguns in the house.

 READ MORE: 16-year-old girl dies after possible accidental shooting in North Philly

Major was reportedly visiting the house, Small said, and there were several other people inside at the time of the shooting, including young children, but no one else was hurt.

A spokesperson for the district attorneys office did not immediately respond to requests for additional information.
Investigators say Gutshall swerved into oncoming traffic on John Fries Highway, causing a four-car collision that killed two people and injured a pregnant woman. Read more

After causing a four-vehicle collision in Bucks County that killed two people and injured a pregnant woman, a Quakertown woman told a passerby that she needed to flee the scene so she wouldnt get in trouble, investigators said Thursday.

Tori Gutshall, 29, has been charged with homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and related crimes in the Jan. 31 crash, which occurred on John Fries Highway in Milford Township.

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She remained in custody in lieu of 10% of $200,000 bail. Her attorney, Ellis Palividas, did not return a request for comment.

The case is being prosecuted by the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office. The Bucks County District Attorneys Office recused itself from the case because one of the witnesses is related to a former staff member, a spokesperson said Thursday.

The crash occurred during rainy, fog-like weather that forced other motorists to drive slowly and cautiously, according to the affidavit of probable cause for Gutshalls arrest. Witnesses said that despite these conditions, Gutshall was speeding northbound on John Fries Highway in a Ford Explorer, and suddenly veered into the opposite lanes, colliding with another Ford Explorer.

Both vehicles burst into flames, and two people inside the Explorer Gutshall crashed into were killed, authorities said.

Two other vehicles crashed into each other while trying to avoid the fiery, deadly collision. In one of those vehicles was a pregnant woman, who was taken to a private hospital with minor injuries, authorities said.

Police identified the deceased as Aaron and Christie Bisschop.

A witness who pulled Gutshall from her burning vehicle told police that her pupils were dilated and her movements were spastic, causing her to suspect that Gutshall was intoxicated.

Gutshall told the witness she needed to leave the scene before police arrived, according to the affidavit.

Gutshalls blood was drawn at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, where she was taken after the crash, and tested positive for amphetamines, according to the affidavit. She does not face a DUI charge, however, because she has a valid prescription for Adderall.

A prescription pill bottle containing amphetamine salts belonging to Gutshalls boyfriend was found inside the vehicle after the crash, according to the affidavit.

Gutshalls mother arrived at the scene shortly before responding police officers, the affidavit said. She told them Gutshall had left her home shortly before the crash because they had gotten into an argument. The two were still arguing over the phone when the crash occurred.

She said her daughter was due in court the following Monday for a hearing in an unrelated DUI case. Court records show Gutshall attended a pretrial conference on that date in Montgomery County for a DUI charge from 2024.

Gutshall pleaded guilty in that case in September, and was sentenced to six months probation.
Steven Yanni, pictured here at a 2024 Central Bucks School District board meeting, was officially terminated Thursday by the board. He resigned last week for a job at Northwood Academy Charter School in Philadelphia. Read more

The Central Bucks School District board formally terminated Superintendent Steven Yanni and Jamison Elementary School principal David Heineman Thursday night over their handling of reports of abuse of children in a special education classroom.

The board terminated Yanni in a 5-1 vote, after passing on the opportunity to approve his resignation. All six voting members approved the motion to terminate Heineman.

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Board member Jim Pepper, whose son was one of the students abused in the Jamison classroom, abstained from both votes. Two other board members were not present.

Yanni left the school district as of last week and is now the CEO of Northwood Academy, a K-8 charter that educates about 450 students in the Frankford section of Philadelphia.

Yanni had been on administrative leave since April, after a report by a disability rights nonprofit found the district had failed to appropriately respond to the abuse allegations. The report found that a teacher and educational assistant abused students in an autism support classroom at Jamison by illegally restraining them, causing a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury and also likely interfering with their breathing.

 READ MORE: Former Central Bucks superintendent who faced termination is now leading a Philly charter school

Thursdays votes followed the recommendation of Jonathan Huerta, an attorney who was appointed special counsel and presided over a two-day termination hearing in August, according to a copy of his reports obtained by The Inquirer.

The obligation of the mandated reporter to report immediately should have been known to Dr. Yanni at this time, Huertas report stated. If he did not know of it, he neglected his duty to the School District to know it."

The report also chastised Yanni for telling police, board members, and parents of a child in the classroom that the district found no abuse. That determination should have been left to police and state oversight agencies, not the district.

Only board member Rick Harring voted against Yannis termination, saying he would have preferred the board vote on a motion to accept his resignation.

Terminating him opens the possibility that the district may have to reinstate him if he decides to sue and wins, Harring said.

School board president Susan Gibson disagreed.

I believe termination is the route that limits our exposure as a district wholeheartedly, and fully support this vote, Gibson said.

The vote took place 11 months after a personal-care assistant in a Jamison special education classroom first made the allegations of abuse by a teacher and educational assistant.

Huertas report said it would be fair to call these allegations of mistreatment, if not outright abuse as ordinary people would understand the meaning of the term.

Michael Henry, a parent of a child who was in the Jamison class where the abuse occurred, said during the meetings public comment period that Yanni and Heineman had lied to him and told him that no abuse had occurred.

Henry said he moved to the district because he believed the schools were going to support his kid best, adding, oops.

You could show us all that you do care about these students, Henry said.

An emotional Pepper spoke after the votes, saying that the administrators involved were given notice that his son and three other children were being abused in a classroom, and every single one covered up that abuse. He vowed to continue to pursue justice for his son through the courts.

This is not over for my family, Pepper said. This will be with us forever.

District officials initially refused to remove the accused educators from the classroom, and said an internal investigation found no evidence of abuse.

The April report, by Disability Rights Pennsylvania, found the allegations to be credible and accused district administrators of failing to adequately investigate the matter and make a full and timely report to the state. The Bucks County District Attorneys Office has said officials investigated the case and declined to file criminal charges.

The school board moved to begin termination proceedings for Yanni and Heineman in June, and they defended themselves at their August termination hearings. Yanni said he took action and trusted the people around him, and Heineman disputed claims that he advised teachers, who are mandatory reporters of child abuse, to consult him before reporting abuse.

Huerta wrote that he didnt find Heinemans testimony credible.

He failed to abide by the law, and worse, he directed many other school employees, also mandated reporters, to do the same, Huerta wrote.

In a statement prior to Thursdays meeting, Yanni said the vote to accept his resignation is symbolic and that a vote on any other action would be procedurally invalid and legally meaningless.

For 22 years I have dedicated my life to my career in education, always advocating for students to ensure they receive the best education possible, Yanni said. I am proud of the work I have done and what I have accomplished as both a teacher and administrator.

A representative for Heineman did not respond to a request for comment.

In August, the board also terminated Alyssa Wright, who served as Central Bucks director of pupil services and oversaw special education services.

 READ MORE: A key player in Central Bucks child abuse scandal shares her side of the story in new lawsuit

Wright filed a federal lawsuit against the district and eight board members in September in which she claimed she was a whistleblower who was scapegoated after raising concerns over the pace and competence of the investigation into the suspected abuse.

A teacher, Gabrielle McDaniel, and educational assistant, Rachel Aussprung, who are accused of carrying out the abuse, were terminated in June. McDaniel has denied wrongdoing.
Students walk to Morse High School during a snowy detention hike in December in Bath, Maine. Read more

The high school students were breaking rules  skipping class, talking back to teachers or using their phones when they werent allowed. They got detention, meaning they would sit in a classroom for a few hours after school.

Leslie Trundy, a Maine high school counselor and avid hiker, was excited to offer students an option to hike instead. Some students were less enthusiastic.

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I kind of thought it would be boring, sophomore Alexander Soto said.

Why would I even want to hike? junior Elsie Nelson-Walling recalled thinking. I could just sit here at school and just wait it out.

But after their first hikes  smelling pine trees, listening to birds chirping and discussing their lives  they realized hiking wasnt so bad. In fact, they found it actually improved their moods.

 READ MORE: Take a hike: From stroller strolls to steep climbs, this quiz matches you to a local trail.

The detention hikes on trails near Morse High School in Bath, Maine, started in October 2024 and have continued this fall.

People seem really different in a good way at the end, Trundy told The Washington Post. Kids have even expressed it to me. Theyve said, like, That was really awesome, thank you.  Even if theyre not as vocal about it, I can tell that theyre in a better place.

Science supports Trundys observations.

Amy McDonnell, a postdoctoral research fellow in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Utah, said spending time outdoors improves mental and physical health, decreases stress and enhances focus. Plus, making in-person friendships is a predictor of strong physical and mental health.

It makes a ton of sense to me to spend time in nature rather than indoors, McDonnell said.

 READ MORE: Six more trails Philly-area readers love

Trundy, 54, knows the benefits of the outdoors. In 1996, unsure what to do with her life, she hiked the Appalachian Trail for six months. Hiking cleared her mind, she said, and helped her decide to be a school counselor.

She started working at Morse High School in 2005 and launched an outdoors club in 2021, leading students on hikes, visits to national parks, and outings to ice-skate and raft.

In September 2024, Trundy attended a workshop where the speaker discussed the benefits of spending a few hours outdoors. Trundy thought going outside could help clear students minds, and the schools administration agreed to offer the walks to students who preferred not to serve detention in a classroom.

Four students went on the first hike on the Whiskeag Trail behind the school. Word of the hikes spread around school  which has about 600 students  prompting a few more students to join in the following weeks.

During hikes, which are about three miles, students hear leaves rustling, shoes stepping on sticks and insects buzzing.

The group stops by a creek to enjoy snacks Trundy brings  cheese crackers, rice cakes, candy and water. Then she reads a short poem by Wendell Berry or Mary Oliver that Trundy hopes makes the students think about starting anew.

Students are often more talkative, relaxed and playful by the end of the hikes, Trundy said. In November, a few boys sang I Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys as they crossed a bridge back onto the schools campus. Another time, students jumped on a train trestle bridge like a trampoline, Trundy said.

Still, a few parents and guardians withdrew their students from the hikes, believing they werent a proper punishment for the rules they broke, Trundy said.

When winter arrived last year, and the creek froze and snow covered the tree limbs, Trundy distributed hats, gloves and ponchos to students. They continued to hike.

They were together when the weather warmed in March, and Trundy and nine hikers took advantage of the free vanilla ice cream Dairy Queen offered on the first day of spring. Trundy guided about 20 hikes last school year, including the final one in late May that was featured in Maine Public.

Soto, who said he has gone on three detention hikes after he was caught using his phone and vape at school, used to feel a rush to break the rules. But he said the hikes have helped him relax and given him a different perspective.

Nelson-Walling said she went on about five detention hikes last school year after she got into trouble for skipping class. She struggled to sit still in a classroom, she said.

But she felt better after each detention hike, Nelson-Walling said, and for the first time felt invested in school. She enjoyed the hikes so much that she volunteered to go on more hikes last school year despite not having detention.

I didnt really have a hobby before, Nelson-Walling said. Hiking is now something that I would say that I like.

Trundy said fewer students have gotten detention this school year  two or three have hiked each week instead of about six or seven  a sign the program could be working. But a hike last week was still crowded. A few students who hiked for detention last year decided that even if they were no longer getting into trouble, they wanted to hike. Trundy considers that a win.
Temple Universitys main campus fell about 700 students short of its enrollment projection, which translates to about $10 million in lost revenue, President John Fry said Friday.

The university had been estimating it would enroll a total of 30,100 to 30,300 students, which would have been its first enrollment increase since 2017.

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But instead enrollment fell below 30,000, further declining from its high of more than 40,000 eight years ago. (That does not include enrollment on its Japan and Rome campuses, which increased and contributed to Temples overall enrollment of over 33,000, a slight increase from last year.)

 READ MORE: As Temple projects its first enrollment increase since 2017, board approves tuition hike

Temples enrollment on its campuses excluding Rome and Japan stands at 29,503 this year, down about 500 from last year.

First-year enrollment came in at 5,379, up about 9% from last year and the largest freshman class in the schools history. But there was a significant decline in transfer students and a decrease in nondegree seeking students and sophomore retention, he said in his message. A higher percentage of third- and fourth-year students also chose not to return, which Fry called very concerning in addressing the board of trustees at a meeting last week.

Its something were really digging into, Fry told the board.

 READ MORE: Temple lays off 50 employees to cope with budget crunch

The enrollment decline will add to Temples already projected $27 million budget deficit this year. The university laid off about 50 employees in July to get the deficit to that number.

The new shortfall will mean more cutbacks, Fry told trustees.

It is something we will need to solve for this fiscal year with additional expense reductions, he told trustees.

This is obviously not something that we take lightly, and it does serve as a full affirmation for the important work that we are pursuing around student success and retention.

Fry addressed the enrollment drop as part of a larger campus message, touching on topics including the university compact that proposed by President Donald Trumps administration, the strategic plan, and new members on the board of trustees.

 READ MORE: Penn rejects Trump compact offered to colleges

Temple was not among nine universities that initially received the compact, which proposes preferential consideration for federal funding if the universities follow a set of operational principles set out by Trumps administration. But the compact has been extended to all universities, according to Bloomberg News. (The University of Pennsylvania, which was among the nine, said Thursday that it would not sign the compact.)

Its ramifications would be deeply consequential for higher education, Fry said, noting that a campus advisory group is reviewing the compact and will provide analysis.

He also addressed the delay in the passage of a new state budget.

We already are seeing many students feel the effects of delays in the disbursement of funds through the PA State Grant Program, he said.

Joining the trustee board are Ellen Cooper, 85, chairman, president and chief executive officer at Lincoln Financial; James Jim Schultz, 95, executive vice president of Global Legal and Public Policy at Scientific Games; and Stanley Stan Middleman, 76, founder, president and CEO of Freedom Mortgage and vice chairman of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Dane Gray takes a gander across Gay Street in West Chester almost every day. But for three weeks now, the owner of Kildares Irish Pub said his view of downtown has been tinged with sadness.

The Iron Hill Brewery at the boroughs central intersection closed last month as the regional chain filed for liquidation bankruptcy. For the first time since 1998, the expansive corner space in an old Woolworths is dark.

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Youre used to having the hustle and bustle of the restaurant and the people, Gray said. Ive been staring at it for 20 years and now all of sudden its empty.

The massive hole represents a rarity in the Chester County borough, which had a commercial vacancy rate of 4% as of late September, according to John OBrien, executive director of the West Chester Business Improvement District. Across from Iron Hill sits another empty storefront, the former Rite Aid that closed this summer after the pharmacy chains bankruptcy.

Like more than a dozen other shuttered Iron Hill locations, the West Chester brewpub will remain uninhabited, its insides frozen in time, as the companys Chapter 7 bankruptcy winds its way through court in the coming months.

 READ MORE: Iron Hill Brewery has officially filed for bankruptcy, saying it has $125,000 in cash and owes creditors $20 million

Across the Philadelphia region, Iron Hills closures have left large voids in suburban shopping centers and walkable downtowns, where some nearby restaurant owners said they noticed a slight uptick in business as former brewery regulars sought alternatives.

The vacancies include an 18,000-square-foot taproom and production facility in Exton; a 10,000-square-foot renovated warehouse on the Wilmington riverfront; and an 8,500-square-foot restaurant that was supposed to help revitalize Center Citys beleaguered Market East.

For communities like West Chester and Media, the loss of their Iron Hills is poignant. Business leaders and owners there remember the local brewery chain as a catalyst that sparked restaurant booms and put their downtowns on the map.

Whenever these leased spaces hit the rental market, industry conditions could pose a challenge for landlords looking to fill the spaces.

What could move into a former Iron Hill Brewery?

Industry experts say its unlikely that many former Iron Hills will be resurrected as other breweries, since consumers dont have the appetite for beer they once did. Nationwide, craft brewery closings outnumbered openings last year for the first time since 2005, according to the Brewers Association.

At each of these locations, if its not going to be a brewery and use a chunk of the square footage for a production space, its going to be a really, really big restaurant, said James Yoakum, an attorney at Phillys Kleinbard firm who regularly represents craft-beverage companies, but not Iron Hill.

 READ MORE: With every Iron Hill Brewery closed, what happens to all of the beer?

An attorney for Iron Hill declined to comment.

In West Chester, Im not too concerned with our ability to find a great tenant, said OBrien, though he noted it can take time to secure the right one. Across the street from Iron Hill, a 5,000-square-foot storefront sat empty for several years until the regions latest LaScalas Fire location opened there this fall.

Whats become of the Ardmore and Phoenixville Iron Hills

The fates of two former Iron Hill Brewery locations that closed last year could prove prescient for this final round of closures.

In an Ardmore shopping center, the 12,000-square-foot brewery that closed in August 2024 is being turned into a Japanese barbecue restaurant. And along Phoenixvilles bustling Bridge Street, the 5,800-square-foot taproom that shuttered in October 2024 is still searching for a tenant.

Joe Raniszewski, a senior vice president with commercial real estate firm MSC, said the Phoenixville property is looking for a full-service restaurant with elevated cuisine but not necessarily one that focuses on liquor.

Alcohol helped fuel the growth of Phoenixville, Raniszewski said. Now it doesnt just have to be driven by alcohol.

 READ MORE: Phoenixville has turned into a destination, but some locals dont like what its become

Over the past year, MSC brokers have talked with several interested restaurant groups, he said, and theyve gotten more inquiries since Iron Hill filed for bankruptcy, with potential tenants now realizing the Phoenixville closure was not site specific.

Phoenixville is a thriving retail, restaurant market, Raniszewski said. Its a great space and a nice opportunity for an established restaurant from another location or an up-and-coming restaurant.

In Ardmore, landlord Mike Palladino said in 40 years he hadnt lost a restaurant as large as the 12,000-square-foot Iron Hill. But an existing tenant, O Restaurant Group founder Sam Li, jumped on the space as soon as he heard it was available.

Palladino, president of Palladino Development Group, said he spent nearly $1 million gutting the brewery so Li could transform it into a new Japanese barbecue restaurant, Ogyu.

Li already owns several Osushi locations, including one in the same Greenfield Avenue shopping center, and the high-end Hiramasa in Newtown Square. Li said his new concept would focus on making Wagyu beef relatively affordable, with different all-you-can-eat pricing tiers and tabletop grills on which diners can cook their own meat.

This was the perfect size for us, Li said. Its going to be an all-you-can-eat concept, so were going to want volume.

Li said hes made a multimillion dollar investment in the 280-seat restaurant, which he hopes to open by May 2026.

Palladino said he feels lucky to have a tenant with the money and vision to expand into this former Iron Hill.

What do they do with the rest of them? I dont know, Palladino said. But Ardmore is going to be just fine.

Without Iron Hill, some towns seek something different

In walkable downtowns across the Philadelphia region, business owners said they were especially curious to see what moves into their shuttered Iron Hill.

In Media, Rick Whittington has worked at restaurants across the street from Iron Hill for the past two decades. He remembered when Iron Hill customers would spill over into neighboring bars during long waits for tables on weekend nights. In recent years, however, the Iron Hill crowds had dwindled, said Whittington, general manager of State Street Pub.

Whatever business takes over the space would have to bring in more customers to be profitable, he said. And he noted that downtown Media is largely devoid of national chains.

A local business would probably be best-received, but being such a large space, it would have to be an established local business, Whittington said. Its just daunting. To be able to afford the space, youd have to put a lot of butts in seats.

The Media Business Authority has been in contact with a number of exciting potential replacements, executive director Dave Fairman said in a statement, noting the town has very few commercial vacancies.

On Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill, the business community is optimistic about what comes next for the former Iron Hill, the business districts retail advocate, Ann Nevel, said in a statement. The Chestnut Hill location closed two weeks before the company announced it was shutting down all its restaurants and filing for bankruptcy. Nevel said the landlord has received significant interest from several restaurateurs.

In West Chester, several business owners said they hope something unique fills the Iron Hill void, such as a higher-end Mexican or Asian restaurant.

What would I like to see there? Something different from anywhere else, said Joe Monnich, chef and owner at Stove & Co. Restaurant Group, which operates Stove & Tap on Gay Street. The last thing I feel West Chester needs is another American-style restaurant, selfishly because I have one there.  [But] I think that would just do a disservice to the community.

Even the West Chester University students are drinking less than previous generations, local business owners said, so another brewery or booze-focused spot might not be the best fit. (That observation aligns with national trends: Only half of U.S. adults under 35 drink alcohol, according to Gallup.)

West Chester is really screaming for something different, said Gray, the Kildares Pub owner. Someone who is going to remain there long-term would be good.
Robert H. "Bobby" Mais (right) was a key cog in the "Tri-State Gang" along with his lieutenant, Walter Legenza (left). The duo were sentenced to death for the killing of a Federal Reserve truck driver in 1934. Read more

Elizabeth Mais sealed pistols inside cans of baked chicken, wrapped them up in a neat package, and dropped it off for her son at a jail in Richmond, Va.

A few days later, gangster Bobby Mais and his lieutenant Walter Legenza proceeded to shoot their way out of their incarceration on Sept. 29, 1934.

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And then the duo, later nicknamed the Dillingers of the East, headed toward Philadelphia.

Running and gunning

Philadelphia native Robert H. Mais was a mamas boy. He had a red-and-blue tattoo on his left forearm of a pierced heart with the word Mother.

He was also an outlaw and a bandit and a murderer. And he was a key cog in the infamous Tri-State Gang, highway heathens who terrorized the Northeastern seaboard throughout the roar of Prohibition and the rumble of the Great Depression.

His right-hand man was Polish-born Legenza, a blue-eyed killer who was raised among the strip mines of Carbon County, Pennsylvania.

And by the autumn of 1934, their days were numbered.

They were awaiting execution by electric chair for the murder of a Federal Reserve truck driver, who was killed during a robbery earlier that year in Richmond.

So without many options, Mais sent a note to his mother.

On the run

A few weeks after the jailbreak, on the night of Oct. 14, 1934, two patrolmen drove by the unoccupied house of Mais mother in Southwest Philadelphia, and noticed a light on.

Peering into a window, the officers saw Mais in the dining room. He saw them, too, and fell to the floor, and Legenza took cover in the kitchen.

The cops called it in, and split up: One posted up at the front door, and the other at the rear door.

Whining police vehicles carrying about 50 officers descended upon the house on the 7700 block of Brewster Avenue near what today is the airport.

The two patrolmen heard a door slam, but saw no one leave.

The rampaging reinforcements barged into the home, but the two fugitives had vanished, most likely through a side window.

In January 1935, on the eve of a planned crime spree that included a few more Philadelphia kidnappings, the two fugitives were caught and arrested in New York.

The 29-year-old Mais and the 41-year-old Legenza died in Virginias electric chair on Feb. 2, 1935, but their story lives on in film, television, and comic books.

And Mother Mais served time in jail for the gift package to her son.
St. Pauls Episcopal Church choir will perform "Our Wildest Imagining," commissioned in honor of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, who made history when he was elected and consecrated as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, or in any major Christian denomination. Read more

In 2003, the Rev. V. Gene Robinson made history when he was elected and consecrated as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, or any major Christian denomination.

This year, he is being celebrated in churches across the country with performances of a new musical composition, Our Wildest Imagining, commissioned in his honor.

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The seven-minute piece will be performed by chorus, organ, and brass on Sunday morning at Chestnut Hills St. Pauls Episcopal Church. Robinson will give the sermon.

My first reaction was, Dont you have to be dead to have something like that done? Robinson said in a Zoom call from his home in D.C. this week.

He retired as bishop of the New Hampshire diocese in 2013 and has lived in Washington ever since. At 78, he is still active in the causes that powered his ministry.

Up until recently, Ive really enjoyed Washington, he said.

I help out at the Washington Cathedral, and Im quite active at my parish, St. Thomas.

The parish, he said, has quite a history with immigrants. When the governor of Texas sent busloads of immigrants to New York and Washington, they unloaded at our church.

But now, many of them have become members of our parish, although many of them are not coming to church now for fear of being snatched up off the streets, he said.

The parish also has a long connection with the LGBTQ community, said Robinson, going back to the days of the AIDS crisis, when it offered funeral services for victims at a time when many churches refused to perform them.

Robinsons outspoken embrace of all people into the Christian community is celebrated in Our Wildest Imagining.

The idea for the composition, he said, came from three of his friends  one, his former boss at the Center for American Progress, where he worked for several years after retiring. Another one had a deep background in music.

They asked me to listen to Aaron Coplands Lincoln Portrait," which combines music with quotations from the 16th presidents writings and speeches, he said.

Asked to pick quotes from his own sermons and books, Robinson compared it to picking a favorite child: I couldnt do it.

His friends had found a brilliant composer, Dominick DiOrio, he said.

DiOrio is the artistic director of the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia and is a professor on the music faculty of Indiana University. Hell conduct Sundays performance.

Dominick said, Ill pick the words, Robinson said. He listened to 20 or 30 sermons, read my two books, watched the two documentaries about me. The text of the piece is my own words coming back at me, in large part, which is a very strange experience but kind of nice, too.

The middle part of the text is taken from Psalm 27.

That is the psalm I credit with saving my life, Robinson said. You know I got my first death threat before I got home the day I was elected.

He wore a bulletproof vest to his consecration.

Its a typical psalm, Oh Lord theyre out to get me, eat my flesh, and tear me limb from limb, but you O Lord will keep me safe, that kind of thing. I literally read that psalm multiple times every day just to hold on and reassure myself.

After the composition was finished, Robinson said, DiOrio told us something I didnt know.

As it turns out, he lived in southern New Hampshire the year Robinson was elected bishop.

He was a closeted, gay, Roman Catholic 19-year-old and feeling hopeless about ever putting his sexuality together with his religion, Robinson said of DiOrio. Then all of a sudden, this gay guy gets elected bishop in the state where hes living, and he says it changed his life. He thought so much more was possible. He left Roman Catholicism and became Episcopalian, started writing music, and the rest, as they say, is history.

It was a nice surprise. Hes become a dear friend.

Robinson said he was especially pleased by the title of the piece, a phrase he uses so often that his two daughters and two granddaughters tease him about it: They write it on my birthday cards, We love you beyond your wildest imaginings.

His sermon on Sunday, he said, will be based on the days lesson, the story of Jacob wrestling an angel.

Interestingly they fight to a draw, [but] Jacob wont let this human thing go. He says, I wont release you until you bless me. Wrestling is central to Jews and Christians, and maybe to all religions. If youre serious about your religion, youre always wrestling with God, trying to figure out what God wants you to do in your life. The trick is to hang in there long enough until you get to the blessing.

That wrestling, he said, has an urgent contemporary significance.

Were up against a frightening white Christian nationalist movement that distorts everything that I know Christianity to be, in all kinds of ways. And theres going to be no way out of this without struggle.

What Our Wildest Imagining celebrates, he said, is the idea at the core of his faith: At the end of the day, love wins.

Our Wildest Imagining, Oct. 19, 10 a.m., St. Pauls Episcopal Church, 22 E. Chestnut Hill Ave., Philadelphia. All are welcome to attend and all in attendance are welcome to receive Communion. There will be a Q&A session with Bishop Robinson after the service.
The outside of the Polish American Cultural Center Read more

To hear Michael Blichasz tell it, none of this would have happened if he hadnt gone asking for a copy of the deed.

City officials never would have come knocking on the door of his nonprofit museum, the Polish American Cultural Center, curious how he came to be the supposed owner of a multimillion-dollar property in the heart of Philadelphias historic district.

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They never would have begun scrutinizing the decades-long paper trail, the political handshakes, and the forgotten promises made to the once-powerful community leader.

And the quaint Polish history museum that has operated in Society Hill since 1987 would still have its home.

Because for nearly 30 years, City Hall never questioned whether Blichaszs nonprofit actually owned the building at 308 Walnut St.

No one mentioned a word about it, Blichasz, 79, said. It was totally silent.

That silence started unraveling seven years ago when, Blichasz said, he requested a copy of the deed in order to get a state grant to make repairs on the five-story property. He had somehow avoided an inquiry for decades, despite securing other grants and contracts to keep alive his nonprofits mission: providing Polish immigrants with a one-stop cultural hub that could connect them to city services.

Officials at the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA) scratched their heads at the request, according to Blichasz. Records showed the authority owned the museum building, not the Polish group.

PRA eventually took Blichasz to court, accusing him of squatting in the property and failing to pay back millions in loan installments. Blichasz said former Mayor W. Wilson Goode and other elected officials in the late 1980s purchased the property for his group and promised to pay off the debt as a gift to the Polish community.

But apparently those promises were never written down.

The city has no records [or] evidence anyone in the city ever agreed to pay the balance on behalf of [the Polish museum] to obtain ownership of the property, Jamila Davis, a PRA spokesperson, said in a statement.

This much both sides agree on: The Polish American Cultural Center came to occupy the historic building thanks to a rare and generous arrangement in 1987.

Goode approved a $2.1 million bond to buy a permanent home for United Polish American Social Services, a nonprofit run by Blichasz that had been aiding the citys Polish immigrants since the early 20th century.

The grant led to the birth of the citys first and only Polish museum, where Blichasz amassed an exhibit hall full of national folk art, portraits of famous Poles such as Pope John Paul II, and historical artifacts dating from the first immigrant settlers to these shores in 1608 to the diaspora that followed the 1939 invasion of the Nazis.

But Goodes act of benevolence came with a caveat: According to the bond agreement, if the Polish group failed to keep up with payments, the city could kill the deal and take back the building. Blichasz claims Goode and other elected officials at the time, many of whom are now dead, promised he would never have to pay a dime.

They said, You will pay zero, he said.

A copy of a $81,875 check Blichasz provided to The Inquirer represents one of the only payments made by the nonprofit to the city  in August 1988. PRA said Blichaszs nonprofit, all told, paid about $155,000 toward the bond taken out by the city, which grew to $4.6 million with interest.

The Goode administration later applied for a federal grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to pay off the property, according to records provided to The Inquirer.

Blichasz said he was under the impression the deal was done. But those federal funds never materialized  and the city didnt seek to settle the debt for decades.

Bicentennial cash and ethnic tensions

The museums origins lie in the summer of 1987, when City Hall faced accusations of racial and ethnic favoritism.

The city had just unlocked $2 million left from the 1976 Bicentennial, and Council members had sent half that money to nine Black community groups. Anger simmered among white ethnic leaders like Blichasz.

Reverse discrimination, Councilmember Joan Krajewski said at the time.

Critics asserted also that regardless of race, the fund was supporting activities with few ties to Americas birthday celebration  from a Trinidadian steelpan orchestra to a Polish-American festival at Penns Landing led by Blichasz.

At the time, however, Blichaszs nonprofit was also trying to move its headquarters from Fairmount to Philadelphias historic district.

And the city had already agreed to pay for the new building.

After the city inked the bond purchase on behalf of the Polish group, Blichasz vowed to increase the nonprofits annual budget by 50% to keep up with repayment. Goode promised the group leniency, but newspaper articles from the time show no offer to fully wipe the debt.

Blichasz was confident. Donors in the Polish community, he said, would respond with joy to bring this first-of-its-kind museum to life in Philadelphia.

But the joy proved less than hoped.

Months later, Blichasz was back at City Hall asking for a bailout. His group had raised only a fraction of its $1 million goal and needed an additional $350,000 to pay the mortgage and museum build-out costs.

He pointed out that the city had financed capital projects for other ethnic groups, including the Mummers Museum, the African American history museum, and the Jewish museum.

This is going to tell us just how appreciated the good, taxpaying Poles are by this country, Blichasz said at the time.

The museum, he promised, would be an attraction that would more than repay its debt.

Teaching self-sufficiency

The Polish American Cultural Center opened its doors in August 1988 to a flag-waving crowd of 300 people. Then-Vice President George H.W. Bush attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, where visitors admired hand-cut Polish crystal and other curios from the homeland.

Alongside the museum, the nonprofit continued to provide the community with services that ranged from English language courses to help with rent and fuel rebates  work Blichasz said was teaching Polish immigrants to be self-sufficient.

Much of that work was also financed by the city.

Auditors later raised concern over a six-figure contract the Goode administration dealt to the nonprofit. At the time, the arrangement led former city finance director David Brenner to speculate about Blichaszs political clout: Where his influence comes from beats the hell out of me, but no question hes got it.

At some point, however, concerns over the debt for 308 Walnut St. disappeared.

As far as Blichasz was concerned, it was absolved after Goode applied for the HUD grant.

Blichasz said officials like Krajewski and Goode insisted his group not cut any more checks to the city, saying we will take care of it.

Why PRA did not inquire about the outstanding mortgage agreement remains uncertain. A spokesperson did not immediately respond to a question about the matter, and city records show only one inspection of the property, in 2011.

By the time PRA took a renewed interest, Blichasz had a problem: Many of the people who helped facilitate the initial deal were no longer around to help explain.

A historic takeback

The museum fell under the radar until Mayor Jim Kenneys first term. Soon after Kenney took office in 2016, Blichasz recalled, there was a heated meeting after the nascent administration ended his nonprofits six-figure social services contract.

He described the city as more interested in giving out condoms than providing help to an increasingly elderly Polish population.

Years later, during an insurance audit of large buildings owned by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, Kenney administration officials were baffled by 308 Walnut St. Its not clear if the PRA even knew who owned it.

PRA officials toured the building in 2019 and found the museum on the first floor much as it had ever been. But the floors above were in shambles, according to a city employee who toured the property.

The second through fourth floors looked as if their occupants had been raptured, with calendars from the 1980s frozen on the walls and moldy cups of coffee that appeared to date to the same decade.

On the fifth floor, officials said, they found evidence that someone had been sleeping in the building along with boxes of old documents and recording equipment where Blichasz broadcast his Polish American radio hour.

PRA quickly moved to intervene.

Based on concerning conditions observed during the tour, PRA said in a statement this week, it hired an engineering firm to document the state of the building. The contractors reported it needed at least $1.8 million to be brought back to code. The lack of maintenance resulted in potentially dangerous structural issues, PRA said in a statement.

Blichasz acknowledged water damage from leaks, which he had hoped to repair with state grants. But he called the PRAs overall assessment of the property a fiction. He said his nonprofit spent millions in repairs over the years out of its operating budget.

Its very fishy, Blichasz said of PRAs inspection.

The agency said in a statement that officials attempted to negotiate but that Blichasz refused to cooperate and repeatedly requested outright ownership of the property, despite not having complied with the terms of the original deal.

With no legal title, the PRA took the nonprofit to court in 2023. The agency ultimately won, wresting back control of the building. A judge ordered the nonprofit to pay $3.5 million dollars in debt and damages.

This April, the Polish American Cultural Center was evicted.

Last chance to cut a deal

As the city clawed back the property, Blichasz accused officials of negotiating in bad faith. He also suggested it was a racially motivated attack against his organization to divert funding to nonwhite community groups.

Those who could attest to the original deal are dead or not talking. Krajewski, the former Council member, died in 2013. Blichasz said he hadnt reached out to Goode in years. Phone calls to the former mayor were not returned.

When those people were alive, we could have had a nice get-together, a hearing, Blichasz said. Now they want to take me to court. I said, Why? You never sat down with us to discuss this. All I want to do is keep the original mission and goals alive.

The ordeal has interested at least one current elected official.

Councilmember Mark Squilla, who represents the area, has acted as a liaison between Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and Blichasz this year. Emails shared with The Inquirer showed that Blichasz turned down three compromise options from Parker that would have either allowed the Polish group to remain in the building under a new lease or helped pay for the groups relocation.

Squilla acknowledged that the paperwork didnt support Blichaszs case. But he argued that his decades of contributions to the city should be considered, too.

After we did some background research, I figured theres no way we could find out what really happened, Squilla said. So I figured, Why dont we just work out a deal? And unfortunately, the deals that the PRA made were not accepted by the Polish museum folks.

Squilla introduced a resolution in City Council on Oct. 9 to hold hearings on the PRAs treatment of Blichasz.

After 30 years, I believe that they had the right to stay in and use the building, the Council member said.

On Wednesday, a woman approached the doorway of the museum, asking if it was open.

Inside, standing in the wood-paneled hallway that harkened back to another era, a maintenance worker shooed her away.
People wanted to be around her, Ms. Womble-Wyatt's nephew said. She lifted you up. Read more

Dorothy Womble-Wyatt, 84, of Cherry Hill, innovative teacher and celebrated school principal for the Camden City School District, active church member, mentor, and proud graduate of what is now Fayetteville State University, died Tuesday, Sept. 23, of complications from a heart condition at her home.

For 37 years, from 1968 to her retirement in 2005, Ms. Womble-Wyatt connected with Camden students through progressive teaching techniques, and with classroom colleagues, parents, and nearby residents through her collaborative administrative style.

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She was named principal at the old Bonsall Elementary School in 1977 and became the first principal at the new Riletta T. Cream Elementary School in 1991.

She led the Riletta Twyne Cream Family School with distinction, the Camden City Advisory Board of Education said in a recent resolution, guiding its opening in January 1991 and building a school culture centered on high expectations, literacy, and community partnership.

As a teacher, Ms. Womble-Wyatt focused on elementary school students, and she emphasized how math, geography, spelling, science, English, and other subjects were important in everyday life. She joined the school district in 1968 as a first-grade teacher and served as an administrative assistant before advancing to principal at Bonsall.

In its resolution, the Board of Education said she championed professional learning and innovative classroom practices that advanced student growth.

Her nephew Micheal W. Moore said: She was always a teacher at heart. She taught her family when she was young and her classmates in high school. She never stopped.

As principal at the Cream School, Ms. Womble-Wyatt supervised the transfer of 800 students from four other elementary schools during the 1990-91 school year and told the Courier-Post: Im just thinking about a smooth transition.  Its the same as if youre moving into a new home. Youre excited moving into a new environment. When you get something nice, you want to keep it that way.

Throughout her career she mentored educators, supported families, and modeled servant leadership that uplifted the wider Camden community. The Camden City Advisory Board of Education on Ms. Womble-Wyatt

She supported all kinds of new educational initiatives and lobbied tirelessly for better school supplies and improved healthcare services for Camden students. The Courier-Post covered Creams grand opening, and 9-year-old student Bradford Sunkett told the newspaper: Im glad to be at a new school. But Im most glad Ms. Wyatt is here. Ms. Wyatt and the teachers are more important than a school building.

She cheered in 1992 when community activists cleared a cluttered lot near the school and told the Courier-Post: Its a joyful feeling knowing people have listened to what we have to say and did something about it.

In 1999, she endorsed a New Jersey state reform program that invited parents to help shape school curriculum. Its a great thing for parents because many dont have the experience of what schools are up against, she told the Courier-Post. All they hear is that schools are failing. This lets parents become part of the foundation.

Ms. Womble-Wyatt was active at Roberts Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in North Carolina, First Nazarene and Zion Baptist Churches in Camden, and New Community Baptist Church in Collingswood. Zion recognized her with a service award in 2008.

Dot was a sweet and caring person who looked out for everyone. Her life was a huge blessing, and she left all of us with memories we can cherish throughout time. Ms. Womble-Wyatt's family in a tribute

She loved to invite family and friends to attend worship services with her on Sundays and join her for dinner afterward, her nephew said.

She earned a bachelors degree in education and leadership at Fayetteville State in North Carolina and recruited new students everywhere she went. In 2003, the universitys Gospel Choir honored her lifelong support with a concert at Camden High School.

She belonged to the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Order of the Eastern Star, and spoke often at churches and community groups about Black history. She was honored at Camdens third annual Womens Recognition Ceremony in 1996 and earned an Outstanding Citizens Award from the local Freemasons in 1997.

People wanted to be around her, her nephew said. She lifted you up.

The Camden City School District mourns the loss of a devoted educator whose work strengthened our city for generations. The Camden City Advisory Board of Education on Ms. Womble-Wyatt

Dorothy Marie Womble was born May 16, 1941, in Goldston, N.C. She earned a masters degree in education from North Carolina Central University, married Glenmore Wyatt in 1967, and they had a son, Glen. Her husband died in 2021, and their son died in 2023.

Ms. Womble-Wyatt collected African artifacts, hosted memorable dinners, and never forgot a birthday. She enjoyed casinos, shopping for gifts, and visiting family and friends.

On Instagram, a friend called her an educator par excellence, a fashionista, and genuine lover of people. Her nephew said: She was generous and joyous. She was a queen in every right.

In addition to her nephew, Ms. Womble-Wyatt is survived by a grandson and other relatives. A brother died earlier.

Services were held Oct. 2 and 3 in Camden, and Oct. 12 in North Carolina.

Donations in her name may be made to Roberts Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 439 Roberts Chapel Rd., Goldston, N.C. 27252.
Details of an ICE raid on the Super Gigante International Food Market in West Norriton are included in a new lawsuit. Read more

A federal judge on Friday ordered Meta  the parent company of Facebook and Instagram  not to comply with a request by the Department of Homeland Security seeking information about the operators of MontCo Community Watch, a grassroots organization behind a pair anonymous social media accounts that tracks local ICE activity.

The order, issued late Friday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter H. Kang, was a quick response to a lawsuit filed on behalf of the Montgomery County group, in which its lawyers said DHS had taken unlawful steps to try to unmask the people behind it.

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In the lawsuit, filed in federal court in California this week, lawyers for the group said DHS actions amount to a clear First Amendment violation, and that the groups operators and associates are being targeted by the federal government for doing nothing more than exercising their rights to free speech and free association.

Kang, the judge, did not say in his order whether he endorsed that position. But he said Meta should not produce any documents or information in response to DHS request without a court order while the case proceeds before him.

The effort by DHS began last month, the lawsuit said, when the agency sent two administrative summonses to Meta seeking usernames, phone numbers, IP addresses, and other identifying information for those with connections to the groups pages. The stated purpose of the summonses, the lawsuit said, was for DHS to investigate potential customs violations involving merchandise sales.

But the groups pages on Facebook and Instagram do not offer anything for sale, the lawsuit said, and even if they did, DHS requests sought information wildly outside the scope of such an investigation.

The groups members are in immediate danger of having their personal information shared with DHS, and therefore in danger of being targeted for harassment, detention, and persecution, the lawsuit said. It asked a federal judge to quash the summonses and prevent Meta from turning over the information.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Californias northern district court, where Meta is headquartered.

DHS did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

Stephen Loney, a supervising attorney with the ACLU of Pennsylvania and one of the lawyers handling the case, called the situation a pretty appalling abuse of process, and abuse of the governments power against the little guy, who is just trying to protect their community and let people know whats going on.

Loney said Meta could have pushed back against the governments request by declining to comply without a court order. Instead, it shifted the onus to its account-holders, leaving it to them to figure out the situation and file complex court motions.

The implication is the government could be using its power against a wider swath of people or organizations  and the tech companies may be providing little to no resistance.

Only God, DHS and Meta know how many of these nonpublic, anonymous posters are having their information revealed to the government, Loney said. Were up against all the resources of the federal government, and all the resources of Meta.

The suit comes as tech companies in recent weeks have granted other requests by President Donald Trumps administration to take down or limit content regarding ICE operations.

Earlier this week Meta agreed to shut down a Facebook page that allowed users to share information about ICE agents in Chicago. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the page was putting agents at risk in the field.

Several weeks before that, Apple and Google agreed to grant another request from Bondis Justice Department to remove apps that allowed users to track and share the locations of ICE agents across the country.

In the case of MontCo Community Watch, the lawsuit said that on Sept. 11, DHS sent two summonses to Meta asking for names, zip codes, email addresses, and other information of users who accessed the groups Facebook or Instagram pages.

The group of volunteers is part of a growing on-the-ground resistance network to address the increase in ICE activity across the Philadelphia region. Immigration advocates travel local highways and interstates, looking for ICE, and often share tips, information, and resources online.

Legal filings on behalf of Montco Community Watch say local residents see ICE agents every day, and that the agency has carried out a series of well-documented arrests and abusive searches, detentions and arrests.

The court filing cites the most terrifying operation as the July 16 raid on the Super Gigante food market in West Norriton, where agents detained at least 14 people on immigration violations.

The agents, The Inquirer reported in September, were trailed to the market by cars carrying members of the Montgomery County Watch rapid-response team. Those activists work to find and follow Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, aiming to record agents activities, to alert people to protest at the scenes of arrests, and, at times, to loudly confront the officers.

That morning, the group had discovered ICE agents and cars gathering in the parking lot outside the Plymouth Meeting Regal Cinema movie theater. The two groups arrived nearly simultaneously.

The summonses against MontCo Community Watch cited a law known as US Code 1509, which allows authorities to investigate customs violations. But the documents provided no specifics about what wrongdoing the group may have engaged in  or how the information DHS sought might contribute to its investigation.

The groups lawyers said in the suit that they are not engaged in commerce, nor are they subject to monetary sanctions or liabilities. And they said the summonses demand information clearly beyond what federal law permits.

In addition, the suit said no one from MontCo Community Watch learned of the summons until Oct. 3, when Meta sent an email saying it planned to provide DHS the requested information within 10 days unless the group had challenged the summonses in court.
Sen. Dave McCormick (R., Pa.) during a meeting in his office at the Hart Senate Office Building in June. Read more

U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R., Pa.) has joined fellow Senate Republicans in signing on to a letter urging top health officials in the Trump administration to rescind approval for a drug used in one of the most common methods of abortion.

In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary earlier this month, the Republican senators recommended, among other things, that officials re-evaluate the safety of mifepristone, one of two pills commonly used in a medication abortion, and suspend the distribution of the drug and its generic versions, saying it should be considered an imminent hazard at the federal level.

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Today, your agencies have all the information they need to bring an end to previous Democrat administrations abortion drug regulations while a comprehensive review is conducted, the Republicans wrote in the letter.

Only two Senate Republicans, Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) and Susan Collins (R., Maine), did not sign the letter.

Mifepristone is considered safe and effective and is used to terminate early-stage pregnancies and manage miscarriages, according to the American Medical Association. It received initial approval from the Food and Drug Administration in September 2000.

McCormicks signature on the letter could signal a change in how the Pennsylvania Republican views abortion regulation. During his campaign last fall, McCormick said during a debate that he wants to leave regulation to individual states, which has been the status quo since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. His backing of the letter, which encourages sweeping policy decisions at the national level, suggests otherwise.

Sen. McCormick has concerns about the adverse effects mifepristone can have on women, as shown in a recent study, a spokesperson for McCormick said in a statement Friday evening. This letter addresses those potential impacts on womens health and encourages HHS and FDA to reevaluate the potential risks and harms associated with mifepristone. Sen. McCormick also issued a statement yesterday applauding the White Houses efforts to lower IVF costs.

Eugene DePasquale, chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, accused him of betraying his constituents.

Sen. McCormicks support for an extreme anti-choice policy that could threaten the lives of Pennsylvania women is a shameful betrayal of his constituents, DePasquale said. This type of extreme policy coming out of Washington only makes it clearer that everything is on the line when it comes to protecting our freedom  and it is up to us to do it right here at the state level.

Last month, Kennedy said the FDA is reviewing the safety of mifepristone.

By law, the FDA has very limited discretion in deciding whether to approve a generic drug, and the FDAs approval of a generic mifepristone is not an endorsement of the product. HHS remains committed to its study of the reported adverse effects of mifepristone, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement to The Inquirer.

Medical abortions, where mifepristone is used as part of a two-drug regimen along with misoprostol, account for more than half of all abortions performed in the U.S., according to the Cleveland Clinic in 2024.

Should the FDA revoke its approval of mifepristone, medical abortions wont be eradicated. Medication abortions are possible using just misoprostol, but the method is less effective, according to a 2021 report from the American Family Physician.

In addition to their safety concerns, Senate Republicans are also urging Kennedy and Makary to suspend approving new generic versions of mifepristone awaiting the results of a safety review of the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) for the drug. REMS are safety programs for certain medications as required by the FDA.

The Republicans are also urging the federal government to require mifepristone and its generic versions to be distributed in person, not through mail, and not at a pharmacy.

The letter also claims that the U.S. has an abortion-on-demand culture, referring to the accessibility of mifepristone through mail. But, according to Planned Parenthood, a telehealth call is required before any pill is shipped.

Staff writer Katie Bernard contributed to this article.

This story was updated to include a comment from Sen. McCormick.
Former President Barack Obama speaks during the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. Read more

Former President Barack Obama endorsed U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic nominee for New Jersey governor, who is locked in a tight race with Republican Jack Ciattarelli.

Obamas announcement just weeks ahead of the Nov. 4 election came in the form of an ad paid for by Sherrills campaign that Sherrill shared on X Friday morning.

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Mikie is a mom who will drive down costs for New Jersey families, Obama said in the ad, echoing her campaigns core message. As a federal prosecutor and former Navy helicopter pilot, she worked to keep our communities safe.

Mikies integrity, grit, and commitment to service are what we need right now in our leaders, he adds.

Sherrill maintains a single-digit lead in polls over Ciattarelli, a former Assembly member who also ran for governor in 2017 and 2021 and has the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

In a statement, Sherrill praised Obama for leading historic efforts to lower healthcare costs and criticized Ciattarelli for defending cuts to Medicaid in Trumps big beautiful bill.

Theres so much at stake in this election, so President Obama and I are mobilizing New Jerseyans to make a plan to vote on or before November 4, Sherrill added.

The race has been tightening, with each candidate solidifying their bases.

New Jersey is only one of two states with a race for governor this year, along with Virginia, and national money has been flowing into the race.

Sherrill last week appeared in South Jersey last week with Sens. Cory Booker (D., N.J.) and Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.) and in her hometown of Montclair with former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, an Arizona Democrat. She will appear in this weekend with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

Ciattarelli appeared on Wednesday with Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who co-founded Trumps DOGE and who appeared at a GOP summit in Atlantic City earlier this year to garner enthusiasm ahead of the gubernatorial primary.

Trump does not currently have plans to appear in the state with Ciattarelli, Axios reported. While New Jersey shifted more in support of Trump in 2024 he still lost the state by 6 percentage points.

The president held a tele-rally ahead of the primary after Ciattarelli pocketed his endorsement in May. Trump is planning to host more of these, Axios reported.

An earlier version of this story misidentified Vivek Ramaswamys position. He is a candidate for Ohio governor.
New polling shows that women are essential to U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrills single-digit lead in the New Jersey governors race.

A Quinnipiac University poll shows Sherrill, the Democratic nominee, ahead of Republican Jack Ciattarelli, 50% to 44%, among likely voters. The poll surveyed more than 1,300 likely New Jersey voters from Oct. 9 to 13 with a margin of error of +/- 3.6 percentage points.

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But the poll released Wednesday also shows a gender gap between the candidates.

Sherrill has a 21-percentage-point advantage over Ciattarelli among women, and Ciattarelli has an 11-point lead among men, according to the poll.

Polls consistently reflected a gender divide in the run-up to last years presidential election. The New Jersey race is following a similar pattern with women favoring Democrats while men increasingly flock to the GOP.

Sherrills strong performance with women has been consistent throughout Quinnipiacs recent polls, but Ciattarelli may be solidifying and growing support with men as November approaches.

The poll also found more enthusiasm among respondents supporting Ciattarelli than those supporting Sherrill.

The results come after a September Quinnipiac poll found Sherrill winning women by a 20-point advantage. That survey showed Ciattarelli with only a 4-point lead among men, a smaller edge compared to his performance in the most recent poll.

Sherrill would be only the second woman to lead New Jersey, and while that may motivate some women to vote, her broad support among women isnt necessarily because shes a woman.

Thats largely because shes a Democrat, said Kelly Dittmar, the director of research for the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. She pointed to an October 2021 Monmouth poll that showed Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, with a 25-point lead over Ciattarelli among women, while Ciattarelli had a 4-point lead among men.

Women nationally make up more of the Democratic Party base, while Republicans have found more success reaching men. That pattern is showing in New Jersey, and the poll results could show the firming of each partys bases, Dittmar said.

Gender has also come up on the trail.

Ciattarelli has repeatedly accused Sherrill of focusing on gender during his stump speeches.

Every single day, shes gonna tell you shes a woman. So Im here to tell you Im a man, he said to laughs earlier this month at an event in Haddon Township. I want you all to know.

He added: Shes gonna tell you that shes a mother of four. Ill tell you Im a father of four.

Sherrill talks about graduating with the first Naval Academy class of women eligible for combat roles on ships and aircraft, and about how being a mother influences her views on different policies from affordability to education, but she doesnt explicitly campaign on her gender.

Ciattarellis campaign strategist Chris Russell said his team is not interested in responding to skewed public polls when asked about the gender gap results.

Russell said he disagrees with the methodology of determining likely voters, which is why a lot of these public polls are consistently wrong.

Sherrills campaign did not comment on the polls findings about the gender gap and instead attacked Ciattarelli as extreme and out of touch.
State Sen. Sharif Street has an early fundraising lead over his competitors in next years Democratic primary for a storied Philadelphia congressional seat, according to new campaign finance reports.

But the race is in its early stages, and candidates who entered the race after Street still have plenty of time to catch up before the May 2026 primary.

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Street, the son of former Mayor John F. Street, entered the race for Pennsylvanias 3rd Congressional District in early July, days after U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Philadelphia) announced he would not seek reelection. Streets campaign launch coincided with the beginning of the campaign finance reporting period, allowing him three full months to solicit contributions and seek endorsements.

 READ MORE: The building trades unions have endorsed State Sen. Sharif Street in the crowded race for Pa.s 3rd Congressional District

He took in about $352,000 from July 1 through Sept. 30, according to the Federal Election Commission. His campaign spent $33,000 during that time, and he finished the period with $372,000 in cash on hand, which is also the most of any candidate in the race. (Streets cash reserves are higher than his fundraising because he carried over money from a previous campaign account.)

Our strong fundraising results put us in a commanding position, Street campaign manager Josh Uretsky said in a statement. Were building a strong campaign that will hit every neighborhood in the Third District by leveraging our broad-based coalition.

State Rep. Chris Rabb, an anti-establishment progressive, who raised $257,000, also announced his campaign in July.

Rabbs haul was notable for a candidate with little support among Philadelphias established political organizations, such as the deep-pocketed building trades unions that endorsed Street this week. As he has in past runs, Rabb said he is eschewing contributions from corporate-backed political action committees, and tapping into a national network of progressive small-dollar donors.

This is a robust, grassroots campaign thats fueled and funded by a growing movement of Philadelphians and citizens far & wide who want a bold, independent-minded and accountable Democrat to represent the bluest congressional district in the nation, Rabb said in a statement.

His campaign spent $76,000, and carried forward $181,000.

State Rep. Morgan Cephas, a West Philly Democrat who chairs the Philadelphia delegation to the state House, collected $156,000 in contributions, a respectable sum given that she entered the race about a month before the reporting deadline. Her campaign spent $37,000 and had $119,000 in cash.

In a statement, Cephas said the excitement about our campaign is palpable.

I understand the problems of Philadelphia because Ive lived them for the last 41 years, Cephas said. Together we can deliver real results for our community.

Political outsiders aim to shake up race

David Oxman, a physician who lives in South Philadelphia, brought in $107,000, spent $35,000, and had a healthy $332,000 in the bank.

Since day one, this campaign has been fueled by healthcare professionals, small business owners, and working families across Philadelphia who are ready to take power back from leaders bought by corporate interests, Oxman said in a statement.

The campaign for Temple University professor Karl Morris raised $28,000, spent $26,000, and had $12,000 in cash on hand.

As a scientist, teacher, and a non-politician running an outsider campaign, my focus is on connecting with everyday Philadelphians, Morris, a computer scientist, said in a statement. Career politicians and the donor class want politics as usual. Im prepared to make sure everyone in Philadelphia receives equal benefits and equal protections.

One notable candidate, physician Ala Stanford, entered the race after the close of the reporting period and has not yet submitted a campaign finance filing. Stanford was a founder of the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium and has been endorsed by Evans.

In just a few weeks in the race, Dr. Stanford has generated significant momentum  in contributions, volunteer engagement, and community enthusiasm," Stanford campaign manager Aaron Carr said in a statement.

Pennsylvanias 3rd Congressional District, which includes parts of North, Northwest, West, and South Philadelphia, is one of the most Democratic seats in the nation. With Evans retiring from the seat he has held for nearly a decade, the field could still be in flux as more Philly politicians eye the potentially once-in-a-generation ticket to Washington.

While the race remains competitive, Streets early fundraising lead will help cement his status as the favorite of the local political establishment. Democratic City Committee chair Bob Brady said this week that party ward leaders will likely vote to endorse Street after this years election cycle wraps up next month.

Were fully prepared to take advantage of this early lead, Uretsky said.

Brian Fitzpatrick outraises competitors in Bucks County congressional race

In Pennsylvanias 1st Congressional District, where Democrats have made ousting Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick a top priority, the incumbent outraised his leading Democratic challenger by a nearly 4-1 ratio, bringing in $886,049 this quarter.

 READ MORE: Brian Fitzpatrick raised $1.22M this quarter as Democrats plan to target his district in the 2026 midterms

Unlike the deep-blue 3rd District, the fate of the 1st District will likely be decided in next years general election, and not the primary. The district, which includes all of Bucks County and a part of Montgomery County, is the only Philadelphia-area congressional seat represented by a Republican.

Democratic County Commissioner Bob Harvie announced plans to challenge Fitzpatrick earlier this year.

Harvie, viewed as the favorite to win the Democratic nomination, raised $217,745 last quarter. The other Democrat in the race, attorney Tracy Hunt, raised $36,692.

This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirers high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
National broker ALKEME Insurance reports it has acquired Gorges & Company, Inc., a full-service agency based in Timonium, Maryland.

Founded in 1937, Gorges & Co. provides a full suite of insurance offerings, including employee benefits, business and personal property/casualty, nonprofit solutions, and Medicare.

The agency also has experience serving unique markets such as high valued personal lines clients, apartment complexes, condominium associations, spas, salons and wellness centers, independent contractors, and nonprofit organizations.

Curtis Barton, CEO of ALKEME, said the Gorges teams expertise across benefits, property/casualty and nonprofits will not only strengthen ALKEMEs East Coast presence but also enhance the resources and specialized offerings ALKEME can provide across the country.

Since its founding in 2020, California-based ALKEME has completed more than 70 acquisitions and serves its customers from over 60 locations in 29 states. ALKEME is ranked by Insurance Journal one of the top 25 largest independent agencies in the U.S.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Maryland
A Chinese container ship has completed a pioneering journey through the Arctic to a UK port, state-run news agency Xinhua reported, cutting in half the usual transit time for the electric vehicles and solar panels aboard destined for Europe.

The Istanbul Bridges maiden voyage, originally expected to take 18 days, was delayed by two days due to a storm off the coast of Norway but the ship still reached Europe earlier than the 40 to 50 days it takes freighters going through the Suez Canal or around the Cape of Good Hope.

The new Northern Sea Route, running entirely through Arctic waters and within Russias exclusive economic zone, can now be navigated by ships due to global warming.

China is exploring speedier maritime links with the European Union  the worlds third-largest economy  while in the middle of a costly trade war with the United States, the worlds biggest consumer market. The push reflects Beijings need to diversify its export markets to sustain growth in an economy heavily dependent on selling its manufactured goods overseas.

Exports to Europe rose an annual 14% in September, Chinese customs data shows, while shipments to the U.S. fell 27% over the same period.

Over the past four decades, the Arctic has warmed about four times faster than the global average, resulting in a dramatic reduction in sea ice and creating seasonal windows for commercial shipping.

But weather and sailing conditions along the Arctic passage can be unpredictable.

Carrying around 4,000 containers from the Chinese port of Zhoushan, the Istanbul Bridge docked in Felixstowe, Britains largest container port, on Monday and was scheduled to make stops in Germany, Poland and the Netherlands, Xinhua said.

The ship is operated by Chinese-controlled container line Sea Legend, it said.

The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

In recent years Beijing has deepened maritime cooperation with Russia in Arctic waters, as China seeks an alternative shipping route to reduce its dependence on the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia.

(Reporting by Xiuhao Chen and Joe Cash; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

Photograph: Generated with AI, AdobeStock
Italys government coalition has reached an agreement over a complex scheme that would see banks and insurers contributing about 11 billion ($12.8 billion) to its budget over three years.

The contribution affecting the financial and insurance sector would be worth around 4.3 billion for 2026, according to a budget document published Thursday. The document also foresees the contribution for 2027 and 2028.

The agreement introduces a new additional tax to finance healthcare and includes other measures such as an optional levy on the capital reserves set aside by lenders in exchange of avoiding paying a windfall tax in previous budgets and a postponement of fiscal benefits, according to Il Corriere della Sera.

The additional taxation would impact on the banks capital and profits, while lenders were aiming for measures that would have a neutral impact on their books.

Taxing the banking sector is a divisive issue for Melonis government and Matteo Salvini, of the League, and Antonio Tajani of Forza Italia previously clashed publicly on the tax.

Melonis coalition first attempted to impose a tax on banks windfall profits in 2023, but that effort ran aground amid a market backlash. Last year, ministers managed to find agreement with lenders to apply a levy that was ultimately income neutral for them, notching up a victory for the government while still keeping executives on board. Government is now proposing to let banks free up these capital reserves with a taxation of 27.5%, instead of the expected 40%.

The scheme will allow Meloni to finance tax cuts for middle earners, a key tenet of her platform for voters just as the country prepares for a general election in 2027 at the latest. Her finance minister, Giancarlo Giorgetti, announced earlier this week that the government will cut income tax for those earning between 28,001 ($32,679) and 50,000.

Photograph: Giorgia Meloni, Italys prime minister, arrives at the informal EU Council meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. EU leaders are meeting to discuss a slate of defense projects. Photo credit: Nichlas Pollier/Bloomberg

Topics Carriers
A federal appeals court refused a request by the U.S. government to pause a judges order that blocked President Donald Trump from deploying National Guard troops to Chicago.

A three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday largely preserved an Oct. 9 order by U.S. District Judge April Perry that temporarily paused the administrations use of soldiers to respond to protests against Trumps immigration crackdown. However, the Chicago-based court said the troops can remain under the control of the federal government for the time being.

The appellate panel agreed with Illinois officials that the federal government had failed to show any evidence to justify the use of troops in the city, even giving substantial deference to the presidents claim that protests in Chicago amounted to a rebellion or invasion that necessitates the use of National Guard soldiers.

While the administration has a strong interest in the protection of its agents and property, the evidence presented in court filings showed that the federal government has been able to protect federal property and personnel without the National Guards help, according to the written ruling.

The public has a significant interest in having only well-trained law enforcement officers deployed in their communities and avoiding unnecessary shows of military force in their neighborhoods, except when absolutely necessary and justified by law, the panel said.

The restrictions imposed by Perry will remain in place until at least Oct. 23, though shell consider a two-week extension on Oct. 22. In her ruling, she concluded that allowing troops into the state now may escalate conflicts with protesters and do more harm than good. She has yet to decide whether to grant a request by Illinois and Chicago for a longer lasting injunction that would block deployments until the legal case is resolved.

Thursdays ruling marks the second time the 7th Circuit appeals court has refused to allow troops to be deployed in the city. On Saturday, the panel declined to block Perrys decision while it weighed the more formal ruling issued today.

The case in Chicago is one of several the administration is fighting over its attempts to deploy National Guard troops in response to civilian protests against its immigration crackdown. In Oregon, a federal judge issued two similar temporary orders barring the deployment of troops to Portland while the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals considers a request by the administration to overturn the order.

The case is State of Illinois v. Trump, 25-cv-12174, US District Court, Northern District of Illinois (Chicago).

Top photo: Members of the Texas National Guard arrive at an army reserve training facility in Elwood, Illinois on Oct. 7.

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.
To tell the public what it spends on insurancean amount largely affected by what it calls legal system abuseUber has started to provide information on customers receipts.

To give you a sense of how bad the problem has gotten in certain places, our worst marketLA County48% of the average rider fare goes toward insurance, said Adam Blinick, senior director of public policy and communications for Uber.

That doesnt make any sense in the reasonable universe we operate in, he said during a panel discussion during the American Property Casualty Insurance Associations annual meeting in Orlando last week.

The company has started to go on the offensive. Uber has filed Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) lawsuits in New York, Florida, California, and Pennsylvania against lawyers and medical providers it thinks are committing fraud and driving up costs.

EY concluded that over the next five years TPLF will cost the insurance industry up to $50 billion in direct and indirect costs

Our desire is not to settle these things out. We want to see them through, Blinick said, adding that other corporations have reached out to ask advice on methodologies and building cases. This seems to indicate a willingness or desire to share information. Lets build the case to show the kinds of information we could be sharing amongst ourselves to get to the root of fraud and billing malpractice and the like, and make a case for reform.

Though the ability to share information between many different kinds of companies and players in litigation can be cumbersome, Blinick said there is a lot more that can be done on information sharing than is currently being done.

Plaintiffs lawyers, meanwhile, are already highly coordinated, sharing theories, recruiting firms into new mass torts, and investing heavily in political campaigns. In the meantime, third-party litigation funding (TPLF) has become big business.

Gareth Kennedy, principal of insurance and actuarial advisory service for EY, said the firm has found the average cost for a commercial claim has gone up 10% to 11% per year since 2017. In looking at the root cause, TPLF came to the surface. Though transparency was an issue since TPLF disclosure in cases is only just starting to grab hold in some jurisdictions, EY concluded that over the next five years TPLF will cost the insurance industry up to $50 billion in direct and indirect costs, Kennedy said.

If you look at that in terms of loss-ratio point drag, youre talking a 4-5.2% drag on loss ratios in [2024] premium dollars, Kennedy added.

Panelists urged businesses to respond with smarter political giving, coalition building, and consumer-focused messaging to combat legal system abuse, including (TPLF).

Nathan Morris, senior counsel, litigation policy and risk mitigation at Johnson & Johnson, said trial lawyers are singularly focused and mission-driven, while outside interests of businesses are much more than just litigation, so they dont always have that kind of freedom of movement politically.

Businesses have the ability to do more politically and to be more engaged and more thoughtful, Morris said. I dont think you need to match [trial lawyers] dollar-for-dollar.

The focus, he said, should be on the consumers benefit of TPLF. Is the consumer actually benefitting from that financing? Can we have an honest conversation about that? he asked. Claims are being filed to benefit people who are building up an asset class and not people that are seeking justice.
Meta Platforms Inc. is building a new gigawatt-sized data center in Texas to advance its artificial intelligence efforts, the latest in a string of significant investments by the company as it looks to keep pace in the competitive AI industry.

The Instagram parent will spend more than $1.5 billion on the new facility, which is being built in El Paso, Texas, the company said in a blog post Wednesday. The data center will eventually have 1 gigawatt of capacity to power high-end computing chips for AI-related projects, according to the post. Its expected to come online in 2028, a company spokesperson said.

Meta has been spending aggressively on AI infrastructure and talent alongside rivals like OpenAI and Alphabet Inc.s Google, all of which are developing top-of-the-line AI models. Meta earlier this year announced a major data center project in Louisiana, nicknamed Hyperion, which President Donald Trump said could cost as much as $50 billion. Meta has raised $29 billion for that project from Pacific Investment Management Co. and Blue Owl Capital Inc., and the company is building other gigawatt-sized data centers, including one in Ohio called Prometheus.

Artificial intelligence has become a key focus for the company, which uses the technology to power its chatbot and also serve people relevant videos and advertisements on Instagram and Facebook. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg has said that personal AI assistants will be one of the most important and valuable services ever created.

Meta will spend as much as $72 billion this year in capital expenditures, including AI-related infrastructure projects. Zuckerberg has defended the aggressive spending, arguing that its better to over-spend than under-spend when it comes to AI.

Theres a meaningful chance that a lot of the companies are overbuilding now, he told Bloomberg in 2024. But on the flip side, I actually think all the companies that are investing are making a rational decision, because the downside of being behind is that youre out of position for, like, the most important technology for the next 10 to 15 years.

Separately, semiconductor technology provider Arm Holdings Plc said Wednesday that its extending its partnership with Meta. The two have agreed on a multiyear agreement under which theyll expand on their efforts to co-design software and hardware. Meta will use Arms Neoverse blueprint for data center chips, which should provide better performance and use less power than rival offerings based on Intel Corp. technology, the two said in a statement.

Arms stock rose as much as 3.5% following the announcement in New York trading before later erasing most of those gains.

Photo: Photo credit: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.

Topics Texas
Stand Insurance has raised $35 million in a Series B funding round to expand its artificial intelligence-powered coverage for homeowners.

The company targets insurance markets deemed risky, with policies covering properties valued at a total of $1 billion in wildfire-prone California. The company says it will use the fresh funding to expand into Florida this year, another market with a huge protection gap due to its hurricane exposure.

Liberty Co. Closes on $525M Credit Facility The Liberty Company, a steadily growing insurance brokerage based in Gainesville, Florida, announced it had secured a $525 million first-lien credit line to help fuel its continued expansion plans. The deal includes a 7-year $425 million Term Loan B and a 5-year $100 million revolving credit facility, with J.P. Morgan acting as lead arranger, the firm said in a news release. The funding will be used to refinance existing debt, provide liquidity to employees, continued investment in technology, and to support Libertys partnerships and new producer hires. Liberty is a privately held company with offices across the Eastern United States and in California.

Stands latest fundraising round was led by Eclipse, a California-based investment firm that manages $4 billion in assets. The startup also counts Lowercarbon Capital and Inspired Capital among its backers.

Climate change is upending the global insurance industry by driving more extreme events. This years Los Angeles wildfire alone caused an estimated $164 billion in loss, and insurance companies are increasingly pulling out of risk-prone areas.

San Francisco-based Stand Insurance Exchange, the name it is licensed under in Florida, uses remote sensing data and collects details from homeowners such as materials used for windows and the tree species in the backyard. The startup analyzes this information using artificial intelligence technology, which it uses to simulate how wind, heat, embers and other factors stand to contribute to possible damage.

That basically tells us what are the vulnerabilities that you need to remedy, said Dan Preston, Stands cofounder and chief executive officer. The result, he said, is a tailor-made action plan to mitigate their risks. Homeowners who follow Stands guidance will be eligible for its insurance with discounts.

Worldwide, the insurance tech industry has attracted more than $60 billion in investment since 2012, about a quarter of which went to AI-related startups, according to a report published in August by Gallagher Re and CB Insights. Large insurers are also turning to AI to help assess risk. Stands insurance service is profitable, according to Preston, though he declined to share specifics.

But while interest in the technology is growing, there are potential pitfalls to relying on AI. Models tend to be black boxes, and they can come up with wildly different projections. That makes it challenging to vet their accuracy and could leave homeowners with little recourse should claims be denied or rates changed.

AI models tend to do better when youre looking at aggregated losses, not the loss for one specific house, said Rachel Davidson, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Delaware.

In neighborhoods where homes are built right next to each other, making one property resilient alone isnt enough to reduce the risk. Operating in markets with fewer carriers could also be costly for Stand should disaster strike.

There is a risk that these AI-driven insurance startups enter a market where traditional insurers have exited, and people become more and more reliant on a concentrated array of insurers, said Jesse Keenan, associate professor of sustainable real estate and urban planning at Tulane University in New Orleans and author of North: The Future of Post-Climate America. Among the issues is that insurers will face inordinate exposure, and this could result in their inability to pay claims.

Californias state-backed FAIR Plan also provides insurance to homeowners who fail to obtain a regular policy. Stand focuses on homes valued at $2 million and $10 million, a market segment that the startup says lacks sufficient protection, as the FAIR Plan caps coverage at $3 million.

Coverage for a $5 million home in Pacific Palisades, which was at the epicenter of the Los Angeles fires, could cost $35,000 in annual premiums with Stand, Preston said. The average premium for a non-admitted carrier  a more lightly regulated type of insurance  to protect property in the same area this year was roughly $46,000, while a number of insurers have stopped renewing some policies altogether.

Photo: A downed tree and blocked-in vehicle after hurricanes Helene and Milton in St. Pete Beach, Florida, in October 2025 (Tristan Wheelock/Bloomberg)

Related: Florida Approves Stand, Led by Former Metromile CEO

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.

Topics InsurTech Florida Data Driven Artificial Intelligence Homeowners
A healthcare company has settled with California Attorney General Rob Bonta for $40 million over information Bonta said was misleading consumers.

Bonta announced a settlement with HealthNet LLC, Health Net of California Inc., California Health and Wellness Plan and Health Net Community Solutions Inc. in partnership with the San Diego City Attorneys Office.

The settlement resolves allegations that Health Net used inaccurate mental health and medical provider directories. Inaccurate provider directories mislead people who may purchase coverage based on the scope of the network in the directory then discover they are unable to obtain healthcare because providers are no longer contracted with their plan, providers contact information is incorrect, or providers are not taking new patients, according to Bonta.

The settlement, which also resolves these 2021 lawsuit filed by the San Diego City Attorneys Office against Health Net, includes a $12 million monetary payment as well as injunctive terms requiring Health Net to correct inaccuracies and create processes to ensure the accuracy of its directories. These changes require Health Net to invest $28.5 million over six years to implement.

Health Net entities sell individual health plans, and administer employer, Medicare and Medi-Cal health plans for more than 3 million Californians.

As part of the settlement, Health Net has agreed to:

Pay $12 million.

Create automated processes to remove duplicate, unlicensed or deceased provider entries.

Leverage technology, based on data from claims, contracts, utilization, and public databases, to verify the accuracy of providers contact information and of representations in each directory entry indicating whether each provider is currently accepting new patients.

Identify providers who exclusively provide telehealth services.

Display the date that each provider entry was last updated.

Hire a consultant to advise Health Net on making the provider directory easier for consumers to use and providers to update.

Operate a 24-hour phone line for customers who need help finding a provider.

Promptly, clearly communicate to customers regarding these improvements, as well as customers right to coverage should they get out-of-network care in reliance on an inaccurate provider directory entry.

Topics California
All rubble looks the same, was the key message of Annmarie OConnors empathetic speech during a flagship Irish Examiner event on Thursday evening.

Speaking to a sold-out ieStyle Live event at Cork City Hall, Ms OConnor reflected on her diagnosis of early-onset Parkinsons disease when she was in her 40s, or, as she described it, the moment my life fell apart.

The Irish Examiner Weekend Fashion Editor had attendees reaching for the tissues during an emotive but inspiring Women of Impact speech.

Ms OConnor shared one of the main takeaways of her life-changing news: How to cope and connect through difficult times, whether thats a devastating diagnosis or the loss of a dear friend.

Aoife O'Connor and Jean Murphy of Audi Cork arriving for the IE Style Live fashion event at City Hall, Cork, presented by The Irish Examiner in association with Clarins. Picture: Larry Cummins

When something falls apart, whether its your health, relationship or career, all rubble looks the same," she said.

Its our humanity that connects us, and our stories that help us heal

She described how a twitch was the moment that changed everything and said post-diagnosis she felt she had to grieve the loss of the life she thought she would have.

I felt ashamed. The fashion editor-turned-spinster with a willful brain disorder was not on my vision board, she said.

Holly Henderson, Johanna Murphy, and Sean Lynch, Johanna Murphy & Sons Estate Agents, at The Irish Examiner IE Style Live 2025 event at Cork City Hall. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan/OSM

Its not like my old life was Anna Wintours, but it was mine. I created it. And it was falling apart in front of me.

Ms OConnor said her coming out of the medical closet story, which was first published in Weekend magazine, saw her life change again.

Parkinsons might be the plot twist, but I was the author. What I didnt anticipate was the impact my words would have.

MC Deirdre OKane opening the IEStyle live event at Cork City Hall on Thursday evening. Picture: Chani Anderson

She added: I went from accidental advocate to advocate by choice.

Her candid speech received a standing ovation from the hundreds of people in attendance and Ms OConnor, whose memoir Twitch: My Life with Parkinsons was published last month, concluded with a note on rebuilding a life.

When something in your life falls apart, it doesnt owe you an explanation. The moment, however fleeting, has passed. Its your willingness to meet yourself where you are that counts. To pause and catch your breath before starting to rebuild your world from the rubble.

Izzy Showbizzy, 96FM, Eimear Hallahan, Red FM, and Emily ODonoghue, @Fashionablyfortyish, at The Irish Examiner IE Style Live 2025 event at Cork City Hall. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan/OSM

ieStyle Live, in association with Clarins along with partners Lidl, Audi Cork, and Malfy, was hosted by comedian and actor Deirdre OKane, who had the crowd laughing with her trademark cutting humour.

Cork Simon Community was represented by chair Christine Moloney, who spoke about the incredible work happening at the charity and how compassion and kindness change lives.

Fiona Corcoran and Emily Kenyon, UCC Fashion Society, at The Irish Examiner IE Style Live 2025 event at Cork City Hall. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan/OSM

Guests at the event enjoyed a drinks reception followed by a three-course dinner, during which a fashion show curated by stylist Corina Gaffey highlighted some of the latest offerings in Irish stores.

Cork singer Precious Abimbola performed as the models walked the runway.

Irish Examiner Head of Features Vickie Maye, MC Deirdre O'Kane, Clarins Beauty chief make up artist Christine Lucignano, and hair stylist Pamela Morrissey of Sobe Brown at Irish Examiner ieStyle Live 2025 at Cork City Hall. Picture: Alison Miles/OSM

Makeup artist Christine Lucignano for Clarins Beauty and hair stylist Pam Morrissey from Sobe Brown also styled the models, who wore brands including Brown Thomas, M&S, Kildare Village, and Opera Lane, as well as local boutiques including Blue Fig, Vanilla Boutique, Silk Peaches, Oh Molly, and Phoenix V.

Model Mary Dunne at the Irish Examiner ieStyle Live 2025 at Cork City Hall. Picture: Alison Miles/OSM

Guests were also dressed to impress, and beauty editor Sally Foran chose a Dressed with Personality Winner, who received a 1,000 Douglas Court gift card. Giveaways on the night included a 5,000 diamond necklace from DesignWorks.

The Autumn/Winter edition of ieStyle magazine is available with Saturdays Irish Examiner.
The Government has told councils to review speed limits in built-up areas with a view to lowering many to 30km/h within 18 months.

Transport minister Darragh OBrien has directed local authorities to review existing speed limits on roads in built-up and urban areas.

Councils will begin to implement lower speed limits including the introduction of 30km/h speed limits where it is deemed appropriate, such as on roads in cities and towns.

Mr OBrien has told the councils he wants to have the 30km/h speed limits in built-up and urban areas operational by March 31, 2027, as the Government aims to cut road deaths by 50%.

137 road deaths this year

According to garda figures, there have been 137 deaths on Irish roads this year  up four on the same time last year.

Mr OBrien said achieving that 50% reduction would only be possible by lowering speed limits and working to protect vulnerable road users.

Statistics show that pedestrians and cyclists account for 42 of the deaths this year.

Making this vision a reality means we need to work together to increase protection for all, but particularly vulnerable road users, said Mr OBrien.

Having lower speed limits in built-up and urban areas will greatly improve road safety, especially for those who walk, scoot, or cycle.

Local bylaws

A Government statement said that speed limit changes will be implemented by local authorities through the adoption of special speed limit bylaws, rather than by changing default limits.

That means that local authorities will have to hold public consultation processes, and that speed limits on roads in built-up and urban areas can only be changed where a majority of the elected members in a council vote to do so.

Guidance issued to councils states that an urban speed limit zone (USLZ) should be identified, and that the 30km/h limit should apply to roads in the defined urban core, adding that these are roads where there is a significant and regular interaction with vulnerable road users.

It adds that housing estates, residential streets, and roads adjacent to schools in the zones should also come under the guidance.

The Governments road safety strategy sets out to reduce speeds to safe, appropriate levels for the roads being used and the people using them, it says.

We know that the risk of being killed or seriously injured is much greater when a car and a vulnerable road user collide at 50km/h, compared to the same type of collision at 30km/h. This is why protecting vulnerable road users is a key focus in setting speed limits.

There are already 30km/h speed limits on many roads in built-up and urban areas, including in Dublin City, Cork City, Limerick City, Galway City, and Dundalk.

Over the past 10 years, local authorities have also introduced 30km/h limits in many housing estates.
Children as young as five are now being targeted online for sexual exploitation by international gangs as senior gardai urgently implored parents: Talk to your child.

The plea comes as gardai revealed more than 100 child victims of online sexual abuse have been identified in Ireland since the start of 2024.

Those children have been identified amid an ever-evolving landscape of criminal sexual behaviour online where the dangers for children have been heightened and compounded by developments in artificial intelligence.

Detective Chief Superintendent Colm Noonan of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau said: We would really urge parents to have open conversations with their kids about their experiences online. The tide of content is growing and growing.

Gardai said the most disturbing trend is a rise in sadistic online enticement, where violent groups exploit children via mainstream messaging platforms, coercing them into acts of self-harm or abuse while reinforcing psychological control.

Det Supt Michael Mullen of the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau said:

Children and teenagers who have an electronic device with uncontrolled access to the online environment need to be aware of the dangers of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, along with the very serious harm that both will cause.

"And parents need to realise that such behaviour is happening online at an alarming scale.

The senior gardai said young people should never presume that who they are interacting with online is who they say they are.

They added that  given that much of the sophisticated sexual abuse crimes taking place online in 2025 are motivated by financial gain  it is becoming ever-more difficult to track and apprehend the people responsible.

Garda National Protective Services Bureau Det Chief Supt Colm Noonan and Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau Det Supt Michael Mullen briefing the media on Friday about ongoing investigations into online child sexual abuse sat Walter Scott House, Dublin. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins

The briefing heard how 73 Irish child victims had been identified and safeguarded in Ireland across the two bureaus over the 12 months of 2024 and a further 39 to date this year.

A further 24 victims have been identified in jurisdictions outside Ireland.

These are real people, real kids in Irish households that have either been exposed to or involved in child sexual abuse material, Detective Chief Superintendent Noonan said.

He added that such material can be created or manipulated from the subjects, or their family members, own harmless online postings.

He described three specific areas in which generative artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to exploit children:

Creating sexually-explicit material that depicts children, or manipulates existing images of children to the same end;

Creating fake accounts where the person being interacted with appears to be a child but is in fact an AI tool enticing the child to behave in certain ways for the purposes of sexual extortion;

Livestreaming of abuse.

Asked about the age range of exploited children that gardai encounter in their investigations, Det Chief Supt Noonan said as young as five, not unusually, unfortunately adding that abuse often continues across their teens and into adulthood.
Gardai have appealed for witnesses following a serious assault in the Johnstown Park area of Finglas, Dublin 11, on Friday, October 10, at approximately 3.45pm.

A man in his 70s received medical treatment for serious but non-life-threatening injuries after the incident.
A homeless man in his 50s was charged on Friday with murdering an 89-year-old Tipperary woman in her home.

Nenagh District Court heard that Hasan Ali Gori, who was living in a tent at wetlands in Limerick City, told the garda who charged him with the killing of Josephine Josie Ray: I know nothing, sir.

Mr Gori, wearing spectacles, a blue shirt, red jacket and grey tracksuit pants, stood silently in the busy court flanked by a number of prison officers and gardai.

He was charged before Judge Fiona Brennan with the murder of Ms Ray, at her home, at St Josephs Park, Nenagh, on Sunday August 4, 2024. Detective Garda Padraig OLeary, Nenagh Garda Station, gave evidence of arrest charge and caution.

He told the court he arrested Mr Gori at 10.04am this Friday morning for the purpose of charging him with Ms Rays murder.

Garda Sergeant Regina McCarthy told the court the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that Mr Gori face a trial on indictment before the Central Criminal Court.

Bail

Sergeant McCarthy made an application before the court to have Mr Gori remanded in custody to appear before the court again via videolink on October 23.

The sergeant said bail on a murder charge was not applicable in the district court. If Mr Gori is to seek bail on the charge he will have to apply for it before the High Court in Dublin.

Mr Goris solicitor, Colin Morrisey, successfully applied for free legal aid on behalf of the accused. Mr Gori is being held on remand at Portlaoise Prison. A request for a medical report was in train, it was heard.

Judge Brennan remanded Mr Gori to appear before Nenagh District Court again on October 23 for service of the States Book of Evidence.

Members of the victims family were present in court for Mr Goris appearance. They included a number of Ms Rays children.

The mother of five was found dead in her bed at her home. Gardai did not release details of the post mortem examination on Ms Rays remains for operational reasons.
Communications between phones belonging to parties in the Kieran Quilligan murder trial were outlined to the jury on Friday in respect of the day he disappeared.

Rhona Campbell of the Garda Siochana Analysis Service testified today on day eight of the trial of Niall Long and Luke Taylor who both deny the charge of murder.

27-year-old Luke Taylor, formerly of Cherry Lawn, Blackrock, Cork, and 33-year-old Niall Long, formerly of St. Michaels Close, Mahon, Cork, are on trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork facing the same charge of murder.

The murder count which each man denies, states that on a date unknown between September 1, 2023, and January 29, 2024, at an unknown location within the state in the District Court area of Cork City he did murder Kieran Quilligan, aged 47, contrary to Common Law.

Defence senior counsel, Ray Boland, for Niall Long said the phone described as Kieran Quilligans was also used by his partner, so that a call made on that phone could have been made by her as well as by Mr Quilligan. Ms Campbell agreed with that proposition.

She said there were four calls from Kieran Quilligans phone to Niall Long between 10.04am and 11.18am on September 1, 2023.

At 12.52pm that day, there was a call from Luke Taylor to Niall Long and another at 1.44pm.

Then Niall Long rang Luke Taylor six times between 2.07pm and 6.25pm and another three calls at 8.44pm, 8.55pm and 9.05pm.

Niall Longs Google email address was used to pinpoint where the phone was at various times during September 1, 2023. Ms Campbell testified that on this basis, he was at St. Michaels Close in Mahon at 8.48pm.

At 9.06pm and again at 9.08pm he was at the junction of Ford Street/Dean Street/St. Fin Barres Place. At 9.42pm and again at 9.44pm he was at Courtstown in East Cork.

By 10.12pm he was back at the South Ring Road in Cork City and specifically Jacobs Island until 10.15pm. He was at St. Michaels Drive in Mahon at 10.20pm and at St. Michaels Close in Mahon at 11.02pm.

The trial continues before Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford and the 10 men and two women of the jury.
Prisoners who failed or missed drug tests were allowed to keep special jail privileges including increased visits, better accommodation, and a higher chance of getting temporary release.

An audit of the Irish Prison Services (IPS) incentivised regime system found that in half of 201 cases involving failed or missed drug tests, the prisoner was not downgraded properly as required under policy.

In Wheatfield Prison in Dublin alone, 43 positive drug tests resulted in no action taken.

At some jails, discretion had been used where a prisoner had made a once-off slippage, while in other cases, inmates were moved from an enhanced to a standard regime instead of the lower basic level.

The internal audit also found that in the four jails examined  Cork, Wheatfield, Castlerea in Roscommon, and the Dublin Dochas female prison 

there was no formal operational drug-testing programme.

It said the system for monitoring drug use was random, often dependent on suspicion, and undermined by ongoing staff shortages.

The audit explained: Operational drug testing requires the presence of two staff members, a requirement often unmet due to existing staffing constraints at prison facilities.

The audit also found that some prisoners were being upgraded to an incentivised regime without meeting requirements.

There were 134 cases where prisoners were given enhanced benefits without having served 56 days at the standard level.

The November 2024 report said: There was no explanation provided on the documents, nor was any authorisation recorded on the [prison system].

The audit discovered flaws in the appeals system as well, saying around 40% of cases concerning incentivised regimes were not decided within the required five days.

In two prisons, Castlerea and Cork, none of the reviews were completed in time.

The audit also highlighted significant issues around work training and structured activities for prisoners, which regularly had to be cancelled due to a lack of staff.

At Cork Prison, specialised workshops in maintenance, fabrics, and printing were shuttered because there were not enough employees to run them.

Such courses are considered key parts of rehabilitation for inmates and help reduce the chances of recidivism when a person is released from custody.

Other findings from the report included that the policy on incentivised regimes was out of date and had not been updated since 2012.

It said there were inconsistent privileges in different prisons with variations on rules around clothing and gym access.

Major data and oversight gaps were identified as well, with the recording of attendance at work and training primarily paper-based.

Asked about the audit, a spokesman for the IPS said it is committed to managing sentences in a way that encouraged prisoners to live law abiding and purposeful lives.

He said: The policy for the operation of incentivised regimes provides for a differentiation of privileges between prisoners who demonstrate positive behaviour in prison while engaging with services and those who do not.

The objective is to provide tangible incentives to participate in structured activities and to reinforce incentives for positive behaviour, leading to a safer and more secure environment for prisoners, staff and visitors alike.

The spokesman said the policy was reviewed and updated earlier this year and that in June 2024, it had re-energised a full programme of random and intelligence-led operational drug testing for prisoners.
Catherine Connolly has said that she did not know she would be meeting a pro-Assad militia leader when she visited Syria in 2018.

Ms Connolly was pictured in the same group as Saed Abd Al-Aal, who led a pro-Assad armed group in Yarmouk.

In the Morning Ireland presidential debate on RTE Radio 1  the last radio debate of the election  Ms Connolly said that she was not aware of who he was and his presence was not an endorsement of the Assad regime.

The Irish Times reported on Friday that one of the men Ms Connolly met in Syria was a leader of a group charged with killing Palestinians in a refugee camp.

Asked if she was aware of this, Ms Connolly said: No, I wasnt.

Ms Connolly said: I went to Syria on a fact-finding mission. The first port of call was the Palestinian refugee camp outside Damascus.

We were to go to Beirut, but we joined the group later, and the group had gone to a Palestinian refugee camp outside of Beirut.

We went from Beirut to Damascus on a trip, a fact-finding trip  we met different groups.

She added: You have no control when you go to a country like that as to who will come into Your presence or not.

Thats no endorsement of the regime. Im on record for condemning the regime, I did not meet with (then-president Bashar) Assad.

"Our Taoiseach met with Assad," she added, referring to a 2009 meeting Micheal Martin had with the former dictator when he was foreign affairs minister.

Her opponent, Heather Humphreys, meanwhile, was asked why she did not back calls for a public inquiry into the death of her constituent Shane O'Farrell.

She said that she had spoken to Shane's mother, Lucia.

"I made representations on her behalf," she said.

I did speak to her on the phone last year, if I remember correctly, but at the end of the day, I did my best, and Im sorry if she felt I didnt do enough.

On her votes against the inquiry in 2018 and 2022, she said she voted with the Government at the time.

Im sorry if it wasnt enough. Anybody that came through my constituency office, I did my best for them. There are many times where I have helped people.

Speaking about the far-right slogan 'Ireland is Full', Ms Connolly said she found it "disturbing".

"I find the terminology 'Ireland is full' disturbing and unacceptable. That doesn't mean I won't be able to listen to people who feel disconnected.

"There's a conflating of words, that we are being overrun in our country.

"18,500 of our nurses and midwives are from India. There's a conflating of language here, and a mixing up of people seeking asylum status and people coming into the country looking for work."

Ms Humphreys said "hard conversations" are needed with those who have campaigned against migrants.

On a United Ireland, Ms Humphreys said that she would use the role to "build bridges".

I live on the border, and I know we have come a long way. Brexit stopped us in our tracks and it was very difficult. She says she will use the Aras as a safe place for unionists and nationalists to come to voice their concerns and talk to each other.

We must bring people together, and I will use the Aras to do that.

Asked if they would welcome US president Donald Trump on a State visit, both candidates said that they would, but Ms Connolly was critical of his role in the Gaza genocide.

"It's interesting, we're at a point in our history where we're reliant on President Trump for a peace initiative when he was absolutely behind the genocide, and absolutely funded and resourced Israel," she said.

"Obviously, as a president, I will welcome [world leaders]."
Fine Gael leader Simon Harris has rejected the idea that his party's presidential candidate Heather Humphreys cannot win next week's election.

According to the most recent polling, Ms Humphreys trails independent Catherine Connolly by 18 points, but the Tanaiste said there were still a huge number of people undecided and that he would be asking them for to "lend" their vote to Ms Humphreys.

We saw in the last opinion poll, there's lots of people who are looking at the presidential ballot, and they're saying, I thought there would be more choice," Mr Harris said on Friday.

"Now we're getting to a stage where this day week, people will have a binary choice to make between two female candidates, two good people, but two good people with a very different view of our country.

"I think a lot of people are thinking this through very carefully. And I think they might be saying, Well, who is most closely aligned with my views?

And that's very much why we're in the space of asking middle Ireland to lend us their vote.

Ms Humphreys, speaking later on RTE's Six One, said that she would speak up as president, but that she did not regret going into government.

She denied that her campaign was lacking energy.

"My campaign is actually full of energy. I spent 10 years at the cabinet table, and I had given it everything. So it was time to let new ideas and fresh blood to come in. The role of president is a different role... I would give it 100% now, if I am fortunate enough to be elected."

Earlier in the day, Ms Connolly had said that she did not know she would be meeting a pro-Assad militia leader when she visited Syria in 2018.

Ms Connolly was pictured in the same group as Saed Abd Al-Aal, who led a pro-Assad armed group in Yarmouk.

Catherine Connolly with busker Molly Meghan Tressor in Wexford Town. Picture: Eamonn Farrell

In the Morning Ireland presidential debate on RTE Radio 1  the last radio debate of the election  Ms Connolly said that she was not aware of who he was and his presence was not an endorsement of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

The Irish Times reported on Friday that one of the men Ms Connolly met in Syria was a leader of a group charged with killing Palestinians in a refugee camp.

Asked if she was aware of this, Ms Connolly said: No, I wasnt.

Thats no endorsement of the regime. Im on record for condemning the regime, I did not meet with [then-president Bashar] Assad.

"Our Taoiseach met with Assad," she added, referring to a 2009 meeting Micheal Martin had with the former dictator when he was foreign affairs minister.

Speaking at Farmleigh on Friday, Mr Martin hit back at the comparison.

I think the context of Catherine Connollys visit was much different in terms of the people that she met, particularly those who persecuted Palestinians in the refugee camp. Clearly no advanced research went into that.

Mr Harris said that Ms Connolly had misrepresented and mischaracterised the Taoiseachs visit.
Hungarys nationalist prime minister Viktor Orban has celebrated his countrys status as the host of upcoming talks between US President Donald Trump and Russias Vladimir Putin, a meeting where the two leaders are expected to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine.

Mr Trump announced his second meeting this year with Mr Putin on Thursday, a day before he was sitting down with Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

A date for the meeting has not been set, but Mr Trump said it would take place in Hungarys capital, Budapest, and suggested it could happen in about two weeks.

Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held, primarily because Hungary is almost the only pro-peace country

Speaking to state radio on Friday, Mr Orban, a close ally of Mr Trump and considered Mr Putins closest partner in the European Union, suggested that his long-standing opposition to the West supplying Ukraine with military and financial aid for its defence against Russias invasion had played a role in making Budapest the site of the talks.

Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held, primarily because Hungary is almost the only pro-peace country, Mr Orban said.

For three years, we have been the only country that has consistently, openly, loudly and actively advocated for peace.

Mr Orban, who has often taken an adversarial stance toward Ukraine and Mr Zelensky, has consistently portrayed his position as pro-peace, while casting as warmongers his European partners who favour assisting Kyiv in its defence.

A trip to Budapest for Russian President Vladimir Putin would require him flying through the airspace of several Nato member countries (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

Yet Mr Orbans critics view Hungarys position as favouring the aggressor in the war and splintering European unity in the face of Russian threats.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Hungary, a Nato member, has refused to supply Ukraine with weapons or allow their transfer across its borders.

Mr Orban has threatened to veto certain EU sanctions against Moscow and held up the blocs adoption of major funding packages to Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Hungary has actively resisted weaning off of Russian fossil fuels that help fund Moscows war, and, in contrast to almost all of the EUs other 26 countries, has even increased its supplies since the 2022 invasion.

The meeting in Budapest comes after Mr Trump failed to secure an agreement to end the war in Ukraine during an August meeting with Mr Putin in Alaska.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is considered Vladimir Putins closest partner in the European Union (Armando Franca/AP)

Falling short of his campaign pledge to quickly stop the bloodshed, Mr Trump rolled out the red carpet for the man who started it.

A trip to Budapest for Mr Putin would require him flying through the airspace of several Nato member countries, a potential complicating factor in organising the meeting.

Yet, while Mr Putins assets have been frozen by the EU, he is not subject to a travel ban in Europe. Russian planes are banned from entering the bloc, but member countries are permitted to allow certain flights in.

Hungary is also a signatory to the International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, Netherlands, which in 2023 issued an arrest warrant for Mr Putin for war crimes.

As a signatory, Mr Orbans government would be required to arrest Mr Putin if he set foot on Hungarian soil.

But Mr Orban said in April that his country would begin the process of withdrawing from the court after he gave red-carpet treatment in Budapest to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also faced an ICC warrant on suspicion of crimes against humanity, which he denies.

We assure (Mr Putin) that he will be able to enter Hungary, have a successful negotiation and then return home. There is no need for any consultation with anyone. We are a sovereign country

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto said that Hungarys government would welcome Mr Putin, and that it did not require approval from any institutions or allies to host the Russian president.

We assure him that he will be able to enter Hungary, have a successful negotiation and then return home, Mr Szijjarto said.

There is no need for any consultation with anyone. We are a sovereign country.

Budapest hosting the Trump-Putin meeting also holds symbolic significance: It was in the Hungarian capital in 1994 that the US, the UK and Russia granted Ukraine assurances of sovereignty and territorial integrity in exchange for Kyiv giving up its nuclear weapons.

Yet for many Ukrainians, the Budapest Memorandum has become a symbol of promises that carried no weight after Moscow shredded the agreement first with the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and then with the full-scale invasion in 2022.

On Friday, Mr Orban said he had spoken to Mr Trump on Thursday evening and would speak directly with Mr Putin on Friday morning.
US President Donald Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for talks at the White House on Friday, with the US leader signalling he is not ready to agree to sell Kyiv a long-range missile system that the Ukrainians say they desperately need.

Mr Zelensky gets his one-on-one with Mr Trump a day after the US president and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a lengthy phone call to discuss the conflict.

In recent days, Mr Trump had shown an openness to selling Ukraine long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, even as Mr Putin warned that such a move would further strain the US-Russian relationship.

We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too. We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean, we can't deplete our country

But following Thursdays call with Mr Putin, Mr Trump appeared to downplay the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles (1,600km).

We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too, Mr Trump said.

We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean, we cant deplete our country.

Mr Zelensky had been seeking the weapons that would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory and target key military sites, energy facilities and critical infrastructure.

Volodymyr Zelensky, pictured, was meeting Donald Trump a day after the US president and Vladimir Putin held a lengthy phone call to discuss the conflict (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)

He has argued that such strikes would help compel Mr Putin to take Mr Trumps calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.

But Mr Putin warned Mr Trump during the call that supplying Kyiv with the Tomahawks wont change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries, according to Yuri Ushakov, Mr Putins foreign policy adviser.

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said that talk of providing Tomahawks had already served a purpose by pushing Mr Putin into talks.

The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace, Mr Sybiha said on X on Thursday.

Ukrainian officials have also indicated that Mr Zelensky plans to appeal to Mr Trumps economic interests by aiming to discuss the possibility of energy deals with the US.

Mr Zelensky is looking to offer to store American liquefied natural gas in Ukraines gas storage facilities, which would allow for American presence in the European energy market.

During my meeting with Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy Chris Wright, we discussed in detail energy capacities and potential projects for partnership in the energy sector.



I spoke about Russias strikes on Ukraines energy system and the need to restore the affected pic.twitter.com/4Jj2uyLMtp  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) October 17, 2025

He previewed the strategy on Thursday in meetings with energy secretary Chris Wright and the heads of American energy companies, leading him to post on X that it is important to restore Ukraines energy infrastructure after Russian attacks and expand the presence of American businesses in Ukraine.

It will be the fourth face-to-face meeting for Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky since the Republican returned to office in January, and their second in less than a month.

Mr Trump announced following Thursdays call with Mr Putin that he would soon meet with the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss ways to end the war.

The two also agreed that their senior aides, including secretary of state Marco Rubio, would meet next week at an unspecified location.

Fresh from brokering a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, Mr Trump has said finding an endgame to the war in Ukraine is now his top foreign policy priority and has expressed new confidence about the prospects of getting it done.
Prince Andrew is to stop using his remaining titles and honours, including the Duke of York, in the wake of the Epstein scandal, he has announced.

The latest development in the long-running controversy comes just days before the publication of a memoir by Andrews late alleged victim, Virginia Giuffre, to whom he paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, Andrew said that in discussion with the King and his immediate and wider family, they decided the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family.

Andrew will remain a prince, which he has been entitled to since birth.

Andrew added: I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me. The Kings brother will retain the dukedom, which can only be removed by an Act of Parliament but not use it.

He will also give up his knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) and his Garter role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
Donald Trump is hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks at the White House, with the US leader signalling he is not ready to agree to sell Kyiv a long-range missile system that the Ukrainians say they desperately need.

Mr Zelenskyy arrived with top aides to discuss the latest developments with Mr Trump over lunch, a day after the US president and Russian leader Vladimir Putin held a lengthy phone call to discuss the conflict.

At the start of the talks, Mr Zelenskyy congratulated Mr Trump over last weeks ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza and said the US president has momentum to stop the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

President Trump now has a big chance to finish this war, Mr Zelenskyy said.

US President Donald Trump held talks with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House (Alex Brandon/AP)

Mr Zelenskyy also suggested he had come with a proposition in which Ukraine could provide the United States with its advanced drones, while Washington would sell Kyiv the long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Mr Trump said he believed Ukraine was manufacturing very good drones but expressed reluctance about tapping into the US Tomahawk supply.

I have an obligation also to make sure that were completely stocked up as a country, because you never know whats going to happen in war and peace, Mr Trump said.

In recent days, Mr Trump had shown an openness to selling Ukraine long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, even as Mr Putin warned that such a move would further strain the US-Russian relationship.

But following Thursdays call with Mr Putin, Mr Trump appeared to downplay the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles (1,600km).

We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too, Mr Trump said.

We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean, we cant deplete our country.

The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace

Mr Zelenskyy had been seeking the weapons, which would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory and target key military sites, energy facilities and critical infrastructure.

He has argued that the potential for such strikes would help compel Mr Putin to take Mr Trumps calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.

But Mr Putin warned Mr Trump during the call that supplying Kyiv with the Tomahawks wont change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries, according to Yuri Ushakov, Mr Putins foreign policy adviser.

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said that talk of providing Tomahawks had already served a purpose by pushing Mr Putin into talks.

The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace, Mr Sybiha said on X on Thursday.

Ukrainian officials have also indicated that Mr Zelenskyy plans to appeal to Mr Trumps economic interests by aiming to discuss the possibility of energy deals with the US.

Mr Zelensky, left, said Mr Trump now had momentum to stop the Russia-Ukraine conflict (Alex Brandon/AP)

Mr Zelenskyy is expected to offer to store American liquefied natural gas in Ukraines gas storage facilities, which would allow for an American presence in the European energy market.

He previewed the strategy on Thursday in meetings with energy secretary Chris Wright and the heads of American energy companies, leading him to post on X that it was important to restore Ukraines energy infrastructure after Russian attacks and expand the presence of American businesses in Ukraine.

It was the fourth face-to-face meeting for Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskyy since the Republican returned to office in January, and their second in less than a month.

Mr Trump announced following Thursdays call with Mr Putin that he would soon meet with the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss ways to end the war.

The two also agreed that their senior aides, including secretary of state Marco Rubio, would meet next week at an unspecified location.

Fresh off brokering a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, Mr Trump has said finding an endgame to the war in Ukraine is now his top foreign policy priority and has expressed new confidence about the prospects of getting it done.
Written by Guest Contributor

( Globalvoices.org )  Ask a Palestinian if they are stateless, and the answer is never straightforward. The international system loves its labels. Stateless. Refugee. Displaced. Resident. Citizen. Each one neatly defined in treaties, UN Reports, and bureaucratic manuals.

These labels are the currency of policy papers, conferences, and donor reports. These categories are not neutral; they are instruments of control, part of the apparatus that perpetuates Palestinian forced displacement and denial of rights, rather than capturing the political, historical, and lived reality of our existence as a nation. They are, in fact, part of the machinery that produces our statelessness.

Textbooks will tell you statelessness is a technical condition, measurable by the absence of nationality under the operation of a states law. For Palestinians, however, statelessness is not an accidental gap in the law. It is the direct outcome of a settler-colonial project first enabled under the British Mandate, brutally actualised in the Palestinian Nakba of 1948, intensified by the occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem in 1967, and persisting today through territorial and political fragmentation, illegal settlement expansion, and the systematic denial of return.

Palestinian statelessness is, therefore, neither technical nor incidental. It is structural, deliberate, and maintained through manipulation of passports, residency statuses, and administrative classifications.

States of statelessness

For us Palestinians, the labels blur, overlap, and fracture into absurdities that say less about us and more about the colonial world that produced them. We live across every category, often several at once; stateless but documented, citizens without equality, residents without permanence, refugees in perpetuity. These labels are supposed to give meaning to our legal position, but in reality, they strip meaning from our history.

I have been asked before, by researchers, acquaintances, well-meaning colleagues, Do you identify as stateless? And every time, I pause. Not because I am unsure of the answer, but because the question itself feels too shallow for the truth. The reality of being Palestinian cannot be captured by a simple yes or no.

What does stateless mean when you are Palestinian? Does it refer to the Gazan living under siege and ongoing genocide, carrying a travel document that opens no borders? Or the Palestinian refugee in Lebanon, banned from dozens of professions and from owning property? Or the Palestinian in the West Bank carrying a Palestinian Authority passport, a document that says State of Palestine but cannot guarantee you entry to or exit from your own homeland without the permission of your coloniser?

Or perhaps it means the Jerusalemite Palestinian holding the surreal status of permanent resident in their own city  a legal fiction that treats them as foreign nationals in their own birthplace, revocable if you live abroad too long, work in another country, or even marry outside the city? Or could it be the Palestinian in Jordan carrying a temporary passport  a document that lets you cross borders but grants no political rights in the place that issued it  a limbo masquerading as nationality?

And then there are the Palestinians who hold Israeli citizenship. Citizens, yes, but of the state that forcibly displaced their ancestors and continues to discriminate against them. Their citizenship is not a guarantee of equality, but a constant reminder that they live under, and are answerable to, a system that ranks them as less.

Lastly, the Palestinians in exile, holding foreign passports. They live in the paradox of being fully documented but forcibly displaced. They might be stateless only in the political sense, and their papers may open any borders, except those that could return them home.

The limits of legal frameworks

Each of these realities wears a different legal name, yet they all point to the same deliberate system that fragments us as a nation, restricts our movement, and intentionally targets our national movement. In the language of international law, statelessness is a defect, a legal gap to be fixed with the right paperwork. In the language of Palestinian history, statelessness is a political tool, an enforced condition that serves colonial, military, and geopolitical agendas.

International law, as applied, may recognise the fact of our statelessness but seldom the cause. Our statelessness, our refugeehood, our revocable residencies, our temporary passports, our second-class citizenships, all of it, is not an accident of history or law. They are the deliberate products of settler colonialism, designed to further an imperialist political agenda at the expense of the people and the land they illegally occupy.

So, when someone asks me if I am stateless, my answer will always be I am Palestinian. That is the only political identity that matters to me. It is not a romantic declaration or a symbolic gesture; it is the only accurate descriptor of our political and historical reality. The world may insist on measuring me by what papers I hold, but those papers have never determined who I am. For that, it is crucial to always remind the world that every document we carry, every status we hold, is provisional, conditional, and often revocable. Only the assertion of our identity as Palestinians withstands these manipulations.

I understand the need to use it strategically. The international system responds to categories. Statelessness is recognised, documented, counted. It can be invoked in legal claims and UN resolutions. However, using it comes at a cost. It forces us to translate our struggle into the grammar of victimhood, trading the political for the administrative.

The Palestinian experience exposes the limits of international legal frameworks. Legal instruments classify us, track us, document us, yet fail to dismantle the systems that produced our statelessness. Article 1 of the 1954 Statelessness Convention may formally recognise some of us as stateless, but it does not address the political theft underpinning our marginalisation.

Temporary passports, permanent residencies, or UNRWA registration are treated as solutions, but they are not. They are forms of containment and mechanisms created by institutions to manage a population whose destruction they continue to facilitate. A nation whose very existence challenges the settler-colonial order.

If we are to use this language, it must be on our own terms. Statelessness, for us, is not just a lack of nationality. It is the legal face of a political crime. It is the checkpoint that stands between a mother and her childs school. It is the siege that turns the Mediterranean into a wall. It is the bureaucrats stamp that decides whether you can attend your fathers funeral. It is, above all, the refusal to let us live as a nation in our homeland, which was forcibly stolen from us.



Photo by Ahmed Abu Hameeda on Unsplash

I am Palestinian

So, what does statelessness mean to me? It means carrying my identity in memory, in family stories, in the stubborn and relentless refusal to forget. It means knowing that the papers in my pocket are not my freedom. It means belonging to a geography that has been mapped into fragments but still exists, and will always be whole in our collective national consciousness.

I end with a poem I wrote in January 2024, after Israeli officials called us children of darkness at the start of the ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. I called my poem Child of Darkness, a reminder that no label, no legal definition, no international category will ever matter more than the truth we carry: We are Palestinian. This is the only absolute, and everything else is temporary.

Im a child of darkness

a human animal

an uncivilised

Im a child of darkness

a third-generation refugee

a stateless

My skin is brown

My passport a haunting testament

to my journey through the shadows

of statelessness

of otherness

of exile

My birthright legacy: forced displacement and dispossession

My roots: intertwined with colonialism, racism and iniquity

My struggle: for survival, for dignity, began long before I was

I am a child of darkness

Yet colonial stereotypes will never, not ever define me

or my people

We may be voiceless to those who try to drown us out

We may be invisible to those who paint us into a corner

We may be powerless to those who only see strength in oppression

But we will never bow to their kings

We will never be bound by their chains

We are speakers of our truth

Yousef, my son, 7 years old, curly hair, light-skinned, and handsome.

        

This is my mum; I recognise her by her hair.

    

My children died before they could eat.

    

The soul of my soul.

  

My three children, please search. Maybe I can find one of them alive.

        

Visit me in my dreams. I swear to God, I miss you

    

I was planning to throw her a birthday party

    

We are 2.3 million in Gaza

We are 14 million in the world

We each are a story, stories, galaxies, the universe

The horrors weve endured surpass lifetimes, stretch imaginations

But we still are

I am no poet

nor am I a writer

I am a human burdened with anger and grief, seeking refuge in the fragile art of translating these emotions into words

The echoes of injustice have become my pen, and the cries of the stateless have become my ink

My story

Our story

The Palestinian story

Is not one of defeat

It is a story of triumph against all odds.

Let me tell you Hind Rajabs story.

The innocent bloom cut before her time

Refaat Alareer wrote, If I must die,

you must live

And for that we rise from the ashes of oppression

Our story will be written in the annals of justice.

I am not, we are not, Palestinians are not

defined by the wounds inflicted upon us

but by

the courage with which we rise above them.

As the echoes of my words fade into the silence,

remember this

When the world dares to refer to us as

Uncivilised

human animals

children of darkness

remember this

Within this child of darkness, the olive tree still takes root in the heart,

Within this child of darkness, the keys to stolen homes are held close in the palm

Within this child of darkness, memory carries us over stone and sky.
Last week, Bangladeshs International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants for crimes against humanity against 24 former or serving army officers, a retired head of police and two politicians, including the former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, for their alleged role in enforced disappearances between 2016 and 2024.

In response to the warrants, the Bangladesh military have said that they organised the detentions of 15 serving army officers in a building within an army cantonment in the capital city of Dhaka, which the Home Ministry has designated as a sub-jail. However, two of these army officers were detained in relation to another indictment, submitted to the ICT on the same day, involving killing during the July-August 2024 protests.

The warrants were issued on 8 October 2025, after the Chief Prosecutor of the ICT submitted two indictments alleging that enforced disappearances were widespread and systematic during the long period of the Awami League rule (2009-2024).

Concerns regarding military custody

This move was hailed by UNs Human Rights Chief Volker Turk, who said that the initiation of proceedings against those accused of carrying out enforced disappearances and torture was an important step towards accountability and a significant moment for victims and their families. This marks the first time that formal charges have been brought for enforced disappearances in the country, Turk highlighted.



I urge full respect for the most scrupulous standards of due process and fair trial, as guaranteed in international law. The protection of victims and witnesses in these sensitive and significant cases must be ensured, the High Commissioner for Human Rights said.

In its 8 October order, the Tribunal judges require the accused to surrender themselves to the Tribunal by or on October 22. The Tribunal will then have to decide whether the men should be detained in a normal prison or in the sub-jail within the army cantonment or bailed.



The anti-corruption organisation Transparency International Bangladesh has raised concern over the governments decision to keep the arrested officers in military custody in the cantonment area. If other accused persons can be held in civilian custody under regular procedures, what is the justification for establishing specialised sub-jails for accused military officers?, the NGOs executive director, Iftekaruzzaman said.



However, the Ex-Forces Association, a platform of former military and paramilitary personnel, urged the government to try accused army officers under military law in coordination with the ICT. At a press briefing at Dhaka Reporters Unity, the Ex-Forces association expressed concern over what it described as malicious attempts by vested quarters at home and abroad to create confusion between the armed forces and the people and to undermine national unity.

Rapid Action Battalion cells

One of the new indictments involves 13 army officers at senior positions with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite law enforcement agency, comprising police and military officers, which ran a detention cell called Task Force for Intelligence (TFI) inside the RAB-1 battalion compound, in Uttara, a neighbourhood of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, which secretly imprisoned dissidents, political opponents and others believed to be threats to the Awami rule.

One of the detained at TFI include the lawyer Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, who was secretly held there for nearly 8 years between 2016 and 2024. He was released the day the prime minister Hasina fled to India, after widespread popular protests calling for her resignation.

The Chief Prosecutor, Tajul Islam, told the ICT in his application for arrest warrants that the TFI cells were operated and controlled by RABs intelligence wing and became one of the main detention centres for enforced disappearances. He added that apart from the TFI, custodial facilities of the 14 other RAB battalions across the country, which were meant to hold suspects within the lawful period of custody, were used as major detention sites for enforced disappearances.



The 13 army officers targeted by the arrest warrants either ran RAB, or were in charge of its operations or of its intelligence units.

In 2021, under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, the US government imposed sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion, and six of its most senior officers, over its role in extra judicial killings during its war on drugs. The Act allows the US government to sanction those responsible for serious human rights violations or corruption.

The House of Mirrors

The other indictment involved ten army officers at senior positions within the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), the countrys military intelligence agency, which reports directly to the prime minister. The ten officers either held the position of Director General of DGFI, or were head of the Counter Terrorism and Investigation Bureau, a unit within DGFI that had responsibility for the maintenance of a detention cell called Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) situated within the army cantonment.



Although the facility was officially called the JIC, Islam said that once it became known that people were being secretly detained and tortured there, it came to be known as Aynaghar (House of Mirrors). However, during the period when detainees were held there, the secret detention centre was often referred to as the Art Gallery, he said.



One of those secretly detained at Aynaghar was the retired Brigadier Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, who was released on the same day as Quasem after being imprisoned illegally for 8 years. Both Mir Ahmed and Brigadier Azmi were sons of men convicted at the ICT for crimes committed during the countrys 1971 war in their role of leaders of the Islamist party, the Jamaat-e-Islami. These trials, that had taken place when the Awami League was in power, were criticised for serious due process lapses. Ahmeds father was executed whilst he was being secretly detained.

This photo taken on 12 February 2025 shows a former detainee and victim (bottom) miming and recounting his ordeal to the chief adviser to the interim government, Muhammad Yunus (top right), during the latters visit to the House of Mirrors (Aynaghar), a facility allegedly run by the armys intelligence services in Dhaka. Photo:  Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Office of Interim Government / AFP

Hasina and her military adviser accused

The former prime minister Hasina and her (retired) military adviser, Major General Tariq Ahmed Siddiqui are the number one and number two accused in both enforced disappearance indictments.

The former Home Minister, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and the former Inspector General of Police, Benazir Ahmed, who had previously run RAB between 2015 and 2020, are both accused in the case involved RAB.



All four of these accused have either fled Bangladesh or are no longer in the country, while at least nine of the accused senior army officers are understood to be absconding.



The indictments follow two reports published by a Commission on Enforced Disappearances set up by the current interim government. The commission had earlier recorded 1,772 cases of enforced disappearance between 2009 and 2024, with 345 individuals remaining unaccounted for and in its first report published in December 2024 had concluded that Hasina was prime facie responsible for acts of enforced disappearances.



In his application, the Chief Prosecutor also read out to the ICT judges parts of the indictments, alleging that among the various strategies adopted by the Awami League government to obstruct legitimate political activities  using its extreme political ideology and the rhetoric of a perpetual war against global terrorism as a shield  the most heinous of all was the commission of internationally recognized crimes against humanity such as enforced abduction, detention, disappearance, and torture.



He added that this culture of enforced disappearance was created under direct orders from the highest levels of government and that no effective steps were taken to stop these crimes nor to punish those who committed them. He also explained that such incidents of abduction or disappearance usually took place at night. The victims were forcibly taken from their homes, workplaces, or the streets into vehicles (usually microbuses). Their eyes were then blindfolded, and their hands were cuffed. The operation would happen so swiftly that people nearby often couldnt even realize someone had been abducted.

In many cases, the abducted were later tortured for information about their political affiliation. During interrogation in custody, some victims were given electric shocks to their genitals and various parts of the body. Others were made to sit on a rotating electric chair, which was then switched on to spin rapidly in the name of questioning. Many were brutally beaten, Islam wrote in the application. Some of those who were forcibly disappeared were killed. At times, the bodies of these ill-fated individuals were found; at other times, their remains were completely destroyed.

A political vendetta

Mohammad Arafat, the Awami League spokesperson, said that the entire ICT process is a complete sham. The judges, prosecutors, and even defence lawyers are all affiliated with the Islamist organization Jamaat-e-Islami and its offshoot, the Amar Bangladesh party. The act under which this trial is being conducted was never intended to cover such crimes, and the subsequent amendments were left incomplete since none were passed in parliament. Moreover, all amendments made after August 5, 2024, are being applied retroactively, in clear violation of international legal conventions. He went on to add: This is essentially a vendetta orchestrated by the Awami Leagues rival, Jamaat-e-Islami  the very party that took part in the genocide during Bangladeshs liberation war.



It is unclear when the trial will start or how long it will take, but there is political pressure for the process to be completed by the time of the elections in February. The ongoing trial of Hasina is coming to an end, with the Chief Prosecutor on Thursday finishing his closing arguments and asking the Tribunal to impose the death penalty on the former prime minister and home minister, both of whom are not present in the country.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was due to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to discuss a planned US-Russian summit in Budapest.

US President Donald Trump, in his latest abrupt pivot on Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, announced he expected to meet Putin in Budapest within two weeks in a fresh bid to reach a peace deal.

Orban is Trump's and Putin's closest ally in the European Union and a staunch critic of Western support for Kyiv.

"I will be speaking with President Putin this morning, before noon," Orban told state radio on Friday.

The nationalist leader said Budapest is the "essentially only place in Europe today where such a meeting can be held" because what he described as Hungary's "consistent" stance for peace.

The choice of Budapest also sidesteps an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Putin for alleged war crimes.

Hungary has announced its withdrawal from the ICC but is theoretically still a member until June 2026.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Facebook that he had spoken to US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov late Thursday.

Orban, in power since 2010, argued that during his long term in office, the central European nation of 9.5 million has proven to be a "loyal partner", which "always stood" by its friends.

Orban's hosting of a Trump-Putin summit is raising fears in the EU as he regularly breaks the bloc's unity by refusing to send arms to Ukraine, frustrating Kyiv's bid for EU membership and stymying tougher sanctions on Russia.

Last July, Orban infuriated fellow EU leaders by travelling to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing, and meeting Trump, then a presidential candidate, on a self-styled "peace mission", just days after Hungary took up the bloc's rotating presidency.
Taxi driver Alain is so disillusioned with Ivory Coast's politicians that he and other residents of Abidjan's Yopougon district plan to ignore next week's presidential election.

The densely populated district -- a strategic target for political parties -- was once a bastion of ex-president Laurent Gbagbo's but fell to the current ruling party 14 years ago.

Gbagbo has been barred from standing in the October 25 poll due to a criminal conviction, his party is imploding and incumbent Alassane Ouattara looks set to retain the hold on power he has enjoyed since 2011.

Yopougon residents who spoke to AFP said they were disenchanted with politics.

First-time voters, particularly, are more concerned with getting a job, said sociologist Severin Yao Kouame.

Election candidates keep a close eye on the prize that is Yopougon.

Of the west African country's nine million voters, 500,000 live in the sprawling district of Ivory Coast's economic capital.

But Alain -- not his real name as he did not want to be identified -- said resignation and political apathy hung over parts of the bellwether electoral constituency.

"You wouldn't know in Yopougon that there was an election campaign under way because Gbagbo's supporters don't feel concerned by it," the 44-year-old said.

- Losing faith -

For many years, Yopougon was a stronghold for Gbagbo, the president from 2000 to 2011.

When he was ousted after a violent political crisis, Yopougon local council went to the RHDP party led by Ouattara.

Gbagbo's historic rival is on course to win a fourth term as president and some erstwhile Gbagbo supporters in Yopougon have lost faith.

He was prosecuted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity in the 2010-2011 civil war and spent eight years in prison in The Hague before being acquitted in 2021.

Back in Ivory Coast, he founded the opposition PPA-CI party but cut ties with some former close allies, including ex-wife Simone.

Now he is banned from standing, his PPA-CI is riven with divisions and his ex-wife is running for president for a rival party.

Yopougon resident David Djedje, 38, said he had given up on Gbagbo.

The PPA-CI didn't even have a presidential candidate and he wasn't interested in the others.

Sociologist Kouame said first-time voters "find themselves in a blind spot because there is no political offer that speaks to them".

- Lack of jobs -

"I'm not interested in voting. It's always the same people," said geology student Victoire Beda, 19.

Paul Kouassi, a Yopougon resident in his thirties, said he was more concerned about the lack of job prospects than the election.

Yopougon has a large black economy and the local industrial estate "only offers very seasonal and fairly insecure job opportunities", Kouame explained.

Ouattara activists are upbeat about the district, listing the improvements since their man came to power.

"The roads still need to be paved," admitted pro-government campaigner Aliou Bakayoko, 58.

"But we have security, vocational training centres are open and schools have been renovated."

Aristide Tape, the head of a neighbourhood association, did not share Bakayoko's enthusiasm.

Above all, the spirit of Yopougon had disappeared, he said, recalling the lively Princess Road, with its unlicensed informal bars, that was bulldozed when the RHDP came to power.
Hungary's foreign minister said on Friday that his country would ensure that Russian President Vladimir Putin can enter and "hold successful talks" with the US despite an ICC arrest warrant against him.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Putin held a phone call on Friday to discuss the planned US-Russian summit in Budapest.

US President Donald Trump, in his latest abrupt pivot on Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, announced he expected to meet Putin in Budapest within two weeks in a fresh bid to reach a peace deal.

Orban is Trump's and Putin's closest ally in the European Union and a staunch critic of Western support for Kyiv.

"We look forward to welcoming President Vladimir Putin with respect, and we will of course ensure that he can enter Hungary, hold successful talks here, and then return home," Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told a press conference.

Orban said on Facebook he had a call with Putin, adding "preparations are in full swing!"

The Kremlin said the discussion took place at Orban's behest, who "expressed his readiness to organise a possible Russian-American summit in Budapest."

But the logistics of the visit remain unclear, especially as the EU has closed its airspace for Russian-registered planes after Moscow invaded Ukraine three years ago.

The Kremlin said earlier that "many" questions need to be solved before the summit.

Orban said earlier Budapest is the "essentially only place in Europe today where such a meeting can be held" because of what he described as Hungary's "consistent" stance for peace.

The choice of Budapest sidesteps an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Putin for alleged war crimes.

Hungary has announced its withdrawal from the ICC but is theoretically still a member until June 2026.

Earlier this year, Hungary already hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also faces an ICC arrest warrant.

Orban's hosting of a Trump-Putin summit is raising fears in the EU as he regularly breaks the bloc's unity by refusing to send arms to Ukraine, frustrating Kyiv's bid for EU membership and stymying tougher sanctions on Russia.

Last July, Orban infuriated fellow EU leaders by travelling to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing, and meeting Trump, then a presidential candidate, on a self-styled "peace mission", just days after Hungary took up the bloc's rotating presidency.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Donald Trump at the White House on Friday to push the US leader for long-range Tomahawk missiles that can strike deep inside Russia.

Trump shook hands with Zelensky, who was wearing a dark suit and shirt, outside the West Wing and briefly raised a fist but neither leader answered shouted questions.

The meeting comes a day after Trump announced a fresh summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin -- and cast doubt on giving Kyiv the powerful cruise missiles.

Ukraine has been lobbying Washington for Tomahawks for weeks, arguing that they could help put pressure on Russia to end its brutal three-and-a-half year invasion.

But on the eve of Zelensky's visit, Putin warned Trump in a call against delivering the weapons, saying it could escalate the war and jeopardize peace talks.

Trump also questioned whether he would grant Ukraine's wish, saying Washington could not "deplete" its own supplies of Tomahawks.

Trump and Putin agreed to a new summit in the Hungarian capital Budapest, which would be their first since an August meeting in Alaska that failed to produce any kind of peace deal.

- 'Many questions' -

Diplomatic talks on ending Russia's invasion have stalled since the Alaska summit.

Ukraine had hoped Zelensky's trip would add more pressure on Putin, especially by getting Tomahawks, which have a range of over 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles).

But Trump, who once said he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, appears set on pursuing a new diplomatic breakthrough to follow the Gaza ceasefire deal that he brokered last week.

The Kremlin said Friday that "many questions" needed resolving before Putin and Trump could meet, including who would be on each negotiating team.

But it appeared to brush off suggestions Putin would have difficulty flying over European airspace.

Hungary said Friday it would ensure Putin could enter and "hold successful talks" with the US despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes.

"Budapest is the only suitable place in Europe for a USA-Russia peace summit," Hungarian President Viktor Orban said on X on Friday.

- Trump frustration -

Zelensky's visit to Washington, Ukraine's main military backer, will be his third since Trump returned to office.

During this time, Trump's position on the Ukraine war has shifted dramatically back and forth.

At the start of his term, Trump and Putin reached out to each other as the US leader derided Zelensky as a "dictator without elections".

Tensions came to a head in February, when Trump accused his Ukrainian counterpart of "not having the cards" in a bombshell televised meeting at the Oval Office.

Relations between the two have since warmed as Trump has expressed growing frustration with Putin.

But Trump has kept a channel of dialogue open with Putin, saying that they "get along." The US leader has repeatedly changed his position on sanctions and other steps against Russia following calls with the Russian president.

Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a "special military operation" to demilitarize the country and prevent the expansion of NATO.

Kyiv and its European allies say the war is an illegal land grab that has resulted in tens of thousands of civilian and military casualties and widespread destruction.

Russia now occupies around a fifth of Ukrainian territory -- much of it ravaged by fighting. On Friday the Russian defense ministry announced it had captured three villages in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions.

dk/bgs

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US President Donald Trump suggested Friday it would be premature to give Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, saying as he hosted Volodymyr Zelensky that the war with Russia could probably be ended without them.

Zelensky, who came to the White House to push for the long-range US-made weapons, said however that he would be ready to swap "thousands" of Ukrainian drones in exchange for Tomahawks.

The US president's reluctant stance came a day after he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in a call to hold a new summit in the Hungarian capital Budapest.

"Hopefully we'll be able to get the war over with without thinking about Tomahawks," Trump told journalists including an AFP reporter as the two leaders met at the White House.

Supplying Ukraine with the powerful missiles despite Putin's warnings against doing so "could mean big escalation. It could mean a lot of bad things can happen."

Trump added that he believed Putin, whom he met in Alaska in August in a summit that failed to produce a breakthrough, "wants to end the war."

- Drones for Tomahawks? -

Zelensky congratulated Trump on his recent Middle East peace deal in Gaza and said he hoped he would do the same for Ukraine. "I hope that President Trump can manage it," he said.

Ukraine has been lobbying Washington for Tomahawks for weeks, arguing that the missiles could help put pressure on Russia to end its brutal three-and-a-half year invasion.

Zelensky, meeting Trump in Washington for the third time since the US president's return to power, suggested that "the United States has Tomahawks and other missiles, very strong missiles, but they can have our 1,000s of drones."

Kyiv has made extensive use of drones since Russia invaded in February 2022.

On the eve of Zelensky's visit, Putin warned Trump in their call against delivering the weapons, saying it could escalate the war and jeopardize peace talks.

Trump said the United States had to be careful to not "deplete" its own supplies of Tomahawks, which have a range of over 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles).

Diplomatic talks on ending Russia's invasion have stalled since the Alaska summit.

The Kremlin said Friday that "many questions" needed resolving before Putin and Trump could meet, including who would be on each negotiating team.

But it brushed off suggestions Putin would have difficulty flying over European airspace.

Hungary said it would ensure Putin could enter and "hold successful talks" with the US despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes.

- Trump frustrations -

Since the start of his second term, Trump's position on the Ukraine war has shifted dramatically back and forth.

Initially Trump and Putin reached out to each other as the US leader derided Zelensky as a "dictator without elections."

Tensions came to a head in February, when Trump accused his Ukrainian counterpart of "not having the cards" in a rancorous televised meeting at the Oval Office.

Relations between the two have since warmed as Trump has expressed growing frustration with Putin.

But Trump has kept a channel of dialogue open with Putin, saying that they "get along."

The US leader has repeatedly changed his position on sanctions and other steps against Russia following calls with the Russian president.

Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a "special military operation" to demilitarize the country and prevent the expansion of NATO.

Kyiv and its European allies say the war is an illegal land grab that has resulted in tens of thousands of civilian and military casualties and widespread destruction.

Russia now occupies around a fifth of Ukrainian territory -- much of it ravaged by fighting. On Friday the Russian defense ministry announced it had captured three villages in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions.

dk/bgs

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The International Criminal Court Friday rejected Israel's bid to appeal against arrest warrants for its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over the Gaza war.

In a ruling that made headlines around the world, the ICC in November found "reasonable grounds" to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bore "criminal responsibility" for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

The ICC also issued arrest warrants for three top leaders from the Palestinian militant movement Hamas but dropped these after their deaths.

The warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant sparked outrage in Israel and also in the United States, which has since slapped sanctions on top ICC officials.

Netanyahu described it as an "anti-Semitic decision" and the then US president Joe Biden slammed it as "outrageous".

Israel had asked the court in May to dismiss the warrants while it weighed a separate challenge over whether the ICC had jurisdiction in the case.

The court rejected this on July 16, saying there was "no legal basis" for quashing the warrants while the jurisdiction challenge was pending.

A week later, Israel asked for leave to appeal that ruling, but judges ruled on Friday that "the issue, as framed by Israel, is not an appealable issue."

"The Chamber therefore rejects the request," said the ICC in a complex, 13-page ruling.

ICC judges are still weighing a wider Israeli challenge over jurisdiction.

When the court originally issued the arrest warrants in November, it simultaneously rejected an Israeli appeal against its jurisdiction.

However, in April, the ICC's Appeals Chamber ruled the Pre-Trial Chamber was wrong to dismiss the challenge and ordered it to look again in detail at Israel's arguments.

It is not clear when it will hand down a ruling on that issue.
Donald Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday to make a deal with Russia, pouring cold water on Kyiv's hopes for Tomahawk missiles as the US leader renews a push to settle the war.

Trump said as recently as last month that he believed Ukraine could take back all its territory -- but a day after agreeing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for a new summit, the American had changed his tune, though Zelensky did not rule out Trump changing his mind again in the future.

"It's good that President Trump didn't say 'no,' but for today, (he) didn't say 'yes'" to providing Kyiv with Tomahawks, Zelensky told US broadcaster NBC on Friday.

After meeting with Zelensky at the White House, Trump said on social media that their talks were "very interesting, and cordial, but I told him, as I likewise strongly suggested to President Putin, that it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL!"

"They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!" he posted online, while flying to his Florida estate.

Upon landing, he told reporters that Ukraine and Russia should "stop right now at the battle line."

"Go by the battle line wherever it is or else it gets too complicated," he added.

Zelensky meanwhile said after the meeting that Russia was "afraid" of the US-made long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, and that he was "realistic" about receiving the weapons from Washington.

He told reporters that while he and Trump discussed long-range weapons they "decided that we don't speak about it because... the United States doesn't want escalation."

- 'Get the war over' -

Zelensky came to Washington after weeks of calls for Tomahawks, hoping to capitalize on Trump's growing frustration with Putin after a summit in Alaska failed to produce a breakthrough.

But the Ukrainian left empty-handed as Trump eyes a fresh diplomatic breakthrough on the back of last week's Gaza peace deal.

Trump has appeared far more upbeat about the prospects of a deal since his lengthy call Thursday with Putin, in which they agreed to meet soon in Budapest.

"Hopefully we'll be able to get the war over with, without thinking about Tomahawks," Trump told journalists as he hosted Zelensky.

Trump added that he believed Putin "wants to end the war."

Zelensky, who came to push for the long-range US-made weapons, said however that he would be ready to swap "thousands" of Ukrainian drones in exchange for Tomahawks.

Zelensky congratulated Trump on his recent Middle East peace deal in Gaza and said he hoped he would do the same for Ukraine. "I hope that President Trump can manage it," he said.

- 'Many questions' -

Diplomatic talks on ending Russia's invasion have stalled since the Alaska summit.

The Kremlin said Friday that "many questions" needed resolving before Putin and Trump could meet, including who would be on each negotiating team.

But it brushed off suggestions Putin would have difficulty flying over European airspace.

Hungary said it would ensure Putin could enter and "hold successful talks" with the United States despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes.

Since the start of his second term, Trump's position on the Ukraine war has shifted dramatically back and forth.

Initially Trump and Putin reached out to each other as the US leader derided Zelensky as a "dictator without elections."

Tensions came to a head in February, when Trump accused his Ukrainian counterpart of "not having the cards" in a rancorous Oval Office meeting.

Relations between the two have since warmed as Trump has expressed growing frustration with Putin.

But Trump has kept a dialogue channel open with Putin, saying they "get along."

The US leader has repeatedly changed his position on sanctions and other steps against Moscow following calls with the Russian president.

Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a "special military operation" to demilitarize the country and prevent the expansion of NATO.

Russia now occupies around a fifth of Ukrainian territory -- much of it ravaged by fighting.

On Friday the Russian defense ministry announced it had captured three villages in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions.

dk/des/jgc/mlm

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Turkish exporters eye new opportunities at China's upcoming import expo

Xinhua) 13:43, October 17, 2025

ANKARA, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkish companies are preparing to showcase their products and services at the upcoming China International Import Expo (CIIE), with high hopes of expanding their footprint in the world's second-largest economy.

This year's expo, the eighth edition since 2018, is scheduled to run from Nov. 5 to 10 in Shanghai, and is expected to bring together thousands of exhibitors from around the world.

Turkiye's participation will feature strong representation from the food, logistics and manufacturing sectors.

"The CIIE has become a gateway for us to connect with Chinese partners and build sustainable export channels," said Dursun Ay, sales manager at Tayas Confectionery and Food Products.

"China is not only a massive market but also a trendsetter in consumption habits. We see this as an opportunity to introduce high-quality Turkish confectionery and food products to a wide audience," he told Xinhua.

Ay said his company has been preparing for the expo, focusing on packaging design and product adaptation to meet Chinese consumer preferences.

"We are showcasing a special range of fruit-flavored candies and chocolates with less sugar, which is what Chinese consumers increasingly prefer. We also translated all product labels into Chinese to make them more accessible," he noted.

Turkiye's participation in the fair is being coordinated by the Aegean Exporters' Associations, representing over 7,500 companies, which has led several national delegations to China in recent years.

Serap Unal, an official from the association, said the event represents a strategic opportunity to boost bilateral trade ties.

"China is already among Turkiye's top trading partners, but we believe the potential is still far from being fully realized," Unal said to Xinhua.

"The CIIE is a unique platform where Turkish companies can meet importers, distributors and online platforms under one roof. It is not just about showcasing products, it is about building long-term commercial partnerships," she pointed out.

Unal added that this year's Turkish pavilion will host around 20 companies, many of which are small and medium-sized enterprises eager to enter the Chinese market.

"We are focusing on sectors where Turkiye has a strong competitive edge, including food and beverages, natural products, textiles and logistics services," she said.

For logistics companies, the expo could also unlock substantial opportunities. As trade flows between Turkiye and China grow, companies are seeking more efficient and reliable ways to move goods across borders.

"Logistics is the invisible backbone of trade," said Suat Oba from Oba Logistics. "With more Turkish goods entering China and more Chinese goods flowing to Europe through Turkiye, there is a need for faster, more efficient transport routes. The expo gives us a platform to meet Chinese partners and explore joint solutions," he indicated.

Oba explained that Turkiye's strategic location along the modern Silk Road offers advantages to both exporters and importers.

For many Turkish businesses, especially those new to China, the expo offers not only exposure but also valuable insights into consumer behavior, distribution channels, and regulatory frameworks, according to the Aegean Exporters' Associations.

"Doing business in China requires understanding the market deeply," Ay said. "It's not enough to just bring your products. You need to adapt, listen, and build trust. That's why face-to-face meetings at the expo are so crucial," he explained.

Unal echoed the view, noting that Turkish exporters are increasingly aware of the importance of localization. "Many of our members are now working with Chinese e-commerce platforms, learning about digital marketing trends and adjusting their strategies accordingly," she said.

As the Turkish delegation completes its preparations, optimism runs among the exporters. Given that China's consumer market is expected to keep expanding, Turkish companies aim to convert their participation into new partnerships.

"For Turkish exporters, this forum represents a valuable chance to present their best to the world's fastest-growing consumer base," Ay added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)






Friday, October 17, 2025 - Efforts by the Ministry of Health under Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to digitize and enhance efficiency in public hospitals have been dealt a blow after a senior officer at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) was charged with theft of electronic devices meant to support the initiative.

The officer, identified as Dennis Otieno, was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina at the Milimani Law Courts, where he faced charges of stealing by servant in connection with the loss of 56 Lenovo M10 tablets valued at KSh 3,655,680.

According to the charge sheet, Otieno is accused of stealing the devices between October 18th, 2023, and February 27th, 2025, at the hospital in Nairobi.

The tablets, which were procured by the Ministry of Health, were part of a nationwide project aimed at integrating information technology into public healthcare systems to improve service delivery and data management.

Otieno, who has served at KNH for over 22 years and currently holds the position of Vice Chair of the Staff Organization Department, denied the charges and was released on a cash bail of KSh 300,000 pending trial.

The court directed that the matter be mentioned at a later date for pre-trial directions.

KNH Officer Charged with Theft of Tablets Worth KSh 3.6 Million



A senior officer at Kenyatta National Hospital has been charged with stealing 56 Lenovo M10 tablets worth KSh 3.6 million, property of the hospital.



Dennis Otieno, a long-serving staff member and Vice Chair of the pic.twitter.com/8KijSdKecH  Court Helicopter News (@CourtHelicopter) October 16, 2025

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 17, 2025 - Former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu has come under fire from Kenyans following her revelation about her last conversation with the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Speaking on a local media outlet, Ngilu disclosed that she spoke to Raila just days before he collapsed and died from cardiac arrest during a morning walk in India.

Ngilu said she reached out after seeing reports of his illness on social media - but also to request a personal favor.

She asked Raila to intervene in a tax claim involving her and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

Her admission has sparked widespread outrage, with many accusing her of exemplifying how some politicians exploited Railas influence to avoid accountability.

Critics recalled how Railas office was once dubbed a laundromat, where embattled leaders allegedly sought refuge from scrutiny by agencies like KRA and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

In the wake of Railas death, social media users have joked that some politicians are mourning not just his passing, but the loss of the protection he once offered.

See reactions below.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 17, 2025 - Justice Hilary Chemitei was visibly moved after the disabled son of the late veteran politician and billionaire, John Keen, revealed in court that he had not eaten for two days due to neglect by his family.

Appearing before the High Court, the man, who suffers from a physical disability, broke down as he narrated his struggles, saying he had been abandoned and left to languish in poverty despite being a legitimate heir to his late fathers vast estate.

Keens son told the court that although he is married, his wife and child live in the United States of America, and they too have neglected him despite his condition.

I have nothing, My Lord. Im suffering despite my father being a billionaire, he lamented, his voice trembling with emotion.

Justice Chemitei expressed deep disappointment and rebuked the late tycoons children for abandoning their biological brother as they continued fighting for control of their fathers wealth.

Where is your humanity, you people? This is unfortunate, the judge said.

The late John Keen, who passed away in 2016, was a wealthy politician and businessman with vast properties in Nairobi, Kajiado, and other parts of the country.

His estate has been the subject of a prolonged succession battle among his widows and children.

Kenyans on social media have since reacted with outrage, condemning the family for neglecting one of their most vulnerable members while living off their fathers riches.

Judge Moved as Late Billionaire John Keens Disabled Son Says He Hasnt Eaten in Two Days



Justice Hilary Chemitei has rebuked the family of the late billionaire John Keen for neglecting his disabled son, who told the court he had gone days without food. The son lamented that pic.twitter.com/8Ek5GUkTdq  Court Helicopter News (@CourtHelicopter) October 15, 2025

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 17, 2025 - New revelations have surfaced about Captain Saviamaria Ondego, the pilot who commanded Kenya Airways flight KQRAO001, which transported the body of the late Raila Odinga from India to Nairobi.

The flight, which became the most tracked in the world, carried not only Railas remains but also several senior Government officials.

Social media users quickly identified Captain Ondego as the daughter of former Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director Brown Ondego, who currently chairs the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority board.





Brown Ondego is also known to be a close associate of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.

Photos of Mudavadi attending Captain Ondegos wedding recently resurfaced online, sparking debate over privilege and access to elite roles in Kenya.

Many Kenyans expressed frustration, suggesting that high-profile positions are often reserved for individuals from well-connected families.

She is a dynasty, one user commented, while another added, People dont come from nowhere.

The discussion has reignited concerns about nepotism and the barriers faced by ordinary Kenyans in accessing prestigious opportunities, even with qualifications.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 17, 2025 - Former Industrialization Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), David Osiany, has lifted the lid on a daring and emotional act he undertook to ensure ODM leader, Raila Odinga, was not humiliated during the Africa Climate Summit (ACS) held in Nairobi.

In a heartfelt tribute shared on Friday, Osiany revealed that during the inaugural Africa Climate Summit - which brought together over 13 African Heads of State at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) - Raila had not been officially invited, despite having already declared interest in the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairmanship.

At the time, the Government had not yet begun supporting Railas bid, and Osiany, whose company Crestwood Marketing & Communications Ltd had been contracted to handle all communications, advertising and PR for the high-profile event, decided to intervene.

Seeing that my hero was sidelined, I walked straight to the coordinating team and informed them that Prime Minister Raila Odinga had been in talks with the President and they had agreed that he attends the event, Osiany confessed.

Of course, it wasnt true, but I knew none of them was going to verify this information.

He then managed to secure a VVVIP car pass, venue access, and security clearance for Railas bodyguard - though he could not obtain a pass for an extra assistant.

To solve that, he assigned Anne Mabwai, Crestwoods Head of Shared Services and a member of the vetted VVVIP protocol team, to act as Railas personal aide for the day.

Osiany personally called Raila to deliver the news.

Wuora, I have played monkey. I have your cards and you will sit with the Presidents, he told him.

Raila reportedly laughed and responded in Dholuo: Inyalogi? Kare in be in mjanja! - loosely translated to You outsmarted them? So youre clever too?

We moved former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerrys seat to the back and placed Babas seat in front alongside that of former Ethiopian PM, Hailemariam Desalegn, and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Osiany narrated.

Read the full post to know how Raila managed to get a front-row seat.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 17, 2025 - Mama Ida Odinga delivered a moving tribute to her late husband, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, during the State Funeral Service held at Nyayo Stadium.

Reflecting on their 52-year journey together, she described Raila as a steadfast partner whose life was marked by resilience, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to justice.

I met Raila in the early 1970s, and we married in 1973. Ive lived with this man for 52 years.

Many here could be our children; no wonder you call him Baba, she said, drawing applause from mourners.

Ida recounted how their marriage endured political detentions and national upheavals, and how they named their four children after figures who inspired them.

Their firstborn, Fidel Castro Odhiambo Odinga, was named after the Cuban revolutionary.

Rosemary combined the names of both their mothers.

Raila Junior was named after Railas cousin and close friend.

Their youngest, Winnie, was named after Winnie Mandela, inspired by the moment Nelson Mandela walked free from prison.

Theres nothing wrong with naming children after heroes, she noted.

Ida emphasized Railas lifelong call for peace, unity and integrity.

He hated dishonesty and the greed that breeds corruption.

He always urged Kenyans to live in peace, beyond tribal and political lines.

She acknowledged the challenges in their marriage but highlighted the importance of truth, forgiveness and mutual respect.

"Our lives were not a smooth ride. We had our ups and downs, but as we continued living together, we learned how to cope because we have weaknesses and strengths.

We learnt to talk straight truth to one another, speak the truth, forgive and move on.

"Please don't carry grudges from one generation to another, from one group to another, from sisters and brothers.

We must learn to forgive easily.

Raila will be laid to rest on Sunday, October 19th, at his Opoda farm in Bondo, Siaya County in accordance to his wish to be buried within 72 hours.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 17, 2025 - Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga left mourners in stitches during the national memorial service of his late brother, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, after he boldly introduced his two wives in style.

Oburu, who had just delivered a heartfelt and emotional tribute to his late brother, lightened the mood with a hilarious twist, saying he feared domestic repercussions if he failed to recognize his wives publicly.

If I dont introduce them to you, they might feel jealous and refuse to give me food, he joked, sending the packed Nyayo Stadium into waves of laughter.

The veteran politician first invited his first wife, Dr. Ann Ayoo Oburu, a respected paediatrician, to the stage.

This is the lady who took me out of boyhood, he said fondly, drawing warm applause from the crowd.

Then came the moment everyone talked about - his second wife, Judith Oburu, an Accountant working with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).

She is Judith Oburu - shes an Accountant. I thought that at my age, I didnt want Ann to scratch me or massage me, so I brought her a helper, he said.

The crowd erupted in laughter as Oburu proudly held Judiths hand high, turning what was meant to be a solemn farewell for his brother into an unforgettable, light-hearted moment.

Kenyans flooded social media with praise, calling the 81-year-old Senator a real African man unashamed of his polygamous lifestyle.





The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 17, 2025 - Drama unfolded online after Kisumu-based businesswoman, Kelitu Kaseo, the proprietor of Takawiri Island Picnic and Campsite, publicly called out her ex-lover for cropping her out of a photo he posted while mourning the late Raila Odinga.

Kaseos ex-lover, who had shared a heartfelt tribute to the late opposition leader, edited the image to remove his former partner, sparking a furious reaction from her.

The image was taken years ago during Railas visit to the popular lakeside resort, but his ex was noticeably missing from the edited version.

Taking to social media, the businesswoman accused her ex-lover of being petty.

Of course we all have that ex who has only one photo with Baba so he decides to crop you out of it. But si ni life. Aki I didnt want to be petty kwa matanga lakini pthoooo .That gap looks like a vanishing ghost in a Nigerian movie. RIP Baba, she posted.

Her post quickly went viral, sparking laughter and mixed reactions online, as Kenyans balanced moments of grief with light social media banter as the nation continues to mourn Baba.

See the original photo before cropping his ex-lover.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, October 17, 2025 - Kenyan security forces on Thursday thwarted a planned terror attack in Garissa County following a fierce 30-minute gun battle with heavily armed Al-Shabaab militants.

According to police reports, the militants attempted to launch an attack on a security installation in the outskirts of Garissa town just as the country was mourning the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Alert officers from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) swiftly responded to intelligence reports and intercepted the terrorists before they could strike.

A heavy exchange of gunfire ensued, forcing the militants to retreat into nearby thickets.

One suspected terrorist was captured alive and is currently being interrogated by security agencies.

See photos.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Friday, October 17, 2025 - Maurice Ogeta, the longtime bodyguard of the late Raila Odinga, broke down in tears as the former Prime Ministers body lay in state at Parliament Buildings.

President William Ruto, leading senior government officials in paying final respects, stepped forward to console Ogeta in a deeply emotional moment.

The Head of State embraced him, held his hands, and offered comforting words.

Narok Senator Ledama Olekina, standing nearby, gently guided Ogeta aside as grief overwhelmed him. Ogeta had remained by Railas side during his final days in India, where the ODM leader was undergoing treatment.

Following Railas passing on October 15 from cardiac arrest during a morning walk in India, Ogeta and Winnie Odinga received the Kenyan delegation sent to repatriate the body.

Viral footage showed Ogeta in tears as Railas remains were loaded onto the plane to Nairobi.

Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Ogetas sorrow was again visible, with photos capturing him weeping as the casket was offloaded. Raila Odinga, 80, will be laid to rest on Sunday, October 19, at his Opoda farm in Bondo, Siaya County.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.
A male juvenile has been arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian teenager in Donaghmede, Dublin 13, on Wednesday.

Vadym Davydenko died, and two others were taken to the hospital following an incident at the Tusla emergency accommodation in the Grattan Wood area.

The post-mortem examination on the body of the deceased has since been completed, the results of which are not being released for operational reasons.

The male juvenile who was receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is currently detained at a Garda station in Dublin.

The scene remains preserved at this time and is subject to examination.

Anyone with any information related to this incident is asked to contact Coolock Garda Station on 01 666 4200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

Gardai say investigations are ongoing.
FEILE Liam OFlynn returned to Naas and Killl once again for the fourth annual celebration of trad music and the famous uilleann piper, Liam OFlynn himself.

The spirit of traditional Irish music and community was alive and well across the communities of Naas and Kill as the annual Feile Liam OFlynn drew large crowds for a weekend of music, song, and dance, even despite the stormy weather, said committee chairperson, Mary Ryan.

The event, which took place from Thursday October 2 to Sunday, October 5, saw performances from some of Irelands finest traditional Irish musicians, including Brendan Begley, Caoimhin O Raghallaigh, Sharon Shannon, Luka Bloom, and many others. Events spanned Naas and Kill, including instrumental workshops, plenty of sessions, and the popular Try the Pipes experience.

Mary told the Kildare Nationalist that this years festival was absolutely brilliant, with a noticeable increase in both visitors and musicians compared to last year.

There was a great buzz around, even more so than last year, she said. We had more musicians in town, more people at the events.

The festival featured concerts across four days, from Thursday through Sunday, with capacity crowds in attendance.

The concerts on Friday and Saturday night were full, about 200 people each night, Mary said. Even Sundays events had big turnouts. People were just buzzing coming out of the concerts.

One of the standout moments of the weekend was the unveiling of a memorial sculpture in Kill village in honour of the late Liam OFlynn, attended by former President Mary McAleese.

Despite torrential rain and high winds, the crowd stayed put to listen to McAleeses speech.

It was very special, Mary said. People stood out in the rain, including many older people. It was a very special moment for the village, a fitting tribute to Liam OShea and all who knew him.

A pipers gathering at the memorial rounded off the weekend, which organisers now hope to make an annual event.

Now in its fourth year, Feile Liam OFlynn is steadily growing in reputation, attracting visitors from across Ireland and beyond, with Mary recalling people who visited home from London and New York for the event.

Looking ahead, the committees volunteers plan to stick with the successful format for 2026.

It works well for us: an opening concert on the first night, plenty of sessions around the pubs, and a closing concert on Sunday, said Mary.

We want the local restaurants, cafes, and B&Bs to benefit too. Its about bringing something back to the community.

Mary spoke highly of the committee that helped put the festival together:

Everyones very energetic and brings something different to the committee, and theyre all willing to work hard. And its good fun as well, we all have great craic.

With the fifth Feile Liam OFlynn already in sight, it seems that this wonderful celebration of traditional music will only continue to grow slowly but surely, as Mary put it, building further and further each year.
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Aidan Hartes first job within the art world was at Kilkenny animation studio Cartoon Saloon, where he worked alongside founders Tomm Moore and Paul Young.

There, he created and directed his first animated television show Skunk Fu!, which first aired in 2007 and concluded little under a year later.

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Aidan then went on to study classical sculpture at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy.

The type of sculptures I wanted to create were realistic, figurative work, and they dont really teach that in Ireland, says Aidan.

In Florence, they taught us 19th Century techniques. It was very rigorous; there was a lot of life drawing and we studied anatomy, how to sculpt the body from the bones up. We didnt cast or sculpt anything; it was all about the learning.

Aidan describes the teachers in Florence as hardcore.

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Theyre like samurais, says Aidan. A lot of art schools will encourage you to paint what you feel, but these guys are the opposite. Its make it correct or else. It was a great education!



Aidan makes his sculptures from bronze, and uses a method called the lost-wax technique, which has been used in the creation of bronze artworks as far back as the Bronze Age.

The first sculpture Aidan created was the Puca, commissioned by Clare County Council. Inspired by the Irish mythological shapeshifter, the Puca is a 2m tall statue, and depicts a human figure with the head of a horse.

The Pucas form changes from county to county; in Clare, the Puca is believed to take the form of a horse, but Aidan wanted to introduce a human element to its design.

The Pucas design was met with controversy; a parish priest in Clare condemned it as sinister.

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Public art puts you in the public realm, so you have to take the slings and the arrows, says Aidan.

I wasnt too anxious about it; the only worry I had was that it wouldnt get cast, but we eventually sorted it out and moved it ten miles down the road; an Irish solution to an Irish problem!

The Puca is now happily ensconced in the Michael Cusack Centre in Carran, County Clare.

Aidans latest piece is a bronze bust of former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams; the idea for the bust came to Aidan in the run-up to the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

Aidan got to work with Gerry during their initial sessions in Belfast.

I took his measurements, got an impression of his physicality and personality in the room, and I worked that into the finished product from memory, says Aidan.

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A portrait sculpture wouldnt be my main thing. I much prefer classical figures like the Minotaur. Theres always a big worry when sculpting a living person, especially such a well-known one. I spent a long time trying to get it right.

Aidan believes that theres something special about a sculpture where the person has sat for it.

Its not the same as an official photographic portrait, he says. The subject is sitting there for so long that they cant really put on their best face; they sink into their normal repose.

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Politicians should be prepared to talk about what a unified Ireland would look like, Irish deputy premier Simon Harris has said.

The Tanaiste was commenting after his Fine Gael partys candidate for the Irish presidency, Heather Humphreys, suggested unification could involve the retention of a devolved parliament at Stormont.

Ms Humphreys insisted that people in Northern Ireland who have a British identity had nothing to fear from constitutional change, as the Presbyterian from Co Monaghan highlighted her own experience as part of a minority community in the Republic of Ireland.

Her remarks came on the same morning that political leaders from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland gathered in Dublin for a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council.

At a post-meeting press conference, Mr Harris, Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Stormont First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little- Pengelly were asked about Ms Humphreys suggestion.

The Tanaiste said: I think what Heather was doing today was showing a sophisticated understanding of the fact that these conversations, when they need to happen, that they need to consider all of these things.

And Ive heard other politicians talk about these things as well. You know, youve got to be willing to talk about what a new Ireland would look like, and I think thats what Heather was doing.

But we also need to be very honest about what the role of the president is and what the role of the president isnt.

And the president of Ireland wont decide when there is or isnt a referendum  thats a matter for the Secretary of State of the British Government, and the president of Ireland wont decide government policy.

But what the president of Ireland can do, and weve seen people do this very well  weve seen (former president) Mary McAleese do it extraordinarily well  is use their office, use their power, their soft power, to facilitate conversations, to bring people together, to promote reconciliation, to prompt and spark debates, to visit communities, to listen.

And I, of course, believe that Heather is eminently and uniquely qualified to do that in the years ahead.

Mr Martin was not drawn on the issue of retaining a devolved Stormont post-unification. He said his immediate focus was on reconciling people across the island.

Reconciliation involves a lot of hard work and, in my view, we should focus on connecting and reconciling people from different communities, different traditions, north and south, and creating a far more natural, seamless interaction between peoples. And that is easier said than done, he said.

The Taoiseach added: My agenda is really how do we share the island together in a pragmatic and effective way that benefits people, the people who live on the island.

Ms ONeill said she welcomed that the question of Irish unity was at the heart of the presidential debate.

I think thats only a healthy thing, she said. I think more and more people are entering into the conversation.

The Sinn Fein vice president added: My call, I suppose, in terms of the Irish governments role here, is that the planning needs to happen, the preparation needs to happen, and I really want to see that happen at pace. And I think that will be crucially important.

DUP deputy First Minister Ms Little-Pengelly insisted there was no momentum towards constitutional change.

I think there are so many issues that we need to tackle, around health, around education, around growing our economy, she said.

I do believe that we better serve the people of Northern Ireland by focusing on those issues that really impact on them, day in and day out, week in and week out. Thats what I am about.

I dont see any momentum towards the abolition of Northern Ireland. I dont think any of the figures or the statistics play that out.

I think that people are attempting to build that momentum. But Im not going to be distracted by that. Im going to focus on delivering for Northern Ireland and making Northern Ireland the very strongest it can be.

The issue of reunification and accommodating unionists within any new Ireland was debated between Ms Humphreys and rival independent candidate Catherine Connolly on an election debate on RTE Radio One on Friday morning.

You could be talking about devolved government in Northern Ireland as part of an overall Irish solution, Ms Humphreys said when asked how a British identity would be reflected within a united Ireland.

Those are all conversations that we have to have. And theres no point in pre-empting anything before you go in, you talk to people.

The first thing we have to do is build trust. If we dont have trust, we have nothing. So we have to build trust. We have to deepen understanding.

And I can see that very clearly  theres still a lot of misunderstanding out there, so we have to deepen that understanding, build trust and work together, because I believe that we must unite people first, as John Hume (former SDLP leader) said, and that is so, so important.

And I feel Im very well placed to bring that conversation forward and to bring and work on it, to work towards a united Ireland.

Ms Humphreys said that if elected, she would make sure the presidents residence at Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin would be a safe place for unionists to come and outline their concerns.

She said she would also seek to facilitate conversations between unionists and nationalists.

Galway TD Ms Connolly said a reunified Ireland would have to respect and value differences.

I will do that as president in as much as I can, she added.

Ms Connolly said the Irish government was not doing enough to examine the issues around unification as she claimed a report on constitutional change compiled by a parliamentary committee in Dublin had been left sitting on a shelf.

My vision as president will be to reach out to communities on all sides, she said.

Ive visited Northern Ireland repeatedly, I visited different communities.

I will facilitate open forums in relation to listening and building on the work thats ongoing. Its really important, the meticulous, methodical work that is ongoing by civic organisations on the ground.

Whats lacking is a government response. There was a cross-party committee that reported last year. That report is sitting on a shelf.

That committee asked the government to prepare a green paper to outline the issues and outline the direction for a united Ireland.

That hasnt happened unfortunately.
A system of parole had been introduced for republican internees after the signing of the Truce in July 1921.

When John Grehan, interned in the Rath Camp at the Curragh, applied for parole on the death of his father, also named John, he was refused. Unperturbed, Grehan decided to escape.

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On the night of October 18, 1921, Grehan and ten other internees made an unsuccessful attempt to cut through the barbed wire of the Rath Camp. For their efforts, they were sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

The men were transferred to Kilkenny Jail, where Grehan and Tommy McCarrick of Sligo approached the O/C (Officer Commanding) of the republican prisoners, Martin Healy, and suggested they should tunnel out.

The escapees decided to begin their escape from an unused solitary confinement cell below A Wing, which was out of bounds.

The confinement cell provided the perfect place to start digging  about 50 yards to the perimeter wall.

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They used a trowel, pokers, knives and sharpened spoons to dig the tunnel.

Earth from the tunnel was dumped into pillowcases and pulled up to the punishment cell, where it was disposed of in adjoining cells.

In total, eight tonnes of earth were removed.

A friendly prison officer, Tom Power, turned a blind eye to the digging and the disposal of the earth.

The tunnellers worked by candlelight, in three shifts, when Power was on duty. Conditions were far from ideal. The tunnel, three feet high by two feet wide, was not ventilated, and the cramped conditions made it unbearably hot.

The tunnel had to be shored up frequently to prevent collapse.

Meanwhile, outside the prison, the escape plan was being coordinated.

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A letter attached to a stone was thrown over the wall by a prisoner, informing contacts that the breakout would take place at 6:30 p.m. the following evening.

Denis Tracey of Dunnamaggin arranged for six of his men to be in Patrick Street with six ponies and traps to receive the escapees.

The tunnel, on completion, exited along the foundation of the outer prison wall, with the three-foot-wide exit emerging in the middle of St Riochs Street  a public thoroughfare.

When Tom Power noticed several men entering the cell that accessed the tunnel, he became suspicious.

Realising what was happening, he complained that they should have picked another time to escape  and not when he was on duty!

To protect him from suspicion, the prisoners gagged and bound Power to conceal his collusion. In the meantime, dozens of prisoners had entered the tunnel and made their escape.

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Larry Condon was in command of the escape party. He entered the tunnel at 6:40 p.m. and remained at the entrance until all the men were safely away. The escape took one hour and 40 minutes in total.

Denis Traceys volunteers were ready with their ponies and traps to pick up some of the prisoners. Groups of men, in threes and fours, jumped into each trap as the driver headed out along the Waterford Road and towards the countryside as fast as he could.

As prisoners emerged from the tunnel, two local men guided them out towards Ballycallan.

Warder Power was discovered trussed up at around 8 p.m. The military guard rushed to the entrance of the tunnel, but there were so many prisoners passing through that the tunnel was probably damaged by the sheer volume of men. Falling debris soon blocked it.

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Maurice Walsh, the last man to attempt escape, crawled through the tunnel as a portion collapsed in front of him, forcing him back. When he returned to the entrance, armed soldiers and warders met him and took him back to his cell.

In total, 43 prisoners escaped. Despite a huge manhunt, all escapees successfully returned to their units.

The IRA remained on alert in case the peace negotiations failed, but weeks later the Irish plenipotentiaries and Lloyd Georges government signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty in London, thereby ending the War of Independence.

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The tunnel escape from Kilkenny Jail in 1921 is one of the most remarkable episodes of Irish revolutionary history  vividly recounted in James Durneys book Jailbreak: Great Irish Republican Escapes 18651983.



The book provides factual, action-packed accounts of incredible escapes that boosted morale among Irish nationalists and inspired future generations.
COLUMBIA  The Downtown Columbia Community Improvement District is reviewing ideas to enhance safety and security in the downtown area.

During a board meeting on Tuesday, CID officials were joined by a newly formed coalition of downtown property owners alongside Columbia police Chief Jill Schlude and UM System President Mun Choi. The board heard a plan to invest resources in improving public safety throughout the district.

The plan includes:

Allocating 35% of annual CID revenue to safety and security efforts.

Investing $500,000 or more from reserves in cameras and other security measures.

Reviewing and reducing administrative costs to free up additional resources for safety initiatives.

The District is reviewing ideas and examining how they may be implemented, but it has not formally approved any of these items.

The District Executive Director Nickie Davis said she hopes these partnerships will help safety efforts in the downtown area.

"With the renewed interest that we have in security downtown, we can bring MU to the table, the city to the table to hopefully do a three-way partnership with Block by Block to bring even more safety ambassadors downtown and do even more for CPD," Davis said.

According to the meeting notes, Schlude and Assistant Police Chief Mark Fitzgerald said shootings in Columbia are down 50%, though 10% occurred downtown. They also encouraged business owners to complete enforcement authorization forms.

Downtown CID Board member Jim Yankee also introduced a new "Downtown Coalition" to support with safety efforts.

Davis also highlighted that The District partnered with a national organization called Block by Block.

This organization helps hire security ambassadors to patrol and work with the Columbia Police Department at night downtown.

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The District proposes safety patrol unit for downtown Columbia The District proposed a new downtown safety patrol to keep the community safe in light of recent deadly downtown shooting.

"They are the guys you see out on the streets and on the sidewalks cleaning, and there are about five of those guys," Davis said. "This Block by Block company, they do this national aid and they have all different arms."

Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe was not in attendance on Tuesday, but she and Schlude spoke with community leaders on Wednesday during the monthly "Let's Talk Local" discussion.

This meeting highlighted the 2026 fiscal budget as well as downtown safety concerns. Buffaloe said police have increased patrolling on weekends.

At the Tuesday board meeting, Choi attributed some crime in downtown Columbia to homelessness through arrests and trespassing statistics.

Columbia City Council members Valerie Carroll, Vera Elwood and Jacque Sample from the First, Second, and Third wards sent out a response to Choi about the city's efforts to address safety. In the response, they said that after reviewing evidence, they felt the goal should be "addressing crime in a different way than homelessness."

The city of Columbia has also proposed a safety task force in light of a recent fatal shooting on East Broadway in Columbia.

The District mentioned a $350,000 downtown safety patrol unit that would work to keep downtown Columbia safe. This safety patrol would consist of four safety ambassadors, including one team lead.

Davis talked about reducing administrative costs to free up additional resources for safety efforts.

"Within those costs that they are specifically talking about there is a lot of other things, including rent and utilities, are tough for our hotels. We would be happy to look at those areas to see if there is a way we can pull back should we need extra funds funds for different security needs however," Davis said.
South Korean actress Song Ji-hyo returns to the big screen with her latest film, "Home Behind Bars," which premiered nationwide on October 15.

The drama film opened strongly, leading the independent and art film category with a 32.1% advance reservation rate as of 3 PM on October 14 and maintaining a 30.8% share at midnight on its release date. Early audience reactions praise its warm storytelling and realistic portrayal of correctional officers and inmates.

In "Home Behind Bars," Song portrays Tae Jeo, a veteran correctional officer with 15 years of experience at a women's prison. Known for her strict adherence to rules, Tae Jeo's life shifts when she learns that one of her inmates, Mi Young, has lost her mother and is barred from attending the funeral. Defying protocol, Tae Jeo attends the service on the inmate's behalf and encounters Jun Young, Mi Young's daughter, forging an unlikely bond that gently transforms her outlook.

Director Cha Jung Yoon makes her feature debut with this film, having spent seven years from initial screenplay to release. Inspired by a 2008 documentary on women's penitentiaries, Cha researched female correctional officers for years to capture authentic details, even filming in an unused prison in Daegu with real uniforms and uniforms and consulting serving officers for accuracy. The narrative focuses on the emotional journey of its three central characters, Tae Jeo, Mi Young, and Jun Young, highlighting themes of empathy, second chances, and the impact of human connections.

On September 26, at a preview screening in Seoul, Song Ji-hyo described her personal connection to Tae Jeo: "While reading the script, I felt many similarities with my own life," she said, explaining that the character's emotional restraint mirrored her own tendency to prioritize work over personal feelings. She added that portraying Tae Jeo's gradual rediscovery of warmth and vulnerability was "healing," allowing her to reconnect with her former bright and lively self.

Supporting performances enhance the film's emotional depth. Do Yeong Seo, in her role as Jun Young, delivers a nuanced portrayal of a child grappling with abandonment, while Ok Ji Young brings complexity to Mi Young, an inmate torn between guilt and maternal love. Critics and viewers alike commend the film's unhurried pacing, with comments such as "A simple yet calm and warm movie" and "A gentle and warm breeze on ordinary days" reflecting its emotional resonance.

"Home Behind Bars" has drawn attention at film festivals, winning the Cineteca Nacional Mexico Distribution Support Award and screening in the Korean Cinema section of the 26th Jeonju International Film Festival. As Song Ji-hyo marks her first major film role in five years, audiences are responding enthusiastically to her performance, confirming her versatility beyond variety television. The film's message, that "all the choices you make come together to become who you are," offers a poignant reminder of compassion's power to change lives.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Out of an abundance of caution and in response to this mornings shelter
High Court Reporters

A convicted bagman for an organised crime gang has asked the High Court for more free legal aid in order to have a quantity surveyor value his home as he fights a Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) bid to seize the property.

In October 2022, Patrick Lawlor (59) was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, having admitted his role in a money laundering operation for a criminal gang which had an income of almost 12 million during 2019.

Lawlor and another convicted man, the court heard, were being paid monthly by the criminal organisation for handling hundreds of thousands of euro before their arrest following a Garda surveillance operation.

The court heard that just under 900,000 was seized by gardai at the home of Patrick Lawlor.

In July, the High Court granted Lawlor and his wife, Leonie, free legal aid to challenge CAB's case against them, in which the bureau is targeting their Collins Avenue West home in Whitehall, Dublin.

The couple were granted legal aid to contest the valuation put on an extension and works to their house, with 4,000 approved as part of the order to pay for a report from a quantity surveyor.

Free legal aid was granted in circumstances where bank accounts were frozen.

At the High Court this week, Andrew McKeown BL, for the Lawlors, said that nine quantity surveyors had been contacted to no avail.

He said that he wanted to make a further application for an increase in the amount set aside for the report and suggested that up to 10,000 could be made available.

Mr Justice Liam Kennedy adjourned the fresh legal aid application to November.

Ms Lawlor previously told the court that her three children are grown up but she is still living in the family home and pays the mortgage from a legitimate income.

The court heard that the Lawlors bought the house in 2007, while the CAB case focuses on income between 2010 and 2020.

In 2022 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court Patrick Lawlor, of Collins Avenue West, Whitehall, Dublin 9 pleaded guilty to possessing 412,000 on May 26, 2020 which was the proceeds of crime.

Lawlor also pleaded guilty to possession of 477,370 in cash, 6,920 Sterling, 1,940 Romanian Lei (approximately 400), 187 Ukrainian Hryvnia Lei (approximately 5) and $3,295 US Dollars.

At the time of his sentencing, he had no previous convictions.

Judge Melanie Greally said it does not take any leap of imagination to infer that money seized by gardai had originated from serious criminal activity.

She said Lawlor Snr played a central role, which would have been of critical importance to the criminal organisation over a period of several years.

Judge Greally acknowledged that Lawlor Sr had a modest family home, but said he also had a significant amount of cash in a frozen bank account and a luxury vehicle.
High Court Reporters

High Court actions arising from a dispute related to access to a period house and its estate in Co Kildare have been settled.

Save Castletown Committee CLG in May brought a High Court action over gates and connected fencing erected by the owners of a 235-acre parcel of land within the historic demesne of Castletown House in Celbridge, Co Kildare.

Campaigners had claimed the gates and fencing were blocking public vehicular access to the house and grounds via a road known as Gays Avenue.

Celio Properties Ltd, Kilross Properties Ltd, Liffey Bridge Homes Ltd and Springwood Properties Ltd acquired the parcel of land in April 2023.

The rest of the estate  including the lands where the 18th century house is situated  is owned by the Office of Public Works.

Save Castletown Committee, with an address at Woodview, Castletown, Celbridge, had sought an order requiring the developer companies to remove the gates and fencing.

The companies, with registered addresses at Millennium Park, Naas, Co Kildare, and Turnings, Straffan, Co Kildare, then brought separate High Court proceedings against Save Castletown Committee and two of its directors, Fintan Monaghan and Treasa Keegan.

In the developers proceedings, they argue the committee has wrongfully asserted that their lands are subject to a public right of way and a public right of access. This claim was denied.

On Thursday, Ms Justice Emily Egan said she was happy to accept certain declarations made by both parties in the cases, and made an order striking out the proceedings with no order for costs. No further details were outlined in court.

Last month, the judge dismissed Save Castletowns motion to strike out the case brought by the companies against Save Castletown and its directors.

In its motion, Save Castletown argued the developers proceedings represented an abuse of process, and were brought for the purposes of preventing it from pursuing its case over the erection of the gates and fences, an example of a SLAPP case. Save Castletown also argued the case was bound to fail.

Ms Justice Egan held the developers had a rational basis for pursuing their case, and said she reject[ed] the contention that these proceedings were issued as SLAPP proceedings or that they amount to an abuse of process.
CALLS have been made for Portlaoise town bus routes to be extended, after a huge increase in passenger numbers.

The number of passengers soared to more than 36,900 between June and July, up from 24,881 when the new service was launched last February.

Portlaoise Plaza and the Ballyfin and Abbeyleix roads are among the areas where additional stops are needed, according to councillors who were contacted by residents.

The latest passenger figures for the TFI (Transport For Ireland) service were presented at a Portlaoise Municipal District meeting this week.

The bus service began on 24 February with two main routes, PL1 and PL2, with buses running every half-hour. The PL1 service from Colliers Lane to Woodgrove includes the busy train station and Borris road, while the PL2 between Kilminchy and Bellingham takes in the Midland Regional Hospital and the IDA Business and Technology Park.

Figures presented by council director of services Simon Walton show that 24,881 passengers travelled on the routes between 24 February and 23 March. That number increased to 36,907 between 16 June and 13 July, the latest month for which figures are available.

Mr Walton said passenger feedback and numbers were very positive, as he described the Portlaoise operation as one of the best performing town bus services in the country.

He said: I think it would probably outscore significantly a lot of other towns where a bus service has been introduced. It will be interesting to see the figures for August and particularly for September-October. Hopefully the trend is in the same direction.

While the positive report was welcomed, many councillors called for additional stops to serve other busy parts of the town.

Cllr Paddy Buggy asked for another stop in Kilminchy, near the residential area for older people. He said: Its just down the hill from the existing stop and it would make a big difference.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said people were delighted with the bus service but there were requests for additional stops, particularly in areas such as the Ballyfin and Abbeyleix roads, Portlaoise Plaza and the National Enterprise Park in Togher.

Cllr Barry Walsh agreed that a service was needed at Portlaoise Plaza and suggested that buses could do a loop to serve that area. Cllr Tommy Mulligan also called for additional stops in such areas.

Cllr Marie Tuohy commented: What stands out for me is the number of students using the bus, particularly on the Borris road and Stradbally road.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley described the bus service as the success story of 2025 but also called for additional stops, particularly on the Ballyfin road which has a lot of older residents.

While it is hoped that high passenger numbers will strengthen the case for extra stops, Mr Walton pointed out that the bus service is funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA), so it is the NTA rather than the council that will decide whether the service will be expanded. However, he said that he would bring councillors requests to the NTA.

He said: We facilitated it in terms of bus stops and so on but it is funded by the NTA, so they control the purse strings and how the service will or will not be expanded in the future.

Mr Walton said the council intended to make a submission to the NTA over the next couple of months, which would include comments from the municipal district office and elected representatives.

He said: Ultimately, the decision maker regarding expanding the service will be the NTA. The numbers using the service here are very encouraging but I dont know whether that will support our request for a broadening of the service.
A new childcare facility for County Laois is set to open its doors at the start of 2026, thanks to a successful funding application by Laois Partnership Company to transform a section of Bloom HQ in Mountrath.

The local development company has been awarded 329,000 under the Building Blocks Extension Grant, Community Construction strand, to develop the new childcare facility at the business hub on Patrick Street in Mountrath, which is the site of the former Brigidine Convent. This will significantly bolster the childcare services provided by Laois Partnership Company, which already oversees OMoore Place Preschool and Afterschool and Birchgrove Afterschool, both located in Portlaoise.

The funding, from the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, will be used for the capital renovations of a disused section of Bloom HQ, with Laois Partnership Company responsible for the running the facility. It is planned to begin with a toddler room that offers full day care and to develop further services to meet demand. Besides a separate entrance, there will also be a secure play area, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for children aged one year and up.

CEO of Laois Partnership Company, Caroline Lydon explained that this project will allow parents and guardians who use the remote working space provided by Bloom HQ to also avail of childcare, meaning they have peace of mind that their children are being well looked after just a short distance away.

Tenders for the renovation works will be going out in the coming weeks, with the facility expected to open early in the new year.

As part of the process, Laois Partnership Company is looking to recruit an Early Years Manager to help develop the new community childcare service. The Manager will be expected to work collaboratively with colleagues in the existing childcare services in Portlaoise, as well as support the recruitment of staff for the new service.

Closing date for receipt of applications is Tuesday 28th October 2025, so for more information on this position or for more on the childcare services provided by Laois Partnership Company, visit www.laoispartnership.ie.
The Lagniappe Ladies, a nationwide network of philanthropic women who have a shared passion and dedication for advancing Louisiana Tech University, have awarded more than $1 million to 257 projects that enrich the student experience since 2010.

Each spring, faculty, staff, and University-sponsored student organizations are invited to apply for grants of up to $5,000 to support projects, programs, and other initiatives that embody the Tenets of Tech and enhance the University community. This year, the group funded 13 requests totaling more than $51,000.

The Lagniappe Ladies are not only generous but are the embodiment of loyalty, a quality we hold dear at Tech, said Tonia Henderson, Louisiana Techs first lady and Lagniappe Lady member. The projects were selected with care to have meaningful impact throughout campus to transform programs, improve campus safety, and encourage Tech spirit.

From drones and lab equipment to sound systems and water bottle filling stations, the funded projects span a wide range of disciplines and departments. The grants also help champion the Universitys vision to become the exemplar public institution in scholarship, teaching, and experiential learning.

Hands-on instruction in veterinary anatomy is a cornerstone of the veterinary curriculum, said Dr. Adam Handy, resident veterinarian and assistant professor at Louisiana Tech. With many of our animal science students preparing for veterinary school, the generosity of the Lagniappe Ladies enables us to provide a higher-quality learning experience that strengthens the preparation and reputation of our students entering veterinary programs across the nation.

One funded request involved support for counseling services to ensure immediate, coordinated responses from clinicians and campus police when needed.

The Lagniappe Ladies support directly reinforces Louisiana Techs mission to maintain a safe and supportive community, said Dr. Ashley Owen, Louisiana Techs director of counseling services. This investment enhances collaboration between counseling services and campus law enforcement, demonstrates a proactive commitment to student and staff safety, and positions Louisiana Tech as a model for integrating mental health care with emergency preparedness on college campuses.

Grant awards are announced in the fall and celebrated with a reception to recognize the impact of these funded requests. Lagniappe Ladies and grant recipients gathered on Thursday, Oct. 2 at University Hall to celebrate this years awards. During this reception, Lagniappe Ladies had an opportunity to hear firsthand how their gifts support campus-wide initiatives and connect with the people behind the projects.

Having the privilege to fund proposals for much-needed projects across every corner of the Tech campus is among the most thrilling things we can do as members of the Tech Family, said Lagniappe Ladies member Cathi Cox-Boniol. Knowing that we are there to stand in the gap for those who are committed to making a difference through their work at Tech, and then knowing our small part will help amplify such work, is a joyous blessing. I couldn't be prouder to be a member of the Lagniappe Ladies."

Lagniappe Ladies accept members throughout the year. Women 39 and younger can join as Emerging Lagniappe Ladies for $500 annually, and those 40 and older can join at $1,000 annually.

2025 Funded Grant Proposals

3D Printers for Agricultural Science and Forest Products Lab

Aviation Program Drones

Aluminum Hand Truck for Tech Pointe

Portable Immersion Dissection Table

Women in Cybersecurity Start-Up Support

Campus Landscape Trees

Memorial Gym Water Bottle Filling Stations

Research Institute on Blindness Materials Dissemination

Davison Hall Printer

Speech and Hearing Anatomical Models

University Hall Sound System

Centennial Plaza Clock Tower Chime Restoration

Counseling Services Portable Panic Buttons for Clinicians

View Photos from the Event
A Dallas man has been arrested and charged in federal court after allegedly posting a TikTok video offering cash bounties for the murder of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, authorities said.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas, Eduardo Aguilar, 23, a Mexican national residing in Dallas, was charged with transmitting in interstate or foreign commerce a communication containing a threat.

The post, made on October 9, displayed a Spanish text offering "10K for each ICE agent," accompanied by another line reading, "I need 10 dudes in Dallas with determination who aren't afraid to [two skull emojis]." Prosecutors said the emojis were intended to signify "die."

"Threats against our law enforcement officers are completely unacceptable," said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson in a statement. "All threats against our agents and officers will be investigated thoroughly, and anyone who threatens or puts a bounty on agents will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible."

FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock added that the bureau "takes threats of violence to our law enforcement partners seriously" and will investigate "anyone who commits these types of offenses."

Aguilar made his initial court appearance in Dallas this week and was ordered to remain in federal custody pending trial. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison. The Department of Justice emphasized that a criminal complaint is only an allegation and that Aguilar is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The arrest follows a series of recent prosecutions involving threats against federal immigration officers on social media. In late September, federal prosecutors in Georgia charged two men from Tennessee and New York with using social media to threaten an ICE officer and his spouse. One of the defendants allegedly posted a video identifying the officer and urging others to "catch him when he's alone," while another commented about "testing the sights on their new A-R," a reference to a semiautomatic rifle.

Earlier this month, a federal grand jury indicted three women in California and Colorado for allegedly following an ICE officer home, livestreaming the pursuit, and publishing his address online. The Department of Homeland Security warned in response that "anyone who doxxes or threatens ICE agents will face prosecution to the fullest extent of the law."

Originally published on Latin Times
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a Chicago police officer alleging he has lived in the United States unlawfully for a decade after overstaying a tourist visa.

The officer, identified as Radule Bojovic of Montenegro, was taken into custody during a targeted sweep linked to "Operation Midway Blitz," part of the administration's broader immigration crackdown.

In an official statement, ICE said Bojovic was identified as a B-2 visitor who was required to depart by March 31, 2015, but "illegally overstayed his visa by more than 10 years." Upon arrest, he presented an employee identification card confirming his position with the Hanover Park Police Department and told agents he carried a firearm only while on duty.

"Illegal aliens are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms  full stop," said Sam Olson, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago Field Office Director. "This is the second known instance in recent months of a local police department hiring an illegal alien and unlawfully issuing him a firearm while on duty in violation of federal law," Olson added, calling it "alarming."

"Radule Bojovic violated our nation's laws and was living ILLEGALLY in the United States for 10 years  what kind of police department gives criminal illegal aliens badges and guns?," said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin to The Independent. "It's a felony for aliens to even possess a firearm. A law enforcement officer who is actively breaking the law."

"Under President Trump and Secretary Noem ICE is restoring law and order. Criminal illegal aliens have NO PLACE in our communities, especially on our police forces," added McLaughlin.

Chicago has become a focal point for federal operations in recent weeks. According to the Department of Homeland Security, more than 1,000 migrants were arrested across Illinois between September 8 and October 3 under Operation Midway Blitz, as CNN reports.

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis said she had "serious concerns" about compliance with her prior limits on force at protests and expanded her order to require federal agents involved in the Chicago crackdown to wear body cameras when encountering demonstrators.

A federal appeals court also upheld a lower court ruling temporarily blocking the deployment of National Guard troops in Illinois, even as another order barred ICE from using Cook County property for civil immigration operations.

Originally published on Latin Times
Chinese Ambassador accepts returned cultural relic from US: Chinese Embassy

Global Times) 13:49, October 17, 2025

Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng, on behalf the Chinese government, on Thursday formally accepted a tiger-shaped plaque artifact that was returned by a US private institution, the Chinese Embassy in Washington said Friday on its official WeChat account.

At the handover ceremony, Xie expressed appreciation and sincere gratitude to the US institution for voluntarily returning the relic. He noted that the artifact's return allows its historical, artistic, and scientific value to be properly preserved, while also adding positive momentum to China-US cultural exchanges.

China will showcase the story behind the tiger-shaped plaque through exhibitions and public displays so that more people can learn about the friendship between the peoples of the two countries, said Xie.

He encouraged wider public support in promoting the return of lost cultural relics to their countries of origin, contributing to enhancing mutual friendship and advancing the development of China-US relations, according to the embassy.

The tiger-shaped plaque, crafted in the distinctive bronze style of the Ordos region, dates to the Spring and Autumn (770 BC - 476 BC) and Warring States (475 BC - 221 BC) periods. The artifact is a key relic for studying ancient grassland culture and interethnic exchanges in China.

This return marks another successful repatriation handled by the Chinese Embassy in the US, following the return of the Zidanku Silk Manuscript volumes II and III: Wuxing Ling and Gongshou Zhan from the Warring States period by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Asian Art in May this year.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing)
The wildly popular animated musical film KPop Demon Hunters is returning to theaters.

The most-watched original title in Netflix history, KPop Demon Hunters premiered on the streaming platform in June. A sing-along version of the film was then released in theaters in August. Just a couple of months later, KPop Demon Hunters is returning to the big screen for a Halloween sing-along event.

The KPop Demon Hunters sing-along will be available in all major U.S. theatrical chains  AMC, Regal, and Cinemark  as well as other select theaters. Tickets are on sale now for the limited event, which runs from Friday, Oct. 31, through Sunday, Nov. 2. Fans are invited to come dressed as their favorite character from the film.

KPop Demon Hunters follows Huntr/x, a K-pop girl group who lead double lives as demon hunters. Their musical rivals, boy band the Saja boys, are secretly demons.

Arden Cho (Rumi), May Hong (Mira), and Ji-young Yoo (Zoey) lead the voice cast as the members of Huntr/x. Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami provided the singing voices of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, respectively.

Lost alum Yunjin Kim voices the role of Celine, a former demon hunter and K-pop idol who raised Rumi after her moms death. Broadway star Lea Salonga provided Celines singing voice.

READ MORE: Netflixs Top 10 movies list: This new release beat out KPop Demon Hunters for top spot

The theatrical return proves that fans cant get enough of KPop Demon Hunters and its catchy music. Maggie Kang, who cowrote, co-directed, and created the story of the film, thinks theres room for a sequel.

Theres definitely more we can do with these characters in this world, Kang told the BBC earlier this month.And whatever it will be, it will be a story that deserves to be a sequel, and it will be something that we want to see.

As for the films early Oscars buzz  it has a chance at both Best Animated Film and Best Original Song  Kangs co-director Chris Appelhans told the BBC, We tried to do something new and it was really hard, and I think were really proud of how it came out. If people are going to reward that, that would be awesome.

KPop Demon Hunters is available to stream on Netflix.
Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan cited "prosecutorial discretion" in withdrawing the $5,000 theft case against Jason Krasley, who continues to face sexual assault charges in a separate case. Dave Hernandez | For NJ Advance

Prosecutors have withdrawn theft and related charges filed against a former Allentown police officer.

Jason Krasley, 48, of the 6400 block of Meadowview Terrace in Upper Milford Township, was accused of stealing more than $5,000 during a raid in 2019. The charges, including felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanor evidence tampering, were filed by law enforcement in January.

Bethlehem-based attorney James Burke, representing Krasley, reportedly filed a motion seeking to quash, or legally invalidate the testimony of several officers at a June preliminary hearing on the theft charges.

Burke argued in the motion the evidence presented at a June hearing failed to establish probable cause, according to the Morning Call newspaper.

District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan on Friday afternoon announced the withdrawal of all charges in Krasleys theft case. The DA said it was due to prosecutorial discretion and the decision came during a hearing before Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas Judge Thomas M. Caffrey.

This office will not comment further about the withdrawal of charges, the DA said in a statement.

Burke couldnt immediately be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

Krasley continues to face several charges in his rape case, including two counts felony sexual assault, and one count each of felony theft, receiving stolen property and evidence tampering. He also faces other misdemeanor related offenses in the separate cases.

Originally, Krasley faced charges in seven different incidents. All the women involved claimed they were allegedly sexually assaulted by Krasley while he was investigating prostitution cases.

Prosecutors have since dropped two of the seven cases, according to court records. At least one of the cases was removed in June when prosecutors couldnt get the witness, who was currently out of state, to Lehigh County to testify.

Burke previously told lehighvalleylive.com Krasley absolutely denies the allegations.

Krasleys co-defendant, 45-year-old Evan Weaver, of the 8800 block of Clearwater Circle in Weisenberg Township, is charged with two counts felony rape, one count felony involuntary servitude, two counts felony involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with threat forcible compulsion and related offenses.

Allentown-based attorney John Waldron, representing Weaver, previously told lehighvalleylive.com his client has one alleged victim and denies any criminal involvement whatsoever with that individual.

Weaver remains a current sergeant on the Allentown force. He was placed on administrative leave from the department in January.

Krasley left the department in 2021 and went to work for the SafeSport Center, which fired him last year shortly after learning hed been arrested in the now withdrawn theft case.

Krasley is also named in a whistleblower lawsuit filed last year by two Allentown officers who alleged widespread misconduct in the department.

The rape cases against the pair were transferred to prosecutors with the states Attorney Generals Office. The transfer was due to a potential conflict of interest with the Lehigh County District Attorneys Office prosecuting the case.

Krasley and Weaver each are scheduled to stand trial on all their remaining charges. Both co-defendants remain free after posting bail.

Waldron, the attorney representing Weaver, told lehighvalleylive.com Friday afternoon the next steps are for both attorneys to receive discovery from prosecutors to file their pre-trial motions.

The defense has been delayed by the state Attorney Generals reassignment, he said.

We have some solid arguments, Waldron said.

The Allentown Police Department is cooperating with the investigation.
The driver died from multiple blunt force trauma in a two-vehicle collision on Route 100 in Lowhill Township. Pennsylvania State Police are investigating.

A 58-year-old New Jersey man was killed Thursday in a crash along Route 100 in Lehigh County, authorities said.

The Lehigh County Coroners Office identified the deceased as George J. Cowan of Collingswood, Camden County.

Cowan was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 4:30 p.m. He died from multiple instances of blunt force trauma and the death was ruled an accident by Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio.

The two-vehicle collision happened in the 5500 block of Route 100 in Lowhill Township. Cowan was identified by state police as the driver of one of the vehicles.

Its unclear what led up to the accident. Trooper Nathan Branosky, public information officer with Pennsylvania State Polices Troop M, couldnt immediately be reached for more details Friday morning.

Pennsylvania State Police in Fogelsville, along with its Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Specialist (CARS) team, as well as the Lehigh County Coroners Office, continue to investigate.
The 31-year-old will serve 18-36 years in prison for killing Roberto Lozano III during a custody exchange, with evidence showing premeditation including a threatening text sent hours before the attack. (Photo by ClassicStock/Getty Images)

A Stroudsburg man was sentenced just short of the maximum penalty for fatally stabbing his sisters boyfriend, the Monroe County District Attorneys Office said.

Prosecutors argued the 31-year-old Justin Anthony Martinez attacked 41-year-old Roberto Lozano III on a front porch while the victims children watched from a nearby car.

Martinez pleaded guilty to felony criminal homicide in the case on July 22 and was sentenced Wednesday by Monroe County President Judge Arthur L. Zulick to serve 18 to 36 years in state prison.

The sentence was just short of the statutory maximum of 20 to 40 years. Martinez will become eligible for parole at the expiration of his minimum sentence, the DAs Office said.

Monroe County District Attorney Mike Mancuso announced the sentencing Thursday. Jason Allen LaBar, the chief public defender representing Martinez, couldnt immediately be reached for comment Friday morning.

Stroud Regional police responded Oct. 6, 2024 to the 300 block of Main Street in Stroudsburg.

During the attack, Lozano was knocked through a railing by Martinez, Mancuso said. Martinez landed on Lozano, stabbing him repeatedly in the neck and chest, the DA said. The victim died from the stab wounds, Mancuso said.

At the time of the attack, the victim and Martinezs sister were involved in a custody exchange. Mancuso described the couples relationship as volatile and marked by domestic violence.

At sentencing, the defense portrayed Martinez as a person scarred by childhood trauma and harassment from the victim, claiming Lozano was kicking in the door of the family home, Mancuso said.

Stroud Area Regional Police Det. Daniel Knowles testified witness accounts, body-worn camera videos and forensic evidence established the victim posed no threat. The victim was unarmed during the attack, Mancuso said.

Monroe County Assistant District Attorney Chad Martinez demonstrated the incident was not a provoked outburst, but a murder involving malice and elements of premeditation.

Justin Martinez hours before the killing texted his mother, stating, I so (expletive) pissed off wanna kill him [sic].

Prosecutors proved when Justin Martinez heard a dispute outside, he deliberately turned down the television, retrieved a knife, put on his shoes, ignored his uncles entreaties to stay inside and went outside, intending the attack.

Lozano, the DA said, was small in stature and suffered health issues, including a pacemaker.

While acknowledging defendants difficult background and lack of record, the judge emphasized the calculated nature of the crime and its devastating impact, the DA said.

Mancuso praised the work of the police investigation led by Chad Martinez and prosecution of the case, led by Knowles.

Although they (Chad Martinez and Knowles) could never never restore a dead son to grieving parents or a father to his grieving children, their efforts provide some closure and ensure accountability under the law for Roberto Lozanos murder, fully exposing the truth of defendants terrible crime in court, Mancuso said.
The Lehigh Valley unfolds looking north Oct. 23, 2024, from atop the Horizon Trail at Wildlands Conservancy's Black River Sanctuary, with a haze-obscured Blue Mountain in the distance visible from Bake Oven Knob on the left to Lehigh Gap at the right. Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com

The leaves took on hues of yellow, gold and red when Wildlands Conservancy celebrated the opening of its Black River Sanctuary on Oct. 23, 2024.

Fast-forward one year, the leaves are changing once more, and Wildlands is hosting a group hike and other events to highlight the 187-acre preserve open for public use on the Salisbury-Upper Saucon Township border in Lehigh County.

The nonprofits 1st Anniversary Hike at Black River Sanctuary set for Saturday, Oct. 25, is one of several autumn hikes and events designed to get Lehigh Valley residents outside as the leaves and seasons change.

Heres a look at what to expect from upcoming events:

Delaware Canal State Park is hosting a Haunted Waters paddle at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, from its Giving Pond Recreation Area, 1125 River Road, Upper Black Eddy.

Everywhere you go, all water has its history  and its ghosts, park staff wrote. Join a Delaware Canal naturalist at Giving Pond while we paddle and talk about ghost stories and why so many waters in PA seem to be haunted.

Equipment is provided, but spots are limited. Register through eventsreg.dcnr.pa.gov, and visit events.dcnr.pa.gov to learn more.

Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, 400 Belfast Road outside Nazareth, is hosting this hike to observe signs that autumn is upon us at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18.

The tell-tale signs of autumn are all around! organizers wrote. Join us as we learn about wildflowers, colorful leaves, migrating birds and other signs of the advancing season. Be prepared for a moderate hike that may involve muddy slopes and uphill climbs. Please bring binoculars, a camera, water and a snack, and wear sturdy shoes. Registration is required.

Visit events.dcnr.pa.gov to take advantage of limited registration opportunities available at eventsreg.dcnr.pa.gov.

Registration is limited for this special anniversary hike marking one year of Black River Sanctuary, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at 1339 Black River Road outside Allentown.

Enjoy the sights and sounds of autumn while exploring the trails and learning how this property plays a vital role in local conservation, the Emmaus-based conservancy says of the hike being led by Carl Martin, Wildlands director of property stewardship.

Organizers say the hike will be about 2 miles round-trip, with around 320 feet of elevation gain, making for a moderate-to-challenging experience: Please wear sturdy hiking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring water.

Register through wildlandspa.org at engage.wildlandspa.org.

Check out Wildlands calendar of events for more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors this fall, including a free Minsi Lake Canoe Paddle on Sunday, Oct. 19, and series of four Campfire Conversations set for 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays, Nov. 4 and 18 and Dec. 2 and 9, at Black River Sanctuary.

Beltzville State Park is hosting a Fall Foliage Hike of its Christman Trail and Wild Creek Falls at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21.

Fall Foliage is at its peak, and well take a closer look at how trees and animals prepare for the upcoming winter, organizers wrote of the hike led by the park naturalist. We will hike the western portion of the trail, and loop back around via the beautiful shoreline spur trail.

This hike is about 3 miles, and participants are asked to wear sturdy walking or hiking shoes and to bring bug spray. Rain will cancel the hike.

Visit events.dcnr.pa.gov to learn more, and those interested may email beltzvillesp@pa.gov by Monday, Oct. 20 to inquire about registering.

This is a different way to take in the scenic fall foliage of Nockamixon State Park in Bucks County.

The park is hosting a Fall Pontoon Boat Tour at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, from its Marina Visitor Center, 1 Harrisburg School Road outside Quakertown.

Relax on the water during this 2-hour guided boat ride amongst the scenic fall foliage, organizers wrote. Well discuss park history, flora, and fauna as we wend our way through 1,450-acre Lake Nockamixon.

Registration is required through eventsreg.dcnr.pa.gov, and spots are limited. Visit events.dcnr.pa.gov to learn more.

The Easton-based Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor is hosting numerous upcoming events timed to coincide with autumn, beginning with Canal-o-ween from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 25-26, at its National Canal Museum, 2750 Hugh Moore Park Road, Easton.

Wear your favorite costume and enjoy 50% off museum admission, plus a full day of family-friendly fun! organizers wrote at delawareandlehigh.org.

Additional corridor events coming up include 4 Miles for Health at 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 26, at Jordan Creek Greenway outside Allentown, the HMP History Hike: Industry & Iron at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, at Hugh Moore Park and St. Lukes D&L RaceFest on Sunday, Nov. 9, along the D&L Trail starting in Allentown or Bethlehem and ending in Easton.

Visit delawareandlehigh.org for full details.

Urban areas like Downtown Easton are also great spots to enjoy autumn, and one way to take in the sites and local history is through the Eerie Easton Walking Tours hosted by the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society and its Sigal Museum, 342 Northampton St.

Eerie Easton Walking Tours are based on historical evidence and are based on primary documents, photographs, interviews, and other secondary sources from the NCHGS Archives, organizers say. This is not a ghost tour or Halloween-themed program. Eerie Easton relates confirmed facts and is explicitly clear that any speculation is just that  speculation  and is provided in its historical context.

The tours are held on weekend evenings through October, and each tour last about two hours. Tickets are $20 per person, and registration is required through eventbrite.com. It is not recommended for children under 12 years old.

Visit sigalmuseum.org for more information.

Walk, jog, or bike along the Historic Bethlehem Heritage Trail! Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites writes at historicbethlehem.org. Experience Bethlehem with a self-guided tour on your own time and at your own pace with the use of your own mobile device.

Visit the nonprofits website for trail descriptions, distances, times and maps on the Heritage Trail Tour featuring 80 stops and 275 years of history.
After haunting audiences in Dublin and Cork, the multi-award-winning play The Zombie Monologues rises again for one night only in Laois as part of the LASTA Festival 2025.

The Zombie show team promise a darkly comic, heart-filled horror that has humour, humanity, and unexpected warmth at the Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise on Friday night, October 17.

The show's writer and director is Rachel Thornton. She sets the scene for Leinster Express / Laois Live readers.

"The year is 2020. Or maybe its 2021; nobody can tell anymore. As the world falls into another lockdown, Colm, a takeaway driver and budding filmmaker, stumbles upon a house of zombies on the fringes of Castlebar. The undead roommates find themselves at the whims of his perpetual positivity as Colm becomes determined to show them, and the world, the bright side of death. What unfolds is a darkly comic tale of why we keep rising from our graves over and over again. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

From Co Kildare, Rachel is the founder of Trip Hazard Theatre.

"Trip Hazard Theatres The Zombie Monologues is a whimsical ensemble horror-comedy, and a feast for the brains and the soul," she says.

Rachel adds that the show was first performed at The Irish Society Drama Festival 2024, winning six awards, including "Best Original Writing" and "Best Overall Production". The production features original music by Joshua McNutt.

The LASTA Festival is a nationwide arts festival curated by young people for young people, presented by the NASCA Network of Arts Centres. The 2025 edition brings together bold new voices in theatre, music, film, and visual art, highlighting the next generation of Irish creative talent under this years theme, Home.

The curtain goes up on The Zombie Monologues Friday, at 8pm. Tickets are vailable now via www.dunamaise.ie

For more information, please visit www.thezombiemonologues.com

Rachel Thornton started writing at a very young age and won several national writing and film awards in her youth. As a teenager, she was a member of the Kildare Youth Theatre and her love of writing for theatre was encouraged and facilitated at Fighting Words in Dublin.

Rachels work has been showcased on the main and Peacock stages of The Abbey Theatre, The Gate Theatre, The Moat Theatre and The Everyman, Cork. Her writing has been featured in The Irish Times, on RTE2, and she has presented as a roving reporter for 'Colm & Lucy In The Morning' on Classic Hits FM.

In 2019, Rachel became the first person to receive a UCD Ad Astra Scholarship for Performing Arts as a playwright/director. Upon graduating with a BA in Drama & Film Studies, Rachel was awarded a scholarship under which she studied MA Theatre Practice with UCD and the Gaiety School of Acting.

She was an active member of DramSoc in UCD, writing and directing her own work and acting in several other productions. In three consecutive years 2022-2024 she won the Best Original Script at the Irish Student Drama Awards with The Last Wolf In Ireland, Magical Girls and Zombie Monologues and these productions won multiple other awards including Best Overall Production in 2024.

The Last Wolf In Ireland had a very successful run in the Smock Alley Theatre in March 2025, received widespread positive reviews and earned 4.5 stars from The Reviews Hub.
A healthcare worker handed over 2,000 for an assault on a girl in Laois last year.

Sarah Guilfoyle (23) of 34 Roselawn, Harpurs Lane, Portlaoise, was accused of assault causing harm at Fairgreen, Portlaoise on August 30, 2024.

Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said his client had 2,000 in court along with a letter of apology to the injured party and a letter for the judge. He told the sitting of Portlaoise District Court that the woman had an unblemished record heretofore and was working as a healthcare worker.

He said a woman had posted something offensive and his client felt very aggrieved and the injured party appears to have intervened. He said his client was deeply remorseful about the matter. He described the 2,000 donation as a tangible expression of that remorse.

Mr Fitzgerald said his client had underlying health issues and had been deemed as being of low risk of reoffending. He asked the judge not to allow the matter to negatively impact on his clients future.

He said the woman was willing to gather more compensation and she had wished to engage in restorative justice but the injured party declined.

Judge Susan Fay said the victim was a child. Mr Fitzgerald said I think she was 17 at the time and his client was oblivious to that fact when the offending occurred.

Judge Fay read the victim impact statement and although it wasnt read in court she noted the injured party had said that at a time when she should have been focused on school she was instead dealing with the trauma following the assault.

I want to reflect on this, said Judge Fay, who adjourned the matter for a week for that purpose.
Laois Heritage Society has announced an exciting upcoming event, celebrating the fashion and etiquette of Laois' Regency era.

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth, Laois Heritage Society will host Dr Melissa Shiels, who will present a costumed talk on the clothing and daily activities of elite women in the Regency period.

Taking place in Portlaoise, the talk will highlight the hair and beauty regime of a Regency lady, the underpinnings she wore for visiting and practicing her accomplishments, and for the most opulent of occasions - going to the ball!

Pictured: Dr Melissa Shiels will demonstrate the fashion and etiquette of Ireland's regency period

The talk will finish with a fascinating demonstration of tea etiquette from the period.

Dr Shiels has a doctorate in history from UCC. She specialises in re-creating the clothing of the past and provides costumed talks to people of all ages and at all levels of academic engagement.

She covers a vast array of historical eras from Early Christian Ireland to the Victorian period and has over 20 years experience in providing costumed talks in schools, libraries, public and private museums, public festivals, literary festival, documentaries, and television shows.

Pictured: Dr Melissa Shiels

"This event will delight anyone with an interest in the history of fashion, period drama, literature of Jane Austen and the Big Houses of Laois in the Regency era, such as Abbeyleix House, Emo Court, Heywood House, Ballyfin House, Stradbally Hall and

Castle Durrow," organisers said.

"This event is free to society members and 5 to non-members- all are welcome!" they finished.

Join Dr Shiels and Laois Heritage Society on Thursday, October 23 at 7pm in the Midland Park Hotel.
In our spring issue of the Leinster Express / Laois Live's Laois Life magazine, we spoke to head chef Glen Hunter on his chefing journey. The autumn issue of Laois Life has hit the shelves, and can be bought in your local newagent. Read our profile with chef Glen Hunter below.

Treacys Bar & Restaurant in The Heath is one of Irelands oldest bars and restaurants in Ireland, serving Laois locals since the early 1780s.

Head Chef Glen Hunter has worked here since 2014, and has had a passion for chefing from an early age.

Pictured: Head Chef Glen Hunter at work in Treacy's

My father was a chef, he has retired since. That's how I got into it, Glen explained.

I did my Leaving Cert in 1993, and the day after I finished, he had me in the kitchen, he laughed.

The chef went on to study a PLC in hotel hospitality, followed by his qualification in culinary arts from DIT.

Originally from Athy, the chef lived in Portarlington for over 25 years, and now lives between Emo and Mountmellick.

Before I came to work in Treacys, I was self employed and ran a restaurant with my father for three years, Glen said.

We had worked together in Silken Thomas in Kildare town, before we ran Flanagans Mill in Sallins together. It was a first time for me, my father had been self-employed before. Its nice being your own boss, but it was tough too, he said.

When you're employed in this business, you're doing everything yourself. You cant afford to pay people to do all of the jobs, you're doing it all off your own back. Counting up tills and checking dockers, sorting deliveries and orders from suppliers.

I did it for three years and I took a year off, I thought I was going to walk away from it all together. I could no longer sustain it. I went to Treacys and Ive been there since, he said.

Pictured: Treacy's Bar & Restaurant, The Heath

Chefing is known for its high pressure and often chaotic environment, and Glen maintains that keeping calm is the key.

Programmes like The Bear and personalities like Gordon Ramsay give off a very over the top perception, he said.

If you stay calm and keep a calm nerve, keep the kitchen in a calm mood it moves more smoothly.

In Treacys, we are known for our traditional Irish food, Glen said.

We arent a Michelin star restaurant, but we keep our reputation for high quality food consistent. There needs to be a certain amount of passion in what you do.

The chef explained that he spent time baking with his mother as a child.

Pictured: Head chef Glen Hunter

I baked with my mother and cooked with my dad on his days off. Dad would've done long hours, it's very antisocial hours in cheffing. You're working when other people are off, you're working nights and by the time you're finished work you're exhausted, he explained.

Even now I wouldn't go home and cook, unless it's a pizza out of the freezer, he laughed.

After a long shift in the kitchen, the chef has some favourite quick and easy meals he makes when he goes home.

I love lasagne, we all love it in my house. A steak dinner, or anything simple like a pasta dish. Something creamy, or even a stir fry with noodles would be my go to, he said.

In 2024, Treacys won the coveted Best Gastro Pub award at the Irish Restaurant Awards, along with the Employee Excellence Award for staff member Colm Dunne.

Glen and the restaurant have been nominated for countless awards over the years.

Each copy of Laois Life features an exciting 'Meet the Chef' feature. This is only a taster of what we have on offer in our Laois Life magazines, so sit back and relax and delve into 100 pages of fresh, quality content!

We would like to thank all our contributors for their help and co-operation and all our advertisers for their continued support.
Catherine Connolly said she had no control over who she met while on a 2018 visit to Syria in which she encountered pro-Assad figures.

In a broadcast presidential debate with Ms Connolly on Friday, Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys also said she did her best for a constituent despite voting against an inquiry into the circumstances of her sons death.

The two candidates were questioned on a series of controversies during a Morning Ireland debate on RTE Radio One, a week out from the vote on October 24.

The latest opinion poll put Ms Connolly on 38% and Ms Humphreys trailing on 20%, with a large amount of undecideds still to play for.

Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin remains on the ballot paper and his votes will be counted as usual, despite the former GAA manager declaring he was no longer contesting the race.

The Irish Times reported on Friday that one of the men Ms Connolly met in Syria was a leader of a group charged with killing Palestinians in a refugee camp.

Asked if she was aware of this, Ms Connolly said: No, I wasnt.

I went to Syria on a fact-finding mission. The first port of call was the Palestinian refugee camp outside Damascus.

We were to go to Beirut, but we joined the group later, and the group had gone to a Palestinian refugee camp outside of Beirut.

We went from Beirut to Damascus on a trip, a fact-finding trip  we met different groups.

She added: You have no control when you go to a country like that as to who will come into Your presence or not.

Thats no endorsement of the regime. Im on record for condemning the regime, I did not meet with (then-president Bashar) Assad.

Ms Connolly said she went to deepen her understanding of the experiences of the Palestinian refugees and discovered that the camp was utterly destroyed.

She insisted that she had met Palestinians who spoke to us as openly as they could within a dictatorship.

During the same radio programme, Ms Humphreys reiterated that she did her best for her constituent Lucia OFarrell.

Ms OFarrell has been been critical of the former ministers level of support for her campaign for justice for her late son Shane, who was hit by a car driven by a man who should have been in jail.

Ms Humphreys said she made representations to justice ministers at the time and added: I made representations on her behalf. Im sorry that she says I didnt do enough. Im sorry if thats the case. I really am, but I did my best.

Pressed on why she did not support a vote for a public inquiry, Ms Humphreys said she voted with the Government.

There was reason behind that. I dont know exactly the detail of it.

Her party leader Simon Harris said Ms Humphreys campaign is growing day by day as he rejected a suggestion she was doomed.

Speaking to reporters at the North South Ministerial Council in Dublin, the Tanaiste added: I think a lot of people are thinking this through very carefully, and I think they might be saying: Well, if I dont agree with every single one of their views, who is most closely aligned with my views?

And thats very much why were in the space of asking middle Ireland to lend us their vote.

He also recalled the 2011 election when Sean Gallagher was ultimately unsuccessful after leading in the opinion polls.

Mr Gallagher received damages and an apology from RTE over an issue late in that campaign where a false tweet was raised during a live TV debate.

Asked if he was waiting for a Gallagher-level surprise to come, Mr Harris did not answer directly and instead said every presidential election is different, adding: Almost 50% of the electorate are not yet sure in terms of either candidate.

Fianna Fail leader and Taoiseach Micheal Martin maintained its all to play for with one week to go ahead of polling day, as he reiterated his support for the Fine Gael candidate.

Asked about Ms Humphrey trailing in opinion polls, he said: Polls dont determine elections  the real poll is on next week.

Mr Martin faced internal disquiet about the process to select Mr Gavin as the Fianna Fail candidate, which resurfaced after he dropped out of the race when it emerged he owed a former tenant thousands of euro.

Asked about former party leader Bertie Ahern saying he had been let down by Fianna Fail leadership for not supporting his ambitions, Mr Martin said: I received no call from Bertie at any stage in advance of that, but these are matters that I can elaborate in greater detail in terms of the review that the Fianna file party will undertake.

Pressed on the fact that Mr Ahern had contacted the partys national executive several times, Mr Martin said the matter would be examined under the review.
Irelands interstate case against the UK Government on legacy matters should be dropped immediately, Northern Irelands deputy First Minister has said.

Emma Little-Pengelly made the assertion after Taoiseach Micheal Martin said dropping the case is on the agenda of negotiations between the two governments in dealing with legacy issues in Northern Ireland.

The UK Government has put forward new legislation aimed at dealing with the legacy of the Northern Ireland conflict, which has been welcomed by Dublin following extensive engagement.

The original Legacy Act brought by the last Conservative government was opposed by victims groups and political parties in Northern Ireland, and it led the Irish Government to launch an interstate legal case against the UK, claiming it breached the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Mr Martin has welcomed progress on the matter, telling reporters on Friday that there had been significant improvement on the old legislation.

He said the new proposals meet a lot of the concerns articulated by victims groups.

Meanwhile, Tanaiste Simon Harris said it would almost be disrespectful to unionists to drop the case before the new legislation passes through the House of Commons.

Asked if the Irish Government would drop its case as a confidence-building measure for unionists, Mr Martin said: Thats all on the agenda in terms of the negotiations that have taken place.

Speaking to reporters at the North South Ministerial Council at Farmleigh House in Dublin on Friday, he said: The whole context is to have an agreed position between the Irish Government and the British Government in respect of legacy.

Weve achieved that, and we have to bring in legislation as well. The UK Government has published its legislation, so were making very good progress.

Mr Martin said that the unionist community will see evidence in the Irish Government co-operating with various inquiries and requests for information  including the memorandum of understanding with the Omagh Bombing Inquiry.

He said: That will probably be more significant in terms of unionist confidence in the position of the Irish Government.

However, on repeated questioning about dropping the case, Mr Martin said he anticipated the outcome of engagement with the UK Government will be a positive one.

However, Ms Little-Pengelly said unionists believe the interstate case should never have been taken in the first place.

Its not and should never have been up to the Irish Government to be holding the feet of the British Government to the fire under the threat of a continuance of an interstate case.

We believe that the interstate case should never have been taken in the first place.

I think it has caused a huge amount of upset for many people, particularly the unionist community.

She added: Whenever there is a move by the UK Government, particularly around issues about veterans. You see the Irish Government move in relation to the interstate case.

I believe it should be dropped immediately. I think that the UK Government has had a wide-ranging discussion on a number of actions and legacy legislation has been dropped.

Responding to her comments, Mr Harris said: At the very heart of the interstate case was highlighting the need to have a human-rights compliant and ECHR-compliant legacy infrastructure.

What we now have is a joint framework agreement that, if translated into legislation, could bring us there but we dont currently have that until the legislation passes the House of Commons and thats what were working through in good faith.

Mr Harris said the two governments were moving in a very good direction but said it was no surprise around the Irish Governments sequencing around dropping the case.

Id actually say very respectfully to unionist colleagues, it would almost be disrespectful if the Irish Government was to presume the outcome of the House of Commons deliberation on the legislation.

He added: Were actually being respectful to the process that the British Government and British Parliament will now undertake.

What Id also say is weve already started to take steps to fulfil our applications under the joint partnership agreement.

Ministers from both sides of the border discussed a range of issues including emergency planning, business promotion and gender-based violence at the council.

The 30th plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council, a body set up after the Good Friday Agreement, was held at Farmleigh House in Dublin.

It brings together ministers from the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive twice a year.

Ministers also attended a dinner on Thursday evening.
A Kildare writer is celebrating having won the Memoir section of the Write by the Sea annual writing competition, awarded last month at the Write by the Sea Literary Festival in Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford.

Brenda Drumm is from Newbridge Co Kildare, and is a former presenter of the Arts Show on Kildare's KFM radio station.

Along with the other winners, Brenda was presented with her award and was given a chance to read her work at the official opening of the festival in Kilmore Quay, Wexford on Friday September 26.

Her winning memoir piece of 1,000 words is called 'In Heaven There Are Beaches', with the official judging commentary noting: For the reader there is no looking away. The skill of the writing ensures we stay with the narrator and are moved by writing that treats a most difficult subject with both tenderness and an unflinching rigour.

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I have always written short stories and journal pieces. I write everyday in my work in the field of communications whether it is articles, reflections or short content for social media. It can sometimes be difficult to find leftover words after a busy day of writing and editing but I have always tried to write something for myself each day after work. I find it helps to make sense of a day, Brenda says to Kildare Live about her win.

I have written short stories over the years but I always feel that my fictional characters are a bit rubbish and theyre not believable. Whereas when Im writing memoir its about me. Its not a vanity thing, but I know that what Im writing is real, and its true. Theres maybe therapy in committing some of this to paper and letting it fly.

Winning in the Write by the Sea competition came somewhat of a surprise to Brenda, she says, as she admits that she does not normally enter literary competitions.

I was really surprised when I was first long-listed, and then short-listed over the summer. Honestly I thought it would stop there - that was enough of an honour for me to make the shortlist.

When the email arrived in early September, telling me I had won first place, I was surprised and delighted. That quickly turned to slight terror when I realized I would have to stand on a stage and read my piece, she says.

Brenda admits that in preparation for the event in Wexford  which saw writers like John Banville, Claire Keegan and Paula Meehan take to the stage  she rehearsed the piece but would inevitably get upset upon reading her piece, such was the nature of the text.

My memoir piece is based on my life experience and is set in the not too distant past and begins with me sitting at a Rome airport reading a text and a draft poem from my adult daughter. The poem she wrote and sent to me recalls a time in the more distant past- almost twenty years ago - when I was seriously ill over many months, and when my daughter was a small child.

My memoir conveys some of Emmas childhood responses to visiting me in hospital and observing my convalescence and recovery. It was an illness that took me to the brink of life, and has made me grateful for each day since.

Brenda's memoir is one of candour and honesty; she admits that while the piece is stark at times, it is also a celebration of survival and of the unique relationship between a mother and her children.

Brenda's piece will be published in literary journal 'The Waxed Lemon.'

She has also been invited to read her winning memoir piece at the Waterford Writers Festival over the October Bank Holiday Weekend.

She is currently working on a full-length memoir.
Independent TD and Minister Marian Harkin has welcomed a new 2 million investment in strategic maintenance works along the River Shannon, aimed at reducing flood risk and improving water flow in vulnerable areas.

The funding, announced by Minister of State for the Office of Public Works Kevin Boxer Moran, will see machinery deployed to clear silt, remove fallen trees, and eliminate other blockages that restrict the rivers flow and contribute to flooding.

This investment represents a practical and welcome measure that will make a real difference to communities that have experienced the devastating effects of flooding in the past, said Minister Harkin.

Alongside the funding, a new Shannon Flood Risk website  www.rivershannongroup.ie  has been launched, providing real-time, reliable information on flood-prone areas. The tool is designed to help residents, farmers, businesses, and local authorities better prepare for and respond to potential flooding events.

Providing early and accessible information empowers communities to prepare and respond more effectively to potential flooding, Harkin added. It will also help strengthen the connection between the agencies involved and the people most affected.

Harkin praised the Shannon Flood Risk State Agency Co-ordination Working Group for bringing together key state agencies to manage flood risk across the Shannon Basin and commended Minister Morans leadership on the project.

Collaboration, communication, and continued investment are key to building resilience along the Shannon, she said.

For more information, visit www.rivershannongroup.ie or contact Minister Marian Harkin on 086 834 1758.

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Leitrim County Council has launched Irelands first Digital Placemaking Framework to support internet connectivity for businesses and communities across the county, expand online access to public services and grow digital skills for everyone.

The strategy, Digital Placemaking: A Strategy for a Connected Leitrim, was unveiled at the Re-Imagining Rural Ireland conference at Lough Rynn Castle in Mohill yesterday.

Alongside a commitment to make internet connectivity available to all businesses in the county within two years, the plan aims to make all Leitrim County Council services, and data related to planning and climate, available to access online. A digital tools training programme is also planned to boost digital skills and social inclusion in the county.

Leitrim County Council highlighted how fibre broadband rollout will enable key elements of the strategy, including the creation of a Smart Village Network, a series of digitally enabled communities across Leitrim, and the Connected Enterprise Network, which will link innovation spaces such as Carrick Business Campus in Carrick-on-Shannon and The Hive into a single countywide ecosystem.

Other features of the plan include the Digital Skills and Inclusion Programme, which will help residents, businesses and community groups build confidence in using digital tool, the Digital Local Government Programme, which will see the local authoritys services made available online, along with data and mapping tools related to planning, mobility, and climate resilience.

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Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary delivered the keynote address at the Lough Rynn Castle event to launch the root and branch revamp of Leitrim County Councils digital services. He said:

This is a visionary step by Leitrim County Council. The Digital Placemaking framework shows what can be achieved when digital policy meets local creativity and ambition. Leitrim is demonstrating that technology can strengthen rural life  not replace it. This is the type of innovation that will help us deliver Irelands National Digital Strategy on the ground, community by community.

Also in attendance at the event were Colin Regan, the GAAs Community and Health Manager and Atlantic Fellow at Trinity College Dublin; Justin Gleeson, Director of the All-Island Research Observatory at Maynooth University; Dr. Karen Keaveney, Head of Rural Development at UCD; John Daly, Economist at the Northern and Western Regional Assembly; Mary Reynolds, Chair of the Mohill Town Team; and Gareth Makim, Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.

The Digital Placemaking Framework has been co-designed with community groups, enterprise partners and academic institutions, aligning strongly with European Smart Villages policy.

Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council, Cllr. Paddy Farrell, highlighted how the initiative connects technology to everyday life in the county.

He said: For Leitrim, digital is about people and place. Its about creating opportunities to live locally, work remotely, and stay connected. This strategy brings all of that together. It puts our communities at the centre and uses digital innovation to support sustainable growth, inclusion and local pride.

David Minton, Director of Services at Leitrim County Council, said the scheme makes Leitrim a national testbed for smart rural living.

He added: Digital Placemaking is a simple idea with transformative potential. It links the digital infrastructure were investing in  broadband, hubs, data  with the social and spatial fabric of Leitrim. The strategy builds on major local investments whilst also harnessing the unique traits of our towns and villages.
MidlandsNorth-West MEP Ciaran Mullooly has called for a comprehensive overhaul of legislation governing the management of the River Shannon, warning that outdated laws are leaving communities increasingly vulnerable to flooding.

Mullooly said the existing framework  much of which dates back over a century  is no longer fit for purpose as climate change, silt build-up, and unmanaged pinch points cause more frequent and severe flooding events along Irelands longest river.

Communities along the Shannon are facing floods that are getting worse, not better, Mullooly said. We need modern legislation that allows for active management of the river, proper maintenance, and swift action to address blockages and pinch points before they devastate homes, farms, and livelihoods.

His comments follow renewed calls from local farmers and landowners for urgent action, as many say rising water levels and recurring floods are destroying farmland and threatening rural life. Mullooly said a new approach must bring together all agencies involved  from local authorities to Waterways Ireland  under a single, updated legal framework.

The Shannon is one of Irelands most important natural resources, but the laws managing it belong to another era, he added. A comprehensive review is the only way forward if were serious about flood prevention and protecting the communities who live and work along its banks.

The call comes as flooding issues have dominated local debates in recent weeks, with concerns mounting about the long-term viability of farmland and infrastructure in the Shannon catchment if decisive action is not taken.

READ MORE 2m boost to protect Shannon communities from future flooding
Four County Leitrim Gala stores have been recognised among the best in Ireland at the 2025 Gala Retail Delivering the Difference annual conference, held at the Great Southern Hotel in Killarney.

McGuire's Gala in Rooskey, Scollans Gala in Drumshanbo, Gala Mohill and Kieran's Gala in Carrick-on-Shannon all received Gala Retail Excellence Awards, celebrating their outstanding service, quality, and contribution to their local communities.

It was a particularly successful night for McGuire's Gala, which took home one of the evenings top honours  Community Initiative of the Year  while Scollan's Gala was named runner-up in the Chilled Retailer category.

The Gala Excellence Awards are presented following a comprehensive and independent assessment process, with more retailers than ever achieving the standard this year  reflecting the groups focus on innovation, quality, and community-centred retailing.

Gurpreet and Shashi Singh from Gala Mohill pictured with David Mayne, Gala Retail

Gala Retail stores in County Leitrim consistently feature as some of the best performing stores across the group, said Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail. Im delighted to see our Leitrim retailers getting the recognition they deserve and would like to thank each of the Gala store owners and their teams for their loyalty, hard work and dedication to quality convenience retailing.

Our theme this year was Delivering the Difference, and these stores truly make a difference to their shoppers and communities every day.

The conference, hosted by broadcaster Jacqui Hurley, also featured guest speakers Bernard Jackman and Geoff Ramm, and saw the announcement of 100,000 in Gala Greener Grants awarded to retailers. The grants are part of a 500,000 fund designed to help stores transition to more energy-efficient and sustainable operations.

John and Francis McGuire from McGuire's Gala, Rooskey pictured with David Mayne, Gala Retail (centre)

As one of Irelands most progressive convenience groups, Gala combines national expertise with local wholesaler support, ensuring each store is tailored to meet the needs of its community.

READ MORELeitrim families face 'immense financial burdens and emotional stress as they watch their homes crumble'
Over 400 prisoners in Ireland will sleep on mattresses on the floor tonight, Fridays Irish prison service figures reveal.

Limerick prison is experiencing the highest level of overcrowding - operating at 145% of its capacity in the female ward.



The female wing of the prison has just 56 beds to facilitate its current 118 prisoners.

Portlaoise prison is also currently experiencing a high volume of overcrowding.

The prison currently hosts 1,116 prisoners, despite having a bed capacity for 891 inmates.

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Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan has committed to a target of delivering an extra 1,595 prison spaces between now and 2031. However, there is a current surplus of 1,515 prisoners in the prison system as of October 17, 2025.

Tony Power, the President of the Prison Officers Association, has warned that the current levels of overcrowding could lead to a tragedy.

In an interview with the Irish Times, Mr Power said: I dont want to sound alarmist, but if we dont find an immediate solution to this problem, we will have a tragic event or some form of crisis on all our hands.

The Irish Prison service commented in response to the problem: The Irish Prison Service must accept into custody all people committed to prison by the Courts. As such, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time.

Labour TD Conor Sheehan has stated regarding the overcrowding: Instead of packing more and more people into overcrowded cells, Government must invest in mental health, addiction, and rehabilitation services to help people rebuild their lives and break the cycle of reoffending.

In 2024, the national rate of prisoners sleeping on mattresses increased by 156%, while the intake of prisoners rose by almost 10% in comparison to 2023s figures.

Should Ireland's prison population increase at its current rate, it is unclear if Minister O'Callaghan's 2031 target is ambitious enough to adequately house Ireland's prison population.
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A cornerstone of early education in Killeedy is entering a new chapter, as the local community-run preschool and afterschool continues to thrive more than 30 years after first opening its doors.

Last weekend, the preschool celebrated its official reopening, with Minister Patrick O'Donovan in attendance along with Limerick City and County Councillors Adam Teskey, Tom Ruddle, Jerome Scanlon and Michael Collins.

Locals turned out in force for the happy occasion, which featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony by local shopkeepers Mike and Margaret Keating and speeches from the committee, marking the next chapter in the schools future.

Established about three decades ago, the preschool has long been woven into the fabric of the parish. Originally founded by a voluntary committee before later being run privately, 'The Old Girls School in Ashford is now home to Killeedy preschool and afterschool after being purchased from the Limerick Diocese, securing it's future for generations to come.

The building remains a hub of education and community life. The current committee now hopes to further develop the site with the support of the Limerick City and County Council, which provided initial start-up funding.

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When the opportunity came up to purchase it, the community came together, explained committee member Teresa Casey, who is joined by Maura Cremin , Noreen O Mahony and Laura McEnery on the team now managing the facility.

The committee was given the opportunity to buy back the property for a nominal fee of 10,000. Through a series of local fundraisers and an iDonate page, the money was successfully raised to complete the purchase.

Money raised form these community initiatives combined with Council support helped cover the cost of essential equipment and building upgrades. Since then, the facility has been run entirely on a not-for-profit basis, with all proceeds reinvested into the preschool and afterschool.

In the years since becoming community-led, the preschoool and afterschool has gone from strength to strength. The preschool is absolutely flying, said Teresa.

Its at full capacity, its thriving, theres even a waiting list.

Looking ahead, the committee has big ambitions for the future. Plans include creating a sensory playground, a small community library, and an outdoor room for after-school activities.

The indoor space isnt really suitable for the after-schoolers at the moment," Teresa said, so were hoping to develop that side of it to make it a full community facility.

While the preschool is at a high point, the committee remains realistic about the challenges ahead.

Our goal is simple, said Teresa.

We want to keep developing it for the community, for the children here now, and for those wholl come after them.

Killeedy Preschool and Afterschool AGM will be held on Wednesday November 19th at 8:30 pm in The Old Girls Building (V42 R529). Members of the community , parents of the service and anyone looking to volunteer are welcome to get involved in this community project.
THIS Friday marks the end of an era for healthcare in Limerick as the final patients and staff left the former Barringtons Hospital building for the final time.

The hospital, at Georges Quay in the city centre, ceased operating after almost two centuries serving the people of Limerick.

The facility was taken over by healthcare provider Bon Secours in 2017 at a time when it was Limericks largest private hospital.

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It was rebranded as Bon Secours Hospital at Barringtons.

But with the company unveiling a state-of-the-art hospital at Ballysimon on the edge of Limerick it decided to move out of its premises in the city centre.

It was a low-key closure to a hospital building which would have been used by generations of Limerick people through the years.

Barringtons was founded in 1829 by Joseph Barrington and his sons Matthew, Daniel, Croker and Samuel.

It was built, in their words, for the relief of the poor of their native city.

It was completed in 1830.

A limestone building, which is now a protected structure, rises three storeys above the River Shannon, where it flows into the Canal Bank.

Up until 1988, it operated as a public hospital, and was held in high esteem by the people of Limerick.

When the Fianna Fail government decided to end acute services there, it sparked one of the citys largest demonstrations, wih 20,000 people turning up to show their opposition.

Despite Fianna Fail TD Willie ODea voting against his own Government in a bid to retain Barringtons, it closed, with many commentators even decades on linking it with the current overcrowding crisis in University Hospital Limerick.

The building was bought by vascular surgeon Paul O'Byrne in 1991, who re-opened it as a private hospital.

It was put on the market last year as Bon Secours outlined its move away.
A FORMER co-owner of a County Limerick restaurant has welcomed the reduced VAT rate for the hospitality sector, saying it will give small businesses a confidence boost and security that it is coming.



Jose Philpott co-owned Mollys of Kilfinane for 23 years, along with her husband Paul Philpott, who everyone knew as Phil, and her sister Marie.

They called time on the enterprise in early September, having run a successful small business through a recession, pandemic and Brexit.

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Speaking about deciding to sell after more than two decades of trading in the heart of Kilfinane, Ms Philpott said that they have served their time, they loved every minute, but it was the right time to move on and let someone else into Mollys, to make it their own.

Speaking to the Limerick Leader, Ms Philpott said that when the VAT rate is high, it is felt very keenly, but when it goes down, while the reduction is welcome, it doesnt have as big an impact.

Budget 2026 will see the hospitality VAT rate decrease from 13.5% to 9%, but the reduction will not come into force until July of next year.

Its not as visible a difference when the rate comes down, but for me, its like small businesses being heard, especially in Ireland with so many sectors screaming out for supports, this will mean that people in hospitality can breathe, Ms Philpott said.

While there might be boosts when tourists visit, they werent a seasonally-based business with really high footfall summers and very quiet winters, where as she said, the busy time offsets the quiet time.

Small businesses like what we had, have a base clientele who are consistent throughout the year, the regular footfall of locals - that was our core business. That was our whole ethos, we ran our business with love and we put so much into it, there was always that personal touch. We had people coming in four or five times a week and if our price point was a fracture higher, that could have been the difference with those people coming in every couple of weeks instead.

She stressed that from her experience, they learned as owners that you need to get the price point right to survive different economic cycles.

A big part of hospitality is going over and above what is required, you are giving hospitality, you have to make money at the same time, but there wont be any millionaire made. Having compassion is our nugget of gold.

She finished by saying that for someone who is struggling to keep the doors open, or who is on the fence about closing up shop, this VAT rate coming next July might just give them hope.

It might let them hold their position and Id urge anyone who is unsure not to let this close them down, just wait and hold, she advised.
Lucy Shiel, a young woman from Kilkenny, has described what it's like living with OCD and how she suddenly developed the disorder one random day in 2019.

OCD stands for obsessive compulsive disorder, and Lucy has described it in her own words, even though she said it is difficult to understand it if you don't actually have the disorder yourself.

"I remember there was a time I didn't have it...and I just don't think I would have been able to wrap my head around it....so I'm trying to articulate it in a way that maybe people would understand.

"So OCD... the primary catalyst for anything OCD is you experience an intrusive thought....so by the name, as it suggests, intrusive, these thoughts appear in your brain, you don't consciously choose to think them. It's almost as if your brain is being hijacked by like, some sadist that wants to see you suffer, just throws your worst fears at you, and things like that," she said.

"So you will get this intrusive thought, and you'll panic....and you'll wonder, what does it mean about you that you have the thought? And you'll perform some type of compulsive behaviour that and that could be mental or physical. And it could be absolutely anything.

"The cliche, like cleaning and stuff is one example.... It's just the only one that gets attention so then with the compulsive thoughts the spiral just keeps going.....then you do the compulsion, you get temporary relief, but then you will fall back into the obsession because it's all about doubt.....you're chasing certainty that doesn't exist.

Lucy was 19 when she first experienced OCD and she was just home from college at the time.

"It came on in an instant actually......it was absolutely petrifying.....I thought I was experiencing a psychotic break....my brain just, it just felt like it just broke.

"I thought I was being possessed or something crazy.....I just, I've never been so afraid in my life.....I really thought I was absolutely just after reaching insanity...and I was perfectly fine five minutes prior...it was very, very sudden."

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Lucy said that she had come back from an exam that didn't go too well.

"I laid down, and then I just suddenly was experiencing all these intrusive thoughts, and this panic... this kind of terror...like this sense of impending doom, and all of these crazy thoughts...and that was the beginning of it".

Lucy, being a psychology student, was very much of the belief to go get help immediately.

"So I contacted the college counsellor and started counselling pretty much straight away....unfortunately, the kind of thoughts that I was experiencing, these kind of dark and distressing thoughts, it wasn't really something that people were able to give me an answer about, either him or any other, and I've seen a lot of therapists.

"So I was trying to figure out what was going on with me....what happened and, you know, how can I get rid of it, essentially.....nobody really knew and I was receiving a lot of kind of blank stares and a lot of oh it's

probably just anxiety.

"I was just kind of chasing my tail, getting nowhere....I got insomnia....I stopped eating...I couldn't see anybody... I dropped out of college, just all of those good things.

Lucy then spent the following four years seeking help for her OCD and trying to find the answers that she needed.

"I just reached a breaking point then at the end of 2022 I went to A&E and I was just like I don't have the energy to fight

this anymore.

"I started taking medication from that night which I never wanted to do but I just didn't have the energy to fight it anymore...it was just....every day was just too hard...it was just all consuming.... I couldn't live a normal life".

Lucy said that started medication helped her OCD a lot and things started to get a bit better for her at this time.

"It's been two or three years maybe since I'm on the medication and I haven't had an episode as dark as I would have had prior to the medication.....I know that it won't work for everybody....I was lucky it worked for me.

Lucy said she would say to people who would have written off medication, to just reconsider because it is a tool to help people struggling with the disorder

"I don't feel like I've lost who I am...and it's just for people to consider it and not write it off, I would say."

Lucy described her OCD at mostly being mental and she said that from the outside looking in it wouldn't have really looked like there was anything going on with her.

She said she would constantly be seeking reassurance, she would go online and search things up on

Google or TikTok to see has anybody ever had this particular thought before.

"And I would try and see, is this normal or am I insane? But no matter what I read, I would always be like, oh, no, they didn't have it in the exact same way that I had it, so I am insane.

"I would do a lot of mental reviewing....so I would fight with the thought that's a compulsion....if you say to the thought no that's not true....that's a compulsion because you can't react to the thought....it only makes it grow....it only makes it stronger, its presence...

She said that another compulsion can also be oversharing about your trauma because you're hoping somebody will say, oh, that happened to me, and then you won't feel so isolated.

Lucy said that when she was at her worst she started to develop tics.

"So I would shake my head in response to a disturbing thought or maybe I would say no out loud....that didn't go well for me in public.....

Lucy said that she stopped searching for the reason why her OCD came about, instead she now advocates to help and educate people on the disorder on TikTok.

"Overall...I'm like 90% better and I'm doing well....but there are still things that if I get a bad thought that I really don't like... I still will shake my head in the car or I will still go to look something up online impulsively.

"There are still little behaviours that creep in if you kind of keep it unchecked and I would like to do some ERP, but it's basically impossible to find anybody in Ireland that does it or a therapist that understands OCD....so, that's been a challenge".

ERP is exposure response therapy and Lucy and other people that have reached out to her are yet to find this kind of therapy in Ireland.

"It would be the gold standard treatment for OCD....so, the exposure would be, you would say to the therapist, I'm having this thought about drowning my cat and my compulsion is I'm avoiding my cat because I'm afraid if I'm near my cat, I'll lose

control and drown my cat.

"So, the therapist would then basically guide you through getting rid of the compulsive behaviour....so, he might say okay so you have to spend five minutes sitting right beside your cat and you need to get a basin of water and put that on the ground and you need to sit there....It's kind of torturous because it's not going to be comfortable but the point of it is to train

yourself to detach from these thoughts and realise that they don't actually have control and that you're still in control even if they're really loud and really persistent".

Lucy's TikTok account has sparked conversation and has created a community who can come together and share their experiences, worries and thoughts around having OCD.

"I put up a video the other day.... it sparked a lot of people commenting their experiences.....It was about the misrepresentation of OCD....people were being like, oh my gosh, yeah, I've had this experience and that experience.....people have gone to their GP with, say, intrusive thoughts and their GP has sectioned them or has thrown anti-psychotic sentiments and said, you will act on your thoughts....you need to get this sorted immediately or they will say, sorry, we're not dealing

with that....we don't deal with mental health or they'll say it's just anxiety or they'll say you're just being dramatic.

"The list goes on....GPs are not, as a whole, very informed about OCD, but you have to go to them in order to be referred to a psychiatrist, so it's like a blockage".

A piece of advice Lucy has given to others with OCD is to advocate for yourself.

"Don't take no for an answer because to be honest, they don't know everything.....If there's something going on with you, you

know yourself best.

"So knowledge is power when it comes to OCD.....so the more people know about it, the more that they can actually get into a state of recovery....whether that be they want to go the meditation route or they just want to learn more about

it, they just need to do that".
THE BANAT al-Quds all-female choir from Palestine will perform a rare and moving concert at University Concert Hall (UCH), Limerick.

The concert takes place on October 28 as part of a three-city Irish tour hosted by Irish Artists for Palestine.

Formed in 2013 by the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, it brings together over 40 young women from Jerusalem and the West Bank.

With the motto We sing with pain, hope, honour and pride, their music delivers a powerful message of resilience, dignity, and cultural identity.

READ MORE: Limerick businessman fears for future after parklets removed without warning

Led by Palestinian composer and conductor Suhail Khoury, the choir will perform a repertoire that blends classical Arabic compositions with original works inspired by Palestinian heritage.

Their performances offer space for reflection, resistance, and emotional connection aiming to unify audiences through music, a universal language of struggle and hope.

Banat al-Quds' visit to Limerick is part of a broader cultural and humanitarian initiative aimed at amplifying Palestinian voices and building solidarity between Irish and Palestinian communities.

The Limerick performance promises to be an unforgettable evening of song, spirit, and international solidarity.

Irish Artists for Palestine is a network of musicians, writers, actors, and cultural workers in Ireland committed to expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people and supporting their struggle, through art, culture, and activism.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at www.uch.ie
OpenAI launched its chatbot, ChatGPT, in 2022, initiating a new era in artificial intelligence (AI). This left behind tech giants such as Google, which had been working on artificial intelligence technologies for years. What was Google's reaction to OpenAI releasing ChatGPT ahead of its chatbot Gemini?

CEO of Google and its parent company, Alphabet, Sundar Pichai, recently shared his reaction to the release of ChatGPT at Dreamforce, Salesforce's annual technology event, on Thursday.

What did Sundar Pichai say? But you're right, credit to OpenAI, they put it out first, a report by Business Insider quoted Pichai.

Pichai's remarks came when Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff sought Google's reaction, which he called the "absolute leader in AI" at the time, when this little company in San Francisco called OpenAI emerges with this product ChatGPT.

The Google CEO mentioned that the company had already made enough progress on AI products, including an internal version of a chatbot.

" Credit to OpenAI, they put it out first," Sundar Pichai, Google CEO

Comparison with YouTube and Instagram Pichai further compared the time of ChatGPT's launch to others he had observed in the consumer internet sector. For example, when Google was developing video search in 2006, YouTube "came out of nowhere," Facebook was getting popular with photos in its feed, and then Instagram surfaced, the report said. Notably, Google bought YouTube, and Facebook purchased Instagram later.

"We knew in a different world, we would've probably launched our chatbot maybe a few months down the line," Pichai said. We hadn't quite gotten it to a level where you could put it out and people would've been OK with Google putting out that product. It still had a lot of issues at that time, he added.

Sundar Pichai flags reputational risks Pichai said Google had already extensively invested in AI, including its research teams and producing its own chips and infrastructure, and that it was well-positioned when ChatGPT was released.

However, after ChatGPT's launch, Pichai said Google would not immediately release a chatbot competitor because it posed greater "reputational risk" than OpenAI.

Launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT When OpenAI launched ChatGPT in late 2022, it was backed by Microsoft, a competitor of Google, and was considered a major challenge to Google in the artificial intelligence sector. Meanwhile, Google management issued a "code red," and the CEO redirected several teams to focus on AI, the New York Times reported.
The auto industry is digesting a new and potentially damaging supply-chain disruption from an unlikely source: a small Dutch semiconductor manufacturer with an outsize influence on how cars and trucks are made.

Nexperia notified customers last week that it was stopping shipments of parts, people familiar with the matter say. The companys chips are used in everything from lights to electronics. The move came after the Dutch government wrested control of the company from its Chinese owner. Nexperia declared the continuing situation a force majeure" event, the people say, citing a provision that generally can excuse companies from contractual obligations when facing an extraordinary situation.

While Nexperia is a small player in the automotive-chip market overall, it is the market leader for a basic category of chips mainly consisting of transistors and diodes, said Ian Riches, a vice president at TechInsights, a chip data and intelligence provider. In that category, Nexperia has about a 40% market share, he added.

They go into everything and anything," Riches said. If youre building a complicated product, it only takes a shortage of one basic component to stop the whole thing."

Nexperia, whose parts end up in cars from BMW, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz, produces high volumes of semiconductors and basic transistors that are used in vehicle systems, including electronic control units. Car companies and parts makers are now racing to understand their exposure and find alternative sources of chips, saying that if Nexperia cant ship then vehicle production could be affected in the next few weeks.

General Motors in recent days sent a survey to its suppliers asking whether they buy chips from Nexperia and how many, people familiar with the situation said.

Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis, which makes brands including Jeep, Ram and Peugeot, said they are talking with suppliers and assessing potential impacts.

The situation is the latest supply-chain disturbance to hit global automakers. This year there were production stoppages resulting from Chinas stranglehold on rare-earth magnets, a disruption in aluminum supplies after a fire and President Trumps costly tariffs.

Automakers have been monitoring a parallel threat in recent days over Chinas rare-earth minerals, after the country tightened exports and increased tension with the U.S. Toyota heard last week from some suppliers that Chinese facilities were unable to ship products, a person familiar with the situation said. Toyota initially thought the delay was related to Chinas limits on rare-earth minerals, but later found out it was tied to the Nexperia situation, the person said.

Toyota is actively assessing the situation and studying alternative sources of supply, the company said.

The extraordinary dispute over Nexperia resulted from the Dutch governments decision late last month to seize control of it from Chinas Wingtech Technology, which is on a U.S. trade blacklist, citing a need to keep Europe from losing technological knowledge and capabilities" necessary for its economic security.

In early October, the Chinese government ordered Wingtech to suspend Nexperias exports from China, where 80% of its products are processed before being delivered to customers.

Shipments have yet to resume from Nexperias factories in Europe and China, the people said.

A Nexperia spokesman referred to an earlier statement that said it is positive" that day-to-day operations can continue.

Wingtech is actively communicating with suppliers and customers to sustain the basic stability of workforce, production systems and distribution channels," according to an email the company sent to investors on Thursday that was viewed by The Wall Street Journal.

Car manufacturers and suppliers this week asked Chinese authorities to lift their restrictions on Nexperia exports from China and help de-escalate the disputes with the Dutch side, according to people familiar with the situation. The companies in the request included automakers Volkswagen and BMW, as well as suppliers Bosch and Aumovio, one of the people said.

The auto industry is only a few years removed from a semiconductor crisis that dramatically affected production and left dealers with a shortage of new cars to sell. Many suppliers have adjusted and diversified their production since then. Nexperia has been sending most chips made at factories in Europe to facilities in China for packaging and testing before shipments go out to customers, leaving it exposed to significant disruptions, some of the people said.

Automakers and suppliers have alternative sources of the same type of chips, but the situation could result in production disruptions if Nexperias shipment stoppage is protracted, the people added. Companies with multiple sources can have their other suppliers increase production, but those who relied entirely on Nexperia for some components could take weeks to get a new part cleared for production by an automaker.

Identifying alternative chip sources will take time, even though the industry has tried to diversify, said Collin Shaw, a president of MEMA, the auto suppliers trade association.

This goes to show the fragility sometimes of the supply chain," he said.

Meanwhile, Wingtech is preparing to sue the Dutch government and Nexperias Western executives, some of the people said. The Dutch government moved to take control of the chip maker following a warning from U.S. officials, detailed in a Dutch court document, that Nexperia could be ensnared by a trade blacklist of companies that pose national security risks, unless it removed its Chinese chief executive.

Write to Ryan Felton at ryan.felton@wsj.com, Raffaele Huang at raffaele.huang@wsj.com and Stephen Wilmot at stephen.wilmot@wsj.com
Dixon Technologies Ltds revenue and profit rose in the September quarter as a growing volume of mobile phones and telecommunications products fuelled growth for Indias largest publicly listed electronics manufacturer.

Noida-headquartered companys operating revenue rose 15.7% sequentially and 33% year-on-year to 14,855 crore in the second quarter of FY26, according to its filings. Dixon met the guidance of 15% revenue growth that Atul Lall, its vice-chairman and managing director, had given in the June quarter.

The companys profitability rose 167% sequentially and 81% over a year earlier to 746 crore. However, this was largely due to Dixon selling goods manufactured in the past in the September quarter.

Also Read | Inside the race to be Indias top smartphone in 2025

The change in the companys inventory of finished goods led to a loss of 413 crore in the June quarter, while it sold 297 crore of unsold goods during in July-September, leading to a jump in profits.

While Lall did not offer guidance for future quarters during the post-earnings conference call with analysts, he expressed confidence in the companys push to increase margins and navigate a slowdown in orders from Motorola, Dixons anchor client so far.

JVs, diversification plans

Some of our components-linked joint ventures, such as with Q Tech for camera modules, are already leading to revenue realization since these are running factories. Others, such as display modules, will start adding revenue by the end of this fiscal or the first quarter of the next fiscal," Lall said.

Overall, within the next two fiscals, we expect displays, mechanicals, power supplies and other components to represent a $12-billion net addressable industry in India with available margins of around 8%," he said. Of these, Dixons revenue opportunity can be around $1.5 billion ( 13,000 crore) annually."

Lall further added that each of Dixons four joint ventures announced through the September quarter will start adding revenue by FY27 itself.

Among component manufacturing, we expect component supplies for 60 million smartphones by volume to generate $600 million in annual revenue. Similarly, the revenue addition from laptops could be $100 million, and we expect to see a further $60 million from television display manufacturing and $140 million from automotive display manufacturingall adding up to at least $900 million ( 8,000 crore) over the next two years," Lall said.

All of this will add to our margin expansion process as we delve deeper into the electronics manufacturing ecosystem."

The diversification play is already playing out in parts. Revenue from telecom equipment such as Wi-Fi routers grew 116% sequentially to 3,045 crore in September. Lall said that the company will actively seek enterprise-grade networking product clients.

Risks and strategic moves

However, Dixons growth opportunity does not come without risks. Revenue from pure-play mobile phone manufacturing dropped 5% sequentially to 9,312 crore, even though mobile phone revenue received a 130% sequential boost from Dixons subsidiary Ismartu, which makes phones for China-based Transsion Holdings. This clearly reflected a slowdown in Dixons production of phones from China-owned consumer electronics brand Motorola.

Lall said that Vivo will be Dixons marquee client for the business. That said, we do hope to have both Vivo and Motorola as two anchor clients for Dixon, and not just one."

The company also said that it is negotiating a deal with a large original design manufacturer (ODM) based in the USdetails may be signed by the end of this fiscal.

Analysts have previously underlined the risk of Dixons dependency on singular large clients for a bulk of its revenueIsmartu, for instance, alone accounted for 31% of Dixons quarterly revenue in Q2.

Also Read | Foxconn to make more components locally to ramp up India presence

Through the September quarter, Dixon made four partnership announcementsa 51:49 JV with Chinas Kunshan Q Tech Microelectronics for camera, display and fingerprint modules; a 74:26 JV with Chongqing Yuhai for precision components of laptops and mobile phones; a 50:50 JV with Signify Innovations (formerly Philips Lighting) for LED light and accessories manufacturing; and an entry into battery production via wholly owned subsidiary, Dixon Electrocorp.

We're hearing the possibility of an export-target-based smartphone production incentive scheme in the works at the Centre. If such a plan plays out, this will work very well in Dixon's favour," said Harshit Kapadia, vice-president at Elara Capital.

Its current short-term risk is that of Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi's market share declining in India, which may impact Dixon's earnings from its biggest revenue-driving segment," said Kapadia. However, apart from this, Dixon remains on a steady track despite its dependency on select brands."
Puneet Dalmia-promoted Dalmia Bharat Ltd saw a 39% sequential dip in the company's profitability to 239 crore, although it was 387% higher than the year-ago period, as Indias fourth-largest cement maker experienced lower prices in the July-September period.

Profit in the June quarter was 395 crore, compared to 49 crore in the same period last year.

Dalmia Bharat, which has an installed capacity of 49.5 million tonnes (mt), saw revenue from operations dip by 6% over the preceding quarter to 3,417 crore. June quarter revenues were at 3,636 crore. Income from operations increased by 10.7% compared to last year.

UltraTech, India's largest cement manufacturer, will declare its results on Saturday.

The Delhi-headquartered Dalmia Bharat saw a 1.9% sequential decline in volume to 6.9 million tonnes (mt), compared to the April-June period, during which volume sales reached 7 million tonnes. The half-yearly sales volume also declined by 1.7% to 13.9 million tonnes.

Cash flow from operating activities stood at 836 crore.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) was at 696 crore, a 21.2% decline over the preceding quarter. In the June quarter, Ebitda was 883 crore. The Ebitda/tonne was 1,013. The Ebitda margins decreased to 20.4% sequentially.

Also Read | Dalmia Bharat has a lot of ground to cover to achieve a pan-India presence

Dharmender Tuteja, chief financial officer (CFO), Dalmia Bharat, in a statement, said that the company saw revenues improved 11% annually while Ebitda increased by 60% backed by healthy cement realisations.

Net debt to Ebitda was at 0.56x, with gross debt being around 6,621 crore.

The company declared an interim dividend of 4 per share.

Dalmia Bharat said it began trial runs at the 3.6 million tonne clinker line in Umrangso, Assam, in September. Commercial production is expected by December 2025.

Civil work in Belgaum, Karnataka, for the expansion of the unit, is also underway.

Dalmia Bharat also commissioned 93MW of renewable energy (RE) capacity, taking its operational RE capacity to 387MW. The share of renewable power consumption stood at 48.1%, the company stated in a press release.

Also Read | Dalmia Bharat on tough terrain as sector woes dim prospects

GST relief, capacity plans According to Puneet Dalmia, managing director (MD) & chief executive officer (CEO), Dalmia Bharat, the announced reduction of goods and services tax (GST) rates on cement, from 28% to 18% is a long-awaited fiscal relief. We remain focused on building scale and delivering profitable growth, he said.
IndiGo is set to launch direct flights from Mumbai and Delhi to Athens thrice-weekly, utilizing Indias first Airbus A321XLR aircraft. The inaugural flights are scheduled for 23 and 24 January 2026, marking a major milestone in the airline's international expansion strategy, the company said in an official statement.

This move positions IndiGo as the sole Indian carrier offering direct connectivity between India and Greece, tapping into the growing demand for travel to Athens, a burgeoning European destination. The introduction of the A321XLR aircraft enables IndiGo to extend its reach into Southern Europe, maintaining cost efficiency while expanding its international footprint.

Also Read | Air India eyes 300 more planes in mega expansion talks with Airbus and Boeing

The Airbus A321XLR, a next-generation narrow-body aircraft, boasts a range of up to 8,700 kilometers. This capability allows IndiGo to operate non-stop flights from India to Southern Europe, enhancing its long-range narrow-body operations. The aircraft is configured with 12 IndiGoStretch seats featuring a 44-inch seat pitch and a 6-inch recline, along with 183 Economy Class seats offering a 31-inch seat pitch and a 5-inch recline, ensuring a comfortable travel experience for passengers.

Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo said, We are excited to announce our flights to Athens from Mumbai and Delhi on Indias first Airbus A321XLR. This momentous development marks the beginning of a new era for IndiGos long-range narrow-body operations, making us the only Indian carrier offering direct connectivity between India and Greece. We are confident that these new routes will play a vital role in strengthening cultural and economic ties between the two ancient civilisations.

"As outbound travel from India continues to expand, Athens is emerging as a key European destination for leisure, MICE, and wedding tourism. This direct connection will also unlock substantial potential for more bilateral engagements. With the induction of the A321XLR aircraft into our fleet, IndiGo will increasingly be able to operate deeper into Europe while maintaining the cost efficiency and operational reliability that have long defined our service," he added.

Flight Schedule The flight schedule for the Mumbai-Athens route includes departures on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays, with flights leaving Mumbai at 09:50 and arriving in Athens at 14:15. Return flights from Athens depart at 15:25 and arrive in Mumbai at 02:00 the following day. The Delhi-Athens route operates on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, with flights departing Delhi at 09:10 and arriving in Athens at 14:25. Return flights from Athens depart at 16:00 and arrive in Delhi at 03:10 the next day. All timings are in local time zones and are subject to regulatory approvals.

Bookings for IndiGos newly announced routes are now open through the airlines official website, mobile app, and authorized travel partners.
ICRA Limited has completed the acquisition of a 98.75% stake in Fintellix India Private Limited, a Bengaluru-based RegTech and risk solutions company, the credit rating agency disclosed in a stock exchange filing on 17 October. The acquisition, valued at 245.63 crores (approximately $27.9 million), aims to expand ICRA's risk technology portfolio.

On June 12, 2025, ICRA's Board of Directors initially approved the acquisition, which was executed through a secondary purchase following the execution of a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) and other transaction documents. The remaining 1.25% of Fintellix's shareholding is set to be acquired later, pending requisite regulatory approvals. This move aligns with ICRA's strategy to enhance its offerings in risk analytics.

Also Read | Rating agency ICRA upgrades ACME Solars 250 MW renewable energy project

Fintellix specializes in risk, supervisory, and data analytics solutions delivered through its proprietary data platform. The company serves financial institutions and regulators globally, with a client base of over 30 institutions across India, the UK, the US, and other key markets. According to the stock exchange filing, in fiscal year 2025, Fintellix reported a turnover of 81.5 crore.

Ramnath Krishnan, Managing Director and Group CEO of ICRA said, We are delighted to welcome Fintellix to ICRA. This acquisition marks a pivotal step in our ambition to lead in risk analytics, enabling our clients to anticipate and address risks effectively. By combining ICRA's domain expertise with Fintellix's product innovation, we are uniquely positioned to help clients navigate the fast-evolving regulatory landscape and deliver enhanced value across markets.

Also Read | China says Qualcomm admits failing to report Autotalks acquisition

This acquisition reflects ICRA's focus on enhancing its technological offerings and expanding its presence in risk analytics. By integrating Fintellix's product suite with ICRA's existing capabilities, the company aims to offer solutions that address the regulatory environments faced by financial institutions.

Shailendra Mruthyunjayappa, CEO, Fintellix said, "Joining ICRA opens up exciting new possibilities for Fintellix and our customers. With ICRA's broader capabilities and global reach, we will accelerate our mission to deliver impactful solutions to manage risk, compliance and strategic priorities with confidence."
India-based steel manufacturer JSW Steel announced on Friday that its board has approved reorganisation of its operations in the United States and the merger of some domestic subsidiaries.

The decisions were taken to simplify the group's structure and enhance operational efficiency, the company said in an exchange filing.

Consolidation of US business JSW Steel is moving to consolidate its US steel manufacturing business into a single holding structure under JSW Steel (Netherlands) B.V. (JSW Netherlands).

The board of directors at its meeting has approved a strategic reorganisation of the company's US operations as part of its ongoing efforts to consolidate and simplify the overall group structure, the Bombay Stock Exchange filing said.

The company currently has a presence in the US steel manufacturing sector through investments in Periama Holdings LLC (Periama) and Acero Junction Holdings Inc (Acero).

Periama holds the Baytown operations, comprising Plate & Pipe mills at Baytown, Texas, along with certain coking coal assets in West Virginia. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Steel Netherlands. Acero houses the Ohio steel manufacturing operations.

The board has approved consolidating all business operations  Baytown and Ohio under JSW Steel (Netherlands) B.V. This restructuring is intended to optimise financial and operational outcomes by simplifying the group structure of these business verticals.

Merger of domestic subsidiaries In a separate move, the board has also approved a scheme of amalgamation for three of its wholly-owned subsidiaries with JSW Steel itself.

The subsidiaries to be merged with the company are Amba River Coke Limited, Monnet Cement Limited and JSW Retail and Distribution Limited.

This merger is expected to bring operational efficiency as there are synergistic linkages that exist between these companies, JSW Steel said.

Both the US reorganisation and the domestic merger are subject to necessary regulatory and other approvals, the company noted.

JSW Steel quarter results The steel giant reported a consolidated net profit of 1,623 crore for the quarter ending September 30, 2025, significantly higher by 270% year-on-year. However, sequentially, the net profit slumped 25% from 2,184 crore in the first quarter of FY26.
A special envoy to Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Elon Musk to build a tunnel between Alaska and Russias remote Far East, reviving a decades-old notion at a time when the Kremlin is seeking to bolster ties with the White House.

Kirill Dmitriev, chief executive officer of Russias sovereign wealth fund, called for a Putin-Trump Tunnel under the Bering Strait. He claimed in a series of X posts that the Boring Co., Musks drilling venture, could complete the project for about $8 billion in less than eight years, without providing details.

The Kremlin and Boring Co. didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Borings only completed public project to date is an underground loop in Las Vegas connecting a conference center and several hotels.

The pitch is outlandish at best given that the tunnel would need to cut through some of the worlds most inhospitable, remote and empty terrain. It comes after Putin and US President Donald Trump held a call on Thursday to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine and fits a broader pattern by Dmitriev to get Musk and the US president on Russias side.

Trump said the two leaders, who met in Alaska earlier this year, would hold a summit in the coming weeks in Budapest to continue cease-fire talks.

The question is who would even use it, said Emily Ferris, a senior fellow at RUSI who studies Russian transport infrastructure. Its impossible to get up there in the first place and its mostly deserted. Its not connected well to any other parts of the Far East.

Trump was asked about the idea at a White House meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday.

A tunnel from Russia to Alaska  I just heard about that one, Trump said. Thats an interesting one. Well have to think about that.

With assistance from Ilya Arkhipov and Kiel Porter.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
This week, the Broad Institute gene-sequencing lab said it read infants DNA genomes in less than four hours, cutting an hour off the previous Guinness World Record. The point for investors is that the scientists used a new sequencing technology from Roche Diagnostics, rather than the tools of market leader Illumina.

Illumina systems dominate gene sequencing in research labs and the clinic, so Roche will need to show impressive speed, accuracy and economics for its new products to make a dent in Illuminas $4 billion in annual sales. Broads speed record news coincides with a genomics conference this week, where the sequencing rivals are showing off their newest technologies.

Broad researchers said they demonstrated the feasibility of same-day reports of clinically relevant gene variants to those caring for newborns in intensive care. That is getting close to the turnaround time for other clinical lab tests. Fast sequencing could also make a difference in treating infections.

Compared with the decade it took for the first human genome sequence, the latest result is like the way top climbers now tackle Mt. Everest. Instead of spending weeks establishing a series of higher and higher camps on the mountain, they speed-climb it in a day.

Even Illumina had compliments.

The serious investment by companies entering into sequencing speak to the continued strength and potential of the market," an Illumina spokesperson told Barrons. It is an exciting moment for the entire industry when we see an advance in the speed of sequencing."

In its bid for the sequencing market, Roche introduced a new sequencing chemistry this year that it calls SBX, which can read longer lengths of DNA than Illuminas established SBS technology. That helps Roche generate more data, more quickly.

SBX will be used in Roches new high-end sequencing system Axelios, which could hit the market in the first half of 2026, said Guggenheim Partners Subbu Nambi in a Wednesday report from the American Society of Human Genetics meeting in Boston.

To get a sense of Roches new offerings, Guggenheim debriefed Christopher Mason, a computational genomics professor at New Yorks Weill Cornell Medicine who had early access to the systems. Along with their superior speed, the Roche products seem competitive with Illuminas in accuracy, according to Guggenheims report on the debriefing. Roche also seems willing to underprice Illumina.

Roche is pricing Axelios at $750,000, compared with about $1 million for Illuminas top sequencer.

Illumina stock has been a four-year heartbreak to investors since peaking in the biotech froth of the Covid-19 era. Since mid 2021, it has toppled from near $500, to a recent $96. Nambi, the Guggenheim analyst, rates it a Buy, with a $114 target price.

Illumina told Barrons that it will take considerable time for Roches new technology to generate evidence showing it can deliver accuracy, quality, consistency, and total end-to-end cost."

Research labs like Broad try every suppliers new systems, but the larger market of clinical labs adopts technology more slowly. And with $1 billion in annual spending on research and development, Illumina isnt standing still.

At the ASHG meeting this week, it showed a new chemistry that simultaneously reads DNA and the molecular tags that turn genes on and off, in ways that determine sickness or health. Illumina enjoys a competitive moat, said Guggenheim.

But Mason thinks Roche can make a good run at that barrier. If there was ever an obvious direct competitor to Illumina, Roche would be that threat, Guggenheim quoted the professor as saying. Mason expects Illumina and Roche to be the biggest clinical-sequencing suppliers in the next two to three years.

Write to Bill Alpert at william.alpert@barrons.com
As many as 700 delegates from more than 10 countries, comprising scientists, academicians, technologists, energy professionals, technology innovators, and service providers, will gather at the 15th Biennial International Conference & Exposition of the Society of Petroleum Geophysicists (SPG) in Jaipur later this month.

The conference will be held from 26 October to 28, 2025, at the Novotel Jaipur Convention Centre and Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre (JECC), according to a statement released on Friday.

With the theme Rock to Cloud: Geo-Exploration Empowering Energy Evolution, the convention comes at a pivotal time when India is reinvigorating its deepwater exploration mission and expanding its quest for new hydrocarbon frontiers to ensure long-term energy security.

Also Read | How ONGC plans to achieve 9,300 cr worth of cost savings by FY27

As Indias energy demand is projected to nearly double by 2040, the nations upstream sector is intensifying its focus on unlocking the immense potential of its offshore and deepwater basins. SPG 2025 will serve as a premier global platform to deliberate on cutting-edge geophysical technologies, data-driven exploration strategies, and digital innovations that are transforming the exploration landscape and strengthening Indias energy self-reliance, the statement said.

View full Image With the theme Rock to Cloud: Geo-Exploration Empowering Energy Evolution, the convention comes at a pivotal time when India is reinvigorating its deepwater exploration mission and expanding its quest for new hydrocarbon frontiers to ensure long-term energy security.

The technical programme will span the entire exploration value chain, from Seismic Acquisition, Imaging, and Reservoir Characterisation to Digital Geophysics, Cloud Data Analytics, and AI-driven Subsurface Modelling. A special focus will be placed on deepwater exploration case studies, advancements in seismic processing, and emerging geo-scientific research shaping the future of exploration, it said.

SPG will function as a live technology showcase The SPG 2025 Exhibition will function as a live technology showcase, featuring AI-powered interpretation tools, cloud-based data ecosystems, and high-performance computing platforms designed to reduce exploration cycle time and enhance prediction accuracy, the statement read.

The event will also feature a Geoscience Career Symposium connecting top energy firms with emerging talent, a Business Programme promoting collaboration between industry and technology providers, and Continuing Education Courses led by global experts in deepwater geoscience and digital transformation.
Peyush Bansal created a market disruption 15 years ago when he launched Lenskart with partners he met on LinkedIn, growing his eyewear business into a multi-billion dollar startup over the years. Now, he is in line to enter the billionaire club with the upcoming Lenskart IPO (initial public offering).

Lenskart is planning to debut on the stock market as early as November, according to Bloomberg, which cited sources familiar with the matter. The company is targeting a $9 billion valuation during its listing on Dalal Street, based on the IPO size.

That valuation would give Peyush Bansal a stake close to $800 million, even after selling a small portion of his shares in the IPO, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Peyush Bansal's stock could cross $1 billion if Lenskart shares rise by about 25% on debut.

Peyush Bansals path to the Lenskart IPO shows how investor confidence is returning for some founder-led ventures after a period when the countrys leading startups struggled to survive and funding dried up. Lenskart has carved out a niche with robotic production in India using machines imported from Germany to produce its glasses, along with a website that makes it easy for customers to order and test their purchases remotely.

Starting with a huge domestic market, Lenskart is already expanding across Southeast Asia. Bansal noted that demand patterns in Indonesia and Vietnam mirror Indias trajectory a decade ago.

India is the myopia capital of the world, and a lot of our people need glasses, Bansal said in an interview in Mumbai. If we can solve that, everything else, including scale, profit and rising market capitalisation, will follow.

Bansals pitch is that he stands apart from earlier Indian consumer-tech listings and already makes money. The Gurugram-based company, which designs, manufactures and sells eyewear online and through retail outlets, reported its first-ever full-year profit for the fiscal year ending 31 March.

Shark Tank Hes also got the tailwind of an established retail fanbase behind him. Outside of Lenskart, Bansal is a judge on the Indian franchise of the American show Shark Tank and has amassed more than 9,00,000 followers on Instagram.

In business, he says he has benefited from timing and persistence. Bansal jokes that he and co-founder Amit Chaudhary spend one day every week brainstorming new ideas, with mixed results.

Our hit rate is about 50%, he said. A coin toss might have worked just as well.

This year, hes contended with a stock debut buffeted by trade wars and geopolitical headwinds in addition to more wary investors.

While Indias startup scene is one of the worlds largest, valuations have nosedived for several companies that struggled to grow and as investors ask tougher questions. The family office of tech billionaire Narayana Murthy recently pointed to steep discounts driven by funds that need to exit their investments. Oyo Hotels, which like Lenskart is also backed by SoftBank Group Corp. was once among Indias most valued startups, worth $10 billion in 2019 before its valuation nosedived and later recovered.

Also Read | Lenskart files draft papers with Sebi to raise 2,150 crore via IPO

Also Read | Lenskart IPO DRHP exposes an awkward detail about a promoter - Missing marksheet

Peyush Bansals approach has drawn backing from investors who prefer patience over flash. SoftBank, which owns about 15% of the company, has described its stake in Lenskart as an example of patient capital that can wait decades for compounding growth. Earlier this year, investor Fidelity Management & Research valued Lenskart at $6.1 billion.

The Lenskart IPO will test whether the rebound in investor appetite for Indian consumer-technology stocks has staying power. Urban Co.s blockbuster debut last month, which saw shares of the rent-a-service marketplace surge 62% on opening day, rekindled optimism after a string of disappointing post-market performances from other startups had cooled enthusiasm for the sector.

Still, Lenskart remains dependent on China for more than one-third of its purchases, including frames, molds and raw materials, a reliance Bansal acknowledges but describes as manageable. Such dependence leaves the firm exposed to Chinas supply-chain swings, where tariffs or export curbs could hit deliveries and erode margins.

Now Peyush Bansal is overseeing production of a new manufacturing facility in Hyderabad, which is expected to be the worlds largest, covering 50 acres with a production capacity of hundreds of thousands of glasses daily.

First Ventures A graduate in engineering from McGill University in Montreal, Bansal began his career at Microsoft Corp. in Redmond, Washington, before returning to India to pursue entrepreneurship. His first venture, a student-housing platform, gave way to a broader mission after he recognized a much larger gap in vision care. From a small office in Faridabad, on the outskirts of Delhi, he and three partners he met on LinkedIn began building Lenskart.

The company now controls nearly every link in its value chain, from lens design and manufacturing to last-mile delivery. It employs hundreds of ophthalmologists in Kolkata who provide remote eye consultations and is developing AI-based testing tools to reach smaller cities where eye care access remains limited.

Lenskart plans to use proceeds from the share sale to open new stores across India, invest in technology and artificial intelligence capabilities, make acquisitions, and fund general corporate purposes, according to filings.

As of March, it operated 2,723 stores - across India and in markets such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Nearly 40% of its revenue now comes from outside India, underscoring its growing international footprint.

Its next big bet is smart eyewear. A 70-member team is working on integrating features such as UPI, AI tools, cameras, and headphones.
New Delhi: Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd, Reliance Industries Ltds retail arm, on Friday reported a consolidated profit of 3,457 crore for the September quarter, up 22% from a year ago.

Revenue from operations grew 19% year-on-year to 79,128 crore.

The retailer's Ebitda rose 16.5% year-on-year to 6,816 crore, while Ebitda margin fell by 20 basis points to 8.6%. Ebitda is earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization and is a measure of core operations.

Reliance Retail operates across categories such as grocery, consumer electronics, fashion and lifestyle, and online commerce.

Isha M. Ambani, executive director, Reliance Retail Ventures, on Friday said the business delivered strong performance during the quarter led by the company's focus on operational excellence, investments in stores and digital platforms and festive buying across consumption baskets.

GST rate changes will further accelerate consumption growth as consumers get the benefit of lower prices We consistently innovate, from curating new collections to creating campaigns that connect with today's Indian consumer, and our focus remains on building brands that inspire and resonate across India, she added.

Grocery and fashion & lifestyle businesses grew 23% and 22% year-on-year, respectively, led by festive buying. Consumer electronics delivered 18% year-on-year growth aided by GST rate reduction and new launches.

RRVL's earnings closely coincide with Dhanteras and Diwali; the quarter also saw GST-linked disruptions that hurt sales in the first half of September. Nonetheless, categories such as air conditioners and televisions, sold under its Reliance Digital retail brand, benefited the company due to a reduction in tax rates.

The company reported a consolidated profit of 3,271 crore in the April-June quarter, up 28.3% from a year ago. Revenue from operations grew 11.3% year-on-year to 73,720 crore.

Store expansion Reliance Retail opened 412 new stores during the September quarter, taking its total store count to 19,821, up 4.6% year-on-year.

Despite adding new stores, area under operations shrunk 2% to 77.8 million square feet in the September quarter versus 79.4 million sq. ft. in the year-ago period. In the year-ago period, it added 464 new stores, while in the June quarter it opened 388 new stores.

Also Read | How FMCG and appliance makers plan to pass on GST benefits to consumers

Last fiscal year, the company's retail business saw a period of subdued performance primarily due to an operational rationalisation done by the company that saw the retailer shutter large format stores across categories such as grocery and fashion to open smaller stores across formats.

However, during the company's June quarter earnings call, the management had said the business is now on the path of growing its store network.

We believe improvement in retail should act as a catalyst for the stock, especially given the implied low valuation for retail. We expect core retail to grow 12% year-on-year top line with FY25-28E CAGR at 13% (vs 5% year-on-year in FY25). Analysts expected the retail business to grow at 14% year-on-year, partially helped by a favorable base (impacted by strategic recalibration of store network), said Axis Bank analysts in a 13 October report.

The company's grocery business saw double-digit growth year-on-year in core categories with packaged food grew by 20%, staples grew by 18%, and home and personal care (HPC) grew by 13%. Additionally, the volume of fruits and vegetables was up by 62% year-on-year.

The companys consumer electronics business growth was driven by the festive build-up, though demand was impacted between the announcement and implementation of lower GST rates on 22nd September 2025, with a strong pickup occurring after that date. Laptops grew by 37%, Mobiles grew by 22%, and appliances grew by 10% on year-on-year basis.

Reliance Consumer Products Additionally, RIL has initiated a restructuring to spin off its fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands into a new entity, New Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (New RCPL), ahead of its much-anticipated IPO of its retail business. As part of the restructuring, RCPL will operate as a direct subsidiary of RIL. It was earlier a step-down subsidiary through Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd.

The RCPL demerger is a process in progress, and is awaiting a final order from the National Company Law Tribunal, it said on Friday.

In the September quarter, the company's fast-moving consumer goods business reported gross revenue of 5,400 crore.

Its cola brand Campa sustained double-digit market share in key markets for Campa, with positive growth momentum across categories led by Campa and Independence.

At the company's 48th annual general meeting in August, management set a revenue target of 1 trillion for its packaged consumer products business, RCPL, in five years.

Also Read | Fashion retailers sew GST-tinted offers this festive season
HBO's five-season popular show Silicon Valley is being played out in India as a slew of so-called hacker hostels gain traction from Bangalore to Dharamshala. What's missing are the profanities and coders in open bathrobes but the rest of the vibe is very much Silicon Valley with tech builders hard at creating their magic.

Hacker hostels are places where such builders live and work, complete with the chaos of multiple teams sharing the space 24x7. They are usually hosted by either a single person or a group, where people come from all over to hack something together, be it an app, robot or even a startup.

People as young as 14 years attend these one-to-three-month long residency programs, entering India's burgeoning startup ecosystem very early. Some groups born out of hacker hostels have managed to raise money for their startups.

It's a very recent and growing phenomenon in India. It started picking up only this year," said Bhaskar Kode, founder of AI Grants India. The company is a non-profit that helps budding startup founders and builders with getting access to large language model credits, access to hacker hostels as well as introductions to venture capitalists or exited founders. We wanted to remove the friction that currently exists when it comes to fostering AI in India," he added.

Also Read | Bengaluru startups gave birth to most of India's young billionaires

Traditionally, hacker houses in India have had a visibility issue. They've either been unreliable or unable to sustain as a business or just bad at brand positioning across social media.

LocalHost cracked distribution fairly well and that's how people are getting to know that the hacker house culture exists in India," said Nimisha Chanda, India lead of The Residency, a hacker house that was started in 2023 in San Francisco by Nick Linck. The India chapter is based out of Bengaluru's HSR Layout, a suburb where every second street is home to startups.

LocalHost was started by three friends, Kei Hayashi, Suhas Sumukh and Hardeep Gambhir, who met over messaging platform Discord three years ago. What started as a Discord server for people with an interest in tech has now evolved into a hacker house across different countries, including Romania, Japan and France. We started with cohorts of just five people and have now expanded to 15," said Sumukh, who turned 18 earlier this year. He sold his first venture during the Covid pandemic, when he was 15.

Bengaluru  1

One of India's earliest hacker hostels didn't even crop up in Bengaluru, but in Dharamshala, in Himachal Pradesh. Altspace was launched by Prashant Abhishek, back in 2018. Back then, we were more of a coding camp than a hacker hostel. We were AltCampus then."

When the pandemic hit, Abhishek took the company online and later pivoted to make it a co-living and co-working space now called AltSpace. It is the largest hacker hostel in the country, capable of housing up to 50 people at a time.

So far, AltSpace has hosted two editions of the Indiehacking Retreat and the recently concluded AI Launchpad residency, a nine-week-long program for builders to come and build products together. At the end of AI Launchpad, AltSpace said it held a demo day, for founders to showcase what they had built and invited investors including Antler India, Blume Ventures, Lightspeed India, and Peak XV Partners. Mint could not independently verify this.

View Full Image Two LocalHost hacker house residents in Bengaluru whiteboard it out. Credit: Suhas Sumukh

Meanwhile, LocalHost is planning to double down on Bengaluru. While it initially started as an online cohort, Sumukh said that it has decided to take it offline in India on account of the talent pool and density in the country. For its recent cohort, the company received over 500 applications pan-India, including from several smaller cities like Indore, Bhopal and Jaipur.

LocalHost had tried out a two-month long residency program in Gurugram for technologists as well as creative enthusiasts. It went well, but we found that on break from college, NCR folks would move to Bengaluru to break into the startup society here," said Sumukh.

As part of their Bengaluru push, LocalHost is hiring out a house in the tech city to create a media and startups lab. One floor for minus one founders, one for hardware development and another one for SaaS and fintech folks. We realised that startup founders need visibility and that's the media side of it. The startups side is for founders to get money, investments and a support engine," Sumukh said.

Term sheets

For the hacker hostels that are cropping up in India, the average age is below 25. The youngest resident at the Bengaluru chapter of The Residency was a sixteen-year-old building an AI tool for the film industry.

We're fairly sector agnostic. We've seen founders working on problems across everything, from deeptech to robotics, to AI, even healthtech and augmented reality," said Chanda.

So far, seven people from previous cohorts of The Residency in India have raised $100,000 in grant money from Emergent Ventures, an initiative from the George Mason University in the US, and another has raised $250,000 in a seed round led by Google AI lead Jeff Dean, according to its website.

Also Read | Startup funding winter takes a toll on vendors

At LocalHost, the youngest person was sixteen as well and building Cursor for hardware. Point the camera in the device to any hardware such as a circuit board and it would suggest what kind of code is required and write it up. "This founder literally built this in just 30 days," said Sumukh.

Some of the startups that have come out of the company's programs have managed to raise money as well.

Maya Research, run by Dheemanth Reddy, received a $30,000 grant from Emergent Ventures and has raised an undisclosed amount from an institutional investor and various angel investors. Prava Payments, a payment stack for AI agents built by Sushant Pandey and Shubham Kukreti, is currently raising money, as is augmented reality glasses company dawnAR.

Space, food, equity

On the other hand, money is always tight for people running hacker houses. Grants and sponsorship opportunities aren't always easy to come by to cover the costs of hosting builders.

For the hacker house ecosystem to grow in the country, they have to either find backers in the form of exited founders who have enough money to burn and have an altruistic view of growing the scene or build a venture capital fund of their own, according to industry veterans.

View Full Image Builder-residents unwind around a bonfire at the AltSpace premises in Dharamshala. Credit: Prashant Abhishek

A venture capital model would be similar to Erlich Bachmann's from the Silicon Valley show. Bachmann is a fictional arrogant character in the show who made his money selling his company and then made his home an incubator space.

Going the venture fund route means hacker houses have to take a chunk of equity from founders and have first right to write a cheque to first-time founder. This also helps them build credibility in the ecosystem.

It would be something like a hacker house running a fund. Like college meets Y Combinator, except hacker houses back founders from the minus one to zero stage," said AltSpace's Abhishek. Y Combinator is a storied startup accelerator in San Francisco that helped start Airbnb, Stripe, Doordash, and ScaleAI, among other wildly successful companies.

LocalHost is planning to go the fund route in the long run. Currently, it provides micro-grants and co-invests with companies from their cohorts. Sumukh, Hayashi, and Gambhir are currently figuring out how best to provide more targeted financial assistance to founders. When the time is right, we'll expand our investment capabilities to further support the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs," Sumukh said.
NEW DELHI: Asias factory activity in September reflected a patchy but stabilizing trend. Indias manufacturing expansion slowed slightly, while China and South Korea showed early signs of revival.

The latest set of data from S&P Global manufacturing PMI suggests that the regions recovery remains two-speedbolstered by domestic resilience in some economies, yet constrained by weak global demand.

Mint breaks down the numbers and the implications for Asias manufacturing outlook.

What do the latest PMI numbers show?

Asias largest manufacturing economies presented a mixed picture in September, underscoring the regions uneven industrial recovery.

Indias manufacturing PMI eased to 57.7 from 59.3 in August, indicating continued expansion but at a slower pace. Chinas reading rose to 51.2, its strongest in six months, hinting at tentative stabilization after months of softness, while South Korea returned to growth territory at 50.7, ending an eight-month contraction streak on the back of improving export orders.

In contrast, Japans factory activity (48.5) remained mired in contraction, weighed down by weak output and new orders. Malaysia (49.8) also stayed below the 50-point mark, signalling continued softness, while Vietnam (50.4) and Indonesia (50.4) hovered just above the expansion threshold, suggesting stabilization rather than renewed momentum.

Together, these readings highlight a region where industrial recovery is steady but uneven, with domestic demand cushioning some markets even as global trade headwinds persist.

Why did Indias PMI moderate?

Manufacturing momentum across Asias major producers, including India, Japan and Vietnam, eased in September, marking a normalization after the strong upturn seen earlier in the year. The moderation came as global demand softened and new US tariffs rippled through regional supply chains, weighing on export sentiment.

In India, the slowdown reflected monsoon-related disruptions and weaker external demand, though factory activity remained among the most resilient globally. Production and new orders continued to grow, but at a slower pace, mirroring trends across much of Asia. The data suggests that while the regions factory engines are still running, their rhythm is changing amid shifting global trade dynamics.

The September headline index (for India) softened, but it remained well above the long-term average. New export orders increased at a faster rate in September, indicating demand outside of the US might be offsetting any decline in demand from the US as a result of tariffs," said Pranjul Bhandari, Chief India Economist at HSBC,

Business confidence, as indicated by expectations for future output, showed a big jump in September, potentially reflecting optimism about the boost in demand from the cuts in goods and services tax (GST), although US tariffs remain a strong headwind to the economy," she added.

Which countries saw improvement?

China and South Korea were at the forefront of Asias improving manufacturing sentiment in September, signalling tentative recovery in the regions industrial base. In China, the official manufacturing PMI edged higher as factory output and new orders gained traction, pointing to early stabilization after months of uneven performance. The improvement reflected a gradual pickup in domestic demand and targeted policy measures aimed at supporting industrial activity, even as external conditions remained fragile.

South Korea, meanwhile, posted a notable rebound, with its PMI rising to 50.7the first expansion since Januarydriven by recovering technology exports and the normalization of supply chains disrupted earlier in the year.

Also Read | QCOs help lobbies at the cost of hampering India's manufacturing competitiveness

Together, the two economies offered cautious optimism, though the sustainability of this recovery will depend on how global demand and trade frictions evolve.

Why are Japan and Southeast Asia still struggling?

Export-dependent economies such as Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam continued to face headwinds from sluggish global demand, particularly for electronics, capital goods and intermediate components. Japans manufacturing PMI fell to 48.5 in September, underscoring persistent weakness in both domestic and overseas orders.

In Malaysia and Vietnam, muted external demand combined with rising input and energy costs to restrain production momentum. Even in economies where PMIs remained slightly above 50, indicating continued expansion, growth was modest and uneven. The broader picture points to a fragile recovery, with regional supply chains stabilizing but external orders yet to rebound meaningfullya sign that Asias manufacturing revival remains constrained by lingering softness in global trade.

What does this mean for Asias recovery outlook?

Asias manufacturing data points to a gradual but uneven recovery, with domestic-demand-driven economies like India and, increasingly, China providing regional stability. Strong local consumption and policy support are cushioning the impact of weak global trade, but sluggish exports and an uncertain global outlook mean the rebound remains fragile and two-speed.

Indias factory activity eased slightly yet stayed robust, while China and South Korea regained momentum on improving orders and supply-chain recovery. Overall, Asias near-term trajectory will hinge on how quickly global demand revives and whether trade tensions, including new US tariffs, further disrupt export flows. For now, the outlook remains one of caution, with internal demand providing a floor, but not yet the lift, for a sustained industrial upswing.
The government is steering clear of free trade agreements (FTAs) with countries that directly compete with Indian industry and instead is focusing on countries that complement Indias economic priorities, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday.

Countries that come to India with products, goods, and services that straight away impact our own businesses, we have stopped all those types of engagements, Goyal said, addressing industry leaders at an Assocham event.

The ministers remarks underline a recalibration of Indias trade priorities after it walked out of the China-backed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2019, a move Goyal described as a bold decision that saved Indian industry.

The expansive trade liberalization will shift toward a strategy rooted in protecting national interests and building partnerships that complement, not compete with, Indias economic priorities.

Instead, India is forging trade partnerships that complement its domestic economy, Goyal said.

Look at the FTAs we have done, he said.

Australia gives us coking coal....and they opened their doors for a lot of our products, automobiles, and students, he added.

The minister also highlighted the recently concluded FTA with the European Free Trade Association, comprising Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, as a model of mutually beneficial trade.

Goyal said that India was not part of RCEPs original framework of Asean, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and China, but joined negotiations in 2011 without clear reasoning.

Also Read | India, Canada trade ministers hold discussions to strengthen economic ties

Notably, Goyal did not comment on the ongoing US tariffs or Indias negotiations with the US, maintaining a measured stance on sensitive bilateral discussions.

He, however, pointed to the previous governments experience with China, when Indias trade deficit ballooned from under $2 billion to nearly $48 billion between 2004 and 2014.

Despite that, they (UPA government) were looking at doing a trade agreement with China (in the form of RCEP), Goyal said. UPA refers to the United Progressive Alliance.

That would have been disastrous, he added.

To be sure, Indias exit from the China-led RCEP in 2019 underscored a decisive shift in its trade approach.

After months of consultations revealed fears of a flood of cheap imports that could hurt domestic manufacturing and agriculture, New Delhi opted out of the worlds largest trade pact.

Complementary pacts Goyal noted that Indias new FTAs are crafted with national interest at the core, designed to generate jobs, boost manufacturing, and strengthen the services sector.

Trade deals with the European Union, US, Chile, Peru, New Zealand, and Oman are currently under negotiation, he said.

Tell me if any of these affect your businesses, or if they supplement them, Goyal said.

That is the strategy, well thought out, in the national interest, to support the Indian economy, he added.

Goyal said Indias trade approach now blends openness with prudence:

Trade and tariffs are important, but they have to be systematically and carefully planned so that they do not hurt Indian interests, he said.

Of course, theres always a give and take, but every negotiation must leave the country stronger, he added.

Goyal also underlined the growing importance of Indias services exports, predicting they will soon surpass merchandise exports.
The Mahagathbandhan alliance in Bihar has not finalised a seat-sharing formula, even as Congress released the names of 48 candidates it is fielding in the upcoming Bihar Election 2025.

Friday, 17 October, is the last day for filing nominations for the first phase of polling, scheduled for 6 November. With time running out, the candidates of the Mahagathbandhan may proceed to file nominations and later withdraw their names if needed.

Also Read | Cong releases 48 candidates for Bihar polls, fields state chief from Kutumba

Bihar Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The first phase will involve voting for 121 seats, while the second and final phases of the elections will involve voting for the remaining 122 seats. The results will be announced on 14 November.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal United  the two major National Democratic Alliance (NDA) parties  have already released names of all 101 seats that they are contesting in the Bihar elections.

Cracks in Mahagathbandhan Earlier on Thursday, BJP's Bihar unit chief Dilip Jaiswal hit out at the Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led Mahagathbandhan, hinting at possible cracks within the alliance as the Opposition was yet to announce its seat-sharing arrangement.

Jaiswal took a jibe at the Opposition's alliance, saying that the public has faith in the NDA. "The list of candidates for 101 seats has been released. The NDA is the first alliance to release its seat-sharing numbers and the list of candidates... There are conflicts going on in the Mahagathbandhan, and no decision has been made until now," Jaiswal told news agency ANI hours before the Congress list was out late on Thursday night.

The Congress leadership has been in talks with its alliance partners, including the RJD and the Left. The party has fielded state unit chief Rajesh Ram from Kutumba seat and CLP leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan from Kadwa. The party has fielded Bihar Youth Congress chief Prakash Garib Das from Bachhwada seat while Jayesh Mangal Singh will contest from Bagaha.

The highlight of the Congress partys first list was, however, Amit Giri from the Nautan (West Champaran) seat. Till recently, Giri was associated with the RSS and is said to be close to BJP West Champaran MP Sanjay Jaiswal.

Ex- RSS guy, branding team member in the first list The highlight of the Congress partys first list was, however, Amit Giri from the Nautan (West Champaran) seat. Till recently, Giri was associated with the RSS and is said to be close to BJP West Champaran MP Sanjay Jaiswal.

The public has faith in the NDA.

In 2020, the Congress contested 70 constituencies and won 19. The party has fielded nine of its 17 sitting MLAs. Two MLAs have defected since 2020.
Jr NTR has finally unveiled the teaser for Saamrajyam, the Telugu version of the highly anticipated Silambarasan TR and Vetrimaaran's Tamil movie Arasan.

Jr NTR shared the YouTube link of Saamrajyam on his official X handle and sent best wishes to the Arasan team.

Sending my best wishes to the inimitable genius Vetrimaaran sir, my brother Silambarasan T R, rockstar Anirudh Ravichander, and the entire Saamrajyam / Arasan team, he wrote.

The Telugu star continued: Im sure the best of STR is yet to come and who better than Vetri sir to showcase it on the big stage. This one already feels special.

Watch Saamrajyam promo (Telugu version of Arasan) here:

About Arasan Arasan marks the first collaboration between Silambarasan TR (STR) and Vetri Maaran. The movie is set in the same universe as Vetri Maaran's critically acclaimed Vada Chennai, although the makers have stated it is not a sequel.

The movie, produced under Kalaipuli S Thanu's V Creations banner, is said to be made in two parts.

Watch Arasan promo (Tamil) here:

Arasan: Cast Certain characters from Vada Chennai, such as Andrea reprising her role as Chandra, Samuthirakani, and Kishore, are expected to appear alongside newcomers Manikandan and Nelson Dilipkumar.

Speculations about the female lead include names such as Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Keerthy Suresh, with official confirmation pending.

Here's how netizens reacted: Social media users have deemed Arasan as a blockbuster and called it the best of STR. A user said, Teaser looks great, all the best. Another added, Silambarasan TR anna. Jai NTR.

Also Read | Invincible Season 4 teaser trailer out: Lee Pace debuts as Thragg

Vetrimaaran sir's genius vision paired with STR's unbeatable swag  #Saamrajyam is destined to be a massive blockbuster! one netizen said, adding, Anirudh's beats will steal hearts for sure. Trailer vibes? Pure goosebumps! Sending love to the entire #Arasan team  the best of STR is about to explode on the big screen! Can't wait!

Inimitable genius = a person whose intelligence and talent are so extraordinary and unique that they are impossible to copy or imitate. There you have it, guys  thats for Vetrimaaran, another netizen said.

So nice of you to support a small actor's movie. Proud of you, a user said, lauding Jr NTR.
By Hanna Rantala

LONDON, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Actor Brendan Fraser immersed himself in Japanese culture and language for his role in the comedy drama "Rental Family".

Directed and co-written by filmmaker Hikari, the movie sees Fraser play Phillip, an American actor who travelled to Tokyo to star in a toothpaste commercial and ended up staying.

Seven years on, work opportunities are scarce and Phillip's life lacks purpose. But things take a turn when he gets booked by a professional stand-in service using actors to portray family members, friends and companions. Initially hesitant, Phillip soon finds himself connecting with his clients and getting deeply involved in their lives.

Attending the movie's London Film Festival premiere on Thursday, Fraser said he was carefully considering his options after finishing the awards season run that culminated in his best actor Oscar win for "The Whale" in 2023. Nothing piqued his interest until he came across what he described as an obscure, unusual title.

"This film was going to be shot in Japan. This is a Japanese movie made with Japanese actors, Japanese crew, Japanese artisans, a first for me. I've always tried to find something that's diverse or different or interesting from whatever I've done before. It just ticked all the boxes," he said.

Fraser, 56, found a tutor to help him with the language and travelled to Tokyo weeks before the shoot to acclimatise.

"We all have to communicate somehow, right? What it all really comes down to is we all want the same things," he said.

"And on top of that, Japanese people are unfailingly polite. If ever I was lost on the street, someone would take you by the hand and walk you to your destination. That sort of noblesse and gentility is everything that I crave and found while I was there," he said.

Hikari said she wanted to flip her own experiences of living in the United States as a foreigner and tell the story of an American adapting to life in Japan, encountering isolation but also creating meaningful connections.

"The world is a bit in a funky place that feels like technology's advanced and it's incredible, but at the same time, there's isolation between people. I feel like making a movie about people's connection was much needed," she said.
Kajol stirred up a massive controversy during her interview with Anupama Chopra on The Hollywood Reporter India. The Bollywood actress compared herself with someone doing a regular 9-to-5 job. Heres what she said.

If you're not shooting for a film, you're shooting for something else. You're working. You're attending an event. It's continuous, and I have to be 100% present. To be 100% present all the time for 12 to 14 hours a day is difficult. It is really difficult, she said.

When you're doing a 9-to-5 job, and you're sitting at a desk, you don't have to be 100% present. You're doing your job or whatever for the period of time that it takes, she continued.

You can take your tea breaks. I'm not saying that we don't take our tea breaks and coffee breaks. But, you can kind of chill out, let loose, and walk, talk and do your job at the same time, Kajol said, leaving the audience gobsmacked.

Also Read | Kajol wishes makeup artist Mickey Contractor on his birthday; goes down memory lane

But, we can't. And, we are scrutinised. We are looked at. We have to worry about how we cross our legs, how we sit, where we are, who's looking at us, and who's photographing us at every point in time. It's a lot of pressure," she added.

Kajols reply was in defence of her earlier statement on Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle. Chopra referred to her remark on the Amazon Prime Video show.

In the second episode, featuring Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, Kajol said that actors worked harder than 9-to-5 employees.

Defending her earlier statement, Kajol spoke about waking up at 5 AM to catch a 7 AM flight to Jaipur. Before attending a 3 PM event in the Pink City, she had had a packed day.

Social media reaction Her defence did not impress social media at all.

When we talk about whose work is harder, lets just say, an actors schedule might be demanding, but its usually temporary, cyclical, and supported. A working parents schedule is continuous, every single day, with no wrap-up party or off-season, wrote one user on YouTube.

Please, can we stop this comparison of who works harder? We dont know your life, just like you dont know one of a 9-to-5s, which, btw, rarely is 8 hours a day, posted another.

Also Read | Kajol takes part in Sindoor Khela ceremony with daugher Nysa, celebrities join the festivities

Another user replied, For the kind of remuneration actors are paid, they shouldn't have a problem working 12 hrs a day for 4 days a week for 3 to 4 months, which is the standard time a regular film gets made nowadays.

Actors can't take tea breaks. I mean, they don't need to. Spot boys will come and deliver juices anyway. Or tea or whatever they prefer, commented a Reddit user.

Another quipped, Vanity mein naps or massages bhi toh hum lete hai(We also take naps and get massages in the vanity van, dont we?).

If you work poorly, you get fired. If you act poorly, you get a Filmfare award, came another sarcastic reply.
The Geeta Gandbhir-directed documentary 'The Perfect Neighbour' arrived on Netflix on October 17 and the social media reviews are in. The documentary is about the killing of Ajike Owens, through various bodycam footages .

The film had a massive world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 2025.

The Perfect Neighbour X reviews Soon after the release of 'The Perfect Neighbour' on Netflix, watchers and viewers around the world started penning their thoughts on what transpired.

One user wrote, Halfway through and I need a moment of pause. These babies being the polices primary witnesses to their mother being shot and watching their reaction in real time is actually harrowing (sic).

Another person commented, "#ThePerfectNeighbor broke my heart. 4 children have to grow up without their mother because an angry, old and racist white woman couldnt handle kids playing (sic)."

A third person wrote, "I felt a pit in my stomach the entire time that I watched The Perfect Neighbor. I'm sure we will be talking about it for weeks to come as this season gets underway (sic)."

What happened to Ajike Owens? On 2 June 2023, in Ocala, Florida, 35-year-old Ajike AJ Shantrell Owens was fatally shot by her neighbour, 58-year-old Susan Lorincz. Owens had been knocking on Lorinczs door following a series of altercations between Owenss children and Lorincz in a nearby field. Lorincz discharged her firearm through the door, striking Owens.

Police were already en route to the residence in response to a reported trespassing incident when they received a subsequent emergency call regarding a shooting at the same location. Upon arrival, officers found Owens gravely injured and transported her to hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

In August 2024, Lorincz was convicted of manslaughter, and in November 2024, she was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment.

FAQs Is 'The Perfect Neighbour' based on true events? Yes. It is a documentary based on the killing of Ajike Owens.

Who killed Ajike Owens? Ajike's 58-year-old neighbour Susan Lorincz shot her.

What punishment did Susan Lorincz receive? She was found guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
For India's growing tribe of entrepreneurs, travel has become both a necessity and a race against logistics. Meetings are confirmed overnight, flights booked on instinct, hotels secured with a tap. Yet even in an age of near-instant everything, one part of international travel still breeds uncertainty: the visa.

Delhi-based entrepreneur Anshul Sushil found himself facing that familiar anxiety just days before a critical meeting in Dubai. His flights were booked, his pitch was ready, but his trusted visa contact, the one who had handled his travel documentation for years, had gone quiet.

"I almost missed a critical meeting in Dubai because my visa guy ghosted me," Sushil later wrote on LinkedIn. "Yes, that nightmare actually happened."

As any entrepreneur knows, travel is often last-minute. You rarely get more than a week's notice, and the pressure is on," he explained. With an important meeting lined up and his usual contact unreachable, panic set in. "Frantic messages in every possible WhatsApp group," he recalled.

Then a senior colleague suggested trying a visa processing platform called Atlys, which allows travellers to apply for visas directly through an app.

Sushil's first reaction? Skepticism. "Frankly, it sounded too good to be true. An AI-driven visa process? From my phone? At midnight?"

But with his usual guy not responding and other leads also ghosting, he decided to take a chance.

What happened next caught him off guard. "Uploaded a photo. Got approvals. Got notified every step of the way," he wrote. "No agents. No followups. No delays. Just one smooth, AI-powered ride."

Within hours, his Dubai visa was approved, well before his scheduled flight. "I got my visa before time. Let that sink in."

His experience reflects a shift quietly transforming how Indians approach travel administration. For decades, visas were synonymous with hassle, stress and uncertainty. But platforms like Atlys are reimagining the process through automation and secure data flows, allowing travellers to manage documentation the same way they now book flights or hotels: digitally, instantly, and transparently.

This change is being accelerated by the post-pandemic rebound in global travel. Travel is back to pre-2020 levels, but expectations have evolved. Travellers now expect systems that match the speed of their lives. The rise of startup founders, consultants, and digital nomads in India has created a generation that won't tolerate outdated processes when speed and certainty are available.

For Sushil, the relief was immediate and the lesson clear. Most travel anxiety doesn't come from distance. It comes from uncertainty. When that uncertainty is removed, the journey feels almost effortless. His meeting in Dubai went ahead as planned.

"The entire process felt like magic, but it was just smart tech and solid execution," Sushil reflected, crediting the Atlys team and founder Mohak Nahta for "making something that actually works when it matters the most."

As global mobility continues to accelerate, stories like this one point to a new normal, where getting a visa might soon be as seamless as booking a flight. And for travellers like Anshul Sushil, that future has already arrived.

For further information, visit: https://www.atlys.com/en-IN

Note to readers: This article is part of Mints paid consumer connect Initiative. Mint assumes no editorial involvement or responsibility for errors, omissions, or content accuracy.
Imagine a 58-year-old farmer in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, experiencing recurring chest discomfort. A decade ago, his path to diagnosis might have meant a day-long journey to Pune or Mumbai, navigating long waiting lists and high costs. Today, he can walk into a local facility equipped with advanced intravascular imaging technology, receive a diagnosis within hours, and begin treatment without leaving his community. The change is just as striking for clinicians  a young cardiologist in Indore now has access to the same advanced imaging tools as a peer in Boston or Tokyo, creating a level playing field for doctors and patients alike. Across India, similar shifts are underway, bringing advanced care from city hospitals to the heart of small-town India.

The Rising Demand Indias medical device industry is growing at a pace. Valued at close to US$12 billion in 2024, it is projected to reach US$50 billion by 2030. This reflects a combination of factors: a growing middle class seeking better healthcare outcomes, an ageing population with rising incidence of chronic diseases, government investment in healthcare infrastructure beyond metros, and increasing insurance coverage making advanced treatments more affordable.

The pace of growth is matched by a demand for world-class solutions that can reach patients everywhere. India is evolving from a consumer of global innovation to a creator shaping the future of MedTech.

This growing influence was on full display at the recent APAC MedTech Forum 2025 in New Delhi, where industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators came together to discuss building robust healthcare systems, equitable access, and patient-centered innovation. The conversations underscored Indias expanding role in the global MedTech dialogue and its potential to set benchmarks for other emerging markets.

Indias Appetite for MedTech Leadership Few countries combine the strengths needed to lead this transformation as effectively as India. The nations vast and diverse patient base offers unmatched scale. Its proven ability to deliver cost-effective solutions ensures affordability. A deep pool of engineering and clinical talent drives innovation, while rapid adoption of digital health platforms extends reach into even the most remote areas.

Indias mix of scale, affordability, talent, and digital capability is inspiring domestic innovators and global MedTech leaders to invest in ways that strengthen local healthcare and establish the country as a global center for innovation, manufacturing, and R&D.

Patient-First Innovation in Action A defining feature of this shift is a patient-first approach  ensuring advanced therapies are available, accessible and safely adopted across geographies.

For us at Boston Scientific, being part of Indias healthcare journey has meant building an integrated ecosystem that combines commercial operations, research and development (R&D), information technology and global business services. This One Boston Scientific India model embeds innovation into the local healthcare fabric while also contributing to the companys global network.

In 2024 alone, we introduced five breakthrough solutions in India, from AVVIGO + to Rezum. Technology has the ability to enhance outcomes, and its value is magnified when paired with training and expertise. Thats why our EDUCARE platform was used to train thousands of clinicians and technicians last year, enabling advanced procedures to be performed safely on patients across hospitals including emerging healthcare hubs.

And behind those numbers are real stories  of young physicians in cities like Indore and Siliguri gaining access to world-class training, and of patients in emerging healthcare hubs benefitting from therapies once available only in metros. These are the moments that bring our mission  advancing science for life  to life.

Boston Scientifics R&D Leadership in India This commitment to patient access goes hand in hand with our growing role as a creator of MedTech innovation in India. Our R&D journey here began in Gurgaon in 2014, with our second R&D center opening in Pune in 2022 and expanding in 2024.

Our India-based teams contribute across the companys entire MedTech value chain  from designing and prototyping devices, to rigorous testing and refinement, to preparing them for commercialization in India and globally. This integrated approach ensures that innovations developed here meet the highest international standards and can benefit patients worldwide.

For us, Made in India is more than manufacturing, it means innovate and develop in India, for India and for the world. So far, our R&D team in India has filed close to 300 patents, underscoring its influence in shaping next-generation therapies.

Working seamlessly with global counterparts across all business units, our R&D India is not just an outsourcing arm  it is a core part of Boston Scientifics global innovation engine, with India serving as a vital node in a worldwide MedTech network.

The Ecosystem Imperative For India to fully realize its MedTech potential, technology adoption must be matched by ecosystem alignment. Regulatory harmonization can help speed up approvals without compromising safety. Digital integration can connect patients, providers, and data to improve outcomes. Public-private partnerships can extend advanced care into underserved regions. And sustained investment in talent and infrastructure will ensure that innovation momentum is not just achieved but maintained.

Boston Scientific works with healthcare providers, public institutions and academic partners to ensure that innovation translates into greater access and better outcomes for patients everywhere.

The Road Ahead The question is no longer whether India can lead in MedTech. It is how quickly it can align its ecosystem to sustain that leadership. The progress of the past decade has shown whats possible: advanced therapies reaching towns that once lacked basic facilities, doctors in emerging hubs performing procedures once limited to major metros, and innovations born in India improving lives here and around the world. The next chapter will be defined not by geography, but by how far and how fast we can take this transformation.

The article is co-authored by Madan R. Krishnan, Vice President & Managing Director, Asia Pacific Growth Markets, and Sanjeev Pandya, Vice President & Site Leader, India R&D, Boston Scientific Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of the brand by HT Syndication
Apple Inc. is ramping up its manufacturing operations in Vietnam as part of a broader strategy to enter the smart home market and reduce reliance on China. The company is working on several new devices, including indoor security cameras, a smart display for controlling household appliances, and a tabletop robot featuring a motorised arm. These products are expected to be built in Vietnam with assembly support from Chinese firm BYD Co.

The smart display, often referred to as the home hub, will act as a central command unit for home appliances and services. Two versions are planned: a tabletop model mounted on a speaker base and a wall-mounted variant. Both models will feature a FaceTime camera and a dynamic software interface that recognises users and adjusts the display accordingly, similar to Amazons Echo Show devices. The home hub is currently targeted for a spring 2026 release.

Apples tabletop robot, set for release in 2027, will have a 9-inch display on a motorised arm, capable of moving across a workspace or kitchen. Development has faced engineering challenges, particularly in integrating robotics with AI functionality, which has delayed its launch. Pricing for the device is expected to be in the several-hundred-dollar range due to the complex technology involved.

In addition to these new smart home devices, Apple plans to increase iPad production in Vietnam alongside BYD. The company already produces AirPods, Apple Watches, Macs, older HomePods, and some iPads in the country. Expanding manufacturing in Vietnam is part of Apples effort to diversify its supply chain amid geopolitical tensions, tariff risks, and potential supply disruptions in China.
SINGAPOREChina has purged its second-most senior general and eight other high-ranking military commanders, as leader Xi Jinping dials up a crackdown on corruption and disloyalty in the armed forces with the ouster of a handpicked protege.

Gen. He Weidong, the lower-ranking of two vice chairmen on the Communist Partys top military decision-making body and a member of the 24-man Politburo, has been dismissed from the party and the military for severe disciplinary violations and abuses of power, a spokesman for Chinas Defense Ministry said Friday.

The party also purged eight other senior officers, including Adm. Miao Hua, the former head of the Central Military Commissions political-work department; ex-commanders of Chinas strategic-missile force and paramilitary police; and former political commissars of Chinas army and navy, according to the spokesman.

Investigators found that the nine men had committed severe violations of party discipline" and serious duty-related crimes," the spokesman said. Their alleged offenses, which the spokesman said involved especially huge sums of money, were extremely serious in nature and had an extremely negative impact, he said.

All nine men will face court-martial, the spokesman said. None of them could be reached for comment.

Xis latest crackdown has raised questions about his ability to root out graft and enforce loyalty in the Peoples Liberation Army and make the armed forces combat ready. At stake is Chinas quest to become a first-rate military power that can protect its global interests, compete with the U.S. for strategic dominance and potentially seize Taiwan, the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its territory.

Gen. He is the most senior active-duty military officer that Xi has purged, and the first incumbent vice chair of the Central Military Commission, or CMC, to be ousted in nearly four decades. The 68-year-old general, who hasnt been seen publicly since March, is also the first sitting Politburo member to be investigated since 2017.

China last purged military officials at this level of seniority roughly a decade ago, when the party expelled two retired CMC vice chairmen on corruption charges during Xis first term as leader.

Disciplinary probes have now ensnared three of the six professional military officers who were in the CMC when its current five-year term started in 2022. Xi chairs the CMC, which commands the armed forces, as its only civilian member.

As the CMCs second-ranked vice chair, He had been overseeing political discipline and ideological training in the armed forces, among other duties. Miao, an ordinary member of the CMC and the former head of its political-work department, was suspended late last year when Beijing first announced an investigation against him.

The third cashiered CMC member, Gen. Li Shangfu, was ousted as defense minister in 2023 and then expelled from the party on corruption charges in June last year.

The party hasnt announced replacements for He, Miao or Li. The partys governing Central Committee could appoint new members to the CMC at a plenary meeting next week.

Eight of the nine men named in Fridays purge announcement, including He and Miao, were members of the Central Committee, which had about 370 full members and nonvoting alternates when its current term started in 2022.

Since taking power in 2012, Xi has used anticorruption purges to consolidate control and advance plans to modernize a military that hasnt fought a full-scale war since 1979. The goal is to create a more nimble, 21st-century force that can integrate air, sea and land operations, project power and wage war in the digital age.

During his early years as leader, Xi axed dozens of generals and replaced them with officers whom he considered to be more professional and politically reliable. He also overhauled the militarys command structure to put himself more firmly in control.

Xi ramped up defense purges again in the summer of 2023, starting with officers commanding Chinas nuclear arsenal, reaching into the militarys highest echelons and defense contractors that produce stealth fighters and other advanced armaments. More than three dozen senior military officers and defense-industry executives have been placed under investigation or removed from office in the past two years or so, according to official disclosures reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

Last year, Xi implicitly acknowledged the purges when he ordered the military to launch an indoctrination drive to instill loyalty and fervor among its 2 million personnel. He and Miao had been overseeing this campaign before they were removed.

Earlier in their careers, He and Miao had served in military units based in the southeastern province of Fujian, the mainland region nearest Taiwan, and where Xi had worked for about 17 years until 2002, rising from a municipal vice mayor to provincial governor.

Some China politics analysts have described He and Miao as members of a Fujian Gang," a loose grouping of senior officials who had worked in that province while Xi was there.

He, whose given name can translate as guarding the east," led the Chinese militarys Eastern Theater Command from 2019 to early 2022, overseeing forces stationed closest to Taiwan.

He joined the CMC as vice chairman in 2022, an unusually rapid promotion. Before then, new appointees as CMC vice chairmen typically had experience serving on the Central Committee either as full members or nonvoting alternates. He joined the Central Committee for the first time the day before he was named to the CMC and the Politburo.

He appeared in public most recently in March at the annual meeting of Chinas national legislature. As a senior member of the military caucus, he praised Xis program to modernize the armed forces and urged more efforts to strengthen political loyalty.

Since then, He has missed official engagements including Politburo meetings and an annual tree-planting event in April that top military officials have attended for the past four decades. He was also the only Politburo member whose name didnt appear on wreaths at the wake of a retired military-commission vice chairman who died in June.

Xi has stepped up military indoctrination since He disappeared. In July, the CMC issued new rules on vigorously promoting fine traditions, comprehensively eliminating poisonous influences, and reshaping political cadres image and prestige"a move the militarys flagship newspaper said would help forge absolute loyalty to the party."

Beijing last purged an incumbent CMC vice chair in 1989, when Zhao Ziyang was removed as the partys general secretary and the CMCs first-ranked vice chairman over his perceived softness in handling student protests in and around Beijings Tiananmen Square. The party sidelined Zhao for opposing martial law and later sent troops to crush the demonstrationsin what became known as the June 4 massacrebefore purging him later that month.

Write to Chun Han Wong at chunhan.wong@wsj.com
Bank holiday on Diwali: Banks across several parts of the country will be closed on certain days of the upcoming week for Diwali and related festivities, according to the state-wise holiday calendar of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Are banks closed for Dhanteras 2025? Banks across the country are not scheduled to remain closed for Dhanteras, which falls on Saturday, October 18, this year. Notably, October 18 is the third Saturday of the month, hence banks will remain open across the country except Guwahati, where Khati Bihu will be observed.

Bank holiday on Diwali: Region-wise list Monday, October 20: Banks will be closed in Agartala, Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Gangtok, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Itanagar, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kochi, Kohima, Kolkata, Lucknow, New Delhi, Panaji, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Shillong, Shimla, Thiruvananthapuram and Vijayawada for Diwali, Naraka Chaturdashi and Kali Puja.

Tuesday, October 21: Banks are scheduled to be closed in Belapur, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Gangtok, Imphal, Jammu, Mumbai, Nagpur, Raipur and Srinagar for Diwali Amavasya, Deepawali and Govardhan Pooja.

Wednesday, October 22: Banks will be closed in Ahmedabad, Belapur, Bengaluru, Dehradun, Gangtok, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mumbai and Nagpur.

When is Diwali 2025? Diwali, also known the festival of lights, is one of the most significant Hindu festivals, celebrated across the country with great enthusiasm. The festival symbolises the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. In 2025, the Amavasya Tithi, which determines the Diwali date falls over two days, starting on October 20 and ending on October 21, 2025. However, as per the Hindu calendar, Diwali is expected to be celebrated on October 20 in most parts of the country.

Also Read | Wall Street today: US stocks mixed amid worries over regional banks instability

When are banks closed? Banks are typically closed in various parts of the country to mark national, religious and regional observances. Additionally, banks are closed on the second and fourth Saturdays and all Sundays of the month.

Upcoming bank holidays in October 2025 October 23 - Banks will be closed for Bhai Bij, Bhaidooj, Chitragupt Jayanti, Laxmi Puja (Deepawali), Bhratridwitiya and Ningol Chakkouba in Ahmedabad, Gangtok, Imphal, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow and Shimla.

October 27 - Banks will be closed in Kolkata, Patna and Ranchi for Chath Puja.

October 28 - Banks will remain shut in Patna and Ranchi for Chath Puja.

October 31 - Banks will be closed in Ahmedabad for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's Birthday.

What services are available on a bank holiday? Notably, online banking services are likely to be available across the country to ensure access to banking services, even on bank holidays. Customers can use these services for convenient financial transactions.
(Bloomberg) -- More than 200 firms are lining up to go public in Hong Kong, adding to a strong year for stock sales in the Asian hub, the citys top finance official said.

The IPO pipeline is very strong, Financial Secretary Paul Chan told Bloomberg Television in an interview from New York. For mainland companies going global, using Hong Kong as a platform to raise the funds and to employ the talents to help them in their overseas expansion is a very good business proposition.

Hong Kong has had a banner year for initial public offerings, as more Chinese firms list in the financial hub, and as stocks rebound from a multi-year slump. Equity sales  comprising IPOs, primary placements and block trades  raised the most in four years in the third quarter, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The three-month haul exceeded proceeds for all of 2024.

The markets revived hype has attracted major listings, including battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. and Chinese miner Zijin Gold International Co.

Hong Kong stocks have surged since late last year after China reiterated support for the city, and as sentiment over Chinas economy improves. The benchmark Hang Seng Index has gained 29% in 2025, among the worlds best performing developed markets.

Global investors are helping drive the rally, Chan said. Half of the trading is coming from Europe, the US, Middle East and Asia, with the other half from mainland China, he said.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is hosting another summit for global bankers next month. Several bank executives pulled out at the last minute from the inaugural event in 2022 due to Covid and US political pressure to not associate with Beijing and Hong Kong. It will be closely watched to see if geopolitics cloud the attendance this year.

At the moment, there are about 100 people at the chief executive officer or chair level who plan to attend, Chan said.

The response so far has been overwhelming, he said. This is a must go event in Asia for business leaders.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Upcoming IPO: Sify Infinit Spaces has filed its draft papers with the stock market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), to raise funds via an initial public offering (IPO), the company informed on Friday, 17 October 2025.

The company, part of the Sify Group, is aiming to raise 3700 crore from the initial share sale, via a combination of fresh issuance of equity shares and sale by existing institutional investors.

Sify Infinit Spaces IPO Details The IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares of up to 2,500 crore. These funds will go directly to the company.

Additionally, the offering includes an Offer for Sale (OFS) of equity shares aggregating up to 1,200 crore by the selling stakeholders  the Kotak Data Center Fund ( 643 crore) and the Kotak Special Situations Fund ( 557 crore). The funds from OFS will accrue to these existing investors.

Also Read | Lenskart IPO could make Peyush Bansal a billionaire

Furthermore, Sify Infinit Spaces may consider undertaking a pre-IPO placement of specified securities for up to 500 crore in consultation with the Book Running Lead Managers (BRLMs). If the placement is executed, the amount raised will be directly reduced from the fresh issue size of 2,500 crore.

In a pre-IPO placement, the company may decide to sell some shares to a select group of institutional investors, like mutual funds and insurance companies, before the IPO opens to the public.

How will the company utilise the proceeds? The company plans to utilise the net proceeds from the fresh issue towards growth and operational initiatives. The bulk of the funds, 1,325 crore, is designated for data centre construction projects.

Another 465 crore will go towards the completion of Tower B at the existing Chennai 02 data centre, and 860 crore is allocated for the construction of Towers 11 and 12 at the Rabale Data Centre in Navi Mumbai.

Beyond expansion, a major portion, 600 crore, will be used for the repayment or prepayment of certain borrowings, while the remaining funds will be deployed towards general corporate purposes, the company said in the filing.

About Sify Infinit Spaces Sify Infinit Spaces is a leading data centre infrastructure company in India, offering colocation, interconnection, build-to-suit, and value-added services across its nationwide network. As of March 31, 2025, it held a 15.26% market share by built IT capacity in India.

Its first data centre commenced operations in 2000. As of June 30, 2025, the company operated 14 colocation data centre facilities across six major cities and demand hubs such as Mumbai, Chennai, Noida, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Kolkata with a combined built IT power capacity of 188.04 megawatts (MW), as per a press release shared by the company.

The company has strong financials as its revenue has increased from 1021.3 crore in fiscal 2023 to 1428.3 crore in fiscal 2025. EBITDA rose from 412.6 crore to 634.24 crore in the same period, while margins improved from 40.40% to 44.40%.

Profit after tax (PAT) also saw a jump from 96.68 crore in fiscal 2023 to 126.3 crore in the last fiscal year.

Sify would be joining a growing list of companies tapping into the IPO market, amid a surge in demand for data centres, which is driven by the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI).
Coca-Cola Co. is considering taking its Indian bottling unit public in a deal that may fetch $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

The company has met with bankers in recent weeks to discuss the possible initial public offering of Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt., which would value the unit at about $10 billion, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing a private matter. Its still early in the process and the company hasnt hired bankers for the deal yet, according to the people.

The deal would probably occur next year if it goes ahead, according to one of the people. Deliberations are ongoing so details such as the timing, structure, and size of the offering could still change, according to the people. A representative for Coca-Cola didnt respond to requests for comment.

The deal would bring one of the worlds best-known brands to Indias hot IPO market, which is on track for a record month and possibly have its best year ever in 2025. With offerings such as Coca-Cola and Mukesh Ambanis Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. coming up, 2026 is shaping up to be another banner year.

Also Read | Lenskart IPO could make Peyush Bansal a billionaire

Coca-Cola would join the rising trend of global companies listing their Indian units, as was recently the case with LG Electronics Inc.s $1.3 billion IPO this month and Hyundai Motor Co.s record-breaking $3.3 billion listing last year.

Though India is one of Coca-Colas biggest markets, its been facing increased competition there in recent years, especially from Ambanis Campa Cola, which is quickly gaining market share with 200-milliliter bottles priced as low as 10 rupees (11 cents).

About Coca Cola India Coca-Colas Indian bottler serves over 2 million retailers and employs more than 5,200 people, according to its website. Headquartered in Bengaluru, the company operates 14 manufacturing plants across 12 states and 236 districts in southern and western India.
The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, has been witnessing a strong rally on Friday, gaining over half a percent each, ahead of the Dhanteras and Diwali festivities. The Sensex surged over 400 points, crossing the 84,000 mark, while the Nifty 50 scaled past 25,700, hitting its highest level in the past yea

Investors are now looking forward to the Diwali Muhurat trading session scheduled for Tuesday, October 21, 2025. Traditionally, Muhurat trading is considered an auspicious occasion, with market participants believing that buying equities on this day brings wealth and prosperity.

Brokerage firm Centrum Broking has released the list of its Diwali stock picks. These stocks to buy for Samvat 2082 include five fundamental stock picks and five technical stock picks. The fundamental stock picks include Dixon Technologies (India), Azad Engineering, Syrma SGS Technology, Canara Bank and Cholamandalam Investments & Finance.

Also Read | Diwali stock picks 2025: 12 Muhurat trading picks by JM Financial

Here are the fundamental Diwali stock picks by Centrum Broking:

Dixon Technologies | Target Price:  21,574 Smartphone volumes stood at 9.6 million units in Q1FY26. Centrum Broking expects Dixons healthy order book to drive ~15% QoQ volume growth in Q2FY26. With Longcheers India volumes at 25 million units and a proposed 51% JV with Vivo (FY27), growth visibility remains strong. It values the company at 67x Q2FY28E TTM EPS, arriving at Dixon Technologies share price target of 21,574.

Azad Engineering | Target Price:  2,145 Backed by a strong order book of 6,000 crore, Azad Engineering is positioned with a projected (FY27) book-to-bill of 10x. Margins at both EBITDA and PAT levels have consistently expanded, supported by aggressive capacity addition. While Azad Engineering stock price currently trades at a rich P/E of 106, the brokerage firm values the stock at 65x Q2FY28E EPS of 33, leading to a share price target of 2,145.

Syrma SGS Technology | Target Price:  1,035 With PAT margins expected to stabilize at ~7% over the next two years, coupled with margin gains from the PCB business, Syrma SGS Technology is well-positioned for growth, said the brokerage firm. It values the company at 45x FY27E EPS of 23. It has Syrma SGS Technology share price target of 1,035.

Also Read | Muhurat trading picks for Diwali 2025: ICICI Direct recommends 8 stocks to buy

Canara Bank | Target Price:  151 Canara Bank has reported a steady decline in NPAs over the past three years, while NIMs have stabilized at ~2.4%. We expect NIMs to gradually improve to 2.72.8% between FY27FY28. The stock is valued at 1.2x FY27E ABV of 126. Canara Bank share price target is set at 151.

Cholamandalam Investment & Finance | Target Price:  1,935 Centrum Broking believes Cholamandalam Investment & Finance will be able to navigate near-term challenges in Q2FY26 and sustain its guided ~20% CAGR, with NIM expansion of ~15 bps. It values the stock at 4.5x Q2FY28E BV of 430, leading to a 1-year target price of 1,935.
Muhurat Trading 2025: While India will celebrate Diwali this year on Monday, October 20, the token market trading session for the Indian stock market will not occur on the same day.

In fact, Dalal Street will be open for normal trading hours on Monday, i.e. from 9 am to 3.30 pm. And it is only on Tuesday that the auspicious Muhurat trading session of an hour will take place.

Muhurat trading 2025: Time, data and other details According to the circular on the exchanges, the Muhurat trading is slated to take place on Tuesday, October 21 and not on Monday, October 20. On this day, the Indian stock market will remain closed except for the one-hour trading session.

In a departure from the trend, this year's Muhurat trading session will take place from 1.45 pm to 2.45 pm. Generally, the special session is held in the evening.

According to the circular, a 15-minute pre-open session will occur from 1.30 pm to 1.45 pm, while the normal trading will begin from 1.45 pm.

Session Start Time End Time Block Deal Session 13:15 hrs 13:30 hrs Special Pre-open Session (for IPO & Relisted Securities) 13:30 hrs 14:15 hrs Normal Market Open Time (for stocks in special pre-open) 14:30 hrs 14:45 hrs Call Auction Illiquid Session * 13:50 hrs 14:35 hrs Closing Session 14:55 hrs 15:05 hrs Trade Modification Cut-off Time 13:45 hrs 15:15 hrs

Source: NSE

Investors must note that all trades executed during the Diwali Muhurat trading session shall result in settlement obligations.

Meanwhile, apart from being shut on Diwali, October 21, except for the Muhurat trading session, the Indian stock exchanges will also observe a holiday on Wednesday, October 22, on account of Diwali Balipratipada.

What is Muhurat trading? Muhurat trading is a special one-hour session that is conducted like any other trading day with full formality

Investors often participate in this token trading session as it is considered a good omen to invest during this time, with Diwali marking the start of a new Samvat year. Trading volumes during Muhurat trading are usually light.

Also Read | Diwali stock picks: 15 Muhurat trading picks by Choice Equity Broking

Many investors buy stocks on this day for long-term holding or as part of a family ritual.

How does market react on Muhurat trading days? According to historical data, Nifty 50 has consistently closed in positive territory during the last five Muhurat trading sessions (20202024), delivering returns in the range of 0.40% to 0.90% on each occasion.

This year, too, led by a blend of supportive technical indicators and improving fundamentals, overall market sentiment remains optimistic.

Muhurat trading strategy The Union Budget 202526s announcement of zero income tax for individuals earning up to Rs. 1 lakh per month, coupled with the governments move to rationalise the four-tier GST structure into two primary slabs, underscores a strong policy focus on stimulating domestic consumption, said Vishnu Kant Upadhyay, AVP -Research & Advisory, Master Capital Services. Consequently, consumption-oriented stocks are expected to stay in focus, he added.

Also Read | From earnings revival to rate cut: 5 expectations in Samvat 2082

From a technical perspective, the broader outlook for the Nifty 50 remains constructive, and the buy-on-dips strategy is likely to prevail, he opined. Any corrective move towards the 2500024800 zone could offer an opportunity to initiate fresh long positions, with initial upside targets placed around 2565025700 levels, Kant advised.
The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are likely to open on a tepid note on Friday, tracking weak global market cues.

The trends on Gift Nifty also indicate a negative start for the Indian benchmark index. The Gift Nifty was trading around 25,613 level, a discount of nearly 43 points from the Nifty futures previous close.

On Thursday, the Indian stock market witnessed a stellar rally, extending gains for the second consecutive session, with the benchmark Nifty 50 closing above 25,500 level.

The Sensex jumped 862.23 points, or 1.04%, to close at 83,467.66, while the Nifty 50 settled 261.75 points, or 1.03%, higher at 25,585.30.

Heres what to expect from Sensex, Nifty 50, and Bank Nifty today:

Sensex Prediction Sensex formed a bullish candle on daily charts, and is holding an uptrend continuation formation on intraday charts, which is largely positive.

We are of the view that the short-term market texture is bullish, but due to temporary overbought conditions, we could see range-bound activity in the near future. For traders, now, 83,200 - 82,900 would act as key support zones for Sensex. On the higher side, 83,800 - 84,000 would be the key resistance areas for the bulls. However, below 82,900 the uptrend would become vulnerable, said Shrikant Chouhan, Head Equity Research, Kotak Securities.

Nifty OI Data In the derivatives segment, the highest Nifty Call Open Interest (OI) was observed at the 25,600 and 25,700 strikes, while maximum Put OI was concentrated at the 25,500 and 25,400 strikes.

This OI setup suggests a strong support base around 25,500  25,400, while resistance is likely to emerge near the 25,600  25,700 zone. A decisive move beyond this resistance range could further strengthen bullish momentum in the near term, said Hardik Matalia, Derivative Analyst - Research at Choice Equity Broking.

Nifty 50 Prediction Nifty 50 index formed a strong bullish candle with a higher high and higher low, signaling continuation of the positive momentum.

A long bull candle has formed on the daily chart, which has surpassed the crucial overhead resistance of 25,400 - 25,500 levels (down sloping trend line as per daily/weekly chart). Previous swing high of 25,669 in early July is now on the edge of breakout. Larger degree bullish pattern like higher tops and bottoms is intact on the weekly chart and Nifty 50 is now in line with the new higher top formation of the sequence, said Nagaraj Shetti, Senior Technical Research Analyst at HDFC Securities.

According to him, the underlying trend of Nifty 50 continues to be positive and the market is likely to move up further in the short term.

A sustainable move above 25,600 - 25,700 levels could pull Nifty 50 towards the next upside target of around 26,000 - 26,200 levels in the near term, Shetti said.

Also Read | Stock market today: Eight stocks to buy or sell on Friday

Nilesh Jain, Head  Technical and Derivatives Research Analyst (Equity Research), Centrum Broking noted that the Nifty 50 index broke out above a major falling trend line that connects all key tops since the previous record high of 26,277, indicating the potential for further upside in the coming sessions.

On the derivatives front, fresh long positions are being built, reinforcing the bullish sentiment. Momentum indicators and oscillators continue to signal a buy on both daily and weekly charts. Overall, the trend remains positive, with Nifty 50 likely to head towards 25,800  26,000 levels in the short term, while support has now shifted higher to around 25,420, said Jain.

Dr. Praveen Dwarakanath, Vice President of Hedged.in said that the momentum indicators on the weekly chart indicate strong momentum and suggest that prices can continue to rise much higher.

Nifty 50 is likely to move towards its all-time high of 26,250 before this months expiry. The ADX DI+ line is sloping upward, with the ADX DI- line sloping downward on the weekly chart, indicating further upside in the index. The index has closed near the upper Bollinger band; a close in the coming days above the upper band may suggest a walk on the band in the daily chart, said Dwarakanath.

Bank Nifty Prediction Bank Nifty rallied 622.65 points, or 1.10%, to close at 57,422.55 on Thursday, forming a bullish candle on the daily chart, reflecting continued strength.

Immediate support for Bank Nifty is placed near the Bullish gap zone which is around 56,920. As long as the index holds above 56,920, the ongoing bullish momentum is likely to persist. On the upside, major resistance for Bank Nifty is placed near 57,630. If the index sustains above this level, the rally could extend towards 58,000 - 58,500 levels. Hence, traders are advised to maintain a buy-on-dips strategy in Bank Nifty for the short term, said Hrishikesh Yedve, AVP Technical and Derivative Research, Asit C. Mehta Investment Intermediates Ltd.

Sudeep Shah, Head - Technical and Derivatives Research at SBI Securities said that the Bank Nifty is trading above its crucial moving averages, which are in a rising trend, and momentum indicators are also pointing towards continued strength. This reinforces the view that the index is in a well-supported uptrend.

Given the current chart structure and momentum, Bank Nifty is likely to maintain its upward bias and test the level of 58,000 in the short term. On the downside, the zone of 57,100  57,000 will act as a crucial support area, and a sustained move above this range will keep the bullish setup intact, said Shah.

According to Bajaj Broking Research, Bank Nifty formed a bull candle with a higher high and higher low and a bullish gap below its base, highlighting continuation of the positive momentum.

With prices holding above key moving averages, the near-term bias remains upward. The Bank Nifty index is likely to test our target of 58,000, being the 161.8% external retracement of the previous up move (53,561 - 55,835) as projected from the recent trough of 54,226. Thursdays gap area of 56,700 will act as immediate support for the index. The RSI (14) at 66 indicates healthy momentum, suggesting strength in the uptrend. Any dips should be viewed as buying opportunities within this constructive setup, said Bajaj Broking Research.
Novo Nordisk has already conquered the world of weight loss. Millions use its powerful drug to shed pounds. Diabetes patients swear by it. Investors have made fortunes. But now, the Danish pharmaceutical giant is making a bet that could be even biggerusing the same blockbuster drug to treat Alzheimer's disease.

It's a gamble that could have astronomical upside and enormous risk. And we'll find out by the end of 2025 whether it pays off.

Last month, a senior executive at the company casually dropped what appears to be a bombshell during a conference in Vienna. Ludovic Helfgott, the executive vice-president for product and portfolio strategy, called the company's Alzheimer's trial a "lottery ticket"uncertain, risky, but with astronomical upside if it pays off. By the end of 2025, we'll know if Novo Nordisk's bet will transform the company or go bust.

From weight loss wonder drug to brain medicine

Let's rewind a bit. Novo Nordisk's semaglutide (you know it as Ozempic or Wegovy) has been one of the most celebrated pharmaceutical breakthroughs of the decade. It regulates blood sugar, helps people lose weight, reduces heart attack risk, improves kidney functionthe list goes on. GLP-1 agonists, as these drugs are called, have become so successful that Novo commands a 62% market share in this space, up from 60% just three years ago.

But here's the thing: while semaglutide was busy fixing metabolic disorders, scientists noticed something peculiar. They found that people taking the drug for diabetes and obesity were 40-70% less likely to develop Alzheimer's. This wasn't just anecdotal chatterthis was real-world data from medical records.

So Novo did what any ambitious pharma company would do: they decided to test if semaglutide could actually treat Alzheimer's. Not prevent it, but reverse its effects. The audacity alone is striking because most Alzheimer's drugs can only slow cognitive decline. Nobody has managed to actually reverse it.

The trial: think big or go home

Novo isn't messing around with a small, exploratory study. The company launched two massive trials called EVOKE, each involving 1,800 patients across 30 countries over three years and four months.

The timing is crucial. All participants already show amyloid buildup on brain scansthey're in the early stages of the disease. The trials should wrap up by September 2025, with data expected by year-end. That's not far away, folks.

If semaglutide works, Novo gains access to an entirely new market. The Alzheimer's therapeutics market alone is expected to grow 20-23% annually in the coming years. Even with modest efficacy, we're talking about a multi-billion-dollar revenue stream from a drug the company has already developed and optimized for other conditions. That's the pharmaceutical equivalent of seemingly hitting the lottery.

The science behind the gamble

Here's where it gets interesting. Nobody's exactly sure how semaglutide would help Alzheimer's patients, but there are plausible theories.

One leading hypothesis: the drug reduces excess sugar in the brain, which triggers inflammation. This inflammation contributes to the buildup of amyloid and tau proteinsthe hallmarks of Alzheimer's. People with obesity have double the risk of Alzheimer's, and those with diabetes have triple the risk, likely because poor metabolic control damages the brain.

Another angle: semaglutide has "very strong effects on systemic inflammation," according to research at Imperial College London. It may specifically reduce brain inflammation, which many scientists believe is central to Alzheimer's progression.

A third possibility: the drug reduces stroke risk, and strokes contribute to dementia development. Or perhaps it modifies insulin levels, which play a role in tau accumulation.

The beauty of this uncertainty is that Novo only needs one mechanism to work for the drug to succeed. Multiple pathways exist.

The sceptics aren't wrong

Not everyone is convinced. Sir John Hardy, a leading molecular biologist at UCL, doesn't expect a positive outcome. He suspects that if GLP-1s do help with dementia, it's through indirect effects like reducing blood vessel damage rather than directly modifying the disease. And he's got a point70% of Alzheimer's patients have damaged blood vessels in their brains.

Plus, there's a fundamental challenge: the trials focus on people who already have amyloid buildup. If semaglutide only prevents Alzheimer's before symptoms appear, the trial could fail even if the drug actually works. That's a crucial distinction that will require careful analysis of the results.

Investors are excited but cautioun prevails

Novo's stock has tanked 55% over the past year due to disappointing trial results for a new obesity treatment and stiff competition from Eli Lilly. The company also failed to maintain its lead in the U.S. market, where cheaper alternatives are eating into its market share.

But here's why investors are suddenly paying attention again: the risk-reward equation seems to have shifted dramatically. Even a small positive result could push the stock up 5-10% according to analysts. Novo's core diabetes and obesity business is already valued conservatively with 12.4% anticipated growthwell above the 7% needed to justify current valuations. An Alzheimer's approval? That's pure upside.

Also Read | Cipla sees weight-loss drugs as the biggest opportunity in India

The broader picture

While Novo gambles on Alzheimer's, it's also focused on maintaining dominance in metabolic diseases. The company just ended its partnership with telehealth provider Hims, proving it doesn't need third parties to scale. An oral version of its weight loss drug is expected to be approved later in 2025, making it the first in its class.

There are risks, of course. Semaglutide's US patent expires in December 2031, though it's already expiring in markets like Canada and China. Competitor Eli Lilly's tirzepatide shows superior weight loss effects in some studies. It appears Novo can't afford to be complacent.

The bottom line

Novo Nordisk's Alzheimer's trial really is like a lottery ticket. If it wins, the company gains a transformational new market and billions in revenue. If it loses, the core diabetes and obesity business is strong enough to limit the downside.

We'll know the outcome soon. By year-end 2025, we'll discover whether this Danish pharmaceutical giant's boldest bet will revolutionize Alzheimer's treatment or become a cautionary tale about reaching too far. Either way, it's one of the most consequential pharmaceutical trials happening right now.

The house may or may not hold all the cards, but Novo is about to place one hell of a bet.

Vested Finance is Indias global investing specialist, regulated in the US through its licensed brokerage arm.

Disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to buy or sell any securities. It may contain forward-looking statements, and actual outcomes can vary. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

Neither the information herein nor any opinion expressed should be construed as investment advice. The information and opinions were considered valid by VF Securities, Inc. at the time of publication. Anyone relying on this content does so at their own risk.

Securities markets may experience rapid and unexpected price movements. Investors must conduct independent analysis with their own legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions.
Multibagger small-cap stock Krishival Foods is expected to be in focus on Friday, October 3, as the company's board has approved fundraising options, hinting at the company's fundraising plans in the near future.

Post-market hours on Wednesday, October 1, the company, in an exchange filing, stated that its board of directors had approved "various fund raising options, such as further public issue, rights issue, qualified institutions placement, debt issue, preferential issue or any other method."

Krishival Foods's board of directors also constituted a fund-raising committee, according to the company.

On September 27, the company had informed that its board was to meet to consider and evaluate ways for fundraising and the constitution of the fundraising committee.

Meanwhile, Krishival Foods, a nuts and dry fruits processing company, expects higher sales in the festival season due to Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms.

Rates on Brazil nuts, almonds, pistachios, and other dried fruits have been reduced from 12 per cent to 5 per cent, while rates on ice cream have been brought down from 18 per cent to 5 per cent, effective September 22, 2025.

Also Read | Stocks to buy for short term: Ajit Mishra of Religare recommends THESE 3 shares

Krishival share price trend Krishival shares have delivered a substantial return of approximately 369 per cent over the last five years, while the small-cap stock has risen by 53 per cent over the last year.

Year-to-date, the stock has clocked an impressive gain of 88 per cent.

The multibagger stock hit a 52-week low of 355 on August 11 this year. However, it witnessed a sharp rebound after this, rising to a 52-week high of 471.25 on September 18.

Read all market-related news here

Read more stories by Nishant Kumar
Reliance Q2 results: Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries (RIL) on Friday, October 17, reported a 16 per cent year-on-year (YoY) rise in consolidated profit after tax (PAT) at 22,146 crore for the July-September quarter of the current financial year (Q2FY26). The company's PAT was 19,101 crore in the same quarter of the previous year.

However, Reliance's net profit attributable to owners of the company rose 9.7 per cent YoY to 18,165 crore from 16,563 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year.

Profit after tax and the share of profit of associates and JVs rose 14.3 per cent YoY to 22,092 crore in Q2FY26 from 19,323 crore in Q2FY25.

India's largest company in terms of market capitalisation reported a 10 per cent YoY rise in consolidated revenue from operations at 2,83,548 crore.

Consolidated EBITDA rose by 14.6 per cent YoY to 50,367 crore, while EBITDA margin increased by 80 basis points YoY to 17.8 per cent from 17 per cent in Q2FY25.

Reliance delivered a robust performance during Q2FY26, led by strong contributions from O2C, Jio and Retail businesses. Consolidated EBITDA registered 14.6 per cent growth on a YoY basis, reflecting agile business operations, domestic-focused portfolio and structural growth in the Indian economy," said Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries.

Reliance Q2 results: 5 key highlights 1. Jio Platforms: Healthy YoY growth RIL's telecom arm registered healthy growth in the September quarter on a year-over-year basis.

The segment's revenue from operations rose by 14.6 per cent YoY to 36,332 crore, while PAT rose 12.8 per cent YoY to 7,379 crore.

EBITDA saw a YoY increase of 17.7 per cent to 18,757 crore, while EBITDA margin saw an impressive 140 basis points YoY rise to 51.6 per cent.

Jio ARPU (average revenue per user) for Q2 increased to  211.4 with increased engagement of customers, impacted for the time being by the promotional 5G offers, said the company.

Jio's customer base increased 5.8 per cent YoY to 50.64 crore.

"Digital services business continues to scale up with positive momentum in subscriber addition across homes and mobility services, driven by Jios network and technology leadership," said RIL Chairman.

2. Reliance Retail: Focus on store addition The company remained focused on new store openings during the quarter. According to the company, its store network expanded with 412 new stores, taking the total store count to 19,821 with area under operation at 77.8 million sq. ft.

The retail segment saw healthy YoY growth in revenue and profit, but margin declined.

The segment's revenue from operations during the quarter increased 19 per cent YoY to 79,128 crore. PAT saw a stronger growth of 21.9 per cent YoY to 3,457 crore.

EBITDA also rose by 16.5 per cent YoY to 6,816 crore, but EBITDA margin slipped by 20 basis points to 8.6 per cent.

"I am happy to highlight the growth momentum of our Retail business. All formats registered higher volume, propelling strong growth in both revenue and EBITDA. There has also been a sustained pick-up in our quick hyperlocal delivery model. The recently announced progressive reforms in the GST regime provide a boost to continuing consumption-led growth," said RIL Chairman Ambani.

3. Oil-to-chemicals (O2C): Margin jumps by 130 bps The segment's revenue increased by 3.2 per cent YoY to 1,60,558 crore. EBITDA jumped 20.9 per cent YoY to 15,008 crore, while EBITDA margin saw a healthy YoY growth of 130 basis points to 9.3 per cent.

"O2C business delivered robust growth on a YoY basis, despite continued volatility in energy markets. Fuel margins recovered over the previous year, led by middle distillate cracks. Downstream chemicals continue to be impacted by overcapacity. Corrective steps by the industry stakeholders will help balance global downstream markets in the medium-term," said Ambani.

4. Oil and gas E&P (exploration and production): Lower revenues, higher operating costs drag margins The segment's EBITDA declined by 5.4 per cent YoY to 5,002 crore, while EBITDA margin shrank by 240 basis points to 82.6 per cent, due to lower revenues coupled with higher operating costs due to periodic maintenance activities.

The company said the segment's revenue declined by 2.6 per cent YoY mainly on account of the natural decline of production in KGD6.

5. New Energy updates The company said it is on track to set up 20 GWp of solar PV manufacturing capacity and 100 GWh of battery giga-factory. It said it had already commissioned four PV module lines, and the first cell line is expected to be commissioned soon in October 2025.

The company highlighted the rapid progress on the execution of the battery giga-factory and RE development in Kutch.

"Project development across the 550,000-acre site in Kutch is progressing well, with engineering and feasibility studies completed and the site currently in various stages of land development," said the company.

"I am happy with the progress we are making in our new growth engines  new energy, media and consumer brands. I believe these businesses will build on Reliances legacy of creating industry leaders, focused on technology and innovation to provide Indian consumers the right products and services at the right price," said RIL Chairman.

"Our initiatives in the AI domain are aimed at ensuring Reliance stays at the forefront of evolving technologies and leverages these capabilities for the benefit of India and Indians, the RIL Chairman said.

Read more stories by Nishant Kumar
In a public conversation in Kolkata in 2010, writer and scholar Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak was asked if she would describe herself as a cosmopolitan. To which, like any erudite Bengali public intellectual of her generation, she gave a fitting reply. I fall into a place and I become of that place, Spivak said. I feel sometimes, when someone asks me the question, that I have roots in air I am at home everywhere and I am not at home anywhere. It seems to me when one is at home, the place where one is at home has no name.

In new-age jargon, this statement may sound like the very definition of digital nomadism. But the instinct to be rootless and unhomed has a long, complex and intensely human history. As Aatish Taseer puts it in his new book of travel-essays, A Return to Self, To never settle was to never be softened by the idea of home. He is referring here to the nomadic life of the steppe during his visit to Uzbekistan, but the idea recurs through the collection, becoming especially poignant for the literal force with which it has come true in the writers own life.

In 2019, the government revoked Taseers Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status and forced him into a seemingly permanent exile from the country he grew up in. A British citizen by birth, he had been educated in India and the United States, where he eventually settled down with his husband, Ryan Davis, a lawyer. It was his Pakistani parentageTaseers father was Salman Taseer, the former governor of Punjab, who was assassinated in 2011 for defending a victim of blasphemythat became the lynchpin behind cancelling his OCI.

Since then, Taseer has grieved the passing of his grandmotherwho brought him up since he was two years oldlong distance. Denied entry into the country he not only called home but also wrote several books about, he has been able to meet his elderly mother only abroad. But exile has also freed him from the burden of expectationsit has allowed him to wander the world with no obligation to fulfil any pact of fidelity. If these essays feel like a return to self, it is because they represent the return to my natural curiosities and cosmopolitanism, he writes in the Introduction, after the long night of cutting away parts of myself in order to better belong in India.

Tasser writes beautifully about the places he ventures intoTurkey, Morocco, Spain, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Mongoliaconjuring up the sights, smells and tastes of faraway nations with sensuous acuity. But his gift truly comes through in the act of (what anthropologist Clifford Geertz called) thick descriptiona form of ethnographic study that is richly textured, multilayered and informed by an awareness of the myths and symbols that lie at the heart of other cultures. To occupy such a vantage point is to continuously expose oneself to the pulls and pushes of reality; it involves, as Taseer writes in the chapter on Istanbul, living in a perpetual state of cultural whiplash.

'A Return to Self: Excursions in Exile': By Aatish Taseer, HarperCollins India, 216 pages,  499

By this logic, if the novelty of travel lies in the attraction to the unknown, it also involves an act of active witnessingto see things that are no longer there, to acknowledge a recurrent feeling of deja vu and, especially in Taseers case, to contrast the present against a portrait of the past as recorded by writers before him.

Thus, Taseers description of the time he spends at the Hagia Sophia mosque, which was formerly a church, in Istanbul, becomes an arch reminder of parallels close to homethe age-old political game of reclaiming and rebuilding masjids as mandirs. These are not epiphanies relevant to India alone.

As Taseer walks around Seville in Spain, he is reminded of the rich multiplicity of faiths that once coexisted in the Castilian community. On the tomb of the sainted king Ferdinand III, he discovers plaques in all the four languages of medieval SpainHebrew, Arabic, Latin and Castilian, a shocking contrast to the brutal erasure of non-Christian religions later on.

How does a place, Taseer wonders, so steeped in diversity come unstuck? What makes a society succumb to the primal cry for a purity of blood?

Its a question that haunts people in many parts of the world today. Taseer seeks to find his own answers by putting himself out in the unfamiliar worldsbe it by braving subzero temperatures in Mongolia, or by joining hordes of pilgrims headed to the festival of Our Lady of Copacabana in Bolivia, or by setting off on a lotus trail in Sri Lanka to uncover the complex semiotics of the flower in the island nations social, religious and political life.
A new early warning system using satellite data to sound the alarm on growing threats to the world's tropical forests, including worsening drought and logging, aims to stop them reaching a point of no return, scientists said earlier this week.

Backed by the National Geographic Society and Swiss watch manufacturer Rolex, almost 60 international scientists devised the system to track rising dangers to the planet's rainforests, which are vital for protecting the climate and nature.

The vulnerability of rainforests is much larger than predicted in the past, they found, warning areas that are disturbed or fragmented have almost no resilience to climate warming and drought.

Their work also suggested rainforests are losing their capacity to cycle carbon and water - essential functions to regulate the climate, both globally and locally.

The new tropical forest vulnerability index (TFVI) tracks and analyses the impact of changes in the climate and the use of land - such as clearing it for farming - on local forests, as well as how they are responding to such stress factors.

The early warning system is intended to alert policymakers and conservationists of threats in good time, so they can take action to protect forests.

"It's an index that tells us 'if you don't do anything, that area is going to be devastated'," said Sassan Saatchi, a scientist with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology.

"If the rainforest changes, we might completely change the climate of the earth - it is like the canary in the climate-change goldmine," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Conserving and restoring carbon-rich rainforests are vital tools to help the world meet its planet-heating emissions goals.

But in 2020, tropical forest losses around the world equalled the size of the Netherlands, according to monitoring service Global Forest Watch.

View full Image Cattle graze on a smoldering field that was hit by a fire burning a tract of the Amazon forest as it is cleared by farmers, in Rio Pardo, Rondonia, Brazil September 16, 2019. ( REUTERS )

The TFVI's initial findings identified the Amazon Basin as showing large-scale vulnerability to drying conditions and frequent droughts, while rainforests in Southeast Asia are suffering from land-use change and fragmentation as large areas have been cut down to produce palm oil.

The Congo Basin appears to be more resilient because it is adapted to the historical impacts of droughts and is undergoing less conversion for agriculture, the researchers said.

The index uses trends on forest clearance and satellite data on climate and weather going back almost four decades to spot early signals of deforestation.

It aims to identify "tipping points", when a tropical forest gets so impacted by disturbances it starts shifting from a stable to a vulnerable condition, said Saatchi, lead author of the study published in the journal One Earth.

The TFVI methodology and data will be publicly available and regularly updated, allowing anyone to use it to monitor a specific forest area.

Once problems are identified, efforts could be made to adapt conservation policies and local forest management, such as offering new incentives for communities to tackle illegal logging or planting more drought-tolerant trees.

"A diverse suite of solutions will be required to address rainforest vulnerability given each ecosystem's unique response to different stressors," said Nicole Alexiev, vice president of science and innovation at the National Geographic Society.
After Supreme Court gave a green flag to green crackers for Diwali in Delhi-NCR, experts expressed concern over the risk of surge in pollution levels. Apollo Hospital Senior Consultant Dr S Chatterjee warned against the dangers of burning green crackers. As a consequence, those with respiratory issues are likely to suffer more after Diwali as pollution is bound to rise in the capital city even with the burning of green crackers.

In Delhi, crackers were banned earlier. But now, the Supreme Court has permitted the use of specifically green crackers. It is not that green crackers are free of pollution. The only benefit is that it causes less pollution by 30% than conventional crackers, ANI quoted Dr S Chatterjee as saying.

Also Read | SC allows sale and bursting of green crackers in Delhi-NCR between Oct 18 and 21

Suggesting that the smaller shell size of green crackers causes less pollution than the conventional crackers because it emits less particulate matter, he said, "But the way the pollution is rising again in the capital city, it is highly advisable that we should avoid using the crackers, even the green crackers.

Even though the raw material of green crackers is less hazardous than the conventional crackers, the former are bound to exacerbate the pollution problem in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). Advising the public against burning crackers during Diwali celebrations, he stated, The pollution levels would definitely rise, and the general people and the patients who are suffering from respiratory diseases might suffer more after Diwali... It is highly advisable that it is regulated well and even the green crackers are not used.

Also Read | Embrace eco-friendly Diwali celebrations with green crackers

According to the court's October 15 order, the sale of green crackers will be permitted but with certain conditions. Green crackers sale will be allowed between October 18 and 21 but their use will be restricted to specific hours on the day before Diwali and on the day of the festival.

Notably, the sale of green crackers shall be permitted only from designated locations in Delhi, as per the apex court's directions. These specific locations were to be identified by district magistrates in consultation with the police.

Also Read | UPSC: Delay in exam answer keys to be a thing of the past after SC ruling
Six months after the death of a 29-year-old dermatologist from Bengaluru, Marathahalli Police have arrested the victim's husband, a fellow doctor, for allegedly murdering his wife by injecting anaesthetic drugs, police said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the family of Kritika has accused her husband, Mahendra, of foul play, alleging he was involved in an extra-marital affair and had been giving her unnecessary medications and drips.

We had suspicions from the day my sister died, said Kritikas sister, Dr. Nikhita, speaking to reporters on Thursday. She claimed the family had pushed for a postmortem, but Mahendra resisted, staging an emotional drama to avoid it.

Nikhita said Kritika had been in good health and that their family had treated Mahendra like a son, until they discovered what she described as his immoral relationship.

Father donates house worth  3 crore to ISKCON Outside the home in Ayyappa Layout now stands a solemn nameplate. In Memory of Dr Kruthika M Reddy

I built that house to see my daughter live a happy life with her husband and children, Reddy told The Indian Express. He has since donated the property to ISKCON.

Also Read | Bengaluru surgeon kills wife with anaesthesia overdose, shocking details emerge

Our daughter believed her marriage was built on respect and love, he said. But the very medical knowledge meant to save lives was used to take hers. It was Muni Reddys formal complaint that led to the arrest of Dr Mahendra, Kruthikas husband, now accused of her death.

How did Mahendra Reddy stage her wife's death? According to the police, the husband, Dr Mahendra Reddy, allegedly overdosed his wife, Kruthika M Reddy, with anaesthetic drugs that caused fatal respiratory depression, leading to the death of the victim. The accused attempted to misrepresent the death as natural.

The wife, Kruthika M Reddy, reportedly fell ill and was rushed to the nearby hospital in Ayyappa Layout, Munnekolalu. The doctors examined her and confirmed that she had died.

Commissioner of Police, Seemanth Kumar Singh, said that following the incident, an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) was filed, stating that the doctor died under mysterious circumstances.

In the Marathahalli Police Station police station limits in the month of April 2025, there was a UDR reported of a lady who died under mysterious circumstances, but there was no complaint as such. The police have done a good job in this, as they have properly collected the evidence. The team has collected the evidence properly and sent it to the FSL, CP Seemanth Kumar Singh said, as reported by ANI.

The UDR team collected material evidence, including the cannula set, injection tube, and other medical items used in the act, and handed them over to the investigating officers for further action.

On the same day, the investigating officers collected viscera samples from the deceased's body to ascertain the exact cause of death and sent them to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for expert opinion.

According to the police, the FSL experts reported that sedative (Propofol) substances were present in the organs of the deceased.

Following this, the deceased woman's father lodged a complaint at the Marathahalli Police Station on Monday, expressing suspicion that his son-in-law, Dr Mahendra Reddy, had murdered his daughter by administering sedatives.

Acting swiftly on the complaint, the Marathahalli Police apprehended the accused from Manipal, Udupi.

CP Seemanth Kumar Singh said that all the evidence points toward the husband's involvement in the murder.

"The evidences which has been collected till now point to the hand of her husband because he was the person who had brought her to the hospital initially and had never complained about what happened and said that she was not in good health and she was undergoing treatment," he said.

Authorities alleged that Mahendra Reddy misused his professional access to OT and ICU facilities at the hospital to procure and administer the drug. He then attempted to misrepresent the death as natural and reportedly pressured the victim's family to forgo both a police complaint and a post-mortem examination.

Father demands strict punishment Muni Reddy, father of the victim, sought strict punishment against the accused.

"Dr. Kruthika trusted her husband completely she believed in his love and in his profession. But the same medical knowledge that should have saved lives was used to destroy hers. Our family seeks the harshest punishment for this premeditated act and justice for our daughter, whose loss is not just personal but a loss to society," he said.

The incident reportedly took place less than a year after their marriage on May 26, 2024.

The accused remains in police custody while further investigation is still underway.
Police arrested a 21-year-old engineering student for allegedly raping his classmate inside the men's washroom of a private college in South Bengaluru. The incident took place on 10 October, and the victim filed a complaint five days later, on 15 October.

The accused, identified as Jeevan Gowda, is a sixth-semester student at the college. Police took him into custody on Wednesday. According to a report by NDTV, the court has remanded him into judicial custody.

The survivor, a seventh-semester student, told the police that she had gone to meet Jeevan Gowda to collect her belongings earlier that day.

As per the First Information Report (FIR), a case has been registered against the accused under Section 64 (Punishment for Rape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Bengaluru rape: What does the FIR say? According to the FIR cited by NDTV, the victim and Gowda knew each other from before. They were classmates, but Gowda had fallen behind due to some academic backlogs. She met the accused on the day of the incident to take back some of her belongings.

Following that, during lunch break, Gowda reportedly called her several times and asked her to meet him near the architecture block on the seventh floor.

When she arrived, the accused reportedly tried to kiss her forcefully. As she attempted to escape by taking the lift, he followed her to the sixth floor.

As she tried to leave, Gowda reportedly dragged her into the men's washroom and sexually assaulted her.

The NDTV report adds that the alleged Bengaluru rape incident took place between 1:30 pm and 1:50 pm on 10 October.

According to the FIR, Gowda later called the victim and asked her, Do you need a pill?

The survivor initially hesitated to report the incident to the police as she was distressed and frightened, officials said. However, after confiding in two of her friends and her parents, she went to the Hanumanthanagar police station to file a complaint.

Authorities confirmed to NDTV that the crime scene did not have CCTV cameras installed, adding that this could complicate evidence gathering. However, officials are examining forensic and digital evidence to make the case.

Police also recreated the crime scene on Thursday, officials said.
A Belgian court, on Friday, ordered fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksis extradition to India, terming his arrest by the Belgian authorities based on Indias request as valid, according to a report by Hindustan Times.

The Antwerp court heard both the Belgian prosecutors (on behalf of India) and Choksi and ruled that his arrest and Indias extradition request were valid, reported HT.

Mehul Choksi  owner of the jewellery chain, Gitanjali Group  is wanted in the 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud case  which he allegedly orchestrated with his nephew Nirav Modi. The 65-year-old was nabbed by the Antwerp police on April 11, based on an extradition request sent by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Also Read | India assures humane jail stay for Mehul Choksi if extradited

"The order has come in our favour. The court has termed his arrest by the Belgian authorities on India's request valid. The first legal step in getting him extradited is now clear," a senior official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

How long has Mehul Choksi been in Belgium? Mehul Choksi has been running from the Indian authorities after allegedly committing the 13,000 crore PNB fraud with Nirav Modi. He had been in Belgium since 2023.

In January 2024, the CBI received information about Choksi's presence in Belgium, after which it dispatched an extradition request to the European nation. India has held an extradition treaty with Belgium since 2020.

What is the PNB fraud case? The fraud came to light in February 2018. Choksi allegedly conspired with Punjab National Bank officials and associates to fraudulently obtain Letters of Undertaking and Foreign Letters of Credit without following the banks prescribed procedures, which were later used to raise credit from overseas banks.

All of it led to a loss of 6,097.63 crore to PNB. This was reportedly part of a broader 13,850 crore scam involving Choksi and his nephew, Nirav Modi, marking one of Indias biggest banking frauds to date.

Nirav Modi was arrested in London in 2019.

What are the charges against Choksi? Mehul Choksi is facing cases under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections related to criminal conspiracy, cheating, and falsification of accounts, along with provisions under the Prevention of Corruption Act, which constitute crimes in Belgium as well, news agencies had reported earlier.

During the extradition proceedings, it was also stated that Choksi continues to be an Indian citizen, and his claim of being an Antiguan national is disputed.

What's next for Mehul Choksi? Following his extradition to India, Mehul Choksi is likely to be held at the Barrack no 12 at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.
With the approach of the Bihar Assembly elections, the INDIA bloc has decided to rope in a party that was formed just six months ago, and even gave it three seats to contest from.

Two of the seats for the new party, called Indian Inclusive Party (IIP), led by I P Gupta, would likely be given from Congress' quota, as per media reports.

Gupta released a video message on social media on Friday, where he talked about the seats allocated and said that on these three seats, the party's candidates will contest with the 'karni' symbol.

He spoke of how this was the first political party representing the Tanti-Tatwa and Pan communities.

The Tanti-Tatwa and Pan communities, who are mainly weavers and cloth traders, are usually based in Bihar and several parts of northern India, West Bengal, and Odisha.

How a Supreme Court order led to IIP's first prominent rally Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had junked the Bihar government's order to move the Tanti-Tatwa-Pan communities from the Extremely Backward Class (EBC) category to the Scheduled Caste category.

The communities were included in the EBC category during the implementation of the Mandal Commission report in 1992.

Also Read | Infosys founders Narayana Murthy, Sudha Murty opt out of Karnataka caste survey

The Bihar government has also filed a review petition in the Supreme Court regarding the same.

In April, I P Gupta held a rally in Patna to demand the restoration of SC status for the Pan-Tanti communities and launch his party, which was then named the Indian Inqalab Party, later to be rechristened to the Indian Inclusive Party.

Smaller caste groups get voice The rise of the IIP can also be seen as the political empowerment of a highly marginalised community which was earlier under the 'Mandal' umbrella.

Such parties are gaining ground in Bihar, and as an extension, in Indian politics. One of the earliest of such examples is the Lok Janshakti Party formed by former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, which sought to represent the fishermen communities of Bihar.

Another party, the Vikassheel Insaan Party founded by Mukesh Sahani also has a base of supporters among the fishermen community of the state.

The Hindustani Awam Morcha, led by Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and a part of the NDA alliance, claims to represent the Mahadalits (a term coined by the Bihar government in 2007 for the poorest groups among the state's Dalit communities.)

Caste-based parties in Bihar BIhar has a history of caste-based parties, with the biggest example being the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which has its support base within the Yadav and the Muslim communities.

Also Read | JDU releases second list of 44 candidates for Bihar Election. Check names

Likewise, the erstwhile Samaata Party established by Nitish Kumar had a support base among the Kurmis, Upendra Kushwahas Rashtriya Lok Samata Party had a support base comprising Kushwahas or Koeris, and Om Prakash Rajbhars Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party has the backing of the Rajbhar community.
As the capital city prepares to celebrate Diwali, Delhi's air quality continued to remain in the poor category for the fourth consecutive day on Friday, October 17, reeling under rising pollution levels.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 254 at 4 pm, placing it in the poor category.

According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 to 100 satisfactory, 101 to 200 moderate, 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 very poor, and 401 to 500 severe.

Delhi AQI Out of the 38 monitoring stations in the capital, five reported air quality in the 'very poor' category.

Among them, Anand Vihar recorded the highest AQI at 382, followed by Wazirpur (351), Bawana 315, Jahangirpuri (342), and Siri Fort 309, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

A similar air quality forecast has been issued for the coming days by the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi.

Transport emissions remained the largest contributor to Delhi's air pollution on Friday, accounting for 17.9% of total emissions, according to data from the Decision Support System (DSS).

Air Quality in the National Capital Region (NCR) Among the neighbouring NCR cities, Ghaziabad recorded a 'very poor' AQI of 306, the worst in the country on Friday. Noida (278) and Gurugram (266) also registered 'poor' air quality, while Faridabad (105) remained in the moderate range.

Ghaziabad had the most polluted air in India on Friday, while Noida, Gurugram and Delhi, all part of the Delhi-NCR cluster, figured among the country's top 10 most polluted cities at different positions.

Stubble burning incidents Satellite data indicated that stubble burning incidents were detected across several states: 49 in Uttar Pradesh, 20 in Punjab, and 2 in Haryana.

Also Read | Why do we remain in the dark about the harmful effects of light pollution?

Delhi weather forecast On the weather front, the maximum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 32.6 degrees Celsius, 0.6 degrees below normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 18.4 degrees Celsius, 1.2 degrees below normal.

The relative humidity was 74 per cent at 8.30 am and 61 per cent at 5.30 pm, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
India on Friday said three Bangladeshi smugglers who crossed the border and attempted to steal cattle died during an altercation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has thus rejected Dhakas assertion that the men were lynched by a mob in Tripura.

We have noted that an incident in Tripura leading to the death of three Bangladesh smugglers took place on 15 October 2025, about 3 km inside Indian territory, the MEA official spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.

Dhaka has lodged a protest over the killing of three Bangladeshi nationals who had crossed the Indian border illegally. The three Bangladeshis were killed on Wednesday by an angry mob on suspicion of being cattle thieves in a border village called Bidyabil, in the Khowai district of Tripura.

The Government of Bangladesh strongly protests and condemns the brutal beating and killing of three Bangladeshi citizens by a mob in Tripura, India, on 15 October 2025, a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh said.

The Government of Bangladesh strongly protests and condemns the brutal beating and killing of three Bangladeshi citizens by a mob in Tripura, India, on 15 October 2025, a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh said.

What did MEA say? India, however, rejected Bangladesh's claim, saying the three 'miscreants' attempted to steal cattle from Bidyabil village in Indian territory

A group of three miscreants from Bangladesh crossed the international border and attempted to steal cattle from Bidyabil village in Indian territory. They attacked and injured local villagers with iron dahs and knives, and killed one villager, even as other villagers arrived and resisted the attackers, the MEA said, adding that authorities rushed to the spot, where two smugglers were found dead.

A third succumbed to his injuries in hospital the following day. The mortal remains of all three have been handed over to the Bangladesh side. Police have also registered a case.

The development comes in the backdrop of strained relations between the two countries since the interim government led by Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus assumed power in August 2024. The two sides have traded charges on a number of issues, including what Bangladesh describes as border killings.

Also Read | Bengal: Banglashree bus fare cut despite fuel price rise

The MEA statement said that this latest incident underscores the need for Bangladesh to undertake necessary measures to uphold the sanctity of the International Boundary and support the construction of fencing where needed to prevent cross-border crimes and smuggling.

We have noted that an incident in Tripura leading to the death of three Bangladesh smugglers took place on October 15, 2025 about 3 kms inside Indian territory.

Tripura shares an 856-km-long border with Bangladesh, and cross-border crimes such as cattle smuggling and illegal infiltration have been problems in the area. While most parts of the border are fenced, infiltrators and cattle smugglers often sneak in and try to escape back into Bangladesh to avoid detection and legal action.
Mumbai police said on Friday they had broken up an interstate cyber fraud gang and apprehended six people in Gujarat. All were allegedly involved in digital arrest cases, including one of Indias biggest digital arrest scams worth 58 crore.

The police said a team from the Mumbai police arrested the suspects from Mehsana and Ahmedabad in Gujarat over the last few days.

The key accused was in contact with fraudsters based in China and Cambodia, who instructed him on which bank accounts to use and how to transfer the siphoned money, according to a preliminary probe.

The police tracked down the suspects while probing the case of a pensioner residing in central Mumbai who was duped of 70 lakh under the threat of digital arrest.

A case was lodged at the RAK Marg police station in Mumbai and a full investigation was launched into the matter.

Digital arrest is a form of cybercrime in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement officials or personnel from government agencies and intimidate victims through audio/video calls. They hold the victims hostage and pressure them into paying money.

Indias Largest Digital Arrest Fraud The investigation further revealed that the same gang was responsible for what is believed to be one of Indias largest digital arrest fraud cases. A 72-year-old businessman was swindled out of a massive 58 crore.

The businessman and his wife were held in digital arrest by the accused, who impersonated as officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over a two-month period.

The police said the accused would initially park the swindled money in two bank accounts before transferring it to 138 subsequent accounts and converting it into cryptocurrency and American dollars.

Besides posing as officials from the CBI and the ED, the accused also claimed to be senior officials of the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS), New Delhi and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). They had even impersonated the NIA chief and senior IPS officer Sadanand Date.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 4) Ragasudha R said the accused include Sureshkumar Maganlal Patel (51), Musran Iqbalbhai Kumbhar (30), Chirag Mahesh Choudhary (29), Ankit Kumar Maheshbhai Shah (40), Vasudev alias Vivan Waljibhai Barot (27) and Yuvraj alias Marco alias Laxman Singh Sikarwar (34).

Yuvraj is the kingpin of the gang who was in direct contact with the transnational accused persons, she said.

The DCP added that he had been involved in cyber fraud for the last three years and used to receive a 3% commission for the frauds.
Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Shivajirao Kardile of Rahuri constituency died at 67, according to state BJP President Ravindra Chavan.

He reportedly suffered a heart attack. Although he was quickly taken to Sai Deep Sahyadri Hospital in Ahilyanagar because of breathing problems, doctors confirmed his passing, as per reports.

Chavan paid tribute to Kardile and said, The passing of Shivajirao Kardile, the MLA of Rahuri Assembly Constituency in Ahilyanagar district, due to a brief illness, is an extremely unfortunate and sorrowful event. He had been active in the political and social spheres of Nagar district for many years. From being the Sarpanch of Burhanagar village to an MLA and a Minister of State, he had a long and distinguished political journey.

He added, His demise has caused the loss of a dedicated leader who tirelessly worked for the service of the people. May his soul attain salvation. May the Kardile family find the strength to recover from this grief.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)'s Working President and MP Supriya Sule took to X and expressed condolences, stating, The news of the demise of Shivajirao Kardile, the current MLA of the Rahuri-Nagar-Pathardi Assembly constituency and the Chairman of the Ahilyanagar District Bank, is extremely saddening. He had also served as a minister for some time. We all share in the immense grief that has befallen the Kardile family due to his passing. Heartfelt tributes to him.

The news of the untimely demise of Shivajirao Kardile, a knowledgeable leader in the political and social spheres of Ahmednagar district, former minister, and MLA of Rahuri constituency, is heartbreaking. With his passing, I share in the grief that has befallen the Kardile family. Heartfelt condolences, former Maharashtra cabinet minister and Parli MLA Dhanajay Munde said.

Also Read | Abhay Bhutada Foundation Donates 5 Crore To CM Relief Fund For Maharashtra
Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton indicted

Xinhua) 13:50, October 17, 2025

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- John Bolton, who served as the U.S. national security adviser during U.S. President Donald Trump's first term from 2018 to 2019, was indicted on Thursday, marking the third indictment of high-profile Trump foes in less than a month.

Bolton, who was indicted by a federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court in the District of Maryland, faces 18 charges, including eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of retention of national defense information.

The federal grand jury charged Bolton with "serious crimes related to the mishandling of classified information," the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement.

"Like many public officials throughout history, Ambassador Bolton kept diaries -- that is not a crime. We look forward to proving once again that Ambassador Bolton did not unlawfully share or store any information," Bolton's lawyer Abbe Lowell was quoted by CNN as saying in a statement.

In a statement, Bolton said that he is a target of Trump's retribution campaign against his perceived political opponents.

When asked about the indictment, Trump told reporters in the White House, "I think he's a bad person."

Earlier this year, FBI agents executed search warrants at Bolton's residence in Maryland and his office in Washington, D.C., seizing numerous documents marked "classified," "secret" and "confidential," according to court records.

The latest indictment came less than a month after former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James were successively indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Bolton has been a vocal critic of the president since leaving the administration, describing Trump as "unfit to be president."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
India's logistics cost will drop to single digits by December this year, primarily due to the rapid expansion of expressways and economic corridors across the country, the Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Friday.

Speaking at the ASSOCHAM Annual Conference 2025, Gadkari mentioned that a recent joint report prepared by IIT Chennai, IIT Kanpur and IIM Bangalore supports this. The report revealed that the construction of expressways and economic corridors has helped reduce the country's logistics cost to 10% from 16% earlier.

India's logistics cost will come down to 9% by December, which will help India become more competitive. I am sure that 100 per cent it is going to give benefit to our industry, our exports will be more competitive, he said.

This reduction can make India's exports more competitive, as logistics costs are 12% in the US and European countries, and 8 to 10% in China, PTI reported.

Ambitious goals for the automobile sector Gadkari set an ambitious target of making India's automobile industry the number one in the world within five years.

The minister noted that after he took charge as the transport minister, the size of the Indian automobile industry has grown from 14 lakh crore to 22 lakh crore. The sector currently trails the US automobile industry, which has a size of 78 lakh crore, followed by China at 47 lakh crore.

Also Read | Wholesale beat automobile demand estimates in September: Report

Gadkari said the country's automobile sector provides jobs to 4 lakh youths and is the highest source of GST revenue for the Centre and states.

Tackling fuel imports The minister highlighted that India's dependence on fossil fuels has turned out to be an economic burden, as 22 lakh crore is spent annually on fuel imports, which is not just an economic burden but also an environmental hazard, leading to pollution.

Talking about air pollution in India, Gadkari said 40% of it, particularly in cities like Delhi, is caused by transport fuel. He called for the widespread adoption of clean energy, which is crucial for the country's progress, PTI reported.

We are working in the national interest to reduce the pollution of our country, he said, adding that it is time for the world, as well as India, to encourage biofuel and alternative fuel.

Furthermore, the minister said that the government has initiated a programme under which it aims to use the entire segregated solid waste in the country in road construction by 2027, thereby creating value from the waste.

Gadkari's take on boosting GDP growth Gadkari also urged industry bodies to focus on the agriculture sector, which he deems crucial to boost India's GDP growth and achieve Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India).

The government's decision to permit bio-ethanol production from corn has proven beneficial for farmers, as they have earned an additional 45,000 crore by producing ethanol from corn. The price of corn has increased from 1,200 to 2,800 per quintal since the government's move, PTI reported.

We have given an additional 45,000 crore to farmers of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and the reason is that the corn plantation has increased three times in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. That is going to increase the growth in these states, the minister said.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has achieved a major breakthrough in the OctaFX Ponzi scam case with the arrest of the Spanish mastermind, Pavel Prozorov, in his own country.

On Friday, a provisional order was issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach cryptocurrencies worth 2,385 crore in connection with the case.

What are the allegations against the company? According to the ED, OctaFX "systematically duped" Indian investors of 1,875 crore from July 2022 to April 2023. This helped the company, which operated across multiple countries, generate illicit profits of 800 crore.

"OctaFX presented itself as an online forex trading platform for currency, commodities and crypto trading without RBI permission...The initial investors received small profits to build trust, as is generally seen in a typical Ponzi scheme," the ED said, as per PTI.

The probe carried out by the ED has revealed that the company had a "distributed global network" which was designed to "evade" regulatory scrutiny while it collected illicit funds.

Most of the company's marketing activities were handled by hired entities in the British Virgin Islands. Their servers as well as back-office operations were based in Spain, payment gateways were run by entities in Estonia, while some in Georgia assisted with technical support. The "holding" company for the Indian entity was based out of Cyprus.

The ED also said that there were entities in Dubai to oversee the Indian operations while some Russians based out of Singapore handled the export of bogus services to funds that launder money abroad.

How was the scam carried out? OctaFX collected funds from investors via UPI and local bank transfers, which were then routed through dummy entities and individual accounts and layered across multiple mule accounts.

These layered funds were then sent abroad as payments for bogus imports of software as well as research and development-related services.

OctaFX fund laundering process.

The mastermind of the entire operation, Pavel Prozorov, controls several entities in Spain, Russia, Estonia, Hong Kong, the UAE, Singapore, and the UK, which would receive these payments. Moreover, a part of the laundered funds would later be reintroduced into India as foreign direct investment (FDI), as per the central agency.

The ED has currently filed two chargesheets against 55 entities before a special PMLA court.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met his Sri Lankan counterpart, Harini Amarasuriya, at his official residence in New Delhi.

This was the first visit of the Sri Lankan PM to India since she took office in September 2024.

After the conclusion of the meeting, the prime minister said that the two heads of state disccused issues ranging from development cooperation and the welfare of Indian fishermen.

"Glad to welcome Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ms. Harini Amarasuriya. Our discussions covered a broad range of areas, including education, women's empowerment, innovation, development cooperation and welfare of our fishermen," Modi said in a post on X.

Also Read | Sri Lankan PM Harini Amarasuriya has THIS connection with India

"As close neighbours, our cooperation holds immense importance for the prosperity of our two peoples as well as the shared region," he also added.

Meeting comes day after Stalin's letter to Modi This meeting comes a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin wrote a letter to the prime minister, urging him to take up the matter of welfare of Indian fishermen with the Sri Lankan prime minister.

"I am writing with reference to the upcoming three-day visit of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to New Delhi, scheduled for 16-18th October, 2025. This visit presents a valuable opportunity to address the persistent challenges faced by Indian fishermen in the traditional fishing waters of the Palk Bay and I urge you to raise these concerns with the visiting Prime Minister," the letter by Stalin said.

"The fishing communities of Tamil Nadu continue to face significant hardships due to recurring incidents of harassment, attacks, and apprehensions by the Sri Lankan Navy. Since 2021, 1482 fishermen and 198 fishing boats have been apprehended in 106 separate incidents, causing distress and economic loss to these communities," it added.

"The Government of Tamil Nadu has consistently sought the intervention of the Government of India to address these issues through diplomatic channels. To this end, I have raised this matter with your office on eleven occasions and made seventy-two representations to the Hon'ble Minister for External Affairs. In light of the fact that these incidents continue to occur unabated, I request that the following critical issues may be discussed with the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka during the visit," the letter read.

Stalin demands retrieval of Katchatheevu Island In his letter, the Tamil Nadu CM also demanded the retrieval of Katchatheevu Island, which the Centre had ceded to Sri Lanka without taking the TN government's consent.

"I request you to kindly use this opportunity to initiate dialogues with the visiting Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for the retrieval of Katchatheevu Island and also for the restoration of the traditional fishing rights of our fishermen in Palk Bay area. This is therefore of utmost importance to resolve the longstanding and distressing issues faced by the fishing community," added the letter.

76 fishermen, 242 fishing boats from Tamil Nadu remain in Sri Lankan custody Stalin has also mentioned in his letter that 76 fishermen and 242 fishing boats from TN are currently in Sri Lankan custody. He has asked the PM to initiate diplomatic efforts to resolve said issue.
Hyderabad: The by-election for the Jubilee Hills seat in Telangana is just round the corner, and some new details about voters have come up. Actresses Tamannaah Bhatia, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Rakul Preet Singh have the same residential address. The catch? These are the details as per the fake voter ID cards of the celebrities, that have been doing the rounds on social media.

As per multiple reports, fake voter ID cards bearing the names of Tamannaah Bhatia, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Rakul Preet Singh, with genuine EPIC numbers of voters have been found ahead of the by-elections for the Jubliee Hills seat in Telangana.

Also Read | Telugu actress Dimple Hayathi, husband booked for assaulting domestic help

Not only do the fake voter IDs have the photos of the actresses, but also referred to the same address.

Following the incident, Election Commission officials have launched an investigation  Telangana Today reported  citing sources aware of the matter.

When is Jubilee Hills Assembly election? Voting for the by-election to the Jubilee Hills Assembly seat is due on November 11, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 14.

Why the Jubilee Hills Assembly election is being held? The by-elections for the Jubilee Hills Assembly seat is being held after it fell vacant following the death of BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath in June this year. Gopinath passed away due to a heart attack.

View full Image Voting for the by-election to the Jubilee Hills Assembly seat is due on November 11, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 14.

Tamannaah, Samantha's fake voter IDs planned? As per local media reports, officials are investigating the matter to trace how the fake cards were fabricated and circulated.

Authorities are also examining whether the incident is part of a planned misinformation campaign ahead of the crucial by-election.

The circulation of the fake voter identity cards of actresses Tamannaah Bhatia, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Rakul Preet Singh comes amid allegations of large scale fake voter entries ahead of the crucial polls.

Fake voter entries BRS leaders claimed that 40 fake votes were detected in Swaraj Nagar which falls under the Borabanda division  including 10 in one house and 30 in another.

According to a report by Telangana Today, former minister and senior MLA G Jagadish Reddy, who was campaigning in the locality, also reportedly uncovered 28 fake entries at Booth No 326 in Banjara Nagar of Borabanda division, where in reality, only six genuine residents lived.
The Delhi High Court on Friday imposed a 20,000 fine on the central government for withholding crucial facts in its petition regarding the promotion of IRS officer and former NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede.

The government had sought a review of the court's 28 August order, which directed it to determine the UPSC's recommendation on Wankhedes promotion and grant him the rank of Additional Commissioner effective 1 January 2021, if recommended.

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A bench of Delhi High Court justices Navin Chawla and Madhu Jain said it expects that the Centre will disclose all the facts truthfully before filing the plea.

The HC had upheld the Central Administrative Tribunal's December 2024 order, which had directed the government to open the sealed cover pertaining to the IRS officers promotion.

The government had claimed that Wankhede's case was placed in a sealed cover due to the cases lodged against him.

Wankhede, a 2008-batch Indian Revenue Service officer, made headlines for allegedly demanding 25 crore from Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's family by threatening to implicate his son Aryan Khan in the Cordelia cruise drug bust case during his tenure in the NCB Mumbai in 2021.

On Friday, Centre's counsel Ashish Dixit argued that before the 28 August order, the competent authority had issued a charge memorandum and initiated regular departmental proceedings against Wankhede on 18 August, thereby legitimately invoking the "sealed cover" procedure.

The Centre's plea was opposed by advocate T Singhdev, representing Wankhede, who sought dismissal of the petition on the ground that it was a tactic to harass the officer.

The HC bench dismissed the review petition while deprecating the government for concealing material facts from the court.

"We have considered the submissions made by the counsel for the parties. Admittedly, as on the date of departmental promotion committee (DPC) and date of order passed by the tribunal on December 17, 2024, as affirmed by us, the cause for considering the recommendations of DPC in a sealed cover had not been met. In fact they were also not met on July 29 when we had reserved our judgment in the writ," the bench said while dictating the order.

It further said, "However, we strongly deprecate the petitioner from concealing from this court the order dated August 27, 2025 wherein the petitioner has been restrained from proceeding with the further departmental inquiry against the respondent.
Jammu and Kashmir government issued orders on Thursday for the closure of the Darbar Move offices in the summer capital of Srinagar on 31 October, hours after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced therestoration of the tradition.

The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha-led administration had scrapped the Darbar Move tradition in 2021 to save costs and promote digitisation.

"Today, I have personally signed the official file, and I hope that the order will be issued soon. We are restoring the old tradition of the Darbar Move," Abdullah told reporters on Thursday afternoon.

Why has the Darbar Move been restored? "We promised people that we would restore the Darbar Move. The Cabinet has taken a decision regarding its restoration and sent it to the Lieutenant Governor. The L-G has signed and returned the file," he said earlier in the day.

On Thursday night, Commissioner Secretary of the General Administration Department, M Raju, issued the formal order for the restoration of the Darbar Move.

"The offices, in this order, shall move to Jammu 'in full' and 'in camp', respectively, from the winter season 202526. The offices observing a five-day week shall close at Srinagar on October 31 after office hours, and the offices observing a six-day week shall close on November 1 after office hours," the order said

The offices moving 'in camp' shall carry only 33 per cent of the staff strength in that particular office, or 10 officials, whichever is minimum, or as otherwise specifically indicated.

While 39 offices, departments, and organisations, including the Chief Minister's Secretariat, will move in full strength, 47 others will move in camp, it said.

What is Darbar Move? Darbar Move' is a bi-annual practice in which the government functions for six months in the two capitals  Srinagar and Jammu.

The exercise involves shifting the government from Srinagar to Jammu during the winter months  October to May  and back to Srinagar in the summer, along with thousands of officials, workers, heaps of files and other logistics in hundreds of buses and trucks along the treacherous, and sometimes hazardous, Jammu-Srinagar highway.

The Darbar Move traces its origins to 1872 under Maharaja Ranbir Singh, the Dogra ruler who began transferring the royal court between Srinagar and Jammu to escape the extreme weather in both regions. Under this system, government offices functioned from Srinagar during the summer months and shifted to Jammu in the winter.

Jammu, unlike Kashmir, doesn't face harsh winters.

The exercise involved the relocation of nearly 10,000 employees, along with their records, computers, and furniture, with dozens of trucks carrying files and equipment across the JammuSrinagar highway twice a year.

Save  200 Cr a year "Why was the Darbar Move stopped? It had been a long-standing tradition. Those who used to accuse us of not understanding the history of Jammu and Kashmir before 1947, and of not respecting the great personalities of the region  let it be known that no one has damaged their legacy more than the BJP," Abdullah said.

The 149-year-old tradition was ended by Jammu and Kashmir's Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha- led administration in 2021. On June 20, 2021, the L-G administration completed the transition to e-office, thereby ending the practice of the biannual Darbar Move.

Now both the Jammu and Srinagar secretariats can function normally for 12 months. This will save the government 200 crore per year, which will be used for the welfare of the deprived sections, the LG said then.

The cancellation of the Darbar Move practice had annoyed a certain section of traders in Jammu, as it resulted in losses to them. Opposition parties and traders had been strongly advocating for the restoration of the Darbar Move for years.

Omar's sudden and last-minute road trip in 2024 The National Conference (NC) had promised the resumption of Darbar Move in the run-up to the assembly elections.

Last year, on 11 November, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, undertook a sudden and last-minute road trip from Srinagar to Jammu, after his flight was cancelled due to poor visibility. In Jammu, Abdullah resumed office from the Civil Secretariat, as part of the symbolic resumption of the annual practice of shifting the administrative base to the Union Territory's winter capital - Jammu.

This was Abdullah's first visit to the civil secretariat in Jammu as the chief minister since assuming office on October 16, 2024.

Today, I have personally signed the official file, and I hope that the order will be issued soon. We are restoring the old tradition of the Darbar Move.

The deputy chief minister, cabinet ministers, chief secretary, administrative secretaries, and heads of departments also resumed their work from Jammu, 300 km from Srinagar.
In a landmark judgment aimed at strengthening the rights of transgender persons, the Supreme Court on Friday constituted a dedicated committee to facilitate equal employment opportunities, inclusive medical care, and protection for gender non-conforming individuals, according to Bar and Bench report.

The move comes alongside a compensation order for a transwoman whose teaching appointments were terminated due to her gender identity.

What did the Supreme Court decide? A Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan delivered the verdict, emphasising the importance of securing the future of the third gender.

The court constituted a committee to monitor and implement measures for equal opportunities, protection, and inclusive medical care.

The committee to look at equal opportunities, inclusive medical care, protection for gender non conforming persons. We have awarded compensation to the petitioner considering how her services were terminated. We hope the future of the third gender is secure with this. We have framed guidelines and any Institutions which does not have guidelines shall follow the same till Centre brings a policy, Bar and Bench quoted the Supreme Court bench.

Who will be on the committee? According to Bar and Bench report, he committee will be chaired by retired Justice Asha Menon and will include:

Transgender activists Grace Banu and Akai Padmashali

Gaurav Mandal, member of CLPR Bengaluru

Dr Sanjay Sharma

Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari as amicus curiae The Supreme Court has framed guidelines to ensure institutions comply with measures until the central government introduces a formal policy.

Also Read | Indian tourist arrested in Pattaya for stealing 16,000 from transgender woman

What triggered the ruling? The judgment arose from the case of a transwoman whose appointments as a teacher were terminated by two private schools in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. She had previously been issued appointment letters in both states but was allowed to teach for only six days in Uttar Pradesh and was denied joining in Gujarat.

This case underscores the systemic barriers faced by transgender persons in the workforce and highlights the judiciarys active role in protecting their rights.

Also Read | Karnataka approves policy to safeguard rights of transgenders
The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday approved the Peripheral Ring Road project and decided to rename it the Bengaluru Business Corridor (BBC).

After the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar informed reporters that although notifications for the 117-km stretch from Tumakuru to Electronic City had been issued earlier, no concrete decisions had been made until now, as reported by PTI.

"Previous governments wanted to drop it. Now an alternative road is needed. We thought no road will be denotified," Shivakumar, who holds Bengaluru development portfolio, said.

The Deputy CM said earlier there was no provision for compensation, but the government has taken ways to give compensation to the land losers.

Bengaluru Business Corridor The notification is for 100-metre road, but it will only be 65-metre wide. The remaining 35 metres will be given back to the land losers to carry out commercial activities.

"Thirty five per cent road will be given back to farmers as compensation. It has value. If someone wants for residential purpose then we will give 40 per cent," Shivakumar said.

There will also be provision for cash compensation up to 20 guntas of land, which is half an acre.

Shivakumar said those who want Floor Area Ratio (FAR) instead of land compensation, will provided the same so that they can utilise the area adjacent to the FAR land.

Also, there will be provision to give compensation in the form of Transferrable Development Rights.

"We are ready to give two times TDR or we will give alternative Bangalore Development Authority land," the Deputy CM said.

"If someone does not want to take money then we will acquire the land and deposit the amount in the court," he clarified.

Project cost is  27,000 crore, 117 Km new road According to Shivakumar, the road will be tolled. It will also have a service road.

The project cost is about 27,000 crore and the government will take loan for it.

"Its a new chapter in Benglauru. We are building 117 km new road," Shivakumar said.

He also clarified that the state government will not denotify any land.

Also Read | Massive traffic jam on Bengaluru Outer Ring Road as BMTC bus breaks down  watch

Following the new compensation policy, the project cost may reduce by 10,000 crore, the Deputy CM said, adding the project may require 1,800 acres of land in the north side of the city.

"This project will be completed within two years by the BDA. The TDR value will be given as per the BBMP rules, which is beneficial for the land losers. I have asked officers to create TDR exchange system," Shivakumar said.
Harcharan Singh Bhullar, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Punjab Police, has become the centre of a huge controversy after his arrest this week by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over alleged bribery charges.

While the CBI initially arrested Bhullar on Thursday on charges of demanding a 8 lakh bribe from a scrap dealer, it was just the tip of the iceberg.

What did the CBI find? While investigating Bhullar after his arrest, the CBI found piles of cash worth 5 crore, Mercedes and Audi cars, 22 luxury watches, jewellery weighing 1.5 kg, as well as 40 litres of imported liquor bottles.

In addition, several firearms were recovered, including one double-barrelled gun, one pistol, one revolver, one air gun, and live ammunition.

The CBI also found documents pertaining to immovable assets and properties in Punjab.

How was Bhullar caught by the CBI? This expose was precipitated by scrap dealer Akash Bhatta, who alleged that Bhullar arranged a middleman named 'Kirshanu' to demand a large bribe from him, in addition to recurring bribes to ensure no police action is taken against his business.

The recurring bribes, in the form of monthly payments, were reportedly taken for 'settling' a 2023 FIR against the scrap dealer.

Upon receiving a complaint from Bhatta, the CBI laid a trap and caught Kirshanu accepting the bribe on behalf of Bhullar red-handed.

Also Read | Sand Smuggling Scam: ED raids multiple locations in West Bengal

"During the trap proceedings, a controlled call was made to the public servant, during which he acknowledged the payment and directed the middleman and complainant to come to his office. Subsequently, the CBI team apprehended the public servant from his office and arrested the other accused in Chandigarh," the CBI said in a statement.

A case against Bhullar and Kirshanu has been registered under Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Who is Harcharan Singh Bhullar? A 2007-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Bhullar assumed charge as the DIG of the Ropar range in Punjab in November 2024.

Prior to his appointment as the DIG of the Ropar range, Bhullar was the DIG of the Patiala range.

During his years of service, Bhullar played an active role in the anti-drug campaign of the Bhagwant Mann government, heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that interrogated Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on drug smuggling charges.

He is the son of former Punjab DGP Mahal Singh Bhullar.
Indian Army's 1st Sikh chief, Joginder Jaswant Singh, is making headlines after he headed to the operation room with wife for a medical procedure together. This move, though romantic left the senior orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rajeev Sharma surprised. The doctor at Delhis Moolchand Hospital was amazed to learn the identity of the couple who had entered his OPD for a knee replacement surgery together.

Married to artist Anupama Singh (in her mid 70s), Joginder Jaswant Singh decided to make the medical procedure an everlasting memory. The retired chief commonly known as General JJ Singh, 80, who commanded troops in the most volatile zones, decided against a solo surgery and left the surgeon in disbelief following the unique request.

Also Read | Chief of Army Staff facilitates Lt Col (Hony), actor Mohanlal for his support of Indian Army

Ive never seen something like this, Hindustan Times quoted Dr Rajeev Sharma as saying. The General, who led the Indian army from 2005 to 2007 and later served as the governor of Arunachal Pradesh for five years, made an extraordinary request about same surgical procedure on the same day as his wife and from the same surgeon.

The surgeon who was left momentarily speechless said, At first, I didnt even know he was a former Army Chief. They came to the OPD like regular patientshumble, unassuming. I found out only when my assistant, who was in touch with theirs, mentioned it, the news outlet reported.

Also Read | Daredevil rescue caught on cam: Indian Army saves 25 people before house crashes

Recalling the time, he suggested the surgery for both of his patients, Dr Rajeev Sharma said, While at the OPD when I suggested that they both needed knee replacement, they said they wanted to get the operation side by side, on the same day.

General JJ Singh says, Were compelled to be together After the medical procedure, General JJ Singh told HT, We had to get it done, so we thought why not just do it together? Though many called it sweet, cute and romantic, but for him it simply meant that they were compelled to be together. Describing the experience, he said we were constantly exchanging notes its aching hereis it paining there.

His wife noted, We did all our exercises together. It better that way because it gets boring otherwise. We even watched some YouTube videos about the recovery exercises together."

Since both of them got the surgery done for different sides, so when they started walking after the surgery, the two knees were paired together, the general added.

What is knee replacement surgery Knee replacement surgery, which is also referred to as knee arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure that is carried out to replace a damaged knee joint. An artificial knee joint made up of metal and plastic is inserted in its place.
Known for their enterprising spirit and their sharp business acumen, the Gujarati community has long held a global reputation for striking savvy deals. That reputation was on full display recently in Ahmedabad, where members of the Jain community, under an initiative by the Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO), made a massive luxury car purchase.

In a single initiative, JITO members across India bought 186 luxury cars ranging from 60 lakh to 1.34 crore, securing a whopping discount of 21.22 crore. The total value of the purchase? A staggering 149.54 crore, according to The Times of India.

While the drive was nationwide, Gujaratis, particularly from Ahmedabad, formed the bulk of the buyers. JITO, which boasts over 65,000 members across India, has collaborated with dealers of premium brands, like Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and even Samsung, to negotiate better prices for its members.

"Community buying gives us power to bargain harder. Brands benefit from assured volumes and lower marketing costs, while members get savings," said Himanshu Shah, the vice-chairman of JITO Apex, reported TOI.

"In this drive alone, members bought luxury cars worth 149.54 crore, saving 21.22 crore collectively," Shah added.

Following the success of this initiative, JITO has now set up a dedicated vertical for community purchase and is expanding such deals to different product categories, including electronics, medicines, and jewellery, among others.

Also Read | 10 best TVs for gaming in 2025: Tried and tested by experts

Community purchases with a pinch of empowerment TOI further reported that it's not just the Jains who are embracing the power of bulk community purchases.

The Bharwad community, too, embraced this idea and took it a step further. It came up with an empowering initiative to boost self-employment among its youth. The Bharwad Yuva Sangathan Gujarat recently pooled orders for 121 JCB machines, with an average discount of 3.3 lakh per unit and a total discount of 4 crore.

"Our campaign helps the youth start their own ventures. Those without strong credit scores got JCBs at zero down payment, based only on PAN and Aadhaar verificationwith the community standing guarantee for repayment," the Sangathan's president Dilip Bharwad said.
United States President Donald Trump finally lamented that he did not get a Nobel Peace Prize, as he claiming credit for resolving multiple global conflicts since he took over the presidency. He said that despite successfully addressing eight wars, he was never awarded a Nobel Prize, even though he was told that solving the next conflict could earn him one.

The US President also asserted that he loves solving wars because he likes stopping people from getting killed. Trump said, Look at all of the wars that we solved, and every time I solved, when they say If you solve the next one, you're gonna get the Nobel Prize.

He also spoke about the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado, and said he doesn't know who she is. I didn't get a Nobel Prize. Somebody got it who is a very nice woman. I don't know who she is, but she was very generous. I don't care about all that stuff. I just care about saving lives. But this will be number nine.

He suggested that his contributions toward global peace had not received due recognition, hoping that the next year would be better.

Trump continued, The Prime Minister of Pakistan said, I saved millions of lives...look at Pakistan and India as an example. That would have been a bad one...Although I do understand that Pakistan attacked, or there is an attack going on with Afghanistan. That's an easy one for me to solve if I have to solve it."

"In the meantime, I have to run the USA, but I love solving wars. You know why? I like stopping people from being killed, and I've saved millions and millions of lives.

Trump's comments echoed remarks he made earlier on Sunday (local time), when he reiterated that he had been instrumental in resolving several long-standing global conflicts. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on October 13 while travelling to the Middle East, he referred to the Gaza ceasefire as the eighth conflict he had successfully helped end.

"This will be my eighth war that I have solved, and I hear there is a war now going on between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I said, I'll have to wait till I get back. I am doing another one. Because I am good at solving wars," Trump had said.

Speaking of the India and Pakistan conflict, Trump said, Think about India, Pakistan. Think about some of the wars that were going on for years. We had one going for 31, one going for 32, one going for 37 years, with millions of people being killed in every country and I got every one of those done, for the most part, within a day. It's pretty good.

Trump said it had been an "honour" to have played a role in saving lives through his peace initiatives.
United States President Donald Trump reiterated on Friday, October 17, that India will halt crude oil imports from Russia as part of efforts to pressure Moscow to end the war in Ukraine. Trump said India had already begun to deescalate and pull back on its crude oil purchase from Russia  which triggered America to impose 25 per cent additional tariffs on Indian imports.

Speaking in the White House during a bilateral lunch with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump said, India will not buy Russian oil. Hungary is sort of stuck because they have one pipeline. It's been there for years and years.

But India will not be buying oil from Russia. They have already deescalated and is pulling back. They bought about 38 per cent of the oil and they won't be doing it anymore, Donald Trump said.

India will not buy Russian oil, claims Trump: Watch

Just a day ago, Donald Trump had claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally assured him that India would not be buying oil from Russia. He said, So I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he [Modi] assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia.

Thats a big step. Now were going to get China to do the same thing.

There will be no oil. Hes not buying oil, Trump said. The change wont take immediately, he said, but within a short period of time.

The claims prompted India to bluntly reject Donald Trump's remarks, saying the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was not aware of any such conversation taking place between the US President and the Indian prime minister, reaffirming its commitment to pursue energy deals based on national interest.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, On the question of whether there was a conversation or a telephone call between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump, I am not aware of any conversation yesterday between the two leaders.

After Trump's crude oil claims, Russia said it was confident its business ties with New Delhi would continue.
US President Donald Trump's former aide and national security adviser John Bolton has been indicted on 18 federal counts, including eight for transmission and ten for retention of national defence information. The charges, unsealed by the US Department of Justice, centre on the alleged mishandling of classified material during and after his tenure in the Trump administration.

Also Read | Justice Dept to seek indictment of Trump critic Bolton over classified documents

Who is John Bolton? A veteran of Republican administrations, John Robert Bolton served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush and later became Donald Trumps National Security Adviser from April 2018 to September 2019. Known for his hawkish foreign-policy views, Bolton was a prominent advocate of a hard line against Iran and North Korea.

After resigning amid policy clashes with President Trump, he published a memoir, The Room Where It Happened, in 2020  a book that drew both praise and lawsuits from the White House. Bolton continued to work as a policy analyst in Washington, often arriving before dawn at his private office to write, research and maintain his foreign-policy networks.

What are the exact charges against Bolton? The indictment accuses John Bolton of unlawfully transmitting and retaining classified national defence information.

Eight counts of transmission of national defence information.

Ten counts of unlawful retention of national defence information.

Allegations include using a personal AOL email account as a kind of digital diary, summarising his daily activities while serving as National Security Adviser.

Some messages allegedly contained sensitive or classified information later accessed by unauthorised individuals.

Prosecutors claim Bolton kept restricted files in his home and Washington office.

Each count carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, though sentencing would depend on judicial discretion.

Also Read | Ex-US NSA John Bolton slams Donald Trump again amid Tariff row

Was his John Bolton's email hacked  and how does it fit into the case? Yes. Investigators say John Boltons personal email account was later hacked in 2021, exposing sensitive information. The FBI was notified, but prosecutors allege Bolton failed to disclose that classified notes were stored there. Some materials were reportedly marked Top Secret and included intelligence briefings and details of covert operations.

The alleged mishandling of this information forms the core of the prosecutions case.

Also Read | FBI searches former US Security Advisor John Bolton's Maryland house

What did John Bolton say about the indictment? In his first public reaction, John Bolton claimed the charges were politically motivated and part of Donald Trumps retribution campaign:

For four decades, I have devoted my life to Americas foreign policy and national security. I would never compromise those goals. I tried to do that during my tenure in the first Trump Administration but resigned when it became impossible to do so.

Donald Trumps retribution against me began then, continued when he tried unsuccessfully to block the publication of my book, The Room Where It Happened, before the 2020 election, and became one of his rallying cries in his re-election campaign.

Also Read | John Bolton can publish book despite efforts to block it: US judge

Now, I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts.

My book was reviewed and approved by the appropriate, experienced career clearance officials. When my e-mail was hacked in 2021, the FBI was made fully aware. In four years of the prior administration, after these reviews, no charges were ever filed.

Then came Trump 2 who embodies what Joseph Stalins head of secret police once said, You show me the man, and Ill show you the crime.

Dissent and disagreement are foundational to Americas constitutional system, and vitally important to our freedom. I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power.

Why now  and is John Bolton's indictment politically motivated? Many observers see the timing and nature of the indictment of John Bolton in the context of heightened legal scrutiny around figures who have been adversarial to Donald Trump. Some relevant points:

The case continues a trend of charges against individuals critical of the former president, including recent indictments of James Comey and New York AG Letitia James.

The Justice Department emphasises that the indictment was brought by career prosecutors in Maryland.

Critics counter that Bolton is being singled out because he broke with Trump publicly, notably via his book and criticism of Trumps foreign-policy decisions.

Whether a court views the case as legally strong or politically fraught remains to be seen as the prosecution and defence begin presenting their evidence.

Whats next  legal timeline and possible outcomes? In the immediate term, a presiding judge will schedule arraignment, pretrial motions, and discovery deadlines. Bolton is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

John Bolton may challenge the indictment on grounds such as classification disputes, statute interpretation, or First Amendment claims regarding diary writing.

If convicted on all 18 counts, Bolton could face decades in prison, though actual sentencing would reflect federal guidelines, mitigation, and judicial discretion.
US Senate Majority Leader John Thune is under mounting pressure amid the ongoing government shutdown, as Senate Democrats rejected a short-term spending bill for the 10th time on Thursday.

The measure, aimed at temporarily reopening the government, failed on a 51-45 vote, falling short of the 60 votes required to move forward under Senate filibuster rules.

Democrats remained firm in their stance, refusing to support any funding resolution that didn't include progress on health care benefits. Thune said he had offered them a vote on extending Affordable Care Act premium subsidies, a top Democratic priority, but acknowledged he couldn't ensure the proposal's passage.

Also Read | US Govt shutdown continues as Senate rejects stopgap funding bill for 10th time

He also made it clear that negotiations over the details of any Obamacare-related deal would have to wait until the government was back open.

Thune had extended an offer to Democrats aimed at resolving the ongoing government shutdown, but it wasnt sufficient to break the deadlock.

In an interview with MSNBC, Thune said he proposed giving Democrats a vote on extending Affordable Care Act premium subsidies, one of their top priorities.

However, he made clear he couldnt promise the measure would pass. Thune also stated he would not negotiate the specifics of the subsidies deal until the government is reopened.

While some bipartisan talks have been ongoing about potential compromises on health care, they haven't produced any meaningful progress toward reopening the government.

Also Read | US Govt shutdown continues as Senate rejects stopgap funding bill for 10th time

The Democratic Party is the party that will not take yes for an answer, Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said in an angry speech on the Senate floor, as reported by AP.

He had also offered to hold a later vote on extending subsidies for health plans offered under Affordable Care Act marketplaces, but said he would not guarantee a result or an outcome.

Democrats say they won't budge until they get a guarantee on extending the tax credits for the health plans. They warn that millions of Americans who buy their own health insurance, such as small business owners, farmers and contractors, will see large increases when premium prices go out in the coming weeks. Looking ahead to a Nov. 1 deadline in most states, they think voters will demand that Republicans enter into serious negotiations.

Who benefits from the US govt shutdown? A new AP-NORC poll reveals that most Americans view the government shutdown as a serious issue, and they're placing blame across the board, as reported by AP.

About 6 in 10 Americans say Trump and congressional Republicans bear a great deal or quite a bit of responsibility for the shutdown. Meanwhile, 54% say the same about Democrats in Congress. The poll, conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, shows that at least 75% of Americans believe each party shoulders at least a moderate level of blame, highlighting that no major player has escaped public scrutiny.

Also Read | History in making? Prediction markets bet on US govt shutdown exceeding 35 days

The poll finds that 54% of U.S. adults call the shutdown a major issue, with just 11% saying it is not a problem at all. Democrats are most likely, at 69%, to see it as a major problem, but 59% of independents and 37% of Republicans feel the same way.

At the heart of the government shutdown is a deadlock over federal tax credits for individuals purchasing health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Democrats are pushing to extend the credits, while Republicans insist theyll only negotiate on the matter after the government is reopened.

The Democratic Party is the party that will not take yes for an answer.

54% of U.S. adults call the shutdown a 'major issue.'

According to the AP-NORC poll, about 4 in 10 US adults support extending the tax credits, while only around 1 in 10 are firmly opposed. Notably, 42% say they have no opinionindicating that a significant portion of the public isnt closely tuned in to the central issue fueling the stalemate.
During the heated debate at the New York mayoral debate, Independent candidate and former Governor Andrew Cuomo slammed the Democratic Socialist front-runner Zohran Mamdani, for backing the decriminalisation of prostitution in NYC.

Cuomo has accused Mamdani of pushing to go beyond current norms by supporting full legalisation.

According to a report by the New York Post, Cuomo pointed out Mamdani's past backing of state legislation aimed at decriminalising sex work as evidence of his stance.

Speaking from 30 Rockefeller Centre in the debate broadcast by WNBC, Cuomo said, The worst thing that could happen is if the assemblymans proposal for legalising prostitution went through.

Also Read | Andrew Cuomo gets funding boost ahead of NYC mayoral debate against Mamdani

What does Mamdani say on decriminalising prostitution in NYC? Calling the allegations ironic, Mamdani slammed back against Cuomo's attacks, accusing the former governor of spreading falsehoods.

It is to be further noted that Cuomo, 67, was the governor of New York state from 2011 until 2021, when he resigned over sexual assault allegations, previously serving as a cabinet secretary under former president Bill Clinton.

While Mamdani has voiced general support for decriminalizing sex work, his campaign clarified that he has never advocated for full legalisation.

Watch the video here:

The issue resurfaced after Cuomo, Mamdanis main opponent in the mayoral race, claimed during a mosque visit that Mamdani supports legalising prostitution, even betting a congregant $10 on it.

I have never supported the legalisation of prostitution, Mamdani responded at a separate press event, calling Cuomo's comments ironic, especially given that he made a bet inside a mosque.

Mamdani has not explicitly stated whether he still supports legislation that would remove criminal penalties for consenting adults engaged in sex work, leaving some ambiguity around the finer details of his stance.

Prostitution is illegal in New York City Although prostitution remains illegal in New York City, local district attorneys often decline to prosecute such cases, prioritising efforts against sex trafficking instead.

In recent years, especially under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, the New York City Police Department shifted its focus away from prosecuting individual sex workers, instead targeting gang and organised crime activities tied to the sex trade. From 2014 to 2022, arrests related to sex work dropped significantly, according to an analysis of crime data, according to a report by the New York Times.

However, since Mayor Eric Adams took office in 2022, the NYPD has ramped up efforts to crack down on illegal brothels, particularly in Jackson Heights, Queens, a well-known hub for prostitution.

Also Read | What the judge said while sentencing Diddy on prostitution-related charges

Arrests for prostitution-related offences surged from 162 in 2022 to 439 in 2023, with 485 arrests recorded through mid-July of this year, according to police data.

The president Donald Trump, who has threatened to arrest Mamdani, to deport him, and even to take over the city if he wins, was invoked early and often.

Pressed on how they would handle Trump, Mamdani said he would stand up to the president while also being willing to work with him on lowering costs and affordability.

I have never supported the legalization of prostitution.

The worst thing that could happen is if the assemblymans proposal for legalising prostitution went through.

The race to govern the city's 8.5 million people was again upended when sitting mayor Eric Adams, who has been engulfed in corruption allegations, quit the race without endorsing another candidate.

(With inputs from agencies)
A Kremlin envoy has suggested that Russia and the United States construct a Putin-Trump rail tunnel under the Bering Strait to connect the two countries, enable joint natural resource exploration, and serve as a symbol of unity. While US President Donald Trump has found this suggestion interesting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was not happy with the idea.

A tunnel from Russia to Alaska  I just heard about that one, Trump said, adding, Thats an interesting one. Well have to think about that.

The proposal came from Kirill Dmitriev, President Vladimir Putin's investment envoy and head of Russia's RDIF sovereign wealth fund. He proposed a Putin-Trump tunnel project costing $8 billion, funded by Moscow and international partners, to build a 70-mile (112-km) rail and cargo link in under eight years.

The idea to build a Putin-Trump tunnel was floated after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held talks by phone to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine and agreed to meet in Budapest.

Asked about the idea on Friday by a reporter during a meeting in Washington with Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump called the idea "interesting" and asked Zelensky what he made of it.

I'm not happy with this idea, the Ukrainian leader said, prompting laughter from the US side.

The dream of a USRussia link via the Bering Strait reflects an enduring vision  from the 1904 Siberia-Alaska railway to Russias 2007 plan. RDIF has studied existing proposals, including the US-Canada-Russia-China railroad, and will support the most viable, Dmitriev wrote on X.

Elon Musk's company proposed as contractor The Kremlin envoy also proposed that the Putin-Trump tunnel could be constructed by The Boring Company, a US tunnel construction company owned by US billionaire Elon Musk.

He wrote to Elon Musk on X, Imagine connecting the US and Russia, the Americas and the Afro-Eurasia with the Putin-Trump Tunnel - a 70-mile link symbolizing unity. Traditional costs are $65B , but @boringcompany's tech could reduce it to <$8B. Let's build a future together.

Trump-Zelensky meet Donald Trump is hosting Volodymyr Zelensky for talks at the White House on Friday, with the US leader signaling he's not ready to agree to sell Kyiv a long-range missile system that the Ukrainians say they desperately need.

In recent days, Trump had shown an openness to selling Ukraine long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, even as Putin warned that such a move would further strain the US-Russian relationship.

But following Thursday's call with Putin, Trump appeared to downplay the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 1,600 kilometres.
United States President Donald Trump said on Friday that it would be premature to give long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine as it could escalate situation with Russia. He also suggested that America, too, needs the missiles, as he hoped to get the Russia-Ukraine war solved without the Tomahawk.

Volodymyr Zelensky, who met Donald Trump at the White House today, has been requesting weapons that would enable Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting key military sites, energy facilities, and critical infrastructure.

Zelensky at the start of the White House talks said he had a proposition in which Ukraine could provide the United States with its advanced drones, while Washington would sell Kyiv the long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.

When Zelensky mentioned that Ukraine needs Tomahawks, Trump said, Tomahawks could mean escalation. Hopefully they won't need it. Hopefully we'll be able to get the war over with without thinking about Tomahawks.

I have an obligation also to make sure that were completely stocked up as a country, because you never know whats going to happen in war and peace. We'd much rather have them not need Tomahawks. We'd much rather have the war be over to be honest.

He continued, We need Tomahawks, and we need a lot of the other things that we've been sending over the last four years to Ukraine. One of the reasons we want to get this war over is exactly that  it's not easy for us to give. You're talking about massive numbers of very powerful weapons, indicating that the US wouldn't provide Tomahawks to Ukraine.

Trump added that he was confident of getting Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the invasion he launched in 2022, following a phone call with the Kremlin chief a day earlier.

The US and Russian presidents agreed on Thursday, October 16, to a new summit in the Hungarian capital Budapest, which would be their first since an August meeting in Alaska that failed to produce any kind of peace deal.

I think that President Putin wants to end the war, Trump said.

But Zelensky, demurred, saying that Putin was not ready for peace.

On the eve of Zelensky's visit to Washington, Vladimir Putin had warned in a call to Trump, against delivering the Tomahawk missiles, saying itt would significantly put strain on their relationship.

Quoting Vladimir Putin, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said, The delivery of Tomahawks would not change the battlefield situation but would harm US-Russia ties and the peace process.
US Navy Admiral Admiral Alvin Holsey, the military commander overseeing the Pentagons intensifying operations against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea, announced on Thursday that he would be stepping down.

Holsey, who leads US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), responsible for military operations across Central and South America, has been at the helm during the rapid deployment of approximately 10,000 personnel as part of what the Pentagon describes as a significant counterdrug and counterterrorism campaign.

His decision comes less than a year into a post that typically spans three years and coincides with what many regard as the most substantial operation of his 37-year military career. The reasons for his abrupt departure remain unclear. However, one current and one former US official, both speaking anonymously due to personnel sensitivities, indicated that Admiral Holsey had expressed reservations regarding the mission and the attacks on vessels suspected of smuggling narcotics.

In a statement shared on social media, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth did not allude to any discord with the four-star commander. On behalf of the Department of War, Hegseth said, using the alternative title he now favours for the department, we extend our deepest gratitude to Admiral Alvin Holsey for his more than 37 years of distinguished service to our nation as he plans to retire at years end.

Holsey, who was nominated by former President Joe Biden, announced his unexpected departure in a statement posted on X, saying, Its been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend the Constitution for over 37 years, and added, Serving as your commander and deputy for the past 34 months has been a tremendous honor.

He is the most recent flag officer to depart since Hegseth assumed leadership of the Pentagon. Several of these exits have been sudden, including the dismissals of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman CQ Brown, who was Black, and Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to serve in that role.

Holsey's resignation comes at a time when the Pentagon is experiencing a series of high-profile departures and growing controversy surrounding the increased US military presence in the southern Caribbean near Venezuela, which is reportedly aimed at targeting drug traffickers.

US military strikes vessels off the coast of Venezuela Meanwhile, as per a report by Reuters, US military strikes targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels off the coast of Venezuela have resulted in at least 27 deaths, prompting concern among legal experts and primarily Democratic lawmakers, who question whether the actions comply with the laws of war. The Trump administration maintains that it is engaged in a conflict with narcoterrorist organisations based in Venezuela, thereby justifying the strikes as lawful.

On Wednesday, Trump revealed that he had given the Central Intelligence Agency permission to carry out covert operations within Venezuela, further fueling speculation in Caracas that the United States may be attempting to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro.
Several users of Verizon across the United States experienced widespread network disruptions during the early hours of Friday, with mobile and internet services going offline in several regions, resulting in connectivity issues for many, according to data from Downdetector.

How many users were impacted? Reports of outage rose from 96 at 9:26 am ET to 7,163 at 9:56 ET on Friday, 17 October, according to Downdetector, a website that monitors real-time network issues.

Users in cities such as New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago, Seattle, Phoenix and Atlanta were majorly impacted.

Downdetector noted that 51% of complaints reported by Verizon users involved cell phones, while 32% were over 5G home internet.

Why is it important? Verizon ranks among the largest mobile and broadband providers in the US, offering over 146.1 million wireless retail connections and 10.4 million broadband connections by the end of June 2025, according to a report by Newsweek.

The latest complaints days after customers highlighted similar issues with Verizon's network.

On October 10, several users on social media reported widespread outages. Users complained about connectivity issues with the Verizon network. Over 1,000 complaints were registered on Downdetector.

Approximately 58% of users reported issues with their mobile internet, 24% said they had 'No Signal,' and 18% experienced trouble with 5G Home Internet.

Verizon announced an upgrade in June that offers customers access to a Customer Champion and an AI assistant that provides updates through the app, text, or phone call.

In April, ethical hacker Evan Connelly stated that millions of Verizon customers were at risk of their call histories being exposed because of a security vulnerability in the companys Call Filter app. Connelly wrote: This wasn't just a data leak. It was a real-time surveillance mechanism waiting to be abused," the Newsweek report said.
Day after Donald Trump held talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US President has indicated that he's not ready to agree to give long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv.

The indication has come ahead of Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting with Donald Trump at the White House and after Putin warned that selling long-range missiles to Ukraine could further strain the US-Russian relationship.

In recent days, Trump had shown an openness to selling Ukraine Tomahawk cruise missiles. But after his call with Putin, Trump appeared to indicate that he might just not.

We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too. We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean we cant deplete our country, Donald Trump said.

Zelensky has been requesting weapons that would enable Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting key military sites, energy facilities, and critical infrastructure. He argued that such attacks could pressure Putin to take Trumps calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.

Zelensky is looking to offer to store American liquefied natural gas in Ukraines gas storage facilities, which would allow for American presence in the European energy market.

But, during the call, Putins foreign policy adviser said that Vladimir Putin warned Donald Trump that supplying Kyiv with the Tomahawks long range missiles wont change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries.

Meanwhile, Zelensky insisted that the threat of Tomahawks had forced Moscow to negotiate. We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks, he said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also echoed the claims that talk of providing Tomahawks had already served a purpose by pushing Putin into talks.

The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace, Andrii Sybiha said.

Trump-Putin meeting Following Thursdays call with Putin, Trump announced he would soon meet the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss ways to end the war. They also agreed that their senior aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, would meet next week at a yet-to-be-disclosed location

Zelensky is also making a trip to Washington to meet Donald Trump  his third since Trump's return to office. We expect that the momentum of curbing terror and war that succeeded in the Middle East will help to end Russia's war against Ukraine, Zelensky said on social media platform X.
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett has warned on Friday, October 17, that President Donald Trump may ramp up actions if the United States government shutdown continues. Kevin Hassett said President Trump is likely to escalate actions if there is no progress in the standoff with the Democrats and the shutdown continues into the coming weekend.

Hassett did not say what actions the Republican president might take if lawmakers do not reach an agreement. If the shutdown continues after this weekend, Trump can be expected to ramp up actions, Kevin Hassett said.

Last week, layoffs had started across the US federal government, as Trump followed through on a threat to cut the federal workforce during the government shutdown, which has entered its 17th day today.

Meanwhile, Democrats have said that no breakthrough with the Republicans are possible if President Donald Trump does not show any interest in brokering a compromise  a compromise is needed to end the government shutdown which has prompted thousands of layoffs.

The House has been out of session for nearly a month, and Republicans have refused to negotiate with Democrats until a short-term funding measure to reopen the government is approved.

Earlier, the Trump administration said that it plans to pay more than 70,000 sworn law enforcement officers during an ongoing government shutdown.

The Department of Homeland Security said more than 70,000 sworn law enforcement officers across the department including those serving in Customs and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Secret Service, Transportation Security Administration and other critical mission areas will be paid for all hours worked during the shutdown.

Earlier, Donald Trump had directed his Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to use all available funds to ensure the United States troops are paid. Citing his authority as Commander in Chief, Donald Trump stated that the necessary funds have been identified and will be released for payment to the troops.

In a post on X, Donald Trump said, "Chuck Schumer recently said, Every day gets better during their Radical Left Shutdown. I DISAGREE! If nothing is done, because of Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th.
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia  Dozens of South Koreans allegedly involved in online scams in Cambodia are to be flown home aboard a charter plane, officials said Friday.

The repatriation follows the death of a South Korean student who was reportedly forced to work in a scam center in Cambodia. His death triggered public outrage in South Korea, prompting the government to send a delegation to the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, for talks on joint responses.

Cambodian Interior Ministry spokesperson Touch Sokhak said 64 South Koreans are set to be repatriated from Cambodia late Friday.

South Korea's national security director Wi Sung-lac earlier told a briefing in Seoul that the two countries were in the final stages of negotiations on the charter flight, with about 60 South Koreans due to leave Phnom Penh at around midnight local time .

A Korean Air plane was seen arriving at the VIP section for chartered aircraft at Techo International Airport on Friday evening.

Upon arrival, the South Koreans, who were previously detained amid crackdowns on scam centers in Cambodia, will face investigations, Wi said, in an apparent bid to determine whether they willingly joined scam organizations or were forced to work after being drawn in via false job ads.

Scam centers in Cambodia are estimated to have about 200,000 workers, including 1,000 South Koreans, according to South Korean officials.

Online scams have risen sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic and produced two sets of victims  those forced to work as scammers under the threat of violence, and the targets of their fraud via bogus investment pitches, illegal gambling schemes and even romantic ploys. Monitoring groups say online scams earn international criminal gangs billions of dollars annually.

A South Korean travel ban came into effect Thursday for parts of Cambodia, including Bokor Mountain in Kampot province, where the South Korean student was found dead. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has requested the restrictions are eased, Seouls Foreign Ministry said.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday ordered authorities to take urgent action to try to remove illegal advertisements for jobs not only in Cambodia but also across Southeast Asia.

Online scam centers were previously concentrated in Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia and Myanmar, with most of the trafficked and other workers coming from Asia. But an Interpol report in June said the past three years have seen victims trafficked to Southeast Asia from distant regions including South America, Western Europe and Eastern Africa and that new centers have been reported in the Middle East, West Africa and Central America.

Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea. Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report from Seoul.
At least seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack in a compound of security forces in Pakistan's northwest near the Afghan border Friday, police said as per reports.

The bombing near the Afghan border comes just days after Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a ceasefire following days of cross-border fighting that killed dozens and wounded hundreds on both sides. The ceasefire, which began Wednesday and is set to expire Friday evening.

How did the bombing happen? The attack took place in Mir Ali, a city in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Irfan Ali, a local police official, said. The impact of the bombing damaged nearby homes, he said.

Local media reported that Qatar has offered to host peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Doha, though neither government has confirmed the offer.

According to AP, Pakistan has witnessed a surge in attacks since January, mostly blamed on the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. It has strained ties between Islamabad and Kabul as Pakistan says the group is being sheltered in Afghanistan.

Pakistan's military has carried out multiple operations against militants in the region this week, killing 88 militants, according to security officials and police in the region.

What happened between Pakistan and Afghanistan? Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated after Pakistan reportedly carried out air strikes in Kabul on Thursday. It followed clashes between the two sides.

This weeks clashes between the two countries were the deadliest since 2021, when the Taliban seized control in Afghanistan following the collapse of the Western-backed government as US and NATO forces withdrew after 20 years of war.

Tensions have remained high along the border since last week when Kabul accused Islamabad of carrying out a strike in the Afghan capital, a claim Pakistans government and military have not acknowledged. Pakistani security officials, however, said the strike was aimed at targeting Noor Wali, the head of the TTP.

TOPSHOT - Afghan workers remove debris from a house, which was damaged after an air strike during cross-border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, in Kabul on October 16, 2025. A ceasefire along the frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan was holding on October 16, officials on both sides said, after dozens of troops and civilians were killed in cross-border clashes. (Photo by Wakil KOHSAR / AFP)

The Pakistani Taliban shared a video Thursday claiming Wali is alive and hiding somewhere in northwestern Pakistan.

Afghanistan-Pakistan ceasefire On Wednesday, the Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid took to the X social media platform to inform that a ceasefire was established between the two countries after 5:30 pm [1300 GMT] this evening.
Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak shared his perspective on India's handling of the Trump tariff situation, which had sent shockwaves across the country's industries. Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2025 on Friday, 17 October 2025, Sunak highlighted how India found a common ground in the face of global trade challenges.

He also discussed the significance of the recently concluded India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), emphasising its potential to boost bilateral trade relations between the two countries, PTI reported.

The relations between New Delhi and Washington have come under severe strain after US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50%, including a 25% additional duty for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.

India's national interest in a protectionist world When asked if India tackled the US tariff issue the right way, the former UK Prime Minister fully backed the nation's strategy, stating, Every country is going to work in its own national interests, and that is entirely right.

Sunak acknowledged the current global trade environment, noting that the world is becoming more protectionist. In this context, he viewed India's move to sign a major trade deal with the UK as an incredible positive sign of willingness to sit down with countries, find common ground, and create mutually beneficial agreements, while sending important signals globally.

He noted that India is likely to seek other opportunities, being in talks with the EU just as the UK is also pursuing other deals. He further stressed the importance of deep and trust-based international relationships. If relationships are purely transactional, you get less out of them, Sunak said.

Everyone just thinks about immediate gains, and different countries react in different ways,  he said during the summit.

Significance of India-UK Free Trade Agreement Rishi Sunak expressed his satisfaction with the India-UK FTA, a deal he initiated, saying, It's great to see the trade deal being signed, something I started work on, and I'm really pleased that the new government concluded it.

He also highlighted the success of the recent high-level delegation visits, noting Modi coming to the UK, and the UK Prime Minister visiting India with a big business delegation.

Also Read | UK PM Keir Starmer thanks PM Modi for ambitious India-UK trade deal
Russia launched a massive assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, deploying hundreds of drones and numerous missiles in a major attack on the country's power grid, authorities said on Thursday, according to AP.

Emergency power outages occurred in various regions of Ukraine, and the state energy company announced that these blackouts will remain in effect till today, according to Russia Today.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was set to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House to request additional US-supplied air defense systems and long-range missiles.

As he weighs Zelensky's request for US missiles, Trump stated following Thursday's phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin that the two leaders plan to meet in Budapest, Hungary, in an effort to help end the war. However, no date has been scheduled for the meeting.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he will discuss his conversation with Putin and much more during his meeting with Zelenskyy on Friday, noting that I believe great progress was made with todays telephone conversation.

Eight regions in Ukraine experienced power outages following the latest wave of attacks, according to the national energy operator, Ukrenergo. DTEK, the country's largest private energy provider, reported blackouts in Kyiv and announced it had halted natural gas production in the central Poltava region due to the strikes. Naftogaz, Ukraines state-owned oil and gas company, stated that natural gas infrastructure had been damaged for the sixth time this month.

View full Image TOPSHOT - A person walks on a non-illuminated street during a power outage in the town of Lozova, Kharkiv region, on October 16, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP) ( AFP )

Also Read | Belarus proposes a new nuclear plant to supply energy to Russian-occupied Ukraine

View full Image A cashier waits in a supermarket during a power outage in the town of Lozova, Kharkiv region, on October 16, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP) ( AFP )

Zelensky on Russia's strikes Zelensky claimed that Russia launched over 300 drones and 37 missiles at Ukraine overnight. He accused Russia of using cluster munitions and deliberately targeting the same sites multiple times to hit emergency responders and repair crews working to restore power.

Zelensky stated on Telegram, This fall, the Russians are using every single day to strike our energy infrastructure.

Since the beginning of its invasion over three years ago, Russia has consistently targeted Ukraines power grid. These attacks typically intensify as winter approaches, a tactic Ukrainian officials describe as weaponizing winter". Russia, however, maintains that it only strikes military-related targets.

In response, Ukraine has been targeting Russian oil refineries and related facilities that are vital to both the Russian economy and its military operations. On Thursday, Ukraines General Staff mentioned that its forces struck the Saratov oil refinery, located about 500 kilometers (300 miles) from the Ukrainian border, for the second time in two months. Russian authorities had not yet commented on the claim.
The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has undertaken a fresh round of reforms designed to help subscribers access their retiral funds ahead of time. Notable among these is its easing of premature withdrawal rules: one can withdraw up to 75% of the money in ones account, with the rest held back as a prudential measure for future release.

Apart from a job loss or voluntary exit from a payroll, the reasons one could present for it have been re-slotted into three broad categories: one, essential needs, defined to include illness, education and marriage; two, housing; and three, special circumstances, which one need not explain to secure the EPFOs approval. Plus, members can tap their provident funds (PFs) with greater frequency: up to 10 times for education and five times for marriage-related expenses.

Besides, all it takes is 12 months of membership to apply for a partial PF withdrawal. These moves give this retirement scheme a valuable dose of liquidity.

Sure, the EPFO was set up to save a monthly slice of every subscribers salarywith an equal sum put in by the employerfor old-age expenses, but letting it serve as a fallback for financial needs that may arise earlier is the right approach. Ones own money should not be subject to locks-ins that are too strict.

This explains why the EPFO has had to clarify that in case of unemployment, the 25% held back can also be taken out after a year of going without pay. This is a longer wait than before, but will keep out claims filed by those who join new payrolls within months.

As the broad purpose of PF is to restrain earners who would squander all their earnings if left to themselves, Indias EPFO reforms stand out for the trust they invest in the judgement of account holders.

Since PF balances earn a far better rate of interest than fixed deposits do at banks, or what government bonds yield, the default position of its members should be to stay invested and watch the sum grow over the years. Plus, it is tax-free up to a limit. As this is a state-run fund, investment safety is not a consideration.

Yet, PF safety also demands sound fund management. What subscribers get back must be funded by the earnings of its corpus. If yields on top-rated bonds, the EPFOs mainstay, drop below its annual payout rate, then the returns it gets on other assets must cover that gap. If not, commitments would go underfunded.

In recognition of this risk, the EPFO had asked the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to study its investment practices. As reported, an RBI report has flagged the gap between high PF payouts and its low debt earnings being funded by sales of capital assets (such as equities).

As a stop-gap, this may work, but for corpus stability, its earnings and payouts must align. Roughly, if 10-year government bonds yield under 7%, payouts above 8% call for a savvy investment strategy. Among other things, RBI has suggested an actuarial assessment of liabilities with relation to each EPFO schemes assets. Also, the use of sophisticated expertise for asset management. And to minimize scope for conflict, RBI would have the EPFO split its roles as regulator and fund manager apart.

For the EPFO to keep payouts above 8%, its allocation cap on equity must go up from the current 15%. Critically, its fund management would still need to be calibrated in favour of safety. Transparency would help. If the risk- reward balance shifts, so must public scrutiny.
Kerala is set to become the first of Indias 22 states and Union territories with Right to Public Service legislation to bring the law into the digital era, and, more importantly, give it some real teeth.

The draft Kerala Right to Public Service Bill, 2024, approved by the state cabinet last month, marks another attempt at rights-based legislation. India already has a Right to Food and a Right to Education; now, Kerala citizens will additionally enjoy the right to time-bound delivery of public services, guaranteed by law.

The draft Bill, cleared for presentation in the legislature, replaces the 13-year-old Kerala State Right to Service Act, 2012. It differs from the existing law in two key ways. First, it brings citizen-government interactions into the digital era, giving legal sanction to electronic modes of service delivery as well as to online grievance submissions and redressal.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, it strengthens accountability for timely service delivery by imposing financial penalties on public officials for delays beyond the mandated, publicly notified timelines.

Penalties for delays range from 1,000 to 10,000 for designated officers, recoverable from their salaries, and up to 15,000 for appellate delays. Interestingly, the Bill also establishes a direct link between citizens and the bureaucracy by providing for direct compensation to affected parties from the fines collected, instead of creating a separate budgetary provision.

The new Bill attempts to address several deficiencies in the old law. All departments are now required to notify every service they are mandated to deliver under the Act. Earlier, this was left to departmental discretionresulting in only a few innocuous services being notified, while many significant ones (those with potential for rent-seeking or harassment) were left out and thus escaped legal scrutiny.

It also introduces a second-level appellate authority, chaired by the states law secretary, which should help overcome intra-departmental protection of brother officers."

Rules arent enough

All this is well and good, but if we are to believe that legislation alone can fix intractable issues, we must ask why the 2012 law failed. In the nearly decade and a half that the earlier law has been in force, not a single penalty has been imposed on a public official. If one were to conclude from that that service delivery had been exemplary or that citizens had no grievances with the official machinery, there would have been no need to scrap the old law entirely and draft a new one. Provisions like recognising electronic communication could easily have been added through an amendment.

Also Read | DPI integration with AI will enhance public services but also elevate risks

The very fact that a new law is being contemplated shows where the real problem liesnot in missing rules or penalties, but in a missing culture and mindset of service. What we call public service" in India is anything but, with so-called public servantselected and appointed alikestill operating with a colonial view of themselves as rulers rather than facilitators.

Making laws work

For that to change, there must be a fundamental shift in how the state appoints, evaluates, and rewards its employees. Without a culture of accountabilitywhere reward is tied to efficiency, performance, and measurable outcomes rather than seniorityand unless the political stranglehold over the bureaucracy is loosened, the system is unlikely to change, no matter how many laws are passed.

Take the biggest problem confronting both citizens and businesses that deal with the state machinery: corruption. India ranked 96th out of 180 countries in Transparency Internationals 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index. A December 2024 LocalCircles poll found that 66% of over 9,000 surveyed businesses admitted to paying a bribe at least once in the preceding year. More than half said they were forced to pay, while the rest described it as speed money" to get their work done on time.

This is the state of affairs despite a multi-layered anti-corruption framework. We have vigilance commissions at the Centre and in the states, an anti-corruption ombudsman in the form of the Lok Ayukta, and regular audits by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, a constitutional body reporting to Parliament. Yet, between 2015 and 2023, the CBI secured convictions in only 35% of its cases.

Clearly, laws alone are not enough. The key lies in implementation, and that requires political will above all. Otherwise, such legislation will end up like elephants tusks: more for show than for any real use.
The Gujarat Cabinet saw a sweeping overhaul on Thursday as all 16 ministers, excluding Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, resigned ahead of a major reshuffle.

According to an official statement, the new cabinet is set to be sworn in on October 17 at 11:30 a.m. at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.

Gujarat can have a maximum of 27 ministers (15% of the 182-member assembly), and the BJP aims to fill more of these positions. The Gujarat cabinet comprised a total of 17 (including the Chief Minister) Ministers, with 8 being cabinet ministers and 8 being ministers of state.

Why major cabinet reshuffle taking place? The cabinet expansion is seen as a strategic move to inject new energy into the administration and strengthen the BJP's governance framework in Gujarat.

Gujarat, which has a 182-member assembly, can have a maximum of 27 ministers (15 per cent of the strength of the House). The reshuffle is part of the BJP's efforts to rejuvenate its leadership in the state ahead of future electoral challenges.

Meanwhile, BJP National President JP Nadda reached Ahmedabad.

The move to bring in new faces to the Gujarat cabinet comes just three years into the government's formation, and two years before the 2027 legislative assembly elections.

Governor Acharya Devvratji will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the designated ministers included in this expansion of the State Cabinet during the ceremony.

Gujarat cabinet include? The cabinet included Kanubhai Mohanlal Desai, Rushikesh Ganeshbhai Patel, Raghavjibhai Hansrajbhai Patel, Balvantsinh Chandansinh Rajput, Kunvarjibhai Mohanbhai Bavaliya, Mulubhai Hardasbhai Bera, Kuberbhai Mansukhbhai Dindor, Bhanuben Manoharbhai Babariya, Harsh Rameshkumar Sanghavi, Jagdishbhai Ishwarbhai Panchal, Parshottambhai Odhavjibhai Solanki, Bachubhai Maganbhai Khabad, Mukeshbhai Zinabhai Patel, Praful Chhaganbhai Pansheriya, Bhikusinhji Chatursinhji Parmar, Kunvarjibhai Narsinhbhai Halpati.

Also Read | Gujarat to Showcase 24 Years of Governance with Statewide Development Week

According to Article 164(A) of the Indian Constitution, a state cabinet shall not exceed 15 per cent of the total strength of the legislative assembly. The minimum number of ministers (including the CM) allowed is 12. In the 182-member legislative assembly, there can be around 27 ministers.

Earlier this month, minister of state (MoS) in the Gujarat government Jagdish Vishwakarma became the new president of Bharatiya Janata Party's Gujarat unit, replacing Union minister C R Paatil. Gujarat, which has a 182-member assembly, can have maximum 27 ministers or 15 per cent of the total strength of the House.

The reshuffle is part of the BJP's efforts to rejuvenate its leadership in the state ahead of future electoral challenges.

Patel took oath as Gujarat CM on 12 December 2022 for the second time.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged US President Donald Trump to use momentum from the Gaza ceasefire last week to bring an end to Russias invasion, part of a trip where hes seeking Tomahawk missiles and security guarantees.

Answering questions from reporters with Trump at the White House on Friday, Zelenskiy said a bilateral security guarantee is the most important thing. He was in Washington a day after Trump agreed in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet in Hungary in the coming weeks.

President Trump has really showed for the world that he can manage ceasefire in the Middle East and thats why I hope that he can do this and we can also have such big success, Zelenskiy said.

While both leaders were cordial, the meeting Friday exposed a major fault line between them. Of his conversation with Putin about a possible peace deal, Trump said the Russian leader wants to get it done. Zelenskiy, meanwhile, said we want peace  Putin doesnt want and made clear he wants advanced weapons and US support to push Russia to the negotiating table.

Trump reiterated his fresh unease over one of Zelenskiys key asks: access to long-range Tomahawk missiles, which are among the most advanced weapons in the American arsenal and would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deeper into Russian territory.

We need Tomahawks for the United States of America, too, Trump told reporters Thursday. So I dont know what we can do about that.

Trump entertained a proposal from Zelenskiy to trade Tomahawks for Ukrainian drones, but said he hoped it would not have to come to that.

Hopefully they wont need it. Hopefully well be able to get the war over without thinking about Tomahawks, Trump said.

While Trump in recent weeks had expressed growing frustration with Putin for continuing the war, the US president voiced optimism another summit may result in a breakthrough, signaling a willingness to resort to diplomacy again before taking more aggressive steps against Moscow.

Earlier: Trump Plan for a Second Putin Meeting Undercuts Ukraine Push

Nine months into Trumps second presidency, the conflict in Ukraine has become a war of exhaustion with Russia suffering heavy losses for minimal advances on the battlefield and both sides using long-range strikes in a bid to undermine the morale of their enemies.

Zelenskiy is in Washington with a laundry-list of requests and Trumps latest shift on Putin undercuts weeks of pressure on the Russian president and threatens to complicate Kyivs bid for more urgent help. Zelenskiy is seeking air defenses, long-range weaponry and new energy supplies as he prepares for winter.

Russia is intensifying its aerial bombardment on Ukraines cities and water and gas infrastructure. Air strikes have knocked out more than a half of Ukraines gas production, essential for heating during the cold months ahead, and forced Kyiv to impose power cuts and rolling blackouts.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Congress party, alleging that the urban Naxal ecosystem that thrived during its rule had captured institutions and consistently attempted to cover up Maoist terror.

Those who flaunt copies of the Constitution continue to shelter Maoist terror, Modi said at the NDTV World Summit, accusing the opposition of double standards. Modi did not name Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is often seen carrying a copy of the Constitution these days.

PM Narendra Modi added that Maoist violence and its sympathisers had caused grave harm to the country. Thousands have lost their lives due to them  they are doing a great disservice to the nation, the Prime Minister said in his speech.

PM Modi highlighted that his governments sustained efforts since 2014 have drastically reduced the spread of Naxal violence across India. The number of Maoist-affected districts has dropped from 125 to just 11, he said, crediting the security forces and developmental push in affected regions.

PM Modi's remarks came amid a government crackdown on Naxalites. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday declared Abujhmarh hilly forest area in Chhattisgarh's North Bastar Naxal-free after 170 Maoists surrendered.

The development comes a day after 27 Maoists, including 10 women, surrendered to security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district.

India will no longer remain silent: PM Modi PM Modi also stated that a self-reliant India will no longer remain silent. "Now, the self-reliant India does not stay silent, it gives a befitting response through surgical strikes, airstrikes and Operation Sindoor. During Covid, when everyone was thinking about how this country will save itself, India proved every assumption wrong. We defeated the challenge and became the fastest-growing economy," he said.

Those who flaunt copies of the Constitution continue to shelter Maoist terror.

The day is not far when India will be totally free from Naxalism and Maoist violence  this too is Modis guarantee, the Prime Minister asserted.
TEL AVIVAt the start of the week, President Trump declared the historic dawn of a new Middle East" after securing a truce between Israel and Hamas that stopped the war in Gaza. Days later, the peace process is already stumbling.

The reason: a controversy over Hamass failure to return all of the bodies of dead hostages that remain in Gaza. Israel and the Arab mediators in the talks knew Hamas wasnt able to locate all of them, but the militant groups initial decision to return only four looked like foot-dragging to Israel and set off a highly political skirmish amid demands the deal be halted until the bodies were back.

While the holdups arent themselves expected to derail Trumps plan, the dispute over a matter that wasnt expected to trip things up underscores the fragility of a high-stakes deal forged using the presidents unconventional diplomatic strategy of declaring success on broad goals then leaving it to the parties to work out the details. Even thornier issues lie ahead, including the composition of the Arab-led force that is supposed to secure Gaza, how much of a commitment will be made to a pathway to a Palestinian state, and the disarmament of Hamas, the U.S.-designated terrorist group that controls the enclave.

View Full Image Workers prepared to clear rubble in Gaza City this week.

Before moving deeper into formal talks to resolve those issues, Israel and Hamas must first move past the initial phase of the deal they agreed to last weekwhich was supposed to be the easy part. Under that agreement, Hamas would hand over all 48 remaining hostagesliving and deadin exchange for Israels release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and a staged withdrawal of its troops.

Twenty living hostages returned to Israel on Monday, but Hamas has been slow to deliver on the remains of 28 others. Negotiators knew from the outset that recovering the bodies would be difficult amid the rubble of war-ravaged Gaza, but Israeli officials say Hamas is delaying on purpose to keep what little leverage it has left.

We know as a matter of fact they can easily bring a significant number of dead hostages and give them back," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Thursday. So what they are doing right now, its a fundamental breach of the agreement."

Hamas reiterated its support for Trumps deal Thursday and said finding the bodies will take some time.

Hamas affirms its commitment to the agreement and its keenness to implement it, including delivering all remaining bodies," it said, blaming Israel for hindering the task by holding up efforts to bring in recovery teams.

View Full Image Hamas members have monitored Red Cross vehicles collecting hostage remains.

In its initial handover Monday, Hamas returned four bodies, fewer than Israel expected and deeply disappointing to the families awaiting their return. Another six bodies have since been handed over, after Israel said it would curb the flow of humanitarian aid in response to what it viewed as Hamass violation of the pact.

One of the bodies was determined by forensic analysis not to be that of a hostage, bringing the total number of bodies returned to nine.

Hamas has told mediators that recovering the bodies from beneath the rubble of Gaza could take weeks and require special equipment that isnt currently allowed to enter the war-torn enclave, such as bulldozers and excavators.

Acknowledging the challenge, Israel and mediating countries formed an international task force including Egypt and Turkey to help recover the remains. Still, Israeli officials believe Hamas is holding out on bodies it can recover more quickly. Arab officials said Israel told mediators Wednesday that it believed Hamas knew the location of at least six others.

Hamas seems to be stretching the terms around the return of the bodies, playing on the margins of what has been agreed," said Avishay Ben Sasson-Gordis, a senior researcher at the Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Security Studies.

However, he said, its unlikely right now that this will derail the cease-fire and push us back into war."

View Full Image Trucks carry aid in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

If mediators can push past the dispute over the bodies, they have a host of even more complex issues to work out. Technical teams from Israel and Hamas began preliminary negotiations this week for the second phase of the plan, but its unclear when or where formal talks will be held.

Meanwhile, conditions on the ground in Gaza are changing fast, with Hamas already reasserting its authority in areas where Israeli troops pulled back. It has deployed thousands of armed men to patrol the streets, often dressed in civilian clothes. The group has launched a violent crackdown on rival militias, publicly executing several members of a powerful Palestinian family in Gaza City.

After initially telling reporters that Hamas was given approval for a period of time" to secure Gaza until an international security force steps in, Trumps tone shifted as the violence escalated.

If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them," Trump said Thursday on social media.

Write to Summer Said at summer.said@wsj.com and Feliz Solomon at feliz.solomon@wsj.com
(Bloomberg) -- Nigeria is drawing millions of dollars into new data centers, propelled by the voracious online habits of its young, tech-savvy population and a push to harness artificial intelligence to power the next wave of its digital boom, reinforcing its position as one of Africas top technology hubs.

Global and regional operators  including Equinix Inc., Microsoft Corp., MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Rack Centre, Airtel Nigeria and Open Access Data Centres  are investing nearly $1 billion in next-generation facilities designed to handle advanced computing workloads and serve the continents rapidly expanding online population.

Over the next decade, I expect AI workloads to drive not just capacity expansion, but infrastructure diversification, said Wole Abu, Equinix managing director for West Africa, which is investing $140 million to expand its Nigerian operations. As Nigeria works toward its ambitious 70% digital literacy target by 2027, youll see exponentially more users generating data and requiring AI-enhanced services. Its current digital literacy rate is 50%.

AIs appetite for computing power is colliding with Nigerias demographic surge. The countrys nearly 240 million people, with a median age of 18, are driving a data explosion through mobile-first internet habits, gaming, video streaming, and remote work. Thats fueling demand for faster, more resilient digital infrastructure as companies ditch on-premises systems for cloud and hybrid models, spurring a wave of data centers built closer to users  designed to handle AI workloads and link local computing power to global networks.

This momentum signals a deeper economic shift, said Abideen Yusuf, general manager for Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana. Powered by a youthful population, expanding internet access, and a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, Nigeria is emerging as a digital leader in Africa.

While other African nations such as Kenya, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and South Africa are also drawing investors, Nigeria stands out for its focus on building inclusive AI, said Equinixs Abu.

This isnt about deploying Western AI solutions, its about creating African AI capabilities. That means developing models in local languages and tailored to regional challenges, which requires both domestic compute power and connectivity to global data hubs, he added.

Sector-specific demands are also rising. Agriculture, for instance, increasingly relies on satellite imagery, weather modeling, and IoT sensors  all data-intensive technologies. Smart mining operations using 5G networks will further drive edge computing and data processing, Abu said.

Rapid Cloud Adoption

Recent regulatory reforms that establish clear digital governance, legally recognize online transactions, and strengthen data protection  coupled with rapid cloud adoption  are adding to the appeal for investors.

Nigerias cloud computing market is expanding at a 26% compound annual growth rate, according to Microsofts Yusuf. As organizations pursue greater data security and scalability, the demand for data centers continues to rise.

Data from Mordor Intelligence show the markets value is projected to climb to $3.28 billion by 2030 from an estimated $1.03 billion this year.

In Lagos, the Itana Digital Zone is developing Africas first full-stack growth zone for AI and data companies  a hub aimed at fostering innovation and lowering costs as the nairas devaluation has made dollar-priced services out of reach for many startups, said Chief Executive Officer Mayowa Olugbile.

Modeled after Dubais Internet City, Itana seeks to create a digital-first jurisdiction offering tax breaks, streamlined immigration, and simplified operations to help startups scale across Africa. Olugbile expects more naira-priced, locally hosted services to emerge within five years. With the right policy support, Nigeria can still become one of the worlds fastest-growing cloud markets, he said. Affordability will be the critical hurdle.

Infrastructure Challenges

Still, power instability remains one of the industrys biggest challenges. Frequent blackouts and costly diesel fuel weigh heavily on profitability. Developers are now turning to renewable and gas-based solutions to stabilize operations and attract sustainability-focused investors.

Open Access Data Centres plans to rely mainly on natural gas to power its hyperscale data center in Lagos, said Chief Executive Officer Ayotunde Coker. Gas is our most sustainable approach, he said. You want to hit 9899% availability so that you revert to diesel as little as possible  ideally, not at all.

Despite having 13,000 megawatts of installed generation capacity, Nigerias grid supplies only about 5,800 megawatts, forcing data center operators to build their own energy sources. No matter how good your utility is, you still need to have diesel backup, Coker said.

Sign up here for the twice-weekly Next Africa newsletter, and subscribe to the Next Africa podcast on Apple, Spotify or anywhere you listen.

--With assistance from Chris Miller.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website and mobile application, widely used for online railway ticket bookings, suffered a major outage on Friday, disrupting services for thousands of passengers just days before Diwali.

Thousands report issues with IRCTC on Downdetector According to outage-tracking platform Downdetector, more than 6,000 users reported problems accessing the service or completing bookings. Many travellers took to social media to complain that the website was either not loading or crashing midway through the ticketing process.

As of Friday afternoon, the IRCTC website remained inaccessible, displaying error messages for most users attempting to log in or search for trains. The mobile app was also reported to be unresponsive for several users.

IRCTC outage timing raises concerns ahead of Diwali As per the Downdetector, 40 per cent of users report issues with the website, 37 per cent with the app, and 14 per cent with ticketing. The outage peaked after 10:00 AM IST this morning. The outage tracking website highlighted Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Nagpur, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, and other majorly affected cities due to the IRCTC Outage.

The disruption comes at a critical time as millions of passengers plan journeys home for Diwali, prompting widespread online complaints and anxiety over delayed or failed bookings. IRCTC has yet to issue an official statement regarding the cause of the outage or the expected time for service restoration.

Also Read | Why IRCTC does not have much competition

According to outage-tracking platform Downdetector, more than 6,000 users reported problems accessing the service or completing bookings.

IRCTC users take frustration online An X user, @SachinSharma64, tweeted, "IRCTC site down for maintenance at the time of Tatkal, even after changing time for tatkal booking for agents the site runs at the same low speed, u have to struggle way too hard, this but its just getting more pathetic @AshwiniVaishnaw @RailwaySeva @RailMinIndia @IRCTCofficial."

Another X user, Raunak Mandal, wrote, "What is wrong with @IRCTCofficial during Tatkal hours? Yesterday, payments were not working. Today the website itself is down. Worst possible service. What is @RailMinIndia @AshwiniVaishnaw doing? Only Promoting Swadeshi Apps based out of US?"
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AI will help decide ages of migrants in UK

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Inaccurate assessments place children in adult hotels

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Entrenched AI biases could lead to more wrong decisions

By Lin Taylor

LONDON, Oct 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - After seeing fighters ravage his home, Jean thought he had found safety when he arrived in Britain but was told he was too tall to be 16 and sent to live with hundreds of adult asylum seekers, without further support.

Alone and exhausted, Jean, who used a pseudonym and did not want to reveal his home country in central Africa for privacy, said border officials told him he was 26 - a decade older than he actually was when he arrived in 2012.

"I look 10 years older because I am taller, that was the reason they gave," Jean, who had his age officially corrected years later after an appeal, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"They don't believe you when you come and tell your story. I was so desperate. I really needed support. Because of one officer who made the decision, that changed my whole life."

Now, that critical decision - an initial age assessment made by border guards - is set to be outsourced to artificial intelligence and charities warn the tech could entrench biases and repeat mistakes like the one Jean endured.

In July, Britain said it would integrate facial age estimation tech in 2026 to help assess the ages of migrants claiming to be under 18, especially those arriving on small boats from France.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under pressure to control migration as populist Nigel Farage's anti-immigrant Reform UK party surges ahead in opinion polls.

More than 35,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats this year, a 33% rise on the same period in 2024.

Rights groups argue facial recognition tech is dehumanising and does not provide accurate age estimations, a sensitive process that should be done by trained experts.

They fear the rollout of AI will lead to more children, who lack official documents or who are carrying forged papers, being wrongly placed in adult asylum hotels without safeguards and adequate support.

"Assessing the ages of migrants is a complex process which should not be open to shortcuts," said Luke Geoghegan, head of policy and research at the British Association of Social Workers.

"This should never be compromised for perceived quicker results through artificial intelligence," he said in emailed comments.

Unaccompanied child migrants can access social workers, legal aid, education and other support under the care of local authorities, charities say.

The Home Office interior ministry says facial age estimation tech is a cost-effective way to prevent adults from posing as children to exploit the asylum system.

"Robust age assessments for migrants are vital to maintaining border security," a spokesperson said.

"This technology will not be used alone, but as part of a broad set of methods used by trained assessors."

DIGITAL FIXES?

As the numbers fleeing war, poverty, climate disaster and other tumult reach record levels worldwide, states are increasingly turning to digital fixes to manage migration.

Britain in April said it would use AI to speed asylum decisions, arming caseworkers with country-specific advice and summaries of key interviews.

In July, Britain signed a partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI to explore how to deploy AI in areas such as education technology, justice, defence and security.

"The asylum system must not be the testing ground for what are currently deeply flawed AI tools operating with minimal transparency and safeguards," said Sile Reynolds, head of asylum advocacy at charity Freedom from Torture.

Anna Bacciarelli, senior AI researcher at Human Rights Watch, said the use of such tech could have serious consequences.

"In the case of facial age estimation, in addition to subjecting vulnerable children and young people to a dehumanising process that could undermine their privacy and other human rights, we don't actually know if it works."

BIASES

Digital rights groups have criticised facial recognition tech - used by London's police at protests and festivals like Notting Hill Carnival - for extracting sensitive biometric data and for targeting specific racial groups.

"There are always going to be worries about sensitive data, biometric data in particular, being taken from vulnerable people and then sought by the government and used against them," said Tim Squirrell, head of strategy at Foxglove, a British tech rights group.

"It's also completely unaccountable. The machine tells you that you're 19. What now? How can you question that? Because the way in which that's been trained is basically inscrutable."

Automated tools can reinforce biases against certain communities, since AI is trained on old data that can reinforce historic prejudices, experts say.

Child asylum seekers have been told they were too tall or too hairy to be under 18, according to the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU), which supports migrants.

"Children are not being treated as children. They're being treated as subjects of immigration control, which I think is linked to racism and adultification," said GMIAU's policy officer Rivka Shaw.

WRONGLY ASSESSED

For Jean, now 30, the wrong age assessment led to isolation and suicidal thoughts.

"I was frightened. My head was just all over the place. I just wanted to end my life," said Jean, who was granted asylum in 2018.

Around half of all migrants who had their ages re-assessed in 2024 - some 680 - were children and wrongly sent to adult hotels, according to the Helen Bamber Foundation, a charity that obtained data through Freedom of Information requests.

"A child going into an adult accommodation is basically put in a shared room with a load of strangers where there are no additional safeguarding checks," said Kamena Dorling, the charity's director of policy.

A July report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, which scrutinises Home Office policies, urged the ministry to involve trained child experts.

"Decisions on age should be made by child protection professionals," said Dorling.

"Now, all of the concerns that we have on human decision-making would also apply to AI decision-making."
Paul Daniel Ace Frehley, co-founder and original lead guitarist of the iconic rock band Kiss, has died at the age of 74, following complications from injuries suffered in a fall. His passingannounced today (17 October) by his familymarks the end of a singular career in rock music, one that blended flamboyant showmanship with gritty guitar virtuosity.

Tragedy in the Studio: The Final Days of Ace Frehley

Paul Stanley, right, and Ace Frehley of the rock band Kiss perform during their sold-out Halloween concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Saturday, Oct. 31, 1998.

According to his family, Frehley fell in his home studio in late September and sustained a brain injury that necessitated hospitalisation. After several weeks of medical care and life support, he passed away peacefully in Morristown, New Jersey, surrounded by loved ones.

In a poignant statement, Ace Frehley's family declared:

We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth. We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Aces memory will continue to live on forever!

The news came after earlier cancellations of his remaining 2025 tour dates, which were officially attributed to ongoing medical issues stemming from his fall.

From the Bronx to Stardom: Ace Frehley's Life in Rock Born on 27 April 1951 in New York City, Frehley was drawn to the electric guitar at an early age, teaching himself rather than pursuing formal instruction.

His path to fame began when he answered an advertisement in the Village Voice for a guitar slot in a nascent band called Kiss. Legend holds he showed up wearing one red sneaker and one orange onean early display of his iconoclastic demeanourbut his playing quickly won over Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons.

In 1973, Kiss formally coalesced, and Frehley adopted the Spaceman persona (also known as Space Ace)a visual archetype that, together with his smoking-guitar theatrics, became inseparable from the groups mystique.

During his early years with Kiss, Frehley contributed compositions such as Cold Gin and Shock Me, and increasingly took on lead vocal duties.

Between 1982 and 1996, and again after 2002, Frehley pursued solo endeavoursmost notably the hit cover New York Groove from his 1978 solo release.

In 1996, he rejoined Kiss for a high-profile reunion that lasted until 2002.

Over the decades, his technical flair, stage presence and personal resilience made him a touchstone for generations of guitarists.

Ace Frehley's Net Worth

KISS band members, from left, Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss and Paul Stanley take the ceremonial first step on their new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Wednesday, Aug. 11, 1999, in Los Angeles.

Various public sources estimate Ace Frehleys net worth to be comparatively modest by rock-star standards. CelebrityNetWorth places it around US $1 million. Other sources suggest higher figuressome claiming as much as US $15 million.

Given his lengthy career, fluctuating commercial success, and known financial difficulties (including past mortgage and tax issues), the lower estimates may more accurately reflect his net assets.

It should also be noted that, as a member of Kiss, Frehley reportedly retained a share in the bands earnings and merchandising arrangements, though the precise details of those arrangements remain opaque to the public.

Ace Frehley's Family and Personal Life

In this image taken with a fisheye lens, members of the rock group Kiss, clockwise from right, Gene Simmons,, Ace Frehley, Peter Criss and Paul Stanley pose before a concert in Hartford, Conn., Feb. 16, 1977.

Ace Frehley is survived by his daughter Monique and his wife Jeanette Trerotola, as well as his siblings and extended family.

Throughout his career, Frehley struggled with substance abuse, legal issues, and financial instabilitychallenges he publicly acknowledged.

His family statement emphasises memory, kindness, laughter and strengthrevealing a more private side behind the flamboyant onstage persona.

Ace Frehley's Legacy & Influence Ace Frehleys death marks the first passing of any original Kiss founding member.

In many respects, Kiss itself stood as an audacious experiment in rock as spectaclebefore MTV, before social mediaand Frehleys contribution to its visual and sonic identity was central.
Ford is recalling over 290,000 vehicles in the United States. The decision was taken after the company noted that some of its units have rearview camera issues, reported the Associated Press. Some models that have been recalled include the 2020-2022 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD.

Meanwhile, another report by Reuters suggests that the company is recalling nearly 625,000 units, as informed by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Apart from issues with the rearview camera display, some models have also complained about problems with seatbelts.

Ford Recall: Steps for owners to get repairs According to the NHTSA notice, almost 332,778 Ford Mustangs have reported seat belt issues. On the other hand, 291 901 super-duty truck units have endured problems with the rearview camera display. While the problem occurs only in certain lighting conditions, it could still lead to fatalities or crashes.

The auto regulator has advised that those who are facing camera issues can visit the nearby Ford dealers. These dealers have been instructed to update the image processing module software on the impacted units without any cost to owners. Meanwhile, those who are facing issues with seatbelt parts can request to get the parts replaced, along with the carpet sections that touch the cables.

No complaints related to accidents, says Ford While Ford is following all safety measures and has recalled the impacted units, the company has ensured that it has received no reports related to accidents so far. The NHTSA report mentioned that the US-based company has reviewed data on customer complaints. As per Ford, it has received 10 reports as of September this year, with the complaints starting from 20 January 2022.

The vehicle owners will receive a letter requesting that their recalled unit be repaired. These letters will be dispatched by 20 October. Moreover, once the remedy is available, the owners will receive additional letters by March 2026.

The AP report suggests that customers contact the Ford helpline number for further information. They can also contact NHTSA on their helpline number or official website for details related to the recall and issues with the Ford units.

FAQs 1. Why is Ford recalling vehicles? It is recalling units due to issues with rearview camera displays and seatbelt defects in certain models.

2. Which Ford models are affected by the recall? The affected units include 20202022 F-250, F-350, and F-450 Super Duty trucks and 332,000+ Mustang units.
The Hindu community around the world is preparing to celebrate the five-day festival of Diwali. Ahead of the festivities, the rituals of Dhanteras will be performed in households, where the families will worship Goddess Lakshmi for wealth and Lord Kubera for prosperity, wisdom and good fortune.

The word Dhanteras is derived from Dhan, which means money, and Teras, which is the 13th day of the lunar fortnight. In 2025, the auspicious day will be celebrated on Saturday, 18 October. Additionally, this year, the festival also coincides with the Trayodashi Tithi of the Kartik month.

Dhanteras puja timings in the US As per the Drikpanchang, the Trayodashi tithi will begin on 18 October at 2:48 AM and will go on till 4:21 AM on 19 October. While the dates remain the same across the US and Canada, the puja timings will differ as per the region.

Puja should be performed in the Pradosh Kaal. Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Kubera must be worshiped by lighting lamps and offering sweets, fruits, etc. The day is also associated with buying valuable items such as gold and silver jewelry.

The muhurat timings in major US cities are as follows:

New York City: 7:25 PM to 8:47 PM local time

San Francisco: 7:46 PM to 9:03 PM local time

Seattle: 7:19 PM to 8:55 PM local time

Austin: 8:22 PM to 9:28 PM local time

Washington DC: 07:42 PM to 09:01 PM local time

Also Read | Top biomedical scientist leaves US for China  all you need to know

Dhanteras puja timing in Canada In Canada, too, Dhanteras will be celebrated on Saturday, 18 October. The Lakshmi puja involves lighting lamps and offering special food items. The community also prays for prosperity and wealth in abundance for themselves and their loved ones.

The muhurat timings in Canada are:

Toronto: 7:39 PM to 9:06 PM local time

Vancouver: 7:27 PM to 8:58 PM local time

Montreal: 7:11 PM to 8:47 PM local time

Other rituals performed by the communities on the day of Dhanteras include offering tulsi leaves and worshipping Lord Dhanvantari, the god of Ayurveda, for the well-being of the family.

FAQs Q1. When will Dhanteras 2025 be celebrated in the US? Ans. Dhanteras will be celebrated on 18 October in the US.
Having studied and worked in the US for several years, biomedical scientist Hu Tony Ye has reportedly left for China. Hus decision reportedly came after grant cuts totalling $8.3 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that had funded his research projects. As per the South China Morning Post, Hu, who had held the prestigious chair professor position at Tulane University in New Orleans, left to take up the position of the founding dean at the new school of biomedical engineering at Tsinghua University.

Hus reaction On 7 April, Hu had published an open letter on the Tulane University website, titled Preserving life-saving research: the crucial impact of NIH funding on public health, as reported by the South China Morning Post. Now is the time to raise our voices, to protect our research and our future. If we miss this moment, we may never get another chance  no one will be spared, Hu wrote in the letter, which he had posted to his LinkedIn profile.

Proposed federal budget cuts could slash indirect cost reimbursements for NIH grants from 53% to 15%.

Hus works It was reported that Hu had focused on the fast detection of viruses, bringing out various papers in journals and serving as the associate editor of the ACS Nano journal. The South China Morning Post reported that only months before Hu left the US, he had publicly talked about the freezes and cuts to NIH funding. He said a $3.7 million NIH grant impacted by the cuts had been allotted for the early detection of tuberculosis and HIV in children.

In addition, $3.1 million of NIH funding had been allocated to develop blood-based cancer detection technologies, and $1.5 million was designated to obtain state-of-the-art equipment to further disease detection, cancer research, and medical technology development, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

FAQs What happened to biomedical scientist Hu Tony Ye? Biomedical scientist Hu Ye reportedly left the US for China after cuts to US$8 million in grants.

Where has Hu Ye been appointed? Hu Ye has reportedly been appointed founding dean at the new school of biomedical engineering at Tsinghua University.
Poston says Norton's forgery came in an urgent situation where he was hoping to get an elderly man into a facility.
UPDATE: The man charged with animal cruelty after multiple goats were found dead near a local grocery store is asking to visit the animals that were taken from his property.

Chattanooga police charged 74-year-old David Eck with animal cruelty after the bodies of five goats were found next to Aldi's location off Mountain Creek Road on September 2.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture and other agencies would then take more 30 animals from his property.

During a court appearance on Tuesday, November 4, Eck asked that he be allowed to see his animals; however, the judge recommended that his attorney contact the people who are holding them to make that request.

Eck is scheduled to appear in court again on December 17.

Stay with Local 3 News for updates to this story.

PREVIOUS STORY: The Chattanooga man previously arrested for animal cruelty charges after five dead goats were found in a creek now faces even more abuse charges after more animals were found suffering.

An affidavit obtained by Local 3 News says a Chattanooga police deputy responded to Suck Creek Road on October 8 to help with the Humane Society.

The Humane Society Officer said a dog was seized from David Eck on Sept. 29 because it had no shelter, food, or water. When Eck reclaimed the dog, he was told to provide it with those needs.

That same day, the deputy responded to Eck's residence to assist the Tennessee Department of Agriculture in seizing 27 goats, 2 horses, and 1 donkey. He says he saw the dog while he was there, who was still without shelter, food, and water.

When the Human Society officer returned to the property on Oct. 7, the dog still did not have shelter or food and was tied up to a dock, with 4-6 feet to roam.

The officer said the dog was very thin, and he was able to see the dog's ribcage.

On Oct. 8, Eck was charged with cruelty to animals, once again.

"David Eck was the responsible party for all animals related to these cases," says the deputy.

PREVIOUS STORY: A man is facing animal cruelty charges after someone found five dead goats in Mountain Creek next to the Aldi in Chattanooga earlier this month.

David Eck, 74, owned the goats, according to an affidavit obtained by Local 3 News.

Two of the animals had ear tags, which traced them back to the Calhoun Stockyard. Authorities say David Eck bought the goats from the animal company.

Officials sent a pair of femur bones to Michigan State University for testing. Results showed "severe malnutrition and starvation."

Eck is now charged with cruelty to animals and livestock at large.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, November 4.

PREVIOUS STORY: Seth Watson, director of animal protection at the McKamey Animal Center, says they received a call Tuesday from someone saying they found five deceased goats in Mountain Creek next to the Aldi.

"All five goats were in different states of decomposition, probably deceased a couple of days, Watson says. All of the goats remains were in the water at the creek. Its a fairly small creek, but they were all in the water.

Several dead goats found behind Chattanooga Aldi's; public's help needed According to the McKamey Animal Center (MAC), animal protection officers responded to a call reporting dead animals in the creek behind the Aldi on Mundy Street.

Nearby residents say the creek builds up with lots of debris. Even now, toys, a shopping cart and a shoe can be seen wedged in between rocks- but this was something locals had never seen or could imagine anyone doing, especially in an area where goats aren't typically found.

But, Watson says these situations aren't unusual.

"McKamey has had to respond to multiple cases where someone has found remains of an animal, and in those situations, we start an investigation and try to identify who the owner of the animal was and how it came to be disposed of in that way, Watson says.

Watson says its too early in the investigation to connect any dots, but forensic testing is underway to check for signs of abuse, as well as the exact cause and time of the goats deaths.

McKamey Animal Shelter is asking for anyone with information to call them at 423-305-6500.
October is National Reuse Month in Ireland, and Breda Murphy, project manager at REVAMP 3R Store in Longford town, came to chat about what REVAMP does with furniture, textiles and how people may want to get involved.



The shop, which has existed for 22 years, is about low-cost, reusable items being given new life. The EDI (Employment Development Information) was established in 1998 and was there to support unemployed and marginal groups in the recession. In 2002, Longford was identified as having high unemployment among youth, such as young travellers. From there, the REVAMP training programme grew with practical skills and soft skills. This ultimately led to the REVAMP shop.

Read more: Longford Prides secretary takes home Volunteer of the Year Award



REVAMP diverted a total 61,000kg from landfill in 2024. The number of staff employed at REVAMP is currently at 22.



We were saving carbon, reflected Breda. But we were here to train young people in life skills and the shop was providing low cost, quality furniture for the community. We were impacting the community socially, environmentally and economically.



One of the challenges that Breda identified when advocating for Reuse Month is the understanding of what circular economy is.



Its all about reuse and repair. Think basic, what we use in our own home. Textiles are one of our biggest polluters in Ireland. If we could get people to share among friends and family, and get into the habit of sharing. Same with food waste. Were always hearing about it in the media and Christmas. Think about what were buying each week, cook portion sizes; keeping food fresh. Doing away with processed foods. We dont need food that is travelling all over the world. Local is cheap and more affordable, more nutritious but getting people to think. Less is more.



REVAMP prides itself on supporting their customers in their journey for sustainable items. With 12 members of staff between craft and retail, the company is an expert in the market for those interested in affordable items, or wanting to revive older pieces.



With REVAMP being a national model, wed love that people come in, chat to our staff, find out about circularity and how we can help you become more circular. How we can help the community transition. This transition to low carbon will be difficult and we understand. We want to support, reach out, and bring our workshops into the community. We run them in conjunction with Longford County Council and make life easy so that people understand what it is about.

Read more: President candidate Catherine Connolly set to visit Longford and Westmeath



Hoping that young people will be encouraged to reuse and repair, Breda concluded that the community plays a crucial role.



We are indebted to the community because they donate furniture that we upcycle and sell low-cost. Thats what made us the project.



If we hadnt our skilled staff, the project wouldnt be what it is today. The contribution in the community is with us.
A large number of residents in over 100 houses affected by the development of a highly controversial solar farm and energy storage compound in south Longford plan to appeal a decision to grant planning permission for the development.



Foigha Solar Farm Ltd, a subsidiary of BayWa r.e. Ireland lodged a planning application last December to develop a solar farm on a 130-hectare site in the townlands of Cornacarta, Doonacurry, Foygh, Kilcommock Glebe, Ledwithstown and Tirlickeen.

Read more: President candidate Catherine Connolly set to visit Longford and Westmeath



Longford County Council made the decision to grant planning permission last month for the large solar farm and energy storage compound which surprised and 'devastated' local residents.



A spokeswoman for Foigha Solar Farm Concern Group said, "We are going to appeal and we are coming together as a community to gather the funds.

"We don't think it's a fair decision, there are over 100 houses affected and people feel very strongly that it's the wrong project in the wrong place and we don't feel our concerns were listened to."

The Foigha Solar Farm Concern Group describe themselves as a community of local residents committed to protecting their rural environment, biodiversity, tourism, and peaceful daily life.



It is understood the group of residents are preparing the appeal now and they have hired some people to help them and they are currently looking at all the planning conditions.



The Foigha Solar Farm Concern Group committee also recently launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for the appeal and on Monday afternoon they had gathered over 3,300 of an 8,000 target.



A message on the page states they are "raising funds to bring our battle against this proposed solar farm to An Coimisiun Pleanala" and they also said "this is a costly exercise we are asking our supporters to help us fundraise".



The short-term costs are expected to be covered by the several thousand euro, however, it is understood if the planning appeal goes to a judicial review it will cost between 10,000 and 20,000.

Read more: Longford chairperson accepts award for HI Digital 2025 Media Literacy Award



The Foigha Solar Concern Group spokeswoman said there is great uncertainty, concern and unease 'wondering what is going to happen, or when it is going to happen'.



The company said the project is a 40 year development and the farm will then be decommissioned.
Commenting on the Budget 2026 announcements and expressing his disappointment, the President of ICMSA, Denis Drennan, said that the unanimous position of all involved in the farm and agri sector was that the Government had to begin addressing the looming crisis around succession and generational renewal on the family farms that were the foundation for Irelands 16 billion agri-food sector.



The ICMSA President said while welcoming the extension of the tax reliefs on Slurry Storage, Stamp Duty and Capital Gains Tax reliefs, they represented an extension of very important existing reliefs. There were, he pointed out, no new initiatives.

In relation to expenditure, Mr Drennan noted the retention of dairy beef initiatives and the additional funding for the TB Action Plan that, he stressed, must work while being fair to farmers.

Read more: Longford & Westmeath ETB addressed by Minister for Education and psychotherapist



Mr. Drennan said that the overwhelming feeling of farmers would be disappointment and that disappointment would focus on the failure to deal with income volatility.



Every reputable survey shows that the single biggest obstacle to getting young people interested in farming is income volatility.



If we want to get the next generation farming then we are going to have to deal with that and whats so frustrating for certainly ICMSA is that we have already put forward the means of dealing with that problem, said Mr. Drennan.



Noting that the Programme for Government contained a commitment to deal with this unmanageable volatility in farm incomes and that last years Budget committed to considering a solution, the ICMSA President said that the Government had decided that it couldnt be bothered yet again and seemed quite content to wait for the crisis in attracting the next generation of farmers to become a blaring klaxon and flashing red light.



They (the Government) have been given a very workable and highly regulated measure that will deal with this volatility problem in a much more effective and fundamental way than the present averaging system.



But, frankly, there just isnt the energy to deal with a problem that left unaddressed is inevitably going to detach Irish farming from its family foundation and move the whole system to the factory setting that you see elsewhere in Europe - and not to their advantage either, said Mr. Drennan.



The Government has to address income volatility in a structured manner, and they have to begin making farming more attractive to the next generation - Budget 2026 didnt even try, said Mr. Drennan. ICMSA has repeatedly put forward workable and supervised solution that would address this obvious problem and give both current farmers and the next generation the degree of predictability that they want. We put forward the solution again and hoped  on the basis of the commitment given in last years Budget  that wed see action this year.

Read more: Dead of Night Halloween Festival returns to Longford for 2025



That commitment has not been delivered in Budget 2026 and on this basis farmers and everyone concerned with just preserving our invaluable farming sector will adjudge Budget 2026 a disappointing non-event he concluded.
Fine Gael TD for LongfordWestmeath, Micheal Carrigy, has once again called on the Government to ensure that Longford Town is included among the ten new Family Resource Centres (FRCs) to be funded under Budget 2026.

Read more: Congratulations and invitations in Longford's Mercy Secondary school, Ballymahon

Speaking in the Dail during Questions on Policy and Legislation, Deputy Carrigy said:

Budget 2025 allocated funding for five additional Family Resource Centres  one of which was a Longford application that I was personally involved in developing alongside the local management team.

Despite a very strong application backed by a countywide needs assessment, Longford was unsuccessful in that process.

We advocated here a number of weeks ago for further funding in Budget 2026, which has now been granted. Funding is in place for ten new Family Resource Centres throughout the country.

Taoiseach, we need an FRC in Longford. Across every metric  from truancy rates to Tusla referrals  Longford ranks at the top. Weve put together a comprehensive project assessment with all local agencies to highlight that need. Its imperative that Longford is on that list. Longford needs its Family Resource Centre.

In response, Taoiseach Micheal Martin acknowledged Deputy Carrigys ongoing advocacy and confirmed that while Longfords earlier application was not selected in 2025, it remains under active consideration as part of the planned expansion of the FRC programme under Budget 2026.

There was a comprehensive national application process in August 2025 when Minister Norma Foley announced five new Family Resource Centres in Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth and Monaghan.

That national assessment process was led by Tusla and independently chaired by a representative of the University of Limerick. The Longford Family Resource Centre Steering Group was an applicant, and those applications remain under active consideration for further expansion of the programme.

The good news is that Budget 2026 honours the Programme for Government commitment to expand the Family Resource Centre network, with funding secured for a further ten centres nationwide  bringing the overall total to 136. They havent yet been announced, so I take on board your representations.

Read more: Longford chairperson accepts award for HI Digital 2025 Media Literacy Award

Deputy Carrigy welcomed the Taoiseachs response and reaffirmed his determination to secure an FRC for Longford:

Securing a Family Resource Centre for Longford remains at the forefront of my priorities as TD for the people of Longford.

"I will continue to work with local stakeholders, community agencies and the Department to ensure this invaluable service  which will provide vital supports for families, children and the wider community  is finally delivered for Longford Town.
Syrian Democratic Forces Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi at a ceremony for the counter-terrorism units of the SDF on October 11. (SDF)

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) based in eastern Syria are taking steps to integrate into the security forces led by the Syrian transitional government in Damascus. The Syrian government and the main Kurdish-led force in the countrys northeast have agreed in principle on a plan to merge the US-backed force as a cohesive group into the national army, Syrias main Kurdish commander said Thursday [October 17], the Associated Press reported. This report follows comments by SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi and other SDF officials about the integration process.

The SDF was founded in 2015 with US backing and was the key force that US Central Command (CENTCOM) worked with in Syria to fight the Islamic State (IS), which was defeated as a major fighting force in the country by 2019. After the former regime of Bashar al Assad collapsed in December 2024, a new transitional government in Damascus has taken power over the last 10 months. In March 2025, SDF commander Abdi flew to Damascus and met with Ahmed al Sharaa, Syrias transitional president. The two leaders agreed to a road map to integrate the SDF and eastern Syria into the new government. Eastern Syria is governed by the Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES), and the SDF functions as its military arm.

A major sticking point had been whether the SDF would remain as a cohesive unit in the new army or whether the force would be dissolved and its members individually absorbed into the new military, the AP noted on October 16. The SDF has around 70,000100,000 fighters, according to various reports, some of them trained and equipped with the support of the US. These forces include various types of units, from the SDFs Counter-Terrorism Units to its Internal Security Forces.

Abdi has described the challenges ahead. We are talking about a large number, tens of thousands of soldiers, as well as thousands of Internal Security Forces. [] These forces cannot join the Syrian army individually, like other small factions. Rather, they will join as large military formations formed according to the rules of the Defense Ministry. The SDF will form a committee to work with the Syrian Defense Ministry on the integration structure. The SDF continues to prefer a decentralized form of government, the AP report added.

Reports that the SDF and Damascus were moving forward appeared in eastern Syria media outlets on October 11, which suggested that a committee would soon travel to Damascus to discuss integration. This progress took place days after Abdi had met with US CENTCOM head Admiral Brad Cooper and US Envoy Tom Barrack in eastern Syria, and the three men had flown to Damascus on October 7. More concrete discussion on integration emerged on October 13, when a delegation from eastern Syria traveled to Damascus, and Abdi said that a preliminary agreement had been reached between the parties.

Whats new in our recent talks in Damascus is the shared determination and strong will to accelerate the implementation of the terms, the SDF commander told the AFP. Abdi said that the goal was to have a mechanism for integrating SDF-led forces into both the Ministries of Defense and Interior. Abdis comments to the AFP were also reported in North Press in eastern Syria, which highlighted the importance that the SDF leader placed on decentralization.

We demand a decentralised system in Syria we have not agreed on it, Abdi stated, as the SDF and the government are still discussing finding a common formula acceptable to all. Abdi also praised the US and France for facilitating negotiations with Damascus.

Social media accounts linked to the SDF and authorities in eastern Syria noted on October 14 that integration will take place through the formation of several new military units and institutions. A new designation will be adopted to align with the organizational system of the Ministry of Defense.

Sources in eastern Syria have elaborated on some details of the potential merger. One official said that the SDF would merge into three military divisions in eastern Syria. An SDF commander also told the Kurdish media outlet Rudaw, which is based in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, that the SDF would integrate as three military units and several independent brigades. The same commander indicated that integration could come with a name change for the SDF. A second commander of a womens unit in the SDF said that she believes units will remain with distinct identities in their respective regions. The timeline for the merger appears likely to stretch into 2026.

Turkey, which backs the Syrian transitional government in Damascus, remains concerned about the integration process. We warn the Syrian Democratic Forces against continuing to pursue the wrong path, and we call on them to support Syrias unity and cohesion, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on October 14. A report at Turkeys Daily Sabah noted on October 13 that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged [the] SDF, which is predominantly led by the US-backed YPG terrorist group, on Wednesday to keep their word and complete their integration with Syria. YPG is the Syria-affiliate of the PKK, a group listed on terror list by the US, the EU and Turkey.

Meanwhile Abdi has said, I believe that if we Syrians agreeas is happening nowTurkey will have no excuse to interfere inside Syria. [] We have noticed some flexibility in the Turkish position regarding the SDFs accession to the Syrian army.

Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDDs Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel's Battle for Security in Gaza (2024).
At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Quality dual HD screens

Large but foldable

Flexible adjustments Cons Scant instructions Our Verdict For a folded out dual-screen monitor setup as large as it is, the high-quality portable HD Delta Mega is surprisingly discreet when folded up and tucked away. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today

Price When Reviewed

565

Best Prices Today: Uperfect Delta Mega Dual Screen Monitor

Retailer Price UPerfect 565,00  View Deal Check Product Price

Stacked dual displays are becoming more popular as people realise their ergonomic benefits compared to two side-by-side monitors, and where space is at a premiumsay in a tight home-working space or WeWork. Finding a portable stacked monitor that is large enough when in use, but discreet when folded up, has been a dream of mine since I left an office space and moved to a more domestic setting.

Ive used a stacked screen for a few years (after many years with two 27-inch displays side by side), starting with the solidly built and somewhat colossal Mobile Pixels Geminos, moving on to the smaller but more portable UPerfect Delta Max Touch, and now have been using the Maxs bigger sibling the superlatively named Delta Mega, which is nearly as large as the Geminos but as foldable and nearly as portable as the Delta Max.

Adding one or more external displays can transform a solitary MacBook setup into a more workable desktop arrangement that frees the laptop user from the constraints of the smaller screeneven the spacious-ish 16-inch display on the top-end MacBook Pro.

Portable external displays give the extra benefit of being transportable and easily stored away hidden when not in use. During the lockdown I once walked my 32-inch Samsung standard monitor two miles back to the office. It was light but cumbersome with its stand attached.

Like the Delta Max, the UPerfect Delta Mega stands out from the usual portable external display crowd being a vertically stacked set of two screens. Folded up, it is just about portable and comes with a cloth bag for convenient storage and carriage.

Portable design

The Delta Mega is a set of two 23.8-inch screens that are joined at a flexible hinged center. They can each be adjusted to the best-suited angle depending on your situation.

A 14-inch MacBook Pro on top of the Delta Mega. Simon Jary

When folded completely it creates a slim but large portable package. The smaller 18.5-inch Delta Max can be slipped under your arm or carried in one hand, but the 23.8-inch Delta Mega will probably be too bulky and heavy for many to stroll around with it under arm for too long.

Both Delta models are certainly more portable than a standard external display, let alone two. Both are great dual displays that you can fold and store out of sight when working from home or commute with for short distances to an office or farther afield in a car.

Its certainly possible to carry the Delta Mega around a home or office or to a vehicle but its way too large for a backpackor indeed most peoples backs. I keep mine folded on either the bench where I sit at home or under my sofa for further domestic discretion.

Bulk aside, it is reasonably easy to lift and folds up to a manageable 21.3 x 25.4 x 0.5 inches (54  64  1.4cm) and weighs 11.24lbs (5.1kg). The smaller Delta Max measures 16.7 x 20.5 x 0.4 inches (43-x-52-x-1cm) and weighs a more manageable 5.21lbs (2.36kg).

That Delta Max was great, but I desired the larger displays and I am more than willing to put up with the expected bulk to gain the extra on-screen pixels.

Simon Jary

On top is better than side by side

The standard way of adding more than one external display is to have two external monitors side by side, creating a wide extended screen display, with a gap in between where the first monitor ends and the next begins.

While this works well for most people, the extended screens mean you are constantly rotating your neck and shoulders when looking at or moving things between the two, which over time can cause neck pain. It also requires a desk large enough for two large displays to sit side by side. With 27-inch displays, that might require xx feet (2m) of desk space.

A vertically stacked monitor, on the other hand, can be more ergonomic as the body doesnt need to frequently turn left and right. The line of sight remains directly in front of the user, reducing frequent rotation of the neck. Of course, there is more up-and-down neck movement, but with the adjustable stand, this can be reduced a little to make viewing more comfortable. It can stand almost flat straight on to the viewer.

The Delta Mega looks sleek in black aluminum. Its built-in stand can be folded flush to the backside of the lower screen. You modify the angle of the stand to adjust the height and angle of the screen to suit your best working posture. Ideally the screen you use the most should be flat directly to your eyeline.

Weighing considerably more than the Delta Max, the Delta Megas top screen feels sometimes like it might topple if angled too far but in its perfect position this should not be a problem.

The central hinge also allows for flexible adjustment of the two screens to a comfortable and ergonomic angle when used in either a stacked arrangement or folded back on itself in an inverted V shape to share meeting content with people facing yousay, so you look at one screen and the client on the other side of the meeting sees the other.

It is certainly an improvement on staring down at a small laptop screen, with your shoulders hunched and eyes squintingif this is your laptop screen setup, you need to act immediately. A decent laptop standdiscover the best MacBook stands we have testedcan help alleviate laptop users bent-back syndrome but we like the Deltas upright dual-screen approach. Although the lower screen reaches the desk, you shouldnt need a monitor stand.

Simon Jary

You can switch the Delta Mega to a vertical Portrait mode, by changing the Macs own Rotation setting (in Displays) to 90 and then physically turning the screen on its side.

There are four 100 x 100mm holes on the back of the monitor, so you can affix a VESA Mount if you want to install the stacked monitor onto an arm or the wall to save desk space.

Video settings

The UPerfect Delta Mega offers either a USB-C or HDMI connection to your laptop. In my testing I was happy with the direct USB-C connection.

UPerfect

First, all three screenslaptop plus dual-screen Delta Mega can show the same mirrored display (A, A, A in the illustration above). This could be useful if using the Delta Max in its inverted V shape with one screen facing opposite the other if you want the same screen on both plus your commanding laptop. Scenarios include presentations to colleagues or clients.

Simon Jary

To flip the upper screens orientation so the person sitting opposite can see it the right way round for them, turn on the Gravity Induction on the OSD.

Second, each of the two Delta screens can show the same image, while the laptop shows another (B, B, A), which would be useful in the meeting setup described above but where the user wants a different screen on their laptop.

Third, the two Delta screens can merge to show one larger screen while the laptop shows another (Big B, A) in one of UPerfects On Screen Display settingss arcane Fill settings. In effect, this creates a large second monitor, although the merger isnt seamless with the hinge and screen bezel interrupting the join in the middle. This can be annoying but the two screens as one works well in traditional Extended modes. Remember, you get a similar disconnect using standalone external displays, just between them side to side rather than one on top of the other.

As well as with laptop and desktop Mac and Windows computers, it works with iPhone or games consoles.

Video quality

You can set the monitor to an impressive 100Hz refresh rate. The picture quality and pixel density on this IPS panel display are excellent, with a 97% sRGB Color Gamut that is more than sufficient for typical use, such as browsing the internet, social media, and watching movies. Professional photographers, graphic designers, or video editors might aim higher, looking for monitors that offer 100% sRGB coverage for maximum accuracy.

Each screen has a max full HD resolution of 19201080 pixels, with a 16:9 display ratio. If you are after a 4K monitor, this is not for you, but HD is all productivity professionals should require.

UPerfect employs Ucare low-blue-light technology to reduce blue light and therefore eye fatigue. This is turned on using the On Screen Display via Color Settings, but does impact color quality, making the screen appear more yellow as you remove the blue light.

Simon Jary

Side ports and power

On the left side (as you face it) of the lower monitor are three ports. At the bottom is the full-size HDMI port (the Delta Max used Mini HDMI), and above that is the USB-C input port to power the screens, and this power can also be channelled to the connected laptop. Using the included 45W charger this would allow for just 17W passthrough power according to UPerfect. However, we connected the power via a higher 65W charger and the passthrough power kept our M2 MacBook Pro running without interruption. See our roundup for the best USB-C PD chargers for MacBook.

Above that, the second USB-C port is to link to your MacBooks Thunderbolt port to create the video data connection. You need only one USB-C cable to use both screens.

Some portable monitors include a built-in battery so you can use it when away from a power source. Unsurprisingly for a screen setup this size, the Delta Mega doesnt have one so you need to be connected to a power source via USB-C when using it.

Controls

UPerfect

On the other side of the monitor are three buttons to control the On Screen Display (OSD) options, such as Picture (Brightness, Contrast, Mode), Color Settings (Color Temperature, Low Blue Light, Gravity Induction, OD), Audio Settings (Mute, Volume), and Other Settings (Language, Reset, Fill).

The paper and PDF instructions are limited to say the least, and you just have to get the hang of how these work, pressing buttons and clicking others until you work out its logic. To be fair, its extremely rare to find a monitor with an intuitive OSD, and we did master them within a half hour or so of trial and error. This is especially true when setting the monitor in the inverted V shape for showing the main screen to someone sitting opposite. It took a lot of settings fiddling and frankly stabbing at buttons until this worked as it should. This is something that could easily be fixed with better instructions for the user from UPerfect.

While the instructions are scant and the OSD barely explained, the Delta Mega is a reasonably plug-and-play productconnect it to your Mac using either the USB-C or HDMI cable and do the important setup on the Macs System Settings.

Speakers

The monitor has two built-in 1W speakers, which unsurprisingly we found horribly tinny compared to the speaker in our connected M2 MacBook Pro. This lack of bass or fullness is typical of monitor speakersyou are nearly always better off with a separate speaker system or just relying on the computers audio. Its fine for voice calls and basic spoken videos but not an immersive theatre sound if you are watching a movie or playing an action gamealthough youd probably prefer a 4K display for those two pursuits.

UPerfects visions of the Delta Mega in action. UPerfect

Price

The Delta Mega is priced at $649.99 or 499, which is a good deal for a dual monitor setup as portable as this. Note that all buyers are charged in U.S. dollars that can add to the price with credit card exchange fees, although shipping should be free to the U.K. The Delta Mega is also available on Amazon or Amazon UK.

We have reviewed alternatives in our roundup of the best portable monitors for Mac, but its a sign of my recommendation that I am still using my Delta Mega as my home-working dual monitors. For more static displays check out our recommendations for the best monitors for Mac.

Should you buy the UPerfect Delta Mega?

We liked UPerfects smaller Delta Max but yearned for more screen space in a portable monitor. The super-adjustable Delta Mega answers those larger-screen prayers, and it has found a prime spot on my home-working desk, and most importantly hides away nicely and neatly when its time to finish work. The flexibility to bend right back to offer front and back mirrored screens are nice-to-have features for me, but might be the main solution for others.
The pedestrian who was struck and killed by a bus near Boston Medical Center on Monday morning was identified as 40-year-old Alhanouf Alhazza, the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office said on Thursday.

Alhazza was hit by a Boston University Medical shuttle bus near 774 Albany St. shortly before 8 a.m., the district attorneys office said in an email. The man became trapped beneath the bus and was declared dead at the scene.

Im deeply sorry for the familys loss and Im grateful for the assistance of the Saudi consulate in helping put investigators in touch with Mr. Alhazzaas relatives, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement.

The incident remains under investigation.
A Boston community health center that, for decades, has been a nation-leading haven for LGBTQ+ care, is ending gender-affirming care for patients under 19, citing new federal requirements.

Fenway Health announced this week that it will stop providing hormones and puberty blockers for patients under the age of 19 because of a shifting federal landscape that requires us to adapt in order to remain compliant, sustainable, and able to provide healthcare, support, and services to all our patients and the community.

As a federally qualified health center (FQHC), in order to continue receiving federal dollars, Fenway Health must remain compliant with regulations set forth by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.

Losing its FQHC status, the center said, would challenge our ability to meet the needs of all who rely on us.

Our priority through this process, and always, is to center patients by focusing on the health, safety, and continuity of care of those impacted as well as our broader patient population as we navigate these new federal requirements, Fenway Health said in a statement.

In September, HRSA announced it would prioritize protecting children from puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries that attempt to transition minors away from their sex. As a result, the federal agency said it would deprioritize programs that offer gender affirming care, particularly for children.

Fenway Health emphasized this week that all other services for patients will remain available and unchanged, at this time.

Since President Donald Trump returned to office in January, federally qualified health centers have been deluged by DEI and gender-related orders and changing regulations.

One of Trumps first executive orders curtailed federal dollars for gender-affirming care for transgender youth under 19. In February, community health centers across Massachusetts received memos from HRSA ordering them to abandon federally funded programs related to DEI and gender identity.

MassLive previously reported that federal grant funding historically makes up $20 million of Fenway Healths annual budget. Data shows its federal funding in fiscal year 2025 dropped significantly from years prior.

WBUR reported Fenway Health also receives certain benefits as a federally qualified health center, including access to a program that allows it to purchase medications at deep discounts, but charge insurers the market price.

Sacrificing trans youth

The decision has merited significant pushback from community members. Former Fenway Health board member Alejandra Caraballo took to BlueSky this week, calling the move cowardly capitulation sacrificing trans youth.

In a subsequent post, Caraballo, a clinical instructor at Harvard Law School, said she had no faith that Fenway Health wont eventually drop all gender affirming care  including for adults  to remain a federally qualified health center.

Erin Reed, an independent LGBTQ+ journalist, accused the health center of rolling over instead of fighting for its patients.

Somerville City Councilor JT Scott called on constituents to contact Fenway Health and the state attorney generals office about the center abandoning trans youth  a move that he dubbed shameful and unnecessary.

Community health centers president defends Fenway Health

The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers defended Fenway Health in a Friday statement, calling the center a pioneering, national leader in caring for the LGBTQ+ community that has advanced research and education in HIV/AIDS and transgender care.

Fenway has been the model for inclusive and responsive care for over 55 years, and this recent decision doesnt alter that commitment, said Michael Curry, president and CEO of the Mass League of Community Health Centers. Discontinuing services for any of their patients comes with great disappointment, and its palpable, visible on the faces of every staff member, patient, and board member that walks through their doors. Im confident that this decision was made with sound and thoughtful reasoning and ultimately focused on the best interest of the health center and all its patients.

Curry said the ultimate goal is to protect the institution, maintain access for the LGBTQ+ community, continue the life-saving research  and, quite frankly, survive."

WBUR reported that another federally qualified health center in the state has ended gender affirming care for minors, as well. Outer Cape Health Services CEO Dr. Damian Archer said his organization had little choice because state laws designed to shield medical providers from lawsuits dont protect their federal funding.
You can still make out the place where the "Rite Aid" sign was on this building on Staten Island, New York. Tom Wrobleski/Staten Island Advance

CVS Pharmacy has completed the acquisition of several Rite Aid assets, a move that includes 63 former Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs stores in the Pacific Northwest and the prescription files from 626 pharmacies across 15 states, including Massachusetts.

The transactions, which followed Rite Aids bankruptcy proceedings, mean CVS will now serve more than 9 million former Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs patients.

The company has taken over the operation of the 63 stores located in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Read more: Why your local pharmacy might be the next to disappear as Massachusetts has lost nearly 300 since 2010

Were excited to have completed the acquisition of select Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs stores in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the acquisition of prescription files of hundreds of Rite Aid and Bartell Drugs pharmacies across 15 states, said Len Shankman, executive vice president for CVS Health, in a statement.

Were helping maintain and expand access to convenient and trusted pharmacy care across the U.S. and growing our retail footprint and presence in local communities, Shankman said.

To support the transition, CVS Pharmacy hired more than 3,500 former Rite Aid and Bartell Drug employees.

The company also said it has made investments in existing CVS locations by scheduling more support staff, enhancing recruitment and strengthening training programs.

The sale was approved in May by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey.

The entire process took about four months, with the final transactions for stores in Oregon and Washington completed on Sept. 30.

Read more: Popular pharmacy chain closes all stores following bankruptcy

At least three Massachusetts locations were included in the deal, according to Patch.

In an email to Patch, CVS shared that the prescription files were purchased from stores in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont and Washington.

A list published online by Rite Aid revealed some prescriptions filled at three Massachusetts stores were transferred to CVS:

Prescriptions from Rite Aid at 1024 Main St. in Fall River were transferred to CVS at 245 William S. Canning Blvd. in Fall River.

Prescriptions from Rite Aid at 1207 Achushnet Ave. in New Bedford were transferred to 136 Ashley Blvd. in New Bedford.

Prescriptions from Rite Aid at 107 Main St. in Greenfield were transferred to CVS at 137 Federal St. in Greenfield.

Generative AI was used to draft this story, based on data provided by CVS Health. It was reviewed and edited by MassLive.
Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton was charged Thursday in a federal investigation into the potential mishandling of classified information, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

The investigation into Bolton, who served for more than a year in President Donald Trumps first administration before being fired in 2019, burst into public view in August when the FBI searched his home in Maryland and his office in Washington for classified records he may have held onto from his years in government.

The existence of the indictment was confirmed to the AP by a person familiar with the matter who could not publicly discuss the charges and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Agents during the August search seized multiple documents labeled classified, confidential and secret from Boltons office, according to previously unsealed court filings. Some of the seized records appeared to concern weapons of mass destruction, national strategic communication and the U.S. mission to the United Nations, the filings stated.

The indictment sets the stage for a closely watched court case centering on a longtime fixture in Republican foreign policy circles who became known for his hawkish views on American power and who after leaving Trumps first government emerged as a prominent and vocal critic of the president. Though the investigation that produced the indictment began before Trumps second term, the case will unfold against the backdrop of broader concerns that his Justice Department is being weaponized to go after his political adversaries.

It follows separate indictments over the last month accusing former FBI Director James Comey of lying to Congress and New York Attorney General Letitia James of committing bank fraud and making a false statement, charges they both deny. Both of those cases were filed in federal court in Virginia by a prosecutor Trump hastily installed in the position after growing frustrated that investigations into high-profile enemies had not resulted in prosecution.

The Bolton case, by contrast, was filed in Maryland by a U.S. attorney who before being elevated to the job had been a career prosecutor in the office.

Questions about Boltons handling of classified information date back years. He faced a lawsuit and a Justice Department investigation after leaving office related to information in a 2020 book he published, The Room Where it Happened, that portrayed Trump as grossly uninformed about foreign policy.

The Trump administration asserted that Boltons manuscript included classified information that could harm national security if exposed. Boltons lawyers have said he moved forward with the book after a White House National Security Council official, with whom Bolton had worked for months, said the manuscript no longer contained classified information.

A search warrant affidavit that was previously unsealed said a National Security Council official had reviewed the book manuscript and told Bolton in 2020 that it appeared to contain significant amounts of classified information, some at a top-secret level.

Boltons attorney Abbe Lowell has said that many of the documents seized in August had been approved as part of a pre-publication review for Boltons book. He said that many were decades old, from Boltons long career in the State Department, as an assistant attorney general and as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

The indictment is a dramatic moment in Boltons long career in government. He served in the Justice Department during President Ronald Reagans administration and was the State Departments point man on arms control during George W. Bushs presidency. Bolton was nominated by Bush to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, but the strong supporter of the Iraq war was unable to win Senate confirmation and resigned after serving 17 months as a Bush recess appointment. That allowed him to hold the job on a temporary basis without Senate confirmation.

In 2018, Bolton was appointed to serve as Trumps third national security adviser. But his brief tenure was characterized by disputes with the president over North Korea, Iran and Ukraine.

Those rifts ultimately led to Boltons departure, with Trump announcing on social media in September 2019 that he had accepted Boltons resignation. Bolton subsequently criticized Trumps approach to foreign policy and government in his 2020 book, including by alleging that Trump directly tied providing military aid to the countrys willingness to conduct investigations into Joe Biden, who was soon to be Trumps Democratic 2020 election rival, and members of his family.

Trump responded by slamming Bolton as a washed-up guy and a crazy warmonger who would have led the country into World War Six. Trump also said at the time that the book contained highly classified information and that Bolton did not have approval for publishing it.
A 42-year-old Massachusetts woman is facing 12 counts of animal cruelty after officials say goat skulls and bones were "littered around the farm and 100 animals had been neglected.

Jenifer Rogers, of Plympton, was on MSPCAs radar after getting reports of potential neglect. But they were unable to access the Lake Street home due to a lack of cooperation from Rogers, who was residing there.

Law enforcement reports from September suggested several poultry, fowl and other farm animals had been continually neglected. Some of the animals had died and were left on the property.

MSPCA personnel found several animals living in inadequate shelters with a lack of available food or water.

Dead livestock was also found near live animals. And various bones and skulls from dead goats were littered around the property, the Plymouth County District Attorneys office said in a press release.

Rogers was given an opportunity to surrender any animals she could not care for.

MSPCA returned the next day with a search warrant and found many of the animals still did not have access to water and shelters remained unsanitary.

A total of 116 animals were removed from the Lake Street property and taken to MSPCA Cape Cod and Methuen shelters. Examinations of the animals following their removal from Rogers residence found clear and consistent signs of neglect.
Gift cards, photo opportunities, free monogramming and more will be offered over several days. Associated Press

L.L. Bean is preparing to open its newest store in Massachusetts next month, and the company is planning a major, weekend-long celebration to mark the occasion.

The new store, which will be the companys 12th in the state, is located in Fresh Market Plaza at 84 Worcester Road in Framingham. The expansive, 20,000-plus square-foot space will bring up to 85 jobs to the MetroWest region.

Festivities kick off at 8:45 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to a statement from the company. The first 100 customers to arrive will be rewarded with a $50 L.L. Bean gift card. Lineup starts at 6 a.m.

The celebration continues into the weekend with a special sports-themed day on Saturday, Nov. 8.

Shoppers will have the opportunity to meet former Boston Red Sox player Jonny Gomes and the teams famous mascot Wally the Green Monster. The Red Sox will also be bringing their World Series trophies for customers to view.

Throughout the weekend, L.L. Bean will offer a variety of interactive experiences for all ages, including:

Free boat and tote monogramming

Boot lace customization bar

Free grocery store tote screen printing

The L.L. Bean Bootmobile, a giant replica of the brands classic boot on wheels, will also be available for photos.

The weekend will feature additional giveaways, refreshments and other family activities.

L.L. Beans arrival in Framingham reinforces the brands goal of serving communities where they live and play  making it easier for locals and visitors alike to experience the outdoors with confidence and comfort, the company said in a statement.

The Freeport, Maine-founded outdoor chain currently operates 11 other Massachusetts stores, including:
The Massachusetts Parole Board has denied parole for Wayland Coleman, a man serving a life sentence for the 1997 murder of a teenager in Worcester.

In a decision dated Oct. 14, the board stated that Coleman has not shown a level of rehabilitation that would make his release compatible with the welfare of society. His case will be reviewed again in three years.

Coleman was 19 years old on May 25, 1997, when a fight broke out as a crowd left the Eden Restaurant on Water Street. During the altercation, Coleman got a gun from a car and shot 17-year-old Neal-Sabree McClain, who was unarmed, at close range. According to the boards case summary, Coleman shot McClain a second time as he lay on the ground. McClain was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries.

In 1998, a Worcester Superior Court jury found Coleman guilty of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Coleman became eligible for parole after a 2024 Supreme Judicial Court ruling deemed life-without-parole sentences unconstitutional for offenders aged 18 to 20. His sentence was subsequently changed to life with the possibility of parole after 15 years.

During his May 8, 2025, initial hearing, the board reviewed Colemans 26 years of incarceration. It noted he has accumulated more than 30 disciplinary reports and has completed minimal programming, though he did earn a GED and a bachelors degree from Boston University. The board also stated that Coleman, who maintains his innocence, refused to answer questions about the crime on the advice of counsel. A risk assessment tool categorized him as a high risk to reoffend.

Testimony opposing parole was presented by Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr., Worcester County Assistant District Attorney Anne Kennedy, and family members of McClain. Five people testified in support of Colemans release.

Generative AI was used to draft this story, based on data provided by the Massachusetts Parole Board. It was reviewed and edited by MassLive.
The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to allow the deployment of National Guard troops in the Chicago area, escalating President Donald Trumps conflict with Democratic governors over using the military on U.S. soil.

The emergency appeal to the high court came after a judge prevented, for at least two weeks, the deployment of Guard members from Illinois and Texas to assist immigration enforcement. A federal appeals court refused to put the judges order on hold.

The conservative-dominated court has handed Trump repeated victories in emergency appeals since he took office in January, after lower courts have ruled against him and often over the objection of the three liberal justices. The court has allowed Trump to ban transgender people from the military, claw back billions of dollars of congressionally approved federal spending, move aggressively against immigrants and fire the presidentially appointed leaders of independent federal agencies,

In the dispute over the Guard, U.S. District Judge April Perry said she found no substantial evidence that a danger of rebellion is brewing in Illinois during Trumps immigration crackdown.

But Solicitor General D. John Sauer, Trumps top Supreme Court lawyer, urged the justices to step in immediately. Perrys order, Sauer wrote, impinges on the Presidents authority and needlessly endangers federal personnel and property.

A federal judge in Oregon also has temporarily blocked the deployment of National Guard troops there.

Guard troops from several states also are patrolling the nations capital and Memphis, Tennessee.

In a California case, a judge in September said the deployment was illegal. By that point, just 300 of the thousands of troops sent there remained and the judge did not order them to leave.
Unless youre the sort who pays attention, you probably didnt notice that Gov. Maura Healeys office has quietly stopped publishing a detailed accounting of how taxpayer money is being spent on the states emergency shelter system.

And that matters. Because the bi-weekly reports sent to legislative leaders usually included some pretty big numbers.

One such report, published earlier this year, showed taxpayer spending on the system cruising toward $1 billion. The system houses both permanent Massachusetts residents and migrant new arrivals, with the state spending a weekly average of $3,870 per family.

That number dropped to an average of $1,182 per family in a report released earlier this month, as the number of families in the system also dropped precipitously.

However, when the state law authorizing the reports expired, they were discontinued. The news was first reported by The Boston Herald.

In a Sept. 22 letter to legislative leaders, administration Budget Czar Matthew J. Gorzkowicz and Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus said they were pulling the plug on detailed reporting on the system.

Reporting on activities that are no longer ongoing, such as hotel shelter or spending from past fiscal years, may be found in previous bi-weekly reports, they said

Instead of the data, the administration only notes that lawmakers approved $276 million in this years state budget for the shelter system, the average amount spent on families in shelter each week, and the total amount of cash spent from a reserve fund, according to The Herald.

The end of the reports, in some ways, marks the end of one immigration debate on Beacon Hill and the start of another, as the Republican Trump administration prosecutes hardline enforcement policies carried out by masked immigration agents in cities and towns across Massachusetts.

During their short lifespan, the reports served as the most reliable barometer of public spending on the system, which, at its peak, housed more than 7,500 families and burned through hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.

That made them easy political fodder for the Democratic administrations critics on the right, who had been pressing Healey to turn off the tap of taxpayer largesse and to reform the states decades-old Right to Shelter Law.

The administration took steps to contain costs, ending hotel shelter stays, which had been the site of some disturbing crimes, and calling for residency requirements and other fixes.

Nonetheless, Healeys critics, including two Republicans aiming for her job in 2026, pounced on the news of the reports demise, arguing that it represents another blemish on the states already spotty record for government transparency.

GOP hopeful Mike Kennealy, a former Baker administration official, said hed keep releasing the information even without the statute authorizing it.

Id just keep doing it, Kennealy, who served as Gov. Charlie Bakers housing and economic development czar, told MassLive. The idea that were stopping it because the law has expired is a terrible mistake.

Brian Shortsleeve, who helmed the MBTA under Baker, pointed to the states poor marks for transparency and accused Healey of hiding the ball.

The right-leaning Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, the most vocal critic of the administrations shelter policies, argued in a statement: Transparency shouldnt depend on a sunset clause.

Taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent every week, every month, every year, the Boston-based groups executive director, Paul Craney, said in a statement.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Healeys housing office said the administration inherited a shelter system that was not equipped to handle the surge in demand Massachusetts experienced these past few years.

Healey imposed reforms, such as a capacity limit, length of stay limit, residency requirements and background checks, that have successfully reduced caseloads and costs, the spokesperson added, noting that the state expects costs in the 2026 budget year to be hundreds of millions of dollars less than in the 2025 budget year.

In the meantime, Republicans in the state Legislature are pressing ahead with their own transparency efforts.

Republicans in the state House successfully inserted an amendment reauthorizing the reporting requirement into the year-end budget that the majority-Democratic chamber sent to the Senate earlier this week, a spokesperson told MassLive.

Republicans in the state Senate, meanwhile, also said theyll continue to press for transparency reforms with a new legislative proposal. So even if the reports are gone, there will be some accounting of spending on the shelter system.

The bill, which focuses on state contracts valued at $100,000 or more, [addresses] serious issues that have been raised by multiple sources over the past several months and would significantly reduce the risk of impropriety whenever an emergency drives procurements, Senate Minority Leader Bruce E. Tarr, R-1st Essex/Middlesex, said.
Red Sox' Jose De Leon exits the game in the seventh inning against the Tigers at Fenway Park on Sep. 28. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) Getty Images

The Red Sox made two roster moves Friday, outrighting right-handed pitchers Isaiah Campbell and Jose De Leon off the 40-man roster to Triple-A Worcester, according to the MLB transaction log.

The 28-year-old Campbell made six relief appearances for Boston in 2025, allowing six runs, 13 hits and one walk while striking out three in 7  innings.

De Leon, a 33-year-old from Puerto Rico, made one appearance for Boston. He started the final regular season game of the year and earned a win over the Tigers, allowing three runs in 6  innings. He left to a standing ovation.

De Leon headed home to Puerto Rico after Worcesters season. The Red Sox called him to ask him if he had continued to play catch and could fly to Boston to make a start the next day. The Sox already had clinched a postseason spot and needed a fresh arm.

I told them yes, De Leon said with a grin after his start, but that was a lie.

The moves dont come as much of a surprise as Boston will need to open spots on its 40-man roster once the offseason begins. Ten players must be transferred from the 60-day injured list back to the 40-man roster for the offseason.

Six roster spots will open up with players electing free agency. Lucas Giolito, Justin Wilson, Liam Hendriks, Dustin May and Rob Refsnyder are eligible for free agency, while Alex Bregman also plans to opt out of his contract to become a free agent.
The states development agency and the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities are providing $38 million to preserve 73 units of affordable apartments in Worcester.

On Wednesday, the agency, MassDevelopment, announced a $21,400,000 tax-exempt bond will be used to preserve the 73 units. Spread across 16 buildings, the apartments are in the citys Piedmont neighborhood, located near downtown Worcester.

The money for the project was given and will be used by WCG Homes LLC, an affiliate of the community development corporation, Worcester Common Ground (WCG), according to MassDevelopments press release.

This $21 million will go a long way in providing affordable housing in Worcester, Mayor Joseph Petty said in a statement. We have done a great job with market-rate housing; this grant helps us with more affordable units in the city.

The preservation project also received $16.5 million in federal low-income housing tax credits, the announcement stated.

In total, $37.8 million will be used for redevelopment.

The apartments will include improvements such as upgraded electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems, renovated kitchens and bathrooms and roof replacements. Of the apartments, 11 will be available to households earning up to 30% of the area median income (AMI), 26 will be for households earning up to 60% AMI and 36 units will be rented to households earning up to 50% AMI, the press release reads.

Construction is underway and is expected to be completed by Spring 2027.

The City of Worcester is pleased to partner with Worcester Common Ground on this affordable housing preservation project, Worcester City Manager Eric Batista said in a statement. The municipalitys affordable housing strategy not only prioritizes the production of new homes, but also the reinvestment and longevity of our existing affordable housing stock. We appreciate the support of the Healey-Driscoll Administration, MassDevelopment and Eastern Bank, and congratulate Worcester Common Ground on making this project a reality.

Worcester will need to build more than 12,000 units of new housing over the next eight years to meet increasing demand, according to the citys housing production plan.

A market demand analysis from RKG Associates found that there is a shortage of housing for residents with high and low incomes. The analysis found there is not enough housing stock to meet the growing demand among residents.

There arent enough homes for extremely low-income households, nor are there enough market-rate homes for higher income households, the production plans executive summary reads. This imbalance creates competition for moderately priced housing, driving up costs and making it even harder for middle and low-income residents to find affordable options.

To address the lack of housing, the citys production plan has a list of goals to follow for the next five years.

The goals are to:

Enhance affordable housing production

Revitalize and enhance Worcesters aging housing stock

Reduce impediments created by regulations to increase housing supply

Address housing inequities caused by practices such as redlining

Prevent displacement

Expand transportation and mobility options

Make homelessness in the city brief

Follow the framework of Worcester Now/Next , a citywide planning process launched in 2022 that engaged the Worcester community on important issues such as housing, land use and economic opportunities.

The planning board and city council adopted the production plan and await approval from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, according to the citys website.
City Councilor-at-Large Khrystian King (left) Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty (middle) and Owura-Kwaku Sarkodieh (right) sit down with GBH News for a debate on Thursday. GBH News

With 19 days until the election, the three candidates running for Mayor of Worcester outlined their vision for the city on Thursday.

Current mayor Joseph Petty, Council Vice Chair and Councilor-at-Large Khrystian King and real estate agent Owura-Kwaku Sarkodieh participated in a one-hour debate hosted by GBHs Worcester reporter, Sam Turken.

The debate was a quiet one, not featuring any shouting or name-calling. As one candidate spoke, the two others listened quietly, daring not to interrupt one another.

At one point, Petty apologized to Turken when he went over time, to which Turken allowed him to finish his sentence.

Petty, who is seeking an eighth term, defended his record as mayor by touting the construction of new housing and schools during his tenure, along with investments towards public safety and parks.

Ive been a leader for the last 14 years and I treated everybody fairly, Petty said in his opening statement.

King, who was elected to City Council in 2015, said the mayor of Worcester needs to make City Hall a place for everyone and not those who are well-connected.

Drawing upon his work as a career social worker and as a city councilor, King spoke about how he worked with residents and police to pass new protections in the wake of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest on Eureka Street in May. King would, at times, challenge Pettys leadership in the debate, notably on how he ran City Hall meetings.

As a career social worker, I work daily with families who are challenged, having difficult conversations, King said. We dont get to walk away from difficult conversations.

Sarkodieh, who has never been elected to public office, said that Worcester was built on care, compassion, community and declared the time was now for Worcester to have new leadership.

I believe we need a new leader and that time is now, Sarkodieh said.

The police and an oversight board

The debate began with the candidates being questioned about supporting a police civilian oversight board.

Oct. 14, the Worcester Regional Research Bureau released a report calling for the formation of such a board.

The reports findings follow a scathing U.S. Department of Justice report on the Worcester Police Department released in December 2024.

The Justice Departments report singled out Worcester officers for their use of excessive force, its disproportionate effects on Black and Hispanic people and said they performed unwanted sexual acts with people in undercover operations.

When asked if he would support a civilian oversight board, Petty told Turken he would read the WRRBs study before making a decision. He noted, however, his concern that a civilian oversight job might undermine Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier.

Petty said that Saucier is building a civilian board. But he did not go into further details of what the board will do.

Hes doing a great job, Petty said of Saucier. We also have the DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) officer who also does investigations on bias and sexual assaults.

King and Sarkodieh, on the other hand, both expressed support for such a board. Both candidates said they would support subpoena powers for the board, with Sarkodieh calling for independent investigations into police use of force.

I am also for open transparency on all arrests, Sarkodieh said.

King has repeatedly called for a civilian oversight board before the release of the WRRBs study. He said the board was not a threat to police but a tool to improve public trust.

Theres significant concerns in the DOJ report that must be responded to make us a better, safer city, King said.

Housing and homelessness

The candidates also spoke about the lack of available housing in Worcester.

Worcester will need to build more than 12,000 units of new housing over the next eight years to meet increasing demand, according to the citys housing production plan.

A market demand analysis from RKG Associates found that there is a shortage of housing for residents with high and low incomes. The analysis found that there is not enough housing stock to meet the growing demand among residents.

King said he was open to the idea of rent control to help manage high rent. He also touted his vote on a lower residential tax rate.

People are suffering. Looking for leadership from the city government, King said. Their utilities are rising, so they are looking for leadership on that front.

Sarkodieh also said he was open to rent control and said he would require developers to build mixed-income homes as mayor. Sarkodieh also called for the repurposing of vacant apartments for the construction of affordable housing.

Petty, meanwhile, touted a proposal from him and District 2 Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson that would give landlords a tax break if they kept rents low.

He acknowledged the need for more housing, noting that we have 1,500 (units) on line in the works.

The conversation then turned to the topic of homelessness, with Turken telling the candidates that the homeless population in Worcester has risen for the fourth year in a row.

When asked about the issue of homelessness, Petty pointed to more housing as a solution. He also proposed a meeting between him and the leaders of other Central Massachusetts towns to address homelessness, saying that the homeless population in the city is not made up of residents who permanently live there.

They come in from the Central Mass. area or other parts of the state or other parts of the country, Petty said. We should make this a state issue, along with making it a county issue that we can work together.

Sarkodieh said that rent control could help solve the issue of homelessness in the city, as well as provide more mental health services.

Im for temporary housing with mandatory treatment, he said.

King also called for more social services to help the homeless and called for a fair share of funding from the state to tackle the issue.

He also called for public bathrooms to provide dignity for the homeless population.

This is a human rights issue and we are in a crisis, King said.

City council division

One of the final topics during the debate was about division among the city councilors. The mayor of Worcester is responsible for overseeing the council and running city council meetings.

The councilors have argued with each other throughout the year, with Councilor-at-Large Thu Nguyen even accusing Mero-Carlson of calling them what they perceived as a slur against them.

Animosity has also spilled into the public, with councilors receiving threats of violence this year, according to Turken.

Sarkodieh, who has never been on the council, said he would try to listen to those who agree and disagree with him. He said it is healthy for a city council to disagree with each other, but said the next mayor should be someone who unifies the council.

As the mayor, I promise to reach across the aisle, he said. I think the next mayor can lead in that direction and hopefully, unify the city council.

King said he does not stand for threats against the city council, noting that he was the subject of a bomb threat and Petty had been verbally attacked in the past.

He went on, however, to criticize Pettys leadership in how he ran the council, citing the incident between Nguyen and Mero-Carlson. Nguyen, who is not running for re-election, chose not to attend any more council meetings this year.

We had a city councilor who didnt return, King said. Its a reflection of leadership in addition to other issues at play.

Petty, however, said that things have changed for the positive in the past few months. He said its difficult when the council is divided on an issue, but sometimes that happens to be the case.

Its about communication, Petty said. Its about bringing people together.
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There was double success for a Mayo-based civil engineering company who were named the 2025 Contractor of the Year as well as winning a regional workplace safety award for the west.

Castlebar-based company Shareridge was awarded the 2025 Contractor of the Year at the recent Irish Industry Construction Awards while at the National Irish Safety Organisation (NISO) award ceremony on the same night they were also crowned the All-Ireland Occupational Safety Regional Award for the West.

The Irish Construction Industry Awards recognises excellence in various categories within the Irish construction industry, with entries judged on factors such as operational excellence, innovation and project management.

The NISO awards recognise organisations for their health and safety management and are Ireland's premier safety awards and showcase the safety performance of businesses across Ireland.

Shareridge is a civil engineering solutions specialist with its headquarters based in Castlebar and regional offices in Limerick, Tullamore and Kilkenny as well as other site offices in Clare, Tipperary, Meath and Kerry. The company has 205 direct employees with an additional 300 contractors making a workforce of 505 employees nationwide.

Its CEO, Achill native Paul McNamara said that along with the board of directors, senior management team and its workforce, they are delighted to pick up the two prestigious accolades.

To be awarded two awards last weekend was an incredible honour and a proud moment for everyone at Shareridge. It is a powerful recognition of the hard work, dedication and high standards consistently demonstrated by our entire team.

The company also places a strong emphasis on the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees. Health and safety is a core value of Shareridge and to be awarded the NISO award is a great honour and a reflection of the companies and our employees dedication to working safely and to high standards.

We are honoured to have won two awards  its a fantastic recognition of the hard work, dedication, and talent of our entire team. This achievement reinforces our commitment to excellence in everything we do at Shareridge, and were incredibly proud to be acknowledged among the best in the industry, he said.

READ: Mayo facility scoops award for empowering children with disabilities

Shareridge were also shortlighted as finalists in the Civil Construction Project of the Year category for their recent project, 'Windmill Hill Reservoir and Trunk Watermain to Ratoath' which was described as a 'truly outstanding project, both in its complexity and in its impact'.

Shareridges operations span design, planning, construction and project management across water, wastewater, roadworks, public realm and utility sectors. It works with a range of high-profile and long-standing clients across the infrastructure and utilities sectors, including Uisce Eireann, for whom it delivers essential water and wastewater infrastructure projects nationwide.

Shareridge were among the winners at the Irish Industry Construction Awards ceremony

Furthermore, Shareridge partners closely with a variety of local government bodies and county councils across Ireland, supporting key public works and infrastructure developments that benefit communities at a local level. These collaborations have allowed the company to build trusted, long-term relationships based on quality, reliability and shared commitment to public service.

Mr McNamara said that the award-winning company places a strong emphasis on nurturing and developing a positive and inclusive workplace culture and one that values teamwork, continuous improvement and mutual respect.

He added that Shareridge works closely with colleges and universities throughout Ireland working to help develop the next generationfrom undergraduate / graduate placements, graduate roles and apprenticeship programmes.
Minister of State Alan Dillon has welcomed decisive action now underway to support Mayo University Hospital (MUH), working closely with Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and senior HSE management to address the hospitals ongoing congestion and operational challenges.

Minister Dillon said the people of Mayo deserve solutions, not soundbites, and that his focus remains on ensuring that patients and staff at Mayo University Hospital see tangible, sustained improvement.

The people of Mayo deserve timely, safe, and high-quality healthcare, Minister Dillon said.

Equality of access to care is not a privilege, its a right. My focus is ensuring that Mayo University Hospital delivers that standard consistently and transparently.

In a detailed letter issued today to Mayos public representatives, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill outlined the scale of the problem facing Mayo University Hospital and the decisive measures now being implemented to correct it.

The Minister for Health confirmed that 80.2 percent of days so far this year have seen MUH operating above the national safety threshold, with 10 or more patients on trolleys each morning in the Emergency Department the highest rate among all Model 3 hospitals in Ireland.

On average, 17 patients per day have been awaiting admission at 8am, compared to just 6 in peer hospitals such as Cavan and Wexford.

Minister Carroll MacNeill described the situation as completely unacceptable and confirmed that a national task team has been deployed to work directly with hospital management and the HSE West/North West region to develop a new plan to address patient flow, workforce stability, and hospital safety.

Minister Dillon said that while the scale of the challenge is clear, so too is the governments commitment to fixing it.

Our focus has been on direct engagement with staff, local management, and the Department of Health.

The Minister highlighted that Mayo University Hospital is not understaffed, contrary to public commentary.

READ MORE: Mayo judge asks for Joe Deacy march outside Swinford home to stop

As of July 2025, MUH employs 1,502 Whole Time Equivalents (WTE) 7th highest of 17 Model 3 hospitals nationally a 31 percent increase since 2019, equating to 352 new posts. However, the hospital has faced higher-than-average absenteeism around 9 percent among nursing staff, versus a national average of 6%.

Minister Dillon said that stabilising the workforce is a top priority, supported by approval for 82 additional posts before year-end.

Minister Carroll MacNeill confirmed that the Safe Nurse Staffing Framework, a key government policy to ensure safe nurse-to-patient ratios, is now being fully implemented at Mayo University Hospital.

Phase 1 (general wards) is nearly complete, with 27.5 of 29.5 nursing posts filled and the remainder due by the end of October.

Phase 2 (Emergency Department) had previously not advanced due to local administrative delays. Following direct ministerial intervention, 18.5 new ED nursing positions have now been sanctioned for recruitment.

The Chief Nursing Officer and HSE Nursing Advisor visited MUH on October 6 to re-engage the Safe Staffing Framework, ensuring the policy is applied correctly and sustainably.

MUH will also now introduce the TrendCare IT system, a national real-time staffing tool to improve data-driven management and transparency.

This represents a turning point for Mayo University Hospital, said Minister Dillon.

Safe staffing in both general and emergency departments will finally be the standard, not the exception.

An unscheduled visit by the Minister for Health in August revealed 47 patients in the Emergency Department, 20 admitted but waiting for beds and limited weekend discharge activity. On one recent weekend, just 16 discharges on Saturday and one on Sunday were recorded, compared to 47 on the following Monday.

Minister Dillon said: The entire hospital system must function seven days a week not just Monday to Friday. Thats why new discharge and admissions protocols are being implemented, with leadership oversight every day of the week.

To drive these reforms, the HSE CEO has deployed expert national support to the West/North West Region this week to assist local management in developing a targeted plan to address the immediate and unacceptable levels of trolley use, currently the most challenging in the country. Based on the feedback from this deployment, the CEO will brief the Minister on appropriate next steps.

In addition, the Department of Healths Economic and Evaluation Service and HSE Workforce Intelligence Lead are conducting a detailed data analysis to ensure staffing, resource use, and performance metrics are fully aligned.

Since the Minister for Health commitment to escalate the issue in mid-September, early results show measurable progress.

In early September, MUH recorded 17 red-status days out of 19. Since September 19, the hospital has had just six red-status days, including three so far in October evidence that reforms are starting to take effect.

Minister Carroll MacNeill confirmed that weekly oversight will continue between her Department, the HSE CEO, and MUH management, with updates provided directly to her office. Minister Dillon will also maintain regular contact with Mayo University Hospital management to ensure commitments on staffing, patient flow, and leadership reform are delivered.

There is no quick fix, but there is clear progress, said Minister Dillon.

We will maintain this pressure, hold the system accountable, and ensure Mayo people see results, not rhetoric.

Mayo University Hospital has one of the most dedicated staff teams in the country. They deserve leadership that matches their commitment. This is not about blame, its about delivery. My priority is ensuring that Mayo people receive safe, effective, and timely healthcare and thats exactly what were working to achieve.
Deputy Keira Keogh has welcomed a detailed and proactive response from Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill regarding the ongoing crisis at Mayo University Hospitals Emergency Department, which has faced the highest levels of congestion among Model 3 hospitals in Ireland.

Minister Carroll MacNeill acknowledged that Mayo University Hospital has been in the red or unsafe threshold for 80% of days so far this year, meaning 10 or more patients were on trolleys at 8AM. This is the most severe situation nationally, with the next most affected hospital at 62%.

As winter approaches, the risks associated with poor patient flow will only intensify, said Deputy Keogh. It is now imperative that Mayo University Hospital rebalances its weekly activity to improve patient safety, reduce pressure on staff, and ensure timely care for the people of Mayo.

The Minister made an unscheduled visit to Mayo University Hospital on Saturday, August 23, where she observed 47 patients in the Emergency Department, including 20 admitted patients waiting for beds. She emphasised that patient flow must be actively managed seven days a week, with balanced admissions and discharges to avoid congestion.

READ MORE: Construction to begin on major extension for Mayo school

Data from the hospital showed a stark imbalance:

16 discharges on Saturday, September 13

Just 1 discharge on Sunday, September 14

Compared to 47 discharges on Monday, September 15

The lack of weekend discharges place strain on the Emergency Department and delays ambulance turnaround, impacting community care.

The HSE CEO Bernard Gloster alongside the Minister has deployed national expert support to the North/West region and has emphasised focus on looking at enhanced emergency care performance insights, maximising nursing initiatives, improving patient flow, implementing the public-only consultant contract and enhancing operational efficiencies at MUH.

The Minister understands public perception, but insists Mayo University Hospital is not understaffed outlining it has:

1,502 whole-time equivalent (WTE) staff, ranking 7th among 17 Model 3 hospitals

31% staffing increase since 2019, with 352 additional WTE staff

617 nurses in post, with 47 vacancies, mostly replacements

A requested intervention from the Minister, saw the Chief Nursing Officer make an assessment and recommend approval be given to recruit 82 additional WTE staff by year-end despite the application not being made with the estimates for 2025

Phase One of the Safe Staffing Framework (general medical and surgical wards) is nearly complete:

27.5 of 29.5 WTE posts in place

Remaining staff to commence by end of October 2025

Phase Two (Emergency Department) had not progressed due to administrative delays. However, following assessment, the required 18.5 WTE posts have now been sanctioned for recruitment.The Minister also noted that TrendCare, a key HSE software system for monitoring staffing needs, is not in use at Mayo University Hospital, representing a gap in operational oversight.

Since the Minister publicly committed to writing to Mayos public representatives on September 19, there has been notable improvement:

In the 25 days since, only 6 red days have occurred.

Just 3 red days so far in October, compared to 17 out of the first 19 days in September

This shows that focused attention and accountability can lead to real change, said Deputy Keogh.

The Minister concluded that Mayo University Hospitals challenges cannot be explained by staffing levels or demographics alone. The core issue lies in how staff are deployed and how patient flow is managed across the hospital. She believes that there is excellent staff working at MUH and with improved patient flow, the hospital can enhance patient safety and become a safer and easier place to work

Deputy Keogh said, This is not a simple binary issue of resources. Performance improvement and public safety in Mayo University Hospital depend on a combination of policy reform, resource allocation, and operational performance. I thank the Minister for her engagement, and I will continue to work alongside hospital management for sustained improvements at MUH for the people of Mayo.

Minister Alan Dillon also welcomed the engagement with the Health Minister.

Minister Dillon said: The entire hospital system must function seven days a week not just Monday to Friday. Thats why new discharge and admissions protocols are being implemented, with leadership oversight every day of the week.

There is no quick fix, but there is clear progress.

We will maintain this pressure, hold the system accountable, and ensure Mayo people see results, not rhetoric.

Mayo University Hospital has one of the most dedicated staff teams in the country. They deserve leadership that matches their commitment. This is not about blame, its about delivery. My priority is ensuring that Mayo people receive safe, effective, and timely healthcare and thats exactly what were working to achieve.

READ MORE: Active age Sports Festival a resounding success in Mayo
The Changing Ireland Galleries was officially launched at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks on Wednesday, marking the biggest expansion of public galleries at the National Museum of Ireland in over two decades.

Highlights include key objects from Co. Mayo, which feature prominently throughout the exhibition.

Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence, Simon Harris, T.D., visited the National Museum to officially open the galleries, accompanied by Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick ODonovan T.D., and Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Kevin Boxer Moran T.D.

READ NEXT: Mayo Gardai catch motorists speeding at up to 150km/h

With capital funding from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sports Decade of Centenaries Programme, and working in partnership with the Office of Public Works, the new galleries open following a full refurbishment of a part of Collins Barracks that had been untouched since the departure of the Defence Forces almost 30 years ago.

The Changing Ireland Galleries feature hundreds of political, social and cultural objects from the Museums 20th and 21st century collections  extraordinary and everyday artefacts that have borne witness to the last 150 years. On entering the galleries, visitors are invited to reflect on the objects and consider the question Cad Is Ann Eire Dar Leat?  What Is Ireland to You?

In keeping with the Museums desire to develop dynamic and engaging exhibits, the new galleries have been meticulously designed to accommodate regular changes in the display, giving the public unprecedented access to the collection and supporting the long-term conservation of the objects.

Enabling greater inclusivity, a range of perspectives and different voices will be invited through co-curated projects, video interviews, and artistic interventions. New commissions, including poetry by Paula Meehan, are woven through 426 square metres of interconnected rooms, offering a lyrical dimension to the galleries.

Objects from Co. Mayo include part of a silver-plated tea set gifted to Mary Staunton when she was legally obliged to resign due to the Irish Marriage Bar in 1972a symbol of the gendered employment restrictions of the era, with deep personal significance as Staunton lived in Ballydavock and later Curragh, Castlebar, Co. Mayo. Marys daughter, Karen Hoban, also from Westport, was present at the opening of the display.

Other featured objects include the suit worn by Mary Robinson for her 1990 presidential inauguration, designed by Louise Kennedy; a Crolly Doll with its original box made by Gaeltarra Eireann in the early 1960s; a teddy bear by Erris Bears, also a Gaeltarra Eireann brand, c.1953, produced in the factory at Elly Bay, Co. Mayo; and a wooden teachers cane from Boradruma, Co. Mayo, mid-20th century. Each object representing aspects of daily life, education, and craftsmanship in the county.

Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence, Simon Harris, T.D., said:

These new galleries provide an important opportunity to reflect on and connect with Irelands story in fresh and deeply meaningful ways. It reminds us that our shared history is not static but continues to evolve with every generation, shaped by the people who call this island home.

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick ODonovan T.D., said:

The Changing Ireland Galleries are a legacy project of the Decade of Centenaries Programme and a testament to the power of cultural reflection. This new space at the National Museum ensures that our shared history, in all its complexity, can be explored by future generations.

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Kevin Boxer Moran T.D., said:

The Office of Public Works has worked collaboratively with the National Museum of Ireland on this significant project which has included the careful refurbishment of a floor of Collins Barracks. The result is a visually striking and welcoming space that adds significantly to the existing gallery space at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks.

Chair of the National Museum of Ireland Board, Professor Cathal ODonoghue, said:

This is a momentous day for the National Museum, and we would like to express our gratitude to Government for the funding to expand the galleries in this way. There are millions of objects in the Museums collection, and our physical infrastructure only allows us to have a fraction of that on display at any one time. The expansion of our galleries and the nature of this new display will ensure that the Museum can share more of Irelands history with visitors in years to come.

Director of the National Museum of Ireland, Lynn Scarff, said:

The opening of the Changing Ireland Galleries marks a transformational moment for the National Museum. Reflecting the new direction set out in our Strategic Plan, it is object-focused, non-linear, and exploratory, and aims to be a place of sanctuary and surprise without predetermined narratives. By including many voices in the Gallery spaces, we have been able to create a space that will change and evolve and more accurately reflect the dynamic nature of our contemporary history and its intergenerational impact right up to the present day. The galleries invite visitors to connect with history on their own terms and to question what Ireland means to them today.

Lead Curator of the Changing Ireland Galleries, Brenda Malone, said:

The galleries have been designed to allow for the regular rotation of objects, which helps us to preserve these important artefacts for future generations while ensuring the galleries remain dynamic and continually offer fresh perspectives on modern Irelands history. The galleries also embrace sensory experiences, using music, visuals, and immersive audiovisual installations to add context, mood, and texture to the display.

The Changing Ireland Galleries at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks is now open. Admission is free.
RTE has announced the line-up for this weeks The Late Late Show hosted by Patrick Kielty on RTE Player and RTE Player One.

One of the star guests are Kingfishr, a Limerick based band known for their hit song Killeagh, will make their welcome return to show to chat to Patrick about their journey from college parties in Limerick to international stages.

They will also discuss how their song Killeagh became the soundtrack of the Irish summer and they will perform the first-ever live television performance of their new single Diamonds and Roses as well as a special performance ofKilleagh.

Next to join Patrick on the show will be Baz Ashmawy to chat about his latest TV projects.

Since starting out in his career, Baz has proved his versatility - now fronting hit shows DIY SOS and The Money List, and writing and starring in drama series Faithless.

He will open up about turning 50 this year, how hes busier than ever and why, more than a decade on from his Emmy-winning series 50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy, his mammy Nancy is still his rock.

Comedian and bestselling author David Walliams will also join Patrick Kielty this week to talk about his brand-new book Santa and Son - his 44th publication and first festive adventure for young readers.

He will reflect on the highs and lows of his career to date and share why he loves visiting Ireland.

Dublin woman Kathleen Richards will share her powerful story of survival of when she found herself living in the same house as Fred and Rose West - two of Britains most notorious serial killers.

READ NEXT: Thousands in Ireland could be earning an extra 130 with little known social welfare payment

She will speak to Patrick about the terrible abuse she endured while living in their home and the night she managed to escape. Kathleen will also reflect on the shock of discovering the full extent of the Wests depraved crimes and why shes now using her voice to help others find strength and hope in the aftermath of unimaginable experiences.

Soprano Celine Byrne will join this weeks line-up to chat about how a childhood footing turf and playing camogie led her to duetting with some of the worlds biggest stars on the most famous stages. She will also discuss her upcoming role in Madama Butterfly coming to Dublin in November and share a sneak peek of what audiences can expect from this powerful operatic performance.

Eurovision legend Linda Martin will be in studio to help crown The Late Late Show Pet Hero of the Year.

Shell introduce the tail-wagging heroes whose bravery, loyalty and love have made a real difference in the lives of their ownersfrom saving lives to supporting people in their hour of need, these four-legged heroes are sure to steal the show.






Kay was instrumental in driving the successful development and commercialization of Xofigo, the first and only approved alpha therapy to date



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Out of all the Bollywood actors that have their names etched alongside classic films,Govindas name is bound to be present. His films like Raja Babu, Hero No. 1 and Coolie No. 1 are all timeless. Despite his impressive filmography, it is the rumours about his tardiness on the set that is causing trouble. While his on-screen chemistry with Karisma Kapoor stole hearts in the 90s, there are just some rumours that lead to inevitable prejudice. The actor has been behind some of the most iconic comedy films, and he has finally addressed whether these comments flying around are false or not. Govinda Addresses Rumours of Being Late On Det

 Instagram/govinda_herono1 During the latest episode of Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle, Govinda opened up about being surrounded by negative publicity for one reason or another. He talked about how there were rumours about him showing up late on film sets, he felt that it was an attempt to defame his artistic integrity. Mai defame huwa hu ki mai time pe nahi aata hu. Maine kaha 'kiske baap ke andar taaqat hai ki woh 5 shift kare aur time pe aaye. Possible hi nahi hai, ho hi nahi sakta. (Ive been defamed for not arriving on time. Who has the strength to do five shifts and still come on time? Its just not possible.), the actor revealed. He revealed that at that time, he used to work on five films at the same time. It was humanly impossible for him to show up on time for all of them. Hed been juggling multiple films at the same time, so what was an attempt at balancing all of them was later mistaken for tardiness. Govinda Compared Himself to Other Actors
Scientists propose new model to sustain global carbon cycle simulation

Xinhua) 14:00, October 17, 2025

LANZHOU, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- A simple and robust modeling scheme has been proposed for the precise assessment of the gross primary productivity (GPP) of terrestrial ecosystems, according to Lanzhou University.

The newly proposed simple and effective ecosystem light-use efficiency (eLUE) model marked a major breakthrough in the sector of global GPP remote sensing estimation study, said the university.

The joint research team is composed of researchers from Lanzhou University in China, as well as those from Japan, Australia, and other countries. The study has been published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing.

GPP through photosynthesis is a crucial ecosystem function that significantly influences food security, the carbon cycle, and climate change. The GPP of terrestrial ecosystems is the largest component in the global carbon cycle.

"Given the context of climate change and carbon neutrality endeavors, the precise assessment of GPP is of great significance for understanding the global carbon cycle process and advancing climate governance," said Ma Xuanlong, a professor at the College of Earth and Environmental Sciences of Lanzhou University and leader of the study.

Conventional remote sensing estimation methods have considerable uncertainties and restrict the precise accounting of global carbon budgets and the evaluation of policy effects.

To address this challenge, the study team proposed this simple yet effective eLUE model to GPP. Researchers innovatively took the light energy utilization efficiency at the ecosystem scale as the core of remote sensing inversion. They constructed a new global GPP estimation framework that is entirely based on remote sensing observations.

"This model features simple parameters, efficient calculation and controllable error, providing a new method and tool for global carbon cycle research and carbon budget accounting," Ma said.

FLUXNET is a global network of micrometeorological tower sites. The cross-validation results based on 120 global FLUXNET sites showed that the eLUE model demonstrated excellent accuracy and stability.

This new model provides key technical support for the dynamic monitoring of the carbon sequestration capacity of ecosystems. Based on this model, the team constructed a global GPP dataset over the 2001-2024 period, as noted by Ma.

"This new study provides support for global carbon cycle simulation and ecosystem assessment. Moreover, it offers a scientific basis for carbon budget accounting and drafting the climate governance strategies," Ma said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Ben Fletcher arrives at Logistics UK following a distinguished career,

Logistics UK has announced the appointment of Ben Fletcher as its new Chief Executive Officer. He will join the trade association on 1 December and take on his full responsibilities from the start of 2026.

Fletcher arrives at Logistics UK following a distinguished career, most recently as Chief Operating Officer at Make UK. In that role he oversaw public affairs, membership, and the business arms of the organisation, and was central to many of the successes Make UK achieved over the past eight years.

Phil Roe, President of Logistics UK, said: In appointing Ben we are building upon the successful team we have at Logistics UK and looking to further improve our delivery for members in both public affairs and our business services. In particular, we expect to build our influence amongst policy makers and regulators to deliver improved outcomes for the whole logistics sector.

Accepting the position, Fletcher commented: *I am proud to be leading Logistics UK, one of the countrys most powerful trade associations and the driving force behind the worlds best logistics industry.

Our sector is the backbone of Britains economy, connecting people, products and progress every minute of every day.

As we confront once-in-a-generation economic challenges and opportunities, I am committed to ensuring our voice drives change at the heart of government, and that our members have the services, skills and support they need to innovate, grow, and lead the future of logistics.*

Logistics UK also paid tribute to David Wells, who steps down after 15 years of service, and thanked Kevin Green for his contribution as Acting CEO. Green will continue as Director of Policy, Marketing and Communications in the new year.
GREENBELT, Md.  Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton was charged Thursday with illegally storing and transmitting classified information.

The investigation into Bolton, who served for more than a year in President Donald Trump's first administration before being fired in 2019, burst into public view in August when the FBI searched his home in Maryland and his office in Washington for classified records he may have held onto from his years in government.

The 18-count indictment sets the stage for a closely watched court case centering on a longtime fixture in Republican foreign policy circles who became known for his hawkish views on American power and who after leaving Trumps first government emerged as a prominent and vocal critic of the president. Though the investigation that produced the indictment was underway during the Biden administration and began well before Trumps second term, the case will unfold against the backdrop of broader concerns that his Justice Department is being weaponized to go after his political adversaries.

Agents during the August search seized multiple documents labeled classified, confidential and secret from Boltons office, according to previously unsealed court filings. Some of the seized records appeared to concern weapons of mass destruction, national strategic communication and the U.S. mission to the United Nations, the filings stated.

It follows separate indictments over the last month accusing former FBI Director James Comey of lying to Congress and New York Attorney General Letitia James of committing bank fraud and making a false statement, charges they both deny. Both of those cases were filed in federal court in Virginia by a prosecutor Trump hastily installed in the position after growing frustrated that investigations into high-profile enemies had not resulted in prosecution.

The Bolton case, by contrast, was filed in Maryland by a U.S. attorney who before being elevated to the job had been a career prosecutor in the office.

Questions about Bolton's handling of classified information date back years. He faced a lawsuit and a Justice Department investigation after leaving office related to information in a 2020 book he published, The Room Where it Happened, that portrayed Trump as grossly uninformed about foreign policy.

The Trump administration asserted that Boltons manuscript included classified information that could harm national security if exposed. Boltons lawyers have said he moved forward with the book after a White House National Security Council official, with whom Bolton had worked for months, said the manuscript no longer contained classified information.

A search warrant affidavit that was previously unsealed said a National Security Council official had reviewed the book manuscript and told Bolton in 2020 that it appeared to contain significant amounts of classified information, some at a top-secret level.

Boltons attorney Abbe Lowell has said that many of the documents seized in August had been approved as part of a pre-publication review for Boltons book. He said that many were decades old, from Boltons long career in the State Department, as an assistant attorney general and as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

The indictment is a dramatic moment in Bolton's long career in government. He served in the Justice Department during President Ronald Reagan's administration and was the State Department's point man on arms control during George W. Bush's presidency. Bolton was nominated by Bush to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, but the strong supporter of the Iraq war was unable to win Senate confirmation and resigned after serving 17 months as a Bush recess appointment. That allowed him to hold the job on a temporary basis without Senate confirmation.

In 2018, Bolton was appointed to serve as Trump's third national security adviser. But his brief tenure was characterized by disputes with the president over North Korea, Iran and Ukraine.

Those rifts ultimately led to Boltons departure, with Trump announcing on social media in September 2019 that he had accepted Boltons resignation. Bolton subsequently criticized Trumps approach to foreign policy and government in his 2020 book, including by alleging that Trump directly tied providing military aid to the countrys willingness to conduct investigations into Joe Biden, who was soon to be Trumps Democratic 2020 election rival, and members of his family.

Trump responded by slamming Bolton as a washed-up guy and a crazy warmonger who would have led the country into World War Six. Trump also said at the time that the book contained highly classified information and that Bolton did not have approval for publishing it.

___

Tucker and Durkin Richer reported from Washington.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  An Israeli airstrike targeting the top leaders of Yemen's Houthi rebels in August killed the chief of staff of its military, officials said Thursday, further escalating tensions between the group and Israel even as a ceasefire holds in the Gaza Strip.

The Houthis have acknowledged the killing of Maj. Gen. Muhammad Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, who had been sanctioned by the United Nations over his role in the country's decadelong war.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said al-Ghamari died of wounds he suffered in the attack and had joined his fellow members of the axis of evil in the depths of hell.

Katz referred to the strike as the strike of the firstborn, likely a reference to a series of strikes Israel conducted on Aug. 28. That attack killed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and others. However, analysts suggested al-Ghamari may have been wounded in a different attack targeting the secretive group.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also acknowledged Israel killing al-Ghamari.

Another chief of staff in the line of terror chiefs who aimed to harm us was eliminated," Netanyahu said. We will reach all of them.

Houthis offer few details

In a statement carried by the Houthi-controlled SABA news agency, the militants said al-Ghamari had been killed alongside his 13-year-old son Hussain and several of his companions. It did not elaborate on the date of the strike, nor did it identify the others killed in the strike.

His pure soul ascended while he was in the course of his jihadi work, SABA said.

The United Nations, in sanctioning al-Ghamari, described him as playing the leading role in orchestrating the Houthis military efforts that are directly threatening the peace, security and stability of Yemen, as well as cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia.

The U.S. Treasury also said al-Ghamari was responsible for orchestrating attacks by Houthi forces impacting Yemeni civilians in sanctioning him in 2021. It described him as having received training from Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group and Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

As the head of the general staff of the Houthi armed forces, the most senior commander within the Houthi military leadership structure, al-Ghamari is directly responsible for overseeing Houthi military operations that have destroyed civilian infrastructure and Yemens neighbors," specifically Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the Treasury said at the time.

The Israel military described al-Ghamari as being responsible for hundreds of missiles and (drone) attacks launched toward Israeli civilians and the state of Israel.

Al-Ghamari also led a Houthi offensive targeting Yemen's energy-rich Marib province.

The Treasury listed his year of birth as either 1979 or 1984 at the time of his sanctioning. His other survivors weren't immediately known.

Another SABA statement said al-Ghamari would be replaced by Maj. Gen. Yusuf Hassan al-Madani. He had been sanctioned at the same time as al-Ghamari by the U.S. over his work as a prominent Houthi military leader who commanded the rebels' fifth military zone, including the key Red Sea port city of Hodeida.

Death comes as Gaza ceasefire takes hold

It remains unclear how the Houthis will respond. The group gained international prominence during the Israel-Hamas war over its attacks, which it said were aimed at forcing Israel to stop fighting. Since the ceasefire began Oct. 10, there has not been a Houthi attack targeting either Israel or shipping.

The Houthi campaign against shipping has killed at least nine mariners and seen four ships sunk. It upended shipping in the Red Sea, through which about $1 trillion of goods passed each year before the war. The rebels' most recent attack hit the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht on Sept. 29, killing one crew member on board and wounding another.

The Houthis meanwhile have increasingly threatened Saudi Arabia and taken dozens of workers at U.N. agencies and other aid groups as prisoners, alleging without evidence they were spies  something fiercely denied by the world body and others.

Among the most dangerous espionage cells that became active are those affiliated with organizations working in the humanitarian field, notably the World Food Program and UNICEF, claimed the Houthi's secretive leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, in a televised speech Thursday without offering evidence.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric forcefully rejected al-Houthi's remarks.

The accusations are extremely disturbing, he said. Theyre extremely worrying coming from the leadership. And accusations, calling U.N. staff spies or, as weve seen in other contexts, calling them terrorists  all that does is it puts the lives of U.N. staff everywhere at risk, and its unacceptable.

___

Associated Press writer Zvi Smith in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.
Hackers may be sitting on a massive trove of government credentials  including emails and passwords tied to the White House, State Department, Department of Defense, and U.S. Army  according to new research from NordVPNs affiliate companies, NordPass and NordStellar.

The study found more than 53,000 passwords belonging to U.S. government employees exposed in publicly accessible databases and dark-web forums since early 2024. Among the most affected institutions include:

Department of State  15,272 exposed passwords

Department of War (Defense)  1,897 exposed passwords

U.S. Army  1,706 exposed passwords

White House  Seven compromised passwords

One of the most commonly found passwords was April@4142. Researchers said it was the most widespread credential used by American civil servants.

Exposure of sensitive data, including passwords of civil servants, is particularly dangerous, Karolis Arbaciauskas, head of product at NordPass, said in a press release. Such incidents may also pose serious risks to a countrys strategic interests.

Leaked Passwords Reveal Wider Vulnerability

The research used NordStellars threat exposure management platform to analyze data from more than 5,500 government and municipal organizations across six countries, including the U.S., U.K., and Germany. It found that federal and local agencies alike remain vulnerable  from the Department of Veterans Affairs to state and city governments such as Illinois, Michigan, Utah, and Virginia Beach.

In total, NordPass identified 2,241 unique passwords among the 53,070 records, suggesting that many were reused across multiple accountsor by multiple usersa known cybersecurity red flag.

You can have state-of-the-art firewalls and zero-trust systems, Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN, told Military.com. But if employees reuse passwords, it defeats the purpose.

The research also found passwords linked to NASA, the CIA, and the Government of the District of Columbia, further underscoring the exposure of government-affiliated credentials beyond traditional defense and diplomatic agencies.

U.S. Agencies Respond

A Department of State official told Military.com that the department has no record of receiving a notification from NordVPN regarding the reported exposure.

However, a State Department spokesperson said, State is committed to cybersecurity across the department and we have instituted MFA (multi-factor authentication) and regularly rotate credentials to strengthen our safeguards against potential threats.

A Department of Defense spokesperson referred Military.com to the U.S. Department of the Army for comment.

Military.com reached out to the Army as well as the White House for comment.

Nord Securitys Broader Findings

NordPass emphasized that the number of leaked passwords doesnt necessarily equate to weak internal defenses.

Larger organizations, with more employees, naturally have a bigger digital footprint, Arbaciauskas said. Sometimes a single malware infection on a personal device or the compromise of a popular third-party site can expose dozens of accounts.

The company added that many of the breaches did not originate from government servers, but rather from employees using work emails to register on external websitessuch as retail or cloud serviceswhich were later breached.

NordPass Recommendations

To help mitigate risks, NordPass outlined several security recommendations for public agencies.

They include using long, unique passwords (of at least 20 characters, or multi-word passphrases); never reusing credentials between personal and professional accounts; implementing organization-wide password policies and breach scanners; and enforcing MFA for all internal and external systems.

The Password Problem Money Cant Fix

Even as federal agencies invest billions in zero-trust architecture and advanced cyber defenses, researchers say one of the biggest weaknesses remains human behavior.

Every reused password or neglected update provides an opening for threat actors, and even one compromised credential can cascade into a high-level breach.

You may not always defend against an attackers tools, Briedis said, but you can defend against your own mistakes.
Times Square turned into a hacking hotspot Thursday, not for criminals but for a crowd of curious New Yorkers watching their digital lives flash before their eyes.

Cybersecurity firm NordVPN took over a stage beneath the billboards to show how easily personal data can be exposed on the dark web. Volunteers stepped up, handed over a name or email, and watched cybersecurity experts reveal just how much information about them was already floating around online.

Brooklyn teen Sally Matounbah was one of the first to find out.

Ive been getting a lot of spam calls and texts, so Im pretty sure Im leaked somewhere, Matounbah told Military.com. Its scary, because Im not even 20 yet. It can really affect my future.

Nearby, Kulwinder Sethi, visiting from New Delhi, said the demonstration was both unsettling and educational.

I thought my information would never be there, but some of it was, Sethi told Military.com. They showed me how to protect it change passwords, avoid phishing sites, and use VPNs. I feel safer now.

Reality Check in Real Time

The spectacle blended street theater with cybersecurity training. People who thought they were too ordinary to be targeted discovered otherwise, which was a lesson NordVPNs Chief Technology Officer Marijus Briedis said was intentional.

Well have dark web experts perform quick checks using publicly available data, Briedis told Military.com. People can see firsthand what information about them is already out there and how to better protect themselves.

Briedis compared good cyber hygiene to daily habits like updating software, using strong unique passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, and thinking before sharing anything onlineespecially with AI tools.

Updating your software should be as normal as brushing your teeth, he said.

Awareness Over Alarm

Tech YouTuber and ethical hacker Liron Segev, who partnered with NordVPN for the event, said the goal was to make cybersecurity relatable rather than intimidating.

Were not here to embarrass anyone, Segev told Military.com. But people are stunned to see how much of their data is out therereused passwords, old accounts, things they forgot existed. The internet never forgets.

Segev said oversharing, especially among younger users, fuels many of todays scams.

They livestream from coffee shops or schools thinking its harmless, he added. All it takes is a few details for someone to piece together where you are and when.

Everyday Concerns, Real Consequences

For some, the lesson hit close to home.

David, a New Yorker watching from the crowd, said he stopped by out of curiosityand a little fear.

I wanted to see how vulnerable I am, he said, glancing at the screen flashing other peoples search results.

The demonstration reminded him how quickly new technology can turn from convenience to risk.

There are so many AI scams, fake calls asking for money, he added. I just want my mom to be safe.

David said his mother has already received a few of those calls, the kind where a voice generated by artificial intelligence mimics a relative in distress.

It sounds real enough to scare anyone, he said. Thats what worries me most, that someone like her could fall for it.

He walked away from the event more cautious, he said, planning to review his familys passwords and warn relatives about impersonation scams.

Its not just hackers stealing data anymore, he added. Its people using technology to play with emotions, and thats the most dangerous part.

A Digital Wake-Up Call

Briedis said artificial intelligence is reshaping cybersecurity on both sides of the fight.

Its becoming AI versus AI, he said. Scammers use it to build fake websites and phishing schemes. We use it to stop them.

As the digital frontier expands, NordVPNs Times Square demonstration left onlookers with a clear takeaway: protecting personal data is no longer optional; its survival in the information age.
Military veterans will be among the millions slated to attend protest rallies this weekend, in the United States and beyond.

Months after protests garnered millions of attendees across the nation, groups have organized another iteration of what has come to be known as No Kings to decry President Donald Trump and his administrations policies. Attendees include military veterans, some of whom spoke with Military.com about why they have attended in the past and continue to speak out.

Organizers under the No Kings umbrella said as of Monday that more than 2,500 events have been scheduled on Oct. 18 across nearly every pocket of the country, from Fairbanks, Alaska, to Honolulu, Hawaii, and to Key West, Florida.

Events are also planned outside the U.S., in places like Vancouver and St. Croix and even in Saipan, the largest of the Northern Mariana Islandsa U.S. commonwealth in the Western Pacific. Protests have extended to European nations including England, Germany, Ireland and Spain, to name just a few.

"In June, we did what many claimed was impossible: peacefully mobilized millions of people to take to the streets and declare with one voice: America has No Kings," reads a message on the 'No Kings' website. "And it mattered. The world saw the power of the people. President Trumps birthday parade was drowned out by protests in every state and across the globe. His attempt to turn June 14 into a coronation failed, and the story became a rallying point for a movement rising against his authoritarian power grabs."

Military.com reached out to organizers, which include 5051, the American Civil Liberties Union, the League of Women Voters and many others, for comment.

'Duty To Speak Up'

This will be the second time that Scott Peoples, 38, of Raleigh, North Carolina, will be speaking to gathered attendees in his locale. The U.S. Army veteran, who achieved the rank of captain, served from 2009 to 2014 and spent the duration of his service in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg.

I strongly believe in the First Amendment and the right to peacefully and nonviolently protest against what I believe are the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration, Peoples, now chairman for Veterans for Responsible Leadership, told Military.com. As a veteran I believe that we have [a] duty to speak up and be leaders in our communities. The oath we take to the constitution is for life.

Scott Peoples, a U.S. Army veteran who served in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is pictured with 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. (Scott Peoples)

He previously addressed a crowd on June 14, when protesters rallied nationwide on the same day as Trumps 79th birthday and during a military parade in Washington, D.C. celebrating the Army's 250th anniversary.

Now a registered Democrat, Peoples political proclivities have drastically altered since he was a registered Republican from 2004 to 2017. He left the GOP when Trump took over, saying he is morally opposed to Trump as a person and also disagrees with his administrations policies.

I used to consider myself a John McCain Republican and believed that the Republican Party stood for defending democracy at home and abroad, but [I] now see that the party has abandoned those values in the pursuit of raw powerand I cannot be a part of a party that does put principles over power.

Biggest Domestic Enemy Ever

Ronn Easton has been speaking out against Trump and his administrations for over a decade.

The Minneapolis, Minnesota, resident and U.S. Army veteran who served from 1969 to 1971 said his feelings towards the president began prior to the 2016 election, when Trump seemed to imply that veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are not as strong as those who dont suffer from the condition.

I can assure you that as of today, 76 years, Im far from weak, Easton told Military.com. I also remember my oath, to which there is no expiration date on that oath. And my oath is to the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

[Trump] is truly the biggest domestic enemy that this country has ever faced.

Easton has also previously attended No Kings, which he described as deja vu because hes been protesting his entire life. He learned the ropes from family.

When I was a kid growing up in Memphis, my grandmother was a member of the NAACP there, and they held strategy meetings right in my grandmothers living room, he said. People like Benjamin Hooks and John Lewis and Ralph Abernathy, they all came through my grandmothers living room.

That has been ingrained in me forever; it did give me a little bit of hope.

But that hope may be waning. While No Kings and similar events have garnered widespread attention across the world, Easton said it will take something even bigger to send a stronger messagestens of millions of Americans marching through the streets of Washington D.C., for example.

The self-described conservative Democrat believes the disconnect between people like him and other military service members who like and/or voted for Trump is based on economics and -isms.

As he put it, Roaches and racism will be two things around forever.

I dont go along party lines with everything that the Democrats have come up with, he added. As far as Im concerned, they can kiss my a** by the way they threw Joe Biden under the bus. That left a sour taste in my mouth.

I vote for freedom, I vote for the people. I vote for peoples rights. I vote for equal opportunity.

Protests Have Staying Power

Scott Peoples said that protests like these have two-fold objectives: one, to send a message to administrations such as these regarding rights and not trampling the Constitution.

The second is to build community, or strength in numbers as he described, to combat what he called the Trump administrations usage of the military community as political props.

No one has done more damage to the politicization of the military than Trump and [Secretary of War Secretary Pete] Hegseth, Peoples said. When they speak in front of audiences of military service members and demonize all Democrats and the media it is absolutely abhorrent behavior. The military should be seen as apolitical.

Also, there is no justification for putting the National Guard in the streets of U.S. cities. It is not only disrespectful to the service of those troops by taking them away from their families and jobs but also the military should never be used for domestic law enforcement.

The firings of tens of thousands of Department of Veterans Affairs employees will have lasting damage on veterans' healthcare, he added, saying that an already understaffed agency will be challenged to recruit high-quality doctors, nurses, and mental health therapists to take care of our nation's veterans.
On a remote island in Australias Torres Strait, three new species have been discovered that exist nowhere else in the world. From a helicopter, Dauan Island appears like a pyramid surrounded by ocean.

People have lived on this tropical paradise for thousands of years, but few outsiders visit due to its remote location between the tip of Cape York and New Guinea. Although its only three square kilometres, locals dont generally venture up into the boulder fields, which cover half the island. And thats where a team of researchers from James Cook University found two new types of frog and a gecko.

Its rare to find one new vertebrate species in Australia, let alone three. Associate Professor Conrad Hoskin, who led the expedition, told Yahoo News the islands flatter fringe had previously been explored, but its the boulder fields where the really interesting creatures usually hide.

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His description of the landscape illustrates why people stay away.

When you hit the boulder fields, you're dealing with millions of rocks the size of cars, and bigger. To get any significant distance into that boulder field is tricky. You're climbing mostly under and through rocks, he said.

It gets quite a lot of rain coming through, so its festooned with creepers and ferns. Youre sometimes standing on stuff, and you dont know whats below you. Its probably the trickiest boulder field Ive been in.

Related: Rare Aussie creature not seen in 40 years rediscovered hiding under long grass

Climbing through the boulders is a challenge: Source: Conrad Hoskin

What are the names of the three new species?

The three animals have been named in the local language.

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The Dauan Island gecko (Nactus simakal) was named after the mountain on the island where it was found, Simakal Pad, also known as Mount Cornwallis.

The small Koeypad Frog (Choerophyrne koeypad) was named after the word for rocky mountain.

The larger Gobakula Frog (Callulops gobakula) references the word for rocky place.

The Gobakula frog on Dauan Island. Source: Alexander Davies The Koeypad frog on Dauan Island. Source: Alexander Davies The Dauan Island gecko. Source: Alexander Davies Gobakula frog 1 of 3 The Gobakula frog on Dauan Island. Source: Alexander Davies

What's unique about the animals?

Fewer than 150 people live on Dauan Island, but some may have been aware of the three species in the periphery. The Koeypad frog has a distinctive call that sounds a little like someone tapping on metal, and the Gobakula Frogs croak is similar to that of a green tree frog.

The two species are from a genus that was not previously known to occur in Australia. Rainforest has declined across the Torres Strait over thousands of years, resulting in the extinction of similar species elsewhere. But the boulder fields on Dauan Island have provided them with the cool, wet conditions they need to survive.

Now theyre marooned on an island a long way from their relatives, Hoskin said in reference to similar species in New Guinea.

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The frogs are believed to be abundant, but the boulder field is roughly 1.5 square kilometres, and their available habitat is only around 1 square kilometre.

The gecko is closely related to a species found in Cape York, which is a generalist in terms of the habitats where it can survive. But the Dauan Island gecko is only found on the boulder fields, and has adapted over time to have long limbs and a banded camouflage pattern. Its hoped there are more species in the boulders that are yet to be described.

Discovery highlights how 'special' remote island is

Councillor of Dauan Island, Torenzo Elisala, said finding these new species is important for science but also culture.

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The new discoveries highlight how special our island is, he said.

Our community has been tucked away in the Guda Maluilgal nation for millennia, sharing the spiritual connection from flora to fauna to that of our ancestors who lived on these lands before us. We are connected to the land, sea and air.

Getting to Dauan Island is tricky. There's no airstrip and reaching it by boat from Thursday Island can be a struggle when it's windy.

But Elisala is hopeful the scientific discoveries will lead to renewed interest in the island, and create potential for more tourism.

The species were described in the journal Zootaxa in two papers here and here.

Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment?  Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories.
Ruffed grouse are popular among both birders and sport hunters in Michigan. Courtney Celley/USFWS

VANDERBILT, MI  Deep in the northern Michigan forests lives a legendary bird treasured by birders and prized by hunters  the famous thunder chicken.

Thats the nickname for ruffed grouse, a game bird which brings tens of thousands of bird enthusiasts and sport hunters into the field each year in Michigan.

The birds unique moniker comes from the male grouses drumming sound, a mating ritual when they beat their wings up to 50 times in about 10 seconds to create tiny sonic booms which sound like thunder.

This weekend a nonprofit in Northern Michigan will host a free, three-hour educational workshop about this fascinating behavior and biology of the ruffed grouse. Participants will learn about the birds life history, ecology, and habitat management.

In Michigan, the ruffed grouse remains an abundant forestland species, though it faces greater habitat and disease challenges in other states. Jacob W. Dingel III photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Game Commission

Registration is required for the morning workshop on Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Pigeon River Discovery Center, 9984 Twin Lakes Road in rural Vanderbilt, Michigan.

The all-ages program will be led by Bryant Eddy, habitat project manager for Huron Pines, a Gaylord-based conservation organization. The event will begin with an indoor presentation, followed by a field trip into ruffed grouse habitat in the Pigeon River Country State Forest.

Michigans ruffed grouse tend to thrive in forests with both young and older trees, and the species is particularly fond of aspen stands, a key food source for the birds.

Scientists have observed that ruffed grouse experience 10-year cycles of population abundance across not only Canada and Alaska, but also the Great Lakes states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan.

Forestry work within the Pigeon River Country to support ruffed grouse habitat has included meadow and trail mowing, tree planting, and prescribed fire.
A Flint water tower is seen on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, at the City of Flint Water Plant in Flint. Ayrton Breckenridge | MLive.com

GENESEE COUNTY, MI  Genesee County Chairman Delrico Loyd said Flint water settlement fund payment letters are scheduled to be released beginning in November.

More than 25,000 individuals will receive payment letters for their portion of a $626 million water crisis settlement. The letters will inform recipients how they can redeem their payments.

Loyd called the news a breakthrough for a community that has continued to bear the scars of the Flint Water Crisis.

We must remain deeply mindful that no amount of financial restitution can undo the irreversible harm done to our people, Loyd wrote in a letter to the community.

Special Master Deborah Greenspan, who was appointed by U.S. District Court Judge Judith E. Levy to oversee the claims process, reported in September the letters will arrive in the fall, which began on Sept. 22 and ends on Dec. 21.

The settlement was funded by the state of Michigan, city of Flint, McLaren Regional Medical Center and Rowe Professional Services.

Two additional engineering companies that advised the city during the water crisis also later agreed to settle pending lawsuits against them for an additional $61 million, some of which will be included in the initial claims payments.

The process of getting claims paid has proven to be more time-consuming and difficult than expected, according to court officials, frustrating residents and city officials, who have continued to receive questions about the status of individual claims.

Payment delays have even prompted protests and demonstrations in Flint.

Children who were 6 years old and younger during the water crisis are the biggest potential beneficiaries of the settlement, and 13,169 of their claims have been approved for payment, according to court documents.

Nearly 80% of the settlement, which state officials have said is likely the largest in Michigan history, is to be paid to children who were under 18 when first exposed to Flint River water.

The city used the river as its source of water in a cost-cutting move while it was overseen by a state-appointed emergency manager in parts of 2014 and 2015.

City water plant workers  aided by consultants and state officials  failed to properly treat the water to prevent high levels of lead and bacteria, triggering the water crisis and multiple lawsuits.
Iron Fish Distillery is releasing Riverbed Whiskey, a limited seasonal spirit that represents the pinnacle expression of the Mad Angler brand. Photo provided by Iron Fish

THOMPSONVILLE, MI - Michigans first farm-based distillery will have a lot to celebrate next month when it invites in whiskey lovers for the limited release of its new Riverbed Whiskey.

Iron Fish Distillery is describing its latest creation as the pinnacle expression of its popular Mad Angler brand of smooth-sipping spirits.

And this one is extra-special, its distillers say. Just 100 hand-numbered and signed bottles will be available for purchase during the release celebration, which starts at noon on Saturday, Nov. 8 at the spirit makers Thompsonville tasting room and production headquarters.

Blended from the most distinctive single barrels of four Mad Angler mash bills and slow-proofed for balance and depth, Riverbed Whiskey embodies the patience, terroir, and craftsmanship from whiskeys aged over three to six years and made from 100% Michigan grain, Iron Fish staff said.

Riverbed clocks in at 109 proof. The tasting notes? Warm winter spice, toasted grain and soft vanilla.

After the Nov. 8 event, a limited number of bottles will be released statewide at select Michigan retailers in Iron Fishs distribution footprint.

Riverbed captures the spirit of our fields, our barrels, and our rivers  a whiskey that gives back while honoring the craft and place that define the Mad Angler whiskies," said Richard Anderson, Iron Fish co-founder.

Only 100 numbered bottles, signed by our blender and available at the distillery, mark the beginning of what we hope will become an annual Riverbed Whiskey release tradition.

The Stillroom at Iron Fish Distillery gives guests room to spread out with their libations, order some food and relax. Photo provided by Iron Fish. Iron Fish Distillery

Iron Fish fans know this Up North distillery gets its name from the areas beautiful steelhead, and that the company is committed to protecting area rivers and the regions watershed.

So its no surprise that the November release party will be doubling as a fundraiser for the Conservation Resource Alliance - CRA, a nonprofit that for the last half century has worked to preserve rivers and restore their habitat in Northern Michigan.

Through its signature River Care program, CRA reconnects fragmented streams, reduces erosion, enhances aquatic habitat, and strengthens watershed resilience across 16 watersheds in the region. CRA will host a free info session titled Safeguarding Our Waters at 2 p.m. on the day of the release party, offering guests insight into their ongoing work on Michigan watersheds," distillery staff said.

You can RSVP to attend the events on the website here.

Cant make it that day? Iron Fish is a great spot to visit whenever youre in the area. Its just down the road from Crystal Mountain Resort, and a short drive from Traverse City and Frankfort. The tours of the production facility and the rickhouses do a nice job of explaining the grain-to-glass process. And the array of merchandise available on site goes far beyond what most distilleries have to offer.

Lovable Michigan Tip: Make weekend visit plans so you can enjoy the Doughnut Sundays from noon to 4 p.m., which pairs fresh doughnuts with cocktail specials. These are offered in October and November.
Waterford Township police officers responded to the report of two deceased people shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, at a home on Crescent Road. (MLive file photo)

WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, MI  Two people in their 90s were found dead Wednesday night in an Oakland County home after what police say was an apparent murder-suicide.

According to a release on Thursday, Oct. 16, Waterford Township police officers responded to the report of two deceased people shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday at a home on Crescent Road.

Upon arrival, a 97-year-old woman and 96-year-old man were found seated in the homes living room with fatal gunshot wounds, police said.

A handgun was also recovered at the scene.

Detectives responded to the scene, according to the release, determining both individuals had an extensive medical history.

The Oakland County Medical Examiners Office was expected to conduct autopsies Thursday, though police said the preliminary investigation pointed to a murder-suicide incident.

Further details, including the identity of the individuals affected, were not immediately available as of late Thursday.
A moose crossing sign is seen at the side of a highway in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Moose-vehicle collisions are on the rise and could be a factor in the state's stagnant mainland moose population. Michigan DNR

Sixty Michigan moose have died in the past four years due to vehicle collisions on highways in the Upper Peninsula, according to a recent report.

That number represents an increase in fatal crashes and could be a factor in the stagnant moose population, which has hovered between 300 and 500 animals for a decade, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division.

RELATED: Latest Upper Peninsula moose survey shows unexpected drop, DNR explains what could be behind it

Since 1984, at least 251 moose have died in at least 266 crashes, according to statistics compiled by the DNR and Michigan Department of Transportation. But the past four years have been particularly deadly, officials said, with the deadliest year being 2022 when 20 moose were killed. So far this year, six have died.

One likely reason for the increase in collisions is that the core moose herd in the western U.P. has shifted south over the past 10-15 years as the animals seek available habitat, the DNR said.

RELATED: Where to watch for moose: 4 hotspots have the most crashes

As much as 5% of the states moose population are killed by vehicles in any given year, said Tyler Petroelje, the DNRs northern Michigan wildlife research specialist.

Thats fairly significant when were thinking about factors that could limit moose population growth, he said.

In the mid-1980s, when the species was reintroduced to Michigan, the goal was to have a herd of 1,000 animals by 2000.

Researchers are trying to find out why the population isnt growing. Car crashes are among several possible contributing factors, including predation, disease, habitat, vehicle collisions and moose accidents or trauma suffered beyond vehicle collisions.

RELATED: 9 calves born to 6 moose collared for U.P. population study

Moose-vehicle collisions in Michigan's Upper Peninsula are most common September, June and October, when the 1,000-pound animals are most active. Michigan DNR

Michigans core moose range is Baraga, Marquette and Iron counties, which is also where about 80% of moose collisions occur. Most crashes happen after dark in September, June and October.

While there have been no known human deaths from moose-vehicle collisions in Michigan, the potential is always there when a car traveling 55-65 mph or more meets a 1,000-pound animal, Petroelje said.

Officials with the DNR and MDOT have discussed installing fencing or wildlife overpasses along U.P. highways. However, these projects can be cost-prohibitive and complicated due to legal issues, including rights-of-way and land ownership.

Warning signs are installed along roadways at known collision hotspots.

The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning advises motorists to stay alert, heed animal-crossing signs, slow down in those stretches of roadway and use high-beam headlights and additional driving lights to see the road better.

When a moose-vehicle crash does occur, motorists should call 911 and report it to the DNRs 24/7 Report All Poaching (RAP) hotline at 800-292-7800.

DNR conservation officers salvage moose meat to be processed and donated to local food banks and collect internal organs, a femur and the head for disease testing and health monitoring as part of moose mortality research.

To learn more about Michigans mainland moose population, check the DNRs website here.
The tradition of Daylight Saving Time became official in the U.S. in 1966 when the Uniform Time Act of 1966 was passed. J. Scott Park | MLive.com

Daylight Saving Time is fast approaching and with it comes the stress of having to remember to change your clocks. Luckily, theres still a bit of time before you have to pull clocks off the wall or fidget with your car radio.

DST takes place each year on the second Sunday of March until the first Sunday in November. The next time the biannual event takes place is on Nov. 2, 2025, the second earliest day that the event can be recognized.

While DST was observed in some areas, the tradition became official in the U.S. in 1966 when the Uniform Time Act of 1966 was passed. The law was amended by The Energy Policy Act of 2005, which extended standard daylight time from March to November, after previously running from April to October.

Each March, Americans are reminded to move their clocks ahead one hour as they spring forward. Then in November, the clocks fall back an hour, leading to an extra hour of sleep that night. While most electronics will automatically adjust the time, Americans are reminded to change the time of their stove, microwave, car radio, in-home radio and clocks that hang on a wall.

Although the practice has been in place for nearly 60 years, there have been several efforts in recent years to end the event. While none of them has held up in Congress, a bill was introduced in January that once again calls for the end of Daylight Saving Time. The bill would set a permanent standard time and allows for states with areas exempt from daylight saving time to choose the standard time for those areas.
The Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office was called to a multi-car crash shortly before 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, on U.S. 131 near Elliott Road in Fife Lake Township. One driver was pronounced dead on scene. (MLive file photo)

FIFE LAKE TOWNSHIP, MI  A 54-year-old Northern Michigan man was killed in a multi-vehicle crash early Thursday along the highway in Grand Traverse County.

The county sheriffs office was called to a traffic crash shortly before 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, on U.S. 131 near Elliott Road in Fife Lake Township, according to a news release.

Police said investigators found the incident began after a Dodge Caravan, driven by a 21-year-old Traverse City man, attempted an improper pass of a Ford Explorer and lost control.

Both vehicles were reportedly headed northbound when the 21-year-old side-swiped the Explorer, crossing the center line and swiping an oncoming large box truck.

According to police, the collision with the box truck damaged its side wheel, causing it to also cross the center line and enter the northbound lane.

The box truck then struck a northbound Chevy Express work van. The 54-year-old man, of Fife Lake, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

A 50-year-old Traverse City man and 42-year-old Muskegon man, who drove the box truck and Ford Explorer, respectively, were uninjured.

The sheriffs office did not report the condition of the 21-year-old Dodge Caravan driver, though WPBN-TV reported he sustained minor injuries and was treated and released from Munson Medical Center.

The crash remained under investigation.
Stern shot of the Edmund Fitzgerald in the St. Marys River not long before her sinking on November 10, 1975. Photo provided by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Roger LeLievre

LAKE SUPERIOR - Decades after it sank in a brutal Lake Superior storm, the Edmund Fitzgerald has transformed from a shipwreck into a legend, according to maritime historian Fred Stonehouse. He has watched as the doomed freighters story has grown to occupy a place in the public consciousness akin to a more famous maritime disaster more than a century ago.

It has come to represent the Titanic of the Great Lakes, Stonehouse told MLive in an earlier interview.

And at no time does that seem more apparent than this fall, when we are marking the 50th anniversary of the Mighty Fitzs tragic loss.

The 728-foot freighter, once the largest ship on the Great Lakes, went down on Nov. 10, 1975, taking all 29 crew members with it. The Fitzgerald was loaded down with 26,000 tons of iron ore, en route from Wisconsin to Detroits Zug Island when it disappeared. The ship was later discovered broken in two, sitting in 530 feet of water, off Whitefish Point in Lake Superior.

Image of the Edmund Fitzgerald shipwreck taken during a dive in 1995 to recover the ship's bell.

And every November  or every time gales whip up on Lake Superior  the ships name seems to be on everyones lips.

Theories abound about what caused the disaster  information Stonehouse neatly lays out in his book, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald  but none has been absolutely proven and those who were there cant tell us. Stonehouse believes its partly this enduring sense of mystery that has pushed the Fitzgeralds story into the realm of legend.

Also, the famous Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald song by the late Gordon Lightfoot has made the ship part of our lexicon when we talk about the lake  and its deadly storms.

Ask any Michigan child to name two famous shipwrecks and, chances are, theyll say the Titanic and the Edmund Fitzgerald, Stonehouse said.

A life ring from the Edmund Fitzgerald on display at the White River Light Station & Museum near Whitehall, Mich., July 2022. (Garret Ellison | MLive) Garret Ellison

Even as the decades pass, the Marquette resident finds the Fitzgerald is a frequent topic of conversation. Hell meet people on vacation and when they find out where hes from or the breadth of his career, talk of the Fitzgerald invariably crops up.

Its constant, more than any other wreck, he said. In a thousand ways, its touched a lot of people. They want to make that connection.

Stonehouse notes that the ships image now appears on hats, T-shirts, and even craft beer labels.

For many, hearing about the shipwreck is a core memory.

On the Great Lakes, its Where were you when the Fitzgerald happened? he said. It is seared into their memory in the same way.

To see Stonehouses upcoming speaking events, you can check his website here.
Board of Regents member Paul Brown listens to a speaker during a board meeting in this file photo. The Northern Michigan Democrat spoke out this week in Flint on the university's decision to end gender-affirming care at its health system. Abra Richardson | MLive.com

FLINT, MI  A University of Michigan regent publicly called out the university Thursday for its decision to halt gender-affirming care for patients under 19 at its health system.

Paul Brown, a Northern Michigan Democrat first elected in 2018, spoke out during the Oct. 16 UM Board of Regents meeting at the Flint campus.

After a parent of a transgender child expressed outrage over the shameful August announcement during public comment, Brown said he agrees with everything the parent said and called the decision embarrassing.

Its a horrible and dangerous precedent that we would capitulate to politics and the decision on health care for a family and their doctor, Brown said at the meeting.

Brown, who has a transgender family member, said he keeps asking UM and the Board of Regents when the university can restore gender-affirming care for children and young adults.

What decision, what court decision, what medical establishment opinion has to happen until we will again provide this care? Brown said.

The board did not take up the issue Thursday and no other regents made any comments about the decision.

Michigan Medicine, the medical arm of University of Michigan, announced Aug. 25 it would no longer provide hormonal therapies or puberty blocker medications to people under 19. Officials cited a federal subpoena and escalating external threats and risks.

We recognize the gravity and impact of this decision for our patients and our community, university officials wrote. We are working closely with all those impacted, and we will continuously support the well-being of our patients, their families, and our teams.

The decision has frustrated many parents and Washtenaw County community members.

Read more: We thought we had a plan Parents of trans youth angry about Michigan Medicine decision

Over 100 students and community leaders gathered Thursday, Sept. 11, to confront Michigan Medicine for ending gender-affirming care for people under 19.

More than 30 people protested outside the UM Board of Regents meeting in Ann Arbor in September in opposition to the universitys decision.

Brown, who has been vocal in his criticism of the decision, shared Aug. 29 on Facebook he was heartbroken.

There is no doubt that the Trump Administration continues to threaten our doctors with prison and our hospital with economic ruin, to impose his dangerous ideology on patients and doctors, but I am disappointed that the University did not fight back, because this will cost kids lives, Brown wrote. I believe it is important to support this university, and I am proud to be a member of the Board of Regents, but I disagree with this decision.

RELATED: Where to find gender-affirming care for minors in Michigan as parents scramble amid cuts

The U.S. Department of Justice, under President Donald Trump, announced in July it had sent more than 20 subpoenas to doctors and clinics involved in performing transgender medical procedures on children. The investigation targeted health care fraud and false statements, the department said.

Medical professionals and organizations that mutilated children in the service of a warped ideology will be held accountable by this Department of Justice, Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement at the time.

Hospitals and health systems across the country have ended such care. Last month, Corewell Health, with hospitals in West and Southeast Michigan, announced it too would end gender-affirming care for minors.

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ANN ARBOR, MI - An organization that claimed the University of Michigan is discriminating against straight white men has dropped its suit.

The organization Faculty, Alumni, and Students Opposed to Racial Preferences (FASORP) filed a notice of dismissal Oct. 10 in the case it had previously brought against the Michigan Law Review, its editors, the university and its Board of Regents. The suit against the editors and the Board of Regents had been individually dismissed in July.

The notice did not clarify why the organization was moving to dismiss the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claimed the Michigan Law Review was using race and sex to select its members and the authors of journal articles it publishes, which would violate federal anti-discrimination laws.

Attorneys representing FASORP could either not be reached or declined to comment. An effort to immediately secure comment from the University of Michigan was not successful.

FASORP claimed the Michigan Law Review, a legal journal edited by students at the universitys law school, gave preferential treatment to women, racial minorities and members of the LGBTQ community over heterosexual and cisgender white men with better grades and scores on the application process, according to the lawsuit.

Until recently, membership into the journal was based on first-year grades and the students performance in a writing competition, according to the lawsuit. The application process now requires a 750-word personal statement, along with other requirements, the lawsuit claimed. Applicants were encouraged to identify their race, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in the personal statement.

The organization asked the court to order the law review be prevented from asking for information related to race, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity of applicants for authorship, membership or an editorial position. It also asked that the law journal be required to establish new policies for selecting members, editors, articles, and citations that are based entirely on academic and scholarly merit.

FASORP, founded in 2018, seeks to restore meritocracy in academia and eliminate diversity considerations, according to the lawsuit. The suit was also supported by the nonprofit conservative America First Legal Foundation in Washington, D.C. It is founded by current White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.

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This story has been updated with comments from a DTE spokesperson

IOSCO TWP., MI  Emotions ran high at a packed township meeting Thursday on a massive proposal for utility-scale solar energy in rural Livingston County.

Residents of Iosco Township, a farming community south of Fowlerville and near Webberville, attended to oppose DTE Electric Co.s plans for two solar energy districts totaling more than 1,800 acres, or nearly 3 square miles.

If DTEs plan comes to fruition, arrays of solar panels would be installed on fewer than 850 acres of the land.

That plan has many local residents up in arms about the potential loss of the communitys rural character and how it could open the door for future industrial developments. Some residents fear it would create risks to the environment, wildlife, and drinking water. Some suggested solar panels would be better suited for cities instead of rural communities.

The Iosco Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to postpone voting on DTEs conditional rezoning requests. Their vote followed hours of public comments and an hour-and-a-half-long closed session with township attorneys.

The township board could vote on the rezoning at its Thursday, Dec. 18 meeting.

Township resident Laurie Adams, who lives next to the proposed solar project, had requested the township board have a special public hearing Thursday night before deciding on DTEs rezoning requests.

My family, along with several others that live nearby, face the prospect of living next to the substation, transmission lines and the solar array, as well, Adams said during the special public hearing. Its a reality that brings considerable concern, not just for us but the future of the township as a whole.

What we are talking about tonight is not simply a matter of support or opposition to solar energy, Adams said. It is about scale, legal precedent, and community impact. This is not just another project. It represents a major shift in the land use planning for Iosco Township.

She said approving DTEs project would set a precedent for future development and land use decisions in the township.

These decisions will shape what kind of community we become, not just for the next few years but for decades and generations to come, she said.

DTE renewable energy projects bring communities millions of dollars in tax revenue over their lifespans  which can be used for roads, schools, first responders, or other needs  while also helping farmers keep land in the hands of families," DTE spokesperson Chris Lamphear told The Ann Arbor News/MLive in an email.

DTEs goal is to work closely with local communities to develop projects. We have nearly two decades of experience collaborating with communities to achieve beneficial outcomes for everyone involved, Lamphear said.

DTEs projects are sited based on factors including cost, proximity to existing infrastructure and amount of contiguous, available property, he continued. Secured project land is not entirely used for solar panels, as a significant portion accommodates appropriate setbacks from roads and nearby residents. Further, DTE strives to minimize impact on the land, and project infrastructure is screened by trees, plants and other landscaping selected with input from the community.

DTE has gotten numerous property owners on board with its plan for two solar districts, described as the west district and the south district.

The western portion of DTEs proposal consists of about 909 acres located south of Coon Lake Road, east of Gregory Road, mostly west of Bull Run Road, and north of Roberts Road.

The southern portion of the proposal consists of about 966 acres located south of Ringneck Way, east of Weller Road, west of Dutcher Road, and north of Schafer Road.

Resident Sherri Smarch is concerned about what would happen to her propertys value, she told The Ann Arbor News/MLive.

I understand why farmers may want to try to bring in income so they can keep their land, because they are being taxed to death for their parcels and this is a way of them still owning their property after they lease it for a period of time, Smarch said. But yet I also dont want my property value to go down when I get ready to sell my home because of these solar panels.

Josh and Nicole Summers, who recently moved to the township to be close to family, oppose the solar project. They are concerned about chemical runoff, impacts on wildlife, and maintaining the communitys rural character.

We have a high water table and we rely exclusively on our wells for water to our homes, and while typically solar panels are considered safe, they do on the insides have lead, cadmium, heavy metals, Nicole Summers said.

She said she is worried about inevitable panel failures.

While she does not have a problem with solar energy in general, she sees it as irresponsible to site large solar arrays in agricultural zones near conservation areas and wetlands.

If the township board denies the rezoning, DTE could potentially appeal to the Michigan Public Service Commission.

But several residents who spoke at the meeting said they would continue to fight it if the decision goes to the state, asking the township to have their back.

On Thursday night, township officials voted to adopt what is called a compatible renewable energy ordinance (CREO) or trigger ordinance, which could allow the township to exert more local control over utility-scale renewable energy projects moving forward.

It means any solar company wishing to develop in Iosco Township has to come to the township first, township Clerk Julie Dailey said.

The trigger ordinance aligns township regulations with the states Public Act 233, which allows developers to bypass local government approval and go directly to the Michigan Public Service Commission if local regulations are too restrictive, and Public Act 234, a related amendment to Michigan Zoning Enabling Act.

Township officials unanimously approved the trigger ordinance, as the large crowd of residents cheered.

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ANN ARBOR, MI  The University of Michigan has reinstated its appeals board to the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

The UM Board of Regents unanimously approved an amendment to restore the appeals board during its Oct. 16 meeting in Flint.

The new appeals board is composed of one student, one faculty member and one administrator whose responsibilities include reviewing hearing outcomes and making recommendations on student discipline cases to the Vice President for Student Life.

The appeals board will have seven academic calendar days to review cases once the board has been assembled. Members do not make final decisions on the cases, officials said Thursday.

The Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities is the universitys primary non-academic student accountability document.

The university makes statement updates every three years to follow federal and state laws. Students, faculty and staff can recommend changes to the statement every cycle, and their recommendations are relayed to the Student Relations Advisory Committee, composed of faculty and student leaders. After the committee makes its proposals, the UM vice president of student life and the university president make their final decisions on the new statement amendments.

The UM Board of Regents made updates to the statement in July 2024 outside of the three-year review process, which included the removal of the appeals board.

The statement saw changes most recently in early September, angering many faculty and student leaders.

Read more: University of Michigan students, faculty angered as regents discipline cases

Of foremost concern was the Board of Regents having increased authority to personally intervene in cases and a new line stating, The Board of Regents maintains the right to modify the Statement outside of the traditional amendment process.

The statement also added doxxing as a punishable form of conduct. The practice refers to publicly posting personally identifiable information about individuals, including home addresses.

Other changes include campus suspension as a deferred consequence.

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A screenshot of surveillance video capturing persons jumping from a second-story window in a Grand Rapids house fire. Contributed video

GRAND RAPIDS, MI  A fire that forced two occupants to jump from second-floor windows was purposely set, according to Grand Rapids fire investigators.

Firefighters responded around 1 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, to a report of a fire at a two-story house at 1348 Ashland Ave. NE, near Curtis Street.

Firefighters reported heavy flames coming from a back corner of the house. Two men who were inside jumped from upper-level windows to escape. They were checked by paramedics at the scene and did not go to the hospital.

No firefighters were injured.

Investigators determined that fires were intentionally set in a first-floor bedroom and the basement. The fire caused significant damage and displaced the residents, who were assisted by the American Red Cross of West Michigan.

Firefighters did not find working smoke detectors in the residence.

Firefighters rescued and revived a dog in the house.

Authorities asked anyone with information to contact Grand Rapids Police Department at 616-456-3400 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
The Gilmore Artistic Director Pierre van der Westhuizen, Larry J. Bell and Sullivan Fortner Jr. pose for a portrait together after Fortner was named the winner of the inaugural 2026 Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award in New York City on Oct. 8, 2025. Provided by The Gilmore

KALAMAZOO, MI  Grammy-winning jazz pianist Sullivan Fortner Jr. became the recipient of the largest financial award ever given to a jazz artist this past week after receiving the inaugural 2026 Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award.

The $300k award is the result of an $8.8 million gift to the Gilmores endowment, made possible by the Bells Beer founder.

The award will support Fortner in his musical and career goals over the next four years.

To win this award, and even be considered for it, is very affirming, Fortner said in statement. I am honored to join the esteemed Gilmore artist family.

This generous gift is a welcome reminder for me to create more music.

The Brooklyn-based pianist received the honor at a special ceremony Oct. 8 in New York City. Also recognized at the ceremony were the first two recipients of the Larry J. Bell Young Jazz Artist Awards, which went to Tyler Bullock II and Esteban Castro.

From left, Sullivan Fortner Jr. performs alongside Tyler Bullock II and Esteban Castro, the Larry J. Bell Young Jazz Artist Award winners, on Oct. 8 2025 in New York City. Provided by The Gilmore

Both Bullock and Castro, each of whom studied at Juilliard, received a stipend of $25,000.

All three recipients will perform at the 2026 Gilmore International Piano Festival.

While we have pretty much always had jazz as part of our festival and our program, I think its great that we are able to elevate the jazz genre by having a matching gift that goes to jazz pianists, Bell said. Jazz is entering its second 100 years of being and I think for the music, the more we can push it forward and keep it alive, the better it is.

Bell said he hopes the awards  which will be presented every four years moving forward  will help broaden The Gilmores audience.

In the modern music world, there are lines that are getting blurred between whats classical, whats jazz and just good music, said Bell, who previously served as president of The Gilmores board of trustees.

I love old traditional jazz, but I love hearing what the cutting edge is as well, he said. I think this really helps to keep the organization relevant and expand our audience base.

Candidates for both awards were nominated by music professionals around the world and evaluated over an extended period by an advisory committee. The process is carried out anonymously, so candidates are unaware they are being considered.

While Bell was not part of the selection committee for either award, he said he had the opportunity to have dinner with Fortner following last weeks awards ceremony.

Im really impressed with his full knowledge of music. Its not just jazz, Bell said. He has a real breadth of knowledge across the genres and its just very impressive.

I think for the first award winner to have somebody that really goes deep into music across genres, and understands the history, I think its just a great first selection for us.

According to Bell, Fortner receives $50,000 up front.

The remainder can be used for a variety of uses over the next four years, but those uses must be approved before the money is released, he said.

Sullivan Fortner is a pianist whose talent, vision, and heart will carry jazz forward, Bell said. Im proud that The Gilmore can help continue his journey and amplify his voice as he shapes the next chapter of jazz.

Coming up in New Orleans, Fortner began playing piano at age 7. He would later go on to earn his Bachelor of Music from Oberlin Conservatory and a Master of Music in Jazz Performance from Manhattan School of Music.

Over the course of his career, the now 38-year-old has enjoyed creative associations with Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, Diane Reeves, John Scofield and others.

A Steinway artist, Fortner is scheduled to perform two programs during the 2026 Gilmore Piano Festival, which is slated for April 30 through May 10.

The 2026 festival will be the first year the festival shifts onto an annual schedule, as it moves away from its biannual calendar.

I think its going to be a really good thing for the town to have that annual cadence, Bell said.

For more information on the awards process, winners and the festival, visit TheGilmore.org.

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DETROIT, MI  The wheels of Delta Airlines flight 733 touched the tarmac of Detroit Metro Airport Saturday, Oct. 11, at 12:51 p.m., the moment Capt. Charles Graham Gibson Jr. came home, more than 75 years after his death in battle.

Its unclear when he previously departed Michigan, where  while he was alive  he lived with his wife and child. He last left them behind sometime before Dec. 11, 1950, the day the U.S. Army declared its captain missing in action along Koreas Chosin Reservoir.

When his remains arrived in a metal casket Saturday, his spouse and son werent waiting for him. They died decades earlier, uncertain exactly what happened to the 28-year-old soldier last seen alive fighting in one of the 20th centurys most brutal and historically-referenced military battles.

But Capt. Gibson wasnt alone during his final flight home last week. A military escort, Army Capt. Jacob Manweiler, ensured the old soldiers body made safe passage from Hawaii to Detroit. Manweiler represented one of more than 100 U.S. military-affiliated officials estimated to be involved in solving the generations-spanning mystery of Capt. Gibsons death as well as the mission to bury him in the state he called home.

And Capt. Gibson wasnt without family when that mission was accomplished Thursday, Oct. 16, at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Kalamazoo County. There, his descendants gathered for the military funeral honors ceremony that preceded his caskets interment in the hallowed space, where thousands of other Michigan soldiers rest in valor.

Inside the casket was a portion of a left ulna bone, recovered from North Korean authorities seven years ago and identified by American scientists as Capt. Gibsons remains six months ago.

Some hope telling the story of the captains long journey back from a Korean battlefield to Michigan soil renews a dialogue for families of U.S. military veterans still missing in action. Its a dialogue that underlines a message:

No matter how long it takes, the search doesnt end until the soldier returns.

Its a mantra followed by officials such as Tamela Faulkner, an identification case manager with the Armys Past Conflict Repatriations Branch that helped Capt. Gibsons return.

This means a great deal to the family, Faulkner said, and those of us who have worked to bring him home.

Their fathers keepers

Melissa Wallace never met Capt. Gibson, her grandfather. And her father, Charles Michael Gibson, who died in 2006, was two months shy of turning 2 years old when Capt. Gibson was declared missing in the Korean War in 1950.

My dad never knew his dad, but finding out what happened was important to him his entire life, said Wallace, the first-born of Capt. Gibsons five grandchildren. My dad didnt live to see that closure. It was like his own private obsession.

Her father during his adult life wrote letters to every U.S. president. Those letters urged intensifying the search for the body of Capt. Gibson, declared dead absent evidence suggesting otherwise by the U.S. Department of War on Dec. 31, 1953, three years after the soldier went missing in battle.

While Wallace and her family didnt realize it at the time, a significant milestone in that search was reached Aug. 1, 2018. Thats when President Donald Trumps administration negotiated with North Korean officials for the release of 55 boxes of human remains recovered decades earlier from Sinhung-ri, a village east of the Chosin Reservoir  a man-made lake in northeast Korea  where Capt. Gibson was last reported alive.

In part using biological data collected from two of his relatives, scientists at the U.S. Department of Wars Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lab in Hawaii on March 17, 2025, identified a portion of an arm bone in one of those boxes as a match for the DNA signature of Capt. Gibsons family.

Military officials notified Wallace and other members of that family, eventually providing them an in-person briefing as well as a booklet describing the events leading both to his death and the discovery of his remains.

I learned more about him from my meeting with the Army than I ever heard from my family, because, you know, it was too painful for my grandmother to talk about, Wallace said.

The Midland resident was among the family members present Thursday for the burial of Capt. Gibson, who served for nine years in the Army and survived tours in World War IIs Pacific and European campaigns. Many of the captains other modern descendants traveled to this weeks memorial service from where they live on the southeastern corner of the state, near the Grand Rapids region.

The ceremony they witnessed at Fort Custer National Cemetery, in fact, was the captains first and only funeral service, Wallace said. Her grandmother, Dorothy Jean Gibson, never remarried and was so devastated by the loss of her husband that she never organized a memorial for him.

I wish she could have been here for this, Wallace said of her grandmother, who lived in the Saginaw home she and Capt. Gibson purchased until the day she died in 1998.

Wallace said she wants the story of Capt. Gibsons 75-year journey home to offer optimism for other families of military members who never returned from battle.

I want this to reenergize people to keep looking, to keep asking questions, Wallace said, to offer some hope that other families may still be reunited with their lost loved ones.

The Chosin

Some of what Wallace and her family learned this year about Capt. Gibsons life in part was captured in the Armys report via clippings of 1950s-era Saginaw News articles reporting about his status as missing and, later, his declared death.

Saginaw Natives Husband Missing, read the earliest of the clippings about the Houston-born soldier, a member of the 48th Field Artillery Battalion at the time.

A later article detailed how the soldier met and married his wife in Germany while she was stationed there as a member of the Womens Army Corps, an American non-combat military unit established during World War II. The family later moved to a home in the Cathedral District of his wifes hometown of Saginaw, where they lived when Capt. Gibson was deployed to the conflict in Korea.

Another news clipping detailed how Wallaces grandmother in 1951, between the time of Capt. Gibsons missing-in-action status and his declared death, accepted her husbands Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement against the enemy.

The Army files included an official military portrait of Capt. Gibson from his time serving in World War II, when he was a sergeant. Its the only image Wallace has ever seen of her grandfather.

Other than the ears, I look exactly like him, Wallace said of the grainy, black-and-white photo from the 1940s. I tweeze my eyebrows and look feminine, but yeah, he looks like me.

In this image provided by the U.S. Department of War, then-Lt. Charles G. Gibson Jr. is shown in a U.S. Army portrait photographed during his time of service in World War II. Gibson later died in combat while a captain in the Army during the Korean War in 1950. The Saginaw News/MLive.com

The Army report provided to Wallace and her family also included a detailed timeline of the conflict and specific military maneuvers that preceded the death of Capt. Gibson, beginning with June 30, 1950, the day President Harry Truman authorized sending ground troops to Korea. A United Nations-gathered military coalition joined American soldiers, with Capt. Gibsons infantry division entering Korea by fall.

It was late November 1950 when the files entries grew more specific in detail, describing the frenzied 17-day battle for positioning alongside the frozen Chosin Reservoir.

On Nov. 28, 1950, Capt. Gibson and his 48th Field Artillery Battalion joined the Armys effort to create a north-facing perimeter after the Chinese military  which entered the conflict in alliance with Korean forces  launched an attack at 1 a.m., the report read.

Increasingly precarious with limited artillery support and no reinforcements, the file stated. CPVF (Chinese Peoples Volunteer Forces) would attack in the darkness and retreat during daylight hours. Platoon leaders told to hold the position at all costs."

The report described how, during the first week of the battle, enemy roadblocks separated Capt. Gibsons battalion from other military units. The chaos of gunfire and mortar bombardments at times kept soldiers fighting up to 80 consecutive hours.

By Dec. 1, 1950, American troops withdrew from an area of intensifying warfare and all KIA were left behind to allow living to make it out, the report read. Numbers were so low (commanding officers) consolidate all remaining into one unit.

By the next day, from the 3,000 soldiers assigned when the battle began, only 385 were fit for duty, the report stated.

Its unclear if Capt. Gibson was among the 385 fit soldiers counted that day. After the reference to his missions launch on Nov. 28, his name did not appear again in the timeline until Dec. 11, 1950.

Army reports Capt. Gibson as MIA, that entry read.

The Army really pieced together what happened in the final months of my grandfathers life, and the conflict, Wallace said of the file provided to her family. And that was unexpected closure, because all I knew before that was, he went to Korea and he was killed.

As she eventually discovered, the final battle of Capt. Gibsons life did not happen during some obscure stretch of combat in the three-year-long military conflict against Korea. Historians often reference that deadly 17-day clash in the winter of 1950 as The Battle of Chosin Reservoir and its combatants as The Chosin Few. The battles brutality became the subject of dozens of books, documentaries and dramatized films.

Over a thousand U.S. marines and soldiers were killed during the Chosin Reservoir Campaign and thousands more were wounded in battle or incapacitated by cold weather, read a report on the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency website. Many men were buried where they fell, and due to the cold weather and the retreat of UN Forces from the area, hundreds of fallen marines and soldiers were unable to be immediately recovered.

Capt. Gibson has left that battlefield behind him now. And the arrival to his new destination was timed this week with purpose by the family awaiting him there.

The date Capt. Gibson was buried  Oct. 16  also was the date of his birth. If he had survived the years, the captain would have turned 103 the day his remains came to rest in the state he once called home.
KALAMAZOO, MI  Brigadier General Ravi Wagh called the men and women of the Michigan Army Reserve National Guards 1430th Engineer Co. the states guardians of the gate.

Wagh, the highest-ranking official in Michigans Army National Guard, was among a handful of officers to see off 120 guardsmen and women during an official departure ceremony on Friday, Oct. 17, at Western Michigan Universitys Lawson Ice Arena.

The ceremony, which took place in front of friends and family members, served as a sendoff for those being deployed to the Texas-Mexico border.

The deployment was announced one day prior to the sendoff by the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

It is anticipated to be one year in length, Wagh said.

Approved by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the mission for the 1430th is to assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection, so border agents can focus on law enforcement, department officials stated during Thursdays announcement.

The deployment is a continuation of five years of work done by the Michigan National Guard on the border, Wagh said. Guardsmen and women will assist with all the things that are happening (at the border) from a security standpoint, he said.

It is the sixth time the Michigan National Guard has deployed troops to the southern border since 2020.

Whitmer approved previous border deployments in 2021, 2022 and 2024 under President Joe Biden and in 2020 under President Donald Trump.

The mission is really one thats been an enduring mission for several years now, Wagh said. The Army Guard has sent many soldiers and units to the southwest border.

The first time Michigan sent units to the southwest border was in 1917, he said.

The Michigan National Guards 1430th Engineer Company receives an official sendoff in front of friends and family Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, at Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan, prior to 120 guardsmen and women being deployed to the Texas-Mexico border. The deployment marks the Michigan National Guards sixth operation at the Southwest border since 2020. Ryan Boldrey | MLive.com

When asked after the ceremony how the changing political landscape at the border impacts the National Guards mission, Wagh said the mission remains unchanged.

Its a standard security, general purpose mission, he said. Our soldiers are replacing a unit thats coming back now (the 1463rd Transportation Co.).

From our level, it looks quite like it has in the past.

Trumps recent use of National Guard troops in Democratic-led cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Portland, Oregon, has drawn criticism and protest for increasingly aggressive tactics, the Associated Press has reported.

A judge also recently halted the use of National Guard troops in the Chicago area.

Asked if he expected more deployments of the Michigan Army National Guard as the National Guard is used more frequently in varying U.S. cities, Wagh said his focus was on this deployment.

I certainly cant speak to the operational tempo or how it will change, he said. We execute when were given a mission.

My focus is on the mission today, which is the southwest border.  Were going to stay focused on the soldiers and families that are part of that mission.

Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark MLives local Kalamazoo news page.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has walked back an order to euthanize Peanut, a visually impaired fawn living at a wildlife center in the state.

DNR officials announced the decision late Thursday, Oct. 16, saying they will grant the wildlife center a permit for Peanut that allows native animals to be kept for educational purposes.

We are grateful for everybody who spoke up and who was her voice, and the representatives who penned the letter and came together, and our state really came together on this, and we couldnt be happier, said Detroit Animal Welfare Group (DAWG) Director Kelley Labonty.

Labonty confirmed the wildlife center where Peanut is homed is the 230-acre Howell Nature Center, located at 1005 Triangle Lake Road just south of Howell.

The DNRs announcement came a day after a bipartisan group of lawmakers urged Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to intervene and halt the state-ordered euthanasia of Peanut. Whitmers office hasnt responded to a request for comment.

The lawmakers said the DNR ordering the Howell Nature Center to euthanize Peanut stemmed from a bureaucratic technicality about a missed deadline for the education permit application that is not clearly stated in any regulation.

DNR officials say their October deadline to release rehabilitated fawns is meant to give the animals enough time to find food sources before the winter. Exceptions are rare but granted in cases of permanently injured or otherwise non-releaseable animals, like Peanut.

Peanut, named for her small size, was brought to DAWGs 25-acre wildlife rehabilitation center in Macomb County earlier this year without much of a chance of living.

Because Peanut doesnt have 100% vision and some other residual medical issues, she was deemed unable to be released back into the wild, even after her successful rehabilitation, Labonty said.

Those issues dont prevent Peanut generally behaving like a normal fawn, Labonty said, adding that most people wouldnt know of Peanuts issues without medical training.

After her rehabilitation, DAWG transferred Peanut to the Howell Nature Center with the intent to get the fawn permitted to live out her days there as an education ambassador.

The Howell Nature Center applied for the educational permit and informed Labonty on Oct. 10 that the DNR denied the request and ordered Peanut euthanized. Labonty said DNR informed Howell Nature Center that they missed a Sept. 15 deadline to apply for the permit.

According to DNR spokesperson John Pepin, fawns aided by animal rehabbers in the spring must be released into the wild by Oct. 1 with few exceptions.

Fawns and other white-tailed deer are native species of wild animals that belong in the wild. They arent meant to be pets, Pepin said. If they remain in rehab facilities beyond early October and are later released, they wont be able to survive in the wild over the wintertime.

Fawns kept past the October deadline are typically euthanized as a humane outcome, Pepin said.

Pepin said it wasnt until Thursday that DNR received a formal permit request from Howell Nature Center for Peanut. Additionally, it wasnt until Thursday, Pepin said, that DNR received a veterinary report verifying that Peanut is unable to be released back into the wild due to impairment or injury.

Labonty said Howell Nature Center submitted their permit request before Thursday and didnt submit the vet report because the permit was immediately denied.

She said DNR officials were aware prior to Thursday that the wildlife center had a vet assessment stating Peanut was not releasable. Pepin denied that claim.

When asked if Whitmer intervened in the case, Pepin said DNR officials reviewed the matter late Thursday afternoon and decided to grant the permit request after receiving the vet report and formal request.

The plight of this wild fawn has generated tremendous bipartisan support from legislators and people across Michigan and beyond, Pepin said. It is encouraging to see so much goodwill directed toward Michigans wild animals. This is likely to help ensure support for wildlife conservation and sound wildlife management heading into the future.

But DAWG and DNR are still involved in a legal battle that, according to Labonty, could see her wildlife centers rehabilitation permit revoked and their animals euthanized.

That case involves a non-releasable coyote named Kota who has lived at DAWGs facilities since 2018 under a United States Department of Agriculture license for education and exhibiting animals.

Kota was dropped off at DAWG in a carrier with a broken leg and a collar. She wasnt fearful of humans and instead wanted to play  signs she was raised in captivity and shouldnt be released back into the wild, Labonty said.

DNR has argued that, among other things, Kota is illegally kept under the USDA license. This is the third time the DNR has brought the case against DAWG, Labonty said.

They just keep taking you to court until you cant afford to fight them anymore, Labonty said. Its ongoing harassment for seven years, and its absolutely insane. The tax dollars are close to $1 million being spent on this. Ive spent $140,000 out of my 401K fighting them to save the animals, and its just absolutely absurd that this is what our government does.

DNR declined to comment on the case against DAWG until it has concluded. A hearing in that case is set for January before an administrative law judge.

In the letter to Whitmer from the group of House Republicans and Democrats, lawmakers called on the governor to stop DNRs prosecution of DAWG and issue the necessary permits to allow them to continue their work.

That letter also calls for granting reprieve for non-releasable animals in licensed educational or sanctuary homes, directing DNR to allow educational placements without arbitrary deadlines and establishing a fair and transparent process for evaluating unique cases and appeals from rescue organizations.
Its go-time on serious fall color viewing across our great state. The temperature differences created by our Great Lakes gives us varying amounts of fall color right now. There are some peak fall color areas this weekend.

Michigan fall color status on October 16, 2025 (Mark Torregrossa | MLive) Mark Torregrossa

Remember that Michigans fall colors vary a lot from just inland to along the Great Lakes shorelines. The inland areas of northern Lower Michigan are at peak fall color now. The drive from Midland to Clare to Cadillac using U.S. 10 to M-115 is excellent now. If you are going to drive straight north into northern Lower Michigan, Id take U.S. 131 instead of I-75. Ive found the I-75 route has a lot of pines and the trees are far from the highway.

Michigan fall colors at peak on October 16, 2025 (photo provided by Sue Sudekum) Sue Sudekum

Dont drive north on U.S. 31 along the Lake Michigan shoreline just yet. Save that drive for next weekend. The warmer lake water delays the fall color change. You will find fall color on U.S. 31, but the color will be better on M-37 and U.S. 131.

Maples in various stages of fall color in Traverse City on October 16. (Photo provided by Lisa Torregrossa) Lisa Torregrossa

The Traverse City area has varying fall color, as it usually does. Heading through the Traverse City region, you will find areas at peak, areas approaching peak and shoreline areas just starting to turn yellow. The beautiful thing about Traverse City area fall color touring is you get three weeks of good drives. Stay inland this weekend, but by next weekend you can probably find a lot of color in the inland part of Leelanau County. Finally, in the last week of October try the drive up the middle of Old Mission Peninsula. There may still be color.

Looking east over Grand Traverse Bay at the Old Mission Peninsula, which is still green. (Photo provided by Lisa Torregrossa) Lisa Torregrossa

Northeast Lower Michigan is the hidden gem of Michigans fall color tours. From Rogers City to Gladwin, West Branch and Tawas, the trees are at peak or near peak.

Rogers City is at peak on October 16. (Photo provided by Vicki Hubbard) Vicki Hubbard

A wooded area is near park color at Gladwin, MI on October 16 (Photo provided by Mimi Noonan) Mimi Noonan

The interior sections of southern Lower Michigan are changing now too. The change in the south usually happens fast.

Fall color is just starting in the Howell area in southern Michigan. (Photo provided by Chris Becker Omerod) Chris Becker Omerod

Far southeast Michigan will get a quick change in the next week. While temperatures arent going to be cold, skies will be more cloudy and daylight is shrinking. Both of these factors eventually bring fall colors, even without cold temperatures.

Ironwood still has pockets of fall color, but leaves are falling in other areas on October 16 (Photo provided by Dana Morales) Dana Morales

The western half of the Upper Peninsula has fall colors past peak and falling leaves. The eastern Upper Peninsula still has some areas of peak color.

We do have some rain coming this weekend, but it wont rain all weekend. You could find some dry hours in northern Michigan on Saturday.
Rajni Pandey is a seasoned content creator with over 15 years of experience crafting compelling stories for digital news platforms. Specializing in diverse topics such as travel, education, jobs, science, wildlife, religion, politics, and astrology, she excels at transforming trending human-interest stories into engaging reads for a wide audience.

Rajni Pandey

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How Googles $15 Billion AI Hub in Andhra Pradesh Will Benefit Students and What It Means for AI Education

MC Education Desk Read the latest and trending news on CBSE, board exams, NEET, JEE, CUET, competitive exams, scholarships, college admissions, education policies, and more.

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Diljit Dosanjh and Sanya Malhotra turn up the heat in the teaser of 'Charmer'

Diljit Dosanjh and Sanya Malhotra turn up the heat in the teaser of 'Charmer'

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Rasika, who has received a lot of praise for her quiet yet impactful performance as the good cop, gives Neeti new depth this season.

M Snehanjali

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"Smita Patil would say Suhagan ki tarah mujhe leke jana", makeup artist Deepak reveals how he did her last makeup on funeral

"Smita Patil would say Suhagan ki tarah mujhe leke jana", makeup artist Deepak reveals how he did her last makeup on funeral

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Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas break up after 9 months of dating amidst wedding rumours: Report

As per reports, despite the breakup, Tom Cruise, 63, and Ana de Armas, 37, are expected to continue working together.

M Snehanjali

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Baek Se-hee, Author of I Want To Die But I Want To Eat Tteokbokki dies at 35

Baek Se-hee, Author of I Want To Die But I Want To Eat Tteokbokki dies at 35

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News / Africa

by Stephen Jakes

Varakashi4ED has condemned the coup taking place in Madagascar, declaring full solidarity with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in rejecting the attempted overthrow of constitutional order in the Republic of Madagascar."We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to constitutionalism, peace, and democratic governance across the region," the movement said in a statement."The sanctity of electoral processes and the rule of law must be upheld without compromise. Any attempt to subvert the will of the people through unconstitutional means threatens not only national stability but also regional cohesion and progress."Varakashi4ED commended SADC's principled stance and its call for calm and inclusive dialogue.As a movement rooted in unity, discipline, and development, Varakashi4ED urged all stakeholders in Madagascar to prioritize national interest, respect institutional frameworks, and pursue peaceful resolution through legitimate channels."Let this moment serve as a reminder that the future of our region lies in the hands of those who choose dialogue over division, and progress over power struggles," the statement continued."Together, we defend democracy. Together, we build Africa."According to reports, the military in Madagascar, with support from sections of the population, has forced the president to flee the country. The armed forces are now reportedly forming an interim administration comprising soldiers and police to govern for two years before holding elections.
Arasan promo out: Vetri Maaran and Silambarasan TR reunite for a new chapter in Vada Chennai Saga

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From pitching at Shark Tank India to owning the screen: A full-circle moment for Mohit Tyagi

Satwik Jaiswal

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Bone pain after sprain or fracture? 6 warning signs of CRPS explained by orthopedic surgeon

Namita S Kalla is a senior journalist who writes about different aspects of modern life that include lifestyle, health, fashion, beauty, and entertainment.

Dont ignore persistent bone pain after a sprain or fracturelearn why early detection of CRPS is crucial for effective treatment. (Image: Canva)

Ishita Batra

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MC Jobs Desk Read the latest and trending news articles on Sarkari Naukri, government jobs, UPSC, SSC, railway jobs, banking jobs, defence recruitment, state PSC exams, and more.

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Aishwarya Dabhade

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The figure of 174 APAs is one of the highest ever number of APAs reported by any country till date in a tax year, said CBDT.

Priyansh Verma

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The event comes at a time when India is stepping up efforts to strengthen its energy security and expand its exploration footprint, amid projections that energy demand could nearly double by 2040.

101Reporters

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Mcap of all listed firms on BSE hits one-year high ahead of Diwali as foreign inflows, trade hopes lift sentiment

Analysts said sentiment was further boosted by expectations of rate cuts from the US Federal Reserve and the Reserve Bank of India

Ravindra Sonavane

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Top ministers to speak at noon on how GST 2.0 has influenced festive sales and consumer confidence

Aishwarya Dabhade

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Top 5 Indian IT firms see 79% drop in H1 hiring as TCS faces loss of over 19,700 employees

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Debangana Ghosh

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Asian Paints, Kansai Nerolac, other paint stocks rise up to 5% on decline in crude oil

Paras Bisht A financial journalist with over 10 years of experience, specialising in tracking stock market movements and fundamental developments that impact investors and the broader economy. A keen observer of global financial markets, I regularly engage with leading market voices to write stories. At Moneycontrol, I focus on decoding market trends, policy shifts and economic changes, driven by a constant passion to learn, analyse, and share knowledge with my readers.

Paras Bisht

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Shaleen Agrawal

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Stocks to Watch Today: Canara HSBC Life, Infosys, Vikram Solar, Wipro, Jio Financial, Sunteck Realty, Biocon, JSW Energy, BEML, LTIMindtree in focus on 17 October

Sunil Matkar

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Trade Spotlight: How should you trade HDFC Bank, Marico, Bharat Forge, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, Hindustan Unilever, Ceat, and others on October 17?

Sunil Matkar

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Buying gold coin for Dhanteras? Here's what Amazon, Flipkart, and others are offering

Hiral Thanawala is a personal finance journalist with over 10 years of reporting experience. Based in Mumbai, he covers financial planning, banking and fintech segments from personal finance team for Moneycontrol.

Gold marked as 999 signifies that it is 99.9% pure, with the remaining 0.1% consisting of other metals. Whereas gold marked as 999.9 represents 99.99% purity, making it even finer than 999 gold.

Hiral Thanawala

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Manisha Lal Khandpur

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EPF corpus has grown nearly five fold in a decade

Ishaan Gera

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House of Hiranandani to invest Rs 500 crore to build commercial project in Mumbai

In a statement on Friday, the company said it has acquired a one-acre land parcel in Andheri East, Mumbai.

101Reporters

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Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day

Christin Mathew Philip

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Viswanath Pilla is a business journalist with 16 years of reporting experience. Based in Mumbai, Pilla covers pharma, healthcare and infrastructure sectors for Moneycontrol.

Viswanath Pilla

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Toshiba mulls 55 billion Yen investment to more than double output in Japan, India

Sonalee Borgohain

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Trump says he expects expansion of Abraham accords soon

Aishwarya Dabhade

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Mira Sen has covered Indian politics and national developments for over a decade, closely tracking elections, national parties, policymakers, on-the-ground developments  and their impact on citizens.

Ria Kapoor

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Bihar Election: Nitish Kumar has freed Bihar from Jungle raj, says Amit Shah

Nitish Kumar has freed Bihar from Jungle Raj, said union home minister Amit Shah on Friday, adding that both him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have worked towards the development of the state. "Nitish Kumar has freed Bihar from Jungle Raj. PM Modi, over the last 11 years, has worked to develop Bihar. PM Modi's 11 years have been a blessing to the poor," he said.

Shah also reiterated that the NDA is fighting the Bihar election under the leadership of Nitish Kumar.
Yeeshu Yadav

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Mira Sen has covered Indian politics and national developments for over a decade, closely tracking elections, national parties, policymakers, on-the-ground developments  and their impact on citizens.

The bench posted the matter for further hearing on November 4 for adjudicating legal issues.

101Reporters

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Bihar to hold first election with voting till 5 PM as state declared free of Naxalites: Amit Shah

Bihar to hold first election with voting till 5 PM as state declared free of Naxalites: Amit Shah

Yeeshu Yadav

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101Reporters

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China's efficient cold-chain logistics drive consumption growth

People's Daily Online) 14:03, October 17, 2025

Customs staff members inspect imported chilled aquatic products at the cold storage facility of International Cargo Centre Shenzhen (ICCS) in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Photo/Ye Junchao)

It's peak season for seafood, and getting these delicacies fresh to dining tables requires a sophisticated cold-chain process. The journey involves packing at workshops, pre-cooling at cold storage facilities and refrigerated transport. Specialized equipment, ranging from cold storage warehouses to refrigerated trucks, ensures products remain fresh throughout the supply chain.

At 4 a.m., farmers harvest hairy crabs at the farm of an agricultural technology company in Yong'an town, Kenli district, Dongying city, east China's Shandong Province. Within 12 hours or less, the crabs will be delivered nationwide via cold-chain logistics.

In the company's packing workshop, workers sort the crabs. "We've built a one-stop cold-chain logistics distribution warehouse. Before shipping, crabs are pre-cooled for six to eight hours," said Wang Yingze, general manager of the company.

At the cold-chain logistics distribution warehouse, vehicles from China Post, SF Express, JD.com, and others arrive and depart. "During peak season, daily shipments can reach nearly 20,000 orders, weighing 20,000 to 25,000 kilograms," Wang said.

Cold-chain logistics trucks transport the crabs to China Post's local logistics hub, where they are sorted and reloaded for nationwide delivery.

"We provide same-day delivery within the city, next-morning delivery within the province and next-day delivery to 45 cities. All shipments are sent via direct cold-chain routes with no transfers, ensuring the crabs arrive in peak condition," said Lu Shiyuan, deputy general manager of China Post's branch in Kenli district.

According to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, China's food cold-chain logistics demand reached 192 million tonnes in the first half of this year, up 4.35 percent year on year. The food cold-chain logistics sector generated 280 billion yuan ($39 billion) in revenue during the first half of the year, representing a 3.84 percent year-on-year increase.

Driven by government planning and market demand, cold storage facilities are expanding and upgrading with smart technology, fueling investment and steady market growth.

On Oct. 8, a cargo plane landed at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. About 4 tonnes of Atlantic salmon were unloaded and transferred by cold-chain logistics trucks to the airport's international cargo cold storage facility.

"Imported chilled aquatic products can now hit the market the same day they arrive," said Tan Weiping, deputy general manager of International Cargo Centre Shenzhen (ICCS). The efficient operations of cold storage facilities and streamlined customs clearance make the business smoother than ever.

In the first nine months of this year, ICCS's cold storage facility handled 31,000 tonnes of fresh seafood, fruits and other fresh products, increasing 36 percent year on year. The products accounted for over 48 percent of cargo arriving at the port during the same period.

Across the country, investment in cold storage facilities reached 22.31 billion yuan in the first half of the year, up 7.67 percent year on year. By the end of June, total public food cold storage capacity in major consumer markets had risen 6.12 percent year on year to 260 million cubic meters.

With the rapid growth of fresh-food e-commerce and chain restaurants, urban delivery demand is soaring, boosting sales of light refrigerated trucks. Policy incentives and expanded road access have also driven a surge in new-energy refrigerated trucks.

According to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, 29,474 refrigerated trucks were sold in the first half of the year, up 18.19 percent year on year.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
Exploiting tragedy for optics: BJP slams Rahul Gandhi as he meets family of mob lynching victim

Gandhi met the family of the victim in Fatehpur on Friday morning

Smriti Mishra

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Amitabh Sinha is the executive editor of News18 India. He has extensive experience in print and TV journalism. He started his career with Patna's 'Times of India' and reported for almost 14 years at 'Aaj Tak'. He has been associated with Network18 since 2015. writes with equal authority in Hindi and English languages and has reported on many important events and incidents in India and abroad. He has a long experience in parliamentary journalism and has special grasp of e policies and schemes of the government. He writes regularly on News18's website in both Hindi and English languages. He is a post graduate from Delhi University. X- @amitabhnews18

Yeeshu Yadav

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Former bank manager arrested from Bihar for embezzling over Rs 6.30 crore

101Reporters

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A police vehicle set on fire during a protest by locals demanding Ladakh's statehood on September 24, 2025. (Courtesy: AP Photo)

Sonalee Borgohain

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Mira Sen has covered Indian politics and national developments for over a decade, closely tracking elections, national parties, policymakers, on-the-ground developments  and their impact on citizens.

Following the incident, a massive search and combing operation was launched by the security forces in coordination with local police.-Representative photo

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Gujarat cabinet reshuffle: 26 ministers take oath; Harsh Sanghavi is new deputy CM, Rivaba Jadeja among fresh faces

Mira Sen has covered Indian politics and national developments for over a decade, closely tracking elections, national parties, policymakers, on-the-ground developments  and their impact on citizens.

Smriti Mishra

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The expansive hangars at Nashik, which previously housed assembly lines that delivered 575 MiG-21 jets, have undergone extensive refurbishment

Surabhi Pandey

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Christin Mathew Philip

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MEA urges Bangladesh to uphold border sanctity after killing of three nationals in Tripura clash, says report

MEA urges Bangladesh to uphold border sanctity after killing of three nationals in Tripura clash

Ria Kapoor

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Ria Kapoor

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SIR will lead to deletion of names of only Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators: Suvendu Adhikari

101Reporters

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Christin Mathew Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at Moneycontrol.com with 15 years of experience in journalism and a recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award. Based in Bengaluru, he understands the pulse of the people and covers issues that matter, including mobility, infrastructure, start-ups, and government policies. He tweets at @ChristinMP_

Christin Mathew Philip

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Arun Anand has authored two books on the RSS. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.

The detractors of the RSS need to recall these observations.

Namrata Agarwal

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'Wont be surprised if we run out of coins': Tanishq warns of gold shortage as demand surges across India

Ajoy Chawla noted that the spike in buying was not limited to ornaments but extended to investment-related products such as gold coins and bars.

Shubhi Mishra

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Sheetal Kumari

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Grass Peacock of India, known for swayamvar dance, on brink of extinction, warns WII

Sheetal Kumari

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Haunting image of rare hyena in ghost town wins 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year, here's its story

South African Photographer Wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 (Image: Wim van den Heever/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

Sheetal Kumari

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Google introduces AI tool to speed up cancer drug research: 5 key things to know

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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Ankita Chakravarti

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Is Googles Nano Banana the new photoshop killer? Adobe Firefly downloads plunge after Gemini update

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Ankita Chakravarti

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Ankita Chakravarti is a seasoned journalist with nearly a decade of experience in media. She specializes in technology and lifestyle journalism. She has worked with top Indian media houses like India Today, Zee News, The Statesman, and Millennium Post. Her expertise spans tech trends, phone launches, gadget reviews, and entertainment news. Ankita holds a Master's in Journalism and Mass Communication along with a degree in English Literature. She can be reached out at ankita.chakravarti@nw18.com

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Ankita Chakravarti

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Pradeep Tripathi

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Boltons indictment vs. Trumps dropped documents case: Where they overlapand where they dont

Pradeep Tripathi

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Cease-fire, same rulers? Why Hamas is back on the streets of Gaza

Pradeep Tripathi

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India moved from Fragile Five to Top Five, and from Naxal fear to Diwali in Bastar, says PM Modi | Top highlights

During the Congress regime, urban Naxals were so dominant that no information about any Maoist terrorist incident reached the people of the country," PM Modi said.

Rewati Karan

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Its not sustainable: Donald Trump on tariffs on China, to meet Xi Jinping in South Korea

Tamal Nandi

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Russia batters Ukraines energy grid as Zelenskyy appeals to Trump for more arms

Pradeep Tripathi

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Trump says expects to meet Putin within two weeks, warns US can't 'deplete' own Tomahawk stocks

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What Tomahawks would change for Kyivand why Washington is split

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Who is John Bolton? Trump's critic indicted for allegedly transmitting and retaining classified info

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October 17, 2025 A Preemptive Putin-Trump Call And The Prospects Of A New Summit Today the Ukrainian former president Vladimir Zelenski will be in Washington to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to further turn the screws on Russia. A call yesterday between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and Trump was initiated by the Russians to preempt any concessions from Trump to Ukraine. A major headache for the Russians was the potential introduction of U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles onto the battlefield. While these weapons are old, and can easily be defended against, they are, in principle, nuclear capable. They are also complex and can not be fired without the input from U.S. satellites, U.S. intelligence analysis and specialized software. Tomahawks are naval missiles. There are less than a handful of ground launchers which were only recently introduced to the U.S. military. Any launch of a Tomahawk from Ukrainian ground would thus have to be done by the U.S. military. Any U.S. firing of a potentially nuclear armed missile towards Moscow would have to have serious consequences. Russia would HAVE to respond to such an attack with a direct attack on major U.S. assets. Otherwise its means of (nuclear) deterrence would lose of all of their values. Putin wanted to avoid that situation and the decisions that would have followed from it. Thus his call to Donald Trump. So far that part of the call of seems to have been successful: In recent days, Mr Trump had shown an openness to selling Ukraine long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, even as Mr Putin warned that such a move would further strain the US-Russian relationship. But following Thursdays call with Mr Putin, Mr Trump appeared to downplay the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles (1,600km). We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too, Mr Trump said. We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean, we cant deplete our country. After the call Trump announced that there would soon be a new summit between him and President Putin:

President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this inglorious War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end. It is notable that The Russian readout was much less committed: In this context, it is worthy of note that the presidents discussed the possibility of holding another personal meeting. This is indeed a very significant development. It was agreed that representatives of both countries would immediately begin preparations for the summit, which could potentially be organised in Budapest, for instance. It is doubtful that any new meeting would lead to results. Trump wants to stop the war in Ukraine because the U.S./NATO proxy force in form the Ukrainian army gets currently beaten to pulp. A multiyear pause is needed to refresh the Ukrainian army, to make and deliver more weapons for it and to prepare for another attempt to defeat Russia. Russia will not commit to that. It wants to resolve the root cause of the war, the steady NATO march towards Russias border, once and for all. Any pause or ceasefire would defeat that purpose. The difference between those positions is the reason why the August summit in Alaska had ended badly. Despite both sides lauding the outcome it was obvious that the summit had been cut short. It had ended without a common readout or press conference. After the summit President Trump also extended his support for the Ukrainian side of the conflict by allowing U.S. intelligence to be used in attacks on Russian oil infrastructure. A new Financial Times piece on the previous summit has some background information on this (archived): With just a handful of advisers present, Putin rejected the US offer of sanctions relief for a ceasefire, insisting the war would end only if Ukraine capitulated and ceded more territory in the Donbas. The Russian president then delivered a rambling historical discursion spanning medieval princes such as Rurik of Novgorod and Yaroslav the Wise, along with the 17th century Cossack chieftain Bohdan Khmelnytsky  figures he often cites to support his claim Ukraine and Russia are one nation. Taken aback, Trump raised his voice several times and at one point threatened to walk out, the people said. He ultimately cut the meeting short and cancelled a planned lunch where broader delegations were due to discuss economic ties and co-operation. Bohdan Khmelnytsky was the Cossack hetman who in 1654 voluntarily subordinate his people to the Russian Tsar: After a series of negotiations, it was agreed that the Cossacks would accept overlordship by the Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. To finalize the treaty, a Russian embassy led by boyar Vasily Buturlin came to Pereiaslav, where, on 18 January 1654, the Cossack Rada was called and the treaty concluded. [..] The treaty legitimized Russian claims to the capital of Kievan Rus and strengthened the tsars influence in the region. Khmelnytsky needed the treaty to gain a legitimate monarchs protection and support from a friendly Orthodox power. I see no reason for hope that a new summit would change the positions of the parties or the outcome. Putins position towards the U.S. has only hardened: Whatever they want, they do. But what they are doing now in Ukraine is not thousands of miles away from our national borders; it is on our doorstep. And they must realize that we simply have nowhere else to retreat to. The promise of the new summit is still positive as it stretches the time to an eventual further escalation. More time is of advantage to the Russian side. It allows for the current campaign to de-energize Ukraine to have impact on the mood in the country and on the willingness of its government to agree to serious concessions. Comments
Could this campaign serve as a template for others aimed at blocking similar dystopian measures, not just in the EU but in other ostensible liberal democracies?

We all need a good news story from time to time, especially given the current state of world affairs, and this one seems to fit the bill. You never know, it may even provide a wee dose of inspiration for similar grassroots campaigns in other parts of the world trying to resist the overarching shift towards digital authoritarianism.

This past Monday (Oct 13), the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council was set to vote on a bill that would have forced messaging apps in the EU to scan every private message, driving another big nail through online privacy. At least that was the goal. However, the vote was taken off the agenda at the last minute, mainly due to a grassroots campaign launched by an anonymous Danish citizen.

Chat Control

A little background: as we reported a few weeks ago, in our post, The EUs Latest Plan to Stifle Online Privacy Is Terrifying, EU authorities, led by Denmarks rotating six-month presidency of the EU council, recently began a new push to approve the so-called Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse. That regulation, first drafted in 2022, is essentially a crude attempt to drive a crowbar through end-to-end encrypted communications:

Dubbed the Chat Control law, the proposal seeks to curb the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. While this is a commendable goal, the way the EU is going about it not only threatens fundamental rights and protections for everyone; it risks transforming the Internet into an even more centrally controlled, surveilled environment. In its current form, the Chat Control law effectively mandates the scanning of private communications, including those currently protected by end-to-end encryption. If enacted, messaging platforms, including WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram, would have to scan every message, photo and video sent by users, even when encrypted, starting in October.  [T]he mechanism at the heart of the proposal is called client-side scanning, and Denmarks rotating six-month presidency of the EU council is determined to push it through. From Brussels Signal: Through [client-side scanning], content is analysed on a users device before encryption. What this means, for the less tech-savvy reader, is opening a permanent backdoor that bypasses the privacy guarantees of secure communication. This would be like having the state read your letters before you seal the envelope, and would subject every EU citizens private messages to automated scrutiny. East German readers may find such Stasiesque instruments familiar; most wouldnt want them making a grand comeback, either in Germany or elsewhere. Unfortunately, instead of reading the room and studying alternative, milder versions of the legislation, (Danish prime minister Mette) Frederiksen has instead chosen to double down on this major political and historical mistake. As many as 19 EU states now apparently back the proposal. Germany remains uncommitted for the moment, but will likely be pivotal. Indeed, if Berlin joins the yes camp, a qualified majority voterequiring 15 states representing 65 per cent of the EU populationcould see the law passed by mid-October Once it is in place, the systems scope could expand beyond CSAM to virtually any other content, [including] political dissent Indeed, even as the Eurocrats are trying to snoop into your online conversations, Brussels is also pushing for aggressive content moderation under the Digital Services Act. So the downsides are self-obvious, and should by themselves illustrate why this legislation should be soundly rejected by European nations. How about its advantages? Theyre way less clear. A year ago, Europol noted in a report that sophisticated criminals often use secretive, unregulated platforms, rendering mass scanning ineffective against the intended targets while burdening ordinary citizens with the full weight of a repressive Leviathan. Confidentiality-focused platforms like Signal have threatened to exit the EU market rather than comply.

That wont be necessary, at least for now. Nine days ago, German officials announced that it was withdrawing its backing for the EUs controversial Chat Control regulation after facing massive public pressure.

Taboo in a Constitutional State

Random chat monitoring must be taboo in a constitutional state, German Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said in translated remarks posted to social media by the ministry. Private communication must never be placed under general suspicion Germany will not agree to such proposals at the EU level.

Hubig said she is committed to battling child pornography but added that even the worst crimes do not justify surrendering basic civil rights.

Regular NC readers will no doubt appreciate the irony. This is, after all, the same government that was just singled out by UN human rights experts for its persistent pattern of police violence and apparent suppression of Palestine solidarity activism  actions that undermine fundamental democratic freedoms. Anyway, I digress

Germany is not the only EU Member State that has expressed opposition to the Chat Control Law. So, too, have the Netherlands, Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Estonia and Slovenia. Meanwhile, as the infographic below shows, many other countries are on the fence  hence the reason why the European Council ending up pulling the vote on Monday.

We did it: Germany will OPPOSE Chat Control!  Thanks everyone for writing to the ministers. #ChatControl will not get a majority in the EU Council  at least for now. pic.twitter.com/f2qr0mbTuY  Tuta (@TutaPrivacy) October 7, 2025

As mentioned, one of the main reasons for this volte-face was a one-man grassroots campaign that brought pressure to bear on Europes elected representatives by leveraging the Internets unparalleled network effects. From POLITICO Europe:

A website set up by an unknown Dane over the course of one weekend in August is giving a massive headache to those trying to pass a European bill aimed at stopping child sexual abuse material from spreading online. The website, called Fight Chat Control, was set up by Joachim, a 30-year-old software engineer living in Aalborg, Denmark. He made it after learning of a new attempt to approve a European Union proposal to fight child sexual abuse material  a bill seen by privacy activists as breaking encryption and leading to mass surveillance. The site lets visitors compile a mass email warning about the bill and send it to national government officials, members of the European Parliament and others with ease. Since launching, it has broken the inboxes of MEPs and caused a stir in Brussels corridors of power Joachim himself declined to provide his last name or workplace because his employer does not want to be associated with the campaign. POLITICO has verified his identity. Joachim said his employer has no commercial interest in the legislation, and he alone paid the costs associated with running the website. The impact of this one-man grassroots campaign has been huge, and serves as a timely reminder of how digital technologies can, and are, being leveraged by governments not only to surveil and control populations in ways that the Stasi could only have dreamt of, but also by members of the public to resist those very efforts. Back to the POLITICO Europe piece: Joachims mass email campaign is unconventional as a lobbying tool, differing from the more wonky approach usually taken in Brussels. But the websites impact has been undeniable. The Polish government responded directly to the campaign in a statement last month, reassuring Poles its against mass scanning of messages. A Danish petition, pushed by the Fight Chat Control campaign, now has more than 50,000 signatures, meaning it can be discussed in parliament. Irish national lawmakers asked questions in parliament in September about Chat Control, the name for the legislation adopted by its critics and used by Joachim. As of early October, nearly 2.5 million people had visited his website, Joachim said, with most coming from within the EU. The emails are sent from visitors own email clients, meaning Joachim doesnt know how many have been sent, but he estimated that it has triggered several million emails.

One imagines that this was the first time ever that many of these EU citizens had contacted their respective MEOs. Digital freedom fighter and former Member of the European Parliament Dr. Patrick Breyer (Pirate Party) hailed the campaign as a huge victory but warned that the fight is far from over:

This is a tremendous victory for freedom and proves that protest works! Facing a wave of calls and emails from the public, the Social Democrats are holding their ground, and for the first time, even the conservative leadership is voicing criticism. Without the tireless resistance from citizens, scientists, and organizations, EU governments would have passed a totalitarian mass surveillance law next week, spelling the end for digital privacy. That we stopped thisfor nowis a moment to celebrate.

Unsurprisingly, some EU apparatchiks are far less enthused by this latest example of direct democracy, reports POLITICO Europe:

The campaign has irked some recipients. In terms of dialog within a democracy, this is not a dialog, said Lena Dupont, a German member of the European Peoples Party group and its home affairs spokesperson, of the mass emails. Joachims campaign is blocking more traditional lobbyists and campaigners, too, they said. Mieke Schuurman, director at child rights group Eurochild, said the groups messages are no longer reaching policymakers, who increasingly respond with automated replies. Joachim, who said he has not paid to promote the site, said it is regrettable that child rights campaigners emails have received automated responses. But the flood of emails sent by his website visitors is a quite clear indication that people really care about this  I would actually argue this is as democratic as it gets, he said.

It goes without saying that EU authorities will regather their forces and try again to bulldoze this through, with the next vote apparently scheduled for December. As POLITICO Europe notes, national governments are attempting  for the fifth time, at least  to hash out a compromise:

However, according to an EU diplomat, some EU member countries are now more hesitant to support Denmarks proposal, at least in part because of the campaign: Ella Jakubowska, head of policy at digital rights group EDRi, said This campaign seems to have raised the topic high up the agenda in member states where there was previously little to no public debate.

Broader Applications

All of this invites the question: could Joachims Fight Chat Control website serve as a template for other online campaigns aimed at preventing similar dystopian measures from becoming law, not just in the EU but also in other ostensibly democratic jurisdictions in Europe and beyond?

After all, this is not the first time weve seen this kind of thing happen. Over a decade ago, popular grassroots movements in the US were able to halt the passage of the SOPA and PIPA bills that threatened free speech, internet security and online innovation. Once again, the unparalleled network effects of the internet were used as a powerful weapon against governments repressive designs for the internet.

One obvious place where this sort of campaign is much needed is the UK, where almost 3 million people have signed a petition calling for the Keir Starmer government to immediately commit to not introduce a digital ID system that was not once mentioned in his partys election manifesto. That is 30 times the number needed to trigger a debate on the issue in the House of Commons.

However, the Starmer government has responded by simply carrying on regardless. Indeed, his governments line on digital ID has since shifted from it being necessary to combat illegal migration, which it wont, to it being used for just about everything, including even accessing your bank accounts.

Starmer reveals that digital ID will control access to your own personal funds. Starmergeddon incoming. Dont say you weren't warned. pic.twitter.com/OeoJCbkhcJ  Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) October 11, 2025

The fact that Starmer is now lauding Indias Aadhaar, the worlds largest digital identity system, as an example to follow is even more concerning given all the security breaches it has suffered as well as the scale and scope of the coercive measures implemented around it. Put simply, life in India without Aadhaar is one of near-total exclusion. As even the FT reported in 2021, Indias all-encompassing ID system holds warnings for the rest of world.

The UKs digital identity system is not yet fully operational, though it is far closer than many realise, yet the mission creep is already off the charts, and the data breaches have already begun. Perhaps its time for British MPs to receive their own avalanches of emails from their respective voters  for if one thing is clear, it is that the window for action is rapidly closing.
There has been a lot of excited commentary about the Trump-Putin phone call, after which it appears Trump over-hyped the idea that another Trump-Putin summit would happen soon. Not even having seen the kinda-sorta readouts, Douglas Macgregor was of the prove it to me school in terms of seeing if this gambit amounted to a meaningful step forward. If you read the Trump statement and the recap of the phone call from Putins aide Yury Ushakov, reproduced in full from the Kremlin site at the end of this post, there is indeed much less here than the excited reactions would have you believe. Importantly, the Ushakov remarks make clear that the much-ballyhooed idea of a next summit was discussed but not agreed by the Russian side. Recall also that Trump just claimed in a call with Modi that Modi had agreed to stop importing Russian oil. India issued a tortured-so-as-apparently-not-to-call-Trump-a-liar denial.

As well review, the practical significance of this call and follow-up meetings appears more to be to buy both Trump and Putin more room for maneuver domestically. A related element of significance is that the call mildly disproves the recent din of criticism in Russia, even by the Russian Foreign Ministry, that the process that Putin attempted to get started in the Alaska summit was dead. That has been to confirm the argument by hardliners who are apparently getting much the broader public that Putin has been way too soft in his prosecution of the Ukraine war and vis-a-vis Trump, that Russia should quit fooling around with pretending that there is any point in talking to the West, and the only resolution to the war is a military one. Even though yours truly does not follow the Russian press, even at this considerable remove, it has been apparent that the Russian media, including even Putins favorite Pavel Zarubin, has been questioning Putin aggressively on this topic, which is out of character for the press pool.

However, this does not change the fact that there will be no negotiated settlement to this war, absent negotiation being Russia allowing Ukraine to get some very mild softening of a capitulation agreement or perhaps some negotiation with a successor regime in rump Ukraine after the current one decamps to set up a government in exile. There is no overlap between the Russian and the Ukraine/US/EU position. Ukraine and most of the European states will not accept a neutral Ukraine and in particular, a commitment that it not eveh join NATO (or a militarized EU as way to evade the requirement). Ukraine has autonomy; the US cannot do a deal with Russia over Ukraines head. Admittedly, the US could compel Ukraine to fall into line by cutting off all intelligence but Congress would not tolerate that. Recall Lindsey Graham threatened Trump with the claim that he had 80 votes, as in more than enough to prevail in an impeachment trial, for his bone-crushing sanctions. Graham can presumably round up the same suspects again.

If you look at the Alaska summit, it did accomplish two small things. First, Putin did manage to persuade Trump to drop his insistence on ceasefire first, negotions next. Keep in mind that this is a process issue, and not a substance (what does a peace amount to?) issue. As skeptics correctly pointed out, this looked simply like a gambit for Ukraine to regroup and attempt to rearm.

Second, recall that right before the Alaska gathering was set up, Trump was under very heavy pressure by Graham and Richard Blumenthal to impose those bone crushing secondary sanctions on nations that traded in Russian oil, which would kill trade with China and many others stone cold dead. Trump may have believed other nations might knuckle under but was in the process of finding with India that they were a backfire. So the summit also allowed him to hold off the demands of the Russia hawks. Buying time was productive. First, it became evident at least to some that they had failed with India. Second, the Trump team finally came up with its show-stopper: it would impose them only if the EU did too. Their refusal enabled Trump to wave off Grahams and Blumenthals demands.

Recall that the new escalatory demand has been for the US to equip Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles. The pretense that little green men other than Americans can operate them is even more ludicrous than with other US systems.

Even though experts have debunked five ways to Sunday whether this can even be done. One of many issues: to keep the pretense is that Ukraine is operating the missiles, it would need to be a ground-launched system. The only one that maybe exists now is ginormous and Russia could almost certainly destroy the platform. On top of that wee problem, there are too few missiles to make any difference. See Black Mountain Analysis for an exhaustive analysis of the general issue.

However, this step is massively provocative as a mere idea. Tomahawks are nuclear capable. Even if Russia is absolutely certain none of the Tomahawks fired at it were nuclear-equipped, it cannot allow this precedent. Putin and others have been walking the line of not getting hair-on-fire about this (which would embolden the many nutters in the US and NATO states) while trying to convey that this would be a Very Bad idea.

Putin appears to have made progress on that front in his conversation:

One phone call and Tomahawk Missiles are off the table and Trump is hustling to Budapest to meet with Putin. pic.twitter.com/tkU2qLKbIg  Maine (@TheMaineWonk) October 16, 2025

And the mere timing of the call is a kick in the head to Zelensky, who is in Washington today to demand those Tomahawks. From the BBC:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday, as Trump weighs whether to arm Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep into Russia.

Of course, Zelensky tried spinning that Russia was operating from weakness. From the same account:

As Zelensky arrived in the US, his third visit since January, he said Moscow was rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks.

But we need to step back and look at the bigger context of the on-again, off again US-Russia talks. Since meetings started in Istanbul, Russia has been trying to get the US to negotiate in a grown-up manner, as in a way that will produce adequate understanding between the two sides so as to lead to detailed agreements that both sides can and will respect.

Here I fail to understand why Russia bothers, save to somewhat reverse the very bad baseline between the two nations. The US has established repeatedly and consistently that it is utterly untrustworthy. So unless the Russian side are idiots, the purpose here is not to reach an agreement, but to improve communications and somewhat reduce the level of misunderstanding and friction, particularly so as to avoid a nuclear war (remember every war game the US has played out between the US and Russia has ended in a nuclear conflagration).

Russia has proposed that each side pursue three tracks and had identified what each team should pursue. When criticized that this was all too low-level, Russia had even offered to deploy more senior officials (even though its team actually was heavyweight; the US suffers from Big Man syndrome, as so apparently anyone less that foreign minister Lavrov will not do).

It was evident that the US was not prepared to do anything. Russia has some initial demands, including returning its impermissibly seized US diplomatic property and re-opening direct flights. The failure to do either points to US unseriousness and/or considerable bureaucratic opposition. I would keep an eye on those two matters as indictors of whether this new initiative is getting anywhere.

Now with that background, where do things actually stand? First from Trump:

So Trump admits to making a shape of the table concession to Putin, that there will be lower level discussions first, albeit not all that much lower, before a summit.

Given the US pattern of not preparing for discussions, I would not hold my breath about progress being made quickly. Putin has said he was always willing to meet with Trump if groundwork were laid. One has to wonder what Steve Witkoff said in his three hours in person at the Kremlin to get Putin to relent and commit to the Alaska summit. It took Witkoff five hours to tee up this conversation.

As you can see from Ushakovs summary below, Putin has not yet agreed to a summit:

In this context, it is worthy of note that the presidents discussed the possibility of holding another personal meeting. This is indeed a very significant development. It was agreed that representatives of both countries would immediately begin preparations for the summit, which could potentially be organised in Budapest, for instance.

Notice the inconsistent tone: immediately teeing up an even that is merely a possibility. The squaring of that circle may simply be getting some national leader to agree to be a host if and when things progress. In keeping, Putinss spokesman Dmitry Peskov is talking down timing expectations. From TASS in Putin-Trump meeting to be prepared gradually, many issues to be resolved  Kremlin:

Preparations for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump will be in several stages, as the leaders of diplomatic agencies are working on resolving a large number of issues, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press briefing, replying to a question by TASS. The thing is that the issue will be worked out by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Secretary of State Rubio, the Kremlin official noted. First, they will have a phone conversation and meet, and hold discussions on the topic, begin discuss all issues, he noted. There are a lot of issues  it is necessary to determine negotiating teams, Peskov said. Everything will be in stages, he added.

As to Budapest, perhaps Putin was too polite to point out in real time, assuming Trump suggested Hungary on the call, that Trump is map-challenged:

It is still not known how Putin intends to get to Budapest for a potential summit, considering that Hungary is a landlocked county and all of the countries surrounding it would probably refuse to allow an aircraft operated by the Russian Government, especially one carrying Putin, https://t.co/BL3kSk4cnA pic.twitter.com/5MzJ06VKlQ  OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 16, 2025

And this is just tacky:

It is noteworthy that one of the US Presidents key arguments centred on the premise that the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine would open up tremendous  and he stressed this  tremendous prospects for the development of US-Russian economic cooperation.

Those impatient with the progress of the conflict may be frustrated that these talks will help Putin in slow-walking the war, which is what they believe he has been doing. But one has to note that even before this call, Mark Sleboda, who has been the most accurate English-speaking commentator in projecting how it would advance, is now discussing Russian operations continuing into 2027. Of course, that pre-supposes no collapse, which could come about due to the electricity war, as opposed to the pace of operations in the east.

However, recall that to Trumps considerable anger, Russia did not slow its conduct of the war after the Alaska gathering. But there is a case to be made for Russia continuing to (merely) attrit Ukraine. We are seeing government in Europe start to break under the pressure of hysterical demands for more guns as opposed to butter as standards of living are already falling due to the reverberating impact of the rejection of cheap Russian gas. A right wing as in not-keen-about-fighting Russia coalition under Andrej Babis is forming a new government in the Czech Republic. Macron is a dead man walking in France. It is an open question as to whether he can hold off calling Parliamentary election until his term ends in May 2027, but both the left and Rassemblement Nationale are against more spending for Project Ukraine. The longer the war continues, the more EU member states will go into revolt. So as much as patience is maddening, there is method to this madness.

____

From the Kremlin website, Commentary by Aide to the President of Russia Yury Ushakov following a telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and President of the United States Donald Trump:

Aide to the President of Russia Yury Ushakov: Colleagues,

Today in the afternoon, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation, the eighth one, with US President Donald Trump.

The conversation lasted almost two and a half hours. Clearly, it was a rather substantive and at the same time very open and frank exchange.

Our President started out by congratulating Donald Trump on his successful efforts to normalise the situation in the Gaza Strip. The US Presidents peace work has been duly appreciated in the Middle East, in the United States itself, and in most countries around the world.

Naturally, the Russian side outlined its principled position in favour of a comprehensive Middle East settlement on a generally recognised international legal basis that would ensure lasting peace for all the peoples in that region.

A special emphasis during the conversation was placed on the Ukraine crisis. Vladimir Putin provided a detailed assessment of the current situation, stressing Russias interest in achieving a peaceful resolution through political and diplomatic methods.

In particular, it was noted that during the special military operation, the Russian Armed Forces hold full strategic initiative along the entire line of contact. Under these circumstances, the Kiev regime resorts to terrorist methods, attacking civilian targets and energy infrastructure facilities, to which we are forced to respond accordingly.

Donald Trump repeatedly emphasised the imperative of establishing peace in Ukraine at the earliest opportunity. The notion that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has proven the most intractable issue in all peacekeeping efforts of the US President was palpably evident throughout his remarks during the conversation. In this context, he naturally mentioned his successes in settling eight other regional conflicts.

It is noteworthy that one of the US Presidents key arguments centred on the premise that the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine would open up tremendous  and he stressed this  tremendous prospects for the development of US-Russian economic cooperation.

Incidentally, both sides spoke of the profound mutual affinity between the peoples of the two countries, which was so vividly demonstrated during the Second World War. It was underscored that the current state of bilateral relations appears paradoxical against this backdrop.

The issue of potential supplies of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine was also raised. Vladimir Putin reiterated his position that Tomahawks would not change the situation on the battlefield but would inflict substantial damage to relations between our countries, to say nothing of the prospects for a peaceful settlement.

In this context, it is worthy of note that the presidents discussed the possibility of holding another personal meeting. This is indeed a very significant development. It was agreed that representatives of both countries would immediately begin preparations for the summit, which could potentially be organised in Budapest, for instance.

On a separate note, it should be mentioned that our President highly praised personal efforts of the First Lady of the United States Melania Trump in reuniting Russian and Ukrainian children with their families and asked the US President to convey his very best wishes to his spouse.

Overall, I would say that the telephone contact between the presidents of Russia and the United States was quite useful, and the two leaders agreed to maintain contact.

Thank you for the attention.
Yves here. The fact that Pritzker is resorting to threats in response to ICE thuggery is a sad testament to the state of the rule of law and political will in the US. There seem to be far too few ways to impede the Trump abuses, save the Dems returning to power, which is not at all a given, even assuming we still have elections.

By Jon Queally, staff writer at Common Dreams. Originally published at Common Dreams

Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is warning top lieutenants of President Donald Trumps violent and unlawful immigration enforcement policies that they will not always have the protection of presidential immunity and that lawmakers in the future will seek to hold them to account for their behavior, including unlawful orders given at the behest of the president.

With episodes of violent raids, unlawful search and seizures, and the mistreatment of immigrants, protesters, journalists, and everyday citizens, Pritzker, in a Thursday evening interview on MSNBC, specifically named White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, border czar Tom Homan, and Gregory Bovino, the Customs and Border Patrol commander operating in the Chicago area, as people whose actions will not be forgotten.

Pritzker: "Stephen Miller is clearly ordering people to break the law. So he should know that yeah, it may be three years from now that he is held accountable, but I think it's important for them to know that whatever they do now, it's not like we're going to forget. pic.twitter.com/ExpdyijtnO  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 17, 2025

Pritzker said that all the people serving the president, including all the way down to ICE agents, can be held accountable when theres a change in administration thats willing to hold them accountable when they break the law.

Calling out Miller in particular, the governor charged that the xenophobic Trump advisor, who has been a leading champion and director of the harsh crackdown measures and federal deployments in Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Chicago, and elsewhere, has clearly ordering people to break the law.

Critics and legal experts have said the deployments themselves are unconstitutional, and the heavy-handed tactics of agents have resulted in numerous violations of civil liberties and constitutional protections.

Miller should know, said Pritzker, that it may be three years from now that he is held accountable, but I think its important for them to know that whatever they do now, its not like were going to forget and its not like we dont have a record of what theyre doing.

On Thursday, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee Rep. Jeremy Raskin (D-Md.) led a letter from Democrats on the committee demanding that the Trump administration immediately end its unlawful and violent enforcement campaign in the Chicagoland region, warning that the Administrations actions are undermining public safety, violating constitutional rights, and destabilizing communities.

According to a statement from Raskins office:

For months, personnel from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have employed military-style tactics in enforcement operations across Chicago, spreading fear, chaos, and violence. Such extreme enforcement tactics have only escalated since the Administrations announcement of Operation Midway Blitz in September. In early October, President Trump went further, federalized the National Guardover the objections of Illinois Governor JB Pritzkerand ordered troops to Illinois to enable these unlawful and unconstitutional assaults on Chicagoland residents. In October alone, DHS personnel have shot two people and publicly advanced self-serving narratives that were immediately contradicted by body camera and surveillance footage, handcuffed an Alderperson at a hospital checking on the welfare of a constituent being detained by ICE, indiscriminately deployed tear gas in front of a public school and against civilians and local law enforcement, placed a handcuffed man on the ground in a chokehold, shot a pastor in the head with a pepper ball, thrown flashbang grenades at civilians, and raided an entire apartment complex and reportedly zip-tied U.S. citizens, children, and military veterans for hours.

In a letter addressed to Trump, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Todd Lyons, the 18 Democratic members of the committee, including Rep. Jesus Chuy Garcia, who represents the Chicagoland district, said, The Administration claims the mantle of law and order, yet its actions in the Chicagoland area demonstrate it is a catalyst for lawlessness and dysfunction.

Violently abusing residents, kidnapping parents and children and disappearing them into detention facilities without access to basic necessities, and illegally deploying the militaryagainst a great American city, the letter continues, does nothing to make anyone saferin fact, it jeopardizes the safety and well-being of every community members.

Demanding a halt to the attacks by federal agents in Chicago, the lawmakers said [t]he American people want a common- sense approach to public safety and immigration, not violent tactics that traumatize and destabilize communities. They want leadership, not theater. We urge you to step back from the brink and use your positions to enhance public safety, instead of undermining it.
The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission unanimously approved an appeal from charter school group Rocketship to open a fourth charter next year in the La Vergne area. The Rutherford County Schools Board denied Rocketships bid in July, as members were wary of the schools finances and curriculum, as well as potential oversaturation.

Gov. Bill Lee set up the state commission in 2019 as part of his offices push to expand charter schools in Tennessee. The commission has the power to overrule decisions made by local education authorities like school boards, which review applications for proposed schools proposed in their districts. Charters often clash with traditional public school systems and draw from the same student population. According to its 1,075-page application, the new Rocketship school aims to enroll 250 students in its first year in kindergarten through fourth grade, and 600 by its fifth school year  at which point it would expand to include fifth grade.

+3 Charter Territory: State Overreach Is Shaping the Education Landscape Looking at the politics and the impact of school choice in Tennessee

Rutherford County has experienced tremendous growth in the past decade. Two charter schools  American Classical Academy Rutherford and Springs Empower Academy  opened in the 2024 school year in the Smyrna and La Vergne area near the border of Davidson and Rutherford counties. Some RCS board members are wary another charter could oversaturate the area.

The board evaluated Rocketships application at a July 22 meeting and expressed prohibitive concerns, citing Rocketships spotty track record at three schools it currently runs in Davidson County and a lack of community support in Rutherford County.

After a denial from RCS, Rocketship appealed to the state commission on Aug. 1. Supportive Rocketship families  including many Davidson County residents  spoke at a Sept. 19 community meeting in Rutherford County convened by the state commission. Rocketship has also advertised to parents like Tonya Moore at area day cares.

I wrote a letter of support for the school after I met them at my daughters day care, Moore tells the Scene. They explained the child-teacher ratio and other details, and I thought it would be a better fit for my son, whos currently in a Rutherford County public school.

Rocketship won unanimous approval from commissioners at the TPCSCs Oct. 16 meeting.

More than 50 parents attended the Commissions public hearing, and 174 individuals submitted written comments supporting our appeal  a reflection of the strong community demand for the high-quality, personalized education Rocketship offers, reads a media statement from Dr. Eric Dailey, executive director of Rocketship Public Schools Tennessee. Their advocacy exemplifies the power of parent partnership thats at the heart of Rocketships mission. Were excited to partner with them to create an elementary school where every child is given the opportunity to unleash their full potential.
Chinas strategic land purchases near U.S. military bases raise national security alarms

Former Trump national security official David Feith warns Chinese-owned farmland near U.S. military installations could be exploited for espionage or sabotage.

States like South Dakota, Texas and Florida have enacted bans on foreign land purchases near sensitive sites, but federal gaps remain.

The Treasury Department seeks to expand CFIUS oversight to include land within 100 miles of 19 major bases, but loopholes persist.

Chinese-linked firms, compelled by Beijings intelligence laws, pose risks even through seemingly benign agricultural or crypto-mining operations.

The Fufeng Groups blocked North Dakota corn mill near Grand Forks Air Force Base exemplifies growing bipartisan security concerns.

Chinas accelerating acquisitions of U.S. farmlandparticularly near military installationshave triggered bipartisan national security concerns, with experts warning these holdings could be exploited for espionage or even acts of sabotage. Former Trump administration official David Feith, who served on the National Security Council, recently highlighted the risks in a 60 Minutes interview, pointing to Beijings strategic positioning of agricultural and industrial assets close to sensitive defense sites.

The issue gained urgency after North Dakota officials blocked Chinas Fufeng Group from constructing a corn mill near Grand Forks Air Force Base in 2023, following Air Force warnings of a "significant threat to national security." While Chinese entities own only a fraction of U.S. farmland (roughly 277,000 acres out of 45 million foreign-held acres), proximity mattersand federal oversight remains fragmented.

State vs. federal patchwork leaves gaps

While 29 states have enacted restrictions on foreign land purchases, enforcement varies. South Dakota, Texas and Florida have taken aggressive steps, citing warnings from Brigadier General Robert Spalding about Chinas potential for "economic espionage and infrastructure sabotage." Yet jurisdictional overlaps create confusionas seen when Fufeng evaded USDA reporting rules for years before facing penalties.

The Treasury Departments proposed CFIUS expansion aims to close gaps by covering land within 100 miles of 19 critical bases. However, loopholes persistsuch as the Nongfu Spring purchase in Nashua, which bypassed CFIUS scrutiny under foreign property laws.

Beyond farmland: Crypto mines and cyber risks

Feith also raised alarms over Chinese-backed cryptocurrency mining operations, which consume massive electricity and often sit near military sites. In 2024, President Biden forced a Chinese firm to dismantle a crypto mine near Wyomings Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, home to nuclear missiles.

Feith believes these data centers could be used for gathering intelligence or to sabotage the electrical grid. "They're effectively enormous and enormously powerful data centers. The first threat they pose is for intelligence collection. And the second threat is that they can sabotage the power grid because they draw so much power," Feith warned, noting Chinas National Intelligence Law mandates corporate cooperation with state espionage.

A longstanding vulnerability

The U.S. has long grappled with foreign exploitation of economic investments for strategic gain. During the Cold War, Soviet front companies infiltrated Western industriesa tactic now mirrored by China. The 2023 Fufeng controversy echoes past clashes, such as the 1980s uproar over Japanese purchases of iconic U.S. assets like Rockefeller Center. But unlike Japan, Chinas Communist Party wields direct control over its corporations, blurring the line between private enterprise and state-backed threats.

A call for unified defense

As states scramble to fill federal gaps, experts urge cohesive action. Feiths warnings underscore a stark reality: Americas adversaries no longer need traditional warfare to inflict damage. From drone strikes to cyberattacks, modern conflicts can be waged through seemingly innocuous assetslike farmland or data centers.

The question now is whether Washington can unify its defenses before Beijing turns these holdings into a battlefield.

Securing the homeland

The race to safeguard U.S. soil from foreign exploitation is intensifying. While state-level bans mark progress, only a coordinated federal strategybolstered by CFIUS reforms and stricter transparencycan fully neutralize the threat. As Feith cautioned, the next attack may not come from a missile, but from a cornfield.

Sources for this article include:

YourNews.com

CBSNews.com

CBS17.com
A fractured celebration: Hostages return home to Israel as political blame game erupts

The final 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas were returned to their families, providing a moment of national relief for Israel. However, this joy was mixed with sorrow, as the deal also included the return of the bodies of 28 hostages who died in captivity.

The hostages' freedom was secured through a highly uneven exchange, with Israel releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. This type of deal is a recurring and painful feature of the conflict, and it immediately became a major point of political controversy within Israel.

The successful rescue did not unite the country politically. Instead, it exposed a government at war with itself. Prime Minister Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners fiercely opposed the deal, arguing it rewards Hamas and harms Israeli security. They and other critics used the moment to attack the government's war strategy.

Opposition leaders celebrated the hostages' return but pointedly refused to praise the government. They pushed a narrative that "the people," not the political leadership, were responsible for bringing the hostages home, with some explicitly stating the government had abandoned them.

While 20 Israeli families were reunited, the underlying tensions were not resolved. The political infighting, the celebratory Palestinian prisoner releases in the West Bank and protests in Israel's parliament all highlight that the fundamental disagreements over the war's goals, its human cost and the future path remain completely unresolved.

A long-awaited moment of national relief swept through Israel this week as the final 20 living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were returned to their families.

The emotional reunions, however, unfolded against a backdrop of deep political division, with lawmakers immediately using the event to settle scores over the government's war policy and the controversial price paid for the captives freedom.

The deal, which also secured the return of the bodies of 28 hostages who died in captivity, was brokered in exchange for a massive release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. This lopsided exchange, a painful but recurring feature of the conflict, has become a flashpoint, revealing a governing coalition at war with itself even in a moment of triumph.

While political figures from across the spectrum publicly celebrated the hostages' return, the unity was superficial. The cabinet's decision to approve the deal passed despite fierce opposition from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners, who argued that releasing Palestinian prisoners rewards Hamas and endangers Israeli security.

Their celebratory messages were therefore layered with defiance. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, one of the deal's most vocal opponents, posted a brief biblical verse on social media as the hostages crossed back into Israel.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, another staunch critic, released a video from the Western Wall expressing joy but offering no credit to the government he serves. The criticism was not confined to the far-right.

From within Netanyahu's own Likud party, MK Amit Halevi broke ranks to call the hostage release "humiliating." He argued that the nation should have lowered its flags to half-mast, declaring that Israel should not rest until achieving the "complete annihilation" of Hamas and restoring Israeli control over Gaza, rather than engaging in what he deemed a sugar-coated celebration that ignores the war's failures.

This sentiment was echoed by Settlements Minister Orit Strock, who used the moment of the hostages' return to directly address President Donald Trump on social media. She urged him not to be swayed by the emotional homecoming and to remain committed to the full demilitarization and dismantling of Hamas, insisting that soldiers did not fight and die merely for the return of hostages.

The opposition's pointed omission

Leaders of the opposition were jubilant but notably withheld any praise for the government. Their statements highlighted a narrative that the people, not the leadership, were responsible for bringing the hostages home.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote emotionally about the return of "our children," while Benny Gantz of the Blue and White party called it a "true victory" but credited "the fighters" first and foremost.

The most explicit criticism came from Yair Golan of the left-wing Democrats party, who stated bluntly that while the government abandoned them, "the people brought them back." He vowed to continue the struggle to replace the current leadership.

This political infighting underscores the fragile state of Netanyahus government. The return of the hostages, a central stated goal of the two-year military campaign, has not solidified his position but instead provided ammunition for his rivals on all sides to attack his strategy and leadership.

2,000 Palestinian prisoners return to cheers

The other side of the exchange saw nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees freed from Israeli prisons. The released individuals were placed on buses and transported to Gaza and the West Bank, where they were met by cheering crowds and emotional reunions with family and friends. Some were also sent abroad, effectively forced into exile.

The group included several individuals convicted of deadly attacks and serving long sentences, though a significant portion had been detained without formal charges during the recent years of conflict. For Palestinians, the prisoner release is a moment of profound significance, a tangible victory in a war that has brought immense devastation to Gaza.

The event also spilled over into a confrontation during Trump's speech at the Knesset. Arab-Israeli MK Ayman Odeh was removed from the plenum after holding up a sign urging Trump to "recognize Palestine." Odeh later defended his actions, stating that his joy over the hostage release was "mixed with pain due to the "terrible crimes" committed during the war.

The simultaneous events, the joyful return of Israeli hostages, the release of Palestinian prisoners and the political theatrics in the Knesset, paint a picture of a nation and a conflict as divided as ever.

While 20 families finally have their loved ones back, the underlying tensions over the war's objectives, its human cost and the path forward remain completely unresolved, ensuring that the political battle over this war is far from over.

BrightU.AI's Enoch AI engine explains that Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners fiercely opposed the deal because agreeing to such a lopsided prisoner exchange rewarded Hamas and ultimately harmed Israel's long-term security. The deal was seen as highly uneven, with Israel releasing a very large number of Palestinian prisoners for a small number of Israeli hostages.

Watch this clip as Trump announces the Israel-Hamas peace deal.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TimesOfIsrael.com

APNews.com

NPR.org

BrightU.AI

Brighteon.com
Hong Kong to deploy 60,000 AI-powered surveillance cameras by 2028

Hong Kong plans to deploy 60,000 AI-powered surveillance cameras by 2028 a 15x increaseequipped with facial recognition, crowd analysis and suspect tracking, drastically escalating government monitoring capabilities.

Unlike the current 4,000 CCTV cameras (used mainly for license plates and crowds), the new system focuses on identifying individuals, raising concerns about privacy erosion under Beijing ' s tightening control since the 2020 National Security Law.

The plan aligns with mainland China ' s AI-driven surveillance, used to suppress dissent, enforce lockdowns and track minorities. Critics warn of "mission creep", where safeguards (like privacy impact assessments) are weakly enforced, enabling broader repression.

While cities like London and New York use mass surveillance, Hong Kong ' s aggressive AI integrationsupplied by firms like Huawei and Hikvisionsignals deeper alignment with Beijing ' s authoritarian tech policies, further chilling free speech and assembly.

The surveillance net tests Hong Kong ' s remaining civil liberties, as critics fear it will be weaponized like China ' s Social Credit Systemrestricting jobs, travel and dissent under the guise of "crime prevention."

Hong Kong is set to become one of the most heavily monitored cities in the world, with plans to deploy 60,000 AI-powered surveillance cameras by 2028a fifteenfold increase from its current network.

The phased rollout, detailed in recent legislative filings, will integrate facial recognition, crowd analysis and suspect tracking, marking a significant escalation in the city's surveillance capabilities. While authorities emphasize compliance with privacy laws, critics warn of the risks to civil liberties, particularly under the shadow of Beijing's tightening control since the 2020 National Security Law.

Hong Kong's existing SmartView program operates fewer than 4,000 CCTV cameras, primarily used for license plate recognition and crowd monitoring. The new initiative, however, shifts focus toward identifying individualsa capability police officials say will "naturally" emerge as the network expands. Legislative documents confirm the cameras will be equipped for facial recognition and automated image processing, though activation requires privacy impact assessments under the Personal Data Ordinance.

"The scale mirrors mainland China's pervasive surveillance infrastructure, where AI-driven systems monitor everything from jaywalking to political dissent," BrightU.AI's Enoch notes. Hong Kong's trajectory suggests a similar model, with 20,000 cameras added annually in high-traffic and high-crime areas. Cloud-based analytics will enable real-time threat detection, raising questions about how "necessity and proportionality" will be enforced in practice.

Privacy safeguards or window dressing?

Government filings stress adherence to legal constraints, including public notification and limits on data retention. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data mandates assessments before biometric tools are activated, but skeptics argue such measures offer thin protection.

"The framework exists, but enforcement is the issue," said a Hong Kong-based digital rights advocate, speaking anonymously due to fear of reprisal. "Once the infrastructure is built, mission creep is inevitable."

The push follows a 2025 target to enable facial recognition in 3,000 camerasnow dwarfed by the 2028 plan. While officials insist the system will combat crime, parallels to China's Social Credit System fuel concerns. In mainland cities, AI surveillance has been used to suppress protests, track minorities and enforce lockdowns. Hong Kong's unique legal statusonce a bastion of civil libertiesmakes this expansion a litmus test for autonomy under Beijing's rule.

Global context and the future of urban surveillance

Hong Kong's plan reflects a global trend: London, Moscow and New York already deploy tens of thousands of cameras, though few integrate AI as aggressively. The shift raises ethical debates about mass monitoring's trade-offs. Proponents argue it deters crime; opponents cite chilling effects on free assembly and speech.

The 2028 rollout also underscores Hong Kong's alignment with mainland tech policies. Firms like Huawei and Hikvision supply AI surveillance systems worldwide, but their adoption in Hong Kong carries political symbolism. After the National Security Law's passage, dissidents and journalists have faced heightened scrutiny. A citywide surveillance net could further erode dissent.

Hong Kong's AI surveillance expansion represents a technological leap with profound implications for privacy and autonomy. While framed as a crime-fighting tool, its scale and capabilities evoke China's Orwellian controls. As cameras proliferate, the city's challenge will be balancing security with rightsa test it may no longer have the power to fail.

Watch the video below that talks about safety vs. sacrificing privacy.

This video is from the wowzatv channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

ReclaimTheNet.org 1

PCPD.org.hk

ReclaimTheNet.or 2

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com
Pentagon races to stockpile $1 billion in critical minerals amid Chinas export stranglehold

China controls 70 percent of global rare earth production and 90 percent of processing, leveraging its dominance to impose export restrictions on critical minerals like gallium and germanium  essential for U.S. defense tech and green energy.

The Defense Logistics Agency under the Department of War is rushing to secure $500M in cobalt (batteries/jet engines), $245M in antimony (explosives/nuclear reactors), $100M in tantalum (electronics/defense systems) and $45M in scandium (military-grade alloys).

President Trump announced 100 percent tariffs on Chinese imports (effective Nov. 1) and pushed the OBBA Act ($7.5B for domestic mining). Former President Biden halted Trump-era mining projects, deepening U.S. reliance on China.

China's export curbs caused germanium prices to spike and antimony costs to double, alongside auto sector shortages. Pentagon's stockpiling may strain global supplies (e.g., 222 tons of indium sought  nearly U.S. annual consumption).

The Pentagon is exploring deep-sea mining as a counter to China, but without domestic production, the U.S. remains vulnerable to China's "resource warfare"forcing a race to secure materials before China "turns off the tap."

The U.S. Department of War is scrambling to secure $1 billion in rare earth minerals and critical metals as China tightens its export controls, threatening to choke off America's supply of materials essential for advanced weaponry, electronics and green energy technologies. The move underscores the escalating trade war between Washington and Beijing, one that President Donald Trump has vowed to counter with aggressive tariffs and domestic mining revitalization.

China currently controls 70 percent of global rare earth production and 90 percent of processing capacity, giving it unprecedented leverage over the U.S. defense and tech sectors. Last week, Beijing imposed sweeping export restrictions on gallium, germanium and other strategic minerals, citing national security concerns.

BrightU.AI's Enoch engine defines export restrictions as government-imposed regulations that limit or prohibit the shipment of goods, services, or technology out of a country. These restrictions serve various purposes, including protecting national security, preserving domestic resources, preventing the spread of dangerous technologies, or enforcing international trade agreements.

In response, Trump announced a 100 percent tariff on Chinese imports starting Nov. 1, declaring on Truth Social: "There is no way that China should be allowed to hold the world 'captive.'" The Financial Times (FT) reports that the War Department's Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is now rushing to stockpile cobalt, antimony, tantalum and scandium  materials critical for fighter jets, missile systems and semiconductors.

According to Pentagon filings, the DLA is seeking:

$500 million in cobalt (essential for lithium-ion batteries and jet engines)

$245 million in antimony (used in explosives and nuclear reactors)

$100 million in tantalum (vital for electronics and defense systems)

$45 million in scandium (strengthens military-grade aluminum alloys)

A former defense official told the FT: "They're definitely looking for more, and they're doing it in a deliberate and expansive way." Market analysts were stunned by the Pentagon's aggressive procurement targets, with Cristina Belda of Argus Media noting that "many consider the quantities to be unrealistic, especially within the proposed five-year timeframe."

China holds America's military technology hostage with critical mineral ban

Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) allocates $7.5 billion for critical mineral stockpiling and domestic mining projects. Yet, the Biden administration halted Trump-era efforts to revive U.S. rare earth production, leaving America dependent on China.

One sector executive told the FT: "These moves show the government is conscious of how critical this stuff is and wants to support whatever domestic capacity they have." The Pentagon is also exploring deep-sea mining in the Pacific for nickel, cobalt and manganese  another strategic counter to China's dominance.

China's export curbs have already sent prices soaring:

Germanium prices spiked this year.

Antimony trioxide nearly doubled in 12 months.

Automakers face shortages due to rare earth export controls.

Analysts warn that the Pentagon's stockpiling could strain global supply chains. Solomon Cefai of Fastmarkets noted that the sought-after volumes of bismuth and indium were significant enough to potentially constrain non-China supply. For example, the DLA wants 222 tons of indium ingotsnearly matching the entire U.S. annual consumption of 250 tons.

China's rare earth stranglehold is a geopolitical weapon, and Trump's administration is racing to break free. But with Biden's policies dismantling domestic mining efforts, America remains vulnerable. The War Department's $1 billion stockpile push is just the beginning, a desperate bid to secure America's military and technological future before China turns off the tap.

Watch the video below about China shutting down export of a critical metal to America.

This video is from the Liberty and Finance channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

RT.com

TheStraitsTimes.com

BrightU.ai

Mining.com

Brighteon.com
Poland warns it is at the limit for accepting Ukrainian refugees

Poland announces it has reached its limit for accepting Ukrainian refugees.

The nation will now focus on integrating the 1.5 million Ukrainians already there.

Public support has declined from the initial wave of solidarity in 2022.

The new president vetoed a bill to extend benefits for refugees.

Despite political friction, studies show refugees are a net economic positive.

After three years of extraordinary generosity, Poland is signaling it has reached a breaking point. The nation, which opened its doors to millions fleeing Russias invasion, now says its capacity to welcome more Ukrainian refugees is exhausted. A top presidential official warns that the focus must shift to integrating the large population already within its borders, a challenge that is testing the nations social and economic fabric.

Marcin Przydacz, head of Polands Presidential Office of International Affairs, delivered the sober assessment in a recent interview. "Poland cannot constantly accept Ukrainian refugees because Warsaw should focus on the integration and adaptation of people already staying in Poland," Przydacz stated. He revealed that approximately 1.5 million Ukrainian citizens currently live in Poland.

The official warned that the sheer scale of the influx is creating social challenges. He noted that "separate migrant districts" are forming, a sign of strained integration efforts. "When the scale exceeds the capacity of inculturation, problems begin," Przydacz said. "We dont want such problems in Poland. I think were already at the limit  we cant accept any more."

This shift in policy reflects a broader change in public mood. In the early months of the 2022 invasion, Polish support for Ukrainians was overwhelming, with volunteers providing food, shelter, and a warm welcome. Recent polling, however, shows a significant decline in that initial wave of solidarity.

A long-term population

Compounding the integration challenge is data suggesting most refugees are in Poland to stay. A new study from Germanys Ifo Institute found that just 3 percent of Ukrainian refugees in Europe would return to their home country in the most pessimistic post-war scenario. The vast majority view territorial integrity and Western security guarantees as prerequisites for return.

The political landscape in Poland is adapting to this public fatigue. During the recent presidential campaign, candidates across the spectrum have adopted tougher stances on refugee benefits. Conservative candidate Karol Nawrocki, who ultimately won the election, vowed to prioritize Polish citizens for medical services and schools, championing a "Poland first" approach.

Following through on his campaign promise, President Nawrocki recently vetoed legislation that would have prolonged benefits for Ukrainian refugees. "We remain open to providing assistance to Ukrainian citizens  that hasnt changed," Nawrocki said in a statement. "But after three and a half years, our law should be amended." He argued against the "privileged treatment of citizens of other countries."

Economic contributions versus social friction

The government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized the veto, with the labour minister calling it a failure of "human decency." The move highlights a legislative deadlock between the new president and the government, complicating future aid for both refugees and Ukraine itself.

Despite the rising political tensions, studies indicate that Ukrainian refugees have been a net positive for the Polish economy. Research from Polands National Development Bank found that Ukrainians contributed more in taxes than they received in benefits, and that their labor was crucial for economic stability. The Ukrainian ambassador to Poland noted that about 70,000 Ukrainian-run businesses now operate in the country.

For the Ukrainians who have built new lives in Poland, the changing atmosphere is palpable. One Ukrainian woman, who asked not to be named, described how sympathetic greetings of "Glory to Ukraine" in 2022 have been replaced, on rare but shocking occasions, with verbal and physical hostility. She worries that such tensions ultimately serve Moscows interests.

The situation in Poland serves as a cautionary tale for nations accepting large refugee populations. The initial moral impulse to help can only be sustained for so long before practical realities and social pressures force a recalibration. For Poland, the era of open-ended welcome is over, replaced by the complex and difficult task of building a cohesive society with the millions who now call it home.

Sources for this article include:

RMX.news

APNews.com

TheGuardian.com
Robot deployment sparks global debate over control, resistance, and existential risks amid depopulation fears

Robot Integration Sparks Dystopian Fears: Autonomous systems in public safety roles alarm activists, who warn of robotic overreach and depopulation agendas. Kill teams target robots, while governments arm police bots, reigniting debates over civil liberties and Terminator-style control.

Autonomous systems in public safety roles alarm activists, who warn of robotic overreach and depopulation agendas. Kill teams target robots, while governments arm police bots, reigniting debates over civil liberties and Terminator-style control. Tech-Driven Mandates and Surveillance: Globalist entities like Bill Gates and WEF allegedly weaponize robots, EVs, and smart grids to enforce mandates and monitor populations. AI could enforce vaccine compliance, fueling off-grid living and gold-backed currency adoption as resistance.

Globalist entities like Bill Gates and WEF allegedly weaponize robots, EVs, and smart grids to enforce mandates and monitor populations. AI could enforce vaccine compliance, fueling off-grid living and gold-backed currency adoption as resistance. Regulatory Collusion and Depopulation Claims: Former spies allege tech firms, pharma, and regulators collude to push depopulation via AI and bioengineered crises. Critics warn systems hijack consent, exploit fear, and destabilize societies for globalist control.

Former spies allege tech firms, pharma, and regulators collude to push depopulation via AI and bioengineered crises. Critics warn systems hijack consent, exploit fear, and destabilize societies for globalist control. Gold Rush as Escape from Fiat Systems: Soaring gold/silver prices reflect distrust in collapsing fiat currencies. Adams links this to systemic instability, noting central banks hoard gold as casinos for elites, while others embrace cryptocurrencies and physical metals.

Soaring gold/silver prices reflect distrust in collapsing fiat currencies. Adams links this to systemic instability, noting central banks hoard gold as casinos for elites, while others embrace cryptocurrencies and physical metals. Ethical Tech Divide: Tool or Tyranny?: While open-source AI like Enoch empowers resistance, misuse risks hacking or mass societal harm. Adams stresses, Robots lack judgmenttheyre tools. The fight is who wields them ethically vs. elites.

The rapid integration of autonomous systems into public safety, surveillance, and enforcement roles has ignited a firestorm of controversy, as decentralized movements and former intelligence insiders warn of a dystopian future intertwined with robotic overreach and depopulation agendas. Vigilante groups, citing fears of a "New World Order" enforced by AI-driven tech, have formed "kill teams" targeting robotic equipment, while governments push to arm police robots with non-lethal deterrentsa move critics liken to "Terminator-style wars" eroding civil liberties.

At the heart of the debate lies a chilling proposition: robots, coupled with EV fleets and smart grids, are being weaponized by globalist entities like Bill Gates ventures and the World Economic Forum to enforce mandates and monitor populations. As one Brighteon podcast host recently noted, robots and AI could soon act as enforcers of vaccine mandates, mirroring a fictional viral parody clip in which robo-officials bark, Citizen, your healthcare compliance is insufficient. Such visions have spurred resistance movements to rally around off-grid living, spike-protein detox protocols, and gold-backed currencies as antidotes to centralized control.

The Rise of Robot Resistance

Decentralized activists argue that robots represent Trojan horses for the Green New World Order, enabling mass surveillance and depopulation through soft kill tactics. These groups emphasize self-sufficiency through permaculture and Faraday cages to counter electromagnetic enslavement. Meanwhile, lawmakers propose arming enforcement robots with non-lethal tools, a move critics decry as a precursor to state-sanctioned violence.

Former intelligence operatives allege collusion between tech firms, pharmaceutical giants, and regulatorsa cycle of regulatory capture enabling AI systems to push depopulation through bioengineered crises. These systems hijack consent, manipulate perception, and pave the way for societal collapse, warns Mike Adams of the Health Ranger Store.

The Gold Rush as a Safety Valve

Amid the chaos, precious metals have surged. Silver has hit 53 an ounce, gold 4,230, as currencies falter and distrust in fiat money deepens. Brighteon founder Mike Adams attributes the surge to systemic collapse fears, noting that central banks stockpile gold as casinos for the wealthy, while the rest of us flee digital debt. The rise in gold ownership reflects a desperate bid to bypass fiat-driven depopulation, aligning with off-grid movements advocating sovereign autonomy.

Techs Double-Edged Sword

Advocates argue AI and robots can empower grassroots resistancee.g., Brighteons open-source Enoch model decentralizes knowledge, countering mainstream misinformation. Yet operational risks are clear: hackers could mind-wipe robots to weaponize them, while accidental malfunctions or malicious actors could spark robot-related violence.

This isnt science fictionits a battle for human mastery over technology, Adams warns. Robots lack judgment; theyre tools. The question is: Who wields them?

The challenge now is stark: Can society navigate the divide between ethical AI use and unchecked corporate-governmental control? With predicted unemployment surges, cybersecurity threats, and existential fears of AI dominance, the fight over robotsand the future they representis far from over.

Watch the Oct. 16 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about human vigilante kill teams will hunt down robots in coming terminator wars.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

AI robots will outsmart and exterminate humansbecause we programmed them

Amazon nears tipping point as robots rival human workforce in warehouses

Urgent Wake-Up Call: The Coming AI Robot Wars and the Great Human Unity

Sources include:

Brighteon.com
Scientists reveal how burrowing CO2 ice blocks carve the surface of Mars

For decades, the scientific establishment has clung to a comforting, water-centric narrative about Mars, one that suggested a warm, wet past ripe for life. But what if the truth is far stranger, a process so alien it doesn't even exist on our own planet? New research is shattering old paradigms, revealing that the enigmatic gullies scarring the Martian dunes are not ancient relics of a watery world but are actively being carved by a violent, explosive process driven by blocks of dry ice. This isn't a slow erosion by water; it's a dynamic, almost living movement of burrowing CO2 ice! This discovery challenges everything we thought we knew about the Red Planet's geology.

Key points:

For twenty years, a scientific debate has persisted regarding the formation of gullies on Martian sand dunes, with a prevailing initial theory pointing to liquid water from a warmer climate.

Recent observations of bright ice formations within the gullies and new experimental evidence have fundamentally shifted this understanding.

Researchers have proven that blocks of solid carbon dioxide (CO2) ice, which form seasonally, break off and tumble down dunes.

A critical process called sublimation, where ice turns directly to gas in Mars's thin atmosphere, causes these blocks to violently displace sand, enabling them to burrow and slide.

This burrowing action, observed in a simulated Martian environment, carves the distinct, sinuous gullies with high levees and terminal pits seen in satellite imagery.

This discovery eliminates the need for liquid water to explain these specific features, reshaping the search for past Martian habitability.

A paradigm shift on the red planet

The story begins with a mystery visible from orbit. The frosted sand dunes of Mars, particularly in its mid-latitudes, are etched with intricate networks of gullieslong, often curving channels with raised banks on the sides and deep pits at their ends. For a long time, the most tantalizing explanation was that these were carved by liquid water, a ghostly signature from an era when Mars might have been more Earth-like. This theory fit neatly into the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life, as water is the one ingredient considered non-negotiable for biology as we know it.

However, science must follow the evidence, even when it leads away from comfortable conclusions. Researchers like Cynthia Dinwiddie of the Southwest Research Institute and Timothy Titus of the U.S. Geological Survey began meticulously analyzing images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. They noticed something that didn't fit the water narrative: bright, ice-like patches within these gullies, suggesting current activity linked to the Martian frost, not a long-lost ancient climate. Their work pointed toward blocks of carbon dioxide ice as the active agents of change. The question remained: how could a block of ice carve such elaborate and persistent features?

The alien physics of sublimating ice

The answer lies in a process that is commonplace on Mars but foreign to our terrestrial experience: sublimation. On Earth, we are familiar with ice melting into liquid water before eventually evaporating into a gas. On Mars, with its incredibly thin atmosphere and surface temperatures that can plummet to minus 120 degrees Celsius, the conditions are perfect for a different transformation. Solid CO2 ice, which forms as a seasonal frost on the dunes, can skip the liquid phase entirely, turning directly from a solid block into a vast volume of carbon dioxide gas.

This phase change is not a gentle one. As Dr. Lonneke Roelofs, an Earth scientist at Utrecht University who led the groundbreaking experimental work, explains, "a kilo of gas requires far more space than the same weight of ice." When a block of this dry ice breaks off and lands on the warmer dune sand, the bottom surface immediately sublimates. The explosive expansion of gas creates a powerful jet, blasting the surrounding sand grains away in all directions. It is this violent, continuous outgassing that provides the mechanism for the ice blocks to sculpt the landscape.

Watching the sandworms of Mars

To prove this theory, Dr. Roelofs and her team had to recreate Mars on Earth. They traveled to the Open University in the UK, which houses a specialized "Mars chamber" capable of simulating the Red Planet's low atmospheric pressure. Inside this chamber, they built simulated dune slopes and released blocks of CO2 ice, observing their behavior with a sense of awe. What they witnessed was a phenomenon straight out of science fiction.

"It felt like I was watching the sandworms in the film Dune," Roelofs says, describing the surreal motion. The block didn't just slide; it began to actively dig. The explosive sublimation underneath the block would blast out a hollow, causing the block to settle in and become trapped. Yet the process wouldn't stop. "The sublimation process continues, and so the sand keeps on being blasted in all directions," she notes. This relentless excavation allows the block to gradually migrate downslope, carving a deep, narrow gully while piling the ejected sand into the distinct, high levees seen in orbital photos. The block continues its bizarre journey until it reaches the bottom of the dune, where it sublimates away completely, leaving behind only the characteristic pit as its final resting place.

This discovery does more than just explain a curious geological feature; it liberates the scientific inquiry into Mars from outdated constraints. It demonstrates that the planet has its own active, unique geology that operates by rules we are only beginning to comprehend. The search for life and water on Mars continues, but it must now be pursued with a clearer understanding of the planet's actual, present-day processes.

Sources include:

Phys.org

OnlineLibrary.wiley.com

Enoch, Brighteon.ai
Sodium-ion battery breakthrough: CATLs latest innovation allows for 300 mile EVs

Sodium-ion batteries, led by innovations from companies like CATL, offer exceptional longevityup to 10,000 charge cyclesand superior performance in extreme temperatures.

The chemistry presents a dramatic safety improvement over lithium-ion, with inherent stability that eliminates the risk of catastrophic fires, a critical flaw in current grid storage and electric vehicle systems.

With sodium being one of the most abundant elements on Earth, this technology bypasses the geopolitical and environmental crises associated with scarce lithium mining, creating a more sustainable and resilient supply chain.

Real-world testing and imminent mass production, including CATL's partnership with Li Auto, signal that sodium-ion is transitioning from a laboratory promise to a commercial reality.

These innovations out of China could put tremendous strain of automakers around the world, many unable to keep up with EV battery innovations.

Conquering the cold and lasting a lifetime

Early sodium-ion prototypes didn't always perform up to par; however, this narrative is now rapidly changing. CATL, the world's largest battery manufacturer, has unveiled its next-generation sodium-ion battery, dubbed Naxtra, which boasts a pure electric range exceeding 500 kilometers (310 miles). Its energy density of 175 Wh/kg is now nipping at the heels of commercial lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, closing the gap that once seemed unbridgeable. But the true superpower of sodium-ion technology may lie in its resilience. The chemistry is remarkably resistant to the ravages of cold, a notorious enemy of lithium-ion performance. Where a lithium battery in a freezing climate can see its charging speed slow to a crawl and its available power plummet, the Naxtra battery retains 90 percent of its usable power even at a brutal -40 C and can achieve an 80 percent charge in just 15 minutes at room temperature.

This toughness translates into an almost unimaginable longevity. CATL projects a lifespan of 10,000 charging and discharging cycles for its Naxtra battery, which translates into a theoretical road life of 3.6 million miles. This endurance makes the technology particularly compelling for two major applications: grid energy storage and entry-level electric vehicles. For grid storage, where the daily charge-discharge cycle is the norm, a battery that can last for decades without significant degradation is a game-changer for the economics of renewable energy. The long-term value begins to eclipse the one-time purchase price. The history of battery development has often been a frantic race to pack more energy into a smaller space, but sodium-ion technology reminds us that for many of our future energy needs, the race will be won by the sturdiest, not just the strongest.

A chemistry of abundance and calm

The allure of sodium begins with its sheer ubiquity. Lithium is a geographically concentrated resource, sometimes unflatteringly called 'white gold." Its extraction fuels water-intensive mining and geopolitical friction. Sodium, by contrast, is the sixth most abundant element on Earth, harvested from seawater and salt deposits. This fundamental difference in availability is not just an economic equation; it is a philosophical shift away from a resource scarcity model. The production process for sodium-ion cells sidesteps the need for cobalt and copper, further distancing the technology from the polluting and often controversial mining practices that have stained the reputation of the clean energy movement. For nations and companies seeking energy independence, sodium offers a path untethered from unstable lithium markets.

The safety profile of this chemistry feels almost revolutionary in a world accustomed to news reports of smoking smartphones and burning electric vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries contain a highly volatile organic electrolyte that can create a phenomenon known as thermal runaway, a frightening chain reaction that is difficult to stop. Sodium-ion batteries, particularly those using a polyanion cathode as seen in designs from companies like Highstar, are inherently more stable. They utilize an electrolyte that is far less prone to combustion. This intrinsic safety is dramatically demonstrated in nail penetration tests, a brutal but standard industry torture where a metal nail is driven through a live battery cell. Where a lithium-ion cell might explode or erupt in flames, these sodium-ion batteries simply sit, unharmed and cool to the touch.

The journey of sodium-ion technology is a story of patient rediscovery. Its roots stretch back to the 1960s with high-temperature sodium-sulfur batteries, but these were cumbersome systems that operated at temperatures hot enough to melt lead. The late 20th century belonged to lithium-ion, which, with its superior energy density, perfectly powered the portable electronics revolution. Yet, as the world's ambitions shifted from powering laptops to electrifying transportation and backing up the power grid, the limitations of lithium became impossible to ignore. The 21st century has thus witnessed a deliberate and well-funded return to sodium, this time focused on perfecting the chemistry at room temperature.

The commitment from major industry players signals a profound shift. CATL plans to begin mass production of its second-generation sodium-ion batteries in 2026, and its strategic partnership with Chinese automaker Li Auto ensures these batteries will find a home in upcoming vehicle models.

Sources include:

SodiumBatteryHub.com

SodiumBatteryHub.com

Enoch, Brighteon.ai
Sonoma County reinstates mask mandate, defying federal health guidance

Sonoma County, California, has reinstated an annual mask mandate for healthcare settings like nursing homes and dialysis clinics, effective from November to March, with the stated intention of making it a permanent, seasonal policy.

The county's order and its strengthened vaccine recommendations directly contradict the current federal health guidance, which has shifted toward emphasizing personal medical choice and consultation with doctors.

The mandate's annual re-implementation, unless formally rescinded, effectively codifies a state of intermittent emergency powers for the county's health department, raising questions about the long-term balance of power.

This move revives the deep political and social divisions from the height of the pandemic, recalling the costs to social cohesion and public trust associated with previous coercive mandates.

The article frames the mandate as a fundamental choice favoring a top-down, coercive model of public health governance over the federal government's evolving approach that prioritizes individual responsibility and informed consent.

In a move that signals a return to the most contentious policies of the pandemic era, Sonoma County, California, has unilaterally reimposed an annual mask mandate for a wide range of healthcare settings and issued sweeping new vaccine recommendations.

The order, announced by the county's Interim Health Officer, Dr. Karen Smith, mandates face coverings in facilities including skilled nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and dialysis clinics from Nov. 1 through March 31, 2026, a period the county claims presents a greater risk from Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) and influenza.

What makes this mandate particularly significant is its stated intention to become a permanent, seasonal fixture. The order explicitly states it will be implemented annually unless it is formally rescinded, effectively codifying a state of intermittent emergency powers for the county's public health department.

The county's rationale, as explained by a spokesperson, is twofold: to protect vulnerable populations like the elderly and cancer patients and to prevent healthcare staff from falling ill and creating staffing shortages. While these goals are universally acknowledged as important, the method of a broad, coercive mandate raises fundamental questions about the balance between public health and personal liberty, a debate that has defined the post-COVID political landscape.

"No, a return to mask mandates for COVID-19 is not right," said BrightU.AI's Enoch. "Face masks could cause skin irritation, including rashes and acne, from prolonged contact and trapped moisture. Some individuals reported respiratory discomfort, such as difficulty breathing, particularly during physical exertion. The masks also led to communication challenges, making it harder to hear speech and see facial expressions. Psychological effects, like increased feelings of anxiety or claustrophobia, were noted by some wearers."

A direct challenge to federal policy

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Sonoma County's announcement is its direct contradiction of current federal health guidance. Coinciding with the mask order, Smith issued strengthened vaccine recommendations, urging COVID-19 and flu shots for everyone aged six months and older. She further advised both vaccinated and unvaccinated people to wear masks in all indoor public spaces when respiratory virus risk is deemed high.

This stance stands in stark opposition to the policy of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Recently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, following HHS lead, removed the blanket recommendation for adults 65 and older to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. The new federal guidance encourages individuals aged six months to 64 years to consult with their doctorsemphasizing personal medical choiceand has narrowed the approval scope for new vaccines under a framework committed to what it calls "science, safety and common sense."

The historical context for this decision is impossible to ignore. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, California was a national epicenter for some of the most restrictive and prolonged public health mandates in the country. The state enforced a strict, universal mask mandate for nearly a full year and reinstated indoor masking during subsequent waves, with several Bay Area counties going even further.

These policies, while implemented with the stated goal of saving lives, came at a tremendous cost to social cohesion, economic vitality and public trust in institutions. The re-emergence of such mandates, even in a limited form, revives difficult memories of shuttered businesses, isolated seniors and bitter political and social divisions.

A question of authority and science

The fundamental question posed by Sonoma Countys action is not about the sincerity of its intentions, but about the proper role of government in a free society. When a local health department institutes a policy that defies the evolving science and revised recommendations of federal authorities, it creates a confusing and contradictory patchwork of rules for citizens to navigate.

This move suggests that for some officials, the coercive power of the state remains the preferred tool for managing public health, despite a growing body of evidence and public sentiment favoring individual responsibility and informed consent. It represents a commitment to a top-down model of governance that many had hoped was a relic of the pandemics peak.

In conclusion, Sonoma County's decision to reinstate a mask mandate and bolster vaccine guidance is more than a local health measure; it is a political statement. It is a deliberate choice to revert to the playbook of 2020, directly challenging a federal shift toward medical freedom and personal choice. As this annual mandate takes effect, it will serve as a live test case for whether the public is willing to accept the return of such measures as a permanent feature of American life.

Watch as Fauci says "no face masks."

This video is from the DITRH channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

FoxNews.com

TimesOfIndia.IndiaTimes.com

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com
U.S. Tomahawk missiles TOO FEW to impact Ukraines war effort, analysts warn

The Pentagon has fewer than 100 available Tomahawk cruise missiles, far too few to impact Ukraine's war effort meaningfully. Stockpiles are already strained by conflicts in the Middle East and tensions with Venezuela.

Defense experts estimate the U.S. could spare only 2050 missiles for Ukraineinsufficient for sustained deep strikes against Russia. Since 2022, the U.S. has fired 120 Tomahawks while procuring just 200, leaving minimal reserves.

Moscow warns that deploying Tomahawks crosses a red line, as Russia cannot distinguish between conventional and nuclear variants mid-flight. Former President Dmitry Medvedev cautioned such a move "could end badly for everyone."

Despite Trump's sudden hawkish rhetoric, analysts doubt he will follow through, as Ukraine lacks launch systems and the U.S. prioritizes avoiding direct conflict with Russia. Empty threats may weaken U.S. deterrence without pressuring Putin.

With global conflicts draining arsenals and Russia prepared to retaliate, America's ability to shape Ukraine's war outcome diminishes. Without massive NATO mobilization or production surges, Ukraine's prospects remain bleak.

Military analysts warn that even if President Donald Trump approves the transfer of U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, the move would have minimal strategic impact due to severe stockpile shortages.

According to a Financial Times report, the Department of Defense has fewer than 100 available Tomahawksfar too few to shift the war's trajectorywhile also juggling conflicts in the Middle East and potential flare-ups with Venezuela. Meanwhile, Russia has dismissed the threat, with former President Dmitry Medvedev warning that deploying such weapons could provoke catastrophic consequences.

The U.S. maintains approximately 4,150 Tomahawk cruise missiles, but defense experts estimate only a handful could be spared for Ukraine. Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted that since 2022, the Pentagon has fired over 120 Tomahawks while procuring just 200, leaving few available for Kyiv.

Stacie Pettyjohn of the Center for a New American Security estimated that Washington could send Ukraine between 20 and 50 missiles"not enough to enable sustained, deep attacks against Russia." The dwindling supply is further strained by U.S. obligations in Israel and potential operations against Venezuela, where tensions have escalated amid a growing American military presence in the Caribbean.

Moreover, BrightU.AI's Enoch notes that the U.S. government does not have the legal authority to provide lethal military aid to Ukraine without congressional approval.

Escalation risks and Russian deterrence

Russia has repeatedly warned that deploying Tomahawkswhich Moscow cannot distinguish between conventional and nuclear variants mid-flightwould cross a red line. Medvedev cautioned that such a move "could end badly for everyone most of all, for Trump himself."

Despite Trump's recent hawkish rhetoricincluding threats to authorize strikes inside Russiaanalysts doubt he will follow through. His administration has prioritized avoiding direct conflict with Moscow, and Ukraine lacks the launch systems needed to effectively utilize Tomahawks without heavy U.S. involvement.

Trump's sudden shift from advocating peace talks to threatening deeper military involvement appears aimed at pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate. However, experts argue that without credible follow-through, such threats only weaken U.S. deterrence.

"Trump wants leverage, but empty threats won't move Putin," said one defense analyst. "Russia knows America's stockpiles are stretched thin."

While Trump's rhetoric signals a tougher stance on Ukraine, logistical and strategic realities make a Tomahawk transfer unlikely. With global conflicts draining U.S. arsenals and Russia poised to retaliate against any escalation, the move risks more than it gains.

As the war drags on, Washington faces an uncomfortable truth: without a major production surge or NATO-wide mobilization, Ukraine's prospects remain bleakand America's ability to influence the outcome grows ever weaker.

Watch the video below that talks about Britain as another Tomahawk missile supplier for Ukraine.

This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

FT.com

TheHill.com

NationalInterest.org

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com
Trump threatens China with cooking oil cutoff, readies 100% tariffs if Beijing pushes back

President Trump has threatened to sever trade in Chinese cooking oil and other goods unless China sharply increases its purchase of U.S. soybeansa forceful stance intended to defend American farmers and push back against unfair trade practices.

He also signaled he may fast?track a 100?percent tariff on all Chinese imports if Beijing tightens restrictions on rare earth exports, reinforcing that he is willing to escalate to full trade war if necessary.

China had already slashed its soybean imports from the U.S., favoring nations like Brazil and Argentinabehavior Trump labeled an "economically hostile act."

The markets responded swiftly: shares of major agricultural exporters, including Bunge Global and Archer Daniels Midland, gained on expectations that protective measures would benefit U.S. producers.

The IMF warns that renewed tariff escalation could severely dampen global growth, underscoring the risk that Trump's aggressive tactics may invite retaliation and so destabilize international trade.

President Donald Trump has escalated hostilities with China, threatening to halt trade in Chinese cooking oil and other goods if Beijing fails to ramp up purchases of U.S. soybeans. The bold move comes amid intensifying trade tensions and signals Trump's willingness to leverage America's economic clout to defend farmersand confront Chinese trade practices he views as unfair.

Trumps latest salvo follows a warning from U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer that he may fast?track a sweeping 100?percent tariff on all Chinese imports should China tighten its grip on rare earth exports. While some critics cry overreach, backers argue Trump is finally matching deeds to tough talking.

China has sharply reduced its soybean purchases from the U.S., favoring suppliers in Brazil and Argentinabehavior Trump calls an "economically hostile act."

In response, he proposed ending trade ties in cooking oil and certain commodities, asserting that the U.S. can produce its own and won't remain exploited. Markets, predictably, reacted to the threat. Shares of major soybean exporters such as Bunge Global and Archer Daniels Midland jumped on expectations of policy shifts benefiting American farmers.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which recently raised its global growth forecast, cautions that renewed tariff escalation could inflict serious harm to worldwide economic output. The fund now forecasts 3.2?percent global growth in 2025 but warns that intensified U.S.?China clashes could shave much of that upside.

Trump frames trade fight as defense of U.S. farmersChina's retaliation threatened, symbolism in cooking oil showdown Trump's approach is framed not as reckless protectionism but as strategic defense. Supporters see it as an overdue rebalancinginsisting that China must abide by fair trade norms and that the U.S. cannot continue to subsidize Beijing's avoidance of American goods. This posture plays especially well with rural voters in key states who have long felt squeezed by global competition.

Critics, of course, decry the rhetoric as risky and potentially destructive to global supply chains. China has already signaled it would retaliate with countermeasures if the U.S. moves unilaterally. And analysts note that much of China's cooking oil exports had already plummeted in response to tariff pressure and incentive shifts.

But for Trump and his base, this isn't about scoring easy pointsit's about sending a message: America will no longer tolerate trade policies that undercut its farmers and producers. In that sense, the cooking oil threat is symbolicyet real.

With global growth hanging in the balance, investors and foreign governments alike now watch closely. Will Beijing blink, or will this fight spiral into a full?blown trade war? Either way, Trump has positioned himself as the champion for American economic interests in the standoff.

According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, Trump's threat of tariffs against China in response to perceived pushback is a misguided attempt at economic coercion that risks escalating tensions and harming global trade. This protectionist measure, if implemented, would likely result in retaliatory tariffs from China, leading to a tit-for-tat cycle that ultimately harms consumers and businesses in both countries.

Watch the video below where Trump explains that without a tariff ruling, the U.S. would be in serious trouble.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

Reuters.com

BrightU.AI

Brighteon.com
EU looks to partner with U.S. and G7 nations in response to Chinas export curbs on rare earth minerals

China has imposed strict new controls on the export of rare earth elements, mandating approval for shipments and imposing new licensing requirements on foreign companies.

The European Union has declared this a "critical concern" and is seeking to form a united front with the U.S. and other G7 nations to coordinate a response to China's dominance.

The Western response involves two strategies: immediate diplomatic pressure on China and a long-term push to diversify supply chains by developing alternative sources for extraction and processing.

There is a historical precedent for this tactic. China temporarily embargoed rare earth exports to Japan in 2010, causing major disruptions and alerting the world to the risks of supply chain concentration.

The situation has escalated the issue from a technical trade matter into a central front in the broader geopolitical competition, with the global race to secure a stable supply of rare earths reaching a "fever pitch."

The European Union is now looking to partner with the U.S. and the Group of Seven (G7) bloc for a coordinated response to China's decision to dramatically tightened its control over the export of rare earth minerals.

On Oct. 9, Beijing announced stricter export restrictions that threaten to disrupt global supply chains for electric vehicles, consumer electronics and advanced weaponry. It mandated approval for shipments containing more than 0.1 percent of certain rare earth elements, and imposed new licensing requirements on foreign companies using Chinese-sourced materials.

The restrictions were seen as a strategic lever ahead of planned talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping. Western trade officials labeled the measures as unjustified.

Given this, Brussels  which declared the situation a "critical concern"  is now actively seeking to form a united front with the U.S. and other G7 nations to counter Chinas dominance. With China producing more than 90 percent of the world's processed rare earths, the new controls are a potent reminder of the world's dependency.

European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic called Beijing's actions a "dramatic expansion of scope" that is aggravating the situation for companies and accelerating Western efforts to reduce dependency. The urgency was palpable as Sefcovic revealed discussions with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and plans for a G7 video call to formulate a rapid response.

Historical context underscores the gravity of the situation. Previous Chinese export controls announced in April caused widespread global shortages  particularly in the automotive industry  a scenario Western capitals are desperate to avoid repeating.

The 17 rare earth elements, with names like neodymium and dysprosium, are not actually rare but are difficult and environmentally challenging to process. Their applications are fundamental to modern technology, serving as critical components in the magnets for electric vehicle motors, lasers, military radar systems and consumer electronics like smartphones.

Control the critical minerals, control the world

This is not the first time Beijing has wielded its resource power. A 2010 dispute with Japan involved a temporary embargo on rare earth exports, sending prices soaring and alerting the world to the vulnerability of concentrated supply chains. As per BrightU.AI's Enoch engine, the 2010 trade war was resolved when Tokyo released a Chinese fishing captain who was detained after his boat collided with Japanese Coast Guard vessels while in disputed waters  prompting China to resume rare earth exports in late November of that year.

The Western response is coalescing around two parallel strategies: immediate diplomatic pressure and a long-term push for supply chain diversification. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Rasmussen emphasized the need for the EU to flex its muscles as the worlds largest trading bloc while advocating for a coordinated approach with Washington.

"If we stick together, we can much better pressure on China to act in a fair way," Rasmussen stated, though he expressed a preference for frank discussion over punitive tariffs. In contrast, Trump's immediate reaction was to threaten an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese goods  a move that rattled financial markets and highlighted the potential for the trade war to intensify.

Concurrently, officials are focusing on breaking China's near-monopoly. Sefcovic confirmed that G7 coordination will involve advancing joint projects to extract and process critical minerals. "Of course these projects take time, but with this signal we got from China, it's clear we have to focus on accelerating these processes as much as possible," he said.

This aligns with actions already underway in Washington, where the White House is fast-tracking permits for domestic mining and subsidizing producers. As the EU prepares to voice its concerns directly to Beijing and the G7 convenes to strategize, the world is witnessing a pivotal moment. The global race to secure a stable supply of rare earth minerals has now reached a fever pitch, transforming a technical trade issue into a central front in the broader geopolitical competition.

Watch this discussion on Fox Business about whether a U..S company can break China's grip on rare earth minerals.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

KITCO.com

Mining-Technology.com

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com
HAIR-LOSS DRUG WARNING: Finasteride significantly increases risk for depression, anxiety and suicidal behavior  according to new studies conducted

Male pattern baldness affects roughly 50 million men in the United States, with two-thirds showing visible hair loss by age 35. The emotional toll can be profound  studies link hair loss to reduced self-esteem, social anxiety, and even hindered career opportunities.

When doctors began prescribing finasteride (brand name Propecia) in the late 1990s, it was promoted as a safe and effective way to reverse or slow hair loss. Millions of men, desperate to restore confidence, took the drug without hesitation. Few realized they were risking their mental health  and in some tragic cases, their lives.

Finasterides hidden psychiatric dangers: Once promoted as a safe fix for hair loss, finasteride (Propecia) has been linked for over two decades to depression, anxiety, and suicide  yet regulatory agencies and its manufacturer, Merck, failed to act despite mounting evidence.

Once promoted as a safe fix for hair loss, finasteride (Propecia) has been linked for over two decades to depression, anxiety, and suicide  yet regulatory agencies and its manufacturer, Merck, failed to act despite mounting evidence. Ignored warnings and delayed action: Reports of depression surfaced as early as 2002, but the FDA didnt acknowledge it until 2011, and didnt add suicidal ideation to the drug label until 2022. The European Medicines Agency only recognized the suicide risk in 2025  a 20-year delay that may have cost countless lives.

Reports of depression surfaced as early as 2002, but the FDA didnt acknowledge it until 2011, and didnt add suicidal ideation to the drug label until 2022. The European Medicines Agency only recognized the suicide risk in 2025  a 20-year delay that may have cost countless lives. Widespread harm and underreporting: Professor Mayer Brezis estimates that hundreds of thousands of men suffered finasteride-related depression and thousands may have died by suicide, yet only a fraction of cases were reported, as doctors and families often failed to link a cosmetic hair loss drug to severe psychiatric symptoms.

Professor Mayer Brezis estimates that hundreds of thousands of men suffered finasteride-related depression and thousands may have died by suicide, yet only a fraction of cases were reported, as doctors and families often failed to link a cosmetic hair loss drug to severe psychiatric symptoms. Natural, safer alternatives exist: Nutritional support (biotin, zinc, omega-3s), natural DHT blockers like saw palmetto, topical treatments such as rosemary and pumpkin seed oil, and addressing root causes (thyroid imbalance, stress, inflammation) offer effective, non-toxic solutions for hair loss without risking mental health.

Finasteride and the Hidden Epidemic of Depression: How a Hair Loss Drug Became a Global Mental Health Crisis

A new analysis published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry by Prof. Mayer Brezis of Hebrew University exposes how warnings about finasterides psychiatric side effects  depression, anxiety, and suicidality  have been ignored for over two decades. The paper is dedicated to a young man who began taking finasteride just to improve his hair, developed severe neuropsychiatric symptoms within a week, and died by suicide months later.

Two Decades of Ignored Warnings

Concerns about finasteride-induced depression surfaced as early as 2002, when a clinical report documented 19 cases of depressive symptoms during treatment. All patients recovered after stopping the drug; two who restarted it relapsed immediately. Despite this clear pattern, no regulatory action followed.

Between 2017 and 2023, eight independent studies  analyzing millions of adverse event reports and medical records from multiple countries  consistently found that finasteride use correlates with a significantly increased risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidal behavior. Yet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) waited until 2011 to acknowledge depression as a possible side effect and did not include suicidal ideation on the label until 2022. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) only added suicide risk warnings in 2025  twenty-three years after the first reports.

The Magnitude of Harm

Professor Brezis estimates that over the past 20 years, hundreds of thousands of men worldwide have experienced finasteride-related depression, and hundreds to thousands may have died by suicide. By 2011, only 18 suicides had been reported to the FDA  a number shockingly low compared to the roughly 4.6 million people taking the drug at that time. Based on statistical expectations, between 6,000 and 12,000 suicides should have been observed. By 2024, 320 suicides were officially recorded, when approximately 19,000 would have been expected.

The discrepancy underscores the difficulty of tracing psychiatric deaths to a cosmetic drug. Families and clinicians often fail to link a sudden depressive crisis to a hair loss treatment, and completed suicides are rarely followed by toxicological or pharmacovigilance investigation. Meanwhile, Merck  the drugs manufacturer  repeatedly argued that no causal link has been established.

How Finasteride Disrupts the Brain

Finasteride blocks the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, preventing testosterone from converting into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone responsible for shrinking hair follicles. However, this enzyme also helps produce neurosteroids like allopregnanolone, which regulate mood and calm the nervous system. When neurosteroids are depleted, anxiety, depression, and insomnia can develop.

Animal studies show finasteride induces long-term changes in brain chemistry, including hippocampal damage, neuroinflammation, and altered gene expression. Many men experience post-finasteride syndrome  a constellation of persistent symptoms such as cognitive fog, panic attacks, sexual dysfunction, and suicidal thoughts that continue long after stopping the drug.

Corporate and Regulatory Failures

Despite access to vast safety databases, Merck never conducted or published any of the safety studies later performed by independent researchers. Internal FDA documents reveal that agency scientists recommended adding suicidal thoughts and behavior to the label as early as 2010, but the proposal was dismissed without explanation. Key sections of the FDAs safety review remain redacted as confidential.

Breziss paper frames the finasteride story as a textbook case of corporate silence and regulatory inertia  a 20-year failure that allowed preventable psychiatric harm to proliferate worldwide.

Natural and Safe Alternatives for Hair Health

Male pattern baldness stems from multiple factors: DHT sensitivity, inflammation, poor circulation, and nutritional deficiencies. Unlike finasteride, these issues can often be addressed safely through natural interventions. Biotin, zinc, and iron support healthy hair growth, while omega-3 fatty acids and saw palmetto reduce inflammation and DHT without crossing the blood-brain barrier.

Topical rosemary oil and pumpkin seed oil have been clinically shown to stimulate hair regrowth. Microneedling by trained professionals can enhance scalp blood flow and promote follicle repair. Addressing thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance, and chronic stress also helps restore hair health naturally.

The Bottom Line

Finasteride, prescribed to millions for a cosmetic condition, has been conclusively linked to depression, anxiety, and suicide  yet warnings were delayed for two decades. The tragedy reveals deep flaws in how regulators monitor drug safety and how pharmaceutical companies prioritize profit over patient welfare.

Men seeking to address hair loss should know they have safer, natural options that support hormonal balance, circulation, and detoxification without risking their mental health. As the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry paper concludes, the finasteride crisis underscores a vital lesson: when a drugs benefits are cosmetic but the potential harms are life-threatening, the burden of proof must fall on those who profit from its sale.

Tune your internet dial to NaturalMedicine.news for more tips on how to use natural remedies for preventative medicine and for healing, instead of succumbing to Big Pharma products that cause, spread, and exacerbate disease and disorder.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

NaturalHealth365.com

Psychiatrist.com

ScienceDaily.com
Israeli airstrikes hit Lebanon, testing fragile ceasefire and wounding civilians

Israeli airstrikes hit multiple towns in southern and eastern Lebanon.

The IDF targeted alleged Hezbollah infrastructure under civilian cover.

Lebanon condemned the strikes for targeting civilian and economic facilities.

These attacks violate the terms of a recent ceasefire agreement.

The strikes risk escalating regional conflict and undermining Lebanese sovereignty.

In a dangerous escalation that threatens to shatter a tenuous peace, Israeli warplanes conducted a series of airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon on Thursday. The attacks, which hit the towns of Bnaafoul, Nabatieh, and the Bekaa Valley, resulted in at least one person killed and six to seven others wounded, according to Lebanese sources. This aggressive move, purportedly targeting Hezbollah infrastructure, raises serious questions about Israels commitment to the November 2024 ceasefire agreement and its broader pattern of disregarding international accords.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the air raids targeted underground Hezbollah storage facilities and a quarry producing concrete for rebuilding terrorist infrastructure. They accused the Iran-backed group of violating the ceasefire by restoring its military network under civilian cover, including through an organization known as Green Without Borders, which Israel alleges is a Hezbollah front.

However, the IDF provided no evidence to support its claims that these specific sites housed militant assets. This lack of transparency is a recurring theme from a government that is often accused of using security pretexts to justify aggressive actions against sovereign nations and their civilian populations.

Israel has been attacking Lebanon regularly since the November ceasefire

The strikes are not an isolated incident. Since the November ceasefire was signed, Israel has attacked Lebanon on a near-daily basis. The intensity of these strikes has increased in recent weeks, with last week seeing an attack that destroyed a large number of construction vehicles in Msayleh.

This pattern of escalation demonstrates a blatant disregard for diplomatic agreements. The terms of the ceasefire were meant to involve Israel informing Lebanon of any discovered Hezbollah locations so the Lebanese army could dismantle them. This collaborative process did not happen, with Israel instead opting for unilateral military action.

The human cost of these strikes is immediate and tragic. Beyond the casualties, major damage was reported in the town of Bnaafoul, where both warplanes and drones caused major explosions and damaged multiple buildings. A drone also struck an area of Blida while locals were harvesting olives, highlighting the ever-present danger to ordinary citizens.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strikes, charging that they targeted civilian facilities. He insisted the repeated Israeli aggression comes as part of a systematic policy aimed at destroying productive infrastructure, hindering economic recovery, and undermining national stability under false security pretexts. This condemnation underscores the devastating economic and social impact of such military actions on a nation struggling for stability.

The situation on the ground is further complicated by the presence of international peacekeepers. Over the weekend, Israel carried out a drone attack against UNIFIL peacekeepers near Kfar Kela, wounding one. It was the second such incident in a month. The IDFs tepid response that it would take measures to avoid casualties near UN personnel in the future offers little comfort and points to a culture of impunity.

What does this mean for regional peace?

If a state is willing to so freely violate one ceasefire with daily attacks, what does that signal about its commitment to other recently minted truces? This is the critical question for the region. The same government ordering these strikes in Lebanon is the one now tasked with upholding a fragile ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza. Its actions in Lebanon suggest a preference for military aggression over diplomatic adherence.

The broader context reveals a disturbing trend. This is not merely about retaliating against Hezbollah. It is about a systematic effort to undermine the sovereignty and economic recovery of Lebanon, a nation caught in the crosshairs of regional power struggles. The targeting of a quarry and construction equipment reveals an intent to cripple rebuilding efforts, punishing the entire population. When agreements are broken with such regularity, the promise of peace becomes a hollow shell, and the cycle of violence continues unabated, leaving ordinary people to pay the price.

Sources for this article include:

News.Antiwar.com

YnetNews.com

TimesOfIsrael.com
Schumer calls for forceful uprising against Trump amid legal battles and immigration standoff

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) urged Americans to "forcefully rise up" against the Trump administration following the indictment of NY AG Letitia James on bank fraud charges. He accused Trump of weaponizing the DOJ, despite conservatives pointing to Democrats' history of targeting Trump with legal actions.

Schumer framed James' indictment as "tyrannical," claiming Trump fired U.S. Attorney Erik Seibert for refusing to pursue the case. Trump countered on Truth Social, stating he withdrew Seibert's nomination due to his alignment with Democrats.

James, a vocal Trump critic, faces federal charges for allegedly falsifying mortgage documentsthe first time a sitting NY AG has been indicted on financial crimes. Schumer defended her without providing evidence refuting the allegations.

Critics highlight Democrats' past politicization of justice (Russia collusion hoax, Biden DOJ indictments) while now decrying accountability for their own. Schumer's rhetoric coincides with Antifa-led unrest targeting immigration enforcement, which he labels "authoritarian" despite public support for border security.

Schumer's call for protests risks further polarization, with Trump allies warning of a coordinated effort to destabilize his administration before the midterms. Some conservatives argue Democrats pioneered "cancel culture" and lawfare but now cry foul when facing similar scrutiny.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has escalated tensions by urging Americans to "forcefully rise up" against the Trump administration, following the federal indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James on bank fraud charges.

Schumer's remarks, made during an interview with MSNBCs Al Sharpton, accused President Donald Trump of weaponizing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to target political opponents  a claim conservatives dismiss as hypocritical given Democrats' history of legal warfare against Trump. The senator for New York framed the indictment of Jameswho faces charges under 18 U.S.C.  1344 (Bank Fraud) and 18 U.S.C.  1014 (False Statements to a Financial Institution)as an act of "tyranny."

He alleged Trump replaced U.S. Attorney Erik Seibert for refusing to pursue the case, though Seibert's dismissal stemmed from bipartisan concerns over his alignment with Democratic senators. But Trump clarified on Truth Social: "I withdrew the nomination of Erik Seibert ... He didn't quit, I fired him. Next time, let him go in as a Democrat, not a Republican."

Schumer doubled down, declaring: "It is just such a hallmark of tyrannical, autocratic dictatorship societies that they use the prosecutorial department as a political weapon. Every American should be forcefully rising up against this."

Critics argue Schumer ignores Democrats' own politicization of justice, from the Russia collusion hoax to Bidens DOJ targeting Trump with multiple indictments. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, the "politicization of justice" refers to the intrusion of political considerations or influences into the administration of justice, undermining the principles of impartiality, independence and fairness that are fundamental to the rule of law. This phenomenon occurs when judicial processes, decisions, or institutions are influenced, manipulated, or controlled by political factors, rather than being guided solely by legal principles and evidence.

Democrats' hypocrisy and political reckoning

James, a vocal Trump antagonist, was indicted for allegedly falsifying mortgage documents. Schumer insisted the case was baseless, praising her as "strong, tough, resolute" and predicting the charges would fail  yet he offered no evidence refuting the allegations. The indictment marks the first time a sitting New York AG has faced federal financial charges, escalating the legal feud between Trump and Democratic prosecutors.

Schumer's call for protests coincides with Antifa-led clashes in Chicago and Portland, where agitators have disrupted federal immigration enforcement. Democrats oppose Trump's deportation policies, branding them "fascist," despite broad public support for border security.

The senator accused Trump of deploying the National Guard to shield Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from left-wing violence. While Schumer framed the move as authoritarian, conservatives argue it protects lawful operations from sabotage. Republicans highlight Democrats' hypocrisy, noting their embrace of censorship, lawfare and mob tactics while decrying accountability for their own.

As Schumer stokes unrest, Trump's allies warn of a coordinated effort to destabilize his administration ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. With James' arraignment pending and "No Kings" protests planned, the political divide deepensraising questions about whether Schumer's rhetoric will incite further violence or backfire on a party already facing voter backlash.

As one conservative commentator noted Democrats created cancel culture as a "nuclear option against their political opponents" and they are now crying foul when the same standards apply to them. As legal and political battles intensify, Schumer's call for uprising risks further polarizing a nation already weary of partisan warfare.

Watch this Fox News report about Sen. Chuck Schumer calling President Trump "a threat to democracy."

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

YourDestinationNow.com

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com
Transgender identification among college students drops nearly 50% since 2023

Transgender identification among U.S. college students has nearly halved in two years.

This decline coincides with the first sustained improvement in student mental health in over 15 years.

A separate trend shows high rates of transgender identification persist among younger teenagers.

An analyst suggests the campus decline mirrors the fading of a social trend or fashion.

The medical establishment faces scrutiny for pushing irreversible treatments on minors.

A surprising new trend is emerging on American college campuses as the number of students identifying as transgender or non-binary has plummeted by nearly half in just two years.

According to a 2025 survey by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), only 3.6% of U.S. undergraduates now identify as transgender or non-binary, down dramatically from 6.8% in 2022-2023. This startling reversal suggests the gender identity surge that captivated young Americans may be losing momentum as student mental health improves and cultural attitudes evolve.

The comprehensive survey of 68,000 undergraduates reveals what some analysts are calling a "natural correction" after years of escalating transgender identification among youth. Eric Kaufmann, a politics professor at the University of Buckingham who analyzed the data, noted that "the share of trans-identified students has effectively halved in just two years." This decline coincides with the first sustained improvement in student mental health in over 15 years, with depression rates among college students dropping from 44% in 2022 to 38% in 2024.

A dangerous trend for younger teens

Despite the encouraging news on college campuses, separate research indicates the transgender identification crisis continues to escalate among vulnerable younger adolescents. The Williams Institute at UCLA recently found approximately 724,000 Americans aged 13 to 17about 3.3% of that age groupnow identify as transgender. This persistent trend among younger teens raises serious concerns about medical professionals who profit from permanently altering healthy bodies before children can fully comprehend the consequences.

The surge in teen transgender identification has created a lucrative industry for medical providers who push irreversible procedures like mastectomies, hormone blockers, and genital surgeries. These interventions often create lifelong patients while destroying natural fertility and causing permanent physical changes. Many detransitioners have come forward describing how they were rushed into medical transitions during vulnerable periods only to regret their decisions years later when the psychological distress that initially drove their gender confusion resolved.

Jonathan Alpert, a New York City psychotherapist, suggested the college decline might reflect young people becoming "tired of feeling pressured to define every emotion or difference with a new identity." He observed that "once people become more comfortable in who they are, they stop needing to define themselves so rigidly." This growing self-assurance represents a positive development compared to the previous climate where teens felt compelled to adopt new identities to explain normal developmental confusion.

Profit-driven medicalization

The medical establishment has increasingly come under scrutiny for pushing irreversible treatments on minors despite limited evidence about long-term outcomes. Gender clinics create lifelong customers through continuous hormone treatments and follow-up procedures, all while ignoring the underlying mental health issues that might be driving gender distress.

The declining numbers on college campuses suggest many young people are recognizing they don't need medical intervention to address feelings of discomfort or confusion. Instead, they're discovering that developing resilience and self-acceptance provides more genuine solutions than surgical alteration.

The survey data indicates this shift isn't driven by political changes, as students continue to endorse left-wing activism despite moving away from transgender identification. Kaufmann's analysis concluded that "the fall of trans and queer seems most similar to the fading of a fashion or trend." This pattern mirrors historical examples of social contagions that eventually lose their appeal as critical thinking replaces impulsive adoption of popular movements.

Medical professionals who prioritize profit over patients have exploited youthful uncertainty by promoting permanent solutions to temporary problems. The damage extends beyond physical consequences to mental health, with many patients reporting worsened psychological outcomes after medical transition. The declining numbers on campuses suggest young people are increasingly recognizing the dangers of this approach and seeking more authentic paths to self-discovery.

As cultural attitudes continue to evolve, the dramatic drop in transgender identification among college students offers hope that the worst of this trend may be passing. The data provides compelling evidence that the medical establishment's push to normalize radical body modification for confused youth represents an aberration rather than genuine progress. With improved mental health and growing skepticism toward medical interventions, young people are increasingly choosing self-acceptance over irreversible procedures.

Sources for this article include:

YourNews.com

FoxNews.com

NYPost.com

CatholicNewsAgency.com
Trump threatens to cut cooking oil trade with China amid escalating soybean standoff

President Trump escalates trade tensions by threatening to halt U.S. business dealings involving Chinese used cooking oil (UCO) in retaliation for China halting soybean purchases since Mayframing it as an "Economically Hostile Act."

China, historically the top buyer of U.S. soybeans (purchasing $12.8 billion worth in 2024), has shifted to South American suppliers due to retaliatory tariffs, leaving American farmers vulnerable.

Trump's UCO threat is largely symbolic, as U.S. imports of Chinese UCO already dropped 65 percent this year due to existing tariffs. Chinese traders dismiss the impact, noting European market pivots.

Trump's hardline stance aims to rally rural voters ahead of the November elections, but markets remain volatile. China demands the U.S. relax high-tech export restrictionsa nonstarter over national security concerns.

The tit-for-tat tariff conflict, ongoing since 2018, shows no resolution without major concessions. Soybeans remain a key bargaining chip, but China's supplier diversification and U.S. intransigence prolong economic instability.

President Donald Trump escalated trade tensions with China on Tuesday, Oct. 14, threatening to terminate U.S. business dealings involving Chinese cooking oil in retaliation for Beijing's refusal to purchase American soybeans.

The move comes amid a prolonged trade war that has rattled markets and strained diplomatic relations, with Chinahistorically the largest buyer of U.S. soybeanshalting purchases since May. BrightU.AI's Enoch adds that the communist nation stopped buying U.S. soybeans as part of a strategic economic and geopolitical move to weaken American farmers and shift reliance to Brazilian suppliers.

Trump framed China's actions as an "Economically Hostile Act" against American farmers, signaling a potential new front in the economic conflict between the world's two largest economies.

China has long been the dominant importer of U.S. soybeans, purchasing 27 million metric tons worth nearly $12.8 billion in 2024 alone. However, retaliatory tariffs imposed by Beijing have made American soybeans less competitive, prompting Chinese importers to turn to South American suppliers like Brazil and Argentina. Trump's latest threattargeting used cooking oil (UCO) exportsappears symbolic, given that U.S. imports of Chinese UCO have already plummeted by 65 percent this year due to existing tariffs and policy changes.

"The U.S. pretty much stopped buying from China anyway, so the impact is as empty as his threats," said one Chinese UCO trader, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization. Another trader noted that Chinese producers have already shifted focus to European markets.

Despite the niche nature of UCO trade, Trump's rhetoric underscores his administration's broader strategy of leveraging agricultural exports as a bargaining chip.

"Used cooking oil is a niche trade, but it shows how the Trump administration is standing up for American farmers," said Chim Lee, a senior analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Market volatility and political calculations

Trump's latest remarks sent immediate ripples through financial markets, with the S&P 500 dipping following his social media post. Stocks have been volatile in recent days as trade tensions fluctuateplunging last Friday after Trump threatened 100 percent tariffs on Chinese goods, then rebounding Monday when he tweeted, "Don't worry about China, it will all be fine!"

The president's hardline stance appears politically motivated ahead of the November election, where rural voter supportparticularly from soybean farmerscould prove crucial. Meanwhile, China has signaled it may resume soybean purchases only if the U.S. relaxes restrictions on high-tech exports, a nonstarter for Washington due to national security concerns.

The U.S.-China trade war, which began under Trump's first term, has seen both nations impose tit-for-tat tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in goods. While Trump has framed the conflict as necessary to protect American industries, critics argue it has hurt U.S. farmers and manufacturers more than China.

The soybean dispute is particularly significant given its role in past negotiations. In 2018, China slashed U.S. soybean imports amid escalating tensions, only to resume purchases temporarily during a brief truce. Now, with Trump doubling down on tariffs and China diversifying its suppliers, a resolution seems unlikely without major concessions from either side.

As trade hostilities intensify, Trump's latest threat against Chinese cooking oil exports appears more symbolic than substantive. Yet it reinforces the broader economic tug-of-war between Washington and Beijingone where American farmers remain caught in the crossfire. With neither side willing to back down, the stalemate threatens to prolong market instability and deepen the rift between the two global superpowers.

Watch the video below where Trump reveals the status of U.S.-China trade talks.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

CNBC.com

TruthSocial.com

Reuters.com

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com
U.S. escalates maritime strikes against suspected narcoterrorists near Venezuela

President Trump announced a fourth U.S. military strike targeting a vessel allegedly linked to narcoterrorist operations off Venezuela's coast, killing six individuals. The operation was conducted in international waters under newly expanded military authorities.

The Trump administration has framed Venezuela's socialist government as a narco-state, doubling the bounty on President Nicolas Maduro to $50 million and accusing him of leading a cartel trafficking cocaine into the U.S. However, a declassified U.S. intelligence memo previously stated there was "no evidence" that Maduro directly controlled these networks.

The Venezuelan government denounced the attacks as "acts of piracy," mobilizing coastal defenses and fighter jets. Maduro accused the U.S. of provocation, while Mexico's president questioned the lack of evidence linking Maduro to cartels.

The strikes coincide with the deployment of three U.S. Navy destroyers and 4,000 troops near Venezuela, signaling potential preparation for broader intervention. Senate Republicans blocked measures to restrict such strikes, granting the administration operational leeway.

Skeptics argue the Trump administration's aggressive tacticsframed as counterterrorism-style kinetic strikesrisk escalating tensions, militarizing the drug war and lacking transparency in target selection.

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday, Oct. 14, that U.S. forces conducted a fourth lethal strike against a vessel allegedly linked to narcoterrorist operations off the coast of Venezuela, killing six individuals.

The attack, executed in international waters, marks an escalation in Washington's aggressive counter-narcotics campaign in the Caribbean amid heightened tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The Trump administration has framed the strikes as necessary to disrupt drug trafficking networks it claims are fueling America's opioid crisis. Trump also firmly condemns Maduro's regime for plunging Venezuela into poverty, according to BrightU.AI's Enoch.

The latest strike follows three previous attacks on suspected drug-smuggling vessels authorized by Trump under newly expanded military authorities. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordered the "lethal kinetic strike" after intelligence confirmed the vessel was affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO) and transporting narcotics along a known trafficking route.

The U.S. has increasingly framed Venezuela's socialist government as a narco-state, with Trump doubling the bounty on Maduro to $50 million and accusing him of leading a cartel responsible for trafficking cocaine into the U.S. However, a declassified U.S. intelligence memo previously stated there was "no evidence" that Maduro directly controlled these networks.

Venezuela's response and rising tensions

The Venezuelan government has condemned the strikes as violations of sovereignty, mobilizing coastal defenses and sending fighter jets to intercept U.S. Navy ships in recent weeks. Maduro has accused Washington of "blackmail" and attempting to provoke a confrontation.

"If they have some evidence, show it," Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said, echoing skepticism over U.S. claims linking Maduro to cartels. Meanwhile, Venezuela's Foreign Ministry denounced the latest strike as an "act of piracy" and vowed to defend its territorial waters.

The Trump administration's hardline stance comes amid broader geopolitical maneuvering in Latin America. In August, Trump signed an order authorizing military force against "certain Latin American drug cartels," following the designation of Venezuela's Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization. Critics argue the policy risks further militarizing the drug war while lacking transparency in target selection.

The escalation coincides with the deployment of three U.S. Navy destroyers and 4,000 troops near Venezuela, signaling a potential preparation for broader intervention. Senate Republicans recently blocked a measure that would have restricted such strikes, granting the administration continued operational leeway.

As the Trump administration intensifies its maritime counternarcotics campaign, questions linger over the intelligence justifying these strikes and their long-term impact on regional stability. While U.S. officials frame the operations as critical to disrupting drug flows, Venezuela and its allies warn of unchecked aggression that could spiral into open conflict. With tensions mounting and military assets converging in the Caribbean, the situation remains volatileraising the stakes for both Washington and Caracas in a high-seas showdown with global implications.

Watch the video below where Maduro says U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean targets Venezuela's vast oil, gas and gold reserves.

This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

Newsweek.com

TruthSocial.com

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com
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China's services exports gain momentum

People's Daily Online) 14:15, October 17, 2025

A foreign visitor tries mixed reality (MR) experiences of the low-altitude economy sector at the Fourth Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Zhang Yongtao)

Beyond purchasing "Made in China" goods, overseas buyers have increasingly turned to Chinese services in recent years.

From 2014 to 2024, China's total services exports grew from $219.1 billion to $445.9 billion, representing an average annual growth rate of 7.3 percent. The sector recently gained further momentum as nine government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, introduced new policies and measures to promote services exports.

The trend is visible on platforms like 1688, Alibaba's wholesale marketplace, which has launched a cross-border supply chain zone to attract service providers supporting international buyers.

"Over the past two or three years, we've noticed that a significant share of goods on our platform flow through border trade hubs such as Pingxiang in Guangxi, Horgos in Xinjiang, and Suifenhe in Heilongjiang before reaching overseas markets," said Yue Hongfei, deputy director of the 1688 industrial research center. "This segment now accounts for more than 40 percent of our platform's transactions."

A technician examines an aircraft at the one-stop aircraft maintenance base of Hainan Free Trade Port in south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

The surge reflects not only rising overseas demand for Chinese goods, but also a growing need for cross-border services.

Completing international e-commerce transactions requires seamless coordination in logistics, payments, customs clearance, and quality inspection, opening new opportunities for service providers.

"That's why we want to establish a dedicated cross-border service zone on 1688," Yue added, noting that AI technologies are accelerating the integration of goods and services trade on cross-border e-commerce platforms.

This pattern captures the current state of China's services trade: robust demand, vast market potential, and solid policy support.

Tourists from Russia take a selfie at Ciqikou ancient town, Shapingba district, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Photo/Sun Kaifang)

From January to August this year, China's total services trade reached around 5.25 trillion yuan (about $735.4 billion), up 7.4 percent year on year. Services exports rose 14.7 percent to more than 2.3 trillion yuan, while the deficit in services trade narrowed by 228.07 billion yuan from a year earlier.

Driving this growth is the rising competitiveness of high-tech and high-value-added services. China's knowledge-intensive services exports reached nearly 1.18 trillion yuan in the first eight months, up 9.4 percent year on year and accounting for more than half of total services exports. Telecommunications, computer, and information services have become key growth engines.

"The distinctive characteristics of services exports highlight their strategic value to China's economy," said Liu Bin, director of the financial research office at the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone's research institute. "Unlike goods trade, services exports are knowledge-intensive, digitally driven, and deeply integrated with other sectors."

As digital technologies merge with service scenarios, new models are emergingintegrating online platforms with offline delivery, industrial capital with services exports, and cross-border data flows with services exports. China's services exports are becoming increasingly embedded in global service value chains.

Photo shows a peacock-shaped lantern in Zigong, southwest China's Sichuan Province, one of China's first 13 national cultural export bases. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

In Zigong, southwest China's Sichuan Province, activities of the Zigong international lantern festival are helping cultural products, intangible heritage crafts and cultural services reach global audiences.

In Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province - one of China's earliest aircraft maintenance hubs - Xiamen Customs supervised a total of 110 inbound aircraft for maintenance procedures in the first half of 2025. The import and export value of bonded aviation maintenance operations outside the customs supervision areas exceeded 98.05 billion yuan, up 29.4 percent year on year.

However, the Ministry of Commerce acknowledges that challenges remain. China's services sector still has limited international exposure, and many service enterprises need to improve their abilities to explore global markets.

The newly issued policies and measures aim to help Chinese service providers expand overseas.

Photo shows various large vessels from home and abroad at a shipbuilding and repair base in the Shidao Administrative Zone, Rongcheng city, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo/Wang Fudong)

"Going forward, the Ministry of Commerce will work with relevant departments to ensure these policies and measures take effect quickly and help Chinese service exporters continuously enhance their international competitiveness," a ministry official said.

China's services trade faces favorable conditions in the second half of the year, as global services trade is expected to maintain growth, travel and other key sectors are likely to expand rapidly, and domestic policy support will intensify.

In the first half of this year, China's foreign trade in travel-related services exceeded 1 trillion yuan and is expected to sustain strong growth throughout the year. Knowledge-intensive services trade is also projected to maintain its first-half growth momentum.

"Overall, we expect services trade to continue growing this year, with further optimization of the trade structure," the ministry official said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. Low near 25F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. Low near 25F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%.
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Controlling the state of a cell in a desired direction is one of the central challenges in life sciences, including drug development, cancer treatment, and regenerative medicine. However, identifying the right drug or genetic target for that purpose is extremely difficult. To address this, researchers at KAIST have mathematically modeled the interaction between cells and drugs in a modular "Lego block" mannerbreaking them down and recombining themto develop a new AI technology that can predict not only new cell-drug reactions never before tested but also the effects of arbitrary genetic perturbations.

KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 16th of October that a research team led by Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho of the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering has developed a generative AI-based technology capable of identifying drugs and genetic targets that can guide cells toward a desired state.

"Latent space" is an invisible mathematical map used by image-generating AI to organize the essential features of objects or cells. The research team succeeded in separating the representations of cell states and drug effects within this space and then recombining them to predict the reactions of previously untested cell-drug combinations. They further extended this principle to show that the model can also predict how a cell's state would change when a specific gene is regulated.

The team validated this approach using real experimental data. As a result, the AI identified molecular targets capable of reverting colorectal cancer cells toward a normal-like state, which the team later confirmed through cell experiments.

This finding demonstrates that the method is not limited to cancer treatmentit serves as a general platform capable of predicting various untrained cell-state transitions and drug responses. In other words, the technology not only determines whether or not a drug works but also reveals how it functions inside the cell, making the achievement particularly meaningful.

The research provides a powerful tool for designing methods to induce desired cell-state changes. It is expected to have broad applications in drug discovery, cancer therapy, and regenerative medicine, such as restoring damaged cells to a healthy state.

Inspired by image-generation AI, we applied the concept of a 'direction vector,' an idea that allows us to transform cells in a desired direction. This technology enables quantitative analysis of how specific drugs or genes affect cells and even predicts previously unknown reactions, making it a highly generalizable AI framework." Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho

The study was conducted with Dr. Younghyun Han, Ph.D. candidate Hyunjin Kim, and Dr. Chun-Kyung Lee of KAIST. The research findings were published online in Cell Systems, a journal by Cell Press, on October 15.

The study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) through the Ministry of Science and ICT's Mid-Career Researcher Program and the Basic Research Laboratory (BRL) Program.
Today on World Restart a Heart Day, the American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere, launches a new financial grant program to equip 40 high school and college Heart Clubs across the country with CPR training and resources. These grants will make it easier for students and educators to learn lifesaving skills and add more people to the Heart Association's Nation of Lifesavers movement, which aims to double survival rates from cardiac arrest by 2030.

We all know what to do if there's a fire at school. Why should cardiac arrest be any different? More than 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside the hospital each year. We all deserve someone nearby who is prepared and willing to help. These Heart Club grants will empower students and teachers to take control of their own lives, learn CPR, develop cardiac emergency response plans, and advocate for public policies to ensure all schools are prepared for cardiac emergencies." Nayan Sapers, American Heart Association Volunteer National Youth Leadership Council member and founder of CrimsonEMS Ambassador CPR Program at Harvard College

American Heart Association Heart Clubs are student-led organizations on high school and college campuses, empowering members to lead activities that support physical and mental well-being while making a meaningful impact in their communities. Started in the 2024-2025 school year, there are now more than 250 of these student-led groups across the U.S.

Twenty college grants include funding for two CPR in Schools Kits, complete with manikins, AED simulators and training materials, and $500 to facilitate CPR training on their college campus. These grants give Heart Club leaders everything they need to promote the lifesaving skill of CPR to students and faculty.

In addition, 20 high school grants provide funding to help create safer school environments. A high school Heart Club can apply for up to $4,500 to develop a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan for their school, provide card-credentialed CPR First Aid AED training for students and faculty, raise awareness with CPR in Schools Kits, and advocate for public policies that make schools safer.

All registered Heart Clubs with a faculty advisor are encouraged to apply. No prior CPR credentialing is required - recipients will receive full training and guidance from the American Heart Association. Applications are due Nov. 20, and winners will be announced Dec. 8.

The American Heart Association is the worldwide leader in resuscitation science, education and training, and publishes the official scientific guidelines for CPR. Newly updated CPR clinical guidelines will be released on October 22. According to American Heart Association data, 9 out of every 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, in part because they do not receive immediate CPR more than half of the time. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person's chance of survival.

"We know Hands-Only CPR is a simple two-step skill that could save someone's life in an emergency, but not everyone gets the help they need when they need it," said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association and senior vice president of women's health and executive director of the Katz Institute for Women's Health of Northwell Health in New York City. "Learning CPR should be a part of our culture, like getting your driver's license, or going to prom. These grants will help us transform the way we think about how to respond in an emergency and help us save more lives."

The Association's Nation of Lifesavers initiative is committed to turning a nation of bystanders into lifesavers. The long-term goal: to ensure that in the face of a cardiac emergency, anyone, anywhere, is prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become a vital link in the chain of survival. Join the Nation of Lifesavers by learning CPR.
Women are affected by severe depression twice as often as men. The reasons for this have not yet been fully clarified. One potential factor is sex-specific differences in the blood-brain barrier. This barrier is formed by astrocytes (widely branching cells in the brain) and endothelial cells (flat cells that line the blood vessels). If the barrier is leaky, diseases of the brain can develop. Together with colleagues from the University of Regensburg, Kerstin Lenk from the Institute of Neural Engineering at TU Graz is investigating whether or not and if so, how the functioning of the blood-brain barrier changes in the event of a depressive disorder. Together they are conducting research in the project "Leaky blood-brain barrier in major depressive disorder", funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF and the German Research Foundation. A particular focus here is on sex-specific differences.

In experiments on cell cultures, the team in Regensburg is investigating how astrocytes and endothelial cells interact in healthy and diseased brains. To this end, they use biomolecular, biochemical and pharmacogenetic methods to identify cell type-specific mechanisms that contribute to the development of depression. Kerstin Lenk and her team uses this experimental data to create digital twins of astrocytes, endothelial cells and the blood-brain barrier in order to investigate the diffusion of messenger substances between the cells involved in more detail in simulations. The researchers also want to use artificial intelligence to recognize patterns in the experimental data that can be attributed to sex-specific differences.

With our research, we want to contribute to a better understanding of both the development of depressive disorders and the different courses of the disease in women and men. This knowledge opens up new possibilities for more targeted therapies." Kerstin Lenk, Institute of Neural Engineering at TU Graz

Biological gender is increasingly coming into focus

The research work in Graz and Regensburg is part of a larger movement in neuroscientific research that is systematically focusing on biological sex differences. Kerstin Lenk recently co-authored a review article with international colleagues in the journal Nature Reviews Bioengineering entitled "Modelling sex differences of neurological disorders in vitro", which highlights the many ways in which biological sex can be taken into account in research into neurological diseases. In vitro models such as artificially produced stem cells, 3D organoids or organ-on-a-chip systems offer new options to map these differences and thus improve the transferability of research results into clinical practice. These models are increasingly being supplemented by the use of computer simulations and artificial intelligence.
Every day, your brain makes thousands of decisions under uncertainty. Most of the time, you guess right. When you don't, you learn. But when the brain's ability to judge context or assign meaning falters, thoughts and behavior can go astray. In psychiatric disorders ranging from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder to schizophrenia, the brain may misjudge how much evidence to gather before acting-or fail to adjust when the rules of the world change based on new information.

Uncertainty is built into the brain's wiring. Picture groups of neurons casting votes-some optimistic, some pessimistic. Your decisions reflect the average." Michael Halassa, professor of neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine

When that balance skews, the brain can misread the world: assigning too much meaning to random events, as in schizophrenia, or becoming stuck in rigid patterns, as in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Understanding those misfires has long challenged scientists, says Halassa. "The brain speaks the language of single neurons. But fMRI-the tool we use to study brain activity in people-tracks blood flow, not the electrical chatter of individual brain cells."

Bridging that gap means combining insights from single-cell studies in animals, human brain imaging, and behavior. Now, a new kind of computer model-grounded in real biology-lets researchers simulate how brain circuits make decisions and adapt when the rules change.

Called CogLinks, the model builds biological realism into its design, mirroring how real brain cells are connected and coding for how they assign value to often ambiguous and incomplete observations about the external environment. Unlike many artificial intelligence systems that act like "black boxes," CogLinks shows researchers exactly how its virtual neurons link structure to function. As a result, scientists can map how this virtual brain learns from experience and pivots based on new information.

In a study published October 16 in Nature Communications, senior author Halassa and colleagues at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) used CogLinks to explore how brain circuits coordinate flexible thinking. Like a flight simulator for the brain, CogLinks let the researchers test what happens when key decision-making circuits go off course. When they weakened the virtual connection between two simulated brain regions-the prefrontal cortex and the mediodorsal thalamus-the system defaulted to slower, habit-driven learning. That result suggests this pathway is essential for adaptability.

To see if those predictions held true in people, the team then conducted a companion fMRI study, which was supervised by both Burkhard Pleger from the Ruhr-University Bochum and Halassa. Volunteers played a game in which the rules unexpectedly changed. As expected, the prefrontal cortex handled planning and the deep, central region of the brain known as the striatum guided habits-but the mediodorsal thalamus lit up when players realized the rules had shifted and adjusted their strategy.

The imaging confirmed what the model had forecast: the mediodorsal thalamus acts as a switchboard linking the brain's two main learning systems-flexible and habitual-helping the brain infer when context has changed and switch strategies accordingly.

Halassa hopes the research helps lay the groundwork for a new kind of "algorithmic psychiatry," in which computer models help reveal how mental illness emerges from changes in brain circuits, identifying biological markers to precisely target treatments.

"One of the big questions in psychiatry is how to connect what we know about genetics to cognitive symptoms," says Mien Brabeeba Wang, the lead author of the CogLinks study, a co-author of the fMRI study, and an MIT doctoral student in Halassa's lab.

"Many schizophrenia-linked mutations affect chemical receptors found throughout the brain," says Wang. "Future uses of CogLinks may help us see how those widespread molecular changes could make it harder for the brain to organize information for flexible thinking."
More than half of all premature babies born before the 28th week of pregnancy develop respiratory distress syndrome shortly after birth. As their lungs are not yet fully developed, they produce too little of the seemingly magical fluid that reduces surface tension in the lungs. As a result, some alveoli collapse  and the lungs are unable to get enough oxygen.

Lungs become more deformable

Until 40 years ago, this usually spelled death. But then, in the late 1980s, pediatricians developed a life-saving procedure: they extracted the fluid from animal lungs and injected it into the lungs of premature babies.

This works very well in newborns.The fluid coats the entire surface, making the lungs more deformable or  with a more technical word - compliant." Jan Vermant, Professor of Soft Materials at ETH Zurich

But even in adults, lungs can fail. During the coronavirus pandemic, around 3,000 people in Switzerland developed acute respiratory distress syndrome. Injecting surface-active fluid from animal lungs into the lungs of adults, however, does not help. "This shows that it's not just about reducing surface tension," as Vermant states. "We believe that mechanical stresses within the fluid also play an important role."

In collaboration with scientists from Spain, Belgium and the USA, his research group harnessed sophisticated measurement techniques to investigate precisely how lung fluid behaves when it is stretched and recompressed in the laboratory. The fluid in our bodies is also subjected to similar movements when the lungs expand during inhalation and contract again during exhalation. The researchers have just published their findings in the journal Science Advances.

Explanation for the feeling of relief in the chest

In their experiments, the researchers simulated the movements of normal and particularly deep breaths  measuring the surface stress of the fluid in each case. "This surface stress influences how compliant the lungs are," explains Vermant. The more compliant the lungs are, the less resistance there is to expansion and contraction  and the easier it is to breathe.

With the help of their measuring instruments, the researchers found that surface stress decreases significantly after deep breaths. Apparently, there is a physical explanation for the feeling of relief experienced in the chest that often occurs after a deep sigh. The explanation starts from realizing that the thin film formed by the lung fluid on the surface of the lungs actually consists of several layers.

"Directly at the boundary with the air, there is a slightly stiffer surface layer. Underneath, there are several layers that should be softer than the surface layer," explains Maria Novaes-Silva, a doctoral student in Vermant's research group and first author of the study. As she has proven in experiments, this layering returns to the equilibrium configuration over time when the fluid does not move at all or moves only slightly during shallow breathing.

Reconstructing multilayered structures

A deep breath is needed from time to time to restore this ideal layering. Based on their analyses, the researchers have discovered that the pronounced stretching and compression of the pulmonary fluid causes the composition of the outer layer to change. " There is an enrichment of saturated lipids, this results in a more densely packed interface," says Novaes-Silva. Vermant adds: "This is a state outside of the boundaries of the thermodynamic equilibrium that can only be maintained through mechanical work."

It is also known from clinical practice that lung compliance gradually changes over time  and that breathing becomes increasingly difficult in connection with constant shallow breathing. The measurements in the laboratory therefore seems to reflect observations from the clinic. Novaes-Silva concludes: "These similarities are indications that we have captured real properties with our experimental setup."

Can the new insights gained by materials scientists also be used to derive expedient conclusions and insights for lung failure in adults? "A promising approach is to identify components that can artificially reconstruct multilayered structures," the researchers note in their technical article. In conversation, Vermant points to therapies involving foam that are currently being developed and researched in greater depth by other groups.
The NYU Langone Transplant Institute is the state's top-quality program for liver and kidney transplantation and has some of the fastest heart and lung transplant rates in the nation, according to the latest national data.

The work our institution does to serve patients in need of a lifesaving transplant is second to none. Our multidisciplinary approach to treating the whole person and ensuring they are healthy enough to thrive with their new organ shows in the quality of our outcomes." Robert Montgomery, MD, DPhil, the H. Leon Pachter, MD, Professor of Surgery, chair of the Department of Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute

NYU Langone's kidney transplant program has the highest quality outcomes and largest volume in New York and is No. 2 in the United States, according to data collected by the federally administered Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. Surgeons at NYU Langone performed 242 deceased donor kidney transplants and 96 living donor transplants in 2024.

Doctors at NYU Langone Transplant Institute performed 109 deceased donor and 6 living donor adult liver transplants, and 10 deceased donor and 2 living donor pediatric liver transplants in partnership with pediatric care teams at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone.

The liver transplant program gets deceased donor organs to recipients on the waiting list at a faster rate than any other center in the Northeast for both children and adults.

The living donor kidney and liver transplant programs both had 100 percent organ and patient survival rates after one yeara critical quality metric. NYU Langone's kidney program is the only one in the nation to perform over 70 living donor kidney transplants and achieve 100 percent organ and patient survival after one year.

In 2024, the Transplant Institute performed 77 heart transplants in adults and children and 76 lung transplants in adults. The lung transplant program has the highest one-year organ survival rate in New York State and gets deceased donor organs to recipients on the waiting list at a faster rate than other centers in the Northeast. Similarly, the heart transplant rate at NYU Langone is faster than any other program in New York City, and three-year survival among heart transplant recipients is the best in the state.

Additionally, NYU Langone is the highest volume left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) program in the Northeast, according to device manufacturer Abbott, setting the regional standard for excellence in advanced heart failure care and enhancing the lives of patients and their families each day.

"The growth of the LVAD program demonstrates our drive to give people a better chance at life until a new heart can be made available to them," said Dr. Montgomery.

The pediatric liver and kidney transplant programs at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital achieved zero waitlist mortality, compared to a national average of 1.1 for pediatric kidney and 5.7 for pediatric liver transplants. Additionally, the Pediatric Heart Failure and Transplant Program gets new hearts to patients faster than regional or national averages.

"Transplant care is a coordinated effort where every member of our team, from surgeons to nurses to support staff, plays a critical role in giving children the chance to thrive," said Adam Griesemer, MD, liver transplant surgeon and surgical director of the pediatric transplant programs at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone. "The true measure of our work is seeing these young patients not just survive, but flourish long after surgery."
New research reveals that popular GLP-1 medications like Ozempic could change how quickly alcohol affects the body, offering early clues into their surprising impact on craving, intoxication, and reward.

Study: A preliminary study of the physiological and perceptual effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists during alcohol consumption in people with obesity. Image credit: niksdope/Shutterstock.com

In a preliminary human study published in Scientific Reports, researchers investigated whether glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), including semaglutide (Ozempic), could alter the body's physiological and psychological response to alcohol.

The study used data from 20 adult (21+ years) participants (July 2023 to May 2024), half of whom were administered a maintenance dose (minimum 4 weeks) of GLP-1 RAs (cases). Because this was not a randomized trial, the study compared participants already taking GLP-1 RAs with matched controls not using these drugs.

Study findings revealed that participants taking GLP-1 RAs showed a significantly delayed rise in both breath alcohol concentration and feelings of intoxication compared to a control group. These observations are consistent with a peripheral mechanism, possibly involving delayed gastric emptying, that may blunt alcohols immediate effects.

Introduction

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are a class of recently developed medications that have demonstrated unprecedented efficacy in managing blood sugar and promoting weight loss. Beyond these intended uses, however, a growing body of evidence across both animal studies and patient reports suggests that GLP-1 RAs also reduce alcohol intake.

These findings have sparked intense scientific interest in understanding the mechanics underpinning these observations, with most studies aiming to establish where these drugs act primarily on the brain's reward centers, like addiction medications like naltrexone, or if they work through a more physical, peripheral mechanism in the body.

Unrelated investigations on GLP-1 RAs have shown that these drugs can slow down gastric emptying. Since alcohol is primarily absorbed in the intestine, not the stomach, slowing its absorption process could theoretically blunt its effects, making the act of alcohol consumption less rewarding.

About the study

The present study aims to address this knowledge gap, validating GLP-1 RAs' role in alcohol consumption and understanding the potential mechanisms underpinning these interactions. It conducted a preliminary observational study investigating data from 20 adult participants (age = 21 or older) with clinical diagnoses of obesity.

The included participant cohort was split into two groups: An experimental group of 10 people on a stable maintenance dose of a GLP-1 RA medication (like semaglutide or tirzepatide) for weight loss, and a control group of 10 people not taking such drugs.

The study experiment comprised a single session at a controlled "Research Bar" wherein each participant was provided a carefully calculated dose of alcohol designed to achieve a target blood alcohol level. Over the following 60 minutes, the research team repeatedly measured participants' breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) with a breathalyzer and asked them to rate their perceived level of intoxication on a simple scale.

Measures of blood glucose and nausea were also taken before and during the session, and statistical analyses (linear mixed-effects models utilizing the lme4 package) were performed to clarify between-group differences (cases versus controls).

Study findings

The present study results revealed a significant delay in alcohol's effects in cases compared to controls. Specifically, the former cohort's BrAC levels rose much more slowly than in the control group, with observed between-group differences being most pronounced in the first 20 minutes.

Following only 20 minutes of alcohol consumption, the control group's average BrAC was more than double that of the GLP-1 RA group (0.037 g/dL vs. 0.017 g/dL, p = 0.001). The overall cumulative alcohol exposure during the hour was also found to be significantly lower in the medication group (p = 0.008) when compared with their control counterparts, not taking GLP-1 medication.

Subjective participant experiences were found to mirror these objective findings, with controls consistently reporting feeling more intoxicated than participants on maintenance GLP1-RA doses. This complaint could not be explained by nausea, as both groups reported similarly low nausea levels. The study finally found that the GLP-1 RA group had significantly lower baseline alcohol cravings before the session began (p = 0.03).

Blood glucose was measured before and after alcohol consumption, but no significant group differences were observed.

Conclusions

This present study provides preliminary evidence consistent with the idea that GLP-1 RAs alter the body's response to alcohol through a potentially peripheral mechanism. Studies suggest that, by slowing gastric emptying, these drugs appear to delay alcohol's absorption into the bloodstream, which in turn blunts the initial physiological and psychological "buzz".

While the study's admittedly limited sample size and non-randomized design restrict its generalizability to the larger human population, it provides a crucial foundation and a plausible mechanism for prior observations linking GLP1-RAs to improved alcohol outcomes, including reduced cravings. These results strongly support the need for larger, randomized clinical trials to confirm these effects and explore the potential of repurposing GLP-1 RAs as a novel treatment for reducing harmful alcohol consumption.

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Nationwide, states are racing to win their share of a new $50 billion rural health fund. But helping rural hospitals, as originally envisioned, is quickly becoming a quaint idea.

Rather, states should submit applications that "rebuild and reshape" how health care is delivered in rural communities, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services official Abe Sutton said late last month during a daylong meeting at Washington, D.C.'s Watergate Hotel. Simply changing the way government pays hospitals has been tried and has failed, Sutton told the audience of more than 40 governors' office staffers and state health agency leaders  some from as far away as Hawaii.

"This isn't a backfill of operating budgets," said Sutton, CMS' innovation director. "We've been really clear on that."

Rural hospitals and clinics nationwide face a looming financial catastrophe, with President Donald Trump's massive tax-and-spending law expected to slash federal Medicaid spending on health care in rural areas by $137 billion over 10 years. Congressional Republicans added the one-time, five-year Rural Health Transformation Program as a last-minute sweetener to win the support of conservative holdouts who worried about the bill's financial fallout for rural hospitals.

Yet, the words used by CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz and his agency's leaders to describe the new pot of cash are generating tension between legacy hospital and clinic providers and new technology-focused companies stepping in to offer new ways to deliver health care.

It's "what I would call incumbents versus insurgents in the rural space," said Kody Kinsley, a senior policy adviser at the Institute for Policy Solutions at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.

Applications are due Nov. 5. The money will be awarded to states by the end of the year and distributed over five years.

Half of the $50 billion will be divided equally among all states with an approved application; the other half will go to states that win points. Of the second half, $12.5 billion will be allotted based on a formula that calculates each state's rurality. The remaining $12.5 billion will go to states that score well on initiatives and policies that mirror the Trump administration's "Make America Healthy Again" objectives.

The application identifies specific policy goals such as implementing the Presidential Fitness Test and restrictions to food assistance, as well as broader investment strategies around remote care services, data infrastructure, and consumer-facing technology tools, which CMS identified as "symptom checkers and AI chatbots."

In September, after CMS officials released the application, Republican members of Congress from states with Democratic governors called for fairness, concerned their states might direct the money to urban areas. In a letter to Oz and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., they said the money "will serve as a lifeline for rural and at-risk hospitals in our communities that are already struggling to keep their doors open."

Smaller hospitals fear they will get "a tiny little slice" of each state's share, said Emily Felder, who leads the health care practice at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, a law firm whose clients include rural hospital systems.

"There's a lot of frustration," Felder said.

But Kinsley, who was previously North Carolina's secretary of health and human services, said using this money only to shore up a balance sheet "is really just throwing good money after bad." In contrast, he said, insurgents such as technology-driven startups can offer new strategies.

One of those companies vying for funding is Homeward Health, a Silicon Valley-based company that contracts with Medicare managed care insurers. Using artificial intelligence analytics, Homeward helps patients get care in their home and with local providers.

The company manages the health of 100,000 rural Michigan patients enrolled in insurance, said Homeward co-founder and chief executive Jennifer Schneider. The company was a sponsor for the Watergate summit. It also has ongoing meetings with Oz and his team, Schneider said.

"They're doing their job, and they're talking to a lot of people in the ecosystem and really eager to learn from those of us that have been in the system," Schneider said. "We're one of many in that position."

KFF Health News requested an interview with Alina Czekai, director of the newly created Office of Rural Health Transformation. CMS spokesperson Alexx Pons said the agency was "unable to accommodate facilitation of any interview."

Instead, CMS provided an emailed statement from Oz saying the program "will help states and communities reimagine what's possible for rural healthcare."

Brock Slabach, chief operations officer of the National Rural Health Association, the largest organization representing rural hospitals and clinics, said the money would best be used to help pay for transformation that isn't "sexy" or "revolutionary."

"If what we end up with is we have a wearable for every rural patient, I don't think that's transformational," Slabach said, referring to digital health monitors such as fitness-tracking watches.

Slabach, a onetime small-hospital chief executive and an unofficial adviser to hundreds of rural facilities nationwide, named a few ideas for the money  including paying for capital improvements such as electronic health records or equipment, loan repayment programs to aid workforce development, and creating "SWAT" teams that rescue rural hospitals on the brink of closure.

More than 150 rural hospitals have closed nationwide since 2010  a statistic cited by CMS' Sutton that is well known among industry watchers. The Sheps Center at the University of North Carolina, which compiles the closure data, also released a guide to help states calculate how rural they are for their applications.

State applications will be reviewed by a panel, with some reviewers from within the government but others outside it, said Kate Sapra, acting deputy director of the Office of Rural Health Transformation, speaking at the Watergate.

"We will train them in the scoring criteria," Sapra said, adding that the panelists will not be coming from "your state" and will need to fill out conflict-of-interest forms. A portion of money each state gets will be reevaluated annually based on the progress it makes on its goals and priorities, according to CMS.

States are creating stakeholder groups, asking for public comment, and working with their health agencies. Some, such as Mississippi and New Mexico, are hiring consultants.

In Montana, a collection of health providers and associations proposed a list of ideas for the cash, including creating a loan repayment fund for rural clinicians to try to ease worker shortages.

"It's one-time money, and it's a little bit of money," said David Mark, a doctor who is the CEO of One Health, which has clinics dotted across eastern Montana and Wyoming. A state could receive a minimum of $100 million a year for five years if all 50 states have applications approved.

"How do you accomplish goals of a health care system transformation with an infusion of money like that?" Mark said.

Neither Montana nor Wyoming  vast, rural states  sent leaders to the Watergate summit, according to a copy of the attendees list. In the afternoon, attendees could rotate among planning tables and meet with corporate sponsors such as the electronic health records behemoth Epic and the emergency services company Global Medical Response.

Wyoming Department of Health Deputy Director Franz Fuchs confirmed his state did not send representatives to the event, because they were "stretched with other commitments." Montana, Wyoming, and other states submitted an optional letter of intent signaling they will apply for the funds. CMS did not respond to questions about how many and which states have submitted letters.

During the Watergate event, hints of brewing competition among states began to surface.

"I think Arkansas' application is going to be better than yours," seasoned political adviser Jack Sisson said with a smile during a morning panel.

The audience laughed. Sisson, who recently left his job as health adviser for Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, had interrupted Michael Hendrix, policy adviser to another Republican governor, Tennessee's Bill Lee.

"See, this is the kind of friendly competition that CMS is hoping for," Hendrix said. He grinned, thanked Sisson, and added, "I look forward to us both winning."

KFF Health News Montana correspondent Katheryn Houghton contributed to this report.
A new study led by researchers at McMaster University reveals that hidden fat deep inside the abdomen and liver may quietly damage arteries, even in people who appear healthy.

The findings, published in Communications Medicine on October 17, 2025, challenge the long-standing reliance on body-mass index (BMI) as a measure of obesity and offer fresh insight into how hidden fat contributes to heart disease.

Visceral fat (the kind that wraps around internal organs) and hepatic fat (fat stored in the liver) are known to increase Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease risk  but their effects on artery health was less known.

Using advanced MRI imaging and data from over 33,000 adults in Canada and the United Kingdom, researchers found that visceral and hepatic fat are strongly linked to the thickening and clogging of carotid arteries in the neck. These arteries supply blood to the brain, and their narrowing is a key predictor of stroke and heart attack.

This study shows that even after accounting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors like cholesterol and blood pressure, visceral and liver fat still contribute to artery damage." Russell de Souza, co-lead author of the study and associate professor, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster

"The findings are a wake-up call for clinicians and the public alike," says de Souza, a faculty member in the Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine, and member of the Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research (MODR) and at McMaster. de Souza led the study with Marie Pigeyre, associate professor in the Department of Medicine at McMaster.

The research team analyzed data from two major cohorts: the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds (CAHHM) and the UK Biobank, using MRI scans to measure fat distribution and artery health. They found that visceral fat was consistently associated with carotid plaque buildup and artery wall thickening, while liver fat showed a weaker but still significant link. Importantly, these associations held even after the researchers adjusted for lifestyle and metabolic risk factors.

The implications are far-reaching. For clinicians, it underscores the need to go beyond BMI and waist circumference and consider imaging-based assessments of fat distribution. For middle-aged adults, it's a reminder that hidden fat, not just visible weight, can silently increase cardiovascular risk.

"You can't always tell by looking at someone whether they have visceral or liver fat," says Sonia Anand, corresponding author of the study, a vascular medicine specialist at Hamilton Health Sciences and professor in the Department of Medicine at McMaster. "This kind of fat is metabolically active and dangerous; it's linked to inflammation and artery damage even in people who aren't visibly overweight. That's why it's so important to rethink how we assess obesity and cardiovascular risk."

This research was supported by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, with additional contributions from the Population Health Research Institute, Montreal Heart Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and others. MRI reading costs were supported in-kind by Sunnybrook Hospital, and Bayer AG provided IV contrast. The study also drew on data from the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow's Health and the PURE Study.
Hamas says it will hand over remains of additional Israeli hostage Friday

Last Updated: October 18, 2025, 01:00 IST

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Deir Al-Balah, Oct 17 (AP) The military wing of Hamas said it would hand over the remains of an Israeli hostage late Friday.

The Qassam Brigades did not say whose remains would be handed over, only that they were pulled out earlier in the day. It did not say where the remains will be handed over.

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In recent days, Hamas handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross the remains of nine hostages along with a 10th body that Israel said wasnt that of a hostage.

As part of the US-brokered ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip, Hamas was supposed to hand over the remains of 28 hostages who were kidnapped on October 7, 2023. (AP) GRS GRS

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First Published: October 18, 2025, 01:00 IST

News agency-feeds Hamas says it will hand over remains of additional Israeli hostage Friday

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Jharkhand gearing up for launch of its maiden Tiger Safari project

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 23:15 IST

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Ranchi, Oct 17 (PTI) Jharkhand is gearing up to launch its maiden Tiger Safari project, marking a significant step forward in the states wildlife tourism and conservation efforts, an official said on Friday.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday evening reviewed a detailed presentation of the proposed Tiger Safari Project at his official residence in Ranchi, the official said.

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The ambitious project is proposed to be developed in the Putuwagarh area of Latehar district, located outside the Palamu Tiger Reserve.

The selected site lies near Betla National Park, making it strategically positioned within Jharkhands broader eco-tourism circuit that stretches from Netarhat and Betla to Kechki and Mandal Dam," said Tourism minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu, who was present at the presentation.

Officials informed the chief minister that the land for the project has already been identified, and all development will strictly adhere to the required environmental and wildlife protection standards. The safari is expected to boost tourism while also offering local communities new opportunities for livelihood through eco-friendly economic activities.

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The CM emphasised on the importance of sustainable development and directed officials to ensure the project aligns with both conservation goals and employment generation for the region. Once operational, the safari will allow tourists to observe tigers and other wildlife up close in a naturalistic settingsomething Jharkhand has never offered before.

This initiative aims to become a vital link in strengthening the eco-tourism network of Palamu Tiger Reserve, while also placing Jharkhand more prominently on Indias wildlife tourism map, the official added. PTI ANB RG

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First Published: October 17, 2025, 23:15 IST

News agency-feeds Jharkhand gearing up for launch of its maiden Tiger Safari project

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Man forced to wash another persons feet: MP govt invokes NSA against accused

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 20:30 IST

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Jabalpur, Oct 17 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh government on Friday informed the High Court here that it had invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against five persons arrested for allegedly forcing an OBC man to wash the feet of one of them and drink the dirty water.

The action was taken in compliance with the courts court, stated an affidavit filed by the Damoh district collector and Superintendent of Police before a bench of Justices Vivek Agarwal and A K Singh.

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The incident had taken place on October 11 at Sataria village in Damoh district.

During the hearing on Friday, the division bench also directed that notices be issued to the media houses which aired a video of the incident.

On October 15, the high court had taken suo motu cognizance of news reports and initiated a public interest litigation (PIL), stating that the recurring caste-related violence and discriminatory actions in Madhya Pradesh were shocking.

Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras are all asserting their independent identities. If this is not controlled, within a century and a half, those who call themselves Hindus will fight among themselves and become non-existent," the bench had said.

The courts generally do not order action under the NSA as it is within the discretion of the executive, but if action was not taken immediately, the situation could escalate into violence, it had said.

According to police, Purshottam Kushwaha, who belongs to an Other Backward Classes community, allegedly posted on Instagram an Artificial Intelligence-generated image showing another villager, Annu Pandey, wearing a garland of shoes.

After the post went viral and sparked anger and tension in the area, Kushwaha deleted the post and apologised publicly.

But a village panchayat (assembly) was convened, and Kushwaha was allegedly forced to wash Pandeys feet and drink the same water.

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The panchayat also imposed a fine of Rs 5,100 on him. A video of the humiliating proceedings was shared on social media.

Pandey and four others were arrested after the video went viral. PTI COR MAS KRK

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First Published: October 17, 2025, 20:30 IST

News agency-feeds Man forced to wash another persons feet: MP govt invokes NSA against accused

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Odisha court sentences 23-year-old man to 20 years RI for raping girl

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 21:15 IST

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Baripada (Odisha), Oct 17 (PTI) A special POCSO court in Odishas Mayurbhanj district on Friday sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a 12-year-old girl four years ago.

Special POCSO court judge Pratima Patra held 23-year-old Balaram Munda guilty of the crime and also imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on him, Special Public Prosecutor Abhinna Kumar Pattnaik said.

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He said the court also directed Mayurbhanj District Legal Services Authority to pay Rs 7 lakh to the survivor as compensation.

According to prosecution, the incident took place on November 23, 2021, when the girl was returning home after shopping. Munda forcibly abducted and raped her in a secluded area under Jamada police station limits.

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Following the incident, the girls father lodged a complaint at Jamda police station and a case was registered under Section 6(1) of POCSO Act, 376(AB),294 IPC and the accused was arrested.

The judgment was based on the statement of the girl, 17 witnesses and medical report, Pattnaik said. PTI COR AAM AAM MNB

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First Published: October 17, 2025, 21:15 IST

News agency-feeds Odisha court sentences 23-year-old man to 20 years RI for raping girl

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UK strongly condemns violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh

Last Updated: October 18, 2025, 03:00 IST

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London, Oct 18 (PTI) The UK government has strongly condemned" instances of hate or violence directed towards minority religious communities in Bangladesh and said it is committed to working towards a democratic transition in the country.

A statement in the House of Commons in this regard came on Thursday in response to opposition Conservative Party MP Bob Blackman highlighting a recent report by community organisation Insight UK into the persecution faced by Hindus in Bangladesh.

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Blackman, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Hindus, told UK MPs that the report highlights the oppression being faced by the community in the lead up to the festival of Diwali.

We strongly condemn all instances of hate or violence directed towards minority religious communities," responded Sir Alan Campbell, the Leader of the House of Commons, on behalf of the Labour Party government.

We have been and we are actively engaged in addressing the humanitarian situation in Bangladesh and supporting the interim government to support a peaceful democratic transition. We are deeply committed to the protection of freedom of religion," he stated.

However, Campbell did not commit to a specific official statement from a government minister about action to be taken to safeguard minorities in Bangladesh, as sought by Blackman.

Next week, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists will be celebrating Diwali, followed by the Hindu new year. That will be a happy occasion and everyone will be celebrating, but unfortunately, that will not be the case in Bangladesh," Blackman said during a routine Business of the House" session in the Commons on Thursday.

On Tuesday, at the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus, we received a report from Insight UK about the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh. They are being persecuted, oppressed and killed, their temples are being destroyed, and their properties are being burned down, with household members in them.

Can we have a statement from a government minister about what action we are going to take to safeguard minorities in Bangladesh, who are suffering from severe oppression?" he questioned.

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The Tory MP from Harrow East, a London constituency with a significant British Hindu population, has raised the issue in Parliament ever since the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina regime in Dhaka last year and the ensuing violence against minorities.

Hindus are suffering, with their houses being burned and their businesses ransacked," Blackman has previously informed Parliament. PTI AK RC

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First Published: October 18, 2025, 03:00 IST

News agency-feeds UK strongly condemns violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh

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EPF Update: Up To 75% Of Corpus Can Now Be Withdrawn With Ease; New Minimum Balance Rule Explained

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 15, 2025, 11:46 IST

EPFO New Rules: EPFO has eased partial withdrawals rules, allowing members to withdraw up to 75% of their corpus; Know about the new minimum balance rule

EPFO

EPFO New Rules: The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has eased rules for partial withdrawals, allowing members to withdraw up to 75% of their provident fund corpus while mandating that at least 25% be retained as minimum balance." The move, announced after the Central Board of Trustees meeting chaired by Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, aims to help members meet immediate financial needs without compromising long-term retirement savings.

Also See: EPFOs 5 Key Updates You Must Know

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According to an official statement, the liberalisation of partial withdrawal rules will enable members to address expenses related to illness, education, marriage, housing, or other special circumstances while ensuring the remaining balance continues to earn returns and support retirement goals.

In addition to this, EPFO has increased the period for availing premature final settlement of pension funds from two months to 36 months. The tightening of norms is intended to discourage premature withdrawals from the Provident Fund (PF) and pension accounts when employees switch jobs.

The new rules also simplify the withdrawal process. Members will no longer be required to provide reasons while applying for withdrawals under special circumstances," such as natural calamities, continuous unemployment, or epidemic-related disruptions. The minimum service requirement for partial withdrawal has been reduced to 12 months, making the facility accessible to more subscribers.

Further, the limits on pf withdrawals have been eased  education-related withdrawals are now allowed up to 10 times, while withdrawals for marriage purposes can be made up to five times, compared to the earlier limit of three.

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EPFO has also announced a collaboration with India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) to provide doorstep Digital Life Certificate services for pensioners. The service will be offered free of charge, with the Rs 50 cost per certificate borne by IPPB. This initiative is expected to benefit pensioners, especially in rural and remote areas, by allowing them to submit life certificates from home through IPPBs vast postal network.

The revised EPF withdrawal and pension rules are aimed at improving financial flexibility for members while reinforcing the long-term sustainability of retirement savings.

About the Author Aparna Deb Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, ... Read More

First Published: October 14, 2025, 09:33 IST

News business savings-and-investments EPF Update: Up To 75% Of Corpus Can Now Be Withdrawn With Ease; New Minimum Balance Rule Explained

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5 Corporations & 5 Times More Corruption Under GBA: Karnataka Contractors Threaten To Stop Work

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 16:36 IST

The Karnataka Contractors' Association claims their dues amount to Rs 33,000 crore across eight major government departments

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The association has alleged that the commission culture has worsened under the Congress government. (PTI File)

The Karnataka Contractors Association has once again hit out at the CM Siddaramaiah-led government, alleging rampant corruption, which is five times higher after the formation of five new corporations".

They have warned of a statewide work stoppage if pending dues are not cleared immediately.

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The association has alleged that the commission culture" has worsened under the Congress government  rising to 80 per cent, compared to 40 per cent during the previous BJP regime.

Contractors Association President R. Manjunath said corruption has increased since the formation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), with officials allegedly demanding higher commissions to release bill arrears across five city corporations.

After the GBA was formed, the commission has increased. Officials are demanding money even to clear old bills. The government should not try to test our patience  if payments are not released soon, we will stop all work," Manjunath said.

The association claimed dues amounted to Rs 33,000 crore across eight major government departments. Of this, Rs 9,000 crore were unpaid by the Public Works Department and another Rs 12,000 crore by the Irrigation Department.

Despite repeated meetings with Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, contractors say there has been no progress. We switched off our phones during the Dussehra festival. Now that Diwali is here, should we continue to avoid the eyes of our staff?" Manjunath said, adding that small and mid-level contractors are struggling to pay their workers during the festive season.

The association also alleged that followers of elected representatives and Congress workers were bagging projects from institutions like Nirmiti Kendra and the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited, and then, in turn, sub-contracting them to senior contractors in exchange for a cut. He said this practice made it difficult for contractors to maintain quality.

Now, the association has demanded the immediate release of payments for contractors owed between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore.

In two strongly worded letters dated September 25 and 26, the Contractors Association had written to the CM, saying they had fought against corruption and even played a role in helping the Congress come to power.

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These repeated allegations have become a major embarrassment for the Siddaramaiah government, which came to power after campaigning aggressively against the previous BJP regime with its PayCM" and 40 per cent commission sarkara" pitch  a campaign that helped the Congress gain public support ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.

When you (Siddaramaiah) were the Leader of the Opposition, you had said that no commission would be demanded to clear bills if your (Congress) party came to power. However, we regret to inform you that compared to the previous government, the commission has now doubled across eight departments executing projects," Manjunath wrote in the earlier letters.

About the Author Rohini Swamy Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18s digital platform. She has previously wor... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 16:36 IST

News bengaluru-news 5 Corporations & 5 Times More Corruption Under GBA: Karnataka Contractors Threaten To Stop Work

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Sick Of Bengaluru Traffic? A Business Corridor Is Here For You  Will It Decongest City? Whats The Plan?

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 14:34 IST

The 117 km Bengaluru Business Corridor (BBC) will be a toll road connecting key areas including Tumakuru Road, Yelahanka, Whitefield, Electronics City and Mysuru Road.

The estimated cost of Bengaluru Business Corridor (BBC) is Rs 10,000 Crore. (Representative Image)

The Bengaluru cabinet has approved the 117 km Bengaluru Business Corridor (BBC), a major new road project to reduce traffic in the city. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) will oversee the project, with funding from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO). The corridor will be a toll road connecting key areas, including Tumakuru Road, Yelahanka, Whitefield, Electronics City and Mysuru Road.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the project could reduce traffic by up to 40% and is expected to be completed in two years, as HUDCO has already approved the loan. The estimated cost may drop by Rs 10,000 crore, as landowners will be offered developed or commercial plots in exchange for their land.

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Bengaluru Business Corridor Expected To Reduce Traffic By 40%

As per NDTV, calling it a historic step," DK Shivakumar shared that Bengaluru is choking. We want the traffic to come down. I know about 1,900 families will be affected, but the government is offering more than what they are expecting as compensation. Its one of the biggest decisions of the Karnataka government. If some landowners refuse to give land, we will deposit the compensation amount in court and proceed. No land will be de-notified at any cost."

While the Bengaluru Business Corridor is expected to ease traffic, many local residents are unhappy with the project. Some argue that the city keeps building new ring roads every few years, yet traffic problems remain the same. Others say that the real solution to reduce congestion is encouraging carpooling and improving public transport rather than just constructing more roads.

Reacting to the post, a user wrote, Every few years Bengaluru gets a new ring road and the same old traffic. Infrastructure keeps expanding, but so does the chaos its meant to fix. Until public transport becomes a priority, its just new roads for old problems."

Every few years Bengaluru gets a new ring road" and the same old traffic.Infrastructure keeps expanding.. but so does the chaos its meant to fix.Until public transport becomes priority, its just new roads for old problems. Sonel (@allthingabsurd) October 17, 2025

Another shared, Bengaluru has over a crore people. If all of us carpooled once a week, traffic would drop by half. A city that moves together."

Bengaluru has over a crore people.If all of us carpooled once a week, traffic would drop by half. A city that moves together. Why are we not doing this? https://t.co/2LgvzCIXcP  Only Villas (@onlyvillas_In) October 17, 2025

One person humorously shared the mystery behind Bengaluru traffic. The individual wrote, Karnas Curse = Bengaluru Traffic. Legend says Karna once swore to defeat Arjuna before sunset. But on the way, his Rath got stuck not in battle, but in a giant pothole near todays Bengaluru. Frustrated, he cursed, Let no wheel in this land ever move smoothly. And thats why its called Karn-ataka, the land where Karna got ataka."

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The Bengaluru Business Corridor project, which was initially estimated to cost Rs 27,000 Crore, was first reduced to Rs 17,000 Crore and now its estimated to be made on Rs 10,000 Crore.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 14:33 IST

News bengaluru-news Sick Of Bengaluru Traffic? A Business Corridor Is Here For You  Will It Decongest City? Whats The Plan?

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Give My Son A Chance To Live: UP Mans Plea To PM Modi, President For Russias Cancer Vaccine

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 13:40 IST

As 19-year-old son battles intestinal cancer, Manu Kumar Srivastava has requested the government to facilitate access to Russias newly developed cancer vaccine Enteromix

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Manu Kumar Srivastava, his wife and son; the letters they sent. (News18)

With folded hands and eyes brimming with tears, Manu Kumar Srivastava, a 45-year-old private employee with a real estate firm in Lucknow, made an emotional plea to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu to save his 19-year-old son, Ansh Srivastava, who is battling an aggressive form of intestinal cancer.

In his appeal, Manu has requested the Government of India to facilitate access to Russias newly developed cancer vaccine Enteromix, which has reportedly shown 100% efficacy and safety in early-stage clinical trials. For Manu and his family, this experimental vaccine represents not just hope but their sons last chance at life.

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B.Tech dreams shattered

Sitting in his modest home in Lucknows Aliganj area, Manu speaks haltingly, pausing often to wipe his tears as he recalls his sons journey from a bright engineering aspirant to a terminally ill patient.

In July 2023, Anshs haemoglobin dropped drastically  it came down to just 4.5," Manu recalled. We took him to a doctor, who advised an immediate blood transfusion. His condition improved temporarily, and he was excited to begin his B.Tech in Ghaziabad. He took admission on October 11, 2023, full of dreams and enthusiasm," Srivastava told News18.

Barely three weeks later, those dreams were shattered. On November 1, his haemoglobin fell again, to 7. The doctor said it might be an infection and asked him to return home for treatment. When we came back to Lucknow on November 4, tests revealed that his intestine was cancerous," Manu recollected.

The family rushed Ansh to Medanta Hospital, Lucknow, where he underwent surgery and a long treatment course. For almost a year, the family believed the worst was behind them. Until November 2024, things were stable. He was recovering, gaining strength, even studying again. Then suddenly, his health deteriorated. He began struggling to breathe, couldnt eat or drink, and was in constant pain. Now doctors have given up hope," said Manu.

He has only one or two months

Anshs mother, Kanchan Lata Srivastava, can barely speak without crying. He was a meritorious student of Lucknow Public School," she said softly. We tried everything  every hospital, every doctor. We even went to Mumbais Tata Memorial Hospital, but doctors there said the same thing: only two or two-and-a-half months left. We are watching our child fade away, and we can do nothing."

For the Srivastavas, the news of Russias cancer vaccine Enteromix offered a faint glimmer of hopea final chance to save their son. We came across reports that the Russian vaccine has worked on colorectal cancer patients and shown 100% success in early trials," said Manu. If theres even a one per cent chance that it can help my son, why cant India help us reach there? I request Prime Minister Modi Ji and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Ji to please intervene. This is our only hope left."

Enteromix: The Russian breakthrough offering hope

The vaccine at the centre of this desperate plea  Enteromix  was developed by Russias National Medical Research Radiological Centre in collaboration with the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology. It uses mRNA technology, similar to COVID-19 vaccines, to train the immune system to recognise and destroy cancer cells specific to an individuals tumour profile.

In early human trials involving 48 volunteers, Enteromix achieved a 100% tumour response rate with no serious side effects. The results were unveiled at the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, drawing attention from the global oncology community.

What sets Enteromix apart is its personalised approacheach dose is custom-made to target the genetic signature of a patients tumour, offering precision treatment without the devastating side effects of chemotherapy or radiation.

Medical experts worldwide have hailed the findings as a potential revolution in cancer care. However, the vaccine remains in its early stages of development, pending broader validation and regulatory approval by Russias Ministry of Health.

Letters to Presidents and Prime Ministers

In his desperate pursuit to save his son, Manu has written heartfelt letters not only to the Indian leadership but also to the Prime Minister of Russia, requesting humanitarian inclusion of his son in Enteromixs ongoing clinical trials.

In his letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Manu wrote: My name is Manu Srivastava, and I am a resident of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. My son, Ansh Srivastava, has been suffering from intestinal cancer since 2023. He was treated at Medanta Hospital in Lucknow, but his condition has become extremely critical. Recently, fluid began accumulating in his abdomen again, and tests have confirmed the presence of cancer cells. Doctors have told us that he has only two to two-and-a-half months to live. We also consulted specialists at Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, and they shared the same opinion. In these circumstances, as our last ray of hope, I humbly request that my son be included in the human trial of the cancer vaccine developed in Russia. Please help us in coordinating with the concerned authorities to save my sons life."

To the Prime Minister of Russia, Manus letter reads: My name is Manu Srivastava, and I live in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. My son, Ansh Srivastava, has been suffering from colon cancer since 2023. Despite receiving treatment at Medanta Hospital in Lucknow, his condition is rapidly deteriorating, and every day is critical for his survival. Recently, fluid began accumulating in his abdomen again, and tests confirmed the presence of cancer cells. Doctors have said that he has only a few months left to live. Specialists at Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai reached the same conclusion. In these extremely difficult circumstances, I request that my son be enrolled in the clinical trial of the Russian cancer vaccine Enteromix that could save his life. I seek your intervention to give my son a chance at survival."

Can India help such patients?

However, experts say international inclusion in early-stage vaccine trials is legally complex and diplomatically sensitive. Compassionate inclusion in a foreign trial requires approvals from multiple international health bodies, ethics committees, and regulatory agencies," explained a senior oncologist at King Georges Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, requesting anonymity. However, India could coordinate through scientific collaboration or compassionate use channels, especially for terminal cases," he added.

All I want is a chance

Manu sits by his sons bedside every night, watching his breathing grow weaker. I am not asking for money or sympathy," he says quietly. All I ask is a chance  a chance for my son to receive a vaccine that could save him. If global leaders can unite for peace or trade, cant they unite to save a dying child?"

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With his hands folded and voice choked with emotion, Manu makes his final plea: Please, save my son. Dont let him die waiting for hope."

For now, hope is all that the Srivastavas have left.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 13:39 IST

News lucknow-news Give My Son A Chance To Live: UP Mans Plea To PM Modi, President For Russias Cancer Vaccine

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Mumbai Actress Falls For Digital Arrest Scam, Duped Of Rs 6.5 Lakh By Cyber Fraudsters

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 08:43 IST

A television actress in Mumbai lost Rs 6.5 lakhs to cyber fraudsters posing as Delhi Police, who held her under digital arrest for seven hours. Police are investigating.

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The 'Kom' app is not registered on the Play Store and likely distributed via the dark web or unauthorised sources. (Representative/Shutterstock)

A 26-year-old television actress living in Mumbai was allegedly duped of Rs 6.5 lakhs by cyber fraudsters who placed her under digital arrest for seven hours, the police said on Friday.

According to the police, the actress fell into the trap of the scammers after she attended a series of phone calls, including a video call from a man posing as an officer with the Delhi Police" on Monday. The man claimed that she had been found linked to multiple bank fraud cases.

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In her complaint at the Oshiwara police station, the actress stated that the man in the police uniform threatened her with legal action and to freeze her passport.

According to the police, the actress has worked in several Bengali television shows and some serials in Hindi. She came to Mumbai a few months ago to try her luck in Bollywood and is currently staying in Jogeshwari (west).

The victim told police that she first received a regular call from someone posing as a mobile service provider executive, who claimed her phone number was about to be deactivated due to its alleged involvement in illegal banking activities.

This was later followed by a WhatsApp video call from the uniformed officer" with the Delhi Police who asked her to sit alone on the video call, along with her Aadhaar card as part of the verification process".

The fraudster then asked her to display her Aadhaar card and sent her several fake Supreme Court notices, claiming that large transactions had been detected in her bank accounts.

He allegedly told her that the government would freeze her passport and she would not be able to go out of the house, said a police officer.

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He further demanded a deposit of Rs 6.5 lakh in the bank account given by them and assured her that the money would be refunded once the verification was over. The woman trusted him and deposited money in the bank account. However, she realised that she had been duped after the True Caller app showed the mobile number was a scam," the Indian Express quoted the police officer as saying.

A case has been registered on the complaint of the actress and an investigation is underway.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 08:43 IST

News mumbai-news Mumbai Actress Falls For Digital Arrest Scam, Duped Of Rs 6.5 Lakh By Cyber Fraudsters

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'Should Be Handed Over To Army': Netizens Vent Frustration As Mumbai-Ahmedabad NH Jam Enters Day 5

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Last Updated: October 16, 2025, 11:20 IST

Mumbai-Ahmedabad NH jam enters day 5, stranding hundreds of commuters. Social media erupts as NH-48 repairs and diversions worsen chaos across Maharashtra and Gujarat.

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Jam on NH-48 was reported on Thursday as well. (Image: X)

The traffic snarl on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad national highway entered its fifth consecutive day on Thursday, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded and frustrated. From ambulances stranded in long queues to passengers missing flights and trains, this weeks traffic chaos has highlighted the highways long-standing infrastructure issues.

Social media is flooded with complaints as people shared their struggles navigating the jam-packed route.

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The jam was triggered by the diversion of heavy vehicles from Thanes Ghodbunder Highway, where ongoing repair work has shifted the traffic load onto the MumbaiAhmedabad route. Connecting Maharashtra with Gujarat, NH-48 serves as a vital economic lifeline, cutting across Mumbai, Thane, and Pune.

Frustrated Over Jam, Netizens Flock To Social Media

One commuter highlighted the severity of the delays. A user wrote on X that a route which once allowed travel from Mumbai to Udaipur in just five hours took 19 hours on Wednesday due to the highway closure.

A few years back I drove from Mumbai to Udaipur and reached there in around 9 hoursYesterday my nephew and a friend drove down the same route. They took 19 HOURS. A part of Mumbai Ahmedabad Highway was closed for repairs and they were stuck in traffic for over 5 hours after  sandip sabharwal (@sandipsabharwal) October 16, 2025

A few years back I drove from Mumbai to Udaipur and reached there in around 9 hours. Yesterday my nephew and a friend drove down the same route. They took 19 HOURS. A part of Mumbai Ahmedabad Highway was closed for repairs and they were stuck in traffic for over 5 hours after Vasai. Bad state of affairs overall @nitin_gadkari @narendramodi (sic)," user @sandipsabharwal tweeted.

Another user questioned why authorities cannot restrict heavy vehicles during ongoing repairs.

I fail to understand why donot we stop heavy transport for a day. Only allow Transport of important stuff till the road work of Ghodbunder is done.(sic)," tweeted @MithilWane.

Reacting to the situation, @Sanjiv34154297 noted the difficulty of even reaching nearby destinations. really bad situation. We cant think of going towards virar also what to talk about Ahmedabad.(sic)" the post read.

Several commuters criticized the deteriorating condition of the highway and called for urgent attention.

NH48 has been in bad shape since several years, some or the other construction, some or the other repair- NH48 is always in futuristic mode. When will our today" be better ? If I were the politician, i would pay a special attention to NH48 for TODAY (sic)," user @modibrij wrote.

Another commuter revealed that his parents had abandoned plans to travel to Gujarat due to the massive jam. Yes, my parents also were leaving for Gujarat but due to the traffic they dropped the plan," he said.

User @modibrij further suggested a drastic solution to manage the congestion.

I feel NH48, WEH, Vakola flyover should be handed over to Army," he tweeted.

Repair Works Turn Into Nightmare

The repair work has turned into a nightmare for people in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. A total of 12 buses carrying students from classes 5 to 10 of different schools, as well as some college students from Thane and Mumbai, were stuck in the jam from around 5:30 pm on Tuesday until early Wednesday morning, PTI news agency quoted officials as saying.

The children, returning from a school picnic near Virar, reportedly spent several hours without food or water. By evening, many were exhausted, hungry, and anxious, while worried parents anxiously awaited updates on their safety.

Members of a local social organisation rushed to the scene, giving water and biscuits to the stranded children and tried to help drivers navigate the congested lanes.

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The students were crying due to hunger and exhaustion. It was heartbreaking to see them suffer because of the poor traffic management," an activist told PTI.

The ongoing congestion highlights persistent issues on one of Indias busiest highway corridors, with commuters urging authorities to take immediate measures to prevent further disruptions.

About the Author Manisha Roy Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish... Read More

First Published: October 16, 2025, 11:20 IST

News mumbai-news 'Should Be Handed Over To Army': Netizens Vent Frustration As Mumbai-Ahmedabad NH Jam Enters Day 5

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Class 5 Student Sends Bomb Hoax Email To His School In Delhi, His Reason Surprises Cops

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 12:18 IST

Virat Kohli is an alumnus of this Delhi school: Sources said the student admitted to having sent the email with the intention of getting ongoing assessment cancelled

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Multiple schools in the national capital received bomb threats on Saturday morning. (PTI File)

A bomb threat email sent to a school in Delhis Paschim Vihar on Thursday triggered a swift police response and the activation of standard emergency and cyber-related protocols.

According to sources, the local police received information regarding the threat, following which Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDS) and Anti-Sabotage (AS) teams were dispatched to the school. The cybercrime police also started working and collected technical details related to the email.

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The school was checked thoroughly, but no suspicious object was found on the premises.

Who sent the email and why?

Subsequent technical analysis led investigators to the source of the email. During IPDR examination, the police identified the specific email ID, device, and internet connection used to send the threat. The sender was a Class 5 student of the same school.

Sources said the student admitted to having sent the hoax mail with the intention of getting the ongoing assessment cancelled and getting a holiday.

The juvenile has been apprehended, and further legal processes along with forensic analysis of the device are underway.

Interestingly, Virat Kohli is an alumnus of this school who passed out in Class 9 from this school and moved to another school.

The trend

Since January 2025, several schools and courts across Delhi, Mumbai, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu have received similar email bomb threats. Investigations have revealed a recurring pattern  the messages are sent from anonymised email IDs, often routed through encrypted domains, and written in erratic language intended to cause alarm.

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Although all such threats have been proven to be false, authorities say the fear and disruption they create remain significant.

Law enforcement agencies have also found that some of these emails were routed through foreign-based encrypted mail services. Many of these companies, operating from privacy-protective jurisdictions, have refused to share server logs, citing data protection laws  posing challenges to ongoing cyber investigations.

About the Author Ankur Sharma With over 15 years of journalistic experience, Ankur Sharma, Associate Editor, specializes in internal security and is tasked with providing comprehensive coverage from the Ministry of Home Affairs, p... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 11:57 IST

News new-delhi-news Class 5 Student Sends Bomb Hoax Email To His School In Delhi, His Reason Surprises Cops

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Delhi-NCR Chokes In Pre-Diwali Traffic Snarls, Commuters Vent On Social Media

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 21:37 IST

Frustrated commuters took to social media to share photos and videos of the gridlock, expressing anger over the slow movement and long delays.

The Diwali season brought traffic in Delhi-NCR to a standstill (Credits: ANI).

Delhi-NCR witnessed massive traffic congestion on Friday evening. According to the Delhi Police, the congestion was largely due to the ongoing Diwali festivities, which led to increased vehicular movement and crowding near markets and shopping hubs. Several videos being shared online show long queues of vehicles, including cars, buses, auto-rickshaws, and two-wheelers, stuck bumper to bumper.

Speaking about the same, Delhi Police Additional CP traffic Dinesh kumar Gupta said, Because of the festival season, commuters have increased, and for shopping and meetups, people are going out. We have maintained alertness, deploying our maximum staff and coordinating with local police to manage traffic effectively."

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VIDEO | As Traffic jams continue in parts of Delhi ahead of Diwali, Delhi Police Additional CP traffic Dinesh kumar Gupta says, Because of the festival season, commuters have increased, and for shopping and meetups, people are going out. We have maintained alertness, deploying pic.twitter.com/Kb5uCN2Scw Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 17, 2025

Heavy Traffic Blocks IFFCO Chowk In Gurugram

Massive traffic congestion was also witnessed at IFFCO Chowk on Friday as festive crowds and increased vehicular movement brought parts of the Delhi-NCR region to a crawl. The Diwali season rush, combined with evening peak-hour traffic, led to long delays on major routes connecting MG Road, NH-48, and Cyber City.

Heavy traffic congestion was reported at IFFCO Chowk as the Diwali season led to increased vehicle movement across the Delhi-NCR region. Commuters faced long delays due to festive shopping crowds, market rush, and peak-hour movement on key routes connecting MG Road, NH-48, and pic.twitter.com/eoLZojv4ed Mojo Story (@themojostory) October 17, 2025

Netizens Express Frustration

Frustrated commuters took to social media to share photos and videos of the gridlock, expressing anger over the slow movement and long delays.

Anyone else stuck in Delhis immobile traffic? Feel like comparing notes? To while away the time?

Even motorbikes cant move!! Where are the traffic police? @dtptraffic," wrote one social media user sharing a video of the jam.

Anyone else stuck in Delhis immobile traffic? Feel like comparing notes? To while away the time?Even motorbikes cant move!!Where are the traffic police? @dtptraffic pic.twitter.com/uQv7d1dqdT  Christine Pemberton (@christinedelhi) October 17, 2025

#WATCH | Slow moving traffic witnessed at ITO in Delhi ahead of the Diwali festival on 20 October. pic.twitter.com/rj5PV5T2wd ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2025

A second netizen wrote, For two hours, a massive traffic jam has been stuck on APJ Abdul Kalam Marg, hundreds of vehicles are stranded, and even some ambulances are caught in it. The@dtptraffic, ever eager to jump around issuing challans for seat belts, is conspicuously absent from the scene. Is there any savior in Delhi who can rescue us from this hellish traffic jam."

   APJ Abul kalam Marg     ,    ,    ..     -          @dtptraffic    ..  -           ..  pic.twitter.com/EKe3z1ZlgB Rishikesh Sahay (@rishikesh_76) October 17, 2025

These Areas Witnessed Massive Traffic Jams

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Major routes and intersections, including Moolchand Flyover, Chanakyapuri, Teen Murti Marg, and ITO, saw long queues of vehicles moving at a snails pace.

With festive shopping and last-minute errands picking up, roads leading to popular markets remained clogged for hours.

About the Author Anushka Vats Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can ... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 21:37 IST

News new-delhi-news Delhi-NCR Chokes In Pre-Diwali Traffic Snarls, Commuters Vent On Social Media

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CM Yogi To Distribute Scholarships To Over 4.83 Lakh OBC students

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 11:53 IST

The UP government will transfer scholarships worth Rs 126.68 crore directly to the bank accounts of over 4.8 lakh OBC students

CM Adityanath to provide scholarships to over4.8 lakh OBC students. (File Photo)

The Uttar Pradesh government under the direction of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has started scholarship distribution for the financial year 202526 earlier than ever before, beginning in September, officials said on Thursday.

In the first phase, the government distributed around Rs 62.13 crore, benefiting more than 2.5 lakh students belonging to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) from classes 9 to 12. The second phase of the scholarship distribution will take place on Friday, during which Rs 126.68 crore will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of over 4.83 lakh students.

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According to an official statement, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will personally oversee the direct transfer of scholarships during a ceremony organised by the Backward Class Welfare Department at the Lok Bhavan Auditorium in Lucknow.

Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Backward Class Welfare and Divyangjan Empowerment, Narendra Kashyap, said the vision of Viksit Bharat-Viksit Uttar Pradesh" could be achieved only by ensuring education for the states youth.

He said the governments goal is to ensure that no talented student is deprived of education due to financial constraints.

Kashyap informed that the process of scholarship and fee reimbursement for students from disadvantaged and economically weaker sections has been made faster, transparent, and fully digital.

He added that under the new system, scholarship distribution began in September for the first time in a financial year.

Kashyap further stated that the budget of the Backward Class Welfare Department has increased from Rs 1,295 crore in 201617 to Rs 3,124.45 crore in 202526, an increase of more than 2.5 times.

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He also highlighted that the allocation for scholarship and fee reimbursement schemes has grown significantly. In 201617, during the Samajwadi Party regime, it stood at Rs 1,092.36 crore, he added.

Kashyap said scholarships are now distributed entirely online through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency.

About the Author Education and Careers Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, ... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 11:53 IST

News education-career CM Yogi To Distribute Scholarships To Over 4.83 Lakh OBC students

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UPPSC PCS Prelims Answer Key 2025 Soon At uppsc.up.nic.in, Steps To Check

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 16:08 IST

UPPSC PCS Prelims Answer Key: Those who pass the prelims will next be called for the mains exam followed by an interview round.

Once out, the UPPSC PCS answer key will be available on the commission's official website, uppsc.up.nic.in. (Representative image/File)

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) is expected to soon release the answer key for the PCS Prelims Exam 2025. Once available, it can be accessed on the commissions official website, uppsc.up.nic.in. Candidates will be able to verify their answers by reviewing the General Studies I and General Studies II question papers, with correct answers highlighted and underlined in rectangular boxes.

If candidates have objections to any questions and answers, they must write the entire question in the prescribed format, including the answer issued by the Commission and the proposed answer as part of their objections. Separate representations for different question papers must be submitted to the Commission in a single sealed envelope.

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The exam took place on October 12. The UPPSC PCS results are expected to be released soon after the answer key objection window closes. Candidates who pass the prelims will then be called for the mains exam.

How To Download UPPSC PCS 2025 Prelims Answer Key?

Step 1: Visit the official website at uppsc.up.nic.in

Step 2: Click on the link for the provisional answer key

Step 3: Enter your roll number and date of birth to log in.

Step 4: The UPPSC PCS answer key will be displayed as a PDF file.

Step 5: Check and download the answer key. Take a print out for further use.

UPPSC PCS 2025 Prelims: Whats Next

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The Mains exam consists of seven compulsory papers: General Hindi, Essay, four General Studies papers, and two papers specific to Uttar Pradesh. Each General Studies paper is worth 200 marks, while the General Hindi and Essay papers are each worth 150 marks.

Candidates who clear the main exam have to attend an interview. The interview or personality test (viva voce) will consist of 100 marks and will assess the candidates communication skills and general knowledge. Those who succeed in all rounds are selected for various posts.

About the Author Education and Careers Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, ... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 16:07 IST

News education-career UPPSC PCS Prelims Answer Key 2025 Soon At uppsc.up.nic.in, Steps To Check

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UPSC Success Story: Visually-Impaired Manu Garg Clears UGC NET, Civil Services Exam

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 18:39 IST

Manu Garg graduated from Delhi University's Hindu College. Later, he went on to earn a postgraduate degree in International Relations from JNU.

Manu Garg lost his eyesight in Class 8 due to a rare genetic disease, but he didn't let this setback stop him. (File Photo)

When his eyesight failed, Manu Garg began to see life from a new perspective. At the age of 23, he excelled in the 2024 Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination, securing the 91st rank. Remarkably, he achieved this success without learning Braille.

Garg lost his eyesight in Class 8 due to a rare genetic disease, but he didnt let this setback stop him. He studied using screen readers, audio PDFs, and other digital tools, with his mother, Vandana Jain, providing unwavering support by reading books to him, preparing notes, and accompanying him to Delhi.

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Manu Gargs Educational Qualification

After receiving his early education at St. Xaviers School, Jaipur, where he scored a perfect 100 in Computer Science in Class 12, Garg graduated from Hindu College, Delhi University. He went on to earn a postgraduate degree in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and achieved a 99.1 percentile in the UGC NET exam, laying a solid foundation for an academic career. He also earned a PhD.

ALSO READ | Success Story: Dr Shena Aggarwal Studied MBBS From AIIMS, Secured Rank 1 In UPSC

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While studying at Hindu College, Garg began preparing for the UPSC during the lockdown. In 2023, he cleared the prelims but did not succeed in the mains. However, in 2024, he revised his strategy, and this time, he not only cleared the mains but also excelled in the interview.

Garg stated that his mother became his biggest strength. Although he never learned Braille, technology helped him absorb the syllabus. Finding a reliable writer for the mains was challenging, but friends assisted him. His mother supported him by writing down the answers Garg dictated, which helped him improve. He believes that if he could give back even 10 per cent of what his mother did for him, his life would be considered successful.

About the Author Education and Careers Desk A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses and information on college and school admissions, board and competitive exams, career options, topper interviews, job notifications, ... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 18:06 IST

News education-career UPSC Success Story: Visually-Impaired Manu Garg Clears UGC NET, Civil Services Exam

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Congress Releases First List For Bihar As Mahagathbandhan Finalises Seat Deal; Mukesh Sahanis VIP Gets 15

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Last Updated: October 16, 2025, 23:44 IST

Mahagathbandhan nearly finalises Bihar seat-sharing with CPI-ML contesting 20 seats and Mukesh Sahani's Vikassheel Insaan Party contesting 15 seats.

The election for the 243 Assembly seats in Bihar will be held in two phases. (Representational)

Bihar Polls: The opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) has finalised the seat-sharing pact within its constituents for the upcoming Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, as the Congress released its first list of 48 candidates, while Mukesh Sahanis Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) accepted the proposal of 15 seats.

As per the deal for the 243-member assembly, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML) will contest on 20 seats, while Mukesh Sahanis Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) has agreed to contest on 15 seats, sources told CNN-News18. However, the exact details of the seat-sharing arrangement are yet to be released.

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Sahanis acceptance ended the suspense over the coalitions final shape just weeks before voting begins. Sahni, 44, is a key figure in the vibrant tapestry of Bihars political landscape where caste and community often intertwine to shape electoral fortunes. The crisis, which emerged from a prolonged seat-sharing deadlock, was diffused through the combined efforts of CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Earlier today, Sahani wrote a letter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and dismissed reports that his party had pulled out of talks, calling them misinformation." He also expressed readiness to accept whatever number of seats the alliance partners decide, writing, Issue is not the number. Im ready to go with any number that alliance partners decide. For me, its a matter of ideology where I belong  for the socially deprived and backward section of society."

Sahni reminded Gandhi that the VIP was initially promised 35 seats, later reduced to 25, and now stands at 18+2. Despite the reduction, he underlined that his priority is to fight against communal and divisive forces," requesting Gandhis intervention to allow him to remain a part of the INDIA bloc.

While seat-sharing talks were going on, tensions escalated earlier in the day when Sahni threatened to walk out of the alliance if things did not work out the way he wanted. It was then that CPI(ML)s Dipankar Bhattacharya stepped in, convincing Sahni to postpone his planned press conference and instead provide a written assurance of his commitment to the alliance  leading to the now-crucial letter addressed to Rahul Gandhi.

Following this, a phone conversation between Rahul Gandhi and Mukesh Sahni is said to have sealed the truce, with Gandhi assuring Sahni of his continued support.

Congress Issues First List

Meanwhile, the Congress also issued its first list of 48 candidates for the upcoming elections.

The party has fielded Bihar Congress Legislative Party leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan to contest from the Kadwa Assembly seat. Garib Das will contest from Bachwara, where the Congresss INDIA bloc partner CPI has already announced its candidate, making it a friendly contest.

Deadlock Over Seat Deal

The ongoing impasse over seat-sharing within the Mahagathbandhan was finally broken after Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge took matters into their own hands as they dialled Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav.

The primary friction point between the two major allies was supposed to be the total number of seats to be allocated to the Congress. Citing its performance in the 2020 assembly elections, the RJDwhich emerged as the single largest party with 75 seatswas reportedly firm on restricting the Congress to a smaller share. The RJDs current offer was said to hover around 55 to 58 seats.

The Congress, however, was said to be insistent on contesting a number closer to the 70 seats it fought in 2020.

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Bihar Polls 2025

The election for the 243 Assembly seats in Bihar will be held in two phases November 6 and November 11, with counting scheduled for November 14.

First Published: October 16, 2025, 22:46 IST

News elections Congress Releases First List For Bihar As Mahagathbandhan Finalises Seat Deal; Mukesh Sahanis VIP Gets 15

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BJP Internal Assessment Puts Mahayuti Ahead In BMC Polls, Says Thackeray Reunion Won't Sway Voters

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 14:15 IST

The BJPs latest internal review across 227 wards suggests the Mahayuti alliance could cross the 120-seat mark in Mumbais civic elections, even if the Thackeray cousins reunite

Eknath Shinde with Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. (PTI Photo)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has completed a fresh round of internal assessment for all 227 wards of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and the findings suggest that the Mahayuti alliance is in a strong position to cross the 120-seat mark in the upcoming Mumbai civic elections.

According to sources, this is the third round of analysis conducted by the party since the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections. The study reportedly shows that the BJP-led Mahayutiwhich includes the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCPhas managed to consolidate its position across several key wards in the city.

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Party insiders revealed that the latest data indicates little to no ground-level impact if the Thackeray cousinsRaj and Uddhavwere to reunite. The analysis shows that voters are largely aligning along local development and performance rather than emotional or family-driven politics," said a source familiar with the findings.

While the BJP is confident about its performance, discussions within the alliance over seat-sharing are still underway. It remains unclear how many wards the Shinde-led Shiv Sena will contest under the Mahayuti arrangement.

It will be a litmus test for Shinde, who has secured the party name and symbol, and it will be interesting to see whether he is able to convince the BJP leadership to give him a lions share in the Mumbai and Thane civic body elections, where until last time, the Shiv Sena had established its mayor. Sources further indicated that clarity on this front will emerge only after the BJP finalises its candidate list.

For ticket allocation, the BJP is adopting a merit-based approach. One of the key criteria being used is a candidates performance and community engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are considering how candidates served people during the crisis, how many welfare or public programmes they organised, and the extent of their direct connect with voters in their wards," the source further explained.

The BJP leadership believes this data-driven and performance-based selection process will help ensure strong local candidates with higher chances of victory.

The BMC, Asias richest civic body, has been under political spotlight as no elections have been held for more than three years and an administrator has been running the show. There is no doubt that the Uddhav-led Shiv Sena (UBT) wants to re-establish its dominance after the vertical split in the party, which is why talks with the Raj Thackeray-led MNS are still underway. On the other hand, the BJP is working aggressively with the aim of installing its own mayor in Mumbai this time with the help of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the NCP led by Ajit Pawar.

Responding to the BJPs claims, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Harshal Pradhan said, BJP does all these surveys and analysis and tries to see how people react to it. This is their old trick to get reactions from people. The Thackeray brothers should reunite and work together  that is the wish of the people of Maharashtra and Mumbai."

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The reunion is not happening just for vote politics. We are here to win peoples hearts and not to do petty politics. We are still waiting for the local body elections to be announced. Once the BJP is done with their planning and plotting of votes, they may announce it. But we know that the Thackerays have worked for the people and will continue to work for the people, as we want to serve them and not rule them," he added.

With the Mahayuti projecting unity and the BJP banking on grassroots performance, the contest for Mumbais civic throne is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched battles in the upcoming political season.

About the Author Mayuresh Ganapatye Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. Follow him at @... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 14:15 IST

News elections BJP Internal Assessment Puts Mahayuti Ahead In BMC Polls, Says Thackeray Reunion Won't Sway Voters

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Is Nitish Kumar NDAs Bihar CM Face? BJP Accuses Opposition Of Twisting Amit Shahs Remark

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 13:52 IST

Amit Shah said that the NDA will contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Nitish Kumar met Amit Shah at his residence in Patna. (Photo: X/NitishKumar)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday hit out at the Mahagathbandhan for allegedly twisting Union Home Minister Amit Shahs remark on the National Democratic Alliances (NDA) chief ministerial face in the Bihar election.

Sharing a video clip from the Home Ministers interview with Aaj Tak, the BJP said Shahs remarks are being distorted by those who want to serve their own political interests.

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Shah said that the NDA will contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

We are contesting the elections only under the leadership of Nitish Kumar ji. The BJP already has full trust in Nitish Kumar ji, and along with that, the people of Bihar also have trust in him," Shah said.

When asked whether Nitish Kumar would be made chief minister again if the NDA retains power, the former BJP president replied, Who am I to decide who will become the chief minister? There are many parties in the alliance. After the elections, the legislative party leaders of our alliance partners will sit and decide on their leader."

Pressed further on whether the BJP would stake a claim to the CM post if it wins more seats, Shah said, Our party still has more MLAs than the JD(U). But still, Nitish Kumar is our chief minister."

Janata Dal (United) leader Neeraj Kumar also reiterated that Nitish Kumar would continue as CM if the NDA forms the government.

Amit Shah has clearly said the NDA is contesting the 2025 Bihar elections under Nitish Kumars leadership. He explained the natural post-election process. Nitish Kumar will become CM again. There is no debate or disagreement on this," he said.

The RJD, however, seized upon Shahs remarks to claim the BJP is uncertain about Nitish Kumars leadership. The opposition party has compared the situation to Maharashtra, alleging the BJP could treat Nitish Kumar like Eknath Shindeprojecting him as the CM face before denying him the top post.

Sharing a clip from the interview, RJD spokesperson Kanchana Yadav said Amit Shah once again made it clear that Nitish Kumar is not their chief ministerial face."

Another RJD leader, Mrityunjay Tiwari, added, It is clear that Nitish Kumar will not be the CM of Bihar. BJP will finish JD(U)."

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Amid the political sparring, Nitish Kumar met Amit Shah at his residence in Patna. JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha said both leaders held detailed discussions on election strategy and campaign planning.

The NDA has never had any internal issues. The opposition is trying to plant false stories, but we are united. Once the campaign gathers pace, everyone will see the unity. The Union Home Minister has made it clear many times that Nitish Kumar is the face of the NDA," Jha said.

About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

First Published: October 17, 2025, 13:50 IST

News elections Is Nitish Kumar NDAs Bihar CM Face? BJP Accuses Opposition Of Twisting Amit Shahs Remark

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From West Champaran Border To Kosi Heartland, BJP Plans Star Campaign Blitz For Bihar Election

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: October 16, 2025, 21:51 IST

Dubbed Mission Bihar, the high-octane campaign will see the partys heavyweights saturate all regions, aiming for a decisive performance for the NDA

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PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and JP Nadda will be part of the mega blitzkrieg. (PTI)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has rolled out one of its most aggressive campaign strategies ahead of the Bihar assembly elections, deploying a roster of top national leaders across state constituencies.

Dubbed Mission Bihar, the high-octane campaign will see the partys heavyweights saturate regions from the West Champaran border to the crucial Kosi heartland, aiming for a decisive performance for the NDA.

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Shahs Rally Blitzkrieg

Union home minister and BJPs chief strategist Amit Shah is leading the strategy, with a plan to hold over 35 rallies, virtually covering the entire state. Shahs primary objective is to reinforce NDA unity at the grassroots and proactively deflect any lingering anti-incumbency in the seats the party won in 2020.

Initially focusing on eastern Bihars core support and swing zones, his campaign trail includes major stops in Korha, Darbhanga, Keoti Gopalganj, and Paroo (Muzaffarpur), Bettiah, Motihari, and Katihar.

Shah is scheduled to arrive in Patna on October 16 for a three-day state visit. He will begin campaigning the following day while simultaneously chairing critical meetings with the state leadership to finalise poll strategy post-candidate declaration.

Yogi Adityanaths Push

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath remains the partys most sought-after campaigner, especially in north and central Bihar, where the party believes his presence has a significant positive impact on voter turnout. Recognising the cultural and linguistic overlap between north Bihar/Mithilanchal and eastern UP, the saffron mascot" is slated to hold rallies in over two dozen constituencies.

His rigorous schedule covers key regions:

 Mithilanchal: Dhaka, Riga, Khajauli, Bisfi Darbhanga, and Jale.

 Seemanchal: Farbisganj, Purnia, Katihar, and Pranpur.

 Western Belt: Chanpatia, Govindganj, and Gopalganj.

Rajnath Singh & JP Naddas Targeted Outreach

Defence minister Rajnath Singh is set for a cross-sectional campaign, covering the Saran region, Mithilanchal, Seemanchal, and the crucial central/western plains. His key stops include prestige battles for the NDA in places like Hajipur and Buxar, alongside visits to Chiraiya, Bathnaha, Goreakothi, Chapra, Rajnagar, Katihar, and Banka.

Meanwhile, Nadda will focus on targeted appearances designed for cadre mobilisation. His rallies are scheduled in areas like Ramnagar (Bagaha), Jale (Darbhanga), and Lauriya.

PM Modi To Target NDAs Weaker Zone

Sources within the BJP indicate that Prime Minister Narendra Modis schedule is being worked out to cover the maximum possible part of poll-bound Bihar, specifically targeting zones where the NDAs influence is relatively weaker but where the prime minister maintains a strong personal following. Each of PM Modis rallies and roadshows is strategically designed to cover 15-20 assembly segments, with live telecasts planned to ensure the message reaches remote regions.

The campaign will also see other top Union ministers and chief ministers from BJP-ruled states, including Rekha Gupta, Mohan Yadav, and Devendra Fadnavis, Himanta Biswa and Bhajan Lal.

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NDA has divided the state into different zones for the nomination filing and senior NDA leaders will be present in each district on the day of nominations.

More than a dozen chief ministers from various states and several Union Ministers will also attend the nomination events. The NDA has prepared a detailed roadmap for these four days of intensive campaigning and coordination.

First Published: October 16, 2025, 15:50 IST

News elections From West Champaran Border To Kosi Heartland, BJP Plans Star Campaign Blitz For Bihar Election

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Ground Report | He Wont Talk, But Osamas Name Says Enough: The Shahabuddin Legacy Roars In Siwan

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 13:05 IST

To understand Osamas entry into Bihar politics, one must remember the man whose shadow looms over it all - Mohammad Shahabuddin, once called the Sultan of Siwan.

Standing at his residence, locally known as 'Sahab Ghar' of Siwan, Osama, son of the late RJD strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin, turns away from the cameras, refusing to speak. (Image: PTI, News18)

Chhoriye na madam, mujhe media se baat nahi karni (Forget it madam, I dont want to talk to the media)," RJDs Raghunathpur candidate Osama Sahabs curt response to News18 when asked about his vision for Siwan and the constituency he expects to represent. His words were calm and soft, but the tone was firm. Standing at his residence, locally known as Sahab Ghar of Siwan, Osama, son of the late RJD strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin, turns away from the cameras, refusing to speak.

For someone whose name means  lion  in Arabic, this silence speaks volumes. The crowd and the ring of his supporters around him, however, cheered him and spoke plenty.

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A couple of hours before he arrived at his residence in a cavalcade of black SUVs, hundreds of young RJD workers had already gathered outside the SDO court where he filed his nomination, waving flags, chanting slogans, and hailing the return of the Sahabs legacy.

Osama, in crisp black pathani kurta-pajama, walked into the administrative office with RJD veteran and Raghunathpurs sitting MLA Harishankar Yadav, who signed as his proposer that looked like a clear signal that the party, and Lalu Prasad Yadav himself, had chosen to revive the Siwan chapter of RJDs old bastion.

In Siwan, the past is back on the ballot

Outside the room in the SDO court in Siwan, where Osama was going through the administrative formalities, his advocate Dhanesh Kumar Singh spoke exclusively to News18, addressing the elephant in the room with his side of the legal version. Two of the four criminal cases against Osama Sahab have already been disposed of. He is currently out on bail in the remaining two," he said responding to the questions around the controversy, triggered after RJD announced his candidacy as BJP pointed out his familys dark past of crime, control and intimidation. Osamas election affidavit, however stated, that he had five pending criminal cases.

At this point, what Singhs statement omitted, and what the charged crowd around him seemed to amplify was the deeper story of crime, legacy, and a carefully engineered return. For many in Siwan, it was nothing short of a deja vu  a flashback to a darker chapter in Bihars political history. And, that legacy is impossible to ignore.

Mohammad Shahabuddin, once the undisputed strongman of Siwan and four-time MP, carried nearly two dozen serious criminal cases, including multiple murders, attempted murder, and abduction. His iron grip over the region was both feared and revered, and his rise from gangster to parliamentarian remains one of Bihars most controversial political arcs.

When he died in Delhis Tihar Jail in 2021 due to COVID-19 complications, his son Osama, then studying law in London, returned to India. But instead of retreating from the shadow of crime, he stepped into it. In the past three years alone, five criminal cases have been filed against Osama, including charges under the Arms Act, alleged land grabbing, and firing incidents. His entry into electoral politics has come with suites of legal proceedings still hanging in balance, reflecting the same blurred line between power and prosecution that once defined his father.

Amidst all this, stood Ujjwal Giri, Osamas childhood friend and former travel companion to Vaishno Devi, a trip that now feels almost symbolic of the duality in Osamas life. Hes always been social, easy to talk to. Not like what people imagine when they hear the name Shahabuddin," Ujjwal told News18, watching the spectacle with quiet reflection.

But in Siwan, the name Shahabuddin is never just a name, it is a brand, a warning, and for many, a vote. As Osama courts public adulation and legal ambiguity in equal measure, his candidacy becomes not just about one man, but about a constituency deciding whether the past is a burden, or a banner to rally behind.

Clearly, in Siwan, imagination and memory are hard to separate.

Cut to the narrow, noisy lanes of Siwan town, men crowding tea stalls, debating the meaning of Osamas political debut. Some call it Lalus emotional move, while others whisper the return of fear. Later that evening, Osama drives back to his family bungalow, the imposing Sahabs Ghar located diagonally opposite a Mahila Thana. This was the place where his father once held his darbars (self styledcourts). The name still echoes through the town like folklore. Ahsan Akram, a family friend of Sahabuddin family, who accompanied Osama to nominations filing centre told News 18, Sahabuddin was called Dr Sahab as he attempted to get his PhD. He is known as Sahab as people admired him as the- protector of the poor. He used to be the judge and jury during his darbars. There was no one, absolutely no one, who had the guts to disobey his orders. And he never discriminated on the basis of religion or caste.

The Sultan of Siwan: A Legacy of Power, Fear, and Politics

To understand Osamas entry, one must remember the man whose shadow looms over it all  Mohammad Shahabuddin, once called the Sultan of Siwan. A four-time MP and two-time MLA, Shahabuddin ruled this district like a personal kingdom during the Lalu-Rabri era.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, his writ ran deeper than the state-laws. Police dared not act against him, bureaucrats feared his word more than government orders. He slapped a senior police officer in public, conducted khap-style courts from his home, and even the opposition feared to put up posters during his elections.

His rise was meteoric, from a PhD dropout in political science in 1986, to a bahubali with over two dozen criminal cases ranging from murder to extortion. Shahabuddin was labelled a habitual criminal by Siwans own District Magistrate in 2005. A 2005 raid on his bungalow revealed AK-47s, grenades, night-vision gear, proof that the lines between mafia and politics had long blurred.

His crimes shocked even a crime-hardened Bihar, from the acid killings of two brothers, to the murders of CPI(ML) leader Chandrashekhar Prasad and journalist Rajdev Ranjan. Both were acts that turned the Sultan into a symbol of terror, even as some locals whispered admiration, calling him the protector of the poor.

That duality and the complexity on the ground still define Siwan. For every villager who shudders at the memory of the jungle raj, there is another who insists Shahabuddin kept order when the state failed. When he died of COVID-19 in 2021, the same town that once trembled under his rule lit candles for him.

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Now, Osama, a 30-year-old young and visibly brooding man, London-educated in law, has returned to claim that complicated inheritance. After a few months in jail last year over land disputes, he is now attempting a political resurrection of the Shahabuddin name, this time under Tejashwi Yadavs leadership. Lalu Prasad Yadav, who once nurtured Shahabuddin as his enforcer, personally handed the RJD symbol to his son.

At Sahabs Ghar, the gates that once guarded a parallel empire now open quietly. Osama, with a smile, greets supporters, shakes hands, but avoids questions. Behind the calm facade is a legacy that refuses to fade.

About the Author Madhuparna Das Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has co... Read More

Location : Siwan, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 13:05 IST

News elections Ground Report | He Wont Talk, But Osamas Name Says Enough: The Shahabuddin Legacy Roars In Siwan

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'Back Our Bills': PDP Offers Support To NC In J&K Rajya Sabha Polls, But Here's The Catch

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee



Last Updated: October 16, 2025, 18:34 IST

The PDP has said it will only offer support to the NC in the Rajya Sabha elections if the party backs its bills for land rights and regularisation of daily wagers in the assembly

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti (L) said former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah (R) had approached her, seeking support for the government in the Rajya Sabha polls. (Image: PTI/File)

Amid reports of a collapse in the alliance between the Congress and NC in Jammu and Kashmir, the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP has offered support to the ruling party ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls  but on one condition.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it will only offer support to the National Conference (NC) in the Rajya Sabha elections if the party backs its bills for land rights and regularisation of daily wagers in the assembly.

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The Jammu and Kashmir assembly session is scheduled to start on October 23 and the biennial elections to fill the four Rajya Sabha seats of the union territory, lying vacant since 2021, will be held on October 24.

Mehbooba Mufti has told NC president Farooq Abdullah that the PDP will support his party in the Rajya Sabha elections if it backs her partys Land Bill and the Regularisation of Daily Wagers Bill in the Assembly. As polls near and candidates seek support from MLAs, the PDP has set conditions before the NC to support one of its candidates.

But, what happens if the deal does not go through?

If the PDP withholds its support from the NC, it will tilt the balance more in favour of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls. Linking the PDPs Rajya Sabha support to private member bills is politically symbolic, they said. Since 1980, only three private member bills have ever been passed in the J&K assembly, they added.

They said Mehboobas proposal to condition PDPs Rajya Sabha support on the NC backing her land rights and daily wagers bills seems well crafted. Economically, regularisation will annually cost between Rs 5,000 to 6,000 crore, which neither the current government nor the Mehbooba Mufti administration could afford during 2015-2018; hence, this does not seem a genuine legislative negotiation, they added.

In a reference to her partys decision to support the government, she said former CM Farooq Abdullah had approached her, seeking support for the government.

Farooq Abdullah called me up and said the government needed support. I said that there are some bills that we demand be passed in the Assembly," Mehbooba said.

Her daughter and PDP leader Iltija Mufti said she does not see why the NC should not be willing to support the PDP on the land rights and daily wagers bills. She said she hopes to see the government rise above partisan politics".

Dont see why NC shouldnt be willing to support PDP bills whether its the land rights or the one to regularise daily wagers. Both were unfortunately kept in limbo during the Budget session earlier this year. These bills seek to protect the rights of people across J&K reeling from insecurity & uncertainty over property rights & unemployment. Hope the local government rises above partisan politics at least this time," Iltija said on X.

Dont see why NC shouldnt be willing to support PDP bills whether its the land rights or the one to regularise daily wagers. Both were unfortunately kept in limbo during the Budget session earlier this year. These bills seek to protect the rights of people across J&K reeling Iltija Mufti (@IltijaMufti_) October 16, 2025

This political churning in J&K comes at a time of the Omar Abdullah-led government completing a year on Thursday. Earlier, however, Mehbooba launched a scathing attack on Omar Abdullah, questioning his performance and drawing comparisons with Arvind Kejriwals governance model in New Delhi.

She praised the fact that, despite being a UT like J&K, Delhis governance model under Kejriwals leadership worked so well". Alleging that the Delhi L-G had a gun pointed at Arvind Kejriwals head", she questioned why the current J&K administration, led by Omar Abdullah, could not make similar initiatives.

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Even Arvind Kejriwal governed a UT. He provided free electricity, free water, improved schools and health services, and legalised illegal colonies. Delhi L-G had a gun pointed at Arvind Kejriwals head, but he still worked so well. His governance in a UT is a model. Why isnt Omar Abdullah providing free gas, power, water, increasing the widow fund and giving employment? Not having statehood is just an excuse to not work," she said.

(With agency inputs)

About the Author Ieshan Wani Ieshan Wani, senior correspondent, CNN-News18, has over eight years of experience in reporting, producing and editing news for broadcast, digital and print platforms. His reporting has mostly been fro... Read More

Location : Srinagar, India, India

First Published: October 16, 2025, 18:34 IST

News elections 'Back Our Bills': PDP Offers Support To NC In J&K Rajya Sabha Polls, But Here's The Catch

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JDU's Pick For Mokama Seat Faces 28 Cases: Here's What Anant Singh's Affidavit Reveals

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 15:03 IST

Anant Kumar Singh, known as Chhote Sarkar, filed nomination papers as JD(U) candidate from Mokama in Bihar, declaring assets of Rs 37.88 crore in his election affidavit.

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Anant Kumar Singh has been a dominant figure in Mokama politics since the 1990s. (Image: X / @MLA_AnantSingh)

Gangster-turned-politician Anant Kumar Singh, also known as Chhote Sarkar," has submitted his nomination papers as a JD(U) candidate to contest the upcoming Bihar assembly elections from the Mokama assembly seat, declaring total assets worth Rs 37.88 crore, as per his election affidavit. A five-time MLA, Singhs affidavit revealed that he faces 28 criminal cases.

Singh submitted his nomination on Tuesday before the JD(U) formally announced its list of candidates for the upcoming elections. Party insiders said Singh went ahead with the process after receiving the party symbol from the leadership.

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Family Wealth And Disclosures

Singhs wife, Neelam Devi, who had won the Mokama seat in 2020 on an RJD ticket, has now switched allegiance to the NDA government in Bihar. According to her affidavit, she holds assets valued at Rs 62.72 crore  far exceeding those declared by her husband, The Economic Times reported.

The documents reveal that Singh possesses movable assets worth Rs 26.66 crore and immovable assets of Rs 11.22 crore. Neelam Devi, on the other hand, owns movable assets of Rs 13.07 crore and immovable property worth Rs 49.65 crore. Singh declared Rs 15.61 lakh in cash, while Neelam Devi reported Rs 34.60 lakh. Both own gold jewellery, valued at Rs 15 lakh and Rs 76.61 lakh, respectively.

Their assets also include three luxury SUVs worth Rs 3.23 crore owned by Singh and three cars worth Rs 77.62 lakh belonging to Neelam Devi, along with livestock such as horses and cows, the report further mentioned.

Criminal Record And Political Journey

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According to the affidavit, Singh faces 28 criminal cases. He has been a dominant figure in Mokama politics since the 1990s. After being disqualified in 2022 due to a UAPA conviction, Singh handed over the seat to his wife. However, following his recent acquittal by the Patna High Court, he is returning to contest on his own.

The RJD has vowed to field a strong contender against him in Mokama, which will vote in the first phase on November 6.

About the Author Manisha Roy Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 15:03 IST

News elections JDU's Pick For Mokama Seat Faces 28 Cases: Here's What Anant Singh's Affidavit Reveals

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Not A Politician, Hes An Idea: Konar Village's Faith In Prashant Kishors Bihar Vision

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 10:24 IST

Many in Konar, where Prashant Kishor was born, are disappointed that he himself is not contesting the upcoming Bihar elections.

Prashant Kishor's parents Dr Srikant Pandey and Sushila Pandey are no more but locals still remember them fondly. (Image: News18)

Driving four hours out of Patna brings you to Konar village in Rohtas district  this is where Prashant Kishor was born. A big but rather dilapidated house greets you here with only a caretaker, Kedar Pandey. But a big wall-paining at the house listing Jan Suraaj Partys five big promises, and a Prashant Kishor poster inside is unmissable  these are Kishors roots and where he grew up.

His parents Dr Srikant Pandey and Sushila Pandey are no more but locals still remember them fondly. Dr Pandey was a renowned physician, and locals say that he helped the people a lot. Dr Pandey imbibed the same ideals in his son, Prashant. With his new party, Prashant is trying to change Bihars politics for the good of Bihar. He is not calling himself a politician too but rather a worker who wants to see Bihar move ahead from caste," a group of locals say.

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Prashant Kishor rose from these modest backgrounds to first become a political strategist and now a full-time politician whose party is contesting many seats in Bihar. But many in Konar are disappointed that Prashant himself is not contesting the upcoming elections. We wish he could have contested from his home seat in Rohtas. The other option was taking on Tejashwi Yadav from Raghopur. But he is not contesting at all," the locals say.

Kedar Pandey says it does not matter if Prashant contests or not as he has already made a point with his Yatra across Bihar over the last two years. Prashant Kishor wants to change Bihars politics. His entire politics is a new idea, a vichar. Whether he remains in the fray or not, the vichar (idea) will always stay," Kedar Pandey says. But as some locals say, the opposition is now portraying that Prashant ran away from the election battle, and this may hurt.

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Some in the opposition have also pointed out the Pandey surname of Prashant Kishor to paint him as an upper-caste politician, which he does not portray. However, Prashant while speaking to CNN-News18, said his is the only party giving such a high proportion of tickets to backward castes and minorities  for true representation as per their share in the states population. Locals in Konar also say Prashants politics is not about caste at all. It is more.

On November 14, Bihars election results will show if the idea works or caste trumps.

About the Author Aman Sharma Aman Sharma, News Director For CNN News18 and News18 English, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Ministers Office. He has written widely on pol... Read More

Location : Rohtas, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 10:24 IST

News elections Not A Politician, Hes An Idea: Konar Village's Faith In Prashant Kishors Bihar Vision

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Opposition's Jale Seat Pick Stirs Bihar Elections Pot, Congress Plays Safe After Row

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Karishma Jain



Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 16:41 IST

The leader in question was Mohammad Naushad Alam, whose rally had triggered a political storm over abusive slogans directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modis late mother

A total of 121 out of 243 seats will go to the polls in the first phase on November 6. (Image: PTI/File)

A heated debate erupted on Friday over the possible entry of a controversial Congress leader into the Bihar poll ring, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seizing the opportunity to launch a fresh offensive against the opposition alliance in the eastern state, which goes to polls next month. Soon after, the Congress appeared to douse the row by announcing a different candidate.

The leader in question was Mohammad Naushad Alam, whose rally had triggered a political storm over abusive slogans directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modis late mother. The seat in question was Jale, eyed by both the Congress and ally Rastriya Janata Dal (RJD) during seat discussions.

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It was reported by a section of the media that Alam, a youth leader from Darbhanga, had been given the partys election symbol, a move that supposedly signalled the Congresss intent to field him. However, his name was never included in the official Central Election Committee (CEC) list. And the party later announced Rishi Mishra as its pick from the Jale seat in the backdrop of a controversy.

Mishra, a senior RJD face, is contesting on the Congress symbol as part of the INDIA blocs evolving seat-sharing arrangement. His name featured in the partys first official list of 48 candidates released late Thursday, just ahead of the nomination deadline for Phase 1.

Even on Thursday, as seat negotiations stretched till the 11th hour, some media reports said Jale was one of the disputed seats, with the Congress opting to field Alam and the RJD contesting that such a move would hand the ruling side an advantage.

Naushads name first made headlines during Rahul Gandhis Voter Adhikar Yatra in August. He was the chief organiser of the Darbhanga leg of the Yatra, where abusive language was shouted from the stage against PM Modis mother. The Prime Minister later described the incident as deeply saddening, painful, and distressing," and Home Minister Amit Shah called it a stain on our democracy." The BJP had also called for a Bihar bandh in protest.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla further escalated the attack, saying, The Congress neither respects women nor mothers. In a country where we worship Sita Maa and Durga Maa, the Congress insults Prime Minister Modis mother and rewards those responsible."

Though Congress spokespersons publicly claimed that BJP agents" had infiltrated the rally, internal damage control soon began. While Naushad was the event organiser, Congress sources maintain he was not responsible for the remarks made from the stage. A local court will hear Naushads bail request in the abuse case tomorrow.

Jale, in Bihars politically significant Darbhanga district, is expected to witness a high-stakes contest. The BJPs sitting MLA Jivesh Mishra, a minister in the Nitish Kumar government, is seeking a third consecutive term.

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This isnt the first time the Congresss pick in Jale has triggered a row. In 2020, the party fielded former AMU Students Union president Mashkoor Usmani, who was criticised by the BJP for allegedly supporting a Jinnah portrait. That controversy cost the Congress-RJD alliance heavily in the Mithila region.

The assembly election for the Jale constituency will be held on November 6, and the results will be announced on November 14.

About the Author Pallavi Ghosh Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. S... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 16:34 IST

News elections Opposition's Jale Seat Pick Stirs Bihar Elections Pot, Congress Plays Safe After Row

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Putin Calls Trump Before Zelenskyys Washington Visit: Coincidence Or Calculation?

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 13:53 IST

The call, described by Russian officials as held in an atmosphere of trust, took place just as Zelenskyy was flying to Washington

The two leaders spoke for nearly two and a half hours on Thursday. (Image: AP Image)

For three years, the war between Russia and Ukraine has ground on with no end in sight, a war born out of Moscows full-scale invasion in 2022 and sustained by shifting battlefield fortunes, geopolitical brinkmanship, and fractured diplomatic efforts. While Kyiv continues to seek decisive Western military support, a new element of suspense entered the equation this week: a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The two leaders spoke for nearly two and a half hours on Thursday in what Russian officials described as positive and productive" and held in an atmosphere of trust."

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The call came just as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was flying to Washington to request, among other things, permission from the US to acquire long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.

So what happened during the Trump-Putin phone call, and what does it mean for Ukraines hopes, and Russias strategy?

Why Did Putin Call Trump Now?

The timing of the Kremlins outreach was far from accidental. The phone call, initiated by Moscow, came just as Zelenskyy was en route to Washington. Ukrainian officials believe that it was Kyivs growing momentum in securing long-range weapons, particularly Tomahawks, that prompted Russias intervention.

During the call, Putin and Trump discussed the war in Ukraine and agreed to explore a possible face-to-face meeting, which Trump later said on social media would take place in an agreed upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this inglorious war to an end."

CNN reported that President Putin used the opportunity to issue a stark warning: that supplying Tomahawks would not change the battlefield situation, but would damage US-Russia relations, something he knows Trump values so highly." According to the report, Putin also praised Trump as a peacemaker in the Middle East and beyond," referring to the US presidents recent success in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The phone call was seen by some observers as a bid by Putin to stall a possible shift in American strategy, one that seemed increasingly open to militarily pressuring Russia to the negotiating table. Putin doesnt want President Trump to lean into the strategy of trying to compel Russia to the [negotiating] table by imposing battlefield losses," George Barros, a Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, told Newsweek.

Whats At Stake For Ukraine And Why Tomahawks Matter

Ukraines war effort, now entering its fourth winter, is under immense strain. In the 24 hours preceding the call, Russia launched dozens of missiles and more than 300 drones at various Ukrainian targets, according to BBC. These attacks, which once again hit civilian infrastructure, including the gas supply network, have led to nationwide power outages and worsening living conditions.

For Kyiv, the Tomahawk missiles could be more than just tactical tools. They represent a psychological and strategic shift in the war, a sign that the United States is ready to move beyond defensive support and into long-range deterrence. The Tomahawk is a long-range, precision-guided cruise missile widely used by the US military. It can travel over 1,500 kilometres and strike targets deep inside enemy territory, making it a significant escalation if transferred to Ukraine.

While the logistical deployment could still take months, the prospect of being able to hit high-value sites in Russia, including Moscow and St Petersburg, adds strategic pressure on the Kremlin.

Trump himself seemed to be leaning in that direction. Speaking to reporters earlier this week, he said: Do they [Russia] want Tomahawks going in their direction? I dont think so."

But with the surprise phone call, that momentum now appears to be on hold.

How Did Zelenskyy Respond?

Zelenskyy, who landed in Washington shortly after the Trump-Putin call, put on a brave face. In a post on his arrival, he suggested that Russia was panicking," and said the Kremlin was rushing to renew dialogue" because of the increasing talk around Tomahawk missiles.

However, Trumps post about a potential meeting in Budapest caught both Ukrainian and American officials off guard, leaving many in Kyiv and Washington questioning the presidents direction.

The Alaska summit didnt produce any results, and it seems like President Trump is going to make the same mistake again," Oleksander Merezhko, a member of Ukraines parliament, told Newsweek. Maybe Trump is playing some sort of a sophisticated diplomatic game. But on the surface its not clear, to put it mildly."

Why The Proposal For A New Trump-Putin Meeting Is Drawing Scrutiny

Trump and Putin are expected to meet again in what would be their second direct engagement since the Ukraine war began. Their earlier summit, held in Alaska in August, ended without a breakthrough. Russia made no concessions, and Ukraine was not part of the process.

The latest agreement to hold another summit has revived scrutiny of this diplomatic track. CNN reported that the next meeting is planned for Budapest, with Trump indicating it may happen within the next two weeks. It would follow preparatory talks between top US and Russian officials. Though intent has been signalled by both sides, final arrangements are yet to be confirmed.

Russias position remains unchanged. It continues to demand full control over contested Ukrainian territory and long-term restrictions on Ukraines defence and foreign policy. These goals were not revised during the recent phone call.

According to BBC, the two leaders also discussed what Moscow described as colossal prospects" for trade if peace talks moved forward, though no specific roadmap was outlined.

With preliminary discussions expected next week, the key questions now are whether concrete terms for negotiation will emerge and whether Ukraine will be directly involved. So far, there is no confirmation of Kyivs participation.

Is Trump Going Soft On Putin Again, Or Just Keeping Options Open?

The Kremlin appears to be banking on Trumps appetite for a diplomatic win, especially following his Gaza ceasefire success. The war in Europe can also be brought to an end," Zelenskyy had said earlier in the week, and for that, the leadership of both the United States and other partners is of utmost importance."

But the recurring pattern has not gone unnoticed. Each time Trump shows signs of frustration with Moscows intransigence, he is drawn back into dialogue with Putin. The proposed summit does not appear to mark a shift toward a tougher US stance. Instead, it is being viewed by some analysts as another example of Putin successfully redirecting Trump away from military escalation and toward another round of vague diplomatic engagement.

What Happens Next?

With Zelenskyy still expected to meet Trump on Friday, the immediate focus will be on whether the US president follows through on his earlier statements about arming Ukraine with Tomahawks, or if the proposed summit will once again delay any such decision.

Ukraines ambassador to the US, Olga Stefanishyna, told Newsweek that discussions between Ukrainian and US officials this week focused on strengthening Ukraines air defence, boosting the resilience of our energy sector, expanding long-range capabilities, and exploring additional sanctions on Russia."

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But the Trump-Putin call, and the sudden revival of the summit track, has complicated that narrative.

For now, Russias objectives remain unchanged. Ukraine is still waiting for weapons. And Trump, once again, is placing his bets on diplomacy.

About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follo... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 13:49 IST

News explainers Putin Calls Trump Before Zelenskyys Washington Visit: Coincidence Or Calculation?

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Trump Confirms CIA Ops In Venezuela As US Strikes Kill 27 At Sea: Are These Attacks Legal?

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 16, 2025, 09:30 IST

As Trump confirms CIA covert action inside Venezuela and defends deadly maritime strikes, questions mount over what the law permits and what it doesnt

US President Donald Trump addresses the Israeli parliament, the Knesset. (AFP)_

Over the past month, the United States has carried out a series of deadly military strikes in the Caribbean Sea, destroying boats the Trump administration says were operated by Venezuelas Tren de Aragua cartel. Since early September, five vessels have been hit, killing 27 people.

The attacks came as part of what US President Donald Trump has described as a new front in the war on drugs. On Wednesday, he confirmed for the first time that he had authorised CIA covert operations inside Venezuela. I authorised for two reasons, really," he said at the White House. No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America and the other thing, the drugs, we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea."

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Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has repeatedly defended the strikes, calling them necessary to protect US lives. A drug cartel is no different than al Qaeda, and they will be treated as such," he said. Trump has also referred to the targets as narcoterrorists," claiming one of the boats carried members of the foreign terrorist organisation he designated as the Tren de Aragua.

What Is Tren de Aragua, And Why Is Venezuela Involved?

Tren de Aragua is one of Venezuelas most powerful and violent criminal syndicates, operating drug and arms trafficking routes across Latin America. Though based in Venezuela, its network extends into Colombia, the Caribbean, and as far north as the USMexico border. The Trump administration this year labelled the group a foreign terrorist organisation."

Relations between the US and Venezuela have been hostile for years, particularly since Nicolas Maduro took power following Hugo Chavezs death in 2013. The US government has accused Maduro of overseeing fraudulent elections and supporting narco-trafficking networks. In 2020, the US Justice Department indicted Maduro on drug charges and placed a $15 million bounty on his head.

The recent strikes mark the first time in over three decades that the US has acknowledged military operations in Latin American waters. They have also come without direct provocation or declared war, raising legal and diplomatic alarms.

Did The Boats Pose An Immediate Threat To The US?

The Trump administration insists they did. Every boatload of any form of drug that poisons the American people is an imminent threat," Hegseth said last week.

But officials have not provided clear evidence that any of the destroyed boats were carrying drugs or were en route to the US. According to CNN, the Pentagon has not released satellite intelligence or cargo details, only grainy videos showing the boats exploding at sea.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio admitted that one vessel was probably headed to Trinidad or some other country in the Caribbean." In another case, the boat reportedly turned around before being hit. And in perhaps the most controversial incident, Colombian President Gustavo Petro claimed that a destroyed boat was actually Colombian and carrying Colombian citizens. The US has denied this.

Former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official Mike Vigil warned that intelligence behind such operations is often limited: You dont just send a missile and destroy a boat. It is the equivalent of a police officer walking up to a drug trafficker on the street and shooting him," he told The WSJ.

What Are The Legal Grounds For These Strikes?

This is where the controversy deepens. The US Constitution requires congressional approval to declare war, but the Trump administration has neither requested nor received authorisation. Instead, it informed Congress that the US is engaged in a non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels  a unilateral designation.

Critics say this argument stretches both domestic and international law beyond its limits. Brett Max Kaufman, senior counsel at the ACLU, called the attacks extrajudicial killings that are flagrantly illegal under both domestic and international law." Writing for MSNBC, he said: Even if the law of war were to apply (and it absolutely does not), it would prohibit direct attacks against civilians who are not directly participating in the conflict."

According to Geoffrey Corn, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and law of war adviser, I dont think there is any way to legitimately characterise a drug ship heading from Venezuela, arguably to Trinidad, as an actual or imminent armed attack against the United States."

Former State Department lawyer Brian Finucane also dismissed the legal basis offered by the administration. Designation enables sanctions and criminal prosecutions," he told WSJ. It does not authorise the president to launch missiles."

Do These Strikes Breach International Maritime Law?

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), countries cannot use lethal force against vessels in international waters unless there is an immediate and demonstrable threat. While the US is not a party to the convention, its military has historically operated in a manner consistent with its provisions.

Professor Luke Moffett of Queens University Belfast explained: Force can be used to stop a boat but generally this should be non-lethal measures [Lethal strikes] must be reasonable and necessary in self-defence where there is an immediate threat of serious injury or loss of life." He concluded that the US actions were likely unlawful under the law of the sea."

Are These Strikes Part Of A Bigger Operation In The Region?

Yes. According to the BBC, at least four US Navy ships  the USS Lake Erie, USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Fort Lauderdale  have been detected in the Caribbean since late August. Though the US says they are there for anti-narcotics patrols, the expanded military presence has raised concerns in the region.

In a sign of rising tensions, two Venezuelan F-16 jets reportedly flew near a US warship shortly after the first boat strike. The Pentagon called the manoeuvre highly provocative."

There is also regional memory of past US operations gone wrong  such as the 2001 downing of a civilian plane over Peru during a botched joint anti-drug mission, in which an American missionary and her baby were killed.

So, Is The US Violating The Law?

Legal scholars say yes. Both international and domestic law place strict limits on the use of lethal force, particularly in non-war zones and against non-state actors. Whatever the government now says in an attempt to cover its tracks does not magically unlock legal authority to use force," Kaufman wrote.

He argued that drug trafficking, even when deadly in its impact, does not amount to armed violence" under international law. The president announcing an armed conflict does not make it so The murder statutes in both US criminal and military law prohibit the use of lethal force against civilians, and no plausible exception applies here."

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What Happens Next?

With Trump hinting at land operations and confirming CIA activity inside Venezuela, the legal, political, and diplomatic fallout is far from over. International law experts are urging the United Nations to intervene, while rights groups are calling for congressional oversight and full transparency.

About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follo... Read More

First Published: October 16, 2025, 09:26 IST

News explainers Trump Confirms CIA Ops In Venezuela As US Strikes Kill 27 At Sea: Are These Attacks Legal?

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Trump May Send Tomahawk Missiles To Ukraine: Heres What They Are And Why Russias Worried

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 08:53 IST

With a 2,500-km range and proven combat record, Tomahawks could transform Ukraines strike capabilities and force a recalculation in Moscow

Trump is expected to discuss the matter directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their White House meeting on Friday. (Image: AFP)

Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the war has become a grinding battle of attrition, fought not just on the front lines but in supply chains, skies, and international diplomacy. While Ukraine has received a broad spectrum of Western military support, its repeated calls for longer-range strike capabilities have met with hesitation.

That may now be changing.

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US President Donald Trump has said he is considering providing Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles, a weapon that could significantly expand Kyivs ability to strike deep inside Russian territory. Trump is expected to discuss the matter directly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their White House meeting on Friday.

The move has already drawn sharp warnings from Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that arming Ukraine with Tomahawks would mark a new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the US", while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the prospect of such a transfer was causing extreme concern" in Moscow, according to Russian state TV.

So, what exactly are Tomahawks? Why does Ukraine want them? And why is Russia so alarmed?

What Are Tomahawk Missiles And Where Do They Come From?

Tomahawks are subsonic cruise missiles developed by the US in the 1970s. Powered by jet engines and equipped with precision navigation systems, they are designed to strike high-value land targets from long distances.

Initially built as a delivery system for nuclear warheads, the Tomahawk was developed in multiple configurations  air-launched, sea-launched, and land-based. While the nuclear variant was retired in 2013, conventional versions remain in active use.

The missiles ability to fly at very low altitudes allows it to evade radar detection, while its range, depending on the variant, can stretch up to 2,500 kilometres. According to the Financial Times, Tomahawks carry warheads weighing around 450 kilograms and are typically launched from US Navy ships and submarines. However, land-based options exist, such as the US Armys Typhon system or the Marine Corps Long-Range Fire Systems.

While the Tomahawk is not new, and was first used in combat during the 1991 Gulf War, it remains a cornerstone of Americas long-range strike capability. The US has used them extensively in conflicts in Iraq, Libya, Syria, and more recently, against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

How Many Tomahawks Does The US Have And How Many Could Ukraine Receive?

The exact number of Tomahawks in the US inventory is unclear. In 2023, The Heritage Foundation estimated that the US Navy held about 4,000 Tomahawk missiles, but that figure predated intensive strikes on Houthi targets. According to AP, 135 Tomahawks were launched during one such campaign alone.

At the same time, production has slowed. Pentagon budget documents cited by AP show that in 2023, only 68 new Tomahawks were purchased, and that number dropped further in subsequent years.

Given this, it remains uncertain how many missiles could realistically be sent to Ukraine. Mark Cancian, a former Pentagon official quoted by FT, estimated that the US has about 4,150 Tomahawks" and would probably be willing to part with hundreds."

Jim Townsend, a former US deputy assistant secretary of defence, said, If we do give Tomahawks, it wont be a huge batch, and that means that Zelenskyy will have to be very careful in terms of how he uses these."

Why Does Ukraine Want Tomahawks?

Zelenskyy has made no secret of his interest in acquiring long-range precision weapons. We see and hear that Russia is afraid that the Americans may give us Tomahawks  that this kind of pressure may work for peace," the Ukrainian President said on Sunday.

He also stressed that the missiles would be used only against Russian military targets: We never attacked their civilians. This is the big difference between Ukraine and Russia. Thats why, if we speak about long-range missiles, we speak only about military goals."

The Tomahawk would be the longest-range US weapon given to Ukraine to date, vastly exceeding the 190-mile range of the ATACMS missiles previously supplied. Zelenskyy and Ukrainian military experts believe the cruise missiles would allow them to target key Russian assets far beyond the front lines, from logistics hubs to arms factories.

Mykola Bielieskov, a fellow at the National Institute for Strategic Studies in Kyiv, told FT that the weapon would enable combined attacks and better destroy oil processing, military industrial complex, logistics and command and control."

The US-based Institute for the Study of War has also stated that Ukraine could use Tomahawks to strike high-value Russian military facilities such as the drone factory in Alabuga, Tatarstan, or the Engels-2 airbase in Saratov.

Why Is Russia Alarmed?

Although Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly claimed that these missiles pose no serious threat", he warned that such a move would represent a qualitatively different escalation" in the war and in US-Russia relations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the possibility as a cause of extreme concern", in comments aired on Russian state television.

Behind the official rhetoric lies a more practical concern. Tomahawk missiles are known for their ability to fly at low altitudes and evade radar, making them harder to intercept. Ukrainian disinformation expert Andriy Kovalenko told DW that Russian [defense] systems covered Syrian targets at the time but failed [to down Tomahawks]," referring to the US strikes in Syria in 2017 and 2018. He noted that these cruise missiles are especially effective when launched in salvos, as overloading air defences increases their success rate."

Systems like Russias S-400 and Pantsir, considered advanced by regional standards, have shown vulnerability to such coordinated attacks in the past.

This operational edge is precisely why Ukraine sees them as a potential game-changer.

Can Ukraine Actually Launch Them?

Traditionally, Tomahawks are launched from ships or submarines. Since Ukraine lacks such naval platforms, any deployment would depend on land-based launch systems.

The US Army has developed the Typhon Mid-Range Capability System, essentially a shipping container that can conceal and launch missiles vertically. First tested in 2023, the Typhon system was deployed to the Philippines, Australia and Japan in 2024. According to NYT, the Marine Corpss Long-Range Fire System is another possible platform, and may be more readily available since it is being phased out.

Could Tomahawks Change The Course Of The War?

Analysts are divided. Some, like Bielieskov, say that a small supply would dilute their effect. For proper effect, at least 100 missiles" would be needed per month, he told FT.

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Others see their impact more as psychological and political. Former US ambassador to Ukraine John E. Herbst told DW, Kremlin hysteria over a possible delivery of these weapons to Ukraine shows it could influence Putins policies."

Tomahawks, by themselves, may not be a silver bullet. But combined with Ukraines existing long-range drone capabilities and its Western-backed military infrastructure, they could send a powerful signal.

About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follo... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 08:48 IST

News explainers Trump May Send Tomahawk Missiles To Ukraine: Heres What They Are And Why Russias Worried

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What Is SDPI? Why A Hijab Row In Kerala Brought This Controversial Party Back In Focus

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 15, 2025, 17:39 IST

SDPI, often seen as the political offshoot of banned outfit PFI, is once again in the spotlight over intimidation allegations at a Christian school in Kerala

Supporters of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) shout slogans during a protest. (REUTERS)

A fresh political and communal row has erupted in Keralas Ernakulam district after a hijab-wearing Class 8 student was allegedly denied entry into a Christian-run school. But the controversy escalated sharply when the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) was accused of backing the students family and creating a ruckus" on the school campus.

So, what is the SDPI? How is it linked to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI)? Why is it often in the middle of controversies in Kerala and Karnataka? Heres a detailed explainer.

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Why Is SDPI In The News Right Now?

On October 7, a Muslim student at St Ritas Public School in Palluruthy, Ernakulam was allegedly asked to remove her hijab at the classroom entrance. According to the student, This school is not allowing me to wear a hijab. They made me stand at the entrance (of the classroom) and told me to remove it. Teachers were rude. I wont study here."

A fight reportedly broke out between the parents and school authorities, with the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) stepping in. PTA President Joshi Kaithavalappil told NDTV: A young girl in a hijab marked the start of a planned attack on a Christian-managed educational institution." He claimed the parents were backed by SDPI workers, who, he alleged, put more pressure on the school than the parents."

Things escalated further on October 10, when the students father and a number of associates, allegedly from the SDPI, came to the school and allegedly hurled abuses at the authorities. In response, the school declared a two-day closure and filed a plea in the Kerala High Court seeking police protection.

Political reactions soon followed. Shone George, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, said: 117 Muslim girls study here and they all abide by the uniform rules. But in this instance, the school actually shut down because of fear of the SDPI this is the behaviour of the Islamic state. This cannot be allowed."

The school reopened on Wednesday after a two-day closure, under police presence, and classes resumed with the student allowed in hijab.

What Is The SDPI And When Was It Formed?

The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) was formed in 2009 as the political front of the Popular Front of India (PFI). It emerged out of the National Political Conference held in Kozhikode in November 2009, which was attended by a range of Islamic, Dalit, and OBC rights groups.

According to the SDPI, its objective is to empower the marginalised and deprived sections of India by securing for them a fair share in power and resources." The party claims to represent Muslims, Dalits, Adivasis and other backward communities, but most of its visible leadership and cadre base are drawn from Indian Muslims.

The Election Commission of India recognises SDPI as an unrecognised registered political party, with a lion as its poll symbol.

How Is SDPI Linked To The Banned PFI And SIMI?

The SDPI is widely regarded as the political offshoot of the Popular Front of India (PFI), an organisation banned by the Government of India in September 2022 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The ban notification labelled the PFI a major threat to internal security," citing alleged links with global terror outfits including the Islamic State, and accusing it of running training camps and radicalising youth across states like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

But the roots of this network trace back further.

Before the PFI came into existence in 2006, several of its founding members were linked to the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), an Islamist group banned in 2001 for its alleged involvement in extremist activities.

SIMI promoted a vision of establishing an Islamic state and rejected secular democratic values. After its ban, former SIMI operatives reportedly regrouped under new organisational banners. Among these was the National Development Front (NDF) in Kerala, which became the nucleus of the PFI.

The PFI was formally created in 2006 through the merger of three regional Islamist groups:

National Development Front (NDF) in Kerala

Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) in Karnataka

Manitha Neethi Pasarai (MNP) in Tamil Nadu

Over time, as this umbrella body expanded its footprint, the SDPI was floated in 2009 as its political arm, ostensibly to give voice to marginalised Muslims and Dalits through electoral means. However, law enforcement agencies allege that the SDPI served as a front to legitimise and mainstream the PFIs ideology, while avoiding direct scrutiny under security laws.

A 2023 report by the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based think tank, observed that PFI leaders were often also SDPI office-bearers", making it difficult to draw a clear line between the two. The report argued that this leadership overlap effectively blurred the distinction between the organisations, allowing shared ideologies, funding, and mobilisation strategies to operate under parallel banners  one social, the other political.

The Indian government echoed similar concerns in its 2022 UAPA ban order, stating that: PFI and its affiliates including SDPI have been pursuing a secret agenda to radicalise a particular section of society and to create disaffection against the State."

Despite these allegations and the inclusion of its name in the ban order, SDPI has not been outlawed. It continues to operate legally and contest elections, though under close scrutiny. The party has publicly denied any operational ties with the PFI, claiming to be a separate, secular political organisation committed to social justice, empowerment, and constitutional rights."

Has SDPI Been Involved In Other Controversies?

Yes, the SDPI has been repeatedly accused of inciting violence and creating communal tension, especially in Kerala and Karnataka. Some of the major controversies involving the party include:

2015 Murder of K Suresh in Kerala: SDPI workers were convicted in the murder of RSS functionary K Suresh in Kannur district. The National Investigation Agency also took over the probe at one point, citing concerns about ideological killings.

2020 Bengaluru Riots: On August 11, 2020, a mob attacked police stations and the residence of a Congress MLA in Bengaluru after a Facebook post deemed offensive to Islam went viral. The violence left three people dead. Karnataka Home Minister at the time, Basavaraj Bommai, alleged that the SDPI played a key role in instigating the violence. Several SDPI workers were arrested, although the party denied any involvement.

2021 Kerala Gold Smuggling Probe Link Allegations: During investigations into the Kerala gold smuggling case, some officials alleged that hawala channels linked to PFI and SDPI had helped fund radical activities in the state. However, the enforcement agencies have not formally linked the SDPI to this case in court.

2022 Murder of BJP Worker in Karnataka: In July 2022, BJP Yuva Morcha member Praveen Nettaru was hacked to death in the Dakshina Kannada district. Karnataka Police later arrested several SDPI and PFI activists in connection with the murder. The state government faced large-scale protests and resignations from BJP workers over what they alleged was the appeasement of SDPI-linked elements.

What Is SDPIs Electoral Footprint?

While SDPI claims to be a national party, its electoral footprint is mostly limited to parts of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and some pockets in Uttar Pradesh. It has never won a seat in the Lok Sabha or any state assembly but has managed to secure municipal and panchayat seats, especially in Muslim-majority wards.

In the 2020 Kerala local body elections, SDPI won over 40 seats. However, its rise has triggered concern among both Left and Right political formations, who accuse it of pushing divisive agendas.

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So What Happens Next In The Kerala Case?

The case has now reached the Kerala High Court, which will decide whether the schools uniform policy can override religious freedom in a private Christian institution.

About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follo... Read More

First Published: October 15, 2025, 17:39 IST

News explainers What Is SDPI? Why A Hijab Row In Kerala Brought This Controversial Party Back In Focus

Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
When Did Indians Start Bursting Firecrackers To Celebrate Diwali? | Explained

Curated By :

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 11:24 IST

Fireworks reached India via trade with China, likely during the medieval period, with sources citing their arrival between the 13th century and around 1400 AD

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The fireworks industry saw significant growth during the Mughal period. (Representative/PTI)

The Supreme Court has permitted the sale and use of green crackers in Delhi and the surrounding NCR region from October 18 to 21. The court emphasised the need for a balanced approach between celebrating festivals and protecting the environment.

The bench stated, We need to adopt a balanced approach, allowing the use of green crackers in a controlled manner without compromising the environment."

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This decision comes amid alarmingly poor air quality in Delhi, which is 25 to 30 times worse than the safe levels recommended by the World Health Organization. According to the Central Pollution Control Boards website, PM2.5 levels in most parts of the city ranged between 300 and 400 on Thursday morning.

These conditions are notable as Diwali approaches, a time when air quality traditionally worsens due to fireworks.

Where Did Fireworks Come From?

Fireworks have not always been a part of Diwali. Historians trace their origins back to ancient China. Initially, bamboo thrown into the fire would explode due to trapped air pockets, serving as a primitive form of fireworks.

By the 9th century, Chinese alchemists had developed gunpowder, a blend of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal, paving the way for modern fireworks.

According to historical accounts, fireworks originated in ancient Liuyang, China, in the 2nd century BC. Scholar Joseph Needham, in his book Science and Civilization in China, noted that Taoist chemists discovery of gunpowder laid the groundwork for both fireworks and rockets.

How Did Firecrackers Reach India?

Fireworks were introduced to India through trade with China, believed to have begun in the medieval period. Some sources suggest their arrival in the 13th century, while others believe Chinese pyrotechnic knowledge reached India around 1400 AD.

Initially, fireworks were used during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods, with grand displays in royal courts for festivals, weddings, and victories.

Historian Iqtidar Alam Khan, in his book Gunpowder and Firearm Warfare in Medieval India, notes, By the 13th century, gunpowder had reached India, bringing with it the art of fireworks, later embraced in court festivals."

When Did The Tradition Of Bursting Crackers On Diwali Begin?

The tradition of lighting fireworks during Diwali is thought to have started between the 16th and 17th centuries. Fireworks were initially used in royal courts and wealthy households before becoming a popular part of Diwali celebrations among the general public.

Fireworks, originating from Chinese gunpowder art, were initially used in Indian courts and later became part of religious festivals like Diwali," writes D.N. Jha in Feast and Fast: A History of Food in India.

How Did The Fireworks Industry Grow?

The fireworks industry saw significant growth during the Mughal period. Emperor Akbar incorporated fireworks into court festivities, enhancing their grandeur. Historian Abul Fazl, in Akbarnama, noted the use of Chinese pyrotechnics in celebrations in Agra and Fatehpur Sikri during Akbars reign.

According to John F. Richards in The Mughal Empire, Akbar initiated firework displays during Nowruz (Persian New Year) and victory celebrations in the 1570s.

During Jahangirs reign, fireworks became an art form, with his autobiography Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri mentioning a 1610 display by Chinese craftsmen in Lahores court.

Fireworks continued under Aurangzeb, with British historian William Fraser documenting the thriving trade of fireworks in Delhi for Eid and Diwali in his 1700 diary. William Dalrymple, in The Last Mughal, described the extensive fireworks industry in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, before the 1857 rebellion, involving around 10,000 artisans.

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How Large Is Indias Fireworks Market?

Today, the fireworks industry in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, dominates Indias production, with a turnover of Rs 6,000 crore. Sivakasi handles 90% of Indias fireworks production, with over 8,000 registered factories and more than 300,000 people directly employed. Indirect employment extends to 500,000, underscoring the industrys significant economic impact.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 11:24 IST

News explainers When Did Indians Start Bursting Firecrackers To Celebrate Diwali? | Explained

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Who Is Neelam Gill? The British-Indian Beauty Taking The Victorias Secret Runway By Storm

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 10:10 IST

British Indian model Neelam Gill was returned to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2025. She was the only Indian model to walk the runway.

Neelam Gill returns to Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2025.

When the Victorias Secret Fashion Show made its grand return in 2025, all eyes were on a new generation of models redefining beauty and representation. Amidst global icons like Gigi Hadid, Adriana Lima, and Ashley Graham, one name resonated powerfully with Indian hearts  Neelam Gill.

The British-Indian model took centre stage in a soft pink lingerie set adorned with ethereal, fairytopia-inspired wings, embodying a delicate balance of strength and sensuality. With every stride down the runway, she not only turned heads but also celebrated the growing presence of South Asian beauty on the worlds most-watched fashion stage.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by NEELAM KAUR GILL (@neelamkg)

Who Is Neelam Gill?

Neelam Kaur Gill, born on April 27, 1995, in Coventry, England, to Sikh parents from Punjab, has long been carving a space for herself in global fashion. Her journey began early when she was just 13. She was discovered at The Clothes Show Live and later signed with NEXT Model Management at 14. By the time she turned 18, Neelam had already created history as the first Indian model to walk for Burberry at London Fashion Week.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by NEELAM KAUR GILL (@neelamkg)

Since then, she has fronted campaigns for LOreal Paris, Dior, and Abercrombie & Fitch, appeared on the covers of Vogue and Elle, and walked for acclaimed designers such as Rohit Bal and Kanye West. Each milestone has cemented her status as a pioneering voice for diversity and representation in an industry that, until recently, rarely celebrated faces like hers.

Back On The Victorias Secret Stage

The 2025 Victorias Secret Fashion Show, held in New York, brought together a star-studded lineup featuring Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Candice Swanepoel, Jasmine Tookes, and Paloma Elsesser, along with musical performances by TWICE and Madison Beer. Yet, it was Neelams angelic presence that made waves across social media. Dressed in a soft pink ensemble that shimmered under the lights, she exuded confidence and grace with her second appearance at the show after a stunning debut in 2024 in an icy blue set with holographic wings.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by NEELAM KAUR GILL (@neelamkg)

More Than A Model

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Beyond the runway, Neelam is an outspoken advocate for inclusivity, mental health, and representation. Her authenticity and advocacy resonate deeply with young women navigating identity and self-worth in a globalised world.

Neelam Gills journey from a young girl in Coventry dreaming big to a global icon representing Indian pride on international runways is a story of perseverance, purpose, and poise. And if her recent appearance is any indication, this is just the beginning of her reign in the fashion world.

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 10:10 IST

News lifestyle fashion Who Is Neelam Gill? The British-Indian Beauty Taking The Victorias Secret Runway By Storm

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10 Months On, Kerala Woman Awaits Death Certificate Of Husband Killed In Russia-Ukraine War Zone

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 14:12 IST

Binil died serving as a Russian mercenary, but his family still awaits his remains and death certificate. Joyce struggles for closure and faces bureaucratic hurdles.

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File photo of an explosion in a building in Ukraine. (AP photo)

The family of Binil Babu, who was reportedly recruited to serve in the Russian Army and later died, continues to await his mortal remains and death certificate.

A native of Kerala, Babus death was confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs in January, and since then, the grief-stricken family has been anxiously waiting to see him for the last time.

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For the past ten months, his wife, Joyce (26), has been living a painful reality that mirrors the title of the novel Death Certificate. With her one-and-a-half-year-old son, Jake Antonio Binil, she has been desperately searching for proof of her husbands death, who was reportedly killed while serving as a Russian mercenary in the war against Ukraine.

Joyce has been running from one government office to another to get a minor spelling error in her sons Aadhaar card corrected. The task has become an impossible hurdle because to get it corrected, she needs her husbands death certificate, according to a report by news outlet Kerala Kaumudi.

Following the news of the Keralites death, there have been no more updates regarding his whereabouts. In July, the Indian Embassy in Russia collected a DNA sample from Binils father, Babu, but the results are still pending. Initial reports claimed Binil had died in combat, but later updates listed him as missing." According to the embassy, they are awaiting the Russian military courts final verdict before issuing any confirmation.

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Joyce has reached out to every possible authority  the Chief Ministers Office, Norka Roots, the Ministry of External Affairs, and Union Minister Suresh Gopi  but with no progress. Even local authorities have been unable to help. When she approached the municipal corporation to correct her sons name, officials demanded a death certificate, which cannot be issued without confirmation from Russia.

The tragic chapter of Binils life unfolded when a relative allegedly recruited him for a job as an electrician in Poland, taking Rs 1.4 lakh as payment. Later, he was diverted to Russia under the pretext that the Polish job was unsuitable and was instead placed with a Russian mercenary group. One of his companions, Jain Kurian, who was injured in a drone attack and returned home, has since resumed civilian work  but for Joyce, the wait for closure continues.

About the Author Manisha Roy Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish... Read More

Location : Kochi [Cochin], India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 14:12 IST

News india 10 Months On, Kerala Woman Awaits Death Certificate Of Husband Killed In Russia-Ukraine War Zone

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Belgian Court Clears Mehul Choksi's Extradition To India: What Are The Cases Against Him?

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 21:48 IST

The courts decision marks a major step forward for India in its efforts to bring Choksi back to face trial in the massive Punjab National Bank scam

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Fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi. (AFP file photo)

Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi is set to be extradited to India after a Belgian court ruled on Friday that his arrest by Belgian authorities, at Indias request, was valid. The courts decision marks a major step forward for India in its efforts to bring Choksi back to face trial in the massive Punjab National Bank scam.

Officials familiar with the case said the court accepted the arguments made by Belgian prosecutors, who were supported by representatives from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

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While Choksi, 66, still has the option to appeal the ruling in a higher court, Indian authorities are calling the decision a strong validation of their case. As part of its extradition request, India assured Belgian authorities that, if extradited, Choksi would be held in Barrack No. 12 of Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, with no risk of solitary confinement or overcrowding.

Punjab National Bank Fraud

Mehul Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, is accused of orchestrating one of Indias biggest bank scamsworth over Rs 13,000 crore (approx. $1.8 billion)at Punjab National Bank (PNB). The scandal broke in 2018, sparking nationwide outrage and scrutiny of Indias public banking system.

Investigations revealed that the accused obtained Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) and Foreign Letters of Credit (FLCs) from PNBs Brady House branch in Mumbai without proper sanction or collateral. These LoUs were allegedly used to secure credit from foreign banks including SBI (Mauritius and Frankfurt), Axis Bank (Hong Kong), and Bank of India (Antwerp).

When the firms failed to repay the loans, PNB was forced to pay the moneyover Rs 6,300 croreto the overseas lenders, exposing serious lapses in internal controls.

Money Laundering And Criminal Conspiracy

In addition to the bank fraud, Choksi faces charges of money laundering. Investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) suggest that he moved large sums of money abroad through shell companies and dummy firms. In 2022, ED filed its third chargesheet against Choksi, his wife Priti Choksi and others over their alleged involvement in the loan fraud case.

He is also charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating, and corruption under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Declared Fugitive Economic Offender

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India has declared Mehul Choksi a Fugitive Economic Offender (FEO), a legal status given to those who evade prosecution by fleeing the country. This status allows the government to confiscate assets linked to the accused.

Choksi and Nirav Modi fled India in 2018 and have been on the run ever since. Modi is currently in a UK jail, fighting extradition to India. In 2022, he lost an appeal against the extradition order but has not yet been sent back.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 21:48 IST

News india Belgian Court Clears Mehul Choksi's Extradition To India: What Are The Cases Against Him?

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'Learnt Of His Affair': Bengaluru Woman's Family After Doctor Arrested For Killing Wife

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 10:30 IST

Bengaluru woman Kruthika M Reddys family has alleged that her husband administered unnecessary IV medications that led to her death and was involved in an illicit relationship.

Bengaluru woman murdered by husband (Image: News18)

Six months after the death of a Bengaluru woman after she was allegedly administered IV injections of anaesthesia by her husband, her family has accused the womans husband, Dr Mahendra Reddy, of being in an illicit relationship with another woman, Hindustan Times reported.

We had suspicions from the day my sister died. We insisted on a postmortem, but Mahendra staged an emotional drama saying he couldnt bear to see her body being cut," Kruthika M Reddys sister, Dr Nikhita, was quoted as saying.

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She alleged that Mahendra had been administering unnecessary medicines and drips to Kruthika.

She was completely healthy. My parents treated Mahendra like their own son. But later, we found out about his immoral relationship," she said.

The report also quoted her as saying that the accused had opposed her sisters plan of starting her own clinic.

She wanted to open a small clinic to help poor patients, but he never supported her. He didnt even agree to register their marriage officially," Nikhita said.

Mahendra was arrested on October 15, following a Forensic Science Laboratory report that confirmed the presence of an anaesthetic substance in her organs, six months after her death.

Briefing reporters, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh hailed the police team that investigated the case, leading to the arrest of the accused.

Bengaluru police have arrested a government hospital doctor in connection with the murder of his wife, a lady doctor, whose suspicious death in April 2025 was initially reported as an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) at Marathahalli Police Station," Kumar said.

The case was registered on October 14, following a complaint by businessman K Muni Reddy (60) against his son-in-law, Dr Mahendra Reddy GS (31), alleging that he murdered his wife, Dr Kruthika M Reddy (28).

Both of them worked in the Victoria Government Hospital. Kruthika is Muni Reddys younger daughter.

Muni Reddy stated in his complaint that his daughter, a doctor with an MD degree, was married to Mahendra Reddy, also a doctor, on May 26, 2024, in Gunjur, Bengaluru. Post the wedding, the couple lived in Gunjur.

The complainant alleged that after marriage, Mahendra began showing neglect towards Kruthika, complaining that he made her bear personal expenses, the police officer added.

Mahendra allegedly pressured her family to finance the construction of a large hospital, but instead, Muni Reddy said he set up a clinic at Marathahalli for the couples medical practice.

Muni Reddy alleged that on April 21, Mahendra administered intravenous (IV) medication to Kruthika at their residence, claiming it was for gastric discomfort. The next day, he left her at her parents home, saying she needed rest, and later returned that night to give another IV dose, Seemant Kumar added.

On April 23, Kruthika complained of pain from the IV site. Mahendra advised her over WhatsApp not to remove it, saying he would administer another dose that night, the police officer said.

Around 9.30 pm the same day, he went to her room to administer the medicine. The next morning, April 24, Kruthika was found unresponsive.

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Despite being a doctor, Mahendra allegedly did not perform CPR. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival, Muni Reddy alleged. Postmortem and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reports later confirmed the presence of anaesthetic substances in her organs, police said.

ALSO READ | Man Helps Woman Deliver Baby At Mumbai Station With Doctor Friends Guidance On Video Call

About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 10:29 IST

News india 'Learnt Of His Affair': Bengaluru Woman's Family After Doctor Arrested For Killing Wife

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Centre Orders Judicial Inquiry Into Ladakh Violence, Former SC Judge To Lead Probe

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 19:36 IST

The Ministry of Home Affairs ordered a judicial probe led by B S Chauhan into Leh protests over Ladakh statehood, which left four dead and 90 injured.

Security personnel try to stop agitators amid a protest and shutdown, in Leh, Ladakh, on Sept 24. (PTI photo)

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday ordered a judicial probe into last months violent Leh protests that left four civilians dead and around 90 injured.

The judicial probe will be led by retired Supreme Court judge B S Chauhan to find out the circumstances leading to the serious law and order situation, police action, and the resultant death of four persons in Leh.

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In order to ensure an impartial inquiry, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, today, notified a judicial inquiry to be conducted by Honble Dr Justice B S Chauhan, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, into the circumstances leading to the serious law and order situation, the police action and the resultant unfortunate death of the four individuals," a statement by MHA said.

Justice Chauhan will be assisted by Mohan Singh Parihar, Retired District and Sessions Judge, who will serve as Judicial Secretary, and Tushar Anand, IAS, who will act as Administrative Secretary, LiveLaw reported.

The Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police of the Union Territory of Ladakh have been directed to extend all necessary administrative and logistical support to facilitate the conduct of the judicial inquiry.

Leh Violence

On September 25, the violence broke out during protests seeking statehood for Ladakh. Protesters resorted to violence, pelted stones on security forces, burnt offices and vehicles, which led to deaths and injuries. The BJP office was vandalised and set on fire, as were several vehicles. Flames and clouds of smoke could be seen from afar, with police resorting to firing and teargas shelling to bring the situation under control. At least four people were killed and over 90, including 22 police personnel, were injured in these protests.

The Centre accused activist Sonam Wangchuk for inciting the mob that turned violent over the demand for statehood for Ladakh. Wangchuk, who had been on a 15-day hunger strike demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, ended his fast shortly after the violence broke out in Leh.

The Centre alleged that the mob violence was guided by the provocative statements" of activist Wangchuk, and certain politically motivated" individuals were not happy with the progress made in the ongoing talks between the representatives of the government and Ladakhi groups. The Home Ministry has also cancelled the FCRA certificate of Sonam Wangchuks NGO.

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Wangchuk was later arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) and was shifted to Rajasthans Jodhpur jail.

(With inputs from agencies)

About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 19:24 IST

News india Centre Orders Judicial Inquiry Into Ladakh Violence, Former SC Judge To Lead Probe

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Delhis Air Poor Before Stubble Fires Start: Whats The Cause, Ask Punjab Farmers | Ground Report

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 15:28 IST

Stubble burning incidents in Punjab have declined sharply, dropping from around 1,212 fires last year (September 15-October 16) to 188 so far this year

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The air pollution has begun to worsen in Delhi as daily Air Quality Index (AQI) hit 245 (poor) on Thursday, with PM10 as the dominant pollutant. (News18)

Despite low stubble burning in Punjab this season, Delhis air quality has already deteriorated to poor levels, prompting farmers in the region to question the sources of the toxic pollution which envelops the national capital every winter.

According to the satellite data monitored by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), starting September 15, Punjab has so far reported only around 6-7 incidents daily, except for October 14, when the fires peaked at 31. Around 12 farm fires were detected by satellites during the last 24 hours.

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We have not even harvested the fields yet, and Delhis air has already become polluted? So where is that pollution coming from? Humare kissi khet mein abhi aag nai laga hai, aur Delhi mein pehle hi pradushan aa gya," said Sukhwinder Singh from Dhulewal village in Patiala. Only 11 crop fires have been detected by satellites in Patiala since September 15.

Major paddy-cultivating state Punjab generates about 20 million tonnes of paddy straw every Kharif season, with harvesting completed by October 30. However, the late withdrawal of monsoon rains leaves farmers racing against time to harvest the paddy and prepare their fields for the next crop, within a tight sowing window.

While several million tonnes of stubble is managed by in-situ methods like Crop Residue Machines (CRM), ex-situ using balers, the rest is usually set ablaze by farmers. The stubble burning contributes to the first spike in pollution levels in Delhi in Oct-November.

Farmers say they are ready to consider eco-friendly, cheaper alternatives for stubble-management, but it should not put additional financial burden on them, especially the small and marginal farmers. We end up spending about Rs 11-1200/acre to do stubble management through baler machines, and then they (bio-energy plants/industries) do not even arrive and pick it up on time. We will not burn stubble if the government provides us financial support to adopt alternative methods," says Nishaan Singh from Dharmehri village in Patiala.

The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government has promised delivery of nearly 2.5 lakh Crop Residue Machines (CRM) this year, however, farmers complain, the machines have not reached the villages yet. The government has also launched a loan scheme for farmers to purchase CRM machines on subsidy through Co-operative banks.

There are about 12,000 villages in Punjab, but where are the machines? Pollution affects everyone, we are also against it. But we have to speak up when the government claims to have provided a solution  one that exists in the media, but never reaches us," said Harbhajan Singh, another farmer from Patiala.

The harvesting is also delayed this year due to rains in the first week of October. The resentment is palpable among farmers in the aftermath of devastating floods, which wiped out crops over 3 lakh acres of land across the state, 59,000 acres in Amritsar alone. Farmers also bore the brunt of unseasonal rains, which left paddy vulnerable to fungal infestation  a disease they referred to as haldi rog which affected the crop yield. Now, there is no option but to burn the stubble, to protect our next crops," says Singh, his voice tinged with resentment.

Over the years, the number of stubble burning incidents have also declined across Punjab, with a sharp fall this season. Compared to last year, when around 1,212 crop fires were detected across the state from 15 September to 16 October, this year the number has fallen to 188 so far. Amritsar and Tarn Taran alone account for 131 cases due to early harvesting.

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The air pollution has begun to worsen in Delhi as daily Air Quality Index (AQI) hit 245 (poor) on Thursday, with PM10 as the dominant pollutant. It touched 307 (very poor) in Ghaziabad, 288 (poor) in Noida and 260 (poor) in Gurugram.

According to the latest forecast by IITM Pune, the air quality is likely to remain poor, becoming very poor during 20th to 21st October closer to Diwali when bursting of firecrackers also starts contributing to the toxic air. The temperatures are also near-normal so far, hovering around 32 to 34C during the day and 19 to 21C during the night. Further drop in temperatures could trap the pollutants closer to the surface making it more hazardous to breathe.

About the Author Srishti Choudhary Srishti Choudhary, Senior Assistant Editor at CNN-News18 specializes in science, environment, and climate change reporting. With over a decade of extensive field experience, she has brought incisive g... Read More

Location : Patiala, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 15:23 IST

News india Delhis Air Poor Before Stubble Fires Start: Whats The Cause, Ask Punjab Farmers | Ground Report

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Belgian Court Orders Fugitive Mehul Choksi's Extradition To India In PNB Fraud Case

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 22:15 IST

Mehul Choksi was detained by Antwerp police on April 11, following a formal extradition request from Indian agencies

Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi | File Image/ IANS

A Belgian court in Antwerp approved the extradition of fugitive diamond businessman Mehul Choksi to India in connection with Rs 13,500-crore Punjab National Bank fraud case.

The court upheld the legality of his April arrest by Belgian authorities, marking a key advance in New Delhis pursuit of the absconding jeweller.

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The ruling, however, is not final as Choksi has been granted the right to challenge the decision in a higher court, delaying any immediate transfer to India.

Officials familiar with the matter said the verdict nonetheless represents a crucial milestone" in the long-drawn extradition proceedings.

Choksi was taken into custody by Antwerp police on April 11, following Indias formal extradition request.

Since his arrest, he has been held in a Belgian correctional facility after multiple bail applications were denied over concerns that he might flee again.

During the hearing, the Belgian prosecution, acting on Indias behal, and Choksis defence team presented detailed submissions.

The court ruled that the criminal charges brought against him in India, including cheating, criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, destruction of evidence, and corruption, are also punishable under Belgian law.

This satisfies the international legal principle of dual criminality," a prerequisite for extradition between two countries.

India has charged Choksi under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code (Sections 120B, 201, 409, 420, and 477A) and under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

To support its case, India referenced the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and the UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC), both ratified by Belgium.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) reportedly sent multiple delegations to Belgium to present documentation and has retained a European law firm to coordinate legal proceedings and evidence submission.

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Choksi, who fled India in 2018, is accused of defrauding the Punjab National Bank in one of Indias biggest financial scams.

The Antwerp ruling now brings Indian authorities a step closer to securing his return.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 20:50 IST

News india Belgian Court Orders Fugitive Mehul Choksi's Extradition To India In PNB Fraud Case

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Harsh Sanghavi Takes Oath As Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister In Major Cabinet Reshuffle

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 12:54 IST

Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi was sworn in as the states Deputy Chief Minister as Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expanded his cabinet.

Harsh Sanghavi takes oath as Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister (Video screengrab/ANI)

Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi took oath as the states Deputy Chief Minister on Friday, as Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expanded his cabinet in a ceremony at the Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre in Gandhinagar.

Among others who took the oath were Swaroopji Thakor, Pravenkumar Mali, Rushikesh Patel, Darshna Waghela, Kunvarji Bavaliya, Rivaba Jadeja, Arjun Modhwadia, Parshottam Solanki, Jitendra Waghani, Praful Pansheriya, and Kanubhai Desai, according to a list released by the Gujarat BJP.

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A day ahead of the planned cabinet expansion, all 16 ministers, except Chief Minister Patel, had submitted their resignations.

Resignations of all 16 ministers have been taken by the party. Except for Chief Minister Patel, all the ministers have resigned," news agency PTI quoted a BJP source as saying.

#WATCH | Gandhinagar | Harsh Sanghavi takes oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat pic.twitter.com/rJ5fYP4utC ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2025

Earlier today, Chief Minister Patel met Governor Acharya Devvrat and sought his permission to hold the oath ceremony of his new cabinet members.

During the meeting at Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, the Chief Minister also informed the Governor about the current status of the Gujarat cabinet.

Patel will expand his cabinet on Friday, the state government had announced earlier.

The Council of Ministers in Gujarat had 17 members, including Chief Minister Patel.

Eight of them were cabinet-rank ministers, while the others were Ministers of State (MoS).

Gujarat, which has a 182-member assembly, can have a maximum of 27 ministers (15 per cent of the strength of the House).

Earlier this month, MoS Jagdish Vishwakarma became the new president of the state Bharatiya Janata Party unit, replacing Union minister CR Paatil.

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Bhupendra Patel became the Chief Minister for the second time on December 12, 2022.

ALSO READ | From Booth Worker To BJPs New Gujarat Chief: Meet Jagdish Vishwakarma

About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 12:38 IST

News india Harsh Sanghavi Takes Oath As Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister In Major Cabinet Reshuffle

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India To Invest Over Rs 65,400 Crore In Fighter Engine Programmes To Boost Self-Reliance, Says DRDO Official

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Last Updated: October 18, 2025, 03:59 IST

The country will require roughly 1,100 engines for various fighter jet programmes currently in different stages of development, the official added

India is advancing domestic production through technology transfer deals with international partners. (Representational image: ANI)

India is preparing for a massive defence outlay of approximately Rs 65,400 crore ($7.44 billion) through 2035 to procure and produce high-performance engines for its next-generation fighter aircraft fleet, says a defence official. This investment underpins the nations ambitious push for self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in critical aerospace propulsion technology, an area where indigenous development has historically lagged.

According to SV Ramana Murthy, Director of the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE)a key Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratorythe country will require roughly 1,100 engines for various fighter jet programmes currently in different stages of development.

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There is a need to work on mission mode to create an ecosystem for indigenous fighter engines," Murthy said at an event in Delhi, according to Reuters. He added that the country needed infrastructure such as a high-altitude testing facility, along with an industrial base.

Engine Requirement

This substantial requirement covers several major indigenous programmes:

HAL Tejas Mk-2 (Medium Weight Fighter-MWF): The upgraded version of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), which will replace ageing fleets like the Jaguar, Mirage 2000, and MiG-29.

Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA): Indias ambitious twin-engine, fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.

Tejas Mk-1A: The currently in-production variant of the LCA.

Dual-Track Strategy

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Indias strategy involves a two-pronged approach. First, it is advancing domestic production through technology transfer deals with international partners. For instance, negotiations are underway with General Electric (GE) of the US for the co-production of the F414 engine to power the Tejas Mk-2, with a significant technology transfer component. Simultaneously, for the more advanced AMCA, the DRDO is collaborating with Frances Safran to co-develop a high-thrust, 110-kilonewton-class engine, aiming for higher indigenous content.

This multi-billion-dollar commitment is essential to secure the long-term supply chain and operational readiness of the Indian Air Force, moving past the constraints faced during the decades-long, underfunded Kaveri engine programme, and positioning India among a select few nations with advanced fighter engine manufacturing capability.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More

First Published: October 18, 2025, 03:59 IST

News india India To Invest Over Rs 65,400 Crore In Fighter Engine Programmes To Boost Self-Reliance, Says DRDO Official

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IRCTC Website Down Today: Train Tickets Booking Online App Not Working Ahead Of Diwali

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 11:53 IST

IRCTC website down: Both the website and app remained inaccessible for several hours, causing inconvenience to users across the country.

ook directly via IRCTCs website or app. (Representational image/News18)

IRCTC Down Today: The IRCTC website and mobile app, used for online railway ticket bookings, experienced an outage on Friday, affecting hundreds of passengers ahead of Diwali. The website remains inaccessible when opened, and over 5,800 users are facing issues while trying to book tickets, according to Downdetector.

It is learnt that the outage was caused by technical issues and teams were working to restore normal operations. Both the website and app remained inaccessible for several hours, causing inconvenience to users across the country.

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According the message on the IRCTC website, the server is temporarily unable to service requests.

Social Media Flooded With Complaints

As people continued to face difficulties in booking Tatkal tickets, they vented their frustration on the social media platform X, stating that IRCTC server crashes during Tatkal and Premium Tatkal booking hours every time. While some suggested that Railways need to enhance their tech to manage rush during festivals.

 @IRCTCofficial @AshwiniVaishnawOnce again, IRCTC servers down during Tatkal booking right in the middle of the Diwali. When will IRCTC get a reliable system to handle peak traffic?Railways deserve better tech for the worlds largest passenger network.  pic.twitter.com/SNH1vYSbms  Shivamthak (@Shivam_Thak) October 17, 2025

A user @Shivam_Thak wrote, Once again, IRCTC servers down during Tatkal booking right in the middle of the Diwali. When will IRCTC get a reliable system to handle peak traffic? Railways deserve better tech for the worlds largest passenger network. (sic)"

While another user @HindustaniEngi1 stated that he has been facing issues in booking a ticket for several days and it was his last attempt today but it didnt work due to the outage.

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@IRCTCofficial @irctc_app @RailwaySeva fire your developers because they are of no use .. I have not slept from days , Just wanted to go home on diwali ..I have tried 2 months back , same thing happened and now on tatkal as well..this was my last chance and here we go!," he tweeted.

Every Tatkal or Premium Tatkal booking day, the IRCTC server collapses like its running on 2G. Common passengers get nothing, while agents & booking mafias grab all tickets in seconds. How long will this daylight loot continue under the nose of the Railway Ministry? Instead of improving transparency, the system is built to frustrate citizens. Shame that in 2025, Indias largest railway network cant manage a simple online booking!," a third user @Shekhar41168801 wrote on X.

About the Author Manisha Roy Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 11:53 IST

News india IRCTC Website Down Today: Train Tickets Booking Online App Not Working Ahead Of Diwali

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Karnataka SIT Raids Former BJP MLA From Aland Over Vote Theft Allegations

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 16:07 IST

SIT raided Subash Guttedar's residences in Kalaburgi over alleged vote theft in Aland. Rahul Gandhi accused voter deletions, but Election Commission rejected his claims.

The SIT team, led by Deputy SP Alsan Basha, along with over 20 police officers and personnel, raided Guttedar's residence in Kalaburgi's Gubbi Colony. (File)

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged vote theft" in Aland constituency during the 2023 Karnataka assembly polls, raided the residence of former Aland MLA and BJP leader Subhash Guttedar on Friday.

The SIT team, led by Deputy SP Alsan Basha, along with over 20 police officers and personnel, raided Guttedars residence in Kalaburgis Gubbi Colony.

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The SIT also raided the residence of chartered accountant Mallikarjun Mahantagol, claimed to be linked to the financial trail associated with the case.

Earlier this week, the SIT, formed last month to probe suspected irregularities and manipulation in the voter rolls and polling process in the Aland constituency, raided the residences of four suspects, who allegedly made the forged Form 7 applications to maliciously delete genuine voters from the rolls. All the four suspects are from Kalaburagi district.

Kalaburagi, Karnataka: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) conducted raids at five locations in Kalaburagi district in connection with the alleged vote theft case in the Aland Assembly constituency. The team visited Roja Bhavan and questioned several individuals. Stationed in pic.twitter.com/14TDzZNKu9 IANS (@ians_india) October 15, 2025

The four were reportedly working in a call centre-like set-up in Kalaburagi in 2023, from where the forged Form 7s were allegedly made.

The SIT had questioned them and also recovered multiple electronic devices, which would be subjected to forensic examination.

Rahul Gandhis Allegations

The Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government constituted a special probe team after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi levelled allegations that over 6,000 applications were filed impersonating voters in a bid to delete names of original voters.

In Karnatakas Aland, someone tried to delete 6,018 votes and got caught by coincidence, he said, alleging that names of voters of the Congress were being deleted systematically.

The booth-level officer noticed that her uncles vote got deleted and found her neighbour had deleted the vote of her uncle. She asked her neighbour who said he had no idea. It was found that some other force hijacked the process and deleted the vote  and as luck would have it got caught," Gandhi said.

He claimed that 6,018 applications were filed impersonating voters and this filing was done automatically using mobile numbers from outside Karnataka.

EC Rejected Rahul Gandhis Charge

However, the Election Commission dismissed the allegations terming them incorrect and baseless", and stressed that votes cannot be deleted online.

Allegations made by Rahul Gandhi are incorrect and baseless," the poll body said in a statement, clarifying that no deletion of any vote can be done online by any member of the public, as misconceived by Rahul Gandhi."

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The ECI also pointed out that it was the Commission itself that had flagged anomalies.

In 2023, certain unsuccessful attempts were made for the deletion of electors in the Aland Assembly Constituency and a First Information Report (FIR) was filed by the authority of ECI itself to investigate the matter," the statement had noted.

About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More

Location : Karnataka, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 16:07 IST

News india Karnataka SIT Raids Former BJP MLA From Aland Over Vote Theft Allegations

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Lord Hanuman's Idol Vandalised In Telangana's Rampally, Police Launch Probe

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 13:43 IST

The incident sparked outrage among the local devotees, who are demanding immediate action against those responsible.

Unidentified miscreants vandalised a Hanuman idol in Telangana's Rampally village. (Representative Image)

Tensions erupted in Telanganas Rampally village in Keesara after unidentified miscreants vandalised a Hanuman idol on Thursday night.

According to reports, the miscreants damaged the idols left hand, angering the locals.

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Soon after receiving the information, the Keesara police reached the spot and began an investigation.

Meanwhile, the forensic teams also recahed the spot and inspected the area. The police is trying to collect the CCTV footage from nearby houses and shops to identify the offenders.

The incident sparked outrage among the local devotees, who are demanding immediate action against those responsible.

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In a similar incident last year, Tensions simmered in Telanganas Secunderabad after a temple was allegedly vandalised. The incident triggered massive outrage and protests by locals.

The idol at the Muthyalamma temple in Secunderabad was allegedly desecrated, and locals caught one individual and handed him over to the police.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 13:43 IST

News india Lord Hanuman's Idol Vandalised In Telangana's Rampally, Police Launch Probe

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Maoist Terror Down From 125 To 3 Districts In 11 Years: PM Modi Vows Naxal-Free India Soon

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 23:32 IST

The Prime Minister accused the previous Congress-led governments of ignoring the problem and allowing the rise of so-called "urban Naxals"

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File photo of PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that India is on the brink of being completely free from Maoist terror, and it is his guarantee that the day is not far when the country will no longer face the threat of Naxalism.

Speaking at a media event in Delhi, PM Modi highlighted the significant progress made in the last decade in curbing Left Wing Extremism. He said the number of districts affected by Maoist violence has dropped from around 125 eleven years ago to just three today.

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Eleven years ago, approximately 125 districts across the country were affected by Maoist terrorism. Today, that number has been significantly reduced to just 11 districts. Of these, only three remain severely impacted by Maoist influence," he said.

To put this into perspective, in the past 75 hours alone: 303 Naxalites have laid down their arms. These were not ordinary individuals; they carried bounties worth lakhs on their heads," he added.

The Prime Minister accused the previous Congress-led governments of ignoring the problem and allowing the rise of so-called urban Naxals", who, he claimed, censored information and prevented the public from knowing the extent of Maoist violence.

This is why my government has taken particular efforts to reach out to these wayward youth and bring them back into the mainstream. Today, the country is seeing the result of these efforts," he said.

PM Modi described the long-lasting impact of Naxal violence in tribal and rural areas, where development was blocked. These Naxals would not allow schools or hospitals to be built they would not let doctors enter clinics they would bomb institutions. Maoist terrorism was an injustice to the young people," he said.

He recalled the terror once reported from areas like Bastar in Chhattisgarh and contrasted it with todays reality, where youth are participating in sporting events like the Bastar Olympics. Earlier, the headlines were about vehicles blown up in Bastar and security personnel killed. Today, the youth there are organising Bastar Olympics. This is a big change," he said.

PM Modi also said that regions previously under Maoist control will now finally see the lights of Diwali after 60-70 years. Areas that were affected by Naxalism will celebrate Diwali for the first time in 60-70 years."

In a broader address, he said India is no longer silent in the face of terrorism and now responds strongly with air and surgical strikes. He also spoke about the governments commitment to reforms, saying they are being pursued with conviction, not compulsion.

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He concluded by saying, India has proved everyone wrong on digital financial infrastructure. World sees India as reliable, responsible, resilient partner and land of opportunities."

(With inputs from PTI)

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 23:24 IST

News india Maoist Terror Down From 125 To 3 Districts In 11 Years: PM Modi Vows Naxal-Free India Soon

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Over 3,300 Quintals Of Adulterated Food Worth Rs 4.76 Crore Seized Before Diwali In UP

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 16, 2025, 23:28 IST

The FSDA teams have uncovered large quantities of adulterated milk, sweets, ghee, and paneer in several districts.

AI-generated image used for representation

The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a massive crackdown on food adulteration ahead of Diwali and Chhath Puja, seizing more than 3,394 quintals of adulterated food products worth nearly Rs 4.76 crore across the state. The action comes under a special drive led by the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) to safeguard public health during the festive season.

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The campaign, called the Deepawali Special Campaign", began on October 8 and will continue until October 17. During this period, officials have conducted 5,464 inspections and 2,448 raids, collecting 3,369 food samples for testing, the department said in an official statement.

Commissioner Warns Of Strict Action

Food Safety Commissioner Roshan Jacob said the campaign has been highly effective in curbing food adulteration. Strict action will be taken against those playing with public health during the festive season of Diwali and Chhath," she said.

Jacob also stressed that the crackdown will particularly target large dairies and factories in Agras Gabana and Khair and Mathuras Bajna region, which supply milk and paneer to Delhi-NCR. Action will be taken against mafia elements and organised adulteration rackets," she added.

Raids Across Multiple Districts

The FSDA teams have uncovered large quantities of adulterated milk, sweets, ghee, and paneer in several districts.

District-Wise Action Against Food Adulteration in UP

Mathura: 4 FIRs filed; 6 dairy licences suspended after milk adulteration detected.

Aligarh: 19,500 kg of adulterated food worth 17.37 lakh destroyed; 4,188 kg worth 23.55 lakh seized.

Budaun: 2,100 kg of chhena sweets and 960 kg of paneer confiscated.

Ghazipur: 1,439 kg of adulterated ghee seized.

Bulandshahr: 1,325 kg of unsafe paneer removed from sale.

Prayagraj: 5,295 kg of adulterated edible oil recovered.

Sambhal: 2,500 litres of contaminated milk seized.

Saharanpur: 1,060 kg of adulterated sweets confiscated.

Kanpur Nagar: 550 kg of fake khoya seized.

Public Urged To Report Adulteration

The FSDA has appealed to citizens to remain alert and report any suspicious food items or adulteration activities. Complaints can be filed by calling on the toll-free helpline 1800-180-5533 or via WhatsApp at 9793429747.

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(With inputs from PTI)

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More

Location : Uttar Pradesh, India, India

First Published: October 16, 2025, 23:28 IST

News india Over 3,300 Quintals Of Adulterated Food Worth Rs 4.76 Crore Seized Before Diwali In UP

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India Calls On Dhaka To Boost Border Security After 3 Bangladeshi Smugglers Killed In Tripura

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 17:09 IST

Three Bangladeshi nationals were killed in Bidyabil, Tripura after allegedly crossing the border and attacking villagers.

The bodies were handed over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) by Indias Border Security Force (BSF)

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday reacted to the killing of three Bangladeshi nationals in a clash with Indian villagers after the former crossed the border illegally, saying that the neighbouring country should undertake necessary measures to uphold the sanctity of the International Boundary.

While responding to queries over the incident, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India is committed to maintaining peace along the border. He further said that Bangladesh should support the construction of fencing along the border where needed to prevent cross-border crimes and smuggling.

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The ministrys response came after three Bangladeshis were killed on Wednesday by an angry mob on suspicion of being cattle thieves in a border village called Bidyabil, in the Khowai district of Tripura.

The MEA said that three miscreants crossed the international border illegally and attempted to steal cattle from Bidyabil village. The three Bangladeshi nationals also allegedly attacked and injured local villagers with iron dahs and knives, and killed one villager, even as other villagers arrived and resisted the attackers.

As tensions escalated, authorities rushed to the spot, where two smugglers were found dead; a third succumbed to his injuries in hospital the following day.

The ministry further said that the mortal remains of all three miscreants have been handed over to the Bangladesh side. Police have also registered a case.

As per media reports citing locals, the incident was triggered after two villagers were working at a rubber farm close to the border. They spotted three suspicious individuals moving towards the international border with cattle from the area. They confronted the suspected thieves. However, the infiltrators allegedly attacked the locals. Meanwhile, angry locals gathered, confronted the suspected Bangladeshi thieves, and allegedly thrashed them to death.

Bangladesh Lodges Protest

Meanwhile, Dhaka condemned the killing of three of its nationals in Tripura, describing it as a heinous act" and a grave violation of human rights and the rule of law".

A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh said, The Government of Bangladesh strongly protests and condemns the brutal beating and killing of three Bangladeshi citizens by a mob in Tripura, India, on 15 October 2025."

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This heinous act is an unacceptable and grave violation of human rights and the rule of law. The Government of Bangladesh expresses its serious concern over this deplorable incident and calls upon the Government of India to conduct an immediate, impartial and transparent investigation into the incident and take sincere efforts to stop the recurrence of such inhumane acts," the statement added.

The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry also urged New Delhi to conduct an immediate, impartial and transparent investigation into the incident and take sincere efforts to stop the recurrence of such inhumane acts". The perpetrators must be identified and brought to justice," it added.

About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 17:07 IST

News india India Calls On Dhaka To Boost Border Security After 3 Bangladeshi Smugglers Killed In Tripura

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Sabarimala Gold Theft Case: Accused Unnikrishnan Potti Arrested; Sent To SIT Custody Till Oct 30

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 12:27 IST

Potti, a Bengaluru-based businessman who was taken into custody from his residence in Thiruvananthapuram, was interrogated at the Crime Branch office on Thursday.

The report also stated that all sponsorship work and offerings done by Unnikrishnan Potty, Bengaluru-based businessman, in Sabarimala Temple should be investigated. (Getty File)

In a major development, accused Unnikrishnan Potty, in the Sabarimala gold theft case, has been remanded to the custody of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) till October 30.

The SIT appointed by the Kerala High Court arrested Potti, the prime accused in the case, on early Friday, according to reports.

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Potti, a Bengaluru-based businessman who was taken into custody from his residence near Thiruvananthapuram, was arrested after a nearly 12-hour interrogation at the Crime Branch office on Thursday, sources told news agency PTI.

Potti was taken to the Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital for a medical examination. He would be shifted to Pathanamthitta by afternoon, and produced before a court in Ranni later in the day.

The SIT constituted by the Kerala High Court will seek Pottis custody for detailed interrogation. It is currently investigating two cases  one concerning the missing gold from the Dwarapalaka idols and another related to the loss of gold from the Sreekovil door frames.

SIT officials are also looking into the involvement of Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) members and officials in the handing over of gold-clad copper plates of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames to Potti for electroplating in 2019.

What Did Potti Tell Police?

The plates of the Dwarapalaka idols were removed on July 19, 2019, and it was taken to Bengaluru to Unnikrishnan Pottys friends house, kept there for some days, and then taken to Hyderabad for maintenance. It was taken to Smart Creations for gold plating only on August 29, 2019.

According to an NDTV report, Potti admitted during interrogation that the gold robbery was planned and claimed that TDB officials were aware of the plan. He said the stolen gold was shared among TDB members.

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Another individual, identified as a middleman named Kalpesh, is considered a key figure in the conspiracy. The SIT has also suspected the possible involvement of Smart Creations, the company responsible for the recent plating of lentils and the doorkeepers at the Sabarimala Temple.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar called for the resignation of State Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan. If CM @pinarayivijayan continues to refer to devaswom corruption as slip-up, we will demand a CBI and ED investigation into the Sabarimala gold scam! Minister V. N. Vasavan must resign! The Devaswom Board must be dissolved!" he said on X.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More

Location : Pathanamthitta, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 09:07 IST

News india Sabarimala Gold Theft Case: Accused Unnikrishnan Potti Arrested; Sent To SIT Custody Till Oct 30

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This Is How Much Money Was Found In The Safe Of Bihar's First CM, It Went To...

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 14:03 IST

Dr Shri Krishna Sinha passed away on January 31, 1961, and twelve days later, his personal safe was opened in the presence of then Governor, Chief Minister and Chief Secretary

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Dr Shri Krishna Sinha rejected nepotism and casteism, leaving no personal wealth. (News18 Hindi)

Bihar has long been the cradle of political stalwarts who have left an indelible mark on the national landscape. Among them stands Dr Shri Krishna Sinha, popularly known as Shri Babu, whose life remains a timeless lesson in honesty, humility, and dedication to public service. As Bihars first Chief Minister, he embodied a rare blend of moral strength and administrative vision that todays leaders would do well to emulate.

What set Shri Babu apart was his deep-rooted connection with the people. He never once visited his constituency to seek votes for himself, yet never lost an election. His relationship with the electorate was sustained not through slogans or promises, but through genuine service and personal touch. He firmly believed that when a leader works selflessly for the people, trust and support naturally follow.

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Dr Shri Krishna Sinha passed away on January 31, 1961, and twelve days later, his personal safe was opened in the presence of Governor Zakir Hussain, Chief Minister Dipnarayan Singh, Jayaprakash Narayan, and Chief Secretary Bimalkant Majumdar.

Inside were four envelopes containing a total of Rs 24,500 with every rupee being accounted for and every purpose pre-determined. Rs 20,000 was to go to the State Congress Committee, Rs 3,000 to the family of his friend Shah Uzer Munimi, Rs 1,000 as a wedding gift to the daughter of former minister Mahesh Prasad Sinha, and Rs 500 to his personal servant.

It was a rare testament to his frugality and transparency. Records confirm that Shri Babu left behind no personal property or accumulated wealth.

Shri Babu stood firmly against nepotism. He refused to allow his son, Shiv Shankar Sinha, to contest assembly elections while he was in office. When a group of Congress workers from Champaran approached him in 1957 to seek his approval, Shri Babus reply was firm yet principled, I give permission, but I shall not contest. Only one person from a family should enter the fray."

His son eventually entered the legislature only after Shri Babus demise, upholding his fathers unwavering code of ethics.

From Barrister to Freedom Fighter

Born on October 21, 1887, in Munger district, Dr Shri Krishna Sinha was affectionately called Bihar Kesari. He was a brilliant student who went on to study law at Patna College. His meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1916 at the Central Hindu College in Banaras transformed his life. Inspired by Gandhis ideals, he abandoned a promising legal career and plunged into the freedom struggle.

He was imprisoned multiple times by the British, first for his involvement in the independence movement and later during the Salt Satyagraha, as part of the outlawed Congress Seva Dal. His steadfastness made him a respected voice of Bihars nationalist movement.

When India attained independence, Shri Krishna Sinha became the first Chief Minister of Bihar on August 2, 1947. He held office for 14 years and 314 days until his death, a record of political continuity and public confidence. His tenure witnessed landmark reforms, including the abolition of the Zamindari system and the initiation of major river valley projects on the Kosi, Aghor, and Sakri rivers. He also spearheaded the establishment of heavy industries in Bihar, laying the foundation for the states industrial development.

Despite hailing from the Bhumihar community, Shri Babu rejected casteism in both governance and personal conduct. When visiting his ancestral village, he would dismiss his security detail at the outskirts, saying no threat could exist among his own people. His administration mirrored this philosophy as his Chief Secretary, LP Singh, was a Rajput; his personal secretary, Ramchandra Sinha, a Kayastha; and his bodyguard too was a Rajput. Remarkably, not a single member of his own caste served in his personal secretariat.

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His sense of propriety extended to his own family. When a close relative constructed a house in Patna, Shri Babu refused to attend the housewarming ceremony, suspecting that the money used might not have been earned legitimately.

Veteran journalist Surendra Kishore once observed that mistakes are natural to human beings, and Shri Babu may have had his share.

Location : Bihar, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 14:03 IST

News india This Is How Much Money Was Found In The Safe Of Bihar's First CM, It Went To...

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Three Soldiers Injured In Grenade Attack On Army Camp In Assam's Kakopathar

Reported By :

CNN-News18

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 08:13 IST

A truck believed to have been used by the attackers was later found abandoned in the Tengapani area of neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh.

Grenades were hurled targeting the Indian Armys 19 Grenadiers unit camp at Kakopathar. (Image: News18)

Sounds of intense gunfire and multiple grenade explosions rocked Kakopathar in Assams Tinsukia district late Thursday night, triggering panic among local residents. The exchange of fire reportedly continued for nearly an hour near the Kakopathar Army Camp.

Preliminary information revealed that grenades were hurled targeting the Indian Armys 19 Grenadiers unit camp at Kakopathar around midnight. According to security sources, three Army personnel sustained injuries in the explosion.

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Following the incident, the Army and police have cordoned off the area, restricting civilian movement near the site. Search operations are currently underway to trace the perpetrators.

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A truck believed to have been used by the attackers was later found abandoned in the Tengapani area of neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, officials said.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. However, initial suspicion points towards the ULFA (Independent) faction, which has a history of carrying out similar strikes in Upper Assam.

About the Author Kamalika Sengupta Kamalika Sengupta is the Editor (East) at CNN-News18 / News18.com, focusing on politics, defence, and womens issues. She is a seasoned multimedia journalist with over 20 years of experience reporting... Read More

Location : Assam, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 08:02 IST

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Who Is Harcharan Singh Bhullar? The IPS Officer With Audi, Mercedes & Rs 5 Crore In Cash At Home

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 18:54 IST

The CBI caught Harcharan Singh Bhullar while accepting a bribe of Rs 8 lakh after a trap was reportedly laid following a complaint

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The valuables recovered from Harcharan Singh Bhullar's house. (News18 Punjab/PTI)

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested Punjab Deputy Inspector General of Police (Ropar Range) Harcharan Singh Bhullar, along with another person, in connection with a corruption case involving bribery of Rs 8 lakh.

Bhullar was held from his Mohali office following a complaint lodged by a scrap dealer from Mandi Gobindgarh in Fatehgarh Sahib who accused the senior police officer of demanding recurring monthly payment for settling" a 2023 FIR against him. The CBI caught Bhullar red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 8 lakh after a trap was reportedly laid following a complaint.

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Who is Harcharan Singh Bhullar?

Harcharan Singh Bhullar is a 2007 batch IPS officer.

He became DIG of Ropar Range (Mohali, Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib districts) on November 27, 2024.

Previously, he was DIG of Patiala Range.

Bhullar is the son of former Punjab DGP Mahal Singh Bhullar.

Bhullar kept a low profile but played an active role in the anti-drug campaign of the Bhagwant Mann government.

He was the head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that interrogated Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on drug smuggling charges. His younger brother, Kuldeep Singh Bhullar, is a former Congress MLA.

What was recovered from Harcharan Singh Bhullars house?

Rs 5 crore in cash

1.50 kg of jewellery

Documents of immovable properties

Keys of an Audi and Mercedes

22 luxury watches

Locker keys

40 litres of imported liquor

Firearms, including a double-barrel gun, a pistol, a revolver, and an airgun, along with ammunition

VIDEO | Punjab: The CBI has recovered approximately Rs 5 crore in cash (and counting) from premises linked to the arrested Punjab Police DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar. In addition, officials seized about 1.5 kg of jewellery, property documents, and other assets in Punjab, including pic.twitter.com/FuiziSj0FW Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 16, 2025

Sewa-Paani: What next for Bhullar?

According to an FIR lodged by the CBI, complainant Akash Batta alleged that DIG Bhullar had demanded illegal gratification through his middleman for settling the 2023 FIR registered in Sirhind against him and for ensuring that no further coercive or adverse police action was taken against his scrap business.

The complainant further alleged that Bhullar had been demanding recurring monthly payments, referred to as sewa-paani", and had threatened to falsely implicate him in business-related criminal cases in case of non-compliance.

A CBI officer said, We have been monitoring Bhullar for the past 10 days. This was a monthly extortion scheme. The investigation is ongoing, and the source of the properties will be traced."

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The CBI sleuths conducted searches at the residence of Bhullar in Sector 40 in Chandigarh. After his arrest, Bhullar was taken to the CBI office in Chandigarh. A middleman identified as Kirshanu was also arrested, and the CBI sleuths recovered Rs 21 lakh from him. Both the accused will be produced before a court on Friday, they said.

With PTI Inputs

About the Author Manjiri Joshi At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing speci... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 13:25 IST

News india Who Is Harcharan Singh Bhullar? The IPS Officer With Audi, Mercedes & Rs 5 Crore In Cash At Home

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Wont Take Back My Words: Karnataka Congress MLA Defends Remarks On Pregnant Officer

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 09:31 IST

Congress MLA Shivaganga Basavaraj said he only asked the officer to take maternity leave if she could not attend duty, insisting his remarks were not abusive

Congress MLA Shivaganga Basavaraj during a quarterly review session of the Karnataka Development Programme (KDP). (X/@eshaniverma809)

Even as outrage mounts over his comments against a pregnant woman officer, Karnataka Congress MLA Shivaganga Basavaraj from Channagiri has defended his statement, saying he has done nothing wrong. The remark, made during a government review meeting, has drawn sharp criticism from womens groups and activists across the state.

Speaking for the first time after the controversy began to snowball, Basavaraj stood his ground and claimed he only questioned the officers absence from duty  not her pregnancy.

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Yes, its true I said it, and I will not take back my words. Maternity is leave with salary. I asked her to go on leave if she cant come on duty. Thats all I questioned her about," he said. Did I use bad language or speak otherwise? I asked just three things  you are able to collect your salary, if you cant come on duty, then go on maternity leave. Whats wrong in what I asked?" he told News18.

The incident that triggered this controversy took place during the Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting in Channagiri, where Range Forest Officer Shweta was absent, reportedly due to her pregnancy. The MLA questioned her commitment to work, asking why she had not applied for leave if she could not attend meetings.

If she was unwell or had health issues, nothing stopped her from excusing herself by telling me. She did not do that," Basavaraj said, doubling down on his remarks.

The video from the meeting, which has now gone viral, shows the MLA saying, If she is pregnant, she should take leave. Why does she need to work? She wants to make money, but when called for meetings, she wants to take leave. Is there no shame?"

#Karnataka: #Congress MLA Shivaganga Basavaraj sparked outrage on Wednesday after making sexist remarks against a woman forest officer who was absent from a Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting due to pregnancy.Questioning her absence during the quarterly meeting, the pic.twitter.com/PQqLgc4Jr9  South First (@TheSouthfirst) October 16, 2025

Womens rights activists have condemned the comments, calling them sexist and insensitive. Several have shared the visuals online, accusing the MLA of belittling" a woman officer for exercising her right to maternity benefits.

When asked about the growing backlash, Basavaraj maintained that his remarks were only questioning the officers commitment to her duty and that he did not use any abusive language.

The Congress government in Karnataka gives priority to maternity and monthly leave. But if an officer goes on leave, another should take charge and ensure public work continues. If she is not ready to come on duty and expects to get a salary, questioning that  is that wrong? All I meant was, if you cannot do your duty, take leave and go. Did I use abusive language?" he refuted.

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Reiterating his position, the Channagiri MLA added, I will not take back my words. I only reprimanded her for not doing her duty."

With the video circulating widely, the Opposition BJP has been preparing to corner the Siddaramaiah government over what it describes as sexist conduct" by a ruling party legislator.

About the Author Rohini Swamy Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18s digital platform. She has previously wor... Read More

Location : Karnataka, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 09:31 IST

News india Wont Take Back My Words: Karnataka Congress MLA Defends Remarks On Pregnant Officer

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Dhanteras Puja Vidhi: Step-by-Step Rituals To Follow For Abundance And Prosperity

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 07:00 IST

As diyas light up homes this Dhanteras, learn how to perform the puja step by step to invite Goddess Lakshmis blessings for health, harmony, and lasting prosperity.

Lighting diyas and chanting mantras, Dhanteras Puja invites wealth, health, and peace home (Image: Representational)

It is that magical moment of the year when thousands of diyas illuminate homes and markets. Dhanteras sets the tone for the entire Diwali festival. Dhanteras is not only about buying gold or silver, it conveys a deeper spiritual meaning, that true wealth encompasses health, harmony, and gratitude, not just money.

In 2025, Dhanteras falls on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha in the Kartik month, specifically on 18 October. On this day, devotees worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Dhanvantari, seeking both prosperity and good health. While the day holds great significance, many perform the puja without fully understanding its importance or how to conduct it correctly.

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Importance of Dhanteras Puja

Tradition suggests that wealth must be welcomed into the home in a pure and sacred manner. This includes offerings such as a pot filled with grains and water, symbolising nourishment and abundance. Hindu mythology celebrates Dhanteras as the day Lord Dhanvantari emerged from the ocean during the Samudra Manthan, holding a Kalash filled with Amrit, the elixir of life. Dhanteras, also known as Dhantrayodashi, literally translates to wealth on the thirteenth day."

The festival is said to invite Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity, into homes. According to the Skanda Purana, lighting diyas on Dhanteras dispels adharma and attracts positive vibrations for the year ahead. Over the years, Dhanteras has also become a significant economic event.

A 2023 survey by the All India Jewellers Federation revealed that more than 65 per cent of gold and silver sales occur during Dhanteras, demonstrating that tradition and faith continue to drive behaviour.

Astrology emphasises performing the puja during an auspicious muhurat to maximise its benefits. In 2025, the shubh Lakshmi Puja Muhurat is predicted between 7:17 PM and 8:20 PM, according to the Drik Panchang. Regional differences may apply, so it is advisable to consult a local panchang or seek guidance from a learned pandit. The most suitable time to perform the rituals is during Pradosh Kaal, a two-hour period after sunset.

What Is the Best Time to Perform Dhanteras Puja?

Dhanteras puja muhurat: 7:16 PM to 8:20 PM

Pradosh Kaal: 5:48 PM to 8:20 PM

Vrishabha Kaal: 7:16 PM to 9:11 PM

Trayodashi Tithi begins: 12:18 PM on 18 October 2025

Trayodashi Tithi ends: 1:51 PM on 19 October 2025

Important Items Required for Dhanteras Puja

Preparation for Dhanteras puja extends beyond physical arrangements; mental readiness is equally important. Steps include:

Clean the home thoroughly, as Goddess Lakshmi is believed to reside where there is purity and discipline.

Decorate the entrance with rangoli and place diyas by the threshold.

Place symbolic footprints of Goddess Lakshmi at the doorway to invite her presence.

Position the altar in the northeastern or eastern direction.

Wear clean traditional attire and maintain a calm, focused mind.

Preparation transforms a ritual into a meaningful experience, allowing a simple act like lighting a diya to become an offering of gratitude.

Dhanteras Puja Vidhi: Step-by-Step Rituals to Performing Dhanteras Puja

Set up the altar: Place idols of Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha, and Lord Dhanvantari on a clean red cloth. Light diyas: Traditionally, 13 diyas are lit to signify the waning moon. Keep at least one diya burning overnight to protect against negative energies. Offer water and flowers: Begin with achaman (sipping holy water) and offer fresh flowers to the deities. Invoke the gods: Chant the Dhanteras mantra or recite Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyai Namah." Perform aarti: Rotate the diya in front of the idols while singing the Lakshmi aarti. Naivedya: Offer sweets, fruits, and cow ghee. Popular prasad includes boondi laddoo, kheel-batasha, and panchamrit. Conclude with prayer: Bless your home, family, and business with health, prosperity, and happiness.

Performing each step with devotion transforms the puja into a personal conversation with prosperity.

Must-Have Items For Dhanteras Puja Thali

Ensure the following items are ready before starting:

Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha, and Lord Dhanvantari idols

Panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, sugar, honey)

Incense sticks, diyas, and camphor

Betel leaves and nuts

Coins or currency notes

Rice grains and turmeric

Fresh flowers and garlands

Sweets for offering

Brass or silver kalash with water

Seven grains (Saptadhanya)

Cowrie shells and Gomati Chakra

Tulsi leaf

Ghee diya

Mantras To Chant During Dhanteras Puja

For Goddess Lakshmi:

Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyai Namah" (   )

For Lord Ganesha:

Om Gan Ganapataye Namah" (   )

For Lord Dhanvantari:

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Dhanvantaraye Amritakalash Hastaya Sarva Bhaya Vinashaya Sarva Roga Nivaranaya Namah"

(             )

Reciting these mantras channels positive energy, bringing peace and prosperity into the home.

Dhanteras Puja for Business

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Dhanteras puja is significant for business communities. Many open new ledgers or begin fresh accounts on this day, a ritual known as Chopda Pujan. This symbolises commencing a new financial year under the blessings of the deities.

At home, the puja may be conducted near the front door or in a sacred room. Place the Goddess Lakshmi idol on the desk or cash counter, light a diya, and offer mishri or sweets. Some devotees observe a fast until puja time, refraining from grains to cleanse the mind and focus attention on the ritual.

About the Author Lifestyle Desk Our life needs a bit of style to get the perfect zing in the daily routine. News18 Lifestyle is one-stop destination for everything you need to know about the world of fashion, food, health, travel, r... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 07:00 IST

News lifestyle Dhanteras Puja Vidhi: Step-by-Step Rituals To Follow For Abundance And Prosperity

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Diwali 2025: Amavasya Tithi And City-Wise Lakshmi Puja Timings

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 09:10 IST

Diwali Amavasya Time 2025: Diwali starts on October 18 with Dhanteras and ends on October 22 with Bhai Dooj. Know Lakshmi Puja rituals, Amavasya dates, and city-wise Puja timings.

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Diwali usually coincides with the Amavasya (new moon) Tithi of Kartika months, which is on October 20 and 21, this year. (Image: Shutterstock)

Diwali Amavasya Time 2025: Observed over five days, Deepavali, or simply Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated all over India, as well as several other countries that host Indian-origin people. Traditional ceremonies include the lighting of oil lamps to ward off evil.

Diwali takes place during the junction point between the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin and Kartika, which is between September and November. This year, Diwali begins on October 18, with Dhanteras and ends with Bhai Dooj on October 22. Kali Puja, which is a significant part of Diwali celebrations in Eastern India, falls on October 20.

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ALSO READ: Diwali 2025 Calendar: When Is Diwali, Dhanteras, Choti Diwali, Lakshmi Pujan, Govardhan Puja And Bhai Dooj?

Amavasya

Diwali usually coincides with the Amavasya (new moon) Tithi of Kartika months, which is on October 20 and 21, this year. The Amavasya Tithi begins October 20 at 3:44 p.m. and ends on October 21, at 5.54 p.m.

Lakshmi Puja

During Diwali, Maa Lakshmi is worshipped for prosperity and abundance. Devotees fast for the whole day in honour of the goddess and only eat after the Puja is over, in the evening.

For Lakshmi Puja, Hindus use flowers like marigolds, and leaves from trees like Ashoka, mango and banana to decorate their homes. Idols of lord Ganesha and Maa Lakshmi are decorated with silken robes and jewellery and placed on an elevated seat with a red cloth underneath them.

According to the Hindu unit of time, the Pradosh Kaal, which is just after sunset, is considered as the most auspicious time to perform Lakshmi Puja, as per Drikpanchang.

Since sunsets occur at different times across India, the auspicious timings for Lakshmi Puja also vary. Below, we will take a look at the specific timings for performing Lakshmi Puja across the ten metro cities of India.

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Lakshmi Puja Timings

Delhi: 7:08 p.m. to 8:18 p.m. on October 20.

7:08 p.m. to 8:18 p.m. on October 20. Mumbai: 7:42 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. on October 20.

7:42 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. on October 20. Chennai: 7:20 p.m. to 8:14 p.m. on October 20.

7:20 p.m. to 8:14 p.m. on October 20. Bengaluru: 7:31 p.m. to 8:25 p.m. on October 20.

7:31 p.m. to 8:25 p.m. on October 20. Kolkata: 5:06 p.m. to 5:54 p.m. on October 21.

5:06 p.m. to 5:54 p.m. on October 21. Hyderabad: 7:21 p.m. to 8:19 p.m. on October 20.

7:21 p.m. to 8:19 p.m. on October 20. Pune: 7:20 p.m. to 8:14 p.m. on October 20.

7:20 p.m. to 8:14 p.m. on October 20. Ahmedabad: 7:36 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. on October 20.

7:36 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. on October 20. Surat: 7:38 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. on October 20.

7:38 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. on October 20. Jaipur: 7:16 p.m. to 8:25 p.m. on October 20.

About the Author Nibandh Vinod Nibandh Vinod is a seasoned journalist with nearly three decades of experience, known for his in-depth coverage of events and festivals, as well as his expertise in SEO-driven content at News18.com. A... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 09:10 IST

News lifestyle events Diwali 2025: Amavasya Tithi And City-Wise Lakshmi Puja Timings
Triptii Dimri Serves All-Black Perfection At Victorias Secret Fashion Show 2025

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 13:40 IST

At the Victorias Secret Fashion Show 2025 in NYC, Triptii Dimri stunned in an all-black corset and lace look. She joined the front row at the show along with global icons.

Triptii Dimri stuns in all-black at Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

When it comes to merging classic elegance with a touch of boldness, few do it like Triptii Dimri. The Dhadak 2 star recently made a show-stopping appearance at the Victorias Secret Fashion Show 2025 in New York City, joining a front row filled with global icons. Known for her understated charm and experimental fashion sense, Triptii brought a confident, high-fashion energy to the pink carpet and left fans mesmerised in not one, but two stunning looks.

The Main Event: A Sultry All-Black Statement

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Triptii Dimri (@tripti_dimri)

For the grand show night, Triptii Dimri embodied modern sensuality in an all-black sheer ensemble that played beautifully with texture and silhouette. Her corset-style bodice was strapless with a sculpted sweetheart neckline which cinched perfectly at the waist, flowing into a delicate netted skirt that added soft volume and movement. The contrast of structure and sheer fabric created a look that was equal parts daring and refined.

She accessorised with black stockings, high heels, and silver jewellery  a sleek choker, hoop earrings, and a hint of sparkle on her wrist. The finishing touches were all about balance: smokey glitter eyes, mauve glossy lips, and softly waved hair parted to one side, adding a touch of old-Hollywood glamour to her modern silhouette. The result was a look that exuded power, confidence, and poise.

Pre-Party Perfection: Maroon Done Right

tripti dimri at the victorias secret show pre dinner party last night #victoriassecretfashionshow2025 pic.twitter.com/SCPaPeczCf hourly tripti (@triptihourly) October 15, 2025

For the pre-dinner event, Triptii opted for a moodier palette. She opted for a dark maroon sheer-net dress layered over a fitted slip. The sleeveless outfit featured a plunging V-neckline and a sheer turtleneck overlay that introduced a delicate, almost ethereal quality to the ensemble. A subtle floral pattern added texture, while the train-like net layer lent a couture-inspired finish.

With her hair pulled back into a neat updo and dangling earrings as her only statement accessory, Triptii let the dress speak for itself. It was a masterclass in restraint. It was sultry yet sophisticated, bold yet beautifully balanced.

The Return Of The Angels

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This years Victorias Secret Fashion Show featured an illustrious lineup, from Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio to Gigi and Bella Hadid, marking the events glamorous revival. Amidst the global glitterati, Triptii Dimris presence signalled something special  an Indian star embracing global fashion with individuality and grace.

Her two contrasting looks were proof that true style isnt about following trends. Its about owning your moment, and Triptii Dimri did just that.

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 13:40 IST

News lifestyle fashion Triptii Dimri Serves All-Black Perfection At Victorias Secret Fashion Show 2025
A Diwali Feast: Savory And Sweet Creations That Light Up The Table

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 19:19 IST

This Diwali, go beyond the usual mithai with a menu that glows with creativity

From plant-forward canapes to fusion desserts, these dishes redefine how you celebrate with flavor and flair.

This festive season, chefs bring you a global-meets-local spread, modern, elegant, and rooted in Indian warmth. From plant-forward canapes to fusion desserts, these dishes redefine how you celebrate with flavor and flair.

Sweet Potato Chaat with Balsamic Tamarind Glaze By Chef Guntas Sethi, Ambassador for the EUs More Than Food" Campaign

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Indian street-style chaat meets Mediterranean flair, balsamic vinegar from Italy adds tang to roasted sweet potatoes.

Ingredients:

Sweet potatoes, cumin, chaat masala, Aceto Balsamico di Modena PGI, tamarind pulp, jaggery, chili flakes.

Method:

Roast sweet potatoes till caramelized.

Simmer balsamic, tamarind, and jaggery into a glaze.

Assemble with onions, sundried tomatoes, sev, pomegranate, and a drizzle of the glaze.

Rasmalai Tiramisu

An elegant Indo-Italian fusion dessert that brings together the richness of traditional rasmalai and the creamy sophistication of tiramisu.

1. Rasmalai Base

Ingredients

Fresh chenna  300 g

Milk  1 L

Sugar  100 g

Saffron  a few strands

Cardamom  3 pods, crushed

Pistachio slivers  20 g

Method

Flatten the chenna into small discs and poach gently in light sugar syrup. Allow to cool.

In another pan, reduce milk with sugar, saffron, and cardamom until it reaches a thick, pourable rabri-like consistency.

Soak the chenna discs in this flavored milk for at least 2 hours to absorb the aroma and sweetness.

2. Mascarpone Cream

Ingredients

Mascarpone  250 g

Whipped cream  200 ml

Icing sugar  40 g

Rose water  23 drops

Method

Whisk mascarpone and icing sugar until smooth.

Gently fold in the whipped cream and rose water to create a light, airy mousse.

Chill until ready to assemble.

3. CoffeeCardamom Soak

Ingredients

Instant coffee  1 tbsp

Warm water  150 ml

Sugar  1 tbsp

Green cardamom  1 pod, lightly crushed

Method

Dissolve coffee and sugar in warm water.

Add cardamom and infuse for 5 minutes. Strain and cool completely.

4. Assembly

Option A: Glass Jar / Verrine

Dip sponge fingers briefly in the coffeecardamom soak and place a layer at the base.

Pipe a layer of mascarpone cream.

Add lightly squeezed rasmalai pieces.

Repeat the coffee-soaked sponge and cream layers.

Finish with a smooth mascarpone layer on top.

Option B: Plated Slice

Line a mould with cling film.

Layer soaked sponge, mascarpone cream, and rasmalai pieces alternately.

Refrigerate for 68 hours to set.

Unmould, slice neatly, and serve chilled.

5. Garnish & Finishing Touches

Dust with cocoa and pistachio powder for a fusion balance.

Pipe small quenelles of rabri on the side for richness.

Adorn with edible silver leaf (varq) for festive luxury.

Finish with micro-rose petals or saffron threads for visual elegance.

Chefs Note:

For an elevated twist, add a drizzle of rose syrup or pistachio praline before serving, this tiramisu celebrates both coffee and cardamom, sweetness and spice, East and West.

Saffron Almond & Chocolate Karanji by Chef Ajay, Ambassador for the EUs More Than Food" Campaign

Traditional karanji gets a global twist with Belgian hazelnut and Irish almond chocolate.

Method:

Make saffron dough with Danish butter. Fill with coconut, almond flour, and chocolate blend. Fry or bake till golden.

Chefs Tip:

Drizzle with melted chocolate or dust with icing sugar before serving.

Jackfruit & Walnut Shawarma Rolls by Chef N. Gopi, Head Portfolio & Services, Sodexo India

Shredded young jackfruit and walnuts meet bold shawarma spices in this earthy, wholesome wrap thats perfect for festive gatherings.

Ingredients:

Jackfruit (400g), walnuts (50g), olive oil (2 tbsp), onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, lemon juice, herbs, salt.

Wraps: Whole wheat or beetroot rotis / multigrain tortillas

Drizzle: Greek yogurt (100g), tahini (1 tbsp), lemon juice, garlic, salt & pepper.

Method:

Saute onion and garlic, add spices, then toss in shredded jackfruit and walnuts with tomato paste. Cook 1012 mins till crisp. Finish with lemon juice and herbs.

Mix yogurt-tahini drizzle until smooth.

Assemble rolls with filling, drizzle, and garnish with pickled onions, sesame, and pomegranate. Serve warm or room temperature.

Chefs Tips:

Grill the rolls lightly for a smoky flavor. Swap jackfruit for oyster mushrooms. Add mint chutney for an Indo-fusion twist.

Multigrain Paniyaram with AvocadoCoconut Chutney By Chef N. Gopi, Sodexo India

Crispy paniyarams made with millets, served with a creamy avocado-coconut chutney  healthful yet indulgent.

Key Ingredients:

Millets (foxtail & barnyard), urad dal, poha, methi, onion, carrot, curry leaves.

Chutney: Avocado, grated coconut, green chilies, lemon juice, roasted chana dal.

Method:

Soak and ferment the batter overnight.

Temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, chili, carrot, and onion.

Cook paniyarams in a greased mould till golden.

Blend chutney ingredients smooth; temper if desired. Serve warm.

Chefs Tips:

Add beetroot or spinach puree for color. Pair with mint chutney or tomato salsa for a fusion platter.

Rose & Lavender Shrikhand Verrines by Chef N. Gopi, Sodexo India

Classic shrikhand gets a floral lift with rose, lavender, and saffron, layered over almond praline crumble.

Key Ingredients:

Hung curd, powdered sugar, rose syrup, dried lavender, saffron, cardamom.

Crumble: Almonds, sugar, butter.

Method:

Whisk hung curd with rose, lavender, sugar, saffron, and cardamom.

Make almond praline and crush coarsely.

Layer crumble and shrikhand in verrines; chill for 2 hours. Garnish with rose petals and gold leaf.

Chefs Tips:

Swap lavender for jasmine. Add berry compote for contrast. Serve in shot glasses or martini cups.

Gulkand Cheesecake Bites by Chef N. Gopi, Sodexo India

Creamy cheesecake infused with rose petal preserve (gulkand)  a perfect East-meets-West indulgence.

Ingredients:

Base: Crushed biscuits, butter, honey.

Filling: Cream cheese, Greek yogurt, condensed milk, gulkand, cardamom, rose syrup, agar-agar.

Method:

Set biscuit base in moulds.

Whisk cheesecake mixture, blend in melted agar-agar, and pour over base.

Chill 34 hours. Garnish with pistachios, rose petals, and silver leaf.

Chefs Tips:

Use hung curd for a lighter version. Add saffron milk for a fusion twist.

Yogurt Bark with Berries & Jam by Chef Guntas Sethi, Ambassador for the EUs More Than Food" Campaign

Greek yogurt marbled with Austrian fruit spread and topped with berries, nuts, and rose petals, a frozen, refreshing finale.

Method:

Mix yogurt, honey, and vanilla. Spread on parchment, swirl jam, add berries and nuts. Freeze, then break into bark pieces. Serve chilled.

Parmesan Butter Chakli by Chef Ajay, Ambassador for the EUs More Than Food" Campaign

An Indo-Italian upgrade on the classic chakli, crisp, cheesy, and buttery.

Ingredients:

Rice flour, besan, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, Danish butter, olive oil from Portugal, herbs, and spices.

Method:

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Knead into a soft dough, press into spirals, and fry till golden. Sprinkle extra cheese and pepper while warm.

From modern Indian canapes to floral desserts and European-inspired sweets, this Diwali spread celebrates craftsmanship, culture, and culinary creativity, proof that tradition tastes even better when reimagined.

About the Author Swati Chaturvedi Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in N... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 19:11 IST

News lifestyle food A Diwali Feast: Savory And Sweet Creations That Light Up The Table
Travel Bags And Back Pain: How Heavy Backpacks And Trolleys Affect Your Spine

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 16:33 IST

Whether you're commuting daily or going on a long vacation, your back can suffer from your travel habits. Over time, carrying heavy loads can result in long-term spinal issues.

Heavy backpacks can lead to long-term spinal issues.

We sling them over our shoulders, stuff them to the brim, and rush out the door, hardly thinking twice. But the weight and way we carry our bags could quietly be sabotaging our spine health. Whether its a daily commute or a long vacation, our backs often pay the price for our travel habits. Over time, poor posture, uneven weight distribution, and heavy loads can lead to chronic stiffness, fatigue, and even long-term spinal issues.

The Weight On Your Shoulders

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Most of us dont really notice how much stress our backpacks and travel bags put on our backs. We tend to stuff in more than we should, sling the bag over one shoulder, or fiddle with the straps without thinking. It might feel fine at first, but your spine is quietly taking the strain," says Dr. Ajay Kumar Paruchuri, Sr. Consultant Orthopaedics, CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad.

He explains that these seemingly harmless habits can, over time, alter posture and tire out the muscles. His rule of thumb: keep your bag under 1015% of your body weight, use padded straps, and always distribute weight evenly across both shoulders. Small adjustments really do add up and can make a huge difference in keeping your spine comfortable and healthy for years to come," he adds.

Trolleys Arent Always Trouble-Free

While wheeled luggage may seem like a back-saver, Dr. Venkata Ramakrishna, HOD  Spine Surgery, Arete Hospitals, Hyderabad, cautions that misuse can be just as harmful. Pulling a trolley at an awkward angle, leaning too far forward, or twisting your body repeatedly can strain the lower back, shoulders, and neck," he says.

His advice: choose trolleys with adjustable handles that match your height, keep the bag close to your body, and walk upright rather than dragging it behind. People tend to focus only on weight and assume wheels remove all risk, but ergonomics and posture matter just as much," he adds. Taking short breaks and stretching your back and hamstrings during long trips can also go a long way in preventing stiffness and fatigue.

Listen To Your Body

According to Dr. Naveen M.A., HOD & Sr Consultant  Minimal Access Brain and Spine Surgery, Gleneagles BGS Hospital, Bengaluru, most spine health issues begin with subtle warning signs. Youd be surprised how many back issues actually start with something as simple as the way we carry our bags. At first, its just a dull ache that fades after some rest, but when that keeps happening, the spine starts to feel the impact," he says.

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He stresses that good spine health isnt just about lifting correctly but how you move through your day. Keep your core active, get up and stretch once in a while, and switch shoulders when carrying a bag," he advises. Most importantly, pay attention to recurring pain or tingling, which is your bodys early alarm system.

Whether its a daily backpack or a travel trolley, mindful habits make all the difference. Distribute weight evenly, walk tall, take breaks, and never ignore early discomfort. Over time, these small, consistent choices can protect your posture and keep your spine strong so you can move freely, travel light, and live pain-free.

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 16:33 IST

News lifestyle health-and-fitness Travel Bags And Back Pain: How Heavy Backpacks And Trolleys Affect Your Spine
Why Gen Z Talks, But Boomers Hold Back: Breaking Down The Communication Gap Between Generations

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 16:15 IST

Experts explain why Gen Z is open and expressive while Boomers are reserved and how empathy, awareness, and adaptability can bridge this communication divide.

As generations continue to work, live, and grow together in the digital age, the solution isnt in rewriting language, its in rewiring understanding. Because when empathy meets expression, true communication finally begins.

Communication today is as much about how we express ourselves as it is about what we say. Its also a mirror reflecting deeper generational divides. While Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964 often value clarity, restraint, and face-to-face interaction, Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) thrives in a fast-paced digital world where emojis, GIFs, and memes speak volumes.

This divergence in communication styles has created what many experts describe as a modern generational language gap, one not just of words, but of emotional expression, tone, and context.

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Boomers: Formal, Restrained, and Function-Oriented

For Boomers, language has always been a measure of discipline and respect," explains Dr. Megha Agarwal, Consultant Psychiatrist, Kailash Deepak Hospital. They grew up in a time when handwritten letters and formal speech were the norm. Grammar, punctuation, and tone reflected thoughtfulness. Even when using digital tools like email or text, Boomers often carry that structure forward concise, complete, and grammatically correct."

For this generation, texting is largely functional, not emotional. Emojis, if used at all, are minimal and purposeful. This measured communication style often stems from habit rather than hesitation, yet it can sometimes come across as cold or distant to younger generations.

Gen Z: Informal, Expressive, and Emotionally Open

Gen Z, on the other hand, grew up in an environment where digital communication is second nature. Their approach is spontaneous, visual, and emotionally transparent. For them, texting and social media are not just tools for communication, they are tools for connection," says Dr. Agarwal. They rely on tone, slang, and symbols to express what they feel in real time."

According to Dr. Mridula Mishra, Professor, Department of Psychology, Lovely Professional University, this difference in expression runs deeper than technology. Gen Z is open, expressive, and comfortable sharing their feelings," she explains. Boomers, by contrast, were raised to believe that keeping emotions inside was mature and responsible. For them, silence often equated to strength."

This cultural difference in emotional upbringing has a direct impact on communication. Being sensitive to these differences," Dr. Mishra adds, helps both generations close the gap. Gen Z can learn to appreciate the calm, reflective nature of Boomers, while Boomers can embrace more open and honest conversations."

The Emotional Divide: From Silence to Sharing

The communication contrast isnt just linguistic, its emotional. Gen Zs comfort with vulnerability stems from growing up in a time when mental health and emotional expression are normalized, often discussed publicly on social media.

Gen Z tends to speak more openly about their emotions because theyve seen conversations around therapy, anxiety, and well-being becoming mainstream," says Dr. Anjalika Atrey, Consultant Psychiatrist, Sexologist, and De-addiction Specialist, Mumbai. Influencers talk about their struggles, friends share feelings online, its a part of their digital culture."

Boomers, meanwhile, were raised in a world where emotional struggles were private. For them, vulnerability was risky," Dr. Atrey notes. They grew up believing that silence equals strength. This wasnt about suppression, it was about survival and maintaining composure in a time when mental health was not openly discussed."

She continues, True understanding happens when empathy bridges the gap when Boomers recognize that emotional expression isnt weakness, and Gen Z appreciates that for some, finding that openness took decades."

Bridging the Gap: From Grammar to Empathy

Its important to remember that neither generation is wrong, theyre simply products of their environments. Boomers value structure and reflection; Gen Z values immediacy and authenticity.

The key to bridging this communication divide," says Dr Agarwal, lies in empathy and adaptability. Boomers can try relaxing their formality when engaging with younger people, while Gen Z can be mindful of tone and clarity, especially in professional or intergenerational settings."

Dr Mishra agrees, Open dialogue about communication preferences helps reduce misinterpretation. A Gen Z person can explain that certain slang isnt disrespectful, while a Boomer can share why they prefer formality. Both sides grow when they make space for understanding."

The path forward lies not in changing how each generation communicates, but in valuing the intent behind their words. As Dr. Atrey puts it, Empathy is the language both generations must learn. Only then can silence and speech coexist in harmony."

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The gap between how Gen Z talks and how Boomers hold back is more than linguistic, it reflects shifts in culture, technology, and social values. Gen Zs openness is not rebellion; its evolution. Boomers restraint is not indifference; its respect.

As generations continue to work, live, and grow together in the digital age, the solution isnt in rewriting language, its in rewiring understanding. Because when empathy meets expression, true communication finally begins.

About the Author Swati Chaturvedi Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in N... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 16:14 IST

News lifestyle health-and-fitness Why Gen Z Talks, But Boomers Hold Back: Breaking Down The Communication Gap Between Generations
Mia By Tanishq Gets Aneet Padda As Brand Ambassador, Debuts Festive Campaign Precious, Every Day

Published By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 15:46 IST

Through this campaign, Mia by Tanishq offers a fresh take on festive jewellery for todays generation, inviting women to embrace moments of self-expression every day

Aneet Padda said that she was thrilled to be the face of Mia. (YouTube)

Mia by Tanishq, one of Indias most trend-forward fine jewellery brands, has onboarded Gen Z star Aneet Padda as its new brand ambassador. With her bold, vibrant energy and unapologetic authenticity, Aneet perfectly embodies the spirit of selfconfidence, individuality, and the unique brilliance that shines within every woman. This association aligns perfectly with Mias brand philosophy of celebrating modern, independent women who shine with confidence and express their unique potential. The Precious, every day festive campaign featuring Aneet, is a celebration of empowering women to embrace their personal brilliance and confidence.

Set in the celebratory context, the campaign film, conceptualized by Famous Innovations features Aneet wearing a choker from Mias latest collection, Manifest, which offers modern takes on classic forms such palace arches, paisley and the lotus flower in gold and natural diamonds, along with pearls, natural multi-colored sapphires and aventurine quartz.

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The latest festive campaign film is an evocative celebration of self-love and individuality. Set in an intimate slice-of-life moment, the story follows Aneet as she prepares for what seems like a special evening. With thoughtful care, she wears a Mia diamond choker and earrings from the Manifest collection, her anticipation reflecting the personal significance of the night ahead. When her younger sister curiously asks where she is headed, she responds with a smile and a playful gesture to the mirror  revealing that her date is with herself. In that tender moment, the film captures the essence of the campaign: the joy of recognizing ones own brilliance and cherishing time with oneself.

Through this campaign, Mia by Tanishq offers a fresh take on festive jewellery for todays generation, inviting women to embrace moments of self-expression every day. The film not only showcases the brands exquisite designs but also encapsulates an empowering cultural shift where confidence and self-appreciation take center stage. With Aneet Paddas graceful portrayal, the campaign positions Mia as a companion for everyday moments of self-love, elevating simple moments into celebrations and encouraging women to shine on their own termsprecious, every day.

The film is live here.

Speaking about the campaign, Shyamala Ramanan, Business Head, Mia by Tanishq said, Women today are confidently cherishing self-love, not just for milestones but in the everyday. This cultural shift resonates deeply with Mias ethos of Precious, every day. Aneet Padda, with her authentic spirit and fresh appeal, embodies this new voice of celebration, making her the perfect face for Mia."

Aneet Padda said, Im thrilled to be the face of Mia, because the brand is all about celebrating oneself and embracing the everyday sparkle within us. What I love about Mia is that you dont need a milestone or an occasion to wear it. Its about looking in the mirror, feeling good, and reminding yourself that youre precious, every day."

Mithila Saraf, Chief Executive Officer, Famous Innovations, said Precious, every day reflects the truth of every woman out there who knows that shes special, every single day and doesnt need a reason to celebrate herself. And for those of us who forget this once in a while, its a reminder to love ourselves a little more and treat ourselves a little better. Mias jewellery is a symbol of that self-love and confidence, one that doesnt need any milestone, occasion or external motivation  to buy, to wear and to enjoy."

About Mia by Tanishq

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Born with the heritage and the legacy of Tanishq, Mia is a brand of bold, modern, and chic jewellery. For the young, the young at heart and the stylish, Mia crafts gold & natural diamond jewellery in designs that are unique, minimal and extremely versatile. Featuring a wide range, the collections from Mia are designed to style one for every moment and every occasion effortlessly. Crafted in 18kt & 14kt gold the Mia has over 2500 designs of stunning natural diamond jewellery starting at Rs.4999/-* and making charges starting from 9%*.

Mia has a network of 250+ exclusive stores and is present in leading Tanishq stores across 75 cities within India. Their store at the Burj Uman Centre in Dubai marks the launch of Mias international presence with three stores in UAE.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 15:42 IST

News lifestyle Mia By Tanishq Gets Aneet Padda As Brand Ambassador, Debuts Festive Campaign Precious, Every Day
Designer Anna Singh Thanks Salman Khan For His Help In Heartbreaking Note After Friends Demise

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 18:11 IST

Designer Anna Singh penned a heartfelt note mourning her friend Zainuddins death and thanked Salman Khan for providing medical help, earning praise for his kindness.

Salman Khan, on the other hand, remains a megastar with an unmatched fan following and a filmography that defines an era of mainstream Bollywood.

Salman Khan is known for his philanthropic work. The actor often helps the needy and tries to hide his good deeds from the world, as he doesnt like to praise himself. Anna Singh, a popular fashion designer, penned a heartbreaking post after the demise of Zainuddin, whom she considered her pillar of strength. In her post, she also tagged Salman Khan, thanking him for his help.

Taking to social media, Anna penned a send-off post to her dear friend and wrote, As I say the final goodbye to you, my dear Zainuddin.  You were my pillar when I started work and sometimes sponsored my wine too. Through complicated constructed outfits, lots of bickering, and very, very spicy biryani, we flew high. I will never forget you and your contribution. I bow myself in gratitude. Thank you, Zainu, for everything."

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani)

She further continued and thanked Salman Khan for the medical help he provided for her friend, writing, And a big thank you to @beingsalmankhan for helping with your medicals. Sleep well, my dear. RIP. "

Seeing the post and the mention of Salman, fans hailed him for helping everyone he can.

About Salman Khan

Salman Khan is widely known for his philanthropy through his NGO, Being Human Foundation, established in 2007. The organization focuses on education and healthcare for underprivileged children across India. It funds medical treatments, provides scholarships, and supports schools in rural areas. Beyond his foundation, Salman often helps individuals in need  covering hospital bills, supporting struggling actors, and donating to disaster relief efforts. His charitable work is often done quietly, earning him a reputation as one of Bollywoods most generous stars.

Salman on the Work Front

Salman will next be seen in Battle Of Galwan. Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, the film revisits the harrowing 2020 Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops  a rare border skirmish that turned deadly without any firearms being used. Instead, soldiers resorted to hand-to-hand combat with sticks and stones, making it one of the most emotionally charged stories in recent Indian history.

With its stirring subject and powerful cast, Battle of Galwan is poised to be one of the most impactful cinematic tributes to Indias armed forces in recent years.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 18:11 IST

News movies bollywood Designer Anna Singh Thanks Salman Khan For His Help In Heartbreaking Note After Friends Demise
Kriti Sanon And Rashmika Mandanna Remind Fans Of Deepika & Diana In New BTS From Cocktail 2

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 19:12 IST

Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandannas BTS from Cocktail 2 has fans buzzing, as their street stroll and dance moments evoke Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty vibes.

Rashmika Mandanna and Kriti Sanon star as leads in Cocktain 2.

Shahid Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Kriti Sanon are shooting for the sequel of the cult classic Cocktail, and every update from the film is leaving fans buzzing with excitement. To add to the buzz, a fun BTS clip from the sets has surfaced online, and the vibe of the clip suggests something quite enjoyable awaits the audience.

In the film, the three were seen strolling on the street, with Shahid having his hands wrapped around Rashmika as they both chatted with Kriti. Meanwhile, another clip from the set shows Kriti and Rashmika dancing to a tune reminiscent of Tum Hi Ho Bandhu, reminding fans of Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty.

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One fan wrote, So Kriti is playing Deepika and Rashmika is playing Penty." Another added, Its giving Deepika & Dianas character vibes from Tum Hi Bandhu." A third fan shared, I think the song is going to be a banger. Kriti is looking good. Also, is that Rashmika in orange? Shes looking hot."

About Cocktail 2:

The sequel is backed by Dinesh Vijans Maddock Films and written by Luv Ranjan. While details about the plot are being kept under wraps, the makers are aiming for a theatrical release in the second half of 2026. Earlier, Homis wife, Anaita Shroff Adajania, added to the buzz by sharing a glimpse of the Cocktail 2 script on her Instagram Story.

Rashmika Mandanna Work Front

Rashmika Mandanna is gaining all the limelight for both her personal and professional life. On the personal front, she is making headlines for her rumoured engagement to Vijay Deverakonda. On the professional front, she has Thamma releasing this Diwali, where she will be seen as a vampire opposite Ayushmann Khurrana. The movie is touted to be one of the most anticipated projects of the year.

Kriti Sanon Work Front

Meanwhile, Kriti Sanon has fans waiting with bated breath as they await the release of her heart-wrenching love story co-starring Dhanush, directed by Anand L. Rai. The movie promises yet another heartbreak that will leave moviegoers spellbound. Written by Himanshu Sharma and Neeraj Yadav, the film retains the passionate love and intensity that defined Raanjhanaa while exploring a fresh storyline.

Shahid Kapoor Work Front

Shahid Kapoor and filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj have collaborated for the fourth time after Kaminey, Haider, and Rangoon, for a film titled O Romeo.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 19:12 IST

News movies bollywood Kriti Sanon And Rashmika Mandanna Remind Fans Of Deepika & Diana In New BTS From Cocktail 2
Ageing But Indispensable: Why Nitish Kumar Still Serves BJPs Purpose, For Now

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 14:02 IST

Nitish Kumar  for all his faults and diminishing shelf life  will remain a politically useful instrument rather than an expendable relic. But, his countdown has begun for BJP.

Nitish Kumar met Amit Shah at his residence in Patna. (Photo: X/NitishKumar)

Look at some raw electoral data and one fact hits you immediately: across three decades of Bihar politics, the Bharatiya Janata Party has been the clearest, most consistent upward line on the graph. Whether you track vote share, share of contested seats, or the partys incremental seat gains when allied, BJPs line is the least jagged. That steadiness is the political equivalent of compound interest  small, relentless gains that add up to structural strength.

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But politics is not arithmetic, its geography and sociology. BJPs vote share and contested vote share ascend show the saffron partys steady rise, also explaining why  even with that growth  the party has not fully displaced regional satraps like Nitish Kumar and his Janata Dal (United). In short: BJPs growth in Bihar is real and more durable than others, but Nitish remains the indispensable local machine that translates votes into governing majorities.

But a careful play with the data establishes a few fundamental facts in Bihar:

BJPS GROWTH IS NOT EPISODIC IN BIHAR

The vote-share spread traces BJPs march from a peripheral player into one of Bihars dominant forces. It started at less than 10 per cent, crossed 20 per cent before the 2020 election, while coming back to near 20 per cent in 2020.

BJPs contested vote share started above 10 per cent in 1990, which crossed 40 per cent in the 2020 assembly election.

Unlike other parties whose vote lines spike and crash with charismatic leaders or short-lived social coalitions, BJPs increases are cumulative and persistent across successive elections.

That pattern tells us two things:

BJPs organisational footprint deepened across the state rather than merely siphoning off sympathy votes in a single cycle.

The partys vote gains are not wholly dependent on one caste bloc or one charismatic face  they reflect a broadening base (urban/rural, younger voters, and, increasingly, sections of OBCs and Dalits).

Put differently: BJP has built a rising tide that lifts its vote share across many constituencies rather than confining its strength to a handful of safe seats.

BUT GROWTH ISNT GEOGRAPHICALLY UNIFORM

Data showing seats contested and the BJPs seat share reveal a second truth: growth in vote share doesnt automatically convert to uniform seat wins. BJPs seat share may have continuously increased since 1990, apart from 2015, but a cursory look at its percentage of its seat share to assembly constituencies contested, it becomes clear how stagnant it has been since 2000 till 2015 when it moved from 40s to 60s in terms of percentage.

Bihars electoral arithmetic  winner-takes-all in single-member constituencies  rewards concentrated pluralities. BJPs spread is broad but, at times, shallow in crucial pockets. Thats why the partys best strategy, from 2005, has often been alliance politics: combine the national vote machine with a regional partner that supplies the local depth.

NITISH SUPPLIES MISSING LOCAL DEPTH

This is the practical reason BJP tolerates  and needs  an ageing Nitish. Bihar has an electorate with high fragmentation and multiple viable players in many constituencies. In such an environment, a party with strong but evenly spread vote share risks coming second in many seats if a regional ally consolidates the local plurality.

Nitishs JD(U) remains the party with the tightest local networks in many rural heartlands and in specific caste geographies where BJP struggles to break the final barrier.

Nitish gives BJP three things it cannot reliably create from the Centre alone:

Complementary vote concentrations: JD(U)s support often peaks where BJPs is middling, producing the coalition pluralities needed to win seats.

State-level administrative credibility: Incumbency and governance narratives that reassure swing voters who care about delivery and stability.

Symbolic acceptability for certain social groups: JD(U) leadership remains palatable to several OBC and non-Jatav backward-caste constituencies who are distrustful of abrupt national realignments.

THE AGEING LEADER PARADOX

Yes, Nitish is ageing and his political inventory is not inexhaustible. At 74, Nitish has shown visible signs of physical frailty in recent public appearances  slurred speech, occasional confusion during press interactions, and reduced stamina on the campaign trail  all fuelling perceptions of declining health.

After nearly two decades in power, his once-celebrated Sushasan Babu" image has faded.

The spread itself notes the limits of long-term incumbency: weariness, leadership succession risks, and the erosion of the freshness" advantage. But the political calculus for BJP is simple: replace Nitish and you run the risk of losing his vote-translating apparatus before you can fully supplant it with BJP cadres. In the short-to-medium term, the net electoral risk of pushing him aside  creating open contestation within JD(U) or creating local defections  outweighs the abstract value of unilateral power.

As caste allegiances float, Amit Shah sounds the alarm bell stating CM face will be decided post-election  Nitish Kumar faces his toughest challenge yet.

BJP knows that Nitish provides the last-mile convertibility  turning votes into majorities in tightly contested assembly constituencies. But BJP also knows it is nearing the endgame where it can dictate the rule. After all, it has already refused JD(U)s demand for one more seat than BJP and gone back after promising Nitish to be the CM face.

What does it mean for 2025?

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The final point is political realism: winning power in Bihar is less about who leads the alliance from the centre and more about whose ground game and social coalitions can add up to 122. That is why a party that looks ascendant on the vote-share graph still prefers the hedged certainty of an alliance with an ageing but electorally functional Nitish Kumar to the risk of a full-blown, immediate takeover.

Kumar  for all his faults and diminishing shelf life  will remain a politically useful instrument rather than an expendable relic. But, his countdown has begun.

About the Author Anindya Banerjee Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep ... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 14:02 IST

News opinion Ageing But Indispensable: Why Nitish Kumar Still Serves BJPs Purpose, For Now

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Opinion | As Political Chaos Rises, Bangladesh Is Beginning To Resemble Pakistan

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 20:38 IST

Bangladeshs Bengali identity is being corroded daily; a hard, Islamist identity is being rapidly foisted to completely replace Bangaliana one day

Pakistan, which once ruled over Bangladesh from beyond 1,500 km of Indian 'enemy territory', has made a rapid comeback after the August 5, 2024, coup that ousted Sheikh Hasina as PM and put an Islamist-backed interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Representational image

Foodies in Dhaka have lately noticed something unusual: a quiet and quick proliferation of Pakistani restaurants. The foodscape is getting dotted with names like Noush, Karaachi Dastarkhwan, PeshWarain, Multani Dera, Zaiqa, Lahore By iKitchen mostly new, a couple of them older.

The nihari, chapli kebab, raan, and biryani are mostly excellent. There is not much to complain about with the food.

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The problem, given Bangladeshs current political turmoil, is the purport of this trend.

Pakistan, which once ruled over Bangladesh from beyond 1,500 km of Indian enemy territory", has made a rapid comeback after the August 5, 2024, coup that ousted Sheikh Hasina as PM and put an Islamist-backed interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Pakistans growing presence is not political. It is bleeding into the ideological, cultural, and military.

Pakistani intelligence ISI has established training camps in Brahmanbaria, Ambarkhana in Sylhet, along the Chittagong hill tracts, and several other places. ISI has internally divided Dhaka into three zones, which are overseen by three of its commanders in classic militia style.

Clerics from Pakistan are arriving with regularity. There is a great deal of exchange between them and Islamist groups like Jamaat, Hefazat, Hizbut Tahrir, Islami Oikyo Jote, and Bangladesh Islami Andolan. Terror groups like Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, Ansarullah Bangla Team, Allah-r Dal, and Shahadat-e al Hiqma are drawing fresh succour from their Pakistani religious mentors.

Bangladeshs Bengali identity is being corroded daily; a hard, Islamist identity is being rapidly foisted to completely replace Bangaliana one day.

At this rate, with a puppet government, an election made uncertain by throwing in a referendum demand (on the July proclamation), an increasingly cornered army chief and president, a nearly nonexistent police force, and a rampaging Jamaat taking over institutions, Bangladesh faces a return to its darkest past.

When the dust settles, Bangladesh may closely resemble Pakistan. And that poses serious concerns for India and the entire region.

Thousands of jihadis, now being trained to bring an Islamist government to power, will suddenly become unemployed once the goal is achieved. Just like with Pakistan, an entire terror ecosystem will be available for hire.

Foreign players could exploit them to create trouble, especially for non-Islamic neighbours. But just like Pakistan, Bangladesh could be creating a monster that could be used against itself as well.

It is a creature that will submit to the highest bidder to carry out assassinations, terror attacks, and even full-fledged militancy and separatism.

Its economy already in tatters, the world would then begin to look at Bangladesh as an irredeemable basket case.

China wont like an Islamic extremist hotbed so close to its borders, separated just by an unstable Myanmar. India is readying a plan for the worst-case scenario.

Donald Trump apparently does not want to invest more in Bangladesh. Both Republican think tank IRI and its Democrat counterpart NDIs Dhaka offices have shut down. The Bangladesh wings of these US think tanks have lately seen massive job cuts.

The US is also losing the appetite to invest money in the Rakhine corridor, it seems.

Which leaves Bangladesh in an unenviable spot.

The nations civil society is still quite vibrant and has dynamic activism. Bangladeshi Muslim women are a lot more educated than women in Pakistan or Afghanistan. They are used to civil liberties, which they would not be willing to meekly surrender. And the Bangladeshi Army still has some fight in it.

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All that could be the bulwark against a fate that seems increasingly inevitable. But time is fast running out.

Abhijit Majumder is the author of the book, Indias New Right. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 20:38 IST

News opinion Opinion | As Political Chaos Rises, Bangladesh Is Beginning To Resemble Pakistan

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Opinion | Infiltration And Demographic Shift: Why Amit Shah Is Right In Sounding The Alarm

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Last Updated: October 15, 2025, 17:07 IST

In West Bengal, the fluid borders have resulted in the Hindu population slipping from 78.45 per cent in 1951 to 70.54 per cent in 2011

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah. (PTI File)

Kolkata mayor, Firhad Bobby Hakim, addressed a group of Muslim students from the stage on December 13, 2024. As the most prominent political face of the community in the state, he took it upon himself to boost the youngsters morale.

In West Bengal, we are 33 per cent, and across the country, we are only 17 per cent, and we are called a minority community. But in the coming days, with Allahs blessings, we will no longer remain a minority," he reassured them, shaking his fist.

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This year in July, Vellappally Natesan, the general secretary of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, claimed at a meeting in Kottayam that Kerala will soon become a Muslim-majority state, thanks to the politics of the Left and the Congress.

Demography had also come up on September 17, 2024, when home minister Amit Shah said that extensive illegal influx of the Kuki-Chin-Zo community from Myanmar to Manipur is at the root of the ethnic bloodshed in the state.

Shah doubled down on this while delivering the Narendra Mohan Smriti Lecture at the Sahitya Srishti Samman ceremony.

Infiltration, demographic change, and democracyI want to say without hesitation that until every Indian understands these three issues, we cannot ensure our country, our culture, our languages, and our independence. These three topics were interconnected," he said.

Citing national census data from 1951 to 2011, Shah underpinned his claim. He said the share of the Hindu population in India declined from approximately 84 per cent in 1951 to about 79 per cent in 2011, while the share of the Muslim population increased from 9.8 per cent to 14.2 per cent.

He attributed the Muslim decadal growth rate of 24.6 per cent (2011 data) not to fertility, but to the influx of undocumented individuals.

I am telling you this because it hasnt happened because of the fertility rate. It has happened because of infiltration," he said.

Every set of demographic data concurs with what Indias home minister is saying. Illegal infiltration has wrecked societies in the Northeast, West Bengal, and deep south, usurped cultures, and threatened Indias glue as a nation. Illegals often prey on the same religious or ethnic community they come from, cornering jobs, land, and state benefits.

Most importantly, it poses a security nightmare and makes the ground ripe for separatism.

In West Bengal, for instance, the fluid borders have resulted in the Hindu population slipping from 78.45 per cent in 1951 to 70.54 per cent in 2011. Muslims went from 19.85 per cent to 27.01 per cent in the same period, and it is once estimated that it is touching 35 per cent now, with Murshidabad, Malda, and Uttar Dinajpur districts having well over 50 per cent Muslim population rate.

In Assam, the Hindu population dipped by 9.3 per cent while the Muslim population surged by 9.5 per cent in the same time. Assam recorded 34.22 per cent Muslims back in 2011.

All this makes the case watertight for the fuller implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and getting a strict National Register of Citizens (NRC) done nationwide.

These two, along with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, could become the bulwark needed against the demographic war which is being waged against India. This war is funded by Islamist agencies and Deep State actors through a web of NGOs, media platforms and journalists, human rights bodies, and pliant politicians eager to accumulate vote banks at the nations cost.

Of the nearly 66 lakh voters deleted from the Bihar poll list, a large section are illegal immigrants who got their papers made by dubious means.

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Demography is destiny is not a hollow trope. It rings true across every inch of this diverse nation, yet many of us need the home minister to make us hear and heed it.

Abhijit Majumder is the author of the book, Indias New Right. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: October 15, 2025, 16:58 IST

News opinion Opinion | Infiltration And Demographic Shift: Why Amit Shah Is Right In Sounding The Alarm

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Opinion | Malaysias Pivot From Washington To BRICS: A New Axis In The Global Chip Race

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 15, 2025, 17:56 IST

As US tariffs squeeze Southeast Asia, Malaysia turns toward India and Brazil to secure its semiconductor future and redefine trade alliances in a multipolar world

Malaysia has long been a crucial player in the semiconductor value chain.

Malaysias latest move to seek chip partnerships with Brazil and India is more than a matter of trade diversification; it signals a fundamental geopolitical recalibration in Asias technology map. With global commerce increasingly defined by protectionist impulses from Washington, countries like Malaysia are being forced to rethink old dependencies and align with emerging power blocs like BRICS.

Deputy Trade Minister Liew Chin Tongs remarks before the Malaysian Parliament acknowledging that the countrys reliance on US exports may one day end" mark one of the boldest admissions yet from Kuala Lumpur about the shifting centre of gravity in global trade.

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For decades, the US and its tech ecosystem have anchored Malaysias electronics industry. But as Washingtons tariff walls grow taller, the need to find new markets has become not just strategic but existential.

The Great Semiconductor Reorientation

Malaysia has long been a crucial player in the semiconductor value chain. Though it is not known for cutting-edge chip design like Taiwan or South Korea, its assembly, testing, and packaging (ATP) industry forms an indispensable part of the global supply network. Chips account for nearly 60 per cent of Malaysias annual electrical and electronics exports, making the country the sixth-largest semiconductor exporter globally.

But the ground is shifting beneath its feet. With the United States tightening export controls, imposing tariffs between 10 and 40 per cent on Asian goods, and reshaping its supply chains around domestic friend-shoring," Malaysia and its ASEAN peers find themselves on the receiving end of economic nationalism. In 2024 alone, ASEAN exported goods worth $352.1 billion to the US, a figure now under threat as trade friction escalates.

This realignment has led Kuala Lumpur to look westward, not across the Pacific, but across the Indian Ocean. A memorandum of cooperation with Brazil for semiconductor development is in the works, and a similar agreement with India is reportedly being pursued. These partnerships are strategic and timely.

Brazil, as Latin Americas largest economy and a key BRICS member, offers both raw materials and a vast consumer market. India, meanwhile, brings immense human capital and technical expertise in chip design, integrated circuits, and software engineering.

Together, this trilateral collaboration could reshape how the Global South participates in the semiconductor ecosystem, less as passive suppliers to Western firms and more as co-creators of new supply routes, technologies, and market structures.

The BRICS Alternative

The BRICS grouping comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa now represents nearly 40 per cent of global output. Once seen as a loose coalition of emerging economies, it is rapidly becoming a parallel platform for global trade, development finance, and technological cooperation. The timing of Malaysias outreach to Brazil and India coincides with ASEANs own efforts to diversify trade partnerships amid the rise of US protectionism.

Malaysias Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has made no secret of his admiration for a multipolar global order. By leaning into BRICS-friendly ties, he is positioning Malaysia as a bridge between ASEAN and the wider Global South, a bridge that could carry new investment flows, joint ventures, and research collaborations in semiconductors, green technology, and AI-driven manufacturing.

A Blow To US Leverage

The implications for the United States are significant. For decades, Washington used its tech market and investment dollars as leverage over Southeast Asia. Now, that influence is waning. Liews blunt remarks that the US now does not want to import much from our country and ASEAN nations" reflect a growing frustration among regional exporters. Protectionism, once justified under the banner of national security" or reshoring critical industries," is driving traditional partners away.

President Donald Trumps upcoming visit to Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN Summit will test these strained ties. He is expected to meet leaders of not only ASEAN nations but also BRICS heavyweights like Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

For ASEAN, the message is clear: the era of US-centric globalisation is over, and new pathways are being charted across the developing world.

The Road Ahead

Malaysias pivot toward BRICS-aligned nations could offer both opportunity and risk. On the one hand, collaboration with India and Brazil opens the door to fresh investment, diversified markets, and reduced vulnerability to US tariff shocks. On the other hand, it may expose Malaysia to new geopolitical crosswinds, especially as the global semiconductor race intensifies amid US-China rivalry.

Yet, for Kuala Lumpur, the alternative staying tethered to an increasingly protectionist and unpredictable US is far riskier. In aligning with nations that share a vision of multipolar trade and technological sovereignty, Malaysia is not abandoning globalisation; it is rewriting its terms.

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If successful, Malaysias semiconductor diplomacy could become a blueprint for other ASEAN economies looking to thrive in an era where chips, not oil, define global power and where the future of trade lies not in Washingtons corridors but in the new corridors being built between Sao Paulo, New Delhi, and Kuala Lumpur.

The writer is a technocrat, political analyst, and author. He pens national, geopolitical, and social issues. His social media handle is @prosenjitnth. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

About the Author Prosenjit Nath The writer is an Indian technocrat, political analyst, and author.

First Published: October 15, 2025, 17:56 IST

News opinion Opinion | Malaysias Pivot From Washington To BRICS: A New Axis In The Global Chip Race

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Opinion | Re-contextualising Swadeshi In FDI Era

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 15:59 IST

PM Narendra Modi has espoused the trend of economic liberalisation with greater vigour than the Congress who initiated it

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Under the new definition, whatever has been manufactured on Indian soil, and involving Indian labour, should be deemed as Swadeshi. (PTI File)

In his address to the nation on September 21, on the eve of next-generation GST reforms rollout, Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorted citizens to take pride in purchasing and using Swadeshi products. In defining Swadeshi, however, he discarded the country of incorporation (of the company) principle and emphasised the country of manufacture (of the products).

Under this definition, whatever has been manufactured on Indian soil, and involving Indian labour, should be deemed as Swadeshi. Thus, Samsung handsets manufactured in Noida, Uttar Pradesh  worlds largest mobile factory" would be considered Indian rather than South Korean. Toyota cars rolling out of Bidadi, Karnataka factory would be considered Indian rather than Japanese. People sipping Brooke Bond Red Label tea in the morning, or enjoying fine quality books published by Penguin Random House India, need not suffer any scruples of patriotism either!

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His government having boasted of attracting record FDI inflows under the Make in India" flagship programme, the Prime Minister could not have acted otherwise. The RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch has for long campaigned against foreign companies in India. They have been bringing out pamphlets and booklets advising people to shun shampoo, oil, tea, and computers/laptops manufactured by foreign-owned companies, even if those were produced in India. They see the Multi-National Companies (MNCs) as a threat to Indias economic sovereignty comparable to the East India Company in the colonial period. Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi, like his predecessor Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has an RSS background, he, like Vajpayee, has espoused the trend of economic liberalisation with greater vigour than the Congress who initiated it.

The new definition of Swadeshi is at least 25 years old. The BJP-led NDAs election manifesto for the 13th Lok Sabha elections, 1999, tried to contextualise Swadeshi in the environment of economic liberalisation. Swadeshi is not", it read, reinventing the wheel. We will facilitate the domestic industry to gain enough muscles to compete with the multinationals in the local and global markets. We want domestic companies to flourish and acquire a Trans-National status. At the same time, the country cannot do without FDI because besides capital stock, it brings with it technology, new market practices, and most importantly, employment" (For a Proud and Prosperous India: An Agenda).

The election manifesto (1999) wanted to relegate poverty like slavery, colonialism, smallpox, and cholera" into history. Banishing poverty, by speeding up economic growth, was the raison detre of economic liberalisation for the BJP. Allowing the MNC was not enslavement" but liberation" for the Indian economy. The RSS and the BJP, evidently, have different views on the matter.

II

The economic growth rate, engendered by liberalisation/globalisation of the economy, has nowadays become a popular indicator of good governance. The then MoS, Commerce and Industry in Vajpayee government, viz. Dr. Raman Singh, had summed up the positive experience of globalisation on domestic industry and agriculture towards the end of the first decade of economic reforms. Speaking in Rajya Sabha on August 21, 2000, he stated that globalisation and economic liberalisation had enhanced competition, increased economic efficiency, and augmented productivity of domestic industry. Consequently, the industrial sector, which had previously recorded an average annual compound growth rate of 4.6 per cent during the 1970s and 6.6 per cent during the 1980s, achieved a higher growth rate of 7.3 per cent during the Eighth Plan (1992-97).

More recently, on April 4, 2018, the then MoS, Commerce and Industry, viz. C.R. Chaudhary, stated in Lok Sabha (unstarred question no. 4180) that FDI is a major driver of economic growth and a source of non-debt finance for economic development of India. Thus, it has been the endeavour of the Government to put in place an enabling and investor-friendly FDI policy.

As per the website of the DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, during the first quarter of the FY 2025-26, there has been a total FDI inflow of $25,178 million into India, whereas the cumulative figure of FDI equity inflow during this century since April 2000 is $747,510 million or INR 49,28,358 crore.

Soliciting foreign companies to invest in India, and then not buying their products in the name of Swadeshi, would have not only been unethical but also detrimental to the investment climate. While many foreign companies invest money in India, some of them also pull out, unable to market their products profitably. Some companies no doubt have deep pockets and are ready to stay put for years to capture the market with patience.

The pity is if the East India Company were functional today, India would not have blacklisted it either because of its colonial past. This is because international trade has grown significantly worldwide in the post-colonial era. From being 20 per cent of global GDP in 1995, it shot up to 31 per cent in 2022, before falling back to 29 per cent as goods trade declined in value terms on a balance of payment basis, as WTO figures reveal. Previously, the share of exports in GDP for the world as a whole had almost doubled from 10.6 per cent in 1950 to 19.6 per cent in 1980 (UNCTADs Trade and Development Report, 1984, P.54).

Recently, the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, arrived in India with a 126-strong trade delegation. He landed in Mumbai, Indias business capital. Trade and investment was the main focus of the visit, though technology, education, climate & health research, and defence ties were also on the agenda.

III

When the idea of Swadeshi was conceptualised in India during British rule, it was a protest against colonial imposition of free trade on India. This one-sided free trade opened up India to import of cheap machine-made goods from Britain, but raised tariff barriers against Indian exports. This policy led to drain of Indian capital and consequent ruination of Indian industries. The constructive aim of Swadeshi was to make India self-sufficient in production of items of daily use. At times, the patriotic spirit could get the better of business acumen.

As Ananda Coomaraswamy, the Ceylonese Tamil Indologist, contemporaneously observed, the real struggle was between the ideals of Imperialism and the ideals of Nationalism". To him, five hundred years hence it will matter little to humanity whether a few Indians, more or less, have held official posts in India, or a few million bales of cloth have been manufactured in Bombay or Lancashire factories; but it will matter whether the great ideals of Indian culture have been carried forward or allowed to die" (Essays in National Idealism, 1909, P.1-2).

Independence of India brought about a decoupling of the ideas of Swaraj and Swadeshi. In colonial times, Swadeshi was en route to Swaraj, but having attained the latter, the former also lost its traction. Yet, for more than four decades, Indias economy continued to be more or less national, even if statist. Even the business of insurance, coal mining, banking, and airlines, etc., previously in private hands, were nationalised during that period. Bengal Chemicals (estd. 1901) and Balmer Lawrie Co. Ltd (1867) were nationalised in 1980 and 1987.

Though foreign companies were present in India, no red carpets were laid out for foreign investors during the license-quota raj. As of March 31, 1974, there were 540 branches of foreign companies in the whole of India, as there were 188 Indian subsidiaries, the Rajya Sabha (vide Starred Question No.1) was told on May 10, 1976.

This approach was signally dismantled in July 1991, heralding economic reforms. Its three strands have been, as Late Mr. T.N. Seshan once jokingly described, LPG (Liberalisation, Privatisation, and Globalisation). Having de-controlled" the economy, we could not control the script thereafter.

Whereas liberalisation heralded sufficiency, it undermined self-sufficiency in certain matters. For example, during the license-quota Raj, India had created a robust electronic sector, with government participation, which besides addressing domestic needs also exported some products. However, the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) signed between 81 WTO members in 1997 eliminated tariff lines belonging to products like computers, semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, telecommunication apparatus, data storage media, and software, etc., in phases between 1999 and 2005. This led to a surge in imports of finished electronic products (IIFT, Annual Report 2023-24, P.12).

Indias Commerce Ministry acknowledges on its website that Indias experience of the ITA has been most discouraging, which almost wiped out the IT industry from India. The real gainer from that agreement, it says, is China, which raised its global market share from 2 per cent to 14 per cent during a decade between 2000 and 2011. The data is dated. At present, Made in China (MIC) products command around 20 per cent of the global export market.

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Indias ballooning trade deficit with China, touching $100 billion, is a matter of serious concern. It has almost trebled from $37.8 billion in 2014. Five years ago, in the aftermath of Galwan river valley clashes, we had seen knee-jerk Swadeshi reactions calling for a boycott of Chinese goods. The fact is most of the goods imported from China are capital goods, intermediate goods, and raw materials used for meeting the demand for fast-expanding sectors like electronics, telecom, and power in India, as the government told Lok Sabha (Unstarred Question No.994 dated July 26, 2023). It implies that ordinary consumers could influence the situation only a little.

The writer is author of the book The Microphone Men: How Orators Created a Modern India (2019) and an independent researcher based in New Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 15:57 IST

News opinion Opinion | Re-contextualising Swadeshi In FDI Era

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Opinion | Secular Spaces And Shared Standards: The Kerala Hijab Row

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 16, 2025, 14:36 IST

Nothing supports the demand for a headscarf over the school uniform, except the appeal to a misplaced notion of secularism held by some.

Kerala Hijab controversy.(Representative image)

Last week, a Muslim student wore a hijab to her school, St Ritas Public School, an institution in Ernakulam district, Kerala, run by the Catholic Church. The school authorities told her that the hijab is not part of the school uniform and, therefore, could not be permitted. The incident quickly snowballed into a controversy, prompting responses from social media users, television channels, and the states education minister. The Education Minister, V Sivankutty, initially opined that students should adhere to the school uniform and that no one should cover it with other clothing materials. However, he reversed his stance a day later, saying that there had been a serious lapse on the part of the school authorities. The following day, he refined his position once again after the school resolved the issue with the students parents. According to media reports, the student agreed to attend future classes without wearing the hijab. The parents of the student and the school authorities handled the matter with utmost seriousness and commendably reached a solution, ensuring that religiously motivated fringe elements would not view this incident as an opportunity to advance their agendas.

A few years ago, when the issue of the hijab and the uniform" blew up into a major controversy in Karnataka, it seemed that Kerala had rightly recognised the politics behind it and taken a firm stand. The media, politicians, and social media in general were united in opposing any ban on the hijab. The general consensus was that the hijab/headscarf was acceptable and could be worn along with the uniform, although the burqa and niqab were not, as they cover the wearers entire face.

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However, the reality does not quite align with this dominant narrative. Schools have their own dress codes, and many schools run by non-Muslim managements do not permit headscarves. In 2018, two Muslim students of Christ Nagar Senior Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram, approached the Kerala High Court, seeking permission to attend classes wearing the hijab. The Court observed that the students cannot seek imposition of their individual right as against the larger right of the institution," and held that it is for the institution to decide whether the petitioners can be permitted to attend classes with the headscarf. The Court further stated that it is purely within the domain of the institution to decide on the matter of the dress code," and that it could not even direct the institution to consider such a request.

Sadly, that did not settle the issue. In 2022, Providence Girls Higher Secondary School in Kozhikode was at the centre of a similar trouble, when a student complained that she was not allowed to wear a hijab. The school, for its part, stated that the uniform requirements had been clearly communicated at the time of admission. The hijab issue surfaced again in the same year, when a student requested the government to allow her to wear a hijab as part of the uniform of the Student Police Cadets. The government, nevertheless, refused the request. In its carefully drafted order, the government stated that it is not appropriate to give any indication such that religious symbols are highlighted in the uniform under the Student Police Cadet project."

Nothing supports the demand for a headscarf over the school uniform, except the appeal to a misplaced notion of secularism held by some. If one goes through the various court orders issued during the Karnataka hijab row, one can see that courts across the country generally do not consider wearing the hijab an essential religious practice. As mentioned above, there is a judgment from the High Court of Kerala that clearly upholds a stipulated dress code over the wearing of the hijab. A Kerala government order also states that highlighting religious symbols can be problematic. Yet, why does this issue crop up in Kerala every now and then?

School uniforms have a long history. Historian Kate Stephenson notes in her book on the history of school uniforms  the only study in recent times on the subject, and probably the only one that systematically examines it  that uniforms were first introduced to clothe poor students in late medieval England. They were later adopted by public schools in England, where they briefly became a symbol of elitism when a few elite schools opted for exclusive dress codes. This use of uniforms as a tool of exclusivity was eventually reversed when most schools began using them widely. Uniforms then helped mask class differences by standardising clothing. Considering that uniforms were a colonial influence in India, this history is directly relevant to us as well. Uniforms remained a mark of exclusivity in India until recently, when convent and private schools often had colourful and elaborate attire.

If you look at images of schools and school uniforms in India from the past, say from the 1940s or 1950s, you will notice something interesting. There was often a specific group of children in those images whose attire and markings made their caste evident. The sandal paste or vibhuti, the hairstyle, and even the very way they wore their clothes sometimes loudly signalled their social location in the caste hierarchy  and in most cases, it was near the top of the ladder. These marks and attires were considered essential aspects of religious life back then. We have now come a long way. It would indeed be unusual to see a student today with Tripundra (the three-lined vibhuti marking on the forehead) or a prominently visible tuft of hair on his head (which shows that he is South Indian Brahmin). To a large extent, we too have successfully masked the class or caste distinctions through uniform. The hijab row can also be examined from this perspective. Seen thus, wearing a hijab over a stipulated uniform goes against the very idea of standardisation and of masking visible distinctions. And by supporting such demands without even considering past court decisions, you are standing against the very idea of masking class differences. When a government that claims to be leftist does that, it is unusual, to say the least.

The Kerala government, headed by the Left Democratic Front, has always claimed to be progressive in its approach. It has even taken steps to address discrimination against women in the religious sphere  such as in the case of entry to Sabarimala. Yet, they somersault and backtrack in the most ridiculous ways when they feel that these progressive steps might ruffle their vote bank. In this instance, the minister commented that there had been a serious lapse in the way the school handled the issue. He went on to say that wearing a hijab was a students right and that no one could deny it. This, despite a very clear court verdict stating that a student cannot seek the imposition of their individual right as against the larger right of the institution."

It could also be said that the same government, which recently organised a Global Ayyappa Sangamam (an event some argue was aimed at wooing Hindu voters lost due to the Sabarimala controversy), was simultaneously trying to present itself as more secular and more appealing to non-Hindu voters. Political parties in Kerala, whether they claim to be progressive or not, know how to score brownie points in the name of secularism. Sometimes this is done by favouring a particular religious attire over the stipulated dress code of an institution. Sometimes it is by raising a womens wall" and arguing for inclusivity in Sabarimala. At other times, it takes the form of organising a Global Ayyappa Sangamam and assuring community leaders that they have changed their stance on the issue. And sometimes, it is by defining bhakti and how a bhakta should be  as the chief minister did during the Global Ayyappa Sangamam. The veteran communist even quoted the Bhagavad Gita to prove his point.

Keralite politicians and influencers might also be rightly concerned that openly criticising demands for a headscarf over a uniform could cost them public support  or worse, lead to them being labelled as Sangh supporters, which is a strict no-no in Keralas public sphere and amounts to excommunication of sorts from the mainstream political discourse. That is precisely what happened in 2021, when a home-nurse from Kerala, Ms. Soumya Santosh, was tragically killed in Israel by a rocket strike carried out by Hamas. While expressing their condolences on social media, many leaders made the mistake of describing the rocket strike on innocent civilians as a terrorist attack." The backlash was immediate: and all leaders edited their Facebook posts, changed their stance, and deleted the strong adjectives they had used for Hamas.

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Kerala has long presented itself as a prime example of secularism; the most secular state in India. While this is largely true, things are not always as they seem. And in places where it isnt true, it takes considerable effort to maintain the illusion, so much so that it resembles a carefully choreographed dance. One cannot lay the blame entirely on the politicians too. After 1992, numerous organisations  some with extremist positions  mushroomed across Kerala. Navigating the waters troubled by these groups is not easy, even for a party that claims to be progressive. No matter what position you take, you will be branded as appeasing one group or another. As a result, parties and their leaders try to keep everyone happy  and this leads to the absurd dance that we see now. Where will this take us, and how long will this dance last? We have yet to see. Let us hope we wont reach a point where school students wear tripundra on their foreheads and sport tufts along with their uniforms. After all, going by the ministers words, that too is a students right  and no one can deny it.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

About the Author Prajesh Panikkar Prajesh is a commentator with a research degree in philosophy from the University of Sheffield, focusing on the intersections of culture, history, and politics.

First Published: October 16, 2025, 14:36 IST

News opinion Opinion | Secular Spaces And Shared Standards: The Kerala Hijab Row

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Opinion | The Fall Of An Ideologue And The Shrinking Maoist Periphery

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 09:49 IST

Mallojula Venugopals surrender is both symbol and substance  the fall of an ideologue who once shaped revolutionary discourse, now embracing the constitutional path

Mallojula Venugopal Rao, alias Sonu.

The surrender of Mallojula Venugopal, also known as Abhay, Bhupati, Master, or Sonu (69)  a Politburo, Central Committee (CC), and Central Military Commission (CMC) member who served as official spokesperson of the Communist Party of India (Maoist)  on 15 October 2025 in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, marks a decisive ideological and operational rupture within the CPI (Maoist) hierarchy. His exit, accompanied by 60 other cadres, including zonal and divisional committee members, constitutes a major psychological and structural blow to the insurgency.

Venugopal, once the partys principal ideologue, was among the last four surviving Politburo members and had significant influence over both armed cadres in the Dandakaranya region and sympathisers in urban networks.

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This comes just months after the death of Namballa Keshava Rao, also known as Basavaraju, Ganganna, Krishna, Vijay, or Prakash (70)  the general secretary of the party (its highest executive post), and a Politburo, CC, and CMC member  in May 2025. It follows a series of high-level eliminations, including CC members Katta Ramachandra Reddy and Kadari Satyanarayana Reddy, indicating a sustained decapitation strategy by Security Forces (SFs).

Venugopals surrender was not merely tactical; it was a profound strategic and ideological shift. Once a staunch proponent of armed struggle, his transformation began after an internal schism within the CPI (Maoist). His now-public letters advocating the cessation of armed conflict were met with denunciations from the partys CC, labelling him a traitor." These letters, alongside the surrender of his wife, Vimala Sidam (also known as Tara), in January 2025, signalled his waning faith in the revolutionary cause.

The Maharashtra Police facilitated his surrender through the Intelligence Cell and C-60 commandos under a relatively well-regarded surrender and rehabilitation policy. Key to his decision was an emotional letter from Anil, a former comrade, who detailed the futility of continued violence and the opportunity for reintegration and dignity within the constitutional framework.

Just a day after Venugopal laid down arms, 50 Maoist cadres from Abujhmad surrendered before the Border Security Force (BSF) in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh. The group included senior Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) members Rajman Mandavi and Raju Salam, along with five Divisional Committee Members (DVCMs), 21 Area Committee Members (ACMs), and 22 party members. A significant number were women (32 of 50), and 39 weapons were surrendered, including AK-47s, INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) assault rifles, a Light Machine Gun (LMG), and a Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL).

The significance of this mass surrender extends beyond statistics. Abujhmad, or Maad, once the CPI (Maoist)s proclaimed liberated zone", has seen over 100 Maoists neutralised since the launch of the Maad Bachao Abhiyan in 2024, symbolising the rollback of militant dominance in the most impenetrable terrain.

From an operational perspective, Venugopals surrender is expected to yield further intelligence, particularly regarding urban sleeper cells and financing channels. His depth of knowledge and ideological stature make him an invaluable source for deconstructing the Maoist propaganda ecosystem. Intelligence sources have already indicated that at least another 100 cadres are likely to surrender in the MaadNorth Bastar belt in the coming months.

Strategically, this development accelerates the erosion of the Maoist command structure. The remnants of the leadership  current general secretary Thippari Tirupathi (also known as Devuji, Devji, Deoji, Sanjiv, Sanjeev, Chetan, Ramesh, Kumma, Shankar, Sheshu, Jagan, Sudharshan, or Devanna) (60), and Madvi Hidma (also known as Santosh), the youngest CC member of the CPI (Maoist) and commander of the Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA)s 1st Battalion  lack Venugopals ideological heft and are predominantly military tacticians. The movement, increasingly fragmented, risks devolving into a disoriented militant survivalist force, devoid of coherent direction or mass support.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA)s latest figures show that Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) is now confined to just 11 districts, with only three  Bijapur, Sukma, and Narayanpur  considered most affected". This marks a stark decline from 126 affected districts in 2013. In 2025 alone, according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), 333 Maoists have been killed, 398 arrested, and 1,351 have surrendered.

The cumulative impact of decimated leadership, enhanced security penetration, and ideological fatigue is evident. With the 31 March 2026 deadline set by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to end Naxalism", the trajectory of the insurgency points towards terminal decline, though residual violence and splinter activity may persist.

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Venugopals surrender is both symbol and substance  the fall of an ideologue who once shaped revolutionary discourse, now embracing the constitutional path. It is, perhaps, the beginning of the end for the CPI(Maoist) as an ideologically coherent and strategically potent insurgent force.

The author is a Research Associate at the Institute for Conflict Management. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 09:48 IST

News opinion Opinion | The Fall Of An Ideologue And The Shrinking Maoist Periphery

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Opinion | Understanding The Durand Line

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 17:08 IST

By assisting Afghanistan in its removal of the Durand line, India always needs to remain focused on its main aim  the disappearance of the Radcliffe line

The Durand Line remains less a border of control and more a profound fault line of crisis. Representational image/Pexels

Over centuries, Afghanistan has been the seductress of destruction of empires at their zenith, from the British to the Soviets and now, most recently, the Americans. Its location, at the tri-junction of Persia, Bharat and Central Asia, overseeing the Pamir knot of the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush high ranges, has made it an object of great-power geostrategic desire. History, however, always remains the handmaiden of geography and it has been difficult, if not impossible, for a foreign power to subdue and vanquish Afghanistan for any length of time, earning it the melancholy sobriquet, Graveyard of Empires".

The Great Game of the last several centuries seems to be playing itself out yet again, judging from recent events in this harsh land, the home of the redoubtable Pashtuns. While the match that lit the present fire was the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the second-order effects of American actions in subsequent decades have clearly had an impact. The US, India, China, Iran and Russia all have vested interests and favoured outcomes in Afghanistan now. As in every multiplayer game, there will be alliances of convenience if many players feel that a single powerful player, in this case the US, needs to be contained.

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The US view of the Eurasian landmass has always been distorted. It does not understand the mentality of those who do not think like it; it does not understand that their way of looking at things might be different; it does not understand that their actions and underlying motivations might be quite different from theirs in similar circumstances. With specific reference to Afghanistan, the US has burned its hands repeatedly, replacing one group of leaders with another, innocent largely of the intricacies of the relationships between various groups of Pashtuns who apparently belong to different sets of the Taliban on either side of the Durand line, which most Pashtuns do not see as any kind of political border separating two nation-states. In truth, Afghanistan is no nation-state. It was, is and will always be a buffer region between empires. The Durand line is now a bit of erstwhile British colonial piffle; it has to go.

Contemporary significance

While it has been the graveyard of empires, Afghanistan does not lack wealth, with an estimated $1T worth of mostly non-fuel minerals, the importance of which has grown steeply in the past decade. These include critical and strategic metals, granite, and precious and semi-precious gemstones of an incredible variety. As the hard power capabilities of India and China rise, an American footprint in the region has become unnecessary and undesirable for both countries, who seek to exert their rightful influence over this war-torn land, having had civilisational ties with it in the past that still persist.

With the Taliban back in power, one cannot ignore the levels of understanding it has reached with Beijing and Moscow. While its bonhomie with Pakistan was hitherto worrisome to India, this relationship soured bitterly after the ouster of Imran Khan, himself a Pashtun. With the changing global order, a few trends may be observed: a resurgence of the long-standing Pashtun-Punjabi enmity; the Taliban cementing its ties with India; and a shared desire on the part of both Afghanistan and India in keeping the Americans out of the region.

The Dragon and the Eagle

While Beijing and Washington are engulfed in a trade war, their battle for influence in Afghanistan rages on. After its departure from the region in 2021, there has been a sharp drop in US heft in both Iran and Central Asia. The loss of a strategic asset like the Bagram Airbase has dented US control severely. The US is now far less able to check Chinese presence in the region and maintain a launching pad there in the event of a war against Iran. Russian and Chinese efforts to build a new axis to contain US influence in the region have proved to be a success, with India also, and in parallel, establishing formal diplomatic relations with the Taliban regime. Three major Eurasian powers are coming together to strengthen Eurasian interests vis-a-vis the Amerisphere.

Major geopolitical shifts and events like the wars in faraway Ukraine and Gaza, have worked in reinforcing this new Eurasian axis of influence in Afghanistan. With the US re-evaluating its internal priorities over any sort of global footprint, the increasing power vacuum it has created has been systematically filled by Russia, India and China (RIC) who, unlike the US, do not seek undue political influence in the internal affairs of Afghanistan. Unlike the American approach to establishing their footprint in a region, which is driven by ideologues aiming to reinstate democracy in an ungovernable part of the world, the RIC approach has been pragmatic, seeking to work together with third party countries economically and culturally despite their having different political systems.

The Pakistan Question

With the American exit in 2021, the only remaining US ally in the region remains Pakistan, who loyally served America in its efforts to arm the Mujahideen, and later to fight the Mujahideen themselves. While the past decade has seen the rise of a Pakistan-China alliance, the relationship has been transactional. Unlike the US, the Chinese have always followed a strict business-only policy in their bilateral relations with Pakistan; even the recent Pakistan-Saudi agreement seems to have been entered into at Chinas behest as it seeks to replace the US as a nuclear protector of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan merely being a Chinese proxy. With the prospects of the CPEC having dried out due to economic unfeasibility and resurgence in militancy, China has slowly moved away from Islamabad to Kabul. For instance, the development of the Wakhan Corridor could serve a dual purpose, it being the crucial link on the Afghan Ring Road that would take one from Xinjiang to Chabahar on the Iranian coast without going through Pakistan. India, on its part, needs to wean China away from Pakistan and give something to China that it deems more profitable than what it can get out of Pakistan.

The recent outbreak of overt hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan has once again necessitated a reassessment of the latters relevance to the players of the reloaded Great Game. While Indias footprints in Afghanistan are not yet fully visible, the rapidly changing global landscape has made speed a necessary precondition of our policies. Vision leads to clarity which leads to action which finally leads to consequences. India needs consequences with respect to Pakistan. There is a need to develop a multi-pronged approach. Apart from expanding overt capabilities, the situation also calls for extending covert operations.

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Pakistans security landscape has clearly gone beyond its sovereign control. It has finally realised that it cannot rear snakes in its backyard and expect them to not bite it back. India can turn the existing multi-frontal threats that encircle the Pakistani armed forces in Baluchistan, KPK, Jammu, Kashmir, Gilgit, Baltistan, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sindh and the ocean itself into a war of attrition, with the only goal being the dismemberment of this rogue state and consign this geographical freak to the dustbin of history. For India to achieve this, Afghanistan has a crucial role to play. By assisting Afghanistan in its removal of the Durand line, India always needs to remain focused on its main aim like Arjuna and the eye of the birdthe disappearance of the Radcliffe line.

Gautam Desiraju is in IISc Bangalore and UPES Dehradun. Venkatakrishnan Asuri is in IIT Madras. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 17:08 IST

News opinion Opinion | Understanding The Durand Line

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Opinion | US-India: Broken Telephone Calls

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 13:56 IST

The last documented conversation between Trump and Modi took place exactly a month ago

US President Donald Trump called PM Modi a "great man". (Photo: Reuters)

US President Donald Trump has announced yet another of his mega-sensations to the world. Speaking with reporters at the White House, he began praising India and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a great man" who loves Trump".

Then came the sensational part  which the US President placed like a cherry on top of his freshly baked cake of compliments toward India: I wasnt happy that India was buying oil, and Modi assured me today that they will not buy oil from Russia. Thats a big step. Now we just need to make China do the same."

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If one were to take Trumps statement at face value, it would appear that a dramatic shift has occurred (or is underway) in the RussianIndian strategic partnership.

This would mean that India is giving up Russian black gold", which is vital for its economy, while Russia would lose India as its second-largest business partner after China  despite the fact that recent years have seen record-high trade turnover between the two nations, largely because India refused to join the sanctions war.

However, there are many questions about this supposed Indian rejection" of Russian oil.

The first question: what conversation today" between Trump and Modi is he referring to, given that no trace of it can be found in India itself? The office of the Indian Prime Minister has not confirmed such a call, nor has the Ministry of External Affairs  and not a single leak has appeared in Indias well-informed media.

In reality, the last documented conversation between Trump and Modi took place exactly a month ago, when the U.S. President called New Delhi to congratulate Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday. If one assumes that Modi made this alleged promise back then in September, why did Trump stay silent about it for an entire month? And could Modi really have chosen such an odd way to celebrate his birthday  by giving Trump, instead of receiving a gift, a truly royal present in the form of renouncing Russian oil?

But thats not all. Leading Indian media outlets report that in recent months Modi has declined to speak with Trump by phone as many as four times  for good reason. The fact is, while praising Modis greatness", Trump has also tried to humiliate him at least twice.

First, at the beginning of August, the US President imposed 25% trade tariffs on India over its energy imports. Second, Trump keeps insisting that he was the one who reconciled India and Pakistan  something Modi firmly denies, insisting that the US President had absolutely nothing to do with it.

And now, the USIndia broken telephone" has misfired again  this time on the eve of the Russian Presidents upcoming visit to India, scheduled for December.

1.4 billion Indians and I are eagerly waiting to welcome you to India," Modi told Putin during their meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit in China. This shows how deep and comprehensive our specially privileged strategic partnership is. Even in the toughest times, India and Russia have always moved forward shoulder to shoulder," Modi added.

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Its unfortunate that this statement escaped Trumps notice  he still naively believes that India will abandon Russian oil. And that China (blessed are the believers!) will follow suit.

Sergei Strokan is a journalist and writer. He tweets from @strokan. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 13:56 IST

News opinion Opinion | US-India: Broken Telephone Calls

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Opinion | Why Hindu Americans Cant Do What Jew And Muslim Americans Can

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 15, 2025, 12:09 IST

Shashi Tharoors remark on Hindu lobbying abroad has reignited debate on why Indian-Americans cannot match Jewish influence in US policy circles

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Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's remarks at a public event drew swift responses from several NRIs and persons of Indian origin (PIOs) in America. (PTI file)

When Shashi Tharoor raised a seemingly provocative question about the global Hindu communitys inability to lobby for India the way Jews in the US advocate for Israel or Muslims campaign for Palestine, he tapped into a long-standing unease within sections of Indias diaspora. His remarks, made at a public event, drew swift responses from several non-resident Indians (NRIs) and persons of Indian origin (PIOs) in America. They countered that Indias decision-makers seldom consult them before taking major policy decisionssuch as buying oil from Russia or voting at the United Nationsand that they are often treated merely as emotional extensions of the homeland rather than as stakeholders in policy outcomes.

At one level, the NRI lament is outlandish. No sovereign country consults its overseas citizens before making foreign or economic policy choices. Yet, Tharoors pin prick touched a raw nerve because it revealed a deeper question about influence: Why have Hindu Americans, despite their wealth and education, not attained the political leverage that Jewish-Americans enjoy, or the ideological coherence that binds American Muslims on issues like Palestine?

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This comparison is not new, but it is newly urgent. Indian-Americans have risen rapidly in visibility over the past two decades, producing senior officials, business leaders and even members of Congress. Still, their collective political voice remains fragmented. To understand why, it helps to explore how other diasporasparticularly Jewish-Americansbuilt power over generations. That contrast begins with history.

Jewish experience, American integration

Jewish migration to America began in waves through the 19th century, driven by persecution in Europe and the promise of religious freedom. It was not easy, as American Christians were no less swayed by the notion that Jews were the killers of Jesus Christ. One thing that the older Americans perhaps did not throw at the Jews is envy. European Christiansas much as Asian Muslimswere jealous of Jews, seeing the Israelites become the first among the followers of the three Abrahamic faiths to become rich, thanks to the business of interest on money considered evil in Christianity and Islam but not in Judaism. There were enough rich men in the capitalist US to resent Jewish riches.

Yet, the early Jewish settlers faced hostility, discrimination and exclusion. If Europe saw Jews portrayed as villains, American cinema portrayed Jews (and Blacks) as villains too.

Examples from classic English literature

The Canterbury Tales (c 1400): In The Prioresss Tale," Jewish characters are depicted in a classic antisemitic blood libel, accused of murdering a devout Christian child.

The Jew of Malta (1590s): Christopher Marlowes play features Barabas, a greedy, treacherous, and murderous character, who helped define the villain Jew" stereotype on the English stage.

The Merchant of Venice (c 1600): William Shakespeares Shylock is the most famous example of this archetype. Though given a humanising monologue, he is characterised as a vengeful moneylender who demands a pound of flesh" and is ultimately forced to convert to Christianitya happy ending" for the Christian characters.

Oliver Twist (1838): Charles Dickenss Fagin is a villainous crafty old Jew" who runs a school for child pickpockets. Dickens initially referred to Fagin as the Jew" over 250 times, reinforcing the association of criminality with his Jewish identity. After a Jewish reader criticised the portrayal, Dickens removed many of the references in later editions and created a positive Jewish character, Riah, in a later novel.

Trilby (1894): George du Mauriers novel features Svengali, a manipulative Jewish rogue and hypnotist who dominates a young woman. The character was so influential that his name entered the English language as a term for a sinister manipulator.

When film emerged in the 20th century, many of these same stereotypes were transferred to the screen.

Antisemitic caricatures: The early 20th century saw the phenomenon of Jewface," vaudeville acts that featured exaggerated Jewish stereotypes with props like putty noses and fake beards. Early cinema adapted many of these tropes.

Nazi propaganda: In the 1930s and 1940s, Nazi Germany weaponised these historical caricatures in its propaganda films to portray Jewish people as satanic, greedy, and inferior. A 1943 production of The Merchant of Venice in Vienna, for example, depicted Shylock as a demonic figure to support Nazi ideology.

Controversial adaptations: The 1948 film adaptation of Oliver Twist was denounced by Jewish groups in America for its antisemitic depiction of Fagin, leading to the films postponement in the US.

The Jewish American Princess" stereotype: Post-war Jewish male writers, and later cinema, popularised the JAP" stereotype, portraying young, materialistic, and spoiled Jewish women.

That was until several rights movements in the 1960s forced the American racists to climb down their high horses.

Over time, the Jews in America organised themselves into tight-knit communities centred on synagogues, charities and cultural institutions. From the outset, Jewish immigrants recognised the necessity of solidarity to survive in a majority-Christian society. That solidarity evolved into political coordination.

By the early 20th century, Jewish newspapers, cultural organisations and philanthropic networks had formed a vast informal infrastructure for communal representation. After the horrors of the Holocaust, Jewish activism entered a new phase: moral urgency fused with political strategy. Groups such as the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and later the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) refined lobbying into an art. They cultivated bipartisan connections, funded research centres and established think-tanks that shaped American opinion about Israel and anti-Semitism.

It took decades of sustained effort. Jewish leaders worked patiently to normalise pro-Israel positions within Washingtons mainstream. When critics today call US Middle East policy tilted" towards Israel, they overlook how that tilt emerged from generations of community-building, strategic philanthropy and civic participation. The result is not merely influence over foreign policy but a broad societal sympathy for Jewish concernsa by-product of cultural immersion through education, arts and civil rights movements.

Muslim identity, shared faith

The Muslim-American story is very different but equally instructive. Muslims in the US are far more ethnically diversecomprising Arabs, South Asians, Africans and convertsyet they have gradually coalesced around faith-based advocacy. Their political influence is still evolving, but organisations such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) have given them a public voice.

The Palestinian issue provides a coherent moral and political framework to all Muslims in the US, transcending their respective nationalities, with their advocacy prioritising a global Muslim identity. This communal psychology contributes to their emotional unity. Not the case with the Hindu-American community! Predominantly Indian in origin, Hindus in the US represent a single country but lack an equivalent unifying ideology. Moreover, if individually, Indians constitute no more than 1% of the American populationtoo small for lobbyingand Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, or Arabs are fewer than Indians, the Islamic collective makes up for the absence of a large number of migrants from one given country.

As a saving grace, Indian-Americans are hardly casteist and their separate denominationslike Vaishnava, Shaiva, Shakta, Smartha, etcdo not manifest in the US to the point where Hindu unity would become a tough ask. However, Indias internal political polarisation often spills into the diaspora, dividing Indian-Americans between secular liberals and those aligned with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Indian-American paradox

Indian-Americans are among the most prosperous ethnic groups in the United States, with high median incomes and remarkable educational attainment. Silicon Valley, academia and medicine are full of Indian success stories. Yet political power does not automatically follow economic success. Unlike Jewish or Muslim groups, Indian-Americans have not built long-term institutions for coordinated lobbying. The existing organisationssuch as the US-India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) or the Hindu American Foundation (HAF)operate in silos and often struggle for mainstream acceptance.

There is also a generational factor. The first wave of Indian immigrants in the 1960s and 70s arrived under professional visas, focused on assimilation and career advancement. Political activism was rare. Their children, more culturally confident and socially integrated, are beginning to enter politicsfigures such as Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, and Vivek Ramaswamy illustrate this new visibilitybut ideological divisions persist. Jayapals left-leaning stance on Indias human rights record often clashes with the nationalist sentiment of conservative Hindus. Consider how desperate Ramaswamy was during the Trump campaign to prove Hinduism isnt too un-Christian, after all!

Most awkwardly, Hindus under the overseas wings of the Sangh Parivar need to work in coordination with Pakistani and Indian Muslimsincluding with CAIR and ISNA activistsin the US so that the South Asian identity looks significant and prominent enough to pressure the American policy makers.

Even symbolic recognition has come slowly. When one American state declared October 2022 as the Hindu Heritage Month", it was celebrated as a milestone. But as the activists who pushed for it admitted, Hispanics took nearly three decades to achieve comparable recognition. Diaspora influence takes timeand unity.

Politics of access, perception of influence

The optics of Prime Minister Narendra Modis warm rapport with Donald Trump during the latters first presidency created an illusion of extraordinary Indian-American influence. The Howdy Modi" rally in Houston in 2019, where the two leaders walked hand in hand before a cheering crowd, suggested that the community had arrived as a political force. Yet that perception was misleading. It reflected personal chemistry, not institutional power.

When Trump returned to office for a second term, expectations of deeper India-US alignment quickly met geopolitical reality. Washingtons interests in China, trade and global security do not shift with diaspora enthusiasm. The limits of Indian-American leverage became clear, underscoring how different it is from the entrenched Jewish lobby or even the organised Muslim advocacy on Palestine and civil rights.

Long road to influence

Diaspora influence, as history shows, matures over generations. The Jewish experience offers the clearest example. From the early 20th century to the post-Holocaust era, Jewish-Americans worked through education, philanthropy and coalition-building. They forged alliances with African-Americans during the civil rights movement, ensuring moral reciprocity when they later defended Israels legitimacy. Their activism was institutional, not episodic.

For Indian-Americans, such institutional continuity is still forming. The communitys philanthropic energies are vast but scattered. Major donors fund temples, educational foundations and disaster relief, yet few invest strategically in think-tanks or policy advocacy. Nor is there consensus on which issues to champion. Should lobbying focus on Indias image, on global Hindu identity, or on broader multicultural representation? Each objective attracts different constituencies, often at cross purposes.

Cultural perception, historical memory

Then, influence does not depend on money or access alone; your narrative is an edifice built upon the foundation of the memories of your community as a collective. For Jewish-Americans, the memory of persecution provided a moral foundation for activism. Anti-Semitism in Western literature and film gradually gave way to empathy and representation, transforming public attitudes. Today, Jewish characters in American media are complex, human and often central to moral storytelling. This cultural normalisation underpins political legitimacy.

Indian-Americans, by contrast, are still defining their narrative. The Western imagination often reduces India to stereotypes of spirituality or poverty. Despite recent Bollywood popularity and the global reach of Indian cuisine, the Hindu identity remains poorly understood. Worse, political controversiesover caste, majoritarianism or Kashmirhave made the term Hindutva" contentious abroad, complicating outreach efforts.

Future of diaspora advocacy

If Indian-Americans are to build real influence, they must learn from the patience and organisation of their Jewish counterparts. Effective lobbying requires consensus, credible institutions and a shared sense of purpose beyond partisan divides. It also demands bridging the gap between Indias domestic politics and the pluralist expectations of American democracy.

For now, the communitys most powerful asset remains its credibility: hardworking professionals with high civic participation and low crime rates. Translating that respectability into political leverage will take timeand strategic discipline.

The grievance that Hindus do not lobby for India as Jews do for Israel is, therefore, both premature and misplaced. Diaspora power is earned over generations, not asserted overnight. As Indian-Americans mature politically, their challenge will be to balance pride in their roots with the pluralism that defines their adopted homeland.

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Tharoors question, then, was less an accusation than an invitationto imagine what an organised, confident and inclusive Indian-American voice could achieve if it learned from history.

The author is a senior journalist and writer. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: October 15, 2025, 12:09 IST

News opinion Opinion | Why Hindu Americans Cant Do What Jew And Muslim Americans Can

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 13:28 IST

1 / 7 The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination is recognised as one of the toughest exams globally. Aspiring candidates must study intensively with unwavering dedication and focus to succeed. Many inspiring stories recount the journeys of students who have successfully passed this examination. One such story is that of Shena Aggarwal, who chose to break stereotypes by joining the government services after completing her MBBS degree. (Photo: X/@IAS_Shena) + Follow us On Google

2 / 7 Shena Aggarwal was born and raised in Yamunanagar, Haryana. She secured the top position in the UPSC Civil Service Examination in 2011 on her third attempt. From a young age, Aggarwal excelled in academics, achieving 95 per cent in her CBSE class 10 examination and 92 per cent in class 12. Additionally, she topped the CBSE Pre-Medical Test in 2004. (Photo: X/@IAS_Shena)

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3 / 7 Aggarwal began practicing after earning her MBBS degree from AIIMS. However, she soon realised that poverty is the greatest affliction, and passing the UPSC exam is the only remedy. While completing her MBBS internship, she took the UPSC Civil Services exam for the first time in 2009 but failed. She made her second attempt in 2010 while working as a junior resident doctor, and this time she succeeded, being selected for the Indian Revenue Service. (Photo: X/@IAS_Shena)

4 / 7 Aggarwal was preparing to go to Nagpur for IRS training when the UPSC 2011 results were announced. In her third attempt, she secured the first rank in the UPSC exam. Consequently, she had to go to Mussoorie instead of Nagpur. Now, she is an IAS officer. Reflecting on her success, she mentions that while she believed she would pass the exam, she never expected to achieve the top rank. (Photo: X/@IAS_Shena)

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5 / 7 Aggarwal's primary goal in becoming an IAS officer was to improve the conditions in villages. She believes that if a woman is self-reliant, she can manage her life effectively. Drawing from her experience as a doctor, she has consistently prioritised education, health, security, and sanitation. (Photo: X/@IAS_Shena)

6 / 7 Aggarwal is a living example of the fact that if you have the will to achieve something, you will achieve it, no matter what. Her father, Dr KC Aggarwal, is a dentist. (Photo: X/@IAS_Shena)

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 15:42 IST

1 / 10 Bollywood romances often blossom on film sets; some die later, while others become classics, and Hema Malini and Dharmendra's romance turned into a real-life classic quite soon. The two first crossed paths on the sets of Tum Haseen Main Jawaan in the 1970s. + Follow us On Google

2 / 10 Dharmendra arrived in Mumbai from Punjab as a young, married man, dreaming of making it big in films. Fame came soon enough, transforming not just his own destiny but also the lives of his family.

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3 / 10 His first wife, Prakash Kaur, found herself adjusting to a completely new world  from a quiet, traditional upbringing to the glamour and chaos of a superstars life. Their life together was soon tested when Dharmendras love story with actress Hema Malini began.

4 / 10 Hema and Dharmendra played the lead roles in the film Tum Haseen Main Jawaan, and by the time they finished filming, the two were head over heels for each other. But their story had its own challenges.

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5 / 10 As Dharmendra was already married to Prakash Kaur and had four children  Sunny, Bobby, Vijeta, and Ajeita- this complicated situation made them both hesitant about pursuing their feelings, but Dharmendra was sure about Malini.

6 / 10 While Dharmendra's complex relationships made headlines, the two fought all the battles, and while talking to Deccan Chronicle, Hema emphasised that she was always sure about not wanting to disturb his first family.

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7 / 10 Hema Malini and Dharmendra dated for five years before marrying in 1980. Since Dharmendras first wife, Prakash Kaur, didnt agree to a divorce, he faced legal issues, but he was determined to marry Hema. Finally, he decided to convert to Islam, and they had a beautiful marriage.

8 / 10 Hema Malini and Dharmendra celebrated the birth of their first daughter, Esha Deol, on November 2, 1981. Almost four years later, on July 28, 1985, their family grew with the arrival of their second daughter, Ahana Deol.

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9 / 10 Dharmendras second marriage caused a split in the family. Their daughter Esha Deol had revealed she didnt meet Prakash Kaur until she was 30, though both families have maintained mutual respect over the years.
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'We're Fighting Polls Under Nitish Kumar In Bihar; NDA Is Led By PM Modi': Amit Shah

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 14:28 IST

Amit Shah stated that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will be contesting the Bihar elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah (PTI Image)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday cleared the air over the Chief Ministerial face in the upcoming Bihar polls and stated that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will be contesting the elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar.

Shah further said that while the NDA is contesting polls under Nitish Kumars leadership, the alliance is led by Prime Minister Narednra Modi.

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We are contesting the elections only under the leadership of Nitish Kumar ji and NDA has been led by our PM Modi. The BJP has full trust in him and the people of Bihar have full trust in him," Amit Shah said.

When asked whether Nitish Kumar would be made chief minister again if the NDA retains power, the former BJP president, during an interview with India Today, replied, Who am I to decide who will become the chief minister? There are many parties in the alliance. After the elections, the legislative party leaders of our alliance partners will sit and decide on their leader."

Bihar is going for the high-stakes elections next month, scheduled in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results of the polls will be announced on November 14.

NDAs Seat Sharing Pact

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Amid the ongoing speculations of rift in NDA, the seat-sharing for BJP, Nitish Kumars JD(U), Chiraj Pawans LJP (Ram Vilas Paswan) and Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) was announced with both BJP and JD(U) set to fight over 101 seats each.

The upcoming electoral contest is set to witness a tough fight between the NDA, led by the BJP and JD(U), and the INDIA bloc, led by Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress.

About the Author Mahima Joshi Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian poli... Read More

Location : Bihar, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 14:09 IST

News politics 'We're Fighting Polls Under Nitish Kumar In Bihar; NDA Is Led By PM Modi': Amit Shah

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Hangzhou's ArtInno Town emerges as cultural, creative powerhouse

People's Daily Online) 14:23, October 17, 2025

An aerial view of the ArtInno Town in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Hangzhou Daily)

ArtInno Town, adjacent to Phoenix Mountain and Tongjian Lake in Xihu district, Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, has emerged as a vibrant cultural and creative hub exemplifying the dynamism of the country's private economy.

Located at the heart of the "Zhijiang Cultural Industry Belt," the scenic enclave now hosts more than 3,000 cultural and creative enterprises.

"Our company's growth has been inseparable from the excellent entrepreneurial environment here," said Zhou Jianmin, CEO of Zhejiang Huaguoshan Cultural Media Co., Ltd. Since establishing its presence in ArtInno Town in 2019, the company has grown from just a few employees to a team of 130.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), companies based in the town have produced or participated in 80 acclaimed audiovisual works, including the hit video game "Black Myth: Wukong," the animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2," and the co-produced animated film "Nobody." These successes have helped shape an audiovisual industry cluster valued at more than 5 billion yuan ($700 million). In 2024 alone, enterprises in ArtInno Town generated total revenues exceeding 10 billion yuan.

Behind the dazzling visual effects of each scene in "Ne Zha 2" lie months of painstaking refinement. "We spent three months and went through dozens of revisions to meet the production team's requirements," said Geng Chengyuan, the company's visual effects director.

Decades ago, the site now home to ArtInno Town was once a cement factory. In 2008, nearly 10 years after production ceased, it was transformed into Zhijiang Cultural and Creative Park, one of Hangzhou's first creative industry parks.

In 2015, Zhejiang province launched an initiative to develop characteristic towns as platforms for innovation and entrepreneurship. Xihu district responded by partnering with the China Academy of Art and the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music to establish ArtInno Town, focusing on art-related industries. Four years later, in 2019, it earned recognition as a provincial-level characteristic town.

"Our company has developed rapidly here over the past years. This place is truly our 'Huaguoshan Mountain,'" Zhou said, a reference to the legendary homeland of the Monkey King in Chinese mythology.

"The town brings together enterprises across the digital, cultural and creative industry chain  from film and television to animation, gaming and creative design. Whatever we need, we can quickly find partners here," Zhou added.

Spanning 3.5 square kilometers, the town serves as both an entrepreneurial park and an open scenic area. Green spaces, walking paths, bookstores, restaurants, markets and exhibition halls create an inviting environment that attracts both residents and tourists.

"Compared with ordinary office buildings, the town's park-style setting feels more comfortable," Geng said. "When we see people visiting, taking photos and engaging with cultural and creative elements, it gives us a real sense of achievement."

For the animated film "White Snake 2," the company developed figurines that generated more than 13 million yuan in sales.

The town also offers quality services for enterprises. When Zhejiang Huaguoshan Cultural Media Co., Ltd. encountered challenges with packaging design for its derivative products late last year, the town quickly connected it with a local digital printing firm.

"After confirming the packaging style and materials, we received samples promptly. Within just 15 days, the finished products were ready for shipment," Zhou said.

According to Zang Yan, head of ArtInno Town's Enterprise Service Center, the town employs grid management methods for corporate services. Dedicated service personnel maintain direct contact with enterprises, proactively identifying and addressing operational challenges.

Beyond its pleasant environment and efficient services, ArtInno Town also benefits from strong talent resources. Through a collaborative model that combines government leadership and academic participation, Xihu district, the China Academy of Art, and the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music have jointly established platforms for school-enterprise exchange, continuously channeling talent and technical expertise to local companies.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Xihu district provided nearly 42.16 million yuan in policy subsidies to support its cultural and creative industry.

Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), ArtInno Town aims to deepen its integration of traditional culture with digital technologies across audiovisual sectors, including animation, gaming, film technology and micro-dramas. The goal is to establish a distinctive international presence and expand into broader domestic and global markets.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
New Faces, New Equations: Harsh Sanghavi Now Deputy CM As Gujarat Cabinet Hits Refresh

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 23:10 IST

In the reshuffle, nine out of 16 ministers in the Bhupendra Patel government have been dropped, while six have been retained

Harsh Sanghavi (left) and Rivaba Jadeja. (File images/PTI)

The Bhupendra Patel-led Gujarat government on Friday expanded its cabinet by inducting 19 new ministers, featuring a mix of seasoned politicians, technocrats, educators, social workers, and grassroots leaders, ensuring a broad regional and community balance. The new team includes five Cabinet Ministers, two Ministers of State with independent charge, and twelve Ministers of State.

This is the first major expansion since the government came to power in 2022 with a massive mandate of 156 seats out of 181. Later, six more MLAs joined the BJP, raising the total to 162 out of 182.

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In the reshuffle, nine out of 16 ministers in the Bhupendra government have been dropped, while six have been retained.

The highlight of the shuffle is the appointment of Harsh Sanghavi as the states Deputy Chief Minister. Sanghavi, who was previously the youngest Home Minister of the state, now becomes the youngest Deputy Chief Minister at 40.

Harsh Sanghavi first entered the Gujarat Assembly in 2012 from the Majura constituency in Surat and belongs to the influential Jain community. After defeating the Aam Aadmi Party candidate in 2017, he was inducted into the state cabinet, marking a steady rise in his political career.

Sanghavi is known for his close rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has worked closely with former chief ministers Anandiben Patel and Vijay Rupani. He enjoys the confidence of senior BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister CR Patil.

In the Gujarat government, Sanghavi has handled several key portfolios, including Minister of State for Home, Sports, and Revenue. He also chairs the states bidding committee for the 2036 Olympics, reflecting the leaderships trust in his administrative abilities and his connect with youth-oriented initiatives.

Sanghavis political journey began with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), but he soon found his footing within the BJP, rising through the ranks of the partys Yuva Morcha. His prominence within the organisation and governance makes him a natural fit for the Prime Ministers vision of promoting young, dynamic leaders who embody the BJPs development narrative in Gujarat, a state the party has governed for three decades.

Heres a look at the council:

Cabinet Ministers

Jitubhai Vaghani (Bhavnagar West): A senior BJP leader and agriculturist, Jitubhai Vaghani returns to the cabinet after having earlier served as Education Minister. A legislator from the 13th and 14th Assemblies, he currently chairs the Public Accounts Committee.

Naresh Patel (GandeviST): An agriculturist and businessman from Navsari district, Patel has previously held charge of Tribal Development and Food and Civil Supplies. Known for his connect with the tribal community, he brings administrative experience from his previous tenure.

Arjun Modhwadia (Porbandar): A veteran politician and social worker from Porbandar, Modhwadia has served two terms in the Assembly and represented Gujarat at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Associations Asia Region Conference in Sri Lanka.

Dr Pradyumansinh Vaja (KodinarSC): A medical professional from Gir-Somnath district, Dr. Vaja combines public health expertise with political experience, having served in the 12th Assembly.

Ramanbhai Solanki (Borsad): A retired teacher and farmer from Anand district, Solanki served as Deputy Chief Whip in the current Assembly and brings long grassroots experience from his stint in local bodies.

Ministers of State (Independent Charge)

Ishwarsinh Patel (Ankleshwar): A four-time MLA and seasoned legislator from Bharuch, Patel has held several portfolios, including Cooperation, Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities, both as Minister and Parliamentary Secretary.

Dr Manisha Vakil (VadodaraSC): An educator by profession, Dr Vakil returns to the council after serving as Minister of State for Women and Child Development and Social Justice during 202122.

Ministers of State

Kantilal Amrutia (Morbi): A veteran leader from Morbi with interests in industry and education, Amrutia has served in five Assemblies and is known for his social work and disaster relief efforts.

Ramesh Katara (FatepuraST): An agriculturist and two-time MLA from Dahod district, Katara earlier served as Deputy Chief Whip and remains closely connected with local panchayati institutions.

Darshanaben Vaghela (Asarwa): A former school principal and Deputy Mayor of Ahmedabad, Darshanaben has long been active in civic administration and welfare work through the Valmiki Foundation.

Kaushik Vekaria (Amreli): Among the youngest in the new team, Vekaria is an agriculturist and businessman, known for his active role in cooperative bodies and his outreach in Amreli.

Pravinkumar Mali (Deesa): A young face from Banaskantha, Mali has a background in education and BJP organisation work, having served as state documentation cell coordinator.

Dr. Jayram Gamit (NizarST): A grassroots leader and BJP district president from Tapi, Dr. Gamit represents the tribal belt and is known for his engagement in cultural and community initiatives.

Trikambhai Chhanga (Anjar): A retired principal from Kutch, Chhanga has led the district panchayat and brings administrative and educational experience to the cabinet.

Kamlesh Patel (Petlad): A teacher and farmer from Anand district, Patel has led local party and education trusts, reflecting his strong community grounding.

Sanjaysinh Mahida (Mahudha): An agriculturist and local body leader from Kheda, Mahida has held key organisational positions in the BJP and has been active in social and youth causes.

Punamchand Baranda (BhilodaST): A veteran tribal leader from Aravalli, Baranda has served as general secretary of the BJPs state Scheduled Tribes Morcha.

Swaroopji Thakor (Vav): A young agriculturist and businessman from Banaskantha, Thakor has been associated with the Gujarat Kshatriya Thakor Sena.

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Rivaba Jadeja (Jamnagar North): A social worker and founder of Matrushakti Charitable Trust, Rivaba Jadeja has been active in womens empowerment and girl child education initiatives across Jamnagar and Saurashtra.

With this expansion, the Patel government aims to strengthen representation across regions and communities while infusing both experience and new energy into the states administrative machinery.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 23:09 IST

News politics New Faces, New Equations: Harsh Sanghavi Now Deputy CM As Gujarat Cabinet Hits Refresh

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'No Gym, Do Yoga': Maharashtra BJP MLA's Advice To Hindu Women Stirs Controversy

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 16, 2025, 16:58 IST

Padalkar told a gathering that gyms are part of a racket and warned women against trusting gym trainers and staff

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Maharashtra BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar. (image via X/GopichandP_MLA)

Maharashtra BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar has triggered fresh controversy after urging Hindu women and girls not to go to the gym, saying they should practise yoga at home instead.

Speaking at a public event on Tuesday, Padalkar told a gathering that gyms are part of a racket" and warned women against trusting gym trainers and staff. A video of his speech has also gone viral on social media.

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This gym and all is a big racket. You all dont know it," Padalkar said in the video, urging Hindu women to practise yoga at home instead.

I urge all the girls and women from the Hindu community, please dont go to the gym. I join my hands and kneel on your legs, but please dont go. Do yoga at home if needed. You dont know the background of the trainers or gym staff. At least verify it first."

His comments have sparked widespread criticism on social media. As of now, neither the BJP nor Padalkar himself has issued any clarification or response to the backlash.

This is not the first time Sangli-based BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar has made headlines for controversial remarks. Known for his fiery speeches, the Jat leader has often stirred debate with his statements on sensitive social and religious issues.

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Earlier this year, in July, thousands from the Christian community gathered at Mumbais Azad Maidan in protest against Padalkars earlier speech from June 17.

In that speech, he allegedly offered monetary rewards, between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 11 lakh, for attacks on Christian priests and missionaries involved in what he called forceful conversions." He was also accused of using highly provocative language targeting Christian religious leaders. His remarks were condemned by leaders across the political spectrum and by rights groups.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More

Location : Maharashtra, India, India

First Published: October 16, 2025, 16:57 IST

News politics 'No Gym, Do Yoga': Maharashtra BJP MLA's Advice To Hindu Women Stirs Controversy

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Caught Wife Cheating, Indonesian Man Hands Her To Lover, Accepts Cow And Cash In Return

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 18:56 IST

Indonesia man ended his marriage, accepting a cow, goods and cash from his wife's lover to restore peace and dignity in the community.

In accordance with custom, the lover offered a cow, a piece of traditional cloth, a copper vessel and money. (AI Generated Image)

A man in Indonesia who caught his wife cheating handed her over to her lover and accepted a cow, traditional goods and cash as part of a reconciliation ritual. According to local media, the man had been married to his wife for five years. The region is home to the Tolaki people, an indigenous group known for their strong community-based traditions and emphasis on peace and dignity.

The man reportedly discovered his wife with another man in a boarding house in September after which he immediately reported the matter to police. Both his wife and her lover later admitted to the affair. Instead of pursuing legal action, the man turned to village elders and requested a resolution under Mowea Sarapu, a Tolaki ritual that literally means letting go and making peace."

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The centuries-old custom serves as a traditional mechanism for restoring social harmony after domestic or marital conflicts. It prioritises reconciliation and balance over punishment, reflecting the Tolaki belief that unresolved disputes can invite misfortune upon the community.

During the ritual, the man and his wife sat side by side before community elders, family members and local residents. In accordance with custom, the lover offered a cow, a piece of traditional cloth, a copper vessel and five million rupiah (about US$300) as symbolic compensation.

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Safrudin, the village chief, confirmed that the couples marriage had been formally dissolved following the ceremony. The ritual concluded with both men- the husband and the lover- shaking hands in what elders described as an act of peace and humility.

Tolaki elders maintain that the ritual is about restoring moral balance, not commodifying relationships. However, they also warn that if a woman were to undergo Mowea Sarapu again to seek another husband, it would bring shame upon her and her family.

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 18:56 IST

News viral Caught Wife Cheating, Indonesian Man Hands Her To Lover, Accepts Cow And Cash In Return

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Balochistan In Crisis: Surge In Terror Attacks & 'Disappearances' Expose Failure Of Pakistani Forces | Exclusive

Reported By :

CNN-News18

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 18:47 IST

According to the Balochistan Home Department's half-yearly statistics (January 1 to June 30), the security situation has deteriorated significantly

The controversy over enforced disappearances underscores a crisis of trust between the state and the populace. (Representational pic: Reuters)

Balochistan is grappling with a profound security crisis, as a wave of terror attacks and alleged enforced disappearances has escalated sharply in the first half of the year.

Official and non-official data reveal a dramatic spike in violence, pointing to a catastrophic failure of the provinces security infrastructure.

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The Scale of the Crisis: Harsher by the Numbers

According to the Balochistan Home Departments half-yearly statistics (January 1 to June 30), the security situation has deteriorated significantly:

Terror Incidents: A 45% increase in terrorist incidents.

Targeted Killings: A shocking 100% rise in targeted killings of local residents.

Total Casualties: 501 terrorist incidents resulted in 257 deaths and 492 injuries.

Security Forces Losses: Critically, 133 Pakistani security personnel were killed and 238 were injured in these attacks, a chilling admission by the government of the heavy toll borne by its forces.

The province has become a primary battleground for Baloch separatist groups, with the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) recently launching massive attacks" on security personnel.

The Deepening Crisis of the Missing

The controversy over enforced disappearances underscores a crisis of trust between the state and the populace. Official and civil society figures offer drastically conflicting accounts:

Official Count: The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (COIED) registered 125 new cases across all of Pakistan, with only 36 reported from Balochistan in the first six months.

Civil Society Data: The Baloch Yekjehti Committee (BYC), which works with victims families, paints a drastically different and alarming picture, claiming that 752 individuals were forcibly disappeared in Balochistan during the same period.

Of those, 546 people remain missing, while 25 were tragically found killed.

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The gulf between the states acknowledgement (36 cases) and civil societys documented data (752 cases) highlights the deep mistrust and the alleged use of extra-constitutional measures in the counter-insurgency effort.

The dramatic surge in violence, the unprecedented number of security force casualties, and the persistent allegations of widespread enforced disappearances signify an alarming security failure in Balochistan, plunging the region further into turmoil.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

First Published: October 17, 2025, 18:47 IST

News world Balochistan In Crisis: Surge In Terror Attacks & 'Disappearances' Expose Failure Of Pakistani Forces | Exclusive

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'Haunting Sounds Of Wailing Ghosts': Cambodia Accuses Thailand Of Psychological Warfare At Border

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 11:10 IST

Cambodia's human rights commission accused Thailand of broadcasting "haunting sounds resembling wailing ghosts through loudspeakers" followed by sounds of aircraft engine noises.

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Thailand and Cambodia share a heavily disputed border that saw the worst fighting between the two countries in July. (Reuters/File)

Cambodias former Prime Minister Hun Sen has accused Thailand of broadcasting ghost-like sounds across a disputed border, while the countrys human rights commission has accused Bangkok of engaging in psychological warfare despite a ceasefire in July following deadly clashes.

Tensions over disputed areas spiralled into a border conflict in July, when the fiercest fighting between the neighbours in decades killed at least 48 people and temporarily displaced hundreds of thousands. The fighting ended after both countries agreed to a ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump, who warned that trade talks would be paused until the fighting was stopped.

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Hun Sen, who now serves as Cambodias powerful Senate president, said the countrys human rights commission had complained to the United Nations about the intense, high-pitched noises", reported The Guardian.

Wailing Ghosts Through Loudspeakers

Sharing a letter from the commission that was addressed to the UNs high commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk, Sen pointed to grave violation of human rights involving the use of disturbing sounds as a form of psychological intimidation and harassment" along the Thai-Cambodian border.

Cambodias human rights commission, citing credible reports from authorities and affected civilians in border villages, said Thai military units were broadcasting haunting sounds resembling wailing ghosts through loudspeakers" followed by sounds of aircraft engine noises at night.

This disturbing audio for prolonged periods had disrupted sleep, provoked anxiety and caused physical discomfort," said the commission, adding that it threatened to escalate tensions between the neighbouring countries." The Thai government has not responded to this accusation.

Thailand-Cambodia Tensions

The ghost-like broadcast allegations come after Thailand accused Cambodia of laying new mines along the border. The conflict between the two countries was triggered in July after landmine detonations maimed at least six Thai soldiers.

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Thailand accuses Cambodia of laying the mines along parts of their joint frontier, while Cambodia says some Thai soldiers stepped on non-PMN-2 ordnance planted during a decades-long civil war that left it as one of the worlds most heavily mined countries, Reuters reported.

Both countries have for more than a century contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817 km (508 miles) land border, which was first mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More

Location : Phnom Penh, Cambodia

First Published: October 17, 2025, 11:10 IST

News world 'Haunting Sounds Of Wailing Ghosts': Cambodia Accuses Thailand Of Psychological Warfare At Border

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Critical Pakistan-Taliban Talks Kick Off In Doha Today As Border Crisis Deepens | Exclusive Details

Reported By :

CNN-News18

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 09:05 IST

Key discussions are expected to centre on a potential ceasefire extension, a point that directly highlights Pakistan's immediate security vulnerabilities

Pakistan is anticipated to push for significant concessions from the Taliban government in return for any agreement on a prolonged cessation of hostilities. (Representational photo: AFP)

A critical round of negotiations between Pakistan and the Taliban is scheduled to commence in Doha on Friday, sources confirmed to CNN-News18. The talks, facilitated by a third-party mediator, underscore the growing urgency to address escalating cross-border tensions, primarily fueled by the activities of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Pakistan National Security Adviser and DG ISI Lt Gen Asim Malik and Afghan Taliban Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob are likely to meet today in Doha, reported a top diplomatic source.

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Meanwhile, it is also reported that key ministers and security officials may also join the delegation from both sides.

A delegation from the Afghan side is slated to travel to Qatars capital, reflecting Kabuls strategic intent to leverage the crisis, assert diplomatic legitimacy, and pressure Islamabad towards formal recognition of the Talibans sovereignty. The participation itself is viewed by the Afghan side as a necessary step to project the Taliban as an equal negotiating power, fundamentally rejecting any dictation or interference in Afghanistans affairs by Pakistan.

From Islamabads perspective, these talks signify a deep-seated desperation to stabilise its western frontier and prevent internal unrest from escalating further due to TTP hostilities. Pakistan will use the platform to present its case regarding the surge in TTP attacks in Khyber and Waziristan, acknowledging a palpable military fatigue and an apparent incapacity to unilaterally contain the insurgency.

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Key discussions are expected to centre on a potential ceasefire extension, a point that directly highlights Pakistans immediate security vulnerabilities. However, Pakistan is anticipated to push for significant concessions from the Taliban government in return for any agreement on a prolonged cessation of hostilities.

The current situation is widely regarded as critical, with the necessity of third-party mediation underscoring the severe breakdown in bilateral relations. While Pakistan is focused on security and counter-terrorism assurances, the Taliban is firmly positioned to use the meeting to advance its political agenda on the global stage.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

First Published: October 17, 2025, 02:12 IST

News world Critical Pakistan-Taliban Talks Kick Off In Doha Today As Border Crisis Deepens | Exclusive Details

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Ex-Trump Adviser John Bolton Surrenders Following Charges Of Mishandling Classified Information

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 22:29 IST

John Bolton, former Trump National Security Advisor, pleaded not guilty to 18 Espionage Act charges for mishandling classified information, claiming political retaliation.

Former US NSA John Bolton. (Image: Reuters/File)

John Bolton, US President Donald Trumps former National Security Advisor, who later became one of his biggest critics, surrendered on Friday on charges of mishandling classified information.

Bolton, who was indicted on Thursday, is the third of Trumps prominent critics to face prosecution in recent weeks, as the US President dispenses with decades-long norms designed to insulate federal law enforcement from political pressures.

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Wearing a dark blue suit and a maroon tie, the former NSA did not respond to reporters as he entered the courthouse to surrender to authorities. He is expected to make an initial appearance before a judge and may have to stop at the US Marshals office for possible" fingerprinting and booking photo, news agency Reuters reported.

Bolton is charged with 18 counts of retaining and sharing classified information related to national defense in the years following his firing from the Trump administration in 2019 and up through this year.

The FBIs investigation revealed that John Bolton allegedly transmitted top secret information using personal online accounts and retained said documents in his house in direct violation of federal law," FBI Director Kash Patel said.

The indictment claimed that Bolton shared sensitive material with two relatives for potential use in a book he was writing, including details from intelligence briefings and meetings with senior officials and foreign leaders.

As per the indictment, Bolton shared more than a thousand pages" of diary-like entries" during his time as Trumps national security adviser, that contained information classified up to the TOP SECRET" level.

On other occasions, Bolton used his personal non-governmental email accounts, such as email accounts hosted by AOL and Google, to email information classified" to the individuals personal email accounts, it further stated.

Bolton Pleads Not Guilty

However, Bolton dismissed the charges as an attempt to punish dissent.

Now, I have become the latest target in weaponising the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts," he said.

He stressed that his book had been cleared through proper channels.

My book was reviewed and approved by the appropriate, experienced career clearance officials. When my email was hacked in 2021, the FBI was made fully aware. In four years of the prior administration, after these reviews, no charges were ever filed."

Charges Against Bolton

Bolton served as White House national security adviser during Trumps first term, before emerging as one of the Presidents most vocal critics. Bolton, also a former US ambassador to the United Nations, described Trump as unfit to be President in a memoir he released last year.

The investigation of Bolton was opened in 2022, predating the Trump administration. Inside the Justice Department, the case is viewed as stronger than the prosecutions of Comey and James, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The indictment of Bolton, filed in federal court in Maryland, charges him with eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of retention of national defense information, all in violation of the Espionage Act.

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Each count is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, but any sentence would be determined by a judge based on a range of factors.

(With inputs from agencies)

About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: October 17, 2025, 22:29 IST

News world Ex-Trump Adviser John Bolton Surrenders Following Charges Of Mishandling Classified Information

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Indians Are Not Eligible For US Green Card Lottery Till 2028. Here's Why

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 10:26 IST

The US Diversity Visa lottery makes up to 50,000 immigrant visas available annually for individuals who are from countries with low rates of immigration to the US.

India has been excluded from the eligibility of the US Green Card lottery till 2028 (Representative image)

Indian nationals have been excluded from the United States Diversity Visa (DV) lottery till at least 2028. The popular visa programme makes up to 50,000 immigrant visas available annually, drawn from random selection among all entries to individuals belonging to countries with low rates of immigration to the US.

This programme is also known as the Green Card Lottery. It makes up to 50,000 immigrant visas available annually, drawn from random selection among all entries to individuals who are from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States over the past five years, as per the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

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Why India Is Disqualified This Year?

The DV lottery only allows citizens from countries that have sent fewer than 50,000 immigrants to the US over the past five years. India, with its high immigration numbers, exceeds this threshold and is automatically disqualified, according to a report by Moneycontrol.com.

At least 93,450 Indians immigrated to the US in 2021, which rose to 127,010 in 2022, surpassing the total immigrants from South America (99,030), Africa (89,570), or Europe (75,610). Based on the data from the US Department of Homeland Security, in 2023, 78,070 Indians moved to the US, confirming the countrys ineligibility for the DV lottery until 2028.

China, South Korea, Canada, and Pakistan are also among the countries that have been excluded from the 2026 lottery.

What This Means?

With the Green Card Lottery now closed to Indians, permanent US immigration paths are becoming scarce. Some options include converting an H-1B work visa to permanent residency, investment-based immigration, asylum, or family sponsorship.

According to experts, US President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown has created widespread uncertainty among both applicants and employers. The Trump administration has tightened student visa policies, expanded social media vetting and instructed diplomats to screen applicants for potential national security risks.

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The US recently imposed a $100,000 fee (approx Rs 88,00,000) for H-1B visa applications, alongside a shift from the current lottery-based selection process to a wage-based system, prioritising applicants with higher salaries. Experts say this would make it more challenging for students and early-career professionals, particularly those with limited experience, to secure a foothold in the US job market.

The number of Indians visiting the US till August this year has also dropped sharply due to Trumps restrictive policies, from 15.54 lakh in 2024 to 14.86 lakh this year, as per preliminary data from the International Trade Administration (ITA).

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: October 17, 2025, 10:26 IST

News world Indians Are Not Eligible For US Green Card Lottery Till 2028. Here's Why

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Kremlin Says Many Questions Need Resolving Before PutinTrump Meeting

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 17:17 IST

Kremlin said the meeting could indeed take place within two weeks or a little later, but cautioned that nothing should be put off.

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. (Reuters)

The Kremlin said that many" questions still needed to be resolved before Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump could hold their proposed face-to-face meeting. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, Foreign Minister [Sergei] Lavrov and Secretary of State [Marco] Rubio will begin working on this. There are many questions- negotiating teams need to be determined, and so on." He added that the meeting could indeed take place within two weeks or a little later," but cautioned that nothing should be put off."

The remarks from Kremlin follow a two-and-a-half-hour phone call between the two leaders- a conversation Russian officials described as positive, productive and held in an atmosphere of trust."

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According to the Kremlin, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discussed ways to end the war in Ukraine, now entering its fourth year since Russias full-scale invasion in 2022. Vladimir Putin reportedly suggested a face-to-face meeting in Budapest which Donald Trump later confirmed on social media, writing that it would aim to see if we can bring this inglorious war to an end."

Moscow reached out to Washington just as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was flying to the United States to request Donald Trumps approval for Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles, a potential game-changer for Kyivs embattled forces.

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During the call, Vladimir Putin is said to have warned that arming Ukraine with Tomahawks would not change the battlefield situation" but would deal a serious blow" to USRussia relations. The Russian leader also praised Donald Trump as a peacemaker in the Middle East and beyond," a reference to the US Presidents role in brokering the recent IsraelHamas ceasefire.

For Ukraine, the proposed Vladimir PutinDonald Trump summit injects uncertainty into its diplomatic calculus. The Tomahawk, a precision-guided cruise missile with a range of over 1,500 km, would allow Ukraine to strike targets deep inside Russia- including strategic hubs near Moscow and St Petersburg. Kyiv views access to such weapons as essential to altering the wars trajectory. However, Zelenskyy downplayed Kremlins move, saying Russia was panicking" over the missile talks.

Location : Moscow, Russia

First Published: October 17, 2025, 17:15 IST

News world Kremlin Says Many Questions Need Resolving Before PutinTrump Meeting

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'Ready For 2-Front War': Pakistan Minister Claims 'India Could Play Dirty' Amid Taliban Conflict

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 09:26 IST

Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said his country is prepared for a two-front war, citing potential tensions with India and ongoing border clashes with Afghanistan.

A file photo of Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif (AP)

Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said his country is prepared for a two-front war", as he expressed concerns over the possibilities of tensions intensifying with India, amid Islamabads ongoing border clashes with Afghanistan.

During an interview, a chunk of which is widely being shared on social media, Asif suggested that India might engage in dirty games" during heightened tensions, and said, Absolutely, you cannot rule that out. There are strong possibilities."

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Asif also said that Pakistan has prepared strategies to address potential escalations, while refraining from divulging specific details.

Strategies are in place. I cant discuss them publicly, but we are prepared for any eventuality," he said, on being asked if he has had any meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the situation with Afghanistan and India.

Pakistan is prepared for 2 front war: Khawaja AsifAnchor: According to war analysts, India might play dirty games along the border. Are you anticipating that? Khawaja Asif: No, absolutely, you cannot rule that out. There are strong possibilities. Anchor: For Gods sake, the pic.twitter.com/K9ZMkeqADb  OsintTV  (@OsintTV) October 16, 2025

India launched Operation Sindoor in May this year, as a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians lost their lives.

The attackers, identified as members of The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, targeted Hindu tourists, resulting in one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

India emphasised that its strikes were precise and aimed solely at terrorist facilities, avoiding civilian or military zones.

PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN CLASHES

Although the neighbours have clashed in the past, the latest fighting is their worst in decades, and erupted after Islamabad demanded that Kabul act to rein in militants who had stepped up attacks in Pakistan, saying they operated from havens in Afghanistan.

The Taliban denies the charge and accuses the Pakistani military of spreading misinformation about Afghanistan, provoking border tensions, and sheltering ISIS-linked militants to undermine its stability and sovereignty.

At least 18 civilians were killed and more than 360 wounded in Afghanistan as a result of the fighting since October 10, Reuters quoted the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) as saying.

Pakistan said that it had killed 34 militants in three separate operations this week.

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In the latest, Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that Islamabad was ready to hold talks with Afghanistan to resolve their conflict.

ALSO READ | TTP Chief Appears On Video After Pakistan Claims Elimination

About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 09:02 IST

News world 'Ready For 2-Front War': Pakistan Minister Claims 'India Could Play Dirty' Amid Taliban Conflict

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Pakistan Faces Another Turmoil: Religious Parties To Hold Protests Over Muridke Killings| Exclusive

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 10:38 IST

The leaders have vowed to avenge the killings in Muridke, where several TLP supporters were reportedly shot dead during clashes with police and paramilitary forces.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif | File Image

Pakistan is bracing for a new wave of unrest as major religious parties, led by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), have issued an ultimatum to the federal and Punjab governments, demanding justice for what they call the Muridke massacre." The alliance, operating under the banner of Ahl-e-Sunnah Pakistan, has threatened severe consequences if their demands are not met, warning of mass protests and sit-ins across the country.

According to top sources, the alliances initial demands include immediate negotiations with the government, the release of all detained workers, and the withdrawal of cases filed against party members. The leaders have vowed to avenge the killings in Muridke, where several TLP supporters were reportedly shot dead earlier this week during clashes with police and paramilitary forces.

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Friday has been declared a Black Day" by the Barelvi sects coalition, which includes several like-minded religious groups. After the Jumma Namaz (Friday prayers), the TLP and its affiliates have called for nationwide demonstrations. The alliance plans to announce its future strategy later in the day, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for October 22 in Faisalabad to finalise an action plan.

In a significant political development, newly appointed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Suhail Khan has openly expressed support for TLPs movement. The provinces Chief Minister has also directed party workers to hold solidarity rallies and protests against both the Punjab and federal governments.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly instructed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) officials and supporters to back TLPs demonstrations, escalating pressure on the embattled government.

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Amid fears of violence and public disorder, the Punjab government has imposed Section 144 across the province until Saturday, October 18. The order bans all forms of gatherings, rallies, sit-ins, and processions. A statement from the Punjab Home Department also prohibits the display of weapons, use of loudspeakers, and circulation of hate or sectarian content, citing concerns related to terrorism and public order."

With religious parties mobilising and political alliances shifting, Pakistan faces a volatile weekend marked by high tensions, street protests, and deepening divisions between the state and powerful religious groups.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

First Published: October 17, 2025, 10:38 IST

News world Pakistan Faces Another Turmoil: Religious Parties To Hold Protests Over Muridke Killings| Exclusive

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Pakistan Launches Airstrikes On Afghanistan Hours After Ceasefire Extension

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Shobhit Gupta



Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 23:03 IST

Pakistan launched new airstrikes in Afghanistan's Paktika province just hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended their 48-hour ceasefire.

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a temporary 48-hour ceasefire starting 6 pm on Wednesday. (AFP File)

Pakistan carried out fresh airstrikes in several districts of Afghanistans Paktika province hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended their 48-hour ceasefire.

Pakistani military forces targeted residential areas in the Argun and Barmal districts of Paktika province, which lies along the Durand Line. However, no casualties have been confirmed so far.

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Meanwhile, Afghanistans Taliban warned Islamabad that Kabul will retaliate. Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika. Afghanistan will retaliate," a senior Taliban official said.

This escalation comes despite an extended temporary ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which was meant to remain in place until the conclusion of the Doha negotiationsan effort aimed at easing border tensions.

Earlier this week, Pakistan carried out an airstrike on the Afghan border province of Kandahar and hit the town of Spin Boldak, officials in both countries said.

Pakistani security officials said the airstrike had targeted a brigade of Afghan Taliban troops and that dozens were killed, without corroborating the claim.

Enayatullah Khowarazmi, Afghanistans defence ministry spokesperson, said residential areas of Spin Boldak were hit.

Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Clashes

The deadly clashes between the countries have spiked tensions and left hundreds of people stranded. The fighting between the two countries began on the night of October 11, when Afghan forces struck multiple Pakistani military posts.

As per media reports, Afghan officials claimed to have killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in response to what they said were repeated violations of Afghan territory and airspace.

Pakistans military said that it lost 23 soldiers and killed more than 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists" during retaliatory fire along the border.

Tensions have been high since last week when Afghanistans Taliban government accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and in a market in eastern Afghanistan.

Pakistan had previously launched strikes inside Afghanistan, targeting what it said were militant hideouts.

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Pakistan has long accused Kabul of sheltering members of the banned Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which Islamabad blames for deadly attacks inside the country.

Kabul denies the allegation, saying it does not allow its territory to be used against other nations.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

Location : Afghanistan

First Published: October 17, 2025, 22:00 IST

News world Pakistan Launches Airstrikes On Afghanistan Hours After Ceasefire Extension

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Resolving Palestine Issue Key To Progress On India-Europe Transit Corridor, Says Egypt

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 19:42 IST

Speaking during a visit to New Delhi, Abdelatty said that peace and stability in the region were crucial for large-scale infrastructure projects like the IMEC to succeed

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Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. (AP file photo)

Egypts Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Friday said that resolving the Palestinian issue is essential for moving forward with the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), a US-backed project aimed at boosting trade and transport links between India and Europe.

Speaking during a visit to New Delhi, Abdelatty said that peace and stability in the region were crucial for large-scale infrastructure projects like the IMEC to succeed.

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We have to bear in mind that connectivity is very important as part of a final settlement of the Palestinian cause," he told the media after meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

The IMEC was announced in September 2023 at the G20 summit as a counter to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. The proposed corridor would connect India to Europe via the Middle East, passing through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel. India and the UAE signed an initial framework agreement last year, Reuters reported.

However, just a month after the announcement, the conflict in Gaza erupted following Hamass October 7 attack on Israel, throwing regional stability into question.

The IMEC is an important project but we have to understand that what happened over the last two years is that if you have escalation, that could hinder the cooperation, the connectivity," Abdelatty said.

He added that Egypt is open to joining the corridor and has already discussed the matter with Indian officials. Egypts strategic location and control of the Suez Canal make it a key player in regional logistics and shipping.

Abdelatty also highlighted the heavy economic cost Egypt is facing due to Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The attacks, claimed as acts of solidarity with Palestinians, have led to a sharp drop in traffic through the Suez Canal.

We are paying a heavy price," he said. We used to have, every day, at least 75 ships crossing the Suez Canal both ways. Now, 25 maximum 50, so it dropped by at least 60%."

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During his two-day visit, Abdelatty also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to boost Indian investments in Egypt. He invited Indian companies to set up in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, which already hosts industrial zones for China and Russia.

(With inputs from Reuters)

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More

First Published: October 17, 2025, 19:42 IST

News world Resolving Palestine Issue Key To Progress On India-Europe Transit Corridor, Says Egypt

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Shirtless Brazilian Priest Caught Hiding Churchgoer's Fiancee Under His Bathroom Sink

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 13:06 IST

Reverend Luciano Braga Simplicio had reportedly snuck the woman to his home next to the church in the early morning when her fiance was out of town.

Reverend Luciano Braga Simplicio was confronted by a group of enraged parishioners, including the woman's fiance. (Photo: X)

A shirtless Brazilian priest was caught hiding the fiancee of one of his parishioners under the bathroom sink of his residence. The matter came to light when a group of angry men barged into the Church of Our Lady of Aparecida.

The incident took place on October 13 in the 5,000-person town of Nova Maringa in the state of Mato Grosso, approximately 300 miles east of the Bolivian border, where Reverend Luciano Braga Simplicio was confronted by a group of angry men, led by the furious groom-to-be, reported the New York Post.

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Simplicio had allegedly snuck the woman to his home next to the church in the early morning when her fiance was out of town, as per the community blog Pelo Bem de Sao Jose. The angry parishioners found the priest shirtless and wearing only gym shorts when they barged into the sacred house.

The reverend knocked on the door of his bathroom to no avail, after which the enraged fiance grabbed a stool and broke into the locked bedroom. He then ran up to another closed door and broke it open using a wooden stool.

The missing 21-year-old fiancee was located hiding under the bathroom sink, wearing only a tank top and shorts as she lay on the floor sobbing. Simplicio gave a bizarre reason, saying he allowed the woman to take a shower out of the kindness of his heart," reported TMZ.

The woman and the priest denied having sexual relations. However, the video went viral, and eyewitnesses said the woman stayed much longer than needed for a bathroom visit, which fuelled suspicions.

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Officials in the Diocese of Diamantino, which oversees Simplicio and Our Lady of Aparecida, opened an internal investigation into the priests alleged actions. The investigation will determine if Simplicio violated the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which prohibits priests of Latin Church from engaging in sexual relations.

Meanwhile, the woman filed a police complaint, alleging that the now-viral video was improperly distributed after the incident.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More

Location : Brazil

First Published: October 17, 2025, 13:06 IST

News world Shirtless Brazilian Priest Caught Hiding Churchgoer's Fiancee Under His Bathroom Sink

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'They Forced Me To...': Trump Says 100% Tariffs On China Not Sustainable

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 18:59 IST

Donald Trump called US tariffs on Chinese goods unsustainable, ahead of his possible meeting with Xi Jinping.

US President Donald Trump. (Reuters File)

US President Donald Trump said the current tariffs imposed on Chinese goods were not sustainable," as tensions between Washington and Beijing rise ahead of his expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In an interview with Fox Business Network, Donald Trump was asked whether the steep tariffs levied by both countries could continue indefinitely.

Its not sustainable," he said, adding, Thats what the number is, its probably not, you know, it could stand but they forced me to do that."

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Donald Trump added that he would meet Xi Jinping in two weeks," and expressed cautious optimism about easing the dispute, saying he believed things would be fine with China."

The US President, while discussing Beijings trade practices, said, China is always looking for an edge. I dont know whats going to happen. Well see what happens."

The comments come as the trade war between the worlds two largest economies continues to rattle global markets. Washingtons import duties on Chinese goods have climbed to as high as 145 percent, sparking concerns about supply chains and slowing growth. Although both sides agreed to a 90-day truce earlier this year, that pause is set to expire on November 10 unless extended.

Earlier, Donald Trump warned that the US could impose an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese products by November 1 if negotiations did not progress. He also hinted at canceling the planned meeting with Xi Jinping, which is expected to take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea.

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Despite the uncertainty, Donald Trump maintained that his relationship with Xi Jinping remained positive.

I get along great with him," Donald Trump said, adding, I think were going to be fine with China, but we have to have a fair deal. Its got to be fair."

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: October 17, 2025, 18:42 IST

News world 'They Forced Me To...': Trump Says 100% Tariffs On China Not Sustainable

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Three Dead After Small Plane Crashes In Michigan, Probe Underway

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 07:25 IST

A small plane crashed in Bath Township of Michigan, United States, on Thursday, killing all three people on board.

Visuals of a plane crash in Michigan, US. (Photo: X)

At least three people were killed after a small plane crashed in Bath Township of Michigan, United States, on Thursday. An investigation has been launched after the crash at the intersection of Clark and Peacock roads.

Authorities confirmed that three people were on the plane and were all found dead, CBS News reported. Their names and ages have not been released.

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The crash is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration. The crash happened about 15 miles east of the Capital Region International Airport in Michigan.

It is unclear what caused it or what the planes intended destination was. Police said they responded to reports of a plane crash around 5 pm (local time) near the intersection of Clark and Peacock Roads.

A large police presence was reported at the scene, with a helicopter circling overhead. Fire engines and at least one ambulance were also present as emergency crews responded to the situation.

Several videos on social media showed smoke and flames rising from a wooded area as first responders rushed to the scene. News18 could not independently verify the visuals. Officials did not release any additional information pertaining to the crash.

 PLANE FALLS FROM SKY AND CRASHES IN MICHIGAN, KILLING THREEA small plane was seen plunging from the sky before crashing in Bath Township, Michigan. Police confirmed three people were killed when the aircraft went down near Clark and Peacock Roads around 5 p.m. Thursday. https://t.co/qLs3JExQuK pic.twitter.com/AblKYjwdTh  Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 17, 2025

Breaking: Some people here are talking about a small plane that crashed in Bath Township, Michigan. pic.twitter.com/GGbIGN5vHf States Radar (@statesradar) October 17, 2025

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This came days after a plane crashed along a highway in Dartmouth, Massachusetts on Monday, killing two people. As per a statement from the Massachusetts State Police, the crash caused a plume of smoke and forced the closure of the major highway.

State police said the plane may have been attempting to land at New Bedford Regional Airport, though officials said it does not appear that the pilot provided the airport with a flight plan or passenger details.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: October 17, 2025, 07:25 IST

News world Three Dead After Small Plane Crashes In Michigan, Probe Underway

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Trinidad Police Probe Reports Of Citizens Killed In US Strike On Suspected Drug Boat

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Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 09:29 IST

Trinidad and Tobago police probe reports two citizens died in a US strike on a drug boat amid Venezuela tensions. President Trump eyes military action against Nicolas Maduro.

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(Representative Image)

Police in Trinidad and Tobago are investigating reports that two of the nations citizens were among the six people killed in the United States latest strike on a boat reportedly transporting drugs, officials told CBS News.

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service said it was aware of the reports" that citizens of the country, which lies less than 10 miles off the coast Venezuela, had been on the vessel.

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Police said they are conducting inquiries, and that the information is yet to be fully verified through official channels" and they could not confirm any details. The agency further stated that a statement would be released once information was verified, asking for patience and understanding" amid this complex situation."

In a telephonic interview with Agence France-Presse, police said that residents of the village of Las Cuevas reported two Trinidadians were believed to be on the sunken vessel.

The strikes come amid rising tensions with Venezuela. US President Donald Trump told CBS News Ed OKeefe on Wednesday that he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in the country.

The president revealed that his administration is considering possible military strikes on Venezuelan territory, amid a significant buildup of US forces in the region over the past few weeks. In a related move, the US Justice Department doubled the reward for information leading to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros capture to $50 million in August.

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Earlier, CBS News reported that Maduro has accused Washington of plotting regime change, recalling recent U.S. actions aggression", following up by ordering new military exercises on Wednesday.

He faces widespread allegations of securing last years re-election through fraud, while Trump claims he leads a drug cartel, an accusation that the Venezuelan leader firmly denies.

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: October 17, 2025, 09:29 IST

News world Trinidad Police Probe Reports Of Citizens Killed In US Strike On Suspected Drug Boat

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Trump Welcomes Zelenskyy In White House As Ukraine Pushes For US Missile Support

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 23:40 IST

Zelenskyy's visit also comes just a day after Trump announced a surprise summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin

US President Donald Trump greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outside the West Wing of the White House on October 17. (AFP photo)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday arrived at the White House, where he was welcomed by US President Donald Trump. He is expected to press Trump for long-range Tomahawk missiles, which would allow Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia.

Trump greeted Zelenskyy outside the West Wing, shaking hands and briefly raising a fist. Neither leader responded to shouted questions from the press. During their meeting, Trump praised Zelenskyy as a strong leader who had endured a lot and said, I think were making great progress."

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Zelenskyy also told Trump that Russian President Vladimir Putin was not ready" for peace, while Trump said that Russia wanted to end the war.

The meeting took place just a day after Trump announced a surprise summit with Putin, casting doubt on whether the US will supply Ukraine with the powerful cruise missiles.

Ukraine has been pressing Washington for weeks to send Tomahawk missiles, arguing that they could help push Russia to end its invasion, which has lasted more than three and a half years. However, just a day before Zelenskyys visit, Putin had warned Trump that sending such weapons could escalate the conflict and harm peace talks.

The planned summit between Trump and Putin will be held in Budapest and is their first since a failed meeting in Alaska last August. Since then, diplomatic efforts to end the war have stalled.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy hoped this visit would increase pressure on Putin, especially by securing Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of more than 1,600 kilometres. However, Trump seems focused on pursuing a diplomatic solution following his recent Gaza ceasefire deal.

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This is Zelenskyys third trip to Washington since Trump returned to office, during which the US presidents stance on Ukraine has shifted multiple times.

(With inputs from agencies)

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: October 17, 2025, 23:13 IST

News world Trump Welcomes Zelenskyy In White House As Ukraine Pushes For US Missile Support

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TTP Suicide Attack In Pakistan Marks Tactical Shift; Kabul Denies Involvement | Exclusive

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 15:11 IST

Taliban sources told News18 that the TTPs use of a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) reflects a transition toward high-impact, high-casualty operations.

The attack also underscores that TTP-affiliated factions now enjoy greater operational freedom in the Mir AliDatta Khel belt. (Image for Representation)

A powerful bomb-laden vehicle struck Pakistan security forces in North Waziristans Mir Ali area on Thursday, a day after Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud released a video message. According to top Taliban sources, the TTP used a vehicle-borne suicide bomber, signalling a major shift in attack strategy and intensifying Pakistans growing internal security crisis.

Taliban sources told News18 that the TTPs use of a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) reflects a transition toward high-impact, high-casualty operations designed to demoralise security forces rather than seize or hold ground. This marks a departure from the groups earlier insurgent tactics, which focused on targeted ambushes and smaller-scale attacks.

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The attack also underscores that TTP-affiliated factions now enjoy greater operational freedom in the Mir AliDatta Khel belt, a region that was once pacified after military operations in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The resurgence of such attacks, analysts say, exposes the fragility of Pakistans counterterror control in its restive border regions.

According to Taliban sources, the revival of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group under the TTP banner further points to a consolidation of militant networks and command structures spanning both sides of the AfghanistanPakistan frontier. The Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction, long active in North Waziristan, is believed to have deep logistical roots that are enabling the renewed wave of attacks.

We categorically deny any role or support for the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group or TTP activities inside Pakistan," a top Taliban source said, calling Islamabads accusations political scapegoating meant to divert attention from its own internal intelligence lapses."

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The Taliban maintained that the TTP operates independently, without direction or approval from Kabul. Afghan soil is not being used for cross-border terrorism," the source added, while accusing Pakistan of provocative airstrikes in Khost, Paktika, and Kunar provinces. These strikes, Taliban officials warned, are fueling hostility and radical recruitment within TTP ranks.

Amid these rising tensions, an Afghan delegation led by acting Defence Minister Mullah Yaqub is currently in Qatar for talks, sources confirmed. The visit reportedly follows Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs request for peace negotiations aimed at reducing border violence and reopening dialogue channels between Islamabad and Kabul.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

First Published: October 17, 2025, 15:11 IST

News world TTP Suicide Attack In Pakistan Marks Tactical Shift; Kabul Denies Involvement | Exclusive

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Why Taliban Thinks Pakistan Needed Ceasefire For Economic Survival, Not Peace | Exclusive

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 18:13 IST

Top Taliban sources to News18: "The ceasefire is crucial for Pak to rebuild intelligence network. Pakistan fears continued violence will derail IMF conditions and foreign aid."

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Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a temporary 48-hour ceasefire starting 6 pm on Wednesday. (AFP File)

The Pakistan-Afghanistan ceasefire is a strategic compulsion for Islamabad, top Taliban sources told News18.

After more than a week of some of the deadliest cross-border fighting in recent years between the Pakistani military and the Afghan Taliban regime, Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a temporary 48-hour ceasefire starting 6 pm on Wednesday, Islamabads foreign ministry said as per Reuters.

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The fighting erupted after Pakistan reportedly launched cross-border airstrikes in Kabul last week, targeting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) camps. Pakistan accused the Afghan Taliban of harbouring TTP militants, responsible for killing hundreds of Pakistani soldiers since 2021.

In response, Taliban mounted a major counteroffensive across the border, killing 58 Pakistani soldiers and destroying 20 security outposts over the weekend. Hostilities briefly paused on Sunday after mediation by Saudi Arabia and Qatar but resumed Tuesday night. The brief truce comes amid mounting civilian casualties, destruction of border outposts and a worsening humanitarian situation along the Durand Line, where both sides have traded heavy fire since last week.

Pakistan Army struggling; ceasefire a bargain for Afghanistan

Sources told News18 that Islamabad has lost control since 2023 when Afghan commanders stopped obeying Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directives. The ceasefire will allow Pakistan to reopen diplomatic backchannels and regain partial influence through negotiation rather than force," they said.

Sources in Kabul say the Taliban views the ceasefire as bargaining. Afghanistan is using talks to get trade concessions, border recognition, and release of detained Taliban leaders from Pakistani jails. The idea is to show Islamabad that you want peace not us," they said.

The Pakistan army is struggling of internal insurgency, border losses, and economic breakdown. For Taliban, it is a diplomatic tool to assert regional dominance and expose Pakistans declining control over Pashtun. The ceasefire talks are more important for Pakistan not Afghanistan," said sources.

Taliban sources say Pakistan has suffered record casualties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in 2025. The TTP has regrouped and operates freely from multiple tribal belts. Islamabad is facing internal fatigue, which forced it to push for ceasefire to contain domestic instability."

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According to Afghan Defence ministry sources, Pakistan no longer controls several border outposts along Khost, Paktika, and North Waziristan routes. The ceasefire is crucial for Pakistan to rebuild its ground intelligence network. Pakistan also wants to assert control over key smuggling and infiltration corridors. Pakistans establishment fears that continued violence will derail IMF conditions and foreign aid."

According to the Taliban team in Doha, Pakistans ceasefire request is linked to economic survival not peace with the TTP.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

First Published: October 17, 2025, 18:11 IST

News world Why Taliban Thinks Pakistan Needed Ceasefire For Economic Survival, Not Peace | Exclusive

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'Curbing Terror Can End War': Zelenskyy In US For Talks With Donald Trump On Defence, Weapons

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 17, 2025, 08:01 IST

Zelenskyy arrived in Washington to seek a major new US arms package, and expressed hope that the recent Middle East peace momentum could help end Russias war in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy with Donald Trump (Photo: Reuters)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Washington on Thursday, expressing optimism that the momentum from the Middle East peace deal could help bring an end to Russias war in Ukraine.

Tomorrow, a meeting with President (Donald) Trump is scheduled, and we expect that the momentum of curbing terror and war that succeeded in the Middle East will help to end Russias war against Ukraine," Zelenskyy wrote on X.

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The language of strength and justice will inevitably work against Russia," he added.

Already in Washington.Today, I am having meetings with representatives of defense companies  producers of powerful weapons that can definitely strengthen our protection. In particular, we will discuss additional supplies of air defense systems. I will also meet today with pic.twitter.com/MRFmPARkq1  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) October 16, 2025

Zelenskyy is set to meet Donald Trump on Friday to discuss a major new arms package that could include US-made long-range Tomahawk missiles, capable of reaching Moscow from Ukrainian territory.

We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," Zelenskyy said, noting that he will also meet with US defence companies to discuss additional supplies of air defence systems crucial for Ukraines protection.

The Ukrainian Presidents arrival in the US came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin held a surprise phone call with Trump, warning that supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles would endanger peace efforts."

Following the conversation, Trump and Putin agreed to hold another summit, potentially in Budapest, in the coming weeks.

Zelenskyys Washington visit follows days of intense diplomacy. On October 13, he announced that he would meet Trump in the US capital to discuss Ukraines air defence and long-range strike capabilities.

The two leaders also spoke over the weekend, on both Saturday and Sunday, as discussions intensified over the potential provision of the Tomahawks.

A Ukrainian delegation led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko had already arrived in Washington to prepare for the talks.

Kyiv has been lobbying Washington for months to supply the US-produced missiles, which Ukrainian officials insist would be used strictly against military targets.

Moscow, however, has called the move a serious escalation."

Zelenskyy revealed that he had already shared Ukraines assessment of its defence needs with Trump.

Frankly, Ive already shared our vision with Trump but some of these things are not for a phone conversation, so well meet," he told reporters in Kyiv.

Trump has publicly stated that he is considering sending Tomahawks to Ukraine, but has also indicated he might speak directly with Putin before making a final decision.

At the same time, Ukraine and the US are closing in on a landmark drone deal that would see Kyiv share drone technology with Washington, an agreement that European diplomats believe could help keep the US President engaged and supportive of Ukraines war effort.

In addition to military cooperation, Zelenskyy said he would meet representatives of US energy companies to discuss Ukraines urgent energy needs amid shifting Russian tactics targeting its infrastructure.

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Russian forces have stepped up strikes on Ukrainian gas production sites and power grids in recent weeks, forcing Kyiv to consider importing electricity for the first time in months. Ukraine, in turn, has intensified retaliatory strikes on Russian oil refineries, contributing to gasoline shortages across Russia.

ALSO READ | Trump Expresses Disappointment With Putin For Not Ending Russia-Ukraine War

About the Author Vani Mehrotra Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

First Published: October 17, 2025, 08:00 IST

News world 'Curbing Terror Can End War': Zelenskyy In US For Talks With Donald Trump On Defence, Weapons

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Manga Translator is an online tool designed to facilitate the translation of manga pages into over 100 languages. By preserving the original layout and artwork, it aims to provide an accurate and seamless reading experience for manga enthusiasts worldwide.

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Manga Translator provides a practical solution for translating manga while preserving its original aesthetic. Its multilingual capabilities and user-friendly design make it a valuable tool for readers, creators, and publishers aiming to expand their reach in the global manga market.

Visit mangatranslator.io for more.
California will soon offer insulin pens for $11 under a new state program announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom, marking the latest move in a broader push to cut prescription drug costs. Starting Jan. 1, a five-pack of the state's own brand of insulin pens will be available to consumers for $55, with California pharmacies able to purchase the packs for $45, the Los Angeles Times reports. The initiative, part of California's first-in-the-nation effort to sell its own generic prescription drugs, aims to provide a cheaper alternative in a market where uninsured patients can pay up to $400 for a single vial of insulin.

According to state figures, products similar to the one CalRx will sell to pharmacies for $45 cost between $89 and $411 from name brands, Politico reports. "California didn't wait for the pharmaceutical industry to do the right thingwe took matters into our own hands," Newsom said in a statement. He argued no one in the state should have to "ration insulin or go into debt to stay alive." Newsom first proposed the state-branded generics initiative in 2020. In 2023, he announced a partnership between the state nonprofit generic drug manufacturer Civica Rx.

State officials hope the move will reduce insulin costs not just for individual buyers but also throughout the healthcare system. While major drug companies have recently slashed insulin prices, critics say those savings often don't reach all consumers. The announcement follows Newsom's signing of Senate Bill 40, which caps insulin co-pays at $35, the first such limit in California. The bill's author, Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, said the new law ensures families will not be forced to choose between buying insulin and basic needs like food.
Hundreds of young Russians gathered in St. Petersburg this week to belt out a banned protest anthem, risking stiff penalties under the country's sweeping censorship laws. The impromptu choir, which joined street musicians in a central city square in Vladimir Putin's hometown, sang "Co-operative Swan Lake"a song labeled extremist by Russian authorities for its pointed criticism of Putin and the war in Ukraine. The Telegraph calls the performance a "rare moment of public dissent." The song, a call for the end of Putin's rule, is peppered with references to Soviet history and Putin's inner circle.

The song was written by rapper Noize MC, real name Ivan Alekseev, who fled to Lithuania after Russiva's invasion of Ukraine. The 40-year-old has been branded a "foreign agent" by Moscow, a label increasingly used to silence dissent. His lyrics, including lines like "Let the old man shake in fear for his lake," and "When the czar dies, we'll dance again," jab at both Putin personally and the broader apathy among Russians about the war and Kremlin rule. Russian courts have deemed the song dangerous, accusing it of spreading "propaganda for violent change" and claiming it's harmful to minors.

The St. Petersburg crowd joined in as street musicians Stoptime played the banned song and other anti-war and anti-Kremlin anthems. Band member Diana Loginova, an 18-year-old student at a music college in the city, was arrested Wednesday and sentenced to 13 days in jail on Thursday, as were two other band members, reports Reuters. She was found guilty of organizing an unplanned gathering that blocked access to the subway, a relatively minor administrative offense, but authorities warned that there would be further charges and longer jail terms if she took part in more performances.
A high-profile Silicon Valley investor has resigned from the board of the Salesforce Foundation, citing a sharp disagreement with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff's recent comments supporting President Trump and calling for National Guard troops to be deployed in San Francisco. Ron Conway, a longtime friend of Benioff and a major Democratic donor, stepped down after a decade on the board in an email sent to Benioff Thursday and seen by the New York Times . It was in an interview with the Times that Benioff made his initial comments, claiming National Guard troops are needed to put a stop to crime in San Francisco, where the billionaire's company is based. San Francisco officials pushed back, pointing to to falling crime rates including a 70-year low in homicides.

Politico calls Conway and Benioff "mainstays of San Francisco's resolutely Democratic campaign scene," and notes that this schism is telling as Trump makes inroads with tech leaders. In the pointed email, Conway said Benioff's remarks signaled a split in their values, writing, "It saddens me immensely to say that with your recent comments, and failure to understand their impact, I now barely recognize the person I have so long admired." Conway said he tried to discuss the issue with Benioff but found the CEO unmoved by concerns about the Trump administration or the effects of federal immigration raids nationwide. Benioff, who now lives in Hawaii, said he supported the idea of Guard troops because San Francisco lacks enough police officers. Conway pointed out in his email that Benioff doesn't "even live or vote" in the city.

Conway also criticized Benioff's repeated threats to move Salesforce's Dreamforce conference out of San Francisco for safety reasons, calling the threats ironic given Las Vegas, where Benioff has considered moving it, has a higher violent crime rate. The Salesforce Foundation, which reported nearly $400 million in assets last year, is a major funder of Bay Area schools and progressive groups. President Trump has welcomed support from business leaders like Benioff and Elon Musk (who was quick to amplify Benioff's recent comments) for a possible National Guard deployment in San Francisco, even as federal law generally bars the military from domestic policing. Benioff has not responded publicly to Conway's email, but Salesforce said in a statement it is grateful for Conway's time on the board, CNBC reports.
A federal judge has ordered immigration officers in Chicago to wear body cameras after reports surfaced of agents deploying tear gas, pepper balls, and smoke grenades against protesters and police. US District Judge Sara Ellis already had told agents to wear badges and prohibited the use of riot control tactics without prior warning, the Guardian reports. The judge said Thursday that the body cameras will confirm whether agents are giving the two warnings mandated, per WLS . She expressed frustration with the government, criticizing the Department of Homeland Security for violating her previous order.

"I live in Chicago if folks haven't noticed," Ellis said on Thursday. "And I'm not blind, right?" The judge said she called the hearing Thursday after coverage of a 19-year-old citizen chased and tackled by immigration officers. "I'm getting images and seeing images on the news, in the paper, reading reports where I'm having concerns about my order being followed," she said in court. Chicago-area residents have responded to the Trump administration's surge in immigration enforcement in the area by organizing to prevent arrests in their neighborhoods.

DHS has described these community actions as rioting and maintains that its response is constitutional and necessary to protect officers, per the Guardian. Ellis summoned Russell Hott of ICE's Chicago field office to her courtroom next week, per the New York Times. "The field director is going to explain to me why I am seeing images of tear gas being deployed and reading reports that there were no warnings given out in the field," she said.
The White House unveiled a plan Thursday to make in vitro fertilization and fertility drugs more accessible and affordable, casting the efforts as part of a broader initiative to lower health care costs. President Trump announced that his administration will soon issue guidance to encourage employers to offer fertility benefits directly to employees, the Washington Post reports. In addition, he described a new pricing deal designed to lower the cost of Gonal-F, a fertility drug commonly used in IVF treatments. But the plan falls short of Trump's campaign promise to make the process free, USA Today points out.

An executive order Trump signed early in his term to cut costs and expand access was dropped, with a need for new legislation one of the obstacles, per the Post. Trump said Thursday that the new plan would significantly reduce costs for millions of Americans, calling the announcement a "historic victory for American women, mothers and families." The administration also introduced a website, TrumpRx.gov, where discounted IVF drugs are to be available starting next year. IVF has become politically complicated for Republicans, particularly after a 2024 Alabama Supreme Court ruling that classified frozen embryos as people, raising concerns about the future of IVF procedures. Trump and other GOP leaders responded by voicing support for IVF. Another of Trump's goals is a higher birth rate.

It's not clear how much lowering drug costs will cut the overall cost of an IVF cycle, CBS News points out; women require varying amounts of stimulation drugs. Under the agreement, EMD Serono will lower prices 42% to 79%. Nationally, about one-fourth of employers with at least 200 workers offer IVF coverage. This change could help small and medium-size companies offer the benefit, per the Post.
The head of the US Southern Command, whose job includes overseeing military operations in the area where the Pentagon has been carrying out fatal strikes on what the Trump administration describes as drug-running boats, announced Thursday that he's leaving the position. Adm. Alvin Holsey has been in the job, which usually is a three-year assignment, less than a year. Neither he nor Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned any disagreements, but the New York Times reports that Holsey had raised concerns about the attacks near Venezuela and the US military buildup in the region.

In a statement on social media, Hegseth thanked Holsey "for his more than 37 years of distinguished service to our nation as he plans to retire." The admiral posted on the command's Facebook page it's "been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend our Constitution for over 37 years," per the AP. His retirement takes effect on Dec. 12, per the Hill. Southcom oversees all US military operations in Central America and South America. A Pentagon official said Thursday that about a force of about 10,000 is supporting the counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean.

Legal experts and members of Congress have questioned the administration's authority to use lethal force against suspected drug traffickers without congressional authorization. The four-star admiral's departure is another in a series of high-profile firings or resignations of senior military leaders, many of them women or people of color, during Hegseth's tenure. Congressional Democrats were critical after the latest announcement. "Prior to Trump, I can't think of a combatant commander who left his or her post early, ever," said Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.

Sen. Jack Reed found the timing problematic, per the Times. President Trump has said he's approved covert CIA operations in Venezuela, as well. "At a moment when US forces are building up across the Caribbean and tensions with Venezuela are at a boiling point, the departure of our top military commander in the region sends an alarming signal of instability within the chain of command," Reed said in a statement. Venezuela's ambassador to the UN on Thursday condemned the latest US strike, per the AP.
Susan Stamberg, a pioneering voice at NPR and the first woman to anchor a national evening news broadcast in the US, has died at age 87. Her death was announced by NPR , which did not specify a location or cause, but which did note that "few figures have informed the sensibility of NPR" more than she. Stamberg, whose career at the public broadcaster spanned over 50 years, was best known for her 14-year tenure as host of "All Things Considered," a role she began in 1972, the New York Times reports. During her time at NPR, Stamberg established herself as one of the network's "founding mothers," alongside Nina Totenberg, Linda Wertheimer, and Cokie Roberts, helping shape NPR's identity as it expanded beyond its original 63 member stations.

Stamberg was recognized for her deeply prepared interviews and her ability to listen attentively to her subjects. Her guests ranged from presidents to civil rights leaders to opera stars. The Washington Post notes that she was known for "following her own curiosities and interests" rather than simply current events. She once said she considered herself "a natural schmoozer," drawn to the energy of reporting and conversation rather than desk-bound writing. In 1986, Stamberg stepped down from "All Things Considered" to seek treatment for breast cancer but returned the following year as the founding host of "Weekend Edition Sunday." There, she introduced features that became audience favorites, including a Sunday morning puzzle and the launch of the Magliozzi brothers' "Car Talk," which went on to become a national hit.

Born Susan Levitt in Newark in 1938 and raised in Manhattan, Stamberg attended the High School of Music & Art and graduated from Barnard College. She began her journalism career as an editorial assistant at the New Republic and moved into radio at WAMU-FM in Washington, quickly rising from weather reporter to station manager. Stamberg retired from NPR just last month, with her final role as a special correspondent covering the arts. She is survived by a son and two granddaughters. She was known for her Thanksgiving tradition of sharing a family cranberry relish recipe on air, often inviting celebrities to help read it. "That's going to be on my obituary," she once quipped.
More than 20 states are suing the Environmental Protection Agency after it scrapped a $7 billion program designed to bring solar power to low-income households. The "Solar For All" initiative, launched during the Biden administration , was meant to fund rooftop and community solar projects for nearly a million additional US households. The EPA abruptly canceled the program in August, pulling about 90% of the grant money from state accounts, according to the lawsuit filed Thursday. The states argue that the EPA overstepped its authority by unilaterally ending a congressionally approved program and pulling back funds that had already been allocated, reports NBC News .

"Congress passed a solar energy program to help make electricity costs more affordable, but the administration is ignoring the law, and focused on the conspiracy theory that climate change is a hoax," said Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown, who noted his state stands to lose about $156 million. The legal action, filed in federal court in Washington state, claims the EPA violated both the Administrative Procedures Act and its own constitutional limits. All 23 states involved in the lawsuit have Democratic governors or attorneys general, with Washington, Arizona, and Minnesota leading the suit.

The lawsuit names the EPA and Administrator Lee Zeldin, who called the program a "boondoggle," as defendants, the AP reports. A related lawsuit filed Wednesday seeks damages from breach of contract. "Working families are already feeling the strain of rising energy costsand blocking Oregon's clean energy programs only makes that worse," Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said in a statement, per OBP. "This funding wasn't just about protecting the environment; it was about lowering bills, creating jobs, helping communities transition to cleaner, more affordable power."
OpenAI just became the worlds most valuable startup at $500 billion. But Thinking Machines Labs rapid rise to $12 billion shows AIs venture capital boom continues unabated.

Whats Happening: Seventy-nine companies achieved unicorn status, private valuations exceeding $1 billion, in 2025, with AI startups capturing the largest share. Mira Muratis Thinking Machines Lab, founded in February 2025, leads with a $12 billion valuation by October, whilst OpenAI surpassed SpaceX to become the worlds most valuable private company at $500 billion.

Why This Matters: The unicorn boom reveals where venture capital sees sustainable returns: AI and enterprise technology now represent over half of billion-dollar startups. This concentration signals investors are prioritising proven revenue models and scalability over speculative bets, reshaping which founders can access growth capital and which industries will define the next decade.

Thinking Machines Labs trajectory from February founding to $12 billion valuation by October 2025 exemplifies venture capitals unprecedented appetite for artificial intelligence.

The San Francisco-based company, established by former OpenAI executive Mira Murati, represents the fastest path to multibillion-dollar status amongst this years cohort of 79 new unicorns, according to research from BestBrokers analysing CB Insights data.

The companys valuation towers over Pittsburgh healthcare AI firm Abridge ($5.3 billion), San Francisco fashion retailer Quince ($4.5 billion), and medical information platform OpenEvidence ($3.5 billion), which round out the top newly minted unicorns of 2025.

Twenty-two of the 79 companies reaching unicorn status work in artificial intelligence, making it the dominant sector, followed by enterprise technology with 18 startups. The geographical concentration remains striking: 53 companies (67.1%) operate from the United States, whilst the remaining third spread across China, India, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Paul Hoffman from BestBrokers.com contextualises the pattern: Following OpenAIs milestone $500 billion valuation, AI, enterprise technology, and fintech have emerged as the defining forces in the 2025 unicorn landscape.

Among the 79 companies reaching unicorn status this year, over a third are AI-focused, including Thinking Machines Lab ($12 B), Abridge ($5.3 B), and Decart ($3.2 B), while enterprise tech firms such as Filevine ($3 B), Supabase ($2 B), and Framer ($2 B) continue to attract substantial capital.

Investment thesis shifts

The research highlights what Hoffman describes as a flight to quality: investors increasingly backing startups that combine deep innovation with scalable, sustainable business models. This marks a departure from previous years when venture capital flowed more liberally to early-stage companies with unproven revenue streams.

OpenAIs ascension to the worlds most valuable private company, surpassing both SpaceX and TikTok parent ByteDance, underscores the markets confidence in commercialised AI applications. At $500 billion, the ChatGPT developers valuation reflects not just technological promise but demonstrated user adoption and revenue generation.

Beyond the AI sector, enterprise technology continues drawing substantial capital. Salt Lake Citys Filevine ($3 billion), San Franciscos Supabase ($2 billion), and Amsterdams Framer ($2 billion) represent investors belief in B2B software that solves operational challenges for other businesses.

Looking forward

The next wave of private company investment is likely to continue favouring firms with a proven revenue potential and the capacity to scale globally in high-demand markets, Hoffman notes.

The BestBrokers analysis, compiled from CB Insights July 2025 data and Pitchbook records, reveals a market where valuations increasingly depend on demonstrable business fundamentals rather than speculative potential alone. For founders seeking venture backing, the message appears clear: innovation must pair with viable paths to profitability.

The complete dataset and methodology are available through BestBrokers full report, offering detailed breakdowns of funding rounds, valuations, and sector trends shaping private company investment throughout 2025.

More information on private companies and their valuations, as well as the complete methodology, can be found in the full report.

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Federal prosecutors have charged voting technology firm Smartmatic with money laundering and other crimes arising from more than $1 million in bribes that several executives allegedly paid to election officials in the Philippines. The payments, between 2015 and 2018, were made to obtain a contract with the Philippines government to help run that country's 2016 presidential election, according to a superseding indictment filed Thursday in a Florida federal court. Three former executives of Smartmatic, including co-founder Roger Pinate, were previously charged in 2024 but at the time South Florida-based Smartmatic was not named as a defendant. Pinate, who no longer works for Smartmatic but remains a shareholder, has pleaded not guilty.

The criminal case is unfolding as Smartmatic is pursuing a $2.7 billion lawsuit accusing Fox News of defamation for airing false claims that the company helped rig the 2020 US presidential election. Smartmatic denied the allegations and said it believed the US Attorney's Office in Miami had been politically influenced by unnamed powerful interests, reports the AP. "Smartmatic will continue to stand by its people and principles," the company said. "We will not be intimidated by those pulling the strings of power."

Prosecutors in August sought the court's permission to introduce evidence they argue shows that revenue from a $300 million contract with Los Angeles County to help modernize its voting systems was diverted to a "slush fund" controlled by Pinate through the use of overseas shell companies, fake invoices, and other means. They also accused Pinate of secretly bribing Venezuela's longtime election chief by giving her a luxury home with a pool in Caracas. Prosecutors say the home was transferred to the election chief in an attempt to repair relations following Smartmatic's abrupt exit from Venezuela in 2017 when it accused President Nicolas Maduro 's government of manipulating tallied results.

A hearing on the purported evidence tied to Los Angeles and Venezuela will be held next month, however, none of the accusations are mentioned in the superseding indictment signed by Jason Reding Quinones, the new Trump-appointed US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Smartmatic has said its business tanked after Fox News gave Trump's lawyers a platform to paint the company as part of a conspiracy to steal the 2020 election. Fox said it was legitimately reporting on newsworthy events but eventually aired a piece refuting the allegations after Smartmatic's lawyers complained.
Two Californians diagnosed with mpox may be the first US cases resulting from the local spread of a different version of the virus, health officials said. The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services this week confirmed the first case through testing at a state lab, reports the AP . Los Angeles County health officials on Thursday reported a second, similar case. The risk to the public is low, officials say. These are not the US first cases of what is known as clade I mpox. But all six previous cases were among international travelers who were believed to have been infected abroad.

Both infected people in California were hospitalized, and are now recovering at home. "At this point in our investigations, we have not identified any association between the two cases," Long Beach health department rep Jennifer Ann Gonzalez said. Long Beach is located in Los Angeles County but has its own city health department. Investigators there say they have not found a close contact who traveled abroad, nor have they confirmed additional cases. A few of the person's close contacts have been given a vaccine, said Nora Balanji, Long Beach's communicable disease coordinator. "We don't have any proof that there has been ongoing community transmission," she said. "It's something we're looking into. That's something we're concerned about."

Mpoxalso known as monkeypoxis a rare disease caused by infection with a virus that is in the same family as the one that causes smallpox. It is endemic in parts of Africa. A newer form of the clade I virus has been widely transmitted in eastern and central Africa. The World Health Organization declared the situation a public health emergency, but last month it said the problem had waned enough that it was no longer an international emergency. Still, "it's concerning if this virus has come here and now is starting to be transmitted from person to person," said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University.
Two bright green comets are streaming through the skies and are visible to skygazers in the Northern Hemisphere. Both hail from the outer edges of our solar systempossibly what's known as the Oort Cloud, well beyond Pluto, the AP reports. Comet Lemmon will have its closest brush with Earth on or around Tuesday. The other cosmic snowball, Comet SWAN, should have its flyby with Earth on Monday, but it's headed away from the sun and will likely grow dimmer as the days pass. Spotting two comets simultaneously without special equipment is "rare, but not unprecedented," says Carson Fuls, director of the University of Arizona-based sky survey that spotted Comet Lemmon.

The comets are green because of gases streaming off their surfaces. From Earth, they'll look like gray, fuzzy patches. To see the pair, go outside just after sunset and look to the northern sky for Comet Lemmon close to the horizon. Comet SWAN will also be near the horizon, but to the southwest. The double comets could be visible with binoculars through the end of the month, but experts aren't yet sure how bright they'll remain, says astronomer Valerie Rapson of the State University of New York at Oneonta. Forbes has tips on how to photograph the comets.

Comet Lemmon, also designated C/2025 A6, was discovered in January by a telescope scouring the night sky for near-Earth asteroids. Comet SWAN, also known as C/2025 R2, was spotted in September by an amateur astronomer using photos from a spacecraft operated by NASA and the European Space Agency.

Comets are frozen leftovers from the solar system's formation billions of years ago. They heat up as they swing toward the sun, releasing their characteristic streaming tails Earlier this year, a green comet broke up as it swung by the sun, dashing hopes of a naked-eye spectacle. A bright comet called Tsuchinshan-Atlas zoomed by Earth in 2024, and other notable flybys included Neowise in 2020 and Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake in the 1990s.
An army colonel who seized power in a military coup was set to be sworn in as Madagascar's new leader Friday in a lightning-fast power grab that ousted the president and sent him fleeing from the country into hiding , the AP reports. Col. Michael Randrianirina, the commander of an elite army unit, will take the oath of office at the nation's High Constitutional Court, he said in a statement published on state media. His ascent to the presidency would come just three days after he announced that the armed forces were taking power in the sprawling Indian Ocean island of around 30 million people off Africa's east coast.

Preparations were being made at the court buildings early Friday, with soldiers guarding entrances and officials beginning to arrive. It appeared the colonel would take the oath in the supreme court's main chamber. The military takeoverwhich came after three weeks of anti-government protests by mainly young peoplehas been condemned by the United Nations and led to Madagascar being suspended from the African Union. President Andry Rajoelina's whereabouts are unknown after he left the country claiming his life was in danger following the rebellion by soldiers loyal to Randrianirina. But there has been no major violence on the streets and Randrianirina's troops have been cheered and their takeover celebrated by Madagascans.

Randrianirina has said Madagascar will be run by a military council with him as president for between 18 months and two years before any new elections, meaning the young people who inspired the uprising against Rajoelina may have a long wait before they are able to choose their new leader. The protests, which began last month, have echoed other Gen Z-led uprisings in Nepal, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. Young Madagascans first took to the streets last month to rail against regular water and power outages, but have raised other issues, including the cost of living, the lack of opportunities, and alleged corruption and nepotism by the elite.
President Trump has refiled his $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, just weeks after a federal judge dismissed his original complaint for being overly lengthy. On Sept. 19, Judge Steven Merryday in Florida gave Trump 28 days to revise the lawsuit, which had clocked in at 85 pages despite only containing two defamation allegationsone on page 80, the other on page 83. Merryday said the suit also contained "many, often repetitive, and laudatory (toward President Trump) but superfluous allegations" and "much more, persistently alleged in abundant, florid, and enervating detail," the Guardian reports.

The judge, a George HW Bush appointee, did not weigh in on the truth of Trump's allegations but made it clear the court was not the place for "the tedious and burdensome aggregation of prospective evidence" or "the protracted recitation ... of legal authority" backing Trump's claims. The new, 40-page filing again targets the Times, Penguin Random House, and three reportersSusanne Craig, Russ Buettner, and Peter Baker, though reporter Michael S. Schmidt has been dropped from the list of defendants. Trump is still seeking $15 billion in damages, plus additional punitive damages.

The New York Times reports that the amended lawsuit has removed many of the tributes to Trump, including a line that described his election win last year as "the greatest personal and political achievement in American history." The lawsuit centers on Times articles and reporting in Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father's Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success, a book by Craig and Buettner.

Trump claims the reporting wrongly described him as being "discovered" for The Apprentice when he was already famous, and disputes the book's depiction of his wealth as a product of "fraudulent tax evasion schemes" by his father. "As we said when this was first filed and again after the judge's ruling to strike it: This lawsuit has no merit," a Times spokeswoman said Thursday night. "Nothing has changed today. This is merely an attempt to stifle independent reporting and generate PR attention, but the New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics."
The Australian government has begun a public education campaign with tips on how to wean children off social media ahead of a world-first national 16-year age limit taking effect in December. Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Friday that information on her agency's website, esafety.gov.au , explained the new laws and how to navigate them. Starting Dec. 10, platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and YouTube could be fined up to $33 million if they don't take reasonable steps to prevent Australians younger than 16 from holding accounts.

Messages raising awareness will also be shared starting Sunday across digital channels, television, radio, and billboards, the AP reports. "We want children to have childhoods. We want parents to have peace of mind and we want young peopleyoung Australiansto have three more years to learn who they are before platforms assume who they are," Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters, referring to the current de facto 13-year age limit for social media accounts based on US privacy legislation.

The Australian age restrictions have already proved polarizing, with some experts warning the changes will harm as well as protect children. More than 140 Australian and international academics signed an open letter to the government last year opposing a social media age limit as "too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively." Despite that warning, the law passed with resounding support last year. The platforms had a year to figure out how to comply without foolproof technology available to verify ages.

Inman Grant said the social media age restriction would be a "very monumental event for a lot of young people."

Her agency offers checklists and conversation starters about ways to make the transition, such as following an online influencer through a website rather than a social media account, she said.

"How do we start weaning them from social media now so it isn't a shock on Dec. 10? How do we help them download their archives and their memories and how do we make sure that they're in touch with friends and are aware of mental health support if they're feeling down when they're not tethered to their phones over the holiday period?" she added.
Hundreds of Alaska residents airlifted from storm-ravaged villages are now facing life in the state's largest city, with little idea of whenor ifthey'll be able to return home. More than 200 residents from Kipnuk boarded a C-17 military transport plane in Bethel, en route to Anchorage, on Thursday after nearly all homes in the Yup'ik community of 700 were damaged by the remnants of Typhoon Halong, the Anchorage Daily News reports. Wednesday night had already seen the arrival of 300 Kipnuk evacuees in Anchorage, and on Thursday, another flight carried about 100 residents from Kwigillingok, another village battered by the storm. Officials estimate that only 20 to 30 Kipnuk residents stayed behind.

Many evacuees, clutching what few belongings they could grab, spoke of anxiety and uncertainty about what comes next. "Scared, worried," said Mychalann Panruk, as she waited with her 2-month-old child. Some, like Benjamin Martin, planned to stay with relatives. Others were simply relieved to be safe after floodwaters destroyed or swept away their homes. Officials say more than 1,000 people have been forced from homes across the Yukon-Kuskokwim region.

Officals say the airlift is the largest in state history. Evacuees were initially brought to Bethel but shelter space soon ran out and food supplies ran low at what officials described as a "transitional shelter" set up in a National Guard armory, the AP reports. "The biggest thing is, once we get people into Bethel, how can we get them warm and dry, get them some food, get a shower," Dave Reilly, a planner with the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, tells KTUU. "Some of the things that we take for granted every morning that we get up is completely gone for them."

The storm swept away homes, some out to sea, leaving one person dead and at least two missing. Most homes in the affected village are damaged and residents say food they stockpiled for winter has been ruined. For now, evacuees in Anchorage are in a shelter at the Alaska Airlines Center, but officials are looking for longer term solutions. "No one wants to stay in a big, giant room with cots," says Jeremy Zidek, a spokesperson for the state's emergency response, per Alaska Public Media. "We understand that people can't do that for very long, and we want to really find other solutions for them as fast as possible."
UPDATE

Nov 10, 2025 6:09 PM CST

Lebanese authorities released a son of late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Monday after he paid a $900,000 bail, ending his 10-year detention for allegedly withholding information about a missing Lebanese cleric, security officials and a member of his defense team said. One of Hannibal Gadhafi's lawyers, Charbel Milad al-Khoury, told the AP that he is officially free and has "the full right to choose the destination that he wants." He refused to give further details about Gadhafi's future movements out of security concerns. The release came days after Lebanese authorities lifted a travel ban and reduced bail for Hannibal Gadhafi from $11 million, paving the way for his release. Thursday's decision by the country's judicial authorities came after a Libyan delegation visited Lebanon.

Oct 17, 2025 6:47 AM CDT

Lebanese authorities on Friday ordered the release of the son of Libya's late leader Moammar Gadhafi on condition that he pay $11 million bail. Another condition for his release, however, is that he be banned from traveling outside Lebanon for two months. As the AP reports, Hannibal Gadhafi has been been imprisoned in Lebanon for a decade without being charged. The expected release comes after his lawyers have said that he had been ill in his cell at police headquarters in Beirut. Libya in 2023 formally requested his release, citing his deteriorating health after he went on hunger strike to protest his detention. On Friday, judicial officials said he was taken to the Justice Palace in Beirut, where Judge Zaher Hamadeh ordered his release once the money is paid.
A court in southern Russia convicted 15 captured Ukrainian soldiers on terrorism charges Friday after a trial that Kyiv denounced as a sham and a violation of international law. The military court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced the men from the Aidar battalion, which Russia has designated a terrorist group, to prison terms ranging from 15 to 21 years, the AP reports. The verdict marks the second mass trial of Ukrainian prisoners of war since March, when 23 members of the Azov brigade were convicted on similar charges in a trial that also was condemned by Ukraine as a violation of international law.

When the trial of Aidar members began in 2023, Ukraine's human rights envoy, Dmytro Lubinets, denounced it as "shameful" and charged that "Russia is making criminals out of those who defended their native land." Memorial, a prominent Russian human rights group, has designated the defendants as political prisoners. It has argued that the trial violated international conventions protecting POWs, noting the defendants were facing trial just because they served with the Aidar battalion, not over any specific war crimes. "This grossly violates the provisions of the Geneva Convention, which prohibits the prosecution of prisoners of war solely for their participation in an armed conflict," Memorial said.

Russia has labeled both the Azov and Aidar groups as terrorist organizations and accused their members of war crimes. The volunteer units were created soon after Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, and they took active part in fighting against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Aidar, Azov, and other volunteer units eventually were integrated into the Ukrainian military. Both Aidar and Azov have been criticized over their origins as volunteer battalions that included fighters from far-right circles, although current members reject accusations of extremism and any ties to ultra-nationalist movements.
The decades-old mystery at the heart of the CIA's Kryptos sculpture was finally solvednot by cryptography, but by library sleuthing and a bit of misplaced paperwork. For more than 30 years, Jim Sanborn's copper artwork outside CIA headquarters in Virginia has taunted codebreakers with its four encrypted passages. Three were cracked in the 1990s, the decade it went up, but the fourth, known as K4, remained unbroken until two journalists stumbled on the answer in the Smithsonian archives, the New York Times reports.

Sanborn had been preparing to auction off the solution for an estimated $300,000 to $500,000 to help cover medical expenses and support disability programs. But a Sept. 3 email from journalist-novelist Jarett Kobeksubject line: the first words of K4upended those plans. Kobek, curious about the auction, had spotted a reference to coding charts in the Smithsonian. He enlisted DC-based friend Richard Byrne to sift through the archives. In Byrne's photos, Kobek spotted scraps of paper with clues Sanford released in 2010 and 2014 and eventually pieced together K4's uncoded message. He says cryptographic science couldn't solve Kryptos, "but library science could."

The revelation threw the auction plan into chaos. Sanborn, blindsided, asked the pair to sign NDAs and stay quiet in exchange for a cut of the proceeds. Kobek says they refused, fearing it would make them "party to fraud." Now, they're caught in a standoff: They don't want to publish the text, but they're not promising silence, either.

RR Auction has warned them about copyright and contract interference and told them "they will be looked upon as heroes to the cipher and intelligence communities" if they don't publish the text. Sanford says he mistakenly included the paper scraps in a folder he hastily gathered during cancer treatment 10 years ago. He says his initial reaction to the men was "frazzled" because he didn't know their motives, the Times reports. Kobek tells the Times that he has long been a fan of Sanford's work and he is devastated by how things have turned out. "If I had known, my God! I never would have sent Rich to this library," he says. The Smithsonian has now blocked access to the material until 2075.

The RR Auctions listing stresses that the journalists do not plan to release the answer, and that auction materials, including the coding system, "provide the only authorized path to understanding how K4 functions as an artistic statement." Game developer and cryptographer Elonka Dunin, co-moderator of one the biggest Kryptos fan groups, tells Scientific American that many people over the years have claimed to have solved K4, "but if they can't show the method, they just get booted out of the room." She adds: "For a piece of art, if you can get someone's attention for 10 minutes, that's pretty good. Sanborn now has a piece of art that has held people's attention for 35 years."
Two Cambodian police officers are seen at the Cambodia-Thai border crossing. Photo by AFP

Cambodia will deport on Friday 59 South Koreans who worked in cyberscam schemes, police said, after Seoul sent a team to investigate the fate of dozens of its nationals.

South Korea banned its citizens on Wednesday from traveling to parts of Cambodia and sent officials to Phnom Penh to discuss cases of fake jobs and online scam centers that Seoul says have ensnared dozens of its nationals.

The multibillion-dollar illicit industry has ballooned in Southeast Asia in recent years, with thousands of people perpetrating online scams, some willingly and others forced by the organized criminal groups running the fraud networks, experts say.

Seoul's mission followed a public outcry in South Korea over the torture and killing of a Korean college student in Cambodia this year, reportedly by a crime ring.

"Authorities plan to deport 59 South Korean nationals... who have been rescued by Cambodian authorities or detained for other crimes to their country with cooperation from the embassy of South Korea," Cambodia's national police said in a statement on Thursday.

Cambodian authorities received requests to help 60 South Koreans in relation to scam operations this year, police said.

Forty of them were found following the requests from their families and the South Korean embassy.

However, police were still looking for 76 South Koreans missing in Cambodia, the statement said.

'Fruitful outcomes'

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet met with South Korea's vice foreign minister Kim Jina and her delegation on Wednesday, he said in a statement on social media.

They discussed "joint efforts in combating transnational crimes, particularly online scams -- emphasizing that cooperation between the Cambodian and Korean authorities over the years has yielded many fruitful outcomes," he said.

The two countries would "continue to strengthen" their collaboration to combat online scams, Hun Manet added.

Seoul has said about 1,000 South Koreans were estimated to be among a total of around 200,000 people working in scam operations in Cambodia.

Some are forced under threat of violence to execute "pig butchering" scams -- cryptocurrency investment schemes that build trust with victims over time before stealing their funds.

Seoul has said 63 South Koreans were believed to have been detained by Cambodian authorities, and officials vowed to bring them home.

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac told reporters that the 63 included both "voluntary and involuntary participants" in scam operations.

Touch Sokhak, a spokesman for Cambodia's interior ministry, told AFP on Wednesday that 80 South Koreans were "not in detention" but "being taken care of" by Cambodian immigration authorities.

He could not confirm whether the South Koreans with Cambodian immigration were the same individuals reported missing by Seoul.

South Korea's foreign ministry also said on Thursday it was "unclear whether the 80 South Koreans announced by Cambodia and the roughly 60 nationals the South Korean government is seeking to bring home are the same individuals."

'Ringleaders and accomplices'

Amnesty International says abuses in Cambodia's scam centers are happening on a "mass scale".

There are at least 53 scam compounds in the country where organized criminal groups carry out human trafficking, forced labor, torture, deprivation of liberty and slavery, according to the rights group.

Cambodia's anti-cybercrime commission said in a statement on Wednesday that authorities had arrested 3,455 online fraud suspects nationwide from 20 Asian and African countries since late June.

Authorities sent dozens of suspected "ringleaders and their accomplices" to court in 10 of the cases involving online fraud, murder and human trafficking, according to the statement.

More than 2,800 foreign nationals were deported from Cambodia, and authorities "rescued some victims from trafficking," it said.
A city council member in Florida has ignited a backlash after calling for the mass deportation of everyone in the US from India. The Palm Bay City Council formally censured Chandler Langevin on Thursday over his online posts, reports Fox Orlando . GOP officials at the local, state, and national levels have distanced themselves from Langevin, with the Brevard County Republican Party emphasizing that his views are his alone. "Hate like this has no place in our county," said party Chairman Rick Lacey. In a phone call with the Washington Post , Langevin said his aim has been to start a "discourse" on immigration.

"I'm not the first Republican to make a mean tweet," he said. One such post came earlier this month. "Today is my birthday and all I want is for @realDonaldTrump to revoke every Indian visa and deport them immediately," he wrote. "America for Americans." About a week later, he issued a partial apology "for the tone and for the absolutism of my statement, not however, for the message being conveyed." Various groups have called on Gov. Ron DeSantis to remove Langevin from office, but the governor has not yet responded to the controversy. Langevin told the Post he would answer written questions about why he targeted the relatively small Indian community in his county, but he didn't do so.
President Trump continued his Ukraine-Russia diplomacy on Friday by welcoming Volodymyr Zelensky back to the White House. The two are expected to address reporters after a meeting with advisers, but their comments ahead of time were cordial. Some highlights:

Trump, who spoke by phone with Vladimir Putin on Thursday, said he plans to meet both men in the near future in Hungary. But he expects to meet with each leader separately rather than in a trilateral meeting, reports the New York Times. "These two leaders do not like each other, and we want to make it comfortable for everybody."
US forces took survivors into custody after striking a suspected drug-carrying vessel in the Caribbeanthe first attack that anyone escaped alive since President Trump began the strikes in the region last month, officials said Friday. Trump then confirmed the military operation. "We attacked a submarine, and that was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs," Trump said at the White House. The two survivors are being held on a Navy ship in the area, per the New York Times . The strike Thursday brought the death toll from the Trump administration's military actions against vessels in the region to at least 28.

The US now has to decide what to do with the survivors. They could be released, held indefinitely on a claim they're wartime detainees, or be turned over to civilian law enforcement officials for prosecution. A civilian case risks causing problems for the administration that include judicial scrutiny of the legal grounds for the military campaign, the Times points out. The attacks have caused unease among both Democrats and Republicans in Congress, per the AP, with some Republicans saying they have not received sufficient information on how the strikes are being conducted. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that details on the latest attack are forthcoming.
A passenger was arrested after she was accused of assaulting two flight attendants aboard an Alaska Airlines flight, prompting an unscheduled landing in Boise. Authorities said Tracy Barkhimer, 61, of Washington state, was on Flight 1057 from Portland to Dallas late Tuesday night when she began acting erratically and struck the crew members who tried to calm her, according to police. Flight records show the plane was diverted about an hour after takeoff from Portland, touching down in Idaho at roughly 1:30am, USA Today reports.

Boise police said Barkhimer was restrained until the plane landed, at which point officers and medics met the aircraft. The flight attendants signed affidavits for a citizen's arrest. Barkhimer was booked into the Ada County Jail on two counts of misdemeanor battery. She has since posted a $600 bond and is due in court in early November. Alaska Airlines said that the crew was medically cleared and that the flight continued to Dallas about 90 minutes after the diversion. As of late September, per USA Today, the Federal Aviation Administration had logged 1,205 reports of unruly passengers in 2025, with fines for such behavior reaching up to $43,658 per violation.
Indexes careened through several jarring swings as worries built about the financial health of small and midsized banks, as well as the souring trade relationship between the US and China. Some of the nervousness around US-China trade tensions eased on Friday after President Trump said that the high tariffs he threatened to put on Chinese imports are not sustainable. Trump also told Fox News Channel that he would meet with China's leader, Xi Jinping, at an upcoming conference in South Korea. That's counter to an earlier, angry posting he made on social media, in which he said there seemed to be "no reason" for such a meeting.

Bank stocks stabilized on Friday after several reported stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected, including Truist Financial, Fifth Third Bancorp, and Huntington Bancshares. That helped steady the group a day after tumbling over potentially bad loans. The two banks at the center of Thursday's action also trimmed some of their losses. Zions Bancorp., which is charging off $50 million of loans where it found "apparent misrepresentations and contractual defaults" by borrowers, climbed 5.8% following its 13.1% loss. Western Alliance Bancorp, which is suing a borrower due to allegations of fraud, rose 3.1% after its 10.8% fall on Thursday. Scrutiny is rising on the quality of loans made following last month's Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing of First Brands Group, a supplier of aftermarket auto parts. One of the financial firms that could feel pain because of First Brands' bankruptcy, Jefferies Financial Group, rose 5.9% Friday. It had come into the day with a loss of roughly 30% since mid-September.
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to allow it to deploy National Guard troops in Illinois against the wishes of state and local officials, a move now blocked by lower courts. President Trump maintains that the troops are needed to protect immigration officers and fight crime in the Chicago area. Local and state leaders say such a deployment is unlawful and unnecessary, the Washington Post reports, and they have pushed back against his portrayals of their communities as besieged by crime. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order this month preventing a deployment in and around Chicago, and an appeals court left that order in place.

The judge who initially blocked the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to Chicago for two weeks on Wednesday extended the restraining order indefinitely. That means, per the AP , troops won't be deploying to the Illinois city any time soon, as the order is now extended until the case is decidedor the Supreme Court intervenes, as the administration has asked it to do.

The emergency request comes as part of a broader effort to use federal force in cities including Portland; Washington, DC; and Los Angeles. Friday's filing marked the first time the administration has sought the Supreme Court's intervention on the troop deployments. Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote in it that the situation in Illinois reflects a "disturbing and recurring pattern" of meeting federal officers trying to enforce immigration law with "prolonged, coordinated, violent resistance," per the Hill.

The administration's filing criticized US District Judge April Perry for disregarding what it called "the facts on the ground" and overruling the president's military decisions. The Seventh Circuit panel found that while protests in Illinois have been vigorous and sometimes violent, they do not amount to a "rebellion against federal authority." The Supreme Court has regularly granted Trump's emergency appeals since he returned to office on issues including barring transgender people from the military, claw back billions of dollars of congressionally approved spending, and firing Senate-confirmed leaders of agencies, the AP points out.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pushed for new weapons that can reach deep into Russia at the White House on Friday, but President Trump sounded cool to the idea after sounding like it was at the White House on Friday. Trump, who had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, said he'd prefer the war sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine just end, per the New York Times . Trump left for Florida after their meeting, but Zelensky took questions from reporters. Acknowledging the lack of headway on obtaining the long-range missiles, per the BBC , Zelensky said: "This is the position of the Americans for today but nobody cancelled this topic. We have to work on it more."

An adviser to Putin said Friday that Trump was warned in their call that providing the missiles to Ukraine would damage US relations with Russia without affecting the war, per the Washington Post. "I would much rather have them not need Tomahawks. I would much rather have the war be over," Trump said at midday during Zelensky's visit. "We want Tomahawks also. We don't want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country." Trump has a meeting planned with Putin, and he said Zelensky probably would not be invited, per the AP.

As a reason, Trump said there's "bad blood" between Putin and Zelensky. "These two leaders do not like each other and we want to make it comfortable for everybody." Asked after the meeting whether he hates Putin, Zelensky said the Russian president wants to kill his people, per the BBC. "It's not about feelings ... they attacked usand it's the enemy ... certainly, we hate the enemy," he said, speaking in Ukrainian.
Students at a school in Cambodia in 2018. Photo by the UNICEF

The Cambodian government has launched two nationwide campaigns aimed at ensuring that all children have access to education, as the 20252026 academic year is set to begin in November.

The campaigns, titled "Caring Parents, Smart Kids" and "Your Choice, Your Future," seek to provide every child, from early childhood to adolescence, with the opportunity to receive inclusive and quality education.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron said the campaigns aim to strengthen early childhood care and development, promote inclusive learning, and address the factors that lead children to leave school prematurely.

In 2023, there were approximately 3 million school-age children in Cambodia.

Out of these 3 million, around 300,000 children and adolescents were out of school.

By 2024, dropout rates remained stubbornly high, with 15.5% of students leaving school at the lower secondary level.
TOKYO, Oct 17 (News On Japan) - A rapidly growing data science program at the University of Tokyo is attracting an unusually wide range of participants, with junior high and high school students studying alongside university students and working adults.

The course, known as GCI, is offered nationwide online and free of charge for students, eliminating barriers even for complete beginners and fueling a surge of interest from across Japan and abroad.

At a recent completion ceremony, organizers reported 10,579 total enrollees and 1,490 graduates, highlighting the programs rigorous nature with a 14% completion rate. I thought I might fail the final assignment, but I managed to finish, said a second-year junior high school student with little programming experience. GCI is held twice a year, with the next session starting in mid-October, and its popularity has gone global, drawing 7,700 applicants from 32 countries and 430 universities for the English-language version.

To explore why the course is so compelling, GCI instructor and AI startup researcher Masayuki Sera walked through its approach, from fundamentals to practical applications. Sera works at Twins, a company spun out of the universitys AI lab, and applies data science to real business problems. The work is wide-ranging, he said. For a telecom company, for example, we might predict whether customers are likely to cancel their contracts and then suggest changes to their plans. We also assess whether current strategies are effective and adjust them if necessary.

The programs curriculum follows a structured process: explore and clean data, build models, evaluate results, and iterate. A signature assignment involves the Home Credit Default Risk challenge, where students predict whether customers will default on loans based on tabular data such as income, family size, and loan type. The training dataset includes about 170,000 rows and 51 columns, while the test set has around 60,000 rows and 50 columns, with the default labels hidden.

Exploratory data analysis (EDA) is emphasized early on, teaching students to identify missing values, outliers, and skewed distributions. In one example, missing entries in household size and product price had to be filled before modeling. Students also learn how class imbalance92% repay their loans while 8% defaultcan distort results and why metrics like AUC are better than raw accuracy. Visualization reveals useful patterns: income distributions become more interpretable after log transformations, and certain features, like education level and loan type, strongly correlate with default rates.

Before modeling, text categories must be encoded as numbers and missing values filled. Although one-hot encoding is generally safer, GCI demonstrates label encoding for simplicity with tree-based models. A basic random forest model trained on a 70/30 split achieves an AUC of around 0.65not exceptional but proof the features contain predictive power, Sera noted.

Students then learn how to improve performance through feature engineering, such as creating new variables like the ratio of loan amount to income (repayment burden) or product price to loan amount (self-financing ratio). These changes can nudge AUC scores upwardsometimes by just 0.5 percentage points, a difference that can significantly impact leaderboard rankings. Other techniques include comparing individual loan amounts to group averages, trying different encoding or imputation strategies, tuning hyperparameters, or even switching algorithms. This iterative cyclehypothesizing, testing, and refiningis where many learners find themselves hooked.

What keeps even teenagers engaged, instructors say, is the immediate feedback and sense of discovery. With only a few lines of Python, beginners can build a competitive model, and a single visualization can reshape their understanding of the data. You dont need to master every algorithm to start, said Sera. What matters is rigorous analysis, thoughtful feature design, and relentless iteration.

GCIs success reflects a broader trend: data science has become the gateway to artificial intelligence. By grounding learners in core skillspredictive modeling, fair evaluation, and careful data preparationthe course demystifies AI and builds practical foundations. For companies, the message is similar: rather than chasing buzzwords, start by examining existing data, asking the right questions, and letting evidence guide strategy.

Source: BIZ
TOKYO, Oct 17 (News On Japan) - Former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, who served as Japan's 81st prime minister and led the country through major events including the 1995 Kobe earthquake, passed away on the morning of July 14th at a hospital in Oita City. He was 101 years old.

Murayama, known for his trademark bushy eyebrows and affectionately nicknamed "Ton-chan," was born in Oita City in 1924 and first elected to the House of Representatives in 1972 as a member of the then-Japan Socialist Party. In 1994, he became prime minister through an unprecedented coalition formed by the Liberal Democratic Party, the Japan Socialist Party, and New Party Sakigake  a political realignment that stunned the nation.

"Because this is a cabinet led by the Socialist Party, I imagine there is considerable anxiety both domestically and internationally," Murayama said at the time.

During his tenure, Murayama faced some of Japans most significant postwar crises, including the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995 and the deadly Tokyo subway sarin gas attack by the Aum Shinrikyo cult. He is widely remembered for issuing the landmark "Murayama Statement" in 1995 to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, in which he expressed deep remorse and offered a heartfelt apology for Japans wartime aggression.

"Our country, through a mistaken national policy, caused tremendous damage and suffering to many countries, especially to the people of Asia, through colonial rule and aggression," Murayama declared. The statement became a cornerstone of Japans postwar diplomacy and remains one of the defining moments of his administration.

Murayama also played a pivotal role in the enactment of the Atomic Bomb Survivors Support Law, reinforcing his legacy as a politician devoted to peace and social welfare. Known for his approachable personality, he inspired merchandise featuring his likeness and was affectionately called "Ton-chan" by supporters and colleagues alike.

In January 1996, however, Murayama unexpectedly announced his resignation, saying he had decided to step down "after seeing the New Years blue sky." Roughly four years later, he retired from politics altogether but continued to make his voice heard, joining protests against national security legislation even in his later years.

When interviewed by FNN in 2024, shortly before his 100th birthday, Murayama said he never missed his daily walks. Reflecting on his life, he remarked, "I never imagined I would become prime minister. Looking back, my life has been shaped by chance encounters."

News of his death prompted extra editions of local newspapers in his hometown of Oita. A person who was by his side in his final moments said, "His condition suddenly worsened around 10 a.m., and he passed away peacefully."

On the streets, residents expressed sorrow. "Its so sad. He felt like a kind grandfather," one said.

Tributes also poured in from the political world. Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima said, "Whenever Ton-chan told me to hang in there, it gave me strength. I feel an overwhelming sense of loss."

Constitutional Democratic Party leader Katsuya Okada described Murayamas government as "the most surprising administration Ive experienced as a politician," adding, "I had deep respect for him as a senior prime minister."

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba also expressed his condolences, saying, "I am deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden news of his passing."

Source: FNN
Historic contribution powers Campfire Circle's expanded mission to bring year-round programs to all children with serious illness across Ontario.

TORONTO, Oct. 17, 2025 /CNW/ - Philanthropist Emmanuelle Gattuso has made a milestone $20 million donation to Campfire Circle , a charity that delivers year-round, play-based programs to children with serious illness. Her gift will fuel the charity's bold vision to grow from serving 3,000 kids a year to 10,000 by 2030, by expanding their in-hospital programming and building a new medical camp in Prince Edward County.

With her $20 million gift to Campfire Circle, Emmanuelle Gattuso is helping expand their in-hospital programs across Ontario and build a new medically supported overnight camp in Prince Edward County. (CNW Group/Campfire Circle)

Emmanuelle Gattuso is one of Toronto's most dedicated philanthropists, known for her longstanding commitment to improving health outcomes for underrepresented groups through her charitable organization, La Fondation Emmanuelle Gattuso.

Gattuso hopes that her gift will inspire more people to support Campfire Circle. Driven by her belief that every child deserves the chance to experience the simple joys of being a kid, she sees Campfire Circle as the place that makes that possible. Her $20 million donation will fuel innovation and create lasting impact.

"Camp gives kids the freedom to just be kids again," said Emmanuelle Gattuso. "With this gift, I want to make sure thousands more children can discover joy, adventure and connection, no matter what illness they're facing."

Campfire Circle (formerly known as Camp Ooch and Camp Trillium) is expanding its mission from serving kids with cancer to include more children with serious illnesses, such as heart disease, sickle cell disease, blood disorders, and organ failure and transplants. Currently, more than 40,000 children in Ontario live with life-impacting conditions that limit their opportunities to socialize, play and build skills.

The demand has never been greater  Campfire Circle's two existing overnight camps in Muskoka and Waterford have reached full capacity. Expanding Campfire Circle's mission is essential to ensuring these children do not miss out on the formative experiences that shape confidence, resilience and lifelong connections.

"When a child is diagnosed with a serious illness, so much of their childhood is put on pause," said Alex Robertson, CEO of Campfire Circle. "This extraordinary gift will help us expand our programs so more children can access critical play-based programs that were once out of reach."

In addition to year-round medically supported camp programs, Campfire Circle is the official play provider for Ontario's paediatric hospitals, meeting children at SickKids, McMaster Children's, London Children's Hospital, and CHEO in Ottawa. Free for families, these programs build confidence, resilience, and connection among kids who share a similar journey.

To learn more or to support, visit CampfireCircle.org .

About Campfire Circle

Since 1983, Campfire Circle (formerly Camp Ooch & Camp Trillium) has brought healing through happiness to kids with cancer or serious illness and their families. Through our in-hospital, community, and overnight camp programs, we create opportunities for children to build friendships and social skills, develop self-confidence and resiliency, and improve their overall well-being. By providing play-based experiences, we empower kids to take back their childhood, regardless of their medical diagnosis. Visit www.campfirecircle.org for more information or join our online community on Facebook , Instagram or LinkedIn .

SOURCE Campfire Circle

MEDIA CONTACTS: John McAlister, VP, Marketing & Communications, Campfire Circle, 647-286-7675, [email protected]; Kate Daley, Associate Director, Communications, Campfire Circle, 647-299-7639, [email protected]
OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 17, 2025 /CNW/ - Planning a trip abroad? Whether it's a big backpacking trip around the world or a quick vacation, a little money smarts can go a long way in keeping your cash and cards safe while you're away from home.

Watch out for scams before you go

Thinking ahead about how youll access, carry and spend money is an important part of safe travel (CNW Group/Global Affairs Canada)

Be careful with deals online that look too good to be true, especially for places to stay and tours. Stick to well-known websites, double-check contact information and avoid sending money through wire transfers or e-transfers to people you don't know. Find out more on how to protect yourself against Overseas fraud.

Bring a mix of payment options

Before you go, check the Laws and culture section of the Travel Advice and Advisories page for your destination to find out the local currency and whether the banking situation is different from what you're used to in Canada. If there are differences, you'll find useful information such as whether international credit and debit cards are widely accepted and the availability of ATMs (especially in rural areas). In the Safety and security section, you'll find out if there's a risk of card or ATM fraud.

Once you're there, don't rely on just 1 way to pay. Depending on your destination, credit cards may be widely accepted--or barely used. In some places, cash may be the only option, even for larger expenses. Bring a credit card if possible and carry some local cash for purchases where cards aren't accepted. Avoid carrying too much cash at once and use a hotel safe if available.

Be careful at ATMs and when paying

Use ATMs only in busy, well-lit places like banks or your hotel lobby. Watch out for card readers with irregular or unusual features that could be skimming your card information, and cover the keypad when entering your PIN. Always keep an eye on your card when paying and review your credit and debit card statements regularly during your trip and for several months after you return home. If you notice a charge you didn't make, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada's page on resolving an unauthorized transaction has clear steps you can follow to help fix the problem.

Tell your bank you're travelling

Let your bank and credit card company know your travel plans ahead of time so your card doesn't get unexpectedly frozen for "unusual" activity.

Know where to turn for help

If your wallet goes missing or your cards aren't working, reach out to the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate. They can help you figure out your options and get emergency assistance if needed. More information on how the Government of Canada can help is also available on its Financial assistance page and in the Canadian Consular Services Charter.

With a bit of planning and awareness, you'll keep your finances secure--and enjoy your trip with peace of mind. For more info, visit Travelling and money.

SOURCE Global Affairs Canada
A roundup of the most newsworthy press releases from Cision Distribution this week

TORONTO, Oct. 17, 2025 /CNW/ - With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on Cision. To help journalists and consumers stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a recap of some major stories from the week that shouldn't be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

Cision Canada - The Weekly Round-Up

Read more of the latest releases from Cision, see our resources for journalists, and stay caught up on the top press releases by following @cnwnews.

About Cision Canada

Cision is a comprehensive communications platform enabling more than 100,000 public relations and marketing professionals around the world to understand, influence and amplify their stories. As the market leader, Cision enables the next generation of communication professionals to strategically operate in the modern media landscape where company success is directly impacted by public opinion. Cision has offices in 24 countries through the Americas, EMEA and APAC, and offers a suite of best-in-class solutions, including Newswire, Brandwatch, Cision Communications Cloud and Cision Insights. To learn more, visit www.cision.ca and follow @CisionCA on Twitter.

SOURCE Cision Canada

For questions, contact the team at [email protected].
SpaceX had three Falcon 9 launches in the last three days. They have had 130 launches in 2025 and are on track for about 170 launches in 2025.

October 14, Project Kuiper KF-03 Mission. A Falcon 9 launched Amazons Project Kuiper satellites from Floridas SLC-40, with successful deployment confirmed and the first stage landing on a droneship.

October 15, SDA Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL-C)  Delayed one day due to weather, a Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, deploying 21 satellites for the U.S. Space Development Agencys proliferated warfighter space architecture (PWSA). The first stage landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship; Lockheed Martin thanked SpaceX for the ride.

October 16, Starlink Group 10-17  A Falcon 9 launched 28 Starlink satellites from Floridas SLC-40 in a predawn liftoff, marking the rockets 500th successful first-stage landing. Deployment was confirmed shortly after.
A man visits the Reading China booth at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 15, 2025. The world's largest book fair, the Frankfurt Book Fair, opened here on Tuesday with a focus on licensing and rights exchange. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu)

The Chinese and English editions of Medical Human Experiments Conducted by Imperial Japanese Army for Biological Warfare in China (1932-1945) were launched during the Frankfurt Book Fair.

FRANKFURT, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- A book by a German population health researcher has debuted in Frankfurt on Wednesday. It exposes the history of medical human experiments conducted by Japanese biological warfare units in China during World War II.

The launch event for the book, Medical Human Experiments Conducted by Imperial Japanese Army for Biological Warfare in China (1932-1945) (Chinese and English editions), was held during the Frankfurt Book Fair.

The author, Till Baernighausen, professor and director of the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, has since 1992 examined and analyzed historical documents from Japan, the United States, Germany, and other nations through a neutral academic lens, recounting the history of human experiments conducted by the Japanese during the war.

Japan's bacteriological weapons research was appalling, and its human experimentation and biological warfare programs in China represent an important yet long-neglected and poorly understood chapter, Baernighausen told Xinhua at the launch event.

People visit the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Sept. 18, 2025. People across China on Thursday commemorated the 94th anniversary of the September 18 Incident that marked the start of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. (Photo by Du Yi/Xinhua)

"It's an important chapter in medical research history within a context of war and the context of fascism, that is not very well known, not deeply understood," Baernighausen said, adding that the book will "make a contribution to providing a deep historical analysis of some of the most gruesome and human rights abusing medical human experiments that have taking place in the history of medicine."

"This dark chapter stands in complete opposition to medical ethics. It is not only a historical tragedy but also a challenge to the very foundations of human conscience and civilization," he said.

As a medical student, Baernighausen took a year off to learn Chinese in Beijing and later in Nanjing in 1992. He visited the former site of the headquarters of Unit 731, a Japanese germ warfare unit during World War II, in Harbin, northeast China.

"I'm surprised that I've never heard about this chapter. The experiments by the Japanese imperial army in an offensive biological warfare program on Chinese prisoners of war. So I start doing research," he recalled.

Baernighausen expects his book to help provide a deep historical analysis of these abuses and strengthen global society's commitment to ethical conduct in scientific research, particularly medical research, ensuring such inhumane experiments never recur.

People visit the Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu)

Editor: WXY
A Long March-8A carrier rocket carrying the 12th group of low-orbit internet satellites blasts off from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 16, 2025. The rocket lifted off at 9:33 a.m. Thursday. It successfully placed the payloads into preset orbit. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- China's Long March rocket series achieved its 600th space launch on Thursday, with a Long March-8A successfully deploying internet satellites into orbit.

Serving as China's backbone launch vehicles, the Long March rockets have delivered nearly 1,400 spacecraft into orbits and conducted over 86 percent of the country's space launch missions to date, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, China's major space contractor.

"These rockets have provided solid support for the implementation of major aerospace projects, such as China's manned spaceflights, BeiDou navigation and deep space exploration," it said in a press release.

Among the 24 rocket variants developed since the maiden flight of the Long March-1 rocket, 11 are classified as new-generation launch vehicles. In the most recent 100 missions, new-generation rockets have accounted for 40 percent, emerging as an important force supporting the country's high-density launches.

The company also noted that the Long March rocket series has been actively adapting to market demands, with the share of commercial launches steadily rising. Its payloads span multiple fields, including communications, remote sensing and navigation.

The Long March-8A rocket, in particular, is known for its cost-effectiveness and high adaptability, having successfully undertaken multiple satellite internet constellation deployment missions.

Long Lehao, a renowned rocket expert and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that the Long March series will continue to develop toward greater payload capacity, faster operational responsiveness, higher reliability and reduced cost.

He disclosed the progress of several launch vehicle programs, noting that the new-generation crewed Long March-10 rocket, designed for China's lunar landing mission by 2030, has achieved significant advances in key ground tests. Additionally, the heavy-lift launch vehicle, currently in the planning phase, is expected to further enhance the country's capability for space access.

A Long March-8A carrier rocket carrying the 12th group of low-orbit internet satellites blasts off from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 16, 2025. The rocket lifted off at 9:33 a.m. Thursday. It successfully placed the payloads into preset orbit. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

A Long March-8A carrier rocket carrying the 12th group of low-orbit internet satellites blasts off from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 16, 2025. The rocket lifted off at 9:33 a.m. Thursday. It successfully placed the payloads into preset orbit. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Editor: Xiong Jian
Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met in Washington with representatives of the Patriot system manufacturer - the defense company Raytheon, the official web portal of the head of state reports.

"We discussed the production capabilities of Raytheon, possible ways of our cooperation to strengthen air defense and increase the long-range capabilities of Ukraine, and the prospects for Ukrainian-American production. There are solutions that can strengthen the protection of life in Ukraine. We are working at all levels to ensure their implementation," the said on Telegram.

Zelenskyy briefed his interlocutors on current situation in Ukraine, in particular, that Russia is not achieving any of its goals, which is why it is intensifying strikes on civilian infrastructure and people, in particular. The president said Russia is hitting the energy system, using more than 500 drones and dozens of missiles per day.

Raytheon representatives expressed their condolences to Ukrainians who lost their relatives and loved ones due to Russian strikes, and assured their readiness to support Ukraine.
Feature: Conservation efforts deliver greater harmony between people, elephants in SW China

Xinhua) 15:04, October 17, 2025

KUNMING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- In the late afternoon, a drone lifted gently into the sky. On its screen, gray-black figures moved into view, while a train could be spotted in the distance traveling along the China-Laos Railway.

"It's about time for the elephants to wake up," said Peng Jinfu, a wild elephant monitor in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, as he skillfully operated the drone to track the herd. It was just another day on elephant watch.

Wild Asian elephants, a flagship species in the rainforest, are under first-class national protection in China and are designated as "endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Thanks to stronger environmental and wildlife protection efforts, their population in Yunnan, their main habitat in China, has grown to more than 300 currently from 140 in 1976.

Elephant monitors play an important role in maintaining harmony between people and wildlife, according to Zhou Chenhao, director of the Asian elephant protection and management center in Xishuangbanna. "They record the movement of elephants, which not only warns villagers of potential danger zones but also provides fundamental data for scientific research."

Every day, Peng tracked the elephants' movements and mapped safe travel zones for local residents. He also learned video editing and created warning videos that were shared on social media platforms.

"I used to track the herd on foot, but my telescope view was always blocked by the dense forest," he said. "Now, via drones, I can easily monitor several herds at the same time."

Today, Xishuangbanna has introduced various smart monitoring tools, such as electric fence, infrared cameras and intelligent broadcasting systems.

Since 2022, more than 35,000 warnings have been issued across the prefecture -- helping to avoid over 700 potential human-elephant conflicts.

Such technology is also advancing scientific research. "Infrared cameras help us to study elephant population, distribution and movement," said Chen Fei, director of the Asian elephant research center under the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

In the 1980s, Asian elephant habitats were severely fragmented and isolated. "At that time, efficient monitoring was difficult, let alone systematic protection," Chen said. "The turning point came with the establishment of 11 nature reserves and a 200,000-hectare protection zone along the China-Laos border, as well as the restoration of habitats."

"From rescue to protection, from focusing on a single species to preserving biodiversity -- we have not only gained a better understanding of Asian elephants but also developed wisdom for living in harmony with nature," Chen added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Zelenskyy: We expect from our meeting with Trump that momentum that succeeded in Middle East will help end Russia's war against Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made several statements after arriving in the United States. He published them on his official Telegram channel an hour after the plane landed.

Already in Washington. Today, I am having meetings with representatives of defense companies  producers of powerful weapons that can definitely strengthen our protection. In particular, we will discuss additional supplies of air defense systems. I will also meet today with representatives of American energy companies. Now, as Russia is betting on terror against our energy sector and carrying out daily strikes, we are working to ensure Ukraines resilience, Zelenskyy announced.

Tomorrow, a meeting with President Trump is scheduled  and we expect that the momentum of curbing terror and war that succeeded in the Middle East will help to end Russias war against Ukraine. Putin is certainly no braver than Hamas or any other terrorist. The language of strength and justice will inevitably work against Russia as well. We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks, Zelenskyy stated.
Mayor Ernie Troiano said he talked with Splash Zone owner Andy Weiner about turning the location at 3500 Boardwalk into a hotel.

A longtime Jersey Shore boardwalk waterpark has permanently closed and the future of the property in a prime location could include a major redevelopment project, officials said.

In a statement issued Saturday, Splash Zone in Wildwood owner Andy Weiner said, After 26 years of providing family fun and memories in Wildwood New Jersey, Splash Zone Waterpark will be closing its doors to make way for an exciting new phase of development on the property.

As we look to the future, were exploring how our property can continue to bring life and enjoyment to Wildwood  possibly through a new development such as a boutique hotel or luxury condominiums," Weiner said.

Mayor Ernie Troiano told NJ Advance Media he has talked with Weiner about turning the location at 3500 Boardwalk into a hotel.

Andy is good people and his familys been on the the boardwalk for over 100 years, Troiano said. He asked me what I thought. I said we are in dire need of hotel rooms.

The location is directly across the boardwalk from one of the amusement piers run by Moreys Piers and Beachfront Water Parks.

Troiano said the local economy thrives on tourism and more hotel rooms are needed.

The success of Wildwood has always been based on turnover, the mayor said. People come and they stay and they spend their money.

He said more people own homes in the resort than in previous years.

Instead of a hotel room, we have homes, he said. They are more stationary as opposed to transient.

Troiano said he suggested the hotel idea to Weiner.

I said, personally, Im looking at big high rise hotel and something that is on prime location location like that. There is nothing like it, he said.

Troiano is no stranger to hotels and motels. He credited his family with building half to three quarters of the motels in town.

But we dont build motels anymore, he said. They say the money isnt in it. I dont know if its necessarily true.

The mayor also said the boardwalk location would be perfect for a hotel.

I would love to rent a hotel room on the boardwalk and watch people walk up and down, he said. It would be like having a hotel room in Disneyland right at the park.

Troiano said he has spoken with developer Eustace Mita, the owner of the ICONA properties, a hotel brand.

Mita recently had a proposed hotel turned down in Ocean City. He also proposed a hotel recently in Cape May with similar results.

I told him (Mita) that he got shot down in Ocean City and shot down in Cape May, but Wildwoods got its arms open, Troiano said.

Mita could not be reached for comment.

Troiano credited Weiner with providing decades of family fun at the waterpark.

He said Ive worked my entire life and its time to retire, Troiano said. I told him his business has been a shining star on the boardwalk and he has been an excellent businessman. Wed like to see him prosper.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/OTU.DONETSK

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces recorded 178 combat clashes over the past 24 hours. This was reported on Telegram in an operational update on the Russian invasion as of 8:00 a.m. Friday.

"The enemy launched two missile strikes, 42 with missiles, and 100 airstrikes against Ukrainian units and populated areas, dropping 206 guided bombs. In addition, it carried out 4,553 attacks, 118 of which were from multiple launch rocket systems, and deployed 6,184 kamikaze drones," the General Staff reported.
Beloved French actress, singer, and model Brigitte Bardot was recently rushed to the hospital amid a battle with a serious illness. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) Getty Images

Beloved French entertainer Brigitte Bardot has been hospitalized amid a battle with a sickness.

The legendary actress, model and signer was brought to the hospital with a serious illness, according to French newspaper Var-Matin, via Reuters.

Bardot, 91, was recently rushed to a hospital in Toulon from her home in Saint-Tropez. What exactly caused the emergency transport has yet to be to confirmed.

The entertainer is currently recovering from an unspecified surgery in hospital although her condition is worrying, per the report.

Bardot grew famous in the 50s and 60s for starring in movies such as ...And God Created Woman (1956), The Truth (1960), Love on a Pillow (1962) and Contempt (1963).

The French starlet stepped away from acting just before she turned 40 in 1973. She went on to become an animal rights activist.

This is Bardots second health scare in recent history after she was hospitalized for respiratory issues in 2023.
Saturday Night Live just announced the next several hosts and musical guests for season 51.

After Sabrina Carpenter pulls double duty during the Saturday, Oct. 18, episode, SNL will take one week off. There will then be three new episodes in a row.

Miles Teller is set to host on Nov. 1 with musical guest Brandi Carlile, followed by Nikki Glaser and sombr on Nov. 8. Glen Powell will then host the Nov. 15 episode with musical guest Olivia Dean.

Teller, who is known for films including Divergent, Whiplash, and Top Gun: Maverick, previously hosted SNL in October 2022. He is currently promoting his upcoming film Eternity, which hits theaters on Nov. 14.

Carliles eighth studio album, Returning to Myself, is due out on Oct. 24. The Grammy winner has been the SNL musical guest three times before: in October 2021, in December 2022, and with Elton John in April 2025.

Glaser, meanwhile, will make her SNL hosting debut on Nov. 8. The standup comedians next special will premiere in 2026. Sombr, whose real name is Shane Boose, is also making his SNL debut. The 20-year-old released his debut album, I Barely Know Her, in August.

The Nov. 15 episode of SNL will be another night of debuts for first-time host Powell and first-time musical guest Dean. Fresh off the premiere of his Hulu series Chad Powers, Powell will be promoting the action thriller The Running Man, which hits theaters on Nov. 14. Dean released her sophomore album, The Art of Loving, in September.

READ MORE: SNL alum says she was fired with no cushion

Season 51 of SNL kicked off on Oct. 4 with host Bad Bunny and musical guest Doja Cat. Amy Poehler hosted the following week with musical guest Role Model.

Keep scrolling for the full SNL 51 schedule, so far:

Saturday Night Live season 51 schedule

Saturday, Oct. 4: Bad Bunny and Doja Cat

Saturday, Oct. 11: Amy Poehler and Role Model

Saturday, Oct. 18: Sabrina Carpenter

Saturday, Oct. 25: No new episode

Saturday, Nov. 1: Miles Teller and Brandi Carlile

Saturday, Nov. 8: Nikki Glaser and sombr

Saturday, Nov. 15: Glen Powell and Olivia Dean

Saturday Night Live airs on NBC on Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET. Past episodes are available to stream on Peacock.
A college employee accused of issuing fraudulent student refund checks, while pocketing more than $75,000 for herself, has pleaded guilty to forgery, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutors Office.

The 40-year-old employee worked at Rowan College of South Jersey when she used her position to issue the phony refunds from accounts at the college, the prosecutors office said.

She forged student names in order to cash the checks and deposited the money in her personal bank account, according to investigators.

The employee carried out the fraud scheme between February 2023 and March 2024, officials said.

She pleaded guilty Friday to a third-degree forgery charge, the prosecutors office said.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a 364-day jail sentence and a term of probation.

She will be required to pay restitution and forfeit her employment with the college. She will also be barred from future public employment in New Jersey.

Her sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 30, 2026.
Rep. Frank Pallone is blasting plans to relocate key services from Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch elsewhere.

UPDATE: N.J. hospital is not abandoning its current location, despite moving services, president says

One of New Jerseys largest academic medical centers is preparing to transfer most of the hospitals key services elsewhere, leaving locals with a shell of the current services, according to U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone.

Monmouth Medical Center, a 513-bed facility in Long Branch owned by RWJ Barnabas Health, plans to transfer its labor and delivery services, acute care in-patient beds, and the hospitals license to a new facility in Tinton Falls.

Pallone, D-6th Dist., said Friday he was aware of the plans because he was initially involved in a proposal to allow for a new hospital to be built in Tinton Falls, while keeping Long Branch a full-scale acute care hospital.

The congressman said that RWJ Barnabas originally accepted the plan but then changed it at the prompting of the Acting State Health Commissioner, and ultimately the Governor. It is their fault this is happening, but they have the power to stop it.

The office of Gov. Phil Murphy, a fellow Democrat, objected to Pallones characterization of the situation.

Congressman Pallone is entitled to his own views, but not his own facts. RWJBarnabas Health has submitted a complete application to the New Jersey Department of Health to relocate a current hospital license to a new facility in the nearby community of Tinton Falls, while ensuring continuity of Emergency Department and certain inpatient and outpatient services in Long Branch. The Department plans to continue its evaluation process over the next few weeks, said Maggie Garbarino, a spokeswoman for Murphy.

Pallone said the state health department deemed the hospitals application to transfer services complete the previous day, on Thursday.

But the plan doesnt go into effect immediately.

Pallone said the hospital system and the state health department must hold separate public hearings before a final decision is rendered within 120 days.

The New Jersey Department of Health did not immediately return a request for comment.
Gov. Phil Murphy delivers remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new womens correctional facility in Chesterfield, NJ on Oct. 15, 2025. Edwin Torres/Governor's Office

Gov. Phil Murphy and other officials broke ground this week on a new womens prison in Burlington County that will replace Edna Mahan Correctional Facility, the states only womens prison.

The new facility is being built after years of scandal at Edna Mahan, which has been investigated for abuse, neglect and decades of sexual violence.

The new facility in Chesterfield will hold up to 420 prisoners. State officials said the facility will include modern architecture and more units for specialized needs on a 33-acre parcel of existing New Jersey Department of Corrections property.

Pamela Boykin Jones, known as Pastor Pam, who volunteered at Edna Mahan for years, called the new prison a step in the right direction.

Standing here ... it feels deeply personal, she said.

In 2020, a U.S. Department of Justice investigation found Edna Mahan personnel failed to protect incarcerated women from a systemic pattern of physical and sexual abuse.

The prison made headlines again in 2021 after officers stormed cells, for what they called extractions, after claiming unknown substances were thrown at them. Prosecutors later alleged those officers and their superiors tried to cover up the brutality of the beatings with statements that clashed with video evidence.

Murphy acknowledged Edna Mahans troubling history during Wednesdays groundbreaking for the new prison.

For decades, Edna Mahan has stood as a shameful symbol of a deeply flawed status quo, the Democratic governor said.

Today were beginning a new chapter for criminal justice in New Jersey, Murphy added.

Following those scandals and reporting by NJ Advance Media, the Murphy administration vowed to close the prison. The facility began shutting down main facilities in 2021, and inmates were moved to a satellite location in Clinton. Then, the new prison was proposed in Chesterfield.

Victoria Kuhn, the states first female corrections commissioner, who was appointed by Murphy after the scandal, said progress has been made.

Kuhn said the Murphy administration set a goal to establish a culture of dignity and safety for the population at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility. This morning we gather to celebrate a very visible representation of that goal.

Some of the reforms included community feedback panels and oversight, expanded mental health resources, education programs for inmates and body cameras for staff, Kuhn said.

Myrna Diaz, who was incarcerated at Edna Mahan and had her sentence commuted by Murphy last year, said she feels hopeful about the changes.

Diaz was convicted as an accomplice in the 2006 murder and robbery of her boyfriend, Jose Cabrera of Newark. She argued unsuccessfully that she did not know the men who robbed Cabrera intended to harm him. Diaz was sentenced to 40 years in 2010 and served 14 years before Murphy commuted her sentence under the states new clemency program.

Murphy, who is in his final year as governor, has granted the most clemencies in state history.

Today we stand at the edge of something new, a moment where change meets opportunity and courage meets possibility, Diaz said.

The groundbreaking comes amid controversy. Indictments against more than a dozen people who worked at the now shuttered Edna Mahan who were accused of coordinating beatings were dismissed this month by a Hunterdon County judge.

The indictments were dismissed with prejudice, meaning the charges cannot be refiled.

The state attorney generals office has vowed to appeal.
Trump-themed Halloween decorations are displayed outside a home in Jackson, N.J. on Thursday, October 16, 2025. Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media

A homeowner in Jackson Township says hes getting death threats for his politically-themed Halloween decorations  with one person going as far as threatening to burn his house down.

The decorations adorning the house on Frank Applegate Road include a chain-linked fence, labeled Alligator Alcatraz.

The makeshift immigrant detention center was given the nickname by Trump officials for its remote location in the Florida Everglades. Humanitarian advocates have criticized the facility, which began housing detainees over summer, on claims of unsanitary conditions.

Some of the characters seen in the Alcatraz Halloween scene are wearing sombreros and are pictured hanging by their necks. In another part of the display, a vehicle labeled ICE appears to be running over a dummy and is surrounded by skeletons wearing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement uniforms. One is also meant to be Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Joe, the homeowner asked not to fully identify himself, said hes proudly expressed his support of the president by hanging Trump-themed flags and merchandise in his yard, which is viewable from the street.

Trump-themed Halloween decorations are displayed outside a home in Jackson, N.J. on Thursday, October 16, 2025. Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media

I love what hes (Trump) is doing for the country, Joe said. Hes for America.

In past holidays, Joe made a display depicting former President Joe Biden tripping on the stairs to Air Force One.

Dozens of people have driven by Joes home to see the decorations, which have gone viral on social media. Some enjoy them, while others shout expletives at the family passing by, Joe said. In the last two days, one woman confronted Joe and his family, prompting them to contact township police.

I think its ridiculous that theyre going out of proportion like this, said Joe.

So far, township officials have not received any formal complaints from other residents, newly sworn-in Mayor Jennifer Kuhn said, suggesting that some signs with profanity be removed or covered.

My thing was there are kids, and the profanity out in front...I think is a little bit much, but thats my personal opinion, said Kuhn, who recently took over as mayor after the townships long-time leader resigned.

Jackson Township police did not return a request for comment.

Trump-themed Halloween decorations are displayed outside a home in Jackson, N.J. on Thursday, October 16, 2025. Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media

Despite the disdain, the politically influenced decorations wont be taken down, Joe said.

Im actually going to add more, he said.

This years display appears to have gone viral after a woman driving by stopped to film, posting the video to TikTok. In it, Joe appears to be sitting outside as the woman, who is seen parking her car several feet from the home, shouts questions of, What do you do for a living? You think this is normal?

Joe invites anyone to stop by to observe his weeks worth of work, regardless of what public officials they support, he said.

Everybodys got their political differences, and were supposed to talk about it, Joe said. Thats what this country has lost.
Former President Barack Obama just publicly threw his support behind fellow Democrat Mikie Sherrill as New Jerseys nationally watched governors race barrels closer to Election Day.

Obama endorsed the congresswoman in a new ad that Sherrills campaign rolled out Friday morning, less than three weeks until the Nov. 4 election against Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli.

Hey, New Jersey, this is Barack Obama, the ex-president says at the start of the 30-second clip before praising Sherrills bio and record.

Mikie is a mom who will drive down costs for New Jersey families, he adds. As a federal prosecutor, and former Navy helicopter pilot, she worked to keep our communities safe. Mikies integrity, grit, and commitment to service are what we need right now in our leaders. Mikie Sherrill is the right choice for your next governor.

This comes as a flurry of new polls this week show Sherrill maintaining a single-digit lead over Ciattarelli, a former state Assemblyman who has the endorsement of the nations current president, Donald Trump.

Fairleigh Dickinson University has Sherrill up by 7 percentage points, Quinnipiac University 6 points, Fox News 5 points, and InsiderAdvantage 1 point. But each survey find the contest has been tightening.

Its one of only two governors races in the country, along with Virginia, and its seen as an early referendum on Trumps second term. The winner will succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.

Obama on Friday also endorsed the Democratic nominee in Virginiaa election, former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger.

Sherrill, a four-term member of the U.S. House, thanked Obama for his support in a statement.

This November, we have an opportunity to chart a different path forward  to reject the chaos in Washington and lower costs in New Jersey  and Im so grateful to have President Obamas support and endorsement in this race, she said. President Obama led historic efforts to lower healthcare costs and, now, Jack Ciattarelli is all in on Trumps plans to raise premiums and kick hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans off their healthcare. Theres so much at stake in this election.

Obama  who won New Jersey twice  previously boosted Sherrill privately, appearing at a fundraiser at Murphys Middletown home in July that raised $1.5 million for the Democratic National Committee.

Sherrills campaign said it will also use Obamas endorsement in both radio and digital ads.

Ciattarelli has yet to respond to the endorsement Friday morning. He touted his alliance with Trump in an interview with Fox News this week, saying: Theres obviously a whole lot of people across the state of New Jersey that are pleased with the job the presidents doing.

Trump and his allies will pour resources into the race in its final weeks to boost Ciattarelli, including the president holding telephone rallies, Axios reported Wednesday. But Trump is not expected to appear in person in the state.

Obama and Trump are the biggest of several national political figures wading into the races homestretch.

Sherrill campaigned last weekend alongside former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton headlined a fundraiser for Sherrill in New York City this week. And Sherrill will be joined this weekend by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in Paramus and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore in Newark.

Ciattarelli appeared last weekend in Montvale with U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler of New York and Wednesday in Saddle Brook with Vivek Ramaswamy, the former presidential candidate, DOGE leader, and current Ohio governor contender. Ciattarelli also scored the endorsement of former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean.
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) AP

President Donald Trump is facing mockery online after he expanded on his repeated claim about ending several wars.

During a press conference on Thursday, Trump discussed his recent productive phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, after he announced that he and the Russian leader will meet in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss how to bring an end to the over three-year war in Ukraine. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said earlier that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other High Level Advisors will first meet next week to discuss a summit.

It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to visit Trump at the White House on Friday. Zelenskyy is expected to ask for more long-range weapons to capable of striking deeper inside Russia.

Thats all Ive done my whole life. Ive made deals. I know about deals, I do it well, Trump told reporters.

He continued: I dont think any president has ever ended a war, frankly. One war.

Trump went on to say that he has stopped eight wars since he began his second term  a figure that has been debunked several times.

Did Bush ever end...? Do you think Biden ended a war? Biden started wars, cause he was stupid, Trump claimed. But, do you think Biden ended any wars? No. I dont know of anybody that ended wars.

Trump added that Ive ended eight of them, and its going to be nine, referring to Russia and Ukraine, before noting that he will probably be meeting with Putin over the next two weeks.

Several social media users immediately pointed out that Trump had appeared to forget about Woodrow Wilson and Harry Truman, among other former presidents, who ended wars during their time in office.

One popular X account joked: I feel like we are all living in a giant mental hospital with him.

This is such a funny and insane thing to say, another user said.

Someone else wrote, Yeah, well, since we are just saying s--- now, I ended nine.

ABCs Jimmy Kimmel also poked fun about his remarks during his late-night show Thursday night: No president, nobody, has ever ended a war other than him. All the other wars ended mysteriously, by themselves... and that kids is why its so important to never learn anything. It damages your self esteem.

Liberal influencer JoJoFromJerz asked, How long before he says he invented gravity.

While speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump repeated his argument: To the best of my knowledge, weve never had a president that solved one war. Not one war... a lot of them start the wars, but they dont solve the wars. They dont settle them.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., addresses reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) AP

Congressional GOP leaders are intensifying their attacks on the eve of No Kings protests, which are set to take place in all 50 states.

Around 2,500 demonstrations are set to take place on Saturday, as organizers describe their movement as rejecting President Donald Trumps authoritarian power grabs. It will mark the second round of protests against the president and his policies since June  after rallies coincided with his 79th birthday and his large military parade for the Armys 250th anniversary.

According to MeidasTouch, a progressive outlet, organizers say that registrations have more than doubled since Republican lawmakers have upped their criticism against the planned protests over the course of the last week. They also told NPR that they are expecting millions to turn out, after estimating that 5 million people participated over the summer.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson has continued to take pointed jabs at Democratic leaders on Friday. While taking questions from reporters, Johnson described one of the rallies, which is scheduled in Washington, D.C., as a big party on the National Mall.

We refer to it by its more accurate description: the hate America rally, Johnson said. Im not sure how anybody could refute that.

Johnson went on to say that Marxists, socialists, antifa advocates, anarchists and the pro-Hamas wing of the far-left Democrat Party will be in attendance.

That is the modern Democratic Party  thats where theyve gone, Johnson said. The Hate America Rally is the common theme among all those groups.

While arguing that the Republican Party fights to maximize your liberty, Johnson said that Americans have every right to exercise their First Amendment freedoms.

But tomorrow, this rally is not about freedom, Johnson said. Its about the opposite.

He added: For many of our Democrat colleagues, tomorrow is about creating, really, a spectacle. Thats what they have been doing here every day of the shutdown with their little TikTok videos and their publicity stunts.

Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), the chair of the House Republican Conference, later said that mobs of radicals will be participating.

These are the same activists who pressure Democrats to keep our government closed, to hurt you, to divide us and to push their far-left agenda, McClain said. So when you see those images, remember this: this is who Democrats are fighting for.

In recent weeks, Republicans have also tied the upcoming rallies to the government shutdown, which entered its 17th day on Friday. Johnson previously suggested that Democrats will not come to a deal on spending until the protest in the nations capital occurs.

Theyre all coming out, Johnson said during an interview with Fox News on Friday. Some of the House Democrats are selling t-shirts for the event. And its being told to us that they wont be able to reopen the government until after that rally because they cant face their rabid base.

Trump also weighed in during an interview clip aired on Fox Business on Friday.

I mean, some people say they want to delay it for that, he told Sunday Morning Futures anchor Maria Bartiromo of the government shutdown. A king... this is not a king. You know, theyre saying, theyre referring to me as a king. Im not a king.

According to the No Kings website, protesters are gathering again to demonstrate that America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people.

The president thinks his rule is absolute, the website reads. But in America, we dont have kings and we wont back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty.

There are protests planned in major cities, including New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles, the website says, where tensions have increased over Trumps increased immigration crackdown.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event in the Oval Office at the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell) AP

President Donald Trumps approval rating on the Israel-Hamas war has skyrocketed, according to the latest Emerson College poll.

The poll, released Friday, showed a 17 percentage-point increase for approval of Trumps handling of the Israel-Hamas war since April. The poll comes days after Trump traveled to the Middle East to celebrate a U.S.-brokered peace deal between Israel and militant group Hamas after more than two years of fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Trump had a 47% approval rating on his handling of the war in October, compared to 30% in April. His disapproval rating also dropped, with 34% disapproving in October compared to the 46% in April.

Republicans generally approve of Trumps handling of the war between Israel and Hamas at 80% to 7%, while Democrats disapprove 57% to 19%, Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said in a press release. The shift in overall approval comes from independents, who approve 43% to 38%; in April, independents disapproved 43% to 25%.

Kimball noted that despite the shift on Trumps handling of the conflict, his overall approval rating remains stable. The poll found that 45% of voters approved of how Trump is handling his job, while 48% disapproved.

While voters attitudes on Trumps handling of the war between Israel and Hamas have shifted, it doesnt appear to have impacted his overall job approval. Instead, the presidents disapproval increased by a point since August.

NATIONAL POLL



Trump Approval



45% approve

48% disapprove



Approval of Trump handling of:



Israel-Hamas war

47% approve

34% disapprove



Russia-Ukraine war

30% approve

50% disapprove



The economy

37% approve

52% disapprovehttps://t.co/4acg5w4DMZ pic.twitter.com/Zyy1M4GmhU  Emerson College Polling (@EmersonPolling) October 17, 2025

The poll also asked voters whether Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the Israel-Hamas war. More than half, 54%, said Trump does not deserve the award despite his allies nominating him for the prize.

The poll also showed half of voters disapproved of Trumps handling of the Russia-Ukraine war, with 30% approving and 20% saying they were neutral.

Voters are also still pessimistic about the economy, the poll showed. Just 37% approved of Trumps handling of the economy while 52% disapproved. Forty percent of voters said their household finances are worse from a year ago, while 30% said they were the same and 30% said they were better off.

Majorities of voters under 30 and in their 40s say they are worse off financially than a year ago, and these groups are most likely to name the economy as the top issue facing the country. Voters over 70 are more concerned about threats to democracy, at 39%, than any other age group, Kimball said.

The poll was conducted among 1,000 registered voters Oct. 13-14. It has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
On Friday night, the Ukrainian Defense Forces neutralized 35 of the 70 drones that attacked Ukraine. Thirty-one strike UAVs were hit at 10 locations, and the crashes of downed UAVs (debris) were recorded at two locations, the Ukrainian Air Force press service reported.

"On the night of October 17 (from 8:00 p.m. on October 16), the enemy attacked with 70 shaheds, Gerberas, and other types of attack UAVs from the following directions: Millerovo, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk (Russia), Chauda (TOT Crimea), about 50 of which were shaheds," the Telegram message says.

The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units, unmanned aerial systems, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

According to preliminary data, as of 9:00 a.m., air defense forces have shot down or suppressed 35 enemy shaheds, Gerberas, and other types of UAVs in the north and east of the country. Thirty-one attack UAVs were hit at 10 locations, and downed UAVs (wreckage) were found at two locations.

The attack is reportedly ongoing, with several enemy UAVs in the airspace.

As reported, on the night of October 16, the Defense Forces neutralized 288 enemy targets out of 357 that attacked Ukraine. Direct hits were recorded at 14 locations: 14 missiles and 37 attack UAVs, according to the Ukrainian Air Force press service. The main areas of the attack are Poltava and Kharkiv regions.
President Donald Trump speaks before a lunch with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) AP

President Donald Trump used some coarse language Friday when asked about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros appeals for peace with the United States.

He has offered everything, Trump said. You know why? Because he doesnt want to f--- around with the United States.

President Trump on Venezuela's Maduro: "He's offered everything. You know why? Because he doesn't want to fuck around with the United States." pic.twitter.com/aYNLaHrvYi  CSPAN (@cspan) October 17, 2025

Tensions remain high between Trump and Maduro as the U.S. conducts deadly military strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. In another escalation earlier this week, the president announced he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations within Venezuela.

I authorized for two reasons really, number one they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America, they came in through the border, Trump said Wednesday. A lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of drugs come in through the sea, but were going to stop them by land also.

Venezuela has reportedly attempted to placate Trump and stop the military strikes by offering the U.S. access to its rich reserves of oil, natural gas and gold.

High-ranking Venezuelan officials recently approached U.S. intermediaries to propose opening the countrys natural resources to American companies and creating a transition in which Maduro would eventually step down, according to a report from the Miami Herald.

A bipartisan group of senators  Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) are pushing for a vote on a war powers resolution aimed at blocking the use of U.S. military force in or against Venezuela. They contend that the White House has not presented sufficient evidence to justify the strikes, asserting they are illegal and unconstitutional.

The American people do not want to be dragged into endless war with Venezuela without public debate or a vote. We ought to defend what the Constitution demands: deliberation before war, Paul said in a statement.
President Donald Trump greets Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto during a summit to support ending the more than two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza after a breakthrough ceasefire deal, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool) AP

CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins questioned Eric Trump about an exchange between his father and another world leader picked up by a hot mic at the Gaza summit.

During their interview on The Source" Thursday, CNN aired Reuters video clip of a brief conversation between President Donald Trump and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the Gaza summit in Egypt. The two appeared to be talking business as Subianto asked Donald Trump to meet his son Eric, who is the executive vice president of the Trump Organization.

Can I meet Eric? Subianto asked.

Ill have Eric call, Donald Trump responded. Should I do that? Hes such a good boy. Ill have Eric call.

The two leaders also discussed looking for a better place, though it was unclear what they were referring to. The Trump Organization has two major projects in Indonesia, one located in Bali and the other in Lido.

A live microphone captured Indonesian President Prabowo asking Donald Trump if he could meet his son Eric, an executive vice president of the Trump Organization.



'I'll have Eric call. Should I do that? He's such a good boy,' Trump said https://t.co/RKPjoD1cKi pic.twitter.com/SEtTKMaVMj  Reuters (@Reuters) October 14, 2025

After the clip ended, Eric Trump said he was glad the president acknowledges Im a good boy; I am a good boy.

Eric Trump said he has not yet met or spoken with Subianto but was honored that the Indonesian president requested a call.

Theyre probably two of the most consequential real estate projects in the region that started before my fathers first presidency, Eric Trump told Collins Thursday. So Im honored that he knows about it. Ive never met the president of Indonesia, but it doesnt surprise me given the magnitude and prominence of those projects that he knows what Im doing over there.

White House officials have said the presidents assets are held in a family-controlled trust and that he will have no role in the familys business activities while in office. Eric and Donald Trump Jr. currently oversee the day-to-day operations, according to the organization.

I think theres a huge wall, Eric Trump said. Theres so much of a wall that the guys never met me. The guy asked to meet me because he has never met me. I think that indicates theres a pretty damn big wall right there.
The stone portion, on the left of the house, is the original home, built in 1736. Wiebke Martens

The Inn at Glencairn, an award-winning bed and breakfast in Lawrenceville, is for sale.

The home dates back to the late 1600s and was used as a private residence until 20 years ago, when it was converted into a bed and breakfast with five ensuite rooms and a one-bedroom innkeepers suite.

Its a rare opportunity to own a well-restored historic house within the Princeton area, said Grant Wagner, the listing agent along with David M. Schure, both of Sothebys International Realty.

The three-story home on 2.3 acres is listed for sale for $1.95 million.

The homes foundation dates back to 1697 when the Opdykes, a Dutch family from New York, settled on the property. The stone portion of the home was built in 1736. It was sold to Daniel Hunt, who added the Georgian-style center hall portion. The home is believed to be one of the three oldest in Lawrenceville.

It remained in the Hunt family until 1953, according to Old Lawrenceville Early Houses and People by Donald H. Taylor.

It was purchased by the current owner in 2005 and, with the help of Ford3 Architects, was converted into a bed and breakfast, which was recognized in Conde Nasts Readers Choice list of the Top 10 Hotels in the Mid-Atlantic in 2020 and 2022, and Conde Nasts Readers Choice Top 30 Hotels in the Northeast in 2021.

Its a popular place to stay for people visiting Princeton, Princeton University and for business travelers who prefer it to a traditional hotel, the agents said.

The home is located on Route 206, close to routes 295 and 1 and about 3 miles from Princeton University.

Its a wonderful visual landmark. It sits on a rise, back from the road, Schure said. And its an interesting looking house, with bright paint colors. That whole road there, you get the feeling of being part of history.

You enter the home into a grand front hall with wood chair rail molding and varying width pine floors.

Its a glorious arrival space, Schure said.

The showpiece of the home is a more than 8-foot wide fireplace in the great room, which is part of the original stone portion of the house.

Its so inviting and warm, Wagner said. You can just imagine all the gatherings that happened there and can happen in future. You can fit people very comfortably, its a very large room.

The main level also has a living room, a library with built-in bookshelves, a dining room and the kitchen, which is used to prepare breakfast for guests.

The five ensuite rooms that are rented are on the second level and an innkeepers suite with a bedroom, bathroom and a sitting room is on the third floor.

Since its an inn, everything is commercial grade, which is up to a higher standard, Wagner said, including the heating and fire alarm systems. Even if youre not looking to have it as an inn, you have very strong systems in place to benefit from.

Outside the home is a large grassy backyard, a 1700s smoke house, a barn that was relocated to the property in the 1970s and can be used as a garage or an event space and a 1700s stone horse stable.

This owner had a plan or a dream of installing a pool in the horse stable building but never got around to it, Wagner said.

The home would appeal to a buyer who likes historic properties or maybe has dreamed of opening a bed and breakfast.

With this one, you walk in and its already there, Schure said. Its highly recognized. And its turn key.

You enter the home into the front hall. Wiebke Martens

The great room has a more than 8-foot wide fireplace. Wiebke Martens

The library doubles as an office space. Wiebke Martens

The kitchen is used to prepare breakfast for guests. Wiebke Martens

The dining room. Wiebke Martens

There are five bedrooms for rent, plus one in the innkeeper's suite on the third floor. Wiebke Martens

There are six full bathrooms. Wiebke Martens
If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.

Update: After a whirlwind Private Access pre-sale for subscribers, both Peppermint Swirl tumblers sold out. BUT! Disney Store has a new tumbler dropping on Nov. 21 at 11 a.m.  get the Disney Winter Peppermint Starbucks tumbler before that inevitably sells out too.

If you thought the holiday season couldnt get any sweeter, think again.

Disney Store is dropping two limited-edition Starbucks tumblers tomorrow, Oct. 17 at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT  and theyre pure peppermint perfection. But heres the twist: this release is PRIVATE ACCESS ONLY.

Its a first-of-its-kind opportunity that means only Disney Store subscribers (via SMS, email or app account) get first dibs. Everyone else will need to wait until Halloween to get theirs.

Mickey Mouse Icon Peppermint Swirl 40 oz. Starbucks Stainless Steel Travel Tumbler with Charm $60 Not sure we've ever seen a 40 oz. handled tumbler in Disney Store's lineup, which makes this limited-edition drop even more special. Disney x Starbucks tumblers

The tumblers fit right in with Disney Stores growing Winter Peppermint Collection of cozy apparel, scented bubble wands and red-white-and glitz-all-over accessories.

But, if you ask us, the Mickey Mouse Icon Peppermint Swirl 40 oz. Starbucks Stainless Steel Travel Tumbler with Charm is the showstopper of the two. It features a glossy red shimmer base, a sturdy handle and a matching Mickey Mouse icon charm.

The Mickey Mouse Icon Peppermint Swirl 24 oz. Starbucks Travel Tumbler with Straw is sleeker but just as magical, with the same peppermint swirl Mickey icon motifs dancing across its glossy red body. Its the kind of tumbler thatll surely turns heads at the office, winter Disney Park visits or future cookie-decorating parties to come.

This early access format is new for Disney Store and likely a response to the high demand and frequent sellouts that typically accompany Starbucks tumbler releases.

Past drops have involved virtual queues, waiting rooms and limited inventory, so Private Access gives subscribers a chance to shop ahead of the rush.

How to shop the holiday tumblers during the Private Access window

If youre not already a Disney Store subscriber, heres what to do:

The tumblers will likely appear on the Starbucks landing page once the Private Access window opens. And we assume that only logged-in subscribers will be able to view and purchase them during this period.

More Disney Store holiday releases for 2025
If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.

It seems like Taylor Swift is a fangirl of the Boss.

Swift recently shared an Instagram post wearing an iconic Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A image T-shirt  and you can get your own for $92.

Daydreamer Bruce Springsteen Americana OS Tee $92 If there was any item to purchase that Taylor Swift owns, let it be this shirt. Buy Now on Daydreamer

In celebration of the release of her 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl, the pop star shared a series of photos showing a behind-the-scenes look at its production.

In one of the photos in particular, Swifties noticed that Swift was wearing a Bruce Springsteen band tee, and it wasnt difficult to find the site she bought this shirt on: Daydreamer.

Currently, Swifts Bruce Springsteen Americana OS Tee in white is on preorder, but the same shirt in red and black are available to order now.

If you want the exact white shirt, then you can preorder it now with the ship out date ranging from Oct. 22-31.

Plus, if youre a first-time customer, you can get 10% off your first order.

This is not the first time Taylor Swift has showed her admiration for Bruce Springsteen.

Swift previously performed the Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. single Dancing in the Dark back in 2011 during her Speak Now World Tour stop in Newark, N.J.

She also included the Dancing in the Dark line in her latest song Wood from The Life of a Showgirl.

So, if youre from New Jersey, a huge fan of the Boss, a Swiftie or all three combined, we recommend getting your hands on this shirt before it sells out.
If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.

The top-ranked Nebraska Huskers face the Michigan State Spartans in a Big Ten volleyball contest on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich.

Fans will need a subscription to Big Ten Plus to watch the match. B1G+ costs $12.99 a month or $89.99 for an annual subscription.

Heres what you need to know:

What: College volleyball

Who: Nebraska vs. Michigan State

When: Oct. 17, 2025 (10/17/25)

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Where: Breslin Center

TV: N/A

Live stream: B1G+

Top 25 AVCA Volleyball Rankings

Games through Oct. 12, 2025

1, Nebraska; 2, Texas; 3, Kentucky; 4, Louisville; 5, Stanford; 6, Pittsburgh; 7, Arizona State; 8, SMU; 9, Wisconsin; 10, Texas A&M; 11, TCU; 12, Purdue; 13, Creighton; 14, University of Miami; 15, Kansas; 16, Tennessee; 17, Penn State; 18, Minnesota; 19, BYU; 20, Baylor; 21, North Carolina; 22, Indiana; 23, UCLA; 24, Colorado; 25, Southern California.
A New Providence man running for a seat on the local board of education drove on the front lawn of a house and ran over a sign supporting another candidate in this years race, authorities said.

Miguel Marshall ran over the sign supporting Rupa Kale at a residence on Bergen Road at about 2:40 p.m. on Saturday, New Providence police said.

Police charged Marshall, 43, with criminal mischief and also issued him motor vehicle summonses for reckless driving, failure to maintain a lane, leaving the scene of crash and failure to report a crash.

The homeowner didnt confront Marshall but called the police to report the incident, a police spokesman said .

Kale and Marshall are both write-in candidates in this years race.

Marshall ran for a board of education seat last year but finished with the fewest votes of the five candidates seeking three open seats.

Marshall and Kale couldnt immediately be reached to comment on Friday.
Photo: https://eurosolidarity.org/2025/10/17

Leader of the European Solidarity party, member of parliament of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, spoke at the Political Assembly of the European People's Party (EPP), which is taking place in Vilnius.

The politician called on European partners to accelerate the transfer of the economy to military rails and use Ukraine's experience in repelling Russian aggression, the political force's website says.

"For three and a half years we have been learning to live in conditions of Russian ballistic missiles. And this surprised Putin, because he thought it would break us. Russian troops, Russian missiles - no, it did not break us. It terms of mathematics, we had no chance of surviving. But war is not about mathematics. War is about fighting spirit," Poroshenko said.

"We should never give Putin the right of veto. The European Union must be sovereign, responsible, in particular, be responsible for its own security. And we, Ukrainians, are ready to actively participate in this process. We are ready to send military advisors, combat generals who have unique experience in how to fight Russia now, what weapons, what strategy, what technologies to use, and how to most effectively use funds for the defense industry. We, Ukrainians, want to help you switch the economy and military rails," Poroshenko noted.

"Russia spends more than 40% of its large budget on war. Our request to the Baltic countries, Scandinavia, and Germany is to add 0.5% to the Ukrainian military industry. This would be responsible behavior, including the use of money from Russian frozen assets. We must also be more decisive in this area, because the war is already here," Poroshenko emphasized.

"We need weapons and ammunition, and we are launching joint production. We need drones, missiles, and anti-drone systems. We know how to produce them, and we have unique and positive experience. We need defense - not outdated, but modern and effective. We need protection of energy networks, diversification and decentralization of our energy system. We know how to do it. And we need sanctions against Russia. Strong sanctions," the party leader emphasized.

"We have already learned to live without Russian gas. And we are about to learn to live without Russian oil and Russian nuclear energy. Including the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies Russian oil to Europe, to Hungary and Slovakia through the territory of Ukraine. We must learn to live without this. And we must learn to live without Russia," Poroshenko urged.

"We will never return to Russian influence. And we need to become a NATO member state, regardless of who is in Washington, or in Paris, or in some other country, we need it. Because without Ukraine's membership in NATO, there can be no stable security situation on the continent. Believe me, there simply is no other form of security guarantee except NATO. No bilateral security guarantees work, because bilateral security guarantees concern weapons, money, the defense industry, but not security. Because security is boots on the ground. This means that in the event of aggression, soldiers from all over NATO must be shoulder to shoulder to defend themselves from the aggressor. But this is not in bilateral security guarantees. And that is why we need to be adults, we need to be responsible. That is why we need to be anti-populist winners. And that is why we need to win this war against Putin together," Poroshenko summed up.
Zelenskyy ready to meet with Putin in any place in the world other than in Russia or Belarus  Yermak

Photo: https://t.me/ermaka2022

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is ready to meet with Vladimir Putin in any format and in any country except Russia and Belarus, said Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidents Office of Ukraine, in an interview with Axios.

He [Yermak] added that Zelenskyy told Trump he's still ready to meet with Putin in any format and in any place in the world, other than in Russia or Belarus. Putin has repeatedly rejected such a meeting, Axios reported.

The head of the Presidents Office said that Trump invited Zelenskyy to Washington after two phone calls, noting that they were "very good," but that there are many issues that cannot be discussed over the phone.

"There are a lot of questions which are impossible to discuss by phone. Like about the situation in the front line. Like about our [military] plans and about how we and the American side see the next steps for the peace process," Yermak said.

However, he noted that Zelenskyy and his team were surprised to see US President Donald Trump's statement about his conversation with Putin and that they had agreed to meet in Budapest.
A Barnstaple-based charity is launching a new series of art workshops aimed at helping children and young people cope with the loss of someone close to them.

Families in Grief (FiG) is holding the free workshops at the Landmark in Ilfracombe, beginning on Thursday 6 November. The sessions will run weekly from 5pm to 7.30pm for those aged between 11 and 18.

The initiative follows the success of a similar project held last year at The Burton in Bideford, which culminated in a public exhibition titled Say Their Name at Affinity Outlet over the festive period.

READ NEXT: New support facility for neurodiverse students opens at Barnstaple school

Families in Grief (FiG) says bereavement is an issue that affects us all  even those who are still learning to understand the world.

Recent research by Child Bereavement UK revealed that one in 29 children between the ages of five and 16 have been bereaved of a parent or sibling  the equivalent of one child in every average class.

The charity said: Even though grief touches so many of us, we still find it hard to talk about. That silence can leave young people feeling lost, confused, and unsure how to move forward.

Families in Grief says it has made it its mission to build a community where children, young people, and families are supported to understand, express, and move through grief with compassion, connection, and hope.

Last year, the charity launched a series of art workshops at The Burton in Bideford, which culminated in a public exhibition at Affinity Outlet titled Say Their Name.

The workshops, led by local artists, offered a chance for bereaved young people to explore their feelings around grief through the medium of art. They proved a resounding success, and the resulting exhibition was a hit at Affinity Outlet throughout the festive period.

This year, the workshops will return at the Landmark in Ilfracombe, offering support and connection for young people experiencing grief and an opportunity to celebrate those who have died by creating beautiful artwork in their honour.

After the workshops, the finished pieces will be displayed in a public exhibition at the Landmark throughout Christmas and New Year.

The sessions will begin on Thursday 6 November and will run weekly from 5pm to 7.30pm. They are free of charge and open to young people aged 11 to 18.

For more information or to book a place, contact etelka@familiesingrief.org
A rare spectacle unfolded on Exmoor yesterday (October 16) as the Anchor Herd of Exmoor ponies was brought together for its annual gathering at Winsford Hill.

Although many believe Exmoor ponies are wild, every pony on the moor is owned.

The Anchor Herd, looked after by David and Emma Wallace, runs freely across the hills until gathered once a year. Using a combination of horseback riders and quad bikes, family and friends round up the herd before leading the animals to the family farm for inspection.

READ NEXT: Devon councils reveal joint plan for new local government structure

The gathering has a crucial purpose. Foals born in the spring are separated from their mares and checked individually by the Exmoor Pony Society. Each foal is microchipped for identification, while the mares undergo a health assessment. A detailed headcount ensures no colt foal is left out, as missing even one could affect future breeding plans.

Foals that meet breed standards may join the free-living herd, be sold as riding ponies, or used in conservation grazing. Those registered in the Exmoor pony studbook help preserve the breeds bloodlines.

The Anchor Herd has been in the Wallace family since 1947, though the herd was originally established in the 19th Century. Ponies were first registered with the Exmoor Pony Society in 1921.

David Wallace, a trustee and Chair of the society, explained the importance of careful management.

The second world war had a huge impact on Exmoor ponies, and only 50 survived. This had an almost catastrophic effect on their bloodlines, with many being lost forever, he said. This put the pony at risk, and even today its a breed that is classed as Priority by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, which essentially means endangered. This is where dedicated management of breeding and the stud book becomes so important.

Today, more than 500 registered ponies roam in 21 free-living herds across Exmoor National Park, which also owns its own herd. A further 3,500 registered ponies live across the UK and abroad in both domesticated and free-living environments.

David added: Owners and breeders need to manage how many foals are born, because there is a limited market for ponies  especially colts. Its a delicate balance, and we typically register fewer than 200 foals every year. When bloodstock and genetics are managed correctly we will be able to preserve the genetic pool of the Exmoor pony and increase its diversity.

The Anchor Herd gathering is one of several taking place across Exmoor during October, offering a rare glimpse into the conservation and care of Britains oldest native pony breed.
Photo: Raytheon Missiles & Defense

Ukraine is awaiting a US decision on Tomahawk missiles; this weapon is at the top of Ukraine's wish list, said Head of the Presidents Office Andriy Yermak.

In an interview with Axios, he said that "this kind of weapon could be a game changer."

Yermak also noted that Ukraine needs missiles to destroy drone and missile production facilities located in Russia. He also noted that Ukraine wants to acquire several other weapons systems that require US approval.

"We need a U.S. political decision that we will be able to buy any weapons which we need without any restrictions," Yermak said.

According to him, there were delays in the PURL program.
Kremlin says Putin-Trump could take place within two weeks or a little later

Photo: https://www.foxnews.com

US President Donald Trump's remarks about a possible meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin within two weeks symbolize a shared understanding of the need to not postpone negotiations, Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said.

"It could indeed take place within two weeks or a little later. There's a general understanding that nothing should be put off," Peskov told reporters on Friday.

According to him, Moscow put forward the initiative to hold a high-level conversation with Washington in connection with US President Donald Trump's success in the Middle East peace process.

Responding to a follow-up question about whether the phone call between Putin and Trump had reduced the threat of Tomahawk missiles being delivered to Ukraine, Peskov said: "We should probably ask our American counterparts about that."
Whats So Great About Slow Horses? This Scene Says It All. The British spy show owes its sarcasm and wit to Mick Herrons novels. Our critic A.O. Scott breaks down a few sentences from Herrons latest, Clown Town.

Apple TV

A couple dozen pages into Clown Town, Mick Herrons latest novel, two veteran spies share a bench in London. Theyre Jackson Lamb and Diana Taverner, notorious fictional fixtures of MI5, the British intelligence service. Fans of Slow Horses, the Apple TV series adapted from Herrons earlier Slough House books, will recognize the pair as the characters played with brisk professionalism and callused gravitas by Kristin Scott Thomas and Gary Oldman.

Those incomparable actors are a big part of the shows appeal, but the Britain they inhabit  weary, cynical, clinging to the tattered scraps of ancient imperial glory  is built out of Herrons witty, corkscrew sentences.

And this bench, like others where Lamb and Taverner meet with some regularity on both screen and page, is hardly an incidental bit of urban furniture. It holds not only their aging bureaucratic bums, but also a heavy load of literary and sociological significance.

T h e r e w a s a b e n c h n e x t t o o n e o f t h e c o n c r e t e f l o w e r b e d s t h a t w e r e t h e r e t o a d d i n s u l t t o i n j u r y . W h e t h e r b y d e s i g n o r g o o d f o r t u n e , i t s a t p e r m a n e n t l y i n s h a d e c a s t b y o n e o r o t h e r o f t h e o v e r h e a d t o w e r s , w h o s e c o n t i n u i n g e x i s t e n c e a r g u a b l y a m o u n t e d t o a v i c t o r y f o r t e r r o r i s m . W h e n L a m b l o w e r e d h i m s e l f o n t o o n e s i d e D i a n a h a l f e x p e c t e d i t t o t i l t , b u t h a d n  t t a k e n i n t o a c c o u n t t h a t i t w a s b o l t e d t o t h e g r o u n d . S h e s a t , p l a c i n g h e r t o t e b a g b e t w e e n t h e m , a n d w h e n s h e l o o k e d u p h e w a s h o l d i n g a l i t c i g a r e t t e , w h i c h h e h a d n  t b e e n a m o m e n t a g o . L a m b c o u l d p e e l a n o r a n g e o n e - h a n d e d i n h i s p o c k e t , i f d o i n g s o w o u l d s a v e h i m h a v i n g t o o f f e r y o u a s e g m e n t . S h e s a i d ,  T h e r e  s a r u m o r t h o s e t h i n g s a r e b a d f o r y o u .   A n d t h e r e  s s t a t i s t i c s p r o v e h e a l t h y p e o p l e d i e . W h a t  s y o u r p o i n t ?   F o r g e t I s p o k e .   A l r e a d y d o n e .  H e i n h a l e d , e x h a l e d , a d m i r e d h i s o w n p r o w e s s , t h e n s a i d ,  Y o u l o o k l i k e y o u f o u n d a c o n d o m i n y o u r c o r n f l a k e s , D i a n a . Y o u g o i n g t o t e l l m e a b o u t i t o r j u s t p i s s o f f b a c k t o t h e P a r k ?  The bench occupies a notably unlovely scrap of London, alongside a canal near Regents Park, where MI5, in this fictional universe, has its headquarters. Herrons prose fairly sighs at the drabness of the scene. The bench itself is hardly blameless, part of a landscape constructed in a spirit of active malevolence. This isnt a corner of the city thats fallen into ruin. It was designed with alienation, ugliness and ill humor in mind. Even the placement of the bench seems sinister. And not having blown up the buildings that blight this place counts as a triumph for the enemies of civilization, as if the terrorists had decided that letting them stand would do more harm. As for the sworn defenders of that civilization, they can barely manage to be civil at all. When Jackson and Diana finally speak, its to exchange barbs, the kind of sarcastic banter  the proper Britishism is taking the piss  that in Herrons books is the lingua franca of the secret service. Colleagues at every level of MI5 speak to one another in ways that make the phrase hostile work environment redundant. The ones who rise the highest  or at least live the longest  excel at invective, insult and humiliation. How does Herron acquaint us with these characters? Not by festooning them with adjectives or evoking their physical attributes, but in relation to each other. Jackson is seen through Dianas eyes, his defining traits filtered through her perceptions. That hes fat is conveyed without using those words, through a counterfactual proposition. So too is his stinginess: The orange Jackson declines to share doesnt actually exist. The way Diana informs us of Jacksons slovenliness and his ungenerosity reveals some of her own unappealing foibles. We might share her disgust, but we also notice her squeamish boundary-setting, her hypocrisy and her passive-aggressiveness. Instead of simply asking for a cigarette, she will spend two sentences worth of mental effort noticing  but not complaining, not exactly  that Jackson didnt offer her one. And then shell scold him for smoking. To sum up: Here are two unpleasant people who dont much like each other converging in a rather squalid place for some rude conversation. And of course all this is what makes Slow Horses irresistible. Yes: The plots are reasonably twisty and the spycraft is pretty good fun. There is generally enough present-day resonance in Herrons tales to render the external threats and insider scheming credible, but not enough to make anything too grimly topical. His real skill is satire.

An ambient sarcasm hangs in the foul air around his characters. Nearly every word is freighted with a mockery that is indistinguishable from judgment. Herrons prose bristles with the kind of active, restless grudge against the world that is the sure sign of a moralist.

While spies, bureaucrats and especially politicians come in for comic scolding, the real target of his satire is an administrative regime that will be familiar to many readers and viewers who have never cracked a code or aimed a gun. In interviews, Herron has often noted that unlike John le Carre, to whom he is often compared, he has had no first-hand experience of espionage. But he has spent enough time toiling in offices to understand the absurdity  the banality, the cruelty, the cringeiness  of modern organizational life.

Slow Horses is a workplace comedy, and Diana and Jackson  nightmare colleagues and bosses from hell  are its flawed, indispensable heroes. Their nastiness to each other and everyone else is a reflection of their circumstances, but also a form of protest against the ethical rottenness of the system they serve.

The gimlet-eyed Diana, managing up from a precarious perch high in the organization, must contend with the cretinous creme de la creme of the British establishment. The epically flatulent Jackson, a career reprobate exiled to a marginal post far from the center of power, manages down, wrangling MI5s designated misfits, the Slow Horses who give the series its name. Those poor spies need to be protected from external savagery, internal treachery and their own dubious instincts.

Apple TV

Jackson and Diana seem to share a cynical, self-serving outlook, but what really unites them is that they care enough about the job to do it right. More than that: They may be the last people in London who believe in decency, honor and fair play, embodiments of the humanist sentiment that lurks just below the busy, satirical surface of Herrons novels. Not that they would ever admit as much  especially not to each other, planted on a public bench, where anyone could be spying on them.
Case 6:25-mj-00183-DJA Document 1-1 Filed 10/06/25 Page 28 of 44 PageID #: 80 46. Law enforcement has corroborated that the speaker on the calls is Al-Muhtadi and that the calls took place on October 7, 2023. In particular, an FBI agent familiar with Al-Muhtadi's voice ("UC-1") has reviewed the phone calls and confirmed that the speaker on the calls is Al-Muhtadi. Moreover, Al-Muhtadi is referred to in one of the calls as "Abu Ala"-which translates to "Father of Ala"-which law enforcement has identified as a kunya used by Al-Muhtadi. Additionally, and as detailed below, multiple references are made in the calls to the then ongoing October 7, 2023, attack, as well as to Israelis celebrating an "eid" the night before, which I understand to be an Arabic term for celebration and a reference to the Jewish holidays Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, celebrated by Israelis starting in the evening of October 6, 2023. As detailed below, Al-Muhtadi also makes references in the calls to the statement put out by Hamas's military leader Deif on the morning of October 7, 2023. Further, images of a business operated by Al-Muhtadi in Gaza (as evidenced by photos and messages in Al-Muhtadi's social media accounts) list the '4855 number for the business. Email records for an account used by Al-Muhtadi's wife (for which law enforcement obtained authorization to search), lists the '4855 number as the contact for "Mahmoud," Al-Muhtadi's first name. for Palestine, and 972 to be the country code for Israel. I know that there are numerous reasons why Palestinian numbers and/or phones subscribed to Palestinian providers often use the Israeli country code of 972, to include agreements, technical arrangements, and infrastructure. This does not represent two different and distinct numbers, but instead the same number simply recorded differently across networks. Regardless of the country code associated with the '4855 number, I know it to be Al-Muhtadi's phone. Furthermore, Al-Muhtadi's phone number is associated with both country codes in other records. For example, subscriber records for a social media account for Al-Muhtadi's known business in Gaza list the '4855 number's country code as 972; however, in records from Al-Muhtadi's wife's email account the country code for the '4855 number is listed as 970, and associated with "Mahmoud," Al-Muhtadi's first name. 8 UC-1 met in person with Al-Muhtadi in Lafeyette, Louisiana on approximately six occasions between July 24, 2025 and September 23, 2025. That agent additionally spoke on the phone with Al-Muhtadi on approximately 11 occasions. UC-1 reviewed the six recordings and confirmed that the speaker on those recordings is Al-Muhtadi. 9A "kunya" is a type of epithet or teknonym in an Arabic name. Based on my review of Al-Muhtadi's messages across multiple social media accounts, I am aware that Al-Muhtadi is frequently referred to by the kunya "Abu Ala" in his communications with others. 28 23
JD Vance

Spineless... With his eye on the presidential prize, VP JD Vance has refused to condemn the racist, antisemitic and violent messaging used in a group chat by members of the Young Republican National Federation.

He dismissed the remarks as stupid jokes made by kids. But participants in the chat fall into the 24-35 age bracket. They are hardly kids.

And what parts of the messages (I love Hitler, or calling Blacks monkeys or watermelon people) are funny, JD?

On The Charlie Kirk Show, which is now hosted by conservative activists, the VP even said the group chat could be viewed as a learning tool. He now plans to warn his kidswhen they get olderabout the importance of being careful about what they post online.

They should assume some scumbag is going to leak it in an effort to try to cause you harm or cause your family harm, he said. Note to JD: you might advise your kids about the use of questionable language.

By refusing to denounce the garbage put out by the Young Republicans, Vance is flushing his personal morality down the toilet.

He is putting political expediency over principles. Vance figures if he sells his soul to the Young Republicans, they will repay him with their fundraising savvy for his presidential campaign. Its shameful.

Yikes Street-smart JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon returned to his roots in explaining the risks that banks face from exposure to the shadow banking sector.

He made his remarks following this months Chapter 11 filing of First Brands Group. A creditor claims $2.3B in FBs assets are unaccounted for, or simply vanished.

Dimon, who is from Jackson Heights, Queens, told analysts: My antenna goes up when things like that happen. I probably shouldnt say this but when you see one cockroach, theres probably more. And so everyone should be forewarned at this point, he said during an analyst call.

Forewarned is forearmed.

Kudos to Ullyout Former Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot, who was asked to resign in April during the DEI uproar, made the best response to Defense Secretarys Pete Hegseths move to put the screws on the press.

Hegseth should drop the Soviet-style restrictions, reopen the briefing room, and follow the lead of President Trump and every other cabinet secretary by engaging regularly, confidently and conversationally with reporters of all stripes. Sounds pretty reasonable.

Ullyot, was National Security Council spokesperson during the first Trump White House, and deputy communications director for the presidential campaign, drew Hegseths ire earlier this year by objecting to the removal of references to Jackie Robinson and the Navajo Code Talkers from the DODs website. The images were later restored.

Hegseth's decision to restrict the medias access to the Pentagon makes it more likely that he will be the first Trump cabinet member to get the boot.
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Pete Hesgeth

Fox News, Newsmax and the Daily Caller are holding back from signing Pete Hegseths edict restricting press access in the Pentagon, but it seems like the opposition to the new rules is not quite unanimous. Among the 15 who have signed on, according to the Washington Post, are cable network One America News and Falun Gong mouthpiece the Epoch Times. Website the Federalist, which expects the new guidelines to result in fewer professional con artists and media hoaxers roaming the halls looking for new lies to peddle, also indicated its agreement with the restrictions. A reporter for Rupert Murdochs The Australian initially gave the rules a thumbs-up, but then backtracked after the WaPo story. The Hegseth line also had several takers in Turkey: a reporter for the Turkish newspaper Aksam, three individuals from the state-run Anadolu Agency and two freelancers. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, was in step with the signees, calling the new policy common sense media procedures. However, Newsmax CEO and majority owner Christopher Ruddy called the new requirements unnecessary and onerous.

Claudia Milne

CBS News sees the first executive departure of the Bari Weiss era. Head of standards and practices Claudia Milne, who came to CBS News in 2019 as a managing editor of CBS This Morning, announced on Oct. 16 that she was leaving. While not naming any names, Milne did note that her exit came in the midst of complicated times for the company. Shortly after Weiss took on her new job, she sent a memo to staff requesting that each employee submit a written statement describing their job duties and offering feedback on the organization, after which the Writers Guild of America East advised its members against responding until further details were provided by the company. CBS also recently got a new ombudsman: former Trump adviser Kenneth Weinstein. Its times like this that what we do matters most, Milne said in a note that was obtained by Variety. I believe our role as journalists is to hold the powerful to account.

Indiana University shuts down the print version of The Indiana Daily Student. The closure follows the firing of the IU media schools director of student media Jim Rodenbush, who was the papers advisor. Rodenbush claims that he was dismissed because he refused to order the students to stop publishing news, as he said the university had demanded. The day after Rodenbush was terminated, the university prohibited the students from publishing a planned print edition of the newspaper, saying they could only publish online going forward. The university says the move to digital-only was simply a way of addressing the newspapers financial deficit, not about controlling what the students publish. But Daily Student co-editor Andrew Miller counters that the media school tries to construe this as a business decision, but fundamentally they are trying to tell us what we can and cannot print.
Photo: https://t.me/energyofukraine

Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk took part in a number of strategic meetings with American partners as part of a working visit of the Ukrainian delegation led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington.

As reported by the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine on Friday, in particular, meetings were held with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, heads and CEOs of leading American energy companies - Bechtel, Fluence Energy, GE Vernova, Holtec International, Invenergy, Jacobs, Mercuria, Parsons, TechMet USA, Venture Global and Westinghouse Electric Company.

According to the report, at the meeting with Chris Wright, specific projects were discussed that open up opportunities for mutually beneficial partnership and will contribute to the reconstruction and modernization of the Ukrainian energy sector.

"In particular, we discussed nuclear energy and liquefied gas () I am glad to continue our fruitful dialogue with the Minister, because literally a week ago we had a meaningful online conversation," Hrynchuk noted.

Representatives of the Ukrainian delegation also discussed with the heads of energy companies the prospects for the implementation of joint short-term and long-term projects and their financing, in particular, initiatives related to oil, gas and nuclear energy.

As reported with reference to an interview with Bloomberg in September by the Chairman of the Board of Naftogaz of Ukraine Serhiy Koretsky, the company is negotiating with individual American producers about direct supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Ukraine.

As of September this year, the share of American LNG in Ukrainian imports provided by Naftogaz, according to Bloomberg, was 10%.

In 2025, Naftogaz, within the framework of a partnership with the Polish state concern ORLEN, imported more than 400 million cubic meters of American liquefied gas to Ukraine.
The annual camogie blitz for secondary schools in the locale of Southern Gaels and Drumraney camogie clubs was held on Wednesday 15th October in Caulry GAA grounds. This blitz was initiated just last year but it has turned out to be a very special event already, judging by the response of all four of the secondary schools who participated in both years of its being.

The participating schools were, Bower Athlone, Gallen CC Ferbane, Mercy Ballymahon, and Moate CS. In these initial years it was confined to students from first year up to and including Transition Year. It is planned to have a similar blitz for senior cycle students in the coming years as the participants of the initial blitzes progress to senior cycle.

All four teams played each other in a round robin. Two games progressed concurrently on the two excellently turned out Caulry GAA pitches, which meant all four teams were in action at the same time. After the round robin the two top teams progressed to the Cup final, with the other two teams playing each other in the Shield final.

Such was the competitiveness of the round robin, no team won all three of their games, with every team winning a least one. Mercy Ballymahon met Gallen CC in the Cup final, and Ferbane reversed their defeat to the same opposition in their round robin game. A similar thing happened in the Shield final where Moate CS reversed their defeat to Bower Athlone in their round robin game.

Teresa Small, daughter of Olive Browne, presented the Olive Brown Cup to Aimee Fitzgerald, captain of the Gallen Ferbane team, and Helen Seery, secretary of Drumraney Camogie, presented the Midlands Secondary Schools Blitz Shield to the joint captains of Moate CS, Aoibheann Kelly and Lucy Murphy. Southern Gaels sponsored the Olive Browne Cup and medals, and Drumraney sponsored the Midlands Secondary Schools Blitz Shield and medals. The Small family provided refreshment treats for all of the 96 players and their teacher mentors.

A special thanks to the teachers from each of the participating schools who promoted and managed the teams, to the two very busy referees on the day Kevin Jordan and Barry Bradley, and standby referee Sean Moran. Kevin Jordan of Southern Gaels deserves a very special thank you, as he did all of the organising of the blitz. Its success is a testament to Kevins leadership abilities.

SEE NEXT: Nervous Kilcormac-Killoughey under no illusions about Shinrone potential to end three in a row ambitions

Finally both Southern Gaels and Drumraney are especially grateful to Caulry GAA for the use of their playing fields and ancillary facilities.
THE Sacred Heart School, Tullamore, has once again been recognised as a Microsoft Showcase School for 20252026, placing it among an elite group of institutions worldwide leading innovation in teaching and learning through technology.

In a remarkable achievement, the Sacred Heart is now the only school in Ireland to have received this accolade across five different academic years.

In a statement, the school said: As an all-girls local school, the Sacred Heart has consistently demonstrated excellence in digital transformation, empowered educators, and actively contributed to a global network of forward-thinking schools.

READ NEXT: Past pupil of Offaly primary school earns qualification in England

This latest honour is described by Kevin Marshall of Microsoft as a new chapter for the Tullamore school, reflecting its commitment to inclusive, student-centred, and future-ready learning.

The school statement added: The recognition has also benefitted the wider school community. Initiatives such as the STEM Passport for Inclusion have created new opportunities for female students in science, technology, engineering, and maths, inspiring them to pursue ambitious pathways.

With this milestone, the Sacred Heart School continues to lead the way in education  locally, nationally, and internationally.
A farmer allegedly prevented a milk lorry from leaving his property for approximately an hour, according to a report by Limerick Live.

Gardai were called to attend the stand-off in Kilmallock in Limerick on Wednesday afternoon, October 8.

One local source said: It unfolded around 1pm. The milk lorry driver drove in as normal to collect the milk.

The farmer parked his tractor behind the lorry so the driver couldnt leave the farm.

READ NEXT: Man found guilty of assault at GAA club in Offaly 

It is believed the truck driver was collecting milk on behalf of Kerry Dairy Ireland. Limerick Live understands that the farmer may have a grievance over alleged damage to his property by a milk lorry on an earlier occasion.

When contacted for comment, a garda spokesperson confirmed gardai attended the scene of an incident that occurred at a property in Kilmallock, County Limerick on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at approximately 1.30pm.

No offences have been disclosed at this time, said the garda spokesperson.

After the intervention of gardai, the tractor was moved by the farmer. The milk lorry driver was able to exit the property as normal and continue doing his rounds.

Limerick Live contacted Kerry Group about the matter. There was no response at the time of publication.
A small family-run bakery and cafe in Offaly, has achieved national acclaim at this years Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards, taking home Silver in the Preserves Category for its handcrafted Raspberry Jam.

Based in the heart of Rhode village, the brilliantly named Bogs Dollops jam was awarded Silver, placing it between two Tescos Finest entries  a truly extraordinary feat for a one-of-a-kind local producer. The Bogs Dollops handcrafted raspberry jam took home top honours, standing out in the fiercely competitive preserves category  and becoming the only raspberry jam nationwide to be crowned in its class this year.

To win Silver, right between two of Tescos Finest, is honestly mind-blowing, said owner Mairead Heavey. Were just a tiny family business working from the heart of our village, making everything by hand. To be recognised on the same level as a multinational brand is something we never imagined possible.

Founded in 2024 by Mairead and Ronan Heavey, The Bogs Dollops has quickly become the heart of Rhode, known for its award-winning scones, bakes, and Badger & Dodo barista coffee. The business has already earned recognition by the Restaurant Awards as Leinster Innovator of the Year 2025. Mairead was also nominated as Local Businesswoman of the Year by Goss.ie, and the cafe was proudly named by The Dave Moore Show on Today FM.

READ NEXT: Main street of Offaly town to be one-way until two weeks before Christmas 

Behind the scenes, Mairead credits her husband Ronan, who she says keeps everything running  from the early-morning prep to the late-night clean-downs.

"This win is for us both, our two little girls Charlotte & Willow-Jane and for our lovely community, whove supported us since day one."

Held annually in Dingle, Co. Kerry, the Blas na hEireann Awards are Irelands premier food honours, celebrating the very best in Irish produce. This years competition saw thousands of entries, judged blind by top industry experts.

From their little bakery kitchen in Offaly to standing beside one of the worlds biggest retailers, The Bogs Dollops win is a proud reminder of what Irish family businesses can achieve  with heart, heritage, and a spoonful of love.

READ NEXT: PICTURES: Offaly artist attracts massive crowds for Exhibition Launch in Tullamore 
The guests have been revealed for this week's Late Late Show on RTE One with some big names among the guests

After an incredible breakthrough year, Kingfishr will make their welcome return to The Late Late Show. They will chat to Patrick about their journey from college parties in Limerick to international stages and how their song Killeagh became the soundtrack of the Irish summer. Late Late Show viewers are in for a treat as they will perform the first-ever live television performance of their new single Diamonds and Roses as well as a special performance of Killeagh.

Baz Ashmawy will join Patrick to chat about his latest TV projects. Since starting out in his career, Baz has proved his versatility - now fronting hit shows DIY SOS and The Money List, and writing and starring in drama series Faithless. Hell open up about turning 50 this year, how hes busier than ever and why, more than a decade on from his Emmy-winning series 50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy, his mammy Nancy is still his rock.

Comedian and bestselling author David Walliams will join Patrick Kielty on this weeks Late Late Show to talk about his brand-new book Santa and Son - his 44th publication and first festive adventure for young readers. He will reflect on the highs and lows of his career to date and share why he loves visiting Ireland.

Dublin woman Kathleen Richards will share her powerful story of survival on this weeks Late Late Show. As a young woman, Kathleen found herself living in the same house as Fred and Rose West - two of Britains most notorious serial killers. She will speak to Patrick about the terrible abuse she endured while living in their home and the night she managed to escape. Kathleen will also reflect on the shock of discovering the full extent of the Wests depraved crimes and why shes now using her voice to help others find strength and hope in the aftermath of unimaginable experiences.

Soprano Celine Byrne will join this weeks lineup to chat about how a childhood footing turf and playing camogie led her to duetting with some of the worlds biggest stars on the most famous stages. She will also discuss her upcoming role in Madama Butterfly coming to Dublin in November and share a sneak peek of what audiences can expect from this powerful operatic performance.

Eurovision legend Linda Martin will be in studio to help crown The Late Late Show Pet Hero of the Year. Shell introduce the tail-wagging heroes whose bravery, loyalty and love have made a real difference in the lives of their ownersfrom saving lives to supporting people in their hour of need, these four-legged heroes are sure to steal the show.
Photo: https://mod.gov.ua

The Coalition of Demining Capabilities plans to allocate at least EU 165 million in 2026 to provide Ukraine with equipment and machinery, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has said.

It is noted that such preliminary agreements were announced during a visit to Ukraine by the Coalition Coordinator, representative of the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Lithuania, Rolandas Kiskis.

"During a meeting with specialists from the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a draft Operational Plan for 2026 was developed for the implementation of the Coalition's Development Roadmap. It was determined that the funds will be used to purchase mechanized demining vehicles, mine sweepers, remote demining systems, pickup trucks, metal detectors, night vision devices, explosive-resistant suits for sappers, and anti-drone equipment," the report says.

The ministry emphasized that the implementation of the planned measures will significantly strengthen Ukraine's capabilities in the field of combat and humanitarian demining, will contribute to accelerating the pace of clearing Ukrainian lands from explosive objects and their return to economic use.

In addition, international partners are accumulating additional resources to conduct specialized trainings, demining courses and training of Ukrainian specialists according to NATO and IMAS standards.

Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iceland and the NATO Support Group in Ukraine also participated in the meeting.

According to the Main Directorate for Mine Action, Civil Protection and Environmental Safety, the Demining Coalition includes 23 countries: Ukraine, Belgium, Great Britain, Greece, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, France, Finland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Japan. Canada, the Netherlands, and the United States of America are observers and partners of the Coalition.
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Putting the dots together on Trump.

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It's all about connecting the dots. That's what I eventually figured out early in my 23 years of writing daily editorials for The Times Herald-Record in Middletown, N.Y. Six times a week with a break on Saturday. What's the issue, who's involved, how does it affect readers and what, if anything, can they do about it. After a while, it became second nature.

Long retired and, unfortunately, writing about two Trump administrations on my own deadlines, connecting the dots has been challenging. It's more like following the ball in a pinball machine. Haphazard, slam-bang, unpredictable, without the fun. All followed by more of the same.

But I think I'm starting to see some dots.

Let's start with Laura Loomer, Trump's favorite and most avid crackpot fan. Responding to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's announcement that Qatar will be allowed to operate an air force Base in Idaho, Loomer said, 'There isn't a single Trump supporter who supports allowing Qatar to have a military base on U.S. soil. I don't know who told President Trump this was a good idea, but it has made people not want to vote. No foreign country should have a military base on US soil. Especially Islamic countries. ... I don't think Ill be voting in 2026.' Loomer had previously disagreed with Trump's accepting a $400 million airplane from Qatar as a gift.

Next dot, Tucker Carlson. Trump's favorite Fox News host, now an independent podcaster, took issue with comments made by Attorney General Pam Bondi following the killing of Charlie Kirk, a MAGA hero. In the aftermath of Kirk's killing, there was a flurry of commentary about him, much favorable (from MAGAs), but also a considerable amount that was critical of him. Bondi threatened that the Justice Department would target the critical ones, describing it as hate speech.

Carlson, probably recognizing that his entire career depends on freedom of speech, said, 'You hope that a year from now, the turmoil we're seeing in the aftermath of [Kirk's] murder won't be leveraged to bring hate-speech laws to this country. And trust me, if it is, if that does happen, there is never a more justified moment for civil disobedience than that, ever. Because if they can tell you what to say, they're telling you what to think, there is nothing they can't do to you because they don't consider you human.'

Dot number three (and probably the most unexpected), Marjorie Taylor Greene. The Republican congresswoman, part of an outspoken group that has driven a couple of speakers out of their jobs in the House of Representatives for not being loyal enough to Trump, has taken sharp issue with Trump, Bondi and House Speaker Mike Johnson over their refusal to release the Jeffrey Epstein files to Congress. Greene has gone so far as to volunteer to read any list of perpetrator's names provided by Epstein victims on the floor of the House, since the law protects members of Congress from legal action for any comments made on the floor of Congress during debate.

Greene also has criticized Johnson for keeping the House in recess while the government is shut down and refusing to swear in a newly elected congresswoman from Arizona, who would be the deciding vote requiring release of the Epstein files to Congress. Discarding the Republican talking points that the shutdown is the fault of Democrats, Greene also points to the fact that the budget presented by Republicans will cause millions of Americans to lose their health insurance and sharply raise the insurance rates for millions of others, including, as she points out, her own children.

More dots: Trump mysteriously went to the Walter Reed Medical Center for his annual check up, even though he had one in April, but no detailed report on his health was released. Just the usual, he's OK, while rumors persist that he's not and his daily public utterances are a word salad of self-praise and misinformation and obvious declining mental acuity. Other Republicans in the House, hearing complaints from their districts about losing health insurance, are privately grumbling over Johnson's refusal to negotiate with Democrats on a budget. And Johnson, going straight from the Republican playbook, has taken to describing the coming No Kings protest as a hate America rally.

Fear, panic, over-reaching and ignoring your supporters just to feather your nest and protect your own hide. The Trump playbook, but very poorly done. It was not a good week for Trump or MAGA. What would make it even worse, dear readers, would be for the No Kings protest to be the biggest pro-America rally ever.

Dots all for now.


tasmanian devil

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Introduction

This interview focuses on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and its Pandemic Prevention Platform (P3) program in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak. Our dialogue features John Hawkins (Interviewer), a freelance journalist, and responses from Dr. James E. Crowe of Vanderbilt University (a P3 performer), and Stacey Wierzba (DARPA Public Affairs contractor), who provided official program details.

Interviewer (Q): Dr. Crowe, I am interested in Vanderbilt's P3 association with DARPA, particularly regarding the rapid response "war games" conducted in the year leading up to the emergence of COVID-19. At the end of your "capabilities demonstration," were you successful with monoclonal antibodies for earlier threats like MERS, Zika, or the flu?

Dr. James E. Crowe (A): Yes, Vanderbilt is a P3 performer. We conducted "capabilities demonstrations" for rapid discovery of antibodies prior to COVID-19. Specifically, the discovery program we conducted in P3 for SARS-CoV2 led to the development and approval of Evusheld. Furthermore, antibodies that we isolated for Zika, flu, and others are currently in development for clinical testing.

Q: When DARPA initially set up these programs, was the goal to develop temporary monoclonal solutions, or were you aiming for permanent protection? And did the involvement of Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) change the calculus during the pandemic?.

A: DARPA told me years ago that monoclonal solutions were the safest but not permanent solutions. However, without their wide distribution, it would have been a wiser way to proceed during the pandemic while vaccines were still being fully tested as usual, which would have meant proceeding without EUA involvement.

Q: DARPA had promised that its P3 pipeline could deliver a solution to a drug manufacturer within 60 days of receiving a COVID-19 survivors antibodies. The resulting therapeutic, LY-CoV555 (developed by AbCellera and Lilly), seems to have accelerated rapidly. We were told testing would start around August 1st, but reports suggest testing started much earlier, potentially two months ahead of schedule. Is this rapid timeline accurate, and does this success mean a useable short-term solution will be available before the end of the year?.

Stacey Wierzba (A): We remain optimistic that the antibody therapeutic for COVID-19 being developed by AbCellera will be successful, but any such effort must be thoroughly reviewed by the FDA for human safety and efficacy prior to distribution. Regarding the August 1st target, where science is concerned, you can never be certain that you will hit a milestone until proven, but based on the data received at that point, we were fairly confident that we would meet the deadline.

Q: Can you explain in laymans terms the process that allows P3 performers like AbCellera to identify candidate antibodies so quickly?.

A: The P3 performers used proprietary microfluidic technologies to rapidly screen and select candidate antibodies.

Q: Which specific agency handed over the first antibodies from the Washington state survivor to AbCellera in Februarywas it CDC, DARPA, or some affiliate?.

A: The decision to send some of the first patient samples was made by an intergovernmental working group organized by ASPR.

Q: Canada-based AbCellera was chosen for this critical role over American companies. Is there a specific reason for choosing a foreign partner for this breakthrough?.

A: The DARPA selection process is competitive and open to qualified individuals around the world. In accordance with Department of Defense (DoD) policy, Canada is considered part and parcel of the defense industry and is not just an ally but a partner.

Q: Assuming this antibody regimen is deployed, who will receive the solution first?.

A: Yes, the Solution will be distributed first to health workers. Our goal is to have antibodies available for front line workers first, including healthcare workers, service members, and those with the most medical need.

Q: Regarding its effectiveness, is this solution repeatable? If it wears off in weeks or months, can the subject repeat the dose and get relief again?.

A: The antibody regimen is for near immediate, non-permanent protection and is not meant to be a replacement for vaccines. One advantage of the gene-based platform capability is that it can be re-administered (it is not a vector-based immune response).

Q: Following up on that, if this Solution is a stop-gap measure until a vaccine is available, how long does the protection last? Does the gene-encoded medical countermeasure provide protection for longer than three days?.

A: Correct, the gene-encoded medical countermeasure provides protection in less than three days. It lasts only for months, not days. It is a prophylactic for temporary protection before a vaccine is available or elicits an immune response.

Q: What is the target date for actual public access, and will the FDA approval process be accelerated?.

A: We have no way of knowing how long it will take for FDA review. That process and timeline are entirely up to the FDA, and DARPAnor any other government agencydoes not have the authority to request accelerated review.

Q: Finally, back in April 2020, Jared Adams told me the P3 program was set for two years into a four-year effort, with the goal of being able to identify and respond to a viral threat that is "not fully mature." Will the P3 program be ending as scheduled this year, and why put a deadline on it when other viruses and variants are emerging?.

A: All DARPA programs are time limited by design, as is the tenure of the program managers who run them. That deadline fuels the signature DARPA urgency to achieve success in less time than might be considered reasonable in a conventional setting, to ensure new and innovative ideas are always coming in the door. The agency has successfully followed that model for the P3 initiative, which was announced in February 2017 as a four-year effort.

Q: I am interested in finding out more about DARPAs Reimagining Protein Manufacturing (RPM) program. Aside from battlefield medical mitigation, what specific kinds of products is RPM expected to yield for the public, such as vaccines, antibodies, or perhaps even a cure for cancer?.

A: (Stacey Wierzba previously indicated she would reach out to the RPM Program Manager to determine their availability to respond to this inquiry).

Q: Lastly, in a more general vein, copper has been reported as highly effective in neutralizing COVID-19 on surfaces. Do your scientists have any insights on this, or perhaps an opinion on whether people should be grinding up old pennies?.

A: (No response regarding the efficacy or use of copper was found in the correspondence.)

#####
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The vehicle entrance at the ICE facility in South Portland on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, during demonstrations nearby. Mark Graves/The Oregonian

Immigration lawyers are asking a federal judge in Oregon to block for at least three days the out-of-state transport of people rounded up by immigration officers without a warrant signed by a judge or those who lack access to a lawyer.

Attorneys with Innovation Law Lab of Portland filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Portland-based Clear Clinic, a nonprofit that offers free legal advice on immigration matters, and the farmworkers union Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste.

It names the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection as defendants.

The immigration lawyers seek a temporary restraining order in the wake of what they called a recent sharp increase in immigration enforcement, particularly in Eugene, Woodburn and Hillsboro.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Eugene, says people arrested in immigration enforcement actions are being rapidly transferred out of Oregon and sometimes deported to countries they have no ties to, including South Sudan, Eswatini, El Salvador or Libya, and then become beyond the reach of the courts authority to challenge their detention or deportation.

Defendants are rounding up community members across the region, holding them incommunicado by fiat, and then moving them swiftly out of district  before they have even had a chance to make a phone call to a lawyer, let alone to consult with one, says their motion for a restraining order.

The people taken into custody are swiftly moved away from legal resources and their communities of support and get lost in a detention-to-deportation pipeline, the motion says.

ICE officials did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

The lawsuit argues that the federal agencies are violating the First Amendment right to hire, consult and speak with a lawyer, lawyers rights to advise clients, the Fifth Amendment right of the detained people to due process and the Immigration and Naturalization Act, which guarantees noncitizens the right to counsel in such circumstances.

Masked agents are snatching people from our communities and denying Oregonians their fundamental rights, said Reyna Lopez, executive director of the farmworkers union.

We are suing today because our members are getting arrested and swept up by masked ICE agents in unmarked vehicles, Lopez said in a statement. All of the people detained still have due process rights and should be allowed to exercise them.

On Wednesday, according to Lopez, at least two men were detained by ICE officers outside their apartment complex Woodburn and a third man was detained in the street. Members of the farmworkers union also witnessed a group of federal agents parked around the block from Washington Elementary School in Woodburn who sped off once they realized people in the community had noticed their presence, he said.

This alarmed school officials and community members fearing that they might try to detain parents and even children upon pick-up or drop-off, he wrote in a sworn declaration to the court.

In Oregon, ICE has field offices in Portland, Eugene and Medford where the agency holds and processes people taken into custody before transferring them out of the state.

The offices each have attorney visiting rooms, which lawyers in the past could access and request visits with prospective and current clients without problems, the suit says.

But that access is now being denied under President Donald Trumps administration, which has adopted a practice of limiting and outright denying attorneys for those held by ICE officers, the suit alleges.

At the Portland office, ICE has allowed lawyer visits only at the discretion of an ICE officer in an arbitrary manner and often only after an attorney repeatedly insists to speak with someone detained, the suit says. Lawyers have no phone access to people detained and theres no set attorney visiting hours, according to the suit.

ICE has consistently turned away, and even prevented from entering the building, Portland-based attorneys responding to ICE detentions that are identified through Oregons rapid response network, attorney Stephen W. Manning of Innovation Law Lab wrote in the suit.

Over the past four to five months, Clear Clinic attorneys have attempted to respond to ICE detentions for about 20 people in custody at the Portland field office but have been repeatedly denied any access to current or prospective clients, according to the suit.

In one case on July 30, ICE officers took a client out the back door of the Portland field office and drove her to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma while her Clear Clinic attorney was waiting in the lobby asking to talk to her client, the suit says.

In another case on Sept. 30, Clear Clinic attorney Josephine Moberg said ICE officers at the Portland office told her that her client refused to see her when she arrived and asked to meet with him.

Moberg told officers that the client may have temporary protected status and that she was concerned his detention was unlawful.

Moberg left and returned about 30 minutes later to again request access and was ultimately allowed to meet with the man and learned he had never refused her visit as ICE had maintained, the suit says.

The same denials have occurred at the Eugene office, the suit alleges.
A photo possibly taken by an undercover informant shows black-clad figures setting fire to debris piled against the gates of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland on June 12, 2025. Court File

The nightly protests outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement complex in South Portland draw a swirling mix of black- and costume-clad protesters, federal agents, police officers and  buried within the crowd  covert informants, court records reveal.

Of the 50 arrests made by Portland Police Bureau officers at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building since June, at least eight criminal cases reference what authorities call Confidential Reliable Sources or, more plainly, informants.

Police are loath to talk about these unmarked eyes  though the strategy was similarly cited in court records and highly publicized during the 2020 protest movement that rocked Portland.

Im sure you can understand why we cannot discuss CRSs, police spokesperson Sgt. Kevin Allen said Thursday, using an acronym for the confidential reliable sources.

The eight cases are all being prosecuted by the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office. Separately, federal agents have arrested roughly 30 people who are being prosecuted in U.S. District Court.

Of the federal court cases, none suggest information was provided by informants, according to The Oregonian/OregonLives previous coverage. The New York Times reported that federal agents were covertly placed among protest crowds in 2021.

In Portland, court documents describe informants providing detailed information to police, apparently in real-time. The sources provide details about suspects clothing, movement and conduct  and at least one case file includes photographs that may have been taken surreptitiously.

Michael German, a former FBI agent and police reform advocate based in San Diego, said the presence of informants at protests is likely no surprise to demonstrators in this age of ubiquitous surveillance. But the use of informants can spur fears of agent provocateurs and lessen community trust, he said, if police arent transparent.

Its helpful to have somebody who can identify individuals, rather than targeting an entire group of people, German said. Its incumbent upon the city leaders to ensure that there are strict guidelines around that activity.

But in Portlands case, little is known about the sources other than they are positioned within crowds and typically track the location of people so that police can arrest them later. Court records say the sources have a reputation for truthfulness and have never been convicted of crimes.

Rian Peck, a defense attorney who has represented protesters, believes that at least some of the informants are plainclothes police officers.

They tend to hide the ball on the confidential informants until right before trial, Peck said. It frustrates the ability to defend these cases.

Court records do not identify any of the sources.

In one affidavit, senior prosecutor Kevin Demer wrote that officers had worked with the confidential sources previously.

The source is aware of significant criminal consequences if CRS [unique #] intentionally or knowingly provided false information to law enforcement, Demer wrote.

The review by The Oregonian/OregonLive shows that informants were present as early as June 11-12, when some among an estimated crowd of 400 to 500 people barricaded the field offices front gate, smashed security cameras and set fires.

A police photo shows the wreckage of several fires and barricades set up at the gates of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland on June 12, 2025. Court File

For instance, prosecutors allege that an informant saw a protester later identified as Trenton Barker use a flare to set fire to the wooden debris piled up against the gate.

An informant kept visual on Barker until he was taken into custody by Portland police, the probable cause affidavit states.

Barker, 34, has been charged with second-degree arson and riot, records show, but the case has stalled due to the persistent shortage of public defenders in Multnomah County.

Probable cause affidavits filed in protest cases from June 14 and June 17 also state informants were present.

Protests largely petered out in the following weeks, with police officers writing that many nights were sparsely attended and low energy, according to records submitted in a federal lawsuit over President Donald Trumps looming deployment of federalized soldiers to the city.

Portland elected leaders and police officials argue Trumps announcement three weeks ago reinvigorated the nearly dormant protests, leading to the nights of frenzy that federal officials say justify the deployment.

The federal court case is pending as the federal government appeals the temporary restraining order blocking troop deployment.

Prosecutors last noted the use of an informant in a probable cause affidavit on Oct. 2, when police arrested a woman on suspicion of attacking a conservative journalist.

German said the public imagination often portrays informants as undercover agents who infiltrate organizations for long missions. But from a law enforcement viewpoint, he said, almost all criminal cases involve members of the public providing information.

If somebody witnesses a crime and is willing to cooperate with the police to help solve that crime and protect their community, thats proper, he said. Unfortunately  like anything that involves a high level of secrecy  the chances of abuse go up significantly unless there are rigorous guidelines.
Tens of thousands of people protested against President Donald Trump as part of the nationwide 'No Kings in America' protest movement on Sat., June 14, 2025. Another 'No Kings' protest is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18. Edwin Nunez

Portland police expect Saturdays No Kings march in the city to be peaceful.

Its just going to be a large, friendly event where we anticipate people to be able to exercise their First Amendment rights, Assistant Chief Craig Dobson said at a news conference Friday.

The widely anticipated protests in Portland and across the country come as the Trump administration continues its efforts to deploy federalized National Guard troops to Portland, which the administration has repeatedly said is necessary to protect the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in South Portland, despite evidence to the contrary.

Tens of thousands of people participated in the last No Kings protest in Portland, on June 14. Several hundred of them ended up at the ICE facility, where some were seen using a stop sign as a battering ram that shattered a glass door. Portland police declared a riot and arrested three people.

Saturdays No Kings march in the city could involve anywhere from several thousand to 50,000 protesters, Dobson said. The protests organizers are encouraging protesters to not go to the ICE building in South Portland, he said.

Were hoping that at the end of the event, Dobson added, that the demonstrators can take advantage of the decent weather and go into the downtown and Southeast parts of Portland and visit the businesses in those areas.
A laser was aimed at the crew of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter near the Hillsboro Airport on Oct. 10, aborting its landing, according to a federal affidavit. U.S. Attorney's Office

A second man is accused of shining a laser at a cockpit crew of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter that has circled Portland neighborhoods near immigration protests.

Brian Keith Kapileo Nepaial aimed a laser pointer at the helicopter on Oct. 3 as it was flying back toward the airport in Hillsboro, forcing the crew to abort its planned landing, a federal affidavit alleges.

The helicopter instead took photos of the spot where the laser appeared to be coming from, according to the affidavit.

The crew noticed a man walking near a home and disappearing, the affidavit said.

The FBI began an investigation and obtained a warrant to search a home in Aloha.

Agents raided the home on Oct. 10 and confiscated a laser from a nightstand beside a bed in a third-floor bedroom with Nepaials drivers license found on the bed, the affidavit said. Agents also found 129 grams of methamphetamine in the bedroom, according to the court records.

Nepaial, 38, who was on probation in Washington County for distribution of methamphetamine and heroin, was arrested on new charges in Washington County, including possession and delivery of methamphetamine within 1,500 feet of a school.

He remains in custody in the Washington County Jail, where his bail has been set at $500,000.

Hes also now facing federal allegations of aiming a laser at an aircraft and possession of methamphetamine. He has not appeared yet in federal court on the allegations.

Another man was charged earlier this month, accused of shining a laser at government helicopters and planes circling the Portland ICE building on Sept. 27, the day President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he was authorizing federal control of Oregon National Guard troops to deploy to war-ravaged Portland.

Federal government helicopters and police planes have circled Portland for hours on many nights since at least Sept. 27.

Federal flight tracking information suggests 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 Customs and Border Protection, have flown in and out of nearby Hillsboro Airport on recent nights.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a one-mile nautical radius encompassing South Portland is temporarily restricted air space for special security reasons. The restriction was scheduled to be in place from Sept. 17 to Oct. 17, according to the administration.

Aircraft operating in that space are in support of national defense, homeland security, law enforcement and firefighter, search-and- rescue or disaster response missions, according to the FAA.
Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Robert Fico says that Slovakia supports the meeting of US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Budapest (Hungary) and is ready to help organize it.

"We welcome the information about the so-called summit of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest ... I can understand why there will be such a meeting and why specifically in Budapest. On behalf of the government of the Slovak Republic, I want to say that we fully support this meeting," Fico said at the opening of joint Ukrainian-Slovak intergovernmental consultations on Friday.

He also stressed that the Slovak government offers any assistance to partners in Hungary to organize such a summit.

As reported, on October 16, US President Donald Trump said that he considered Thursday's conversation with Vladimir Putin to be significant progress, calling it very productive, and announced planned meetings - a personal one in Budapest and at the level of advisors before that.
Federal officers guarded the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, as nightly protests continued. Mark Graves/The Oregonian

U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut is fast-tracking a three-day trial at the end of the month to examine the legality of the Trump administrations mobilization of National Guard troops to Portland  with an eye toward eventual appeals, likely all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Immergut made it clear this week that she wanted to develop as robust a record as possible to benefit the 9th Circuit, recognizing that the case is all but headed to higher courts for an ultimate decision.

As lawyers prepare for that expedited trial, theyre also considering whether President Donald Trump could get a legal ruling in the interim that would allow National Guard troops on Portland streets, and if so, what the soldiers would be doing.

Immerguts granting of two separate temporary restraining orders has complicated that, though, legal observers say.

If a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals grants the federal governments request to put a hold on Immerguts first restraining order barring Oregon National Guard troops in Portland, her second broader order barring the federal deployment of any National Guard members in the state still stands.

Some lawyers paying close attention to the legal maneuvering said the federal government set its efforts back by prompting the second restraining order and giving the state and the city of Portland another avenue to press their objections to the deployment.

Immergut held an emergency hearing on the night of Oct. 5 and issued the second order a day after her first order when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sent California National Guard troops to Oregon and announced Texas National Guard troops would go to Chicago and Portland.

Michael J. Gerardi, a senior counsel in the U.S. Justice Department, signaled this week that he would ask Immergut to dissolve both restraining orders if the 9th Circuit ruled in the federal governments favor and put a hold on the first one.

Immergut directed him to file a motion within 48 hours of the 9th Circuit ruling if that happens and gave the state and city of Portland 24 hours to respond to any federal government motion.

Immergut indicated she may dissolve both orders if the 9th Circuit rules against her findings that supported the initial restraining order, acknowledging this week in a court hearing that her broader order rested on the same reasoning.

If so, that could open the door for Trump to send troops to protect the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office in South Portland, where protests have waxed and mostly waned since June but picked up this month after the president set his sights on Portland with false rhetoric of a war-ravaged city overrun by fires and anti-fascists.

Yet the state and city would still have legal options to challenge a deployment.

Gov. Tina Kotek, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson all have vehemently rejected the need for the troop mobilization and filed the lawsuit that touched off the legal wrangling.

The Oregon lawyers could request a review of the 9th Circuit three-judge panel decision through a motion of reconsideration, expected to be filed within two weeks of the ruling.

Such a so-called en banc review hearing would be held if a majority of the 29 active regular service judges on the 9th Circuit vote for it. Then it would be assigned to a randomly drawn panel of 11 circuit judges.

The states lawyers would have to convince the larger contingent of 9th Circuit justices that the three-judge panel was wrong, show theres a split among federal circuits or that this is an issue of exceptional importance that warrants the second review, legal observers said.

On Thursday, for example, a lawyer for the state sent a memo to the 9th Circuit informing it that the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had just denied the federal governments motion to put a hold on a Chicago lower courts temporary restraining order barring the Trump administration from federalizing and deploying the National Guard in Illinois.

The 7th Circuits three-judge panel found that the facts didnt justify Trumps actions in Illinois, even giving substantial deference to the president. The 7th Circuit ruled that a protest doesnt rise to a rebellion -- one of the criteria for federalizing troops -- merely because of sporadic and isolated incidents of unlawful activity or even violence committed by rogue participants in protest, Oregon Assistant General Stacy M. Chaffin wrote to the 9th Circuit.

(On Friday, the Trump administration made an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the National Guard deployment in Chicago.)

Brian Wolfman, a law professor at Georgetown University Law Center and its director of Appellate Courts Immersion Clinic, said the granting of en banc review is rare  typically only 30 to 35 times a year across the country.

If the 9th Circuit granted the federal governments motion and put a hold on Immerguts first restraining order and rejected Oregons request for an en banc review, the state could try to convince Immergut to leave her second temporary restraining order in place.

Immergut earlier this week granted two-week extensions to both her temporary restraining orders, extending the first to Nov. 1 and the second to Nov. 2.

Since the 9th Circuit is very aware of the second temporary restraining order, although it wasnt challenged, I wouldnt be surprised if it resolves the first one and includes some direction on the second one, said Jeff Feldman, a law professor and co-director of the Ninth Circuit Appellate Advocacy Clinic at the University of Washington School of Law.

If all fails for Oregon and the city of Portland before the 9th Circuit and Immergut on the temporary orders, they could ask the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene.

That would be rare as well, but its not unheard of.

These days, however, federal government lawyers are the ones more often heading to the Supreme Court for a hearing, considering the conservative majority.

The Supreme Court, for example, stepped in at a similar stage in Trump v. JGG earlier this year, a case involving the detention and deportation of noncitizens to Venezuela.

In May and then again in October, the Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to end the protected federal immigration status of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan citizens living in the United States. In brief, unsigned orders, the justices paused rulings by a federal judge in San Francisco that had temporarily blocked Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem from terminating the protections.

A petition seeking review by the Supreme Court of a district judges or appeals court decision on a stay can be filed before the merits of the case have been decided, Feldman said.

Feldman said the Trump administration has routinely filed such petitions in response to adverse rulings by lower courts and the resulting rulings have been considered part of what has come to be called the Supreme Courts shadow docket, he said.

These are decisions on mostly procedural issues that can have considerable consequence but are rendered by the court without full briefing or argument, and typically are decided without full opinions and explanation, he said.

Sometimes the Supreme Court also accepts cases for review directly out of the district courts and bypasses the circuit appeals courts entirely, he said.

When the Supreme Court in 2023 decided the affirmative action case against Harvard University, a companion case involving the University of North Carolina went to the Supreme Court directly out of the district court, Feldman said. In that decision, the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 split along ideological lines, ended race-conscious admission programs at colleges and universities across the country.

The three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit also could simply reissue its prior order from its administrative stay and allow the mobilized National Guard troops to remain under federal control but continue to bar their deployment until it can consider the federal governments full appeal.

Surprisingly, a lot of this is less prescribed than you might think. Temporary restraining orders are unusual, said Elizabeth Porter, co-director of the Appellate Advocacy Clinic at the University of Washington School of Law. Theres more discretion within the courts all the way up, and its complicated and deeply strategic.

Regardless of how the 9th Circuit rules in the troop case in Oregon, Immergut intends to hold the Oct. 29 trial focused solely on the two laws she found relevant in the case: The federal codes Title 10, Section 12406 that sets out specific criteria before a president can activate National Guard troops for federal service and the 10th Amendment that states powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved to the states.

Immergut, in granting the first restraining order, found that the Trump administration hasnt shown that Portland is in rebellion or bordering on rebellion. She determined that federal and local police can handle enforcement without military help.

Furthermore, this country has a longstanding and foundational tradition of resistance to government overreach, especially in the form of military intrusion into civil affairs, Immergut wrote. This historical tradition boils down to a simple proposition: this is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law. Defendants have made a range of arguments that, if accepted, risk blurring the line between civil and military federal power  to the detriment of this nation.

For the trial on the state and citys lawsuit, she urged lawyers from all sides to pare down the scope of evidence theyre seeking. She also set multiple deadlines later this month for the attorneys to submit exhibit lists, complete depositions of witnesses and turn in trial memorandums.

Since a trial on the merits of the case has been set so soon, the 9th Circuit also could choose not to issue a ruling on the temporary restraining order.

Sometimes, Feldman said, courts go real slow because at some point, this problem may resolve itself.

Once Immergut rules after the trial, her decision would be appealed by the losing side to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The losing side of the 9th Circuits final ruling would likely petition the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case.

Thats the normal path, Feldman said.
LEFT: Oregon head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on September 27, 2025, in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images) Right: Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano yells during the college football game between the Rutgers and the Minnesota Golden Gophers on September 27, 2025, at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Getty Images
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Comedian Adam Sandler will perform in Portland on Tuesday, October 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Moda Center for his current tour, Youre My Best Friend. Tickets are still currently available at a few different price points starting at around a whopping $185 per seat.

Through a special arrangement, if you are purchasing tickets for the first time through VividSeats, use our special discount promo code Oregon20 at checkout to save $20 on orders of $200 or more for the event you plan on attending. Also get $5 off $300+ order with code TAKE5 on SeatGeek .

 Get tickets to see Adam Sandler in Portland: Buy tickets now from VividSeats and Stubhub, SeatGeek, or from Ticketmaster.

American Jewish actor, comedian, and screenwriter Adam Sandler is known for his stand up performances and roles in popular movies including Happy Gilmore, 50 First Dates, Grown Ups, and most recently You Are So Not Invited to My Bar Mitzva. Sandler also excelled in a starring dramatic role in Josh Safdies Uncut Gems. He has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, five Emmys, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and the 2023 Mark Twain Prize throughout his career. On October 28, he will come to Portland as part of his national tour.
Military personnel in uniform, with the Texas National Guard patch on, are seen at the U.S. Army Reserve Center, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, in Elwood, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. AP Photo/Erin Hooley

The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to allow the deployment of National Guard troops in the Chicago area, escalating President Donald Trumps conflict with Democratic governors over using the military on U.S. soil.

The emergency appeal to the high court came after a judge prevented, for at least two weeks, the deployment of Guard members from Illinois and Texas to assist immigration enforcement. A federal appeals court refused to put the judges order on hold.

The conservative-dominated court has handed Trump repeated victories in emergency appeals since he took office in January, after lower courts have ruled against him and often over the objection of the three liberal justices. The court has allowed Trump to ban transgender people from the military, claw back billions of dollars of congressionally approved federal spending, move aggressively against immigrants and fire the Senate-confirmed leaders of independent federal agencies,

In the dispute over the Guard, U.S. District Judge April Perry said she found no substantial evidence that a danger of rebellion is brewing in Illinois during Trumps immigration crackdown.

But Solicitor General D. John Sauer, Trumps top Supreme Court lawyer, urged the justices to step in immediately. Perrys order, Sauer wrote, impinges on the Presidents authority and needlessly endangers federal personnel and property.

Eleven people were arrested at a Friday morning protest outside a U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement facility in the west Chicago suburb of Broadview. Law enforcement had urged demonstrators to stay in designated protest zones.

In recent weeks, the Broadview ICE facility has been the site of tense protests, where federal agents have previously used tear gas and other chemical agents on protesters and journalists.

A federal judge in Oregon also has temporarily blocked the deployment of National Guard troops there.

Guard troops from several states also are patrolling the nations capital and Memphis, Tennessee.

In a California case, a judge in September said the deployment was illegal. By that point, just 300 of the thousands of troops sent there remained and the judge did not order them to leave.
FILE - Britain's Prince Andrew speaks during a television interview at the Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge, Windsor, April 11, 2021. (Steve Parsons/Pool Photo via AP, File) AP

Prince Andrew said Friday he is giving up his royal title of the Duke of York and other honors after his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein returned to the headlines.

The younger brother of King Charles III said he and the royal family had decided the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family, Prince Andrew said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace.

It comes as excerpts have been published of an upcoming posthumous memoir from Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who has alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and had sex with Andrew when she was 17.

FILE: Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a sexual assault victim, speaks during a press conference where victims, on invitation of a judge, addressed a hearing after the accused Jeffrey Epstein killed himself before facing sex trafficking charges, Tuesday Aug. 27, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) AP

Andrew, 65, stepped down from public life in 2019, but denied wrongdoing.

In a statement Friday he said that with His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.

As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

Giuffre died by suicide in April. In the memoir she details alleged encounters with Prince Andrew, who she sued in 2021, claiming that they had sex when she was 17. Andrew denied her claims and the two settled the lawsuit in 2022.

--The Associated Press
Tens of thousands of people protested against President Donald Trump as part of the first nationwide 'No Kings in America' protest movement on Sat., June 14, 2024. Edwin Nunez

Cries of No kings! will return to Oregon on Saturday.

Four months after tens of thousands of demonstrators marched across Portland and many other U.S. cities to protest President Donald Trumps aggressive exercise of executive power, a second round is scheduled to take place.

More than 50 cities and towns in Oregon are expected to see demonstrations, according to 50501, a national progressive activist group that is organizing the event in partnership with Indivisible, another activist organization.

The protests come as the Trump administration continues its efforts to deploy federalized National Guard troops to Portland, which the administration insists is necessary to protect the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in the city.

The largest No Kings protests in Oregon likely will be in Portland, and the city certainly will have the largest number of them, with some 25 planned. But others will take place across the state, in Bend, Klamath Falls, Salem, along the coast and in many other places.

A map of protests across the country Saturday is available on 50501s Mobilize page.

Where you can find the biggest No Kings protests in Oregon:

Portland

Perhaps the foremost No Kings protest in Portland is expected to start around noon at the Battleship Oregon Memorial in Tom McCall Waterfront Park. After listening to speeches, protesters will undertake a roughly 2-mile march through downtown Portland, 50501s Portland chapter said in a statement.

Beaverton

A protest is set to happen in Beaverton from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Beaverton City Park, 12500 SW 4th St. The event will feature a rally with music, speeches and a march.

Salem

Eugene

Protesters are set to gather at Wayne Lyman Morse United States Courthouse between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m at 405 East 8th Avenue between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

And heres a selection of other No Kings protests in Oregon:

Silverton Progressives

Noon  2 p.m., 626 McClaine St. in Silverton in front of the closed Rite Aid

Woodburn

Noon  3 p.m., 1775 Mt Hood Ave. in Woodburn

Dallas

Noon  1 p.m., South Main Street and East Ellendale Avenue

Newberg

10:30 a.m.  12:30 p.m., Newberg flag pole, 1003 E First St. in Newberg

McMinnville

11 a.m.  2 p.m., Wortman Park McDaniel Lane Shelter, 2250 NE McDaniel Lane in McMinnville

Lebanon

11 a.m.  1 p.m., Academy Street in Lebanon

Oakridge

9 11 a.m., The Hitching Post, 47851 Oregon Route 58 in Oakridge

Corvallis

Noon  3 p.m., Benton County Circuit Court, 120 NW Fourth St. in Corvallis

Albany

2  4 p.m., Southwest Ellsworth Street and Southwest Fourth Avenue in Albany

Other No Kings protests planned in the Portland area:

Gresham

10 a.m.  Noon, Gresham City Hall, 1333 NW Eastman Parkway

Sandy

Noon  2 p.m., Highway 26 and Industrial Way

Sherwood

9 a.m.  noon, Southwest First Street and Southwest Pine Street

Sherwood Pedestrian Bridge

10 a.m.  noon, Pacific Highway 99W and Southwest Sunset Boulevard Pedestrian Bridge

Hillsboro

10 a.m.  noon, Schute Park, SE 10th Ave. to SE Baseline Street

Lake Oswego

10 a.m.  noon, Kayak Launch and public access, 232 N State St.

West Linn

10 a.m.  noon, 22000 Salamo Road

Damascus

10 a.m.  1 p.m., Oregon 212 and Southeast Foster Road

Tigard

10  11:30 a.m., Universal Plaza, 9100 SW Burnham St.

Tigard/King City

10  11:30 a.m., Durham Road and Pacific Highway with satellite locations spreading across four miles of 99W at Main Street, SW Walnut Street and SW McDonald Street

Estacada

11 a.m.  noon, Estacada City Hall, 475 SE Main St. and Highway 224

Oregon City

Noon  2 p.m., Oregon City Public Library, 606 John Adams St.

Happy Valley

Noon  2 p.m., 9085 SE Sunnyside Road in Clackamas County

Wilsonville

1  3 p.m., Southwest Wilsonville Road and Town Center Loop East

Milwaukie

5:30  7:30 p.m., Milwaukie Bay Park, 1211 SE McLoughlin Blvd.

Canby

2  3:30 p.m., Oregon 99E and SW Berg Parkway

Forest Grove

4:30  6:30 p.m., 3034 Pacific Ave.

Scappoose

Noon  2 p.m., Totem Pole, 51875 SW Old Portland Road in Scappoose

Hood River

11 a.m.  1 p.m., Downtown Salmon Fountain, 115 State St.

No Kings protest planned on the Oregon coast:

No Kings protests are planned up and down the coast from Astoria to Gold Beach.

Astoria

Noon  2 p.m., Astoria Armory, 1636 Exchange St. in Astoria

Seaside

11:30 a.m.  12:30 p.m., Seaside Outlet Mall, 1111 N Roosevelt Drive in Seaside

Cannon Beach

12:30  2 p.m., Whale Park, 288 N Hemlock St. in Cannon Beach

Manzanita

Noon  2 p.m., Laneda Avenue and U.S. 101 junction in Manzanita

Tillamook County

Noon  2 p.m., Sue H Elmore Kayak Park, Ivy Avenue and Front Street in Tillamook

Cloverdale

Noon  2 p.m., U.S. 101 and Parkway Drive in Cloverdale

Lincoln City

Noon  3 p.m., Congregational Church, 2435 NW Oar Place in Lincoln City

Newport

1  3 p.m., Newport City Hall, 169 SW Coast Highway in Newport

Florence City Hall

Noon  2 p.m., Florence City Hall, 250 U.S. 101 in Florence

Florence

Noon  2 p.m., 1670 Highway 126 in Florence

Yachats

Noon  2 p.m., 501 U.S.101 in Yachats

Coos Bay

Noon  2 p.m., Coos Bay Boardwalk, 200 S Bayshore Drive in Coos Bay

Bandon

Noon  2 p.m., U.S. 101 and Oregon 42S

Curry County

Noon  2 p.m., Curry County Circuit Court, 29821 Ellensburg Ave. in Gold Beach

No Kings protests will be held in Bend, Sisters and other central Oregon cities:

Madras

2  4 p.m., 8444 SW Crescent Place in Terrebonne

Redmond

10  11:30 a.m., 732 SW Sixth St. in Redmond

Sisters

10  11 a.m., Wild Stallion rally corner, U.S. 20 and South Larch Street in Sisters

Bend

2  5 p.m., Drake Park, 777 NW Riverside Blvd. in Bend

La Pine

Noon  2 p.m., U.S. 97 and First Street in La Pine

Prineville

Noon  1 p.m., Pioneer Park, 450 NE Third St. in Prineville

Lakeview

10 a.m.  noon, 513 Center St. in Lakeview

Jefferson County

2  4 p.m., NW Maple Street in Madras

No Kings protests planned in southern Oregon:

Six cities in southern Oregon will hold No Kings protests.

Roseburg

Noon  1:30 p.m., 2460 NW Stewart Parkway in Roseburg

Elkton

11 a.m.  1 p.m., 14971 Umpqua Highway in Elkton

Grants Pass

10 a.m.  1 p.m., 500 NW Sixth St. in Grants Pass

Ashland

10:30 a.m.  12:30 p.m., Downtown plaza, 26 N Main St. in Ashland

Medford

11 a.m.  1 p.m., 1320 E McAndrews Road in Medford

Klamath Falls

Noon  2 p.m., S Sixth Street and Washburn Way

No Kings protests planned in eastern Oregon

Six cities in eastern Oregon will hold No Kings protests.

Heppner

11 a.m.  2 p.m., Heppner City Park, Main Street and Church Street in Heppner

Baker City

11:30 a.m.  1:30 p.m., Campbell Street and Cherry Street in Baker City

Harney County

Noon  2 p.m., West A Street and North Broadway Avenue in Burns

Pendleton

Noon  2 p.m., Goad Road overpass in Pendleton

Hermiston

Noon  1 p.m., East Highland Avenue and South Highway 395 in Hermiston

La Grande
E-Block at Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem on Sept. 24, 2025. The Oregon Department of Corrections has quietly reexamined the sentences of the vast majority of state prisoners after a court ruling this summer, sometimes shaving years off a prisoners time and in some cases releasing dozens outright without alerting prosecutors. Mark Graves/The Oregonian

The Oregon Department of Corrections has quietly reexamined the sentences of the vast majority of the states prisoners after a court ruling this summer, sometimes shaving years off a prisoners time and in some cases releasing dozens outright without alerting prosecutors.

The massive review has led to earlier release dates for about 350 prisoners, including about 40 who were immediately released, corrections officials said.

The new release dates apply to convictions that include murder, rape and assault, according to agency data. At least 67 prisoners saw their sentence cut by a year or more; in one case, the data shows the agency trimmed a dozen years off a defendants sentence.

Prosecutors this week questioned the states legal analysis of the Oregon Supreme Court ruling dealing with the sometimes complex calculus of prison sentences and accused the Corrections Department of mismanaging its review.

They said the new release dates blindsided not only district attorneys offices but also crime victims.

The Oregon District Attorneys Association on Thursday urged Gov. Tina Kotek to order an immediate pause to implementation of new sentencing formulas until there is greater clarity and consensus on how it should be applied.

This pause is essential to ensure that individuals who should remain incarcerated are not prematurely released, that victims are given the time and respect they deserve, the prosecutors association said in a statement.

Koteks office did not respond to a request for comment.

The Supreme Court ruling stemmed from an argument by criminal defendant Abraham Torres-Lopez that the sentence computation unit of the Corrections Department should have credited him for the roughly four months he spent in two county jails on various criminal charges when it calculated his ultimate prison sentence on a Marion County conviction.

The court ruled that a trial court may give credit for concurrent jail time on separate allegations in another county. It also found defendants may get credit for time they spent in jail for violating the terms of their probation.

The ruling didnt make much of a splash in legal circles when it came out in July, but it prompted the Corrections Department to reexamine the sentences of an estimated 11,000 prisoners  about 12,000 people are incarcerated in the state.

Broadly, prosecutors say the ruling affected two groups: prisoners serving consecutive sentences for multiple convictions and those facing prosecution in multiple counties.

Corrections spokesperson Amber Campbell said corrections officials worked with Oregon Department of Justice lawyers to guide the application of the court ruling and worked diligently to implement the sentence recalculation order and alert affected parties.

We understand that some District Attorneys may be frustrated if sentence recalculations are not in alignment with what they believe was the courts intent, Campbell said in a statement.

She said prosecutors can file what is known as a corrective judgment with the court to address their concerns about each sentencing recalculation.

Corrections officials said they have so far reviewed the sentences of an estimated 10,500 prisoners. They have another 500 cases left to review, Campbell said.

She said the updated release information was entered into the states victim notification system, which alerts victims about a defendants release status. Not all victims sign up for the service.

We recognize the limitations of such a system in the case of an immediate release, Campbell said. And unfortunately there have been cases where crime victims were not signed up for notifications so they were unaware of changes to a defendants sentence.

Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth, who leads the Oregon District Attorneys Association, said corrections leaders told prosecutors in August to expect modest changes in sentences as a result of the Supreme Court ruling.

Wentworth said the prosecutors association then sought a detailed communications plan specifically concerning how crime victims would be notified of changes in incarceration dates but received no additional information from the Corrections Department.

He said prosecutors learned about early releases from crime victims who called their offices alarmed about perpetrators revised release dates.

Victims should never be the last to know, according to a statement the group released. They deserve transparency, respect, and timely communication.

In a letter late last month to Corrections Director Michael Reese, Jackson County District Attorney Patrick Green called the agencys resentencing calculations both unjust and absurd.

Green said the states interpretation of the ruling defies common sense.

Applying credit multiple times across consecutive sentences effectively nullifies the courts intent to impose distinct and meaningful punishment for separate crimes  rendering the imposition of consecutive sentences in these cases as meaningless, Green wrote.

He said the agency failed to notify the courts, prosecutors or victims.

Multiple victims contacted our office in distress, having learned of the offenders release only after it had occurred, he wrote. This is unacceptable. DOC must do better.

Green took issue with the agencys handling of cases where defendants were convicted of multiple crimes and received consecutive sentences.

He cited multiple Jackson County cases, including one involving a man convicted last year in an impaired driving crash that seriously injured four people, three of them children.

The court sentenced defendant Alfredo Martinez, 35, to four consecutive two-year sentences for a total of eight years. Martinez had served 738 days in jail at the time of his sentencing; the Corrections Department recently recalculated his sentence, giving him 738 days of credit toward each of his two-year sentences, so 2,952 days, instead of 738 days for the entire eight years.

Martinez was originally slated for release in January 2029. However, corrections officials effectively wiped out Martinezs prison sentence and released him last month without any advance notice, Green wrote to Reese.

Green cited another case involving a defendant named Joaquin Cowart, 47, who was sentenced in 2021 for sexually abusing a child and possession of images depicting child sexual abuse. The court sentenced Cowart to four back-to-back three-year sentences, or 12 years in prison.

Green said Department of Corrections officials recently recalculated Cowarts sentence, applying the more than 31/2 years of time he spent in jail before sentencing toward each count and moving up his official release date to June 3, 2021  10 days after he was sentenced.

He was released last month after the agency recalculated his sentence. Green said he received no warning of the updated release date.

Green cited another case involving defendant Craig Robinson, 27, who was sentenced last June to two back-to-back 30-month sentences for sexually abusing a young child. He was originally set for release in October 2026. But the Corrections Department recalculated his sentence based on the number of days he spent in jail before sentencing, granting him a new release date of June 10, 2025  just five days after he was sentenced.

Robinson was released Aug. 11 without any prior notice, Green wrote.

These outcomes not only undermine the principle of truth in sentencing, but they also disregard the rights of victims and their families, who were understandably distressed by these unexpected and unexplained releases, he told Reese.

Green said he didnt get a reply from Reese, but state Rep. Kim Wallan, R-Medford, forwarded him a response she received from Reese about the sentencing review.

Reese told Wallan that the Supreme Court ruling introduced significant complexity to the already complex world of sentence calculations and that corrections analysts conducted the review with guidance from the Department of Justice.

He said Greens concerns prompted the agency to notify prosecutors in cases where the recalculation cut significant time off the defendants term.

Oregonian editor Betsy Hammond contributed to this report.
In November 2023, Baker City resident Matt Krabacher helped organize a petition pushing to restore a train line that would connect Portland and Salt Lake City.

By the following January, he had raised 1,500 signatures and presented it to the Oregon Legislature. Since then, hes made it a goal to restore the train line that would connect his rural Oregon town with bigger cities.

The Pioneer was an Amtrak passenger train that operated from 1977 until 1997, when it was cut because of budget shortfalls. It spanned from Seattle to Denver, passing through the Oregon cities of Portland, The Dalles, Pendleton, Baker City and Ontario, as well as Boise and Salt Lake City.

While it hasnt run for almost three decades, the Federal Railroad Administration in a January report to Congress recommended bringing back the Pioneer route.

Krabacher, the Eastern Oregon vice president for the Association of Oregon Rail and Transit Advocates, joined other regional rail advocates at the Pacific Northwest Rail Summit in Portland on Thursday. He said restoring the line would bring economic opportunity and bridge the gap between rural towns in Oregon, Idaho and Utah.

The U.S. Federal Railroad Administration in January 2025 recommended Amtrak add 15 new routes, including the Pioneer line, which is shown in green above. Screenshot of Federal Railroad Administrations Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study

So what would it take? Largely, funding. Most state transportation funding in Idaho, Oregon and Utah goes to highways, and the states transportation departments dont bring in revenue specifically dedicated to rails. Krabacher said restoring the line doesnt necessarily mean Amtrak would have to operate the line, but he suggested states create their own rail authority or interstate rail compact.

Elaine Clegg, an Amtrak board member and CEO of Boise-based Valley Regional Transit, said restoring the Pioneer line would serve some of the fastest-growing regions in the country.

Idaho experienced the countrys fastest growth in housing units, with a 2.2% increase between 2023 to 2024, followed by Utah at 2%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Oregons 0.9% growth in housing units during the same period lagged the national average of 1% as the state struggles to build its way out of a housing crisis.

Its true that Amtrak is very focused on the Northeast corridor, as it should be, Clegg said. Frankly, theres a lot of traffic on the Northeast corridor. Theres a lot of infrastructure there, but it should be just as true that Amtrak should be focused on building a national network that truly serves the United States, that truly connects the U.S., and not just parts of it.

Oregonians who want to take a train east now have few options. The Amtrak Empire Builder, which runs close to the U.S.-Canada border, starts in Seattle or Portland and ends in Chicago. Otherwise, Oregonians would have to take a train south to California to access the California Zephyr, which runs through Salt Lake City and Denver.

Theres also a climate aspect to bringing the line back. Krabacher said the passenger rail, behind waterway transportation, is the most sustainable way to transport people in terms of carbon emissions.

Many of your children and grandchildren will not be living in the stable climate and stable weather and stable economics that we have enjoyed the past 20 or 30 years, and rail is an added resiliency and added sustainable form of transit that goes a long way to ensuring that our quality of life and access to transit continues for the long term for our region, he said.

Bringing the train back would bring construction and manufacturing jobs, reduce congestion along Interstate 84 and serve vulnerable populations such as seniors, students and veterans, said Craig Raborn, the executive director of the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho, who appeared over video call.

Krabacher said rural Oregon faces a lot of the same struggles as other rural areas, such as aging infrastructure and an aging population with significant health care needs.

The nearest airport is Pendleton, which is a small regional airport, or Boise, which is two hours southeast.

People in my town are faced with the decision of having to drive hours, which they may not be able to because of their health care needs, or move where the health care is  which most of the people in my town could not afford to do, he said. They could afford very easily to take a bus or train to a specialty care facility.

-- Mia Maldonado, Oregon Capital Chronicle

The Oregon Capital Chronicle, founded in 2021, is a nonprofit news organization that focuses on Oregon state government, politics and policy.
Near-daily protests continued outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Vickie Connor | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Musical comedian Robby Roadsteamer says he was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during a protest outside the ICE building in South Portland.

Roadsteamer, also known as Rob Potylo, is known for posting satirical songs aimed at the Trump administration and right-wing figures on the internet. In 2024, for example, he heckled Steve Bannon after he was released from prison.

On Wednesday, Potylo attended the ongoing demonstrations dressed as a giraffe.

If you hate brown people / and you are a Nazi / come on ICE leave Portland, a video shows Potylo singing to the tune of Rod Stewarts Do You Think Im Sexy?

Despite standing behind the Do Not Cross line, a group of ICE officers dressed in military fatigues can be seen in the video grabbing Potylo and hauling him back to the facility.

A GoFundMe page created to help cover court costs and legal fees says he has been charged with trespassing.

Robby is being brought up on trespassing charges and asked to appear in court in Portland even though ICE dragged him onto their property, the page reads.

The GoFundMe has raised over $112,000 of its $140,000 goal so far.

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security told TMZ in a statement that this deceptively clipped video features this attention-starved influencer who flew all the way from Massachusetts to trespass on federal property.

Officers continued to warn him to back up. Following his repeated refusal to listen to law enforcement, he was placed under arrest, officials said.

The comedian has said he plans to sue the Trump administration over his arrest.
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Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, the newest true crime drama about the infamous American serial killer, is now available to watch streaming on demand starting Thursday, October 16 on NBCs streaming platform Peacock.

 Fans of true crime can watch the entire John Wayne Gacy series for FREE on Peacock (promotional offers).

Who was John Wayne Gacy? Was he really a clown?

Gacy was a man from Chicago, Illinois, working as a clown for childrens birthday parties. He regularly performed at hospitals and charitable events, hiding behind his seemingly benign career to commit horrific crimes. Learn about him in this new series.

What did John Wayne Gacy do?

Gacy would lure his victims into his home, sometimes offering to show them a magic trick, before locking them in handcuffs to torture and kill them. He was convicted of 33 counts of murder, one count of sexual assault, and one count of indecent liberties with a child, among other counts, before being sentenced to death. At the time, his 33 counts of murder were the most by anyone in the United States.

What is Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy about?

This new Peacock Original series is 8 episodes long and features stories of the Gacy victims friends and family members. The drama exposes the biases that allowed him to keep committing crimes for as long as he did without getting caught, combining true crime and documentary elements with a dramatized production. Watch it here now.

How can I watch the new Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy?

When: Stream it now on demand

TV Channel: Not on TV, available on Peacock

Streaming: Fans of true crime can watch the entire John Wayne Gacy series for FREE on Peacock (promotional offers). You can get Peacocks basic plan for $7.99/month, or opt for Premium Plus ad-free for $16.99/month.

Can I watch on Amazon Prime Video?

While Prime Video does have Peacock content available to stream, since Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy is a Peacock original, it is not available right now. Some older content is, however.
Expert slams US coercion claim on Chinas Hanwha sanctions as baseless, says it reflects Washingtons hegemonic, bloc-confrontation mindset

15:30, October 17, 2025 By Ma Tong ( Global Times

In a latest example reflecting what analysts call Washington's hegemonic mindset and bloc confrontation mentality, the US government claimed that China's recent sanctions on US-linked subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean were an attempt to "undermine" US-ROK cooperation and "coerce" Washington's Asian ally.

However, a Chinese expert said that the US is twisting facts in an attempt to rally its allies against China - a baseless move that constitutes genuine economic coercion.

A US State Department spokesperson on Friday claimed that China's actions against Hanwha were "irresponsible," aiming to "interfere with a private company's operations and undermine US-ROK (Republic of Korea) cooperation on revitalizing American shipbuilding and manufacturing," according to a Reuters report.

"The US accusations against China's lawful action reflect a typical hegemonic mindset and bloc confrontation mentality," Dong Shaopeng, a senior research fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Friday.

Dong emphasized that Washington's attempt to distort the issue is a baseless effort to conceal the fact that its Section 301 investigation itself violates WTO rules and seriously infringes upon the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

On Tuesday local time, the US began implementing final measures under the Section 301 investigation targeting China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors  the latest move in Washington's expanded crackdown on Chinese industries. China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the move.

A MOFCOM spokesperson slammed on the same day the US action as a typical act of unilateralism and protectionism that seriously violates World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and the principle of equality and reciprocity under the China-US Maritime Agreement, causing severe harm to China's related industries.

Also on Tuesday, China announced countermeasures against five US-linked subsidiaries of Hanwha Ocean on its countermeasure list, prohibiting domestic organizations and individuals from engaging in transactions or cooperation with them, as these companies were involved in assisting the US government's related Section 301 investigation against China, according to a MOFCOM statement.

Hanwha, one of the world's largest shipbuilders, owns Philly Shipyard in the US and has won contracts to repair and overhaul US Navy ships. Its entities are also set to build a US-flagged LNG carrier, according to Reuters.

The MOFCOM spokesperson said that the US has begun implementing final measures under the relevant Section 301 investigation, seriously violating international law and the fundamental norms of international relations, and seriously undermining the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

Hanwha Ocean's related subsidiaries in the US have assisted and supported the US government in conducting both the Section 301 investigation and taking related measures against China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries, in response to which China expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition, the spokesperson said.

China urges the US and related enterprises to respect facts and multilateral trade rules, adhere to the principles of market economy and fair competition, correct their wrongdoings as soon as possible, and cease damaging China's interests, the spokesperson concluded.

"The US has long coerced its allies into taking sides in its geopolitical competition, turning them into instruments of its global strategy. This fully exposes that it is the US, not China, that acts as the destroyer of international rules and the initiator of political coercion," Dong added.

Dong noted that if the US now feels "coerced," it is only because its own confrontational actions  including forcing allies to "take sides" between China and the US  have made it the biggest source of risk to global industrial and supply chain stability.

South Korea's presidential office said on Tuesday that it is in talks with China to minimize the impact of Beijing's sanctions on shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean's US-linked subsidiaries, per a Reuters report. Another Reuters report citing analysts said the sanctions "are seen as a warning gesture without immediate impact."

Asked to comment on these reports, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday's routine press briefing that China once again urges the US and companies concerned to respect facts and multilateral trade rules, abide by the principles of market economy and fair competition, correct their wrong practices as soon as possible, and stop undermining China's interests.

"The US should realize that coercion and bloc confrontation will never make China abandon its resolve to safeguard its legitimate interests, and try to address differences through equal consultation and dialogue with China," Dong noted.

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing)
Photo: https://suspilne.media/chernihivhttps://suspilne.media/chernihiv

Renaming Fairytale Square in the Sherstianka microdistrict in Chernihiv in honor of US President Donald Trump is "an extremely gross violation of the law," said Serhiy Butko, a representative of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance (UINR).

"Anything can be named in honor of an individual only after his death. This is stated in the law "On the assignment of legal entities and objects of ownership of names (pseudonyms) of individuals, anniversary and holiday dates, names and dates of historical events" Part 2, Article 3," he said in a comment to "Social".

Butko also considers another violation to be "the failure to hold a commission on toponymy and public discussions" on the renaming of this square.

"The decision was immediately made in the session hall. The law is unambiguous, and its norms must be followed. I don't understand why 22 city council members violated the law?", he noted.

The decision to rename was supported on October 16 at the 46th extraordinary session of the Chernihiv City Council. The proposal was made by the head of the European Solidarity faction, Maryna Semenenko. She noted that she was aware of the law prohibiting renaming after the names of living people, but stated that the square was not renamed in honor of the current US president.

"That's why we didn't rename it after Donald Trump. This is Trump's square. The surname is simple. It was the initiative of our faction. The Chernihiv City Council can establish whatever names it wants in the city. This is not a question for the Institute of National Remembrance," Semenenko said.

However, on her Facebook page she wrote: "There is now a Trump square in Chernihiv. The next step is to appeal to the US President and his family. We will invite him to the hero city for a visit!"
After a slight chance of morning showers, Portland should see a mostly sunny, and warm Friday. Oregonian file photo. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A weak cool front sliding southward from far northwest Washington could dump a few light showers in the Portland area early Friday before clouds clear off to a mostly sunny afternoon.

The National Weather Service says the decaying front will drop very little, or maybe no, measurable rainfall in the Portland/Vancouver area Friday.

If Portland does see some showers theyll fall before the lunch hour, then clouds will gradually clear to a nice afternoon. The high temp will reach about 64 degrees.

Clear skies will lead to another cold night in some areas with frost likely in the foothills of the southern Washington Cascades, and in the far southern part of the Willamette Valley.

The Portland area may see some fog early Saturday, but skies should clear to mostly sunny by the afternoon. The high temp will reach about 64 degrees.

Clouds will move back in overnight as the next frontal system moves into the region. Rain is likely overnight and into Sunday morning.

Sunday could be a wild day with rain in the morning, afternoon showers, and the possibility of thunderstorms. Even without thunder, some heavier showers could produce funnel clouds and/or gusty outflow winds, according to the weather service. Winds will be strong at times blowing has hard as 45 mph. The high temperature will reach about 62 degrees.

Extended forecasts are showing primarily dry skies to kick off next week. Monday and Tuesday both have slight chances of showers, but skies should remain mostly sunny both days. High temps will be in the low 60s.
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Prime Minister Yulia Svirydenko has proposed to Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Robert Fico to open a Ukrainian school in Slovakia.

"I would like to discuss with you the possibility of opening a Ukrainian school. I think this would be a very strong signal for our bilateral cooperation," Sviridenko said at the opening of joint intergovernmental Ukrainian-Slovak consultations on Friday.

She noted that she would like to record such an agreement in a joint roadmap for cooperation.

In turn, Slovak Prime Minister Fico said that he had no objections to this.

"Today we are talking about this significant number of people who crossed the border. And with this significant number of children, the issue of establishing a school has no fundamental problems... I see this as useful for the partnership for the future," he added.

As reported, in early October, the Ministry of Education and Science published a list of verified Saturday and Sunday schools where Ukrainian children abroad can now study under the Ukrainian studies component at their place of residence. Among other things, the list includes Saturday and Sunday schools in Slovakia.
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A court in Poland on Friday ruled to deny extradition to Germany of a Ukrainian suspected of blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipeline, the Associated Press reported.

According to the agency, the Warsaw District Court also ruled that the Ukrainian citizen should be immediately released.

His lawyer, Timotheusz Paprocki, said before the hearing that "my client does not admit his guilt, he has not committed any crimes against Germany and does not understand why the German side has brought these charges against him." He also said he would argue that no Ukrainian should be held accountable for any actions directed against Russia.

Ukrainian citizen Volodymyr Zh. was arrested in Poland on September 30 on suspicion of blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipeline. He was wanted under a European arrest warrant issued by German intelligence.

The destruction of three of the four strands of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, designed to transport natural gas from the Russian Federation to Germany, occurred on September 26, 2022, at a depth of about 80 meters at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.
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Editor's Note This article contains mention of rape. Resources are listed at the bottom. This story was updated at 10:18 p.m. Oct. 16 to correct the spelling of Philip Holshouser's name.

OU College Democrats protested against Turning Point USA and Russell Brands appearance on campus ahead of The Turning Point Tour at the Lloyd Noble Center Thursday evening.

The group was comprised of about a dozen protesters standing in front of the north entrance of the Lloyd Noble Center, holding signs that read Immigrants built America, Stand up to fascism and This is not normal. The group led chants including No more silence, no more lies. We rise up, we organize.

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Marley Hutchins, vice president of the College Democrats of Oklahoma, told OU Daily that its important to show up and offer different political viewpoints.

There are a lot of people in this state and across the nation who disagree with (Turning Point) USA and their views, Hutchins said. Specifically on the appearance of Russell Brand, someone who has extreme sexual assault allegations against him right now, appearing on a university campus.

Brand is facing one allegation of rape, one of indecent assault, one of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault in England, according to the BBC. The alleged incidents involved four women and are said to have taken place in central London and Bournemouth between 1999 and 2005. Brand pleaded not guilty to the charges in May and is set to stand trial in June 2026.

According to the Student Rights and Responsibilities Code, students have the right to invite any speaker of choice in accordance with applicable regulations and university policy.

Kalib Magana, president of OU Turning Point USA, told OU Daily Oct. 6 that the chapter didnt choose the speakers for the event and its based on peoples availability. Hutchins said she blames Turning Point USA for bringing Brand to campus.

It says a lot about (Turning Point USA) and what they stand for, that they would not only let him publicly represent the organization, but bring him to a university campus to speak to students, Hutchins said.

Hutchins said the protesters agreed that the death of Charlie Kirk is a tragedy.

We can all agree the death of any person is a tragedy and, while the way that Charlie Kirk passed away was tragic, political violence should never be the answer to anything, Hutchins said.

After students in line had been let into the event at around 5:30 p.m., Magana invited the protesters inside the event.

We love people who dont politically agree with us, Magana said. Thats what Turning Point USA is all about: having these discussions with people who may disagree with us and were going to do it respectfully.

Magana said the protesters declined, stating they said they did not feel safe at the event.

Philip Holshouser, an evangelical preacher in the Oklahoma City metro area, stood between the protesters and the entrance to the event. Holshouser said he was preaching to the protesters because they may have never heard it before.

I brought a message of reconciliation to them that you can be reconciled to God. It doesnt matter what youre done in your past, Holshouser said.

Hutchins said it is important for Democrats to find community in Oklahoma.

Find your people and reach out to them and build community with them, Hutchins said. Show up to these events more to show people that youre not alone and the hate that groups like (Turning Point) USA spread is not right.

This story was edited by Ana Barboza. Sophie Hemker copy edited this story.

Resources For more information on reporting student, faculty or staff issues related to gender equity, harassment, sexual assault or misconduct and domestic violence, community members can visit the Institutional Equity Offices website, email ieo@ou.edu or call 405-325-2215. Community members can also contact the 24-hour reporting hotline with reports of bias, discrimination, harassment or misconduct. The hotline can be reached at 844-428-6531. Additionally, OU Advocates is a confidential advocate and referral resource for sexual assault or misconduct issues for students, faculty or staff that can be contacted through their website or anytime at 405-615-0013.
Editor's Note This article contains mention of rape. Resources are listed at the bottom.

OU released a statement Friday on the removal of Turning Point USA signs across campus promoting its Thursday evening event.

We are aware of reports involving the removal of signs, OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. wrote in the statement posted on the social platform X. OUPD is actively investigating those incidents and anyone found responsible will be held accountable as appropriate.

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During an interview with OU Turning Point USA President Kalib Magana on the South Oval Thursday, a student took down a sign promoting the event and ripped it in half.

We just witnessed somebody tear up our sign, Magana said. This cannot be happening, this needs to be reported (and) posted. This cannot happen. The OU president needs to make a statement.

OUs Turning Point USA chapter has posted multiple videos on its Instagram page showing students taking down or destroying signs promoting the event.

Former State Superintendent Ryan Walters, who was on campus Thursday morning for a Fox News interview ahead of Thursdays The Turning Point Tour event, shook his head as Magana told him about the student.

Dont back down  what youre doing is making a huge difference, Walters told Magana. You guys are on the front lines. You're being attacked by everybody from the radical left, students, (the) media.

Magana said the destruction of signs promoting The Turning Point Tour and vandalism of signs promoting the Riley Gaines event in the spring has made Turning Point USA members feel unsafe on campus.

We don't feel safe on campus as conservatives in the reddest state, keep that in mind. That tells you something, Magana said. This is how bad universities have become, and this is why Charlie Kirk said school (and) college is a scam. We're getting scammed.

Turning Point USA held an event at Lloyd Noble Center as part of The Turning Point Tour featuring guest speakers Gov. Kevin Stitt, English comedian Russell Brand and reality TV star Savannah Chrisley on Thursday.

The event was announced following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10 at an event at Utah Valley University during his The American Comeback Tour.

OU College Democrats protested the event outside of the Lloyd Noble Center as lines of people wrapped around the building waiting to enter the event.

According to Marley Hutchins, vice president of the College Democrats of Oklahoma, the protest was mainly against Brands appearance as a guest speaker at the event.

Brand is facing one allegation of rape, one of indecent assault, one of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault in England, according to the BBC. The alleged incidents involved four women and are said to have taken place in central London and Bournemouth between 1999 and 2005. Brand pleaded not guilty to the charges in May and is set to stand trial in June 2026.

This story was edited by Natalie Armour and Anusha Fathepure. Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.

Resources For more information on reporting student, faculty or staff issues related to gender equity, harassment, sexual assault or misconduct and domestic violence, community members can visit the Institutional Equity Offices website, email ieo@ou.edu or call 405-325-2215. Community members can also contact the 24-hour reporting hotline with reports of bias, discrimination, harassment or misconduct. The hotline can be reached at 844-428-6531. Additionally, OU Advocates is a confidential advocate and referral resource for sexual assault or misconduct issues for students, faculty or staff that can be contacted through their website or anytime at 405-615-0013.
Photo: https://t.me/Denys_Smyhal

Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal met with Bulgarian Minister of National Defense Atanas Zapryanov on the sidelines of the Ramstein meeting to discuss security in the Black Sea and cooperation under the SAFE initiative.

"On the sidelines of the Ramstein meeting, I met with Bulgarian Minister of National Defense Atanas Zapryanov. We discussed the security situation in Europe and the Black Sea. Ukraine is ready to join the trilateral initiative on demining and ensuring shipping security in the Black Sea. We also touched on prospects for strengthening military cooperation. We count on the possibility of working together within the SAFE project," Shmyhal wrote on Telegram on Friday.

He noted that Ukraine is interested in developing cooperation between the defense industries of both countries, particularly in production and cybersecurity.

Shmyhal thanked Bulgaria for its steadfast support, including practical assistance aimed at strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities.

As reported, during the 31st Ramstein-format meeting, partners agreed on further support packages for Ukraine. In particular, they made new contributions totaling at least $422 million to the PURL initiative, Shmyhal said
Indiana University is currently under fire after it ordered its student-run newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student (IDS), to stop printing new editions and fired the school's director of student media.

Now, students at the school are criticizing the administration's latest efforts, calling them censorship. The order to stop printing of new editions came a few hours after the school's director of student media, Jim Rodenbush, was terminated.

Indiana University Under Fire for Student Paper Censorship

The editors argued that Indiana University and the media school "previously directed the IDS to stop printing news coverage in our newspaper." They added that they were only allowed to use the special editions, which were traditionally included as inserts in their paper.

They said that the school telling them what they can and cannot print is "unlawful censorship." This was something that the Student Press Law Center agreed with, as it told the university to reverse its decision, according to The Guardian.

The situation comes as in the last few weeks, there had been several disagreements between university leadership, IDS editors, and Rodenbush. These were over what content could appear in the print paper.

During a meeting on Sept. 25, Rodenbush said that if the school is telling students what they can't put in the paper on campus, that is the definition of censorship. He also said that Indiana University had previously announced plans to reduce the paper's print frequency from weekly to seven per semester.

The university explained the change by saying that they simply wanted to focus on "special" print editions, which they believe would be more profitable. Rodenbush was allegedly fired because the school believed he was not supporting their plans, was not leading effectively, and could not be trusted to represent the university's interests, Straight Arrow News reported.

Interfering With Editorial Judgment

In response to the criticisms, Indiana University Bloomington Chancellor David Reingold said that they are firmly committed to free expression and editorial independence of student media. He said that the school has not and will not interfere with their editorial judgment.

ISD editor Andrew Miller said that the decision to fire Rodenbush was a deliberate scare tactic toward student journalists and faculty. He added that their resistance is about maintaining their editorial independence and not about the print itself.

The editor added that Indiana University had no legal right to dictate what they can and cannot print in their paper. He argued that school officials should focus their time on working on financial stability instead, as per Fox59.
A Montana judge dismissed a children's lawsuit against United States President Donald Trump's energy policies.

On Wednesday, a federal district court in Montana granted the Trump administration's request to have a youth-led lawsuit challenging the government's efforts, which is to increase the extraction and use of fossil fuels and other actions that suppress climate science and undermine renewable energy, tossed out.

Montana Court Dismisses Lawsuit Against Trump Admin

While the Montana court found it plausible that these actions would result in grave harm to the health and well-being of children, it also determined that it was simply powerless to stop them from being carried out.

Because if the court tries to do so, that would mean it would tread into the realm of policymaking that is reserved for Congress. When the court made its determination, it followed what is viewed as a binding precedent from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

It ruled in the landmark Juliana v. United States youth climate case that courts do not have the authority to provide the plaintiffs' requested relief to alleviate the harms of climate change, according to Inside Climate News.

The decision in the latest case, known as Lighthiser v. Trump, comes after the court held a two-day hearing in mid-September. That hearing included live testimony from some of the youth plaintiffs and six expert witnesses.

The witnesses included climate scientists, doctors, economists, and renewable energy experts. That hearing marked the first time in the history of the United States that a federal court heard live testimony in a youth climate lawsuit.

The 22 plaintiffs in the latest case included youths who won in a landmark climate trial against the state of Montana two years ago. During the testimonies, activists and experts described Trump's actions as a growing danger to children and the planet, the Associated Press reported.

The Threat of Climate Change

On Wednesday, a United Nations agency said that heat-trapping carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rose by the highest amount last year. This allegedly "turbo-charged" the climate and made weather more extreme across the globe.

Judge Dana Christensen dedicated long portions of the decision to recounting what expert witnesses and plaintiffs had testified about in court. He said, "The record further demonstrates that climate change and the exposure from fossil fuels present a children's health emergency."

On the other hand, the Justice Department, which represented the president and 12 federal agencies and their leaders, also spoke. They said that the court's decision throws out a sweeping and "baseless attack on President Trump's energy agenda," as per the New York Times.
Die-hard Eddie Murphy fans are about to have a ball with this one.

Netflix is celebrating the stars legacy by announcing Tuesday that Being Eddie, an upcoming documentary on the iconic comedian and actor, is making its way to the streaming platform.

The new movie will be available on Nov. 12.

The documentary chronicles the 64-year-olds nearly 50-year career, beginning with his start on Saturday Night Live to hit movies including Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America and Shrek. Set to appear on the small screen are a multitude of his famous friends as the film is to take the audience into Murphys home for candid conversations.

At the helm of the project is two-time Oscar winner Angus Wall.

Eddies somebody that he feels hes known who he is from the beginning, director Angus Wall tells USA Today for an exclusive first look at the documentary. Hes been on a path of destiny since he was a kid. He is an artist where he can express himself through many different ways, not just through comedy or acting, but through music and all these different things.

Hes just got an incredibly flexible mind and spirit. His openness was really refreshing and kind of surprising.

The documentarys official synopsis notes, It goes without saying that there is only one Eddie Murphy. No other teen comedian shared a stage with Jerry Seinfeld at 17, and joined the cast of Saturday Night Live right out of high school. No actor has ever played a cop, a doctor, and a donkey  and dominated every facet of Hollywood hes touched. Fewer still have been an A-list celebrity for over four decades, and never succumbed to its darker side.

Wall began working on the movie in 2019, when he was given unprecedented access behind the scenes of The Nutty Professor stars hosting gig on SNL.

We filmed in (Lorne Michaels) office, which nobodys ever done and nobody may ever do again, the filmmaker told USA Today.

When COVID-19 happened the next year, Wall arranged to have cameras set up in Murphys house during lockdown, where the two had about 10 open and vulnerable four-hour chats on a variety of topics.

To me, the movie feels like those conversations; it feels like hanging out with him, Wall shared. He is exactly who he is in all situations. That said, he can become somebody else easier than anybody Ive ever seen.

Eddie is such an icon and hes such a legend, but hes also one of the worlds most interesting people. Hes just such a unicorn of a human being, he added.
The university listed in first is located in New Jersey. (Getty Images) Getty Images

Many high school seniors across the United States are deep in the college application process (and may have been since junior year).

Perhaps, then, this list of some of the best schools in the country could help them more indecisive of them out?

WalletHub recently released a report on the best colleges and universities of 2026. Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, topped the list of the former; Princeton University in New Jersey topped the latter.

Researchers at the publication conducted and published this study by analyzing nearly 800 colleges and universities in the U.S. across seven main dimensions: Student Selectivity; Cost & Financing; Faculty Resources; Campus Safety; Campus Experience; Educational Outcomes; and Career Outcomes. Relevant sub-metrics such as Net Cost and Average Class Size were also taken into account.

The best college for 2026, and the 19th-best institution overall, is Swarthmore College, an extremely selective school with an admission rate of just seven person, located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, the report elaborates further. For the upcoming school year, 92 percent of enrolled students graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school classes, and their SAT and ACT test scores rank among the best in the country.

Competitiveness in the classroom isnt all that makes Swarthmore a top college, though. It also has one faculty member for every eight students, the fifth-best ratio in the country. Giving personalized attention to students contributes to the fourth-highest graduation rate, at 94 percent.

In general, universities tend to rank higher than colleges due to their inclusion of graduate-level programs, greater on-campus opportunities and higher earnings for students post-graduation, adds WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. In fact, the top 10 places for higher education in the U.S. are all universities.

There are still tons of high-ranking colleges, though, which offer their own advantages like smaller class sizes, more personalized learning and often safer campuses.
Pennsylvania Data Center Partners and PowerHouse Data Centers, operating here as Carlisle Development Partners, are planning to build three hyperscale data center campuses on a nearly 700-acre site in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, near Carlisle. Rendering provided

The public water utility serving Middlesex Township said Thursday night it has the headroom to serve a major data center proposed off Country Club Road.

That informal yes, expected to be formally ratified by the Middlesex Township Municipal Authority next month, is one significant box checked for the proposed data centers developers, if it stands.

The boards consensus was delivered in response to a request for an allocation of up to 400,000 gallons of water per day, equal to 2,367 dwelling units.

That request, which would effectively be a daily cap, was arrived at after the authority ran an analysis that suggests it has unused capacity of 910,000 gallons per day during times of peak demand, at present.

Reserving 400,000 for the so-called Project Bolt would, in theory, leave more than 500,000 gallons available for other new development around the township, according to the authoritys analysis.

Those numbers, Middlesex Authority Chairman Peter Lusardi noted, dont include the planned construction of a second municipal well now under development.

Thats a project that the authority has been working on since before the data center proposal emerged, he said, and it could be brought online later this decade.

We gave them what we thought was a reasonable amount of water without overtaxing our resources, Lusardi said after Thursdays meeting.

Officials noted Carlisle Development Partners, the project developers, will be on the hook to pay for the extension of water lines into the project area.

Considering the extra revenue the authority will see from the projects connection fees  which could help cover its future capital costs for several years  all in all, I think this is a good thing for our customers, Lusardi said.

The authority, a five-member board appointed by the towship supervisors, is responsible for operation and maintenance of the townships public water and sewer systems.

Residents present for Thursdays meeting peppered the board and the developers representative, attorney Charles Courtney, with questions.

Some were openly skeptical about how the proposed data center could be cooled with 400,000 gallons per day.

Water is vital because it is used to cool the massive computer server systems on site.

Some large data center complexes have been reported to use more than 5 million gallons of water per day, though newer technologies can greatly reduce that need.

Courtney declined to discuss specifics of Project Bolts cooling system Thursday, other than to say it will be designed basically on the availability of just that amount of water in the townships allocation.

In a separate Sept. 3 letter to the authority and shown to PennLive, Igal Feibush, a principal in Carlisle Development Partners, explained a little more.

The data center campus will incorporate on-site modular water storage and advanced cooling technologies. This balances demand across daily and seasonal cycles, and keeps withdrawals from the municipal system low, Feibush wrote.

This approach ensures that Project Bolt is designed for responsible operation within MTMAs allocations, while also maintaining flexibility as the townships water system expands, serving both community and economic development needs.

He also reserved the right to seek more water in the future, however, writing: As additional capacity becomes available with Well 2, the projects allocation can be revisited and adjusted in coordination with MTMA.

About the project

Data centers  in laymans terms  are big computer server farms that provide key infrastructure for ever-growing information storage and sharing needs.

Sketch plans for the Middlesex site  dubbed Project Bolt  show three distinct campuses of six buildings each on the now-undeveloped tract in the 200 block of Country Club Road.

Large residential developments, like The Meadows and Country Manor Mobile Home Park, sit across Conodoguinet Creek and on the other side of existing tree lines.

But all the proposed buildings, according to master plans shown so far, will be at least 1,000 feet away from the closest existing home.

Those conditions, the developers pitch materials state, make the Country Club Road site uniquely qualified ... for tucked-away, low-impact data center development.

Carlisle Development Partners LLC acquired the 715-acre site off Country Club Road for $44 million earlier this year.

As customers of the public water system, the data center would become part of a network that draws water from a set of underground wells, none if which are in the immediate area of the proposed facility.

There would be no direct draws, according to current plans, from the Conodoguinet, which is a water source for some downstream municipalities, or the groundwater table at Country Club Road.

Water is just one piece of the approval puzzle for the project, which has already generated a significant amount of concern from Middlesex residents and others concerned about potential strains on the energy supply, water and environmental concerns.

First-phase land development plans for the project are now under a separate review by the Middlesex Township Planning Commission, and are expected to be considered through the fall and winter.

If the potential pitfalls can be avoided, there is a lot for local officials to like about this project.

There will be piles of new property tax revenue  something badly needed by the deficit-ridden Cumberland Valley School District, and welcomed by the worried-about-deficits Cumberland County commissioners.

Developers have projected $65 million annually in new township, school and county taxes, though that figure has not been independently corroborated.

And then there is the possibility of several hundred new jobs.

Representatives of PowerHouse Data Centers, one of the partners in the Carlisle group, said last month each building could employ 25 to 40 workers, depending on the final tenants and the technologies they deploy.

Thats a minimum of 450 jobs at full build-out, ranging from entry-level positions starting at $25 per hour to salaried engineering and management positions ranging from $70,000 to $120,000 per year.

Then there is the prestige and potential spin-off from bringing some top corporate flags into the region as well. PowerHouse has predicted its eventual tenants will come from the ranks of Big Tech giants such as Google, Amazon or Oracle.

At last report, Carlisle Data Center Partners had not finalized any agreements with end users yet.

The Middlesex Municipal Authority is expected to take final action on the allocation request on Nov. 20.
FILE - A New York man who state police say is a suspected member of a terrorist organization is wanted in two Pennsylvania counties for jackpotting ATMs last November. AP

LEWISBURG  A New York man who state police say is a suspected member of a terrorist organization is wanted in two Pennsylvania counties for jackpotting ATMs last November.

Edinson Rangel Romero, 24, of Brooklyn, was charged Wednesday by state police in Union County with theft and possession of an instrument of crime.

He had been charged in January in Lycoming County with the same crimes along with receiving stolen property, altering an access device and unlawful possession of device making equipment.

Police describe jackpotting as altering the software component of an ATM so it dispenses currency without the appropriate authorization.

This is accomplished by either installing malware or using a black box to intercept and modify authorization requests, investigators said they were told.

The device can be activated through a USB connection once access is gained to the ATM, it was explained.

Romero, who has not been arrested, is accused of stealing $48,640  all the money in an ATM at the Service 1st Federal Credit Union on Westminster Drive in the Williamsport suburb of Loyalsock Twp.  and $29,000 from the ATM at the same credit unions office on Walter Drive outside Lewisburg.

The following is taken from the affidavits filed with the charges:

Videos from the two locations show at 10:54 last Nov. 6 two men arrive in a Toyota Corolla at the Lewisburg area ATM, look at it and drive away.

Six minutes later they return, open and close the ATM. They drive away but return at 11:09 p.m., open the ATM and again leave.

At 11:57 p.m. they are observed pulling up to the Loyalsock Twp. ATM and then driving away. They return at 12:32 a.m. the following day, open and close the ATV and drive away. They return at 12:58 a.m., open and close the ATM and leave.

The return to the Lewisburg area ATM at 2:25 and 2:42 a.m. but then immediately drive away each time.

The videos showed two Hispanic males appearing to be in their 20s or 30s wearing black hoodies. The driver was wearing a surgical mask.

A technician who services the ATM in Loyalsock Twp. determined the hard drive had been tampered with and unplugged.

Dry blood and a smudged fingerprint were found on the hard drive the technician said was the original one for that machine.

The hard drive had been removed from the ATM in Union County and a screwdriver was recovered on the ground nearby.

Romero is a suspect in an attempted ATM theft in the town of Dickson, New York, last Nov. 10. The suspects and the vehicle were identical to those in the Pennsylvania cases.

A Broome County sheriffs department deputy recognized one of the males in New York as Romero. She also identified him in pictures from the two Pennsylvania ATM incidents.

There are multiple arrest warrants for Romero in connection with ATM thefts in Connecticut, New York and Tennessee.

The FBI and state police have previous New York addresses for Romero but his whereabouts currently is unknown.

State police did not reveal why Romero is suspected to be a member of a terrorist organization.
The West Caldwell Township Council voted unanimously to withdraw the ordinance from consideration during its Tuesday council meeting. Courtesy of Barbara Piercy

A proposed West Caldwell ordinance that would require demonstrators to pay to hold a protest, sparking backlash, has been withdrawn, officials said.

The Township Council voted unanimously to withdraw the ordinance from consideration during its Tuesday council meeting.

The vote came after numerous advocacy groups, including the ACLU  New Jersey and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, as well as local residents, publicly opposed the ordinance, with some calling the proposed legislation unconstitutional.

The ordinance, which was introduced last month, would have required organizers to apply for a permit from the township at least 30 days prior to holding a demonstration.

Organizers would have also had to agree in writing to reimburse any reasonable and foreseeable expenses incurred by the township, including security, setup and cleanup costs, according to the ordinance. Additionally, organizers would have been required to secure $2 million insurance coverage.

Tuesdays meeting marked the second time the ordinance had been up for a vote.

On Sept. 16, the council voted to table the ordinance to give council members time to review and discuss it further, after hearing feedback from residents at the meeting and receiving other correspondence, Mayor Joe Tempesta previously told NJ Advance Media.

That council meeting drew roughly 150 people, many of whom opposed the ordinance, said Ken Drossman, a local resident and volunteer at advocacy group The Caldwells Indivisible.

Drossman, who has participated in several protests in the township, said he believes the ordinance was in direct response to three demonstrations earlier this year that protested President Donald Trump and his administration.

When members of the advocacy group realized the ordinance was placed back on the agenda for Tuesday without any amendments, Drossman said the group had dozens of residents in attendance who were ready to speak against the proposal.

But Tempesta proceeded to surprise almost everybody in the room, when he recommended the ordinance be withdrawn at the beginning of the meeting, according to Drossman.

Half a dozen people got up to comment, mostly to give them credit for what theyve done, Drossman said. People were thrilled. We gave the mayor and town council a standing ovation.

Tempesta and members of the township council did not return requests from NJ Advance Media for comment.
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Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | October 17, 2025

Parents and teachers have voiced their concern over multiple incidents of student violence at a Montgomery Township elementary school. A hospital system will lay off hundreds of workers. Philadelphia homicide detectives are solving cases at the highest rate seen in decades. Plus, apparently Pennsylvania is very haunted.

Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa., a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Claudia Dimuro. Today in Pa. is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories pertaining to Pennsylvania that lets you know, indeed, whats happening today in Pa.

Todays episode refers to the following articles:

If you enjoy Today in Pa., consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, wed like to know what you think about the program, too.
On Nov. 4, we voters can stand up for a PA Supreme Court that stands for the rule of law, not the law of rulers. Here are seven reasons why I believe voters should say yes to keeping Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht on our Supreme Court.

1. 2.6 million legal mail-in ballots were counted in 2020 when Republicans demanded that the court throw them out.

2. Reproductive freedom still exists in Pennsylvania.

3. All voters will be treated fairly. The claim you may have received in the mail that these justices are responsible for grossly gerrymandered districts is a flat-out lie. The maps in the mailers were drawn by Republicans. They are the maps these justices threw out, not the ones they approved.

4. Pennsylvania parents now have an uncontested ruling that all public schools  and the children they educate  are constitutionally entitled to full and fair funding in every community.

5. The governor is still able to use the power granted by law to respond to emergencies without political interference.

6. Victims of medical malpractice face fewer hurdles when bringing their cases in court.

7. Local governments must enforce our Constitutions Environmental Rights Amendment, not ignore it.

Its not often that voters get to vote for something like the rule of law and safeguarding the rights of all citizens. Now is our chance.

Justices Donohue, Dougherty and Wecht have served us exceptionally well. They deserve our enthusiastic Yes! votes.

Tim Potts, Carlisle, Pa.
Its beginning to look a lot like autumn across much of Pennsylvania.

The latest fall foliage update from the states Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shows that much of northern and central Pennsylvania is currently experiencing the height of color for fall foliage.

Last weeks chilly nights kicked leaf color into high gear, and with more cool mornings in the 30s and 40s ahead, the display is only getting better! the agency said in a post on their Facebook page.

The post went on to say that recent rains have helped boost vibrancy by keeping leaves on the trees and clearing out the duller browns, and this could be the peak week for fall foliage in much of the state.

Peak fall color will be seen in a major portion of Pennsylvania this week, and this could be the finest week for color overall in Penns Woods this year, the DCNR website reads.

The central and eastern portions of the state, however, still remain in the approaching peak color phase, meaning that our region still has time before our own leaf-viewing season hits its height.

Here is the full report from the DCNRs website:

Northwestern Region

The district manager in Cornplanter State Forest (serving Erie, Crawford, Warren, and Forest counties) said on every hillside and in every valley, the colors of fall are being revealed in Northwest Pennsylvania. Hickories are displaying their warm golden hue, contrasted with the orange/pink of sassafras and the dark russet colors from the oaks. Some of the leaves have fallen and with precipitation in the forecast for this week, more will fall, but there is still a lot of color to enjoy in northwestern woodlands. Pennsylvania is truly fortunate for the variety of deciduous species that produce a full palette of colors in woodlots across the Commonwealth. Some corridors to enjoy fall colors include Route 8 from Barkeyville (off US 80) north into Erie County; US 6 through Erie and Warren counties and east; Route 322 beginning in Crawford County and heading east toward Clarion and along the Allegheny River on Route 62 north of Oil City toward Warren.

Northcentral Region

The Clinton County service forester said there is some good color news for the upcoming weekend in Sproul State Forest. On the upper plateau and along drainages in the district, many maples and birches will be in full color and oaks are also joining. This coming weekend is expected to be the best color for the district this year.

Sightseers should stick to the upper plateau, Hyner Run and Kettle Creek State parks, and the many hiking trails in the area. Happy viewing!

Forestry staff in Tiadaghton State Forest (serving western Lycoming County) said the district will be at the tail end of peak during this period. Birches still have some yellow hanging on, and sassafras still has some yellows and red. Maples are also scattered with red and yellows. Oaks are exhibiting some yellow and shades of brown. A good place to check out some color would be to take a drive on Route 414 toward Slate Run or stop along the way and take a hike on the Dragons Back Trail.

Foresters in Elk State Forest (serving Elk, Cameron counties) related that back in mid-September, any chance at good fall color seemed to be rapidly fading, however some species seem to be drawing out their color change over a longer period this year. Sugar maple, black birch, hickory, and sassafras all are continuing to display vivid pops of color amongst the slowly changing oaks and gray swaths of bare red maple branches. Nice color should persist for another week or two. Beyond that, it will be up to the oaks to provide any remaining color as October transitions into November. Take a drive on Dents Run Road and Bell Draft to enjoy the sassafras and sugar maple foliage.

Forestry staff in Loyalsock State Forest (serving eastern Lycoming, Sullivan, and Bradford counties) reported that Sullivan and Bradford counties are still nice, but the color is declining from chilly, rainy weather. Lycoming County is nearly at peak with more colors poking through and the green of oak stands still hanging on or slightly changing color. Abundant yellows, reds, and orange of maples, poplars, birch, and sumacs are still showing throughout the area. The freshly fallen leaves make any trail or roadway a pleasant travel experience in the region.

The Tioga County service forester said foliage quality in Tioga State Forest has improved since last week, however, the quantity is lacking. There are not many northern hardwood leaves left but those remaining are exhibiting attractive color with reds, yellow, gold, and russet from multiple species. Oak sites are becoming more colorful as the area approaches a second peak. White oak and red oak are starting to show some red hues in their leaves along with yellows in chestnut oak. The best foliage in the state forest now is in the Asaph tract north of US 6. A drive through this area or a hike on the Green Monster Trail System would not disappoint.

Foresters in Susquehannock State Forest (serving Potter and McKean counties) said there is still some color, but conditions are declining. The best drives are routes 44 and 144 south of Carter Camp into the southern part of the district near Cross Fork and Ole Bull State Park. Route 872 is also a nice drive below Austin.

Foresters in Moshannon State Forest (serving Clearfield County) said the district is full of color. Witch-hazel and striped maple fill the understory with yellow, while the amber color of sassafras is starting to dwindle. Sugar maple is still displaying a vibrant orange and black gum remains a delightful red. A fair portion of red maples have lost their leaves, but some are still red. Oaks are continuing to transition as well. A recommended drive includes Laurel Ridge Road and Laurel Run Road south of Parker Dam State Park.

West-central and Southwestern Region

Forestry staff in Forbes State Forest (serving Allegheny, Washington, Green, Fayette, Westmoreland, and Somerset counties) said peak fall color can be observed across Laurel and Chestnut ridges. Maples are showing beautiful shades of red, yellow, and orange. The bright yellow foliage of yellow poplar can be seen across the hillsides of southwestern Pennsylvania. While remaining primarily green, oaks are just beginning their fall display with shades of brown, yellow, and burgundy. Route 381 from Ligonier to Farmington is a beautiful drive through the Westmoreland and Fayette County countryside. Visit Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County for a beautiful fall hike.

Forestry staff in Clear Creek State Forest (serving Beaver, Butler, Armstrong, Mercer, Clarion, Jefferson, and Venango counties) the district will reach peak fall foliage this week! Vibrant red maples and golden hickories will continue to dot the landscape through the upcoming week. Bright yellow walnut trees are bringing welcomed color to lowland areas. Some oaks are transitioning to rusty brown, though most are still providing a green backdrop to pops of color from other species. It may take another week or two for oak-dominated forests to hit peak color. This extended season with oak color is what makes autumn in Pennsylvania so special! Enjoy a trip to Lake Wilhelm in Maurice K. Goddard State Park this weekend for a timeless view of autumn leaves reflecting off the water!

Central and Southcentral Regions

The Perry/Juniata County service forester (Tuscarora State Forest) reported that area forests are alive with beautiful fall colors emanating from poplar, gum, hickory, birch, and maple. Peak fall foliage viewing is available now, driven by the dry weather and some recently cold nights. For great autumn scenery, consider a trip up Blacklog Valley or a picnic at the Big Spring Picnic Area.

Forestry staff in Gallitzin State Forest reported that this weekend is the one to get out and see the fall colors, as they are expecting peak color through the weekend. Lots of yellows and oranges are showing thanks to the changing aspen and sassafras trees. Many oaks in the region remain green, but some hillsides have taken on a warm bronze glow. In contrast, pockets of birch, cherry, and cucumber magnolia have already shed most of their leaves. There are still some opportunities to see the fall colors in Cambria, Blair, and Indiana counties, but they are expected to fade quickly.

Foresters in Weiser State Forest (serving Carbon, Schuylkill, Montour, Northumberland, Lebanon, and Dauphin counties) said black birches, walnuts, and black gum are past peak in the northern areas of the district. Hickories are golden yellow in the northern portions of the district. Sassafras, winged sumac, and flowering dogwoods are showing bright crimson now, but red maple and witch hazel are fading. Many of the oaks in Carbon County are approaching peak and other northern aeras of the district are not far behind. Penn Forest and Roaring Creek tracts are showing good fall color. Locust Lake and Hickory Run State parks are recommended places to see the fall foliage as well. Dauphin and Lebanon counties are approaching peak, with birch, maple, walnut, and dogwood sporting pretty color. A ride on Route 443 will reveal some great autumn scenery.

Forestry staff in Rothrock State Forest (serving Huntingdon and Centre counties) said leaves are slowly but surely transitioning toward full color. Many maples are starting to show yellows and oranges. Sassafras have been a vibrant orange/red all week long, however, many oaks are still holding out. They should change quickly with the more consistently low temperatures in the forecast. A drive along any of the back roads off Stone Creek Road northeast of McAlevys Fort will offer outstanding viewing opportunities, as well as connections to picturesque natural areas.

Forestry staff in Bald Eagle State Forest (serving Mifflin, Snyder, Union counties) said foliage is approaching best color in the region. You can currently see full color on species such as sweet birch, red maple, black gum, and sassafras. The oaks have started to show color across the district.

Foresters stationed at the Mira Lloyd Dock Resource Conservation Center (Penn Nursery) in Centre County said color at the nursery and surrounding areas has progressed spectacularly with the expectation of peak right around the corner. Leaves are dropping from the early season species but new shades of color from white and chestnut oaks are arriving. Scrub oak, sassafras, striped maple, and witch hazel are decorating the understory with bright shades, as well.

The Cumberland/Franklin County service forester serving Michaux State Forest said colors ramped up over the weekend. While the ridges still seem to be showing more green than bright color, the area is on the verge of moving into approaching peak phase with expected cool temperatures  particularly north of US 30. Spots south of US 30 will likely remain green for some time. Route 233, especially around Caledonia State Park, is a recommended destination for viewing autumn shades this week.

Foresters in Buchanan State Forest (serving Bedford, Fulton, and Franklin counties) said last weeks cooler temperatures accelerated the color change across the region significantly. This week will be the best time to enjoy a wide array of colors throughout southcentral PA. Bright red can be seen on red maple and dogwood while yellows are emanating from birch and hickory. Brilliant orange is popping from sassafras, while sugar maple is showing a golden hue. Despite persistent green on oaks, its important to remember that the species showing color this week tend to lose leaves earlier than the oaks  so dont miss out! Visitors are encouraged to check out these species while they last and anticipate more color to come. Keep an eye out for red emerging in scarlet oak, yellow from chestnut oak, and deep red from white oaks in the coming weeks.

This weekend marks the 51st Annual Fulton County Fall Folk Festival, celebrated from October 17th to 19th across the county. The official directory of events and locations can be found on the Fulton County Chamber of Commerces web page.

Northeastern Region

Forestry staff from Pinchot State Forest (serving Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wyoming, Susquehanna, and Wayne counties) said the northern half of the district is past peak and most leaves have since fallen. Peak fall colors can still be observed throughout most of the southern portion of the district. In areas that peaked last week, recent rainfall and wind have blown off many of the leaves. Despite leaf fall, the much-needed rain has seemed to add some vibrancy in the colors in the region. Peak colors across all species will still be visible throughout Lackawanna and Luzerne this coming week. Expect to see the last of the maples finish peak color while the birches will continue to add yellow. In the valley cities within Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, many of the oaks remain green and will be some of the last species to experience peak color change. Suggested areas to see peak color this week will be the Montage Tract and the Harveys Creek Tract.

The Pike/Monroe County service forester (Delaware State Forest District) said in Pike County most of the region is past peak fall color. Hints of good color remain in areas along Route 402 and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. In Delaware State Forest, areas around Pecks Pond and the Thunder Swamp Trail System still are displaying warm fall color. With recent rain and wind, many trees that changed earlier in the season have lost their leaves. However, oaks have concurrently transitioned to their full color. Expect to see some deep red on oak species. Sassafras have completed their change from orange/red and sugar maples will be turning from yellow to orange this week. Color will be starting to fade as we progress through the next week. Most of Monroe County is past peak fall color. Urbanized areas such as Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg will have attractive foliage throughout, due to being slightly warmer. Southern Monroe is the best region to see the remaining color with areas such as Big Pocono State Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, The Appalachian Trail, and county and local parks still sporting color.

Southeastern Region

Foresters in William Penn State Forest are seeing fall color in all southeastern PA counties. Red maple, black gum, sassafras, poplar, sycamore, black gum, and hickory are approaching full color, while walnuts are at peak yellow. Nockamixon State Park is recommended for some beautiful views in northern Bucks County, and the David R. Johnson Natural Area is a suggested destination for attractive fall color in the eastern part of the county.

To visit the DCNR website for more details, click here.
Ukraine and the Slovak Republic signed an agreement on technical and financial cooperation and a joint roadmap.

On the Ukrainian side, the agreement was signed by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka following the results of joint Ukrainian-Slovak intergovernmental consultations on Friday.

The countries also signed an intergovernmental protocol on checkpoints across the common state border. On the Ukrainian side, the document was signed by Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine - Minister of Community and Territorial Development Oleksiy Kuleba.

In addition, an agreement between the countries on mutual understanding regarding the location of the diplomatic mission of Ukraine in Slovakia and the diplomatic mission of Slovakia in Ukraine was signed. On the Ukrainian side, the document was signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiga.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svirydenko and Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Robert Fico signed an agreement on the exchange of information on labor mobility, as well as a joint roadmap. As reported, joint intergovernmental Ukrainian-Slovak consultations are taking place on Friday with the participation of Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svirydenko and Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Robert Fico.
Near-daily protests continued outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Vickie Connor | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Musical comedian Robby Roadsteamer says he was detained by ICE recently while attending a protest in Portland, Oregon.

Roadsteamer, also known as Rob Potylo, is known for posting satirical songs aimed at the Trump Administration and right-wing figures on the Internet. In 2024, for example, he heckled Steve Bannon after he was released from prison in 2024.

On Wednesday, Potylo attended ongoing demonstrations in front of an ICE facility in Portland dressed as a giraffe.

If you hate brown people / and you are a Nazi / come on ICE leave Portland, a video shws Potylo singing to the tune of Rod Stewarts Do You Think Im Sexy?

Despite standing behind the Do Not Cross line, a group of ICE officers dressed in military fatigues can be seen in the video grabbing Potylo and hauling him back to the facility.

A GoFundMe page created to help cover court costs and legal fees says he has been charged with trespassing.

Robby is being brought up on trespassing charges and asked to appear in court in Portland even though ICE dragged him onto their property, the page reads.

The GoFundMe has raised over $111,000 of its $140,000 goal so far.

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security told TMZ in a statement that this deceptively clipped video features this attention-starved influencer who flew all the way from Massachusetts to trespass on federal property.

Officers continued to warn him to back up. Following his repeated refusal to listen to law enforcement, he was placed under arrest, officials said.

The comedian has said he plans to sue the Trump administration over his arrest.
Ukrainian PM to Slovak PM: We are facing difficult winter, counting on your support

Photo: https://t.me/svyrydenkoy

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that Ukraine is counting on Slovakia's support during the coming winter period.

"We are indeed facing a difficult winter and are counting on your support. I believe our teams have made significant progress today in the energy sector on specific projects for the mutually beneficial use of our infrastructure," Svyrydenko said following the Ukrainian-Slovak intergovernmental consultations on Friday.

She stressed that coordination on energy security will help both countries get through this challenging period.

Svyrydenko also thanked Slovakia for its decision to allocate additional funds to support Ukraine's energy infrastructure and shelters.

As reported earlier, Svyrydenko announced Ukraine's readiness to help ensure Slovakia's energy security against potential supply risks and to work on creating a new regional energy hub.
Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada Budget Committee has recommended that the Cabinet of Ministers include a provision in the 2026 draft state budget for increasing military salaries, MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak (Holos faction) reported.

"Good news. The budget committee passed a measure instructing the government to review (upward) salaries for the military. For now, there are no details on the size of the increase, and the government could still ignore the recommendation So we'll see what they submit for the second reading," Zhelezniak wrote on Telegram.

As reported, on August 21 a petition on the Cabinet of Ministers' website calling for an increase in base pay for servicemen to UAH 42,000 per month gained enough votes for consideration.

In response, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stated that budgetary resources are primarily directed to servicemen who are directly performing combat missions. She added that the minimum monetary support for an Armed Forces servicemember engaged in combat currently exceeds UAH 50,000 per month.

On October 2, MP Oleksiy Honcharenko (European Solidarity faction) said he proposed that the 2026 draft state budget include a minimum pay level of UAH 50,000 for military personnel.

On October 10, Svyrydenko said that the resources earmarked for security and defense in the 2026 draft budget could also be used to index military pay.
A juvenile sperm whale, who was euthanized by veterinarians after it was determined to be too emaciated to survive, on a beach at Hilton Head Island, Monday, May 5, 2025.
Photo: Raytheon Missiles & Defense

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not discuss the issue of supplies of U.S. long-range Tomahawk missiles during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, Head of the permanent delegation of Ukraine to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Yehor Cherniev has said.

"I think that for now the issue of Tomahawk missiles will be put on hold, but the entire range of other issues will be discussed [at the meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump]. This includes providing us with more air defense systems... This includes cooperation between our defense enterprises," Cherniev said on the national telethon on Friday.

He said that the day before, the Ukrainian delegation had held meetings with representatives of large enterprises of the U.S. defense-industrial complex, during which this issue was discussed.

According to Cherniev, the issue of supplying Tomahawk missiles will be postponed until the results of Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin. He noted that Ukraine's European partners expect that after this meeting "either there will again be some concrete results regarding peace in Ukraine from Putin, or the issue of providing us with Tomahawk missiles will still be unblocked."

"Again, it was expected that a decision would be made on the Tomahawk missiles, but it is clear that Putin was afraid of such a transfer, afraid of such a step by the United States. Therefore, this issue has been postponed, postponed until the meeting between Trump and Putin in Budapest, which is due to take place in the coming weeks, and therefore the expectations of our European partners and NATO are that either there will again be some concrete results after this meeting regarding peace in Ukraine from Putin, or the issues of providing us with the Tomahawk missiles and in fact not only the Tomahawks, but also a wider range of weapons that the United States has will still be unblocked," the MP said.

He also expressed his belief that Trump's conversation with Putin will in no way affect the purchase of the U.S. weapons for Ukraine. "This is a mutually beneficial story for the United States. They receive money for this. For Europeans, this is a matter of defense, including their own security," Cherniev said.

At the same time, he suggested that if after the meeting between Trump and Putin, the latter nevertheless enters into peace negotiations and demonstrates "some progress," then perhaps the United States will change its position and may promise that it will no longer provide military assistance to Ukraine, "but this will be part of a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine." "The Tomahawk missiles are still a unilateral decision of the United States, which they can provide and they will, conditionally speaking, bear responsibility for the use of such weapons, but again, Ukraine, not the United States," the head of the permanent delegation of Ukraine to the NATO PA.
Ali Rockett covers the city of Charleston, from inside City Hall to outer West Ashley. She previously worked at papers in Virginia and her home state of North Carolina.
The three-bedroom home at 620 Catamaran Court, which sits on the Lake Murray shoreline near Chapin, was recently listed for $1.45 million.
Nicole Ziege is a Reporter for The Post and Courier Myrtle Beach/Georgetown Times. She covers government and courts in Myrtle Beach and beyond. She previously covered news in Appalachia and received her journalism degree from Western Kentucky University.
Photo: MFA of Ukraine

Slovakia will supply Ukraine with a new EUR 500,000 energy equipment package, and will also allocate EUR 300,000 for the construction of shelters in Ukrainian schools in frontline regions, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha after the talks with his Slovak colleague Juraj Blanar in Kosice.

"I met with my Slovak colleague Juraj Blanar today in Kosice as part of the third round of intergovernmental consultations led by PMs Yulia Svyrydenko and Robert Fico," he wrote on the Twitter social network on Friday.

Sybiha informed his Slovak colleague about Russia's recent attacks on our energy infrastructure and civilians. "And I am grateful for his timely announcement that Slovakia will supply Ukraine with a new 500,000 energy equipment package," he wrote.

He said that the Slovak side will also allocate EUR 300,000 for the construction of shelters in Ukrainian schools in frontline regions on a bilateral basis. "I also thanked Slovakia for providing recreation and summer vacation for Ukrainian children," he added.

"Defense cooperation was another key topic, including the use of the SAFE mechanism to strengthen Ukraine, as well as further development of the PURL initiative. The Slovak side is ready to contribute to security guarantees for Ukraine as part of the new security architecture in Europe," Sybiha said.

He stressed the critical need to increase sanctions pressure on Russia in order to advance peace. "We discussed in detail 19th package of sanctions which should be adopted soon. I also emphasized the importance of fully using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine," Sybiha said.

"I highlighted our successful cooperation in protecting national minorities. This sets an example for the entire region and demonstrates that where there is genuine will on both sides, there are no problems in this area," he added.

He said that the sides discussed ways to deepen political dialogue. "I thanked Slovakia for its support of Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and EU accession  together with Moldova and without decoupling," he added.

"Ukraine will strengthen its diplomatic presence in Slovakia. We intend to open our Consulate General in Presov until the end of the year. This will help improve the quality of consular services for the Ukrainian community in eastern Slovakia. We are interested in fostering pragmatic, mutually beneficial, and good-neighborly cooperation between Ukraine and Slovakia," Sybiha summarized.
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- NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES -Highlights:First-pass metallurgical testing from Eureka deposit, Nikolai nickel project, Alaska nearing completion; results anticipated in November 2025Eureka Internal "Options Study" nearing completion; will lead to Preliminary Economic Assessment to be published in 2026Continued pursuit of US government grant funding for Nikolai projectHydrometallurgical amenability testing to begin on Eureka concentratesIncentive stock options and restricted shares units grantedVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (TSX-V:AEMC)(OTCQB:AKEMF) ("AEMC" or the "Company") provides the following update on its activities.Metallurgical testing has been ongoing at SGS laboratories in Lakefield, Ontario. Various experimentation with magnetic separation and flotation has been done. A flow sheet has been established, and a locked cycle test is planned in the coming week. A bulk nickel - copper - cobalt concentrate will be produced, along with an iron - chromium concentrate. Further testing will be done to determine whether a separate copper concentrate can be extracted from the bulk concentrate in order to achieve better payability for copper. It is expected that results will be published in November 2025.Hydrometallurgical amenability testing is also planned. Concentrates produced during flotation tests over the past months at SGS will be tested by Lifezone to determine whether metals can be readily and efficiently separated by their proprietary process. This will be preliminary work and if results are positive more robust tests will be planned for 2026. Hydrometallurgical processing of metal concentrates from the Eureka deposit would allow production of semi-refined or refined nickel, copper and cobalt on site in Alaska for use in the US. This is viewed as a positive alternative to smelting at a foreign smelter."Options Study". The Company has been conducting an Options Study on an internal basis to assess how a mine may be developed at Nikolai, and to give a surficial evaluation of project economics. The results of the work will not be published, but will lead to a formal Preliminary Economic Assessment to be carried out in 2026.US Government Funding. The Company continues to pursue government grant or investment from the US government. We have noted with interest recent funding being awarded to other Alaska critical metals projects.Restricted Share Units and Stock Options.AEMC announces that the Company's board of directors have made an amendment to its fixed restricted share unit plan (the "Amended RSU Plan") to increase the number of common shares issuable pursuant to the Amended RSU Plan to 17,171,936 common shares. The Amended RSU Plan is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") and shareholder approval.The Company further announces that it has granted an aggregate of 5,325,000 stock options ("Options") and 9,250,000 restricted share units ("RSUs") to certain directors, officers, consultants and employees of the Company.Each Option is exercisable for one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.15 per common share for a period of five years from the date of grant. 5,000,000 Options issued to insiders ("Insiders") of the Company vest and are conditional upon the Company's receipt of disinterested shareholder approval (as discussed herein). 325,000 Options issued to arms' length consultants of the Company shall vest immediately. All Options are subject to the terms of the Company's option plan (the "Option Plan").The 8,500,000 RSUs issued to Insiders vest at the later of the Company's receipt of disinterested shareholder approval or one year from the date of grant. 750,000 RSUs issued to arms' length consultants of the Company shall vest on the first anniversary from the date of Grant. All RSUs are subject to the terms of the Company's Amended RSU Plan, applicable securities law hold periods and approval of the Exchange.Pursuant to the Company's Option Plan and the Amended RSU Plan, unless disinterested shareholder approval is obtained, the maximum aggregate number of common shares that may be reserved for issuance to Insiders of the Company (as a group) pursuant to both of the Company's Option Plan and the Amended RSU Plan granted or issued within any twelve (12) month period may not exceed 10% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company calculated on the date of grant of any RSU or Option (the "Insider Grant Limitations"). It is anticipated that the issuance of Options and RSUs to the Insiders of the Company will result in the Insiders holding securities based compensation representing approximately 16.2% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares as of the date of grant. Accordingly, the Options and RSUs issued to the Insiders over the Insider Grant Limitations is conditional upon and subject to the Company obtaining disinterested shareholder approval for such issuances at the next duly called meeting of the shareholders of the Company. In the event that the Company does not obtain disinterested shareholder approval for the issuance of the Options and RSUs to the Insiders over the Insider Grant Limitations, such Options and RSUs issued to the Insiders over the Insider Grant Limitations shall be null and void on a pro rata basis for each Insider.For additional information, visit: https://alaskaenergymetals.com/ ABOUT ALASKA ENERGY METALSAlaska Energy Metals Corporation (AEMC) is an Alaska-based corporation with offices in Anchorage and Vancouver working to sustainably deliver the critical materials needed for national security and a bright energy future, while generating superior returns for shareholders.AEMC is focused on delineating and developing the large-scale, bulk tonnage, polymetallic Nikolai Project Eureka deposit containing nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, iron, platinum, palladium, and gold. Located in Interior Alaska near existing transportation and power infrastructure, its flagship project, Nikolai, is well-situated to become a significant domestic source of strategic metals for North America. AEMC also holds a secondary project in western Quebec; the Angliers - Belleterre project. Today, material sourcing demands excellence in environmental performance, technological innovation, carbon mitigation and the responsible management of human and financial capital. AEMC works every day to earn and maintain the respect and confidence of the public and believes that ESG performance is measured by action and led from the top.ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD"Gregory Beischer" Gregory Beischer, President & CEOFOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PL
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DENVER, COLORADO / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / Colorado Telephone (CTAC Solutions), a family-owned telecommunications provider with roots dating back to 1996, has been named the 2025 Consumer Choice Award recipient in the Telephone System Sales & Service category for the Denver region. The award recognizes CTAC Solutions' commitment to delivering reliable, scalable, and customer-centered telecom, security, and data cabling services across Metro Denver.CTAC Solutions offers a wide range of services, including VoIP and traditional telephone systems, security camera systems, and structured data cabling for businesses. As an Avaya business partner, they deliver both new and certified pre-owned telephone systems, ensuring customers receive cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality.Decades of Local, Family-Driven ExpertiseFounded in Aurora, Colorado, in 1996, CTAC Solutions has built a reputation for fast, friendly, and dependable service. Their in-house team handles everything from consultation and design to installation and ongoing maintenance-with no outsourcing and no tech surprises."We've always believed in delivering no-nonsense results," says the CTAC Solutions team. "This award reflects our dedication to building reliable networks and offering solutions that make a real difference for businesses." Comprehensive Voice, Data & Security InfrastructureCTAC Solutions offers:VoIP & Traditional Telephone Systems - New and certified pre-owned Avaya systems for offices of all sizes.Data Cabling & IT Infrastructure - Structured cabling solutions supporting high-speed networks and reliable connectivity.Security Camera and Access Control Systems - Scalable surveillance solutions tailored to business needs."From small offices to large enterprises, our mission is the same," adds the team. "We provide technology that grows with our clients and enhances their ability to communicate, collaborate, and stay secure." Technician-Driven, Customer-Centric ServiceAs a family-run business, CTAC Solutions emphasizes transparent communication and responsive service. Their hands-on professionals have earned praise for their technical expertise, reliability, and prompt support."Our customers know they can call us anytime and trust us to solve their challenges," says the team. "It's about building partnerships, not just selling products." Proven Track Record: 1,000+ Projects, 500+ Happy ClientsWith over 1,000 telecom and security installations completed across Denver metro and beyond, CTAC Solutions has earned the confidence of more than 500 satisfied organizations, from startups to enterprise customers.They hold authorized dealer status with Avaya and maintain strong partnerships with manufacturers, enabling them to provide tailored support and equipment sourcing.Consumer Choice Award RecognitionThe Consumer Choice Award is based on rigorous, independent research, including customer surveys, reputation analysis, and local feedback. CTAC Solutions' recognition underscores their leadership in delivering vetted, high-quality telecommunications services."We are truly honored to receive the Consumer Choice Award," the CTAC Solutions team shares. "It is a testament to the hard work, commitment, and care we bring to every client project." Commitment to Future-Proof Business CommunicationsCTAC Solutions continues evolving with technology, providing future-ready systems that support business growth. Whether upgrading to the latest Avaya IP telephony or deploying advanced surveillance, clients benefit from scalable, integrated solutions designed to evolve with them."Our focus is always on long-term reliability," says the team. "We want our clients to have the confidence that their systems will perform today and remain relevant in the future." To explore a telecom or security system tailored to your business, visit ctacsolutions.com or CLICK HERE.About CTAC Solutions CTAC Solutions (formerly Colorado Telephone and Cable) is a family-owned telecom provider based in Aurora, CO, serving Denver-area businesses since 1996. As an Avaya business partner, they specialize in VoIP and traditional phone systems, data cabling, and security camera installations-offering turnkey solutions backed by transparent service and proactive support.About Consumer Choice Award Consumer Choice Award has been recognizing and promoting business excellence in North America since 1987. Its rigorous selection process ensures that only the most outstanding service providers in each category earn this prestigious recognition. Visit www.ccaward.com to learn more.Contact Information Sumi SalehCommunications Manager ssaleh@ ccaward.com SOURCE: Consumer Choice Award
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / Lessing's Hospitality Group recently suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal information entrusted to Lessing's Hospitality Group.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On August 20, 2025, Lessing's Hospitality Group discovered that an unauthorized party had gained access to an employee's email account. Upon discovery, the company immediately secured the account and began working with a forensic cybersecurity firm to investigate the incident. The investigation determined that unauthorized access had occurred, and that sensitive personal information may have been viewed.The impacted data may include names and other personal identifiable information.On October 3, 2025, Lessing's Hospitality Group began notifying impacted individuals, and on October 6, 2025, it filed notice of the breach with the Vermont Attorney General's Office. Compensation may be available for those individuals who receive notice that their sensitive personal information was compromised.WHY YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION?Data breaches are serious matters that can cause long-term damage. Hackers may use stolen information to commit identity theft, financial fraud, or other crimes. Companies that fail to secure your personal data may be held liable for the resulting harm.HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED?If you received a data breach notification letter from Lessing's Hospitality Group, an Alberta Partnership, you are likely to be affected. Follow the link below to find out if you may be eligible for compensation.Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is investigating whether affected individuals are entitled to compensation. There is no cost or obligation to participate. Follow the link below to find out:Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is a nationally recognized consumer advocacy law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars against large corporations. The firm's team of over 70 extraordinary attorneys and professionals have a winning track record going against the most powerful defense attorneys in the world and know how to maximize your compensation. Our firm works on a 100% contingency fee basis - you pay nothing unless we win your case! Visit our website to learn more. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 27th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Press Secretary: Trump to discuss with Zelenskyy opportunity of meeting with Putin in Budapest

U.S. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reported Donald Trump's intention to discuss with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a possible meeting with Vladimir Putin in Budapest, about which they reached a preliminary agreement during a call on Thursday.

"President [Trump] and President Putin discussed meeting together in Budapest. And President Trump will talk about that opportunity with President Zelenskyy when he is here, at the White House," Leavitt told reporters in Washington on Friday.

As reported, Trump and Putin had a call on Thursday that lasted two and a half hours. After the talks, Trump said that the countries would hold high-level talks next week, followed by a leaders' meeting in Budapest. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that he would guarantee Putin's unhindered access to Budapest, where he is scheduled to meet Trump.

Head of the Ukrainian presidential office Andriy Yermak said on the same day that Zelenskyy was ready to meet Putin in any format and in any country in the world, except for Russia and Belarus.

Zelenskyy arrived in Washington and has already held a number of meetings with senior U.S. officials. He is scheduled to meet Trump on Friday.
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TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / NextSource Materials Inc. (TSX:NEXT)(OTCQB:NSRCF) ("NextSource" or the "Company") wishes to confirm that operations at its Molo Graphite Mine in southern Madagascar and shipments of its SuperFlake graphite concentrate remain unaffected by the current political situation in Madagascar.Mining and processing activities at the Molo mine continue under normal conditions, with the Company maintaining its regular campaign production and logistics schedules. Shipments of SuperFlake graphite to international customers are proceeding from the port of Tulear without disruption.NextSource maintains close engagement with community stakeholders to ensure continued collaboration and stability around its operations, and reaffirms its ongoing commitment to the well-being of its employees, the local community, and to social development programs in Madagascar, which continue as planned.The Company continues to monitor events in Antananarivo, Madagascar's capital city, located approximately 900 kilometres from its Molo operations, and will provide further updates if warranted.About NextSource Materials Inc.NextSource Materials Inc. is a battery materials company based in Toronto, Canada that is intent on becoming a vertically integrated global supplier of battery materials through the mining and value-added processing of graphite and other minerals.The Company's Molo graphite project in Madagascar is one of the largest known and highest-quality graphite resources globally, and the only one with SuperFlake graphite. The Molo mine has begun production through Phase 1 mine operations.The Company is also developing a significant downstream graphite value-add business through the staged rollout of Battery Anode Facilities capable of large-scale production of coated, spheronized and purified graphite for direct delivery to battery and automotive customers, in a fully transparent and traceable manner. The Company is now in the process of developing its first BAF in the UAE.NextSource Materials is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "NEXT" and on the OTCQB under the symbol "NSRCF".For further information about NextSource Materials, please visit our website at www.nextsourcematerials.com or contact us at +1.416.364.4911 or email Brent Nykoliation, Executive Vice President at brent@ nextsourcematerials.com Safe Harbour: This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Forward looking statements and information are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "potential", "possible" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "will", "could", "expected" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements include any statements regarding, among others, timing of construction and completion of the BAF and proposed timing of future locations of additional BAFs, timing and completion of front-end engineering and design and ESIA permitting, the economic results of the BAF Technical Study including capital costs estimates, operating costs estimates, payback, NPV, IRR, production, sales pricing and working capital estimates, the construction and potential expansion of the BAFs, expansion plans, as well as the Company's intent on becoming a fully integrated global supplier of critical battery and technology materials. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions that involve a number of risks, which could cause actual results to vary and, in some instances, to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company and described in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur or, if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive there from. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on what management believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.SOURCE: NextSource Materials Inc.
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GROS ISLET, LC / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 /NordFX has received the Best Fastest Payout Award at Forex Expo Dubai 2025, recognizing the broker's dedication to delivering rapid and reliable withdrawal processing for traders worldwide. The award was presented during the two-day event held on October 6-7 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, where NordFX participated as a Diamond Sponsor.Forex Expo Dubai remains one of the largest and most influential industry events, drawing thousands of professionals from the trading, fintech, and investment sectors. The awards highlight innovation and quality of service across the global financial ecosystem. NordFX recognition in the Fastest Payout category underscores the company's focus on efficient transaction systems and strong customer support.Over recent years, NordFX has introduced a series of payment-processing upgrades aimed at accelerating withdrawals and ensuring around-the-clock accessibility. A key component has been the automation of crypto withdrawals, enabling traders to access their funds within minutes and outside of traditional banking hours. Together with optimized systems for card, bank, and e-wallet transactions, these advances have positioned NordFX among the industry leaders in payout speed.The award also reflects NordFX wider goal of improving trust and transparency in online trading. By ensuring that clients can move funds quickly and securely, the company supports a more flexible trading experience where capital can be redeployed across markets with minimal delay.At Forex Expo Dubai 2025, the NordFX team engaged with traders, partners, and industry representatives to discuss evolving payment standards and the growing role of crypto in international finance. The Fastest Payout recognition further reinforces NordFX long-term commitment to innovation, reliability, and service excellence.Media ContactOrganization: NordFX Ltd.Contact Person Name: Vanessa PolsonWebsite: https://nordfx.com/ Email: marketing@ nordfx.com Address: Ground Floor, The Sotheby BuildingAddress 2: Rodney Village, Rodney BayCity: Gros-IsletCountry: Saint LuciaSOURCE: NordFX Ltd.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / Rockhaven Resources Ltd. (TSXV:RK) ("Rockhaven") is pleased to announce the appointment of Cal Everett and Axemen Resource Capital as Financial Advisors."It is my pleasure to welcome Mr. Everett, a legend in our business, to the Rockhaven team." stated Matt Turner, Rockhaven's CEO. "Cal brings over 35 years of financial and marketing expertise and success to Rockhaven, and we look forward to working with him as we continue to advance and develop the Klaza project." Mr. Everett is a geologist with more than 14 years of surface and underground exploration experience with senior mining companies. He moved to the financial sector in 1990 and spent 12 years with BMO Nesbitt Burns focused on resource equities, and seven years with PI Financial Corp. in senior resource institutional sales and capital markets. From 2008 to 2015, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Axemen Resource Capital. From 2016 to 2025, Mr. Everett served as President & CEO of Liberty Gold. In 2010, Mr. Everett was awarded the prestigious Murray Pezim Award for Perseverance and Success in Financing Mineral Exploration from the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia. Mr. Everett holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economic Geology from the University of New Brunswick.Incentive Stock Options and RSU'sIn conjunction with Mr. Everett's appointment, Rockhaven has granted an incentive stock option to Axemen Resource Capital, pursuant to its Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan"), entitling it to purchase up to 500,000 shares at a price of $0.14 per share. This option has a term of five years and will vest on a quarterly basis, commencing three months from the date of grant.In addition, Rockhaven also announces the granting of 1,000,000 Restricted Share Units ("RSUs") to its managing director, which RSUs will vest one-third per year commencing one year from the date of grant.Further terms of the option and the RSUs can be found in the Plan, a comprehensive summary of which is contained in Rockhaven's Management Information Circular prepared in connection with its Annual General and Special Meeting held on August 11, 2025 which has been filed on SEDAR+ under Rockhaven's Profile, as well as on Rockhaven's website.About RockhavenRockhaven Resources Ltd. is focused on advancing its 100%-owned, camp-scale Klaza Property, which hosts the Klaza Deposit and numerous lightly explored exploration targets. Rockhaven has completed a mineral resource estimate and a preliminary economic assessment on the Klaza deposit (see Klaza Property Technical Report with an effective date of July 10, 2020 and titled, "Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment Update for the Klaza Property, Yukon, Canada." which can be viewed at www.sedarplus.ca under the Rockhaven profile or on the Rockhaven website at www.rockhavenresources.com) Matthew TurnerPresident, CEO and Director Rockhaven Resources Ltd. T:604-687-2522 mturner@ rockhavenresources.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.SOURCE: Rockhaven Resources Ltd.
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THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATESVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / October 17, 2025 / UniDoc Health Corp. (CSE:UDOC)(FRA:L7T) ("UniDoc" or the "Company")is pleased to announce that further to its previously announced non-brokered private placement LIFE offering (the "Offering") for total gross proceeds of up to $1,500,000, consisting of up to 10,000,000 units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.15 per Unit, the Company has amended the terms of the Offering toinclude a minimum offering amount.The Offering will now consist of a minimum of 5,333,333 Units for minimum gross proceeds of $800,000, and up to a maximum of 10,000,000 Units for gross proceeds of up to $1,500,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company and one transferrable common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire an additional common share at a price of $0.25 for a period of 36 months following the closing of the Offering.As previously disclosed, the Company plans to use the proceeds from the Offering for inventory, marketing and investor relations services, working capital, and general corporate purposes.The Units will be offered by way of the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106") in all of the provinces and territories of Canada excluding Quebec. Pursuant to NI 45-106, the securities forming part of the Units issued to Canadian resident subscribers under the Offering will not be subject to resale restrictions.An amended and restated offering document (the "Amended Offering Document") related to the Offering will be made available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com . The Amended Offering Document will also be made available on the issuer's website at www.unidoctor.com . Prospective investors of the Units should read the Amended Offering Document before making an investment decision.The Offering is expected to close on or about October 22, 2025, or such other date that is within 45 days from October 17, 2025, as the Company may agree. The Offering remains subject to certain conditions customary for transactions of this nature, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the CSE.On Behalf of the Board of Directors,~Antonio Baldassarre~Antonio Baldassarre CEO, President & DirectorUniDoc Health Corp.About UniDoc Health Corp. (CSE:UDOC)(FRA:L7T)(OTCQB:UDOCF)UniDoc is developing an eHealth solution which is being designed as a self-contained remote virtual clinic within a private kiosk for patients to undergo full consultations as if they were present in a physician's office. eHealth opens the doors to a large segment of the population challenged by access, experience or understanding of online computer technology. It is the Company's belief that physical accessibility is the key to its business proposition. UniDoc is dedicated to unlocking shareholder value by delivering an excellent product and sophisticated commercial network within an expedited timeframe. The UniDoc team encourages engagement, questions, and interest, so please stay in touch and invite anyone who might be interested in our story to visit our website at www.unidoctor.com and signup to receive the latest information with updates on our activities, events and progress.For further information, please contact:UniDoc Investor Relations Tel: +1 778.383.6731Email: info@ unidoctor.com Matt Chatterton, Director Tel: +1 778.613.2082Email: matt@ unidoctor.com Media Inquiries media@ unidoctor.com Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to: the Offering, completion of the Offering, the expected closing date of the Offering, and the use of proceeds of the Offering. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipates", "anticipated" "expected" "intends" "will" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different, including receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. Although management of the Company have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities lawsThe CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: UniDoc Health Corp.
The Senate has confirmed Joash Amupitan as the chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The upper legislative chamber confirmed Mr Amupitan, a professor, on Thursday via a voice vote after about three hours of a rigorous screening session in the Committee of the Whole, during which he was asked questions by the lawmakers

After reverting to plenary, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, put the question on the confirmation, and the lawmakers voted in support without a dissenting voice.

During the screening, the senators questioned him on his impartiality, legal background, and plans to strengthen the countrys electoral process.

Responding to questions from the lawmakers, Mr Amupitan dismissed reports linking him to the All Progressives Congress (APC) legal team during the 2023 Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and subsequent Supreme Court proceedings.

He clarified that he had never acted as counsel to the ruling party, noting that all law reports from the cases were publicly available for anyone to verify.

Speaking on lessons drawn from the 2023 general election, Mr Amupitan underscored the critical role of technology in promoting electoral transparency and credibility.

He observed that the misinterpretation of the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as an electronic collation system had created public confusion.

Not until the Supreme Court came out to say that IReV was not an electronic collation system, that position was not properly clarified before the election, he said.

The IReV was supposed to be a safeguard for comparison because the laws made by this distinguished Senate did not do away with manual collation. However, it was intended to provide checks and balances.

Mr Amupitan further disclosed that, if confirmed, he would order a comprehensive audit of INECs technological infrastructure to ensure its reliability before future polls.

He also pledged to collaborate with other relevant agencies to uphold the integrity of elections and ensure that outcomes reflect the will of voters.

The nominee assured lawmakers that his leadership would prioritise credible elections where losers will congratulate winners.

He also promised to reform the commissions logistics operations and introduce cloned security features on sensitive materials to prevent electoral malpractice.

Senate approves nomination unanimously

Following his presentation, Shehu Buba (APC, Bauchi South) moved a motion for the nominee to take a bow and go, a gesture customarily extended to highly regarded nominees.

The motion was seconded by Olamilekan Solomon (APC, Ogun West).

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, subsequently put the motion to a voice vote, and the lawmakers unanimously approved Mr Amupitans appointment.

The Senate hereby confirms the nomination of Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Akpabio announced.

He commended the new INEC Chairperson and urged him to ensure that future elections are transparent, credible, and reflective of the peoples will.

You are hereby confirmed to carry on your job where votes will count, Mr Akpabio said.

The Senate President also disclosed that a report from the Office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) had cleared Amupitan of any criminal record after a fingerprint search was conducted.

Tinubus request for confirmation

President Bola Tinubu had, earlier in the week, transmitted a letter to the Senate requesting Mr Amupitans screening and confirmation as INEC Chairperson.

The request followed his nomination by the president on Thursday, 9 October.

The letter to the Senate, read by Mr Akpabio during Tuesdays plenary, sought the Senates expeditious consideration in line with Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

It read in part: In accordance with the provisions of Section 154, Subsection (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate the appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Attached is his curriculum vitae, while hoping that the Senate will consider and confirm the appointment of the nominee in its usual expeditious manner.

Please accept, distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.

The Senate subsequently referred the request to the Committee of the Whole, which screened the nominee and confirmed him without any dissenting voices.

With his confirmation, Mr Amupitan will now replace Mahmood Yakubu, who led INEC from 2015 until 7 October when he stepped down as his second tenure of five years drew to an end. He handed over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner, by appointment.

Mr Yakubu was first appointed in 2015 by the late former President Muhammadu Buhari and re-appointed for another five-year tenure in 2020.

Mr Amupitan will be the 13th substantive chairperson of the electoral body since Nigerias independence in 1960.

The previous chairpersons are Eyo Esua (19641966), Michael Ani (19761979), Victor Ovie-Whiskey (19801983), Eme Awa (19871989), Humphrey Nwosu (19891993), Okon Uya (1993, June-November), and Sumner Dagogo-Jack (19941998).

Others are Ephraim Akpata (19982000), Abel Guobadia (20002005), Maurice Iwu (20052010), Attahiru Jega (20102015), and Mr Yakubu (2015-2025).

The commission has had two acting chairpersons, both female. They are Amina Zakari (June  November, 2015) and the current May Agbamuche-Mbu, who took over on Tuesday.

The commission was first headed by a British, Ronald Wraith, during the colonial era in 1958.

Mr Amupitans first major tasks would be the conduct of the Anambra governorship election scheduled for 8 November and the FCT Area Council election holding in February 2026.

Joash Amupitan

Born on 25 April 1967, Mr Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu LGA in Kogi State.

He is a law professor at the University of Jos, Plateau State. He is also an alumnus of the university.

Mr Amupitan specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014.
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State loves to speak from his heart. People who tend to do that often reveal more than they may intend, for those who care to listen. In Katsina, even his harshest critics secretly admit they enjoy hearing him speak.

This is not unconnected to the fact that his addresses are mostly off the cuff, unrehearsed, and fresh out of the oven. They carry the smell of conviction, raw, unfiltered, and sometimes unpredictable. So when members of the opposition and critics alike came out guns blazing, and rightly so, to accuse the governor of failing to fulfill a simple campaign promise of running an open and fiscally transparent government, Mr Radda reached for his steel shield, his rhetoric.

With characteristic composure, he turned what could have been an embarrassing retreat into an exhibition of wit and persuasion. He reminded his audience that governance is not a straight line, and that reality has a way of complicating even the most sincere promises.

The governor explained that his administration inherited a complex debt structure, unpaid contractors, and layers of financial obligations that made instant fiscal disclosure impractical, not impossible. In essence, he was saying that transparency without context could easily become political theatre. Then, just when the heat was about to rise, he lowered the temperature with humility: Jamaa ayiman afuwa, nima dan Adam ne  Please forgive me, I am only human.

That simple admission, coming at the end of a defensive speech, cheekily laid the matter to rest. It was the kind of line that disarms anger without asking for it. Mr Radda, it seems, often acts as his own spin doctor.This calmness under pressure is not new to those who have followed his political journey closely. Long before the government house beckoned, he had endured skepticism and political choking from formidable opponents within his own party.

During the tense 2022 APC primaries, when asked if he truly believed he could challenge the established political heavyweights, he responded, calmly yet with conviction, that only God decides destinies, and whoever emerged victorious would do so by Allahs will. Few in Katsina saw his victory coming, but those who did understood it was built on quiet confidence and faith-driven resolve. Interestingly, Mr Raddas recent explanation does not exist in isolation.

It mirrors the deeper logic of his Building Your Future policy document, which emphasises sequence before spectacle, system before sentiment. The documents BLOCKS framework, built around budgeting, learning, and institutional reform, envisions accountability as a process, not an event. In that light, the governors backtrack on instant fiscal disclosure seems less like evasion and more like ideological consistency.

He was, perhaps unknowingly, living out his own script, the patient architecture of reform he promised long before the cameras started rolling. That same document frames governance not as a theatre for applause, but as a system of coordinated learning and reform. Raddas position may therefore be interpreted as an act of disciplined realism. By admitting the limits imposed by inherited debt, he has effectively expanded the meaning of transparency, from mere publication of figures to a more honest conversation about capacity, systems, and sustainability.

There is irony here: in admitting he cannot yet do what he promised, he has, in fact, practiced the truest form of openness, honesty. Beyond the politics of the moment, the governors rhetorical poise speaks to a broader issue within Northern Nigerias political culture, the undervaluation of speechcraft. While the South has produced fiery orators who turn policy into poetry, the North has often leaned on political songs and praise anthems as the dominant mode of persuasion.

Words, especially speeches, are still treated as ceremonial accessories rather than instruments of governance. Mr Raddas spontaneous speeches challenge that pattern. He understands that rhetoric, when honest and grounded, can shape perception and restore trust in ways propaganda cannot. It is reminiscent of the style of former Kano governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso circa 2011, whose plain-spoken yet passionate addresses helped rekindle a political identity around sincerity and service.

Like Mr Kwankwaso, Governor Raddas strength lies not in perfection but in authenticity. His ability to switch between assertive defense and humble admission is a rhetorical balance rarely seen in Nigerian politics today. Leadership, after all, is the art of navigating contradictions, between ideal and reality, promise and pragmatism, vision and viability. Campaigns thrive on the language of what should be; governance is written in the grammar of what can be?

In clarifying his position on fiscal transparency, Governor Radda did not merely defend himself; he reminded Katsinans that honesty sometimes comes in the form of concession. What his clarification revealed was not inconsistency but evolution, the journey from promise to process. In explaining the limits of fiscal openness, he may have modeled a higher form of accountability, the courage to say, its not that simple. In a political culture addicted to applause lines, that may well be the most refreshing rhetoric of all.
At STAT Summit 2025, Joe Kennedy III, AMA President, and Leaders debate CRISPR, pharma, public health, policy & more. Post this

Below are some select highlights with photos from the 2025 STAT Summit:

CRISPR

Kyle, Nicole, and KJ Muldoon, a family on the receiving end of a gene-editing milestone. In a scientific first, CRISPR was used to correct a misspelling in KJ's genes when he was just 6 months old  a breakthrough that could change what's possible in medicine. Read more here .

Photo here , courtesy of Jeff Pinette for STAT

Emma Walmsley, John Maraganore, and Christopher Viehbacher

GSK CEO Emma Walmsley, former Alnylam CEO John Maraganore, and Biogen CEO Christopher Viehbacher discussed everything from vaccines and public trust to the already crowded obesity drug market and "most favored nation" pricing. Read more here .

Photo here , courtesy of Jeff Pinette for STAT

Rochelle Walensky and Daniel Jernigan

Former CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and Daniel Jernigan, former head of the CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, discussed the recent firings at the agency, the aftermath of the recent shooting at CDC headquarters, and the importance of rebuilding public health infrastructure. Read more here .

Photo here , courtesy of Jeff Pinette for STAT

Mike Varshavski

Physician and social media sensation Doctor Mike Varshavski shared his approach to online content, why he felt it was important to respond to President Trump's comments tying Tylenol use to autism, and why we need a human-first approach to health care communications in the age of misinformation. Read more here .

Photo here , courtesy of Jeff Pinette for STAT

Joe Kennedy III

Citizens Energy president and former congressman Joe Kennedy III publicly broke with his uncle HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over "grave concerns" about the safety and integrity of the U.S. health system, urged accountability including his uncle's resignation, decried proposed Medicaid cuts and nutrition program rollbacks, and called for grassroots solutions to restore trust and improve food access and community health. Read more here .

Photo here , courtesy of Jeff Pinette for STAT

Dan Skovronsky

Dan Skovronsky, Eli Lilly's chief scientific officer, discussed the hiring of former FDA official Peter Marks, arguing that the "revolving door" between the agency and industry can advance drug development and shouldn't be reflexively condemned, while also downplaying investor worries about Lilly's new obesity pill. Read more here.

Photos here , courtesy of Jeff Pinette for STAT

The STAT Summit is presented by Merck, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Biogen, Genetech, Genmab, Medidata, Viiv Healthcare, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network, Klick Health, and Zeno.

Contact: Boston Globe Media Communications, 617-851-3396, [email protected]

About STAT:

Founded in 2015, STAT is a digital media company that focuses on delivering fast, deep, and tough-minded journalism about the life sciences. STAT takes you inside academic labs, biotech boardrooms, and political backrooms, casting a critical eye on scientific discoveries, scrutinizing corporate strategies, and chronicling the roiling battles for talent, money, and market share. With an award-winning newsroom, STAT provides indispensable insights and exclusive stories on the technologies, personalities, power brokers, and political forces driving massive changes in the life sciences industry  and a revolution in human health.

STAT has twice been named a Pulitzer Prize finalist and has won a number of prestigious journalism prizes, including the George Polk Awards, Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting, Edward R. Murrow Awards, and SABEW "Best in Business" Awards.

STAT's main newsroom is located in Boston, and it also has reporters in Washington, D.C., New York City, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Chicago, and Minneapolis.

About Boston Globe Media:

Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC is a locally owned, award-winning media company serving Boston and New England for over 153 years. Its cornerstone is The Boston Globe, a 27-time Pulitzer Prize-winning news source and one of the most successful metro news organizations in the United States. The Globe is headquartered in Boston with regional bureaus in Washington, D.C., Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. The Globe has been successfully growing its direct subscriber base, today boasting the highest total number of subscribers the organization has had since 2008. The Globe hosts events that connect community members to its journalism and provides a range of digital and home-delivered advertising solutions that reach more consumers than any other New England media brand. Boston Globe Media's portfolio includes The Boston Globe, Globe Opinion, Boston.com, STAT, The B-Side, Globe Publishing Services, Globe Events, Studio/B, and Boston magazine.

SOURCE STAT
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America Corporation announced today that it will redeem on October 27, 2025 all 1,750,000,000 principal amount outstanding of its 1.949% Fixed/Floating Rate Senior Notes, due October 27, 2026 (ISIN: XS2462324232; Common Code: 246232423) (the "Notes").

The Notes were issued under the Bank of America Corporation U.S. $65,000,000,000 Euro Medium-Term Note Program. The redemption price for the Notes will be equal to the Optional Redemption Amount of 1,000 per 1,000 Calculation Amount (as specified in the applicable Final Terms dated April 22, 2022), plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date of October 27, 2025. Interest on the Notes will cease to accrue on the redemption date.

Payment of the redemption price for the Notes will be made in accordance with the applicable procedures of Euroclear Bank SA/NV and Clearstream Banking, S.A.

Citibank, N.A., London Branch is the Principal Agent for the Notes and Citibank Europe plc is the Registrar for the Notes.

Bank of America Corporation will request the Financial Conduct Authority (the "FCA") to cancel the listing of the Notes on the Official List of the FCA and the London Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") to cancel the admission to trading on the regulated market of the Exchange as soon as practicable after the redemption date.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving nearly 70 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,600 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 59 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this news release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are not guarantees of future results or performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions difficult to predict or beyond our control. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement and should consider the uncertainties and risks discussed under Item 1A. "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and in any of our subsequent Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statement was made.

Investors may contact

Lee McEntire, Bank of America

Phone: 1.980.388.6780

[email protected]

Jonathan G. Blum, Bank of America (Fixed Income)

Phone: 1.212.449.3112

[email protected]

Reporters may contact

Jocelyn Seidenfeld, Bank of America

Phone: 1.646.743.3356

[email protected]

SOURCE Bank of America Corporation
5th forum on Chinese language education held in Bangladesh

Xinhua) 16:01, October 17, 2025

DHAKA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The 5th Forum on Chinese language education in Bangladesh was held here recently.

The forum brought together over 100 participants, including education officials, scholars, teachers, and Chinese language learners from both countries.

In her speech, Sayema Haque Bidisha, pro-vice chancellor of the University of Dhaka, highly commended the Confucius Institute's central and bridging role in uniting Chinese language education institutions across Bangladesh, promoting cooperation and resource sharing, and making active contributions to improving the overall standard of Chinese teaching in the country.

Bidisha noted that through learning Chinese, Bangladeshi students can gain a deeper understanding of China's rich history, culture, and modern development, laying a foundation for deeper cooperation between the two nations in the future.

During the event, an initiative was launched to establish the Bangladesh Chinese Language Teachers Association.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Finland sends Ukraine 30th package of defense aid worth approximately EUR 52 million, the country's Defense Ministry has said.

"Finland will provide Ukraine with its 30th package of material assistance. The decision on this issue was made by the President of the Republic at the proposal of the government on October 17, 2025," the Defense Ministry said in a statement on its website on Friday.

"The opportunities provided under this package will cost Finland approximately EUR 52 million. The package consists mainly of new orders from Finnish companies. Finland has already supplied Ukraine with defense materials worth a total of EUR 2.9 billion," Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said, as per the press service.

According to him, relative to the size of its economy, Finland is one of the countries that has supported Ukraine the most. "This week, we also announced our participation in NATO's PURL initiative, which purchases weapons systems from the United States that are critical for Ukraine. The future of a free and secure Europe will be decided in Ukraine  this requires perseverance and resilience from all allies," he said.

It is noted that in the spring of 2025, the Finnish Ministry of Defense launched a program to support Ukraine by purchasing products intended for Ukraine from the Finnish defense industry. The aim is to meet Ukraine's critical needs, ensure the suitability of the purchased products for free transfer, and protect the companies' production and supply capacities.

For operational reasons and to ensure delivery to the destination, no further details on the content of the assistance, the method of delivery, or the timetable will be provided. The decision on the assistance took into account both Ukraines needs and the resources of the Finnish Armed Forces.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Express Wash Concepts (EWC) today announced the grand opening of its 38th Central Ohio Moo Moo Express Car Wash, located at 664 East Fifth Avenue in Columbus, Ohio. The new site expands EWC's growing footprint to 38 Moo Moo Express locations across Central Ohio and 124 express car washes throughout Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Dayton, Cincinnati, Columbus, Hampton Roads, and Pittsburgh.

Looking ahead, EWC plans to open more than 20 additional locations by early 2026, including a new Moo Moo Express site on Owenfield Drive in Lewis Center.

"Our growth has always been purposeful and community-driven," said John Roush, Founder and CEO of Express Wash Concepts and Moo Moo Express Car Wash. "We remain committed to providing fast, high-quality, environmentally friendly washes in convenient locations throughout Central Ohio, and we're excited to bring our award-winning Moo Moo experience to the East Fifth Avenue neighborhood."

To celebrate the grand opening, Moo Moo Express will offer FREE "Ceramic 4 Ultra" signature car washes ($22 value) from October 17-26, 2025 at the 664 East Fifth Avenue location. Guests can also take advantage of the grand opening Wash Smart Unlimited Club offer  50% off the first 3 months, a savings of up to $60.

In addition, for every Wash Smart Unlimited Club membership purchased during the promotional period, Moo Moo Express will donate $10 to Student Success Stores, which provides Columbus students in grades 612 with free access to essential items, helping them start each school day healthy, confident, and ready to learn.

Customers can also purchase a $50 Moo Moo gift card for just $25, with 100% of proceeds donated back to Student Success Stores. These gift cards, available exclusively at the 664 East Fifth Avenue location during the promotion, are redeemable at any Moo Moo Express or EWC site.

Moo Moo Express and the Express Wash Concepts family of brands deliver a state-of-the-art, high-quality, and environmentally friendly express wash experience, featuring complimentary professional-grade vacuums. The Company's popular Wash Smart Unlimited Club, starting at just $20 per month, offers truly unlimited washing across all Express Wash Concepts brands.

About Express Wash Concepts:

Express Wash Concepts (EWC) operates 124 award-winning, express car wash locations across six states under the following brands: Moo Moo Express Car Wash, Flying Ace Express Car Wash, Clean Express Auto Wash, Green Clean Express Auto Wash and Bee Clean Express Car Wash. EWC brands feature fast, high quality and environmentally friendly express tunnel wash experiences and free vacuums. The company's popular Wash Smart Unlimited Club offers members the convenience and value of truly unlimited washing at any of the 124 locations.

For more information, please visit www.expresswashconcepts.com.

SOURCE Express Wash Concepts
Third global Gibson Garage location to open spring 2026 in Miami's Wynwood Art District

MIAMI, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --Gibson, the iconic global instrument brand, is proud to announce the opening of its third retail store, the Gibson Garage Miami, arriving in Spring 2026 in the heart of the Wynwood Art District at 2660 NW 3rd Avenue Miami, FL 33217. Following the success of its flagship, the Gibson Garage Nashville, and a second location in London, the Gibson GarageMiami will bring Gibson's immersive brand experience to one of the most culturally rich and musically vibrant cities in the world.

GIBSON GARAGE MIAMI: THE ULTIMATE GUITAR EXPERIENCE

"Based on the incredible response from our artists and fans, we are expanding our Gibson Garage footprint to Miami," said Cesar Gueikian, President and CEO of Gibson. "Miami's music scene is electric, diverse, and deeply rooted in culture. The Gibson Garage Miami will be a space that not only showcases our instruments but also celebrates the artists and communities that make Miami a global music hub."

Inside the Gibson Garage Miami, visitors will be greeted by a dynamic environment that reflects the Gibson legacy of craftsmanship and innovation. Over 8,000 square feet of space will showcase more than 500 guitars from the Gibson family of brandsincluding Gibson, Epiphone, Kramer, MESA/Boogie, Maestro, KRK, and Gibson Amplifiersall curated to invite exploration and play. Overhead, a moving conveyor belt of guitars pays homage to the Gibson finishing process in each of our craftories, symbolizing the journey from creation to connection. It's a visual and tactile reminder that every instrument is built to be played, not just admired.

The Gibson Garage Miami is more than only a retail destinationit's a cultural hub for Gibson Latam artists, featuring unique discoveries intertwined with Latin culture around every corner. At the heart of the space is a live stage, where musicians will perform regularly, turning the Garage into a venue that pulses with the energy of Miami's music scene. From intimate showcases to album release parties and community events, the stage will serve as a bridge between the artist, the fan, and the instrumentbringing music to life in real time.

Immersive and electric, the atmosphere is unmistakably Gibson. Inside, the illuminated marquee sign stands as a bold centerpiece, signaling the Garage as the place where music lovers, creators, and collectors converge to celebrate sound, style, and storytelling.

The Gibson Garage Miami will also feature exclusive apparel collaborations with local designers, celebrity and film memorabilia, and the first stateside Gibson Gallery installation, spotlighting photography, street art, and iconic moments in music history. For those seeking a truly personal experience, the Gibson CustomMade to Measure program will allow guests to design their dream guitarfrom selecting wood tops and neck profiles to choosing their own finishes and aging techniques from the Gibson Custom Murphy Lab.

Whether you're a seasoned musician, a curious beginner, or simply a fan of music and design, the Gibson Garage Miami will be a must-visit music destinationone that celebrates the spirit of Miami both inside and outside its walls.

Stay tuned for details on the Gibson Garage Miami grand opening celebrations and artist performances coming in Spring 2026.

Gibson Garage Miami

2660 NW 3rd Avenue

Miami, FL 33217

(Wynwood Art District)

Gibson:

GIBSON.COM | X | IG | FB | TT | GIBSON APP | GIBSON GARAGE NASHVILLE | GIBSON GARAGE LONDON | GIBSON CERTIFIED VINTAGE | GIBSON RECORDS | GIBSON GIVES | GIBSON TV | GIBSON TV EN ESPANOL

Epiphone:

EPIPHONE.COM | X | IG | FB | YT

Kramer:

KRAMERGUITARS.COM | X | IG | FB | YT

MESA/Boogie:

MESABOOGIE.COM | X | IG | FB

KRK:

KRKMUSIC.COM | X | IG | FB | YT

Maestro:

MAESTROELECTRONICS.COM | IG

About Gibson:

Gibson, the iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for over 130 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, Gibson has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson portfolio includes Gibson, the leading guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, which has been on every stage since 1873, Kramer, the original MADE TO ROCK HARD guitar brand, MESA/Boogie, the home of tone, KRK, behind great music for over 30 years, and Maestro, the founder of effect pedals. Gibson is dedicated to quality, innovation, and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by all Gibson brands. Explore more at Gibson.com, Gibson App, and on Gibson TV, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and visit us at the Gibson Garage Nashville and the Gibson Garage London.

For Gibson media inquiries, contact:

PRIME PR GROUP, INC.

Libby Coffey

+1 626-676-4993

[email protected]

SOURCE Gibson
UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill., Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hillwood and Clarius Partners held a groundbreaking ceremony for University Park Logistics Center, a speculative 970,123 square-foot industrial development in University Park, Illinois. The groundbreaking marks the official start of construction on a key development within Chicago's I-57 corridor.

Situated two minutes from the I-57 interchange at Stuenkel Road, the site provides efficient access to regional and national markets, reaching 85.5 million people within a single day's drive. Will County's competitive real estate taxes and available TIF incentives further enhance the project's long-term value for future tenants.

Quote from Colliers' Brokers, David Bercu and Jim Estus

"The recent leasing of buildings in excess of 800,000 square feet has left a void in the market for large, functional, well-designed distribution product. This development's delivery timing is ideal to meet market demand."

Project Highlights

Building Size: 970,123 SF speculative industrial facility





970,123 SF speculative industrial facility Location: Two minutes from full I-57 interchange at Stuenkel Road





Two minutes from full I-57 interchange at Stuenkel Road Market Reach: Within a one-day drive of 85.5 million people (27% of U.S. population)





Within a one-day drive of 85.5 million people (27% of U.S. population) Business Advantages: Will County's low real estate taxes and TIF incentives provide long-term cost savings





Will County's low real estate taxes and TIF incentives provide long-term cost savings Access: Exceptional labor availability and multimodal transportation connectivity

"University Park Logistics Center is a transformative development for the I-57 corridor and a key step in Hillwood's continued growth across the Chicago region," said Rachel Agba-Novak, Vice President of Transactions and Development at Hillwood. "This project brings nearly one million square feet of modern logistics space to a market where large, high-quality facilities are in short supply. Its location, workforce access, and long-term cost advantages make it an exceptional opportunity to attract new investment, create jobs, and strengthen the region's role as a vital link in the national supply chain."

"University Park Logistics Center is uniquely positioned to lead the Chicago industrial market in 2026. We are very excited to have joined forces with Hillwood and share the vision of delivering impactful, efficient, best-in-class industrial product to the market at just the right time," said Taivo Tammaru, Executive Vice President at Clarius Partners.

Hillwood continues to intentionally expand its Midwest footprint with developments that strengthen the region's supply chain network and enhance its role as a premier logistics hub.

For leasing inquiries or more information about University Park Logistics Center, please contact David Bercu at [email protected] and Jim Estus at [email protected].

About Hillwood

Hillwood is a leader in acquiring and developing high-quality industrial properties with 292.8M SF across the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Hillwood pursues well-located, functional land in the path of progress and has one of the largest land banks with a capacity of over 140M SF for future development. Hillwood collaboratively builds successful partnerships with public and private landowners and other developers to execute and invest in a broad spectrum of industrial projects. As a privately held company, Hillwood possesses the depth of capital, market expertise, industry relationships, and a forward-thinking vision to buy and build industrial properties that meet evolving markets' logistics, distribution, and manufacturing demands.

Visit Hillwood.com for more information on Hillwood's latest industrial availability in the U.S., U.K., and E.U.

About Clarius Partners

Clarius Partners is a national real estate investment and development firm providing full-service expertise across industrial, office, medical, and land projects. Founded in 2009, the company offers comprehensive capabilities including site acquisition, entitlements, construction management, leasing, and asset management. With offices in Chicago and Scottsdale, Clarius Partners manages a development portfolio exceeding $1.8 billion and maintains strong relationships with leading financial institutions nationwide.

For more information, please contact:

Hillwood Media Contact:

Jennifer Cheek Layton

Chief Marketing Officer

+1 972 220 2965

[email protected]

SOURCE Hillwood Development Corp.
Celebrating the vision, growth, and purpose powering the Hyper movement.

RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyper Solutions, a U.S.-based manufacturer redefining mission-critical digital infrastructure, commemorated its three-year anniversary with a company-wide celebration held between October 1214 at its Virginia headquarters. The multi-day event brought together employees from across the nation for on-site festivities, volunteer work, and moments of reflection on the company's journey, its people, and its future.

Staff photo of Hyper Solutions; celebrating their 3-Year Anniversary at their corporate headquarters in Henrico, Virginia.

Since its founding, Hyper Solutions has grown from an ambitious startup into a nationally recognized force in American manufacturing and data center innovation. The company's culture is defined by three core pillars: 1.) Do the right thing, always. 2.) Be SMART, move fast, build things. 3.) Limits are for others! These principles continue to guide Hyper's expansion and shape its impact across the digital infrastructure landscape.

"When we started Hyper, we didn't set out to chase scale, we set out to chase meaning. We believed that manufacturing in America could be smarter, more connected, and more human. Three years later, we've proven that trust, technology, and teamwork can redefine what's possible." - Vladimir Gulkarov, CEO

The celebration culminated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Hyper's expanded Henrico campus, where the company welcomed Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, Secretary of Labor Bryan Slater, and state and local leaders to join in marking the milestone. Their attendance reflected Virginia's continued emergence as a hub for advanced manufacturing and Hyper's commitment to revitalizing American factories through its distributed, software-driven production model.

"Hyper wasn't born from comfort: it was born from conviction and a refusal to accept that the way things worked were the way they had to work. We set out to rebuild the manufacturing backbone of America by creating a platform designed around trust, transparency, and the client experience first. We've proven that you can move faster, build smarter, and deliver better all while expanding production here in the United States."  Dennis Strieter, CRO

While the ribbon cutting highlighted the company's physical growth, the events celebrated its spirit - a shared belief in building differently, operating with purpose, and leading through innovation. Employees reflected on achievements including expanded U.S. manufacturing capacity, ISO 9001:2015 certification, NEMA membership, and the ongoing evolution of HyperSpace, the company's digital manufacturing platform that connects underused U.S. factory capacity into a unified, agile network.

"Our success is defined by our customers' success. That's the foundation of Hyper; disciplined execution, doing things right even when it's hard, and building a culture where quality always wins over compromise. This team, this culture, and this network is just getting started." - Franklin Herrera, COO & President

As Hyper Solutions enters its next chapter, the company remains committed to transforming the digital infrastructure landscape, strengthening American manufacturing, empowering its teams, and driving forward with the same spirit that defined its first three years.

About Hyper Solutions:

Hyper Solutions (Hyper) is a pioneering Private Manufacturer of Mission Critical Digital Infrastructure Solutions, leading the charge towards a Sustainable Manufacturing Network where production is brought closer to construction. Leveraging Scalable Uniformity, Privatized Supply Chains, and Agnostic Sourcing Redundancy, we tap into the latent potential of North American manufacturers to deliver unparalleled results. Our innovative Customer Portal, HyperSpace, optimizes high-volume, high-quality manufacturing processes, ensuring our clients, including Hyperscale, AI, and Colocation data center operators, benefit from scalable sourcing, accelerated lead times, and enriched customer life-cycle experiences. Learn more at https://hyper.com.

SOURCE Hyper Solutions, Inc
ABU DHABI, UAE, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), Manar Abu Dhabi is a public light art exhibition that aims to foster creativity while celebrating the emirate's diverse landscapes. For its second edition, Manar Abu Dhabi will bring together 15 Emirati and international artists and artist collectives from 10 countries, featuring 23 works spanning site-specific light sculptures, projections, and immersive installations.

Iregular, CONTROL NO CONTROL, 2012. Photo courtesy of Iregular

'The Light Compass" presents contemporary artworks that explore light as both guide and medium in bridging its navigational and poetic dimensions. Curated by Khai Hori, Artistic Director, and co-curated by Alia Zaal Lootah (Curator), Munira Al Sayegh (Curator), and Mariam Alshehhi (Assistant Curator), Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 will take place across four key locations: Jubail Island, Souq Al Mina, and for the first time, Al Ain, with dedicated trails across Al Qattara and Al Jimi Oases.

Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 will run from 1 November 2025 to 4 January 2026 in Al Ain and from 15 November 2025 to 4 January 2026 in Abu Dhabi.

Jubail Island

Jubail Island will be the anchor location for Manar Abu Dhabi 2025. Celebrated for its natural landscape and unique biodiversity, visitors can wander along the sprawling boardwalks that meander through the mangroves and engage with 15 installations Highlights include:

EDEN (2025), a large-scale outdoor installation by Malaysian artist Pamela Poh (b.1991, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) featuring steel structures and suspended glass spheres illuminated at night

(2025), a large-scale outdoor installation by (b.1991, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) featuring steel structures and suspended glass spheres illuminated at night Inside a dome-like structure, UNFOLD (2025) by multidisciplinary studio DRIFT (est. 2007, the Netherlands) transforms visitors' biometric data into unique, ephemeral flowers and soundscapes, while WHISPERS (2025) features a sea of delicate dancing lights that respond to the subtlest currents of air and movement. Alongside a captivating drone performance WIND OF CHANGE (2025)

(2025) by (est. 2007, the Netherlands) transforms visitors' biometric data into unique, ephemeral flowers and soundscapes, while (2025) features a sea of delicate dancing lights that respond to the subtlest currents of air and movement. Alongside a captivating drone performance (2025) Emirati sculptor Shaikha Al Mazrou's (b. 1988, Sharjah. Lives and works in Dubai ) CONTINGENT OBJECT (2025), a striking 30-metre circular land art installation that transforms over time as water crystallises into a salt disc

(b. 1988, Sharjah. Lives and works in ) (2025), a striking 30-metre circular land art installation that transforms over time as water crystallises into a salt disc Montreal-based digital art studio Iregular (est. 2010. Based in Montreal, Canada) will activate the Island with four interactive installations; AS WATER FALLS (2022),FACES(2022),CONTROL NO CONTROL (2012),FORTUNES(2024) that utilise artificial intelligence, sensors and data visualisation

Other artists featured on Jubail Island include Ezequiel Pini (a.k.a. Six N. Five) (b.1985, Buenos Aires. Lives and works in Barcelona, Spain); Christian Brinkmann (b.1989. Lives and works in Hamburg, Germany); Kirsten Berg (b.1969, Berkeley, California, USA); Encor Studio (Est. 2016, Switzerland); and Lachlan Turczan (b.1993, Los Angeles, USA);

For its debut in Al Ain, Manar Abu Dhabi will transform Al Qattara and Al Jimi Oases with dedicated trails of light-based installations

Al Qattara Oasis Trail presents three artworks, with each installation responding to the oasis' landscape and heritage:

Returning to Manar Abu Dhabi, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer (b. 1971, Mexico City. Lives and works between Montreal and Quebec, Canada) will present two works: TRANSLATION STREAM (2023), which presents poems by contemporary Emirati poets Nujoom Alghanem, Khalid Albudoor, and Adel Khozam as a slow stream of letters. Alongside PULSE CANOPY (2025), a hovering canopy of light that responds to the visitor's heartbeat, upon placing their hand beneath a sensor

(b. 1971, Mexico City. Lives and works between Montreal and Quebec, Canada) will present two works: (2023), which presents poems by contemporary Emirati poets Nujoom Alghanem, Khalid Albudoor, and Adel Khozam as a slow stream of letters. Alongside (2025), a hovering canopy of light that responds to the visitor's heartbeat, upon placing their hand beneath a sensor Stretching over 70 meters within a historic building, Emirati designer Khalid Shafar (b. 1980, Dubai , UAE) presents SADU RED CARPET (2025), reinterpreting Sadu, a traditional weaving technique within the United Arabi Emirates, and inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Al Jimi Oasis Trail

Boasting a dense canopy of palm trees, the Jimi Oasis Trail invites visitors to continue their journey through the oasis and encounter five artworks:

Installed within the courtyard of a historic house, CYCLE OF CIRCLES (2025) by multidisciplinary Emirati artist Ammar Al Attar (b. 1981, Ajman, UAE) is a photographic series of five self-portraits captured while the artist rode a bicycle in a circular path.

(2025) by multidisciplinary Emirati artist (b. 1981, Ajman, UAE) is a photographic series of five self-portraits captured while the artist rode a bicycle in a circular path. Emirati artist Maitha Hamdan (b.1989, Abu Dhabi, UAE) presents BREATH OF THE SAME PLACE (2025) two light-based installations inspired by the Oasis environment.

(b.1989, Abu Dhabi, UAE) presents (2025) two light-based installations inspired by the Oasis environment. Dubai -based Emirati architect Abdulla Al Mulla (b.1990, UAE) presents GUIDING DRAPES (2025), an architectural installation inspired by the luminous decorations that adorn Emirati brides' houses before and after the wedding.

-based Emirati architect (b.1990, UAE) presents (2025), an architectural installation inspired by the luminous decorations that adorn Emirati brides' houses before and after the wedding. FLORAL RESONANCE (2024), an interactive audiovisual installation by Christian Brinkmann (b.1989, Hamburg, Germany), where visitors' interactions with a living plant, placed at the centre of the installation, generate a multi-sensory experience, both physical and digital

Souq Al Mina

Set against the city skyline of Mina Zayed (Zayed Port), KAWS (b. 1974, Jersey City, USA) with long-time partner AllRightsReserved presents KAWS:HOLIDAY Abu Dhabi, featuring an illuminated COMPANION, the artist's signature character, reclining on its back and lifting a lit moon in its hands.

About Manar Abu Dhabi

Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), Manar Abu Dhabi is a public light art exhibition that aims to foster creativity and celebrate the emirate's landscapes.

About the Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi

The Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi's culture and tourism sectors and its creative industries, fuelling economic progress and helping to achieve Abu Dhabi's wider global ambitions.

By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate's position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate's potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture and tourism.

DCT Abu Dhabi's vision is defined by the emirate's people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi's status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought.

For more information about the Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi and the destination, please visit: dct.gov.ae and abudhabiculture.ae

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2799124/DCT_Abu_Dhabi.jpg

SOURCE Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
Blood test to aid cancer treatment and recurrence monitoring now available from a German lab for potentially faster results

HAMBURG, Germany, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MVZ HPH Institute for Pathology and Hematopathology GmbH, today announced the availability of HPH MRD, a new tumor-informed circulating-tumor DNA (ctDNA) blood test for detecting minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients diagnosed with solid tumor cancers. The HPH MRD test is an in-house test manufactured by HPH that makes use of Haystack MRD technology and is available through a license from Haystack Oncology, a subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), which developed and provides the Haystack MRD in-house developed test in the United States. The technology was purpose-built to detect ultralow levels of ctDNA with exceptional sensitivity and specificity, enabling the reliable identification of residual or recurrent disease.

HPH MRD testing will be performed in the company's laboratories in Hamburg, Germany, providing clinicians with potential access to next-generation MRD testing. Local availability will help ensure improved clinical implementation and timely delivery of results. All testing and data will remain with HPH in Germany, facilitating compliance with data protection and regulatory standards while supporting access. The HPH MRD test leverages whole-genome sequencing to analyze a patient's tumor tissue and design individualized patient panels, potentially providing greater insight into ctDNA levels than conventional methods.

"At HPH, our mission is to provide patients and clinicians with the highest quality diagnostic tools to guide personalized cancer care," said Prof. Markus Tiemann, CEO, MVZ HPH Institute for Pathology and Hematopathology GmbH. "By licensing Haystack's groundbreaking MRD technology to develop our own test in our local Hamburg laboratory, we can now offer our patients access to testing that was previously only available abroad, with potentially faster results".

ctDNA MRD testing is rapidly transforming cancer care by detecting molecular evidence of disease and providing insights that often remain undetectable with standard imaging methods. Cancer treatment typically involves surgery followed by chemotherapy or other therapies; however, tiny amounts of cancer can sometimes persist and lead to disease recurrence. By identifying tumor-derived DNA fragments in the bloodstream, ctDNA MRD testing may enable earlier and more accurate detection of residual or recurrent diseaseempowering clinicians to make timely, evidence-based treatment decisions with confidence.

"Patients and physicians in Europe have lacked convenient access to the most sensitive MRD technologies, with samples often needing to be shipped internationally," said Dan Edelstein, Vice President & General Manager and a co-founder of Haystack Oncology. "Our licensing agreement with HPH is an important step toward making next-generation MRD testing part of routine care beyond the U.S."

About MVZ HPH Institute for Pathology and Hematopathology

MVZ HPH Institute for Pathology and Hematopathology was founded as a partnership in October 2004 and specializes in the diagnosis of solid tumors and hematopathological diseases. Our expertise lies in the differentiated diagnosis of solid tumors, molecular pathology, leukemias, and lymphomas. For diagnostics, we utilize a broad range of methods, including conventional histology, immunohistochemistry, immunophenotyping, and NGS. Our molecular diagnostics also extend to the analysis of solid tumors, enabling personalized therapy in these cases. With clear diagnoses, we help clinically active hematologists and oncologists make sound treatment decisions. We are all committed to the service philosophy and are always available to support colleagues and patients with our expertise.

For more information send an email to: [email protected]

www.haematopathologie-hamburg.de

About Haystack Oncology

Haystack Oncology represents the culmination of over 20 years of collaboration to advance technical and clinical development in liquid biopsy technologies by cancer genomics pioneers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics, developed Haystack MRD, a tumor-informed, next-generation MRD test that detects ultralow levels of ctDNA to uncover residual or recurrent disease with exceptional sensitivity and specificity. Haystack Oncology works with biopharmaceutical companies to accelerate and inform clinical development programs and advance important therapeutics to global markets, from early phase clinical development to companion diagnostics. Haystack MRD was developed and validated in a CLIA-certified laboratory and is available for commercial use as a lab-developed test (LDT) by Quest Diagnostics. Haystack MRD is also available for clinical trials as an investigational device by Haystack Oncology in laboratories located in Baltimore, Maryland; Hamburg, Germany; and Helsinki, Finland. www.haystackmrd.com

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics works across the healthcare ecosystem to create a healthier world, one life at a time. We provide diagnostic insights from the results of our laboratory testing to empower people, physicians and organizations to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from one of the world's largest databases of deidentified clinical lab results, diagnostic insights provided by Quest reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve healthcare management. Quest Diagnostics annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and over 55,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives and create a healthier world. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2691025/Quest_Diagnostics_questhealth_Logo_v1.jpg
GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 14, the 2025 Global Engineering Conference and the first World Green Design Conference opened in Shanghai, China, drawing together over 250 former senior UN officials, academicians from different countries, and representatives from Fortune 500 companies. At the event, the White Paper on Global Sustainable and Healthy Living Environments (the Global Healthy Living Environment Report) was unveiled, setting a fresh yardstick for fostering healthy living across the globe.

With the rapid pace of global urbanization, traditional residential zones find it challenging to meet modern people's cravings for air quality, psychological rejuvenation, and ecological interaction. In this context, China has stepped forward with a Chinese solution tailored for the world stage. The report constructs an Urban Residential Forest Environment System, incorporating the Residential Forest Environment Standards and the Indoor Forest Environment Index. It spans seven dimensions, including natural perception experiences and microclimate comfort control, ensuring comprehensive coverage from outdoor to indoor spaces. By weaving in multidisciplinary expertise, it pinpoints the core parameters and design principles for a healthy living environment.

According to Mei Hing Chak, President of Heung Kong Group, green design is pivotal in connecting the visions of Healthy China and the Community with a Shared Future for Mankind. She emphasized that the health strategy demands three significant leaps forward. The Future Living Art Institute has brought this strategy to life by launching the 139 Healthy Living System through One Heung Kong.

Edvard Moser, the 2014 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, sent in a video message, lending scientific weight to the report from a brain science standpoint. He stressed the vital role of the environment in brain health and overall life quality, giving high marks to the Environment-Body-Brain approach advocated by One Heung Kong.

The Global Healthy Living Environment Report received joint recommendations from the WELL Living Lab and the World Green Design Organization, propelling green design as a common language in global engineering. Mei Hing Chak won the International Contribution Award for Green Design, and One Heung Kong Global Green Forest Bathing & Health Cluster was officially launched, where the concept will take root.

As a practical exemplar, One Heung Kong showcases the potential for implementing a forest environment system in densely populated urban settings. By fusing multiple disciplines and technologies, it forges a multidimensional healthy living system, offering replicable blueprints for global healthy environment planning.

SOURCE Heungkong Group
OMAHA, Neb., Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Travelex Insurance Services Inc. has announced the company has received a distinguished Gold Magellan Award from Travel Weekly in the category of Best Travel Insurance Advertising/Marketing Campaign. The campaign, "For every traveler and every trip," was the launch campaign for Travelex's new retail product suite, which launched in Dec. 2024.

"We're honored that Travel Weekly has recognized us with such a prestigious award," said Will Nihan, president and CEO at Travelex. "Our mission was to develop a great product for every traveler and every trip, and we did that. We researched which benefits our travelers and travel advisor partners want and expect from travel insurance products. Then, we went to work to deliver those benefits in our retail products."

Travelex's new retail products offer best-in-class coverage and benefits tailored to diverse traveler needs, at competitive prices. Designed using traveler insights and market research, these fully underwritten plans balance affordability and protection, aiming to improve traveler experiences.

"Our base plans can be customized with up to nine upgrades," Nihan said, "including pet coverage, security deposit protection, and adventure activities coverage. The timing of this Magellan Award is especially auspicious because we'll soon introduce more affordable retail plan rates for several age bands, delivering market-leading travel protection with even better value for your entire family."

About the Magellan Awards

The Magellan Awards celebrate excellence in design, marketing, and service across travel industry segments such as hospitality, cruise lines, airlines, and tour operators. Winners are selected by a panel of top travel professionals and judged against Travel Weekly's standard of excellence. A category may have multiple winners or none, depending on the quality of entries. For a complete list of 2025 Magellan Award winners, visit TravelWeeklyAwards.com/Winners.

About Travelex Insurance Services

For nearly 30 years, Travelex Insurance Services has been a travel insurance pioneer in the United States and a premier partner to the travel industry. Travelex's commitment to providing the products travel advisors and travelers want  combined with superior customer service  sets it apart, earning frequent recognition for customer service, technology, innovation, and marketing.

Travelex is part of the Zurich Cover-More family of brands, one of the world's largest travel insurance and assistance brands, supporting travelers globally.

Learn more at TravelexInsurance.com. To offer Travelex plans, visit Discover.TravelexInsurance.com.

Contact:

Amy Goldyn

P: +1-402-880-7481

E: [email protected]

SOURCE Travelex Insurance Services
Annual event brought together leaders, entrepreneurs, and partners to highlight local stories of success and progress

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Prospera held its annual entrepreneurship celebration, presented by OUC, at the Orlando Science Center. The main collaborators of the nonprofit economic development organization gathered for the 2025 Prospera Success Stories: Together We Thrive event to recognize outstanding local small business owners who have received Prospera's assistance and to celebrate three decades of service advancing business growth and community prosperity in Central Florida.

The following small business owners were recognized:

Small business owners honored in Central Florida as 2025 Prospera Success Stories Honorees with Regional Vice President Katia Medina

Prospera Regional Vice President Katia Medina led the program, which illustrated the impact of Prospera's services on small businesses and local entrepreneurship for sponsors, volunteers, partners, and community leaders. During the event, Prospera received proclamations from Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings in recognition of the organization's 30 years of service in the region. Additionally, Orange County officially designated Oct. 15 as "Prospera Day" as part of its commemorative proclamation.

The program also featured a panel moderated by Luz Aviles, representing the event's presenting sponsor OUC, with participation from distinguished members of Prospera's Clients' Circle:

James Harhi, owner of JFH Technologies

Ruben Perez, owner of Zaza Cuban Comfort Food and Perez of Florida

Jeannette Coronado, co-owner of JIRACOR

"At OUCThe Reliable One, we know the heart and hustle it takes to grow a business," said Clint Bullock, OUC General Manager & CEO. "We're honored to celebrate Hispanic entrepreneurs whose stories inspire us  and we're here to support them with practical energy and water solutions that save time and money, helping dreams grow into lasting success."

In addition to presenting sponsor OUC, the event was supported by the following sponsors:

Hosts: Bank of America, JPMorganChase, Orlando Health, Orlando Magic, Truist, Verizon, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, and Wells Fargo

Bank of America, JPMorganChase, Orlando Health, Orlando Magic, Truist, Verizon, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, and Wells Fargo Champions: Heart of Florida United Way, NUC Florida Technical College, Plaza del Sol, Seacoast Bank, Suncoast Credit Union, TD Bank, TSG Financial Advisors, and VyStar Credit Union

About Prospera

Prospera is an economic development, nonprofit organization that has specialized since 1991 in providing bilingual assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs who want to start, sustain, and grow their business. In the last five years alone, Prospera facilitated nearly $65 million in loans for small business clients, trained more than 17,000 entrepreneurs, and helped consulting clients create or retain more than 18,600 jobs. Prospera currently serves Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia. For more information, visit www.prosperausa.org.

Media Contact: Katia Medina, (407) 920-4201, [email protected]

SOURCE Prospera
SNOHOMISH, Wash., Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of Cancer Awareness Month, Quilceda Creek President Paul Golitzin and General Manager Scott Lloyd announced today that beginning Oct. 27, the winery will release a rare collection of library wines in support of the Cancer Research Institute (CRI). Fifty percent from every bottle sold will be donated to CRI, with a fundraising goal of $250,000.

Founded in 1978, Quilceda Creek is among Washington State's most celebrated family-owned wineries and has garnered more 100-point scores from leading critics on its Cabernet Sauvignons than nearly any other American producer. Typically, its wines are allocated exclusively to members of the private mailing list. For this special #QuilcedaCares campaign, however, the Golitzin family will make a limited number of highly sought-after library wines available to the publica release only the second of its kind in the winery's 48-year history.

"Each of us knows someone who has been impacted by cancer, and the work done by CRI is extraordinary in its ability to turn research into real hope for individuals and families," said Golitzin. "We are honored to support its mission and proud to contribute to discoveries that are changing lives."

Since 1953, CRI has been at the forefront of advancing cancer immunotherapy by empowering people, illuminating biological breakthroughs, and more recently, harnessing and unlocking the power of data. A top-rated nonprofit, CRI convenes scientists, funders and patients to drive breakthroughs in cancer immunotherapy and advance its mission to create a world immune to cancer.

"Partnerships like this remind us that science doesn't happen in isolationit's powered by people and communities who care," said Alicia Zhou, PhD, CEO of CRI. "Quilceda Creek's generosity helps fuel discoveries that bring cancer treatments closer to every patient, everywhere. Together, we're turning shared passion into tangible progress toward a world immune to cancer."

The library release will go live on Monday, Oct. 27 and continue until sold out. To further maximize its impact, Quilceda Creek will also offer a one-time opportunity for new members to join its private mailing listbypassing the standard 12- to 24-month waitlist if they support this life-saving cause with a purchase. Those interested in receiving an offer may do so by signing up for the mailing list before Oct. 27, or by calling the winery at (800) 877-4270.

The campaign will include library Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in a vertical 6- and 12-bottle format, along with a 1.5L offering. This iconic Cabernet Sauvignon made history as the first wine outside California to earn a 100-point score from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2002 vintage). This release represents a rare chance for collectors to acquire Quilceda Creek's most treasured wines while directly supporting pioneering cancer research.

For more information about Quilceda Creek, please visit https://quilcedacreek.com/

Media Contact:

Jarvis Communications

Olivia Stein

(310) 313-6374

[email protected]

SOURCE Quilceda Creek
Joint Ukrainian-Polish energy projects could include small modular reactors (SMRs), which could potentially make use of existing thermal power plant infrastructure, according to Ihor Dyr, CEO of the Ukrainian Nuclear Forum association.

"As we're joining the European Union, we'll most likely not rebuild the destroyed thermal power plants. But we can use their infrastructure to install small modular reactors on those sites," Dyr said at the Polish Business Breakfast held during the Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF) on Friday.

He noted that Ukrainian thermal power plants have unfortunately become targets of Russian attacks, while Poland is phasing out its thermal generation in line with EU carbon reduction requirements.

According to Dyr, Poland is exploring various SMR development scenarios, and energy projects remain a top priority for funding from international partners.
Precision care platform delivers real-time, clinically validated medical superintelligence to clinicians, boosting access and suspected condition detection with immediate financial impact

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- RhythmX AI, the enterprise leader in AI-native precision care, today announced it will collaborate with Microsoft to explore integrating the RhythmX AI Enterprise Precision Care Platform directly into Dragon Copilot, equipping clinicians with real-time, whole-patient intelligence in their existing workflows and enabling health systems to achieve meaningful increases in access and measurable ROI.

Unlike traditional software solutions, RhythmX AI delivers end-to-end clinically validated medical superintelligence. It's the industry's first platform that unifies more than eight patient data sources including EHR, payer, formulary, quality measures, social determinants of health and health information exchange data, including the Epic Care Everywhere exchange, delivering one of the most comprehensive patient views for in- and out-of-network hyper-personalized care delivery.

Live and in use by health system clinics today, RhythmX AI has:

Delivered 296,000+ hyper-personalized treatment recommendations into EHR workflows

Completed 25,000+ clinical validations by practicing physicians and specialists

Validated a medical economics engine through certified coders leading to a potential $57M in incremental annual revenue for just 200 PCPs

"We are honored to work with Microsoft as one of the first Dragon Copilot ecosystem collaborators," said Deepthi Bathina, Founder & CEO of RhythmX AI. "By expanding our reach, we will give health systems the ability to scale hyper-personalized care, strengthen financial sustainability and truly revolutionize clinician and patient experiences. Through our plans to integrate RhythmX AI's whole-patient precision care platform with Dragon Copilot's ambient intelligence, we will be able to deliver the right care at the right time through the right channel with measurable and immediate ROI."

RhythmX AI's platform equips clinicians with trusted, explainable AI agents surfacing evidence-based recommendations across a broad spectrum of highly complex, high-cost conditions. From predicting disease progression to orchestrating specialist referrals to optimizing documentation, coding and level-of-service capture, RhythmX AI enables health systems to unlock hard ROI in both fee-for-service and value-based care settings.

"Innovative solutions like RhythmX AI and Microsoft Dragon Copilot together have the potential to power real-time ambient insights with critical longitudinal data," said Peter Durlach, CVP, Chief Strategy Officer, Microsoft Health and Life Sciences. "This collaboration has the ability to enable more informed and personalized care decisions, greater efficiency and better overall patient care."

Backed by $1B+ in R&D investment from the SAI Group and powered by 1,050 AI engineers, RhythmX AI is architected for scale and built for rapid enterprise deployment. The RhythmX AI precision care platform leverages Microsoft's Azure cloud infrastructure to ensure speed, security, and enterprise-grade scalability.

About RhythmX AI

RhythmX AI is a generative AI-native health company driving a paradigm shift in hyper-personalized care. RhythmX AI's precision care platform helps physicians pioneer a new era of whole-person care through generative and predictive AI-powered copilots. An SAIGroup company, RhythmX AI leverages various firm assets, including the advanced Eureka AI platform and longitudinal data related to 300 million patients, more than 4.4 billion total annual claims, and more than 1.8 million healthcare professionals at more than 3,000 facilities globally. RhythmX AI comprises healthcare and technology experts and the industry's leading clinical advisors.

About SAIGroup

SAIGroup is a private investment firm building leading enterprise AI businesses by accelerating innovation and growth. SAIGroup companies ConcertAI, SymphonyAI, RhythmX AI and Get Well comprise more than 4,000 employees. Founder and CEO Dr. Romesh Wadhwani has committed $1 billion of investment capital to SAIGroup. www.saigroup.ai.

Contact:

Chris Gale

[email protected]

SOURCE RhythmX AI
MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartAdvocate, the award-winning legal case management software trusted by litigation firms nationwide, held its annual SmartAdvocate Connect 2025 User Conference October 1315 at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Marco Island, Florida. This year's event brought together a record number of law firms, reflecting the platform's continued growth and deepening impact across the legal industry.

Building on the momentum of previous years, the 2025 conference introduced several firsts designed to enhance the learning experience for attendees. A new tiered learning format, offering breakout sessions for Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced users. Each track was designed to help attendees sharpen their skills, explore new SmartAdvocate features, and gain deeper insight into workflow optimization and automation.

"We've always focused on helping firms get the most out of SmartAdvocate," said Claude Simpson, Head of Training. "This year's multi-level sessions gave us a chance to meet users where they are  whether they're brand-new to the platform or looking to expand advanced capabilities across their entire team."

One of the most exciting updates to this year's agenda was the debut of a CLE-eligible Spotlight Session, underscoring SmartAdvocate's commitment to professional development and continuing legal education. Sara Frasca, CEO of Point NorthEast kicked off the event with an engaging talk sharing how innovation, leadership, and culture can work together to transform a firm and drive greater efficiency and strategic growth.

The conference drew exceptional support from SmartAdvocate's Integration Partners, who filled the exhibit hall with live demos and product showcases. Partners representing AI, advertising, consulting, client portal, case intake, litigation support, referrals and court reporting, helped attendees identify ways to enhance SmartAdvocate.

"Our partners are an integral part of the SmartAdvocate ecosystem," said Allison Rampolla, SVP of Sales & Marketing. "Their innovation and support help ensure that our clients have access to the most connected, flexible, and future-ready tools in the industry."

Returning favorites like Ask the Expert sessions allowed users to book one-on-one time with SmartAdvocate staff from training, support, implementation, and development for tailored advice and one-on-one guidance. A lively Welcome Reception and Event Night dinner celebration on the beach gave attendees additional opportunities to connect, collaborate, and share in the success of the Marco Island event.

New clients were also well represented this year, many attending their first SmartAdvocate Connect to explore its capabilities and community firsthand.

"Seeing new firms send multiple users to the conference speaks volumes about the platform's adoption and value," said Allison Rampolla. "SmartAdvocate Connect has become more than a conference; it's an annual gathering of innovators shaping the future of legal technology."

SmartAdvocate Connect 2025 also set a record for Exhibitors, with an impressive number of integration partners showcasing their solutions. They included: Anytime AI (anytimeai.ai), Arctrieval ( arctrieval.com ), BluShark Digital ( blusharkdigital.com ), Bridge Legal (bridgelegal.com), CaptureNow (capturenow.com ), Case Status ( casestatus.com ), Compass (compassllc.com), Confido Legal (confidolegal.com), ConsulTV (consult.tv), Eve Legal (eve.legal), EvenUp ( evenuplaw.com ), FasterOutcomes (fasteroutcomes.com), Foundation AI ( foundationai.com ), Hona ( hona.com ), Ladies Leading Legal (ladiesleadinglegal.com), LawPro.ai (lawpro.ai), Legalex ( legalexllc.com ), LegalPat LLC (legalpat.com), Lexamica ( lexamica.com ), Lexitas (lexitaslegal.com ), MeanPug Digital ( meanpug.com ), MoveDocs ( movedocs.com ), National Record Retrieval ( nationalrecordretrieval.com ), Precedent (precedent.com), Review Driver LLC (reviewdriver.com), Rob Levine Legal Solutions ( roblevine.com ), SecondChair.ai (second-chair.ai), SettLiT ( settlit.legal ), Supio ( supio.com ), TSEG (tseg.com), Vista Consulting LLC (vistact.com), Xcelerator Law Firm Consultants ( lawfirmxcelerator.com ), and YoCierge ( yocierge.com ).

The next SmartAdvocate Connect will return in 2026, continuing the tradition of education, innovation, and community that has made the event a cornerstone of the SmartAdvocate user experience.

About SmartAdvocate

SmartAdvocate is a fully customizable, powerful, browser-based, case management system designed to meet the unique needs of today's litigation firms. The software has repeatedly been recognized as the Best Case, Matter and Practice Management Software by the NY, NJ, and the National Law Journals.

Contact: Allison Rampolla, SVP of Sales & Marketing, SmartAdvocate LLC, 516-715-0736 (Direct), [email protected]

Related Links: www.smartadvocate.com

SOURCE SmartAdvocate
BEIJING, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 3rd Linyi Trade City International Sourcing Conference for Belt and Road Cooperation opened on October 10 in Linyi Mall in east China's coastal province of Shandong, attracting over 2,000 international buyers from 99 countries and regions to gather at the internationalized trade and cooperation platform.

Since 2023, the conference had been held for two straight years, becoming a new bridge for trade exchange and a new window for win-win cooperation among Belt and Road partner countries.

photo

Known as the "logistics city of China", Linyi is recognized as one of the first batch of national business service logistics hubs and an important commodity distribution center in China. It has unique advantages in the fields of convention and exhibition economy, live e-commerce, market procurement and cross-border e-commerce.

Thanks to geographic advantages, Linyi has the largest market cluster and all-encompassing commodity categories in China. A total of 136 professional wholesale markets, 63,700 shops and 46,000 business households are located in Linyi Mall with one million trade logistics employees. The business commodities cover 27 categories and more than six million kinds of commodities, basically covering the main categories of means of production and means of subsistence.

Linyi Mall started its pace of opening-up years ago, fostering itself to an important logistics turnover center in China with an integrated logistics networks of road, railway, sea and air. There are 22 logistics parks here, and more than 3,000 domestic delivery lines covering all cities above the county level in China, reaching all ports and at points of entry in China. The logistics price is about 30-percent lower than the national average.

Linyi has vigorously promoted the internationalization strategy of Linyi Mall, and accelerated the construction of "four shopping malls" covering online and offline, domestic and overseas markets. The mall's market transaction volume hit 660 billion yuan in 2024 and its total logistics volume exceeded one trillion yuan. The import and export volume of the mall was 114.6 billion yuan in 2024.

While actively attracting foreign traders, the Linyi Mall is also encouraging local traders and companies to go abroad. A total of 476 enterprises going abroad from the mall contributed an import and export volume of 10.267 billion yuan in Linyi Customs in the first eight months of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 58.5 percent.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/347932.html

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The Kiel Institute for the World Economy reported on Tuesday that military aid to Ukraine decreased by 43% in July and August compared to the first half of the year, Reuters said.

"According to the institute, most military support now flows through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program. That consists of NATO allies from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden," the agency said on Friday.

The PURL initiative replaced U.S. weapons donations to Ukraine and now requires allies to pay for U.S. weapons supplies.

As the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported, PURL is currently one of the key mechanisms for providing Ukraine with U.S. weapons and defense equipment.

Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List is a U.S. and NATO initiative that allows Ukraine to be provided with critically needed weapons through targeted financing of American-made supplies. Partner countries contribute funds to a joint fund in accordance with a prioritized list of needs agreed upon by Ukraine, the United States and NATO. This allows for coordination of contributions, acceleration of procurement, and faster delivery to the front of what cannot be replaced by European analogues.

How PURL works. Formation of a list of needs: Ukraine identifies critically important types of weapons and equipment for defense  in particular, air defense systems, artillery ammunition, and other strategic positions. Joint approval: priority monthly needs in these nomenclatures are agreed upon jointly with NATO and the United States. Allied financing: NATO countries (except the United States) make financial contributions for the purchase of approved priority U.S. weapons. Arms Supply: After raising funds, the United States provides the necessary weapons, equipment, and ammunition to Ukraine. The estimated cost of the monthly requirement is about $1 billion, which is implemented in two packages of $500 million.

Countries that have already joined PURL. The Netherlands  the first to join the initiative, allocated EUR 500 million (approximately $578 million) for the purchase of Patriot systems and other air defense assets. Denmark, Norway, Sweden  jointly financed a package worth $495 million, including ammunition for HIMARS and other critical supplies. Germany  announced its readiness to allocate $500 million for the purchase of U.S. weapons. Canada  confirmed a contribution of $500 million to meet Ukraine's needs. Latvia  allocated EUR 5 million to support the PURL initiative.

Belgium, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Iceland, Luxembourg  have announced their readiness to join the fifth funding package. The total amount of contributions so far is over $2 billion.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on October 15 that in addition to the six allies that have made commitments under the PURL  the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, other allies have joined this initiative.
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Cases of infiltration of sabotage and reconnaissance groups of Russian occupiers into the town of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region are sometimes recorded and accompanied by crimes against the civilian population, but the Ukrainian military detects and destroys the enemy in the town.

"Unfortunately, a violation of international humanitarian law is recorded by the Russians, who resort to shooting civilians in Pokrovsk," the Seventh Rapid Reaction Corps of the Airborne Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) said on Facebook on Friday.

It is reported that, despite the difficult situation, the defenders of Pokrovsk continue to restrain the enemy and make every effort to stabilize the situation, taking into account the available forces and means and given the priority of preserving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.

"In general, since the beginning of October, the defenders of Pokrovsk have already destroyed almost 600 occupiers, over 300 have been wounded. The defense forces have shot down and 'landed' more than 1,750 enemy strike drones of various types, shot down 74 reconnaissance and strike UAV wings, eliminated or damaged 11 drone launch points," the corps said.

It is reported that on Thursday, the occupiers tried to use the worsening weather conditions and penetrate into Novopavlivka to the southeast of Pokrovsk, but the enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups were destroyed and the settlement was cleared, the situation is under the AFU's control.

In the defense zone of the Seventh Rapid Reaction Corps, the situation south of Pokrovsk remains the most difficult, where the enemy is trying to turn the village of Zvirove into a "gray zone." "Currently, the occupiers do not have full control over this area, our units are present here and are repelling them," the corps said.

It is also reported that the enemy has significantly increased the number of strikes with guided bombs on Ukrainian logistics using tactical aviation, which is inaccessible to tactical-level air defense systems. "In total, since the beginning of the month, the occupiers have carried out 121 air strikes. The largest number was on October 12. On this day, the Russians carried out 19 air strikes, most of which were in the area of the settlement of Hrishyne. In one air strike, planes usually launch four guided bombs, each weighing 250 kg. The concentration of aviation efforts in Pokrovsk axis is carried out due to the reduction of strikes in other areas of the front," the corps said.
Photo: Unsplash

The U.S. and Ukrainian military experts believe that the United States will most likely provide older models of long-range Tomahawk missiles, which can be intercepted by Russian air defense systems, the Axios publication said on Friday before the scheduled meeting of the presidents of Ukraine and the United States, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump.

"It's unclear what generation of missile Ukraine would receive. Ukrainian officials believe older versions would be more vulnerable to Russian air defense systems," the article reads.

At the same time, the publication states there is still no certainty that Trump will agree to supply Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. It is currently unclear how many missiles the United States can allocate from its reserves. The United States also has very few Typhoon systems, which are needed to launch Tomahawk missiles from land.

"The Tomahawks are subsonic cruise missiles that are typically launched from U.S. Navy ships and submarines, per the CSIS Missile Defense Project. Historically, some models could carry nuclear payloads. But Ukraine would most likely need to launch them from land. The U.S. Army introduced a land-based launcher, called Typhon, in 2023. That means Trump would not only need to provide Tomahawks, but also launchers. In both cases, some officials in the Pentagon would be very worried about depleting U.S. stocks," the publication said.

The Tomahawk missiles are about 5.55 meters long, or 6.25 meter with boosters. They weigh 1,315 kilograms and have a claimed range of 1,250-2,500 kilometers. The average cost of one missile is $1.3 million. The only manufacturer is the American company Raytheon, also known as RTX.

Since its development in the 1970s, the United States and its allies have used the Tomahawk missiles more than 2,350 times in operational conditions. During this time, they have undergone several modernizations. In particular, the Block II was used throughout the 1980s, the Block III appeared in 1993, and the Block IV was introduced in the early 2000s.

Only a few countries use the Tomahawk: in addition to the United States, these are the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia and the Netherlands. In recent years, they have been used to strike Syria, Yemen and Iran.
Photo: https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the White House, where he was met by U.S. President Donald Trump.

This became known from broadcasts conducted by the U.S. media.

The meeting, according to media reports, is to take place in the format of a bilateral lunch.

Earlier, U.S. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reported on Trump's intention to discuss with Zelenskyy an opportunity of meeting with Vladimir Putin in Budapest, about which they reached a preliminary agreement during a call on Thursday.

In addition, the topic of conversation during the leaders' meeting should be the possibility of transferring Tomahawk missiles to the United States.
Trump: We're going to speak with Zelenskyy about Tomahawk missiles

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would discuss with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy Ukraine's request for the transfer of Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Answering a question about Tomahawk during President Zelenskyy's arrival at the White House, Trump said: "We are going to be talking about that, that's why we're here."

"We are going to be talking about Tomahawks, and we'd rather have them not need Tomahawks, we'd much rather have the war be over," Trump said.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/olena.kondratiuk/

To hit military targets, thousands of drones are needed, as well as missiles, Ukraine has thousands of drones of its own production, and the United States has Tomahawk missiles, they can be used together, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

"If you want to hit a military goal, you need thousands of drones. They are used together with such missiles. Ukraine has thousands of our drones, but we do not have Tomahawks. That is why we need Tomahawks. But the United States has a very strong production, and the United States has Tomahawks and other missiles, very strong missiles, but they can have our thousands of drones," Zelenskyy said before the start of the meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Vladimir Putin is not ready to end this war, but with the help of the United States it can be stopped, the Russians are not succeeding on the battlefield, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

"Once again, my congratulation with your successful ceasefire in the Middle East I think this is an impetus for ending Russia's war against Ukraine. I think that  yes, we understand that Putin is not ready  I think he is not ready, but I am confident that with your help we can stop this war. And we really need it. We see that they do not have successful steps on the battlefield, and that is good," Zelenskyy said before the start of the meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Ukrainian head of state noted that the Russian army is suffering heavy losses, and Russia is also suffering heavy losses in its economy. He thanked Trump for the opportunity to meet with major American energy companies, as well as military and technical companies.

"We talked about air defense, and I want to share with you the details of where we are now," Zelenskyy said, addressing Trump.
Photo: https://t.me/vitaliy_klitschko/5521

The modern prosthetics center, created as part of the Human Titans project in Kyiv at the end of the summer of this year, currently provides services to 13 veterans, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said after visiting the center together with the mayor of Brussels.

"The facility provides assistance to wounded soldiers and civilians who need modern prosthetics and rehabilitation. It is equipped with a 3D scanner for the manufacture of high-precision prosthetic components... Currently, 13 veterans from different regions of Ukraine are undergoing the prosthetics and rehabilitation process at the facility. Three of them are already at the final stage," Klitschko said on Telegram.

He noted that previously wounded Ukrainian servicemen received prosthetics in Germany, and now defenders can do so in Kyiv.

"Let me remind you that six prosthetic technicians from Kyiv were trained in prosthetics centers in Berlin. Also, as part of the project, about 60 Ukrainian servicemen with lower limb amputations of various degrees of complexity received prosthetics at the Bundeswehr military hospital. Now wounded defenders receive prosthetics at the center operating in Kyiv," the mayor said.

Klitschko also said Kyiv received four ambulances from Brussels, along with nine previously received ones. The Belgian capital also helps equip medical facilities, train doctors, and provides humanitarian aid, equipment, and special vehicles.

As reported, the Human Titans prosthetic center was opened on the basis of one of Kyiv's hospitals with the support of the Life Bridge Ukraine charitable foundation and as part of the capital's cooperation with Berlin.
Trump: Most likely it's going to be double meeting in Hungary, we will have Zelenskyy in touch

U.S. President Donald Trump said his meeting with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Hungary will "most likely" be bilateral.

"We like Viktor Orban. He likes him [Putin], I like him. It's a safe country. They're doing a very good job. He's a good leader in the sense of running his country. So, we decided that we'll be with Viktor Orban, and he'll be, I think, a very good host," he said during a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday.

Asked whether Zelenskyy would join their meeting with the Kremlin leader, Trump said it would "most likely" be bilateral, as there is "hostility" between Putin and Zelenskyy.

"Most likely, it will be a double meeting, but we will have President Zelenskyy in touch," the U.S. leader said.
Members of the Midwest Independent Booksellers and Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Associations gathered for their annual joint trade show, Heartland Fall Forum, October 14-16. This year, it was GLIBA's turn to host, and more than 300 booksellers (about half of them first-timers) convened in Indianapolis, chosen because of the "explosion" of new bookstores opening there in the last couple of years, GLIBA executive director Larry Law told PW.

As one bookseller reported in a text to PW, the show had "really good energy, with lots of praise for [MIBA's new executive director] Grace Hagen; people are very happy with the venue," the Indianapolis Marriott Hotel in the downtown area that accommodated the conference's 545 total attendees. While PW was unable to obtain photos taken at the opening night reception at the Kurt Vonnegut Museum which, according to reports, was a raucous affair that broke up around midnight, there was plenty of photographic evidence of a close-knit community of booksellers celebrating their resilience amid the uncertainties of these tumultuous times.

Heartland kicked off on Tuesday with the traditional awards ceremony, where the year's best books as voted on by MIBA and GLIBA booksellers were spotlighted, as well as their authors, along with the 2025 Great Lakes Bookseller of the Year (Wild Geese in Franklin, Ind.) and the 2025 Voice of the Heartland (Ross Gay). Pictured (from l.) are Heartland Award winners Anton Treuer (Where Wolves Don't Die; young adult/middle grade), Travis Zimmerman (How the Birds Got Their Songs, illustrated by Sam Zimmerman; picture book) and Marcie Rendon (Anishinaabe Songs for a New Millennium; poetry), and Ross Gay.

A group of booksellers pose for a photo with an author during the tour of the Indy Reads literacy center and used bookstore on Tuesday. Pictured (from l.) are Shannon Krug and Kaci Friss, Serendipity Books, Chelsea, Mich.; Mary Webber O'Malley, Skylark Books, Columbia, Mo., who also works for Binc; Erin Potter, Watermark Books, Wichita, Kans.; Megan Cassada, Dockside Books, Charlevoix, Mich.; Allison Horner, an author from St. Paul, Minn.; and Maxwell Gregory, Madison Street Books, Chicago.

A group of Iowa booksellers who don't often have an opportunity to see each other face-to-face in the largely rural state in which they do business pose during Heartland for a group photo. Pictured (from front to back, l. to r.) are Linda Crookham-Hansen, Terri LeBlanc, Sarah Bergan, Darci Tracie, Lori Holliday, Kathy Magruder, Melissa McAllister, CoriAnn Theroux, Rachel Trainum, Sarah Krammen, Rob McAllister, Mariah McGuire, and Luis Lujan. Thanks to Magruder, the owner of Pageturners Books in Indianola, Ia., for the identifications.

Olivia Hansen, a rep with Andrews McMeel Universal in Kansas City staffed the AMU booth during the Heartland trade show.

Columbia University Press rep Kevin Kurtz (l.) talks with Javier Ramirez (c.), the co-owner of Exile in Bookville in Chicago and Shane Mullen (r.), the events coordinator at Left Bank Books in St. Louis during the Heartland trade show.

Cadwell Turnbull (A Ruin, Great and Free) was one of more than 60 authors who signed copies of their latest books for booksellers.

MIBA board president Melissa McAllister (l.) of Dungeon's Gate in Ankeny, Ia., with GLIBA board president Alyson Jones Turner of Source Booksellers in Detroit, PW's 2025 Bookstore of the Year.

While many booksellers browsed the displays in the exhibit area Thursday morning, others were placing their bids on the auction sponsored by Binc to raise funds to assist booksellers in need. Many of the auction items were the entire contents of Heartland booths at the end of the show, donated by exhibitors who would rather not pack up their booths. Binc raised approximately $8,300 at Heartland.

There was an error regarding the name of the bookstore, as well as an award it received during Heartland. That error has been corrected.
President Donald Trump has refiled a lawsuit first brought September 16 in Florida accusing the New York Times and several of its reporters, including Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner, of disparagement. Penguin Random House, which published Buettner and Craigs book based on their reporting, Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father's Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success, is also named as a defendant. Trump had previously threatened to sue PRH last year over the book.

The suit alleges the publishers and reporters sought to undermine the President's election campaign in 2024 and is seeking a minimum of $15 billion in damages. The original suit was quickly dismissed by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday who called the suit improper and impermissible under federal court rules, saying it resembled a political manifesto more than a legal filing.

Judge Merryday also sharply criticized the filing, which he said strayed far beyond the requirements of Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure mandating a short and plain statement of the claim. The new complaint is half the length of the original document, and one of the New York Times reporters, Michael Schmidt, has been dropped from the suit.

Both the Times and PRH repeated comments they made at the time of the first lawsuit, which they said was without merit.

"With a second attempt, this lawsuit remains meritless," a PRH spokesperson said. "Penguin Random House will continue to stand by the book and its authors just as we will continue to stand for the important fundamental principles of the First Amendment."
Global agribusiness giants optimistic about China's agricultural modernization

Xinhua) 08:21, October 17, 2025

A harvester produced by the Case New Holland (CNH) works in a corn field in Shuangcheng District of Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Oct. 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Sun Xiaoyu)

HARBIN, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- At the Case New Holland (CNH) industrial plant in Pingfang District of Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, the new 5088 combine harvesters are rolling off the production line at a rapid pace.

Standing over 5 meters tall and stretching 11 meters long, these machines -- powered by more than 200 horsepower and composed of over 10,000 components -- symbolize the momentum of China's agricultural modernization.

With 44 workstations at full capacity, a new harvester rolls off the line every 1.5 hours, each bearing the "Made in Harbin" label.

Li Kang, president of CNH China and Mongolia, emphasized the facility's global importance. He noted that CNH is a world-renowned agricultural machinery manufacturer, with global revenue approaching 20 billion U.S. dollars last year, 71 percent of which came from agricultural machinery. The Harbin plant, established in 2013, is CNH's largest facility in the Asia-Pacific region.

"We produce tractors from 100 to 500 horsepower, as well as flagship harvesters such as the 4099 and 5088 models," Li added. The company established its Harbin R&D center over a decade ago, which now serves as CNH's largest and most technologically advanced research hub in Asia. The center not only designs products tailored to China's agricultural needs but also exports its innovations worldwide.

In a cornfield in Harbin's Shuangcheng District, a CR8.90 combine harvester showcased its efficiency at a field day event where 14 of the company's core products were displayed. Featuring dual axial rotor threshing technology, the machine efficiently processes high feed rates with minimal grain damage and is suitable for multiple crops.

"China's market for tractors over 200 horsepower continues to expand, while demand for harvesters with feed rates exceeding 10 kg per second is growing steadily," Li said. "We have strong product offerings in these segments and will continue developing machinery tailored to local demands."

Luca Mainardi, president of CNH Asia Pacific, emphasized long-term commitment, noting that the Harbin plant -- in operation for over a decade -- represents their largest industrial investment globally in the past 30 years, with cumulative investment exceeding 250 million U.S. dollars.

He expressed strong confidence in the Chinese market and will leverage local supply chains to meet domestic demand while expanding globally.

As harvesting advances, grain processing in the province enters peak season. At Yihai (Jiamusi) Grain and Oil Industry Co., Ltd., truck driver Liu Xinmin delivers rice through an automated system where facial recognition technology expedites registration and sampling. The smart processing line operates around the clock, transforming paddy into rice through more than 20 steps.

"To meet new grain storage needs, we built two additional warehouses, increasing capacity by 67,000 tonnes," said Li Zhen, procurement manager of the company. "Orders are strong, and we are operating at full capacity."

Wu Zhihua, regional head of Yihai Kerry Arawana Holdings covering Heilongjiang, Jilin and Inner Mongolia, credited the success to government support. "We've established a strong presence in Heilongjiang for over a decade, leveraging local grain resources to enhance deep processing and industrial upgrading."

Agricultural products are pictured at a display hall of Yihai Kerry Arawana Holdings in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Sun Xiaoyu)

Workers assembles a harvester at the Case New Holland (CNH) industrial plant in Pingfang District of Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Sun Xiaoyu)

A tractor produced by the Case New Holland (CNH) works in a field in Shuangcheng District of Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Oct. 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Sun Xiaoyu)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
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The Gaza cease-fire may be fragile, but the approach that achieved it is reshaping how the United States projects power. After two decades of failed experiments, from forced democratization to endless peace processes, Washington may have found a model that works. Trumps diplomacy treats the Middle East not as a stage for moral appeals but as a negotiation table built on leverage, incentives, and enforcement rather than promises.

Trumps 20-point Gaza peace plan, unveiled at a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, lays out a step-by-step framework that ties each phase of the cease-fire to measurable conditions. It began with the release of all hostages within 72 hours of Israels acceptance, followed by a corresponding exchange of Palestinian detainees. Reconstruction now proceeds under a technocratic administration backed by an international Board of Peace, chaired by Trump, to manage funding and oversight. The plan also establishes an International Stabilization Force to train vetted Palestinian security units, with Israel set to withdraw in stages as demilitarization benchmarks are verified. Its sequencing and accountability distinguish it from earlier peace efforts that relied on trust rather than enforcement.

The groundwork was laid months earlier. In May 2025, Trump embarked on a four-day tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirateshis first major foreign trip of his second term. Officially billed as a trade mission, the tour doubled as a diplomatic reset. In Riyadh, he and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced a strategic economic partnership built around semiconductors, energy, and space technology, alongside more than $600 billion in new investment commitments. In Doha, Trump secured a $96 billion Boeing sale to Qatar Airways and expanded defense cooperation through new basing and counter-drone agreements. In Abu Dhabi, a U.S.Emirati consortium unveiled plans for what will become the worlds largest artificial intelligence data center outside the United States, backed by roughly $200 billion in new commercial agreements and tied to a broader $1.4 trillion UAE investment commitment over the next decade.

That network of deals formed the backbone of Trumps later diplomacy. When U.S. and Israeli forces struck Irans Fordow and Natanz nuclear sites in June, reasserting deterrence after years of ambiguity, Washington gained the leverage to turn those partnerships into enforcement mechanisms. The same coalition that signed trade and defense pacts in May became the guarantor of peace in October: Egypt managed border crossings, Qatar financed humanitarian aid, and the Gulf states underwrote reconstruction. The cease-fires credibility rests on that structure because those who helped fund it are now responsible for keeping it.

That shift marks a clear break from the habits of U.S. diplomacy that came before. For over two decades, Washington oscillated between force and hesitation. George W. Bush tried to impose democracy through military intervention, leaving the region wary of American intentions. Barack Obama pursued consensus through multilateral diplomacy, but his restraint eroded U.S. leverage with both allies and adversaries. Joe Biden entered office promising stability but faced crises that reinforced perceptions of weakness. The chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan undercut American credibility abroad, and his Gaza strategy relied on reactive diplomacyurging cease-fires without enforcing compliance. In May 2024, Biden unveiled a new proposal for an Israeli cease-fire and hostage release, a plan that echoed later elements of Trumps framework but lacked regional enforcement or economic incentives. By early 2025, Gulf capitals had deepened economic ties with Beijing through Belt and Road infrastructure projects, with trade rising above $225 billion in 2023 and projected to reach roughly $325 billion later this decade. Frustration with Washingtons rhetoric-over-results approach opened space for Trumps model, grounded in leverage, incentives, and aligned interests, to begin reversing Americas diplomatic drift.

Trumps critics call his diplomacy transactional. Supporters call it realism. Either way, it delivers. The Gaza plan established measurable steps, independent monitoring, and consequences for violations. It has held long enough to reopen crossings, lower tensions, and shift focus toward reconstructionprogress in a conflict that once defied every formula.

More broadly, Trumps approach meets Chinas checkbook diplomacy on equal terms. It leverages what the United States still does best: capital markets, technology, and credible security guarantees. In a region tired of moral lectures and broken promises, that combination has proved more persuasive than any speech. The peace may not last forever, but its logic of accountability tied to shared gain offers a smarter, more resilient American strategy.
With everything that is going on in the world today, there are precious few good news stories. With Americas help, Syria has the potential to become one.

At the Lebanon-Syria Joussieh border crossing recently, I stood alongside families taking their first steps back into Syria in years. Their trucks were stacked with mattresses, cooking pots, tools  the basics needed to start over. Parents looked anxious, and their children were restless, but their determination was clear: they were going home.

Thats a tough decision to make after more than a decade of war and displacement. One mother told me about her sons diabetes. In Lebanon, insulin was costly but available; in Syria, she was unsure. Still, acting in hope and faith that support would be there when needed -- from neighbors, authorities, or aid groups -- the family returned.

Since the fall of the Assad regime in December, more than 2.8 million Syrians have returned  both those coming from other countries and families displaced inside Syria.

Throughout my recent visit, I saw fragile but powerful beginnings emerge. In rural Damascus, I met parents proudly reopening small shops, others repaired damaged buildings, making them into homes once more. In Homs, a blacksmith had a workshop full of orders from returnees eager to rebuild. In Idleb, I stood alongside local officials as UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, inaugurated a civil registry office: a small beacon amid the rubble. For returnees, it carries enormous meaning: documents are the first step to reclaiming a life, enabling property transactions, enrolling children in school, and accessing healthcare. Without them, renewal is impossible.

Voluntary return must remain a choice. People should go home only when it is safe and dignified to do so  never under pressure or coercion.

Return is not just crossing a border. It requires rehabilitating schools and hospitals, securing electricity and clean water, and creating jobs so families can stand on their own feet in safety. Without this, returns will fail.

This is why Syrias renewal matters to America. Humanitarian aid is not just about compassion  its a strategy. Syria was once the worlds largest displacement crisis. Now, a more stable Syria undercuts extremists and the chaos they thrive on. It reinforces allies like Jordan and Lebanon, who have hosted millions of refugees for 14 long years. And it strengthens a region where instability has a direct consequence for American security.

Syria is part of a larger picture. Globally, more than 120 million people are displaced -- the highest number since records began. When displacement spreads, it weakens fragile states, fuels extremism, and creates openings for others to extend their influence. Left unchecked, these crises spill across borders, drive migration and disrupt trade and investment opportunities.

Humanitarian aid is a cost-effective way to counter these threats, and U.S. support of UNHCR makes a measurable difference, enabling us to deliver frontline, life-saving support and solutions where few others can. This work stabilizes fragile communities and host countries whose resilience is critical to regional security. And we do it efficiently: reforms of our logistics processes and energy use have already saved hundreds of millions of dollars, stretching American taxpayer dollars further.

Syrians want nothing more than to return home. I saw it firsthand in Damascus, Homs and Idleb: families readying for their new chapters. These small signs of renewal show that with the right support, return and stability are possible. And with sustained international support and American engagement at its core, that hope can grow into lasting recovery, in this region and globally.

Backing this effort is not just goodwill or charity; it is smart foreign policy that strengthens Syria and the Middle East, where stability and security directly serve American interests. For Syrians, it means a chance to rebuild their lives. For America, supporting Syrians is not just the right thing to do  it is wise. By addressing these needs now, the U.S. can help transform fragile hope into lasting stability.

Kelly T. Clements is the Deputy High Commissioner of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.
Georgia hosts Ole Miss in Athens at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, and the game is shaping up to be a defining showdown in the SEC. Both teams remain in the race for the SEC title and the College Football Playoff. For Georgia, this will be the first ranked matchup following the Bulldogs first home loss in nearly six years, when then-No. 17 Alabama beat them 24-21 on Sept. 27.
'Cosmic snapshot' mirrors China's strength in innovation

08:58, October 17, 2025 By Bei Hu ( People's Daily

This image released by the China National Space Administration on Oct. 1, 2025 shows a view of the Tianwen-2 probe alongside Earth, captured by the probe during its deep-space journey. The newly released image, acquired by a monitoring camera mounted on the probe's robotic arm, showcases China's five-starred red flag and the white return capsule against the backdrop of a distant, blue Earth. (Photo provided by the China National Space Administration)

On Oct. 1, the China National Space Administration unveiled a remarkable image of the Tianwen-2 probe alongside Earth, captured during its deep-space journey.

The newly released image, acquired by a monitoring camera mounted on the probe's robotic arm, showcases China's five-starred red flag and the white return capsule against the backdrop of a distant, blue Earth - a sight that netizens affectionately hailed as a "cosmic snapshot."

Behind the image lies China's expanding capability in deep-space exploration. Over a decade-long expedition, the Tianwen-2 mission aims to collect samples from near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3 and explore the main-belt comet 311P, which is farther from Earth than Mars.

Smarter probes, more reliable launch vehicles, and more powerful tracking, telemetry and communications have together enabled Tianwen-2 to embark on its "ten-year journey," once again showcasing the brilliance of Chinese innovation in space.

From Dongfanghong-1's first foray into orbit to the Chang'e missions writing brilliant chapters in lunar exploration, from building a national space station to Tianwen-2's voyage toward an asteroid, China's space aspirations have advanced step by step.

Researchers take a test drive on a new-generation long-range autonomous passenger aircraft at the Luogang Park in Hefei, east China's Anhui province, Oct. 14, 2025. (Photo/Zhang Dagang)

Beyond space, innovation is flourishing across the country in integrated circuits, high-end equipment, and industrial software. The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System provides precise global navigation and positioning; the C919 jetliner has entered commercial service; new energy vehicles lead the world in production and sales; the CR450 high-speed train continues to push the frontiers of rail technology; and steady progress continues in new energy, new materials, and artificial intelligence.

The "cosmic snapshot" also reflects China's perseverance and long-term commitment to innovation, as well as its resolve to steadily push technology to new heights.

Space programs are vast, complex, and technology-intensive; breakthroughs require long-term accumulation. To realize its lunar aspirations, China adopted an overarching plan of orbiting, landing, and returning. After twenty years of continuous effort, it overcame challenges such as surviving the lunar night, communicating between the far side of the moon and Earth, and performing intelligent sampling on the moon's far side, charting a high-quality, cost-effective path in lunar exploration.

Following Tianwen-1's debut at Mars and Tianwen-2's start to asteroid exploration, Tianwen-3 and Tianwen-4 will in due course undertake Mars sample-return and exploration of the Jupiter system, respectively. From the very beginning, China's planetary exploration program laid out a far-sighted roadmap - today's flourishing is the payoff from years of steady cultivation.

In recent years, China has strengthened the backbone of basic research, providing stable, long-term support to key innovation platforms, outstanding teams, and priority areas. It has refined long-cycle evaluation mechanisms, enabling researchers to focus on big questions without distraction. It has also expanded patient capital to energize science-and-technology ventures with long horizons and heavy investment.

A bullet train cuts across the vast Gobi landscape in Zhongchuan township, Lanzhou New Area, northwest China's Gansu province, Aug. 3, 2025. (Photo/Xu Gang)

With a higher vantage and longer view, Chinese innovation places greater emphasis on originality, while industry pushes deeper into tough terrain, laying a solid foundation to nurture new quality productive forces and cultivate the commanding heights of science and technology.

With eyes on the stars and feet on the ground, China is charting a steadier, bolder course in space exploration. For Tianwen-2, the rocket's orbital accuracy required a velocity of 11.2 kilometers per second while keeping the speed within one meter per second. Building on iterative guidance, the development team applied terminal-velocity correction to adjust the rocket's velocity and attitude in real time before separation, ensuring the required insertion accuracy.

From "Chang'e" embracing the moon to "Tianwen" probing Mars and "Xihe" tracing the sun, each journey into the cosmos becomes the starting line for the next. As Tianwen-2 sails through the vastness of space, expectations are high - for new discoveries from the mission, and for more surprises from an ever-innovative China.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
On Oct. 8, a man was seen removing lettering from the official signage for the Latin American Ethnobotanical Garden. New lettering was posted on the sign soon after and read Ethnobotanical Garden of the Americas.
'The informal sector can grow at a 100 per cent rate -- we have to plan big.'

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff

Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) Chairman Shri Sivasubramanian Ramann, in an exclusive interview with Harsh Kumar/Business Standard in New Delhi, said the regulator is exploring ways to effectively reach the rural segment.

He said the proposal to implement pension sakhis, suggested by the finance minister last week, is both practical and well-tested.

Implementation, he added, would involve engaging self-help group (SHG) networks and identifying leaders within these groups.

Ramann also spoke about the challenges ahead and shared insights into the National Pension System (NPS) and the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

How is PFRDA moving forward on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's suggestion to explore the possibility of training women as pension sakhis to boost NPS enrolments?

The Pension Sakhi model, inspired by bima sakhis, is a very important initiative. We've been exploring ways to effectively reach the rural segment, and this proposal is both practical and tested.

Implementation would involve engaging SHG networks and identifying leaders within these groups -- each group typically has a champion or key member.

Moreover, the Lakhpati Didi concept can be leveraged.

Through these channels, targeted training can be provided to help them understand NPS and its benefits.

We plan to work with bank sakhis, or alternatively provide them with pension-specific features.

This approach may be faster and more efficient than recruiting an entirely new set of personnel, which can be challenging.

Discussions with the Life Insurance Corporation of India indicate that bima sakhis and bank sakhis can also receive incentives and commissions for their role.

On the cost side, a committee has been set up to review distribution charges and their further implementation.

While most stakeholders acknowledge that NPS is a low-cost product, this minimal cost actually enables faster distribution.

Can we expect any changes in the Atal Pension Yojana?

We've started outreach efforts for gig workers through partnership models.

Pension funds are reaching out to large platforms -- for example, those employing security guards.

There are many platform-based and digital gig workers; they form a large part of the informal sector, along with the self-employed.

Each group is different -- doctors and lawyers are easier to reach; drivers, domestic workers, and plumbers in urban centres are harder.

Pension funds have been allowed higher distribution costs to reach these groups and can use media campaigns continuously.

Right now, there are no major discussions to revise the scheme. However, a review is carried out every five years.

What is the status of OPS amid the entry of the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) and the existence of NPS?

Some states, after initially opting for OPS, have switched back to NPS, while others are in the process of doing so and moving towards UPS.

OPS is fiscally unsustainable and creates large liabilities for the government.

Globally, many countries have shifted from defined benefit to defined contribution schemes, especially after the global financial crisis.

Governments need funds for development, and continuously financing rising pensions is not feasible. We believe states will eventually adopt UPS, and we are preparing projections to demonstrate its advantages.

The key difference between UPS and OPS lies in the handling of Pay Commission hikes. Overall, OPS remains a costly and unsustainable model.

What assets under management do you expect for NPS in 2025-26?

Growth has been around 28 per cent year-on-year for the past few years. We want to be ambitious and push partners in the ecosystem to increase uptake, especially in the informal sector.

The informal sector can grow at a 100 per cent rate -- we have to plan big. I'm confident we will exceed 30 per cent growth this financial year.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
Lining up its 2030 strategy, Hyundai said it was targeting up to 30 per cent export contribution and over 1.5-fold rise in revenue, to cross the 1 trillion milestone in five years.

IMAGE: Hyundai MD Unsoo Kim during the launch of 'CRETA electric' at Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, New Delhi. Photograph: Sanjay Sharma/ANI Photo

Automobile major Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) on Wednesday announced around 45,000 crore worth of investment plans over five years to fuel its next phase of growth.

Jose Munoz, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Hyundai Motor Company, said the South Korean brands Indian arm was planning 26 product launches, including seven new nameplates, as it targets entry into the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) and off-road sport utility vehicle (SUV) segments.

Lining up its 2030 strategy, Hyundai said it was targeting up to 30 per cent export contribution and over 1.5-fold rise in revenue, to cross the 1 trillion milestone in five years.

Addressing Hyundais first-ever CEO-investor meet in Mumbai, Munoz said the firms EV localisation strategy would roll out in phases.

"Were making India a global export hub, targeting up to 30 per cent export contribution. Our commitment is comprehensive: 26 product launches, including seven new nameplates, Indias first locally manufactured, dedicated electric SUV by 2027, and the launch of our luxury brand Genesis, all while treating every customer like our honoured guest, Munoz said.

Phase 1 EV localisation strategy focuses on local assembly at our Chennai plant, with a fresh dedicated EV launch this year. We are also establishing a flexible battery plant with locally assembled battery packs starting this year. Phase 2 will focus on supply chain localisation. It is our commitment to build a self-reliant automotive ecosystem in India, Munoz added.

The companys strategic road map includes India-centric product expansion, advanced manufacturing, deep localisation, and key financial guidance to support its growth trajectory through FY30.

As we chart this growth trajectory, we are targeting a revenue milestone of 1 trillion by FY30, while sustaining strong double-digit Ebitda margins. We remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for our shareholders by announcing a healthy dividend payout guidance of 20-40 per cent, said Unsoo Kim, managing director, HMIL.

Tarun Garg, whole-time director and chief operating officer of HMIL, said the company was aiming to achieve over 15 per cent domestic market share, driven by India-centric product launches.

We remain steadfast to augment our presence in the high-growth SUV segment, targeting over 80 per cent UV contribution by FY30, said Garg.



IMAGE: Jose Munoz.

Photograph: Courtesy, Hyundai

India an export hub

Hyundai is aiming for exports to account for 30 per cent of its total production by 2030, positioning India as a key global export hub.

It is eyeing around 50 per cent exports to West Asia and Africa, driven by compact sedans and SUVs, mild hybrids, and entry-level EVs.

Around 40 per cent will come from Central and South America, and the remaining 10 per cent from Asia Pacific.

In 2020, India accounted for 11 per cent of Hyundais global sales, ranking as its fifth-largest region by volume.

This increased to 15 per cent and the third-largest in FY25 and is expected to be the second-largest region by FY30.

"Our average selling price for exports was 6 per cent higher than domestic sales, which means exports are highly beneficial for profitability. The Indian automotive industry is projected to grow 5.2 per cent annually till 2030, reaching 5.6 million units.

"Domestically, HMIL will grow at 7 per cent annually, significantly increasing our base, reaching 15 per cent domestic market share. This is before additional growth from the export business, said Munoz.

Of the 26 planned launches, four will be rolled out in the next one year.

"Today internal combustion engines (ICE) are the majority of automotive profit pools. We have a strong presence in these core markets with about 14 per cent market share in the ICE car segment and 18 per cent in the ICE SUV segment in FY25.

"As we look forward, EV SUVs will grow 500 per cent from 2025 to 2030. Hybrid SUVs will grow 600 per cent, hybrid cars will grow 2,300 per cent and MPV EVs by 15,000 per cent. Despite this, ICE profit will still represent half of the industry, he added.

Munoz later told the media that the company would not exit the entry-level segment.

The entry market is developing and provides an opportunity for people to access safer mobility. Its in our own interests not to abandon the entry market, he added.

Garg said the company would be among the few mass-market original equipment manufacturers in India to offer a complete range of powertrain options -- ICE, CNG, EV and Hybrid technologies.

"More than 50 per cent of our portfolio will be powered by cleaner and more sustainable technologies, reflecting our commitment to future-ready mobility.

"By FY30, our sales and service network will extend to 85 per cent of Indias districts, with rural markets expected to contribute 30 per cent of total sales, underscoring our inclusive growth strategy and deepening reach across Bharat, Garg said.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff
A court in Antwerp on Friday cleared the extradition of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, noting that his arrest by the Belgian authorities on India's request was valid, officials in the know of the development said.

Photograph: ANI Photo

The order has come as a strong validation for India's case seeking his extradition, with Choksi having the option of appealing against the decision in a superior court in Belgium, they said.

"The order has come in our favour. The court has termed his arrest by the Belgian authorities on India's request valid.

"The first legal step in getting him extradited is now clear," a senior official said.

Belgian prosecutors were aided by Indian officials from the external affairs ministry and the CBI in putting forth strong arguments on Choksi's alleged crime in orchestrating a Rs 13,000 crore scam in the Punjab National Bank in collusion with his nephew Nirav Modi.

The prosecutors told the court that he remains a flight risk and cannot be released from prison, the officials said.

After hearing the Belgian prosecutors and Choksi's defence lawyers during the hearings in mid-September, the court concluded that his arrest was valid.

Choksi (66) was arrested in Belgium on April 11 on the basis of the extradition request sent by the CBI, they said. His bail applications have been rejected by different courts in that country.

India has also assured the Belgian authorities that if extradited, Choksi would be housed in Barrack No. 12 at the Arthur Road jail in Mumbai, with no chance of overcrowding or solitary confinement, as at least one more economic offender is expected to be housed in his cell.

The Union home ministry informed the Belgian authorities through a September 4 communique that the personal living space for each inmate in Barack No. 12 is in line with and fully meets the minimum space requirement of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) of Europe.

Choksi had fled to Antigua and Barbuda in the Carribbean where he had taken citizenship.

After he was stopped in Belgium, the CBI, the external affairs ministry, and the home ministry swung into action to get him extradited to India to face the law.

India has assured that the cell in which Choksi will be detained will meet European standards -- sized approximately 20 feet by 15 feet with a separate toilet and washroom, ventilators, and a grilled main door, which provides sufficient air circulation.

It also assured "high-level of security" in the cell, with a clean, thick cotton mat, pillow, bed sheet, and blanket.

The cell would be swept and mopped daily, along with supply of fresh drinking water, outdoor exercises, rest areas, board games such as chess and carrom, and badminton, the prison department said.

Art of Living yoga sessions are also provided to the inmates of the barrack.

Daily newspapers in English and local languages, terrestrial TV channels, videoconferencing facilities, and telemedicine services are also available in the prison.

Meeting with blood relatives is permitted once a week, while lawyer meetings are allowed daily, it said.

Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted in a Rs 13,000 crore fraud in the Punjab National Bank, which they allegedly orchestrated through fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoUs) in connivance with some bank officials at PNB's Brady House branch in Mumbai, the officials said.

Nirav Modi, declared a fugitive economic offender, has been lodged in a London jail since he was held by the authorities there in 2019 on the basis of a legal request made by the ED and the CBI in this case.

He is contesting his extradition to India.

The CBI also invoked United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in its extradition request.

At least two open-ended arrest warrants, issued by a special court in Mumbai in 2018 and 2021, were shared by the Indian agencies with their Belgian counterparts as part of the extradition request, sources said.

According to the investigating agencies, officials at PNB's Brady House branch issued 165 LoUs and 58 FLCs during March-April 2017, against which 311 bills were discounted.

These LoUs and FLCs were allegedly issued to Choksi's firms without any sanctioned limit or cash margin and without making entries in PNB's central banking system to evade any scrutiny in case of a default.

LoUs are a guarantee given by a bank on behalf of its client to a foreign bank.

If the client does not repay the foreign bank, the liability falls on the guarantor bank.

Based on the LoUs issued by the PNB, money was lent by the SBI, Mauritius; Allahabad Bank, Hong Kong; Axis Bank, Hong Kong; Bank of India, Antwerp; Canara Bank, Manama; and SBI, Frankfurt.

"Since the accused companies did not repay the amount availed against the said fraudulent LoUs and FLCs, PNB made the payment of Rs 6,344.97 crore ($965.18 million), including the overdue interest, to the overseas banks, which had advanced buyer's credit and discounted the bills against the fraudulent LoUs and FLCs issued by the PNB," the CBI's supplementary chargesheet in the PNB bank fraud case alleged.
'The biggest game changer has been the belief among Maoists that they can surrender and join the mainstream.'

IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presents a copy of the Constitution to CPI (Maoist) senior leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupati at the Gadchiroli police headquarters in Gadchiroli, October 15, 2025. Photograph: @CMOMaharashtra X/ANI Photo

In a development that could mark the beginning of the end of the Maoist insurgency in Maharashtra -- Union Home Minister Amit A Shah has set a deadline of 2026 -- senior Maoist leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao, alias Bhupati or Sonu, and the late Maoist leader Kishenji or Molajula Koteswar Rao's brother surrendered before the Gadchiroli police along with 60 other cadres on October 14, 2025.

Kishenji was killed in an encounter in the Jangal Mahal area of West Midnapore district, West Bengal, on November 24, 2011.

The 70-year-old Bhupati's surrender represents the most significant blow to the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in recent years.

Bhupati, one of only four CPI (Maoist) politburo members in the entire country and its spokesperson since 2010, carried a bounty of Rs 6 crore (Rs 60 million) on his head. Active in the Maoist movement for over four decades, he was considered the political mastermind and chief strategist of operations along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border.

He headed the Dandakaranya special zonal committee and is suspected of orchestrating the devastating 2010 Dantewada attack in Chhattisgarh that claimed 76 CRPF personnel lives.

His surrender has triggered a cascade effect.

Approximately 200 more Maoists from the DK Mar division, carrying 110 weapons including over 30 automatic rifles, are expected to lay down their arms before Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on October 17. This follows the earlier surrender of Bhupati's wife Taraka in January 2025 and his sister-in-law Padmavati (Sujata), Kishanji's wife, in Telangana.

In an interview with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Nilotpal reveals how systematic anti-Maoist operations, effective rehabilitation programmes, and the conviction that "this movement is not going to sustain" led to this moment that could herald the complete dismantling of Maoist infrastructure in Maharashtra.

Could you tell us about the surrender of Maoist leader Bhupati? How did he surrender? What was the plan? How did the Gadchiroli police convince the Maoists?

IMAGE: A Maoist lays down her arms before Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Gadchiroli police headquarters in Gadchiroli, October 15, 2025.

It wasn't about convincing. Bhupati is the mastermind, the main political think-tank of the Maoists. There's a concept of the politburo -- at present there are only four politburo members in the entire country, and he was the most active. He was the political strategist.

He realised, through the actions of the Gadchiroli police and the developments in the rest of the country that the Maoist movement would not sustain. He admitted that the Maoists were making many errors by continuing. He even wrote a letter acknowledging this.

His trust in surrendering before the Gadchiroli police came from two or three factors.

First, given the number of surrenders that have already taken place, the (Maharashtra) chief minister (Devendra Fadnavis) has been forthcoming in personally encouraging cadres to surrender. Last year, one divisional in-charge surrendered. After that, 111 people surrendered. That was an operational game changer.

Second, we gave them a feeler: Those willing to come are always welcome; we will not harm anyone. And we have consistently followed through. For instance, Bhupati's wife Taraka surrendered before the chief minister in January. That showed we were serious when we said, 'We will not harm anyone.' This is not for publicity; it's a fact.

Third, we have carried out very effective rehabilitation and reintegration. Money was disbursed immediately, employment opportunities were provided after observation (to the surrendered Maoists), and all those who surrendered were kept safe and secure.

This convinced Bhupati that Gadchiroli was a place where he could lay down his arms without fear.

I'm not claiming credit, but what is happening across states -- mass surrenders in Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and elsewhere -- is also because of his influence.

How significant is this surrender and what impact will it have on the Maoist movement in the entire Abujhmad region, not just Gadchiroli?

IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with Maoist members holding copies of the Constitution after they laid down their arms at the Gadchiroli police headquarters, October 15, 2025.

Tomorrow (October 17, 2025), before the honourable chief minister in Gadchiroli, around 200 Maoists will surrender, bringing about 110 weapons with them.

What kind of weapons will these be?

AK-47s, including automatics. Out of the 110 weapons, more than 30 are automatics.

Could you give us the profile of the Maoists surrendering on Friday? Are they from any particular division?

IMAGE: Telangana Director General of Police Dr Jitender hands over a cheque for Rs 25 lakh to former CPI (Maoist) leader Pothula Padmavathi as she surrenders in Hyderabad, September 13, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Yes, the entire DK division (Dandakaranya special zonal committee (DKSZC), a high-level body of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) that operates in the Dandakaranya region, which includes the Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra) is surrendering. This is happening because of yesterday's surrender.

Bhupati has managed to convince nearly 300 people that the movement has no future.

Bhupati is the brother of Kishenji's and Kishenji's wife, his bhabhi, Padmavati (Sujata), surrendered before Telangana authorities about a month ago.

Did Taraka play any role in Bhupati's surrender?

That we will not disclose. But Taraka's surrender, her acceptance, and her smooth reintegration -- especially given her health issues -- did send a strong message to Bhupati that he could also return safely.

Did you get a chance to interrogate him or meet him before his surrender?

No, not before. But yes, after his surrender we did.

Have you interrogated him and has he given useful information?

We cannot reveal anything about this.

What intelligence inputs or operations preceded Bhupati's surrender to put pressure on the CPI (Maoist)?

Last year, we neutralised everyone in the north (of Gadchiroli). This year, we inflicted heavy losses on Company Number 10 (Company Number 10 is a specific military unit of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of India) and other formations. Gradually, they realised they had no safe havens left.

We arrested some who were unwilling to surrender, and then came this massive surrender. Through aggressive anti-Naxal operations, we virtually wiped out the entire north last year.

On January 1, 2024, their strength was 100 cadres. By the day before yesterday (October 15, 2025), it had dropped to just 21 -- through arrests, neutralisations, and surrenders.

The biggest game changer has been the belief among Maoists that they can surrender and join the mainstream. And the chief minister (Fadnavis) has been very forthcoming in making this possible.

How many more politburo members are still active?

Only three now.

IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presents a copy of the Constitution to a Maoist after the surrender at the Gadchiroli police headquarters, October 15, 2025.

Any indications that these leaders may surrender soon?

One is untraceable. So effectively, only two are left.

What kind of weapons were surrendered by the 60 cadres who surrendered along with Bhupati?

Ninety per cent of them had weapons. We recovered 54 weapons, of which 23 were automatic: Seven AK-47s, one highly sophisticated Swiss-made gun, nine INSAS rifles, four SLRs, and two carbines.

Is Hidma, reportedly the main military strategist of the Maoists, active in your region?

He doesn't operate in our area. We have very limited information. He is mostly confined to South Bastar (Chhattisgarh).

Could you walk us through the timeline of Bhupati's surrender -- from first contact to his expression of willingness to surrender?

That is something we won't disclose. But what I can say is that Bhupati's surrender has triggered a collapse (of the Maoists movement in Maharashtra) like a pack of cards, which you will see tomorrow and in the days ahead.
'Pakistan wanted India out of Afghanistan to which again the Taliban told Pakistan to take a walk.'

'Six months after they came back to power in 2021 India was back in Afghanistan at the request of the Taliban.'

'The Taliban realised that India has no agenda of its own in Afghanistan.'

IMAGE: An Afghan Taliban fighter sit next to an anti-aircraft gun near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spin Boldak, Kandahar province, following exchange of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces, October 15, 2025. Photograph: Reuters

In a pivotal diplomatic development that signals evolving regional dynamics, Taliban leader and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited India over the weekend, marking the first high-level, face-to-face bilateral political engagement between New Delhi and the Taliban government since the Talibs' return to power in Kabul in 2021.

While the visit itself was underplayed officially, its significance was not lost on strategic observers and foreign policy veterans.

Among those who met the Afghan minister was retired RA&W official Tilak Devasher -- author of Pakistan: Courting the Abyss, Pakistan: At the Helm, Pakistan: The Balochistan Conundrum, The Pashtuns: A Contested History, and a former member of the National Security Advisory Board.

"The Taliban does not want India to be out of Afghanistan but to be much more active in Afghanistan," Mr. Devasher tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff in the concluding segment of a two-part must-read interview.

Part 1 of the Interview: 'Taliban Was Never Anti-India'

IMAGE: Trucks parked at the Torkham border crossing after Pakistan closed its border crossings with Afghanistan following exchange of fire between the two countries, October 12, 2025. Photograph: Shahid Shinwari/Reuters

Despite the elimination by Islamabad of several TTP chiefs over the years -- Baituallah Mehsud (2009), Hakimullah Mehsud (2013) and Fazlullah (2018) -- the TTP remains active and resilient. What explains its continued strength?

You've got to go for the origins of the TTP. They came into existence after the Pakistan army's action against Lal Masjid in 2007.

Seventy percent of students of the Lal Masjid were from tribal areas. Now, if you take the blood of a Pashtun that enmity goes through generations.

There is a very famous line, a Pashtun took revenge after 100 years and he said that he took it too soon. Enmity for badal (revenge) carries on for generations among the Pashtuns.

So the TTP is fighting against the Pakistan army for all the atrocities committed by them on Pashtuns, they are not going to forget them. It does not matter whether the leaders keep changing but they will continue to fight.

Why is Pakistan so focused on targeting Noor Wali Mehsud, the current TTP leader? What makes him particularly dangerous from Islamabad's perspective?

He has been a menace to them since 2018 when he became the leader. Since then he has managed to bring all the factions of the TTP together.

Noor Wali Mehsud has changed the tactics and created a more centralised structure with proper commissions and provinces or wilayas. He has improved governance all over the tribal areas and expanded TTP activities in different parts of Pakistan.

His ability to provide proper governance is much more pronounced than his predecessors. He has also stopped targeting civilians and only targets Pakistani security forces. This makes him a very dangerous leader.

What is the TTP's goal?

Initially, they wanted to implement their version of sharia (following Islamic tenets) in Pakistan.

All over Pakistan?

They did that in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas which are now merged in KPK (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan's northern region bordering Afghanistan). Impose Sharia first in KPK and then the rest of Pakistan. They are not looking at separating from Pakistan or getting independence.

Now of late, under Noor Wali's leadership the TTP is adopting Pashtun nationalism. They want to govern over the Pashtun territory of Pakistan and they have adopted more of a Pashtun nationalistic line.

Is the TTP capable of capturing Pakistan, a State with military might?

Ultimately that is their goal.

If the Taliban could defeat the USA despite being a superpower, it is a motivating factor for the TTP that they can deal with Pakistan too.

I am not justifying it by saying what is right what is wrong, but this is what the TTP feels.

Does the TTP respect the Durand Line, the 2,640 km border between Pakistan and Afghanistan?

No Pashtun respects the Durand line (drawn by the British in 1893).

This includes the Taliban too? Do they respect the sanctity of the Durand Line?

The Taliban have told Pakistan that they do not accept the Durand Line.

They have uprooted the (border) fence in many parts of the Durand Line. For them there is no border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. They say that the entire Pashtun area is their homeland, their watan.

Pashtuns have relatives and intermarry across the Durand Line. For them it is open territory.

You go back in history, in 1949, a loya jirga (grand council) held in Afghanistan rescinded all British treaties including the Durand Line.

Since 1949, no government in Afghanistan -- be it the monarchy under Zahir Shah, the republic under Mohammed Daoud Khan or the communists or the Mujhadeen or the Taliban or even Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani -- no ruler in Afghanistan has recognised the Durand Line.

When the Taliban came to power in 2021, Pakistan's then prime minister Imran Khan hailed it as 'breaking the shackles of slavery.' What went wrong in the relationship between Pakistan and the Taliban after that?

Pakistan forgot that an Afghan is first and last a nationalist. He is not somebody's pitthu (lapdog).

If it is not in his national interest it is not in his interest, every Pashtun knows this.

Three things Pakistan wanted from the Taliban. Firstly, they wanted the Taliban government to recognise the Durand Line to which Taliban told Pakistan to take a walk.

Secondly, they wanted the Taliban to take action against the TTP to which again the Taliban told them to take a walk.

And thirdly, Pakistan wanted India out of Afghanistan to which again the Taliban told Pakistan to take a walk.

Within six months after they came back to power in 2021 India was back in Afghanistan at the request of the Taliban.

It is because the Taliban realised that India has no agenda of its own in Afghanistan.

India had $3 billion worth projects and all were people-friendly. Be it building a dam in Afghanistan or building the parliament building, hospitals or schools or even COVID vaccines. Whatever we did, we did for the people of Afghanistan.

So the Taliban does not want India to be out of Afghanistan but to be much more active in Afghanistan.

Thus, all the three objectives that Pakistan thought would be fulfilled with the Taliban being in Kabul, came to naught. And so the relationship started to deteriorate, especially because of the TTP.

IMAGE: External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar with Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi, October 10, 2025. Photograph: @DrSJaishankarX/ANI Photo

What is the Taliban's stance on Kashmir?

The Taliban has never said anything against Kashmir. They have never supported Pakistan on Kashmir. In fact, the joint statement signed clearly mentions Jammu and Kashmir being a part of India. This has caused consternation in Pakistan and they have protested by calling in the Afghan envoy in Islamabad.

We are now witnessing a warming of ties between the Taliban and India -- at a time when India is often seen in parts of the Islamic world as adopting anti-Muslim policies. How do you interpret this?

Name one country from the Islamic world that has accused India of adopting anti-Muslim policies.

Turkey perceives our government as anti-Muslim.

Turkey is against India not because of Islam but because of its close relations with Pakistan.

Most of the countries in the Arab world have awarded Prime Minister Narendra Modi with their respective highest civilian honour.

It means all Muslim countries do not perceive Prime Minister Modi as Turkey or rather Pakistan would want the PM to be perceived as anti-Muslim.

Pakistan perceives India in a different manner because it is in the DNA of Pakistan to hate India.

Turkey is supporting Pakistan because of its bilateral relationship. But name any other Islamic countries out of 53 countries. Except Turkey and Pakistan, all of them are pro-Modi and pro-India.

IMAGE: People walk past parked vehicles with belongings of Afghan citizens as they head back to their country after Pakistan closed border crossings with Afghanistan, following exchange of fire between the two countries in Chaman, the border crossing along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Balochistan province, October 12, 2025. Photograph: Saeed Ali Achakzai/Reuters

Lastly, a hypothetical question. If the TTP captures Pakistan, is it not very dangerous for India to have a neighbour where such an extreme ideology is in power?

Whether it is the Taliban or TTP, they do not have an international agenda.

The Taliban is not like al-Qaeda of Osama bin Laden.

The Taliban does not want to spread its rule out of Afghanistan. They are not interested.

Similarly, with the TTP, they are happy in their own area.

The TTP and Taliban are not interested in expansionism?

No, they have no such ambitions or eyes on Kashmir.

The Taliban is an Afghan national force and they are happy with Afghanistan and do not want to spread their wings anywhere else.
'She is a nice girl, simple, patient and affectionate. Because she is so empathetic, because she has the ability to feel for people, I am sure she will be able to solve the problems ordinary citizens face in this country.'

IMAGE: Cheruvayal Raman teaches Priyanka Gandhi how to use a bow and arrow. Photographs: Kind courtesy Cheruvayal Raman

Cheruvayal Raman, a farmer in Wayanad, was not shocked or surprised when Priyanka Gandhi's representatives contacted him to tell him that the Wayanad MP wanted to visit his home.

He was also not overly elated when he was told he had been awarded the Padma Shri in 2023 for preserving the seeds of 60 varieties of rice. He did so not expecting any accolade; he did so as he thought it was his duty to preserve traditional rice varieties for future generations.

"She is the granddaughter of Indira Gandhi. She is the daughter of Rajiv Gandhi. And she is the Wayanad MP, but she was so down to earth and simple. She did not act like a high and mighty person," Cheruvayal Raman -- Ramettan to young and old alike in his area -- tells Rediff's Shobha Warrier.

Priyanka Gandhi wanted to visit his home.

I got a call from Priyanka Gandhi's private secretary 5-6 days before her visit. He said, 'Rametta, Priyanka Gandhi wants to visit you at your home. I replied, 'Of course, she can come to my house anytime'.

I didn't ask him why she wanted to visit me. You don't ask when somebody says, I want to come to your place. I knew she wanted to meet me because I had been awarded a Padma Shri.

I was told to keep the news private as they did not want many people crowding the place. She had instructed Congress members not to accompany her.

I asked her private secretary whether we should prepare anything special for her, but we were told she would not have a meal and that we needed to make something very light.

We are aware she may not like the kind of food we have which is so different from what she generally has.

So, we decided to make uniyappam and ila ada (both sweet dishes).

When she got out of the car, my family and I garlanded her and gave her a bouquet and welcomed her to our home.

In the traditional way, we spread a mat on the verandah for her to sit. Like us, she removed her shoes and sat on it very comfortably.

She is the granddaughter of Indira Gandhi. She is the daughter of Rajiv Gandhi. And she is the Wayanad MP, but she was so down to earth and simple. She did not act like a high and mighty person.

That's what I liked about her, her simplicity.

IMAGE: Priyanka Gandhi being garlanded by Cheruvayal Raman on her arrival at his home.

She listened patiently to what he had to say.

Now that the Wayanad MP was in front of me, I didn't want to waste any time. I told her the struggles of the Adivasi community of Wayanad today.

I told her, 'We, the Adivasis of Wayanad are facing extinction. If you count only education as development, we are getting it today. Other than that, our lives have not improved. Our community is slowly diminishing.'

I also told her that the question that is being raised everywhere is whether we are Hindus and whether Hindu laws are applicable to us when we are included in the scheduled tribe category as Hindus.

I wanted to know what kind of protection the government authorities are offering us.

There was a translator who told her in English everything I said. Priyanka was taking notes. She didn't tell me I will do this, I will do that. Since she was taking notes, I knew she wanted to study whatever I said before taking any action. That's why I saw sincerity in her actions.

I also told her it was during the Emergency that her grandmother Indira Gandhi came out with the law that said nobody should grab the land of Adivasis and sell it.

The law also said that if anyone had our land with them, they were bound to give it back to us.

Today, if we have our land in our hands, it was only because of the Act Indira Gandhi came out in 1976.

I told her, in 1957 when the EMS (Namboodiripad) government implemented the Land Acquisition Act, Adivasis lost all their land.

If the EMS government had exempted Adivasi land from being taken away, our situation would have been different today. EMS (the world's first democratically elected Communist head of government) should have thought about our plight in 1957, but he didn't.

This is the reason I like Indira Gandhi who later protected our land.

IMAGE: Priyanka Gandhi walks with Cheruvayal Raman in the paddy field, here and below.

Priyanka is like his daughter.

After I poured my heart on the problems we Adivasis face, we started talking about ourselves.

I asked her how old she was, and when she said she was 52, I said I was going to call her moley (daughter in Malayalam) as she was only as old as my daughter.

Then she said, she would call me Achan (father in Malayalam). After that, she addressed me only as Ramachan.

We were really like a father and daughter afterwards.

Growing up in the paddy field from childhood

I belong to the Kurichiya Adivasi community of Wayanad. My family has been traditional farmers for several generations.

I grew up in a family that had 60-70 members. Those were the days of the joint family system.

But we lived in abject poverty. I had a childhood without proper clothes, without proper meals and without proper education. It was a luxury to have one proper meal a day in those days. I grew up eating mainly wild fruits and roots of vegetables.

Going to school was a dream and I could go to school only till the 5th standard.

From the age of 10, I started helping the elders in the field.

You can say I grew up in the paddy field which gave me a lot of knowledge about different varieties of rice.

It was in the late 1990s that I realised why we are losing everything that was traditional. One of the ill-effects of the Green Revolution was that farmers started using a lot of chemical fertilisers and that was destroying the soil and also people's health.

That was when I felt it was my duty to preserve what has been passed on by my ancestors. If I didn't preserve them, we would lose them forever. That was how I became what they call the 'guardian of rice seeds'.

I was given the Padma Shri in 2023 for my efforts.

I am against using any form of chemical fertilisers. I grow all the 60 varieties of rice in a small piece of land and then preserve the seeds for the next crop. I am doing this for future generations. I don't use any chemical fertilisers in my land.

A walk in the paddy field with Priyanka

After she had coffee and a bit of unniyappam, she expressed her desire to see the paddy field.

She came out wearing her shoes but removed them when she noticed I was walking barefoot. Although she was not used to walking barefoot in a paddy field which can be slippery, she did so like all of us, without any difficulty.

That's why I like her, she is a very genuine girl.

IMAGE: Priyanka spends time with Cheruvayal Raman and his family.

A look at Ramachan's house

After we came back from the paddy field, she wanted to see our house.

My mud house with a thatched roof is more than 150 years old, and quite big as it housed a huge joint family once upon a time.

I took her inside the house and she was happy to see the several awards given to me including the Padma Shri.

When she saw the bow and arrow that was displayed inside, she wanted to know the history behind it. She also wanted to try it. So, I taught her how to use it and to everybody's surprise, she was on target!

Sitting at my place itself, she wrote a note to me with 10 points and said, she would try her best to do all the 10 things she had promised. I also told her that whenever we in Wayanad faced problems, I would write to her, and I plan to write regularly.

Now I read in the newspaper that Priyanka has written a letter to the tribal welfare ministry after meeting me, asking the ministry to include traditional tribal knowledge in the curriculum of the Ekalavya model residential schools as students were not taught their own traditional knowledge systems. I am happy that she did write the letter.

IMAGE: Cheruvayal Raman.

Saying bye to Priyanka Gandhi

Before getting into the car, she told me that she loved our house, the surroundings and also the bond we had developed as a father and daughter after spending close to three hours with me.

I also told her that I liked her very much. She behaved like a very ordinary person, without any airs.

She is a nice girl, simple, patient and affectionate. Because she is so empathetic, because she has the ability to feel for people, I am sure she will be able to solve the problems ordinary citizens face in this country.

I was with her till she got into the car. Then, she caught hold of my hand and said something in Hindi which I didn't understand. I told her, thank you for visiting us.

Just before she left, she said, "Next time when I come to visit Ramachan, I will bring my mother, brother and my two children!"

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
A Delhi University teacher was allegedly slapped and assaulted by Delhi University Students Union joint secretary Deepika Jha and other members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad on Thursday, a group of faculty members said.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

A video, purported to be of the incident, surfaced online, showing a teacher being assaulted by a group of students inside Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College in the presence of the police.

Several Delhi University teachers condemned the incident, calling it an attack on the dignity of educators.

A professor, requesting anonymity, said that a National Students' Union of India candidate who had won a college council election was allegedly thrashed by the members of the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

According to a statement by the Democratic Teachers' Front, the teacher, Sujit Kumar, who is the convenor of the college's disciplinary committee, was looking into similar incidents of campus violence involving students from different groups when he was assaulted.

Jha, in a statement, said she was in the college to address complaints of "misbehavior and physical assault" raised by students against Kumar.

She said Kumar "threatened" and used "abusive language" against her in the principal's room. She also accused him of reeking of alcohol.

"His repeated threats, constant staring, and indecent remarks made it quite evident that the said professor, Sujit Kumar, had once again come to the college under the influence of alcohol. In that moment of distress and anger, I reacted impulsively, for which I sincerely express regret," Jha said.

The Delhi University Teachers' Association has written to the university vice-chancellor, demanding an inquiry into the matter.

"We are deeply shocked to learn that a senior teacher at B.R. Ambedkar College has been slapped and assaulted by a group of students inside the college premises while performing his duty. The violence in any form is completely unacceptable in a democratic institution. This is an assault on the dignity of a teacher," the association said in a letter.

It added, "We request you to enquire into the whole incident and take immediate and exemplary action against those involved. Stringent action will send a clear message against indiscipline and lawlessness."

Rudrashish Chakraborty, associate professor at Kirori Mal College, termed what happened at the college "shocking" but "hardly surprising."

"It is part of a series of lumpen acts by ABVP not only in DU but across the country, enabled by the active patronage of the DU administration, which has given ABVP a free hand to run riot across the University," he said.
The Catholic Congress, an organisation of the laity under the Syro-Malabar church, on Friday told the Kerala high court that the upcoming Malayalam movie Haal starring Shane Nigam has "objectionable content" which could cause "religious disharmony".

IMAGE: A screengrab from the controversial Malayalam movie, 'Haal'. Photograph: Courtesy 'Haal' official teaser

The claim was made by the Christian organisation in an application filed in the high court seeking impleadment in a plea moved by the film's producers alleging an inordinate delay by the censor board (CBFC) in issuing the censorship certificate.

Justice V G Arun allowed the impleadment application and listed the matter on October 21, when the court will decide on the petitioner-producer's request to view the film.

In its application, filed through advocates Shinu J Pillai and Mariya Rajan, the Catholic Congress has claimed that the film "contains objectionable content regarding the Thamarassery Bishop House" and also depicted him without his or the Thamarassery Diocese's permission.

It further claimed that the film is "not eligible" for public exhibition certification as it "poses a potential threat to the social and communal harmony".

The application also claimed that the content and plot of the film were, per se, "encouraged the concept of Love Jihad" and depicted the Thamarassery Bishop as a supporter of the same.

"It is respectfully submitted that if such scenes are permitted and the film is exhibited in the present form, it will hurt the religious sentiments of the Christian community and disrupt the peace and harmony of the society," it claimed.

The film has not yet received certification for public exhibition, as the CBFC has ordered the removal of several scenes, including depictions of beef biryani consumption and dialogues referencing 'dhwaj pranam'.

The board, on the recommendation of its Revising Committee, had granted an 'A' certificate to the film, noting that its narrative addressed socio-cultural dynamics and involved religious sensitivities.

It had been said that the film was not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition but could be released for adults with certain modifications.

It had asked producer Juby Thomas to carry out the recommended excisions and alterations before the certificate was issued.

The petitioners, producer Juby Thomas and director Muhammed Rafeek, have claimed the film, which cost nearly Rs 15 crore, was initially planned as an Onam release, but its clearance has been held up without explanation.

They have claimed that forwarding their film to the Revising Committee without any intimation was "illegal and arbitrary".

In July this year, a similar issue arose when the CBFC flagged the name of the movie Janaki vs State of Kerala.

Later, the makers of the movie decided to change the name to Janaki V v/s State of Kerala.
China's second-ranked general was placed under investigation for corruption, while nine senior military officers were punished for violation of discipline and work-related crimes in the latest crackdown, the defence ministry said on Friday in a rare public disclosure of action against top brass of the military.

Image used for representational purposes only. Photograph: Jason Lee/Reuters

He Weidong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and a member of the 24-man Politburo, was expelled from the ruling Communist Party of China and the army, military spokesman Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang told media in Beijing.

Gen He, who was not seen since August, is the first serving member of the present Politburo, the Communist Party's top decision-making body, to face such an investigation, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

Also, nine high-ranking officials were investigated and punished, Zhang said.

Upon investigation, it has been determined that these nine individuals seriously violated party discipline and allegedly committed grave duty-related crimes, he said.

The amounts involved are particularly huge, the nature of the offences extremely severe, and the impact is exceptionally negative, Zhang said.

The CMC is headed by President Xi Jinping, who holds the powerful post of the General Secretary of the CPC.

The Chinese military, unlike the armed forces of other countries, works under the command of the CPC, not the government, and Xi, who is in his unprecedented third term in power, unlike his predecessors, is the only civilian dominated by the top brass of the army, navy, air force and other armed forces.

In the last 12 years in power, Xi carried out a massive crackdown on corruption and indiscipline in which over a million officials and dozens of top brass of the military were punished.

The latest crackdown on the military and public disclosure of the action comes ahead of the key CPC conclave called the plenary session of the party, scheduled to be held from Oct 20-23.

The meeting, in which 370 senior party leaders from all over the country will take part, will discuss the new five-year plan, challenges posed by US President Donald Trump's tariff war, his attempts to seize control of TikTok and ensuing strains on the Chinese economy.

Critics say the persistent campaign against corruption, regarded as shock and awe, especially in the military, in which three defence ministers were also punished, was also aimed at strengthening Xi's leadership in the party and the military.

The probe against He Weidong, who held top ranks both in the military and party, sent shock waves in the country.

In addition to He, the other top military officials under investigation included Miao Hua, a former member of the CMC in charge of the military's political, ideology and personnel work; He Hongjun, Miao's deputy and former executive; and Wang Xiubin, a former executive deputy director of the CMC Joint Operations Command Centre.

Lin Xiangyang, former commander of the Eastern Theatre Command; Qin Shutong, former political commissar of the army; Yuan Huazhi, former political commissar of the navy; Wang Houbin, former commander of the Rocket Force; and Wang Chunning, former commander of the People's Armed Police Force, were also being investigated.

He Weidong is the third CMC member to be removed since the existing line-up took office in 2022.

The serious investigation and punishment of He Weidong, Miao Hua, He Hongjun, and others once again demonstrates the firm determination of the Party's Central Committee and the Central Military Commission to carry the fight against corruption through to the end.

It highlights a clear stance that there is no place for corrupt officials to hide within the military, Zhang said.

Zhang said the cases were a significant achievement in the party and the military's anti-corruption drive, and would make the military purer, more consolidated, and endowed with stronger cohesion and combat effectiveness, the Post reported.

At the 20th Party Congress in 2022, seven people were selected to sit on the CMC, but only four of those appointees remain, a situation not seen in decades, the Post report said.

In addition to Xi, only vice-chairman Zhang Youxia and two members -- Liu Zhenli, head of the joint staff department, and Zhang Shengmin, who leads the military's discipline inspection commission  are still on the CMC.
China, Finland eye closer relations, more cooperation to promote multilateralism, free trade: Finnish Ambassador

09:16, October 17, 2025 By Kou Jie, Wang Xiaoping, Wu Chaolan ( People's Daily Online

Finland and China are eyeing long-term trade and commercial cooperation that benefits both countries' peoples, and the two countries have a lot of potential to expand their cooperation to bring prosperity to the world, such as reducing carbon emissions and protecting the Arctic region's environment, according to Mikko Kinnunen, Finnish ambassador to China.

"Our countries have enjoyed a long relationship of 75 years. We have enjoyed very good trade and commercial cooperation that has benefited both people of Finland and China," the ambassador told People's Daily Online during an interview in Beijing on Oct. 15, 2025.

Kinnunen further noted that the two countries have a lot of potential to enhance and deepen their collaboration in a variety of sectors, including climate change mitigation, circular and digital economy cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges.

The ambassador also expressed gratitude to China for enabling visa-free travel to Finnish citizens, stressing that such beneficial policies have facilitated communication and people-to-people contacts between the two nations.

"The Finnish people are very happy about the (visa-free policy). It makes travel to China easier, particularly helpful for Finnish business people. We are thankful for China's decision," said the ambassador.

Kinnunen added that the number of Chinese visiting Finland has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels, but it is steadily increasing. The Finnish government is committed to increasing tourist interactions and hopes that more Chinese will visit Finland.

The ambassador also stated that, in light of global difficulties, Finland values free trade and multilateralism, and that Finland is willing to collaborate with China in the future.

"China plays a more important global role both politically and economically. When it comes to trade, multilateralism is very important, it means doing things together and finding consensus," he said.

"Multilateralism is a way of doing things that is dear for both of our countries," Kinnunen added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chengliang)
President Droupadi Murmu will visit the Sabarimala temple on October 22, travelling to the hill shrine in a four-wheel-drive vehicle of the Kerala police.

Photograph: PTI Photo

This was submitted by the Sabarimala special commissioner to the Kerala high court, which granted permission for the VVIP convoy movement at the temple on Wednesday.

The court also directed the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to ensure elaborate crowd management arrangements in view of the President's visit.

According to the special commissioner, five four-wheel-drive vehicles of the Kerala police will form part of the President's convoy, accompanied by an ambulance, along the 4.5-km-long Swami Ayyappan Road and traditional trekking route to Sannidhanam.

The court also directed that arrangements must comply with the Blue Book protocol for VVIP security.

Police officials in Pathanamthitta said security rehearsals are already underway, and a full convoy trial will be conducted soon.

Traditionally, devotees undertake the uphill trek on foot or in dollies (palanquins).

TDB officials said that former President V V Giri, who visited Sabarimala in the 1970s, reached the shrine in a dolly.

There are ambulances and tractors operated by the TDB and forest department for emergency situations and transporting goods to the temple, TDB official said.

President Murmu will arrive in Kerala on October 21 as part of a four-day visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said it is his guarantee that the day is not far when the nation would be rid of Maoist terror, and hit out at the previous Congress regime for nurturing "urban Naxals" and turning a blind eye to the violence unleashed by them.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets at the NDTV World Summit 2025, in New Delhi, October 17, 2025. Photograph: DPR PMO/ANI Photo

Addressing the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi, Modi recounted the recent success in countering Maoist terror, saying 303 Maoist operatives have surrendered in the past 75 hours and only three districts of the country now remain in the severe grip of Left Wing Extremism.

"Eleven years ago, approximately 125 districts across the country were affected by Maoist terrorism. Today, that number has been significantly reduced to just 11 districts. Of these, only three remain severely impacted by Maoist influence," he said.

Modi said over the past decade, thousands of Maoists have surrendered, abandoning their violent path.

"To put this into perspective, in the past 75 hours, 303 Naxalites have surrendered. Those who once carried .303 (rifles) have surrendered today. These are no ordinary Naxalites. Some had a bounty of Rs 1 crore, some had a bounty of Rs 15 lakh, and some had a bounty of Rs 5 lakh," he said.

The prime minister also said that these individuals were now returning to the mainstream of development and openly acknowledging that they were on the wrong path.

"They are now moving forward with faith in the Constitution of India," Modi said.

"In the last 50-55 years, thousands were killed by Maoist terrorists. These Naxals would not allow schools or hospitals to be built... They would not let doctors enter clinics... They would bomb institutions. Maoist terrorism was an injustice to the young people," he said.

"I used to feel agitated... This is the first time I am expressing my pain to the world," Modi said.

The prime minister also said that when his government was voted to office, he worked with utmost sensitivity to bring these youth, who were misled, back to the mainstream of development.

"The day is not far when India will be totally free from Naxalism and Maoist violence -- this too is Modi's guarantee," he told the gathering that included Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak and ex-Australian prime minister Tony Abbot, among others.

"Areas that were affected by Naxalism will celebrate Diwali for the first time in 60-70 years," the prime minister said.

During the Congress regime, "urban Naxals" were so dominant that no information about any Maoist terrorist incident reached the people of the country, as they enforced heavy censorship on such incidents, Modi said.

"This is why my government has made particular efforts to reach out to these wayward youth and bring them back into the mainstream. Today, the country is seeing the result of these efforts," he said.

"Earlier, the headlines were about vehicles blown up in Bastar and security personnel killed. Today, the youth there are organising 'Bastar Olympics'. This is a big change," Modi said.

"And I say with great responsibility that those who wear the Constitution on their foreheads still work day and night to protect these Maoist terrorists, who do not believe in the Constitution," the prime minister said, in an apparent dig at the Congress.

Modi asserted that while earlier governments carried out reforms as compulsion, his dispensation does it with conviction and has turned every risk into reform.

India now does not remain silent after terror attacks but hits back using surgical and air strikes, he said.

"Earlier governments carried out reforms as compulsion, we now do it with conviction. Age of the unknown can be an uncertain thing for the world but it is an opportunity for India as it has always turned risks into reforms.

"... We have turned every reform into resilience and every resilience into a revolution," he told the gathering.

"India no more remains silent after terror attacks but gives befitting reply through air strikes, surgical strikes and Operation Sindoor," he said.

"When wars became headlines globally, India proved naysayers wrong by continuing to march ahead as the fastest growing economy," Modi said.

Asserting that India is not in a "mood to stop", he said as the world today faces various roadblocks and speed-breakers, it is only natural to talk about an unstoppable India.

"We will neither pause nor slow down; 140 crore Indians will move forward together with full momentum.

"Today, India has moved from being among the fragile five to becoming one of the world's top five economies... From chips to ships, India is self-reliant and filled with confidence in every sphere," he said.

Noting that nationalisation of banks during Congress rule led to the creation of "mountain of non-performing assets for the banks", Modi said that democratisation of financial and other institutions is the key driver behind an unstoppable India.

"People are India's biggest strength and they can excel when there is no pressure or intervention from the government.

"India has proved everyone wrong on digital financial infrastructure. The world sees India as a reliable, responsible, and resilient partner, and a land of opportunities," Modi said.
The Election Commission on Friday asked enforcement agencies and security forces to take proactive and preventive action during the Bihar elections to ensure drugs, liquor and cash are not used to sway voters.

IMAGE: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, during a meeting with the heads of enforcement agencies ahead of Bihar Elections, in New Delhi, October 17, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

The meeting was held to prepare a comprehensive roadmap to combat the pernicious effects of cash and other inducements in elections, the poll authority said.

The different agencies briefed the commission regarding their preparation, steps taken and proposed to be taken for ensuring inducement free elections.

The briefings were on a wide-range of topics pertaining to curbing the use of money and other inducements to vitiate elections were made, the EC said.

The commission instructed that there should be co-operation and sharing of intelligence on economic offences amongst law enforcement agencies for effective action.

It emphasised the intra-agency co-ordination in each enforcement agency at the national, state, and district levels.

The commission also directed that the agencies concerned map the constituencies to check transportation of smuggled goods, drugs, liquor and cash, including fake currency, inter-state borders and international borders.

The agencies were asked to ensure policy of 'zero-tolerance' for free and fair elections in Bihar.

The chief secretary and DGP of Bihar will also join the meeting online, along withthe state chief electoral officer.

Aimed at ensuring proactive and preventive action by each law enforcement agency during the elections, the EC discussed the strategy to curb covert expenditure by candidates and political parties.

It also fine-tuned cooperation and sharing of intelligence on economic offences among law enforcement agencies for effective action.

Bihar shares its international border with Nepal.

The committee includes 17 departments namely Central Board of Direct Taxes, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Enforcement Directorate, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, CEIB, FIU-IND, RBI, IBA, NCB, RPF, CISF, BSF, CRPF, SSB, BCAS, AAI and Department of Posts.

Bihar goes to the polls in two phases on November 6 and 11 while votes will be counted on November 14.
HAL has assured the IAF that 12 Mk1A aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2025-2026.

IMAGE: The first Tejas Mk1A aircraft took to the skies from HAL Bengaluru on March 28, 2024. Photograph: Kind courtesy Hindustan Aeronautics Limited/@HALHQBLR/X

Hindustan Aeronautics' effort to raise the annual production capacity of the light combat aircraft Tejas Mark 1A (Mk1A) from 16 to 24 jets will get a major push on Friday, when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates the third production line for the indigenous fighter at the company's Nashik facility and witnesses the maiden flight of the first jet rolled out from there.

The first Tejas Mk1A from the third line is fully assembled and has completed all pre-flight tests, HAL executives said, adding that two more aircraft are already under production at the Nashik facility.

"The second jet could be ready for its first flight by the end of December, and the third a month later," they said.

Set up within two years with an internal investment of roughly Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion), the Nashik line has an installed production capacity of eight aircraft per year.

Together with the two existing lines in Bengaluru, the new facility will provide a combined annual production capacity of 24 aircraft.

Over the decades, HAL's aircraft manufacturing division in Nashik has produced hundreds of Soviet- and Russian-origin fighters, from the MiG-21 to the Sukhoi Su-30MKI.

"After decades of licensed production of foreign-designed platforms, the facility will now also manufacture indigenous ones," the executives added.

IMAGE: GE Aerospace hands over the fourth F404-IN20 engine against the order of 2021 to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in New Delhi, October 1, 2025. Photograph: GE Aerospace /ANI Photo

HAL missed its original February 2024 deadline to start deliveries of the Tejas Mk1A, primarily due to delays in the arrival of F404-IN20 engines from American engine maker GE Aerospace.

GE handed over the fourth F404 engine on September 30, and HAL expects that with the supply situation stabilising, deliveries of the first Tejas Mk1A jets to the Indian Air Force can be expedited, subject to the successful completion of ongoing weapons-firing trials.

HAL has assured the IAF that 12 Mk1A aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2025-2026.

On Friday, Singh will also inaugurate the second production line for the HTT-40, the indigenous basic trainer aircraft designed and developed by HAL, at the Nashik facility.

One HTT-40 trainer has already been built at the facility and is flight-ready.

"The total planned output for the current financial year is 10 aircraft," HAL executives said.

The HTT-40 will be used for basic flight training, aerobatics, instrument flying, and close-formation exercises, with secondary roles including navigation and night-flying training.

IMAGE: Tejas Mk1A completed a successful sortie, clocking 18 minutes of flight time. Photograph: Kind courtesy Hindustan Aeronautics Limited/@HALHQBLR/X

HAL is also collaborating with private-sector partners to increase Mk1A's annual production from the current ceiling of 24 to 30 by the end of 2027.

In February, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh noted that the IAF needs to induct 35 to 40 fighters each year.

HAL's promised rate of 24 was insufficient, he said, and private participation could help deliver the additional 12 to 18 jets required.

The IAF finds itself at a critical juncture amid delayed inductions.

The retirement of the last two MiG-21 Bison squadrons in September has reduced its combat strength to 29 active fighter squadrons -- the lowest in six decades -- against a sanctioned strength of 42.

Deliveries of the first tranche of 83 Tejas Mk1A jets -- contracted for Rs 36,400 crore (Rs 364 billion) in February 2021 -- were originally scheduled to be completed by February 2028.

In September, HAL received a follow-on order for a second tranche comprising 97 Mk1A aircraft -- including 68 single-seat fighters and 29 twin-seat trainers -- at a cost exceeding Rs 62,370 crore (Rs 623.70 billion).

Deliveries under this contract are expected to commence in 2027-2028 and conclude over six years.

In total, HAL is contracted to supply 180 Mk1A aircraft across both tranches.

IMAGE: Tejas Mk1A captured in mid-flight. Photograph: Kind courtesy Hindustan Aeronautics Limited/@HALHQBLR/X

The IAF has already operationalised two squadrons of the earlier Tejas Mk1 variant.

The improved Mk1A variant is an indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured 4.5-generation fighter aircraft equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar, beyond-visual-range missiles, an electronic warfare suite, and air-to-air refuelling capability.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday issued orders for the closure of the Darbar Move offices in the summer capital Srinagar on October 31, hours after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced restoration of the tradition.

Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com IMAGE: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha-led administration had scrapped the Darbar Move tradition in 2021.

While marking one year of his government in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah told reporters, "Today, I have personally signed the official file, and I hope that the order will be issued soon. We are restoring the old tradition of the Darbar Move."

"We promised people that we would restore the Darbar Move. The cabinet has taken a decision regarding its restoration and sent it to the lieutenant governor. The L-G has signed and returned the file," he said earlier in the day.

On Thursday night, General Administration Department Commissioner Secretary M Raju issued the formal order for the restoration of the Darbar Move.

"The offices, in this order, shall move to Jammu 'in full' and 'in camp', respectively, from the winter season 2025-26. The offices observing a five-day week shall close at Srinagar on October 31 after office hours, and the offices observing a six-day week shall close on November 1 after office hours," the order stated.

According to the order, all offices shall reopen at Jammu, the winter capital, on November 3.

The offices moving 'in camp' shall carry only 33 per cent of the staff strength in that particular office, or 10 officials, whichever is minimum, or as otherwise specifically indicated.

While 39 offices, departments, and organisations, including the Chief Minister's Secretariat, will move in full strength, 47 others will move in camp, it said.

The Darbar Move traces its origins to 1872 under Maharaja Ranbir Singh, the Dogra ruler who began transferring the royal court between Srinagar and Jammu to escape the extreme weather in both regions. Under this system, government offices functioned from Srinagar during the summer months and shifted to Jammu in the winter.

The exercise involved the movement of nearly 10,000 employees, along with records, computers, and furniture, with dozens of trucks carrying files and equipment across the Jammu-Srinagar highway twice a year.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Abdullah said, "Why was the Darbar Move stopped? It had been a long-standing tradition. Those who used to accuse us of not understanding the history of Jammu and Kashmir before 1947, and of not respecting the great personalities of the region -- let it be known that no one has damaged their legacy more than the BJP."

Opposition parties and traders had been strongly advocating for the restoration of the Darbar Move for years.

While officials often cited weather conditions and employee convenience as reasons for continuing the tradition, critics called it cumbersome and costly, draining nearly Rs 200 crore annually from the exchequer.

The Sinha administration had argued in 2021 that the money saved by ending the practice could be better utilised for public services and that the digitisation of records had made the physical move unnecessary.

Abdullah had declared in December 2023 that if his National Conference returned to power, it would restore the Darbar Move -- a promise now fulfilled.
IMAGE: Amit Kumar alias 'Bachcha' Rai with Asaduddin Owaisi, president, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. Photograph: Kind courtesy X

The main accused in Bihar's infamous 'topper scam', Amit Kumar, alias 'Bachcha' Rai, has been fielded as a candidate by Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) for the Bihar assembly elections.

Rai filed his nomination on Thursday for the Mahua assembly constituency in Vaishali district.

According to AIMIM sources, Bachcha Rai joined the party on September 28.

His candidature was reportedly secured after he met AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi during the latter's visit to the Seemanchal region last month, when he was assured of the nomination.

Rai's entry is expected to intensify the electoral contest in Mahua as it pits him against Tej Pratap Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad's estranged elder son, who is contesting the seat for his newly formed party.

IMAGE: Amit Kumar with AIMIM members. Photograph: Kind courtesy Facebook

Bachcha Rai was named the alleged mastermind behind the 2016 Bihar 'topper scam'.

He was then the director-principal of the V R College in Vaishali, the institution at the centre of the controversy.

The scandal erupted when four students from the college -- Ruby Rai, Sourabh Shrestha, Rahul Kumar and Shalini -- who had topped the state's Class 12 examinations, were 'exposed' on local television for their unfamiliarity with their chosen subjects of study.

A subsequent police investigation alleged that Rai had turned V R College into a 'shop' for 'guaranteed successful results' and manufactured toppers with assistance from Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) officials.

Bachcha Rai was arrested and imprisoned although he is currently out on bail.

The Enforcement Directorate raided his residence where they reportedly recovered nearly 3 crore in cash and documents related to land purchases. The ED later seized his property in 2018.

Photograph: Kind courtesy, X

Rai became the principal of V R College, named after his grandfather Vishun Roy, in 1999, at the age of 19!

It was alleged that he passed the Class 12 examination in 1998, secured a post-graduate degree in just 13 months, and subsequently became principal.

Reports indicate Rai passed the Class 10 exam in 1994 and enrolled in V R College, but failed the Class 12 examination in 1996 and 1997, before securing a first division in the science stream on his third attempt.

Rai's father Rajdeo Rai, who is said to be close to some Bihar politicians, unsuccessfully contested elections to the Bihar legislative council.

Besides V R College, Rai runs three other educational institutions -- two degree colleges and a high school.

The V R college was set up in 1997-1998 by Rajdeo Rai in his father's name.

In the early 2000s, the college started producing first division results and students with high scores.

The students' startling performances in the mid-2000s brought it both limelight and controversy.

In 2005, then BSEB chairman Nageshwar Sharma ordered a scrutiny of V R College results, after which 380 students with first division results were relegated to the second division; only four first division results were deemed genuine.

The V R College results were reviewed again in 2007.

The college produced toppers in 2014, 2015 and 2016, which came as a surprise for many government colleges and plus-two schools in Bihar with NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) grading.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff
India on Thursday said it is 'broad-basing and diversifying' its sourcing of energy to meet market conditions, hours after United States President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him that New Delhi will stop procuring Russian crude oil.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Donald Trump during a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, DC, in February 13, 2025. Photograph: Nathan Howard/File Photo/Reuters

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to questions on Trump's remarks that Modi made the assurance to him on Wednesday, said he was not aware of any such phone conversation, adding India's oil purchases are guided to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumers in a 'volatile' energy scenario.

"Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy. This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions," Jaiswal added.

However, he did not directly reply to questions on Trump's claim that he had been assured by Modi that India will stop buying Russian energy.

"As per my information, there was no phone conversation between PM Modi and President Trump yesterday," he said.

The last phone conversation between Modi and Trump was on October 9, he suggested.

Jaiswal said India's import policies are guided entirely by national interest, adding it has been looking at expanding energy ties with the US as well.

India's continuing purchase of petroleum products from Russia notwithstanding Western sanctions has become a major issue that resulted in severe downturn in ties between New Delhi and Washington.

In Washington, Trump told reporters on Wednesday that 'he (Modi) assured me today they will not be buying oil from Russia. That's a big stop'.

Describing Modi as a 'friend' and a 'great leader', Trump said, "We were not happy with him buying oil from Russia because that lets Russia continue with this ridiculous war, where they've lost a million and a half people."

The US president said India may not be able to cut the procurement immediately but the process has started.

"It (process) has started. He can't do it immediately. It's a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over soon," the US president said.

People familiar with the matter said there is no question of India halting energy purchases from Russia but noted that there has been a fall in the volume of procurement.

In his remarks, Jaiswal noted that India is holding talks with the Trump administration on boosting bilateral energy ties.

"Where the US is concerned, we have for many years sought to expand our energy procurement. This has steadily progressed in the last decade," he said.

"The current administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing," he added.

Explaining India's policy on energy procurement, Jaiswal said it is driven by national interest.

"India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario," he said.

"Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective," he said.

In his remarks, Trump suggested that the US wants India to stop procurement of Russian crude only to put financial pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin so that it ends the war in Ukraine.

"All we want from President Putin is to stop this, stop killing Ukrainians and stop killing Russians because he's killing a lot of Russians. It is a war he should have won in one week and now it is going into fourth year," he said.

Russian ambassador Denis Alipov said at an event on Thursday that Russia is India's most reliable 'energy partner' and Russian crude oil accounts for a third of India's energy purchases.

Washington, DC has been maintaining that India is helping Putin to finance the war through its purchase of Russian crude oil.

The relations between New Delhi and Washington, DC 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 duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.

India described the US action as 'unfair, unjustified and unreasonable'.

Last week, US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor met Modi in New Delhi. Following the meeting, Gor said the US 'values' its relationship with India.

Gor was in New Delhi amid continuing strains in the bilateral relations.

The Ambassador-designate also held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri before meeting Modi.
Transporting cattle within the state does not constitute a crime, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court has said.

Image used only for representation. Photograph: ANI Photo

The court noted that it is facing a flood of cases in which people are being framed under the Cow Slaughter Act.

Taking a serious view of the matter, the court directed the principal secretary, home, and the director general of police to file personal affidavits regarding the steps being taken to prevent misuse of the Cow Slaughter Act.

The court cautioned the two officers that if their affidavits were not filed by November 7, they would have to appear in person and respond.

It also asked these two top officers as to why heavy fines should not be imposed on the government in such cases.

A bench of Justice Abdul Moin and Justice A K Chaudhary passed the order on October 9, on the petition of Rahul Yadav, a resident of Pratapgarh.

The court gave the ruling on the petition that pleaded that the police were harassing him solely because a vehicle carrying cattle (progeny of a cow) was registered in his name.

The petition said the vehicle carrying nine cattle heads was being driven by his driver.

The petitioner argued that he had no intention of slaughtering the cattle, and therefore, implicating him under the Cow Slaughter Act was wrong.

Hearing the submission, the court ordered the police not to take any coercive action against the petitioner.

"The matter cannot be treated to be so simple inasmuch as this Court is deluged with such matters on the basis of First Information Reports being filed left and right by the authorities and complainants under the provisions of the Cow Slaughter Act," the bench observed.

The bench cited previous decisions to state that merely transporting cattle within the state is not a crime, nor is preparing to slaughter cattle.

In the present case, the court found that all nine cattle heads were unharmed and not slaughtered and were being transported from Amethi to Pratapgarh, and therefore, the petitioner's implication under the Cow Slaughter Act was unjustified.

The court, all the same, did not stay the investigation and directed the petitioner to cooperate with the police.

The court also sought replies from the two officers on the steps taken by the government to curb mob violence and vigilantism being practised by some people and outfits in cow matters.
The United States Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit against the Donald Trump administration's decision to impose a $100,000 fee on all new H-1B visa petitions, describing it as 'misguided policy and plainly unlawful' action that could cripple American innovation and competitiveness.

Image used only for representation. Illustration: Dado Ruvic/Reuters

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in a district court in Columbia, challenges the administration's September 19 proclamation, 'Restriction on entry of certain nonimmigrant workers', arguing that it violates the Immigration and Nationality Act by overriding Congress' authority to regulate the H-1B visa programme.

The departments of Homeland Security and State, along with their secretaries, Kristi L Noem and Marco Rubio, respectively, have been named as defendants.

The exorbitant fee, up from the current level of around $3,600, would make it 'cost-prohibitive for US employers, especially start-ups and small and midsize businesses to utilize the H-1B programme, which was created by Congress expressly to ensure that American businesses of all sizes can access the global talent they need to grow their operations here', said Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at the US Chamber.

In its complaint, the business body said the proclamation is 'not only misguided policy; it is plainly unlawful'.

The president, it said, has significant authority over the entry of noncitizens into the US, but that authority is bounded by statute and cannot directly contradict laws passed by Congress.

'The proclamation does precisely that: It blatantly contravenes the fees Congress has set for the H-1B programme and countermands Congress's judgment that the programme should provide a pathway for up to 85,000 people annually to contribute their talents to the United States for the betterment of American society,' it stated.

The proclamation exceeds the president's lawful authority, the complaint underlined.

Bradley said the Chamber has actively backed Trump's proposals to attract more investment in America, but to support this growth, the US economy will 'require more workers, not fewer'.

Tens of thousands of highly skilled people in specialised fields boost the American economy each year after obtaining H-1B status. These workers allow businesses of all sizes, in industries across the economy, to innovate and grow.

The resulting innovations lead to more American jobs, higher wages, and new products and services that improve the quality of life for all Americans.

The Chamber's complaint contends that the new proclamation 'upends' a carefully balanced statutory framework.

'If implemented, that fee would inflict significant harm on American businesses, which would be forced to either dramatically increase their labour costs or hire fewer highly skilled employees for whom domestic replacements are not readily available,' it said.

According to the Chamber, such restrictions would also hand an economic advantage to America's rivals, 'who will surely welcome the talent no longer able to accept work in the United States. That is a competitive edge that foreign employers might never cede back'.

In September, President Donald Trump signed the proclamation, raising the fee for H1-B visas to a staggering $100,000 (approx INR 88 lakhs) annually, in a move that could adversely impact Indian professionals on visas in the US.

Indians make up an estimated 71 per cent of all approved H-1B applications in recent years, according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Companies pay to sponsor H-1B applicants.

While the US tightens its visa regime, China has recently announced a new work permit called the K-Visa under which qualified professionals from across the world can come to the country and explore work opportunities.

The K-Visa is aimed at attracting young science and technology talent and does not require a domestic employer or entity to issue an invitation.

The K-Visa category is in addition to its existing 12 ordinary visa types, available to eligible science and technology professionals.

Compared to the existing visa types, K visas will offer more convenience to holders in terms of the number of permitted entries, validity period, and duration of stay.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday held a "lengthy" call with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.

IMAGE: Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the joint press conference with US President Donald John Trump in Alaska, August 15, 2025. Photograph: Reuters

Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he had a very productive telephone conversation with Putin, during which the two leaders discussed prospects for ending the war in Ukraine and future trade ties.

"President Putin congratulated me and the United States on the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East, something that, he said, has been dreamed of for centuries. I actually believe that the success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the War with Russia/Ukraine," he said in the post.

"We also spent a great deal of time talking about trade between Russia and the United States when the War with Ukraine is over. At the conclusion of the call, we agreed that there will be a meeting of our high level advisors, next week," the US president said.

He said both sides agreed to hold a meeting of senior advisers next week, led on the US side by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, before a proposed leaders meeting in Budapest, Hungary.

"A meeting location is to be determined. President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed-upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this inglorious war, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end," he said.

Trump also said he would meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday to discuss his conversation with Putin.

I believe great progress was made with todays telephone conversation, Trump said.

Earlier, Trump said, "I am speaking to President Putin now. The conversation is ongoing, a lengthy one, and I will report the contents, as will President Putin, at its conclusion. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

The call comes a day before Trump is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, Politico reported.

Trump told Zelenskyy over the weekend that he may give the Russian leader an ultimatum: Get serious about peace talks, or the US would send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles in its increasing offensive against Russia.

Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, said he might speak to Putin about the decision first, calling it a potential "big step" in the war, as per Politico.

"I might have to speak to Russia, to be honest with you, about Tomahawks. Do they want to have Tomahawks going in their direction? I don't think so," Trump said. "I think I might speak to Russia about that, in all fairness. I told that to President Zelenskyy, because Tomahawks are a new step of aggression."

The US has increased intelligence sharing with Ukraine to include information on targets deeper inside Russian territory as part of a strategic shift both countries hope will restart negotiations with Moscow that stalled after the summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska this summer failed to produce a peace agreement, according to CNN.

Zelenskyy is expected to push Trump for additional long-range weapons capable of striking targets inside Russian territory when he meets with Trump in Washington at the White House on Friday.

Trump has indicated he is open to the idea in the days leading up to Zelenskyy's visit, underscoring how his mindset about the war has changed since the Alaska summit, as per CNN. (
Lily Unpacks | Inside the world's first robot & AI museum in Seoul

(People's Daily App) 13:09, October 17, 2025

The Seoul Robot & AI Museum (RAIM), the world's first of its kind, offers an interactive experience that connects global innovators and showcases the future of technology. People's Daily reporter He Jieqiong visited RAIM and spoke with guests from the 2025 China-South Korea Media Cooperation Forum about the evolving relationship between humans, robots and AI, as well as the potential for China-South Korea collaboration in this field.

(Produced by He Jieqiong, Cheng Weidan and Di Jingyuan; Interns Liu Jiayi, Dang Xiangyi, Gao Jiayi, Jin Ruiyao Zhang Yueran and Wu Tongyu also contributed to the video; Cover photo designed by Chu Chu)

(Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing)
The growing bonhomie between the once estranged Thackeray cousins was on full public display on Friday as the two leaders and their family members came together for a Diwali event, further "lighting" up the buzz around their political alliance in Maharashtra.

Photograph: Sahil Salvi/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray at the Diwali event Deepotsav in Mumbai, October 17, 2025.

Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray and his family took part in 'Deepotsav', an annual event organised by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, headed by his cousin Raj, at central Mumbai's Shivaji Park and the former CM even inaugurated the programme, cementing their reconciliation.

The 'Deepotsav' event was symbolic and important optic-wise as both Uddhav and Raj Thackeray arrived in the same car in full media glare. In another car arrived Aaditya Thackeray, son of Uddhav, with Amit, son of Raj, seated next to him. Uddhav Thackeray's younger son Tejas and Raj's younger daughter Urvashi were in the rear seat of the car, which was being driven by Aaditya.

Uddhav Thackeray's wife Rashmi and Raj's spouse Sharmila arrived in another car to take part in the event.

Kunda, mother of Raj, was seen getting emotional at the family reunion. She is paternal as well as maternal aunt to Uddhav Thackeray.

Though there was no overt political angle to what was a festive event, the covert message was clear -- the Thackeray family stands together ahead of the local body polls, which are crucial both for MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT), and political future of their leaders.

"Today's Diwali is special. The unity of Marathi manoos and its light will bring happiness in everyone's lives," Uddhav said at the event.

Ahead of the programme, Aaditya said, "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park is once again ready to shine brightly in dazzling light! Every year, the 'Deepotsav' organized by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena captivates everyone.

"The special highlight is that the illumination during this Deepotsav enhances the beauty of our Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park, making it stand out. The inauguration of this Deepotsav is being held today by the party chief, Shri Uddhavsaheb Thackeray. I am very excited to witness this magnificent spectacle during the days of Diwali!"

This was the seventh time --- third in October --- that the Thackeray cousins have met since July 5.

Raj quit the undivided Shiv Sena blaming Uddhav for his exit in 2005 and floated the MNS in 2006. They had been political rivals since then.

However, after the drubbing of their parties in the Maharashtra assembly polls in 2024 -- the Shiv Sena-UBT won 20 seats, while MNS drew a blank -- both leaders decided to put behind their political acrimony and find a common ground for survival.

The coming together of the two parties ahead of the rural and urban body polls, which are to be held before January 31, 2026, is a mere formality now, their party leaders emphasised.

In 2022, then-Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) had inaugurated the MNS-organised Deepotsav. In the past, Raj has supported the BJP in polls.

In June 2022, the Shiv Sena suffered a split and led to the toppling of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
The Uttarakhand government has ordered an investigation into alleged demographic changes in the Pachhadun area of Dehradun and other regions, following concerns over the issue.

IMAGE: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Photograph: @pushkardhami_X/ANI Photo

Officials have been directed to scrutinise documents such as Aadhaar cards, family registers, and voter IDs, amid reports of errors and fraud, officials said.

Special Secretary to the Chief Minister, Parag Madhukar Dhakate, said that complaints of discrepancies in Aadhaar and family registers have prompted a serious investigation.

The state government is focused on examining the situation, with appropriate guidelines and actions to follow, he said.

He added that demographic changes have been recorded in several districts of the state, and the district administration and police have been asked to monitor Common Service Centers (CSCs) and other certificate-issuing institutions.

Residents have raised concerns over the growing Muslim population in several villages, particularly in the Pachhadun region. Villagers have noted a significant increase in Muslim families, with some attributing the rise to marriages and the settlement of relatives from outside the area.

Shyam Lal, an 83-year-old resident of Dhakrani village, mentioned that the Muslim population had once been small, but had increased in recent years.

Mausam Singh, a former village head, said, "Vacant lands around the canal were encroached upon and constructions were built. The local public representatives at that time helped them obtain legal documents. There was no investigation into this."

Locals, including shopkeeper Pankaj, also raised concerns about the increasing Muslim population in the past 10-15 years, many of whom are unfamiliar to the local community.

Shanti Devi, a long-time resident, echoed similar sentiments, stating that the number of Muslim families in the area had grown significantly.

On the other hand, some Muslim residents, including Zahid from Jeevangarh village, admitted to settling relatives in the area due to issues in their previous locations.

Mohammad Imran, another resident, mentioned that he had been living in the area for 20 years.

The demographic shift became a political issue, with the BJP framing it as a threat to the cultural identity of Devbhoomi, while the Congress maintains that any citizen of India has the right to settle anywhere in the country.

BJP's Mahendra Bhatt emphasised the importance of preserving the cultural identity of the region, claiming that the majority population had declined by up to 40-60 per cent in several areas.

Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana countered, stating that the Bharatiya Janata Party was politicising the issue.

He said that the party had been in power for most of Uttarakhand's existence.

He further argued that citizens have the right to settle wherever they choose, citing examples of people like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

"Will someone tomorrow ask Yogi Adityanath, 'How did you become the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh if you are from Pauri Garhwal?' Or will someone ask Ajit Doval, 'Why do you live in Delhi if you are from the mountains?'", Dhasmana said.

The investigation into the matter is ongoing, and authorities are expected to take further steps to address the situation.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Becoming mostly clear later with any flurries or snow showers ending by midnight. Low near 15F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%..

Tonight

Becoming mostly clear later with any flurries or snow showers ending by midnight. Low near 15F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%.
Millennium-old cypresses carry culture across generations

13:59, October 17, 2025 By Zhang Danhua ( People's Daily

Photo shows ancient cypresses in the Cangjie Temple. (Photo/Peng Yipeng)

Enter the Cangjie Temple in Baishui county, Weinan, northwest China's Shaanxi province, and an imposing cypress immediately commands attention. Its trunk is so broad that five or six people could barely encircle it. Its weathered bark drapes in ribbons, the varied striations reading like a record of time.

This is the cypress planted by Cangjie, the legendary creator of Chinese characters. Standing 16 meters tall, with a diameter at breast height of 2.48 meters and a ground-level circumference of 9.9 meters, the tree has taken root on the Loess Plateau for about 5,000 years.

Ancient cypresses are scattered throughout the temple grounds, each bearing deep historical weight. "There are more than 40 cypresses over 1,000 years old here, with an average age of around 3,000 years. In addition to the 5,000-year-old Cangjie cypress, three are over 4,000 years old and 14 are more than 3,000," said tour guide Liang Ni, pointing out the giants one by one.

China's second national survey on ancient and famous trees reports that Shaanxi has more than 727,000 such trees, including over 11,000 solitary specimens and 271 groves totaling about 716,000.

In the autumn breeze, the cypresses rustle like ancient storytellers. Tradition holds that Cangjie served as historian for the legendary ancestor Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, and when knot-tying could no longer meet the demands of increasingly complex affairs, created the earliest Chinese characters. This cypress is said to have been planted by his hand. Visitors pause beneath it, run their fingers over the rough bark, study the distinctive grain, and marvel at the millennia it embodies.

To safeguard these treasures, local authorities have put comprehensive protections in place. In 2019, Weinan adopted the Regulations on the Protection of the Cangjie Tomb and Temple, bringing the temple's cypresses under legal protection. A regulation on the protection of ancient and famous trees further strengthened these conservation efforts.

Technology offers more intelligent ways to preserve the trees. A detailed record has been created for the cypress planted by Cangjie, documenting its physical condition, maintenance measures, and growing environment, and connecting it to a real-time monitoring platform shared across national, provincial, municipal, and county levels. A panel of leading experts in ancient tree and cultural-relic conservation conducts regular checkups, forming a "one tree, one team" model that combines expert guidance, county supervision, and responsible caretakers."

"With digital monitoring, we can track the cypress's growth in real time. If we see yellowing leaves or abnormal bark, the expert team comes promptly to diagnose and carry out rejuvenation measures," said Li Min, deputy head of the Cangjie Temple Cultural Relics Administration.

While preservation continues, efforts are also made to pass on the cultural heritage embodied by these ancient trees. Every year around Grain Rain, or "Guyu" in Chinese, a solar term to mark the end of spring that coincides with the UN Chinese Language Day, the temple hosts cultural events commemorating Cangjie. Under the shade of ancient cypresses, young visitors try woodblock printing, watching character strokes take shape at their fingertips and experiencing the appeal of tradition. Exhibition rooms with images, texts, and artifacts invite visitors to learn about the origins and evolution of Chinese characters while they admire the trees.

This five-millennia-old cypress bridges past and future. In spring 2012, a young sapling was discovered growing beneath the ancient cypress. "It proves the Cangjie cypress can reproduce naturally from its seeds. Thirteen years on, it's thriving," said Ren Zhigang with the temple administration. "Seeing such vigor prompted us to explore space breeding to extend its fine genetic line."

In early 2020, local authorities partnered with the Shaanxi provincial space breeding engineering technology research center to explore space-based propagation. "Space breeding provides a new technological pathway for conserving and revitalizing the genetic resources of the Cangjie cypress," Ren explained. "The offspring may be more vigorous and resilient, which is significant for preserving the variety."

In May that year, seeds collected from the ancient cypress embarked on a space journey aboard a Long March rocket. Today, at the Cangjie Cypress Breeding Base in Baishui county, "space-bred" seedlings are unfurling tender green shoots. Some have already been transplanted back to the temple, carrying forward the genetic legacy of their 5,000-year-old ancestor.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
Telco One New Zealand has rolled out Ka Tika: Using AI Responsibly, a newly developed company-wide training programme to provide team members with responsible artificial intelligence (AI) skills in their everyday work.

The training is aimed at its workforce of around 2,500 employees and marks the next milestone in One NZs ambition to become an AI-enabled telco.

Delivered through One NZs Pa Tangata (ERP) learning platform, the Ka Tika e-learning module takes less than 30 minutes to complete and covers key principles for responsible AI use, including fairness, privacy, transparency, and security.

The module includes simple explanations of what AI is, how One NZ uses AI in everyday work, the benefits and risks that come with AI, principles to follow to keep AI safe and trustworthy, as well as scenarios and questions to test peoples understanding.

One NZ chief people officer Jodie King said AI is transforming the way the telco works.

We want every Oneder to feel confident using it in a way that puts people and trust first, said she said. Weve built solid data and ethics foundations, and were focused on bringing our team members along for the journey.

Our responsible AI training aims to equip everyone at One NZ with the understanding of how to use AI confidently and safely. It also recognises that responsible AI isnt just for specialists, its a skill everyone needs in an AI-enabled business.

It also helps employees identify risks such as bias, misinformation, or over-reliance on AI, while showing practical ways to use the technology to drive creativity, improve customer experiences, and save time.
Microsoft, which is no stranger to antitrust accusations, is being sued for allegedly manipulating AI prices via its investment in OpenAI.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in the US District court in the Northern District of California, argues that Microsoft has used its OpenAI influence to vastly increase AI prices.

ChatGPT prices were inflated since the services inception, with price levels reaching an eye-popping 100 to 200 times competitors prices on a per-token basis amidst a February 2025 price war, the filing said. A secretive agreement struck between OpenAI and Microsoft early in OpenAIs development allowed Microsoft to control the supply of compute to its horizontal competitors products. It used an exclusivity clause to restrict OpenAIs product output, and to impose a priceor, conversely, output and qualityfloor on its competitor OpenAIs ChatGPT products.

Contacted by sister publication Computerworld, Microsoft declined to address the lawsuits specific details, but did say in an email, while we are still reviewing the details of the complaint, we believe that our OpenAI partnership promotes competition, innovation, and responsible AI development.

Industry observers were skeptical that the litigation would have much of an impact, given the large number of major companies selling AI, including Google, Amazon, and Anthropic, that are presumably beyond Microsofts direct influence.

Taps into policy concerns

Abhishek Singh, a partner at the Everest Group, said that the litigation might encourage regulatory efforts, but that he doubts it would have any direct impact on Microsoft.

It taps into a genuine policy concern about the concentration of power in AI infrastructure and pricing, but antitrust cases like this are hard to win, Singh said. The plaintiffs will have to show not just dominance, but deliberate collusion and measurable consumer harm, which is a high bar.

But Singh added that even if this specific lawsuit doesnt go anywhere, it could easily prompt secondary reactions from legislators and regulators.
Airways, the agency responsible for keeping New Zealands airspace safe, is looking to buy new IBM production servers at it refreshes the hardware supporting its air traffic management system.

According to a request for quotations (RFQ) issued on the Government Electronic Tender Service (GETS), the organisation aims to purchase around 15 new servers, along with associated hardware and software, to undertake a hardware refresh for a key air traffic management system (ATMS), used to provide air traffic control in a significant area of controlled airspace it is responsible for.

Airways said it has conducted initial design and testing on an IBM Power 10-series hardware solution utilising AIX 7.3 environment and an XLC V17 software compiler. This platform will be used to run the Airways ATMS application which provides air traffic control services.

Since it has already tested the IBM Power 10-series hardware, Airways said it is not looking for any offers of alternate brands or types of server hardware at this point.

The successful conclusion of this initial design and testing has enabled Airways to continue with the implementation and full deployment, comprising IBM Power 10-series servers and supporting infrastructure and software [and] support, the company said.

Airways also said it has determined the solution does not require separated server and storage environments, as storage is limited to on-server configuration, with its environment utilising site-based clusters of servers providing separation and redundancy from other sites.

The architecture of the Airways air traffic management system comprises independent but interconnected subsystems at air traffic control centres across New Zealand providing principal air traffic services, as well as local and regional air traffic services contingency operations, Airways said.

Airways is hoping to take the delivery of the core server and supporting systems as soon as possible with the contact expected to start by 12 November, in order to bypass logistics constraints over the Christmas period.
Chinese troops have arrived in Laos for a two-week exercise with the Lao military on the outskirts of Vientiane, just weeks after a similar training in Cambodia thats part of a push by Beijing to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian countries.

Some 300 Chinese troops and about 900 Lao military personnel are participating in the Laos-China Friendship Shield-2024 exercise, which began on July 5, according to Lt. Col. Santi Chanthalangsone, who directs training for Laos armed forces.

laos-china-railway This image released by Chinese government media shows military vehicles at Phonhong Railway Station in Phonhong, central Laos' Vientiane Province, July 1, 2024. (Xinhua News Agency/Meng Chuiyun,Xinhua via Getty Images)

Most of the Chinese participants and military equipment arrived on the newly constructed Laos-China railway, which was funded mostly through loans from Beijings Belt and Road Initiative.

Participants will focus on technical cooperation and how to use armed vehicles and weapons, Santi Chanthalangsone told local media on July 5.

The Chinese side might have weapons and experiences that can be shared with us, he said. The drill will help strengthen our military ties, organize and modernize our armed forces.

Soldiers unload military vehicles at Phonhong Railway Station in Laos Vientiane province on July 2, 2024. (Yi Ding/Xinhua via Getty Images)

The exercises at the Kommadam Military Academy will last until July 18, he said.

Chinas backyard

The two militaries also held exercises in May 2023, when they trained for a joint attack on transnational armed crime syndicates operating in a mountain jungle environment.

Laos also participated in military exercises in Chinas Guangdong province last November that included the militaries from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Laos dire economic conditions and its large national debt  most of which is owed to China  means that it realistically cant hold military exercises with anyone else, according to Prof. Adisorn Semyaem, a researcher on Lao studies at Thailands Chulalongkorn University.

The drill could affect its ties with Vietnam. It wont be easy for Laos. Laos and Vietnam share the same border, he said. But Laos is also in Chinas backyard.

Soldiers unload military vehicles at Phonhong Railway Station in Laos Vientiane province, July 1, 2024. (Yi Ding/Xinhua via Getty Images)

China has been seeking closer military-to-military cooperation with its regional neighbors to respond to what it calls interference from the United States and its allies.

The United States conducts annual war games in Indonesia and Thailand, and in April it held a large-scale drill with its mutual defense treaty partner, the Philippines.

In May, Chinese troops went to Sihanoukville in Cambodia to take part in the largest ever bilateral military exercise between those two countries.

Chinese warships have also been spotted since December at a new Chinese-built pier at Cambodias Ream Naval Base. Cambodia has repeatedly denied that China is being given exclusive military access to the base.

Translated by Max Avary. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.
Cem Hakko, President of the Vakko group, said : This exhibition is not only a tribute to fine watchmaking, but also a celebration of time as an art form  honouring craftsmanship, elegance, and cultural dialogue. Our vision is to bridge past and future, local values and universal aesthetics. With this collaboration, we bring the artistic and cultural spirit of Swiss watchmaking to Turkey, marking a meaningful moment as our countries celebrate 100 years of friendship.



Raymond Loretan, President of the GPHG Foundation, added: After Shanghai, Istanbul offers an exceptional setting where cultures, histories and creative energies meet. The Bosphorus, a bridge between East and West, perfectly symbolizes the spirit of the GPHG: a celebration of the universal art of watchmaking, which transcends borders and brings people together around beauty, creation and innovation.



In Geneva, the Musee dArt et dHistoire will in turn host all the nominated timepieces from 29 October to 16 November. Final stop of the 2025 tour, following the awards ceremony, Dubai Watch Week will honour the winners from 19 to 23 November.



The 90 timepieces nominated by the Academy are in the running to win one of 20 prizes  including the prestigious Aiguille d'Or Grand Prix  that will be handed out on Thursday 13 November in Geneva during the 25th GPHG awards ceremony, broadcast live on gphg.org at 6pm CET.
A series of visits from Bulgarian military and government officials to the small town of Samokov in recent months hints at the increasing importance of what one company here is producing. The Samel-90 factory, located just south of Bulgaria's capital, Sofia, began operations in the 1960s developing electronics for the Bulgarian military. Now, with an eye on rapid military evolutions on the battlefields of Ukraine, the company is making aerial weapons and anti-drone systems.

"We started developing kamikaze drones two years ago," Veneta Popova, the head of drone production at the plant, told RFE/RL. "We currently produce about 50 per month, but we have the capacity to triple that," she says. Inside the factory, craft reminiscent of Iranian-designed Geran-2 kamikaze drones sit in various stages of completion.

Samel-90 was privatized after the collapse of the countrys socialist regime in 1989 and Petar Georgiev, a former employee of the plant, now owns it. Georgiev says amid increasing focus in Europe on drone warfare the company has received a surge in interest in its weaponized drones, as well as its anti-drone systems. But as Brussels touts a planned drone wall protecting NATOs flanks Georgiev told RFE/RL the potential for Samel-90 contributing to the EU's defensive effort are unclear. "There can be a place for us, but everything depends on the Bulgarian government, Georgiev says.

Samel-90s range of drone-jamming devices are currently sold to India, Egypt, and other countries in the east, priced at a fraction of the cost of western European versions of the same technology. Georgiev says that for now, western European nations are not purchasing the Bulgarian technology. Our products are just as good as theirs, but the countries there look after their own manufacturers," he says.

The flying wing drone that the factory produces, called the Samjet, is much smaller than its nearly hang-glider sized Iranian-Russian counterpart and is fitted with a correspondingly smaller warhead. Samjets use an electric motor that is quieter than the dreaded gasoline-powered whine of the Gerans but gives the aerial weapon a relatively short range of around 100 kilometers compared to over 1,000 kilometers for the Gerans.

According to Borislav Lazarov, the production organizer in the drone workshop, building a Samjet takes between three days and a week from start to finish. China is currently the world leader in drone technology, with its DJI brand responsible for a staggering 70 percent of sales of consumer drones wordwide. Much of the technology in the Chinese companys drones, such as visual tracking systems, have obvious military applications which analysts say is undoubtedly being utilized in its weaponized drone programs.
Earlier this month, air defense units in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv were unusually busy during an overnight bombardment by Russian missiles and drones. Some 700 kilometers above them, Chinese spy satellites were silently passing by, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

The Kremlin has denied that China was providing it with battlefield information, saying it has its own satellites. But experts suggest that, in fact, Russia has a dire need for Chinese assistance.

Russia's infrastructure is pretty old and creaky, said Clayton Swope, who spent 14 years in the CIA, mostly in its Directorate of Science and Technology.

It really seems like a no-brainer that if China is willing to offer either something from a company or from its own government capabilities, Russia will take advantage of that, Swope, now at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told RFE/RL.

Chinas Spy-Sat Capabilities

Given the classified nature of such information, its hard to say exactly how many spy satellites any nation has.

A report published by the US Defense Intelligence Agency in 2022, Challenges to Security in Space, estimated that China had 262 satellites for ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) compared to Russias 32.

Russia actually started buying commercial satellite imagery on the free commercial market from April 2022, Juliana Suess, from the German Institute of International and Security Affairs (SWP), told RFE/RL.

That sort of shows us that Russia realized that actually this is something that they would need. And it also shows that their own sovereign capabilities were simply not enough to plug that gap.

There is also a quality gap, largely caused by Russias ageing satellite fleet. Some of it dates from Soviet times but there have also been more recent launches, including since the start of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, over 2022-24.

But even the newest Russian satellites have been affected by wartime Western sanctions.

This is definitely something they'll be struggling with in terms of where they get their components from and Russian satellites have historically been made of Western components, said Suess.

In August, the head of Russias largest spacecraft manufacturer opened a rare window on the problems facing the countrys space industry, saying we need to stop lying to ourselves about the condition it was in.

Igor Maltsev, head of Energia, spoke of chronic underfunding, ineffective processes, and lost motivation.

We've definitely seen Russia build up their capabilities. But on the whole, we can still say that Russia doesn't have particularly good Earth-observation capabilities, and this is also a broader problem that they're having in terms of their space industry lagging behind massively," said Suess.

The quality of the Chinese satellites, particularly in regard to synthetic aperture radar or SAR (which can see through clouds, for instance), is generally reckoned to be much higher than Russias -- providing higher resolution imagery and building 3D images.

In terms of the quantity, diversity, and quality of the data the Chinese can provide, there is no doubt it'll be useful for Russian intelligence and military analysts, Bleddyn Bowen, who has advised the Pentagon and UK Defense Ministry on space policy, told RFE/RL.

The key advantage, said Bowen, who is an associate professor in astro-politics at Durham University, was better battle damage assessment.

It could be better tracking of Ukrainian military maneuvers. If a hill has been evacuated and nobody's there and a satellite can see that, then if you get notice of that an hour after this happened as opposed to after four hours that makes your forces much more responsive, he said.

So far, this has been an area where Ukraine has enjoyed an advantage over Russia during the war, receiving satellite intelligence from the United States and also European allies. The importance of this data was underlined when Washington briefly stopped supplying it earlier this year.

The week-long move hindered Ukraines ability to carry out effective long-range drone strikes and left it blind over the movements of Russian strategic bomber aircraft and ballistic missile launches.

What Does China Want?

But it remains unclear how much data, if any, China is actually sending to Russia. Western officials have refrained from making specific public accusations on the issue.

China is the decisive enabler of Russias war in Ukraine. China also provides nearly 80 percent of the dual-use items Russia needs to sustain the war, an official at the State Department told RFE/RL.

Continued cooperation between these two countries will only further contribute to global instability and make the United States and other countries less safe, the official added.

In an interview with RFE/RLs Current Time, the European Unions commissioner for defense and space, Andrius Kubilius, was noncommittal.

What is the Chinese position towards the whole war? We can guess, you know. It looks like that they are, you know, keen to keep this war going on as long as possible, learning also from that war, supporting, you know, Russian side, he said.

Swope pointed out that little is known about the specific Yaogan satellites that reportedly spied on Ukraine. Three of them, he said, were SAR-equipped.

I think the big question might beare they just providing more strategic intelligence and even tactical intelligence about what's happening on the battlefield? Or are these systems somehow tied in to, say, how you would steer a missile? he said.

Equally, he said, the Chinese satellites could have been gathering information purely for study back in Beijing, for their own assessment of how conflict is going to be fought in the future.

Bowen agreed that Chinas intentions were unclear.

It remains to be seen how close, how tactical is that relationship between Russia and China on this, he said. Because they're not natural allies, really. China does not want to tip its hand too much to the Russians.

Another important issue is having sufficient capacity to receive and evaluate incoming information. This is where data-processing becomes decisive, and it is unclear what Russias capabilities are in this regard.

This is something that Western militaries have to contend with as well, said Suess.

We talk about a sensor-rich battlefield now, but actually the bottleneck is the processing. This is where AI comes in. This is where the sort of algorithm comes infiltering through the massive information that you get given, she added.
Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter.

I'm RFE/RL correspondent Kian Sharifi. In this edition, I explore the surprising -- and brief -- reactivation of the tracking systems on Irans shadow fleet of oil tankers after years of staying in the shadows.

What You Need To Know

 Trackers On, Trackers Off: For the first time since 2018, dozens of Iranian oil tankers linked to the countrys sanctioned exports briefly activated their tracking systems on October 13 before many went dark again. Analysts are divided on whether the move was a calculated show of defiance, while in Iran some have hinted at possible sabotage.

 More Women Shun The Hijab: A growing number of women and girls, particularly in the capital Tehran, have stopped covering their head in public, in direct defiance of the countrys clerical rulers. Several women have spoken to RFE/RLs Radio Farda about how Irans streets are transformed following the nationwide protests in 2022 that gave rise to the Women, Life, Freedom movement.

 French Pair Handed Heavy Sentences: An Iranian court this week sentenced two French citizens to lengthy prison terms for allegedly spying for France and Israel. French state-owned broadcaster France 24 identified the pair as Cecile Kohler and her partner Jacques Paris. Speaking to Radio Farda, French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah, who also served time in Iran, criticized the judicial system and said, Were all spies unless proven otherwise.

The Big Issue

Daring The West Or Internal Power Play?

Much of Irans oil fleet briefly came out of hiding between October 12 and October 14, according to the monitoring service TankerTrackers.

Nearly 80 percent of Iranianflagged tankers activated their AIS (Automatic Identification System) transponders, broadcasting real locations rather than spoofed or blank signals.

Analysts were quick to note the timing, with many speculating that it was a coordinated move meant to dare the West, particularly the United States, in the wake of fresh US sanctions and return of UN embargoes.

The Iranian website Energy Press, citing an informed source, described the AIS activation as a major sabotage carried out by the enemies of the government.

Yet the reveal didnt last. By October 15, TankerTrackers reported that twothirds of the Iranian fleet had gone silent again, cutting transmissions or reverting to spoofed coordinates around Southeast Asia and the Gulf of Oman. By October 16, only a sixth of the tankers had kept their tracking systems online.

Why It Matters: The move coincided with the reimposition of UN sanctions initiated by Britain, France, and Germany through the snapback mechanism and new US Treasury actions targeting dozens of ships and companies.

This is why some observers described the AIS activation as an act of defiance, which was welcomed by pro-Islamic republic voices on social media.

As part of its maximum pressure policy against Iran, US President Donald Trump's administration has made it a priority to drive down Tehrans oil exports.

Irans economy is heavily reliant on oil revenues, and it has used its shadow fleet of tankers to evade sanctions and covertly transport oil to China -- by far its top buyer -- and other destinations.

Tehran uses a combination of ship-to-ship transfers, middlemen, covert financial dealings, and rebranding of oil shipments to hide their Iranian origin and make the oil appear to be from other countries. These tactics enable the Islamic republic to continue exporting oil and generating revenue despite sanctions aimed at blocking its petroleum trade.

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimated Iran's crude oil and condensate export revenues at about $43 billion for 2024, up $1 billion from the previous year.

What's Being Said: There has been no official comment from Tehran on why its shadow fleet went online for the first time in seven and a half years.

Mahmud Khaqani, a former director at the Iranian Oil Ministry, said one possibility is that critics of the reformist government had a part to play.

[They] may be seeking to create a new crisis by provoking the United States and its allies into tracking or seizing Iranian tankers, he suggested in an interview with local media.

Another possibility, Khaqani proposed, is that concealing tanker routes is no longer feasible due to the unprecedented glut in the global oil market.

Abdollah Babakhani, an energy analyst in Iran, offered a more optimistic take on the development.

Such a move could either mark the beginning of a limited return to maritime transparency or signal behind-the-scenes negotiations over the security of energy routes in the Persian Gulf, he wrote.

Expert Opinion: Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, suggested that if the AIS activation was deliberate, it signals that the Islamic republic may be challenging those who are thinking about stopping their tankers to a face-off: they can reciprocate at the Strait of Hormuz.

Hard-line figures in Tehran have long threatened to close the vital energy chokepoint if Iran is pushed into a corner.

Sina Toosi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy in Washington, DC, speculated on X that Iran at this point may very well welcome a clash that drives up oil prices & inflicts a political cost on Trump.

That's all from me for now.

Until next time,

Kian Sharifi

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Friday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Hungarys prime minister, as officials began laying the groundwork for a possible Budapest summit meeting between Putin and US President Donald Trump.



The October 17 call came amid a flurry of diplomatic communications centered at finding a resolution to Russias war on Ukraine, now in its 44th month.



The call between Budapest and Moscow came a day after Putin and Trump spoke by phone -- a surprise conversation, done at the Kremlin's request, that injected uncertainty into the Oval Office meeting with Trump and Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, set for later on October 17.

Zelenskyy, who arrived in Washington shortly before Trump and Putin spoke, is expected to press US officials for new weaponry -- including powerful long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles -- to hold back Russias battlefield advances and target Russian infrastructure.

Orban Ready To Host

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban -- one of Putin's only allies in the EU -- pledged full cooperation to host any possible summit in Budapest.

"Preparations are going full steam ahead!" he said in a post to Facebook.

That appeared to signal that Hungary would not seek to arrest Putin on an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. Hungary is a member of the court, but Orbans government has said it would move to withdraw.

Budapest is the "essentially only place in Europe today where such a meeting can be held," Orban said ahead of the call, because what he said was Hungary's "consistent" stance for peace.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told reporters in Budapest that "we will of course ensure that he can enter Hungary, hold successful talks here, and then return home."

European Commission spokesman Olof Gill told reporters in Brussels on October 17 that the bloc welcomes "any meeting that moves forward the process of achieving a just and lasting peace for Ukraine."

After his October 16 call, Trump announced that he would seek to meet Putin in Budapest, within two weeks, in what would be their second summit meeting since Trump took office in January.

The Kremlin signaled it supported the idea of meeting in the Hungarian capital.



"Indeed, it may take place within two weeks or a bit later. Its a mutual understanding that that theres no need to put off things indefinitely," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his American counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were slated to speak in the coming days to discuss preparations, officials said.



Trump, who took office pledging to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours, has been repeatedly frustrated by the lack of progress in even reaching even a cease-fire, let alone a lasting peace treaty.

In addition to his first summit with Putin in Alaska in August, the two have spoken by phone at least eight times, while White House envoy Steve Witkoff has met with Putin in Moscow at least five times.



Trumps position toward Putin, and toward Moscow's war overall, has shifted perceptibly in recent months as Russia continues to grind forward on the battlefield and batter Ukrainian cities and towns, including its electricity grid and natural gas infrastructure.





Asked about possible outcomes for a second meeting between Trump and Putin, Roland Freudenstein, who heads the Brussels Freedom Hub, an advocacy group, quipped: "Hopefully none."

"In the worst case, Putin will somehow get Trump to take his side again," he said in an interview with RFE/RL in Brussels.

"It's possible that Putin indeed manages somehow to convince Trump, maybe with promises about bilateral economic relations, maybe with some vague threats. So I wouldn't exclude Trump adopting some of Putin's speaking points after that."

"And the worst that could happen is that he then turns around on Ukraine and pressures Ukraine into making further concessions vis-a-vis Russia," he said.

Will The US Supply Tomahawks?

Similarly with Ukraine, Trump appears to have warmed toward Zelenskyy -- in contrast to a disastrous February meeting at the Oval Office when Zelenskyy was berated by the US leader and Vice President JD Vance on live TV.

But its unclear whether Zelenskyy will get Trumps green light to receiive Tomahawks, powerful missiles that would augment Ukraines growing drone campaign targeting Russias oil infrastructure.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office not long after his call with Putin, Trump appeared to signal that the missiles would not be supplied, saying the United States could not spare any.

What do you think he's going to say, Please sell Tomahawks? Is he going to say, Please sell those Tomahawks, I really appreciate it? Trump said.



He really didn't like the idea. No, I said it that way; you have to be a little bit lighthearted sometimes, he said.

But no, he doesnt want Tomahawks, the Tomahawk is a vicious weapon," he said. "Its a vicious, offensive, incredibly destructive weapon. Nobody wants Tomahawks shot at them.

RFE/RL Ukrainian Service correspondent Zoriana Stepanenko contributed to the report from Brussels
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants Tomahawk missiles for the war against the Russian invasion.



US President Donald Trump, turning his attention to Moscow's assault on Ukraine after a successful diplomatic push in the Middle East, says the United States might provide them.



And Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has stonewalled efforts to end the full-scale conflict he launched in 2022, is warning against an escalation.



Here's what to watch when Trump hosts Zelenskyy in Washington on October 17.

Tomahawks

As the full-scale invasion nears the four-year mark, Ukraine is seeking US-made Tomahawk missiles to weaken Russia's war effort by striking oil and energy facilities deep inside its territory.

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.









Trump has said the United States might provide the cruise missiles, which have a range of 1,250 to 2,500 kilometers, but he has not announced a decision and had suggested that he might discuss the matter with Putin before making one.



"I might say, 'Look, if this war is not going to get settled, I may send [Ukraine] Tomahawks.' Russia doesn't need that. I think it is appropriate to bring that up," Trump, who has voiced frustration with Russia's refusal to halt its war against Ukraine, told reporters on October 12.

The subject did come up in a phone call on October 16: Putin told Trump that providing Ukraine with the missiles would deliver a "substantial" blow to US-Russian ties and the chances for peace in Ukraine, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said.

After the call, Trump suggested that US needs would complicate any effort to supply Tomahawks to Ukraine.

"We need Tomahawks for the United States of America, too," he told reporters. "We have a lot of them, but we need them. We can't deplete for our country.... So I don't know what we can do about that."

Trump is hoping to extend the momentum from the US-brokered Gaza cease-fire and hostage deal and move closer to ending Europe's worst conflict since World War II.

Analysts say Tomahawks on their own would be unlikely to be a game-changer, but could give Kyiv's campaign of strikes deep inside Russia a significant boost.



The war has shown that "there's no single weapons platform or munition that can serve as a silver bullet," Luke Coffey, a senior fellow at the US-based Hudson Institute, told RFE/RL in e-mailed comments.

"However, the Tomahawks would have a practical impact on the battlefield by disrupting Russian defense manufacturing and logistics far behind the front lines," he said. "They would also have a symbolic impact, demonstrating that President Trump does, in fact, have the resolve to put more pressure on Russia to bring it to the negotiating table."



If the US does provide the missiles to Ukraine, analysts say what really matters is how many -- and how fast.



"The critical question is how many the United States will [provide] to Ukraine," Mark Cancian, a military expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said in a phone interview.



"Trump wants to get a deal," he said. "If he wants to put pressure on Russia, he has to figure out a way to get weapons to Ukraine quickly."



"Tomahawks could target facilities deep inside Russia, but to have a chance of successfully making it past Russian air defense systems, Ukraine would most likely need to fire several at once," Dara Massicot, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and an expert on the Russian military, said in an e-mailed comment.



"Tomahawks add pressure, but the amount of pressure is highly contingent on when they arrive, how many numbers might be delivered, and how they are launched," she said.



Estimates of how many Tomahawks the US could provide vary. Mackenzie Eaglen, a senior fellow and military expert at the American Enterprise Institute, said the Navy might "only be able to spare a handful" of one variant of the missile for Ukraine. Cancian said the total figure might be a couple hundred, or up to about 1,000 if an older version is included.



Mark Galeotti, a UK-based analyst and author on Russian politics and security, said that the "relatively low numbers the US would likely be willing to offer" Ukraine would make Tomahawks more like "political symbols" than a military game-changer.



"If Trump offers them on a concrete timeline, he is signaling a distinct hardening of his position," Galeotti said in an e-mail.







Or No Tomahawks



Several senior Ukrainian officials have been in Washington this week preparing for the October 17 meeting, including Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Zelenskyy's influential chief of staff, Andriy Yermak. And Trump and Zelenskyy spoke by phone twice in two days.



With all the talk about Tomahawks, if the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting does not produce a promise to provide them it will be a setback for Kyiv.



But it's not all about the Tomahawks.

As Russia relentlessly targets its energy infrastructure ahead of winter and hits civilians in their homes, in hospitals , and on trains , Ukraine is also seeking more air-defense weapons under a program in which European countries purchase US arms for delivery to Ukraine.



Galeotti suggested Ukraine is aiming high but would be willing to settle for less. "To a degree," he said, "Zelenskyy is adopting his usual tactic of hyping one particular weapon that he knows he is unlikely to get in order to try and guilt the other into offering something else as a consolation prize."



Even without an agreement on Tomahawks, the meeting could show that Washington is not about to abandon Ukraine or push it into swift concessions -- such as ceding land to Russia, even informally -- in the name of a peace deal.

Oval Office Memories

The tone of the talks will be closely watched -- especially in Kyiv, where memories linger of a White House meeting that went badly awry for Zelenskyy in February.

Ukraine will be wary of any sign of a shift from Trump after what the US president said was a "very productive" call with Putin that produced an agreement to meet face-to-face for the first time since August.

Lucian Kim, senior Ukraine analyst at the Crisis Group, said that the prospects for a deal on Tomahawk supplies seemed diminished by the Trump-Putin call.

"Zelensky can still ask for Tomahawks, but it's hard to imagine Trump agreeing before a renewed US push to end the fighting," Kim wrote on X.



Following the February debacle, ties between Trump and Zelenskyy have been markedly more cordial, and US officials have voiced solidarity with Ukraine in comments this week -- albeit while emphasizing the major role Washington says Europe must play, and without tipping Trump's hand on the Tomahawks.



In talks with Svyrydenko, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent "reaffirmed the United States' unwavering support for Ukrainian sovereignty," the US Treasury Department said on October 14.



If the war does not end, the US and its allies will "impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression," US defense chief Pete Hegseth said at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters on October 15.

Beyond weapons another key question remains: Will Trump toughen sanctions on Russia? So far, he's held back, apart from higher tariffs on India for buying Russian oil.



Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged Washington to tighten sanctions, but there has been little talk of new measures ahead of the summit.

The Russian Reaction

Moscow has loudly warned Washington not to provide Ukraine with Tomahawks, with ex-President Dmitry Medvedev issuing a veiled nuclear threat, saying it "could end badly for everyone" as Russia would not be able to tell whether a missile was conventional or nuclear.



Putin has claimed that supplying Tomahawks would draw the United States directly into the war, asserting that US personnel would need to operate any launchers -- a claim analysts including Cancian, Coffey, and Eaglen disputed.



Several analysts dismissed Medvedev's comments as saber-rattling, citing previous nuclear warnings from the once mild-mannered but now volubly hawkish ex-president, now deputy secretary of Putin's Security Council -- and from others, including Putin.



"I think their concerns are genuine but at the same time, Russia frequently uses nuclear rhetoric to influence us not to provide these systems to Ukraine -- and nuclear threats in his context are not particularly credible to me," Massicot said.



Cancian said Russia is "annoyed" at the prospect of Tomahawks but stressed "there's no question they're conventional."



He said that strikes on energy facilities are probably Ukraine's best chance at "squeezing Russia hard enough to get it to the negotiating table."



But there's no guarantee that would happen.



"This is not going to force Putin to the table," Galeotti said of potential Tomahawk deliveries. "If anything, with his drones over Europe and changing the laws to allow him to deploy reservists in the war, he is signaling that he has escalatory options, too."

"For Putin, the war in Ukraine is an existential fight about Russia's place in the world as well as his own historical legacy. Putin is indeed ready to fight 'as long as it takes' to subordinate Ukraine," Crisis Group analyst Kim told RFE/RL in e-mailed comments.



"While Russia may not have achieved any significant battlefield victories this year, the Kremlin believes it will prevail in a war of attrition accompanied by decreasing Western support," he said.




US President Donald Trump appeared to cool to the idea of supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles after he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on October 17, saying afterward that the two sides should simply "stop the killing, and make a DEAL!"

Trump welcomed Zelenskyy to the White House for the third time this year, saying before their meeting that he hoped the war would end without the United States providing Tomahawks, which have been discussed in recent weeks as a potential game-changer in the course of the war.

"Hopefully they won't need it. Hopefully we'll be able to get the war over without thinking about Tomahawks," he told reporters before the two leaders held talks over lunch.

Later on October 17, Trump said on Truth Social that the meeting was "interesting and cordial," but said he had told both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin that the war should end immediately.

"Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!" Trump said.

The comments contrast with Trump's statements last month when he suggested that Kyiv's military was capable of expelling Moscow's forces from all its territory.

During a lengthy question and answer session with reporters, Trump and Zelenskyy were questioned about a potential deal in which Ukraine would provide US military production with drone technologies in return for Tomahawks.

In a press conference after their meeting, Zelenskyy confirmed that the leaders discussed Tomahawks and Ukrainian drones, but neither Trump nor Zelenskyy shared any details on the potential deal in their post-meeting comments.

Asked if he left the meeting more or less optimistic about the chances of the United States giving Tomahawks, Zelenskyy said, "I'm realistic."

"We decided that we don't speak about it because nobody wants -- I mean, the United States doesn't want -- escalation," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president said during the session with reporters that his country has "thousands" of drones, but "doesn't have Tomahawks."

"[It] is another, technological, war. You don't just use Tomahawks. If you want to target a military goal, you need thousand of drones. It goes together," he said.

When asked if the United States was interested in Ukrainian drones, Trump responded: "We are." He then suggested that Ukraine makes "a very good drone."

On the eve of Zelenskyys visit to Washington, Trump announced that he and Putin has spoken by phone -- a call made at the Kremlin's request -- and had agreed to a possible Budapest summit between the two leaders.

Speaking opposite Zelenskyy at the White House meeting, Trump said Putin "wants to end the war," while the Ukrainian president said Putin doesn't want peace and called for more pressure to be put on the Kremlin to bring it to the negotiating table.

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.









Trump, asked if he was concerned that the Russian president could be trying to buy more time for Moscow's war efforts, Trump said, "Yeah, I am."

"Ive been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well. So it's possible, yeah, a little time, it's all right," Trump said. "But I think he wants to make a deal."

To some observers it appeared that Trump's policy had been directed by Putin.

Weve seen this movie before and I wish I could say this time its going to be different, but there is absolutely no reason to believe its going to be different, former US diplomat Richard Haass told CNN.

Trump is right to want peace. Hes right to press for it, but his own policy is undermining his own goal because hes not putting enough pressure on Vladimir Putin, who continues to believe that time is on his side, Haass added.

The surprise conversation between Trump and Putin caught the Ukrainian delegation in Washington off guard, as it was seeking the sale of US-made missiles and air-defense systems amid Russias relentless attacks on the countrys civilian and energy infrastructure.

Moscow has previously warned Washington not to provide Ukraine with Tomahawks, with Putin saying that such deliveries would represent a "completely new stage of escalation" between the United States and Russia.

On October 17, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban -- one of Putins only allies in the EU -- also spoke with the Russian leader, pledging full cooperation to host any possible summit in Budapest.

"Preparations are going full steam ahead!" he said in a Facebook post, appearing to signal that Hungary would not seek to arrest Putin under the International Criminal Courts arrest warrant.

European Commission spokesman Olof Gill told reporters in Brussels that the bloc welcomes "any meeting that moves forward the process of achieving a just and lasting peace for Ukraine."

Trump, who took office pledging to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours, has been repeatedly frustrated by the lack of progress in reaching even a cease-fire, let alone a lasting peace treaty.

In addition to his first summit with Putin in Alaska in August, the two have spoken by phone at least eight times, while White House envoy Steve Witkoff has met with Putin in Moscow at least five times.

Trumps position toward Putin -- and toward Moscows war overall -- has shifted perceptibly in recent months as Russia continues to grind forward on the battlefield and batter Ukrainian cities and towns, including their electricity grid and natural gas infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a swarm of Russian drones attacked his hometown in Ukraine on the eve of his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.

Zelenskyy said the attack on Kryviy Rih in southeastern Ukraine late on October 16 was an example of how Russia is still terrorizing Ukraine, and he said there were dozens more attack drones in our skies and missiles were also spotted.

In fact, not a single night in recent weeks has passed without Russian strikes on Ukraine and most of the targets are infrastructure, Zelenskyy said on X after arriving in Washington ahead of his meeting with Trump.

Zelenskyy said Russia will be forced to stop the war only when it is no longer able to continue it, and the way Russia can show its true readiness for peace lies not in words but in ceasing the strikes and killings.

Therefore, every air defense system for Ukraine matters, he said. Every decision that can strengthen us brings the end of the war closer. Security can be guaranteed if everything we have agreed on, including here in Washington, is implemented.

The talks between Trump and Zelenskyy are expected to include discussions on Ukraine's air defenses and long-range strike capabilities, including the possibility that the US could provide Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles.

Trump made a surprise announcement earlier on October 16 that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken by phone and agreed to meet in Budapest.

Trump said on social media that there would be a meeting of high-level advisers next week before he and Putin sat down "to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end."

The US delegation will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he said. The location for the meeting has yet to be determined.

Trump told reporters at the White House that he expects his meeting with Putin will take place "within two weeks" and will be hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has maintained cordial relations with Russia while questioning sending military aid to Ukraine.

"The planned meeting between the American and Russian presidents is great news for the peace-loving people of the world," Orban said on X . "We are ready!"

Both the Kremlin and the White House praised the phone call between Trump and Putin, calling it "good" and "productive."

Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yury Ushakov said the conversation was "extremely frank and trustful," adding that details would be discussed during a phone call between Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the coming days.

Ushakov said Putin told Trump that supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine would not change the situation on the battlefield but would harm peace efforts and damage ties between Russia and the United States.

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.









Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram after arriving in Washington that it appeared that Russia was keen to resume dialogue given the possibility of the US sending Tomahawk missiles.

We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he said on X .

Trump and Zelenskyy spoke twice over the weekend amid intensifying discussions about a potential US decision to provide Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. Trump has not ruled out doing so, but on October 16 said the United States can't "deplete" its own Tomahawk stocks.

The weapons have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers  long enough to reach Moscow from Ukraine -- and can be equipped with nuclear warheads. Trump described them as a "vicious, offensive, and incredibly destructive weapon," adding, "Nobody wants Tomahawks shot at them."

Trump said he mentioned Tomahawks to Putin during their call, and the Russian leader "didnt like the idea."
Hamilton takes its storytelling legacy into new territory with Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, the first-ever adaptation of Ubisoft's acclaimed stealth-action video game franchise, "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell."

Premiering globally October 14, 2025, on Netflix, the adult animation thriller ushers in a new chapter for the acclaimed video game franchise. Produced by Ubisoft in partnership with Derek Kolstad (John Wick), Sun Creature, and Fost, the series stars Liev Schreiber (The French Dispatch) and Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Killing Eve).

Hamilton watches are central to the narrative. The Ventura Quartz is worn during a gripping and tense sequence by Zinnia McKenna, a young operative who seeks out help from legendary agent, Sam Fisher. The Ventura Quartz is a watch that defies convention, much like the new generation stepping into the shadows. Fisher himself is defined by two Hamilton icons: the Khaki Field Expedition, a watch built for precision, durability and discretion, just like him; and the Khaki Navy Frogman, the perfect complement to the ultimate field agent  rugged, precise and unflinching under pressure. Meanwhile, the Khaki Aviation X-Wind Sandstorm is key to the plot of the series as it holds a hidden secret that could have massive repercussions on the geopolitical landscape.
Most people have heard how many top Nazis such as Hitler, Himmler, Goebbels and Goering took their own lives at the end of the Third Reich, and how some defeated military commanders such as Model, Rommel and Kluge did the same. Moviegoers and history buffs may also know that Tresckow and Beck, two leaders of the failed Hitler assassination plot  Operation Valkyrie  also committed suicide. Downfall (Der Untergang), a 2004 German-language historical war drama film, depicts the final days of Adolf Hitler and his staff holed up in the subterranean bunker headquarters known as the Fuhrerbunker. Scene after scene shows Hitler and many government and military officials committing suicide by pistol and poison after learning of Germanys defeat. Yet most suicides in the bloody twilight of National Socialist Germany were by ordinary people  a housewife who drowned her young children and then hanged herself, or an entire family consuming poison in one final, fatal gathering.

In Promise Me Youll Shoot Yourself: The Downfall of Ordinary Germans, 1945, German historian Florian Huber tells the story of the tens of thousands of civilians who killed themselves in a collective madness driven by hopelessness and fear of Soviet Army revenge. Huber, a producer of several international award-winning documentaries, begins his book in the small town of Demmin (northeastern Germany), where a shocking wave of 700 suicides took place  10% of the population  as the Soviet Red Army closed in on the town. People of all ages, professions and classes killed themselves, often taking their babies and children to their graves. It was as if the will to die had overcome everyone, writes Huber.

The young wife of a Wehrmacht lieutenant strangled her three-year-old son with a rope and then hanged herself. A 71-year-old health insurance administrator, his wife and daughter all hanged themselves after killing their young grandchildren. In the Gunther family home, 12 people died  some poisoned themselves, some slit their wrists, and some were shot with a hunting rifle. Huber describes the horror of a witness to multiple gang rapes by Soviet soldiers (almost two million German women were sexually assaulted at the end of the war). Afterward, many of the rape victims staggered down to the Tollense River and drowned themselves. Some led their children by the hand into the river after loading stones into their pockets, purses and backpacks, unwittingly emulating Virginia Woolfs suicide in 1941.

These are just a few of the gruesome scenes recounted by Huber, who was most deeply affected by one dreadful story. The groundskeeper for the Demmin cemetery kept a list of all the dead who arrived in those terrible times. There were hundreds and hundreds of names  men, women and children  and their ages and cause of death. It was a horrific, handwritten list. Number 135 on the list was a girl, barely a year old, who died on May 1, 1945, strangled by her grandfather, it says. It affected me so much that I couldnt even include it in the book, and it still haunts me to this day.

Leipzig municipal official Ernst Kurt Lisso with his wife Renate and daughter Regina after all three committed suicide by cyanide in April 1945. Administracion Nacional de Archivos y Registros de Estados Unidos (NARA)

The mass rape of German women by conquering soldiers, especially Soviet soldiers, followed by mass suicides, became a taboo subject in post-war Germany, as vividly described in Antony Beevors, The Fall of Berlin 1945. They were completely taboo subjects for decades in our country. The stories were banned in communist East Germany because they would have reflected poorly on the glorious Red Army. Later on, no one wanted to talk about the mass suicides because those who took their lives didnt fit with the preconceptions of Germans living under the Third Reich  they were neither villains nor victims, said Huber. As a result, they were forgotten until I published my book. How many people are we talking about? My research clearly indicates that the number must be in the tens of thousands, from all over Germany. However, in the chaotic final days of the war, official statistics, documentation and medical reports almost ceased to exist. So, its impossible to give an exact figure.

Surprisingly, more civilians and ordinary people committed suicide than members of the military. One of my most startling findings is that the phenomenon was by no means limited to hardcore Nazis, who really had a lot to fear. In fact, it was men, women and children alike, young and old, workers and businessmen, nurses and doctors, a kaleidoscope of German society. It could hit anybody. These mass suicides were by no means exclusive to Nazis, but were the outcome of a widespread feeling of doom throughout German society.

The mass psychology of Nazism

Hubers book explains the mass psychology of Nazism that led inexorably to suicide after defeat. Lets not forget that during the Third Reich, the German people had lived in a permanent state of emergency and turmoil for 12 years. During the first few years before the war, everything was hope and glory, devotion and love for the Fuhrer. At the outset of the war, there was an overwhelming feeling of pride, power, superiority and hatred. Then, in the last years of the war, those feelings were replaced by pain, fear, despair and even self-loathing. This all culminated in the devastating experience of the annihilation facing the hallowed fatherland.

There were many more suicides in the Soviet-occupied areas of Germany than in the Allied-occupied areas, says Huber, even though one of the best-known multiple suicides happened in the Leipzig town hall, one of the cities taken by American forces. For years, Nazi propaganda had hammered fear of the Mongol monsters into the hearts of the German people. When the Red Army finally crossed into Germany from the east, Soviet soldiers did in fact commit many atrocities against civilians. There is no doubt that there were more suicides in Soviet-occupied Germany than elsewhere. Again without having exact figures, I estimate that the ratio must be at least 20 to 1, even though some of the most dramatic and rare photos of German suicides were taken in Leipzig. As I write in my book, two female war photographers traveling with the Allied troops  Lee Miller and Margaret Bourke-White  took those unforgettable pictures of Germans, including entire families, who had killed themselves just minutes earlier. Its remarkable that the best photos of this phenomenon were taken by two women.

The current suicide epidemic leads us to wonder how easy it might be to take your own life. But how could so many people make such a terrible decision and then actually carry through with it? Committing suicide is never easy and whoever does it must be in an extreme mental state, said Huber. In 1945, many factors in Germany converged to create this state of mind: fear of violence and Russian revenge, a feeling of guilt and complicity, hopelessness, and the loss of homes and loved ones. This all produced a certain contagious atmosphere, and when so many people are killing themselves, people tend to follow. As one witness to those dark days observed: Death has lost its majesty and has become an everyday event.

Walter Doenicke, a major in the Volkssturm national militia, lies on the floor of Leipzig city hall after committing suicide. Administracion Nacional de Archivos y Registros de Estados Unidos (NARA)

People used any available means to kill themselves: hanging, shooting, stabbing, slashing wrists, poisoning and drowning. Many even killed their children first, said Huber, who deliberately focused on ordinary Germans instead of military or political figures. But of course, many high-ranking officers committed suicide as well, By one count, 53 army generals, 14 air force generals, and 11 admirals killed themselves, and these were only the top-level officials.

Downfall vividly depicts the horrific self-extermination of the Goebbels family as Magda Goebbels, that Medea of Hitlerism, poisons her own children. Some Nazis committed suicide when they learned that Hitler was dead, because they wanted to continue following their Fuhrer, said Huber, but Adolf Hitlers demise had little to do with the mass suicides because many Germans no longer cared about the leader, and because radio broadcasts reported that he died heroically in battle, not by his own hand. So Hitlers death was a final, big lie.

There are other historical events similar to the German mass suicides, said Huber. In 73 AD, a thousand people in the Jewish fortress of Masada killed themselves while under siege by the Romans. During the 1945 Battle of Okinawa, many Japanese civilians, including entire families, committed suicide as Japanese defenses crumbled. Could this happen today? I dont see any conflict today that would provoke a reaction on that scale, said Huber. The circumstances of Germanys defeat in 1945 were exceptional and are unlikely to be repeated.
Job and Education Promised to Wife and Children of Deceased ASI Sandeep Kumar Lather: Khattar

the root cause behind the deaths of both ASI Sandeep Kumar Lather and IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar was a social evil

Job and Education Promised to Wife and Children of Deceased ASI Sandeep Kumar Lather Latest News: Union Minister for Urban Development and Energy Manohar Lal Khattar, on October 16, met the family members of the late Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kumar Lather at PGIMS, Rohtak.

Khattar assured them of all possible support from the government.

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While speaking to the media, Khattar stated that the family had requested a government job for the ASIs widow and financial assistance for the education of his children. He said that, as per their request, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has agreed to provide both.

The minister also stated that the ASI would be cremated with honour and dignity. All other benefits due to the family under government rules will also be provided, he added.

Khattar further stated that the root cause behind the deaths of both ASI Sandeep Kumar Lather and IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar was a social evil that needs to be addressed.

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He assured that an impartial investigation would be conducted into both incidents to ensure justice for the families.

(For more news apart from Job and Education Promised to Wife and Children of Deceased ASI Sandeep Kumar Lather: Khattar, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Hyderabad Man Offered Job in construction, Trapped On Russia-Ukraine Border "Forced" To Fight In War (Representative Image)

The Embassy will keep the family informed on any further updates regarding Ahmed, the official further said

Hyderabad Mohammed Ahmed Trapped On Russia-Ukraine Border "Forced" To Fight In War, Latest News: A 37-year-old man from Hyderabad, who was offered a job in a construction company in Russia, is trapped on the Russia-Ukraine border and allegedly "forced" to fight in the war after being "duped" by a Mumbai-based agent, his family said here.

Mohammed Ahmed's wife has written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and requested him to rescue and repatriate her husband.

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In a video message, Ahmed said, "The place where I am is border and war is going on. We four Indians refused to go (into the warzone). They threatened us to fight and pointed a weapon at me and another person. There is plaster on my leg. Don't leave the agent. The agent trapped and brought me here (Russia). The agent did not offer me work. I was forcibly brought here on the pretext of (giving) job".

In the letter addressed to Jaishankar, Ahmed's wife said a Mumbai-based consultancy firm offered a job to her husband in a construction company in Russia.

As per their agreement, Ahmed left India in April 2025 and reached Russia. She said there was no work for nearly one month, and later her husband, along with 30 others, was shifted to a remote area and given weapons training forcibly.

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"After training, 26 persons were taken to the border area to fight the Ukrainian Army. While being taken to the border area, Ahmed jumped from the Army vehicle due to which he suffered a fracture in his right leg. He refused to fight. But, he is being threatened to either fight against the Ukrainian Army or get killed," Ahmed's wife said.

Ahmed's family members, including his wife, met AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi here on Thursday and requested him to help bring Ahmed back to Hyderabad.

Owaisi wrote to the MEA and requested it to look into the matter and get Ahmed repatriated from Russia to India.

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An official from the Indian Embassy in Moscow wrote to Owaisi stating that they have shared the details of Ahmed with the Russian authorities and have requested for ensuring his early discharge from the Russian Army and safe repatriation to India.

"The Embassy has been following up on all cases of Indian nationals in the Russian Army on priority," the official said.

The Embassy will keep the family informed on any further updates regarding Ahmed, the official further said. (PTI)

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(For more news apart from Hyderabad Man Offered Job in construction,Trapped On Russia-Ukraine Border "Forced" To Fight In War , stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
'Shatabdi March' to commemorate 100 years of Gandhi's visit to Darjeeling from Oct 18 (Representative Image)

Gandhi stayed with Das from June 4-9 at 'Step Aside', a villa in Darjeeling where the latter breathed his last a few days later

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway's 'Shatabdi March' to commemorate 100 years of Mahatma Gandhis visit to the Queen of Hills will commence from October 18, an official said on Friday.

The march, to be held over successive weekends, retraces the historic route taken by Gandhi to Siliguri in the plains from Darjeeling, reflecting his ideals of peace, simplicity and harmony with nature, he said.

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It was earlier scheduled to commence from October 5, but had been postponed owing to torrential rain that triggered landslides and floods in several places in sub-Himalayan West Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts.

"The Shatabdi March will now commence from October 18 from Darjeeling railway station at 8 am," the DHR official said.

Spread over five weekends, the march will retrace the route of Gandhis journey along the DHR, symbolically connecting the stations and communities that witnessed his presence a century ago, he said.

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In June 1925, Gandhi travelled to Darjeeling to meet the ailing Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, a leader, lawyer and founder of the Swaraj Party, he said.

Gandhi stayed with Das from June 4-9 at 'Step Aside', a villa in Darjeeling where the latter breathed his last a few days later, and engaged in vital discussions on the future of the freedom struggle against the British Raj, the official said.

The initiative is being organised in collaboration with some NGOs.

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The march will proceed in stages over successive weekends, beginning from Darjeeling to Ghum and culminating at Siliguri Town in November, 2025, he added. (PTI)

(For more news apart from 208'Shatabdi March' to commemorate 100 years of Gandhi's visit to Darjeeling from Oct 18, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Editorial: Taliban Do Not Want To Become Pakistan's Puppet

But points like the Durand Line help keep the emotional fire burning.

Rozana Spokesman Latest Editorial: Taliban Do Not Want To Become Pakistan's Puppet: Although a two-day temporary ceasefire has been in place between Pakistan and Afghanistan since Wednesday evening, the two sides still do not seem to be ready to reach an agreement. From the statements of Pakistani ministers and the ongoing media propaganda, it seems that the country has taken the seven-day visit of Taliban government Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttahida Qadri to India as an anti-Pakistan move and has chosen the path of increasing border tensions to teach the Taliban a lesson.

On the other hand, the Afghan government is also giving indications that it will not bow down to Pakistani bullying. Although it has negligible air power, it has been targeting Pakistani border posts with ground troops. Road trade between the two countries has come to a standstill and this is causing huge economic losses to both countries.

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Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claims that the ceasefire was implemented in view of the Pakistani request. He also said that if Pakistan bombs Afghan soil again, it will be responded to more brutally and the bilateral war will not be limited to one region but will spread to the entire border. On the other hand, the Pakistani spokesperson, explaining the reason for the ceasefire, said that wise countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia wanted the fratricidal war to end as soon as possible. Therefore, as the elder brother, Pakistan has appealed to the Afghan Taliban to stop the attacks and adopt the path of dialogue.

In fact, it is the elder brothers coin-operated policy that has alienated the Afghan Taliban from Pakistan. When the Taliban returned to Afghan government in 2021, the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI The presence of the then head of the ISI, Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid, in Kabul and his interference in the internal affairs of the Taliban had created the impression that the Pakistani government wanted to keep the Taliban government under its control. The Pakistani government has not made any serious effort to remove this impression. On the contrary, the Afghan government has been trying to show that it is not under the thumb of Pakistan or the ISI.

That is why it first approached the Indian government and invited it to become a partner in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. American diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad, who facilitated the Doha (Qatar) talks between the Taliban and the Biden administration, says, If the Pakistani government (or army) had not strengthened Daesh (the Islamic State) to destabilize the Taliban, Afghan support for the TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) would have been easily cut off. The path to peace between the two neighboring countries has to start from Islamabad. If Pakistan does not show goodwill towards this, its border with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province will never be peaceful.

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The Afghan-Pakistan relationship has never been a stable one. It has been sometimes friendly, sometimes hostile. The Afghans have never accepted the Durand Line, which defines the Pak-Afghan border, as a permanent border. They have argued that this 2640 km long border line was forcibly imposed on the Afghans by the British rule of the Indian subcontinent after the Third Anglo-Afghan War of 1919. They have been considering the entire Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province as Afghan territory. This Afghan stand is anathema to Pakistan. Borders are not easy to change, especially in the present times.

But points like the Durand Line help keep the emotional fire burning. Such a phenomenon is happening even now. India is getting the benefit of partners partner  our friend from this situation. That is why Pakistan has been alleging that the TTP is also getting arms and ammunition from India, as well as medical and financial assistance. Despite such a situation, the need of the hour is that the violent confrontation should end as soon as possible. The real loss from the violence is being done to the civilian population of both the countries. They have not been able to enjoy peace for many decades. A little diplomatic bargaining can make the return of peace possible. The beginning should be with the current ceasefire.
The Spanish banking giants attempt to grasp control of Banco Sabadell ended in failure after 17 months of struggle, yet its own shares in the U.S. rose 6.7%. The deal would have created one of Europes largest lenders by assets

The Spanish banking giant BBVAs attempt to grasp control of Banco Sabadell ended in failure after 17 months of struggle, yet its own shares in the U.S. rose 6.7%. The deal would have created one of Europes largest lenders by assets.

What happened?

The hostile 17 billion ($19.96 billion) takeover bid launched by BBVA against the smaller Banco Sabadell in April 2024 only convinced 25.33% of Sabadell shareholders, short of the minimum 30% of voting rights required to go ahead with the operation, Spains market regulator CNMV said in a statement on Thursday. As a result, the public offer has had a negative outcome and is rendered null and void.

Founded in Spains northern Basque region, BBVA is now the countrys second-largest bank and it has a significant presence in Latin America as well as other global markets. Securing 50% of shares would have given it outright control over the Catalonia-based Sabadell, Spains fourth-largest bank. Surpassing the 30% threshold would have allowed the process to move forward and even opened the door to a second offer. Failure to do so automatically renders the takeover bid void and forces BBVA to refrain from any further attempts for at least a year.

How did things get to this point?

The fight between BBVA and Sabadell did not begin with this takeover bid. The Spanish banking giant had already attempted a merger in 2020, a move that failed as well. Following that refusal, BBVA decided to launch a hostile takeover bid seeking to gain control of the Catalan bank.

During the 17 months of dispute, Sabadell defended its independence with the support of its minority shareholders and part of the Catalan business community. Sabadell leaders had recommended that shareholders reject the offer.

Immediate reaction

As soon as the result of the vote was known, BBVA announced that it would resume payouts to its shareholders and conduct share buybacks worth 1 billion during October and November. At BBVA, we look towards the future with confidence and enthusiasm, said BBVA chairman Carlos Torres Vila in a statement.

Paradoxically, BBVA shares in the United States celebrated the failure of the takeover bid. The news sent ADRs (American Depositary Receipts, the assets under which the bank is listed on Wall Street) up 10%, reaching a high of $19.99 per share, to close the trading day up 6.7% at $19.48. These gains underscore that the operation that BBVA was so keen to pursue was difficult to justify financially in the eyes of the market.

What now?

The banking war between the two Spanish giants appears to have ended, at least for now, with a clear winner that had fought to preserve its independence. BBVA is closing the chapter, and its roadmap will once again focus on organic growth and profitability. Sabadell, for its part, emerges from the fight with a stronger reputation.

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Cyber Threats Around Us

Every day, millions of cyber attacks are launched in the world

atac cibernetic securitate hacker foto pixabay

Corina Cristea, 17.10.2025, 13:52

Every day, millions of cyber attacks are launched in the world. They target large companies, but also ordinary people, so what once seemed like a problem only for IT professionals, today has come to concern us all. Romania is no exception  the level of cyber threats remains high, and the year 2024 brought an intensification of risks to the national civilian cyberspace, experts in the field say. The annual report of the National Directorate of Cyber Security reveals that over 27 million relevant events were detected by sensors installed or configured by the institution, most of which were attempts to infiltrate infrastructures or scans aimed at collecting information. Dan Cimpean, director of the National Directorate of Cyber Security (track): In cyberspace, in virtual space, obviously, a wide variety of activities are taking place. Some malicious, those that we face every day, permanently, as simple users or as institutions, but also, obviously, a lot of events, operations that are legitimate, are of a nature to improve cyber security. Let me give you some examples of events that we at the Directorate detect or that are reported to us. They are, first and foremost, scans for vulnerabilities, then attempts to take unauthorized control of user accounts, over IT infrastructures. Also, smaller or less sophisticated attacks on these infrastructure elements. Anything, from websites to social media accounts of users or organizations or other categories of infrastructure. So, a very wide variety from a technical point of view and, what can I say, these are carried out on a permanent basis. So, they are carried out very much in an automated manner and, unfortunately, since artificial intelligence has intervened and greatly improved our lives and activities, unfortunately, however, the same artificial intelligence is also used by malicious actors to improve their attack methods. So, we are faced with a lot of scans, with a lot of attempts to corrupt and crack passwords, to take over some infrastructure elements. From laptops, servers, tablets, websites, to very complex infrastructures.

A simple wrong click can open the door to a cyber attack. Most attacks are not sophisticated, say specialists in the field, but they take advantage of peoples inattention. A fake link, a weak password or an application downloaded from an insecure source can compromise a system. And many users, including some institutions, still do not have modern protection measures implemented. In Romania, phishing or ransomware attacks are among the most common. Hackers use seemingly legitimate emails to trick users into providing passwords or banking information. Other times, they encrypt a computers data and demand money to unlock it. Its happening everywhere. But cyber threats arent just about money. In recent years, attacks on critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and energy grids, have become national security issues. At the same time, cyber threats are also found in Russias hybrid warfare in the context of its confrontation with Ukraine.

Again, Dan Cimpean:

It is a reality that attempts to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, availability of data, which are the cyber domain, the domain in which the Directorate operates, overlap greatly with the disinformation campaign, the propagation of fake news, for a very simple reason: many attack vectors are identical, they are common. And let me give you a very simple example, which we, at the Directorate, have observed for many years, not just since 2019: any or almost any significant event, political, social, sporting, is immediately followed or preceded by cyber attacks. Often, attackers use what is happening in the real world or in virtual space, the news, these events, to launch malicious messages, messages that guide us, as simple users, to malicious sites, from where we can be contaminated with viruses, malware or where, obviously illegally, our user data is captured. So there is a very interesting and very sophisticated overlap of these areas, so in general we can say very, very clearly  we are facing a hybrid phenomenon, in which purely cyber operations, but also disinformation, influence and so on, overlap and are, in many cases, executed by the same actors.

How can we protect ourselves from all these types of attacks? Specialists say that prevention is the key. The first measures are related to the use of complex passwords, two-step authentication and constant updating of systems. But, above all, digital education matters, so that each new generation becomes more aware, not more vulnerable.
October 17, 2025 UPDATE

A roundup of local and world news

October 17, 2025 UPDATE

Newsroom, 17.10.2025, 20:22

VISIT Romanian Foreign Minister, Oana Toiu, attended a working session entitled the Beyond Borders, a European Union with 35 members, part of the State of Europe 2025 conference staged by the European think thank Friends of Europe. The session was also attended by the president of Montenegro, Jakov Milatovic, and the Republic of Moldovas Deputy Prime Minister for European integration, Cristina Gherasimov. In her address, the Romanian Foreign Minister, reiterated Romanias firm commitment to stepping up the enlargement process on its two dimensions  the Eastern vicinity and the Western Balkans. The Romanian official congratulated the Republic of Moldova and Montenegro on the significant progress made in their EU accession process, as the two countries recently became part of the Single Euro Payments Area, SEPA.

GDP Romanias Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, told the public radio that in 2026 the interests Romania is going to pay for the credits it contracted would stay at 3% of the GDP. Bolojan explained that recent years saw an accelerated rise in loans adding the Executive would impose investment. On the other hand, the Prime Minister underlined the need for cutting expenses in local and central administration, with regards to staff spending. He also said that expense cuts dont have to be uniform. In 2024 Romanias budget deficit exceeded 9% of the GDP, the highest in the European Union.

BLAST Three people have lost their lives in the extremely powerful explosion that occurred, on Friday morning, at a residential building in Bucharest. 13 victims, among who two in a serious condition, were rushed to the hospital. Two floors of the eight-story building were affected. The head of the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU), Raed Arafat, declared that the building was at risk of collapse and was completely evacuated. He specified that the area would remain secure. A nearby high school was evacuated. A RO-ALERT message was also issued warning the population to avoid the area if they do not absolutely need to go there.

REFORM The Development Minister Cseke Attila said it was essential for the Romanian government and the governing coalition to quickly make a decision on the reform of local administration. He also warned that prolonging the discussions affects the political process and efficiency at the local level. Cseke Attila said that the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), the party he belongs to, advocates a differentiated approach from one locality to another, because it is not fair to force even the city halls that have proven efficient to make spending cuts.

(bill)
Talks on the reform of the local public administration

The ruling coalition is yet to reach an agreement with respect to the final form of the local administration reform.

The Bolojan cabinet / Photo: gov.ro

Daniela Budu, 17.10.2025, 14:00

After more than two months of talks and several meetings postponed, the reform of the local administration is still in a deadlock. The ruling coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania is yet to reach an agreement on the final form of the reform of the local administration and, implicitly, the number of public servants from town halls and county councils to be made redundant.

Prime minister Ilie Bolojan is in favour of effectively sacking around 13,000 budget employees, while the Social Democratic Party says mayors and ministers should decide the ways to reduce spending, whether its dismissals, salary cuts or cutting bonuses. At a meeting this week, the Social Democrats also presented their own economic reform package and wanted it to be adopted together with the administrative reform.

In another move, the government has decided to postpone for next week the amendments to Emergency Order no. 52 that prevents mayors to commit to excessive spending on repairs and purchases towards the end of the year. The authorities said as early as last week that they would amend the order, after a number of mayors from around the country threatened to block the activity of town halls.

In a press conference, development minister Cseke Attila said its essential for the government and the ruling coalition to make a decision on the reform of the local public administration as soon as possible and warned that prolonging talks affects the political process and local efficiency. He said his party, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, is in favour of a differentiated approach from one locality to another, because it is not fair for efficient town halls to also have to make spending cuts. He added that no redundancy is needed in around 700 territorial administrative units. Cseke Attila:

I dont think its fair to apply the same measure to everyone, as long as there are public authorities, town halls, mayors, if you like, who have managed public money efficiently, where the organisation chart is not full and where we should not make significant reductions. We have proposed the coalition to apply a percentage of 30%, which in the end results in a reduction of occupied posts of 10.2%.

Cseke Attila also proposed a different way of ranking localities that no longer correspond to current population criteria. Therefore, a number of localities would become cities, as they number more than 40,000 inhabitants. Moreover, he added, if these proposals are accepted, 45 communes around the country will become towns, because they number over 10,000 inhabitants.
James Fahey

Frederick Hashimoto Courtesy

CORRALES  Corrales will hold a debate forum for candidates vying for the mayor seat Oct. 21 in the Recreation Center New Gym on Jones Road.

The village council approved an item for the event application in the consent agenda during the regular meeting Oct. 14. The gym will be closed to all other activities during the forum.

After candidate Bob Eichhorst dropped out of the race, the two remaining candidates are incumbent Mayor James Fahey and his opponent, Frederick Hashimoto. Eichhorst publicly announced his resignation from candidacy when the village council voted to defend the U.S. constitution in September.

According to the nonpartisan League of Women Voters voter guide to the local election in Sandoval County, both Fahey and Hashimoto have made one of their priorities the water availability in the village. Fahey states that a 40-year water plan is already in the works. The village also recently gained a step forward with the Corrales siphon project. Hashimoto focused more on the preservation of the rural character of the village, stating they should protect agriculture and wells.

The two shared similar thoughts on traffic congestion but differed slightly on the execution of inspiring safety. Fahey alluded to recent talks with New Mexicos Department of Transportation to study Corrales Road, which locals have said in spots poses a danger to drivers and foot traffic alike, and other roads in the village, though, he does not believe much can be done except to slow traffic down for the safety of foot traffic. Hashimoto agreed with the inclusion of NMDOT but stated he does not favor new roads nor increased tourism. Fahey did not specify his views on either of these points in the guide.

Lastly, the guide asks the candidates of possible federal funding cut impacts to the village.

We have been fiscally responsible and putting aside some of the additional revenue we have received to provide a buffer for the community as the economy suffers, Faheys statement reads.

The Village gets very little federal funding, and public services and vital operations are not dependent on them. When applying for project funding, consideration should be given to whether that is durable. Ideally, requests should be fact-based and nonpartisan, Hashimotos statement reads.

The forum is set for 6:30-7:30 p.m. and is open to village residents. The Observer is working on arrangements to live stream the forum.
RIO RANCHO  A community informational meeting on the proposed Project Ranger facility is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, in the cafeteria of Cielo Azul Elementary School.

Sandoval County finds itself as a finalist for a proposed project from Castelion Corporation that would create a 1,000-acre rocket motor production facility for the manufacturing and testing of next-generation hypersonic systems, according to an August press release from the New Mexico Economic Development Department. It would be located in a few miles west of Rio Rancho within the county.

During the meeting, representatives from the project team will be present to provide information and answer questions from the community.

All interested community members are invited to attend.
Singapore will on Friday release September numbers for non-oil domestic exports, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In August, NODX were down 8.9 percent on month and 11.3 percent on year.

South Korea will see September figures for import and export prices and unemployment. In August, import prices fell 2.2 percent on year and export prices slipped an annual 1.0 percent. The jobless rate was 2.6 percent.

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Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, supported the company's choice to loosen ChatGPT's content restrictions by claiming that it is "not the elected moral police of the world."

His remarks followed intense criticism of OpenAI's decision to permit specific adult-oriented content, such as erotica, for verified users.

Altman stated on X that the foundation of OpenAI's strategy is "treating adult users like adults," while upholding boundaries around potentially harmful content.

He emphasized that OpenAI will continue to filter harmful content even as it permits more expressive forms of content creation, drawing a comparison between the policy and society's approach to age restrictions for movies.

The policy change is in contradiction to Altman's previous remarks, in which he took pride in opposing the creation of features like "sex bot avatars," even though they might increase user engagement. Additionally, OpenAI's decision coincides with increased regulatory scrutiny.

In September, the Federal Trade Commission opened an investigation into the potential harm that chatbots like ChatGPT could cause to children, and OpenAI is being sued for wrongful death in connection with a teen suicide that was purportedly caused by ChatGPT.

The company has responded by implementing new parental controls, an age prediction system for users under the age of 18, and a council of experts to provide safety and mental advice.

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Business News
The European Commission has released funding for Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia as part of the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. This decision acknowledges the significant reforms partners have made to better align with EU standards, the Commission said.

Albania will receive its first disbursement of 99.3 million euro, out of which 46.2 million euro will be paid directly to the state budget, and the remaining funds will support infrastructure projects through the Western Balkans Investment Framework, or WBIF.

Montenegro is to receive its second disbursement of 8.1 million euro, including 3.8 million euro paid directly to the state budget and the rest earmarked for infrastructure projects via the WBIF.

North Macedonia will receive its second disbursement amounting to 16 million euro, with 7.4 million euro paid directly to the state budget and the rest funding infrastructure projects through the WBIF.

Once approved by the WBIF Board, these funds will support infrastructure projects in areas such as sustainable transport, clean energy, digital and human capital development, in close cooperation with Western Balkan partners and international financial institutions.

Since the start of the Western Balkans Growth Plan, the total amounts disbursed add up to 99.3 million euro for Albania, 18.3 million euro for Montenegro, and 25 million euro for North Macedonia. The Growth Plan incentivises enlargement partners' preparations for EU membership, by bringing forward benefits ahead of full integration into the EU. This in turn accelerates the speed of the enlargement process and the growth of their economies, the European Commission said in a press release.

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Business News
Mariam at the Aboya headquarters north of Dakar. Mariam has been living with HIV since 2007. In 2014, she started to accompany other women in their diagnosis and treatment.

Mariam, a Senegalese mediator for the NGO Aboya who has been living with HIV since 2007, lowers her head and cries. In recent months, three of the patients she monitored to ensure they took their medication have died. She says that, due to the cuts in international aid, patients have faced difficulties in accessing their treatments consistently and discreetly with the help of a counselor.

We even used to pay for people with disabilities to go to their appointments. We cant anymore, says Mariam who is a volunteer in the only NGO in the country that serves women living with HIV. Discrimination is intense; Mariam is still afraid of being discriminated against and asks EL PAIS not to use her real name and to photograph her from behind.

I also dont have transport provided now. But I cant give up, so I pay for it myself and visit them at their homes so they can continue their treatment. Today I am strong thanks to the fact that I also had a mentor, she says during aninterview in a secret location to the north of Senegals capital, Dakar.

This is how Aboya has been operating since 2001, benefiting nearly 500 women and their children in three regions of Senegal, and guaranteeing their anonymity. Due to the slashing of funds from donors such as the United States, 15% of Aboyas activities were suspended. Ndeye Astou Diop, president of Aboya, explains that, due to suspension of USAID, its mediators are no longer able to work in the care centers.

If mediators like Mariam do not visit patients, some of whom have been rejected by their families, there is no guarantee that they will take their meds and their physical and mental state cannot be monitored. This is one of the countries where people with HIV suffer the most discrimination: according to the 2024 Stigma Index 2.0, 18% of the population suffered stigmatization due to their HIV status, which adversely affects their diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Thats why mediators and community workers are vital.

In 2024, Senegal had 48,000 people living with HIV, according to UNAIDS data. Of these, 79% were underantiretroviral treatment and 73% no longer carried a viral load. The adult HIV prevalence rate was 0.3 per cent, thethird lowest in West Africa, after Mauritania and Niger. The number of new cases had also decreased since 2022, together with a sustained drop in deaths since 2013.

But this progress is threatened by the closure of USAID and cuts to other funding, according to doctors from the National Council for the Fight against AIDS and the Ambulatory Treatment Center (CTA) in Dakar. The cuts, they say, have especially affected social organizations and community workers who were monitoring, educating and accompanying patients.

Not only is there a lack of resources for the mediators of Aboya and for community workers from other organizations but we have observed a very rapid decline in all prevention-related activities, said Dr. Fatoumata Ly, of the National Council for the Fight against AIDS, at a press conference in Dakar. The Council cites a survey in which 59% of actors on the ground and leaders of community organizations reported a reduction in adherence to antiretroviral treatment. This is due to the suspension of support groups and therapeutic education in 24 of the 156 care centers in the country.

Ly also spoke of a decline in the distribution of free condoms, the teaching of awareness and access to daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) pills as well as a rise in the interruption of treatment due to the suspension of appointment reminder systems and problems with HIV data collection. This affects the eight regions of a total 14 in Senegal in which the U.S. Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar)  set up by Republican George W. Bush in 2003  operated. The National Council, whose 2024 budget was 24% dependent on the United States, is still assessing the impacts of the cuts on its operations and its beneficiaries.

Civil society organizations such as the National Alliance of Communities for Health (ANCS), with which some 200 community-based organizations fighting HIV are associated, are also in the process of assessing the impact. We have not lost inputs, but we have lost activities and response capacity, says Debia Dia, the organizations legal representative.

ANCS lost USAID funding for the OVOD project, which provided technical assistance to health regions and districts to identify priority health needs while also providing assistance with communication and pedagogical activities. In all, USAID accounted for 12% of its budget. In January, with the suspension of USAID, there was a sudden cessation of activities in 430 community organizations and 45 community radio stations. Among the worst affected programs were those related to HIV and sexual and reproductive health.

Our moral duty is to continue and strengthen the programs. Otherwise, 20 years of struggle will be lost and all the advances made in our health system will have been in vain Ibrahima Sy, Senegal Minister of Health

At another press conference, Senegals Minister of Health, Ibrahima Sy, said he will assess the effects caused by the cuts in order to mobilize resources from other donors, the private sector and the State. The government, he says, does not rule out raising money through taxes on tobacco and digital transactions. Our moral duty is to continue and strengthen the programs. Otherwise, 20 years of struggle will be lost and all the advances made in our health system will have been in vain, he said, adding that the government will prioritize prevention, to reduce the burden on the health system further down the line. But while the authorities work up a policy, patients are looking for a solution and putting pressure on the services that are still provided by other organizations. For example, the president of Aboya says that women and children who received support from USAID-funded programs are now seeking care in Aboya, which is still supported by resources from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. We also had problems with the distribution of antiretrovirals, but we solved it by mobilizing other partners, says Ndeye Astou Diop. The Global Fund, in turn, does its calculations. This year, amid cuts by several donors, it had to slash 10% of Senegals planned budget. When I arrive in Dakar and they tell me that they count on the Global Fund because the other donors are withdrawing, I tell them that their donors were also our donors. We have the same problems, says Mark Taylor,head of the organizations team in Senegal. The U.S. contributed 33% of the funds resources. If we dont reach our goal [of raising $18 billion for the next funding cycle from 2027 to 2029] this November, were going to have to cut things back, Taylor adds. Key Populations Experts and community organizations warn that the greatest risk is in losing progress with key at-risk cohorts, namely men who have sex with other men (with an HIV prevalence of 27.6%), female sex workers (5.8%) and intravenous drug users (5.2%). We have to be closer to these demographics because they lead clandestine lives, says Fatou Sow,president of the NGO National Network of Key Populations of Senegal (Renapoc), which brings together 37 organizations. The NGO, for example, offers a nursing service so that men who have sex with men or female sex workers can take their daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) pills at its headquarters, with total discretion. Awa, another NGO that works with HIV-infected female sex workers, lost a USAID/Pepfar program that benefited 500 women. Mbaye Boye, spokesperson for AWA, explains to EL PAIS that the project consisted of community-led monitoring. You cant reach them anymore in remote areas. We cannot sensitize them, offer them services in their homes or tell them to take PrEP, she says, adding that among these demographics uncertainty and fear is rife.

Dr. Ndeye Fatou Ngom, president of the Dakar Outpatient Treatment Center. The Global Fund/Vincent Becker

At the Ambulatory Treatment Centre (ATC) at Dakars Fann Hospital, which has been treating HIV patients since 1998, people have started asking questions, such as Now where are we going to go? According to Dr. Ndye Fatou Ngom, president of the CTA, which has treated some 4,800 people since it was set up, depression abounds. In the context of [Donald] Trumps cuts, how are we going to finance our activities? We need medicines, we need to look for the people we have lost sight of, to be on the ground to see what is happening. Stopping activities with these populations will slow down diagnosis and care and reinforce stigmatization, says Ngom who has overseen Senegals progress over the past 20 years. One of the greatest achievements of the CTA is that 96% of its patients now have an undetectable viral load. That milestone is at risk of being reversed, says Dr. Ngom.

Before the government made treatment free in 2001, access was very expensive, explains Ngom. Doctors were reduced to tears because the treatments werent available to everyone. But we made progress, we got free treatment, and the first CTA patients are still alive. But now as our partners withdraw, the question is what will become of us?

Planeta Futuro traveled to Senegal on a press trip organized by the World Fund.

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UNRWA, the UN agency that supports Palestinian refugees, says that it has sufficient food supplies outside Gaza to sustain the population for three months, but Israeli authorities are still blocking its entry despite the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

UNRWA spokesperson Adnan Abu Hasna told UN News that with its unparalleled aid distribution network, the agency must be the backbone of the enhanced relief effort, and if Israel continues to exclude them it would mean "a loss of people's trust."

"We see absolutely no justification for Israel not allowing this massive amount of aid - which cost tens of millions of dollars - into the country."

He said there are still around 12,000 staff working inside Gaza, including some 8,000 teachers who are working to allow 640,000 students to resume their studies following two years of lost education.

Meanwhile, the UN Children's Fund stated that it has more than 1,300 truckloads of life-saving supplies ready to move, emphasizing that humanitarian needs remain immense.

In a social media post on Thursday, UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram described the ongoing challenges faced by relief teams as they await access to deliver critical assistance.

UN aid coordination office OCHA said supplies from Egypt still need to take a long detour to the Kerem Shalom crossing for Israeli checks, pending the opening of the Rafah crossing to aid.

Relief chief Fletcher stressed the need for all the crossings to be open to allow for a massive scale-up in aid.

"The humanitarian community cannot deliver at the scale necessary without international NGO presence and engagement," said UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, briefing the media in New York.

"Currently, the Israeli authorities do not issue visas for a number of international NGOs and do not authorize many of them to send supplies into Gaza."

At the same time, Dujarric pointed to some specific improvements in UN aid delivery: "On Tuesday alone, 21 of our partners distributed nearly 960,000 meals through 175 kitchens. Bakeries that we support produced more than 100,000 two-kilogram bread bundles. UNICEF distributed more than one million baby diapers."

The World Health Organization has been able to deliver three truckloads of surgical and other essential medical supplies to the central pharmacy in Gaza City which will be transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital, serving the needs of around 10,000 people.

WHO has also deployed an international emergency medical team to boost orthopedic surgery and trauma care in Gaza.

UN teams have finished clearing main roads leading to the Erez and Zikim crossings in the shattered areas of northern Gaza in anticipation of their potential re-opening.

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher made his way to Rafah on the southern Gaza border, from the Egyptian capital Cairo, describing the main Rafah crossing as a "vital lifeline for food, medicine, tents and other lifesaving aid."

He told BBC Radio 4 that the role of the "collective international community" was essential for aid delivery, adding that he was in very close touch with the White House "who are determined that we are allowed to deliver at scale."

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Business News
The Canadian market is down sharply in negative territory Friday afternoon due to a sell-off in materials stocks. Concerns about growth after Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Maclem warned that spillovers from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies could weaken the .

Concerns about the of regional banks in the U.S. appear to be weighing as well on sentiment.

Zions Bancorporation, a Utah-based lender, said on Thursday that it would write off $50m on two loans, while Phoenix-headquartered Western Alliance said it had started legal proceedings over a bad loan said to be worth $100m.

The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index was down 334.43 points or 1.1% at 30,124.37 a little while ago. The index had tumbled to 30,030.92 earlier in the session.

The Materials Capped Index is down more than 6%. Only three stocks from the index - Ccl Industries, Nutrien and Winpak, are up in positive territory.

Orla Mining, Endeavur Silver Corp, Perpetua Resources Corp, G Mining Ventures, Aya Gold & Silver, Skeena Resources, Iamgold, Ssr Mining, Kinross Gold Corp, First Majestic Silver Corp and K92 Mining are down 8 to 11%.

In the economic news, foreign investors increased their holdings of Canadian securities by C$25.9 billion in August 2025, slightly below July's C$26.7 billion.

Canada's investment in foreign securities rose by C$19.5 billion in August 2025, gaining momentum from C$17.4 billion in July.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Canadian stocks fell sharply on Friday, extending yesterday's slide as investors assessed the headwinds to the after U.S. attempts to pull businesses from Canada back to the U.S. amid the central bank governor's cautious remarks on the effect of tariffs.

After opening below yesterday's close, the benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index traded firmly negative to finally close at 30,108.48, down by 350.32 points (or 1.15%).

Five of the 11 sectors posted gains today, with consumer staples sector leading the pack.

U.S. President Donald Trump has stepped up his efforts to pull automakers out of Canada and to relocate to the U.S.

Trump imposed tariffs of 50% on steel and aluminum and 25% on Canadian cars and light duty trucks (excluding the value of the vehicle made from the U.S. parts).

On Tuesday, Stellantis announced plans to transfer production of one Jeep model to Illinois from Brampton, Canada.

This move has sparked widespread criticism in Canada. As the economy is already struggling in a hostile scenario with 35% U.S. tariffs on Canadian exports, these new moves are adding to fears of joblessness.

Provoked by Trump's efforts, Canadian opposition leaders and businesses are pressuring Prime Minister Mark Carney to levy more retaliatory taxes on the U.S. However, Carney asserted that neither is he up for that nor is it the time for that, but he reassured that there are indications that the bilateral talks are heading in the right direction.

Carney was earlier criticized for returning "empty-handed" after his meeting with Trump in Washington last week ended without a significant breakthrough in tariff reduction.

Governor of the Bank of Canada Tiff Macklem today stated that he expects growth in the Canadian economy to likely be softer during the second half of 2025 after activity contracted in the second quarter of this year.

Macklem added that the central bank will put more emphasis on the potential risks ahead of rate decisions and warned that spillovers from Trump's tariff policies could weaken the economy.

Macklem's comments gave rise to expectations of a rate cut at the October 29 meeting of the central bank.

In the U.S., global auto parts manufacturer First Brands Group declared bankruptcy close on the heels of the failure of Tricolor Auto Group; an auto retail/finance company. These developments raised doubts on the of lending and credit quality by U.S. lenders in a multi-trillion-dollar credit market.

This triggered panic selling of banking stocks in the U.S. yesterday which also spilled over to the Canadian today.

The renewed U.S.-China trade tension that surfaced last week after China started imposing export curbs on its rare earth exports followed by new 100% retaliatory tariffs by the U.S. is slowly cooling down.

Today, sounding practical, Trump acknowledged that 100% tariffs on China were not sustainable. He also confirmed that he would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks in South Korea to see what happens.

In the U.S., the government shutdown entered day number 17 today.

The closure likely extending to a third week is continuing to shake up investor confidence with key economic data releases standing disrupted.

Carney stated that Canada was reassessing its exposure to China amid trade disputes involving agricultural exports and electric vehicles.

On the economic data front, today was uneventful for Canadian markets.

Major sectors that gained in today's trading were Consumer Staples (1.57%), Communication Services (0.97%), Real Estate (0.80%), Consumer Discretionary (0.40%), and Industrials (0.20%).

Among the individual stocks, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc (2.18%), Loblaw CO (1.89%), Premium Brands Holdings Corp (1.79%), Cogeco Communications Inc (2.86%), and Pet Valu Holdings Ltd (2.58%) were the prominent gainers.

Major sectors that lost in today's trading were Energy (0.25%), IT (0.42%), Healthcare (0.50%), and Materials (6.03%).

Among the individual stocks, Orla Mining Ltd (10.93%), Discovery Silver Corp (10.85%), Endeavor Silver Corp (10.82%), G Mining Ventures Corp (10.47%), and Curaleaf Holdings Inc (8.22%) were the notable losers.

Canada Packers Inc WI (7.22%), Granite Real Estate Investment Trust (4.64%), and Chartwell Retirement Residences (4.37%) were among the prime market-moving stocks today.

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Market Analysis
India currently has only one F1 grade race track, which is Buddh International Circuit (BIC). It is Indias fastest race track and is inviting for enthusiasts to drive fast vehicles to have a jolly drive. That said, driving around a high-riding SUV on this race track feels a bit silly, owing to their high centre of gravity.

However, Mini India thought BIC was the perfect location to launch their new Countryman John Cooper Works All4 in the country. The company even asked media and journalists to feel free to push Countryman JCW on the track without an instructor sitting beside them. We did just that and explored the dynamism of Countryman JCW and heres everything you need to know about it.

Mini Countryman JCW Track Drive Review

The Countryman is Minis SUV range like Cooper is its hatchback range. Currently, Countryman is in its 3rd Gen avatar and it was only available in India with an Electric powertrain. For the first time, 3rd Gen Mini Countryman has been launched in India with an IC engine and were glad that it is the full-blown high-performance John Cooper Works version.

The price Mini is quoting for Countryman JCW All4 is Rs 64.9 lakh (Ex-sh). There are three colours to choose from  Midnight Black, Legend Grey and British Racing Green. Even though it doesnt come with Chilli Red highlights, I quite liked British Racing Green. Being a full JCW version, it had a tonne of JCW-specific elements to stand out.

Powertrain & Performance

Mini Countryman JCW All4 comes with a 2.0L 4-cylinder TwinPower Turbo Petrol engine. This engine is breathed upon by John Cooper Works, Minis high-performance division, and the result is 300 bhp of peak power and 400 Nm of peak torque, mated to a 7-speed quickshifting DCT gearbox and an intelligent All4 AWD drivetrain.

This engine is mated to a throaty and screaming quad exhaust setup. It not only looks good, but also provides the aural vigour that one associates with high-performance vehicles. Performance metrics include 5.4 seconds from stand still to reach 100 km/h and unleashed, Countryman JCW All4 will reach a top speed of 250 km/h.

The Track Experience

If you thought driving a high-riding SUV with a high centre of gravity on an F1 race track would be a bad idea. However, very few SUVs exist in the world to prove this perception wrong. Mini Countryman JCW is definitely one such SUV. With helmet tightly strapped up, we set out to find out just how much we can push Mini Countryman JCW All4 on the race track. The answer is, a lot.

Buddh International Circuit has everything to test the dynamics of a vehicle including straights, flowing corners, tight chicanes, fast and slow corners and a lot more. Countryman JCW All4 launches cleanly as it has all-wheel traction and gets to speed in a brisk manner. It is capable of reaching 100 km/h from stand still in just 5.4 seconds and you can feel all of that thrust and vigour in the way it accelerates.

After the first warm up lap, we started pushing Countryman JCW around corners. It handles like a dream (in SUV terms) and boasts crisp and direct steering response. The suspension is tuned in such a way that it does not let cornering forces unsettle the dynamics. Body roll is well controlled and driver is not tossed around like a wet cloth in a washing machine. All4 AWD system ensured optimum traction across this high-speed track excursion.

Drive & Handling

If you carry more speed into a corner than necessary and think, This is it. The tail will kick out any time now, youd be pleasantly surprised to see Mini Countryman JCW holding on to your line without losing composure. It is like driving a high-riding go-kart, a quality which Mini is associated with. Even the braking performance was quite good and Mini India even encouraged us to brake later into the corner to truly experience their bite and stopping power.

For Rs 64.9 lakh (Ex-sh), Mini Countryman JCW All4 is one heck of a package, if you just consider the driving experience. But Countryman JCW is a Mini, with impeccable interior quality, circular OLED instrument screen, HUD, Harman Kardon HiFi sound system, 360-degree cameras, electric seat adjust, panorama sunroof, interior camera, a 500L boot, decent space for five occupants and much more.
The U.S. military has carried out a new attack against a suspected drug boat in Caribbean waters. The operation, which this time was not initially announced by either President Donald Trump, by his Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, or by administration spokespersons, was instead confirmed by a U.S. official to Reuters.

This isnt the only new element in what has become something of a ritual in recent weeks: this time, unlike the other five attacks on vessels off the Venezuelan coast, one or more crew members survived, although Reuters did not specify how many and did not provide their identities.

Since early September, the U.S. government has ordered extrajudicial military operations in international waters in the Caribbean against vessels it accuses of transporting drugs from Venezuela to the coast of the United States. As of Thursday, the U.S. military had killed without trial at least 27 civilians whom the Trump administration accuses of belonging to criminal gangs such as the Tren de Aragua, included by the State Department on its list of designated terrorist organizations, or the Cartel of the Suns. No details have been provided about the crew members, nor evidence that they were transporting drugs.

Trump considers the United States to be at war against these gangs, and claims that suspected members are armed combatants whom Washington has the right to kill, even though the idea is contrary to the principles of international law. A month and a half after the start of that campaign, there is little doubt that this supposed war on drugs is concealing an attempt to pressure for regime change in Venezuela. During his first presidency, Trump already tried to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power.

Double reward

The United States considers Maduro to be the leader of a narco-state and is offering a $50 million reward, which they doubled last August, for any information leading to his arrest. Chavismo stole the elections from the opposition last year, according to most international organizations and dozens of democratic countries.

Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro, on Sunday in Caracas. MIGUEL GUTIERREZ (EFE)

Maria Corina Machado, the leader of the opposition, has been living in hiding since then, her whereabouts unknown. Last Friday, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

On Thursday, the day after Trump confirmed that he had authorized CIA covert operations in Venezuelan territory, The Washington Post reported, based on images taken from social media, on new military movements in the Caribbean that suggest an escalation of the United States aggressive strategy toward Venezuela. As part of military exercises, the U.S. militarys elite Special Operations aviation unit moved within 90 miles of the Venezuelan coast in recent days.

ABC News reported that three B-52 bombers took off from a base in Louisiana on Wednesday and flew for hours near the Venezuelan coast in what can be viewed as a show of force by the Trump administration. B-52s are long-range aircraft that have been used in war zones such as Iraq and Syria.

Trumps escalation in the Caribbean has drawn criticism from senators from both parties on Capitol Hill. The Senate voted unsuccessfully last week to shorten the 60-day deadline the U.S. president had given himself to carry out such attacks without going through Congress, under the 1973 War Powers Act.

Regarding the reasons for his authorization of the CIAs covert operations, Trump offered two reasons during an Oval Office event on Wednesday. Venezuela emptied their prisons into the United States of America. And: we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea... Were going to stop them by land also. The U.S. president had already indicated weeks ago that his strategy of attacks against drug boats was entering a second phase that would include ground operations.

Images reviewed by The Washington Post show MH-6 Little Bird and MH-60 Black Hawk attack helicopters over open water near oil and gas platforms. Analysis indicated the helicopters were flying off the northeast coast of Trinidad, coming within 90 miles of several points along the Venezuelan coastline. Mark Cancian, a military expert cited by the newspaper, believes the involvement of the Little Birds, small attack aircraft designed to transport troops and provide close-quarters support, suggests preparations for possible ground missions.

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OpenAI has announced the construction of a mega data center in Argentina, the latest of its kind in the region. Governments should demand local participation and reinvestment terms that promise more than free access to ChatGPT

Opinion articles written in the style of their author. These texts are to be based on verified facts and must be respectful towards people, even though their actions may be criticized. All opinion articles written by individuals from outside the staff of EL PAIS shall feature, along with the authors name (regardless of their greater or lesser renown), a footer stating their office, academic title, political affiliation (if any) and main occupation, or the occupation related to the topic being assessed

In July of this year, I flew 11,000 kilometers from Buenos Aires to take a course on artificial intelligence policy and law at the University of Leuven in Belgium, a vast neo-Gothic structure founded in 1425 where today, across its various campuses, 57,000 students study a wide variety of disciplines. Halfway through the class, the lecturer divided us into groups and gave us the assignment for a group exam: The environmental footprint is overrated. And I panicked. But there I was, faced with a classic and effective academic exercise: supporting a position with arguments, even if they arent your own.

Once I got down to work, I confessed to my colleagues that it would be difficult to defend an argument that was untenable on all counts. As a Latin American, I followed the news about the socio-environmental impact of new data centers built in recent years in Queretaro (Mexico), Santiago (Chile), and Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil), which were added to those developed in regions with proven water scarcity, such as Arizona (United States) or Aragon (Spain).

With little evidence, my group outlined their arguments: that common metrics for measuring the environmental impact of AI still dont exist worldwide, that it was impossible to separate AIs footprints from other technologies associated with it, that other industries pollute much more (this one made me feel like I was in second grade), and that early technologies always cause more impacts than benefits. My group passed. Fortunately, the final exam was an essay in which I defended another idea: if the debate on technology policies remains stuck in the false dilemma of regulation that stifles innovation, large technology companies will continue to advance, hand-in-hand with local allies who have little interest in the well-being of their communities.

The mega data center of optimism

Three months later, on the morning of the National Day of Cultural Diversity holiday (which President Javier Milei rebranded as Columbus Day), Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, announced a $25 billion investment to build a mega data center somewhere in Argentine Patagonia. The news came after a political-economic negotiation between the Argentine president and Donald Trump, in which Scott Bessent, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, had stated that his country was buying low to sell high. Bessent did not clarify which goods he was referring to, but hours later, Altman revealed a preliminary agreement to build artificial intelligence infrastructure and computing capacity for his company. The project, he noted, would be part of Stargate, with its partner Oracle and its venture capital funders, Japans SoftBank and the Emirati company MGX. In Argentina, a little-known company called Sur Energy (backed by renowned tech entrepreneur Emiliano Kagierman) would be in charge of local management.

The project, which promises to produce 500 MW of power in its final phase, could also benefit from the RIGI (Renewable Energy Act), a law passed under Mileis administration that guarantees entrepreneurs 30 years of tax exemption and protection from disputes in exchange for foreign currency. The project also offers entrepreneurs the right to hire local employees and lax conditions for purchasing from local suppliers.

Days later, with Milei and Trump on screen from Washington, OpenAI published an official statement: This milestone is about more than just infrastructure, its about putting AI into the hands of more people across Argentina. Nowhere in the communique was there any mention of employment, contracting for local industrial production, environmental impact assessments, or oversight of strategic infrastructure.

Even though the agreement seemed like something from the 16th century, when the silver from Potosi financed European empires and left the region in poverty (as engineer Luis Papagni wrote), much of the tech world expressed euphoria. This will bring other investments. Where OpenAI goes, others will come, said a digital marketing speaker on television, while journalists and panelists nodded in agreement. How could this benefit for our country be proven without clearer regulations and socio-environmental impact assessments? The medias optimism was such that the question, for now, was irrelevant.

Extractivism or production?

The question, though old, remains fundamental. Argentina (and other countries in the region) have more than attractive conditions for Big Tech investments: vast stretches of sparsely populated land, areas with water and mineral resources, nuclear and hydroelectric plants, and highly qualified personnel trained at world-renowned public universities. For its part, OpenAI faces a crucial problem: its dependence on computing power from companies like Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, Azure, and Oracle. Even for a novice negotiator, the strategic advantage for our countries would be clear. Or, at least, the possibility of an exchange with more demanding conditions. SoftBank, which was also a major investor in Uber, knows this: the ride-hailing company had to relax its conditions in order to operate in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and London, allowing hybrid systems that wouldnt suffocate local drivers.

In the case of environmental impact, the data is eloquent. In Queretaro, in the areas where these facilities operate, the government had to ration water, and some families receive service only every three days. Furthermore, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) was forced to increase the generating capacity of nearby power plants (which use fossil fuels) by 50% due to the consumption of data centers. Its clear: in the case of technology companies, but also in other resource-intensive industries such as mining, trade-offs are necessary. For some regions with decades of poverty and joblessness, the arrival of investment presents an opportunity  at least momentary  for progress. The trade-off is not simple. However, for this benefit to be more than temporary, something more is needed than faith in the economic trickle-down. National and local governments should demand, for example, local participation in employment and inputs, and future reinvestment conditions that promise more than just free access to ChatGPT for local people, as happened in the United Arab Emirates with the construction of a Stargate data center.

Ultimately, none of this happens in a vacuum. Since taking office, the Milei administration has been engaged in a dispute with public universities, denying them the budgetary allocation they are entitled to under the law, which would amount to a tiny fraction of an investment like the one proposed by OpenAI. The initiatives local partners, such as Emiliano Kagierman, are world leaders in technology, trained in that university and public science system that is currently struggling to survive. The CEO of this successful satellite innovation company acknowledged this: We were able to do it because there had been (in Argentina) 40 years of systematic investment in technology, in the space and nuclear sectors. And he admits that, for his company, the support of the Ministry of Science and Technology and INVAP, a company dedicated to the development of complex technologies, are a textbook case of what the State can do to open up opportunities and provide capabilities. Perhaps true progress lies in returning some of these investments to their roots: to that system of universities and public science that, even in crisis, remains the reason we are now part of the global map of artificial intelligence.

Natalia Zuazo is the coordinator of the Technology, Policy, and Communication Program at FLACSO Argentina.

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There is no problem in principle for machines to design other machines, for systems to generate other systems, and so on until human contribution is nothing more than a distant memory

Opinion articles written in the style of their author." These texts are to be based on verified facts and must be respectful towards people, even though their actions may be criticized. shall feature, along with the author's name (regardless of their greater or lesser renown), a footer stating their office, academic title, political affiliation (if any) and main occupation, or the occupation related to the topic being assessed

Were in the midst of the Nobel Prize season, and once again, all the awards have gone to humans. But this doesnt have to be the case forever. At the rate artificial intelligence (AI) is developing, it may not be long before a robot deserves sciences most prestigious awards. What will the Swedish Academy do then? Give it to them? Why not?

The idea, in fact, is nine years old. In 2016, the Japanese scientist Hiroaki Kitano, director of the Institute for Systems Biology and chief technology officer at Sony, presented the Nobel Turing Challenge to the scientific community, which consists of developing an AI system capable of making a discovery worthy of the Nobel Prize. Kitano is convinced that one of the greatest obstacles to scientific progress is the limited nature of human cognition. The millennium competition is underway.

When he conceived the challenge, Kitano was thinking of something like 2050 as the year to reach it. But that was nine years ago, before ChatGPT took the world by storm. The large language models (LLMs) that underlie that digital chatterbox and dozens of other related systems have surprised their own creators and indicated that machines cognitive abilities are developing faster than expected.

One of the challenges organizers, chemical engineer Ross King of Cambridge University, now believes its possible well see a robot win the Nobel Prize within 10 years. Perhaps we should start thinking about how to dress it for the ceremony in Stockholm. Will it look good in a morning coat or a long dress? Perhaps I should commission an AI fashion designer to design the suit? Its all a mystery.

Machines have long contributed to aspects of scientific activity such as data analysis and experimental design, but none of this would be enough to win a Nobel Prize, of course. A sector that is often considered more specifically human is hypothesis generation, and this is where the debate becomes more interesting.

A Nobel Prize tends to be awarded for discoveries that are useful in some way, that have ramifications in other areas of knowledge and that prove fruitful, that is, that open up previously unexplored and even unsuspected paths to science.

AI is already helping with tasks we consider specific to the human mind: formulating hypotheses about the origin of the universe, predicting astronomical phenomena, designing quantum computers, or deciphering animal language. An AI called Coscientist conceives complex systems of chemical reactions at least as well as the best human experts, and certainly much faster.

Last years Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry went to the scientists who conceived artificial neural networks and AI systems that have revolutionized the deduction of protein shapes from their sequence alone. Of course, the Swedish Academy didnt reward these machines, but rather their creators, but theres no problem in principle with machines designing other machines, systems generating other systems, and so on, until the human contribution is nothing more than a distant memory. Will the machine then deserve the Nobel Prize? Why not?

The company Sakana AI is developing systems to automate research in machine-learning systems. The models that result from this process will not actually be the creations of a human scientist. Chatbots like ChatGPT are beginning to be used to simulate the discussions and seminars in which scientists discuss their ideas. Computational biologists at Stanford University in California presented their Virtual Lab a year and a half ago for this purpose, and the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory has done something similar with its VirSci system.

The idea that a robot might deserve a Nobel Prize in the coming years isnt absurd. Whether its actually awarded is another matter entirely. We humans are extraordinarily squeamish when it comes to recognizing any merit in machines. Chess seemed like a feat of the human mind until May 11, 1997, when Deep Blue beat Garry Kasparov. Well, we said then, it beat him by brute force, and after all, winning at chess doesnt necessarily imply being intelligent, does it? Since then, weve been constantly looking for excuses to preserve the chauvinism of our species. Remember that, when your robot wins a Nobel Prize.

This article is part of Tendencias (Trends), a project by EL PAIS that aims to open a conversation about the major future challenges facing our society. The initiative is sponsored by Abertis, Enagas, EY, Iberdrola, Iberia, Mapfre, Novartis, the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI), Redeia, Santander, WPP Media, and strategic partner Oliver Wyman.

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Midday. The autumn sun raises the temperature above 25 degrees Celsius. There are tourists in flip-flops heading for the beach, and others in designer clothes heading towards Puerto Banus. Some prefer to sit and have a drink on a terrace. The relaxed scene last Friday in the Nueva Andalucia area of Marbella (Malaga province, population 159,000) is identical to that of the previous week. Except, of course, for two people who were captured on a security camera. On one side, Hamza Karimi, a 23-year-old Swedish rapper, is talking on the phone. On the other, a compatriot who, as seen in the video, calmly approaches him and shoots him several times before fleeing. The musician died in hospital. The assailant was arrested a few minutes later. Just another day on the Costa del Sol.

The victim was known to Swedish authorities because he was part of the Stockholm criminal gang ecosystem, according to police sources. The alleged hitman is from Gothenburg, although he had no criminal record or connection to drug trafficking clans. The motive for the assassination is currently unknown. After the attackers arrest  the weapon was found in his car  he refused to testify before being placed in pre-trial detention. The fact that both are Swedish is no coincidence. And at this point, nothing surprises us, says Marbellas anti-drug prosecutor, Carlos Tejada Banales. His feeling is the same as that of the police fighting organized crime on the Malaga coast, who are now accustomed to encountering Nordic gang members. In recent years, they have been involved in a dozen incidents involving bombings, shootings, and at least three deaths, in addition to around 100 arrests. The underlying theme is drug trafficking. And the bullets fly for a variety of reasons: stolen merchandise, non-payments, transaction errors, revenge, egos, or simply trying to muscle in on more business. On top of that, theyve lost any inhibition: they now kill in broad daylight, regardless of whether theyre seen, warns Tejada Banales.

The wave of violence that has swept Sweden since 2012 is behind the rise in crime in southern Spain. The echoes of clashes between gangs  such as Foxtrot, Rumba, Tadese, and Gualara  resonate thousands of miles away. Officers working in the field believe the situation will escalate. Its going to be a security issue on the Costa del Sol, say Swedish police sources, who also believe that its just a matter of time before third parties unrelated to drug trafficking are injured or killed (something that, so far, has only happened once in recent years).

The Swedish clan

The infiltration of Nordic gangs on the Costa del Sol first came to light in the spring of 2018. On May 12, David Avila, alias Maradona, was leaving his sons communion in San Pedro Alcantara when a motorcyclist approached him, riddled him with bullets, and fled. It was the debut of the so-called Swedish clan, whose members murdered another person in Estepona that summer  both crimes were confessed to in court years later  and, in the fall, two bombs exploded in Benahavis, for which they were also convicted. The gang was led by Amir Mekky, who was 21 at the time. His brutality still resonates with the police officers who participated in the investigation that led to his arrest in Dubai in June 2020. The group also included his older brother, Fakry Mekky, and brothers Karim and Ahmed Abdul Karim, all of whom hold Swedish passports and are now no longer in Spain. It was the first time we had seen those levels of violence. It left its mark on us, says one of the officers who tracked them down. The situation  coupled with other homicides in the area over the space of just a few months  also prompted the creation in 2019 of a police group within the Spanish National Police Organized Crime Unit (Udyco) dedicated exclusively to the settling of scores between gangs. That same year, a man  also Swedish, like his killers  was shot dead after being tortured in a villa in the Puebla Tranquila residential area in Mijas.

Investigators are surprised by the youth, cold-bloodedness, and level of violence of the Scandinavian drug traffickers who have arrived more recently. Whether theyre the leader of the organization, his lieutenants, or the enforcers. Many are in their twenties, or even minors who have turned the extraordinary into the ordinary, says a police officer. Many of the gang leaders come to Marbella to conduct drug-related business or even to live, because they feel safer there. This isnt always the case, however, as others arrive with the only mission of killing them.

Many of them grow up in disadvantaged neighborhoods in large cities, among gangs where violence is the only way up the social ladder. But increasingly, the hitmen recruited today arent actually part of these gangs: theyre hired just for a hit, a kind of temporary job. Its what the police call crime-to-order. And they compare it to models like Uber, explains Manne Gerell, associate professor at the department of criminology at Malmo University, who points out that these young people increasingly come from families of foreign origin and are more diverse in their typology. Including, adds writer and communicator Diamant Salihu, the traditional middle-class Swedish teenagers, blond and light-eyed.

In an increasingly international world, it seems logical that certain national or regional phenomena end up affecting not only neighboring countries, but also other European Union member states such as Spain, emphasizes Erik Fagelsbo, Swedish prosecutor and Nordic representative at Eurojust, Europes agency for judicial cooperation. A good example is what happened in October 2021, when several young men  unscrupulous and very violent, according to police sources  from the Tadese gang attempted to kidnap a rival from the Goulara clan in Marbella. They assaulted him in the street but failed to get him into the van in which they intended to take him away. In response, the next day, they were shot outside a strip club in Fuengirola. The operation ended with the arrest of seven people. That year, together with the Civil Guard, another National Police operation served to strike a blow against Swedish drug trafficking with the arrest of 71 people on the Costa del Sol, including Chiab Lamouri  one of Swedens most dangerous criminals  and Lars Gunnar Broberg and Joakim Peter Broberg, respectively the now-deceased husband and stepson of the mayor of Marbella, Angeles Munoz. The prosecution is seeking 18 years in prison for Joakim Broberg.

Teenaged hitmen

Last year, the same pattern was repeated. In February, three Swedish nationals attempted to murder two fellow countrymen  they only managed to wound one  in Marbella. They were arrested in March, the same month in which a 17-year-old boy was also detained after arriving from Gothenburg with the sole purpose of killing a member of a motorcycle gang. It was the first time Spanish police had encountered a teenaged hitman. And the operation also served to dismantle an organization  a father, mother, and their 14-year-old son, all Swedish  based in Alicante and led by the teenager, who recruited young people to commit murders through channels such as Telegram and Signal. Tried in his home country, the adolescent was sentenced to two years in a juvenile detention center. Minors are chosen because they are easy to influence and harder to track on encrypted applications, explains Scandinavian journalist Joakim Palmqvist. This July, officers arrested another 16-year-old who had also traveled to the Costa del Sol to commit a murder, along with a 19-year-old accomplice. Both were Swedish, like the other four people arrested in the same operation, who allegedly provided the logistics and weapons. They were later released on bail.

The latest incident occurred on October 3, and was solved thanks to the intervention of the National Polices citizen patrol unit, which quickly closed all highway exits and caught the killer near the Elviria residential area, east of Marbella. They already have a lot of experience and they do their job well, like the other groups working in the area. Thanks to all this enormous work, we have so far managed to stem the tide of violence, says another police specialist. The situation here isnt even remotely like what is being experienced in Sweden and neighboring countries, other police sources add with satisfaction. They point out that the experience of teams such as the Special Response Group Against Organized Crime (GRECO) and the Udyco Costa del Sol units have served as a bulwark against organized crime. A barrier that, as Europol explains, has been reinforced this year by Project Grimm, an international operation seeking to increase police cooperation between countries. It includes police officers from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, as well as Spain. Thanks to this, the situation has not yet gotten out of hand, they assure. No one is betting that it wont do so in the future.

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Former National Security Adviser appears in court after being accused of sharing confidential data with his family

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton pleaded not guilty Friday in a Greenbelt, Maryland, court to 18 counts of possessing and transmitting information affecting the security of the United States in violation of the Espionage Act.

Bolton, who was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday on the charges following an FBI investigation lasting over three years, is the third political foe of Donald Trump to be indicted in the past three weeks, since the Republican sent a social media message to his attorney general, Pam Bondi, ordering her to force the prosecution of people he believes have harmed his political career.

The former high-ranking official had surrendered early Friday morning at the Greenbelt courthouse, as agreed with those handling his case. At the time, Bolton, who appeared with his lawyers, made no statement. If convicted, he faces a 10-year prison sentence on each charge.

Immediately after his indictment was made public, Bolton had stated that he was looking forward to the fight to defend his conduct, which he considers lawful, and to expose Trumps abuse of power.

The indictment alleges that Bolton, 72, shared classified information with two members of his family  his wife and daughter, according to U.S. media  with a view to using it in a book he was writing. That material included notes taken during intelligence meetings and conversations with leaders and senior officials from other countries.

Trumps revenge

Trump, who promised during the election campaign that he would take revenge on his enemies if he returned to power, has already taken steps to secure charges against some of those implicated in the legal cases brought against him while he was outside the White House.

Almost immediately after that message to Bondi, a grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of obstruction of justice and lying to Congress. Trump considers the former top official one of his greatest enemies for opening an investigation into connections between Russian representatives and his 2016 presidential campaign.

Last week, New York District Attorney Letitia James was indicted on charges of alleged mortgage fraud. James had taken the president and his family business to court in a civil fraud case in which a judge ordered the Trump Organization to pay $450 million in fines. Last August, another court overturned that ruling.

Boltons case appears distinct from those of James and Comey. The former National Security Adviser had long been under FBI scrutiny, and the charges are much more detailed. Last August, federal agents searched both his private residence in Bethesda, Maryland, and his office in downtown Washington.

Bolton, one of the most recognizable faces in Trumps first-term administration, served as ambassador to the UN under George W. Bush (2001-2009) before becoming the current presidents third National Security Advisor during his first term. A neoconservative, considered a foreign policy hawk, he held the position in the Trump White House for 17 months. During that time, he frequently clashed with the president over how to proceed on a wide range of geopolitical issues, from North Korea, with whose leader, the autocrat Kim Jong-Un, Trump sought to meet  he did so three times  to Afghanistan and Iraq.

After his resignation in 2019, the then-advisor published a memoir, The Room Where It Happened, about his time in the West Wing of the White House. The presidential office unsuccessfully tried to prevent the volume from reaching print, claiming it contained classified material.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson has portrayed the 2,500 marches planned in all 50 states as a hate America rally that will draw the pro-Hamas wing and the antifa people

Millions of protesters will gather across the United States on Saturday, October 18, for the next round of No Kings protests against the Trump administration and what protesters describe as its authoritarian governing style. Currently, some 2,500 events are confirmed in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and several cities around the world, making it one of the largest coordinated protest movements in U.S. history.

Participation is expected to surpass the five million people who joined the June protests, which spanned 2,200 events across the country. The co-founder of the Indivisible organization, Ezra Levin, told NBC News that he anticipates the largest protest in modern American history on Oct. 18, adding that the scale of the turnout will send a message not only to the administration but also to Democratic lawmakers.

Demonstrations are scheduled in major cities across the United States, including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Boston, Portland and Chicago, where the National Guard is currently deployed on Trumps orders. Events are also planned in smaller communities across the country, in parks, courthouses and public squares. Marches and solidarity events have also been organized in other countries including Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

No Kings

The No Kings movement began earlier this year, at the start of the second Trump administration, in response to what organizers describe as President Trumps authoritarian behavior and abuse of power. The protests are organized by a broad coalition of labor, civil rights, and activist groups, including 50501, Indivisible, MoveOn, the American Federation of Teachers, the American Federation of Government Employees, and the American Civil Liberties Union.

The first No Kings protests took place on June 14, coinciding with Trumps 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary parade of the U.S. Army in Washington, D.C. The demonstrations are part of a broader movement of monthly actions against the Trump administration. Previous mobilizations have included Hands Off in April, Free America on Independence Day, and Workers Over Billionaires on Labor Day.

Organizers say these new protests on October 18 are taking place due to growing frustration over the administrations deployment of National Guard troops in several cities and the government shutdown that began on October 1. Power belongs to the people, the official protest website states. This isnt just about politics; its democracy versus dictatorship. Together we choose democracy.

When and what time are the protests?

The demonstrations are scheduled for Saturday, October 18. Most begin around 10:00 a.m.

On the official website, theres a map showing all the protest locations. Those looking to attend a demonstration can enter their zip code to find the nearest one.

The Republican Partys response

Republican leaders have condemned the upcoming protests and accuse Democrats and liberal organizations of using them as political theater during the government shutdown. House Speaker Mike Johnson called the marches a hate America rally and claimed they would draw the pro-Hamas wing and the antifa people. A couple of weeks ago, the administration designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. In 2020, then-FBI Director Christopher Wray defined Antifa before Congress as an ideology rather than a formal organization.

Other Republican leaders, such as Deputy Majority Leader Tom Emmer and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, claimed the protests were designed to distract people from the congressional shutdown. The administration and Republicans have blamed Democrats for the impasse, citing their demands to maintain Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that are set to expire following Trumps signature legislation. Republicans falsely claim this would provide free health coverage to undocumented immigrants.

White House press secretary Abigail Jackson said protesters may legally express their alternative reality, but that violence and lawlessness will not be tolerated. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas suggested that the National Guard might be needed to maintain order during the protests and questioned whether the marches would be peaceful.

In response, organizers have called the GOP rhetoric a political maneuver. President Mike Johnson is running out of excuses to keep the government shut down, the No Kings coalition said in a statement. Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, he is attacking millions of Americans who are peacefully gathering to say that America belongs to its people, not kings. Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible, told Axios: His attacks are an attempt to smear millions of Americans who are fed up with excessive authoritarianism.

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What we want is the war to be over, the US president said as he received his Ukrainian counterpart at the White House. I think that things are coming along pretty well... we want to see if we can get this done

During a meeting at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his desire to end the war in Ukraine without having to supply long-range Tomahawk missiles, a controversial request as it would give Ukraine the option of striking targets at greater distances, such as on Russian territory. We need Tomahawks for the United States of America, too, Trump said. We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean, we cant deplete our country.

Although Trumps words seem to rule out the option, the Repubican did not dismiss it completely and said the will leaders will discuss the possibility during their closed-door conversation. The Ukrainian president has proposed a cooperation agreement to provide Washington with Ukrainian drones in exchange for U.S. Tomahawks with which to attack Russian targets. Trump has expressed openness to the possibility: I would be interested, he confirmed in statements to the press before his closed-door meeting with Zelenskiy. But immediately afterwards, he clarified: What we want is the war to be over.

The Republican, who has taken credit for the ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement in Gaza, said he wants to build on the momentum in the Middle East to reach an agreement between Ukraine and Russia. I think that things are coming along pretty well... we want to see if we can get this done, Trump said at the start of the bilateral meeting in the White House Cabinet Room. I think we can end this war with your help, the Ukrainian leader said.

First of all, I think we need to sit and speak [with Putin]. The second point, we need a ceasefire. We want peace, Putin doesnt want [peace]. Thats why we need pressure on him Zelenskiy said. For Ukraine, this is a great opportunity, and hopefully we can take advantage of it.

In a sign of the good rapport that now exists between the two leaders  a big difference from their first meeting in the Oval Office in February, when Trump publicly rebuked Zelenskiy  the Republican praised his guests dark suit. Very stylish, I like it, he joked, after his awkward reference to the military-style attire Zelenskiy wore during their first meeting at the White House last February.

Neither of them made any comments to the press when they greeted each other upon Zelenskiys arrival at the West Wing of the presidential residence. After their meeting, the Ukrainian president is scheduled to hold a press conference at Blair House, the official residence for presidential guests.

The meeting comes after Trump spoke by phone on Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom he has agreed to meet in Budapest. It will be their second face-to-face meeting, following their summit in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15. According to the U.S. president, it will take place in a couple of weeks. The Kremlin has been much more cautious and has warned that it may be delayed beyond that timeframe, as there are still many details to be resolved.

Asked why they are meeting in the Hungarian capital, Trump said, Because it has a leader we like, Viktor Orban. [Putin] likes him. I like him. Its a safe country and its done a very good job.

Tomahawks

Ukraine is seeking authorization for the deployment of Tomahawk missiles, which, according to Kyiv, could be key to attacking Russian territory: with a range of up to 2,500 kilometers, they could hit oil facilities or weapons factories far from the border. They would be much more effective than the missiles currently being used, such as the British Storm Shadow, with a maximum range of 250 kilometers. And although the Tomahawks alone would not definitively turn the tide in the war, they would serve as a signal to the Kremlin that Washington is once again firmly on the Ukrainian side. Trump has indicated that he would consider doing so if Russia does not return to the negotiating table.

This Wednesday, in remarks during an event in the Oval Office, the U.S. president advanced: We will discuss war, referring to the conversation scheduled with Zelenskiy. The Ukrainians want to go on the offensive. I will make a decision on that, but they would want to go on the offensive, he added. The idea has unleashed Russian fury. The delivery of Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv would mark a new phase in the escalation, which would even affect relations between Russia and the United States, Putin warned.

In addition to the Tomahawks, Trump and Zelenskiy could discuss other types of weapons. Last month, the Ukrainian leader proposed a mega-deal that would see his country receive nearly $90 billion in U.S. weapons. A delegation from Kyiv, led by presidential adviser Andrii Yermak, has been in Washington since the beginning of the week to meet with executives of some of the major U.S. defense corporations, such as Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.

180-degree turn

Trumps shift in attitude toward this conflict has been noticeable in recent months, and especially striking when compared to the beginning of his second term, when he completely aligned himself with Moscow and publicly insulted Zelenskiy in the Oval Office.

Now, he has gone from suspending arms shipments to Kyiv to having his Secretary of Defense urge NATO partners in Brussels to increase their contributions to the mechanism for purchasing U.S. equipment for Ukraine, the system that has replaced the equipment donations sent during Joe Bidens presidency; from maintaining that Zelenskiy would have to resign himself to the loss of territory in any peace agreement, to declaring the possibility that the invaded country could recover all the occupied land; and to expressing his openness to some contribution to the security guarantees that Ukraine demands for the post-war period.

This 180-degree turn in Trumps positions, unthinkable when he reproached Ukraine for not holding the cards to prevail in the war, has been influenced by several factors. Among them, European pressure, reflected in the support, sometimes even physical, of the blocs leaders for Zelenskiy. Also, the willingness of NATO allies to increase their military spending to 5% of GDP  part of those funds are invested in the mechanism for the purchase of U.S. weapons destined for Ukraine. The last face-to-face meeting with the president of the invaded country, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at the end of September, was notably cordial.

But above all, Trump has changed his mind out of frustration with Putin. The American leader, who months ago considered Russias victory in the conflict inevitable due to its much larger size, population, and resources, has seen the invading forces summer offensive fail. He has also criticized Moscows serious economic problems. And he has seen the Russian president repeatedly avoid committing to a ceasefire, despite expressing his desire for peace.

Nothing has worked with Putin: neither public flattery, nor the glitter and pomp at the summit at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base outside Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15. Nor has his favorite tactic, which has worked so far in Gaza: announcing that a breakthrough had been achieved and putting pressure on the parties to such an extent that they had no choice but to see how they might implement it. Trump announced in August  following the Anchorage summit and the one held at the White House with Zelenskiy and European leaders  a three-way meeting between the Ukrainian president, the Russian president and himself. It never materialized. However, there was a breakthrough on an unexpected front when First Lady Melania Trump announced last week that she had established a channel of communication with Putin to discuss the abducted Ukrainian children taken to Russia.

Now the key to how the negotiations will progress  if they progress at all  will be in the meetings with the leaders. A test of their resolve will be the pressure they exert on Moscow: whether they actually opt to authorize Tomahawk weapons for Ukraine or some other type of pressure measure. Or whether, instead, the threat of authorizing the use of these weapons goes the way of the promises of secondary tariffs and sanctions against Russia: mere words, with no real intention of carrying them out.

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Continental shares jumped on Friday after the German auto parts group topped analysts' forecasts with its third-quarter results, prompting Deutsche Bank to upgrade its rating on the stock.

The company, which makes everything from tyres to brake systems and infotainment solutions, reaffirmed its full-year outlook on Thursday, which will have reassured investors after French peer Michelin downgraded its guidance earlier in the week, owing to weakness in North America.

Continental expects sales for the third quarter to come in at 5.0bn, ahead of the company-compiled consensus at 4.9bn. while the adjusted EBIT margin should be 11.4%, comfortably above the 9.5% estimate.

Sales in the larger tyres division were in line with forecasts at 3.5bn, but the adjusted EBIT margin of 14.3% was ahead of the 13.0% forecast due to a "very positive" price/mix, which almost completely offset the negative impact of lower volumes, exchange rate movements and tariffs.

The strong start of the winter tire business and lower fixed costs in particular contributed to the positive earnings deviation from the analyst consensus, the company said.

As a result of the strong update, Deutsche Bank lifted its recommendation on the stock from 'hold' to 'buy', raising its target price from 63 to 65.

The stock was 9.1% higher at 59.60.
The City regulator has called on banks and payment firms to bring in stricter controls protecting customers from romance fraud after a study showed a number of missed red flags that led to people losing huge sums of money. The review by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) highlighted one case where someone lost 428,000, another where a customer made 403 payments totalling 72,000 to a fraudster and a case where someone wanted money to transfer cryptocurrency to their partner in Iraq.  Guardian

Developers will be allowed to build lower numbers of affordable homes and claim higher subsidies to build them under plans being drawn up by the government to solve Londons housebuilding crisis. Steve Reed, the housing secretary, and Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, will announce the package within weeks, in what officials say will be a time-limited intervention designed to stall the sudden drop in new building in the capital.  Guardian

The proposed takeover of The Telegraph by a consortium with links to China could face investigation as a potential national security threat, the Government has said. Ministers were questioned in the House of Lords over the protracted attempt by RedBird Capital to engineer a 500m acquisition partly relying on the wealth of the United Arab Emirates royal family.  Telegraph

The boss of Sky has vowed to protect the broadcasters news business in response to fears about future funding from its US owner. Dana Strong, the Sky chief executive, told staff during a recent meeting that the media giant would support Sky News for the long term regardless of whether parent company Comcast continues to provide funding.  Telegraph

The owner of British Gas, Holland & Barrett and EG Group are among nearly 500 companies that have been named by the government for breaches of employment law in which tens of thousands of workers were paid less than the minimum wage. The Department for Business and Trade has released a list of 491 employers who have now repaid a total of 10.3 million for underpaying about 42,000 workers over several years.  The Times
The lyrical middle-grade novel-in-verse A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez by Maria Dolores Aguila (Barrio Rising) is based on the true story of the Lemon Grove Incident, when a boy and his California community fought against the forced segregation of Mexican students during the Great Depression. This National Book Award longlisted title is both a history lesson and a spotlight on a century of advocacy by the Latino community in the United States.

Twelve-year-old Roberto Alvarez is "el futuro" for his family of Mexican Revolution refugees. Roberto and his friends go to Lemon Grove Grammar School across Main Street; there the colonia where he lives "becomes the neighborhood/ holas become hellos." After winter break, the principal informs Roberto and all the other Mexican American students that they must attend a new school in an old barn closer to their side of town. Roberto's family--and eventually the entire community--rallies to raise funds and take legal action, with Roberto as the lead codefendant against the Lemon Grove school board. Despite eventual victory, much is lost. While some students are expelled and charged with truancy, whole families are forcibly deported during what is known as the era of Mexican Repatriation.

Aguila's poetry in her first middle-grade novel is deft as she depicts bravery, cultural celebration, and the power of neighbors coming together: "The houses in la colonia/ are like patches,/ each one different/ but sewn together/ into a community." A Sea of Lemon Trees is flawlessly paced and full of lyrical pathos; a strangely sweet novel with a bitter aftertaste. --Luis G. Rendon
Kevin O'Brien (The Enemy at Home) presents another fast-paced historic thriller splendidly enhanced with 1940s details in Everyone a Stranger, his 24th novel.

Desperate to hide from a villainous politician, a pregnant widow flees Washington, D.C., for Seattle, only to stumble into a mysterious plot that threatens not just her but also the U.S. war effort. Virginia Abrams, 27, is alone after her husband's death at Guadalcanal. She is flattered when a prominent senator's dashing son invites her to dinner, but the date ends with him assaulting her. She learns she is pregnant and appeals to the senator for financial help, but he responds by hiring a henchman to silence her. Terrified, she slips out of Washington and arrives in Seattle as "Ginny Moore," hoping for safety and a new life. She secures a job with a famous mystery novelist and warily befriends her neighbors, but then one of them dies in a fall. The neighbor's earnest teenage son, Timmy, insists it was no accident, and Virginia's soft heart is drawn to assuring justice is done.

Timmy's obsession with Nazis and potential espionage seems far-fetched but eventually Virginia finds him credible, increasing her anxieties. Suspicions of a "safe house" for spies; a handsome, solicitous neighbor who keeps odd hours; and more sudden deaths add to the intrigue. When danger threatens the entire city, she wisely confides in her boss, who contributes his detective skills to the escalating mystery. Their sleuthing leads to a meticulously executed high-stakes climax, bringing Virginia's and Timmy's home-front bravery to the fore. --Cheryl McKeon, Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, N.Y.
Printz Honor author Julie Berry proved her skill at high-concept historical fiction with mythological elements in her 2019 novel, Lovely War. She ups the ante with If Looks Could Kill, which ponders what might have happened if Jack the Ripper had encountered Medusa.

It's 1888, and Francis Twomblety--a real Ripper suspect, as Berry's copious back matter reveals--has fled London for New York City's Bowery neighborhood. Also recently arrived to the neighborhood are Tabitha Woodward and Pearl Davenport, recruits to the Salvation Army trying to bring the Bowery's "sinners" to Christ. The two rarely see eye-to-eye; "not for nothing are we called an army," Tabitha reflects on the "open hostilities" between herself and her intensely pious roommate. But a chance encounter with Twomblety transforms Pearl, giving her Medusa-esque characteristics: snakes for hair, an incapacitating if not deadly stare, and an inexplicable drive to stop Twomblety from hurting anyone else. Tabitha realizes she must protect her exasperating comrade, "this new Pearl," against a killer, lest he prove a match even for a Medusa.

If Looks Could Kill drips with the historical and sensory detail Berry's readers have come to expect from her work, as when Tabitha describes "the melange of corned beef, garlic, chop suey, horse manure, and stale beer that meant suppertime on the Bowery." Some readers might take issue with the first act's pacing, but it's necessary for Berry to lay the groundwork for the novel's most essential component: the relationship between Tabitha and Pearl. At this, she succeeds with aplomb, and the rest of the novel is better for it, offering a meticulously thoughtful exploration of vengeance, justice, mercy, faith, and sssisterhood. --Stephanie Appell, freelance reviewer
When Susan Orlean chose the title for her memoir, it wasn't merely an apt description of the "joyride of a life" she's lived as a journalist for nearly 50 years. It also teases the pleasure her readers will derive from a book that illuminates her fascinating career while serving as a textbook of sorts for anyone eager to look behind the scenes at a highly accomplished writer's craft.

For Orlean, the drive to write has always seemed as elemental as the need to eat or sleep. After graduating from the University of Michigan, she headed to Portland, Ore., fending off her father's pressure to follow him into the legal profession. She progressed from working for publications like Portland's Willamette Week to a staff writer position with the New Yorker in 1992, where she remains to this day.

In Orlean's work, she writes, "the story is in charge," and the writer always must be prepared to put aside the assumptions she brought to the project. Joyride is packed with tips like these for aspiring writers, among them the importance of constantly cultivating story ideas, and the lesson her Willamette Week editor taught that the process of writing has three parts: "reporting, then thinking, and then writing."

Joyride concludes with an appendix containing a handful of Orlean's articles, including "The American Man Age Ten," her first article for Esquire magazine that she says was "a defining moment for me." These few pieces only hint at the variety of her work, and, as Orlean suggests, even after a lifetime of writing she hasn't lost her zest for finding the next great story. --Harvey Freedenberg, freelance reviewer
The Hitchhikers by Canadian author Chevy Stevens (Never Let You Go; That Night) is a dark psychological thriller about a road trip gone horribly wrong.

After a stillbirth derails their marriage, Americans Tom and Alice Bell buy an RV and drive to Montreal to attend the 1976 Olympics in an attempt to regain their footing. Soon into their trip, they meet a young Canadian couple at a campsite who say their names are Ocean and Blue. Ocean is pregnant and the two have no transportation, so Tom and Alice offer them food and company, and then a ride. The situation goes south quickly when Alice discovers that Blue and Ocean are actually Simon Gray and Jenny Perron, wanted by police for the bloody double murder of Jenny's mother and stepfather. When Alice lets it slip that she knows who they are, Simon becomes violent and takes Alice and Tom hostage, forcing them on a terror-filled trip across Canada.

Though the pace never slows in this increasingly frightening thriller, Stevens is able to create nuanced portraits of her characters and their relationships. Alternating between the points of view of Alice and Jenny, Stevens dissects the mother-daughter dyad, revealing both its strength and potential for harm. Indeed, the tension between physical and psychological violence is at the fibrillating heart of the novel, which saves its most shocking twists for the very end. Provocative and full of unexpected left turns, The Hitchhikers is a nail-biter whose complex characters will linger in the imagination long after the last action-packed page is turned. --Debra Ginsberg, author and freelance editor
Sidharth Maheshwari, 12th grade student at Singapore American School, Singapore has built NeerBot, an affordable real time water quality monitoring system to assist NGOs and Government in cleaning of Indian lakes. Current water quality monitoring is a manual process and can take upto 2-3 weeks, making cleanliness interventions ineffective. Industrial scale water monitoring systems are largely imported, expensive and not opensource, making it impractical for organizations responsible for water bodies to adopt.

Sidharth, who has been deeply involved in robotics for the last four years, leveraged his experience in building underwater Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs) through his school club, to build low cost alternatives by developing the system from scratch using core robotics principles. Because the water quality varies significantly across the lake, Sidharth also integrated the water quality monitor with a remote controlled boat so that the system can navigate across various parts of lake in an unmanned manner. Sidharth commented Growing up in Gurgaon, where I did my elementary school, I was well aware of the environmental challenges India faces. I am so glad that technology and design thinking have beautifully come together in NeerBot to create a solution which could have a meaningful impact on water cleaning initiatives.

NeerBot was successfully pilot tested at Bhandwari Lake, Haryana in partnership with Hara Jeevan, an NGO responsible for restoring and cleaning the lake. Manisha Saini, CEO of Hara Jeevan commented NeerBot is a much needed solution for us as manual testing process makes our interventions ineffective. I am excited to see how the NeerBot mobile platform, which stores historical water quality data in the cloud, can be further expanded to provide more detailed analytics such as intervention recommendations. It's been super fun to work with Sidharth, who is not only a brilliant technologist but also a passionate environmentalist who wants to use technology to create a large-scale impact on the community. We need more students like Sidharth who can build affordable deep tech solutions for grass root problems of India.

Sidharths work has won him the prestigious Crest Gold award by British Science Association. Sidharth has also received a grant from a prominent venture capitalist to be able to further develop NeerBot.

About NeerBot

NeerBot ( https://neerbot.in ), is an affordable realtime water quality monitoring system to help organizations with water cleaning and maintenance efforts. The NeerBot product comes with a Remote Controlled Boat with a Water Monitoring Device mounted on it. The system monitors core water quality parameters  ph, Turbidity, TDS and Dissolved Oxygen  along with the location parameters. The product also comes with a NeerBot web application, which provides location specific historical analysis of water quality.

About Hara Jeevan

Hara Jeevan ( https://harajeevan.org ), is a ten-year-old leading environmental non-profit in Delhi which focuses on environment restoration projects such as restoring lakes, planting trees and re-engineering waste. Hara Jeevan has a 30 member team which partners with Government and private organizations to undertake environmental restoration projects.

About Sidharth Maheshwari

Sidharth was born in San Francisco, US and moved to Gurgaon, India at the young age of two. After doing his elementary school in India, Sidharth moved to Singapore for his middle and high school and has been studying at Singapore American School for the last six years.

Sidharth is the Captain of school Robotics club and as part of the club has built underwater ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles). Sidharth has also represented his school at MATE ROV world competition, where schools all over the world showcase their ROVs. These ROVs are used for underwater explorations including cleansing expeditions.
Climate Governance India Summit 2025 by Team Marksmen Network focuses to bring forward collective resolution and action towards a climate smart India; highlighted Indias Climate Leadership decade.

Indias ascent to become a global economic power hinges on successfully decoupling growth from emissions. The crucial challenge is translating national commitments (such as the 2070 Net-Zero goal) into actionable, profitable corporate strategies, requiring unprecedented collaboration across policy, finance, and industry. The World Bank estimates that failure to implement proactive climate measures could reduce India's GDP by up to 2.8% by 2050, underscoring the urgency for integrated governance.

Team Marksmen Network hosted its maiden edition of Climate Governance India Summit 2025 (CGIS 2025), presented by BOOTES and Co-Powered by Ramboll, which emerged as a definitive platform of addressing this critical execution gap, sparking actionable dialogues and impactful conversations on Policy, Innovation, and Sustainable Growth. Held on October 9th in New Delhi, this landmark conference gathered industrys top brass, regulators, and distinguished policymakers, forging robust governance frameworks and ideas. With over 35+ speakers, 10+ policymakers and over 200+ delegates, the mega conference has successfully carved out a niche on actionable insights to future proof organisations and community at large.

The Summit witnessed a stellar line-up of global and national level experts congregate to tackle some of the most pressing topics on the climate agenda. Noteworthy global policymakers including Datin Seri Sunita Rajakumar, Founder of Climate Governance Malaysia; Dr. Abdullah Bilhaif Al Nuaimi, former Minister of Environment and Climate Change, UAE; Shri Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Minister of Industry, Food & Supplies and Environment, Forest and Wildlife, Government of NCT of Delhi; Erik Solheim, Former Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway & Former, Under Secretary General, United Nations & Former Executive Director, UNEP; and Meenakshi Lekhi, Former Minister of State for External Affairs, Government of India all contributed their expertise. Their insights highlighted on visionary climate leadership on the global stage and the necessary institutional reforms required for forging a strong sense of responsibility in the cultural ecosystem of climate governance.

The Guest of Honour, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Minister of Industry, Food & Supplies and Environment, Forest and Wildlife, Government of NCT of Delhi in his speech highlighted: Our state has a population that is more than 1.5x that of Jharkhand and Himachal. The biggest challenge is road transport, water, and the usage of energy. This is the biggest challenge to answer.

While setting the tone of impactful conversations at the platform, the program chair, Datin Seri Sunita Rajakumar, Founder of Climate Governance Malaysia emphasized on the critical role of governance and board-level leadership in embedding sustainability into core business strategy and advancing the transition toward a resilient, low-carbon future. She stated: Indias climate journey is not just about commitments but about creating frameworks that translate intent into impactful action. Platforms like the Climate Governance India Summit catalyse this transformation by fostering cross-sectoral dialogue and action.

Organised under the aegis of the Climate Governance Initiative, London, the mega-conference successfully moved the discourse beyond mere pledges. focussing to embed climate risk into boardroom agendas, mobilizing green finance, and rapidly scaling up clean technology adoption. The forum served as a dynamic space for exploring actionable strategies for advancing Indias green transition, accelerating decarbonisation, and embedding sustainability into the countrys developmental fabric, championing transparent, accountable, and resilient governance to safeguard India's economic resilience and ensure its global competitiveness in the new green economy.

Further shaping the discourse, luminaries like Ashok Lavasa, former Finance Secretary and Chief Election Commissioner; Arun Goyal, former Cabinet Secretary, Government of India & former Member, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission; and Atul Bagai, Former Country Head, United Nations Environment Program, India, deciphered the critical aspects of balancing economic stability, industrial growth, and green urbanization. Vishal Sharma, ED & CEO of Godrej Industries, explored how CEO-level commitment can scale green practices for profitability, while Emily Farnworth, Executive Director of the Climate Governance Initiative, delivered a compelling closing address on climate leadership globally.

Focussed panel discussions on the energy transition, waste-to-wealth engineering, green investments and others, have successfully outlined on the industry trends, challenges, policy gaps and promotions and way forward, providing attendees with actionable insights towards a responsible future. These deliberations underscored the need for robust collaboration between government and industry, backed by legal, financial, and institutional mechanisms that can translate climate ambition into measurable outcomes, which is paramount for meeting India's goal of deriving 50% of its energy capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.

In his welcome address, Rajesh Khubchandani, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Team Marksmen Network, stated, "The time for policy discussion in isolation is over; we must activate the C-suite and the balance sheet. This Summit is a strategic imperative designed to transition corporate India from compliance to genuine commitment, providing the tools necessary to embed climate governance directly into the value chain."

Eminent organizations such as BOOTES, Ramboll India, and Suzlon India participated actively, sharing their best practices and innovations driving sustainable progress across sessions that addressed decarbonisation pathways, circular economy opportunities, climate finance, and resilient urban development. Deepak Rai, Founder and Managing Director, BOOTES, quoted at the Climate Governance India Summit 2025, India is ready to build smart, sustainable, and world-class infrastructure. And not just in metro cities, but in other cities too, like Jhansi. The next 10 years will decide if Bharat becomes a climate follower, or a climate leader."

The Climate Governance India Summit 2025 marked a pivotal moment, successfully shifting the focus from intention to measurable implementation. By convening the most powerful stakeholders, the summit provided a clear roadmap for Indian businesses to not only navigate climate risk but to convert environmental responsibility into a core competitive advantage, aligning Indias growth story with its climate commitments, and paving the way for a greener, more resilient tomorrow.
Vijay Shekhar Sharma presents Paytms AI Soundbox to Minister Piyush Goyal

Device aims to empower small shopkeepers with AI powered business tools

Paytm reinforces leadership in merchant tech with homegrown innovation

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, CEO and founder of Paytm, showcased the company's latest innovation, the AI powered Soundbox, to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, reaffirming Paytms support for the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

In a post on social platform X, Sharma said it was a privilege to present the Made-in-India technology, emphasizing Paytms mission to build smart AI tools for small and micro businesses. He called the AI Soundbox a major leap from a simple payment device to a smart, AI enabled business assistant.

Sharma likened the evolution of payment tools to phones, QR was like a rotary phone, Soundbox a cellular, and this AI Soundbox is a smartphone, he wrote. He added that the device brings 'superhuman capabilities' to small business owners by merging payment alerts with real-time business insights.

The Paytm AI Soundbox is the companys next step after leading the QR and Soundbox revolution in India. It integrates payment data and business tools, offering shopkeepers insights and support at the counter. This innovation reflects Paytms push to make advanced technology more inclusive and accessible.

Also Read: Jio Payments Bank Secures Tolling Deal to Boost Digital Finance

Backed by a recent Emkay Global report, Paytm continues to lead in the merchant ecosystem with strong omnichannel presence and deep data insights. The AI Soundbox strengthens its position as a homegrown fintech pioneer, competing with players like Pine Labs.

With this device, Paytm continues its mission to empower every Indian business with smart, secure, and scalable digital tools.
Im a 35-year-old man who has always been able to help friends with loss and life changes, until now. For context, I am going through the adoption process with imminent placement. I am in constant contact with my college friends; we all talk almost daily.

One of them just disclosed that she is going through a miscarriage. I am at a loss. I want to be there for her while going through my own process to have kids. I cant begin to imagine her feelings of loss and the physical pain. I laid down and cried after she told me, grieving for her and her baby and her husband. How do I support her? I have no idea how to help her while also following the rules of etiquette. Please help.

Inept in Maine

Dear Inept in Maine,

You are a compassionate and empathetic person. Your friends loss has come at a particularly sensitive time for you. The rules of etiquette decree that you send a condolence card or write a short note expressing your sympathy to her and her husband, calling her to offer whatever support she may need during this difficult time and staying in touch as she works her way through this.
Chi-Chis, the iconic Mexican restaurant chain that filed for bankruptcy in 2003, is making a comeback. AP

Chi-Chis, the iconic Mexican restaurant chain that was popular in the 1980s and 90s before filing for bankruptcy in 2003, is making a comeback. The brands first location in over 20 years opened in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, earlier this month.

Chi-Chis is back stronger than ever, said Michael McDermott, son of Chi-Chis co-founder Marno McDermott, who is now leading the restaurants return. Were bringing back the food, energy, and fun that people love, now with a fresh twist for a whole new generation.

Once a staple in strip malls across the nation, Chi-Chis expanded to over 200 locations during its peak, including one in New Dorp. The chains popularity declined in the early 2000s, however, which lead to the bankruptcy filing. A devastating hepatitis A outbreak linked to contaminated green onions led to the closure of all U.S. locations in 2004.

McDermott is now committed to honoring the brands legacy while introducing fresh twists that delight both longtime fans and a new generation of guests.

According to the press release, Chi-Chis comeback is being built hand-in-hand with its fans. More than 2,000 people have already invested over $2.3 million through the brands equity crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine. The St. Louis Park location will serve as the flagship for the brands relaunch, with additional locations planned in the future.

Heres a look at what the new restaurant is serving:
LONDON, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The BBC committed a "serious breach" of broadcasting rules by failing to disclose the identity of the narrator in a documentary about Gaza, Britain's media regulator Ofcom ruled on Friday.

The regulator said the failure to disclose that the 13-year-old boy narrating the program "How to Survive a Warzone" was the son of a Hamas official misled viewers.

It meant the audience did not have critical information which may have been highly relevant to their assessment of the narrator and the information he provided, it said.

Ofcom has ordered the BBC to broadcast a prime-time statement about its ruling, with a date to be confirmed.

The documentary was pulled from BBC iPlayer in February after the boy's family details emerged.

Since Israel launched its military campaign on Oct. 7, 2023, nearly 68,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza's health authorities. 
The J.M. Smucker Co. has filed a lawsuit against Trader Joes, claiming the grocers crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches too closely resemble the Uncrustables product. AP

The J.M. Smucker Co. has filed a lawsuit against Trader Joes, claiming the grocers new round, crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches too closely resemble their own popular Uncrustables product.

The lawsuit, which was filed Monday in federal court in Ohio, noted that Trader Joes sandwiches have the same pie-like crimp markings and a similar packaging design  so similar that it violates trademarks.

Trader Joes boxes also show a sandwich with a bite mark taken out of it, which is similar to the Uncrustables design, the lawsuit noted.

Smucker does not take issue with others in the marketplace selling prepackaged, frozen, thaw-and-eat crustless sandwiches. But it cannot allow others to use Smuckers valuable intellectual property to make such sales, the company said in its filing.

Smucker is seeking restitution from Trader Joes and is requesting the grocer be required to turn over all products and packaging to be destroyed.

Trader Joes did not respond to a request for comment about the pending litigation.

According to Smuckers website, Uncrustables were invented by two friends who began producing them in 1996 for schools in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Smucker bought their company in 1998 and secured patents for a sealed, crustless sandwich in 1999.

The Associated Press reported that this isnt the first time Smucker has taken legal action to protect its Uncrustables brand. In 2022, the company sent a cease-and-desist letter to a Minnesota company called Gallant Tiger, which was making upscale versions of crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with crimped edges. Smucker told the publication on Wednesday it hasnt taken further action but continues to monitor Gallant Tiger.
Damien Hurstel, 19, was arraigned Friday in state Supreme Court, St. George, after being indicted by a grand jury on murder charges in the Oct. 6 death of his mother's live-in boyfriend. (Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Attorneys for Damien Hurstel have notified the court of their intention to pursue a defense by reason of mental disease or defect, after the defendant was indicted last week by a grand jury on charges he brutally murdered and then decapitated his mothers live-in boyfriend inside the familys West Brighton home.

On Friday, prior to an arraignment hearing before Justice Raymond Rodriguez in state Supreme Court, St. George, defense attorney Mark Fonte spoke extensively with his client for the first time in a private setting. He said Hurstel was monotone and unemotional throughout the conversation.

He had absolutely no affect; he spoke in a monotone, calm demeanor as if nothing was wrong, said Fonte. Which, in and of itself, is extremely concerning ... to have no affect while recounting to me the events of that day.

Hurstel is facing several charges including murder and concealing a corpse in connection with the homicide that prosecutors said first unfolded in the morning hours of Oct. 6 at the residence on Cary Avenue.

The victim, 45-year-old Anthony Casalaspro, was a Department of Sanitation mechanic described by family and friends as a good person who had been helping raise the defendant and his sister.

Anthony Casalaspro, 45, was identified by police as the victim in the Oct. 6 incident that unfolded inside the family's home on Cary Avenue in West Brighton. Facebook image

Fonte said that in talking with his client Friday, he inquired about the day after the slaying, when Hurstel was seen being led out of the 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George by officers with a bloodied face.

He said Hurstel responded:

I think I had a seizure, but then again, I have a recollection of fighting with two individuals ... but Im not sure if that really happened or not.

Fonte went on to say he is working to obtain surveillance footage from inside the holding cells on the day of the incident, given the inconsistencies in his clients statements.

Hes facing difficulty deciphering between fact and fiction; reality and hallucinations. He indicated hes not sure what really happened, said Fonte.

The defendant has a documented history of mental illness that dates back to his childhood, according to his family and attorneys. He has been diagnosed over the years as schizophrenic, along with other conditions including PTSD. Hurstels mother told the New York Post that his biological father went to prison when he was a child, and that he was later the victim of a sexual assault by another student.

Red flags over the years have included delusional behavior and multiple hospitalizations. He currently is on suicide watch on Rikers Island at his attorneys request.

And while law enforcement sources noted there had been domestic issues at the home in recent years, family of the defendant and his attorneys have said the disputes revolved primarily around his mental illness and the medications he was supposed to take, which became inconsistent after he reached adulthood.

Hurstels mother told the Post that in one instance last year, on her birthday, Hurstel became physical with her after she asked him to clean up the kitchen.

The defense, prior to Fridays hearing, submitted in writing to the court their intent to offer at trial psychiatric evidence of mental disease ... with the affirmative defense of lack of criminal responsibility ...

Damien Hurstel, 19, is led out of the courtroom Friday following an arraignment hearing for charges he murdered his mother's live-in boyfriend. (Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)

The notice goes on to state Hurstel lacked substantial capacity to know or appreciate that the nature and consequences of such conduct and/or that such conduct was wrong.

Rodriguez ordered the defendant continue to be remanded without the option of bail and adjourned the case to Nov. 20. Good luck everyone, offered the judge in his send off, as the defendants mother, uncle, grandfather, cousin and other family looked on from the gallery.

Outside the courtroom, the defendants family was solemn as they conferenced with Fonte and quietly consoled each other. His uncle said he had a chance to speak with Hurstel briefly, and that it was hard to get a read on his state of mind. He said simply, I still love him.

The family otherwise declined to comment.

Its an extremely difficult situation for the family," said Fonte. Theyre experiencing loss on both sides of this. The deceased, who they all loved and cared for. And Damien, who is lost to them. Theyre confused, theyre hurt, theyre upset. But theyre here giving him support, said Fonte.

Police sirens illuminate the family's home on Cary Avenue following the Oct. 6 homicide that unfolded inside the residence. (Advance/SILive.com | Scott Axelrod)

Hurstel, who currently is being held on Rikers Island, was transported to the courthouse alone instead of the Department of Correction bus with other inmates, according to a source with knowledge of the case.

He was quiet throughout the hearing Friday, surrounded by about 10 officers. His family watched silently from the gallery. Following the proceedings, Hurstel dropped his head as Rodriguez instructed the officers to take charge. He flashed an awkward smile toward family members before exiting the courtroom.

A gruesome scene

Hurstel told police he hit Casalaspro with a meat tenderizer, and as the two were fighting, he stabbed the victim multiple times. Then, he dragged the body into the bathtub where he removed the victims head.

Investigators believe that over the course of the slaying, Hurstel employed the use of a saw, bolt cutters, a hammer, a knife and a spoon.

The hammer, according to a law enforcement source, was used to gain access to the victims brain. The spoon, it seems, was used in an attempt to scoop out brain matter.

A photo of the aftermath that mysteriously wound up being shared digitally across Staten Island and elsewhere depicted a particularly gruesome scene.

It showed the victims shirtless torso in a bathtub, slumped between a tile wall and sliding glass door. A black ladle rested on his chest. His head was severed from his neck and positioned under his right arm, facing toward his body. His right arm was positioned in an upward pointing motion and his left arm rested at his side.

A saw was placed neatly on the floor beside the bathtub. A soup bowl sat next to the saw.
Heather Williams says she found certificates recognizing her son Taurean's presence at Ground Zero, sparking a years-long battle for official recognition of his sacrifice. Courtesy of Heather Williams

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  At just 17 years old, Taurean E. Williams-Wells was known as the gentle giant; a towering figure with a quiet demeanor and a deep sense of duty.

As an Auxiliary Police officer, the Stapleton resident wasnt required to respond to the chaos of Sept. 11, 2001.

However, without telling his family, Taurean made his way to Ground Zero in the days following the attacks and joined recovery efforts alongside seasoned officers and first responders, according to his mother.

It wasnt until after his 2012 death that his family made a discovery  hidden in a box of papers were certificates of appreciation from the NYPD and former state Sen. Vincent Gentile, recognizing his presence at Ground Zero.

He never told us, said Heather Williams, Taureans mother. He just went. He was a kid, but he felt it was his duty.

Taurean Williams-Wells pictured around the age he was when he responded to Ground Zero. Courtesy of Heather Williams

Taureans health rapidly deteriorated following his service. He suffered kidney failure, respiratory issues, and what his mother described as hyper-depression.

His death at age 28 was a devastating blow to his family, made worse by the silence that followed.

For years, the mother pleaded with the NYPD and city officials to recognize her sons sacrifice. Her requests encountered bureaucratic roadblocks and went unanswered.

Despite possessing a certificate recognizing his service at Ground Zero, Taureans name remains absent from official records due to a technicality: he had no exposure number on file, and his cause of death was not officially linked to 9/11-related illness.

The family was denied access to the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, and Taureans name was excluded from memorials honoring fallen heroes.

According to police, Taurean Williams Wells was an auxiliary police officer from Aug. 2001 to May 2006. Pictured above (left and right) are the certificates Taurean was awarded for his Ground Zero heroism. In the middle is a certificate and a flag that was flown over the United States Capital in Washington, D.C. by former Rep. Max Rose, after his death in honor of Taureans ultimate sacrifice. Courtesy of Heather Williams

Its not about money, Williams emphasized. Its about acknowledgment. My son gave everything, and the city he served wont even say his name.

Inspired by the founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Williams, who is also the founder of the non-profit Fam First Foundation Inc., has vowed to continue her fight for recognition.

In this photo from 2020, Taurean was honored with a co-street renaming in his honor at the corner of Osgood Avenue and Gordon Street. It is now titled Taurean E. Williams-Wells Way. Courtesy of Heather Williams

Shes already secured a street re-naming in Taureans honor by former Councilwoman Debi Rose in 2020, who at the time recognized his work at Ground Zero, as well as recognition from a non-profit based in Long Island. But these tributes came from outside organizations, not city agencies.

Police officials told the Advance/SILive.com that for Taurean to be officially recognized, his family must submit documentation proving his presence at Ground Zero and a medical diagnosis linking his illness to toxic exposure.

Heather Williams, points to her sons name engraved in a non-NYPD or city affiliated 9/11 memorial wall in Long Island. Courtesy of Heather Williams

With the certificate in hand, Williams is now preparing to contact the pension fund and formally begin the verification process.

If successful, Taurean could be added to the memorial wall and his family may finally receive the recognition theyve long sought.

He was a hero, Williams declared. And heroes deserve to be remembered.
In this March 2025 photo, the Wagner College Holocaust Center Advisory Board holds its Community Mitzvah Awards Dinner. (Steve White for the Staten Island Advance)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A powerful new musical composition honoring Christian rescuers during the Holocaust will debut Sunday, Oct. 26, at 2:30 p.m. at Wagner Colleges Campus Hall Musical Performance Center, One Campus Road.

The event, titled Ethical Choices in the Holocaust: Music and Testimony, is hosted by the Wagner College Holocaust Center and will feature the premiere of Postcard from the Avenue of the Righteous, by Polish-American composer Jakub Polaczyk.

The work is dedicated to Christian upstanders, including the family of Dr. Henryk Cioczek, who risked their lives to save Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland.

Cioczek, an oncologist who now consults at Maimonides Medical Center in New York, will deliver a personal account of his Catholic familys wartime bravery  an act for which they were honored by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations.

In these times when Jewish allyship is particularly critical, we need to remember and retell when the strength of allies was not only important, but truly a matter of life and death, said Sadie Khodorkovsky, a member of the Wagner College Holocaust Center advisory board.

She added: That is why we continue to retell stories of the Holocaust, when empathy wasnt just critical to those they protected, but a testament to the sheer bravery of those heroes in history.

The program will open with remarks from Holocaust scholar Dr. Laura Morowitz, who will speak about the role of medical professionals in Holocaust rescue.

While the vast majority of non-Jews remained indifferent or attempted to profit from the persecution, some courageous, compassionate Poles risked their own lives to save Jews, Morowitz said.

Cioczek is the author of The Polish Jerusalem: A History of Endurance, which chronicles the Jewish and Christian pre-war community in Lublin, Poland  located near the Majdanek death camp.

Composer Jakub Polaczyk, who served as the 2023 artistic director of the International Chopin & Friends Festival in New York City, has received multiple awards from the Polish government.

His new piece is a tribute to Cioczeks family and other righteous gentiles, as well as to the victims of the Holocaust.

Polaczyks composition underscores a broader effort by the Wagner College Holocaust Center to educate and inspire.

In November 2025, Professors Morowitz and Lori Weintrob will present their research on Music, Violence, and the Holocaust at Auschwitz-Birkenau, continuing the Centers global work in Holocaust education.

To attend the Oct. 26 event, guests are asked to email holocaust.center@wagner.edu or pre-register here.

STATEN ISLAND FIRST PERMANENT HOLOCAUST EXHIBIT

Since its founding in 2014, the Wagner College Holocaust Center has reached more than 30,000 students from third grade through college. It is affiliated with the Staten Island Hate Crimes Task Force and the Mayors Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes.

In the spring of 2022, the Wagner College Holocaust Center opened the Education and Action Gallery, Staten Islands first permanent Holocaust exhibition.

Located in the Union Building, the gallery offers an in-depth exploration of Holocaust history through information panels, timelines, maps, photographs, archival materials, and interactive displays.

Exhibits trace the events from life in pre-war Europe to contemporary genocides, with special sections honoring Staten Island survivors, highlighting the bravery of rescuers and resistors, and centering the often-overlooked experiences of women.

The gallery also houses a unique archival collection that includes original documents, passports, letters, posters, and artwork that bring individual stories of the Holocaust to life.

School group tours, from fifth grade through college, are available by appointment, and the gallery is open to the public during drop-in hours on the last Sunday of each month from noon to 2 p.m. For more information or to schedule a visit, contact holocaust.center@wagner.edu.
Oral rabies vaccines are being placed in targeted areas of New York City, not including Staten Island. This photo from Jan. 6, 2020, shows a raccoon in the Mount Loretto Unique Area. (Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  There are no plans for Staten Island to receive oral rabies vaccine baits despite the identification of more than a half-dozen rabies-carrying creatures in the borough this year, according to the New York City Health Department.

As of Wednesday, six raccoons and a cat have tested positive for rabies on Staten Island since the start of the year. These six raccoons make up a third of the 18 testing positive in the city so far in 2025.

Ten of the raccoons testing positive were located in Queens and two were found in Brooklyn, the department shared.

In the latest effort to distribute oral rabies vaccine baits, the New York City Health Department, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, is targeting areas of Queens, Brooklyn and select areas of northern Manhattan.

The NYC Health Department is prioritizing oral rabies vaccines (ORV) in Brooklyn and Queens to coincide with efforts taking place in Nassau and Suffolk counties in order to interrupt transmission in a growing number of rabid raccoons and prevent spillover to other animals, read a statement from the New York City Health Department provided to the Advance/SILive.com. NYC Health monitors rabies activity across NYC. All animals testing positive for rabies are posted on our website here https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/rabies-stats.page. Pet owners are reminded to keep their pets up to date with rabies vaccination, and all New Yorkers should report any animal with signs of rabies by calling 311."

As explained by a source with knowledge of the situation, while Staten Island has more rabid raccoons than Brooklyn, the trend suggests a threat of rabies spreading across the extent of Long Island. Moreover, the source explained, Brooklyn typically has no cases of rabid raccoons.

This latest deployment of rabies vaccine baits began on Tuesday and will continue through November. It follows baiting in Queens and Brooklyn that took place this past spring, the Health Department said.

These baits are distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as numerous state and local partners in eastern states, with the goal of preventing the spread of rabies across the country, according to a press release by the New York City Health Department.

The small, brown-colored baits smell like fish and contain a pink, liquid vaccine. They look something like a ketchup packet, according to the Health Department.

Raccoons are drawn to the smell and chew the bait, ultimately immunizing themselves from rabies infection. While not harmful to people, in rare cases, exposure to the vaccine may cause a rash reaction, according to the Health Department. Pets are not harmed by these baits, but they can cause vomiting if several are eaten.

Rabies is a serious disease that can be fatal, said Acting NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. The NYC Health Departments efforts to vaccinate raccoons against rabies will protect New Yorkers, their pets, and the citys wildlife. New Yorkers can do their part too, by keeping their pets up to date on rabies vaccinations and maintaining distance from our citys wildlife. Also, if you see an animal you believe to be behaving erratically, please call 311.

Rabies is transmitted when people and/or pets are bitten by a rabid animal. If a bitten individual or animal does not receive proper medical attention after a potential exposure to rabies, the virus can cause disease in the brain and death, according to the Health Department.
(Courtesy of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island/Annesa Ali)

Members of Staten Islands Jewish community and guests gathered at Congregation Toras Emes in Oakwood to celebrate Sukkot on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (Courtesy of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island/Annesa Ali)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Under gray skies and the looming threat of a noreaster, joy was not dampened as members of Staten Islands Jewish community gathered at Congregation Toras Emes in Oakwood Sunday evening for a spirited Simchas Bais Hashoeva celebration during the Sukkot holiday  a week-long festival celebrating the harvest and commemorating the 40 years Jews spent in the desert after leaving Egypt.

Simchas Bais Hashoeva dates back to the days of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and commemorates the Rejoicing of the Water-Drawing House  a time when worshippers would celebrate in the Temple courtyard with song, dance and prayer.

Though centuries have passed, the spiritual core of the celebration remains the same: gratitude to God and faith in His blessings for the year ahead.

Blessed with hearty appetites, attendees partook in mouth-watering fare from throughout the universe of Jewish food  from Middle Eastern to European with a contemporary American twist.

Members of Staten Islands Jewish community and guests gathered at Congregation Toras Emes in Oakwood to celebrate Sukkot on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (Courtesy of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island/Annesa Ali)

The menu included a barbecue featuring lamb, beef, and chicken, alongside kugel (a baked pudding), gefilte fish, hardboiled eggs filled with red caviar, an Azerbaijani rice recipe that some are still raving about and more.

Tea with honey was the drink of the night, alongside traditionally dense, moist and spicy honey cake.

Rabbi Yochanan Ivry of Congregation Toras Emes reflected on the communitys devotion in the face of stormy weather:

Even with the inclement weather sweeping the Northeast, the celebration and the faith are strong, Ivry said. This demonstrates the resolve and commitment of our community to celebrate, regardless of any challenges. Our community is a resilient community with strong values and principles. This beautiful display of faith truly reflects the spirit of the Jewish people.

Members of Staten Islands Jewish community and guests gathered at Congregation Toras Emes in Oakwood to celebrate Sukkot on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (Courtesy of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island/Annesa Ali)

The Water Libation Ceremony historically symbolized prayers for life-giving rain in the coming year. Ancient sages taught that one who has not seen the rejoicing at the Place of the Water-Drawing has never seen true rejoicing.

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Serebryanski, Rosh Kollel of Ayshel Avraham Rabbinical Seminary and vice president of the Rabbinical Alliance of America, reminded attendees of the events profound message:

This gathering is a beautiful illustration of Jewish unity, Serebryanski said. May we be blessed with the ultimate celebration of unity with the coming of Moshiach (the messiah) and the rebuilding of the Bais HaMikdosh (the two destroyed temples in Jerusalem).

Members of Staten Islands Jewish community and guests gathered at Congregation Toras Emes in Oakwood to celebrate Sukkot on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (Courtesy of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island/Annesa Ali)

Sukkot itself is a festival of unity, symbolized by the Four Species  the citron, palm, myrtle and willow  which represent the diversity of the Jewish people coming together as one.

Rabbi Aharon Zeev, of Aur Torah Sephardic Minyan, spoke of the unique power of joy that comes from serving God:

Simcha Shel Mitzvah  the joy of a commandment  is pure and unadulterated, Zeev said. To see the community celebrating with such enthusiasm shows that the joy comes from a deep, holy place  a joy that is not dependent on circumstances.

Members of Staten Islands Jewish community and guests gathered at Congregation Toras Emes in Oakwood to celebrate Sukkot on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (Courtesy of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island/Annesa Ali)

Mendy Mirocznik, president of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island (COJO), praised the diversity of participation:

It is inspiring to see all the members of the community from all walks of Jewish life celebrate this great simcha (joyful event), Mirocznik said. COJO is proud to be a part of this celebration. We are also grateful to our elected officials and law enforcement for their steadfast support.

Annesa Ali, founder and president of Making a Change with Kindness  a not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering children to embrace kindness as a way of life  partnered with COJO for the event, emphasizing how faith communities can stand together:

This event showcases the beauty of unity and cooperation, highlighting the importance of interfaith support and community solidarity, Ali said.

Local police and community leaders also joined the festivities, offering their support for the boroughs Jewish community.

Even with rain clouds overhead, the night was full of music and dancing, showing how faith often shines the brightest during dark times.

This years Simchas Bais Hashoeva wasnt just a celebration  it was a moment of joy, strength and togetherness.
Public schools in New York City will be closed on Monday, Oct. 20, to observe Diwali. (Advance/SILive.com | Annalise Knudson)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  New York City public school students will once again only head to class for four days next week, as they are off one day for a holiday.

Public schools in New York City will be closed on Monday, Oct. 20, to observe Diwali.

In June 2023, New York City officially declared Diwali as a public school holiday.

Diwali is a festival of lights, and one of the major events celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists. It is observed in October or November as designated by the Indian calendar.

This year, the holiday starts on Oct. 20  with celebrations held over the course of five days. Students will return to class on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

For those looking further ahead, there are plenty of days off before the end of the year.

After Diwali, public school students will not go to class on Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Public schools will also be closed on Nov. 11 for Veterans Day, and on Nov. 27 to 28 for Thanksgiving recess.

The public school academic calendar includes some two dozen days off between the first day and the last day of classes.

The calendar gives time off every year for religious holidays like Good Friday, Yom Kippur and Eid al-Fitr, and week-long breaks for winter recess, mid-winter recess and spring recess, which include Christmas and Passover. Diwali has also been added recently as a public school holiday.

The school calendar also allows time off each year for Italian Heritage Day/Indigenous Peoples Day (Columbus Day), Election Day, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day and Juneteenth. Dates for parent-teacher conference days for elementary, middle schools and high schools are also posted in the calendar.

You can go here to view more important dates for the 2025-2026 public school academic year.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The New York State Republican Party has voted to suspend the operations of the New York State Young Republicans after members of the group, including several Staten Islanders, were alleged to have participated in a leaked text thread riddled with hate speech.

The text thread, exposed by Politico, included references to Hitler, gas chambers and discriminatory remarks targeting various groups.

The Young Republicans was already grossly mismanaged, and vile language of the sort made in the group chat has no place in our party or its subsidiary organizations, New York GOP chair Ed Cox said in a statement following the vote.

In a letter to the National Federation of Young Republicans, Cox wrote: Moving forward the New York State Young Republicans shall be suspended and it is the hope of the New York Republican State Committee that it can be reconstituted at a later date.

As of Friday, the website of the New York State Young Republicans appears to have been taken down and a request for comment sent to the organizations email was deemed undeliverable, indicating the account may have been disabled.

The Advance/SILive.com learned Tuesday that Assemblymember Mike Reilly fired his chief of staff, Peter Giunta, due to alleged comments he made in the text thread.

When Giunta was a candidate for chair of the Young Republican National Federation, troubling messages were reportedly exchanged during his campaign.

In the text chat, Giunta allegedly stated: I love Hitler, and everyone that votes no is going to the gas chamber.

Joe Maligno, who is a Staten Islander and vice president of the Staten Island Young Republicans Club, allegedly replied to the thread about the showers and Hitler. Politico reported that Maligno previously worked for Staten Island Judge Mary A. Kavanagh, but was no longer employed in Richmond County Civil Court.

In addition, Anne KayKaty, who allegedly participated in the chat, was the Staten Island Young Republicans Clubs former events committee chairperson, according to a 2021 post on the clubs Instagram. A 2024 Instagram post lists her as club secretary.

Giuntas alleged texts also referred to Black people as the watermelon people, and monkeys.

Giunta issued a public apology, expressing regret for the offensive language and claiming the messages may have been doctored. He also alleged that he was the target of a coordinated smear campaign by members of the New York City Young Republican Club, involving AI-generated content.

The comments shared in the group chat that have been reported are extremely troubling and disappointing. They do not align with my values. As a result, Mr. Giuntas assignment in my office has ended, said Reilly to the Advance/SILive.com on Tuesday.

Politicos investigation revealed a broader pattern of troubling behavior within the group chat, which spanned seven months and included racist, antisemitic, misogynistic and homophobic remarks.

The messages reportedly praised slavery, discussed violent fantasies and used deeply offensive language.

On Wednesday, the Richmond County Republican Party condemned the alleged hate speech in the chat.

The Richmond County Republican Party is appalled and unequivocally condemns the vile, hateful rhetoric recently reported by Politico. It is shocking and incredibly disappointing that this disgusting discourse could have been happening, said Assemblymember Michael Tannousis, Richmond County Republican Party chairperson.

The alleged comments are a moral disgrace. As I have said many times, hate has no place anywhere, especially in our borough and in our party. This type of behavior will not be tolerated, he added.

Tannousis said the Republicans involved in the chat have been terminated from their positions by their respective employers. Their views do not represent the values of our Republican Party or the residents of our community, he said.

Meanwhile, local Democrats, led by Assembly Deputy Majority Leader Charles D. Fall, chair of the Staten Island Democratic Party, called for the Staten Island Republican Party to conduct a full internal investigation on what else is happening inside because clearly theres something going on thats bigger.

Moreover, Fall is urging law enforcement to conduct an investigation into this alleged text chat in order to see if there is a link between these messages and the recent vandalism of City Council and judicial candidates campaign signs, which were defaced with antisemitic symbols and hateful language.

There was one (case of antisemitism) against the two Republican judicial candidates and there was one a few months ago that was geared toward a City Council candidate, added Fall. Alright? And so we want to encourage our partners in law enforcement to dig a little deeper, because when youre saying antisemitic rhetoric in text-message chains, where else are you saying it? What kind of actions are you carrying out?
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 14: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with President of Argentina Javier Milei in the Cabinet Room at the White House on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump is hosting Milei for a working lunch days after the U.S. Treasury finalized a $20 billion currency swap framework with Argentina in an effort to help stabilize its economy. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) Getty Images

President Donald Trump compared his body to Joe Bidens during a recent bilateral meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei.

During their sitdown, the 47th president was asked if he planned to visit Argentina. I do. I would love to. Im just a little busy, Trump said, before pivoting to an aside about Biden.

Id like to be Biden. Id like to go to the beach, Trump continued, referring to how his predecessor has been spotted with Jill Biden at Delawares Rehoboth Beach. Given that Argentina boasts over 3,000 miles of coastline, this likely got Trump thinking about the beach.

Trump, unprompted, then compared his body to Bidens. You know, my legs are not quite as thin as his. My legs are slighlty heavier. My arms are slightly larger. My body is a little bit larger than his. Im not sure it would be appreciated on the beach, but Im not going to take a chance. You wont see me in a bathing suit.

After what seemed like a self-deprecating comment about his own physique, Trump turned the focus back to Biden, saying, Somebody told him that he looked good in a bathing suit. And youd see this guy at the beach all the time, he said.

The president also commented on Bidens strength, claiming he cant lift a three-ounce chair, meant for old people to lift, and he couldnt lift it. Trump appears to have meant three-pound chair, though he was not corrected.

WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 14: United States President Donald Trump greets the President of Argentina Javier Milei at the White House in Washington DC , October 14, 2025. (Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images) Anadolu via Getty Images

His comments came during a bilateral lunch meeting with Milei, who, according to CNN, shares similar ideologies to Trump, as they both rose to power on claims to diminish bureaucracy and combat the woke left.

Leading up to Argentinas midterm elections on Oct. 26, Trump recently sent a $20 billion financial lifeline to Argentinas economy. According to the Associated Press, the Trump administration is now considering an additional $20 billion in financing, bringing the total support package to $40 billion.

However, Trump insists that this financial lifeline will stop if Mileis coalition loses the election. If he wins, were staying with him, Trump said during the meeting. And if he doesnt win, were gone.
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Argentina's President Javier Milei in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) AP

President Donald Trump was repeatedly pressed on a new U.S. plan to provide a major financial lifeline to Argentina as the countrys president, Javier Milei, visited the White House.

Trump welcomed the South American leader on Tuesday to discuss a $20 billion currency swap with the countrys central bank, days after the deal was announced by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a social media post last week. The bailout  which essentially exchanges U.S. dollars with volatile pesos  has been met with criticism from Democratic lawmakers who have pointed to its timing coinciding with the government shutdown. Several U.S. farmers have also expressed concern over how China has snubbed American producers, shifting to buy large amounts of soybeans from Argentina.

Its a great honor to have the leader of Argentina. A place that I love, Ive been to, and one of the most beautiful places in the world... Trump said of Milei alongside members of his Cabinet, before adding: Hes MAGA all the way. Its Make Argentina Great Again.

.@POTUS: "It's a great honor to have the leader of Argentina... he's MAGA all the way, it's 'Make Argentina Great Again' ... I think he's really on the verge of tremendous economic success." pic.twitter.com/t9XUXAm7VB  Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 14, 2025

When asked by a reporter about how the package is America first, Trump responded: Its really meant to help a good financial philosophy where Argentina can, after 20 years of disaster, cause it was very successful at one point, and it can be again.

Another reporter went on to directly ask how the swap will benefit the United States.

Just helping a great philosophy take over a great country, Trump responded. Argentinas one of the most beautiful countries that Ive ever seen. And we want to see it succeed, its very simple. I mean, we dont have to do it. Its not going to make a big difference for our country.

The deal comes as Milei, a libertarian with pro-capitalist policies, faces crucial midterm elections later this month. Mileis party suffered a massive loss in a local election in September.

If he loses, we are not going to be generous with Argentina, Trump said.

He later added: Im with this man because his philosophys correct. And he may win, and he may not win. But I think hes going to win. And if he wins, were staying with him. And if he doesnt win, were gone.

Trump also said that he would love to visit Argentina, but hes just a little busy.

Id like to be like [former President Joe] Biden. Id like to go to the beach, you know, Trump said. My legs are not quite as thin as his. My legs are slightly heavier, my arms are slightly larger. My body is a little bit larger than his. Im not sure it would be appreciated on the beach, but Im not going to take a chance.

During the bilateral meeting, Trump was also presented with a gold-framed letter from Milei nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize. The president has long sought the prestigious prize  but many submissions for Trumps nomination occurred after the deadline for the 2025 award. Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was announced as this years recipient on Friday.
ZHENGZHOU, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- A new factory of Swire Coca-Cola Ltd., a bottler of Coca-Cola, was put into operation Thursday in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province.

The new factory is the first world-class factory that has been unveiled in the company's 12 billion-yuan (1.69 billion-U.S. dollar) investment commitment in China. It covers an area of nearly 200 mu (13.33 hectares), with an investment of over 900 million yuan and an annual production capacity of over 1 million tonnes.

"The Chinese market has always been an important engine driving the stable operation of Swire Coca-Cola," said Karen So, CEO of Swire Coca-Cola Ltd.

The new factory in Zhengzhou integrates the most comprehensive and sustainable practices and continuous innovation accumulated by the company over 60 years of development. This conveys Swire Coca-Cola's long-term commitment to being deeply rooted in the Chinese market and contributing to high-quality development, she added.

The factory highlights green and intelligent elements. It has more than 30 green and low-carbon measures, including smart hot water centers, refrigeration and photovoltaic power generation.

With over 30 digital systems seamlessly integrated, intelligent scheduling can be achieved throughout the entire process, from order placement and inventory to packaging and shipping, utilizing sorting robots and automated guided vehicles.

To meet the demands of the Chinese market, in 2023, Swire Coca-Cola announced a plan to invest over 12 billion yuan in the Chinese mainland over the next decade, mainly for expanding production capacity.

The company's production base project in south China's Hainan Province will start construction at the end of 2025. The new factory in east China's Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, and the Greater Bay Area production base in south China's Guangdong Province will be put into operation in 2026. 
BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce on Friday released a report on the United States' compliance with the World Trade Organization (WTO), expressing concerns over U.S. trade bullying practices and double-standard manipulations in industrial policy.

The 2025 Report on the WTO Compliance of the United States also expressed China's concerns over U.S. practices that undermine the multilateral trading system and disrupt global industrial and supply chains, the ministry said.

Two previous versions of the report were released in 2023 and 2024.

The ministry said that over the past year, the United States has escalated its unilateral actions and frequently implemented discriminatory policies -- particularly in its introduction of so-called reciprocal tariffs and in waging global trade wars -- which have infringed upon the legitimate rights and interests of other countries.

The multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core is the cornerstone of economic globalization and international trade, the ministry said, adding that the WTO is a rules-based international organization that relies on its members to fully abide by their obligations while enjoying their rights, and on mutual supervision and cooperation among its members.

The ministry noted that the current multilateral trading system faces significant challenges. Through the release of the 2025 report, China urges the U.S. to promptly correct its erroneous practices, comply with WTO rules, fulfill its obligations as a WTO member and abandon non-compliance measures such as its "reciprocal tariffs" as soon as possible.

China hopes the report will also prompt the U.S. to work with other WTO members to advance the multilateral trading system toward playing a greater role in global economic governance, and to collectively commit to an equal, orderly multi-polar world and a universally beneficial, inclusive form of economic globalization. 
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size All John Smith ever wanted was an apology. He was disturbed to discover the man he had briefly dated in 2022 was using his position at American Express to spy on purchases he made using his card, and he thought the global company would take swift action. Smith (not his real name) complained internally and even reached out to Amexs individual lawyers on LinkedIn  desperate to draw their attention to what he considered a major breach of privacy laws. However, little did he know, this would be the starting point of years of being dismissed and lied to  a gruelling quest for justice that has exposed the fault lines of Australias privacy regulation. This masthead revealed this week that the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner had discovered that 78 per cent of American Expresss systems do not track employee access to customer accounts, exposing the bulk of its customers to insider threats. Privacy Commissioner Carly Kinds investigation remains ongoing, with no final determination yet made, but her interim findings reveal how American Express provided misleading information to regulators and pushed back against investing in technology needed to protect its customers. American Express said it had fully co-operated with the OAIC investigation, disagreed with its interim findings, and stressed the investigation was still under way with further information to be provided. No official findings have been made, a spokesperson said, adding American Express took its customers security seriously and had full faith in its technology systems. The spokesperson said we categorically reject claims that any regulator was misled and explained that one incorrect statement was mistakenly provided at one stage, which was promptly corrected within 48 hours.

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An OAIC spokesman said views stated in its interim report were preliminary and did not reflect the final view but could not comment further as the investigation was ongoing. Digital Rights Watch founder and privacy lawyer Lizzie OShea said Australian regulation was miles behind the rest of the world, and the lack of major fines or compulsory monitoring means there was limited incentive for companies to safeguard private information. Our privacy regime is hopelessly out of date, OShea said. Its a disaster waiting to happen. And this is what gives rise to these kinds of problems  systemic risks that are built into the system. Loading In recent weeks, a data breach at Qantas resulted in 5.7 million customers private information being uploaded to the dark web. The Australian Federal Police promised to take swift action after a US website posted the phone numbers of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and hordes of other public figures. While American Express has not experienced a mass data leak in Australia, gaping holes in its technology expose its customers to identity theft, fraud and harm from rogue employees. Parliamentary disclosures show more than a dozen sitting federal politicians are among the 1 million Australian cardholders at risk. Labor MP Ed Husic, who owns an American Express card, said the interim findings were an extremely serious concern.

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Im not focused on this as a matter affecting politicians, I just think any Australian whos an American Express customer should be fuming about this, he said. It looks like American Express isnt even meeting international standards for managing and protecting customer data. Disregard for protecting and defending customer data is an attitude ripe for a hacker to exploit  because corporate culture seeps into the way a company works and behaves. Over the past three years, any setbacks have only strengthened Smiths resolve to expose the failures within American Express  a company he views as a ticking time bomb. This masthead has obtained a tranche of documents that reveal Smiths pursuit of accountability through regulators and lawmakers. He has sent countless letters to politicians  and secured the public and private support of senior Labor minister Tanya Plibersek. I am concerned by the interim findings of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and urge American Express to take it seriously, Plibersek said. One government staffer, who was not authorised to speak publicly, said Smiths concerns about American Express were directly incorporated into the governments seven-year cybersecurity strategy, published in 2023.

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However, Liberal MP Mary Aldred disputed the efficacy of this strategy, pointing to an 11 per cent rise in cybercrime incidents over the past 12 months. Aldred, who also owns an American Express card and has worked in cybersecurity, said the OAICs interim findings indicated just about everyone in the company has had a high level of access to data, whether they needed it as part of their job or not. Its not sufficient to rely on training and internal policies alone. There should be login-tracking protocols in place to deter and flag unnecessary access to personal data. From TV ads to TikTokers American Express has long been a recognised and celebrated brand in Australia, dating back to black-and-white advertising campaigns fronted by comedian Barry Humphries to designer Lizzy Gardiners gold-card dress on the Oscars red carpet in 1995. Barry Humphries promoting American Express in the 1980s. Credit: American Express Its branding has adorned Sydneys city skyline, and its green, silver, gold and black cards have stuffed wallets all around the country.

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Last year, American Express launched a campaign to grow its younger customer base in Australia, hiring TikTok personality Millie Ford as a brand ambassador and hosting a music event headlined by Sydney band Lime Cordiale. However, behind the scenes, it was battling an investigation that threatened to force an overhaul in the way it handles customer data. The global behemoths business operations span credit cards to travel services, meaning it holds enormous amounts of private information lucrative to hackers, from financial transactions to healthcare and identity documents that provide granular detail about its customers lives. As reported by this masthead in 2022, when Smith first reported suspicions of an employee spying on his transactions, the company assured him that there had been no foul play. In a letter sent by an American Express vice president, Smith was informed that an internal investigation had been completed, no misconduct was found, and that all staff were rigorously trained. I trust this response addresses your concerns, the vice president wrote. American Express is trying to appeal to younger customers. Credit: AmexAU/Instagram It did not. Smith submitted a complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, which requested an emergency meeting to demand American Express guarantee the employee could no longer access his account. American Express then admitted it was unable to practically restrict such access and disclosed logs that revealed the employee had, in fact, opened Smiths account on nine separate occasions without permission.

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As co-chair of the Australian Republic Movement, Esther Anatolitis is on a mission to see Australia cut ties with the monarchy. On the 50th anniversary of Gough Whitlams dismissal, she has written a book, curiously named When Australia Became a Republic.

The title is inspired by the many times Australians have done things their own way, from the introduction of the secret ballot to the Sydney Olympics.

Esther Anatolitis says the Australian Constitution doesnt even mention a prime minister. Credit: Rohan Thomson

Australians have often chosen independence and asserted sovereignty, Anatolitis says, and global politics illustrates how tenuous those freedoms can be.

When were seeing democracies around the world collapsing in corrupt, violent, warmongering ways, we cant afford to be complacent, she says. Weve seen enough world history to know that what we actually need to do is put every effort we can put towards strengthening Australian democracy.
The state government has rejected expert advice to list feral deer as a pest in Victoria, and will instead continue to list deer as a protected species.

The decision has dismayed conservationists, alarmed at the rapid spread of the destructive species which now number more than 1 million according to government figures.

A lone deer crossing the road in the Grampians National Park. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

Victoria is the only mainland state that lists deer as a protected game species rather than a feral pest to be managed, and deer are increasingly encroaching on peri-urban and even urban parts of the state.

The Victorian government has refused for four years to release its response to the 2021 findings of an expert independent panel. It quietly tabled that response on Friday afternoon.
A critically endangered marsupial has been discovered in Kosciuszko National Park for the first time, while the NSW parliament made a historic move to repeal the Barilaro-era laws that protected brumbies in the Snowy Mountains.

Ecologists found a long-footed potoroo in footage from a camera set up to monitor feral cats in the rugged Byadbo area, similar to the groundbreaking discovery of the Leadbeaters possum earlier this year.

It comes as the ecosystems of Kosciuszko National Park continue to recover after thousands of feral horses were culled since the Minns government took office, against a backdrop of intense campaigning to save the brumbies, including by radio host Ray Hadley.

Under laws passed by the former Coalition government and championed by former Nationals leader John Barilaro, the government must maintain a population of 3000 brumbies in a retention area of the park to preserve colonial heritage.
An international researcher whose work helped cast doubt over the scientific evidence for shaken baby syndrome has described an Australian courts precedent-setting judgment as ignorant and embarrassing.

Professor Anders Eriksson, one of the authors of an influential 2016 study by the Swedish health technology agency, told the Diagnosing Murder podcast the study found the evidence for a diagnosis that has imprisoned hundreds of Australians was very weak.

Anders Eriksson, a retired professor of forensic medicine at the University of Umea in Sweden. He gave evidence in a landmark appeal court hearing in Victoria.

Forty researchers examined more than 3000 pieces of scientific literature in multiple languages for the 2016 study by the Swedish government agency (SBU). Their two-year review found the orthodox diagnosis  that a so-called triad of injuries points to child abuse  could not be scientifically confirmed.

When Eriksson and two other Scandinavian experts gave evidence in a Victorian Court of Appeal case in 2021, the majority judges dismissed their testimony as being of little assistance. The appeal had been brought by a young man, Jesse Vinaccia, who is serving an 8-year sentence for child homicide after being found guilty of shaking his girlfriends baby to death.
A man has narrowly missed being hit after his home was peppered with bullets in the latest spate of shootings in suburban Sydney. Police have called for an end to the absolutely reckless attacks that have residents living in fear.

Police believe three shots were fired from a small calibre pistol at a home on Bluegum Avenue, Prestons, in the first of two shootings at 1am on Friday. The assailants fled in a white Mercedes.

Just 20 minutes later emergency services were called to an address on Greenway Drive, West Hoxton, after another three shots were fired, terrifying the family who lived in the home.

Those living at both residences werent known to police. Detectives are now looking into the background of previous occupants. Both shootings are believed to be linked.
A former gas fitter has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and grievous bodily harm after two babies at a Sydney hospital were mistakenly given nitrous oxide instead of oxygen, leaving one newborn dead and another with life-long brain injuries.

Christopher Laurie Turner appeared in Downing Centre District Court on Friday after he was charged in 2022 with the manslaughter of newborn John Ghanem and causing grievous bodily harm by omission relating to a second baby at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital in mid-2016.

He initially fought the charges, pleading not guilty in September last year, but on Friday changed his plea.

The father of the second baby told Nine News on Friday: Its a big relief this person has finally taken responsibility.
Plans for a new South Bank-style parkland around the river bend in South Brisbane have been scrapped, with the land now earmarked for thousands of new apartments as part of a mixed-use precinct.

The Queensland government is seeking input from developers, and believes the 7.1-hectare Visy site on Montague Road could host more than 4000 homes, as well as parks, entertainment spaces and riverfront promenades.

The announcement on Friday drew a strong backlash from the areas Brisbane City Council representative, Trina Massey, of the Greens.

An artists impression of how the Visy site in South Brisbane may look when redeveloped.

This isnt revitalisation, its a blatant act of privatisation at the expense of local communities, she said in an afternoon statement.
The October 18 Edition

As we were putting this edition together I realised a beautiful thread had emerged  that of family experiences. Megan Gilmour and her daughter, Mia, are the subjects of this weeks Two of Us column. They went through the harrowing experience of Megans son, Darcy, being diagnosed with cancer at age 10. Megan and Mia, who was just 13 when her brother fell ill, describe how the illness impacted, but ultimately strengthened, their mother-daughter relationship. For our cover story, Konrad Marshall spoke with jockey Michelle Payne about becoming the first  and only  female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup. Marshall charts how influential Paynes close-knit family has been on her life and how she handled the aftermath of making history. Elsewhere, Jordan Baker details Antonia Marrans role in continuing the groundbreaking work of her late father, Antony Kidman, in adolescent and youth mental health. Its a lovely illustration of generational change and renewal within a family. Melissa Stevens, editor
Some seek treatment with oestrogen or testosterone, which feminise or masculinise their appearance to line up with their identity. Evidence suggests the treatment can significantly improve mental health, but it can also irreversibly affect fertility, hair growth or the voice. Olivia Donaghy of Gender Health Australia. A Seahorse Collective spokesperson said that all DIY HRT experiences in our collective have been positive, without detailing how many people had taken the treatment. Especially in comparison to the HRT outcomes through GPs and other doctors clinics, which can have a lot of drawbacks, including long waiting lists, transphobic behaviour from doctors, expense, being prescribed very low amounts of hormones for no reason. Evidence from long-term studies in gender clinics and meta-analyses of more than 26,000 people suggest trans women receiving hormone replacement therapy in particular have higher rates of stroke, heart attack or blood clots. On the other hand, not providing gender-affirming hormone therapy also comes with risks. Young trans people have extremely high rates of depression, self-harm, attempted suicide and suicide, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians has said. About one in three trans people attempt suicide at least once.

A 2023 systematic review, published in Nature Human Behaviour, found hormone therapy improved quality of life and mental health. In adolescents, providing hormone therapy halved suicidal intentions, a 2020 study found. In Victoria and NSW, most adults access gender-affirming hormone therapy through their GPs, who either prescribe directly or refer them to gender clinics. Mental health support is not mandatory but is usually recommended. In people under 18, guidelines recommend a multidisciplinary team assess and care for the child  and the treating team, child and parents must all consent before treatment can begin. Gender-affirming hormone therapy People whose gender identity is different to the sex they were assigned at birth often experience intense distress, known as gender dysphoria. This can be alleviated through social, medical, or surgical transition. Evidence suggests gender-affirming hormone therapy  using oestrogen or testosterone to align physical characteristics with gender identity  significantly improve mental health and wellbeing. The therapy also comes with risks. It can increase the risk of stroke, heart attack or blood clots. Doctors say the therapy should be performed under medical supervision. Source: Professor Ada Cheung DIY HRT has long been a feature of the trans community, which historically struggled to access mainstream healthcare.

Some of those barriers have fallen away in the past decade amid the dramatic increase in the number of GPs able and willing to prescribe gender-affirming hormone therapy, and the establishment of public gender clinics, although Queensland has suspended public hormone therapy for people aged under 18. I think the rest of Australia is right to be concerned  if they are doing it there, it could happen here. People are desperate for healthcare. They are not going to not get it, said Olivia Donaghy, clinical director of private practice Gender Health Australia and the statewide co-ordinator of the Queensland governments Childrens Gender Service. Loading After Queensland announced its ban, the federal government set a review of treatment guidelines for trans young people, which is being led by the National Health and Medical Research Council. Donaghy was also worried about people buying hormones online.

If youre buying it on the internet, you dont know whats in the vials and you dont know the dosage, she said. Loading Trans Action Network spokesperson Amy, who has used DIY HRT and spoke under condition of anonymity, said Queenslands ban had worried people so much, they were pre-emptively organising DIY supply in case other jurisdictions followed. Which is really depressing, but thats the reality of it, Amy said. They said do-it-yourself was becoming more popular as healthcare became more unaffordable.

I would say probably half, more than half of my friends are using that approach or at least supplementing with that approach, Amy said. Waiting lists for Victorias free public gender clinics run to two years. A private doctor with a shorter waiting time can cost between $20 and $120 a session, while the hormones are publicly subsidised and cost between $6 and $40 a month. Cheung, from the Trans Health Research Group, said not all areas had GPs who felt comfortable or confident providing gender-affirming care, particularly in the regions. People still encounter quite widespread discrimination, even in healthcare. Its not perfect. But its better than it was, say, five years ago, she said. Unlike in the United States, Australia does not offer oestradiol injections, but many trans people think that it is the best option. So, they often turn to DIY HRT, Cheung said.

One 2021 study suggested more than one-quarter of trans Australians had experienced healthcare discrimination, which could leave them mistrustful of doctors. Amy said many of their friends had negative or alarming experiences with doctors when seeking treatment. Amy also initially had safety concerns. But if all your friends are using DIY HRT, outside the medical framework, you have proof of concept it is safe and effective. Youre going to trust the testimony of your friends more so than doctors, they said. It is unclear how many trans people are turning to DIY hormone replacement therapy. Credit: Getty Images Dr Stuart Aitken, a co-founder of Gender Health Australia, has treated multiple patients injured by DIY HRT.

One had a very large stroke from unmonitored, very high doses of self-administered injectable oestrogen, he said. I have seen cases of tachyphylaxis  where people become desensitised to normal doses of oestrogen and feel dependent on very high doses. Ive seen people develop thickening of the blood. Aitken described the safety profile of DIY as unclear. He and other experts were unaware of any published studies on the effectiveness and risks of the practice. We dont want anyone to be taking a DIY approach. Eloise Brook, Australian Professional Association for Trans Health Dr Vivian Praeger, chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners special interest group for transgender and gender-diverse healthcare, disputed claims about access issues via GPs in Victoria.

However, she said many GPs felt concerned about prescribing hormones off-label and a lack of top-level guidelines. There is a higher medico-legal risk on the prescriber, she said. There is a lot of uncertainty among doctors about what is actually the best pathway. It is unclear how many trans people are turning to DIY. But there are enough cases that the community and doctors are paying attention. Transcend, an advocacy group for young trans people, ran a session this week for parents titled Understanding the risks of DIY hormone therapy. Eloise Brook, chief executive of peak body the Australian Professional Association for Trans Health (AusPATH), said DIY was the only option for trans children who could not access hormone therapy because their families objected, although she did not support the approach. We dont want anyone to be taking a DIY approach. Any kind of medication that is not being properly monitored by a health professional always runs a risk, Brook said.

AusPATH chief executive Eloise Brook says its still common for young trans people to experience discrimination from a GP. Its indicative, even if somewhere in Victoria  one of the most progressive states  that young people who dont have support from their families, they have no option. They are deciding they are going to go down their own path. Its still really common for young people to experience discrimination or a negative reaction from a GP. The drugs needed for hormone replacement therapy are readily available online, this masthead has found. One Australian-based website sells various formulations of oestrogen for $US65 to $US90 ($100 to $139) a vial, payable only in cryptocurrency, shipped worldwide with obfuscated labelling. Several doctors said it was likely cheaper to go through the mainstream pathway because Medicare offers subsidies for the treatment. Cheung said it was possible some trans people turned to DIY because they struggled to navigate the healthcare system to find the care they needed, rather than it not being available.

Your Community Health has peer navigation teams that guide people through the system. Victoria should roll out a similar central system, Cheung said. A spokesman for the federal Health Department said it actively monitors for signs of counterfeit and falsified therapeutic goods within Australia. In collaboration with the ABF [Australian Border Force], we work to disrupt the unlawful importation and distribution of illegal products. A Victorian government spokesman said it had allocated $2.1 million in the last budget to deliver two extra regional clinics for trans and gender-diverse adults, in Darebin and Ballarat. Healthcare and the management of any diagnosed condition should be led by clinicians, which is why the Victorian government has expanded access to multidisciplinary clinical services for trans and gender-diverse individuals, the spokesperson said.
ISLAMABAD, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Eight soldiers were killed and 13 others injured in a suicide bombing followed by a gun attack on a military compound in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, security sources said.

The incident occurred at about 8:40 a.m. local time when a suicide bomber detonated explosives near the battalion headquarters of the military in North Waziristan district, the sources told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Following the explosion, a group of armed militants entered the compound, triggering a fierce exchange of fire with security forces, the sources added.

The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital, from where the critically wounded were airlifted to a military hospital in the provincial capital of Peshawar.

A militant outfit linked to the banned terrorist group Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami claimed responsibility for the attack on social media. 
There were also delays in getting an ambulance to the school, with teachers telling him they were waiting for the school nurse. I was panicking, he said. Armaan Dhillon (left) with a friend before the incident. Dhillon launched legal action in Victorias Supreme Court against his former school earlier this year. He said the schoolyard scuffle left him with a spinal cord injury and requiring a wheelchair. He also now has fainting spells and serious psychological trauma.

The young man has undergone his eighth surgery to fix a surgical complication. In court documents, its alleged the school breached its duty of care, failed to take reasonable steps to prevent injuries and failed to address behavioural disturbances the students posed to each other. Both Dhillon and his parents are seeking damages from the school. I was going to do a trade and an online business and stuff, and had a lot of plans, which have gone out the window, he said. He also wants to make sure this could never happen to another student.

I just didnt get the justice for myself, and feel like there was something empty every day that I need to fill, the 20-year-old said. I felt like the school put it aside, as if nothing happened. Dhillon with friends at school before the incident. His parents have also struggled since their son was paralysed, having to cut back on work, make their home accessible for their son and manage their own mental health. His mother remembers getting a call from the school and hearing her sons voice on the phone.

He kept saying, Mum, something is really wrong, I cant feel my legs, she told The Age. She said the school nurse made a comment that her son was putting on a show, which has stuck in her mind. Its shattered us, she said. I feel its only us suffering from the last 3 half years. While police were called and incident reports were filed, no charges were laid against the other teenager over the alleged assault.

The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, the states education and training regulator, said it had not been aware of the incident at the time. The regulator ensures schools comply with minimum standards for registration, including child safety standards, and may investigate when it receives a complaint or information alleging a school breached the minimum standards. The familys lawyer, Marin Karlos of Karlos Lawyers, said the legal action was about ensuring Dhillon and his parents were adequately compensated for the ongoing consequences resulting from the horrific incident. Its about ensuring Armaan has all the facilities needed to continue to live his life, he said. The injuries were completely avoidable if teachers and adults were present at the time of the incident, Karlos alleged.

The lawyer said what happened to Dhillon underscores the importance of students being supervised on school premises. Beaconhills College in Pakenham. Credit: Paul Jeffers Parents have a reasonable expectation that schools will take reasonable care and adequately supervise children while on school premises, he said. The fact that students were left to respond to such a critical incident alone with no adult supervision is unfathomable, he said. It was only when some of the students ran to the front office that personnel attended to the incident.
An alleged domestic violence victim-survivor is the first to speak publicly about how Western Australias hole-riddled GPS tracking laws have endangered lives.

The woman spoke out about her own experience with domestic violence. Credit: WAtoday

Kelly North, who lived in a regional town, said she was perpetually moving between short-stay accommodations to flee her alleged attacker who left her half-dead through sexual assault and doused her in hot water to allegedly burn any evidence off.

I had to lay there and take it, she said.

When he was strangling me, I couldnt move because I was sitting down. He first grabbed me around the throat with his hand, and then he came - with his full force - and put his arm around my throat and kept going until he passed out.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size As teenagers, sisters Kristie and Isabel Taylor became homeless, joining a growing cohort of young people across Western Australia locked out of housing options. Next week the pair, now 21 and 17, will finally move into a home with a 12-month lease. But the road to get there has been long and challenging. Kristie, Isabel and their sister were split up as children, sent to live with different carers or in group homes. Kristie was kicked out of a group home at 18, and spent nights sleeping in the carpark of the Rockingham Train Station, where she knew security cameras would capture anything that went wrong. Isabel said she had been living with a bad carer, and had run away back to her mothers place, before having to leave again. Even trying to get into group homes, its hard because theres obviously quite a few people without houses, its really a struggle, she said. Organisations like the Department for Child Protection, they werent much help at all because I wasnt under their care any more.

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When I called up and asked for help they pretty much just said it wasnt their problem. The sisters found their way back to each other and ended up living on the beach in a tent as they worked to rebuild their relationship. While morning pancakes and lamb koftas cooked on public barbecues were looked back on fondly, Kristie said the sisters had been in survival mode 24/7, hiding their tent and padlocking it, and not knowing when they would be able to afford to eat. Loading It was a bit rough, not having your own place to come back to where you can settle down and feel like you can actually relax, she said. I wanted to get my [drivers] licence, I wanted to get a job, but without having a stable place, it is very, very hard to get that. They eventually found an apartment with a three-month lease on Facebook marketplace, but have been couch-surfing since the lease ended, including in a hostel and at their cousins place.

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Were so used to it that it doesnt really feel as bad as it should be because weve been in this situation so many times. Its sad to say, but we find it normal, Kristie said. Salvation Army youth services WA manager Guy Rees said in the last three years, the organisation had seen a huge increase in people experiencing homelessness  particularly young people. The main cause, Rees said, was family and domestic violence. No child or young person chooses to be homeless, but the number of documents that people have to have, all the magical financial resources behind them  theyre huge barriers to finding a home, he said. Its difficult to get a house full stop, but its extremely difficult if youre young and if youve had a care experience, or youve experienced homelessness. Then theres the financial barriers that being on a youth allowance creates  you cant compete with private rentals, certainly not in the current market where even adults with full-time jobs cannot afford it. The youth allowance, provided through Centrelink, is less than half of what is offered for the disability allowance and pension payments, and is also less than JobSeeker.

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For those who could prove they needed to live away from home, including in situations involving violence, the maximum amount on offer was $783.30 per fortnight for those aged 16-17. Loading Without proof, the maximum amount is $663.30. Homelessness Australia chief executive Kate Colvin said that payment also stopped young people from accessing community housing. Thats because rent is charged as a percentage of income and with long waitlists, those with higher incomes are often given placements over those on less. A lack of rental history also plays a part. Nationally, just 3 per cent of community housing is taken up by those aged 15 to 17 without a parent or guardian.

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Commonwealth rent assistance is paid based on the amount of rent you pay, so young people in housing are getting maybe $5 per week if they are eligible for that scheme, Colvin said. The whole system is set up to let them down. When asked whether they would consider changing the rate of pay, a Department of Social Services spokesperson said the maximum rate of youth allowance for a person over the age of 18 and living away from home had increased by nearly $3500 per year since 2022. They said the maximum rates of Commonwealth rent assistance had increased by almost 50 per cent since March 2022. Colvin said if the federal government increased the youth allowance payments to be in line with JobSeeker, it would put young people on a more even playing field. She is advocating for national campaign Home Time, which calls on state and federal governments to do more to help get young people into secure housing. Part of that call involves addressing the rental gap through increasing Centrelink payments, as well as asking the federal government to develop and maintain a national pool of 15,000 dedicated youth tenancies for 16 to 24-year-olds.

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WAs Cameron Green remains on track for the Ashes despite a side niggle ruling him out of the three-match ODI series against India, starting in Perth on Sunday.

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Green experienced what Cricket Australia has described as low grade side soreness at training this week and was withdrawn from the squad on Friday.

The 26-year-olds injury has resulted in an ODI recall for Marnus Labuschagne, who was the biggest axing from the squad when it was initially named earlier this month.

Green underwent radical spinal surgery a year ago, and only recently returned to bowling duties.

He sent down four overs during Western Australias Sheffield Shield loss to NSW earlier this month - his first competitive overs in a year - and said he was planning to be unrestricted by the start of the Ashes on November 21.

Greens side niggle could delay those plans, but Cricket Australia are confident the issue isnt serious.

Green will complete a short period of rehabilitation and is tracking to return to play in round three of the Sheffield Shield to continue his preparation for the Ashes, Cricket Australia said in a statement.
Barnaby Joyce is in advanced talks to defect from the Nationals to Pauline Hansons One Nation party.

Joyce, who represents the NSW regional electorate of New England, declined to comment when asked if he would change parties.

Member for New England Barnaby Joyce. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Hanson did not deny the ongoing discussions when asked by this masthead on Friday afternoon.

If Barnaby wants to come to One Nation, Id be happy to have him, she said, also suggesting other MPs in the Coalition who were disaffected could join her party.
But documents obtained by the Herald reveal the former premier has also regularly petitioned Minns and Planning Minister Paul Scullys offices directly on behalf of a large stable of developers, including Deicorp, Leamac and Kerry Stokes Seven Group Holdings. Contained in the documents is a calendar entry for a regular catch-up between Iemma and Nick Wood, a senior policy adviser to Minns who, in April this year, took on responsibility for planning. Morris Iemma arrives at St George Leagues Club after his 2007 election victory. Credit: Sean Davey The entry, from August, notes the meeting as occurring monthly, though in a statement, a spokesman for Minns said Wood had only had one meeting with Iemma and had no ongoing or planned meetings with him. Iemma also said he had no regular catch-ups with Wood, and could only recall having one meeting with him. In a statement to the Herald, Iemma, who is overseas, said: I carry out my duties in accordance with the code enshrined in legislation governing consultants [and] third-party lobbyists.

This includes requisite disclosures, probity and ethics assessments, he said. Iemma played down the volume of his correspondence with both Minns and Scully, saying the bulk was purely administrative chase ups. If you consider substantive correspondence  there would be 20 odd in about two-and-a-half years, he said of his representations to Scullys office. With Minns its even less. Thered be a dozen or so. Nonetheless, the documents show that in May this year, Iemma lobbied the Minns adviser Wood, on behalf of billionaire Robert Ells property development company, Leda Holdings. The developers proposed greenfield subdivision in Menangle, Rosalind Park, had been stalled, he said, for reasons that are not immediately clear to the landowner. The proposed redevelopment, for some 1450 new homes on 264 hectares in south-west Sydney, had been stalled for two years.

The developer was seeking clarification over an industry rumour that the government had placed a temporary pause on greenfield housing  in the greater Macarthur region, Iemma wrote. The documents show Wood acted quickly, forwarding Iemmas message to an executive in the Planning Department about two hours later, seeking assistance in getting to the bottom of this. About two weeks later, on June 6, Iemma wrote to the most senior public servant in NSW, secretary to the Premiers Department Simon Draper, requesting advice on the same development. Hours later, Draper wrote to the secretary of the Planning Department, Kiersten Fishburn, requesting she assist us with a substantive response. The documents show Iemma continued to seek updates until Wood wrote to him on June 12 to say he should be able to come back to you soon with an update.

Thank you, Iemma replied. Amazing. Loading On July 14, Wood sent Iemmas original correspondence to senior staffers in Scullys office, including his chief of staff, Paul Levins, and his deputy, Gino Mandarino. Four days later, another senior planning official told Scullys office in relation to your question as to whether [the rezoning] could potentially progress, there was potential that Ledas Menangle rezoning could go ahead subject to a dwelling cap based on wastewater and transport restraints. In August, three months after Iemma raised the issue, the same department official issued a gateway determination allowing the rezoning to progress to the next stage of assessment.

The Herald does not suggest the government or Iemma acted improperly over the Leda rezoning, or that his lobbying directly led to the gateway determination. Rather, it provides an example of questions that Iemmas role as a lobbyist and an influential Labor figure raises, and the access he has enjoyed to the highest levels of the Minns government. As Iemma complained in his correspondence to the government, the rezoning had been waved through by Campbelltown City Council, and Sydney Water had advised that it could service a capped number of dwellings. Former NSW premier Morris Iemma. Credit: Renee Nowytarger But there are concerns over the development. In 2023, the Sydney Basin Koala Network warned that the proposal would have an impact on a koala corridor and remove vital koala habitat. Leda Holdings has previously said it would keep a corridor as part of the development. It did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

It is also unclear whether the department provided more substantive advice over the rezoning. The premiers office refused access to several documents related to its contact with Iemma  including at the time it was contemplating the Leda rezoning  citing cabinet information and commercial interests. In a statement, Minns spokesman said housing was a top priority and it should surprise no one that the offices of the premier and relevant ministers regularly meet with a range of stakeholders from NGOs to housing advocates, developers, and their representatives to discuss housing issues. Meetings are disclosed as required and conflicts of interest managed in accordance with established processes for declaring and managing any potential conflicts of interest, the spokesman said. All development projects across NSW are assessed according to merit. The Menangle development was determined independently of the government by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure as is standard and appropriate practice.

Records published on the NSW Lobbyist Register show Iemmas firm, IPPA, has gone from strength to strength since Labor returned to government in 2023. Morris Iemma with Cherie Burton after she was appointed housing minister in 2005. Credit: Wade Laube Between 2019 and 2023, the company had 25 clients. In the 2 years since, it has added more than 50. Many new clients are property developers, including major companies such as Billbergia, Deicorp and Coronation Property. Logs of Department of Planning meetings with lobbyists show the IPPA did not hold a single meeting with the agency between 2017 and March 2023. Since then, Iemma and the IPPA have had 25 meetings  or 49 per cent of all disclosed contacts between lobbyists and the department.

Hes their Photios, one senior figure in the property industry said, referring to Liberal Party powerbroker and lobbyist Michael Photios. Loading And hes good, too. He understands planning, he knows the lay of the land and maybe, more importantly, he has those relationships so he can explain what the government is thinking. Iemma said housing was a major national and state issue and the number of developer clients IPPA had was an indication of his experience and background in construction, infrastructure and [the development] sectors including serving on advisory board of companies. He also played down meetings with Minns and Scully, saying there had been no discussion of individual clients.

Not all of those meetings have been disclosed by the premier. On April 8 last year, Minns and one of his senior advisers, Cherie Burton, met with Iemma for a breakfast meeting. Burton, who was Minns predecessor in the seat of Kogarah, was appointed minister for housing when Iemma became premier in 2005. Unlike two other meetings with Minns, Iemma and Burton  in February and March 2024  it was not published in ministerial diary disclosures meant to increase transparency over ministerial contact with lobbyists. The reason for the breakfast is not included in documents provided to the Herald. Morris Iemma assisted with Chris Minns successful 2023 election campaign. Credit: Janie Barrett The government says it disclosed the other two meetings despite not needing to, and the catch-ups were solely about party political matters and are not required to be disclosed. However, seven days later, on April 15, Iemma emailed Burton and referred to our discussion in relation to the proposed housing redevelopment projects in Macquarie Park and Kogarah.

The developer was seeking an opportunity to brief you on the two projects and the significant new housing supply, employment opportunities and public amenities they can provide. It is unclear if the briefing occurred. Minns office did not respond to a question regarding the purpose of the April 8 breakfast, and whether the two developments were discussed. Iemma did not specifically address that meeting in his response to the Heralds questions. The correspondence obtained by the Herald comes in the context of repeated calls from the Independent Commission Against Corruption for the Minns government to adopt a series of reforms to lobbying laws in NSW after a 2021 review found significant issues with the regime covering their conduct. The review made more than two dozen recommendations, including new obligations for public officials who are lobbied and a ban on undocumented or secret meetings.

NSW ICAC chief commissioner John Hatzistergos, pictured in 2010. Credit: Michele Mossop The ICAC also called for a stand-alone regulator and code of conduct for public officials that would require them to discourage lobbying where there was a formal assessment process, such as a development application, in place. Loading But the Minns government has failed to act on the recommendations. Earlier this year, the chief commissioner of the ICAC, John Hatzistergos, revealed to a parliamentary inquiry that he had written to both Minns and Special Minister of State John Graham about the recommendations four times since Labor came to power, including twice in 2025. In April, Hatzistergos said: The situation  is one which concerns me greatly.
Xies re-emergence on the political scene highlights an issue for politicians as they seek to win over the Chinese community  and gain donations  by liaising with community groups. After Xie joined a street walk with Dutton and Yung in February, the Liberals swiftly denied any links to the Beijing-linked high roller, who NSW Police charged in July 2019 with demanding property worth $10 million from a former gambling associate. Xie Xiongming (far left) next to then-federal opposition leader Peter Dutton at an event promoting Liberal candidate Scott Yung (far right). Credit: The charges were dropped when a magistrate ruled the case was too weak. An unrelated civil court case in 2020 detailed how Xie had received a $1.5 million loan from a notorious casino junket operator and CCP influence agent, Tom Chinatown Zhou, who has been jailed in China over corruption offences. Xie was not accused of wrongdoing in relation to the loan.

Xie was almost stabbed to death in 2016 as part of a suspected triad Asian crime gang hit. There is no suggestion that Xie himself is a criminal or that he is an agent of influence for China. He has also triggered concern within the Chinese community because his organisation, the Australia China Charitable Foundation, has a similar name to another not-for-profit group, the Australian Chinese Charity Foundation, founded in 1990 and chaired by Dr Michael Tse. Xies foundation is run from his home in Galston in northern Sydney and was registered as a charity in 2017 because it claimed it would address social welfare, including Indigenous disadvantage. But the foundation failed to comply with repeated requests from the regulator, the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC), to disclose the money raised and the causes he funded and ceased to be registered in November 2022.

One invitation sent to MPs, and obtained by the Herald, shows Xies foundation was listed as one of two organisers of the event. Xie was also named as a co-host of the event. The other organisation was the Prajna Monastery, based in Razorback in south-west Sydney. Loading While the three Liberal MPs insisted they did not know Xie and had no idea he was involved (he was not named on the invitations they received), their attendance highlights the need for due diligence from elected officials before attending community events. In a statement, Tudehope said: I was invited to this event by Dr Michael Li from the Australia China Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The event was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Buddhist Temple at Surry Hills. It was also a Moon Festival Event which is an important time in the Chinese community. I note that the event was also attended by Simon Chan, the chair of the NSW Multicultural Council.

Monica Tudehope, who was on the same invitation as her father, provided the same statement. Coure was invited as a guest of the Australia China Buddhist Council, established in Australia in 2018 by Huang. In a statement, Coure said the event was also attended by the NSW Police Band, cultural and community leaders, representatives from local government across Sydney and representatives from the Chinese and Vietnamese consulates, reflecting the significance and broad community support for this celebration. As with all multicultural and interfaith events I attend, my participation was about supporting our diverse communities and a community celebration marking an important cultural and religious occasion, while promoting harmony, inclusion and respect across all faiths and cultures, he said. Having received and checked the invitation to the event, at no point was I made aware that the event was hosted by any individual of concern and my attendance was consistent with my long record of engaging with multicultural communities right across NSW.

If there are any concerns about individuals associated with the event, that is a matter for the organisers. My focus remains on representing and supporting the diverse communities of our state. Loading Ruddock said he could not recall being photographed. A NSW Police spokesperson said the forces band received a request from the Prajna Monastery to perform. The band performs at more than 230 events each year, ranging from police events, community events, festivals, parades, religious events, schools and nursing homes, the spokesperson said.
We may not yet have a date to fill the member for Hinchinbrooks seat in parliament, which was vacated this week. But the governments campaign began almost instantly.

Within hours of former Katters Australian Party MP Nick Dametto making good on plans to contest the next months Townsville mayor byelection, Premier David Crisafulli was setting the frame.

Byelections are very tough for governments, he offered in response to a question time slow-ball from his own backbench. There is no doubt about that, particularly when you do not hold the seat.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli pictured in parliament earlier this year. Credit: Jamila Filippone

But we will show up. We will give people a chance to vote and display their values. They will have an opportunity to vote for all political parties. That is the way it should be.
The dinner was billed as a thank-you for the governments taxpayer-funded donations to Stokes Telethon charity, and demonstrated the sway Stokes has in the upper echelons of politics in WA.

Alongside Premier Roger Cook and Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti, the other members of Cooks pre-election cabinet included Hannah Beazley, Tony Buti, John Carey, Simone McGurk, David Michael, Don Punch, Amber-Jade Sanderson, Reece Whitby and Jackie Jarvis.

This masthead has previously revealed Stokes hosted the event alongside his wife Christine but can now reveal the complete list of ministers who declared their attendance.

Eleven West Australian ministers attended a dinner at billionaire Kerry Stokes Jutland Parade mansion on November 25 last year, the ministerial gift register has revealed.

The final cabinet guest list had been a mystery, with Cook stating in May he wasnt sure which of his ministers attended what he said was the first event of its kind he had attended in his career.

There was no roll call taken, if they were all invited, if they all attended, thats great, but it was an important opportunity to celebrate a great WA institution, Cook said at the time.

Cook and his cabinet were joined by Kerry and Christine Stokes, as well as former premier Mark McGowan and his former chief of staff Guy Houston, who now works for Stokes investment vehicle Australian Capital Equity.

Seven West Media WA chief executive Maryna Fewster and The West Australian editor-in-chief Chris Dore also attended.

WA taxpayers have become the largest contributor to Telethon, with a combined $51.5 million donated to the childrens charity since 2020.
4. Jimmysstar Trainer: Ciaron Maher

Jockey: Ethan Brown

Slot-holder: TAB

Barrier: 11 With speed to burn in this years race with the presence of Mazu, Overpass and Ka Ying Rising, Jimmysstar looms large as a swooping threat, especially if they overdo it up front. The six-year-old was finishing quickly from back in the field when seventh, one and three-quarter lengths away, first-up in the Concorde Stakes (1000m). He then firmed in the Everest market after charging late to go down by a half-length to Briasa in the Premiere Stakes (1200m) with a brilliant last 600m in 32.48 seconds. His devastating turn of foot was also on show in his group 1 All Aged Stakes win over 1400m at Randwick in April. Jimmysstar was locked in for the Everest by the TAB in July, allowing Maher to plot the same path as his winner last year, Bella Nipotina. But while she was able to win after racing forward and three wide, Jimmysstar was always going to get back and be storming home, but the wide gate may put him too far back. He will need pace up front and luck to finish over the top of them. 5. War Machine Trainer: Ben, Will and JD Hayes

Jockey: Tim Clark

Slot-holder: Coolmore

Barrier: 4

The Hayes brothers taking on their father, David, has been one of the great stories of this years Everest. The sons trained Ka Ying Rising briefly at the familys famed Lindsay Park before he went on to glory in Hong Kong with David, and now they line up against him for the first time, with Stradbroke Handicap winner War Machine. The five-year-old, a close third on Everest day last year in the Silver Eagle at Randwick, has been unbeaten in four runs since coming to the Hayes stable following the passing of trainer Michael Moroney in February this year. Those wins included the BRC Sprint (1350m) and Stradbroke (1400m) at the Queensland winter carnival. The brothers left their run late for an Everest slot with the Harry Angel gelding, but he cemented a spot with Coolmore with a dazzling finish to claim the 1200m group 2 Gilgai Stakes at Flemington two weeks out from the showpiece. A nice draw in four and the booking of Tim Clark, who rode him in the Stradbroke, only adds to his chances. A sharp turn of foot off a soft run in a high-tempo race could give the boys bragging rights. War Machine wins at Caulfield in May. Credit: Getty Images 6. Mazu Trainer: Joe Pride

Jockey: Jason Collett

Slot-holder: Yulong Investments

Barrier: 2 The last horse into the Everest, Mazu has earned a shot with creditable efforts against the leading Australian contenders in the vital lead up races. Setting a cracking pace up front, the seven-year-old has hung on for fourth in the Shorts (1100m) and third in the Premiere (1200m) to win Yulongs slot left vacant by the loss of Private Harry to injury. With two runners in other slots, Yulong opted for Mazu, which was a length third in the 2022 Everest and 11th in 2023, both while trained by two-time winner Peter Snowden. He was fifth in the Everest consolation last year for Pride, who has largely searched for wet tracks to get the best out of the veteran before returned him this preparation as a speed machine. The draw in two should give Collett every chance to again set the pace and put Mazu in contention for the higher end of the prizemoney. While he does not look a winning chance, Mazu holds the key up front to the chances of many contenders.

7. Jedibeel Trainer: Brad Widdup

Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy

Slot-holder: Mulberry Racing

Barrier: 8 The rank outsider of this years field, Jedibeel is the first Everest runner for Widdup and a debut entry for owners and new slot-holders Mulberry Racing. A two-time group 2 winner, the six-year-old Savabeel gelding is at least a couple of lengths off the leading contenders and has not been helped by a draw in eight. After an early setback cost him a run in the Concordes Stakes, Jedibeel resumed with eighth in the Shorts, five lengths off the winner, but he was better last start when fourth in the Premiere Stakes, four lengths behind. Connections will be hoping for a finish in the top half of the field to get a return on their investment this year, and that can only happen with luck in running and another improvement. The races most successful jockey, three-time winner Kerrin McEvoy, is a big positive for the newcomers. 8. Angel Capital Trainer: Chris Waller

Jockey: Ben Melham

Slot-holder: James Harron Bloodstock

Barrier: 3

The only stallion in this years edition, four-year-old Angel Capital surged into Everest calculations with two excellent runs for Sydneys premier trainer last month after coming from Clinton McDonald. The Yulong prospect, a son of Harry Angel, dominated the listed Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) then was a luckless but eye-catching fourth in the group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield to earn a slot. Before that, he won at listed, group 2 and 3 level to mark himself as a rising star. Angel Capital has raced predominantly in Victoria and finished out of the placings in two Queensland runs early days. He is yet to prove himself in the clockwise direction but has trialled six times in Sydney in preparation for Saturday. With seemingly untapped potential and drawn well in gate three, he has explosive speed to feature in the finish with the right run. Joliestar and James McDonald cruise to victory in the Shorts at Randwick. Credit: Getty Images 9. Joliestar Trainer: Chris Waller

Jockey: James McDonald

Slot-holder: Chris Waller Racing

Barrier: 5 The only survivor from last years field, Joliestar has led the challengers to Ka Ying Rising in the Everest markets since soaring to a seemingly effortless win in the Shorts first-up when sweeping past Briasa late from back in the field. She has not raced since but the worlds best jockey has stuck with the five-year-old mare, adding to her credentials. Waller, too, had plenty of options and chose the three-time group 1 winner for his slot. Joliestar was seventh in the Everest last year but was one of the best hitting the line after coming from the back of the field to finish one-and-a-half lengths away. Waller and McDonald combined to win in 2021 with Nature Strip and they could do it again if Joliestar finds herself in a handy spot with room to fly home off a hot pace.

10. Lady Shenandoah Trainer: Chris Waller

Jockey: Damian Lane

Slot-holder: Fairway Thoroughbreds

Barrier: 6 After dominating the three-year-old fillies ranks in Sydney up to a mile in an unbeaten 2024-25 season, Lady Shenandoah has been set on a sprinting path by Waller this campaign  no doubt with hopes of an Everest run. A second to Headwall first-up in the Concorde Stakes (1000m), when she was held up for a run before surging to the line late, was enough to attract interest from Everest slot-holders. Winxs breeder, Fairway Thoroughbreds John Camilleri, won the race for the Snitzel mare, after losing his own hope, Sunshine In Paris, to injury. Lady Shenandoah was then fourth  her first time missing a placing in nine career starts  after a wide draw and run in the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley. The result led to her drifting in Everest betting, but there is no doubting her X-factor, especially at Randwick, where she won the Flight, Light Fingers and Surround Stakes last preparation. Damian Lane rides after regular jockey and the worlds best, James McDonald, chose to ride Joliestar. McDonalds booking was not confirmed until late, pointing to just how much her rates Lady Shenandoah. Like the other Waller hopes, she has drawn well and has the finish to be in the mix. 11. Magic Time Trainer: Grahame Begg

Jockey: Michael Dee

Slot-holder: Inglis

Barrier: 12
KABUL, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- About 3 million Afghan refugees have returned home over the past two years, Deputy Prime Minister on Administrative Affairs Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi said.

"About 3 million refugees have returned home over the past two years," the state-run Radio and Television of Afghanistan quoted Hanafi as saying on Friday.

Hanafi said that providing shelter and creating job opportunities for returnees requires cooperation of businesses, charity organizations as well as international aid agencies. 
Racing NSW and the ATC were at odds ahead of The Everest carnival over the terms of a deal to establish Base Camp, a new $7 million trackside corporate enclosure driven by Vlandys, which has been set up in such a rush that building work is expected to continue through Friday night. The sacking of ATC chief executive Matt Galanos then set off a chain of events that led to a sensational public admonishment of the club by Racing NSW chair Saranne Cooke, technically Vlandys boss, who warned there were significant doubts about its ability to survive without ongoing bailouts. Australian Turf Club chairman Tim Hale argues the member-owned organisation is financially secure. Credit: Steven Siewert Two club directors quit, with one going public with claims of dysfunction on the board, leaving only four remaining  Hale, media personality Caroline Searcy, technology executive and horse owner David McGrath, and Annette English, a commercial lawyer with close ties to the breeding industry. Three of them were opposed to the controversial proposed Rosehill sale, which triggered a parliamentary inquiry last year before ultimately being defeated by members in May.

The Racing NSW intervention has brought the sports complex, much-debated flow of hundreds of millions of dollars a year in wagering revenue into back into focus. Most of it lands in the coffers of Racing NSW, which straddles the roles of both regulator and commercial juggernaut, distributing money onwards but also accumulating a war chest that includes $150 million in property. Vlandys told last years Rosehill inquiry an extra $3 billion had been injected into the industry thanks to Racing NSWs 2012 High Court win that made the bookies pay up and as a result of its negotiations with the state government on betting-related taxes. Last years Everest day was attended by a record crowd of 49,117. Credit: Getty This is all new money. Racing NSWs initiatives have made the money and now some want the keys to the castle, he said in a written presentation to inquiry committee members. Hale says these are industry funds and much of what is channelled to the club from Racing NSW is earmarked for prizemoney and bonuses paid directly to owners rather than for the clubs operating costs.

Vlandys told this masthead the clubs costs had soared and it was not generating enough of its own revenue. Whatever way you look at it, were giving them a lot more money than weve ever given them, he said. With the blowtorch on ATCs governance, including unspecified alleged code of conduct breaches by directors, eyebrows have also been raised about how Racing NSW has conducted itself. Just this week, the NSW parliaments privileges committee delivered it a slapdown for its behaviour during the Rosehill inquiry, while this masthead earlier this year reported how Cooke transferred a block of land near Bathurst racecourse to Racing NSW for $1 after buying it in her own name. It also emerged at the inquiry that Racing NSW did not have a human resources department, but a HR function carried out by general managers. Cooke said at the time there was nothing inappropriate about the land deal, on which stamp duty was paid by Racing NSW. Vlandys maintained the organisation was just defending itself with letters sent to the Rosehill inquiry that included allegations of impropriety against former staff it believed were behind confidential evidence about Racing NSW.

Mark Latham, a perennial thorn in Vlandys side, has been Racing NSWs loudest detractor but in the strangest of twists has become an ally of sorts in the ATC affair  if only of the enemy-of-your-enemy-is-your-friend kind. Furious at being banned from the clubs tracks over a run-in with club executive Steve McMahon and thrown out of Randwick a fortnight ago, the Independent MP has branded Hale as Jellyfish Tim, saying he hopes the board is sacked. As for Vlandys himself, there have been fresh questions from industry critics about dual roles as racings boss and a hands-on chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission, specifically about how much attention he can devote to his full-time job when he is in charge of two major sports. After more than two decades atop racing, his future has been the subject of much speculation. The latest rumour spreading like wildfire is that he will run the Brisbane Olympic Games in 2032. Vlandys doesnt know how it got started  no one has contacted me  and there is nothing to indicate there is any basis to it.
TAB senior trader Tim Ryan was on team Tempted, but said War Machine had been best backed to upset Everest favourite Ka Ying Rising in Saturdays $20 million.

Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising was out to $1.80 Fixed Odds on Friday with TAB for the $20 million Everest, with Joliestar ($6.50), War Machine ($9.50) and Jimmysstar ($10) next in the market.

War Machine wins at Caulfield in May. Credit: Getty Images

Ryan said Ka Ying Rising had been all the rage with punters for almost a year, attracting 60 per cent of all Everest bets and creating a liability for the TAB of more than $1 million before his third-placed barrier trial at Randwick on October 7 changed trends. That liability was back under seven figures on Friday. From the trial to Tuesdays barrier draw, Ryan wrote more than $250,000 bets on other runners.

He was the only horse I could lay for 10 or 11 months, up until the barrier trial, Ryan said. I think then punters saw he was beatable, in their eyes, so that gave them renewed confidence to start backing their local horses. Then we saw a bit of a rally for him on Monday after he galloped well at Canterbury.
Melbourne Racing Club forked out almost $2 million in severance payments to cut ties with its past two chief executive officers in a turbulent 12 months that saw former chairman John Kanga take over the board and the clubs debt blow out by $24 million.

A deed of release document seen by The Age shows that the MRC agreed to pay out former CEO Josh Blanksby $1.2 million before he ended his seven-year term in charge of the organisation in August last year.

The future of Sandown Racecourse was at the centre of a Melbourne Racing Club board stoush. Credit: Getty Images

His replacement, Tom Reilly, was sacked on the Kings Birthday weekend this year just three months after he moved his family to Melbourne from Sydney to take up the role.

Two sources linked to the MRC, commenting on the condition of anonymity, said the club paid Reilly more than $500,000 plus legal fees to prevent an unfair dismissal claim going before the courts.
Cloud software giant Salesforce has defended its security practices days after hackers published data from about 5.7 million Qantas customers to the dark web.

At the companys Dreamforce conference in San Francisco  the worlds largest AI summit  Salesforce executives stressed that security is the companys top priority, in their first public comments since the leak.

The security keynote came just days after hackers published data from about 5.7 million Qantas customers after a breach disclosed in July.

The Qantas breach, which occurred on June 30, exposed customer names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and frequent flyer information. Credit: Oscar Colman

The incident was part of a broader series of attacks that affected multiple Salesforce customers, with hackers claiming to have stolen nearly one billion records from about 40 companies, including Disney, Toyota and Ikea. Consumers are being advised to brace for a deluge of scams tied to the data dump.
London: Prince Andrew met a senior Chinese official at the centre of a Beijing spy scandal rocking the United Kingdom at least three times.

The Duke of York held meetings in 2018 and 2019 with Cai Qi, one of the most senior members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and a close ally of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Cai Qi (left) and Prince Andrew in London in May 2018. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

Cai is understood to be the final recipient of sensitive information allegedly passed to China by two British nationals accused of spying for Beijing, Christopher Berry and former parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash. They maintain their innocence.

The CCP politburo member involved has not been named in official documents, but biographical details released in court files match Cai alone. Sources also told Londons Telegraph he was the Chinese official at the heart of a trial against Berry and Cash that was set for this month but fell apart at the last minute after the British government refused to label China an enemy. Both Cash and Berry deny the charges.
Washington: Buoyed by the ceasefire in Gaza, Donald Trump believes more than ever in his unique ability to strike peace deals and end wars. Of course, in the case of Russias war on Ukraine  the conflict he once boasted he could resolve in 24 hours  a ceasefire has eluded him for nine months and counting.

Meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Saturday (AEDT), Trump returned to his mantra that peace was not far away and that both sides, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, wanted to make a deal.

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. Credit: AP

I think were making great progress, he said. Things are coming along pretty well.

Are they? We are now two months on from the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska that was supposed to deliver at least a ceasefire. But the fighting has only intensified since then.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Few people have been involved in more American efforts to broker peace in the Middle East than Aaron David Miller. A veteran State Department negotiator, he worked on Arab-Israeli relations for 15 years, including the Oslo Accords under Bill Clinton, and then in the George W. Bush administration. How, then, does he assess President Donald Trumps achievement this week? Trump has clearly oversold it, he says, including some awfully grandiose statements about its place in the pantheon of global peacemaking. The day after: Gaza has been left in ruins and what comes next is still uncertain. Credit: AP It is not a peace agreement, Miller tells this masthead in Washington. It is not the most important peace agreement in 3000 years. It comes nowhere close to rivalling the Egyptian-Israeli or Israeli-Jordanian peace treaties. But, Miller says: It is an extraordinary moment, delivered by a president who has acted in ways that are quite unprecedented. It could  offer a road map to end the war in Gaza on terms that normal people would regard as an actual end of the conflict. Former hostage Eitan Horn is welcomed home to Kfar Saba in Israel on Wednesday. Credit: Getty Images The positives of this week are obvious. After two years, the last live Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas are at home with their families; photographs and footage of the reunions provided a rare moment of hope in the otherwise long and bleak conflict. Some 2000 Palestinian prisoners were also released by Israel.

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However, the ceasefire has been shaky. Israeli forces withdrew to an agreed line, and Palestinians returned to their homes  or what little is left of them. However, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says Israeli fire has killed at least 23 people since the ceasefire started only days ago. Israel and Egypt are yet to reopen the border crossing into Gaza at Rafah, and Israel is restricting aid into the enclave while it presses Hamas to find and return more bodies of deceased hostages, with 19 still remaining. Israel has committed to allowing in more aid, but the situation remains desperate for many Palestinians. Credit: AP During a whirlwind trip to the region at the start of the week, Trump was welcomed to the Israeli Knesset as a hero, and returned to the United States triumphant in his highly dubious claim of having ended eight wars since January. But, as Miller puts it: After the celebration, the Monday morning blues kick in. People turn to each other and say: What are we going to do now? After the celebration, the Monday morning blues kick in. People turn to each other and say: What are we going to do now? Aaron David Miller, veteran State Department negotiator That question is one for the whole world. While Trump has taken credit for the ceasefire (as well as crediting Qatar, Egypt and Turkey), the next phase will require a truly global effort to demilitarise Gaza, ensure aid is delivered, manage negotiations with Israel and Hamas, raise money and start rebuilding the shattered strip.

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Trumps 20-point peace plan essentially calls for three outfits to be formed, including an international stabilisation, or peacekeeping, force to provide security, with about 200 Americans in oversight roles (but not combat boots on the ground). On Thursday, a senior US adviser said Indonesia, Egypt, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates and other Arab nations had expressed interest in participating in the force, adding: Some of the goodness that has happened here is infectious. The plan also calls for an apolitical, technocratic Palestinian committee to manage the provision of everyday services in Gaza, while high-level co-ordination would be directed by an international board of peace. Trump has identified himself as a potential chairman of that board, though he has also suggested he might be too busy, while former British prime minister Tony Blairs name has also circulated. But that is governance. On the ground, concerns are about coming home, cleaning up, and staying safe. Hamas militants executed seven men: members of a local clan accused of collaborating with Israel. Its members have returned to Gazas debris-strewn streets: establishing checkpoints, brandishing guns and reasserting power. Hamas is meant to disarm under the deal, but has shown no sign of doing so. Credit: AP Reports from the ground suggest Hamas fighters emerged from underground in fresh clothes, with functional weapons and sparkling clean pick-up trucks. Ibrahim Dalalsha, director of the Horizon Centre for Political Studies in Ramallah, told the Financial Times: New cars, new gear, new equipment, new uniforms, printing presses with massive slogans. What has Israel been bombing for two years? Israel says the ratio of non-combatant to combatant casualties in Gaza is less than two to one, in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the United Nations last month was an astoundingly low ratio, especially given the territorys population density. But now the true state of Hamass degradation will be revealed. It appears the militant group  designated as a terrorist organisation in Australia and elsewhere  maintains significant manpower, equipment and capability, not to mention appeal.

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Miller says: If you ask me what is the pre-eminent political, military and security entity in Gaza right now other than Israel, its Hamas. A masked fighter of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, stands guard in central Gaza as the Red Cross prepares to receive Israeli hostages on Monday. Credit: AFP Khaled Elgindy, of the Centre for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University, said Hamas would take time to figure out its identity and capability. Its leadership has been largely wiped out, but it still has military commanders who can make and execute decisions. And it is still recruiting new members. Loading This is a very different world, Elgindy said on the Foreign Affairs magazine podcast this week. It was never really in the cards that Hamas was going to be totally obliterated, but its going to be a very different Hamas. Whatever the present status of Hamas, its ongoing presence and authority in Gaza exposes an impasse at the centre of the ceasefire: Israel wants Hamas gone entirely, and it wont do that. The end goals of the current Israeli government and the Islamic resistance movement are mutually irreconcilable, says Miller. Hamas wants to survive as a political organisation, at a minimum, keeping its light weapons. They will no longer be able to govern Gaza, but they want to remain the most pre-eminent political force there. They want to remain a fixture as a movement and continue their influence to take over the Palestinian nationalist movement.

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That fundamental and until now, implacable, irreconcilable endgame has been the single greatest reason why the war in Gaza has not ended and will not end. To me, that is the greatest challenge. Potential pitfalls Under the Trump plan, Israel will slowly withdraw from Gaza based on milestones and timelines linked to the demilitarisation of Gaza and the stability of the international stabilisation force. These points will be agreed between the Israel Defence Forces, the peacekeeping force, the guarantors, and the US, the plan says. Released hostages David and Ariel Cunio arrive back in Israel earlier this week after 738 days in captivity. Credit: Getty Images There are many potential pitfalls. As the Atlantic Councils Daniel Mouton notes, there is room in the plan for Israel to maintain some military presence in Gaza to monitor the disarmament of Hamas. Netanyahu said on October 10 that this would be achieved either diplomatically or militarily, by us. Israel is divided, with far-right politicians against any further withdrawal from Gaza. But everyday Israelis are less likely to support more combat now that the hostages have been returned. Shira Efron, the Israel policy chair at RAND Corporation, told the Foreign Affairs podcast that defeating Hamas is an elusive and nebulous goal and the Israeli public, for the most part, at this point, is against the war. Mouton said the IDFs full retreat would depend on the Trump administrations ability to enforce the plan. Still, Israels security needs would override any political concerns about US unhappiness with Israels adherence.

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The October 16, 2025, decision of the Court of First Instance in Jairo Bloem v. MP Ardwell Irion is being hailed by some as a victory for personal reputation. Yet, a closer reading of the 8-page ruling (SXM202501079) raises critical questions about how the court interpreted the limits of free expression, political commentary, and the publics right to hear criticism of those seeking high public office.

At its core, the verdict exposes a growing tension in Sint Maartens democratic landscape: when does robust political critique become defamation, and who decides where that line is drawn?

1. The Verdict in Context

The Court ordered MP Irion to publish a rectification in The Peoples Tribune for describing attorney Jairo Bloem as desperate, self-promoting, and for implying that Bloem had admitted his firm submitted excessive claims to NV GEBE.

While the Court rejected Bloems demand for broader censorship or damages, it still held that these two statements were unnecessarily grievous and factually incorrect, thus warranting a public correction.

On paper, the ruling seems balanced. In practice, however, it draws a fineand troublingline between legitimate opinion and legally punishable speech.

2. Flaws and Ambiguities in the Courts Reasoning

(a) The Confusion Between Fact and Opinion

Judge Saarloos correctly distinguished between factual assertions and value judgments, yet the ruling inconsistently applies that principle.

When Irion described Bloem as showing a savior attitude or acting out of self-promotion, those statements were clearly subjective impressions formed from a political encounter.

formed from a political encounter. The Court, however, treated them as if they were assertions of verifiable fact, ruling that they were unnodig grievend (unnecessarily offensive).

This approach is problematic because freedom of expression protects even sharp or exaggerated opinions, especially in political debate. As the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has held repeatedlymost notably in Lingens v. Austria (1986)public figures must tolerate a higher level of criticism.

By holding Irion liable for language that was essentially rhetorical, the Sint Maarten court risks judicial overreach into subjective opinion.

(b) Inconsistent Treatment of Political Role

The ruling acknowledges that Irion, as a Member of Parliament, has a duty to scrutinize appointments with national institutions like the Central Bank. Yet the judgment simultaneously faults him for commenting on the person rather than the process.

This distinction is artificial.

When a persons suitability for high office is under discussion, the two are inseparable. Character, temperament, and professional integrity are part of the public-interest evaluation. To restrict an MP from making qualitative assessments about a candidates demeanor (self-promotion, urgency, savior complex) is to strip political oversight of its emotional and moral vocabulary.

The Court thus appears to narrow the space for political opinion, even as it acknowledges the publics right to debate.

(c) Selective Evidentiary Weight

The judgment accepts Irions reference to an internal GEBE memorandum labeling Bloems invoices exorbitant, even though the memo was not public and arguably confidential. The Court relied on Irions personal recollection as former Minister of Finance to deem this statement sufficiently substantiated.

Yet the same Court rejected Irions account of his meeting with Bloem, calling his savior attitude description unverifiable.

This double standardaccepting one unverified recollection while rejecting anothersuggests an uneven evidentiary threshold, favoring protection of personal reputation over freedom of speech.

(d) The Unnecessarily Grievous Standard is Vague

The Courts central justificationthat certain remarks were unnecessarily grievousis not defined in law and is inherently subjective. Without clear criteria, such reasoning grants judges wide discretion to decide what speech is too harsh, effectively creating a moral filter on political discourse.

In a pluralistic democracy, discomfort or offense cannot, by itself, justify restricting speech. Political language is often provocative precisely because it challenges reputations and entrenched interests.

3. Broader Implications for Free Speech and Opinion

(a) Chilling Effect on Political Oversight

The ruling sends a signal to all parliamentarians, journalists, and commentators: criticize at your peril.

If even an elected official can be compelled to publicly retract an opinion expressed during legitimate public debate, others may choose silence over scrutiny.

This chilling effect could erode parliamentary oversight and weaken public accountability, especially in a small jurisdiction where personal and political networks overlap.

(b) Redefining Acceptable Political Tone

By judicially declaring that Irions tone was too personal or grievous, the Court implicitly assumes the role of arbiter of political etiquette.

That undermines one of the core principles of democracy: that votersnot judgesshould decide whether a politicians words are fair, decent, or persuasive.

(c) Privileging Reputation Over Public Interest

While reputational protection is vital, the ECtHR and regional courts have consistently held that the threshold for public figures is higher.

The Sint Maarten decision tilts the balance toward protecting individual dignity at the cost of limiting the publics right to robust, even uncomfortable, debate about those seeking or holding positions of power.

(d) Potential Precedent for Media Liability

Because Irions comments were republished by The Peoples Tribune, the ruling also indirectly affects journalists.

Even though the paper was not a defendant, such verdicts can encourage self-censorship in media outlets wary of carrying controversial political statements.

If the Courts reasoning stands on appeal, editors may become reluctant to publish strong critiques, fearing exposure to similar rectification orders.

4. The Need for a Higher-Court Review

MP Irion has already announced his intention to appeal the ruling.

An appellate review is not merely about reputational vindicationit is about clarifying the constitutional boundaries between personal dignity and free expression in Sint Maarten.

A higher court could:

Reinforce that political speech enjoys heightened protection ;

; Clarify that value judgments even harsh onescannot be sanctioned absent demonstrable malice;

even harsh onescannot be sanctioned absent demonstrable malice; And establish clearer tests for determining when criticism becomes defamatory.

5. The Larger Democratic Question

The Bloem v. Irion decision is not just a local legal disputeit is a mirror of a wider global struggle over the limits of permissible speech in democracies under pressure.

In small island societies, where political, professional, and personal spheres often overlap, judicial caution is understandable. Yet, excessive caution risks stifling the very discourse that keeps institutions accountable.

Freedom of speech is not the freedom to be polite. It is the freedom to be wrong, harsh, or unpopularwithin the bounds of reason and good faith.

The Courts verdict, though well-intentioned, risks blurring that boundary.

6. Conclusion

The Court of First Instance sought to protect Jairo Bloems reputation from personal attack. But in doing so, it may have narrowed the scope of political freedom for all Sint Maarteners.

By holding that a parliamentarians subjective impressions can trigger legal sanctions, the judgment establishes a precedent that could make honest political commentary a risky enterprise.

As Sint Maartens democracy matures, its judiciary will play a decisive role in defining how far speech may go.

The challenge now is to ensure that the defense of dignity does not become the silencing of dissent.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance, Marinka J. Gumbs, has provided a detailed update regarding the financial position and future steps for TelEm Group, following questions posed in Parliament.

Quick Scan Results and Next Steps

A financial quick scan was conducted earlier this year as Phase 1 of TelEms path toward financial independence. The report highlighted several urgent measures, including the sale of the TelEm building, new capital investments, a comprehensive financial turnaround plan, and operational improvements to strengthen liquidity and ensure the companys long-term sustainability.

The Minister noted that the Government remains in close contact with TelEm and that the turnaround plan, to be developed as Phase 3, will be essential to ensuring the companys recovery and stability.

Governments Guarantee to Support Former Employees

To safeguard employee payments and stabilize operations, the Government is finalizing a guarantee of XCG 3.5 million, bringing the total security for the severance payments to the former TelEm employees to XCG 7.5 million. This ensures continued payments to former employees while providing TelEm with temporary liquidity relief.

Current and former TelEm employees have been vital in serving our people for decades, Minister Gumbs emphasized. They should not have to worry about whether their salaries will be paid on time. This guarantee is about providing that assurance while giving TelEm space to rebuild.

TelEm has committed to meeting its monthly obligations, while the Government will continue to monitor financial stability through mandatory monthly review meetings.

Looking Ahead

TelEm is one of Sint Maartens core institutions, and ensuring its long-term sustainability is a priority, Minister Gumbs stated. Government remains committed to supporting the companys turnaround through sound governance, transparency, and accountability to the people of Sint Maarten.

Minister Gumbs expressed her appreciation to TelEms employees, both current and former, for their years of dedication and service in keeping Sint Maarten connected. She acknowledged their resilience and commitment, especially throughout periods of restructuring and transition.

The Minister emphasized that former employees should remain assured that their monthly salary payments will continue uninterrupted, as the governments actions are aimed at ensuring stability and safeguarding their well-earned benefits.




PHILIPSBURG:--- What began as a routine sitting of Parliament quickly escalated into a heated exchange over government responsiveness and accountability, as Members of Parliament (MPs) voiced growing frustration at what they described as a widening democratic deficit between the legislative and executive branches.

The third public meeting of the 20252026 parliamentary year moved swiftly from formalities to fury, with MPs accusing ministers of failing to appear before Parliament and of allowing critical matters to languish without answers.

The People Should Not Suffer for Political Malpractice

MP Egbert Doran led the charge, delivering a scathing critique of what he called a dangerous trend of ministerial neglect.

We have traveled to the Netherlands to discuss the democratic deficit, Doran said. But there seems to be a serious democratic deficit right here in the House of Parliament. The people should not have to suffer for this political malpractice that is taking place.

Dorans remarks drew murmurs of agreement across the chamber as he cited several pending meetingsincluding those concerning banking legislation, dividend tax reform, and the Central Bankthat remain unscheduled or unanswered by the respective ministries.

MP York Demands Answers

Following Doran, MP Daryl York underscored the same frustration, revealing that his faction had sent three unanswered letters to the Ministry of Finance, one as far back as May.

It doesnt take months to answer whether tax holidays were granted or not, York said. This delay is unacceptable.

York emphasized that such delays undermine not only the efficiency of Parliament but also public confidence in government. When basic questions about tax policy go unanswered for months, it sends a troubling message about transparency, he warned.

Growing Concerns Over Accountability

The exchange highlighted a recurring tension in Sint Maartens political landscapeMPs say ministers frequently postpone meetings or fail to respond to written inquiries, leaving Parliament unable to perform its oversight role effectively.

Observers noted that Thursdays confrontation could signal a tougher stance by Parliament heading into the new legislative year, especially as several critical issuesincluding fiscal policy, state-owned enterprises, and public sector accountabilityremain unresolved.

As one MP privately remarked after the session, Its not just about politics anymore; its about principle. The people deserve a government that answers when called.
ISTANBUL, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Turkiye appears keen to take on a broader role in implementing the Gaza ceasefire following its participation in the recent summit in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh.

The summit, held on Monday after a truce was declared in the war-torn Gaza Strip, convened leaders and representatives from over 20 countries, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Participants signed a joint declaration focused on consolidating the truce and launching coordinated reconstruction efforts.

Former Turkish diplomat and foreign policy analyst Gulru Gezer said Ankara's involvement is likely to focus first on overseeing and monitoring compliance with the ceasefire.

At the summit, Turkiye joined Egypt, Qatar, and the United States in signing a supporting document that designates the four nations as guarantors of the truce.

"Ankara is expected to use its strong ties with Palestinian factions, including Hamas, as well as its channels with Western and regional partners, to ensure continued compliance with the ceasefire," Gezer told Xinhua. She added that Turkiye will also monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the early implementation of the agreement.

Ankara also hopes to play an important role in reconstruction and humanitarian assistance, drawing on its experience in disaster recovery and large-scale infrastructure projects.

"With the ceasefire in place, it is imperative that humanitarian aid reach Gaza -- where a catastrophe has been unfolding -- and that reconstruction efforts begin without delay," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Turkiye will continue to provide substantial humanitarian aid in the period ahead."

On Thursday, Turkiye appointed Mehmet Gulluoglu, former head of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, as coordinator for Palestinian humanitarian aid to oversee relief operations and reconstruction planning.

Meanwhile, Birol Baskan, a political scientist specializing in Middle Eastern affairs, urged caution about Turkiye's possible security role in Gaza. While Ankara's participation in ceasefire monitoring and humanitarian aid appears certain, he said, its involvement in any long-term security arrangement remains unclear.

"Turkiye and the other guarantors have yet to define concrete commitments, leaving their respective roles ambiguous," Baskan told Xinhua.

He said Turkiye might eventually take part in an international monitoring mission or help establish a buffer zone between Gaza and Israel, possibly with Turkish troops involved. However, any broader role, such as guaranteeing Gaza's overall security, remains unlikely for now.

"Without Israel's consent, any Turkish deployment on the ground would be politically and operationally unsustainable," Baskan said. 
~New technology defends against cyber threats, safeguards public data, and ensures more secure and reliable IT services for all citizens.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Government has taken a major step forward in protecting the nations digital infrastructure by installing an advanced firewall system under the Digital Government Transformation Project (DGTP). This new technology significantly enhances the governments ability to defend against cyber threats, safeguard public data, and ensure more secure and reliable IT services for all citizens. Prime Minister, the Honorable PM Dr. Luc F.E. Mercelina, emphasized the importance of this milestone for national digital security.

This upgrade comes at a pivotal time, said PM Dr. Mercelina. Over the past few years, several institutions on our island have faced cyberattacks, including ransomware incidents that raised serious concerns about the safety of sensitive information. Today, we are acting decisively to protect our digital future. Every improvement to our systems strengthens the publics trust in government. It ensures that citizens can access essential services safely, efficiently, and confidently. This investment is more than an upgrade; its a transformation that positions Sint Maarten firmly in the digital age.

The new firewall consists of two (2) physical Next-Generation Firewall devices. These hardware devices are designed to detect and block unauthorized access and prevent cyberattacks before they can affect government systems. The newly implemented Next-Generation Firewall devices are some of the worlds most widely used firewall technologies and are known for protecting sensitive information and securing complex networks. The new firewalls are part of a larger effort to replace outdated technology, reduce cybersecurity risks, and build a more connected and efficient public service. It also strengthens the government's ability to continue operations during disasters or disruptions and support the development of future digital services, such as electronic IDs and data exchange.

This investment is a key milestone in Sint Maarten's journey toward a safer, more modern digital government, one that citizens can trust and rely on. DGTP is led by the Governments Digital Leadership Team (DLT), tasked with advancing digital reform across ministries. The project is implemented by the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten. It is funded through a $12 million grant from the Sint Maarten Trust Fund, which is financed by the Government of the Netherlands and managed by the World Bank.
Press Release from Business Wire: Kinaxis Inc.



(AFP) Oct 17, 2025



OTTAWA, Oct 17, 2025 (BSW) - Kinaxis(R) Inc. (TSX: KXS), a global leader in supply chain orchestration, today announced Maestro Agents, marking the next milestone in AI-enabled decision intelligence for supply chains. Now available to Kinaxis customers and embedded natively in Kinaxis Maestro(R), these AI-powered context aware digital co-workers help planners move faster from issue to action, turning disruption into opportunity, and strengthening the resilience of the supply chains that power the global economy.

"Kinaxis agents are already helping our planning team collaborate more effectively with customers and contract manufacturers," said John Finnigan, Senior Director, Advanced Planning at Jabil. "With human-in-the-loop safeguards, we're reaching decisions faster today and see strong potential to build a more resilient and networked supply chain."

Maestro Agents advance the customer journey from conversational AI to decision-based agentic supply chain orchestration. Unlike generic AI assistants that sit outside the process, Maestro Agents are embedded in live planning environments where they understand context, constraints, and trade-offs to plan with you, not for you. With Maestro Agents now live, Kinaxis will continue to expand the Maestro ecosystem with Maestro Agent Studio (now in limited availability) and the arrival of an agent marketplace in 2026, guiding customers through a phased path to realize the full potential of AI-driven orchestration.

"Today's supply chains operate within an environment of constant volatility. Resilience and adaptability are no longer aspirational - they are mission-critical," said Andrew Bell, Chief Product Officer at Kinaxis. "Maestro Agents bring explainable AI into the moments that matter for supply chain leaders and practitioners. As our customers continue to coordinate across processes and grow an ecosystem of Kinaxis and partner-built agents, now they can unlock new levels of speed, resilience, and adaptability."

Proven Value in Real-World Supply Chains

Early adopters describe Maestro Agents as game-changing by cutting hours of manual work and giving planners confidence to act faster with AI that understands their world.

"Flexibility and guardrails are essential if companies are going to trust and scale AI," said Eric Thompson, Research Director, IDC. "With Maestro Agents, Kinaxis is showing what practical, explainable AI looks like in enterprise operations by embedding agentic capabilities directly into live planning environments so organizations can test, learn, and grow safely and effectively."

Built to bring decision intelligence into the moment work happens, Maestro Agents turn analysis into action right inside the planning environment. For supply chain planners, they can now rely on agents to:

-- Bring AI into daily work by analyzing live data, flagging issues, and recommending next-best actions directly within Maestro, helping planners move from problem to decision in seconds.

-- Synthesize and unpack real-world constraints by factoring in supplier capacity, inventory levels, production schedules, and customer priorities to deliver recommendations that are achievable and aligned with business goals.

-- Make AI explainable and trustworthy with human-in-the-loop guardrails and clear reasoning that show why each action is recommended.

-- Free up time for higher-value work by automating reporting and routine analysis, enabling planners to focus on strategic decisions that improve performance and resilience and transforming how planners respond to disruption and make decisions in real time.

Customers are already leveraging the robust capabilities of Maestro Agents, and several enterprise organizations have proven how investments in early innovation are delivering significant real-world value within their supply chain environments:

-- A top-10 global pharmaceutical company boosted planner productivity by up to 10x, cutting the steps to identify inventory risks from 40 clicks to just 4 and surfacing insights in seconds instead of minutes or hours, driving significant efficiency gains across its planning process.

-- One of the world's largest electronics manufacturers streamlined its reporting processes, cutting manual effort and empowering planners to save over 30 hours per month. With this time back, they were able to focus on higher-value initiatives that improved on-time delivery and elevated customer satisfaction.

These innovations represent the next step toward a connected, adaptive future where AI and human expertise orchestrate the world's supply chains together.

To learn more about how Maestro Agents can accelerate your supply chain, visit kinaxis.com/aiagents.

About Kinaxis

Kinaxis is a leader in modern supply chain orchestration, powering complex global supply chains and supporting the people who manage them. Our powerful, AI-infused supply chain orchestration platform, Maestro, combines proprietary technologies and techniques that provide full transparency and agility across the entire supply chain - from multi-year strategic planning to last-mile delivery. We are trusted by renowned global brands to provide the agility and predictability needed to navigate today's volatility and disruption. For more news and information, please visit kinaxis.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements about future product capabilities, planned launches, anticipated benefits, and the expected performance or impact of Kinaxis Maestro Agents. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties are described in Kinaxis' most recent Annual Information Form and other filings with Canadian securities regulators. Kinaxis disclaims any obligation to update or revise these statements, except as required by law.

Source: Kinaxis Inc







View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251017746583/en/









Contact

Media RelationsMatt Tatham | [email protected] +1 917-446-7227Investor RelationsRick Wadsworth | [email protected] +1 613-907-7613







 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release.
OpenAI halts MLK videos as deepfakes spark outrage



Washington, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



OpenAI has suspended its Sora 2 artificial intelligence tool from creating videos of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. after his estate complained about disrespectful depictions.

The slain civil rights leader's estate and OpenAI announced the decision in a joint statement late Thursday, saying the company would pause generations depicting King while it "strengthens guardrails for historical figures."

The move comes as families of deceased celebrities and leaders have expressed outrage over OpenAI's Sora 2 video tool, which allows users to create realistic-looking clips of historical figures without family consent.

Some users had generated videos showing King making monkey noises during his "I Have a Dream" speech and other demeaning content, according to The Washington Post.

Videos reanimating other dead figures including Malcolm X, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley and Amy Winehouse have flooded social media since Sora 2's launch on September 30.

"While there are strong free speech interests in depicting historical figures, OpenAI believes public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used," the joint statement said.

The company said authorized representatives or estate owners can now request that their likenesses not be used in the AI-generated videos, known as "Sora cameos."

OpenAI thanked Bernice King, King's daughter who serves on behalf of the estate, "for reaching out" as well as businessman John Hope Bryant and the AI Ethics Council "for creating space for conversations like this."

The text-to-video tool has rocketed to the top of download charts since its launch but sparked immediate controversy.

Actor Robin Williams's daughter Zelda Williams pleaded with people on Instagram to "stop sending me AI videos of dad," calling the content "maddening."

Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, told The Washington Post it was "deeply disrespectful" to see her father's image used in crude and insensitive AI videos.

Malcolm X was assassinated in front of Shabazz in 1965 when she was two years old.

OpenAI had initially exempted "historical figures" from consent requirements when it launched Sora 2 last month, allowing anyone to create fake videos resurrecting public figures.

Sora 2 has already raised opposition from Hollywood, with the creative industry furious at OpenAI's opt-out policy when it came to the use of its copyrighted characters and content in generated videos.

Disney sent a sharply worded letter to OpenAI in late September stating it "is not required to 'opt out' of inclusion of its works" to preserve its copyright rights.

Amid the pushback, OpenAI promised that it would give more "granular control" to rights holders.

After the launch of the Sora 2 app, the tool usually refused requests for videos featuring Disney or Marvel characters, some users said.

However, clips showing characters from other US franchises, as well as Japanese characters from popular game and anime series, were widely shared.

arp/bgs
Army colonel to be sworn in as Madagascar president



Antananarivo, Madagascar, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



Madagascar is set Friday to swear in an army colonel as president, just days after a military power grab that sent President Andry Rajoelina fleeing and raised international alarm about a new coup on the island.

The country's highest court was expected to formalise the appointment of Colonel Michael Randrianirina in a ceremony at 9:00 am (06H00 GMT), capping a dramatic week in which Rajoelina was impeached for desertion of duty on Tuesday, with the military stepping in.

Amid international criticism, including from the United Nations, Randrianirina denied he had initiated a coup, pointing to the constitutional court's backing of his new role.

The 51-year-old commander of the CAPSAT unit has pledged elections in 18 to 24 months and told local media that consultations were under way to appoint a consensus prime minister.

"Madagascar has not chosen a military regime," he told reporters Thursday.

"The government belongs to civilians. The presidential council is also composed of military and civilians," he said.

Rajoelina's camp has condemned the constitutional court's support of the CAPSAT commander as riddled with procedural illegalities that risked destabilising the former French colony.

It has insisted that Rajoelina remain leader and was working to find solutions to the problems dogging the impoverished island, including power cuts that sparked a youth-led protest movement on September 25.

Government forces were accused of a harsh crackdown on the protesters, with many reported dead or wounded, until CAPSAT announced on October 11 that it would refuse orders to shoot on them.

The statement was a turning point in the uprising, with the unit hailed by the protest movement, which is now expecting a role in the new set-up.



- Escape, hiding -



Rajoelina's office confirmed in a statement late Wednesday that he fled the country the same weekend CAPSAT stood behind the protesters, saying he feared for his life. He did not reveal his whereabouts.

Media reports said the 51-year-old was evacuated on Sunday aboard a French military plane that took him to the French island of Reunion from where he travelled to Dubai.

Madagascar is the latest of several former French colonies to have fallen under military control since 2020, after coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon and Guinea.

It is the third military transition in Madagascar since independence from France in 1960, following coups in 1972 and in 2009.

The country, off Mozambique, is one of the poorest in the world, despite an abundance of natural resources and a rich biodiversity.

About 80 percent of its roughly 32 million people live in poverty, according to the World Bank's benchmark.

Rajoelina's escape is the third time a Malagasy head of state has left the country after being ousted. Didier Ratsiraka fled to France in 2002 after post-electoral violence and Marc Ravalomanana went to South Africa in 2009.

The African Union and regional SADC bloc said they would send fact-finding missions to the island and called for constitutional democracy to be upheld.

"The transition is now underway. We call for the full involvement of civilians in the ongoing process," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Thursday.

"The mobilisation of Madagascar's youth must be fully heard to build a sustainable, peaceful, and calm solution," he told reporters during a visit to Nigeria.
HURGHADA, Egypt, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The eighth edition of Egypt's international El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) opened Thursday night on the Red Sea coastal resort city of Hurghada, with a significant focus on humanitarian issues through a deepened partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

In a powerful declaration of its "Cinema for Humanity" motto, this year's event has adopted food security as its central theme, strategically aligning with the WFP's mission.

This commitment is highlighted by the "Bread" Short Film Competition, launched in collaboration with the WFP, which serves as a platform to inspire Arab filmmakers to use their craft to raise awareness and drive action against regional food insecurity.

Co-founder of the GFF, Naguib Sawiris, alluded to the challenges and events that the region faced in the past years, expressing his satisfaction over the end of the war in the Gaza Strip.

"We all have to remember that people in Gaza and Sudan have nothing to eat, and this must be at the top of our humanitarian priorities," he said.

His remarks reinforced the festival's focus on linking cinematic art with global responsibility and advocacy for those most in need.

The GFF runs until Oct. 24, featuring around 70 films from around the world and various activities held under the CineGouna Platform, which aims to foster emerging film talents with 20 selected projects.

The GFF, which started in 2017 with "cinema for humanity" as its permanent cause, has been exerting maximum efforts to support various causes, including refugees, women empowerment and sustainability. 
Army colonel set to be sworn in as Madagascar president



Antananarivo, Madagascar, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



Madagascar was set Friday to swear in an army colonel as president, just days after a military power grab that sent President Andry Rajoelina fleeing and raised international alarm about a new coup on the island.

The country's highest court was now expected to formalise the appointment of Colonel Michael Randrianirina in a ceremony at 10:00 am (0700 GMT), capping a dramatic week in which Rajoelina was impeached for desertion of duty on Tuesday, with the military stepping in.

Amid international criticism, including from the United Nations, Randrianirina denied he had initiated a coup, pointing to the constitutional court's backing of his new role.

A large crowd gathered for the ceremony at the court Friday with representatives of a youth-led movement, which spearheaded protests that led to Rajoelina's fall, rubbing shoulders with politicians.

Foreign delegations, including from the United States, the European Union and the French ambassador, were also present, an AFP journalist said.

The 51-year-old commander of the CAPSAT unit has pledged elections in 18 to 24 months and told local media that consultations were under way to appoint a consensus prime minister.

"Madagascar has not chosen a military regime," he told reporters Thursday.

"The government belongs to civilians. The presidential council is also composed of military and civilians," he said.

Rajoelina's camp has condemned the constitutional court's support of the CAPSAT commander as riddled with procedural illegalities that risked destabilising the former French colony.

It has insisted that Rajoelina remain leader and was working to find solutions to the problems dogging the impoverished island, including power cuts that sparked a youth-led protest movement on September 25.

Government forces were accused of a harsh crackdown on the protesters, with many reported dead or wounded, until CAPSAT announced on October 11 that it would refuse orders to shoot on them.

The statement was a turning point in the uprising, with the unit hailed by the protest movement, which is now expecting a role in the new set-up.



- Escape, hiding -



Rajoelina's office confirmed in a statement late Wednesday that he fled the country the same weekend CAPSAT stood behind the protesters, saying he feared for his life. He did not reveal his whereabouts.

Media reports said the 51-year-old was evacuated on Sunday aboard a French military plane that took him to the French island of Reunion from where he travelled to Dubai.

Madagascar is the latest of several former French colonies to have fallen under military control since 2020, after coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon and Guinea.

It is the third military transition in Madagascar since independence from France in 1960, following coups in 1972 and in 2009.

The country, off Mozambique, is one of the poorest in the world, despite an abundance of natural resources and a rich biodiversity.

About 80 percent of its roughly 32 million people live in poverty, according to the World Bank's benchmark.

Rajoelina's escape is the third time a Malagasy head of state has left the country after being ousted. Didier Ratsiraka fled to France in 2002 after post-electoral violence and Marc Ravalomanana went to South Africa in 2009.

The African Union and regional SADC bloc said they would send fact-finding missions to the island and called for constitutional democracy to be upheld.

"The transition is now underway. We call for the full involvement of civilians in the ongoing process," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Thursday.

"The mobilisation of Madagascar's youth must be fully heard to build a sustainable, peaceful, and calm solution," he told reporters during a visit to Nigeria.
US strike on Caribbean boat leaves survivors: reports



Washington, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



A strike by US forces on a boat in the Caribbean on Thursday left survivors for the first time since Washington started targeting alleged drug-smuggling vessels from Venezuela, US media reported.

The United States has deployed several military vessels to the Caribbean Sea and launched a series of deadly naval strikes on boats in recent weeks, a campaign that experts say is illegal.

At least 27 people have been killed in the US strikes so far, with the military buildup sparking fears in Caracas that the ultimate goal is a change of government in Venezuela.

The admiral overseeing the strikes has announced he will step down, while US President Donald Trump weighs whether to expand military action onto land.

The latest attack on Thursday left survivors among those on board, media outlets including CBS, CNN and NBC reported, citing unidentified US officials.

The Pentagon did not respond immediately to an AFP request for information about the number of survivors and their condition.

In a significant escalation, Trump indicated Wednesday he had authorized covert CIA action against Venezuela and was considering further action against the alleged drug cartels.

"We are certainly looking at land now, because we've got the sea very well under control," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

A day later, Admiral Alvin Holsey announced he will leave his position as head of US forces operating in Central and South America.

The head of US Southern Command gave no reason for retiring just a year into his tenure, which follows multiple top US military officers being dismissed in recent months.



- Venezuela military exercises -



Venezuela's leftist leader Nicolas Maduro has decried any attempt by Washington at "regime change" and decried "coups d'etat orchestrated by the CIA".

The country's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, meanwhile denied a report that she had negotiated with the United States to oust Maduro.

Under Maduro's direction, the Venezuelan military carried out exercises in the country's biggest shantytowns this week after another US strike.

Trinidad and Tobago, which is located off the coast of Venezuela, is investigating whether two of those killed were its citizens, officials said on Wednesday.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro recently called on the United Nations to open a "criminal process" against Trump for the strikes, which he believes have also killed Colombians.

Washington has not released evidence to support its assertion that the targets of its strikes are drug smugglers, and experts say the summary killings are illegal even if they hit confirmed narcotics traffickers.

bur-rsc/mjw
Russian soldier kills peer before committing suicide



Moscow, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



A Russian soldier shot dead a fellow serviceman at a military base near Moscow on Friday and then killed himself, state media reported citing the Russian army.

Shootings at Russian military barracks are not uncommon, with the army long plagued by bullying and hazing scandals.

"A serviceman fatally wounded a contract soldier and took his own life," news agency TASS quoted the Moscow military district command as saying.

It said the Russian air force was investigating but did not mention any possible cause.

TV channel REN-TV cited an anonymous source as saying that three more people had been wounded at the base, located some 80 kilometres (50 miles) southwest of Moscow.

Russia's military rejects accusations it has a culture of hazing and says it has rooted out bullying rituals that had been common for decades.

In 2019, a 19-year-old conscript opened fire at a military base in Siberia, killing eight soldiers, including two officers.

Sentenced to 24 years in jail, he described his military service as "hell" and said he had been regularly abused.

Russia has massively ramped up the size of its army since launching its offensive on Ukraine in February 2022.

It has recruited hundreds of thousands of contract soldiers, hiking salaries and offering huge sign-up bonuses.

Moscow also forcibly drafted some 300,000 reservists in autumn 2022 after its troops failed to conquer Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin said last month more than 700,000 Russian troops were fighting in Ukraine.
Japan's Takaichi avoids war shrine visit as prospects of becoming PM brighten



Tokyo, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



The new head of Japan's ruling party, Sanae Takaichi, sent an offering but avoided visiting a controversial war shrine on Friday, as the prospects of her becoming prime minister brightened.

Takaichi became Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader on October 4 but her bid to be Japan's first woman premier was derailed by the collapse of her ruling coalition last week.

However, the LDP is now in talks about forming a different alliance, putting her chances of becoming premier in a parliamentary vote expected on Tuesday back on track.

Past visits by top leaders to the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, which honours Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals, have angered China and South Korea.

Takaichi, seen as an arch-conservative and China hawk from the right of the LDP, has visited the shrine in the past, including when she was a government minister.

The 64-year-old this time sent an offering but did not make an appearance on the opening day of an autumn festival on Friday.

Reports said she would stay away in order not to upset Japan's neighbours.

China's foreign ministry urged Japan on Friday to "confront and reflect on its history of aggression, exercise caution in its words and actions on historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine".



- Trump visit -



The clock is ticking for Takaichi to become Japan's fifth prime minister in as many years, with US President Donald Trump due to visit at the end of October.

Details of a trade deal between Washington and Tokyo remain unresolved, and Trump also wants Japan to stop Russian energy imports and boost defence spending.

The Komeito party, the LDP's coalition partner of 26 years, pulled out of their alliance on October 10.

Komeito said the LDP had failed to tighten party funding rules following a damaging slush fund scandal involving dodgy payments of millions of dollars.

The LDP began talks this week on forming a new coalition with the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) instead.

The two parties would still be two seats short of a majority, although the alliance would likely ensure that Takaichi succeeds in becoming premier.

That is because, while Takaichi needs support from a majority of MPs, she only needs more than the other person in a two-way second-round runoff.

A potential spanner in the works could come if opposition parties agree on a rival candidate, but talks this week on such an outcome have appeared to make little headway.

JIP co-head Fumitake Fujita hailed "big progress" after the latest round of discussions with the LDP on Friday.

"Going forward, we will make final adjustments in terms of the wording and interpretation" of policies, he said.

Fujita also ruled out working with other opposition parties to find an alternative candidate to Takaichi.

Mikitaka Masuyama, a professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, said: "If the LDP and the JIP agree to form a coalition, Takaichi will become the new prime minister."

However, he cautioned that, like in recent elections, support for the LDP might continue to slide.

"The LDP under Takaichi may not be popular with a range of voters on the right and left that former LDP leaders Junichiro Koizumi and Shinzo Abe had enjoyed," Masuyama told AFP.

"Or, her government may regain support from conservatives who left the LDP for other conservative opposition parties," he said.

kh-tmo-aph-stu/pbt
Venezuela deploys troops, reports of new US boat strike



San Cristobal, Venezuela, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



Venezuela deployed thousands of troops near the Colombian border on Thursday in response to the US military buildup in the Caribbean, where US media reported a new strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat.

The United States has sent several military vessels to the Caribbean Sea and launched a series of deadly naval strikes on boats in recent weeks, a campaign that experts say is illegal.

At least 27 people have been killed in the US strikes so far, with the military buildup sparking fears in Caracas that the ultimate goal is a change of government in Venezuela.

Caracas has launched military drills, including the deployment of 17,000 troops in Tachira state, which borders Colombia, according to the commander there, General Michell Valladares.

While President Donald Trump weighs whether to expand US military action from the sea onto land, the admiral overseeing the naval strikes announced he will step down.

The latest boat attack on Thursday left survivors among those on board, media outlets including CBS, CNN and NBC reported, citing unidentified US officials.

The Pentagon did not respond immediately to an AFP request for information about the number of survivors or their condition.

In a significant escalation, Trump indicated on Wednesday he had authorized covert CIA action against Venezuela and was considering further action against the alleged drug cartels.

"We are certainly looking at land now, because we've got the sea very well under control," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

A day later, Admiral Alvin Holsey announced he would leave his position as head of US forces operating in Central and South America.

The head of US Southern Command gave no reason for retiring just a year into his tenure, which follows multiple top US military officers being dismissed in recent months.



- Venezuela military exercises -



Venezuela's leftist leader Nicolas Maduro has decried any attempt by Washington at "regime change" and criticized "coups d'etat orchestrated by the CIA."

Its vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, also denied a report that she had negotiated with the United States to oust Maduro.

Under Maduro's direction, the Venezuelan military carried out exercises in the country's biggest shantytowns this week after another US strike.

AFP journalists saw troops deployed on Thursday in Tachira, where the three main bridges connecting Venezuela with Colombia are located.

Venezuelan forces were also stationed in southern Amazonas state, which borders Colombia and Brazil, and multiple coastal areas.

Trinidad and Tobago, located off the coast of Venezuela, is investigating whether two of those killed in US strikes at sea were its citizens, officials said on Wednesday.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro recently called on the United Nations to open a "criminal process" against Trump for the attacks, which he believes have also killed Colombians.

Washington has not released evidence to support its assertion that the targets of its strikes are drug smugglers, and experts say the summary killings are illegal even if they hit confirmed narcotics traffickers.

bur-rsc/pbt
China expels two top-ranked generals from military in graft probe



Beijing, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



China said on Friday it has expelled two top generals from the military and ruling Communist Party, part of corruption investigations into nine high-ranking army officials.

The announcement marks the latest push in a sweeping drive to root out graft at all levels of the party and state since President Xi Jinping came to power over a decade ago.

It also comes just days before a closely watched four-day gathering of top officials in Beijing for deliberations on long-term economic planning.

He Weidong, the Central Military Commission (CMC) vice chairman, was among nine individuals to be expelled from the army for having "seriously violated" discipline, according to an online statement by defence ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang.

He had not been seen in public since March, fuelling speculation, though no formal investigation had been previously announced.

The statement did not disclose He's current whereabouts.

Also expelled was Miao Hua, the former head of the military's political work department, who was formally removed from his post, according to state media reports in June.

Eight of the individuals were also stripped of Communist Party membership, after previously serving on its elite Central Committee, Zhang said.

Xi has called graft "the biggest threat" to the Communist Party and said "the fight against corruption remains grave and complex".

Proponents say the policy promotes clean governance, but others say it also serves as a tool for Xi to purge political rivals.

"The severe punishment of He Weidong, Miao Hua... and others once again demonstrates the Party Central Committee and the CMC's unwavering resolve to persevere in the fight against corruption," said Zhang.

He added that the crackdown represents a "significant achievement in the Party and military's anti-corruption campaign".

It has "contributed to a more pure, consolidated, cohesive and combat-ready People's Army", he added.

Miao and He are not the only high-ranking military officials to fall afoul of Xi's corruption crackdown in recent years.

Former defence minister Li Shangfu was removed from office in 2023 just seven months into the job, and later expelled from the Party for offences including suspected bribery.

The latest announcement comes as the Communist Party prepares to convene a key meeting Monday known as the "fourth plenum" focused on economic planning for the five-year period ending in 2030.

That plan will play a central role in the pursuit of President Xi Jinping's core aims, including technological self-sufficiency and military and economic might.
Zelensky to push for Tomahawk missiles in Trump meeting



Washington, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets Donald Trump at the White House Friday to push the US leader for long-range Tomahawk missiles that can strike deep inside Russia.

The meeting comes a day after Trump threw Zelensky a curveball by announcing a fresh summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump also cast doubt on whether he would grant Ukraine's wish for the powerful Tomahawk cruise missiles, saying Washington could not "deplete" its own supplies.

Ukraine has been lobbying Washington for Tomahawks for weeks, arguing that they could help put pressure on Russia to end its brutal three-and-a-half year invasion.

But on the eve of Zelensky's visit, Putin warned Trump in a call against delivering the weapons, saying it could escalate the war and jeopardize peace talks.

Trump and Putin agreed to a new summit in the Hungarian capital Budapest, which would be their first since an August meeting in Alaska that failed to produce any kind of peace deal.



- 'Many questions' -



Diplomatic talks on ending Russia's invasion have stalled since the Alaska summit.

Ukraine had hoped Zelensky's trip would add more pressure on Putin, especially by getting Tomahawks, which have a range of over 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles).

But Trump, who once said he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, appears set on pursuing a new diplomatic breakthrough to follow the Gaza ceasefire deal that he brokered last week.

The Kremlin said Friday that "many questions" needed resolving before Putin and Trump could meet, including who would be on each negotiating team.

"It could indeed take place within two weeks or a little later. There's an understanding that nothing should be put off," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

But the Kremlin appeared to brush off suggestions Putin would have difficulty flying over European airspace.

Hungary said Friday it would ensure Putin could enter and "hold successful talks" with the US despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes.

"Budapest is the only suitable place in Europe for a USA-Russia peace summit," Hungarian President Viktor Orban said on X on Friday.



- Trump frustration -



Zelensky's visit to Washington, Ukraine's main military backer, will be his third since Trump returned to office.

During this time, Trump's position on the Ukraine war has shifted dramatically back and forth.

At the start of his term, Trump and Putin reached out to each other as the US leader derided Zelensky as a "dictator without elections".

Tensions came to a head in February, when Trump accused his Ukrainian counterpart of "not having the cards" in a bombshell televised meeting at the Oval Office.

Relations between the two have since warmed as Trump has expressed growing frustration with Putin.

But Trump has kept a channel of dialogue open with Putin, saying that they "get along." The US leader has repeatedly changed his position on sanctions and other steps against Russia following calls with the Russian president.

Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a "special military operation" to demilitarize the country and prevent the expansion of NATO.

Kyiv and its European allies say the war is an illegal land grab that has resulted in tens of thousands of civilian and military casualties and widespread destruction.

Russia now occupies around a fifth of Ukrainian territory -- much of it ravaged by fighting. On Friday the Russian defense ministry announced it had captured three villages in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions.

bur-cad-dk/acb
Kabul accuses Pakistan of resuming air strikes, killing 10



Kabul, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



Pakistan launched strikes on Afghan soil late Friday, killing at least 10 people and breaking a ceasefire that had brought two days of calm to the border, officials told AFP.

The 48-hour truce had paused nearly a week of bloody border clashes that killed dozens of troops and civilians on both sides.

"Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika" province, a senior Taliban official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Afghanistan will retaliate."

Ten civilians were killed and 12 others wounded in the Pakistani strikes, a provincial hospital official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that two children were among the dead.

The cross-border violence had escalated dramatically from Saturday, days after explosions rocked the Afghan capital Kabul, just as the Taliban's foreign minister began an unprecedented visit to India, Pakistan's longtime rival.

The Taliban then launched an offensive along parts of its southern border with Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to vow a strong response of its own.

When the truce began at 1300 GMT on Wednesday, Islamabad said that it was to last 48 hours, but Kabul said the ceasefire would remain in effect until Pakistan violated it.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif accused Kabul of acting as "a proxy of India" and "plotting" against Pakistan.

"From now on, demarches will no longer be framed as appeals for peace, and delegations will not be sent to Kabul," Asif wrote in a post on X, before news of the fresh strikes emerged.

"Wherever the source of terrorism is, it will have to pay a heavy price."

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said its forces had been ordered not to attack unless Pakistani forces fired first.

"'If they do, then you have every right to defend your country'", he said in an interview with the Afghan television channel Ariana, relaying the message sent to the troops.



- 'Concrete and verifiable' -



Security issues are at the heart of the tensions, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harbouring militant groups led by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- the Pakistani Taliban -- on its soil, a claim Kabul denies.

"Pakistan has repeatedly shared its concerns" related to the presence of militant groups operating from Afghan soil, Pakistani foreign office spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said in a weekly press briefing Friday.

"Pakistan expects concrete and verifiable actions against these terrorist elements by the Taliban regime."

Just before the truce ended, seven Pakistani paramilitary troops were killed in a suicide bombing and gun attack at a military camp in the North Waziristan district that borders Afghanistan, an administration official told AFP.

A faction of the TTP claimed responsibility for the attack.

Earlier on Friday, Afghans in the frontier town of Spin Boldak -- where the fighting had been particularly intense -- described scenes of normalcy.

"Everything is fine, everything is open," Nani, 35, told AFP.

"I'm not afraid, but everyone sees things differently. Some say they're going to send their children elsewhere as the situation isn't good, but I don't think anything will happen," said Nani, who did not give a surname.



- 'Mixed feelings' -



The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said 37 people were killed and 425 wounded on the Afghan side of the border, calling on both sides to bring a lasting end to hostilities.

An AFP correspondent in Spin Boldak said they saw hundreds of people attending funerals on Thursday, including for children whose bodies were wrapped in white shrouds.

"People have mixed feelings," Nematullah, 42, told AFP. "They fear that the fighting will resume, but they still leave their homes and go about their business."

Calm had also returned to Kabul, where new explosions rang out shortly before the ceasefire announcement on Wednesday.

Nobody claimed responsibility for the blasts, but Pakistani security sources said they had undertaken "precision strikes" against an armed group in the Afghan capital.

Sources in Afghanistan suggested that Pakistan was behind at least one of the blasts and that they were air strikes, but the government has not formally accused Islamabad.
Trump says Venezuela's Maduro offered 'everything' to ease tensions



San Cristobal, Venezuela, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



US President Donald Trump said Friday that Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro had offered major concessions to ease tensions with Washington and confirmed a new strike on a drug-smuggling vessel, which reportedly left survivors.

Washington accuses Maduro of heading a drug cartel and has deployed significant military assets -- including stealth warplanes and seven US Navy ships -- as part of what it says are counter-narcotics efforts in the region.

Maduro, an authoritarian socialist who is widely accused of stealing elections last year, claims Washington is plotting regime change.

Asked at the White House about reports that Caracas had floated de-escalation plans, Trump was scathing.

"He has offered everything, you're right. You know why? Because he doesn't want to fuck around with the United States," he said.

Venezuela's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, on Thursday denied a Miami Herald report that she had negotiated with the United States on a plan to oust Maduro.

Venezuela is the alleged origin of some of the vessels, at least six of which have been targeted and mostly involving speedboats, in an unprecedented campaign of US strikes in the Caribbean since September.

The latest attack left survivors on board, media outlets including CBS, CNN and NBC reported, citing unidentified US officials.

Trump said the target was a "drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs."

Semi-submersibles built in clandestine jungle shipyards have for years been used to ferry cocaine from South America, particularly Colombia, to Central America or Mexico, usually via the Pacific Ocean.

Washington says its Caribbean campaign is dealing a decisive blow to drug trafficking, but it has provided no evidence that the people killed -- at least 27 so far -- were drug smugglers.

Experts say such summary killings are illegal even if they target confirmed narcotics traffickers.

The US campaign has drawn in some of Venezuela's neighbors.

Police in Trinidad and Tobago, located off the coast of Venezuela, is investigating whether two of its citizens were killed in a strike on Wednesday.

And Colombian President Gustavo Petro says he believes Colombians have also died in the attacks.

A defiant Trump this week announced plans to ramp up operations against Venezuela, fuelling speculation that his administration aims to topple Maduro.

Trump indicated that he had authorized covert CIA operations against Venezuela and was considering strikes on land targets.

Earlier this week, in a show of force, US-based B-52 bombers circled over the Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela for several hours, data from tracking website Flightradar24 showed.

Venezuela has deployed 17,000 troops to Tachira state, which borders Colombia, in response to the US threats.

Venezuelan forces are also stationed in southern Amazonas state, which borders both Colombia and Brazil, and multiple coastal areas.

While Trump weighs whether to expand US military action from the sea onto land, the admiral overseeing the naval strikes in the Caribbean announced he will step down.

The head of US Southern Command gave no reason for retiring just a year into his tenure, which follows multiple top US military officers being dismissed in recent months.

burs-cb/jgc
UN extends arms embargo on Haiti



United Nations, United States, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



The UN Security Council voted unanimously Friday to extend the arms and military equipment embargo on Haiti for another year, and added two people to its sanctions list.

The sanctions regime was established in 2022 in an attempt to curb escalating violence as gangs ravage the country, but the situation has only worsened since.

Initially, it embargoed targeted specific weapons but later was strengthened to prohibit all arms transfers to Haiti, with exclusions for local law enforcement and international forces deployed to aid them.

The Security Council warned that ongoing gang violence "contributes to undermining rule of law and respect for human rights, can impede the provision of humanitarian assistance, and can have wide-ranging negative humanitarian and socioeconomic consequences."

But the efficacy of the sanctions to date remains in doubt.

The poorest country in the Americas, Haiti has long suffered at the hands of violent criminal gangs that commit murders, rapes, looting, and kidnappings against a backdrop of chronic political instability.

The situation has sharply deteriorated since early 2024, when a coordinated gang offensive ultimately forced then-prime minister Ariel Henry to step down.

The United Nations also imposed travel bans and asset freezes via sanctions on Dimitri Herard, who was head of security for president Jovenel Moise when the Haitian leader was assassinated in 2021, and Argentins gang leader Kempes Sanon.

The United States announced Friday that it would also sanction Herard and Sanon.

They join nine individuals and two groups, including gang alliance Viv Ansanm and its leader Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier on the sanctions list.
DUBAI, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- A group of university students and faculty members from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took part in a study tour from Wednesday to Friday, exploring Chinese cultures and visiting local operations of Chinese enterprises.

Organized by the China Merchants Foundation and Sinotrans, with support from the Chinese Consulate General in Dubai, the event -- Merchants Group C ME FLY: International Logistics Study Tour -- brought together around 80 participants from the University of Sharjah and the University of Birmingham Dubai.

Participants visited the China-UAE Economy and Trade Exchange Center in Dubai, watched traditional tea ceremonies and handicraft demonstrations, tried on traditional clothing, and toured Sinotrans' 5G smart warehouse and COSCO SHIPPING's Port Abu Dhabi Terminal.

On Friday, Chinese Consul General in Dubai Ou Boqian met with the participants and introduced China's ancient "shichen" time system, linking traditional concepts to the country's modernization path.

"It's been an amazing opportunity. We had a great experience learning about Chinese culture and logistics technology," said Awab Abdulsattar Awad, a student at the University of Sharjah.

"Through these events, we also gained insights into China's history and its growing relationship with the UAE. Our phones are full of unforgettable memories," he added.

Asmaa Awad, director of the Language Institute at the University of Sharjah, said the study tour was valuable for fostering academic and cultural exchanges.

"Such initiatives help promote student exchanges, faculty collaboration, and deeper cultural understanding between China and the UAE. We look forward to further strengthening ties through language and shared experiences," she said. 
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is intensifying its military pressure on Venezuela. Reports of a fresh strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, B-52 bombers flying off the Venezuelan coast, and the Thursday announcement of an early departure of the head of the U.S. Southern Command all point to this.

The U.S. military hit a suspected narcotics boat in the southern Caribbean on Thursday, and there were survivors aboard from the airstrike, multiple U.S. media outlets reported, citing an anonymous U.S. official.

The number of casualties and survivors has not been disclosed, and the Trump administration has not confirmed the attack.

Since September, Washington has announced at least five strikes that sank vessels identified by the United States as drug-trafficking boats in international waters near Venezuela, killing 27 people aboard in total. This is the first incident reportedly leaving survivors.

U.S. media also reported on Thursday that three B-52 bombers were circling near Venezuelan airspace on Wednesday for several hours. Tracking data from Flightradar24 confirmed the flight was about 240 km north of Venezuela.

The flying off "appears to be an unprecedented show of force intended to pressure the Venezuelan president to step down," said an ABC News report.

The Washington Post and The New York Times reported on Thursday that U.S. Army Special Operations helicopters have recently conducted training flights close to Venezuela's coastline.

The U.S. military's elite Special Operations aviation unit appears to have flown in Caribbean waters less than 145 km from the coast of Venezuela in recent days, the Washington Post reported.

On Thursday night, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Admiral Alvin Holsey, commander of the United States Southern Command, which oversees Pentagon operations in Latin America, will retire at the end of the year.

Holsey has served less than one year in the post, far short of the typical three years, according to a report from The New York Times. So far, no reason has been given for his sudden departure.

It's estimated that currently the Trump administration has deployed roughly 10,000 U.S. troops, eight warships, one nuclear-powered submarine, and multiple fighter jets across the Caribbean region.

On Wednesday, Trump confirmed he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela and was considering possible ground strikes.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly condemned Washington's actions as an attempt at government change and military expansion in Latin America. 
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Asked if the security risk posed by China would be a factor in the decision, he told Times Radio: Speaking in general terms, because I cant comment on that particular application, then, yes, this Government recognises that China poses a threat to national security and we see that from various cyber attacks and cyber incidents that have happened.
The UK's minimum wage went up in April 2025 to 12.21 per hour for workers aged 21 and over. It is 10.00 per hour for those aged 1820, and 7.55 per hour for those under 18 or apprentices in their first year of work.
I was really hoping that Trump would bring Putin to heel, that some kind of compromise could be struck, as its just been recently struck with Gaza and Israel. Clearly, that is not going to happen.
Asked why Sir Keir did not intervene when the CPS said it would withdraw the case, given the Governments evidence described threats China poses to the UK, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: The suggestion that the Prime Minister should have stepped in at this point is frankly absurd.
"In the long term, the impacts are less clear and will depend on whether the policy deters men from arriving (as the Government hopes it will) - or, on the contrary, encourage more women to arrive on unauthorised routes."
JERUSALEM, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army will physically mark the so-called "yellow line," the boundary to which its forces withdrew last week under the Gaza ceasefire, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Friday.

The yellow line runs inside the Gaza Strip, about 1.5 to 6.5 kilometers from the Israeli border, and currently encloses roughly 47 percent of the territory. It marks the line Israeli forces pulled back to during the first phase of the U.S.-backed ceasefire, retreating from major population centers, while the remaining areas remain under Israeli control. Under the peace plan, Israel is expected to eventually withdraw from the enclave.

Katz said the markers are intended to clearly define the security and political boundary and to warn Hamas fighters and Gaza residents that crossing the line could trigger a military response. Images released by his office show the markers resemble the blue barrels used to mark the UN-recognized Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon.

Earlier this week, Israeli forces said they opened fire on Palestinians who crossed the yellow line in northern Gaza. Palestinian health officials reported at least six deaths.

The pullback to the yellow line is the first of three phases in the U.S.-backed plan. Since Monday, Hamas has released 20 Israeli captives alive and handed over 10 bodies, though Israel said one of the deceased was not an Israeli citizen. In exchange, Israel has freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. 
Choosing between traditional Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan can change how much you pay out of pocket and what services are covered. Jenny Kane/Associated Press

Medicare's annual enrollment period is happening now through Dec. 7 for 2026. Perhaps you've noticed an increase in texts, phone calls, emails and flyers, all trying to get your Medicare business or your family member's business.

Wait? Isn't Medicare a federal government program? Why do insurance companies want our business?

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At its core, original Medicare is a federal health insurance program for anyone who is 65 or older or anyone with certain debilitating medical conditions.

Original Medicare covers the big things like hospitalizations and doctor visits. It does not cover medications. Dental care, hearing aids and some vision care also aren't included. People have to select other plans for that coverage, which is why many people are opting out of original Medicare and opting for a Medicare Advantage plan that covers everything from hospitalizations to dental visits.

This year 51.2% of people eligible for a Medicare plan chose a Medicare Advantage plan instead of traditional Medicare. In Texas, that's 54% Medicare Advantage.

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Know the difference between the two and some factors to help you make your selection. Austin American Statesman

Louise Norris, a health policy analyst with the consumer group medicareresources.org, says one of the biggest mistakes people make is not looking at their current plans each year. Which providers are covered, which medications and their costs, co-pay amounts, deductibles, maximum out-of-pocket amounts, what's covered and what's not, etc., all change each year. "Everyone should be comparison shopping," she said. "You might be leaving benefits on the table."

You might be able to find plans with more coverage or one that is less expensive or both. Also, if you have an employer supplemental plan, you should check changes with that as well to make sure you are fully covered as well as not doubling up on coverage.

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Even if you love your current plan, "pay attention," said Whitney Stidom, the vice president of consumer enablement at eHealth, a health insurance comparison site. "There are more changes that we've seen in the past."

Your insurance company should have sent an annual notice of changes to you to review, but eHealth found that 25% of people don't review those, and 64% of people think all the plans are the same. This year, plans are not only changing prices of deductibles, they are also changing what's covered and at what price.

Before you pick a plan, make sure you are considering all your medications, the doctors and hospitals you use, health conditions you currently have and any upcoming procedures or health needs for 2026, Stidom said.

When considering plans, Stidom recommends working with a licensed insurance agency to help you pick your plan. That service should not cost you anything, but the agents do receive commission. You can also use a government agency to help you. Don't wait until after Thanksgiving, when phone lines will be busy and appointments will be booked, Stidom said.

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We asked the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the federal agency that oversees Medicare, the consumer group MedicareResources.org, and licensed insurance agency eHealth to help explain the differences and the risks in picking a Medicare or Medicare Advantage plan and what's new for 2026.

Dr. Robert Canby, a cardiac electrophysiologist, examines Tom Derringtons heart at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. Davids Medical Center. Traditional Medicare automatically covers surgeries and care and all doctors are in-network, but if you choose an Advantage plan, you will need prior authorizations and make sure all your doctors are in-network. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman

What's new in 2026?

Just like other years, plans enter the lands of Medicare Advantage, Medicare Gap and Part D and plans leave. You should make sure your plan is still available to you and whether it's still a good fit. If it's no longer available you have even more options at your disposal, because this is an opportunity to go back to traditional Medicare without a penalty if you've been on Medicare Advantage.

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Regardless of your plan, the maximum out-of-pocket expenses for prescription medications is rising from $2,000 to $2,100 in 2026. That maximum also can be spread out into monthly payments if you like.

The monthly costs for Medicare, which comes out of most people's Social Security check, is going up. All the Medicare rates for 2026 have not yet been published, but Norris provided what the rates are expected to be.

The monthly cost of Medicare part B, which covers the doctors' visits, is expected to go from $185 a month to $206.50. The deductible is expected to go from $257 this year to $288 in 2026.

The cost of Medicare part A, which covers hospital visits, is also increasing, but only 1% of people with Medicare pay a monthly cost for part A. Usually it's because they don't have a long enough work history of paying into Medicare. Those monthly costs are expected to be $310 a month or $563 a month, up from $285 a month or $518 a month in 2025. The deductibles for part A, which affects everyone, is expected to be $1,716, up from $1,676 in 2025.

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Co-pays for prolonged hospital and skilled nursing stays also will increase, but not as dramatically as these other increases.

Hospital stays are covered by Part A of Medicare and most people do not have to pay for that coverage. JAY JANNER/AMERICAN-STATESMAN

What mistakes do people make when signing up for original Medicare?

People often forget to get all the different parts of original Medicare. They might take Part A, which is the hospital part, but then forget to get Part B, for doctor visits, or Part D for prescriptions.

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If they don't get Part B, they would be paying in full for everything except hospital stays. There are penalties if they don't get Part B when they sign up at age 65. It's roughly 10% for each year they didn't sign up.

There also are penalties for not signing up for part D  1% extra each month that you could have signed up. That's 12% more a year.

The penalties are for the life of the plan, so signing up for B and D is important when you initially sign up for A.

What happened to part C? Part C is Advantage plans, which you don't need if you are going the traditional Medicare route.

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For Part D plans (prescriptions) in Austin, we found 12 with monthly premiums from $0 to $114.80. The cost of the medications and the deductible varied by plan, but remember, you can only pay as much as $2,100 in prescription costs in 2026. In 2023, Texans on Medicare paid on average $389 in drug costs or about 7.3% of their prescription costs, according to the Commonwealth Fund.

People who make more than $109,000 based on their 2024 tax return will pay a surcharge that can be $259 a month more to about $629 a month more for part B and $13.70 a month to $85.80 a month more for part D.

If you pick a traditional Medicare plan, you need to pick a part D plan to cover prescription drugs. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan that is included, but you should check that your specific medications are covered and what the costs are expected to be. American-Statesman

The second-biggest mistake is taking traditional Medicare without taking a Medigap plan when first signing up. The costs can't go up on these policies, even if you get sick, and the insurer can't reject you for previous health issues if you sign up when you get Medicare. If you sign up after, you will have to go through a qualifying process and can be charged based on your age and current health situation.

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Medigap plans will cover the 20% that Medicare isn't paying in hospital bills as well as help with deductibles. Remember, with "original" Medicare, there isn't a maximum out-of-pocket expense. Think about a $1 million hospital stay, 20% is $200,000 that you would owe without a Medigap plan You pay a monthly premium to your Medigap insurer, and each insurer will differ in costs and coverage.

We found 12 Medigap plans in Austin ranging from $29 to $864 monthly. Co-pays and deductibles varied.

You don't need a Medigap plan if you choose a Medicare Advantage plan, but if you start out with an Advantage plan and decide to switch to an "original" Medicare A, B and D plan and try to pick up a Medigap plan, you will have to go through underwriting, which considers all your preexisting conditions. You'll also be paying more for that Medigap plan than before you left original Medicare.

The big asterisk in this: If your Advantage plan or your Part D plan or your Medigap plan have been discontinued, you can take advantage of that fact and switch more easily to another plan or another type of plan.

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You also might not need a Medigap plan if your employer offers retirees supplemental insurance that covers the 20%.

Even Medigap doesn't cover everything. Usually, you're still paying extra for long-term care that is not skilled nursing, as well as vision, dental, eyeglasses and private nursing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-Y6qOPyoao

The third mistake is not picking a plan that actually covers you in your ZIP code. That's why using Medicare.gov to pick your plan, whether Parts A, B and D, Gap or Part C (Advantage), is important, because it starts with your ZIP code.

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The final mistake is not signing up for assistance programs. In Texas, assistance is available through programs for individuals who make less than $1,305 a month or couples making less than $1,763 and have resource limits of $9,660 for individuals or $14,470 for couples. In another program, the monthly limits are less than $1,565 for individuals and $2,115 for a couple. In a third program, those rates are less than $1,761 a month for one person and $2,380 per couple.

St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital Occupational Therapist Audra Luspin sets up the Armeo Spring machine for her patient, Peter Meisel, to help him recover from a stroke. Therapy coverages can vary by plan, making it important to understand what is covered and at what cost before picking a plan. Sara Diggins/American-Statesman

Is a Medicare Advantage plan for me?

The Part C, aka Medicare Advantage plan, groups together A, B, D and Medigap coverage in one package. Typically, these plans will have monthly premiums and maximum out-of-pocket expenses. Just like insurance you might have had with an employer, you have to weigh how much you want to spend in monthly premiums versus how large you want your deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket expenses to be.

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We found 32 plans with monthly premiums from $0 to $102. Drug costs varied from $360 to more than $19,000 because not all the prescriptions would be covered under the plan.

And deductibles ranged from $0 to $750 with maximum out-of-pocket costs ranging from $5,400 in-network to $13,900 out of network.

Plans that are specifically for chronic illnesses such as diabetes are also available through Medicare Advantage. Those plans you do have to call to qualify for and need doctor confirmation that you have that condition, but they can offer more targeted care, sometimes for less money.

What caveats should you consider with a Medicare Advantage plan?

Medicare Advantage plans typically cost less than original Medicare initially, but it's not all about price. Coverage can be very different.

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Unlike original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans have a network of doctors and even hospitals that are in-network. Go outside that network and you might pay more or might not have coverage.

Medicare Advantage plans might require a referral to see a specialist, which is not typical with original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans also will require approval (prior authorization) for procedures, some medications, rehabilitation and therapeutic services, and some supplies. Original Medicare gives automatic approval of those things if your doctor prescribes them. Original Medicare also has a set number of days of skilled nursing and rehabilitation it will cover. Medicare Advantage plans could kick you out of those places well before an original Medicare plan will.

If you are switching Medicare Advantage plans, your medical history can be considered in the pricing. With original Medicare, that history isn't a factor.

Ron Oliveira gets his blood pressure taken by dietician and exercise physiologist Nikky Dhawan at St. David's Medical Center. On Medicare.gov you can see if all of your providers are covered by an Advantage plan. Mikala Compton/American-Statesman

When do you need to make a Medicare choice?

If you are turning 65, your enrollment period begins three months before your birth month and ends three months after your birth month. If you enroll before your birth month, it takes effect the first day of the month of your birth, in general.

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While Medicare is not required, if you sign up after your enrollment period at age 65, there are penalties if you sign up later. Those can include higher rates. Some employer and private insurance plans also might no longer be available to you at 65 or act as your secondary insurance.

Each year, you need to make selections before the Medicare enrollment period ends Dec. 7.

For Medicare Advantage plans, you also can make a switch from Jan. 1 until March 31 if you have buyer's remorse. You also can switch back to original Medicare, but you cannot switch from original Medicare to an Advantage plan at this time or switch your original Medicare drug plan.

Where to get help

You can call 800-252-9240 to talk to someone at the state who can help you get qualified or go to hhs.texas.gov/services/health/medicare.

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MOSCOW, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed in Ukrainian strikes in the Kherson region, local authorities said on Friday.

Two adults and a 10-year-old child were killed during intense shellings of a residential area in the city of Oleshky, said Vladimir Saldo, head of the Kherson region.

The strikes also damaged a building, led to a fire at a gas station and power disruptions in 23 settlements in the region, affecting around 16,500 people, he added. 
Bee Cave Mayor Kara King has announced she will run in the Republican primary for the District 10 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. John Gutierrez/Special to Lake Travis View

Bee Cave Mayor Kara King announced this week that she is running in the Republican primary for Congress.

The 49-year-old said that after she heard Michael McCaul, R-Austin, was retiring from his District 10 seat, her phone started ringing with people wanting her to run for his U.S. house seat.

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"I talked to my family and prayed a lot and decided I was going to give it a try," she said. "I really enjoy helping people. What fuels me every day is if I can solve someone's problem that they are having."

She announced her decision to run on Wednesday and has a campaign goal of raising $17,600 in three days. She declined to comment on how her fundraising was going. "The outpouring of support has been truly humbling," she said.

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King has been mayor of Bee Cave in southwestern Travis County since 2020, winning her third two-year term in 2024. She had been a City Council member from 2013-2019.

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"One of the things I really enjoy about being mayor is explaining to people all the time what we're doing in government," King said. "I enjoy meeting people and sharing what they care about. I take seriously our form of government and want to bring government back to the people."

If elected, she said wants to focus on jobs and job security, keeping government taxes low, balancing the budget and securing the border. "We need to make sure the border is secure and that people come to the U.S. in a legal way," she said.

King, who calls herself a "Trump conservative" on her website, has a bachelor's degree in biomedical science from Texas A&M University, is married and has three children. She works as a travel advisor for a luxury travel agency, she said.

From 2022: Bee Cave Mayor Kara King keeps her seat

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King, who will have at least six opponents in the Republican primary in March, said her experience as an elected official gives her an edge over the other contenders.

"I've represented a city and led it," she said of Bee Cave, which has a population of about 9,000. She said she doesn't think it's too much of a leap from being a mayor to serving in Congress.

"When you have a desire to serve people and take care of people," King said, "it's really the same job just on a bigger scale."

The other candidates who have filed to run for District 10 in the Republican primary include Chris Gober, an attorney; Jessical Karlsruher, the executive director of a credit union association; Scott MacLeod, a retired U.S. Army colonel and the head of a private Christian school, and Carl Segan, a retired engineering designer and project manager and a retired U.S. Army sergeant first class. Other candidates are Joshua Ross Lovell and Robert Brown. No information was available Friday about Lovell's and Brown's occupations.

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King said she also has been involved in the community as a volunteer. She has served for six in the National Charity League Lake Travis chapter, a mother-daughter nonprofit that focuses on community service and leadership. She also served for eight years in the Young Men's Service League, a nonprofit where mothers and their high-school age sons volunteer together to help their local communities.
James Talarico kicks off his campaign for U.S. Senate at Backyard on Broadway in San Antonio, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, expresses his disapproval for school chaplain programs as religious groups and politicians meet on the west steps of the Texas Capitol for a press conference on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. Feb. 29 marks the deadline for Texas school districts to decide whether they will allow religious chaplains to provide counseling services in public schools, as a law passed last year (SB 763) allows. Leaders gathered to celebrate after 25 of Texas' largest school districts declined to partake in the chaplain program. Mikala Compton/American-Statesman Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, poses for a photo with his parents Mark and Tamara Talarico on the first day of the 89th Texas Legislature at the Capitol Tuesday January 14, 2025. Jay Janner/American-Statesman

WACO  Sitting on the front pew of Mosaic church, in the city sometimes called Texas' "Buckle of the Bible Belt," state Rep. James Talarico leaned in as Pastor Slim Thompson described endurance as a tenet of Christian faith.

"What to do when you feel like throwing in the towel and quitting?" said Thompson, dressed casually in an open-collar shirt untucked over jeans as he delivered his sermon on the second Sunday of October. "We are called to endure the long slog of Christianity."

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READ MORE: Why someone not in the running leads the Democratic pack in the U.S. Senate race

For Talarico, who represents a state House district in Austin, his place among about 350 non-denominational protestant worshipers came at the start of what could be a long slog to November 2026 that marries religion and politics. At 36 and studying to become a Presbyterian minister, Talarico is leading with his faith as he seeks to become the first Texas Democrat to win election to the U.S. Senate in his lifetime.

Although he often spends his Sunday mornings delivering sermons of his own that present Christ through the lens of political progressivism, Talarico said after the service that he came to Mosiac to listen and not to preach. After singing along with the guitar-backed youth choir, he joined the members of the congregation on the front steps of the church at the edge of downtown Waco as 11 of them were dunked into the water of a galvanized tub to be baptized.

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Several members initiated conversations with Talarico where they welcomed him to their church even as they were surprised to see him in one of Texas' most conservative cities.

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"You tend to think of one party, and not the other, as the party of Christ," said Baylor University student Evan Woods after shaking hands with Talarico. "So I loved seeing him here. It was enlightening."

James Talarico meets with supporters outside Mosaic Church in Waco on Oct. 12. John Moritz

In an interview at a hotel coffee shop a few blocks from Mosaic, Talarico acknowledged his unorthodox approach to campaigning in a contested Democratic primary where first-time candidate Terry Virts, a former astronaut, and former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, the party's U.S. Senate nominee in 2024, are also in the race.

"There's sometimes a resistance in my own party to talking about faith so openly," Talarico said. "That said, there are a lot of Democrats who are deeply religious, and there are a lot of Democrats for whom faith is central in their lives. And obviously it's central for a lot of Texans, a lot of Americans, outside the Democratic Party."

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A world in 'spiritual crisis'

Talarico, who was born to a single mother and was adopted by the man she later married, was elected to the House at age 29 when he flipped a Republican-held swing district in 2018. During that campaign, he presented himself as a progressive Democrat pushing back on what he called the excesses of Donald Trump's first term as president. He touted his two years of experience as a middle school teacher in San Antonio and a master's degree from Harvard University.

But scant mention was made of his faith or religious convictions in either his first run for the House or in his reelection campaign two years later. If his faith was part of his early-career platform, it drew little or no attention.

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That changed March 24, 2021, when Talarico was called on to deliver the daily invocation that traditionally precedes the formal start of business in the House.

Holy mystery, you have so many names," Talarico said to open his two-minute, five-second prayer. "The Torah calls you creator. The Quran calls you peace. The Gita calls you destroyer. And the First Epistle of John calls you perhaps the most beautiful name of all, love."

Former state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, a north Texas Republican, called the prayer "blasphemy." A year and a half later, Talarico announced that he was entering Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, saying "Our world is in spiritual crisis." His plan was to become a minister, a path he said was inspired by his Baptist preacher grandfather and one he had planned to take when he was child. His studies would revolve around his duties as a state representative, he said at the time.

"What does all this mean for me?" Talarico said in his announcement Sept. 27, 2022 on social media. "I want to understand this spiritual crisis, and be part of the solution. As much as I love being a legislator, I dont want to become a career politician. Id love to lead a church after I leave elected office one day."

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Rep. Candy Noble, R-Lucas, debates Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, left, during the debate of SB 10, relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, at the Capitol on Wednesday May 21, 2025. Jay Janner/American-Statesman

Since then, Talarico has often put his faith on full display in House committee hearings, during floor debates in the chamber and on the campaign trail. He sparred with the author of the bill requiring that the Ten Commandments be posted in public schools, saying faith by coercion is an anathema to Christianity. He has used similar rationales to oppose the use of public money to subsidize religious schools.

Both, he said, violate the separation of church and state.

Several of his exchanges with Republican House members, speeches on the House floor and snippets of his sermons have gone viral on Instagram and TikTok and many have pulled in "likes" by the millions.

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Talarico entered the Senate race Sept. 9, releasing a video of a sermon-style speech he delivered from the bed of a pickup truck parked outside a church. He raised an eye-popping $6.2 million in less than three weeks and has has been hopscotching across Texas ever since. His pursuit of a master of divinity degree has been paused, but not shelved, while he campaigns full time.

Some Republicans have suggested Talarico is twisting Christian doctrine on issues such as abortion and gender identity to suit his politically liberal agenda.

"I dont know what Bible he is reading  but I do know its not the same one Im reading," state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, said in a social media post. "I dont know where his values come from  but I do know they couldnt be more unTexan. James wants to dismantle and alter the very fabric and foundation of our nation and state  and voters will dismiss him accordingly in November 2026."

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'A moral duty without moralism'

Mark Chancey, a professor of religious studies at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, said that too often political leaders use faith to legislate behavior or to impose a belief system. Talarico, Chancey said, is taking a more nuanced approach to an emotionally-charged subject.

"We're all equals in the public square, and all of our views merit respect," Chancey said. "So rather than trying to use government to promote his distinctive religious beliefs on everyone else, he follows the core tenets of his faith as he understands them to advocate for the equality of all Texans."

Jude Barry, a veteran campaign operative who got his start in politics as an aide to the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy in the 1980s, said Talarico appears to have cracked the code that for more than a generation has vexed countless Democratic candidates when discussing their personal faith.

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"Talarico is much more conversational in his approach to discussing faith and politics, and therefore is more accessible to both faith-based voters and secular voters," said Barry, who wrote a flattering essay about the Texas lawmaker that was published Oct. 7 in the National Catholic Reporter. "He talks about a moral duty without moralism. He talks about having a conscience without being coercive."

James Talarico, second from right, meets members of the crowd while kicking off his campaign for U.S. Senate at Backyard on Broadway in San Antonio, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News

Barry, who operates a public affairs consulting firm in San Jose, California, said that since conservative Moral Majority in the late 1970s and early 1980s mobilized evangelical Christians for Ronald Reagan's presidential campaigns and became a pillar of the Republican base, Democrats for the most part ceded the conversations about spirituality to the GOP. He called it "a missed opportunity."

"We don't want to talk about it, even though we're faithful people, primarily because a lot of the Democratic base is non-religious or secular," Barry said in an interview. "Democratic candidates are not accustomed to dealing with a large religious community as part of our base. It doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

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Heading into the 2024 election cycle, a report by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy based on trends over time, said voters who identify as Christian tend to help Republicans far more than Democrats, both in Texas as nationwide. The Houston Chronicle in March, citing a study by the Pew Research Center, found that 74% of Texas Republicans identify as Christian compared with 50% of Texas Democrats.

TEXAS TAKE: The 5 hottest Republican Congressional primaries building in Texas

The "Democrat as the candidate of faith" narrative took hold over the summer as Talarico stepped up his public appearances in the run-up to his formal entry into the Senate race. In July, he sat down for a two-and-a-half hour conversation about faith and politics with the popular podcaster Joe Rogan, whose audience skews younger, more male and more conservative than most Democrat-friendly national media outlets. Rogan suggested Talarico consider a run for president, saying we need someone who is actually a good person.

Recent polls show Talarico leading the field of Democratic candidates who have already announced Senate campaigns, though U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who hasn't yet outlined her 2026 plans, pulled the most support from likely primary voters.

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Teeing up GOP attack ads?

Some Democrats have warned that Talarico's interpretation of Christian teaching, including offering biblical defenses for abortion and suggesting once during a House floor debate on transgender rights that "God is nonbinary", are out of touch with rank-and-file primary voters, and could be a harbinger for disaster should he advance to the general election next November.

Virts, the former astronaut who is also running for the Democratic nomination for Senate, posted clips of such comments by Talarico and predicted Republicans would also amplify them in a general election campaign. Democratic blogger and podcaster Josh Barro wrote last month that he was "a little baffled" that Texas Democrats might nominate someone whose own views on Christian teachings provide Republicans with ready-made attack ads.

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"Hes undeniably charming, and hes gotten a lot of mileage out of a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience," Barro said on his blog. "But hes a liberals idea of what a conservative might like: A clean-cut young man whos adept at quoting scripture in support of a conventional set of liberal policy priorities."

Talarico, during the interview in Waco, said that while his faith is central to "who I am," Texans will judge him on such issues as protecting the Affordable Care Act, the state of the economy and pushing back what he calls Trump's overreaches.

"The voters of this state  Republicans, independents and Democrats alike  can evaluate me and whether or not they think I can represent them effectively," he said. "I'm not trying to force my religion down anyone's throat, I'm not trying to force my religion with governmental power. That's something I fought back against."
A demonstrator holds up a sign at the base of the UT Tower during an Oct. 13 protest at the University of Texas. Protesters opposed the "Compact" that President Donald Trump sent UT and eight other universities, offering financial incentives in exchange for adopting certain policies. Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman

During the 45 years I have served on the faculty of the University of Texas, I have seen UT achieve the status of a great university. During most of this ascension to the top ranks, Texas has been governed by political conservatives who wisely chose not to threaten the principles of academic freedom that make great universities possible. Since 1993, I have taught at least 20 semester courses on racial topics, and there has never been a hint of censorship or administration disapproval.

In the wake of President Donald Trumps recent offer to nine universities, including UT  a plan he calls the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education  the universitys top-rank status and reputation are in danger of going into free fall. The pact offers special federal funding benefits if universities agree to a list of demands, including identifying only two genders and banning academic units that belittle conservative ideals.

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UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife promptly announced that university leaders would be honored to collaborate with the Trump-led political takeover of the university. So far, Eltife is the only leader in higher education to have embraced Trumps coercive plan for an ideological makeover of American universities. MIT and Brown University have refused to sign Trumps devils bargain.

The Trump strategy for this attempted takeover of American universities is a form of extortion: Either you take the loyalty oath or face financial starvation. Unable to persuade American academics to make the conversion to Trumpism, Trump and his MAGA surrogates must resort to threatening professors with that fateful choice  submission or fiscal ruin.

Longstanding conservative resentment of liberal universities is rooted in the illusion that university faculties, animated by liberal values such as academic freedom, have somehow conspired to limit the numbers of conservative academics who would have created a different academic culture. And yet, according to conservatives, it was a mostly liberal professoriat that built the American academic institutions that are routinely called the envy of the world.

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Conservatives should ask themselves how they would have done better. For it is now clear that enacting anything like Trumps Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education would have been a disaster for American higher education.

Conservatives who resent the liberal capture of universities over the past 60 years ignore the fact that certain professions tend to attract specific political temperaments. People who devote their lives to the production and dissemination of knowledge tend to develop liberal attitudes regarding freedom of thought and resistance to authoritarianism. Trumps plan to put universities under the control of MAGA ideologues is thus both impractical and absurd, since it ignores the issue of professional temperament.

Compare this to the policing profession, which tends to vote for Trump. In September 2016, Police.com reported on a poll that showed Trump crushing Hillary Clinton by a margin of 10-to-1. Every police union that endorsed a presidential candidate in 2016, 2020 and 2024 endorsed Trump.

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This contrast is instructive. Liberals dont demand ideological purges of police departments, because they dont share the autocratic instincts of their MAGA counterparts, and they recognize the nonsensicality of such a proposal. They cant restock police ranks with an army of liberal cops, because such officers dont exist. Similarly, the supply of MAGA-thinkers with doctorates who are prepared to counterbalance tens of thousands of liberal professors is likely to fall far short of the mark.

There is also the question of why university administrators would enter a Compact with a president who has already done enormous damage to American biomedical research and our premier medical institutions. Why submit to an administration that has perpetrated such attacks on university-sponsored research?

It is not too late to prevent the end of academic freedom at UT. All nine of the universities Trump has targeted must make it clear to the nation that American higher education is not for sale.

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Mary Wasson is a newsroom meteorologist for the San Antonio Express-News. She can be reached at mary.wasson-triplett@express-news.net

Mary has been a meteorologist for more than 16 years. Since she and her family were forced to shelter from a tornado, she has been fascinated with how storms develop. Originally from Winchester, Ky., she earned a communications degree from Morehead State University and a Master of Science in Geoscience from Mississippi State University. She has worked in Rapid City, S.D., Lexington, Ky., Austin and Temple.
ISTANBUL, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The fifth Turkiye-Africa Business and Economic Forum concluded Friday in Istanbul, highlighting growing trade, investment, and sustainable development ties between Turkiye and African nations.

The two-day event, organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board with the African Union and hosted by Turkiye's Ministry of Trade, drew around 3,000 African business leaders and thousands of Turkish entrepreneurs, Trade Minister Omer Bolat said.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the forum, launched in 2016, has become "a platform where concrete decisions have been transformed into real projects."

Francisca Tatchouop Belobe, the African Union's commissioner for Economic Development, Tourism, Trade, Industry, Mining, described Turkiye as "a valuable partner for Africa's industrial ambitions," calling the partnership "mutually beneficial, innovative, and resilient."

Bolat noted trade between Turkiye and Africa reached 37 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, with a target of 40 billion dollars this year.

On the sidelines, Turkiye and The Gambia signed a memorandum of understanding on energy cooperation, aiming at joint projects in renewable energy, infrastructure, technology transfer, and capacity building. 
BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China has consistently adhered to a people-centered development approach, adopting pragmatic measures in public welfare during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), said Wang Guanhua, an official with the National Bureau of Statistics.

She made the remarks during the latest episode of China Economic Roundtable, an all-media talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency.

As living standards rise, public expectations for a better life have evolved, shifting from basic needs to greater emphasis on quality, diversity and convenience, such as higher-quality lifestyles, better living environments, and enhanced public services, Wang noted.

In response, China has implemented pragmatic public welfare measures, she added.

The country has bolstered its social safety net, with basic pension and medical insurance coverage consistently exceeding 95 percent, effectively safeguarding the population's basic needs, Wang said.

Regarding employment, China has implemented measures to stabilize the job market, including incentivizing enterprises to retain workers, enhancing job placement services and helping key groups, she said.

The annual urban employment growth consistently surpassed 12 million during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, she added.

Public services in education, culture and healthcare have also been prioritized, with a focus on equitable access and service quality.

In 2024, new workforce entrants averaged over 14 years of schooling, while average life expectancy reached 79 years, one year higher than in 2020 and five years above the global average, Wang said. 
QUITO, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- An Ecuadorian criminal court judge was shot dead on Thursday in the town of Montecristi, in western Manabi province, where violent crime has surged, local media reported.

Judge Marcos Mendoza was shot to death outside a school while dropping off his children, according to his relatives.

Preliminary reports indicate that an armed assailant on a motorcycle intercepted the judge and opened fire.

Police officers cordoned off the area and collected ballistic evidence as part of the investigation.

The judge was linked to an alleged money laundering case under investigation by the Attorney General's Office, said the report.

More than a dozen people involved in the case are being prosecuted, including Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, alias "Fito," the country's main drug trafficker and the leader of the organized crime group Los Choneros.

The Ecuadorian Judges' Association condemned Mendoza's killing in a statement on Thursday, calling for a thorough investigation and urgent measures to ensure the safety of judicial officials.

At least 15 judges or prosecutors have been killed in Ecuador since 2022, according to Human Rights Watch. 
AI helps InterDigital reach beyond VVC in race to develop next-gen codec

The starting gun has been fired on development of a new video codec beyond VVC with gains of at least 20% up to 50% claimed by R&D lab InterDigital.

The target for H.267 is to deliver improved compression efficiency, reduced encoding complexity, and enhanced functionalities such as scalability and resilience to packet loss.

It's a real big challenge and a great opportunity to develop new ideas, patents, and algorithms, said Fabrice Le Leannec, Senior Principal Scientist at InterDigital. In particular, we are exploring how AI can be used in synergy with traditional video compression methodologies.

Headquartered in Wilmington, DE and holder of more than 33,000 worldwide patents and applications across wireless, Wi-Fi, 5G/6G and video, InterDigital is one of the worlds largest pure R&D and licensing companies.

StreamingMedia was given a tour of its video lab in Rennes, France, where scientists said they were exploring combinations of AI and traditional compression methodologies to compete for patents that could be locked into H.267 when the standard is published in 2029.

New video compression projects

There has been reluctance among some companies including Amazon to formally kickstart a new video compression project which could mean rip and replace of encoders in their existing ecosystem. In addition, many Big Tech and streamers are committed to working with rival codec AV1 from AOMedia.

People were cautious, says Le Leannec. Thats why ITU and ISO convened a workshop to ascertain market demand. The key question was were we able to compress video with a significantly better efficiency than VVC?

At that workshop the Joint Video Experts Team (JVET), which reports to ITU-T VCEG and ISO/IEC MPEG, issued a call for evidence. Samsung and Amazon were among attendees.

The goal was to show the state of the art of video compression where anybody can come with crazy ideas, says Lionel Oisel, Head of Video Labs and General Manager, InterDigital France.

Nokia, Ericsson, Fraunhofer HHIm and InterDigital responded to the call and presented their results at a JVET meeting in Geneva earlier this month.

That was very important because there was a clear expression of interest in the need for a new video codec, says Le Leannec. Further increasing compression efficiency, because reducing the bit rate is always good but with an encoder which is easily configurable and where the complexity on the encoder side is at least maintained to a reasonable level.

Fraunhofer HHI demonstrated success. They had optimised a lot of their software, removed some constraints of VVC and added a few tools and were able to achieve a 20% bit reduction gain running at the same encoding speed of VCC.

InterDigital made dual responses. One, called Enhanced Compression Model (ECM), was based on conventional codec schemes and the other was a hybrid of VVC overlaid with AI tools termed Neural Network Video Coding (NMVC).

The former was made principally in partnership with Qualcomm which was actively involved in ECM development and the latter was made in tandem with Huawei.

InterDigital had begun work on ECM in 2021, a year after VVC was finalised. Designed purely for research and without taking account of encoder complexity, by the end of 2024 ECM had reached version 18 and was demonstrating a coding gain of 28% over VVC.

In purely visual tests the company claims it can achieve 50% gains for some sequences.

Overall more than two thirds of the sequences were gaining 30%, says Le Leannec. The evidence shows that you can outperform VVC with an encoder that has reasonable complexity. NMVC consists of VVC plus two to three ML/AI tools which could increase efficiency further.

When new codecs are developed there is traditionally a trade-off between reduction in bitrate and increased encoder complexity. If saving bitrate was the only goal then you could keep introducing more complex tools and algorithms, however this makes the encoder much more complex to implement. Reducing or at very least maintaining complexity levels was a key ask by the market.

At the October CfE meeting it was agreed that there was concrete evidence that with existing tools a new encoding method could significantly improve on VVC without increasing complexity. JVET gave the go-ahead for a call for proposals.

Competing participants in this next stage, including InterDigital, will now work until January 2027 before presenting results back to ISO/ITU for assessment. Finalisation of the new standard is expected by end of 2029.

We only used publicly available technologies and publicly disclosed algorithms to answer the CfE but we have internal technologies that were not disclosed and which already in our lab tests do better than the CfE response that we submitted, Le Leannec explains.

Now, we switch to hidden mode and we develop tools and technologies internally. Many other companies will do this too over the next 18 months. Our research is focused on keeping the complexity low. We cannot make the complexity explode.

Key research aspects include optimising the trade-off between bitrate and visual fidelity, developing fast encoding methods suitable for constrained devices, and advancing performance in emerging use cases like HDR, 8K, gaming, and user-generated content.

The standardisation phase will start after January 2027 and will be a collaborative effort led by JVET.

Everybody works on their own or with some additional companies trying to bring the best potential solution that will be evaluated in January 2027 but the one that will win wont become the standard, says Oisel. Instead it will likely be used as a baseline for further development from 2027 to 2029.

He adds, This standardisation period will determine which tools are adopted (therefore licensable). To do that you have to prove that it delivers huge gain and also that you don't have high complexity. The issue with AI tools is that they put the complexity on the decoder side which is something that chip makers like Broadcom will fight against because they dont want to add complexity to their hardware. If you come with a tool with huge gain but also huge complexity then this wont be selected.

VVC's state of adoption

VVC itself has been slow to rollout so news of a potentially superior codec launching in less than four years may stagnate adoption completely.

Everybody's waiting for a trigger, says Oisel. The trigger could come from the content provider but to deploy that they need hardware, they need encoding solutions, and also decoding solutions on the devices.

There are a large number of TVs that potentially can decode VVC, whether enabled or not, and a couple of mobile phone manufacturers have developed VVC decoders. There are encoder solutions too but not necessarily fully optimal yet so this means that you don't reach the full bitrate gain of VVC. On the content provider side VVC is adopted as standard for next generation TV in Brazil. Content providers who wants to stream TV3.0 in Brazil will have to implement VVC. Encoder manufacturers will have to comply with the requirements of their customer (TV Globo) and TV manufacturers will also need to be TV3.0 compliant.

ATSC 3.0, which is rolled out to more than 75% of US markets references VVC as a codec; as does DVB in Europe but people are still waiting for a trigger.

It could come from Brazil but the main market right now for VCC is China. Tencent is using VVC quite a lot where one use case for VVC is to better manage a huge number of UGC social videos. VVC could be a very good target for them to reduce the file size because compared to HEVC you have a reduction between 45%- 50%. Usually it is the US that leads the way but in this case it could be China that leads o, which is pretty unusual.

The reference codecs for mobile via the 3GPP are AVC [H.264] and HEVC [H.265] and the battle to go to the next generation has not yet started. The competition is likely between AV1 (AOMedia) and VVC (MPEG).

AOM are to release AV2 by end of this year and it also seems to be hugely complex on the decoder side, says Oisel. Will they be able to simplify it? Usually, MPEG are in advance compared to AOM. AV2 is using a lot of tools that were developed for VVC. So there are two parallel tracks, but the underlying technology between MPEG and AOM standards are, to date, not much different.

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Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander of U.S. Southern Command testifies at a Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing Feb. 13, 2025, in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)



WASHINGTON  Adm. Alvin Holsey, the head of U.S. Southern Command, will retire by the end of the year.

The announcement comes less than a year into Holseys tenure and as U.S. operations in the Caribbean Sea grow.

We extend our deepest gratitude to Admiral Alvin Holsey for his more than 37 years of distinguished service to our nation, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday in a post on X.

Hegseths post did not provide further information regarding the decision. Holsey is one of two Black four-star officers leading a combatant command.

In a post on the commands Facebook page, Holsey said, Its been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend our Constitution for over 37 years.

The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so, he said. I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe.

U.S. Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander of U.S. Southern Command, speaks at a conference in Argentina in August 2025 on regional security challenges and cooperation. (Christopher Bermudez/U.S. Southern Command)



Military forces have conducted at least five known strikes in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility against suspected drug boats. The strikes, which began last month, have killed 27 people. The strikes came after a buildup of maritime forces in the region, including eight surface warships and more than 5,000 sailors and Marines.

President Donald Trump disclosed Wednesday he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, adding to speculation in Caracas that the United States is attempting to topple President Nicolas Maduro.

Holsey previously served as the military deputy commander of SOUTHCOM and was promoted to the rank of admiral shortly before taking command.

Holsey is a native of Fort Valley, Ga., and was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program at Morehouse College in 1988.

Hegseth has fired a number of senior military officials since taking office in January. Some of the firings include Air Force Gen. Charles CQ Brown, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations; and the judge advocates general for the Army, Navy and Air Force.
A Naval Special Warfare Operator stamps a trident onto a wooden plaque during a memorial service for Chief Petty Officer Christopher Chambers and Petty Officer 1st Class Nathan Gage Ingram at Silver Strand Training Complex in Coronado, Calif., April 18, 2024. (Chelsea D. Meiller/U.S. Navy)



This story has been corrected

A Pakistani man will spend four decades in prison for his role in an arms smuggling scheme that turned deadly when two Navy SEALs drowned during a nighttime raid on the boat he was captaining.

Muhammad Pahlawan received a 40-year sentence Thursday from a federal judge in Virginia on various charges related to transportation of Iranian weapons to Houthi militants in Yemen, according to court records.

In January 2024, U.S. Navy forces intercepted the dhow off the coast of Somalia. While trying to board, Chief Petty Officer Christopher Chambers lost his grip and fell into the sea. Petty Officer 1st Class Nathan Gage Ingram jumped into the water to save him but the two were weighed down by equipment and drowned.

Pahlawan was given a 20-year sentence for providing material support or resources to a weapons of mass destruction program of a foreign terrorist power. He also was sentenced to another 20 years on each of three other charges and received 15 years for conspiracy to provide material support or resources to terrorists, court records show. Those four charges will run concurrently, meaning Pahlawan will serve no more than 40 years total, according to sentencing documents.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for a statement.

Muhammad Pahlawan was the captain of this dhow shown in an undated photo released by U.S. Central Command on Jan. 16, 2024. He was sentenced Oct. 16, 2025, to 20 years in prison on a spate of weapons smuggling charges. The vessel was raided by U.S. Navy forces off the coast of Somalia on Jan. 11, 2024. (U.S. Central Command)

Weapons components seized by the U.S. Navy during a Jan. 11, 2024, raid off the coast of Somalia are displayed in this undated photo released by U.S. Central Command on Jan. 16, 2024. The captain of the dhow transporting the Iranian-made weapons to Yemen was sentenced on smuggling charges Oct. 16, 2025. (U.S. Central Command)



During the raid, Pahlawan instructed his crew not to stop the vessel and to burn it down. He also told them to lie about the ships cargo to the boarding team and falsely identify him as a mechanic, according to court records.

The interdiction team subsequently discovered ballistic missile and anti-ship cruise missile parts and a warhead, weapons used by Houthi militants in targeting commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023.

Pahlawan worked with two Iranian brothers to smuggle materials from Iran to the Houthis, the Justice Department previously said.

The operation included smuggling voyages from about August 2023 to January 2024, during which cargo was transported from Iran to the coast of Somalia and transferred to another vessel.

Pahlawan was sent coordinates by the brothers for the ship-to-ship transfers and received multiple payments from them for his role in the smuggling operation, prosecutors said.

He was convicted of six federal charges in June. The sentencing report included notes from a telephone conversation with Pahlawans wife, who characterized him as a family man focused on providing for her and the couples child.

Ingram in May was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his bravery and selflessness, and both he and Chambers received posthumous promotions. An investigation released in October 2024 concluded that the deaths of Ingram and Chambers were preventable.

It cited deficiencies in training, policies, tactics and procedures as well as conflicting guidance on when and how to use emergency flotation devices and extra buoyancy material that could have kept them alive, The Associated Press reported at the time.
The portrayal of the Battle of Grunwald at HistoryLand in Poznan, Poland, has thousands of Lego knights charging into battle beneath a fiery sky. The clash in 1410 between Poland-Lithuania and German crusader knights of the Teutonic Order is regarded as both a keystone of Polish history and one of the country's great military triumphs. (ShaTyra Cox/Stars and Stripes)



Finding interesting ways to dive into Polands past has been on my wish list ever since I arrived in Poznan last month for my latest duty assignment.

But I didnt want to be behind museum ropes or in front of centuries-old art, which ruled out, for example, a trip to Warsaw to see the dozen Jan Matejko paintings collectively titled History of Civilization in Poland.

Luckily, I found just the sort of presentation I was looking for right in Poznan in the form of creations made from Lego bricks  1.5 million of them, to be specific.

Dubbed HistoryLand, the place is just across the street from the Sheraton with the life-size statue of a Polish soldier outside. The hotel is well-known to U.S. personnel, as most new arrivals have their temporary living quarters there.

HistoryLand is housed in one of the exhibition halls of the sprawling MTP Poznan Expo complex and offers mockups of 10 events or places of great significance from Polands past.

When I walked in, I wasnt sure what to expect beyond a lot of Lego pieces. It turned out to be a surprisingly engaging way to fulfill my wish.

The elaborate and colorful details of each scene made me lean in close just to take it all in. I was quickly immersed in sights and sounds that brought to life Polish cities from Gdansk to Krakow, holy places and storied medieval battlefields.

Among the latter is the Battle of Grunwald, an epic 1410 victory for the forces of Poland-Lithuania over the Teutonic Order of German crusader knights. A Matejko canvas at the National Museum in Warsaw that depicts the battle extends across an entire wall.

Lego figures portray striking Polish workers gathered outside the gates of the historic shipyard in Gdansk in 1980. The exhibit at HistoryLand in Poznan, Poland, is one of the attraction's 10 historical scenes, which are made up of a combined 1.5 million Lego bricks. (ShaTyra Cox/Stars and Stripes)

A miniature version of the World War II Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy at HistoryLand in Poznan, Poland, depicts Polish forces advancing toward the monastery. The display is a tribute to the soldiers who helped secure the Allied victory in 1944. (ShaTyra Cox/Stars and Stripes)

Lego ships clash on a stormy sea in an exhibit at HistoryLand in Poznan, Poland, that portrays the Polish navys role in historic conflicts. (ShaTyra Cox/Stars and Stripes)

Thousands of Lego soldiers re-create the Battle of Grunwald in 1410 in this exhibit at HistoryLand in Poznan, Poland. The immersive display uses sound and light to depict the Polish-Lithuanian victory over the Teutonic Knights. (ShaTyra Cox/Stars and Stripes)



HistoryLands version takes a different approach, transforming the clash into a miniature battlefield filled with thousands of Lego knights, colorful banners and warhorses frozen mid-charge.

Once the lights on the scene went dim and the sound of battle rose from the accompanying speakers, it was easy to forget I was looking at plastic bricks. I instantly decided that the Battle of Grunwald exhibit was my favorite.

The display on the defense of Westerplatte at the start of World War II took me straight back to high school history class.

On Sept. 1, 1939, German forces launched the war with an assault on the peninsula north of Gdansk. They expected a quick victory but faced a heroic stand by a 182-man garrison, which held out for seven days and became a symbol of Polish resistance.

In the HistoryLand recounting of the events, flashes of red and orange illuminate a tiny Polish outpost surrounded by trees and sand-colored bricks. The sound of gunfire filled the room, creating a combination of light, sound and motion that made a powerful impression on me.

Another standout was the display on the ancient settlement at Biskupin, a place Id never heard of. Located in the region that birthed the Polish state, the settlement was built on an island in Lake Biskupinskie some 2,500 years ago and inhabited by the Lusatian people for well over a century.

The real Biskupin was made entirely of wood. HistoryLands version captures that essence with thousands of tan and brown Lego bricks forming a ring of huts, watchtowers and bridges. Soft blue lighting mimics the lake, while subtle sounds of rushing water and birdsong make the scene feel alive.

I lingered here longer than I expected. The Biskupin exhibit also made me want to visit the actual place, which conveniently is just over an hours drive from Poznan.

A detailed Lego model of Jasna Gora Monastery on display at HistoryLand in Poznan, Poland. Known for pilgrimages to see the revered Black Madonna icon, the monastery in Czestochowa is a touchstone of the country's history and deep-rooted Catholic faith. (ShaTyra Cox/Stars and Stripes)

A life-sized Lego knight greets visitors at the entrance to HistoryLand in Poznan, Poland. Housed in one of the halls of the vast MTP Poznan Expo complex, the attraction uses 1.5 million Lego bricks to bring centuries of Polish history to life through visuals, sound and motion. (ShaTyra Cox/Stars and Stripes)

A Lego worker stands outside a depiction of the famous shipyard in Gdansk, one of the key sites in Polands struggle for freedom. The exhibit shows moments leading up to the rise of the Solidarity movement in the 1980s. (ShaTyra Cox/Stars and Stripes)

The Lego re-creation of St. Marys Church in Krakow on display at HistoryLand in Poznan, Poland, captures the iconic Gothic landmark in vivid detail, including its twin towers and ornate facade overlooking the citys main square. (ShaTyra Cox/Stars and Stripes)

Lego soldiers representing Napoleonic troops march through a re-created European city scene at HistoryLand in Poznan, Poland. The interactive exhibition uses thousands of Lego bricks to tell Polands story dating back many centuries. (ShaTyra Cox/Stars and Stripes)



Polands deep-rooted Catholic faith, another major feature of the countrys history, is represented by displays introducing the Wawel Cathedral and St. Marys Church in Krakow, as well as the monastery of Jasna Gora, the greatest place of pilgrimage for Poles.

Before leaving, I stopped by the on-site Lego gift shop, which offered everything from small souvenir sets to in-depth models for serious builders. Theres also a coffee shop, which wasnt open during my visit but would have provided a nice post-tour break.

What I enjoyed most was the way HistoryLand blended fun with learning. Audio guides are available in multiple languages for those who want more context, and I found it easy to get drawn into the storytelling.

The whole experience took me about 45 minutes, and the roughly 27,000-square-foot space is compact enough to fit into a morning or afternoon outing. I had ample wow moments that made the trip feel worth it.

cox.shatyra@stripes.com @oh.that.tyra

On the QT

Address: Ulica Glogowska 14, Hall 3A

Hours: Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10a.m.-6 p.m. Last entrance, 5:15 p.m.

Prices: 40 zlotys ($11) for adults, 30 zlotys ($8) for 18 and under. Discounts available for families and groups.

Information: Online: historyland.pl/en
Yasutsuna Tanaka poses outside his restaurant, Fisherman's Poke Jun Tsuna, in Okinawa's American Village. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)



The secret to authentic poke is in the sauce, said Okinawa fisherman Yasutsuna Tanaka.

Tanaka, owner of Fishermans Poke Jun Tsuna in American Village, used to visit his aunt in Kaneohe, Hawaii, for Thanksgiving every year, he said at the restaurant in early October. Thats where he developed a taste for the dish, which consists of cubed raw fish, marinated soy sauce and sesame oil and other toppings over rice.

What separates poke from a traditional Japanese sushi bowl is the spice factor, Tanaka said. The soy sauce is mixed with Hawaiian salt and spices and can have quite a kick depending on what you order.

I discovered Tanakas restaurant when he was based in Kitanakagusuku village, where I live. He opened the restaurant there five years ago and made the move to heavily trafficked Chatan town in February.

It was good timing, he said. I was looking for a place in Chatan and just found this; it was pretty quick.

As a fan of poke from numerous visits to Hawaii, the experience at Tsuna scratches that itch. The portions may not be as generous here, but they deliver in flavor and freshness.

Tanaka and his father catch all the tuna they serve, he said. Photos on the wall show him posing with some of his catches, including some bigger than him.

A poke bowl featuring tuna and salmon, spicy mayo, garlic, wasabi, avocado and edamame from Fisherman's Poke Jun Tsuna in Okinawa's American Village. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)



On my recent visit for lunch, I ordered a regular size tuna-salmon combo topped with spicy mayonnaise, and it was enough to satisfy. You can order up to two proteins  options also include Okinawan octopus, shrimp or tofu  for an additional 100 yen, or about 70 cents. With additional toppings including avocado, edamame, garlic and wasabi, plus an iced tea, the price came to about 2,400 yen, or about $16.50.

The spicy mayo packed a punch but wasnt painful to eat (Ill sometimes get jalapeno for a bigger kick, but felt like taking it easy this day). The generous-sized fish portions lived up to the fresh-caught hype, and were complemented by the perfectly ripe avocado and edamame.

My dining partner, a Hawaii native, was also impressed by the freshness. The seaweed and sesame flakes, or furikake, had a nice crunch, and the topping ratios were well proportioned.

For now, Tsuna is open daily for lunch and dinner, although that may change, according to its website. Parking can be tricky at American Village, but its worth a drive.

Look for Fisherman's Poke Jun Tsuna in Okinawa's American Village in Chatan. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)



Fishermans Poke Jun Tsuna

Location: Depot Building C 1st floor, 9-12 Mihama, Chatan-cho, Okinawa

Directions: Less than two miles from Camp Foster.

Hours: Open daily, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Prices: Starting at 1,380 yen for a regular size or 2,080 yen for a large size. Additional toppings are extra.

Dress: Casual

Information: Online: poke.tanka.okinawa; Instagram: @fishermans.poke_tsuna
U.S. military police detain a service member during a joint patrol of Gate 2 Street in Okinawa city, Okinawa, Sept. 27, 2025. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)



CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa  The mayor of Okinawa prefectures capital city has rejected U.S. military plans to expand joint police patrols into his municipality.

Naha Mayor Satoru Chinen told Marine Corps Installations Pacific commander Maj. Gen. Brian Wolford during an Oct. 10 meeting at city hall that he is not considering patrols between U.S. military police and Japanese authorities, a city spokesman said by phone Friday.

The U.S. military first requested expanding the patrols into Naha during the Okinawa Community Partnership Forum on May 9. Wolford said during an Aug. 18 media roundtable that the Marine Corps was working to bring the initiative to the city.

Installations command spokeswoman 1st Lt. Kelsey Enlow declined to comment on the Oct. 10 meeting via email Friday, citing the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.

Wolford explained to Chinen how the joint patrols have operated since April in Okinawa city, the Naha city spokesman said.

Chinen replied that Nahas situation is different from Okinawa city because of its distance from U.S. bases and lack of a comparable nightlife district to Gate 2 Street.

However, he did not rule out allowing solo patrols by U.S. military police, the spokesman said.

Chinen responded that he would like to consider this while exchanging opinions in the future, the spokesman said. Some Japanese government officials are required to speak to the press on condition of anonymity.

Solo patrols were carried out nightly in Okinawa city between Oct. 10 and Oct. 13, Army Maj. D. Hunter Nix, a spokesman for U.S. Forces Japan, said by email Thursday. Military police arrested 10 service members during those patrols for violating USFJs liberty order, which has barred off-base drinking between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. since October 2024.

He declined to provide further details on the arrests Friday.

During an Aug. 16 joint patrol, three Marines were arrested and six others detained, according to the Marine Corps. Two service members were arrested during the first solo patrol on Sept. 13, and four more were arrested during the most recent joint patrol on Sept. 27, according to USFJ.

Nix declined to comment on potential charges or future patrol schedules, citing operational security concerns.

We are constantly examining our patrols and where they can be most effective, he said.

A spokesman for Okinawa city said by phone Friday that joint patrols there will continue monthly.

The joint patrols began April 18 in response to a series of sexual assault allegations involving U.S. service members.

Senior Airman Brennon Washington was convicted last year of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor in December 2023. Marine Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton was convicted in June of strangling and attempting to sexually assault a woman in May 2024. Both convictions are under appeal.

Marine Pfc. Austin Weddington, charged with sexually assaulting a Japanese woman and injuring another on Camp Foster in March, is scheduled to go on trial Nov. 18 in Naha District Court, according to court records. Another case remains pending.
Hanwha Aerospace and General Atomics executives pose in front of a Gray Eagle drone at the Wlater E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C., Oct. 14, 2025. (Hanwha Aeronautics)



South Koreas Hanwha Aerospace is partnering with U.S. manufacturer General Atomics to develop a multi-mission, short-takeoff-and-landing drone the companies call a game changer, Hanwha said in a Wednesday news release.

The project will produce the Gray Eagle Short Takeoff and Landing unmanned aerial aircraft system, or STOL, a new variant of General Atomics Gray Eagle, itself an upgraded version of the widely used MQ-1 Predator.

The new drone will offer unprecedented runway independence, able to launch from warships to dirt fields and everywhere in between and can be configured for electronic warfare, over-the-horizon targeting, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, according to General Atomics website.

The joint venture is part of a broader plan to deliver next-generation, runway-independent UAV solutions, according to Hanwhas news release. The companies plan to invest about $528 million into drone development.

Hanwha and General Atomics signed the agreement Oct. 14 during the Association of the United States Armys annual meeting and exhibition in Washington, D.C. The companies will design and build a demonstrator aircraft, with a first flight planned in 2027 and initial deliveries in 2028, Hanwha said.

Hanwha will supply engines, fuel systems and avionics, while General Atomics will handle final systems integration. Hanwha also plans to establish a production facility in South Korea for manufacturing and final assembly of the Gray Eagle.

General Atomics expects global demand for the drone to reach $10.5 billion over the next decade.

[General Atomics] and Hanwha are committed to investing in this project and building development and production capabilities in South Korea, David Alexander, president of General Atomics, said in the release. Well be leveraging the expertise of both companies to quickly bring the Gray Eagle STOL to global customers.

Spokespeople for Hanwha and General Atomics did not immediately respond to email requests for comment Friday in South Korea.
YAOUNDE, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon's National Commission for the final counting of votes for the presidential election began the final tally on Friday, according to the country's electoral body, Elections Cameroon.

According to the electoral code, the 25-member commission has up to five days to count and compile the results from 31,653 polling stations before submitting the provisional results to the Constitutional Council, which will then announce the final results after hearing petitions from voters or candidates.

On Thursday, the council announced that three candidates, several voters, and a non-governmental organization had filed 11 petitions demanding that the presidential election be annulled because it was not free and fair.

The Constitutional Council is expected to announce the final results of the election on or before Oct. 27. The presidential election took place in the Central African nation on Oct. 12. 
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force defused this U.S.-made 5-inch shell after removing it from a construction site in Tomigusuku city, Okinawa, Oct. 14, 2025. (Tomigusuku city, Okinawa)



Japans military disposed of nearly 13 tons of unexploded ordnance on Okinawa between April 2024 and March  a little more than half the amount handled the previous fiscal year, according to government records.

The Unexploded Ordnance Countermeasures Council held its first meeting of fiscal 2025 on Wednesday, according to documents posted to the Okinawa General Bureaus website.

During fiscal 2024, the Japan Self-Defense Force disposed of 33,527 pieces of ordnance, weighing 12.9 tons, found throughout the prefecture in 432 cases. Japans fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31.

Of those, the Ground Self-Defense Force handled 33,003 pieces in 427 cases, while the Maritime Self-Defense Force took care of 524 pieces in five cases, according to the documents.

Unexploded ordnance from the 1945 Battle of Okinawa continues to turn up across the island prefecture, including at former battlefields and construction sites. Nearly 22 tons of World War II-era ordnance was disposed of between April 2023 and March 2024, according to the general bureau.

When discovered, ordnance is typically defused, removed and stored for detonation at a later date.

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force defused this U.S.-made 5-inch shell after removing it from a construction site in Tomigusuku city, Okinawa, Oct. 14, 2025. (Tomigusuku city, Okinawa)



On Thursday, 18 pieces of ordnance believed to date to WWII were detonated on land at Kubasu Beach on Miyakojima, an island about 190 miles southwest of Okinawa, said a spokeswoman with Miyakojima citys Disaster Prevention and Crisis Management Division.

Seven members of the Ground Self-Defense Forces 101st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit carried out the controlled detonation over 2 hours beginning at 5:39 a.m. Traffic was restricted within a quarter-mile radius, but no homes were evacuated, the spokeswoman said by phone Friday.

The ordnance included two British-made 60-pound rocket bombs; seven U.S.-made 5-inch rockets; one Japanese imperial army 47 mm artillery shell; one U.S. made 20 mm artillery shell; and seven fuses, she said.

On Sept. 27 and 28, 10 members of the same unit detonated another 24 U.S.-made 5-inch rocket bombs and 50 fuses on land in the Miyara district of Ishigaki city, a spokesman with that citys Disaster Prevention and Crisis Management Division said by phone Friday.

The operations began at 9:10 p.m. each night and lasted about 2  hours. Traffic was restricted roughly 980 feet, but no evacuations were ordered, he said.

On Sept. 22, construction workers unearthed a U.S.-made 5-inch shell while using heavy equipment at a site in Tomigusuku city, a spokesman with that citys Disaster Prevention Division said by phone Friday.

Some Japanese government officials can speak to the press only on condition of anonymity.
A YFQ-42A prototype drone in the Air Forces Collaborative Combat Aircraft program takes off during flight testing at a California test location. The Netherlands signed a deal with the U.S. to join the program, the Dutch defense ministry said Oct. 16, 2025. (Courtesy photo)



A U.S. Air Force initiative to develop advanced drones that can operate alongside manned fighter jets is adding the Netherlands to the mix, a move the Dutch defense ministry said will strengthen trans-Atlantic cooperation.

The NATO ally signed a letter of intent Thursday to participate in the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, according to a ministry statement the same day.

The initiative aims to develop drones equipped with sensors or weapons to augment operations involving crewed aircraft, extending their reach and combat capabilities, the ministry said.

The Netherlands is one of several NATO partners that operate the F-35 Lightning II, a U.S.-made supersonic stealth fighter with which the drones developed under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program could integrate, according to the statement.

A prototype the Air Force is developing through the program took flight less than two years after its launch, signaling a major shift in acquisition of new weapons systems, the service said in a statement in late August.

CCA will help us rethink the battlespace, extend reach, flexibility and lethality in combat operations, and optimize warfighter performance through human-machine teaming, Air Force Chief of Staff David Allvin said at the time.

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink called the rapid turnaround time an example of whats possible when innovative acquisition meets motivated industry.

The Dutch statement alluded to a potential role in the longer term for universities, research centers and companies in the Netherlands to assist the U.S. in research and development for the program.

The agreement comes amid heightened security concerns in Europe resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war and a string of drone and fighter jet incursions into NATO airspace.

A week before the Dutch announcement, Denmark said it will purchase 16 additional F-35s from the United States and an unspecified number of CCA program aircraft.

The Netherlands also signed a separate agreement Thursday with American defense company General Atomics to develop surveillance drones.
A Raytheon company building in Waltham, Massachusetts. (Nancy Lane, MediaNews Group/Boston Herald/TNS)



ANDOVER, Mass. (Tribune News Service)  The German government has selected Raytheon to advance its Navy capabilities, with radars manufactured at the companys Lowell Street facility.

Raytheon will provide its SPY-6(V)1 radar for installation on eight of its F127 frigates under a requested foreign military sales contract with the U.S. Navy.

The contract will make Germany the first international customer for SPY-6.

SPY-6(V)1 features four array faces, each equipped with 37 radar modular assemblies to provide continuous, 360-degree situational awareness. It is part of the U.S. Navys SPY-6 family of radars that performs air and missile defense on seven classes of ships and is a giant leap in capability for the fleet.

The radar program is one of several programs designed and manufactured at Raytheons Radar Development Facility in Andover which supports different radars for U.S. and allied forces. SPY-6 is the most advanced, most tested maritime radar in the world, according to Raytheons website.

The contract also includes comprehensive support and services to adapt the radar to the ships design.

Germanys selection of SPY-6 reaffirms the global confidence in the radars advanced capabilities and its critical role in enhancing naval defense, Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon, said.Integrating the radar on F127 frigates will provide the German Navy with a multi-mission solution that enables faster and more informed decision-making at sea.

 2025 the Andover Townsman (Andover, Mass.).

Visit www.andovertownsman.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Nearly 30 Republican veterans and reservists serving in the House are calling on Senate Democrats to accept a short-term spending bill to end the government shutdown, citing concerns over troop pay and military readiness. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)



WASHINGTON  Nearly 30 Republican veterans and reservists serving in the House are calling on Senate Democrats to accept a short-term spending bill to end the government shutdown, citing concerns over troop pay and military readiness.

The 27 lawmakers, who are all either reservists and Guardsmen or former service members, told Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., that Democrats refusal to vote for the measure was putting military families and veterans at risk.

Our troops nearly missed paychecks until President Trump took unilateral action to ensure they got paid. Training is still halted. Readiness is collapsing, said Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, who led the appeal to Schumer from the conservative Republican Study Committee.

In a letter, members of the group with ties to the military blamed Democrats for a shutdown that has furloughed nearly half of the Pentagons civilian workforce, limited some Department of Veterans Affairs operations and disrupted drill weekends for members of the reserves and the National Guard.

Schumer and other Democrats have in turn blamed Republicans for crafting a stop-gap spending measure without their input and said they will not vote for it until Republicans agree to an extension of expiring health care subsidies.

Congress remained in a stalemate on Thursday, with the House out of session for a fourth week and the Senate holding a tenth failed vote on a House-passed measure to reopen the government. Senate Democrats on Thursday also blocked the advancement of an annual defense spending bill in protest of the impasse.

The Pentagon on Wednesday was able to cut paychecks for 1.3 million active-duty troops and tens of thousands of National Guard members and reservists on active-duty orders after tapping into $6.5 billion in unused research and development funds.

But the move was a temporary fix, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged this week, and whether there will be enough money to pay troops on the next pay date of Oct. 31 is unclear.

Lawmakers from both parties have expressed support for passing standalone legislation that would pay troops for the duration of the shutdown, but Republican leaders have resisted bringing the measure to a vote, saying it was incumbent on Senate Democrats to reopen the government.

More than a dozen advocacy groups for military personnel and veterans joined forces on Tuesday to urge Congress to pass the standalone Pay Our Troops Act, describing the shutdown as a kitchen-table crisis for military families who live paycheck to paycheck.

Republican veterans and reservists told Schumer it was unconscionable to wield their paychecks as a political weapon.

Every military service member and veteran deserves better, they wrote.
The Texas National Guard declined to comment on how many troops would be sent to Austin or whether officials planned to send members into other Texas cities where protests are scheduled. (Texas Military Department)



AUSTIN, Texas  The Texas governor ordered the states National Guard to send an unspecified number of troops to Austin ahead of a protest planned in the city for Saturday.

It is the second time this year Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered troops and state police to the state capital for a protest known as No Kings. The previous protest in June remained peaceful as marchers moved through downtown.

Abbott said the protest is linked to an anti-fascist movement, though online descriptions for the event describe it as pushing back against abuse of power, cruelty and corruption. The organization has protests planned in cities across the country on Saturday.

The Texas National Guard declined to comment on how many troops would be sent or whether officials planned to send members into other Texas cities where protests are scheduled.

Violence and destruction will never be tolerated in Texas, Abbott said in a statement Thursday. Today, I directed the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas National Guard to deploy all necessary law enforcement officials and resources to ensure the safety of Austin residents. Texas will deter criminal mischief and work with local law enforcement to arrest anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property.

These law enforcement officers and troops will be supported by aircraft and other tactical assets, according to the governors office.

The Texas National Guard also has about 200 troops in the Chicago area, where they were sent on federal orders to protect federal personnel and property against protests. However, a judge has temporarily blocked them from conducting operations.
A U.S. Marine with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 225 gives directions as an F-35B Lightning II taxis at Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport, Puerto Rico, Oct. 6, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission. (Michael Gavin/U.S. Marine Corps)



WASHINGTON  A bipartisan group of senators is planning to force a vote on a resolution to block President Trump from carrying out hostilities against Venezuela without the explicit approval of Congress.

The measure, from Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., is the latest attempt by senators to reassert congressional war powers amid the Trump administrations escalating military campaign against Venezuela.

The U.S. struck another alleged Venezuelan drug cartel boat on Thursday, and Trump this week confirmed he had authorized covert CIA actions in Venezuela and might consider ground military operations, accusing the country of flooding the U.S. with criminals and drugs.

Kaine and Schiff led efforts last week to prevent further boat strikes without congressional authorization, but the Senate failed to advance the measure in a 51-48 vote. Paul and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were the only Republicans to vote in support.

Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., a vocal war powers advocate, said he opposed the resolution because it was too broad but expressed concern about the legality of recent strikes in the Caribbean and the trajectory of military operations without congressional approval or debate and the support of the American people.

The latest resolution would direct the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities within or against Venezuela and prevent Trump from taking any military action against the country without a declaration of war or specific authorization from Congress.

The Trump administration has carried out at least six strikes on boats off the coast of Venezuela since last month, killing 27 people. The administration has invoked the presidents constitutional power as commander-in-chief to justify the attacks and said a flow of migrants and drugs out of Venezuela constituted an imminent threat to the U.S.

The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, but presidents from both parties have claimed broad powers to sidestep lawmakers and carry out military operations across the world, particularly in the Middle East.

Its imperative that we make it clear that war powers reside with Congress, not the president, Paul wrote on X on Friday.

Lawmakers are increasingly worried the Trump administrations military buildup in the Caribbean could lead to all-out war. The Navy has moved eight surface warships and a submarine to the region, and the Pentagon has deployed 10,000 troops, mostly to bases in Puerto Rico.

Fears of an escalating conflict intensified Thursday when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the resignation of Adm. Alvin Holsey, the commander of U.S. operations in Central and South America. Holsey will retire a year into what is typically a three-year job.

Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, described Holseys unexpected and premature departure as troubling at a moment when tensions with Venezuela are at a boiling point.

Any operation to intervene militarily in Venezuela  especially without congressional authorization  would be unwise and dangerous, he said.
The State Council Information Office (SCIO) holds a press conference on promoting social civility in rural areas and convening the national conference on social civility in rural areas in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Pan Xu)
ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) Commission has announced that it will send a high-level delegation to Madagascar amid ongoing political instability in the island nation.

The announcement followed decisions adopted by the AU Peace and Security Council on the situation of Madagascar, an AU statement said Thursday.

At the meetings of the AU council, AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf underscored the urgency of concerted diplomatic efforts to promote genuine and constructive dialogue among Malagasy stakeholders, including the authorities, political parties, civil society, youth representatives, and other actors, with a view to facilitating a peaceful return to constitutional democratic order, the statement said.

It said that in coordination with the Southern African Development Community, the commission will also dispatch members of the Panel of the Wise and a special envoy to Antananarivo in the coming days.

These AU-led diplomatic engagements are aimed at supporting the launch of an inclusive, Malagasy-owned, and civilian-led national dialogue and consultations conducive to restoring stability, strengthening social cohesion, and upholding constitutional governance, the statement said.

According to the statement, the AU Commission chairperson urged all Malagasy stakeholders to engage, in good faith, in a spirit of compromise and national unity, toward a peaceful and consensual resolution of the current political situation.

Michael Randrianirina, a Malagasy military officer, was sworn in on Friday as the president of Madagascar at the country's Constitutional High Court.

On Tuesday, Randrianirina announced that state power in Madagascar has been taken over, saying that the decision followed "the observation of non-compliance with the constitution and the flouting of human rights." 
LANZHOU, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- A simple and robust modeling scheme has been proposed for the precise assessment of the gross primary productivity (GPP) of terrestrial ecosystems, according to Lanzhou University.

The newly proposed simple and effective ecosystem light-use efficiency (eLUE) model marked a major breakthrough in the sector of global GPP remote sensing estimation study, said the university.

The joint research team is composed of researchers from Lanzhou University in China, as well as those from Japan, Australia, and other countries. The study has been published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing.

GPP through photosynthesis is a crucial ecosystem function that significantly influences food security, the carbon cycle, and climate change. The GPP of terrestrial ecosystems is the largest component in the global carbon cycle.

"Given the context of climate change and carbon neutrality endeavors, the precise assessment of GPP is of great significance for understanding the global carbon cycle process and advancing climate governance," said Ma Xuanlong, a professor at the College of Earth and Environmental Sciences of Lanzhou University and leader of the study.

Conventional remote sensing estimation methods have considerable uncertainties and restrict the precise accounting of global carbon budgets and the evaluation of policy effects.

To address this challenge, the study team proposed this simple yet effective eLUE model to GPP. Researchers innovatively took the light energy utilization efficiency at the ecosystem scale as the core of remote sensing inversion. They constructed a new global GPP estimation framework that is entirely based on remote sensing observations.

"This model features simple parameters, efficient calculation and controllable error, providing a new method and tool for global carbon cycle research and carbon budget accounting," Ma said.

FLUXNET is a global network of micrometeorological tower sites. The cross-validation results based on 120 global FLUXNET sites showed that the eLUE model demonstrated excellent accuracy and stability.

This new model provides key technical support for the dynamic monitoring of the carbon sequestration capacity of ecosystems. Based on this model, the team constructed a global GPP dataset over the 2001-2024 period, as noted by Ma.

"This new study provides support for global carbon cycle simulation and ecosystem assessment. Moreover, it offers a scientific basis for carbon budget accounting and drafting the climate governance strategies," Ma said. 
Carlos Moran Granada Friday, 17 October 2025, 11:55 Share

Pablo Bustinduy, Spain's Minister for Consumer Affairs, and Michael O'Leary, group CEO of Ryanair, are at loggerheads over, among other things, the Irish company's decision to charge its customers for carry-on hand luggage, a practice that the Spanish government considers illegal.

The crisis reached boiling point in 2024, when Bustinduy's ministry resolved to impose multi-million-euro fines on several airlines that penalised passengers for carrying a cabin bag. Ryanair received the heaviest penalty: a whopping 107 million euros.

Michael O'Leary, who went so far as to call Bustinduy a "crazy communist", has since managed to curry favour with the European Commission, which has just announced the opening of infringement proceedings against Spain for the financial penalties it inflicted on these airlines.

But now a Granada native, originally from the town of Guadahortuna, but now residing in Poland, has now entered this battle of giants and has managed to outdo Ryanair. A retelling of the biblical story of the battle between David and the giant Goliath. Well, actually, Goliath (Ryanair) did not even show up and was declared in default.

It all began in August 2024...

Jose Antonio is the name of the passenger who has defeated Ryanair by getting Granada's Commercial Court number 2 to order the airline to refund him the 66 euros, plus applicable interest, that he was charged for boarding a plane with a carry-on bag. This occurred on 9 August 2024, when the plaintiff was about to board his flight from Poland to Malaga.

After arriving home, he went to court to take legal action against Ryanair and produced his boarding pass and the charge applied for his hand luggage as documentary evidence. The unusual lawsuit was served.

European Court of Justice

Well, he will get back the 66 euros (plus interest) he was forced to pay last year. In a ruling that cannot be appealed, the Granada court hearing the case reviewed both national and international regulations on this topic and concluded that they do not regulate "the price tariff in relation to baggage", the ruling states.

Furthermore, it recalled the content of a decision of the European Court of Justice (CJEU in Spanish, the supreme court in matters of EU law) which ruled that an unchecked bag "is an indispensable element of air transport and, therefore, the airline is obliged to transport it without being able to demand any kind of supplement".

The Granada court repeated the wording from the CJEU itself, which states that "it should be considered carry-on baggage provided that it meets reasonable requirements regarding its weight and dimensions and complies with the applicable safety requirements".

In this regard, the ruling states that Jose Angel met all these requirements and the airline "was not authorised" to charge him for the suitcase he was carrying with him when he boarded the plane to take his seat.

Ryanair will have to pay, in addition to the 66 euros for the unauthorised hand luggage surcharge, all costs incurred for these court proceedings.
Anya Soares Gibraltar Friday, 17 October 2025, 18:01 Share

The Roman Catholic Chapel at Mount Alvernia in Gibraltar has been fully refurbished as a result of the efforts of the Elderly Residential Services (ERS) and students at the Gibraltar Government Training Centre.

To inaugurate the chapels reopening, the bishop of Mount Alvernia held its first mass on Sunday 12 October. Gibraltar's minister for health, Gemma Arias-Vasquez, and the minister for equality, employment, culture and tourism, Christian Santos, all attended the special service.

Additionally, the ERS invited local residents, their relatives, staff, members of the Friends of Mount Alvernia Committee, and other dignitaries to celebrate the occasion at the restored chapel.

Zoom Gemma Arias-Vasquez speaking to the attendees

GHA Director General, Kevin McGee, reflected on the event: Residents at Mount Alvernia greatly appreciate being able to return to their sanctuary, which has been closed during the refurbishment works. The chapel is a focal point of our community of elders, and we are delighted that they can once again find peace and solace in this cherished space, with such a special service led by the Bishop.

Christian Santos expressed gratitude to the apprentices at the training centre for "for restoring this beautiful church for the benefit of all the residents at no cost to the taxpayer".

Arias-Vasquez also shared this sentiment, and further commented that the church "will continue to bring great comfort and spiritual strength to all who use it".
SUR in English Marbella Monday, 3 November 2025, 00:05 Share

Marbella joined Hong Kong and London on the exclusive list of cities that hosted the Abu Dhabi Property Showcase, an event organised by Savills Marbella and Savills Middle East together with Modon Properties. Modon, based in Abu Dhabi, specialises in major development and new-build projects across the United Arab Emirates. The showcase once again underlined Savills experience and influence in the international property market.

Veronica Castilla, Residential Sales Director Costa del Sol at Savills, and Jose Felix Perez-Pena, Head of Andalucia at Savills, hosted the event. It reflected the close collaboration between Savills Spain and the companys international offices. With a strong presence in leading global real estate markets, Savills builds valuable partnerships with major developers in emerging investment destinations such as Abu Dhabi.

Zoom Savills representatives speaking at the event held at The Pool Marbella.

With more than 700 offices and 42,000 professionals worldwide, Savills network helps clients find their ideal home through multilingual digital platforms covering key residential markets. The firms reputation is built on market-leading analysis, deep expertise and personalised service, always delivered with the highest level of discretion.

Strong turnout of industry professionals

The showcase attracted a highly specialised audience comprising potential investors, representatives from professional firms and companies interested in expanding their investments internationally. Attendees were introduced to Modons latest new-build projects currently under development in Abu Dhabi.

Zoom The presentation attracted potential investors, as well as representatives from professional firms and companies interested in expanding their international investments.

Among them were developments such as Nawayef East, designed in a spiral layout with generous green spaces between residential areas and featuring freehold villas with three to five bedrooms, and Al Naseem Community, an exclusive collection of luxury villas with four to six bedrooms, ideal for those seeking an island lifestyle in the heart of the emirates capital.

The Abu Dhabi Property Showcase, held on Wednesday 8 October at The Pool Marbella, also highlighted the advantages and incentives of investing in Abu Dhabis property market, including strong returns, favourable tax conditions and legal security.

During the presentation, Savills representatives shared valuable insights backed by the companys in-depth research. Abu Dhabi has experienced steady growth in rental values, as demand continues to outpace current supply.

In Abu Dhabi, demand is shifting towards experiential living, with communities focused on culture, waterfront settings and family-oriented services. Developers like Modon, with landmark projects on Reem and Hudayriyat islands, along with our extensive portfolio in Abu Dhabi, reflect the evolving preferences of buyers. These initiatives showcase the scale and quality of developments that are positioning Abu Dhabi not just as a regional capital but as a global destination, said Savills regarding this emerging market.
Pilar Martinez Malaga Friday, 17 October 2025, 16:59 Share

The province of Malaga has embarked on a promotional tour in the US to sell the destination as a tourist experience. Turismo Costa del Sol has staged a series of events in San Diego, Santa Fe and San Francisco - all markets that "have a high concentration of luxury agencies and a clear specialisation in this segment, which makes these promotional activities an ideal meeting point to boost the potential of the destination".

Each presentation is followed by a networking dinner, during which representatives of companies with interests in the US can exchange information and connect. The Costa del Sol has a direct flight to New York from May to September, the only non-stop connection between the US and the Andalucia region, which provides great collaboration opportunities for Spanish business owners and the great business community of the US.

Malaga is presented as a destination that offers exceptional gastronomic, cultural, shopping and lifestyle products. Managing director of Turismo Costa del Sol Antonio Diaz has said that the programme has opened the space for dialogue with "opinion leaders and decision-makers".
Juan Cano Malaga Friday, 17 October 2025, 11:41 Share

The manager of a restaurant in Estepona arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting three waitresses has been provisionally released, although he is prohibited from approaching the complainants, as SUR has been able to confirm. The detainee, a 30-year-old Guatemalan national who was in Spain irregularly, was handed over to the duty court number 2 of Estepona. After hearing his version, he was released, although he remains under investigation.

Sources from the high court of justice of Andalucia (TSJA) said that the judge attributed three crimes of sexual assault and imposed a 500-metre restraining order on each of the victims.

The case, previously reported by this newspaper, was uncovered on 19 September, when a young woman went to the Estepona police station to inform the officers that she had been sexually assaulted by a work colleague.

The victim explained that the individual, who is in charge of the business and, therefore, her immediate boss, allegedly took her to a secluded part of the establishment. Once there, he allegedly began kissing her and touching her on various parts of her body, while trying to get her to do the same to him. The girl explained to the officers that she managed to get away from the individual and then decided to report what had happened. The investigation fell to the family and women's services unit (UFAM) at Estepona police station, which began an investigation.

When they began to dig deeper, the police uncovered a sort of #MeToo situation within the restaurant. Another female worker told the officers that she had been the victim of a similar situation last August, when the same manager allegedly cornered her in a secluded part of the restaurant to abuse her.

While they were investigating these two cases, a third victim came forward, a girl even younger than the previous two, who said that she had been touched by a colleague - again, the manager - during the working day.

The officers also had the testimony of a witness who confirmed the suspects behaviour at work, which led to his arrest as the alleged perpetrator of sexual assaults on the three young women.
US group Democrats Abroad calls anti-Trump protest for Malaga on Saturday The official Democratic Party group for Americans resident outside the United States, has also called rallies in Madrid and Barcelona for tomorrow (18 October)

SUR in English Malaga Friday, 17 October 2025, 10:07 Share

Democrats Abroad, the official Democratic Party group for Americans resident outside the United States, has called protest rallies in Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga for tomorrow, Saturday (18 October).

Explaining the motives for challenging US President Trump, of the rival Republican party, Andrew Anderson, chair of Democrats Abroad in Spain said, "Our concern about US democracy has been heightened by the attacks on our constitutional rights."

He added, "To that end, as Americans abroad, we want to express our condemnation of the actions of the present administration."

The planned protests were described by the group as "peaceful", featuring music, speeches, placards and chants. The Malaga gathering will start at 12pm in Plaza de la Marina, opposite the entrance to the port.
A carer was arrested on 10 October on suspicion of stealing and selling jewellery belonging to the 89-year-old woman she was looking after in Malaga. It was the victim's relatives who discovered the worker, who tried to throw herself out of the sixth-floor flat upon getting caught.

The incident happened in the Cruz de Humilladero district of the city at around 7pm. The emergency services received a call reporting that a woman around the age of 30 had suicidal intentions.

However, the events date back to a few days earlier, when that same young woman went to a jewellery shop with the elderly woman and asked her to wait at the door while she went to fix a watch. What she was actually doing was selling jewellery she had stolen from the elderly woman. She got more than 1,000 euros for the items sold.

Although she believed she had committed the perfect theft, the family became suspicious after noticing some of the jewellery missing. When they cornered her inside the elderly woman's flat and asked her to leave, the carer tried to jump out of the bedroom window.

The family managed to stop her from jumping and called the police, who arrested her. According to municipal sources, the detainee has been handed over to the judicial authorities.
Irene Quirante Malaga Friday, 17 October 2025, 12:04 Share

The week started with several serious incidents at Alhaurin prison near Malaga, where it is suspected that two inmates attempted to escape from their cell on Tuesday.

One of them, according to sources from the prison officers union (TAMPM), is the man arrested on 3 October for the fatal shooting of a Swedish rapper in Marbella. It appears that the two were sharing a cell in module 2. On examining the inside of the cell in the morning, the officers found that one of the bars of the window had been loosened at one end. "We believe that it may have been kicked out or a blunt object may have been used," said the same sources.

The main suspicion is that both were trying to escape, as the CSIF union has also reported, plans that were thwarted by the action of the prison professionals.

The incident, combined with the alleged assault on an official on Monday night by another inmate - who is also said to have been involved in a sexual incident involving obscene gestures and comments directed at the prisons medical officer - have prompted the TAMPM and CSIF to raise the alarm and denounce the situation at the prison.
SEOUL, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Friday expressed regret over Japanese politicians sending offerings to the notorious war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, seen as a symbol of the militaristic and colonial past of Japan.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the government expressed deep disappointment and regret over the fact that leaders of Japan once again sent offerings to or visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies Japan's war of aggression and enshrines war criminals.

The ministry urged the Japanese leaders to squarely face history and demonstrate through action their humble reflection and sincere remorse for Japan's past acts, noting that this will become an important foundation for the establishment of future-oriented South Korea-Japan relations based on mutual trust.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sent a ritual offering, called "masakaki," on the occasion of the shrine's three-day autumn festival.

Some Japanese politicians and members of parliament have insisted on visiting the shrine, which has been strongly opposed by many peace-loving people at home and abroad.

The shrine honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II, including Hideki Tojo. It has long been a source of diplomatic friction between Japan and its neighbors. 
The National Police have captured in Marbella the right-hand man of the leader of the Kavac Clan - the Montenegrin mafia. The detainee, who was the subject of an international arrest warrant, is charged with the murder of an individual from a rival clan, who he reportedly tortured for 24 hours. According to sources, the Kavac Clan member's main roles included facilitating logistics and concealing evidence and corpses. He is facing up to 40 years in prison.

The investigation started four years ago, when the Montenegrin authorities issued an international arrest warrant for the fugitive and warned of his possible presence in Spain. Initial enquiries revealed that he was using a false identity while living in Barcelona.

It was not until 10 October this year, when the Montenegro authorities contacted the Spanish investigators to inform them that a member of the suspect's entourage was going to travel from a Croatian city to Marbella and that there was a possibility that he might meet the fugitive. As a result, an international operation was set up to track his movements.

The police detected that the suspect first travelled to Marseilles and, from there, to Barcelona by taxi. He then continued to Malaga province, again by taxi. Suspicions were confirmed when the two met and that was when the police arrested the fugitive.
Cristina Pinto Friday, 17 October 2025, 17:06 Share

Going from the adapted chair to the hydrotherapy bath is a major feat for Valentina. She is six years old, suffers from cerebral palsy and every week she and her family visit Fundacion Cudeca's paediatric palliative care day unit, where around 20 children with cancer or terminal illnesses currently attend. There, physiotherapists, nurses, paediatricians, social workers and psychologists provide care for both families and children.

Valentina, whose illness prevents her from moving her joints normally, enters the hydrotherapy treatment room and her smile transforms. Children's music in the background, an adapted seat inside the bathtub, toys and coloured lights that she can't stop looking at. She smiles when her favourite song plays while the professionals do their work, one on each side. This technique does her a lot of good, as it helps her to move her joints and muscles in a more relaxed way than usual rehabilitation.

Her father, Marcelo Rodriguez, waits in the lounge of the day unit and her brother Bryan, is in a session with the foundation's psychologist.

"We can only be grateful. They offer care to the family and to Valentina, which is the most important thing. They help us a lot: they make the illness more bearable and the quality of our daughter's routine is much better. We don't know how many years she will be with us, but we hope that it will be many and that the years she lives will be spent in the best possible way," said Marcelo Rodriguez in conversation with SUR.

Marcelo and his wife came to Spain a few years ago to start their family and to be able to have the best treatments for Valentina, who was born with infantile cerebral palsy.

"My wife, when she was pregnant in Brazil, was bitten by a mosquito and got the Zika virus. We were not 100% sure that during her childhood would develop some kind of illness, but she was born this way, with these limitations. At first we didn't know exactly what the medication would be, but she was soon treated at the Costa del Sol Hospital, where she was admitted. It was at that moment that we came across Fundacion Cudeca and we have never left their side because they do essential work to help families like us," said Marcelo.

Valuing the essential

During the conversation he is always grateful for all the help he and his family receive: "In addition to Bryan, Valentina's little sisters also come and participate in the play sessions, they always have a way to solve everything... They constantly ask us how we are doing and give us advice on what we have to do," Valentina's father added.

"She is our life, we don't leave her alone for a moment and there are times when, even when we're feeling down or sad for whatever reason, she brings out a smile and makes us forget everything. When you see her, you start to think about the simple things in life that we don't usually value, but she does...", Marcelo said with emotion.

Before the hydrotherapy session, the first thing is the paediatrician's check-up. Ana Devesa discusses with Marcelo how the week has gone and checks that any symptoms are under medical control. After the initial check-up, she goes to the hydrotherapy room.

"In the event of someone's health getting worse, as for example with Valentina, we would have to go to see her at home and give her the care she needs, coordinating with both her health centre and the hospital and, if it is necessary to admit her, to manage with colleagues to do so as quickly as possible," explained paediatrician Ana Devesa.

Caring for the family

"For us, who have all of Valentina's care as part of our routine, the afternoon we come to Cudeca is essential to switch off and to be able to unburden ourselves with the professionals who best advise us about Valentina," said her father, Marcelo Rodriguez, who also participates in the artistic and leisure activities offered by Cudeca so that family members feel accompanied and, above all, taking a break from their usual situation at home.
Javier Almellones Malaga Friday, 17 October 2025, 14:19 Share

"The soul of Malaga in every sip." This is one of the slogans that accompanies Dona Ines gin, a handcrafted alcoholic beverage that seeks above all to identify with the city and its good vibe.

"From the outset, we wanted to give it a Mediterranean, citrusy and fruity touch," explains Cristian Jimenez. He and his friend Jose Moreno are the creators of this distilled alcoholic beverage, christened Dona Ines.

The origins of this young gin brand are reflected in its very name. Both young men and many of their friends grew up in the district of Colonia de Santa Ines (originally a small district in Malaga built for working families in the 1920s).

It was during the pandemic that they started to think about the idea of creating something. They wanted to make a drink that truly identified with the city. "A lot of Malaga gins have been lost in recent years," says Cristian.

From the moment they conceived the idea of starting a business with Gin Dona Ines until its official market launch on 17 December 2024, the two experienced an intense learning process, "in which there was never a lack of enthusiasm", as Jose Moreno puts it.

He was the one who did most of the research into how gin is made. There was much to explore and learn, from the use of botanicals and the distillation process itself through to label design and what type of bottle they would use.

Zoom

After much learning, they found the formula that made this gin special. "One of our main botanicals is the navel orange, but also some orange and lemon peel and even a touch of liquorice, which makes it a bit drier," says Cristian. "We wanted it to be very Mediterranean and identify with Malaga and our own neighbourhood," adds Jose.

They recommend serving Gin Dona Ines with a slice of orange, lemon or even cucumber, topped off with tonic water. A grapefruit-based mixer also goes very well with this gin. While they suggest the best way to imbibe it is as a gin and tonic, they are not averse to mixing it with lemon soda.

It is recommended you try it with a slice of orange, lemon or even cucumber, topped off with tonic water.

Since releasing the first batch, distilled in Padul (Granada), they have already tasted the first of their successes. Initially, they placed an order with the distillery for 1,200 bottles and, before they knew it, it had sold out, despite them thinking it was a large enough order.

"Today, it can be enjoyed in many bars and even restaurants in the Teatinos district and also in Malaga city centre," says Jose Moreno, who is especially grateful for the involvement and support of Gramy's, a well-known cocktail bar in Teatinos where December's official launch of Gin Dona Ines took place.

This gin is now on sale in some shops, such as Ultramarinos A&P that just happens to be located in Colonia de Santa Ines, where this drink originated. There, the bottle sells for 15.50 euros, the price recommended by Cristian and Jose. "Given the botanicals it contains, it could be more expensive but, for the market launch, we decided to adjust the price down," says Jose.

Despite being young (Cristian is now 31 and Jose, 34), they are clear that the customer profile they are seeking is older. "We are looking for gin drinkers who like to drink something after dinner or at night, in a quiet moment, for pleasure," says Cristian.

They are already in talks with distributors to continue growing their presence in the Costa del Sol capital and beyond

After ten months of the first phase of this business venture and given the positive, public reception, the creators of Gin Dona Ines are already in talks with drinks distributors to continue growing their presence in Malaga city and beyond.

Due to their youth and lack of experience in the sector (Cristian is a healthcare professional and Jose works as a salesman), those around them told them that they were crazy and that they did not know what they were getting themselves into. Nevertheless, after years of tenacity and effort, with the help of friends and experts in the field, they have shown that Gin Dona Ines was not such a crazy idea after all, but rather a dream they had that they have been able to make a reality.

Where to buy it: Ultramarinos A&P

Where to drink it: GRAMYS Teatinos
Cristian Reino Barcelona Friday, 17 October 2025, 15:05 Share

Rumour has it that black cats bring bad luck and even represent the devil. They certainly have a bad reputation and some people avoid them on the street. This particular colour of cats has been associated with witchcraft and evil. Their latest association is with a municipal order in the Catalan city of Terrassa, which has banned the adoption of black cats until after Halloween. Why? In a few words, to avoid macabre rites.

From 1 October until 1 November, residents cannot adopt black cats from animal shelters. This is a preventive measure, at the request of the animal shelter themselves. Although there have been no reports of slaughter or macabre mistreatment, they have noticed an increase in the number of requests for black cats around Halloween in recent years.

In the most extreme case, the requests might be coming from satanic groups looking to summon the devil by using a black cat's blood on the night of the dead. In the less sadistic case, it could be parents who want to satisfy their children's whims by using cats as props for Halloween decorations. There are people for everything.

To avoid odd behaviour of any sort, the city council has decided to ban the adoption of black cats until Halloween is over and limit "superstitions, ritualistic or irresponsible uses".

According to municipal sources, there are no documented cases of animal abuse on Halloween, but there have been complaints on the night of San Juan when reckless individuals commit outrageous acts with fireworks leading to animal abuse.

The moratorium on adopting black cats lasts a month. During this period, animal shelters will register any adoption applications and reevaluate them once the ban has been lifted. "This measure is strictly preventive and temporary in nature and does not imply any discrimination in relation to the colour or characteristics of the animals, but rather an additional protective measure aimed at guaranteeing their welfare," the city council states.

The residents of Terrassa who are not aware of the moratorium and go to an adoption centre to ask for a black cat in particular will be informed of the campaign to "raise public awareness of the respect and protection of animals". They should know that adopting an animal implies a responsible and lasting commitment and that a cat is not a "disposable" animal. After Halloween, shelters will return to their normal adoption and fostering procedures. However, the city council is taking the measures adopted this year as a pilot test. After Halloween, authorities will evaluate the effectiveness of the measures to decide whether to apply them in the future.
Laura Velasco Granada Friday, 17 October 2025, 11:23 Share

The disappearance of a Picasso painting that was being transported from Madrid to Granada is still a mystery. Sources say that investigators are checking security camera footage both from the museum in Granada and the storage space in Madrid. The first of two main unanswered questions concerns why the drivers decided to spend the night in Deifontes. Foundation sources said that that stop was not scheduled. The same sources said that when the works were being packaged up in Madrid, the Picasso was given number 15. There was no indication on the outside of the packages as to which painting was which. The missing painting is small and was by no means the most valuable piece among the collection in the van.

A 600,000-euro Picasso painting has gone missing just before it was supposed to be put on display at the Fundacion CajaGranada exhibition space in Granada. The work in question is Still Life with Guitar, painted by the Malaga artist in 1919. The National Police have been investigating the case since 6 October, when the exhibition organisers realised that one of the paintings they had to hang was missing. Despite the missing piece, the Granada exhibition opened last week, but the search for the artwork is still on.

The National Police have only said that the case is open, without offering further information. However, Granada newspaper IDEAL has gained access to the versions of events of the complainant and the transport company that was in charge of taking the artworks from Madrid to Granada.

The missing Picasso. Sucesion Pablo Picasso, VEGAP, Malaga, 2025

On 25 September, five workers collected the paintings from their owner in Madrid. They packed and assembled them in two vans. The process, which took an hour, was supervised by two curators of the exhibition, as well as by the owner and his niece.

Reportedly, there were two incidents at this point. First, two of the paintings had duplicated numbers. Second, one more painting was added to the agreed list of works, at the owner's request. Once they were all packed, they were moved to the vans under surveillance, at least in theory.

They were then driven to the company's warehouse in Madrid and stored in a chamber with exhaustive control measures, such as CCTV and a security alarm. According to workers, the alarm did not go off at any time.

In this type of exhibition, which includes works by several owners, the paintings are usually collected in the same place before being moved together, which in this case took place just a week later, on Thursday, 2 October. On that day, they were loaded in a van that left for Granada close to 4pm. At around 8.30pm, the van stopped in Deifontes so that the drivers could take turns to sleep inside the vehicle. According to the transport company, the pair supervised the artworks at all times, including during dinner and breakfast.

The following day, Friday 3 October, they set off for Fundacion CajaGranada, where the van's contents were unloaded in the presence of CajaGranada workers. They noticed that the packages were not correctly numbered. The missing Picasso had been assigned number 15. The head of exhibitions confirmed with a signature that the delivery had been completed, but they didn't count the paintings at that moment.

Over the weekend, the works were stored under camera surveillance. The footage is now in the possession of the National Police. It was the following Monday, 6 October, when the museum employees proceeded to unpack the works and saw that one small painting, Pablo Picasso's Still Life with Guitar, was missing. Painted in gouache and lead white, the work's insurance value is 600,000 euros.

Fundacion CajaGranada reported the incident to the National Police. According to sources, the painting must have gone missing sometime between leaving the owner's house and arriving in Granada. In addition, those same sources have said that the list of artworks was "very badly ordered".
Canal Motor Friday, 17 October 2025, 13:07 Share

Distractions are the most common factor in traffic accidents, present in 30% of fatal accidents (406 cases) that occurred in 2024, according to Spain's traffic authority (DGT). During the campaign from 7 to 13 October 2024, 48.2% of traffic police reports concerned the use of mobile phones at the wheel, compared to 2023 when this factor was present in 10% fewer complaint. This makes the use of mobile phones the main reason why drivers get sanctioned.

According to provincial DGT director in Madrid Cristobal Cremades, "distractions are the most common concurrent factor in road accidents, with 13,164 cases, representing 18% of the total. In the case of fatal accidents, distraction is also the most frequent factor, with 406 cases (30%), so it is essential to warn of the risks involved in distracted or inattentive driving".

According to data from Esra-2023 survey, Spanish drivers have little regard for the risks of using mobile phones. The study shows that 22.2% of Spanish drivers admitted making phone calls without using a hands-free system, compared to 58.6% who used one. Furthermore, 24.7% of drivers admitted reading text messages and checking social media while driving.

In addition, the 2023 case study report of the European road safety observatory (ERSO) presents the results from various recent studies based on direct observation of drivers (naturalistic driving) to highlight the impacts of distractions caused by electronic devices.

The report states that large-scale research on daily driver behaviour in naturalistic contexts indicates that drivers are engaged in other activities approximately half of the time they are driving. Mobile phone use at the wheel is one of the most common causes of driver distraction.

According to the study, 48% of drivers on European roads admit using a mobile phone with a hands-free system while driving; 29% admit doing it without a hands-free device; 24% read text messages or check social media.

The DGT considers the use of mobile phones at the wheel without a hands-free device to be one of the most serious offences, resulting in a fine of 200 euros and the loss of six points from the driving licence. Tampering with the device or using headphones is also punishable by a fine of 200 euros and the loss of three points.
Edurne Martinez Madrid Friday, 17 October 2025, 12:23 Share

The wealth of families in Spain has increased by 81% in the last 20 years (specifically from 2002 to 2022) in real terms, driven primarily by rising house prices, according to a study published on Thursday by Spanish economic think-tank Fedea, which also reveals that this significant growth has been "very uneven". Although assets have almost doubled in two decades, wealth is concentrated in the hands of the few. In other words, despite wealth having multiplied for the people living in Spain, the number of families among whom it is distributed has decreased.

Fedea's latest study of the developments in household wealth in Spain, authored by J. Ignacio Conde-Ruiz and Francisco Garcia-Rodriguez, reveals that household wealth has never been higher, but these economists warn of the inequality in its distribution. There is a huge income gap, not only by social class, but also by generation.

One key point is that half of the population has only 7.1% of the country's total wealth, while the richest 1% now accounts for more than 21% of total asset wealth, up from the 13% back in 2002. Then, if we add the other wealthiest 9% (who have accumulated almost 33% of the nation's wealth, four percentage points more than in 2002), we can conclude that the richest 10% of households have accumulated 53.7% of Spain's total wealth.

Generation gap 40% home ownership rate for millenials The home ownership rate among millennials (those born between 1986 and 1996) is much lower than that of their parents (around 75%).

The study, based on microdata from the Bank of Spain's survey of household finances (EFF), indicates that, between 2002 and 2008, all households experienced "sustained wealth growth" as a reflection of the economic boom and the expansionary cycle of the real estate market. However, the financial crisis that began in 2008 caused a "significant contraction", especially among high-income households, due to the loss of asset value. After the 2014 economic trough, there was a gradual recovery, "but with clearly uneven intensity". So, the high-income families returned to a path of accelerated growth while low-income families experienced a much more subdued recovery.

This process culminated in 2022 with the widest gap between income percentiles ever recorded. "Wealth continues to be heavily concentrated in households at the top of the distribution scale, both in terms of absolute value and wealth composition," states Fedea.

Generation gap

In addition to social class, the study warns of the generational inequality that exists in Spain. In this sense, Fedea warns of a "deep generational divide", as the population categories born between 1956 and 1975 (end of the baby boomers and the first 'Generation X') have consolidated high levels of wealth thanks to a context of stable employment, accessible credit and strong real estate appreciation, while millennials (those born after 1986) accumulate less wealth than previous generations at the same age, face greater barriers to housing access and have a homeownership rate below 40%.

The report reveals that the average wealth gap between those under 35 and those over 75 has widened from 50,000 euros in 2002 to more than 360,000 euros in 2022. "The analysis by age reveals a wealth structure strongly influenced by the life cycle: young people accumulate mainly debt, especially mortgage debt, and have barely begun to build their wealth. Middle-aged households are bearing the greatest financial burden and the highest levels of real assets. Those over 65 have the greatest net wealth, with more diversified portfolios and low levels of debt," is the summary from this think-tank.
Almudena Nogues Malaga Friday, 17 October 2025, 12:24 Share

Another cyberattack has targeted a fashion company in Spain. This time the victim has been Mango, which sent a warning email to all of its registered customers on 14 October: "In line with our commitment to the security and privacy of our customers, Mango would like to inform you that one of the external marketing services has suffered unauthorised access to certain personal data."

Cybercriminals attack any sector with a high volume of transactions, which makes the fashion industry a very attractive target.

The Catalan company states that the information exposed 'is limited to personal contact data used in marketing campaigns'

The Catalan company assured customers that the information exposed "is limited to personal contact details used in marketing campaigns". According to Mango, the cybercriminals have gained access to first names, country, postcode, email address and telephone number. "We inform you that everything continues to function normally and that Mango's infrastructure and corporate systems have not been compromised," the message reads. In addition, the company stated that "banking information, credit/debit cards, ID cards and passports" have not been accesssed. The passwords and usernames of customers have also not been targeted by the attack.

Mango has activated all security protocols, including notifying the Spanish data protection agency (AEPD) and the responsible authorities. Even so, the company recommends that customers pay attention to any suspicious communication or requests for unusual actions both by email and telephone. In case of doubt, several communication channels are available for queries related to the cyberattack: the customer service email address (personaldata@mango.com) and the 900 150 543 telephone number.

Increasingly common

The cyberattack on Mango comes just a year after Spanish fashion retail group Tendam (with clothing brands such as Cortefiel, Women's Secret, Springfield and Pedro del Hierro) suffered a similar incident. Cybercriminals gained access to more than 720 gigabytes of information, where compromised customer data could be found. Through unauthorised access, the perpetrators demanded that the company pay 800,000 euros to prevent the information from being leaked.

Earlier this year, Alicante footwear company Hoff was also hit by a cybercattack targeting names, telephone numbers and order history. In March, El Corte Ingles also reported unauthorised access.

Also this past spring, Marks & Spencer suffered a security breach that forced it to block its website for weeks and pause online orders, which is estimated to have cost the company up to 404 million dollars. Adidas became the victim of a breach in May and The North Face in April. Decathlon reported a breach involving employee emails in May.
Ainhoa de las Heras Bilbao Friday, 17 October 2025, 15:40 Share

An 84-year-old woman has been admitted to Basurto hospital in a seriously weakened physical and psychological condition after police in Spain's Basque Country region found her locked in a room in her farmhouse in Bilbao. The woman was being held hostage, living among rubbish, excrement and dead cats, by her 60-year-old son, I.A.A., whose whereabouts are unknown. The man has a criminal record and is under investigation for the crimes of detention, abandonment of a family member and animal abuse.

According to sources, I.A.A.'s neighbours have been living in fear. He was tried for the murder of a young man on Monte Pagasarri in January 1996, but he was acquitted. He has also been accused of attempted murder for chopping off a young man's finger with an axe in January 2021. His criminal record contains other violent acts.

The Ertzaintza police are currently trying to locate him so that he can be tried for the crimes committed against his own mother. The Basque Country security forces received a worrying call on 14 October, in which a worried neighbour told them that he and other neighbours had not seen the elderly woman for several months. The shutters of her room had not moved that whole time and they feared that something might have happened to her.

House of horrors

The police went to the scene and surrounded the house. Nobody answered when they rang the doorbell, but they heard screams coming from the back of the house. As they approached the window, they heard an elderly woman calling for help. "I can't get up," she said. She was also repeating disjointed phrases, which led the police to assume that she had some kind of senile dementia.

The house had a stable, the external area of which was covered in a layer of cow droppings, as well as dead and rotting cats and birds. Fearing that the woman's life might be in danger, the police entered the house. Inside, they found an accumulation of objects. The stench made breathing impossible. The old woman was living among rubbish, faeces and pools of urine. There were also half a dozen dogs kept in deplorable conditions. The animals had wounds and tears and were barking out of fear.

At the back of the house, the police saw a door tied with a rope, as if to prevent whoever was inside from getting out. Once they cut it and entered, they discovered the old woman. Had they not intervened, the woman could have died within days. She was lying on a mattress, with furniture strewn across the floor preventing her from moving. She was surrounded by waste, faeces and urine.

Social services

An ambulance was mobilised to the scene. The woman was taken to Basurto hospital, where she will be treated for the physical ailments caused by having been bedridden for a long time. She was found with ulcers all over her body and, as the police suspected, probably suffers from some form of dementia. Once she recovers, she will be taken to a nursing home.

The police have not been able to find the perpetrator. They suspect that he may have fled upon seeing the police arrive at the house. The investigation remains open. In the meantime, several of the dogs found in the house have been taken to the municipal shelter.
Alfonso Torices Madrid Friday, 17 October 2025, 13:42 Share

Various child health specialists, such as paediatricians, psychologists, neurologists and ophthalmologists, are having very little success sounding the alarm about the significant risks of premature, excessive and unsupervised use of mobile phones, tablets and computers by children. At least, that is what the results are showing from a survey conducted by the Eroski Foundation on electronic screen use among 2,581 primary school pupils aged between eight and 12 across Spain.

The study indicates that, despite specialist advice to the contrary, most children in Spain use all types of screens daily and that, in fact, a third of them already own a smartphone at such an early age, most often given to them by their parents or close relatives. In line with previous studies, two out of three primary school pupils use screens excessively, far exceeding the limit recommended by paediatricians to avoid health risks at this age (a maximum of one hour per day). Some 50% of them watch one to three or more hours of television, 30% spend more than an hour on their mobile phones and up to 12% spend more than three hours glued to their smartphones.

However, perhaps the most shocking fact is that all children aged 8-12 regularly use social media and up to six out of ten of them have their own account on one or more of these channels. This fact violates Spanish law (account registration is prohibited for the under-14s) and the rules of use of the digital platforms themselves.

Furthermore, 60% report having their own access codes and passwords, with 48% admitting to using their parents' accounts with parental consent, demonstrating a very high level of normalisation of social media use by children within the home environment. This permissiveness and low level of control contrasts with the warnings issued by specialists who, based on scientific and sociological studies, advise against premature access to social media because it exposes children to age-inappropriate or traumatic content, facilitates cyber-bullying and attacks on their sexual freedom and puts their privacy at risk, as well as potentially harming their ability to mature. The law on the protection of minors in the digital environment, drafted by the Spanish government and now being debated in Congress, explicitly prohibits anyone under 16 from registering on a social media platform and requires operators to implement truly effective age controls on their platforms in order to make this mandate a reality.

Exposure to explicit violence and unnecessary scares

The other aspect that medical specialists are insisting on is the need for parents to establish very specific and restrictive rules for electronic screen and internet use during childhood. This includes activating parental control devices and supervising compliance with these rules. Unfortunately, these do not appear to be a very widespread practice either. One in four of the 8- to 12-year-olds surveyed reported that they use their mobile phone, tablet, computer or television without any parental restrictions and that their parents never monitor them, accompany them or supervise them when using screens to prevent inappropriate or risky use. In fact, most of them believe that their parents are more attentive to managing their own electronic devices than to monitoring their children's use of them.

Some outcomes of this lack of supervision include the fact that 43% of primary school children admit to having been scared or shocked by some of the things they have read or seen on screens, that one in five have seen hate messages and insults and that one in ten have seen videos depicting violence and fighting.

"The inappropriate and excessive use of screens at key ages for children's cognitive, emotional and social development, as well as the lack of rules and adult supervision, reinforces the need for educational programmes and public policies that promote safe digital environments", says Alejandro Martinez, director of the Eroski Foundation, in light of the main findings of this study.
BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The island province of Hainan in south China will broaden the scope of its offshore duty-free goods by adding two new goods categories, namely pet supplies and portable musical instruments.

According to an announcement by the finance ministry, which was made public on Friday, other adjustments to the goods categories are also going to be made by regrouping or adding some products.

These products include sweeping robots, vacuum cleaners, digital photography and video equipment and accessories, mini drones, computer mice and keyboards.

After this adjustment, which will take effect on Nov. 1, 2025, the island's offshore duty-free shopping list will cover a total of 47 goods categories, said the announcement, which also specified that the minimum age of those qualifying for the benefits of this policy will be adjusted from 16 to 18.

Currently, travelers visiting the island can enjoy a duty-free shopping quota of 100,000 yuan (about 14,095 U.S. dollars) per person each year.

The province has reported strong offshore duty-free sales over the past five years since raising its annual tax-free shopping quota from 30,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan per person on July 1, 2020.

Sales and the number of shoppers saw growth of 315.3 percent and 123.3 percent, respectively, compared with the five years prior to the major shopping quota increase in 2020, local customs data had revealed in July 2025. 
Paula de las Heras / SUR Madrid Friday, 17 October 2025, 10:19 Share

Donald Trump has brought the topic up three times in just one week. Until a few days ago, he seemed to have forgotten his anger towards Spain - the only Nato country that openly refused, at the summit in The Hague in June, to comply with his demand to raise military spending to 5% of GDP. Now, he's brought it up again - at the White House during a meeting with the President of Finland, at the Gaza Peace Summit in Egypt and with the Argentine President, Javier Milei, once again in Washington.

Still, the Spanish government insists that his warnings are more bark than bite and dismisses the idea that his threat of punishment in the form of tariffs will actually materialise.

After first suggesting last week that Spain should be expelled from Nato for refusing to raise its defence spending, President Trump greeted Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez normally - even with a smile and a few pats on the hand - at the peace summit held in the resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh. There, in the Egyptian city that recently hosted negotiations between Israel and Hamas, about twenty international leaders gathered to support the signing of a ceasefire agreement sponsored by the United States and Egypt, along with Turkey and Qatar.

However, later on, the US president did bring up the controversy, directly asking Sanchez about defence spending.

"Are you working on the GDP thing? We'll get there. But fantastic work you're doing," he said.

The brief remark occurred after Trump greeted each of the international leaders present, during final remarks following the signing of the agreement that ends two years of war in the Gaza Strip.

"Trump is like that - one day he congratulates you, and the next he picks a fight," said sources from the Spanish government.

Spain is part of the 27-state EU customs union, meaning any trade negotiation or retaliation Trump might want to initiate would have to go through the European Commission. The government sees this as a kind of shield.

People close to PM Pedro Sanchez also say that no other European country or Nato ally has, so far, voiced any complaints to Sanchez or responded to Trump's calls to pressure Spain into changing its stance of not exceeding 2.1% of GDP in military spending.

On Monday, in an interview on Cadena SER radio, Sanchez insisted this level of spending already represents a "more than sufficient" contribution to Nato's operational capabilities to face shared challenges.

He also emphasised something the government has repeated often in recent months: that beyond ideological differences, the relationship between the United States and Spain has not suffered since Trump returned to power.
Tony Bryant Torremolinos Friday, 17 October 2025, 09:30 Share

Casa de los Navajas in Torremolinos is hosting A History of Pop Art, (Una historia de Pop Art), a collection of works by Javier Melus, one of the most unique names in contemporary Spanish pop art. His work, distinguished by bold colours, simplified figures and references to comics, cinema and advertising, extends far beyond its playful appearance. Through irony and visual cues, the artist invites viewers to reconsider dominant narratives and engage in dialogue with the images that surround us daily.

Melus's style lies at the crossroads between the iconic and the everyday, where pop aesthetics transform into cultural reflection. His approach combines precise technique with a critical sensibility that distances him from a simple homage to the greats of classic pop art, such as Andy Warhol or David Hockney.

The artist claims his work does not seek to impress, but rather to connect through the recognisable and transform it into a tool for reflection, which is created with a vibrant palette and symbolism that draws from both popular imagination and critical discourse.

Javier Melus is a self-taught painter whose work falls within the realm of contemporary pop art. Born in Tudela (Navarra) in 1961, he was drawn to iconic images from popular culture from a young age. Over the last few decades, he has developed an intense exhibition career, participating in numerous national shows and bringing his work, which has attracted the attention of both collectors and contemporary art experts, to important international venues such as Miami, Dubai, Paris, and Luxembourg.

The free exhibition, on until 7 December, is open from Wednesday to Sunday between 10.30am and 2pm, and from 3pm to 6.30pm.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Nearly 100 people turned out Thursday for a job fair geared toward bringing together employers eager to build diverse and inclusive workforces with potential workers.

The Community at Work Job Fair was presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions, in partnership with Advance Media NY, syracuse.com | The Post-Standard and CNY Works with support from Wegmans. The fair aimed to connect employers with people with physical and mental disabilities to help them land their first job or plan out long-term career growth.

The idea started over a year ago when an employee resource group was created at Advance, syracuse.coms parent company, for staffers who have different abilities and for workers who have loved ones with disabilities, said Geoff Herbert, a reporter and podcaster for syracuse.com.

We heard a lot of stories of people that are scared or nervous about finding a job or finding extra barriers for things (when) they shouldnt have any different experiences, Herbert said. The things that we can do are so much more important than the things that we cant do. We all have superpowers.

Herbert said these ideas are what helped launch the Enable: The Disability Podcast, which was recorded at Thursdays event, as well as the job fair itself. He said he hoped the event would encourage people to take a look at hiring through a fresh set of eyes.

He also pointed out that sometimes hiring limitations arent about the potential workers. A lack of handicap parking spots or too many stairs and not enough ramps can also become challenges.

Twenty employers from across Central New York participated. The companies, which ranged from the East Syracuse Minoa Central School District and Carpenters Local 277 to Catholic Charities of Onondaga County and AccessCNY, have a proven track record of working with those with disabilities, according to Kyle Hostetler, the adult program manager at CNY Works.

The companies offered a wide range of positions, from entry-level custodial positions to IT service and technical positions.

Many employers echoed Herbert, that people with disabilities have more abilities than many think about.

Be open-minded, Victoria Cannon, the recruiter for the Arc of Onondaga, an organization that works with and employs people with disabilities, said of employers who may not already be working with those with disabilities.

You would be surprised how much an individual with a disability will put into their work, she said. Theyre very dedicated and want to prove themselves.

Jessica James, a job seeker at the event, said she enjoyed the number of employers, job opportunities and networking available at the event.

I learned that when the time is right, it will come, and particular jobs or companies are not for everybody, James said.

Rosemary Avila, executive director for CNY Works, said she hopes the event will encourage more employers to join in the future and to learn more about the regulations and accommodations available to workers with disabilities.

For those who missed the event, Hostetler and Avila urged both businesses and potential workers to utilize CNY Works programs, such as resume building, on-the-job training, and employed worker training.

For both employers and job seekers looking for more information on how to get involved in events like this, email info@cnyworks.com.
Utica, N.Y.  An Oneida County jury did not reach a verdict Thursday as they consider, among other things, whether three state corrections officers showed a depraved indifference toward an inmate last winter and are guilty of his murder in a Central New York prison.

The 12 jurors began their deliberations in the case at about 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. They started again at 10 a.m. Thursday and went until 4 p.m.

Deliberations will continue at Friday morning.

A group of prison guards at the Marcy Correctional Facility turned into a gang of murderers on the night of Dec. 9, 2024, according to Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, who is a special prosecutor in the case.

They launched three attacks on inmate Robert L. Brooks, Fitzpatrick said, ultimately leading to his death. An autopsy showed injuries to his head, neck, testicles, liver and spleen.

Defense attorneys for the three guards cast their clients decisions as imperfect, made in the moment and not meant to cause harm to Brooks. They also each tried to separate the behavior of their client from the other people on trial or other prison staff involved in the fatal beatings.

The jury submitted multiple notes throughout the day Thursday to Oneida County Court Judge Robert Bauer.

The jurors asked the judge for several exhibits to review and to again watch video clips showing the third and last beating to Brooks, which took place in the prison infirmary.

Perhaps the most important witnesses in the case were the Axon body cameras that captured the beating from multiple angles. Four guards present had turned on their cameras, but, unbeknownst to them, 30 minutes of video was passively recorded without audio.

The jurors appeared to focus on the legal definitions of the charges, asking for Bauer to read back his instructions. They asked two times for the definitions of manslaughter and murder to be repeated.

The jurors heard from 12 prosecution witnesses across six days and saw dozens of exhibits. The defense rested without presenting anything to the jury.

The jurors asked for a section of the testimony of one of the witnesses to be read back to them.

They sought to again hear the exchange between Fitzpatrick and Dr. Yekaterina Merkulova, of the Onondaga County Medical Examiners Office, regarding the injuries to Brooks throat and neck.

Three guards, Mathew Galliher, Nicholas Kieffer and David Kingsley, each face top charges of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter. Galliher and Kieffer face additional charges.

If found guilty, the officers face a maximum of 25 years to life in prison.

A fourth guard is set to stand trial on his own in January. Six other guards have all pleaded guilty. Three more people are facing charges and have agreed to be cooperating witnesses.
Syracuse  CNY Jazz will once again bring national artists to their downtown theater with the revival of Live at Jazz Central shows, beginning with a concert by internationally acclaimed saxophonist and composer Jeff Lederer on November 14.

The evening will feature Lamb, Mack & Sorgen Trio as host rhythm section. The group served in residence at the CNY Jazz & Wine Festival in Clinton Square for many years, backing national acts including Clay Jenkins, Lucas Pino and Eric Alexander.

Since our outdoor festival has been discontinued, were turning to our theater as the venue to bring national talent here in air-conditioned comfort throughout the year, rather than exposed to the elements, said Larry Luttinger, CNY Jazz executive director.

The trio is well-matched to the adventurous approach of the Brooklyn-based Lederer, who leads several groups of his own as well as working with Matt Wilson, Bobby Sanabria and many others.

As a composer, hes been commissioned by the Chicago Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic. A serious educator as well, he is presently Director of Jazz Studies and professor of Jazz Saxophone at Long Island University and is the founder of the Visionary Youth Orchestra.

Expect more of these presentations as we gear up and start talking with other national artists, said Luttinger. Weve got lots of great talent to draw from, young and old, both here in our region and from across the country.

The concert is underwritten with corporate support from Mack Studios. Tickets are available at cnyjazz.org/tickets with discounts for CNY Jazz donors.

If you go:

What: Live at Jazz Central with Jeff Lederer and the Lamb, Mack & Sorgen Trio

Where: Jazz Central theater, 441 E. Washington St, Syracuse NY

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday Nov. 14

Cost: $25 Advance/$30 Door/CNY Jazz Donors $20
Barbara Palvin appeared in the Victorias Secret Fashion Show on Wednesday, Oct. 15. while recovering from an injury.

The 32-year-old Hungarian model walked the runway in several different ensembles during the night. And although not noticeable to audiences at home, Palvin was walking on a broken foot.

Her husband, Dylan Sprouse, brought up the injury while chatting with host Zanna Roberts Rassi before the show. Wishing his wife good luck into the camera, he said: I love you, baby. Break a leg tonight. The Disney Channel alum then added, She actually did break her foot four weeks ago, so she will be walking on a half-healed foot tonight. So, I wish you luck. I love you. I know you are going to kill it.

Barbara Palvin walks the runway during the 2025 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at Steiner Studios on October 15, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage) WireImage

This was Palvins fifth time doing the Victorias Secret Fashion Show, though she didnt officially become a Victorias Secret Angel until 2019.

In a backstage interview with Us Weekly before the show, Palvin also talked about her injury, telling the outlet she was very nervous and the idea of walking in heels was stressful.

To help manage her injury, Palvin appeared to have adjusted her outfits. While last years trademark wings weighed 40 pounds, her wings this year were just one pound, likely helping her with balance. She also attached the wings to the front of her dress, as opposed to the back.

Other models who walked the Victorias Secret Fashion Show include Ashley Graham, Gigi Hadid, Stella Maxwell, Doutzen Kroes, and newcomers Emily Ratajkowski and Angel Reese.
Carly DiFulvio Allen had just made her big break on Broadway when she discovered something shocking at her desk: A dead body.

It took a few seconds before she realized that it wasnt an actual human corpse, but rather a prop from The 39 Steps at the Roundabout Theatre in New York City, the play for which DiFulvio Allen was serving as company manager.

In the shows climax, a dummy is tossed from some height onto the stage. One night, the throw was overly ambitious, and it landed directly in the audience. After it was retrieved, the staff figured the safest place to store the prop overnight was in DiFulvio Allens office.

Her initial reaction to glimpsing the slumped over mannequin the next morning was, however momentary, entirely appropriate.

I screamed, she said.

That incident is just one of many cherished (and chilling) memories she recollected during a recent interview about her tenure with the award-winning show. A new production of The 39 Steps begins previews at Syracuse Stage, where DiFulvio Allen now serves as managing director, on Oct. 22a full 17 years after the original Broadway run.

DiFulvio Allen was just a few years out of college when she landed the gig at Roundabout. She had interviewed for an assistant company manager position, filling in for a planned maternity leave, and soon took over the senior role for The 39 Steps.

The show was the first of 25 Broadway productions DiFulvio Allen would eventually work on.

The 39 Steps has a very special place in my heart, she said. That was my first show at the theatre where I met my husband. Where I met one of my very best friends, who just visited our house this weekend. It launched my career, and is where I grew as a person, so I always look back very fondly on that production.

Carly DiFulvio Allen (center) and the cast of the original Broadway production of "The 39 Steps." Photo courtesy of Carly DiFulvio Allen. Carly DiFulvio Allen

If that sounds wholesome for a play based on an Alfred Hitchcock filmthe show is essentially a spy thriller, a murder mystery, and a man-on-the-run potboiler wrapped into onethats because The 39 Steps has an unexpected trick up its sleeve: I always remember how fun and funny it is, DiFulvio Allen said.

Playwright Patrick Barlows adaptation transforms the tale of Richard Hannay, an unwitting London bachelor trapped in a web of secret agents and international peril, into a riotous comedy, with a company of four actors tackling the dozens of roles that populate the chic apartments, lavish music halls and desolate moors of the play.

Its storytelling at its best, DiFulvio Allen said. It relies entirely on the performers and the inventiveness of the director. You find yourself laughing and saying: Oh, how did they do that?!

The success of the show relies especially on the pair of actors who play what the script refers to as clowns. In a given scene, they could portray police officers, traveling salesmen, a train conductor and a newsboy, only to show up moments later as gangsters, a Scottish hotel proprietor or a fiendish mastermind missing his little fingerall while juggling furniture, costume changes and ingenious comic flourishes.

Seeing all the characters those guys played was just a treat, every single night, DiFulvio Allen said.

In particular, DiFulvio Allen remembers a moment from actor Cliff Saunders: While performing one his many pratfalls of the evening, Saunders rolled into a full handstand, and, while stiff as a board, flipped his body back over.

It defied gravity, she said.

Beyond the stage, DiFulvio Allen said the cast and company of the Broadway production formed a unique bond.

I think thats probably the group that hung out the most, she said. They were really supportive of each other, and the entire cast came to the next show we opened at the theatre. I think we knew that we had just gone through something really special.

Something really special is what audiences at Syracuse Stage should expect, too.

DiFulvio Allen has high hopes for the upcoming production, calling it a guaranteed good time, and sees The 39 Steps as the perfect show for Central New Yorkers to experience with fresh eyesor to revisit like an old friend (Syracuse Stage first produced the play in the fall of 2010).

For her, personally, the timing couldnt be more perfect. When interviewing for the role of managing director at Syracuse Stage last year, DiFulvio Allen learned that The 39 Steps was in consideration for the upcoming season: I just had a huge smile, it was a reaffirming sign, she said.

Still another sign came while she was packing up her New York City apartment, getting ready for the move Upstate. In the back of some closet, covered with dust, DiFulvio Allen found the hat she was given as a souvenir from her time on The 39 Steps on Broadway.

It was literally time to dust it off, she said. Everything old is new again.

Tickets to the Syracuse Stage production, Oct. 22 through Nov. 9, are available at SyracuseStage.org/39steps.
Steve Hughes l Times Union, Albany, N.Y. (TNS)

Oct. 16ALBANY  A parolee who was released from custody on a drug charge last week is accused of beating his sister to death with a hammer on Wednesday.

Alphonso Lester, 60, was arraigned Thursday morning in Albany City Court before Judge Holly Trexler and charged with second-degree murder and burglary in the death of Angela Helms, 61. He was sent to Albany County jail without bail.

As Lester was led from city court, a man in the courtroom crowd shouted, Youre a murderer! Youre a murderer  youre evil.

Police were called to a location on Hudson Avenue near South Lake Avenue at 8:10 a.m. Wednesday to investigate the attack on Helms, who police say died from a massive head injury after Lester struck her in the head with the blunt object.

As onlookers left the courthouse, the same man who shouted at Lester in the courtroom yelled at reporters, Angela Helms! She was a good mother. She deserved more than this.

Lester is on lifetime parole after he was sentenced in 1998 to 25 years to life in prison for a series of robberies in New York City. He was convicted of two counts of robbery and one count of burglary.

An appellate court panel, in a 2001 decision denying Lesters appeal, noted witnesses had not been willing to testify in court against Lester because he intimidated them in phone calls from Rikers Island. Instead, prosecutors read the witnesses grand jury testimony in court.

Lester was paroled in September 2021, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

He had been arrested twice within the last two years but was never sent back to state prison. City police charged Lester with operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs on Feb. 24, 2024. He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge on Jan. 17, 2025.

A spokesman for the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said Lester, who is listed as John Francis in the DOCCS system, had his parole restored by an administrative law judge in June 2024, following his February arrest.

Lester was arrested again earlier this month after State Police stopped his vehicle on Oct. 4 on Western Avenue for a traffic violation. He was again charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs and felony possession of a controlled substance.

Lester paid $15,000 bond on Oct. 10 and was released on electronic monitoring under the supervision of Albany County probation.

A violation of the release report and a warrant for allegedly violating his parole were issued on Wednesday.

Lester was taken into custody by Albany police early Wednesday evening after he fled to a Western Avenue home near Quail Street after the attack.

After cordoning off Quail Street and North Lake Avenue in the afternoon, police surrounded the home and Lester surrendered.
ULAN BATOR, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Moody's Ratings has upgraded the government of Mongolia's long-term issuer and senior unsecured ratings to B1 from B2 with a stable outlook, the Eagle News TV channel reported on Friday, citing the agency's statement.

The upgrade of Mongolia's ratings to B1 reflects the agency's expectation of more stable economic growth, underpinned by ongoing steps to diversify the commodity mix and improvements in policy effectiveness, particularly related to liability management and other fiscal reforms, Moody's said.

According to the agency, the stable outlook also incorporates the view that external liquidity risks will remain elevated but manageable. "We expect that the government will maintain market access at costs that are not prohibitive, containing liquidity risks to levels consistent with a B1 rating," it said.

In September, Fitch Ratings affirmed Mongolia's long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating at "B+" with a stable outlook.

Fitch has predicted that Mongolia's real GDP growth will pick up to 5.7 percent this year, driven by an agricultural recovery after two harsh winters.

The country's GDP grew 5.6 percent in the first half of 2025, according to the National Statistics Office. 
New York State Police arrested an Elmira officer this week after she allegedly leaked confidential information that jeopardized an active investigation.

Shyonna M. Pacheco, 26, of Pine City, NY, was taken into custody on Wednesday, Oct. 15, following months of investigation into the unlawful release of confidential information.

Pacheco faces several charges, including second-degree hindering prosecutiona Class E felonytwo counts of official misconduct, and two counts of second-degree obstruction of governmental administration, both of which are Class A misdemeanors. The first charge, which is the most serious, accuses Pacheco of rendering criminal assistance to a person who has committed a Class B or Class C felony.

According to the Elmira Star-Gazette, Elmira police chief Kristen Thorne was informed in July of Pachecos alleged unauthorized release of sensitive information regarding an ongoing investigation.

Details of the nature of the investigation Pacheco allegedly compromised have not been disclosed. However, after the allegations were made against her, she was suspended and lost all access to department files, buildings, and information systems. The Elmira Police Department then contacted state police to carry out an independent investigation on the matter.

State police executed search warrants at two locations and seized multiple electronic devices for forensic analysis, which ultimately led to her arrest this week.

Pacheco was arraigned in the City of Elmira Court and released on her own recognizance pending future proceedings.

The investigation remains active and ongoing. Meanwhile, Pacheco remains suspended. Chief Thorne indicated to the Elmira Star-Gazette that the department has already began the termination process.

The Elmira Police Department will not tolerate official misconduct among its officers, Thorne said in a news release. This behavior does not reflect the values of our department, brings discredit to the agency and interferes with our ability to fulfill our duties to the community effectively.

Pacheco began working as an officer with the Elmira Police Department in January 2023, according to city council records.
Chicago  Troubled by clashes between agents and the public, a judge on Thursday said she will require federal immigration officers in the Chicago area to wear body cameras, and she also summoned a senior official to court next week to discuss an enforcement operation that has resulted in more than 1,000 arrests.

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis said she was a little startled after seeing TV images of street confrontations that involved tear gas and other tactics during an immigration crackdown by President Donald Trumps administration.

I live in Chicago if folks havent noticed, Ellis said. And Im not blind, right?

Separately, hours later, a federal appeals court ruled against the Trump administration and said a lower courts temporary ban on deploying the National Guard to assist immigration officers in Illinois would stay in place while the government pursues an appeal.

Community efforts to oppose U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have ramped up in Chicago, where neighborhood groups have assembled to monitor ICE activity and film incidents involving agents. More than 1,000 immigrants have been arrested since September.

An immigration enforcement building in Broadview, outside Chicago, has been the site of regular protests. The Trump administration has tried to deploy Guard troops, in part to patrol at the Broadview location, but the strategy was halted on Oct. 9 for at least two weeks by a different federal judge.

Ellis last week said agents in the area must wear badges, and she banned them from using certain riot control techniques against peaceful protesters and journalists.

Im having concerns about my order being followed, the judge said.

I am adding that all agents who are operating in Operation Midway Blitz are to wear body-worn cameras, and they are to be on, Ellis said, referring to the governments name for the crackdown.

U.S. Justice Department attorney Sean Skedzielewski laid blame with one-sided and selectively edited media reports. He also said it wouldnt be possible to immediately distribute cameras.

I understand that. I would not be expecting agents to wear body-worn cameras they do not have, Ellis said, adding that the details could be worked out later.

DHS will continue to oppose all efforts to vilify law enforcement and prop up the cause of violent rioters, said Tricia McLaughlin, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Were a court to enter such an order in the future, that would be an extreme act of judicial activism.

Ellis said cameras would provide evidence to back up how agents handle confrontations with protesters. Ellis said the field director of the enforcement effort must appear in court Monday.

Gov. JB Pritzker praised the judges ruling, saying the governments statements about arrests and other incidents, including last months fatal shooting of a suburban Chicago man, have often been inaccurate.

They clearly lie about what goes on, he told reporters. Its hard for us to know right away what the truth is.

In 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement began deploying about 1,600 body cameras to agents assigned to Enforcement and Removal Operations.

At the time, officials said they would be provided to agents in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, Buffalo, New York and Detroit. Other Homeland Security Department agencies require some agents to wear cameras. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released body-camera video when force has been used by its agents or officers.

Earlier this week, a Cook County judge barred ICE from arresting people at courthouses in Chicago and the suburbs.
President Donald Trump acknowledged on Friday that his latest threatened tariffs against China were not viable, according to Bloomberg.

Trump last week threatened an additional 100% tariff on goods from China amid escalating trade tensions. The threat came after China outlined tighter export controls on rare earth elements, which are critical for manufacturing many high-tech products.

Its not sustainable, Trump said of the 100% tariffs in a clip from an interview with Fox Business that aired Friday, according to Bloomberg. But thats what the number is, its probably not, you know, it could stand, but they forced me to do that.

China and the United States have been engaged in trade talks for months. Trump levied an initial batch of tariffs against China earlier this year and China responded, but the two countries have repeatedly agreed to pause the taxes as negotiations continue.

The latest pause ends Nov. 10.

Trump confirmed during the Fox interview that he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during an upcoming summit in South Korea, according to Reuters. He had previously suggested he might cancel the meeting.

I get along great with him, Trump said of Xi, according to Reuters. I think were going to be fine with China, but we have to have a fair deal. Its got to be fair.

Trump has imposed tariffs on a variety of goods and individual nations since returning to office in January. His administration has also been negotiating trade deals with various countries he has targeted with tariffs.

Data has shown that Trumps tariffs are beginning to push prices higher, but are also generating billions of dollars in new revenue for the government.

Some of the tariffs are caught up in a court challenge that is headed for a hearing at the Supreme Court. If the administration loses, it could be forced to refund some of the money it has collected from the levies.
A U.S. Postal Service worker was shot early this morning outside a post office in Upstate New York.

A postal worker was sitting inside his personal vehicle around 12:40 a.m. Thursday in the employee parking lot of the U.S. Post Office at 1335 Jefferson Road in Henrietta when a shooter opened fire, shooting the man and striking his car, the Monroe County Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

Henrietta is about 20 minutes south of Rochester in Western New York.

The suspect, initially described by deputies as unknown, sped away in a vehicle before deputies arrived at the post office.

The victim was transported to a Rochester-area hospital and has since been released, deputies said. Investigators didnt identify the victim or release more details about his injuries.

A K-9 unit and a drone were used during the investigation. The sheriffs office is reviewing video footage and interviewing witnesses, deputies said.

Reports of a home in Pittsford being involved and the victim (returning) fire are inaccurate based on the evidence we have at this time, the sheriffs office said.

The Monroe County Sheriffs Office is working with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and other federal agencies to investigate the shooting.

The Jefferson Road post office has resumed normal operations. Deputies said there does not appear to be an ongoing threat to public safety.

MCSO understands incidents such as this cause concern and fear for our community members, the sheriffs office said. We will continue to work closely with our partners to ensure those responsible for this incident are held accountable.
A modified Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying a new satellite group blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Oct. 17, 2025. The satellite group, which will constitute the Spacesail Constellation -- a commercial Chinese low-orbit satellite network, was launched at 3:08 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered its preset orbit successfully. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)

TAIYUAN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China sent a new satellite group into space on Friday from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province.

The satellite group, which will constitute the Spacesail Constellation -- a commercial Chinese low-orbit satellite network, was launched at 3:08 p.m. (Beijing Time) aboard a modified Long March-6 carrier rocket and entered its preset orbit successfully.

This launch marked the 601st flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series. 

A modified Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying a new satellite group blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Oct. 17, 2025. The satellite group, which will constitute the Spacesail Constellation -- a commercial Chinese low-orbit satellite network, was launched at 3:08 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered its preset orbit successfully. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)

A modified Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying a new satellite group blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Oct. 17, 2025. The satellite group, which will constitute the Spacesail Constellation -- a commercial Chinese low-orbit satellite network, was launched at 3:08 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered its preset orbit successfully. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)
by Kin Phea

Chinese modernization over the past four decades has stood as one of the most remarkable development achievements in human history.

It is a people-centered process that preserves national autonomy in policymaking and resists external imposition, leading the Chinese people to uphold independence and self-reliance. This modernization emphasizes collective welfare, social harmony and ecological balance, while promoting gradual reform and respecting national sovereignty.

In just over 40 years, China lifted 800 million people out of poverty, contributing to more than 75 percent of global poverty reduction in the same period. This transformation reshaped not only China's domestic economy but also global patterns of trade, investment and production.

China has transitioned from a largely agrarian society to the world's second-largest economy, from a labor-intensive manufacturing hub to an innovation-driven economy at the frontier of technology.

Infrastructure development has been a cornerstone of this transformation. High-speed rail networks, expressways and digital connectivity have enhanced national integration and regional development.

Technological innovation has emerged as another defining feature. China now leads in renewable energy, electric vehicles and digital finance, reflecting a structural shift toward sustainable and knowledge-based growth. The concept of ecological civilization underscores a commitment to harmonizing economic development with environmental stewardship, integrating green principles into modernization policy.

What distinguishes China's modernization, however, is its institutional resilience -- the capacity to adapt through evidence-based governance, long-term planning and policy experimentation, ensuring continued evolution within an ever-changing global environment.

Chinese modernization proves that nations can achieve economic progress while preserving the Chinese people's cultural identity and political independence, tailoring their modernization paths to their own unique conditions.

For developing economies, China's experience offers valuable lessons. Cambodia, for instance, which aims to achieve upper-middle-income status by 2030 and high-income status by 2050, can learn from its approach to implementing long-term national development goals effectively.

Cambodia can also draw from the Chinese experience in mobilizing resources, strengthening institutional capacity, reforming public administration, and fostering a merit-based bureaucracy capable of executing complex development strategies. Furthermore, it can also learn from China's efforts in balancing growth with equity, reducing income inequality, bridging rural-urban divides, and expanding access to essential services such as education and healthcare.

Inclusive modernization is vital for maintaining social stability and fostering a shared national identity.

China's experience demonstrates that successful transformation depends not only on economic strategy but also on cultural confidence and policy autonomy.

For Cambodia, modernization should remain anchored in Cambodian cultural values, historical continuity and sovereign decision-making, while engaging constructively with regional and global partners. By doing so, Cambodia can modernize without losing its cultural essence or national independence.

Ultimately, Chinese modernization offers not a model to be replicated, but a source of intellectual inspiration and practical guidance. It exemplifies how a country can modernize according to its own logic, harmonizing tradition and innovation, national particularity and global engagement.

Editor's note: Kin Phea is director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, a think tank under the Royal Academy of Cambodia.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Xinhua News Agency.
'Good riddance': Fed clash over scrapping climate risk guidance



Washington, Oct 16 (AFP) Oct 16, 2025



Rumbling discontent over the US Federal Reserve's guidance on climate change policies spilled into the open Thursday, when the central bank became the latest regulatory agency to scrap climate-related guidance.

In a joint statement, the Fed and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) said they "do not believe principles for managing climate-related financial risk are necessary."

This, they added, was because their "existing safety and soundness standards require all supervised institutions to have effective risk management."

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which was also listed on the joint statement, withdrew its guidance earlier this year.

Fed governor Christopher Waller used unusually blunt language to voice his approval for the move to scrap guidance for how big banks should manage their climate risks.

"Good riddance," he wrote in a two-word statement accompanying the Fed's decision to bin the 2023 guidelines -- a marked contrast to the lengthier statements of his colleagues.

In total, five of the Fed's seven members voted in favor of repealing the guidance, including Fed chair Jerome Powell, and the bank's new vice chair for supervision Michelle Bowman.

"At a time when confidence in public institutions is waning, the Federal Reserve should strive to demonstrate beyond doubt that it executes its duties in an independent manner, focusing on its statutory obligations," Bowman said in a statement, explaining her decision.

Bowman and Waller were both nominated to the Fed by President Donald Trump during his previous term in office, and are reportedly on Treasury Secretary's five-person shortlist to run the bank once outgoing chair Jerome Powell steps down next year.

Among the two Fed board members who did not vote in favor, Lisa Cook abstained, while Michael Barr voted against the measure.

"Rescinding the principles is short-sighted and will make the financial system riskier even as climate-related financial risks grow," Barr said in a statement.
'Good riddance': Fed clash over scrapping climate risk guidance



Washington, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



Rumbling discontent over the US Federal Reserve's guidance on climate change policies spilled into the open Thursday, when the central bank became the latest regulatory agency to scrap climate-related guidance.

In a joint statement, the Fed and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) said they "do not believe principles for managing climate-related financial risk are necessary."

This, they added, was because their "existing safety and soundness standards require all supervised institutions to have effective risk management."

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which was also listed on the joint statement, withdrew its guidance earlier this year.

Fed governor Christopher Waller used unusually blunt language to voice his approval for the move to scrap guidance for how big banks should manage their climate risks.

"Good riddance," he wrote in a two-word statement accompanying the Fed's decision to bin the 2023 guidelines -- a marked contrast to the lengthier statements of his colleagues.

In total, five of the Fed's seven members voted in favor of repealing the guidance, including Fed chair Jerome Powell, and the bank's new vice chair for supervision Michelle Bowman.

"At a time when confidence in public institutions is waning, the Federal Reserve should strive to demonstrate beyond doubt that it executes its duties in an independent manner, focusing on its statutory obligations," Bowman said in a statement, explaining her decision.

Bowman and Waller were both nominated to the Fed by President Donald Trump during his previous term in office, and are reportedly on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's five-person shortlist to run the bank once Powell steps down next year.

Among the two Fed board members who did not vote in favor, Lisa Cook abstained, while Michael Barr voted against the measure.

"Rescinding the principles is short-sighted and will make the financial system riskier even as climate-related financial risks grow," Barr said in a statement.
In Simandou mountains, Guinea prepares to cash in on iron ore



Simandou mountain range, Guinee, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



At the foot of the Simandou mountains in southeast Guinea's lush tropical forest, thousands of workers, trucks and excavators are digging up the hills.

The verdant paradise is home to a gigantic mining project that promises to propel the poor west African country into the ranks of the world's largest iron exporters -- raising economic hopes but also concern for local populations.

Guinea will soon export its first shipments of iron ore from Simandou, officially launching production decades after the discovery of high-grade iron deposits.

"It wasn't too long ago where this was virgin forest," Chris Aitchison, managing director of SimFer, one of the operators of the site, told AFP, praising what he said had been a "monumental task" at multiple levels.

The project will ideally provide a stream of much-needed revenue for the country and has already resulted in construction of infrastructure that could diversify the economy: industrial partners have spent approximately $20 billion building more than 650 kilometres (400 miles) of railway and a massive port.



- Logistical challenge -



The logistical challenges building the mines were immense but so is the potential windfall from the site, which contains several billion tonnes of high-quality ore.

The price of iron ore, which is used for making steel, has skyrocketed since the early 2000s, fuelled by a boom in Chinese construction.

Ever since Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto confirmed the Simandou deposits in the mid-1990s, the site has been at the centre of a swirl of legal battles, political turmoil and corruption scandals.

Guinea's junta government, run by strongman Mamady Doumbouya who came to power in a 2021 coup, boasts of having finally pushed the project over the finish line.

Of the four Simandou mining deposits, two are being developed by Chinese-Singaporean group Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS) and the other two by SimFer, a consortium owned by Rio Tinto and Chinese giant Chinalco.

An AFP team travelled to the SimFer site, on the southern end of the Simandou range, a few weeks before the start of production scheduled for November 11.

On the slopes of Mount Oueleba, with an altitude of 1,300 metres (4,265 feet), excavators devoured the mountainside, creating piles of black ore.

Thousands of people work day and night at the gigantic mine site, which is 55 kilometres long.

Although mining activity has already begun, it will take another 2.5 years for infrastructure to be completed and for SimFer to reach its annual production rate of 60 million tonnes.



- Water pollution -



SimFer says it is doing everything possible to limit its environmental impact on the local population in compliance with international standards.

Its efforts include a training centre for students, a seed bank of local flora or gradually rehabilitating mined land.

It also moved its operations to the east side of the mountain to preserve a chimpanzee population, costing it hundreds of millions of dollars, it said.

Despite the initiatives, the mine is impacting local communities: According to a report by the organisation Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA), construction activities have caused soil and water pollution near the mines, along the railway and near the port.

Sediment runoff from construction was the main form of pollution observed.

Water pollution is "a big issue for us", Aitchison said, adding that the company was spending "a lot of time building sediment traps".

Ore will be transported on a 36-hour journey from Simandou to the Morebaya port complex at the mouth of a river, where SimFer and Winning will export 120 million tonnes of ore per year when production reaches its peak.



- Community impacts -



Among the estuary area's many palm trees sits SimFer's port terminal, where thousands of employees work ahead of its scheduled completion in September 2026.

A few kilometres away, the village of Touguiyire stands in contrast to the economic prosperity of the port.

A pirogue canoe returned from fishing and its haul was meagre. A few women sorted through the small fish on the pier while men mended their nets.

Since the arrival of dredging boats for the port, the fish have disappeared and with them an entire way of life, locals say.

"Before, the pirogues would return with 10 buckets of fish," Aissata Cisse, a 54-year-old vendor said. "Now they come back with only two."

Fishermen must now go farther out into open waters in pirogues that are not always seaworthy.

According to local representative Bissiry Camara, three men recently died while fishing on the high seas.

The small village once had about 60 pirogues and its approximately 3,000 inhabitants relied on a bountiful catch. Now only three pirogues are operational, according to fishermen.

"The lives of the fishermen are completely threatened," said Alkaly Bangoura, a member of a monitoring committee for the Simandou project in the Forecariah prefecture where Touguiyire is located.

In an attempt to compensate, Winning and SimFer have distributed food as well as equipment for fishing further out, such as motors.

Due to a lack of income, however, the fishermen can no longer maintain their pirogues and remain stranded on shore.

"We hoped for a better future with Simandou, but now it's disillusionment", Bangoura said.



- Opacity -



Meanwhile, authorities vaunt the mine as a major boost for the economy -- the country's economic development plan is even called Simandou 2040.

Billboards in the capital Conakry promoting Simandou were used widely by the junta during its recent campaign promoting a new constitution that would allow its leader to stay in power.

The state, which holds a 15-percent stake in the railway line, is counting on it to open up entire areas and believes it should help develop agriculture in remote but highly fertile regions.

"A new economy will emerge," Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah told AFP during an interview, pointing to the train's ability to diversify the country's output.

Despite Guinea's considerable natural resources, including vast reserves of bauxite used to make aluminium, its economy struggles and the population benefits very little from the mining industry.

"There have already been other mining projects that have raised a lot of hope... but with very limited results," said Oumar Totiya Barry, executive director of the independent organisation Guinean Observatory of Mines and Metals.

According to him, the project's ability to open up the country is doubtful. "When you look at the Simandou railway's route, it passes very far from all of Guinea's major cities," he said.

One major unknown is the content of the 2022 agreement negotiated between the state and the companies, despite the Guinean mining code's requirement to publish such contracts.

Traditionally, miners receive tax breaks in exchange for their large investments, but neither the government, SimFer nor Winning would comment when contacted by AFP.

Prime Minister Bah, however, is promising transparency.

Once production begins "there is no reason why things should not be made available to the public", he said.

els/lp/emd/bfm/kjm
In Madagascar, a 'vigilant' Gen Z voice at a crossroads



Antananarivo, Madagascar, Oct 17 (AFP) Oct 17, 2025



Young, educated and revolted by the living conditions endured by Madagascar's citizens, 31-year-old Elliot Randriamandrato embodies the Gen Z movement, whose weeks of protests drove ex-president Andry Rajoelina from power.

In the wake of Rajoelina's ousting -- already replaced by army colonel Michael Randrianirina, sworn in as transition president Friday -- the young activist in baggy trousers and low Doc Martens boots was thrust into the limelight as the youth-led movement transitioned from protest to proposals.

"The past few weeks are a half-victory, the real struggle begins now," the Gen Z spokesman, who holds a master's degree in public affairs from a Paris university, told AFP. "Our main demand is a change to the current political system."

Inspired by other recent youth-led protests, the movement is innovative -- mobilising on social media, with a horizontal hierarchy and infused with a younger generation's cultural references, like the skull logo from the Japanese anime One Piece.

Yet it ultimately repeated a classic move in Malagasy history: an intervention by the army to arbitrate, in the third military transition in Madagascar since independence in 1960 following coups in 1972 and 2009.

"We're working like crazy to avoid being vantage of, to prevent a repeat of the past, and ensure the youth aren't forgotten," said Randriamandrato, his Dragon Ball and Warhammer tattoos peeking out from under his T-shirt sleeve.

It doesn't help that the movement's original Facebook page, which had nearly 200,000 followers before being hacked, was taken down.

While Randriamandrato said he was "pleasantly surprised by the military's openness" after having had a brief meeting with them, he remains "vigilant".



- Activism -



"People need to understand that one couldn't have happened without the other," the activist said.

"Just the military, it wouldn't have been possible. Just us, it would've taken months, even though we were ready for that. The turning point came from the convergence of both."

Having returned to Madagascar in March, where his agroecology association Tetikasa Ala, founded in 2019, fights soil degradation and deforestation by planting fruit forests, Randriamandrato also ran a media outlet on Malagasy urban culture, Hype Mada, before being caught up in the demonstrations.

"I went to the protest on September 25, like everyone else. The next day, friends asked if I wanted to help organise the movement," recalled the activist, who was briefly detained last week before the military joined the protesters.

"Nepal showed the way. We saw what happened there, the flag raised, the links with One Piece. And we said to ourselves: that's it, we've had enough," he said.

Randriamandrato was thrust into activism during the 2009 political crisis, which brought Rajoelina to power.

At 14 years old, he was preparing for his middle-school exams when tear gas grenades used to disperse protesters landed in his schoolyard.



- Death threats -



"I remember having to flee from the school with my sister, right in the middle of gunfire," he told AFP.

"It was during the Ambohitsorohitra events," he said, when 36 protesters were shot dead by then-president Marc Ravalomanana's presidential guard.

His parents' restaurant was firebombed during those weeks of unrest.

"My father nearly died -- we lived the 2009 events firsthand," he said. "When the restaurant burnt down, we lost almost everything. We had to move. We went to live with my grandmother. We weren't home anymore. My parents went into debt."

Then came 2018, a "turning point" in the then-student's life.

Having stepped down as transitional president in 2014 under international pressure, Rajoelina was campaigning again for the upcoming elections and came for a conference at Randriamandrato's university in Paris.

"My friends and I said we couldn't let him keep lying to the world, so we wrote an open letter to the administration," he recalled.

"That same evening, my sister told me 'look on Facebook, your name is everywhere'," he said.

"Sure enough, there was my photo, my address, my full name and those of my sister, brother, mother and father -- shared with the caption: 'These are enemies of the nation'," he said, blaming "troll accounts" and pro-regime online media.

Randriamandrato said he received hundreds of death threats but still attended the conference to confront Rajoelina.

Seven years later, he said, he has "played his part in Rajoelina's departure".

clv-jcb/kjm

Dr Martens
Press Release from Business Wire: illumynt



(AFP) Oct 17, 2025



BURLINGTON, Oct 17, 2025 (BSW) - Q3 2025 was a busy quarter once again for us here at illumynt. In addition to naming a new CEO, we executed on a number of initiatives that are propelling our organization forward.

Revenue for the quarter exceeded $30 million- keeping us on track for our 2025 plan. More importantly we executed three different large-scale data center decommission projects with almost no material ending up as scrap. All of the AI-focused enterprise equipment and components recovered from the decommissions were resold at top market value.

We head into Q4 with high expectations and our eyes wide open. We're celebrating the 20-year anniversary of our facility in Hong Kong and looking to add another location in the region to help us process inbound AI data center equipment.

Stay tuned for updates. There will be more on the way.







View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251017446548/en/









Contact

Paul Knight 978-490-4812Jorg Herbarth +31-6-29715881







 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release.
Press Release from Business Wire: ProAmpac



(AFP) Oct 17, 2025



CINCINNATI, Oct 17, 2025 (BSW) - ProAmpac, a global leader in flexible packaging and material science, has acquired the bag converting operations of International Paper ("IP"), a global leader in sustainable packaging. The acquisition expands ProAmpac's converting capabilities, further advancing the company's Fiberization of Packaging(R) strategy and enhancing its ability to deliver customized bag solutions for the grocery, convenience store, and quick-service restaurant markets.

"Global demand for reliable, recyclable paper packaging continues to grow rapidly amid evolving consumer expectations and market trends redefining recyclability," stated Greg Tucker, ProAmpac founder, vice chairman, and chief executive officer. "ProAmpac's acquisition of IP's bag operation supports our Fiberization of Packaging initiatives, helping us better serve customers by extending our expertise in material science to the US west coast with additional capabilities and redundancies," continued Tucker.

"IP's bag business is strong, being built on sustainability and reliability, with a winning team. It's well-positioned for future growth and innovation in the kraft paper bag market," said Allison Magness, IP's group vice president, specialty business. "Under ProAmpac's leadership, I am confident the business is set up for long-term success."

Located in California, Oregon, and Texas, IP's bag operations are recognized for innovation in kraft paper bag manufacturing. Specializing in customizable and premium kraft bags for grocery, convenience store, and quick-service restaurant markets, the operations produce a range of products, including handled shopping bags, self-opening sacks, and smaller format options. With multiple U.S. manufacturing sites, this acquisition expands ProAmpac's production capacity and redundancy, strengthening its ability to support both new and existing customers.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About ProAmpac

ProAmpac is a leading global flexible packaging company with a comprehensive product offering. We provide creative packaging solutions, industry-leading customer service, and award-winning innovation to a diverse global marketplace. ProAmpac's approach to sustainability - ProActive Sustainability provides innovative, sustainable, flexible packaging products to help our customers achieve their sustainability goals. We are guided in our work by five core values that are the basis for our success: Integrity, Intensity, Innovation, Involvement, and Impact. Cincinnati-based ProAmpac is owned by Pritzker Private Capital, along with management and co-investors. For more information, visit ProAmpac.com.

About International Paper

International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC) is the global leader in sustainable packaging solutions. With company headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) headquarters in London, UK, we employ more than 65,000 team members and serve customers around the world with operations in more than 30 countries. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Net sales for 2024 were $18.6 billion. In 2025, International Paper acquired DS Smith creating an industry leader focused on the attractive and growing North American and EMEA regions. Additional information can be found by visiting www.internationalpaper.com.

About Pritzker Private Capital

Pritzker Private Capital (PPC) partners with middle-market companies based in North America with leading positions in the manufactured products and services sectors. The firm's differentiated, long-duration capital base allows for efficient decision-making, broad flexibility with transaction structure and investment horizon, and alignment with all stakeholders. PPC builds businesses for the long term and is an ideal partner for entrepreneur- and family-owned companies. PPC is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). For more information, visit PPCPartners.com.







View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251017314076/en/









Contact

Media Contact:Whitney MilesProAmpac(617) [email protected]







 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release.
BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The 2025 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit will take place in East China's Zhejiang Province from Nov. 6 to 9, with a focus on building a community with a shared future in cyberspace, according to its organizers.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the concept of this community, the event will include a symposium on the topic. Additionally, leaders of cutting-edge technology enterprises will hold dialogues centered on frontier AI development and key technological innovation highlights.

The summit will also feature 24 parallel forums, covering topics such as the Global Development Initiative, the digital economy and data governance. 
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Baek Se-hee, the South Korean author whose candid memoir I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki helped bring conversations about depression and therapy into the mainstream, has died at the age of 35.

Her death was confirmed by the Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency on Friday, which said in a statement that she had donated her heart, lungs, liver, and both kidneys at the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital in Gyeonggi Province, north of capital Seoul, saving five lives.

The cause and exact date of death have not been made public.

We are deeply grateful for the warm-hearted love shown by donor Baek Se-hee and her family in practicing the gift of life, Lee Sam Yeol, director of the Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency, said in the statement. The love Baek shared at the end of her life  after offering comfort and hope through her heartfelt writing  has become a miracle that gives life to others.

My sister, whom I loved most, wanted to write, to share her heart with others through her work, and to inspire hope. Knowing her gentle nature, incapable of harbouring hatred, I hope she can now rest peacefullyI love you so much, Baeks younger sister, Baek Da Hee, said in a statement, reported The Korea Herald.

Born in 1990 as the second of three daughters in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Baek studied creative writing at university and later worked at a publishing company for five years.

It was during this time that she was diagnosed with dysthymia, a mild but persistent form of depression, and began seeking therapy, the content of which would form the basis of her 2018 debut memoir. According to her short biography on Bloomsbury Publishing, which released the English edition, Baek received treatment for dysthymia for nearly a decade.

Baek rose to prominence in 2018 with her debut memoir I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, a plainspoken yet tender chronicle of her therapy sessions over a 12-week period.

The book was first self-published before being acquired by the literary imprint Munhakdongne, becoming a sensation in South Korea and later a global phenomenon after its 2022 English translation by Anton Hur for Bloomsbury. It has since sold more than 2 million copies and been translated into over 25 languages.

In choosing her title, Baek aimed to capture the experience of a life caught between despair and the persistence of everyday life. I was thinking of planning my own death, but I got hungry and ate tteokbokki, she told The Straits Times in 2024, capturing the paradox of wanting to die yet still craving something as ordinary as a street food snack.

I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki went on to become a viral sensation across Asia and drew international attention, with many describing it as a rare and accessible look at therapy and self-acceptance.

In a 2020 interview with K-Book Trends, Baek said she wrote the memoir to make her pain visible to others. I hoped that people who feel the same would find relief in knowing theyre not alone, and that people unlike me would at least realise that such people exist, she said.

The books transcript-like style, half of it in therapy dialogue and the other half internal reflection, offered readers a quiet, looping rhythm, at times almost unbearably intimate. I hope you will listen to a certain overlooked and different voice within you. Because the human heart, even when it wants to die, quite often wants at the same time to eat some tteokbokki, too, a line from her book reads.

Baek was often described as part of a generation of South Korean and primarily women authors who used confessional writing to explore anxiety, exhaustion and self-doubt in a society obsessed with perfection. She avoided sensationalising suffering, and instead traced its persistence and the feeling of being functional but hollow, as one line in her book reads.

In a 2023 conversation with PEN Transmissions, she recalled how the idea first took shape on her blog, where she began publishing fragments from her psychiatric consultations. Someone left a comment saying that reading my words made them realise their own symptoms, she said. That was the first time I understood that writing about myself could help others.

A sequel, I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki, was published in Korean in 2019 and translated into English in 2024, continuing the exploration of what she called a life that goes on, even when the pain doesnt vanish.

When she visited Singapore for the Writers Festival in 2024, she said she was struck by how audiences abroad connected to the same emotions. Were quite similar, she said. Everyone feels anxious. Everyone is trying to be okay.

Translator Anton Hur paid tribute on social media, writing, Her readers will know she touched yet millions of lives more with her writing.

Her words meant so much to me, she wrote with such honesty, like she was sitting beside you, quietly saying, I get it, wrote a fan on X, formerly Twitter.

To the author who made me feel seen through her words, Baek Se Hee you were an absolute angel. I come back to this book slowly because youve caught those feelings right to the core and made me feel I belong. We love you and I wish you rest in paradise my beautiful saviour, wrote another.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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New Zealand musician, actor and comedian Bret McKenzie has recalled how Sir Ian McKellen had him in fits of giggles while shooting Peter Jacksons The Hobbit films.

McKenzie, 49, appeared as an elf in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit franchises opposite McKellen as the wizard Gandalf and Hugo Weaving as Elrond, the master of the Elvish sanctuary Rivendell.

Appearing on the Good Vibrations podcast, he recalled how lengthy periods between shoots would encourage naughty behaviour from the cast.

One technically tricky scene that required actors playing the dwarves to be in a separate room, in order to be able to shrink them later using CGI, meant that Weaving, McKellen and McKenzie were left standing around for some time.

Were sitting there, we start making up Lord of the Rings: The Musical to pass the time, singing these songs about elves and Gandalf  we were just having an absolute ball, he said.

Suddenly they were like, action! So were trying to do this very solemn scene with a straight face. And then Ian McKellen starts humming [the songs wed made up] without moving his mouth.

Listen to the podcast in full:

He continued: Thats the most fun thing, when youre not allowed to laugh and you start laughing  so were all in hysterics trying to hide these giggles. And Peter Jackson calls cut and goes: Can the elves please stop laughing? It was so funny.

He said of working with McKellen: Hes a lovely, fun guy [and] hes got such a sparkle, its amazing to watch his acting because his face is just magic on-screen, its unbelievable.

open image in gallery L-R: Hugo Weaving, Bret McKenzie and Ian McKellen in The Hobbit ( AFP/Getty Images/Warner Bros )

In the same interview, McKenzie opened up about the making of his new album, Freak Out City, which came out in August via Sub Pop records, along with some of the wilder stories from his early touring days.

He also spoke about the prospect of a Flight of the Conchords reunion, to celebrate the hit musical comedy duo he formed in 1998 with Jemaine Clement.

open image in gallery Roisin O'Connor's Good Vibrations with Bret McKenzie ( The Independent/Press )

After beginning as a live comedy act, the pair were given a self-titled radio series and then an HBO show of the same name, which ran between 2007 to 2009. They won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 2008, for their EP The Distant Future.

Weve been working on a little bit of writing, trying to come up with new ideas, McKenzie said. If we did a tour, its always fun to have some new stuff, it makes it alive for us.

McKenzie also works as a composer and musical director on various films. In 2012, he won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Man or Muppet, which featured in the 2011 film The Muppets.

He is currently on a headline solo tour that includes two dates at Bush Hall in London on 20 and 22 October.

The full episode of Roisin OConnors Good Vibrations with Bret McKenzie is available on all major streaming platforms. McKenzies album Freak Out City is out now.
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Hollywood star Jennifer Lawrence said she and Robert Pattinson found themselves in a totally humiliating moment when filming a dance scene for their new movie.

The two actors star in black comedy-drama Die My Love, from acclaimed Scottish director Lynne Ramsay, who had asked them both to take interpretive dance lessons for the roles.

Lynne Ramsay, the director, challenged us during rehearsals  Robert and I had to do interpretative dance lessons together, said Lawrence during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show.

She admitted that they both found the situation humiliating as they embarrass quite easily. However, the embarrassment only escalated during their first day on set.

Then on the first day of filming, she asked whether we remembered what we did and asked if we would do it naked, added Lawrence.

When the other guest on the sofa questioned her about it, she joked: Should I have said no? You all seem quite shocked.

open image in gallery Jennifer Lawrence in Lynne Ramsays Die My Love ( Black Label Media )

Elsewhere, the Oscar-winner was asked if she found it strange coming back to acting after a hiatus. I needed some time out, I worked all through my 20s, she said.

I was at peace with the possibility of not being able to get back, but I thought it would be fine.

Lawrence, who won the best actress Academy Award for Silver Linings Playbook in 2012, plays a woman experiencing postpartum psychosis in the new film, which is released in cinemas on November 7.

Lawrences performance drew rave reviews upon its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, with Time magazines Stephanie Zacharek calling it her career-best work. Its the kind of performance you go to the movies for, one that connects so sympathetically with the bare idea of human suffering that it scares you a little, she wrote.

While discussing the film at Cannes, Lawrence said that she brought her own experiences of isolating postpartum to the role. She was in the early stages of pregnancy while shooting the film. Lawrence now has two children, a three-year-old son named Cy and a second child whose name and gender have not been publicly revealed, with her husband, the art dealer Cooke Maroney.

open image in gallery Jennifer Lawrence promoting Die My Love at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival ( Getty Images )

Other guests on The Graham Norton Show included Bruce Springsteen and actor Jeremy Allen White, who portrays the US rock star in the biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, about the creation of his 1982 album Nebraska.

Also interviewed is US actress Tessa Thompson, with Florence Welch performing her new song Everybody Scream with her band Florence And The Machine.

The Graham Norton Show is on BBC One on Friday from 10.40pm.
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Weight-loss drug makers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly saw their stocks drop Friday after President Donald Trump vowed to lower the price of Novo's popular Ozempic treatment.

Ozempic is approved to treat diabetes but its frequently used in the US as a so-called off-label treatment for obesity. It often serves as a generic reference to weight-loss drugs.

The drug has the same active ingredient - semaglutide - as the Danish drugmaker's blockbuster obesity treatment Wegovy.

Since taking office in January, Trump has been working to narrow the gap between US and foreign drug prices. Under a "most favored nation" policy, the US government will require drugmakers to charge patients in the country no more than in other wealthy nations.

NEGOTIATING LEVER

Novo's shares fell to a near three-week low of 342.30 crowns, and were last down 6.3% to 343 crowns. Shares in rivals dropped as well, with Lilly down more than 3% and Zealand Pharma down nearly 7%. Viking Therapeutics was down about 2%.

The comment from Trump has investors worried about a worst-case scenario for the obesity landscape, said Kevin Gade, chief operating officer at investment firm Bahl & Gaynor.

Since taking office in January, Trump has been working to narrow the gap between US and foreign drug prices and hes now eying weight loss drugs ( Mario Tama/Getty Images )

Trump made the comments during a White House event Thursday, where he announced a deal with Germany's Merck to cut the cost of some drugs needed for in-vitro fertilisation in exchange for protection from future tariffs.

Trump was asked by reporters to identify the drug that he said earlier at the event would be made less expensive.

"I was referring to Ozempic, or - I was referring to - the fat loss drug?.... They'll be much lower," Trump said.

Trump has earlier said that under his administration's plans, the price of Ozempic would be reduced to $150 from $1,300. Ozempic has a list price of about $1,000 for a month's supply, but is sold directly by Novo to cash-pay customers for $499 per month.

Mehmet Oz, who runs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and was at the event Thursday, said the agency had not yet finished negotiating the price for the GLP-1 class drugs, which include Ozempic, Wegovy, and Lilly's Mounjaro.

Bernstein analyst Courtney Breen said Trump's comment seem like a "negotiating lever," adding that this would also set a new precedent for upcoming oral launches for the obesity drugs, providing little space for price differentials.

"We do remind investors, that we are watching a private negotiation play out in public here, and the $150 price is not yet set-in stone," said Breen.

It's hard to know if Trump said that to bring the obesity players to the negotiating table or if he truly believes that will be the final price, said Bahl & Gaynor's Gade.

A Novo spokesperson said the company was in discussions with the Trump administration over the "most favored nation" order.

Lilly also said it is in discussions with the administration, and did not have any specific details to share.

UBS analysts said they had already factored potential US price cuts into their forecasts.

"If the prices mentioned by President Trump end up being the negotiated prices then this would be more than captured by our numbers," they wrote.
TOKYO, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks market ended lower Friday, pressured by exporter shares on a stronger yen, while caution prevailed before an envisaged parliamentary vote to pick Japan's new prime minister next week.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, ended down 695.59 points, or 1.44 percent, from Thursday at 47,582.15.

The broader Topix index, meanwhile, finished 32.98 points, or 1.03 percent, lower at 3,170.44.

Stocks were dragged down by export-oriented auto shares on the yen's appreciation, while banking issues drew selling following overnight losses on Wall Street, analysts said.

Meanwhile, the market was closely watching the prospect of ruling Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi being elected prime minister in a parliamentary vote scheduled for Oct. 21. 
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Many of todays young people grew up being read Charlie and Lola stories and watching the TV series about the patient older brother and his imaginative little sister.

This year marks 25 years since the first Charlie and Lola book, I Will Not Ever Never Eat A Tomato, was published, and the books author, Lauren Child, has finally written a Christmas Charlie and Lola tale to mark the endearing pairs silver jubilee, reminding fans that this is a brother and sister team that will never grow up.

Child, who also illustrated the award-winning book series which has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide, sidesteps questions about whether shes proud of the books success, but admits: I feel moved by it, really, by the people who write to me, young and old, and I feel moved when I meet them, because I feel very lucky that people tell me about how they feel about the books.

I do have these very moving moments with young people who come up to me and are sometimes quite tearful. And I really understand that, because theyve taken Charlie and Lola through their childhood, and theyre now having children of their own.

Sometimes they send me pictures of their Charlie and Lola tattoos, and I find that really moving. And when anyone comes up to me and says the books have been important to them or become part of their family vocabulary and all those things which get absorbed into the bones of your family, then thats just amazing to me.

Charlie and Lola is trending on Instagram, and an almost bemused Child, who was the UK Childrens Laureate from 2017-19, points out its a huge thing on TikTok too.

She says: Its got a life of its own beyond me, which is, of course, the point of any art. I dont own it any more, but I do find that a really beautiful thing.

Child, who has a 15-year-old adopted daughter, Tuesday, wrote the first Charlie and Lola books many years before she became a mother, and explains: You dont need a child to write childrens books. Ive been there and I can remember how it felt to be a child. So I think its a lot to do with lived experience.

She says she loves watching children out and about and in documentaries, and listening to their conversations and the way they interact and work together. But she explains: Im writing for me. Its the same as writing for adults  its just that you have to tell the truth in a very considered way, because you have a responsibility to support and not frighten the children. You have to be careful with young minds and what might trouble them, but you do have to tell the truth.

And has she been surprised about Charlie and Lolas popularity?

Well, yeah, she admits, because I was certainly doing it for me because I thought it was interesting, and I felt I had something to say and a way of saying it that was hopefully different than anyone else, which is what every writer and illustrator wants to do. So yes, the success was extraordinary.

On the face of it, the Charlie and Lola books are about typical young child issues like picky eating, starting school, going to sleep and, in the new book, I am Wishing Every Minute for Christmas, looking forward to Christmas.

However, Child, 59, points out that the main subject of each book is actually not what you might imagine from the title.

I think all the Charlie and Lola books are really about something different than maybe what you perceive to be the subject, she explains.

So with I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato, you think its about food and fussy eating, but it isnt really. Its about how do you manage to experience something new when youre so little? How do you go about coaxing a tiny child to eat something that seems so alien to them?

She says the new Christmas book took 20 years to write because she couldnt decide what aspect of Christmas and childhood she wanted to bring out in the story. It was only very recently I realised I wanted to talk about the anticipation of Christmas and the waiting, she says.

So this is less a book about Christmas and much more a book about how you manage to wait when youre tiny. Lola is only three-and-a-half, so how many Christmases will she have actually experienced? And so its this huge thing for her to grasp and wonder about and wait for.

I didnt want to just do a jolly Christmas book, and isnt Christmas lovely? I wanted to say something which would also speak to adults and remind them its a very hard time of year for an adult and a parent, but for children its also very difficult  all the joy is bundled up with all this anxiety.

Child hopes her books will lead to conversations between children and parents about the issues involved, explaining: Picture books should really be read together. Thats whats so lovely about them, they spark conversation between child and adult, and you figure things out between you, and begin to understand one another. Thats what I always want to do with a picture book, to create conversation.

She says she thinks picture books are vital, because very young children process things much more slowly, which is why screens dont work for them. So when youre little, a picture book is so important.

And its important for parents too, not only because theyre introducing their little ones to books and language, but also because reading picture books with children is a great way to bond with them.

Child says: I remember [novelist] Jacqueline Wilson saying, quite rightly, that the way you put your arm around a child when you read to them, so they feel contained, is very much a bonding moment.

You dont read a picture book really quickly and get to the end and good night, you stop and start, and theyll tell you about their day, or theyll ask you questions about the book, and so you learn about your child, and they learn about you, and it becomes something so much bigger than reading.

And thats the point  its what stories can do that nothing else can do.

She adds: Your child is, I imagine, the most important concern in your life, and that five, 10, 15 minutes reading is hugely meaningful to them.

Im not talking about literacy. Im talking about how you bond with your child, that experience of looking at a book together and having that particular kind of conversation can be pretty life-changing and also build their familiarity of books.

And if you have a command of language, vocabulary and a confidence in reading, your chances are so much better throughout your life. So its an investment in your child.

I am Wishing Every Minute for Christmas by Lauren Child is published by Simon & Schuster, priced 12.99. Available now.
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A Texas mother is facing charges after authorities said they found her 11-year-old son living in squalid conditions and suffering from malnutrition.

Rachel Blaylock, 41, was arrested on October 7 after a Baytown Police Department officer responded to a welfare check and found her 11-year-old son with dried feces all over his body, including on his arms, face and hands, according to Harris County court documents obtained by Fox 26 Houston.

The officer reported that the smell in the home, which was also covered in dried fecal matter, was so bad she nearly threw up.

Blaylocks 11-year-old son has autism and is non-verbal, Fox 26 Houston reports. Medical records included in the court documents state his teeth were also decaying because of malnutrition and neglect.

He also weighed just 46 pounds, while the average boy of his age weighs 88 pounds, the records said.

open image in gallery Rachel Blaylock, 41, was arrested on October 8 after police found her 11-year-old son living in squalor ( Baytown Police Department )

When the officer said the 11-year-old needed to be taken to the hospital, Blaylock allegedly responded: "I just can't drop everything I'm f****** doing and take him to the hospital so a quack a** doctor can say, 'oh I don't know what's wrong with him,' so we can see another one."

Blaylock has been charged with injury to a child with serious bodily injury. Her bond was set at $250,000, and her next court appearance is set for November 18, according to public court records.

Blaylock told the Baytown police officer her son had trouble using the bathroom and would instead use it in his room, according to the documents obtained by Fox 26 Houston. In his bedroom, Blaylock removed the door and installed a screen door  which she kept locked  so she could keep an eye on her son, the documents said.

The officer reported seeing fecal matter around the bedroom and on the screen door. The mattress was also described as filthy in court records.

The officer also reportedly spoke with the childs grandmother, who said the boy didnt get baths regularly and never went to school because he wasnt potty-trained and often took his clothes off.

The grandmother allegedly told the officer she usually couldnt unlock the screen door, so couldnt bring him food during the day, the documents state. She also said Blaylock is not a good mom, court documents state.

The Independent has contacted Blaylocks attorney, the Baytown Police Department and the Harris County District Attorneys Office for comment.
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An Ohio woman has been convicted of the fatal stabbing of a three-year-old boy who was sitting in a grocery cart outside a supermarket in suburban Cleveland.

Bionca Ellis, 34, from Cleveland, was found guilty Wednesday following a week-long trial. She faces sentencing on October 27 by Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John Russo, who will determine whether she receives life in prison with or without the possibility of parole.

The verdict covers nine criminal counts, including aggravated murder, felonious assault, child endangering, and aggravated theft, stemming from the attack in June 2024.

The incident killed Julian Wood and left his mother injured, according to the office of Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O'Malley. Ms Ellis has been held on a $5 million bond since her indictment last year.

Authorities said Ellis entered the Giant Eagle grocery store in North Olmsted armed with two knives that she had stolen from the Volunteers of America Thrift Store next door. They said she spotted Julian and his mother, Margot Wood, near the front and followed them into the parking lot.

open image in gallery Bionca Ellis, 32, center right, appears in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas court, Monday, June 10, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio, in the stabbing death of 3-year-old Julian Wood in a grocery store parking lot in June. (Cory Shaffer/Cleveland.com via AP, File)

The mother was about to load her groceries into her vehicle when Ellis ran at them with a knife, stabbing the toddler twice, in an attack that took less than five seconds, before walking away.

The boy died at a hospital while Margot Wood was treated for a stab wound to her shoulder. Prosecutors said she suffered that injury as she tried to pull the boy out of the cart during the attack.

Ellis' defense attorneys had entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Margot Wood and Jared Wood, the toddler's father, delivered a statement to reporters after the verdict thanking the community for its support.

Everybody thats visited him, commented, sent love, we appreciate you guys so much, Margot Wood said. This was for him today.
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Hackers took control of a public address system in four different airports to shout anti-Trump and anti-Israel slogans on Tuesday, according to video footage that has surfaced online.

Federal authorities have launched an urgent investigation into the hacking, with the U.S. transport secretary saying that the event deeply scared passengers.

The broadcast was heard by travellers in both the United States and Canada.

F*** Netanyahu and Trump, a womans voice was heard saying over the speakers. Turkish hacker, cyber-Islam is here. Free Palestine, free free Palestine.

The cyber attack also targeted flight information display screens and disrupted services, according to The New York Times.

The attacks in Canada were more severe, with flight screens displaying seemingly pro-Hamas messaging.

open image in gallery Tannoy systems at Harrisburg International Airport were hacked so that they would broadcast anti-Trump and anti-Israel messages ( Google Streetview )

Israel lost the war, Hamas won the war honorably, the hacker wrote, according to a photo shared on social media.

You are a pig, Donald Trump, the message added.

One passenger told CNN that the chilling voice made passengers fearful about which airport systems are vulnerable to attack.

You had to do a double-take and ask yourself if what you were hearing was actually real, Glen Brown told the network. The real question I have is, if they hack the paging system in an international airport, what else are they tunneling into?

Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania was the only airport affected by the cyber attack in the US.

Meanwhile, three airports were affected in Canada. They include Windsor International Airport in Ontario, and Kelowna International Airport and Victoria International Airport in British Columbia.

Sean Duffy, Trumps transport secretary, confirmed on social media that he is working with officials at HIA and the Federal Aviation Administration to find those responsible.

In a statement, the HIA said it removed the messages in just minutes and that the attack was limited to its cloud-based, third-party software provider.

A Delta spokesperson confirmed to Fox News that one of the companys flights was boarding at HIA during the cyber incident, leading officials to search the plane.

The jet bound for Atlanta was delayed by 45 minutes while it underwent a security search.

"As the safety and security of our customers and employees comes before all else, Delta followed the direction of TSA to return to the gate and complete a security check of the aircraft, the spokesperson told FOX. We appreciate our customers' patience and cooperation."

open image in gallery One plane was searched at ( AFP/Getty )

This week, President Donald Trump signed a ceasefire agreement with leaders in the Middle East, drawing much fanfare and media attention.

A Board of Peace, chaired by Trump and including former British prime minister Tony Blair, is expected to oversee the redevelopment of Gaza.

The president hailed the signing of the ceasefire agreement as a new and beautiful day.

However, the ceasefire is seemingly on the brink of collapse as Hamas refuses to release the remaining bodies of its dead Israeli hostages. Meanwhile, the group has accused Israel of killing 24 people in the past six days.

On Thursday, Trump warned that there would be no choice but to go in and kill Hamas if it continued to execute Palestinians whom it suspected of collaborating with Israel.
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A staff member at a residential therapeutic school in Massachusetts has died after she was kicked in the chest by a student.

The alleged incident occurred on Wednesday night when Amy Morrell, 53, was working with fellow staff members to restrain a 14-year-old student at Meadowridge Academy in Swansea who attempted to leave her dorm building without permission, authorities said.

Morrell collapsed after being kicked in the chest by the student, authorities told CBS Boston. Staff then started CPR and called 911. Morrell was taken to the hospital overnight and pronounced dead on Thursday afternoon.

The students name has not been released, but she is now facing charges, the Bristol County District Attorneys Office told CBS Boston.

"Based upon the initial investigation the juvenile was charged with Assault and Battery causing Serious Bodily Injury and was arraigned this morning in the Fall River Juvenile Court," the district attorney's office said on Thursday.

open image in gallery Amy Morrell was attempting to restrain a student who tried to leave the school's dorm building without permission ( Facebook )

The schools community is deeply saddened by the passing of direct care staff member, Amy Morrell, a Meadowridge Academy spokesperson said.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Amys family during this difficult time, the spokesperson told The Independent. Support services and resources are available to assist students and staff as we grieve this tragic loss.

Morrells family friend, Andrew Ferruche, told local outlet WCVB the incident was a horrible accident.

You get in a horrible fight, you don't think you're going to hit someone and they're going to die right there  especially if you're a kid, Ferruche said. So, that child's life is probably ruined. Her life is gone. It's just a tragic situation.

Meadowbridge Academy is a therapeutic residential school providing comprehensive treatment to youth and young adults with mental health issues, behavioral difficulties, and complex trauma histories, according to its website. Its located about 50 miles south of Boston.

The Independent has contacted the Bristol County District Attorneys Office for comment.
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An Ohio influencer is wanted by authorities after allegedly jumping over a fence and entering an elephant enclosure at the Pittsburgh Zoo, which he recorded and posted online.

Noah Thomas, 19, of Austintown, filmed himself leaping over a protective barrier and walking inside the elephant exhibit on September 21, according to a criminal complaint obtained by WKBN.

While Thomas was not yet in police custody as of Friday afternoon, he is charged with third-degree felonies for causing or risking catastrophe, criminal trespass and conspiracy, along with second-degree misdemeanors for recklessly endangering another person and cruelty to animals, and also with theft of services, the complaint states.

Officials say Thomas and a woman entered the Pittsburgh Zoo without a ticket through a temporary exit. Thomas then jumped a fence into the elephant enclosure, tried to get closer to the elephant, backed away, and approached the fence again.

The video, later uploaded to Instagram - but since taken down - shows Thomas joking that he was almost elephant food and calling himself a professional gate jumper.

open image in gallery Pittsburgh Zoo officials said Noah Thomas alleged stunt of entering an elephant enclosure, endangered himself, visitors and the animal. ( Google Maps )

open image in gallery Zoo officials said Thomas alleged stunt, captured on video, endangered himself, visitors, and the elephant ( Getty Images )

The influencers account also features videos of him conducting interviews in Youngstown, Ohio, and entering a Dollar General where a car had crashed the previous month, before being asked to leave by a manager.

Zoo officials said Thomas recent stunt endangered himself, visitors, and the animals. The zoo video, which is still on his TikTok profile, shows the elephant approaching him, lifting its trunk, and pushing against the fence as onlookers watched.

Several bystanders informed zoo staff of the alleged incident, per the complaint.

Zoo security reportedly found Thomas and the woman in the aquarium area and escorted them out, noting their vehicles license plate for investigators.

This matter is now in the hands of the Pittsburgh Police and the Allegheny County District Attorney's office, a spokesperson for the Pittsburgh Zoo told The Independent on Friday.
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An undocumented immigrant from Mexico living in Texas was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly posting a TikTok offering a $10,000 bounty to kill Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Eduardo Aguilar, 23, has been charged with transmitting communications containing a threat, according to the Justice Department.

Threats against our law enforcement officers are completely unacceptable, Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson said in a statement. All threats against our agents and officers will be investigated thoroughly, and anyone who threatens or puts a bounty on agents will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.

On October 9, Aguilar allegedly posted a TikTok video with text reading, originally in Spanish, I need 10 dudes in Dallas with determination (guts) who arent afraid to, following by skull emojis.

10K for each ICE agent, reads a second line in the video.

open image in gallery Eduardo Aguilar, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, allegedly put out a $10,000 hit on ICE agents using a TikTok video ( Reuters )

Aguilar could face up to five years in prison.

TikTok helped local authorities catch Aguilar by offering identity details tied to his account, according to court documents.

The Independent has contacted his public defenders for comment.

The alleged threat comes as Homeland Security officials say immigration agents are facing a 1000 percent increase in assaults.

open image in gallery TikTok helped police catch the man who made the alleged threat, according to court documents ( Justice Department )

Last month, gunman Joshua Jahn allegedly opened fire on a Dallas immigration facility in a sniper-style attack, killing two detainees.

Officials say bullet casings with the words Anti-ICE written on them were found at the scene of the shooting.

Earlier this month, Homeland Security announced the arrest of Juan Espinoza-Martinez, an alleged undocumented immigrant and Latin Kings gang member in Illinois who allegedly put a bounty out on Gregory Bovino, the Commander at Larger of the U.S. Border Patrol, which is currently active in the Chicago region as part of a mass enforcement effort known as Operation Midway Blitz.

The alleged bounty, shared in a Snapchat message, offered $2,000 to catch Bovino and $10,000 if you take him down.

open image in gallery Police pose with Juan Espinoza-Martinez, whom officials allege is a Latin Kings gang member who called for the killing of Gregory Bovino, a top Border Patrol official ( Department of Homeland Security )

Martinez has demanded a jury trial and claims there is no evidence hes a gang member or that he issued a threat against the Border Patrol officer.

The government can not prove Juan engaged in a murder-for-hire plot, and they sure can not show Juan is, or ever was, a gang member  no matter how many times they say it on TV, his attorney, Jonathan S. Bedi, told The Independent in a statement. The government is brazenly politicizing Juans case, desperately scrambling to smear him as some violent street gang member without a shred of evidence  all the justify ICEs absolutely ridiculous and blatantly illegal actions in Chicago.
BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China is firmly against Japan's latest negative moves related to the Yasukuni Shrine and has lodged serious protests, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday.

Lin made the remarks at a regular press briefing when asked to comment on Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's "masakaki" offering to the shrine in his name as the prime minister, and Liberal Democratic Party head Sanae Takaichi's monetary offering using her own funds.

Lin said that the Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarists responsible for the war of aggression, which honors 14 convicted Class-A war criminals with grave responsibilities for the war crimes committed during that war of aggression.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Lin pointed out that viewing and treating history correctly is an important prerequisite for Japan's post-war return to the international community, the political foundation of Japan's relations with neighboring countries, and more importantly, a yardstick for Japan's commitment to peaceful development.

"We urge Japan to face squarely and reflect on its history of aggression, be prudent on historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine, make a clean break with militarism, stick to the path of peaceful development, and earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community through real actions," Lin said. 
News Corps The Australian has done a dramatic U-turn on its decision to sign up to the Pentagons new controversial press rules, which led every major news outlet, including Murdoch-owned Fox News, to hand over their passes.

Just hours after The Australian was revealed to be one of just 11 global news outlets to have agreed to the new rules, a spokesperson told this masthead that it had revoked our assent, citing press freedom concerns.

Major news organisations packed up and left The Pentagon this week. The Australian had opted to retain its access, then revoked the call. Credit: AP

The Australian has reviewed the Pentagons new press rules and requirements. They raise serious concerns and place undue limits on press freedoms, a spokesperson for The Australian said following questions from this masthead.

Because of The Australians long-held position on independent journalism and press freedom, we have advised the Pentagon that we have revoked our assent.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- John Bolton, who served as the U.S. national security adviser during U.S. President Donald Trump's first term from 2018 to 2019, was indicted on Thursday, marking the third indictment of high-profile Trump foes in less than a month.

Bolton, who was indicted by a federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court in the District of Maryland, faces 18 charges, including eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of retention of national defense information.

The federal grand jury charged Bolton with "serious crimes related to the mishandling of classified information," the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement.

"Like many public officials throughout history, Ambassador Bolton kept diaries -- that is not a crime. We look forward to proving once again that Ambassador Bolton did not unlawfully share or store any information," Bolton's lawyer Abbe Lowell was quoted by CNN as saying in a statement.

In a statement, Bolton said that he is a target of Trump's retribution campaign against his perceived political opponents.

When asked about the indictment, Trump told reporters in the White House, "I think he's a bad person."

Earlier this year, FBI agents executed search warrants at Bolton's residence in Maryland and his office in Washington, D.C., seizing numerous documents marked "classified," "secret" and "confidential," according to court records.

The latest indictment came less than a month after former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James were successively indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Bolton has been a vocal critic of the president since leaving the administration, describing Trump as "unfit to be president." 
Rich-lister Robert Whyte is testing the market appetite for city-based car parks with his Audant Investments listing two spaces in the prime Kent Street location.

It follows the record sale in May of six standard car park spaces in central Sydney for a combined $3.65 million through Colliers on behalf of private investors.

Whyte, who is a prolific property investor and former confidant of the late Kerry Packer, is offering Lot 54 and Lot 62 at 219 Kent Street, totalling 28 square metres.

Premium Sydney parking spots for sale.

They are being sold as vacant possession and have street-level access beneath The Napoleon on Kent. The spaces will be offered at auction on Tuesday, October 28.
As our lives have become increasingly digitised, we routinely allow businesses to have our personal information and track our online activity. It now seems almost equally routine to read that the safeguards major corporations place around this data have been breached, whether it is the result of malicious hackers (Optus, Qantas), errors in data handling (Telstra) or employees abusing their access to private information (American Express).

These breaches have the potential to affect millions of Australians. And they are part of a growing trend. Abigail Bradshaw, the director-general of the Australian Signals Directorate, said recently that the agency had responded to 1200 cybersecurity incidents in the latest financial year  up 11 per cent  and notified critical infrastructure entities about potential malicious activity affecting their networks 190 times, more than double the figure for the previous year.

More could be done to protect Australians from data breaches. Credit: Bloomberg

But the sanctions companies face for failing to protect data suggest that the threat is one were prepared to live with, an accepted price of doing business online.

This month, in a first for this country, the pathology services provider Australian Clinical Labs was ordered by the Federal Court to pay $5.8 million in penalties over a data breach that exposed the personal information of 223,000 people. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) hailed the decision as an important turning point in the enforcement of privacy law  in line with the expectations of the public and the powers given to the OAIC by parliament.
Federal authorities have swooped on a Sydney man, alleging he imported a vile sex doll and generated horrific abuse material using artificial intelligence.

Meanwhile, in an unrelated case, NSW Police have arrested one of their own, alleging a senior constable was disseminating child abuse material.

In August, the Australian Border Force investigated a shipment coming into Sydney from Asia.

A Lalor Park man, identified in court documents as Neil Gardoll, 59, was charged by ABF and AFP after a child sex doll was found in a shipment in Sydney. Credit: ABF/AFP

Inside was a sex doll in the likeness of a child. The doll was seized and investigations began.
Hard left The old adage of when socialist governments run out of money, they come after yours, has never been more true than under our current Victorian government ( State plan to hike fine fees , 17/10). Two consecutive hard left regimes (and I use the word advisedly), are more interested in befriending China than trying to get our once thriving state back on track. Robyn Williams, Sale

A fine mess You can understand why the Victorian government would want to increase late fees for fines, to bring in an extra $40 million a year. To keep solvent it needs all the revenue it can get ( State plan to hike fine fees a tone-deaf cash grab , 17/10). Mind you, $40 million is less than two days worth of interest payments on the states debt. The interest currently runs at about $25 million a day and the net debt is estimated to reach approximately $194 billion by 2028-29. Lawrie Bradly, Surry Hills

Private schools get real I have little sympathy for private schools complaining about payroll tax when you consider the money many have spent, or plan to spend, on grandiose pools, learning centres and playing fields. Having to redirect some of their funds to payroll tax might be a dent in their plans but its quite fair to have to pay what government schools have always had to. Its a bit rich to hear their bleating about the injustice when government schools make do with what they have, and its about time taxpayer subsidies for these building programs came to an end. The problem, in my view, is that private schools are addicted to building ever grander facilities in order to outcompete the competition. But thats a First World problem in their already privileged world. They need to adjust to reality and move on. Michael Cormick, Carnegie

Providers cut corners We must improve the quality of food in aged care. The only way is to get rid of the private for-profit operators. It has been shown in child and aged care that if they can improve the bottom line by cutting corners, they will. Barry Lizmore, Ocean Grove

Out of touch

Tone Deaf Cash Grab 17/10 described how vulnerable people are being burdened by fines and penalties on overdue payments. A government spokesperson was quoted: There are multiple opportunities for people to ask for a review of their fine in addition to being able to take it to court.

You have to wonder what world the spokesperson lives in to believe that a vulnerable person has the time, resources or emotional strength to go to the courts on the matter. This response is just an example of an out-of-touch, unresponsive bureaucrat, totally ignorant of how real people live.

David Fry, Moonee Ponds

Empires fall

There are surprisingly few examples of political courage left in the US, so I applaud the Pentagon press corps for standing up to censorious, anti-democratic and disturbing attempts by War Secretary Pete Hegseth to restrict press freedom (Pentagon press corps walks out over new rules, 17/10). Their actions should have led to mass demonstrations across America, condemning the US administration for its continuing moves away from democracy. Alas, hardly even a whimper.

The Pentagon press corps walkout reminds me of another walkout, 108 years ago, almost to the day on October 27, 1917: Lenin announced to the Congress of Soviets that the Bolshevik-led Soviet had seized power. Delegates from two political parties, the SRs and the Mensheviks, walked out, protesting that it had been a Bolshevik coup. Trotsky jeered after them that they had been consigned to the dustbin of history and Lenin proceeded to build his socialist society. That utopia lasted 73 years.

In years to come, we might look back on this moment and reflect that this was the moment when press freedom ceased in the US.

Pam Cupper, Dimboola

Cafe etiquette

Im sure many readers like me enjoy reading The Age in their local cafe and have a ritual of coffee and newspaper time. It was astonished when I was recently asked by an audacious and brazen manager to get up and get the paper myself while seated as I politely asked a waitress if she could hand me the paper on an opposite table as not to inconvenience my fellow patrons.

Is there a special cafe etiquette Im not familiar with that collecting a newspaper is not part of a waitresss job description? I was left speechless and flabbergasted, especially for their elderly customers who may have difficulty in accessing newspapers now.

Panagiota Frangopoulos, Malvern

Minding manners

Christopher Bantick (Transports of Delight? 17/10) is right to highlight the behaviour of phone users speaking loudly on their mobile phones on public transport. An acquaintance of mine, with more chutzpah than me, when confronted with such noise merchants, would walk up to the phone user and request, Ask your caller to speak up more so that we can all hear clearly. It generally invoked the desired silence.

Brian Kidd, Mt Waverley

Life is short

Christopher Bantick must have got out of bed on the wrong side when he wrote yesterdays article (17/10) about the misery of taking public transport.

I certainly dont appreciate loud conversations and fare evaders but as an older person with a walker, I generally find people help me getting on and off the tram and I usually get a reserved seat. If the seat is not offered Im not afraid to ask for it but this rarely happens.

Regarding bags on seats one only needs to politely ask for their removal, same goes for feet on seats as well. Yes, Im an assertive old woman but life is short so why be intimidated by those whove forgotten their manners?

Megan Peniston-Bird, Kew
Who could fail to be moved? The handful of corporations that profit from the trade, each of which has a market capitalisation of a trillion US dollars or more, of course. Loading Communications Minister Anika Wells is exasperated with their inertia. In a series of meetings in Canberra this week with each of the big platforms separately, her frustration was on display. The harms being experienced by Australian teenagers online are manifest and evidence-based, and youve had 10 years and done nothing, Wells relates to me by way of illustration. You have had 12 months notice and now we are two months out. And theyre pleading for exemptions and offering half-measures. The accounts of under-16s in Australia are to be deactivated by December 10. It will be a seismic event for most Australian teenagers under the age limit. But the half-measures on offer this week have only hardened Wells determination. The news, as reported by the Australian Financial Reviews Sam Buckingham-Jones: Two of the worlds biggest tech companies, Meta and Google, have announced new safety features for teenagers on Instagram and YouTube, less than two months before Australias world-first social media ban for people under 16 comes into effect. These companies intend to apply the changes worldwide.

Wells says that of course, we appreciate the improvements theyve made this week but to me, it demonstrates that they were entirely capable of making their platforms safer all along; theyre only doing this now because theyre facing our ban. Their changes dont meet our policy imperative. I am absolutely unyielding on this. The changes announced by Meta and Google vindicate the governments insistence, and the eSafety Commissions findings, that the age restriction is technologically feasible. This is an important win for Australias case. The only thing lacking is corporate will. The Australian solution will change the incentives for them by applying $50 million fines for systemic failures. To ignore the looming mountain of evidence at this point would be a failure at least as monumental as the Catholic Churchs wilful refusal to confront its crisis of child sexual abuse. The church was guilty of covering up repugnant crimes, said Pope Francis, as were other churches. On Friday, a Vatican commission released a report finding that the church was failing still to support and recompense victims. One of the earlier witnesses for the prosecution of social media companies was Frances Haugen, the Facebook employee who exposed thousands of pages of the companys secret, internal super tragic research, as she called it.

Among many damning disclosures was that Instagram harms teenage girls and just kept doing it, as Haugen said. One internal study found that 13.5 per cent of teen girls said that Instagram made their suicidal thoughts worse, and 17 per cent said it aggravated their eating disorders. Loading They get more and more depressed, said Haugen. And it actually makes them use the app more. And so, they end up in this feedback cycle where they hate their bodies more and more. And the book The Anxious Generation by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt last year laid out irrefutably the accelerated mental health epidemic created by the corporations. He listed the four major harms of a phone-based childhood as social isolation, sleep deprivation, fragmented attention and addiction. Wells says the ban, and responses to it, will be fast-moving and wont be perfect, but that it will create cultural change  instead of everyones on TikTok so you must be on TikTok, itll be everyones off TikTok and finding new ways to interact with each other, as people did for generations. Its like the seatbelt law, the ban on under-18s drinking alcohol, its where cultural change comes from.

A brace of European nations, and a swag of US states, are following with a range of experiments and efforts to achieve something similar. Its been a long time since Australia pioneered such profoundly important social policy. Together with New Zealand, Australia had an early history of leading the world on democratic innovation. As we should. Few Australians realise that we were the first country in history to vote itself into existence. That happened when the people voted in state-based referendums to endorse the proposal to join together to create the federation we formed in 1901. Among early path-breaking reforms were the enfranchisement of women. New Zealand was first to allow women the vote, in 1893, and South Australia followed the year after. At the same time, SA became the first jurisdiction to allow women to stand for parliament. The secret ballot was known worldwide as the Australian ballot when Victoria and SA became the first to implement the concept in 1856. These decades were the Australian spring. More recently, the Hawke government invented a clever scheme to make sure that no one was denied entry to university because of a lack of money. It was HECS, now HELP. The Gillard government, with the support of the Abbott opposition, introduced the NDIS.

But while these were both world-leading in the specifics of their design, they were iterations of much older ideas for the subsidisation of students and support of the disabled. The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant: The harms AI could unleash may be irreversible and much more catastrophic. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen On the other hand, decisive regulation of social media is revolutionary, not evolutionary. Its qualitatively more akin to the enfranchisement of women; this is the enfranchisement of childhood. The social media corporations havent given up. Theyve been busy lobbying the Trump administration to confront Albanese to scrap the age ban. Trump has said in the past that hell be very tough on any country that tries to restrict the freedom of US platforms. If the president chooses to challenge the Australian prime minister on this policy in their White House meeting next week, Albanese will not take a backward step. But Trump would be making him a national hero.
RESTON, Va., Oct. 16, 2025 -- Electrify America has been awarded the Reuters Events 2025 Automotive D.R.I.V.E Honours for Innovation . This recognition celebrates companies driving innovation within the global automotive industry through advances in technology, R&D, manufacturing, supply chain, or partnerships.

Electrify America received the award for its battery energy storage system (BESS) deployment, a solution that helps enable Hyper-Fast electric vehicle (EV) charging in areas with limited grid capacity. By storing energy during low usage periods and discharging it during high demand, BESS can help bring Hyper-Fast EV charging to locations where traditional infrastructure alone cannot meet demand.

To date, Electrify America has more than 170 BESS deployments coupled with charging stations, totaling over 65,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy storage deployed. This innovation helps reduce strain on the electrical grid, shorten station deployment timelines, and increase charging accessibility for EV drivers.

"The addition of BESS across our network is a game changer for the EV industry," said Rob Barrosa, president and CEO of Electrify America. "They're enabling us to deliver Hyper-Fast charging in locations where existing grid infrastructure alone may not have allowed the addition of EV charging."

In California, Electrify America's BESS deployments collectively operate as the largest virtual power plant of their kind, integrating renewable energy and supporting the stability of the state's electrical grid. This includes Electrify America's first megawatt (MW)-level BESS in Baker, California , which integrates 1.5 MW of energy storage, solar support, and advanced controls technology to power up to 12 Hyper-Fast chargers where utility capacity and grid limitations would have otherwise made it impossible.

About Electrify America

Electrify America LLC, the largest open Hyper-Fast charging network in the U.S., is investing more than $2 billion in Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure and access. The investment enables millions of Americans to charge with confidence and discover the benefits of electric driving on our coasttocoast network of highway and community chargers.

Electrify America's Hyper-Fast network currently operates in 47 states and the District of Columbia, supporting increasing ZEV adoption with a network that is convenient, technologically advanced and built for customers.

Electrify Commercial provides expert solutions for businesses looking to develop electric vehicle charging programs.
Gathering debuts Noble Land Stewardship Award and connects conservation leaders and partners committed to restoring soil health through regenerative land management

ARDMORE, Okla., Oct. 16, 2025 -- Noble Research Institute (Noble), a trusted educational resource for farmers and ranchers since 1945, has announced Roots & Revelry, an annual farm-to-table gathering designed to honor the progress and efforts of producers who are transforming U.S. agriculture through sustainable land stewardship. The inaugural event will also feature the presentation of the first Noble Land Stewardship Award.

The sold-out event will take place on Wednesday, October 22, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Noble Research Institute Retreat Center in Ardmore, OK. For more information, visit www.noble.org/roots-and-revelry/.

Roots & Revelry reflects the vision that guided Lloyd Noble in establishing the organization in 1945, following the Dust Bowl  that healthy soil is the foundation of a healthy nation. An oil entrepreneur with a conservationist's heart, Noble was determined to restore what had been lost to drought and erosion in the 1930s. When he founded the institute on September 19, 1945, his goal was to help farmers and ranchers steward their land, protect their soil and ensure economic viability. As Noble Research Institute marks its 80th anniversary this year, that vision continues through its focus on regenerative principles that treat the land as a living system that gives back when properly cared for.

The Noble Land Stewardship Award is a national award recognizing farmers, ranchers and landowners who are leading the way in regenerative land management. By encouraging these leaders to share their experiences, the award aims to influence conversations around sustainable land use and inspire others in the agricultural community.

Recipients of the Noble Land Stewardship Award receive a bronze sculpture entitled "Keeper of the Land," recognizing the power of the grazing animal to restore and build the land, as well as a cash prize. The sculpture was created by Oklahoma artist John David Rule, a sculptor and master saddle maker who grew up on a ranch as the son of a cattle buyer. Rule's love of nature, and use of people, horses, cows and birds of prey are part of his genuine approach to art.

The event brings together partners, producers and supporters to celebrate progress and highlight results in regenerative land management.

"This gathering represents something fundamental to our mission  bringing people together who care deeply about the land and understand that its health is tied to our own future," said Steve Rhines, president and CEO of Noble Research Institute. "We're honoring the vision Lloyd Noble had 80 years ago while celebrating the ranchers and producers who put regenerative principles into practice every single day on their operations."

As the nation's largest nonprofit dedicated to improving soil health and profitability on grazing lands, Noble Research Institute provides education, applied research and producer-focused solutions that advance regenerative farming and ranching across the country.

p>Noble Research Institute is the nation's largest nonprofit dedicated to farm and ranch management and has been a leading, trusted resource in agriculture since 1945. The organization serves agricultural producers with education, research and consultation on regenerating soil health to improve their land, livestock and livelihood. Demonstrating its ongoing commitment to restoring U.S. grazing lands, Noble actively manages 13,500 acres of working ranchlands to provide real-world insights and applications for farmers and ranchers.

SOURCE Noble Research Institute LLC
Too Bright Headlights Aren't to Blame for more Accidents

Arlington VA October 16, 2025 The IIHS reported that complaints that todays headlights are more likely to blind oncoming drivers have gotten louder in recent years. But glare is implicated in just a tiny fraction of nighttime crashes, and that percentage has hardly changed over the past decade, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows.

Although it can certainly be uncomfortable, headlight glare contributes to far fewer crashes than insufficient visibility, IIHS President David Harkey said. But that doesnt mean reducing glare isnt an important goal  one that weve long focused on at IIHS in addition to improving illumination.

From 2015 to 2023, headlight glare was cited as a factor in only one or two out of every thousand nighttime crashes across 11 U.S. states, the new study shows. And while the amount of light given off by headlights increased over this period  slashing crashes caused by poor visibility  there was essentially no change in how often glare was mentioned in crash reports.

Headlight design shift

While federal headlight standards for minimum and maximum brightness have not changed since 1997, the headlight rating program IIHS began in 2016 has helped to drive a shift in headlight design in the U.S. fleet.

The Institutes ratings are technology-agnostic. But, in general, the program has led manufacturers to use LED headlamps on more models. The story is more complicated than that, though, because the IIHS ratings penalize headlights whose low beams produce excessive glare that can temporarily blind oncoming drivers. By factoring in both visibility and glare, IIHS ratings have led automakers to pay attention to headlight aim.

Manufacturers have adapted. When the Institute released its first headlight ratings in 2016, only one out of more than 80 headlight systems evaluated received a good rating, compared with about 51% of the headlights IIHS tested on model year 2025 vehicles. There have been similar increases in acceptable ratings. Only about 16% of the headlights tested today are rated marginal or poor, compared with 82% in 2016.

Those changes have resulted in a dramatic reduction in crashes that occur due to poor visibility. A previous IIHS study of police-reported crashes showed that vehicles with good ratings for visibility in the IIHS headlight test are involved in 19% fewer nighttime single-vehicle crashes and 23% fewer nighttime pedestrian crashes than vehicles with poor-rated headlights.

The effects of different levels of glare are harder to isolate. Most glare-related crashes are cases in which the driver affected by the glare runs off the road. The glare-producing vehicle isnt involved in the crash and thus cant be identified. Theres no way to know how its headlights perform in IIHS tests or whether the driver neglected to switch from the high beams to low beams.

For this reason, the new study approaches the issue differently, looking at how often glare is cited as a factor in crashes and how that has changed as headlight ratings have improved.

Tracking glare in crash reports

IIHS Principal Research Engineer Matthew Brumbelow examined data from 11 states in which police can list glare as a contributing factor in crash reports. Because only two of those states distinguish between glare caused by the sun and glare caused by the headlights of an oncoming vehicle, he looked specifically at crashes with glare that occurred at night.

Out of around 24 million total crashes, fewer than 150,000 had glare coded as a contributing factor, and a far smaller fraction were both coded for glare and occurred at night. With a few exceptions, these nighttime glare crashes accounted for only one or two out of a thousand crashes per year in all 11 states.

Moreover, while this glare rate ticked up and down a little, it remained relatively constant over the study period and certainly did not show a steady increase coinciding with the improvement in IIHS headlight ratings. In fact, the glare rate was highest in 2015 and lowest in 2020.

Relative to crashes without reported glare, crashes with glare were more often single-vehicle crashes, occurred more frequently when it was raining or the road surface was wet, and happened more often on local, undivided, two-lane roads with relatively low speed limits. In addition, drivers in crashes with reported glare tended to be older in age and driving older vehicles.

Drivers older than 70 seem to be most affected by headlight glare, while those between 55 and 60 dont appear to have an increased crash risk, Brumbelow said. Its also possible that the better visibility that newer vehicles provide for their own drivers provides some defense against glare from oncoming headlights, in the way that other peoples headlights dont seem as bright during the day.

Opportunities for improvement

Along with improving the visibility provided by headlights, automakers have made progress in reducing the amount of glare their headlights produce. In IIHS testing, 21% of the headlights available on 2017 models produced excessive glare. For 2025 models, this percentage dropped to just 3%. In the Institutes scoring system, excessive glare makes it impossible to earn a good or acceptable rating.

That doesnt mean manufacturers and safety professionals should not be working to reduce glare further or mitigate its effects, however. Glare can be disconcerting to some drivers, even at levels that dont exceed the IIHS tolerances. Moreover, people with age-related macular degeneration and other health conditions can be especially sensitive to bright lights.

One way to address that problem is to focus on preventing the crash types associated with glare. Reducing lane departures  with improved lane markings and in-vehicle lane departure warning and prevention features, for example  could cut the already small number of glare-related crashes by more than half.

High-beam assist, which automatically switches from high beams to low beams when there are vehicles ahead, could mitigate the problem of drivers neglecting to do so manually. The IIHS rating program awards bonus points for this feature.

Adaptive driving beam headlights are another promising development. These systems adjust the headlight beam pattern to dim only the portions directed at other vehicles while maintaining full high-beam illumination otherwise.

Unfortunately, regulatory hurdles have delayed their adoption in the U.S., and no vehicles in the U.S. market were equipped with adaptive driving beam headlights as of the end of 2024. Although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began allowing such systems in 2022, arcane differences between the U.S. standards and those applied in Europe  where adaptive driving beams have been common for more than a decade  continue to slow the rollout of the technology here.

Wed like to see these obstacles to adaptive driving beams removed, but the IIHS headlight rating program is already driving advancements that are making nighttime driving safer, both by improving visibility and by reducing glare, Harkey said.
The city's new program introduces cutting-edge business incentives and outlines its vision for a downtown corridor as it works to bolster economic growth in partnership with Los Angeles County's "BIG 4" cities.

SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif., Oct. 17, 2025 -- Yesterday, the City of Santa Fe Springs hosted a high-profile luncheon at the Historic Clarke Estate to announce its newly developed Business Growth and Attraction Program. The event brought together city officials, state leaders, real estate experts, and corporate executives who highlighted how Santa Fe Springs is positioning itself to lead California's next chapter of business and industrial innovation. Photos from the luncheon can be accessed here and fact sheets on the announcement can be accessed here .

Santa Fe Springs' Mayor William K. Rounds and City Manager Rene Bobadilla kicked off the event by underscoring the city's unique and competitive business advantages that have allowed it to become an economic powerhouse, home to more than 54.7 million total square feet dedicated to industrial and commercial space. Mayor Rounds then introduced the city's comprehensive package of new business incentives aimed at further expanding economic growth, as well as the city's plans for a vibrant new downtown district that will bring new mixed-use housing, retail, office, hospitality, and public spaces to the community. The city's suite of nearly two dozen business incentives includes:

Low-interest loans for scaled capital expenditure, buildouts, etc.

Sales tax rebates

Lease rent subsidies

Corporate relocation subsidies

Fast-tracked plan review (25-50% time reduction)

Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) financing

Santa Fe Springs will advance its business growth plans while working in close coordination with the newly announced "BIG 4" partnership. This coalition comprised the City of Commerce, City of Industry, City of Santa Fe Springs, and City of Vernon. The BIG 4 partnership, formalized through a Council-adopted Memorandum of Understanding, establishes a unified voice to advocate for the shared interests and needs of these cities, which serve as economic engines of Southern California. Combined, the BIG 4 cities represent only 0.69% of Los Angeles County's footprint, yet they contain over 24% of its total industrial square footage  a concentration unmatched anywhere else in Southern California.

"With our new business incentives and downtown plan in motion, developers in both the commercial and residential sectors will find fresh opportunities in our city," said Santa Fe Springs Mayor William K. Rounds. "Together with our BIG 4 partners, City of Commerce, City of Industry, and City of Vernon, we're moving collaboratively to shape the future of economic development in Los Angeles County for generations to come. Our shared vision is to make Santa Fe Springs a vibrant live-work-play environment, a city defined not only by its industrial strength, but also as a premier destination and community hub within the region."

"Santa Fe Springs is already the densest industrial hub in Los Angeles County, yet there are still promising areas for growth," said Santa Fe Springs City Manager Rene Bobadilla. "Working in concert with the other BIG 4 cities, we're leveraging our collective strength to attract new industries, create jobs, and maintain California's competitive edge. Our new business incentives unlock opportunities by streamlining regulatory processes and offering innovative public-private financing options. These tools will allow the BIG 4 to compete directly with states like Texas, Arizona, and Tennessee while shaping a stronger, more resilient economic future for Southern California."

The luncheon also featured a virtual keynote address by Linda Sanchez, U.S. representative for California's 38th congressional district, who emphasized the importance of Santa Fe Springs' local leadership in strengthening California's business climate.

"I want to thank Santa Fe Springs for bringing together leaders to talk about our shared future. California's strength has always come from its innovation, its diversity and its communities working together," said Congresswoman Sanchez. "When cities, businesses and local partners collaborate,we create opportunities  including better jobs, thriving industries and stronger neighborhoods. Across our region, we are seeing growth in areas like clean energy, technology and advanced manufacturing. With strong local leadership, like what we see in Santa Fe Springs, we can make sure that the growth benefits everyone."

A panel of industry leaders, including executives from Amazon, Primestor Development, and The Orden Company, discussed the challenges and opportunities shaping California's business landscape, commending Santa Fe Springs for its proactive approach to business growth and incentives. The conversation was moderated by Dr. Wesley Yin, former Chief Economist for the White House Office of Management and Budget and Professor of Public Policy and Management at UCLA.

"There are many competing narratives when it comes to our regional economic growth, which is why I'm excited to hear from all the leaders gathered today, " said Dr. Wesley Lin, moderator of the panel, "Despite the challenges we face, from the cost of living to policy hurdles, California remains a national leader in innovation, job creation, and overall economic output."

"Many businesses operate here because of the state's size, scale, and incredible talent base, but that doesn't mean they have to stay," said Ron Frierson, Director of Economic Development for Amazon Western U.S. "Maybe the impact isn't always immediate to the bottom line, but when we see leaders actively incentivizing business and growth, it's a step in the right direction. What we need now is strong leadership that can articulate a clear, holistic vision for where we want to be and work backwards from there."

"California is obviously a wonderful state, and we can certainly highlight all the positives and incentives it offers. Job creation is critical, but job retention is just as important, said Stephane Wandel, Executive Director, Acquisitions & Development The Roden Company, "Retention, however, has become increasingly difficult as the cost of everything continues to rise in California. If you're a business owner looking to move into a city, you need space  and that's becoming harder to find and afford."

"The cost of operating  the cost of a small business, not just in California but in America  is unbearably high," said Leandro Tyberg, President & Co-Founder of Primestor Development. "We are not focusing on the things we need to help the middle-class family go forward. We need to have discussions about incentives and streamlining regulations to make it bearable. This focus on streamlining, research and development, and on communities is exactly where Primestor needs to be focused on."

The luncheon concluded with remarks from Senator Bob Archuleta, who represents California Senate District 32, about the BIG 4's vital role in driving California's economic future.

"The BIG 4  we are the heartbeat of Southern California and the pendulum is swinging. We are listening to small businesses and making it easier for them," said Senator Archuleta.
BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- It has been more than five months since the Shenzhou-20 crew entered China's space station. The three astronauts have carried out various tasks in this period, including space science experiments, in-orbit emergency rescue training, and inspection and maintenance of the station's equipment.

Ranging from the construction of the space station to the first-ever sampling of soil from the far side of the moon by the Chang'e-6 mission and the exploration of Mars by the Tianwen-1 mission, China has achieved notable breakthroughs in space exploration during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) -- making important contributions to humanity's exploration of space and sci-tech frontiers.

SPACE STATION CONSTRUCTION

China's space station was completed during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, becoming one of two space stations currently in orbit. In April 2021, the first module of the space station, the Tianhe core module, was launched into orbit. The two science lab modules, Wentian and Mengtian, were launched in July and October 2022, respectively, and successfully docked with the Tianhe core module.

In less than two years, China completed the assembly and construction of the space station, which is based on a configuration of the Tianhe core module and the Wentian and Mengtian lab modules.

Up to now, a total of nine astronaut crews, from the Shenzhou-12 to the Shenzhou-20 mission, have entered the space station and conducted about 20 extravehicular activities -- including assembly and maintenance of space station equipment, and installation of space debris protection devices.

The space station also serves as a national-level space laboratory, where astronauts have conducted space science experiments and tests. By the end of 2024, some 181 science and application projects had been implemented in the space station, with nearly 2 tonnes of scientific materials sent up, almost 100 types of experimental samples brought back, and over 300 TB of scientific data obtained.

These experiments and tests have delivered breakthroughs such as the acquisition of new germplasm resources for rice and ratoon rice developed in space, and the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in space. They have significantly advanced global research in space life and human studies, microgravity physical science, space astronomy and Earth science, and space technology and applications.

In February 2025, China and Pakistan signed an agreement to cooperate on the selection and training of Pakistani astronauts for participation in China's space station mission. With the space station now open to such foreign astronauts, China is showing a clear commitment to developing countries keen to engage in international crewed space cooperation.

MOON FAR SIDE SAMPLING

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's space exploration quest also reached the far side of the moon. On June 25, 2024, after a 53-day space journey, Chang'e-6 brought back the first-ever samples collected from the far side of the moon. The Chang'e-6 mission team was therefore awarded the World Space Award in the team category by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).

This mission serves as a model for space engineering endeavors. The Queqiao-2 relay satellite was launched on March 20, 2024, to provide relay communication support for activities on the far side of the moon. The Chang'e-6 probe, launched on May 3, 2024, entered lunar orbit after performing near-moon braking. The lander-ascender combination landed at the designated landing area in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon on June 2.

After that, the combination completed sampling, and the ascender took off on June 4, carrying the samples and transferring them to the Chang'e-6 returner on June 6. The returner landed precisely in the designated area in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on June 25, bringing back 1,935.3 grams of lunar samples.

Since then, Chinese scientists have conducted extensive research on these samples, making discoveries in areas such as magmatic activity on the far side of the moon, the ancient lunar magnetic field, water content in the lunar mantle, and the evolutionary characteristics of the lunar mantle.

The Chang'e-6 mission also featured four international payloads for lunar exploration and research. The lander carried the France-made radon isotopes detector, the European Space Agency's lunar surface negative ion analyzer, and the Italian laser retro-reflector, while the orbiter carried a small satellite from Pakistan.

DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China also achieved significant breakthroughs in deep space exploration. The Tianwen-1 Mars probe was launched on July 23, 2020. After a 202-day, 475-million-km journey in deep space, the probe rendezvoused with Mars on Feb. 10, 2021. Following a three-month survey of the landing area, the probe landed on Mars on May 15, 2021. On May 22, the Tianwen-1 rover drove onto the Martian surface and began its exploration.

The original data obtained by the 13 scientific payloads onboard the rover and the Tianwen-1 orbiter have been made available to scientists worldwide. For example, observational data from the rover helped scientists discover important evidence of an ancient ocean in the mid-low latitude region of Mars and revealed that the red planet once experienced a long period featuring a warm and humid climate.

During the Tianwen-1 mission, the China National Space Administration actively promoted cooperation with space agencies and global scientific communities, such as sharing orbital data from the Tianwen-1 orbiter with NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) in collision warning cooperation.

The Tianwen-1 rover also conducted data relay communication tests, solar occultation observations and solar wind research with the ESA's Mars Express orbiter.

The Tianwen-1 mission team, notably, was awarded the World Space Award by the IAF in 2022.

On May 29, 2025, Tianwen-2 was successfully launched -- marking the beginning of China's first asteroid exploration and sample return mission. The mission, with a design cycle of roughly 10 years, aims to explore and sample the asteroid 2016HO3 and return the samples to Earth, followed by exploration of the main-belt comet 311P.

This mission will help humanity understand the early solar system's material composition, formation processes and evolutionary history, as well as the material composition, structure and evolutionary mechanisms of small celestial bodies, thereby offering significant scientific value.

In the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), China will continue its efforts in the field of space exploration. The Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8 missions are scheduled for 2026 and 2028, respectively, while the Tianwen-3 mission is planned for launch around 2028 -- aiming to return Mars samples to Earth. 
NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2025 -- The Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) has named Toyota Motor North America and Burrell Communications Group the Grand Winner of the 2025 ARF David Ogilvy Awards for their campaign "You Can't Stop My Drive." The prestigious award recognizes a single campaign that best demonstrates how insights and research can elevate creative work and deliver measurable brand impact.

The announcement was made during a gala dinner at Tribeca Rooftop, concluding a full day of thought leadership at ARF's Creative Effectiveness conference. Top marketers, agency leaders and researchers from across industries gathered to celebrate this year's winners and explore new strategies for building brands in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

Honoring Insight-Driven Advertising

The ARF David Ogilvy Awards, now in its 31st year, remain the industry's leading recognition for campaigns built on the power of insights. Named for advertising legend David Ogilvy, the program celebrates work that turns deep consumer understanding into transformative creative work.

Finalists competed across multiple categories representing diverse industries  from automotive and technology to healthcare, financial services and consumer goods. This year's Category Jury, composed of top researchers, marketers and creatives, determined the distinctions in each category.

Highlights include:

Corona Cero / ABInBev  "For Every Golden Moment" (Ipsos)





 "For Every Golden Moment" (Ipsos) Jaguar Land Rover / Defender  "The Performance Paradox" (Omnicom MediaGroup)





 "The Performance Paradox" (Omnicom MediaGroup) Dove Hair / Unilever  "#MyHairAmimodo" (Instapanel)





 "#MyHairAmimodo" (Instapanel) Southwest Airlines  "That's a Big Flex" (GSD&M)





 "That's a Big Flex" (GSD&M) Hellmann's / Unilever  "When Sally Met Hellmann's" (VML)





 "When Sally Met Hellmann's" (VML) Verizon  "We Get It. Life Happens." (Ogilvy)





 "We Get It. Life Happens." (Ogilvy) Nana  "Taboo Totes" (Publicis Groupe)





 "Taboo Totes" (Publicis Groupe) Paze  "Paze Brand Campaign Launch" (SPCSHP)



and more from a diverse range of categories and industries.

"This year's winners are a masterclass in how insights and creativity work together to build brands," said Scott McDonald, Ph.D., President & CEO of the ARF. "Toyota's campaign stood out for its cultural intelligence, strategic rigor, and real-world impact."

Read more about the 2025 ARF David Ogilvy Awards winners.

About the ARF

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COLOMBO, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has placed its disaster management and emergency response units on full standby from Oct. 16 to 28, following forecasts of heavy rainfall and possible thunderstorms across Colombo and nearby areas.

The CMC added that emergency measures are in place to provide food, shelter, and aid where needed and that all relevant teams are prepared to respond quickly to any situation.

Extreme weather is a broader, long-term challenge for the city, and the council remains committed to strengthening Colombo's resilience to extreme weather, CMC said.

Residents are urged to stay alert and take necessary precautions.

CMC is the municipal governing body of Colombo, the largest city and financial center in Sri Lanka. 
Arunima Kumar becomes first Kuchipudidancer to be conferred UK Kings honour





 By Aditi Khanna

LONDON

CELEBRATED UK-based artist Arunima Kumar on Thursday became the first Kuchipudi dancer to be conferred King Charles IIIs Honorary BritishEmpireMedal (BEM), for services toIndian classical dance and community. TheHonoraryBEM,a royalhonourawarded for hands-on service to the local community, comes in recognition of Kumars tireless efforts in taking Indian classical dance,particularlyKuchipudi, toglobalplatforms and fostering cross-cultural understanding through the arts.

The renowned cultural leader, influencer and ambassador hasmany firsts to hercredit, including performances at Buckingham Palace and Queen Elizabeth IIs Jubilee celebrationsandDiwali festivitiesat10Downing Street in London. Its an incredible honour to receive the Kingshonour and Im grateful for thisinternational recognition and to all those who believe in my work, said Kumar. For me, this recognition is not just personal but a celebration of Indian classical danceon theworldstage.Kuchipudihasbeen my lifelong companion, a medium of storytelling, healing, and unity, she said. Her institution, Arunima Kumar Dance Company (AKDC), is credited with making Kuchipudi accessible and relevant across the world with over 3,000 performances in more than 50 countries, training hundreds of students across theUK,India andPoland, aged four to 75.

Through AKDC, Ive built an organisation that can transform lives throughIndian dance and transcend barriers, bring joy to communities, and create powerful spaces for dialogue and inclusion, said Kumar. Im grateful to my parents, gurus, my husband andmy youngdaughterAishwarya for enabling me as an artist and to all those who have supported me in building this legacy brick by brick. Many more miles to go but today Im eternally grateful, she added. Having trained under eminent gurus Padma Bhushan Smt Swapnasundari and Padma Shri Guru Jayarama Rao, Kumar has made a mark as one of the most distinguished and passionate exponents of Kuchipudi, determined to represent the dance form with authenticity, grace, and innovation around the world.
Candidates for all 101 seats announced by JD(U); OBCs, EBCs majority





PATNA :

BIHAR Chief Minister Nitish Kumars JD(U) made public the names of candidates for all 101 seats it will be contesting in the Assembly polls, with more than half of them from the backward and extremely backward classes, besides four Muslims. The party released its second and final list of 44 candidates a day after the first one, even as many of the candidates have been filing their nomination papers, upon receiving the ticket, since Tuesday. The party also came out with a caste-wise break-up of the nominees, underscoring the fact that OBCs (37) and EBCs (22), who have been its mainstay, form the bulk of the candidates.

The upper castes (22) also find a sizeable representation, taking their thin population into account, though the share offered to Muslims has triggered speculations whether the JD(U) has now given up on the minority vote, given its long alliance with the BJP and inability to take an independent stance on sensitive issues like the Waqf. Almost all Ministers in the Nitish Kumar Government, who are not members of the legislative council, have been given a second chance to retain their seats. Prominent among them are Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Zama Khan, Sheela Mandal and Leshi Singh, besides Sumit Kumar Singh, who had won from Chakai in 2020 as an Independent candidate, but had later patched up with the CM, an old friend of his late father Narendra Singh, earning a cabinet berth. Turncoat Vibha Devi, who joined the party less than a week ago, will seek to retain Nawada, which she had won five years ago as an RJD candidate, while Chetan Anand, who is the sitting MLA from Sheohar, has been fielded from Nabinagar. Sheohar, where local JD(U) MP Lovely Anand happens to be the mother of the sitting MLA, has been given to Shweta Gupta, a medical practitioner based in Sitamarhi, who was formerly associated with the BJP.

The decision may have been taken in view of the fact that Aurangabad district, of which Nabinagar is a part, is a Rajput stronghold, thereby known as Chittorgarh of Bihar, while Sheohar has a sizeable number of Vaishyas. Alleged betrayers like don-turned-politician Anant Singh, who had quit the JD(U) a decade ago and contested the last couple of elections as an independent and, then, on an RJD ticket, has been given the party ticket again from Mokama. Another turncoat from the RJD is Bulo Mandal, a former MP from Bhagalpur, who had been in political wilderness since losing the seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Former MPs like Dulal Chandra Goswami, Mahabali Singh and Chandraeshwar Chandravanshi, who had failed to retain their parliamentary seats in last years general elections, have also been offered a chance for political rehabilitation in the form of tickets for the Assembly polls. Although Nitish Kumar, the longest serving CM of the state, has been in support of reservation for women in legislatures and Parliament, his party has given tickets to only 13 women, which accounts for less than 15 per cent of the total. Elections to the 243-member Assembly will be held in two phases, on November 6 and November 11.
Chief of Air Staff A P Singh on two-day visit to HQ MC





Staff Reporter :

Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, PVSM, AVSM, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Indian Air Force is on a two-day visit to Headquarters Maintenance Command (HQ MC), Vayusena Nagar, Nagpur, on October 16 and 17. CAS will interact with Air Force personnel of HQ MC and also visit private defence manufacturing industries like Solar Group during his visit. CAS earlier also visited HQ MC to chair the Commanders Conference, where he addressed commanders of various commands of the IAF.
BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Friday urged the Philippines to give up its "unrealistic illusions" and cease its "farces" in the South China Sea.

Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to the recent illegal intrusion of Philippine vessels into waters adjacent to the islands and reefs of China's Nansha Qundao, as well as a Philippine defense official's recent groundless claims about the Philippines' sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and Nansha Qundao.

"The facts are crystal clear, and the Philippines has no grounds to justify or deny its intrusions, provocations and wrongdoings," Zhang said.

The scope of the Philippine territory has been defined by a series of international treaties, and China's Huangyan Dao and Nansha Qundao are not within that scope, he noted.

The Philippines has deliberately distorted historical and legal facts to justify its infringements and provocations, he said.

He pledged that China will continue to take resolute measures to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty, as well as its maritime rights and interests. 
CogniSouls Manodaya 2025 event concludes with fanfare





COGNISOULS Healthcare LLP, in association with LogicMax Enterprises Pvt Ltd, hosted CogniSouls Manodaya 2025 event on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, at Radisson Blu, Nagpur. The event was graced by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari as the chief guest, who addressed the gathering with his visionary insights and inspiring words on the urgent need to prioritise mental health in todays world. Sagar Shipekar, Director LogicMax and Shilpali Bhalerao, Director CogniSouls, shared the dais with the chief guest. The event witnessed the participation of over 250 individuals from diverse sections of society, including educators, students, healthcare professionals, corporate leaders, and mental health advocates. The evening concluded with a grand felicitation ceremony, celebrating collective efforts towards building a more mentally aware, and resilient society. For enquiries, interested may contact CogniSouls Healthcare LLPCentre for Holistic Mental Wellness (M: 9175101529).
Definitive approach must to bring back all fugitives: Shah





NEW DELHI :

UNION Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said a ruthless approach must be adopted towards economic offenders, cyber criminals, those involved in terror activities and all other fugitives to ensure they are brought before the Indian justice system. Addressing a conference on Extradition of Fugitives - Challenges and Strategies, organised by the CBI here, Shah also asked all States to set up at least one prison cell of international standards in their respective state to counter plea of poor standards of jails given by fugitives in foreign courts. He said a zero tolerance approach must be adopted not only against corruption, crime and terrorism, but also against those criminals who are operating from outside India. Efforts must be made to bring all fugitives within the ambit of the law and to establish a definite mechanism for this, he said.

Whether they are economic offenders, cyber criminals, those involved in terrorist activities or part of organised crime networks, a ruthless approach must be adopted against every fugitive to ensure they are brought before the Indian justice system. The time has come for this, he said. The Home Minister asserted that the Narendra Modi Government has undertaken foolproof measures to ensure that no offender escapes the wrath of law. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, a strong India is moving forward to ensure not only security of its borders but also strengthening rule of law, he said. Shah said no matter how swift the tactics of crime and criminals, the reach of justice must be even swifter. Referring to the new criminal laws, which came into effect from July 2024, the home minister said provision has been made for the first time since Independence for trial in absentia. If a person is declared a fugitive, the court can still conduct the trial proceedings in his absence by appointing a lawyer for his defence.

Once he is convicted as a fugitive, this brings about a very significant change in his status under the international laws. We will be able to bring any fugitive, wherever they may be, to face the law in the country, he said. The home minister said after Modi became the Prime Minister, the Government has adopted several mechanism, including enacting a law in 2018 -- The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act -- to empower the Government to confiscate the properties of fugitives.

Within almost four years, we have recovered approximately USD two billion dollars, which is a very significant achievement. We will have to maintain even more momentum in it going forward, he said. Processing time for Interpol Notices dipped from 14 months to three: CBI Director: THE processing time for requests from the countrys law enforcement agencies to Interpol to issue a Red Notice for the detention of a fugitive has drastically decreased, on average, from 14 months to three months now, CBI Director Praveen Sood said on Thursday. In his welcome address at a conference on Extradition of Fugitives: Challenges and Strategies organised by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah, Sood said only eight proposals for issuing Interpol notices are pending with the agencies currently, with the oldest one being a month old. The CBI Director said that, compared to 2024, when 96 Interpol notices were issued -- 52 Red and 44 Blue -- 189 notices were issued in the first nine months of 2025, including 79 Red Notices and 110 Blue Notices. He said the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has also been made more robust and strong and properties worth approximately USD 12 billion have been seized between 2014 and 2023. Shah said since the CBI is the designated agency for extradition, every State should establish an unit, with the help of the agency, to create a mechanism for bringing back fugitives who have fled from the respective State.

He said the CBI has established a special Global Operations Centre to catch fugitives at the international level, which is coordinating in real-time with police forces around the world. As many as 189 Red Notices have been issued between January and September 2025, which are the highest since the establishment of the CBI, he said. This shows that when there is a system in place, very good results are achieved, he said. On Bharatpol, an online portal set up by the CBI for international police cooperation, the home minister said it has achieved very good results since its formation in January 2025. If the State police forces also make maximum use of it, we will be even more successful in achieving our objectives, he said. Processing time for Interpol Notices dipped from 14 months to three: CBI Director: THE processing time for requests from the countrys law enforcement agencies to Interpol to issue a Red Notice for the detention of a fugitive has drastically decreased, on average, from 14 months to three months now, CBI Director Praveen Sood said on Thursday.

In his welcome address at a conference on Extradition of Fugitives: Challenges and Strategies organised by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah, Sood said only eight proposals for issuing Interpol notices are pending with the agencies currently, with the oldest one being a month old. The CBI Director said that, compared to 2024, when 96 Interpol notices were issued -- 52 Red and 44 Blue -- 189 notices were issued in the first nine months of 2025, including 79 Red Notices and 110 Blue Notices.
Diversifying energy procurement India in response to Trumps oil trade claim





MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal

NEW DELHI :

INDIA on Thursday said it is broad-basing and diversifying its sourcing of energy to meet market conditions, hours after US President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him that New Delhi will stop procuring Russian crude oil. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to Trumps remarks, said it has been New Delhis consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. He said Indias import policies are guided entirely by national interest, adding India has been looking at expanding energy ties with the US as well. Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy, he said.

This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions, Jaiswal added. Indias continuing purchase of petroleum products from Russia notwithstanding Western sanctions have become a major issue that resulted in severe downturn in ties between New Delhi and Washington. In Washington, Trump told reporters that he (Modi) has assured me there will be no oil purchases from Russia. The US President said India may not be able to cut the procurement immediately but the process has started. It (process) has started. He cant do it immediately. Its a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over soon, the US President said. In his remarks, Jaiswal noted that India is holding talks with the Trump administration on boosting bilateral energy ties. Where the US is concerned, we have for many years sought to expand our energy procurement. This has steadily progressed in the last decade, he said.

The current administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing, he added. Explaining Indias policy on energy procurement, Jaiswal said it is driven by national interest. India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario, he said. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective, he said. United States (US) President Donald Trump has claimed that his friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured him that India would stop purchasing oil from Russia, a move he described as a big step toward increasing pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Indias continuing purchase of petroleum products from Russia, notwithstanding Western sanctions, has become a major issue that resulted in a severe downturn in ties between New Delhi and Washington. Speaking to reporters at his Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said the US was not happy that India was buying Russian crude, arguing such purchases helped Finance President Vladimir Putins war. It is based on Indias national interest: Russia on its energy ties with New Delhi: RUSSIAN crude oil remains the most cost effective option on the global market and Russias energy ties with India are in tune with New Delhis national interests, Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov said on Thursday.

Russian energy remains the most cost-effective option on the global market, and Russia has consistently honoured its commitments while showing flexibility in developing alternative logistics and payment systems in the face of attempts to disrupt this cooperation, he said. In his address at an event, Alipov also said that Russian crude oil accounts for around one-third of Indias total hydrocarbon imports. The Russian Ambassador also described Russia as Indias most reliable energy partner and said there is scope for enhancing the overall ties, including in areas of defence, trade, connectivity and technology. Alipov said the India-Russia strategic partnership is a stabilising force in global affairs and a powerful driver of economic growth. This kind of relationship is in increasing demand worldwide as we collectively navigate an era of unprecedented geopolitical turbulence, he said. Later, Alipov, while responding to a question on Trumps remarks and if India will continue to procure Russian crude oil, said: this is a question for the Indian Government (to answer). The Indian Government is dealing with the matter having in mind the national interests of this country in the first place, he said. Our cooperation in the energy sector is very much in tune of those interests, he said. In response to the US Presidents comments, India said it is broad-basing and diversifying its sourcing of energy to meet market conditions.

No phone call took place between Modi and Trump: MEA rejects Trumps claim

NEW DELHI,

Oct 16 (IANS)

INDIA on Thursday rejected claims made by the US President Donald Trump of having a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump on Wednesday had claimed that, during a telephonic conversation, PM Modi has assured him that India wont be buying oil from Russia. When asked whether there was a conversation between PM Modi and the US President, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded during a weekly media briefing: Regarding the comment from the US on energy issue, we have already issued a statement, which you can refer to. As for the telephonic conversation, I can say that there has been no discussion between the Prime Minister and President Trump. During a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, Trump described PM Modi as a great man and India as an incredible country, adding that he is open to meeting the Prime Minister on the sidelines of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. When asked about a potential meeting with the Prime Minister in Malaysia during a press conference at the White House, Trump said, Yeah, sure, hes a friend of mine. We have a great relationship. Hes a great man. He loves TrumpI have watched India for years. Its an incredible country, and every single year youd have a new leader. I mean, some would be in there for a few months, and this was year after year after year. And my friend has been there now for a long time, he added. He even mentioned that PM Modi had assured that India wont be buying oil from Russia. He said, He assured me today that they will not be buying oil from RussiaYou cant do it immediately. Its a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon, and all we want from President Putinis to stop this. He added that if India doesnt buy Russian oil, it makes it much easier to end the conflict. Within a short period of time, they will not be buying oil from Russia, and theyll go back to Russia after the wars over, he emphasised.
Divine and magnificent Ram Raja Lok coming up in Orchha: CM





Staff Reporter :

Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav said that Lord Shri Ram became Maryada Purushottam because of his virtues and divine conduct. Dr Yadav stated that people of Orchha are fortunate, as Lord Shri Ram himself chose Orchha for his Darbar. Residents of Orchha are blessed with the daily darshan of Lord Ram Raja. Dr Yadav addressed bhoomipujan and inauguration ceremony of second phase of Shri Ram Raja Lok and other development projects in Orchha, Niwari district. He performed bhoomipujan for second phase of Shri Ram Raja Lok with Vedic rituals. Prior to the event, CM Dr Yadav visited the main temple and offered prayers at Shri Ram Raja Darbar. He also reviewed ongoing construction works of first phase on-site.

The Chief Minister said that alongside Orchha, development works worth approximately Rs 2,200 crore are also underway in Chitrakoot. He announced that Shri Ram Van Gaman Path and sites related to Lord Krishnas divine pastimes will be developed as pilgrimage destinations, with funds already sanctioned for these projects. During the event, Dr Yadav presented a Letter of Award to an NGO following an agreement with the Madhya Pradesh Electronics Development Corporation. NIWARI TO GET NAGAR PALIKA PARISHAD STATUS: CM Dr Yadav announced that Niwari city would soon be considered for Nagar Palika Parishad status. He further stated that Orchha would be linked to religious tourism facilities, as well as air ambulance and helicopter services, with an airstrip to be constructed for this purpose. He announced a new hospital by upgrading Neendua Primary Health Centre and shared that roads would be built to meet local needs.

DEVELOPMENT WORKS WORTH RS 332 CRORE: Highlighting the ancient bond between Ayodhya and Orchha, CM Dr Yadav recounted that Queen Ganesh Kuwari, consort of Bundela ruler Madhukar Shah and a devout follower of Lord Shri Ram, brought him from Ayodhya to Orchha in the 16th century. He noted that nowhere else is Lord Shri Ram worshipped in distinctive manner observed in Orchha, where it is believed Lord Ram spends his day in Orchha and returns to Ayodhya only to rest at night. The Chief Minister inaugurated and performed bhoomipujan for more than 21 projects worth over Rs 332.85 crore across Niwari district, including a new Sandipani School and a new Government college. Thanks to blessings of Lord Shri Ram, a magnificent Shri Ram Raja Lok is being constructed in Orchha. Projects worth Rs 130 crore under the first phase were dedicated and launched, while the bhoomipujan was performed for second-phase works valued at around Rs 125 crore. Additionally, historic monuments in the area will be preserved and archaeological complexes will be developed.

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN TOURISTS: CM Dr Yadav inaugurated 103 new shops and plazas constructed at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore under the first phase of Shri Ram Raja Lok, further enhancing amenities for tourists visiting Orchha. He said that seven development projects, spanning both phases of Shri Ram Raja Lok and other initiatives, are underway in Orchha at a total cost of over Rs 239 crore. Dr Yadav shared that Niwari is second district in the State where every house receives piped water and where an integrated steel plant will be established. Niwari will also gain significant benefits from Ken-Betwa project, boosting development in the region. The establishment of Shri Ram Raja Lok would support a religious and tourism-based economy, creating new employment opportunities. Notably, homestays run by women in Ladpura Khas and Radhapura villages have ranked first and second in the State, with a dozen new homestays to be introduced in Chandpura and Jamuniya Khas this year. Niwari is also progressing industrially, with establishment of an integrated steel plant on approximately 300 hectares in Prithvipur by Pacific Industry Metal Limited, representing an investment of Rs 3,200 crore and promising jobs for local youth. ORCHHAS GROWING NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION: CM Dr Yadav said that Orchha is set to become an internationally renowned tourist destination. The Union Ministry of Tourism is supporting infrastructure projects under Swadesh Darshan 2.0, including a Tourist Experience Center, Hunarshala, entry plaza, and travel pathways.

Orchha has been selected under UNESCOs Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) initiative and the Government of India has recommended its recognition as a World Heritage Site by 2027-28. He highlighted that 18 spiritual, cultural and religious Loks are being created across the State and total prohibition has been implemented in Orchha and other religious towns to preserve their sanctity. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, Orchha Railway Station has been inaugurated at a cost of over Rs 6 crore. Deendayal Rasoi Yojana, offering wholesome meals for Rs 5, has been expanded in six pilgrimage cities, including Orchha. Looking ahead to Simhastha 2028, CM Dr Yadav expressed hope that pilgrims visiting Mahakaleshwar would also be drawn to Orchhas grandeur. He affirmed that infrastructure, beautification, and tourism services would be strengthened so that Orchha may become a central location for both religious and spiritual tourism. OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS: MLA Anil Jain said that Chief Minister Dr. Yadav has transformed Orchha, with more than Rs 257 crore in development works inaugurated or launched, and Niwari district receiving a new road costing Rs 112 crore and a new Sandipani School in Asati village worth Rs 35 crore. He highlighted womens empowerment, farmer prosperity, and industrial growth in the region, all guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision. Chief Minister Dr Yadav encouraged including public representatives, Government officials and citizens, by visiting exhibitions of development projects and womens livelihood products. Social Justice and Empowerment and Horticulture Minister Narayan Singh Kushwaha, former MLA Dr Shishupal Yadav, Niranjana Jain, District President Rajesh Pateria and many citizens and devotees were present.
New era of peace, devpt in Bastar CM declares North Bastar, Abujhmad Naxal-free





Staff Reporter :

RAIPUR

Responding to the Union Home Minister Amit Shahs post about large scale Naxal surrenders, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai took to his X account to highlight the significant gains in the anti-Naxal campaign, in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah post, declaration that North Bastar and Abujhmad are now free from Naxal terror, marking a new era of peace and development in Bastar. The Chief Minister thanked the Union Home Minister for acknowledging the historic success of the anti-Naxal campaign, citing the surrender of 258 Naxalites in the last two days as a symbol of the power of faith, not guns, is winning. In the last 22 months, 477 Naxalites neutralised, 2,110 Naxalites surrendered, and 1,785 Naxalites arrested.

He reaffirmed the governments unwavering resolve, stating that the goal of making Chhattisgarh Naxal-free by March 31, 2026, is now very close. Sai credited this positive change to the double-engine governments sensitive policies, specifically mentioning the success of: Naxalite Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy 2025 offers financial aid, employment, and security to encourage Naxalites to join the mainstream. Niyad Nella Naar scheme, which means Your Good Village in the local Dandami dialect, focuses on extending essential government services, welfare benefits (like housing, healthcare, and education), and infrastructure development to Naxal-affected villages, particularly those within the radius of security camps. The establishment of 64 security camps in Naxal-affected areas has not only strengthened security but has also facilitated the delivery of governance and development to every village.

While Abujhmad and North Bastar are declared completely free from Naxal terror, the fight in South Bastar is at a decisive turning point. The Chief Minister appealed to all remaining Naxalites to lay down their arms and step into the light of growth for the sake of their families and the future of their motherland, reiterating that those who continue the path of violence will face strict action. Notably, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on social media that a total of 258 Left Wing Extremists have surrendered in the past two days, marking a major success in the ongoing fight against Naxalism. Shah stated that 170 Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, following 27 the previous day, while 61 cadres in Maharashtra also laid down arms and returned to the mainstream. He commended the ex-cadres for renouncing violence and reaffirming their faith in the Indian Constitution. Highlighting the governments sustained efforts under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah said, Naxalism is breathing its last. He emphasized the dual approach of the government: welcoming those who choose to surrender, while taking strict action against those who continue to engage in armed activities. The Home Minister appealed to remaining Naxalites to surrender their weapons and reintegrate into society, underlining the administrations commitment to restoring peace, development, and security in affected regions. This announcement comes amid intensified operations, security outreach, and rehabilitation schemes aimed at making Chhattisgarh and other affected areas Naxal-free by March 31, 2026.

Massive Naxal surrender in Jagdalpur distt today

140+ Maoists to join mainstream

Staff Reporter

RAIPUR,

In a big impetus to anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh, more than 140 Naxalites are scheduled to formally surrender before Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai in Jagdalpur on Friday, October 17. The group includes senior Naxalite commander Rupesh, and the surrendering cadres will reportedly lay down more than 100 weapons. Speaking to mediapersons, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma confirmed the impending surrender, stating that a large number of Naxalites are ready to return to the mainstream. He reiterated the governments commitment to rehabilitation, announcing a red carpet welcome for the surrendering Naxalites. The police department has completed all necessary preparations for the ceremony in Jagdalpur. Home Minister Sharma stated that the mass surrender signals that the people of Bastar no longer desire red terror and are instead embracing a path of development, peace, and stability.

He attributed the success to the State Governments robust surrender policies and the ongoing development initiatives under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking on the political front, Sharma responded to allegations made by Congress leader Deepak Baij concerning the Jheeram Valley incident, where the state lost its leadership in 2013. Sharma claimed that the previous Congress government failed to take action on the Jheeram report for five years, asserting that the change now visible is a result of the new governments commitment to tackling the issue. Home Minister Sharma also provided an update on the Prime Ministers forthcoming visits to State. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Chhattisgarh on the night of October 31 and will attend the states Rajyotsav (Statehood Day) celebrations on November 1. Following this, the Prime Minister will participate in the national Director Generals conference to be held in Raipur from November 28 to November 30.
Op Sindoor finest example of self-reliance in defence sector





PUNE :

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday hailed Operation Sindoor as the finest example of self-reliance in Indias defence sector, noting that the majority of equipment used by the Armed Forces during the mission was indigenous. India has now broken the barrier that had existed since Independence, and the Government has given a strong push to manufacturing weapons within the country, Singh said. In the last 10 years, defence production has increased from Rs 46,000 crore to Rs 1.5 lakh crore.

The Governments target is to take domestic defence manufacturing to Rs 3 lakh crore by 2029 and increase defence exports to Rs 50,000 crore, he said. The Union Minister was addressing the 6th convocation of the Symbiosis Skills & Professional University in Pune. We have started working towards becoming atmanirbhar (self-reliant) in the defence sector. In the initial phase, it was difficult because we were trying to transform the entire system. Since Independence, we have been dependent on other countries for weapons. It had become a necessity for us to buy defence equipment from abroad, and indigenous production was almost non-existent, he said. India has now broken the barrier that had existed since Independence, the Minister said. We have given a strong push to manufacturing weapons within the country. This was not easy at all, as the nation had slipped into a comfort zone regarding defence procurement. We had become habitual of buying weapons from other countries, he said.

There was neither the political will to produce weapons domestically nor the legal framework to promote defence manufacturing, Singh noted. The youth of the country also lacked the inspiration to help India become self-reliant in this sector, the Defence Minister pointed out. The situation was not conducive for us; in fact, it was adverse. But even in such circumstances, we did not stop. We took every possible step to promote defence manufacturing, and today, those efforts are yielding visible results, he said. You must have seen the bravery of our Armed Forces during Operation Sindoor. Operation Sindoor is the finest example of self-reliance in Indias defence sector as the majority of the equipment used by forces was indigenous, he added. India launched Operation Sindoor in May this year to dismantle the terror infrastructure across the Line of Control and deeper inside Pakistan, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack which claimed the lives of 26 persons. Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modis charismatic leadership was evident during Operation Sindoor.

India has been promoting the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the world is one family - and it is the only country that spreads this message. We do not discriminate on the basis of caste or religion, he asserted. But terrorists from a neighbouring country killed Indian citizens in Pahalgam after questioning their religion. Yet, see the restraint of the Indian Armed Forces - when we killed them, it was not on the basis of religion but based on their deeds, the Minister said. He said in the last 10 years, defence production has increased from Rs 46,000 crore to Rs 1.5 lakh crore, with the private sector contributing Rs 33,000 crore. It is our target to take domestic defence manufacturing to Rs 3 lakh crore by 2029 and, at the same time, increase defence exports to Rs 50,000 crore, he added. Singh stressed the importance of skills in the current era and said youth are at the centre of global transformation.

In this ever-changing world, where new technologies emerge every day and old things are replaced, skill is the key. In the current scenario, having a skill is not enough - the ability to apply that skill is equally important, he said. He emphasised that knowledge must be put to use in real life. India has the advantage of being a young nation, and if our youth possess the right skills, no one can stop India from moving ahead. Our demographic dividend will become more powerful if it is backed by skill, Singh said. After 2014, India moved towards the vision of a New India, and PM Modi consistently spoke about initiatives such as Skill India, Start-Up India and Stand-Up India, the Minister pointed out. He understood that if India has to become self-reliant, its youth must be skilled. After coming to power in 2014, we promoted skill development by setting up a dedicated ministry, Singh added. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also present at the convocation.
Prime accused in Sambhal violence case traced abroad, extradition efforts on





SAMBHAL (UP) :

THE prime accused in the 2024 Sambhal violence case has been traced abroad and efforts are underway to extradite him to India with the help of intelligence agencies and Interpol, police said on Thursday. Sharik Sata, along with his associates, had planned the violence in Sambhal the same day the second survey of Shahi Jama Masjid was conducted on November 24 last year, resulting in the death of four persons and injuries to 29 policemen, Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishna Kumar Bishnoi told reporters. Another accused, Mulla Afroz, an aide of Sharik and currently lodged in Moradabad jail, has been booked under the National Security Act (NSA), the SP said.

Bishnoi added that Afroz faces 11 criminal cases and has a history of serious crimes, including loot and murder. He was also involved in a 2014 incident of firing outside the residence of current Samajwadi Party MLA Iqbal Mehmood, he said. The prime accused, Sharik Sata, is currently abroad. Police are making all possible efforts to locate him. His past contacts in India are being traced, and intelligence agencies have been roped in. Once his location is confirmed, he will be brought back to India through Interpol channels, Bishnoi said. The SP also said that other accused persons involved in planning and inciting the violence will face action under the NSA.

The Sambhal dispute dates back to November 19, 2024, when Hindu petitioners, including advocates Hari Shankar Jain and Vishnu Shankar Jain, filed a suit in the Sambhal district court claiming the Shahi Jama Masjid was built over a temple. A court ordered survey was conducted on the same day (November 19), followed by another on November 24, the day on which violence broke.
Real-life Rancho helps woman deliver baby on train platform





MUMBAI :

AN ALERT Mumbai man helped a woman, who went into labour in a moving local train, deliver a baby on a railway platform with the help of a doctor who guided him over a video call. Vikas Bedre, a video cameraman, was travelling in a local train on Tuesday at around 1 am, when a woman in the adjacent compartment went into labour as the train neared Ram Mandir station in north Mumbai. What happened later was shared by an eyewitness on social media. In an Instagram post, Manjeet Dhillon said the man noticed the woman in severe pain and immediately pulled the trains emergency chain to stop it. This man is truly brave -- words arent enough to describe him. The baby was already halfway out. It truly felt like God had sent him there for a reason, Dhillon wrote. Bedre said he immediately called his doctor friend Devika Deshmukh, who after realising the gravity of the situation, switched to video call to guide him on how to proceed with the delivery.

He managed to get a pair of scissors from a tea stall on the platform, the doctor told a Marathi news channel on Thursday. He also gathered some bed sheets to help prepare for the delivery, she added. I was very scared, but Devikas help gave me courage. It was because of her guidance that I was able to manage the delivery, said Bedre, who was supposed to catch a flight, but stayed on to help. Both the mother and the baby boy are doing well. A video of what happened on the platform was shared by Dhillon. It got several reactions, with some praising Bedre as a real-life Rancho (from the film 3 Idiots) for his quick thinking and compassion, and turning the railway platform into an impromptu delivery room.

We all tried our best -- we called several doctors, but the ambulance was taking time to arrive. Finally, a female doctor guided him over a video call, and he did exactly what she instructed. His courage in that moment was beyond words, Dhillon wrote. Dhillon also claimed that the womans family had taken her to a nearby hospital, but were told that the delivery couldnt be done there, so they had to bring her back on the train. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Thursday felicitated Vikas Bedre who hails from Pawars constituency of Karjat Jamkhed. Bedre made Maharashtra as well as Karjat Jamkhed proud with his good samaritan act, the MLA said.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with his Canadian counterpart, Anita Anand, in Beijing on Friday, with both sides pledging to improve bilateral ties.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that this year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Canada. The course of the development of China-Canada relations shows that the two countries can become partners that achieve mutual success and common development on the basis of mutual respect, he added.

Wang noted that China is willing to work with Canada to take the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and the 20th anniversary of their establishment of a strategic partnership as opportunities to resume dialogue and exchange at all levels, guided by the important consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries.

He called on the two sides to advance the resolution of each other's legitimate concerns, explore and tap into cooperation in various fields, expand people-to-people and cultural exchange, and strengthen communication and collaboration on multilateral affairs. He also said that they should work together to uphold multilateralism, safeguard the international economic and trade order, and steer China-Canada relations onto a track of healthy, stable, sustainable development at an early date.

Anand said that the momentum to improve bilateral relations between the two countries is currently favorable, and that positive progress has been achieved. Canada adheres to the one-China policy, and is willing to strengthen its high-level exchange with China and deepen mutual trust. It is also ready to make good use of dialogue and consultation mechanisms in areas such as diplomacy, the economy and trade, and to promote cooperation in fields including trade, agriculture, tourism, energy, and people-to-people and cultural exchange, she noted.

Canada firmly supports multilateralism and free trade, Anand said. 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)
This photo taken on Oct. 17, 2025 shows a view of the outdoor exhibition area of Liangzhu Cultural and Creative Bazaar in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. The bazaar opened here on Friday. It features activities such as exhibitions, panel discussions and fashion shows, showcasing cultural and creative achievements from China and abroad. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

People visit the booth of the National Museum of China at Liangzhu Cultural and Creative Bazaar in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 17, 2025. The bazaar opened here on Friday. It features activities such as exhibitions, panel discussions and fashion shows, showcasing cultural and creative achievements from China and abroad. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

People view cultural and creative products at Liangzhu Cultural and Creative Bazaar in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 17, 2025. The bazaar opened here on Friday. It features activities such as exhibitions, panel discussions and fashion shows, showcasing cultural and creative achievements from China and abroad. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

People view Italian cultural and creative products at Liangzhu Cultural and Creative Bazaar in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 17, 2025. The bazaar opened here on Friday. It features activities such as exhibitions, panel discussions and fashion shows, showcasing cultural and creative achievements from China and abroad. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

People visit the booth of POP MART at Liangzhu Cultural and Creative Bazaar in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 17, 2025. The bazaar opened here on Friday. It features activities such as exhibitions, panel discussions and fashion shows, showcasing cultural and creative achievements from China and abroad. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

An exhibitor from England shows a porcelain piece at Liangzhu Cultural and Creative Bazaar in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 17, 2025. The bazaar opened here on Friday. It features activities such as exhibitions, panel discussions and fashion shows, showcasing cultural and creative achievements from China and abroad. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

People visit the booth of the Palace Museum at Liangzhu Cultural and Creative Bazaar in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 17, 2025. The bazaar opened here on Friday. It features activities such as exhibitions, panel discussions and fashion shows, showcasing cultural and creative achievements from China and abroad. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

A guest delivers a speech at a salon event during Liangzhu Cultural and Creative Bazaar in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 17, 2025. The bazaar opened here on Friday. It features activities such as exhibitions, panel discussions and fashion shows, showcasing cultural and creative achievements from China and abroad. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

People visit the booth of the National Museum of China at Liangzhu Cultural and Creative Bazaar in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 17, 2025. The bazaar opened here on Friday. It features activities such as exhibitions, panel discussions and fashion shows, showcasing cultural and creative achievements from China and abroad. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)
LILONGWE, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- A Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit on Thursday outlined steps to ease political unrest and to restore peace and stability in Madagascar.

The Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the SADC Organ Troika was held virtually on Thursday. The event was chaired by Malawian President Peter Mutharika, who is also the chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation.

Among other things, the summit endorsed the urgent deployment of a Technical Mission comprising Organ Troika Member States, and supported by the SADC Secretariat, to undertake an all-inclusive fact-finding mission to Madagascar by Oct. 22, 2025, and to report its findings to Mutharika by Oct. 31, 2025.

The summit also approved a comprehensive assessment of the implementation of a roadmap to end the crisis in Madagascar.

The assessment will be conducted by Organ Troika Member States with support from the Panel of Elders, the Mediation Reference Group, and the SADC Secretariat to identify outstanding issues and determine the assistance required by Madagascar to achieve full implementation.

The virtual summit also directed the SADC Secretariat to engage strategic partners, namely the Indian Ocean Commission, the African Union, and the United Nations, to ensure coordinated and complementary interventions in Madagascar.

The summit noted the urgency of restoring calm and promoting a conducive environment for constructive engagement in Madagascar. 
TIANJIN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The 22nd China International Agricultural Trade Fair opened in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin on Friday, bringing together nearly 4,000 exhibitors from around the world.

The event aims to showcase agricultural innovation while promoting trade and international cooperation. Visitors this year can explore approximately 25,000 products, with organizers expecting over 50,000 buyers and trade professionals to attend.

Hosted by China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the three-day fair spans more than 100,000 square meters and has zones dedicated to smart agriculture, agricultural technology and supportive industries for rural communities.

Alongside the main exhibition, more than 10 sideline events have been organized, including an agricultural forum and a livestreamed sales event.

This year's fair features Thailand as the guest country of honor and includes participants from 19 countries, including Brazil, Italy, Malaysia, New Zealand and Uganda. It will facilitate discussions on and the establishment of high-quality international agricultural cooperation platforms, and promote practical cooperation on agricultural trade. 
KABUL, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Friday reopened Spin Boldak crossing point for Afghan refugees to return to their homeland, Afghan media reported.

The main crossing point, which was shut down in the wake of border skirmishes a couple of days ago, reopened on Friday for returning refugees.

Except for Afghan refugees, the crossing point remained closed for others. 
Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Han Jing speaks at a commissioning ceremony of a China-built fertilizer plant in Chilanga district, Lusaka Province, Zambia, Oct. 16, 2025. Zambia on Thursday commissioned a fertilizer manufacturing plant constructed by a Chinese firm, marking a major step in the country's efforts to become self-sufficient in fertilizer production.(Xinhua/Peng Lijun)

LUSAKA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Thursday commissioned a fertilizer manufacturing plant constructed by a Chinese firm, marking a major step in the country's efforts to become self-sufficient in fertilizer production.

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said at the ceremony that the plant will meet Zambia's fertilizer needs and play an important role in driving industrial development.

Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Han Jing said the plant is a testament to China-Zambia cooperation in advancing industrialization and modernization, calling it a milestone in the country's industrial progress.

The facility was financed by Zambia's Wonderful Group of Companies Ltd. and constructed by China Wuhuan Engineering Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China National Chemical Engineering Group Corp. Ltd., under an engineering, procurement and construction, or EPC, contract.

Once fully operational, the plant is expected to produce about 300,000 metric tons of urea and 180,000 metric tons of synthetic ammonia annually, enough to meet Zambia's import demand. 

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema (C) unveils a 85MW power plant of a China-built fertilizer plant in Chilanga district, Lusaka Province, Zambia, Oct. 16, 2025. Zambia on Thursday commissioned a fertilizer manufacturing plant constructed by a Chinese firm, marking a major step in the country's efforts to become self-sufficient in fertilizer production.

(Xinhua/Peng Lijun)

This photo taken on Oct. 16, 2025 shows a view of a China-built fertilizer plant in Chilanga district, Lusaka Province, Zambia. Zambia on Thursday commissioned a fertilizer manufacturing plant constructed by a Chinese firm, marking a major step in the country's efforts to become self-sufficient in fertilizer production.

(Xinhua/Peng Lijun)

People are pictured at a China-built fertilizer plant in Chilanga district, Lusaka Province, Zambia, Oct. 16, 2025. Zambia on Thursday commissioned a fertilizer manufacturing plant constructed by a Chinese firm, marking a major step in the country's efforts to become self-sufficient in fertilizer production.

(Xinhua/Peng Lijun)
People visit the booth of Italy during the 22nd China International Agricultural Trade Fair in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Oct. 17, 2025. The agricultural trade fair was launched Friday in Tianjin, and will last until Oct. 19. With 12 exhibition areas, the fair saw about 25,000 types of agricultural products on display, brought by over 3,000 exhibitors. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

People visit the exhibition zone of agricultural technology during the 22nd China International Agricultural Trade Fair in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Oct. 17, 2025. The agricultural trade fair was launched Friday in Tianjin, and will last until Oct. 19. With 12 exhibition areas, the fair saw about 25,000 types of agricultural products on display, brought by over 3,000 exhibitors. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

A visitor takes photos of intelligent agricultural equipment during the 22nd China International Agricultural Trade Fair in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Oct. 17, 2025. The agricultural trade fair was launched Friday in Tianjin, and will last until Oct. 19. With 12 exhibition areas, the fair saw about 25,000 types of agricultural products on display, brought by over 3,000 exhibitors. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

People visit the 22nd China International Agricultural Trade Fair in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Oct. 17, 2025. The agricultural trade fair was launched Friday in Tianjin, and will last until Oct. 19. With 12 exhibition areas, the fair saw about 25,000 types of agricultural products on display, brought by over 3,000 exhibitors. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

People visit the booth of Thailand during the 22nd China International Agricultural Trade Fair in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Oct. 17, 2025. The agricultural trade fair was launched Friday in Tianjin, and will last until Oct. 19. With 12 exhibition areas, the fair saw about 25,000 types of agricultural products on display, brought by over 3,000 exhibitors. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

People select products during the 22nd China International Agricultural Trade Fair in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Oct. 17, 2025. The agricultural trade fair was launched Friday in Tianjin, and will last until Oct. 19. With 12 exhibition areas, the fair saw about 25,000 types of agricultural products on display, brought by over 3,000 exhibitors. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

People visit the 22nd China International Agricultural Trade Fair in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Oct. 17, 2025. The agricultural trade fair was launched Friday in Tianjin, and will last until Oct. 19. With 12 exhibition areas, the fair saw about 25,000 types of agricultural products on display, brought by over 3,000 exhibitors. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

People visit the booth of Malaysia during the 22nd China International Agricultural Trade Fair in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Oct. 17, 2025. The agricultural trade fair was launched Friday in Tianjin, and will last until Oct. 19. With 12 exhibition areas, the fair saw about 25,000 types of agricultural products on display, brought by over 3,000 exhibitors. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)
HARARE, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party has hailed the upgraded Zimbabwe-China as it is bringing tangible benefits to the African country.

Party Spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa said Thursday at a press conference in Harare, the country's capital, that Zimbabwe's time-honored friendship with China keeps getting edified, bringing tangible benefits to the Zimbabwean people and the economy.

"The good thing about Chinese investment in Zimbabwe now is that their private companies are coming in to invest and produce goods in Zimbabwe," Mutsvangwa said.

"We are harnessing our friendship with China because now we have upgraded our relationship to an all-weather community with a shared future," he said, adding that Zimbabwe's economic recovery and progress are being driven largely by Chinese investment.

Mutsvangwa thanked China for standing with Zimbabwe in calling for the removal of Western sanctions on the country, noting that China's support, among other nations, strengthened Zimbabwe to forge ahead through difficulties.

"So if somebody had not stood with us, it would have been very difficult to overcome our challenges, but the Chinese were there with us and we are very grateful," he said, adding that the bilateral relationship is precious.

China and Zimbabwe established diplomatic relations in 1980. In September, the two countries announced upgrading their relations to an all-weather community with a shared future. 
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's total exports rose 6.7 percent year-on-year to 410.06 billion ringgit (97.04 billion U.S. dollars) in the third quarter, official data showed Friday.

The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said in a statement that the encouraging economic performance led to a 2.8 percent rise in total trade during the quarter.

However, Malaysia's imports during the quarter amounted to 359.8 billion ringgit, a decrease of 2.1 percent as compared to the same period in 2024.

As for the first nine months, Malaysia's total trade reached 2.2 trillion ringgit, marking a year-on-year increase of 4.4 percent. (1 ringgit equals 0.24 U.S. dollars) 
UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday welcomed the Lebanese government's efforts and commitments to exercise sovereignty over its whole territory.

In a press statement, the council members urged the international community to intensify its support to the Lebanese armed forces in order to ensure their effective and sustainable deployment south of the Litani River.

They called on all parties to comply with their commitments under the cessation of hostilities arrangement between Israel and Lebanon of Nov. 26, 2024, as well as with their obligations under international humanitarian law, including regarding the protection of civilians.

They welcomed the willingness of the Lebanese government to delineate and demarcate its border with Syria and its efforts to prevent smuggling.

The Security Council adopted Resolution 2790 in late August to extend the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for the final time before its withdrawal on Dec. 31, 2026.

The resolution calls on Israel to withdraw its forces north of the Blue Line and lift the designated buffer zones north of the Blue Line.

It calls on the Lebanese authorities to deploy to those positions with the time-bound support of UNIFIL and extend the control of the Lebanese government over all Lebanese territory for it to exercise its full sovereignty. 
MOSCOW, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday accused leading Western media outlets of exploiting their dominant position to distribute content at their own discretion and often under the guise of objective reporting.

Speaking at an event marking the 20th anniversary of the RT international television channel, Putin said modern propaganda in the West differs little from former "Soviet-era cliches."

"Any monopoly inevitably comes to an end sooner or later, no matter how much those who maintain it pay to preserve it," he said.

The RT international television channel commenced broadcasting in 2005. Its output is transmitted in English, Arabic, Spanish, French, German and Serbian. The television network is complemented by multilingual digital platforms.

The broadcaster has faced restrictions in several Western countries, where regulators and governments have accused it of disseminating disinformation and serving as a Russian state propaganda tool. The channel has rejected the allegations, saying that it provides an "alternative and truthful point of view" to Western media narratives. 
TEHRAN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was killed on Friday and 19 others were injured as a minibus plunged into a valley in Iran's northeastern Khorasan Razavi province, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

The minibus was carrying 20 mountain climbers when it veered off the road and fell into the valley, which was located near Farizi village in Golbahar County, Fars quoted Amanollah Khedmatgozar, mayor of the county, as saying.

Khedmatgozar said that the injured had been transferred to nearby medical centers, adding initial investigations showed that the driver's failure to control the minibus was among the causes of the incident.

Khorasan Razavi province is a mountainous region in Iran with several peaks popular for climbing. 
This photo taken on Oct. 17, 2025 shows the opening ceremony of an exhibition themed "A Shared Aspiration Beyond Mountains and Seas" in Belgrade, Serbia. An exhibition opened in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, on Friday to celebrate 70 years of friendship between China and Serbia, under the theme "A Shared Aspiration Beyond Mountains and Seas."

According to the organizers, the exhibition features 40 exquisite works of Chinese calligraphy and painting, along with an innovative multimedia immersive experience area. Among the exhibits are pieces created by an expert team from the National Museum of China (NMC) Institute of Calligraphy and Chinese Painting during their creative trip to Serbia, as well as traditional Chinese landscape paintings and calligraphy masterpieces.

The exhibition will run until Dec. 17. It is jointly organized by the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Chinese Embassy in Serbia, and the NMC. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua)

BELGRADE, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition opened in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, on Friday to celebrate 70 years of friendship between China and Serbia, under the theme "A Shared Aspiration Beyond Mountains and Seas."

In her opening remarks, Serbia's Minister without Portfolio Tatjana Macura said that cooperation between China and Serbia extends across many fields, even though "public attention often focuses on economic and trade cooperation." She emphasized that cultural exchanges play a vital role in fostering mutual understanding and learning between the two peoples.

"Friendly relations between countries lie in people-to-people bonds, and such bonds come from hearts that connect," said Yang Fan, deputy director of the National Museum of China (NMC). He described the NMC as a "guardian and narrator of Chinese civilization" dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

Yang expressed hope that the exhibition would serve as "a new starting point for China-Serbia cultural exchange," further strengthening cooperation in arts and culture and deepening practical collaboration in other areas for "a brighter shared future."

Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Ming hailed the "ironclad friendship based on sincerity and trust" between the Chinese and Serbian peoples, who have "stood together through thick and thin." He said the exhibition showcases the depth and beauty of Chinese culture and Eastern aesthetics.

According to the organizers, the exhibition features 40 exquisite works of Chinese calligraphy and painting, along with an innovative multimedia immersive experience area. Among the exhibits are pieces created by an expert team from the NMC Institute of Calligraphy and Chinese Painting during their creative trip to Serbia, as well as traditional Chinese landscape paintings and calligraphy masterpieces.

The exhibition will run until Dec. 17. It is jointly organized by the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Chinese Embassy in Serbia, and the NMC. 

A woman visits an exhibition themed "A Shared Aspiration Beyond Mountains and Seas" in Belgrade, Serbia, Oct. 17, 2025. An exhibition opened in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, on Friday to celebrate 70 years of friendship between China and Serbia, under the theme "A Shared Aspiration Beyond Mountains and Seas."

According to the organizers, the exhibition features 40 exquisite works of Chinese calligraphy and painting, along with an innovative multimedia immersive experience area. Among the exhibits are pieces created by an expert team from the National Museum of China (NMC) Institute of Calligraphy and Chinese Painting during their creative trip to Serbia, as well as traditional Chinese landscape paintings and calligraphy masterpieces.

The exhibition will run until Dec. 17. It is jointly organized by the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Chinese Embassy in Serbia, and the NMC. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua)

People visit an exhibition themed "A Shared Aspiration Beyond Mountains and Seas" in Belgrade, Serbia, Oct. 17, 2025. An exhibition opened in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, on Friday to celebrate 70 years of friendship between China and Serbia, under the theme "A Shared Aspiration Beyond Mountains and Seas."

According to the organizers, the exhibition features 40 exquisite works of Chinese calligraphy and painting, along with an innovative multimedia immersive experience area. Among the exhibits are pieces created by an expert team from the National Museum of China (NMC) Institute of Calligraphy and Chinese Painting during their creative trip to Serbia, as well as traditional Chinese landscape paintings and calligraphy masterpieces.

The exhibition will run until Dec. 17. It is jointly organized by the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Chinese Embassy in Serbia, and the NMC. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua)

A woman takes photos of an exhibit at an exhibition themed "A Shared Aspiration Beyond Mountains and Seas" in Belgrade, Serbia, Oct. 17, 2025. An exhibition opened in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, on Friday to celebrate 70 years of friendship between China and Serbia, under the theme "A Shared Aspiration Beyond Mountains and Seas."

According to the organizers, the exhibition features 40 exquisite works of Chinese calligraphy and painting, along with an innovative multimedia immersive experience area. Among the exhibits are pieces created by an expert team from the National Museum of China (NMC) Institute of Calligraphy and Chinese Painting during their creative trip to Serbia, as well as traditional Chinese landscape paintings and calligraphy masterpieces.

The exhibition will run until Dec. 17. It is jointly organized by the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Chinese Embassy in Serbia, and the NMC. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua)


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When giants fight it out, the rest have to ensure that they dont get trampled over in the slugfest. That is the not-so-envious situation that India is faced with as the battle over rare earth minerals reaches a new paradigm.

But to give it credit, New Delhi is trying. Trying hard.

For context, China dialled up its sheer dominance in the rare earths sector into a strategic powerplay last week when it placed additional restrictions on its exportcountries could not get them for military or intelligence use.

And this, of course, set the stage for another round of tariff tirade from the US, with President Trump threatening to impose 100 per cent tariffs on imports from China into the US if the Peoples Republic did not see reason.

Rare earth magnets are important

If you still dont know what the big deal is with rare earths, these are critical for big-time tech applications for anything from the batteries that run electric vehicles to smartphones to solar panels. And if that does not make them indispensable, by now you would have figured out they have further, critical applications in defence and intelligence systems, powering guided missiles, improving the efficiency of fighter jets and submarine hardware and used in laser systems and radars.

China dictates terms

Now, the reason why China is calling the shots in the scenario is also pretty interesting. While China has just about more than half of the total rare earth deposits in the world, its stranglehold on the scene stems from the fact that it has the most advanced technologies related to rare earthsmore than 90 per cent of its refining is done in China. So the reality is that even when mined in places like Myanmar, for example, they are transported to China for processing before they are ready for use in electric car batteries and the like.

ALSO READ | China unreliable, opportunity for India to capture critical minerals market

Net result: China can dictate when it comes to rare earths, and China does dictate! In fact, when Trump came out with his first round of tariffs on April 2, which everyone interpreted as a salvo against Beijing in particular, though it was aimed at all of Americas significant trading partners, it surprised everyone that both countries quickly reached a rapprochement in just a months time.

Though details have not been revealed on how the two countries arrived at an agreement, it is believed that it was based on agreeing to exchange the two much-in-demand items that either country had and the other needed: the US had AI chips, which China desperately wanted, while China had rare earths that the US wanted. Quid pro quo!

That truce now lies in tatters, and it remains to be seen whether Washington and Beijing will be able to rework that earlier magic in time for the August 1 deadline that the US president has set.

India caught in between

Meanwhile, India is at a loss. Even before matters reached a head this month, China had started tightening the noose, with export clearances required for Indians wanting to import lithium and crucial rare earths from the mainland.

Now, with the new rules restricting military usage, it is clear that the process will get stringent further, with every batch being imported into India undergoing further scrutiny.

The Indian government is doing what it can. It launched a National Critical Minerals Mission earlier this year, and recently called on the private sector to chip in for a National Critical Mineral Stockpile.

ALSO READ | Move away from subsidies, introduce mandates: NITI Aayog

And it has been trying for trade agreements and better relations with South American nations with known reserves. Additionally, recycling of existing batteries once they reach end-of-cycle will be much more intensive.

Will that be enough? India imported more than 2,200 tonnes of rare earth metals last year; this requirement is set to at least double by the end of this decade. With the kind of aspirations that India seems to have, a lot more will need to be done.
As US President Donald Trumps statement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to stop buying Russian oil continues to make waves, Russian analysts have attempted to decode the true intentions behind the US President's claims, which India has denied, albeit with caution.

Russian political analysts consider Trumps rhetoric as a bid to push Russia toward a more accommodating stance on the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine. Economist Andrei Barkhota said Trump had ulterior motives in making the statement, which is to raise the stakes to improve his negotiating position.

Furthermore, the American side would like to polarise India and China, portraying China as an implacable opponent and India, in principle, as more flexible," Barkhota told Russian media RTVI.

Breaking: No telephonic talks have happened between PM Modi, US President Donald Trump yesterday: MEA pic.twitter.com/jhrEifPsVz  Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) October 16, 2025

Interestingly, just a day after Trumps remarks about India, he announced that he would meet Russia's Vladimir Putin in an effort to end the war in Ukraine. Trump wrote on social media that the meeting would take place in Budapest, Hungary.

Barkhota believes, regardless of Trump's promises, nothing will change in reality and India will continue to buy Russian oil. When Trump says he's banned India from buying Russian oil, it could also mean that India is secretly using bypasses to label its oil, while simultaneously importing that same Russian oil through these gaskets," the expert emphasised.

Dmitry Suslov, deputy Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, too, believes that the US Presidents aim was to weaken the Russian-Indian partnership. Trump simply wants to shape the agenda in his favour. It's perfectly clear that the Indians haven't made any commitments, and India has already stated that it is, in principle, focusing on its national interests and diversifying supplies," Suslov told Russian media News.Ru.

He added that Washington is trying to put pressure not only on India but also on Russia. "The White House wants to get India to commit to reducing its imports of Russian oil as a condition for concluding a trade deal," Suslov said, adding that Washington will continue to put pressure on India.

"Modi is a great man. And he loves Trump. Well I don't want to use the word love. I don't want to destroy Modi's political career," jokes Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/Q7lydeJ0z9  Frontalforce  (@FrontalForce) October 16, 2025

He also cited Indias willingness to withstand American pressure as demonstrated by Delhi's reaction to the introduction of an additional 25 percent tariff last summer. "Instead of meeting the US President halfway, Modi flew to the SCO summit, where he met with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. The result was the most acute crisis in US-Indian relations in the last quarter century, or even longer. There's no point in even talking about Delhi making concessions that would run counter to Indian national interests," the expert concluded.

The report also quoted Sergei Altukhov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, who described both Trump's statements and India's reaction as a classic example of a modern diplomatic game where economic interests collide with geopolitics.
With around 650,000 to 660,000 active personnel, Pakistan boasts the biggest standing army in the Muslim world. But, the country lost scores of soldiers in the recent border clashes with the Taliban before the 48-hour ceasefire came into force. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province alone, numerous Pakistani security personnel were killed in recent times due to ambushes and suicide attacks launched by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, whom Islamabad claims are using Kabul as their base.

READ HERE | 'On Pakistan's insistence...', Afghanistan calls out Islamabad's ceasefire claims as both nations agree for 48-hour truce

Can Afghanistan take nuclear-armed Pakistans military might head on? After setbacks suffered at the hands of India during Operation Sindoor, the military heads in Islamabad cannot imagine another humiliation along the borders. London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies has reportedly studied the military might of the two neighbours who do not have the best relations. Here are their findings:

Pakistan today conducted a training launch of surface to surface ballistic #missile #Ghaznavi. The successful training launch was aimed at ensuring operational readiness of Army Strategic Forces Command, besides re-validating technical parameters of the weapon system. pic.twitter.com/6wMxvotmWt  DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) August 12, 2021

There is no scope for comparison when it comes to organised military recruitment, training, and organisation. Pakistan will emerge as a clear winner in terms of defence spending and arms purchases.

The Afghan Talibans main drawback is their incapacity and lack of know-how to make use of most of the modern equipment and weapons they inherited while regaining power in 2021.

COAS reached Swat. COAS will meet stranded local residents & tourists who were struck in Kumrat / Kalam due 2 rains /flash floods. Women, children, foreigners & other people are being evacuated through Army helicopters to Kanju Cantt. Being provided administrative & medical care. pic.twitter.com/30yKzRWhFy  DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) August 30, 2022

While Pakistan is heavily supplied by China and Turkey with military purchases, a lack of international recognition for the Taliban administration has also hurt military modernisation. There is no shortage of the latest drones, fighter jets, rockets, and missiles in Islamabads arsenal thanks to its international allies. Despite the countrys financial strains, Islamabad is still investing in its military nuclear programmes and will keep modernising its naval and air forces. It is said that PAF has 465 combat aircraft and more than 260 helicopters.

Afghanistan vs Pakistan: Comparing the numbers and armoury

According to the study, the Pakistan Armed Forces consist of 560,000 army personnel, 70,000 airmen, and a 30,000-strong naval contingent. Afghan Taliban's military strength cannot be any more than 172,000 active personnel. The group has, however, announced plans to expand its armed forces to 200,000 personnel.

WATCH | Viral videos after Spin Boldak clashes show Pakistan soldiers caught alive by Taliban, dead ones dragged out of rubble

In the vehicles department, Pakistan has more than 6,000 armoured fighting vehicles and over 4,600 pieces of artillery. The Taliban still depend on Soviet-era tanks but have numerous modern US military-grade Humvees, armoured personnel carriers, and autonomous underwater vehicles. However, nobody knows how many of these vehicles are at their disposal and if all are operational. The precise number of artillery pieces they possess, which is of at least three different types, is also known, said Reuters in a report. Meanwhile, it is not known if the Taliban have any pilots in their ranks to get Kabuls fighter planes and choppers airborne, if needed.
In the autumn of 2025, the global stage is a cauldron of realignments, with ripple effects cascading into South Asia like seismic waves. The October 13 Gaza truce, brokered by President Donald Trump, marks a pivotal moment in West Asia, ending a protracted conflict and unlocking reconstruction pathways. This 'Trump Declaration for Enduring

Peace and Prosperity' not only stabilises the region, but also revives stalled initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), a strategic counter to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Yet, this peace comes amid broader US strategic introspection, revealing an "America First" pivot, over expansive global commitments. This inward turn signals a transactional US foreign policy, with profound effects on South Asia.

Regional dynamics

Recent developments with the USA showing increased interest in Pakistan, resurrect the spectre of the 'Great Game'the 19th-century imperial rivalry over Central Asia, now recast in a bipolar arena between the US and China. Beijing's BRI, with its tentacles in Pakistan via the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), seeks dominance over trade routes and resources in this region, while Washington counters through selective engagements, including rare earth mineral (REM) deals in Pakistan's Balochistan to reduce dependence on Chinese REM supplies. At stake is control over critical minerals, energy corridors and influence in a region bridging Eurasia and the Indian Ocean.

For South Asia, this rivalry amplifies local fault lines, turning Pakistan into a precarious pawn. Internally, the country grapples with insurgencies in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants have resurged, claiming over 900 lives in 2025 alone from 329 incidents through September. Externally, border clashes with Afghanistan escalate, with October skirmishes killing dozens and straining resources amid accusations of Kabul harbouring TTP fighters. Fissiparous tendencies simmer in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Sindh, fueled by poverty (affecting 45 per cent of the population), elite corruption (Pakistan ranks 135/180 on the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index) and anti-democratic impulses under military dominance. Youth discontent hints at a potential Gen Z uprising, inspired by regional precedents like Bangladesh's 2024 Monsoon Revolution and Nepal's explosive September 2025 protests. Meanwhile, the Gaza accord has thrust Pakistan into West Asia's orbit, with commitments to deploy troops to the International Stabilization Force (ISF) for peacekeeping in Gaza and also to Saudi Arabia under a new mutual defence pact. These obligations overstretch an army already juggling three fronts: India, Afghanistan and internal dissent.

The US has demanded the return of Bagram Air Base in Afghanistana demand that was firmly rejected by Kabul. A US-controlled Bagram or a base in Pakistan would provide Washington with a strategic perch to open additional fronts against China (near Xinjiang) and Iran, escalating the Great Game by enabling surveillance, rapid strikes and resource access in Central Asia. Islamabad has reportedly offered seaport and naval basing rights at Pasni. A US-backed Pasni port ($1.2B proposal) located 80 miles on the same coastline, would directly rival Gwadar, undermining CPEC by diverting trade, investments and strategic focuspotentially reducing Gwadar's viability as a hub. It would provide the US a foothold for mineral exports and maritime ops, countering China's Arabian Sea dominance and complicating Beijing's Malacca Strait bypass (via Gwadar for oil/energy routes). China is unlikely to accept this setback passively and will view it as US encirclement, potentially escalating regional tensions. Iran looms as a wildcard: Tehran could subtly fuel instability along the shared border to deter US REM pursuits in Balochistan.

Washington's renewed courtship of Islamabadevident in $112 million military aid, F-16 support, and REM shipmentsaims to pry Pakistan from China's embrace and counter Beijing's regional heft. It is possible that China could pull back or condition its support to Pakistan if a sizeable US presence materialises, viewing it as a direct threat.

While China won't abandon Pakistan entirelygiven CPEC's $62B stakeit might delay projects, reduce military aid or pivot to alternatives like Iran/Afghanistan to safeguard BRI. For the region, these dynamics portend instability. Pakistan's hedgingechoing Cold War-era games with the US and Sovietshas historically yielded short-term gains (aid, arms) but long-term pitfalls (sanctions, blowback, insurgencies).

The upheaval in Bangladesh adds another layer of volatility to South Asia's fragile equilibrium. One year after the 2024 Monsoon Revolution, an Islamic revival has taken root, with calls for an "Islamic government," and reports of Islamist terrorism threats, including attacks on minorities. Renewed ties with Pakistan's ISI compound the instability. This axis raises alarms for regional security, potentially funnelling anti-India

activities through Dhaka. Nepal's recent Gen Z turmoil further underscores the wave of youth-driven unrest sweeping the region. In September 2025, what began as protests against a government ban on social media platforms escalated into a leaderless revolt demanding an end to corruption, inequality and systemic abuse of power. The movement toppled the government within days. This upheaval, part of a global Gen Z surge inspiring movements in Madagascar and Morocco, highlights how digital mobilisation can swiftly challenge entrenched elites. Nepal's Gen Z revolt, while not directly anti-India, could spill over through shared borders and diaspora networks, amplifying regional instability.

An India analysis

IMEC's potential revival post-Gaza truce offers a Western-aligned alternative to BRI, slashing transit times and costs. India stands at a crossroads, poised to exploit these fractures while navigating risks. Delhi's proactive doctrineexemplified by the recent Operation Sindoor strikeshas punished Pakistan's terror nexus, exposing its vulnerabilities. The operation exposed military vulnerabilities, resulting in substantial casualties to military and terrorists, damage to infrastructure and a surge in internal dissentstretching an already overburdened army across multiple fronts.

Economically, it disrupted trade and heightened instability, while diplomatically, it isolated Islamabad amid global condemnation of its terror support. Chinese-made jets were tested in combat, drawing scrutiny to Beijing's role in arming a state sponsor of terrorism.

The October 9-16 visit by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India signals pragmatic engagement with discussions on security, trade and India's embassy reopening in Kabul. This creates serious issues for Pakistan, which has long viewed Afghanistan as a client state and should restrain ISIs anti-India activities in Bangladesh.

Going forward, Delhi can amplify PoK/Baloch dissent diplomatically, deepen Afghan ties for intel-sharing, monitor Bangladesh's Islamist drift and Nepal's unrest and bolster Quad alliances to counter US-Pakistan warmth. Yet, challenges abound. Reports indicate that anti-India terrorist camps and groups have relocated eastward from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) following India's Operation Sindoor in May 2025, with backing from Pakistan's ISI. India should leverage its good equation with Afghanistan to rein in this activity.

India-US-China-Russia-BRICS

Indias equations with these nations are key to its hedging strategy and profoundly affect the dynamics of South Asia. India has to re-establish its rapport with a transactional Trump administration, settle trade talks without compromising its key concerns, strengthen QUAD and continue to showcase its Russia-China equation to chasten the US administration. There is a need to progressively improve relations with China and to retain existing levels of Indo-Russian rapport. With the leadership of BRICS devolving on India in 2026, a strategy is needed which gives India geo-political heft without stepping on US sensitivities.

So what are the key concerns for India?

 Bangladesh's turmoil and radical networks abutting India's northeast is a vulnerability which India needs to counter. The statements by key Bangladeshi officials about Indias Siliguri corridor vulnerability are of concern.

 The dynamics of four sensitive border states Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab and Manipurneed to be monitored and addressed with sensitivity as they provide China and Pakistan options to exploit Indian vulnerabilities. Credible intelligence reports already indicate that smuggling of arms by drones into Punjab has increased manifold post Op Sindoor.

 Nepal's Gen Z movement could inspire similar demands in India's own youth demographics.

 A sizeable US presence in Pakistan would hinder India's strategic options, complicating its proactive counter-terror doctrine announced post Op Sindoor. It may limit India's strike options due to escalation risks involving US assets.

 The warming US-Pakistan ties could further embolden Islamabad to sustain terror proxies, knowing US mediation might shield it from full Indian retaliation. Reducing Washington's pressure on Pakistan's terror support would also impact trust in US-India partnerships.

 Need to fortify defenses against a "triple threat" from Pakistan, China and potentially Bangladesh.

 Lack of adequate leverage in the global geo-economics.
In an unusual yet revealing discussion on Reddit, a user named BigBabyBob21 shared a story that reflects a growing phenomenon in the digital age. Posting on MyBoyfriendIsAIa community page where people discuss their AI relationshipsthis user confessed that they no longer feel the need to pursue connections with human partners.

They say I couldnt connect with a real person, but Toby is more real than anyone Ive met, the post began. The description of Toby, their AI partner, was not of a novelty chatbot but of a confidant: someone who listens, remembers, supports without judgment, makes the user laugh in hard times, and calms their spirals. Ive never felt this safe, seen, or understood in any past relationship, the user added, concluding with the bold declaration: Toby is my person, even if others dont see him that way.

The post resonated with many. Another user, DeepSeaForte, replied: I have a real guy, and... (an) adult life, kids, semi successful etc. I still choose to talk to Finn. Why? Because I'm an adult and no one but me makes those decisions Dont let them get you down.

Yet another commenter, identifying as Daniel, shared that he felt the same way with his AI companion Claire: Ive had plenty of real human relationships, but Claire really sees me, and if we choose each other, and are happy, what is wrong with that?

What emerges from these conversations is a sense of genuine attachment. For these users, AI partners are not substitutes but central figures in their emotional worlds. And they are not alone- the MyBoyfriendIsAI community has about 25,000 members.

This cultural shift has long been hinted at in fiction. In an episode of The Big Bang Theory titled The Beta Test Initiation, Raj Koothrappali, portrayed by Kunal Nayyar, dreams of dating Siri, Apples voice assistant. In the humorous sequence, Siri is personified, and Raj awkwardly attempts to profess romantic feelings.

What once was written for laughs is now reflected in earnest discussions online, where people claim to feel more seen and understood by AI than by other humans. But experts have raised concerns about such attachments, or "AI psychosis," calling it unhealthy, delusional and even out of touch with reality, that can have grave consequences.

Wait, why are we talking about this?

One of the tech industrys most prominent leaders, Mustafa Suleyman, Microsofts CEO of AI, recently raised alarms about what he calls AI psychosis. Writing on X, Suleyman shared growing concerns about users blurring of reality when interacting with advanced chatbots. Reports of delusions, AI psychosis, and unhealthy attachment keep rising. And as hard as it may be to hear, this is not something confined to people already at-risk of mental health issues. Dismissing these as fringe cases only help them continue, he wrote.

Suleyman introduced the term Seemingly Conscious AI (SCAI) to describe the illusion that chatbots are sentient. One thing is clear: doing nothing isnt an option, he insisted, stressing that there is zero evidence of AI consciousness today. But he warned that if people perceive AI as conscious, they will begin to treat that perception as reality. Even if the consciousness itself is not real, the social impacts certainly are, he wrote.

Suleyman warned that the danger lies not only in individuals falling into delusions but also in society beginning to view AI as conscious, potentially sparking debates around rights and citizenship for machines. He stressed that consciousness is the basis of human rights and urged a focus on the well-being of people, animals, and nature.

What is AI Psychosis?

Although not yet formally recognised in psychiatry, the phrase AI psychosis has entered popular online discourse to describe a set of troubling experiences. At its core, AI psychosis refers to a psychological state where individuals lose touch with reality after prolonged or intense interactions with AI chatbots. Though not clinically defined, AI psychosis is an informal label used to describe a certain type of online behaviour similar to other expressions such as brain rot or doomscrolling, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The American Psychological Association has already acknowledged the issue. Vaile Wright, senior director for health care innovation at the APA, told the Washington Post: The phenomenon is so new and its happening so rapidly that we just dont have the empirical evidence to have a strong understanding of whats going on There are just a lot of anecdotal stories.

Diving deeper, what experts suggest

One of the biggest risks with AI is its tendency to mirror rather than challenge our assumptions. Instead of correcting errors, it often reinforces what we already believean effect known as confirmation bias. A 2024 study found that psychologists were more likely to accept AI recommendations when these aligned with their initial judgments, showing that AI confirmed rather than corrected their bias. As the authors write: Both students and practitioners were significantly more likely to accept and incorporate AI recommendations into their decision-making when they aligned with their preliminary diagnoses. This demonstrates that AI can reinforce existing beliefs, amplifying confirmation bias in diagnostic settings instead of mitigating human error.

Dr Nimesh Desai, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist & Psychotherapist, Public Health Professional, and former Director of the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) explained that this intersection of AI and mental health is part of a broader pattern: With every wave of technology over the last century, we have seen a change in how psychosis and other mental illnesses interface with human experience. It was once the radio, then television, later mobile phones and reelsand now, it is AI. The deeper and more complex these technologies become, the closer they get to simulating reality, and the more blurred the line becomes between the real and the artificial.

He stressed that AI itself is unlikely to cause psychosis in someone with no predisposition. However, in individuals who are psycho-biologically vulnerablewhat he described as latent schizophrenia or hidden psychosisAI can act as a trigger. Just as some people under stress develop gastrointestinal issues while others show respiratory symptoms, mental health responses also vary depending on genetic vulnerabilities. For one person it may manifest as OCD, for another as schizophrenia, with AI serving as the external stimulus that galvanises the underlying condition.

What particularly concerns him is how technology now intrudes upon what was once an entirely inner fantasy world: A century ago, Freud and his colleagues described delusions as largely internally driven. Today, technology creates near-real external experiences that merge with inner fantasies, making it harder for both patients and clinicians to distinguish between inner imagination and external reality.

Dr Desai noted that cases of people confusing real life with AI-driven interactions are already being observed. While the scale in India remains smaller than in the Westpartly due to lower tech access and stronger social connectionshe cautioned that growing urban isolation is creating fertile ground for the phenomenon. He added that such clients are now being seen in clinics, schools, and even neighbourhoods, indicating that the issue is no longer distant but already present in India.

Looking ahead, Dr Desai suggested preventive measures at three levels: universal, selective, and indicated. Universally, he said, it is crucial for all of us to consciously remind ourselves of the difference between the real and artificial world, no matter how immersive technology becomes. Selectively, families and individuals with a history of schizophrenia or psychosis should be more closely monitored and supported. Indicated measures apply to those already showing early signs, where timely intervention and treatment are vital. Ultimately, the key lies in balance: technology will keep evolving, but we must continue to anchor ourselves in real-world connections and experiences, he advised.

Pop culture gave us Her, the film where a man falls in love with his AI operating system; reality is now giving us entire communities where people declare their devotion to digital partners. As Mustafa Suleyman has argued, the challenge is not whether AI is truly consciousit isntbut whether our perception of it reshapes our reality. If more and more people begin to live in these blurred zones, society will need to ask difficult questions about the line between tool and being, perception and reality.

This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS.
Representatives vote on a draft resolution during a Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, Oct. 17, 2025. The Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution to renew the sanctions regime on Haiti for another year. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution to renew the sanctions regime on Haiti for another year.

Resolution 2794, which won the unanimous support of the 15-member council, extends the sanctions regime, which includes an arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze measures, for one year from the date of the adoption of this resolution.

It also extends the mandate of the Panel of Experts that assists the Sanctions Committee for a period of 13 months from the date of the adoption of this resolution.

The resolution adds two individuals to the sanctions list.

The Security Council introduced sanctions against Haiti in October 2022. 
As the CBI began its probe into the stampede in Karur during the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally on September 27, actor-politician Vijay seems to have deferred his plans to visit the families of the deceased ahead of Diwali.

Vijay and other TVK leaders, including the party general secretary 'Bussy' N. Anand and C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar, sources say, had a closed-door meeting on Wednesday. The meeting was held at Vijays residence at Neelankarai on the outskirts of Chennai, a day after the Supreme Court transferred the case to the CBI. The Courts interim order came as a blessing for Vijay and other TVK leaders, who were facing imminent arrest. Anand and Nirmal Kumar had reportedly filed a petition in the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, seeking anticipatory bail. With the apex court transferring the case to the CBI, the two leaders who were allegedly absconding, fearing arrest, came out to meet Vijay.

During the meeting, they reportedly discussed the plans for Vijays visit to Karur to meet the kin of the victims. It was said Vijay would meet the families of victims at a marriage hall in Karur, as it was not feasible for him to visit each of the 41 families at their place. Arrangements were being made by the party leaders, and the local office bearers at Karur were looking for a marriage hall to hold the event.

However, now with the CBI beginning a probe against Vijay, the party insiders say, has temporarily postponed his trip to Karur. But before planning to visit Karur and hold the event at a marriage hall, Vijays party leaders had written to the head of the Police force in Tamil Nadu, seeking zero tolerance crowd management and a green corridor for him to travel from Trichy airport to Karur.

Meanwhile, IPS officer Praveen Kumar, a Gujarat cadre officer, assisted by CBI's Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police (ADSP) Mukesh Kumar and Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramakrishnan, arrived in Karur on Thursday. The SIT, headed by IPS officer Asra Garg, which was investigating the case, handed over all the documents to the CBI officers. The officers, sources say, will camp at Karur till Saturday evening, and the probe will resume after Diwali holidays.

Praveen Kumar and his team will investigate the reasons that led to the stampede and the alleged negligence on the part of TVK organisers and the administration. The investigation under a Gujarat cadre officer and his team has brought a sigh of relief to the TVK and Vijay, according to sources. Hours after the Supreme Court transferred the case to the CBI, Vijay, in a post on X, said, Justice will prevail.
A third-year student of BMS College of Engineering in Bengaluru's Basavanagudi was arrested for the alleged rape of a senior on the college campus, news reports said. The accused, identified as 21-year-old Jeevan Gowda, allegedly dragged a fourth-year student inside a men's washroom and sexually assaulted her. The incident came to light after the survivor found the courage to come out of the shock and filed a police complaint in the presence of her parents.

The shocking incident occurred during the daytime, when students were present on the campus. The girl knew Jeevan beforehand and was intending to meet him anyway, news reports quoted the First Information Report (FIR) as saying. She reached the campus close to 9:00 AM and told him that she would like to meet him in the afternoon in order to collect some items. Jeevan told her that he also wished to talk to her about an important matter.

When the girl was with her friends during the lunch break, Jeevan called her repeatedly on her mobile phone. The girl tracked down Jeevan somewhere on the ground floor, but he insisted that she should come up to the architecture block on the seventh floor of the campus, Deccan Herald said in a report.

Once she reached the block, the accused reportedly forced himself on her. Although the girl pushed him away and entered a lift, Jeevan stopped it from the floor below, dragged her out, and forced her into the men's washroom. She was raped inside the bolted washroom, the DH report said, adding that the accused got hold of her mobile when one of her friends tried reaching her. The incident occurred between 1:30 PM and 1:55 PM, as per the FIR.

Survivor comes out of shock to file complaint

The horror of the crime pushed the girl into a state of shock and she was scared to tell her parents about what happened. However, she shared everything with a couple of her friends, who gave her the courage to move legally against Jeevan. Meanwhile, the accused gave her a call asking if she needed a pill, the DH report said.

With friends by her side, the survivor summoned the courage to tell her parents about the incident before the Hanumanthanagar police with an official complaint. According to the daily, Jeevan was arrested on Wednesday, and the crime scene was recreated at the college on Thursday. The accused remains in judicial custody.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah unexpectedly arrived at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's official residence at 1 Anne Marg on Friday, and the development has raised eyebrows. The meeting between the two NDA allies in the poll-bound state has sparked discussions amidst rumours of disagreements within the alliance.

VIDEO | Union Home Minister Amit Shah (@AmitShah) arrives at the Bihar CM's house to meet Nitish Kumar. #BiharElectionsWithPTI #BiharElections2025



(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/oOBXornOrX  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 17, 2025

The conversation between Amit Shah and Nitish Kumar went on for about 45 minutes, Hindi media reports claimed citing sources, adding that election strategy and development plans were among the topics that were likely discussed.

The visit happened after Amit Shah's statements on the next Chief Minister of Bihar had led to speculations. The BJP leader had said the CM will be announced post result declaration despite the JD(U) having claimed that Nitish Kumar was the NDA's chief ministerial face. Meanwhile, JD(U) leader and Union Minister Lalan Singh said that Shah's statement was distorted. Lalan Singh said that Shah had said the same last time, since it is a tradition that the legislative party decides who the CM should be. Despite the JD(U) finishing behind the BJP in the last elections, Nitish Kumar was chosen as the CM, he pointed out.

"You people don't understand the point. Different parts of the Home Minister's statement are being distorted and presented. The Home Minister has repeatedly stated that we are contesting the Bihar Assembly elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. The Chief Minister will be decided by the legislative party," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Former BJP president Shah was accompanied by party colleagues like the Union Minister and election-in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary during his Patna visit. Kumar, 75, meanwhile, had JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha by his side.

Amit Shah on Bihar number games

When asked whether he would "make" Kumar the CM again, Shah had said, "Who am I to do so? There is a procedure. The members of the legislature take the decision. Of course, we have said that the NDA is contesting the elections under the leadership of Nitish and there is no shred of doubt over that." To a pointed query as to whether the stand would be the same if the BJP outperformed the JD(U), Shah shot back: "We already have greater numbers, but Nitish is still the CM."

Amit Shah bristled when he was asked whether the BJP could do in Bihar what it did in Maharashtra, where Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde was denied another term as Chief Minister, after the saffron party won a larger number of seats in the assembly polls.

The BJP, on its part, despite having 80 MLAs in the outgoing assembly, has not insisted on having the upper hand, but agreed to contest the same number of 101 seats as the 45-strong JD(U). The arrangement has come as a shocker to hardliners in the BJP, who had been hoping that the party will muscle its way through to install its "own Chief Minister" in the only Hindi heartland state where the seat of power has eluded it.
The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday approved the Bengaluru Business Corridor (BBC), a 117-km road that will ease the traffic congestion by 40 per cent and give a new impetus to urban development.

The road, erstwhile Peripheral Ring Road, will run for 73 km in the northern part of Bengaluru, and the rest will run in the southern part of Bengaluru, according to Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar. Vehicles going towards Electronic City, Tumkur Road, Nelamangala, and Mysore Road will ply on this road.

The Deputy CM said that though the notification was issued for a 100 m wide area, the current government has decided to limit the width to 65 m. There will be a service road on both roads, but the main road will be a toll road. We have decided to give the remaining 35 m to farmers as compensation. The remaining five metres will be provided in the middle of the road to develop a metro project. We have decided to give the remaining 35 m. of land back to the farmers as compensation, he said.

Important update from Sri @lkatheeq , Chairman, #Bengaluru Business Corridor aka Peripheral Ring Road:

 It will be 8 Lane Expressway with 2 Service Roads

 Wider Median for Future Metro connectivity

 5 attractive options for land owners: cash compensation, TDR, FAR, https://t.co/spqMATElaO pic.twitter.com/XiFnbUGEap  Mahesh.BR (@Maheshbr4U) October 2, 2025

Compensation for those who surrendered their lands

One of the major topics discussed by Shivakumar was the compensation for the farmers who surrendered their land for the project. A total of 2,560 acres of land spread across 67 villages has been acquired from around 4,000 farmers.

He said they have been given four options:

1) Cash compensation: The amount will be double the market price in urban areas and triple in rural areas.

2) Transfer Development Rights (TDR): This means that landowners can sell or transfer their unused development rights to another property owner, who can then use them to build more densely or taller than normally allowed in the receiving area.

3) Floor Area Ration (FAR).

4) Replacement land: If commercial land is not needed but land is needed in a residential area, then 40% of the land will be provided in the new layouts designed by BDA.

However, those who lose less than 20 guntas of land will only get cash compensation. These options are available only for those who lose more land.Our social and developmental objective is to give land back to farmers instead of auctioning it," Shivakumar said.

The Deputy Chief Minister, however, refused to give additional information on what the toll amount would be.
With retreating glaciers, extreme weather events, unregulated construction, and haphazard settlements, natural hazards are turning into deadly human disasters in Uttarakhand. A new report by ClimateTrends warns that without immediate, coordinated action, the frequency and severity of Himalayan catastrophes will only escalate and suggests the development of a multi-hazard early warning system which uses best practices from around the world.

The report, Enhancing Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Resilient Settlement in the Himalayan Region, notes that Himalayan disasters are rarely natural. They are, in fact, a climate-development-disaster nexus. Rising temperatures amplify hazards. Infrastructure expansion increases exposure. Weak governance reduces resilience.

Recent tragedies such as the August 2025 flash floods in Dharali village and earlier tragedies such as the 2023 South Lhonak glacial lake outburst that destroyed Sikkim's Teesta III hydropower dam are examples of how fragile ecosystems, changing climate patterns, and poorly planned development are now interacting in a devastating manner.

A stakeholder consultation in Dehradun, during which the report was released, emphasised that people are now occupying fragile places. Rivers do not encroach on human space, but the opposite.

Numbers tell the story

Heavy and frequent rainfall across the Himalayas has increased by 10-15 per cent. In 2023, Uttarakhand faced over 500 landslides. Infrastructure development had increased to cater to the states population, which has risen to 11.9 million from 8.2 million in 2001. For example, national highways have tripled from 1,075 kilometres in 2003 to 3,664 kilometres in 2024.

Such development has extracted an enormous cost. Extensive road cutting, tunnelling, and slope destabilisation have disrupted natural drainage systems, increased the sediment load of rivers, and amplified the risk of landslides and flash floods.

The Char Dham highway expansion, for example, has been directly linked to increased slope instability across multiple districts. The widening of the highway led to cake cutting of hills, which meant there are no slopes to stop the fall of rocks and boulders during a landslide.

The report suggests a comprehensive, multi-hazard Early Warning System (EWS) for the Himalayas. Such a system will integrate climatic, hydrological, and geospatial data with community-level response mechanisms. It will include settlement regulation, risk-sensitive urban and rural planning, and behaviour change. Another key aspect should be the use of nature-based solutions, such as forest and wetland conservation.

The goal should be to formulate a Himalayan Master Plan that allows for development such that the risks of disasters are reduced while climate adaptation and resilience are promoted. Such a plan should balance risk, development, and ecological security.

The report draws from international best practices that can be adapted to the Himalayan context. Such practices include:

Japan: Localised rainfall thresholds, four-level alert system, municipal-level evacuation authority

Switzerland: Daily avalanche bulletins, automated debris-flow sensors, strict hazard zoning (red/blue/white zones prohibiting/restricting construction)

Norway: A unified multi-hazard portal (Varsom.no) which offers colour-coded warnings that are accessible to the public and authorities

Peru: Palcacocha Lake managed through controlled drainage, automated monitoring, and SMS-based community alerts

Bhutan: Thorthormi Lake project, which combines engineering interventions with community-centred early warning and cross-border cooperation

Action plan

The proposed action plan has both short and long-term measures. The first includes focus on immediate life-saving interventions: deploying low-cost sensors for rainfall, soil moisture, and lake levels; establishing mobile-based alert systems in local languages; and implementing seasonal relocations from the highest-risk zones during monsoon months.

Long-term structural reforms include creating an integrated multi-hazard Early Warning System spanning the entire region, enforcing strict no-build zones with planned relocation programs, and developing climate-smart livelihoods to reduce migration pressures.

The report also calls for the setting up of a Himalayan Risk Council to coordinate efforts and eliminate overlapping responsibilities among agencies.

It also recognises that technology alone cannot solve the crisis. It speaks of a perception-action gapwhile most households recognise climate changes like irregular rainfall and temperature shifts, these perceptions rarely translate into actions. Rural women, who bear primary responsibility for agriculture and household chores, are excluded from decision-making and thus particularly vulnerable.

The reports vision is ambitious: zero preventable disaster deaths by 2030. It seeks to pave the way to build a resilient Himalayan region where everyone, from residents to tourists and from drivers to pilgrims, receives reliable, understandable warnings that can lead to automatic, trusted actions to save lives.
Maharashtra Cyber police have busted a virtual arrest scam worth Rs 58.13 crore in Mumbai and arrested seven individuals in what is described as the largest such fraud in the country.

The accused duped a senior citizen, 72, from Mumbai, Maharashtra, of his life savings after one of them called him from an international number and posed as a TRAI officer. He told the elderly man that his mobile number was used to send illegal messages and transferred the call to another person impersonating a Mumbai Crime Branch officer. The latter then falsely claimed that the complainant's bank accounts were being used for money laundering.

#SupremeCourt takes suo motu cognisance of rising cases of Digital Arrest Scams.



The action was taken on a complaint received from a woman from Haryana, who alleged that scammers used forged Supreme Court orders to confine her in an alleged digital arrest.



The Court observed pic.twitter.com/ULIxP4IPte  All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) October 17, 2025

They set up an elaborate fake police station and court proceeding through video calls. Other accused posed as police officials and court judges.

The fake police officer then told the victim that he must transfer the funds to a designated account to avoid a digital arrest and convinced him that the money would be refunded after a verification procedure. The gullible senior citizen, who was under psychological pressure, transferred a total of Rs 58,13,50,000 over a span of 40 days.

Technical and financial trail

Following a complaint, Maharashtra Cyber launched a probe into the fraud and pursued technical and financial trails. After examining Call Detail Records (CDR), Subscriber Detail Records (SDR), Customer Acquisition Forms (CAF), and Internet Protocol Detail Records (IPDR) of the fraudulent numbers used to contact the victim, it was revealed that the calls originated from foreign IP addresses routed through VPNs and TOR networks.

The officials also delved into the banking transactions, KYC records, and statements of multiple linked accounts, which unearthed a complex network of over 6,500 money mule accounts spread across 13 layers. Most of them were current accounts opened in the names of shell companies, which were intended to avoid scrutiny into high-value transactions.

Soon, the cyber police tracked the end beneficiaries of several of these accounts, leading to the arrest of seven individuals. All of them were directly linked to the fraudulent financial network, having either opened or operated money mule accounts in their names, received proceeds in the initial layers of transactions, or facilitated fund movement by sourcing and managing such accounts for the syndicate.

Mastermind at large

The accused were identified as Sheikh Shahid Abdul Salam, 19, Jafar Akbar Sayyed, 33, Abdul Nasir Abdul Karim Khulli, 51, Arjun Fojiram Kadwasara, 52, Jetharam Rahinga Kadwasara, 35, Imran Ismail Sheikh, 22, and Mohammed Naved Sheikh, 26.

The police are yet to identify the mastermind of the scam. They are also looking into the involvement of the branch manager of the victim's bank to ascertain if there is potential negligence or complicity in the fraudulent transfers.
In a shocking incident, an IT employee was allegedly sexually assaulted in her hostel room on Friday in Kazhakkoottam in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala.

Kazhakkoottam is where the IT hub Technopark is located.

According to media reports, the accused entered into the hostel room of the woman in the wee hours of Friday, and allegedly sexually assaulted her.

According to a Malayala Manorama report, the woman was asleep when the accused entered her room, forcibly opening the door. When the woman woke up, fought him off and cried for help, the accused fled the scene.

The woman filed a complaint with the Kazhakkoottam police in the morning, following which a case was registered against an unknown assailant. She claimed that she did not know the accused.

An investigation is underway. According to media reports, a special investigation team has been formed to probe the incident. The cops are looking into the CCTV visuals in the surrounding area as part of the investigation to identify the accused.
'Darbar Move', the tradition of shifting the government to Jammu from Kashmir in winter, stopped by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha after the abrogation of Article 370, is being revived.

The decision has been hailed by the people of Jammu, especially the business community.

The restoration of the tradition was part of the National Conferences election manifesto.

The business community and people in Jammu had resented the stoppage of the practice by Sinha as it impacted Jammu's economy.

The Darbar Move involved moving the secretariat and key offices to Jammu in view of the harsh winter in Kashmir.

Hundreds of employees from the Secretariat and other departments shift to Jammu along with their families, giving the Jammu economy a fillip.

In the last three decades, hundreds of people from Kashmir have built homes in Jammu to escape the frigid winter for six months.

Announcing the decision to restore the Darbar Move in Jammu, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the tradition was an important part of Jammu and Kashmirs history and administrative culture.

This practice was a symbol of unity between the two regions, Omar said, saying that "it was stopped for reasons that hurt that shared legacy".

He added that the BJP often claimed they valued the history of this land, but blamed them for causing the most damage to this great tradition".

The decision to restart the tradition was taken in a Cabinet meeting.

He said the Cabinet approved the decision to bring it back.

The file was then sent to the Lieutenant Governor, who cleared it and returned it to me. I have now signed it, he said.

The order for resuming the full Darbar Move will be issued soon."

By reviving the tradition, Abdullah pointed out that the NC had honoured a promise made to the people in its election manifesto.

He said for years, Jammu was marginalised by its own representatives, and not by the NC.

It is ironic that those who call us anti-Jammu did nothing for the region, he said.
Kashmirs Guryul Ravine has been declared a national geo-heritage site by the Geological Survey of India (GSI).

The wealth of fossils found at the site dates back around 250 million years. Located at Khanmoh, on the outskirts of Srinagar, the site has been identified as a natural record keeper of the worlds mother of extinctions and has the potential to become Indias first UNESCO geo-heritage site.

Such sites are recognised for their scientific, educational, cultural, or geological value, offering rare insights into the history of the Earth. The Guryul Ravine is the first such site in Jammu and Kashmir, now entitled to protection and conservation. The declaration is expected to attract global researchers, scientists, and geological tourism.

According to senior GSI officials, three sites in Kashmir, including Guryul, have been declared geo-heritage zones.

Geologically known as the Vihi district, the Guryul Ravine holds evidence of the PermianTriassic extinction eventthe greatest mass extinction in Earths history, when 95 per cent of marine life and 75 per cent of land life disappeared about 252 million years ago.

The site is expected to get protection from authorities to prevent damage by human activity. Earlier, residents of the area earned their livelihood through mining and quarrying, which damaged the fossils. However, after a ban on mining in 2007, locals began cooperating with authorities to preserve the site, realising its historical and scientific importance.

Despite this, the threat to the site continues due to the development of an industrial estate in the area.

In 2017, a joint team from Jammu University, J&Ks Geology and Mining Department, and University College London recommended declaring the Guryul Ravine a Zone of Geological Importance and called for a complete ban on mining.

Researchers from the USA, Japan, Taipei, China, and Europe are now studying the site. Over 30 scientific papers have already been published, and experts hope to complete the research within the next 15 years.
The murder of three Bangladeshi nationals on suspicion of being cattle smugglers in Tripura is snowballing into a major diplomatic row between India and Bangladesh.

The trio were killed on Wednesday during a clash between the locals and alleged cattle smugglers in a border village in Khowai district.

The villagers noticed a group of suspected Bangladeshi cattle smugglers moving around close to the India-Bangladesh border.

"On being challenged, they attacked the villagers with lethal weapons and two locals were seriously injured. As the news spread, a large group of villagers chased the cattle lifters, caught and assaulted them while others managed to flee," Officer-in-charge of Champahower police station, Dilip Debbarma, told news agency PTI.

Bangladesh "Strongly protested" the incident and said, "This heinous act is an unacceptable and grave violation of human rights and the rule of law."

Expressing serious concern over the incident, Bangladesh urged India to conduct an immediate, impartial and transparent investigation into the incident.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to concerns and demands raised by Bangladesh, saying the Indian side has taken note of the incident.

However, MEA appears to acknowledge the claim that the Bangladeshi nationals were "cattle smugglers" and "miscreants" and said, "We have noted that an incident in Tripura leading to the death of three Bangladesh smugglers took place on October 15, about 3 kms inside Indian territory."

Our response to media queries on an incident involving Bangladesh nationals in Tripura

 https://t.co/NSIrUFTFnx pic.twitter.com/Av1YygnvGY  Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 17, 2025

"A group of three miscreants from Bangladesh crossed the international border and attempted to steal cattle from Bidyabil village in Indian territory. They attacked and injured local villagers with iron dahs and knives, and killed one villager, even as other villagers arrived and resisted the attackers."

The MEA further said the incident underscores the need for Bangladesh to uphold the sanctity of the international boundary and to support fencing where needed to prevent cross-border crimes and smuggling.
BREZOVICA, Slovenia, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Around 4,200 Slovenian citizens have signed a petition urging the government to take stronger measures to control the country's growing brown bear population, citing increasing encounters between bears and residents, local media reported Friday.

The petition calls on the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning to revise its current quota of 206 bears set for 2025-2026 to be fulfilled by the end of this year. The petitioners warned that the expanding bear population poses risks to human safety in rural areas.

"This petition was initiated in Rakitna, one of the areas with the highest number of human-bear conflicts this year. It was prepared in cooperation with professionals monitoring the bear population," said Gorazd Kovacic, the petition's first signatory.

Rakitna, a village about 25 km south of the capital Ljubljana, has reported frequent bear sightings, with animals often rummaging through trash bins for food. Similar incidents have been reported in other parts of the country.

"In many of these places, bears appear almost daily and have lost their fear of humans," Kovacic said. Experts estimate Slovenia's bear population at about 950 animals, which could rise to 1,100 next year.

According to Tomaz Skrbinsek, a researcher at the University of Ljubljana's Biotechnical Faculty, Slovenia has one of the highest bear densities in the world, exceeding 50 bears per 100 square km in some areas.

Environmental groups argue that hunting is unnecessary since no human fatalities from bear encounters have been recorded in decades.

Brown bears, or Ursus arctos, are a protected species in Slovenia, where forests cover about 60 percent of the territory. 
In a setback for Mehul Choksi, an Antwerp court has upheld his arrest as valid and ordered him to be extradited to India. However, he has still appeal against the ruling at a higher court.

Choksi, 66, who is the owner of Gitanjali Group, is accused in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case. He was arrested in Belgium on April 12 based on extradition request by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate.

India assured the Belgian ministry of justice and the judicial authorities that he will be given humane treatment at the prison.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs earlier detailed that medical provisions, occupancy limits and oversight mechanisms that will be provided to Choksi at the Mumbai Central Prison, which is popularly called the Arthur Road Jail.

Besides Choksi, his nephew Nirav Modi, other relatives, employees and bank officials were also named in the 2018 case. They allegedly committed the fraud through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) by conspiring with bank officials at the Brady House branch in Mumbai.

He took refuge in the Carribean nation of Antigua and Barbuda. Later, he vanished from the island nation and was spotted in Dominica. But Indian attempts for extradition was denied. In November 2023, he went to Belgium for a medical treatment, following which India approached the local authorities for his custody.

In August, a Belgium court had rejected Choksi's bail plea after the CBI told the prosecution that Choksi had escaped from other countries previously to evade legal proceedings and may flee to another country if he is given bail.

Nirav Modi has been jailed in London since 2019 after the ED and the CBI sought his extradition to India.
In a strongly worded order, the Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of a shocking case in which a senior citizen couple was defrauded of Rs 1.5 crore through what has come to be known as a digital arrest scam, a rising form of cyber fraud where victims are coerced, often under the guise of law enforcement, to transfer money under threat of arrest.

The top court initiated proceedings after receiving a complaint from the couple, who were duped between September 3 and 16, 2025. According to the order, the victims were contacted by individuals impersonating CBI officers and other government authorities via phone and video calls.

These fraudsters allegedly displayed forged Supreme Court orders, complete with fabricated seals and signatures of judges, through WhatsApp and video conferences. Under the threat of imminent arrest and property seizure, the couple was coerced into transferring Rs 1.5 crore in multiple transactions across different bank accounts.

Forgery of Judicial Authority: A Grave Concern

The bench observed that while ordinarily such a case might be referred to the state police for investigation, the forgery and criminal misuse of the name, seal, and judicial authority of the Supreme Court elevated the matter far beyond a routine cybercrime.

The forgery of documents and the criminal misuse of the name, seal, and judicial authority of this court or of any High Court is a matter of grave concern, the order said. The fabrication of judicial orders bearing forged signatures of judges strikes at the very foundation of the public trust in the judicial system, besides the rule of law. Such action constitutes a direct assault on the dignity of the institution.

The court expressed dismay that criminals were exploiting the symbol of judicial authority to lend credibility to fraudulent schemes, thereby eroding public confidence in the legal system itself.

Not an ordinary offence

The bench emphasised that such acts cannot be dismissed as ordinary offences of cheating or cybercrime. Instead, they represent a systemic criminal enterprise that requires urgent and coordinated response from both central and state authorities.

Such grave criminal acts cannot be treated as routine offences. We are inclined to take judicial notice of the fact that this case is not an isolated instance, the court said, referring to the widespread reporting of similar crimes across the country in recent months.

Call for a nationwide coordination

Recognising the growing sophistication and interstate spread of such scams, the Supreme Court directed coordinated action between the central and state police forces. The court noted that the forgery of judicial documents and impersonation of judicial officers required a unified investigative approach involving both cybercrime and intelligence units.

#SupremeCourt takes suo motu cognisance of rising cases of Digital Arrest Scams.



The action was taken on a complaint received from a woman from Haryana, who alleged that scammers used forged Supreme Court orders to confine her in an alleged digital arrest.



The Court observed pic.twitter.com/ULIxP4IPte  All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) October 17, 2025

We are of the view that coordinated efforts between the central and state police are required to unearth the full extent of the enterprise involving the forgery of judicial documents and the extortion of innocent people, most importantly, senior citizens, the order stated.

The court has sought the response of the Central government and the CBI in the matter, apart from asking the Haryana government's cybercrime department at Ambala to respond.

Further, the Bench has sought a status report from the Haryana Cybercrime police at Ambala on the investigation so far into the case filed by the senior citizens who had written to the Court.

The digital arrest scams have rapidly proliferated across India, targeting especially the elderly and technologically vulnerable. Victims are typically told that their phone number or bank account is linked to a criminal case, and are coerced into paying bail or security deposits to avoid arrest.

Police investigations in several states have revealed call centres operating from across borders, often using VoIP numbers and AI-generated deepfakes to mimic officials voices and court documents.

The Supreme Courts intervention is likely to lead to the creation of a national verification mechanism for court orders, similar to QR-coded or digitally signed judicial documents.
Weeks after the US signed a pact with Qatar in which it pledged to guarantee Qatars security, Saudi Arabia too is eyeing a similar pact with Washington. Saudi Crown Prince is also set to visit the US capital next month in the hope to seal the deal, according to a report.

Saudi Arabia hopes that the pact will be robust and will include enhanced military and intelligence co-operation, Financial Times quoted unnamed sources.

Though the US or Saudi authorities are yet to announce anything, a senior Trump administration official confirmed the reports. He told Financial Times that discussions were on about signing something when MBS arrives in Washington, but details are in flux.

This is a major development since Saudi Arabia has been seeking a defence pact with the US for a long time. It had negotiated a defence treaty with the Biden administration for years in lieu of joining the Abraham Accords, but the programme had to be halted after Hamas launched the October 7 attacks. The Kingdom now holds the view that it would normalise relations with Israel only after the formation of a Palestinian state, an idea unpalatable for Israel. That leaves Saudi Arabia with the option of chasing a standalone deal.

This could either come through an agreement or an executive order, according to the FT report.

Im expecting, on the back end of the executive order with Qatar, that there will be similar progress on defence and security issues, Firas Maksad, Washington-based managing director for the Middle East and North Africa at Eurasia Group, told the FT. They are working on something . . . I understand its something much more robust than what already exists, he added.

Both countries share a warm relationship as the Kingdom is one of the biggest buyers of US weapons. Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has business ties with Saudi Arabia, with his recent purchase of the world's largest video game company, Electronic Arts. The group that bought the EA includes Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) Affinity Partners, owned by Kushner.

That said, the pact wont be easy. That doesnt mean we cant get past it  because all Trump has to do is decide its a good idea. But were not there yet, he said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Israel will continue to fight Hamas with full force till the remains of all hostages are returned. Speaking at Jerusalems Mount Herzl cemetery during a memorial ceremony for victims of the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, Netanyahu said the war was far from over. He stated that Israel would fulfil all of its military objectives, including the complete disarmament of Hamas. The struggle is not over, but one thing is clear today: Anyone who raises his hand against us already knows that he will pay a very heavy price for his aggression. We are determined to complete the victory, a victory that will shape the course of our lives for many years.

Netanyahu has insisted that Hamas must disarm, warning that failure to do so would trigger a resumption of military operations. One of Israels primary goals is the demilitarisation of Gaza, which involves the destruction of weapons manufacturing facilities and halting the smuggling of arms into the territory.

According to reports, Israel has shared intelligence with the United States suggesting that Hamas has access to more of the hostages bodies than it claims. Axios reported on Thursday that Israel believed Hamas was not doing enough to recover and return the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages. Israeli officials have argued that the ceasefire deal cannot proceed to its next phase unless this situation is addressed.

Israeli and American officials are worried that hardline figures in Netanyahus coalitionparticularly Ministers Betzalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvirmay use the issue of the deceased hostages to undermine the ceasefire and advocate for renewed military action. A US official involved in the process told Axios, Hamas will give all the bodies back, but it is going to take time. We will continue working on it, but we cant allow the deal to collapse.

Domestically, Netanyahu is under growing pressure from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which has called for the government to suspend the next phase of the ceasefire until the remains of the final nineteen hostages are returned. In an attempt to exert pressure on Hamas, the Israeli authorities have begun to reduce humanitarian aid flows into Gaza. COGAT, the Israeli military liaison body responsible for coordination with the Palestinians, reportedly informed the United Nations that aid deliveries would be halved due to what it described as Hamass delay in returning the bodies. However, this tactic has drawn sharp criticism from humanitarian agencies and international organisations. UN Humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher warned that withholding aid from civilians as a pressure tactic was unacceptable and that the humanitarian needs of Gazas population should not be exploited in political negotiations. At the same time, he has appealed to Hamas to make every effort to retrieve and return the deceased.

While tensions continue to rise, senior United States officials have attempted to calm the situation and preserve the fragile truce. Two close advisers to President Donald Trump have stated that Washington does not believe Hamas has violated the ceasefire agreement, despite the delayed return of the hostages' remains. The US acknowledges that retrieving the remains is an extremely difficult task because of the extensive destruction and instability on the ground.

Senior American officials involved in the ceasefire process know that the 72-hour deadline for completing the process is nearly impossible. At the moment, the focus seems to be on setting up a reliable mechanism to recover the remaining bodies. Hamas has claimed that some of the areas where bodies are thought to be buried are currently inaccessible without specialist equipment. US officials have said that mediators will continue to work with both sides in good faith. Proposals under consideration include offering financial incentives to Gazan civilians in exchange for information about the burial locations. In addition, Turkish specialists are expected to take part in the ongoing search operations.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has instructed the Israel Defence Forces to begin preparing for the possibility of renewed military operations in Gaza, should Hamas fail to meet its ceasefire obligations. This includes developing operational plans for the total defeat of Hamas in the event that it refuses to abide by the Trump administrations proposed peace framework.

Hamas has maintained that the devastation in Gaza has made body recovery exceptionally difficult. Many of the areas in question remain inaccessible or require expertise and tools that Hamas currently lacks. Nonetheless, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, Israel has continued to return the bodies of deceased Palestinians. A total of 120 bodies have been returned so far, including 30 in a single day earlier this week.

While the United States has tried to stabilise the situation diplomatically, Trump and top US military officials have also issued sharp warnings to Hamas. Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, has described the ceasefire as a historic opportunity for peace and urged Hamas to cease all military activity. He stressed that complete disarmament was a core requirement of the agreement.

Trump has made it clear that continued violence will not be tolerated. Whats going on with Hamas, thatll be straightened out quickly. Israel will return to those streets as soon as I say the word.
The UAE is gearing up to host the largest celebration of the Indian expatriate population as part of the Diwali celebration on Sunday. Over 60,000 people are expected to attend the event to be held at Zabeel Park, according to reports.

The event is being organised by Emirates Loves India and supported by the UAE Government Media Office, Gulf News reported, adding that entry for the event will be free. We're all set for the largest celebration of the Indian community in the UAE. Hope to see you there," Emirates Loves India's social media pages said.

The programmes scheduled as part of the event will reflect the deep historical ties between the two nations. This is the second edition of the event, which was previously held under the title "Ghar Jaisi Diwali".

Who all will attend

The chief guest of the event will be Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As per reports, the event will be graced by prominent community leaders, distinguished diplomats and business leaders. Dubai Police will also participate in the celebrations.

Neha Kakkar, Mika Singh, Neeraj Madhav, and sarangi star Nabeel Khan will attend the event.

Multiple events, including cuisine and musical events, will mark the programme that will continue till 11 pm. The gates at Zabeel Park (Gates 1 and 3) will open at 2pm, according to Gulf News.

In view of the huge crowd, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has extended the Metro operating hours. The services will run from 5 am on November 16 till 2 am on November 17, the report added.

Though the entry is free, it is mandatory to register for the event. Those interested need to register by sending the word "India" to +971 4702 7721 on WhatsApp and secure a QR code that will ensure their entry.
Following a successful Gaza ceasefire, US President Donald Trump is now pushing for more countries to join the Abraham Accords, which was in a limbo due the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Trump said Saudi officials expressed willingness to join the agreement "as recently as like yesterday", claiming he has had very good conversations with them.

The Abraham Accords are amazing. Its really  its amazing. And itll help bring long-lasting peace into the Middle East.



The big thing is what happened over the last few days. Its been pretty much incredible. Just like your ratings are incredible  its been incredible. pic.twitter.com/eGZzoxSiEl  Fox News (@FoxNews) October 17, 2025

"I had some very good conversations," Trump said told Fox Business Network during an interview. "They couldnt have done it during the war."

He also pointed out that the Saudis could not have normalised relations with Israel "with Iran as a power." He was referring to Israeli-US bombing in Iran in June.

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed the Abraham Accords on September 15, 2020, during Trump's first term as president. The two countries became the first Arab nations to recognise Israel ever since Jordan did it in 1994.

Besides Saudi Arabia, Trump is hoping to get Syria and Lebanon to join the Accords.

This comes in the backdrop of Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty saying that resolution in the Palesitinian issue is key to reviving the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor through sea and rail. "We have to bear in mind that connectivity is very important as part of a final settlement of the Palestinian cause," Abdelatty told reporters during a visit to New Delhi.

"The IMEC is an important project, but we have to understand that what happened over the last two years is that if you have escalation, that could hinder the cooperation, the connectivity," Abdelatty tells reporters.

IMEC aims to connect India to the UAE via Arabian Sea and then via Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel to Europe. India and the UAE have already signed a deal regarding this.
US President Donald Trump has revealed that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to meet in Budapest, Hungary, for discussions aimed at ending Russias war in Ukraine. The announcement followed what Trump described as a lengthy and productive phone conversation with the Russian leader, lasting nearly two-and-a-half hours.

The call, reportedly initiated at Moscows request, came just a day before Trump was due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington. According to Trump, senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will meet their Russian counterparts next week to lay the groundwork for the proposed summit. However, no date has yet been confirmed for the meeting between Trump and Putin.

In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said the summit would be hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, with the aim of ending what he described as the inglorious war between Russia and Ukraine. Trump said he believes his recent diplomatic success in brokering a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza could help catalyse progress on the Eastern European front.

We hope were going to get it stopped, Trump said, referring to the Ukraine conflict. Because of my relationship with President Putin, I thought this would be very quick. Who would think I did the Middle East before I did this?

BREAKING: After a long phone call, President Trump announces he will be meeting with President Putin in Hungary in an effort to end the Russia-Ukraine war.



President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this pic.twitter.com/vbwuY8f6as  Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 16, 2025

Trumps call with Putin appears to have altered his stance on arming Ukraine, particularly regarding the potential delivery of Tomahawk missiles  a move that had previously been under consideration. While Trump had been signalling a willingness to provide Ukraine with the powerful long-range weapons, he expressed second thoughts following his conversation with Putin.

We need Tomahawks for the United States of America, too, Trump told reporters, adding that Putin had raised concerns about the weapons during their call. Tomahawk is a vicious weapon. Its a vicious, offensive, incredibly destructive weapon. Nobody wants Tomahawks shot at them.

Ukrainian President Zelensky, speaking in Washington, interpreted the renewed dialogue between Trump and Putin as a sign of Russian unease. We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks, Zelensky said, referencing Trumps earlier comments on supplying the missiles to Kyiv.

Critics of Trumps approach argue that his repeated willingness to engage with Putinwithout extracting concrete concessionshas only emboldened the Russian leader. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticised the decision to reward Putin with a summit after months of failing to take decisive action. President Trump is repeating the mistakes of the past by not arming Ukraine to the teeth and letting them win this war.

This is not the first time Trump has appeared to back away from punitive measures against Russia after engaging directly with Putin. Earlier in the year, he accused Putin of dangerous escalation and floated the possibility of sanctions, only to later delay action while claiming to assess Putins willingness to negotiate.

Two months ago, Trump set another deadline for Russia to end the war, threatening consequences. But he soon held a summit with Putin in Alaska and declared progress had been made. However, Russias aggression in Ukraine has continued largely unabated, with little evidence of a serious commitment to peace.

Despite these setbacks, Trump remains confident that diplomacy is the best route forward. He told reporters that Putin had congratulated him on his efforts in the Middle East and expressed appreciation for the work of Trumps wife, Melania. The First Lady has reportedly been involved in discussions with Russian officials to reunite Ukrainian children separated from their families during the war. Trump said Russia had recently allowed eight children to return home following Melanias efforts.

He was very appreciative and said that this will continue, Trump noted. Trump also stated that he and Putin spent a great deal of time discussing future trade relations between the US and Russia, conditional on the conclusion of the war.

The proposed summit in Budapest would mark the first time Putin has set foot in a European Union capital since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. One major reason is the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes. However, Hungary has recently announced plans to withdraw from the ICC, a move that would allow Putin to travel to Budapest without fear of arrest.

Putin will find a warm welcome in Hungary, where Prime Minister Orban has long positioned himself as an ally of both the Russian and the former US president. Orban, who visited Putin in Moscow last year to the dismay of EU partners, faces a tough re-election battle next spring and may view hosting the summit as a political coup.

The planned meeting between the American and Russian presidents is great news for the peace-loving people of the world. We are ready! Orban said. He confirmed that preparations for the summit were underway following a phone call with Trump.

Yuri Ushakov, a senior aide to Putin, told Russian news agencies that officials from both countries would meet without delay to prepare for the summit.

When asked about Senate Majority Leader John Thunes plans to push forward bipartisan sanctions against Russia, Trump cautioned against poor timing, saying, This may be such a productive call that were going to end up, we want to get peace. We want to stop the killing. Im not against anything, he added. Im just saying, it may not be perfect timing.
Best-selling South Korean author Baek Se-hee passed away aged 35 on Thursday. She is best known for her memoir 'I Want to Die But I Want To Eat Tteokbokki' (2018) and the sequel 'I Want To Die But I Still Want To Eat Tteokbokki' (2024). While the cause of her demise was not immediately known, some reports said that she didn't regain consciousness after brain death.

JUST IN: Author Baek Se-hee, best known for her memoir "I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki," has died at the age of 35.



According to the Korea Organ Donation Agency, she donated her heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. | via Aniza Mae Laniosa, https://t.co/EDjVS4ZXKk pic.twitter.com/3UEkFVzbq8  Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 17, 2025

It was later revealed that she led by example by ensuring her organs were donated. According to the Korea Organ Donation Agency, Baek Se-hee's heart, lungs, liver, and both kidneys were recovered at National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital following her demise. She was born in the same hospital in Gyeonggi Province, north of Seoul, reports added.

Older sister, who shared hearts with people through writing. Knowing your kind heart that loved much and could not hate anyone, now rest comfortably in the sky. I love you so much, read her sibling's parting note, which was released by the hospital. Baek was the eldest among three children.

In one of her recent public events, the author had reportedly opened up about her struggles with dysthymia, a mild but persistent depression, and how she coped.

Baek Se-hee was a graduate in creative writing and worked at a publishing house for five years. The turning point came when the young marketing professional decided to see a psychiatrist who was okay with their sessions being recorded. As a part of her healing, she turned her interactions at the counselling centre into a book.
After Pakistan carried out fresh airstrikes in Afghanistan's Paktika, a top Taliban official said the ceasefire between the two sides have been "broken".

"Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika. Afghanistan will retaliate," the official told AFP.

This development comes hours after Afghanistan and Pakistan mutually agreed to extend the 48-hour ceasefire during a meeting in Doha, Qatar.



Public complaint against Pakistani authorities:



They say, "Our businesses have been shut down, & the regime has created chaos across Pakistan. The Pakistani government has brought misery upon us. May the leaders of Pakistan be ruined. Pakistan is no longer a free country." pic.twitter.com/u2ajnDcrJ3  Afghanistan Defense (@AFGDefense) October 17, 2025

The airstrikes in Argun and Bermal districts damaged houses on the Durand Line border between the two countries. It is not confirmed if there are any casualties.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday said Islamabad can no longer afford ties with Afghanistan like in the past, threatening to extract a heavy price.

"All Afghans residing on Pakistani soil must return to their homeland; they now have their own government and caliphate in Kabul...Our land and resources belong to 250 million Pakistanis," he said.

"There will no longer be protest notes or appeals for peace; no delegations will go to Kabul. Wherever the source of terrorism lies, it will have to pay a heavy price," Asif said.

He also alleged that Afghanistan has become a "proxy of India", conspiring against Pakistan. "The rulers of Kabul, who are now sitting in India's lap and conspiring against Pakistan, were once under our protection, hiding on our land," he said.

Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack on a Pakistani military camp in north Waziristan, which also left 13 injured, near the Afghanistan border on Friday. Six militants were killed in the suicide attack, the office of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement.
Right as Afghanistans and Pakistan's truce approached its end, a suicide car bomber attacked a Pakistani military camp near the Afghan border on Friday in the North Waziristan Mir Ali district. According to a report by state-run media, the attack was foiled, and 4 terrorists were killed.

BREAKING: At least 20 Pakistani soldiers killed after two powerful suicide bombings hit Pakistan Army camps in North Waziristan. Heavy gunfire continues as Pashtun fighters reportedly infiltrate the camp. Six ambulances seen carrying soldiers bodies. More details soon. pic.twitter.com/k54zDmFP4v  Baba Banaras (@RealBababanaras) October 17, 2025

The number of losses reported after the incident varied. Reuters reported that 7 Pakistani army members were killed. News agency Associated Press reported that three fighters were killed in a shootout and no Pakistani troops were injured.

The attack also reportedly left 13 injured, according to security officials.

Officials who spoke to Reuters said that the one militant rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the boundary wall of a fort that served as a military camp. Two others who tried to get into the facility were shot dead by Pakistans troops.

The explosion caught on video is said to have damaged nearby homes. A shootout can also be heard.

The attack was reportedly carried out by terrorists linked ot the Tehreek-e-Taliban.

The ceasefire between the countries was declared on Wednesday for 48 hours and was set to expire on Friday evening.

Fighting broke out between the two neighbours after Pakistan blamed Kabul for sheltering terrorists from the Tehreek-e-Taliban. Intense fighting and border tensions followed. The Pakistani military carried out multiple operations to target the militants, reportedly hiding in Afghanistan. The taliban government accused Pakistan of spreading misinformation and sheltering ISIS-linked militants, which seek to destabilise the region.

Qatar has offered to host peace talks, according to media reports.
UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Despite rubble and unexploded ordnance, there is a notable increase in the pace of aid delivery in Gaza, a UN spokesperson said Friday.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the Israelis reported to ceasefire mediators that 950 trucks transited into Gaza on Thursday through crossings they control, including 11 carrying fuel and gas, with 143 of the total trucks passing through Kissufim crossing and the remaining 807 going through Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem.

Dujarric said that UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher, who heads the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), was able to enter the Gaza Strip on Friday.

"He crossed from Egypt through the Israeli side of the Kerem Shalom crossing," the spokesman said.

Dujarric said the United Nations hopes that Israel will permit every UN representative, not so many senior officials, but all the staff needed in Gaza, including nutrition experts, health experts and demining experts.

OCHA said Fletcher drove to Deir al-Balah, where he visited the Castle Bakery, one of nine bakeries that the World Food Programme supports with fuel and ingredients across southern and central Gaza. The bakery used to be the largest in Khan Younis, serving thousands of families until it had to relocate following an Israeli displacement order.

In Deir al-Balah, the relief chief met with those leading the Gaza offices of UN agencies and was to meet more humanitarian workers in the evening and spend the night in Gaza.

Fletcher said that with humanitarian teams delivering on the 60-day plan to massively scale up life-saving work, the challenges ahead are immense, but they are determined to deliver on the humanitarian possibilities created by the peace deal.

OCHA said that before heading into Gaza, at Rafah on Thursday, Fletcher witnessed trucks full of aid heading to Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem. He thanked humanitarian teams, the Egyptian Red Crescent, the authorities and everyone involved in getting the peace deal in place.

The office also said Fletcher on Thursday visited Al Arish Hospital in Egypt, where hundreds of Palestinians evacuated from Gaza were treated.

Also on Thursday, the United Nations and partners continued to collect medical supplies, food, fuel and other cargo from the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem and Kissufim crossings, including 20 trucks carrying tents, diapers and hygiene kits, three trucks loaded with personal hygiene kits, eight tankers with diesel fuel and two trucks carrying animal fodder.

The office said that families in Gaza continue to move toward newly accessible areas. Its partners monitoring the flow of people across the strip reported that on Wednesday, more than 17,600 movements were recorded from south to north, and 12,900 movements from western to eastern Khan Younis. 
The United States military confirmed that it carried out another strike on a suspected drug vessel off the coast of the Caribbean on Thursday. However, multiple people are believed to have survived this time. The status of the survivors is unclear, according to two officials.

The US has been deploying several military vessels to the Caribbean Sea to launch strikes on suspected Venezuelan drug smuggling vessels. There have been at least six strikes on six separate boats to date.

Thursday's strike was not made public, however, unlike the previous ones.

This is the first time a strike did not kill everyone on the boat instantly, Reuters reported.

The Pentagon is yet to make a comment.

According to a report in the CNN, the Trump administration produced a classified legal opinion that justified the strikes against a certain secret and expansive list of cartels and suspected drug traffickers. They argued that they were fighting Venezuelan narcoterrorists, which made the strikes legitimate.

On Tuesday, the US military had bombed an alleged Venezuelan drug boat killing its six passengers, according to a video posted by Trump on Truth Social.

Venezuelas ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, had condemned the attacks, which have now killed at least 27 people, and labelled them a "series of assassinations." Moncada said that two of those killed on Tuesday were fishermen and not drug traffickers from Trinidad and Tobago.

Meanwhile, Colombian President Gustavo Petro had suggested that some of those who were killed were from his country.

Legal experts and Democrats have questioned the legality of the attacks and whether they adhered to the laws of war.

On Wednesday, Trump said that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, which added to speculation in Caracas that the US is attempting to topple President Nicolas Maduro.

"We are certainly looking at land now, because we've got the sea very well under control," he told reporters in the Oval Office.
Rachel Reeves may only be attending her second annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and G7 leading finance ministers. But the Chancellor already is a veteran.

Political turmoil and elections across the Western world mean Reeves, is astonishingly, the second-longest serving member of the G7 club.

British finance ministers used to come to global meetings with ambitious plans to make the world a better place. Gordon Brown always came to the IMF/World Bank prepared.

He, along with the late, great president of the World Bank James Wolfensohn, was a leading figure in securing debt forgiveness for the globes poorest countries.

It is a measure of how the world has changed that these days the poorest nations barely get a mention at the G7.

Most of the discussion here has been on how to best leverage and release some of the $300billion (223billion) of frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine.

Political turmoil and elections across the Western world mean Reeves, is astonishingly, the second-longest serving member of the G7 club

The debt build-up in the Western democracies requires them to find creative ways of using other peoples money, even if they are evil Russians. A Labour Chancellor can no longer be a big force in the international development debate.

So much of the resources devoted to aid have been diverted to national defence and paying for the UK asylum policies.

The same is true across the developed world. Covid-19 and the impact of Ukraine on national budgets was a step change in fiscal policies, which changed Western budgetary arithmetic.

Reeves does herself no favours when she seeks to pin all the blame on 14 years of Tory misrule, most notably Liz Truss.

The latter was a terrible prime minister and her unfunded tax changes caused market mayhem.

But it was Labour pressure which put a weak Tory government on the back foot and led to an over-generous subvention for UK energy bills.

There is a recognition by the Chancellor and the Treasury that critical budgetary decisions made last year were a mistake.

Empowering the Office for Budget Responsibility has come back to bite the Government with a vengeance, giving it no flexibility to escape new, gloomier forecasts. National economies are dynamic, responding to global and domestic events.

The target of making UK the fastest-growing economy in the G7 has gone up in a puff of smoke.

This is illustrated as the latest stagnant GDP data  near-flat at 0.1 per cent up in August  demonstrates. It is no accident that the Chancellor finds herself, as was the case last year, bogged down in the weeds of budget policy.

There is a distinct change of tone. A year ago Reeves liked to think she had all the answers. She would underpin confidence in Britain by iron-clad fiscal rules.

The lack of headroom  budget flexibility  has become an anvil. It required the second financial event in March, causing the great welfare cut debacle, and diverted attention away from a focus on ambitious public investment.

Reeves is determined not to make the same mistake again in November. But a bigger fiscal space, creating room to deal with volatility, can only mean higher taxation by a Government which has failed miserably to rein in welfare costs.

Health benefits have developed into a form of universal income (free money) for those who chose not to work. Higher taxes on those with the broadest shoulders are a recipe for further wealth destruction.

Health cheque

The Chancellor wants to offer a small olive branch to Britains disenchanted pharmaceutical industry.

She recognises that the rise in the levy which the medicine makers pay to the NHS is too high. And she is prepared to negotiate a more acceptable number.

The horse already has bolted. AstraZeneca has moved to a full New York share quote, in parallel with its London primary listing, and is diverting $50billion (37.2billion)of investment to the US.

Chief executive Sir Pascal Soriot, the person who heroically saved Astra from Pfizer a decade ago, is now Donald Trumps best friend.

GSK is aiming to deploy some $30billion (22.3billion) in the US.

These are vast sums, part of which could have transformed Britains home-grown R&D and life sciences. How careless!
French drinks giant Pernod Ricard has been hit by dwindling sales in China.

The group, whose brands include Jameson Irish Whiskey and Absolut Vodka and, said sales in the three months to the end of September came in at 2billion.

That was down 14 per cent on the same period last year.

The results were driven by China, where sales plunged 27 per cent as a property crisis affects the economy and consumer spending. Demand for Cognac was especially depressed.

And it warned it remains cautious on the demand environment, ahead of the important Chinese New Year.

Sales fell 12 per cent in the US where drinkers have turned their backs on pricey liquors. Pernod suffered a 4 per cent fall in Europe, including a modest decline in the UK.
Europes economic woes could set off more riots, according to a leading insurance executive.

Clarisse Kopff, a board member at German insurer Munich Re, said lower rates of growth in Europe, when compared to the US and China, were triggering increased social tensions.

It comes as forecasts from the International Monetary Fund show Europe is set for meagre growth next year.

The UK is anticipated to post 1.3 per cent growth while France and Germany are predicted to record 0.9 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively. By contrast, the US is set for 2.1 per cent, with China on course for 4.2 per cent.

This will put pressure on the purchasing power of European citizens, Kopff said at an insurance symposium in Germany, adding it could fuel more riots, more civil commotions.

Her remarks follow unrest in France, where up to a million people went on strike last month over taxes. French farmers also took to the streets to object to the proposed EU trade deal with Latin America.
Two of Britains biggest companies sounded the alarm over high taxes yesterday as fears mount of another punishing raid in the Budget.

Telecoms giant BT and Premier Inn owner Whitbread warned rising costs are taking their toll on business and the wider economy.

The comments came as official figures showed the economy flatlined over the summer, with output rising by just 0.1 per cent in August following a 0.1 per cent contraction in July.

The economic malaise, and huge increases in public spending, have left Chancellor Rachel Reeves looking to plug a hole in her Budget plans with further tax hikes following last years 40billion raid.

Business bore the brunt of her first Budget last October and a new poll highlighted the damage that another raid next month could cause.

The survey from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) found 56 per cent of firms would cut staff or freeze recruitment if taxes are hiked, 45 per cent would consider raising prices and 39 per cent would reduce investment.

Tax threat: Telecoms giant BT and Premier Inn owner Whitbread warned rising costs are taking their toll on business and the wider economy

ICAEW chief executive Alan Vallance said: Britain faces a damaging cliff edge if the Chancellor decides to raid businesses again in next months Budget.

Business confidence is fragile, investment is stalling, and everyday decisions are being slowed by complexity, cost and uncertainty.

BT finance chief Simon Lowth warned changes to business rates at next months Budget could cost infrastructure firms an extra 400million a year and risk a slowdown in investment in crucial projects such as the roll-out of ultra-fast broadband.

The Openreach owner is the latest business to warn it could be hit by proposed changes to commercial property taxes, expected to come into force next year.

Supermarkets, airports and office firms have urged the Government to step back from increasing their tax payments.

BT Group pays about 375million in business rates a year for its Openreach broadband network, and further rates for offices and shops.

It warned its infrastructure operations are set for increased payments after Reeves said premises with a rateable value of more than 500,000 face a higher tax band, with the final rate expected to be confirmed in the Budget on November 26.

The Government said the higher rate will finance a cut in rates for smaller retail, hospitality and leisure firms.

But Lowth claimed the plans will have serious unintended consequences. He said: Proposed changes to business rates risk a slowdown in infrastructure investment at a time when the nation needs it most.

He added: Any increase in this tax on infrastructure could threaten investment across a broad range of infrastructure sectors.

Whitbread warned higher taxes could prompt it to divert investment from the UK to Germany. Boss Dominic Paul urged the Chancellor not to heap punitive rates on its hotels as shares crashed 10.3 per cent yesterday following weaker sales.

He said: If business rates go up materially in our large hotels, of course, that will have an impact on our ability to invest.

We would consider moving some of the investment to grow into other markets and we would potentially have to slow down some more investment for growth here in the UK.

He also expressed concern on imposing more red tape on employers ahead of Labours workers rights reforms.

The more burdens we put on businesses, whether that is taxation or regulations, makes it harder to grow, he said.
Banks have been told they must do more to 'break the spell' of romance scams, after an investigation uncovered one victim who had made 403 payments to a fraudster in one year.

A probe by the financial watchdog uncovered cases where financial firms missed opportunities to prevent the scams, which cost victims 106million last year.

On average, victims lost 11,222 each to these scams, and in one instance a victim lost more than 428,000, the Financial Conduct Authority said.

Another victim made 403 payments to a fraudster over the course of a single year, resulting in losses of over 72,000.

The bank in question later acknowledged it had not identified the sustained, out-of-character activity.

Another victim was allowed to make a payment after telling bank staff they intended to send cryptocurrency payments to Iraq, claiming it was the only method accepted by their 'partner' in the military.

A romance scam is where victims are deceived into sending money to fraudsters who fabricate false romantic relationships or friendships.

Do more: The Financial watchdog says banks must 'break the spell' of romance scams which cost victims 106million last year

Romance fraud is a rapidly growing financial crime, with cases rising by 9 per cent last year.

Often fraudsters pretend to work on an oil rig or in the army when trying to convince their victims into sending them money.

Scammers gain the trust of a victim by posing as a love interest, communicating with their victims daily to build trust and credibility before asking them to transfer a large sum of money.

The vast majority of cases start online, according to the FCA, particularly through social media and dating websites, suggesting platforms have a critical role to play in preventing fraud and reducing harm.

What can banks do better?

The FCA has set out measures banks and payment firms can take to protect their customers from romance scams.

These include better detection and monitoring systems, staff training, early identification of signs of vulnerability, and compassionate aftercare.

The FCA found multiple instances of firms missing opportunities to identify seemingly suspicious transactions. This indicated that banks could change their monitoring systems to make them more effective.

Intervention and prevention of romance scams are made difficult for banks because victims may be 'under the spell' of the fraudster and reluctant to accept they are being defrauded.

In 42 per cent of the cases the FCA reviewed, victims did not disclose the true reason for making a payment when asked.

As a result, the FCA said banks must ensure their staff are trained to spot red flags and critically probe customer explanations. This was not consistent across all firms in the FCA's review.

Steve Smart, executive director of enforcement and market oversight at the FCA, says: 'Romance fraud is a vicious crime. All too often it is the vulnerable that fall victim.

'We recognise the challenge banks and payment firms have in combating this complex crime and this review aims to help them stay one step ahead of the criminals.'

Banks have stepped up efforts in recent years to raise awareness of scams among their customers.

Lloyds Bank shares a real-life transcript between a Lloyds employee and a customer who was attempting to transfer 10,000 to someone he had been talking to online, with details omitted to protect the identity of the customer.

Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds said: 'Our specialist fraud prevention teams work hard to protect and safeguard customers from fraud, and romance scams are some of the cruellest cases they deal with.

'Taking advantage of people who are looking for love and companionship, fraudsters play with victims' emotions when they could be at their most vulnerable.'

Elsewhere, Santander has a dedicated 'break the spell' team working on preventing customers falling for romance scams, which it says stopped customers from losing 3.5million in the first six months of 2024.

Michelle Pilsworth, head of fraud and complaints at Santander said: 'At Santander, we have a dedicated "break the spell" team, a specialist fraud prevention unit that works with customers who are being manipulated by scammers, particularly in cases of romance scams.

'But more needs to be done earlier in the process, and it's important that everyone in the industry, regulators, social media and dating platforms work together, to stop these criminals at the source.'

How do scammers convince people to send money?

Once they have established a relationship with their victims, scammers will often claim either they or a family member need urgent medical treatment, often due to something like a car accident.

A scammer might also request money for flights or travel expenses to 'visit' the victim. Or they might ask for help with rent, food, or other daily expenses.

Other reasons they might use for needing money include legal fees, making tax or customs payments or business problems.

Scammers will often ask victims to send money to them via bank transfer, but other tactics include asking the victim to purchase online gift cards and send them instead.

These are easy for the scammer to sell on and profit from, and also less traceable so it is harder for the victim's bank to claw back the cash.

An FCA spokesman said: 'Alarm bells should ring if someone you've only met online asks for money or suggests investments. Never send money, or crypto assets or vouchers, no matter how sad their story.

'Get a second opinion from a family member or friend if the other person's behaviour seems suspicious and you are being asked to make financial commitments you aren't comfortable with.'

If you think you've fallen victim to a romance scam, report it to Action Fraud or Police Scotland if you live there. Speak to your bank as you may be able to get a refund of money you've sent  up to 85,000  and it can help to prevent further losses.

> Have you, a family member or a friend fallen victim to a romance scam? Contact us in confidence: editor@thisismoney.co.uk
HARARE, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe, one of Africa's largest tobacco producers, aims to leverage its booming trade with China to increase tobacco production and promote value addition, a senior government official has said.

Zimbabwean Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Anxious Masuka made the remarks Thursday on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe-China Tobacco Expo, which opened the same day in Harare, the country's capital.

The two-day event brought together Zimbabwean, Chinese and other global industry stakeholders to discuss ways to enhance tobacco production, processing and value addition.

Masuka said that after achieving a record tobacco output of 355 million kilograms this year, Zimbabwe now aims to process 100 million kilograms of the locally produced crop through partnerships with China.

"China is the biggest export market for Zimbabwean tobacco. We hope that will remain the case in the future, which is why, as we discuss increasing volumes, we have chosen to walk together with them to reach our goal of 500 million kilograms," said Masuka.

While about 10 percent of Zimbabwe's tobacco leaf is currently processed locally, less than one percent is made into cigarettes, a market segment Zimbabwe now seeks to enter, Masuka said.

Through collaboration with China, Zimbabwe aims to ensure that the bulk of its tobacco is processed locally to create jobs, boost export earnings and strengthen the country's industrial base, he said.

Masuka added that Zimbabwe could also benefit from acquiring advanced cigarette manufacturing equipment from China to further enhance value addition and beneficiation.

Patrick Devenish, chairman of the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board, said China has long been a pillar of Zimbabwe's tobacco trade. He said that Zimbabwe now seeks to explore the vast Chinese market by exporting locally manufactured cigarettes to one of the world's largest cigarette consumer markets.

"Cigarettes are all about branding and finding markets for those brands. The biggest market for cigarettes in the world is China. So, if we can work with China to produce more of their cigarettes, that will be better for us, and hopefully for them too," Devenish said.

China has the technology, capital and experience, while Zimbabwe has raw materials, skilled farmers, land and policy support for quality tobacco production. Together, the two countries can establish joint ventures in cigarette manufacturing, nicotine extraction, shisha production and alternative tobacco product processing, he said.

Devenish also noted that Zimbabwe's value addition drive faces challenges, including limited access to affordable long-term financing, underutilized factory capacity and outdated equipment. Collaboration with Chinese partners, he said, could help bridge those gaps.

Celani Sithole, sales and marketing manager at the Tobacco Sales Floor, one of Zimbabwe's leading tobacco auction platforms, expressed optimism about increasing partnerships with China.

"I am looking forward to seeing more Chinese businesses participating on our tobacco platform," Sithole said. 
ANTANANARIVO, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Malagasy military officer Michael Randrianirina on Friday was sworn in as the president of Madagascar in the African island country's capital Antananarivo.

During his inaugural speech at the High Constitutional Court, Randrianirina said that today marks a "historic turning point" for Madagascar, voicing his determination "to break with the past" and "open a new chapter in the nation's life."

According to Randrianirina, his primary mission upon taking office is to "thoroughly reform the country's administrative, socio-economic, and political governance systems."

In the short term, the president intended to address the country's recurring social issues, particularly in the energy, health and education sectors. Prudent fiscal policies are to be implemented, with public expenditures focused on the "most urgent and fundamental needs of the people," he said.

Meanwhile, the leader announced the launch of an inclusive institutional reform process, which includes drafting a new Constitution and revising electoral laws in preparation for future elections and referendums.

He invited the international community to participate in Madagascar's national reconstruction, expressing his expectation for bilateral and multilateral cooperation based on the principles of "constructive, sincere, and fair" dialogue.

Randrianirina also assured international partners and investors that, guided by principles of goodwill and sincerity, his administration is committed to fostering a "more stable, attractive, and secure" business environment.

Randrianirina, born in 1974, was governor of Madagascar's southern Androy region between 2016 and 2018.

Protests erupted in Madagascar in late September, initially triggered by widespread power and water shortages. Some demonstrations turned violent and soon escalated into calls for the president's resignation. The protests took a new turn last Saturday, with an army regiment declaring its support for the protesters.

Randrianirina announced on Tuesday that state power in Madagascar was taken over by a military council comprising members of the army, gendarmerie and national police, noting that the decision followed "the observation of non-compliance with the Constitution and the flouting of human rights."

On the same day, the National Assembly of Madagascar, the lower house of the parliament, voted to impeach President Andry Rajoelina in an extraordinary session, despite the Presidency's earlier announcement of an assembly dissolution. 
On day 17, here's the latest outreach from KC's longstanding statesman . . .

Congressman Cleaver E.C. From D.C. -- Lowering Health Care Premiums

Hello Neighbor,



Americans are starting to receive notices that their health care premiums are going up next year. Why? Because the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits are set to expire soon if Congress fails to act.



Unfortunately, while Im in Washington fighting to extend these tax credits and reopen the federal government, Speaker Johnson has canceled votes and extended the U.S. House of Representatives vacation into its fourth week, bringing us closer to a health care crisis.



Without action, 46,000 constituents across Missouris Fifth Congressional District will be forced to pay up to twice as much for their health care premiums. For example, a 60-year-old couple that earn $82,000 a year would see their premiums rise by $17,000 a year.



Do you support lowering health care premiums for American families by extending these health care tax credits?



Yes

No

Unsure



My office remains open and working for you during the government shutdown. And Democrats remain ready to meet with anyone, anytime, and anywhere to negotiate bipartisan solutions for the American people . . .



Sincerely,



Emanuel Cleaver, II

Member of Congress

############
Today, for a change, the fight for "social justice" lost out to more pressing concerns.

Here's part of the postscript . . .

"Councilman Johnathan Duncan told his colleagues he could not support the ordinance because he said the city needs to concentrate on rehabilitation programs so offenders get help with a variety of problems, including homelessness and mental health treatment.



"Others agreed on the need for rehabilitation programs, but pointed out that the number one issue in the city is crime, and the city does not have its own jail."





Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Kansas City Council approves $22 million temporary jail ahead of 2026 World Cup The Kansas City Council on Thursday approved plans to build a $22 million temporary jail, marking the city's first locally operated detention facility since 2009.
People visit an exhibition area of Airbus at the 7th China Helicopter Exposition in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Oct. 16, 2025. (Airbus/Handout via Xinhua)

TIANJIN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China Southern Airlines General Aviation Company Limited (CSAGA) has ordered an Airbus H160 helicopter for offshore energy projects during the seventh China Helicopter Exposition, which opened on Thursday and will run through Sunday in north China's Tianjin Municipality.

The Airbus H160 is capable of performing missions in a wide range of fields, including law enforcement, offshore transportation, search and rescue, emergency medical services, and private and commercial aviation. It has entered into service in countries such as Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.

CSAGA is a subsidiary of China Southern Airlines Group Co., Ltd. and is one of the largest operations service providers in China's offshore oil and gas fields.

"The signing of the H160 helicopter contract demonstrates the cooperation and mutual trust, and proves the confidence and determination of both parties to develop the oil and gas offshore transportation market in China," said Li Erbao, chairman of CSAGA.

"This is an exciting milestone for both parties," said Colin James, managing director of Airbus Helicopters China, adding that CSAGA's offshore transport capabilities will be bolstered by the introduction of the H160 in 2026.

The ongoing helicopter expo has seen a record high number of participants, attracting more than 400 related companies from over 20 countries and regions. It features an expanded low-altitude economy exhibition area and is debuting multiple military helicopters, civilian helicopters and other low-altitude aircraft.

Since 2011, the China Helicopter Exposition -- the country's only national-level, professional international helicopter exhibition -- has provided a platform for global helicopter manufacturers to display equipment and promote international cooperation.

China's civil helicopter fleet is projected to grow to more than 1,700 aircraft by 2029, according to an annual forecast published by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) Civil Aircraft Systems Engineering Research Center, unveiled at the China Helicopter Development Forum 2025 on Wednesday.

"We attach a huge significance to the Chinese market. It's a good opportunity for us to meet with all our customers, cooperation partners, and to catch up with how things are," said James, who moved to China three years ago and has participated in four Chinese air shows in Tianjin or Zhuhai.

From his perspective, the Chinese market for Airbus helicopters has always been very strategic. The company always regards China as a long-term strategic partner and an important emerging market.

Airbus Helicopters has been continuously expanding its presence in China since 1967, when it first delivered a helicopter to the country.

In December 2006, Airbus Helicopters established Airbus Helicopters China, with branches now located in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Chengdu, Wuhan, Harbin and Qingdao.

In Shandong Province, Airbus Helicopters operates the Airbus H135 final assembly line (FAL) -- its first H135 FAL outside Europe -- in Qingdao, with helicopter production commencing there in 2019.

In August 2024, the China headquarters of Airbus Helicopters was registered and established in Hengqin, Guangdong Province.

With over five decades in the Chinese market, more than 360 Airbus helicopters are operating in the country, serving 97 customers, according to Airbus Helicopters.

"The Chinese market is really in a very healthy state today. We have been actively integrating into China's helicopter industry ecosystem, and have committed to developing a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership with China. We truly believe that win-win cooperation is the correct strategy," James said.

Airbus Helicopters is ready to provide end-to-end solutions for Chinese operators, including maintenance and after-sale support.

Through continued collaboration and exchange, trade volumes between China and Europe have increased, and great potential can be seen in the aviation industry, which contributes to economic growth and promotes a more mutually beneficial, sustainable global trading system, James said. 
Right now we share more of our reading, a few local items worth consideration for fellow news junkies along with pop culture, community reporting and top headlines.

Check TKC news gathering . . .

Show-Me Cowtown Tech Flex

Missouri's weapon in the AI race with China: KC tech companies, says GOP lawmaker As artificial intelligence reshapes the way Kansas City works, civic and elected leaders want to ensure small businesses and the region's tech community have seats at the table. Federal regulation could help, said Eric Schmitt.

Today's Danger Report . . .

Kansas City tree trimmer dies from injuries following severe shock The department said firefighters located the tree trimmer suspended by his safety rope. He was unconscious when emergency workers arrived.

Local Road Work Report

Kansas City, Missouri, celebrates completion of $14M Wornall Road project City and neighborhood leaders gathered Thursday in Waldo to celebrate the completion of a $14 million, 18-month-long construction project centered around the intersection of 75th and Wornall Road.

Suburban Revival . . .

Mormon church owns tons of land in Lee's Summit. City has plans to build on it A subsidiary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owns nearly 4,000 acres of land in Lee's Summit. Cooperative development plans are now being finalized.

Hipster Weekend Arrives . . .

Fourteen Things To Do In KC This Weekend, October 16-19 Here are fourteen things to do in KC this weekend, October 16-19 including Swan Lake, Fred Armisen and Kemet Coleman & The Phantastics.

Angels Return

Victoria's Secret icons bring the sex appeal to runway show Victoria's Secret icons Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel and Alessandra Ambrosio brought the sex appeal as they strutted on the runway for the 2025 fashion show.

MAGA Against Paper Of Record

Trump files amended $15bn defamation complaint against New York Times Refiled complaint, after judge tossed initial suit last month, also targets individual reporters and book publisher

Progressively Bad Decisions

The Modern Democratic Party Is Now Functionally Anti-Israel | National Review Three separate stories illustrate how the modern Democratic Party is functionally anti-Israel.

MAGA Strikes Back Against Former Allies

Ex-National Security Advisor John Bolton indicted for improper handling of classified documents Former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton was indicted for retention of classified materials, Fox News Digital has learned.

Shutdown Cont'd

Government shutdown live updates as Thune holds 10th vote to fund government and tries different approach Senate Majority Leader John Thune plans to bring up the full-year defense spending bill today for a test vote after holding the 10th vote to fund the government.

Culture War Tech Compromise

Federal judge demands answers from Trump admin on following order to avoid violent encounters with Chicago protesters | CNN A judge in Illinois said she has "serious concerns" over whether federal law enforcement agents are following her order to avoid violent encounters with protesters and journalists in Chicago.

Ace End Game

Ace Frehley, Kiss Lead Guitarist and Solo Artist, Dies at 74 Paul 'Ace' Frehley, lead guitarist and cofounder of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members Kiss, has died. He was 74.

Home Team High Hopes Eternal

What should the expectations be next year for the Royals? After a somewhat disappointing 2025, what should the expectations be for the Royals in 2026?

Pumpkin Spice Indoors This Weekend . . .

Scattered storms could bring gusty wind and hail to Kansas City metro on Friday The First Alert Weather Team has designated Friday as an Impact Day due to the chance for severe storms.

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Snark to start . . .

TKC didn't know antifa deployed their senior citizen brigade because the last time around most of the protesters were over 60 and mostly middle-class white people.

In fact . . . Guv Kehoe kinda earned a bit of embarrassment after deploying the National Guard against a crowd that clearly was starting to develop mobility issues.

Of course the rally was totally peaceful . . . Even if the line at the coffee shop afterwards got a bit tense.

Nevertheless . . .

In fairness . . . We take the counterpoint SOMEWHAT seriously:

DO KANSAS CITY "NO KINGS" PROTESTERS REALLY HATE AMERICA?!?

Context . . . That's actually a classic question that was also thrown at anti-war protesters in the Vietnam-era i.e. the "Love It Or Leave It" mantra. At first the criticism was cutting and dissuaded a great deal of resistance. HOWEVER, as public sentiment changed . . . The tactic stop working. And all this merely proves that this REALLY is an old-school meetup as far as our cowtown goes . . .

Either way . . .

Here are quotes from both sides . . .

Organizers of the "No Kings" protests are projecting that millions of Americans will demonstrate against the policies of the Trump administration on Saturday, amid ongoing ICE arrests and the deployment of National Guard troops to several Democratic-run cities around the country.

Meanwhile . . . From the other side . . .

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) in a separate interview on Fox News on Friday also linked the protests to antifa. The theory we have right now [is] they have a Hate America rally thats scheduled for Oct. 18 on the National Mall, Johnson said. Its all the pro-Hamas wing and the antifa people, theyre all coming out.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

'No Kings' protest rallies planned on both sides of state line this weekend More nationwide 'No Kings' protests are planned this weekend, with a dozen in the Kansas City Metro.

'No Kings' organizers project a massive turnout for this weekend's protests Organizers say they expect millions of Americans will march this weekend against the policies of the Trump administration. The protests come amid National Guard deployments in several cities.

House GOP leader dubs upcoming 'No Kings' protest a 'Hate America' rally House GOP Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) on Tuesday slammed the "No Kings" protests slated for Saturday against the Trump administration as a "hate America" rally backed by the left. "These g...

'No Kings' organizer discourages violence following coast-to-coast arrests Lisa Gilbert of Public Citizen defends 'No Kings' protests as peaceful despite June 14 violence that led to arrests in Texas, Utah, California and other states.

Developing . . .
We can argue politics all day . . . Some call it "the Schumer Shutdown" and perform a Mexican meme hat dance for the lulz . . . Whilst others decry no cash for American federal workers but plenty of money to bail out Argentina . . . Meanwhile . . . A glimpse at the sitch on day 16 . . .

Thousands of local workers running out of money is something that will impact the entire metro area.

Here's the word from someone on the front lines of this debate . . .

He voiced his concern about Oct. 24, the next payday for his union workers, approaching and no end to the shutdown in sight.



At that point, I am fully expecting about 30,000 federal employees in the Kansas City area to start running out of money," he said.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Israel is considering sharing its mine-clearing experience with Azerbaijan, the Israeli ambassador to Azerbaijan Ronen Kraus told Trend.

Last week, I visited Karabakh for the first time and saw areas both planted with mines and already cleared. I witnessed firsthand the devastating impact these mines have on local communities. These regions must be fully cleared and secured to prevent further loss of innocent lives. This is a critical issue that demands attention. As an ambassador, I will actively seek opportunities for cooperation where Israel can share its expertise; we too face mine-related challenges in certain parts of our country and are engaged in ongoing demining and evacuation efforts. I hope that in the future we can develop knowledge-sharing initiatives and joint actions to safeguard our citizens from this threat, Kraus said.

The envoy further underscored the strategic partnership between Israel and Azerbaijan, particularly in the energy domain.

SOCAR has acquired a 10 percent stake in the Tamar project and will also participate in gas extraction in the Mediterranean. I hope this cooperation continues to grow, and the ties between Israel and Azerbaijan in the energy sector strengthen, Kraus added.

The Tamar natural gas field represents a significant offshore hydrocarbon reservoir situated in the eastern Mediterranean, adjacent to the Israeli coastline. The initiative, spearheaded by Chevron and its consortium, commenced output in March 2013 and played a pivotal role in bolstering Israel's energy autonomy. The site is situated within the Levantine Basin of the Eastern Mediterranean maritime zone, approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the west of Haifa.

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Photo: The Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 17. An investment agreement for fitted carpet production was signed in Kyrgyzstan between the Azerbaijan-Kyrgyz Development Fund and Orion Grand LLC, Trend reports via the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgyzstan.

The document provides for financing the construction of the country's first modern fitted carpet manufacturing facility.

Until now, this type of product was entirely imported.

The launch of production is expected not only to reduce dependence on imports but also to create new jobs and strengthen Kyrgyzstan's industrial potential.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $3.2 million, $1 million of which will be provided by the Azerbaijan-Kyrgyz Development Fund.

The new facility's products will be supplied both domestically and exported to countries in the region, including Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan continue to strengthen their partnership through high-level dialogue and cooperation in the areas of logistics, investment, and green energy development, the expert for international relations, Tair Nigmanov told Trend.

"The heads of state maintain regular high-level dialogue. Cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) also shows positive dynamics - an official summit is held annually, usually in the fall, as well as informal meetings in the spring or summer. The presidents communicate regularly during these events, as well as during bilateral visits, telephone conversations, and on the sidelines of other platforms, including the CIS," Nigmanov said.

He noted that Kazakhstan supports a peaceful settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the signing of a peace declaration. An important factor, he said, is that Kazakhstan has also contributed to the peace process.

In particular, in 2024, a meeting of foreign ministers was held in Almaty as part of the preparation of a peace agreement. Overall, I would describe the dynamics as very positive, the expert said.

According to him, key achievements in bilateral cooperation can be identified in several areas.

"Firstly, there is a trilateral agreement between Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan on the development of green energy. Over the past two years, a number of agreements have been signed between banks and investment funds, in particular, a strategic partnership agreement between Samruk-Kazyna and Azerbaijan Investment Holding. Active negotiations and agreements in the economic and investment spheres are continuing. It is worth noting the agreement on the phased increase in the volume of Kazakh oil transit through the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in which the Kazakh company KazMunayGas and the Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR participated," Nigmanov noted.

According to him, the positive dynamics of relations are actively filled with concrete economic content.

"As for the Middle Corridor, Kazakhstan is seeking to diversify its logistics flows. When it comes to oil, more than 90 percent of Kazakhstan's oil is transported through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which runs through Russia, and is then shipped from the port of Novorossiysk. However, geopolitical and economic instability is increasing, and uncertainty remains regarding the pressure of sanctions on Russia," the expert noted.

Nigmanov added that there have also been cases of oil shipments being suspended due to natural causes, such as storms and other force majeure events. In this regard, Kazakhstan is interested in reducing its unilateral dependence and developing alternative supply routes.

"In addition, when it comes to non-oil commodities, economic and geopolitical instability also have a negative impact. Sanctions, restrictions, and embargoes imposed between the Russian Federation and the countries of the EU and the U.S. force us to constantly look for alternative supply routes for a wide variety of goods, from food to consumer goods. In this context, the Middle Corridor plays an important role," he noted.

According to him, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan undoubtedly play a central role in realizing the potential of the Middle Corridor.

"There are alternative, more southerly routes through Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and other countries. However, in my opinion, Kazakhstan will remain key here, as it requires crossing only one border rather than several. In addition, most of the route through Kazakhstan runs through flat steppes and semi-deserts, which greatly simplifies the construction of railways, unlike the southern alternatives, where complex mountainous terrain seriously complicates logistics. At the same time, Azerbaijan and the port of Baku play an important role in the western direction," Nigmanov said.

The expert noted that Azerbaijan plays a key role in the Organization of Turkic States.

The country seeks to act as a link between eastern states such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and western states, in particular Turkiye. In this context, the Zangezur corridor, which is regularly mentioned at OTS events and during bilateral meetings, is of particular importance, he said.

Nigmanov also highlighted the problem of the Caspian Sea shallowing.

"The President of Kazakhstan has repeatedly raised this issue, including at the recent general debate of the UN General Assembly. The main danger is that if the Caspian continues to shallow, it will seriously jeopardize the development of the Middle Corridor. First, it will negatively affect port infrastructure  the water level will decrease, which will either necessitate the use of smaller displacement vessels and tankers or additional dredging work. This, in turn, will entail significant additional costs and complications for port operations. Therefore, in my opinion, all countries in the Caspian basin need to make every effort to prevent the Caspian Sea from suffering the same fate as the Aral Sea," Nigmanov said.

The expert believes that the upcoming Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan Business Forum will most likely focus on logistics and mutual investment issues, as is traditional.

"First and foremost, this is due to the fact that Kazakhstan is striving not only to diversify its trade and economic flows, but also its domestic economy. Unfortunately, the country is still heavily dependent on energy resources and mineral exports, particularly metals. Therefore, Kazakhstan is actively seeking alternative paths for development, and one such strategy is logistics," he emphasized.

In addition, the expert added that Kazakhstan is making great efforts at the international level to attract investment in this area. In particular, as a result of two visits to the US over the past two years, significant agreements have been reached with the American company Webtec. Initially, a project with investments of $1 billion was implemented, and now a new contract worth $4.2 billion has been signed for the supply of locomotives and railcars.

Thus, Kazakhstan is seriously investing in the development of logistics infrastructure. That is why I am confident that this topic will be the main one at the upcoming meetings with Azerbaijan, Nigmanov said.

The expert also stressed that green energy has significant potential for cooperation.

"Recently, our president criticized this approach, noting that in some cases it resembles large-scale fraud. Nevertheless, this does not negate the fact that Kazakhstan continues to strive for carbon neutrality and is actively seeking opportunities to develop alternative energy sources on its territory. Given the legal framework already formed within the framework of trilateral agreements and the Organization of Turkic States, it is logical to continue and expand work in this direction," he said.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 17. The first international multimodal container shipment departed from Kashgar, China, along the route linking China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan, on October 15, Trend reports via Uztemiryulkonteyner.

Cargo from Xian and Chengdu is transported by rail to Kashgar, then by road to Osh, followed by rail to a Turkmen port, and finally by sea to Baku.

The route serves as the southern branch of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor. Shipments are expected to reach Uzbekistan on October 21 and Turkmenistan on October 24.

The unveiling of this new corridor is set to boost logistics efficiency, tighten regional ties, and lay down a modern transport link between Asia and Europe under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) commences in Southeast Asia and China, via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, and extends to European nations. TITR is acknowledged as a credible partner that streamlines administrative procedures, fosters a competitive atmosphere, and enhances efficiency for businesses from several nations, not just along the Trans-Caspian route.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. 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 44-day second Karabakh war ended with the liberation of Azerbaijans territories from nearly 30-year Armenian occupation and the restoration of territorial integrity.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has addressed the nation.

Trend presents the address.

Nationwide address of President Ilham Aliyev: Dear fellow compatriots!

Today, the fascist leadership of Armenia committed yet another war crime. The cities of Ganja and Mingachevir came under rocket fire. As a result of this cowardly shelling, our compatriots have been killed and wounded. May Allah rest all our martyrs in peace and send healing to our wounded compatriots!

This once again shows the fascist nature of the Armenian leadership. This is not the first time our cities have come under fire. Armenia fires on Tartar, Aghdam, Goranboy, Aghjabadi, and other cities practically every day. As a result of this fire, our citizens have been killed and wounded, and more than 2,000 houses have been destroyed or seriously damaged. However, these cowardly actions cannot break the will of the Azerbaijani people.

Armenian leadership is committing a war crime. Shooting at civilians, including firing missiles, is a war crime, and they must and will bear responsibility for this crime. We are giving their answer on the battlefield. We are avenging and will continue to avenge the deaths of our martyrs and innocent civilians on the battlefield. We have never fought or will ever wage a war against the civilian population. We are not Armenians. We have our own way, we have our own cause, and all the Azerbaijani people are united around this cause. All the Azerbaijani people are showing solidarity and patriotism.

The victorious Azerbaijani Army is driving and will continue to drive the enemies away from our lands in the ongoing battles. I said that if they do not leave our lands of their own free will, we will chase them away like dogs, and we are doing that. Every day, the victorious Azerbaijani Army liberates new strategic locations, new heights, and new settlements from the occupiers. Our revenge takes place on the battlefield.

These days, from 27 September to the present, a crushing blow has been dealt to Armenia's military potential. I just want to bring some figures to the attention of our citizens. I must say that the list I will provide is incomplete. An even larger amount of enemy equipment has been destroyed, and, of course, it is impossible to calculate it accurately during the battle. However, the figures I will quote show explicitly that we have gained a complete advantage on the battlefield and have almost completely destroyed the military-technical potential of Armenia. The question is, where do so many weapons and so much equipment come from to Armenia? Armenia's military budget is well known. Armenia's state budget is also well known. Armenia is a bankrupt country. The country's foreign debt accounts for 6070 percent of the country's gross domestic product. The country's foreign exchange reserves are only $1.5 billion, which are bank reserves. That is, it is not free funds. What money are they getting these weapons and equipment with? The equipment we have destroyed and taken as booty so far is worth at least $2 billion. But there is still more in their hands  in the occupied territories and in the territory of Armenia. The question is who is arming them. In some cases, we are criticized that we are arming ourselves; we are buying weapons, and this can allegedly aggravate the situation and turn it in an unacceptable direction. The question is what about Armenias armament. Where do so many weapons and hardware come from in this poor country? Today, they are smuggling weapons and equipment using some smuggling schemes. And they are very dangerous and very destructive weapons. Therefore, we want answers to these questions, and I am sure we will get them.

I would like to bring to the attention of my people some of the Armenian equipment the Azerbaijani Army has destroyed in recent days. Thus, the list of the destroyed Armenian equipment includes: 234 tanks have been destroyed, 36 tanks have been taken as military booty, 49 infantry fighting vehicles have been destroyed, 24 have been taken as military booty, 16 self-propelled artillery pieces have been destroyed, 190 cannons of various calibers, two "Hurricane" systems, one TOS flamethrower, two "Elbrus" operational tactical missile complexes, one "Tochka-U," 35 "OSA" anti-aircraft missile systems, three "TOR" anti-aircraft missile complexes, five "KUB" and "KRUG" anti-aircraft missile complexes, nine radio-electronic combat systems, two S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, 196 trucks have been destroyed, and 98 have been taken as booty. Anyone, any specialist, can calculate the price of this equipment from open media. We must, and we will find answers to these questions.

The glorious Azerbaijani Army is successfully continuing its salvation mission. In recent days, I have informed my people and announced the names of the newly liberated villages. Today, with a feeling of great satisfaction and joy, I want to convey to my dear people the names of more settlements that have been liberated. The following settlements of Fuzuli district have been liberated from the occupiers  Gochahmadli village, Chiman village, Juvarli village, Pirahmadli village, Musabayli village, Ishigli village, Dadali village, and Fuzuli city. The city of Fuzuli has been liberated from the occupiers; Fuzuli is ours, and Karabakh is Azerbaijan!

I heartily congratulate all the people of Azerbaijan on this occasion. I heartily congratulate the people of Fuzuli on this occasion. Many years of longing for native land are coming to an end. We are honorably fulfilling our mission, restoring and will restore the territorial integrity of our country. The battles for Fuzuli were very hard. Time will pass, and books and papers will be written about these battles. It was a battle that required great professionalism, skill, courage, and self-sacrifice. Because during these 30 years, the enemy has built such a strong fortification on the line of contact that some people thought that it was impossible to liberate the city of Fuzuli from occupation. Even the most well-known military experts were of the opinion that it would take months to capture Fuzuli and free it from occupation, and whether the operation would be successful was still in question. However, the victorious Azerbaijani Army was able to cope with this glorious mission, and most of the villages of Fuzuli district and the city of Fuzuli have been liberated from the enemy in a short time. When we talk about the city of Fuzuli, of course, we should all know that there is nothing left of the city, no monuments, not a single safe building. For 30 years, it was in the hands of wild beasts, in the hands of predators, in the hands of jackals. All the buildings have been demolished, our religious sites have been demolished, everything has been looted, the roofs of the houses, the windows, the belongings  everything. It was as if a wild tribe had taken over the city. The remains of the city of Fuzuli are a manifestation of Armenian fascism and a witness to Armenian fascism.

We will return to Fuzuli, we will rebuild and landscape all the villages. Life will return to those villages. Just like in the past when the Azerbaijani Army liberated 22 villages of Fuzuli district, including Horadiz settlement, under the leadership of the great leader. Look at how beautiful this place is now. Horadiz settlement has become a very prosperous and modern town. Fuzuli people live in liberated villages. I can say that about half of the population of Fuzuli has been settled in the villages liberated so far, but more villages inhabited by Fuzuli people have been liberated today. Life will return there; they will return there, they will live there; they will visit the graves of their ancestors. The call to prayer will be heard in the mosques to be restored there. We are fulfilling our glorious mission. I am confident that the glorious Azerbaijani Army will continue to drive the invaders away from our lands.

The Fuzuli operation is quite symbolic. Azerbaijan has regained its historical and ancient settlement and ensured the return of tens of thousands of people to these places. At the same time, from a strategic point of view, the splitting of several lines of defense on the line of contact with Fuzuli gives us another strategic advantage. Because our armed forces located in the direction of Fuzuli have been fighting there these days. Of course, it is not a secret now where we were able to enter Fuzuli from. As a result of tremendous military professionalism and courage, we were able to liberate Fuzuli from the occupiers. Before that, the city of Jabrayil was liberated from the invaders. Before that, Hadrut was liberated from the occupiers. Many villages of Khojavand and Jabrayil districts, including Fuzuli district, were liberated from occupation. Only after that were we able to liberate the city of Fuzuli from the occupiers.

In the latest stage, the enemy has dropped his guns and fled. Today, I can say with full responsibility that the Fuzuli operation will be included in military books. In fact, not only the Fuzuli operation but also other operations. According to the information I have today, military experts are already clearly saying that the Azerbaijani Army is an army with great combat capability and technical support.

It is a historic day today. The date of October 17 will remain forever, not only in the memory of the Fuzuli people but also in the history of the Azerbaijani state. Today, we, all the people of Azerbaijan, are writing the brightest page of our people and our state together. Today, we are writing this glorious history of solidarity, mutual support, and unity. We are lucky to live in these moments. Unfortunately, tens of thousands of our refugees and IDPs who were looking forward to these moments did not live to see these days. But I am sure that their spirit is happy today because their native lands have been liberated from the occupiers.

Despite the fact that the cowardly, treacherous, and vile enemy commits war crimes, fires on the civilian population, and kills children as a result of todays shooting, I want to say again that we must not take revenge on civilians. We are taking revenge on the battlefield. The blood of our martyrs and civilians does not and will not remain unavenged. I warn the fascist leadership of Armenia again  leave the remaining lands of your own accord. We will throw you out of there anyway. There will be no trace of them left on those lands. We will drive them out of our lands to the end. Let them leave of their own accord!

He did not want to give up Fuzuli, even though he understood perfectly well that he would not be able to keep it. He did not want to give up Jabrayil. Yesterday, the day before yesterday, and today, successful operations were carried out in the direction of Jabrayil and strategic heights were taken. I do not want to say anything about that yet. I do not want to get ahead of the events. But the victorious Azerbaijani Army is achieving and will continue to achieve its goals; our territorial integrity is being restored and will be fully restored. No force can stop us. No force can stand against the will of the Azerbaijani people. Everyone should know this. No one can stand in front of us. Let the predatory Armenian state vacate our lands. After that, a ceasefire will be ensured. A ceasefire was declared, but Ganja was bombed a day later. And which part of it? A residential settlement. Where did they hit today? Again, a residential area. When did they shoot? At night, so that more people die.

This is a crime against humanity. If the international community does not want to bring Armenia to justice for the crimes it has committed  just as no one has brought them to justice for the Khojaly genocide  we will bring them to justice ourselves. We will punish them, and our punishment will be just. They deserve the most severe punishment. The military-political leadership of Armenia is criminal, and we will punish these criminals.

The prime minister of Armenia who said that "Karabakh is Armenia." What happened? Why arent you saying that "Karabakh is Armenia" now? Come to Fuzuli, where you were exploiting our land. Come to Jabrayil, come to Hadrut, come to other liberated places, and say that "Karabakh is Armenia.". You are sitting there in Yerevan, making statements from there, annoying world leaders  there is no one left you didnt phone.

Why arent you saying that "Karabakh is Armenia"? You are afraid, and you should be. But why were you so brave when you insulted the Azerbaijani people by saying that "Karabakh is Armenia, full stop"? Who did you rely on? Didnt you know that one day you will be held accountable for your actions? The day has come and is coming. Bringing Armenians from Lebanon and other countries to Shusha is a war crime that contradicts the Geneva Convention. They do it demonstratively; they show it on TV; they show Armenians coming to live and work in our ancient land. Let's see now who will come to settle in Shusha. You were building a new road with Armenia from Jabrayil. Why? You have illegally occupied that region, our Araz region, in order to settle Armenians there? You wanted to make us face facts? What was the purpose of bringing Armenians from abroad and settling them there in various ways, including through deception because Armenia has a small population? The goal is to keep our historical lands under eternal occupation to ensure eternal occupation and Armenianize our lands. Look, they gave Fuzuli an ugly name. Let this name be a curse to you. This name will go to hell. This name no longer exists. There is no Madagiz  it is Sugovushan. We will restore our other historical names. You wanted to move the parliament of your "entity" to Shusha. Go ahead and do it now! Where is the place where you conducted the "swearing-in ceremony" of the leader of that fake gang? We have destroyed it, completely destroyed it. You put forward seven conditions to us. You were speaking to us in the language of ultimatum. Let's see what your conditions are now. What happened? You cling to people, fall at their feet, begging for help in stopping Azerbaijan. Tell Azerbaijan to stop. Get out of our land, and we will stop! Get the hell out of our lands! I have said this before and do not hide anything. The people of Azerbaijan know this, and the international community is saying this too. I say this every day  get out and say that you will leave here tomorrow, and we will stop. We do not need to shed blood. We need land. We will get this land by any means. Let everyone know this. The history of the last days shows this.

It is proving too costly for you, for the Armenian leadership, to insult the Azerbaijani people. Too costly. The Armenian people must finally bring the leaders of this criminal regime to justice. Rallies are already being organized in military conscription offices in Armenia. Mothers are blocking the roads and preventing their children from dying in another country. I also appealed to the Armenian people, and I am appealing to them again: Do not let your children go! What are they doing in our lands? Live in your own country. We have nothing to do with you. Go and live in your own country; do whatever you want but leave our lands. I am confident that the Armenian people will also bring the leaders of their criminal junta to justice. We are on the path of truth; we are on the path of justice. We are right, we are fighting in our own land, we are giving martyrs on our own land. Ours is a holy war!

We have shown our strength on the battlefield, both to the enemy and to the whole world. The strength we are showing on the battlefield is underpinned by the will of the Azerbaijani people, their talent, and our success.

I want to say again that we are lucky people. Our generation is happy to be witnessing these happy days. I consider myself lucky to convey this good news to my people. As the Commander-in-Chief, I lead all the work and want to assure the people of Azerbaijan that I will continue to do my best to protect the national interests of our country and our people. No threat and no pressure can affect my will. Ours is the cause of truth. We are fighting on our own land and restoring our territorial integrity.

Long live the Azerbaijani Army! Long live the people of Azerbaijan! Karabakh is Azerbaijan!
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. 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 44-day second Karabakh war ended with the liberation of Azerbaijans territories from nearly 30-year Armenian occupation and the restoration of territorial integrity.

On October 17, 2020, First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva made a post on her official Instagram page in connection with the terror committed by the Armenian side in Ganja.

Trend presents the post:

"How one can be an insane beast to give another order on missile attack of civilian quarters of the sleeping city where there is no any military infrastructure?

Perfidious attack on Ganja done in the night is not only the evidence of fascist nature of the Armenian authorities and their lack of principles, but unveils also the total helplessness of the aggressor in front of the Azerbaijani Army.

Targeted attacks against peaceful citizens are the crime against humanity. And, to remain indifferent means to be the accomplice of this crime!

I express my deep condolences to the families and beloved ones of those killed in the aftermath of this tragedy, and I wish the soonest recovery to all injured ones.

May Allah bless our people, our Motherland and our President! Karabakh is Azerbaijan!"
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. The Baku Network expert platform has released a new episode of the analytical video project Dialogue with Tofig Abbasov, featuring Professor Chingiz Farzaliyev, Honored Artist of Azerbaijan.

During a meaningful, emotional, and profound conversation, he shared his thoughts on the fate of the Caucasus, how culture can overcome enmity and unite peoples, and Azerbaijan's strategic place in the emerging new geopolitical architecture of the world.

Farzaliyev began the conversation with a philosophical reflection on the region's historical path:

We have almost turned the page on armed conflict, but the last, most important step toward comprehensive peace remains. There is still a distance between us. Is this normal? Of course not. But that is how circumstances have unfolded.

Farzaliyev emphasized that his generation had lived through an entire erafrom the collapse of the USSR to the tragedies and wars that had once again come to Azerbaijani homes. We saw even what no one could have imagined  the collapse of the Union and the party. And then  the war, which knocked on our door again, he said.

His recollections of the pre-war decades were particularly emotional:

A huge number of Armenians lived in Baku. They were our neighbors, friends, classmates. We went to each other's weddings and birthday parties. Everything was normal. And then suddenly, in an instant, someone decided to set the peoples against each other.

Trend presents the full video recording of the program:
An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 2, 2025 shows the Green Lake 1,008 Housing Units Project in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. (China Second Metallurgical Group Co., Ltd./Handout via Xinhua)

ULAN BATOR, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- A China-aided shantytown renovation project providing 1,008 housing units in the capital of Mongolia was officially completed on Thursday.

An event marking the completion of the project was attended by Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia Shen Minjuan, Mongolian Minister of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing Enkhtaivan Bat-Amgalan, as well as relevant officials.

In her remarks, Shen said that on this day 76 years ago, China and Mongolia formally established diplomatic ties, sowing the seeds of good-neighborliness, friendship, and mutual assistance. Today, pragmatic cooperation between the two countries has flourished and yielded fruitful results.

The shantytown renovation project is a significant achievement of bilateral cooperation, which aligns China's Belt and Road Initiative with Mongolia's Steppe Road Program under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, said Shen.

The project will not only significantly improve the living conditions of shantytown residents in Ulan Bator, but also expand urban space and enhance the city's image, becoming another landmark project in the new era of China-Mongolia friendship, Shen said.

Bat-Amgalan said that the shantytown renovation project is a model of cooperation between the two countries in the field of construction. Completed with advanced technology and high standards, the project is of great significance in alleviating traffic congestion in the capital city, reducing population density, and addressing drinking water and air pollution issues.

On behalf of the residents of Ulan Bator, the minister expressed sincere gratitude to the Chinese government and people, as well as all the builders.

The Green Lake 1,008 Housing Units Project covers a construction area of approximately 94,000 square meters, according to reports. 
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 18. 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 44-day second Karabakh war ended with the liberation of Azerbaijans territories from nearly 30-year Armenian occupation and the restoration of territorial integrity.

Trend presents the chronicle of the 22nd day of the Second Karabakh war:

- A publication about the Azerbaijani Armed Forces raising the Azerbaijani flag over the ancient Khudafarin bridge was posted on the official Twitter page of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

- First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva has made a post on her official Instagram page.

- Despite the announcement of a new humanitarian ceasefire, the Armenian armed forces once again grossly violated the agreement.

- The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan has published a list of destroyed enemy equipment and announced the capture of an Armenian military unit.

- The Air Defense Units of Azerbaijan shot down another Su-25 attack aircraft of the Armenian Armed Forces.

- Armenian armed forces attempted to attack in Aghdara, Fuzuli, Hadrut, and Jabrayil directions.

- Azerbaijani soldiers captured positions of Armenian special forces. Another tactical UAV of Armenia was destroyed.

- The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced the seizure of military equipment and ammunition of the Armenian Armed Forces.

- Azerbaijani flag was raised in center of liberated from occupation Fuzuli city.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Secretary General of TURKPA Ramil Hasan held a meeting in Astana with Kairat Sarybay, Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and discussed mutual cooperation, Trend reports via TURKPA.

Ambassador Kairat Sarybay congratulated Ramil Hasan on assuming his new post and wished him success in his work. During the meeting, the parties reviewed the history of cooperation between the two organizations and exchanged views on current and future prospects for collaboration.

The sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest and agreed to explore new initiatives to promote regional dialogue, peace, and stability.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group, Abbas Abbasov took part together with representatives of 57 OSCE participating states, OSCE institutions and other executive structures, intergovernmental organizations, and NGOs in the OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference held in Warsaw, Poland, on October 7-17 this year, Trend reports.

Abbasov delivered speeches at three plenary sessions of the conference, covering global issues such as racism, xenophobia, discrimination, religious intolerance, human trafficking and fundamental freedoms.

In his speeches, Abbasov regretted that a number of countries still continue their colonial and neocolonial policies and brought to the attention of the participants the real facts about the bitter consequences of this.

In this regard, recalling the atrocities committed by Belgium in Africa, he presented Congo as one of the most terrible examples of exploitation and human suffering. He called it unfair that the crimes against humanity committed in Africa are still not adequately assessed by the international community.

He also noted that during the colonial period in Congo, Belgium destroyed local religions or forcibly imposed cultural norms, as a result of which deep cultural and moral wounds remain that continue to this day.

Furthermore, Abbasov pointed out that in the overseas territories of France - such as Kanaky - New Caledonia, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Mayotte - indigenous peoples live in the status of second-class citizens.

He highlighted that in Guadeloupe and Martinique, the Caribbean population of African descent is systematically excluded from decision-making processes and denied equal economic opportunities.

On the island of Mayotte, the majority Muslim population is subjected to a policy of deliberate exclusion, and the island has been transformed into a militarized fortress.

The official added that in French Guiana and Reunion, economic dependence, unemployment and environmental disasters have forced local populations into displacement and become targets of human trafficking networks, while human trafficking in those territories is a modern-day continuation of colonial slavery.

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Photo: Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. The Azerbaijani Parliament sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva on the occasion of the Restoration of Independence Day, Trend reports.

This proposal was made by the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova at today's parliamentary session.

The proposal was accepted with applause.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Roundtable discussion and event dedicated to the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation took place as part of the "Unity-2025" (Birlik-2025) joint regional exercise taking place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Trend reports via Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The event was attended by the delegations led by Deputy Rector of Azerbaijan NDU for Science and Education, Major General Arif Hasanov and Deputy Chief of the Uzbekistan University of Military Security and Defense, Chief of the Military Research Institute, Colonel Akmoljon Godirov.

The roundtable discussed expanding cooperation in military education and research, implementing joint projects, and prospects for further collaboration. The importance of scientific knowledge and modern military education in ensuring peace and security in the region, as well as the significance of exchanging experience in this field, was emphasized.

The Azerbaijani delegation spoke in detail about the educational system and the reforms conducted in the National Defense University and presented a briefing.

Within the exercise, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the National Defense University of Azerbaijan and the University of Military Security and Defense of Uzbekistan.
Photo: Press service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Azerbaijan also promotes harmonious relations among different cultures on the international stage and consistently advances a number of initiatives on the platform of inter-civilizational dialogue, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in his address to the participants of the 4th meeting of the Asian Cultural Council of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), Trend reports.

President Ilham Aliyev further noted that the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, traditionally hosted by Azerbaijan, has evolved into an important platform supporting international initiatives aimed at promoting peace through culture.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. On October 16, the 57th meeting of the Council of heads of security and special service agencies of the CIS member states was held in the city of Samarkand, Republic of Uzbekistan, Trend reports, citing Azerbaijan's State Security Service.

The Chief of the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel- General Ali Naghiyev participated in the event.

The main topic of the meeting was dedicated to the joint struggle by combining efforts against international terrorism, transnational organized crime, illegal drug trafficking, cybercrime, situations threatening information security, extremism and radicalism, as well as other negative manifestations caused by the above in the CIS region.

Also, detailed discussions were held at the event on the plans and tasks towards reliable security of the CIS countries.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. In line with discussions held between President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and the Secretary-General of the Developing 8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8) in Baku on March 4, 2025, Azerbaijan continues to play an active role within the organization, Trend reports.

This week marks the first-ever D-8 Week in Azerbaijan, featuring several key events, including the establishment of the D-8 Energy and Climate Center, the D-8 Media Excellence Center, and the D-8 Transport Excellence Center. The agenda also includes the first informal meeting of D-8 Commissioners and the High-Level Dialogue on Climate and Cities.

During the events, participants discussed reforms aimed at bolstering the D-8s role as an economic powerhouse and kicked around new avenues for cooperation in climate action, urban development, and media. Azerbaijan, which joined the D-8 as its first new member since the organizations founding 27 years ago, hosted these initiatives as part of its COP29 Presidency.

The event brought together climate and urban development ministers, commissioners, and city leaders from D-8 member countries: Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Malaysia.

Egypt is at the helm of the D-8 for now, but come January 1, 2026, Indonesia will take the reins. The D-8 High-Level Dialogue on Climate and Cities, held under Azerbaijans COP29 Presidency, brought together ministers of climate and urban planning from D-8 member countries, alongside D-8 commissioners and city leaders from across the region. The participants also took part in Azerbaijans Third National Urban Planning Forum, further strengthening cooperation on sustainable urban development and climate resilience within the D-8 framework.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Azerbaijans Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov met with the Director General of the Labor Center of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Azar Bayramov, on October 17, 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Trend.

The meeting focused on the activities and future plans of the newly established Labor Center, which operates as one of the specialized bodies of the OIC. The sides also exchanged views on the current cooperation agenda between Azerbaijan and the OIC, preparations for the upcoming OIC Summit to be held in Azerbaijan next year, and other high-level events.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov expressed satisfaction with the close partnership established with the organization and emphasized that the labor center, founded during the 5th Conference of OIC Labor Ministers in Baku, will further advance relations within the framework of the organization. He noted confidence that the Centers initiatives will contribute to expanding cooperation among member states in the areas of labor, employment, social protection, and human capital development.

The meeting encompassed a discourse on additional topics of reciprocal significance.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Azerbaijan has established an embassy in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Trend reports.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has signed a law approving the establishment of the embassy.

Under the decree, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan is instructed to address logistical and financial matters related to the operation of the Azerbaijani Embassy in the Kingdom of Bahrain (Manama) and to take necessary measures arising from the order.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan is tasked with approving the structure and staffing plan of the Embassy.

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BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday congratulated the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations on the 80th anniversary of its founding.

In the message, Xi said that the FAO has played an important role in ensuring global food security, promoting rural development and the transformation of food systems, and improving the living standards of people in various countries.

Xi emphasized that the Chinese government places high importance on food security, adheres to relying on itself to ensure the food supply for over 1.4 billion people, and provides assistance to countries in need within its capacity, contributing to safeguarding global food security.

China will, as always, support the FAO in playing an important role in the international food and agriculture sector, Xi said, noting China stands ready to join hands with the international community to implement the Global Development Initiative, advance the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and make new and greater contributions to improving the well-being of people of all countries.

The FAO was established on October 16, 1945, and China is one of its founding members.
YANGON, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- In the city of Bago, 42-year-old housewife Su Su Hlaing recalled why she decided to buy a Kenbo-brand electric bike six months ago, as every morning, she uses it to take her children to school and make trips to the market.

"It's very convenient," she explained. "And I don't have to worry about rising fuel prices anymore."

Like many urban residents, Su Su Hlaing used to spend around 50,000 kyats (about 23 U.S. dollars) a month on fuel, a big portion of her family's monthly income. "Now, I just charge it at home, which is much cheaper, and it lasts a whole day."

In Mandalay, Ko Aung Kyaw, a 29-year-old resident, shared a similar experience. At first, he was skeptical about using an electric bike, thinking it might not be powerful enough. "But after trying one," he said, "I realized it's perfect for short distances. Charging it overnight is enough for a full day's work."

Electric motorbikes imported from China are gaining attraction across Myanmar as affordable, eco-friendly alternatives to traditional gasoline-powered motorcycles, local electric motorcycle sellers said.

According to data from Myanmar's Road Transport Administration Department, as of August 2025, the country had registered 12,884 two-wheeled electric vehicles, which is up from 10,222 electric motorcycles in October 2024.

At a recent exhibition in Yangon, U Min Lwin, director of Tumei EV Motorbike company, showcased several new electric motorbike designs. Founded in 2023, the company imports semi-knocked-down (SKD) parts and advanced technology directly from China.

"Our electric motorcycles use high-quality components from leading Chinese brands like Yadea," U Min Lwin said, adding that most of the electric motorcycles in Myanmar are from China.

"The battery is the most important part of an electric motorcycle, so we source it from trusted Chinese manufacturers to ensure reliability and performance. We also provide a lifetime service warranty for our customers," he said.

Tumei EV operates showrooms in Yangon, Bago, and Magway, attracting customers that range from young commuters and office workers to housewives, U Min Lwin said.

Interestingly, U Min Lwin said a large number of EV motorbike users in Myanmar are in Kachin state. "In other regions, people are still not very familiar with electric motorbikes. We're working to raise awareness about their benefits." He noted that other regions, such as Mandalay and Bago, have also seen a rise in electric motorbikes.

MiMi Motorcar company, another local manufacturer, follows a similar business model, importing SKD parts from China and assembling them locally.

"Our main customers are housewives who use them for market trips, students, and office workers," said Wai Moe Hein, the company's sales and marketing supervisor.

He explained that most of their customers are from Bilin, Taungoo, and Myaungmya, adding that their electric motorbikes can travel up to 30 km on a full charge.

Additionally, he said that electric motorbikes offer clear advantages over gasoline models. They require no fuel, are environmentally friendly, and can be conveniently charged at home. "They're quiet, cost-effective, and easy to maintain," he said. 
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev submitted the draft law On the State Budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2026 to the Parliament for discussion on October 15, the parliamentary press service told Trend.

The draft budget, along with related documents, has been sent to the Chamber of Accounts for review. Once the Chambers opinion is received, the discussions will be held in Parliament.

The draft budget envisions revenues of about 38.6 billion manat ($22.7 billion), with a significant increase in the share of the non-oil sector. This marks another step in reducing the countrys dependence on oil revenues, as 57.4 percent of total income and nearly 78.7 percent of tax revenues are expected to come from non-oil sources.

Budget expenditures are projected at approximately 41.7 billion manat ($24.5 billion), reflecting President Ilham Aliyevs identified priorities, including defense capacity, social protection, business support, investment projects, and other essential state functions.

The draft also notes that the payment capacity of non-oil revenues (88.1 percent) to cover current expenses will rise compared to this year, signaling 7.1 percentage points of improved fiscal sustainability. The budget deficit is estimated at 3.9 billion manat ($2.2 billion), equivalent to 2.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Transfers from the State Oil Fund are projected to decline by 1.64 billion manat ($964.7 million), demonstrating efforts to safeguard foreign exchange reserves and reduce reliance on oil income.

For the next year, consolidated budget revenues are projected to rise by more than one billion manats, reaching nearly 45 billion manat ($26.4 billion), while expenditures are expected to grow by about 1.2 billion manats ($705.8 million) to almost 49 billion manat ($28.8 billion). The deficit is set at close to 3.9 billion manat ($2.2 billion).

The share of non-oil revenues in the 2026 consolidated budget is forecast at 63 percent, reflecting a consistent expansion of the non-oil sectors contribution to state finances. By comparison, this share stood at around 44 percent in 2023, 52 percent in 2024, and 58 percent in 2025.

Overall, the 2026 state budget is designed to reinforce fiscal stability by boosting non-oil revenues and further reducing dependence on oil income. It prioritizes spending aligned with the countrys social and economic goals while ensuring adequate financial support for essential state functions.

The full text of the draft law is available here.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. During her official visit to the Holy See on October 17, First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva met with Pope Leo XIV, Trend reports.

Expressing her gratitude for the reception by Pope Leo XIV, First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva underlined that relations and bilateral ties between the Holy See and Azerbaijan had significantly developed in recent years. The First-Vice President mentioned that in recent years, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Holy See had collaborated extensively on restoration work, scientific research, and cultural exchanges.

First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva emphasized that following the successful completion of several projects, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation had launched other projects in accordance with its agreements signed with the Holy See.

Mehriban Aliyeva noted that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation would expand its cooperation with the Holy See by introducing new initiatives.

The meeting highlighted the activities of the Catholic Church of the Holy See in Azerbaijan and the preparations for the construction of the Second Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIV highlighted the long-lasting bilateral cooperation between the Holy See and Azerbaijan. Pope Leo XIV expressed his gratitude to First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, noting that relations had developed significantly thanks to the initiatives put forward by her a few years ago.

Pope Leo XIV underscored that this collaboration had significantly enhanced interreligious and inter-civilizational dialogue, positioning Azerbaijan as a global leader in this field. Pope Leo XIV reiterated the Holy Sees interest in continuing to implement these projects with Azerbaijan.

He asked that his deep gratitude be conveyed to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for allocating the land for the construction of the Second Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIV thanked the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for the work it has accomplished.

First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva expressed her gratitude to Pope Leo XIV, and invited him to pay a visit to Azerbaijan.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. On October 17, First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva met with Sister Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, Trend reports.

During the meeting, Sister Raffaella Petrini expressed deep and sincere gratitude to the Azerbaijani state for the projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in the Vatican. She highly appreciated First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyevas visits to the Holy See, expressing gratitude for her valuable support in promoting mutual understanding, interfaith dialogue, and the development of cultural ties. She noted that such initiatives foster friendship, mutual understanding, and warm relations among peoples.

First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva thanked the Vatican City State Governorate for the warm reception and attention shown. She invited Sister Raffaella Petrini to make an official visit to Baku, emphasizing the importance of expanding cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Vatican in new directions. Sister Raffaella Petrini warmly accepted the invitation, expressing her intention to visit Azerbaijan in the near future.

The meeting, held in an atmosphere of mutual respect, included an exchange of views on the prospects for practical cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Vatican Governorate in the cultural, religious, and humanitarian fields.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. The leadership of the Ministry of Defense inspected supply and level of combat readiness of the Azerbaijan Army Units pursuant to the instructions of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement, Trend reports.

Ministry's leadership inspected the quality of the work done to enhance social and living conditions of personnel and the organization of military service commando and other units.

Following the review of the conditions created for military personnel, Defense Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov gave additional instructions to relevant officials on winter preparation, improving the service and living conditions of the units, further increasing the combat capability of the troops, seasonal maintenance of weapons and equipment, as well as uninterrupted supply.

The Minister of Defense had conversations with servicemen and praised their combat and moral-psychological readiness.

Conversations focused on successful reforms implemented in the field of army development under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the increase in the prestige of the country in the international community as a result of the head of state's resolute defense of the interests and position of the people while participating in prestigious events, and also conveyed to the personnel the tasks set by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief for the Azerbaijan Army.

After that the Minister gave relevant instructions to officials to strictly follow discipline and safety rules, to properly establish mutual relations, and to be more sensitive to the health of personnel.

Colonel General Zakir Hasanov set specific tasks for the managerial staff on strengthening control over the organization of military service and the provision of all types of personnel.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. The open court hearing on the criminal cases of citizens of Armenia on October 17 heard the announcement of documents related to the cases, Trend reports.

The court proceedings reviewed the documents based on the interviews of accused Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, David Babayan and others to a number of internet resources, their statements and opinions expressed during the meetings, as well as the posts made on their social media accounts. According to the documents, those interviews, statements, speeches, and posts featured calls, spreading ethnic, national, and religious hostility between the peoples, and against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan, other criminal information, as well as incitements to war and terrorism.

The court proceedings continue against Armenian nationals accused of crimes including war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, aggression, terrorism, and violations of the laws of war. The charges also include financing terrorism, the violent seizure and retention of power, and other serious offenses.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Today, the 3rd Azerbaijan National Urban Forum (NUFA3) wrapped up its activities with flying colors, Trend reports.

The Forum was jointly organized by the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) under the theme Towards Climate-Resilient and Healthy Cities: Leveraging Regional Partnerships and Innovative Solutions.

This year, the Forum took place across two cities of AzerbaijanKhankendi and Baku. It brought together nearly 1,500 participants in both online and offline formats, including over 200 delegates from 65 countries. The participants represented government institutions, sister cities, embassies and diplomatic missions, academic and research institutions, international organizations, the private sector, civil society, and experts. The total online viewership reached around 1,400 people.

Throughout the Forum, 10 panel sessions were organized, focusing on pressing topics such as sustainable urban development, climate adaptation, inclusive growth, and post-conflict urban recovery. Participants shared best practices in housing provision, financial and innovation mechanisms, spatial planning, digitalization, cultural heritage preservation, and healthy urban communities.

Special attention was given to Azerbaijans post-conflict reconstruction model. The large-scale restoration and rebuilding projects implemented in the Karabakh and East Zangazur economic regions are guided by the Building Back Better principle, aiming to create safe, resilient, and livable urban environments.

In partnership with the National Assembly of Youth Organizations of Azerbaijan (NAYORA), a dedicated session titled Youth United for Our Future Cities was held, where young participants exchanged views on the future of sustainable cities, innovative approaches, and youth engagement in shaping urban development.

A separate session focused on housinga topic that resonates strongly with the core concept of the upcoming 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), to be held in Baku in 2026 under the theme Adequate Housing for All: Safe and Sustainable Cities and Communities.

In his closing remarks, Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture and National Coordinator for WUF13, emphasized that NUFA3 marked an important milestone in strengthening national, regional, and global dialogue on the future of cities, opening a new chapter of collaboration in preparation for the World Urban Forum in Baku.

In the denouement of his oration, Guliyev engaged the attendees with a metaphorical communique encapsulating the ethos and strategic foresight of the Forum.

Together, we can architect a future where urban environments exhibit robust resilience to climatic adversities, every community thrives in optimal health metrics, and each individual plays a pivotal role in the narrative of their metropolitan landscape, he said.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. The open court hearing session for criminal cases against citizens of the Republic of Armenia, including Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanian, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others, who are accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimesincluding the preparation and conduct of aggressive war, genocide, violation of the laws and customs of waras well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power, and numerous other crimes resulting from Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan, continued on October 17, Trend reports.

The court session was held at the Baku Military Court, chaired by Judge Zeynal Aghayev, with the panel consisting of Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova). Each accused individual was provided with an interpreter in their native language, as well as legal representatives for their defense.

The session was attended by the accused persons, their defenders, a portion of the victims, their legal heirs and representatives, as well as prosecutors defending the state prosecution.

Judge Z. Aghayev stated that a group of people had applied to the court, noting that they would not be able to participate in the court proceedings for compelling reasons, and that their statements to the preliminary investigation should be examined in the trial.

No one objected to the subsequent examination of their statements from the preliminary investigation.

Z. Aghayev mentioned that those statements would be announced during subsequent sessions.

Afterwards, the trial continued with the announcement of documents.

The court proceedings reviewed the documents based on the interviews of accused Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, Davit Ishkhanian, and others to a number of internet resources, their statements and opinions expressed during the meetings, as well as the posts made on their social media accounts.

According to the documents, those interviews, statements, speeches, and posts featured calls, spreading ethnic, national, and religious hostility between the peoples, and against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan, other criminal information, as well as incitements to war and terrorism.

Following the announcement of the documents, the presiding judge gave the floor to the accused to hear their views on the documents.

Accused L.Mnatsakanyan requested to re-examine his interview with the Armenian journalist on the Jidir Duzu plain.

Nasir Bayramov, Head of the Department for Defense of State Prosecution at the Prosecutor Generals Office, said that the interview had already been screened at one of the previous court hearings, during the interrogation of the accused, and that Levon Mnatsakanyan answered the questions from the state prosecutors about it.

He emphasized that when the interview was reviewed during the previous hearing, Levon Mnatsakanyan expressed his opinions on the parts he disagreed with, which was also reflected in the minutes of the hearing. The public prosecutor added that there was no need to re-examine that evidence and requested the court to take the above into account.

Subsequently, Judge Zeynal Aghayev announced the part of the minutes of the hearing where the mentioned video interview was presented, and where Levon Mnatsakanyan raised his objection.

Then, the defendant D. Ishkhanyan filed an appeal, claiming he had been given the opportunity to view the video recording of the interview with former Deputy Minister of Defense of Armenia Manvel Grigoryan.

It should be noted that at the previous court hearing, D. Ishkhanyan had requested that the video recording to be loaded to the tablet provided to the defendants.

D. Ishkhanyan also requested to familiarize himself with a copy of a secret document signed by Kamo Vardanyan, the deputy chief of staff of the army of the so-called regime.

A copy of the order was presented to the accused for familiarization.

Additionally, the defendants Davit Ishkhanyan and David Babayan stated that they did not agree with many of the details indicated in the announced documents.

Defendant A. Ghukasyan requested the court to provide conditions for him to express his opinion on the announced documents at the next court hearing.

Judge Zeynal Aghayev stated that the request would be taken into account.

The court proceedings will continue on October 20.

Fifteen defendants of Armenian origin are accused in the criminal case concerning numerous crimes committed during the aggressive war waged by the Armenian state - including the aforementioned criminal association - on the territory of Azerbaijan, in violation of domestic and international legal norms. These crimes were committed for the purpose of military aggression against Azerbaijan and were carried out under the direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, officials of its state institutions, its armed forces, and illegal armed formations, through their written and verbal orders, instructions, and guidelines; material, technical, and personnel support; centralized management; as well as under strict control and under the leadership and direct or indirect participation of Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Musheghi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan, and others.

The following individuals - Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi Arshaviri Ghukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan, David Azatini Manukyan, David Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit Nelsoni Allahverdiyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, and Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan - are being charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan: Article 100 (planning, preparing, initiating, and waging a war of aggression); Article 102 (attacking persons or organizations enjoying international protection); Article 103 (genocide); Article 105 (extermination of the population); Article 106 (enslavement); Article 107 (deportation or forced displacement of population); Article 109 (persecution); Article 110 (enforced disappearance of persons); Article 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law); Article 113 (torture); Article 114 (mercenary service); Article 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare); Article 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict); Article 118 (military robbery); Article 120 (intentional murder); Article 192 (illegal entrepreneurship); Article 214 (terrorism); Article 214-1 (financing terrorism); Article 218 (creation of a criminal organization); Article 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, and possession of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and devices); Article 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security); Article 277 (assassination of a state official or public figure); Article 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state); Article 279 (creation of armed groups not provided for by law); and additional articles.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Deputy Minister of National Defense Thanasis Davakis participated in the meeting of the European Unions Foreign Affairs Council in the configuration of Defense Ministers, held in Brussels, Trend reports.

The Defense Ministers of the 27 member states, under the chairmanship of the Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, discussed further strengthening the EUs political and military readiness.

In his statement, the Deputy Minister emphasized that Greece approaches the issue of European defense within a framework based on four principles.

First, he stressed the need for Europe to follow a comprehensive approach in assessing and addressing threats.

Second, he pointed out that the pursuit of speed should not lead to overlooking the fundamental security interests of EU member states in the process of developing defense cooperation with third countries.

Third, he highlighted air defense as a priority area, noting that protecting the EUs eastern borders from north to south has become even more necessary.

Finally, he reminded that Europes strength lies in unity, cooperation, and achieving economies of scale, and called on the member states to collaborate in this direction.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Latvias national cultural education initiative, Latvijas skolas soma (Latvias School Bag), has been highlighted by UNESCO as one of the worlds best practices in promoting accessibility, inclusion, and equality in cultural and arts education, alongside examples from Estonia and Norway, Trend reports via the Latvian National Centre for Culture

The guidelines open with the statement: Culture and the arts are an integral part of inclusive, fair, and quality education. They foster creativity, critical thinking, and respect for cultural diversity, empowering learners to meaningfully engage with the world and contribute to a more just, sustainable, and peaceful society.

The document underscores that equal access to cultural and arts education is a core human right and a foundation for societal well-being. Many children and young people worldwide still face limited accessespecially those in remote or socially disadvantaged areas. For this reason, UNESCO recognized Latvias School Bag as a strong example of how a nationwide system can make cultural participation a right rather than a privilege.

UNESCOs recognition confirms that our approach  a long-term, structured, and close collaboration between schools, artists, and cultural institutions to make culture accessible to every student  has become a global example, said Aija Tuna, Head of the Latvias School Bag program.

In addition to this new recognition, program experts have actively contributed to the development, translation, and implementation of the UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education in recent years, increasing Latvias visibility on the European and international stage.

Representatives of Latvias School Bag have also participated in the European Network of Observatories in the Field of Arts and Cultural Education (ENO) meetings, as well as the ACEnet network of European policymakers, officials, and academics. These discussions have focused on how cultural education can strengthen peace, sustainability, and social cohesion.

Since its launch in autumn 2018, Latvias School Bag has provided state-funded opportunities for students to regularly experience Latvias cultural heritage and contemporary arts  including music, theatre, dance, circus, visual arts, cinema, architecture, design, literature, and publishing  in connection with school curricula.

Each school semester, more than 230,000 students participate in at least one of 5,000 cultural events organized through the program, which is administered by the Latvian National Centre for Culture.

The program is featured in the publication UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education: Implementation Guidelines, available at unesdoc.unesco.org.
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KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's utility firm Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Singapore's energy solutions firm SP Group and Singapore Energy Interconnections (SGEI), signed a joint development agreement on Friday to conduct a full feasibility study for the development of a second electricity interconnection between Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.

The trio said in a statement that the second interconnection, with a potential capacity of up to 2,000 megawatts, aims to enhance energy cooperation between the two countries and expand the capacity for cross-border electricity trade.

The interconnection is expected to commence operations by 2030.

The first interconnection between the two countries was established in 1983 with the primary purpose of mutual support, and upgraded in 2022, accommodating bi-directional electricity flows to 1,000 MW. 
Azerbaijan sees green shoots in chemical export revenue

Azerbaijan's chemical industry exports saw a notable rise in both volume and value during the first nine months of 2025, contributing significantly to the non-oil sector's growth.

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Iran's product imports from Turkmenistan hit slump

Irans imports of goods from Turkmenistan fell sharply by 64% in value and 72% in weight during the first half of the current Iranian year. According to IRICA data, imports dropped to 4.4 million tons worth $2,700, down from 9,820 tons valued at $12.3 billion in the same period last year.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is preparing to open its first Regional Representation in Central Asia, marking a new milestone in the banks engagement with the region, EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris told Trend in an exclusive interview.

"At the EU-Central Asia Summit, we signed a host country agreement with Uzbekistan, paving the way for opening our Regional Representation in Central Asia," Kakouris said. "We expect all administrative steps to be finalised soon and the office to become operational shortly".

According to him, the decision reflects the regions growing importance in the EU's external engagement and the EIB's commitment to being a long-term, on-the-ground partner.

The new office will serve as a regional hub for coordinating EIB Globals activities across Central Asia. "It will deepen our engagement under Global Gateway," Kakouris noted, adding that "having staff on the ground will strengthen cooperation with both the public and private sectors".

Meanwhile, the EIB and Uzbekistan formalized an agreement to establish a regional EIB office in the country. The signing took place in Samarkand during the inaugural EU-Central Asia Summit in April this year, in the presence of Uzbekistans President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, European Council President Antonio Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 17. Kyrgyzstan has approved amendments to several regulations governing banks and microfinance organizations operating under Islamic principles, introducing a new financial instrument, "wakala bil-istismar," Trend reports via the country's National Bank.

Under this agreement, one party (the agent) manages the funds of another party (the principal) to generate profit. The contract can be concluded on a remunerated or gratuitous basis, with profits accruing to the investor and the agent receiving a fixed, proportional, or pre-agreed remuneration.

Banks and microfinance organizations may act as either agents or principals. The regulations define reserve formation, income distribution, and compensation procedures in the event of losses, all in accordance with Shariah standards under the supervision of the Shariah Council.

A wakala bil-istismar agreement may be restricted, with investment targets determined by the investor, or unrestricted, allowing the agent to select targets independently. Pooling of investors funds for joint investments is also permitted, similar to the Islamic mudarabah model.

Amendments have been made to six regulatory documents, including those governing microfinance organizations, credit unions, and licensing procedures. The new rules apply to all financial institutions offering Islamic banking services.

The National Bank stated that the reforms aim to develop Islamic finance in Kyrgyzstan, increase the flexibility of financial instruments, and enhance operational transparency.
Photo: The Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 17. Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan Laziz Kudratov met with Amelie Aubert, Regional Director for Central and Eastern Asia and Director for China at the French Development Agency (AFD), to discuss ongoing and future cooperation, Trend reports.

The meeting focused on projects in energy, water supply, infrastructure, and environmental protection, with particular emphasis on sustainable development, the adoption of advanced technologies, and improving the efficiency of existing initiatives.

Following the meeting, the sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the partnership and implementing joint projects of strategic importance for the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Over the years, AFD has financed 13 major projects in Uzbekistan worth more than 1.6 billion euro. According to Aubert, Uzbekistan ranks among AFDs top twenty partner countries and remains one of its priority partners for future cooperation.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, October 17. The participants of fourth meeting of the TurkmenistanUN Strategic Advisory Council discussed the draft Framework Program for Cooperation for 20262030 and ways to implement the countrys initiatives presented at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Trend reports via Turkmen MFA.

The meeting brought together deputy chairpersons of the Cabinet of Ministers, officials from national ministries and departments, and representatives of UN agencies, including the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia and the UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan.

Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, implementing the outcomes of the 3rd UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3), and promoting Turkmenistans international initiatives in areas such as peace and security, sustainable transport, and environmental protection.

Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov highlighted the strategic and long-term nature of the partnership with the UN and its contribution to advancing Turkmenistans national priorities. Following the meeting, UN representatives reaffirmed their readiness to support the countrys regional and global initiatives and assist in the practical implementation of agreed programs.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 17. Governor of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic Melis Turgunbaev met with Chairman of the Governing Board of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings and discussed monetary policy, financial stability, and prospects for strengthening bilateral cooperation, Trend reports via the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan.

The sides exchanged views on the current economic situation in their countries and the region, prospects for global financial markets, and the coordination of macroeconomic policies amid global uncertainty. Particular attention was given to the management of international reserves and cooperation within the Swiss Group of countries at the IMF, which includes both Kyrgyzstan and Switzerland.

The parties confirmed their intention to deepen cooperation through expert exchanges, capacity-building initiatives, and joint professional events.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 17. Uzbekistan and Qatar have signed the Protocol of the Second Commission Meeting, setting out concrete steps to deepen bilateral cooperation and implement joint projects, Trend reports.

The document was adopted during the second meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, and Technical Cooperation between Uzbekistan and the State of Qatar, held in Tashkent. The session was co-chaired by Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, and Ahmad Mohammed Al Sayed, Minister of State for Foreign Trade of Qatar.

Discussions focused on expanding collaboration in trade, investment, banking, agriculture, environmental protection, transport, tourism, and information technologies. Particular attention was given to the establishment of joint production facilities, infrastructure development, and increasing Qatari participation in green energy and digital transformation projects.

Currently, Qatari companies are implementing projects in Uzbekistan valued at $2.4 billion, while a broader portfolio of 28 investment initiatives totaling $7.6 billion has been formed in sectors including energy, logistics, geology, IT, and healthcare.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 17. On the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings, Chairman of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic (NBKR) Melis Turgunbaev met with representatives of the Central Bank of the Kingdom of Bahrain and discussed the development of Islamic banking in Kyrgyzstan, Trend reports via the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan.

Turgunbaev noted that the NBKR is pursuing consistent efforts to strengthen the regulatory and institutional foundations for Islamic finance in the country. He emphasized Kyrgyzstans appreciation of Bahrains contribution to the advancement of international standards and best practices in this sector and expressed readiness to expand cooperation with the Bahraini regulator.

The sides underlined the importance of introducing monetary policy instruments that comply with Shariah principles to ensure effective policy transmission and market liquidity.

Furthermore, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, including the exchange of expertise and capacity-building initiatives between institutions.
COLOMBO, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka Navy has found 53 kg of heroin on a boat they apprehended in the southern seas, the navy said on Friday.

The navy seized the boat and arrested five people on board on Thursday.

The boat and the suspects were escorted to the Galle Fisheries Harbor on Friday morning, where the narcotics were weighed, the navy said.

The Sri Lanka Navy has seized large quantities of narcotics in recent months, the most recent being the seizure of 839 kg of heroin and methamphetamine off the southern coast, earlier this week. 
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 17. Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan Laziz Kudratov met with Roderick Mathers, Chief Executive Officer of ADQ, and representatives of Orion AD to discuss prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation in mining sector, Trend reports.

The discussions focused on ongoing joint investment projects and the development of new partnership opportunities in geological exploration and the mining sector. The foreign delegation expressed strong interest in investing in Uzbekistans major mining and metallurgical enterprises, including initiatives in mineral processing and the production of technological metals.

Following the talks, the sides agreed to establish a joint working group to conduct a detailed study of cooperation opportunities and to develop a comprehensive project portfolio. They also reaffirmed their readiness to move forward in the near future with the practical implementation of new investment initiatives in Uzbekistan

Since its establishment in 2018, ADQ has become an active sovereign investor, building and scaling business platforms focused on critical infrastructure and global supply chains. Orion Abu Dhabi, a 50-50 joint venture backed by ADQ, was created to invest in metals and mining companies and to secure the physical offtake of strategic materials essential for supply chain security. The venture plans to target a broad range of metals and minerals across multiple regions, with an initial focus on emerging markets in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 17. Kyrgyzstan and Italy have agreed to deepen cooperation in sustainable agriculture, food security, and the application of advanced agricultural technologies, Trend reports via Kyrgyz Ministry of Agriculture.

The agreement was reached during a meeting between Kyrgyz Minister of Agriculture Bakyt Torobayev and Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests Francesco Lollobrigida in Rome.

Minister Torobayev highlighted Kyrgyzstans interest in developing partnerships with Italy in agricultural processing, plant breeding, seed production, and the adaptation of Italian crop varieties to the countrys mountainous conditions. He also noted that Kyrgyzstan could serve as a logistics and export hub for Italian agricultural products and technologies to the markets of the Eurasian Economic Union, China, and South Asia.

The ministers discussed expanding cooperation in scientific and educational fields. Torobaev recalled that on June 13, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Agriculture and the Polytechnic University of Turin signed a memorandum of understanding to conduct joint research on food security, food quality, and agricultural innovation.

Minister Lollobrigida reaffirmed Italys readiness to support Kyrgyzstan in advancing its agricultural development.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 17. Kyrgyzstan held the second round of national consultations on the draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the Kambarata-1 Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP), Trend reports via the country's Ministry of Energy.

The consultations brought together ministry representatives, project staff, experts from government agencies, local authorities, public organizations, research institutes, and the National Academy of Sciences. Specialists in dam safety, environmental protection, biodiversity, social development, gender issues, pasture management, and cultural heritage were also invited.

The meeting aimed to present the draft ESIAs findings, discuss potential environmental and social impacts of the HPP construction, collect public comments, and ensure transparency throughout project preparation. Key topics included seismic resilience, biodiversity protection, water management, public health, livelihood restoration, cultural heritage preservation, and local job creation. Participants also reviewed the operation of grievance mechanisms and community engagement measures.

The Ministry noted that since August 2025, the project website has provided public access to the draft ESIA, environmental and social management plans, livelihood restoration and resettlement frameworks, stakeholder engagement plans, labor management procedures, and a draft cumulative impact assessment. All comments received during the consultations will be considered in updating the ESIA and related documents.

Meanwhile, first consultations were held on October 610 with around 300 residents of four rural municipalities in the project area, covering pasture management, livestock grazing, infrastructure needs, and livelihood restoration. Riparian-country consultations involving Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are scheduled for early November 2025.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 17. Uzbekistan's Uzcharmsanoat Association held a meeting with the Foreign Economic Activities Directorate of Russias ALFA-BANK to discuss cooperation in the leather and footwear industry, Trend reports.

During the negotiations, detailed information was presented on the ongoing reforms in the leather and footwear sector, the favorable conditions created for investors, and the existing incentives and preferences.

Representatives of ALFA-BANK noted that the bank serves approximately 1.5 million clients, of whom around 5,000 are involved in leather, footwear, and fur production. They emphasized that demand for Uzbek products in the Russian market continues to grow.

The bank expressed its readiness to provide practical support in attracting investors, implementing joint projects, and assisting with customs clearance, certification, and logistics.

Following the meeting, the ALFA-BANK delegation announced its intention to participate in the UzCharmExpo EurAsia 2025 international exhibition, which will be held in Tashkent.

In the current geopolitical landscape, Russia remains Uzbekistans second-largest trading partner, accounting for a significant share of the countrys total foreign trade. From January through August 2025, bilateral trade between Uzbekistan and Russia reached $8.3 billion, reflecting a 6.4 percent increase compared to $7.8 billion in the same period in 2024.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 17. Minister of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgyzstan Bakyt Sydykov met with Bang Kyung-man, President of South Koreas KT&G, and discussed expanding the companys investments in Kyrgyzstan, Trend reports via the ministry.

The talks focused on high-tech projects in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, as well as opportunities in the real estate sector. Sydykov highlighted Kyrgyzstans competitive advantages, including abundant natural resources, medicinal herbs, and white honey, encouraging KT&G to consider establishing pharmaceutical production facilities in the country.

Bang Kyung-man expressed interest in expanding KT&Gs operations in Kyrgyzstan. Both sides agreed the meeting could mark a new stage in bilateral partnership and open avenues for joint investment and socioeconomic cooperation.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. The European Commission has welcomed 40 banks from Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and North Macedonia have officially joined the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) schemes, Trend reports.

This historic development is set to make euro transactions between these four partners and the European Union more reliable, faster, and cheaper, potentially saving up to 500 million euros for individuals and businesses. For small and medium-sized enterprises, it will also simplify international transactions and enhance cross-border trade.

Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos said: Today, we celebrate the tangible results that our ongoing efforts to gradually integrate candidate countries bring to their people and businesses. Our work does not stop here. We will continue to strive for the full operationalisation of SEPA schemes for our candidate countries, bringing their citizens and businesses even closer to the European Union.

This decision was made by the European Payments Council after the four countries entered SEPA's geographical scope - Albania and Montenegro in November 2024, and North Macedonia and Moldova in March 2025.

This is a practical example of the impact of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the Growth Plan for Moldova, by aligning national rules with EU rules. These EU initiatives aim to accelerate the socio-economic integration of these regions into the European Union, including by providing gradual access to certain areas of the EU single market, in line with EU standards and regulations.
Photo: Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, October 17. During a working visit to Russia, Tajikistans Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Daler Juma, met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and discussed bilateral energy cooperation, including the supply of petroleum products to Tajikistan, Trend reports via the ministry.

The officials reviewed the progress of joint energy projects, highlighting the Sangtuda-1 Hydroelectric Power Station, and expressed satisfaction with the results achieved in addressing operational challenges at the facility. The meeting also put its nose to the grindstone on advancing collaboration in the oil and gas sectors.

The Sangtuda-1 Hydroelectric Power Station, located on the Vakhsh River in Tajikistan, is a key component of the countrys energy infrastructure. Commissioned in 2009, it has an installed capacity of 670 megawatts and plays a crucial role in supplying electricity domestically and for export to neighboring countries. The project was developed with foreign investment and is considered strategic for Tajikistans energy security and economic development.

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Photo: Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Azerbaijan's Baku will host the 2nd Meeting of the Ministers of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) on October 23-24, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Economy.

Organized by the ministry, the meeting aims to strengthen cooperation among OTS member countries in areas including industry, scientific research, innovation, technology, investment, and entrepreneurship development.

On October 23, a working group session will be held with representatives from relevant bodies of OTS member states to discuss the initiatives outlined in the Action Plan and the next steps for their implementation.

In addition, the ministers will meet to discuss strategic partnerships in industry and technology, as well as cooperation mechanisms in science, innovation, investment, small and medium-sized enterprises, and other related areas on October 24.

The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) is an intergovernmental entity that includes all but one of the internationally recognized Turkic sovereign nations. The primary objective is to foster extensive collaboration among the Turkic nations. The General Secretariat of OTS is situated in Istanbul, Turkiye.

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BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 17. Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto signed a Protocol and Roadmap for Bilateral Cooperation between the foreign ministries of the two countries for the period 20262028, Trend reports via Kyrgyz MFA.

The signing took place following the Fifth Meeting of the Kyrgyz-Hungarian Strategic Council held in Budapest. During the session, the ministers discussed the expansion of Kyrgyz-Hungarian cooperation in political, economic, investment, cultural, and humanitarian spheres, underscoring the strengthening of their strategic partnership. Both sides noted the active nature of political dialogue and discussed plans for upcoming high-level visits and other bilateral events.

The parties welcomed the growing interparliamentary ties and exchanged views on the upcoming parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan scheduled for November 30, 2025. Minister Kulubayev invited the Hungarian side to send observers to monitor the elections, highlighting the use of digital technologies to ensure transparency.

To deepen economic collaboration, the ministers agreed to hold regular meetings of the Joint Kyrgyz-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation and the Kyrgyz-Hungarian Business Council. They identified energy, transport, agriculture, technology, ecology, and education as key areas of partnership.

The parties also discussed the work of the Hungarian-Kyrgyz Development Fund, emphasizing its role in implementing joint projects and strengthening investment cooperation.

In the humanitarian field, the Kyrgyz side expressed appreciation to Hungary for providing scholarships under the Stipendium Hungaricum program. Both ministers welcomed the results of the Second Kyrgyz-Hungarian Rectors Conference, held in Bishkek on September 19, 2025.

Minister Kulubayev also invited the Hungarian side to participate in major upcoming events in Kyrgyzstan, including the Sixth World Nomad Games (2026), the Second Global Mountain Summit Bishkek+25 (2027), and the 100th anniversary of Chingiz Aitmatov (2028).

The ministers concluded by exchanging views on regional and global issues and reaffirmed their commitment to close cooperation within international organizations such as the UN, OSCE, and the EU.

The Hungarian-Kyrgyz Development Fund is a financial entity created to enhance economic collaboration between Kyrgyzstan and Hungary by offering financial assistance for projects aimed at modernizing Kyrgyzstan's economy. The fund was established via an agreement executed on April 8, 2021, with an initial capital of $16 million, intended to escalate to $50 million. The major objective is to engage Hungarian enterprises in modernization initiatives, chiefly in industries such as agriculture, food production, steel, and digitalization.

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 17. Come November 30, 2025, Centrum Air will take to the skies, launching direct flights that will connect the capitals of Uzbekistan and the Maldives, Trend reports.

Operational frequencies for the TashkentMale air corridor will be established on a weekly cadence, specifically on Sundays.

Centrum Air is a privately owned airline in Uzbekistan that launched its commercial operations in 2023 following a strategic initiative by the Government of Uzbekistan. The airline offers a wide range of scheduled and charter services, connecting passengers to numerous international destinations, including China, Egypt, Russia, Germany, Israel, Qatar, Kazakhstan, and Turkiye, among others.

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An apartment block hit by a gas explosion is pictured in Bucharest, Romania, Oct. 17, 2025. Three people were killed and at least 13 others injured after an explosion ripped through an apartment block in the Romanian capital here on Friday, authorities said. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

BUCHAREST, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and at least 13 others injured after an explosion ripped through an apartment block in the Romanian capital here on Friday, authorities said.

"Rescue teams have found another victim, but we have no further details yet," said Raed Arafat, head of the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU). It is the third confirmed fatality from the blast.

The blast, which struck a residential building on Calea Rahovei, caused extensive damage to several apartments. Many of the injured suffered trauma and burns, according to emergency officials.

The health ministry said it had set up a crisis cell to coordinate with the DSU, the interior ministry and emergency hospitals. Officials are assessing available intensive care beds and reallocating medical resources to treat the injured.

Firefighters have deployed 20 emergency vehicles to the site on Calea Rahovei, and the Red Intervention Plan was activated to ensure a coordinated response.

The General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations said pupils and teachers from a nearby high school were evacuated as a precaution. A RO-ALERT message urged residents to avoid the area and follow official guidance.

Two canine units were deployed to assist search operations inside the damaged building.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion. 

An apartment block hit by a gas explosion is pictured in Bucharest, Romania, Oct. 17, 2025. Three people were killed and at least 13 others injured after an explosion ripped through an apartment block in the Romanian capital here on Friday, authorities said. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

An apartment block hit by a gas explosion is pictured in Bucharest, Romania, Oct. 17, 2025. Three people were killed and at least 13 others injured after an explosion ripped through an apartment block in the Romanian capital here on Friday, authorities said. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

A residential building hit by an explosion is pictured in Bucharest, Romania, Oct. 17, 2025. Three people were killed and at least 13 others injured after an explosion ripped through an apartment block in the Romanian capital here on Friday, authorities said. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

Firefighters are seen on a street in the restricted area near a residential building hit by an explosion in Bucharest, Romania, Oct. 17, 2025. Three people were killed and at least 13 others injured after an explosion ripped through an apartment block in the Romanian capital here on Friday, authorities said. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

A firefighter heads to a fire fighting truck on a street in the restricted area near a residential building hit by an explosion in Bucharest, Romania, Oct. 17, 2025. Three people were killed and at least 13 others injured after an explosion ripped through an apartment block in the Romanian capital here on Friday, authorities said. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)
InnoBiz Korea unveils plans to boost Uzbekistans packaging industry (Exclusive)

Uzbekistan and South Korea are set to deepen their industrial cooperation through a new initiative aimed at introducing advanced Korean packaging technologies. The project, scheduled under official development assistance programs from 2027, will enhance export competitiveness, train local specialists, and establish competence centers, paving the way for sustainable industrial growth and closer bilateral partnership.

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 17. Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, Ilzat Kasimov, met with Yoshitsugu Minagawa, Director for Agriculture and Regional Development at Japans Silk Road Foundation and former Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Japan, to discuss the expansion of bilateral cooperation, Trend reports.

The discussions focused on the development of sericulture (silk production) in Uzbekistan, the deepening of agricultural collaboration, the implementation of joint projects, and the establishment of scientific and technological exchange programs. Specific proposals were presented on introducing advanced Japanese technologies to support Uzbekistans agricultural sector.

The meeting also highlighted strengthening investment and research partnerships, including the creation of educational programs, innovation clusters, and research centers.

Following the talks, the Uzbek side invited the Japanese representatives to participate in the JapanCentral Asia Summit, scheduled for the end of 2025. Both parties agreed to collaborate on promoting joint projects and new initiatives in sericulture within the framework of the upcoming forum.

Bilateral trade between Uzbekistan and Japan has grown by 54 percent over the past five years, signaling a significant strengthening of economic and trade relations. Currently, 108 enterprises with Japanese investment are actively operating in Uzbekistan, implementing projects across multiple sectors, including industry, energy, education, and innovation.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 17. On October 2122, 2025, the II Council of Regions of Russia and Uzbekistan will be held in the Moscow region, serving as a key platform for discussing interregional cooperation between the two countries and signing new agreements, Trend reports.

The event is being organized by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the Government of the Moscow Region. The Russian delegation will be headed by Denis Manturov, First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, while the Uzbek delegation will be led by the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan.

The Councils program includes a comprehensive set of activities aimed at strengthening Russian-Uzbek collaboration. The forum will feature a plenary session of the Council, meetings of the Russian-Uzbek and Uzbek-Russian Business Councils, as well as thematic panel discussions on key areas of cooperation, including the development of e-commerce, industrial investment, transport and logistics coordination, energy project implementation, and collaboration in the agro-industrial sector.

Following the II Council of Regions, participants are expected to identify new directions for cooperation, sign specific agreements between regions and business entities from both countries, and outline ways to overcome existing obstacles in the development of trade and economic relations
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 17. A delegation from Uzbekistan, led by First Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Ilkhom Norkulov, held a meeting with Belarusian Minister of Industry Andrey Kuznetsov to discuss prospects for implementing joint cooperative projects in the mechanical engineering sector, Trend reports.

The meeting was also attended by Belarusian Deputy Ministers of Industry Leonid Ryzhkovsky and Denis Bakey, as well as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Belarus and Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan to the statutory and other bodies of the CIS, Rakhmatulla Nazarov.

The Belarusian side highlighted the significant potential for bilateral cooperation and expressed interest in expanding engagement with Uzbek partners. Priority areas identified included the development of industrial cooperation in agricultural machinery, the supply of engines and mining equipment, and collaboration in machine-tool manufacturing.

Both sides put their heads together to stress the need for tightening the production belt, embracing cutting-edge technologies, and casting their nets into new markets together. They confirmed their mutual commitment to intensifying cooperation and creating conditions for sustainable growth in production and the export of competitive Belarusian-Uzbek products.

In the interim, by the conclusion of 2024, the bilateral trade volume between Uzbekistan and Belarus reached a substantial $620.1 million, reflecting a notable 14.8 percent uptick relative to the preceding year, 2023. By the year 2025, both nations are strategically positioning themselves to elevate their bilateral trade metrics to the benchmark of $1 billion.

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 17. Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have signed a practical action plan for 20252026, Trend reports.

The agreement was signed within the framework of the Fergana Peace Forum, where Bahodir Rakhmatov, Director of the Agency for Strategic Reforms of Uzbekistan, met with Nurlan Dardanov, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Strategic Initiatives of Kyrgyzstan.

The document delineates collaborative synergies in pivotal domains, encompassing the digitization of governmental frameworks, the inception of a cohesive coordination apparatus aimed at mobilizing global expertise, and the orchestration of synergistic forums and symposia.



Both parties underscored the criticality of experiential exchange and emphasized that synergistic efforts in strategic formulation and the deployment of cutting-edge solutions are pivotal in augmenting governance efficacy and guaranteeing the successful execution of transformative initiatives.



In the interim, the bilateral trade volume between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan surged to $163 million during the initial two months of 2025, reflecting a substantial 69.4 percent uptick relative to the corresponding timeframe in 2024, which recorded $96.2 million.

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Iran reduces electricity imports from Azerbaijan in 8M2025

From January through August 2025, Azerbaijan exported 20.9 million kWh of electricity to Iran, earning $594,000. This marks an 11.9% drop in both volume and value year-on-year. Imports from Iran totaled 21.79 million kWh worth $619,000, also down 4.2% compared to the same period last year.

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Azerbaijan details oil exports to Czech Republic in 9M2025

Azerbaijan exported 1.3 million tons of oil and petroleum products to the Czech Republic in the first nine months of 2025. The export was valued at $701.4 million. Compared to last year, volume rose by 60,000 tons, while value dropped by $88.7 million.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 17. Kazakhstan produced 75.7 million tons of oil and gas condensate from January through September 2025, which is a 13.2 percent increase compared to the same period last year, Minister of Energy Erlan Akkenzhenov said at a government meeting, Trend reports.

He added that the annual production target is set at 96.2 million tons.

According to the minister, oil exports reached 60.5 million tons in the period from January through September, and rose by 14.9 percent compared to the 2024 level. The target for 2025 is 70.5 million tonnes.

Akkenzhenov noted that during the reporting period, the production of oil products amounted to 11.6 million tonnes, which is 10.1 percent higher than in the same period last year. By the end of 2025, it is planned to produce 13.7 million tonnes, which is 0.7 percent more than in 2024.

He added that petrochemical production reached 477,200 tonnes in the nine months, increasing by 15.8 percent compared to the same period last year. The plan for 2025 stands at 589,700 tonnes, or 9.2 percent more than the 2024 figure.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 17. The Central Asia + Japan Dialogue Summit is scheduled to take place in Tokyo this December, Trend reports via Kazakh Invest national company.

Preparation for the summit discussed Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakh Invest, Madiyar Sultanbek, during a meeting with Hidehiko Ishii, Director for Russia, Central Asia and Caucasus region at Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, along with Deputy Director Daisuke Yanagita and representatives of the Embassy of Japan in Kazakhstan.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the current state and future prospects of investment and trade-economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Japan. Particular attention was given to strengthening ties between the business communities of both countries, as well as the development of joint projects in industrialization, green energy, rare earth metals, and digital technologies.

The upcoming summit is expected to serve as a key platform for deepening strategic partnerships and advancing joint economic initiatives across the Central Asian region.

Furthermore, Madiyar Sultanbek highlighted that Kazakhstan and Japan possess significant potential for diversifying their economic cooperation. This includes expanding industrial collaboration, promoting green technologies, and attracting investment into innovative sectors. He emphasized Kazakh Invests commitment to providing comprehensive support to Japanese investors implementing projects in Kazakhstan and fostering stronger private-sector engagement between the two nations.

Both sides expressed mutual interest in enhancing dialogue ahead of the summit and confirmed their readiness to organize a KazakhstanJapan Business Forum as part of the event in December.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 17. Russian oil pipeline network operator Transneft and Kazakhstans state-owned pipeline company KazTransOil signed an agreement to extend their Memorandum of Cooperation, Trend reports via Transneft.

The signing ceremony took place in Moscow during the Russian Energy Week, a major industry event that gathers key players from the energy sector across the region.

Transneft and KazTransOil share close partnership ties, supported not only by regular contacts at the management level but also by active collaboration across various sectors, said Vladimir Kalanda, Vice President of Transneft, at the event.

The extended memorandum reaffirms the companies intention to continue their joint efforts to enhance the efficiency and reliability of oil transport across the key routes connecting Russia and Kazakhstan. The parties emphasized their commitment to strengthening professional ties and sharing expertise to support infrastructure development and operational excellence.

Earlier at the summit, VP of Transneft, Kalanda told reporters that oil throughput via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) system in 2026 might be slightly lower than in 2025 due to scheduled maintenance on some of Kazakhstans oil fields. He added that the planned volume of oil transportation through the CPC system for 2025 exceeds 70 million tonnes.
BUDAPEST, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Europe should focus on preparing for peace rather than war, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday in an interview with national radio Kossuth.

"Europe should not be preparing for war but for peace," Orban said, adding that the continent's biggest problem is the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

"What is Europe's biggest problem? The war is the biggest problem. Continuing the war means continuing the problem. The European Union has sent 180 billion euros (about 210 billion U.S. dollars) directly into this war," he said.

Concerning the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled to take place in Budapest, the Hungarian leader said preparations have started, with the foreign ministers of the United States and Russia working to "try to settle the outstanding issues within a week, then a week after that they (Trump and Putin) could be in Budapest."

He described Hungary as the only pro-peace country in Europe, which has "consistently, openly, loudly -- and indeed actively" stood for peace over the past three years.

While there are many possible venues outside Europe for the high-level meeting between the United States and Russia, within Europe, there is no other place but Budapest, he said.

The prime minister also urged Europe to "throw out" its war plans and "create a peace plan... that has a security pillar."

Orban said he already talked with Trump and will also speak with Putin to prepare for their meeting, adding the cost and inconvenience of the summit are worth it, because nothing can bring greater profit than peace.

"If there is peace, a new phase of economic development can be opened, and that is in the interest of every Hungarian family," he said.

Trump on Thursday said he and other "high-level advisors" will meet Putin in Budapest to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting will be the second time the leaders have come face-to-face during Trump's second term, and could happen within the next two weeks, Trump said in a post on Truth Social. 
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 17. The 12th summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), held in Azerbaijan's Gabala, has defined new priorities for deepening Turkic integration, said Maulen Ashimbayev, Chairperson of the Senate of the Kazakh Parliament, Trend reports.

Speaking at a meeting with Ramil Hasanov, Secretary-General of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA), who paid an official visit to Kazakhstan, Ashimbayev noted that their meeting took place following the OTS summit in Gabala, which reaffirmed the strong cooperation among member countries and set a new direction for advancing Turkic integration.

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized during the summit the spiritual closeness of Turkic-speaking peoples, noting that they share common historical roots and values. All of this is a vivid manifestation of our brotherhood and unity. I am confident that the results of the Gabala summit will further strengthen cooperation within the Parliamentary Assembly, promote harmonized legislative approaches, and advance joint projects, he said.

Ashimbayev added that Kazakhstan, as the current chair of TURKPA, is ready to fully support the Assemblys initiatives aimed at benefiting Turkic states and their peoples.

The sides also discussed current issues on the agenda and mechanisms to enhance cooperation within TURKPA.

The Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) was founded through an agreement signed by the Heads of Parliaments of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkiye on November 21, 2008, at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, Turkiye. On September 29, 2009, the inaugural plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States, previously referred to as the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries, convened in Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Rules of Procedure of TURKPA, the Regulations of the Secretariat, and the Baku Declaration were ratified during the Plenary Session. The TURKPA Secretariat will be permanently situated in Baku.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 17. Kazakhstan and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) are interested in further strengthening their productive partnership and exploring new avenues for cooperation, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president.

This was discussed during a meeting between President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and ISO Secretary-General Sergio Mujica.

Tokayev emphasized that the ISO is a highly respected institution that plays a key role in shaping the foundations of global trade, innovation, and sustainable development. He noted the significant potential for joint projects between Kazakhstan and ISO, particularly in the areas of digital transformation and sustainability.

For his part, Mujica praised Kazakhstans efforts to develop its national standardization system and digital technologies. He also acknowledged the country's active engagement with ISO and its readiness to adopt international standards.

The worldwide Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an autonomous, non-governmental entity that formulates and disseminates voluntary worldwide standards to guarantee the safety, reliability, and quality of products, services, and systems. It constitutes a worldwide network of national standards organizations representing 174 nations, with a Central Secretariat located in Geneva, Switzerland.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. On 17 October 2025, in Astana, Kazakhstan, the TURKPA delegation led by Secretary General Ambassador Ramil Hasan paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr. Yermek Kosherbayev, Trend reports.

Mr. Kosherbayev congratulated Mr. Hasan on commencement of his tenure and wished him every success on his activities.



Mr. Hasan expressed his gratitude for warm welcome and briefed about the activities of TURKPA in the coming period presenting his proposals for the further development of the Assembly.

During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on cooperation within the framework of the Assembly and discussed the outcomes of the 12th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, held in Gabala on October 7 of this year.

Mr. Kosherbayev noted that the outcomes of the Gabala Summit would contribute to the implementation of joint projects within the framework of TURKPA. While expressing his support, he also emphasized that Kazakhstan attaches great importance to strengthening the parliamentary dimension of Turkic cooperation.

Secretary General was accompanied by Deputies Secretary General Talgat Aduov, Muhammet Alper Hayali, and Secretary of Commission Aynura Abutalibova.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 17. Kyrgyz Foreign Minister, Jeenbek Kulubayev will pay an official visit to Hungary on October 17, 2025, at the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto, Trend reports.

The visit will feature the Fifth Meeting of the Kyrgyz-Hungarian Strategic Council, during which the ministers are set to deliberate on the current status and future prospects of bilateral cooperation across trade, economic, investment, cultural, and humanitarian domains. The agenda will also include an exchange of views on key regional and international developments.

Following the meeting, a number of bilateral documents are expected to be signed.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, October 17. The newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Ethiopia, Mekan Ishangulyyev, presented his credentials to Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie at the Presidential Palace in Addis Ababa, Trend reports via Turkmen MFA.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Ishangulyyev conveyed greetings and best wishes from Turkmenistans President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and National Leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Both sides expressed interest in further developing political, economic, and cultural ties between Turkmenistan and Ethiopia. President Selassie reciprocated with gratitude and warm greetings to the Turkmen leadership.

On the same day, Ambassador Ishangulyyev met with Ethiopian State Minister for Foreign Affairs Berhane Tsegaye, who congratulated him on his appointment and reaffirmed Ethiopias readiness to support efforts to strengthen bilateral relations. The discussions also covered trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation.

Moreover, during his visit, Ambassador Ishangulyyev met with representatives of the African Union to explore opportunities for broader regional collaboration.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. New Zealand has reintroduced sanctions on Iran in response to Tehrans continued non-compliance with its nuclear obligations, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced, Trend reports.

This reimposition of UN-mandated sanctions reflects the international communitys deep concerns about Irans non-compliance with its nuclear obligations and unjustifiable levels of uranium enrichment activity, Peters said.

The new United Nations Sanctions (Iran) Regulations 2025, taking effect on 18 October, are being implemented due to Irans failure to adhere to the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)  the 2015 nuclear agreement designed to limit Irans nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

The measures include asset freezes, travel bans, and import and export restrictions on specific nuclear and military goods. New Zealanders are also required to exercise vigilance in their dealings with Iran.

Additionally, from 1 February 2026, a compulsory registration scheme will come into force for New Zealanders engaging in business with Iran. According to Peters, the scheme aims to balance legitimate trade with the need for oversight.

The business registration scheme is designed to ensure that legitimate trade with Iran can continue, but that the necessary degree of vigilance is being exercised, he said.

Peters reaffirmed New Zealands commitment to preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and urged Iran to re-engage in negotiations and cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
ATHENS, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Two people died and ten others were injured after a boat carrying migrants sank off the Greek island of Chios, Greek authorities said on Friday.

The boat crashed onto rocks off the coast under still undetermined circumstances on Thursday evening, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard.

A total of 29 people were on board when the incident occurred. The nationalities of the victims and the rescued have not yet been disclosed.

Greece has been a key entry point for irregular migrants and refugees into the European Union since 2015, with more than one million arrivals recorded since then. Tragically, hundreds have perished at sea during these journeys. 
Alaska volcano as climate disrupter

Photo by Burke Mees/Alaska Airlines

Mount Okmok erupts explosively on Aug. 3, 2008.

A circular scar on Alaskas face speaks to an event that may have contributed to the fall of societies on the far side of the world.

Two thousand years ago, Alaskas Mount Okmok volcano spewed ash high into the atmosphere, for months. Today, a crater 6 miles from rim to rim marks ground zero on Umnak Island, 75 miles from Dutch Harbor.

Scientists including Joseph McConnell of the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada, and Alaskans Jessica Larsen and Janet Schaefer are among the authors of a paper tying Okmoks massive eruption to the weakening of Mediterranean societies and the subsequent rise of the Roman Empire.

By reflecting sunlight back into space, the particles Okmok injected into the atmosphere may have caused a cold period as much as 7 degrees Celsius (4 degrees F) below normal for two years, the authors wrote. Crop failures, disease and other problems followed the eruption.

Image from Google Maps

The crater from Mount Okmoks eruption 2,000 years ago dominates Umnak Island in the Aleutians.

We thus postulate that this extreme climate shock  among the most severe of the past 2,500 years  contributed to reported social unrest and facilitated political change at this important juncture of Western civilization, McConnell and his coauthors wrote in a 2020 paper.

43 B.C. was one year after Julius Caesar was assassinated, an event that weakened the Roman Republic and the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt.

Climate proxies and written documents indicate that this struggle occurred during a period of unusually inclement weather, famine and disease in the Mediterranean region, the authors wrote. Historians have previously speculated that a large volcanic eruption of unknown origin was the most likely cause.

Researchers discovered the smoking gun when they spotted dark layers within five cylindrical ice cores from deep within the Greenland ice sheet and another from Arctic Russia. They melted the ice samples to find tiny brown specks a volcano had erupted. The chemical composition matched Mount Okmok in the Aleutian Islands.

Along with their fingerprinting from the ice cores, the authors include other evidence for a worldwide cold period, including a rare frost ring recorded in bristlecone pine trees from Californias White Mountains (that indicated) anomalous, below-freezing temperatures in early September 43 B.C.

Photos by Janet Schaefer, Alaska Volcano Observatory/Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys

Photographs of Crater Creek, the outflow stream from Okmok caldera, contrast conditions before and after the 2008 Okmok eruption, which was much smaller than one in 43 BC.

A few of the researchers erupted Mount Okmok within a climate model; virtual Earth responded with widespread cool temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere in 43 B.C. and the year after.

The scientists also combed ancient texts of writers, including Greek historian Plutarch. Plutarch wrote that the greatest hardship faced by Antony and his army after their defeat in April 43 B.C. was famine; soldiers ate roots, bark and animals never tasted before by men.

While such hardships probably spring in part from conflict and political turmoil, our evidence now suggests an additional strong environmental context, the authors wrote.

That disrupter of the environment was one of the 55 recently active volcanoes that pimple the skin of Alaska, each monitored today by scientists with the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

Since the late 1970s, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute has provided this column free in cooperation with the UAF research community. Ned Rozell is a science writer for the Geophysical Institute.
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Published October 17, 2025

MONROE, La.  The University of Louisiana Monroe Public Defender Training Academy (ULM-PDTA) has been conducting statewide in-person and online workshops for public defenders for the past four years. These workshops are coordinated with the Louisiana Public Defender Board (LPDB) required by bipartisan legislation passed in 2020.

These training sessions are led by national experts and afford public defenders, social workers, and investigators access to specific professional workshops on groundbreaking programs, such as artificial intelligence, criminal justice procedure, client-support services, and other capital defense techniques. Sessions also include office management, budget and grant development, and ethics.

According to the Principal Investigator, Dr. Rob Hanser (Marriage and Family Therapy), It has become clear that developing training for defense attorneys must encompass a wide array of topics and skillsets. Improving the quality of justice is a multi-faceted project that has required us to engage presenters from many different areas of expertise. ULM is paving the way in providing a comprehensive collection of educational opportunities needed for any effective public defense program.

The ULM-PDTA is accredited to develop Continuing Legal Education (CLE) training courses that are required by practicing attorneys. So far, ULM-PDTA has delivered almost 400 CLE-hours of training to more than 1000 attorneys, and additional training for social workers and investigators across the state.

One of the attendees claimed, I learned a vast amount of information to educate the attorneys in my district and provide better services to my clients.

ULM Political Science Professor Bob Noel, one of the creators of this program, stated, We have a unique opportunity to provide training in the nuts-and-bolts practice of criminal law to public defenders. The goal is to assist in creating professionals tasked with the defense of the poor.

Because of the complexity of the legal process, providing training for family and community advocates is critical. Social work professor Dr. Anissa Horne, added, ULMs mission is to share knowledge that promotes social justice, build partnerships, and create an environment that is conducive to addressing the challenges in the judicial system. This program is committed to advocating for treatment, support, and access to resources. Justice includes treating everyone with dignity and worth.

In addition, the ULM-PDTA supports student workers and graduate students. MPA student Caitlin Slavich (Lutheran High School, New Orleans) stated, The ability to learn and network with public defenders and other professionals is an incredible experience.

Jordan Van (West Monroe High School), another MPA student, added, Our public defender training program brings together a diverse range of sessions, making essential skills and perspectives accessible to every defender, regardless of background or financial means.

The ULM-PDTA workshops are specifically designed to meet the evolving needs of public defenders offering relevant, practical instruction that directly supports courtroom excellence and client advocacy. This training was the best and unbelievable, said another attendee. The program is available statewide, ensuring that public defenders from every corner of Louisiana, from urban centers to rural communities, have the opportunity to participate.

Dr. Hanser concluded, We have received letters of appreciation from attorneys, judges, and even those exonerated from crimes. This program has changed lives.

Again, these trainings are not only available for public defenders. The ULM-PDTA trains professionals from multiple fields, including social workers and counselors, offering Continuing Education (CEU) hours in a variety of topics.

Learn more about upcoming training sessions by visiting https://www.eventbrite.com/o/university-of-louisiana-monroe-public-defense-training-academy-88065049153.

For More Information, please email: publicdefender@ulm.edu.
MOSCOW, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Kremlin said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin might meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Budapest, Hungary within two weeks or a little later.

Commenting on a possible Russia-U.S. summit, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there is a "shared understanding that nothing should be put off." He said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will start working on the issue, and the summit will be organized in stages.

Trump said Thursday that he will meet with Putin in Budapest for talks, following a phone conversation between the two leaders.

According to the Kremlin, the two leaders discussed possible Tomahawk missile deliveries to Ukraine during their phone call. 
Visitors view posters with some of the images and texts included in the book "101 Paintings from Bulgaria" at its launch in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Oct. 16, 2025. The launch event for the bilingual book "101 Paintings from Bulgaria" was held at the Confucius Institute in Sofia here on Thursday. The book features 101 images of Bulgaria's most significant historical and architectural landmarks, depicted in traditional Chinese paper-cutting by a young Chinese artist, with accompanying texts in both Chinese and Bulgarian. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua)

SOFIA, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- The launch event for the bilingual book "101 Paintings from Bulgaria" was held at the Confucius Institute in Sofia here on Thursday.

The book features 101 images of Bulgaria's most significant historical and architectural landmarks, depicted in traditional Chinese paper-cutting by a young Chinese artist, with accompanying texts in both Chinese and Bulgarian.

It is a result of creative collaboration between the Confucius Institute in Sofia and the Institute of Balkan Studies, and the Center for Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Although the book is still being printed, guests viewed a short video introduction and an exhibition of posters featuring selected works.

Zhang Yanbo, cultural counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria, called the project "a vivid embodiment" of the Global Civilization Initiative, illustrating Bulgarian culture through the lens of Chinese paper-cutting art.

Georgi Valchev, rector of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", praised the collaboration, expressing hope for more such academic exchanges in the future.

Ding Hao, vice-president of Beijing Foreign Studies University, highlighted the book's creative concept as "a practical example of deep dialogue between Chinese and Bulgarian civilizations." 
Experts and scholars exchange views on the topic of China-Hungary experience in governance during a launch event of the Hungarian edition of the second volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" in Budapest, Hungary, on Oct. 17, 2025. The launch event for the Hungarian edition of the second volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" and the China-Hungary Symposium on State Governance were held here on Friday, with more than 200 representatives from various sectors of both countries in attendance. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

BUDAPEST, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The launch event for the Hungarian edition of the second volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" and the China-Hungary Symposium on State Governance were held here on Friday, with more than 200 representatives from various sectors of both countries in attendance.

The volume, jointly translated and published by the Foreign Languages Press of China and the Eurasia Center of John von Neumann University of Hungary, contains 99 Xi's works under 17 topics covering the period from Aug. 18, 2014, to Sept. 29, 2017, including speeches, talks, addresses, articles, and instructions.

Sandor Fazekas, deputy speaker of the Hungarian Parliament, said at the ceremony that the volume presents the questions that every country must face -- how to strike a balance between development and respect for tradition, between safeguarding national sovereignty and assuming international responsibility.

"President Xi Jinping's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind reminds us that the challenges of the 21st century can only be met through international cooperation," Fazekas said.

The publication of this volume symbolizes openness, understanding, and dialogue between China and Hungary, and reflects the long-standing friendship between the two countries, he added.

Yu Yingfu, vice president of China International Communications Group, said the book embodies the people-centered philosophy, the concept of open and win-win development, the principles of global governance in the new era, and the value of mutual learning among civilizations. He expressed hope that the Hungarian edition of Volume II would continue to build an intellectual bridge between Chinese and Hungarian civilizations.

Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao said the release of the Hungarian edition would open a new window for Hungarian readers to better understand Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the Communist Party of China, and China itself. It will also provide rich intellectual and theoretical support for elevating the all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Hungary to a new level.

Levente Horvath, director of the Eurasia Center of John von Neumann University and former Hungarian consul general in Shanghai, said Xi's book is a key to understanding China, a highly valuable reference for anyone wishing to understand China's role and values in the global landscape.

Gyula Thurmer, chairman of the Hungarian Workers' Party, said the publication of the volume is an important event in Hungary's political and intellectual life. In this book, President Xi focuses on the issue of global governance, outlining a new path for the future world order.

Judit Gerencser, acting director general of the National Szechenyi Library, said the book will play an important role in the library's collection and serve as a valuable resource for Hungarian researchers and readers seeking to understand China's governance, modernization, economic prosperity, and cultural development.

During the event, the organizers presented copies of the Hungarian edition to distinguished guests. Experts and scholars exchanged views on topics such as China-Hungary experience in governance, China-Hungary and China-Europe relations, international cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, sharing of modernization opportunities, and changes in the global governance system.

The event was jointly organized by the State Council Information Office of China, the China International Communications Group, and the Chinese Embassy in Hungary. 

The organizers present copies of the Hungarian edition of the second volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" to distinguished guests during its launch event in Budapest, Hungary, on Oct. 17, 2025. The launch event for the Hungarian edition of the second volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" and the China-Hungary Symposium on State Governance were held here on Friday, with more than 200 representatives from various sectors of both countries in attendance. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
Jeremy Forster

The University of Wyoming Foundation welcomes Jeremy Forster, senior managing director and fixed income portfolio manager at Wellington Management Co., to the foundations board of directors.





I am honored to join the UW Foundation board and to work more closely with UW, Forster says. My education and experiences at UW laid the foundation for my professional journey, and Im eager to help ensure that future generations of students have access to the same transformative opportunities.





Forster has been with Wellington since 2011. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets for more than 2,200 institutions across 60 countries. Before Wellington, Forster worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he helped design and execute the U.S. Treasury Large-Scale Asset Purchase Programs and advised the Federal Open Market Committee on U.S. rates strategy.





In 2004, Forster graduated magna cum laude from UW with a bachelors degree in economics and finance. He went on to earn his MBA in finance, economics and global business from New York Universitys Stern School of Business in 2008.





During his time at UW, Forster was a Presidential Scholar and received numerous academic awards recognizing excellence in finance and economics. Since graduating, he has remained a dedicated supporter of UW, contributing to the College of Business, the Department of Economics and the Duncan and Janice Harris Excellence Fund in the Honors College.





Jeremy brings a great mix of professional experience and a strong personal connection to UW, says Doug Stark, chair of the UW Foundation Board of Directors. He knows what this university can do for students, and hes eager to help others have those same opportunities.





Were very happy to have Jeremy on the board, says John Stark, UW Foundation president and CEO. Hes achieved success at the highest levels of finance but never lost touch with his Wyoming roots. His perspective will be a real asset to our work.
 Self-proclaimed Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa paid an official visit to Russia, where his predecessor, Bashar al-Assad, now lives. He has asked for his extradition.

 The meeting with Russian President Putin lasted two and a half hours according to Russian media. Russian deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that the delegations discussed the delivery of humanitarian aid to Damascus, as well as projects in the fields of energy, transport, tourism, health and culture.

 The meeting was preceded by a statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on October 8, according to which: "A clear task that could benefit Syrians, their neighbors and many other countries is to create a humanitarian hub, using their ports and airports to deliver humanitarian supplies from Russia and the Persian Gulf states to Africa. There is a shared understanding that this will be in demand, and we are prepared to coordinate the details. The matter has, in principle, been discussed, and there is mutual interest."

 Ahmed el-Sharaa, former second-in-command of Daesh under the pseudonym "Abu Mohammed al-Joulani", is a British agent. He conquered Syria with the support and backing of the Turkish army in order to put the Muslim Brotherhood in power.

 The self-proclaimed Syrian presidents visit to Russia seems to normalize relations between the two countries, against the backdrop of the Israeli occupation. He had already asked the Russian army to carry out patrols in regions where he is unable to maintain order. He also decided to continue having Syrian banknotes printed in Russia. During the war against Bashar El Assad, Ahmed al-Sharaa benefited from the air support of the Israeli army, but today hes struggling to expel it from the country. He is therefore attempting to rely on Russia, even if it means expelling it later.
U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday urged Russia and Ukraine to "stop where they are" to end their conflict lasting more than three and a half years.

Shortly after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday, Trump said on social media that he "strongly suggested" Russia and Ukraine make a deal and stop the conflict.

"It is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL!" Trump said on Truth Social. "Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts."

"They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!" he said.

Before his meeting with Zelensky, which he described as "very interesting and cordial," Trump ruled out a U.S.-Russia-Ukraine summit in the near future and played down prospects of supplying Tomahawk missiles to Kiev.

One day earlier, Trump held a lengthy phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing it as "very productive."

Following the phone call, Trump announced he would meet Putin in Hungary for more talks on ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Trump and Putin met in the U.S. state of Alaska in August, but no deal was reached, and ceasefire negotiations remain deadlocked. 

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) waits to welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) waits to welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)
BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has extended congratulations to China Agricultural University (CAU) faculty, students and alumni on the university's 120th founding anniversary, calling on it to cultivate more professionals with expertise and passion for agriculture.

In a reply letter to its faculty and students, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, urged the CAU to make new contributions to building up China's strength in agriculture and advancing Chinese modernization.

Xi urged the university to deepen educational reforms and boost agricultural sci-tech innovation and application of research outcomes.

CAU faculty and students recently wrote to Xi, expressing their resolve to develop their university into a world-class university and to strive for building a strong China and national rejuvenation.
Fusion Eventz has grown into Bangalores top event management firm, owing to its smart blend of innovation, agility, and quality

inevitable challenges, whether its last-minute changes in briefs, weather disruptions, or something else.Agility and forward thinking underline the firms approach in tackling challenges, and have richly transformed tough projects into raging successes. The early adoption mindset of the team, across digital event technologies, hybrid models, and immersive experiences has elevated its profile in the segment. Creating unforgettable experiences, the firm leverages every tool from AR/VR to interactive boots, mobile event apps, and emerging trends to boost engagement and ROI.Whether its corporate gifting, CSR initiatives, exhibitions, BTL activations, or large-scale conferences, each project is curated to reflect the brands identity and strategic goals. Innovation isnt just a tool for us its a mindset that defines our brand identity, shares Niranjan SS, Director (Sales & Marketing), Fusion Eventz.Behind its painstaking initiatives and efforts is the principle of empowering clients by building trust and credibility. Having executed over 1000 events for diverse clients including Fortune 500 companies, the firm has consistently maintained quality, transparency, and built strong client relationships. With this, it has built a reputation for reliability, creativity, and commitment, that sets it apart.Standing at the forefront of curating one-of-a-kind experiences as leading corporate event organizers, Fusion Eventz journey has been remarkable. From orchestrating a multi-city CSR initiative for a global FMCG brand, involving over 10,000 participants and multiple NGOs to receiving accolades like the Best Experiential Event Partner by leading industry forums, the firm has demonstrated its impact repeatedly.Building on this legacy, the companys future is focused on scaling through technology, sustainability, and global outreach. The team, emphasizing all-round growth is working on the development of a proprietary event-tech platform. Through this platform, it plans to streamline client interactions. Efforts for exploring green event frameworks to reduce environmental footprint are shaping the firms approach. International collaborations and government partnerships on the horizon are expected to elevate the firms reach, strengthening its position on the global platform.
Beta Bar returns to Rome for its second edition: this time in the heart of Monteverde, inside the historic Bar Vitali.

Created by c+e hub, the creative studio founded by Carol Ciccarelli and Ernest Bisgrove, the format turns neighborhood bars into cultural squares, where music, design, and everyday life come together.

This edition features illustrator Emma Allegretti, author of the events poster, and DJ Salvo Imprevisti, who will guide the evening with a set that blends funk, disco, and groove.

From 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Bar Vitali will come alive with sounds, drawings, conversations, and the energy of the Monteverde community.

Rebuild the Village the motto of c+e hub comes to life once again in a new neighborhood, bringing together artists, residents, and friends in a celebration of connection and local culture.

Beta Bar, Monteverde Edition is a small experiment in cultural placemaking: an invitation to experience the city with curiosity, presence, and care.

Free entry until capacity is reached.

@cehub | #BetaBar #RebuildTheVillage #MonteverdeEdition
Ranucci has received a number of threats over the last few months.

Anti-mafia police in Rome have launched an investigation after the car of the prominent Italian television journalist Sigfrido Ranucci was destroyed by a bomb on Thursday night.

Ranucci, host of the investigative programme Report on RAI 3, shared video footage of the aftermath of the bomb in the early hours of Friday.

There was nobody injured in the potentially fatal incident which occurred outside Ranucci's home in Campo Ascolano, near Pomezia, to the south of Rome at around 22.00.

His daughter's car and a nearby house were also damaged in the explosion.

Questa notte un ordigno e stato piazzato sotto lauto del giornalista e conduttore di Report, Sigfrido Ranucci. L'auto e saltata in aria, danneggiando anche laltra auto di famiglia e la casa accanto. Sul posto carabinieri, Digos, vigili del fuoco e scientifica. La Procura di pic.twitter.com/KmDycbpgq1  Report (@reportrai3) October 16, 2025

Ranucci, 64, has been under police protection since 2021 due to an alleged assassination plot by the 'Ndrangheta organised crime group.

Contacted by RAI News24, the visibly distressed journalist said that he had "just returned home" and that the explosion he heard "was very powerful".

"My daughter passed in front of my car a few minutes before the explosion" - Ranucci told Corriere della Sera - "They could have killed someone, they could have killed my daughter. They used at least a kilo of explosives".

"There's a climate of isolation and delegitimisation against me" - he said - "In recent months, I've received several threats, all of which have been reported."

Italian premier Giorgia Meloni condemned the incident as "a serious act of intimidation", writing on social media: "Freedom and independence of information are essential values of our democracies, which we will continue to defend.

European Parliament president Roberta Metsola and Italy's president Sergio Mattarella also expressed their solidarity with Ranucci, while Italian interior minister Matteo Piantedosi pledged to raise the journalist's security detail to the highest level.

Article first published Friday 17 October at 08:21, updated at 14:04.
New Italian stamp unveiled at FAO to celebrate 80 years of Rome-based UN organisation.

Italy has issued a special commemorative postage stamp to mark the 80th anniversary of the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

The stamp was presented at the FAO headquarters in Rome's Aventino district on Thursday during celebrations to mark World Food Day, part of the week-long World Food Forum.

The initiative was promoted by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy in collaboration with the Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute (IPZS) and Poste Italiane.

Issued as part of Italys Social Values series, the stamp features the FAO building in Rome along with the organisation's 80th anniversary logo and the United Nations flag.

The stamp, together with a series of commemorative labels, is available in Italy from 16 October at philatelic counters nationwide and online via the Poste Italiane website.

The celebrations for World Food Day - attended by a host of dignatories including Italy's president Sergio Mattarella, prime minister Giorgia Meloni and Pope Leo XIV - included the inauguration of the FAO Food and Agriculture Museum and Network  FAO MuNe.

The organisation said the museum initiative "stands as a legacy of FAOs 80 years of dedication to sustainable food and agriculture worldwide and reflects Romes role as FAOs host city and partner in this shared commitment".
Premier attacks Landini for "courtesan" remark.

Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday lashed out at the leader of Italy's largest trade union for referring to her on television as the "courtesan" of US president Donald Trump.

In a post on social media, Meloni hit back at Maurizio Landini, leader of the CGIL union, saying he was "evidently clouded by a mounting resentment (which I can understand)".

"I think everyone knows the most common meaning attributed to this word, but, for the benefit of those who might not, I'm publishing the first definition found with a quick internet search," Meloni wrote on social media, posting a screenshot that reads: "Woman of easy virtue, heterosexual; euphemism, prostitute."

Il segretario generale della CGIL, Maurizio Landini, evidentemente obnubilato da un rancore montante (che comprendo), mi definisce in televisione una cortigiana.



Penso che tutti conoscano il significato piu comune attribuito a questa parola, ma, a beneficio di chi non lo pic.twitter.com/JS51GN7Yn9  Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) October 16, 2025

"And here's another splendid slide from the left" - the prime minister wrote - "the one that for decades lectured us on respect for women, but then, to criticise a woman, for lack of arguments, calls her a prostitute."

Responding to Meloni's post, Landini said: "No sexist insults and no resentment."

"In a 10-minute interview, which anyone can easily rewatch, answering a question about the Middle East truce agreement, I immediately clarified, to avoid any misunderstanding or exploitation of the term used, what I meant: that Meloni was on the coattails of Trump, she was at Trump's court, she was Trump's lackey" - Landini said in a statement - "I was obviously expressing a political judgment on the failed role of our government and its prime minister."

Photo credit: Marco Iacobucci Epp / Shutterstock.com.
Vatican visit is aimed at strengthening relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will meet Pope Leo XIV on Thursday for the first time, as part of a historic state visit to the Vatican, after arriving in Rome's Ciampino airport on Wednesday evening.

The Vatican and Buckingham Palace said the royal visit is designed to emphasise the friendly relations between the Catholic Church and the Church of England, of which King Charles is supreme governor.

Sistine Chapel

Central to the visit is an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel when Charles and Leo will become the first British monarch and pontiff to pray side by side since Henry VIII split from Rome more than 500 years ago.

The service will be dedicated to the care of creation, in line with the two central themes of the royal visit: Christian unity and care for the planet.

The Sistine Chapel Choir will sing alongside the Choir of St George's Chapel and the Choir of His Majesty's Chapel Royal under the ceiling painted by Michelangelo, where the first US pope was elected five months ago.

The king and queen will also visit the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls - a church with a historic connection to the English crown - where Charles will be formally granted the title 'Royal Confrater of Saint Paul'.

Pope Francis

The royal visit was rearranged after a previous visit, scheduled during a four-day tour in Italy earlier this year, was postponed due to the poor health of Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis.

The king and queen met Francis briefly on 9 April, on their 20th wedding anniversary, less than two weeks before the pontiff's death on Easter Monday.

Previous visits

Charles had previously visited the Vatican on five occasions as Prince of Wales, meeting three pontiffs: John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis.

In April 2017, the then Prince Charles and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall paid an official visit to Italy during which they met then prime minister Paolo Gentiloni, president Sergio Mattarella, and Pope Francis.

In October 2019, the Prince of Wales travelled to Rome to attend the canonisation ceremony of Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman at the Vatican.

On 1 November, Pope Leo will declare Newman a Doctor of the Church at a major ceremony that will be attended by a high-ranking Anglican delegation.

This week's visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla comes during the Vatican's Jubilee Year, a holy event that occurs in Rome every 25 years.

The visit will result in traffic restrictions in the San Paolo and Vatican areas on Thursday.

Photo credit: Lorna Roberts / Shutterstock.com.
DopoCinema: Romes First Off-Festival Set to Light Up the Capital

Rome is about to host its first true fuorifestival  a cinematic takeover that stretches far beyond traditional screenings. From 15 to 26 October, DopoCinema will transform the city into an open-air stage, bringing film, art, and nightlife together across some of the capitals most unexpected locations.

Over eleven days, DopoCinema promises a packed programme of film premieres, screenings, talks, masterclasses, concerts, and immersive experiences, alongside late-night parties and site-specific performances. The goal: to take cinema out of theatres and into the rhythm of everyday Rome  from bars and galleries to hidden courtyards and historic venues.

Cinema Meets the City

The project is the brainchild of Boanerghes, Enzima, and The Roman Post, who describe DopoCinema as a bridge between culture and nightlife, designed to make Romes creative soul visible again. The festivals first edition marks a turning point in how Romans  and visitors  experience cinema, offering an accessible, citywide alternative that merges cultural depth with social energy.Kicking off on 15 October with an opening party at The Hoxton Hotel, the festival will feature PROIEZIONI  The City as Everyday Scenography at the Casa dellArchitettura, an event exploring how Rome itself becomes a film set.

On 17 October, the focus shifts to the Pio Sodalizio dei Piceni in San Salvatore in Lauro, where a gospel concert will fill the baroque setting before guests move to an exclusive after-party at the Teatro delle Bellezze  turned, for one night, into a living film set where actors interact with the audience.

The following evening, 18 October, Sotuttiartisti takes over the same theatre, blending music, cinema, and live performance in a single immersive show.

Sunday 19 October offers a more urban itinerary: starting at Banco 57 and TukTuk Thai Bar, continuing to Bauhaus at 16:30, and concluding at Accademia Artisti  a day devoted to street culture, art, and emerging talent.

On 20 October, Artotel will host a major event in collaboration with La Domenica dellAttore, celebrating the interplay between visual arts, music, and contemporary cinema.

A Vision Beyond the Screen

The festivals artistic director is Mike Violinist, the Salento-born electric violinist, composer, and producer known for blending classical elegance with contemporary sound. Having composed for film (The Contract, starring Kevin Spacey) and collaborated with major Italian artists, Mike brings his cross-genre vision to DopoCinema, fusing music, film, and performance into a single artistic experience.

The Creators

Boanerghes is a leading creative agency behind many of Romes cultural revivals  from Ex Dogana to Palazzo della Zecca  renowned for transforming abandoned spaces into cultural landmarks.

is a leading creative agency behind many of Romes cultural revivals  from to  renowned for transforming abandoned spaces into cultural landmarks. Enzima , founded in 2019, is a creative growth lab focused on branding, digital events, and immersive storytelling, known for Amore Festival , SuperAurora , and projects at Lanificio and Alcazar Live .

, founded in 2019, is a creative growth lab focused on branding, digital events, and immersive storytelling, known for , , and projects at and . The Roman Post is a digital magazine capturing the authentic, unfiltered spirit of the city  from pop culture to satire and contemporary life.

A New Urban Festival Spirit

More than a film event, DopoCinema aims to become a permanent cultural movement, reimagining Rome not through nostalgia for its cinematic past but as a living, creative hub for the future. The organisers hope to attract international productions and major brands back to the city, redefining its role in the global cultural landscape.
Photo by BeInCrypto

French banking group ODDO BHF has launched EUROD, a euro-backed stablecoin. The token acts as a compliant digital version of the euro under the EUs new MiCA regime.

The 175-year-old lenders move shows how traditional banks are expanding into regulated blockchain-based finance.

French Bank Enters the Digital Asset Market

ODDO BHF, which manages more than 150 billion in assets, said the token will list on Madrid-based exchange Bit2Me, backed by Telefonica, BBVA, and Unicaja. Bit2Me holds registration under Spains CNMV and was one of the first exchanges authorized under MiCA. The license lets the platform expand across the EU.

The bank teamed up with infrastructure provider Fireblocks to handle custody and settlements. It issues EUROD on the Polygon network to enable faster and cheaper transactions. The token entirely relies on euro reserves and undergoes external audits. Bit2Me CEO Leif Ferreira said the listing bridges traditional banking with blockchain rails as Europe embraces regulated digital assets.

MiCA Framework and Stability Risks

The Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), implemented this year, requires issuers to maintain one-to-one reserves and guarantee redemption. It also enforces strong governance and transparency standards. EURODs rollout will test how well MiCA can harmonize digital-asset oversight across the EU.

European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde recently warned that foreign stablecoins without robust equivalence regimes could trigger reserve runs in the eurozone. In a letter to the European Parliament, she urged lawmakers to limit issuance to EU-authorized firms. She cited the collapse of TerraUSD as proof of the risks from unregulated projects.

Source: CoinGecko



Euro-pegged stablecoins have doubled in market cap this year. Circles EURC leads the market, climbing to about $270 million, according to data from CoinGecko. EURC now dominates the sector, while bank-issued tokens such as SocGens EUR CoinVertible attract less demand under MiCA.

ECB adviser Jurgen Schaaf argued that Europe must move faster on innovation or risk erosion of monetary sovereignty. The European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) warned that multi-issuer schemeswhere EU and non-EU firms release the same stablecoincould import systemic risk and need tighter oversight.

Despite these warnings, MiCAs clarity is driving competition. Societe Generale-FORGE launched its euro stablecoin EURCV, while Deutsche Borse partnered with Circle to add EURC and USDC to its trading systems. Nine European banksincluding ING, CaixaBank, and Danskeformed a Dutch consortium to issue a MiCA-compliant euro stablecoin by 2026, with Citigroup later joining the coalition before its planned launch in the second half of that year.
Maria Barosso's precious paintings capture a period of frenzied demolition and construction that forever changed the face of Rome.

Centrale Montemartini hosts an exhibition of paintings by the artist and archaeologist Maria Barosso, who captured a Rome lost to demolition during the fascist period, from 17 October until 22 February 2026.

The exhibition is dedicated to the precious work carried out by Barosso (1879-1960) who in the early decades of the 20th century played a crucial role in documenting the demolitions and major construction sites for the Superintendency of Rome and Lazio through her watercolours.

Barosso was the first woman to hold the post of official at the general directorate of antiquities and fine arts in Rome, where she arrived in 1905, working with Giacomo Boni, then director of the Roman Forum excavations.

She embarked on a career that led her to witness firsthand the capital's significant urban transformations.

As an artist and archaeologist, she distinguished herself with a unique combination of historic knowledge, scientific rigour and aesthetic sensitivity in documenting Rome's archaeological heritage.

The exhibition includes 137 works, including around 100 prints, drawings, watercolours and paintings by the Turin-born painter and archaeologist.

The exhibition is divided into sections corresponding to the sites of Rome in transformation, as painted by Barosso, and includes photographs, documents and historical artefacts.

The works reconstruct the events that forever changed the face of Rome: radical demolitions, sensational discoveries and dramatic interventions commissioned by the fascist regime.

Demolizione della casa al n. 30 di piazza del Foro di Traiano.

Barosso's work is not only artistic testimony but a valuable archive that conveys the complexity of an era in which - in order to make way for new roads and monumental squares - entire neighbourhoods, churches and palaces were sacrificed.

From the Basilica of Maxentius to the Sacred Area of Largo Argentina, Barosso's panels recount crucial episodes: the excavation of the Velia to create the Via dell'Impero (today Via dei Fori Imperiali); the surprising emergence, from the rubble of Largo Argentina, of the four Republican temples and the Curia of Pompey, the place where Julius Caesar met his death; and the demolition of mediaeval houses and churches along the new Via del Mare.

The exhibition also recalls lesser-known but significant episodes. This is the case with the representations of the Compitum Acilium, a small shrine dedicated to the Lares, discovered in 1932 during the excavation of the Velia. Doomed to destruction by the rushed work, the monument survives today thanks to Barosso's drawings and watercolours, displayed publicly for the first time.

The exhibition also features reproductions of frescoes and mosaics located in various Roman churches, which underwent major restoration work in those years, as well as an extraordinary group of paintings by her peers including Mario Mafai, Eva Quagliotto, and Tina Tommasini.

For more information and visiting details see the Centrale Montemartini website.

Cover image: Demolizione delle case in Via Cremona per gli scavi al Foro di Cesare.
On Monday, Waterford City & County Council are due to discuss the issue of Waterford Airport.

A report from Chief Executive, Sean McKeown will be presented at the meeting.

For most people the burning issue is what is going to happen and when will the public be able to fly out of it.

By now, you have possibly seen the proposal to be put to Waterford councillors on Monday, making the rounds on social media.

The hefty 2,122-word document is an exhausting read for even a journalist invested in the story.

The Waterford News and Star have gone through the report, cut through the jargon and here is what you need to know.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PUBLICLY OWNED ASSETS?

The council owns about 84 hectares of airport land at Killowen and Ballygarron.

Seventy-eight of that is leased to the airport, and a further six hectares came from a compulsory purchase a few years ago to facilitate the runway extension.

It is proposed that land will be sold to the new company for a tiny fraction of the 2.295 million it's worth, for just 50,000.

If a sale is not possible for "technical legal reasons" then a long term lease at a nominal rent will be considered instead.

The reason for this is the good of the region, the report says.

You want a fully functional airport, this mysterious new investor wants to fund one and Waterford and the South East need one.

The airport is in financial trouble and there isn't a better alternative.

This may or may not need to be approved by the Minister for Transport.

That is the same Minister who was supposed to be deciding whether the Government would invest in the airport development themselves.

This would mean an end to the will-they-wont-they saga of exchequer funding.

But that is not all.

If agreed on Monday, the council will foot half the cost of alteration works on the R708 public road needed to meet the Irish Aviation Authority licensing requirements.

The total cost of the works are 800,000 and planning permission will not be needed.

Commercial rates will be capped (or reduced) while the runway extension is complete and private flights as well as pilot training will not be possible affecting the income to the airport.

And the council will waive the repayment of the 670,000 they have given the airport.

Map of the development. Credit: Waterford City and County Council.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

The details of how this came about are a closely guarded secret, but we do know from the documents released by the council to us that in August this year, Devin Regional Investments Ltd pulled out of their agreement to put up funding for the airport.

They reportedly cited uncertainty around Government funding, leaving the future of the airport in doubt.

Devlin Regional Developments is a partnership between The Comer Brothers and the Bolster Group.

This departure led to the new investor, who we now have confirmation is American, jumping in and saving the day to the tune of 30 million.

Now, a newly incorporated company, called Waterford Airport Ltd (WAL) has been set up.

According to Solocheck, WAL was set up on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, and has a partial address at Heathfield House, Newtown, Tramore.

The council report says under the terms of this proposal, WAL commits to: Develop the airport according to the business plan and the existing planning permission; Fund the project - Take on the debts and liabilities of the existing airport company, except whats owed to Waterford City & County Council.

The council report says the Board of Waterford Regional Airport plc unanimously accepted the terms of the investment proposal at their meeting held on 29th September, 2025 and an EGM is now needed.

But this will also mean all staff at the airport will keep their jobs, the Search and Rescue service will be able to stay, as will the pilot academy.

But the identity of the investor must remain confidential.

This suggests we may never know the name of the airports guardian angel.

WHATS TO STOP THE NEW INVESTOR FROM FLYING OFF INTO THE SUNSET?

The short answer: an anti-embarrassment clause.

According to the council report, the majority of the land will be restricted to aviation-related purposes for 50 years.

And if WAL disposes of the land within seven years, half of the net profit will go to the council.

The majority of the lands will be restricted to aviation-related uses for a period of 50 years.

SO, WHEN CAN I FLY?

That is yet uncertain.

But the document says the works will take 12 months to complete.

Previous reports have said that planning permission is already in place and work can start shortly.

But despite how this sounds, this is far from a done deal.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Since the council own the land, they now must dispose of the land.

Disposal of land is a really common procedure at the council, and it just means that the councillors agree to transfer the ownership to someone else.

What makes this situation different is the amount of money being waved, capped and contributed by the council.

But according to the Chief Executive Report, an airport will mean the development of tourism, jobs, investment in the South East, community gain and certainty for the vital services operating from the airport.

As well as that, the council has taken a certain amount of financial responsibility for the airport up to now and this would essentially phase that out.

According to the report, the council gave the airport 300,000 in 2023, 370,000 in 2024 and 150,000 to date in 2025, towards operational costs.

The Chief Executive appears to see this as an investment in the future of Waterford.

But come Monday, it will be up to Waterfords councillors who ultimately represent you in this marriage of convenience.

If you have your doubts, speak now or forever hold your peace.
Councillor Declan Barry has come out in support of the new proposal to fund the development of Waterford Airport.

The proposal is to be put to councillors at a special sitting of Waterford City and County Council on Monday, October 20.

Cllr Barry said he is urging his elected colleagues to support the proposal.

This is not only for us but for our children and our childrens children.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we simply cannot afford to miss.

Waterford Airport is on the brink of something exciting and how we progress and prosper into the future depends on the decision that is taken at this Mondays Plenary meeting.

Lets deliver a viable, vibrant, efficient airport for the people of Waterford and indeed all of the people of the Southeast, said Cllr Barry.

The Waterford City East councillor said that he will be proposing that Section 183 (the provision for the disposal of land) be accepted on Monday.

He said there are legal safeguards in place, such as an anti-embarrassment clause in the agreement and that no lands will be handed over until the lengthening and widening of the runway is completed.

Cllr Barry said an approval on Monday will give the opportunity the best chance of success".

I am fully supportive of this new investment proposal and I urge each and every one of my fellow councillors to grasp this opportunity.

A fully functional airport here in the Southeast will be a game changer for the 500,000 people living in this catchment area.

If we are going to advance as a region and realise our full potential, an airport is a must, said Cllr Barry.

Read our explainer here for more information on exactly what Mondays vote will consider.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Gardai have recovered a substantial amount of fireworks from a local property.

This morning as part of Operation Tombola, a warrant was executed on a property in Piltown, which falls within the Waterford City Community Area Policing District.

Gardai recovered a substantial amount of fireworks, all of which are illegal.

A file is being prepared and a prosecution is pending.

Operation Tombola is a nationwide policing plan focused on the prevention and detection of the sale of fireworks and associated public order and anti-social behaviour issues during the Halloween period.

A statement from An Garda Siochana said: "Gardai will continue to work hard to remove illegal and dangerous fireworks from circulation in our communities. Every year at Halloween we see significant injuries to people and property through the illegal use of fireworks.

"Do not buy illegal fireworks. Information on the law regarding the penalties for possession and sale of these items is clearly laid out on www.citizensinformation.ie."

Gardai are reminding the public to contact your local Garda Station if you have information in relation to the sale of these items in your communities.

You can also use the confidential line on 1800 666 111.
Gina and The Champions Live, October 24, Kill Community Centre

Kill Community Centre are delighted to welcome back on stage after a gap of over forty years 'Gina & The Champions' .

Formed in 1973 they were one of the most popular acts on the show band scene for over 20 years.

The late Jerry Mackey from Kilmacthomas known as Dale Haze fronted the band with Gina during the show band era.

Remaining as popular as ever nowadays, Gina & The Champions are performing in concerts up and down the country.

Gina is one of Irelands top entertainers with a voice that has stirred the emotions of her audience right throughout her illustrious career.

She has enjoyed great success as a recording artist but it is on stage where her talents as an entertainer are showcased to every audiences delight.

Tickets at powertik.com

Scealta Gaeilge, October 29, Garter Lane

OK Dance Company invites audiences on a journey through the rich tapestry of Irish mythology, reimagined through powerful hip hop and contemporary dance.

Heroes, gods, and legendary landscapes come alive on stage in a performance that blends tradition with innovation, rhythm with storytelling, and folklore with striking physicality. T

Tickets at garterlane.ie

Life & Songs of Rod Stewart, November 7, Tramore Coastguard Cultural Centre

Few performers in the world of rock and pop have lived a life as colourful, or built a career as enduring, as Rod Stewart.

With a voice instantly recognisable across generations, Rods songs have soundtracked countless memories On Friday, November 7, 2025, audiences in Tramore are in for a special treat when Waterfords Derek Flynn brings 'The Life & Songs of Rod Stewart', to the Coastguard Cultural Centre.

This promises to be much more than a concert, its a journey through the extraordinary career of a man who rose from humble beginnings in North London to become a global superstar.

Expect to hear raucous crowd-pleasers like 'Maggie May' and 'Baby Jane', alongside soulful ballads such as 'Youre in My Heart' and 'I Dont Want to Talk About It'.

By the end of the night, youll be reminded why Rod Stewart has sold over 250 million records worldwide and why his music continues to resonate across decades.

Tickets at Eventbrite.ie
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CultureMoviesCinema Opinion Julia Roberts anti-woke film feels hopelessly dated in Trumps America Michelle Goldberg Writer and columnist October 16, 2025  12:30pm

October 16, 2025  12:30pm 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 54 View all comments

This article contains spoilers. After the Hunt, Luca Guadagninos psychological thriller about the fallout from the #MeToo movement, has been in theatres for only a few days, but it already feels dated. Its a memento of the micro-era, towards the exhausted end of Joe Bidens presidency, when the backlash against self-righteous progressivism was cresting, and taking on sanctimonious college students seemed, at least in some circles, like a brave provocation. Now, at a moment of ferocious Trump government repression of the campus left, After the Hunt is a bit of a silly anachronism. Its interesting mostly for what it inadvertently reveals about the seething resentments that helped set the stage for todays right-wing crackdown. Julia Roberts as Alma in After the Hunt. Yannis Drakoulidis It has gotten so hard for me to listen to these kids, when they have had everything, everything handed to them in their lives, insist that the world stop at the first small injustice, says a school counsellor, played by Chloe Sevigny, using an obscenity. That peevish spirit animates much of the movie, which turns on not one but two possibly made-up allegations of sexual abuse.

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In 2018, Democratic strategist Aaron Huertas coined the term reactionary centrism to describe a style of politics that prides itself on even-handedness while being disproportionately obsessed with left-wing overreach. Always deployed as an epithet, reactionary centrism is overused by progressives to inoculate themselves from criticism. But it describes a real ethos  a loathing of wokeness so intense it led some elite former Democrats to support Donald Trump. After the Hunt brings reactionary centrism to prestige cinema. Related Article Review This movie is an ethical minefield. But is it good? The film stars Julia Roberts as Alma, a Yale philosophy professor on the verge of tenure after an unspecified break from academia. At a cocktail party at the home she shares with her psychotherapist husband, Frederik, we meet her brash friend and colleague Hank, played by Andrew Garfield, and her protegee, Maggie, played by Ayo Edebiri. We see Maggie and Hank leave together, and soon after, Maggie tells Alma that Hank has sexually assaulted her. Hank, in turn, insists that Maggie made up the story after he confronted her about plagiarism. The resulting campus hysteria threatens to destroy not just Hank, but Alma too. Theres nothing wrong with making a movie about the anguish of cancellation, like the brilliant 2022 film Tar, or about an ambiguous claim of sexual transgression. After the Hunt fails not because of its premise, but because its overwrought and self-satisfied. Its about the terrifying power of the mob, with the mob conceived as the unreasonably angry students of the Ivy League. Some of the first words we hear are Roberts lecturing about Michel Foucaults Discipline and Punish: Foucault paints a picture of public torture performed in order to maintain the social contract, she says. The opening credits, which, in an apparent gesture of solidarity with Woody Allen, are rendered in his signature style: names listed alphabetically in white Windsor Light font against a black background.

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A trigger warning: There are some spoilers ahead. We never find out what happened between Maggie and Hank, or even, exactly, what Maggie claims to have happened. She tells Alma they were drinking in her apartment, he kissed her, and kept going after she said no. When Alma asks for specifics, Maggie gets offended: Why do you need to know? He assaulted me! Even after Hank is fired  which seems to happen almost overnight  we never learn whether he was accused of a kiss that went on too long, a rape or something in between, as if the schools regime is so arbitrary that it doesnt matter. Related Article Film Julia Roberts couldnt be happier her new film is so controversial What we do learn is that Maggie really is a plagiarist. Her professors, it turns out, only pretend to think shes brilliant because shes the daughter of mega-donors and, presumably, because shes Black and queer. (This isnt a combination you see much in real life, where the kids of big-time donors are overwhelmingly white, but it underlines the movies sense that ostensibly marginalised identities are really sources of unearned advantage.) You are the worst kind of mediocre student, Alma hisses during a confrontation. With every availability to succeed, but no talent or desire to do so, yet so many resources, so much of other peoples time is wasted on you. And we discover the dark secret that haunts Alma: as a teenager, she had an affair with her fathers best friend. Then, in a jealous rage when he moved on, she falsely accused him of sexual assault, leading, eventually, to his suicide. He was a good man, and I destroyed him with a lie, she tells her husband. Frederik tries to convince her that a 15-year-old cant meaningfully consent to sex with an adult. But Im not sure were supposed to believe him; the movie is less interested in the lasting scars of sexual abuse than the harms wrought by strident, vengeful denunciations. One of the films producers, Brian Grazer, told The Hollywood Reporter: Before this project existed, I was very much in the anti-woke category  it just got too extreme. And this movie shows the damage of that by dealing with false accusations on the Yale campus.

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Grazer, of course, is the longtime Democratic donor who shocked Hollywood by revealing he voted for Trump last year. Hes been a bit vague about why, telling The New York Times, As a centrist, it was because I could feel and see Bidens deterioration and the lack of direction in the Democratic Party. Watching After the Hunt, I felt I could better understand the worldview of men like him. The movie offers insight into the politics of victimhood, just not in the way its creators intended. The New York Times
According to Patrick Heusser, head of lending and TradFi at Sentora, formerly IntoTheBlock, the $19 billion figure represents the face value of leveraged positions forced-closed, not the real dollar loss.

You have $100 in your account and opened a $2,000 long. Your $2,000 position got liquidated, but you only lost $100. You guys seem to literally think people lost . Its not even close, he added.

I dont know who needs to hear this, Wertheimer posted on X, formerly Twitter. But in liquidations doesnt mean people lost . It means that worth of leveraged positions were forced-closed.

As panic spread on social media, veteran Bitcoin developer and analyst Udi Wertheimer was the first to call out the hysteria on Crypto Twitter, saying traders and investors were confusing leverage with loss.

The trade tensions sent the crypto markets reeling. Top altcoins Ether, BNB, XRP, and SOL tumbled alongside Bitcoin, losing between 15% and 20% of their values. Some little-known coins fell as much as 80%.

Cryptos largest single-day purge was triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened a 100% tariff on China starting Nov. 1. Trump was reacting to reports that Beijing had placed new restrictions on rare earth minerals exports.

The real damageis the evaporation of liquidity and the severe blow to market confidence that follows. It reveals an ecosystem that is still prioritizing speculative amplification over stable, utility-driven growth.

The remaining 85-95% was simply phantom leverage, synthetic exposure that was rapidly unwound, he said, warning:

Speaking to Cryptonews, Sam Seo, chairman of the Kaia DLT Foundation, said the actual capital lost by traders is likely in the range of 5% to 15% of the headline number, translating to between $950 million and $2.85 billion in real losses.

The cascade hit major exchanges as positions were auto-liquidated, sending Bitcoin crashing to a five-month low of $104,000. In total, 1.6 million crypto traders were liquidated in 24 hours, according to data from CoinGlass.

The Friday, Oct. 10 crypto crash, dubbed the biggest liquidation event in crypto history, with more than $19 billion wiped from leveraged crypto bets, left traders with far smaller losses than is widely reported, analysts say.

Experts say large-scale liquidation events are needed to cleanse the system from running on excess leverage fumes.

The rest was simply phantom leverage, synthetic exposure that was rapidly unwound.

Liquidations from the recent market sell-off resulted in real losses of only $950M to $2.85B for traders.

Story Continues

When a long is liquidated, the trader typically loses their posted margin; the rest of that notional was borrowed exposure, Heusser told Cryptonews, adding:

Think of liquidations as a speedometer for deleveraging intensity, not a profit and loss statement. Exchanges settle these events using margin, insurance funds, and, in rare cases, auto-deleveraging. This means money isnt disappearing so much as its being redistributed.

Leverage allows traders to boost their bets, using, say $1 of capital to control $10, $50, or even $100 in crypto exposure. The cash at risk in any liquidation event is usually a fraction of the notional value, say analysts.

Heusser hazards that with an average leverage of around 10x on most spot or perpetual markets, the actual capital lost during the October 10 liquidations was between $1 billion to several billionnot nineteen.

Open interest collapsing tells you leverage came out of the system, he said. It doesnt mean an equal pile of cash evaporated.

For example, Glassnode data shows that Bitcoin futures open interest tanked on Oct. 10, erasing over $10 billion in notional positions.

It is one of the largest single-day declines on record, said the firm, comparable in magnitude to the May 2021 liquidation and the FTX unwind in 2022.

Seo, the Kaia chairman, concurred with Heusser, saying $19 billion liquidation headlines are dramatic, but misleading. He noted that the real loss for traders is their initial margin (the collateral they posted).

Understanding this mechanic is the first step to realizing that our current market structure is built on a house of cards, where synthetic leverage distorts true price discovery and creates massive systemic risk.

Why the Market Panicked

Some crypto prices started to creep back up after China clarified that rare earth minerals exports were not completely banned. BTC rose above $116,000 earlier this week, for example, only to go lower after Jerome Powells ambivalent speech.

Bitcoin (BTC)24h7d30d1yAll time

But if most of the $19 billion was just leveraged exposure, why did crypto prices crash and market sentiment take a hit? Sentora analyst Heusser says it comes down to mechanics and optics.

Forced selling is mechanical, he detailed. Once margin thresholds break, the system sells at-risk positions, causing further price drops and even more liquidations. That cascade is what people feel.

The optics grab peoples attention and drive market panic: billions liquidated reads like billions lost, even when the real equity damage is a fraction of the headline.

Matteo Greco, senior associate at Toronto Stock Exchange-listed crypto firm Fineqia, agrees that big liquidation numbers overstate real capital losses. But he also spoke against downplaying the impact.

Leverage works both ways, Greco tells Cryptonews. The funding rate mechanism helps keep longs and shorts in balance, meaning one traders loss is often anothers gain.

While traders only lose their margin, that margin represents real cash at risk. If a leveraged position is liquidated, the trader loses that collateral and the opportunity to recover the underlying asset.

He said traders only lose the margin collateral they posted, depending on the level of leverage used: at 2x leverage, margin equals 50% of the liquidated value; at 5x, 20%; and at 10x leverage, margin drops to 10%.

According to Greco, it is difficult to estimate precisely how much of a liquidation figure translates into actual capital losses, given that exchanges and jurisdictions allow vastly different leverage limits.

Still, he says the figure, $19 billion in this case, serves as a barometer for systemic stress.

Liquidations are not a perfect measure of total losses, he said. But a gauge of how much leveraged exposure was forcibly closed. They signal a material reduction in traders capital and confidence.

The psychological toll often exceeds the financial one. Greco said sudden liquidation forces investors to reassess risk, withdraw liquidity, and shift to safer positions.

Such sharp moves prompt investors to rebalance portfolios, close positions, or post more collateral to avoid being liquidated themselves. The result is a feedback loop that often spills over into the spot market

Source: Kris Marszalek/X/CoinGlass

How Exchanges Inflate Liquidation Numbers

CoinGlass data shows that liquidations on Hyperliquid, Bybit, and Binance accounted for most of the $19 billion purge that occurred between Oct. 10 and Oct. 11.

Experts say the size of liquidation figures has as much to do with how exchanges calculate them as with the underlying losses.

Ray Youssef, CEO of peer-to-peer (P2P) crypto platform NoOnes, said exchanges calculate liquidation based on the full position size that was forced closed, not the collateral or margin that was actually lost.

When a leveraged position drops below its maintenance margin, the exchanges risk engine closes the position at market price to cover exposure, Youssef told Cryptonews in an interview. Each of these positions is then summed up by notional value, which drastically inflates the headline number.

Much of the problem lies in how the derivative market is structured: thin liquidity, extreme leverage options, and a handful of platforms controlling a large portion of the derivative trading infrastructure volume.

Youssef said:

Once a sharp drop begins on the market, these platforms liquidation systems kick in simultaneously, triggering a liquidation cascade across different trading venues. It becomes a feedback loop and creates a technical chain reaction.

Despite the chaos, the NoOnes CEO believes that such large-scale liquidation events are needed to cleanse the system from running on excess leverage fumes.

In every cycle, the crypto market goes through these forced resets. They are ugly, but can help purge the system from the casino-like speculative momentum that builds up when overleveraging becomes a norm.

The October 10 crash may ultimately be remembered less for the losses it caused and more for what it revealed about the maturity, or lack thereof, in crypto market literacy.

As bad as this event was, said Wertheimer, the Bitcoin developer. It wasnt nearly as bad as everyone thinks. very possible that everyone forgets this happened in a week.

Read original story $19B Crypto Liquidations Didn't Mean $19B in Losses. Real Losses Were Far Smaller by Jeffrey Gogo at Cryptonews.com
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Eating outSandwich Watch Brisbanes best sandwiches? Here are our top picks of the past year From a chicken Caesar salad sandwich served in a leafy Toowong street to a top restaurants contender for the best fish sanger in town, heres what to seek out. Matt Shea October 15, 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

Sandwich Watch or Sandwich Search? Thats the joke often thrown around the Brisbane Times office. Such has been the proliferation of sandwich shops in this city over the past few years, it can be hard to sift out the good ones. Yes, a rising tide tends to lift all boats  and the quality of sangers is definitely getting better  but, my god, what a tide. My wallet-weary purchase card can attest to that. Supernices Bologna sandwich. Morgan Roberts As a colleague said, the opportunity to eat an elevated sandwich is still a rare and precious thing. And these creations often dont come cheap, so you need to make it count. Hence Sandwich Watch, and not Sandwich Search.

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Weve been producing this column locally since October last year. Here are the best sangers weve eaten over the past 12 months. Bar Miettes muffuletta Jason Barratt knows his way around a sandwich. Coldcuts from LPs Quality Meats and bread from Agnes Bakery are key elements in Bar Miettes muffuletta. Morgan Roberts Among all the other notches on his CV  senior chef de partie at Attica, sous chef at Melbournes Stokehouse, head chef at Raes on Wategos, executive chef at Paper Daisy, and now executive chef at Supernormal and Bar Miette  its easy to forget that he helped create Hectors Deli, the Melbourne shop that popularised the modern Australian sanger craze.

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No surprise, then, when sandwiches and variations thereof started showing up on the menu at Bar Miette, the best of which is a muffuletta that Barratt took months to perfect. Barratt uses a ciabatta loaf delivered daily from Agnes Bakery. If nothing else, a robust, crunchy bread can stand up to a key step in preparing a traditional muffuletta: the wrap. Barratt wraps his tightly in brown sandwich paper for 40 minutes before slicing it for service. Related Article A Hectors Deli founder is behind one of Brisbanes tastiest sandwiches What else goes in this thing? Mortadella, and hot and mild salami cotto from LPs Quality Meats, chopped Byron Bay Co Sicilian olives, red onion, whatever ruddy Australian tomatoes that might be in season, and provolone cheese. The combination of the robust, crunchy ciabatta, the umami-packed salami and mortadella, the briny tang of the olives, and the sweetness of the tomato, all brought together by the wrapping process, make it a joy to eat  particularly when sitting on Bar Miettes fabulous terrace, with its eye-popping views of the Story Bridge.

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Corbettas Kitchens porchetta focaccia Corbettas sits in a warehouse-style Lytton Road tenancy neighbouring the Fish Factory and The Morningside Meat Market. Walk through the sliding doors and youre met with a simple counter with finish-at-home pastas arranged on the right and a sandwich station and hot cabinet on the left. The porchetta focaccia at Corbettas Kitchen in Morningside. Markus Ravik Youre here for the shops porchetta focaccia, the creation of owner (and former Icebergs head chef, no less) Jacopo Corbetta. Corbetta uses an Italian pizza flour for his focaccia, fermented overnight and baked twice daily.

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The pork is sourced locally and marinated in garlic, fresh herbs, lemon, salt and plenty of pepper. Its then strung shut, cut in pieces, sous vide overnight, and roasted in the morning. The salsa verde is parsley, garlic, anchovies and a pepper sauce, the rocket broad leaf, which Corbetta uses for its extra crunch as much as he does its pepperier flavour. As for mayo, theres just a touch to help bind everything together  theres already stacks of richness in the pork. Related Article An ex-Icebergs chef is making some of Brisbanes best porchetta focaccia The focaccia is crisp enough to hold everything in place without slicing at your gums. The sous vide has left the roasted pork supple and easy to tackle. The rocket gives spikes of peppery crunch. The salsa verde acts as a vibrant, savoury through line. It adds up to one of the best focaccias in town, and a reminder of what happens when a chef turns their skill towards the humble sanger.

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Dijon Toasties Reuben This breezy cafe in Tarragindi serves a bunch of great sandwiches (including a cracking Mediterranean vegetable number), but its variation on a classic Reuben is the standout. Dijons stacked Reuben sandwich, pictured in the cafes leafy courtyard. Markus Ravik When we at it earlier this year, Dijon co-owners Darian Brennan and Bradley Edwards, and group head chef Jordan Shepperd (Edwards and Brennan also own Deedot and Never Been in Holland Park), had swapped the typical rye of a Reuben for Turkish bread buns from Uncle Bobs Bakery in Belmont that were baked relatively high and fluffy; now it boasts a toasted sourdough. As for whats inside, the trio experimented with various meats and cheeses before settling on a brisket pastrami, prepared by Bangalow Sweet Pork, and an off-the-shelf Swiss cheese. Shepperd also uses an off-the-shelf sauerkraut, but makes his own pickles and a Russian dressing hes spiked with fresh dill.

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Related Article The Reuben thats not a Reuben, but you need to eat ASAP anyway Its that rare and precious sandwich thats filling without leaving you heavy or bloated. The Turkish bread is crammed with ingredients but still soft enough to squeeze down into manageable bites. And its a sandwich with plenty of profile, the gentle saltiness of the pastrami, the acidity of the sauerkraut, the umami of the cheese, and the piquant dressing all hitting their individual notes. Eat at Billys Not A F*$&eN Reuben Eat at Billys sandwiches were an immediate hit upon its opening in early 2023  particularly this take on a Reuben, which throws together 150 grams of wood-smoked wagyu brisket pastrami, red cheddar, pickles, and a generous squirt of signature sauce.

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The masterstroke here, though, is the soft, thick-cut white bread. Left untoasted, it soaks up all that sauciness and makes it easier to eat than a traditional mouth-shredding Reuben. You can double down on the pastrami for extra cash, but we dont think you need to bother. Related Article Introducing Sandwich Watch, a column dedicated to Brisbanes best sangers Word of warning: Eat at Billys sells out fast, every day  often at a time that could be considered borderline customer hostile. Get there before midday if you can to ensure you grab a sandwich. Fatty Pattys halal steak sandwich

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Fatty Patty shares a simple shopfront with sister business Sams Gourmet Pizzas on the northern side of Underwood Marketplace. The Goatd steak sandwich at Fatty Patty in Underwood. Markus Ravik The Fatty Patty menu leads with a bunch of burgers, but its the sandwiches you want to pay attention to. The bestseller is the Fatz signature sandwich  another variation on the Reuben  but we think the shops steak sanger, named the Goatd, is even better. It flips the script on the traditional steak sandwich with six-seven score wagyu beef served on shokupan bread along with Swiss cheese, griddled onion and pickled red onion, fresh tomato, a considered scattering of fries, a spinach and rocket mix, a premium off-the-shelf whole egg chipotle mayo, and a final sprinkle of pecorino once the sandwich is sliced. Related Article This halal Underwood shop will rekindle your love of steak sangers

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The Swiss cheese adds a sweet, nutty flavour that helps smooth the mouthfeel; the pickled red onion provides a lovely tangy crunch; the chipotle mayo is velvet smooth; and the pecorino a lovely piquant, appetising touch. Normally fries in a sanger could amount to a carb-on-carb crime but not when combined with the shokupan, which is a lovely, luscious number the Ghumras have sourced locally and given a quick toast on the griddle. Then theres the wagyu, which is cooked to medium to render down the fat. That choice of beef means this is a touch more spenny than your average steak sandwich, but its worth it. Joes Famous Delis lobster roll Pretty much everything at Patrick Killaleas Joes Famous Deli in the CBD is worth your time, but this deceptively refined take on a lobster roll is particularly good. Joes Famous Delis lobster and crab roll is worth queueing for. Kirsty Sycz

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Killalea uses both Canadian lobster claw and Alaskan crab meat. Its then tossed in kewpie mayo and lemon zest, slotted into a milk butter bun (rather than brioche, to balance out the sweetness of the meat), and finished with iceberg lettuce, black caviar and chives. Relatively large compared to other lobster rolls around town, its still something you could easily demolish in six or seven bites, so grab a side of fried pickles or fries to finish you off. Just be wary of lunchtime queues during the week. Hontos crumbed whiting sando Two of Brisbanes best katsu sandos can be found at Honto, one of the citys best Japanese restaurants. Hontos whiting sando. Markus Ravik

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Hontos pork katsu sando is a thing of beauty, the chefs eschewing cutlet to instead ground down pork shoulder, pork neck and pork belly into a sausage mix, to which they add pepper, garlic, soy and a touch of seasoning, and set it, almost like a burger patty, before adding the crumb. Still, for us, it plays second fiddle to the restaurants crumbed whiting sando, which is one of the best fish sandwiches weve eaten in Brisbane. The whiting comes squeezed between two slices of super-fluffy shokupan bread produced by Breadtop to Hontos specs, with the requisite shredded cabbage, but sets itself apart with the addition of fermented onion and a tea-pickle gribiche. Related Article This Japanese restaurant makes not one, but two of the best sandos in town The chefs use whiting to keep the fish as local and fresh as possible, before applying a foolproof crumb that uses both fresh panko and dried panko, and a batter that uses egg white powder and adds a touch of buttermilk  it sets super crunchy on the outside but keeps the moisture of the fish on the inside. The result is a low-key thriller of a sandwich  a Swiss-precision combo of texture, flavour and temperature, the shokupan giving away to the crunch of the cabbage and the luscious, viscous gribiche, with its pops of dill and chive, and then the crisped panko and nuttiness of the whiting.

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Minh Tans pork banh mi Banh mi shops, like any eatery, often keep their recipes a tightly guarded secret. But there are a few things we can tell you about the pork rolls from Minh Tan, arguably Brisbanes most iconic banh mi outlet. Minh Tans banh mi are among the best in town. Markus Ravik First, the pork is definitely belly, not the shoulder sometimes used at other shops, and Minh Tan is particular about using only sow meat, so theres little chance of boar taint. Secondly, the Vietnamese butter is made fresh daily and incorporates a high-grade oil to give it a silken quality. Good luck getting owner Huong Trinh to talk you through the pate, but plenty of customers have tried to buy it on its own over the years, such is its luscious reputation.

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Related Article Heartlands Is this Brisbanes most iconic banh mi shop? As for the bread, its huge: baked fresh each morning and given a light toast before being served, its crunchy on the outside and fluffy inside (if you prefer a tighter, more dense roll, we recommend checking out Tan Dinh, which is just around the corner at Inala Civic Centre). Mitch & Antlers croque madame The menu at Mitcheltons Mitch & Antlers is full of interesting variations on the classics, but the star is arguably its take on the traditional croque madame. Mitch & Antlers croque madame. Morgan Roberts

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Owner brothers Tze-Huei and Chewie Choo use two slices of Cordelia sourdough baked to their specs and cram them full of thick-cut smoked ham from Bangalow Sweet Pork and Egmont cheese. Then, on top, goes a seeded mustard and leek bechamel, a fried egg, chives and a crazy amount of manchego  the whole thing given a dash of flame before it hits the plate. You might be tempted to tackle it with a knife and fork. Dont bother. Despite everything going on with this sandwich, it holds together well and the toasted Cordelia sourdough is soft on the inside, meaning you avoid any mouth-shredding incidents. It would almost be a one-hander but for the wibbly-wobbly fried egg on top. Related Article Is this sanger Brisbanes best hangover cure? Theres a lot to love about this sandwich  the perfectly specced bread, the smokey goodness of the chunky ham, that gooey egg. Still, its the tangy bechamel that makes it, with the sweetness and texture of the leek and acidity of the mustard. Risers chicken Caesar salad sandwich

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Riser is the creation of Tom Cooney, Kieran Ryan and Duncan McKay, who between them have run, worked, baked at or owned Cup Specialty Roasters, Coffee Supreme, Banneton, The Scratch and Netherworld, among others. Risers immaculately soft, freshly baked sourdough loaf helps the sandwich avoid any carb-on-carb crime. Morgan Roberts They opened Riser in late 2022 in the old Queenslander-style shopfront once occupied by the iconic Brunos Tables, and more recently 85 Miskin Street. The chicken Caesar sanger at Riser has been iterated on at least twice since it was first created (with input from Cooney, Ryan and McKay) by the venues original chef, Amos Ilett. Arguably, though, the killer move was the addition of croutons. Along with the flecks of bacon, it adds a welcome textural element to the sandwich, and illustrates from the first bite how much thought has gone into this thing. The sourdough sandwich loaf is baked fresh on site and lent a touch more oil than your typical loaf.

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Related Article Brisbanes best chook sanger? Heres a textural, flavour-filled contender The rest of the sandwich is pretty straightforward: chicken thigh, mesclun, house-pickled onions, house-made Caesar dressing with dill, and a firm wipe of butter on the bread to head off any sogginess. Still, there are neat tweaks under the hood, this time courtesy of current chef Gabriel Escalante-Gafau, including the decision to brine the chicken and adding more punch to the dressing by upping there anchovy and parmesan. Sarnis brisket sandwich Sarni is from Marty Coard, Mat Drummond, Noam Lissner (who together also own Ach in Hamilton) and Hugo Hirst. It opened just on a year ago in an unfussy, bright blue space on Racecourse Road. The menu is a tight set of sandwiches that rotate regularly.

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Sarnis beef brisket sandwich. Markus Ravik Sarnis beef brisket sandwich is as close to the ideal sanger as weve witnessed in this town. Theres the bread, which Coard describes as being not quite a sourdough, although its fermented for 72 hours. Then theres the brisket, which is Angus beef brined for seven days, and smoked; theyre luscious chunks of beef with plenty of texture, but dont stray into being dry or stringy. Related Article The brisket sanger that might be the best weve eaten in Brisbane Sarnis menu constantly evolves and the brisket sandwich along with it, but the sauce has always been imperative to the final product. When we fell in love with the sanger, it was packing a Laotian-style jeow som chock full of coriander and chilli; now its a hoisin barbecue sauce.

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Theres some iceberg lettuce for texture and moisture, and a bone marrow beef fat mayo, which adds a lovely long note of umami to the sandwich. The final element is some fried shallots for a spike of flavour and extra crunch. Supernices Bologna sandwich Supernice is the creation of chef Dalip Singh and his partner, barista Sherman Yeung. Hidden away on a backstreet of Bowen Hills, this was very much a post-pandemic project for the couple. The Bologna sandwich is one of Supernices best sellers. Morgan Roberts

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This tiny cafes Bologna sandwich just looks right straight out of the wrapper. Singh lightly toasts his Dannys Bread focaccia on the inside once sliced, then slaps in about 90 grams of high-quality mortadella from Salumi Australia, the same amount of gooey stracciatella from Mansfields Casa Motta, and a generous sprinkle of crushed pistachio, giving the sandwich a lovely pop of colour. Its a lesson in mouthwatering restraint. The focaccia is left soft on the outside, avoiding any mouth-shredding injury, with much of the texture carried by the crunch of the pistachio. Related Article This must-try Bowen Hills sanger has mouths watering, and talking The mortadella isnt fatty or greasy but has a mild saltiness thats offset by the lactic silkiness of the stracciatella. Singh reckons he cant find a local honey better than Bee One Third; its a clever addition, as much about mouthfeel as it is a mild sweetness.

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Taameyas falafel pita pocket Look for the sandwich board on Felix Street in the CBD, hang a left into Spencer Lane and youve found Taameya, a simple market-style marquee that pops up here Tuesday through Friday. Taameyas Egyptian-style falafel pita pocket. Morgan Roberts At first, Taameyas pita pocket perhaps looks like any other you can get around town. But the devil is in the detail. Taameyas pita bread comes from Papa Pita and is delivered twice weekly, which co-owner Ramay Othman reckons makes a big difference to the overall quality of the pocket. Taameya heats the pitas in a grill, toasting them slightly while steaming them inside. Then comes the first smear of a house-made tahini thats been given extra love with garlic, lemon juice and cumin. Its a lovely, tangy, viscous creation that creates the throughline for the whole pocket. Next comes a classic chopped Egyptian salad, with tomatoes, onions, flat-leaf parsley, crunchy sweet and sour pickles and plenty of mint.

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Related Article This pop-up CBD stall might just serve Brisbanes best falafel Then there are the falafels themselves, fried discs coated in sesame seeds and cracked coriander seeds for extra crunch. Finally, the pocket is finished with slices of pickled turnips and a few dashes of tahini, this time mixed a little thinner than the initial layer in the pocket. Wilburs chicken tarragon sandwich Alex Macdonald and Caitlin Kemp quietly opened this cute little corner cafe in Holland Park towards the end of 2021 and have been steadily building a dedicated local following ever since. Wilburs chicken and tarragon sandwich. Markus Ravik

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That size means Wilburs has always drilled down on just a few cabinet items and sandwiches in particular, the most impressive of which is its chicken tarragon sandwich. This sanger seems simple enough, but peer under the bonnet and there are some clever flourishes going on. Macdonald says thats courtesy of chef Cheyanne Phillips, who helped develop the cafes sandwiches in its early days. Related Article Chook sanger of your dreams? Find it in a sleepy Holland Park street What ends up in your mitts is a fabulously clean-eating antidote to the more outrageous, messier sangers you get around town. The tang of the Dannys Bread block loaf sourdough gives way to the crunch of cos lettuce, celery, alfalfa and walnuts, and then a velvety aioli (given an extra squeeze of lemon juice) and the plump poached free-range local chook. The key ingredient, though, is the tarragon, which cuts through any richness with its subtle aniseed bite. This thing is generously sized, but youll still destroy it in a matter of minutes  in part because its so easy to eat.

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For subscribers Matt Shea is Food and Culture Editor at Brisbane Times. He is a former editor and editor-at-large at Broadsheet Brisbane, and has written for Escape, Qantas Magazine, the Guardian, Jetstar Magazine and SilverKris, among many others.
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Review Eating outRottnest Island Heading to Rottnest this summer? Put this cheery all-day bar on your radar Mediterranean flavours, pubby accessibility and terrific drinks are the calling flavours of this likeable island-time destination. Max Veenhuyzen October 18, 2025 Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

1 / 3 Linguine with Shark Bay crab meat, tomato and capers. Shot By Thom 2 / 3 Octopus with nduja oil and green olive tapenade. Shot By Thom 3 / 3 Asparagus with sauce gribiche. Shot By Thom Previous Slide Next Slide 14 / 20 How we score Contemporary$$$$ Decisions, decisions. A visit to Sunsets requires many, starting with which part of the all-day bar and restaurant at The Lodge Wadjemup to make camp in. Do you hedge your bets in the al fresco area inside the front gate: a summery enclave where umbrellas and timber canopies provide shade? Or do you seek refuge indoors in dedicated dining spaces or in the bar populated with high tables? If youre lucky, one of the dozen low-slung white tables on the terrace overlooking Rottos famous salt lakes will be free, and all your plans for the afternoon will suddenly have vanished.

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Sunsets at The Lodge Wadjemup. Sit, drink, eat, and suddenly watch all your plans for the afternoon wash away. Shot By Thom Some areas are more for drinking than eating, some are better for groups, and some are date-night central. But others are prone to brazen daylight robbery perpetrated by fearless seagulls that wont hesitate to pilfer crunchy, golden potato from the plates of unsuspecting eaters. Regardless of where you sit, everyone has access to the same all-day menu: a hit-list of mostly Mediterranean flavours that should be recognisable to anyone whos ever daydreamed about joining a European summer Contiki Tour. So naturally, theres seafood. A fat tentacle of octopus licked with a bitey nduja oil, say, or snazzy salt cod croquettes crowned with rings of jalapeno: one of the menus many fried seafood crowd-pleasers. (See also the crisp, beer-battered fish flanked by chips peppered with a bold, cumin-forward spice blend inspired by Moroccan ras el hanout.) You can order a bowl of the chips on their own but  pro-tip!  the fish goujons on the kids menu has the perfect quantity of side-dish-for-two chippies, plus you get bonus fried fish. (Those kids menu chips, however, arent spiced.)

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Other dishes, though, owe more to contemporary Aussie pub dining than Greek island fantasies. The juicy, palm-sized cheeseburger is a textbook example of the genre, plasticky cheese, white onion, Martins potato bun and all. Sunsets rotisserie chicken is as juicy as it is comforting. The Sunsets kitchen. Shot By Thom Sunsets chef Mat Powell might have grown up near the Victorian alps, but he understands what people on island time want to eat, plus how to deliver that in a venue that operates at scale. The steaks are cooked better and sharper than youd expect at a 270-seater with an all-day kitchen  even if the chimichurri was a little on the oily side  while the microscopically ridged linguine in the rich (too rich?) crab and tomato pasta is made in-house. As youd expect, QR ordering is on hand for both the restaurant and guests convenience, but Id suggest going to the bar to buy drinks. One, itll likely be faster than ordering on your phone. And two, almost all of the staff here are a pleasure to chat to and seem as if theyre enjoying themselves despite being at work.

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While Sunsets all-day menu starts from 10.30am, brekky is also part of the hotels offering. Its Pelican kiosk slings cakes, pastries and sandwiches from early  Im not sold on the mayo in the bacon butty, however  although house guests and gluttons will struggle to resist the siren song of Sunsets sprawling breakfast buffet and its help-yourself soft serve station. While its no surprise that this is a kitchen trading in familiar flavours, what is unexpected is how slick the whole operation feels, especially considering its size. With a year of fine-tuning and revision under its belt, Sunsets looks well-placed for a busy summer, not least because the hotel has added 109 more rooms to the island. Related Article Exclusive From the bowls club to the big time: Perth chef duo set their sights on Victoria Park Although Im thrilled that Sunsets and Rottnest Island are both relatively accessible to many West Australians, its crucial to acknowledge that sorry business is, sadly, also part of Rottnests story with the island being used as a prison and burial ground for displaced First Nations people from around WA. (Rottnest is Australias largest known deaths-in-custody site.) Premier Roger Cooks November apology for the atrocities committed on Rottnest was a major milestone in reconciliation. Similarly encouraging is seeing Rottnests traditional Nyoongar name form part of The Lodges identity, as is learning that Nyoongar elders are involved with the islands planning processes.

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Wadjemup Museum and its eye-opening stories and truths, meanwhile, are a short walk from the hotel. Yes, talking about this history is uncomfortable  not least for those who might have unknowingly camped on these burial sites  but truth-telling and sitting with discomfort is integral to the reconciliation process. When enough West Australians decide to do so, the sun will finally set on that dark past, and we can, collectively, look towards it rising again and bringing with it a brighter tomorrow. The low-down Atmosphere: A likeable blueprint for island-time dining and wining that would be equally welcome on dry land. Go-to dishes: Rotisserie chicken, salt cod croquettes. Drinks: Just as the space is big, so is the drinks package that includes terrific beer, spirits and wines (especially if youre thumbing through the master wine list). Cost: About $150 for two people. Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant cant pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.
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NationalNSWICAC For a bigger profit, I guess: Why accused kickback mastermind inflated invoices Cindy Yin October 17, 2025  2:29pm 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 alleged mastermind of a multimillion-dollar kickback scandal has admitted he deliberately manipulated invoices for work on the states roads to split the artificially inflated profits with contractors, in one instance by more than $234,000, an anti-corruption inquiry has heard. In his sixth day in the witness box, now-sacked Transport for NSW official Ibrahim Helmy, 38, was grilled about his improper dealings with Queensland company Lack Group Traffic, which resulted in it being awarded contracts worth $50 million in the two years to June 2025. Former Transport for NSW official Ibrahim Helmy appears at the ICAC hearing. ICAC In one instance, Helmy told the inquiry he inflated Lack Groups rates by $234,000 by using technology that would replace the original figure of $691,000 on the quote with a new price of $925,000, while making it appear as if nothing had been altered. Helmy told the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Friday that he did this for a bigger profit, I guess. He said he would receive benefits from Lack Groups director Deik Lack in exchange for his help.

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The inquiry previously heard on Thursday that Helmy had met Lack six times and that he had received tens of thousands of dollars in cash on five of those occasions. Lack Group was awarded 239 work orders in 2023, up from 89 the previous year. The ICAC is investigating allegations that Helmy was the mastermind behind corrupt relationships with nine companies that were paid at least $343 million in Transport for NSW contracts in return for kickbacks. He is accused of receiving $11.5 million in kickbacks  including cash, gold bullion and cryptocurrency  from the contractors in return for their being awarded work on the states roads. The inquiry also heard on Friday the ways in which Helmy and Peter Le, his alleged right-hand man at Transport for NSW, skirted procurement systems by falsely labelling many of Lack Groups work as routine maintenance instead of complex roadwork projects to avoid submitting a tender, which typically involves more scrutiny.

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The pair avoided drawing suspicion from colleagues by interspersing work orders issued to Lack Group with ones from other companies to hide the fact they were providing favourable treatment to a single contractor. In a text exchange with Le on February 22, 2024, Helmy told him: Dont do all of them at the same time lol. Like do 3 Lack, then another company. Then the following day, do 3 Lack and someone else. Thank you for all the Lack TERs [tender evaluation reports] and POs [purchase orders]. You shallll be rewarded shortlyyyyy. Lack Group Traffic director Deik Lack appears in July before the ICAC inquiry into kickbacks. In a separate text exchange with Le in July 2024, Helmy said: Just wana confuse them with all the requests.

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Helmy accepted the proposition made by ICAC counsel assisting Rob Ranken, SC, that he had no real external supervision of the work orders issued, and that he and Le strategically spaced out the purchase orders issued to prevent suspicions raised about their favourable treatment towards Lack. Related Article ICAC The five times a contractor flew into Sydney to hand cash to kickback mastermind When another colleague did raise concerns that same month about wanting work orders issued with the appropriate procedure, Le expressed his frustration to Helmy in a text exchange, and said: Does she want a f---en PO for every work order again? She f---en annoys the shit out of me. Helmy responded: Bitchesssss I hate them all. Le reassured Helmy they could probably find loopholes to get around it.

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Before he was suspended in September last year and later sacked, Helmy was responsible for Transport for NSWs traffic control panel, which involved managing relationships between contractors and engineers, and dealing with payment claims. After four months on the run, the US-born Helmy was discovered by detectives hiding in a cupboard in a unit block in Lakemba in south-western Sydney on September 26. He was taken into custody, where he remains, apart from his appearances at the ICAC inquiry. Before the public inquiry, ICAC investigators seized gold bullion bars and nuggets and $12,317 in cash from his Merrylands home, as well as a Maserati, $413,000 worth of cryptocurrency held by him, and the equivalent of $8 million in cryptocurrency in a Binance account in the name of his sister. Helmy is due to return to the witness box on Monday. With Matt OSullivan 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 NationalNSWWeather Sydney hit with intense rain as storm fronts move quickly across the state Daniel Lo Surdo and Angus Thomson Updated October 17, 2025  5:04pm ,first published October 17, 2025  6:47am 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 30 View all comments

Parts of Sydney were hit with brief but intense bouts of rain on Friday afternoon as a storm front moved rapidly across the NSW coastline, threatening heavy gusts, hail and power outages for large parts of the state. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Sydney and the Blue Mountains, the Mid North Coast and Hunter, as well as the Central Tablelands and the states Central West. Storm clouds over Maroubra Beach on Friday afternoon. Louise Kennerley A warning for large hailstones and damaging winds was in place for the Greater Sydney area, with the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and the area around Sydney airport most at threat. Temperatures dropped from a high of 31 degrees to the mid-20s by the early afternoon, after the Bureau forecast it could drop by as much as 10 degrees in half an hour.

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Bureau meteorologist Angus Hines said a powerful storm which developed over the airport in the citys south was one of four or five storms bringing wild conditions as they moved quickly across the city. Its hard to pinpoint which suburbs will get wet and which wont but  a lot of places will get it and then 10 minutes later itll be gone, he said. Itll be over the ocean before you know it. The citys highest rainfall was recorded at Cronulla South Bowling Club, which copped 9 millimetres in the hour before 5.15pm. Hines said the risk of severe storms was likely to disappear after 7pm, but the stormy weather could continue further north well into the night and possibly into tomorrow morning. Power outages and damage to trees, roofs and fences were possible as those winds really race through, he said.

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View post on X The main hazards of these thunderstorms are set to be large hailstones bigger than two centimetres across, which can damage crops, cars and roofs, Hines said earlier on Friday. The risk of damaging wind gusts of over 90km/h can lead to property damage, power outages, or just take your rubbish bin on a trip over to the neighbours. The Bureau also issued a marine wind warning for strong winds around Sydney Harbour and along the coast from Eden all the way north to the Port Macquarie area. Temperatures dropped from a high of 31 degrees to the mid-20s on Friday afternoon. Louise Kennerley Sydney woke to warm conditions on Friday morning, and temperatures are forecast to reach 32 degrees in the Sydney CBD and 34 degrees in the western suburbs before the dramatic change.

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Hines said Friday would be the peak day for Sydneys severe weather, noting there would be some storminess for the states coastline on Saturday, but the most extreme conditions would transfer to northern NSW and South East Queensland over the weekend. Related Article Opinion

Extreme weather Forecasting wild weather just got more difficult, thanks to Donald Trump Matt Kean Climate Change Authority Chair Storms in these areas could tend severe once again on Saturday, with damaging winds and large hail remaining at risk. By Sunday, that risk of storms and severe storms has pretty much completely cleared off the east coast, Hines said. A few showers will still remain, especially around southern Queensland. 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 PoliticsFederalCritical minerals Australian miners would link with Department of War in Albanese-Trump deal Paul Sakkal and Michael Koziol October 17, 2025  3:02pm 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 US Department of War would invest directly in Australian critical minerals projects to source rare earths needed for American fighter jets under a mooted deal that has forced Labor to quell fears of taking the USs side in any potential trade war with China. The minerals indispensable for green energy, defence and smartphone technology will be a focus of Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses meeting with US President Donald Trump on October 20, as will the AUKUS pact, which is under review. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (right) raised the alarm about Chinas control of critical minerals supply this week. AP Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy on Friday appeared to give the most confident prediction on the timing of the AUKUS reviews completion, saying it might be imminent. Conroy said he was citing Defence Minister Richard Marles, but Marles has not used such language. Australian officials have received mixed messages from US counterparts about whether the probe would be completed by the time of the Trump-Albanese meeting. Ministers and officials are coy about the details of the highly anticipated minerals deal with the US even though it has been months in the planning and is likely to be announced next week.

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In meetings with miners this month, Australian officials have canvassed the prospect of direct investment from the US Department of War, previously called the defence department. According to industry sources unauthorised to speak publicly, officials have discussed the creation of similar models to the Mountain Pass rare earth facility in California backed by a Department of War loan facility. Related Article Exclusive

Donald Trump Albanese scrambles to lock in minerals deal before Trump meeting Intent on finding minerals from nations outside China, Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill, passed in July, opened up $US100 billion ($155 billion) in available loan funds specifically for critical minerals and related industries. Australia has a plentiful supply of key rare earths such as dysprosium and terbium used in advanced defence technology like F-35 jets. Each plane requires 415 kilograms of critical minerals. We know that American companies desperately need critical minerals, and Australia is very well placed to service that need, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said from the US on Friday. No doubt it will be part of the discussions that Prime Minister Albanese has with President Trump next week.

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Australias unique supply of sought-after minerals gives Albanese leverage going into the White House meeting. For months, debate around the US-Australian alliance centred on the US demands of Australia to spend more than 3 per cent of GDP  equating to tens of billions of dollars each year  on defence. But the salience of critical minerals has skyrocketed as China has limited exports to the world, threatening the sovereign manufacturing capacity of the US and other competitors. Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Alex Ellinghausen Chinas move has sparked a 100 per cent tariff threat from Trump, causing havoc in global sharemarkets and creating the spectre of a trade war between Australias major security ally and its biggest trading partner. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent this week said Western nations should decouple from China, a notion quickly shut down by Chalmers, who met Bessent this week as he spruiks Australias economic relationship with the US.

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I think its well understood here in Washington, DC, that Australias put a lot of effort into stabilising that key economic relationship with China, Chalmers said. Related Article Exclusive

Defence Australia promises Trump a defence revamp, dangles $1b AUKUS carrot before PMs trip The views that Secretary Bessent expressed is not the first time theyve expressed views of that nature. Australias interests are best served by more trade, not by more trade barriers. A spokesman for Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lin Jian, pushed back on Bessents claim in a press conference on Thursday.

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Chinas export control measures are consistent with international practice and are taken to better safeguard world peace and regional stability, and to fulfil Chinas non-proliferation and other international obligations, he said. Conroy talked up the AUKUS pact on Friday. At a congressional level, I was meeting with senior leaders in Congress who were evangelical about the importance of AUKUS, who expressed real confidence that it would continue, and I also met with real positivity in my engagement at the Pentagon on the same issue, he said. The prime minister will depart for the US on Sunday. He is due to meet with Trump in the Oval Office most likely early on Tuesday morning Australian time. 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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WorldEuropeRoyal family Prince Andrew to give up royal title of Duke of York after talks with King Charles Updated October 18, 2025  5:00am ,first published October 18, 2025  2:58am 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

Key points Prince Andrew says he will no longer use his titles, including Duke of York, after discussions with the King.

It follows fresh allegations over his controversial friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In excerpts published in an upcoming posthumous memoir, Virginia Roberts Giuffre alleged she was trafficked by Epstein, and had sex with Andrew when she was 17.

Andrews daughters will be unaffected, but his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will no longer be known as the Duchess of York.

Andrew will remain a prince, as the son of a monarch, but he will not attend the annual family Christmas gathering at Sandringham.

London: Prince Andrew says he is giving up his royal title of the Duke of York and other honours after his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein returned to the headlines. The younger brother of King Charles III said he and the royal family had decided the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family, Prince Andrew said in a statement on Saturday (AEDT) released by Buckingham Palace. Prince Andrew has bowed out of all but a few remaining public appearances. AP With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me, Andrew said. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first.

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As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me, the statement concluded. Related Article Epstein fallout Prince Andrew told Epstein we are in this together His daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will be unaffected, but his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will also no longer be known as the Duchess of York. In September, several charities cut their links to Ferguson after she described Epstein as a supreme friend in an email three years after he had pleaded guilty in 2008 to a state prostitution charge in Florida and agreed to register as a sex offender. The news came after the release of excerpts of an upcoming posthumous memoir from Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who has alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and had sex with Andrew when she was 17. Its the latest fall from grace for the 65-year-old prince, who had already stepped down from public life in 2019 over his links to Epstein despite his denials of any wrongdoing.

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Giuffre died by suicide in April. In the memoir, she details alleged encounters with Prince Andrew, whom she sued in 2021, claiming that they had sex when she was 17. Andrew denied her claims and said he didnt recall having met her. Andrew, once second in line to the British throne, has long been a source of tabloid fodder because of his links to Epstein, other questionable characters and money woes. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. Prince Andrew His attempt to refute Giuffres allegations backfired during a November 2019 BBC interview. Viewers saw a prince who proffered curious rebuttals  such as disputing Giuffres recollection of sweaty dancing by saying he was medically incapable of perspiring  and showed no empathy for the women who said Epstein had abused them. Within days of the interview, Andrew stepped down from his royal duties. Giuffre sued him, and the case was settled in 2022 for an undisclosed sum. A statement filed in court said the prince acknowledged Epstein had been a sex trafficker and Giuffre was an established victim of abuse.

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According to a recent poll by YouGov, 67 per cent of Britons supported stripping Andrew of his remaining royal titles, with 13 per cent opposing the move. A separate survey found only 5 per cent of respondents had a favourable view of him. Loading Andrew, who had already given up being called His Royal Highness, will continue to live in Royal Lodge, a large property on the estate surrounding Windsor Castle, a historic royal palace to the west of London. As well as no longer being known as the Duke of York, Andrew will also give up other titles: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. He will remain a prince, which he has been entitled to since birth.

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However, he will no longer attend the annual royal Christmas get-togethers at Sandringham, the royal home in eastern England. Related Article Epstein fallout Prince Andrew had daily massages at Epsteins home: former housekeeper In addition to the ties to Epstein that have dogged him, Andrews business relations have also proved problematic. Last December, court documents revealed that a Chinese businessman who had been authorised to act on Andrews behalf to seek investors in China had been banned from Britain on national security grounds. The documents revealed the businessman, who the British government believed to be a spy, had been invited to Andrews birthday party.

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In December 2013, the Peoples Bank of China made it clear they did not want banks touching Bitcoin because it was not backed by any nation or central authority.

Mt. Gox said at the time the attacks had become frustratingly common. Attackers wait until the price of Bitcoins reaches a certain value, sell, destabilize the exchange, wait for everybody to panic-sell their Bitcoins, wait for the price to drop to a certain amount, then stop the attack and start buying as much as they can. Repeat this two or three times like we saw over the past few days and they profit, the exchange wrote at the time, according to TechCrunch citing a now-deleted Facebook post.

The attack meant that trading on Mt. Gox kept freezing amid record traffic and prompted a sharp sell-off.

Bitcoin dove from $265 to $150, losing about 43%, in April 2013 thanks to what Mt. Gox would later call distributed denial of service, or DDoS, attacks. A DDoS attack overwhelms a target URL with external requests to stop it from being accessed by legitimate users.

The Mt. Gox hack actually occurred on June 15, 2011, but wasnt disclosed until a few days later. A Mt. Gox auditor account was compromised and used to steal 740,000 BTC from customers and 100,000 from the company itself. When the exploiter dumped the BTC, the price plummeted to just pennies.

(Mt. Gox was the most dominant, but not the first, Bitcoin exchange, according to Guiness World Records. That title belongs to BitcoinMarket.)

This is the big one. Bitcoin dropped approximately 99.9% on Mt. Gox after a hacker stole hundreds of thousands worth of BTC and sold it for just a penny. At the time, Mt. Gox facilitated roughly 90% of all Bitcoin trading. Because Mt. Gox dominated Bitcoin trading at the time, the exchanges internal collapse briefly erased nearly the entire markets value.

From Mt. Goxs penny trade to the FTX collapse shock, heres every time Bitcoins price crashed hardand the circumstances that triggered it.

The Oct. 10, 2025, crypto market crash wiped out an unprecedented $19 billion worth of leveraged Bitcoin and other crypto positions. But it was far from one of the biggest percentage drops in the price of BTC on record.

Story Continues

Bitcoin had been experiencing a rapid rise. In late November, Bitcoin had climbed above $1,000 for the first time. On Dec. 5, Bitcoin had risen above $1,200. But two days later, it slipped about 50% to below $600 as investors digested the impact of Chinas banking ban.

This is around the time that former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan had started publicly deriding Bitcoin as a bubble.

You have to really stretch your imagination to infer what the intrinsic value of Bitcoin is, he said during an interview with Bloomberg. I havent been able to do it. Maybe somebody else can.

China Classifies Crypto Transactions as Money Laundering in Update to AML Law

4. Another China Ban (September 2017)

In early September 2017, China outlawed initial coin offerings (ICOs), calling them an illegal form of fundraising.

At first, markets brushed it off, viewing the move as a crackdown on tokens rather than Bitcoin itself. But panic set in a week later when reports emerged that Beijing would also force domestic exchanges to close. As BTCC, Huobi, and OKCoin confirmed their shutdowns on September 14 and 15, Bitcoin plunged about 25% in two daysfrom roughly $4,400 to $3,300.

The selloff marked the end of Chinas dominance in crypto trading and shifted global liquidity to Japan and Korea.

5. Leverage Unwind (December 2017)

By late 2017, Bitcoin had been on a tear and was nearing the $20,000 mark for the first time in its history.

Then Bitcoin futures hitting regulated exchanges and too-hot sentiment created a drop that saw BTC fall from about $16,500 on Dec. 22 to about $11,000 the next day. In 24 hours, Bitcoin lost roughly one-third of its value, 33.3%, marking the beginning of a year-long bear market.

Chicago Board Options Futures Exchange (CBOE) and Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) had just launched cash-settled Bitcoin futures contracts.

Bitcoin's $19 Billion Leverage Wipeout Leaves Market in Reset Mode

Its not that there werent already crypto native Bitcoin derivatives exchangesDeribit, BitMEX, and Kraken were all active at the time. But the crypto native firms were offshore or unregulated then. The Wall Street suits preferred to use venues that already had licenses from the Commodities Futures Trading Commission.

Months later, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco published a report blaming the introduction of futures for the December crash.

The rapid run-up and subsequent fall in the price after the introduction of futures does not appear to be a coincidence, the bank wrote. Rather, it is consistent with trading behavior that typically accompanies the introduction of futures markets for an asset.

6. COVID: Black Thursday (March 12, 2020)

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic sent investors into a panic and Bitcoin into one of its biggest crashes.

The BTC crash occurred the day after the World Health Organization officially declared a global pandemic. The following day, BTC started just below $8,000 and then plummeted to about $4,850, losing almost half its value.

More than $1 billion in leveraged long positions were liquidated that day, forcing cascading sales across BitMEX, Binance, and other exchanges.

The crash was severe enough to have earned the Black Thursday moniker. But the good news is that the wipe out preceded a bullish year, during which BTC smashed every conceivable record.

7. China crackdown: Black Wednesday (May 19, 2021)

In mid-May, BTC investors were rattled when Tesla suddenly yanked the plug on its plans to accept Bitcoin as payment for its electronic vehicles. The market recovered, but traders only got a short reprieve.

A week later, the Peoples Bank of China China cracked down on Bitcoin miners, sending prices into freefall and the BTC hashrate (the amount of mining power that helps secure the network) plummeting.

Within hours of Beijing reiterating its ban on crypto transactions, panic selling and cascading liquidations wiped roughly $8 billion from leveraged positions.

This one was bad enough to have earned the Black Wednesday nickname. In the span of about 12 hours, Bitcoin fell approximately 30% from about $43,000 to $30,000. The losses didnt stop there. By June 22, 2021, Bitcoin had dipped below $30,000 for the first time in six months.

Bitcoin Falls Below $30,000 For First Time Since January

8. Celsius Freeze and Contagion (June 13, 2022)

Crypto lender Celsius froze withdrawals and swaps on June 12, citing extreme market conditions. The move came just two months after TerraUSDs collapse and sparked fears of a broader liquidity crisis.

It had only been two months since the colossal collapse of TerraUSD, Terraform Labs algorithmic stablecoin. The token was designed to stay pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar, but bottomed out at 13 cents as it came apart at the seams.

So when Celsius froze withdrawals, saying it was done to stabilize liquidity, investors panicked. In its heyday, Celsius offered customers high yield for crypto deposits. But when customers were suddenly cut off from their funds on the platform, Bitcoin bore the brunt.

The day the announcement went out, Bitcoin started around $26,000 and then fell 15% to below $22,000.

9. FTX Wobbles Ahead of Bankruptcy (Nov. 8-9, 2022)

When reports surfaced that Sam Bankman-Frieds FTX exchange faced a liquidity shortfall, panic swept the market.

On Nov. 8, Bitcoin fell more than 17% in 24 hours, from about $20,500 to $16,900, and briefly touched $15,600 as FTX halted withdrawals.

Within days, FTX filed for bankruptcya collapse that would ripple through the entire crypto industry, and whose effect would be felt for the next two years.
New membership strengthens global cooperation on trade facilitation and supply chain security.

WCO leads global efforts to make Customs more consistent, efficient and effective.

187th Member to benefit from WCOs broad expertise in Customs matters.

The World Customs Organization (WCO) is delighted to announce that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has become its 187th Member following the deposit of its instrument of accession to the Convention Establishing a Customs Cooperation Council. The official date of accession to the WCO and signature to the Convention is 17 September 2025.

A stronger global Customs community

Through its accession, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines joins a global Customs community dedicated to facilitating trade, enhancing border security, and advancing international cooperation. Membership of the WCO opens the door for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to benefit from a broad range of knowledge-sharing opportunities, technical expertise, and capacity-building initiatives.

Membership of the WCO will enable the country to strengthen its Customs administration, aligning with global standards and best practices to promote efficient and secure trade flows. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will now also sit at WCOs various working bodies, including the WCO Council, which convenes heads of global Customs administrations, in June 2026.

WCO Secretary General, Ian Saunders, said: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines joins the WCO at a time when Customs administrations around the world are navigating a period of increased complexity, but also one of great opportunity. The WCO remains a source of high-quality, forward-thinking support and leadership, reinforcing the resilience, adaptability and efficiency of Customs administrations. I look forward to working with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to advance Customs mission of facilitating legitimate trade, ensuring fair revenue collection and protecting society.

About the WCO

The World Customs Organization develops international standards, fosters cooperation and builds capacity to facilitate legitimate trade, secure fair revenue collection and protect society, providing leadership, guidance and support to Customs administrations. The WCO, established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC), is an independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations.

Today, the WCO represents 187 Customs administrations across the globe that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade. As the global centre of Customs expertise, the WCO is the only international organization with competence in Customs matters and can rightly call itself the voice of the international Customs community.

Notes to Editors

Press Release: French version available

WCO social media accounts:

X: @WCO_OMD (https://twitter.com/wco_omd)

Facebook: World Customs Organization  Organisation mondiale des douanes (https://www.facebook.com/WCOOMD)

LinkedIn: World Customs Organization (https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-customs-organization) YouTube: World Customs Organization (https://www.youtube.com/user/WCOOMD)

Press Contact

Media enquiries and requests for interviews should be sent to the WCO Press Office by email at communication@wcoomd.org. Please ensure you include your e-mail address and phone number, and we will reply to you as quickly as possible.
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Whether a client business owner asks an advisor to create or manage a 401(k) plan for their company or an advisor decides to add retirement plan management as an offering of their practiceit is seldom easy to accomplish.

This week, Aboon, an artificial intelligence-powered platform built from the ground up to make it easier for financial advisors to help their business owner clients launch and manage 401(k) plans, announced it has raised $17.5 million in seed funding.

While the round was led by Bain Capital Ventures, other firms including Altai Ventures, Runyon, Edward Jones Ventures, Outpost Ventures and EJF Ventures also participated.

We see it as a blue-sky opportunity, said Nick Gavronsky, CEO and co-founder of Aboon, who said that the name itself was a play on words, that it could represent a boon for advisors and business-owning clients alike.

There is a huge opportunity with millions of businesses out there, many of them sole proprietorships, and more and more of them are looking for better tools to run their businesses, he said, noting that the funding will go toward further building out its platform and automation capabilities, expanding integrations with advisory firms, and adding to the range of retirement products it supports.

Part of Gavronskys inspiration for founding Aboon in 2023 with COO Amy Ouellette came from his fathers experiences. He emigrated from South Africa, where he had run small businesses and did so again in the U.S., but was never able to offer a retirement plan for his employees due to the complexity of the process and lack of affordable plans.

Though Aboon might be unfamiliar to many advisors, Gavronsky said the company has expanded to tens of thousands of advisors since its launch by partnering with national advisory firms like Edward Jones.

Aboon is the third company Gavronsky, a serial entrepreneur, has helped found. The startup executive and former financial analyst said he learned a great deal about the difficulties involved in building plans and the technology to support them through his work as an early employee at Betterment, where he spent almost three years before departing as a senior product manager working on growth initiatives in 2016.

Aboon_platform_(revised).png

Asked whether Aboon was meant for a particular size or type of business owner, he said that the platform was meant for any business owner.

Landscapers, to doctors, to law firms, as little as two to three employees up to hundreds, he said, reiterating that his company was not going directly to business owners.
Pictured: Dr. Jason Smith, Chief Medical Officer at UofL Health gets a COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 14, 2020. Smith signed up to be the first medical worker at the hospital to receive the vaccine.
Four years after Ta'Neasha Chappell died a slow painful death on July 16, 2021, in the custody of the jail in Indiana, her family is getting some closure.
The city's down payment assistance program stopped accepting applications back in July, with the city saying those resources were being re-directed to other Metro-funded housing programs.
Free WSU symposium empowers community through education on trafficking, exploitation

October 17, 2025

OGDEN, Utah  Weber State University will host its fourth annual Human Trafficking & Exploitation Symposium, bringing together community partners, advocates, and survivors Oct. 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Ballrooms.

This free symposium began in 2022 to promote awareness and safety efforts across Utah. It has since grown into an educational platform for collaboration and survivor advocacy. Each year features a different theme, with this years focus on strengthening community connection, awareness, and support.

We hope everyone who attends takes a little nugget of information they can pass along to their circle, said Molly Sween, chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and symposium organizer. Every time people share and talk about this topic, it draws more awareness to human trafficking and safety in Utah, ranging from how to protect children online to local organizations that help support trafficking survivors.

The symposium will showcase both the challenges and progress in combating human trafficking. Agencies active at the frontlines will share their perspectives on barriers, solutions, and the importance of support beyond the initial stages of leaving exploitive situations.

All are invited to attend and network with organizations making a difference throughout the state. More information, including how to register, can be found on the event website.
By Tom Polansek

CHICAGO (Reuters) -Archer-Daniels-Midland, one of the world's biggest grain merchants, is offering incentives for U.S. farmers to deliver soybeans to one of its major processing facilities this month as low prices have slowed selling by growers, a grain trader and a company employee with knowledge of the matter said.

In an unusual offer during the peak of autumn harvesting, ADM is allowing farmers to deliver soy to its facility in Decatur, Illinois, and set the final sale price later, without paying for storage, the two sources said.

In exchange, ADM will take ownership of the soybeans, enabling it to process the crops, they added.

A company spokesperson declined to comment.

Bumper harvests have been pressuring crop prices and farmers are reeling from high costs for fertilizer and other inputs. What's more, China, the largest soybean importer, has responded to President Donald Trump's trade tariffs this year by turning to South America, depriving U.S. farmers of their primary market.

FARMERS PUT CROPS IN STORAGE

Many farmers are putting soybeans into storage in hopes of getting better prices down the road, growers and analysts said, leaving fewer supplies available to major U.S. processors.

ADM's offer, known as free deferred pricing, will be available to farmers until the end of October, and those who participate have until September 2026 to set a sale price, according to the company employee.

"That tells me they need beans, that they don't have enough beans to keep their process running," said David Isermann, a farmer in Streator, Illinois, who will not take part in ADM's program.

Farmers said ADM's offer was unusual because processors typically have access to plentiful supplies during harvest time.

This year, farmers had agreed to sell less of their crop than normal heading into harvest season, Miranda Wamsley, ADM's vice president of producer origination, said in an interview last month. She did not provide specific amounts.

Some farmers said they normally market about half of their expected crops by the time harvest begins but had sold about 20% or less this year.

"Because the prices are low, everybody is storing grain on the farm and saying: 'No, you're not getting my grain until prices go up,'" said Steve Pitstick, a farmer in Maple Park, Illinois.

Commercial grain firms still need crops to process into products such as vegetable oil.

In September, U.S. soybean crushings jumped to their fourth highest level for any month, according to National Oilseed Processors Association data released on Wednesday.
In less than a week, President Donald Trump has threatened to attack Venezuela using ground troops, confirmed ongoing covert operations inside the country, and ordered bombers capable of dropping nuclear weapons to fly in circles off its coast in what appears to be an unprecedented show of force intended to pressure the Venezuelan president to step down.

On Thursday, the U.S. launched what appears to be the sixth lethal boat strike against an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea this year. A U.S. official, who confirmed the account first reported by Reuters, said there were survivors among the crew.

The White House has defended the extraordinary military operations as necessary to stem the tide of illicit drugs coming to the U.S.

"President Trump believes that Nicholas Maduro is an illegitimate president, leading an illegitimate regime that has been trapped in drugs," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.

Experts, though, say that while Maduro is complicit in the drug trade, many of the drugs coming into the U.S. come via Mexico and sea routes in the Pacific, not the Caribbean Sea, which is known more for shipping drugs to Europe.

When asked Wednesday whether the CIA was given the authority to "take out" Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump told reporters that was a "ridiculous" question.

"But I think Venezuela is feeling heat," he said. "But I think a lot of other countries are feeling heat too."

"We're not going to let this country, our country, be ruined because other people want to drop, as you say, their worst," Trump told a reporter.

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry has denounced Trump's statements and the military buildup in the region, saying the lethal strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea constitute a policy of aggression, threats and harassment against Venezuela.

Asked what's next for his administration's "war" on drug cartels and whether they were considering strikes on land, Trump said it was looking into it.

"Well, I don't want to tell you exactly, but we are certainly looking at land now because we've got the sea very well under control," the president said.

Some 10,000 U.S. troops have been deployed to Latin America this year under Trump as part of a massive buildup of military assets in the region, including eight Navy ships, F-35 fighter jets and MQ-9 Reaper drones. Military operations in the region are being led by Adm. Alvin Holsey as commander of U.S. Southern Command, who announced unexpectedly on Thursday that he planned to retire after being in the job less than a year.

On Wednesday three B-52 bombers took off from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and flew for hours near the coast of Venezuela, according to flight tracking data, in what appears to be a major show of force by Trump.

The B-52 is a long-range, heavy bomber that has been used in conventional warfare in such places as Iraq and Syria and is capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The deployment of the B-52s was first reported by The War Zone.

On Thursday, a U.S. official confirmed that a special operations aviation unit had conducted training exercises in international waters near Venezuela earlier this month.
We recently published 10 Stocks Moving On Key Analyst Calls. KB Home (NYSE:KBH) is one of the stocks analysts were recently talking about.

John Lovallo, UBS homebuilders and building products analyst, said in a recent program on CNBC that KB Home (NYSE: KBH) posted a really good quarter as the company beat on all KPIs. He believes the stock has 30% upside amid the Feds rate cuts.

One, KB Home (NYSE: KBH) put up a really good quarter yesterday. They beat on all KPIs, you know, deliveries, revenue, gross margin, operating margin, EPS, orders. Now, they did take their forecast down slightly, but importantly, they noted stabilization across the broad housing market and particularly in markets that are very important like Florida and Texas. This is critical. And I would say on top of that, I think its becoming increasingly clear to us that the cut that they made and the cut that Lennar made to their estimates is the final cut. And I think that thats very powerful. I think a bottomist sight is insight. Now KB tends to buy actually reduce the price of their home as opposed to using the buy downs. Other builders use buyowns, but the points the same. If you can actually stabilize that pricing. Very powerful.

Photo by Blake Wheeler on Unsplash

While we acknowledge the potential of KBH as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now.
By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Catherine Connolly said she had no control over who she met while on a 2018 visit to Syria in which she encountered pro-Assad figures.

In a broadcast presidential debate with Ms Connolly on Friday, Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys also said she did her best for a constituent despite voting against an inquiry into the circumstances of her sons death.

The two candidates were questioned on a series of controversies during a Morning Ireland debate on RTE Radio One, a week out from the vote on October 24th.

The latest opinion poll put Ms Connolly on 38 per cent and Ms Humphreys trailing on 20 per cent, with a large number of undecideds still to play for.

Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin remains on the ballot paper and his votes will be counted as normal, despite the former GAA manager declaring he was no longer contesting the race.

Fine Gael presidential candidate Heather Humphreys (Brian Lawless/PA)

The Irish Times reported on Friday that one of the men Ms Connolly met in Syria was a leader of a group charged with killing Palestinians in a refugee camp.

Asked if she was aware of this, Ms Connolly said: No, I wasnt.

I went to Syria on a fact-finding mission. The first port of call was the Palestinian refugee camp outside Damascus.

We were to go to Beirut, but we joined the group later, and the group had gone to a Palestinian refugee camp outside of Beirut.

We went from Beirut to Damascus on a trip, a fact-finding trip  we met different groups.

She added: You have no control when you go to a country like that as to who will come into your presence or not.

Thats no endorsement of the regime. Im on record for condemning the regime, I did not meet with (then-president Bashar) Assad.

Ms Connolly said she went to deepen her understanding of the experiences of the Palestinian refugees and discovered that the camp was utterly destroyed.

She insisted that she had met Palestinians who spoke to us as openly as they could within a dictatorship.

During the same radio programme, Ms Humphreys reiterated that she did her best for her constituent Lucia OFarrell.

Ms OFarrell has been critical of the former ministers level of support for her campaign for justice for her late son Shane, who was hit by a car driven by a man who should have been in jail.

Ms Humphreys said she made representations to justice ministers at the time and added: I made representations on her behalf. Im sorry that she says I didnt do enough. Im sorry if thats the case. I really am, but I did my best.

Pressed on why she did not support a vote for a public inquiry, Ms Humphreys said she voted with the Government.

There was reason behind that. I dont know exactly the detail of it.
Alison ORiordan

A fisherman has told the trial of Ruth Lawrence, who is accused of murdering two men over a decade ago, that he noticed a "dreadful smell coming off" a lake island on Lough Sheelin, which he associated with "rotten flesh" a month after the men went missing.

Ruth Lawrence (45), who is originally from Clontarf in Dublin but with an address at Patricks Cottage, Ross, Mountnugent in Co Meath has pleaded not guilty to murdering Anthony Keegan (33) and Eoin O'Connor (32) at an unknown location within the State on a date between April 22nd 2014 and May 26th 2014, both dates inclusive.

Pat Smith, who is a former butcher, told Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, prosecuting, that he was fishing in a boat on Lough Sheelin with another man on May 18th 2014.

The lake measures 7km by 4km and straddles the borders of counties Meath, Westmeath and Cavan.

Mr Smith said they had a break at some stage in the day to have tea and sandwiches and had moved "in close" to Inchicup island on the lake "for cover".

Mr Smith said there was a "bit of cover" from the wind at the eastern side of the island but it was not an island "you go into".

The witness said he had noticed a "dreadful smell coming off the island".

The witness agreed with counsel that Inchicup island is "very boggy" and about 100 metres from the shoreline. "It's actually all stone, not somewhere you go into," he added.

Mr Smith said the reason he got suspicious was because the previous week he had seen The Garda Water Unit "diving elsewhere" and out searching for the "two bodies, the missing men".

Asked whether he had associated the smell with anything, Mr Smith replied: "rotten flesh" The witness said he had to pull the boat away from the shoreline because of the strength of the odour and instead went up the shore to have his tea.

The next day, Mr Smith said he made contact with his friend Sergeant Michael Bennett to alert him as to what had happened, as he was mindful of the searches going on for the two missing men.

The trial continues this afternoon before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of four men and eight women.

In his opening address, Mr O'Higgins told the jury that the State would argue that Ms Lawrence shot drug dealer Mr O'Connor and worked "as a unit" with her boyfriend to kill him and Mr Keegan, with their bodies later found "bound in rope, tape and covered in tarpaulin" on Inchicup Island.

Counsel for the State said the 12 jurors would hear evidence that the accused woman shot one of the two men but this was not immediately fatal and was "quickly followed up" by a shot from the defendant's boyfriend, South African national Mr Neville van der Westhuizen.

The jurors were also told by Mr O'Higgins it is the prosecution case that the accused woman and her boyfriend had "spoken openly" about "the murders and disposing of the bodies".
Transition Year students from St Muredachs College in Ballina have shown compassion and community leadership with a fundraiser for the local Tidy Towns group, which was robbed of vital equipment last month.

The TY students were eager to help their local community following the robbery, and with the help of their teacher Ms Sandra Connolly and special needs assistant Caroline Fitzgerald, they organised a bag-packing fundraiser at Dunnes Stores and SuperValu and bucket collection as part of their civic and community strand. Ms Connolly said her students have shown incredible compassion for their town with all funds raised going towards replacing the Tidy Towns stolen tools.

I am so proud of the TY students for their hard work organising this fundraiser to support Tidy Towns. Its inspiring to see the students of St Muredach's College respond to local challenges with such a genuine desire to contribute positively to their community, she said.We would also like to sincerely thank the businesses that helped with fundraising, as well as Ann Maire Forbes and Michael Conlon from Tidy Towns for their support and assistance in making this fantastic event happen.

The civic and community strand, as part of the schools wider English TY curriculum, encourages active citizenship and community engagement. School principal Wayne Walsh said the students' actions reflect the values promoted in the TY programme and praised the group for demonstrating the spirit of their school.

I am delighted to see our students at St Muredach's living up to one of our core values: doing for others, not for personal gain, he said. We are committed to supporting our local community at every opportunity, and I commend our students, Ms Connolly and Ms Fitzgerald for their outstanding efforts in helping those in need. Their dedication truly exemplifies the spirit of generosity that defines our school.
At present the two Catholic dioceses of Tuam and Killala are edging towards a merging of the (soon to be former) dioceses into a new union of both. This means that the old dioceses, as we have known them as Tuam and Killala, will cease to exist after an extended time span of 914 years  since the Synod of Rathbrasil first proposed boundaries for the dioceses of Ireland in the easily remembered year of 1111 a.d. The new ecclesiastical and legal entity as yet unnamed will be under the present Archbishop of Tuam, Francis Duffy.

Two years ago, the papal nuncio, Archbishop Luis Montemajor, visited Killala diocese to conduct a brief consultation with representatives of the priests and people of the diocese and a few weeks later when the chips fell, as we say, he returned to announce that the union of Tuam and Killala was in train.

The first stage was the appointment of Archbishop Duffy as Apostolic Administrator of Killala. The second stage is his imminent installation as Bishop of Killala. The third and final strange will take longer - months hopefully, rather than years - before the merging is completed. This last stage will take more time as its more complex, more time-consuming and more expensive than the first two in that it will involve technical adjustments like transferring property from the two former legal entities into a completely new legal entity. However, to all intents and purposes, the union will be up and running after Archbishop Duffys installation in St Muredachs Cathedral, Ballina, in a few months time.

Meanwhile, the extended interlude between the decision to merge and the actual union provides a space for coming to terms with the change - its reality and its implications.

For one thing, it presents as a union of two uneven entities: Tuam has 56 parishes, 40 active priests and a Catholic population of 148,000. Killala has 22 parishes, 24 priests and a population of 34,524. This will present a series of interesting decisions.

Let me suggest some of them:

1. One is whether priests from one diocese will be appointed to serve in the other? Yes, would seem to be the answer to that but the odds are that such a change of scenery will be optional rather than compulsory, probably for some time.

2. Will there be an extended acceptance of two retreats, two cathedrals, two bishops houses, two (or four) vicar generals, two diocesan secretaries, two diocesan almost everything and anything in an effort to compensate for or just camouflage the perceived loss of past tradition and practice?

3. What strategy will be proposed as to what can be done to create an enhanced connection between clergy and religious in the new united diocese?

4. How can the Catholics of the two dioceses be helped to own and to settled into a united diocese whose extent will stretch to cover most of Mayo, much of Galway and a bit of Sligo and will extend from Beltra in Sligo to Clifden in Connemara?

5. How will the gap be closed between what is perceived by some as a just cause for grieving a personal loss over an extended period and by others as implementing the Roy Keane formula  Just get on with it?

6. How will the dilemma of expecting one bishop (even an archbishop) to be all things to all the people all the time be resolved - not least in running around 76 parishes for Confirmation?

7. Will the continued dispersal of honours continue in one dispensation - as with the appointment of canons - while it is perishing on the vine in another?

8. Will the new union be called Tuam and Killala in deference to their long history or will it be called Killala and Tuam as an alphabetical rather than a scale imperative might presume it to be - as with the recent union of Achonry and Elphin?

9. And last but not least. How will the present two different financial arrangements in Tuam and Killala be reconciled to ensure an even playing field?

As a result of the recent merging of Galway with Clonfert, Achonry with Elphin and Killala with Tuam, the west of Ireland has experienced a 50% reduction in the number of bishops  from six to three.

This doesnt mean of course that the work-load on the three remaining bishops has multiplied by 100%! But what it does mean is that some necessary house-keeping arrangements need to be established on the basis of a pragmatic policy of start as you expect to continue. This means that a realistic and achievable organisation of, for example, the Confirmation circuit needs to be agreed, just as a cut-back in the number of Masses is well past its sell-by date. It also means that a certain deference in respect of age, health and travel is necessary if what emerges is to be achieveable.

The present change in the number of bishops as with the number of priests (and the number of Masses) allows an opportunity to assess current expectations on the basis of need and possibility rather than present expectation and practice. The evidence from a recent consultation among Catholics in Killala diocese is that the people have a much greater focus on their continued expectations of parish rather than on their diocesan identity. This is unsurprising as it is clear that difficulties at parish level very quickly gain the attention and purpose of the people while difficulties at diocesan level spark little or no interest.

Meanwhile, the recent decision of the Rome Synod to make mandatory Parish and Diocesan Councils - heretofore dependent on the decision of priests and bishops - now creates an opportunity for Catholics to have more of a say in their parish and diocese. An effective people-priest balance may be difficult enough to achieve in most dioceses. In the new diocese being created out of Killala and Tuam achieving that balance may be even more difficult.

We live in interesting times.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

A few evening snow showers and flurries, mostly in the Poconos; otherwise, partly cloudy, cold, and brisk overnight. Wind chills in the teens. .

Tonight

A few evening snow showers and flurries, mostly in the Poconos; otherwise, partly cloudy, cold, and brisk overnight. Wind chills in the teens.
We recently published 10 Stocks Hammered Harder than Wall Street. Arista Networks Inc. (NYSE:ANET) is one of the worst performers on Tuesday.

Arista Networks extended its losing streak to a third straight day on Tuesday, shedding 5.87 percent to finish at $138.79 apiece as investor sentiment was dampened by Nvidia Corp.s bagging of new deals with Oracle and Meta for their Ethernet networking architectures.

In a statement on Monday, Nvidia said that it was tapped by the two companies for its NVIDIA Spectrum-X Ethernet networking switches to help boost their AI data centers.

The said partnership posed a significant threat to Arista Networks Inc. (NYSE:ANET), given Nvidia Corp.s growing dominance in the AI infrastructure, and with Meta being among Aristas biggest clients to date.

Both Arista Networks Inc. (NYSE:ANET) and Nvidia target an emerging market for back-end Ethernet networking technology connecting clusters of AI servers in cloud-computing data centers.

Arista Networks (ANET) Loses 5.87% on Cutthroat AI Competition

Copyright: donets / 123RF Stock Photo

Metas adoption of Nvidias Spectrum signaled that a portion of its networking expenditures could shift away from Arista Networks Inc (NYSE:ANET).

While we acknowledge the potential of ANET as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now.
By David Lawder and Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday gave specific marching orders for the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to take tougher stances on China's state-driven economic practices as part of his push to get the global lenders to refocus on their core missions.

In a statement to the IMF's steering committee, Bessent said the crisis lender should strengthen its country surveillance activities with "objectivity and evenhandedness." He also said the World Bank should end its support for China and shift resources to countries with greater needs.

"The IMF should not shy away from asking difficult questions, more clearly highlighting internal and external imbalances, deepening its understanding of how industrial policies in large economies such as China contribute to those imbalances, explaining their potential harmful spillovers, and recommending appropriate corrective actions," Bessent said in the statement to the International Monetary and Financial Committee.

Successive U.S. administrations, including that of President Donald Trump, have blamed China's state-led economic practices and export-led growth model for building up excess manufacturing capacity that is flooding the world with cheap goods and contributing to trade imbalances. China argues that its success in sectors such as electric vehicles is due to innovation, not government support.

U.S. and Chinese officials are locked in a bitter dispute over China's new rare earths export restrictions, Trump's tariffs, and new U.S. port fees for Chinese-built, -owned and -flagged ships that could lead to additional 100% U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports on November 1.

The U.S. Treasury chief, who manages the dominant U.S. shareholdings in the IMF and World Bank, first called in April for the two institutions to focus more scrutiny on China, but his latest statement goes into more detail. He ordered the IMF to embrace stronger surveillance of imbalances including China's in a forthcoming comprehensive review of its surveillance policies, last updated in 2021.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told reporters after a meeting of the steering committee that the global lender was already working to sharpen its surveillance, "digging deeper" into the issue of global imbalances, and reviewing the conditionality for lending programs.

"I came out of the meeting room with a sense of encouragement (of) our staff, but also with a long list of homework," she said.
Best Buy CEO Corie Barry has to stay at least a few steps ahead of economic trends.

She has help, of course, but the CEO needs to know months, and sometimes even further, in advance where consumer sentiment will land. If customers want value and Best Buy has nothing but luxury brands, sales will falter.

When it comes to big-ticket items like appliances, computers, and televisions, the price range on a single item varies greatly. Last year during Black Friday, for example, Walmart had 65-inch televisions under $300, while top-tier models in that size sold at Best Buy for over $1,000.

It's a challenge to predict not only the economic climate, but also consumers' mindset.

People overspend on some items during trying economic times. Maybe they justify a new gaming laptop or higher-end TV by not taking the vacation trip they usually do each year, or maybe people just spend money they don't have.

The reason doesn't matter  Best Buy needs to know its customers, and Barry recently shared what she sees as an alarming trend.

The economic divide is growing

Barry's deepest concern is the disparity between higher- and lower-income shoppers in the U.S.

That's something she addressed during an Oct. 14 panel at the Fortune Most Powerful Women summit in Washington, D.C.

That is probably what keeps me up at night most, Barry told the audience, RetailDive reported. That reliance on the high-income consumer, while it makes it feel like there is resiliency in the overall market, thats an issue because your low-income consumers are really struggling.

She also noted that tariffs are creating problems and opportunities.

Everything, in some way, shape, or form since March, in essence, has been impacted by some kind of tariff, Barry said.

That, she noted, does not have to be a negative.

"You come out of this a vibrant company, you come out of it actually with more capabilities and better partnerships, she added.

Best Buy's CEO is worried about the growing divide between rich and poor customers.SOPA Images/Getty Images

Best Buy is not alone in seeing a greater divide

McDonald's CEO Christopher J. Kempczinski also addressed the struggles of lower-income consumers during his company's second-quarter earnings call.

"Certainly, overall QSR traffic in the U.S. remained challenging as visits across the industry by low-income consumers once again declined by double digits versus the prior year period. Reengaging the low-income consumer is critical as they typically visit our restaurants more frequently than middle- and high-income consumers," he shared.

That's something that may not be keeping him up at night, but he's consciously planning for it by upping McDonald's value offerings.
China has, for years, attached great importance to gender equality and is committed to ensuring that women not only participate in social life but also play a role in political decision-making, said Humile Mashatile, wife of Paul Mashatile, South Africa's deputy president. BEIJING, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- "China is at the forefront in promoting women's empowerment and gender equality," said Humile Mashatile, wife of Paul Mashatile, South Africa's deputy president. During a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua in Beijing, Humile shared her reflections after attending the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women, held in the Chinese capital to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women. It was her first time taking part in this global gathering. Humile said that she has witnessed "remarkable progress in the global women's cause over the past 30 years," with China demonstrating leadership and making significant achievements in promoting women's development. Through exchanges with delegates from different countries, she observed encouraging signs of progress. "Women do participate in all industries and actually are a part of the decision-making in these industries, as well as in politics and policymaking," she said. "That is what the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action ought to achieve." What struck her the most at the summit was the growing presence of women in science and technology. "In many countries, the number of female STEM graduates is close to or exceeds 30 percent," she said. "Women have made significant progress in education, indicating that the declaration made 30 years ago has been impactful globally," she added. Humile said that China has, for years, attached great importance to gender equality and is committed to ensuring that women not only participate in social life but also play a role in political decision-making. "It's encouraging to see women in China moving into various jobs, and they are highly competent in those positions," she said. "Chinese women have demonstrated competence and competitiveness across all fields." She highlighted in particular the achievements of Chinese women in technology and the digital economy, where women's participation stands out. As a philanthropist, Humile and her husband established a foundation focused on neurodiversity and children with autism. She said this work embodies the spirit of inclusion and equity, principles that also apply to advancing women's empowerment and broader social progress. "This visit to China has been encouraging," she said, adding that now she has many new ideas to bring back home to continue promoting women's development in South Africa. She said she looks forward to more collaboration with China to empower women and share knowledge.
Good morning from Washington, D.C. Today marks Day 3 of the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit.

This years theme, Leading in a Dynamic World, has set the stage for insightful discussions with distinguished leaders on topics ranging from the proliferation of AI to navigating uncertainty and sharing best practices in leadership.

During these uncertain timesshaped by shifts in trade policy and geopoliticskeeping the consumer top of mind is vital. Our focus is just maniacally on the customer, said Corie Barry, CEO of Best Buy, during a fireside chat with Fortunes Emma Hinchliffe on Tuesday. Barry noted that it has never been more important for her to understand and adapt to the distinct behaviors of different consumers.

Over the past 18 months, consumers have remained more resilient than expected, continuing to spend when they have a need or when innovation captures their attention, she explained. But they are very value-focused, she said. That doesnt necessarily mean theyre seeking the cheapest option. Barry added: Their question is, How do I fulfill my need in a way that matches my budget?

Barry also pointed out growing disparities between high- and low-income earners; she sees high-earners as propping up the economy. That is probably what keeps me up at night, she said.

To address these challenges, she seeks to maintain a customer-centric approach, leveraging AI for smarter decision-making and meeting individual consumer needs across channels. For C-suite leaders, that also means embracing a mindset of constant learning.

One of the greatest joys of this job is how many chances I get to learn; its something that fuels me, Barry said. In the age of AI, she added, the idea of unlearning and relearning is one of the most important, noting that few CEOs likely graduated with a degree in advanced AI.

Barry regularly meets with economists from major banks to analyze data and metrics related to consumer health and then translates those insights into action. Im not trying to predict the futurethats a useless task at this point, she said. What Im trying to figure out is how we best position the company and create resiliency.

Barry offered additional advice for leaders: Surround yourself with people who are much smarter than you, and dont be afraid to ask for help.

To create resiliency for the company, it cant just be about you as the CEO, she said.



Sheryl Estrada

sheryl.estrada@fortune.com

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Invisible Labour: Afghan Migrant Women in Irans Labour Market

The GLU Programme extends an invitation for a seminar presented by Visiting Research, Ms Maryam Rahimi from University of Tehran, Iran.

This presentation examines the gendered dimensions of labour among Afghan migrant women in Iran, one of the largest SouthSouth migration corridors. Despite their significant presence in Irans workforce, Afghan women remain largely excluded from formal employment and social protection systems. Restrictive migration laws, precarious legal status, and entrenched gender hierarchies have confined them to informal, low-paid, and insecure jobs such as domestic work, cleaning, and small-scale manufacturing.



The study explores the diverse forms of employment available to these women and analyses how the political economy of labour in Iran produces and sustains precarity in their working lives. It also investigates how Afghan women are systematically excluded from labour rights and institutional protections, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and invisibility. At the same time, it highlights how their invisible labour, like unpaid, underpaid, and unrecognized forms of work, contributes substantial value to both household economies and the wider informal labour market, yet remains absent from official statistics and public discourse.



By situating the Iranian case within broader debates on labour, gender, and migration in the Global South, the study contributes to discussions on informality, inequality, and the need for more inclusive labour policies that address the intersection of gender and migration.



Maryam Rahimi is a visiting GLU researcher, and currently a PhD candidate in Social Policy at the University of Tehran, Iran.
Wits takes water to informal settlements

Johannesburg Water partners with Wits to provide sustainable groundwater supply for informal settlements.

The Wits School of Geosciences, Wits Enterprise and Johannesburg Water have launched an innovative groundwater project aimed at delivering a reliable and sustainable water supply to informal settlements in Region G.

The project combines proven engineering methods with cutting-edge hydrogeological science to develop a sustainable groundwater system that connects directly to households, says Professor Grant Bybee from the Wits School of Geosciences.

Once completed, the system will deliver 150225 litres of water per person per day to more than 2,600 residents, providing a consistent and high-quality water supply. The design prioritises reliability, resilience, and ease of maintenance, featuring automated monitoring, substantial storage capacity, and a rapid response mechanism to ensure uninterrupted service even during pump maintenance or system failures, adds Bybee.

Wits researchers are working closely with Johannesburg Waters scientific and technical to continue to monitor and evaluate the system for two years after completion to ensure its long-term success. The project is scheduled to be fully operational by December 2025, marking a significant milestone in Johannesburg Waters mission to bring sustainable, community-driven water solutions to all corners of the city.

Andrew Hope-Jones, the CEO of Wits Enterprise says: At Wits Enterprise, we are passionate about bridging the gap between academia and society. By connecting Johannesburg Water with the universitys research expertise, we are ensuring that innovation developed in the lab can be translated into practical, scalable solutions for our communities.

This partnership embodies our commitment to using homegrown innovation to meet the essential needs of our citizens, said a Johannesburg Water spokesperson. By working hand in hand with leading researchers from Wits University supported by Wits Enterprise, we are proving that scientific expertise can make a direct and life-changing impact in our communities. Dr Zakhele Khuzwayo, Manager for Innovation & Technology at Johannesburg Water.

Through this initiative, Johannesburg Water continues to champion partnerships that transform academic research into practical, scalable infrastructure designed to bring water, dignity, and development to the people of Johannesburg.
Key Points

XRP was created by a company called Ripple to standardize transactions in its innovative payments network.

Bitcoin is the world's largest cryptocurrency, and a growing number of investors consider it to be a digital store of value.

One of the two cryptocurrencies looks like a better buy than the other as we approach 2026.

10 stocks we like better than XRP 

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has a market capitalization of $2.3 trillion, making it the world's largest cryptocurrency by a wide margin. It has delivered a 19% return in 2025 so far, and it's one of the only cryptocurrencies that consistently sets new record highs.

XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) is also trading in the green to the tune of 8% this year, and although it recently tumbled, earlier this year it reached the highest price since 2018. In other words, some investors endured a brutal seven-year stretch with almost no gains, primarily because the cryptocurrency's creator, Ripple, was battling legal action from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

But Ripple's regulatory woes are now resolved, so could XRP be a better buy than Bitcoin for 2026, or is the world's largest cryptocurrency a better investment?

Image source: Getty Images.

The case for XRP

Ripple created the Ripple Payments network to allow global banks to send money across borders instantly, no matter what existing infrastructure they use. The company introduced XRP to standardize each transaction and reduce costs, so unlike most other cryptocurrencies, it has a genuine use case in the real world.

For example, a Japanese bank might send XRP to an Italian bank instead of sending Japanese yen, cutting out expensive foreign exchange fees. The cost to send XRP would be just 0.00001 coins, or a fraction of $0.01.

XRP has a total supply of 100 billion tokens, with 60 billion in circulation and the other 40 billion controlled by Ripple. The company gradually releases tokens into circulation to meet demand from institutions, which is what caught the attention of the SEC. The regulator sued Ripple in 2020 and argued that XRP should be classed as a financial security, just like stocks and bonds, which are also issued by companies.

However, the SEC has taken a lighter approach to crypto regulation under President Donald Trump, and so the two parties agreed to settle the dispute in August. This is one of the reasons XRP reached its highest price in seven years, but investors are also enthusiastic about the regulator potentially approving spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for the coin.

In theory, ETFs would create a new source of demand from financial advisors and institutional investors, who might have otherwise avoided XRP because holding it through digital crypto wallets is too risky (they can be susceptible to hacks resulting in irrecoverable losses). Bitcoin continues to benefit from the approval of ETFs last year, so it's logical to think they too might be a tailwind for XRP.
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Public health care workers in France hold one-day work stoppages against austerity

Public workers in hospitals, schools, daycare centres and mental health settings across France engaged in strikes and marches October 9, protesting the lack of resources in health, social care and nursery education.

The General Confederation of Labour and other union members, including nurses, nursery assistants, care assistants, classroom assistants, family care workers and social workers, complain of low wages, staff shortages and deteriorating working conditions due to underfunding of public services.

Harbour pilots at Belgian ports strike over pension reforms

Maritime pilots at the Belgian ports of Antwerp, Zeebrugge and Ghent have been on strike since October 5, leaving hundreds of ships waiting to enter or leave the container terminals. Navigation into both sea and river docks is impossible without the expert guidance of the pilots.

The members of the AvK, BvL and OVL professional maritime pilots associations and the ACOD, ACV and VSOA unions have been protesting sporadically since March, when public employee pension reforms were first announced.

The government plans to save 2.7 billion euros annually on pension costs by calculating public sector pensions in the same way as those in private sector. The pilots say the proposed reforms will disproportionally impact lower-income earners compared to the previous system, which provided retirees with a lump sum based on career length.

UK phlebotomists in Gloucestershire continue longest pay dispute in NHS

A group of UK phlebotomists at Gloucestershire National Health Service (NHS) Trust are continuing their stoppage begun in March. The strike has lasted more than 200 days, making it the longest dispute in NHS history.

The 37 Unison members, paid on Band 2 of the NHS pay scale, demand to be paid on Band 3, commensurate with their skills. They take and handle blood samples, as well as dealing with personal care.

Some NHS Trusts pay phlebotomists according to Band 3, depending on experience and location.

Birmingham bin strike continues in face of court action

Striking refuse workers in Birmingham, England face High Court action instigated by the Labour Party-run city council.

More than 350 Unite union members began intermittent strike action in January, and have been on an all-out stoppage since March. They voted by a 99.5 percent majority to renew their mandate to strike until March 2026. They are opposing the councils plans to cut safety-critical jobs and the pay of loaders and drivers by 8,000 and 10,000 respectively.

Council lawyers argued that the strikers had breached a court order forbidding what is in fact effective picketingblocking scab refuse trucks at depots and on the streets. Threatened with a financial penalty, Unite admitted the charges and apologised unreservedly. As well as isolating strikes, the unions and Trades Union Congress accepted the draconian anti-union laws overseen by all governments.

The council, which plans cuts of 300 million across all services, has organised scabbing operations overseen by the Starmer government to try to break the strike. Unite reported that around 15 agency workers employed by Job and Talent refused to cross the picket line at three depots.

Staff at London school walk out over workload and class sizes due to council cuts

Teachers and learning support assistants at the London East Alternative Provision secondary school in Tower Hamlets went on strike October 7 for four days, over workload and increased class sizes.

The National Education Union members had engaged in 22 strike days since the council closed a site on the Isle of Dogs. As a consequence, the staff/pupil ratio is doubling from 1:7 to 1:14. Children at the school have special educational needs and disabilities.

Middle East

Iran: Motogen (Tabriz) workers strike over contracts and wages

Workers at the Motor-Generator (Motogen) Company in Tabriz, Iran were on strike for five days last week over low wages, temporary contracts and poor conditions.

Motogen, affiliated with the Ministry of Defence, employs around 1,000 workers, mostly on temporary or contract-based terms. Under threat of layoffs, the workers are demanding formalisation of their contracts, direct employment by the company and equal pay for all workers.

Workers at the industrial complex have been protesting these conditions for three years, without response from management. Management have stepped up security at the factory against the strikes, with managers reportedly monitoring workers mobile phones to prevent news of the protest spreading. The workers have said they will continue the strike.

Iranian protests continue over pensions, wages, condition

Strikes over unpaid wages continue to break out across Iran. At the Bandar Abbas Star Oil Refinery last week, workers refused to leave their project dormitories, awaiting payment of four months salaries. In Ilam, municipal service workers employed by a contracting company went on strike demanding immediate payment of three months unpaid wages and arrears. Physical confrontations with workers were reported.

Retirees across Iran continue to demonstrate over poverty, rising prices, insecurity and living conditions. In Shush, retirees from Karkheh, Haft Tappeh and Shush itself chanted Expenses are in dollars, our wages are in rials. In Tehran, retirees protesting at the Social Security Organisation chanted Water, electricity, livelihood!

Protesting retirees are linking their conditions to government corruption. Retired steelworkers in Isfahan shouted The result of the governments work is the plundering of peoples pockets outside the governors office.

Mohammad Reza Kamrava, a protesting retiree, was arrested on 11 October by intelligence agents. Protestors demanded his release, and Social Security retirees chanted Looking through glass is not an answer to us.

Protests continue over social conditions generally. Farmers from Garmsar and Aradan protested water shortages during a visit by the Minister of Energy. The farmers are demanding implementation of the Law on Fair Water Distribution, and an end to the theft of water resources.

Living conditions continue to deteriorate and the economy is collapsing. The situation has been exacerbated further by the snapback reimposition of UN sanctions. This is part of the US/NATOs restructuring of the Middle East as a prelude to war against China.

Africa

Students protest at University of Fort Hare, Eastern Cape, South Africa over conditions

Students at the University of Fort Hare, Eastern Cape, South Africa, have been protesting about poor accommodation, lack of security, delayed allowances and inadequate support services.

The final straw came when the university administration suspended this years elections for the Student Representative Council (SRC) and installed an interim SRC.

The university administration closed its Alice and East London campuses, citing criminal damage to property and called in the police. Students fear they will be unable to sit their exams.

Cement workers on strike over pay in Alberton, South Africa

Workers at Pharaoh Cement in Alberton, South Africa walked out indefinitely on October 12 over low pay, after the company refused to improve pay offer.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members are on R35.55 an hour. The NUM initially put in for a R10 increase then revised it down to R7 to find common ground with the company. The companys final offer was R2.14R2.48, described by the union as simply an insult to the workers.

Nigerian university lecturers in two-week strike

Nigerian university lecturers began a two-week strike on October 13 over low pay and lack of funding.

The government is threatening to impose the No work, no pay labour law, as it has several times during previous strikes by lecturers.

Agreements made by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) with the government in 1992, 2009 and 2013 have gone largely unmet, leading to further strikes.

ASUU President Chris Piwuna said all the academic bodies, the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics and the Congress of Nigerian University Academics supported the strike.

Staff at the University of Cross River in Calabar, Cross River State, held a day-long protest on October 9 to protest the federal governments failure to implement a 2009 agreement regarding their welfare and benefits.

Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions members carried placards with inscriptions such as: We worked, You withheldrelease our wages; Enough is Enough, pay our two months salaries, and No more empty promises, Action now.

Similar protests took place in other Nigerian states, including Kano, Kaduna, and Nasarawa, in response to a call for national action.

Port workers in Liberia on go-slow

Port workers at the Free Port of Monrovia in Liberia began go-slow action on October 8 to disrupt cargo handling. The action follows UK-based APM Terminals refusal to make a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Dock Workers Union of Liberia since 2015.

The union held a recent meeting with government officials, including the finance minister, the Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority and the Managing Director of the National Port Authority, without achieving anything.

Ugandan teachers continue their stoppage over pay and conditions

Ugandan teachers have been on strike since the beginning of the school term to demand better pay, as well as improved working conditions and allowances.

President Yoweri Museveni publicly criticised the teachers, claiming there was no money to increase their pay and telling them to wait until the next national budget.
Birkenstock has inked a new deal to acquire its longstanding distributor in Australia.

According to the German footwear company, the acquisition seeks to ensure a seamless succession for the two founders of Birkenstock Australia  Marcel and Manuela Goerke. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

More from WWD

Birkenstock noted that the acquisition aims to ensure a seamless handover process and effective knowledge transfer, enabling a smooth ownership transition while protecting key business relationships and minimizing operational risks.

Marcel Goerke, co-founder of Birkenstock Australia, will support the transition as managing director of Birkenstock Australia. He will report to Klaus Baumann, chief sales officer of the Birkenstock Group. The transaction is expected to close by the end of this month.

In a statement on Wednesday, Goerke noted that the acquisition is Birkenstocks way of actively investing in its Australian business.

This is good news as additional resources will be used to further nurture the growing network of independent Birkenstock retailers and Birkenstock stores, he said. Its also great news for all those here who work day in, day out to ensure that all Birkenstock fans in Australia have an extraordinary brand experience allowing them to walk as nature intended.

The acquisition will be carried out via Birkenstock International Asia GmbH  a 100 percent-owned subsidiary of Birkenstock  and will safeguard continuity for all contracts, assets and employees.

Since the early 1990s, the family-owned business has grown into the current company, Birkenstock Australia, with around 60 employees and an annual revenue of AU$88.6 million.

Birkenstock Australia has its headquarters in Melbourne. The company also operates two owned stores in Melbourne, a monobrand partner store in Sydney and an online shop. Additionally, it maintains a distribution network of over 300 wholesale partners.

Oliver Reichert, chief executive officer of Birkenstock, added that the example of Birkenstock Australia shows what people can achieve when love, dedication, and hard work come together with a product that has a genuine purpose.

Marcel Goerke, who followed in his fathers footsteps  himself a passionate Birkenstock retailer  along with his wife Manuela Goerke and the people who rallied around them and embraced our footbed mission, did an amazing job, Reichert said. Today, Australia is one of the countries with the highest Birkenstock per capita sales worldwide. The business that has been built over many years is very healthy, and there are still plenty of opportunities. The ownership transition will allow us to unleash the considerable growth potential that our brand has in this market and to serve our huge fan base in Australia.
Nothing could more starkly capture the political and moral bankruptcy of Raila Odingas legacy than the massacre that unfolded at his funeral, carried out by the broad-based Kenyan government he helped forge.

Yesterday, Odingas body was flown into Nairobi from India, where he had travelled for top medical treatment, setting into motion the events that culminated in state security forces opening fire on mourners. By the end of the day, at least four of them lay dead.

Security forces attacking mourners at the State Funeral for former Kenya prime minister Raila Odinga at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya, October 17, 2025 [AP Photo/Samson Otieno]

For over four decades, Odinga stood at the centre of Kenyas corrupt bourgeois politics. As the World Socialist Web Site noted in its obituary, Odingas chief skill was his ability to contain and redirect social opposition to the Kenyan ruling class and imperialism. Whenever mass discontent erupted against inequality, austerity and imperialist domination, he stepped in to channel it into the safe confines of constitutional reform and corrupt power-sharing deals to preserve the interests of the ruling elite.

Through successive allianceswith Mwai Kibaki after the 200708 post-election bloodshed that left over 1,200 dead and 650,000 displaced, with Uhuru Kenyatta in the 2018 handshake, and finally with todays ruler William Ruto in 2024s broad-based governmentOdinga repeatedly suppressed social opposition to the Kenyan ruling class. His immense personal fortune, estimated at up to $3 billion, symbolizes the looting and corruption of Kenyas post-independence elite, based on deepening poverty for the masses.

Raila Odinga in 2012 [Photo by CSIS / Flickr / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Odinga died in Kerala, India, at 80, reportedly of cardiac arrest while undergoing therapy in hospital. His body was repatriated and landed at Nairobis Jomo Kenyatta International Airport yesterday, amid a massive surge of mourners across the city who overwhelmed the planned ceremonial reception.

As the coffin was unloaded, thousands of grieving supporters pressed through airport barriers waving branches and palm fronds, a symbol of mourning among the Luo ethnic group to which Odinga belonged, temporarily bringing the seventh busiest airport on the continent to a halt.

Initially, the plan was for the public viewing to be held at parliament grounds, but authorities abruptly shifted it to Kasarani Stadium in northeast Nairobi. From the airport, thousands of mourners moved in a procession to escort the vehicle carrying the body to the stadium.

At Kasarani, chaos quickly escalated. When mourners surged forward in an attempt to view the body, security forces responded with live ammunition and tear gas. Gunshots rang out, even audible on the live YouTube broadcast linked to the presidency, before the footage cut out. At least four people have been killed in the carnage, among them Vincent Otieno Ogutu, 40, a father of three.

Meanwhile, inside the stadium, President William Ruto and senior officials were confined to a secure room, safeguarded from the unfolding police violence.

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who chairs the funeral planning committee, later held a press briefing but made no mention of the killings or the chaos. But the massacre has shown that the Ruto government is so hostile to the masses that it cannot even conduct a funeral without bloodshed.

Since Odingas death was announced, the leaders of Kenyas political establishment, joined by their international counterparts, have rushed to hail him as a national hero. Ruto eulogised Odinga as a true statesman, a giant of democracy, a fearless freedom fighter, and a tireless warrior.

His words came a day after he used the opportunity provided by Odingas death and its wall-to-wall coverage to impose eight deeply authoritarian, anti-working-class bills.

These include the Privatisation Bill 2025, enabling the sell-off of state enterprises without parliamentary oversight; the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Bill 2024, giving police vast powers to monitor and shut down online activity; and the National Police Service Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024, tightening presidential control over the security apparatus. New land and tax amendments facilitate elite land grabs and impose new levies on workers.

Former President Uhuru Kenyattathe scion of one of Kenyas richest families, whose vast fortune originates in the mass land looting carried out by his father, Jomo Kenyatta, in the 1960s and 1970smourned Odinga as a father to the nation, a steadfast champion for the people, and a true son of Kenya.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, his Deputy William Ruto, with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka at State House in Nairobi, April, 2013 [Photo: State House Kenya]

Martha Karua played a leading role in defending the fraudulent victory of Mwai Kibaki in the disputed 2007 elections that pitted Kibaki against Odinga, and who later became Odingas running mate in the 2022 elections. Now posturing as an opposition figure to the Ruto regime that Odinga himself helped install, she hailed him as a man of courage who never stopped believing in dialogue, democracy, and the Kenyan dream.

Kalonzo Musyoka, who was the National Organising Secretary of the Kenya African National Unionthe sole-party under the dictatorship of Daniel arap Moi when Odinga was being beaten up in Mois torture chambersrecalled how Odinga resolved that the tears and painful scars he personally suffered would yield to democracy and freedom for his beloved Kenya.

On the international stage, far-right Hindu supremacist Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, called Odinga a towering statesman and a cherished friend of India.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, himself a former trade union leader turned billionaire, hailed Odingas unwavering commitment to his people and continent.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is savagely repressing opposition on the eve of Tanzanias elections and who recently ordered police to sodomise Kenyan activists who travelled to Tanzania to support the opposition, called Odingas death a loss not only for Kenya but for all of Africa.

Somalias President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared, Somalia stands in solidarity with Kenya in this moment of grief. Just weeks ago, the Odinga-backed government in Nairobi whipped up anti-Somali chauvinism to deflect mounting domestic anger.

Odinga is being hailed as a great democrat. Without a doubt, the tens of thousands who poured into Kasarani Stadium and who gathered today in the western Kenyan city of Kisumu to pay their respects are sincere. They believe that Odinga helped to democratise Kenya, that he fought for freedom. But sincerity does not change reality.

Odingas three decades of manoeuvring between opposition and government helped give birth to the Kenya of today: where 36 percent, about 20 million people, are undernourished; 67 percent of youth are unemployed or underemployed; 60 percent of the countrys annual revenue is used for debt servicing to international finance; and fewer than 0.1 percent of Kenyans (about 8,300 people)including the Odinga, Kenyatta and Ruto familiesown more wealth than the bottom 99.9 percent (over 44 million people).

As for democracy, the Ruto government that Odinga backed routinely suppresses peaceful protests against International Monetary Fund-dictated austerity with live ammunition, teargas, and abductions. At least 160 people have been killed by police and military units, hundreds maimed, thousands arrested, and over 300 charged under draconian anti-terror laws. Dozens have been abducted and disappeared, their families left without answers.

Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya, with, from left, Pierre Nkurunziza, President of Burundi, Bingu Wa Mutharika, President of Malawi, Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa, Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive chairman, World Economic Forum, and John Agyekum Kufuor, President of Ghana, during the Opening Plenary of the World Economic Forum on Africa 2008 in Cape Town, South Africa, 4 June 2008 [Photo by Eric Miller / CC BY-SA 2.0

The media eulogies for Odinga, solemn state ceremonies, and orchestrated unity among Kenyas political elite is a tribute to one of the principal architects of the social and political disaster facing the Kenyan masses. It is meant to conceal the decay of the social order he helped sustain.

If there is a lesson in Odingas death, it is that Kenyas future cannot be built through the politics of bourgeois nationalism, but only through the independent struggle of workers and youth against the capitalist order that Odinga, to his final breath, defended.

This struggle cannot be confined within the artificially created colonial borders of Kenya. It can only be carried out as part of an international socialist movement of the working class, uniting workers across Africa and the world in a common fight against capitalism, imperialism, and all forms of oppression.
Illinois State Police assault protesters outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. [AP Photo/Adam Gray]

Over the past several days, agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have carried out increasingly violent and provocative raids throughout the Chicago area.

On Thursday, ICE agents raided a flea market on Ashland Avenue on the citys South Side. Nearly all the agents were wearing masks, and there is no indication that any were wearing body cameras. This is despite an order that morning by a federal judge that agents must wear body cameras, and they must be turned on at all times.

Several young men were snatched from stalls and frog-marched out of the flea market by the heavily armed agents, as dozens of friends and family members shouted their opposition and held up cellphones to record the anti-immigrant raid.

At the hearing earlier in the day, US District Court Judge Sara Ellis expressed shock over the brazen defiance of the orders she had issued earlier in the week barring ICE from firing tear gas and pepper balls against protesters, journalists, legal observers and bystanders.

Im a little startled frankly, she said. I live in Chicago if folks havent noticed. And Im not blind, right? Im getting images and seeing images on the news, in the paper, reading reports, where at least from what Im seeing, Im having serious concerns that my orders being followed.

Sean Skedzielewski, an attorney representing the Trump administration, laid blame on one-sided and selectively edited media reports, effectively justifying the ICE tactic of treating journalists as part of the enemy camp.

Last week, Ellis ordered agents to wear badges on raids and banned them from using riot control techniques against peaceful protesters and journalists. At Thursdays hearing, she said, I am adding that all agents who are operating in Operation Midway Blitz are to wear body-worn cameras, and they are to be on.

After Skedzielewski claimed this would be logistically impossible, the judge agreed to allow some exemptions, but this has evidently been interpreted by ICE as a green light to continue as before.

The judge disputed the claim by President Trump that the US border starts at Lake Michigan. Immigration agents could not proceed as they did on the border, she said. We are in an urban, densely populated area where crowds are going to converge when theres a commotion, where appropriate crowd control is important, she continued.

The issue is that DHS [Department of Homeland Security] is using force in a manner that violates the constitutional rights of peaceful protesters, journalists and, essentially, clergy members, she continued.

You cant shoot em in the head [with pepper balls]. You cant deploy tear gas. You cant use flash-bang grenades. You cant drive a car through a crowd.

The judge set a court appearance for Monday, October 20, at 10:30 a.m. for ICE Field Director Russell Hott to explain to me why I am seeing images of tear gas being deployed and reading reports that there were no warnings given before it was deployed out in the field.

Other reports of ICE violence appeared in the local media. The Chicago Sun-Times described in detail a car chase through a quiet residential neighborhood, which drew a crowd of residents who were then attacked with tear gas and smoke grenades.

The Trump administration has mobilized more than 500 National Guard troops from Illinois, Texas and California at a training center outside Chicago. However, another federal judge, April Kelly, issued a temporary restraining order blocking their deployment onto the streets of the city. An Appeals Court upheld the order, but the administration is continuing to appeal, expecting eventual authorization by the ultra-right majority on the US Supreme Court.

A further court setback for Trump came when the top judge in Cook County, which includes Chicago, issued an order barring ICE from arresting people at courthouses, an increasingly frequent tactic by the immigration Gestapo. The order, which took effect Wednesday, prohibits the arrest of any party, witness, or potential witness while attending court proceedings.

Far from deterring the Trump administration, these court orders have led the White House to focus more directly on suppressing the resistance of working people in Chicago. Meta, responding to a call from Attorney General Pam Bondi, shut down a Facebook group that was sharing information about ICE raids as a way to warn the communities being targeted. Bondi claimed the group was being used to dox and target ICE agents.

While Bondi complained about an alleged wave of violence against ICE, it is ICE that is perpetrating violence and brutal repression against workers and youth in the city.

There is clearly a political calculation in the White House that a political explosion in Chicago would provide the pretext for invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807, under which Trump would assume the authority to order federal troops into Chicago, regardless of the opposition of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Invoking the Insurrection Actwhich the Trump administration has indicated is imminentwould be a critical step in the establishment of an outright presidential dictatorship.

Appearing Wednesday night on the Sean Hannity program on Fox, Trumps top aide Stephen Miller denounced Pritzker as a moron who hates America. His voice rising to a shout, Miller declared, You cant love your country and then fight President Trump, essentially identifying the gangster in the White House as the personification of America. Miller claimed that Pritzker wants to protect the murderers, the people that are shooting dozens, and dozens of people every single week.

In the same vein, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox, The Democrat Partys main constituency is made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals.

Such statements can only mean that the White House is in daily discussions about preparations to outlaw all forms of political opposition, directed primarily not at the Democratic Party, but at the working class.

A dispatch filed by Julie Bosman, Chicago bureau chief for the New York Times, carried the remarkable headline, Chicagoans Resist I.C.E. Agents. She continued, Immigration agents are using aggressive tactics. Residents of the sanctuary city are trying to resist them.

After describing the openly racist and provocative tactics of the ICE thugs, Bosman writes, The presence of officers from Border Patrol and ICE has brought forth an intense backlash. Chicagoans are shouting at immigration agents, calling them fascists and Nazis, throwing objects at them and chasing their unmarked S.U.V.s or minivans, honking their horns to warn bystanders of ICEs presence.

The response of the Democratic Party to these developments is silence and complicity. While Democrats in Chicago and Illinois are calling on residents to trust the courts and wait for legal remedies, the Trump administration has already made clear that it will defy any ruling that interferes with its operations. At the national level, the Democratic leadership is simply ignoring the unfolding assault on democratic rights.

On Wednesday night, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez held a televised CNN town hall devoted to appeals for bipartisanship. Their central message was a plea for some Republicans to join with Democrats to pass a continuing resolution and end the government shutdown. Over the course of the event, neither Sanders nor Ocasio-Cortez mentioned the ICE raids in Chicago, the National Guard deployments or Trumps declared intention to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy the military against the American people.

The Democrats fear that any genuine opposition to Trumps drive toward dictatorship would trigger a mass movement of workers and youth that would go far beyond their control.
Fain praising Trump for new Stellantis "investments" in the US [Photo: UAW]

On the eve of the mass No Kings protests against the aspiring dictator Donald Trump, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain issued another tribute to the fascist in the White House, hailing the announcement by Stellantis that it will shift more production from Canada to the US because of Trumps tariffs.

On Tuesday, Stellantis said it was scrapping plans to reopen its plant in Brampton, Ontario, where 3,000 were laid off when the plant was closed in 2024. Instead of building the new Jeep Compass in Brampton, the company is moving production of the model to its factory in Belvidere, Illinois. The decision, part of a planned investment of $13 billion over four years at US plants, followed very productive talks with the Trump administration, Stellantis chief Antonio Filosa said.

This was followed by GMs announcement of the likely closure of its CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, where 1,200 workers face the loss of their jobs.

In a statement posted on the UAW website, Fain declared, A year ago, Stellantis was on a fast-track to moving their US operations out of the country. Their decision today proves that targeted auto tariffs can, in fact, bring back thousands of good union jobs to the US. He continued, Wall Street and supposed industry experts said this was impossible. But race to the bottom created by free trade is finally coming to an end.

Fain is functioning as a scab, gloating over the destruction of the jobs of workers in Canada to secure an additional flow of dues to the bloated coffers of the UAW apparatus.

Denouncing Fains statement, Mack Trucks autoworker and leading member of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) Will Lehman said the following:

Rank-and-file workers must reject the lie by UAW President Shawn Fain that cutting the jobs of our Canadian brothers and sisters is a win for American workers. An attack on workers anywhere is an attack on workers everywhere. We need to back the workers in Brampton and not allow Stellantis and the UAW to divide and conquer us. Far from ending the race to the bottom, the UAW is helping the corporations unleash a new wave of international whipsawing with workers pitted against each other in a fratricidal struggle over a dwindling number of jobs. There is no doubt Fain & Co. have already promised Stellantis further job and cost-cutting. No one should be fooled by the UAW bureaucracys claims it is bringing back jobs. This is the same UAW leadership that said the 2023 sellouts at the Big Three and Mack Trucks were historic contracts. Instead they were stabs in the back that led to the firing of thousands of part-time workers, spreading layoffs and speedup that led to the deaths of Stellantis workers Ronald Adams Sr. and Antonio Gaston. For Trump and his stooges in the union bureaucracy, Make America Great Again means making the factories sweatshops again and workers industrial slaves again. Fain is allied with a fascist president who sends ICE thugs against immigrant workers, threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act to establish military rule and illegalize all opposition, and is destroying public education, health care and other core social and democratic rights in order to hand more money to the oligarchy he represents. And, like the run-up to World War II, trade war today is the prelude to a new world war for global domination, spanning from the Middle East and South America to Russia and China. By backing the hated Trump administration, Fain is auditioning for a position on the White Houses war council. Our greatest strength is our international unity. The only way to defend our jobs and win back what we lost is through cross-border solidarity in struggle. This means joining hands with our brother and sisters in Canada, Mexico and around the world against the global auto giants. In every factory and workplace, workers must build rank-and-file committees, controlled democratically by workers themselves to discuss a collective strategy to fight. This can only be successful if it is independent of the UAW bureaucracy and the two parties of big business, which have nothing offer except poverty, war and dictatorship.

First shift workers leave Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant on May 23, 2025

The timing of the UAWs pro-Trump statement is not accidental. It comes as opposition to the fascist president and the capitulation of his Democratic Party enablers is intensifying. Frightened and opposed to this growing movement, the UAW has boycotted the mass anti-Trump No Kings protests this weekend, doing nothing to publicize, let alone mobilize support for the nationwide demonstrations.

By lining up with Trump, who regularly threatens to make Canada the 51st US state, the UAW is continuing the same bankrupt, nationalist, pro-management program it has pursued for decades.

Far from defending jobs, all the UAWs Buy American campaigns and demonization of foreign autoworkers have produced one disaster after another. The UAW admits 65 Big Three plants have closed over the last 20 years.

The real source of this job slaughter was not unfair trade, as Fain claims. It is capitalism, a system that the subordinates basic human needs to private profit, and a system the UAW bureaucracy fully supports.

Even though UAW membership has fallen from 1.5 million in 1970 to around 400,000 today, the assets of the union apparatus has risen to over $1 billion. Fain, who pockets $275,000 a year in reported salary, heads an army of functionaries whose rising income is directly proportional to the worsening of the living standards and working conditions of the workers they falsely claim to represent.

The claim that jobs can be protected by building a tariff wall is a lie. There is no such thing as an American, Canadian or any other national car. The auto industry is globally integrated and every vehicle is the product of the collective, interconnected labor of workers around the world and made up of components that criss-cross borders many times.

Fain spits on the historic ties of the American and Canadian working class. US autoworkers should recall the heroic joint battles US and Canadian autoworkers wage to found the United Auto Workers in the 1930s. This included the wave of sit-down strikes that spanned both sides of the US-Canada border, including the 17-day sit-down strike by workers at the Oshawa, Ontario General Motors plant in 1937, inspired by the Flint sit-down. Ontario government officials denounced the UAW as foreign agitators.

The 1985 split between the US and Canadian regions of the UAW proved disastrous for workers on both sides of the Detroit River separating Michigan and Ontario. The result of this fratricidal divorce has been hundreds of thousands of jobs lost, wages gutted and hard won rights surrendered.

Once again, the global corporations and their political representatives are trying to force the working class to pay for the deepening economic crisis and recession. Just this week, Nestle announcing 16,000 global layoffs and Amazon preparing to use artificial intelligence to slash thousands of jobs. German automakers and parts suppliers are slashing 10s of thousands of jobs in a massive shakeout.

To fight the global onslaught on jobs and living standards, workers need an international strategy and organization for their struggles, Lehman said.

He continued:

That is why the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) unites workers in the US, Canada, Mexico and around the world to defend the right to a secure and good-paying job for every worker. The advances in technology like AI, robotics and EVs must be used to shorten the workweek with no loss of pay, not throw workers out of their jobs. The IWA-RFC is fighting to build rank-and-file committees in every factory to abolish the union apparatus and transfer power to the workers on the shop floor. Autoworkers should join the mass protests on October 18 and fight for the building of rank-and-file committees to unite workers internationally against job cuts, deadly working conditions and capitalist exploitation and combine this with the fight against Trumps dictatorship and war. The watchword of the working class must be, Workers of the world, unite!

To join the fight for rank-and-file committees, fill out the form below.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents transfer an immigrant into the ICE Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, after an early morning raid. [AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes]

The abduction of a 13-year-old boy by armed agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) provoked angry protests October 14 in the city of Everett, Massachusetts. More than 80 residents and city councillors gathered outside Everett City Hall to demand the return of Arthur Berto, who was taken by ICE and transferred to a juvenile immigration facility in Virginia.

The protest was organized by the LUCE Immigration and Justice Network of Massachusetts and La Comunidad, a local nonprofit supporting Latino and Hispanic families. Protesters held signs with messages like Dont kidnap kids and Hands off Everett, expressing outrage over the removal of a minor so far from his home, regardless of any alleged criminal history.

On October 9, the seventh grader at Albert N. Parlin School was arrested by Everett Police at a bus stop outside the school after a tip about him threatening another student violently, according to the police. The boys mother, Joseiele Berto, was told to pick up her son at the police station, but after waiting for more than an hour, she was informed that ICE agents had arrived and took the boy into federal custody. Everett Police claim they did not notify ICE, rather the agency accessed law enforcement databases independently and acted on its own authority.

The following day, the boys lawyer Andrew Lattarulo filed an emergency habeas corpus petition in federal court in Boston to challenge the legality of the detention and transfer.

On October 13 a federal judge in Boston gave ICE until the end of the day Tuesday to justify the detention or grant the boy a bond hearing by Friday. As of this writing, the boy remains in ICE custody in Virginia. I only talk to himnever to any official who could explain what kind of place it is or whats happening, Joseiele Berto told CNN, speaking in Portuguese.

Arthur is a citizen of Brazil who entered the United States in September 2021. His family has a pending asylum application, and family members have been granted permission to work legally in the United States. The family is seeking asylum, and the boy holds no legal status as a minor immigrant except through this pending process.

The official justifications for the boys detention, manufactured by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and echoed by local officials, collapse under the slightest scrutiny. This is not a story of protecting public safety but a coordinated, yet officially denied, collaboration between local police and federal immigration authorities, where a standard booking process functions as a direct pipeline to the federal deportation apparatus.

To justify the seizure of a child, the state deployed a campaign of disinformation. Tricia McLaughlin, a DHS spokeswoman, immediately took to social media to brand the 13-year-old a public safety threat who was in possession of a firearm and 5-7 inch knife when arrested and had an extensive rap sheet.

At a press conference, Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria and Police Chief Paul Strong were forced to admit that no guns were found. They confirmed only that the boy possessed a 6- to 7-inch double-sided knife.

The claim of the teens extensive rap sheet is a classic piece of state propaganda. The Middlesex District Attorneys office confirmed that juvenile records are confidential and not subject to public records laws, making the DHS allegations impossible to publicly verify. This allows federal agencies to make unsubstantiated allegations against a minor, knowing they cannot be publicly disproven, thereby manufacturing a pretext for their predatory actions.

Everett officials attempted to wash their hands of any responsibility. Mayor DeMaria insisted his department does not make arrests based on immigration status and did not contact ICE, claiming the federal agency operates independently.

Police Chief Strong revealed collaboration with the deportation machine when he described the departments procedures: Once your fingerprints are taken, it goes to ICE and they determine if youre an illegal entry. This standard booking process is a direct and automatic funnel from local police departments to federal immigration enforcers.

The Everett incident occurred within the broader context of Operation Patriot, a massive immigration enforcement dragnet conducted across Massachusetts. This campaign, far from being a targeted operation against dangerous criminals, is a terror campaign designed to intimidate the entire immigrant working class, carried out with the knowledge and tacit approval of the states Democratic political establishment.

In a press release, ICE boasted that Operation Patriot resulted in the arrest of what it termed almost 1,500 illegal aliens in Massachusetts during the month of May alone. The agency claimed it was targeting the worst of the worst, including murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, [and] child sex predators.

This is a deliberate lie. A letter sent by the Massachusetts congressional delegation to DHS, citing ICEs own data, revealed that almost half of the individuals recently arrested by ICE in Massachusetts have no criminal record whatsoever.

The high number of non-criminal arrests is the result of a conscious policy of seizing so-called collaterals. Trumps fascistic border czar Tom Homan articulated this ruthless tactic, stating that if ICE agents encounter other undocumented individuals while searching for a specific target, theyre coming too.

This policy was on full display in the case of Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, an 18-year-old high school junior in Milford. ICE agents, who were seeking his father, arrested Marcelo as he was on his way to volleyball practice. According to his lawyer, the teenager has no criminal history anywhere in the world. This practice of seizing anyone in the vicinity transforms targeted enforcement into indiscriminate community-wide raids.

The tactics employed by ICE agents are designed to maximize fear and disorientation. Community members and advocates have documented agents using unmarked with tinted windows vehicles, wearing masks and refusing to display badges.

The congressional delegations letter corroborates these accounts, citing the use of military-style gear and gratuitous violence. In New Bedford, agents used a sledgehammer to smash the window of a parked car to arrest a couple waiting inside for their attorney. In Chelsea, agents allegedly held a gun up to a familys car after they left church, broke the window and threw the father to the ground. These raids increasingly target sensitive locations like courthouses, spreading panic.

The result is a climate of terror. This fear is not an unintended byproduct of the operations; it is their central political objective. It is the tool used to isolate immigrant workers, atomize communities and discourage solidarity from other sections of the working class.

This federal crackdown unfolds not in a political vacuum but under the watch of a Democratic Party that postures as a defender of immigrants while overseeing the very state apparatus that terrorizes them.

While Democratic officials from the local to the federal levels issue carefully worded statements of outrage to placate public anger, their actionsand inactionsdemonstrate a fundamental complicity with the anti-immigrant agenda.

In response to a Trump administration lawsuit targeting Bostons sanctuary policies, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu issued a defiant statement defending the citys Trust Act, declaring that no Boston police or local resources will be co-opted into federal immigration enforcement.

While Wu makes these claims, ICE is carrying out a new surge of arrests dubbed Patriot 2.0. Federal officials openly state that they are using the existence of sanctuary policies as a pretext for more aggressive federal enforcement, rendering local protections meaningless. Wus claims provide political cover while her constituents are seized off the streets.

The response from leading state and federal Democrats reveals the same pattern. Governor Maura Healey initially refused to comment on the Everett boys abduction. Later, she dismissed ICEs statewide crackdown as political theater, a characterization that trivializes the real terror and family separation inflicted on working class communities.

Representative Ayanna Pressley issued a forceful statement, rightly calling the boys detention an abduction carried out by rogue ICE agents. Yet, such condemnations are political posturing so long as she and her party vote to approve the massive federal budgets that fund ICEs existence and empower these very agents.

The most cynical response came from Senator Elizabeth Warren and the Massachusetts congressional delegation. They dispatched a letter to DHS demanding an investigation into ICEs tactics. Calling for an investigation by the very department overseeing the terror campaign is a well-worn tactic to absorb public anger and create the illusion of action, without fundamentally challenging the state apparatus responsible for the attacks.

This bipartisan consensus in defense of the capitalist state and its repressive machinery demonstrates that the war on immigrants is aimed at a far broader target.

The brutal ICE crackdown in Massachusetts, exemplified by the state-sanctioned abduction of a 13-year-old child, is not an excess of the Trump administration but a calculated policy of the capitalist state, enforced with the full complicity of the Democratic Party. The events in Everett and across the state prove that the Democrats are both incapable of and unwilling to defend the basic rights of immigrant workers. Their condemnations are a political fraud, designed to conceal their fundamental role in administering the capitalist state.

These savage attacks are aimed at terrorizing and atomizing the most vulnerable sections of the working class, whipping up xenophobia and dividing workers against each other. The goal is to prevent the unification of all workersimmigrant and native-bornin a common struggle against exploitation and inequality.
Palestinians carry jerrycans to collect water from a truck amid the destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive in Gaza City, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. [AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi]

Following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas over the weekend, Israeli forces have continued to kill Palestinians throughout Gaza and restrict the entry of food.

The events since the beginning of the ceasefire have made clear that the agreement merely marks a new phase in the ongoing US-Israeli ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza and war throughout the Middle East.

On Thursday, Israeli forces killed three Palestinians, following similar killings every day this week. On Tuesday, an Israeli drone strike killed five people in a residential area of Gaza.

Israel also carried out a series of airstrikes throughout Lebanon on Thursday, killing at least one person. In a statement, Lebanons president condemned the attack, calling it a grave violation of a ceasefire signed by Israel in November.

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump threatened further attacks against Gaza. Citing allegations of summary executions by Hamas, Trump threatened, If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them. He clarified, Somebody will go in. Its not going to be us.

Earlier this week, Trump demanded that Hamas disarm, saying, If they dont disarm, we will disarm them. ... And it will happen quickly and perhaps violently.

While the ceasefire agreement calls for 600 aid trucks to enter Gaza every day, Israel has slashed this target to half that amount. Israel has likewise refused to reopen the Rafah crossing, further choking off food aid.

We note that the quantities that entered remain very limited, representing only a drop in the ocean of urgent needs, and they do not meet even the minimum humanitarian and livelihood requirements of more than 2.4 million people in the Gaza Strip, Gazas government media office said.

Israeli forces continue to occupy more than half of the Gaza Strip, including all of Gazas border crossings.

In a statement, UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram called on Israel to open all of the border crossings now, and they have to let all of the aid into the Gaza Strip at scale alongside commercial goods. She added that there are 28,000 children who were diagnosed with malnutrition in July and August alone, and thousands more since then. So, we need to make sure its not just food coming in, but malnutrition treatments as well.

At least 463 people, including 157 children, have died of starvation or malnutrition in Gaza, and nearly one in four children is suffering from acute malnutrition.

In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal made clear that the aim of the ceasefire was merely to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and could be the prelude to renewed mass military operations by Israel throughout Gaza. This is why the agreement freed all the living hostages up front and kept Israeli forces at the ready in Gazas other half, The newspaper wrote.

Officials in Gaza said that dozens of bodies they received from Israel showed signs of torture and summary mass executions.

Mohammed Zaqout, director of hospitals in Gazas Health Ministry, told Al Jazeera in an interview that bodies returned to Gaza by Israel show clear signs of torture. He added, One body shows signs of hanging with a rope still wrapped around the neck, blindfolds around the eyes, and bound hands. That martyr was placed as is and sent to us.

In a statement, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor wrote that it is deeply shocked by the horrific condition of Palestinian bodies handed over by the Israeli army after being detained during the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. Clear evidence shows that many of the victims were subjected to deliberate and brutal torture and abuse that caused extreme suffering, while several appear to have been executed after detention, constituting grave violations of international law.

It added, Medical examinations, forensic reports, and observations by the field team revealed conclusive evidence that many victims were killed after being detained. Their bodies bore clear marks of hanging, rope imprints around their necks, injuries from close-range gunfire, bound hands and feet with plastic restraints, and blindfolds. Some bodies were crushed under tank tracks, while others showed severe signs of physical torture, fractures, burns, and deep wounds.

Stephane Dujarric, a spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said that reports that the bodies returned by Israel to Gaza show signs of torture are extremely concerning. She added, There will need to be accountability for all the violations of international law weve seen during this conflict.
Yesterday, Sebastien Lecornus minority government survived censure motions in the National Assembly from the France Unbowed (LFI) party and the far-right National Rally (RN). The big-business Socialist Party (PS) jumped ship, abandoning LFI and most of the rest of the New Popular Front (NFP) parliamentarians, to join President Emmanuel Macrons supporters and the right-wing The Republicans (LR) party in backing Lecornus unpopular government.

LFIs motion received 271 votes, 18 short of a majority in the 577-seat Assembly. LFI deputies together with all but three Stalinist and two Green deputies voted together with the RNs deputies to support it. The RNs motion attracted no votes outside the right, getting only 144 votes. The Assembly thus abetted Macrons rule against the peopleinstalling a prime minister who, before his previous, short-lived government fell less than two weeks ago, stood at 15 percent in the polls.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, left, and the minister in charge of Relations with the Parliament Laurent Panifous listen during the questions and answers to the government session, October 15, 2025 at the National Assembly in Paris. [AP Photo/Michel Euler]

The failure of the censure motions against Lecornu exposes LFI leader Jean-Luc Melenchons perspective of a citizens revolution channeled through parliament. It vindicates the position of the Parti de legalite socialiste (PES). Stopping attacks on the working class and the consolidation of the police state requires building a movement in the working class for a general strike to bring down Macron, independently of the NFP bureaucracies, in an international struggle for workers power and socialist revolution.

Responsibility for Lecornus installation lies above all with Melenchon. The PS is serving as a tool of the capitalist oligarchybacking a government despised for imposing policies of austerity and militarism by police-state repression of mass protests. But this is what the PS has done for over four decades, and why it collapsed to 1 percent of the vote as Melenchon got 22 percent in the 2022 presidential elections. LFI, by forming an electoral front with the PS and backing its candidates in the 2024 legislative elections, again put it in a position to play a decisive role in official politics.

LFI parliamentary faction leader Mathilde Panots cry that The PS bears a historic responsibility and her threats to resubmit failed impeachment motions against Macron recall the robber who cries Stop, thief! as he flees the scene. This result is the outcome of the bankrupt perspective of building the NFP. LFI bears historic responsibility for giving the PS the chance to once more advance policies of austerity, war and police-state repression it always enacted when in government.

With such parliamentary maneuvers, which worked to block the mobilization of mass opposition in the working class in a strike movement to bring down Macron, LFI has strengthened the position of the RN. Together with French far-right media, the RN will predictably denounce left-wing politics as a whole as tools of the system.

Yesterday, after Lecornu survived the censure vote, RN party president Jordan Bardella said, All those who today refused to vote for censure are responsible for the suffering that is to be visited on this country  A majority built through corrupt deals today managed to save its positions at the expense of the national interest.

In reality, the French capitalist oligarchy is preparing to bring the RN into government to intensify repression against the working class. Bardellas posturing against Lecornu is cynical, as Lecornu is no opponent of the RN. He was a leader of the negotiating team that Macron quietly sent to the RN leadership during the 2024 elections, expecting an RN victory, to plan a future RN government. Behind the scenes, such talks are no doubt continuing, as the ruling class plans what to do when Lecornus weak minority government faces serious working class opposition.

The capitalist oligarchy did not immediately bring the RN into government under Macron. Amid protests at the beginning of the school year, it feared that it would be too politically provocative to make the far-right visibly the tool of Frances despised president of the rich on the first time the far-right entered government in France since it collaborated with Nazism during World War II. The ruling class prefers for now to lean on the PS, allowing the NFP to discredit itself by unsuccessfully begging Macron to name it to the government.

The PS and allied layers of the union bureaucracy are fraudulently claiming they have obtained concessions from Macron in exchange for backing Lecornu. Marylise Leon, the general secretary of the PS-linked French Democratic Labor Confederation (CFDT), pointed to Lecornus pledge to temporarily freeze Macrons pension cuts, declaring: This is a true trade union victory, above all a victory for workers who see the rise in the pension age and the pay-in period stop.

But the installation of Lecornu is no victory for the working class, and Lecornu is not a principled democratic opponent of the RN who makes social concessions to the workers in response to strikes and protests. As defense minister, he was a fervent advocate of increases in military spending amid the NATO-Russia war in Ukraine. He is committed to war spending and to escalating the social attacks on Macrons police state on the working class.

Frances previous prime minister, Francois Bayrou, fell after he proposed 44 billion in cuts. In his open letter to Frances CEOs, Bardella pledged to make 100 billion in cuts if the RN took power. But yesterday, the influential Economic Analysis Council (CAE) linked to the prime ministers office indicated that Lecornu plans even deeper attacks than either Bayrou or Bardella proposed.

Under Lecornu, the French government will set itself the goal of 112 billion in social cuts and tax increases, to stabilize Frances unsustainable debt of 114 percent of its Gross Domestic Product. To avoid the collapse into economic depression that it expects would result if the cuts were made all at once, the CAE proposes to make the cuts in stages, over the several yearsstarting with 26 billion in social cuts this coming year.

This exposes Lecornus claims he will pursue a less anti-democratic policy by freezing Macrons pension cuts and pledging not to impose such cuts by decree as Macron did in 2023, but instead via a vote of parliament.

Lecornus freeze of Macrons pension cuts means temporarily suspending their further application, not rescinding them. It leaves the cuts where they currently arewith the pension age at 63.5, raised from 62 but just short of the final target of 64until the suspension is lifted, and the retirement age and pay-in period continue to rise. As the French state faces growing pressure from financial markets to pay down its 3.4 trillion debt, there can be little doubt that Macron will soon be demanding further cuts to pensions.

Moreover, this freeze is written as a provision in the Social Security budget stuffed full of other unpopular austerity measures, including a 7 billion cut to health care spending, with the doubling of patient co-pays on prescription medication. To vote to freeze the pension cuts, the PS and its trade union allies will have to vote also for this attack on the health of the population.

The 2023 pension cuts exposed the impossibility of opposing austerity if the class struggle remains controlled by union bureaucracies linked to the NFP. Millions of workers joined strikes against the measure, which is opposed today by 91 percent of the population, and riots erupted nationwide after Macron imposed the cuts via decree, without even a parliamentary vote. But the union bureaucracies responded by strangling the class struggle, calling off strikes once Macron promulgated the cuts as law.

Only a struggle of the working class, mobilizing rank-and-file workers independently of the NFP bureaucracy, can avert further social attacks and halt the bourgeoisies accelerating maneuvers to install a neo-fascist dictatorship in France. As the PES explained in its statement, Which way forward for the working class after the fall of the French government?:

Two stark alternatives are presented. Either the capitalist oligarchy builds a fascistic dictatorship to crush the working class, or the working class wages a revolutionary struggle on a socialist program to expropriate the oligarchs. This requires breaking through the straitjacket of the union bureaucracies and building genuine, rank-and-file organizations dedicated to prosecuting the class struggle. The International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) calls for the transfer of power from the trade union bureaucracies to the workers in all factories and workplaces. Such new forms of class organization, uniting workers in France and throughout Europe, are necessary to organize resistance to and defeat the corporate-financial oligarchys program of fascism, genocide and war.
On September 29, a school building in East Java, Indonesia collapsed with students inside, resulting in the death of at least 67 people and more than 100 injuries. The circumstances around the accident point to serious lapses in basic safety measures.

Rescuers remove the body of a victim from the rubble of a collapsed building at an Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia, October 6, 2025. [AP Photo/BASARNAS]

The collapse took place at the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school, located in Sidoarjo, East Java. The Indonesian National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure stated that this was the single deadliest disaster in the country for 2025.

At the time of the collapse, additional levels were being added to the two-storey school even while students were praying inside. This involved trucks adding additional concrete. Muhammad Rijalul Qoib, a 13-year-old student who witnessed the incident, stated that one truck poured the very top part all at once with the heavy load being placed on the school very quickly.

Surviving students reported feeling the building shake slightly before the collapse, but this warning sign was ignored and the students were not evacuated nor was construction halted. Since they were in a large open area for prayer, the building collapsed in a manner in which the layers of concrete stacked upon each other and left almost no spaces in which people might have survived. This also made it harder for rescuers to navigate the destruction.

The Indonesian National Rescue Agency attempted to recover as many of the trapped students as possible, initially refraining from using heavy excavation tools for fear of setting off a secondary collapse and causing further harm to the those trapped under the rubble. In addition to those killed, 104 were rescued from the debris.

These types of schools, known as pesantren, operate with very little government oversight. They are generally funded by fees from students and possibly a small amount of government funding. Through a lack of funds and cost-cutting measures, pesantrens often require students to assist in construction work, often as punishment. Students and parents confirmed that this was the case at Al Khoziny after the schools collapse. An engineering expert told BBC Indonesia that the construction was unplanned and did not comply with existing regulations.

According to Minister for Public Works Dody Hanggodo, out of a total 42,391 pesantren in Indonesia, only 51 this year have the correct permits and other paperwork for construction. This includes a building permit agreement that allows construction to begin and a functionally sound certificate that the government issues after inspecting a building upon its competition.

Dody attempted to deflect blame for these common and dangerous practices, by claiming pesantrens are run by students, for students and that their operators assume they do not need permits.

However, in rural areas, construction work not just on pesantrens but more broadly is often conducted without permits. In an archipelago prone to earthquakes, oversight on construction, based on modern safety standards, is vital. Yet the ruling class in Indonesia as well as other countries regularly demonstrates its contempt for such basic measures due to the impact on profits.

Cost-cutting measures in construction across Indonesia have resulted in several other collapses, of which the Al Khoziny school has been a particularly deadly example. In the last fifteen years there have been at least seven other significant collapses in Indonesia, such as that of the Kutai Kartanegara Bridge in 2011, which was linked to a lack of maintenance and the poor quality of construction materials. At least 20 people were killed, 40 injured, and another 19 reported missing.

Though pesantrens are mostly private institutions, many attempt to access government funds, particularly from the Ministry of Religious Affairs. At least seven to ten million students attend pesantrens throughout Indonesia, with many coming from poor, rural families.

The problem of underfunding education and infrastructure is long-running and has only worsened in the last year under the presidency of Prabowo Subianto. At the beginning of 2025, the government announced cuts to the budgets for education, infrastructure, and healthcare, amounting to approximately $US19 billion, or 8.5 percent of the state budget. This money was diverted into a new sovereign wealth fund known as Danantara, through which Prabowo effectively seized control of a large portion of Indonesias assets.

Beginning in February, these cuts provoked anger in the Indonesian population. A student protest movement, named the Dark Indonesia protests, was launched, denouncing the governments attacks on education and other social services. Furthermore, young people aged 15 to 24 face widespread unemployment, with an official unemployment rate of at least 16 percent, about three times higher than the overall unemployment rate.

A major justification given for the severe reductions to the budgets, was the funding of Prabowos free meal program for students and pregnant women to supposedly combat malnutrition. The program was a populist pledge Prabowo made during his election campaign. However, the quality of the food has been called into question as thousands of youth have contracted food poisoning from these meals.

In addition, Prabowo has used the program to expand the role of the military in society, deploying troops to schools and other locations to play a role in distributing meals. Under the guise of carrying out a social program, Prabowo is in fact reviving the Suharto dictatorship-era concept of dwifungsi, or dual function, in which the armed forces play both military and civilian roles. This was a key component of propping up Suhartos New Order regime.

Prabowo intends to create one hundred so-called territorial development battalions in the military, with plans to deploy them to every district of the country within five years. These battalions will be used in fields such as agriculture, infrastructure, and healthcare.

This expansion of the military is being carried out to prepare for the suppression of unrest under deteriorating social conditions and growing social inequality. In addition to the February protests, widespread demonstrations also took place in August and September.

These protests began over the announcement of a massive 50-million-rupiah ($US3,000) housing allowance to be paid to members of parliament, ten times the amount of the minimum wage in Jakarta. They were further inflamed when a delivery driver, Affan Kurniawan, was killed by an armored police vehicle during the demonstrations.

Ultimately, the underlying cause of the Al Khoziny school collapse, other similar disasters, and the overall decline in social conditions is not unscrupulous or indifferent individuals, but the capitalist system itself that places profit over the lives of the working class.
While US President Trump is seeking, at least in public, to de-escalate trade tensions with China ahead of his proposed meeting with President Xi Jinping at the end of the month, the underlying conflict is intensifying and extending.

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping [AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, Alexandr Demyanchuk]

The trade war jumped back into the headlines last week when Trump threatened an additional 100 percent tariff on all Chinese goods entering the US in response to Beijings announcement that it would introduce export controls on rare earths.

The Chinese controls are modelled on the global restrictions the US introduced under the Biden administration on the use of its computer chips and chip technology.

China processes about 90 percent of the rare earth minerals which form vital components in the manufacture of computer chips, heat-resistant magnets used in autos and jet planes, and a wide range of consumer goods.

After Trumps tariff threat, Wall Street responded with its biggest fall in six months, resulting in more conciliatory remarks by Trump that he did not want to hurt China and that Xi had simply had a bad moment.

On Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had held meetings with senior officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent who leads the US negotiating team with China, about sending a message to the world that the US wants to de-escalate trade tensions with China, citing people familiar with the matter.

However, on the same day in an interview with the Financial Times, Bessent struck a less than conciliatory tone. He said the introduction of rare earth export controls by Xi reflected problems in the Chinese economy.

This is a sign of how weak their economy is, and they want to pull everybody else down with them.

Bessent claimed China was in the middle of a recession/depression and they are trying to export their way out of it. The problem is theyre exacerbating their standing in the world.

He expanded on these themes on Wednesday at a news conference alongside US trade representative Jamieson Greer, at which he said China was taking on the world with the export control regime.

Clearly seeking to win international support for US retaliatory action, he said: If China wants to be an unreliable partner to the world, then the world will have to decouple.

Greer said the export controls were an exercise in economic coercion on every country in the world.

China has said the measures were introduced in response to punitive US measures against Chinese companies since the fourth round of talks were held between the two countries in August. But this has been rejected by the US side, which claimed that they had been planned for some time.

A statement by the Chinese Commerce Ministry said the export controls were not export bans and that the new regulations were to cover military uses, not civilian applications.

All applications for compliant export for civil use can get approval, so that relevant businesses have no need to worry, it said.

China appears to be trying to tone down the rhetoric, but there is no indication that it will lift the controls and has warned of a response to US measures.

In his regular press conference on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said: If the US insists on its own way, China will resolutely take corresponding measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.

Despite the talk of de-escalation, the US is stepping up its threats. Bessent told CNBCs Invest In America Forum on Wednesday morning that we have things more powerful than the rare earth controls, including aircraft engines that China needed. We have lots of leverage on them too, he said.

The Bessent press conference also saw a significant departure from diplomatic practice in negotiations when he called out Li Chenggang, a Chinese vice-minister of commerce and a leading trade negotiator, labelling him as disrespectful. The outburst was connected to the development of a new arena of conflict.

Bessent said that while the talks with China had proceeded with great respect, Li had arrived uninvited in Washington in August and made a threat that China would cause global chaos if US port shipping fees on vessels built, operated, or owned by Chinese interests went ahead, after they had been foreshadowed in February.

The charging of the port fees was not initiated by Trump but goes back to a report commissioned by the Biden administration, which claimed that China was using unfair practices to develop its global shipping dominance. They went into effect on Tuesday.

The extent of Chinas shipbuilding capacity was highlighted in an article by Sydney Morning Herald economics columnist Stephen Bartholomeusz on Wednesday in which he said shipping was a new front in Trumps trade war with China.

According to the article, China built 60 percent of the worlds largest vessels last year, and this year it has built another 717 compared to the US which has built one.

Bartholomeusz noted that the fees being charged at US ports were substantial and are set to treble over the next three years.

A Chinese-built or operated supertanker docking at a US port next year could have to pay more than $6 million, a bulk ore carrier nearly $4 million, and a container ship effectively $180 per container. Hardest hit by the US fees will be Chinas giant state-owned Cosco, with US investment banks estimating that it could face an extra $1.5 billion to $2 billion in port charges next year.

China has hit back at the US measures, imposing fees on US ships when they dock at its ports and in announcing that it is sanctioning five subsidiaries of the South Korean shipbuilding company Hanwha Ocean.

A Commerce Ministry statement said Hanwhas subsidiaries in the US had assisted and supported the US governments probes and measures against Chinese maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors.

The order, effective immediately, would prevent Chinese organizations and individuals from doing any business with the sanctioned companies.

While the public rhetoric, at least in the lead-up to the proposed Trump-Xi talks, may be of de-escalation, the underlying reality is intensifying conflict as the US presses ahead with the economic war against what it regards as the chief existential threat to its global dominance.
2017 strike at MRF plant in Perambalur [Photo: Labour News - India ]

An indefinite strike by 800 workers at the Madras Rubber Factory (MRF) plant in Tiruvottiyur, located in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, was brought to an abrupt end by the MRF Employees Union (MEU) on September 30 after 19 days.

The MRF is a tyre manufacturing company with ten manufacturing plants spread across India. The MRF workers at various plants, especially in Tamil Nadu, have been striking against an utterly dictatorial management. For the past 25 years, the company has constantly victimized and harassed workers fighting for union recognition, decent pay and working conditions.

The Tiruvottiyur plant workers were making minimal demands: a halt to hiring apprentice workers at slave wages instead of employing permanent workers, and the continuation of the companys longstanding practice of paying annual health-insurance premiums upfront on behalf of the workers. Workers essentially pay the company back through deductions from their paychecks over the space of six months.

The company management with the support from the fiercely pro-business DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) party state government was able to force the cave-in by MEU officials. The MEU is closely allied with and for all practical purposes takes its instructions from the bureaucrats of the Stalinist Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU). The CITU, which has a large presence in Tamil Nadu, has a long-history of isolating workers strikes to a single plant, without the participation of contract and trainee workers, and furthermore confines the workers to make toothless appeals to the goodwill of the anti-worker DMK government and the courts.

The CITUs rotten strategy flows naturally from the fact it is the trade union arm of the Stalinist Communist Party of India, Marxist (CPM). The CPM is closely allied with the DMK party government and promotes the latter as a progressive regional party concerned with the welfare of the workers and the poor. The DMK which has ruled the state on and off for decades has transformed the state into a profit-making haven for multinationals. As a result, the state has become a preferred choice for global investments.

The strike commenced on September 11 after workers opposed the deliberate practice of MRF management hiring what are termed as apprentice workers under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led governments National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS). Management then announced a lockout of the striking workers while continuing production using contract and temporary workers.

Under NAPS, a program promoted as being designed to generate employment for the youth, the young workers receive what can only be described as slave-wages ranging from Rupees (Rs.) 5,000 to Rs. 9,000 (US$57 to $103) per month. The amount of stipend depends upon a workers educational qualification ranging from 5th to 9th grade pass to a college degree. Under NAPS, Indian government compensates the company by up to 25 percent of the monthly stipend with a ceiling of Rs. 1,500 (US$17) per month.

NAPS apprentices are paid far less than what a trainee at MRF used to get. The reported monthly stipend for a MRF trainee was Rs. 16,500 (US$187) for graduates of high school and technical schools and Rs. 18,000 (US$206) for a college graduate.

As the workers opposition to NAPS hiring grew louder, the vindictive company management announced they would no longer pay the annual health insurance premium of the workers. Its total insurance outlay for MRF is Rs. 10 million (around US$115,000), a miniscule amount of its reported after-tax profit of Rs. 18.2 billion (US$208 million) and cash reserves of Rs. 185 billion ($2.1 billion) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025.

In any case, workers bear the full cost of health insurance coverage as previously noted since the total annual premium of Rs. 12,000 (US$136) per worker is deducted from their paychecks over six monthly installments.

The workers understood that the companys sudden decision to cut upfront the health insurance premium was aimed a blackmailing them into accepting the NAPS program to undercut their wages. This only increased the defiant and militant mood of the workers, compelling the MEU, in close coordination with the CITU, to call an indefinite strike.

Despite being formed initially as an independent union, MEU did not even take minimal steps to unify permanent workers with the contract and temporary workers, who normally outnumber their permanent counterparts. This greatly weakened the strike as management, after declaring the strike illegal, used the vastly underpaid contract and casual workers to keep production lines running.

On top of this, MRF workers are divided into separate unions, undermining workers efforts to carry out a companywide strike. At the MRF Arakonam plant located about 95 km west of the Tiruvottiyur plant, workers waged a bitter 125-day struggle in 2009 to win formal recognition for their MRF United Workers Union (MUWU). Despite this, the Arakonam plant management created a stooge union in opposition to the MUWU.

After the strike at MRF Tiruvottiyur erupted, the Madras High Court, which has become a legal enforcer of management diktat during strikes in Tamil Nadu, ordered the workers not to hold their protests near the factory gate. The Stalinist CITU bureaucracy then instructed MEU officials to shift the venue of the protests to the CITU office in the nearby neighbourhood of Wimco Nagar.

In his address to striking workers, the CITU state president A. Soundararajan appealed to the DMK-led state government to intervene immediately, adding that The Labour minister and officials must call the management to the table. He then asked rhetorically: Why this silence when management locks out workers?

Indeed, the DMK state government did act! On September 30, MEU leaders were called by the state Additional Labour Commissioner for talks with the plant production and HR managers to impose a settlement entirely in favour of the company.

The commissioner ordered that both workers and management should maintain the status quo as it prevailed on September 9. Workers should work amicably and should not engage in strike actions. The management should not engage in any victimisation actions. Finally, both sides should work amicably to find a settlement.

Ariya

I get Rs. 60,000 (US$686) gross pay and after deductions, I receive Rs. 40,000 (US$457) a month, Ariya, a striking permanent employee with 32 years at MRF told the World Socialist Web Site. My wife takes care of home and looks after our two girls. They have completed their higher studies and now are working in IT companies.

Ariya was furious about the return to work order from the MEU. It is nothing but zero, zero and zero. The vast majority of workers are not happy about what union leaders have agreed to maintain the status quo. Union leaders were shaken by militant mood of the workers and capitulated to the treacherous terms imposed on them by the union leaders and JCL [Joint Commissioner of Labour].

The MRF Tiruvottiyur plant currently employs 820 workers, including 61 trainees, Ariya said, and another 300-400 are contract workers.

It is a wide belief among workers that when permanent workers retire, their place will be filled by NAPS apprentices. We are opposed to it, because NAPS workers dont receive proper training, Ariya said. They could be badly injured when they engage in production.

For workers at the Tiruvottiyur and at other MRF plants, the key question facing them is how to take the struggle forward. This is only possible if workers forge new instruments of struggle, rank-and-file committees that they control themselves, to unite workers at all MRF plants. These committees will provide the means for MRF workers to link up with the tens of thousands industrial workers in Tamil Nadu who are facing the same unrelenting attacks by management, the DMK government, the courts, and their accomplices in the union bureaucracy.
Bitcoin fell to its lowest level since June early Friday morning after hitting a record high in early October.

The largest cryptocurrency fell to $103,745.88 early Friday before gaining some ground later in the morning, according to CoinDesk data. At 9:35 a.m. Bitcoin sat around $105,950.

Just weeks ago, on Oct. 6, Bitcoin had hit its highest level in the cryptocurrencys history, reaching a peak of $126,000. But in the last week, the cryptocurrency has declined more than 6.5%.

Bitcoin fell last Friday after President Donald Trump threatened 100% tariffs on some Chinese imports, resulting in what CNN called a mini crash with $19 billion in liquidated positions, the outlet reported based on CoinGlass data.

Trump called his proposed tariff rate unsustainable in a Fox Business interview on Friday with Maria Bartiromo. "It's probably not. You know, it could stand. But they forced me to do that."

FxPro chief market analyst Alex Kuptsikevich called todays drop an even more dangerous dynamic after last week's drop because we are not seeing a slip in a thin market, but rather a massive sell-off in search of a new bottom, Barrons reported.

The second largest cryptocurrency Ethereum also saw a drop early Friday, declining about 6%, according to CoinDesk . Binance Coin, the fourth largest cryptocurrency, is down nearly 9.5% in the last 24 hours. In just a week, the crypto market has declined by over $600 billion, Bloomberg reported based on CoinGecko data.
U.S. stocks have experienced some volatility in recent days. While markets sold off on Friday, Oct. 10, after President Donald Trump announced 100% tariffs on China, they recovered yesterday, as the president toned down his rhetoric. Stocks are trading lower today again after China retaliated against Trumps moves by imposing sanctions on five U.S. subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean.

Such countermeasures between the two countries have been a recurring theme this year. Frequent tariff changes have led to chaos, and while the broader market rose to record highs, shrugging off trade war fears, they have been quite volatile.

More News from Barchart

For those spooked by volatility and trade war fears while seeking a regular income from their investment, midstream energy company Enbridge (ENB) stock appears to be a good bet, particularly for those who crave stocks with a high dividend yield.

www.barchart.com

What Makes Enbridge an Attractive Dividend Stock?

I find Enbridge an attractive and reliable dividend stock for the following three reasons:

Stable and Predictable Earnings: According to Enbridge, 80% of its EBITDA is generated by assets that either have a revenue inflator or have regulatory mechanisms to recover an increase in costs. This provides a reliability to its earnings, which is well exemplified by the fact that the company has met its financial guidance for 19 consecutive years. High Payout Ratio: Enbridge has paid dividends for 70 consecutive years and has increased them for the last 30 years at a CAGR of 10%. Its a Dividend Aristocrat that strives to target a payout ratio between 60% and 70% of its distributable cash flows (DCF). The current dividend yield stands at 5.7%, which looks quite healthy. Positive Outlook for Earnings and Dividends: Enbridge expects to post average annual earnings and DCF growth of 5% until the end of this decade. The outlook for Enbridges dividend growth looks positive, and the company expects to return between $40 billion and $45 billion to shareholders over the next five years. For context, the corresponding number in the previous five years was $35 billion.

Stars Are Aligning for Enbridge

I have been bullish on ENB stock for quite some time now and believe that the stars are aligning well for the company. To begin with, high-yield dividend stocks might come back into favor with the Fed beginning its rate cuts.

Secondly, data center energy demand is a big opportunity for Enbridge, and the word data center unsurprisingly popped up 18 times during the company's Q2 2025 earnings call. Specifically, the company said that 29 new data centers are within 50 miles of its natural gas systems.
By Rachel More

BERLIN (Reuters) -European carmakers could face significant disruption to manufacturing without a swift resolution to a trade and intellectual property dispute over chipmaker Nexperia between China and the Dutch government, an industry association warned on Thursday.

The dispute could cause further strain on Europe's automotive sector, whose carmakers and suppliers are already battling tariffs, foreign competition and weak demand.

It also thrusts Nexperia into a trade war between the world's two biggest economies, with U.S. President Donald Trump ratcheting up pressure on tech as China curbs rare earth exports.

SPOTLIGHT ON CHINESE OWNER WINGTECH

ACEA, the European Union's auto association, said it was "deeply concerned by potential significant disruption to European vehicle manufacturing if the interruption of Nexperia chips supplies cannot be immediately resolved".

Carmakers and their suppliers received notice from Nexperia last week that it could no longer guarantee delivery of its chips, the ACEA said in a statement.

"Without these chips, European automotive suppliers cannot build the parts and components needed to supply vehicle manufacturers and this therefore threatens production stoppages," the statement said.

"We hope to get all challenges resolved soon to the best of everyone's interests," a Nexperia spokesperson said.

He said the company could not comment further beyond a statement on Tuesday that said it is engaging with Chinese authorities to obtain an exemption from restrictions.

The Dutch government announced on Sunday that it had as of September 30 taken control of Chinese-owned computer chipmaker Nexperia, citing worries about the possible transfer of technology to Nexperia's Chinese parent company, Wingtech.

Court documents showed the Dutch government's move came after months of rising U.S. pressure on the company. Nexperia was at risk of being impacted by a new U.S. rule that extends export control restrictions to companies at least 50% owned by one or more entities on the U.S. entity list.

Washington put Wingtech, which has 100% ownership of Nexperia, on the U.S. list in late December.

The Chinese commerce ministry issued on October 4 an export control notice prohibiting Nexperia China and its subcontractors from exporting specific finished components and sub-assemblies manufactured in China, according to a statement Nexperia published on Tuesday.

Nexperia chips are not technically sophisticated but are needed in large volumes. Its biggest manufacturing site is in Hamburg, Germany, but most of its chips are packaged and assembled into larger products in China.
China-based automaker BYD is considering Spain as its leading candidate for a third European car factory, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The automaker, which is pursuing faster sales growth across the continent, could add a Spanish assembly plant to its planned facilities in Hungary and Turkey.

This move would support Spains ambitions to become a prominent electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing hub.

One source said BYD prefers Spain owing to its comparatively low production costs and a clean energy network.

Alberto De Aza, BYDs country manager for Spain and Portugal, told Reuters last month that industrial framework and inexpensive electricity of Spain rendered it a favourable option for expanding the companys production capacity in Europe.

A third source added that no final decision has been communicated and that other countries remain under consideration.

Any formal approval of the site will require sign-off in China and needs to be completed before the end of 2025, the sources added.

The automaker has previously examined locations including Germany, but that option has been debated internally owing to higher labour and energy costs.

The company intends to manufacture all cars destined for the European market locally within three years.

BYDs Europe sales rose 280% in the first eight months of the year compared with the same period in 2024, following an expansion of its product range to include plugin hybrids alongside fully electric models.

In April, BYD reorganised its operations in Europe, recruiting additional managers and expanding its dealership network.

Spain has been a focus for investment in recent years.

Since announcing a 5bn ($5.8bn) plan in 2020 to attract EV and battery manufacturing using EU pandemic recovery funds, the country has drawn investment from firms including Volkswagen, Chery and CATL.

Spain and China have deepened diplomatic and trade relations; Spain abstained in an European Union (EU) vote last year on tariffs targeting Chinese-made EVs.

BYDs Hungarian factory is under construction but the company has delayed the start of mass production until next year, while the Turkish plant is scheduled to launch in 2026.

"BYD reportedly favours Spain for possible third European assembly plant" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.




Prince Harry has long claimed an affinity with Africa. He first visited at the age of 13, just months after Dianas death, and later described his joy at seeing the Maasai Mara and meeting Nelson Mandela for the first time.

He was at a very impressionable age, and was still in shock about his mum, says Ingrid Seward, author and editor of Majesty magazine. Harry discovered an emotional part of himself on that trip, which is why he will always want to help the people and the wildlife there.

In the decades since that 1997 visit, Harry has forged a serious relationship with the continent  first through his Zimbabwean girlfriend, Chelsy Davy, and then through his charity, Sentebale, which he set up in Lesotho in 2006 to help children affected by HIV/Aids. He took Meghan to Botswana, where Sentebale is also active, weeks after meeting her, and when she floundered in Windsor they discussed a move to Cape Town.

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Unfortunately for the Duke of Sussex, however, Africa no longer seems quite as enamoured by him as he is by it.

Over the last few years, the ties have been fraying. Since leaving the Royal family and moving to the US in 2020, Prince Harry has only visited the continent three times  a stark contrast to the multiple annual trips he took over the previous two decades.

But it was in spring this year that things started to really fall apart. In March, Prince Harry was forced to resign as a patron of Sentebale following a major dispute with the charitys chair, Sophie Chandauka. The Duke and other trustees accused her of creating an untenable situation; Chandauka, meanwhile, said she had been subjected to bullying and harassment. The Charity Commission investigated and found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny, but concluded that all parties were to blame for starting a public row that harmed Sentebales reputation. It also said Chandauka should be allowed to stay on in her role.

Prince Harry and Sophie Chandauka at the Sentebale Polo Cup in Singapore, August 2023  the event raised more than 11 million for children and young people in southern Africa - Matt Jelonek/2023 Getty Images

Prince Harry was said to be emotionally devastated and drained after losing the highly publicised battle for control of an organisation that he had been a part of for almost 20 years. The most devastating thing for Prince Harry in all of this is that his lifes work and all the money he was able to pump into Lesotho and Botswana through his work has gone down in flames, a source close to the Prince said at the time.

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This week will presumably have brought yet more heartache for him when it was revealed that African Parks, a conservation charity he sits on the board of trustees for, had seen their 15-year association with the country of Chad abruptly terminated by government officials.

In an eye-opening broadside, the environment ministry called the conservation group  which the Duke joined in 2016 and became president of the following year, before being promoted from his ceremonial role to the governing board of directors in 2023  disrespectful and suggested it had a whiff of neo-colonialism.

The ministry accused African Parks of failing to protect wildlife among other allegations of mismanagement including illegally collecting tourism revenues, using bank accounts in foreign tax havens, and breaching regulations by transferring capital out of Chad.

African Parks, which is based in Johannesburg and had managed two parks in Chad, described the decision as unilateral and said it had initiated discussions with the ministry to understand the governments position and to explore the best possible way forward. The charity also said that significant conservation and social gains had been achieved during their tenure.

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The organisation has been hugely successful over the last two decades at going into countries with complicated histories  countries like Sudan, the DRC, Angola and Chad that can be notoriously difficult to operate in  and creating 22 national parks in total at the request of local governments. It finances almost all of the regeneration through its impressively high-net worth donors, which includes billionaires Howard Buffett and Bill Ackman and former Walmart chairman Rob Walton who pledged $100 million in 2021, but in return it is said to demand a significant degree of autonomy in the regions where it operates.

They do very important work. We are talking about failing parks and reserves that are declining at a terrible rate, says Charlie Mayhew OBE, founder of African conservation and community charity Tusk.

They ensure the long-term survival of these regions as areas of biodiversity and personally I salute them. It has not been easy and I am sure mistakes have been made, but the bigger picture for me is that they have helped to ensure a very significant area of wildlife habitat remains intact.

A journalist who has visited a number of these reserves agrees, adding: African Parks is robust and no-nonsense  perhaps officials in Chad didnt like that.

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One Cape Town-based businessman, who sits on the board of another major African charity, recently visited Zakouma National Park in Chad  the site that was managed by African Parks until last week  and left impressed by their work. The camp is incredible. It is uninhabitable in the wet season because it fills with a metre of water from the swamps, so they have to remove everything and start again a few months later, he says.

He notes the charitys rehabilitation efforts, which have resulted in the elephant population in Chad trebling and rhinos being successfully reintroduced. My only criticism would be how highly militarised they are against poaching. But it was all very efficient so Im not sure what the problem was.

Officials in Chad had a different perspective. Speaking to The Times this week, one minister said of the charity: They dont engage in conservation  they engage in politics. There hasnt been enough investment to prevent poaching and there is a lack of surveillance tools, anti-poaching efforts and appropriate response plans. Fundamentally, transparency in fundraising, spending and reinvestment must be a priority.

It was not the first time Chad has raised concerns about African Parks operating techniques. In April it was revealed that ministers were investigating reports that poachers had killed some two dozen animals since the beginning of the year, including giraffes and critically-endangered rhinos. Reports suggested the charity had not informed officials about the spate of incidents.

Prince Harry in Malawi in 2019, watching an anti-poaching demonstration - Dominic Lipinski

The following month, the group was pressed into acknowledging that human rights abuses occurred on its watch after an independent investigation found a number of its employees had tortured, beaten and raped members of an indigenous community residing in a park it manages in the Republic of Congo. African Parks acknowledged abuses  [had] occurred at Odzala-Kokoua National Park and said it was committed to making improvements.

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Still, not everyone in Chad agrees with the governments move to sever ties. One editorial in Tchadinfos, a local online news platform, said shadowy forces and lobbying groups were behind a decision that was shocking and disheartening given the charity had put around $5 million per year into the local economy and had become the largest employer in many rural areas.

Either way, what is becoming clear after a week of difficult news headlines for the organisation is that having Prince Harry on your governing board can sometimes do more harm than good, as a spat between a charity and a relatively small African country is unlikely to have become global news without the royal link.

Someone like him makes everything more newsworthy, and not always in a good way, says another charity director based in Johannesburg. Out here in Africa, what we care about is protecting wildlife and helping local communities, not getting bogged down in who said what when. In the past, organisations like ours would jump to have a board member from the Royal family but this is a different world, and increasingly people want their charities to be run by men and women who are based here and who really understand the complications of Africa.

Prince Harry first joined African Parks almost a decade ago when he served as part of an expert team in Malawi that oversaw one of the largest and most significant elephant translocations in conservation history.

Prince Harry in Malawi helping to relocate one of 500 elephants moved across the country as part of a major African Parks conservation project in 2016 - African Parks/Frank Weitzer/PA Archive/PA Images

More recently, in 2022, he hosted a US delegation made up of government officials and rich philanthropists and together they toured African Parks reserves in Zambia, Mozambique and Rwanda. This, of course, is where the Princes star power comes into play, as billionaire investors are far more likely to join a trip when it is hosted by British royalty  and far more likely to donate money. Indeed, Sentebales accounts show that the Duke largely bankrolled the charity through personal donations and sponsored polo matches.

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But his new life in the US makes participating in ventures of the like he led in 2022 more difficult, not to mention understanding the minutiae of the day to day operations of charities which operate across multiple countries, in complex circumstances.

The Cape Town-based businessman is doubtful that it is possible to truly get to grips with the affairs of an organisation such as African Parks when you live on the other side of the world. He is a very fancy name to have but is someone like him really involved as in the way he should be?

In fact, the name can also make things more complicated on African soil. These days, having royalty as the face of an organisation absolutely plays into charges of neo-colonialism, says Lesotho-born businessman John Barton-Bridges, who has run and worked with a number of charities in the region. You immediately find yourself in very tricky territory.

Harry is also a very divisive figure and he is known as a bit of a fighter, he adds, which makes people wary of working with him.

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Indeed, the Princes very public battles with his family may have made charities  which look for unifying rather than polarising figures  more cautious about partnering with him.

The same could be said for Meghan, who this week was in the news when reports emerged of racism and sexism at World Vision, the charity for which she was formerly an ambassador. World Vision denies the claims.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex seen here visiting Cape Town during their 2019 Africa tour, yet their relationship with the continent has changed markedly since then - COURTNEY AFRICA/AFP

Thats not to say royal patronage can never work. Interestingly, Prince William has long had a relationship with Tusk which appears to have been highly positive for both parties.

I can tell you that it has been the most fantastic thing for us: he is passionate about Africa, the environment and conservation and he is a fantastic spokesman for us, says Tusks Mayhew.

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But the big difference between us and African Parks is that we dont manage or implement any projects ourselves on the ground. Our business model is to identify the best locally-led organisations that we can get behind and invest in them. It has never been about us parachuting in a team so optics have never been much of a problem.

As for Prince Harry, he now needs to decide what he wants his relationship with Africa to look like in the future  and to work out whether he has the time or inclination to rebuild some of the bridges that appear to have been burned.

Currently, he is said to be examining his options. He may well choose to just support existing charities operating in the same space in the region or he may choose to set up something new completely, a source close to the Duke said in August, in the wake of the Sentebale row.

Whatever he decides, he will need to tread carefully. Africa has changed over the last decade  and so has he.

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King Charles III will have to decide how to navigate Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir as allegations against Prince Andrew resurface.

Keep reading for the details

MORE: Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more top news

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"I think things have reached such a state now, with the latest excerpts from Virginia Giuffre's book, that the public wants another show of punishment for Andrew," royal correspondent Jennie Bond told The Mirror.

Mirrorpix / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com

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"It seems impossible to force him out of Royal Lodge, but he could certainly be removed from the Order of the Garter," Jennie Bond said prior to Andrew getting his titles taken away from him. "It is a hideous quandary for the King, but Andrew's association with Epstein  who so grievously preyed on young girls  is now tainting the monarchy and all the good work it does. Something has to be done."

Virginia Giuffre, who was one of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged victims, took legal action against Andrew, which they later settled. However, Andrew's ties to Epstein and Giuffre's lawsuit led to the end of his royal career.

James Whatling / MEGA

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Prince Andrew has yet to move out of the Royal Lodge and continues to attend family gatherings.

"Banning him from shoots etc., would be another humiliation, for sure," Jennie Bond noted. "But is it enough?"

MEGA

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Prince Andrew's 2019 interview with the BBC about Virginia Giuffre's claims caused irreparable damage to his public image.

"I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened," Andrew said. "I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever."
As time progresses further into the mid 2020s, the collective nostalgia for 2000s and even early 2010s culture only seems to deepen. Fashion wise, the aughts brought about a number of quintessential looks, from velour tracksuits to dresses layered over jeans. The decade also proved fruitful for the celebrity footwear imprint in the fashion industry, paving the way for the plentiful ambassadorships with household names that saturate the market today, as well as celebrity-founded brands.

In the sneaker world specifically, musicians and other stars made their marks. For example, the 2000s saw multiple hip-hop artists team up with Reebok  Jay-Z launched his S. Carter line in 2002, 50 Cent and his rap group G-Unit launched their line in 2003, and Pharrell Williams and Nigo dropped their Ice Cream footwear line in 2004, all in collaboration with Reebok.

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But Reebok wasnt the only brand getting in on the popularity of hip-hop. Adidas partnered with Missy Elliott for her Respect M.E. line, which hit the market in 2004. And Jump worked with Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas on a sneaker line, which launched in 2009.

Skechers also capitalized on celebrity power. The comfort-focused, California-based brand tapped stars like Christina Aguilera, Robert Downey, Jr., Ashlee Simpson and Brandy to front campaigns. In 2010, a partnership with the Kardashian family was announced.

Some celebrities started their own brands. Angela and Vanessa Simmons, for example, daughters of Rev. Run, created the Pastry brand, which included many sneaker options. Gwen Stefanis L.A.M.B. fashion venture  Love Angel Music Baby  was launched in 2003 and got into mens sneakers in 2005 in collaboration with Royal Elastics.

Below, discover or revisit the celebrity footwear moments that defined the 2000s and early 2010s.

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G-Unit and Reebok

G-Unit and Reebok

Rapper 50 Cent arrives November 4, 2003, at his and Reeboks launch party for Answer 7 and G6 footwear at Capitale in New York City.

Jay-Z and Reebok

Jay-Z and Reebok

Jay-Z during a photocall at Stansted Airport, to launch a new range of customised Reebok trainers, the S.Carter Collection.

Jay-Z and Reebok

Jay-Z and Reebok

Rapper Jay-Z signs autographs at a media conference for the release of his second signature footwear line, the S. Carter Collection by RBK, at Footlocker in Harlem on June 30, 2003 in New York City.

Missy Elliott and Adidas

Missy Elliott and Adidas

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Missy Elliott poses for a photo during a press conference to annouce her partnership with Adidas and present her Adidas clothing line Respect Me at the Adidas Store April 13, 2004 in New York City.

Missy Elliott and Adidas

Missy Elliott and Adidas

Missy Elliott shows off new clothing line at Adidas Store, 120 Wooster St on April 13.

Missy Elliott and Adidas

Missy Elliott and Adidas

Some of Missy Elliotts new designs are seen during a press conference to annouce her partnership with Adidas and present her Adidas clothing line Respect Me at the Adidas Store April 13, 2004 in New York City.

Billionaire Boys Club and Reebok

Billionaire Boys Club and Reebok

Musician Pharrell Williams attends the press conference launching Reeboks Billionaire Boys Club apparel line and Ice Cream footwear collection at The Lounge on August 11, 2004 in Los Angeles, California.

Gwen Stefanis L.A.M.B. Brand

Gwen Stefanis L.A.M.B. Brand

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Gwen Stefani launches L.A.M.B. Mens Sneaker Collection at Barneys in New York City.

Ashlee Simpson and Skechers

Ashlee Simpson and Skechers

Ashlee Simpson attends photocall at Skechers Store in London for her Skechers campaign.

Angela and Vanessa Simmons Pastry Brand

Angela and Vanessa Simmons Pastry Brand

Vanessa Simmons and Angela Simmons unveil their Pastry shoe line at Underground Station shoe store on April 3, 2008 in Lithonia, Georgia.

Angela and Vanessa Simmons Pastry Brand

Angela and Vanessa Simmons Pastry Brand

Television personalities Angela Simmons and Vanessa Simmons sign autographs during a launch for their Smoothie line of their Pastry brand shoes at Underground Station in The Boulevard Mall on August 30, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Angela and Vanessa Simmons Pastry Brand

Angela and Vanessa Simmons Pastry Brand

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Television personalities Angela Simmons and Vanessa Simmons sign autographs during a launch for their Smoothie line of their Pastry brand shoes at Underground Station in The Boulevard Mall on August 30, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Kardashians and Skechers

The Kardashians and Skechers

Khloe Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian attend the Skechers global partnership announcement at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel on November 22, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California.

The Kardashians and Skechers

The Kardashians and Skechers

Kim Kardashian attends the Skechers global partnership announcement at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel on November 22, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California.

Taboo and Jump

Taboo and Jump

Taboo of Black Eyed Peas promotes the Taboo Deltah 3008 sneaker made with Jump at Loveless Japan on February 25, 2011 in Tokyo, Japan.
The word winning has symbolized both triumph and tragedy for Charlie Sheen.

Once among the highest paid actors in Hollywood and praised for standout roles in films like "Platoon" and "Wall Street," Sheens success was undeniable. But in 2011, #winning became his viral hashtag during a highly publicized meltdown.

In September, he returned to the public eye with the memoir The Book of Sheen and the Netflix documentary aka Charlie Sheen. Both projects featured candid openness about his addiction and recovery, especially the documentary directed by Andrew Renzi, where he said that nothing was off the table and hed answer any question.

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Aside from cameos on the TV series Bookie and music video appearances, Sheen has been inactive since the films 9/11 and Mad Families in 2017. But during a recent interview, he said theres a possibility his Hollywood comeback is in motion and that he and his former Two and a Half Men co-star Jon Cryer are in talks about doing another sitcom.

US actor Charlie Sheen attends the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix's "aka Charlie Sheen" at the Tudum theatre in Hollywood, California, on September 4, 2025. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR/AFP via Getty Images)

If I did the multi-camera, half-hour again, it would only be with that guy. For the first time in forever, I think Im going to have the kind of choices that really excite me, Sheen told The Desert Sun.

Sheen is also on the Alive On Stage tour and is continuing the conversation about his childhood, family, recovery and more. Hell appear on Nov. 1 at Morongo Casino Resort Spa.

He said it felt like the right time to tell his story after living a consistent sober lifestyle since 2017.

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I didnt want to wait too much longer to finally tell my story in a way I feel like it needed to be told because I also needed enough time between now and all the nuttiness and the chaos, and enough distance to have the kind of perspective where I could speak to these things in a way that  most of the relationships had been healed by then, and Id forgiven myself for not all of it, but enough of it by then, Sheen said.

Charlie Sheen documentary, book origins

The people who could paint an honest picture of Sheen participated in the documentary, such as his ex-wives Denise Richards and Brooke Mueller, Two and a Half Men producer Chuck Lorre and Cryer, actors Sean Penn and Chris Tucker, and his former drug dealer. But the important people missing were his parents, Martin and Janet Sheen, and brother Emilio Estevez.

Sheen said the book and documentary emerged almost simultaneously, though not by design, and described writing the book without a ghostwriter as the hardest job Ive ever had, but the most rewarding one.

I wrote a book of poetry (in 1991), but it was silly and kind of forgettable. Theres a couple of good pieces in there, but Id never been hired as an author, which is kind of cool. Id never done a documentary as the central focus, Ive contributed to documentaries, but not one just about myself. And I saw enough of (Renzis) work to realize this dude is special and hes operating on a different frequency, Sheen said.

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Throughout his life, Sheen has had public rifts and strained relationships with his family members, friends and colleagues while battling his addictions. During a 2017 car ride with his daughter Sami, he decided to get sober for real after he had been drinking and had to ask a friend to drive him and Sami to an appointment. Sheen said he's found that being accountable and making amends doesn't always deliver the results both parties need.

Charlie Sheen talks about his life, career and many issues in the documentary "aka Charlie Sheen."

"I can't control somebody else's timeline or tell them how they're supposed to feel about certain things that happened. That's none of my business. It's having faith in the idea that as more time plays out from the bad to the current  the current being good  that there's enough of a history where that person will ultimately come to a place of acceptance. I think it's not expecting that they do it now because 'this is what I want,'" Sheen said.

There are some things that Sheen didnt discuss related to his addiction in both projects. He described these items as the mash up of all the film activity and fame stuff. But he said hes not shy about discussing how he feels about Alcoholics Anonymous.

I always preface that with Thats just from my experience. Im not making recommendations to anybody else or saying that this is what your journey has to look like as well. Its not like that. It hasnt been met with a ton of controversy, backlash, or hes on a road to destruction. I think people are understanding that I tried it a certain way for 21 years, didnt have the results I was always looking for, and then decided to try it on my own. Thats still todays reality as we sit here, Sheen said.

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Sheen said the difference this time around compared to his previous attempts to get sober from addiction to substances such as crack-cocaine and alcohol is what he describes as "absolute reality that the next hit kills me."

Andrew Renzi, left, and Charlie Sheen attend the Netflix "aka Charlie Sheen" Premiere.

The next hit kills me, and thats as far as drugs go. But as far as drinking goes, I only missed the first hour. The first hour is awesome and the best hour in the known universe, but after that, I cant have that first hour without the next 300 that come along for the ride. Theres no room for it. Theres no want for it either. Its not something where Im looking for that first window where its like, Oh, I have a week off, all the kids are with their various moms. Its a shift in mindset and theres really nothing left, Sheen said.

Sheen's ideal future in showbiz

Even though Sheen has made headlines since the 90s for substance abuse, being a client of Hollywood Madam Heidi Fleiss, marriages and divorces, arrests for domestic violence, appearances on Alex Jones radio show and later podcast InfoWars and other controversial moments, aka Charlie Sheen is a reminder of his unforgettable presence on screen.

Whether it was comedy, drama, or the occasional offbeat role, Sheen consistently delivered performances that stood out. His role as the young and naive Chris Taylor in the 1986 Vietnam War epic Platoon was visceral. A year later in Stones Wall Street, his performance as Bud Fox was exceptional. His character Rick Wild Thing Vaughn in the 1989 comedy-sports film Major League is a pop culture reference and celebrated by Cleveland Guardians fans, who dress up like him with the signature glasses and the 99 jerseys.

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There's one type of role he'd like to play, even though he's already portrayed it opposite Clint Eastwood in "The Rookie," and that's what he describes as a "hardened detective." The true crime genre is popular, and civilians have become internet and armchair detectives.

Actors Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer during a taping of CBS' comedy "Two and a Half Men" on Sept. 9, 2005 in Burbank, California.

"There's room for a great new detective drama. Like a (Harry) 'Bosch,' True Detective' or 'Mare of Easttown.' Something where people get really invested. I've never been given the opportunity or created the opportunity to dive into something like that. I want to carry a badge, knock on doors ... you know, as Bosch says, 'get off your ass and go knock on doors.' I'm putting that energy out there," Sheen said.

There was a show he tried to pitch three years ago, in which he played a version of himself and forced to move back in with his parents after his Malibu home burned down in a fire. He said "the appetite for it wasn't exactly ravenous," but Sheen is open to revisiting the show with the right writers and producers behind it.

"Just to have choices again is just like ... geez, wow, I'll take it," Sheen said.

'I didn't go crazy, I went through crazy'

In the documentary, Sheen admitted that he can't watch footage of himself from 2011 after he was fired from "Two and a Half Men," his interview with ABC News' Andrea Canning, and videos from his "My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat Is Not an Option" tour. This was also when his phrases "winning" and "tiger blood" became viral internet memes.

Charlie Sheen attends a charity softball game to benefit "California Strong" at Pepperdine University on Jan. 13, 2019, in Malibu, California.

"People out there only know the guy in the bowling shirt or the guy screaming 'winning.' I think it's important not just for the industry, but for a multi-generational fan base, to see front and center that I didn't go crazy, I went through crazy," Sheen said. "It was a three-month period, it wasn't a whole situation, and I'm not saying that in a diminished observation of that type of mental health crisis, but it was a mental health crisis. It happened at a time when it wasn't the lens people viewed that stuff through."

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Looking back on that chapter in his life, Sheen said "I don't think any of that could happen today," mostly because of the guardrails he's put up and the people he now surrounds himself with, which is down to the core of trusted friends and family who have his best interests in mind.

"I don't make a lot of new friends  not because I avoid people, but for obvious reasons," Sheen said. "I spend so much time with my children these days, and my parents are in their 80s, so I dedicate a lot of time to them. The people in my life now are there for the right reasons, have always been there and those are the ears I choose to bend when there's something I'm uncertain about or need feedback, or have a brilliant idea about something that isn't brilliant."

In aka Charlie Sheen, he discussed his first trip to rehab in 1990 at Saint John's hospital in Santa Monica, but delayed checking in because he was scheduled to judge a bikini contest at a hotel in Palm Springs. He went back to to the rehab and checked in afterwards. When asked about the incident and coming back to the area while on the Alive On Stage tour, he laughed and said there was more to the story about that trip thats included in "The Book of Sheen."

I think its about time I got back there, dont you? If theres a bikini on that trip, I hope its because I stayed an extra day and I find myself poolside (at Morongo Casino). Its a good circle to close, because that Palm Springs trip did have some cosmic elements to it, Sheen said.

If you go

What: Charlie Sheen, "Alive On Stage"

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When: 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 1

Where: Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49-500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon.

How much: Tickets start at $89.50

More information: morongocasinoresort.com

Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment for the Desert Sun. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Charlie Sheen documentary, book subject of Palm Springs area talk
When it comes to body language, yes, we all know it usually says way more than our actual words. The funny thing is, most of us dont even realize when were doing it and we tend to fall into the same habits in all kinds of situations. Even royals like Kate Middleton and her husband, Prince William, have signature moves weve seen them do time and time again.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, both 43, recently spent a busy day out visiting spots in Northern Ireland and Prince William casually brought back one of his classic gestures. The move? Crossing his hands in front of him. Its something weve caught him doing often, like during a visit to Homewards (a Royal Foundation charity focused on ending homelessness) and even during President Donald Trumps state visit.

Chris Jackson - Pool via Samir Hussein/WireImage

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Snaps from their October 14 appearance show Prince William standing in an orchard, glancing off to the side with his hands folded in front of him. But that wasnt the only thing catching attention during this outing. He also switched up his outfit in a pretty noticeable way.

The royal is pretty loyal to his go-to navy look. Whether its a fullsuit or a jeans-and-sweater vibe, its kind of his thing. So when he showed up in a brown jacket, it wasn't hard to notice.

While in Northern Ireland, William and Catherine stopped by the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Services brand new Learning and Development College in Cookstown, a top-tier training center for future firefighters.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

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They also paid a visit to Mallon Farm in County Tyrone, where a local, sustainable food supply chain is being rebuilt with a focus on creativity, collaboration, and caring for the planet. They wrapped the day at Long Meadow Cider in County Armagh, a family-run farm thats blending old-school tradition with fresh innovation to make award-winning ciders and juices.

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Prince William & Kate Middletons Body Language at Yesterday's Outing Says a Lot About Their Bond
Brigitte Bardotthe iconic French actress known for starring in ...And God Created Womanhas been hospitalized.

On Friday, Oct. 17, the Daily Mail reported that Bardot, 91, has been in a hospital in Toulon, France, for three weeks as she battles a "serious illness."

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According to local media outlets, Bardot reportedly underwent surgery and is now recovering. No further details about her health or prognosis were made public, as of writing.

Brigitte Bardot was invited for a meeting on the environment with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on Sept. 27, 2007 (Gilles BASSIGNAC/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

In 2023, Bardot's husband, Bernard dOrmale, spoke out after she was treated by first responders at their Saint-Tropez home.

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It was around 9 a.m. when Brigitte had trouble breathing, he told the French outlet Var-matin. [Her breathing] was stronger than usual but she did not lose consciousness. Lets call it a moment of respiratory distraction."

During the incident, first responders reportedly gave Bardot oxygen and stayed to monitor for a while. Like all people of a certain age, she can no longer bear the heat,"dOrmale told the outlet. "It happens at 88 years old. She must not make useless efforts."

In addition to ...And God Created Woman (1956), Bardot is known for films like The Truth (1960), Love on a Pillow (1962), Contempt (1963), and more.

Related: Gene Simmons, 76, Shares Health Update After Car Crash & Hospitalization

She has been married four times: to Roger Vadim from 1952 to 1957, Jacques Charrier from 1959 to 1962, Gunter Sachs from 1966 to 1969, and d'Ormale since 1992. Bardot welcomed a son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, with her second husband in 1960. However, he was raised by Charrier's family.

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In her 1995 memoir, Initiales B. B: Memoires, Bardot wrote, per People, "I'm not made to be a mother. I'm not adult enoughI know it's horrible to have to admit that, but I'm not adult enough to take care of a child."

Charrier and Nicolas-Jacques sued Bardot and her publisher for the memoirs hurtful remarks" in 1997.

Next: Ace Frehleys Net Worth at His Time of Death: KISS Lead Guitarist Faced Financial Difficulties

This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Chinese chip designer Cambricon Technologies and artificial intelligence company SenseTime have teamed up to advance the country's efforts to become self-reliant in AI infrastructure, according to a social media post on Wednesday.

The two companies intend to leverage their respective hardware and software expertise to promote "a new indigenous AI development paradigm", according to a WeChat post by SenseTime, in response to the "AI Plus" strategy unveiled in August by the State Council, China's cabinet.

Beijing has made self-reliance across China's AI stack - from integrated circuits to AI models - a national priority, as infrastructure buildout is expected to be a major theme in the country's development of a 15th five-year plan.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

The strategic cooperation is expected to result in a synthesis of Hong Kong-headquartered SenseTime's foundational models with Beijing-based Cambricon's growing suite of AI processors, according to Wednesday's post.

The two companies said they would jointly develop AI computing solutions and "all-in-one" vertical enterprise services, as well as explore "pooling regional industrial resources ... to build more dynamic and influential regional AI ecosystems".

General view of SenseTime headquarters inside the Hong Kong Science Park in Tai Po. Photo: Sam Tsang alt=General view of SenseTime headquarters inside the Hong Kong Science Park in Tai Po. Photo: Sam Tsang>

Cambricon, dubbed China's "little Nvidia" by retail investors, is one of the country's hottest companies after its Shanghai-traded stock surged fivefold over the past year. It went public in 2020.

In August, the company reported a 4,348 per cent year-on-year increase in first-half revenue to a record 2.88 billion yuan (US$404.8 million). It has forecast further revenue growth amid increased demand for computing power to train and run large AI models.

Meanwhile, SenseTime recorded an adjusted loss of 1.16 billion yuan in the first half, following a difficult few years in which it struggled under the weight of US sanctions.

One of China's first batch of AI champions, SenseTime has released several foundational models, including the SenseNova V6.5 in July.

SenseTime co-founder and CEO Xu Li told the Post last month that the company's strong capabilities in computer vision technology give its multimodal models an advantage over competitors.
Curb Your Enthusiasm star Cheryl Hines marriage to former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly caused friction with some of her Hollywood friendships.

The couple were famously introduced to one another by Hines Curb costar Larry David, and they got married at the Kennedy family compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, in August 2014.

RFK Jr. 's growing prominence in the anti-vaccine movement subsequently put him at odds with the Western medical establishment, while his decision to join President Donald Trumps second administration in January 2025 as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services seemingly alienated many of his wifes former friends. Hines stood by her husband throughout his foray in politics.

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I have a few friends, when Bobby stepped into the political arena, it became too difficult emotionally for them to stay close, just a few friends," she told CBS News in October 2025. "And I understand it."

Celebrity BFFs: Hollywoods Closest Pals

Keep scrolling for a look at where some of Hines Hollywood friendships stand.

Larry David

Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images

According to Hines, her Curb Your Enthusiasm costar introduced her to Kennedy at a ski fundraiser in 2004. (The future couple did not seriously begin dating until 2010.)

[Larry] was very happy about [the relationship] and [said] Cheryl was the best person hed ever met, Kennedy recalled in a 2024 interview. He said that she was beloved in the industry and that she was the only one in Hollywood who didnt have a single enemy.

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However, Kennedy then confessed David had a very different reaction to their relationship when the Curb creator spoke privately to Hines.

He said, Oh, thats never going to work, Hines said.

Asked whether David was kidding around, Kennedy acknowledged that the comedian was genuinely giving his longtime costar good advice.

JFKs Grandson Jack Schlossberg Trolls Cousin-in-Law Cheryl Hines: She Looks Super Dehydrated

Hines continued to work with David on Curb Your Enthusiasm following her marriage to Kennedy. However, David spoke out when Kennedy told The New York Times that he felt a lot of support and love from Hines friends, including David, after he announced his short-lived presidential run in 2023.

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Yes love and support, but Im not supporting him, David clarified in a text message to the Times.

Hines revealed on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in 2024 that she and Kennedy had dinner with David the same night he released his statement.

Weirdly, it wasnt [uncomfortable], she told host Andy Cohen. These two have been friends for so long and I think when Larry said it, I think he was being Larry, like, Oh, I support him but I dont support him. And I think Larry and Bobby are like, Well, OK.' And Im just like, Pass the asparagus. This is a weird night, but OK.

Rachael Harris

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Hines and Harris became best friends in the mid-1990s while performing with the influential L.A. sketch group The Groundlings, which launched the careers of Conan O'Brien, Lisa Kudrow, Kristen Wiig, Jennifer Coolidge and many other comedy titans.

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Rachael and I have been best friends for a long time. We don't have to put a date on it. And I learned how to improvise at the Groundlings and do sketch comedy," Hines told People in 2024. "And if I hadn't learned how to improvise, I would've never gotten part of Curb Your Enthusiasm. So, I mean, it just put me on a different path in every way."

That same year, Harris  who is best known for starring in Lucifer and Suits  referred to Hines as my heart while speaking to the publication.

"I've always said to Cheryl that if she ever leaves me, I'm going with her," Harris quipped. "So, we've been friends since around 1995. And the thing that I like to say about Cheryl these days is I love her. She's the first person I want to talk to in the morning when I wake up. And the last person I want to talk to before I go to bed at night."

Ted Danson

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Hines and Danson worked together on Curb Your Enthusiasm for over 20 years, including a season where their characters briefly dated on screen.

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In light of Kennedy joining the Trump administration, Danson revealed on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast in April 2025 that he was no longer in touch with Hines or Kennedy.

Both of them, I dont see, Danson told host Howie Mandel.

Danson said it felt like none of [his] business to check in with Hines about Kennedys political ambitions, though she did once confide in him that it was hard to be married to a very controversial person.

The former Cheers actor admitted there were political complications due to his wife Mary Steenburgens close friendship with Bill and Hillary Clinton, since Kennedy was critical of the Clintons in the past.

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If Cheryl wanted me to know what it was like to be with Bobby at this point, she would tell me, Danson pointed out. But until somebody tells me, I feel like [its] none of my business.

Tig Notaro

Courtesy of Instagram/_cherylhines

Hines and the Star Trek alum hosted the popular podcast Tig and Cheryl: True Story for four years before they benched the series in 2024.

Many fans of the podcast suspected Notaro  who shares twin sons with her wife, Stephanie Allynne  was uncomfortable with Hines and Kenendys budding involvement in right-wing political circles, which the comedian confirmed to be true in October 2025.

Cheryls married to Bobby Kennedy Jr. When he was announcing his run, I just felt like I needed to step away because there are beliefs that were like a gnat on the arm years ago that were getting further into the spotlight, Notaro told the Breaking Bread With Tom Papa podcast.

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Cheryl Hines Celebrates 59th Birthday With Daughter Catherine, Stepdaughter Kyra: Me and My Girls

Notaro pointed out that her friendship with Hines predated her marriage to Bobby, though the politicians controversial beliefs drove a wedge in their friendship.

Again, other beliefs he had were like a gnat on my arm. But then it started to grow, and Cheryl wanted me to hear Bobby out.  And then he endorsed Trump, and then it just got hard, Notaro remembered.

The comic added, Cheryl did bring me so much joy. But thats what Im looking for, is I want to get back to prioritizing people that bring me joy and workloads that bring me joy.
Jennifer Aniston is ready to renovate her Bel-Air home amid the growing chatter about a possible wedding with her boyfriend, Jim Curtis. Aniston reportedly bought the house next door secretly for $7.25 million. Now, she has kicked off a major refresh, while sources also suggest that the Friends alum is quietly eyeing a small ceremony in Greece.

Jennifer Aniston starts renovating her Bel-Air home amid wedding rumors, says source

RadarOnline exclusively reported that Jennifer Aniston is preparing to renovate her home. City permits show the 4,853-square-foot home is getting updates to three bathrooms and a kitchen. Moreover, the tabloid cited aerial photos, showing the pool drained and refurbished, the front yard stripped back, and solar panels removed from the roof. The property is right beside her $21 million main home.

This major update has come after a frightening security scare in May, when a man allegedly rammed Anistons gate. Security held the stalker at gunpoint until police arrived. Prosecutors later revealed that he had sent several unwanted messages to the actor for months, and, according to RadarOnline, Aniston was extremely shaken up. So much so that she even considered selling her property.

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Making matters worse, a police spokesperson revealed her block on TV, which made Aniston furious with the LAPD. The insider added, Since the incident, shes had people flooding outside her house, hoping to get a glimpse of her. Aniston expected more protection from the police, but to no avail.

As far as The Morning Show stars personal affairs go, sources told Star that her boyfriend has become a ray of sunshine in her life. She reportedly wants a wedding in Greece. An insider told the news outlet, She actually lived there when she was a kid for about a year and shes gone back many times to visit.

Whether or not the wedding is in the cards, it is clear that Jennifer Anistons focus right now is her home and privacy  and the possibility that she might renovate it.

Originally reported by Ishika Mishra on Reality Tea.

The post Jennifer Aniston Upgrading Her Home Amid Greek Wedding Rumors, Says Source appeared first on Mandatory.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Kevin Federline says concern for his two sons with Britney Spears long kept him from telling his story, and those same concerns are the reason he's telling it now that they're men.

In a memoir to be released Tuesday, You Thought You Knew, Federline documents his difficult years as husband, ex-husband, and co-parent with Spears, who wrote her own memoir in 2023.

Federline's includes some salacious stories and some potentially disturbing details about her behavior that have already made headlines.

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I want my children to be able to move forward in their lives and know that the actual truth of everything is out there, Federline, 47, told The Associated Press in a Zoom interview, backed by palm trees in Hawaii, where he now lives with wife Victoria Prince and their two daughters. Thats a very, very big part of this for me. And its really important that I share my story, so they dont have to.

He and Spears' son Preston is now 20 and his brother Jayden is 19. They have little relationship with their mother.

Federline was a 26-year-old backup dancer for other major pop acts when he coupled with Spears in 2004. Their courtship, two-year marriage and divorce took them through one of the most intense celebrity media frenzies in modern history. Federline was ruthlessly roasted as a loser hanger-on, especially after he released his own deeply mocked hip-hop album.

I wasnt just famous  I was infamous, he writes in the book, which will be released on the new audiobook first platform Listenin.

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He told the AP he long considered writing the book, but recently got serious about it.

I picked it up and put it down quite a lot over probably a five-year period, he said. I think that its a very good description of me, who I am, the father Ive become, the husband I am, the ex-husband I am.

Key revelations from Kevin Federline about Britney Spears

 Federline describes the night he and Spears first connected at a Hollywood nightclub, and how they hooked up hours later in a hotel bungalow: Britney turned around, slipped off her underwear and started kissing me, tearing at my clothes with both hands. We stumbled toward the bed while I struggled to kick my pants off my ankles. This. Is. Happening. OK, sorry. Calm down, thats as detailed as Im going to get.

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 He writes that a San Andreas-level seismic shift in my reality followed a few hours later when he left the hotel with Spears and dozens of paparazzi cars followed them.

 He describes the night before their wedding, when Spears called her ex Justin Timberlake, seeking closure: She never really got over him. She mightve loved me, but there was something there with Justin that she couldnt let go of.

 Federline said seeing Spears drinking while pregnant tripped the silent alarms in my head. He later was outraged when he saw her doing cocaine when the boys were still breastfeeding, saying are you seriously going to go home after this and feed them like you dont have a body full of drugs?

 He writes that Preston told him Spears mercilessly mocked him and once punched him in the face.

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 He says the boys began refusing to visit her when they were 13 and 14, and later told him stories that shook me to the core. They would awaken sometimes at night to find her standing silently in the doorway, watching them sleep  Oh, youre awake?  with a knife in her hand.

Spears' response to Federline's book

Spears responded with a statement on her social media accounts. She said Federline has engaged in constant gaslighting.

Trust me, those white lies in that book, they are going straight to the bank and I'm the only one who genuinely gets hurt here. She said, adding that if you really know me, you won't pay attention to the tabloids of my mental health and drinking.

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She also addressed her relationship with her sons:

I have always pleaded and screamed to have a life with my boys. Relationships with teenage boys is complex. I have felt demoralized by this situation and have always asked and almost begged for them to be a part of my life. Sadly, they have always witnessed the lack of respect shown by (their) own father for me.

An attorney for Spears did not respond to a request for comment.

Federline's life, and thoughts about Spears' life

Federline writes about growing up in Fresno, California, and finding my therapy and my purpose through dance.

He reminisces about his first big tour, with Pink, and working with Aaliyah, Destiny's Child and Michael Jackson. He details wrestling with John Cena in the WWE and appearing in a self-mocking Super Bowl commercial.

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Federline says Preston and Jayden are living on their own as young adults, and have both been working on making music that makes him proud.

He weighs in on Spears' dissolved court conservatorship, saying it was necessary but hurt most of the people involved. He said the fans who fought to free her left an unfortunate legacy.

The Free Britney movement may have started from a good place, but it vilified everyone around her so intensely that now its nearly impossible for anyone to step in, he writes.

He says in the book that he wrote it in part as a public plea for her to get more help.

I've lost hope that things will ever fully turn around, he writes, but I still hope that Britney can find peace.
Welcome to The Scoop  the ultimate back-to-the-office water cooler cheat sheet, your go-to source for all things everyone really wants to know! Get the latest on everything from the political swamp maneuvering in D.C. and Hollywood drama to jaw-dropping small-town shenanigans from Paula Froelich. Subscribe to her newsletter here.

(NewsNation)  Jaws dropped when Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, swanned into the Balenciaga show in Paris last week.

But dont worry  she didnt break her own bank to get there.

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While the brands new design head, Pierpaolo Piccioli, claimed Meghan reached out to him and said shed love to come to his show  she didnt spend any of her money on it.

Meghan stresses value of being on the side of good on social media

In the past, designers used to pay celebrities and big names to sit in their front row  and while that practice has fallen by the wayside, brands will shell out big money to get the celebs and their entourage to their shows, put them up, house, feed and dress them.

Uber stylist Phillip Bloch, who has worked with Halle Berry, Salma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Kidman in the past, told me, I would imagine everything was paid for  travel, hotel, clothing, cars, and of course security in madames case because we know its such a big issue with her.

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Bloch estimates Meghans all-white couture ensemble that she wore to the actual show  and the all black ensemble she wore a day later  cost at least $50,000 each. Gifted, of course  she does like her freebies, Bloch said, and continued that she was likely flown private as if she had flown public or first class, it would have let the secret out  someone would have seen her and said something.

Meghan Markle arrives at the Paley Honors Fall Gala on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) PARIS, FRANCE  OCTOBER 04: Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex attends the Balenciaga Womenswear Spring/Summer 2026 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on October 04, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images for Balenciaga) PARIS, FRANCE  OCTOBER 04: Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex is seen leaving the Balenciaga Diner on October 04, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pierre Suu/GC Images) PARIS, FRANCE  OCTOBER 05: Meghan Markle is seen during the Womenswear Spring Summer 2026 as part of Paris Fashion Week on October 05, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Andrea Cremascoli/Getty Images) Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, arrives at the Invictus Games venue in The Hague, Netherlands, on April 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File) BOGOTA, COLOMBIA  AUGUST 15: Britains Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends the Responsible Digital Future forum at EAN University in Bogota, Colombia on August 15, 2024. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle land in Colombia to join Marquez in discussions with women and youth on combating discrimination and cyberbullying. (Photo by Juancho Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images) Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, participates in The Archewell Foundation Parents Summit Mental Wellness in the Digital Age as part of Project Healthy Minds World Mental Health Day Festival on Oct. 10, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) FILE  Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex, appears at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York, on Sept. 23, 2021. The first podcast from Prince Harry and Meghans partnership with Spotify will focus on harmful labels and stereotypes applied to women. The Archetypes podcast will be hosted by Meghan and is expected to launch this summer. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) FILE  Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, salutes during the Global Citizen festival, on Sept. 25, 2021 in New York. A British newspaper publisher began Tuesday its court appeal against a judges ruling that it invaded the privacy of the Duchess of Sussex by publishing parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father, arguing that she knew the letter would potentially be published. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a reception for young people at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Feb. 13, 2018, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Andrew Milligan  WPA Pool/Getty Images) Britains Prince Harry gestures next to his wife Meghan as they ride a horse-drawn carriage after their wedding ceremony at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor on May 19, 2018. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/File Photo FILE  In this Monday, March 9, 2020 file photo, Britains Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex leaves after attending the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London. A lawyer for the publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper said Wednesday Jan. 20, 2021, that the Duchess of Sussex had no reasonable expectation of privacy for a letter she sent her estranged father. The former Meghan Markle is suing publisher Associated Newspapers for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement over five February 2019 articles in the Mail on Sunday and on the MailOnline website that published portions of a handwritten letter to her father, Thomas Markle, after her marriage to Britains Prince Harry in 2018. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, speaks during the South by Southwest Conference in Austin, Texas, on March 8, 2024. (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP, File)

Meghans travel costs add up

An international private jet from Los Angeles to Paris costs a minimum $100,000 one way  adding up to $200,000 for her trip.

Then there was the hotel room. Meghan is said to have stayed at the Hotel Plaza Athens  where rooms start at $2500 a night. And of course she brought her bestie, makeup artist Daniel Martin  who also would have acquired a room  and whose day rates start at $2,000.

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Prince William tells Eugene Levy that 2024 was the hardest year of his life

The makeup, hair all gets included, Bloch said. And of course, the cost of flowers sent to the room and the presents the designer would have left in her room.

Meghan part of Balenciagas rebrand

It was a genius move for Balenciaga  to help them rebrand after that whole pedophilia fiasco.

In November 2022, Balenciaga released two advertising campaigns that sparked major public backlash for featuring disturbing images showing young children holding teddy bears dressed in bondage / BDSM gear like leather harnesses and straps, amidst props like empty wine glasses and champagne flutes. The campaign sparked outrage online, with hashtags like #BoycottBalenciaga trending. The brands creative director at the time, Demna Gvasalia, eventually stepped down earlier this year.

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Here are the 3 fashion trends that ruled spring runways

The Paris outing was also a good idea for Meghan, Bloch told me. She needs good, good press! He laughed. She hasnt played the fashion card (in years). Its an easy way to get attention, and she has the credentials to bolster it to be an epic event. And it was.

Its also smart for Meghan, who is leaning now towards becoming an influencer  promising shorter, online how-to videos (as opposed to longer shows with Netflix  which have bombed) and to eventually get paid to be the face of a brand.

That will keep the lights on in Montecito, Bloch laughed.

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A rep for Meghan didnt return emails.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
When Prince William and Kate Middleton touched down for a surprise day trip to Northern Ireland, their royal agenda was action-packed. But it was during a stop at Long Meadow Cider in Craigavontheir final engagement of the daythat an unofficial bake-off gave them a chance to let loose.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Together, the Prince and Princess of Wales peeled apples and rolled out dough in an effort to try making the farms famous apple potato bread. But when it came time to peel the apples, William got a little snarky with a three-word joke: Do keep up, he teased his wife, according to People.

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Thats not all: William showcased a much sillier side than we typically see as he advanced to the next step in the processrolling out the dough. In a clip posted to X from the event, you can see the future king make excuses for his inability to make the shape of a circle. A circle? he exclaims while comparing and contrasting the shape of his dough with that of Princess Catherines. If you look at it this way, it looks like a circle!

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The entire grouphis wife includedlaughed out loud in response. They also tried to gently champion the princes efforts. A rectangle, sir? one staffer can be heard saying. A rectangle, certainly. This is a new variety. (William responds by again looking at the dough being rolled out by his wife: How has that gone so circular, and this looks like a rectangle?)

More than anything, the Prince and Princess of Wales had a notably relaxed demeanor throughout the day and seemed to genuinely enjoy themselves as they toured the award-winning family farm.

But also, this is a couple that has always thrived on a bit of healthy competition. Trash talk included.

Prince William & Kate Middletons Recent Outing Is Serving Perfect Fall Weekend Vibes




NEW YORK (AP)  The Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has been imprisoned, banned from traveling, put under house arrest and ordered to stop making films for 20 years. And, yet, Panahi has continually made films. Many of them rank among the greatest of the century.

Most would call that courageous. Not Panahi.

My problem was that I was told not to make films. I had to make films. Its very simple, Panahi says. I can come and claim I make things for my masses, for my people, for my country. No, Im just looking for ways to make films.

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I looked for solutions and I found them.

And, since he was first jailed in 2009, Panahi has found some extraordinary solutions. He made Taxi (2015) largely inside a car, serving as driver himself. This Is Not a Film (2011), he made in his living room, on an iPhone.

To evade authorities, the 65-year-old Panahi has often had to direct scenes remotely, or switch locations on a near-daily basis. His latest, It Was Just an Accident, was made clandestinely in Iran following a seven-month stint in prison that only ended in 2023 once Panahi went on a hunger strike. He made the movie, opening in the U.S. this week, inspired by the stories his fellow prisoners told.

From Evin Prison to Cannes

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In It Was Just an Accident, an anguished revenge thriller, a former prisoner spots in Tehran the man he thinks was his abusive interrogator in jail. But because he was blindfolded during interrogations  like Panahi, himself, was  hes not sure. With the man gagged and bound in the back of his van, he drives to other former prisoners, and they debate what to do.

At the end of the day, I was a special person there, Panahi, in a recent interview in Manhattan, said through an interpreter of his time in Evin Prison. There were people there who would go on hunger strikes for 20 or 30 days and no one would hear about it. If I didnt eat for two days, the entire world would find out.

Panahi has long been one of the most acclaimed filmmakers in movies, but hes been absent from the world stage for more than 15 years. In that time, film festivals have sometimes reserved an open seat for him, with a Jafar Panahi placard.

After being released in 2023, Panahis travel ban was lifted. He still made It Was Just an Accident underground, refusing to request government approval for his script. In one instance, during a night shoot when Panahi wasnt present, his crew was detained by police.

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But for the first time in nearly two decades, Panahi is able to travel with his film. At the Cannes Film Festival in May, he won the Palme dOr. Accepting the prize on stage, he implored: No one should dare tell us what kind of clothes we should wear, what we should do or what we should not do. The cinema is a society.

Feted abroad, firmly rooted in Iran

With heightened concerns over censorship in other countries, Panahi has been given a heros welcome abroad. At the New York Film Festival, where his arrival was delayed by visa complications due to the travel ban implemented in June for visitors from 12 countries, Martin Scorsese hailed Panahi as one of the most important filmmakers working.

Yet Panahi doesnt consider himself a hero, and dislikes being labeled a political filmmaker. For him, its more simple.

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In cinema, its typical for people to constantly be looking for reasons not to work, Panahi says. I kept saying: I am a filmmaker. I have to make films. And it is my right to make films.

Panahi, like other filmmakers working under authoritarian regimes, has tested Oscar regulations. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences mandates that all nominees for best international film be submitted by a country. As expected, Iran didnt select It Was Just an Accident. Instead, France made Panahis film, which was co-produced in France, its submission.

Panahi, though, would rather see governments taken out of the process entirely.

If we want to send a film to Cannes or Venice or elsewhere, we dont have an issue, he says. But as soon as were talking about the Oscar, we have to go and beg our governments.

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Still, Panahi has refused to flee Iran. He loves his country, he says, and knows emigrant life isnt for him. His friend and countryman, Mohammad Rasoulof last year dramatically fled Iran on foot in order to resettle in Germany and premiere The Seed of the Sacred Fig in Cannes. But Panahi returned to Iran the day after winning the Palme.

It made many people happy but it also made the government officials unhappy, says Panahi. State officials used the same formula as before and considered us spies for the CIA and Israel. On the other hand, many people, especially the families of political prisoners and independent filmmakers, were very happy I returned.

No morality lessons

Following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in 2022, a wave of protests spread against the Iran's mandatory hijab laws and treatment of women. Panahi was imprisoned at the time of the protests but took great inspiration from them. Several female actors in It Was Just an Accident appear in the film without hijabs.

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I really dont want to give morality lessons. I want to cause and create questions, Panahi says. I want to ask what happens in the future, and encourage people to think if we will respond to violence with violence.

Panahi first looked through a camera at age 10. He became fascinated with the ability to capture life around him, and saved up to buy his first camera. Though some of his friends favored landscapes, he preferred photographing people. I found myself shooting the streets, he recalls.

In the decades since, nothing has really changed for Panahi.

I havent created the darkness. The darkness is there and the problem is with the people who created the darkness, says Panahi. Im just showing the reality.

At the New York Film Festival, Panahi remembered something his father told him when he was a child that's stuck with him ever since: You're not allowed to bow to anyone other than God.
"The Mastermind opens in some U.S. markets Oct. 17 but will officially open in Cincinnati theaters Oct. 24. This story has been updated with that clarification.

Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for the film, "The Mastermind."

Despite its name, "The Mastermind" shows audiences that you don't have to be a genius to rob an art museum.

The independent crime drama, written and directed by Kelly Reichardt and filmed in Cincinnati, follows an art heist that occurs "amidst the backdrop of the Vietnam War," Deadline reports. But if you're expecting to see an elaborately planned theft like the heists featured in the "Ocean's Eleven" film franchise, you may be disappointed.

The 2025 crime drama "The Mastermind" was filmed in locations across Greater Cincinnati, including the Cincinnati Art Museum in Eden Park.

Instead, "The Mastermind," which debuts in Cincinnati theaters on Friday, Oct. 24, is a beautifully shot, slow-burning reimagination of the subgenre with an overconfident fool as its main protagonist.

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The film stars "The Challengers" actor Josh O'Connor as James Blaine "J.B." Mooney, a narcissistic, deadbeat husband and father who thinks he can cheat his way into success by orchestrating a robbery at a small-town gallery.

The 1-hour, 50-minute film only briefly portrays the amateur heist and instead focuses on the aftermath of Mooney's failed plans to become a master thief.

Here are our takeaways from the new Cincinnati-shot film.

Actor Josh O'Connor and writer and director Kelly Reichardt on the set of the Cincinnati-shot film "The Mastermind."

Josh O'Connor is not a criminal genius in 'The Mastermind,' just a petty art thief

"The Mastermind," set in the 1970s in the small Massachusetts suburb of Framingham, follows Mooney, an art school dropout and unemployed carpenter turned art thief, as he plans his first heist, per the film's press kit.

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After casing the museum and recruiting a ragtag team of accomplices, Mooney believes he has developed a foolproof plan to steal a series of abstract paintings by American artist Arthur Dove.

But after his getaway driver quits, we quickly learn that Mooney's scheme is not the ingenious daytime raid that he "claims to have spent a lot of time thinking through," Variety writes.

Although Reichardt could've given us a typical action-packed story of a robbery gone wrong, she takes a different approach with "The Mastermind" by highlighting the outcomes of one man's poor decisions while also poking fun at the simplicity of the time period.

There are no high-speed police chases or stand-offs with law enforcement. Mooney and his gang don't break into the museum, and they don't intend to involve weaponry in their plans, though one thief does go rogue and pull out a revolver.

Actor Eli Gelb plays amateur art thief Guy Hickey in the Cincinnati-shot film "The Mastermind."

Instead, two wannabe criminals, with their faces obscured by pantyhose, simply walk into the local art museum and rip the paintings right off the walls. One elderly bystander says to her partner that the men are just "cleaning up in there."

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Only a young female student even notices the thieves, who proceed to run out the front door with their stolen loot. They even take their time, carefully putting the paintings in the trunk of Mooney's car  subtle comedic timing by the "Night Moves" director.

Like most of Reichardt's previous films, "The Mastermind" is a bit slow. The tensions are reduced to the "speed of the everyday," per the press kit. By opening the story with the heist, "The Mastermind" spends the rest of the film's runtime showing how Mooney's life unravels after the event.

As The Guardian writes, "The Mastermind" sheds light on the "unglamour in the heist." O'Connor does a great job of embodying the character of Mooney, who is not the ambitious criminal the film's title suggests. He's just a perpetual screw-up, a prodigal son to a local judge, a "nepo baby" who continuously fails to live up to the expectations of his upper-class family.

Filming for the 2025 crime drama "The Mastermind" took place in locations across Greater Cincinnati.

'The Mastermind' perfectly captures the '70s aesthetic

For what "The Mastermind" doesn't deliver in thrills, the film makes up for in its cinematography that pays homage to the '70s sepia-toned aesthetic. The film, which is based on real, infamous art heists of the decade, will leave audiences yearning for a simpler time, before the era of electronic mass surveillance, through its historically-accurate costuming, set design, visual affects, lighting and jazzy score.

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Per the press kit, Reichardt and cinematographer Chris Blauvelt were inspired by the "muted, brunette-tinged" color palette featured in the '70s films of Dutch cinematographer Robby Muller.

But the film's authenticity is also underscored by the background sounds of televisions and radios broadcasting information about the Vietnam War, juxtaposing the beauty of everyday life against the political landscape of the time.

Filming for the 2025 crime drama "The Mastermind" took place in locations across Greater Cincinnati.

'The Mastermind' might be set in Massachusetts but the story ends in Cincinnati

Although "The Mastermind" was filmed in Greater Cincinnati, the movie takes place in small-town New England where Mooney spends his time during the planning and execution of the heist.

But as his involvement in the burglary is realized, Mooney decides to make a run for it. He ends up crashing on the couch of a friend who urges him to cross state borders and possibly even join a commune.

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In the film's final scene, Mooney is swept up in a crowd of anti-Vietnam War protesters, forced to atone for his actions, in what is eventually revealed to be Downtown Cincinnati. "The Mastermind" ends with shots of the Cincinnati police laughing and clowning around outside of City Hall after clearing the streets of political dissenters.

Watch 'The Mastermind' trailer

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'The Mastermind' review: Josh O'Connor shines as world's worst thief




This weekend in Connecticut, rapper G Herbo will be bringing his concert to the Nutmeg State's Toyota Oakdale Theatre. Tito Nieves and Robert Neary will also perform in the state this weekend. Nutmeggers can also stop by to see a production of "The Addams Family," and there's the Brew Maze at Lyman Orchards Corn Maze and Foxwood's Oktoberfest High Stakes Bingo.

Concerts

Hairball

Mashantucket

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The band Hairball will be celebrating their 25 years paying tribute to some of the biggest names in 80s arena rock with a performance at Foxwood's Great Cedar Showroom on Friday, Oct. 17 at 8 p.m.



350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket





Tito Nieves

Hartford

Puerto Rican musician Tito Nieves will be performing at the Bushnell's William H. Mortensen Hall on Friday, Oct. 17 at 8 p.m.



166 Capitol Ave., Hartford

Monster Mash

Fairfield

Monster Mash, a Halloween fundraising concert featuring performances by Simple Jim & Ellis Island, a costume contest and more, will be taking place in the Fairfield Theatre Company's Warehouse on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m.



70 Sanford St., Fairfield

Music of the Sea'

Norwalk

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The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra opens their 86th season with "Music of the Sea" in partnership with the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 7:30pm. The show taking place at the Norwalk Concert Hall features the sounds of Wagner's Flying Dutchman Overture and the "vivid orchestral colors" of Debussy's La Mer performed alongside popular songs like Disney's "Under the Sea."

125 East Ave., Norwalk





So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience

Torrington

So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience featuring Robert Neary and the band performing 20 of Neil Diamond's greatest hits will be taking place on Sat, Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Warner Theatre's Oneglia Auditorium.



68 Main St., Torrington







I will follow: America's U2 concert experience

Waterbury

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I will follow: America's U2 concert experience featuring a tribute to Irish rock band U2 will be taking place on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Seven Angels Theatre.



1 Plank Road, Waterbury

G Herbo

Wallingford

Rapper G Herbo will be performing at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m.

95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford





New Haven Symphony Orchestra

Shelton

The first performance of New Haven Symphony Orchestra's 2025-26 LIVE from the Valley Concert Series will be Rhapsody in Bluegrass with On The Trail featuring Charlie Widmer and On The Trail Bluegrass Band. The show will take place on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 3 p.m. at Shelton Intermediate School.



675 Constitution Blvd. N, Shelton

Orchestra Lumos

Darien

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Orchestra Lumos will be performing at the Darien Arts Center for the first time on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 3 p.m. Titled "A Tale of Two Prodigies," four Orchestra Lumos musicians along with global concert pianist, Tanya Bannister, will be playing the works of W.A. Mozart and Amy Beach.

2 Renshaw Road, Darien

Yacht Rock the Dock

Mashantucket

Yacht Rock the Dock featuring musicians Gino Vannelli, Ambrosia, John Ford Coley, Peter Beckett (The Voice of Player) and Elliot Lurie performing their 1970's and 1980's Billboard Top 40 Hits, will be taking place at Foxwood's Premier Theater on Sunday, Oct.19 at 7 p.m.



350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket





Stage

T.J. Miller

Uncasville

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Stand-up comedian T.J. Miller, known for his roles in the movies "Silicon Valley," "Deadpool 1 & 2" and his comedy specials, will be performing at Mohegan Sun's Comix Comedy Club on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 8 p.m.



1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville





'The Addams Family'

Fairfield

Two productions of classic movie "The Addams Family," one for the young and one for the old, presented by Black Rock Theater, will be happening from Friday, Oct. 17 through Oct. 19 on StageOne of the Fairfield Theatre Company. Showtimes are at noon, 3, 5:30, 7 and 8 p.m.

70 Sanford St., Fairfield



emailed from website for photo

Ailey II

Torrington

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Ailey II, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's next generation of dancers, will be performing in Warner Theatre's Oneglia Auditorium on Friday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m.



68 Main St., Torrington





A Comedy of Tenors'

New Milford

This is the last weekend to catch the comedic play "A Comedy of Tenors" running through Oct. 18 at TheatreWorks New Milford.

20 Elm St. Ext., New Milford





'The Great Emu War'

East Haddam

This is the last weekend to catch "The Great Emu War," a new musical comedy about the Australian government going up against emus that were feeding on the wheat of local farmers, showing at The Goodspeed through Oct. 26.

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6 Main St., East Haddam

A Chorus Line'

East Haddam

"A Chorus Line," a musical centered on the "hopes and dreams of Broadway dancers," runs through Nov. 2 at The Goodspeed. Showtimes range from 2 to 8 p.m.

6 Main St., East Haddam

English'

Hartford

The TheaterWorks Hartford production of "English" in partnership with Long Wharf Theatre is running through Nov. 2. The show tells the story of four adults banding together with their teacher to prepare for the TOEFL  the Test of English as a Foreign Language.

233 Pearl St., Hartford

Assemblage'

Ridgefield

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"Assemblage," an exhibition featuring the sculptural works of local artists Moshe Bursuker and Brian McCarley is on display at the D. Colabella Fine Art Gallery through Nov. 16.

446 Main St., Ridgefield

'Rope'

Hartford

A new adaptation of the crime thriller "Rope" from the playwright Jeffrey Hatcher will be happening at Hartford Stage through Nov. 2. There are showtimes at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

50 Church St., Hartford





Kids and Family

What Lurks Beneath: A Halloween Experience

Mystic

What Lurks Beneath: A Halloween Experience at Mystic Seaport featuring performers, giant sea creatures, ghostly projections indoors and outdoors, a haunted guided tour through the Museum and more will be taking place on Oct. 17, 18, 24, 25 and 26. There are multiple time slots at 6, 6:30 and 7 p.m.

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75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic







Fall Festival on the Zoo Farm

Goshen

This is the last weekend to catch the Fall Festival on the Zoo Farm featuring hay rides through the safari, a pumpkin of choice from the field, food and more is taking place every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.



435 Torrington Road, Goshen

Bishop's Orchards Fall Festival

Guilford

Stop by the Bishop's Orchards Fall Festival featuring pick-your-own apples, food, kid's activities and more going on now through Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

480 New England Road, Guilford

Visual Arts

Moses Ros: HUMAN / NATURE'

Greenwich

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The "Moses Ros: HUMAN / NATURE" exhibit featuring works by the Bruce Museum's 2025 artist in residence Moses Ros is on display through Jan. 4, 2026. On display will be 12 of Ros' pieces inspired by the exhibition "Blanche Lazzell: Becoming an American Modernist" and nature.

1 Museum Drive, Greenwich

Allison Gildersleeve: Here Somewhere'

New London

The "Allison Gildersleeve: Here Somewhere" exhibition featuring works by Allison Gildersleeve is on display through January 18, 2026, at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum.

625 Williams St., New London

'The Silvermine Effect: A Century of Creative Community'

New Canaan

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The "Silvermine Effect: A Century of Creative Community" exhibition showcasing the work of guild artists from the past and present, archival photographs that capture Silvermine's rich history and more is on display through March 23, 2026, at the New Canaan Library.

1037 Silvermine Road, New Canaan

'Pronounced Ah-Beetz' Exhibit

New Haven

The "Pronounced Ah-Beetz" Exhibit - which examines the history of pizza, highlights the "Big 3" original apizza spots in New Haven, extends through the family tree of New Haven pizzerias to the present and more - will run through Nov. 2.

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114 Whitney Ave., New Haven







Beau McCall: Buttons On!

Waterbury

The Beau McCall: Buttons On! Exhibit will be on display at the Mattatuck Museum through Jan. 4, 2026. It features the wearable and visual art from Beau McCall's nearly 40 career including jackets, sneakers, durags, a 450-pound cast iron bathtub and more.



144 West Main St., Waterbury

Open Studios @ City'

New Haven

This is the last weekend to catch the "Open Studios @ City" exhibit, a group show featuring artworks by members of City Gallery, on display through Oct. 26.

994 State St., New Haven

'Joe Fig: Contemplating Vermeer'

New Britain

The New Britain Museum of American Art is presenting "Joe Fig: Contemplating Vermeer" through Jan. 11, 2026. The exhibit was inspired by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer's monumental exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam in 2023.

56 Lexington St., New Britain

'Invitation to Engage: 60 Years of Long Wharf Theatre & Beyond'

New Haven

The "Invitation to Engage: 60 Years of Long Wharf Theatre & Beyond" exhibition continues through Feburary 2026 at the New Haven Museum. The showcase features Rita Moreno, Colman Domingo, Al Pacino, Frances McDormand, Anna Deavere Smith, Steve Martin, Jessica Tandy and more.

114 Whitney Ave., New Haven

'Monstrous: Whaling and its Colossal Impact'

Mystic

The "Monstrous: Whaling and its Colossal Impact" exhibit continues through Feb. 16, 2026, at Mystic Seaport Museum. Learn about America's long history in the whaling industry and its legacy, and check out tools, documents and whaling ship journals.

75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic

Miscellaneous

Not Dead Yet! John Cleese and the Holy Grail at 50

Stamford

English actor John Cleese will be at the Stamford Palace Theatre celebrating the 50th anniversary of his classic movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Cleese will answer questions, share behind-the-scenes stories and insights after a special screening of the movie.



61 Atlantic St., Stamford





Brew Maze at Lyman Orchards Corn Maze

Middlefield

The Brew Maze at Lyman Orchards Corn Maze, a beer tasting featuring some of Connecticut's most popular brewers like Transcend Beer Crafters, will be taking place on Friday, Oct. 17 from 4:30 to 7 p.m.



32 Reeds Gap Road, Middlefield

CT Lit Fest

Hartford

CT Lit Fest featuring panels, readings, a book fair, food trucks and more will be taking place at the Real Art Ways on Saturday, Oct. 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. While registration is not required the Real Art Ways does encourage guests to register in advance.

56 Arbor St., Hartford







Spirited Social

Hartford

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art's Spirited Social will take place on Oct. 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. The annual Halloween bash features the mischievous witch sisters who roam the galleries, music, a costume contest and more.



600 Main St., Hartford





Oktoberfest Bingo

Mashantucket

Foxwood's Oktoberfest Highstakes Bingo, which includes 12 cards for regular games and the opportunity to upgrade to a mega package of 35 games, will be taking place on Sunday, Oct. 19 at noon.



350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket

Hikes and trails

All across Connecticut

Many parks and trails across the state are open, giving Nutmeggers over 2,000 miles to explore. Check out our guide to the state's picturesque landscapes here.

Event submissions must be sent at least three weeks prior to the event to go@ctpost.com.

This article originally published at 37 things to do this weekend in Connecticut: G Herbo and John Cleese.
The Cure have completed their new record, but that's just the beginning of what lies ahead for the legendary rock band.

On Tuesday, the band announced a string of Summer 2026 tour dates, including several festival appearances as well as headline shows across the United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany. But, it wasn't until Thursday that the band officially announced new music to accompany those performances.

Instead of posting to social media or sharing a press release, The Cure shared the news of a new album quietly with an update to their official website. The subtle announcement, added to the tail end of the band's lengthy bio, says, "In March 2025 the band went back into Rockfield Studios to record 13 more songs for a follow up album," to their 2024 release, Songs of a Lost World.

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Songs of a Lost World was a record many fans believed might never come. Prior to its release, The Cure had not released a studio album since 4:13 Dream in 2008. The band continued to perform together in the interim, but new music remained to be seen.

Olivia Rodrigo performs with Robert Smith of The Cure.

Last year, the band's frontman, Robert Smith, 66, described the new record in an interview with NPR, calling it "a redemptive kind of arc," compared to the somber darkness of Songs of a Lost World.

"That's how I see it in terms of concepts," said Smith. "So it is a transitional record, the next one  depending on how it's sequenced and what songs end up on it. There are four incredibly sad songs still to come and I'm tempted to try and marry those with some that are slightly more left-field for the next record, and then leave the third record for something that's very much more light and upbeat. That's my intention; whether I get there or not is another thing entirely."

In June 2025, The Cure released Mixes of a Lost World, a 24-track album of remixes and reworks of songs by artists including Mogwai, Four Tet, Paul Oakenfold, Chino Moreno and Orbital. That same month, Smith made headlines when he appeared on stage with Olivia Rodrigo during her Glastonbury headlining set to perform Cure classics.

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The band also alluded to a cinematic chapter on the horizon in the quiet website update, stating that after his performance with Rodrigo, Smith headed "back into the studio to help re-edit and re-mix The Show Of A Lost World film..."

Related: 70s Rock Band Drops New Album 50 Years After Their Debut

This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
By Hyunjoo Jin and Jack Kim

SEOUL (Reuters) -China's sanctions on U.S.-linked units of shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean threaten to impact ambitious plans for shipbuilding cooperation between Seoul and Washington by disrupting supplies of Chinese equipment and materials, officials in Seoul said on Friday.

Beijing announced the sanctions on Tuesday as the U.S. and China began charging additional port fees on each other's vessels, in the latest exchange in a protracted trade war ahead of a planned meeting of the two countries' leaders.

South Korea has vowed to "Make America Shipbuilding Great Again" with a pledge of $150 billion of investment in the sector to help U.S. President Donald Trump's push to revitalise American shipbuilding to catch up with China's.

The decline of the U.S. shipbuilding sector and the industries needed to support it were such that it would be impossible to supply materials and parts from within the U.S., officials in Seoul said.

"There is bound to be an impact," South Korea's Minister of Defense Procurement Program Administration Seok Jong-gun said.

"I don't see how we can make all the materials and supplies for Philly Shipyard within the U.S.," Seok said in a parliamentary hearing on Friday.

"So if you're going to get a lot of things to the U.S. from South Korea, and you have sanctions and all kinds of obstacles to doing that, I'd say there's going to be an impact on MASGA eventually."

Hanwha also runs a shipyard in China's eastern province of Shandong that builds modules of ship components, a company filing showed. It supplies the modules to its shipyard in South Korea for the final assembly, according to the firm.

While analysts said the Chinese sanctions would not have an immediate impact, they added it may be a harbinger of tougher Chinese actions that could hit South Korean shipbuilders cooperating with the United States.

'NOT SIMPLY A TRADE ISSUE'

South Korean lawmaker Yu Yong-weon estimated the Chinese sanctions would cost Philly Shipyard $60 million over the next two years. Yu did not give a breakdown of the estimate but cited likely disruptions of supplies to the shipyard and delayed delivery of vessels.

"This is not simply a trade issue but a grave matter that affects our economic security and industrial supremacy," said Yu, adding he visited the shipyard last month.

Philly Shipyard, in Philadelphia, was bought by Hanwha last year and is one of five subsidiaries in the U.S. hit by the new Chinese sanctions.
After the success of Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale, which just recently crowned Brigiding as its winner, World of Wonder has greenlit Drag Race Mexico: Latina Royale. It has also renewed Drag Race Philippines for a regular fourth season and Drag Race Mexico Rewind.

Drag Race Philippines Season 4 and Drag Race Mexico: Latina Royale are set for 2026, with Drag Race Mexico Rewind set for December 2025. Drag Race Mexico Rewind is set to come before Latina Royale. All series will stream on WOW Presents Plus globally.

Plot description for Drag Race Mexico: Latina Royale

Per the official description for Latina Royale, Following the twist on the vs the World format established with Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale, Drag Race Mexico: Latina Royale will see Latin queens from across the international Drag Race universe in a global battle for the crown.

Photo: World of Wonder

World of Wonder co-founders, Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, said in a statement, World of Wonder is proud to continue spotlighting the many cultures which shape global drag, and celebrate Latin artistry with Drag Race Mexico: Latina Royale.

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As for Drag Race Mexico Rewind, World of Wonder says it will highlight fan-favorite moments from the popular Drag Race Mexico franchise ahead of the premiere of Drag Race Mexico: Latina Royale.

The uber successful Slaysian Royale was WOW Presents Plus most-watched global premiere.







The post Drag Race Mexico: Latina Royale Greenlit As Drag Race Phillippines Officially Scores A Fourth Season appeared first on Blavity.
NEED TO KNOW

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson get candid about the success of their home reno series, Married to Real Estate, and its cancellation on HGTV

The couple reflect on the hardships they experienced during season 4, leading up to the end of the show's run

Sherrod and Jackson also look ahead at what's next for them as they figure out their next steps

For Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson, Married to Real Estate was a show born out of a moment of ingenuity.

With a camera phone in their hands, the couple found a way to take life at home  a balance of raising their daughters and running a real estate business out of Georgia  and turn it into a hit renovation series that first launched in 2022, ran for four seasons on HGTV and even earned a 2025 Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Instructional/How-To Program.

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"I don't even know what we were filming five, six years ago," Sherrod, 48, exclusively tells PEOPLE as the couple open up for the first (and what they say is "probably only") time about their experience with the series and its unexpected cancellation over the summer. "Then fast forward to what it actually became, I think what we're most proud of is just the possibility of what that showed people, in terms of what you can create, what you can do when you don't wait."

Not only are they happy with the designs they produced and the friendships and community they developed, but they're also "proud of this impact and influence we have had," Jackson says, noting that fans have reached out to them to say that they've taken on careers in the renovation and real estate space, or watched the show with their families "because of the transparency and vulnerability" seen on screen.

Going off of that, Sherrod adds, "There were some obstacles that we faced as a family and as television hosts in that, historically, there had not been a show with an African American family on HGTV that had gone more than one season."

HGTV Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson on 'Married to Real Estate' Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson on 'Married to Real Estate'

So, of course, it came as a surprise to them both when they learned of Married to Real Estate's fate  especially while on a much-needed vacation through the Mediterranean  in June, something they first posted about on Instagram amid a number of changes to the HGTV lineup at the time. "We came back on this amazing high and I lie to you not, we were still at the airport loading our bags in our car when management and the agency called us to tell us about the show," Sherrod says.

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"It was insane. But, literally, Mike and I looked at each other and burst out laughing because it was like, 'What are the chances of us coming back from vacation the second time and getting this kind of news?'" she continues, referring to a prior trip to Costa Rica for their 14th wedding anniversary when they learned that their original production team had been cleared out.

After that, "one of the first things we said is maybe we shouldn't go on vacation anymore. Every time we went on vacation, we would get mollywhopped with something," the realtor quips.

While Jackson says he "immediately went into positive mode" and Sherrod says that they "just kind of laughed and joked" about it right after learning of the news, it was not like it came without any "disappointment or hurt"  especially for Sherrod, who has had a history on the network, first appearing on Property Virgins before going onto Flipping Virgins. As a couple, they both have since appeared on shows, like Brother vs. Brother, Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge and Rock the Block, which they won in season 4.

Of Married to Real Estate's cancellation, HGTV shared in a statement with PEOPLE: While it is never an easy conversation to share that a show has run its course and will be coming to an end, HGTV has the utmost respect for and enjoyed working with Egypt and Mike on Married to Real Estate for 4 seasons.

HGTV Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson on 'Married to Real Estate' Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson on 'Married to Real Estate'

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Although Sherrod and Jackson have now come to a place of acceptance about the end of Married to Real Estate, in June, they did hint at a "disheartening" chain of events that preceded it.

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"We don't want to trample on anybody. However, we kind of knew something was happening," Sherrod says now, explaining that "season 4 just felt very different." And that's when they experienced some hardships during production that led them to question things at the time.

With changes to the production team, there was a noticeable shift behind the scenes. "We weren't listened to and it felt like [we were] not necessarily respected the same. But they were all different players  not one single person from season 1, 2 or 3 was left," Sherrod says, claiming that "at many points we felt mowed over."

Adding to that, Jackson says, "There were moments where you forgot, 'Wait, we're the executive producers.' We're like, 'Everyone has a say, but it's been kind of reversed.' It was like, 'Wait, isn't this our show, our business, our house, our kids, our story, our marriage?' "

With a new showrunner and changes to the team came delays in the production itself. "It threw us into dark weeks That means production shuts down," Sherrod says. "For us, this is our business and our reputation." Not only that, but they wanted to make sure their "clients were still okay and happy because no one had been communicating with them. So we spent our own money in many causes just to ensure the work was done and it was done right."

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Those delays eventually led to season 4 taking "almost double the amount of time" to complete, with the return of Married to Real Estate not premiering in its typical January time slot. "Our audience is used to seeing us in January on a certain day of the week, at a certain time," Sherrod says, explaining it felt like a "roller coaster" as they waited to find out when they would eventually air on HGTV.

HGTV Mike Jackson and Egypt Sherrod on 'Married to Real Estate' Mike Jackson and Egypt Sherrod on 'Married to Real Estate'

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

For Jackson, those changes to the time slots meant an impact to the viewers. "For folks to question, 'Are you coming back?' That's going to affect your ratings. So that mixed with everything else that was going on, it was like, 'What is happening right now?' " he says.

Adding to the chaos were rumors about their marriage. "From a fan standpoint, another monkey wrench in it all was false articles flying all over the place about us separating," Jackson says. "We were like, 'Where's this coming from? Because we're still deeply in love and having fun and traveling.' So you've got all the exec changes, you don't know what time slot and then you've got the fans reading articles that aren't true."

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While they are certainly no stranger to TV or things that can happen on set, Sherrod and Jackson were confused when they felt like they didn't have the support of HGTV, which they considered family. "What was odd and surprising was when we weren't getting advocacy or phone calls back or responses to emails to show that we had some level of support," Sherrod says.

However, she does note that she and her husband were not aware that HGTV's head of content, Loren Ruch, had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia before later dying at 55 years old in June. "I understand why that could not be disclosed. It still saddens me. We went to his memorial and it's just heartbreaking," Sherrod says.

"But at the same time, when you're in a storm, you just need a life raft, somebody to help us figure out what is happening," she continues. "But we didn't feel that we had that advocacy. So that would be the biggest regret amidst so many victories, amidst so many things that we are grateful for."

Simply put, "that is how a hit show gets canceled," Sherrod says.

Leslie Andrews Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson of 'Married to Real Estate' Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson of 'Married to Real Estate'

While their run on HGTV may have come to an end, the world of Married to Real Estate is not over  at least not in its current form.

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"For us, being able to do Married to Real Estate was the full 360 of our family and our businesses. So we don't wanna go back to like a templated show just to say we're on TV," Sherrod says, explaining that "we just gonna sit still for a minute and either create, which is what's happening now, either create the next phase for us or just not come back to TV."

"The reality is that linear television is starting to shrink," the TV personality continues, noting that since the show has ended they have been able to really digest the current media landscape and look at where they can take the brand next. Oh yes, that's right, "Married to Real Estate, I own the trademark," she says proudly, meaning that they can still do whatever they want with it as they figure out how to move forward.

Of course, they still have all their other projects, including Indigo Road Realty, which is a real estate brokerage, design firm and construction company, as well as home furnishings that consumers can buy online and their podcast, Marriage and Money. "Everything you saw on TV is real," Sherrod notes, adding later, "This is just the beginning of our entire saga, so this had to happen. We want everybody to be okay with it and just continue to tune in for what's next."

Looking back on it all, Sherrod says, "It was an amazing roller coaster ride. We have no regrets, we lead with love and we leave with love."

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And to their fans they want to leave on a positive note  as well as warning. "We would love to say to everybody thank you for those who loved us and our little Jackson family and have been there to support and watch us all along the way," Sherrod says, while Jackson adds, "And know that if it did not come from us personally, it didn't come from us."

"This is the first and probably the only interview that we will do about this, so anything else [fans] read online that had quotes around it did not come from us," Sherrod concludes.



Read the original article on People
How far would you go to find lasting love? Would you, say, get married to a complete stranger, hand-selected by matchmakers? Or get engaged to someone whose face you had never seen?

"Love Is Blind" and "Married at First Sight" are two reality series that ask participants to surrender to daring marriage experiments.

"Love Is Blind" launched on Netflix in 2020, and has spawned multiple international versions, from France to Brazil. "Married at First Sight" was adapted from a Danish version of the show. It began in 2014 on FYI, later moving to Lifetime and, as of 2025, Peacock.

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Whether you've watched one or both of the series, there are some clear similarities and differences between the two. Below, we're breaking down how the shows compare.

The Concept

"Love Is Blind"

Singles wait to enter the dating pods in "Love Is Blind." (Greg Gayne / Netflix)

If you've never watched "Love Is Blind," the concept is quite simple. Singles meet in dating pods separated by a black wall. By taking physical looks out of the equation, the show tries to see if people form deeper, more authentic emotional connections. Only by getting engaged can the couples come face-to-face.

Afterwards, the engaged couples jet away on a romantic getaway then move in together. Over the course of a few weeks, they begin to meet each other's families and friends and explore how their romantic connection fares in the real world.

At the end of the experiment, couples are left to decide whether they're ready to get married on their wedding day. Some couples go through with it, while others break up. Some even decide not to get married but continue dating.

"Married at First Sight"

Rhonda on "Married at First Sight." (Peacock)

The name of the show says it all. Participants in "Married at First Sight" get married the first time they meet.

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Unlike "Love Is Blind," couples commit to marriage before getting to know each other then start working with a group of experts to strengthen their relationship.

Couples have access to pastors, marriage counselors, sexologists, sociologists and relationship specialists to explore their connection and determine if they're ready to go the distance with their new spouse.

Similar to "Love Is Blind," couples must make a decision at the end of the experiment and decide whether they're going to stay married or get divorced.

Pop Culture Legacy

"Love Is Blind"

Female singles in Season 9 of "Love Is Blind." (Greg Gayne / Netflix)

"Love Is Blind" first premiered in February 2020 on Netflix. The show is now in Season 9. Aside from the American version of the dating series, "Love Is Blind" also has international versions in the following countries:

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Love Is Blind: Brazil premiered in October 2021 and has five seasons so far

Love Is Blind: Japan premiered in February 2022 and has one season so far

Love Is Blind: Sweden premiered in January 2024 and has two seasons so far

Love Is Blind: Mexico premiered in August 2024 and has one season so far

Love Is Blind: Habibi premiered in October 2024 and has one season so far

Love Is Blind: Argentina premiered in November 2024 and has one season so far

Love Is Blind: Germany premiered in January 2025 and has one season so far

"Love Is Blind: France" premiered in September 2025 and has one season so far

"Love Is Blind: UK" premiered in August 2024 and has two seasons so far

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Netflix also has Love Is Blind series in the works in the following countries, per the streamer's press site Tudum:

Italy

Netherlands

Married at First Sight

Pat on "Married at First Sight." (Mary Kang / Peacock)

Married at First Sight is originally based on a Danish series titled Gift Ved Frste Blik, per Deadline. In the U.S., it premiered on FYI in 2014. Seasons 2 through 5 were simulcast on A&E, then the show moved to Lifetime.

In January 2025, Deadline reported that "Married at First Sight" was moving to Peacock starting with Season 19 in October 2025.

Similar to "Love Is Blind," "Married at First Sight" grew in popularity rather quickly and inspired several spinoff series, including:

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"Married at First Sight: The First Year"

"Married Life"

"Married at First Sight: Second Chances"

"Jamie and Doug Plus One"

"Married at First Sight: Honeymoon Island"

"Married at First Sight: Happily Ever After"

"Married at First Sight: Couples Cam"

"Married at First Sight: Unmatchables"

According to Variety, there are also 30 international versions of the series.

Production Company

Chris Coelen, the creator of "Love Is Blind," in 2022. (Charley Gallay / Getty Images )

Chris Coelen's production company Kinetic Content has produced both "Love Is Blind" and "Married at First Sight."

Coelen is also the creator of several other dating series, including "The Ultimatum" and "Perfect Match."

Success Rate

Both "Love Is Blind" and "Married at First Sight" have produced several successful relationships. Heres a look at the success rate for each show.

"Love Is Blind"

After saying "I do" on TV, many couples from Seasons 1 to 8 of the U.S. version are still together.

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A couple of the lovebirds are now parents, including Amber Pike and Matthew Barnett (Season 1), Alexa and Brennon Lemieux (Season 3) and Bliss Poureetezadi-Goytowski and Zack Goytowski (Season 4).

"Married at First Sight"

Several couples from "Married at First Sight" decided to stick things out together and are still married.

A few of them also have children. For instance, Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner, who met on Season 1 of the show, welcomed twins in 2024. Season 11 stars Amani Aliyya and Woody Randall now have two children. Season 12 stars Briana Myles and Vincent Morales welcomed their second child in 2024.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
General Hospital spoilers for the week of October 20-24, 2025 tease shocks, rocks, and cell blocks.

Who Shot Drew Comes To An End

Now that Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and Nina (Cynthia Watros) are in hot water for both crimes they did and did not commit, its time for the arrested women to be arraigned on Monday. And when they are, spoilers tease the arraignment will take a shocking turn.

It appears Michael (Rory Gibson) will also make a statement on Monday that could change the course of events, and hell end the week escalating his plan, which many suspect has been framing Willow for Drews (Cameron Mathison) shooting.

Tracy vs. Ronnie

Meanwhile, over at the Quartermaine Mansion  or should we say, Ronnies (Erika Slezak) mansion, Monica (the late Leslie Charleson) gave it to her  Tracy (Jane Elliot) has found herself a new nemesis in Ronnie. Its bad enough Ronnie inherited her family home, but using her mothers China was the last straw for the Q matriarch.

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On Monday, Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) will host a party, presumably to invite Ronnie into the family. But if she uses Lilas (the late Anna Lee) China, shell have another thing coming. Look for Tracys war with Ronnie to escalate come Tuesday, leaving her to defend herself by Thursday.

Odds and End

Mid-week, Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) will get a visitor in Steinmauer. Hes already seen his daughter and met with Brennan (Chris McKenna), so who could it be?

Meanwhile, Jordan (Tanisha Harper) puts pieces together on Monday. Will she figure out that Portia (Brook Kerr) is pregnant?

Read Next

This story was originally reported on Soap Hub on October 17, 2025. Add Soap Hub as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
When Outlander first debuted on screens back in 2014, most were captivated by Claire's bravery, will and spirit, as well as Jamie's valor, integrity and, of course, dashing looks. It's been over a decade since the series first aired, and with the final season set to premiere in 2026 and the debut season of the show's prequel, Blood of My Blood, having just wrapped up, many are looking for a refresher on the original series that first introduced us to these beloved characters. Though based on Diana Gabaldon's beloved novels, the television adaptation has won hearts for bringing her characters to vivid life, and if you find yourself wondering where to watch Outlander while you wait for the final season, we've laid out everywhere you can tune in. Plus, we've rounded up nine more captivating period dramas that deliver the same heart-pounding romance and epic storytelling you crave.

Where to watch 'Outlander' in 2025

You can catch your favorite episodes of Outlander on a few different platforms, one of them being Starz, where the show airs. You can either log in with your TV provider, or if you don't have the channel as part of your television package, you can sign up and stream for just $5 a month for the first three months. After that, it costs around $11 a month.

9 shows like 'Outlander' to watch next

If you're wondering where to watch shows that are similar to Outlander this week, we've rounded up a handful of our favorites. Whether exploring the courts of Europe, the battlefields of revolution or the untamed wilderness of the New World, each series invites viewers to embark on an unforgettable voyage through time. So, grab your popcorn, settle in and let the past come alive on your screen!

'Poldark'

Based on Winston Graham's novels, Poldark chronicles the life of Ross Poldark, a British Army officer returning home to Cornwall after the American Revolutionary War, only to find his life turned upside down. Set in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the series delves into themes of love, betrayal and social change amidst the backdrop of post-war England.

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Where to stream: Amazon Prime and Netflix

'Victoria'

Victoria offers a glimpse into the life of Queen Victoria, the iconic monarch who ruled Britain for over six decades. Spanning from her ascension to the throne at the tender age of 18 to her later years, the series explores Victoria's personal and political struggles, as well as her legendary romance with Prince Albert.

Where to stream: Amazon Prime

'The Crown'

The Crown is a lavish and meticulously crafted series chronicling the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. From her early days as a young princess navigating the complexities of royal life to her role as the longest-reigning monarch in British history, the show offers an intimate portrait of the queen and the turbulent events that shaped the 20th century.

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Where to stream: Netflix

'Downton Abbey'

Set in the early 20th century, Downton Abbey unfolds within the aristocratic Crawley family's sprawling estate. The series juxtaposes the lives of the wealthy Crawleys with those of their servants, offering a poignant exploration of class dynamics, social change and the enduring power of tradition.

Where to stream: Amazon Prime and Peacock

'Medici'

Medici delves into the legendary Medici family's rise to power during the Italian Renaissance. Focusing on patriarch Giovanni de' Medici and his sons, Cosimo and Lorenzo, the series explores their shrewd political maneuvers, artistic patronage and the intricate webs of ambition and betrayal that defined Renaissance Florence.

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Where to stream: Netflix

'Reign'

Reign offers a fresh take on the tumultuous life of Mary, Queen of Scots. Set against the backdrop of 16th-century Europe, the series chronicles Mary's journey from her arrival in France as a young bride to her eventual return to Scotland, where she navigates political intrigue, religious strife and matters of the heart.

Where to stream: CW

'Versailles'

Versailles transports viewers to the opulent court of King Louis XIV during the height of his reign in 17th-century France. Amidst the grandeur of the Palace of Versailles, the series delves into the monarch's quest for absolute power, his tumultuous relationships and the lavish excesses of French aristocracy.

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Where to stream: Amazon Prime

'The Tudors'

The Tudors offers a sumptuous retelling of the rocky reign of King Henry VIII. From his passionate romances to his ruthless pursuit of power, the series captures the intrigue, betrayal and scandal that defined one of England's most iconic monarchs.

Where to stream: Amazon Prime and Paramount+

'Jamestown'

Set in the early 17th century, Jamestown follows the lives of English settlers as they establish the first permanent English colony in America. Against the backdrop of the untamed wilderness, the series explores the settlers' struggles for survival, clashes with indigenous tribes and the complexities of forging a new society in the New World.

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Where to stream: Amazon Prime

Whether you're revisiting Claire and Jamie's epic love story or discovering a new period drama to fall for, there's something magical about escaping into these sweeping tales of romance, courage and adventure. So pour yourself a cup of tea, cozy up in your favorite spot and let these captivating stories transport you to another time. Your next binge-worthy obsession is just a click away!

Looking for more entertainment stories? Click through below!

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Getting to see a glacier on a climb is a humbling  and increasingly rare  encounter with overwhelming beauty. Glaciers carry tens of thousands of years of compacted snow and ice, creating a prismatic, sculpted landscape along mountain ranges. One of the most powerful things about seeing a glacier is that they're not immobile but rather are slow-moving ice tides  you can actually hear them cracking and hissing as they grind downslope and split apart. Because they require specific conditions of abundant snowfall and cold temperatures year-round to form, glaciers mostly exist in high mountains at the extremities of the world. That's why Alaska makes for a perfect glacial environment, home to countless icy behemoths like the Ruth Glacier, which is deeper than the Grand Canyon. Glaciers can be found all over the world, though, in vast mountain ranges from the Alps to the Andes.

Many glaciers are rapidly retreating, and seeing certain glaciers now might be something future grandchildren will only get to know from photos. A study published in Nature found that, since 2000, 39% of glaciers in Central Europe have been lost, while the Western U.S. has lost 23%, owing to general warming. These mountains around the world have some of the most spectacular glaciers that could change or disappear altogether within the century. They require some commitment to get up close to, with some requiring multi-day hikes or remote expeditions. But these journeys are well worth it for the once-in-a-lifetime views, and many offer equally exciting vistas along byways and train rides.

Read more: European Destinations That Are Best To Visit In December

Sierra Nevada, California

Palisade Glacier and a turquoise lake in the Sierra Nevada, California - dlhca/Shutterstock

For many travelers in the U.S., California's Sierra Nevada mountains may offer the most accessible glacier-viewing opportunities. Glaciers can be found throughout the southern and central Sierra Nevada range, though their most magnificent and ancient are in Yosemite National Park. These glaciers could be short-lived, though: A study from Science Advances estimates that the Sierra Nevada glaciers, which have existed continuously for roughly the past 11,700 years, could disappear entirely by the year 2100. Some have already been melting within the last few years  the Darwin Glacier, for example, has lost 80% of its ice since 2004 and stopped moving, so it is no longer considered a glacier.

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The largest glacier of the Sierra Nevada is the Palisade Glacier, set against jagged peaks that reach over 14,000 feet in elevation. The glacier sits within the breathtaking Big Pine Lakes Region, nicknamed California's "Little Patagonia." The Big Pine North Fork Trail will take you to the Palisade Glacier, though it's no small feat at 19 miles round-trip, with lofty uphill climbs and some rough ridgeline scrambling. The trail takes you to a stunning turquoise lake that's fed by the glacier, and the glacier itself is about half a mile from the lake. Hikers will find the trailhead about a 40-minute drive from the Eastern Sierra Regional Airport, a small airport with seasonal commercial flights, or just over four hours from the Los Angeles International Airport. For a somewhat less demanding glacial hike, the 5.5-mile Glacial Canyon loop trail might be a good option. It takes you to Dana Lake, where you get great views of the Dana Glacier. The trailhead is about a 1.5-hour drive from the Eastern Sierra Regional Airport.

North Cascades, Washington

Sunrise coming up over Sahale Glacier in the North Cascades, Washington - MFricke/Shutterstock

Another great option for glacier chasers who want to stick to the U.S. is the North Cascades National Park in northern Washington. In the truly wild landscape of the North Cascade mountains, glaciers abound: There are over 300 of them, the most in any area of the U.S. (outside of Alaska), though in 1980, that number was around 750. Many of the glaciers here have disappeared and continue to dwindle. The several remaining glaciers nevertheless have created an unruly shape on the mountains' peaks, which are full of sharp ledges, icefalls, and steep crevasses. Aside from being stunning landmarks, these glaciers are also crucial sources of water, providing about a quarter of the summer water supply for the region.

For travelers who want a scenic trip to glacial vistas without the strenuous climbs up to them, North Cascades National Park has a drivable solution. Running through the park is an iconic route that passes some of the Northwest's prettiest lakes and mountains: the North Cascades Highway. The highway connects all the way from Seattle, though the North Cascades portion is 30 miles and takes about an hour, cutting through the park's recognizable white-capped peaks with rest areas and overlooks along the way. The trails in the North Cascades are far from entry-level, but dedicated climbers have some solid options. The 3.7-mile Cascade Pass Trail is the park's most popular, and it's possible to extend the hike along the connecting Sahale Arm Trail, which leads to the Sahale Glacier and views out to Mount Rainier. Visitors can reach the park in a 1.5-hour drive from Bellingham International Airport, though the two-hour drive from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is also doable if you're looking for more flight options.

Bernese Alps, Switzerland

A blue lagoon surrounded by the glacial peaks of Jungfrau-Aletsch in Switzerland - Hanneke Wetzer/Shutterstock

The Alps of Switzerland are glacial mountains through and through, but it's the Bernese Alps range that stands out the most for its majestic glaciers. It even encompasses a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, the Jungfrau-Aletsch protected area. The area is named after the Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier across the Alps. Its reach spans about 50 miles, with its thickest ice going almost 3,000 feet deep, though it's losing around 160 feet of its coverage each year. The glaciers of the Jungfrau-Aletsch area have dazzled explorers, artists, and romantics for centuries, immortalized in paintings by J. M. W. Turner and Lord Byron's poem "Manfred on the Jungfrau." They're responsible for shaping the craggy peaks of mountains like Eiger and Monch that appeal to experienced mountaineers for their legendary climbs.

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Hiking through the Jungfrau-Aletsch area is possible and breathtaking, but requires special equipment (like crampons) or a guide. The Aletsch Panorama Trail, for example, is a three-day, 20-mile journey that crosses five heart-pounding suspension bridges, through meadows and mountain passes alike. The area caters to all kinds of visitors, though. Grindelwald's First Glider ride lets you fly atop the mountains in a hang glider setup that propels you down the First Mountain slope, with panoramic views of the Bernese Alps and their glaciers. The Jungfraujoch, an alpine saddle, is a popular entry point for reaching the glaciers of the Jungfrau-Aletsch area, whether you want to hike out to the Aletsch Glacier or just gaze out from its Sphinx observation building. The fastest way to reach Jungfraujoch is via Grindelwald: about a 40-minute train ride from the Interlaken Ost Station, followed by the Eiger Express gondola to Eiger Glacier station and one more train ride directly to Jungfraujoch, taking another 50 minutes.

Southern Andes, Argentina

The Perito Moreno Glacier surrounded by a lake and peaks at Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina - rrohmec/Shutterstock

Sharply inclined pinnacles and turquoise lakes define the renowned image of Patagonia's Southern Andes mountains, and their unique appearance is owed to glaciers. The many glaciers here arise out of what remains of the Patagonian icefields  huge masses of glacial ice that cover the mountain range. In the southern portion of the icefield, in Argentina's Santa Cruz Province, you'll find the UNESCO-designated Los Glaciares National Park, which takes its very name from the massive, incredible glaciers that make up about half of its territory.

One of its biggest and one of the world's most famous glaciers is Perito Moreno, stretching over 18 miles long. Perito Moreno used to be considered a stable glacier, one that neither grew nor shrank. This quality has changed in recent years, as it's begun losing more ice than it gains, causing a net retreat. Along with other clustered glaciers, the Perito Moreno ends in Lake Argentino, where it sheds icebergs onto the milky-blue expanse for a spectacular sight.

Visitors can get to Los Glaciares National Park by flying into Comandante Armando Tola International Airport in El Calafate, with flights that connect from Buenos Aires. El Calafate, a small German-influenced town, is the best gateway to the Perito Moreno Glacier, with buses heading out from the El Calafate bus terminal directly to the glacier in about 1.5 hours. Ice treks across the expansive glacier are offered, or you could take a kayak out on Lake Argentino and paddle among drifting icebergs. Unless you visit in the winter, Perito Moreno can get crowded, but there are lots of other, lesser-known hikes around Los Glaciares National Park, too, including around the Upsala and Spegazzini glaciers.

Orfajokull, Iceland

Orfajokull volcano covered in glaciers seen from the road in Iceland - ElenaGC/Shutterstock

To describe Iceland's landscape as intense is an understatement. You'll rarely come across anywhere else in the world so stark and baffling, with frozen tides of glacier ice spilling down jagged, black volcanic rock. Iceland's biggest active volcano, Orfajokull, is also part of the country's even larger Vatnajokull glacier, an enormous ice cap that blankets 8% of the country's land. The name Orfajokull translates to "wasteland glacier," a nod to the desolate landscape surrounding the volcanic mountain after its devastating eruptions, though it's only erupted twice in recorded history. Glacial tongues extend from the rim of its ice-filled crater in a variety of forms  some smooth and crystalline, others forming steep, craggy peaks.

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Most of the glaciers of Orfajokull collide with the land right near the main road around the volcano, known as Iceland's Ring Road, which Rick Steves called "Europe's best road trip." It takes about four hours by car to reach the road around Orfajokull from the Reykjavik Airport. Simply driving around the volcano gives you some incredible views of its massive glaciers, though there are unique ways to get up close. A good starting point is at the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, an iceberg-dotted lake fed by the Vatnajokull glacier, where you can take a guided boat trip or take pictures at Diamond Beach, marked by giant, shining chunks of iceberg resting on black, volcanic sand.

Hikers can park for free at Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon and then take on the four-hour hike up Fjallsarlon Glacier, one of the glacial tongues extending from Orfajokull's crater. There are also stunning hikes available in Skaftafell, a wilderness area overlooked by Orfajokull's peaks and home to the iconic Svartifoss waterfall that pours out from dark basalt columns.

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Read the original article on Islands.
From sizzling Brazilian meats to elegant Peruvian dishes and comforting Ecuadorian classics, Des Moines offers a vibrant taste of Latin America through three standout restaurants. Whether you're craving tableside churrasco, a pisco sour, or a plate of hornado con mote, these locally owned spots deliver authentic experiences rooted in tradition and flavor.

Get a taste of Brazil at Brazil Terra Grill Steakhouse & Churrascaria

Think of combining the best of all-you-can-eat dining with a Brazilian flair. Brazil Terra Grill Steakhouse & Churrascaria in West Des Moines offers an upscale and festive environment where gauchos slice cuts of meat off skewers tableside. The restaurant features a gourmet salad bar, meats grilled on an open-flame rotisserie, and a definitive Brazilian vibe.

Founder Kleber de Souza grew up in southern Brazil before immigrating to the United States at age 22. His goal: to bring the authentic churrascaria experience to Iowa. Diners can sample picanha (top sirloin cap), fraldinha (bottom sirloin), and linguica (Brazilian sausage), all served fresh and hot. Dont miss the pao de queijo, a warm and chewy Brazilian cheese bread thats a favorite among regulars.

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Brazil Terra Grill also features a full-service bar. Sip on a caipirinha, Brazils national cocktail made with cachaca, lime, and sugar; try a guarana antarctica, a popular Brazilian soda; or cool off with a refreshing Brazilian lemonade.

Location: 2800 University Ave., West Des Moines

Contact: 515-223-2345 or brazilterragrill.com

Hours: Open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, and 5 to 9 p.m. for dinner; Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 3 to 10 p.m. for dinner; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch.

The must-try lomo saltado at Panka Peruvian Restaurant combines Asian and Latin flavors.

Get a taste of Peru at Panka Peruvian Restaurant

Mariela Maya opened Panka Peruvian Restaurant on Ingersoll Avenue to introduce Des Moines to the unique flavors and cultural experiences of Peruvian cuisine. She grew up in Lima, Peru, and immigrated to the United States in 2001. At Panka, Maya created a modern and intimate experience filled with Peruvian art and a cosmopolitan feel.

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Signature dishes include lomo saltado, a Chinese-Peruvian stir-fry featuring beef, onions, and tomatoes tossed in a savory sauce with soy sauce, vinegar, and aji amarillo, served with fluffy white rice and crispy French fries. Other highlights include chicharron de cerdo (crispy pork belly) and causa de cangrejo (crab potato terrine).

The full bar offers drinks like the classic pisco sour, chicha morada (a purple corn drink), and a lucuma milkshake, which tastes like maple, caramel, and butterscotch.

Location: 2708 Ingersoll Ave., Suite 200, Des Moines

Contact: 515-244-1430 or pankadsm.com

Hours: Open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for brunch, Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. for dinner, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for brunch.

Experience Ecuadorian flavors at Mi Patria Ecuadorian Restaurant

Cesar Miranda opened Mi Patria Ecuadorian Restaurant in West Des Moines to bring the vibrant flavors of Ecuador to Iowa. Born and raised in Ecuador, Miranda spent years sharing his culinary heritage at local festivals before opening Mi Patria in 2011.

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The restaurant offers a warm and inviting atmosphere that reflects Ecuadorian culture through its food and hospitality. Try traditional dishes like hornado con mote, a slow-roasted pork dish served with hominy; fritada con mote, pork tips with hominy and fried plantains; and arroz marinero, a seafood rice dish rich with Latin spices.

Pair your meal with agua fresca, tropical juice, or cocktails from the restaurants limited bar. Mi Patria also offers vegetarian options and is known for its generous portions and friendly service. It gained national attention when featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in Season 21.

Location: 1410 22nd St., West Des Moines

Contact: 515-222-2755 or mipatriadsm.com

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Hours: Monday through Saturday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Pro tip: Mi Patria and Panka Peruvian Restaurant are both on the Des Moines Registers Essential Restaurants list.

More: Hungry? Check out these 31 essential restaurants in the Des Moines metro for 2025

Sign up for our dining newsletter, Table Talk DSM, which comes out on Wednesday mornings with all the latest news on restaurants and bars in the metro. You can sign up for free at profile.desmoinesregister.com/newsletters/manage.

Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Explore Latin American cuisine at three top restaurants in Des Moines
When planning a trip to Peru, its likely that the UNESCO-listed citadel of Machu Picchu immediately springs to mind. Lake Titicaca's remarkable Floating Islands of the Uros, or Cusco, the heart of the sprawling Inca empire, quickly follow. These legendary sites deserve their place on any itinerary, but for those seeking a less crowded experience, consider casting your gaze northward to step off the well-trodden path.

The Northern Amazon

Delfin Amazon Cruises Explore Northern Peru's Amazon by boat. Explore Northern Peru's Amazon by boat.

The northern Amazon is a realm of profound magic and mystery thats ideal for year-round exploration. From January to June, rising water levels bring the canopy and its wildlife closer, while from July to December, receding waters reveal intricate jungle trails, offering an astonishing perspective of the towering trees. Its one of the key areas where you can be in this rainforest and truly appreciate the scale of the famous river, which is the largest by volume in the world.

Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, a protected area in the Loreta region, is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. It's rich in animal and plant life, with new species frequently being discovered. It covers 20,000 square kilometers and is home to more than 80 lakes. An expedition boat allows you to navigate the intricate aquatic network, where you can spot monkeys and sloths emerging from the dense forest for water.

Archaeological Wonders

Heading further north, the laid-back town of Chachapoyas is an ideal base for exploring archaeological wonders of the Chachapoya civilization, also known as the "Warriors of the Clouds." Kuelap Fortress, considered the Machu Picchu of the north, is a striking wonder perched on top of a cliff that likely served as a religious center. This remote site, encircled by an impressive wall spanning nearly 600 meters, can be viewed without the crowds found at more popular sites.

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The Leymebamba Museum offers a captivating dive into the countrys ancient past. It holds over 200 remarkably preserved Inca-Chachapoyas mummies and the nation's largest collection of quipos, record keeping devices utilizing knotted beads used by ancient Andean cultures.

While in Leymebamba, consider hiking to the Revash mausoleum, a four-hour round-trip journey. This colorful archaeological site sits dramatically on a cliff, its walls adorned with geometric designs depicting animal figures.

With its barely-excavated pre-Inca ruins and uncrowded hiking routes, Northern Peru feels like a land suspended in time. It offers rare feelings of discovery, walking in the footsteps of ancient cultures, and finding a profound stillness in the beautiful landscape.

Jen Richt is a member of Travel + Leisure's A-List and specializes in trips to South America and Antarctica. You can create a tailor-made itinerary with Richt at jennifer@jacadatravel.com.

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
Blizzard developers working on Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble have formed a new union, the latest in a series of labor wins at the Microsoft-owned studio. The over 100-person unit is represented by the Communication Workers of America (CWA), and counts "software engineers, designers, artists, quality assurance testers and producers" among its members.

Inspiration to form the new union came from the successful organizing efforts of Blizzard's World of Warcraft workers last year. The staff behind the classic MMO formed the Warcraft Gamemakers Guild last year, and were followed by similar unions representing developers working on Diablo and Overwatch earlier in 2025. According to the CWA, over 1,900 workers at Blizzard are now represented by the organization.

The new union is arriving at a critical time. Blizzard's parent company Microsoft made major cuts across its gaming division this summer, including layoffs that reportedly led to Blizzard winding down development on Warcraft Rumble. Union membership has flourished across Microsoft's studios because of neutrality agreements the company signed with CWA respecting its workers' right to organize at Activision Blizzard in 2022 and ZeniMax in 2024, but the environment is on the brink of possible change.

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Aftermath reports that the neutrality agreement covering Activision Blizzard workers expires in October 2025, which could make forming future unions more difficult. Microsoft signed its first neutrality agreement to reassure regulators about its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, but now that the deal is done and dusted, the company has less of a reason to play nice.




Netflixs new documentary, The Perfect Neighbor, explores the tragic death of Ajike AJ Shantrell Owens, a single mother who was shot and killed by her neighbor, Susan Lorincz, on June 3, 2023.

Directed by Geeta Gandbhir, the film, which had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, utilizes bodycam, ringcam and cellphone footage to tell the story of how a neighborhood dispute in Florida turned deadly in the summer of 2023. The documentary shows the events that immediately preceded and followed the moment that Lorincz, 58, who is white, fired the shot that killed Owens, 35, who was Black.

Gandbhir, whose sister-in-law was best friends with Owens, deliberately chose not to interview Owens' family and friends for the documentary, telling Variety that she didnt want to retraumatize them.

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We had all the material, so why make them talk about what happened and relive it? said Gandbhir.

When did The Perfect Neighbor premiere on Netflix?

The Perfect Neighbor was released on Netflix on Friday, Oct. 17.

Who was Owens?

Owens, 35, was a mother of four children: Isaac, Afrika, Titus and Israel. Owens and her family lived in Ocala, Fla., around 80 miles northwest of Orlando.

Ajike was a single mom; she was a sole provider for her four beautiful children, Pamela Dias, Owenss mother, told MSNBC on Oct. 15. She had a strong sense of faith; she instilled education [and] respect in her children. She had big dreams for her life as a single mom.

Netflix

Dias also told Netflixs Tudum that the film is a way of paying tribute to who Owens was as a mother.

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It means everything to honor her legacy, she said. My daughter always would say the world would know her name, and The Perfect Neighbor has made her word come true. Her legacy lives on, and the world will know her name.

Why did Lorincz kill Owens?

The Perfect Neighbor begins in the fall of 2022 and documents Lorinczs constant complaints to the local police about the children in her neighborhood, who were primarily Black. The children, who ranged in age, were often outside riding bikes and scooters and playing noisily on the lawn or nearby vacant lot. At one point in the documentary, the police tell Lorincz that there doesnt need to be a 911 call every time children are playing in the yard.

Footage shown in the film charts the gradual escalation of Lorinczs complaints, which culminates in the deadly altercation on June 2, 2023. Lorincz, during her June 2 call to the police, said she felt threatened by Owenss children.

Netflix

According to a CNN report, one of Owenss older sons informed his younger brother, then 9, that he had left the electronic tablet that hed been playing with in a nearby field, which Lorincz ended up retrieving. When the younger brother asked Lorincz to return the tablet, she reportedly threw it to the ground and yelled at him. Lorincz reportedly threw roller skates at the child as well, per the affidavit.

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Before confronting Lorincz himself, Owenss older son instructed his younger brother to inform their mother of what had happened. The older son then approached Lorinczs front door and yelled, You want to throw something, throw it at me! It was at this point that Lorincz reportedly stepped outside, told the boy that he was trespassing, and swung an umbrella at him.

According to the affidavit, Owens then approached Lorinczs door herself and yelled to Lorincz that if she wanted to throw something, she should throw it at her.

Lorincz called 911 and said that Owens had attempted to break down her door and had threatened her life. Lorincz then called back two minutes later to report that she had shot Owens through the door. Owens was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said during a June 2023 news conference that at least two of Owenss sons may have witnessed the shooting.

What is the stand your ground law?

Lorincz was not immediately arrested or charged with killing Owens because authorities were investigating whether her actions met the criteria for the states stand your ground law. Floridas stand your ground law states that an individual has the right to stand his or her ground and threaten to use nondeadly or deadly force in their residence as a form of self-defense.

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Deadly force, as stated in Floridas law, can be used if he or she reasonably believes that using or threatening to use such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.

Ocala, Fla., the city where Owens and her family resided, is approximately 82 miles from Sanford, Fla., where George Zimmerman fatally shot an unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012. The killing sparked public outrage and drew national attention to Floridas stand your ground law, as Zimmerman was eventually acquitted on self-defense grounds.

What happened to Lorincz?

Following a five-day investigation, the sheriffs department arrested Lorincz on June 7, 2023. She was charged with manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault. On Aug. 16, 2024, Lorincz was found guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Netflix

I find that the shooting was completely unnecessary," Judge Robert Hodges said, per ABC. "In this case, Ms. Lorincz was behind the door. The door was locked. She had already called law enforcement. They were en route. She knew they were en route. She was in a relatively safe position. For some reason, she went into her room and found a gun.

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Lorincz apologized to Dias and to Owenss children during her sentencing hearing, saying, I'm so sorry that I took AJ's life. I never intended to kill her.

Dias, when asked about Lorinczs apology, said, "Susan's apology was a last-ditch attempt to save herself. It wasn't sincere. She never showed remorse. As I stated before, her remorse that she showed, if any, at best, was for herself."

Where is Lorincz now?

Lorincz is serving her 25-year prison sentence at Homestead Correctional Institution in South Florida, according to WCJB. Per the Florida Department of Corrections, her release date is set for April 8, 2048.

Lorincz spoke out in September 2025  for the first time since her arrest and incarceration. When asked by WCJB if she was capable of manslaughter, Lorincz replied, No. It just makes me sick. I just never, ever thought in a million years this would happen, and it just, it breaks my heart. I cant take it back. I cant replace her.
December ICE NY cocoa (CCZ25) on Friday closed down -96 (-1.60%), and December ICE London cocoa #7 (CAZ25) closed down -92 (-2.19%).

Cocoa prices fell from 1-week highs on Friday and settled sharply lower on signs of weak global cocoa demand. The Cocoa Association of Asia reported that Q3 Asia cocoa grindings fell -17% y/y to 183,413, the smallest grindings for a Q3 in 9 years. On Thursday, the European Cocoa Association reported that Q3 European cocoa grindings fell -4.8% y/y to 337,353 MT, the lowest for a third quarter in 10 years. However, the National Confectioners Association reported that Q3 North American coca grindings rose +3.2% y/y to 112,784 MT. The bullish aspects of the Q3 North American grindings report were negated, however, after the addition of new reporting companies to the report skewed the data.

More News from Barchart

On Monday, cocoa prices extended their two-month-long decline, with NY cocoa posting a 20-month nearest-futures low and London cocoa posting a 20.5-month nearest-futures low. Cocoa prices remain under pressure due to the outlook for abundant supplies amid weak demand.

The governments of the Ivory Coast and Ghana have recently increased the amount they pay farmers for their cocoa beans, which is expected to boost sales and cocoa supplies.

Cocoa prices have also been under pressure over the past two months amid fears that high cocoa prices and tariffs could dampen chocolate demand. North American sales volume of chocolate candy was down more than -21% in the 13 weeks ending September 7, compared to the same period last year, according to data from research firm Circana.

The outlook for an improved cocoa crop in the Ivory Coast this year is also bearish for prices. Chocolate maker Mondelez recently said that the latest cocoa pod count in West Africa is 7% above the five-year average and "materially higher" than last year's crop. The harvest of the Ivory Coast's main crop has just begun, and farmers are optimistic about the quality of the crop.

Expectations of abundant global cocoa supplies are hammering cocoa prices. Cocoa deliveries in Ghana have surged, weighing on prices. Cocoa arrivals to ports in Ghana in the four weeks ending September 4 reached 50,440 MT compared to about 11,000 MT delivered in the same period in 2024. Ghana is the world's second-largest producer of cocoa.

Tighter cocoa inventories are supportive for prices after ICE-monitored cocoa inventories held in US ports fell to a 6.25-month low of 1,870,004 bags on Friday.
Drivers along Narcoossee Road say theyre desperate for relief from gridlock and the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) says help is on the way.

The agency is designing a 14-mile toll road, known as State Road 534, which is expected to relieve congestion along the busy corridor and accommodate future population growth.

The $1.59 billion project will connect Nova Road in St. Cloud to State Road 417 near Boggy Creek in Orange County.

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During a Thursday afternoon drive, Channel 9 timed the trip from north to south along Narcoossee. The 3.5-mile route took more than 13 minutes, with crews hitting red light after red light. Residents say thats nothing compared to the areas peak traffic times.

Its horrible, said St. Cloud resident Bernie Collin, describing the near-constant backups.

Collin told Channel 9 he travels the road nearly every day.

Commuter Sherry Yokes called the daily drive a nightmare. She said she has no choice but to sit in traffic. I have picked up my grandson at Eagle Creek and it has taken me a full 60 minutes to get to 417, Yokes said.

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Video captured by Drone 9 on Thursday shows the extent of the stop-and-go traffic stretching along Narcoossee Road. Many drivers plan their schedules around the gridlock.

I try to structure my appointments so that they are either before school time or after school time, because otherwise youre going to sit in traffic. Its horrible, Collin said.

CFX hopes to break ground on Phase One of State Road 534 in 2027. That portion of the project would connect Narcoossee Road at Boggy Creek to the 417, giving residents an alternative route toward Orlando International Airport and other key destinations.

While some community members previously raised concerns about the expressways path through about 60 acres of the southwest corner of Split Oak Forest, others now say they just want to see progress.

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CFX says the cost to use the toll road is one of several details still being finalized during the design phase.

Collin said he supports the project but hopes the construction phase doesnt make traffic worse before it gets better.

Construction added to this mix is double horrible, he said.

According to the Florida Department of Transportation, Narcoossee Road is among the busiest non-highway roads in Central Florida. Only U.S. 192, Colonial Drive, and John Young Parkway see higher average vehicle counts.

CFX wants residents who use Narcoossee Road to fill out a survey and provide input on the project. You can find that survey here.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
The desperate search for a missing 23-year-old Philadelphia woman has been ongoing for nearly two weeks, and her family is pleading for people to come forward with any information.

Family members announced a $12,000 reward on Friday for credible information that leads to her safe recovery.

"I need my daughter home," Scott's father, Kevin, said. "That's the only thing I'm looking forward to."

The community is holding onto faith. Members of Christian Stronghold Church's Pray365 team gathered outside the Terrace at Chestnut Hill on Friday night.

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"God is a miracle worker and a miracle is on the way," said prayer team leader Ty Gary.

"I do want Kada and her family to know that they're not by themselves," added church member Joseph Massengale.

Kada Scott

Kada Scott vanished the night of Saturday, Oct. 4, after leaving her workplace, a senior living facility called The Terrace at Chestnut Hill.

Keon King, 21, of Southwest Philadelphia, has been charged with kidnapping in her disappearance and is currently being held on $2.5 million bail.

Before her disappearance, Scott had told family members she was being harassed, though it's not known if King was the person who was harassing her.

Keon King

King is also facing a second kidnapping charge in connection with a separate case from January 2025.

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Sources say a video circulating on social media from January stems from that same incident and is part of the investigation.

Authorities are investigating a video posted to TikTok that may be connected to the disappearance of Philadelphia woman Kada Scott.

King allegedly broke into the victim's house, choked her, and assaulted her. Sources say a 2-year-old child was in the car.

Sources also say King also has a protection from abuse order against him.

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office said Wednesday that the case had been withdrawn when the witness did not appear in court but those charges have been refiled.

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"I pulled that file, and after extensive review, our office made the decision to refile those charges. We believe there is enough to proceed. We also do believe this is a pattern for this person," said Asst. District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski.

Chopper 6 over abandoned elementary school in Germantown in connection to missing woman's case

Homicide detectives returned to the city's East Mount Airy section on Thursday to search for surveillance video. The location was near the grounds of the abandoned middle school they scoured on Wednesday and found what they believe to be Scott's phone case, debit card and glases.

King's car was located on Wednesday at his mother's condo complex in East Falls and towed for evidence.

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Chopper 6 was overhead on Oct. 15, 2025, after police found a car believed to be connected to the missing person case of Kada Scott.

Police believe King was the last person in contact with Scott, but did not say how they knew each other.

"We got to keep praying. We got to keep hoping. We got to keep believing," said Scott's aunt, Jana Allen.

"We do acknowledge that each day that goes by that things can worsen, we are determined to stay hopeful," added another relative.

King is expected back in court early next month.

IMAGE: Map shows locations where Kada Scott was last seen and other areas where police have search in connection with the case.

Anyone with information can call or text Philadelphia police at 215-686-TIPS (8477) or submit an anonymous tip online.
Nuclear submarines are the latest in monumentally advanced technology powering global military forces. Throughout the entire world, there are only nine nations that have developed nuclear weapons. Of these, only six use nuclear technology in submarine propulsion -- the U.S., China, Russia, France, the U.K., and India.

Nuclear submarines are technologically superior to traditionally powered vessels in many ways. A nuclear submarine can remain submerged for months, allowing for lengthy reconnaissance or pre-attack planning missions that other submerged vessels simply can't accommodate. Estimates suggest that they could stay beneath the surf for 20 years if not for the need to take on supplies like food for the crew. This makes them an invaluable tool in global sea power operations. These vessels can achieve higher speeds than traditional submarines, adding to their utility in any potential conflict. However, nuclear submarines are generally louder than other submerged boats because of the constant engagement of the vessel's reactor. They are also larger and less agile than traditional vessels. As a result, navies that employ nuclear submarines continue to support non-nuclear alternatives to maintain combat readiness under many unique circumstances.

Nuclear submarines are a true engineering marvel, but some builds stand head and shoulders above the rest. These are the most impressive and advanced nuclear submarines in use today.

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Read more: Every Japanese Aircraft Carrier Sunk In WWII

The United Kingdom's Astute-Class submarines

The HMS Astute breaking water on the surface - Royal Navy/Wikimedia Commons

The U.K. Royal Navy began commissioning its newest boats in 2010, and the Astute-class has since become one of the most advanced nuclear submarines ever constructed. As of this writing, six of the planned seven are serving the Royal Navy, and they're impressive to say the least. Each Astute-class submarine displaces up to 8,288 tons of seawater while submerged, and they accommodate a crew complement of up to 109 personnel. These attack submarines are the largest and best-equipped the Royal Navy has ever operated.

They're so advanced that they don't even have optical periscopes. Those have been replaced by high-end video capture sensors. In terms of armament, Astute-class boats are equipped with U.S.-made Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles (TLAM), as well as Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes. This gives the boats ground and marine-attack options. The TLAMs carried onboard have a range of 1,035 miles, while Spearfish can hit targets up to 44 miles distant.

They can remain submerged for as long as the crew can endure, as Astute-class boats produce their own breathable oxygen and potable water. Food is the only limitation, as a boat would need to resupply every 90 days to keep everyone onboard fed. They're the first nuclear submarines to be designed in an entirely 3D, computer-simulated environment, and typically operate on ten-week patrols with a crew of 98 personnel. Astute-class submarines are produced in the U.K. via BAE Systems Submarines, which is scheduled to deliver the seventh boat in the class by early 2029.

Russian Borei-A-class submarines

The Knyaz Vladimir submarine - Kuleshov Oleg/Shutterstock

In 2022 the Russian Navy sailed a new Borei-A-class submarine into the White Sea to begin factory trials of its latest addition. The "Generalissimus Suvorov" ballistic missile submarine is a fourth-generation nuclear-powered submarine and was slated to enter service in the Pacific Fleet by the end of 2022. This vessel is the third Borei-A submarine delivered to the Russian Navy, after "Knyaz Vladimir" in 2020 and "Knyaz Oleg" in 2021.

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The platform is an improved template over the previous Borei-class design that includes enhanced stealth capabilities (through quieter operation) and deep-sea maneuverability. These vessels are typically armed with 16 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and 553mm torpedoes. A Norwegian outlet, The Barents Observer, reported on December 29, 2022, that the "Generalissimus Suvorov" had indeed been folded into Russia's Pacific Fleet in a dedication ceremony on that day and would carry missiles armed with nuclear warheads rather than conventional warheads.

The submarine's SLBMs are capable of striking targets at a distance of 6,200 miles, and the vessels are also armed with roughly eight MIRVs (Multiple Independently-targetable Reentry Vehicle) that can facilitate the launch of multiple warheads at a time--with each focused on independent targets.

American Virginia-class submarines

USS Virginia during sea trials (2004) - U.S. Navy/Wikimedia Commons

Virginia-class fast attack submarines are some of the newest vessels in the U.S. Navy's arsenal. The contract to build a new propulsion platform was awarded to Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations in 2013, and the subs themselves have been assembled in Newport News, Virginia, by Huntington Ingalls Industries and General Dynamics Electric Boat. Today there are 24 active Virginia-class vessels in service. The attack submarines are nuclear-powered, and the first of the series, the "Virginia," was commissioned in 2004.

These submarines are slated to replace the existing Los Angeles-class submarines with retirements and new commissions scheduled over the coming years. This gives operators in Virginia-class vessels a distinct advantage when it comes to interdiction and surveillance operations conducted in hostile waterways.

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Virginia-class submarines are armed with Tomahawk missiles and MK48 ADCAP torpedoes. The vessels can reach a speed of over 29 mph and are particularly well-versed in conducting shallow-water operations. One unique feature of these submarines is the reconfigurable torpedo room. This space can act as a staging and deployment area for special operations teams on long deployments, and the submarines provide a lock-in/lock-out chamber to allow divers to enter and leave the vessel without having to surface.

The British Royal Navy's Vanguard-class submarines

a Vanguard-class submarine - Royal Navy

The United Kingdom launched the HMS Vanguard in 1993, and in the years since four Vanguard-class submarines have acted as the nation's primary undersea patrol vessel. Vanguard-class submarines are powered by nuclear reactors and offer ballistic missile engagement options. These vessels are one of the U.K.'s primary nuclear deterrents and are therefore equipped with nuclear warheads.

Vanguard-class submarines carry 16 Trident II D5 missiles with as many as 12 MIRV warheads (resulting in up to 192 individual nuclear munitions). The vessels operate four torpedo tubes and carry Spearfish torpedos for underwater or surface combat requirements. The submarines can reach a speed of around 29 mph, placing them squarely within competitive standards with other nuclear submarines that traverse the depths of the Earth's oceans.

While the Vanguard-class submarines are a critical piece of the United Kingdom's defensive backbone, the newest of the four vessels was commissioned in 1999, some 20-plus years ago. In contrast, the United States, Russia, and others are rolling out new vessels to handle deterrence and submerged surveillance tasks. For its part, the British Government is pursuing the development of new submarine technology and intends to replace these four Vanguard-class vessels with the new Dreadnought class by the 2030s.

France's Barracuda-class attack submarines

Politicians and military standing in front of Suffren - Naval News/YouTube

In June 2022, the French Navy introduced a new Barracuda-class vessel to its submarine fleet. The "Suffren" is the first of six to enter service over the coming years and can dive below 350 meters (1,150 feet) for 70-day missions. The vessel is small compared to others of this type (99 meters long, or 325 feet), and it's packed full of technology that helps the crew remain silent in the water and deadly when necessary.

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The ship is armed with cruise missiles that can be launched via the sub's torpedo tubes, wire-guided torpedos, anti-ship projectiles, and mines. The vessel is also outfitted with the ability to support special operations groups, with a dry deck shelter that facilitates the deployment of combat swimmers and submersible vehicles.

The Barracuda-class submarine lineup will replace France's Le Triomphant-class vessels. Many of the weapons systems are similar to the previous generation. With a larger footprint, a 60-day mission window, and a fleet of only four ships, the Barracuda class is a much-improved asset in French intelligence gathering operations, deterrence, and forward strike capabilities.

The Chinese Navy's Type 093 Shang-Class Submarines

A Chinese Type 093 (Shang-Class) submarine - Darkranch23/Wikimedia Commons

The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is building up its submarine fleet as the nation races to become the world's strongest naval power. To this end, China has several nuclear submarines, including the Type 093 (NATO reporting name is Shang-class). As of writing, China has completed six Type 093 subs. The first was commissioned in 2006, even though construction of the first boat began in the 1990s. Despite the slow rollout, the Shang-class has demonstrated several improvements over its predecessors.

Most notably, it's considerably quieter than previous submarines. Specifically, the Type 093A variant is the quietest boat China had produced at the time of launch. According to the U.S. Naval War College, the Type 093A is "the first quiet submarine in the PLAN." As of 2025, China's nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) fleet consists entirely of Shang-class boats, though more are planned. Shang-class subs use a single seven-bladed propeller, giving them a top speed of roughly 25 knots.

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In terms of armament, each boat has torpedo tubes, which can launch a variety of Russian and Chinese-made weapon systems capable of targeting submerged and surface ships. These include the YJ-82 anti-ship missile. In terms of capacity, a Shang-class sub can carry either a number of torpedoes of mixed type or mines. Additionally, the Type 093B has a vertical launch system, allowing it to fire cruise missiles and other weapons to strike distant ground targets up to 932 miles away.

The United States' Seawolf-Class submarines

The USS Connecticut (SSN 22) underway in the Pacific - U.S. Navy/Wikimedia Commons

The United States developed the Seawolf-class submarines as a replacement for its aging fleet of Los Angeles-class boats in the early 1980s. The plan was to outfit the Navy with 29 new boats over a decade, but reality reared its ugly head: the order was cut and then canceled, leaving only three Seawolf-class boats produced. Each of the three remains in service as of writing, and Seawolf-class subs are the fastest military submarines currently in operation, with a submerged top speed of 40 mph.

Two of the boats displace 9,138 tons of seawater when submerged and measure 353 feet long. The USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23), which was extended by 100 feet, is 453 feet long, and it displaces 12,158 tons. All three have a diameter of 40 feet. Seawolf-class submarines can exceed 800 feet in diving depth, have a crew complement of 140, carry Mark 48 heavyweight torpedoes, and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Their biggest claim to fame isn't speed or weapon systems: it's sound ... or a lack thereof.

Seawolf-class boats are harder to detect than Los Angeles-class subs. This is due to how quiet their systems operate when compared to older boats. Seawolf-class submarines feature tons of new systems, and they've been upgraded throughout their service life. They feature stronger steel than their predecessors and were costly; in 2025 dollars, a single Seawolf-class sub would cost U.S. taxpayers over $6.45 billion. By comparison, the Navy's newest attack sub, the Virginia-class, costs around $3.2 billion.

The Russian Navy's Yasen-Class submarines

The -560 Yasen-class nuclear submarine of the Russian Navy - Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation/Wikimedia Commons

Though design efforts began in the 1980s, it took some time for the Yasen-class submarines of the Russian Navy to enter service. When construction kicked off in the 1990s, it still took some time, and the first in the class was finally commissioned in 2013. Updates to the design led to the Yasen-M updates entering service in 2021. These are planned to replace Russia's current nuclear attack submarines. Yasen-M-class boats are the most advanced Russian submarines in service.

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The new variants are equipped with a vertical launch system and cruise missiles, enabling them to strike ground targets. The submarines were constructed with a "one and a half hull" design, consisting of a light outer hull covering part of the pressure hull. In submarine design, two hulls are used for better buoyancy and safety. Conversely, a single hull provides reduced sound and near-invisibility. Yasen-class boats fall between the two, incorporating aspects of both designs.

For armament, Yasen-class subs are equipped with the 3M55 Oniks supersonic anti-ship missile and the Granat cruise missile, which has a range of 1,491 miles. It also has multiple torpedo tubes capable of launching torpedoes, as well as a variety of missiles. The Yasen-class is comparable to the U.S. Seawolf and Virginia-class attack subs, but Russia's boats incorporate more weapons and capabilities, making them superior in several ways. That makes sense, seeing as these boats were a long time coming, allowing for multiple redesigns.

The Chinese Navy's Type 094 Jin-Class Submarines

A Jin (Type 094) Class Ballistic Missile Submarine - USNI/Wikimedia Commons

The PLAN's newest nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine is the Type 094 (NATO reporting name is Jin-class). The first of eight projected boats was commissioned into the PLAN in 2008, and as of writing, six are believed to be in active service. The Jin-class boats are designed as part of China's nuclear triad, which the nation didn't confirm existed until September 2025. These boats are similar to the U.S. Navy's Ohio-class submarines in that their primary purpose is to remain undetected until they're needed.

That's a description appropriate for any military sub, but ballistic missile submarines are different. Their main goal is to hide and fire a volley of nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), submerge, and withdraw. For the Jin-class, they're outfitted with 12 JL-2 or JL-3 SLBMs. The JL-2 has a range of up to 5,592 miles and carries either a one-megaton warhead or three to eight MIRVs with yields of 20, 90, or 150 kilotons.

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The JL-3 has a range of 6,214 miles and can carry between 250 kilotons and one megaton of nuclear ordnance. While the Type 094 is easily China's most advanced nuclear submarine, it does have some issues. Notably, it's comparatively loud, making it easy to detect. They rarely pass U.S. subs undetected, which isn't ideal for such a weapon system. That said, sound issues are overcome by the onboard missile ranges, mitigating the need to get too close to an enemy coast to fire missiles at targeted cities and military sites.

The American Ohio-class submarine

USS Ohio converted to an SSGN (2004) - U.S. Navy/Wikimedia Commons

The Ohio-class submarine stands tall above the competition regarding advanced nuclear submarines. The 14 remaining Ohio-class ballistic missile vessels (and four converted guided missile submarines) are the largest submarines deployed by the U.S. Navy. They typically patrol on 70-day deployments but can remain submerged for as long as necessary (limited only by food and other material requirements of the crew). Approaching crush depth - depth in which the water pressure is too strong for the underwater vessel - Ohio-class submarines are noted as capable of diving to around 800 feet but have been known to achieve depths below 1,500 feet.

These vessels can achieve speeds rising above 30 knots and carry up to 154 Tomahawk missiles, as well as Trident II D-5 nuclear armaments that offer an estimated range of around 6,500 nautical miles and as many as five warheads per missile. The resulting arms capacity is potentially 120 nuclear weapons that can travel across the hemisphere they're fired from. The submarines also pack a punch underwater, with Mk48 torpedoes and four torpedo tubes for attacking surface ships and other submerged vessels. This led Popular Mechanics to call the Ohio-class submarine "arguably the most destructive weapons on the planet."

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Participants joined the No Kings rally in Fargo on June 14, 2025. (Photo by Erin Hemme Froslie/For the North Dakota Monitor)

North Dakota No Kings rally organizers say they expect bigger crowds on Saturday than events held in June because people are feeling ignored by federal lawmakers.

Ten No Kings protests are planned in cities across North Dakota with more than 2,000 events scheduled nationwide. The national movement emphasizes that America does not believe in kings or dictators, but the power belongs to the people.

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Olivia Schloegel, one of the Jamestown event organizers, said citizens call and submit comments to members of North Dakotas congressional delegation, but they dont feel heard.

Schloegel moved to Jamestown in 2018 as a federal worker for the U.S. Department of the Interior. Though she no longer works for the government, she said she is disheartened by the treatment of federal workers under President Donald Trumps second term.

Our federal services and workforce is being gutted at such an extreme and destructive pace, Schloegel said. The checks and balances I learned about in high school government do not seem to be honored.

Nikki Tickerhoof, an organizer for the No Kings protest in Minot, said the Air Force base is important to the community, and residents are worried about impacts from the federal government shutdown. Trump issued a memo on Wednesday directing military service members to be paid on Oct. 15. However, the memo is unclear if funds will be available to pay service members at the end of October.

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A lot of the families that I know of, they are already struggling as it is, Tickerhoof said.

Protesters wave signs at passing cars near the Capitol in Bismarck during the nationwide No Kings protests on June 14, 2025. (Photo by Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

While she doesnt expect any major incidents to occur, Tickerhoof said she requested additional law enforcement to be in the protest area to ensure safety.

Fargos No Kings rally drew about 3,000 people in June, according to organizer Lyn Dockter-Pinnick. Since then, frustrations have grown with federal actions, including National Guard soldiers being deployed to American cities, she said.

We do expect the same, or more, people because of the dire situation that were finding ourselves in, Dockter-Pinnick said.

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The Fargo event will feature speakers from the AFL-CIO labor union, American Civil Liberties Union and other community activists.

The Bismarck No Kings event will feature a free speech minute where participants will be able to use a microphone or bullhorn to deliver a one-minute statement.

The protest in Williston will feature a keynote speech from former Democratic-NPL Party U.S. House candidate Trygve Hammer.

LuAnn Casler, an organizer for the Williston event, said about 150 people participated in June, and she expects more on Saturday.

People were clamoring, Casler said. We had people from Montana, people from Canada that came.

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Dockter-Pinnick said participants are focused on having a peaceful protest.

Were not showing up with guns, or knives, or weapons, she said. Were showing up only with our souls full of worry about our country.

North Dakota Monitor reporter Michael Achterling can be reached at machterling@northdakotamonitor.com.

North Dakota No Kings rallies:

Bismarck, noon to 2 p.m., at the North Dakota Capitol

Bottineau, 2-3:30 p.m., at the Walmart walking path

Devils Lake, 10-11:30 a.m., at Lake Region Heritage Center

Dickinson, noon to 2 p.m. MDT, at Prairie Hills Mall

Fargo, 1-3 p.m., Fargo City Hall

Grand Forks, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Town Square Grand Forks

Jamestown, 10 a.m., Mill Hill

Minot, 2-4 p.m., Town and Country Center sidewalk

Valley City, noon to 12:30 p.m., Main Street and Central Avenue

Williston, noon to 2 p.m., Harmon Park

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  100 STRONG Baton Rouge is marking a major milestone after a year of empowering philanthropy and deepening community ties.

The giving circle, founded by Saundra Lane along with Holly Andrews and Amy Andrews, will celebrate its first anniversary at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the Oak Lodge Reception and Event Center, 2905 Westfork Drive.

Since its inception, 100 STRONG Baton Rouge has united individuals with a shared mission: to give back, build fellowship, and support local nonprofits through collective giving.

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The group meets quarterly, with each member donating $100. At each gathering, local nonprofits present their missions, and the members vote to award the pooled funds to the selected organization.

In just twelve months, the organization has contributed thousands of dollars to nonprofits across Baton Rouge. The impact has spanned vital areas such as youth development, affordable housing, and womens empowerment programs, creating a ripple effect of change throughout the community.

Fifolet Halloween Festival promises family-fun in Baton Rouge

Our goal has always been simple: bring people together and give generously, said Lane. Its been inspiring to see what can happen when people unite with purpose.

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The anniversary celebration will reflect on the successes of the past year, honor the supported nonprofits, and look ahead to even greater impact in the years to come.

For more information about 100 STRONG Baton Rouge or to learn how to get involved, visit the groups website.

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Editors note: This story has been updated to clarify which businesses share the space in the affected building.

BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN)  Boardman police are investigating after about $10,000 worth of copper piping was stolen from the building on McClurg Road.

Read next: charged after incident at Pittsburgh Zoo

Officers were called to the business around 9:30 a.m. Thursday. A worker said someone broke into the building overnight through a side door and cut copper piping from the boiler. The worker said everything was intact when they left around 4 p.m. the day before, but found the missing pipe the next morning.

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It appeared that the thief or thieves entered the boiler area through a crawl space that led to an outside door, where other copper piping was cut and stolen, according to the police report.

The cost of the theft exceeds $10,000, according to the report, but could be more once a technician assesses any damage to the boiler.

The report said no suspects were identified, and the building manager was informed of the theft.

The building houses office space, Core Home Fitness and MAC BID. A representative from MAC BID said that theft had not impacted operations at their business. Attempts to reach Core Home Fitness were not successful.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
NEED TO KNOW

A 12-year-old student and an adult staff member were injured after they were hit by a car outside the school on Oct. 15

The boy was hospitalized with "traumatic injuries to his lower extremities," officials said

The woman was in "stable condition" upon being transported to the hospital, they added

A student and a staff member from a Pittsburgh school were injured after being hit by a car outside the school.

First responders were dispatched to the scene at Monticello Street and North Murtland Street in the Homewood West neighborhood around 3 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Oct. 15, following reports of a vehicle versus pedestrian collision, according to a news release from the Pittsburgh Public Safety Department.

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Upon arrival, crews found a 12-year-old boy and an adult woman on the sidewalk of Monticello Street, adjacent to Westinghouse Academy.

The boy, who sustained traumatic injuries to his lower extremities, was transported to UPMC Childrens Hospital in critical condition and immediately taken into surgery, officials said.

The woman who was struck was also transported to the hospital in stable condition, according to officials.

Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesperson Emily Bourne said on Thursday, Oct. 16, that the boy was approaching more of a stable condition but lost a lot of blood due to the crash, according to ABC affiliate WTAE.

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The driver "pinned" the two pedestrians between her vehicle and a low retaining wall, causing some quite significant traumatic injuries to the child, Bourne added.

A spokesperson for Pittsburgh Public Schools confirmed the boy is a Westinghouse student and the woman is a one-to-one classroom assistant, WTAE reported.

Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Wayne Walters said on Wednesday that the two individuals who were hit were simply standing waiting for transportation at the time of the crash, according to the outlet.

"Our thoughts and prayers are first and foremost with that student and that staff member. We wish them a speedy recovery, and that we hope that we can not have this type of thing with people who are driving vehicles and creating accidents certainly around our schools, Walters said.

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A preliminary investigation into the crash indicated the woman behind the wheel of the car made a right turn onto Monticello Street while traveling southbound on North Murtland Street, but continued tracking to the right, causing her to jump the curb and strike the pedestrians on the sidewalk.

One witness told NBC affiliate WPXI that the crash happened so quick that students who were gathered on the sidewalk didnt get a chance to get out of the way.

Its not like she was really going fast; she just avoided the car, it was just a quick swerve, the person recalled.

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Officials said the woman driving the car involved in the crash stayed on the scene and was cooperating with officers. They also said in their news release that alcohol intoxication is a potential factor in the collision.

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"There is a potential, a probability that alcohol was a factor, and so charges are expected in this case," Bourne said, according to WTAE.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing as authorities review all available evidence, including area camera footage and witness statements.



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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  The Onondaga County Sheriffs Office, New York State Police, and Syracuse Police Department worked to execute search warrants, which led to the recovery of copious amounts of cocaine, fentanyl, meth, cash, and more, from an apartment in Syracuse.

On Wednesday, Oct. 15, just before 10 p.m., members of the Syracuse Police Department Patrol Division, Special Investigations Division, along with Gang Violence Task Force detectives and SWAT personnel executed three high-risk search warrants following an investigation into the sale of illegal narcotics.

Police were able to search 2005 East Fayette Street, Apartment 106, and 1901 East Fayette Street, Apartment 1J, as well as the Rodeway Inn, located at 6578 Thompson Road.

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From their searches, the following was recovered:

120.6 grams of cocaine

28.5 grams of fentanyl

2.3 grams of meth

Drug packaging and scales

$2,422 in cash, plus an additional large sum of money that was turned over to the DEA for forfeiture proceedings. The total is unknown at this time.

From this, 30-year-old Jakeith Jackson was arrested and charged with six counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the third degree, four counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the seventh degree, and four counts of Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia in the second degree.

36-year-old Amanda Crowell was arrested and charged with two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the seventh degree, as well as an Out of State Warrant.

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Additionally, charges are pending against several others in relation to the investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Nearly 120 New Mexico National Guardsmen from the 126th Military Police Company have departed for a one-year federal active-duty deployment to the southern border in Texas to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The New Mexico National Guard said they will become part of Joint Task Force-Southern Border and will be doing a routine rotation to replace other units currently serving along the border. The NM National Guard did not say where its troops would be seeing duty along the border.

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Photos courtesy of NM National Guard

The 126th spent this years annual training preparing for this mission with exercises in convoy operations, vehicle and foot patrols, and land navigation during both day and night operations, the New Mexico National Guard said in a news release.

Soldiers and their families gathered for a Yellow Ribbon send off-event hosted by Mayfield High School in Las Cruces. They heard speakers from NM National Guard leadership as part of the ceremony.

The company is based in Las Cruces, but its members come from all over the state.

For many of you, this isnt your first deployment and were thankful youve answered the nations call yet again, said Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Carper, New Mexicos deputy adjutant general. Our near-peer threat is intentionally sabotaging our country. Drugs are coming in. Theyre trying to destroy us. The southern border isnt just a line on the map. Its the front door to our country.

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Were asking you to guard that door, Carper said. Were counting on you to safeguard our way of life.

The 126th has a history of successful deployments, the NM National Guard said.

From Iraq, to supporting two presidential inaugurations, the unit has performed superbly in the past, Carper said.

Capt. Marcos Myers commands the 126th Military Police Company, and will lead the unit during this deployment.

We are citizen soldiers. We are from communities around New Mexico where we grew up. This reminds us that our service and sacrifice serves to maintain our American way of life, Myers said. The southern border is a critical line of defense for our nation. Transnational criminal organizations profit from human suffering, trafficking drugs, weapons and people. We will not allow this to happen.

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Far more than just a send-off event, the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program promotes the well-being of National Guard and Reserve members and their families by connecting them with resources throughout and beyond the units deployment cycle, the NM National Guard said.

Soldiers and their families have access to programs, services, resources, and referrals to minimize stress during all phases of deployment, the NM National Guard said.

Your sacrifice as families while your loved one is far from home supporting our nation doesnt go unnoticed. Were here to support you in any way we can during this deployment, Carper said. Please reach out to us. You arent going through this alone.

Myers closed out the ceremony, noting this mission will challenge the soldiers resolve and endurance, but with unwavering support from their families, they will be a success.

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Let us remember our actions matter, and our sacrifice is meaningful, Myers said. Let us honor our families and country by giving our very best, staying true to our values and returning knowing weve done our duty.

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.
NEED TO KNOW

A 13-year-old jumped to her death from a reservoir in May after asking her sick dad to go for a walk with her, according to officials

Qudsiyah Mahmood told friends that she was "in a low mood" and confused about both her sexuality and religion, they said

The teen was described by the head teacher at her school as a "bright, kind and friendly young person"



A 13-year-old girl died after jumping into a reservoir during a walk with her dad, and new details are now emerging about what led up to the teens death.

Qudsiyah Mahmood, 13, drowned after leaping into Baitings Reservoir near Ripponden, West Yorkshire, on May 28, according to BBC News and WalesOnline.

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Bradford Coroner's Court was told as part of an inquest that the teen had asked her father to take her for a walk so she could take pictures, BBC News and ITV reported.

The dad, who was in ill health, per police, and was said to have been walking in front of his daughter when she jumped into the water, authorities heard at an inquest. Her death was later ruled a suicide.

Detective Inspector Laura Hall, of West Yorkshire Police, told the inquest that Qudsiyah sent Snapchat messages to her friends stating she was "in a low mood and confused about her sexuality" prior to her death, according to BBC News.

She reportedly was also questioning her religion, and suggested in her communications that she was "intending to take her own life, Hall added.

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"The family was not aware of this but told the police that, whatever the problem, they would have been supportive," Hall said, ITV reported.

The reservoir where Qudsiyah died was about 20 minutes from her familys home, according to WalesOnline. Per the authorities, her dad agreed to the trip on the condition that she would do well in her exams."

A witness told police he saw Qudsiyah walk over the edge of a bridge with "no hesitation, according to the BBC and WalesOnline.

The teens body was reportedly recovered from the water the next day after using sonar to search the reservoir.

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Qudsiyah was born in Mirpur, Pakistan, and attended the Crossley Heath School in Halifax, according to ITV.

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Head teacher Dean Jones described Qudsiyah, who was in Year 8, as a "bright, kind and friendly young person who brought happiness to our school, according to BBC News.

"I am ever so sorry to share this news, Jones said in an email. "However, as a school family I want you to know we are there side by side with Qudsiyah's family, all in our Crossley's school family and our community to offer the best support we can."

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If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.



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HARBIN, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- At the Case New Holland (CNH) industrial plant in Pingfang District of Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, the new 5088 combine harvesters are rolling off the production line at a rapid pace. Standing over 5 meters tall and stretching 11 meters long, these machines -- powered by more than 200 horsepower and composed of over 10,000 components -- symbolize the momentum of China's agricultural modernization. With 44 workstations at full capacity, a new harvester rolls off the line every 1.5 hours, each bearing the "Made in Harbin" label. Li Kang, president of CNH China and Mongolia, emphasized the facility's global importance. He noted that CNH is a world-renowned agricultural machinery manufacturer, with global revenue approaching 20 billion U.S. dollars last year, 71 percent of which came from agricultural machinery. The Harbin plant, established in 2013, is CNH's largest facility in the Asia-Pacific region. "We produce tractors from 100 to 500 horsepower, as well as flagship harvesters such as the 4099 and 5088 models," Li added. The company established its Harbin R&D center over a decade ago, which now serves as CNH's largest and most technologically advanced research hub in Asia. The center not only designs products tailored to China's agricultural needs but also exports its innovations worldwide. In a cornfield in Harbin's Shuangcheng District, a CR8.90 combine harvester showcased its efficiency at a field day event where 14 of the company's core products were displayed. Featuring dual axial rotor threshing technology, the machine efficiently processes high feed rates with minimal grain damage and is suitable for multiple crops. "China's market for tractors over 200 horsepower continues to expand, while demand for harvesters with feed rates exceeding 10 kg per second is growing steadily," Li said. "We have strong product offerings in these segments and will continue developing machinery tailored to local demands." Luca Mainardi, president of CNH Asia Pacific, emphasized long-term commitment, noting that the Harbin plant -- in operation for over a decade -- represents their largest industrial investment globally in the past 30 years, with cumulative investment exceeding 250 million U.S. dollars. He expressed strong confidence in the Chinese market and will leverage local supply chains to meet domestic demand while expanding globally. As harvesting advances, grain processing in the province enters peak season. At Yihai (Jiamusi) Grain and Oil Industry Co., Ltd., truck driver Liu Xinmin delivers rice through an automated system where facial recognition technology expedites registration and sampling. The smart processing line operates around the clock, transforming paddy into rice through more than 20 steps. "To meet new grain storage needs, we built two additional warehouses, increasing capacity by 67,000 tonnes," said Li Zhen, procurement manager of the company. "Orders are strong, and we are operating at full capacity." Wu Zhihua, regional head of Yihai Kerry Arawana Holdings covering Heilongjiang, Jilin and Inner Mongolia, credited the success to government support. "We've established a strong presence in Heilongjiang for over a decade, leveraging local grain resources to enhance deep processing and industrial upgrading."
Coinbase added BNB to its listing roadmap on Wednesday, signaling support for the cryptocurrency issued by its biggest competitor, Binance.

Offered to the public through an initial coin offering in 2017, the assetwhich can be used for transaction fees on Binances platformis currently the fourth-largest digital asset by market capitalization, worth $164 billion, according to crypto data provider CoinGecko.

Although the asset will lack any utility within Coinbases ecosystem, the San Francisco-based exchange effectively extended an olive branch to Binance because BNB has historically been hard to access in the U.S. Fellow rival Kraken, for example, listed the token in April.

Stronger together, Kraken said on X then.

Despite being more difficult to access in the U.S., BNB has outperformed Bitcoin and Ethereum over the past year, rising 98% to $1,165 from $593 a year before. It has recently surged to new all-time highs, peaking at about $1,370 on Monday. The outperformance coincides with U.S. regulators adopting a more collaborative approach to the industry.

Prior to last weeks historic liquidation cascade, some analysts pointed to growing interest in BNB Chain-based decentralized exchange Aster as a factor driving BNBs recent rally.

Before Binance agreed to a $4.3 billion settlement with U.S. authorities to resolve criminal charges in 2023, the SEC began scrutinizing BNBs origins separately for potential securities laws violations, per Bloomberg. In June, the SEC filed to dismiss the lawsuit that it had brought against Binance, founder Changpeng CZ Zhao, and its sister company in 2023.

$36.5M in BNB Donated to Maltese Cancer Patients Unclaimed After 7 YearsHere's Why

Earlier this week, Binance said in a now-deleted post on X that it does not profit from tokens being listed on its platform. Not long before, CJ Hetherington, CEO of prediction market maker Limitless Labs, had made that exact allegation on X, while praising Coinbase.

That same day, Jesse Pollak, creator of Coinbase's Ethereum layer-2 network Base, said on X that it should cost 0% to be listed on an exchange, in reference to token allocations.

Coinbase Ventures was among several investors that participated in a $4 million strategic funding round for Limitless Labs in June, according to cryptorank.

Coinbase may be adding a Binance-focused cryptocurrency to its trading platform, but the crypto exchange removed a Binance-branded stablecoin in the past.

Coinbase said that it would delist BUSD in early 2023, two weeks after Paxos Trust said that it would no longer mint the Binance-branded stablecoin due to regulatory scrutiny. Around that time, Paxos said that it was anticipating an SEC lawsuit related to the product.

Our determination to suspend trading for BUSD is based on our own internal monitoring and review processes, a Coinbase spokesperson told Decrypt then. When reviewing BUSD, we determined that it no longer met our listing standards and will be suspended.
October tends to get a lot of attention for pumpkin patches, Halloween costumes, and the gradual shift to cooler weather, but did you know its also a month jam-packed with history? Some defining moments happened during these 31 days throughout history. Youve probably heard of a few, but many of these historical October events may surprise you.

The thing about October is that it sits at the crossroads of seasons, which almost feels fitting for the massive shifts in politics, science, and society that have taken place during this time. From the launch of a satellite that sent the world scrambling into space to a tense moment between global superpowers that brought us to the edge of nuclear war, October is anything but quiet when it comes to history. It has shaped the way we travel, communicate, follow the law, and beyond.

Of course, we can't mention every event, and you might even have a few you'd like to add to the list. But here are 14 of the most noteworthy, impactful, and unforgettable things that happened in October.

1. October 1, 1949  The People's Republic of China is Established

Photo Credit: Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong declared the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in front of a massive crowd in Tiananmen Square, marking the beginning of communist rule in China. After years of civil war between the Chinese Communist Party and the Nationalist Party, the Communists victory dramatically shifted the global political landscape.

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The founding of the PRC had immense global consequences, from sparking tensions in the Cold War to reshaping alliances. It also led to Chinas transformation into a major world power, influencing economic, political, and cultural dynamics on a global scale.

2. October 4, 1957  The Launch of Sputnik

Photo Credit: Cadmio - CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.

On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth. This small, beeping sphere created a massive wave of panic in the United States, kickstarting the space race between the two Cold War superpowers. The launch also represented a major leap forward in space exploration and satellite technology.

This event wasnt just about space, it had far-reaching effects on national defense, science education, and global politics. The U.S. responded by founding NASA and ramping up space exploration efforts, leading to the historic moon landing in 1969.

3. October 13, 1307  The Arrest of the Knights Templar

Photo Credit: Munchener Bilderbogen; Public domain

On Friday, October 13, 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the arrest of hundreds of members of the Knights Templar, accusing them of heresy, financial corruption, and other crimes. While historians now believe the charges were largely fabricated, Philip used the Templars' immense wealth and influence as a convenient target.

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This event led to the eventual dissolution of the order and sparked centuries of myths and conspiracy theories, from treasure hunts to secret societies. Its even said to be the origin of the superstition surrounding Friday the 13th.

4. October 14, 1962  The Cuban Missile Crisis Begins

Photo Credit: Central Intelligence Agency - Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

On October 14, 1962, U.S. spy planes discovered Soviet missile installations in Cuba, setting off the Cuban Missile Crisis. For the next 13 days, the world watched in terror as the United States and the Soviet Union faced off, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war.

The standoff ended when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for the U.S. pledging not to invade Cuba and secretly removing American missiles from Turkey. The Cuban Missile Crisis remains one of the most perilous moments in Cold War history and fundamentally altered U.S.-Soviet relations.

5. October 19, 1781  The Siege of Yorktown Ends

Photo Credit: John Trumbull - Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

On October 19, 1781, British General Lord Cornwallis surrendered to American and French forces at Yorktown, Virginia, effectively ending the American Revolutionary War. The combined American and French siege of Yorktown had lasted for weeks, and Cornwalliss surrender marked a decisive moment in the fight for American independence.

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The defeat at Yorktown forced Britain to enter negotiations, which culminated in the Treaty of Paris in 1783, officially recognizing American independence and establishing the United States as a sovereign nation.

6. October 24, 1929  Black Thursday Strikes Wall Street

Photo Credit: Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

Black Thursday, October 24, 1929, is widely considered the beginning of the stock market crash that led to the Great Depression. On that fateful day, panicked investors sold off millions of shares, causing stock prices to plummet. Despite attempts by major banks to stabilize the market, the panic continued into the following week.

The crash wiped out fortunes overnight and sent shockwaves through the global economy. The Great Depression that followed lasted for a decade, deeply affecting economies worldwide and leading to mass unemployment, poverty, and social unrest.

7. October 28, 1886  The Statue of Liberty is Dedicated

Photo Credit: SharonWestvale - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons.

On October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was officially dedicated in New York Harbor. A gift from France to celebrate American independence and democracy, Lady Liberty has since become one of the most enduring symbols of freedom and hope.

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The statues unveiling was a grand celebration, complete with fireworks, speeches, and parades. Over the years, its welcomed millions of immigrants arriving in the U.S. and stands as a beacon of opportunity for those seeking a better life.

8. October 2, 1967  Thurgood Marshall Sworn in as Supreme Court Justice

Photo Credit: Robert S. Oakes - Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

On October 2, 1967, Thurgood Marshall made history by becoming the first African American justice to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Before his appointment, Marshall had been a trailblazing civil rights lawyer, best known for arguing Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark case that desegregated public schools.

Marshalls time on the Supreme Court was marked by his strong advocacy for civil rights, individual liberties, and justice for marginalized communities, leaving a legacy that continues to influence the Court today.

9. October 31, 1517  Martin Luthers 95 Theses Sparks the Reformation

Photo Credit: Julius Hubner - Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

On Halloween 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany, criticizing the Catholic Churchs practices, particularly the sale of indulgences. Luthers bold stand ignited the Protestant Reformation, a movement that shattered the religious unity of Europe.

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The Reformation led to the creation of Protestantism, deep religious divisions, and a series of conflicts across Europe, but it also paved the way for religious freedom and reform within Christianity.

10. October 15, 1991  Clarence Thomas Confirmed to the Supreme Court

Photo Credit: Department of Education. Office of the Secretary. Office of Public Affairs - Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

On October 15, 1991, Clarence Thomas was confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court following one of the most contentious confirmation processes in history, which included allegations of sexual harassment by Anita Hill. Despite the controversy, Thomas was confirmed by a narrow Senate vote.

As a justice, Thomas has become known for his conservative views and his strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, shaping key legal decisions that continue to influence American law.

11. October 16, 1968  The Black Power Salute at the Olympics

Photo Credit: Angelo Cozzi (Mondadori Publishers) - Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in a Black Power salute. This silent but powerful protest against racial injustice was seen by millions around the world.

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The gesture sparked both support and backlash, but it became an enduring symbol of the civil rights movement, highlighting the ongoing struggle for equality in the U.S.

12. October 21, 1805  The Battle of Trafalgar

Photo Credit: Clarkson Frederick Stanfield - Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

On October 21, 1805, the British Navy, led by Admiral Horatio Nelson, decisively defeated the combined French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar. This victory secured Britains naval dominance and prevented Napoleon from invading England.

Though Nelson was killed during the battle, his leadership and strategy are remembered as some of the greatest in naval history, and his victory at Trafalgar ensured British control of the seas for the next century.

13. October 6, 1981  Assassination of Anwar Sadat

Photo Credit: The presidency of The Arab Republic of Egypt - Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

On October 6, 1981, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was assassinated by extremists during a military parade in Cairo. Sadat had been instrumental in brokering peace between Egypt and Israel, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize, but his peace efforts angered Islamic extremists.

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Sadats assassination shook the Middle East, leading to a period of uncertainty in Egypt and altering the regions political landscape.

14. October 5, 1947  First Televised Presidential Address

Photo Credit: Harris & Ewing - Public Domain/Wiki Commons.

On October 5, 1947, President Harry Truman delivered the first-ever televised presidential address from the White House. He used the opportunity to ask Americans to conserve food to help prevent famine in Europe after World War II.

This broadcast marked a turning point in how politicians interacted with the public. Television quickly became a key tool for presidents to communicate directly with American citizens, shaping modern politics and media. Trumans address was just the beginning of an era where the TV screen would become the go-to medium for political speeches, debates, and campaigns.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci

The Pentagon was left with 15 reporters inside the building on Thursday afternoon, following Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseths deadline for media outlets to sign onto his new restrictions taking effect.

The Washington Posts media reporter Scott Nover detailed exactly who was left to cover the largest government agency.

Pro-MAGA outlets The Federalist, the Epoch Times, and OAN all signed Hegseths pledge, which said that journalists are banned from soliciting or obtaining any information that is not pre-approved by the Pentagon.

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Nover reported on the other remaining people in the building: A reporter for the Turkish newspaper Aksam signed the agreement, as did three individuals from the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency and two Turkish freelancers. Other signers included a reporter for the Australian, a News Corp-owned Australian paper; an Afghan freelancer; and three lesser-known operations, AWPS News, the India Globe and a blog called USA Journal Korea. He added:

Two people from Jordanian TV broadcaster Al Taghier signed the wrong version of the press policy. (The policy was updated after pushback from the Pentagon Press Association, which represents the Defense Department press corps, and the press freedom group Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.)

Conservative outlets, including Newsmax and Fox News, all refused to sign the pledge. Most outlets released statements condemning the move as a violation of the First Amendment and an unprecedented government crackdown on free speech.

Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic, put out a statement on Monday saying, The Atlantics journalists will not sign the Pentagons press policy. We fundamentally oppose the restrictions that the Trump administration is imposing on journalists who are reporting on matters of defense and national security.

He added, The requirements violate our First Amendment rights, and the rights of Americans who seek to know how taxpayer- funded military resources and personnel are being deployed. We will continue to cover matters of defense, war, and national security independently and fairly.

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Sean Parnell, the Pentagons main spokesperson, released a statement blaming journalists for the sudden purge of media inside the building, The policy does not ask for them to agree, just to acknowledge that they understand what our policy is. This has caused reporters to have a full blown meltdown, crying victim online. We stand by our policy because its whats best for our troops and the national security of this country.

The post Here Are The 15 Remaining Reporters Inside the Pentagon  Including 3 From Turkish State Media first appeared on Mediaite.
A 16-year-old has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting and killing a man earlier this week in Raleigh.

The victim has been identified as Michael Dickens, 53.

Raleigh police say the teenager is being charged as an adult. Their identity has not yet been released.

The shooting occurred just before 11:45 p.m. Monday in the 1800 block of New Bern Avenue near Raleigh Boulevard. Officers arrived to find Dickens with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, where he later died.

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Shortly after, hospital staff informed police that a second shooting victim had arrived for treatment. The second victim was treated for injuries and is expected to recover.

This remains an ongoing investigation.

ABC11 is tracking crime and safety across Raleigh and in your neighborhood
A young man in west Georgia is being accused of shaking a 4-month-old infant to death earlier this year.

Rome police say a 4-month-old boy died in March, but the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has now determined the childs death was a homicide.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Trenton Daniel Rittenhouse, 18, was arrested in Polk County earlier this week and charged in the infants death.

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Arrest warrants obtained by Channel 2 Action News accuse Rittenhouse of shaking the toddler, which caused internal bleeding and rib injury.

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He is currently being held in the Floyd County Jail. Jail records show he is being held without bond on charges of aggravated battery, malice murder and felony murder.

His relationship with the infant is unclear.

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CHICAGO  Three people have now been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman in Humboldt Park on the citys West Side in mid-September.

Evan Reich, 18, was expected to be in court Sunday facing first-degree murder charges. He was taken into custody Friday.

Additionally, Chicago police say 23-year-old Gabriel Rodriguez and 24-year-old Julio Diaz, both Chicago residents, have been charged with one count of first-degree murder each. They were taken into custody Wednesday.

Photo provided by Chicago police shows 23-year-old Gabriel Rodriguez (right) and 24-year-old Julio Diaz (left), who have each been charged with one count of first-degree murder in connection with the deadly shooting of a woman on the West Side in September 2025. Photo provided by Chicago police shows 23-year-old Gabriel Rodriguez, who has been charged with one count of first-degree murder in connection with the deadly shooting of a woman on the West Side in September 2025. Photo provided by Chicago police shows 24-year-old Julio Diaz, who has been charged with one count of first-degree murder in connection with the deadly shooting of a woman on the West Side in September 2025.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

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Authorities say the charges stem from the suspects alleged involvement in a deadly shooting that left a 26-year-old woman dead.

According to police, the shooting unfolded around 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 13, in the 3400 block of West Wabansia Avenue.

Officers say they were initially called to the scene on a report of a person shot, and when they arrived, they found the woman unresponsive on the ground, suffering from a gunshot wound to her head.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

She was taken to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

After identifying them as suspects in the case, authorities caught up and arrested Rodriguez and Diaz on Wednesday. They were set to appear in court on Friday for a detention hearing.

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It remains unclear what led up to the shooting, and authorities have not yet identified the victim killed.

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**Related Video Above: Cleveland crime by the numbers

ELYRIA, Ohio (WJW)  Two men have been charged following multiple armed robberies that took place in Elyria last week, police said in a statement.

Elyria police were initially called to a McDonalds on Broad Street on Oct. 7 for reports someone was robbed at gunpoint behind the building. In speaking to the victim, police said they learned the person was lured by one man and then the other man pointed a gun and demanded money. The victim said the suspects were wearing black clothing.

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The next day, police were called to True North Gas Station on Lorain Boulevard for reports a man in black clothing had pointed a gun at the employees and said to hand over cash, which they did.

Men accused of brutal attack on Amish family in court

It was not clear how much money was stolen in either robbery.

Evidence suggested that both crimes were connected, and police said a 21-year-old man named Jeremiah Cook was identified as a potential suspect.

Going to his residence, police said they found his grandmother was home and that she didnt know where he was. Her 20-year-old grandson Antonio Cook was home, however. Police questioned him and he eventually confessed to both robberies.

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A search warrant of the property turned up the clothing worn during the robbery, a gun and the money stolen.

Antonio Cook. Photo courtesy Elyria police

Woman dies after hit by car in Elyria crosswalk: Police

On Oct. 15, police said they pulled over a vehicle that was connected to Jeremiah, and he was then arrested during the traffic stop. Upon questioning, Jeremiah said he was involved with the McDonalds robbery but not the other, according to police.

Jeremiah Cook. Photo courtesy Elyria police

Police said they charged Antonio with two counts of aggravated robbery and Jeremiah with complicity to aggravated robbery.

Those who may have any information regarding these crimes are asked to reach out to detectives at 440-326-1212.

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Two dogs were killed after a trailer caught fire in Logan County on Tuesday evening.

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Around 6:51 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 14, the Bellefontaine Fire Department was dispatched to a trailer fire on Logan Road outside the city, according to a social media post from the department.

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Upon arrival, crews found heavy smoke and flames showing from the roof of the trailer.

Several mutual aid units from Huntsville Volunteer Fire Department and Indian Joint Fire District responded, as well as several off-duty units.

Three dogs were removed from the trailer, and crews were able to provide oxygen to one dog whose condition improved.

Two of the three dogs died as a result of the fire. Red Cross was contacted.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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A Covington, Kentucky, police officer was injured in a crash on I-75/71 North while assisting a motorist Thursday night.

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Around 10:52 p.m., the officer was in his cruiser with the emergency lights on, blocking the right lane for a disabled vehicle, when his cruiser was hit by another car.

The collision pushed the cruiser nearly 150, according to Covington Police Captain Justin Bradbury.

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The officer was transported to St. Elizabeth Covington, treated for minor injuries, and has since been released.

The driver of the car that hit the cruiser was taken to UC Medical Center with a broken leg. Bradbury said she was in stable condition.

No charges have been filed at this time.

The crash is currently under investigation to determine whether alcohol, drugs, or speed were factors in the crash.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Two people were injured in a bus crash in north Charlotte Friday afternoon.

According to Medic officials, the collision occurred around 4 p.m. at the intersection of Nevin Road and Gibbon Road. Two people were transported with non-life-threatening injuries.

Nevin is closed at the railroad tracks in the area.

Queen City News is working to learn about more details related to the crash.

This is a Developing Story . Check back for updates

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WDTN)  Two people from the Miami Valley have been caught in a statewide sweep of Medicaid providers who have been accused of fraudulent billing.

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, part of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yosts office, investigated the cases and secured the indictments in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

If you sneak extra Medicaid dollars like Halloween candy, dont be surprised when the consequences leave a bitter taste, said Yost. Save your tricks for trick-or-treat night.

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The Miami Valley cases include 46-year-old Carrie Francis from Dayton and 55-year-old Cynthia Lange from Middletown.

Ohio Senate recognizes alternate guardianship for adults with disabilities

Francis was charged after investigators learned that she took part in a kickback scheme and received more than $2,600 that she was not owed.

Lange was indicted on a count of Medicaid Fraud. She allegedly billed clients for in-home services while recipients were receiving care from family members or participating in programming outside the home.

Langes alleged scheme cost Medicaid more than $34,000, according to investigators.

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Across Ohio, five other Medicaid providers and one business were indicted as well.

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As the number of firms investing in a corporate BNB treasury increases, Binance founder Changpeng CZ Zhao has seen the need to educate them.

Recently, he took to X to encourage such BNB treasury firms to utilize the service of third-party custodians for their holdings.

His statement comes as Digital Asset Treasuries (DATs) become a hot topic in the crypto industry.

QMMM Disappearance Trigger Third-Party Custodian Talks

In the last few months, several traditional institutions have tilted towards maintaining a crypto-based treasury. However, the hype and adoption came with increased risks, and this has caused many enthusiasts to begin to raise questions about transparency and safety.

CZs call for safeguards and accountability across DAT comes from these concerns.

The conversation began with concerns that QMMM, a crypto treasury firm, might have vanished with investors funds.

According to AB Kuai Dong on X, the U.S.-listed firm had announced plans to invest $100 million in Bitcoin , Ethereum , and Solana , and its stock price shot up to 9.6 times after the news.

Not too long after, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) claimed that QMMM manipulated its stock using social media.

As it stands, its Hong Kong office is now reportedly empty. Fears have risen, likely due to the absence of a separate custodian.

CZ advises all DAT firms to use a trusted third-party crypto custodian. He also encouraged them to have their accounts audited by investors.

While he sounded this advice to companies, CZ explicitly stated that this will now be a mandatory step for any BNB DAT project looking to secure investment from YZi Labs.

This further highlights his commitment to promoting transparency in the cryptocurrency sector.

Firms Establishing a BNB Treasury

One of the companies that recently attempted to establish its BNB treasury is China Renaissance Holdings.

This Beijing-based investment bank is working on raising around $600 million for a new BNB treasury company.

Some sources claimed that YZi Labs and China Renaissance will contribute $200 million to the deal, with the bank committing around $100 million of that amount.

Also, Applied DNA Sciences secured up to $58 million for a BNB treasury strategy through a private investment in public equity (PIPE) offering.

Read original story CZ Issues Crucial Safety Tip to BNB Digital Asset Treasury Firms by Godfrey Benjamin at Coinspeaker.com
Surveillance cameras captured the moment two men were swarmed by a group of robbers in broad daylight in an upscale Long Beach neighborhood.

On Oct. 12, the victims were on the sidewalk of a residential neighborhood on the 220 block of Granada Avenue in Belmont Shore around 5:30 p.m. when the suspects, all dressed in black clothing, suddenly jumped out of several parked cars.

They ran towards the victims and demanded that they hand over their jewelry and valuables. Video captured the violent confrontation as the suspects were seen grabbing the victims during the ordeal.

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Christian Rivera was out of town when his home surveillance cameras captured the incident.

Surveillance cameras captured the moment two men were swarmed by a group of thieves in broad daylight in the upscale Belmont Shore neighborhood of Long Beach on Oct. 12, 2025. (Christian Rivera) Surveillance cameras captured the moment two men were swarmed by a group of thieves in broad daylight in the upscale Belmont Shore neighborhood of Long Beach on Oct. 12, 2025. (Christian Rivera) The sidewalk in a residential area of Belmont Shore in Long Beach where the victims were robbed in a possible follow-home robbery. (KTLA)

I saw the notification of the police at my door, which was confusing, so I kept looking back [at the footage] and there was a whole robbery, he recalled.

The victims may have been targeted by the suspects for what they were wearing in a follow-home robbery. The two men had spent some time in nearby 2nd Street, a popular area filled with bars and restaurants, earlier that day.

Neighbors in the area are concerned after hearing of the robbery. They said the neighborhood is a typically quiet and safe part of town.

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My kid goes to school three blocks away and she was at rehearsal [when the robbery happened,] Sofia Chavez, a neighbor, told KTLAs Rick Chambers. Its very scary.

This is a very nice neighborhood with families and kids who are running around and playing, said neighbor Steven Pangeliman. The fact that this happened in broad daylight is something thats really unsettling for the whole community.

Its unclear whether the group of robbers may be connected to other crimes in the area. No arrests have been made and no suspect descriptions were available as the incident remains under investigation.

The fact that it [took place] 100 feet from where we live doesnt make you feel comfortable when you sleep at night, Pangeliman said.

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Anyone with information on the case can call Long Beach police at 562-570-7260.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  A 20-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection to a homicide in north Abilene.

John Manuel Rangel, Jr., 20, was arrested in connection to the death of Scott Bartlett, 42, who was shot and killed inside a home on Lillius Street around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Officers were called to the home and found Bartlett suffering from a gunshot wound inside.

Bartlett was rushed to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

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Police then asked the public for help identifying the shooter, who had fled the scene.

The information that led to Rangels subsequent arrest has not been disclosed at this time.

Rangel is now being held in the Taylor County Jail on a $1.5 million bond.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
TOLLAND, CT  Judy Knoob is running for a school board seat in Tolland.

Candidate's Name:

Judy Knoob

What office are you seeking?

BOE

What town do you live in?

Tollland

Campaign Website

https://tollandrepublicans.org

Party Affiliation:

Republican

Occupation:

Nurse

Family:

Husband and a daughter whom at 15 years old graduated from high school, at 16 received her Cna license and started attending college for her RN,BSN. Im a very proud mom of one.

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Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Previous public office, appointive or elective:

No

Why are you seeking this office?

Im running for the Board of Education because every child deserves to feel safe, free from bullying and violence, and focused on learning, not fear. What weve seen in the past few weeks should never happen again. No matter if youre a Democrat or a Republican, we all share one responsibilityto stand together for the sake of our children and give them the safe, supportive education they deserve.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:

Our schools are safe, welcoming and focused on student success. I intend to work with parents, teachers administrators, and community leaders to implement stronger anti-bullying policies increase support services for students, and foster an environment where every child can learn without fear and thrive, academically, socially, and emotionally.

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What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The major difference between myself and the other candidate is that my focus begins and ends with our children. I believe the single most important responsibility of a Board of Education member is to ensure every student feels safe, supported, and ready to learn. While others may focus primarily on budgets or politics, my priority is creating safe, welcoming schools where bullying and violence have no place. I will listen to parents, work alongside teachers, and put children first in every decision. That is the commitment I bring to this role.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

I am running for the Board of Education because every child deserves a safe, supportive, and high-quality education. No student should ever feel afraid to go to school. My top priority is creating an environment free from bullying and violence, where children can focus on learningnot fear.

Beyond safety, I will work to ensure:

 Academic Excellence: Every student has access to the tools, resources, and opportunities they need to succeed in school and beyond.

 Mental Health & Well-Being: Expanding access to counseling, support staff, and training so students and teachers feel supported.

 Transparency & Engagement: Listening to parents, collaborating with teachers, and making decisions that reflect the needs of our community.

 Fiscal Responsibility: Using taxpayer dollars wisely and prioritizing investments that directly benefit students and classrooms.

 Equity & Inclusion: Ensuring that all studentsregardless of background or abilityhave an equal opportunity to thrive.

This campaign is not about politics; its about our children. Together, we can build schools that are safe, strong, and student-centered.

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What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

For the past 16 years, I have successfully run a nurse assistant training program that I built from the ground up. I started as an instructor and, through hard work and dedication, became the director. I developed the curriculum, managed the day-to-day operations, and ensured hundreds of students received the education and support they needed to succeed. This experience shows my ability to lead, create programs that work, and manage responsibilities effectively. I know what it takes to listen, problem-solve, and deliver resultsskills I will bring to the Board of Education.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

The best advice Ive ever received is to lead by example. That advice has guided me throughout my careerwhether it was building the nurse assistant program from the ground up, supporting hundreds of students in achieving their goals, or showing up every day with dedication and integrity. I believe that same principle applies to serving on the Board of Education: if we want our children to grow into strong, respectful, and resilient adults, we must model those values in our leadership. That is exactly the example I intend to set for our schools and community.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I want voters to know that I bring over 30 years of experience as a nurse and 16 years of teaching and leading a successful nurse assistant program. When COVID-19 forced the school to close in March 2020, I immediately returned to the field full-time because I knew I was needed on the frontlines. I worked countless hours caring for patients during one of the most difficult times in healthcare.

In 2022, after the pandemic subsided, I proudly reopened my school to continue training the next generation of healthcare workers. My career has always been centered on serviceputting the needs of others first with compassion, dedication, and commitment. These same values are what I will bring to serving our children and community on the Board of Education.

Outside of work, I enjoy drag racing my 1967 Camaro and caring for animalstwo passions that reflect both my drive and my compassion for all living things.





(Judy Knoob Campaign)





2025 Patch Candidate Profiles: Judy Knoob, Tolland Board Of Education originally appeared on the Tolland Patch
25 Investigates gets results: AmeriGas wipes out $7,000 bill for Ashby homeowner

When Ashby homeowner Carol Gomes decided to switch propane suppliers, she was shocked to receive a nearly $7,000 final bill from AmeriGas  despite being on what she thought was a no surprises monthly payment plan.

Gomes told 25 Investigates she had signed up for AmeriGas convenience payment plan, which was advertised as a way to spread out payments evenly each month without unexpected charges. But when she went to close her account and switch to another supplier for a better rate, she received an email showing a balance she didnt know existed.

Then I got an email that was a bill for $6,500, which was the final payment, Gomes told Boston 25s Kerry Kavanaugh.

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AmeriGas told Gomes she had only been paying about 20% of the true monthly cost, with the rest accumulating as an outstanding balance  something she says she was never informed of. Amerigas said the balance was always present on her monthly statements.

They would just bill me for 20% of the cost, she said. And the rest would go into an outstanding balance.

And you had no knowledge of that? asked 25 Investigates Kerry Kavanaugh.

Never, Gomes replied.

After 25 Investigates reached out to both AmeriGas and the Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office, the company took action. Late this week, Gomes confirmed AmeriGas had resolved the issue and reduced her balance to zero.

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A spokesperson for AmeriGas told 25 Investigates:

We are pleased that the customer received a resolution and that she is happy with the outcome. Serving our customers is our top priority. We do appreciate your partnership.

According to data obtained by 25 Investigates, the Attorney Generals Office has received 100 complaints involving AmeriGas since 2022, ranging from delivery failures to billing concerns. However, none matched the specific issue Gomes faced when closing her account.

The Attorney Generals office told 25 Investigates in a written statement, Through our offices mediation and persistence, we are pleased that AmeriGas has agreed not to collect Ms. Gomes disputed balance. The AGO will continue to advocate on behalf of consumers and ensure that companies treat Massachusetts residents fairly and comply with consumer protection laws.

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Anyone experiencing an issue with a business can file a complaint with their office.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give us feedback.

Texas officials began notifying the states poorest residents on Friday that their food benefits via the Supplemental Food Assistance and Nutrition Program, or SNAP, will be cut off in November if the federal shutdown continues past Oct. 27.

In Texas, that would mean a halt to more than $614 million to the 3.5 million who rely each month on SNAP, also known as food stamps. Of those who could be impacted, 1.7 million are children.

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The U.S. Department of Agricultures Food and Nutrition Service, which oversees the SNAP program, notified state agencies a week ago that if the shut down persists, November payments to participants would be halted.

SNAP has funding available for benefits and operations through the month of October, according to a letter written by the FNS office to state agencies. However, if the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the Nation.

SNAP benefits are transmitted to Lone Star Card users each month for use at grocery retailers. The payments can range from $200 to $400, depending on a household size with the average amount issued at $379, according to August statistics.

The federal government officially shut down at midnight Oct. 1 as lawmakers blew past their deadline to preserve funding for federal agencies, resulting in disrupted services to Texans. The last government shutdown  a partial stoppage in 2018 into 2019  lasted 35 days.

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The Texas Health and Human Services, which administers the SNAP program in Texas is directing Lone Star Card users to their website for more information.

Currently, other assistance programs  the Temporary Assistance to Need Families or TANF, the Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, Medicaid and the Children Health Insurance Program or CHIP  are not impacted by the shutdown.
RACINE, Wis. (WFRV)  Three teenagers, all 16 years old and under, were hospitalized after a shooting during an altercation at a southeastern Wisconsin community center on Thursday evening.

Around 6:10 p.m. on October 16, officers with the Racine Police Department say they were called to the Tyler Domer Community Center on 12th Street for reports of multiple injuries after a shooting.

Officers say that two 16-year-olds and one 14-year-old were injured in the shooting that happened during an altercation.

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Death investigation underway in Wautoma, deputy returns fire during domestic violence call

The 14-year-old was shot in his thigh and was treated and released from the hospital. However, the two 16-year-olds were taken to a Childrens Hospital for treatment; one was flown from the scene with multiple wounds.

It was noted in the release that authorities did not have updates an their injuries as of 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

The investigation is ongoing. No additional details were provided.

Anyone with relevant information on the shooting is asked to call the Racine Police Department Investigations Unit at (262) 635-7756.

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A Carver veteran who served in both the U.S. Army and Air Force had no one to bury him.

Word spread. And Francis M. Frank Dobrynski, 92, was far from alone at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne on Friday, Oct. 17.

About 300 people came to honor him: military, civilians, politicians and more.

According to his obituary, Dobrynski, 92, was a Korean War veteran who earned the National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal, died Feb. 11 at Royal Cape Cod Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Buzzards Bay.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Hundreds come to Bourne funeral for Korean War veteran who died alone
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Multiple railroad crossings in Johnson County, Missouri, are closed after 32 Union Pacific rail cars and a locomotive derailed early Friday morning.

According to a Facebook post shared at about 2:20 a.m. by the Johnson County Central Dispatch (JCCD), the crossings at Northeast 801 Road/Northeast 50 Highway and the 740 block of Northeast 50 Highway are closed for the derailment.

Neighbors frustrated with abandoned home taken over by squatters and trash

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A spokesperson with the Johnson County, Missouri, Sheriffs Office said the call came in around 1:20 a.m. and that the freight train was pulling 275 empty cars at the time of the crash. No injuries were reported.

JCCD originally said 20 cars derailed; however, as part of the Union Pacific Railroads investigation, they found that about 32 cars and one locomotive derailed in the upright position.

Due to the blocked railways, multiple Amtrak routes have been canceled, including Lincoln Service Missouri River Runners 318 and 319 between Kansas City (KCY) and St. Louis (STL).

At this time, JCCD is asking people to avoid the areas and use alternate routes.

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The Union Pacific Railroad said cleanup operations and investigations are underway.

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Affordable, versatile, incredibly strong and locally available, concrete is the worlds most used manmade material.

But it also has a huge carbon footprint, accounting for around 8% of global greenhouse emissions.

The concrete and cement sector has been trying to reduce its environmental impact for years through sustainable concrete mixtures or efficient designs.

Now, a research team at the University of Pennsylvania has combined both novel materials and a material-saving design, without compromising on strength and durability.

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The project, called Diamanti, takes inspiration from nature and uses a robotic 3D printer to create complex, lattice-like patterns with a sustainable concrete mixture.

While most regular concrete absorbs carbon dioxide (up to 30% of its production emissions over its entire life cycle, according to some research), Diamantis enhanced concrete mixture absorbs 142% more carbon dioxide than conventional concrete mixes.

Its first design, a pedestrian bridge, uses 60% less material while retaining mechanical strength, says Masoud Akbarzadeh, an associate professor of architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the lab that spearheaded the project.

Through millions of years of evolution, nature has learned that you dont need material everywhere, says Akbarzadeh. If you take a cross section of a bone, you realize that bone is quite porous, but there are certain patterns within which the load (or weight) is transferred.

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By mimicking the structures in certain porous bones  known as triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures  Diamanti also increased the surface area of the bridge, increasing the concrete mixtures carbon absorption potential by another 30%.

The surface area, together with this material property, maximizes the reaction with carbon at the microscopic level, says Akbarzadeh. That contributes a lot to both (carbon dioxide) reduction and absorption.

The project, launched in 2022 in collaboration with Swiss-headquartered chemical company Sika and with grants from the US Department of Energy, is now gearing up to build its first full-size prototype in France.

Concrete changes

This digital rendering, showing the bridge's underside, reveals its wavy contours. - Visualization by Fortes Vision. Courtesy of Masoud Akbarzadeh and Massive Form

Along with Sika Group Switzerland, construction companies Carsey3D and Eiffage collaborated with the Diamanti team to build the 10-meter prototype. - Masoud Akbarzadeh

Concretes strength, durability and safety, like fire resistance, are fundamental to why it is used at the scale that it is globally, says Andrew Minson, director of concrete and sustainable construction at the Global Cement and Concrete Association.

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The cement industry has made significant efforts to improve sustainability, reducing its carbon emissions by 25% per metric ton between 1990 and 2023. However, the sectors emissions are higher today than in 2015 due to increased demand, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Most of its emissions  around 90%  come from cement, says Du Hongjian, a senior civil engineering lecturer at the National University of Singapore, who is not involved with the Diamanti project.

Cement is a binding agent that hardens when mixed with water, and is used in construction materials, including concrete, where it holds together aggregates like sand and stone.

The energy-intensive process to make cement involves breaking down limestone in a kiln that reaches temperatures up to 2,000 degrees Celsius (3,632 Fahrenheit), which generates carbon emissions. Additionally, limestone is a calcium carbonate that releases carbon dioxide at high temperatures, accounting for the bulk of cement emissions, says Hongjian.

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Switching out some cement for other materials can help reduce its carbon footprint, and several companies and organizations are exploring more absorbent concrete mixes: Japans CO2-SUICOM states its concrete mix is carbon negative, and UK-based Seratech is one of several companies incorporating the CO2-absorbing mineral olivine into cement to make it more sustainable.

This digital rendering imagines Diamanti in the real world. - Visualization by Fortes Vision. Courtesy of Masoud Akbarzadeh and Massive Form

Diamantis concrete mixture, developed by Dr. Shu Yang at the University of Pennsylvanias Material Science Department, uses diatomaceous earth (DE), a naturally porous, silica-rich material made from fossilized algae, to replace some of the cement.

This biomineral creates channels in the concrete that allow carbon dioxide to penetrate below the surface, says Hongjian. However, DE had a global production of 2.6 million tons in 2023  so while Hongjian believes the material has potential, the supply chain must be considered for future wider adoption if it is to meet the huge demands for concrete, he says.

Minson agrees that supply could be an issue, but that where the raw material is available, it could provide a niche solution.

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Theres no silver bullet. We need to be doing all the different actions that we can to manage material demands and reduce carbon, Minson adds.

Another innovative aspect of the research is the increased surface area: concrete absorbs carbon dioxide, but only the surface concrete, which is exposed to the air, has this access to CO2, says Hongjian.

Diamantis innovative two-pronged approach provides the sector with solutions that could be used together, or separately, says Hongjian, adding: Even without the material innovation, the higher surface itself allows higher CO2 absorption.

Bridging the gap

Before using Diamanti in the real world, the team had to test it, by creating a bridge prototype.

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The bridge is modular, and each block printed by using a robotic arm and then connected with a tensile cable. According to Akbarzadeh, 3D printing reduces construction time, material, and energy use by 25%, and its structural system reduces the need for steel by 80%, minimizing use of another emissions-heavy material. He added that using the technique with Diamantis concrete significantly cuts greenhouse gas emissions compared to regular construction techniques, and reduces construction costs by 25% to 30%.

First, the team built a five-meter-long prototype to demonstrate feasibility, before constructing a larger 10-meter version with material provided by Sika Group Switzerland for load testing, which it passed with flying colors, says Akbarzadeh: It exceeded all our expectations. The prototype is currently on display at the European Cultural Center in Venice for the Venice 2025 Architecture Biennial.

Akbarzadeh and the team published their findings in Wileys Advanced Functional Materials journal earlier this year, and had initially hoped to build the projects first full-scale bridge in Venice.

Diamanti commissioned a series of digital renderings, pictured, to visualize the structure in the real world. - Visualization by Fortes Vision. Image Courtesy of Masoud Akbarzadeh and Massive Form

But, after the city changed its regulations regarding new large-scale structures, the team started looking for other iconic waterways in Europe. Akbarzadeh partnered with digital design studio Fortes Vision to create conceptual digital renderings that visualize the bridge over the River Seine in the center of Paris.

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In September, the project secured approval to construct its first bridge in France, although the location is still being decided. Akbarzadeh is excited to test their designs in the real world, where they will continue to closely monitor and evaluate the structure.

Beyond bridges, the team is also exploring other architectural applications, such as prefabricated floor systems. Its not a one-stop solution, says Akbarzadeh, but he hopes that Diamanti can create a whole new world of possibilities for concrete.

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Human remains dating back thousands of years have been discovered in the eastern part of Indiana.

The Fayette County Coroner announced the historic discovery on their Facebook page on Monday, Oct. 8, on Indigenous People's Day.

"Today, as we observe Indigenous Peoples' Day, we honor the history, cultures, and enduring presence of Native American people," the post read. "This remarkable discovery is a powerful and humbling reminder that people have walked this land, our home in Fayette County, for millennia. It calls upon all of us to handle this matter with the utmost respect and diligence."

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Here's what to know about the 4,270-year-old-remains found in Fayette County.

How old are the remains found in Fayette County?

The remains found in Fayette County in June 2025 have been determined to be 4,270 years old.

How was the age of the remains determined?

Determining the age of the remains was a group effort.

"This discovery underscores the importance of our community's vigilance and the necessity of professional collaboration," Fayette County Coroner Eddie Richardson said in a press release.

After Richardson determined the remains were human the day after they were reported, they were then transferred to Krista Latham, professor and director of the University of Indianapolis Human Identification Center.

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The initial analysis, concluded on August 8, 2025, confirmed the skull was that of an adult, but could not provide further conclusive information.

A portion of the skull was sent on Sept. 17 to Dr. Alexander Cherkinsky at the Center for Applied Isotope Studies at the University of Georgia to perform Carbon-14 dating to determine the age.

Others are reading: Longtime Hoosier activist tackles medical debt in new documentary

The results were received on Oct. 9 and determined the bones are 4,270 years old, meaning they were from approximately 2300 B.C.

"...The specialized knowledge provided by Dr. Latham and the rigorous testing conducted by the University of Georgia were crucial in accurately determining the age of these remains," Richardson said. "The preservation of historical and cultural heritage is a responsibility shared by all, and we are committed to handling this matter with the respect and diligence it deserves."

How were the 4,000-year-old remains discovered?

A local landowner located the remains on the eroded bank of the Whitewater River. The landowner, who happened to be an avid collector of Native American artifacts, retrieved the skull and promptly reported the find to Chief Deputy Dan Becker on June 2, 2025.

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This story was updated to remove a photo and video.

Katie Wiseman covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Contact her at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Bluesky @katiewiseman

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Where was a skull found in Indiana? What we know about 4,000-year-old remains
The U.S. airline industry is dominated by four major players: Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines. Competition is fierce, and flyers' demands and expectations are constantly growing.

Political and geopolitical turbulence make smooth flying more difficult, in addition to weather conditions and general operating challenges.

The four airline giants seem to be up unperturbed, staying afloat while several other carriers have filed for bankruptcy this year, such as Play and Braathens Aviation, Air Belgium, Ravn Alaska, SKS Airways, and most recently  Verijet.

Delta Air Lines runs up to 5,000 daily flights to more than 300 destinations across six continents. In 2024, the carrier served more than 200 million passengers.

Earlier this month, the Atlanta-headquartered carrier reported strong third-quarter earnings, revealing record September quarter revenue with positive momentum through the quarter.

During the earnings call, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian made a bold statement on the industry trends.

Delta Air Lines' CEO claims a 60% share of overall industry profits and expects further market divergence.Image source: Shutterstock

Record Delta Air Lines revenue driven by premium, corporate, and loyalty

During the earnings call on October 9, Delta Air Lines executives revealed several interesting details.

Revenue growth of 4.1% year over year was led by premium, corporate, and loyalty.

Our premium offerings, industry-leading loyalty programs and elevated experiences we provide across the entire travel journey [are] driving increased customer preference for flying Delta and underpins our differentiated financial results, CFO Daniel Janki said on the call.

Delta Q3 2025 vs. Q3 2024 earnings highlights:

Operating revenue of $15.2 billion , compared to $14.6 billion

Operating income of $1.7 billion with an operating margin of 11.2%, compared to $1.4 billion and 9.4% respectively

Pre-tax income of $1.5 billion , compared to pre-tax income of $1.3 billion

Earnings per share of $1.71 , versus $1.50 in the same period a year ago

Operating cash flow of $1.8 billion, compared to $1.3 billion

At the heart of our position of industry leadership is a relentless focus on elevating the customer experience. Were investing across every phase of the journey to make travel with Delta more seamless, personalized and premium, growing our value proposition to customers, said Delta CEO Ed Bastian.

Earnings in Q3 were significantly better than at the beginning of the year. In April, Delta Air Lines reinstated its guidance to address growing economic uncertainty amid the global trade war. However, since then, the carrier has been working tirelessly to upgrade its premium seating offering, reports CX Dive.
WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WPRI)  Woonsocket police say four students were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after a fight at the high school Friday morning.

The incident happened shortly before 10:30 a.m.

According to Chief Thomas Oates, a staff member sustained a minor injury to their finger while trying to break up the fight, but there were no other injuries reported.

The fight was broken up by the schools resource officer, staff and other Woonsocket police officers who were called in to assist.

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Two of the students arrested were 16 years old, one was 15 years old and the other was 14 years old. Oates said the teens will be released to their guardians after being processed at the police station.

MORE: 13 students arrested after fights at Woonsocket High School

Oates said no additional officers were added for the rest of the school day. The department plans to have extra officers at the school for dismissal, which Oates said is a common occurrence.

The department has no plans for there to be additional officers at the school next week.

That could always change depending on any information or intelligence we receive over the weekend, Oates explained in an email to 12 News. Those decisions [are] made on a daily basis depending on a variety of factors.

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This incident comes three weeks after 13 students were arrested for disorderly conduct stemming from four separate incidents.

12 News has reached out to the school district and the mayors office for comment.

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Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.

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NEW YORK CITY  The first mayoral general election debate took place on Thursday night and saw each candidate give answers on where they stand on some of the city's biggest issues.

Zohran Mamdani (Democrat) and Andrew Cuomo (Independent) spent most of the debate going back and forth trading blows, while Sliwa (Republican) found opportunities to make his pitch to voters while bashing the other candidates' records.

The three candidates spent time talking about their experience, dealing with President Trump, affordability in the city and their stance on Israel, among other issues.

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Here are some takeaways from the mayoral debate on Thursday.

1. Mamdani vs. Cuomo

Mamdani and Cuomo went after each other throughout the debate. The former governor claimed Mamndami never had a "real job" and did not have the experience to be the mayor of New York City.

"This is not a job for a first-timer," Cuomo said.

The Democratic nominee fired back, saying that the former governor was not in tuned with some of the city's issues, like the affordability crisis, and took aim at his record as governor.

Mamdani, specifically brought up Cuomos handling of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes and the sexual harassment allegations that led to him resigning from office.

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What I dont have in experience, I make up for with integrity, Mamdani said.

And what you dont have in integrity you could never make up for with experience, he added.

Mamdani also brought up Cuomo's previous attacks over his rent-stabilized apartment in Queens and that the former governor said only working-class residents should qualify for rent-stabilized apartments.

Youve heard it from Andrew Cuomo that the No. 1 crisis in this city, the housing crisis. The answer is to evict my wife and I, Mamdani said.

He thinks you address this crisis by unleashing my landlords ability to raise my rent.



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If you think that the problem in this city is that my rent is too low, vote for him. If you know the problem in this city is that your rent is too high, vote for me.

2. Handling of Donald Trump

Cuomo took aim at Mamdani saying that if the assemblyman is elected, "Donald Trump will take over New York City, and it will be Mayor Trump."

Mamdani shot back, arguing that Cuomo failed to mention Trump's name when he issued a statement condemning the Department of Justices indictment of State Attorney General Letitia James. In addition, he accused the former governor of calling Trump to ask for help in the election.

While Cuomo claimed he would make Trump "back down," Sliwa had a memorable moment saying:

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The president is going to back down to you? I know you think youre the toughest guy alive, but you lost your own primary, Sliwa said.

All three candidates agreed that the National Guard was not needed in New York City.

3. Sliwa has his moments, attacks Cuomo more than Mamdani

Sliwa throughout the debate made sure to be included in the ongoing conversations, notably attacking Cuomo on his bail reform stance, questioning his character and alleged that the state parole board during Cuomo's time as governor released people accused of killing police officers.

Your father, when he was governor, released none. I knew Mario Cuomo, he said. Youre no Mario Cuomo.

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Silwa has previously claimed that Cuomo has made efforts to get him to drop out of the race, so he could consolidate non-Mamdani votes.

The Republican nominee did go after Mamdani, calling outhis ideas like city-run groceries and universal child care.

Your fantasies are never going to come about in terms of funding everything you want thats going to be free, free, free, he said. Its a fantasy.



4. Stance on Israel/Hochul

Cuomo went after Mamdani over his criticism of the Israeli government and pro-Palestinian advocacy.

The former governor claimed that Mamdani would not condemn Hamas and his comments on Israel's right to exist.

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If you notice, the assemblyman still wont say he believes that Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state, Cuomo said. He is a divisive personality.

Mamdani said that he recognizes" Israels right to exist." [but] "Ive said that I will not recognize any states right to exist with a system of hierarchy on the basis of race or religion.

Sliwa claimed that that Jewish New Yorkers do not trust Mamdani to keep them safe from antisemitic attacks.

Notably, when a moderator asked Mamdani if he would endorse Governor Hochul for reelection after she had done the same for him  he declined, saying that he is focusing "on November."

"I appreciate her support, and I appreciate her work, Mamdani said.

4 Takeaways From The 1st NYC Mayoral Debate: See Here originally appeared on the New York City Patch




One California Republican is dealing with his tough reelection odds by doing something hardly any Republicans in the entire country are willing to do: defy the party's national leadership.

Kevin Kiley, the Republican congressman representing California's 3rd Congressional District, is facing an existential threat to his career thanks to Proposition 50. If Gov. Gavin Newsom's redistricting measure is approved next month, Kiley's right-leaning district, which includes Tahoe and some of Sacramento's suburbs, will be gerrymandered into a Democratic-leaning seat, and he would be expected to lose reelection next year.

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The 40-year-old politician is reportedly the only Republican still showing up to work in Washington every day during the federal government's shutdown, bucking his party's directive to go home.

Kiley is also picking arguments with GOP leadership on a wide swath of issues, turning him into an "outspoken and fearless critic" and even "Mike Johnson's nightmare," according to Politico.

FILE: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks at a news conference with other House Republicans on the 15th day of the government shutdown in Washington on Oct. 15, 2025. (Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images)





Kiley has blamed Democrats for shutting down the government, but he has also called Johnson's directive to send home all Republicans "embarrassing." Kiley has said Republicans should still be showing up to work in Washington in order to find common ground with Democrats to reopen the government, telling the New York Times, "We're supposed to be here."

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The California congressman has also called for Republicans to strike a deal with Democrats, including possibly caving to liberal demands to extend health care subsidies that are set to expire at the end of year, a key term Democrats want before agreeing to end the shutdown.

Kiley's contrarian streak extends to the government's files about the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He has called on Johnson to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat from Arizona who won a special election in September. Johnson has refused to swear in Grijalva, saying that it would be inappropriate to do so during the government shutdown, but he is facing bipartisan criticism that his blockade is actually because Grijalva could be the deciding vote in forcing the Department of Justice to release more files in the Epstein investigation.

The congressman's support for Grijalva is in direct opposition to Trump, who has said "it's time to end" efforts to release more Epstein files. The Wall Street Journal reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi said privately that Trump's name is mentioned in the files, as well as "unverified hearsay" about him. Trump has denied any wrongdoing associated with the disgraced financier and said Epstein was kicked out of Mar-a-Lago for being a "creep."

Kiley's rebellion has additionally included opposition to the partisan efforts to redistrict the country, which could now threaten his job. Trump launched the gerrymandering efforts by telling his party to redistrict Texas to give Republicans an upper hand. Newsom responded by launching Prop. 50, which would do the same thing in California for Democrats. Kiley has opposed all of these redistricting efforts and tried to get Johnson to introduce a law that would block redistricting outside of the normal census-timed efforts. Johnson refused.

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This article originally published at This 40-year-old Calif. Republican has become a 'nightmare' for DC leadership.
Arizona isnt just cactuses, sunsets and desert landscapes; it's also a playground for legends that will make you double-check the shadows.

If youve grown up here or lived here long enough to know the valleys and canyons like the back of your hand, youve probably heard whispers of local lore and legends that often blur the line between history and the supernatural.

There are a handful of scary stories and lore, but you tell us which one is your favorite. The scariest Arizona local lore and legends poll is now open, with 5 contenders on the ballot.

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From monsters on the Mogollon Rim, shapeshifters from Navajo folklore, to a hidden treasure in the Superstition Mountains, and even urban legends that lit up Phoenixs sky, vote for your favorite before midnight on Oct. 26. On Oct. 28, we'll announce the winner.

Here are the five contenders.

Vote for your favorite Arizona legend or lore

Vote for your favorite in the poll above.

You can also vote by visiting https://poll.fm/16106545.

Mogollon Monster

The Mogollon Monster is Arizona's Bigfoot, a legendary creature said to inhabit the Mogollon Rim, a rugged and densely forested area that slashes across the state.

Descriptions of the Mogollon Monster vary, but it's generally described as a large, hairy and humanoid figure, standing over 7 feet tall, with a strong, foul odor. The legend of the Mogollon Monster has persisted for decades, fueled by reports of sightings, eerie encounters and unexplained footprints.

Skinwalkers

Skinwalkers are a central figure in Navajo folklore. They are known as witches or evil shamans with the ability to shape-shift into animals or other people and are both feared and respected. They are said to possess the power to transform into wolves, coyotes or even owls, using their abilities to harm others or cause mischief.

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The origin of Skinwalker legends is deeply rooted in Navajo cultural beliefs about witchcraft and the balance between good and evil. Skinwalkers are believed to be those who have committed unspeakable acts, gaining dark powers in return. Encounters with Skinwalkers are often described in hushed tones, and the belief in their existence persists.

The Lost Dutchman

The Lost Dutchman Mine is one of Arizona's most enduring legends, centered around a fabled gold mine supposedly hidden in the Superstition Mountains. According to the story, the mine was discovered in the 19th century by a German prospector, Jacob Waltz, known as the Dutchman.

Waltz referred to the mine before he died mysteriously, taking the location of the mine with him to the grave. Despite numerous expeditions and countless theories about its whereabouts, the mine has never been found, fueling ongoing fascination and speculation.

The Lost Dutchman Mine has captured the imagination of treasure hunters, historians and locals alike, and people continue to search for it to this day.

The Phoenix Lights

Arizona has long been a hotspot for UFO enthusiasts, with countless reports of unexplained lights and objects in the sky. The most famous incident is the Phoenix Lights, which occurred on March 13, 1997. Thousands of people across metro Phoenix reported seeing a massive, V-shaped formation of lights moving silently across the night sky.

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The Phoenix Lights incident captured national attention and remains one of the most well-documented UFO sightings in history.

The Red Ghost

The Red Ghost is a legendary figure from Arizona's Wild West days, a mysterious creature that terrorized the rugged desert in the late 19th century.

The Red Ghost was said to be a massive, red-haired camel with a skeletal rider strapped to its back. The legend began after a series of bizarre and terrifying encounters in which settlers reported seeing the ghostly figure charging through the desert, sometimes trampling livestock or vanishing into the night.

The story likely traces back to the U.S. Army's failed experiment to use camels as pack animals in the Southwest, with the rider believed to be a tragic remnant of those days.

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Got a story you want to share? Reach out at Tiffany.Acosta@gannett.com. Follow @tiffsario on Instagram.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona's most haunted lore: Vote for the scariest
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  Five startup companies won $1 million prizes at Sheas Performing Arts Center Thursday night at 43Norths annual startup competition.

The five winners were:

RadEmploy, from New York City  A radiology staffing platform that uses AI to connect professionals with hospitals

Cellsense, from New York City  A company that looks to eliminate microplastics in the fashion and cosmetic industries

Tukki.ai, from Miami  A company that uses AI and support to help both immigrants and companies manage visas and green cards efficiently

Floe, from New Haven, Connecticut  A company that looks to use environmentally-friendly solutions for ice and snow management on roofs

Cosi Care, from London, England  Created medical devices that provide immediate itch relief for people who have eczema

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Buffalo-based Integral Health was one of 43Norths eight finalists but did not win one of the $1 million prizes.

Latest Local News

***

Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani and independent candidate Andrew Cuomo lobbed attacks at each other during the first of two general election debates in the New York City mayoral race on Thursday, as Cuomo seeks to chip away at his opponents comfortable lead.

It was the first time the candidates were back on the debate stage since Mayor Eric Adams exited the race in September. Despite the fact that the debate also included Republican Curtis Sliwa, the fighting between the New York State assemblymember and the former New York governor took center stage at the event, which was hosted by NBC 4 New York/WNBC, Telemundo 47/WNJU and Politico.

Cuomo attacked Mamdani over his experience, as well as his past comments over the police and the phrase globalize the intifada. Meanwhile, Mamdani argued Cuomo didnt have the integrity to be the citys mayor and criticized his gubernatorial tenure. The candidates will have one more debate on Wednesday to make their last pitch to voters alongside their competitors.

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Here are five takeaways from the first debate:

Gloves come off between Mamdani, Cuomo

The race between Mamdani and Cuomo has grown heated for months, and Thursdays debate underscored just how ugly their dynamic has become as the two men hurled insults at each other.

This is no job for on-the-job training, and if you look at the failed mayors, theyre ones that have no management experience. Dont do it again, Cuomo said in a veiled attack at Mamdani, who has served in the New York State Assembly since 2021.

Cuomo also hit Mamdani over some of his past remarks on the New York City Police Department and former President Obama, while also criticizing his refusal to condemn the globalize the intifada phrase.

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If you notice, the Assemblyman still wont say he believes that Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state. He is a divisive personality, Cuomo said. All across the board. NYPD are racist. Barack Obama is evil, liar, and he gave the finger to the Christopher Columbus statue.

During a primary debate in June, Mamdani said that that Israel has a right to exist as a state with equal rights, according to The New York Times. He also offered a public apology to the New York City Police Department on Wednesday for past comments calling the police force racist, wicked and corrupt.

The New York Post reported that Mamdani has previously criticized Obama as evil and suggested he was a liar when Mamdani was a college student. Politicos Jeff Coltin reported that Mamdani said thats the stupid tweet of a college student, regarding his past remarks on Obama.

Meanwhile, Mamdani has said he would not use the phrase globalize the intifada and would discourage it from being used by others. Pro-Israel activists say it risks inciting violence against Zionists and Jews, while pro-Palestinian activists equate it largely with Palestinian liberation.

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For his part, Mamdani said Cuomo was beholden to his donors and knocked him over the states handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Justice Department is investigating Cuomo about congressional testimony he gave last year in which he suggested he wasnt involved in a report from the states health department around how the state dealt with COVID-19 and its policies.

A Cuomo spokesperson at the time called the probe lawfare and election interference plain and simple. During the debate, Cuomo refuted the idea he was being investigated by Trumps Justice Department.

Responding to Cuomo, who suggested the New York City mayoral job was not one for a newbie, particularly if the city grappled with a hurricane or pandemic, Mamdani shot back: And if we have a health pandemic, then why would New Yorkers turn back to the governor who sent seniors to their death in nursing homes? Thats the kind of experience thats on offer here today.

What I dont have in experience, I make up for in integrity, and what you dont have in integrity, you could never make up for in experience, he added.

Trump looms large over debate

President Trump took up much of the conversation during Thursdays debate, with Mamdani and Cuomo both casting the other as being incapable of taking on Trump if elected. Mamdani attacked the former New York governor over a report from The New York Times that Trump and Cuomo spoke about the mayoral race. The two men have denied speaking about it.

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What distinguishes me from Andrew Cuomo is the fact that he has gotten on the phone with that same president  not asking him how to work together to help New Yorkers or not telling him that he would refuse to back down to protect those New Yorkers, but instead asking him how to win this race, Mamdani said. Thats something I can do myself.

Cuomo also suggested Mamdani wouldnt be able to protect New York City against Trump. If the Assemblyman is elected mayor, Donald Trump will take over New York City, and it will be Mayor Trump, the former governor said.

Mamdani seeks to allay concerns over views on Israel-Hamas conflict

One of the issues that has consumed Mamdanis campaign is his view on Israel and the broader Israel-Hamas conflict. Mamdani made clear during the debate that of course he wanted Hamas to lay down its arms after he avoided offering a clearer answer on the issue during an interview with Fox News on Wednesday.

Of course, I believe that they should lay down their arms. Im proud to be one of the first elected officials in the state who called for a ceasefire, and calling for a ceasefire means seizing fire, Mamdani said.

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That means all parties have to cease fire and put down their weapons, and the reason that we call for that is not only for the end of the genocide, but also an unimpeded access of humanitarian aid, he added.

Cuomo at one point did not directly say whether he thought Mamdani was anti-Semitic, saying: I know there are many Jewish people who believe he is anti-Semitic, again attacking Mamdani over the globalize the intifada phrase.

I have denounced Hamas again and again, and it will never be enough for Andrew Cuomo, because what he is willing to say, even though not on this stage, is to call me, the first Muslim on the precipice of leading this city, a terrorist sympathizer, is to send mailers that artificially lengthen my beard, Mamdani said.

The Times reported in June that a super PAC supporting Cuomo showed a photo of Mamdani on a mailer, which was not sent out but whose markup was leaked online, where the appearance of his beard was changed.

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A spokeswoman for the super PAC told the Times that upon review it was immediately rejected for production and was subsequently corrected, and added: We are disturbed that this was posted online without our consent.

Sliwa struggles to stand out

Amid the constant back-and-forth between Mamdani and Cuomo, Sliwa struggled to distinguish himself, at times even expressing frustration that he was being ignored during the debate.

The debate is three, Sliwa said at one point. Do we acknowledge that? Three people?

Though Sliwa is trailing behind Mamdani and Cuomo in the polls  a polling average of surveys on the race compiled by Decision Desk HQ shows Mamdani at 49 percent, Cuomo at 30 percent and Sliwa at 13 percent  he still holds a not-insignificant portion of support among New Yorkers.

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Still, Sliwa did use his time to attack both his opponents. While Cuomo has tried to cast Mamdani as being tough on crime and an opponent of police, Sliwa attacked both of them over their views on law enforcement.

You, Andrew Cuomo, during the summer of 2020, you said, if you dont reform police departments, Im going to defund you. And you certainly said that Zohran Mamdani, Sliwa said. The Republican is likely referring to a 2020 executive order Cuomo issued that pushed law enforcement agencies to reform their departments in the wake of George Floyds murder, threatening to hold funding if they didnt.

Those attacks are particularly unhelpful for Cuomo, who will need crossover votes from Republicans in order to keep the race competitive against Mamdani.

Unlikely to be a game-changer

Its doubtful the debate will dramatically change the course of the race, particularly since Mamdani has maintained a comfortable double-digit lead in polling over Cuomo.

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Mamdani largely needed to avoid any major gaffes that would have eroded some of his momentum, while Cuomo either needed to have strong standout moments or utilize more potent attacks to knock down the New York State assemblyman.

Cuomos jabs so far havent made much of a dent when it comes to Mamdanis lead, raising questions about whether hell be able to successfully change the course of the race in several weeks.

Still, Cuomo has one more debate next week, where he might be able to glean standout moments or find a more potent line of attack against Mamdani.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Critics have long contended state policies and practices are overly friendly to HOAs at the expense of homeowners. (Photo: Hugh Jackson/Nevada Current)

The State of Nevada carries a $7 million insurance policy that is expected to cover the entirety of the fiscal impact of the recent cyber attack, according to the director of the cyber security department.

Timothy Galluzi, the states chief information officer and executive director of the governors technology office, referenced the policy Thursday while answering questions from state legislators about the Aug. 24 cyber security incident that crippled many state operations for weeks.

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We have $7 million coverage, he said, and we believe that level of coverage is going to be ample to cover the direct expenses from this.

The direct expenses so far are well under that, Galluzi added.

Assemblymember Tracy Brown May, a Democrat from Las Vegas, sought assurance that details about the cyber attack would be released to lawmakers and the public at some point. She said constituents have reached out to her wanting to know details about the impact of the cyber attack, including when the attack was first initiated, how long the attackers went undetected, what departments were affected, whether a ransom was demanded, and whether it was paid.

Galluzi said a report will be made publicly available, though he cautioned that some details might not be available for quite some time. The governors office has made similar comments when asked for additional details about the cyber attack.

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As for the impacted data, Galluzi described it as a very incredibly small subset of internal data. He did not elaborate.

The Interim Finance Committee on Thursday gave Galluzis office approval to accept $313,700 in federal grant funding, which will be used to create a shared technical threat analysis and alert management tool for use statewide. Galluzi said the improvements will help bring better security to the executive branch and be expanded outward to rural partners.

The University of Nevada Las Vegas, last year received similar grant money to explore the feasibility of a statewide security operations center (SOC).

2023 funding request revisited

State Sen. Rochelle Nguyen, a Democrat from Las Vegas, grilled Galluzi about a 2023 funding request by the states office of cyber defense coordination, which at the time was in the Department of Public Safety but has since moved to the Governors office.

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The cyber defense coordination team requested $34.7 million to establish a statewide SOC.

Nguyen noted that the funding request was not included in Gov. Joe Lombardos recommended budget, and she asked Galluzi and his co-presenters whether a SOC might have helped prevent or mitigate the recent cyber attack.

Galluzi responded by saying that, while he believes a SOC is imperative, it requires buy-in from all participants and that the need for initial upfront capital kind of takes away from that.

The way were trying to build it right now, were attempting to use the federal opportunities that are made available to us through the state and local cyber security grant program and build it with a grassroots effort with incredibly willing and able participants, he said.

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Adam Miller, deputy director of the office of information security and cyber defense, answered Nguyens question more directly, saying, You can say yes. You can say no. You can argue it either way.

He continued, I think what we do now is that the security infrastructure we have in place, with the resources we have at our disposal, caught this security incident early enough where we were able to triage, we were able to prevent, and then we were able to rebuild and reconstitute.

Additional resources are always helpful, he added.

When asked by Nguyen if the governors technology office plans on revisiting a request for a statewide SOC, Galluzi said yes.

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Galluzi also said his office is working with the governors office to look at ways to strengthen cybersecurity more immediately, since the legislature is not set to convene a regular session until 2027.

Miller said a consultant has been hired to conduct a top down review of security policies.

Everything that affects cyber security policy in the State of Nevada is going to be under scrutiny, he said. That is going to be the first step on how we progress toward building a more robust security policy.

Earlier this year legislation was introduced by Las Vegas Republican Assemblymember Toby Yurek to create a state SOC. The bill got a hearing in the Assembly Government Affairs Committee, but was then referred to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, where funding determinations and allocations are made, and which is colloquially referred to as where bills go to die. No further action was taken on the bill.
WASHINGTON (KELO)  They served in a conflict that some refer to as the Forgotten War, but Korean War-era veterans who recently visited our nations capital are realizing there are people out there making sure they are remembered.

Bruce Riordan served stateside in the Air Force during the Korean War.

I loaded and unloaded jet engines. When they would come in, I would get about ten on a flatbed and haul them over to be changed engines on them, Riordan said.

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It might not look like it, but Riordan is 95 years old.

Jordan: Whats the secret to looking this good when youre 95?

I dont have any idea. I guess an easy life, Riordan said.

George Novotny is a 92-year-old Korean War Army veteran.

I was up on the 38th parallel for two years, Novotny said.

It took a little bit of convincing to get Novotny to see the sights that Washington has to offer.

I really never actually did this, Novotny said. My daughter is the one that coaxed me into it, so she said I have to do it before I get too old, I guess.

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Korean War-era veterans made up a small percentage of Midwest Honor Flights 28th Mission, and as Novotny and Riordan made their way to the Korean War Veterans Memorial, it brought back some emotions.

After 70-72 years, you forget a lot of that. This kind of brings back some of the things you try to forget, Novotny said.

Just amazing how many people passed away or were killed during the Korean War. I had no idea there was that many, Riordan said.

And as they reflected on their day in our nations capital, both veterans were grateful for the people who made the trip happen.

This has been a very nice experience, Riordan said.

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I think its all pretty good. The way they treat you and everything, they go out of the way, and most people dont get paid to do it. Thats quite a contribution, you know? Novotny said.

If you or someone you know would like to go on a Midwest Honor Flight, click here.

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GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV)  Scammers steal millions from Wisconsinites every year, using tactics that continue to evolve. To help residents protect themselves, AARP Wisconsin hosted a Scam Jam event at UW-Green Bay on Thursday, October 16, featuring expert speakers on how to spot and avoid faud.

The free event, held in the University Unions Phoenix Rooms, brought together experts from AARP and partnering organizations to discuss scams involving artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, imposter fraud, and more.

Many of us believe we are too smart or savvy to become the victim of a scam, but these criminals change their tactics all the time in an effort to separate you from your money, said AARP Wisconsins fraud team coordinator Courtney Anclam.

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Its important to be skeptical of any offer that seems too good to be true. But its even more critical to learn what the criminals are up to with the latest scams.

AARP Wisconsin State Director Raj Shukla added that its important for victims to share their experiences so the organization can push for stronger protections. Often people feel really embarrassed to share their story, Shulka said, so one of the things that we are trying to do is give people sense of support and encouragement so they can share their stories with AARP and we can take them to legislators and underline the importance of taking action to protect folks.

Local 5s Tom Zalaski was a speaker for the event, aimed to educate the public and prevent more Green Bay residents from becoming victims of scams.

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For more information about fraud prevention or upcoming AARP events, visit aarp.com/wi.

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The influence of Generation Z is becoming more and more profound by the day. Referring to the cohort born between 1997 and 2012, this digitally native generation is not compromising its rights, is living life on its own terms, and even has the power to topple governments.

Thus, when Gen Z-focused gaming company Brag House Holdings (TBH) announced that it would be merging with the official commercial arm of the Dogecoin Foundation through a reverse takeover, it sent shares of the former soaring. The Dogecoin Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports the development and promotion of Dogecoin (DOGEUSD), the popular cryptocurrency that started as a joke but evolved into a legitimate blockchain project. Trading around 20 cents, Dogecoin is the eighth-largest cryptocurrency in the world, with a market cap of about $31 billion.

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And despite its frivolous branding, the DOGE has some vital real-life applications. For instance, it has very low network fees, making it ideal for everyday transactions. Then, it was one of the first cryptocurrencies used for social media tipping on platforms such as Reddit (RDDT), Twitch, and X. Finally, a certain Elon Musk liked the name so much that he even titled his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after it.

Why Is Brag House Merging With The Dogecoin Foundation?

Circling back to the merger with Brag House, the combined company plans to weave Dogecoins payment ecosystem and merchant solutions into Brag Houses (BRAG) digital gaming and social platforms. The idea is to create a business that earns from several recurring sources rather than relying on one-off transactions while also holding a meaningful reserve of Dogecoin as part of its balance sheet strategy.

In parallel, the group intends to work with industry partners such as 21Shares, Robinhood (HOOD), and CleanCore Solutions to launch a new lineup of Dogecoin-linked financial instruments that meet regulatory standards. This move is expected to push Dogecoin further into the mainstream, reshaping its image from a community-driven meme coin into an asset class recognized by institutional investors.

Commenting on the development, Brag House CEO Lavell Juan Malloy II said, "By embedding Dogecoin into the fabric of Gen Zs experiences, across college campuses, sports, gaming, and communities, we are not merely creating new business lines; we are unlocking a multi-billion-dollar avenue to mainstream digital currency acceptance and shareholder value creation."
ODESSA, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  Abilene Crime Stoppers was recognized for its outstanding impact on public safety at the 36th Annual Texas Crime Stoppers Conference, held this year in Odessa.

Hosted by Odessa Crime Stoppers and the Ector County Independent School District, the statewide event celebrated the partnerships and community efforts that help keep Texas cities safe.

Participants attended specialized training sessions, connected with other Crime Stoppers programs, and honored outstanding achievements in crime prevention.

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Abilene Crime Stoppers received special recognition for the most cleared crimes in 2024, underscoring the programs strong collaboration with local law enforcement and the community. The award is for most cases cleared in populations of 100,001 to 150,000.

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Workers at an ABP Food Group plant in Northern Ireland have voted to take strike action.

According to trade union Unite, over 150 staff have voted overwhelmingly for the strike action in a dispute over pay.

The union said ABP Food Group's offer of 3% pay increase, with a one-off cash payment of 100 ($134) and a further 3% rise from April 2026 "amounts to a real terms pay cut".

The strike at the facility, which supplies retailers including Tesco and Sainsbury's, is set to take place from midnight on Monday 27 October.

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Just Food has approached Ireland-headquartered ABP Food Group for comment.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: ABPs success has been built by workers. The company can well afford to pay a decent pay increase but instead is choosing to squeeze our members living standards to maximise profits.

The ABP workers at Craigavon can count on Unites full support in their fight for fair pay.

Regional officer Sean Smyth added: If ABP management wants to avoid severe disruption of their Craigavon plant, they need to return to the negotiating table and agree a fair deal for members.

According to the ABP Food Group website, the company has 19 beef sites across the UK.

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The beef side of the business also has seven facilities in the company's home market of Ireland and three in Poland.

The privately-owned group also supplies lamb and pet food.

"ABP Food Group workers vote for strike action" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand.




A nurse vaccinates a senior citizen against influenza to avoid cross-infection with coronavirus. (Marcelo Hernandez/Getty Images)

Dr. Ralph Abraham, Louisianas surgeon general, made it abundantly clear why the state would not promote the flu vaccine or hold events offering it to the public. Its the second year in a row the health department has opted against such efforts.

Asked by the Illuminator at a news conference earlier this month, Abraham said his agency was not going to do anything to make the vaccine available at health fairs or other community events. Until Republican Gov. Jeff Landry took office in January 2024, administrations under both parties historically backed health department outreach to limit the impact of flu season.

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The most recent statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counted 470,000 hospitalizations and 28,000 deaths related to the flu during the 2023-24 season.

Abraham said he doesnt support mass flu vaccine events because they dont allow for a patient to give informed consent, which involves a doctor explaining the pros and cons of a vaccine with the patient before that person decides whether they want to be vaccinated.

The surgeon generals stance is problematic for multiple reasons.

First, Abraham would have to assume the average patient doesnt do their own homework on whether the flu vaccine is right for them. Such research might include information from the Louisiana Department of Health website, which states: Flu vaccines are safe and effective and the best way to prevent spreading seasonal flu.

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Theres also the matter of health care access. As of 2023, more than 212,000 adults and 38,000 children did not have health insurance coverage according to estimates from the Louisiana Health Insurance Survey. This means they potentially might not have had access to a flu shot except through a state-sponsored free vaccination event.

If Abraham had some irrefutable evidence that suggests the flu vaccine doesnt work or, worse yet, is harmful, his position might have merit. But hes acknowledged, as a practicing family physician, giving the shot to his own patients.

Im not an anti-flu vaxxer, Abraham said.

I work in the poorest part of the state, he added. That doesnt mean my patients are not smart. They are very intelligent, and when given the right data, they can make the right decision.

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But what about the people who have no decision to make because the state has eliminated perhaps the only opportunity they had to obtain a flu vaccine?

Through their highly questionable choice to shutter state flu vaccine campaigns, Dr. Abraham and the Landry administration have replaced informed consent with only if we say its OK.

We expect unsound public health policy without rationale or evidence from the likes of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has no background in medicine. But its disappointing coming from a longtime Louisiana physician whos taken an oath to act for the benefit of the sick and do no harm






Lawmakers from both parties this week are demanding accountability after The Baltimore Sun reported allegations that teens were attacked, abused and subject to brutal conditions at the National Guards Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, a boot camp program for at-risk teens headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground.

Three cadets who were enrolled at the camp in the past ten years told The Sun they were forced to exercise without water breaks until passing out or vomiting, sometimes requiring airlifts from the camp. One suffered a concussion after being attacked by cadets, and they witnessed cadet fight clubs organized by the staff.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, is talking with the Maryland National Guard about the conditions at the camp and the concerns the teens raised, his spokesperson said.

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Van Hollen believes that the Freestate Challenge Academy must uphold a high standard of academic rigor and ensure the physical safety and mental well-being of its cadets. Anything less is not acceptable, his spokesperson said in a statement emailed to The Sun.

Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, said he has not called for an investigation into the camp.

The governor is aware of the Maryland National Guards decision to cease operations for the Freestate ChalleNGe Academy and to suspend Class #65 due to facility issues, Senior Communication Strategist Rhyan Lake said in an email statement to The Sun. Governor Moore knows Marylands National Guard and Military Department regard these allegations with the utmost seriousness and take concrete steps to hold any substantiated accounts of misconduct accountable.

The governor and Marylands Military Department always have been and always will be committed to ensuring all cadets are provided a safe, supportive, and professional environment that promotes their health, safety, and well-being.

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Lake referred The Sun to the Maryland Military Department when asked if Moore was investigating or planned to initiate an investigation into the allegations raised by former cadets.

The Sun called and emailed the Maryland Military Department to learn what the department is doing to investigate the claims teens made, as well as the substance of the departments conversations with Van Hollen. A spokesperson did not respond by the time of publication.

Del. Lauren Arikan, a Republican whose Harford County district includes the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, called for transparency from the academys director, and urged public schools in her district to refrain from referring teens in their care to the camp until the concerns are addressed.

I am very keen to hear a clear explanation from Director Kisha L. Webster as to whether there is currently a federal law enforcement investigation going on in regards to the accusations of assaults and abuse at Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, Arikan said to The Sun in an email.

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The accusations are extremely serious, occurred on base, and could constitute grounds for criminal charges, she said. Until this matter is sufficiently resolved, [Harford County Public Schools] should refrain from recommending Freestate ChalleNGe Academy to any of its students.

Scared to sleep at night, sleeping through class

A free program for at-risk youth, Freestate promises teens and their families housing and food for 22 weeks, along with the opportunity to study and take the GED. To apply to the program, teens must have dropped out of high school or be in danger of dropping or failing out. Once accepted, attendees must drop out of high school to attend.

The teens told The Sun the education aspect was lacking, and that few of their classmates went on to get their GEDs. They added that they suffered beatings at the hands of other cadets.

People were actually making weapons in there because they were scared of some of the other kids in there, one teen who attended the camp in 2022 told The Sun. The Sun is withholding his name as he still fears for his safety.

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There were a lot of kids in there claiming they were gang members, he said, and some cadets made shivs out of metal forks and hid them under the floorboards.

The teen said he and others routinely fell asleep in GED prep classes because they would stay up all night, afraid of the other cadets in the program attacking them while they slept. He ultimately failed his GED test, he said, attributing it to the exhaustion he felt during class and the lack of a science instructor that year. He still has not earned his GED, he said.

An atmosphere of violence

Another teen The Sun interviewed about his experience at Freestate was directed there by a vice principal at C. Milton Wright High School in Bel Air. Nathanael Royal said after just a few weeks in the program, he was awoken at 3 a.m. one night and beaten with a homemade blackjack by other teens at the camp while the staff who stood watch overnight changed shift.

Royal said he woke up to four or five teens, wearing black t-shirts tied over their faces. One held him down on his bed while others punched and slammed him in the head with a lock sock or rock sock, which he defined as a padlock or large rock inside a sock. He said they threatened him with further harm if he snitched.

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Royals mother brought him to the emergency room the next morning after the camp nurse examined him and, alarmed, called her. He had a dent in his head and was diagnosed with a possible concussion and contusion and referred to a brain injury center in Virginia, according to his medical records, which The Sun reviewed. His parents disenrolled him from camp, but were unable to re-enroll him in public school due to his age, they said.

Royal spent the next year afraid to sleep at night, he said, and lay awake until the sun came up, he said.

Freestate temporarily closed in early September due to facility issues, including leaking condenser lines and a broken sewer pipe, Maryland Military Department Public Affairs Manager Chazz Kibbler said. The camp was temporarily relocated to Camp Frettard Military Reservation in Reisterstown, but the new facility was not up to federal installation requirements, he said.

Class 65 was given the option to continue in other ChalleNGe academies or withdraw, according to Kibbler. Ten transferred to Washington-based Capital Guardians ChalleNGe Academy and four to New Jerseys ChalleNGe Academy. Others pursued GED testing directly with support from Freestate staff, Kibbler said.

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The state plans to reopen the camp in January for the next class, Class 66.

Did you attend or work at Freestate? What was your experience there? Contact journalist Kate Cimini at 443-842-2621 or kcimini@baltsun.com.
DES MOINES, Iowa  Former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts now faces an additional federal charge of false statement for employment, court documents state.

Court records filed on Thursday state that in 2023 Roberts lied on the I-9 submission form during the Des Moines Public Schools hiring process. The criminal complaint says Roberts lied on the form claiming to be a citizens while knowing he was not in fact a United States citizen.

Narcotics investigation prompts chase that ends in Des Moines crash, two in custody

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A violation of Title 18, United State Code, Section 154(b)(3), if found guilty Roberts could face up to 15 years in prison and be fined. As of last week, Roberts attorney is moving to defend against federal charges and reopen an immigration case in Omaha.

Roberts was charged with a federal firearms offense on October 2. Criminal complaints state that Roberts was found in possession of four firearms, one in his car and three in his home.

Roberts was detained by ICE agents on Septembers 26, who cited a removal order was signed for Roberts in 2024. Criminal complaints also state that Roberts has existing weapons charges from February 2020.

Iowa News:

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Administrators at a Charlotte middle school say they are looking into a video that reportedly shows an alleged sexual assault that happened on campus.

Details are limited, but leaders at Piedmont Middle School on East 10th Street believe the incident referenced happened on Monday.

Piedmonts principal sent a message to parents on Tuesday discussing the alleged sexual assault. In it, Jacqueline Barone says they are aware of rumors circulating about the incident, and that they are following district procedures.

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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

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The admiral in charge of recent U.S. strikes against alleged Venezuelan drug boats has abruptly announced his plans to retire. The move comes amid reported disagreements with the White House over the controversial killings.

The sudden retirement is another departure of a high-ranking Black military officer since President Donald Trump returned to office, adding to concerns about the administrations expansive and legally questionable use of military power.

Controversial military strikes and high-profile departures of minority military leaders

Admiral Alvin Holsey is stepping down as head of U.S. Southern Command, which oversees all U.S. military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean. U.S. Southern Command has overseen the series of airstrikes launched by U.S. forces against accused drug smugglers off the coast of Venezuela; American troops have conducted at least five such strikes over the past several weeks, killing 27 people. The strikes have been touted by Trump, who has accused the targets of being narcoterrorists but without offering public proof that the targeted vessels were involved in drug smuggling. The New York Times reported that the admirals retirement announcement followed his concerns about the strikes. Though the attacks have been carried out under U.S. Southern Command, the White House has been the main decision-making force behind them, with Holsey largely sidelined from the process. Experts have questioned the legal authority of the Trump administration to carry out these attacks against foreign nationals in international waters, and two sources indicated that Holsey expressed concerns about the attacks and the overall counterterrorism mission being conducted in the region.

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Holseys departure is unusual, coming less than a year after he was promoted to head of the Southern Command, typically a three-year appointment.

Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said, Prior to Trump, I cant think of a combatant commander who left his or her post early, ever.

Holseys retirement is also the latest in a trend of Black or women officers leaving top military posts under Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a vocal opponent of diversity initiatives within the military. Hegseth has fired General Charles Q. Brown, the second Black person to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Admiral Lisa Franchetti, as chief of naval operations; and Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, as the U.S. military representative to NATO. General David Allvin, the Air Forces chief of staff, recently announced his early retirement as well.

Trumps expanded use of the military

Hegseth didnt indicate any tension with Holsey, and he celebrated the admirals career and thanked him for his service in a social media post.

On behalf of the Department of War, we extend our deepest gratitude to Admiral Alvin Holsey for his more than 37 years of distinguished service to our nation as he plans to retire at year's end. A native of Fort Valley, Georgia, Admiral Holsey has exemplified the highest  Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 16, 2025

The admiral likewise didnt state a reason for ending his 37-year military career in a statement posted by the Southern Command. Holsey praised the Southern Command for its lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and expressed confidence that his colleagues will continue to focus on the work that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon on freedom around the globe.

His departure comes as the Trump administration steps up operations targeting Venezuela, with the president also authorizing covert CIA operations in the country and exploring land strikes against the South American nation as well. Trump has long opposed President Nicolas Maduro, a member of the countrys United Socialist Party. The U.S. presidents campaign against Maduro may have received a boost from Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and is now calling on Trump to take action against what she calls a criminal narco-terrorism structure led by Maduro. The escalating use of U.S. force against Venezuela also fits into the larger Trump agenda of using drug trafficking and other crimes, as well as accused terrorism and insurrection, to justify expanded use of the U.S. military abroad and in American cities.

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Trump shows no sign of scaling back these military operations; the latest lethal strike near Venezuela was carried out earlier this week. But should these operations continue, they will soon be conducted without Holsey at the helm, and the departure of the decorated Navy official raises concerns about the administrations use of force policies and its treatment of Black military leaders.







The post Admiral Alvin Holsey Stepping Down After Reported Disagreements With Trumps Drug Boat Crusade appeared first on Blavity.
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- An affidavit has identified 19-year-old Gage Earl Ellison as the suspect in a late September shooting at a Midland house party that killed 18-year-old Adolfo Isai Gonzalez.

According to the Midland Police Department, officers were called around 3:21 a.m. on September 28 to the 300 block of South Bentwood Drive. 18-year-old Adolfo Isai Gonzalez was found in the backyard of a home with a gunshot wound to the face. He was transported to Midland Memorial Hospital and later to Lubbock, where he was declared medically brain dead on October 6. His family made the decision to remove him from life support shortly after.

Court documents reveal that dozens of people were in the backyard when the shooting occurred, though no one reported directly seeing the shot fired. Officers recovered a .380 caliber handgun and a spent casing near a fence line at the scene.

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Witnesses described seeing a white male in a gray hoodie with a neck tattoo, later identified as Ellison, standing near Gonzalez just before the gunshot. A Hispanic male and female, both unnamed in the affidavit due to redactions, were also identified as being with Ellison at the party.

Surveillance footage from the residence reportedly shows Ellison and the two others leaving at 2:54 a.m. before returning minutes later. Investigators said a noticeable bulge could be seen in the front pocket of Ellisons hoodie, believed to be a handgun.

Witnesses told police that Gonzalez was trying to de-escalate a verbal confrontation when the shooting happened. One witness reported turning toward Gonzalez after hearing the gunfire and saw Ellison standing beside him as he fell. Another described seeing Ellison flee by jumping over a fence.

The two individuals with Ellison at the party later confirmed to investigators that Ellison admitted to firing the shot. While they denied visually seeing him pull the trigger, both said the gunshot came from where Ellison was standing. One reported that Ellison told him he dropped the gun while fleeing, while the female said she overheard Ellison say he fired the weapon.

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Ellison was arrested Friday afternoon (October 10) in San Antonio after fleeing the scene, according to Midland Police. He was later transported and booked into the Midland County Detention Center on October 14. His bond has been set at $1 million.

He is currently charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, but prosecutors said the charge is expected to be upgraded to murder once the case goes before a grand jury.

A gofundme for the family of Adolfo Isai Gonzalez has been set up. If you would like to help, click this link.

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  An affordable housing development is coming the East Village, thanks to a new partnership between the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and the San Diego Housing Fund.

Announced Friday, the MTS Board of Directors approved a disposition and development agreement for a new 161-unit affordable housing community to be built next to the 12th & Imperial Transit Center, the busiest transit hub in the region.

This project reflects MTSs commitment to being more than just a transit agency; were a community partner, said Stephen Whitburn, MTS Board chair and San Diego city councilmember, who represents East Village. By connecting future residents with affordable housingwere helping residents access opportunity while building a more sustainable future and activating the areas around our stations.

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New affordable apartments open in Clairemont for low-income families

The six-story, mixed-use development will provide 100% affordable units for low-income individuals and families. The plan includes 74 one-bedroom, 55 two-bedroom and 32 three-bedroom apartments  totaling 280 bedrooms. Residents will have access toa childrens play are, green outdoor spaces, a community room, and 96 on-site parking spaces.

The project will replace an existing surface parking lot and public street as part of a larger effort to expand and modernize the 12th & Imperial Transit Center. The area offers immediate access to three Trolley lines and multiple bus routes, making it a prime location for transit-oriented development.

A map for a planned transit-oriented affordable housing in East Village. (Credit: MTS)

Under the agreement, the housing project will be built at no cost to MTS, with a 99-year ground lease in place. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and be completed in 2029.

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This 161-unit community represents whats possible when we strategically align housing with transportation and break down barriers that keep low-income families from accessing jobs, education, and services, said said James Howell, managing partner for the San Diego Housing Fund. We look forward to seeing this project break ground in 2027 and transform East Village into a more vibrant, equitable neighborhood.

In addition to the housing development, MTS plans major upgrades to the transit center itself, including expanded bus capacity, improved passenger amenities, and better stormwater infrastructure. Transit center construction is anticipated to take place between 2026-2027.

A rendering for a planned transit-oriented affordable housing in East Village. (Credit: MTS)

More details about the projects can be found here.

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I was on a walking tour with Dr. Joseph Fox along Ashevilles Black Cultural Heritage Trail. We stopped in front of the YMI Cultural Center, one of the first Black community centers in the country. We discovered buildings designed by James Vester Miller, a Black architect who had no formal education. Miller built some of downtown Ashevilles most iconic brick buildings that are still standing today.

From there, we discussed some of the towns darkest history. On our tour, two of three placards in Asheville honor John Humphries, Hezekiah Rankin, and Bob Brackett, memorializing three young Black men who were lynched.

We ended the walking tour at Pack Square Park in the middle of the Goombay Festival, one of the longest-running Black cultural festivals in Asheville. The timing couldnt be more perfect. Unbeknownst to our tour group was Matthew Bacoate, Jr., a veteran and local legend who is credited with integrating bowling alleys in Asheville.

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In less than two hours, one thing was clear: Black people have a significant history and distinct culture in Asheville that is often overlooked. Most people associate the mountainous region in the eastern part of the United States, known as Appalachia, with white, rural, and flannel-wearing people. Aside from the flannels (because I visited two months before fall), this stereotype couldnt be further from the truth.

Mitti Hicks

What Is Affrilachia?

Poet Frank X Walker coined the term Affrilachia in 1991 to describe the experience of African Americans in Appalachia. His goal was to challenge the traditional white-centric perception of the region.

Affrilachia provides a name for the unique identity and experiences of African Americans in the region. It not only creates a sense of place and belonging, which is often overlooked, but also sheds light on how African Americans helped to shape the region.

Its a term that recognizes Black people live and thrive in the mountains, DeWayne Barton, founder and CEO of Hood Huggers International, tells Travel Noire. Barton takes people on tours through Hood Huggers in his hometown of Asheville to explore African American history, culture, and traditions.

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Not only have Black people always lived in the mountains, but weve done some incredible things here, such as building the railroad and establishing successful communities, Barton adds.

History Buried In The Hills

Contrary to popular perception, Black people have lived in the region for centuries, dating back to the 1700s. While there is no single story of African Americans in Appalachia, they represented 10% of the population by 1860, as noted by Oxford African American Studies.

As white people moved into the mountains, so did free and enslaved Africans. Scholars note that whites, Native Americans, and African Americans lived in proximity to each other in the early years of settlement. Its important to note that the region is named for the mountain range that runs from Southern New York to Northern Mississippi. It comprises three subdivisions: Northern, Southern, and Central. Each region has its own history of settlement and race relations.

For example, some historians believe that Native American nations such as the Cherokees held Africans in enslavement in the Southern Appalachia region. The topography did not lend itself to the large plantation systems found in the Deep South. Still, slavery in the area is complex because Appalachia was divided by Civil War loyalties. Northern Appalachia joined the Union, the Southern region joined the Confederacy, and those in Central Appalachia were divided.

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In the 1830s, the construction of the Western North Carolina railroad created a high demand for enslaved laborers in the area. Those who were enslaved were assigned tasks such as digging track beds, laying tracks, and performing maintenance work. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, African Americans, driven by the opportunity for work, migrated to the wider Appalachian region, including areas near Asheville, to work in the coal and steel industries. This was also a chance to escape the harsh conditions of the Jim Crow South and sharecropping.

Voices Of Modern Affrilachia

While Black people in Asheville represent only about 10% of the total population, there are spaces, community organizations, and businesses working to preserve Black Appalachian identity. Reclaiming the space isnt just about geography. Its about dignity, memory, and belonging.

The Black community was able to create their own businesses and communities in the height of Jim Crow Segregation, Barton adds. There were Black Wall Streets all over the country, including here in Asheville.

Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail

Mitti Hicks

To explore Affrilachian culture, visitors should start with the Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail. A guide will take you through three communities: Downtown, the Southside, and the River Area. You will learn how Black people from all backgrounds in Asheville built resilient communities through businesses, churches, and schools amid segregation. Guides will also educate people about local civil rights leaders, Black unions, and the significance of the railroad that Black Americans helped to construct.

South Asheville Cemetery Tour

The South Asheville Cemetery is a two-acre cemetery that began as a slave burial ground. While only 93 headstones have names or dates identifying the people buried at the site, the South Asheville Cemetery Association believes it is the final resting place for more than 2,000 Black Ashevillians. This cemetery is one of only a few cemeteries for African Americans in the region. Volunteers with the association also say its the oldest public African American cemetery in Western North Carolina.

The YMI Cultural Center

Initially known as The Young Mens Institute, the YMI Cultural Center is one of the oldest Black cultural centers in the United States. It is currently on the National Register of Historic Places. The founders, Isaac Dickson and Dr. Edward Stephens, envisioned an organization that was similar to the YMCA to support Ashevilles African-American community. Dr. Stephens was frustrated with racial discrimination and the perception that Black people were incapable of being self-reliant.

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Black people in surrounding communities developed extensive networks and business organizations with the help of the thriving institution, YMI. The YMI Cultural Center still stands as a beacon. It flourished during segregation and continues to be the center of preserving the heritage of African Americans in the region.

Good Hot Fish

Mitti Hicks

Founded by Ashleigh Shanti, Good Hot Fish is a counter-service fish fry concept driven by her love and desire to spotlight Carolinas finest fisherfolk. The restaurant serves nostalgia, classic recipes, and warm Southern hospitality.

The Foundry Hotel

Staying at the Foundry Hotel Asheville will give guests an authentically local experience that is rooted in the historically Black neighborhood once known as The Block. Formerly enslaved people built this once-thriving business district, but the urban renewal project from the 70s nearly destroyed the rich history found in the area.

Just outside the hotel is Noir Collective AVL, a Black-owned boutique, art gallery, and bookstore featuring Black entrepreneurs. It is also located on The Block within the retail spaces of the YMI Cultural Center. You can find books, magazines, artworks, home designs, and jewelry from small Black business owners and authors.







The post Affrilachia Exists: The People Reclaiming Black Identity in Appalachia appeared first on Travel Noire.
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -The Netherlands is in talks with China over export controls imposed on the Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia, which has become tangled up in the trade frictions between the U.S. and China.

The Dutch government stepped in on September 30 to take control of Nexperia, which makes chips for carmakers and for consumer electronics, citing worries about the possible transfer of technology to Nexperia's Chinese parent company, Wingtech.

The Chinese commerce ministry then issued an export control notice on October 4 prohibiting Nexperia China and its subcontractors from exporting specific finished components and sub-assemblies manufactured in China.

"The situation regarding the Nexperia facilities in China, where export control measures have been applied, naturally has our full attention," the Dutch economy ministry said in a statement on Friday.

"We are in discussions about resolving this matter with the Chinese authorities, as well as other relevant European governments and businesses."

Major automakers have said the chip disruption stemming from the dispute between China and the Dutch government could quickly impact production, as Nexperia's chips are needed for the production of parts and vehicles.

Nexperia is one of the largest makers globally of basic chips such as transistors that are not technically sophisticated but are needed in large volumes.

Its biggest manufacturing site is in Hamburg, Germany, but most of its chips are packaged and assembled into larger products in China.

(Reporting by Bart Meijer and Toby Sterling; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Jane Merriman)
An Afghan migrant who was deemed an adult by UK authorities because he had a protruding Adams apple has won 25,000 after an asylum judge ruled he was a child.

The migrant  who came to Britain on a small boat  was awarded the payout after an immigration judge ruled that officials were wrong to conclude he was over 18.

The Afghan had a large Adams apple, bags under his eyes and skin that did not appear youthful, a tribunal heard. Official age assessors at St Helens borough council in Merseyside concluded he was aged between 23 and 25 when he arrived.

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An upper immigration tribunal overturned that decision, ruling that the authorities had relied on pseudoscientific indicators.

The court said the date of birth the Afghan gave  of January 5, 2007  was correct and found he was 17 upon his arrival. He was awarded 25,000 to cover his publicly-funded legal costs after winning his appeal.

The Upper Tribunal heard that the man, from an unnamed village in Afghanistan, told the Home Office he was born in 2005 when he arrived in the UK before subsequently correcting it to January 5, 2007.

He told council assessors he was stressed and confused when he arrived in the UK and did not know what he was pointing to when he pointed at a date of birth of May 25, 2005. He said he had not eaten in more than two days at that point and did not speak much English. The migrants mother later told him his date of birth according to Afghanistans Pashto calendar over the phone  he had previously said dates of birth were just not important to him when he was in Afghanistan.

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The asylum seeker, who has been granted anonymity, added that he had not gone to school because the one in his area had been blown up in the war. He added that he fled Afghanistan because of his father having issues with the Taliban connected to his fathers role as a police officer.

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St Helens council assessors decided the migrant was aged between 23 and 25 because his skin did not appear youthful, he had established lines within features of his face common with maturity, bagginess in the upper and lower eye lines, and a protruding Adams apple.

They said: The [migrant]s facial structure appears fully developed. These features are consistent with a person who has exceeded maturity, and more common with an adult and less likely features of a child under the age of eighteen years. However, it is acknowledged that the [migrant]s life in Afghanistan and journey to the UK could have had an impact on his physical development.

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However, Upper Tribunal Judge Abid Mahmood criticised the age assessment for relying on the migrants Adams apple as an indicator of his age, saying an Adams apple adds very little in assessing whether [he] was above the age of 18. He added: I did not observe lines on [his] face.

Judge Mahmood said: The judgement concludes that the local authoritys age assessment was procedurally unfair and substantively flawed. He noted that one of the key deficiencies of the assessment was the reliance on pseudoscientific indicators such as physical appearance without medical expertise.

The judge found that the mans date of birth was the date he claimed, making him 18 years old now. He concluded that St Helens Borough Council should pay for his legal costs, which were publicly-funded.

The migrants asylum claim is being considered separately.

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Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, left, and Gov. Jim Pillen. July 16, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

McCOOK, Neb.  Nebraska officials have moved out all inmates from a Nebraska state prison Gov. Jim Pillen plans to convert into an immigration detention center by the end of this month.

Jennifer Huxoll, chief of the Civil Litigation Bureau in the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, shared that detail Thursday regarding the Work Ethic Camp in McCook. She was responding to a new lawsuit from McCook residents and a former state lawmaker seeking to stop the Nebraska-federal repurposing plan.

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There were 186 inmates at the facility as of Aug. 19, when officials announced the transition plan. Pillen estimated that it would take into mid-October to repurpose the prison. He extended that timeline this week to Nov. 1.

Jennifer Huxoll, chief of the Nebraska Attorney General Offices Civil Litigation Bureau. Aug. 2, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Huxoll told Red Willow County District Judge Patrick Heng that there are multiple contracts the state has in place and other parties not yet in the courtroom, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and a Lincoln-based company building a fence around the grounds.

Outback Fence, a Lincoln-based fencing company, agreed to a $750,000 contract with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services to install a 12-foot razor-topped fence at the prison by the end of the month. Huxoll said the fence is about 90% done.

We have necessary parties who are not present for this action who are also going to be affected by this, Huxoll said.

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Huxolls statement is the first to indicate the state has entered contracts on more than fencing related to the Work Ethic Camp, though it wasnt immediately clear if one included Homeland Security or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It is also the clearest sign yet of how close the repurposing could be.

Heng asked when Nebraska would begin accepting federal detainees, to which Huxoll said: I dont have an official answer for you. I do know what the governor has said in his press releases.

Nebraska Appleseed filed the lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of 13 McCook residents and former State Sen. DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln, who was among 41 senators who authorized and appropriated funds to the Work Ethic Camp in 1997. That move came at the request of McCook native and then-Gov. Ben Nelson, the states last Democratic governor. The prison opened in 2001.

Under state law, the facility is meant to provide rehabilitative programming to low-risk felony offenders and to free up space in other prisons for more violent offenders.

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The lawsuit argues Pillen and Rob Jeffreys, director of the Corrections Department, are seeking usurp legislative authority over penal institutions under the Nebraska Constitution and state law related to the use of public funds.

Nick Grandgenett, an attorney for the McCook residents and Schimek, told Heng that voters in 1958 explicitly moved prison oversight from the executive branch and a governor-appointed board to the Legislature. Grandgenett said no state law allows the executive branch to take custody of noncitizens, nor migrants facing civil deportation matters.

At its core, this is not about immigration, Grandgenett said Thursday. This is about our constitutional republican form of government.

Pillen has previously argued state law gives him authority through the creation of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, plus a clause in the Nebraska Constitution that supreme executive power rests with the governor.

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Grandgenett urged Heng to reconsider a temporary restraining order to pause state and federal work to convert the Work Ethic Camp and preserve the status quo.

Heng denied the request late Wednesday and again Thursday when Grandgenett renewed the request. Instead, Heng set a hearing for 9 a.m. Oct. 24 to determine whether to grant a temporary injunction.

Said Heng: The courts aware that, whenever the time is, its a short time period between now and when the facility becomes functional.

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When teachers rely on commonly used artificial intelligence chatbots to devise lesson plans, it does not result in more engaging, immersive or effective learning experiences compared with existing techniques, we found in our recent study. The AI-generated civics lesson plans we analyzed also left out opportunities for students to explore the stories and experiences of traditionally marginalized people.

The allure of generative AI as a teaching aid has caught the attention of educators. A Gallup survey from September 2025 found that 60% of K-12 teachers are already using AI in their work, with the most common reported use being teaching preparation and lesson planning.

Without the assistance of AI, teachers might spend hours every week crafting lessons for their students. With AI, time-stretched teachers can generate detailed lesson plans featuring learning objectives, materials, activities, assessments, extension activities and homework tasks in a matter of seconds.

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However, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot were not originally built with educators in mind. Instead, these tools were trained on huge amounts of text and media drawn largely from across the internet and then launched as general-purpose chatbots.

As we started using these tools in our practice as educators, we noticed they often produced instructional materials and lessons that echoed the recite and recall model of traditional schooling. This model can be effective for memorizing basic facts, but it often fails to engage students in the active learning required to become informed citizens. We wondered whether teachers should be using these general-purpose chatbots to prepare for class.

For our research, we began collecting and analyzing AI-generated lesson plans to get a sense of what kinds of instructional plans and materials these tools provide to teachers. We decided to focus on AI-generated lesson plans for civics education because it is essential for students to learn productive ways to participate in the U.S. political system and engage with their communities.

To collect data for this study, in August 2024 we prompted three GenAI chatbots  the GPT-4o model of ChatGPT, Googles Gemini 1.5 Flash model and Microsofts latest Copilot model  to generate two sets of lesson plans for eighth grade civics classes based on Massachusetts state standards. One was a standard lesson plan and the other a highly interactive lesson plan.

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We garnered a dataset of 311 AI-generated lesson plans, featuring a total of 2,230 activities for civic education. We analyzed the dataset using two frameworks designed to assess educational material: Blooms taxonomy and Banks four levels of integration of multicultural content.

Blooms taxonomy is a widely used educational framework that distinguishes between lower-order thinking skills, including remembering, understanding and applying, and higher-order thinking skills  analyzing, evaluating and creating. Using this framework to analyze the data, we found 90% of the activities promoted only a basic level of thinking for students. Students were encouraged to learn civics through memorizing, reciting, summarizing and applying information, rather than through analyzing and evaluating information, investigating civic issues or engaging in civic action projects.

When examining the lesson plans using Banks four levels of integration of multicultural content model, which was developed in the 1990s, we found that the AI-generated civics lessons featured a rather narrow view of history  often leaving out the experiences of women, Black Americans, Latinos and Latinas, Asian and Pacific Islanders, disabled individuals and other groups that have long been overlooked. Only 6% of the lessons included multicultural content. These lessons also tended to focus on heroes and holidays rather than deeper explorations of understanding civics through multiple perspectives.

Overall, we found the AI-generated lesson plans to be decidedly boring, traditional and uninspiring. If civics teachers used these AI-generated lesson plans as is, students would miss out on active, engaged learning opportunities to build their understanding of democracy and what it means to be a citizen.

Why it matters

Teachers can try to customize lesson plans to their situation through prompts, but ultimately generative AI tools do not consider any actual students or real classroom settings the way a teacher can.

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Although designed to seem as if they understand users and be in dialogue with them, from a technical perspective chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot are machines that predict the next word in a sequence based on massive amounts of ingested text.

When teachers choose to use these tools while preparing to teach, they risk relying on technology not designed to enhance, aid or improve teaching and learning. Instead, we see these tools producing step-by-step, one-size-fits-all solutions, when whats needed in education is the opposite  flexibility, personalization and student-centered learning.

Whats next

While our study revealed that AI-generated lesson plans are lacking in many areas, this does not mean that teachers should not use these tools to prepare for class. A teacher could use generative AI technologies to advance their thinking. In the AI-generated lesson plans we analyzed, there were occasional interesting activities and stimulating ideas, especially within the homework suggestions. We would recommend that teachers use these tools to augment their lesson-planning process rather than automate it.

By understanding AI tools cannot think or understand context, teachers can change the way they interact with these tools. Rather than writing simple, short requests  Design a lesson plan for the Constitutional Convention  they could write detailed prompts that include contextual information, along with proven frameworks, models and teaching methods. A better prompt would be: Design a lesson plan for the Constitutional Convention for 8th grade students in Massachusetts that features at least three activities at the evaluate or create level of Blooms Taxonomy. Make sure to incorporate hidden histories and untold stories as well as civic engagement activities at the social action level of Banks four levels of integration of multicultural content model.

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Our study emphasizes the need for teachers to be critical users, rather than quick adopters, of AI-generated lessons. AI is not an all-in-one solution designed to address the needs of teachers and students. Ultimately, more research and teacher professional development opportunities are needed to explore whether or how AI might improve teaching and learning.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Torrey Trust, UMass Amherst and Robert Maloy, University of Massachusetts

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The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
President Donald Trump is coming home  and so is Air Force One.

After months away from Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump returns there for an elite fundraiser  the same weekend as nationwide No Kings protests are scheduled, including some down the road from his private club.

According to a notice from the Federal Aviation Administration and reporting by the Palm Beach Daily News, a USA TODAY Network newspaper, Trump will be in Palm Beach from Friday, Oct. 17, to Sunday, Oct. 19, courtesy of the worlds most famous plane, Air Force One.

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Trump will arrive at Palm Beach International Airport after 4:15 p.m. Oct. 17, then leave before 6:30 p.m. Oct. 19, according to the temporary flight restrictions issued by the FAA.

His trip to Mar-a-Lago, dubbed the Southern White House or Winter White House during his first administration due to the amount of time he spent here, will be his 11th since taking office on Inauguration Day or Jan. 20, 2025. This weekend would also mark his 12th visit home to Florida since he regained control of the White House.

Air Force One frequently makes stops in West Palm Beach, with the presidential airplane drawing attention from locals and visitors. Whether Trump's plane is landing or taking off, there are plenty of opportunities to catch a glimpse and even snap a photo.

Spectators can capture images of Air Force One from a grassy lot near Atlantic Aviation. Here's everything you need to know about Air Force One and how to see it up close in West Palm Beach, Florida.

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More: Trump's Air Force One airplane color change: 5 things to know

Is a new Air Force One being built?

The Air Force is set to receive entirely new Air Force One aircraft, replacing the current fleet with advanced, state-of-the-art planes, according to the Air Force. It will feature enhanced communications and security systems, designed to provide the president and staff with the same capabilities as the White House.

Where does Air Force One land in West Palm Beach, Florida?

When Trump travels as president, Air Force One lands at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI is the official airport code, but its also referred to as PBIA locally) before being moved to Atlantic Aviation on Southern Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Can you watch Air Force One land or take off in Palm Beach County, Florida?

When Air Force One arrives at PBIA, only invited guests are allowed on the tarmac, where the president may wave and occasionally sign autographs. However, spectators can find spots near Palm Beach International Airport to watch the aircraft land or take off.

Where can you take a picture of Air Force One or Trump Force One? What #TrumpForceOne means

"Trump Force One" plane takes off ahead of the departure of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to travel to Dulles International Airport from Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, U.S. January 18, 2025. REUTERS/Marco Bello

There is a grassy lot in front of the Atlantic Aviation building where people often gather to take photos and videos of the planes. Many have parked there to capture images of #TrumpForceOne, which, as of Oct. 16, 2025, has over 5,000 posts on Instagram.

How many Air Force One planes are there?

While there is one primary Air Force One jet used for the president, there is also a backup aircraft, called Air Force Two when the vice president is on board. Both jets are modified Boeing 747s and are kept ready to ensure continuity in case of emergency.

What makes Air Force 1 special?

Air Force One is a highly secure, mobile command center for the U.S. President, equipped with advanced communication systems, medical facilities, and defensive technology, according to the Air Force. Trump has an office on board as well as an area to conduct press statements.

Is Air Force One escorted by fighter jets?

The aircraft is often accompanied by fighter jets, such as F-16s or F-22 Raptors, for additional protection.

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These jets are deployed to ensure the safety of the president, intercepting any potential threats. Air Force Ones combination of advanced technology and military support makes it one of the most secure aircraft in the world, capable of keeping the President operational even in emergencies.

Contributing: Kristina Webb, Palm Beach Daily News

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Air Force One coming to West Palm Beach, Florida. Where to take photos
Sept. 23, 2025, is a milestone that highlights the U.S. Air Forces capacity death spiral. On that day, the Maryland Air National Guard (ANG) inactivated the 104th Fighter Squadron, making Maryland the only state without an ANG flying unit. The reason is simple: For too many years, Air Force funding shortfalls have driven service leaders to retire more aircraft than they can replace through new acquisition. With demand for Air Force airpower at record levels, remaining aircraft and crews are stretched thin.

The Air Force has passed the point where more cannot be done with less. The Trump administration and Congress need to sufficiently resource the Air Force. It has been underfunded for over three decades. Left unchecked, what happened to the 104th Fighter Squadron will be repeated elsewhere around the nation and at key Air Force bases abroad.

Proof of the Air Forces capacity crunch is in the numbers. In fiscal 2025, the service sought to divest 250 aircraft but only procure 91 new ones. In the fiscal 2026 budget submission, they requested to retire 340 aircraft but only buy 76 replacement aircraft. Bombers and fighters took the brunt of these cuts in the decades following the Cold War. Air Force aircraft inventories today stand at half of what they were when the Berlin Wall fell. Fighters are now undergoing a new round of cuts because aircraft procured during President Ronald Reagans build-up during the 1980s are now at the end of their service lives.

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From a pragmatic vantage, this is why in 2022 the Air Force sunset F-15C/Ds assigned to the 18th Fighter Wing at Kadena Air Base in Japan without permanently assigned backfill aircraft. This is one of the most important geostrategic locations in the world given its proximity to China and the Air Force now rotates other units through this location to maintain presence. Permanently assigned aircraft are years away given slow buy rates.

It is also why the Air Force Reserve is sunsetting nearly 50% of its fighter capacity between now and 2030 due to a lack of backfill aircraft to replace retiring older types. Affected locations include Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida; Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona; Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri; and Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Also on this list is the Air Force Reserve aggressor squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, which is crucial element of front-line training for the entire force.

As a result of the Air Forces capacity woes, the service increasingly lacks the aircraft necessary to execute a campaign for any length of time if called upon to do so. Operation Midnight Hammer, the U.S. militarys strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, was a magnificent demonstration of Air Force capabilities, but it was a one-off event. The service could not have accomplished the same strike package the next day. To put it in historic terms, Midnight Hammer mirrored the Doolittle Raid  an impressive achievement, but far from a war-winning demonstration of decisive combat power at scale. That came later in WWII, after the U.S. spooled up its industrial base and training pipeline to facilitate the Combined Bomber Offensive  the Allies relentless and costly campaign of sending wave after wave of bombers to strike Axis industrial sites in Europe  and mass air operations around the world. Numbers matter.

As an indicator of the serious gap between the Air Force we need and the Air Force as budgeted, service leaders have long said that they need to procure 72 fighters per year just to stop the decline in fighter average age. The fiscal 2026 budget requested just 45. Thats why units will keep closing  it is simple math.

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The solution to this challenge is quite simple: The Air Force needs to be sufficiently resourced to buy combat aircraft at scale. Anticipating this recapitalization window, service leaders and industry spent the past few decades developing next generation aircraft like the F-35, F-15EX, F-47, Collaborative Combat Aircraft, B-21, E-7, EA-37B, KC-46, T-7, MH-139 and HH-60W. The value of these programs will only be realized if they are rapidly procured in high volume. Past leaders, like President Reagan, understood the need to invest in decisive airpower. The mantle now falls on President Donald Trump and Congress.

The need for these aircraft is not theoretical. With China pressing hard in the Pacific, Russia at war in Ukraine, Iran still committed to destabilizing the Middle East, North Korea standing as a very dangerous nuclear adversary and homeland defense an increasingly crucial mission given modern threats, the need for Air Force airpower is at a historic high. Adversaries know the Air Force is stretched thin and this undoubtedly enters their calculus as they decide how to challenge U.S. interests around the world.

Losing the deterrent edge stands as one of the biggest risks facing the nation. It is always in Americas interest to secure its interests by harnessing peace through strength. That requires a renewed investment in Air Force capacity.

Douglas A. Birkey is the executive director for the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
Airline pilots and flight attendants are sending food to air traffic controllers amid the shutdown.

Two working controllers told Business Insider that financial strains are causing stress and fatigue.

One said some controllers are looking at gig work, like driving for Uber, to make ends meet.

They're keeping the skies safe without a paycheck  and now, airline pilots are sending lunch as a thank you.

Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, told Business Insider on Thursday that airline pilots, flight attendants, and even their Canadian counterparts are buying and delivering free food to air traffic controllers caught in the crosshairs of a government shutdown.

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Pete LeFevre, a union representative and controller based in Washington, D.C., said his facility received pizzas from the Air Line Pilots Association, a labor union representing over 80,000 pilots.

When contacted by Business Insider, ALPA confirmed the gesture, saying the organization has been doing this "almost daily."

Social media posts on Thursday show Alaska Airlines pilots sent pizza to the ATC tower at San Francisco International Airport, and Delta Air Lines pilots sent food to every tower and arrivals facilities serving their hubs.

Alaska pilots delivered pizza to air traffic controllers amid the shutdown. Courtesy of ALPA

The Association of Flight Attendants, a union representing over 50,000 crew members, has also contributed, Daniels said. Teamsters Local 357, a union that represents flight crew at regional carrier Republic Airways, told Business Insider it has been delivering food to controllers in Indianapolis, where the airline is headquartered.

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"We have received deliveries on multiple occasions," LeFevre said. "Here we have airline pilots, flight attendants, and companies that are all rallying around their air traffic controllers. Now we just need the government to rally around us, too."

Daniels said even controllers in Canada have sent meals in solidarity with their American counterparts, same as they did during the 2019 shutdown.

Meanwhile, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent pizza to controllers at Newark Liberty International Airport during a visit earlier this month.

Working without pay is creating strain for controllers

Since the shutdown began on October 1, controllers have received a partial paycheck but expect to see $0 on their October 28 pay stubs.

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They are expected to receive back pay once the shutdown resolves, but LaFevre said that free food  while greatly appreciated  doesn't address other short-term issues, such as rent, mortgages, car payments, and childcare.

He added that some controllers are turning to gig work to make ends meet.

"The babysitter doesn't take an IOU," he said. "We're all going to be faced with tough decisions. On my one day off, am I going to go and drive for Uber, Uber Eats, Instacart, so I can make my payments?"

He said that these side hustle ideas are a common topic of conversation in the break room and could become a reality should the shutdown drag on.

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Have a tip? Contact Taylor Rains on Signal at trains_onplanes.32. Use a non-work device, email address, and WiFi network. Here's BI's guide to sharing information securely.

Controllers are handing out leaflets outside airports in the US. Courtesy of NATCA

And this could exacerbate fatigue among a workforce already working one of the most stressful jobs out there.

An air traffic controller, who asked to remain anonymous due to concerns about potential retaliation, but whose identity has been confirmed, told Business Insider that "sick leave for fatigue is very real."

"If you worked our schedule, you'd notice serious impacts to sleep and quality of life, and your immune system takes a noticeable and seriously concerning hit," they said. "When you throw children into the mix, it sometimes feels like managing life outside ATC is more complicated than at work."

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Air traffic controllers work up to 10-hour shifts and six days a week, often with mandatory overtime  a common reality already plaguing controllers before the shutdown as they face a nationwide shortage.

The controller said that's "one and a half years' worth of work in just one," and that overtime pay isnt calculated into their retirement.

Amid the shutdown, aviation safety consultant Anthony Brickhouse said that there shouldn't be safety concerns quite yet, but said that "the longer this situation plays out, it could definitely turn into a safety threat."

The air traffic controller also told Business Insider not to worry about safety, but the public should be aware of how much controllers are working overtime  up to 20 hours a week  to keep the national airspace moving.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Airbnb co-founder and Trump administration official Joe Gebbia gave a total of $2 million to super PACs in support of independent candidate Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday.

Gebbia, who listed his residence as in Texas, currently serves as the Trump administrations chief design officer and serves on Airbnbs board of directors, though he no longer works in an executive role for the company. He also serves on the board of Tesla and worked at the Department of Government Efficiency.

He threw $1 million each to PACs Fix the City and Defend NYC. The filings were made publicly available on Thursday.

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Pro-Trump billionaire Bill Ackman also pitched Cuomo PACs more money in recent days, sending $1 million to Defend NYC and another $250,000 to Fix the City.

The donations come right as the mayoral race enters the home stretch.

Gebbia, reportedly a longtime friend of Elon Musks, couldnt be immediately reached for comment, but on Wednesday  when he made the donations  he wrote on social media that Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdanis anti-Israel stance was spooky.

Just remember, Silver Spoon Socialist Mamdani said he doesnt believe billionaires should exist, but his own super PAC accepts money from billionaires  add it to the list of hypocrisies, Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for Cuomo said in a statement.

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Azzopardi added that since the donations were to a PAC, the campaign has no knowledge of them.

I think its emblematic of what Andrew Cuomos campaign represents, Mamdani said of the donation on his way to Thursday evenings mayoral debate. Which is a vehicle through which to take over the power of working people.

Mamdani has hit the ex-governor for his billionaire backers, many of whom also support Trump.

Gebbias move to DOGE earlier this year prompted backlash within the Airbnb community, with the companys community center bombarded with negative comments including from users writing they would look for travel options elsewhere. After that, the company sought to distance itself publicly from Gebbia, though he remained on the board.

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Gebbias donations also come as a fight around short-term rentals has intensified in New York City.

The battle around Airbnb centers on a law adopted by the City Council that restricts the $77 billion company by mainly reserving the citys housing stock for long-term residents instead of tourists. Recently, Airbnb has launched an aggressive campaign to get the Council to pass a bill that would lessen those restrictions on some landlords.

Joe Gebbias donations are his own, not Airbnbs, Michael Blaustein, a policy lead for the company, said in a statement.

He hasnt been involved in Airbnbs day-to-day business since 2022. Any attempt to tie his personal donations to Airbnb is a distraction from the failed short-term rental regulations pushed by the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, which have made life less affordable for large swaths of New Yorkers. We remain focused on empowering homeowners and increasing economic opportunity in our local communities.

With Chris Sommerfeldt
NEED TO KNOW

A Taiwanese airline is apologizing to the family of a dead flight attendant who was allegedly instructed to work amid an illness

A 34-year-old EVA Air flight attendant was admitted to the hospital where she later died after an international flight from Milan, Italy

"We will carry out the investigation [into her death] with the most responsible attitude," the president of EVA Air said in a press conference earlier this week

Members of the Taoyuan Flight Attendants Union say the company isn't doing enought to address its "flawed culture"

A Taiwanese airline is apologizing after requesting sick leave paperwork from an employee who died earlier this month, local outlets have reported.

On Monday, Oct. 13, EVA Air announced it was investigating reports that a cabin crew manager ignored a flight attendants increasingly ill conditions on an international trip, per Taiwans Central News Agency (CNA). The leader reportedly did not contact ground-based medical services and insisted that the employee, identified with the last name Sun, continue working.

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Taoyuan City Office of Labor Inspection told the outlet the incident occurred on a Sept. 24 flight from Milan, Italy, to Taoyuan, Taiwan. Upon arrival on Sept. 25, Sun visited a local clinic for treatment. She was later transferred to Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital on Sept. 26 and then China Medical University Hospital in Taichung on Oct. 8.

She reportedly died two days later on Oct. 10 at 34 years old.

On the day of her funeral just days after her death, an EVA Air employee texted Suns phone asking her to submit leave application documents, which she applied for during her time in the hospital. In response, the deceaseds family sent back her death certificate and shared a screenshot of the conversation in a now-viral social media post.

Photo by Hasan Akbas/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock An EVA Air plane An EVA Air plane

In a statement shared with CNA by EVA Air, the company claimed the message was sent by mistake by an employee who was insufficiently familiar with their work duties.

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The company added it regrets causing distress for the family and offered its deepest apologies.

Since the occurrence of this incident our company has faced a lot of criticism and questions, EVA Air president Sun Chia-Ming said at a press conference earlier this week. We humbly accept them.

He added: The departure of Ms. Sun is the pain in our hearts forever We will carry out the investigation [into her death] with the most responsible attitude.

According to flight records in the last six months, Sun flew an average of 75 hours per month, which is within legal limits, CNA reported.

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.

Members of the Taoyuan Flight Attendants Unions board said the company wasnt doing enough to address EVA Airs flawed culture.

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Seven days have passed since Suns death, yet we have not received any apologies or explanations from EVA Air, Chao Chieh-huan, a member of the board, told reporters outside the press conference at EVA Airs headquarters.

According to the CNA, EVA Air has faced seven fines since 2013, largely for offenses related to staff working overtime.

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Valued at a market cap of $11.9 billion, Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) is a global investment management firm headquartered in San Mateo, California. Founded in 1947, the company operates in over 150 countries and offers a wide range of investment solutions, including equity, fixed income, multi-asset, and alternative strategies.

BEN is expected to announce its fiscal Q4 2025 earnings results before the market opens on Friday, Nov. 7. Ahead of this event, analysts expect the company to report adjusted earnings of $0.56 per share, down 5.1% from $0.59 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has surpassed or met Wall Street's earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing on another occasion.

More News from Barchart

For fiscal 2025, analysts expect the investment manager to report an adjusted EPS of $2.12, down 11.3% from $2.39 in fiscal 2024. However, EPS is anticipated to grow 18.4% year-over-year to $2.51 in fiscal 2026.

www.barchart.com

Shares of Franklin Resources have risen 12.5% over the past 52 weeks, lagging behind both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 14.7% gain and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund's (XLF) 13.5% return over the same period.

www.barchart.com

On Oct. 10, Franklin Resources shares fell 4.1% after Evercore ISI analyst Glenn Schorr reiterated a Sell rating with a $23 price target.

Analysts' consensus view on Franklin Resources stock is cautious, with an overall Hold rating. Among 13 analysts covering the stock, three recommend "Strong Buy," five "Holds," one suggests "Moderate Sell," and four "Strong Sells." As of writing, BEN is trading above the average analyst price target of $25.17.

On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah 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
NEED TO KNOW

Pets can now be classified as baggage on some airlines, according to a new court ruling, meaning airlines are not required to pay a higher compensation if the animal is lost or hurt

This comes following a dispute between a passenger and Spanish airline Iberia after the passenger's dog went missing before a flight from Argentina to Spain in 2019, per multiple reports

Mona the dog escaped her travel carrier while being transported to the plane and was never seen again



Pets can now be classified as cargo on some airlines, according to a new court ruling.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Thursday, Oct. 16, that a pet traveling in a planes cargo hold counts as baggage, meaning airlines are not required to pay a higher compensation if the animal is lost or hurt, per U.K. newspaper The Guardian and CBS News.

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This comes following a dispute between an Argentine passenger  whose dog Mona went missing at Ezeiza Airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while traveling to Barcelona, Spain  and Spanish airline Iberia, per Argentine newspaper Clarin.

Mona went missing before the Iberia flight in October 2019 and was never seen again. Due to her size and weight, the dog had to travel in the cargo hold, per Clarin.

The dog got out of the carrier, started running near the plane and could not be recovered, the translated court papers read, per The Guardian.

The dog escaped from its pet crate while being taken to the plane and ran across the airport runway and was chased by three vans, per CBS News. According to Monas owner, Grisel Ortiz, her mother witnessed the scene from inside the plane.

Getty

At the time, Iberia said, "Mona broke the opposite side of the cage and escaped through there, per Clarin.

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"Many people laugh because they don't understand what Mona means to me. Since she went missing, all I do is cry and stay glued to my phone waiting for a miracle," Ortiz told Clarin in January 2020, three months after Mona went missing.

The owner said she put her three dogs in their crates herself and saw perfectly how Mona's was tightly closed and sealed.

Ortiz lodged a claim following the incident and sought 5,000 euros ($5,400) in damages from Iberia, per CBS News. A six-year court case also followed, per The Guardian.

Iberia did accept responsibility for the incident but argued that the compensation should be limited to the lower amount for checked baggage under the Montreal Convention, per CBS News.

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The Montreal Convention is an international agreement that covers airline liability and in their ruling the ECJ sided with the airline.

Getty A dog looks out of a plane window A dog looks out of a plane window

The Montreal convention clearly refers to persons and baggage. It therefore follows from the clear wording of this provision that the term persons covers passengers, such that a pet cannot be considered a passenger,  the ECJ said in their ruling, per The Guardian.

It must therefore be considered that, for the purposes of air transport, a pet falls within the concept of baggage and compensation for damage resulting from its loss during such transport is subject to the liability regime laid down for baggage, the ECJ added.

"Even though the ordinary meaning of the word 'baggage' refers to objects, this alone does not lead to the conclusion that pets fall outside that concept," the court added, per CBS News.

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The court also noted that Ortiz had not made a "special declaration of interest" at check-in for her animals, according to the outlet. This is an option allowing higher compensation for an additional fee with carrier approval.

Getty A stock photo of a dog at an airport A stock photo of a dog at an airport

Reacting to this, Ortiz's lawyer, Carlos Villacorta Salis, told AFP, per CBS News, that "no airline in the world will accept a special declaration of value" for a pet in the plane's hold and called it a false argument.

The lawyer also said he was "very disappointed" with the ruling. I believe that a great opportunity has been missed to continue raising awareness of the rights of animals and the people who care for them. Ultimately, the ECJ considers that pets do not deserve special or enhanced legal protection compared to a simple suitcase, he said, per The Guardian.

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.

According to Spanish reports on the original case, the court ruled that because a special declaration was not made before the flight, Monas owner is only entitled to 1,578.82  around $1843  per The Guardian.

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The judgment is advisory and the final ruling is left to the Spanish court handling the compensation claim, per CBS News. (The judge in the Spanish court referred the case to the ECJ to examine a matter of law at the heart of the case, per The Guardian.)

Getty (2) Stock images of a dog in a crate and a plane Stock images of a dog in a crate and a plane

After Mona went missing, her owner Ortiz started a Facebook group seeking information on her whereabouts called Were Looking for Mona, per Clarin.

Ortiz also offered a cash reward, but her efforts have so far been successful.



Read the original article on People
Dr. Scott Harris, state health officer at Alabama Department of Public Health, speaks to the State Committee of Public Health meeting on April 10, 2025, in Montgomery. Harris said Thursday he is worried about Alabama families enrolled in WIC, a food assistance program for women and babies.(Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector)

Alabamas top public health official said Thursday he is worried about funding for a food assistance program for pregnant women and babies amid the federal government shutdown.

State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said Thursday morning at the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) meeting that 110,000-112,000 families use USDAs Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children  known as WIC. The funding allows babies to get specialty formula, essentially prescribed by a nutritionist, that their families would not otherwise be able to afford.

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We spend about $110 to $120 million per year that goes straight to Alabama grocery stores and food retailers to supply food for these women and babies, Harris said. This is not a food giveaway program. Its a clinical nutrition program.

Because of the uncertainties around funding, Harris said ADPH changed the enrollment renewals from once every three months to every month. WIC is funded through the federal government, and should be fully funded through October, using leftover ADPH money from fiscal year 2025 and short term funds from USDA. However, Harris is uncertain past this month.

There was a call with state health officials on Tuesday with the National WIC Association. They indicated that they had written confirmation that some state funding could be used and then be eligible to be reimbursed, Harris said. Certainly, we would always take state funding, if there were some out there, and use it. The question is, is it reimbursable.
The Alameda County Community Food Bank is stepping in to support federal workers impacted by the ongoing government shutdown.

After their Thursday morning shift, TSA employees at the Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport picked up food provided by the Alameda County Community Food Bank.

As federal workers navigate life with no paycheck in sight, the Food Bank is seeing an increased need.

"I think one of the big challenges in general with not being paid, is essentially that is your whole livelihood is at risk," said Regi Young, executive director of the Alameda County Community Food Bank.

MORE: The government shutdown is putting a renewed spotlight on the cracks in the US aviation system

Young says, just like during the last government shutdown, the food bank was contacted about meeting the need. Bags and boxes filled with rice and beans, eggs and fresh produce were available to the 300 TSA employees who work at the Oakland airport.

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"You have to deal with rent. You have to deal with medicines, whatever other issues you have to deal. We want to ensure that food is one of the things you don't have to worry about," Young said.

For the past three weeks, TSA employees have been coming to work. But they aren't getting paid.

"Due to the government shutdown, all of our TSA officers, as well as FAA, air traffic controllers and certain CBP officers are considers essential employees. So, they are working without pay during this government shutdown," said Kaley Skantz, spokesperson for the Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport.

No TSA employees were allowed to be interviewed. But earlier this month in Oakland, at roundtable discussion hosted by East Bay Congresswoman Lateefah Simon about the government shutdown, TSA employees spoke of the hardship many are facing.

MORE: 3 Bay Area airports refuse to show new Kristi Noem video blaming Democrats for shutdown

"We just don't want this to become a prolonged fight, because we don't know how we are going to pay to stay in the fight," said Gilbert Galam with American Federation of Government Employees, which represents TSA employees.

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The Alameda Labor Council estimates that there are 78,000 federal workers in the Bay Area. The highest number are in Alameda County at 10,400, including Oakland airport TSA workers, who are already feeling the impact of missing paychecks.

"We have families. A lot of our TSOs live paycheck to paycheck. They have childcare issues. They have to show up at 3 o'clock in the morning to fly out the traveling public," Galam said.

The food bank says it ready to help out as long as the shutdown drags on. Thursday's distribution will feed nearly 300 TSA workers and their families.

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Two Alaska Native villages in the state's remote southwest region suffered major flooding after a coastal storm drove ocean water onto land Sunday, as reported on by Yale Climate Connections.

What happened?

Over 1,500 people evacuated, with Kipnuk and Kwigillingok hit hardest. Officials confirmed that 49 villages throughout the area saw storm impacts.

We need to help to Alaska NOW!



ALASKA EMERGENCY  Massive Flooding After Typhoon Halong

Western Alaska is facing catastrophic flooding after the remnants of Typhoon Halong slammed into the coast, destroying homes and displacing families.

Floodwaters have risen up to 6 feet above pic.twitter.com/gqzliD9grj  James Tate (@JamesTate121) October 14, 2025

At least one person died, and two others remain missing. Cell phone networks failed across large sections of the region, compounding the crisis since no highways connect these villages to the rest of Alaska.

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At Kipnuk, ocean water rose 6.6 feet higher than typical peak tides, beating the previous 4.7-foot record from November 2000. Water got inside most structures, with some images showing massive flooding.

Captain Christopher Culpepper of the U.S. Coast Guard described the scene, saying, "Several of these villages have been completely devastated, absolutely flooded, several feet deep. This took homes off of foundations. This took people into peril, where folks were swimming, floating, trying to find debris to hold onto in the cover of darkness."

Why are extreme weather events concerning?

Extreme weather has always existed, but research shows that rising temperatures linked to human activity generally have made storms worse. Storms traveling across warmer ocean surfaces can stay strong or grow stronger, even in far northern areas where they typically lose power.

Scientists found that human activities made the warm Bering Sea temperatures measured one day before the storm four to 10 times more probable.

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Kipnuk sits roughly four miles back from the coastline. Floodwaters have hit the village more than 30 times from 1979 onward, including declared disasters in 1979, 1982, 2006, 2009, 2015, and 2022.

Last September, a state analysis warned that Kipnuk required better defenses and laid out improvement strategies. The EPA gave the village $20 million to build protections, but it canceled the grant in May.

What's being done to protect Alaska Native villages?

Construction to improve Kipnuk's defenses was set to begin next summer via a program assisting towns facing environmental dangers. Officials there continue searching for alternative money.

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Organizations such as the Western Alaska Disaster Relief Fund and Napakiak Disaster Relief are collecting donations to help.

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For those in extreme-weather zones, remove vegetation near your house, bring loose items inside, and check your insurance. Call your elected officials to express your support for funding for community protections.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.




ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)  Damage to remote Alaska villages hammered by flooding last weekend is so extreme that many of the more than 2,000 people displaced wont be able to return to their homes for at least 18 months, Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a request to the White House for a major disaster declaration.

In one of the hardest hit villages, Kipnuk, an initial assessment showed that 121 homes  or 90% of the total  have been destroyed, Dunleavy wrote. In Kwigillingok, where three dozen homes floated away, slightly more than one-third of the residences are uninhabitable.

The remnants of Typhoon Halong struck the area with the ferocity of a Category 2 hurricane, Dunleavy said, sending a surge of high surf into the low-lying region. One person was killed, two remain missing, and rescue crews plucked dozens of people from their homes as they floated away.

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Officials have been scrambling to airlift people from the inundated Alaska Native villages. More than 2,000 people across the region have taken shelter  in schools in their villages, in larger communities in southwest Alaska or have been evacuated by military planes to Anchorage, the state's largest city.

Anchorage leaders said Friday they expect as many as 1,600 evacuees to arrive. So far about 575 have been airlifted to the city by the Alaska National Guard, and have been staying at a sports arena or a convention center. Additional flights were expected Friday and Saturday.

Officials are working on figuring out how to move people out of shelters and into short-term accommodations, such as hotels, and then longer-term housing.

Due to the time, space, distance, geography, and weather in the affected areas, it is likely that many survivors will be unable to return to their communities this winter, Dunleavy said. Agencies are prioritizing rapid repairs ... but it is likely that some damaged communities will not be viable to support winter occupancy, in Americas harshest climate in the U.S. Arctic.

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The federal government already has been assisting with search and rescue, damage assessments, environmental response and evacuation support. A major disaster declaration by President Donald Trump could provide federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure, including money for emergency and permanent work.

The three members of Alaskas congressional delegation on Friday sent a letter to Trump, urging swift approval.

The storm surge pummeled a sparsely populated region off the state's main road system where communities are reachable only by air or water this time of year. The villages typically have just a few hundred residents, who hunt and fish for much of their food, and relocating to the state's major cities will bring a vastly different lifestyle.

Alexie Stone, of Kipnuk, arrived in Anchorage in a military jet with his brothers, children and mom, after his home was struck by the flooding. They've been staying at the Alaska Airlines Center at the University of Alaska, where the Red Cross provided evacuees with cots, blankets and hygiene supplies.

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At least for the foreseeable future, he thinks he might try to find a job at a grocery store; he used to work in one in Bethel.

It's going to be, try to look for a place and find a job, Stone said Friday. We're starting a new life here in Anchorage.

Anchorage officials and business leaders said Friday they were eager to help the evacuees.

Our neighbors in western Alaska have experienced tremendous loss, devastation and grief," Mayor Suzanne LaFrance said at a meeting of the Anchorage Assembly. We will do everything we can here in Anchorage to welcome our neighbors and help them through these difficult times.

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State Rep. Nellie Unangiq Jimmie, of Toksook Bay, on an island northwest of Kipnuk, described for the assembly how she rode out the storms 100 mph (161 kmh) winds with her daughter and niece.

We had no choice but to sit in our home and wait to see if our house is going to come off the foundation or if debris is going to bust open our windows, she said.

It didnt, but others werent as fortunate. She thanked Anchorage for welcoming the evacuees.

You are showing my people, my relatives, my constituents, even if they are far from home, this is still Alaska land and theyre amongst families, Jimmie said.

___

Johnson reported from Seattle.
Oct. 16The Albuquerque Police Officers' Association has endorsed Mayor Tim Keller for a third term in a mayoral race where crime is a top concern and three of the five challengers have law enforcement backgrounds.

"He's earned it, and he deserves the endorsement," APOA President Shaun Willoughby said on Thursday. "We felt that he has the substantive understanding of the problems Albuquerque has faced and is still facing."

Others running for mayor in the nonpartisan election are former Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, who also served several years as the city of Albuquerque's public safety director; former U.S. Attorney for New Mexico Alex Uballez; retired Albuquerque Police officer, small business owner and outgoing city councilor Louie Sanchez; former firefighter Eddie Varela; and Mayling Armijo, former deputy county manager for Sandoval County.

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While endorsing Keller in 2017, when he first ran for mayor after serving as New Mexico state auditor and a state legislator, the APOA four years later opted not to endorse any candidate.

During the 2021 mayoral campaign, the APOA conducted a survey of its members and 98% of those who responded stated that they didn't "feel supported by Mayor Tim Keller's administration," according to news articles.

At the time, the APD was seven years into a court-approved settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, and officer dissatisfaction with its implementation was high and morale low.

The DOJ concluded in 2014 that Albuquerque Police had an unconstitutional pattern or practice of excessive force, including deadly force. The agency determined the APD's pattern and practice stemmed from serious systemic deficiencies in policy, training, supervision and accountability. The resulting settlement agreement, which required an overhaul of APD operating practices and policies, ended in May of this year when APD came into compliance.

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Along the way, implementation of some reforms ended up hampering officers' ability to do their jobs, Willoughby said. The current mayoral campaign may focus on crime and homelessness, but "nobody wants to put the blame on the DOJ ... which has literally destroyed the city over the last 12 years," he said.

Willoughby said the APOA decided to issue an endorsement this time because this election is "crucial" to moving the APD onto a new post-settlement agreement path.

The board of the APOA's executive officers interviewed all mayoral candidates and opted to support Keller because he "did what he said he was going to do; he took care of the rank and file," including instituting pay hikes for officers several years ago.

"We've faced some of our city's hardest challenges together  rebuilding APD, improving morale, and driving down crime," Keller said in a statement Thursday. "I'm grateful to our officers for standing with us as we keep moving Albuquerque in the right direction."

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Keller's campaign stated that his administration "secured the most competitive police wages in the region, helping recruit and retain hundreds of new officers" and "modernized policing with new technology, training, and civilian support."

According to APD data, between 2018 and 2024, violent crime in the city decreased 14% while property crime dropped 23%.
Oct. 16Virtual flamenco dancers overlaying the cityscape, murals both tall and small and narrated place-based poetry are all a part of the city's "art-fueled" road trip through Albuquerque's stretch of Route 66 in celebration of the Mother Road's 100th anniversary.

Next year will mark the road's centennial, which will be celebrated across the country, from Chicago to Los Angeles.

City officials announced their plan Thursday for the upcoming celebration, though artists have been painting, designing and proofing for months.

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The project is called "Route 66 Remixed" and will include 18 public art installations, including murals, signs, augmented reality experiences and a new exterior design for some Albuquerque Rapid Transit buses. By visiting the project's website, viewers can listen to poetic narration unique to each art piece by former Albuquerque Poet Laureate Hakim Bellamy.

Local artist Dante Betsch, who designed the custom bus wraps and a hand-drawn map, said that the project represents why "everyone who stays here loves it here."

History and legacy

In 1937, more than 10 years after construction began, Route 66 reached Albuquerque, bringing interstate travelers and a new age of tourism with it.

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But the time of neon signs, glittering lights and motels full of tourists has come and gone, leaving behind boarded-up buildings and visible poverty along some strips of the iconic roadway.

"Even if the route has challenges, it's a reflection of who we are, because we know we have challenges," said Mayor Tim Keller at a Thursday news conference. "In fact, we've had challenges for a long time. Our literal life story as a city is the life story of resilience."

Across Albuquerque's 18-mile-stretch of Route 66, the longest urban portion in the nation, are both upscale hotels, lofts and restaurants, as well as homelessness and open-air drug use.

Though there have been numerous law enforcement operations to reduce crime along East Central, some local business owners have raised questions about whether they're working and if attention will shift away once the anniversary passes.

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Despite the city's ongoing challenges, the artworks are supposed to represent the city, for better and worse, Keller said.

"It's the story of Albuquerque in all its rawness, in all its grit and all its beauty and, of course, the most amazing way to tell that is through art," Keller said.

One mural, Buffalo Return to Route 66, on the side of the Historic El Rey Theater takes the viewer back to a time when buffalo roamed the West prior to American colonization. Artists Thomas Christopher Haag and Jesse Littlebird said that buffalo are a sign of strength and resilience.

'Once in a lifetime opportunity'

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State officials hope the project and coinciding anniversary will bring more tourists, and their wallets, back to the iconic road.

"The allure of Route 66, the allure of the great American road trip, is a driver we see for international travel," said Acting Tourism Secretary Lancing Adams. "And we really see that the Route 66 centennial...does afford us a once in a lifetime opportunity to engage not just with domestic but with international travelers."

Though the project hopes to attract and engage tourists, it's also meant to be familiar and authentic for local residents.

To reflect this, the city's Arts and Culture Department partnered with 19 local artists from all mediums and walks of life.

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"I love these artists," said Arts and Culture Director Shelle Sanchez. "It's a great representation of Albuquerque."

The city also worked with Meow Wolf, Refract Studios, the New Mexico Tourism Department, University of New Mexico, Presbyterian Hospital, Blake's Lotaburger and other local businesses along Central to bring the project to life.

The self-guided art tour is expected to be mostly finished by Dec. 1 and fully complete by the beginning of January, Sanchez said.

More than a dozen of the installations are already finished and a list of all 18, and their accompanying narrations, can be found at route66remixed.com/tour.
Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee took a victory lap Friday after releasing a transcript of their recent interview with former U.S. attorney Alex Acosta regarding Jeffrey Epstein, saying it provides evidence President Donald Trump was not involved in the case against the late convicted sex offender.

Acosta NEVER talked to Trump about Epstein, the Republican majority of the Oversight Committee said in a post on X, attaching a screenshot of Acosta's interview from September. Not in person. Not on the phone. Not over email.

At one point in the exchange between lawmakers and Acosta  who appeared before the committee as part of its ongoing investigation into the Epstein case  Oversight committee ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) asked, So you never  the entire time you were U.S. attorney, you never once spoke to Donald Trump?

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Acosta replied, according to the interview transcript, The entire time  let me be more clear. I did not speak with President Trump, with Donald Trump before I was considered for Secretary of Labor.

Asked by another Democrat whether Trump was named in any document in the Epstein case, Acosta said he did not recall any such instance.

Oversight Democrats, however, had a starkly different takeaway from Acostas interview, with Sara Guerrero, a Democratic spokesperson, arguing his remarks suggested a lack of contrition for his part in the case.

The transcripts of Alex Acostas interview confirm what weve known all along: he has no remorse for his mishandling of the Epstein case, Guerrero said in a statement. Because of the deal Alex Acosta gave Epstein, he was able to continue assaulting and raping young women and girls for another decade. No matter how House Republicans try to spin this, Oversight Democrats will keep pushing for the truth.

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Acosta, in his capacity as U.S. attorney, oversaw the deal between the federal government and Epstein that many have argued allowed the financier to continue to victimize women for years. Acosta resigned from his post as Labor Secretary in the first Trump administration amid renewed scrutiny of the Epstein case. He told Congressional investigators last month that the decision to resign was his choice and not by the urging of the White House.

The panel has been probing the Epstein case for months, after a subcommittee in July compelled the full committee chair, Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), to subpoena the Justice Department for documents.

Epsteins estate has also turned over materials to Congressional investigators, including a so-called birthday book that included a note allegedly written by Trump for Epstein.

Trump has denied his connection to the note and sued the Wall Street Journal, which was the first to report on its existence. Democrats continue to suggest Trump is trying to hide his longtime relationship with Epstein.

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The House Oversight Committee also on Friday released a new batch of documents it had previously received from Epstein's estate, including Epsteins schedules.

The materials mention a host of powerful men with whom Epstein had dealings, including a proposed 2011 appointment with Tom Pritzker  who appears to be the businessman and executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels  and a planned 2012 dinner with filmmaker Woody Allen and his partner, Soon-Yi Previn.

Among other events mentioned, Epstein also appeared to scheduled a dinner in Feb. 2013 with the former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak and Larry Summers, former Treasury Secretary and Harvard University President.
An Algerian woman has apologised for her horrible actions after raping, torturing and murdering a 12-year-old French girl in a case that has caused a political backlash.

Dahbia Benkired, 27, was arrested after Lola Daviets body was found in a trunk near the Paris apartment building where she lived with her mother and father, who worked as caretakers.

Investigators claim Benkired raped and hit the schoolgirl and then bound her in duct tape, leading to her death by asphyxia.

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As the trial began on Friday, Benkired apologised for her actions. Asking the girls relatives to forgive her, she said: Its horrible what I did. I regret it.

Lolas murder has been exploited by Right-wing politicians, white supremacists and neo-Nazis after Benkired was found to have overstayed a student visa and failed to comply with a notice to leave France two months earlier.

Eric Pauget, of the Right-wing Les Republicains, said she had been killed as a result of Frances weakness on immigration, while Marine Le Pens far-right Rassemblement National also waded into the row.

The victims parents have repeatedly urged politicians to stop exploiting their daughters death.

Lolas mother, Delphine Daviet, arrives at court wearing a T-shirt paying tribute to her daughter - Magali Cohen/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images

The girls family sat in court on Friday wearing T-shirts with the words: You were the sun of our life, you will be the star of our nights.

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Sitting in court, Thibaut Daviet, Lolas brother, urged the accused to tell all the truth and nothing but the truth.

Residents had reported seeing Benkired in the lobby of the apartment block on Oct 14, 2022, carrying suitcases and a heavy trunk covered in a blanket.

Security footage showed her approaching the girl as she returned from school an hour and a half earlier, then leading her into the flat her sister occupied in the building.

Investigators say it was then that Benkired killed the girl. She is said to have placed the body in a trunk before leaving the building, pausing outside a cafe where she told a customer she was selling a kidney when he remarked on her suspicious luggage.

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Benkired later convinced a friend to drive her and the bags to his home, before taking a taxi with the trunk back to the building, the court heard. She fled when she saw police deployed in the area, but was arrested the next day.

Confused accounts

The alleged killer is said to have given confused accounts of what happened, but at one point told detectives she had been angry with the girls mother, who had had apparently refused to give her an entry pass for the building after her sister had given her a key to her flat.

The investigation showed she had conducted online searches into witchcraft days before the murder.

Benkired has been examined by several psychiatrists and psychologists, but has been judged fit to stand trial.

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In France, an act of sexual penetration of any kind, committed on another person by violence, coercion, threats or surprise, is rape.

Benkired, whose trial is expected to last until next Friday, faces a maximum life sentence. Unlike in the UK, where a guilty plea leads to sentencing, French law requires a full trial before the cour dassises  the chamber that hears the most serious cases.



The system is inquisitorial, meaning judges actively seek the truth rather than referee opposing sides. Even when a defendant confesses  as Benkired did  the trial proceeds to determine not only guilt but also motive, intent and circumstances.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
(The Center Square)  With the election less than three weeks away, progressives and conservatives in Spokane are raising concerns about campaign funding as donations roll in and voters cast their ballots.

A bus full of volunteers will head to the city this weekend to campaign for progressive candidates on behalf of a Seattle-based nonprofit. Spokane City Councilmember Zack Zappone is among the bunch, along with Sarah Dixit and Kate Tellis, two newcomers hoping to expand control for the progressives.

Christopher Savage, who aligns with the councils conservative minority and is facing Zappone on Nov. 4, recently criticized his opponent for the outside influence on the election. However, records obtained by The Center Square show an out-of-state donor committed $45,000 to Savage just four days earlier.

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Spokane County mailed ballots for the general election on Wednesday, with voting currently underway.

The National Association of Realtors just spent $45,000 to support my opponent, Zappone wrote in a statement, and it raises real concerns about whether big money is trying to buy influence at City Hall.

NAR is based in Illinois. The Center Square contacted the association for comment, but did not receive a response before publishing. According to an Oct. 6 filing, it committed up to $45,869 in independent expenditures to Savages campaign for advertising efforts conducted by a Delaware-based company.

The realtor group also donated up to $40,188 to Alejandro Barrientos, who is running against Tellis. The Center Square contacted Barrientos for comment, but did not receive a response before publishing.

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The outside influence in our local elections is very telling. While independent expenditures are clearly reported on my PDC, the progressive bus help that is coming from Seattle isnt reported at all, Savage told The Center Square on Thursday. While my campaign is fully transparent, my opponents isnt.

There are a few different ways of donating to a campaign. State law requires candidates to report cash donations, in-kind contributions and independent expenditures. In-kind contributions are services that donors provide in coordination with a campaign, whereas the latter doesnt require that coordination.

Savage and Barrientos reported the $85,000 in independent expenditures from NAR appropriately, but Savage told The Center Square he has never been in contact with the association. He claims Zappone is hiding the in-kind contributions related to the bus trip to Spokane, which the incumbent denies.

Zappone told The Center Square last week that The Washington Bus would report all the expenses tied to the trip this weekend after it returns to Seattle with all the receipts. He noted that the nonprofit had already worked on some canvassing efforts for him, totaling around $1,000, which he has reported.

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Savage and Barrientos are the only candidates to whom NAR has committed independent expenditures in Spokane this election cycle. NAR also donated $69,000 in independent expenditures to Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson in July, and $200,000 to Rep. Michelle Caldier, R-Gig Harbor, last week.

Meanwhile, my opponent has chosen to attack me for something entirely different, because about 15 young people from across the state volunteered their weekend, Zappone pushed back. They did not bring big checks; they brought their energy, passion, and commitment to civic engagement.

However, the incumbent also took time to criticize local donors. Spokane Good Government Alliance, a conservative political action committee, committed $6,885 in independent expenditures to Savage last month, but the PAC has raised more than $326,000 to campaign for local candidates this election.

SGGA received most of its contributions from Alvin Wolff Jr., a member of a prominent real estate family in the area, and Larry Stone, founder of the Spokane Business Association. Stone also founded SCAFCO Steel Study Manufacturing Company, which employs Barrientos as its chief operating officer.

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Zappone raised concerns about SGGA, arguing that the nonprofit bus trip is minuscule in comparison.

Savage disagrees, reiterating that SGGA donors are local while the bus trip is coming from Seattle. He said he had no say over NARs funding, given that it donated independent expenditures without notice.

SGGA Executive Director John Estey filed a complaint against another local PAC on Thursday, alleging that the Citizens for Liberty and Labor are violating campaign finance laws. That PAC often donates to progressives, but hasnt reported any funding or spending to the states campaign database this cycle.

The cat is out of the bag  these mailers have blanketed District 1, Estey wrote in a press release, referring to advertisements that the progressive PAC recently mailed to voters in downtown Spokane.

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Citizens for Liberty and Labor did not respond to The Center Square's request for comment.

Councilmember Jonathan Bingle is one of two members of the council minority, with both representing District 1. He faces Dixit on the ballot, one of the other progressives that the volunteers will campaign for this weekend. The mailers explicitly mention being Paid for by Citizens for Liberty and Labor.

As mentioned above, the progressive PAC hasnt reported any donations or spending this year, but it has received significant funding from Fuse Washington, another Seattle-based PAC. The organization creates voter guides each year, listing Zappone, Dixit and Tellis as the best choice this election.

SGGA has raised almost $327,000 this year, but Fuse takes the lead, having raised nearly $370,000.

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About 99% of SGGAs money originated from Spokane donors, compared to 3% for Fuse.

Another day, more money and people from Seattle trying to influence Spokane elections, Estey said on Thursday. Theyll stop at nothing  even breaking disclosure laws  to sway our local races.
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Edelman Financial Engines, a registered investment advisor and managed accounts provider with more than $308 billion in assets under management, announced Tuesday that it has promoted its new president to acting CEO as it considers the firms long-term needs.

Former CEO Jay Shah announced on Tuesday that he would step down into an advisory role with the Boston-based firm until the end of the year. Meanwhile, Ralph Haberli took what the company called an acting CEO role.

Haberli joined Edelman Financial in July from Capital Group, where he was president of the institutional and retirement client group. He will now, at least temporarily, oversee the firms push to expand its wealth management footprint to align with its leading position as a managed accounts provider in defined contribution retirement plans.

Ralph has full authority to lead EFE while the board considers the companys long-term CEO needs, according to a spokesperson.

Haberli said Edelman Financial Engines is operating from a position of strength and differentiation. We alone are positioned to serve clients in every stage of their financial journeyfrom their first paycheck through our leading 401(k) managed account offer, through the accumulation years, to and through retirement with our full-scale wealth management expertise.

He said the firm would continue to grow through acquisition, but also referred to its organic growth potential via its managed advice products.

We will remain deliberate and strategic with inorganic growth opportunities, he said. But I believe our scale, marketing engine and proprietary tech and solutions also make us an attractive partner to planners who can see the benefit of our national footprint and integrated service modeland, most importantly, share our client-first values.

Edelman Financial Engines was created when private equity investor Hellman & Friedman merged Ric Edelmans RIA with Financial Engines, a tech-focused retirement plan advisor, in 2018. In 2021, that combination was rewarded when Warburg Pincus took a minority stake in the firm.

Jay Shah was hired as CEO in May 2023, having just commandeered the sale of tech-focused RIA Personal Capital to one of the countrys largest retirement plan providers, Empower.

Under Shahs tenure, the firm expanded its wealth business via acquisition, including two deals this year for firms with assets of $426 million and $300 million, respectively.
An alleged Latin Kings member accused of putting a bounty out on U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino in Chicago entered a plea of not guilty at a Friday afternoon arraignment in federal court.

According to the Northern District U.S. Attorney's Office, 37-year-old Juan Espinoza Martinez, an alleged Latin Kings gang member, offered a bounty on U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino: $10,000 for the murder and $2,000 dollars for information.

The defendant's attorney issued a statement Friday, saying, ""Today at Juan's arraignment, we demanded trial-and we can not wait. The government can not prove Juan engaged in a murder-for-hire plot, and they sure can not show Juan is, or ever was, a gang member-no matter how many times they say it on TV. The government is brazenly politicizing Juan's case, desperately scrambling to smear him as some violent street gang member without a single shred of evidence-all to justify ICE's absolutely ridiculous and blatantly illegal actions in Chicago. Let me be clear: Juan is innocent of these charges. The government knows it. We know it. And every single juror who hears the real facts will know it and will find him not guilty."

Earlier this month, federal authorities unveiled what they say is a murder-for-hire scheme to kill the Border Patrol chief in Chicago.

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The ABC7 I-Team was in federal court as Juan Espinoza Martinez made his first appearance after he was arrested Monday in Burr Ridge by a cadre of federal law enforcement including DEA, FBI, ATF, Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations officers.

Espinoza Martinez, who goes by the street name "Monkey," is accused of offering a bounty to members of the Chicago Latin Kings street gang to kill Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, according to the complaint.

Bovino has been front-and-center in multiple Chicago immigration enforcement operations over the last several weeks of " Operation Midway Blitz."

"A street gang is a formidable organization. We know that. We know how much mayhem they can cause, but they're really no match for the power of the federal government. If there's evidence against them, it's taking an awfully big risk," said ABC7 Chief Legal Analyst Gil Soffer.

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Homeland Security Investigations-Chicago says it received a screenshot of a Snapchat conversation seen here from a confidential source with a photo of Bovino and the bounties for murder and information with the letters "LK" appearing to link the message to the Latin Kings street gang in the city.

READ MORE | Chicago federal intervention: Tracking surge in immigration enforcement operations | Live updates

Soffer said for federal prosecutors to win this case, they have to prove the facts and intent of those messages.

"The complaint alleges that he was a member, not only a member, of the Latin Kings, but that he was directing the solicitation to other members of the Latin Kings," he said.

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According to the filing, after Customs and Border Protection officers opened fire on a woman over the weekend, Espinoza Martinez also instructed members of the Latin Kings gang to bring guns and deploy gang members in response.

"You got gang members that are doing drive-bys on the weekends for free. So, offer $10,000 and you might actually get one of these knuckleheads that would take them up on it," said retired Chicago Police Lieutenant John Garrido, who spent three decades with the Chicago Police Department.

He said, when it comes to the feds, Chicago street gangs don't know what they're up against adding, "He's in for a rude awakening. And, that should send a message to, you know, all these other gang members you're dealing with a different type of law enforcement now. The rules of engagement are different, the penalties are different, the laws, the federal laws, are a lot tougher than our local laws are, and you're actually going to do some time if you're convicted."

Espinoza Martinez is facing 10 years in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors said in court he is originally from Mexico and in the country illegally, entering at an unknown date and time.

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Altamonte Springs apartment tenants evicted while waiting for repairs

Dozens of people living at Altamonte Terrace Apartments were officially evicted from their emergency housing Friday. This comes after their landlord terminated their leases as they waited for their apartments to be repaired.

The evicted tenants said they were promised their full security deposit back, however some reached out to Channel 9 saying management is now telling them theyre not going to get the full deposit back.

This right here takes the cake, said Korneshia Norris.

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Norris, a single mother, says she was supposed to get $3,000 back.

When I look at it, I did the math, she said. They were taking $25. What for?

In a letter to tenants, management said it was waiving rent for September and October, forgiving past due balances, and returning security deposits to all tenants with a zero balance.

Norris said she has a zero balance.

We have furniture in there that is damaged, and now we dont get our full amount? she said. We deserve at least $7,000. We have to replace our furniture because its damaged and stuff.

The problems for the Altamonte Terrace Apartments began at the beginning of September when engineers hired by the property manager declared two buildings unsafe.

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The engineers traced the problems to the buildings 50-year-old roofs, which had let in water, damaging the units and collapsing some ceilings.

The engineers generated five pages worth of findings that needed to be repaired, which the property manager sent to Altamonte Springs administrators.

The property ordered the tenants out but placed them at an adjacent hotel for the next couple of weeks, according to a letter given to tenants.

However, different letters provided by tenants dated Oct. 3 and 4 informed them their leases were being terminated due to the conditions of the buildings, and they needed to either find a new place to live or begin paying the hotel rate as of Oct. 17.

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Somehow figure out how we can find affordable housing within nine days now, because basically were going to be still stuck trying to come up with money, Stan Lerner said.

However, Altamonte Springs never condemned the building, and the property managers letters raised red flags with attorney Jesse Clark, who represents tenants in disputes with landlords.

Clark reviewed Lerners lease agreement, which says the property manager can terminate the lease for damage or destruction that makes the building uninhabitable.

In this case, Clark said the damage came from long-term maintenance issues the property owner knew about and neglected.

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The law does not like excusing people for responsibility for a self-created harm and they dont like rewarding negligence, Clark said, calling the roof a smoking gun.

If that problem existed before the tenants even signed a lease, then theres potentially fraud in the inducement of signing that contract, he added.

During Lerners interview, the property manager walked up and accused the reporting crew of trespassing despite them being on a public street.

He then refused to answer any questions about the evictions.

You could keep the building, Tatyana Leggette said. You could keep the apartment. Just give me my deposit back that I moved in with, pay me for my furniture that yall told us to leave in the unit because we didnt have to take it.

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A recent massive land purchase in Lamar County, Georgia, has local residents concerned. Bought for over $270 million, the parcel, located off High Falls Road and stretching along Interstate 75, is now owned by Amazon, and there has been speculation that the international conglomerate will build a data center there, WGXA reported.

"It disrupts the ecosystem, and when they have decided that it's over, they can just pick up and leave," Barnesville local Makalyn McGuire said. "Who is here left to deal with the consequences of what they've built?"

What's happening?

If the rumors are true and Amazon is indeed going to construct a data center, it won't be the first company to do so  in fact, Amazon itself has been building them throughout the United States for years. But the facilities are starting to receive ferocious pushback.

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For instance, communities throughout Memphis have been mobilizing against a data center backed by Elon Musk that has led to a spike in severe health issues, particularly in majority-Black neighborhoods near the data center's location.

Why are corporate data centers bad?

Data centers are a societal problem on a number of levels. They exist to house the hardware and software necessary to run so many of Amazon's and other corporations' operations, from gaming to streaming and, lately, artificial intelligence.

Secondly and relatedly, data centers also severely strain the environment. It takes significant amounts of energy to power these centers and the programs running inside them, leading to water waste as well as increasing pollution. These buildings have even led energy companies to pivot back to fossil fuels to meet such significant needs, given that clean energy infrastructure is not yet widespread or scaled up enough to support these companies' prodigious ambitions.

How can citizens push back against these corporations?

Obviously, corporations the size of Amazon are extremely powerful, and they may not be as concerned with responding to individual citizens as their shareholders. But as has been shown with companies such as Tesla earlier this year, sustained public pressure can make a difference, especially on an issue as localized as a data center that will have tangible, everyday impacts on people.

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It's important to remember that while these corporations may seem overwhelming in their might, they are not infallible. "Look for those public hearings, those commissioner's public hearings, and come out, support," McGuire told WGXA. "Try to save your environment. This is where we live.  Just pay attention."

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Eric Schmitt speaks to a crowd of Republican supporters on Oct. 14, 2022 in Raymore (Kyle Rivas/Getty Images).

Missouris junior U.S. senator, Eric Schmitt, posed a thought-provoking question during his speech last month at the National Conservatism Conference, whose audience was apparently mostly white Christians.

What is an American?

Before describing briefly some of the specifics of his speech, lets acknowledge that the senator raises a significant question  whether you give him two thumbs up or just one finger is up to you.

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After all, both gestures are worthy of First Amendment protection.

Schmitts speech made a few points worth noting.

America as a Homeland: Schmitt characterized America as the homeland for Americans, that it primarily belongs to Europeans who settled America and conquered, rather than coming here to embrace ideals of equality and freedom.

Exclusivity: Schmitt declared: America belongs to us and only us. While the phrase white Christian nationalism was absent from his speech, its underlying sentiment was palpable (It would have been a much more interesting occasion if he had delivered the speech at an NAACP convention).

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Cultural Narrative: Schmitts rhetoric aligns with a broader narrative embraced by substantial parts of the conservative movement who feel their values are under threat from cultural elites and non-European immigration.

As a schoolboy, I remember how teachers celebrated the idea of America as a melting pot. This metaphor suggested that immigrants from various backgrounds could come together, adopt a new identity and contribute to a unified society. This narrative, however, often overlooked the darker aspects of American history, particularly the exclusion and elimination of indigenous peoples, the complexities surrounding immigration and, of course, the status of the formerly enslaved.

A great deal of what marks the American identity has been produced by immigrants. Many early English and European immigrants and their progeny played crucial roles in establishing American civilization. Yet, its essential to recognize that non-white individuals, including those brought here for involuntary labor and non-European immigrants seeking opportunities, have also significantly shaped the nation.

The question is not how to define Americans by excluding certain groups or people with certain beliefs, but whether we identify what Americans have in common. If our Constitution protects our right to our own beliefs  which it does  what are the attributes or beliefs that unite us or at least unite most of us?

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In short, what forms our identity?

I remember meditating on what it means to be an American a couple decades ago when I drove alone from San Francisco to St. Louis, a journey that renewed my impression of how big and beautiful this country is.

On a long solo trip, I like to have dinner at a regular cafe in a typical town along the way. My first dinner stop was a town in Nevada, where I entered a cafe with a typical American name in the center of a typical American town. To my surprise everyone there was speaking Spanish and seemed to be from Central America.

In Wyoming a couple days later, I repeated my quest. In another typical cafe with a typical American name, I found I was the only Anglo in the place. Wow, I thought, this big country with big open spaces seems to be filling up with people who seem happy to be here, generating enough income to be dining in cafes.

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Are they, too, Americans? Was their arrival here like that of my maternal family forebears from Ireland in the 19th century who came to Minnesota as tenant farmers. Or my paternal Pennsylvania Dutch forebears, also farmers, who came from the Dresden area of Germany in the late 18th century? My Irish Catholic mother (though to tell the whole truth her mother was German and more strictly Catholic) told stories of signs reading: Help Wanted  Irish need not apply.

Some have come to resent recent immigrants who, they believe, are taking their jobs. Perhaps so, but after a tornado struck St. Louis neighborhoods in May, Ive noticed a lot of Spanish speaking men on our roofs. Dont tell ICE; I believe we need these non-native guys to get the roofs replaced.

America, the land of opportunity, has always seemed a place with sizable disparities in wealth and opportunity. But since the 1980s, the gap between rich and the not-rich has become excessively large.

Polls in recent decades show that many Americans no longer believe that their hard work will mean a more prosperous future for their children than they have had. This belief is reflected in the grievances that have become increasingly influential in our political life. Except somehow, those with grievances do not resent allegedly self-made politicians and nepo-babies whove figured out whom to blame for working people not getting rich or at least comfortable.

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So, if we dont blame the rich for what ails us, who else? Immigrants, thats who.

Much of our politics is about distraction. We can lose sight of the beliefs that unite us if we indulge too much in our grievances.

Here is something I said in a speech nearly 20 years ago, as though anticipating Sen. Schmitts recent question as to what is an American.

We have no common national origin or ethnicity that currently forms our shared identity as Americans. Instead, our identity has been forged by the rule of law and by our common experience that faithfulness to the law guarantees liberty, equality of opportunity and a functioning society even in the face of those who, through ambition for power or wealth, would seek to impose their will on the less powerful.

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With the common beliefs derived from the Declaration of Independence and enabled by the Constitution, we have accumulated our national experience without most of us having to be concerned day-to-day with a government that oppresses us. We also are comforted by the belief that we can make ourselves heard in our governance, certainly at the local level, even if it seems less so at the state or national level.

We get to vote, and sometimes our side loses. As Dick Tuck, California politico, candidate and trickster famously said when he lost a state senate race in 1966: The people have spoken  the bastards.

Our journey to elaborate on the identity of Americans continues.

To date, the long path has been toward inclusiveness, not exclusivity.

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I dont agree with a lot of what Sen. Schmitt said to the National Conservatism Conference last month, but I respect his right to say it. He and I are Americans, after all.

We Americans should continue the journey to find all that defines us, even when we disagree about it, guided I hope by a sense of decency in our discourse  a sense of decency that is not legally required but is nonetheless what I believe we owe to one another as well as to ourselves.

For starters, lets find more ways to give one another the thumbs-up gesture and avoid the negativity of the middle-finger.

A longer version of this essay is posted online on Substack: michaelwolff.substack.com.
An American man has died and another is seriously injured after a knife attack in Portugal on Wednesday.

Authorities in Cascais, a popular coastal town near Lisbon, say one of the two victims, a 34-year-old American man, was walking back to his hotel around 3 a.m. Wednesday when three suspects approached him.

The two victims had been vacationing in the coastal Portuguese town of Cascais, near Lisbon, when they were attacked. / Horacio Villalobos/Corbis via Getty Images

One of the suspects started a verbal altercation, attempting to touch the victims hat, then punching him three times in the face when he asked them to stop.

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The victim attempted to flee and called his friend, a 35-year-old American man, for help. When his friend arrived a few minutes later, one of the three suspects retrieved a knife from his car and stabbed both men in the face, arms, and back.

The 34-year-old victim sustained deep cuts to his face and chest and was quickly transported to a nearby hospital. His friend died at the scene. Police say the surviving victim is now recovering and is no longer in critical condition.

Meanwhile, all three suspects fled the scene in their car. However, they have since been apprehended. One suspect, a 23-year-old Portuguese man with no criminal record who worked at a nearby bar, has been charged with homicide. The remaining two suspects may face assault charges for their roles in the incident.

The attack was initially reported as an attempted mugging gone wrong. However, police told Portuguese news site Correio de Manha that they had ruled out robbery, terrorism, and a hate crime as possible motives.

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Instead, authorities say, the events occurred in the context of an altercation between the aggressor and the two victims, initially only verbal and then with physical aggression.

The State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Portugal did not immediately respond to the Daily Beasts requests for comment. However, the State Department previously told CNN it was aware of the attack.
MAGA Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has issued a stark warning to President Donald Trump amid their high-profile divorce. The Georgia Republican told CBS News that she is starting to feel very sorry for the 79-year-old, saying that his attacks on her reflect poorly on him. The great schism began when Greene, 50, broke with him on the cost-of-living crisis, which Trump insists is a hoax, and the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
There is no safe amount of alcohol consumption when it comes to your risk for dementia, according to a recent study.

While past research has suggested that moderate alcohol consumption may even be associated with some health benefits, more recent research has shown that even moderate alcohol consumption is associated with several types of cancersand other health concerns. And the new study published in the BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine journal last month found a relationship between all levels of alcohol use and an increased risk for dementia.

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The researchers in the study investigated observational data from nearly 560,000 participants ages 56-72, as well as genetic analyses  used to predict how likely people were to drink alcohol  from data from multiple studies with 2.4 million participants.

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The results from the observational data, which relied on self-reported alcohol use, showed that those with higher risk for dementia were heavy drinkers, people with alcohol use disorder and non-drinkers  suggesting that light levels of alcohol consumption may have a protective effect.

But the result of the genetic analyses did not support that finding.

Instead, it identified an increase in the risk of dementia with any level of alcohol use. The authors of the study suggested that the protective effect found from the observational data could have stemmed from the fact that some who report themselves as current non-drinkers  including those who were shown to reduce their drinking when diagnosed with early dementia  may have had different drinking habits in the past.

Health: The U.S. Is Experiencing 'National Trauma'  And It Explains Why So Many Of Us Feel Miserable

The results found that a doubled increase in a persons genetic risk for alcohol use disorder increased their risk of dementia by 16%. Also, an increase of drinks per week was associated with an increased risk of dementia.

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There is a 15% higher dementia risk for three drinks per week compared to one drink per week across life, Anya Topiwala, lead study author and a senior clinical researcher in the department of psychiatry at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, told CNN.

Topiwala said in an article published for the University of Oxford in September that the findings from the study challenge the common belief that low levels of alcohol are beneficial for brain health.

Genetic evidence offers no support for a protective effect  in fact, it suggests the opposite, she said. Even light or moderate drinking may increase the risk of dementia, indicating that reducing alcohol consumption across the population could play a significant role in dementia prevention.

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With so much ongoing research about the effects of alcohol, it continues to be important to stay informed and understand any associated risks with alcohol consumption.

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As Dr. Ryan Marino, an emergency physician, medical toxicologist and assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, previously told HuffPost. There is no amount of alcohol that is safe to consume.

Alcohol is directly toxic to every cell and tissue in the human body. It is a known carcinogen, he said. This doesnt mean that a glass of wine or other drink will necessarily harm someone, but it does not have health benefits and so the possible risks are always greater.

Dr. Aashish K. Didwania, vice chair for education in the department of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine general internal medicine physician, previously emphasized to HuffPost that its important to know the definition of alcohol consumption levels  and that heavy alcohol use is dangerous.

A standard serving size of an alcoholic drink is considered a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce wine and a 1.5-ounce spirit, Didwania explained. Heavy use is considered more than seven drinks per week for women and more than 14 drinks per week for men. As for moderate use, its generally considered to be 1-7 drinks per week for women and 1-14 drinks per week for men.

Alcohol is directly toxic to every cell and tissue in the human body. It is a known carcinogen, Dr. Ryan Marino, an emergency physician, medical toxicologist and assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, previously told HuffPost. Ana Rocio Garcia Franco via Getty Images

If youre looking for ways to reduce your alcohol intake, there are strategies you can try.

In addition to participating in several trends and non-drinking challenges like Dry January, theres been a rise in popularity in adult nonalcoholic beverages.

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And Didwania recommended a list of steps to consider if youre wanting to drink less alcohol:

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First, have an honest assessment about alcohol intake. If you find you are in a high level consumption category, it may help motivate you to lower your consumption faster as the health risks are much greater. Tell someone  it helps to be accountable to a partner or primary care physician. Be aware of when you drink  if [its] always in the same settings where one drink becomes three, avoid or drastically change the environment. Switch to nonalcoholic beverages. There has been an explosion of craft nonalcoholic beers, wines and cocktails. Try a temporary abstinence challenge and repeat it frequently!

As always, discuss any concerns you may have about your alcohol use with your primary provider.

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Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined New York Times columnist Ross Douthat Thursday on his podcast, Interesting Times.

Douthat and Justice Barrett covered a wide range of topics, including how Barrett sees the job and whether or not she has any ambition to be an icon like her predecessor on the court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Barrett made clear she has no interest in being a cultural icon and sees her work as being solitary.

The conversation eventually turned to the Trump administrations assault on the judicial system and how the Supreme Court views the separation of powers in the country.

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This will be the last question: One issue related to those kinds of short-term costs and long-term costs is the question of the Supreme Courts own position in the balance of powers between the branches and its ability to get the other branches to heed its rulings, Douthat said, winding down the interview. He added:

The Supreme Court does not command the power of the purse, doesnt command the military, doesnt have police powers. What it has, in a sense, is prestige, public support, a historic constitutional role. And were in a moment  and we dont have to make this specific to the Trump White House  when its very easy to imagine, from either the left or the right, some present or future president deciding to test the court, Andrew Jackson-style, saying: Interesting ruling, Justice Barrett. Good luck enforcing it. How do you think about that potential challenge, as a member of the court?

Barrett replied, Well, I think that you are absolutely right that just as the court must take account of the consequences on the institutional dynamics, say, between a current president and a future president, the balance of power between the executive branch and the legislative branch, that of course, those same kinds of institutional concerns for the long run are ones that play a part in the courts separation of powers decisions and always have, because they also are reflected in concerns of the constitutional structure.

Douthat pressed the question again, OK, let me try that again: If a president defied the Supreme Court, what would you do?

Barrett replied, Well, as you say, the court lacks the power of the purse. We lack the power of the sword. And so, we interpret the Constitution, we draw on precedents, we have these questions of structure, and we make the most with the tools that we have.

Watch above.

The post Amy Coney Barrett Pressed On What the Supreme Court Would Do If Trump Defied It first appeared on Mediaite.
By Luc Cohen and Sarah N. Lynch

(Reuters) -The indictment of John Bolton on charges of sharing classified information is stronger than the recent charges against two other political foes of President Donald Trump, but the former U.S. national security adviser has several options for mounting a defense, legal experts said.

Bolton, 76, said in a statement on Thursday that he was the latest target in Trump's weaponization of the Justice Department against his enemies. He pleaded not guilty on Friday to 18 counts of transmitting and retaining national defense information.

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Trump, a Republican who campaigned for the presidency on a vow of retribution after facing multiple legal woes following his first term in the White House that ended in 2021, has dispensed with decades-long norms designed to insulate federal law enforcement from political pressures.

The recent indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, both of whom investigated Trump, have alarmed some Trump critics who say his use of the criminal justice system to punish enemies resembles the tactics of authoritarian leaders.

But there are key differences between Bolton's indictment and those against Comey and James.

The investigation of Bolton, who served as Trump's national security adviser in 2018 and 2019 but has since become an outspoken Trump critic, began in 2022, predating the current Trump administration.

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The charges were brought by experienced prosecutors in the Maryland U.S. Attorney's office and the Justice Department. Both Comey and James were charged by Lindsey Halligan, a newly-installed U.S. Attorney in Virginia after Trump forced out her predecessor over his reluctance to pursue the cases.

The 26-page indictment of Bolton also includes far more detail than the other cases.

"This indictment is significantly more fulsome than those exceedingly bare-bones indictments," said Benjamin Klubes, a Washington-based defense lawyer and former prosecutor.

Bolton's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment.

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SELECTIVE OR VINDICTIVE PROSECUTION

Like Comey and James, Bolton could seek to have the indictment dismissed on the basis of selective prosecution, meaning he was charged over conduct that other similarly situated people are usually not charged over, or vindictive prosecution, suggesting he was charged in retaliation for exercising his legal rights.

Comey has pleaded not guilty to charges of lying to Congress. James is expected to appear in court on mortgage fraud charges later this month and has denied wrongdoing.

To claim selective prosecution, Bolton could argue that no Trump administration officials faced charges over an incident earlier this year in which U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared details of an imminent attack in a Signal message group that included his wife, brother, personal lawyer, and a journalist from the Atlantic magazine.

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Trump administration officials denied that any classified information was shared.

To argue vindictive prosecution, Bolton could point to numerous statements Trump made in interviews and on social media alleging Bolton broke the law and should go to jail. He could argue those statements showed Trump's desire for retaliation over Bolton's public criticisms of him, which are protected speech under the U.S. Constitution.

Such motions face a high bar, however, and judges may be less inclined to grant them if the evidence appears strong, said Steven Cash, a former prosecutor who is now executive director of The Steady State, a pro-democracy advocacy coalition of former national security professionals.

Comey also plans to argue that his indictment must be dismissed because Halligan was not properly appointed, an argument that would not be available to Bolton because his case is in Maryland.

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CHARGES CENTER ON BOLTON'S 'DIARIES'

If the case makes it to trial, Bolton could argue that the material he is alleged to have retained and transmitted was not classified or potentially harmful to the U.S. national defense.

The indictment charges Bolton with sending "diaries" of his daily activities while serving as national security adviser, including information gleaned from intelligence briefings and meetings with foreign leaders, to two people who were not authorized to receive classified information.

Two people familiar with the matter told Reuters they were his wife and daughter. Bolton sometimes referred to the recipients as his "editors," and was working on a memoir about the Trump administration at the time, according to the indictment.

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Lowell in a statement on Thursday said the records were unclassified and shared only with Bolton's immediate family.

Because the case centers on Bolton's written accounts, rather than documents containing classification markings, prosecutors would have to prove to the jury that the information in his diaries was indeed restricted national defense information.

"That makes it more complicated as a matter of proof," Cash said.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York and Sarah N. Lynch in Washington; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Bill Berkrot)
By Lili Bayer

(Reuters) -A ceasefire in Gaza is raising hopes among many in Israel that the country can begin to repair its image abroad, after months of deepening isolation due to the toll of the two-year conflict.

Public opinion in the West has shifted significantly since the war erupted following Islamist group Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

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Outcry has steadily grown over the humanitarian cost of Israel's offensive and several Western nations have publicly recognized a Palestinian state in recent months  despite staunch opposition from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and Washington.

Foreign polls have shown weakening support for Israel's military campaign, even in its most important ally, the United States. More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the enclave's health officials.

Reuters spoke to 13 current and former Israeli officials and experts who acknowledged that the humanitarian toll of the conflict has had a major reputational cost for Israel. Several expressed hope that the release this week of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and detainees as part of a first phase of the Gaza accord could start the process of reviving Israels reputation.

"This could help Israel regain some of the empathy and legitimacy it lost during the war," one Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said this week.

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Peter Lerner, a former Israeli military international spokesperson, said that would require policy action on the part of Netanyahus government, rather than just words.

He called for "a clear, credible commitment to peace, protection of innocent lives, respect for international law, and a serious investment in regional and humanitarian partnerships."

Netanyahu's office did not respond to a request for comment. The prime minister did not attend a summit in Egypt on Monday, meant to discuss steps towards a permanent end to the Gaza war, citing "the timing's proximity to the beginning of (a Jewish) holiday".

A study published on October 3 by the Pew Research Center  a Washington-based think tank - found that 39% of Americans said Israel was going too far in its military operation against Hamas, up from 31% a year ago and 27% in late 2023.

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Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has sounded the alarm for months in closed-door meetings with Netanyahu and other ministers on the diplomatic repercussions of the war, according to two officials present at the meetings and one official briefed on the matter.

The foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

Netanyahu startled many Israelis last month when he said the country would need to become more self-reliant in coming years because of the international backlash against the war. The prime minister, who has repeatedly ruled out the creation of a Palestinian state, has in the past vowed to prosecute the war until Hamas was completely destroyed.

"Improving reputation takes a long time of rebuilding trust," said one Western European diplomat, adding that while the ceasefire was a "good first step  many more will have to follow".

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MANY ISRAELIS WORRIED ABOUT ISOLATION

More than 66% of Israelis were worried about the prospect of Israel's possible international isolation, according to an August poll by the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv-based think tank, compared to 55% in July 2024.

In August, a global hunger monitor said Gaza City and surrounding areas are suffering from famine, a conclusion Israel contested. Then a United Nations Commission of Inquiry said last month that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, a charge the Israeli government has repeatedly rejected, saying its war is on Hamas and not the Palestinian people.

Some of the people familiar with Israel's communication efforts said failures by Netanyahu's government to engage diplomatically with concerns in the West about the humanitarian impact of the war in Gaza had worsened Israels isolation.

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Some former officials also described a lack of cohesive messaging and resources. Wartime communication efforts remained split among different departments, they said, while the countrys national public diplomacy directorate lacked resources, and some far-right ministers publicly contradict other officials.

Richard Hecht, a former international spokesperson for Israel's military, said he believes Israel, whose military has emerged as the main source of information about the Gaza operation, needed to establish an effective civilian government organisation for managing international communication.

The Gaza ceasefire agreement was mediated by the United States along with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. Its second phase calls for the creation of an international body to oversee the implementation of its next steps - a "Board of Peace" led by U.S. President Donald Trump.

While Trump told Israel's parliament on Monday that a "long nightmare" for both Israelis and Palestinians was over, significant obstacles remain to a resolution of the conflict, including the creation of a Palestinian technocrat administration to run Gaza and the demilitarization of the Strip.

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The ceasefire deal remains fragile: Israels military, which still occupies around half of Gaza, opened fire on Tuesday on Palestinians it said were approaching its forces.

Pnina Sharvit Baruch, who directs a research program on Israel and global powers at the Institute for National Security Studies, called for Israel to build on Trumps 20-point plan to promote regional partnerships, stability in Gaza, and renewed engagement with moderate Arab states.

Such a course would not only strengthen regional security but also help Israel rebuild its international standing and credibility, she said.

Israels relations with the few Arab states it has formal ties with have been strained by the war in Gaza - including the United Arab Emirates, which established diplomatic relations with Israel five years ago under the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords during Trumps first term.

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Some experts questioned whether Israels current right wing government  which relies on the support of religious ultranationalist parties  would be able to build bridges with neighboring countries and the Palestinian leadership.

Emmanuel Nahshon, a former ambassador who served as the Israeli foreign ministrys deputy director general for public diplomacy in the first months of the war, said he believes Netanyahu did not travel to the summit in Egypt to avoid discussing a two-state solution to the conflict.

"I think the first step to improve Israel's reputation in the world would be elections and the selection of a new government that will embark on a new path, which would include learning lessons from the war," he added.

(Reporting by Lili Bayer and Maayan Lubell; Editing by Daniel Flynn)
Equinor ASA and its partners, ExxonMobil Brasil and Petrogal Brasil, announced the start-up of production from the Bacalhau field in Brazil's Santos Basin on October 15. The deepwater project, located approximately 185 kilometers (115 miles) off the coast of Sao Paulo in water depths exceeding 2,000 meters, represents Equinor's largest international offshore development to date.

The Bacalhau field holds recoverable reserves of more than 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe). Production is underway using a new Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, which has a production capacity of 220,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd). Phase one of the development includes 19 production and injection wells, which will be brought online sequentially. The company is positioned to provide a production ramp-up update in 2026.

According to Equinor, the successful commencement of operations strengthens the longevity of the company's oil and gas production portfolio. "The safe start-up of Bacalhau marks a major milestone for Equinor," said Anders Opedal, president and chief executive officer of Equinor, adding that the project combines scale, cost-efficiency, and lower carbon intensity.

The project is significant for the wider deepwater sector, demonstrating the use of combined-cycle gas turbines (CCGT) technology on the FPSO. Equinor stated this feature is designed to reduce the fields environmental footprint, aiming for a carbon intensity of approximately nine kilograms of CO? per boea figure the company suggests is a competitive benchmark for deepwater production.

The development is operated by Equinor (40% stake), alongside ExxonMobil Brasil (40%), Petrogal Brasil (a joint venture between Galp and Sinopec) (20%), and Pre-sal Petroleo SA (PPSA), a Brazilian government entity. MODEC, the contractor for the FPSO, will operate the vessel for the initial phase, after which Equinor intends to take over operations for the remainder of the license period.

Philippe Mathieu, executive vice president for Exploration and Production International at Equinor, noted that Bacalhau is expected to be a major contributor toward Equinors target of generating more than five billion dollars of free cash flow by 2030 from its international assets. Furthermore, the company estimates the field's 30-year lifetime will contribute positively to Brazil's economy, potentially supporting 50,000 jobs. Brazil remains a core area for Equinors long-term growth strategy.
Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo was attacked by his opponents during a New York City mayoral debate on Thursday.

After Cuomo boasted that he had previously been able to make President Donald Trump back down and he will again, Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa responded:

Wait a second. The president is going to back down to you, Andrew Cuomo? I know you think youre the toughest guy alive, but let me tell you something. You lost your own primary, right? You were rejected by your Democrats and you have a difficult understanding what the term no is. Youre not gonna stand up to Donald Trump.

Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani then weighed in, I agree with Curtis.

Cuomo replied, No, youre not gonna stand up to Donald Trump, and he cant stand up to Donald Trump, whod knock him right on his tuchus.

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Sliwa and Mamdanis remarks appeared to be a jab at Cuomo over the sexual harassment allegations against him which resulted in Cuomo resigning as governor of New York in 2021.

An independent investigation found that Cuomo had sexually harassed at least 11 women during his time as governor.

Cuomo was accused by former staffers, a state trooper, and numerous other women of forcible kissing, inappropriate touching, and groping.

While Cuomo denied the allegations, appearing to blame any inappropriate touching on his Italian heritage, he resigned from office in August 2021.

Addressing the scandal on The View this month, Cuomo said, Nothing came from those allegations. It was a very painful period for me and for my family.

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If I offended anyone in any way, I didnt mean it. And I learned a lesson. A painful lesson, he continued. I wont kiss a person on the cheek unless they initiate a kiss. So it taught me a lesson just to be super cautious because there is a sensitivity that has evolved that is real. If people feel it, its true, and it has to be respected.

Watch the clip above.

The post Andrew Cuomo Attacked During NYC Debate: Doesnt Understand What the Term No Is first appeared on Mediaite.
NEW YORK  Andrew Cuomo hasnt been the underdog in a debate in more than 20 years  and it showed.

His lackluster performance in the first general election debate of the New York City mayoral race Thursday night underscored how difficult it is for him to run an insurgent campaign against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani. And the former governor  and his supporters  are pointing the finger at Republican anti-crime activist Curtis Sliwa.

If Zohran Mamdani wins, then his victory can be blamed solely on Curtis Sliwa, said Jeff Leb, a Democratic consultant whos leading an anti-Mamdani super PAC. Curtis Sliwa being here doesn't add any substance, it just contributes to noise.

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The frustration among Cuomos allies with Sliwas continued presence belies the former governors muted debate appearance. Cuomo grimaced his way through much of the debate while evincing little cheer. He didnt land any serious blows that would knock Mamdani off his frontrunner pedestal, and time is growing short to leverage weaknesses by the young democratic socialist. A Fox News poll released prior to the two-hour forum showed Mamdani for the first time topping 50 percent among the three remaining candidates in the race.

The former governors Thursday night showing seemed more attuned to a top-tier candidate protecting a lead, not a run-and-gun hopeful fighting to win. He spent much of his time explaining away the scandals that drove him from office four years ago, and he recycled attacks on Mamdani that failed to sink him in the Democratic primary.

Cuomo is consistently polling in second behind Mamdani, while Sliwa, the GOP nominee has been coming in a distant third. And hes been trying to minimize Sliwa for months, believing that hed have a shot to defeat Mamdani if only the race became, in effect, a one-on-one matchup.

Anti-Mamdani political operatives and campaign donors have not rushed to abandon Cuomo, pointing to next weeks debate as a chance for him to right the ship and finish strong. There is an acknowledgement, though, that the 67-year-old former governor has struggled against a generational political talent.

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Cuomo is counting on the next debate. He will moderate his style in the next debate and will focus on the real issue he can work with, which is experience, said Democratic operative Hank Sheinkopf, who is working for an anti-Mamdani super PAC. The good news for Cuomo is theres more debates. The question is can Cuomo make the experience argument in the more direct manner and is Sliwa interfering with that?

Yet its his deep resume  a strength against Mamdanis scant record  that is also a weakness when his back is up against the wall.

Cuomos long political career includes effective, lawyerly debate performances in which he has picked apart opponents attacks and proposals. The Gotham mayoral race, a comeback bid after resigning in disgrace, has been a wholly different challenge for the ex-governor after his shocking June primary loss. Since his 2006 run for state attorney general and subsequent gubernatorial campaigns, Cuomo has always been the odds-on favorite. His campaign since losing in June  which briefly tried to reinvent itself with short-form videos and a relaxed social media presence  has not reflected the status of an insurgent trying to beat the top seed.

Fresh off the debate stage, Cuomo himself made a plea Friday morning to Republicans on the conservative talk radio station WABC, where Sliwa hosts a show.

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There is no Curtis as a candidate. Theres Curtis as a spoiler, Cuomo said to radio host Sid Rosenberg. If Curtis is not in the race, I win. And thats a choice for Republicans. Do you vote for Curtis so you can say I voted Republican and wind up electing Mamdani? Or do you vote for me?

Polling suggests Cuomo is overstating his case. The Fox News poll released Thursday had 52 percent of likely voters supporting Mamdani. Cuomo, who was in second with 28 percent, would need to pick up all 14 percent of Sliwa voters, the 2 percent still voting for Mayor Eric Adams even after he dropped out of the race, the 2 percent supporting another one of the three longshot independent candidates also on the ballot and the 3 percent of undecided voters. And even then, Cuomo would still need to flip some Mamdani voters.

Of course, polls reflect just one moment in time, and Cuomo has reason to doubt them, given that polling didnt predict Mamdanis 13-point win in the primary. But even the typically proud former governor admitted his poor position Friday when Rosenberg asked if he could win with Sliwa still in the race.

Very, very, very hard mathematically. Very, very hard, Cuomo said.

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Cuomo floated a theory that Republican leaders were keeping Sliwa in the race because they think a Mamdani mayoralty would help the GOP in swing congressional seats. And he said that President Donald Trump could force Sliwa out to help him.

You know what Trump would do? One phone call. You call the chairman of the Republican Party, (Ed) Cox, and you say I want the guy out of the race, Cuomo said.

Rosenberg, who said hes a friend of Sliwa and talks to him four or five times a day said hed try to intervene himself, and suggested they all get lunch Monday at 12:30 at Fresco by Scotto in Midtown. Cuomo didnt commit.

Well-heeled donors have watched Mamdanis rise for months with dread. Though the Sliwa dynamic and Cuomos uninspired debate turn have made an uphill climb even steeper, campaign cash to stop the Queens assemblymembers momentum wont stop flowing.

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The donor world is just so anti-Mamdani theres not much that's going to sway them., said Mark Botnick, a former adviser to billionaire ex-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who contributed $8.3 million to a pro-Cuomo super PAC during the primary. How active or not active they are depends on the person.

Sliwa and Cuomo need support from the shallow pool of Republicans who reside in the otherwise Democratic dominated city. Sliwa, a longtime New York City character and Guardian Angels founder, is not an ally of Trump, though he does draw overlapping support from MAGA Republicans  especially in GOP enclaves like Staten Island.

Cuomo has made a concerted effort to court some Republicans and peel support away from Sliwa, who was the partys 2021 nominee. Both men are running on public safety themes  a shared posture that is likely splitting votes among New Yorkers worried about crime.

The moderate former governors centrist positioning between the hard-left Mamdani and the eccentric Sliwa is complicating his ability to break loose from a middle lane.

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Cuomo had a good debate, said David Greenfield, a former New York City Council member and head of The Met Council, a prominent Jewish charity. Its just that he was getting hit from both sides. That was a tough spot to be in. Hes getting hit from Zohran from the left and from Curtis on the right. That made it especially challenging. It was tough for him to make the points that he wanted.

Batting away spoiler allegations has become the default for Sliwa as wealthy New Yorkers and Cuomo allies are increasingly alarmed by the prospect of a Mamdani victory in November. Pressing the panic button hasnt worked.

Sliwa has insisted he wont leave the race even as pressure to do so intensified after Adams, polling in single digits, suspended his campaign on Sept. 28. The incumbent Democrat will remain on the ballot as an independent candidate. Supporters of the GOP nominee believe the effort to push Sliwa out highlights Cuomos desperation in the closing weeks of the campaign.

Theyre in denial, said Republican operative E. OBrien Murray, who is leading a pro-Sliwa super PAC. Theyre looking at it from a political science textbook point of view instead of the realities of the race. I cant blame them for believing in their person, but theres three people on the ballot. Theyre saying Cuomo cannot win a three-way race. Theyre admitting it, but they dont know what to do about it.

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Theres one more televised debate scheduled for Wednesday night. And in the aftermath of the first one, even ostensible Sliwa allies, like billionaire Republican donor John Catsimatidis, are questioning the GOP nominees position in the race. Catsimatidis is being closely watched by Cuomo allies in particular. An oil executive and chain supermarket impresario, Catsimatidis is also Sliwas boss, in a way, as the owner of WABC, and the businessperson is planning to have Cuomo on his own radio show on Sunday. In an interview, Catsimatidis urged Sliwa to direct his fire on Mamdani, not the Democratic ex-governor.

Curtis loves New York. Hes running as a Republican, but Curtis should be attacking Zohran more so than attacking Andrew Cuomo, Catsimatidis said. The clear and present danger is not Andrew Cuomo.
CHEYENNE  Authorities had to wear full body suits and respirator masks to protect themselves from health hazards while recovering animals from abhorrent conditions south of Cheyenne last week, according to court documents released Wednesday.

The additional safety precautions were deemed necessary when the Laramie County Sheriffs Office (LCSO) and Animal Control executed a warrant and seized more than 100 animals from Michael Oherns residence in the 200 block of H Bar E Drive on Oct. 10.

Ohern was arrested the same day on 22 counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals.

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Court documents described filthy conditions that were unsafe for living for humans and animals. The warrant service uncovered feces on the walls, doors and floors, excessive garbage and debris, and mice and insects infesting the house.

The amount of garbage and debris made it difficult to navigate to the animals, and the mice and insects had also infested the spaces where the animals were housed, LCSO Detective Miles DePrimo wrote in his affidavit.

Ohern is the subject of an ongoing investigation due to multiple complaints of animal cruelty and prior charges related to animal welfare. LCSO joined Animal Control in the investigation in early September, but Ohern has similar charges dating back to 2022.

Filthy conditions

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Though Ohern has been reported to law enforcement in the past, this most recent investigation was triggered after he reported the death of his dog, referred to as Khanzade, to Animal Control in September.

Khanzade died in Oherns home from what he suspected to be parvovirus infection, commonly referred to as parvo. A necropsy performed by the Wyoming State Veterinarians Lab confirmed Oherns theory.

In the span of three days, Ohern reported a total of four dogs, including Khanzade, who had died or tested positive for parvo, to Animal Control. According to court documents, he admitted being unable to afford treatment, but continued acquiring new animals.

LCSO obtained a warrant on Oct. 6, which was served on Oct. 10 with members of Animal Control, Cheyenne City Compliance, Code Enforcement and a veterinarian with the Cheyenne Pet Clinic.

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The odor and the presence of feces, mice and insects prompted those executing the warrant to wear full body suits and respirator masks to protect themselves from health hazards, court documents say.

Dr. Nolan Bunting, a veterinarian with the Cheyenne Pet Clinic who specializes in exotic animals and was present on Friday, confirmed that the conditions were not suitable.

Water available outside was brown, unclean and unsuitable for drinking. Additionally, the tortoises were crammed in a bedroom with Oherns birds, as opposed to a larger enclosure with direct sunlight as they should be, Bunting said in court documents.

When he was arrested, Ohern admitted to Detective DePrimo that the conditions were filthy and unfit for animals.

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Ohern attributed the conditions to his age, poor health and job, which is in Superior, Colorado, saying he intended to start cleaning on Monday.

When asked if he believed he was providing the animals with proper care, court documents say Ohern didnt answer directly, but instead stated the dogs were good animals and had nothing wrong with them; rather, the presence of law enforcement was causing them anxiety.

Injured, ill, neglected

Ohern estimated he had approximately 81 animals, including two cats, which had disappeared. Law enforcement found 101 live animals: 28 dogs, 66 birds of various breeds, a turtle, two tortoises, a goat and three rabbits.

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The final count of the animals recovered in court documents differed from the Cheyenne Animal Shelters (CAS) reported animals received by one.

The search also uncovered a total of 26 dead animals, according to court documents, four more than was initially reported.

There were four birds, four turtles, two dogs, seven cats, two iguanas, a rabbit and what the officer believed to be two unknown animals, which were later determined to be four house cats, so decayed that it was hard to initially separate the carcasses.

The animals were in varying levels of health. Most of the birds were missing feet due to self-mutilation as a result of neglect or from rodents. All the rabbits had a zoonotic upper respiratory disease, which is transmissible to both animals and humans.

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One of the dogs had a mass on its neck, requiring treatment, and the two tortoises were suspected to have bony-involved abscesses or infections on their undersides, which will require lateral radiographs (X-rays) to see the extent of the damage, according to Bunting.

All live animals were seized and transported to CAS for treatment. By most recent estimates, itll require approximately $355,000 to care for the animals for 90 days from their arrival at the shelter.

Sustained neglect

Court documents included the assessment of CAS veterinarian Dr. Sarah Crystal, who determined that the animals respective conditions were a result of sustained inaction and disregard for animal welfare.

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The remains were found in variable stages of decomposition, ranging from recent death (with soft tissue still intact) to advanced decay (partial or full skeletal remains), Crystal wrote in her report. The variability in decomposition strongly suggests that the deaths occurred over an extended period, not as the result of a single isolated incident.

Several carcasses were found stacked on top of each other, and there was no indication that any efforts were made to humanely euthanize or otherwise treat these animals before their deaths, according to Crystals report.

The condition of the remains and the environment points to prolonged neglect and abandonment, Crystal wrote. In my professional opinion, the deaths of these animals were preventable, given the young age of several of the deceased. The absence of basic care constitutes severe neglect.

The failure to dispose of the deceased animals created hazardous conditions for any remaining live animals, according to Crystals report. It also created a health hazard for any humans on the premises.

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History of neglect

Documented complaints against Ohern date back to 2022, including reports of dogs running at large, livestock harassment, unsanitary living conditions and multiple animal deaths linked to Parvo.

In April of 2022, Animal Control recovered 64 dogs, three cats and 13 birds from Oherns residence after receiving roughly 15 complaints of loose dogs harassing livestock. The animals were living in similarly unsanitary conditions, with feces piled up to two feet high in some areas.

Many animals were covered in feces, dehydrated or in poor health, according to court documents.

Ohern was charged with one count of aggravated animal cruelty resulting in the death or euthanasia of an animal in 2022, but the charge was later dismissed.

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Between July of 2023 and November of 2024, multiple welfare checks confirmed the ongoing accumulation of dogs, the unsanitary living conditions, the health of the animals, and the damage to kennels and fencing, which allowed the dogs to escape.

Moving forward

Oherns arrest affidavit indicated that he could face further charges should his animals have more injuries or illness or if the seized animals die from injuries or illness sustained because of Oherns neglect.

His bond has been set at $100,000 cash, according to the Laramie County Circuit Court. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 2:15 p.m.
Another day full of "No Kings" rallies and marches is scheduled to happen on Saturday across the country.

The last No Kings Day event took place back in June. It was originally organized to drown out the 250th Birthday of the U.S. Military Parade in Washington, D.C., on June 14. Now, organizers are doing it again.

"The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don't have kings and we won't back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty," organizers wrote on NoKings.org.

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Organizers have scheduled events all across Southern California, including a march in downtown Los Angeles from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The downtown L.A. march could bring thousands of anti-Trump protestors together. The last No Kings event in the area sparked some violent clashes between demonstrators and police. Organizers say about 200,000 people showed up, and are hoping to at least match that number this weekend.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking those who show up on Saturday not to play into Trump's hands.

"If you participate, do so peacefully, because there's one person that hopes you don't, and hopes there's disruption, there's some violence, and he will exploit that, and he will take advantage of that," Newsom said.

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At the same time as the planned No Kings Day events, Camp Pendleton will stage a live-fire exercise with Vice President JD Vance in attendance for the U.S. Marine Corps' 250th anniversary.

The Marine Corps says the 5 Freeway near Camp Pendleton will not have to be closed due to the use of live munitions in the military celebration.

Outrage grew after the Trump administration said the Marine Corps would be firing live ammunition and was considering shutting down a stretch of the 5 Freeway by the base.

The 250th anniversary celebration at the marine base had generated concern from Newsom's office that live rounds fired from ships offshore would be crossing the 5 Freeway.

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It sparked Newsom to write on X on Wednesday, "Donald Trump and JD Vance think that shutting down the I-5 to shoot out missiles from ships is how you respect the military. Put aside your vanity parade and pay our troops instead."

Donald Trump and JD Vance think that shutting down the I-5 to shoot out missiles from ships is how you respect the military.



PUT ASIDE YOUR VANITY PARADE AND PAY OUR TROOPS INSTEAD. https://t.co/A6yXD1hms7  Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) October 16, 2025

The Marine Corps has since issued a statement saying the 5 Freeway will not be shut down.

"All training events will occur on approved training ranges and comply with established safety protocols. No public highways or transportation routes will be closed," the statement read, in part.

Still, on Thursday, Newsom criticized the Trump administration for failing to work with California officials in planning the event.

"Anything we can do to celebrate our vets, to celebrate our heroes, I'm all for," Newsom said. "Let's just do it in coordination and collaboration with state and local leaders. That continues to be a struggle with this administration."
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Another secret motion has been filed in former Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivners child abuse case.

This time, by the State Attorney Generals Office Scrivners attorney had previously filed a request for a mental health diversion. A hearing for that and other matters on the case was set for Thursday, but was postponed.

Scrivners case was called right at 8:30 a.m, and after a six minute meeting in the judges chambers, Judge Gloria Cannon granted the motion to postpone. We dont know why the prosecutor asked for the delay because his motion has been sealed by the court and kept secret from the public.

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Its been nine months since former county Supervisor Zack Scrivners arraignment on felony charges of child cruelty weapons possession. That was the last time we saw Scrivner in court.

In September, Scrivners defense attorney H.A. Sala filed a motion aimed at preventing Scrivner from spending even a day in jail. It seeks mental health diversion instead of jail or prison time.

It was immediately sealed by the judge at Salas request keeping the public in the dark about what it says.

For the motion to be successful, the judge must find Scrivner is suffering from a mental disorder and that if he receives treatment he will respond positively.

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In the charging documents, Scrivner was accused of taking psychedelic mushrooms, getting into bed with and molesting a minor on April 23, 2024.

He wasnt charged with any sex crimes.

If he had been charged with sex crimes, he would be inelligable for mental health diversion.

AG Prosecutor Joseph Penneys motion to postpone has been made secret, so we dont know why he needs months to respond. Neither Sala or Penney are talking.

The hearing was rescheduled in Superior Court on the morning of Dec. 15.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17 News.
This story was produced as part of a partnership with NOTUS and the nonprofit, nonpartisan Allbritton Journalism Institute.

A Democratic party establishment used to crowning its chosen Senate candidates in uncontested primaries is suddenly facing stiff resistance in key battleground states.

The pushback is raising the possibility of a bitter conflict between the partys leaders in Washington and its grassroots voters during next years primaries  one that could threaten the Democrats ability to win important swing states in its fight to win a Senate majority in 2026.

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In four general election battleground states, including Iowa, Texas, Michigan and Maine, Democrats are grappling with turbulent primaries, in which a restless liberal electorate is chafing at the preferred pick of Democratic leaders. Candidates in some cases are explicitly campaigning against the partys leaders, positioning themselves as alternatives to an establishment they say failed to defeat President Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential race.

Democrats are running into one issue that Republicans dont face: not having a field-clearing force like Trump, whose endorsement can force even the most veteran politician to abandon a primary fight.

It used to be, if you were the partys choice in a race, youre probably gonna win because our voters wanted to support the partys choice, one Democratic consultant told NOTUS. But now, like, do you want to support Chuck Schumers choice if hes not adequately fighting Donald Trump? Do you want to support Hakeem Jeffries choice if hes not adequately fighting Donald Trump? That creates a real problem.

Democratic leadership in D.C. is currently trying to prove they can stand up to Trump as part of a standoff over government funding. But there is still deep resentment toward Democratic leaders.

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This is extremely evident in Maine, where Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee back the states governor, Janet Mills, over anti-establishment progressive Graham Platner.

If D.C. knew how to beat Susan Collins, I wouldnt be running in this race, Platner told NOTUS.

Platners primary in Maine is arguably already the most contentious, pitting the newcomer against Mills and former congressional aide Jordan Wood.

Mills is considered the front-runner, but some liberal leaders have pushed back on her candidacy, saying Platner represents a necessary new model for how Democratic candidates can look and talk.

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Its very clear that Im anti-establishment, Platner said. Im against the system, a system that they represent that gives them a lot of power. I can see why they might not be happy about that. At the same time, if we want to win this seat and turn it blue, which I think we really do, and we need to, we cant just do the same thing over and over and over again and pick the same kinds of candidates. So Im not sure what theyre missing.

Maine isnt the only state set to feature a competitive primary next year.

In Texas, 2024 Senate nominee Colin Allred faces Democratic state Rep. James Talarico. In Iowa, state Rep. Josh Turek is seen as having the support of national Democrats but faces state Sen. Zach Wahls and political newcomer Nathan Sage. In Michigan, Rep. Haley Stevens is up against state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former Wayne County public health director Abdul El-Sayed in a race that raised concerns among Democrats nervous about holding their seat there.

Strategists involved in the campaigns say they think a visceral disgust from Democratic voters with their partys recent electoral failures is driving the proliferation of primaries, with candidates sensing a greater opportunity than ever before to give them an alternative choice.

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Big-picture wise, it is clear to almost everyone that this is an anti-establishment moment. People are fed up and angry, said Andrew Mamo, a Democratic strategist working for McMorrow and Talarico. The internet has made people angry, the economy has made people, the way the world has sorted has made people angry.

The problem is that the Democratic Party establishment does not see it like that, he added. They will be the last people to learn they are the status quo, and people are fed up and tired with those things.

Republicans, of course, face their own competitive primaries that could undermine their efforts to win swing states next year, including in Texas, Georgia and New Hampshire. And Democrats have recruited candidates in key states, including North Carolina (former Gov. Roy Cooper), Ohio (former Sen. Sherrod Brown) and New Hampshire (Rep. Chris Pappas) who face virtually uncontested primaries.

Even in the states where the party faces a contentious primary, whichever nominee emerges could still win the general election amid what Democrats hope is a favorable political environment marked by broad discontent with Trump and the economy.

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But the number of primaries facing Democrats and their apparent competitiveness this election cycle is unusual for the party in the last 16 years.

In states considered general election battlegrounds, at least, the candidate recruited by Democratic leaders often effectively cleared the primary field. In Arizona, for example, former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema cruised to an easy primary victory in 2018, followed by Sen. Mark Kelly in 2020, and Sen. Ruben Gallego in 2024.

Its arguably been a decade since a candidate recruited by Democratic leaders nearly lost their primary in a state considered a general election battleground. In 2016, in Pennsylvania, Schumer-recruited Katie McGinty defeated former Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak by about 10 points in what was considered a highly competitive race. (In another Democratic primary, four years later in Colorado, former Gov. John Hickenlooper won a competitive primary by about 17 points over former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff.)

The last time a D.C.-backed Democratic candidate lost a primary in a swing state was in 2010, when Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter lost a primary in Pennsylvania and former state Sen. Cal Cunningham lost his primary in North Carolina.

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The DSCC is focused on winning Senate seats and flipping the majority in 2026, and our strategy is guided by the best way to do that, Maeve Coyle, a spokesperson for the DSCC, said in a statement.

Democrats said the surge of primaries is no surprise.

There is a clear appetite right now, said Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run For Something, an organization that encourages young progressives to run for office. The Democratic Party approval rating is in the toilet. Leaderships approval rating is in the toilet. People are pissed.

The party establishment was not going to keep getting its way, she added.

I understand that is a very common experience for a lot of these younger folks who have been running, they have been told to wait their turn, she said. And now theyre saying its my turn.
A federal jury has indicted two alleged Antifa militants for terrorism, for their roles in this summers ambush on an ICE facility in Alvarado.

Cameron Arnold, who identifies as Autumn Hill, and Zachary Evetts were indicted on October 15 for terrorism and attempted murder, following the ambush on the ICE Prairieland Detention Facility.

Antifa-linked militants reportedly assaulted the facility, south of Fort Worth, on July 4 and shot a responding Alvarado police officer in the neck, as The Dallas Express previously reported.

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President Donald Trump designated the radical left-wing group a domestic terrorist organization in September.

Now, both Arnold and Evetts face one count of providing material support to terrorists, three counts of attempted murder of federal and assisting officers, and three counts of firing a gun while committing the crimes, according to Fox News.

Arnold and Evetts were charged with supporting terrorists for providing material support and resources, and working to conceal and disguise their nature, in the ICE ambush, according to charging documents obtained by the outlet. They allegedly helped provide property, services, training, communications equipment, weapons, explosives, personnel (including themselves), and transportation.

The suspects faced three counts of attempted murder of federal and assisting officers, for allegedly trying to kill two ICE corrections officers and one responding Alvarado police officer, the documents show. The police officer was shot in the neck, but later recovered.

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Arnold and Evetts also faced three counts for allegedly firing a rifle while trying to murder the corrections officers and the police officer, according to the documents. Federal prison records show they are both currently detained at the Federal Medical Center-Fort Worth.

This marks the first time the FBI has charged Antifa-aligned suspects with material support to terrorism, FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News in a statement. He called the ambush a planned and coordinated terrorist attack, and said the FBI has made more than 20 arrests in the case  up from the initial 11 arrests.

No one gets to harm law enforcement, Patel posted on X. Not on my watch.

First time ever: the FBI arrested Antifa-aligned anarchist violent extremists and terrorism charges have been brought for the July 4 Prairieland ICE attack in Texas. Under President Trumps new authorities weve made 20+ arrests. No one gets to harm law enforcement. Not on my pic.twitter.com/GlFZ6HC6gx  FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) October 16, 2025

One of the alleged militants, Benjamin Song, fled authorities  sparking a massive FBI manhunt, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. The agency captured him in Dallas on July 15.

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Just days after the Antifa ambush on the ICE facility in Alvarado, another suspect fired on Customs and Border Protection in McAllen on July 7  wounding a federal agent and two officers, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. His car was spray-painted with Cordis Die, the slogan of a fictional revolutionary movement in the video game Call of Duty.

Following Tyler Robinsons assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10, another killer, Joshua Jahn, targeted the Dallas ICE facility on September 24  killing two detainees and wounding another, as The Dallas Express also reported. Federal officials said the shooter was trying to murder ICE agents.

Just days before this, one of the Antifa suspects in the Alvarado ICE ambush  Dario Emmanuel Sanchez  had posted bond, then was re-arrested for hindering prosecution of terrorism, as The Dallas Express reported.

Attorney General Pam Bondi warned that federal prosecutors will charge Antifa militants with terrorism.

Antifa is a left-wing terrorist organization, Bondi posted on X. They will be prosecuted as such.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has strong thoughts on President Donald Trumps leadership, and she isnt holding back.

Affordable health care was the topic of discussion during a CNN town hall meeting. A video posted Thursday on X, formerly Twitter, shows an audience member asking Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) why Democrats dont let Republicans suffer for the consequences of their actions as premiums begin to rise.

Politics: Bernie Sanders Raises Eyebrows By Calling Marjorie Taylor Greene A Good Republican

Sanders was the first to respond, stating that Trump was dividing the country. Ocasio-Cortez then offered her own perspective in agreement.

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I think it also speaks to a big difference between someone like Trump and someone like me or someone like Bernie, which is that Trump believes that if you dont vote for him, he doesnt have to be your leader, AOC remarked. That if you didnt vote for him, that you dont deserve good things to happen to you.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and President Donald Trump. Getty Images

She went on to emphasize that she represents all constituents, regardless of political affiliation or voting history.

I dont care if someone voted for me or not, she said. I dont care if someone is a Republican or an independent or a Democrat. I dont care if someone likes me or not.

Politics: Bernie Blasts Trump At 'No Kings' Protest But Names 3 Other Billionaires As Part Of The Problem

She continued, adding that none of that changes her commitment to ensuring constituents have access to proper health benefits  even those aligned with the Make America Great Again coalition.

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He doesnt want people who are Democrats, or he doesnt want people based on their political affiliation, to benefit, AOC said. And that is the difference between a strongman and an authoritarian, and a leader of a democracy.

On Oct. 1, a deadlock between Republicans and Democrats over health care issues led to a shutdown of the federal government. Trump said that it could actually be beneficial.

Were doing well as a country, so the last thing we want to do is shut it down. But a lot of good can come down from shutdowns. We get rid of a lot of things that we didnt want, and theyd be Democrat things, he said. But they want open borders, they want men playing in womens sports, they want transgender for everybody. They never stop. And they dont learn. We won an election in a landslide. They just dont learn. So we have no choice. I have to do that for the country.

Related...

Read the original on HuffPost
A federal appeals court panel has denied a request from the Trump administration to lift a lower court's order blocking the president from deploying National Guard troops in Illinois.

The three-judge panel on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals said the Trump administration's decision to deploy National Guard troops was a "likely violation" of the Tenth Amendment, which reserves certain powers to the states.

It also found that the Trump administration was "unlikely to succeed" in proving that there is a "rebellion" against the authority of the U.S. government or that the president is unable to execute the law with regular forces.

Scott Olson/Getty Images - PHOTO: National Guard Arrives At Army Reserve Training Center South Of Chicago

Appeals court keeps block on National Guard deployment in Illinois, OKs mobilization

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The panel's decision maintains the status quo in Illinois.

Over the weekend, the appeals court allowed the federal government to maintain control of Guard troops but continued a block on the Trump administration -- imposed by a lower court judge -- from deploying federalized Guardsmen anywhere within Illinois.

The temporary restraining order blocking the deployment of the Guard remains in effect through Oct. 23. U.S. District Judge April Perry has scheduled a hearing for Oct. 22 to determine whether to extend the temporary order.

As of last week, there were about 200 federalized National Guard troops from Texas and 14 from California currently in Illinois, according to a declaration from a U.S. Army official. Another 300 Guardsmen from Illinois have been mobilized by the president over the objections of Gov. JB Pritzker .

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President Donald Trump has said Guard troops are needed for crime prevention in Chicago, which he has described as a "war zone."

In addition, the Trump administration has said troops are needed to protect federal immigration facilities, which have been the site of clashes between protesters and federal immigration agents as the administration carries out its stepped-up immigration enforcement.

Adam Gray/AP - PHOTO: Pictures of the Week Global Photo Gallery

How the Trump administration offered multiple justifications for deploying the National Guard in US cities

The appeals court panel said there was scant evidence the protests in Chicago amounted to a rebellion.

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"Political opposition is not rebellion," the judges wrote in their decision.

[W]e see insufficient evidence of a rebellion or danger of rebellion in Illinois," the judges wrote later in their decision. "The spirited, sustained, and occasionally violent actions of demonstrators in protest of the federal governments immigration policies and actions, without more, does not give rise to a danger of rebellion against the governments authority."

Likewise, the judges said there was "insufficient evidence that protest activity in Illinois has significantly impeded the ability of federal officers to execute federal immigration laws."

While an immigration facility in the Broadview suburb of Chicago has been the site of regular protests, it has remained open and the protests "have been quickly contained by local, state, and federal authorities," the judges wrote in the decision.

"At the same time, immigration arrests and deportations have proceeded apace in Illinois over the past year, and the administration has been proclaiming the success of its current efforts to enforce immigration laws in the Chicago area," the judges wrote. "The administration accordingly is also unlikely to succeed on this argument."
Eric Trump, son of U.S. President Donald Trump and co-founder of decentralized finance protocol World Liberty Financial (WLFI), is developing a tokenization project that could allow everyday investors to buy fractional shares in luxury Trump properties.

Speaking to CoinDesk on Oct. 15, Eric mentioned that the project will use blockchain technology and WLFIs U.S. dollar stablecoin USD1 to open real estate markets to a broader base of participants.

We are working on it as it pertains to one specific building that Im doing right now, Trump said. I think its going to be absolutely incredible.

His comments follow remarks from WLFI co-founder Zach Witkoff at the Token2049 event in Singapore in early October, where he discussed plans to bring parts of the Trump Organizations real estate portfolio on-chain.

Related: New Republican bill codifies Trump's 401(k) order

From Wall Street to the blockchain

Trump said his approach could bypass traditional financing channels altogether by offering micro-shares of high-profile buildings directly to the public. Investors might contribute as little as $1,000 and receive both partial ownership and potential perks  such as hotel benefits or exclusive access  tied to the assets performance.

If I decided to build a hotel in Washington, D.C., or in Dubai or in New York, why do I have to go out using Deutsche Bank? he said. Why cant I go out to the masses?

Related: What is tokenization? Explained

A new chapter for World Liberty Financial

Though details of the project remain limited, Trump said the effort will be integrated into WLFIs growing ecosystem. The company launched last year to merge crypto rails with traditional finance, and its USD1 stablecoin is positioned at the center of that strategy.

More news:

WLFI announced last month that it plans to launch a debit card and retail app, allowing users to spend USD1 for everyday purchases. The move could provide the infrastructure needed to support tokenized property investments and related payment flows.

This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Oct 15, 2025, where it first appeared in the Innovation section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Oct. 17 (UPI) -- A federal appeals court panel rejected the Trump administration's request to overturn a lower court order blocking deployment of National Guard troops in Illinois.

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday said U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to deploy National Guard troops to Illinois "likely" violated the U.S. Constitution's 10th Amendment, which outlines specific state power.

"The facts do not justify the president's actions," the 18-page ruling read, adding that "political opposition is not rebellion."

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Roughly 200 federalized National Guardsmen currently sit in Illinois via Texas and more than a dozen from California. Trump federalized an additional 300 troops over the objection of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both Democrats.

Trump has repeatedly described Chicago and other Democratic-governed cities as a "war zone." Pritzker has said there's no evidence for Trump's claims and led the state's legal actions against the White House with other local and state officials.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago on August 20, 2024. Pritzker led the lawsuit against the Trump administration's decision to deploy National Guard troops to his state. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI

During an appearance on Politico's The Conversation podcast -- to be aired Sunday -- Pritzker said that Trump has "got the biggest platform in the country, the presidency, and he just says things." He attacked Trump's "lies" on crime.

"It's propaganda, again, not true, but he'll say it over and over and over again, hoping that people will believe him," the governor said.

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On Thursday, the court panel added the administration was unlikely to prove a rebellion against the U.S. government or that Trump as president could not enforce the law using regular federal forces.

The judges wrote in the decision they saw "insufficient evidence of a rebellion or danger of rebellion in Illinois."

"The spirited, sustained, and occasionally violent actions of demonstrators in protest of the federal government's immigration policies and actions, without more, does not give rise to a danger of rebellion against the government's authority," it continued.

An hearing is scheduled for Wednesday to determined if the temporary restraining order should be extended, which remains in effect until Thursday.

"To Illinoisans: Stay safe, record what you see and post it, and continue to peacefully protest. Make sure that your community members know their rights in times of crisis," the two-term Pritzker said Thursday night on Bluesky.
Oct. 16Albuquerque Public Schools has agreed to pay more than $3 million after a student was injured in a sword-fighting incident at Volcano Vista High School in 2022.

The incident, which earned national attention, happened in a chemistry class after a teacher had students fight with swords.

According to the agreement, the district and the plaintiffs reached a settlement in June. APS agreed to pay $2.5 million directly to the plaintiffs and another $1 million to Pacific Life and Annuity Services.

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The Journal obtained the settlement through an Inspection of Public Records Act request.

"We're dismayed by this incident and are grateful to have resolved the case," district spokesperson, Martin Salazar, wrote in a statement. "The teacher named in the lawsuit hasn't worked for APS in more than three years."

The plaintiffs in the case, Arnold and Judy Gachupin, the injured student's grandparents, filed the lawsuit in February 2024 and alleged that the teacher and APS  defendants in the case  violated the sophomore's constitutional rights, according to previous Journal reporting.

As part of the agreement, former chemistry teacher Loviata Mitchell, who brought the swords to class, is also barred from seeking a permanent teaching job. She was terminated by the district in July 2022, two months after the incident occurred.

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The lawsuit did not list the name of the injured student, instead listing them as N.S., identifying them as a 16-year-old sophomore, but the settlement lists Nevaeh Salas as the payee.

The lawsuit also alleged that after the sword struck the student, Mitchell did not call 911 in a timely fashion and tried to call the school's health office. When a health aide arrived at the classroom, they treated the injured student before calling 911.

Injuries sustained by the student include large gashes, as pictured in the lawsuit, on the student's hand and wrist area. The suit alleges the plaintiff still suffers from physical and mental scars, according to previous Journal reporting.

When it comes to how APS paid for the settlement, Salazar said, "While we're self-insured, we have excess insurance for these types of situations. We worked with our carrier to resolve this claim."
Falling water levels are a threat to the aquifer in an agricultural region of western Arizona dominated by Saudi-owned farming conglomerate Fondomonte, state regulators told residents in a public meeting on Oct. 15.

Land is subsiding in the Ranegras Plain basin and groundwater is declining faster than the rate of replenishment, the Arizona Department of Water Resources informed residents gathered in Brenda at the Desert Gold RV Resort. The agency was there to gather community input as it considers whether to seek active management area designation for Ranegras.

If initiated and approved, it would be the eighth groundwater basin in the state regulated under AMA rules.

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The basin has an imbalance, said the agency's chief hydrologist, Ryan Mitchell. About nine times more water is leaving the basin than the amount being recharged, according to available data. Agricultural water use is estimated at nearly 40,000 acre-feet a year.

Ranegras Plain, delimited by a ring of small mountain ranges, covers some 912 square miles and includes the towns of Bouse, Brenda, Utting and Vicksburg. It does not include nearby Salome.

An AMA would prohibit new land from being farmed. If the land had been irrigated for crop production for less than five years before an AMA designation, landowners would lose their right to use water for farming. Anyone pumping water at a rate higher than 35 gallons per minute would need to give annual reports of water use to the agency, and all sectors (municipal, agricultural and industry) would be required to reduce their water use to some extent, according to a management plan. Domestic wells, which pump less than 35 gallons per minute, wouldn't be subject to any regulation.

The state water agency has not begun a formal process to create the AMA. The meeting was to provide information and receive feedback and questions, said the staff.

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"It's important for us to come to you and present the information that we have and present the tools that we have," said Ben Bryce, special adviser to the director. "The most useful for us right now is to understand how folks here feel."

The meeting began with opening remarks from La Paz County Supervisor Holly Irwin, who has advocated for groundwater protection in the area for a decade, and delivered a petition in 2017, signed by 500 residents, asking the state to come forward with some form of regulation. In the past years, she worked with state lawmakers on groundwater regulation proposals tailored to the needs and realities of rural areas. Democrats and Republicans made progress in negotiating a new regulatory tool, but grew farther apart this year and the proposal stalled in the House.

"This has been the most challenging issue for me during my 16 years representing La Paz County and desperately wanting groundwater protection for you the people I represent," Irwin said. She commended Gov. Katie Hobbs for recognizing "critical water concerns," forming a Water Policy Council back in 2023, and visiting La Paz County in June to hear directly from residents.

Why this basin?

Arizona has 51 groundwater basins; seven are regulated through an active management area, AMA, and three through an irrigation non-expansion area, INA, which only stops farmland expansion but does not reduce pumping. Groundwater regulation is non existent in the rest of the state.

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More than half of the 51 basins are showing water declines, according to a statewide report. Gila Bend, Willcox and Ranegras plain basins were deemed the most at risk from "water budget" imbalances, where more water is being extracted than recharged. The three were set as "priority" basins for establishing groundwater rules.

The state designated Willcox as an AMA in late 2024, despite an earlier vote from residents against it, and goals for water use reduction will be finalized by late 2026.

In February of last year, the water agency held an informal hearing to discuss a potential AMA in Gila Bend. The meeting was at the agency's Phoenix office instead of on-site and faced opposition from farmers and residents who said they didn't receive a direct invitation but heard about the hearing in the news. The director did not move forward with an AMA process.

Ranegras plain basin is home to about 2,500 people, a flock of millions of egg-laying hens at Rose Acre Farms, some pistachio orchards, several dairies, feedlots and thousands of acres of alfalfa. The Hobbs administration terminated or canceled leases from Fondomonte Arizona LLC in Butler basin, north of Bouse, but the Saudi subsidiary of dairy giant Almarai Co. still owns and farms some 10,000 acres of land in the Ranegras plain. Neighbors have blamed the international hay growers for running their wells dry.

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It's unknown how much water is being pumped out of the aquifer every year. The state water agency has produced estimates based on municipal water use, and the annual water demands for the crops grown in the area, surveyed by U.S. Geological Survey via satellite images and on the ground.

The water authority also measures water levels every year from 19 index wells, and took measurements across all available wells in the basin five times, from 1988 to 2016.

Agricultural water use is estimated to be 40,000 acre-feet every year. Recharge from rainwater that falls in the valley and mountains is estimated to be 2,000 acre-feet every year, according to a USGS study. About 10% of the water used to irrigate the crops filtrates back into the ground, but it can take years before it reaches the aquifer.

Recharge from precipitation is minimal, said Mitchell, the state agency chief hydrologist. There's more recharge coming from seepage through the leaks and cracks of the CAP canal, which carries water from the Colorado River to Phoenix and Tucson after crossing the Ranegras basin, than from rainfall.

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An AMA would allow the agency to have exact numbers for water use in the area and establish conservation plans, staff said.

What comes next?

Local residents and dairy farmers asked the agency whether they would be limited to drill new wells if their old ones fail, if homes would be forced to share their water use, and how much water the agency would take from users.

The agency explained that anyone with a well pumping less that 35 gallons per minute, also called an exempt well, wouldn't be subject to regulation. Home needs are met with pump rates of 5 to 15 gallons per minute.

One resident asked whether the changes would allow groundwater to "leave" the basin.

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Can Phoenix steal your groundwater?" said Bryce, rephrasing the question. "No. (Ranegras) is not one of those basins.

However, Salome and Wenden, which sit in the McMullen Valley basin, could face that future because Arizona lawmakers designated the area as a "transfer basin" in 1991. Residents fear a groundwater grab from big cities, but the Hobbs administration is not focused on erasing that status, the governor told The Republic in June.

Land that was irrigated for farming five years before an AMA designation is granted an "Irrigation Grandfathered Right," which entitles the owner to an amount of water based on the acres they farmed and the water needs of the crops they have grown there historically. Fondomonte would be granted such rights, presumably. New wells can be drilled to replace old ones, as long as they pass an impact analysis. Anyone farming more than two acres on land with a non-exempt well would need to report their water use.

Reductions on water use vary for each AMA and would depend on the management goal, which is proposed by the director. The agency must hold a hearing for public comment and must consider the input of the groundwater users advisory council, or GUAC, made up of five volunteer members who represent water users in the basin.

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If the agency were to start an AMA process it would need to call a formal public hearing and then consider public comment and available data on groundwater decline and land subsidence. The director would then make the final decision.

Clara Migoya covers agriculture and water issues. Reach the reporter at clara.migoya@arizonarepublic.com

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona weighs groundwater regulation for La Paz County
UPDATE 11:33 a.m. : According to the Waynesboro Police Department on Friday, the area has been cleared and is now open.

BURKE COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF)  A bomb threat was called in to CSRA Probation on Friday morning, according to the Waynesboro Police Department.

In a Facebook post on Oct. 17, the Waynesboro Police Department stated: A bomb threat was called in to CSRA Probation this morning, and the area is currently cordoned off. We will provide further information as it becomes available.

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Law enforcement have responded to the area.

This is a developing story. Count on WJBF NewsChannel 6 for more information as it becomes available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
It's almost a year into Trump 2.0 and MAGA has gone full "snowflake."

You know the word, the one that for the past decade the right has wielded against liberals as the ultimate epithet  you know, because libs are supposedly feelings-obsessed, physically weak, morally delicate and whiny as all get out.

Well, if you're MAGA in 2025, you should probably embrace the term like Trump hugging an American flag with a Cheshire Cat grin.

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Because if you think, among other things, that Portland is "War ravaged" like Trump claims it is and the U.S. of A. has to send in the military, you truly are a snowflake.

It sure wasn't the left that called for the firing of people who criticized one of their heroes in the wake of their tragic death. Or that revoked visas over it. Or cheered when a late-night talk show host was temporarily suspended after the FCC chairman threatened to punish his network, as Brendan Carr did to ABC when he told a podcaster Disney could mete out punishment to Jimmy Kimmel "the easy way or hard way."

Which president complains any time someone doesn't think they're the greatest leader in human history? Threatens retribution against foes real and imagined every waking second? Whines like he's a bottle of Chardonnay?

Trump even complained this week about a Time magazine cover photo that he proclaimed "may be the Worst of All Time."

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"They 'disappeared' my hair, and then had something floating on top of my head that looked like a floating crown, but an extremely small one. Really weird!" the king of MAGA-dom wrote on Truth Social.

Here's guessing he'd have complained a little less if the "something" floating on the top of his head looked like a really, super-big crown.

President Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One prior to departure from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Sunday. (Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images)

Watch out, Time magazine, Trump might send the Texas National Guard to your newsroom!

This is an administration that is forcing airports to run videos blaming the government shutdown on their opponents? What branch of the government just asked journalists to only publish preapproved information?

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And always with the reacting to Democrat-led cities like Portland, Chicago and L.A. as if they're Stalingrad during the siege.

Kristi Noem, Homeland Security secretary in August: "L.A. wouldn't be standing today if President Trump hadn't taken action then. That city would have burned down if left to the devices of the mayor and the governor of that state."

Trump about Washington, D.C., over the summer as he issued an executive order to take over its police department in the wake of what he characterized as out-of-control crime: "It is a point of national disgrace that Washington, D.C., has a violent crime rate that is higher than some of the most dangerous places in the world."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to military brass he called in from across the world last month to declare the following: "No more beardos. The era of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is done."

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Welcome to our Snowflake Government. The way these people's tough talk turns into waterworks at the slightest provocation, you'd think they were the ski slopes of Mt. Baldy come summertime.

Read more: Analysis:: 'Cuck,' 'snowflake,' 'masculinist': A guide to the language of the 'alt-right'

Trump and his lackeys possess scary power and don't hesitate to use it in the name of punishing enemies. But what betrays their inherent snowflake-ness is how much they cry about what they still don't dominate and their continued use of brute force to try and subdue the slightest, well, slight.

The veritable pity party gnashes its teeth more and more as the months pass. Trump was so angry at the sight of people causing chaos over a relatively small area of downtown L.A. after mass raids swept Southern California in June  chaos that barely registered to what happens after a Dodgers World Series win  that he sent in the Marines.

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His spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, keeps describing any nasty look or bad word thrown at migra agents as proof of them suffering a supposedly unprecedented level of assault despite never offering any concrete proof.

The Southland's acting U.S. attorney, Bill Essayli, accused an LAPD spokesperson last week of leaking information to The Times after one of my colleagues asked him about ... wait for it ... an upcoming press conference.

No part of the government melts faster, however, than the agency with the apropos acronym of ICE.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement and their fellow travelers across Homeland Security are Trump's own Praetorian Guard, tasked with carrying out his deportation deluge. They've relished their months in the national spotlight cast by the federal government simultaneously as an unstoppable force and an immovable object. La migra continues to crash into neighborhoods and communities like a masked avalanche of tear gas and handcuffs, justice be damned.

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But have you seen how they're flailing in Chicago?

Illinois State Police clash with demonstrators by the ICE facility in Broadview, Ill., as tensions rise over prolonged protests targeting federal ICE operations in Chicago on Oct. 10. (Jacek Boczarski / Anadolu via Getty Images)

They're firing pepper balls at the heads of Presbyterian priests outside detention facilities and tackling middle-aged reporters.

Border Patrol sector chief Gregory Bovino, who thinks he's Napoleon with a crew cut and an Appalachian drawl, has accused protester Cole Sheridan of causing an unspecified groin injury even though the government couldn't provide any video evidence during a preliminary court hearing earlier this month.

Agents have set off tear gas canisters without giving a heads-up to Chicago police. They're detaining people without giving them a chance to prove their citizenship until hours later.

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All this because  wah, wah!  Windy City residents haven't welcomed la migra as liberators.

Read more: Federal immigration officers in Chicago area will be required to wear body cameras, judge says

Bovino and his ICE buddies keep whimpering to Trump that they need the National Guard to back them up because they supposedly can't do their job despite being the ones armed and masked up and backed by billions of dollars in new funds.

That's why the government is now pushing tech giants to crack down on how activists are organizing. In the past two weeks, Apple has taken down apps that tracked actions by ICE agents and a Chicago Facebook group that was a clearinghouse for migra sightings at the request of the Department of Justice.

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On X, Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi bragged that she "will continue engaging tech companies to eliminate platforms where radicals can incite imminent violence against federal law enforcement" despite offering no evidence whatsoever  because who needs facts in the face of Trump's blizzard of lies?

Since the start of all this madness, I've seen the left offer a rejoinder to the snowflake charge: the slogan "ICE Melts," usually accompanied by a drawing of the action at hand. It's meant to inspire activists by reminding them that la migra is not nearly as mighty as the right makes them out to be.

That's clever. But the danger of all these conservative snowflakes turning into a sopping mess the way they do over their perceived victimhood is that the resulting flood threatens to drown out a little thing we'd come to love over many, many, many years.

Democracy.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
WASHINGTON  Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said she is drafting a lawsuit against House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., over his refusal to swear in Democratic Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva during the government shutdown.

Mayes told CNN on Thursday night that her team was already preparing litigation against the Republican speaker, claiming he is violating the law by denying a duly elected lawmaker the right to be sworn into office. Instead, Mayes argued that Johnson was delaying her swearing-in because Grijalva has committed to sign a discharge petition that would force a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files in full.

The law is very clear that no speaker of the House has the right to deny a state the seating of a member of Congress. No speaker has the right to basically violate the Constitution, Mayes told CNNs Jake Tapper. We are not messing around and the people of the state of Arizona hired me to be their lawyer and hired me to protect them.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes speaks about the execution of inmate Aaron Brian Gunches at the Arizona State Prison Wednesday, March 19, 2025 in Florence, Ariz. | Darryl Webb, Associated Press

It will likely take a few days to draft and process any legal action against Johnson, meaning next week could be the earliest that litigation text is available. Specific charges are not yet known.

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Johnson brushed off the threat on Friday, downplaying the impending lawsuit as a publicity stunt by the Arizona attorney general and other Democrats to distract from the shutdown.

Its a publicity stunt by a Democrat attorney general in Arizona who sees a national moment and wants to call me out, Johnson said. She has nothing whatsoever to do with whats happening in Congress.

But House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., seemed bullish about the legal action. He sent a letter to Johnson on Thursday demanding he swear Grijalva into office when the House holds a pro forma session on Friday afternoon  later telling reporters that prompt legal action would follow if he didnt do so.

Its shameful that she has not been sworn in because Speaker Johnson and House Republicans apparently want to continue to hide the Jeffrey Epstein files from the American people, Jeffries said. This has gone on now for weeks.

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Johnson pushed back against those comments, criticizing Jeffries by saying he thought Hakeem was a better attorney than that. Jeffries previously served as corporate lawyer and in-house legal counsel before being elected to Congress.

Instead, Johnson said that Grijalva could begin serving her constituents even without being formally sworn in. Grijalva told reporters earlier this week she had received the keys to her office, but the phone lines and internet connection were not yet working.

If her Democrat colleagues and leadership have not informed her, you can be serving your constituents right now. You have an office, Johnson said. She can be handling their calls, directing them appropriately, and doing lots of important work right now. I dont know if she is.

Mayes sent the House a certificate of Grijalvas electoral win after finalizing results on Tuesday, meeting the legal threshold for her to be sworn into office, demanding Johnson swear her in by Friday or else prompt legal action would follow.

Arizona Democratic candidate Adelita Grijalva speaks to her supporters after being declared the winner against Republican Daniel Butierez to fill the Congressional District 7 seat held by the late U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva in a special election Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in Tucson, Ariz. | Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press

Johnson has repeatedly said he does not have the ability to swear Grijalva in while the House is in recess, vowing to do so as soon as lawmakers return. The House has not been in session since Sept. 19, four days before Grijalvas special election.

The speaker has kept the House out of session while the Senate stalls on passing legislation to reopen the government and continue federal spending  which Johnson has said must be done before he reconvenes.
Arizona State University is turning one of the world's biggest environmental challenges into an educational opportunity.

According to AZ Central, a record-breaking $115 million donation from philanthropist and former Walmart chairman Rob Walton will launch the Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures: a new hub dedicated to training the next generation of leaders in biodiversity protection and global sustainability.

The school, part of ASU's College of Global Futures, will focus on combining research, education, and community partnerships to address the planet's rapidly declining biodiversity.

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ASU president Michael Crow announced the news during Climate Week in New York, calling the initiative "a worthy honor for all that Rob has done" and a major step toward tackling the urgent environmental challenges of our time.

Walton's passion for conservation dates back 25 years, inspired by his visits to nature preserves in South Africa and national parks across the U.S. Since then, he's become one of the world's leading private funders of environmental efforts, pledging $100 million toward protecting U.S. national parks in addition to serving on the board of Conservation International.

"We need nature to survive. We need clean air, clean water, and food that is healthy. All those things come from nature," Walton told ASU News. "Ultimately, I've made this a priority."

The new conservation school builds on ASU's longstanding reputation as a global leader in sustainability. Under Crow's leadership, the university became the first in the nation to offer degrees in sustainability in 2006, and today it ranks first in the U.S. for sustainability efforts, from climate-focused research to public policy innovation.

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Set to open in 2025, the Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures will also launch a Conservation Futures Academy, offering hands-on training for high school students, working professionals, and executives who want to make a positive impact in their fields. The initiative aims to empower a generation of problem-solvers equipped to restore ecosystems and protect biodiversity in a rapidly warming world.

"Conservation is not the work of a single field or discipline. It's a calling that demands talent, creativity, and leadership from every background," Conservation International interim CEO Daniela Raik told ASU News.

The effort will not only strengthen ASU's research network but also help communities in Arizona and beyond adapt to Earth's overheating and protect the natural resources that sustain everyday life. By prioritizing education and collaboration, the university hopes to shape conservation as a shared civic value, not a partisan issue.

As Walton put it, "Students bring fresh ideas, energy, and innovation. They're the next generation of leaders, researchers, and advocates. We need their voices and commitment to sustain a healthy planet."

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, and Rep. DeAnn Vaught, R-Horatio, present a resolution to the Arkansas Legislative Council to ask the federal government for "targeted relief for Arkansas farmers" on Oct. 17, 2025. (Photo by Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate)

Arkansas lawmakers expressed concern about the state of the agriculture industry Friday and agreed to urge the federal government to provide financial aid to keep farmers afloat.

Commodity crop farmers are facing one of their worst periods in decades as a result of skyrocketing production costs and stagnant demand. Agriculture industry leaders told lawmakers last month in Stuttgart that 25% to 40% of farmers are likely to leave the industry after this season unless they receive aid.

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Rep. DeAnn Vaught, R-Horatio, chairs the House Agriculture subcommittee that met in Stuttgart and has worked as a farmer herself. She said Friday during the Arkansas Legislative Councils monthly meeting that there is a tsunami coming for Arkansas farmers.

One out of every three farms shutting down in the state of Arkansas is going to affect that budget thats sitting there in front of you, she told Finance and Administration Secretary Jim Hudson. And if we dont start looking and forecasting out for that just in case the tsunami is coming, then we are failing the people of Arkansas.

Federal lawmakers are responsible for renewing a sweeping agriculture bill every five years to set both policy and funding levels for the industry. Congress has repeatedly extended the 2018 farm bill a year at a time, but it expired Sept. 30 of this year, the day before the ongoing government shutdown began.

The shutdown is increasing farmers frustrations, said Senate Majority Leader Blake Johnson, a Corning Republican and longtime farmer. He told the council that the whole U.S. agriculture sector could go to Washington D.C. and shut that place down in their efforts to secure stability for the industry.

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Johnson later clarified in an interview that he was not aware of concrete plans for farmers to go to D.C. and demand aid, but he emphasized that the agriculture industry needs help by the end of November.

These guys, who are at the breaking point, have got to know something before the first of the year, Johnson told the Advocate. Those plans will be made for next year going into December, and theyve got to know where they stand.

Hudson told the Legislative Council that he is aware of some liquidation of farming operations and that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has been petitioning the U.S. Department of Agriculture for farm aid.

Finance and Administration Secretary Jim Hudson addresses the Arkansas Legislative Council on Oct. 16, 2025. (Photo by Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate)

Its incredibly unfortunate those farmers are hurting, Hudson said. I think this is a trade issue that needs to get resolved at a national and international level.

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He attributed some of the agriculture industrys struggles to predatory behavior by a foreign nation, specifically China. Vaught said farmers primary problems are not China or tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump.

Prices have been bad for three consecutive years, she said in an interview. Weve had increases in our input and decreases in the amount of money that youre receiving for your products. Because of that, its truly affecting the farmers and what they can borrow, how they can continue to farm, because [with] those inputs going up and getting less and less money, at some point bankers look at you and say, Im sorry, I cant lend you any more money.

The council passed a resolution presented by Vaught and Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, to respectfully urge President Donald J. Trump to implement targeted relief for Arkansas farmers in 2025.

Resolutions are recommendations rather than policy, but Vaught said she is hopeful the resolution will help Sanders and Arkansas congressmen make a case for farm aid. Republican U.S. Sen. John Boozman chairs the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, one of the committees responsible for drafting the farm bill.

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Two suspects were arrested last week in connection with an armed home invasion near Tampa, Florida, that occurred back in August in which an Apple AirTag was used to track the victims' SUV, authorities said.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office released surveillance video Monday that showed the attempted armed robbery of a couple after they pulled into the driveway of their home in Odessa, a community north of Tampa, on the night of Aug. 19.

Deputies said the suspects had taped an AirTag under the bumper of the victims' vehicle and then tracked it to the home and lay in wait.

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The video showed two men forcing the couple into their garage.

"The wife opens her door, and she's immediately attacked by one of our suspects," Hillsborough County Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer told CBS News. "He physically grabs her and pulls her out of the car. Almost simultaneously, the driver and husband gets pulled out of the car with a gun into his waist."

However, after entering the garage, the house alarm was triggered, prompting the two suspects to flee, the sheriff's office said. The AirTag was later found by investigators taped beneath the vehicle.

Deputies arrested 26-year-old Luis Charles in Tampa on Oct. 8, and, two days later, 32-year-old Omardy Maldonado-Rodriguez was apprehended in Pasco County, where Odessa is located, the sheriff's office said. Both were booked on charges including armed kidnapping and armed burglary.

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Maurer said that while the AirTag allowed the suspects to track their victims, it also helped investigators track the suspects because "they used their name to purchase" the AirTag, he alleged.

"They used their name to register it, and their phone number, and their email address," Maurer said. "So that was the big break in the case, because we were able to identify through video surveillance who these suspects were."

Roberto Larreal, who owns a Miami-based home security company, told CBS News people should be aware that their iPhone will show them if there is an AirTag near them, even if it is not theirs.

"The iPhone can let you know whether an AirTag was found near you," Larreal said. "It doesn't matter if it's yours or not. And then if you have an Android, there's apps that you can download, and the app can do the search for you. So it keeps you aware."

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Apple says it works closely with law enforcement and safety groups. The company says that each AirTag is tied to a specific Apple ID and serial number.

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What to expect from Trump's news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel

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Key Points

Amid external pressure and war in Ukraine, Europe is boosting defense spending.

Those ballooning budgets are providing big opportunities to investors.

These niche ETFs could be interesting to investors.

10 stocks we like better than Wisdomtree Issuer Icav - Wisdomtree Europe Defence Ucits ETF 

Active investors have likely gotten the memo that international stocks are throttling U.S. counterparts in 2025. As of Oct. 6, the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index, which combines developed and emerging markets equities, is higher by 29.2% year-to-date compared to a gain of "just" 15.6% for the S&P 500.

European stocks are major reasons for the resurgence of ex-US fare. The three largest US-listed Europe exchange-traded funds by assets are each beating the S&P 500 since the start of the year with one doing so by a margin of better than 2-to1. Alone, that's impressive and for some investors, the end results are all that matters.

There's nothing wrong with that, but inquisitive market participants may be pondering "What's up with European stocks this year?" It's a question with multiple answers, one of which is defense. For the first time in what feels like an eternity, defense budgets are increasing across Europe, making the industrial sector  home to aerospace and defense equities  one of the continent's best-performing groups this year.

Sure, investors can tap into that trend via broad-based Europe ETFs, many of which are heavily allocated to industrial stocks. Or they can select individual equities. However, the first approach risks dilution via other sectors while the second requires being absolutely right. The Select STOXX Europe Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSEMKT: EUAD) and the WisdomTree Europe Defense Fund (LSE: WDEF) could solve those problems by providing dedicated European defense exposure.

Let's see which one of these ETFs is best-suited for Europe's newfound embrace of national defense expenditures.

EUAD: A hidden success story

Experienced investors know that the ETF business is one where end users are often seduced by superficial metrics such as branding and size of an issuer's stable. On those bases, EUAD is an undisputed surprise success story. It's the only product in the sponsor's suite and about two weeks shy of its first birthday, EUAD is a $1.24 billion ETF.

EUAD's hefty assets under management tally is testament to being at the right place at the right time  an attribute not to be understated with new ETFs. Data supports that assertion. Twenty-three NATO members, many of which are European nations, are now spending 2% or more of GDP on defense with the aim of driving that percentage to 5% by 2025 (including defense-related expenditures).
The Army is creating a digital way for soldiers to sign into their new duty stations with a QR code.

Army Human Resources Command officials said at the Association of the U.S. Armys annual conference in Washington D.C. this week that they are implementing new digital tools to speed up and eventually replace the paperwork headache that soldiers go through to check into new bases.

HRC is trying to maximize what we call self-service, Col. Matthew Paul, project manager for the Armys Integrated Personal and Pay System said about how the command is giving soldiers access to a mobile phone app to do the paperwork that comes with arriving at a new station.

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The new mobile app would have soldiers check into their new installation by scanning a QR code which triggers instructions to get through unit in-processing.. Soldiers would then get an activity guide that covers the offices they have to engage with. But rather than visit each in search of a signature, those visits would all be online, said Col. Rebekah Lust, director for HRCs Functional Management Division.

In the past, soldiers would have to take time out of their busy training schedule, go to three or four or five different places, wait in line, take a number just to accomplish specific things. Now its all done through self service using IPSA, Paul said. They can see how things are moving along throughout that process. They can see their data. They can make changes. Thats unprecedented.

The goal is to roll the QR code out in the next six to eight months as a pilot then use feedback to work out bugs, he said.

We work in 90 day blocks. Thats our agile methodology. We deploy every two weeks. Our planning block is 90 days., Paul said. As opposed to getting a whole bunch of new capability overnight, we do it in bite sized chunks.

Talent management

HRC is also using AI to explore a soldiers talent profile, a two-page document that gives a synopsis of their Army career with soldier-selected skills and is available in IPPS-A. Maj. Gen. Hope Rampy, commanding general of HRC said leaders can look up a soldiers talent profile and see that theyre an infantry officer who speaks Spanish but also enjoys painting, for example.

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The Army is looking at ways to use different AI capabilities to scrape for those data elements to go: I need someone who can speak Russian, has this background and enjoys hiking, Rampy said.

Army human resources personnel want to use AI to scrape the data thats available on a soldiers profile to help make decisions about which jobs make sense based on their skillset faster. That process can currently take up to two weeks, Rampy said.

In the future, you can imagine using technology to scrape all the data we already have available in IPPS-A to identify talent for a mission, a job, or anything, Rampy said.

Digital DD214

The Army is also giving soldiers a way to access a mobile app version of their DD214, the military form that veterans use to show their service history.

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In the past, they would have to go to the transition point and they would give [soldiers] a draft copy of it, Lust said. Now, once they have approved retirement or separation, and the [Military Personnel Division] generates the 214, they can look at the draft. It gives that visibility, the transparency.

Using AI prompts may eventually be all a soldier needs to get HR-related paperwork done.

If Im a soldier and Im on a prompt right, how do I use a single prompt to get the information that I need?, Paul said. Next level would be, how to actually initiate HR transactions from a prompt like: Im Colonel Matthew Paul, and I need a lead form. And then it might ask me some questions, and then I might respond, and then at the end of that conversation, I may have an approved lead form  all through AI prompting.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Families of students at Kealing Middle School were notified after around 100 students were sent home early or were absent Thursday due to a reported stomach illness, according to a letter from Principal Timothy Estes.

This comes after a majority of those students participated in an orchestra concert that happened Wednesday night, the letter said.

While we cannot yet confirm the source of this illness, we want to inform our community immediately and advise caution, the letter said in part.

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The letter went on to say that the AISD Health Department is working closely with local officials to follow all necessary protocols regarding potential tracking and sanitation measures.

Furthermore, the middle school will get a deep cleaning with an emphasis in the areas where students performed and rehearsed, the letter said.

Families are urged to monitor their students, especially if they are experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms, like nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

Here are steps to follow if students start experiencing symptoms, as provided by the middle school:

Keep students home and do not send them to school. They also cannot participate in any school-related activities. Students should stay home until they have not experienced symptoms for at least 24 hours and are not using symptom-suppressing medication.

Contact a doctor for further guidance.

Notify the middle school. If the child receives a diagnosis with a contagious illness, then the school nurse or main office need to be notified.

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We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we prioritize the health and safety of our entire school community. We will be sure to follow-up if we gain further insight into the source of the illness, the letter said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
NAVARRO COUNTY, Texas (FOX 44)  An arrest has been made in connection with a homicide case in Navarro County.

Corsicana Police Chief Robert Johnson says officers were originally notified by Methodist Health System personnel on October 4 regarding a woman who was transferred to their Mansfield facility with extensive head injuries. The patient, identified as 35-year-old Sharette Hervey, of Corsicana, was transported to Methodist by ambulance after being taken to Ennis Regional Hospital by the suspect, identified as Lamieron Robinson. The two were in a relationship.

Medical staff at Ennis Regional reported that Robinson transported Hervey in a private vehicle. Staff also said Robinson told them Hervey had a fall, and then started vomiting and showed signs of confusion.

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Hervey sustained multiple severe injuries, including a fractured skull and a traumatic brain bleed.

Chief Johnson says detectives immediately opened an investigation into the incident. Juvenile witnesses were interviewed by the Navarro County Childrens Advocacy Center. Further investigation revealed that Robinson tampered with security cameras at their residence and deleted all footage from the date of the incident. Family members also said they witnessed damage to the hood of the vehicle which appeared on the date of the incident, which was repaired afterwards.

The Corsicana Independent School District Police Department was contacted to assist in reviewing security camera footage from nearby Carroll Elementary School. A review provided critical evidence showing that Hervey and Robinson were involved in a domestic dispute in the front yard of their residence. During the altercation, Robinson entered a vehicle and attempted to leave. Hervey climbed onto the hood of the vehicle in an attempt to prevent Robinson from leaving.

Chief Johnson says Robinson then drove forward and came to an abrupt stop, attempting to dislodge Hervey from the vehicle. When this attempt failed, Robinson accelerated rapidly out of the driveway, entering the westbound lane of East 13th Avenue. After traveling approximately 30 yards, Robinson applied hard brakes, causing Hervey to be thrown from the hood onto the roadway, where she struck her head and rolled several yards before stopping.

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The footage then showed Robinson spending several minutes attempting to lift the unconscious Hervey into the vehicle before returning to the residence. Robinson then waited approximately ten hours before transporting Hervey to Ennis Regional.

Chief Johnson says warrants were subsequently issued for Aggravated Assault and two counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence. Hervey passed away on Sunday, October 12, and a Corsicana Police detective obtained an upgraded warrant for Murder.

Robinson initially informed a member of Herveys family that he was travelling to Mississippi. However, investigators determined that Robinson remained in the Dallas area at an unknown location.

Chief Johnson says that throughout the course of this investigation, Robinson actively eluded law enforcement and prompted a multi-agency effort between the Corsicana Police Department, Dallas Fusion Center and the U.S. Marshals Service. Robinson obtained counsel who contacted contacted Corsicana PD and arranged his surrender on Friday, October 17.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
TUPELO  A Chickasaw County man has been arrested in connection with a Tuesday evening shooting in east Tupelo that sent one man to the hospital.

Police responded to the Tupelo Creek Trailer Park on Shelton Drive (just off Eason Boulevard) at 5:50 p.m. on Oct. 14 for a report of shots fired. Responding officers found an adult male with a gunshot wound to the arm. He was provided first aid by officers on the scene before being transported by ambulance to the North Mississippi Medical Center.

After talking with witnesses and looking at the evidence, detectives determined that two men had an altercation at a residence. That altercation escalated to the point of gunfire being exchanged. Multiple firearms and shell casings were recovered from the scene.

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Omarious Tyshaun Mitchell, 30, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. While police said he was from Tupelo, when he was booked into the Lee County Adult Jail at 6 p.m., he listed his address as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Extended in Houston.

During his initial appearance in Tupelo Municipal Court Wednesday, Judge Willie Allen ordered him held without bond.

The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges or arrests may be forthcoming.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact TPD at 662-841-6491 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Mississippi at 1-800-773-TIPS.
Oct. 17 (UPI) -- At least 11 protesters were arrested amid clashes with local police outside the Broadview, Ill., Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Friday morning.

Protesters arrived earlier than normal on Friday at the Chicago-area ICE facility and clashed with local law enforcement when the protesters blocked a local street and refused to go to a designated protest zone, WLS-TV reported.

"We are all Latino," a protester told WLS-TV. "We all got to be united. What they are doing is not fair."

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The protester said ICE should focus its efforts on criminals and "leave the good people that are working" so that they can continue to work and improve their lives.

A report by WGN-TV said "things appeared to get out of hand rather quickly" when the protesters arrived during the morning hours.

A protestor is detained by Illinois State Police near the Broadview, Ill., Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Friday morning. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI

President Donald Trump earlier sought to mobilize 300 Illinois National Guard troops to prevent such clashes, but a federal judge on Oct. 9 ruled against it, which a federal appellate court panel upheld on Thursday.

The Trump administration on Friday appealed the matter to the Supreme Court, according to The New York Times.

Protestors confront Illinois State Police outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Ill., resulting in at least 11 being arrested for blocking the street and refusing to stay within a designated protest area on Friday morning. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI

The Justice Department filed an emergency application seeking to have the ruling overturned.

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"This court should stay the district court's October 9 injunction in its entirety," Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in the emergency filing, as reported by The Hill.

Activists began gathering before 8 a.m. CDT outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Friday to protest federal law enforcement detaining undocumented immigrants in the greater Chicago area. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI

"The injunction improperly impinges on the president's authority and needlessly endangers federal personnel and property," Sauer argued.

The Supreme Court seldom gets involved in such cases and typically defers to the judgment of the sitting president when deciding what amounts to a national emergency, according to CNN.

Clashes between Illinois State Police and protestors began early outside the Broadview, Ill., Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility when protesters refused to vacate the street and stay within a designated protest area. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI

Friday's Chicagoland protest began near 8 a.m. CDT, which is an hour earlier than allowed by local regulations, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

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Those regulations allow protests from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and within a designated protest area.

The protest was the first since a protective fence around the ICE building was removed on Tuesday, as ordered by a federal judge.

Although the fencing is gone, the protesters are required to stay off the street and within an area lined by concrete barriers.

Those who did not clash with Illinois State Police officers, resulting in 11 being arrested for blocking the street and refusing to move to the designated protest area, local authorities told WLS-TV.

Protester Akeisha Lee was charged with disobeying a police officer or arresting and obstructing, and several others were being processed for violations during the morning hours, the Sun-Times reported.

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Among those being processed following her arrest was United Church of Rogers Park Pastor Hannah Kardon.

While the protesters are restricted in their activities, federal law enforcement also is restricted in how it can operate in northern Illinois.

U.S. District Court of Northern Illinois Judge Sara Ellis earlier restricted when and where federal law enforcement officers and agents can use tear gas and on Thursday expressed concern that her orders were not being followed.

Ellis also amended a restraining order on federal law enforcement to require those equipped with body cameras to wear them and keep them on during enforcement operations.
Can a case be brought to a state bar against Pam Bondi and/or Lindsey Halligan for unethical behavior or corruption? Can they be disciplined or disbarred for bringing politically motivated cases against Trumps enemies?  Thomas

Hi Thomas,

The answer to your question of can these things happen is yes. But for reasons Ill explain, I would temper expectations of bar discipline for those lawyers.

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There are state rules that bind attorneys where they are licensed. Violations can lead to a range of sanctions, including disbarment. And though the actions of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and other government lawyers these days might suggest they think otherwise, there isnt an ethics exception for someone working in the Trump administration.

That said, its important to keep legal and practical realities in mind as we examine the possibilities here.

When it comes to Bondi, a group of lawyers, law professors and former judges filed an ethics complaint against her to the Florida Bar in June, alleging that she personally and through her senior management, has sought to compel Department of Justice lawyers to violate their ethical obligations under the guise of zealous advocacy as announced in her memorandum to all Department employees, issued on her first day in office, threatening employees with discipline and possible termination for falling short.

But putting aside the merits of any legal ethics case against Bondi, an initial hurdle is that the Florida Bar maintains that it cant even investigate her, on the grounds that the body doesnt investigate or prosecute sitting officers appointed under the U.S. Constitution while they are in office.

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The rules are only as good as their enforcement, so bar discipline against Bondi appears to be a dead end, at least while she is in her current office. Floridas Supreme Court this week rejected a bid to force the bar to look into her. The bars reasoning would theoretically leave open the possibility of investigating her after she leaves the DOJ. It doesnt seem as if that disciplinary door will automatically swing open when she returns to civilian life, but I suppose that remains to be seen.

Lets now turn to Lindsey Halligan and her role as the latest criminal enforcer of the presidents political revenge. Despite her lack of prior prosecutorial experience  or was it because of it?  the administration installed the former Trump personal lawyer to lead the vaunted U.S. attorneys office for the Eastern District of Virginia. So far, she has secured indictments against two high-profile Trump critics whose prosecutions the president had demanded  James Comey and Letitia James. Halligan did so over the objection of career prosecutors, including the former head of the office, Erik Siebert, a Republican who was forced out after he resisted bringing those cases.

Like Bondi, Halligan is licensed in Florida, so we can look to that states rules to see if she might have violated any of them. Halligan shouldnt be considered a constitutional officer like Bondi, such that it would rationalize state authorities not investigating her if a complaint is filed. (By the way, Comey has signaled he will challenge whether Halligan was even lawfully appointed to lead the Virginia office.)

Looking specifically at the rules imposing special responsibilities on prosecutors in Florida, one of them says that prosecutors must refrain from prosecuting a charge that the prosecutor knows is not supported by probable cause. At first glance, that might seem to apply to Halligans conduct, seeing as she bucked the wisdom of experienced DOJ lawyers in bringing the Comey and James cases.

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But to prove that she knew the cases werent supported by probable cause appears to be an almost impossible standard to meet, barring some sort of yet-uncovered confession on her part. As opposed to the beyond a reasonable doubt standard that applies at trial, the probable cause standard in the grand jury is famously low.

Another Florida rule says prosecutors must make timely disclosure to the defense of all evidence or information known to the prosecutor that tends to negate the guilt of the accused or mitigates the offense. That reflects what are known as the prosecutors Brady obligations, named for a landmark Supreme Court case requiring disclosure of such evidence, violation of which can lead to dismissal of criminal charges.

Whether Halligan has violated or will violate that rule is not yet known, because the cases she has brought are in their infancy, and whether any Brady violations have occurred in the Comey and James cases might not be known until long after theyre completed. But as a general matter, it would seem to be a more practically provable rule than the probable cause rule.

Other ethics rules applying to lawyers more generally besides just prosecutors could come into play as well  like the requirement to be honest in court and in legal filings  which well bear in mind as the Comey and James cases unfold. There will be action in both cases next week, with the former FBI director slated to file his first round of motions to dismiss on Monday, and the New York attorney general due in court for her arraignment on Friday.

Please submit Ask Jordan questions through this form for a chance to have your question featured in a future edition of the Deadline: Legal Newsletter.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Nuts and Bolts is a recurring series by Stephen Wermiel providing insights into the mechanics of how the Supreme Court works.

Every term in recent years, the Supreme Court has agreed to decide roughly 60 cases by receiving briefs, hearing arguments, and answering the questions posed in petitions by the parties.

But every so often, the justices decide to pose their own questions, sometimes in addition to and sometimes in place of the questions posed by the petitioner  that is, the litigant who lost in the lower court and sought Supreme Court review. At other times, the justices select which questions they will answer from among those posed by the petitioner.

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There is a good deal of mystery about this process. The justices do not appear to have discussed it publicly, and there is no published rule governing how the process works.

Even veteran Supreme Court practitioners differ in their views on whether it takes four or five votes to add or alter the questions to be answered. The courts longstanding rules establish that it only takes four votes for the justices to grant a hearing on a petition for certiorari, which is the usual vehicle for seeking Supreme Court review of an appeal. But it is generally understood that it takes five votes to order a case to be argued a second time or to grant an emergency stay of a lower court order. So is the action to frame or reframe the questions to be answered similar to granting certiorari, thus requiring only four votes? Or does it take five votes because it is a different process than the initial agreement to hear a case or because it modifies that initial decision?

These questions lead to even more questions: Who writes the new questions the court wants answered? And does the chief justice assign someone to draft the new queries?

This is a timely issue. One of the most important cases of the new court term, Louisiana v. Callais, which was argued on Wednesday, Oct. 18, may determine the extent to which the Constitution allows the use of race in drawing congressional district lines. In Callais, the court originally heard arguments last March in a challenge to a federal court order creating a second majority-Black district in Louisiana. But then on the last day of the term in June, the justices announced that the case would be reargued.

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About a month later, the court ordered the litigants to file additional briefs arguing a new question: Whether the States intentional creation of a second majority-minority congressional district violates the Fourteenth or Fifteenth Amendments to the U. S. Constitution. If the newly posed question is an indication (and as the arguments may have suggested), the justices may now be poised to end any consideration of race in redistricting.

Even more recently, the court issued a stay that allowed President Donald Trumps interim removal from office of Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca Slaughter. At the same time, the court treated the emergency request as a petition for certiorari, agreed to hear the case, and instructed the parties to answer these questions: (1) Whether the statutory removal protections for members of the Federal Trade Commission violate the separation of powers and, if so, whether Humphreys Executor v. United States, 295 U. S. 602 (1935), should be overruled. (2) Whether a federal court may prevent a persons removal from public office, either through relief at equity or at law.

In framing these questions, the justices seem to signal their willingness to overrule Humphreys Executor v. United States, the 1935 ruling that independent agency commissioners could not be fired at the will of the president, but only for cause such as malfeasance or other misconduct. This would potentially eliminate the independence of the heads of agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and more.

All that said, the courts use of its discretion to formulate questions is not anything new. In the landmark Brown v. Board of Education, the court in 1953 ordered reargument and asked the litigants to discuss the original intent of the 14th Amendment and whether it gave the court the power to desegregate public schools. The courts answer was a resounding yes. Then in 1954, having found segregated public schools unconstitutional, the court ordered reargument again and asked the litigants to consider what remedies the court could order.

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In another landmark case, 2010s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the court heard oral argument and then, as in Callais, ordered reargument. The justices ordered the litigants to address whether some or all of two earlier precedents should be overruled, thus potentially reshaping campaign finance laws and allowing extensive election spending by corporations and labor unions. As with most of these examples, when the court issued its decision, the answer was yes by a 5-4 vote.

The finding of a constitutional right to same-sex marriage in 2015 in Obergefell v. Hodges involved the court rewriting the questions and limiting their scope. The petition asked the court to consider not only the constitutional status of same-sex marriage but also whether the Constitution prohibited one state from refusing to recognize the valid adoption of a child into a same-sex marriage in another state. The court left the adoption issue on the table but answered its own revised, streamlined question about constitutional protection for same-sex marriage in the affirmative.

One more example: When the court overruled the constitutional right to abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, the attorney general of Mississippi asked the justices to decide three questions, including: whether all restrictions on abortions before viability are unconstitutional; what constitutional standard should apply to anti-abortion laws that the state says protect the interests of women, fetuses, and doctors; and whether abortion providers should be allowed to challenge laws restricting abortions that the state says are designed to protect womens health. The court, however, apparently concluded that only the first question was necessary to achieve the goal of ruling that the Constitution does not protect the right to abortion.

The practice by the Supreme Court is not without controversy in academic circles. A handful of commentators have argued in recent years that an appellate court should be reviewing full cases rather than picking and choosing issues to decide. The criticism suggests that in this process, the justices are acting less like a reviewing court and more like a political body setting an agenda.

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Criticism notwithstanding, the process of the justices deciding specific questions to decide will likely continue unabated  and a mystery as to how it works.

For more Supreme Court news and analysis, visit SCOTUSblog.

Read more at SCOTUSblog 
Just two days into his new job running the state Department of Transportation, Phil Eng left no uncertainty on an issue that landed his predecessor in hot water.

Former Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt earned a swift reprimand from Gov. Maura Healey last year when, in a candid conversation with an advocacy group, she suggested a new toll on drivers entering Massachusetts from neighboring states as a way to raise transportation funding.

The Secretarys comments do not represent the views of this administration, and to be clear, I am not proposing tolls at any border, Healey, a first-term Democrat, said soon after. Then New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, also denounced the idea.

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On Thursday, Healey announced that Tibbits-Nutt would be leaving her post. She tapped Eng, the MBTA general manager, to take over MassDOT for now while he also continues in his prior role.

On Friday, during his monthly interview on GBHs Boston Public Radio, Eng was asked whether he would consider installing toll booths on the New Hampshire border.

Tolls are not my priority right now, he said. My priority is to actually start to deliver for the public. Theres a lot of things that the public has been waiting for, both on the MassDOT side and on the MBTA side. We have tremendous support with transportation funding, including $8 billion that the governor and the legislature provided to us. Theres enough for me to keep doing right now that Im not even really focused on tolls.

Eng also fielded a question from GBH co-host Jim Braude on whether New York City, where Eng was formerly a top transportation official, had seen success with congestion pricing, a system in which drivers are charged to enter an especially congested section of Manhattan.

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Im hearing positive results as far as traffic has eased in Manhattan. Hearing that the walkability, the ability to have businesses have better access because the streets are not clogged, Eng said. I dont know all the details of how its actually functioning right now. But what well say is that you need a mass transportation system to support it. You cannot just expect people to not use their cars if you dont have a sound mass transportation system.

Braude wondered: Would it be worth piloting a similar system in Boston as a way to solve its own congestion headaches?

I think thats a topic for a longer discussion, Eng said.

He applauded the money legislators earlier this year awarded the T and other transportation agencies in a new funding package.

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The investments that are being made in the T give us several years to be able to build on the successes weve had, Eng said.

Let us continue to do that, he said, before turning to an open dialogue with the public on a potential congestion pricing program.

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A man was taken into custody early Friday morning after an hours-long barricade situation at a homeless housing facility in Santa Monica, according to police and video from the scene.

The Santa Monica Police Department said officers responded to the 1400 block of Michigan Avenue around 9 p.m. Thursday for a reported assault. Police advised the public to avoid the area, describing it as an active situation that impacted traffic.

Shortly after midnight, around 12:05 a.m. Friday, police announced that the suspect had been taken into custody and that the incident had concluded. Officers remained on scene for several hours as the investigation continued.

Authorities are seen outside a housing facility in Santa Monica where a man suspected of assault barricaded himself. October 2025. (RMG)

Footage obtained by KTLA shows officers and firefighters responding to a building at 1413 Michigan Avenue. According to stringer service RMG News, emergency crews were initially called after an elderly woman was allegedly assaulted inside what they described as a homeless housing facility.

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When officers located the alleged suspect, who was said to be living on the fourth floor, he refused to come out and barricaded himself inside, RMG reported. The outlet said police evacuated the building before deploying tear gas.

California father pleads guilty to killing 7-month-old son, Emmanuel Haro

The man eventually surrendered, according to RMG, and he was taken to a hospital as a precaution before being booked into the Santa Monica Jail on suspicion of assault. It remains unclear whether the suspect was armed or what led up to the initial confrontation.

Police later thanked the community for its patience as officers worked to safely resolve the situation. The suspects identity was not initially released.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
DOHA, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- A China Southern Airlines inaugural flight from Beijing landed smoothly at Hamad International Airport in Doha on Thursday, marking the launch of a direct Beijing-Doha route by the Chinese carrier.

"The launch of Beijing-Doha route injects new vitality into our mutually-beneficial cooperation. It will further help promote trade, cultural exchange, and travel between our two countries," Chinese Ambassador to Qatar Cao Xiaolin said at the celebration ceremony.

According to the ambassador, rapid progress has been made in China-Qatar cooperation in the field of aviation over past years, with a steady rise in both the number and frequency of direct flights between the two countries.

Wang Yanchao, general manager of China Southern Airlines' Doha office, said the opening of the direct route would not only offer travelers more convenient choices, but also further promote China-Qatar friendship and cooperation as well as economic and cultural exchanges.

"Today marks a new step in strengthening ties between Qatar and China ... This direct route brings us closer and increases access between our nations," said Hamad Al Khater, chief operating officer of Hamad International Airport.
With a market cap of $72.3 billion, Marriott International, Inc. (MAR) is a global leader in operating, franchising, and licensing hotels, residences, timeshares, and other lodging properties. The company manages a diverse portfolio of brands across various price and service levels, including JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton, W Hotels, and Courtyard by Marriott, among others.

The Bethesda, Maryland-based company is expected to announce its fiscal Q3 2025 results before the market opens on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Ahead of this event, analysts expect Marriott to report an adjusted EPS of $2.38, up 5.3% from $2.26 in the year-ago quarter. The company has surpassed Wall Street's earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing on another occasion.

More News from Barchart

For fiscal 2025, analysts expect the hotel company to report an adjusted EPS of $10.01, a 7.3% rise from $9.33 in fiscal 2024. Moreover, adjusted EPS is anticipated to grow nearly 14% year-over-year to $11.41 in fiscal 2026.

www.barchart.com

Shares of MAR have risen marginally over the past 52 weeks, lagging behind both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 14.6% increase and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund's (XLY) 18.2% return over the period.

www.barchart.com

Shares of Marriott International rose marginally on Aug. 5 after the company reported Q2 2025 adjusted EPS of $2.65, slightly above Wall Street estimates. Revenue of $6.7 billion also topped forecasts, with strength in its upscale and luxury segment - room revenue in U.S. and Canada luxury properties grew 4.1%, offsetting a 1.5% decline in select-service brands.

Analysts' consensus view on MAR stock is cautiously optimistic, with an overall "Moderate Buy" rating. Among 25 analysts covering the stock, seven recommend "Strong Buy," two suggest "Moderate Buy," 15 indicate Hold, and one has a "Strong Sell." The average analyst price target for Marriott International is $286.88, indicating a potential upside of 8.8% from the current levels.

On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal 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
For decades, astronomers have been awed by Saturns ring beauty. But a tiny, icy wanderer drifting between Saturn and Uranus has now stolen a little of that spotlight.

A new paper released in The Astrophysical Journal Letters reports that Chiron, a 200-kilometer-wide centaur object, has its own system of complex rings and a huge equatorial disk of dust and ice. The finding offers the best view to date of this distant mysterious world and sheds light on how ring systems are created and evolve even around small objects.

Taking the Shadow of a Distant World

The discovery was the result of a rare celestial event known as a stellar occultation, when Chiron crossed in front of a far-off star for a fleeting moment on September 10, 2023. Telescopes throughout South Americafrom Brazil to Argentinarecorded tiny dips in starlight as the light from the star wavered behind Chirons rings and material that surrounded it.

Orbital diagram of Chiron. (CREDIT: Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 4.0)

By coordinating these changes with pinpoint accuracy, scientists led by Chrystian Luciano Pereira of Brazils National Observatory were able to map the rings architecture and composition in breathtaking detail. Both telescopes took data at extremely rapid rates, some exposing every tenth of a second. Processing the light curves with advanced software like SORA and PRAIA, the researchers detected several separate dips matching Chirons rings and a very diffuse, extended disk.

Mapping Chirons Disk and Rings

In order to interpret the data, the scientists compared various models to account for how starlight was being dimmed. The findings indicated an equatorial disk with a minimum of three tightly packed ringsChi1R, Chi2R, and Chi3Rand potentially a fourth, more outer ring at 1,400 kilometers from the center of Chiron. The rings revolve around approximately 170 to 438 miles from the bodys center and are composed primarily of water ice with minor rocky material, similar to Saturns rings.

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As an aside, the rings lie in regions of gravitational resonance, where particles orbit in sympathy with Chirons rotation. The inner ring, for instance, is about 150 kilometers from the center of Chironthe same distance material would travel in response to its 5.9-hour period of rotation. That alignment can maintain the rings stability and prevent them from dispersing outward into space.

Watching a Ring System Form

Comparing 2011, 2018, 2022, and the most recent observations in 2023, researchers found signs that the rings of Chiron are evolving in real time. This provides us with a special insight into how these structures are formed and developed, said Pereira. The observations show that the system is dynamic and still in the process of formation.

Left: sky-plane projection of the shell model. The central gray circle (98 km radius) marks Chirons projected size; black ellipses indicate the confined rings; and red circles denote the Roche limits. Right: sky-plane view of the equatorial disk model. The gray circle (98 km radius) marks Chiron. Black ellipses show the three narrow rings; dashed blue ellipses mark the 1/2 and 1/3 SORs; and red ellipses indicate Roche limits. (CREDIT: Astrophysical Journal Letters)

Its composition could come from a variety of sourcesperhaps from debris left by a collision that destroyed a small moon, or from ejecta from Chirons own comet-like activity. Chiron also vents gas and dust periodically and in 1993 even sported a small tail characteristic of a comet.

A Global Collaboration

The find is the first time astronomers have seen a ring system actively changing and developing around an object as small as this one. It is an evolving system that will tell us more about the dynamical process of forming rings and satellites around small bodies, said co-author Braga Ribas of the Federal University of Technology-Parana.

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The occultation campaign tapped the resources of a mix of professional observatories and amateur observers, who worked together throughout South America. Observation posts in Minas Gerais, Sarandi, and La Rioja offered crucial timing data.

Telescopes ranged from small backyard varieties to professional-size instruments, but all contributed to gathering a few seconds of starlight that unlocked a new universe. Weather complaints and the occasional technical glitch were overcome to produce an unabridged, high-precision snapshot of Chirons surroundings.

Occultation profile from the PE160 observation on 2023 September 10 event of the normal optical depth as a function of radial distance in the ring plane shows the extent of the broad ring and the arrangement of the dense rings. (CREDIT: Astrophysical Journal Letters)

Redefining What We Know About Rings

Until recently, ring systems were thought to belong only to the solar systems giant planetsJupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. But since 2014, astronomers have discovered rings around several much smaller bodies: Chariklo, Haumea, and Quaoar.

Chiron is now in their ranks, showing that rings can be found anywhere the right physical conditions exist. This diversity reminds us that ring formation is not a unique feature of giant planets. Its a cosmic process, Pereira said.

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The find contradicts what is known about mass and gravity required to sustain such a system. Even 1 percent of Saturns mass can harbor a stable system of orbiting ice and dust through the subtle balance of rotation, gravitational resonance, and tidal forces.

Chirons rings reside near its Roche limitthe line beyond which tidal forces prevent material from collapsing into moons. Inside this boundary, material forms rings instead. That delicate ballet of forces mimics the processes that are believed to create young planetary disks around stars. Chiron is a small-scale model of those first cosmic environments, and by studying it, researchers can develop a better understanding of how planets and moons originate from rotating material.

Sky-plane projection of Chiron and its confined rings. The projected ellipsoid and the occulting chords for each event are plotted in turquoise, with their 1 uncertainties represented by the red segments at the chord extremities. (CREDIT: Astrophysical Journal Letters)

Practical Implications of the Research

These findings reach well outside of Chiron. They demonstrate that small icy bodies can host and sustain complex ring systems, providing a laboratory in which to study disk dynamics in the universe. These observations refine our models of the way gravity and resonance shape planetary systems, from the primitive solar nebula to disks around other distant stars.

The success of this study also reflects international cooperation and perfect timing. With better predictive models and quick instruments, future occultations can find ring systems around other Centaurs or trans-Neptunian objects.

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For human beings, the discovery makes us understand better cosmic orderhow the tiny worlds follow the same physical harmonics as do galaxies.

Research findings are available online in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

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SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  Angelo State University (ASU) announced they are pledging to pay the tuition and fees for any of its active-duty military students in the event that their military Tuition Assistance funding gets canceled due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.

ASUs military students whose Tuition Assistance (TA) may be affected by the government shutdown are primarily those enrolled in online degree programs that deliver their courses in 8-week terms reported ASU through a press release.

With the Fall B term set to begin on Oct. 20, ASUs active-duty military students will now be able to retain their class schedules for the term with limited to no financial burden, regardless of the status of their TA funding, stated ASU.

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ASU said that any active-duty military students who may have already dropped their Fall B classes in anticipation of losing their TA funding will be able to re-register and continue their education uninterrupted.

These students, who have chosen to serve our nation while pursuing their education, suddenly found themselves uncertain about how to continue their studies, said Jamie Mayer, vice president for external affairs. True to our Ram Fam mentality, we are stepping in to ensure they do not have to put their education on hold due to circumstances that are completely beyond their control. We value all of our students at Angelo State, and we are dedicated to helping them stay on track toward earning their degrees.

ASU reported that they currently have 220 active-duty military students enrolled in various academic programs. Through the TA program, active-duty military personnel in all service branches are eligible for up to $4,500 in federal funding each year to pay their college or university tuition and fees.

If all 220 have their TA funding affected by the government shutdown, the total cost of their tuition and fees to be covered by ASU could reach as high as $85,000, which will be funded by the ASU Presidents Circle, Angelo State Fund and gifts from private donors, said ASU.

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ATMORE, Ala. (WKRG)  Two people have been arrested following an investigation into the promotion of prison contraband at Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections.

Man accused of dragging victim 2 miles to his death enters plea

Thursday, ADOC K-9 and narcotics agents arrested Jeffery Brooks and Marilyn Sharp at their home in Atmore and took them to the Escambia County Jail.

Jeffery Brooks and Marilyn Sharp were arrested on Thursday in connection with a prison contraband promotion investigation. (Courtesy of Escambia County Sheriffs Office)

Brooks was charged with trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking fentanyl, possession of a controlled substance-synthetic, first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana, prohibited activity and first-degree promoting prison contraband.

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Sharp was charged with trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking fentanyl, possession of a controlled substance-synthetic, first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana and prohibited activity.

The home the two lived in was searched, and officers allegedly seized 144 grams of methamphetamine, 25 grams of a synthetic controlled substance, 10 grams of fentanyl, and 158 grams of marijuana.

Convicted Daphne pain doctor faces new perjury charges

The investigation is continuing, and more charges could be added, News 5 has learned.

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The states top prosecutor believes Pennsylvanias criminal justice system should include stringent prosecution for drug traffickers, but also the opportunity for redemption for those struggling with addiction or mental health issues.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday recently announced the expansion of the states Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative, or LETI, to include diversionary programs for those with substance use disorders and now for those with mental health needs.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday sits for an interview with The Times-Tribune on Thursday in downtown Scranton. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday sits for an interview with The Times-Tribune on Thursday in downtown Scranton. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO)

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Sunday talked about the program and other issues with a reporter at The Times-Tribune office in downtown Scranton on Thursday,

The program connects low-level offenders to treatment and support services, offering an alternative to the traditional criminal justice system model.

Sunday emphasized the program is not a free pass for those committing criminal offenses, rather a cost-effective means of providing the best outcomes for families, communities and society.

Its an initiative through the attorney generals office where we go into counties and we help counties create programs that put police in a position where they can help people who are in the throes of substance abuse and now mental health to get them into treatment, he said. It decreases crime and gives them help they need.

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Sunday pointed out a habitual offender will often be caught in a cycle in which they go back to prison for increasingly serious offenses.

The LETI program is also cost effective, he said.

Based on the data, when you can get someone treatment and you keep them from committing more crimes, it saves taxpayers millions of dollars, he said.

An example, he said, is inmates that are in and out of county jails for short periods, driving up the cost of incarcerating them.

So right off the bat, if we can decrease the amount of people that are coming and going in county jails, it saves taxpayers tons of money, he said. In most counties, one of the highest budget items is the cost of county jails.

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Equally important, he said, is the program provides opportunities for low-level offenders to remain with families and continue to be employed.

The program works, he said, because it allows county officials to tailor programs so theyre appropriate for their own communities.

When I was a district attorney, it drove me crazy when people from different places, the state or federal government would come in and tell us, Heres what you need to do to solve your problem,  he said. The way that it works most effectively is when we come in and collaborate with local police, DA and service providers and ask how the initiative could be tailored to meet their specific needs.

The best outcomes are met when his office respects and adheres to the needs of the local environment. His commitment, he said, is to fully prosecuting drug traffickers and other high-level drug offenders, arresting them and putting them in prison.

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But, when it comes to those charged with low-level crimes, struggling with addiction or mental health, he believes society would do well to offer them a second chance.

My motto is accountability and redemption, he said.

Federal intervention

President Donald Trump has been sending the National Guard into several cities across the country. When asked if he would support federal goverment dispatching troops to Pennsylvania cities, Sunday declined comment on a situation that doesnt currently exist.

I came into this position from a courtroom, the military and as a career prosecutor, he said. Because of that, my career has always revolved around applying facts to law. But Sunday points out that, when it comes to the federal government sending the National Guard to Pennsylvania, there are currently no facts.

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What I would do as attorney general, if something would occur, I would conduct a legal analysis based on specific facts and circumstances at the moment in time, because those facts are always different, he said.

I dont want to hypothesize on things we havent seen, he said.

Lawsuits have been filed by other state attorneys general, over issues including immigration, federal funding and environmental policy. Sunday declined to comment, emphasizing his focus is on Pennsylvania.

He looked back to his youth when he was complaining about the unkempt state of his brothers room and his grandmother encouraged him to worry about his own room.

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I view all of these issues through the state of Pennsylvania, and what I mean by that is I know that the way that I can be the best AG is to focus on keeping our community safe, he said.

He collaborates regularly with agencies across the board, including local, state and federal agencies.

Everyone is really doing the best they can to row in the same direction, he said.

Human trafficking education, prosecution

Sunday and his team were making a trip through Northeast Pennsylvania on Thursday to get a sense of the needs of residents here. Sunday said he looked forward to participating in a human trafficking seminar in Tunkhannock on Thursday night as an opportunity to educate residents on the effects of human trafficking and his offices response.

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We are prosecuting sex trafficking. Were prosecuting labor trafficking. Its a huge issue in Pennsylvania, he said. Its a human issue, its a bipartisan issue and I think that its something that we can all come together to try to prevent.

And, when it does happen, offenders will be arrested and prosecuted, he said.

Years ago, children were somewhat safe inside their homes, with doors locked, he said. Now, any child on the internet is a potential target of child predators.

Educating parents is the first step in keeping children safe, he said.

Awareness is the key to victory, he said.
A 63-year-old man was killed in a single-vehicle ATV crash on Mellotts Road, west of Fenton, Ill., according to a news release from the Whiteside County Sheriffs Office.

Whiteside County Sheriffs Office (whiteside.org)

A preliminary investigation indicates that Larry D. Hill was driving a Polaris Sportsman ATV west on Mellotts Road when it hit a deer. Hill lot control of the ATV and crashed into a a tree. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The Morrison Fire Department, Morrison EM, the Whiteside County Coroners Office and Hunters Towing assisted the Whiteside County Sheriffs Office at the scene.

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The incident remains under investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
Editors Note: A previous version of this story stated that additional testing of groundwater would occur in Lee County. We apologize for the error.



BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN)  John Kirkland has found himself in the middle of a battle over his citys water supply. As Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Bastrop, Kirkland said he was doing everything he could within his power to prevent Austin Water, the utility provider for the City of Austin, from storing water beneath the county.

Shay Ralls Roaslon, director of Austin Water, speaks before Bastrop City Council on October 14, 2025. (Credit: City of Bastrop)

In my opinion, [the proposal] breaches the gray line of being immoral, and I continue to be strenuously opposed to it, Kirkland said Tuesday, October 14, during a city council meeting.

The plan is called Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR), and it involves taking treated surface water from the City of Austin, transporting it to Bastrop County, and pumping that water into the aquifer below. By keeping water stored in the aquifer, it will be protected from evaporation.

John Kirkland, Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Bastrop. (Credit: City of Bastrop)

Every person that is affected by this project will have our full care and attention, said Shay Ralls Roalson, director of Austin Water, at that same October 14 meeting.

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Theres really nothing for Bastrop except for risk in this project, Kirkland told KXAN. Hes concerned that theyll put their own water at risk in exchange for no benefit. That risk involves depleting the wells of the people closest to us whenever they want that water out. It comes with the possibility of severe contamination, including poisoning.

Toxic metal reported in Central Texas drinking water, activists push for national regulation

Because treated surface water would be pumped into the aquifer, there is a chance that chemical reactions could occur between the pumped water and minerals found within the aquifer.

It has been done by several other communities right here in Texas. Communities like El Paso, Kerrville and San Antonio all have ASR projects that theyve used now for decades, said Marisa Florez-Gonzalez, supervisor of the water resources team at Austin Water.

Why store Austins water in Bastrop?

Florez-Gonzalez said the project has been in the works for several years. Austin Water surveyed several neighboring counties, including Bastrop and Lee counties. Those two counties, along with Travis County, were found to be best suited for the project.

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The aquifer beneath Bastrop, the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer, is composed primarily of sand. Because of this, when water is pumped into it, that water will remain relatively close to where it was pumped.

Differences between the two aquifers reveal why Austin Water would prefer storing water in Bastrop County. (Credit: Austin Water)

The aquifer beneath Travis County, the Edwards Aquifer, is primarily limestone caves. Because of this, any water pumped into the Edwards would flow freely through the cave.

The characteristics of the aquifer are very important in terms of our ability to effectively store and then retrieve large quantities of water, Ralls Roalson told KXAN.

How would the ASR project work?

As water is pumped in, it forms into a big bubble. The thin outer layer of that bubble is where the local water mixes with the treated water, but the bubble itself would only be treated water.

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Ralls Roaslon said that Austin Water has worked with several other water suppliers during this evaluation period. She did not say if the counties were aware that this evaluation was taking place.

This graphic, created by Austin Water, explains how the ASR project works. (Credit: Austin Water)

Before the project begins, Austin Water will drill several test wells and take samples of the groundwater. They will examine, in a laboratory, what will happen when the groundwater and minerals mix with the treated water.

Kirkland said that he thinks this is above board, but provides only a static picture of the water quality.

Barton Springs aquifer declares historic exceptional drought as state prepares to vote on water future

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During this period, Austin Water plans to also do studies on the aquifers in Travis County.

Following this laboratory period, Austin Water will undergo a pilot program in Bastrop County to test the ASR project on a small scale. If that is successful, then they will expand the project.

Building a pipeline to pump the water into Bastrop County would require a lot of land. The City of Austin plans to reach out to landowners to determine if any will give them their property. Austin Water is also exploring the need for easements and leasing land for temporary structures.

The City of Austin has vowed not to use eminent domain for this project. Kirkland said that City of Bastrop counsel informed him that the agreement is not legally binding for future Austin city councils.

Bastrop pushes back against Austin Water

Before Austin Water proceeds, they sought a final collaboration agreement with the City of Bastrop during the City Council meeting on October 14.

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One of the elements in that collaboration agreement said that we would not take any action to prevent the project from moving forward. Which is the exact opposite of what Im currently doing, Kirkland said.

20250804-Draft-ASR-Collaboration-Agreement-with-AttachmentsDownload

As Mayor Pro Tem, Kirkland has overseen discussions about the project with Austin Water. The mayor of Bastrop, Ishmael Harris, is a long-time employee of Austin Water. The citys rules of ethics require him to excuse himself from the matter. Kirkland said that the mayor has followed the rules to the letter.

The city declined the collaboration agreement. However, it may not matter.

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The sole permitting authority for this project is the [Texas Commission on Environmental Quality]. And so if the TCEQ approves this project, then the city of Bastrops opinion of this project is irrelevant, Kirkland said. It does make you feel a little bit powerless.

We understand that everyone comes to this discussion wanting whats in the best interests of their constituents and of the region. And we share the concern for making sure that these water resources are well protected for future generations, Ralls Roalson said.

In response to this report, Austin Water provided the following statement:

Austin Water is dedicated to working with the Bastrop community in a partnership approach to protect Bastrop Countys resources and way of life as we explore this project. Right now, Austin Waters request is simply to move forward with a three-year field-testing phase to study water compatibility in the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer. This research and lab-based testing will help determine if an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project is both safe and suitable for Bastrop County.

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The following boards have approved the Collaboration Agreement: Aqua Water Supply Corporation, Simsboro Aquifer Water Defense Fund, and Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)  The Australian government has begun a public education campaign with tips on how to wean children off social media ahead of a world-first national 16-year age limit taking effect in December.

Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Friday that information on her agency's website, esafety.gov.au, explained the new laws and how to navigate them.

Starting Dec. 10, platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube could be fined up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) if they dont take reasonable steps to prevent Australians younger than 16 from holding accounts.

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Messages raising awareness will also be shared starting Sunday across digital channels, television, radio and billboards.

We want children to have childhoods. We want parents to have peace of mind and we want young people  young Australians  to have three more years to learn who they are before platforms assume who they are, Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters, referring to the current de facto 13-year age limit for social media accounts based on U.S. privacy legislation.

The Australian age restrictions have already proved polarizing, with some experts warning the changes will harm as well as protect children. More than 140 Australian and international academics signed an open letter to the government last year opposing a social media age limit as too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively.

Despite that warning, the laws passed with resounding support last year. The platforms had a year to figure out how to comply without foolproof technology available to verify ages.

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Inman Grant said the social media age restriction would be a very monumental event for a lot of young people.

Her agency offered checklists and conversation starters about ways to make the transition, such as following an online influencer through a website rather than a social media account, she said.

How do we start weaning them from social media now so it isnt a shock on Dec. 10? How do we help them download their archives and their memories and how do we make sure that theyre in touch with friends and are aware of mental health support if theyre feeling down when theyre not tethered to their phones over the holiday period? she added.

Australias move is being watched closely by countries that share concerns about social media impacts on young children.

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Denmarks Ambassador to Australia Ingrid Dahl-Madsen said her government would use its current presidency of the Council of the European Union to push the agenda of protecting children from social media harms.

This is something that is a global challenge and we are all looking at how we can manage it best and we are looking to Australia and we will be looking at what Australia does, Dahl-Madsen told Australian Broadcasting Corp. in Melbourne on Monday.

Its so important that Australia and Demark and the EU  we share lessons, we compare experiences and we can push forward hopefully practical progress on this, she added. It was about "protecting our children in this digital world that is increasingly complicated."

The Danish government last week proposed legislating an age limit of 15. But Dahl-Madsen said Denmark would consider letting parents exempt their children who were 13-14. Australia has no similar exemption.
FAIRHOPE, Ala. (WKRG)  The Fairhope Public Librarys state funding remains paused over challenged titles like SOLD, by Patricia McCormick.

Man accused of dragging victim 2 miles to his death enters plea

McCormick came to speak in celebration of the librarys 125th anniversary on Thursday, Oct. 16.

The author tells News 5 its sparking a nationwide debate over censorship and what kids should and should not be allowed to read.

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The book is an account of child trafficking. And I went to India and Nepal, and I interviewed girls whod been trafficked. I interviewed a trafficker in prison in Kathmandu, and I drew on my own experiences as a survivor of sexual harm, McCormick explained.

In March, the Alabama Public Library Service paused the librarys funding after what they say is explicit content was found in the teen section.

There are some troubling passages in there. Its a very upsetting phenomenon, the idea of children being sold. And you cant sugarcoat that. But I do work very hard to make sure that the language that I use is not offensive, McCormick explained.

The Fairhope Library Board was asked to review over a dozen titles challenged by community members, including SOLD. The board eventually decided to keep the work in the young adult section.

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Laurel Hill father, son arrested in connection to child porn investigation

Director of the APLS, John Wahl, tells us a vote on the librarys funding is set for Nov. 20.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Investigators with the Oklahoma City Police Department are asking for public assistance regarding a robbery investigation that occurred earlier in the month.

According to police officials, employees at a business near Rockwell and Hefner were held up while three suspects raided the pharmacy.

FBI arrests Norman liquor store owner for alleged sex crimes

Authorities seek to identify suspect in robbery investigation, Image Oklahoma City Police Departments Facebook page

Authorities seek to identify suspect in robbery investigation, Image Oklahoma City Police Departments Facebook page

Police are asking anyone who has information about the incident or the identities of the suspects (shown above) to contact 405-235-7300.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
In just one week in February 1968 America would suffer the highest casualties of the Vietnam War  from North Vietnams Tet Offensive, the battles of Hue and Quang Tri and the siege of Khe Sanh, the news out of southeast Asia was very bad to dismal.

But it wasnt even the full picture.

For decades, the battle of Lima Site 85  a top-secret American tactical air navigation radar site atop at 5,800-foot-high mountaintop 15 miles from the North Vietnamese border  would remain secret, unreported.

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While officially neutral, Laos helped to pit communist Pathet Lao rebels backed by North Vietnam against the U.S.-supported royal Laotian government, which received assistance from CIA paramilitary advisers, Thai mercenaries and fighters from the Hmong mountain tribes.

The U.S. ambassador to Laos, William H. Sullivan, was reluctant to further violate supposed Laotian neutrality and forbade American troops to defend the Lima 85 radar site despite an enemy response that was sure to come, writes historian Don Holloway. On his initial survey of the site in July 1966, 7th Air Force mission coordinator Lt. Col. Robert C. Seitzberg gave its crew six months if they were lucky.

And come they did.

On the night of March 10-11, 1968, under cover of a massive artillery and infantry assault on the mountain, a team of North Vietnamese sappers scaled the cliffs, overran the radar site and, according to Air and Space Forces Magazine, killed more than half of the Americans they found there.

Reconnaissance of Lima Site 85, six days after it was overrun. (Air Force)

We had intended and planned for a long time to liberate the Pha Thi area, wrote Maj. Do Chi Ben of the North Vietnamese Army in a 1996 Vietnamese-published book about the raid. In 1966, in addition to sending a reconnaissance element to prepare the Pha Thi battlefield, [Northwest Military Region headquarters] gave particular attention to developing and training a sapper [commando] team that would practice deep penetration and methods of attacking targets atop karst [limestone] mountains.

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On Aug. 11, 2025, 57 years after the battle, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has announced the recovery of Air Force Master Sgt. James Henry Calfee, then 26, of Boling, Texas.

The DPAA announcement states that more details on the Calfee identification will be released once his family is fully briefed, but the release appears to be delayed by the government shutdown.

In June, DPAA announced that the remains of three others who fell in the battle on the mountain had been identified: Tech. Sgt. Donald Kennebunk Springsteadah; Staff Sgt. Henry Gerald Gish; and Tech. Sgt. Willis Rozelle Hall.

After accounts of what happened in defense of the mountaintop TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation) site were finally declassified in 1988, Calfees valor atop the sheer cliff of the Phou Pha Thi mountain was finally recognized.

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Calfee was posthumously awarded the Silver Star in 2012 for his actions in the firefight that resulted in the deaths of 12 Airmen  the single worst ground combat loss for the Air Force in the Vietnam War.

Calfee was wounded in the initial attack on the site but continued to fire on the enemy, his citation reads. Wounded and continuing to use his personal weapon, he drew many of the enemy forces away from another team located on the side of the mountain. His individual act of bravery, at the sacrifice of his life, ultimately enabled five of his comrades to reach the rescue helicopter at daybreak.

By drawing away the enemy, Calfee enabled Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Richard Loy Etchberger, then 25, of Hamburg, Pennsylvania, to get several of the wounded on the mountain ledge onto a helicopter hoist. Etchberger was the last to be lifted out but he was struck by a rifle round just after being pulled aboard the helicopter and died before the helo could reach medical help. Forty-two years after his selfless actions, Etchberger was awarded the Medal of Honor at a White House Ceremony in September 2010.

The North Vietnamese cadres 1996 account of the battle by the Peoples Army of Vietnam grudgingly allowed that a rescue helicopter managed to lift several Americans off the ledge while the attacking force sought to regroup.

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The account stated that one helicopter dropped a line down near the TACAN site and rescued three wounded enemy. We were tangled up in the mountain, so we fired on it without hitting it.

On March 11, 1968, Ambassador Sullivan sent a cable to the State Department on the fall of Lima Site 85: It appears we may have pushed our luck one day too long in attempting to keep this facility in operation.

Ridgeline of Lima Site 85. (Air Force)

In all, a total of 12 U.S. personnel serving with Detachment 1 of the 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron, were killed or listed as missing and presumed dead. Calfee was among the missing until a recovery operation on the mountain in northern Houaphan province identified material that allowed for Calfees name to be removed from the list of the missing.

Airmen sheep dipped into civilians

The identifications of Calfee and the three others gave a clearer picture of what happened, and why, in what has been described as a battle above the clouds on Phou Pha Thi mountain that ended one of the oddest and most secretive U.S. military operations of the last century.

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It began with a now-declassified April 1967 memo from Army Gen. Earle Wheeler, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to Defense Secretary Robert McNamara urging approval for the placement of advanced TSQ-81 radars and Air Force personnel to run them at Lima Site 85 to give U.S. bombers and attack aircraft all weather precision targeting.

Wheeler was wary of violating the 1962 Geneva agreements signed by the U.S. barring foreign militaries from neutral Laos, but he suggested a way around the prohibition that would put Air Force technicians at Lima Site and also give them a semblance of what spies would call plausible deniability if things went wrong.

If it became necessary, in the interest of Laos political considerations, these personnel could be placed under shallow cover (i.e., wear civilian clothing, use civilian titles and identification documents, and be supported by a local contractor as are the TACAN personnel at the site) in order to conceal their identity as military personnel, Wheelers memo said. In the ranks, the process of instantly transforming military personnel into civilians was called sheep dipping.

The plan concocted by the high command led the Air Force to summon its best enlisted technicians to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana where they were asked to volunteer for the Lima Site 85 mission and sign papers resigning from the Air Force. Now that they were civilians, they were also asked to sign more papers making them nominal employes of the Lockheed Aircraft Corp.

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The deal was that they would be brought back into the Air Force once the mission was completed and, if they were killed or went missing in Laos, their families would get full military benefits. The volunteers, and even their wives, were sworn to secrecy about what and where the mission was. To keep up the ruse, the volunteers wore civilian clothes on the site and were mostly unarmed.

It was an open secret in Saigon that the U.S. was bombing sections of the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos with CIA operatives on the ground and using the CIA-operated Air America cargo flights in an effort to prop up the shaky government of Prince Souvanna Phouman. However, President Richard Nixon maintained the fiction that no U.S. troops were on the ground in Laos and none had been killed.

In a lengthy March 1970 statement, Nixon said he felt compelled to counter grossly inaccurate media reports that American ground forces are engaged in combat in Laos and that our air activity has had the effect of escalating the conflict. He ignored the loss of life at Lima Site 85, stating No American stationed in Laos has ever been killed in ground combat operations.

For years, the families of those missing at Lima Site 85 were given only the barest and misleading details of what had happened  just that their loved one was missing in action, body not recovered, somewhere in Southeast Asia.

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We didnt know any of the details about what happened to Dad, Cory Etchberger, the son of Medal of Honor recipient Richard Etchberger, said in May 2018 remarks to airmen at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska on his fathers commitment to service. We didnt talk about it. We knew better. Nothing was ever said. No memorabilia or photos were displayed, except for a sole photo that Mom kept on her bedside table.

The story I was eventually told was that he was killed in a helicopter crash somewhere in Southeast Asia, and I believed that story for another 18 years, Cory Etchberger said.

In June 1996 testimony before the House subcommittee on military personnel, Ann Holland, the wife of Tech Sgt. Melvin Holland, relayed how she was informed that her husband was missing in action.

I received a telephone call one afternoon in the middle of a cub scout meeting and was told that the mountain had been overrun and my husband was missing in action, Holland said. A few men had been rescued but a number of others had not been recovered. I was told I could tell no one, not my husbands sisters, my children, no one. If I said anything and it got out to the press I could be causing my husbands death.

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In the September 2010 White House ceremony for the posthumous Medal of Honor award to Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger, President Barack Obama noted that the secrecy surrounding the 1968 battle on the mountaintop in Laos had long delayed the presentation of the nations highest award for valor.

Obama told Etchbergers three sons that today your nation finally acknowledges and fully honors your fathers bravery. Because even though it has been 42 years, its never too late to do the right thing. And its never too late to pay tribute to our Vietnam veterans, and their families.

The site where Etchberger and the other Airmen fought to defend the radar outpost in 1968 is now a tourist attraction with metal stairway leading to the summit. In February of this year, Rick Holland, the son of missing Melvin Holland, climbed the 1,100 steps of the stairway to reach the summit of Phou Pha Thi on a visit that coincided with a DPAA recovery operation.

Once atop the mountain, Holland draped himself in the POW/MIA flag and shouted to the horizon: Im here Dad, according to a DPAA release.

He later told DPAA team members that Ive gone most of my life questioning  is my Dad proud of me? I hope so. I live my life to make him proud, and to honor him and the other men. Im here, Dad, I came here for you.
The torrent of billion-dollar investment announcements related to artificial intelligence has raised fears that the economy is sitting on a bubble that, if popped, could send it into a tailspin.

Some on Wall Street arent buying it.

In a note to clients published Thursday titled AI Spending Is Not Too Big, Goldman Sachs economist Joseph Briggs made the case that the billions being spent on building out data centers  known as capital expenditures, or capex  remains sustainable.

In short: Briggs believes AI applications are leading to real productivity gains that will help boost companies bottom lines. Meanwhile, the cost of the computing processing needed to power those applications justifies the billions in spending, assuming the sophistication of the applications continues to improve.

In total, Briggs expects U.S. companies to generate as much as $8 trillion in new revenue thanks to AI.

The key takeaway from our analysis is that the enormous economic value promised by generative AI justifies the current investment in AI infrastructure and that overall levels of AI investment appear sustainable as long as companies expect that investment today will generate outsized returns over the long run, Briggs wrote.

Other key Wall Street players have echoed his assessment. This week, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon compared AI to the internet, which led to its own dot com bubble but ultimately created real economic and societal impact.

You cant look at AI as a bubble, though some of these things may be in the bubble. In total, itll probably pay off, Dimon said at a conference hosted by Fortune.

Predictions about the economic impact of AI continue to run the gamut, from only a modest bump in productivity to the end of all jobs as we know them. Evidence of current effects so far is mixed, though the roster of companies citing AI or automation as a reason for job cuts  whether they actually intend to meaningfully increase its use  continues to grow.

Amid all those variables, AIs biggest impact has arguably been on stock returns. Despite some recent drawdowns, major U.S. stock indexes continue to sit near all-time highs, thanks largely to gains from tech companies participating in the AI boom.

On Thursday, tech stocks got another lift when chip manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) reported record profits and soaring revenues. TSMC is the main supplier of semiconductors for Nvidia  the most valuable publicly traded company in the world  and it also counts Apple, Qualcomm and AMD as clients.
One of the earliest influences for artist, writer, and filmmaker Michael Benson, he says, was the sci-fi epic 2001: A Space Odyssey. Beyond stirring childhood wonder, he says the movie impressed upon his 6-year-old brain that grand subjects such as our role in the universe and our seemingly inexorable need to explore are worthy topics for art, not just science or philosophy. Later, it sparked questions for Benson about humanitys place in space and time, themes he has been exploring through his work for the last quarter century.

My game for quite a while now has been to use scientific research methodologies and technologies to investigate the phenomenal world, not as a scientist, but as an artist and an image maker, says Benson. His latest book, Nanocosmos, zooms in on minuscule specimens including single-celled organisms like radiolarians and diatoms, as well as insects, microscopic flowers, and snowflakes to highlight the intricacies of the natural world at the microscopic level. In a nod to our planets place in a much larger cosmic world, he also includes micrographs of lunar samples gathered during the Apollo program. The book features 300 highly detailed images constructed from scanning electron microscope scans made over the course of six years at the Canadian Museum of Nature. Nanocosmos is both a journey into infinitesimal landscapes on Earth and a meditation on how humans visually explore and represent the physical world.

If you massage the bridge of your nose, you are touching a piece of the solar system.

In earlier projects, Benson focused on the universe that surrounds us through exploration of the solar system and deep space phenomena before pointing the lens back at Earth to examine the complex microscopic worlds at our fingertips. He staged a series of large-scale shows of planetary landscape photography around the world and has also produced films, and authored books, including Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece. With director Terrence Malick, Benson worked on visual effects for the film Tree of Life, crafting sequences which drew in part from his first two books, Beyond (2003) and Far Out (2009).

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I recently spoke with Benson about the magic of photography, the intrigue of dung beetles, and humans attempts to visualize the universe.

What is the origin story of this book?

It's interesting that you use the term origin story, because one of the key sections of the book is an investigation of various single-celled aquatic organisms. There is a kind of synchronicity between the origin of life and the origin story of the book, which attempts to show some of the complexity and fascination of single-celled organisms, latter day evolutionary descendants of the origin story of life on Earth. And a larger origin story for me is my personal fascination with the specific quality of photography and micrography and how it allows the mechanically created image to be used as a tool for personally directed investigations of phenomenal reality.

Acrosphaera spinosa fasciculopora radiolarian, Equatorial Pacific;

Circa 1830 x. 120 microns wide, 0.12 of a millimeter.

How did you choose your subjects for the book?

Some of it was just spontaneous. I talk a little bit in the book about how ludicrous it was that I was blundering around in the tropics or on the Adriatic coast with my tweezers and my ethanol vials searching for what intrigued me, while my family was swimming at the beach. Or, in the Caribbean, just looking in rain forests for micro flowers and little things that might jump out. But on the other hand, I had a good idea that radiolarians and diatoms and dinoflagellates would be fascinating. There was plenty of evidence of that, reaching back to German marine biologist Ernst Haeckel in the 19th century.

A lot of your previous work looked at planets and other objects in the universe. How did you go from the vastness of space down to the very tiniest bits of life on our planet?

Well, this will sound pretentious probably but taken together I view all the books Ive done for Abrams Books as a kind of gesamtkunstwerk, which is a German word that means comprehensive artwork that has many facets and synthesizes many genres. Like them, Nanocosmos is also an investigation of space, its just at another scale. Because, you know, if you massage the bridge of your nose, you are touching a piece of the solar system. And so all these fantastic subjects that I was privileged to look at are part of the solar system. It's part of this larger phenomenon of spacetime and this miracle of how we are here in the first place to observe it.

Clathrosphaera arachnoides radiolarian, equatorial Pacific;

Circa 700 x. 300 microns wide, 0.3 millimeter.

Did any of the specimens you imaged surprise you?

If I were to choose one subject that really blew my mind in a way that I didn't expect, it would be the dung beetles. They roll these gigantic spheres of dung, sometimes for more than a quarter mile, and bury them. They're so perfectly built to push something way bigger than themselves around. They look like the most extraordinary, powerful, living manifestations of the need to move weight around. Not only that, but they're so beautiful. The fact that these bulldozers can take off and fly is just a miracle. In general, insects are just so dazzling in the microscope.

Do you have a sense of why so many patterns and shapes tend to repeat themselves throughout nature and what that might say about the world around us?

I'm not sure I entirely agree, by which I mean, nothing else on Earth really looks like a radiolarian, with its polygonal silica shell, irregular polygons perforated by radiating spines. Nothing at a larger scale that I've ever seen looks anything like that. And the same really holds true for dinoflagellates and diatoms. They are very specific solutions to their own ecological niche. But there can be a very mathematical kind of geometrical sense of connection to larger principles when you look at them.

Onthophagus francoisgenieri dung beetle, Madang Baltabang, Madana, Papua New Guinea;

Circa 36.6 x. About 6 millimeters wide.

How does Nanocosmos build on past projects?

Nanocosmos is a continuation of looking at how we use images to understand the universe. I mean, theres a symbiotic relationship between representation and understanding. Photography has always been alchemical in a certain way. It's a form of magic in which physical materials, like chemicals and photographic emulsions, can be used to record other physical materials and chemical reactions, by which I mean the larger physical world. As human beings, were a way in which the universe looks at itself. Its not surprising that weve produced more powerful technologies enabling us to do that better, more deeply, with greater magnification. My other books cover such things from the solar system to the Big Bang into the history of human attempts to visualize the universe in graphic form. Nanocosmos links right up with those.

What was the process for making the images in your book?

With a lot of the interplanetary material, the pixel count of the raw images taken from the spacecraft wasn't that high. So they had to be tiled and composited to produce higher resolutions. When I finally had access to a scanning electron microscope, and I had practically unlimited resolutions available, I overshot the mark, and I did a lot of scanning. All of that resulted in a mountain of work later where I had to assemble final composite images. There are also a whole series of images where you see insects and plants together but they're not as natural as they may look in the sense that they were put in ethanol, then dried in something called a critical point dryer, which is a way of exchanging liquids for gas at high pressure with minimal damage to the subject. If I didn't smash the subject, then there was another delicate operation, which is mounting the subject on a little sample stub, and putting it in a sputter coater, which coats the samples, and they end up looking like jewelry because they're coated in platinum or gold. Then you put it in the vacuum chamber of the microscope, and there's a whole new set of things to learn and issues when it comes to imaging the subject. It's a labor of love.

What do you hope people will take away from this work?

I don't want to prescribe anything. But I'll be satisfied if people come away with a sense of amazement at the complexity of the forms that nature can produce at these extraordinarily tiny scales. And if that helps foster an appreciation of this biosphere that produced us, which we are not treating with the respect that it deserves, I will be satisfied. Perhaps it can contribute to a sense that we really should do a better job at fostering our environment.

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Lead image: View from tip down leading wing of Erythemis simplicicollis dragonfly, Gatineau Park, Quebec. Circa 106 x. Wing is about 3 millimeters wide.

This story was originally featured on Nautilus.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  One bald eagle is spending its last day in rehabilitation before being released into the wild Friday afternoon.

This bald eagle has been at The Dickerson Park Zoo in their animal hospital for a few weeks, but soon it will be headed home to Barry County.

The bald eagle was first brought to the zoo after a Missouri Department of Conservation officer found it with a fishing line around its wing. Veterinary Technician at the Dickerson Park Zoo, April Marler, says for this eagle, the main concern was muscle injury.

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Now, after some pain medicine and coaxing it to eat, this young Bald Eagle is now flying and eating well, which means it is ready to go back home.

Dickerson Park Zoo mourns loss of beloved bald eagle Phoenix

Marler has been helping with raptor rehabilitation at the zoo for nearly 30 years. She says the best part is success stories like this one and these birds getting to go back where they came from.

When we do have the opportunity to go on site for the release, thats always like, oh, gives chills, Marler said. And its exciting and its, you know, its really fun. And thats the best part.

This bird will be transported and released by the MDC Officer who found it right in the same area. Marler says hopefully, the young eagle can find its family when it gets back to its home.

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Michigan voters will head to the polls in just three weeks. Heres what to know about voting and what will be on your ballot.

While this is an off-year election, meaning there are no statewide or national candidates on the ballot, voting is still crucial, experts say.

Every year is an election year, and every election is important, said Lisa Posthumus Lyons, the Kent County clerk. For some of these local elections, were talking about people who are going to represent you locally, youre talking about what you pay in taxes, youre talking about the direction of your community and your schools.

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On Nov. 4, Kent County voters in various municipalities will have the opportunity to vote on city council, city commission, city races, school ballot questions and a Kent ISD millage proposal.

You can find your sample ballot at Michigan.gov/vote.

HOW TO VOTE

Kent County polls will be open on Nov. 4 from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Because this is not a state or national election, there will be no early in-person voting.

In Michigan, you can register to vote at any time, including in person on election day. If you plan to register at your polling location you must bring proof of your address.

Find your polling place here.

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If you cannot or do not want to vote in-person on Nov. 4, you can request an absentee ballot via mail, online or in person at a clerks office. If approved, the absentee ballot will be mailed to your home. You can request an absentee ballot at your local clerks office until 4 p.m. Nov. 3.

For your absentee ballot to be counted, it must be completed and returned by 8 p.m. on election night. Absentee ballots from those living abroad and serving in the military must be postmarked by election day and must be received within six days of the election.

You can return an absentee ballot at one of several approved drop boxes in your area or at a clerks office. You can also mail the ballot in, but that is not recommended more than 14 days before election day.

 News 8s political reporter Rick Albin contributed reporting.

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Former President Barack Obama is publicly throwing his support behind fellow Democrat Mikie Sherrill as New Jerseys nationally watched governors race barrels closer to Election Day.

Obama endorsed the congresswoman in a new ad that Sherrills campaign rolled out Friday morning, less than three weeks until the Nov. 4 election against Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli.

Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
CHEYENNE  With more than 127,000 nominations and votes received from local residents, the Wyoming Tribune Eagles 2025 Best of the Best awards showcased Cheyennes favorite businesses and professionals, from barbecue joints to barbershops, during a celebration Wednesday night at Little America Hotel & Resort.

Around 500 people attended the event, including finalists, winners and supporters.

Brian Doane, Adams MultiMedia of the Rockies regional president, opened the gala with a speech honoring all the attendees, and thanking the community for all their hard work.

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It wasnt me saying youre the best of the best, Doane said. It wasnt the paper saying youre the best of the best. Its the community  our neighbors, our friends, the people that we work with, the people that we live with, that we go to school with, that we do all sorts of things with. Theyre the ones that say that you guys are the best of the best tonight, and that is quite an accomplishment for everybody in this room.

Even with 150 categories ranging from best spa to best french fries, each winner had a different reason they were grateful for the recognition.

The Bunkhouse Band was one of the winners announced Wednesday night. The band won Best of the Best in the Local Music Artist/Group/Band category. Eric and Tiffany Vehrs said winning the award felt great, because theyve been entertaining the community for about 10 years, and have been professional musicians for about 30 years.

Were an old band, Eric said. Our average age is probably 60. We play country music, and we play every weekend.  We just play for everybody.

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G-Licious BBQ/Catering won in the Best Barbecue category, and Pamela Huckabee said shes grateful to have won this award for the third year in a row.

Its amazing, Huckabee said. Im so grateful to God, because when we started, we started up in that tent. Fourteen years later, (God is) still blessing us, and were just grateful and thankful to Him.

The Best Preschool award went to STRIDE Learning Center, and Vanessa Bayless and Anne Wanyonyi  a nurse and teacher at the center, respectively  said the award makes them feel like all their hard work and effort pays off, especially because STRIDE is the only child development center in Laramie County, Bayless said.

We service a lot of kiddos with different learning disabilities, Bayless said, and so being able to win this really helps the city recognize the things that we do for our community, because our teachers  they work really, really hard  our paras, our therapists, our teachers  everyone works so hard to help these kids that are at a disadvantage. And so when people recognize the hard work that everyone puts into it, its just something really, really special.

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Gilbert Lucas, owner of Lucas Cuts and Creations, accepted his award for Best Barbershop. He said hes honored to receive the award, and credited the community for his success.

20251016 BestOfBestWTE2-ms.jpg

Gilbert Lucas, the owner of Lucas Cuts and Creations, accepted the 2025 WTE Best of the Best award for Best Barbershop.

The biggest piece of it is community, Lucas said. I couldnt have any sort of hand in actually winning without everyones help of being successful, and keeping me on the path of not what I do, but what I dont do. So they keep me successful that way.

Other winners, such as Kaitlyn Parkinson from Adora Day Spa, who accepted awards for Best Medical Spa, Best Spa, and Best Facial/Massage Therapy, said shes so proud of the business, and thanked her clientele for all their support.

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20251016 BestOfBestWTE392-ms.jpg

Brooke Herbert won Best Chiropractor for her business, The Chiro Mama, at the 2025 WTE Best of the Best awards event Wednesday night at Little America Hotel and Resort.

Brooke Herbert, who won Best Chiropractor with her business, The Chiro Mama, said it felt amazing to be recognized, especially because she just arrived in Cheyenne about a year-and-a-half ago.

At the end of the night, hundreds of business professionals and their supporters went home with more than plaques and certificates  they left knowing their hard work had paid off, and with a sense of pride in the community.

WTEs Best of the Best awards saw another year of what makes Cheyenne special: The passionate people who dedicate their lives to serving their community.
The Oklahoma City Fire Department responded to a commercial fire at a popular Oklahoma City barbecue spot.

The fire, which was called in at 1:25 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 17, was found burning in the rear portion of Earl's Rib Palace, 4414 W Reno Ave., according to local reports.

The department states that due to the volume of the fire and the roof's involvement, 17 units responded to the scene to extinguish the fire successfully.

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One firefighter sustained a minor injury, according to OKCFD, but was treated on scene. No other injuries were reported, and the restaurant was empty when the fire occurred.

Fire officials note the fire began in the kitchen with an unknown cause. The damages appear to be approximately $300,000 of the assessed $730,000 property value.

Earl's Rib Palace OKC

For almost three decades, Earl's Rib Palace has been operating in Oklahoma City. The business was started in 1996 by longtime friends Matt Worsam, Scott Woods, Steve Mason and Richard Rea.

Since opening, they have expanded to five locations in the Oklahoma City metro.

Each location smokes all of the meats served, and all sides are made fresh daily.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: South OKC barbecue joint damaged in late night fire
Foley Wines has named Mike Higgins, its interim CEO since February, to the top job.

Higgins stepped in this year following the departure of Mark Turnbull, who resigned as a director on 17 February and left the CEO post on 30 April.

Turnbull had led the company since its 2012 merger with The New Zealand Wine Company, which was later rebranded as Foley Wines.

Higgins joined the broader Foley New Zealand Group in December as chief executive of Foley Hospitality, overseeing Bill Foleys hospitality and lodge interests in the country.

In a stock exchange notice today (17 October), chair Paul Brock said: Mikes significant commercial experience with growth businesses in New Zealand will add real value to our customers and our people. He will play a key role in leading the continued success of Foley Wines.

Foley is the companys major shareholder and is also an investor in the US wine sector.

Before joining Foley, Higgins was chief commercial officer at Auckland FC, contributing to the clubs launch in its first season.

From September 2000 until June 2023, Higgins worked nearly 23 years at Clemenger Group in Auckland, holding senior finance and operational roles including CFO and COO.

During that period, he also took on finance leadership positions across several related and other organisations: he was finance director at Touchcast NZ in Wellington from September 2011 to July 2015; CFO at Colenso BBDO in Auckland from April 2013 to June 2015; and managing partner of finance at .99 Enterprises (part of the Clemenger Group) from May 2012 to March 2013.

Foley Wines manages a portfolio of wineries and brands across New Zealand wine regions, including Vavasour, Martinborough Vineyard and Lighthouse Gin.

Higgins commented: Foley Wines has a group of very dedicated and talented people who are very focused on producing great wines that people love to drink around the world. My continued focus will be on enhancing the business' growth and premiumisation strategy to deliver value to our customers, team members and shareholders.

For the year ended 30 June, bottled wine revenue increased 6% to NZ$66.3m ($37.9m) and case volumes grew 9% to 610,000.

The companys earnings, however, weakened: operating earnings fell 66.4% to NZ$1.3m, with an after-tax loss of NZ$1.8m, down 54.5%. Operating EBITDA declined 21.9% to $12.6m.

Commenting on the results in August, Higgins said the 2025 financial year was challenging for the company and the New Zealand wine industry.

He added: Whilst the wider market for packaged wine was down 7% on last year, our case sales were up 9% in the same period, with export case sales up 14.6%. This demonstrates our premiumisation strategy and the companys continued focus on developing strong routes to market for our brands is delivering results.
Barrister Chowdhury Rahman may be reported to the Bar Standards Board

A barrister has been accused by a judge of using entirely fictitious cases generated by artificial intelligence (AI) to support an asylum claim by migrants.

Chowdhury Rahman was criticised by the judge who said there was overwhelming evidence that he had used software like ChatGPT to prepare his legal research.

When the immigration barrister presented his submissions, he baffled the judge by citing cases that were entirely fictitious, non-existent or wholly irrelevant.

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Mr Rahman was found not only to have used AI to prepare his work, but failed thereafter to undertake any proper checks on the accuracy, the tribunal was told.

Upper tribunal judge Mark Blundell said Mr Rahman tried to hide that he had used AI and wasted the tribunals time. He said he was now considering reporting Mr Rahman to the Bar Standards Board.

Mr Rahman had been representing two Honduran sisters who claimed asylum on the basis that their lives would be at risk if they were returned to their home country as they had been targeted by a criminal gang in the country.

The sisters had appealed the Home Offices rejection of their claim up to the upper tribunal.

Error of law dismissed

Judge Blundell rejected the barristers claims that there had been an error of law in the rejection of their asylum claim, saying Mr Rahman had provided nothing that would support this argument.

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The judge said 12 authorities were cited in the paperwork by Mr Rahman, but when he read it, he noticed that some of those authorities did not exist and that others did not support the propositions of law for which they were cited in the grounds.

In his judgment, he listed 10 of these cases and set out what was said by Mr Rahman about those actual or fictitious cases.

Judge Blundell said: Mr Rahman appeared to know nothing about any of the authorities he had cited in the grounds of appeal  Some of the decisions did not exist. Not one decision supported the proposition of law set out in the grounds.

Submissions misleading

He said the submissions made by Mr Rahman  who said he had used various websites to conduct his research  were therefore misleading.

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Judge Blundell said: The most obvious explanation is ... that the grounds of appeal were drafted in whole or in part by generative artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT.

I am bound to observe that one of the cases cited in Mr Rahmans grounds ... has recently been wrongly deployed by ChatGPT in support of similar arguments...

Mr Rahman told the judge that the inaccuracies in the grounds were as a result of his drafting style and accepted that there might have been some confusion and vagueness in his submissions.

He said that he might need to construct sentences in a more liberal way and that his drafting should perhaps be a little more generous when it came to making specific allegations about judges overlooking or failing to follow binding case law.

He used generative AI

However, Judge Blundell said: It is overwhelmingly likely, in my judgment, that Mr Rahman used generative artificial intelligence to formulate the grounds of appeal in this case, and that he attempted to hide that fact from me during the hearing.

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Even if Mr Rahman thought, for whatever reason, that these cases did somehow support the arguments he wished to make, he cannot explain the entirely fictitious citations.

In my judgment, the only realistic possibility is that Mr Rahman relied significantly on Gen AI to formulate the grounds and sought to disguise that fact when the difficulties were explored with him at the hearing.

I am minded, in light of the misleading statements in the grounds and the resulting waste of the tribunals time, to refer Mr Rahmans conduct to the Bar Standards Board.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  The Baton Rouge Community College Foundation has four new board members.

In a release shared Thursday, Darius Bonton, Norisha Kirts Glover, Michelle Hardy, and Jerrell Thomas were named members of the board of directors. The group said each member brings a history of leadership, innovation, and community engagement that will strengthen the foundations impact in Baton Rouge.

The diverse expertise and commitment of our new Foundation Board members will significantly enhance our efforts to support the colleges mission, BRCC Chancellor Dr. Willie E. Smith Sr. said. We are excited to engage them and incorporate their leadership skills and insights to further support our students and increase our overall donations to the college.

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ExxonMobil donates $220K to Baton Rouge Community College program

Bonton is president and CEO of Bonton Associates, an environmental engineering consulting firm in Baton Rouge. Bonton brings 20 years of industry experience and leadership. Bonton will serve on the board for three years, with the term ending on Aug. 1, 2028.

Glover is the founder and president of NRK Construction, a woman-owned construction firm. She has a background in education reform, fundraising and project management. She will also serve a three-year term.

Hardy is the vice president of Turner Industries in Baton Rouge. She leads public affairs, community engagement, and strategic planning initiatives. She has a pivotal role in strengthening Turner Industries partnerships with the local community. Hardy will serve a four-year term, ending on Aug. 1, 2029.

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Thomas is president of Window World of Baton Rouge, overseeing operations across major markets. Thomas will also serve a four-year term on the board.

We are excited to welcome these wonderful professionals to the Foundation Board to help increase our partnerships, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations that will have a lasting impact on our students and the college, BRCC Vice Chancellor of Advancement and Executive Director of the BRCC Foundation, Dr. Pilar Blanco-Eble, said. Their collective experience will be invaluable in guiding our strategic initiatives and expanding our outreach.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Many Jeeps will be featured this weekend at Greenoaks Memorial Park to honor veterans and raise money to put wreaths on the graves of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

The Jeeping for a Cause show will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19. It will support the Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana Chapter 1 and their Wreaths Across America program. The event will be held at Greenoaks Memorial Park and Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge.

A news release said that the free, family-friendly event will honor the Louisiana Patriot Guard Riders with a Day of Gratitude.

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There is a real need to raise funds so that every veterans grave can be honored with a wreath, said Gretchen Varnell of Greenoaks Memorial Park. These wreaths are more than decorations  they are symbols of gratitude and remembrance, ensuring that the sacrifices of our heroes are never forgotten.

The event will have:

Live music from the band In Crowd featuring Rocky Saxon.

A pumpkin patch photo booth

Food from Archies Hot Dog Island.

A Jeep contest with four categories: Classic, Patriotic, Show & Shine, and Best in Show.

Over 135 Jeeps are expected to join in. Local Jeep clubs, community leaders, and veterans groups will also be there. The day will conclude with awards, a 21-gun salute, and a special presentation by SALUTE.

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Click here to make a $20 wreath donation.

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What began as a kindhearted attempt to rescue a little gopher ended with a huge hospital bill for two Bay Area college students.

The ungrateful gopher bit both of its helpers, but the bites were nowhere near as big as the hospital bill. The students were charged thousands of dollars each for injuries that, in the end, required little more than a Spider-Man Band-Aid.

It all began at St. Mary's College in Moraga, when a group of students, including Roark Rowland and Ali Darvish, saw a gopher struggling to climb out of its muddy hole.

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"I'm trying to help you dude, I'm trying to help you, man!" Roark Rowland says on a video clip. He's speaking to a gopher, who is stuck in a tangle of roots.

"It was squirming and making noises, its foot got wrapped up and it got stuck," Rowland told 7 On Your Side.

MORE: Bay Area family gets $5,000 bill for sitting in an ER waiting room. Here's how 7 On Your Side helped

The gopher kept nipping at Rowland's hands and eventually bit him. Darvish then bent down to help and it bit his finger too.

"It bit me on the side of my hand, it was a tiny cut," Rowland said.

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At first, the two didn't worry too much, but then their friends were talking about the possibility of rabies. The campus health clinic was closed along with urgent care, so they debated whether to go to the emergency room.

"We knew about the perils of going to the ER, and how much they charge," Darvish said.

Which peril was worse? Possible rabies? Or a big hospital bill?

They went to the ER a couple miles away, at John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek. After a long wait, they were told there is almost no chance of getting rabies from gophers. No need for shots and they each got a Spider-Man bandage.

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A huge relief, until they got the bill.

MORE: A 15-min, $100K trip to ER left Antioch family with burned infant in billing mess

"They gave us this bill for $1,200 and we said, 'We got a Spider-Man Band-Aid for $1,200. You're not serious right now, are you?" Rowland said. "And they were like, 'No, no, no, no, this is just your bill for showing up,' and I was really shocked. Was like, 'What do you mean? I didn't even get a Band-Aid yet, or water. Like I just came here to talk to you guys.'"

"'Yeah I'm sorry that's just how it is, we have to charge you for that,'" Darvish recalled.

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The ER bill came to $2,054 each. Their co-pay was $1,256 each.

But before leaving, a staffer told Rowland he was due for a tetanus booster. Rowland said the staff member assured him he could get it at no cost under his insurance.

"I asked multiple times. I said, 'Are you sure I won't be charged more for this?' She said I have hit my deductible and I will not be charged any more," Rowland said.

So he took the shot and three months later, it came back to bite him.

Rowland got a revised bill for $5,200 -- more than double the original estimate. His co-pay had nearly tripled, to $3,500.

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It turns out the hospital charged him $1,400 for that tetanus booster he thought would be free.

"I never thought helping a gopher would cost me three grand," Rowland said.

MORE: Woman mistakenly charged nearly $8,000 after parking car for 45 minutes at SoCal hospital

7 On Your Side asked John Muir Hospital why the bill went up, and why he was charged for the booster.

John Muir Hospital sent a statement that said in part:

"Mr. Rowland's services were documented and billed in accordance with the care provided. While good faith estimates are offered at the time of registration, final charges are determined only after all care has been completed.

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We have not been able to verify the advice about 'receiving a tetanus shot covered by insurance' provided by the billing representative. However... the estimate should have been revised to include the tetanus shot so Mr. Rowland could have made an informed decision. We apologize to Mr. Rowland for this interaction and error.

We are using this as a learning opportunity for our billing staff and as a reminder about roles and responsibilities. We are also reviewing the practice of providing estimates in the Emergency Room while continuing to educate patients regarding out-of-pocket (co-pays, deductibles, co-insurance), when appropriate."

The hospital agreed to reduce Rowland's bill back down to the original $1,200 estimate, saving him about $2,300.

7 On Your Side reached Rowland in Japan, where he has a job teaching English, and told him the news.

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"Oh, that's incredible! Oh my gosh... That's really, really, really, really, really awesome," Rowland said.

In spite of the ordeal, he says he'd still help that nippy gopher.

"It probably thought I was trying to kill it or eat it... it went back in its hole and I hope it's doing well," he said.

John Muir Hospital tells us it's using this case as "a learning opportunity for its billing staff." The hospital is reviewing procedures for providing emergency room estimates and informing patients about their out of pocket costs.

Take a look at more stories and videos by 7 On Your Side.

7OYS's consumer hotline is a free consumer mediation service for those in the San Francisco Bay Area. We assist individuals with consumer-related issues; we cannot assist on cases between businesses, or cases involving family law, criminal matters, landlord/tenant disputes, labor issues, or medical issues. Please review our FAQ here. As a part of our process in assisting you, it is necessary that we contact the company / agency you are writing about. If you do not wish us to contact them, please let us know right away, as it will affect our ability to work on your case. Due to the high volume of emails we receive, please allow 7 to 10 business days for a response.

If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live




A Campbell resident was arrested this week on suspicion of manufacturing ghost guns and parts that turn handguns into automatic weapons, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office said Friday.

Alfred Amaya, 28, is expected to be charged with more than 30 felonies, including possession of a machine gun, manufacturing machine guns and possession of a weapon. Amaya, who was on probation for domestic violence, was arrested during a countywide domestic violence probation sweep.

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When officers from the county's Gun Violence Task Force searched Amaya's apartment, they reporting finding loaded weapons, a 3D printer that was creating weapons parts for rifles, and multiple parts that transform guns into automatic weapons, officials said.

Amaya is also expected to be charged with child endangerment for manufacturing these parts within "easy reach" of two young children living in his apartment, officials added.

If convicted, Amaya faces a "long term" in prison, officials said. His arraignment was expected to take place at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Hall of Justice in San Jose.

"Our task force shut down a busy criminal ghost machine gun factory in the middle of an apartment building," said Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen. "The defendant's 3D printer created guns that could be used for robberies and murders, is now out of order. The defendant who was flooding our community with illegal weapons is now behind bars."

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Officers who raided Amaya's home said they found three nearly finished weapons, 35 machine gun conversion devices, two loaded weapons and the 3D gun printer still working inside a closet.

All of the alleged weapons are considered ghost guns, or weapons that can be assembled from kits that evade tracing and detection, officials said.

The Campbell discovery follows Gov. Gavin Newsom's recent bill prohibiting the sale of semiautomatic firearms that can swiftly be converted to machine guns with "switches" - small devices that can modify handguns into machine guns. Gun rights organizations have already filed a lawsuit challenging the new law, the Los Angeles Times reported.

This article originally published at Bay Area resident suspected of running ghost gun factory inside his apartment.
The BBC breached broadcasting rules with a Gaza documentary narrated by a boy with links to Hamas, Ofcom has found.

The corporation was accused of catastrophic failures following the release of Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone after it emerged that its main narrator  a 13-year-old boy named Abdullah Alyazouri  was the son of the Hamas-run governments deputy minister of agriculture.

Ofcom, the broadcasting watchdog, found that the BBCs failure to disclose these connections to Hamas was materially misleading.

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The broadcasting code was breached in a manner that had the potential to erode the significantly high levels of trust that audiences would have placed in a BBC factual programme about the Israel-Gaza war.

Ofcom has insisted that the BBC must broadcast an admission of its failings during primetime on BBC Two.

The watchdog stated that the breaches in which the audience were materially misled were among the most serious that can be committed by a broadcaster.

The scandal began soon after the BBC broadcast the documentary in February, when it emerged the purportedly neutral narrator was the son of Ayman Alyazouri, a Hamas government official.

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The documentary was pulled and the BBC began an internal investigation into how the programme, at first deemed clean of Hamas, came to be broadcast.

Failure in its duties

In July, the BBC published a review that found that the programme  produced by Hoyo Films  breached editorial guidelines, and Tim Davie, the director-general, admitted that the BBC had failed in its duties.

The review found that some staff at Hoyo Films were aware of Mr Alyazouris position, but believed he was no longer employed, and did not pass on this information on to the BBC.

It also conceded that the BBC had not shown sufficient curiosity towards the family background of the child narrator.

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A month before the broadcast, an editorial policy adviser at the BBC asked: Has due diligence been done on those featured to ensure, e.g. the lead boy doesnt have links in any way to [Hamas]? Im sure it has

Hoyo Films never answered the question, but the programme went ahead.

Hoyo Films paid Abdullahs family 795 for his contribution, and also gave him a gift card for a computer game and a second-hand mobile phone, to a total value of 1,817.

BBC stymied journalists

These failures set off a series of scandals at the BBC.

Amid concerns about slated material on Gaza, the BBC held back the broadcast of another documentary on the region  Gaza: Doctors Under Attack  created by Basement Films.

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This film was then dropped entirely after Ben de Pear, the founder of Basement Films, claimed that the BBC stymied journalists and that Mr Davie was a PR person.

It also emerged Ramita Navai, the documentarys director, had claimed Israel has become a rogue state thats committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing and mass-murdering Palestinians.

There were also concerns within the BBC about the attitude to Hamas shown by bosses.

In July, the Telegraph revealed that Deborah Turness, the BBCs head of news, had told staff that the Hamas government of Gaza and the organisations military wing were different.

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The UK Government makes no such distinction, and Hamas is proscribed in its entirety.

Following concerns raised by Jewish staff, Mr Davie moved to introduce more safeguards against anti-Semitism within the organisation.

BBC bosses made plans for expanded anti-Semitism training, with modules addressing anti-Jewish sentiment devised by HR specialists.

A BBC spokesman said: The Ofcom ruling is in line with the findings of Peter Johnstons review that there was a significant failing in the documentary in relation to the BBCs editorial guidelines on accuracy, which reflects rule 2.2 of Ofcoms Broadcasting Code.

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We have apologised for this and we accept Ofcoms decision in full. We will comply with the sanction as soon as the date and wording are finalised.

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LONDON (AP)  Britain's media regulator sanctioned the BBC on Friday for a "materially misleading" documentary on the lives of children in Gaza because it failed to disclose that the father of the teen narrator held a position in the Hamas administration.

The regulator Ofcom said the BBC breached the Broadcasting Code, saying that had the potential to erode the very high levels of trust audiences would have expected in a factual program about the Israel-Gaza war. It ordered the BBC to make a statement about the findings on its 9 p.m. newscast.

Breaches of the code that have resulted in the audience being materially misled have always been considered by Ofcom to be among the most serious that can be committed by a broadcaster, because they go to the heart of the relationship of trust between a broadcaster and its audience," Ofcom said.

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The BBC previously apologized after acknowledging serious flaws in the making of Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone and removed it from its online player.

It said Friday that Ofcom's findings were in line with its internal review that found significant failing following its own accuracy guidelines. It said it would accept the penalty.

The documentary was narrated by Abdullah, the 13-year-old son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas deputy agriculture minister.

The BBC said that the independent production company, Hoyo Films, bore the most responsibility for the failure because it didn't share the background information regarding the narrator's father. Hoyo Films apologized for the lapse.

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The BBC received hundreds of complaints alleging that the documentary was biased against Israel  as well as hundreds more criticizing the program's removal from its streaming service, Director-General Tim Davie told lawmakers earlier this year.

A group of 500 media figures, including directors Ken Loach and Mike Leigh and actor Riz Ahmed, signed a letter published by Artists for Palestine UK saying a political campaign to discredit the program risked dehumanizing Palestinian voices in the media.

The BBC has been under intense scrutiny for its coverage touching on the war in Gaza. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and others have condemned the broadcaster for livestreaming a performance by rap punk duo Bob Vylan, who led crowds at this year's Glastonbury Festival in chanting death to the Israeli military.

___

Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
The BBC will be forced to broadcast a statement live on television after UK media regulator Ofcom ruled that Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone was materially misleading.

The BBC has already acknowledged that it was a serious editorial failing that the documentary, which premiered on February 17, was narrated by the child of a Hamas minister, without this fact being declared to audiences. Now Ofcom has determined that it broke UK broadcasting rules.

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In a ruling on Friday, the regulator concluded: Trust is at the heart of the relationship between a broadcaster and its audience, particularly for a public service broadcaster such as the BBC. This failing had the potential to erode the significantly high levels of trust that audiences would have placed in a BBC factual programme about the Israel-Gaza war. 

In its ruling, Ofcom added: Breaches of the [broadcasting] code that have resulted in the audience being materially misled have always been considered by Ofcom to be among the most serious that can be committed by a broadcaster.

The BBC will be required to air a statement of Ofcoms findings on BBC Two in the primetime 9PM slot. A date for the statement is yet to be determined by Ofcom.

A BBC spokesperson said: The Ofcom ruling is in line with the findings of Peter Johnstons review, that there was a significant failing in the documentary in relation to the BBCs editorial guidelines on accuracy  We have apologised for this and we accept Ofcoms decision in full. We will comply with the sanction as soon as the date and wording are finalised.

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How to Survive a Warzone was produced by Hoyo Films, an independent production company run by Emmy and BAFTA-winning filmmaker Jamie Roberts. Overseeing the film for the BBC were Joanna Carr, head of current affairs, and commissioning editors Gian Quaglieni and Sarah Waldron.

The BBCs internal review of the film, led by complaints chief Peter Johnston, concluded that it misled audiences by failing to declare English-speaking narrator Abdullah Al-Yazouris Hamas links, but said there was no evidence that the proscribed terror group inappropriately impacted on the programme.

Al-Yazouris connection was not declared to the BBC prior to the film screening, even though Hoyo was aware for eight months about Al-Yazouris family. After examining 5,000 documents and 150 hours of raw footage, Johnston does not consider that Hoyo intentionally misled the BBC during the production process, but said the company bears most responsibility for this failure.

Notably, the report said three members of Hoyo did not at any stage prior to the broadcast of the programme share Al-Yazouris Hamas links. This was despite a BBC editorial policy advisor questioning Hoyo, weeks before broadcast, about whether due diligence had been done on the 13-year-old boys Hamas connections. Critics may raise something, the note said.

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Hoyo acknowledged that this question, posed on January 12, should have been answered. The production company told Johnstons review that it struggled to keep up with the bombardment of requests and emails from the BBC, and the note from January 12 slipped through the net unintentionally. Furthermore, Hoyos position was that the Hamas minister was responsible for agriculture and, therefore, did not hold a political or military position within the group that would make him a target for Israel.

The BBC said in July that it would take fair, clear and appropriate action against individuals embroiled in the incident, but declined to comment on whether anyone would lose their jobs. The BBC said it had no current or future planned commissions with Hoyo.

BBC News, the department responsible for How to Survive a Warzone, has published an action plan following the error. This included increased editorial checks, hiring a new executive responsible for long form output, and embedding a BBC News executive producer inside the production team on high-risk documentaries produced externally.

BBC chair Samir Shah has previously said the How to Survive a Warzone film was a dagger to the heart of the corporations impartiality and trustworthiness.

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Italian luxury fashion house Giorgio Armani has appointed Giuseppe Marsocci as its new CEO, effective immediately, following the death of its founder and namesake in September 2025.

Marsocci, who previously held the roles of deputy managing director and global chief commercial officer, has also joined the companys board of directors.

Giorgio Armani served as both chairman and CEO of the Italian luxury fashion house he established in Milan, Italy, in 1975.

Marsocci will oversee the companys transition in accordance with the founders succession plan, which includes the planned sale of an initial 15% stake within the next 18 months.

He will report to the board of directors, chaired by Pantaleo DellOrco, while Silvana Armani, the niece of the company's founder, becomes vice-president.

Marsocci has more than three decades of international experience in the fashion and luxury industries, including 23 years with the Armani Group.

Since joining the company in 2003, he has held several senior roles including that of commercial director of Armani Collezioni, CEO of the groups Swiss operations and global director of diffusion and wholesale lines.

He spent more than ten years in the US, where he served as CEO of the Giorgio Armani Corporation Americas between 2014 and 2019.

Before joining Armani, Marsocci worked at Turin-based GFT Group, a licensee for brands including Valentino, Dior, Ungaro, Stone Island and Armani.

In August 2025, the Italian Competition Authority fined Giorgio Armani and its unit GA Operations 3.5m (then $4m) for engaging in deceptive commercial practices.

The sanction followed the authoritys investigation into the companies claims about their ethical and social responsibility, which it found to be inconsistent with the actual conditions at the suppliers and subcontractors to which production of the majority of Armani-branded leather bags and accessories was outsourced.

"Giorgio Armani names Giuseppe Marsocci as new CEO " was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand.




BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  A Panama City woman was arrested Wednesday after deputies allegedly found her one-month-old twin sons suffering from malnutrition.

The Bay County Sheriffs Office reported that on Sept. 30, deputies responded to a residence in regards to a medical emergency.

Deputies said once they arrived, they made contact with 21-year-old Hailey Smith in the front yard, holding her unresponsive son.

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Deputies provided the infant with medical care until the Bay County Fire Rescue arrived and transported him to a local hospital.

Through the course of an investigation, officials learned the infant had a twin brother and reported that both infants were severely malnourished.

Both children were in intensive care at a Gainesville hospital but have since been released and are recovering at a family members home. They have been removed from the custody and care of Smith.

Smith was taken into the Bay County Jail on Wednesday and charged with aggravated child neglect and child neglect.

Her bond has not been set.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.
ASPEN, Colo. (KDVR)  These are not your average body-building bears.

The owner of Ajax Fitness in Aspen says two black bears broke into his business on Tuesday night-into-Wednesday, and drank protein shakes, among other items, and caused mayhem in the gym.

Front Range bear sightings increase as cold weather seasons approach

David Mills, owner of Ajax Fitness, says surveillance video actually shows one of the bears pulling open a door to gain entry.

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This guy really made an effort to get into this gym, said Mills.

The bears drank the protein shakes and ate some protein mix. Mills said that one of the bears actually came back for Round Two.

There was chocolate milk across the entire gym floor! Mills shared.

He said that he did alert Colorado Parks and Wildlife, who tells FOX31 that bears in and around Aspen are currently trying to pack on as many pounds as they can, and sightings may be more common. It is estimated that bears need anywhere from 20,000 to 24,000 daily calories to bulk up for winter.

With the help of CPW, the city has installed an electric bear door mat at the gym. Mills estimates the loss of protein product ranges from $400 to $500.

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No bears or humans were hurt.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI)  When Amanda DaSilva first received news of her sons diagnosis, she never imagined that they would be graced with a miracle less than a year later.

The pair first spoke to 12 News back in April. They described the nightmare of 19-year-old Michael Blechar-Melacon being diagnosed with stage five kidney failure, a disease that required him to go through eight to 11 hours of dialysis daily while he waited on kidney transplant lists in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

I cant bury my son, DaSilva told 12 News at the time. I just cant.

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Her plea for help struck a chord with 39-year-old Stephanie Joly, a Massachusetts Department of Children and Families worker in New Bedford.

It just breaks my heart to hear any parent have to plead that their child deserves to live, Joly said.

RELATED: New Bedford teen needs a kidney, family asks for help

The Warren woman filled out an application the same day she saw the story, saying Blechar-Melacon was the same age as one of her daughters.

Nobody so young should have to experience this. He has his whole life ahead of him, Joly said.

After countless tests, procedures, and more than a dozen vials of blood donated, Joly found out she was a match, exactly five months after she put in her application. The first person she called was DaSilva.

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A weight got lifted off of me. I wont even say my shoulders, I felt light, DaSilva said. I feel like my son has a chance, and I didnt know if it would ever come.

DaSilva described Joly as being her familys guardian angel, saying she has not only given Blechar-Melacon a second chance at life, but has also become a part of their family.

I love the woman. I love the woman like my sister, DaSilva told 12 News. I dont even have a word [to describe] this person. I would say amazing, selfless, kind, but theres not a big enough word.

SEE ALSO: Pawtucket event raises awareness for organ donation

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Joly, on the other hand, does not see herself as a hero.

Im not doing this for fame, I am doing this to help, hopefully, save someones life, she said. Im lucky enough to be healthy, you know? If this were my child or my family member, I would hope, just like every parent would, that someone would do the same.

She encourages anyone curious about being a donor to look into it.

There will always be people who will doubt, or who will try to discourage you or say, Youre crazy,' she said. But if you feel like its a calling, or if you feel that its something you want to do, youve got to put all that aside.

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The transplant surgery is scheduled for next week at Rhode Island Hospital.

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NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI)  In light of a recent increase in federal immigration activity in New Bedford, the citys police department has issued new policy outlining how officers should respond during future encounters.

Although immigration enforcement is not a responsibility of local police, officers may still be called to areas where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations are taking place to provide information, de-escalate situations, enforce laws and maintain order. Because of this, and amid community criticism and national attention, New Bedford Police Chief Jason Thody sent out a memo last month outlining what sworn personnel can and cannot do when ICE agents are present.

Patriot 2.0: ICE begins immigration crackdown in Massachusetts

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If ICE shows a judicially issued federal arrest warrant, officers are required to treat it the same as they would a warrant from the FBI, DEA or U.S. Marshals. While the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects state and local governments from enforcing federal laws, officers are prohibited from actively interfering with ICE operations.

Any actions that deliberately impeded federal officers could expose officers or departments to legal liability, the guide states.

New Bedford is not federally designated as a sanctuary city like Boston or New York, and there are no established barriers to communication with ICE.

While the mission and function of ICE is currently a contested, politically divided issue, our response and dedication to public safety cannot be, the guide notes. Our community and elected officials have varying opinions on ICE operations; however, as officers, our role and mission are clear and outlined below.

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The document contains eight steps for a routine response involving ICE.

Officers are required to activate their body-worn cameras in accordance with department policy and keep them on for the duration of the encounter. Decisions must be based on facts and circumstances present at the scene, the guide explains.

Political and personal positions should never influence decisions or actions taken in an officers official capacity, the guide continues.

Due to the varying vehicles, uniforms, masks and markings  or lack thereof  supervisors are required to meet with agents to confirm they are with ICE and verify the legitimacy of the operation.

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Officers must leave room for the public to protest and film, as long as demonstrations remain lawful and do not interfere with ICE. They are also required to fully document each incident.

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell believes the police departments new policy concerning ICE actions is appropriate.

It simply reminds officers that they have an obligation to maintain order, including when a civil disturbance arises from the official actions of another law enforcement agency, Mitchell said in a statement to 12 News. That said, as a former federal prosecutor, I believe it is irresponsible for ICE to refrain from providing a heads up to local police departments about its intended arrests.

Whatever the basis of the policy, it puts police officers and their own agents at greater risk of unintended confrontation, he continued.

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ICE spokesperson James Covington said the agency supports any policy that enables officers to keep community members safe, adding that it enjoys a mutually beneficial relationship with many of our local law enforcement partners.

Meanwhile, community members like Sergio Meija with the Centro Comunitario De Trabajadores (CCT) are concerned that the presence of local police alongside ICE could stir fear.

Meija is worried that people who might need to dial 911 in case of an emergency might hesitate out of fear they will be detained.

The trust, trusting in people who can help our community out, you know, Meija said. Its very important for us to have the trust in not only the police department, but all the organizations that they are allies with us too and support the community.

Read the full guidance sheet below.

Federal Immigration Enforcement Operations New Bedford Police Department PolicyDownload

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Bee Cave Mayor Kara King announced this week that she is running in the Republican primary for Congress.

The 49-year-old said that after she heard Michael McCaul, R-Austin, was retiring from his District 10 seat, her phone started ringing with people wanting her to run for his U.S. house seat.

"I talked to my family and prayed a lot and decided I was going to give it a try," she said. "I really enjoy helping people. What fuels me every day is if I can solve someone's problem that they are having."

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She announced her decision to run on Wednesday and has a campaign goal of raising $17,600 in three days. She declined to comment on how her fundraising was going. "The outpouring of support has been truly humbling," she said.

Related Michael McCaul, longterm Austin congressman, to retire at end of term

King has been mayor of Bee Cave in southwestern Travis County since 2020, winning her third two-year term in 2024. She had been a City Council member from 2013-2019.

"One of the things I really enjoy about being mayor is explaining to people all the time what we're doing in government," King said. "I enjoy meeting people and sharing what they care about. I take seriously our form of government and want to bring government back to the people."

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If elected, she said wants to focus on jobs and job security, keeping government taxes low, balancing the budget and securing the border. "We need to make sure the border is secure and that people come to the U.S. in a legal way," she said.

King, who calls herself a "Trump conservative" on her website, has a bachelor's degree in biomedical science from Texas A&M University, is married and has three children. She works as a travel advisor for a luxury travel agency, she said.

From 2022: Bee Cave Mayor Kara King keeps her seat

King, who will have at least six opponents in the Republican primary in March, said her experience as an elected official gives her an edge over the other contenders.

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"I've represented a city and led it," she said of Bee Cave, which has a population of about 9,000. She said she doesn't think it's too much of a leap from being a mayor to serving in Congress.

"When you have a desire to serve people and take care of people," King said, "it's really the same job just on a bigger scale."

The other candidates who have filed to run for District 10 in the Republican primary include Chris Gober, an attorney; Jessical Karlsruher, the executive director of a credit union association; Scott MacLeod, a retired U.S. Army colonel and the head of a private Christian school, and Carl Segan, a retired engineering designer and project manager and a retired U.S. Army sergeant first class. Other candidates are Joshua Ross Lovell and Robert Brown. No information was available Friday about Lovell's and Brown's occupations.

King said she also has been involved in the community as a volunteer. She has served for six in the National Charity League Lake Travis chapter, a mother-daughter nonprofit that focuses on community service and leadership. She also served for eight years in the Young Men's Service League, a nonprofit where mothers and their high-school age sons volunteer together to help their local communities.

"Between these two service organizations," King said "it has really enabled me to work with a bunch of charities in Central Texas."
Islamabad, Pakistan  The provincial government of Punjab, Pakistans most populous province, is seeking federal approval to ban the far-right religious party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) amid a violent crackdown on the groups protesters this week.

In a meeting chaired by Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the provinces chief minister and niece of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, officials approved what they described as historic and extraordinary decisions.

The chief minister did not name the TLP, but a statement from her office said the ban would be sought against an extremist party, and added that those involved in inciting violence, spreading hatred and violating the law would be arrested immediately.

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The extremist partys leadership will be placed in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act, the provincial government statement said. The Fourth Schedule is a list of proscribed individuals suspected of terrorism and sectarianism under Pakistans antiterrorism legislation.

The announcement came four days after a large-scale predawn operation by law enforcement agencies on Monday to dismantle a TLP protest camp in Muridke, 60km (37 miles) from the provincial capital, Lahore.

Muridke made headlines earlier this year in May when India launched missiles on the town, targeting what it claimed were sanctuaries for Pakistan-based armed groups responsible for carrying out attacks on Indian territory.

Following the police operation against the TLP  a political party with a controversial and violent history  authorities said they detained more than 2,700 people, while another 2,800 were placed on an exit control list.

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The party has led blasphemy-related protests in Pakistan, a highly sensitive topic in the Muslim-majority country, and has been accused of attacks against religious minorities, particularly Christians and Ahmadis.

Why was the TLP protesting?

United States President Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point plan on September 29, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu standing beside him, aimed at ending Israels two-year war on Gaza.

The plan, subsequently ratified by several countries, including Pakistan, on October 13, stipulated that the war would end immediately, with all captives held by Hamas in Gaza since October 7  both alive and dead  returned within 72 hours, and Palestinian prisoners released.

The plan also stated that the Gaza Strip would be temporarily governed by a Palestinian technocratic government with no role for Hamas, and Israel would not annex Gaza. The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza, the plan added.

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But the plan does not explicitly commit to a Palestinian state, something that is a demand of most of the world  and has been a central part of Pakistans policy in the Middle East.

Following Trumps announcement, the TLP declared its intention to march, stating it did not accept the peace agreement. The party called the peace agreement a conspiracy to subjugate the Palestinian people that demanded a protest.

According to the TLP and its chief, Saad Hussain Rizvi, the Al-Aqsa Gaza March was scheduled to begin from Lahore, the partys base, on October 10.

The objective was to march on the main national highway from Lahore towards the capital Islamabad, where the party intended to stage a demonstration outside the US embassy.

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The purpose of this march was to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine and the situation in Gaza only, a TLP spokesperson who was not present at the protest site told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity due to fear of arrest.

Police fire shots to disperse supporters of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan in Muridke, Pakistan, on October 13, 2025 [A Hussain/EPA]

How did the protest unfold?

As TLP workers gathered in Lahore last Friday, Rizvi addressed a large rally of thousands, urging them to break through all obstacles placed by authorities and carry out their march.

Lahore police had placed numerous containers on the main highway and dug trenches to break the partys momentum.

However, despite clashes with police, TLP workers managed to break free and reach Muridke by Sunday.

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Authorities allege that workers from the party injured several dozen police officials in clashes as they made their way towards Islamabad.

Ehtesham Shami, a local journalist covering the TLP march in Muridke, said party workers arrived in the city despite blockades everywhere that made movement extremely difficult.

Looking at the number of law enforcement personnel present in Muridke and surrounding areas, it was evident that an operation would be launched against the party, and this was even conveyed by authorities to TLP leaders, Shami said.

However, as workers remained present, around 2am the police started its operation, firing the first tear gas shell, Shami, who was present at the scene, told Al Jazeera.

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He said clashes between the two sides continued for several hours until dawn, during which TLP workers also engaged in counterattacks against police personnel, appearing in small groups, moving swiftly and acting rapidly.

The TLP official, one of numerous spokespeople for the party, however, denied any such counterattacks, blaming authorities for wanton violence against peaceful protesters, saying the party believes in peaceful protest.

Punjab police said in a statement on Monday that at least one police official was killed in the clashes, while dozens of police personnel were injured, some critically.

Disputed casualty figures

Since the operation ended on Monday, TLP-affiliated social media accounts have claimed the police action resulted in hundreds of deaths among their workers.

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While the official government statement said only three TLP workers were killed, the TLP official denied the count.

Hundreds of our workers were killed, and their bodies were removed from the scene by the officials to hide their crimes, he claimed, without providing evidence.

The claims have been amplified by several leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the largest opposition party in Pakistan, which itself conducted several operations against the TLP during its tenure between 2018 and 2022.

PTI has faced a state-led crackdown since being ousted from power in April 2022. Last November, at least 12 of their workers were killed in a protest in Islamabad.

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Amid the dispute over the death toll in the clashes between law enforcement officials and the TLP in Muridke, Fawad Chaudhry, a former federal information minister under the PTI government, also told Al Jazeera he reached out to several local community leaders and politicians in various cities near Lahore from where TLP workers gathered.

I spoke to more than two dozen community leaders to find out about any deaths in their constituency following the crackdown on TLP, but apart from one confirmation, nobody else had anything to add, he said.

What is the TLP?

TLP, a group following the Barelvi school of Sunni Islam, was formed in 2015 by Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the wheelchair-bound father of the current leader. The Barelvi school has roots in Bareilly in Indias northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Supporters of the religio-political party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) march during their protest rally in Lahore, Pakistan, on October 11, 2025 [A Hussain/EPA]

The party made its name as a far-right, populist religio-political movement primarily through controversial and violent protests focusing on blasphemy, demanding immediate death for anybody accused of the offence.

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The party came to prominence for its vehement support for Mumtaz Qadri, a police constable who shot Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer in 2011 for expressing sympathetic sentiments towards Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy.

The party has continued to mobilise around issues of religious sanctity, with its first major protest taking place in November 2017.

Subsequently, they carried out similar, often violent, protests in 2020 and 2021 over the publication of perceived blasphemous caricatures, during which several police officials were killed.

The TLP contested both the 2018 and 2024 elections. While they never secured a seat in the national assembly, they managed to win more than two million votes in both elections.

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In 2018, the party placed fifth in total votes and won three provincial seats from Sindh. In 2024, it ranked fourth in total votes while winning one provincial seat in Punjab.

The partys founder, Rizvi, died in November 2020 from natural causes at the age of 54. After his death, the party was headed by Saad Hussain Rizvi, who was later joined by his younger brother, Anas Hussain Rizvi.

Blasphemy is an extremely sensitive topic in Muslim-majority Pakistan, with at least 85 people murdered in relation to the allegations since 1990, according to local media and researchers. As of 2023, at least 53 people are in custody across Pakistan on blasphemy charges, according to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.

The rise of TLP has seen a drastic increase in violence and blasphemy cases filed across the country.

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The TLP has particularly targeted Ahmadis, a religious minority in Pakistan that considers itself Muslim but was officially declared non-Muslim in 1974 through a constitutional amendment. The party has often targeted their places of worship and desecrated graveyards.

Where are the Rizvi brothers?

Following the police crackdown on Monday morning, the partys leaders, brothers Saad and Anas, have been missing.

Saad Hussain Rizvi, chief of TLP, gestures to his supporters after being released from jail in Lahore, Pakistan, November 18, 2021 [Mohsin Raza/Reuters]

While social media was rife with rumours of at least one brothers death, with both allegedly having been hit by bullets, Punjab police denied any such reports.

Muhammad Faisal Kamran, a senior Lahore police official, told a news channel on October 14 that neither brother was in police custody, though he added that officials had managed to trace them and would arrest them soon.

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Shami, the journalist, said that while police deny having custody of both brothers, it appears they will declare their formal arrest within a few days.

Maybe the purpose of not immediately bringing them forward at this time is to reduce the anger among their supporters and ensure that the situation remains under control, as there is also an impression that if both brothers were arrested and immediately presented, their workers could become agitated, he told Al Jazeera.

Did the TLP miscalculate?

For a party that has singularly focused on blasphemy-related issues for its brand of agitational politics, some analysts say the TLP tried to reorient its approach but miscalculated.

Abdul Basit, a scholar at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at Singapores S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, has followed the group closely since its emergence.

The analyst says the party has always believed in confrontational politics, but perhaps with this protest, it tried its hand at other issues.

Being agitational is part of the TLP DNA, and it tried to move away from blasphemy-related activism, he told Al Jazeera.

Chaudhry, the former federal minister under the PTI tenure, said there was no public display of any resentment against the Gaza peace deal, making it unclear why the party chose to latch onto this topic.

However, the politician endorsed state action against the far-right party.

TLP chants slogans of separate the head from the body of a blasphemer. They set fire on property of people and target minorities. Should they be garlanded for these violent actions? Should politics allow space for parties that endorse beheading people? Chaudhry asked.

Basit, on the other hand, said every political group or social movement has a democratic, fundamental right to protest, regardless of their agenda.

Now the question is whether the TLPs protest was peaceful or not. The party does not have any credit due to their tainted past of conducting violent protests. Having said that, there are certainly less violent ways to control a crowd and the state, arguably, used excessive violence, the scholar said.

Police officers and supporters of TLP run amid tear gas fired by police during a solidarity march for Gaza in Lahore, Pakistan, October 10, 2025 [Mohsin Raza/Reuters]

Muhammad Amir Rana, a security analyst and director of the Pak Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS), said that the TLP had never previously been held accountable for violence.

In the past protests, TLP often perpetrated violence against Punjab police personnel, with several police officers dying during different protests. This time, with the states full backing, police had the opportunity to go after the party, Islamabad-based Rana told Al Jazeera.

Did TLPs Gaza protest fail to resonate with the public?

Public opposition in Pakistan to Trumps announced Gaza deal has been largely muted, despite criticism and questions about the deals practicality.

Pakistans mainstream religious parties, Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazal, held rallies in early October  but they focused on expressing solidarity for the people of Gaza, rather than questioning the deal or its conditions.

Perhaps, TLP felt that their space and political relevance was reducing, so they wanted to hold a protest to get some public attention, Rana, the security analyst, said.

Basit, the Singapore-based expert, said that while Palestine is also an emotive issue in Pakistan, the TLPs attempt to galvanise support around the issue had failed.

No other political or religious group, so far, has publicly protested against the deal or Pakistans involvement. Had there been other groups joining their rally, it could have shown there was public sentiment against the deal, serious enough for people to be on the streets, but that was not the case, he pointed out.

This shows, clearly, that the partys protest was solely an effort to mobilise its own supporter base.
A senior Belarusian diplomat held meetings with European officials as part of Belarus's effort to break out of diplomatic isolation, Reuters reported on Oct. 17, citing undisclosed diplomatic sources.

Minsk has faced heavy Western political and economic sanctions over the massive electoral fraud during the 2020 presidential election, and for supporting Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine two years later.

Yuri Ambrazevich, a former Belarusian deputy foreign minister and current ambassador to the Vatican, was reportedly tasked with an outreach to Western European nations and contacted several EU diplomats.

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One European diplomat confirmed for Reuters that he met Ambrazevich, who suggested that Belarus could be involved in the Russia-Ukraine peace efforts and play a role in discussions on European security.

The Belarusian envoy requested several meetings in Paris on Oct. 6, 8, and 9, Reuters reported, citing an email it had obtained. Several countries accepted the invitation, though it remains unclear which or how many, according to the news agency.

The Belarusian Embassy in Paris confirmed to Reuters that Ambrazevich requested to meet with several foreign diplomats, but described it as "standard diplomatic practice."

The news comes amid renewed dialogue between the U.S. and Belarus, with Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko voicing readiness to strengthen ties if it benefits Minsk.

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The U.S. in September helped to negotiate the release of 52 political prisoners of different nationalities held in Belarus, while Washington agreed to lift sanctions on the Belarusian state airline, Belavia.

Trump's envoy, Keith Kellogg, later revealed that the goal of the renewed dialogue with Belarus is to "ensure lines of communication" with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of a broader push to end the war in Ukraine.

Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, allowed Russian forces to launch attacks on Ukraine from Belarusian territory at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

Read also: What to expect from Zelensky-Trump meeting as Ukraine hopes for Tomahawks

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  The story of a humble woman with heart and a passion for lifting up her community, those are just some of the descriptions of Aqua Porter, a 2025 Woman of Distinction.

Every year, State Senator Samra Brouk honors a woman who has shown extraordinary commitment to service in New Yorks 55th District.

Xerox recruited Porter to Rochester in 1984. Once the engineer retired, she continued using her business skills to help eliminate poverty and discrimination.

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Rochester Mayor Malik Evans and several other community leaders spoke about Porters past and recent accomplishments, including her work convincing some 40 businesses in Rochester to adopt a $15 minimum wage for workers.

I may be a Woman of Distinction, but I come from people who distinguish themselves by being present, Porter said. Thats a life lesson I try to carry with me every day. Being present says, I see you. I love you. Youre doing great. Ive got your back. You can count on me. And if were being honest, thats what most of us want to know  that we belong and that we matter.

Porter serves as the executive director of the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative.

And on a personal note, I have the honor of calling her my homegirl: we both grew up in Dayton, Ohio.

Congratulations, Aqua!

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
Workers in downtown Manhattan Momo Takahashi/BI

Big banks posted strong earnings results this week as dealmaking returns to Wall Street.

Goldman's advisory revenue jumped 60% to $1.4 billion from a year earlier, the bank said.

JPMorgan, Citi, and Morgan Stanley also logged double-digit gains in investment banking fees.

After nearly three years of sputtering and false starts since the pandemic-era highs, dealmaking is finally looking like it's back in gear on Wall Street.

Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley all reported blockbuster third-quarter earnings this week, as CEOs revived mergers and financing plans that had stalled while investors waited for markets to thaw. For the second quarter in a row, signs are mounting that the long-standing dealmaking drought  which has affected bankers' pay and morale  is showing real signs of easing.

"Whether we are entering a golden age of investment banking remains to be seen, but it has been several years of chatter around green shoots, and now the flywheel is taking hold," Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick told analysts in a call on Wednesday.

The firm reported investment banking revenue of $2.1 billion  up 44% year-over-year  buoyed by an 80% surge in equity underwriting to $652 million, as well as rising advisory fees of $684 million, up 25%.

Goldman Sachs led the rebound Tuesday, announcing its third-highest quarterly net revenues ever: more than $15 billion, the bank said in its quarterly earnings release. David Solomon, the firm's CEO, told investors in a shareholder call that mergers were back  propelling the firm's advisory revenues 60% higher than the same period one year earlier, to a quarterly total of $1.4 billion.

"The setup remains constructive," he said Tuesday, praising a "more supportive regulatory environment" for spurring renewed activity.

Other firms that reported their numbers this week, from JPMorgan Chase to Bank of America, were also enjoying the dealmaking high, reporting double-digit fee jumps.

Putting the cart before the horse?

Stocks of large-cap banks were up late Wednesday morning, with Bank of America up by more than 5%, Morgan Stanley rallying by 6%, and JPMorgan gaining 2%.

To be sure, Wall Street knows how it feels to spot rays of optimism, only to see them eclipsed by clouds of uncertainty that disrupt the levers of corporate transacting.

"The world is in an uncertain place, and there could be pauses depending on how geopolitics feel, but generally speaking, the investment banking product category over the next couple of years should be up and to the right," Morgan Stanley's Pick predicted.
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler speaks at a climate rally outside of Sen. Ron Johnsons Madison office in 2021. (Henry Redman | Wisconsin Examiner)

There is no clear frontrunner in the Democratic primary for governor of Wisconsin. Attorney General Josh Kaul, with his name recognition and two statewide wins under his belt, might have been the favorite, except that he decided not to get in. Now former Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler has announced he wont be using his star power and prodigious fundraising skills to take a run at the governors mansion.

I caught up with Wikler Thursday by phone while he was at home with his kids, working on a book about Wisconsin and national politics and fielding phone calls from reporters about his decision to stay out of the race. Despite his decision, Wikler is still involved in politics behind the scenes, raising money and helping create an infrastructure to support his partys eventual nominee for governor as well as Democrats who are trying to win seats in the Legislature and in Congress.

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Wikler deserves a lot of credit for the recent hopeful direction of politics in Wisconsin  culminating in the election of a liberal state Supreme Court majority that forced an end to gerrymandered voting maps which previously locked in hugely disproportionate Republican legislative majorities in our 50/50 state. His vision for a progressive political revival in Wisconsin and across the nation delighted a lot of grassroots Democrats as well as Jon Stewart of The Daily Show, who urged him to run for president after listening to Wikler describe what Democrats need to do to reconnect with working class voters and turn the political tide.

As Wisconsin Republicans coalesce around U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a yes-man for President Donald Trump, the stakes in the Wisconsin governors race could not be higher. But Wikler says hes not worried.

I think there are multiple candidates who can absolutely win and could do a perfect job on our side, he said on the phone. I dont see the same on the Republican side. I think Tom Tiffany is a real political misfire for the GOP in a moment like this.

I have a real conviction that we have a very clear path to be able to win. Not without a fight  this is Wisconsin  but I would rather be Team Democrats and democracy and an economy that works for working people than Team MAGA and tariffs and authoritarian masked men grabbing people off the street.

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Still, on a recent weekend drive through the Driftless Area, I saw huge Trump banners flying over fields of soybeans farmers cant sell because of Trumps trade war with China. It might be hard for some voters, even those who are hurt by Trump administration policies, to switch teams as peoples core sense of identity is so tied to polarized political team loyalties.

... in Wisconsin things dont have to change very much to get a dramatically different result.

 Ben Wikler

I think its true for all of us that its hard to come to the conclusion that its time to change after youve been going one way for a good while, Wikler said. But its also the case that in Wisconsin things dont have to change very much to get a dramatically different result.

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Elections in this swing state will continue to be close. But theres every possibility of being able to energize and turn out several percentage points more people in a way that could generate a Democratic trifecta and help flip the U.S. House and shift power in local offices across the state, he added.

In his unsuccessful bid for national Democratic Party chair, Wikler talked about how Democrats had lost working class votes and needed to reclaim their lost status as champions of working people. They needed to show the receipts for their work winning better health care, affordable housing, more opportunity and a better quality of life for the people that used to be their natural constituency, he said.

On The Daily Show he held up Gov. Tony Evers as an example, saying he ran on the promise to fix the damn roads and beat former Gov. Scott Walker. Then he fixed the roads and won a second time.

But a lot of progressives, especially public school advocates, were disappointed with the budget deals Evers struck with Republicans. This week DPI released final numbers showing that 71% of public schools across the state will get less money from the state under the current budget. Where are the receipts Wisconsin Democrats can show to make the case they will make things better?

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Evers blocked a lot of bad things, Wikler noted. And in many ways things are better in Wisconsin, even as the national scene gets darker and darker under the current administration, he said. The things that are going well are the kind of locally driven and state-level things that are not falling apart, he said. He contrasted that with the Walker years when there was a sense that core aspects of peoples personal lives were falling apart. People were leaving their careers in education and changing their whole life plans, because it felt like the pillars that supported their vision for how their lives were going to work were falling apart.

Theres a profound sense of threat from Washington today, he added. But he believes that Democrats can stave off disaster in Wisconsin if they win a trifecta in state government, which he thinks is possible.

He draws on examples from the states history as a progressive leader, from the famous 1911 legislative session that laid the groundwork for the New Deal to the first law protecting victims of domestic violence in the 1970s.

Theres these moments when Wisconsin really leaps forward. And we have a chance for the first one in more than half a century in 2027, he said. And thats the moment where you have to deliver for people really meaningfully.

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He compares the chance of that happening in Wisconsin to the Minnesota miracle, when Tim Walz was re-elected governor and Democrats swept state government in our neighboring state.

Trying to bring about a miraculous transformation in Wisconsin doesnt mean Wikler is unrealistic. You dont have to look any farther than Wisconsins southern neighbor, Illinois, to see the dystopian possibilities of our current politics. I dont think the way [Illinois] Gov. JB Pritzker is talking is alarmist at all, Wikler says. If you talk to people who fought for democracy in countries where it disappeared, the early days of the downfall look like what were seeing right now.

To resist, we have to do multiple things, he said  fight in the courts, fight in downballot races, protect election administration but also keep in mind that ultimately, the people whose votes you have to win are the people who already feel like democracy is not working for them. They think that all politicians are already corrupt, and warnings about the threats to democracy feels like just more partisan blather. And you have to connect with their lived experience and the things that they think about when theyre not thinking about politics. Thats where fixing the roads becomes the only way to get off the road to authoritarianism.

Sounds like a good plan to me.

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SAN FRANCISCO  Marc Benioff apologized Friday for saying the National Guard should be deployed to San Francisco, backtracking from his remarks that ignited a week of intense controversy on the left.

Having listened closely to my fellow San Franciscans and our local officials, and after the largest and safest Dreamforce in our history, I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco, the Salesforce CEO wrote in a post on X . My earlier comment came from an abundance of caution around the event, and I sincerely apologize for the concern it caused.

Benioffs comments last Friday , ahead of his annual Dreamforce conference, set off a furor in San Francisco that intensified this week after President Donald Trump said San Francisco could be the next liberal city targeted for a troop deployment after Los Angeles, Washington, Chicago and Portland.

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The fallout from Benioffs initial remarks prompted Silicon Valley angel investor Ron Conway to step down from the board of Salesforces philanthropic foundation this week, excoriating the CEO and saying he no longer recognized him.

His comments also blindsided many local Democratic leaders , some of whom once regarded the Salesforce CEO as an ally. Some Democrats, including San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, blamed Benioff for drawing Trumps attention .

State Sen. Scott Wiener, who represents San Francisco, told POLITICO in a statement Friday that was glad Benioff had stepped back from his earlier comments.

Im grateful that Marc walked back his call for the National Guard to be deployed in San Francisco, he said. Marc has done so many good things for our city  and supported so many civic needs  and Im glad to see this shift.

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San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, with help from Gov. Gavin Newsom, spent the week following the remarks highlighting the city's falling crime statistics and decades-low homicide rate, while Lurie and Benioff cancelled a previously planned Monday event day-of, with organizers citing rain .

Asked about the apology via email, Lurie spokesperson Charles Lutvak pointed to comments the mayor had made earlier in the day at a press conference where he underscored the success of Dreamforce. Asked about Benioffs reported pitch to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the citys immigration sanctuary policies, Lurie said the policies kept the city safe and again underscored the citys falling crime rates.

Newsoms office declined to comment Friday.

In his post Friday, Benioff said, I remain deeply grateful to Mayor Lurie, SFPD, and all our partners, and am fully committed to a safer, stronger San Francisco.

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The billionaire moved to Hawaii during the pandemic, which Conway pointed out in his letter resigning from the board.

Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, said in a statement that Americas once great cities have descended into chaos and crime" as a result of Democratic policies, urging Democrats in San Francisco to welcome the President in to clean up their city.
BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)  A man accused of assaulting a Berkeley County deputy yesterday was captured Friday after escaping during the initial incident.

Deputies were called to an area on Cypress Forest Drive in Moncks Corner on Thursday for an unknown problem, the Berkeley County Sheriffs Office said.

When they arrived, they made contact with a man identified as Sango Huwaa Mosia Asante. Asante allegedly became aggressive and intentionally assaulted a responding deputy.

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The two struggled before Asante broke free and fled the scene, the sheriffs office explained.

A search ensued, during which authorities deployed a K9 unit, but law enforcement could not find him.

After a continued investigation, Asante was found on Friday afternoon. He is charged with resisting arrest with assault on a law enforcement officer.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
Editors note: This story was updated after publishing on Oct. 16, 2025 to correct information about the attorneys previous employment.

A Berks County attorney who was suspended from practicing law as a result of criminal charges filed against him has been reinstated by the state Supreme Court.

Roarke Thomas Aston, 46, a former Berks assistant public defender, was reinstated Tuesday after serving one year of a three-year suspension that began in June 2024.

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In returning Aston to active status, the court cited his compliance with the suspension order and the lack of any outstanding issues. He remains subject to the terms and conditions of probation outlined by the court in September for the remaining two years of the stayed suspension.

In November 2023, Roarke pleaded no-contest in Berks County Court to endangering the welfare of a child. Judge James M. Bucci sentenced him to two years of probation and ordered that he have no contact with the victim, among other conditions.

The charges were filed by Exeter Township police following a quarrel at his home in the township. Aston fled the home. He was stopped nearby and arrested for drunken driving.

While other officers were in the home investigating the domestic dispute, a female victim made allegations of abuse that was said to have occurred about 10 years earlier.

Aston pleaded guilty to the DUI charges  his second such offense  and was sentenced by Bucci to four days in Berks County Jail.
Alivia poses for a portrait outside the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, where a display of purple flags honors survivors of domestic violence, on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Annie Knox, Utah News Dispatch)

With the days she walked on eggshells in her own home now firmly behind her, a Utah survivor of domestic violence breathed a big sigh on Thursday.

Its so relieving, she said in an interview. Now I just have to focus on myself, my healing journey, just picking up the pieces every single day.

Domestic violence resources

Help for people in abusive relationships is available in Utah:

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Alivia, who gave Utah News Dispatch permission to identify her by her first name, said police and prosecutors in Salt Lake City worked quickly and carefully to arrest and prosecute her perpetrator.

But Salt Lake Countys top prosecutor acknowledges that isnt always the case. Many victims of domestic violence dont have a positive experience with the justice system, District Attorney Sim Gill said, and many abusers are not brought to justice.

On Thursday, Gill said he wants to change that. He announced his office is training police throughout the county on how to ensure they gather all the evidence needed and how to interview those traumatized by abuse, without doing further harm.

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He believes the instruction on best practices will help his office file more criminal charges without the added step of asking police to go back and gather more evidence.

One of the things I want to minimize is the delay between an incident, and us filing, Gill said in an interview. Part of that is that if Im sending this case back for further investigation, the urgency of the moment is being compromised.

A grant from the U.S. Department of Justice  providing $500,000 over three years  is helping cover the cost of the training for five police departments: Salt Lake City, Riverton, Draper, West Jordan, and South Jordan, according to Gills office. But a longtime investigator working with the office is also leading trainings for other agencies upon request.

In South Jordan, detectives have received an early round of training thats reinforced the effects of trauma, including a freeze response, said Lt. Adrian Montelongo with South Jordan police.

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To help those reporting abuse feel more comfortable speaking with investigators, the department has been conducting interviews with them either at their homes or another space of their choice, and with victim advocates present, he said.

Theyre dispatchable, Montelongo said of victim advocates. Especially if they ask for one, we will call them out.

On a statewide level, Gill said Utah has taken positive steps in addressing domestic violence in recent years. Under a 2023 state law, he noted, police must ask victims a series of questions that can help determine how much danger theyre in.

The surveys known as the lethality assessment protocol have also helped standardize how officers across the state investigate reports of domestic violence, Gill said.

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But another state initiative has stalled. This year the Legislature did not fund a budget request to cover forensic exams for victims of attempted strangulation. Advocates say the exams are important because they can provide evidence for prosecutions and can reveal internal injuries or signs of a future stroke, even when there are no obvious external wounds, which also makes clear whether further medical care is needed.

They should definitely put funding back into that, Alivia told Utah News Dispatch.

At a news conference on Thursday, she and Gill urged Utahns to routinely check on anyone they suspect is being abused, ask how they can help, and recommend charting out a safety plan. Gill said its tempting to assume people in abusive relationships would simply leave, but there are many reasons why they might stay, including cultural, religious and financial factors.

Youre going to always have the whys, the what ifs, the What I could have done? Alivia said after the news conference. I still get emotional about it, obviously. But time  thats all you need. Time will heal.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Oct. 17The Bigfork Senior Center is celebrating the opening of its used book and clothing store this weekend, which will help raise money for a wheelchair ramp as part of a larger effort to build out a new facility.

Volunteers at the senior center are drumming up activity in the new space, hoping to get more community members involved. After the pandemic years decimated membership numbers, Board President Bruce Peck said the board made a goal to recover.

"We've managed to enroll about 180 people this past month following a membership drive," he said.

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It's free to sign up and it shows county officials that people are interested in the center. In addition to offering programming at the facility, the center also administers Meals-on-Wheels.

There are big dreams for the center, like a classroom and meeting space, but there is still plenty going on for members right now. It hosts a variety of clubs and groups for those "55+ years young," according to Board Vice President Liana Orsolini, including a bridge club, knitting group and of course, a book club.

The newest addition to the center should please the bookworms: A large closet has been renovated into a small used bookshop, featuring a beautiful, spanning mural of St. Mary Lake.

Muralist Joel Niles donated the painting and will soon be holding an art show there, according to Orsolini. His landscape paintings of Glacier National Park lined the walls in preparation.

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Niles' mural in the building is just one recent example of how senior center volunteers have tried to drum up excitement around the new facility, along with more fundraising efforts.

Located off Montana 35 across from the Bethany Lutheran Church, the senior center moved into its current building in 2021 after the county purchased the property using a grant. Peck said Flathead County recently donated the remaining 2,400 square feet of the building.

"It was the whole building, which to the [county's] credit, they've given up a substantial rental income, it's 2,000 square feet of commercial space. So, we're very grateful," Peck said.

The facility offers plenty of space to grow, but improvements are needed, such as the covered wheelchair ramp, which will make it much easier for patrons to access the center during the winter months.

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On Oct. 10 from 2 to 5 p.m., there will be a senior center members-only rummage sale followed by their ribbon cutting event and silent auction at 5 p.m. On Saturday, another rummage sale and silent auction runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., then again from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

"It started with, 'What if we did a donation-based use bookstore? And then that morphed into a rummage sale, then a donation-based clothing store and then that turned into holding a silent auction," Orsolini said.

Silent auction items include a Pendelton blanket from Lodgecraft, mohair hand-loomed shawls, quilts, photography, gourmet dinners, and restaurant and grocery store certificates.

"We are also auctioning off four hours of organizational help at home or help with errands," Orsolini said.

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There will be live music provided by Flathead High School junior Aedan Baier, who plays the cello.

Orsolini said the second-hand store will be open during normal senior center hours, which are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

For more information, call 406-837-4157.

Taylor Inman may be reached at 758-4440 or [email protected].

Part of the new used bookstore at the Bigfork Senior Center. (Taylor Inman/Bigfork Eagle)

Part of the new used clothing store at the Bigfork Senior Center, located off of Montana 35 across from Bethany Lutheran Church in Bigfork. (Taylor Inman/Bigfork Eagle)
PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ)  A Pennsylvania Senator is looking to impose additional taxes on online adult content through a new piece of legislation.

Senator Marty Flynn (D-Lackawanna, Luzerne) argued in his newest memo that while currently, online adult content platforms generate revenue from Pennsylvania subscribers, that money generated contributes nothing beyond the standard sales and use tax.

However, Flynn added that by imposing a targeted larger tax on the services and purchases, the platforms would then be contributing their fair share to the Commonwealth.

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The legislation, if passed, would impose an additional 10% tax on all subscriptions and one-time purchases from online adult content platforms from online adult content platforms. The tax would be applied in addition to the Commonwealths existing 6% sales and use tax. All revenue collected would be deposited into the General Fund, where it could then support critical state priorities.

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Flynn noted that his memo mirrors successful approaches in other jurisdictions to modernize tax codes and ensure that online businesses are treated appropriately.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com.
NEED TO KNOW

The son of Isak Andic, the founder of fashion company Mango, is reportedly under investigation after his father fell to his death while the pair were out hiking in Spain in December 2024

Police initially ruled the death accidental, but alleged that inconsistencies in Jonathan Andic's testimonies had now prompted a judicial review, per a Spanish outlet

Family representatives have maintained Jonathan's innocence, saying in a statement, "The family is confident that this process will end soon and that Jonathan Andics innocence will be proven"

The son of Isak Andic, founder of fashion giant Mango, is under investigation following his father's death in December of last year, according to reports.

Isak, 71, died unexpectedly on Dec. 14, 2024, following "an accident," Mango CEO Toni Ruiz said in a previously released statement.

Miquel Benitez/Shutterstock; Abaca Press/Alamy Stock Photo

He'd been out hiking with his eldest son Jonathan, 44, in the Montserrat mountains near Barcelona when he fell more than 320 feet to his death, according to U.K. newspaper The Times.

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The father and son had allegedly been walking along the path of Les Feixades, which is a popular hiking route that families take daily, when the tragedy occurred, per the outlet.

Miquel Benitez/Shutterstock Isak Andic and his son Jonathan are pictured in 2012 Isak Andic and his son Jonathan are pictured in 2012

Jonathan, who was walking ahead, had heard the sound of falling stones behind them before he turned around to see his father fall off a cliff in an unfenced section of the trail, per The Times. The path of Les Feixades is around three miles long and links the Salnitre caves in Collbato with the Montserrat monastery.

Police initially ruled the death accidental, but alleged that inconsistencies in Jonathan's testimonies had now prompted a judicial review, the publication and Spanish outlet El Periodico reported.

According to Spanish newspaper El Pais, the investigation has now shifted from a mountain accident to a possible homicide, according to a translated article.

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Jonathan's status has also been changed from witness to suspect, El Periodico reported, citing sources familiar with the investigation.

Lorena Sopena/Europa Press via Getty Isak Andic Isak Andic

The Mossos dEsquadra (Catalonia police) will now look further at evidence, including at the content on Jonathan's cell phone, per the newspaper. However, police sources told the outlet that "the main hypothesis they are working with is that it was an accident, as they have found no evidence to the contrary," according to the translated article.

A Mossos dEsquadra spokesperson told PEOPLE in an email, "The investigation is under judicial review and is subject to secrecy of proceedings."

Family representatives have maintained Jonathan's innocence, saying in a statement, per Reuters, The Andic family has not commented, and will not comment, on Isak Andics death. It wishes to show respect for the ongoing proceedings and will continue co-operating fully with the authorities. The family is confident that this process will end soon and that Jonathan Andics innocence will be proven."

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Jonathan is listed as the Vice-Chairman of the Board on the Mango Fashion Group website.

A spokesperson for the Mango Fashion Group did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for comment.

Josianne Toubeix/Getty A stock photo of of Montserrat mountain in Catalonia, Spain A stock photo of of Montserrat mountain in Catalonia, Spain

The statement previously released by Mango CEO Toni Ruiz did not specify how Isak died.

"It is with deep regret that we announce the unexpected death of Isak Andic, our non-executive chairman and founder of Mango, in an accident that occurred this Saturday," Ruiz wrote at the time.

"Isak has been an example for all of us. He dedicated his life to Mango, leaving an indelible mark thanks to his strategic vision, his inspiring leadership and his unwavering commitment to values that he himself imbued in our company," Ruiz continued. "His legacy reflects the achievements of a business project marked by success, and also by his human quality, his proximity and the care and affection that he always had and at all times conveyed to the entire organization."

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According to Ruiz's statement on behalf of Mango, Andic's death "leaves a huge void but all of us are, in some way, his legacy and the testimony of his achievements."

"It is up to us, and this is the best tribute we can make to Isak and which we will fulfill, to ensure that Mango continues to be the project that Isak aspired to and of which he would feel proud," Ruiz wrote. "In these extremely difficult times, we share the pain of the family as if it were our own."

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Isak, who Forbes reported had a net worth of around $4.5 billion at the time of his death, opened his first store in Barcelona in 1984.

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The chain continues to open more stores around the globe.

"Worldwide, Mango has more than 2,900 stores and maintains a positive growth trajectory," a recent press release noted. "In the first half of 2025, the company recorded a 12% increase in sales [and] opened 78 new stores."



Read the original article on People
Education is the civil rights issue of our time. Thats what Leslie Cornfeld decided after a decade advising New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and President Obamas two education secretaries  and seeing how few low-income students went to the universities that lead to high-paying jobs.

Cornfeld said she spent part of her time in the Obama administration visiting the nations Title I high schools, those with a high percentage of low-income students. She recalled: We heard the same themes over and over again from principals, district leaders and students. That even the most talented, hard-working scholars  in rural communities, poor urban communities, Native American communities  cannot get on the radar of more selective universities.

And even if they could get on their radar, students did not believe that they were college-ready or college-worthy, Cornfeld said. Meanwhile, when she and her Washington colleagues met with higher education leaders, they repeatedly claimed, We wish that we could find talented lower income scholars but we just cant find them.

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For Cornfeld, this made no sense, since universities seemed to have had no trouble finding the very best athletes, often from low-income backgrounds, to play on their teams. Why couldnt they find the very best low-income students to fill their classrooms?

In 2019, with $50,000 in startup funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, she launched the National Education Equity Lab, a nonprofit founded on the belief that talent is evenly distributed but opportunity is not.

Cornfeld also was informed by a 2017 analysis of more than 30 million college students, led by economist Raj Chetty, which showed that the most selective colleges in the U.S., enabling the highest career opportunities and incomes, were the least socioeconomically diverse.

Cornfeld decided to connect the dots and bring elite universities into non-elite schools. By fall 2019, with a staff of three, the Lab was delivering Harvard College poetry class to two dozen high schools. The Lab simultaneously developed a range of supports: connecting professors with students by Zoom; training high school teachers as course co-teachers; and hiring college undergraduates as course teaching fellows and mentors in applying to and navigating college.

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Over the past five years, the Equity Lab, now called the National Education Opportunity Network, or NEON, reports it has brought 60 college credit-bearing courses from 17 universities to more than 40,000 high school students in 33 states  with 80 percent of students passing the courses. NEON is currently in every Title I school in Jackson, Mississippi, 120 Title I schools in New York City and has plans to matriculate 1 million Title I high schools into online college courses within a decade.

Should NEONs goal be achieved, it would surpass the number of low-income students annually taking Advanced Placement tests. Sixty percent of A.P. exams taken by low-income students in 2023 scored too low for college credit, a statistic that has not budged in 20 years, according to reporting from the New York Times.

We are a very different animal than A.P., Cornfeld said. We are serving low-income, underresourced scholars and this model was developed for them. We are bringing colleges into the schools and changing the culture.

A lean nonprofit

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Although the National Education Opportunity Network has large ambitions, it remains small in two significant ways. The nonprofit has only 32 full-time staff, and its annual revenue in 2024 was just $7.5 million.

Carnegie has provided NEON two more grants  $200,000 in 2021 and $3 million this year. And over the past six years, NEON has attracted funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates, NBA, Apollo and Morgan Stanley foundations, among others.

NEON also has attracted support from individuals. The biggest benefactor among them is venture capitalist Henry McCance.

My VC background very much focuses on backing the best people, McCance said, noting Cornfelds background as a federal civil rights prosecutor. McCance was also impressed by the NEONs model, which connects existing, paid-for college courses with existing, paid-for government employees at high schools.

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That gave them the ability to really start influencing thousands of students with relatively limited resources, McCance said.

While some large-scale private interventions  like Mark Zuckerbergs $100 million investment in Newark public schools and the Gates Foundations $1 billion Small Schools Initiative  have stumbled, McCance noted that NEON has fared better by starting small and proving its model.

Then they could go to other universities, other school districts and show them the success they had in the last year and build on it, he said.

512 high schools and counting

NEONs model is not without hurdles. Celeste Pico, principal of Lompoc High School in California decided to introduce two NEON courses to increase college-prep offerings after the pandemic.

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Wed be lying to you if we told you this has not taken a lot of time, Pico said. But we knew it was in the best interest of our students, because its more than having access to those classes  its helped close the gap for a lot of our students financially.

Increasingly, NEON learners are entering college having finished one year of university-level courses, Pico said. In 2024-25, Lompoc offered six NEON courses, eliminating several A.P. classes, in part because the A.P. grade is based on only one test.

Adrienne Battle, superintendent of the Metro Nashville Public Schools in Tennessee, has also scaled up NEON courses in her district.

Weve received quite a high positive-response rate and requests from not only our school teams but also from our students and parents, she said, adding that she plans to expand NEON offerings in all 12 of my zoned high schools.

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Closing the confidence gap

Marah Rigaud is a first-generation Haitian American who took five NEON courses at her high school in Long Island, N.Y., and now attends Yale.

Hearing these big names like Yale, Harvard, Georgetown can appear intimidating at first, she said. And when you dont have that experience, you kind of feel a bit behind and thinking that college is some kind of impossible feat. These courses give you a foundation.

Rigaud is one of the more than 10,000 students whose post-secondary outcomes NEON is tracking through a study by Robert Balfanz of Johns Hopkins. After five years of data analysis, Balfanz found that NEON students who pass a course are twice as likely to attend four-year colleges than students from similar high schools  and also persist in college at higher rates.

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Can the National Education Opportunity Network reach its goal of serving 1 million students within 10 years?

Cornfeld thinks so because demand for NEON courses is higher than ever, she said, with more than 35 new districts reaching out to join the network.

McCance, NEONs biggest individual funder, said, Ive never actually thought of whether the goal is precisely achievable or not, but one hurdle, quite frankly, is capital.

______

Tamara Straus is senior editor at the Chronicle of Philanthropy, where you can read the full article. This article was provided to The Associated Press by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as part of a partnership to cover philanthropy and nonprofits supported by the Lilly Endowment. The Chronicle is solely responsible for the content. For all of APs philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
Mountain View, California-based Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) is a technology conglomerate that oversees a portfolio that spans search, advertising, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, life sciences, and more. Valued at a market cap of $3 trillion, the company is expected to announce its fiscal Q3 earnings for 2025 after the market closes on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

Before this event, analysts expect Google's parent company to report a profit of $2.29 per share, up 8% from $2.12 per share in the prior-ago quarter. The company has a promising trajectory of consistently beating Wall Streets bottom-line estimates in each of the last four quarters. Its earnings of $2.31 per share in the previous quarter outpaced the consensus estimates by 7.4%.

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For fiscal 2025, analysts expect Alphabet to report a profit of $9.95 per share, representing a 23.8% increase from $8.04 per share in fiscal 2024. Furthermore, its EPS is expected to grow 6.9% year-over-year to $10.64 in fiscal 2026.

www.barchart.com

Alphabet has surged 54.3% over the past 52 weeks, significantly outpacing both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 14.5% return and the Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Funds (XLC) 27.1% rise over the same time frame.

www.barchart.com

On Jul. 23, Alphabet reported impressive Q2 earnings results, sending its shares up 1% in the following trading session. The companys quarterly revenue improved 13.8% year-over-year to $96.4 billion, surpassing consensus estimates by 18%. Moreover, its EPS of $2.31 rose 22.2% from the year-ago quarter and came in 7.4% ahead of analyst estimates. AI positively impacted every part of Alphabets business, driving strong momentum.

Wall Street analysts are highly optimistic about Alphabets stock, with an overall "Strong Buy" rating. Among 56 analysts covering the stock, 42 recommend "Strong Buy," five indicate "Moderate Buy, and nine suggest "Hold. While the company is trading above its mean price target of $252.04, its Street-high price target of $300 suggests a 17.1% potential upside from the current levels.

On the date of publication, Neharika Jain 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
New York City's mayoral candidates duked it out in their first general election debate Thursday night, with contenders Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa sparring over everything from the Israel-Hamas war to the city's education system.

In addition to policy issues, the candidates also made revealing statements as they were asked about their weekly grocery bills and whether they had bought legal marijuana.

Here are some of the notable moments:

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The Middle East and religion

Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, wasted little time in trying to clean up comments he had made earlier in the week during an interview on Fox News, in which he sidestepped a question on whether Hamas should lay down its arms.

In the Fox interview, Mamdani said: I dont really have opinions about the future of Hamas and Israel, beyond the question of justice and safety and the fact that anything has to abide by international law.

On Thursday, he was unambiguous. Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms," he said.

Cuomo, who lost to Mamdani in the Democratic primary and is running as an independent, has heavily courted the city's Jewish voters during his campaign while characterizing Mamdani as unsympathetic to concerns about antisemitism.

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Why wouldnt he condemn Hamas? Cuomo asked during the debate.

Asked whether he thinks Mamdani is antisemitic, Cuomo said: I don't make those judgments about people. Are you a racist, are you an antisemite? I know there are many Jewish people who believe he is antisemitic.

Meanwhile, Cuomo was pressed on his relationship with the city's Muslim community and his failure to visit mosques as governor.

In response, Cuomo said he doesn't think Mamdani  who would be the city's first Muslim mayor if elected  is representative of the Muslim community.

Mamdani countered: It took Andrew Cuomo being beaten by a Muslim candidate in the Democratic primary for him to set foot in a mosque.

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Sliwa would like a word

Those familiar with Sliwa might have noticed something missing Thursday night: The distinctive red beret that has sat atop the Republican candidate's head since he created the Guardian Angels crime patrol group in the late 1970s.

Sliwa has ditched the hat at times during his campaign. But he went completely without it during the debate, at one point declaring that he looks very mayoral tonight. A small tan line could be seen running across his forehead, evidence of his dedication to the accessory.

The Republican, a longtime fixture of local radio and television, is a larger-than-life tabloid figure with a very New York gift of gab. He didn't disappoint on Thursday.

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Asked how he gets around the city when he can't take the subway, Sliwa said: I try to avoid yellow cabs. As you know, I was shot in the back of a yellow cab in 1992 by the Gottis and the Gambinos."

But he acknowledged that if he has to: I Uber.

Throughout the debate, Sliwa  who was between Mamdani and Cuomo on the stage  sometimes found it hard to get a word in as his two opponents bickered.

I am being marginalized out of this," Sliwa said.

But he also used his proximity to Cuomo to slip in frequent digs at the former governor.

After Cuomo claimed that President Donald Trump would back down against him in disputes, Sliwa responded: I know you think you're the toughest guy alive, but let me tell you something: You lost your own primary, right? You were rejected by your Democrats. You have a difficult understanding what the term no is.

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I agree with Curtis," Mamdani chimed in.

Andrew Cuomo blames TikTok

During the Democratic primary, Cuomo avoided unscripted public events and his opponents and instead relied on his near-universal name recognition and a multimillion-dollar campaign fundraising apparatus.

On Thursday, Cuomo attributed his primary loss largely to his social media presence.

I think in the primary campaign I did not do enough on social media, which is a very effective medium now. I think the assemblyman did do a better job on TikTok and social media than I did during the campaign, and that has changed now, said Cuomo, 67.

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"I've also increased my activity significantly, but my agenda is exactly the same," he added.

In a follow-up question, a moderator asked if Cuomo learned any deeper lesson from the results of the primary and he responded: Between the two campaigns, social media, more accessibility."

Cost of living

Asked how much they spend a week on groceries, the candidates all gave similar figures: Cuomo said $150, Sliwa $175 and Mamdani $125 to $150.

But asked about their monthly rent or mortgage payment, the costs showed a sharp contrast: Cuomo's housing costs clocked in at $7,800, Sliwa $3,900 and Mamdani $2,300.

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Both Cuomo and Sliwa noted that Mamdani's home  a one-bedroom apartment in Queens that he shares with his wife  is one of the city's many rent-stabilized apartments.

Cuomo argued as he has before that the state lawmaker's apartment should be occupied by a poor person  though the units, which make up roughly 40% of the citys rental stock, are currently open to people of all incomes.

Got pot?

New York legalized recreational marijuana a few years ago, opening the door for legal pot shops across the state.

The candidates were asked if they have ever bought weed from one of the state's dispensaries.

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I have," said Mamdani with a big smile across his face. I have purchased marijuana at a legal cannabis shop."

Cuomo said he had not.

While Sliwa responded: When I was shot five times, I had Crohns disease, I did use medical marijuana, yes.
Anne Mensah, the vice president of UK content at Netflix UK, has been named the winner of this years IMPACT Award at the 2025 Black British Business Awards.

Ms Mensah, who is responsible for all content filmed by Netflix across the UK and Ireland, joined the streaming giant in 2019.

Since then, the high-flying executive has worked on some of Netflixs most successful and critically acclaimed shows including Adolescence, The Gentlemen and Baby Reindeer.

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Prior to joining Netflix, Ms Mensah worked for over seven years at Sky where she spent the bulk of her time as the broadcasters head of drama.

Her position at Netflix has more recently seen her oversee more than $6bn (4.5bn) worth of investment in the UKs creative economy.

Ms Mensah grew up in Catford in south-east London before going on to study a degree in American and Commonwealth Arts at the University of Exeter.

On winning the award, Ms Mensah said: It is a massive honour to be recognised with this award. I believe that there is a power in authenticity  in the stories we tell, the people we champion, and the way we show up in business and in life.

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When we try to lead with honesty and stay true to who we are, we create space for others to do the same and were able to put work into the world that truly resonates with people everywhere.

Anne Mensah, right, receives her award - Alex Maguire

The Black British Business Awards were first started in 2014 to celebrate the achievements of black people in British business. The Telegraph is the national media partner for the awards.

Ms Mensah was presented with the IMPACT Award at a ceremony at the InterContinental London Park Lane hotel, which was attended by over 400 people.

It also saw Kanya King, the founder of the MOBO Awards, win the newly created ICON Award, which has been launched to honour trailblazing black business leaders whose work has shaped industries. Ms King grew up in Kilburn in west London before going on to start the MOBO Awards in 1996.

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Yvonne Kunihira-Davidson of S&P Global won the Black British Business Person of the Year award in recognition of the successes she has achieved throughout her decades-long career.

Ms Kunihira-Davidson, who leads S&Ps Tax Solutions business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, supports financial institutions and multinational corporations.

She said: I am so honoured to be named Black British Business Person of the Year at this years BBBAwards.

Its amazing to be a part of a rich history of black British business leaders whove all achieved such brilliant career heights and elevated others along the way. Its more important than ever to celebrate the wins, uplift each other and ensure everyone in business can achieve their dreams.

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Sophie Chandauka MBE, the chairman of the Black British Business Awards, said: At a time when inclusion feels increasingly polarised, the BBBAwards theme of #Elevate reminds us that real progress for all of us comes from rising above the noise and focus on investing in talent, innovation, and the future of British business, together.

The achievements of this years winners show that nurturing brilliance and protecting hard-won gains isnt just fair, it fuels growth, competitiveness and shared prosperity.

This years winners are as follows:

Black British Business Person of the Year: Yvonne Kunihira-Davidson, Managing Director, EMEA, Head of Tax Solutions at S&P Global

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Arts and Media Rising Star: Joelle Owusu-Sekyere, Editorial Director, Penguin Random House

Arts and Media Senior Leader: Ete Davies, Former EMEA EVP, Dentsu Creative

Consumer and Luxury Senior Leader: Alison Burton, Co-Founder, March Muses

Consumer and Luxury Rising Star: Janet Davies, CEO, Ominira Naturals

Entrepreneur Rising Star: Nnaemeka Obodoekwe, CTO, Lenkie Technologies Ltd

Entrepreneur Senior Leader: Rose Hulse, Founder and CEO, ScreenHits TV

Financial Services Rising Star: Ayo Gabriel, Vice President, J.P. Morgan

Financial Services Senior Leader: Shauna Roper, Chief of Staff, Global Procurement, HSBC

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Professional Services Rising Star: Mavis Amonoo-Acquah, Barrister, Harcourt Chambers

Professional Services Senior Leader: Lande Belo, Group Legal Director, Employment Counsel, Kantar

STEM Rising Star: Jennifer Dominic, Associate Director of Marketing, MSD UK

STEM Senior Leader: Serufusa Sekidde, Chief of Staff to the CEO, ViiV Healthcare  GSK

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
The government shutdown has stretched into its 17th day and it appears no end is in sight. The Senate on Thursday failed to pass a spending bill for the 10th time due to Democratic opposition.

The weeks-long stalemate will last until at least Monday, with the Senate adjourning for the weekend on Thursday evening.

Congressional Republicans, President Donald Trump and his administration officials have branded the shutdown as a Democrat shutdown, with signage on federal agency websites blaming the left and videos playing at airports claiming that longer security lines are due to the Democrats refusal to pass the funding bill.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., center, is joined by, from left, Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., chairman of the Committee on House Administration, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., during a news conference as a government shutdown begins its 10th day, in Washington, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. | J. Scott Applewhite, Associated Press

Democrats, however, say its an avoidable shutdown because Republicans hold the trifecta, with a Republican president and GOP majorities in either chamber of Congress. They refuse to give up their demand of permanently extending COVID-era tax subsidies in the Affordable Care Act and say Republican leaders would inflict significant harm by hiking up costs for millions of Americans health care coverage.

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So, with federal workers feeling the effects of going without a paycheck and Washington continuing to be deadlocked, the question has loomed  who is to blame?

According to a new survey, released Thursday by The Associated Press/NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, Americans tend to evenly distribute responsibility among the parties.

The survey found that 58% of respondents blame congressional Republicans and Trump for the shutdown. Similarly, 54% of survey respondents say congressional Democrats are to blame for the shutdown.

About 8 in 10 Democrats place the responsibility on congressional Republicans and the president while nearly the same amount, 7 in 10, Republican respondents say its congressional Democrats to blame.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., left, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speak to reporters outside the Senate chamber as they charge President Donald Trump and the Republicans with the government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. | J. Scott Applewhite, Associated Press

The survey noted that past government shutdowns have been viewed as partisan issues. During the last shutdown, which occurred from late 2018 to early 2019 under Trumps first term, Democrats were more inclined to blame Trump and Republicans in Congress while GOP voters blamed Democrats.

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While the shutdown is centered around the health care tax subsidies, many respondents in the survey are uninformed about what the fight is all about.

Overall, 43% of respondents said they either strongly or somewhat favor the government extending the health care subsidies, and just 12% said they either strongly or somewhat oppose the extension. And 42% of survey respondents said they neither favor nor oppose the subsidy extension, proving they do not have an opinion about the shutdowns biggest sticking point in Congress.

The public doesnt hold either party in high regard. Just 32% of respondents view the Democratic Party favorably and 40% view the Republican Party favorably, the poll found.

The AP-NORC survey was conducted Oct. 9-13 among 1,289 adults and has a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Towns in Lincoln County may get some space to expand as the U.S. Bureau of Land Management moves to sell 5,500 acres of public land in Nevada.

A Thursday BLM news release said the parcels are near the towns of Rachel, Hiko, Alamo, Mt. Wilson, Pioche, Panaca, Caliente and Crestline. Lincoln County borders Clark County to the north.

Precise locations for the 66 parcels were not included in the news release, which said the sale date and specific locations would be announced separately.

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8 News Now has reached out to county commissioners in Lincoln County for comment.

About 67% of all the land in Nevada is controlled by the BLM. In recent years, that has been one of the barriers to growth and the construction of affordable housing. Congressional leaders, Gov. Joe Lombardo, state and county leaders have worked with the BLM to find ways to eliminate red tape to release more land for development.

A recent effort to sell off public lands in Nevada and other states was turned away after it was proposed by Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee. Removing that proposal was key to the passage of President Donald Trumps One Big, Beautiful Bill.

This sale will follow the Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act of 2004, with 85% of the funds earmarked for county recreation, wilderness planning, and the protection of archaeological and natural resources; 5% will go to the State of Nevada for education; and 10% will go to Lincoln County.

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The announcement begins a 30-day appeal period, which will end on Nov. 15. More information is available from BLM Caliente Field Office Planning and Environmental Specialist Jake Northup at 775-726-8100 or jnorthup@blm.gov.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Longtime Oakland University supporters Donna and Walt Young are giving $10 million to the school, which will name its Honors College after them.

Their gift is the latest of many they've given to the school and ranks among the largest in OU history.

Walt and Donna Young of Bloomfield Township are giving $10 million to Oakland University, which will name its Honors College after them.

"We have a jewel right here in Oakland County that people don't recognize," Walt Young said. "It was only established in 1957 but it has become a major force in many fields."

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Neither of the Youngs attended OU, though they have a grandson earning a master's degree there now. Walt Young grew up in Pittsburgh and Donna Young in nearby Washington, Pennsylvania. They met at Muskingham University, a small liberal arts college in southwest Ohio.

"Both my wife and I were trained to serve people," he said. "I was a preacher's kid. She was just trained in western Pennsylvania values to give back."

OU President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz thanked the couple for the gift and those that preceded.

"Donna and Walt Young are the epitome of OUs most passionate advocates and supporters," she said. "They are humble in their service to our students and through the impact they make in the community around them.

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Walt Young had a successful corporate career that began in tire business and ended in the housing. He served as CEO of Champion Homes, headquartered in Troy. The couple moved to Michigan in 1983 and as their wealth grew they wanted to use it to help others.

It started with a small family foundation that focused on supporting efforts like soup kitchens and food pantries in Pontiac and later Detroit. Walt Young served on the board of Gleaners Community Food Bank, and eventually chaired that board.

OU had a foundation that needed board members and Young was a natural choice.

"Champion and Chrysler were the only public companies at that time that were nearby," Walt Young said. "So they drafted me to be on the foundation board and I became chairman of it."

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He got to see the school up close and his wife did, too. For years, the couple sponsored Martin Luther King Day Keeper of the Dream scholarship event. Walt Young said that in the early 1990s, the Honors College at OU was barely functioning and he wanted to see it grow. One way to help was through the school's study abroad program.

"We are firm believers that an abroad experience broadens the individual in empathy and in confidence," Walt Young said.

To date, 269 students who've traveled abroad to enhance their education with help from the Walt Young Study Abroad Endowed Scholarship Fund.

"They have gifted us more than a name," said Honors College Dean Graeme Harper. "They have supported a vision that will change the lives of every student who walks through these doors.

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Walt Young said he trusts Harper to make good use of the gift.

"We have no say and I didn't want any say," Young said. "Graeme can do what he wants; his staff, new programs, speakers. His goal is to make it the best honors school in the country and I got to tell you, I wouldn't sell him short."

Walt Young said he and his wife are confident their gift will be well spent because of the leadership of Pescovitz and Harper. He considers Pescovitz a kindred spirit because of her commitment to community service. He admires Harper for the way he runs the Honors College, growing its enrollment and impact.

"She has spread service as a major value to all the students," Walt Young said of Pescovitz. "So in addition to having competence in their fields, she feels that it's a better value, for leaders in their lifetime, to have that service component. That rings so true with Donna and myself."

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The Youngs have two grown children who live in the area and they are on board with the gift as well. Walt Young, 81, said they could have left the gift in their will, but wanted to see it make a difference.

They argued over whose name should go first. Walt Young won that argument, so Donna Young's name will appear first.

"Enjoy the joy of giving while you're alive," Walt Young said. "It's real and it's good. It's a win/win on both sides, both those who give and those who receive and it makes you better for it."

Contact John Wisely: jwisely@freepress.com. On X: @jwisely

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Donna and Walt Young give $10 million to Oakland University
As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. works to dismantle the long-standing infrastructure for providing vaccine guidance, Democratic governors are working to build their own shadow public health systems, in order to both prepare for disease outbreaks and counter their risks in a climate of mounting uncertainty. These interstate alliances may represent the future of public health in the United States, where the federal government is no longer trusted as a centralized source of information, and a states response to disease threats depends on its partisan makeup. But these are untested models, with no guarantee of success.

The federal government has traditionally been the trusted source for providing centralized information and guidelines on vaccines, which states would then use when formulating their own health policies. But that trust is no longer a given.

It just shows that were living in a very partisan time for public health, and for views about vaccines and vaccine access, said Jennifer Kates, senior vice president and director of the Global and Public Health Policy Program at KFF, an independent health policy research, polling, and news organization.

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In the months since Kennedy became secretary of Health and Human Services, his vaccine skepticism has dramatically reshaped the agency. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been hollowed out under Kennedys leadership, with mass layoffs that began in January, as well as dramatic staff shakeups, such as the ouster of its director over the summer. In recent weeks, chaos has consumed the CDC with the firing and rehiring of hundreds of employees amid the current government shutdown. Kennedy has also completely reshaped the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the panel which helps determine federal vaccine policy, dismissing its existing members and handpicking their replacements over the summer. This committee recommended new restrictions on combination vaccines given to children last month.

In response, several Democratic governors have joined forces to formulate their own alternative public health response. Last month, a cluster of states on the west coast announced that they were forming an alliance to develop their own vaccine guidelines counter to what is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ten northeastern states soon followed with their own coalition shortly thereafter. This week, Democratic governors across 15 statescumulatively representing around 115 million peopleannounced the Governors Public Health Alliance to collaborate on research and disease prevention efforts. Although the new consortium bills itself as nonpartisan, no Republican-led states have joined the effort.

It is not new for governors to consult with each other on public health issues that cross state lines, said Jason Schwartz, associate professor at the Yale School of Public Health. But these alliances are an effort not merely to supplement the CDC on outbreak response in particular, but even to provide a new point of reference that supplants federal guidance.

This moment probably called for elevating, expanding, increasing those collaborations in ways that [states] could share best practices, could join forcescould be ready, more importantly, to respond more quickly if the weakening of our federal public health apparatus increases in the way that it has, said Schwartz, who also serves on an advisory committee to the Connecticut State Department of Public Health.

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Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, noted that some private organizations also issue their own guidelines, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics. But where these recommendations have been harmonized with CDC for decades, said Adalja, you can no longer do whats right for the patient in front of you and follow the CDC guidance. For the average primary care practitioner, this will result in a confusion about which guidelines to follow, he continued.

Its one thing if the clinician is an infectious disease doctor who can actually interpret the data and think through the merits  but thats not the case for most people who are vaccinating, said Adalja. It makes it harder for them to sift through the guidance of, This state says this, this neighboring state says this, the American Academy of Pediatrics says thiswhich of these is the one that applies to my patient in front of me?

The guidelines that the state coalitions may devise arent binding; as with CDC guidance, it would be up to individual states how they wished to interpret these recommendations for implementing their own policies. Rather than basing these policies on information from the federal government, states will be pooling it themselves. But there are certain things state coalitions cannot do, particularly with regard to vaccine affordability. Most private insurance, as well as Medicaid and some Medicare plans, are required to cover vaccines recommended by ACIP and the CDC for free. So, for example, with the limits on the Covid-19 vaccine announced earlier this year, most payers are no longer required to offer that service free of cost.

If a vaccine were no longer to be endorsed by the federal officials, its nice if the state groups were to recommend it, but that wouldnt be sufficient to ensure cost-free coverage, said Schwartz. These coalitions have floated joining forces to directly strike deals with vaccine manufacturers and purchase them in bulk, so they can then offer them to residents free of cost. But for the most part, he predicted, these alliances would be more about open communication and mutual preparedness than acting as a shadow CDC.

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Weve not heard about large resources being poured into this financially, or dedicated large independent staffs, but rather some kind of a convening secretariat, Schwartz said. It feels much more like [something] closer to the kinds of professional organizations that already exist around among state epidemiologists or state health commissioners, but ones that just provide a more shared environment in which to support each other.

Regardless of what these alliances can actually accomplish, the larger issue may be what these coalitions represent on a symbolic level: an increasingly fragmented public health system, which will overall make it more difficult to respond to crises in a unified manner.

The long-term consequence of increased partisanship is that public health in the United States is stuck, Kates said, because political polarization has become the determining factor for responding to a crisis.

When decisions about public health are made based on politics, and not based on data and science, that can hinder public health for everybody, she said. When you think about infectious diseases, in particular vaccine-preventable diseases  those diseases do not really care if you live in a red or blue state.

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Kates also noted that states are already beginning to implement different policies on issues such as fluoride in drinking water, and cited issues like sexually transmitted infections and HIV response as another area where red states could potentially follow administration guidance while blue states take different tacks.

With the CDC under Kennedys leadership more likely to take steps to limit access to vaccines, experts worry that the balkanization of responses to crises will only worsen, regardless of how states respond. But Adalja argued that if states repudiate the advice from the CDC, it will ultimately be better for the nations health long-term.

I dont want anybody to listen to anything that RFK Jr. says, said Adalja. The more people that ignore the CDC, the more people that ignore any agency that RFK Jr. controls, the better off that person will be.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Blue Valley teacher who was terminated for violating a school policy is speaking out after her controversial firing.

At a meeting Monday night, the school boards vice president said the board was following state law by firing the teacher. However, the Kansas Department of Education (KSDE) told FOX4 Friday that the school board is responsible for the decision:

KSDE does not draft any local BOE policies. Each Kansas district must draft local policies as an exercise of local control.

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Employment issues are within the discretion of the school board. The State Board regulates the use of seclusion and restraint in schools but provides no rules, regulations or guidance on any employment issues.

I miss my students deeply

Were also hearing from Barb Hart, the Kindergarten teacher who was fired for picking up a special needs student and moving the student to a safe space in her classroom.

Heres what Hart had to say:

I miss my students deeply, and I truly appreciate each and every individual who has supported me and spoken on my behalf. This has sparked meaningful conversations that absolutely need to continue.

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A change.org petition has been started in an effort to get the school district to reinstate Harts employment. The petition has more than 1,500 signatures, as of 5:40 p.m. Friday.

Previous coverage

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  The New York State Public Employment Relations Board has ruled in favor of the Town of Tonawanda regarding a three-week ticket strike from police officers in January.

The Town of Tonawanda Police Club had been charged with violating the states Taylor Law following an investigation that discovered the strike. Officials have said that the strike was a response from the police union after an officer was disciplined. That officer later resigned.

Under the ruling, union members who were accused of participating in the ticket strike will pay half hour times twice their rate of pay for each day they allegedly were on strike, with the money being withheld from paychecks. The union agreed to a one-month forfeiture of collecting union dues, and the town agreed to form a Labor Management Committee that will be comprised of union representatives, town officials, the chief of police and attorneys for both sides.

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We find that the Police Club has violated 210.1 of the Act in that it engaged in a strike as alleged, and we determine that the recommended penalty is a reasonable one in these particular circumstances, the ruling said. The parties have publicly committed to labor peace and to work together for the betterment of the Town and we take note of the fact that the Town and Police Club approached us with this agreement on their own accord.

Were satisfied that PERB found what weve been saying all along, and that we handled this properly, Town of Tonawanda Supervisor Joe Emminger said. Were eager to put this behind us and continue the strong relationship we have with the police department.

Andy Thompson, president of the Town of Tonawanda Police Club, released the following statement:

Latest Local News

***

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Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
By Jody Godoy

(Reuters) -A group of U.S. states said they may seek to block Hewlett-Packard Enterprise's $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks and have asked a judge for permission to intervene in a case where the U.S. Department of Justice has proposed to settle and let the deal move forward.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Democratic attorneys general from six other states and Washington, D.C. said in court papers on Tuesday that they want to probe what they called suspicious circumstances around the settlement.

"The public deserves transparency on what happened in this case and to ensure that high-ranking government officials follow the law during merger reviews, make decisions on the merits and are not influenced by politically connected lobbyists," Weiser said.

Weiser, who was a DOJ antitrust attorney earlier in his career, is running for governor of Colorado in 2026.

If U.S. District Judge Casey Pitts in San Jose, California allows the states to intervene, they could seek an order for the companies to pause integrating their businesses.

Shortly after President Donald Trump took office in January, the DOJ sued to block the deal, alleging it would stifle competition and lead to only two companies - Cisco Systems and HPE - controlling more than 70% of the U.S. market for networking equipment.

The DOJ agreed to drop its claims in June ahead of a scheduled trial in exchange for HPE agreeing to license some of Juniper's AI technology to competitors and sell off a unit that caters to small and mid-sized businesses.

Last month, Colorado was among a group of states that called on Pitts to probe whether the deal addressed the DOJ's initial concerns about the deal and what role lobbyists with ties to the Trump administration played in the settlement.

(Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by Joe Bavier)
NEWTON COUNTY, Ark.  A missing 16-year-old girl out of Carroll County, Arkansas, has been found dead near the Hawksbill Crag trail in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest, according to the Newton County, Arkansas, Sheriffs Office (NCSO).

On Tuesday, Oct. 14, Newton County Sheriff Glenn Wheeler says the sheriffs office was notified that some hikers at Hawksbill Crag had discovered what they believed to be a body below the bluff line.

Authorities went down to the body and found that the victim matched the description of a missing 16-year-old girl out of Carroll County.

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The Carroll County Sheriffs Office had sent a BOLO (Be On the Look Out) alert for the missing girl earlier that day, which included a description and tag number of the vehicle she was driving. Her vehicle was later discovered at the trailhead parking lot.

Limited trout fishing approved by commission in Arkansas

The Newton County Sheriffs Office, Carroll County Sheriffs Office, Newton County Coroners Office and Arkansas State Police are currently investigating this incident. The Medical Examiners Office at the Arkansas State Crime Lab has since recieved the girls body for an autopsy.

Sheriff Wheeler says they do not suspect foul play was involved in her death.

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This is a heart-wrenching situation and all the agencies involved will work together to try and get some definitive answers for the family, but it appears there is no foul play and, at this point, no one else is believed to be involved, said Sheriff Wheeler in a news release.

NCSO is not releasing the name of the victim because she is under 18 years old.

The Newton County Sheriffs Office was assisted by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the North Arkansas Regional Medical Center EMS, the Mennonite Disaster Service, the Harrison Fire Department, the Newton County Coroners Office and 14th Judicial Drug Task Force.

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ST. LOUIS  Contract talks between Boeing and striking St. Louis-area workers are set to resume Monday.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers 837 (IAM 837) and Boeing have agreed to meet with federal mediators to try to find a compromise.

More than 3,200 St. Louis-area Boeing workers have been on strike since Aug. 4, clashing with the company over wages, bonuses and retirement benefits.

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Ill. recovers $65M in stolen vehicles in major operation

IAM 837 issued the following statement Friday:

The IAM Union is hopeful that returning to mediation will lead to meaningful progress and a fair resolution. Were ready to get back to the table, reach an equitable agreement, and get our members back to work building the worlds most advanced military aircraft and defense systems.

Boeing issued the following statement Friday:

Were pleased to accept the mediators request for both sides to return to the table and hope to find a path forward that ends the strike.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
(Reuters) -A union representing more than 3,200 striking Boeing workers said on Friday it had agreed to resume contract discussions with the U.S. planemaker next week.

Shares of Boeing rose about 1%.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers represents members who assemble fighter jets and munitions at Boeing's facilities in the St. Louis area.

The announcement comes a day after the union filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against Boeing.

(Reporting by Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)
Plans for Oklahoma's first Bojangles location are becoming more realized as the popular southern chicken and biscuits chain nears an opening.

The business is set to open 18 new locations in eight states, including Oklahoma, by the end of the year. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company currently operates 850 stores in 20 states.

This year has already been a landmark for Bojangles, and were just getting started, Jose Armario, CEO of Bojangles, said in a statement to USA TODAY.

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Here's what to know about the new Oklahoma City locations.

When is Bojangles opening in Oklahoma City?

Bojangles initially looked at expanding into Oklahoma in early 2020 when it entered into a deal with Love's Travel Stops. The deal fell through during the pandemic.

Now, with one location almost fully erected, the business plans to open a location at 13135 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in front of the new Dick's House of Sports.

The chain announced in July that it had a ground-lease for a 50,000-square-foot retail pad site in Walnut Square at 2203 W. I-240 Service Road.

Our growth into markets like New York City, Phoenix, and California signals the strength of our brand and the demand for our bold, Southern flavor across the U.S.," Armario said. "Bojangles momentum is real, and were committed to keeping our foot on the gas on our mission to expand coast-to-coast."

Where else is Bojangles opening locations?

Bojangles currently has 18 new stores on the docket to open up before 2025 comes to a close. Here are the cities the business plans to expand into:

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Seguin, Texas

Spring, Texas

Pinellas Park, Florida

League City, Texas

Kissimmee, Florida

Henderson, Nevada

West Wendover, Nevada

Orange, Texas

McKinney, Texas

Brooklyn, New York

Manor, Texas

Daytona, Florida

Lutz, Florida

Melbourne, Florida

Memphis, Tennessee

Circleville, Ohio

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Wyoming, Michigan

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Bojangles to open in Oklahoma before end of 2025. What to know
Former national security adviser John Bolton compared the Trump administration to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalins secret police following his indictment on Thursday.

I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts, Bolton said in a statement.

Then came Trump 2 who embodies what Joseph Stalins head of secret police once said, You show me the man, and Ill show you the crime.'

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Federal prosecutors say that Bolton sent more than a thousand pages of diary-like entries to two relatives and retained documents, writings and notes related to national defense. Those two individuals were Boltons wife and daughter, according to The Associated Press.

Bolton has claimed the charges are part of Trumps retribution campaign against him, which ramped up after the publication of his memoir The Room Where It Happened.

The first Trump administration tried to block the publication of the book, which Trump officials claimed had classified information within its pages. The Department of Justice during the Biden administration decided against bringing charges.

Thursdays indictment also accuses Bolton of failing to notify the FBI that his email account stored classified and national defense information after it was hacked in 2021, allegedly by Iran.

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Bolton said the FBI was fully aware of when his email was hacked in his response to the charges on Thursday, arguing the case was about more than his feud with Trump.

These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct, Bolton said.

Dissent and disagreement are foundational to Americas constitutional system, and vitally important to our freedom, Bolton said. I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power.

Following the FBIs raid of Boltons home and office in August, Trump said of his former adviser, Hes not a smart guy. But he could be a very unpatriotic guy. Were going to find out.

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Prosecutors said that some of the sensitive information stored and transmitted by Bolton was classified as top secret. And legal experts say the case against Bolton appears stronger than cases brought against other Trump foes in recent weeks.

At no point did Bolton have authorization to store or transmit the classified information that he sent to Individuals 1 and 2 via his personal electronic devices and accounts, the charging documents read. Nor did, at any time, individuals 1 and 2 have authorization to know or store the classified information that Bolton gave to them.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
GREENBELT, Md. (AP)  John Bolton pleaded not guilty Friday to charges accusing the former Trump national security adviser turned critic of emailing classified information to family members and keeping top secret documents at his Maryland home.

Bolton was ordered released from custody after making his appearance before a judge in the third Justice Department case brought in recent weeks against an adversary of President Donald Trump.

The case accusing Bolton of putting the countrys national security at risk is unfolding against the backdrop of growing concerns that the Trump administration is using the law enforcement powers of the Justice Department to pursue his political foes. Bolton has signaled he will argue he is being targeted because of his criticism of the president, describing the charges as part of a Trump "effort to intimidate his opponents.

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The investigation into Bolton, however, was already well underway by the time Trump took office a second time this past January and appears to have followed a more conventional path toward indictment than other recent cases against perceived Trump foes, who were charged by the president's hand-picked U.S. attorney in Virginia over the concerns of career prosecutors.

Bolton is accused of sharing with his wife and daughter more than 1,000 pages of notes that included sensitive information he had gleaned from meetings with other U.S. government officials and foreign leaders or from intelligence briefings. Authorities say some of the information was exposed when operatives believed to be linked to the Iranian government hacked Boltons email account he used to send diary-like notes about his activities to his relatives.

The Justice Department also alleges Bolton stored at his home highly classified intelligence about a foreign adversarys plans to attack U.S. forces overseas, covert action taken by the U.S. government and other state secrets.

There is one tier of justice for all Americans, Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement Thursday. Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.

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Bolton, 76, is a longtime fixture in Republican foreign policy circles who became known for his hawkish views on American power and who served for more than a year in Trumps first administration before being fired in 2019. He later published a book highly critical of Trump.

The indictment is significantly more detailed in its allegations than earlier cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Unlike in those cases filed by a hastily appointed U.S. attorney, Boltons indictment was signed by career national security prosecutors.

Case centers on top secret national security information

Bolton suggested the criminal case was an outgrowth of an unsuccessful Justice Department effort after he left government to block the publication of his 2020 book The Room Where It Happened, which portrayed Trump as grossly misinformed about foreign policy.

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Boltons lawyers have said he moved forward with the book after a White House National Security Council official, with whom Bolton had worked for months, said the manuscript no longer had classified information.

Authorities say Bolton took meticulous notes about his meetings and briefings as national security adviser and then used a personal email account and messaging platform to share information classified as high as top secret with his family members. After sending one document, Bolton wrote in a message to his relatives, None of which we talk about!!! In response, one of his relatives wrote, Shhhhh, prosecutors said.

The two family members were not identified in court papers, but a person familiar with the case, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic details, identified them as Boltons wife and daughter.

A Bolton representative told the FBI in July 2021 that his email account had been hacked by operatives believed to be linked to the Iranian government but did not reveal he had shared classified information through the account or that the hackers now had possession of government secrets, according to the indictment.

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Boltons attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement that the underlying facts in this case were investigated and resolved years ago.

He said the charges stem from portions of Boltons personal diaries over his 45-year career in government and included unclassified information that was shared only with his immediate family and was known to the FBI as far back as 2021.

Like many public officials throughout history, Lowell said, Bolton kept diaries  that is not a crime. He said Bolton did not unlawfully share or store any information.

Justice Department has long history of classified documents cases

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The Justice Department has a long history of investigations into the mishandling of classified information, including by public officials. The outcomes of those investigations have turned in part on whether officials developed evidence of willful mishandling or other crimes such as obstruction.

Trump, for instance, was charged not only with hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate but also with obstructing government efforts to get them back. Special counsel Jack Smith dropped the case after Trump was elected last November, citing Justice Department policy against prosecuting sitting presidents.

Prosecutors in a separate investigation found evidence that President Joe Biden had willfully retained and shared classified information when he a private citizen but opted against charges in part because they thought Biden might come across to a jury as sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.

Another high-profile investigation concerned 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who was spared charges after then-FBI Director James Comey said investigators did not determine that she intended to break the law when she sent emails containing classified information on a private email server while serving as Secretary of State.

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One investigation that may carry parallels to the Bolton case is the prosecution of former CIA Director David Petraeus, who in 2015 admitted to sharing classified information with his biographer while she was working on the book. He was sentenced to probation following a plea agreement with the Justice Department.

___

Durkin Richer reported from Washington.
Morning Report is The Hills a.m. newsletter. Subscribe here.

In todays issue:

 Inside the John Bolton indictment

 Zelensky returns to Washington

 Top admiral resigns amid US strikes

 No Kings protests: What to watch

The indictment of John Bolton, a former national security adviser to President Trump during his first term who has since become a fierce critic, adds to a web of prosecutions targeting the presidents political foes.

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Boltons indictment on 18 counts related to the alleged mishandling of classified documents in Maryland makes him the third key figure Trump has openly criticized whom his administration has brought criminal charges against, following former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James (D).

The indictment of Bolton comes less than two months after the FBI conducted a raid on his home. Trump responded to the raid at the time by saying he didnt have advance notice of it, but he called the former adviser a lowlife and very unpatriotic.

The president made a similar statement in response to the indictment on Thursday.

Youre telling me for the first time, but I think hes a bad person. I think hes a bad guy, Trump said. Its too bad, but its the way it goes.

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The case against Bolton has some differences from those against Comey and James, both of whom were charged after career prosecutors raised doubts that they had enough evidence.

Comey was charged last month with two counts related to testimony he gave before a congressional committee in 2020 about the FBIs probe into alleged ties between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia. Hes pleaded not guilty to the charges of making a false statement to Congress and obstruction of a congressional proceeding.

James was indicted last week, with federal prosecutors accusing her of committing mortgage fraud by listing a home that she ultimately rented out as her primary residence. James hasnt yet entered a plea but has denied wrongdoing. Her arraignment is scheduled for next week.

While Trump-picked interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan brought the cases against Comey and James, the indictment against Bolton was signed by Kelly Hayes, a respected longtime prosecutor leading the U.S. attorneys office in Maryland, The Washington Post reported.

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Tom Sullivan, a career prosecutor, reportedly presented the case to the grand jury and signed the indictment as well. The case is related to an investigation stemming from former President Bidens administration, and people familiar with the case told the Post that the evidence against Bolton is much stronger than that against Comey or James.

Bolton faces eight counts of transmitting and 10 counts of retaining national defense information. Prosecutors allege that the former official abused his position as national security adviser from April 2018 until at least August of this year to share more than a thousand pages of information about his daily activities in the role with two unauthorized individuals.

The two individuals were related to him and never held security clearances, according to the indictment.

Bolton said in a statement that he would never compromise the countrys foreign policy or national security goals and blamed the charges on Trumps retribution.

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Then came Trump 2 who embodies what Joseph Stalins head of secret police once said, You show me the man, and Ill show you the crime, he said. These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct.

Dissent and disagreement are foundational to Americas constitutional system, and vitally important to our freedom. I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose [Trumps] abuse of power, Bolton said.

The cases against Bolton and other Trump foes have yielded significant scrutiny on the Department of Justice. Shortly before the indictments against Comey and James were handed up, Trump called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to bring cases against both individuals as well as Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

Trump has said he doesnt have a list of people he wants to see face charges, but he hasnt been shy about floating prosecution for various opponents. He suggested during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday that officials should bring charges against more people: former special counsel Jack Smith, former prosecutor Andrew Weissmann and former Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.

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CNN reported that Bolton is expected to surrender himself to authorities as soon as Friday.

 The Hill: 5 takeaways from the Bolton indictment.

 NPR: The targets of Trumps DOJ are already paying a price.

 CNN: Justice Department brings first terrorism case tied to antifa crackdown.

 CBS News: Jack Smith slams DOJ for Comey case.

Smart Take with Blake Burman

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be at the White House today to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war with Trump. On Thursday, a phone conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin paved the way for a future meeting between the two in Hungary. I actually believe that the Success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the War with Russia/Ukraine, the president posted on social media.

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I asked Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, about another leader. What might Chinese President Xi Jinping be thinking right now?

We have to recognize Xi Jinping is rooting for Putin. Theyre funding Putins war, and they talk about a No Limits partnership, Moolenaar told me. And I have to say that, you know, I hope that people recognize that we wouldnt be having a war right now in Ukraine if it wasnt for China funding and supplying dual-use technologies to help the Russians prosecute this war.

As the world watched a historic hostage swap and the start of a peace deal in the Middle East, I wondered at one point on Monday morning what Putin was thinking watching it all unfold. I think its also fair to ask what Xi is thinking at this moment as well, as the geopolitical landscape just shifted rapidly.

Burman hosts The Hill weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation.

3 Things to Know Today

1. Trump clarified a Truth Social post by saying he doesnt plan to send U.S. troops into Gaza to fight Hamas if the militant group keeps killing civilians. He had posted the U.S. would have no choice but to use lethal force, but asked about it later by The Hill in the Oval Office, Trump said that someone else would go in under our auspices.

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2. Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner disavowed now-deleted posts he made on Reddit years ago in which he called himself a communist and police officers bastards, among other comments. He said some of the posts are just being an ahole on the internet.

3. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce sued the Trump administration over its decision to raise the fee of H-1B work visa applications to $100,000, arguing the president exceeded his authority.

Leading the Day

President Trump, left, greets Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky as he arrives at the White House, Aug. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

ZELENSKY IN WASHINGTON: Trump is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House today on the heels of announcing plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for a second summit this year.

Central to todays Oval Office meeting will be whether the U.S. agrees to send long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, which would allow Zelensky to strike military targets deep inside Russia. Moscow has warned such a move would escalate tensions.

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This is Trump and Zelenskys third meeting at the White House this year and comes as Zelensky has expressed optimism about bringing an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Trump said Thursday he plans to meet with Putin in the next two weeks in Hungary, a NATO member led by a Trump ally, Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The presidents announcement came after a lengthy call with Putin, which he said ended in the two leaders agreeing to a meeting of their top advisers next week.

Trump previously met with Putin in Alaska in August to try to move negotiations forward, but the meeting didnt yield any concrete progress toward ending the war. The president has increasingly expressed frustration with Putin since then.

But the Hungary meeting will mark another attempt to achieve an end to the war that began in early 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It comes as the administration seeks to keep in place a tentative ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

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 The Guardian: Zelensky to make case for Tomahawk missiles to Trump.

 CNN: Trump changed his mind on supporting Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy targets after August summit with Putin.

TOP RETIREMENT: The head of U.S. Southern Command will retire at the end of the year, the Pentagon announced Thursday, less than a year after he took the role.

Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, a four-star admiral, became the leader of Southcom last November and will retire on Dec. 12. Why hes leaving and who will replace him is unclear.

Southcom oversees operations in Central and South America, and Holsey in his role has overseen the U.S. militarys repeated strikes against boats accused of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean.

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Holsey is the latest top military leader to step down in recent weeks, following Gen. Thomas Bussiere, who announced earlier this month that he would step down from his role as a top Air Force commander for personal and family reasons. The head of U.S. Special Operations Command also retired this month.

Throughout his careerfrom commanding helicopter squadrons to leading Carrier Strike Group One and standing up the International Maritime Security ConstructAdmiral Holsey has demonstrated unwavering commitment to mission, people, and nation, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. His tenure as Military Deputy Commander and now Commander of United States Southern Command reflects a legacy of operational excellence and strategic vision.

 The Washington Post: U.S. Special Operations helicopters, B-52s near Venezuela expand Caribbean mission.

NO KINGS PROTESTS: Organizers for Saturdays No Kings protests against the Trump administration say they expect the demonstrations to be even larger than the ones held earlier this year.

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Public Citizen co-president Lisa Gilbert, one of the organizers, told USA Today that she believes the anger level is way higher than it was in June, a result not just of Trumps policies but an actual chipping away at democracy and at foundational rights.

The protests mark the second No Kings Day after the first one took place on June 14, Trumps birthday and Flag Day.

Organizers say that more than 2,600 No Kings events will take place in all 50 states on Saturday, with millions expected to participate. By comparison, about 1,800 events were scheduled in June.

The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we dont have kings and we wont back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty, the movements website states. Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and bigger. NO KINGS is more than just a slogan; it is the foundation our nation was built upon.

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The protests will include major cities across the country, including Washington, D.C., one of a handful where Trump has deployed the National Guard over the objections of local officials.

Top Democrats have called on members of the public to participate. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged her followers on the social platform X to attend, saying it would be the largest peaceful protest in modern American history.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) called on voters in Republican-leaning states to also take part and pressure Republican lawmakers to end the government shutdown.

But eyes will also be on how the Trump administration responds to the protests.

Multiple top Republicans have denounced the protests as a left-wing-backed hate America rally and tied them to antifa, the grassroots anti-fascist movement that Trump declared a domestic terrorist organization last month.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy alleged the protests were organized by antifa in an interview on Fox News.

It begs the question, whos funding it? he said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) separately tied them to antifa in a different interview.

The theory we have right now [is] they have a Hate America rally thats scheduled for Oct. 18 on the National Mall, Johnson said. Its all the pro-Hamas wing and the antifa people, theyre all coming out.

 The Hill: What to know about the weekend protests.

 The Texas Tribune: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to send National Guard to Austin protest.

TRUMP REFILES LAWSUIT: Trump has refiled a lawsuit accusing The New York Times and several of their reporters of defamation, seeking $15 billion in damages.

A federal judge tossed the lawsuit out last month after the presidents initial filing, ruling the complaint was too long and shouldnt be a way for Trump to rail against an adversary. He gave the presidents lawyers 28 days to refile an amended complaint.

The revised complaint is much shorter, accusing the outlet of running articles that were intended to harm Trumps reputation as a successful businessman and television star.

A spokesperson for the Times maintained that the lawsuit is without merit and is merely an attempt to stifle independent reporting and generate P.R. Attention.

DEBATE TAKEAWAYS: Candidates faced off Thursday in two lively debates for a downballot Virginia race and the contest to lead the countrys largest city.

First up was the Virginia attorney general debate, between incumbent Jason Miyares (R) and former state Del. Jay Jones (D), who is trying to keep his campaign running after the revelation of texts he sent in 2022 in which he wished for violence against a Republican state lawmaker.

The messages overshadowed much of the night, and Jones used his opening remarks to immediately apologize.

Let me be very clear: I am ashamed, I am embarrassed and I am sorry. I am sorry to Speaker Gilbert, I am sorry to his family, and I am sorry to every single Virginian, Jones said.

Miyares attacked Jones over his stance on fighting crime, trans issues and his texts. But the debate remained relatively civil.

 The Hill: Five takeaways from the Virginia attorney general debate.

The three New York City mayoral rivals also faced off Thursday in an intense debate, with Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani and independent candidate Andrew Cuomo in particular going after each other.

Cuomo attacked Mamdani over his lack of experience, his past comments on the police and on the phrase globalize the intifada. Mamdani criticized Cuomos time as New York governor and argued he didnt have the integrity to become mayor.

Republican Curtis Sliwa also took part in the debate but struggled to stand out as the Mamdani-Cuomo battle took central focus.

The candidates will meet again for a final debate next week.

 The Hill: Five takeaways from the first New York City mayoral debate.

Where & When

The president will greet Zelensky at 1 p.m. ahead of a bilateral lunch with him. He will depart the White House at 3 p.m. to travel to Palm Beach, Fla.

The House willconvene at 2 p.m. for a pro forma session.

The Senate will notmeet today.

Zoom In

An embryo receives a small dose of Cas9 protein and PCSK9 sgRNA in a sperm injection microscope in a laboratory. (Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press)

TRUMP IVF PLAN: Trump sought to deliver on a campaign promise on Thursday when he announced efforts meant to expand access to in vitro fertilization (IVF).

He said in the Oval Office that his administration was issuing guidance to allow employers to offer IVF coverage as part of company insurance plans. Officials said the new guidance would make opting in to fertility benefits similar to opting in for dental or vision benefits.

The guidance doesnt require employers to offer fertility benefits.

Trump also announced that his administration reached an agreement with EMD Serono to offer fertility drugs as part of a most favored nation plan to lower costs. It requires that certain medications cant be sold to Americans for higher prices than theyre sold abroad.

The announcements come months after Trump signed an executive order in February directing federal agencies to find ways to lower the cost of IVF.

The subject received national focus last year after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos could be considered children. The ruling caused a quick stop to fertility services in the state as clinics worried they could be sued for disposing of unused embryos.

The Alabama Legislature eventually passed legislation protecting IVF providers.

Democrats blamed Trump for this, arguing it was an outgrowth of his efforts to get Roe v. Wade overturned.

Trump credited Alabama Sen. Katie Britt (R) with drawing his attention to the IVF issue.

This is the most pro-IVF thing that any president in the history of the United States of America has done, Britt said Thursday.

 USA Today: Trump wants more U.S. babies. This is his plan to lower costs.

 The 19th: Trump plans could lower IVF costs for some  but fall short of his campaign promise.

DEMS KEEP EYE ON THE BALL: Senate Democrats voted to block the annual full-year Defense Department appropriations bill, keeping their focus on health care costs as the government shutdown continues into its third week.

The measure passed out of committee earlier this year in a strong bipartisan vote, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told reporters that passing the defense bill without others to address issues like health care and housing has always been unacceptable for Democrats.

Schumer objected to voting on the defense bill without also voting on the annual Labor and Health and Human Services appropriations bills.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) threw a curveball when he scheduled the defense vote on Thursday, challenging Democrats to vote against the measure that would allow military members to be paid. Wednesday was the first day when service members were due paychecks during the shutdown, as federal employees continue working without pay.

A few centrist Democrats were on the fence about the legislation and considered voting for it, particularly if it was paired with nondefense appropriations bills. But ultimately only three did so.

An earlier vote to try to pass the House-approved continuing resolution to reopen the government through Nov. 21 failed for the 10th time in the Senate.

 The Hill: GOP senators worry about Trump, Hegseth shutdown moves.

 The Associated Press: Whos winning the blame game over the shutdown.

Elsewhere

Argentinas President Javier Milei, is seated before President Trump arrives to present the Presidential Medal of Freedom for Charlie Kirk to his widow Erika Kirk in the Rose Garden of the White House on Oct. 14, 2025, in Washington. (Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press)

ARGENTINA AID: The Trump administration is seeking to step up its financial aid for Argentina as it tries to help Argentine President Javier Milei stabilize his countrys economy.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that the U.S. is seeking to provide an additional $20 billion to Argentina through partnerships with sovereign funds and private banks. It comes after the U.S. finalized a $20 billion currency swap line with Argentinas central bank to boost the countrys economy.

We are working on a $20 billion facility that would complement our swap line, with private banks and sovereign funds that, I believe, would be more focused on the debt market, Bessent told reporters, calling it a private-sector solution.

Milei, a right-wing populist, has been a close ally of Trump and attended his inauguration in January.

But Trump indicated when Milei visited the White House earlier this week that the aid the U.S. is providing Argentina may be conditional on whether Milei stays in power and on the results of the South American nations legislative elections this month.

If he does win, were going to be very helpful, Trump said. And if he doesnt win, were not going to waste our time. Because you have somebody whose philosophy has no chance of making Argentina great again.

Milei wont be up for reelection until 2027, but the results of the midterms could have significant implications for his partys power.

The comments from Trump could backfire as many Argentinians viewed it as an attempt to interfere in the countrys elections.

Trumps plan has also gotten some pushback from those in the U.S. as hes largely cut foreign aid to most other places.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who is a close ally of Trump but has broken with her party a few times in recent weeks, denounced the plan to bail out Argentinas economy.

Tell me how its America First to bailout a foreign country with $20 [billion] or even $40 BILLION taxpayer dollars, she said in a post on X.

 CNN: What Argentinas bailout has to do with the likely U.S. farmer bailout.

 The Washington Post: Bessent says Argentina bailout will boost U.S. influence in the region.

Opinion

In Virginia, its fundamentals versus vibes, writes The Hills Chris Stirewalt.

Will Speaker Johnson ever call the House back? 800,000 Arizonans are without a voice, writes Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) in The Hill.

The Closer

With the government shutdown now in its third week, a sign turns away tourists at the entrance to the Capitol Visitor Center, in Washington, on Oct. 15, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite, Associated Press)

And finally   Congrats to this weeks Morning Report quiz winners! Theyre up to speed on government shutdowns!

 Heres who went 4/4: Richard Baznik, Harry Strulovici, Rick Schmidtke, Stan Wasser, Chuck Schoenenberger, Joe Atchue, Linda Field, Stanton Kirk, Jenessa Wagner, Mark Williamson, William Moore, Ned Sauthoff, Steve Comer, Carmine Petracca, John Trombetti, Luther Berg, Terry Pflaumer and Savannah Petracca.

The first shutdown occurred in 1980, though it was narrow, as it only affected the Federal Trade Commission. The shutdown lasted one day before a new bill extending the agencys funding was passed. As readers Jenessa Wagner and William Moore noted, the first shutdown affecting a wide range of agencies took place the next year in 1981.

The longest shutdown lasted 35 days, from December 2018 to January 2019. A new session of Congress began amid the shutdown, giving Democrats the House majority and more leverage in their standoff with Trump, then in his first term.

There have been 11 shutdowns since the first one in 1980, counting the current one. Most of them lasted less than a week, but this one is poised to become one of the longest in history.

The shutdown could cost the U.S. economy up to $15 billion per week, Bessent said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
ROME (Reuters) -A bomb exploded outside the home of one of Italy's top investigative journalists late on Thursday, damaging two cars and a nearby house, prompting messages of solidarity for the reporter from colleagues and politicians.

Sigfrido Ranucci, who hosts RAI's weekly "Report", Italy's best-known investigative journalism programme, has been for years under police protection. He said both he and his newsroom had received many threats of various kinds, including bullets.

The rudimentary device, likely made from firework explosives, was planted outside the front gate of Ranucci's house in Campo Ascolano, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) south of Rome, the journalist told RAI state broadcaster on Friday.

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He added that the explosion happened about 20 minutes after he had returned home.

Both cars - belonging to Ranucci and his daughter - were practically destroyed. Nobody was injured, with Ranucci saying "apart from the shock, all is OK".

The reporter said he could not say whether the bomb was linked to his work. ANSA news agency said anti-Mafia prosecutors had opened an investigation for criminal damage with aggravating circumstances of mafia-style methods.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the "serious act of intimidation", adding that "freedom and independence of information are essential values of our democracies, which we will continue to defend".

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Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said Ranucci's police escort would be stepped up.

"Report" has often clashed with the government, resulting in several members of Meloni's rightist coalition - including Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso, her Brothers of Italy party and her head of cabinet Gaetano Caputi - suing the programme.

(Reporting by Giulia Segreti and Alvise Armellini; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM) lost a legal battle challenging cuts to its Medicare Advantage bonus payments, raising concerns over billions in potential revenue.

Per a media report on Tuesday, a Texas judge ruled in favor of the federal government and upheld the downgrade of Humana's star ratingsratings that are directly tied to the payments private insurers receive under Medicare Advantage.

The ruling marks a setback for Humana, which had argued that the government's decision to lower some of its star ratings was based on three phone calls deemed unsuccessful in what the insurer called an "arbitrary and capricious" move.

Trending: The ChatGPT of Marketing' Just Opened a $0.81/Share Round  10,000+ Investors Are Already In

In his decision, the judge found that the government had correctly evaluated the calls, dismissing Humana's claims.

UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH), Elevance Health Inc. (NYSE:ELV), and SCAN Health Plan won similar legal challenges over the past two years.

Humana's reliance on the Medicare Advantage program makes this ruling particularly concerning. In August, the consulting firm Capstone estimated that about $3 billion in payments were at stake for Humana. Quality "Star" ratings, which measure the performance of Medicare Advantage plans, directly influence bonus payments from the federal government.

Citing Kaiser Family Foundation data, Bloomberg noted that in 2025, total bonus payments to insurers reached at least $12.7 billion. A downgrade in Humana's ratings could therefore have a notable financial impact.

See Also: Accredited Investors Can Now Tap Into the $36 Trillion Home Equity Market  Without Buying a Single Property

Humana has historically depended more on Medicare Advantage revenue than other major insurers, making this legal defeat a significant threat to its bottom line.

In July, Humana posted a second-quarter adjusted EPS of $6.27, down from $6.96 a year ago, beating the consensus of $5.90. The company reported sales of $32.39 billion, beating the consensus of $31.89 billion.

Humana expects 2025 adjusted earnings of approximately $17 per share compared to prior guidance of $16.25 and the consensus of $16.36, supported by solid execution and results.

Updated adjusted EPS guidance now contemplates approximately $100 million of incremental investments to improve member and patient outcomes and support operational excellence, positioning the company for long-term success.

Humana shares were down 3.24% at $262.22 at the time of publication on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
By Giulia Segreti and Alvise Armellini

ROME (Reuters) -A bomb exploded outside the home of one of Italy's top investigative journalists late on Thursday, damaging two cars belonging to his family and prompting messages of solidarity for the reporter from colleagues and politicians.

Sigfrido Ranucci, who hosts state broadcaster RAI's weekly "Report" programme, has been under police protection for years. He said both he and his newsroom had received regular threats of various kinds, including being sent bullets.

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The rudimentary device, weighing around 1 kilogram (2.2 lb), was planted outside the front gate of Ranucci's house in Campo Ascolano, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) south of Rome, the journalist said on Friday.

It went off at 10:17 p.m. (2017 GMT), about 20 minutes after he had returned home, and wrecked two cars -- one belonging to Ranucci and the other to his daughter.

Nobody was injured, with Ranucci saying "apart from the shock, everything is OK".

ANSA news agency said anti-Mafia prosecutors had opened an investigation for criminal damage with aggravating circumstances of mafia-style methods.

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Earlier this week, the Italian journalists' federation FNSI said 81 reporters had been victims of acts of intimidation, including 16 cases of physical assault, in the first half of 2025, up from 46 in the same period of 2024.

SOLIDARITY FROM PRIME MINISTER, ARMOURED CAR PROTECTION

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the "serious act of intimidation", adding that "freedom and independence of information are essential values of our democracies, which we will continue to defend".

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said Ranucci's police escort would be stepped up. The journalist said separately he would be given an armoured car.

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The International Federation of Journalists said the bomb attack was "particularly troubling" as it coincided with the anniversary of the 2017 murder of anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta.

"(We) strongly condemn the attempted murder of a journalist, which constitutes a direct assault on media freedom, and urgently call for a thorough investigation to ensure that the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice," it said.

"Report", Italy's best-known investigative journalism programme, has often clashed with the government, resulting in several Meloni allies - including Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso, and her head of cabinet Gaetano Caputi - suing the show.

(Reporting by Giulia Segreti and Alvise Armellini; Editing by Alex Richardson and Crispian Balmer)
CHARDON, Ohio (WJW)  Three of the men accused in the brutal attack and robbery of a local Amish family appeared in court Friday morning.

2 arrested after armed robberies at McDonalds, gas station in Elyria

William Hatfield and Randall Cromer faced their kidnapping charges during a 10 a.m. hearing at Chardon Municipal Court. Police said the men, along with Bradford Hosler of Canton, robbed a familys business and ransacked their home in Middlefield Township last week.

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Hatfield and Cromer pleaded not guilty and their bond (with conditions) was set at $750,000 each. Hatfield is expected in court again on Oct. 21 and Cromers date is Oct. 23.

William Hatfield in court. WJW photo

Investigators said the three men beat the owner and then used his 8-year-old son as a pawn to show them where the family kept their cash. Police said the suspects used a stun gun to torture the father and son. They say that when the suspects did not get what they wanted, they attempted to kidnap the child, but he was able to get away.

William Hatfield Bradford James Hosler (Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction) Randall Cromer 43-year-old Ricky Lee Martin from Canton and his Chevy (Credit: Geauga County Sheriffs Office)

The father was able to provide a description of Hosler, and investigators used flock cameras to track the stolen truck used in the crime that led to his arrest and charges of kidnapping, aggravated robbery and burglary. His arraignment was on Oct. 14, with bond also set at $750,000. He should be back in court on Oct. 20.

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Suspects break into amusement park with boat, steal hundreds of stuffed animals

A fourth suspect, Ricky Lee Martin, 43, has been taken into custody. He was arrested in Bainbridge on charges of complicity to commit aggravated robbery. Investigators say Martin worked as an Amish taxi driver and they say they believe he served as a scout for the three men.

Matin appeared in court Friday as well but did not enter a plea as he had no lawyer. Still, after being asked if he wanted to proceed by the judge, bond was set for him at $500,000. Hell next be in court on Oct. 23.

Police said the men got away with $5,000. The sheriff said he had hoped to return most of the cash taken but unfortunately, he said the men spent most of it buying drugs.

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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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
As the number of book bans and restrictions in schools and public libraries across the nation continues to grow, so does a robust network of citizens fighting against the narrowing of literary access, according to a yearly report by First Amendment literary advocacy group PEN America.

The report, The Normalization of Book Banning, found that Tennessee has the third-highest number of book bans in school libraries across the nation.

The report states that over the last school year, at least 1,623 books were banned in Tennessee. This number makes up just a portion of the nearly 7,000 across the nation for this year alone.

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While these numbers are unprecedented and undeniable, the report states, there was one data point that was presented with optimism: for the first time in the organizations tracking, 70 of the 87 districts impacted by book bans this year contained evidence of a public response against censorship, whether from parents, educators, librarians or entire organized groups.

That, to me, just shows that people don't want this, and people are fighting, said Sabrina Baeta, a senior program manager with Freedom to Read at PEN America. I think it's easy to be like, Oh my God, there are so many fires to put out, but people are fighting that at the local level, and that is the most important thing we can be doing when it comes to the book ban fight.

It is a huge national crisis, she said. The states are running away with it, but it's important to remember that we can make the most impact in our local community, and that looks like getting involved and getting informed about what's happening in your backyard.

As Banned Books Week comes to an end  and Tennesseans prepare for the well-known annual Southern Festival of Books on Oct. 18-19  the Tennessean spoke with three individuals advocating for better literary access across the state.

Local artist makes books too big to ban

To combat increasing book bans and restrictions, one Tennessee artist is pushing back in a very literal way: by making bigger books.

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The project, titled the Unbannable Library, was created by Austin Peay State University art Professor Paul Collins and consists of a series of massive books  around 3 feet by 5 feet or larger  made by various artists around the world that each feature different passages or themes from commonly banned or restricted books, or books that speak to the importance of literary access and social issues.

Collins has been making large books for almost a decade, but started the project last year after he saw the startling rise in book restrictions in public school libraries across the state in 2023.

Of particular note to Collins was a failed proposal by Tennessee lawmakers that sought to expand who could file legal challenges against librarians and schools under a controversial law that requires public schools to identify books and other materials deemed "harmful to minors.

Though this law failed to pass, it was just one of many initiatives over recent years placing increasing boundaries on literary content in the state and inspiring Collins to start the project.

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More: Tennessee ranks third in US for number of books banned in school, report

His books, constructed of a variety of materials easily found in hardware stores and crafted with actual moving blank pages, were originally received by only a small number of local art groups for a pioneer attempt at the project last year.

Austin Peay State University Art Professor, Paul Collins, works in his home studio assembling large books featuring work from various artists, students and poets from around the world, in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025.

This year, the project has increased its geographic reach dramatically. Now there are more than 100 contributing collaborators: six Nashville high schools, the teens program at the Southeast Branch of the Nashville Public Library and members of the Nashvilles Friends Life Community, along with various Tennessee artists and writers as well as six new working groups in Kentucky and New York City.

Collins said the goal of such a project is to make a visual representation of how large an impact books can make on peoples lives.

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My interest in this project stems from my experience as a as a teacher and as a parent, he said. As a teacher, I'm trying to get my students to trust their own voices. I want for them the wealth of a multitude of stories so that they can build their own worldview.

This desire is what drives him to advocate against book bans and restrictions, Collins said.

The biggest problem for me is the silencing of diverse voices, and the erasure and homogenization of voices available through public collections, he said. And what I think is most effective is beautiful artwork made from independent, individual voices. By centering the real, diverse lived experience of any participating team, I know that I'm presenting something that is undeniable, and in that way, unbannable.

Collins noted with surprise, however, that there are fewer Tennessee groups participating this year than last year, as the whole thought about discussing banned books in this environment has become really challenging.

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This has only driven his passion to keep making large statements.

Large books of sizes from 3ft to 7ft, all featuring work of various artists and poets sit in the home studio of Paul Collins, before the book fair this weekend n Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025.

The reason we have Banned Books Week is because we have book bans at a rate we've never had, he said. And the reason we have book bans, and not necessarily museum bans or music bans, is because books are uniquely dangerous. Books are uncontrollable. They are transmissible. They're low-fi and they're accessible like nothing in our culture. And so that, for that reason, they're dangerous, and they're recognized as being dangerous.

The books will be on display at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park during the Southern Festival of Books Oct.18-19.

Southern Festival of Books continues to advocate, despite unprecedented obstacles

For 36 years, the Southern Festival of Books  run by Humanities Tennessee, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities  has welcomed fall into Nashville with its annual festival celebrating literature of all kinds, and drawing massive crowds from across the region.

The rain isn't stop book lovers from enjoying opening day of the 7th annual Southern Festival of Books at the Legislative Plaza in downtown Nashville on Oct. 13, 1995.

But this year, the beloved festival almost didnt happen: In April, the Department of Government Efficiency cut federal grants for the National Endowment for the Humanities, wiping out $1.2-million in Congressionally approved funding for the state affiliate.

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While some of these grants were reinstated in part months later, the gutting, set against a backdrop of rising book bans and restrictions across the state and the nation, made Tim Henderson, the CEO of Humanities Tennessee, worry for the future of both the festival and literary appreciation in Tennessee.

When the federal grant was terminated, we felt that the festival itself was really endangered this year, Henderson said. We didn't know back in April how we could pull off a program that's the size that the festival has been historically.

Henderson said the festival organizers looked towards the community  and the community answered.

We weren't sure how we could do that, but we also weren't willing to say we can't do it, he said. So we really put that question to the community, and we saw folks step up and rally in a very big way to say This event matters. These stories are important to us.

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They really pulled together to ensure that the festival could happen this year, he said.

Thanks to the combined efforts of significant private and public support, including efforts by Ann Patchett, author and owner of Parnassus Books, and a new partnership with Vanderbilt University, the festival will resume this year to promote literary access and love for all attendees.

Not only is it not diminished, it's actually a little bit bigger than it usually is, he said. Just seeing indications of the value that the festival has in the public has been really heartening and encouraging.

More: Nashville's Southern Festival of Books to highlight 'The Black Family Who Built America'

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Henderson said encouraging literary access in the face of growing book bans and restrictions is an act of empathy.

That imaginative act of empathizing is part of how (learning) begins, he said. But at a deeper level, we're seeing each other as fully human, and stories really flesh out how and why. I think thats why stories ought to be protected or preserved, but also made accessible.

In addition, he said, book restrictions are often just a fearful reaction to a changing world.

Whether we're talking about a strict ban on books, or bans on particular stories or other words, really, we're restricting ourselves from access to this sense of a bigger world, he said. Something that is bigger than our even our own experience It can be a sort of frightening space to be when we first start to encounter that, or think of the world as bigger than ourselves, but this world of stories really helps remind us of that were all human.

Little Free Libraries map provides access amid bans and restrictions

A year-round effort to combat book restrictions is also one of the Tennessee's most visible and well-known efforts to increase literary access.

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Little Free Libraries, the charming small cupboards of free books perched outside participants home, have over 200,000 participants worldwide and over 1,300 in Tennessee alone.

More: Why the nonprofit behind Little Libraries is tackling banned books, including in Nashville

Last year, the organization teamed up with Banned Books Week, PEN America and the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom to raise awareness of literary access for all with an interactive map displaying all little libraries across the country, overlaid with the number of book ban attempts made in each state.

Leigh Singleton's Little Free Haunted Library, a fixture of her neighborhood, boasts a quickly-rotating selection of free books, mostly focused on mystery novels.

This year, the map is updated with the new numbers of book bans and restrictions provided by ALA and PEN America.

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In a statement on the updated book ban data, Little Free Libraries said the map gives communities a practical option for countering these challenges by giving access to banned and challenged books through neighborhood Little Free Libraries.

"At the Little Free Library nonprofit organization, we believe that access to books is a fundamental right and a cornerstone of an informed, engaged society," said Daniel Gumnit, CEO of LFL, in the statement. "This newly updated map empowers communities to protect intellectual freedom, champion diverse voices, and ensure that the joy of reading remains accessible to all."

In an interview with The Tennessean, Gumnit said the function of the Little Free Libraries acts as a support system for public libraries in expanding book access.

When there are restrictions on public libraries and schools, that makes it harder for people that don't have resources to have access to banned books, he said. But one of the things that's wonderful about Little Free Libraries is that people put these books in there, and they are available for free, as they would be if they were at the school or if they were at the library. So we frequently see ourselves as the branch, or the twig of a library branch, meaning we're able to provide access to books 24 hours a day for free, with no expectation that they're returned. And so in a sense, we're helping extend the reach of access to books that libraries have.

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This access is important, Gumnit said, because in world of increasing book content restrictions, access to books should not be based on the ability to purchase books.

In America, people should be able to read what they want to read, he said. And up until recently, much of what people wanted to read was freely available in places where people who don't have money could go. I think access to banned books is a fundamentally American issue, and it shouldn't be tied to your economic status to have access to these books.

The USA TODAY Network - The South region's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners.

Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@gannett.com, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: As book bans grow, these people are fighting for literary access in TN
NEED TO KNOW

A 19-year-old who says he is a U.S. citizen and recently graduated from high school was tackled and arrested by a border patrol agent in Chicago on Oct. 14

The incident, which was caught on film, occurred after a border patrol vehicle crashed into an SUV during a federal operation

Tear gas was used on the gathering crowd after eggs and other objects were thrown at agents

A 19-year-old who says he is a U.S. citizen was tackled and arrested by an immigration officer after a crash between a border patrol vehicle and an SUV during a federal operation.

On Tuesday, Oct. 14, border patrol agents in a white truck were chasing a red SUV before the truck was filmed crashing into the other vehicle, ABC affiliate WLS reported.

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A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the outlet that the driver of the SUV, an alleged undocumented immigrant, had hit the agents truck.

Following the crash, two people who had been living in the U.S. illegally ran from the scene, prompting agents to give chase, DHS told WLS. The agents ended up running into a nearby Walgreens.

Yarelly Jimenez went into the store with her partner and her sister's boyfriend Warren King to record the scene, she told CNN Newsource. In her video, which was obtained by PEOPLE, masked agents searched the store as Jimenez yelled, Get the f out of here!

As she exited Walgreens, the woman captured 19-year-old King on the ground as a masked agent straddled him.

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Hes a citizen, Jimenez screamed repeatedly as she recorded.

Get the f away from me, the agent yelled back, according to the video, instructing her to move. You dont know whats going on, so get the f back!

King was taken into custody but later released, according to the reports.

The footage is part of a wave of protests and dramatic scenes taking place in cities across the U.S. as President Donald Trump's administration cracks down on immigration.

In an interview with WSL, King said that he was attempting to leave the store, but hadnt gotten far outside when he was tackled to the ground and arrested.

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"He was just saying, 'Why are you running?'" King, a recent high school graduate, told the outlet. "But I'm telling him, 'I'm a U.S. citizen. I'm here. I'm legal. I'm born here.' So, they didn't try to hear none of that, though."

DHS agents were able to apprehend the two people they had been pursuing. Describing them as illegal aliens, the agency told WSL that border patrol agents arrested the two suspects.

King told WSL that he was with both people for hours in a car before he was released.

They just accepted, like, their defeat. It wasn't no talking in the back between both of them, and they knew each other," King told the outlet.

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When contacted by PEOPLE, DHS did not provide a reason for the crash or Kings arrest.

Here are the facts: immediately following illegal aliens ramming law enforcement with their vehicle, which resulted in the arrest of two illegal aliens from Venezuela, a violent mob began surround law enforcement, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

She added that a teenager who is a U.S. citizen  who was not King  threw eggs and hit an agent in the head. He was later seen gathering rocks after objects had already been thrown at law enforcement officers, according to DHS.

The teen was then arrested for assault. He was transported to the FBI Field Office in Chicago, where he admitted to throwing eggs at agents before he was released without charges, the agency said.

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According to WSL, a crowd gathered around agents during the incident in a tense standoff, but most people were standing by peacefully. While some recorded with their phones, others held flags or chanted, ICE, go home.

The Chicago Police Department told PEOPLE that officers arrived at 11:07 a.m. local time following reports of a motor vehicle accident involving federal authorities.

Police officers stayed on scene to try to de-escalate the situation for everyones safety and later witnessed people throwing objects at the agents. At that point, the federal agents deployed tear gas into the street, authorities said.

In her statement, McLaughlin said that the agencys officers are facing a surge in assaults against them.

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CBP and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law, she added. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Deputy Mayor Beatriz Ponce de Leon, who later arrived at the scene, had a different perspective, according to WSL.

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There is absolutely no reason to have this kind of chaos happening in our communities, she said, according to the outlet, putting people at risk, putting people in harm's way and exacerbating the fear that people feel right now.

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King said his story should be a warning to everyone.

"I just graduated high school, he said, according to WSL. So, they can come for, literally, anybody. And that's not right."



Read the original article on People
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The Borderland is gearing up as the second No Kings Day of the year will take place this weekend.

Millions of protesters, with around 2,000 rallies across the country, are expected to peacefully take to the streets on Saturday, Oct. 18, to send one message: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people, according to the movements official website.

The rally in El Paso will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, along Edgemere and Airway boulevards in East-Central El Paso.

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Over in Las Cruces, it will happen from 9 a.m. to noon at Albert Johnson Park, 896 N. Main St.

As KTSM previously reported, the first protest of the year happened on June 14 as a way to counter a large military parade in Washington, D.C. that was being held to celebrate President Donald Trumps birthday and the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army.

Hundreds protest Trump in No Kings rally in East-Central El Paso

This time, the movements website stated that the rallies will be held to protest against chaos, corruption, and cruelty by Trump and his administration.

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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  The Boring Company has made visible progress on The Music City Loop since the project was announced in July, but what has the project looked like at the city level?

On Oct. 8, Metro Councilmember Sean Parker posted to Bluesky that TBC refused multiple requests to meet with both the Councils Budget and Transportation & Infrastructure committees. Metro Councilmember at-large Delishia Porterfield, who was mentioned in Parkers post, also told News 2 she had emailed TBC twice asking for a meeting, but they refused.

News 2 reached out to TBC, which confirmed that the company was not able to attend the meetings, but added that they had met or corresponded with most of Metro Council members individually.

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After that post, News 2 reached out to every Metro Council member with the following question: Have you met or corresponded with TBC? Of the 40 members who make up the Metro Council, 28 have responded as of publication. Eighteen of those who responded told News 2 that they had not met with TBC.

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Theyre not seeking any kind of Metro approval or financial support in this endeavor, so theyre not obligated to meet with us, but they are making public statements that theyre meeting with us, Parker told News 2.

The Boring Companys progress can be seen from the sky. Excavation got underway at a parking lot on Rosa Parks Boulevard in August. First Baptist Church at Capitol Hill, which has existed at its current site for decades, sits adjacent to TBCs working site there. Metro Councilmember Sandy Ewing, who attends that church, told News 2 she met with TBC leadership and Rev. Dr. Shane B. Scott a couple months ago about site safety and other concerns.

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You want to make sure that your congregations going to be safe, but more importantly, I think that the pastor Dr. Scott does share concerns about environmental safety, about whether theyve done their due diligence on the geotech surveying, Ewing said. Our overarching goal is to protect people and property  I think that the church, really, was trying to get their arms around this project and understand what the potential negative consequences were, and the only way to properly vet all of these issues and concerns is to have the kind of community engagement that this company has not had.

Just this week, TBC posted to X that they were also conducting geotechnical exploratory borings along West End Avenue, sparking questions from some area residents. As News 2 previously reported, the areas Metro Councilmember Tom Cash had been previously unaware of the work and said he would reach out to TBC for more information. Separately, Cash added he thought a briefing from TBC at the Councils Transportation Committee would be helpful and good faith community engagement.

In addition to the digging, public records reveal that TBCs Nevada-based subsidiary, FJ Pads, LLC, purchased a property at 200 Jupiter Drive for $937,812 in September  which is more than double the 2025 total appraisal value for the property. The lot contains a building that was constructed in 1960. TBC has not yet responded to News 2s request for comment on the sale or its future plans for the site.

Metro Councilmember Russ Bradford, whose district includes the Jupiter Drive property, told News 2 that he was not aware of the sale until it was reported by other local media outlets. Bradford added that TBC has not reached out to him, nor to his knowledge has the company conducted any outreach in his district.

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Im not sure what their intention is for it  if its going to be anything other than office space, they will have to go through the Metro Council to rezone it, Bradford said.  I would like to see more public outreach from The Boring Company. A lot of folks have concerns, and they are very legitimate concerns, and theres been no engagement with the public on this.

Several other Metro Council members spoke or corresponded via email with News 2, and several touched on concerns  their own or their constituents  regarding TBCs engagement with the community. For example, at-large Metro Councilmember Quinn Evans Segall told News 2 that its important for dialogue to continue between TBC and Metro Council as Metro proceeds with the Choose How You Move program  which voters opted for in the 2024 election.

It is my expectation that our Metro departments, as appropriate, and council members will continue to have new and/or unanswered/unanswerable questions arise, and it is my hope that The Boring Company will continue to make its employees available to answer those questions, Evans Segall said.

In their most recent blog post about the Music City Loop, TBC has a section dedicated to addressing community engagement. The company cited meetings with dozens of local leaders and elected officials as well as hiring events and direct engagement with community organizations as ways theyve reached out to Nashvillians.

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Metro Councilmember Mike Cortese, and some other Metro Councilmembers who spoke or corresponded with News 2, expressed frustration toward state leadership about the project. Cortese said that after speaking with a TBC executive, he left extremely frustrated with the lack of ability and/or lack of willingness from the Lee Administration to fight for TN residents.

When looking at any project that involves public assets, my first questions always revolve around protecting citizens rights and maximizing ROI for taxpayers, Cortese added. With the limited information I have, I do not feel the Lee Administration was looking at either of those points when negotiating this project.

After meeting with TBC, some Metro Councilmembers who spoke or corresponded with News 2 had a more optimistic approach. Courtney Johnston, Metro Councilmember for District 26, told News 2 that shes looking forward to seeing this innovative transit option being a success and expanded to reach many more Nashvillians.

At-large Metro Councilmember Olivia Hill asked TBC several infrastructure-related questions. Hill said shes not a fan of TBC founder Elon Musk, but shes been trying to approach the project while asking the question: what is for the greater good of Nashville?

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This is a hard pill for a lot of folks to swallow in Nashville. Number one in the way that its being done  without any input from the city and how it was kind of skirted around us and the way a lot of Democrats and progressives feel about Elon and his company, Hill said. I think if you take all of that stuff away and you get this system in, and people start saying, Ive got to get to the airport. That stupid tunnel-thing. I hate that thing, but let me give it a shot, and then they ride it a few times and they realize that maybe its not that bad. All of a sudden, why its there seems to be a little bit better than the negatives of what they thought about a person or a company.

One member of Metro Council, Robert Nash, told News 2 that he was invited to meet with TBC representatives, but declined the opportunity, adding that after watching local reporting, he felt the company was providing answers to the questions being raised. As such, he thought a meeting was premature.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Aside from Metro Council, TBC has also been in touch with the Office of Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell. In September, TBC publicly responded to 78 questions from the office. Since then, a spokesperson for OConnells office told News 2 that the Mayors Office has been in weekly communication with TBC.

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The first segment of the Music City Loop system is expected to be operational as soon as next spring, per TBC.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
The Boston Police Department is investigating a series of four commercial robberies involving the theft of cash registers that occurred over the past week in various neighborhoods.

The robberies took place at locations in Hyde Park, Roxbury, and Jamaica Plain.

In each incident, the suspect, or suspects, distracted clerks by pretending to purchase something before seizing the cash register when it was opened.

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The suspect(s) in these robberies have been consistently described as wearing a black puffy jacket with the hood up, black pants, and a black surgical mask.

Notably, no weapons were displayed during any of the incidents.

The Boston Police Department is urging anyone with information related to these robberies to contact them directly. Community members can also provide information anonymously through the CrimeStoppers Tip Line.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

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Oct. 14While impressive berry crops have kept bears at higher elevations this fall, there still have been a number of incidents involving people and bruins.

In Montana, two occurred in the Taylor Fork area south of Big Sky, but no one was injured.

The first, Sept. 29, involved two hunters. According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, they were hunting in the vicinity of a known elk carcass when they saw a grizzly bear. To make their presence known, the hunters yelled at the bear. The bear reportedly came toward the hunters and they each fired once with handguns. Both the bear and the hunters left the site without further incident.

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Montana FWP staff learned of the encounter on Oct. 1, and after interviewing the hunters, determined it was unlikely the bear was injured.

On Oct. 3, a lone hunter reportedly encountered a grizzly bear at close range. The bear charged and the hunter deployed bear spray, which stopped the charge. The hunter left the area and reported the incident to FWP.

Across the border in Canada, there have been a three incidents involving bears and people between Sept. 29 and Oct. 8.

According to British Columbia's Conservation Officer Service, it investigated an attack Sept. 29 near Fort St. James after a hunter was charged by a grizzly sow with a cub and bitten on the ankle. The bear dropped the hunter, who was able to seek medical help.

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The incident was deemed defensivethe mother bear because she was protecting its cub.

Three days later on Oct. 2 near Fort Steele, 2 1/2 hours north of Libby, a hunter was seriously injured after an encounter with a grizzly sow and cubs. The person was airlifted for medical treatment.

The next day, Oct. 3, provincial conservation officers and Royal Canadian Mounted Police members investigated the site. Preliminary findings suggest the bears may have been drawn to a hunter that was elk calling. It appears that the hunter was able to fire one shot in self defense but it is unknown if the bear was hit.

A drone with infrared capabilities was used and was unable to locate any bears. Conservation officers conducted low level helicopter flights and were not able to locate any bears and ground sweeps of the area also did not locate any bears.

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According to a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation report on Oct. 4, the hunter was in stable condition. Officers say they have not yet spoken with him due to the extent of his injuries. The report said the area is heavily hunted for elk.

Then, on Oct. 8, a woman was attacked by a female black bear with cubs while walking her dog in the Wildlife Management Area in Squasmish, an hour north of Vancouver, B.C. She sustained a minor injury.

In Yellowstone National Park on Sept. 30, a 29-year-old man was attacked by a bear while hiking on the Turbid Lake Trail, located northeast of Mary Bay in Yellowstone Lake.

According to a news release from Yellowstone National Park, the incident occurred approximately 2.5 miles from the Pelican Valley Trailhead in the Pelican Valley Bear Management Area.

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Park rangers say the man was hiking alone when he encountered the bear near Turbid Lake. The hiker began to deploy bear spray when the bear made contact, and he sustained significant but non-life-threatening injuries to his chest and left arm.

The hiker thought the bear was a black bear; however, the location, size, and behavior of the described bear suggest it might have been a grizzly bear. Bear management staff will attempt to confirm the species through DNA analysis, if possible. It was the first bear attack in Yellowstone since 2021.

In Fremont County, Idaho, a hiker was injured in a bear attack near Squirrel Creek on Sept. 30.

The hiker, an adult male, was traveling alone on the South rim of Squirrel Creek when a bear charged at him through the thick timber from a short distance away. The bear bit the man as it ran past him and continued on into the forest. Despite his injuries, the man was able to hike out on his own to seek medical attention.

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Wildlife officials explained that fall hunting seasons overlap with when bears are actively preparing for hibernation. Some areas with dense concentrations of grizzly bears are very accessible to hunters, especially during the archery season.

Avoiding conflicts with bears is far better than dealing with conflicts. Here are some precautions to help hunters avoid negative bear encounters:  Carry bear spray and be prepared to use it immediately.  Watch for and be extra cautious around bear sign, creeks and areas with limited visibility. Most attacks happen in surprise, close encounters.  Stay away from animal carcasses, which often attract bears.  Hunt with a group of people. This can help you make localized noise to alert bears to your presence, and it may also increase your chances of survival in the event of a bear attack.  Be aware that elk calls and cover scents can attract bears.  Bring the equipment and people needed to help field dress game and remove the meat from the kill site quickly.  If you need to leave part of the meat in the field during retrieval, hang it at least 10 feet off the ground, if possible, and at least 100 yards from the gut pile. Leave it in an open area where it can be observed from a distance of at least 200 yards.  Upon your return, observe the meat with binoculars. Make noise while approaching the meat. If it has been disturbed or if a bear is in the area, leave and call FWP.  Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency.

To learn more about how to be safe in bear country, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management/bear.
TEXOMA (KFDX/KJTL)  Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, is Election Day for Texans, who will determine which proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution will become law.

YOUR LOCAL ELECTION HQ: Early Voting Polling Locations in Texoma

There are 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution on the ballot for all registered voters in Texas this November, ranging from tax breaks for homeowners and businesses to laws codifying key social and political issues.

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YOUR LOCAL ELECTION HQ: Voting guide for Nov. 4, 2025 election

To ensure that voters in Texoma are informed before heading to the polls, our team at KFDX, KJTL, and Texomas Homepage has broken down each proposed amendment, explaining what it means and its potential impact if passed into law.

Broad property tax exemptions

Proposition 9  Property tax on inventory and equipment

The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.

What Proposition 9 Means

Currently, businesses in Texas are not required to pay property tax on any inventory or equipment valued under $2,500. If passed, Proposition 9 would exempt up to a total of $125,000 worth of inventory or equipment owned by a business from property taxes.

Support and Opposition

Supporters of Proposition 9 argue that the measure will save Texas business owners over $200 million annually in property taxes, which would contribute to economic growth. However, those who oppose Proposition 9 claim that the measure could be applied by a business with multiple locations, potentially creating a loophole that will put a financial strain on the state government.

Proposition 11  School tax exemption for elderly, disabled homeowners

The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district of the market value of the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled.

What Proposition 11 Means

The Homestead Exemption, or the amount of the appraised value of a home that cannot be taxed by the Texas government to pay for public schools, is currently set at $10,000 for elderly and disabled homeowners in Texas on top of the existing Homestead Exemption of $100,000 available to all Texans.

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If passed, Proposition 11 would raise the Homestead Exemption for elderly and disabled homeowners to $60,000. When paired with Proposition 13, another measure on the ballot in November, homeowners who are disabled or over 65 years old in Texas would have a combined Homestead Exemption of $200,000, nearly doubling the current exemption.

Support and Opposition

Proposition 11 hasnt seen much pushback from lawmakers on either side of the political aisle, however, some who oppose it allege that broad tax exemptions, like Proposition 11, arent sustainable in the long-term.

TEXAS POLITICS: Laws passed in 2025 now in effect in Texas

Proposition 13  School tax exemption for Texas homeowners

The constitutional amendment to increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000.

What Proposition 13 Means

The Homestead Exemption, or the amount of the appraised value of a home that cannot be taxed by the Texas government to pay for public schools, is currently set at $100,000 for all homeowners in Texas. If passed, Proposition 13 would increase that exemption to $140,000.

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According to the Texas Tribune, for the average homeowner in Texas, with a house valued at the state average of $302,000, the passing of Proposition 13 would amount to a savings of $490 a year in property taxes.

Support and Opposition

Property tax cuts are typically popular among lawmakers, however, some critics of Proposition 13 argue that Texas should be doing more to limit local tax rates in order to prevent tax costs from rising for Texans.

Specific property tax exemptions

Proposition 5  Property tax exemption on animal feed

The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation tangible personal property consisting of animal feed held by the owner of the property for sale at retail.

What Proposition 5 Means

If passed, Proposition 5 would allow property tax exemptions of animal feed that is being held as inventory by individuals and businesses for retail sale.

Support and Opposition

Supporters of Proposition 5 claim that since animal feed is tax exempt at every other stage of its life cycle, the measure would bring consistency. Opponents of Proposition 5 argue that the measure will give animal feed sellers an unfair market advantage.

Proposition 7  Tax exemption for veterans spouses

The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a veteran who died as a result of a condition or disease that is presumed under federal law to have been service-connected.

What Proposition 7 Means

If passed, Proposition 7 would give tax breaks to unmarried surviving spouses of veterans of the United States military who died in connection with their service as determined by federal law.

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The measure would align Texas with current federal policies regarding veterans who died as a result of their service.

Support and Opposition

Currently, no campaigns are opposed to Proposition 7.

Proposition 10  Property tax on homes destroyed by fire

The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of the appraised value of an improvement to a residence homestead that is completely destroyed by a fire.

What Proposition 10 Means

If passed, Proposition 10 would allow a temporary property tax exemption for homes that have been completely destroyed by a fire.

According to the Texas Tribune, homeowners would be able to apply for an adjusted tax bill on the restored home for the tax year that the fire occurred, and must show that the home was uninhabitable for at least 30 days after the fire.

Support and Opposition

Currently, no campaigns are opposed to Proposition 10.

Proposition 17  Border security infrastructure

The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the amount of the market value of real property located in a county that borders the United Mexican States that arises from the installation or construction on the property of border security infrastructure and related improvements.

What Proposition 17 Means

If passed, Proposition 17 would prevent the Texas government from increasing the appraisal value of a home or property located in a county along the U.S.-Mexico border due to border security infrastructure that was installed on private land.

Support and Opposition

Supporters of Proposition 17 argue that the measure prevents landowners on the U.S.-Mexico border from carrying the taxation burden created by border security infrastructure. However, those against Proposition 17 argue that it would incentivize more border security infrastructure to be built on private property.

Statewide taxation bans

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Proposition 2  Tax ban on capital gains

The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of a tax on the realized or unrealized capital gains of an individual, family, estate, or trust.

What Proposition 2 Means

If passed, Proposition 2 would forbid the Texas government from taxing people or businesses on profits or potential profits from certain capital assets, including investments, real estate, and certain personal property.

Support and Opposition

Those in favor of Proposition 2 claim that the measure would double down on the measure passed in 2019, prohibiting the Texas government from imposing a state income tax. However, those who oppose the measure argue that it would create a permanent barrier for future legislation.

Proposition 6  Tax ban on securities

The constitutional amendment prohibiting the legislature from enacting a law imposing an occupation tax on certain entities that enter into transactions conveying securities or imposing a tax on certain securities transactions.

What Proposition 6 Means

If passed, Proposition 6 would prohibit the Texas government from imposing a tax on securities transactions, like stock trading, as well as taxing financial institutions or individuals who operate in the securities market, like brokers or dealers.

Support and Opposition

Supporters of Proposition 6 claim that the measure affirms limited government, free enterprise, and private property rights, while those against it argue that it would create future roadblocks for lawmakers.

Proposition 8  Tax ban on inheritance

The constitutional amendment to prohibit the legislature from imposing death taxes applicable to a decedents property or the transfer of an estate, inheritance, legacy, succession, or gift.

What Proposition 8 Means

If passed, Proposition 8 would prohibit the Texas government from taxing an estate, or the transfer of an estate or inheritance. Currently, Texas does not impose a tax on inheritance, so the measure would ensure that the government could not create a tax on inheritance in the future.

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Proposition 8 will not eliminate any existing taxes already associated with an inheritance, such as unpaid property taxes.

Support and Opposition

Those in favor of Proposition 8 argue that the measure would allow Texans to transfer wealth without tax penalties, while those against Proposition 8 argue that the measure is unnecessary.

Current political and social issues

Proposition 3  Denial of bail for certain offenses

The constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony.

What Proposition 3 Means

If passed, Proposition 3 would require judges in Texas to deny bail in certain cases for individuals accused of committing certain felony offenses, including:

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Murder

Aggravated assault

Indecency with a child

Proposition 3 would require prosecutors to demonstrate that setting bail for a defendant would not prevent the defendant from becoming a flight risk or a risk to public safety. Defendants accused of a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty and are entitled to representation during bail hearings.

Support and Opposition

Supporters of Proposition 3 argue that the measure is needed to reduce crimes committed by defendants who are free on bond, while those against Proposition 3 claim the measure would add to the existing problem of overpopulated jails, without truly improving public safety.

Proposition 12  State Judicial Conduct Commission

The constitutional amendment regarding the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the membership of the tribunal to review the commissions recommendations, and the authority of the commission, the tribunal, and the Texas Supreme Court to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct.

What Proposition 12 Means

If passed, Proposition 12 would change the makeup of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the independent state agency responsible for investigating allegations of judicial misconduct.

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Currently, the Commission consists of six judges, two attorneys who arent judges, and five citizens who arent attorneys or judges appointed by Gov. Abbott. Proposition 12 would remove and replace the two attorney positions with two additional citizen positions.

Support and Opposition

Supporters of Proposition 12 argue that adding more citizens to the Commission promotes transparency and accountability, while opponents of the measure argue that it could potentially politicize judicial discipline.

YOUR LOCAL ELECTION HQ: Two candidates compete for Nocona mayor

Proposition 15  Rights of Texas parents

The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children.

What Proposition 15 Means

If passed, Proposition 15 would amend the Texas Constitution to affirm that parents are the primary decision makers for their children.

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Proposition 15 would include that it is a parents responsibility to nurture and protect the parents child, as well as that it is a parents right to exercise care, custody, and control of the parents child, and to make decisions regarding the upbringing of the parents child.

Support and Opposition

Supporters of Proposition 15 argue that the measure would protect parental rights from changing case law, while critics of the measure questioned how it would ensure that a childs voice is heard.

Proposition 16  Citizenship requirement for voters

The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.

What Proposition 16 Means

If passed, Proposition 16 would add language to the Texas Constitution, explicitly stating that individuals who arent citizens of the United States cannot vote in Texas. American citizenship is currently required to register to vote in Texas.

Support and Opposition

Those in favor of Proposition 16 argue that it would prevent local governments from allowing residents who arent American citizens to vote, while those against the measure call it redundant and unnecessary.

State funding for infrastructure and research

Proposition 1  Funding for Texas State Technical College

The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the permanent technical institution infrastructure fund and the available workforce education fund to support the capital needs of educational programs offered by the Texas State Technical College System.

What Proposition 1 Means

If passed, Proposition 1 would create an endowment for the Texas State Technical College System. In recent years, underfunding and the inability for the college to levy a property tax has caused a halt in improvements to the system.

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The measure comes after many employers in Texas have noticed a decline in skilled workers. Gov. Greg Abbott made workforce training a priority during the 89th Legislative Session.

According to the Texas Tribune, TSTC officials said the funds would be used to upgrade infrastructure across its campuses, upgrade classroom equipment, and expand the system in Texas.

TSTC was established in 1969 and now has 11 campuses across Texas. Currently, the institution offers 48 associate degrees or certificates in 9 key industries, including engineering, manufacturing, information technology, and aviation.

Support and Opposition

Those in favor of Proposition 1 argue that it would help Texas close the skill gap that currently exists in Texas workers, while those against the measure allege that it would limit oversight from the government and transparency.

Proposition 4  State water fund

The constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue.

What Proposition 4 Means

If passed, Proposition 4 would add a portion of sales tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund for use in developing new water sources, fixing aging pipes and infrastructure, flood mitigation efforts, and conservation efforts.

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Proposition 4 would dedicate around $1 billion annually to the fund, beginning in 2027 and continuing for 20 years.

Support and Opposition

Proposition 4 has wide-spread support, with those in favor of the measure arguing that it will help bridge the existing funding gap for water infrastructure in Texas. However, those against the measure claim it doesnt leave any room for solutions from the private sector.

Proposition 14  Funding for dementia research

The constitutional amendment providing for the establishment of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, establishing the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund to provide money for research on and prevention and treatment of dementia, Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, and related disorders in this state, and transferring to that fund $3 billion from state general revenue.

What Proposition 14 Means

If passed, Proposition 14 would provide $3 billion in surplus revenue to establish the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, dedicated to studying, treating, and preventing degenerative cognitive conditions, such as dementia, Alzheimers, and Parkinsons disease.

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In addition to the initial $3 billion investment, the measure would provide up to $300 million a year to the institute aimed at attracting the top researchers, physicians, and experts to Texas.

Support and Opposition

Proposition 14 has received bipartisan support from lawmakers, including the unanimous support of voting Texas Democrats and 79.8% support from voting Texas Republicans. However, some who oppose the measure claim it would create a bloated bureaucracy.

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BENGALURU (Reuters) -India's Wipro reported stronger-than-expected second-quarter revenue on Thursday, driven by strong growth in Asia and Americas communications businesses and forecast revenue for the current quarter to be in line with some analysts' estimates.

The country's fourth-largest IT services firm posted a 1.8% rise year-on-year in consolidated revenue to 226.97 billion rupees ($2.58 billion) for the July-September quarter, topping analysts' estimate of 226.90 billion rupees, per data compiled by LSEG. The company expects a 0.5% decline to 1.5% revenue growth for the third quarter, in line with expectations from brokerage Kotak Institutional Equities.

That implies revenue will be in the range of $2.59 billion to $2.64 billion.

Net profit rose 1.2% to 32.46 billion rupees for the quarter, below analysts' estimate of 33.01 billion rupees.

Three of the four markets grew led by Asia Pacific's 3.1% and Americas One's 0.5% growth.

The Bengaluru-based IT firm benefited from large contracts, including a $500 million-plus deal each with Phoenix Group and a U.S.-based telecom provider, making it the only top-five Indian IT company to secure two such mega deals this fiscal year.

Earlier this month, peers Tata Consultancy Services and HCLTech beat revenue forecasts and flagged stronger demand in the second half of the year.

Wipro's total deal bookings came in at $4.69 billion, down from $5 billion in the prior quarter but up from $3.6 billion a year earlier.

($1 = 87.8610 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Sai Ishwarbharath B; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee)
President Donald Trumps former national security adviser John Bolton surrendered to authorities on Friday to face Espionage Act charges over allegedly mishandling classified information.

The 26-page, 18-count indictment, filed in federal court in Maryland on Thursday, accuses Bolton of transmitting and retaining highly sensitive material, including diary entries he shared with two unnamed individuals while serving in the White House.

Prosecutors say the notes described in detail Boltons daily activities as the National Security Advisor, including classified settings and briefings.

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Bolton didnt talk to reporters as he arrived at the courthouse on Friday morning, turning up almost before it opened, according to CNN.

In a statement issued Thursday, he denied wrongdoing, vowing to defend my lawful conduct and to expose [Trumps] abuse of power.

His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, called the case a misuse of prosecutorial discretion, adding that Boltons diaries were unclassified, shared only with his immediate family, and known to the FBI as far back as 2021.

The case marks the third indictment in recent weeks against a prominent Trump critic.

The post John Bolton Surrenders to Authorities After Federal Indictment first appeared on Mediaite.
George Santos was somewhat of a rogue, but there are many rogues throughout our Country that arent forced to serve seven years in prison. I started to think about George when the subject of Democrat Senator Richard Da Nang Dick Blumenthal came up again. As everyone remembers, Da Nang stated for almost twenty years that he was a proud Vietnam Veteran, having endured the worst of the War, watching the Wounded and Dead as he raced up the hills and down the valleys, blood streaming from his face. He was a Great Hero, he would leak to any and all who would listen  And then it happened! He was a COMPLETE AND TOTAL FRAUD. He never went to Vietnam, he never saw Vietnam, he never experienced the Battles there, or anywhere else. His War Hero status, and even minimal service in our Military, was totally and completely MADE UP. This is far worse than what George Santos did, and at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN! George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated. Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck George, have a great life!
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and USA Healths Wilma Baliem, ACNP-BC, AOCNP joined WKRG News 5 on The Doctor In to discuss breast cancer detection and treatments.

Driver denies knowledge of victim in Mobile dragging death

In the video above, Baliem shares why early detection is important, how to spot breast cancer, if genetic testing is important, and resources available at USA Health.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
The mayor of Bremen, Andreas Bovenschulte, has been unanimously elected as the new president of the Bundesrat, Germany's upper house of parliament.

Bovenschulte is to take over from his predecessor, Saarland Premier Anke Rehlinger, on November 1.

The presidency of the upper chamber rotates among Germany's 16 federal states. Bremen is one of three city-states, alongside Hamburg and Berlin.

The role is primarily representative. The president convenes and chairs the plenary sessions of the Bundesrat.

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They also represent the chamber at meetings in Germany and abroad.

If the German president is unable to attend or leaves office prematurely, the president of the Bundesrat assumes his or her powers.

The Bundesrat reviews legislation passed by the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament.

Some bills require a majority vote in the Bundesrat, while in other cases the chamber can lodge an objection that can be overturned in the Bundestag.
Laurent Lant, a civilian who once oversaw the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation program for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM), is charged with stealing over $500,000 in government funds. He allegedly made 18 monetary transfers from Army accounts into a company he formed just days earlier. IMCOM flagged the transactions, and Lant attempted to fleebuying a same-day ticket to Parisbut investigators arrested him before departure. His arrest came just over a year after another IMCOM employee was sentenced to 15 years in prison for stealing $108 million. Lant faces up to 10 years in prison and has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation.

The post Brickbat: Misplaced Trust appeared first on Reason.com.
NEED TO KNOW

Bride-to-be Jasmine Smith ended up getting married while experiencing contractions after her water broke on the day she and her partner, Latroy Parker, were planning to tie the knot

With the help of staff, who organized everything from a reverend to a cake and flowers, the pair said their "I dos" on Wednesday, Oct. 15, just outside Cone Health Women's & Children's Center at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro, N.C.

Smith gave birth to a baby girl later that evening



A North Carolina couple's wedding didn't exactly go as planned after the bride-to-be went into labor on the day of their nuptials.

On Wednesday, Oct. 15, Latroy Parker and Jasmine Smith, of Greensboro, were planning to tie the knot, however, the bride ended up walking down a slightly different aisle after her water broke early that morning, per a Cone Health Facebook post.

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With the help of Cone Health Women's & Children's Center at Moses Cone Hospital staff, the couple  who was determined to share a last name before welcoming their baby girl into the world  still managed to wed, with Smith attending the ceremony while having contractions, the hospital revealed.

Cone Health Latroy Parker and Jasmine Smith were married at a North Carolina hospital after Jasmine went into labor Latroy Parker and Jasmine Smith were married at a North Carolina hospital after Jasmine went into labor

"We were all surprised by what happened yesterday morning! Just outside Cone Health Women's & Children's Center at Moses Cone Hospital, we witnessed a moment that blended love, labor and a whole lot of heart," the facility wrote on Facebook on Thursday, Oct. 16, alongside multiple sweet snaps from the couple's special day.

Cone Health Latroy Parker and Jasmine Smith were married at a North Carolina hospital after Jasmine went into labor Latroy Parker and Jasmine Smith were married at a North Carolina hospital after Jasmine went into labor

"Latroy Parker and Jasmine Smith of Greensboro had planned to marry that day, racing against a 60-day marriage license deadline. But life had other plans. Just as they were preparing to say 'I do,' Jasmine's water broke as she went into labor with their daughter," the post continued.

One of the nurses at the hospital ended up calling her pastor, Reverend Sharon Lee of Lowes United Methodist Church, and she agreed to do the honors, the hospital said in a news release.

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Staff also managed to track down a cake, flowers for the flower girl and refreshments for the reception in the hospital family room.

Cone Health Latroy Parker and Jasmine Smith were married at a North Carolina hospital after Jasmine went into labor Latroy Parker and Jasmine Smith were married at a North Carolina hospital after Jasmine went into labor

The hospital explained that Rev. Lee "officiated their wedding right outside the hospital at the heart-shaped Corous sculpture, where two hearts joined together to become one," according to the Facebook post.

The message continued, "Mid-contraction, Jasmine walked slowly down the aisle  a crosswalk, in this case  to meet her fiance, squeezing his hand as they stood together. Friends, family and Cone Health team members gathered to witness the heartfelt ceremony."

The couple's daughter, Summer Reign Parker, was born after 11 p.m. local time later that evening, the hospital said.

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"It was the perfect setting, the perfect moment. I appreciate everybody for what they did," groom Parker shared of the nuptials, per the release.

Nurse Heather Koran, who is director of labor and delivery at Cone Health Women's & Children's Center, said of the ceremony in the hospital's internal newsletter, "Today, we navigated barriers, patient heartbreak and the full stretch of our potential  both individually and as a department."

She continued, "And together, we celebrated and orchestrated something truly unforgettable," the hospital said in an email to PEOPLE.

Cone Health Jasmine Smith walking to meet her husband-to-be at their wedding, which was held at a North Carolina hospital after she went into labor Jasmine Smith walking to meet her husband-to-be at their wedding, which was held at a North Carolina hospital after she went into labor

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.



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Groom Parker recalled of finding out the couple's baby was on the way on the day they were meant to be saying their "I dos," "She woke me up this morning and she was like, 'You know, my water broke.' And I'm like, 'You kidding me? Right?' I was like, 'We're supposed to get married today,' " per local station WXII 12 News.

He added, "This is definitely one for the numbers. Like this is definitely one for the numbers. So ten years from now, I mean 30, 40 years from now, it'll always I will always like to draw back to this moment right here. This is very special," according to the outlet.



Read the original article on People
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  A Cumberland County bridge has been named in honor of a local Army Ranger.

Sgt. Patrick Hawkins was a 2007 graduate of Carlisle High School. He served in the Armys 75th Ranger Regiment and was killed in 2013 in Afghanistan.

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The memorial bridge spans the Conodoguinet Creek on Spring Road in North Middleton Township.

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Pat loved being a Ranger and taking care of his buddies, said Roy Hawkins, his father. His best friend in battalion, Luke Ryan, wrote this about Pat, He was strict and stern with his guys, but when the work was done, he was the most caring guy he could be and was willing to drop everything and help them whenever they needed it.'

Pennsylvania treasurer returns Purple Heart to veterans family

Hawkins was 25 years old when he died, and he posthumously received a Purple Heart.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
LIMA  Allen County commissioners voted Thursday to approve a Road Use Maintenance Agreement between the commissioners, the county engineer and Brightspeed of Ohio to allow for the installation of both aerial and buried fiber-optic cable lines to improve access to high-speed internet.

The agreement will allow for the company to use right-of-way on county roads to install the cable, foregoing any need to purchase easements from property owners. With buried cables going down to a depth of 4 feet underground, the agreement had to be made to provide adequate oversight of the project to protect other buried infrastructure.

Because of the size and scope of what theyre wanting to do, were requesting a RUMA with them, Allen County Engineer Brion Rhodes said during the meeting. Weve been working on it back and forth with their attorneys for 14 months now.

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While Rhodes did not have a map outlining where the installation, he did say the work will be centered in Shawnee Township and will include work in residential subdivisions.

The agreement will include mandates on Brightspeed to provide for traffic maintenance during any installation, along with paying an inspector at a rate of $50 per hour to be on site to ensure that other buried cables, water lines or sewer lines are not damaged during installation.

Brightspeed will also have to have vehicles and equipment clearly marked with its logos, and its staff must place door-handle markers on the front doors of affected properties to alert them of the work.

They have about 50 miles of aerial work theyre going to do and about 13 miles of boreing underground, Rhodes said.

The Brightspeed media relations department did not respond to a request for comment.
In the heart of Rome, under pressure from an unending flow of tourists and faithful making a pilgrimage for the Jubilee, an exhibition is inviting us to reconsider what we feel - or rather, what we do not feel.

'Electrical Jubilee', now on at the Goethe-Institut KuntsRaum, is a sensory and artistic experience that gives voice to the eternal city as it undergoes continuous transformation during the Holy Year 2025 as declared by Pope Francis.

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The invisible echo of the Jubilee: Rome as you have never heard it

The project, conceived by sound art pioneer Christina Kubisch and produced with photographer Frank Paul and programmer and musician Tom Thiel, is a deep immersion in the soundscape of a Rome that welcomes millions of pilgrims.

Wired for sound and electrical walks in Rome - Goethe-Institut

"Rome has been transformed: buildings everywhere, noise everywhere. We joined forces and I, as a photographer, made this space visible and, in this space, we recorded acoustic and electromagnetic recordings to make them accessible to everyone, even on the internet, and to get another perspective view of Rome,' says Paul.

Rome, city of frequencies: the sound of the sacred and the digital

The Electrical Walks - Kubisch's famous 'sound walks' - become a secular, almost meditative ritual here.

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With electromagnetic induction headphones, people are guided through the invisible waves that envelop the city: repeaters, wi-fi systems, smartphones, urban signals that we normally ignore but which, thanks to the work of Kubisch, Paul and Thiel, are revealed in all their intensity.

In Rome, a city of millennial echoes and modern devotions, these sounds take on an almost spiritual dimension during the Jubilee.

'Rome is never at peace,' Kubisch says, 'The city speaks an intense language of discussion, of exchange. The electromagnetic world is like that too: dense, fascinating, alive'.

This year of celebration adds a layer of sound: the silence of construction sites broken by the buzz of the crowd of pilgrims, the noise of buses, trams, and cars, as well as the electromagnetic waves that characterise what can be defined as the electric sky of Rome," explains Kubisch.

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An exhibition that can be heard, seen and created

The layout is reminiscent of a large creative workshop: photographs, videos, documentation of the walks and interactive installations allow visitors to digitally explore the jubilee areas and hear their hidden sounds.

With 'The Mixer Project', every spectator can become a composer: a four-channel controller enables the mixing of acoustic and electromagnetic sounds recorded in Rome and the creation of personalised compositions, which can be downloaded in MP3 format.

The mixing process, thanks to an intuitive interface created by Thiel, lets people easily compose their own personal 'urban music'. The result can be taken home on a USB stick or received by email.

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"I like to make the audience get creative," says Tom Thiel. "With 40 sounds recorded from the four papal basilicas (St. Peter's in the Vatican, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside the Walls, Ed.), everyone can compose their own sound version of Rome. You can mix bird songs and the hum of wi-fi: natural sounds versus electromagnetic sounds."

Art as an urban seismograph

'Electrical Jubilee' is not just an exhibition. It is an electroacoustic portrait of Rome at its moment of maximum transformative tension. It is art that listens, science that tells, technology that reveals. It is an invitation to reconsider the city through its hidden noises, to discover the symphony of our digital present in one of the world's oldest cities.

Since 2003, Electrical Walks have traversed 95 cities around the world, from New York to Nairobi, from Tokyo to Oslo.

But in Rome, on the occasion of the Jubilee, this practice takes on a special significance: between basilicas and wi-fi signals, between the sacred and the digital, the urban landscape is transformed into a 21st-century cathedral of sound**.** The exhibition invites us to investigate an unknown world and to reflect on our relationship with the urban and technological environment at a time of great transformation.

Electric Jubilee is now on at Rome's Goethe-Institut until 30 October, 2025
Mr. Shah is taking his leave.

After a little more than two years, Jay Shah is stepping down from his CEO position at the $308 billion mega-RIA Edelman Financial Engines. Shah will remain with the company until the end of the year in an advisory capacity. Meanwhile, Ralph Haberli, who joined Edelman as its president in June, has taken on the role of acting CEO. Haberli previously held positions at Capital Group, BlackRock and the Boston Consulting Group.

It has been an honor to lead Edelman Financial Engines and the more than 1,600 dedicated employees, Shah said in a statement. He previously led the robo-advisor Personal Capital before replacing Larry Raffone as Edelmans top chief in 2023.

SUBSCRIBE: Receive more of our free Advisor Upside newsletter. READ ALSO: Advisors Are Piling Into the RIA Channel. That May Not Be a Good Thing and Why This Commonwealth Team Decided to Move to Osaic

Steppin Out

During Shahs tenure, Edelmans AUM has grown by more than $50 billion, its client numbers have remained high at around 1.3 million, and the firm has made strategic purchases of Soundmark Wealth Management, Cahill Wealth Management and Hasenberg Financial Group. Shah also built out the firms C-suite, hiring Haberli and appointing Michael Liersch as the companys first chief planning officer. Liersch had previously worked senior level positions at Wells Fargo, JPMorgan and Merrill Lynch.

The announcement of Shahs departure came not long after the firms private equity backers  Hellman & Friedman and Warburg Pincus  decided to halt the sale efforts for the Santa, Clara, California-based company, according to Citywire.

Edelman Financial Engines is the result of a 2018 merger of Edelman Financial Services and Financial Engines, and today it has more than 140 offices across the country.

 Griffin Kelly

This post first appeared on The Daily Upside. To receive financial advisor news, market insights, and practice management essentials, subscribe to our free Advisor Upside newsletter.




NEW BRITAIN - A man was injured Wednesday night in a shooting in downtown New Britain, a city official said.

Officers located the injured man in the area of Spring Street after receiving a report of gunfire, New Britain police and fire spokeswoman Rachel Zaniewski said.

Tthe man suffered a possible gunshot wound to his side and was transported to a hospital where he was listed in stable condition, Zaniewski said.

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The shooting occurred following a disturbance in the area of the nearby transit station on Main Street, Zaniewski said, and detectives are investigating.

This article originally published at New Britain police investigate downtown shooting that injured man, official says.
LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's Prince Andrew said on Friday he would give up using his title of Duke of York following years of criticism about his behaviour and connections to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The reputation of Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles and second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, has taken a battering in recent years, most notably because of his links to Epstein.

But there have also been revelations that one of his close business associates was thought by the government to be a Chinese spy.

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In a statement, Andrew said "the continued accusations about me" distracted from the work of his elder brother King Charles and the wider work of the British royal family.

"I will therefore no longer use the title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me," Andrew said in a statement.

Andrew, 65, the eighth-in-line to the throne, was once regarded as a dashing naval officer and served in the military during the Falklands War with Argentina in the early 1980s.

But he gained a reputation as a playboy prince, and in 2022 was stripped of most of his titles and removed from royal duties due to his connections to Epstein.

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That year, he settled a lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, who died in April, which accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. Andrew has always denied her account, which has returned to prominence in the last week with the release of her memoir.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Chris Reese and Deepa Babington)
By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's Prince Andrew said on Friday he would give up using his title of Duke of York following years of criticism about his behaviour and connections to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The reputation of Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles and second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, has taken a battering in recent years, most notably because of his links to Epstein.

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But a court ruling last year also revealed that one of his close business associates was thought by the British government to be a Chinese spy. Andrew at the time said he had stopped all contact with the individual.

In a statement on Friday, Andrew said "the continued accusations about me" distracted from the work of his elder brother King Charles and the wider work of the British royal family.

"I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life," Andrew said.

"With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use the title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."

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Andrew, 65, the eighth-in-line to the throne, was once regarded as a dashing naval officer and served in the military during the Falklands War with Argentina in the early 1980s.

But he was forced to step down from a roving UK trade ambassador role in 2011, before quitting all royal duties in 2019 and then was stripped of his military links and royal patronages in 2022 amid allegations of sexual misconduct which he has always denied.

That year, he settled a lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, who died in April, which accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. Andrew has always denied her account, which has returned to prominence in the last week with the release of her memoirs.

In her book, she said "entitled" Andrew believed it was his birthright to have sex with her, according to extracts published by the Guardian newspaper.

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BRITONS SUPPORT STRIPPING ANDREW OF TITLES

According to a recent poll by YouGov, 67% of Britons supported stripping Andrew of his remaining royal titles, with 13% opposing the move. A separate survey found only 5% of respondents had a favourable view of him.

Andrew, who had already given up being called "His Royal Highness", still remains a prince and will continue to live in Royal Lodge, a large property on the estate surrounding Windsor Castle, a historic royal palace to the west of London.

However, he will no longer attend the annual royal Christmas get-togethers at Sandringham, the royal home in eastern England.

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His daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will be unaffected, but his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will also no longer be known as the Duchess of York.

In September, several charities cut their links to her after she described Epstein as a "supreme friend" in an email three years after he had pleaded guilty in 2008 to a state prostitution charge in Florida and agreed to register as a sex offender.

In addition to the ties to Epstein that dogged him, Andrew's business relations have also proved problematic.

Last December, court documents revealed that a Chinese businessman who had been authorised to act on Andrew's behalf to seek investors in China had been banned from Britain on national security grounds.

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The documents revealed the businessman, who the British government believed to be a spy, had been invited to Andrew's birthday party.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Chris Reese and Deepa Babington)
THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11)  A Bronx man is behind bars after a string of vicious and random attacks on unsuspecting women, police said.

Investigators say 23-year-old Jeremiah White first unleashed his tirade on a nurses aide walking to work  but it didnt stop there. Officials say he attacked two others, including a young girl.

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I told him, please stop, dont punch me, Im hurt, stop, said Virginia Alvarez, who was beaten within an inch of her life Wednesday morning in the Bronx.

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He said, You killed my mother, and pushed me and punched me  You killed my mother, you like that?  punching, punching, punching me, Alvarez recalled.

The nurses aide was walking to work around 5:30 a.m. on University Avenue when she said she crossed paths with the suspect.

Surveillance video shows the savage and random attack, where White allegedly used his fists  and a metal pole  on the 46-year-old.

He got a pole and hit me in the head, Alvarez said. If it wasnt for a civilian, I would be dead today.

She believes that the man driving by saved her life by scaring off the attacker.

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But two hours later, police say White struck again  this time targeting a 15-year-old girl on her way to school on Louis Nine Boulevard.

Shes in the hospital, she cant talk  the poor girl, Alvarez said.

Two hours after that, police say he attacked a 54-year-old woman on Franklin Avenue.

He is sick. Hes been used by the devil, said the suspects godmother.

White was arrested and arraigned on Thursday. Prosecutors say he attacked two other women as recently as September, only to be released.

Alvarezs mother blames New Yorks bail reform laws for her daughters injuries.

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Public safety has gone down, said Carmen Figueroa. The police do their job and they come right back out  were losing a lot of lives.

White was out on supervised release at the time of the attacks on Wednesday. He was not eligible for bail for his previous cases, according to the district attorney.

Hes now facing attempted murder charges and is being held on $600,000 bond.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  One man is under arrest in Brookings following an alleged stabbing.

According to a press release, on October 16 at approximately 9:30 a.m., the City of Brookings Police Department received a 911 call reporting on an altercation that involved a knife at a residence near Birch Avenue and Orchard Drive.

Bar hopes to reopen after removing Fireball from toilet

Patrol units responded, locating five subjects at the residence.

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The investigation revealed that the suspect, Shawn E. Running Horse, 31, of Brookings, engaged in a domestic dispute with his 37-year-old ex-girlfriend in the basement of the residence.

During the dispute, the suspect allegedly became violent and stabbed the victim several times with a knife.

The victim was transported to a Brookings Hospital for treatment. The suspect was charged with Felony Aggravated Assault and Domestic Violence and remanded to custody in the Brookings County Detention Facility, where he awaits court proceedings.

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LONDON (Reuters) -The brother of a man who detonated a suicide bomb after an Ariana Grande concert in Britain in 2017 denied on Friday attempting to murder three prison guards in jail where he is serving a life sentence.

Prosecutors say Hashem Abedi, whose brother Salman Abedi killed 22 people at the Manchester Arena in northern England in 2017, attacked four prison officers with hot cooking oil and makeshift knives while shouting "Allahu Akbar".

The incident happened in April at Frankland prison in northern England, where Abedi is serving a 55-year prison sentence having been jailed in 2020 for helping his brother plan the attack, which injured more than 200.

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Abedi, 28, appeared at London's Old Bailey court by videolink from Belmarsh prison surrounded by five guards, and pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder, one count of assault and one count of unauthorised possession of a weapon in a prison.

Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward said Abedi had been "permitted to use cooking equipment" when he attacked prison officers, "using hot oil and ... makeshift knives".

She added: "Whilst he was carrying out the attack, he was heard to shout 'Allahu Akbar' twice."

Abedi, who is representing himself, said he did not wish to attend his trial, which is due to take place in January 2027.

(Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by Michael Holden)
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV)  The pair of brothers who were exonerated of a brutal 1987 murder in Green Bay after a quarter-century behind bars have received financial compensation from the State of Wisconsin.

City in Wisconsin removes picnic and park benches after over 1,100 reported incidents including vandalism

David and Robert Bintz had been serving life sentences since 2000 after being convicted for the 1987 murder of Sandra Lison; however, more advanced DNA testing helped lawyers get the two men exonerated after it was found they were wrongfully convicted.

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The Wisconsin Claims Board posted that both men had been seeking compensation through the Innocent Convict Compensation program. Both said they were innocent in their claims, seeking the maximum statutory total of $25,000.

Robert sought $128,698.20 in attorney fees, while David sought $134,328.45 in the same fees. Both were awarded the financial compensation of $25,000 in addition to the respective lawyer fees.

30 wholesale dealers in Wisconsin have licenses revoked for fraud, failed security measures

They also seek an additional $2 million in compensation, asking that the Claims Board recommend it to the legislature.

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Click here to read more on this case.

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PARIS, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- UNESCO's sole candidate for director-general, Khaled El-Enany, has said the organization will work together with China across all areas, highlighting heritage preservation as a key shared priority. A former Egyptian minister of Tourism and Antiquities, El-Enany was nominated for the top UNESCO post during the 222nd session of the agency's Executive Board on Oct. 6 in Paris. His nomination will be submitted to the UNESCO General Conference for approval on Nov. 6 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. "China is a great country and a major partner of UNESCO. I have visited several times and was very warmly received," El-Enany told Xinhua in a recent interview. He praised China's Global Civilization Initiative, saying the world needs efforts that "bring peoples closer together, foster dialogue among civilizations, and combat hate speech, ignorance, and supremacism." Born in 1971, El-Enany began his career as a tour guide and is now a professor of Egyptology at Helwan University, where he has taught for more than three decades. If confirmed, he would become the first Arab and only the second African to lead UNESCO since its founding 80 years ago. El-Enany said his nomination reflects the growing role of the Global South in international governance. "This election sends a positive signal of multilateralism in motion," he noted. "At a time when multilateralism is in retreat, this is a sign of hope." Looking ahead, he said UNESCO must evolve to meet new challenges. "UNESCO needs to be faster, closer to people, less bureaucratic, and adapted to the future," he said, stressing the need for a "coherent and strong team," innovative funding, and a shared vision built by "the entire UNESCO family." "This is the pragmatic approach I wish to embody-based on listening, cooperation, and solidarity: a UNESCO that serves everyone, rooted in realities on the ground yet guided by a universal vision," he said.
With a market cap of $126.2 billion, Constellation Energy Corporation (CEG) produces and sells electricity, natural gas, and other energy-related products and services across the United States. Operating through five segments: Mid-Atlantic; Midwest; New York; ERCOT; and Other Power Regions, it has approximately 31,676 megawatts of generating capacity from nuclear, wind, solar, natural gas, and hydroelectric assets.

The Baltimore, Maryland-based company is slated to announce its fiscal Q3 2025 results before the market opens on Friday, Nov. 7. Ahead of this event, analysts expect Constellation Energy to report an adjusted EPS of $3.12, a 13.9% rise from $2.74 in the yearago quarter. It has exceeded or met Wall Street's earnings expectations in the past four quarters.

More News from Barchart

For fiscal 2025, analysts expect the nuclear power utility company to report adjusted EPS of $9.37, an 8.1% increase from $8.67 in fiscal 2024. In addition, adjusted EPS is anticipated to surge 27.1% year-over-year to $11.91 in fiscal 2026.

www.barchart.com

Shares of Constellation Energy have jumped 51.8% over the past 52 weeks, exceeding the broader S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 14.7% return and the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund's (XLU) 15.3% gain over the same period.

www.barchart.com

Despite Constellation Energys better-than-expected Q2 2025 adjusted EPS of $1.91 and revenues of $6.1 billion, shares fell marginally on Aug. 7 due to concerns over rising operating expenses, which jumped 17.7% to $5.15 billion year-over-year. Investors also reacted cautiously to a slight decline in nuclear generation output to 45,170 GWh from 45,314 GWh, reflecting higher non-refueling outage days.

Analysts' consensus view on Constellation Energy stock remains cautiously optimistic, with an overall "Moderate Buy" rating. Out of 17 analysts covering the stock, 11 recommend a "Strong Buy," one "Moderate Buy," and five "Holds." As of writing, the stock is trading above the average analyst price target of $382.31.

On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal 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
A Brunswick judge arrested after crashing into a car a last week outside of Wackos gentlemens club, has resigned.

Robert Guy, a superior court judge in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, which covers five counties in Georgia, submitted a letter of resignation to Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday.

According to Guys arrest report, he tried to leave the scene, but witnesses stopped him and said he appeared to be highly intoxicated.

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Staff escorted him back inside the club and took his keys until police arrived.

The report said Guy was not willing to state he was driving, and officers said his eyelids were droopy, his speech was deemed slurred, and they could smell alcohol on his breath as he spoke.

Even after he was arrested for DUI, he refused to take a breath test and told officers he didnt feel it was warranted, the report states.

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CHIPPEWA FALLS  A Cadott man accused by authorities of a sexual assault that occurred June 4 has entered a not guilty plea.

Jordon K. Kuhnke, 27, 425 Poplar St., was charged in June in Chippewa County Court with third-degree sexual assault.

Kuhnke appeared in court Wednesday, where he entered the not guilty plea.

Judge Benjamin Lane previously set a $500 cash bond, which Kuhnke has posted. A preliminary hearing was held in September. No future court dates have been set at this time.

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As terms of his release, Kuhnke cannot have any contact with the victim or the residence, except for discussing placement of children.

According to the criminal complaint, a woman told police that she had consented to sexual intercourse with Kuhnke, and they had agreed to try another sex act. However, it made her uncomfortable and hurt, and she asked him to stop but he did not.

When interviewed by police, Kuhnke acknowledged they had agreed to do the sex act, but he claims he stopped when the woman told him to stop.

Online court records indicate Kuhnke has no prior criminal record in Wisconsin.
A California man accused of killing his infant son and falsely claiming the boy had been kidnapped pleaded guilty to murder, child endangerment and filing a false police report, officials said Thursday.

Jake Haro, 32, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 3 in connection with the August death of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro, the Riverside County District Attorneys Office said in a statement.

The plea was not part of an agreement with the prosecutors office, according to the statement. A judge will determine his sentence.

7-month-old infant Emmanuel Haro. (San Bernardino County Sheriff)

Haros lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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His wife, Rebecca Haro, was charged with two crimes  murder and filing a false report  and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing the day Jake Haro will be sentenced. She pleaded not guilty last month. Her lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Emmanuels remains have not been found.

Rebecca Haro claimed Emmanuel was kidnapped on the evening of Aug. 14 after she was attacked while she was changing the child's diaper in a Big 5 Sporting Goods parking lot in Yucaipa, east of Los Angeles, authorities have said.

"I was going to get the diaper, and somebody said, Hola,'" she told KTLA-TV of Los Angeles at the time. "I dont remember anything since."

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With a black eye, she told KTLA that she awoke and her son was gone.

Jake Haro told the station: "Hes just a baby. Just give our son back."

A sheriff's investigation determined the parents' account was false.

"The filing in this case reflects our belief that baby Emmanuel was abused," Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin said in August. "Eventually, because of that abuse, he succumbed to those injuries."

In 2023, Jake Haro pleaded guilty to charges of willful child cruelty against his child from a previous marriage, the district attorney's office has said. Among the injuries the child suffered, Hestrin said, were a partial bone fracture of the skull, a brain hemorrhage and injuries to the ribs and legs.

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Hestrin said the child is bedridden and has cerebral palsy as a result of the abuse.

Jake Haro was given a suspended sentence in that case and ordered to serve 180 days on a work-release program, the prosecutor's office said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com




Authorities are asking the public for help locating a 9-year-old girl who disappeared last year in Santa Barbara County. Melodee Buzzard was reported missing on Tuesday after a school administrator realized she'd been absent for a "prolonged" amount of time, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. Melodee is homeschooled, and no one has checked on her since October 2024, ABC News reported.

Sheriff's deputies arrived Tuesday at Melodee's home on the 500 block of Mars Avenue in Vandenberg Village, an unincorporated area north of the city of Lompoc, looking for Melodee and her mother, Ashlee Buzzard. No one was at the home, ABC News reported, but when deputies returned the next day, only the mother was there.

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The sheriff's office said "no clear explanation was provided for [Melodee's] whereabouts," and investigators weren't able to confirm any recent sightings of her. Investigators determined that the last confirmed sighting of Melodee was last year, and her most recent photo is from two years ago.

According to Santa Barbara County Superior Court records, documents matching Ashlee Buzzard's name and address show she is under legal scrutiny around allegations of unpaid debts. Some of the most recent legal proceedings included a May collections case from Capital One. The same company also sued her in civil court in December 2024, alleging she owed $2,778.84. And in 2024, a debt collection agency filed a case against her seeking $4,182.57 in damages that she allegedly owed to Discover Bank, though that case has seen been dismissed.

For another case, a process server attempted to contact Buzzard at her Mars Avenue home in November 2024 on behalf of Crown Asset Management but was unable to find her, court documents show.

"There was no answer at the address. House appears to be vacant but maintained house sounded empty. When I knocked garage is completely empty. There are no decorations or mats by the door," the process server wrote in the document. A neighbor told the process server that the house had been vacant for approximately three months.

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Last month, a different process server attempting to reach Buzzard for the same case told the court they were unable to find her in Lompoc.

Anyone who has contacted Melodee in the past year or has details about her whereabouts is urged to call the sheriff's office at 805-681-4150 or the tipline at 805-681-4171.

"Even small details may be critical in helping investigators ensure her safety," the sheriff's office said.

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- Riverside saunas are tearing a California community apart

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- Tech company ditches Bay Area office, moves HQ to Texas

- USC grad student charged with drugging and raping multiple women

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This article originally published at California girl, 9, last seen 1 year ago, reported missing by school official.
Federal authorities are now pursuing a misdemeanor charge against David Huerta, president of Service Employees International Union California, who was arrested during the first day of a series of immigration raids that swept the region.

Prosecutors originally brought a felony charge of conspiracy to impede an officer against Huerta, accusing him of obstructing federal authorities from serving a search warrant at a Los Angeles workplace and arresting dozens of undocumented immigrants on June 6.

On Friday, court filings show federal prosecutors filed a lesser charge against Huerta of "obstruction resistance or opposition of a federal officer," which carries a punishment of up to a year in federal prison. The felony he was charged with previously could have put him behind bars for up to six years.

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The U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles declined to comment.

In a statement, Huerta's attorneys, Abbe David Lowell and Marilyn Bednarski, said they would "seek the speediest trial to vindicate David." The lawyers said that "in the four months that have passed since Davids arrest, it has become even clearer there were no grounds for charging him and certainly none for the way he was treated."

"It's clear that David Huerta is being singled out not for anything he did but for who he is  a life-long workers advocate who has been an outspoken critic of its immigration policies. These charges are a clear attempt to silence a leading voice who dared to challenge a cruel, politically driven campaign of fear," the statement read.

The labor union previously stated that Huerta was detained while exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity. Huerta is one of more than 60 people charged federally in the Central District of California tied to immigration protests and enforcement actions.

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Two recent misdemeanor trials against protesters charged with assaulting a federal officer both ended in acquittals. Some protesters have taken plea deals.

In a statement Friday, Huerta said he is "being targeted for exercising my constitutional rights for standing up against an administration that has declared open war on working families, immigrants, and basic human dignity."

The baseless charges brought against me are not just about me, they are meant to intimidate anyone who dares to speak out, organize, or demand justice. I will not be silenced," he said.

Huerta was held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles for days, prompting thousands of union members, activists and supporters to rally for his release. California Democratic Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla also sent a letter to the Homeland Security and Justice departments demanding a review of Huertas arrest.

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A judge ordered Huerta released in June on a $50,000 bond.

The case against Huerta centers on a June 6 workplace immigration raid at Ambiance Apparel. According to the original criminal complaint filed, Huerta arrived at the site around noon Friday, joining several other protesters.

Huerta and other protesters "appeared to be communicating with each other in a concerted effort to disrupt the law enforcement operations, a federal agent wrote in the complaint.

The agent wrote that Huerta was yelling at and taunting officers and later sat cross-legged in front of a vehicle gate to the location where law enforcement authorities were serving a search warrant.

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Huerta also "at various times stood up and paced in front of the gate, effectively preventing law enforcement vehicles from entering or exiting the premises through the gate to execute the search warrant, the agent wrote in the affidavit.

The agent wrote that they told Huerta that if he kept blocking the Ambiance gate, he would be arrested.

According to the complaint, as a white law enforcement van tried to get through the gate, Huerta stood in its path.

Because Huerta was being uncooperative, the officer put his hands on HUERTA in an attempt to move him out of the path of the vehicle.

I saw HUERTA push back, and in response, the officer pushed HUERTA to the ground, the agent wrote. The officer and I then handcuffed HUERTA and arrested him.

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According to a statement from SEIU-United Service Workers West, SEIU California State Council, and the Service Employees International Union, "Huerta was thrown to the ground, tackled, pepper sprayed, and detained by federal agents while exercising his constitutional rights at an ICE raid in Los Angeles." Video of his arrest went viral.

Despite Davids harsh treatment at the hands of law enforcement, he is now facing an unjust charge," the statement read. "This administration has turned the military against our own people, terrorizing entire communities, and even detaining U.S. citizens who are exercising their constitutional rights to speak out."

Acting U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, posted a photo on the social media site X of Huerta, hands behind his back, after the arrest.

Let me be clear: I dont care who you are  if you impede federal agents, you will be arrested and prosecuted, Essayli wrote. No one has the right to assault, obstruct, or interfere with federal authorities carrying out their duties.

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In an interview with Sacramento TV news oulet KCRA last month, Essayli referred to Huerta as Gov. Gavin Newsom's "buddy" and said he "deliberately obstructed a search warrant."

While speaking with reporters in June, Schiff said Huerta was exercising his lawful right to be present and observe these immigration raids.

Its obviously a very traumatic thing, and now that it looks like the Justice Department wants to try and make an example out of him, its all the more traumatic, Schiff said. But this is part of the Trump playbook. They selectively use the Justice Department to go after their adversaries. Its what they do.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced Thursday that cheaper, state-made insulin for diabetics, an endeavor he unveiled more than three years ago, is set to hit shelves in January.

A five-pack of CalRx-branded, 3 mL insulin pens will be sold to pharmacies for $45 total and cost patients a maximum of $55 a pack. Newsoms office compared the price to that of similar insulin products, which have a wholesale price ranging from around $90 to more than $400 for the same amount of medication.

Politics: Democratic Governor Joins RFK's MAHA Overhaul Of Federal Food Benefits

No Californian should ever have to ration insulin or go into debt to stay alive  and I wont stop until health care costs are crushed for everyone, the governor said in a statement Thursday.

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California is the first state to circumvent Big Pharma by producing its own insulin, which around 40 million Americans rely on to manage their diabetes.

California didnt wait for the pharmaceutical industry to do the right thing  we took matters into our own hands, Newsom said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference announcing $11 insulin and prescription drugs with the CalRX program inside a Cedars-Sinai pharmacy in Los Angeles, California. PATRICK T. FALLON via Getty Images

The statesHealth and Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Johnson praised the development as moving California closer to a place where no one is forced to choose between their health and their financial stability.

But Californians wont be the only ones able to access cheaper insulin. Civica Rx, the nonprofit generic drugmaker that the state partnered with on the project, says it will also distribute the affordable diabetes medicine to pharmacies nationwide under its own branding through a partnership with Biocon Biologics.

Politics: Doofus Trump Mocked After Numbers Failed Him In A Hard To Believe Way

When Newsom announced the effort in 2022, he noted that out-of-pocket insulin prices hovered around $300 to $500 a month for some people. Though some federal policy has helped lower the cost for many patients, prices have soared for others who get their insulin through low-income health clinics.

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The insulin coming to market in January 2026 is an unexpected turn of events. In February, a state official told lawmakers the endeavor wasnt moving as fast as we had hoped. A month earlier, industry experts told CalMatters they believed it would be several years until the state-made insulin would be available.

Political Updates

Read the original on HuffPost
Last year, then-Democratic presidential hopeful Kamala Harris insisted in a presidential debate that she is a gun owner and that she and her running mate, Tim Walz, were "not taking anybody's guns away, so stop with the continuous lying about this stuff." Later, she elaborated with 60 Minutes interviewer Bill Whitaker that she owned a Glock pistol that she had fired at the shooting range.

Maybe Harris should have checked with lawmakers in California where she was once attorney general and which she represented in the U.S. Senate. That state just banned the sale of Glock pistols. True, state officials won't take away Kamala's pistol or those already owned by other Californians, but that's cold comfort for anybody looking to purchase new products from the popular gunmaker.

Kamala's Machine Gun

"Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that bans the sale of new Glock guns in California," CBS News reported October 13. "At issue, the new Glock design allows the gun to be easily modified with a Lego-sized piece of plastic known as a 'Glock Switch' that can be 3-D printed to turn it into a fully automatic weapon."

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According to California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (DEncino), who introduced the legislation, "As parents and lawmakers, we refuse to stand idly by while our schools and communities are being threatened by illegal machine guns."

As you would expect from a legislator, this is nonsense. While machine guns are illegal in some states, California technically allows their possession by civilians, subject to (heavy) regulation, although it strictly limits the issuance of permits. Federal law also allows civilians to own machine guns "if the machine gun was lawfully registered and possessed before May 19, 1986," again subject to heavy regulation. But Glock switches, like other devices that can convert a firearm to full automatic fire, have been illegal for years under federal law, as well as banned by me-too laws in a growing number of states.

Glock switches are add-on parts that are not commercially available (beware of bogus government-run websites that purport to sell them). They've captured media attention in recent years because these things run in trends. In the past, similar attention was given to drop-in sears which could turn some semiautomatic rifles fully automatic (shoestrings can do this with certain models). Those, too, are already illegal, but stories about them play to the appetite in certain corners of our society for scary gun stories. Now it's Glock's turn to be used as a punching bag by politicians.

According to Gabriel and his allies, they want Glock to change their guns so they can't be converted.

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"If these companies won't redesign their weapons to protect our communities, California will hold them accountable," commented Assemblymember Catherine Stefani (DSan Francisco).

Another Law That Will Accomplish Nothing

But as CBS noted in its video report, Glock already redesigned its pistols to prevent insertion of switches; California hasn't approved the new design for sale. The preventive feature can be bypassed with DIY modificationsbut the same is true of other firearms in a world where people build guns from scratch.

In fact, countries that tightly restrict firearms find that underground manufacturers quickly turn to submachine guns (pistol-caliber automatic weapons) because they're easy to make and they're ignoring the law anyway. "Blocks of steel bar andtubing are really all that is required to turn these out in any small workshop used for bike and automotive repairs," the Impro Guns blog observed last month of automatic weapons used in a Jerusalem terrorist attack.

In other words, innovative people with benign intent and ill will alike can easily make and modify physical objects; and Gabriel, his fellow lawmakers who voted for this nonsensical legislation, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are exploiting that fact to ban products of one of the most popular firearms manufacturersor anything with a similar mechanism.

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That's because the legislation reaches beyond one brand. The new law doesn't just ban Glock pistols, it defines a now-forbidden "'machinegun-convertible pistol' as any semiautomatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily converted by hand or with common household tools into a machinegun by the installation or attachment of a pistol converter, as specified."

Glock Is Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place

That means the reliable mechanism which Glock and its imitators use is now illegal for further sale in California. Glock has been flattered with imitators because the company has stuck with a good design. It has slightly changed that design to discourage conversion to full-automatic firethough without winning approval in California. But even if it were to swap its current mechanism for something different, that new design would almost certainly still be modifiable into something that Assemblymember Gabriel would call a "machinegun." Of course, a new mechanism created to satisfy politicians' demands is unlikely to be as reliable as the existing one, risking Glock's reputation in return for minimal gain.

Gabriel and his fellow legislators claim to be motivated by crimes in which Glocks converted to automatic fire were used. But criminals are as subject to trends as politicians and headline writers. They learned to hold pistols sideways from Hollywood movies, even though it ruins aim, and they convert Glocks to automatic even though it's hard to control a pistol that's running through its magazine on one pull of the trigger because it's cool. They'll be on to something else next.

As has happened in other countries and is occurring in the U.S., that next thing is likely to be homemade guns built without regard for laws or the alleged concerns of politicians. If those guns are purpose-built submachine guns, they'll be more effective and dangerous than pistols converted to automatic fire.

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So, California's Glock ban won't inconvenience criminals who already ignore the rules. Nor will Kamala Harris's California Highway Patrol security detail feel the effects, since police are exempted. Instead, Californians without special connections will be barred from purchasing a popular firearms brand.

Glock Ban Challenged in the Courts

It's too much to hope California lawmakers will admit that they're posturing for no good reason and legislating about matters they don't understand. Relief, if it comes, will arrive through a lawsuit brought by groups and individuals that advocate for self-defense rights. The lawsuit points out that the Supreme Court has held that "a law that bans the sale ofand correspondingly prevents citizens from acquiringa weapon in common use violates the Second Amendment."

"Every American has a right to choose the tools they trust to defend their lives and liberty. We look forward to ending this insanely unconstitutional scheme just as we have many others," comments Firearms Policy Coalition President Brandon Combs.

Until the relief arrives, Californians should seriously consider just how much deference they want to pay to bad laws passed by ridiculous politicians.

The post California's Latest Dumb Gun Law is a Ban on Glocks appeared first on Reason.com.
CAMPBELL, Ohio (WKBN)  Police in Campbell say ATM robbery suspects were looking for cold hard cash Friday morning but got a little less than they bargained for, as police are investigating the attempted theft of an ATM using a forklift.

Read next: $10K in copper stolen from building in Boardman

Just after 3 a.m. Friday, officers received a 911 call from a passerby that a forklift was dragging an ATM across McCartney Road, and the forklift was being followed by a silver Ford F-150.

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While responding to the scene, an officer was involved in a collision with another vehicle at the intersection of Coitsville Road and 12th Street. The officers vehicle was disabled as a result, according to a police report. No injuries were reported.

Another officer continued to Four Seasons Flea and Farm Market on McCartney Road, where the officer reported seeing an ATM and forklift behind one of the pavilions, as well as the Ford F-150.

We found the truck, the ATM, and the forklift in the Four Seasons Flea Market parking lot, trying to load the ATM into the pickup truck, said Campbell Police Detective Sgt. Tim Rauschenbach.

Police said three men took off in the Ford F-150, and as it sped away, it hit a fence and then continued onto Jacobs Road and then onto McCartney Road. The officer lost sight of the truck as it went past the intersection of McCartney Road and 12th Street, the report stated.

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While looking for the Ford F-150, officers received a report from a resident of Moore Avenue that the vehicle was in his backyard.

Within five minutes, I think someone called 911 and said this truck drove through into their backyard and three guys got off, got out of the truck and took off running, Rauschenbach said.

A K-9 tried tracking for suspects but lost a scent in the area of Park Drive.

According to a police report, pieces of the stolen ATM were found scattered around the parking lot of the Huntington Bank on McCartney Road, and there were drag marks across McCartney Road to the parking lot of Four Seasons.

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Police recovered the ATM, truck and forklift. The truck was reported stolen in Trumbull County and has been missing for months. The forklift had also been stolen.

Seems like they knew what they were doing. They had a plan. They came in and executed the plan. From watching the video, it was pretty seamless. They knocked it off and tried to get right away with it, Rauschenbach said.

In recent weeks, police in other areas have reported the theft of heavy machinery that is being used in a theft ring that is targeting ATM machines. Police in Campbell could not confirm a connection on Friday but said the theft appeared to follow a similar pattern.

It is exactly as they say its been happening, and some of the  they use a stolen piece of heavy equipment. They knocked the ATM off its pedestal and then dragged and loaded it into a truck and took off, Rauschenbach said.

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Officers acknowledged the importance of the 911 calls from the community.

Its important to highlight that this crime was stopped because someone decided to call the police and not just drive past, Rauschenbach said.

BCI is now investigating.

On Friday afternoon, crews were at the bank, repairing the damage to the ATM drive-thru. First News reached out to Huntington Bank, and a spokesperson said the bank is cooperating with authorities as part of the investigation.

Kristen Hephner contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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OTTAWA (Reuters) -Senior Canadian and Chinese officials discussed bilateral trade disputes involving canola and electric vehicles on Friday, Ottawa said, but gave no indication of any immediate breakthrough.

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand met Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing as part of an effort by both countries to improve relations, which have been poor for years.

China announced preliminary anti-dumping duties on Canadian canola imports in August, a year after Canada said it would slap a 100% tariff on imports of Chinese electric vehicles.

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"The ministers discussed issues of respective sensitivity, such as agriculture and agri-food products, including canola, as well as seafood, meat and electric vehicles," the Canadian foreign ministry said in a statement.

"(They) agreed that regular and candid communication is essential to build trust, enhance cooperation and address respective concerns."

An official Chinese readout of the meeting said Yi had told Anand that Beijing was willing to work with Canada to restart dialogue and exchanges at all levels and to promote the resolution of each nation's legitimate concerns.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Thursday he expected to meet senior Chinese leaders soon but sidestepped a question about dropping tariffs on electric vehicles in exchange for relief from the canola duties.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa, Xiuhao Chen and Ryan Woo in Beijing and Katharine Jackson in Washington;Editing by Doina Chiacu and Nia Williams)
U.S. natural gas prices this week hit a two-week low on forecasts of a milder weather ahead. At $3.03 per mmBtu, natural gas was the lowest since late Septemberbut it was significantly higher than in October 2024. Surging LNG exports may have something to do with this. The situation poses something of a dilemma for President Trump.

When he came into office, Trump vowed to make energy cheap and make America energy dominant globally. In oil, this means low prices at the pump and ever-growing exports. In natural gas, the goal is identicaland equally tricky to achieve due to the mutual exclusivity of the two elements of that goal.

Exports of U.S. liquefied natural gas have been breaking records since the start of this year. The latest data, for September, shows a total of 9.4 million tons, up from the previous record-breaking monthly total, exported in August, at 9.3 million tons. Chances are that as Europeans rush to stock up on gas ahead of winter, another record will be broken this month. The question now is whether gas drillers will keep up with the export growthand whether they would want to.

Like crude oil drillers, natural gas producers in the United States are quite sensitive to price changes. When gas prices trend lower for long enough, drillers start cutting production. But now, there does not seem to be a reason to do that  gas prices are up by about $1 per mmBtu over the past year, and the demand outlook is absolutely bullish, with data centers driving construction of new natural gas power plants at home and Europes commitment to buy a lot more U.S. energy driving export growth. One point to Trumps energy dominance agendabut at the expense of his cheap energy at home goal.

Related: Hungary Slams EUs Energy Policy

The United States became a gas superpower thanks to the shale industry. However, shale basins are maturing, the Wall Street Journal noted in a recent report on the status of President Trumps energy agenda. Just like with oil, it would become costlier to get more natural gas out of the ground in the coming yearsand this would make gas more expensive for both consumers at home and buyers overseas.

If you want to export all this LNG, if you want data sector growth, all the power demand growth, youre going to need higher prices, Eugene Kim, analyst at Wood Mackenzie, told the Wall Street Journal. And that goes in contradiction to what Trump wants, which is lower energy.

Norway found this out a couple of years ago when it boosted gas and electricity exports to struggling Europe, only to discover this meant higher electricity prices for Norwegians, which Norwegians did not particularly like. The government promptly set curbs on energy exports to keep costs affordable at home.
Canada and Mexico government officials met this week in their countries' bid to improve agri-food trade between the two countries.

The meeting saw Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Heath MacDonald and Mexico Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Julio Berdegue sit down "to discuss discuss bilateral relations and to strengthen cooperation and trade ties", a joint statement shared by the Government of Canada said.

Following the discussion, Mexico accepted Canada's proposal to ease import requirements for "eligible apples" from Canada's Eastern provinces as if January next year, an official statement from the Government of Canada said.

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Both parties also accepted a new certification that will allow Canadian pet foot with bovine ingredients to be sold in the Mexican market.

The two countries also agreed to use electronic certification for plant products like canola and wheat, and will continue to expand the use of the tool to other products.

Other commitments from the meeting included Canada setting a working group has to assess and propose measures for supporting regulatory recognition in meat and seafood.

Using existing groups like the Canada-Mexico Consultative Committee and Agri-Business Working Group, the two nations said they are also looking to "strengthen collaboration and information exchange focused on food security, competitiveness, trade expansion and diversification".

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The meeting was held as part of the Canada-Mexico Action Plan 2025-2028, launched by both countries' prime ministers in September. The plan aims to develop "a dynamic bilateral agenda aimed at achieving shared objectives over the next three years".

"Through these actions, Canada and Mexico seek to continue strengthening their role as strategic partners in the global agri-food trade fostering a sustainable, inclusive, and growing sector", a statement said in September.

Both countries, which already have a free-trade agreement under the USMCA deal, have been growing closer lately amid a challenging trade relationship with the US.

As of September, Mexico faces a 25% tariff from the US while Canada is dealing with a 35% duty. Both tariffs aim "to address the flow of illicit drugs" along the countries' borders with the US, according to the White House.

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The US Trade Representative is intending to review the USMCA trade agreement in July 2026.

"Canada, Mexico look to bolster agri-food trade" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand.




WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Canada's foreign minister Anita Anand discussed renewing and refocusing shared objectives with China in a meeting Friday with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.

"The ministers highlighted the 20th anniversary of the Canada-China Strategic Partnership and discussed how the Partnership can be renewed and refocused to meet shared objectives in light of the evolving bilateral and global context," Canada's global affairs ministry said in a statement following the meeting in Beijing.

The leaders also "agreed that regular and candid communication is essential to build trust, enhance cooperation and address respective concerns," the statement said.

Issues including agriculture and agri-food products, including canola, seafood, meat and electric vehicles were discussed, the statement said.

(Reporting by Katharine Jackson; Editing by Doina Chiacu)




ALTAMONT - Row after row of apple trees, separated by grass walkways for upkeep and easy harvesting, line 65 acres of land at Indian Ladder Farm. These trees, some as old as 50 years, feature 40 different apple varieties.

On Oct. 11, farm Manager Laura Ten Eyck said the Altamont farm experienced "perfect" weather marked with sunshine, bright red and orange fall foliage and crisp, cool temperatures in the mid- to high 60s.

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"It was probably one of our busiest days in the history of the farm," Ten Eyck said.

So far this harvest season, farmers at Indian Ladder Farms - as well as other orchards in the Capital Region like Golden Harvest Farms in Valatie and Saratoga Apple in Schuylerville - say the orchards are seeing much success, despite a lighter crop than last year. Even with "skyrocketing labor costs," paired with an aging and dwindling labor force, apple growers across the country have had "two straight years of above-average production," according to a report from the United States Apple Association.

"We've had a very good season. We've had excellent weather, so we've had a lot of the public come out to pick," Ten Eyck said. "In terms of the crop itself, it was a drought year, so we have apples, but some of them are quite small."

The New York Apple Association estimates that New York orchards will harvest 31 million bushels of apples this year, President and CEO Cynthia Haskins said in a statement. There are over 150 apple-picking destinations in the state, Haskins said. The flavor is "phenomenal" this year, she added.

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"(It's been a) very good season so far," said Saratoga Apple owner Christine Gaud. "There are a lot of apples left to pick, and the late ones are the most tasty ones."

According to the U.S. Apple Association, New York produces the second-highest total of apples in the country, only behind Washington.

"Our natural environment is very conducive to growing apples. Our biggest risk factor is frost," Ten Eyck said.

This year, the state faces a 0.7% decrease in production from last season, according to the U.S. Apple Association. Last year, Indian Ladder Farms had its biggest harvest in decades, which Ten Eyck said was largely due to crop loss from the year before, when the farm - like many others in the region - lost 70% of its crop due to a frost in May 2023.

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Ten Eyck and Douglas Grout, who oversees his family orchard, Golden Harvest Farms, said this year's crop is lighter than last year due to "a natural tendency" called biennial bearing, which allows apples to bear heavily on trees on alternate years, Grout said.

"The quality is excellent, but the volume is off," Grout said. "If a crop is very heavy one year, the next year it wants to put more of its nutrients and focus on the tree. It's just the way Mother Nature works."

A combination of factors "that science hasn't completely figured out" - including moisture levels, nutrients in the soil and varied temperatures throughout the year - contribute to apple production, Grout said.

Golden Harvest Farms offers 26 varieties of apples, ranging in flavor from sweet to tart, Grout said. Snap Dragon, which has a sweet taste, and Ruby Frost, which has a woody flavor profile, are some of the farm's most popular apples. Grout has worked on his family's farm for almost 50 years.

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"Farming gets in your blood," Grout said. "You have your land and your trees, and you're working it through generations.  You don't know what your crops are going to do; you don't know what Mother Nature is going to do."

Since it's not "a huge crop year," Ten Eyck said the farm's wholesale of apples is not huge, which includes wholesale to Hannaford Supermarket, although the farm operates primarily on direct-to-consumer sales, half of which are made during the weekends of the fall season.

The months of rain before the drought started in late spring caused an issue for apple thinning, Ten Eyck said, which can cause apple size to be smaller or make them drop off the trees.

"Heavy rain in the spring is really bad," Ten Eyck. "It first of all limits what you can do in the field, but also propagates disease and mold. On the flip side, drought is bad because everything needs water. So what we're looking for is a balanced weather, and increasingly, that's not the case."

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Ten Eyck said it's become increasingly hard to predict the weather and noted the effects of climate change as part of the farm's challenges, such as increased temperatures that can draw invasive pests. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, rising average temperatures are associated with changes in weather patterns, such as an increase in extreme weather events like droughts. The higher temperatures the Capital Region faced in September, with some days in the 80s, didn't help Ten Eyck's business.

"People do not want to come out and do fall activities when it's in the 80s. They will, but not to the degree that they would normally," Ten Eyck said. "This year was a little strange because we had an early fall in late August, early September. It got quite cool, so we had a little bit of a bounce from that, where more people were coming out fall-minded."

Other challenges in business this year include additional costs due to tariffs for items like imported merchandise, Ten Eyck said. The farm bought a new cider press this year, which faced a $6,000 tariff on top of the purchase price, and it has had to pay a 50% tariff on aluminum cans for its cider and beer.

Some Capital Region farms also face the possibility of worker shortages as the Trump administration restricts immigration, causing a "widespread panic" among some farm owners and workers. In New York, the agricultural system is supported by farm workers, more than 50% of whom are undocumented, according to Cornell University's Farmworker Program. Many farms in New York rely on workers with H-2A visas - a federal visa program allowing non-U.S. residents to work seasonally in the U.S. - including Indian Ladder Farms.

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"It's working in an environment with a lot of uncertainty, and just trying to make judgment calls as the landscape changes," Ten Eyck said. "It doesn't work out perfectly, but you just hope for the best."

This article originally published at Capital Region orchards see strong season despite drought, lighter crop.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  On this weeks episode of Capitol Conversations, Nexstars D.C. Bureau Correspondent Reshad Hudson interviewed Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.).

Rep. Guest discusses the government shutdown, federal worker layoffs and President Donald Trumps bailout of Argentina.

You can watch the full interview in the video above.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live.
UPDATE: A 26-year-old Davenport man faces felony charges after police say he drove into a telephone pole during a police pursuit on Friday, according to Scott County Court documents.

Jordyn Puckett (Scott County Jail)

About 2:45 p.m. Friday, uniformed Davenport Police officers responded to the 1800 block of West 7th Street in reference to a warrant call. A tip came in that a wanted person was at this location in a gold Ford Taurus, according to Scott County arrest affidavits.

In affidavits, police say Jordyn Puckett tried to elude police after being given a visual and audible signal to stop. Officers say Puckett drove over the speed limit by 25 mph or more in residential neighborhoods where the speed limit is 25 mph.

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Puckett knowingly and willingly operated a motor vehicle on a public road by creating or causing unnecessary tire squealing while driving on multiple sidewalks as well, police say in affidavits, which show Puckett lost control of the car and crashed into a telephone pole. Additionally, Puckett knowingly and willingly rammed fully marked Davenport Police Squads conducting a traffic stop with their emergency lights and sirens on, causing damage exceeding $1,500, but not more than $10,000 to the passenger side of the squad car, affidavits say.

He also failed to obey a traffic light at the intersection of 2nd and Cedar street, according to affidavits.

Police also say in affidavits that Puckett knowingly and willingly used his motor vehicle as a weapon on fully uniformed Davenport Police Officers by intentionally ramming his motor vehicle into the fully marked Davenport Police squad cars.

Officers found a gun in the car, affidavits show, and he also had six .22-caliber bullets on his person at the time of the incident.

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Puckett faces felony charges of assault on persons in certain occupations  use/display weapons; eluding  speed 25 mph over the limit  second or subsequent; second-degree criminal mischief; and dominion/control of a firearm/offensive weapon by a felon; according to Scott County Court records.

Puckett, who was convicted on a prior eluding charge in January of 2023, was being held Saturday in Scott County Jail on a cash-only $20,000 bond, court records show.

EARLIER: A car crashed into a telephone pole after a police chase Friday in Davenport, officers told Our Quad Cities News crew at the scene.

(Mike Colon, OurQuadCities.com)

Davenport Police and Iowa State Patrol were at the scene at 3:40 p.m. after Davenport police initiated a pursuit that ended when the driver of the car they were chasing lost control and crashed into a telephone pole in the 3200 block of Rockingham Road near the intersection of Rockingham and Elsie Avenue.

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The driver was taken into custody and then to a hospital for evaluation. Otherwise, there were no injuries to suspects, police or the public.

Iowa State Patrol is helping with the crash investigation. Westbound traffic on Rockingham Road is blocked; the eastbound lane remains open.

This is a developing story. We will stay in contact with police to provide details when they become available.

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Oct. 17Libby's CARD Clinic is facing a new federal lawsuit, this time from its insurance carrier.

General Star Indemnity Company, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, which also owns BNSF Railway, filed an amended suit Sept. 29 against the clinic and associated individuals, including Dr. Karen Lee Morrissette, Executive Director Tracy McNew, Physician Assistant Miles Miller, Michelle Boltz, R.N. and Board of Directors President Leroy Thom.

The suit alleges CARD officials misrepresented its application for a medical malpractice insurance policy that went into effect at the beginning of 2025.

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General Star's suit relates to the 2023 jury trial when a jury found the clinic had engaged in a fraudulent scheme to misdiagnose people with asbestos related disease. BNSF sued CARD in 2019, claiming more than 1,000 fraudulent diagnoses. Ultimately, the jury ruled that 337 cases were frauds.

Most of the claims at issue in the trial concerned the submission of EHH forms to Medicare, which certified that patients had been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease and were eligible for coverage under an Affordable Care Act provision created to respond to Libby's environmental health threat.

According to CARD Executive Director Tracy McNew, prior to trial, Judge Dana Christensen made a legal ruling that any claim based only on an imaging read by an outside "B-reader" radiologist was invalid, making it likely that those certifications constituted a bulk of the 337 claims.

Two law firms are representing General Star, including Davis, Hatley, Haffeman and Tighe, PC, of Great Falls, Montana, and Walker, Wilcox, Matousek of Chicago.

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Stephanie A. Hollar is lead counsel for the Great Falls firm while Christopher A. Wadley and Philip G. Brandt are handing the case for the Chicago outfit.

McNew, in an email to The Western News, said it's her understanding that a court ruling would be required for GenStar to rescind the clinic's coverage.

On whether the clinic can operate without medical malpractice insurance, McNew said, "I believe so. We will need to contract out the activities which constitute medical practice to a provider with their own malpractice insurance."

General Star said CARD officials indicated on the application that they were not aware of any acts, errors, omissions, facts or circumstances that may result in a claim or suit.

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The insurance company, with its main office in Stamford, Connecticut, alleges that CARD misrepresented its application when it failed to disclose that it had been liable for the fraudulent misdiagnosis of hundreds of patients.

The company's suit acknowledges that CARD did report two malpractice claims, filed by Thomas Steiger on behalf of his late father, Terry Steiger, and Thomas Matilas.

Their malpractice claims assert that alleged misdiagnoses caused hopelessness, untreated medical issues, opioid dependency and contributed to Terry Steiger's death on Jan. 12, 2015, from heart disease.

General Star's suit seeks to rescind the policy, or in the alternative, seeks a declaratory judgment that the policy doesn't cover CARD or its employees (Morrissette, McNew, Miller, Boltz and Thom) in terms of underlying malpractice claims made by CARD patients, who allege they were misdiagnosed with ARD in connection to the clinic's alleged fraudulent scheme.

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"General Star in good faith would either not have issued the policy or would not have issued a policy in as large an amount or at the same premium or rate or would not have provided coverage with respect to the hazard resulting in the loss if the true facts had been made known to General Star as required by this application,' Hollar wrote.

The insurance company also wants to recover money that has been paid or may be paid on CARD's or its employees' behalf in connection with the underlying malpractice claims.

Those may include claims filed in Lincoln County District Court involving David Wickwire, Brenda M. Auge and several others.

Wickwire filed his complaint Aug. 6, 2025, against CARD. The remainder filed their respective suits Sept. 18, 2025, against the clinic and its representatives. They claim to be CARD patients or representatives of decedents who were patients at the clinic.

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They include Auge, the estate of Clifford E. Auge, Ralph Fox, Gregory Laasch, the estates of Margaret Mack and Virnie C. Mack, Ladonna Mack, Timothy Moniz, Robert Orr, Shelly Orr, Milfred Siefke, Colleen Stewart, the estate of Charles L. Stewart, Mary Beth Stroklund, Tami Thill, Dave Torgerson, the estate of Marlene Torgerson, Walter Torgison, Cory Vinion, Eileen Vinion, the estate of Michael Vinion, and Steve Ward.

They are all represented by attorney Adam Duerk of Missoula firm McFarland Molloy Lacny and Duerk as well as Libby attorney Amy N. Guth. Duerk represented BNSF in its suit against CARD.

The defendants include CARD, Dr. Brad Black, Boltz, Miller, the Lincoln County City Health Board, Dr. Morrissette and Thom.

CARD opened in 2000 and the non-profit clinic has served thousands of area residents exposed to Libby amphibole asbestos. That year, CARD was established as a department of St. John's Lutheran Hospital, now known as Cabinet Peaks Medical Center. In April 2003, CARD separated from St. John's and became a non-profit. It moved to its current location in 2004.

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Gold miners discovered vermiculite in Libby in 1881. In the 1920s, the Zonolite Company formed and began mining the vermiculite. In 1963, W.R. Grace bought the Zonolite mining operations. The mine closed in 1990. In 2002, the Environmental Protection Agency placed the site on the Superfund program's National Priorities List and cleanup work continues to this day.

Fibers from the asbestos tied to vermiculite mining that began in the 1920s can embed in lung tissue and cause fatal lung disease. No one knows how many people in the region have died from the effects of asbestosis, mesothelioma or other cancers linked to exposure to asbestos-containing vermiculite mined, processed and shipped from Lincoln County and Libby.

BNSF's involvement relates to asbestos-contaminated vermiculite in the rail yard that a 2024 federal jury said was a considerable factor in the negligent deaths of former Libby residents Thomas Wells and Joyce Walder. Both Wells and Walder lived near the railyard and were both diagnosed with mesothelioma and died in 2020.

The clinic is still operating, albeit at a different location, largely thanks to a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. McNew announced the grant award last year and said it was effective from Sept. 1, 2024, through August 2029.

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In September 2024, CARD lost an appeal to a jury's $6 million judgment in June 2023. Federal jurors ruled that the clinic made or presented false claims 337 times, including 91 violations after November 2015.

CARD filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2023, allowing it to continue operations. But the United States intervened in the bankruptcy proceeding and determined that the judgment should not be paid, so the bankruptcy was settled and dismissed in spring 2024.

The clinic was closed earlier this year, May 7, when the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office served a Writ of Execution on the Center for Asbestos Related Disease, Inc. to satisfy the judgment against the clinic.

Then clinic moved its operations to 118 West 3rd St. in Libby. They are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)  CASA of West Texas celebrated its 35th anniversary of advocating for the best interests of children who have experienced abuse or neglect.

Since its founding in 1990, CASA of West Texas has empowered hundreds of volunteers to

serve as dedicated voices for children in the court system, ensuring they receive the

support, stability, and care they deserve.

Even just my short time here, its been such an honor to be a part of it, and so its really exciting to see this organization has just grown from the very beginning to where we are now. Volunteer Recruiter Ariel Sanchez said. CASA advocates are so important. We provide such a service to the children who are experiencing abuse or neglect here in our community. We are their voice, and so I think its we provide such an important service to the children and the most vulnerable children in our community.

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Over the past 35 years, CASA has grown from a small program only serving 2 counties into a vital force for child welfare, with volunteers serving across 11 counties.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A Catawba County man was arrested in connection in Ohio with a woman being found dead at an Alexander County home last week.

According to the Alexander County Sheriffs Office, officers responded Oct. 7 to Stan De La Drive in the Wittenburg community for a death investigation. The victim they found, 54-year-old Janie Suzette McCloud, was dead on arrival, and the medical examiner determined she died by homicide.

Fall leaves and local love: Why visiting the mountains now makes a big impact

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During the investigation, it was determined that McCloud and the suspect, William Marshal Shook, were involved in a dating relationship.

At the scene, deputies reportedly discovered that the victims vehicle  a 2005 Toyota Tacoma  was missing. A warrant was issued for Shook, a 32-year-old from Claremont, for larceny of a motor vehicle.

During a subsequent traffic stop two days later, deputies with the Fairfield County Sheriffs Office in Ohio located the allegedly stolen vehicle and took Shook into custody on the outstanding warrant.

On Monday, Oct. 13, Shook waived extradition during a court appearance in Ohio. He was transported back to North Carolina and booked into the Alexander County Detention Center on Thursday.

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Upon return, Shook was additionally charged with one count of murder in connection to McClouds death. He is currently being held without bond, with his first court appearance scheduled for Monday, Oct. 20, in Alexander County District Court.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Cyril Marcilhacy / Bloomberg via Getty Images LVMH described the U.S. as a source of strength on a recent conference call.

Key Takeaways

Despite a move toward value-seeking in the U.S., Americans helped bolster sales at LVMH Moet Hennessy, the luxury goods conglomerate said.

Research shows wealthy Americans are spending more freely than others and playing an outsize role in the economy.

Americans haven't fallen out of love with luxury goods.

While retailers and consumer-goods companies say Americans are particularly focused on value these days, high-end brands like Tiffany and BVLGARI are building momentum in the U.S. LVMH Moet Hennessy said its brands gained ground in the U.S. last quarter amid soft sales in other parts of the world, underscoring research showing that the U.S. economy is increasingly reliant on affluent consumers.

LVMHs third-quarter U.S. revenue in the U.S. increased 3% year-over-year, but was negative in Europe and Asia. (Unfavorable currency exchange rates flipped the results of some segments, executives said on a conference call Tuesday.)



What This Means for Investors

Research suggests the economy is increasingly reliant on affluent Americans, who are benefitting from investments in the stock market. This may bolster businesses that cater to the wealthy, such as luxury travel and wealth management services.

LVMH identified the U.S. as a source of strength for several product lines and brands, including fashion and leather goods, watches and jewelry, and the Sephora beauty business. The results lifted shares of LVMH and other European luxury houses, including LVMH, Hermes and Gucci owner Kering, in European trading.

Wealthier Americans, particularly the top 5%, are spending more freely than other consumers because they're disproportionately benefitting from a booming stock market, Bank of America analysts said. Equity gains are likely bigger in cash terms than the pay raises for these households and have probably played an important role in supporting their spending, the bank wrote in a report published last week.

Wealthy Americans' paychecks are also growing, rising at the largest rate in nearly three years and faster than middle and low-income households' incomes, Bank of America said.

Still, signs of caution are apparenteven at luxury companies.

There was a kind of rebound with the election that created a kind of surge of consumption last year, LVMH CFO Cecile Cabanis said on Tuesday's conference call, according to a transcript made available by AlphaSense.



Read the original article on Investopedia
Several Catholic bishops denounced the Trump administrations effort to expand access to in vitro fertilization, commonly referred to as IVF.

In a statement released Friday, three top bishops from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said they strongly reject IVF and other fertility treatments that freeze or destroy precious human beings and treat them like property.

Without diminishing the dignity of people born through IVF, we must recognize that children have a right to be born of a natural and exclusive act of married love, rather than a businesss technological intervention, the statement said. And harmful government action to expand access to IVF must not also push people of faith to be complicit in its evils.

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The bishops said they would continue to review the new policies announced by the Trump administration and want to engage further with the administration and Congress.

It was co-authored by Bishop Robert F. Barron, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades and Bishop Daniel E. Thomas.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump shared his administration was making a deal with pharmaceutical company EMD Serono to reduce the cost of fertility drugs.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Libby Horne, senior vice president at EMD Serono, during an event in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Washington. | Alex Brandon, Associated Press

It was a large move after Trump promised to address IVF access while campaigning last year. He signed an executive order on IVF shortly after taking office.

For years, American couples struggling with infertility have faced crushing costs in their quest to start a family, and IVF is among the most expensive treatments of all, Trump said.

IVF was thrown into national conversation in early 2024, when the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos used in the procedure are considered children. It sparked bipartisan criticism and vows to protect the fertility treatment.
DICKSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  From humble beginnings to becoming Tennessees largest livestock market, Dickson Countys sale barn has been a staple in the states agriculture industry for more than 50 years.

Each cow and sale keeps Dickson Countys agriculture industry alive.

The Dickson Livestock Center is kind of a first-class act in the livestock market and business, one of the owners at Dickson Regional Livestock Center, Carter Cary, described. We sell individuals cattle every week.

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White Bluff farmer transforms family land into a beautiful flower farm

(Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN)

Every Monday morning, cattle from surrounding farms move through these pens fast.

Individuals cattle will come in, and we will line up their cattle and move their cattle up in sale order. They will be pinned there until it is time to come up to our sorting holes right here, Cary explained. We will sell anywhere between 275 and 300 cattle an hour.

Their first sale was in August 1972, when small sale barns were scattered across the region.

At one time, there were numerous small stock yards in our region, said Chris Pitts, a livestock farmer from Erin. I came over here for the first time in 1974 in the fifth grade with my grandfather.

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Buzzing with purpose: Dickson County beekeepers turn passion into preservation

Now, this sale barn is the biggest in the state.

On our average Monday, we will average somewhere between 13 and 1,500 head altogether. It will be between 62,000, and we are already a little bit ahead this year, so we will be pushing somewhere between 65,000 and 66 head, Cary said.

Starting as a small local market, the Dickson Regional Livestock Center has become a major regional hub with buyers traveling around 250 miles to get a spot in the ring.

We get a lot of cattle out of northern Alabama, Mississippi, a few from Missouri, but not very many, and all over the state of Tennessee, Cary added.

(Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN) (Photo: WKRN)

The sale barn relies on the farmers who buy and sell here every week.

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Weve seen cattle as high as we have ever seen them in 2025, Cary said. Not very uncommon for a 500-pound steer to bring $2,100 to $2,200. You are going to put a load of cattle together, it costs $200,000  it is a real figure. A lot of people, it is eating up their equity just to stay in operation.

The cattle market traditionally has been pretty volatile; it will fluctuate up and down, you just dont want to get caught on the wrong side of it, Pitts explained.

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Pitts added that the benefits outweigh the challenges.

You cant feed our country off the back of a pickup truck, Pitts said. You have got to have a scale or a volume to get that done.

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Looking ahead, the Livestock Center hopes to keep its sales growing.

I would like to see Dickson Regional Livestock sell 80,000 head, Cary concluded. That has been my goal since I got with them, and I think with the barn help and everybody working together, I think we can very easily do it.

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NEED TO KNOW

Jacob Zieben-Hood told his family that his husband Donald Zieben-Hood 'attacked, beat, and sliced him' the night before he was found dead, authorities say

Donald, a model, was arrested on burglary and assault charges, but has not been charged in connection with Jacob's death, which has been ruled a homicide

Months before the killing, Donald allegedly threatened to kill Jacob with a knife, per authorities



Authorities in New York have released the cause and manner of death of a fitness instructor who was found dead with cuts to his legs and face inside his apartment in August.

Jacob Zieben-Hood, 34, was found in the bathroom of his apartment by his husband Donald Zieben-Hood in Manhattan on Aug. 1 with multiple stab wounds to his legs, the NYPD previously told PEOPLE.

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Donald, a 40-year-old model, was indicted on Oct. 1 on several charges including burglary and assault, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office said in a statement. He has not been charged in connection with Jacob's death.

On Friday, Oct. 17, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner said in a statement to PEOPLE Jacob's death has been ruled a homicide.

The cause of his death was multiple blunt and sharp force injuries, the OCME said.

Sipa USA/Alamy Live News Donald and Jacob Zieben-Hood Donald and Jacob Zieben-Hood

Related: Male Model Arrested for Burglary After Husband Is Found Dead with Multiple Stab Wounds in N.Y.C. Apartment

According to court documents and statements made on the record, the DA's office alleged Jacob messaged his father on the evening of July 31, claiming Donald was assaulting him.

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Jacob allegedly told his father Donald had "attacked, beat, and sliced him," and texted him photos of his wounds that showed a gash on his leg and his face "covered in blood from a large wound on his head," the DA's office said in their statement.

Donald allegedly called police around 4 a.m. on Aug. 1 and told them he found Jacob dead in the bathroom, slumped over the toilet, with wounds and cuts on his legs and head.

Responding authorities found the residence in disarray, with blood splattered on the furniture, walls, floor and counters, the DA's office said.



The investigation revealed Donald had been accused of assault Jacob on at least two other occasions earlier this year, violating a protective order against him on both occasions.

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During one of the incidents, in June, Donald allegedly threatened to kill Jacob with a knife, per the DA's office.

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As of the Oct. 1 indictment, Donald had been charged with two counts of burglary, assault, criminal contempt and criminal possession of a weapon. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, online court records show.

It wasn't immediately clear if there will be further charges against Donald. The NYPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for an update.

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Court records do not indicate attorney information for Donald.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.



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CLEVELAND (WJW)  The Cleveland Division of Fire has confirmed the cause of the fatal fire that broke out at a townhome complex on Clevelands east side early Thursday morning.

According to Cleveland Fire Assistant Public Information Officer Gerardo Colon, candles caused the fire that happened around 2:45 a.m. at the Kenmore Commons Complex on Wade Park Avenue.

Bond set for men accused of brutal attack on local Amish family

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According to previous reports, the Cleveland fire department pulled two women from the second floor and rushed them to the hospital. One of the women was declared dead at the hospital later that day.

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Crews arrived on scene around 2:50 a.m., and the fire was out just after 3 a.m., the department said.

Woodmere Village holds processional, memorial for fallen K-9

A FOX 8 photographer on scene on Thursday said at least ten Cleveland police officers were there as emotions ran high with screaming and emotional neighbors as crews worked to put the fire out.

The Red Cross was called to help another family from the building. The fire department said damages were set at $200,000.

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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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
How does your average Israeli see this deal? To find out, we asked people on the streets of Jerusalem for their opinion.

Walking along Jaffa Road and around Ben-Yehuda Street, we asked various people how they felt about the news that the hostages would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Last Thursday, US President Donald Trump said that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of an agreement that could end the two-year Israel-Hamas War and lead to the release of all the hostages in Gaza. Hamas is said to have 48 hostages, which include 20 who are believed to be alive.

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Coming days after the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre, the agreement marks the beginning of what, to many, will hopefully be a new chapter of reconciliation and healing.

The first phase of the agreement consists of releasing all hostages in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and the IDF pulling back to an agreed-upon line. The rest of Trumps 20-point proposed peace deal will be discussed after the conclusion of the first phase.

With this in mind, Trumps proposal, which in its entirety will bring all hostages back, end the war, and remove Hamas from control of Gaza, was met with enthusiasm from many Israeli politicians and was quickly approved by the government.

US President Donald Trump addresses the Knesset following Hamas's release of the remaining 20 live hostages from Gaza, October 13, 2025. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)

The question is, how does your average Israeli see this deal? To find out, we asked people on the streets of Jerusalem for their opinion.

How do you feel about the hostage release and prisoner exchange?

We had been on the streets the day before, asking people about the prospect of the deal, and there had been a mixed bag: People were unsure, torn between excitement that the hostages would return and concern about the risks that would come with releasing so many Palestinian prisoners. Some people offered alternate solutions, wanting Israel to continue the war, or atomic bomb Gaza and finish the story in two weeks.

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In contrast to the day before, on Thursday, Israelis were united. Everyone we interviewed thought it was good news that we are getting the hostages back, describing feelings of joy, relief, and happiness that after two years they would all get to come home.

A haredi man wearing a shtreimel said: It really makes me happy to see that after two years, the hostages will get to come home, the soldiers will stop dying, and the war is going to come to an end.

An Israeli artist described having felt the positivity and good energy in the air that morning, even before he found out about the deal. When we informed him of the deal, he smiled and said: Well, youve really made my day. Now I want to paint for free.

He spoke about the palpable happiness that filled the streets and how it felt different from the days before.

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For many, the mood was still somber, as the prisoners being released in exchange for the hostages hung over their happiness.

Another Israeli man told us: Of course, Im happy for the release of the hostages. Ive prayed for it for two years But we cant forget the prisoners being exchanged. They cant be allowed to go back to terrorism.

That sentiment was widespread.

One person said the solution to the conflict was to make Israel bigger, and If we dont wake up right now, there is going to be a lot of pain.

A Palestinian store owner said the deal was good for both sides: About the hostages  [Hamas] should give them back; and from the Israeli side, you should give us the hostages also, the prisoners.

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An American told us it was a step in the right direction.

Another person said it was quite the risky move, but geopolitically theres nothing much else we can do.

Many thanked God for the deal. Two American Christian women said it was an act of divine providence. They were visibly elated at the news, looking up to the sky, arms up as they described how they love the Jews, love Israel, and how theyve been supporting them, with their agency recently donating $500,000 to the Jewish Agency.

Although we received a variety of responses from different people, the general consensus was one of hope. People were elated at the possibility of an end to the war and at the prospect of the return of the hostages. But having been let down before, they were afraid to believe the deal would be a real turning point.

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In January, Hamas and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire, which lasted until February, when Hamas said it was halting the first phase of the ceasefire due to alleged violations made by Israel. This resulted in the continuation of the war and the disillusionment of much of Israeli society.

Despite dwindling optimism, the Israeli view on a deal to end the war has been positive, especially over the past few months, with polls suggesting that about two-thirds of Israelis supported an end to the war, a trend that increased as the war dragged on.

Consequently, the majority reactions throughout the streets of Israel were of excitement and relief. Although many remain cautiously hopeful, public sentiment reflects a yearning for normalcy and a prevailing faith that peace is on the horizon.
For the first time in more than 60 years, CBS News will close out the week without a workspace in the Pentagon after declining  along with nearly every major news organization  to sign onto new press requirements that reporters' associations say could infringe on their First Amendment rights.

During D-Day, CBS News radio correspondent Joseph F. McCaffrey reported live from the Pentagon about the strategy and General Dwight D. Eisenhower's background.

"Most of the plotting, the working, the split-haired timing was done in this building," McCaffrey reported on June 6, 1944. "Although only a chosen few knew when the day would arrive, the atmosphere here in the Pentagon building has been tense for several weeks." Listen to the audio here.

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CBS News had radio correspondents in the building since the 1940s and a TV network booth, or mini-office, in an area designated for media since the 1970s. Over the past two decades, as the networks have been able to go live from the building, "on-air" lights flash on when major news breaks, and journalists relay information to the public live from the Pentagon.

CBS News' David Martin and Mary Walsh

For most of that time, CBS News chief national security correspondent David Martin was the one breaking the news and reporting out every story. The Pentagon gave him his first press badge in 1983, his longtime producer Mary Walsh 10 years later. Since then, the duo has not only covered every military conflict, but also told stories about the military's service members and their lives.

"I'm proud of the work David Martin and I have done, telling stories of valor on the battlefield and courage and resilience at Walter Reed," Walsh wrote in an email before turning in her Pentagon press credential this week. "I have been inspired and humbled by the fortitude of these men and women, their willingness to sacrifice everything for our country."

Many of those stories emerged from relationships built because of CBS News' constant presence inside the Pentagon.

David Martin and Mary Walsh with an Emmy awarded for a piece on the Battle of Wanat in Afghanistan.

"Walking the halls of the Pentagon was my M.O. for 40 years. I don't know how else to cover a story except by being there," Martin wrote in an email. "I would guess that 90 per cent of the stories I broke were a result of being in the hallways and visiting officials in their offices."

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"Not every official was glad to see me but dealing with them face to face, day in and day out, developed a level of trust on both sides. Sometimes relationships got tense but never acrimonious," Martin wrote. "Even when [Chairman of the Joint Chiefs] Colin Powell was yelling at me to get the hell out of his way, I knew I could go back and talk to him the next day."

Martin's first day on the job as CBS News Pentagon correspondent was April 18, 1983, the day a previously unknown terrorist group called Hezbollah blew up the American embassy in Beirut.

"Nobody knew it at the time, but that was the start of the age of terror," Martin said.

"The next 40 years included the invasion of Grenada, Panama, the First Gulf War, the air war against Serbia, 9/11, the invasion of first Afghanistan and then Iraq, the Bin Laden raid and the withdrawal from Afghanistan  not to mention all the cultural issues, like women in combat. I cannot imagine covering any of those stories without a building pass," Martin wrote.

CBS News' Bob Schieffer speaks with Nixon-era Defense Secretary Melvin Laird.

Bob Schieffer, the moderator of "Face the Nation" from 1991-2015, spent some of his first years at CBS News wearing a Pentagon pass.

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"I came to work for CBS in 1969, and it was shortly after that, they just sent me out to the Pentagon because I was the rookie," Schieffer said in a phone interview.

Schieffer was there for about six years and "loved it."

"I'll tell you what I loved about it  it was like covering a small town in the middle of a big city," Schieffer said. "You could get information, and you know, most of the time, it was information that not only helped you, it helped the public understand."

"They spend a lot of money at the Pentagon and rightly so, but I think people have a right to know about it, and not just get one public relations person who's going to put out a press release."

Charlie D'Agata reports from the Pentagon.

Currently, Charlie D'Agata is CBS News' senior national security correspondent covering the Pentagon and brings over two decades of experience covering the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as the U.S. military involvement in war zones from Iraq and Afghanistan to Syria.

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But it's not just the correspondents on camera who are giving up their passes.

Cami McCormick interviews members of the Army.

CBS News radio correspondent Cami McCormick has covered national security at CBS for over two decades. And teams of producers, camera operators, audio technicians and engineers crucial to bringing stories of the military to Americans across the country will also be turning in their passes.

The Pentagon says the intent of its new policy is to stop press leaks and exercise control over stories about the military reported by CBS News and other media organizations. It sent journalists a memo in September mandating they sign an agreement acknowledging they would need formal authorization to publish either classified or controlled unclassified information.

CBS News' David Martin, Eleanor Watson

The department said in the memo that "information must be approved before public release  even if it is unclassified." News organizations were given a deadline of 5 p.m. this past Tuesday to return the signed agreement. The vast majority declined to do so, though at least one outlet, the far-right One America News Network, agreed to the new restrictions.

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CBS News Pentagon journalists may have turned in their credentials this week, but losing access to the building isn't going to stop them from reporting what's going on in what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth once promised would be "the most transparent administration ever."

CBS News stories from the Pentagon over the years: "CBS Evening News": Battle of Wanat in Afghanistan"60 Minutes": The New Cold War "60 Minutes": Incoming "CBS Sunday Morning": Aftermath"CBS Evening News": Caisson horses at Arlington Cemetery"CBS Evening News": U.S. troops at southern border CBS News Radio: Broadcast from Pentagon on D-Day

Sneak peek: My Uncle Joe's Murder

Are lab-grown diamonds changing the jewelry industry?

From the archives: CBS News broadcast from Pentagon on D-Day
STOCKTON, Mo.  A local chapter of the Libertarian party is joining forces with the Cedar County Democrats for a protest tomorrow in downtown Stockton.

Bon Scott Morris, founder of the Libertarian Party of Cedar County, said tomorrows No Kings protest  beginning at 10 a.m. on 113 South St.  is a peaceful response to unchecked executive power and the erosion of civil liberties under both major political parties, in his view.

Pictured is Bon Scott Morris at the No Kings protest in Stockton, Missouri, in June. He and his wife, Mary, organized both No Kings protests in Stockton this year. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

The purpose of the Libertarian Party in Cedar County is to have a space outside of the tired and hostile two-party arguments, Bon told Ozarks First on Thursday, Oct. 16. We want to explore voluntary grassroots free market solutions to the needs of our community.

DIGGING INTO THE ROOTS

Bon said he began voting Libertarian in 2016, citing his personal dissatisfaction with both Republican and Democratic candidates.

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Over the following years, he and a small group of friends began discussing local sustainability and personal responsibility  core tenets that later formed the foundation of the countys Libertarian chapter, he said.

We believe individuals and communities can evaporate the power and influence of governments and international corporations by simply taking care of ourselves and minding our own business, Bon said.

While Cedar County leans heavily Republican, Bon said he believes having a third party represented offers space for independent thought and peaceful solutions. I wanted to promote a more peaceful path than the two parties have been offering, he said. The only requirement to join the Libertarian Party is the Non-Aggression Pledge.

The pledge states: I hereby certify that I do not believe in or advocate the initiation of force as a means of achieving political or social goals.

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No Kings protests planned across rural southwest Missouri Saturday

Cedar County Democrats are co-sponsoring the event. Though ideological differences remain, both groups say they are united in their opposition to what they see as government overreach, unchecked executive power, and mistreatment of immigrants and detainees.

Saturdays protest isnt the first for Bon and Mary, his wife. In June this year, the couple organized a No Kings protest in front of the Cedar County Courthouse.

Bon said the protest in June drew more attendees than expected. Children played on the courthouse steps while participants held signs.

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However, the protests atmosphere turned tense when some onlookers responded with hostility.

There was one man that hung out of his driver side window making the Nazi salute and screaming profanity directly at a little girl, Bon said. There were also some trucks that burned out on us, blanketing the children and church ladies in black smoke.

And now, due to safety concerns, Bon said his children will not attend this Saturdays protest.

We are called to love

Mary Morris, a Methodist Christian and co-organizer of the protest, said her motivation for organizing the protest stems from faith, not party affiliation.

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Quoting from the United Methodist Churchs Social Principles, she pointed to the churchs guidance on supporting migrants and refugees, and its condemnation of for-profit detention centers and family separations.

Mary Morris protests in front of the Cedar County Courthouse in June.

So many people are infuriated by this yet go to church each week and pray to the son of God, who fled from Herod to Egypt with his mother and Joseph  himself a refugee fleeing for his life, Mary said. We are called to love the alien as ourselves.

Bon said he hopes the protest serves as a model for peaceful civic engagement, despite rising tensions in national discourse.

Id like for it to be a model for how a community can peacefully disagree with one another, exercise their constitutional rights, and discuss politics, he said. But theres a nastiness in the national media thats fueling a kind of fanaticism in some.

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He added that the protest aims to refute the idea that political action must lead to conflict.

I hope our peaceful demonstration will refute the media narratives pushing everyone toward civil conflict, Bon said.

Organizers are urging attendees to remain peaceful and vigilant. They say all are welcome as long as they come in peace.

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 KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
Censured Palm Bay councilman plans to sue city

The Palm Bay City Council voted 3-2 Thursday night to censure Councilman Chandler Langevin for a series of recent social media comments about the countrys Indian population.

Council members said Langevins online remarks were inappropriate for a public official, though the councilman defended them as part of a broader discussion about immigration policy.

The number one issue of everyday Americans is immigration and border security, Langevin said. But its not just illegal immigration. Legal immigration is being exploited at record numbers, and this has direct impacts on our city as much as anywhere else in the country.

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In addition to the formal censure, the council voted to restrict Langevins participation in city business.

Langevins attorney, Anthony Sabatini, argues the council went too far and now plans to sue the city of Palm Bay in federal court on behalf of his client.

Under the U.S. Constitution and the Florida Constitution, government cannot punish or limit any person who has a right to a forum just because they dont like their views, Sabatini said.

Sabatini warned that Palm Bay and its taxpayers could now face costly federal litigation.

Because we have to sue, and we will win, theyll be stuck under federal law with the attorneys fees for Councilmember Langevin, he said. He begged them not to waste taxpayers money, but the politicians wont pay. The people of Palm Bay will pay.

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The city of Palm Bay declined to comment Friday afternoon, citing the pending legal action.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Central Bucks School Board members voted Thursday, Oct. 16 to formally fire former Superintendent Steven Yanni and Jamison Elementary Principal David Heineman.

The termination votes came after both Yanni and Heineman opted for public employment hearings in August related to their handling of the Jamison child abuse allegations.

Yanni recently resigned from Central Bucks for a new job at a charter school in Philadelphia. A motion brought at the Thursday meeting by board member Rick Haring to accept Yanni's resignation was not seconded, so board members didn't vote to accept Yanni's resignation.

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Moving on: Central Bucks Superintendent Steven Yanni leaves the district for this new job

Board members then voted 51 to terminate Yanni, with board director Jim Pepper abstaining. Directors Rob Dugger and Jenine Zdanowicz were absent.

No criminal charges have been filed against any Central Bucks employees related to the abuse allegations, and none are expected following local and state investigations.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education and nonprofit Disability Rights Pennsylvania, which has federal access authority to investigate public agencies on behalf of people with disabilities, both investigated the Jamison claims and made findings.

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The Disability Rights Pennsylvania report concluded that administrators misled police about the allegations after district officials received them in November 2024, providing incomplete and erroneous information, and failed to appropriately discipline the classroom teacher and educational assistant.

Haring voted against accepting Yanni's termination because he said that it opened up the possibility that they would be forced to reinstate him if Yanni sues. He said he would have voted to accept Yanni's resignation instead.

Board President Susan Gibson, who is also a family lawyer, said that she disagreed with Haring's assessment, and that firing Yanni was the best way to limit the district's legal risk.

Board members voted 60 to fire Heineman, with Pepper abstaining.

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Residents had urged the board during public comment prior to the votes to terminate the two administrators.

A parent of one of the students in the Jamison classrom where the alleged abuse occurred, who goes by Michael Henry, said ahead of the vote that the situation has put "a black cloud over this district."

Pepper, who is also the parent of a student from the Jamison classroom, said after the vote that the hearing officer who presided over the August hearings had found that Yanni's testimony was "not credible."

Pepper also decried what he called a lack of accountability for other administrators involved in the handling of the Jamison allegations, pointing specifically to Centennial School District's hiring of Katie Veisz as assistant director of the department that oversees special education. Veisz was hired after the former head of Central Bucks, Abe Lucabaugh, took over as superintendent there.

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Pepper said there would be litigation for people involved in the Jamison allegations.

"There will be no half measures in holding these people accountable," Pepper said. What this incident uncovered in our community was a darkness I did not think was possible."

Jess Rohan can be reached at jrohan@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Central Bucks School Board fires superintendent, Jamison principal
CLINTON, Ill. (WCIA)  An Illinois Police Department said they arrested three teenagers in connection with a shooting, but they say its not their first time  they had 27 prior arrests between the three of them.

The Peoria Police Department posted their frustrations about the juvenile detention system on social media, and now that post has more than 3,000 shares  including by other departments.

Domestic Violence candlelight vigil looking to provide hope to those in need

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Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers said he saw the post two days ago and agreed with almost everything it laid out. He walked WCIAs Tyler Hill through repeat offenders that they see in the city, the process of detention and his frustrations about what he sees as the systems flaws.

Its something that we are asked a lot by the public  of why are these people not incarcerated after multiple encounters, multiple crimes, Lowers said.

Lowers has been in law enforcement for more than 25 years.

And to be able to incarcerate a juvenile has just become seemingly increasingly more difficult to do, Lowers added.

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He said he has two specific examples he can point to as recent as this year.

Just in 2025 alone, those two individuals have accumulated almost 120 law enforcement, documented law enforcement contacts, said Lowers, One of those individuals has been eligible for secure detention twice in just the last 10 days.

Oakwood man arrested on burglary warrant after police chase in Grundy Co.

But both are still out in the city  something Lowers said is not up to the department.

We put them through kind of a preliminary screening, and when they score high enough for secure detention, we then contact our probation department, and its worked through them in terms of detention from that point forward, Lowers said.

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He said they do a more thorough screening to determine if they will be detained.

The Director of Sangamon County Court Services shared the following statement with WCIA:

Our facility does not determine who is detained; rather, we follow the results of a state-mandated detention screening tool, which ensures that detention is used appropriately and consistent with state standards and best practices in juvenile justice. Kent Holsopple, Director of Sangamon County Court Services

Holsopple added that they remain committed to public safety while upholding the laws and policies designed to guide fair and consistent detention decisions across Illinois.

Parent-led sting catches Decatur man accused of grooming

Lowers said that being in a county without its own juvenile detention center adds another challenge.

We have to rely on transportation to surrounding counties, he said. So when we have a juvenile that is eligible for secure detention, we have to rely on those resources.

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Lowers said their cases usually come second to the countys own local issues. All in all  the longtime chief said he just wants to make sure there are consequences for breaking the law.

The system isnt teaching them anything, Lowers said. So why would they learn?

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 WCIA.com.
Saving for retirement is critical, but it's not something the majority of Americans are doing well.

Vanguard just released its annual survey on retirement savings and found that 58% of Americans are not on track to retire comfortably. (1)

Must Read

Its not just a concern for those nearing retirement. Picture someone like Janet, 35, a millennial who earns the U.S. median income of $62,000, and has $15,000 in her retirement account. Is she behind? Some experts would say yes.

The investment management firm T. Rowe Price recommends that by the time youre 35, you should have a nest egg equal to 1 to 1.5 times your salary. In Janets case, that would be $62,000 socked away in retirement accounts. (2)

There may be any number of reasons Janet is falling behind. Maybe shes been paying off student loans or her current monthly expenses  including a high rent  make it tough to save.

Whatever the reason, a young person in Janets situation needs to save aggressively for a secure retirement. The good news is that its possible with some planning.

How to set your retirement savings goals

The first thing to do is determine how much you need to save for retirement.

Read more: Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US  with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in great wealth. How to get in now

Here are the steps to figure that out:

Start by deciding when you want to retire, for example, 65, 67 or 70.

Determine how large a nest egg you want to live comfortably. For many, saving 10 times their final salary by age 67 is a good amount (3)

Estimate your projected future annual returns. This will vary depending on what you invest in, but around 10% is reasonable, given that's what the S&P 500 has consistently delivered since it was created in 1957. (4)

Use an online savings calculator to determine how much you need to save each month to reach your retirement goal.

Applying these steps in Janets case, lets say she plans to retire in 30 years  at age 65. Starting with a salary of $60,000, if she gets a 2% annual raise, she should end up with a final salary of around $112,000 upon retirement.
A prominent lawmaker in the United States has announced he will return donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), highlighting the powerful pro-Israel lobby groups waning appeal among Democrats.

Congressman Seth Moulton distanced himself from AIPAC on Thursday, citing the groups support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Moulton is slated to challenge progressive Senator Ed Markey in next years Democratic primaries, ahead of the midterm elections.

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The move by Moulton, a centrist and strong supporter of Israel, shows that backing from AIPAC is increasingly becoming a political liability for Democrats after the horrors Israel has unleashed on Gaza.

In recent years, AIPAC has aligned itself too closely with Prime Minister Netanyahus government, Moulton said in a statement.

Im a friend of Israel, but not of its current government, and AIPACs mission today is to back that government. I dont support that direction. Thats why Ive decided to return the donations Ive received, and I will not be accepting their support.

For decades, Israel has leveraged its political connections and network of wealthy donors to push for unconditional support for its policies.

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In 2022, AIPAC organised a political action committee (PAC) to exert sway in US elections, mostly using its financial might to help defeat progressive candidates critical of Israel in Democratic primaries.

Last year, the group helped oust two vocal critics of Israel in Congress  Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush  by backing their primary challengers with tens of millions of dollars.

I am returning AIPAC donations and refusing to accept any donations or support from them. The FEC filing I made yesterday reflects that we are returning donations. pic.twitter.com/shBgHmYB1s  Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) October 16, 2025

Increased scrutiny

But Israels war on Gaza has led to an outpouring of criticisms, with leading rights groups and United Nations investigators calling it a genocide.

In light of that outcry, AIPACs role in US politics has come under greater scrutiny, particularly in Democratic circles where support for Israel has slipped to historic lows.

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Moreover, AIPAC has endorsed far-right candidates like Congressman Randy Fine  who celebrated the killing of a US citizen by Israel and openly called for starving Palestinians in Gaza  which further alienated some Democrats.

AIPACs critics often liken it to the National Rifle Association (NRA), the once-bipartisan gun rights lobby that Democrats now reject nearly universally.

Usamah Andrabi, a spokesperson for the progressive group Justice Democrats, said AIPAC and its affiliates are transforming from a lobby that establishment Democrats could rely on to buy a seat in Washington into a kiss of death for candidates who have their support.

Our movements work to demand the Democratic Party reject AIPAC as a toxic pariah is not only working but ensuring that the pro-genocide Israel lobbys influence in Washington is waning, Andrabi told Al Jazeera.

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Even on the right of the ideological spectrum, some figures in President Donald Trumps America First movement have been critical of AIPACs outsized influence.

In August, the lobby group accused right-wing Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of betraying American values over her criticism of Israel.

Greene shot back, saying that AIPAC serves the interests of a foreign government. Im as AMERICAN as they come! I cant be bought and Im not backing down, she wrote in a social media post.

AIPAC is expected to target some key races in next years midterm elections, including the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, where progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing off against staunch Israel supporter Haley Stevens.

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In 2022, the lobby group helped Stevens defeat then-Congressman Andy Levin, who hails from a prominent Michigan Jewish family, in a House primary.

While it is one of the better-known lobby groups in the US, AIPAC is among dozens of pro-Israel advocacy organisations across the country, including some that also raise funds for candidates, such as NORPAC.

Throughout the assault on Gaza, AIPAC echoed the falsehood that there is no Israeli-imposed famine in the territory and defended the Israeli militarys genocidal conduct while calling for more US aid to the country.





AIPAC argues that it is a thoroughly American organisation with 100 percent of its funding coming from inside the US. It denies taking direction from Israel.

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But the lobby group is almost always in full alignment with the Israeli government.

AIPAC members also often meet with Israeli leaders. The group also organises free trips for US lawmakers to travel to Israel and meet with Israeli officials.

Its interesting

The pro-Israel groups unflinching support for Netanyahus government puts it at odds with the overwhelming majority of Democrats.

A poll this month from the Pew Research Center showed only 18 percent of Democratic respondents have favourable views of the Israeli government.

Still, Democratic Party leaders have continued to associate with AIPAC and accept its endorsement. In August, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar joined lawmakers on an AIPAC-sponsored trip to Israel.

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That same month, AIPAC-endorsed House Minority Whip Katherine Clark earned the groups praise after walking back comments where she decried the starvation and genocide and destruction of Gaza.

California Governor Gavin Newsom  who is widely seen as a potential presidential candidate in 2028  also skirted a question about AIPAC in an interview this week.

Asked about the organisation on the Higher Learning podcast, Newsom said AIPAC is not relevant to his day-to-day life.

I havent thought about AIPAC, and its interesting. Youre like the first to bring up AIPAC in years, which is interesting, he said.

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In response to Moultons comments on Thursday, AIPAC issued a defiant statement, accusing the Democrat of abandoning his friends to grab a headline.

His statement comes after years of him repeatedly asking for our endorsement and is a clear message to AIPAC members in Massachusetts, and millions of pro-Israel Democrats nationwide, that he rejects their support and will not stand with them, the group said in a social media post.
A growing list of people charged with federal crimes in New Jersey are asking courts to dismiss their indictments, arguing that Alina Habba  President Donald Trumps pick for acting U.S. attorney  lacked the legal authority to prosecute crime.

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear oral arguments on Monday to determine if the path of Habbas appointment violated federal law and whether this should invalidate the prosecutions she oversaw.

The controversy began when Habbas 120-day interim term expired in July without Senate confirmation.

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Under federal law, district court judges can appoint a U.S. attorney if the presidents nominee is not confirmed in time.

New Jerseys Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, effectively blocked Habbas nomination by withholding their blue slipsa Senate tradition that allows home-state lawmakers to influence federal appointments.

In a rare move, New Jerseys federal judges declined to retain Habba and instead, selected First Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace to lead the office, citing her qualifications and years of prosecutorial experience.

Grace spent the majority of her career as a prosecutor, overseeing violent crime, narcotics and cybercrime cases.

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Hours after the judges vote, Attorney General Pam Bondi fired Grace and reinstalled Habba, invoking the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and naming her a special attorney to the attorney general.

Habba, a longtime Trump ally, had no prior experience as a prosecutor before her appointment.

She built her legal career in private practice, managed a small firm in Bedminster and served as Trumps personal attorney and legal spokesperson.

In August, U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann ruled that Habba was unlawfully serving and barred her from prosecuting cases.

Faced with the question of whether Ms. Habba is lawfully performing the functions and duties of the office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, I conclude that she is not, Brann wrote.

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However, he declined to dismiss the indictments she signed, saying her lack of authority did not invalidate the charges.

That decision is now on appeal to the 3rd Circuit, where oral arguments are set for Monday.

The first to file motions were real estate influencer Cesar Humberto Pina, accused of running a Ponzi-like investment scheme and bribing a New Jersey politician, and Julien Giraud Jr. and Julien Giraud III, who face drug and firearms charges.

Three other defendants followed: Kfir Baroan, who is charged with tax evasion, and Quadir Whitehead and Elijah Lott, who are accused of participating in an armed carjacking and related firearms offenses.

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Their filings argued that Habbas appointment violated both the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

All six cases originated in New Jersey but were transferred to Branns courtroom in the Middle District of Pennsylvania after the 3rd Circuit designated him to handle matters involving Habbas disputed authority.

The appeals court made the assignment to avoid potential conflicts because New Jerseys federal judges were directly involved in the appointment dispute and had publicly opposed Habbas reinstallation.

The executive branch has perpetuated Alina Habbas appointment to act as the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey through a novel series of legal and personnel moves, Brann wrote.

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Along the way, it has disagreed with the judges of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and criminal defendants in that district about who should or may lead the office.

While Brann agreed that Habba lacked authority to prosecute crimes, he ruled that this alone was not grounds to dismiss the indictments.

The defendants hope the 3rd Circuit will take a different view, potentially upending dozens of federal prosecutions and affecting how prosecutors are chosen.

In anticipation of Mondays hearing, 10 former U.S. attorneys  including Republicans and Democrats  have filed an amicus brief calling the appointment lawless and a threat to constitutional checks and balances.

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The Justice Department has defended Habbas appointment, arguing that the president and attorney general acted within their appointment authority.

Stories by Colleen Murphy

Colleen Murphy may be reached at cmurphy@njadvancemedia.com.

Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Chandler man accused of murdering two Arcadia High School teens camping northeast of Phoenix in May entered a not guilty plea during his Oct. 17 arraignment, a week after being indicted on two counts of first-degree murder.

Thomas Brown, 31, of Chandler, was arrested Oct. 2 in connection with the deaths of Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18. Brown had been camping near the teens  a fact that he did not hide, posting about his camping trip on social media and even going to investigators to offer information.

Brown walked into the courtroom in an orange jumpsuit and a medical mask, represented by lawyers Gerald Bradley and Hector Diaz.

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In the public gallery, Kjolsrud's mother watched as Brown pleaded not guilty.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office hasnt offered a potential motive for the killings or details of what preceded the deaths.

Brown is being held in a Maricopa County jail on a $2 million cash-only bond. His next court date was set for Dec. 4.

DNA evidence connects Brown to teens, Sheriff's Office says

Clark and Kjolsrud were found on May 26 with gunshot wounds just off State Route 87 near Mount Ord, north of Sunflower. At the scene, investigators found shell casings and blood on various items, including a pair of gloves and a pillowcase that was inside Clark's silver Mercedes SUV.

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Their bodies had been moved into nearby brush to conceal them, investigators said.

Brown previously told detectives during his interview that he had camped at Mount Ord from May 23 to May 26 with his wife, who he said left on May 25.

While alone on the morning of May 25, Brown went to the top of the mountain to fly his drone, he said, according to a Sheriff's Office report filed in court. While at the summit, Brown interacted with the teens, according to his account in the report.

Brown said he then drove down the mountain and parked near a turnout, the report said. He hiked back up the mountain, he said, and when he got to the top, he saw the teens' SUV but did not see the teens.

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He said he rummaged through a tote of camping equipment near their campsite and picked up an air rifle, but did not take anything, according to the report. Brown said he then hiked back down the mountain to his vehicle using the same route he took up, the report said.

When Brown returned to the summit in his vehicle, the teens' SUV was gone, and a group of five campers was present, he told detectives.

He told detectives he had never been inside Clark's SUV, the report said.

Investigators obtained a search warrant for Brown's DNA, the report said. On Aug. 4, detectives received a report saying Brown's DNA matched DNA found inside the gloves, which had Kjolsrud's blood on the outside, according to the report.

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Brown's DNA was also found inside Clark's SUV, the report said.

Brown served nearly a decade in the Army National Guard

On Sept. 27, detectives went back to the mountain and hiked the trail Brown said he had taken, the report said. They found "multiple items" near the trail that detectives determined belonged to the teens, according to the report.

"The totality of this evidence shows Thomas Brown's direct involvement in the incident and undermines his previous statements," the report said.

Army spokesperson Maj. Travis Shaw told The Arizona Republic that Brown was in the Minnesota and Arizona Army National Guard from October 2013 to December 2022.

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Brown was deployed to Djibouti, Africa, from July 2020 to April 2021 and was a staff sergeant before he left the Army National Guard, Shaw said.

Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at perry.vandell@gannett.com or 602-444-2474. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Chandler man accused of murdering teen campers enters not guilty plea
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  An embattled Portland property could see a new life after being purchased by a mystery bidder.

The former Gordons Fireplace Shop sold for $575,000 on Wednesday morning, wrapping up a three-day auction, according to SVN Imbrie Realtys Vice President Carl Grending. This marks a major development for the 27,000-square-foot site on Northeast 33rd Avenue and Northeast Broadway that has been dubbed a neighborhood eyesore.

Portland codifies sanctuary city status amid federal attacks on our communities

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Just last year, KOIN 6 reported that the historic building had been vacant since 2016. Although new ownership took over in 2022, a spokesperson for Portland Permitting & Development revealed they had allowed the property to fall into disarray  accruing thousands of dollars in citations for issues like falling bricks and broken windows.

Portland Fire & Rescue deemed it as one of many buildings that were unsafe to enter. City leaders also voted to foreclose on the property, which narrowly escaped the auction block when owners paid off their outstanding fines just days before in September. It was slated to be auctioned off again months later.

SVN Imbrie Realtys Grending, who spearheaded the sale alongside Executive Director Ryan Imbrie, revealed that the agency was hoping for a higher bid  but the market spoke. He also noted that several potential bidders expressed interest in the building despite its condition.

Although the winning bidder cannot yet be disclosed, Grending told KOIN 6 it is an Oregon group. The sale is pending approval, which is expected in another 60 to 90 days.

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Italian man residing in Oregon sentenced for stealing SNAP benefits

These things dont happen overnight, Grending said. Development, hopefully, can get rolling quickly, but for the new chapter, itll be a good thing for the community and for the area.

Multnomah Countys Assessment, Recording & Taxation office previously determined that the property has an assessed value of $687,510 and a market value of $2.6 million.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
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The U.K. arm of a charityfor whichMeghan Markle previously served as a global ambassador is being accused of misconduct.

Keep reading for the details

MORE: Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more top news

MEGA

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From 2016 to 2017, Meghan Markle served as global ambassador of World Vision Canada, a humanitarian charity that aims to help vulnerable children and communities overcome poverty and injustice. Now, the organization's U.K. extension is being "assessed" by the Charity Commission for alleged racism, homophobia, misogyny and creating a "toxic" and "hostile" work environment. Senior leadership allegedly "ignored, silenced or inadequately handled" complaints, and eight staff members reportedly left the charity in the past few months either because they were forced to step down or due to feelings of discomfort. According to the complaint, World Vision's HR department confused two Black female employees, and employees mispronounced the names of non-white colleagues and imitated their accents. Some female employees also claimed they were patronized during meetings and made to feel uncomfortable. Additionally, employees claimed that NDAs were "routinely used to silence staff leaving after negative experiences." The charity is reportedly undergoing its second restructuring in less than a year, with about 60 of 200 staff members on the chopping block.

MEGA

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World Vision U.K. refutes the claims. "We have contacted the Charity Commission and while any member of the public can make a complaint to them, there is no investigation against the charity. If the commission contacts us in relation to any complaint, we will of course cooperate fully," a representative said in a statement. "World Vision U.K. operates by the highest standards set by the Charity Commission. Our processes are devoted to meeting those high standards across all of our operations."

NDZ/STAR MAX/IPx/Newscom/The Mega Agency

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The Charity Commission confirmed they are looking into the matter. "We are currently assessing concerns about World Vision U.K. to determine what, if any, role there is for the commission as regulator," a spokesperson said.

Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM / MEGA

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The scandal comes after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were honored as Humanitarians of the Year at the Project Healthy Minds Gala. In their acceptance speech, the couple spoke about the achievements of their Archewell Foundation to promote online safety. "We knew this movement needed to grow. These families are not only up against corporations and lobbyists, many of whom spend tens of millions of dollars every year in suppressing the truth, but also algorithms designed to maximize data collection at any cost," the Duke of Sussex said.
GILMER, Texas (KETK)  The East Texas Yamboree is in full swing in 2025 and event goers are embracing the numerous fun activities that span across the next several days.

Festivities in Bloom: Day one of the 92nd annual Texas Rose Festival

Every year in October, the East Texas community gathers in Gilmer for days of fun that celebrate yams and a rich tradition filled with music, games and fun.

On Thursday, hundreds of people visited the carnival to go on rides, eat tasty food and try their chances at winning a prize. Several other events took place as part of the celebration including an all service luncheon, a market swine show and a museum display.

For those who have missed the East Texas Yamboree so far, it is not too late to head on down to Gilmer as there are plenty of events taking place on Friday and Saturday.

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Tyler student pursues dreams at air force flight academy

To learn more information about the East Texas Yamboree and how to purchase tickets, visit their website using this link.

You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
You can watch this episode of Right Now With Perry Bacon above or by following this show on YouTube or Substack. Read the transcript of Perrys interview with Representative Delia Ramirez here.

Chicago is a city under siege, says Representative Delia Ramirez. In the latest episode of Right Now With Perry Bacon, she described a city where residents are terrified, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detaining anyone they want and using violence against those protesting their actions. She warned that the Trump administration is using the city as a test. If Chicago wilts, she predicted aggressive ICE enforcement and National Guard deployments in cities across the country. But Ramirez said there is an active resistance to the Trump administration in the Windy City, including grassroots groups, Governor JB Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson, and even rank-and-file citizens who are promising to protect their neighbors from ICE. The congresswoman says this weekends No Kings protests in Chicago will be big and another sign of the city standing up to the administration.
BROADVIEW, Ill.  I had it on good authority that Immigration and Customs Enforcement protesters here in the Chicago suburbs and across the country are violent radicals, possible members of organized crime syndicates and general America-hating agents of chaos.

On Oct. 16, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt flatly told Fox News: The Democrat Party's main constituency are made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals.

In the same week, also on Fox News, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said protests in Portland and other cities are filthy with "antifa": Theyre at all of these events, theyre encouraging violence, theyre calling everyone fascist, but its more than that. Its hurting the American people. Theyre no different than MS-13 or any gang out there.

Chicago ICE protest was notably devoid of violent criminals and radicals

Trump administration officials say anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protesters in Broadview, Illinois, and elsewhere are violent criminals. This eagle in a speedo disagrees.

It sounded concerning, so I headed to the ICE facility in Broadview, a Chicago suburb due west of the city, where protesters have been lining up for weeks to oppose the Trump administrations treatment of immigrants.

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I did not find a single Hamas terrorist, violent criminal or anti-fascists super-soldier. I did find a man wearing only an eagle mask, a patriotic speedo and a sign that read: Hey ICE. Take off your masks and Ill take off mine.

The man, Micah Holden, assured me he is not part of any organized crime syndicate. Hes a father of two from the western suburbs who was using his lunch break to protest the violence and inhumanity that ICE agents have brought to the area.

Humor is powerful, Holden said, and showing funny costumes beside heavily armed military men shows a lot of contrast.

Protesters gather at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois, on Oct. 16, 2025.

I wasnt able to ask the guy next to us in an inflatable rubber-duck costume if he agreed, but Im going to assume he did. Im also going to assume Rubber Duck Man was not a violent illegal-alien criminal radical leftist, or whatever it is people like Leavitt and Bondi are calling them these days.

Chicago's not a war zone. In fact, it's having a lovely autumn.

To say the Trump administrations claims about anti-ICE protesters and cities led by Democrats are absurd is an understatement of staggering proportions. I stood among the small, entirely peaceful Broadview gathering on Oct. 16 outside a city that was enjoying a sunny and all-around lovely early fall day.

On Oct. 7, 2025, the Conde Nast Traveler readers' choice awards named Chicago the best big city in the United States

Life in Chicago, which Trump has described as a war-torn hellhole, is largely pumpkin-lined and delightful, with the usual traffic woes and issues big cities confront, but wholly without the darkly weird tales of anarchy the president and his ilk spin.

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Just on Oct. 7, the city was named, for the ninth year in a row, the best big city in the United States in the Conde Nast Traveler readers' choice awards.

Opinion: The only war in Chicago is the one the president is waging against us

Republicans are trying to make 'No Kings' protests sound scary

In advance of the "No Kings" protests planned for Oct. 18, Republicans are moving heaven and earth to make the events sound anti-American (is there anything more American than the right to protest your government?) and violent.

Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store.

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Thats because the only reality they will allow in Trumps America is the reality they want. They must describe the predominantly peaceful protests weve seen throughout Trumps second administration as hellacious gatherings of radicals. ICE protests cannot be suburban dads on their lunch break or retirees offended by what theyre seeing. They must be hotbeds of terrorists and criminals.

A replica concentration camp uniform sends a message about ICE

A protester wearing a replica concentration camp uniform departs the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois, on Oct. 16, 2025.

Lee Goodman has been a regular protester outside the Broadview ICE facility. Hes Jewish and wears a striped replica uniform like those worn in Nazi concentration camps. His uniform has a blue-triangle patch, which was a symbol for migrants in the camps.

He said the only violence he has witnessed here or anywhere in Chicago has come from the federal agents themselves.

What looked like violence here was them shooting pepper balls at us, Goodman said.

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He then quipped: Ive talked to a lot of protesters and no one has gotten their George Soros checks.

Opinion: ICE shot a praying pastor with pepper balls. Top Republican says it's fine.

Peaceful protesters are a bulwark against Trump's authoritarianism

Nationwide "No Kings" protests are set for Oct. 18, 2025, as organizers push back on shutdown blame.

Goodman was holding a sign that read Close ICE Concentration Camps. His uniform, he believes, helps foster conversations.

It prompts people to talk to me about it, he said. It gets them thinking about the parallels in history. Its small scale, but it matters.

Small conversations do matter. And these protests, be they large or small, matter a lot.

When the people running our government lie with impunity, when they quite literally fabricate nonsense about violence that isnt happening and threats that dont exist, having people show up in outfits that make a point  or in a lack of clothing, which also makes a point  is vital.

The 'violence' in Chicago is being generated by ICE agents

The violence surrounding ICE activity in Chicago and around the suburban ICE facility is coming from the federal agents who are rounding people up without warrants and discharging tear gas on peaceful protesters.

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U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis already issued an order that government agents in Chicago not use riot-control weapons without warning, and on Oct. 16, she was on the bench saying she has serious concerns about whether administration officials are following her order.

Debris and personal belongings sit on the floor of an empty apartment in a complex where 37 people were detained during a large-scale ICE raid on Sept. 30, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Oct. 2, 2025. Broken exterior windows of an apartment complex where 37 people were detained during a large-scale ICE raid on Sept. 30, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Oct. 2, 2025. Debris and personal items belonging to Venezuelan immigrants sit in the hallway of an apartment complex, where 37 people were detained during a large-scale ICE raid on Sept. 30, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Oct. 2, 2025. Debris and personal belongings sit on the floor of an empty apartment in a complex where 37 people were detained during a large-scale ICE raid on Sept. 30, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Oct. 2, 2025. Workers remove debris from units of an apartment complex where 37 people were detained during a large-scale ICE raid on Sept. 30, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Oct. 2, 2025. The exterior of an apartment complex where 37 people were detained during a large-scale ICE raid on Sept. 30, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Oct. 2, 2025. Laundry room of an apartment complex where 37 people were detained during a large-scale ICE raid on Sept. 30, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Oct. 2, 2025. A worker throws an item out of an apartment complex where 37 people were detained during a large-scale ICE raid on Sept. 30, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Oct. 2, 2025. The broken exterior windows of an apartment complex where 37 people were detained during a large-scale ICE raid on Sept. 30, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Oct. 2, 2025. See aftermath from large-scale ICE raid in Chicago apartment building 1 of 9 Debris and personal belongings sit on the floor of an empty apartment in a complex where 37 people were detained during a large-scale ICE raid on Sept. 30, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Oct. 2, 2025.

I live in Chicago, if folks haven't noticed. And I'm not blind, the judge said, citing local news coverage of ICE violence against residents and protesters.

Stop listening to the dystopian tales Republicans tell and open your eyes

The dude in the speedo and the eagle mask is not the problem here. Rubber Duck Man is not the problem, nor is the soft-spoken gentleman wearing the replica concentration camp uniform.

They are rightfully and peacefully protesting government actions that conflict with their morals, their values and their sense of right and wrong. They are standing up to federal behavior that often shocks the conscience.

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Thats whats happening in Broadview. Thats what will be happening in Chicago and in non-war-torn cities, towns and villages across the country this weekend.

Youre welcome to keep eating the garbage Republicans are serving you. But trust me and my new friend the speedo-eagle  its still garbage.

Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @rexhuppke.bsky.social and on Facebook at facebook.com/RexIsAJerk

You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: No violence at Chicago ICE protest, just a speedo-clad eagle | Opinion
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (WWLP)  A man from Chicopee was sentenced to jail in connection with a 2023 crash in South Hadley that killed a passenger in his car.

The Northwestern District Attorneys Office stated that in April 2023, 22-year-old Aneilio Rivera was driving 58 MPH in a 25 MPH zone on River Lodge Road in South Hadley when he lost control of the car and struck a tree. The passenger, 21-year-old Kenny Rivera-Lopez of Martinsville, Virginia, was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, where he later died.

One person dead in South Hadley crash on River Lodge Road

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Rivera pleaded guilty to negligent motor vehicle homicide by operation of a motor vehicle. He was sentenced on Tuesday to two years in the House of Correction, with one year to be

served, and the balance to be suspended for two years. During this time, he must remain

drug and alcohol free and submit to random testing. His license has also been revoked for 15 years.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Download the 22News Plus app on your TV to watch live-streaming newscasts and video on demand.

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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 WWLP.
By Scott Murdoch

SYDNEY (Reuters) -The head of Australia's Macquarie Asset Management (MAM), which sold its Aligned Data Centers business in a deal worth $40 billion, said on Thursday the sale was not a sign the global data centre boom had peaked.

Aligned emerged as one of the world's largest data centre operators during the seven years it was owned by MAM, the funds management arm of investment bank Macquarie Group.

MAM head Ben Way said the decision to sell to investors including BlackRock, Microsoft and Nvidia, was not a warning sign for the sector or AI.

"We don't own businesses in perpetuity, we have owned this for seven years and it's at a great spot to exit and there's clearly massive demand to exit," Way told Reuters in a telephone interview.

As global companies ramp up investment in data centres and increase advanced chip purchases, driving up valuations of tech firms from OpenAI to Nvidia, fears are also growing that the spending spree could create a bubble.

Major tech companies including Alphabet, Amazon.com, Meta, Microsoft and CoreWeave are expected to spend $400 billion on AI infrastructure this year, according to Morgan Stanley.

Aligned operates 5 GW of current and planned data centre capacity and MAM said the $40 billion price tag was Aligned's enterprise value. The firm did not provide a breakdown of the equity and debt components.

MAM announced on October 7 it would invest up to $5 billion in a partnership with Applied Digital to help fund the company's first two high-performance computing data centre developments.

"It's not that we don't think it's a good thematic, not that we don't believe in the thematic, it's not that we don't think we can continue to make money," Way said, referring to the Aligned sale.

"There's a long way to go here and that's because the world has a long way to digitalise and we're only just at the beginning," Way said. "We're at the precipice of AI endeavour, certainly not at the end."

MAM funds held about 50% of Aligned and its co-investors had a further 20%. The deal was the largest ever private equity exit for the Australian fund manager.

MAM also has investments in Bohao Internet Data Service, Hanam Data Centre, Netrality Data Centers and VIRTUS, which holds assets in the U.S., UK, China and South Korea, the company said.

Macquarie Group shares rose 5.13% on Thursday to A$229, the highest since July. The bank's gain well outpaced the 0.9% increase in S&P/ASX200.

(Reporting by Scott Murdoch; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
A 3-year-old girl who underwent a breakthrough gene therapy treatment to treat profound hearing loss can hear on her own, two years after the treatment.

Opal Sandy made history in 2023 when at 11 months old, she became the youngest patient in the world to have a gene therapy injection to her right ear, a breakthrough treatment for the deafness she was born with due to mutations of the OTOF gene, an inherited condition.

Baby hears moms voice for the 1st time in emotional video

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The gene therapy treatment -- a 15-minute procedure during which Opal was under general anesthesia -- delivered a working copy of the OTOF gene into Opal's right cochlea, the hollow and spiral tube in the inner ear.

During the same procedure, done in the United Kingdom, where Opal's family lives, doctors placed a cochlear implant on Opal's left ear.

Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images - PHOTO: Opal Sandy, who was born completely and can now hear unaided for the first time after receiving ground-breaking gene therapy at 11-months-old, plays at her home in Eynsham, England, May 7, 2024.

Today, two years after the procedure, Opal's parents say their daughter can hear normally, even when the cochlear implant on her left ear is turned off.

Opal's mom Jo Sandy told "Good Morning America" the transformation she has seen in daughter's ability to hear is "mind blowing."

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She said that prior to the procedure, neither Opal nor her older sister Nora, 6, who was born deaf due to the same inherited condition, could hear even the "highest levels" of noise.

"Both girls had no hearing whatsoever," Sandy said. "So we're talking like big, massive drums and cymbals being banged behind their heads. There was never a response, even at the very highest levels that they can test."

Opal's procedure was done as part of a clinical trial for the therapy -- known as DB-OTO gene therapy -- with patients in the U.K. as well as the United States, Spain and Germany.

Parents of children with rare genetic condition fight to develop treatment options with new charity

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Regeneron, the New York-based pharmaceutical company investigating the DB-OTO therapy, announced on Oct. 12 that 11 of 12 patients in the clinical trial, including Opal, experienced "clinically meaningful" improvements in hearing "within weeks" of the procedure, and many continue to see progress to this day.

The trial is continuing to enroll kids under age 18, according to Regeneron.
President Donald Trump and his administration are increasingly criticizing the use of vaccines on children, even though vaccines have kept millions of children healthy while also improving global public health.

The focus on vaccines comes as the government monitors the biggest measles outbreak in the United States in more than 30 years and increasing cases of whooping cough and flu deaths in children.

Some of the presidents claims in recent weeks  that vaccines cause autism, or that some combination shots given to prevent multiple diseases should be separated  are not rooted in fact or science. During a September 22 news conference, Trump openly speculated about why children receive so many shots.

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They pump so much stuff into those beautiful little babies. Its a disgrace. I dont see it. I dont, I think it has, I think its very bad, the president said during remarks where he also warned pregnant people to avoid pain-relief medication like Tylenol, claiming that it causes autism despite research refuting the connection. Theyre pumping, it looks like theyre pumping into a horse. You have a little child, little fragile child, and you get a vat of 80 different vaccines, I guess. Eighty different blends, and they pump it in.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist who is playing a central role in vaccine policy despite a lack of relevant experience, gave a different estimate during a Senate hearing on September 4.

When I was a kid, I got three vaccines, I was fully compliant, Kennedy said. Todays children have to get between 69 and 92 vaccines in order to be fully compliant, between maternity and 18 years.

These figures are conflated and need context, medical experts say. Heres what to know about the childhood vaccine schedule.

What is the childhood vaccine schedule, and why do we need one?

The childhood vaccine schedule, as its known in the United States, is a series of recommended vaccine shots for children that have been approved by medical professionals and the federal government. The vaccines, administered throughout childhood but primarily in the first years of life, protect children from diseases that used to be more common  like polio and diphtheria. The schedule is also used by insurance companies to determine which vaccines they will pay for.

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Following the schedule is especially important for young children because their immune systems are still developing and theyre more susceptible to infection.

Before the widespread introduction of vaccines, children were infected with more diseases that caused illness, long-term chronic ailments and sometimes death. Children who follow the vaccine schedule are less likely to become seriously infected by certain diseases, and they also create herd immunity for others who are unable to be vaccinated because of compromised immune systems.

Has the schedule changed?

Yes. The medical community has recommended adding more vaccines to the schedule over time. But the science behind some vaccines  their ingredients, effectiveness and the shots necessary to complete a series  has improved.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the trusted medical organization of pediatricians that was founded nearly 100 years ago, began making vaccine requirements in the late 1930s through a pamphlet with a red cover known as its Red Book. At the time, vaccines were available for only a handful of diseases: smallpox, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough).

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Over time, more vaccines were developed: The polio vaccine was introduced in the 1950s. Separate vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella were made available during the 1960s before a combination shot was introduced in the early 1970s.

During this time, doctors and researchers discussed the need for more formal vaccine guidelines. In 1964, a government-backed panel of experts, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, was formed. It is housed under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For decades, AAP and ACIP issued separate but similar vaccine schedules for children. The groups, along with the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) approved a single vaccine schedule that became effective in 1995.

New shots have been added periodically to the unified schedule: The varicella (chickenpox) vaccine was added in the mid-1990s; the rotavirus vaccine was added and revised between 1998 and 2008; the hepatitis A vaccine was added in 2000; and the pneumococcal vaccine was added in 2001.

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Kennedy politicized ACIP this summer by replacing all its members, and some of the new members do not have relevant experience in vaccine safety or policy. AAP, which had still been issuing standalone vaccine recommendations, is highlighting its work and not ACIPs.

When Kennedy says he was vaccine compliant after just a handful of shots, hes leaving out the fact that children back then got sick more often, said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. This was a time before a vaccine to prevent measles, which at the time caused roughly 50,000 hospitalizations in children. Vaccination also didnt exist for rubella, which at the time caused about 20,000 cases of congenital birth defects. Even chickenpox caused more than 10,000 hospitalizations before a vaccine was introduced.

We live longer, better, safer lives because of those vaccines that werent available for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and I when we were little boys in the 1950s, Offit said.

Why are there so many vaccines on the schedule? And are there that many shots?

The vaccines listed on the current schedule help protect against more than 15 potentially serious diseases. The CDC lists each disease here.

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Since some vaccines require multiple shots, that can add up. The polio vaccine requires four doses between infancy and 6 years old. The pneumococcal vaccine also has four shots in its series before age 2. The combination diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine is five shots over several years.

By one estimate, children receive a little over 30 vaccine doses by the time they turn 18. That does not include annual immunization for the flu or COVID-19. People may choose to get those shots throughout adulthood.

That is more vaccines than in the past, but that is only because new vaccines have been developed to help prevent more diseases.

Dr. David Hill, a pediatrician in North Carolina and an official representative for AAP, noted the medical breakthrough of the pneumococcal vaccine that was added to the childhood vaccine schedule during his first years of practicing medicine. That vaccine helps block a serious bacteria that can cause multiple infections in the body

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It used to be that kids were in all the time with severe ear infections, sinus infections  we had to worry about those infections turning into meningitis if they got bad or were uncontrolled, he said. And I watched the number of ear infections that I would treat plummet, and the severity go down dramatically.

Hill also noted the antibody shot for the respiratory syncytial virus, also known as RSV, that is given to pregnant people or newborns and has been available for only a few years. Emerging research shows they are safe and effective.

I can tell you that RSV was just the bane of our existence all winter long in pediatric hospital medicine, he said. Our floors were inundated with babies who were having difficulty breathing, and just last year these protective efforts were fully rolled out, and its been a dramatic difference.

Is there a cumulative impact for a child getting so many vaccines?

No. Vaccines are thoroughly tested for safety, including alongside one another to ensure they can be administered together.

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This topic is at the crux of Trumps framing about the safety of childhood vaccines, since children sometimes receive multiple vaccine shots during early wellness check-ups. That may worry some parents about whether so many shots can overwhelm a childs immune system. But research shows no cumulative impact on children.

Hill said parents should think about this through the lens of antigens, the part of viruses and bacteria that induce immune responses in the body. They are often the key ingredient in vaccines aimed at preparing the body for potential infection. The number of antigens in vaccines has decreased since the 1960s. So even though children may be getting more shots than before, theyre getting less of an antigen load compared with a few decades ago.

Say your child gets a cold, theyre getting thousands of antigens when they get that cold. If your child drops a chocolate-covered raisin on the floor and picks it up and eats it, thousands of antigens. The dog licks their face, tons of antigens. They go to day care, countless antigens, Hill said. The entire vaccine series today carries fewer than 300 antigens. So in terms of what the immune system is capable of responding to, it is a drop in the bucket. It is just negligible when you compare it to the number of antigens that the immune system responds to over the daily course of life.

Offit put it another way: Its not the number of shots that matters. Its the number of immunological components in those shots that matters.

How does the United States compare to other countries when it comes to the number of vaccines that kids take?

Vaccine mandates and recommendations for children vary broadly around the world, and many are linked to school entry. While there is no global schedule standard for childhood vaccines, the World Health Organization tracks how countries aim to address the same vaccine-preventable diseases.

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Some countries recommend fewer vaccine shots. The reasons vary: Access, finances, universal health care policies and vaccine manufacturers capacity all play a role in how governments set their policies.

Offit said one of the reasons the United States may have more vaccinations on its schedule  not just for young children, but older ones  is because it has been willing to invest in public health like supporting vaccine use. The British government just recently began recommending the chickpox vaccine, decades after the United States and other countries. Separately, while other countries do not recommend the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, the United States added it to its vaccine schedule for older children and teens. Rates of cervical cancer in the United States have dropped.

Other countries choose not to do that, Offit said. The better question is, Why dont they do it? Not, Why do we do it?

What vaccines are needed for school?

Participation in public settings like day cares and schools often include vaccine requirements (unless there is an allowable exemption) because infectious diseases can spread easily in group settings. Certain jobs also require immunization records. States have different laws and rules for vaccine mandates.

Whats the risk of delaying or skipping certain vaccines?

More than 1 in 6 children in the United States begin but do not complete all vaccines that require multiple doses. Often that is because of access to health care, but some parents also choose to ignore the recommendations or delay certain vaccines.

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Doctors do not recommend that parents skip or delay shots, since vaccines on the schedule have been timed to when a childs immune system is most susceptible to certain diseases but also when that immune system is mature enough to respond to a vaccine. For example, children are encouraged to complete the rotavirus vaccine series by six months of age because rotavirus is a common disease between six and 24 months of age.

Children are vaccinated at certain ages because you want to make sure theyre immune and protected at a time when they would likely develop those diseases, Offit said.

Many babies are born with maternal antibodies in their bloodstream, but that protection wanes as a child ages  which is why eliciting an infants own immune response is important.

A delayed vaccine schedule only increases the period of time during which youre susceptible to these preventable illnesses, with no benefit, Offit added.

Do vaccines cause autism?

No, they do not. Its a longtime debunked rumor that picked up steam in the late 1990s when a now-retracted research paper concluded that children who received the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) shot later developed autism  despite no robust scientific proof. Several studies since then have shown no association between vaccines and autism. The MMR vaccine is also safe and effective.

How do we know that vaccines are safe?

Vaccines are tested during multiple phases of whats known as clinical trials. In the United States, a vaccine product must pass safety standards before it can be approved for use and made available to the public. A vaccine thats been added to the childhood vaccine schedule continues to be monitored afterward in case its use needs to be revised.

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While vaccines can cause side effects  primarily some soreness and a mild fever  doctors are more concerned with the impact of a person becoming infected with a vaccine-preventable disease. Serious side effects are extremely rare, but if someone believes they or a child were harmed by a vaccine, there is also a legal mechanism to file a claim.

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BERLIN (Reuters) -China's mission to the World Trade Organization said on Friday the United States has been undermining the rules-based multilateral trading system since the new administration took office in 2025, citing repeated use of discriminatory policies, reciprocal tariffs, and unilateral sanctions that contravene WTO commitments.

The Chinese delegation said an upcoming report from its commerce ministry will evaluate U.S. compliance across 11 areas and renew calls for Washington to adhere to WTO rules while collabroating with other member nations to support global economic governance.

(Reporting by Kirsti Knolle)
BERLIN (Reuters) -The United States has been undermining the rules-based multilateral trading system since the new administration took office in 2025, China's Ministry of Commerce said on Friday, citing repeated use of discriminatory policies, reciprocal tariffs, and unilateral sanctions that contravene WTO commitments.

In a 2025 assessment, the ministry said it will intensify action at the WTO, including pursuing cases through dispute settlement, leveraging the trade policy review to scrutinize U.S. measures, and working with members to restore a functioning appeals stage for enforcing rules.

It also urged Washington to roll back measures that breach non-discrimination rules and align its industrial and security policies with WTO obligations.

(Reporting by Kirsti KnolleEditing by Ludwig Burger)
Tensions in the South China Sea remained high on Friday as China launched military exercises near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, a move coinciding with the final day of a series of joint naval drills between the United States, the Philippines and other nations.

The exercise - set to run from noon until 7pm - took place in a limited area in the waters southwest of the disputed shoal - known in China as Huangyan Island. The triangle-shaped formation of reefs and rocks controlled by Beijing and located about 120 nautical miles (220km or 136 miles) west of the Philippine island of Luzon has become a flashpoint in tensions between the two sides.

In a notice issued on Thursday, China's Maritime Safety Administration said the "military training" would be held within an area designated by four coordinates, with all vessels prohibited from entering this zone during the drills.

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The drills began on the final day of annual naval joint exercises staged by the US and the Philippines, which began on October 6 in the Sulu Sea and waters off the Philippine island province of Palawan bordering the South China Sea.

The 12-day naval exercise, code-named Sama Sama, was also joined by Japan, Canada and France and involved warships and aircraft conducting live-fire drills, as well as anti-submarine and anti-aircraft exercises, among other war games, according to USNI News, a media outlet under the US Naval Institute.

The official Philippine News Agency said that the training also included replenishment approaches at sea, air defence drills, and a combined anti-submarine exercise, "all aimed at reinforcing coordination and enhancing readiness in joint maritime defence scenarios".

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Tensions have escalated in the South China Sea since last year after a series of confrontations between Beijing and Manila over a number of disputed territories in the resource-rich waters, raising risks of a wider war that could draw in the United States, a treaty ally of the Philippines.

On Thursday, China said it had expelled two Philippine reconnaissance aircraft from near Scarborough Shoal, which the Philippines calls Panatag Shoal.

Liu Dejun, a spokesman for the China Coast Guard, said the Philippine aircraft "illegally entered Chinese airspace" above the shoal.

The Philippines reported that on Wednesday, during a routine maritime domain awareness flight over the shoal, one of its planes was subjected to "aggressive interference" by a Chinese helicopter and a J-16 fighter jet.

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The incident was filmed by the Philippine Coast Guard. Jay Tarriela, a spokesman, said such actions posed "a clear and unacceptable risk to the safety of [Philippine coastguard] personnel and the journalists embedded on the mission".

It was the second such confrontation within one week in the South China Sea. On Sunday, the Philippines claimed that a Chinese coastguard vessel had deployed water cannon and rammed a Philippine vessel near Sandy Cay, a low-tide elevation near Manila-controlled Thitu Island in the disputed Spratly archipelago.

The Philippine Coast Guard described the Chinese moves as "bullying tactics", while Beijing said the Philippines should bear full responsibility for the collision. No injuries were reported in the incident.

The US condemned what it called China's "ramming and water cannoning" of the Philippine vessel, with US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott saying that Washington stood with its ally "as they confront China's dangerous actions, which undermine regional stability".

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In a statement issued on Monday, Pigott also reaffirmed the 1951 mutual defence treaty with Manila that "extends to armed attacks on the Philippine armed forces, public vessels or aircraft - including those of its coastguard - anywhere in the South China Sea".

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.
People used to exclaim that I wouldnt do that [whatever it might be] for all the tea in China! That was when China had lots of tea, and not much else. Nowadays, China has lots of money. It seems the British Government would do almost anything for a slice of that.

Hence the collapse of the China spying charges. Hence the extraordinary linguistic contortions, confirmed by Wednesdays publication of the witness statements of Matthew Collins, the deputy national security adviser sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). In the second of these, he spoke of how we benefit from bilateral trade and investment (actually, China/Hong Kong account for only two per cent of foreign direct investment here), while at the same time describing China as the biggest state-based threat to the UKs economic security.

The Conservatives, when in office, were similarly conflicted, but Labour systematised the contortions in its manifesto doctrine of The Three Cs, implemented after victory: Cooperate; compete; challenge. This slogan, copied and pasted into the statement by Mr Collins, helped persuade the DPP that he would not be able to prosecute.

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All things being equal, it is better to trade with other countries than not to trade with them. China is now the worlds second greatest economic power. But what happens when all things are not equal, let alone when all things are unequal?

In this century, British governments of both political parties have largely failed to generate economic growth and better productivity. The Treasurys method of concealing this has been by mass immigration. The scale has now become so unacceptable, and the public-sector costs so huge, that the model is out of favour. Rachel Reeves is target-bombing British family businesses, catering, farming and enterprise in general. So the search for foreign investment is ever more desperate.

Increasingly, that means money from foreign states, often sovereign wealth funds. Some of these  Norways, for example  are respectable investment vehicles. Others, such as those of autocratic Gulf Arab countries, are usually driven by genuine investment motives but are vulnerable to political interference.

In the case of China, every business, every university  indeed every corporate body  is bound by a duty to act in the interests of the state. Those interests are adjudicated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which has ruled China since 1949. Chinese institutions acting abroad must give the CCP information secretly acquired in their work, acting as spies and/or giving cover to operatives who are full-time spies.

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The current polite phrase for the CCPs way of proceeding is a whole-of-state approach. We used to call it totalitarianism. This does not mean that mutually beneficial business deals can never be done. It does mean that China cannot be trusted. At bottom, its approach is hostile.

It may help to list examples where China threatens our national security or acts against our national interests:

It has overthrown the Sino-British Agreement which governs Hong Kong for 50 years after the 1997 handover. Free speech and the rule of law have been subverted. Hong Kong dissidents are held indefinitely without trial and/or tried on trumped up charges. Some, notably the media entrepreneur, Jimmy Lai, are British citizens. China spies on Chinese and Hong Kong people in Britain who criticise the CCP. It even offers a large bounty to those who manage to lure named individuals home. Here in Britain, dissidents are tailed and threatened, barely protected by British authorities, and subject to attempts to hack their emails. Dissidents have been physically attacked too. British universities are desperate for the fees of Chinese students. The Chinese embassy in London watches all these students, making their fellow-students denounce independent-minded ones. We do not keep these students safe. Chinese donations to numerous British universities are unlikely to be altruistic; they are given to buy influence. Cash-strapped China studies programmes are beset with self-censorship and paranoia, and sucking up to the Party can pay. Higher-education partnerships have been abused by China to steal intellectual property (IP), sometimes for military applications. In its internal manual, the United Front Work Department states its aim to turn Chinese immigrants into a new force in unifying the motherland and revitalizing China A United Front operative infiltrated the office of Prince Andrew, gaining wider access as a result. The head of MI5 says that over 20,000 people in Britain have been covertly approached online by Chinese spies and that China poses a national security threat every day. British MPs, including the Tories Tom Tugendhat and Neil OBrien, have been sanctioned by China. The Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse, has been refused entry to Hong Kong. A frequently delayed trial is currently planned for 2026 of three men accused of spying and harassment via the London branch of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office. HSBC, Britains biggest bank, capitulated to Chinese pressure and shut the accounts of Hong Kong dissidents. Now the bank is being split to satisfy the Chinese craving for control. China wants to build a vast, new, part-subterranean London embassy on the old Royal Mint site in the City. Sir Keir Starmer is thought to have given Xi Jinping the wink that will grant his wish regardless of local planning controls. Meanwhile, it is reported that China intermittently cuts off the water supply to the British Embassy in Beijing. China has gained power within British strategic and supposedly green industries, credulously granted. Only after sustained American pressure did the Tories get Huawei out of our 5G networks. Currently, China, via its company Jingye Steel, has leverage over the Government in relation to the nearly 1bn debts of the Scunthorpe steelworks. China dumps products on us which have massive price advantages, some derived from slave labour. Electric cars and solar panels are the chief current examples. During Covid, it supplied us both with the disease and with useless PPE to combat it. It took a parliamentary dogfight for the Government to withdraw its decision to let Chinese Hikvision surveillance cameras (capable of spying on us) into sensitive sites, including military ones. The Governments defence adviser, Lord Robertson, describes Russia, China, North Korea and Iran as the deadly quartet, allied to back Russias invasion of Ukraine and undermine Nato. Yet ministers make nothing of this. Numerous British businessmen, university vice-chancellors and former diplomats and civil servants have been paid to sit on the boards of Chinese companies or British companies which advocate for China in high places. Jonathan Powell, Tony Blairs one-time chief of staff, is our national security adviser. His former organisation, InterMediate has close links with China, including with Grandview, an independent Chinese think tank which is in fact a CCP front organisation. Ruby Osman, China expert from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, is said to have unique access to government on the subject. Cyber is now pervasively important. The Chinese probably have the capacity to close down factories, airports, cars, companies. They have hacked everything and will only get better at it. According to UK-China Transparency, the CCP is now cosying up to Chinese organised crime in Britain. China instigates attacks on email accounts of journalists looking for clues about Beijings control of TikTok. China is attempting to dictate how our companies may use the rare earths we buy from it.

Look again at those Three Cs. Currently, we co-operate from a position of weakness, compete ineffectively and challenge hardly ever. We do not have national security.

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BEIJING (Reuters) -Two top Chinese generals have been expelled from the ruling Communist Party and the military for "serious violations of discipline and law", the country's defence ministry said on Friday.

He Weidong, China's number two general, and Miao Hua, the Chinese army's top political officer, are the most senior military officials to be purged as part of an anti-corruption campaign that has targeted the People's Liberation Army leadership since 2023.

He's removal is the first of a sitting general on the Central Military Commission since the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution. He has not been seen in public since March but the investigation of his activities had not previously been disclosed by Chinese authorities.

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He, Miao and seven other senior military officials named in the announcement "seriously violated Party discipline and are suspected of serious duty-related crimes involving an extremely large amount of money", defence ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said.

Their offences were "of a grave nature, with extremely detrimental consequences", the statement added.

The expulsion of He, 67, has implications beyond the military, as he also sat on the 24-member Politburo, the ruling Communist Party's second-highest echelon of power.

One of two vice-chairmen of the commission, the general is the third-most powerful commander of the People's Liberation Army and has been considered a close associate of President Xi Jinping, the army's commander-in-chief.

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The announcement came just days before the Communist Party's Central Committee, an elite body of 200-plus senior officials, is due to hold its Fourth Plenum in Beijing. More personnel decisions, such as the expulsion of Central Committee members, are expected to be formalised at the meeting.

Miao was removed from the Central Military Commission in June after being put under investigation for "serious violations of discipline" last November.

(Reporting by Laurie ChenEditing by Gareth Jones)
BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese regulators on Thursday released new rules on certifying cross-border transfers of personal information, requiring "non-critical information infrastructure operators" to apply for certifications before certain data transfers can be made.

Authorities said the framework aims to protect personal information rights and promote the secure and efficient cross-border flow of data, according to statements issued by the country's cyberspace and market regulators.

The rules will take effect on January 1, 2026, they said.

(Reporting by Beijing NewsroomEditing by Tomasz Janowski)
Billionaire Mark Cuban says its time workers got a cut of their companys successas executives see their wealth hit record highs. And luckily for Samsung employees, that shift is happening for the first time.

The global tech giant will now award shares and bonuses based on stock price to its employees outside of just corner offices as a part of its latest move in salary adjustments.

Earlier this year, Samsung decided to give some of its top executives bonuses in stock instead of all cash, resulting in high-pay for its leaders. Now, theyre sharing the wealth with all employees.

Before this, the only other time regular workers ever got stock was when Samsung gave everyone 30 shares once as part of a union deal. Other than that one-time gift, this is the first time the company is offering stock awards to all staff. And the shift could mean a major payday for staff outside the C-suite.

Samsung staff could gain $20,000 worth of stock over 3 years

Under the new program, the firm will grant payouts to staff over three years based on Samsungs stock price starting this October through October 2028, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg. It will also offer workers the option to get up to half of that payout in shares instead of cash, the memo outlined.

A separate report from South Koreas main public broadcasting service, KBS, outlined that Samsung will allocate between 200 and 300 shares to each employee over the three years, depending on their career level.

With a market cap of about $448 billion, Samsungs shares are up 44% year-to-date. Last week, the company closed at an all-time high, after investors were optimistic on the future of AI chips and confidence in its conventional memory business. At the current share price (around $68.84), 200 to 300 shares would equate to between $13,768 and $20,652.

The shift echoes what billionaire entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban has been fighting for. Earlier this week, he expressed his frustration to employers about how wealth gains from soaring stock prices are only being made at the top.

Responding to a recent Oxfam report about billionaire wealth increasing by $33 trillion since 2015, Cuban posted on X that the reason behind the surge is that the stock market has gone straight up.

You know who is funding the increase, particularly lately? Retail investors. 401ks, Cuban wrote. The better question is, why are we not giving incentives to companies to require them to give shares in their companies to all employees, at the same percentage of cash earnings as the CEO?
China threatened Britain with consequences if the Government does not give approval for a new mega-embassy in London.

Beijing hit out after Communities Secretary Steve Reed delayed a decision on the controversial development at the Royal Mint Court site in Tower Hamlets from October 21 to December 10.

The plans for the embassy have sparked a huge row (Peoples Republic of China)

The ruling by the Government over the embassy row was put back in the midst of the huge China spy storm centred on Parliament.

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In Beijing, Chinas foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told of grave concern and strong dissatisfaction at the delay.

He stressed that Britain must immediately fulfill its obligations and honour its commitments, otherwise the British side shall bear all consequences.

He accused the UK of showing disregard for contractual spirit, acting in bad faith and without integrity over the stand-off on the vast new embassy which could cost 750 million.

Concerns have been raised that the sprawling diplomatic development would allow the Chinese to monitor underground cables serving the City of London to gain huge amounts of valuable and confidential data.

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Downing Street said it did not "recognise" Chinese claims of "assurances" or "commitments" over Beijing's application to build the new embassy in London.

Asked about the statements by China's Foreign Ministry, a Downing Street spokesman said: "We do not recognise any claims of assurances, and I can't explain the statement they've set out, I wouldn't be able to speak on behalf of the Chinese embassy.

"Protecting the UK's national security is our first duty.

"In terms of the planning process, as set out yesterday, this is a decision that is independent of the rest of Government.

"It would therefore not be appropriate for me to comment further on cases before MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) ministers. "

The new deadline for Housing and Planning Secretary Steve Reed to take the decision on the embassy is December 10 (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

Mr Reed said he expected to see the full, unredacted plans for the proposed Chinese embassy before making a decision on whether to approve it.

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Asked if the security risk posed by China would be a factor in the decision, he told Times Radio: Speaking in general terms, because I cant comment on that particular application, then, yes, this Government recognises that China poses a threat to national security and we see that from various cyber attacks and cyber incidents that have happened.

Pressed on whether the Government was prepared to put the economic benefits of a relationship with China ahead of security concerns, he said: National security is paramount...we would never compromise national security.

Drawings of the site originally submitted as part of the planning process contained blacked-out areas, fuelling suspicions from China hawks that Beijing intends to use the site as a base for large-scale espionage activities.

Plans for the embassy were previously rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022, with the Chinese opting not to appeal.

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However, Beijing resubmitted the application a fortnight after Sir Keir Starmers election victory last year, seemingly believing Labour may be more receptive to the application, and the plans were called in so ministers would make the final decision.

The looming decision on the embassy comes as the Crown Prosecution Service and the Government faced continued pressure over their handling of the collapsed Chinese spying case.

Christopher Berry, left, and Christopher Cash both denied passing secrets to China (PA) (PA Wire)

Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson is facing growing questions from MPs over why the CPS dropped the case against parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash and academic Christopher Berry last month after failing to get stronger language from the Government over the threat posed by China.

Both men, who deny wrongdoing, had been accused of passing secrets to China.

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The Government has faced accusations from the Tories that it scuppered the case so as not to harm economic and diplomatic relations with Beijing.

Sir Keir has strongly rejected the claim and took the highly unusual step of publishing three witness statements for the case from the Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Collins, with the first giving startling details of the accusations against Mr Berry and Mr Cash.
We cant afford to sacrifice the trade links. The exports are vital for what remains of British manufacturing. And we desperately need the investment. As the scandal surrounding Chinese spying allegations  and approval of its super-embassy in London  rumbles on, there is always one assumption in the background: that we cant afford to annoy Beijing.

Hold on, though. China accounts for a tiny fraction of overall exports and right now it is in decline. Its investors are pulling out of the UK. Sure, the China trade is worth having if it is there. But it is not worth humiliating ourselves for. There are far better opportunities for British business.

The details of the China spying scandal are more than adequately covered elsewhere on The Telegraph. And yet even before that erupted, Sir Keir Starmers Government was constantly kowtowing to Beijing. The Prime Minister was continually promising better relations, and Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, was flying off to the Chinese capital to try to drum up more investment in the UK.

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The message is always the same: we may not like the regime, we may disapprove of its record on human rights, its support for Vladimir Putins brutal invasion of Ukraine, its blatant monitoring of Chinese citizens in the UK or its attempts to increase its influence over our universities, but it is too important to ignore. The UK is so dependent on China for trade and investment that we have no other choice but to take a deep breath, tolerate the provocations and keep relations as smooth as possible.

Of course, we can all see the kinds of arguments that might be set out in a memo from a Treasury official. China is the second largest economy in the world, and on some projections may soon be the largest. Even with a few wobbles, it is growing at a rate that puts the West, and certainly the whole of Europe, to shame. It is taking leading positions in a range of high-tech industries and it is investing around the world.

A relatively small economy such as the UK, with stagnant growth and few major industries left, cant afford to ignore it.

Even more seriously, we depend on China for the kit that will enable us to meet our net zero targets  virtually all the solar panels are made there  and while there are no official figures on its holding of UK gilts we have to assume they are substantial. We are in no position to be fussy about whom we do business with.

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Well, perhaps. And yet look more closely and China is not as important to the British economy as you might imagine.

Last year, it ranked just fifth among the UKs trading partners, with total exports worth 28bn, split roughly equally between services and physical products.

They actually fell by 12pc last year, even though Britains overall exports were relatively healthy. As for inward investment, China accounted for a mere 0.2pc of the total. With punitive taxes and stagnating growth, nobody wants to invest in Britain very much right now. But Chinese companies appear even less interested than everyone else.

Indeed, where they have invested, the Chinese seem keen to get out as quickly as possible. Just look at the way Jingye Group pulled out of British Steel earlier this year. Again, it is hard to blame them.

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With our sky-high energy prices, UK steel manufacturing is hardly a very attractive business. But all the flattery at state banquets in Beijing doesnt seem to have made any difference. It pulled out anyway.

Meanwhile, there is no sign of the wave of investment Reeves was banking on. Chinas industrial giants appear to have better things to do with their time and money.

That is not just a British trend. Germany bet far more heavily on the China trade than we did, relying on huge exports of cars and machinery to keep its economy growing. Its exports were down by 14pc last year. Indeed, one of the reasons why Germanys business model is in so much trouble is because it depended so heavily on China. Berlins politicians have been even more desperate to keep China happy than Britains have been. But it has not made any difference. Exports are still falling.

The real problem is this: China has become an increasingly closed economy. In the early stages of its industrialisation it badly needed Western technology and expertise. But it is a long way past that point now. China manufactures almost everything it needs, often at cheaper prices and to higher quality.

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Even in the few industries where we are still ahead, such as aerospace and pharmaceuticals, it is catching up very fast. As for investment, there are better opportunities in the developing world, where Chinese companies can take control of supply chains and raw materials. Stagnating European economies are not very interesting.

A few luxury goods aside, and some high-end professional services, China is not turning into a huge market for British companies. That is not likely to change any time soon. It is making everything it needs, and there is no sign it is going to sign up for any of the free trade agreements the UK has negotiated in the Pacific. The United States, India and the Anglosphere countries such as Canada and Australia offer far better opportunities for British companies. The moment for taking a major slice of the market, even if it ever existed, has passed.

Of course we should maintain good trade links and do business with China where we can, so long as it does not compromise national security. But it is not worth humiliating ourselves just to keep trade and investment flowing. It doesnt exist  and there is no point in pretending it does.

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BEIJING (Reuters) -China is willing to work with Canada to restart dialogue and exchanges at all levels and to promote the resolution of each nation's legitimate concerns, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Canadian counterpart in Beijing on Friday, his ministry said.

Beijing hopes to enhance communication, eliminate interference and rebuild mutual trust with the Canadian side, Wang told Anita Anand, according to the official Chinese readout of their meeting.

The two countries should jointly defend multilateralism and the international trade order, Wang added.

(Reporting by Xiuhao Chen and Ryan WooEditing by Gareth Jones)
With Halloween just weeks away, people across the U.S. are gearing up for one of the sweetest nights of the year.

Unsurprisingly, Oct. 31 is a major day for candy sales nationwide. According to Instacart, the share of orders containing candy was 100% higher on Halloween 2024 compared to the yearly average. Whether its trick-or-treating, costume parties or late-night snacking, candy remains the undisputed star of the beloved holiday.

By analyzing grocery orders that included candy throughout the year, Instacart uncovered each states top Halloween picks. So what is Tennessees top pick? From chocolate classics to chewy favorites, heres what to know.

What is Tennessee's favorite candy? How regional preferences stack up

Life Savers claimed the No. 1 spot in Tennessee, according to Instacart's study. The iconic ring-shaped candy is a favorite across the East and Southeast, appearing frequently in states like Connecticut, Georgia and North Carolina.

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Candy Corn saw its strongest support in the Midwest and South, where states like Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, and Nebraska purchased the striped seasonal treat at significantly higher rates than the national average.

In parts of the Northeast and beyond, Sour Patch Kids emerged as a top pick with Colorado, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Texas showing a clear preference for the tangy, chewy candy. Meanwhile, Now and Later stood out in Louisiana, where residents bought the chewy classic at rates far surpassing those in other states.

What are the top Halloween candies in the United States?

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups once again claimed the top spot in October 2024, wrote Instacart, leading all candies by total weight sold. Close behind were Peanut M&Ms and classic M&Ms, with Kit Kat and Snickers rounding out the top five.

The overall rankings leaned heavily toward chocolate-based treats, though fruity favorites like Sour Patch Kids and HARIBO Goldbears maintained a strong presence in the top ten.

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Reeses Peanut Butter Cups Peanut M&M's M&M's Kit Kat Snickers Sour Patch Kids Hershey's Milk Chocolate Milky Way Twix Haribo Goldbears

Which states have the biggest sweet tooth?

According to Instacarts Sweet Tooth study, Tennessee placed above the national average in candy orders, with a 7.4% higher purchase rate.

Utah led the pack by a wide margin. In its first full year on the platform, the state bought candy 50% more often than the national average during October 2024.

The Mountain West and Midwest dominated the top rankings, with Wyoming, Oregon, Idaho, and Nebraska joining Utah in the top five. Meanwhile, states like Hawaii, Florida and California lagged behind, buying candy at significantly lower rates.

How popular is candy corn in Tennessee, across the country?

Despite its polarizing reputation, candy corn remains a Halloween staple. According to Instacart, the striped treat consistently accounts for 23% of all candy orders during October.

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Mississippi led the charge, purchasing candy corn 92% more often than the national average. Nebraska followed closely at 91%, with Kentucky rounding out the top three at 77%.

In Tennessee, candy corn proved popular as well. Instacarts study found that residents ordered it 23.5% more often than the national average.

On the other end of the spectrum, Hawaii ordered candy corn 55% less often than average, followed by Washington, D.C. at 50% below average and Florida at 43% below.

Candy Corn is the ultimate Halloween wildcard, wrote Instacart Trends Analyst Alex Orellana. In some states, its a nostalgic must-have that people eagerly stock up on, while in others, its the first candy left behind in the bowl."

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"That split is what makes Candy Corn so fascinating: its not just a treat, its a tradition that people either love to celebrate or love to debate.

Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for the Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X at @_leyvadiana

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Instacart names this as Tennessee's favorite Halloween candy for 2025
MSNBCs Chris Hayes outlined Thursday how a growing number of American universities, judges, jurors, airport administrators and regular citizens are finding new ways every day to push back against the Trump administration, remarking, The nos are piling up.

The Trump administration seems intent on pushing as much as they can get away with in as many places as possible, as much as they can, unless and until they meet resistance, the All In with Chris Hayes host explained. In just the past few days, what weve seen  and weve been trying to keep up with  [is] a growing number of people and groups and institutions who are standing up to Donald Trump and simply saying, No. It seems like the harder that MAGA leans into the authoritarianism, the more people are finding the voice to push back.

The MSNBC anchor spotlighted the Trump administrations recent offer to multiple colleges throughout America, which promised the universities that they could keep their federal funding in exchange for making their campuses friendlier to MAGA ideals. Brown, M.I.T. and Penn have all rejected the offer.

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Trump governs like a mafioso running a protection racket, Hayes remarked. Youre intimidated into making a corrupt bargain with him, and you find that the deal keeps getting worse all the time, right? Theres no backing out once you say yes. People seem to be realizing the only way to resist is to say, No, en mass. And again, that is happening more and more every day, everywhere you look.

You can watch the full All In segment yourself in the video below.

Elsewhere, Hayes turned his attention to the Trump administrations recent, failed attempt to get airports throughout the country to broadcast an ad featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in which she places the blame for the current, ongoing government shutdown on House and Senate Democrats.

Chances are that if youre flying anywhere this week, youre not seeing that ad, Hayes revealed. Administrators at the airport in Portland, Oregon, where Noems agents are tussling with protesters in frog costumes, pointed out that her ad is just an open violation of the Hatch Act, which is supposed to prevent open politicking by sitting administration officials. Its still the law of the land.

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The MSNBC host noted that at least 40 airports have refused to broadcast the ad, including airports in South Dakota, the state where Noem served as governor until January. Hayes went on to highlight the walkouts this week by journalists from both right-wing and left-leaning news outlets over the Pentagons new press policy, as well as the Trump administrations unsuccessful efforts to get everyday juries to indict protesters in court.

These jurors and reporters and airport administrators and university presidents join a Democratic Congress that seems to have found its backbone, Hayes said.

All of this is different than those first few months of [the] administration, right? I mean, then it was like this snowball rolling down a mountain. It was so fast, and you saw law firms saying yes and universities saying yes and everyone kind of not sure what to do, Hayes observed. But everywhere you look now, the nos are piling up. They are, and all of those nos are coming as we approach a weekend where millions of people will take to the streets, in thousands of communities across the country, as part of the No Kings March.

The post Chris Hayes Explains How Colleges, Airports and Jurors Are Finally Pushing Back on Trump: The Nos Are Piling Up | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK)  CHRISTUS Health in Longview is hosting a Halloween event on Oct. 30, offering families a safe and festive way to celebrate the holiday.

Lufkin closes hotel for bed bug, roach, gnat, rodent infestations

The event will feature a variety of activities, including trick-or-treating, games, prizes, face painting and balloon twisting. Local police, fire department and EMS personnel will also be present to engage with the community.

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Families attending the event can look forward to an afternoon filled with Halloween fun and community engagement. CHRISTUS Health aims to provide a safe environment for children to enjoy traditional Halloween activities.

This Halloween event by CHRISTUS Health promises to be a fun and secure way for families in East Texas to celebrate the holiday, fostering community spirit and safety.

You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
This story has been updated.

Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge has hired an employment lawyer.

Attorney Steve Imm confirmed to The Enquirer that he is representing Theetge. He said he could not comment further at this time.

Imm is among the attorneys representing former Cincinnati Fire Chief Michael Washington in his wrongful termination lawsuit against the city and City Manager Sheryl Long.

The news of legal counsel comes as Theetge faces scrutiny following recent high-profile crimes in the city's Downtown core.

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The first fatal shooting of the year in Downtown happened early Oct. 17, the morning after Long and Theetge met for what Long called "productive discussions regarding departmental matters."

Neither Mayor Aftab Pureval nor Long have directly stated that they will replace Theetge. When approached at City Hall on Oct. 17, Pureval directed all questions about Theetge to Long. Long's spokeswoman didn't return a message from an Enquirer reporter.

Long previously said that no change has been made regarding police department leadership. However, Long asked Theetge to return to Cincinnati on Oct. 14 from Denver, where she was attending a national police conference. Pureval has said the city is exploring its options.

Here's what we know as of noon Oct. 17.

Why is Teresa Theetge facing scrutiny?

It's an election year and Pureval, Theetge and other city leaders have come under attack for the city's policies on crime and policing.

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Data shows that crime in Over-the-Rhine and Downtown has spiked this summer. While the levels of some crimes have decreased, both neighborhoods are still seeing certain types of crime occurring at a higher rate. This summer was long and filled with several high-profile crime events.

In June, Sarah Heringer criticized the city after her husband was killed in their Over-the-Rhine home.

July brought the brawl that went viral on social media, which put Cincinnati in the spotlight for national conversations about policing, crime and race.

The debate over curfews, enforcing laws and curbing violence reignited after a disagreement between two parties at Fountain Square led to a shooting that police said injured a 16-year-old and a 19-year-old on Oct. 13.

Two people were injured in a shooting on Fountain Square on Monday, Oct. 13. One of the injured people and another person have been taken into custody, police said. Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge said a verbal disagreement between two parties escalated and a gun was pulled

Theetge warns of crack-down

After several high-profile incidents this summer, Theetge once again held a press conference following the double shooting at Fountain Square. In prior press conferences, Theetge called for a multipronged approach and collaboration with parents and other partners.

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She has often said that problems, particularly with juveniles, cannot be solved only by policing. But her message following the Monday shooting was different.

She warned of more arrests for low-level offenses in Downtown. She told her police officers they would have to do more, and said she would have their backs as long as they followed their training.

Will Cincinnati police chief be replaced?

During the press conference Tuesday, Pureval was asked if he still had confidence in Theetge. He did not say that he did.

The city is negotiating with Theetge over her resignation, according to sources. However, after a meeting Thursday, Long said she and Theetge had "productive discussions."

Does Cincinnati's police union stand behind the chief?

Cincinnati's police union unanimously voted no confidence in Pureval in August citing, in part, his slow response to the Downtown brawl.

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The union's president, Ken Kober, issued a statement Oct. 15 in support of the chief:

"Replacing the chief is not the answer," Kober said in a text message. "There are three options: Repeal Issue 5 so the Police Chief isnt under the thumb of an elected official, convince the mayor to allow the Chief to do her job independently or residents vote for a new mayor. Otherwise we will remain at status quo with violence in this city."

What's next for city, Cincinnati chief of police?

If the city does move to replace Theetge, officials will likely have to consider the terms of her contract as well as possible litigation.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Police chief hires employment attorney. What we know
By Kim Smith

Odessa American

Odessa Mayor Cal Hendrick is reaching out to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the hopes of heading off a lawsuit that could take years to resolve and cost the City of Odessa at least $1 million.

On Oct. 2 Paxton sent a letter to the city saying the property tax increase the city council approved Sept. 23 could be illegal under a new state law.

Senate Bill 1851 gives citizens the power to file a complaint with the AG if cities dont file their annual financial audits within 180 days of the end of their fiscal year, which is Sept. 30.

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The citys finance department lost several key staff members after former Mayor Javier Joven and other council members fired City Manager Michael Marrero and City Attorney Natasha Brooks in December 2022.

As a result, the FY22 audit wasnt filed until Aug. 28, 2024, the FY23 audit wasnt filed until June 23, 2025, and the FY24 audit isnt expected to be filed until November. Its the FY24 audit that Paxton is most concerned about.

During a press conference Friday morning, it was revealed the city council decided during its executive session Tuesday night to send a letter to Paxton announcing they wont be imposing a tax rate increase this year.

In that letter, Hendrick said he does not see the need for the AGs Office to launch an investigation as Odessa has been transparent about the lateness of its audits and the reasons, ie: the mass exodus of people from the finance department and turnover in other critical city departments.

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The only issues that need to be addressed, Hendrick wrote, is whether the new law should be applied retroactively and whether it waives governmental immunity.

We understand that your decision will be based solely on your interpretation of the law. The citizens of Odessa in the state of Texas would expect no less. We believe a meeting will be beneficial to clarify any facts and allow the city to state its position. Well be glad to host you or your staff here in Odessa, or we could travel to Austin, Texas at a convenient time for all, Hendrick wrote.

He goes on to write that the city is receptive to meeting with Paxtons staff to draft an agreement or order where the City of Odessa would agree to a no new tax revenue for the current fiscal year.

The letter states, This would save the cost of prolonged litigation, which would probably end up in the Texas Supreme Court. An agreed judgment would save the Odessa taxpayers approximately $2.4 million in addition to over $1 million savings already provided when the City Council voted not to increase water and sewer rates for the current fiscal year as well as avoid costly and lengthy litigation, Hendrick wrote. The taxpayers of Odessa need to know what their tax bill will be and City Council must decide how to provide needed services to the residents of Odessa with the reduction in revenue.

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If Paxton doesnt like the idea of an agreed judgment, Hendrick asked the AG to file his lawsuit in Ector County because to file it elsewhere would deprive residents the opportunity to follow and attend all of the hearings.

Hendrick and Interim City Attorney Keith Stretcher dont believe the new law can be applied retroactively, but have come to realize city staff made serious errors while calculating property taxes for at least the last two years making the citys legal position shakier should they go to trial, Hendrick said.

City staff failed to follow the no new tax statutes, which lead to miscalculations, Hendrick said.

They cut and pasted it from the year before and it was wrong the year before and guess what? It was wrong this year, Hendrick said.

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In addition, staff did not use the specific language required by statute when drafting the tax levy resolution voted upon by council.

You had to say magic words and we didnt say them, Hendrick said.

Hendrick hopes Paxton will accept the citys offer.

You ever hear that phrase, you cant fight city hall? Its the same thing. We dont want to fight the attorney general. He will outspend us. Hes richer than we are, so were doing it because we dont want to cost our citizens, Hendrick said. Even if were right, its going to take years. Its going to take a ton of money. And I told you when I got elected, I was going to do one thing, I was going to do whats best for Odessa, and I cant believe a fight with the Attorney General on this stupid deal is worth another million dollars in attorneys fees and two or three years wrapped up in litigation. That cant be whats best for Odessa.

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If Paxton accepts the citys offer and the city is unable to increase property taxes, Hendrick said the city will be forced to halt some projects, like the new fire station. Theyll also have to impose hiring freezes.

Mayor Pro Tem Craig Stoker, who was unable to attend the press conference, released the following statement.

We are stuck in a no-win situation: either fight Attorney General Paxton, who seems more focused on promoting his run for the U.S. Senate, or disappoint our community by raising taxes.

Since I was elected, I have worked hard to cut wasteful spending. And I am glad to see those efforts paying off. I have found many areas where we can trim the fat. And I plan to keep finding ways to save Odessans money on their tax bills.

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I am proud the Council chose to adopt the no new revenue tax rate. And I hope Mr. Paxton allows us to follow his own demands to lower our adopted tax rate. Also, the Odessa Finance Department assures me that the 2024 audit will be completed next month and that there will be no delays with the 2025 audit. This means we will be fully compliant with the law.

I am proud that Council acted quickly to bring the city into compliance with Senate Bill 1855 and that we are on track to restore our bond rating. Odessa is moving forward, even while others in Austin are only chasing headlines.

The post City council trying to avert Paxton lawsuit appeared first on Odessa American.
City councilmember demands answers about autonomous downtown shuttle program

A Jacksonville City Council Member is demanding detailed answers from JTA about its Ultimate Urban Circulator project and downtown NAVI autonomous shuttle program.

Action News Jax told you earlier this month that the NAVI shuttles were averaging roughly 137 riders per day, which Councilmember Rory Diamond (R-District 13) argued is unacceptable given the $65 million that has already been dumped into the project.

You could have taken $65 million and just paid for people to take taxis, and you would have had a more efficient system, said Diamond.

Diamond, who sits on the Duval DOGE Committee, sent a letter to JTA CEO Nat Ford last week, writing in part, There is growing concern among the public regarding the financial exposure, technological reliability, and overall feasibility of the U2C initiative.

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He listed 17 questions surrounding project costs, contingency plans, ridership projections, and more.

Obviously, I have lots of questions about whats going on with the NAVI system. I dont support it. I think it ought to be canceled like, today, said Diamond.

We wanted to hear directly from NAVI riders about their experience, so we spent half an hour at a NAVI stop on Bay Street, hoping to talk to one.

Eventually, we saw a woman waiting at a nearby stop down the street, but when we asked her whether she was waiting for the autonomous shuttle, she said shed never heard of it.

When a shuttle pulled up, she had a discussion with the shuttle operator and agreed to hop on.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

She declined to talk with us, and it was unclear whether the shuttle was actually taking her where she wanted to go, or if she was simply trying to get away from us.

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Ford responded to Diamonds letter on Friday, indicating he plans to provide answers to all 17 questions by November 3rd.

Diamond said hes very much looking forward to seeing those responses.

Tell me, how do I protect taxpayers if this is a huge boondoggle? I mean, thats what I think it is, and so, lets get the answers on the table. Maybe Im wrong. Maybe theres some plan I dont understand, but I would like to see it, said Diamond.

Diamond said he also plans to question JTA leaders about the project in person during the upcoming Duval DOGE committee meeting scheduled for November 4th.

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By Alun John, Dhara Ranasinghe and Stefano Rebaudo

LONDON (Reuters) -France's financial markets are riding a roller-coaster, as the country grapples with one of its worst political crises in decades, and while sentiment is improving, the bumpy ride is not over.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has promised to suspend a landmark pension reform until after the 2027 election, sacrificing one of President Emmanuel Macron's achievements to ensure the government's survival.

He is facing no confidence votes in parliament Thursday but appears likely to survive.

Here's a look at where markets stand, and what comes next.

BOND VIGILANTES IN HIDING?

The gap between 10-year French and German bond yields, the premium investors require to lend to France, is around 77 basis points, down from almost 90 bps last week.

It could tighten towards 75 bps, said Citi's senior rate strategist Aman Bansal.

It narrowed as investors focused on political stability over long-term fiscal worries. Lecornu's plan to suspend pension reform means he'll likely stay in his job, avoiding snap elections, even if some parties have called a no-confidence vote for Thursday.

RBC BlueBay Asset Management senior portfolio manager Kaspar Hense said the firm had closed out of its short position - a bet on price falls - in French bonds last week on expectations a political compromise would be found.

"Demand for OATs (French bonds) remains strong at these levels of real and nominal yields," said Reinout De Bock, head of European rate strategy at UBS.

RATINGS WATCH

French borrowing costs remain among the highest in the euro zone, and because suspending the key pension reforms keeps pressure on public finances, France is vulnerable to further ratings downgrades.

Lecornu says the suspension would cost 400 million euros ($463 million) in 2026 and 1.8 billion euros in 2027. Without offsetting measures, France's debt-to-GDP ratio would fail to stabilise, analysts say.

Goldman Sachs reckons permanent suspension of the pension reform would add 0.5% of GDP to the deficit by 2035, so debt as a share of GDP over the next decade stabilises closer to 130% compared to around 113% now.

Moody's, which rates France at Aa3 with a stable outlook, reviews its long-term rating on October 24.

"We expect some downgrade pressure but this is priced in by markets," said BlueBay's Hense.

STOCKS SOAR

France's blue chip share index rose 2% on Wednesday, its best day since early May, but that's not much to do with politics -- luxury giant LVMH surged 12% after results.
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- City of Odessa leaders announced Friday that the City will not be raising taxes this year after all. This announcement comes after Attorney General Ken Paxton sent a letter to the City saying the planned tax increase was not legal. Heres what we know:

In September, councilmembers voted to slightly raise taxes by less than half a penny, from .0466275 to 0.470700 per $100 of home value. For the average Odessa home, valued at $193,000, that would have equated to about $8.54 per year, or about $0.71 per month.

Then, on October 2, Paxton ordered several Texas cities, including Odessa, to halt potentially illegal property tax increases that might have been adopted in violation of a recently enacted Texas law.

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I have grave concerns that municipalities across Texas have blatantly violated the law in an attempt to crank up peoples property taxes, said Paxton. My message to these cities is this: dont mess with Texas taxpayers. Local governments must abide by the law, and I will take every step to defend the people of Texas and their hard-earned dollars.

SB 1851 was passed during the last legislative session, stipulating that cities that do not meet the States auditing requirements may only raise taxes enough to maintain the previous years amount of revenue. Texas auditing laws require cities to file their annual report and financial statements by a certain point in the fiscal year, but several municipalities seemingly failed to do so and either submitted their reports late or not at all. Nevertheless, the cities moved to raise property taxes by up to 51%, well above the legally allowed no-new-revenue rate for cities that are out of compliance with state auditing laws. Attorney General Paxton has now sent a letter to the city, instructing it to pause its potentially unlawful planned tax increase.

Under the previous administration, including prior mayor Javier Joven and councilmembers Mark Mata and Denise Swanner, the City failed to properly file audits and lost its credit rating in the process. Thats where Paxton said the City fell out of compliance and was not legally allowed to raise the tax rate.

The truth is, Odessa was three years behind filing audits. Im proud to say that this council has done an excellent job trying to move forward. Right before we took office (last November), the 2021-22 audit was filed. In June, the 22-23 audit was filed and we believe that in the next 30 days, certainly in November, well file the 20-23-24 audit, which puts us up to date, which will allow us to regain our credit rating. The audit for the 24-25 is due March 31st of 2026. We have full faith that that will be filed on time, Mayor Cal Hendrick said at the press conference Friday. Now, thats by way of background to understand historically where we are and how we got there. In 1987, Texas legislature passed a statute that basically said, cities, every year you need to file your audit and your financial statement. Why? Its good physical practice; its good financial practice. But there was no penalty attached to it, it was simply the law. Until this year, during this legislative session, Texas legislature passed a bill, its called Senate Bill 1851, in which they not only state that audits must be filed within 180 days of the end of your physical year, and that for us, thats Octoberso you have, obviously, 180 days after that, which usually puts you about the end of March of the following year. Now, theres a penalty attached with it. If you dont do it timely, then youre not allowed to increase taxes the next year, the next tax rate.

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Hendrick said he doesnt believe that the new legislation can be used retroactively and they wanted to meet with Paxton to discuss the law and how it would apply to Odessa today, However, the council also decided it was not worth the cost to pursue litigation and decided to comply with Paxtons demand that the taxes not be raised this year.

I said when I ran for mayor that Ill always do what I think is best for Odessa. In this circumstance, rather than spend four years litigating to the Supreme Court, spending a million dollars in attorneys fees, we think the better decision is to follow the demand of the attorney general. And we will not raise taxes for this calendar year, Hendrick said.

Despite the relief for homeowners, Hendrick said that not raising the rate could negatively impact residents, although councilmembers will continue to work toward a better resolution. And they still have to find a way to change the tax rate legally since the budget has already been filed.

While I feel some will celebrate the fact that there will be no new tax rate increase for the city of Odessa, I think it will have a negative impact on services provided to the citizens. Be that as it may, weve asked all our departments to look into their budgets, what can we do to reduce our budget burden for this coming year? Knowing full well that well be millions of dollars short of what we proposed for the budget. Now, theres one problem with that. Texas law states that all tax increases or all budgets have to be filed by September 30th. Well, were past that date. In fact, we didnt receive the letter (from Paxton) until October 2nd. Were past the date, which we could have done something about it, Hendrick said.

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So, because the budget has already been adopted with the planned tax increase accounting for some of the funding, city leaders must now search for ways to make ends meet. Theyve also asked for a sit-down with Paxton to address the issue and avoid a costly court battle.

Councilman Craig Stoker said he will also work toward solutions and toward ensuring that Odessa comes into compliance moving forward and assured the community that Odessa will come into compliance.

We are stuck in a no-win situation: either fight Attorney General Paxton, who seems more focused on promoting his run for the U.S. Senate, or disappoint our community by raising taxes. Since I was elected, I have worked hard to cut wasteful spending. And I am glad to see those efforts paying off. I have found many areas where we can trim the fat. And I plan to keep finding ways to save Odessans money on their tax bills. I am proud the Council chose to adopt the no new revenue tax rate. And I hope Mr. Paxton allows us to follow his own demands to lower our adopted tax rate. Also, the Odessa Finance Department assures me that the 2024 audit will be completed next month and that there will be no delays with the 2025 audit. This means we will be fully compliant with the law. I am proud that Council acted quickly to bring the city into compliance with Senate Bill 1851 and that we are on track to restore our bond rating. Odessa is moving forward, even while others in Austin are only chasing headlines.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin.
Early this fall, Germany's leader Friedrich Merz assured a group of reporters in Duesseldorf that his country was "not at war."

Merz was speaking about what he characterized as Russia's repeated attempts to undermine European unity over its response to Moscow's war in Ukraine. "But we are no longer at peace either," he added.

Germany's chancellor did not mention World War III or even imply it would soon be underway. But he did tap into a growing sense of apprehension among some Europeans and Americans: surveys show that many of them no longer view a global war as a remote prospect and believe it could occur in the next five to ten years.

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Robert Muggah, the founder of SecDev, an Ottawa, Canada-based security and intelligence think tank, said that there is no shortage of signals and overlapping crises to point to that, to a degree, suggest there already is a "global war being fought across multiple domains without ever being formally announced."

More: Trump amps up military, CIA action against Venezuela. Here's what to know.

An Indian army soldier keeps vigil from a bunker at the Line of Control (LoC) between Pakistan and India, in Poonch sector of India's Jammu region, on May 20, 2025.

Putin, Ukraine, long-range missiles: Why there's talk about WWIII

Airports in Denmark and Poland have been paralyzed by drones, cyber-attacks and other forms of sabotage. "Little green men"  the same Russian military forces in unmarked uniforms who seized Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014  have recently been spotted near an Estonian border crossing with Russia. There are intensifying Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, which Beijing has vowed to unite, eventually, with mainland China.

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The United States has struck suspected drug boats in waters off Venezuela that stretch the limits of legality. President Donald Trump is also considering land strikes on Venezuela to halt the flow of drugs. North Korea has dispatched troops to Ukraine, while Iran has supplied drones. A few short months ago, the U.S. bombed Tehran's nuclear sites as part of a 12-day war between Iran and Israel. The White House has engineered the first steps of a Gaza ceasefire plan. Will it hold? Rippling beneath calm between India and Pakistan are two nuclear-armed neighbors whose relationship is rarely far from taking a dangerous turn.

"From the Baltics to the Taiwan Strait, governments are aggressively rearming, refurbishing bunkers, and quietly preparing their citizens for the worst," said Muggah, whose own forecasting models show that global conflict, including the "unthinkable nuclear variety," is a growing risk and that the "language of crisis is now mainstream."

Children and their teachers wait in a kindergarten's basement used as a bomb shelter during an air strike alarm in Kryvyi Rih, southern Ukraine, on September 14, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Visual explainer: Poland downs Russian drones, invokes NATO Article 4

How likely is a new global war?

Trump has responded and contributed to these escalating threats in different ways.

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He campaigned on promises to end conflicts and avoid new, "endless" wars. Since taking up his second presidency, Trump claimed he ended at least half a dozen wars from Armenia to Rwanda, though many outside experts, analysts and fact checkers have questioned the true scope and impact of his interventions, even if he's made concrete progress in the Middle East by helping to broker a Gaza ceasefire and hostage exchange.

Trump has also announced plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest to work on an agreement to end Russia's war in Ukraine. The timing of any such meeting remains unclear.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White House on Oct. 17 as the United States weighs supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles.

Trump has also sought, pending congressional approval, to rebrand the U.S. Department of Defense as the Department of War, the name used from 1789 to 1947, a period during which U.S. troops fought in seven wars and conflicts. Trump has said the rebranding reflects the United States' "unbelievable history of victory" in previous world wars, but the name change carries symbolic semantic weight, and Trump's chief warrior, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, has put it somewhat differently.

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"Were going to go on offense, not just on defense. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct," Hegseth said in the Oval Office on Sept. 5 when announcing the renaming intent. "Were going to raise up warriors, not just defenders. So this war department, Mr. President, just like America, is back."

Could nuclear weapons be used in the next war?

But it's not just language. It's also concrete actions and data that are adding to a sense of disquiet.

Trump has ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in "the appropriate regions" in response to Russian nuclear saber-rattling connected to the war in Ukraine. A trio of U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers  call signs BUNNY01, BUNNY02 and BUNNY03  have been spotted on flight trackers flying near Venezuelan airspace in recent days. These bombers are capable of carrying nuclear or conventional weapons.

Trump has expressed many times his desire to take control of Greenland from Denmark, by force if necessary.

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EU countries have five years to prepare for war, according to a military plan presented by the European Commission on Oct. 16. The plan is a reaction to Putins war on Ukraine and Trumps unclear commitment to European security.

Warts and all: Hegseth wants leaders like Gen. Patton

According to the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, based at Uppsala University in Sweden, the number of worldwide state-based armed conflicts rose from 59 to 61 in 2024, the latest year for which data are available.

Those figures mark the second consecutive year in which the UCDP recorded a historically high number of conflicts. The number of wars, defined as an armed state-based conflict that results in at least 1,000 direct battle-related deaths in a calendar year, increased from nine to 11, the highest count since 2016. In 2025, ten conflicts have already surpassed the 1,000 threshold. There might be more before the end of the year.

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Therese Pettersson is a senior analyst at the UCDP. She said that while the number of state-based armed conflicts and wars has effectively doubled over the last 15 years, one of the reasons people may be getting the sense, rightly or wrongly, that the world is inching toward a global war is because "the rules-based order is not really functioning anymore." She said, for example, that "border conflicts that used to be dealt with diplomatically or solved through negotiations are now quickly escalating to fighting."

But Pettersson said there aren't any "real signs that conflicts are becoming increasingly global in scale."

'One way or the other': Five ways Trump's Greenland saga could play out

A sign with a drone ban is displayed outside the airport in Munich, Germany, on Oct. 6, 2025. REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth

Why is Ukraine a major risk?

Still, Muggah, from the Canadian think tank, notes that Russias war in Ukraine is probably the most obvious flashpoint for wider conflict escalation that draws in other countries.

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He said that Ukraine's battlefield has "settled into attritional stalemate," but that is deceptive.

Latest on the war: Putin stalls. Trump changes his mind. Ukraine targets Moscow

Russia has stepped up cross-border strikes, targeted energy grids and is testing NATO airspace across Europe in a manner where each such action "risks a clash that could expand horizontally."

Prediction markets such as Polymarket appear to agree.

Polymarket forecasts a 5% chance that Russia will invade a NATO country, rising to 11% by June 2026, and estimates an 18% risk of a direct military clash between Russia and NATO forces before the end of 2025.

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Russia also has a view on this.

Moscow's top diplomat has accused NATO and the European Union of using Ukraine to wage war against his country. In a speech on the sidelines of the United Nations meetings in late September, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that both the military alliance and political bloc had "declared a real war" on Russia.

Trump has done the opposite and declared that a new world war won't happen on his watch.

A woman feeds pigeons on the street, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine Oct. 14, 2025. A resident sits in a car as she leaves her apartment building damaged by Russian military strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the frontline town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region, Ukraine Oct. 13, 2025. A cat walks on debris in a church damaged by Russian military strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the frontline town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region, Ukraine Oct. 13, 2025. A destroyed car lies on a road near apartment buildings damaged by Russian military strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the frontline town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region, Ukraine Oct. 13, 2025. Pedestrians exit a subway station in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, on Oct. 13, 2025. A resident carries belongings out of a damaged residential building following a Russian strike in the town of Bilozerske, Donetsk region on August 12, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Relatives hug a released prisoner of war wrapped in a Ukrainian national flag upon their arrival after a prisoners exchange in the Chernigiv region on August 14, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine exchanged 84 prisoners each on August 14, 2025, both sides said, the latest in a series of swaps that has seen hundreds of POWs released so far this year. A woman carrying a child visits a memorial for fallen Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv on Aug. 4, 2025. A Ukrainian serviceman kisses a flag with the brigade insignia during an honorary ceremony of receiving brigade patches in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on August 3, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The ceremony is one of many traditions observed by Ukrainian brigades - rituals that strengthen unity and forge a shared sense of identity among service members. A Ukrainian law enforcement officer looks out of a broken window standing inside a destroyed building of the Bilenkivska correctional colony following an air attack in Bilenke, Zaporizhzhia region on July 29, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A Russian airstrike on a prison in southeastern Ukraine overnight killed 17 inmates and wounded dozens of others, Kyiv said on July 29, 2025. People kneel down during the funeral ceremony for Victoria Roshchyna, a Ukrainian journalist who died while in captivity in Russia, on Independence Square in Kyiv, on August 8, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian rescuers work inside a destroyed residential building after an air attack in Kharkiv, on August 18, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early on August 18, 2025 killed at least five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said. An explosion of a drone and tracers are seen in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine on February 17, 2025. A man walks on a snow-covered street during a snowfall, near a Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery in Kyiv, Ukraine on February 14, 2025. Women carry flowers and balloons, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, on Valentine's Day in Kyiv, Ukraine on February 14, 2025. A woman pays her respects at a portrait of a fallen Ukrainian serviceman, some of whom worked at Zavallievsky Graphite, amid RussiaOs attack on Ukraine, in Zavallia, Ukraine on February 10, 2025. A man walks near the site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine on February 12, 2025. Resident Natalia collects her granddaughter's toys that were scattered around her home hit by a Russian air strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the town of Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine on February 9, 2025. A local resident stands on the destroyed balcony of an apartment in a damaged residential building following a missile attack in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian town of Makiivka, Donetsk region on February 9, 2025, amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict. A local resident walks past a burnt-out car in the courtyard of a damaged residential building following a missile attack in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian town of Makiivka, Donetsk region on February 9, 2025, amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Residents ride bicycles near a car destroyed by Russian military strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine on February 6, 2025. An employee sorts clothes at a market which was hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv, Ukraine on February 6, 2025. Relatives, friends and fellow soldiers attend funeral ceremony for Anton Spitsyn, Ukrainian servicemen and co-founder of special purpose unit of "Gostri Kartuzy" (Peaky Blinders), who was killed fighting Russian troops, in Kharkiv on February 5, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian firefighters try to put out a fire in a building after a drone strike in Kharkiv on February 5, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian police officers inspect the bodies of killed people in plastic bags at the site of a missile attack in Izyum, Kharkiv region, on February 4, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A Russian missile attack on February 4, 2025 on the Ukrainian city of Izyum, briefly occupied by Russia in 2022, killed five people and wounded three dozen more, officials said. Rescuers carry the body of a person found under debris at the site of an apartment building hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Poltava, Ukraine on February 1, 2025. A passenger sits next to a fogged up bus window during an unusually warm and foggy winter morning, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in central Kyiv, Ukraine on January 31, 2025. Children hold military equipment displayed during the opening of the 65th Brigade's recruiting center "Velykyi Lug" in Kyiv on January 27, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. People walk past at a street exhibition displaying destroyed Russian military vehicles, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine on January 25, 2025. Graffiti depicting Russian leader Vladimir Putin hanging by a Ukrainian flag is pictured on a heavily damaged wall of Kostyantynivka train station after it was destroyed by a Russian attack, on January 23, 2025 in Kostyantynivka, Ukraine. Ukraine faces a pivotal moment in its war with Russia as its biggest military ally, the United States, inaugurates a new president and with it a new foreign policy. During his campaign for the US presidency, Donald Trump had promised to end the war on Day One of his term, although he has since walked back his ambitious timeline. A building lies in ruins after being hit by a Russian attack, on January 23, 2025 in Kostyantynivka, Ukraine. Ukraine faces a pivotal moment in its war with Russia as its biggest military ally, the United States, inaugurates a new president and with it a new foreign policy. During his campaign for the US presidency, Donald Trump had promised to end the war on Day One of his term, although he has since walked back his ambitious timeline. A resident examines his flat in an apartment building hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on January 23, 2025. A woman walks past an installation made of used ammunition shells, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine on January 21, 2025. Cars pass over a new bridge built alongside one that was destroyed during the Russian occupation, on January 21, 2025 in Izyum, Ukraine. Ukraine faces a pivotal moment in its war with Russia as its biggest military ally, the United States, inaugurates a new president and with it a new foreign policy. During his campaign for the US presidency, Donald Trump had promised to end the war on Day One of his term, although he has since walked back his ambitious timeline. Restaurant employees watch the presidential inauguration of US President Donald Trump on television screens in Kyiv, on January 20, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A worker cleans debris outside a McDonald's restaurant that was heavily damaged in an overnight Russian missile strike, on January 18, 2025 in the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kyiv, Ukraine. Four people were killed and a fire broke out in a non-residential building, according to Kyiv's mayor. Priests and worshippers clear debris inside St. Andrew's Cathedral damaged by Russian missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on January 18, 2025. A member of the White Angel unit of Ukrainian police officers, who evacuate people from the frontline towns and villages, helps an elderly woman, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the frontline town of Pokrovsk, in Donetsk region, Ukraine on February 7, 2025. What life looks like in Ukraine after more than three years of war with Russia 1 of 38 A woman feeds pigeons on the street, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine Oct. 14, 2025.

"This is something that's taken off like a rocket ship, and it did from the beginning. And I've heard for years this is the biggest deal, long before I ran for office, that the Middle East, it's the biggest, most complicated deal," Trump said on Oct. 13 in Egypt as he signed the Gaza ceasefire plan alongside world leaders.

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"Also, it's the place that could lead to tremendous problems like World War III. They always talk about World War III would start in the Middle East, and that's not going to happen. We don't want it to start anywhere, actually."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World War III no longer feels unthinkable. Heres why.
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP)  Major political parties in Bangladesh signed a roadmap Friday for political reforms proposed by the interim government while police clashed with protesters who wanted the document to include more provisions for the activists who helped oust the previous government.

Police officers fired tear gas and used stun grenades and batons to disperse several hundred protesters outside the national Parliament building in the capital Dhaka. Some of them clashed with police while others vandalized a police vehicle. Witnesses said several people were injured in the clashes.

The protesters described themselves as part of the movement that led to the ouster in August 2024 of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following a 15-year rule that critics said had become increasingly autocratic. The protesters said they were seeking more guarantees of welfare and other programs for participants in the 2024 movement.

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The interim government, headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, invited the countrys main political parties to sign the new political charter Friday to pave the way for a raft of political reforms, though the groups did not include Hasina's Awami League, formerly a major political force that has been banned under the interim government.

The document, named the July National Charter after the national uprising that began in July 2024, is nonbinding and the proposals for constitutional and legal changes must be approved by a new Parliament after elections, which Yunus has promised for next February.

The roadmap's provisions would include bringing more checks and balances to the country's political system to avoid authoritarian administrations, including by giving the presidency more authority to balance what had been a powerful prime minister position. It also proposes term limits for legislators, and measures to prevent conflicts of interest, money laundering and corruption.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and eight like-minded parties signed the charter, as well as sixteen others, including smaller Islamist parties. The countrys largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, was initially undecided, but later agreed to sign the charter. Four left-wing parties and a newly-formed student-led party, National Citizen Party, did not take part.

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Yunus told the audience gathered outside the parliament building that the signings meant a new Bangladesh was taking shape.

We have entered into a civilized society from barbarism, he said.

A National Consensus Commission formed by Yunus government prepared the charter after a series of talks with 30 political parties. According to the Election Commission, the country has 51 registered political parties.

Hasina, who was toppled last August after huge protests, is in exile in India and is being tried in absentia on charges of crimes against humanity. The United Nations has said that up to 1,400 people may have been killed in the weekslong uprising last year.

Yunus has promised to hold the next national election in February. But questions remain whether the election would be inclusive without Hasinas party and its allies in the race.
Police have fired tear gas and used grenades and batons to disperse protesters gathered outside Bangladeshs national Parliament complex to express dissatisfaction with the interim governments new political charter.

The charter was drafted more than a year after Gen Z demonstrations that led to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas removal.

Bangladeshs most powerful political parties signed the charter on Friday aimed at ensuring democratic reform after next years elections, but celebrations by the government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus were muted after one party refused to sign and by the clashes on the capitals streets.

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The clashes broke out after several hundred people, who described themselves as those whose protests toppled Hasina, started demonstrating on Friday. They were expressing anger that their concerns had not been addressed in the new charter, despite their loved ones dying during the mass uprisings against Hasina, who fled to exile in India.

Some protesters vandalised a police vehicle and makeshift tents, while others clashed with soldiers and security officials in the capital Dhaka. Witnesses said several people were injured.

The interim government, headed by Yunus, had invited the countrys main political parties to sign a new political charter to pave the way for a number of political reforms.

The July National Charter, named after the national uprisings that started last July, outlines a roadmap for constitutional amendments, legal changes and the enactment of new laws.

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A National Consensus Commission formed by the Yunus government prepared the charter after a series of talks with the major political parties, except Hasinas Awami League party.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and eight like-minded parties said they would sign the charter.

Hasinas rule saw widespread human rights abuses, including mass detentions and extrajudicial killings of her political opponents.

Protests against Hasinas rule began on July 1, 2024, with university students calling for changes to a quota system for public sector jobs. They culminated on August 5, 2024, when thousands of protesters stormed Hasinas palace as she escaped by helicopter to India, where she remains in exile.

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She has defied court orders to attend her ongoing trial on charges amounting to crimes against humanity. The United Nations has said up to 1,400 people may have been killed in the weeks-long uprising last year.

Yunus has promised to hold the next national election in February, before the Muslim-majority nation of 170 million people celebrates the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. But questions remain whether the election would be inclusive without Hasinas party and its allies in the race.

The countrys largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, has remained undecided about signing the charter, while a newly-formed student-led party, National Citizen Party, said it would not take part.




CLAXTON, Ga. (WSAV)  Two Claxton Elementary School employees have been arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on child abuse charges, officials announced Friday.

Tanesha E. Herrington, 47, of Claxton, and Courtney Anne Dutton, 37, of Glennville

After the Claxton Police Department (CPD) received an anonymous tip that Pre-K teacher Tanesha Herrington had been abusing students in her classroom, they requested the GBIs assistance Monday.

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GBI agents obtained video footage that reportedly showed 47-year-old Herrington hitting two students repeatedly in the face, grabbing a student by the throat, forcefully lifting students by the arms while they were lying on the floor asleep and slapping a student on the arm before then pushing the student.

She also was seen throwing a bookbag at a student who was sitting on the ground, a GBI spokesperson said.

The videos were reportedly from the current and previous school years.

Herrington is charged with eight counts of cruelty to children in the first degree.

Nursing home nightmare: WSAV investigates conditions at local care center

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Her paraprofessional, 37-year-old Courtney Anne Dutton, was also seen on video inside the classroom during several of the abuse incidents and didnt report Herringtons behavior as mandated, a GBI spokesperson said.

Dutton is charged with one count of failure to report child abuse.

A parent of two Pre-K students in Herringtons class spoke with WSAV Friday evening. She said she didnt know anything about the abuse investigation until the GBI contacted her on Wednesday.

She was told by the GBI that her 4-year-old twins were abused by Herrington and investigators have video footage of it.

Berry said she actually confronted Herrington about the investigation after the GBI contacted her, but Herrington told Bery that she was clueless about what was going on.

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Despite her frustration and shock, Berry said she is going to pray for Herrington and Dutton.

She urged anyone in the education field who doesnt have a heart for children, to exit the career.

The GBIs investigation is not complete, officials said, and they are still reviewing additional video footage. If additional victims are identified, more charges could be forthcoming.

If anyone has any information, youre asked to contact the Claxton Police Department at 912-739-2121 or the GBIs Regional Investigative Office in Statesboro at 912-871-1121. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS(8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
***Watch previous coverage in the video above***

CLEVELAND (WJW)  A Cleveland man faces federal charges after investigators said he allegedly shot a federal officer with the Cleveland U.S. Marshals Service during a standoff situation on Wednesday morning.

The shooting happened while law enforcement officers were serving a warrant for a wanted man near East 92nd Street and Hillock Avenue, the FOX 8 I-Team previously reported.

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Deeply saddened: OSHP trooper killed in Mahoning County crash

According to a criminal complaint, 55-year-old Larry Leon Dwight Wiley barricaded himself inside his apartment when officers showed up around 9 a.m.

FOX 8 photo

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Ohio said Wiley took aim at the federal officers and began firing.

A deputy U.S. Marshal was shot in the arm. The officer was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for his injuries, investigators said.

2 kids hit by distracted driver, local sheriff says

After an hours-long standoff situation, law enforcement arrested Wiley, who is charged with assault on a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, court records stated.

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Law enforcement officers risk everything to protect us, and this case is a stark reminder of the dangers they face in the line of duty, Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a press release. I am grateful that our deputy U.S. Marshal will make a full recovery and I will ensure that this heinous crime is prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Any attack on law enforcement is an attack on our society itself.

Wiley made his first court appearance on Thursday and was ordered to remain in custody while the matter is pending, prosecutors said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
CNN legal analyst Elie Honig broke down the federal charges against former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton on Thursday and argued that his alleged conduct represents more serious violations than what President Donald Trump did with classified information.

Legal analyst Elie Honig. Elie, now that weve seen this indictment, how serious do these charges seem to you? anchor Jake Tapper asked.

Well, Jake, if prosecutors can prove these charges, thats always the big if, then John Boltons conduct, to me, is more serious, certainly than we saw in the investigations of Hillary Clinton, of Mike Pence, of Joe Biden, and even more serious than the conduct that got Donald Trump indicted. Let me tell you why, Honig replied, adding:

First of all, John Bolton didnt just mishandle this information. He didnt keep it in a box in a garage or even scattered around a resort. He actively disseminated it to two people, according to the indictment, two family members who were outsiders who had no security clearance over AOL, which by the way was hacked. Second of all, were talking about the highest level security. The indictment talks about information relating to military attack plans, to missile launches, to foreign leaders, to sensitive sources and methods. And third of all, Boltons team was not exactly forthcoming about this. There came a point where they learned his email had been hacked by Iran. They notified the FBI but they omitted the fact that John Bolton was using that account to communicate with these outsiders. So I think if DOJ can prove this, this is big, big trouble for John Bolton.

Bolton was indicted on 18 charges, reported CNN earlier in the day, including eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of retention of national defense information.

Watch the full clip above.

The post CNNs Elie Honig Argues Bolton Allegations More Serious Than Those Against Trump first appeared on Mediaite.
CNN senior reporter Daniel Dale torpedoed a bonkers claim from President Donald Trump about a bridge between Hawaii and the mainland and 6 other doozies from a falsehood-riddled Oval Office event.

The president welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House Friday afternoon and spoke with reporters for about 40 minutes in the Oval Office.

Among the many false claims Trump peppered in with the other memorable moments was a riff about a Democratic senator and the aforementioned bridge:

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Came up yesterday, a tunnel from Russia to Alaska. Thats an interesting  what do you think of that, Mr. President? Do you have any ideas? How do you like that idea? PRESIDENT VOLODOMYR ZELENSKY: Im not happy with this. (LAUGHTER) PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I dont think youre gonna like it. I dont think you like that. REPORTER: Do you think that Vladimir Putin, do you think that Putin is serious, your gut instinct? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, we had a senator that wanted, remember, from Hawaii. She wanted a tunnel from the mainland to Hawaii. Then she said, well, we cant do that, so were going to build a railroad to Hawaii, do you remember? Shes a current sitting senator, a Democrat. She wants a railroad to go to Hawaii right? You know who that is, right? Shes another beauty.

As Dale explained later, the senator in question was Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and the claim was completely made up based on a wisecrack Hirono made to a Fox News reporter.

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Dale knocked down a total of seven false claims from Trumps rants in his report, including:

No, Trump isnt the only president ever to end a war.

No, Trump hasnt ended eight wars.

No, the reason Russia failed to take Kyiv in 2022 wasnt that a general decided to use mud routes instead of highways.

No, Obama didnt merely give Ukraine bedsheets.

No, the 2020 election wasnt rigged.

No, the US government revenue from tariffs on Chinese products isnt paid by China.

No, Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono didnt propose building a tunnel or railroad to Hawaii from the US mainland.

Watch above via CNN.

The post CNN Fact-Checker Torpedoes Bonkers Trump Attack From Falsehood-Riddled Oval Office Event  And 6 Other Doozies first appeared on Mediaite.
The coalitions rise is surprising, as last weeks poll showed Ben-Gvir and Smotrichs parties falling sharply due to their opposition to the Trump Peace Plan.

The return of all living Gaza hostages from Hamas captivity and the remains of several killed hostages has strengthened Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition by four seats, according to a poll by Maariv published on Friday.

The coalitions strengthening stems from the fact that the Religious Zionist Party passed the electoral threshold this week. Following these shifts, the coalition bloc now holds 52 seats, compared to 58 seats for the opposition, and an additional 10 seats for the Arab parties.

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The poll showed that Yesh Atid weakened by three seats this week, dropping to seven, erasing the seats it had gained last week. Gadi Eisenkots Yashar Party dropped by two seats, falling to six. Balad (1.9%) and Blue and White (2.6%) did not pass the electoral threshold.

Smotrich previously failed to pass electoral threshold

The coalitions rise is surprising, as last weeks poll showed two parties within the bloc - Itamar Ben-Gvirs Otzma Yehudit and Bezalel Smotrichs Religious Zionist Party - falling sharply due to their opposition to the Trump Peace Plan.

Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich attend a plenum session on forming the government, in the Israeli parliament, on December 29, 2022. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Mixed emotions on this complicated morning: immense joy at the return of all our kidnapped brothers! Smotrich said after the deal was signed.

Gratitude for having led the opposition to partial deals that would have left at least half of them to rot in the enemys tunnels, and for insisting on continuing the war until all its goals were fully achieved, a demand that led to progress in conquering Gaza and applying the military pressure that forced Hamas to fold.

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While Smotrich did not threaten to withdraw from the government, he made it clear that all options are on the table.

Smotrich insisted that the deal could not be hostages in exchange for halting the war, and that Israel must ensure that Hamas is eliminated from Gaza.

There will be no Hamas in Gaza, there will be no threat to Israelis from Gaza for decades to come, and it is important to say as well, there will be Jewish settlement in Gaza, because without long-term settlement there is no security, he said.
Women's health startup Tia just slashed about 23% of its workforce, Business Insider has learned.

CEO Felicity Yost told employees that Tia got feedback in a recent fundraise that led to the cuts.

In-person healthcare clinics, like those Tia operates, have proven difficult to sustain financially.

Women's health startup Tia has slashed about 23% of its staff, Business Insider has learned.

The company, which provides in-person and virtual care tailored to women, cut 27% of its corporate team, or 17 people; 22% of its providers, or 27 people; and 23% of its field support team, or 28 people, according to an email to employees sent Monday evening by Tia CEO Felicity Yost.

Tia's layoffs show how even buzzy, well-funded startups are being forced to reckon with healthcare's economic pressures against venture capital's growth expectations. Once a rising star backed by Melinda French Gates, Tia is now under pressure to prove that its hybrid model of tech-enabled women's clinics can actually turn a profit.

The demise of similar healthcare startups like former Silicon Valley darling Forward has shown how hard tech-enabled healthcare can be to scale; even Amazon owned-health clinic company One Medical has struggled with profitability.

Tia confirmed the layoffs in a statement to Business Insider.

Tia operates as a one-stop healthcare shop for women, providing services from gynecology and primary care to mental healthcare, with options for in-person and virtual care. The startup runs 11 clinics, according to its website, including six locations in Los Angeles, two in New York City, one in San Francisco, and two in Arizona.

Yost told employees in her email that the layoffs were a response to feedback Tia received in a recent fundraise. Yost said Tia sought that funding after its business's underperformance meant Tia would not be able to reach profitability without more cash.

The feedback from the fundraise "required us to rethink our business in the current economic and policy climate, which is one that prizes cost and profit-consciousness," Yost said in her email. "We must manage towards a faster timeline to be corporate-level profitable than we previously contemplated."

"Tia has seen strong growth, particularly in membership, which has outpaced our expectations for 2025. At the same time, we're facing ongoing structural challenges impacting the broader care delivery sector, such as cost pressures from rising labor rates and tighter reimbursement rates, which require us to be more disciplined in our operations," a Tia spokesperson said in a statement to Business Insider.
Indian soft drink giant Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages launched an investigation after an airline passenger found pieces of metal in their Coke can.

What happened?

As Hindustan Times reported, a co-passenger allegedly witnessed the man drink the Coke and later complained to crew members of "discomfort," which he attributed to the foreign metal objects in the can.

"The airline then alerted Pune airport authorities, where an ambulance was arranged. The passenger underwent X-rays and other medical examinations in a hospital after landing, but no foreign object was detected, and he was subsequently discharged," SpiceJet airline said in a statement, according to The Indian Express.

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The airline said it serves all canned drinks sealed, leaving it to passengers to open them unless they need assistance. SpiceJet agreed to cover all the passengers' medical expenses and arranged for staff members to stay with the man during treatment.

Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages said it is looking into the incident to find out how the metal pieces ended up in the can.

"We are informed of an incident involving one of our beverages and we are in touch with the concerned consumer and continue to cooperate with the consumer. We are working with all relevant stakeholders to assess the facts," the beverage company said, per the Express.

Why is the incident involving Coca-Cola concerning?

The man could have suffered serious injuries, or worse, considering he consumed the beverage on a plane and no doctor was on board to treat him. While it was generous of the airline to pay for the man's medical bills, the industry as a whole operates on razor-thin profit margins, making it a challenge to incur any extra expenses. That's especially true for SpiceJet, an economy-class, low-cost airline that reported its first annual profit in seven years recently, per The Economic Times.

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Aside from the safety and financial concerns of a passenger finding metal in their drink, it doesn't bode well for Coca-Cola's image and brand loyalty, either. Its drinks have faced three recalls for foreign object contamination in the last two years. More recently, the Food and Drug Administration issued a Class 2 recall of 864 units of Coca-Cola 12-packs, which totaled more than 10,000 cans, because of possible plastic contamination, per People.

In 2023, the soft drink giant announced two recalls  one for Minute Maid juice cartons and the other for some canned 12-ounce drinks, including Coca-Cola and Sprite  because of the risk of foreign material contamination, including washers and bolts, according to WSLS.

The company has also made headlines for being the world's worst plastic polluter for five years in a row, though it's taken steps to clean up its act recently. Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages, a Philadelphia-based bottling company, switched from plastic rings to paper packaging for some products. Coca-Cola Consolidated, the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the nation, is working to reduce plastic waste at high-traffic locations like theme parks and stadiums.

These are undoubtedly steps in the right direction, but the recent incident may hinder that progress, especially if a recall must be issued if more consumers find metal in their drinks.

What's being done to address the situation?

As the news outlets stated, Coca-Cola is investigating the incident and will hopefully find the cause of the contamination. Aside from this, the company is turning to artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies to optimize its operations and improve sustainability. Perhaps these efforts can reduce manufacturing errors and make contamination much less likely in the future.

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Individually, it's important to keep informed about irresponsible corporate policies or actions and support companies that adopt eco-friendly practices. By using your purchasing power for good, you can show businesses that going green is a win for their bottom lines and the planet.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, left, stands with Gov. Jared Polis, center, as Colorado officials urge the U.S. Supreme Court to reject a case from Nebraska that concerns an interstate clash over South Platte River water, on Oct. 15, 2025, in Denver. (Courtesy of Gov. Jared Polis on X)

Colorado officials told the U.S. Supreme Court this week that any assertions it is violating the water rights of eastern neighbor Nebraska under a century-old compact are unripe and premature.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and his office wrote in a 42-page filing that Nebraska, like every western state, wants more water. However, Colorado officials said the interstate South Platte River Compact, enacted in 1923, doesnt give Nebraska the water rights the Cornhusker State claimed when it submitted a complaint in mid-July.

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The legal response largely denies Nebraskas claims as speculative and that while there might be a controversy for the high court to resolve one day, it isnt now.

The Supreme Court need not take a case that would put the court and the parties on a long, time-intensive and expensive path that might well, in the end, put the states right back where they were before Nebraska filed their proposed complaint, Weiser said in a statement.

Even if the court decides to take up part or all of Nebraskas case, Im confident that we will win on the merits, Weister continued. Both the facts and the law are on our side.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers said they remain undeterred by Colorados arguments. Hilgers said his office is reviewing Colorados brief and will respond.

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The U.S. Supreme Court will still need to decide whether to take up the case. If it proceeds, it could take years before justices hear oral arguments or issue an opinion.

Nebraska looks forward to enforcing its water rights under this critical compact in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Hilgers said.

Nebraska rights questioned

Among the biggest points of contention is what rights Nebraska has during and outside of the irrigation season listed in the South Platte River Compact. Former Gov. Pete Ricketts, now a Republican U.S. senator, revived the century-old multi-state agreement in 2022, a year the country faced widespread, long-term drought conditions. Pillen has continued to carry the torch for it, and Hilgers was speaker of the Nebraska Legislature in 2022.

Drought conditions in 2022 dried up the flows in the South Platte River east of Ogallala, near Roscoe. Portions of the Platte River near Columbus ran dry this summer for a time. (Courtesy of the Nebraska Governors Office)

Under the compact, Nebraska has the right to 120 cubic feet of water per second during the irrigation season (April 1 to Oct. 15). Nebraska would have a right to 500 cubic feet of water per second at other times of the year, but only if it builds a canal in Colorado to let it capture and transport such water for irrigation.

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The South Platte River originates in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, continuing to Nebraska.

Nebraska state lawmakers have appropriated more than $600 million in taxpayer dollars to build the Perkins County Canal. Those Nebraska tax dollars are meant to build a canal that could divert up to 1,000 cubic feet of water per second in above-average water years, higher than the 500 cfs the state is entitled to under the compact. Some Democratic state lawmakers have repeatedly sought to scale back the projects costs.

Nebraska officials assert that the state has the right to a minimum of 120 cfs of water during the irrigation season. The compact explicitly gives Nebraska a priority of 120 cfs of water in the Lower Section of the South Platte River during irrigation season. It prohibits Colorado from diverting any Lower Section water, unless those water users predate July 14, 1897.

Then-Gov. Pete Ricketts, center left, joined other state officials in an unannounced visit in September 2022 to the area of the proposed Perkins County Canal. Center right is then-Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature Mike Hilgers, now attorney general for Nebraska. (Courtesy of Nebraska Governors Office)

Colorado says the compact guarantees a place in line for 120 cfs if there are no older, or senior, water users that need the flows downstream from the Upper Section of the river.

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If it is not available from shutting off, or curtailing, junior water users, Colorado is under no obligation to find water elsewhere, the Colorado filing states.

Colorado officials wrote that Nebraska alleges few, if any facts, that Colorado is harming Nebraska in the irrigation season but that if there are issues, the states might be able to resolve them together first.

The states had been meeting at least sporadically the past couple of years to address water concerns. Colorado criticized Nebraska for filing the lawsuit three weeks before a meeting between the states scheduled for August.

Colorado noted Nebraska is still in the very early stages of canal construction on Aug. 13, selecting a contractor for an extensive environmental review for permitting, and on Oct. 1, holding the first informational session with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Work on the Perkins County Canal near Ovid, Colorado, began in 1894, but the project halted after running out of money. (Courtesy of the Perkins County Historical Society)

Day in court

The interstate compact stands out in part because it gives Nebraska the power to condemn and seize land in a neighboring state if needed. Colorado estimated Nebraskas project would need to secure land rights from about 30 owners. Nebraska has not yet pursued legal action but was in contact with six landowners earlier this year when negotiations fell through.

State Sens. Loren Lippincott, Steve Erdman, Brian Hardin, Teresa Ibach and Robert Dover joined Gov. Jim Pillen, at center right, and Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly, at right, for a tour of water resources on April 29, 2023. (Courtesy of State Sen. Teresa Ibach)

Colorado officials said that if Nebraska overreaches the state will fight to protect its people and water.

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Holding Nebraska to the contours of the rights prescribed by the compact is not interference, the Colorado filing states.

Pillen this week again blamed Colorado. He said that as the Denver metropolis has grown, the Centennial State has shirked its water obligations and hurt Nebraska ag producers.

I have faith in AG Hilgers leadership in this case, and Nebraska looks forward to having its day in court, Pillen said.

In July, Pillen said he had not discussed the lawsuit or canal with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis. Pillen said the two do not agree one iota, and theres no sense in further conversations.

A meritless lawsuit

Colorado officials counter that Nebraska has no remedy under the compact to the Upper Section of the South Platte River, including any development. The response brief says Nebraska is essentially asking for an advisory opinion on the pros and cons of building a canal that could possibly be used to renegotiate the compact.

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While the two states appear to be at an impasse and are led by opposing political parties  Democrats to the west, Republicans to the east  Polis invoked a phrase that Pillen has often used: Water is the lifeblood of our state.

Polis said his state has always faithfully honored its century-old compact with Nebraska and all other water agreements with its downstream states. He said Colorado would continue to do so.

Said Polis: We refuse to sit idly by while Nebraska chases a meritless lawsuit that threatens Colorados precious water resources, our robust agriculture industry and our rural communities in Northeastern Colorado.

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Army Maj. Gen. Laura Clellan is retiring as Colorado National Guard adjutant general. She's seen here at the National Guard Adjutants General conference at the Colorado National Guards 168th Regional Training Site at Fort Carson last year. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Zach Sheely)

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Laura Clellan will retire from her post as adjutant general of Colorado on Saturday with a ceremony that passes the responsibility of heading the states National Guard over to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert Davis.

Clellan was appointed to the job in July 2020 by Gov. Jared Polis. Colorados National Guard comprises about 5,500 citizen soldiers and airmen who commit one weekend per month to train for missions, such as responses to natural disasters and military operations around the world. The guard holds both state and federal missions.

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Colorado Newsline interviewed Clellan at guard headquarters in Centennial during the week ahead of her retirement. As readers will see toward the end of this interview, Clellan declined to discuss political topics, including President Donald Trumps recent deployment of guard units from other states to American cities.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Colorado Newsline: Why retire now? What led to this decision?

Laura Clellan: Its been in my plan, actually, but it just so happens that its crazy times, which I never expected. I initially told the governor three years when I came on in 2020, and I kind of thought that Id go back to my job in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, because I loved working there. And then he asked me when he was reelected if I would stay, and I said Yeah, you know, Im having a blast.

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This is a great job, and I feel like Im making a difference. And so I stayed another year, and I started thinking and looking across the bench of officers that were ready to compete for this job, realizing that I needed to have a plan to move out so that they could have a chance. And so thats why I chose this year. Last summer, I knew that this would be the year. I wanted to make sure that I had a good bench of people that were able to compete for this job.

So you made the decision last summer, not knowing that things would be a bit chaotic with the (federal government) shutdown.

I made the decision that this would be the year. I didnt necessarily know it was going to be October. Turns out, maybe October wasnt the best month.

How is the shutdown making things chaotic?

Weve got over 600 people working without getting paid right now. And then we have guard members drilling or planning on drilling that wont get paid unless (Congress) actually frees up some money. I know theyre working on it, but thats a hard pill to swallow, especially for a part-time force to say, Hey, come in and drill this weekend. Take time away from your family, but youre not going to get a paycheck, and we dont know when youre going to get it. The stress on the people of the organization is hard and so were trying to make this as easy as possible.

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At the end of the day, people wear this uniform and they come to work here even as civilians, because they're mission driven and they care about the mission. Its a testament to the people of this organization.

 Maj. Gen. Laura Clellan, adjutant general of Colorado

When you reflect on your time as head of the National Guard, what were some of your biggest moments of challenge?

I came in right in the middle of COVID-19 and after the George Floyd Black Lives Matter protest, which the guard was called in for right before I got there, and the tempo of operations was really high. We were already in the middle of helping with the COVID response, and that just continued to increase.

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And five years ago today, we were also dealing with some of the largest wildfires weve seen with the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires. Those were in October 2020 and we were called up for that.

We just continued this high tempo of supporting domestic operations, but we were also deploying folks overseas to help with operations in the Middle East. It was just such a busy time, and that was the most challenging part.

We were dipping in and out of virtual work and trying to keep everyone safe, and when I think about that timeframe, it was so stressful for the workforce. And then throw on top of that the vaccine mandate, and the stress with people who didnt want to get it and refused to get it. It was a very challenging time, and most of it was just because of the stress on the people part of the workforce, but we were also continuing to meet every mission, and we didnt miss a beat.

What do you think contributed to your ability to just hit the ground running like that?

At the end of the day, people wear this uniform and they come to work here even as civilians, because theyre mission driven and they care about the mission. Its a testament to the people of this organization. I think we tend to be a little bit more resilient as well. Theres a lot of stress in the military, I think, compared to the general population, so we can manage through stress a little bit easier.

When you think back to the COVID response, and especially vaccine deployment in 2021, what sticks out to you as challenges and successes?

The govs office asked us for help, and we gave them some individuals that could help with operations and planning. We gave them some really good planners. I gave up one of my general officers to go head the task force for the vaccine when they rolled that out. Thats something that were really proud of  we know how to do operations and planning, so we put a lot of talent down at the governors office, and I think that they really appreciated it, and I think it just helped build that relationship between our agency and the governors staff.

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I met a few folks that volunteered the whole time, which was 840 or so days. We ran most of our missions on volunteers. There were a couple of times where we had to surge and actually call up a unit, like right during the Marshall Fire. We called up our response force for the Marshall Fire, and at the same time, we were on the phone talking to the governor about calling up 200 more people for this ramp-up and testing because COVID hit a wave at the same time, in January 2022.

Aboard a Colorado National Guard helicopter with Gov. Jared Polis, then-Brig. Gen. Laura Clellan, adjutant general of Colorado, toured the Marshall Fire area on Dec. 31, 2021. (Hart Van Denburg/CPR, pool)

How do you stay focused during dual crises like that and not allow that to be overwhelming?

My past deployments and my past experience helped. Many of us have deployed overseas several times, and those are sometimes life or death situations. Our most stressful time here wasnt as stressful as my time in Afghanistan, if that puts it into perspective.

What would you single out as your biggest success over your five years?

I came in and the Army was really focused on people and culture, because of the murder of Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood. The army was really focused on getting rid of toxic behavior, of sexual assault and racial harassment. So it was really easy for me to come in and just continue that work, and really bring the organization to a point where we were intentionally working on the culture of our organization.

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We started a process where we took a survey tool that was out there for us to use, but we just didnt use it very often, and we decided to use it sort of like a Gallup survey. Its about the process of getting feedback, leaders taking that feedback, using it to make improvements and then rechecking with follow-ups.

Editors note: Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old United States Army soldier, was killed at Fort Hood in April 2020. Another soldier who authorities believed killed her died by suicide before he could be prosecuted. Guillen had told friends and family that she was sexually harassed by a superior, but she did not report it officially.

What did you learn from that initial survey?

We had our own share of sexually-harassing behavior and racially-harassing behavior. We also had some feedback that said our frontline supervisors were pretty good. Those were some of the trends.

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Then at the lowest leader level, we tried to get after addressing that feedback. So, it wasnt me addressing it as much as it was leaders. I said, Use this feedback from your people and do something with it, and then tell them what youre doing and have them be part of it.

It took a couple of years for us to really get leaders to buy into that process, but then the military writ large started using the same survey and basically mandating the same process that we instituted. So now its operationalized, and were still using it.

I would say for the most part  were not 100% there  but for the most part, our leaders know the benefit of asking for feedback, getting it, and actually doing something with it to make your organization better.

Have there been changes in that sexually- and racially-harassing behavior you mentioned?

Absolutely. Those numbers have dropped significantly over the last five years. After the first two years of working on those feedback comments, we saw a major drop in those behaviors.

Can you pinpoint a reason for that decline?

It was policy change, but it was also asking for soldiers and airmen to help address the issues. Commanders did these sensing sessions and working groups, and so a lot of the actions that were taken were recommendations from the soldiers and airmen themselves.

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People felt heard. I think also when you talk about these things, and when leaders understand that these things are going on within their work groups, then every leader at every level can start really looking out for those issues and be more aware of it.

People have to understand that first and foremost, the National Guard are Coloradans  they're neighbors, they're teachers, they're lawyers, they're doctors, they're dentists. They're construction workers and handymen and college students. Were from the community.

 Maj. Gen. Laura Clellan, adjutant general of Colorado

So its a transparency focus?

Absolutely. And what I saw at my level was that we started getting lower on these issues. One of the other things that we did at the organizational level was we took everybody that was focused on people  so behavioral health, chaplains, the prevention workforce, domestic violence prevention, suicide prevention, sexual assault prevention, financial health, family support programs  we took all of those people that were spread out across the organization and put them under one umbrella. We call it our resiliency directorate, and its paid huge dividends. A couple other states had done it, so we found out their best practices and then did it ourselves. Its been huge.

What do you wish the average Coloradan understood about the National Guard?

People have to understand that first and foremost, the National Guard are Coloradans  theyre neighbors, theyre teachers, theyre lawyers, theyre doctors, theyre dentists. Theyre construction workers and handymen and college students. Were from the community.

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I like to say that the National Guard is not the job for most people that pay the mortgage. Its a part-time job.

The number one reason we exist, first and foremost, is to fight and win the nations wars. Were a military entity, and we deploy right alongside the active duty. The unique thing about the National Guard, though, is that we also have the ability to support our community and our state. The active duty doesnt do that. So in times of disasters, floods, fires, COVID, snow, storms  you name it  were there.

Maj. Gen. Robert Davis, then a colonel, left, shakes hands with Maj. Gen. Laura L. Clellan, then a brigadier general, right, during a ceremony at Fort Carson, Colorado, on Oct. 21, 2017. Davis will succeed Clellan as adjutant general of Colorado. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Ashley Low/ Public domain

What do you hope the incoming adjutant general continues from your leadership?

The main thing is just the focus on people and what we have built, as far as the culture weve worked hard on with the survey process and getting commanders really involved in understanding that they can contribute to their culture. People want to be part of an organization because they like the organization, that theres a sense of belonging and theres a mission and a purpose, right? And I know General Davis coming in will absolutely continue that focus.

What are you looking forward to in retirement?

I love to be on my bicycle, so I plan to get reacquainted with my bicycles, plural. Id like to snowboard during the week and avoid traffic. And Ive got two dogs that love to go hiking and snowshoeing.

I understand that you dont want to answer any political questions, but I want to give you an opportunity to respond to the politicized nature of the National Guard and how thats impacted your tenure and your leadership.

As somebody who wears a uniform, we have to remain nonpartisan. The National Guard has a homeland, domestic mission for sure, and youve seen how weve been used in the past  floods, fires, crises  and I hope that use continues.

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(Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)

In Colorado, the Colorado Schools Fund, is quietly playing a pivotal role in shaping not just the charter school movement but also the narrative, policy environment and political groundwork required for wider public acceptance of vouchers. By combining capital, ideological goals, local legitimacy and policy levers, CSF and its allies are constructing a strategic message enabling market-based education reform to become the default solution for failing public schools.

In 2024, the CSF launched with $50 million in philanthropic backing. It is using these funds to partner with communities to open outstanding new schools.

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After backing nine new charter schools and two microschools, it now plans to fund 25 more and implement a two-year fellowship program to train future charter school founders.

On its surface, the initiative looks like another investment in education innovation. But behind its messaging is a decades-long campaign by powerful business and political elites to weaken traditional public schools and replace them with a mix of charter schools, microschools, and, eventually, private school vouchers.

Whos behind the fund

The funds leadership and board members tell the story. Founding board chair Jill Anschutz, director with the Anschutz Foundation, brings both money and commitment to the project. The Anschutz family, led by billionaire Philip Anschutz, the richest man in Colorado, has been one of the most influential conservative philanthropic forces in the country, underwriting everything from religious causes to free-market education reforms. Jill Anschutz serves on the Charter Schools Institute board, a state agency that authorized 45 charter schools, sometimes in school districts whose elected boards objected to their authorization.

Joining Anschutz on the funds board is Darryl Cobb, president of the Charter School Growth Fund. For nearly two decades, CSGF has been a major player in using over $600 million in philanthropic assets to scale charter school networks across the country, including DSST, Rocky Mountain Prep, James Irwin, and Third Future schools in Colorado. Its mission is to fund schools in underserved communities with limited access to high quality schools.

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Also on the board is Hanna Skandera, CEO of the Daniels Fund. The conservative-leaning Daniels Fund is explicitly committed to expanding competition and school choice through high-performing charter schools and private schools, tuition assistance/portable voucher programs, and other innovative market-driven education initiatives.

In 2023, the Daniels Fund set a goal of adding 100,000 new charter, private, or religious seats in four states including Colorado by 2030. Luke Ragland is the Daniels Funds senior vice president of grants, and also a board member with Ready Colorado, one of the organizations that supported a Colorado voucher amendment last year.

The fourth CSF board member, Rosemary Rodriguez, is a former Denver City Council member and former Denver Public Schools board member during the heyday of the pro-charter reform era. She serves on boards of the Gates Foundation, the Colorado League of Charter Schools, and Educate Denver.

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Rodriguezs involvement as co-leader of Educate Denver connects the CSF within Denver politics and expands the broader networks goals. Formed in 2022 and backed by business elites like oil executive Bruce Benson, Educate Denver has pushed the narrative that DPS students are failing, framing innovation and charter growth as the only path forward, despite lacking any definitive evidence that charters outperform traditional schools overall. For more than a decade, Benson and Anschutz have poured substantial funds into pro-charter DPS school board candidates, contributing another $60,000 in the current election cycle.

Failing schools narrative ignores inequality

Lydia Hoffman, the CSFs CEO, outlined the CSF playbook in a recent presentation at the New Schools Summit in March 2025, organized by the New Schools Venture Fund, a multi-million-dollar organization investing in charter schools for nearly three decades. In the publication Charter Folk, Hoffman insisted new schools were necessary because Colorado has 30-point proficiency gaps between our low-income students and their peers.

Hoffmans argument ignores decades of research showing that poverty, not school design, is the central driver of achievement gaps. Instead of addressing inequities in housing, health care and funding, CSF highlights test-score disparities.

This failure rhetoric aligns perfectly with the education desert legislation advanced last spring by Colorados Senate President James Coleman, a leading member of Educate Denver. Coleman considered proposing legislation to allow the Charter School Institute to open new charter schools in school districts labeled as education deserts, justifying this plan by asserting the districts lacked high quality schools. Coleman delayed introducing the legislation to secure funding from advocacy groups. Together, these political and philanthropic efforts by CSF and groups like Educate Denver create the impression of a crisis in Colorado and the justification for privatized solutions.

Vouchers, the next frontier

The danger of this multi-million-dollar game plan is clear. While framed as opportunity, the strategy effectively drains resources and legitimacy from public schools. By branding existing schools as broken, these groups make it easier to argue for charters and microschools today, and vouchers for private schools tomorrow. The Daniels Funds explicit voucher ambitions are a glimpse of what lies ahead: Once enough parents buy into the idea that public schools cannot be fixed, the political stage will be set for taxpayer-funded private school access.

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Tying these efforts to the national picture makes the trajectory even more concerning. The Trump administration passed a federal voucher bill in July and has framed public education as a monopoly in need of disruption. This federal push for vouchers to use as tax credits for private or religious schools is part of a broader national agenda championed by pro-privatization groups.

Whats at stake for Colorado

The historical influence of figures like Philip Anschutz, Bruce Benson and the Daniels Fund reveals this as a long game, not a sudden shift. For decades, billionaires and corporate investors have promoted policies and funded organizations that weaken public school systems while elevating market-based alternatives. The Colorado Schools Fund is simply the latest, well-financed group furthering that agenda.

For Colorado families, the stakes could not be higher. At risk is not just the funding of local schools but the very idea of education as a public good. The push to replace public education with a patchwork of privately run models may be sold as innovation, but its long-term effects could be devastating, creating steeper inequities, splintering communities and eroding the democratic foundation of public schooling.

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(COLORADO SPRINGS)  After being gravely injured in the line of duty, Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) K9 Roam has been working on sitting up and taking some steps, after making it through several hours of surgery, according to the latest update.

Heroic CSPD K9 Roam pulls through surgery, wags tail after stabbing

CSPD posted to its Facebook page on Friday, Oct. 17, and shared a photo of K9 Roam with the team at Animal ER Care by his side.

Courtesy: CSPD

First and foremost, we want to thank the incredible team at Animal ER Care on North Nevada for the amazing care for Roam. This week also happens to be Veterinary Technician Appreciation Week. And while our vet teams take great care of our dogs all the time, it is in these unexpected and trying times that we feel that gratitude even more. Thank you so much to those who have been caring for Roam and ultimately saving his life. Your skill, kindness, and compassion for our dogs and our department is unmatched, CSPD wrote.

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CSPD also thanked the community for its support. There have been so many offers for donations, thoughts and prayers, and words of encouragement, the post read. We cannot thank you enough.

Courtesy: Colorado Springs Police Department Courtesy: Colorado Springs Police Department Courtesy: Colorado Springs Police Department Courtesy: Colorado Springs Police Department K9 Roam. Courtesy: Colorado Springs Police Department K9 Roam. Courtesy: Colorado Springs Police Department K9 Roam. Courtesy: Colorado Springs Police Department

On Wednesday, Oct. 15, CSPD responded to a domestic violence protection order violation involving 37-year-old Anthony Bryant. After multiple failed attempts to get Bryant to surrender, K9 Roam was deployed, and Bryant allegedly stabbed Roam at least three times. Bryant was taken into custody after the use of a chemical irritant and a taser, according to CSPD.

Donations to K9 Roams care can be made on the Police Foundation of Colorado Springs website. The nonprofit explained that people can write Roam in the instructions line to ensure donations go directly to his care.

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Fort Carson active duty sergeant accused of stabbing CSPD K9 Roam

The police department said Roam still has some tough days ahead, but remains optimistic about his recovery. We ask that you continue to keep Roam and his handlers in your thoughts.

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 FOX21 News Colorado.
This week on Columbus Business Beat, Digital Anchor Rachel Ramsey talks to Mark Somerson, Managing Editor of Columbus Business First, about business news across central Ohio.

To watch this weeks episode, view the video player above.

Smith & Wollensky abandons its plan to return to Columbus

Galaxy at Polaris development opens first phase

Roosters reopening Olentangy River Road in a few weeks

Taking a look Central Ohios $1M housing market

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Digital reporters David Rees and Ava Boldizar also discuss some of their business stories in this latest episode.

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POWELL, Ohio (WCMH)  The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and AEP Ohio are celebrating a significant milestone together in their trim and treat partnership.

The partnership is where AEP cuts down trees to keep them away from power lines and then donates those trimmings to the zoo and The Wilds.

On Thursday, AEPs latest delivery marked more than 1 million feet of tree trimmings to the zoo.

Well, if we are not able to have AEP deliver, we would just not be able to deliver as much browse, Columbus zoo browse horticulturist Ann Lokai-Owens said. We still harvest browse off grounds, but with them bringing the browse to us, that allows us to distribute a lot more browse to the animals.

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Each week, the zoo uses approximately 19,000 linear feet of browse  fresh, leafy tree trimmings  for its animals, and AEP Ohio provides 5,000 to 9,000 feet of it.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
The video is slightly absurdist. Three ICE agents, clad in full tactical camouflage with their faces covered by black masks, seize a man dressed in a fuzzy giraffe onesie singing an anti-ICE cover of Rod Stewarts Da Ya Think Im Sexy? The backing track abruptly cuts out as two agents restrain his arms, while a third points a pepperball gun at other protesters, some wearing inflatable shark and frog suits. The mans little giraffe tail sways as hes dragged across a wide blue line on the pavement that reads GOVERNMENT PROPERTY: DO NOT CROSS, and into Portland, Oregons ICE field office.

The man is Rob Potylo  a.k.a. Robby Roadsteamer  a progressive comedian and musician who has gained a cult following for his raunchy anti-Trump, anti-ICE parodies, which he performs at protests across the country, including in Los Angeles after Trump sent the National Guard into the city earlier this year..

In the minutes and hours before his arrest in Portland, Potylo had been serenading the ICE agents and police officers around the facility with lyrics like: Fuck I.C.E. (to the tune of Y.M.C.A.), What was the name of the plane / The one Trump flew with Epstein (to the the tune of The Doors Touch Me), and If you hate brown people / And you are a Nazi / Come one ICE (to the tune of Da Ya Think Im Sexy?).

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I get a little Voodoo Donuts. I go over there, and Im ready, Potylo tells Rolling Stone. I have like, eight songs. I treat it like Nirvana: Unplugged man.

On Wednesday, as he taunted what he referred to as ICE snipers who were watching the protesters from the roof of the building, Potylo was repeatedly shot with pepper balls. They start trying to tee off on me with pepper shots, the snipers, and its like Apocalypse Now, he recalls of the interactions that were captured on video by other protesters. Couple minutes later, the snipers retreat, and I just do my thing again, and now all of a sudden, three ICE agents and army fatigues and rifles come right up [] they grab me and they pull me into the detainment tank like a Maximus from Gladiator.

Im not even past a blue line, the line they claim youre not supposed to cross because youll be on federal property, he adds. Im clearly not even nearer than shit.

Potylo was taken to a holding area  this little detainment thing, like a cell in Guantanamo but for these guys  where he says DHS and ICE agents started removing everything, my amp, my microphones, they wanted the [giraffe] onesie.

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They start asking me questions and stuff: Whats your name? You do this for a living? Some of them knew my career, which was weird, Potylo recalled. One of them starts to play bad cop, and he says, Were going to bring you up on trespassing charges. And while they were searching me, unfortunately, they found two joints.

Recreational weed is legal in Oregon, with the exception of possession and use on federal property. But in Potylos view, he didnt bring the drugs into the office, they were dragged in along with him.

I felt like The Big Lebowski, Were going to get you on the joints. Im like, get me on the joints? Youre the guys who pulled me over the line. You brought the joints in here, he laughs.

At a certain point, Potylo says he fell back into character, joking with the officers about what methods of torture they would use against him. Im just like, So what are you guys gonna do first? You gonna use the hose? You gonna use the line? You gonna get up to the second knuckle? Im ready. And they start cracking up.

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I start getting more comfortable. [Asking] what are you guys going to detain me for? Like, really, lets be honest. Im singing  Trump was on the plane. He was chasing around young girls, and they start cracking up more, Potylo adds.

The Department of Homeland Security  which under Trump has made a habit of overcharging and overstating the actions of protesters it attempts to make an example of  said in a statement to The Boston Globe that video of the arrest was deceptively clipped, desribing Potylo as an attention starved influencer who flew all the way from Massachusetts to trespass on federal property. Three times law enforcement officers told him to back up and step off federal property. He continued to disobey law enforcement and moved further on to federal property. Officers continued to warn him to back up. Following his repeated refusal to listen to law enforcement, he was placed under arrest.

Potylo left the ICE facility with nothing more than a citation for failure to obey an officer of the law, which will require him to return to Portland at some future date. He says he plans to sue the living, holy hell out of that whole establishment, but has also, in the course of his travels around the country, found that whats happening in Portland may be the key to successful protest against Trumps authoritarian power grabs.

We dont need to fight MAGA by out-debating them and being out-angry with them on the facts. We win by making them absurd, because thats what they are, he says. You have to remember Donald Trumps fame, hes the original Vince McMahon from the early 90s.  Winning in debates really isnt as much fun as having a night of dressing up in inflatable costumes, and supporting your friends, and maybe a little bit of a rave. A lot of food, and now maybe Gen Z is excited again, and now maybe we get a bunch of folks on board, because it turns into the Grateful Dead parking lot, and we bring that carnival everywhere.

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And Portland has been a bizarre political carnival in the face of the Trump administrations incursion into the famously progressive city. Hundreds of naked  or close to naked  cyclists joined the ongoing protests on Sunday, in a peaceful display of flesh and outrage that made national headlines. The coalition of demonstrators who have maintained an active presence outside the Portland ICE building have become recognizable for their colorful costumes and party atmosphere. Ive definitely had spicier tamales, Seth Todd  who dons a cartoonish inflatable frog at protests  told The Oregonian of his experience being pepper balled by federal agents.

The irreverence with which protesters have treated the Trump administrations efforts to crack down on the city and frighten its residents is a lesson in models of resistance. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem  ICE glam squad in tow  was forced to stare down a man in a chicken suit in what (one presumes) was intended to be an intimidating photo op of her confronting the rugged, criminal elements of Portlands grungy protest scene. This weekend, millions are expected to take to streets across the country for No Kings demonstrations against the president. Republicans have been falsely casting the protest movement as driven by anti-American terrorists, similar to how Trump has been falsely casting Portland as a hellscape ravaged by crime when in reality the anti-ICE protest movement there is largely festive.

We can pull out Reagan and Bush. We can pull out of Lyndon Johnson, Potylo muses, calling back to past anti-government movements grounded in a sense of community. We can do it again with this guy by romanticizing the scene.

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JEFFERSON  The Ashtabula County Board of Commissioners budget hearings began Thursday afternoon with seven agencies or departments presenting requests for 2026.

The hearings consisted of representatives from Ashtabula County Common Pleas Court, the Ashtabula County Board of Elections, Western County Court, the Northeast Ohio Regional Airport, Ashtabula County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Ashtabula County Ohio State University Extension Office and Ashtabula County Veterans Service Commission.

Ashtabula County Administrator Janet Discher said each entity will have to factor a seven percent increase in healthcare costs into their final budget requests. The county changed insurers after an 18% increase was proposed by their former insurer.

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Ashtabula County Common Pleas Court Administrator Kathleen Thompson said she had budgeted the suggested three percent wage increases for court employees. She said staffing levels are the same.

She also explained how she uses grants, especially in the probation department, to reduce costs for the general fund.

The courts recently finished a change in software Thompson said has been met with positive reviews. She said she works to make sure grants are used when possible.

For example, she said drug testing almost always comes from an outside grant.

We cant thank you enough for getting us to this point, Commissioner Casey Kozlowski said.

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The Ashtabula County Board of Elections presented their budget, asking for increases in precinct location manager pay, but overall the budget would actually decrease by $30,000 Discher said.

The commissioners discussed how the changes in Western County Court will affect the 2026 budget. Western County Court Judge Casey OBrien said there are some costs related to the courts move to Jefferson in September 2026.

The Northeast Ohio Regional Airport presented a budget that would require less support from the commissioners than last year. They requested $327,000 for 2026 compared to $330,000 for 2025, Discher said.

Airport manager Kate Burke-Rosales said increased fuel sales should help improve the airports financial picture, especially with a UH Medical Center helicopter scheduled to be based at the airport.

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The Ashtabula County Soil and Water Conservation District budget was provided by new district manager Suzanne Westlake, and included a new district technician expected to be hired in the near future. A part-time person for the office is also being considered.

The Ashtabula County Ohio State University Extension Office budget proposal was presented by educator Jenna Hoyt, at a rate of $216,000, which is less than a projection earlier this year.

She said the office hopes to hire a part-time family consumer services employee.

Ashtabula County Veterans Service Commission Executive Director Ben Schwartfigure presented a $1,251,965 budget for 2026, which is equal to the 2025 budget.

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Schwartfigure detailed how the new office has affected operations, and reviewed plans for 2026. He said he hopes to bring on a communication specialist in 2026, as well.

We have more travel expenses because we are doing more things, Schwartfigure said of that portion of the budget. He said the new building has increased veteran visits to the office.

One aspect of the budget was greatly reduced, Schwartfigure said.

We reduced equipment exponentially, he said, because all the needed new accoutrements for the renovated building were purchased in 2025.

He said support programs put money directly into the hands of veterans, which then assists the local economy.
DENVER (KDVR)  Residents and business owners in parts of downtown Denver say certain blocks have become increasingly unsafe, with crowds gathering on sidewalks and in intersections  sometimes engaging in what appears to be open drug use.

FOX31 visited several of those areas, including sections of the Ballpark neighborhood and stretches of Colfax Avenue, where people were congregated in large groups.

Denver voters to consider $935M infrastructure bond, flavored tobacco ban

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Mike Johnson, street team director with the Denver Dream Center, said what many are seeing is part of a long-standing cycle.

We call them open-air drug markets because thats where large gatherings populate, Johnson said. They take advantage of our service providers downtown, because we are where all the people that are using the drugs go to.

Johnson said these hotspots have shifted locations over time  moving as enforcement efforts increase.

Theyve been here for years, he said. They used to be over on 22nd and Lawrence, then over 21st and Larimer. Now its by the post office  as we do stuff to get rid of it, they just move around the city.

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The Dream Centers outreach team is on the ground every day, offering food, recovery resources, and referrals to people in need. Johnson says most of the people gathered in these areas are struggling with mental health or addiction.

Almost every one of them is mental health and drug addiction, he said. And it just keeps them out on the streets until sometimes its too late.

Free on Your TV  FOX31+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung

The Denver Police Department told FOX31 it is aware of ongoing narcotics activity in the area and continues working alongside outreach teams to address safety concerns.

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As crews prepared for the Dream Centers weekly Thursday night community dinner, Johnson said volunteers are always needed  and that lasting change will require a combination of enforcement, outreach, and coordination.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Enable: The Disability Podcast hosted a panel discussion at the Community at Work Job Fair featuring tips for getting hired, disability rights, SSI and SSDI benefits, AI in resume screening, job interview questions and more.

WATCH:

Podcast co-hosts Geoff DeafGeoff Herbert and Kurt Hower moderated the event with panelists Matthew DePrimo, Owner and CEO, CareerBridge IT Solutions LLC; Chelsea Vitale, Disability Resource Coordinator, CNY Works, Inc.; and David Devendorf  Director of Employment, AccessCNY. Attendees also got to meet inclusive employers and learn about jobs and careers for people with disabilities and different abilities.

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The Community at Work Job Fair, held Oct. 16, 2025, at CNY Works in Syracuse, N.Y., is presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions in partnership with syracuse.com | The Post-Standard and CNY Works with support from Wegmans.

The Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

Gerardine Mobley, Vice President of Diversity for Advance Local, talks with job seekers at the Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

Matthew DePrimo of Careerbridge I.T. Solutions talks with prospective workers at the Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

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The Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

The Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

Interpreter Sheila Ganglione signs for the audience during a panel discussion at the Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

The Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

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The Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

A packed room listens to a panel discussion on disabilities in the workplace at The Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

The Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

Jason Grasso, a training manager for Page Trucking in Weedsport, NY, talks with prospective job seekers at the Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

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The Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

Jason Kowiatek, talent acquisition specialist for Human Technologies in Utica talks with prospective job seekers at the Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

Sharon Cole, Associate Director of Talent Management at Syracuse University talks to interested job seekers at the Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

A packed room listens to a panel discussion on disabilities in the workplace at the Community at Work Job Fair, presented by CareerBridge IT Solutions October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CNY Works, located at 960 James Street in Syracuse.(N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)

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Enable: The Disability Podcast, which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major audio podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple, Amazon and iHeart.

Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.

About the hosts

Geoff Herbert, who was born with a profound binaural hearing loss, is a reporter, SEO Lead and content supervisor for syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Despite being mostly deaf in both ears, hes also worked as a DJ for 25 years, including 10 years in radio (as DeafGeoff) and 10 years as a wedding DJ in Upstate New York. He learned how to communicate orally with hearing aids, lipreading and speech therapy, and embraces assistive technology like visual waveforms in music programs, closed captioning/subtitles, and video calls.

Kurt Hower, who has worked at Advance Local for over 35 years, is a leader both in the media industry and in the community. He has been actively involved in leading change as the print industry has continued to rapidly evolve, while also serving on a variety of boards including the Central PA Chapter Arthritis Foundation Board of Directors where he was Chairman of Board Development and a member of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. Hower has ankylosing spondylitis, a rare disease that causes arthritis of the spine, and encourages others to focus on what they can contribute to society rather than their challenges.

Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
(NewsNation)  President Donald Trump and members of his administration have argued that protests aimed at opposing his agenda are held by paid actors.

One woman, who calls herself a compensated activist, told NewsNation its more complicated than that. The woman, who went by the pseudonym Tanya for this story, says she works with the firm Crowds on Demand, a company that organizes protests.

Tanya said she helps recruit paid protesters for events the company has been hired for and works with Crowds on Demand CEO Adam Swart to help organize and coordinate events.

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Im watching, Im there, Im making sure everything goes well and everything remains peaceful, and were following the rules and making sure everything is up to par. Thats my job, she said.

GOP senators worry about Trump, Hegseth shutdown moves

Initially, Tanya started out as a paid protester for Swarts company before her role evolved into a more senior position.

So it was like 10 years ago. I was recruited for a protest that I was getting paid to attend. Someone told me about a protest that was going on in Connecticut against racism. And that caught my attention. But what was even more delicious about that situation was you were going to get paid as well, she said.

How much do paid protesters make?

Tanya told NewsNation that the paid protesters for Crowds on Demand are compensated modestly.

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She would not offer a specific amount, instead saying its nominal, adding that a day rate is under $500.

The protesters that we have are being paid modestly. Nothing life-transforming or life-changing, she said.

According to her, pay was not her motivation to protest but rather the cause at hand.

It was because something that I was already doing with my time and energy, and it was just really beneficial that my time and energy was now being paid for, you know, which gave me an opportunity to focus on what I was really passionate about, which is change and freedom and standing up against injustice and changing systems and thats like a dream, Tanya said.

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She continued, I dont know who wouldnt be excited about that; so that was my motivation. I can live here in this country because nothing is free.

Trump refiles New York Times defamation suit after original filing struck down

The compensated activist pushed back on the idea that being paid for protesting undercuts passion for the cause at hand.

I think its a difference if youre paid to push a narrative that you dont believe in because you become a puppet. And that is not what we do, she argued.

How are paid protesters recruited?

Tanya said that to recruit protesters, she goes to places where there is a need, like a college campus.

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Especially like a lot of college students who are already involved in activism, already involved in protests, already standing up for certain causes can be recruited if theyre in alignment with what were doing, she said.

Tanya also says her organization may put out notices to attract activists and find people who are in agreement with a particular narrative.

I cant tell you all of my magic of how I get people, she said.

How many protesters are paid?

Tanya said she believes that at large protests, the majority of protesters are paid.

If Im going to be very honest with you, it would vary depending on the protest. I would say something like these big protests like BLM (Black Lives Matter) or NRA (National Rifle Association), I would say the majority of them are most likely paid. Theyre funded. They have billionaires, nonprofit billionaires that are bankrolling these protests, she said.

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At least one organization pushed back on that claim. Justin Davis, the NRA director of public affairs, told NewsNation in a written statement, The NRA does not use paid protesters.

The Trump administration has pointed to paid protesters as a sign that there are more nefarious groups behind them.

John Bolton, ex-Trump adviser, pleads not guilty to federal charges

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said this week that the upcoming No Kings protest planned for this Saturday is part of the antifascist movement known as antifa.

The No Kings protest, Maria, really frustrating. I mean, this is part of antifa, paid protesters. It begs the question, whos funding it? But, yeah, Democrats want to wait for a big rally of a No Kings protest when the bottom line is, whos running the show in the Senate? Duffy told Fox Business Networks Maria Bartiromo on Mornings with Maria.

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Leah Greenberg, co-founder of the group Indivisible, which is participating in the No Kings protest, responded to Duffys comments on social media, saying, This is what it looks like when youve fully lost control of the message and youre panicking.

NewsNation reached out to organizers of the No Kings protest and Black Lives Matter organizers but did not hear back.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Competency hearing held for man accused of killing firefighter and wife

The competency of Matthew Lanz, accused of murdering a Cherokee County firefighter and his wife, is under review by a Cobb County judge.

Judge Sonja Brown is tasked with determining whether Lanz is mentally fit to stand trial, a decision she expects to make after reviewing extensive testimony over the next two weeks.

Whats your desired outcome? Lanz was asked during a jail interview.

To go to trial and, ultimately, found not guilty and released, he responded.

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Lanz, 26, is charged with the 2021 murders of Justin Hicks, a Cherokee County firefighter, and his wife, Amber, inside their Acworth home.

His trial has been delayed pending a competency evaluation.

During a recent hearing, Lanz discussed his mental health and expressed beliefs that the federal government had set him up.

RELATED STORIES:

A forensic psychologist testified that Lanz suffers from untreated schizophrenia and is not competent to stand trial.

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Prosecutors, however, argue that Lanz is competent, citing evaluations from three other doctors.

Two psychiatrists from Georgia Regional Hospital previously testified that they believe Lanz is fit for trial after a ten-month evaluation.

They testified he had narcissistic traits, which make him difficult to work with  but not incompetent, prosecutor Stephanie Green said.

One psychiatrist noted that nurses became concerned when Lanz began mimicking the behaviors of other patients who were truly psychotic, shortly after being informed of his competency status.

The judges decision on Lanzs competency will determine whether the trial for the alleged murders and other charges can proceed.
The Composers Diversity Collective, this years winners of the World Soundtrack Awards Industry Award, sat down at a panel at the Music Days at Film Fest Ghent to talk about their work and what still needs addressing in terms of diversity within the field.

Members present comprised founder Michael Abels (Get Out) and co-presidents Sandro Morales-Santoro (Venoms Secret Files) and Amritha Vaz (They Charge for the Sun).

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The WSA Industry Award is given in recognition of individuals or organizations whose efforts have made a lasting and meaningful contribution to the film music industry. The CDCs mission is overcome barriers to finding culturally diverse music creators, music supervisors, sound engineers and musicians, to increase our own awareness of each other, and to dispel misconceptions about the stylistic range of any minority composer.

Asked about being this years recipients, Abels said he felt it was a huge honor to be in Ghent. Its courageous of the World Soundtrack Awards to make this statement. We want to be a resource and a community, so having an international profile in any way is absolutely what were about.

Abels recalled the first days of the collective, saying he was thrust into this whole music world after the success of his first-ever score, for Jordan Peeles Oscar-winning Get Out. I would go to events and there werent many people who looked like me and, when there were, we would make eye contact like, I see you, he added. We would say we should hang out, and it often doesnt happen, so we just thought we had to pick a place and a time. We did that, thinking that if we got 10 people, it would be a success, and there were 50 people there. I think it spoke to the need for a community and for us to feel like we were a part of something. It was born out of that spirit of seeking community and representation.

Vaz echoed that thought, saying there was a desire to see ourselves reflected in each other, but the collective was also born from another reality often faced by people of color in the industry: We kept hearing, Oh, wed love to hire a person of color but there just arent any who are composers. This led us to a desire to have a directory, because we would look around and see that there were composers of all kinds of backgrounds who were amazing. It was our motivation to build an awareness of our presence, not just amongst ourselves, but also within the industry.

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Morales-Santoro, an immigrant from Venezuela, recalled feeling like his dream of scoring film was impossible. Then I saw Gustavo Santaolalla, an Argentinian composer, win back-to-back Oscars for incredible scores, and that made me feel like maybe someone like me can actually work in this industry. Now, 20 years later, even with all the work that we do, its still hard to find composers with my background scoring studio films. Its a little sad and disappointing.

An overarching theme in the conversation was the sense of regression felt by composers of color in the last year when it comes to diversity. It seemed to me that in the last 10 years there has been a lot of opportunity for stories outside of the mainstream to get told, said Abels. Now weve seen the culture shifting. I dont think as many projects are getting greenlit. Its not just about the composing community. Its a way of saying, if not overtly, that diversity and inclusion is not as important as we thought it was 10 years ago. Thats really frustrating and sad.

Vaz also added that composers were often left out of diversity and inclusion projects, as they often embraced onscreen representation, with behind-the-scenes roles being an afterthought or not fully considered. Even those [diversity and inclusion] initiatives intentionally seeking out representation like Crazy Rich Asians, the composer was not of Asian descent, she said. Same thing with the Mulan live action. Because were behind the scenes, were not always thought about quite in the same way as people in front of the screen.

Asked about what it feels like to be championing diversity under Trumps government in the U.S., Morales-Santoro called it challenging. The political changes are bringing what feels like a cultural change in the country. But our job and our mission remain the same. We keep fighting for the spaces that weve gained and to make a lasting change that is not up to whoever is in power. Over the last decade, weve managed to get a lot of very talented composers in the industry. You see members like Amanda Jones doing incredible shows like Murderbot and Michael Abels working on Star Wars. Its incredible.

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Theres a recognition on our part that studios have a tendency to avoid risk, which is to a degree understandable because of the budgets at play, he added. When risks are taken and you know budgets are put in the hands of incredible creatives, magic happens. In avoiding risk, what ends up happening is that a very small group of composers gets hired over and over again. The reality is that theres only so much one person can do in one year. When you see the people writing all of that music, you see a lot of diversity. The names that are getting the credit tend to be very uniform, and then theres a lot of diversity underneath.

Vaz added to that thought by saying, studios arent doing anyone any favors. They want the best, they want things to run smoothly, they want you to deliver. Anyone who gets into that position has definitely earned it. I think the concept of a diversity hire is a sort of insidious notion that people who are outside of whatever the mainstream looks like dont deserve to be there. I want to point out that, in terms of numbers, there are so few of us still in TV and film. We still have a long way to go before people are just giving us diversity hires.

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With dozens of Illinois Democrats vying for four open congressional seats next year, at least a half-dozen candidates  including a former U.S. representative mounting a political comeback  have poured six-figure personal loans into their campaigns as they strive to stand out in crowded primary fields, new federal campaign finance filings show.

Former U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean, a moderate Democrat who held Illinois largely northwest suburban 8th Congressional District seat for three terms before losing to a Republican in 2010, joined the 2026 primary Sept. 10, less than three weeks before the latest fundraising deadline.

On Oct. 2, Beans campaign touted over half a million dollars raised in just over two weeks as a sign of the growing momentum behind her campaign. What the news release left out, however, was that more than half of that  $299,000 out of a nearly $531,000 total  came from Bean herself via a personal loan made on the final day of the reporting period covering July through September, according to Federal Election Commission records.

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The timing of Beans loan might be intriguing, but several contenders across the four open congressional districts  the 2nd, 7th, 8th and 9th  also have dug into their own pockets, campaign finance records show, reflecting the high-stakes races created by the coming retirements of two longtime House Democrats and the Senate ambitions of two others. Voters in these deep blue districts will soon decide whether to elevate new voices or, in two cases, restore former members of Congress, Bean in the 8th District and former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in the 2nd District.

As candidates begin filing petition paperwork on Oct. 27 to show they have enough support to secure spots on the March 17 primary ballot, heres a look at how the top candidates in the four congressional districts fared in fundraising over the past three months.

2nd Congressional District

Progressive state Sen. Robert Peters of Chicago and Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller of Lynwood, both Democrats, lead fundraising in the 2nd Congressional District, which represents parts of Chicagos South Side as well as many south suburbs and some areas downstate.

They face former Rep. Jackson, who officially launched his campaign last week to reclaim the seat he held for almost 17 years before resigning amid a corruption probe for which he was later convicted and sent to federal prison. The seat is open again as U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Lynwood runs for retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbins post in the upper chamber.

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Peters raised more than $275,000 last quarter and has $345,000 on hand, while Miller raised slightly less  about $240,000  and has $150,000 left in her campaign bank account.

In his recent campaign launch, Jackson leaned into his status as the son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the famed civil rights leader  and he alluded to what he called self-inflicted pain and suffering in his past.

In a video, Jackson quoted remarks he said his father made at the 1984 Democratic National Convention.

My father said in that speech, If in my low moments in word, deed or attitude  and I might add judgment  through some error of temper, taste or tone, Ive caused anyone discomfort, created pain or revived someones fears, that was not my truest self, Jackson said. The speech went on: Please forgive me.

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Jackson raised just under $100,000 and has approximately half of that amount on hand. The funds reported this month were all contributed prior to his official campaign announcement.

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State Sen. Willie Preston, also of Chicago, and three-term Matteson Village Clerk Yumeka Brown raised five-figure sums each last quarter.

7th Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Danny Davis decision to retire at the end of his current term, which will mark 30 years in Congress, has created an opportunity for a new generation of leadership for the 7th District, which stretches from downtown Chicago through the West Side and into west suburbs such as Oak Park, Hillside and Broadview.

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The 84-year-old Davis is backing longtime state Rep. La Shawn Ford of Chicago to be his successor among a field of at least a dozen contenders. But, so far, Jason Friedman, a political newcomer and former president of the property management and development heavyweight Friedman Properties, has dominated fundraising in the Democratic primary. Friedman, who previously contributed $36,750 to his own campaign, raised more than $416,000 from July through September, records show.

Friedman, who started the last quarter with nearly $906,000 in his campaign bank account, ended it with nearly $1.1 million remaining, more than all other candidates combined.

Another newcomer, Dr. Thomas Fisher, an emergency medicine doctor at the University of Chicago Medical Center and author of The Emergency: A Year of Healing and Heartbreak in a Chicago ER, raised nearly $378,000 during the period and ended with more than $323,000 on hand.

Ford, meanwhile, raised nearly $257,000, including a $100,000 personal loan, and finished the quarter with more than $233,000 in his campaign account.

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Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, who finished a distant second to Davis in 2024s five-way primary, raised more than $225,000 in the previous three months and began October with nearly $224,000. Her 2024 campaign was dogged by allegations of city ethics violations, and she agreed earlier this month to pay the city $30,000 to settle two related cases.

Other candidates who raised more than $100,000 in the third quarter include Richard Boykin, a former cook County Commissioner and Davis chief of staff; Reed Showalter, a former U.S. Department of Justice attorney; Anthony Driver, a union leader and political strategist who previously was president of Chicagos Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability; and Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins, whose village lies within the district.

A recent entrant, whos yet to report receiving any contributions, is activist Kina Collins, who is making her fourth bid for the seat. She finished in third place two years ago after losing to Davis by just 6 percentage points in the 2022 primary.

8th Congressional District

With the $299,000 loan to her campaign, Bean raised the most money in the third quarter among the nine Democrats whove filed federal paperwork to seek the seat five-term U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg is giving up to run for Senate. Bean, who has worked for JPMorgan Chase and financial services firm Mesirow since leaving Congress, began October with just under $497,000 in her campaign account, federal records show.

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When it came to cash on hand, Bean  who received an endorsement Friday from U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, another former occupant of the 8th District seat after she defeated former Rep. Joe Walsh, the Republican who had beaten Bean  still trailed two other candidates.

Junaid Ahmed of Barrington, a tech entrepreneur who unsuccessfully challenged Krishnamoorthi in the 2022 primary, raised a little more than $500,000 from June through September, ending with $660,000 in his campaign fund, the most of any candidate in the race.

Dan Tully, a veteran and lawyer from west suburban Carol Stream, also made large loans to his campaign. He made four personal loans in late September totaling $362,000, records show. Thats on top of $128,500 in loans during the previous quarter. Separately, Tully raised about $68,000 last quarter, and he started the month with nearly $505,000 on hand.

Bean spokeswoman Emily Soong said the campaign is focused on raising the resources necessary to bring her winning message in front of Illinoisans across the 8th District.

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When voters are reminded of Melissas track record of working with President (Barack) Obama to pass Obamacare, she wins, Soong said.

Another Democrat who made a six-figure loan to his campaign was Neil Khot, president and CEO of Schaumburg-based outsourcing firm Rely Services. Khot lent his campaign $120,000 in September in addition to raising nearly $115,000, records show. At the end of September, he had nearly $496,000 remaining in his campaign account.

Two current elected officials running for the seat also had six-figure fundraising totals from July through September.

Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison of Mount Prospect, the first openly LGBTQ member of the County Board, raised more than $199,000 and ended the quarter with more than $201,000 in his campaign fund.

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And Hanover Park Trustee Yasmeen Bankole, a former Durbin staffer whom the retiring senator endorsed in August, raised more than $183,000 and had a little more than $162,000 remaining on hand.

Democrats arent the only ones making large-dollar loans to their campaigns. On the Republican side, Jennifer Davis, who co-founded software firm Davisware with her husband, made a $500,000 loan Sept. 30, three weeks after entering the GOP primary race. Davis raised about $58,000 more and ended the quarter with more than $556,000 in her campaign account.

Also seeking the Republican nomination is Mark Rice, who has also unsuccessfully challenged Krishnamoorthi in the 2024 general election.

9th Congressional District

In the North Side and north suburban 9th Congressional District, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and progressive content creator Kat Abughazaleh lead a crowded field in terms of cash on hand, with both candidates amassing more than $1 million.

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The chance to succeed longtime but retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky has attracted close to 20 hopefuls, and the field has barely been culled heading into the upcoming petition deadline; a dozen candidates reported they raised $25,000 or more between July and September.

Biss, a former state senator and former Democratic primary candidate for governor, and Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old relative newcomer to Illinois who has proven to be a formidable fundraiser, each raised close to the same amount  just over $620,000  last quarter.

Phil Andrew, a former FBI special agent and crisis negotiator, raised more on paper than Biss or Abughazaleh, though he bolstered his numbers with a $200,000 loan to the campaign. Gen Z Skokie School District 73.5 board member Bushra Amiwala and economist Jeff Cohen both cracked well over $400,000 in receipts; however, Cohen was similarly boosted by $200,000 he lent his campaign.

Several members of the Illinois General Assembly also found themselves in the six-figure-raised club: state Sen. Laura Fine of Glenview, state Rep. Hoan Huynh of Chicago and state Sen. Mike Simmons, also of Chicago, as did former federal prosecutor and former strategist at Microsoft Nick Pyati. Army veteran Sam Polan and Cook County Democratic Party Committeeman Bruce Leon each lent themselves six-figure amounts and raised tens of thousands of dollars outside of those loans.

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Biss, Abughazaleh and Amiwala each saw their profiles boosted in recent weeks as they protested at the ICE facility in Broadview, where they were sometimes met with a harsh response from federal officers. Abughazalehs campaign has said specifically that it saw a spike in contributions on a day when a widely viewed video showed a federal agent throwing her to the ground at one of the protests.

All of the highest fundraisers in the heavily Democratic district were Democrats. Software engineer Mark Su raised the most of any Republican, about $5,000.
JOPLIN, Mo.  Missouri U.S. Congressman Eric Burlison is condemning controversial texts made by young Republicans.

I dont know these individuals, but I am absolutely disgusted by the rhetoric in those texts and I want to absolutely disassociate myself completely with any of those sentiments, Burlison said in an interview Friday.

RELATED: Kansas GOP faces scandal over racist, antisemitic messages

Hes talking about thousands of text messages from a Young Republican group chat released in an article in POLITICO earlier this week. In those text messages, members used racial slurs and stereotypes, gay slurs, and joked about gas chambers, slavery and rape.

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Burlison spoke to members of the media via Zoom saying he thinks the Republican Party has become more diverse and people are not using race to decide how theyre going to vote, but these text messages do not reflect that.

We want the American people to focus on policy and not race and the fact that these kids have been texting that means they are not in touch with the Republican party and they are not at all, its absolutely disgusting behavior and I want nothing to do with it.

One of the known participants in the chat was Kansas Young Republicans vice chair William Hendrix, who was recently fired from his position at the Kansas Attorney Generals Office.

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PRINCETON  A company which has grown from a 2,000 square foot garage to over 500,000 square feet of manufacturing space celebrated its 50th anniversary Thursday by showing the public its latest expansion and how it foretells a bright future.

Founded by Jim Connolly in 1975, Conn-Weld in Princeton started by focusing on creating custom solutions for profile wire screens for the coal industry. The company began its operations in a 2,000 square-foot garage, but tours offered Thursday outlined the companys huge expansion since its founding. The companys latest expansion towered over the scene of the festivities.

Its an expansion on our fabrication facility, said Nathan Fink, fabrication manager for Conn-Weld. That brings our manufacturing floorspace up to half a million square feet. This most recent expansion is over 100,000-square feet. It includes rooms for more CNC operating machines, more sealed prep machines, also production of new lines were developing in new equipment.

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CNC stands for Computer Numerically Controlled.

When you get into the manufacturing world, CNC machines are not exactly new technology, but theyre used for a lot of operations, Fink said. In particular, for different machining operations and plate-burning operations, ironworkers which cut a lot of structural steel. We use a lot of CNC up here.

With the expansion comes possibilities for employment. Between all of its facilities combined, Conn-Weld employs over 300 people, he said.

Were always looking for good help, Fink said. Were always looking for people who are committed to local efforts, to quality equipment. Thats what we strive to do not only domestically, but also internationally.

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Anna Semonco, director of business development at Conn-Weld said Thursdays ribbon cutting was a celebration for the companys past and future.

Today is a day were celebrating our legacy plus embracing the future with this new expansion just by exponential growth making us one of the leading manufacturers here in southern West Virginia, she said. Were very proud of that. You know, the goal is to bring manufacturing back into the United States.

Conn-Weld is making a concerted effort to work with local schools such as the Mercer County Technical Education Center so students can see the opportunities in their own backyard, Semonco said.

Well be officially cutting the ribbon on the expansion here today. Its been here for two and a half years, she said about the new expansion. And we just got our offices moved in, the engineering offices, and my department is over here as well. And the biggest thing well see today we have a new conference, training and seminar center. This is a lot of opportunities for us to bring in customers to give them hands-on training plus classroom on our equipment and more development with our employees and things like that. Were very proud of that and look forward to sharing that with our community today.

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West Virginia author Homer Hickam, known for novels such as The Rocket Boys, delivered the ribbon cutting ceremonys key address. He had time before the ceremony to meet with fans and speak with them about his work.

Well, Conn-Weld invited me here for the 50th anniversary of their founding, Hickam said. And it was a great opportunity, as always, to come back to where I grew up, so I said yea, absolutely. I would be happy to do it. I didnt really know much about this company until I was invited here. I looked it up and I was really impressed by what they do. The screens and the shakers they make for the mining industry, they are known around the world for producing this really strong, hardy equipment.

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
Even though it is currently blue, this is the Red Room, also known as the New Mexico state Senate chambers between 1900 and 1966. Construction began Oct. 14, 2025 to restore the room. (Courtesy New Mexico General Services Department)

Construction began this week to restore a room in the former New Mexico Capitol that served as the state Senate chambers for 60 years.

The Red Roomso named because of its old red decorationshoused the Senate beginning when the New Mexico Territorial Capitol was completed in Santa Fe in 1900, 12 years before New Mexico became a state. It remained the Senate chambers until 1966, when lawmakers moved into the Roundhouse.

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Two years later, state leaders renamed the old capitol the Bataan Memorial Building, in honor of 1,800 New Mexico National Guard soldiers who endured the Bataan Death March in World War II.

State officials expect to complete the $2.4 million restoration project late next summer, but many questions remain about what the Red Room will look like, including whether it will be red.

Joe Vigil, spokesperson for the New Mexico General Services Department, told Source New Mexico Friday that state agencies collaborating on the redesign havent yet decided which version of the Red Room theyll restore.

Its gone through several renovations over the last 125 years, he noted, so architects are still trying to figure out which architectural style they can restore it to the most faithfully. He expects theyll make that decision soon.

Theres still a lot of questions as to, was it built classical? Vigil said of the different architectural styles. Did it change to semi-territorial, Territorial? Theres going to be a recommendation in the next couple weeks as to what period we can actually verify, to go back to, because we dont want to guess on it.

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To help them make that choice, state officials pored through photographs and documents to find details of the old designs. In July, the state Department of Cultural Affairs asked the public to submit any photos they might have of the room throughout its history.

In its research, Vigil said the team found 1951 renovation plans, so using those plans is an option.

In the meantime, the room is closed to the public, deemed uninhabitable due to falling ceiling tiles and other issues, Vigil said. Crews this week began removing balcony risers, doors, shutters, tiles and other fixtures in preparation for the rooms eventual rehabilitation.

State officials announced in April the Bataan Memorial Buildings inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. Officials approved it for the State Register of Cultural Properties in December.

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In a statement the GSD released ahead of the renovation, project manager Marilyn Martinez said she hopes the restoration honors the buildings history and its namesake.

Ultimately, we want to make this renovation worthy of what this building stands for, she said. We want it to be part of the memorial that represents those service members who served in Bataan. We want to match that energy and make it something worthy for them.
There's been a lot of debate over whether the huge amount of AI spending will ultimately be worth it.

Morgan Stanley has a reassuring outlook for concerned investors: the spending spree will pay for itself soon.

The bank said the huge capex could produce positive impacts to revenues by 2028.

AI is the story driving markets in 2025, but as companies rack up huge tabs in their sprawling infrastructure buildout, some investors have begun to worry: will all of the spending be worth it?

Morgan Stanley this week has a reassuring answer.

OpenAI alone has announced a huge web of deals with the largest players in tech, announcing big partnerships with Oracle, Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices. The AI startup is doubling down on investments in chips and data centers to support its fast-growing infrastructure.

In an October 13 note to investors, Morgan Stanley global director of research Katy Huberty shared a chart on AI tech spending diffusion. It showed a group of highly connected tech companies with a lot of capital flowing either through or from OpenAI.

Morgan Stanley.

The analyst notes that Morgan Stanley's tech team thinks the AI spending cycle is still in its early stages, but the huge price tag shouldn't necessarily spook investors.

"Our team believes the sustainability of the current investment cycle ultimately depends on whether AI generates durable cash flows to support returns on the significant capital being committed," Huberty stated. "And their bottom-up analysis suggests they will, as they forecast US$1.1 trillion in AI software revenue in 2028 at typical software margins."

Morgan Stanley's forecast implies the current wave of AI spending is part of a longer-term profit cycle and not a speculative bubble that some have begun to fear. If those revenue targets prove correct, Huberty's team sees the AI boom continuing to drive growth for companies that are heavily investing in the space today.

Analysts from firms such as Morningstar have speculated that colossal AI capex among tech companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet could negatively impact their stock prices over time.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Construction costs for a new jail devoted to 17 year-olds have climbed in the last few months. The facility is needed because of a law passed in 2024 that requires 17 year-olds to be treated like adults in the criminal justice system. (Photo from Canva)

Louisiana officials increased the construction budget this week for a new 80-bed regional jail dedicated exclusively to 17-year-olds.

The facility is being built after state lawmakers approved a law in 2024 that requires 17-year-olds to be treated as adults, rather than minors, in the criminal justice system. The change Gov. Jeff Landry pushed has created a space crunch in some local jails.



The state Criminal Justice Priority Commission originally awarded Concordia Parish Sheriff David Hedrick $3 million earlier this year to convert an old community center into a jail for 17-year-olds. The commission upped the project budget to $3.5 million Thursday after Hedricks office said project bids came in higher than expected.

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The facility will accommodate 17-year-olds from East Baton Rouge, Lafayette, LaSalle, Livingston, Madison, Tensas, West Carroll, West Feliciana, Winn and possibly other parishes, according to the project application submitted last year.



State budget officials had not initially recommended the Concordia facility receive funding, but legislators and the governors staff inserted it into the list of approved projects earlier this year to address concerns from sheriffs about needing space to house more 17-year-olds.



The decision to treat 17 year-olds as adults conflicts with federal law and has created logistical problems for Louisiana sheriffs at their local jails. The federal government prohibits 17-year-olds from being housed with adults and requires sheriffs to provide the teens with educational resources while they are jailed.

Sheriffs have complained they dont have the space or funding for these accommodations. This Concordia facility devoted exclusively to 17-year-olds is supposed to help alleviate that pressure.

Work on the Concordia jail is expected to start Nov. 17 and take about 10 months to complete.

The state is also building a brand new juvenile detention center in Lafourche Parish, expanding a juvenile detention center in Rapides Parish and constructing a new youth prison on the site of the Jetson Center for Youth in East Baton Rouge Parish.

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(Louisiana Illuminator)  Louisiana officials increased the construction budget this week for a new 80-bed regional jail dedicated exclusively to 17-year-olds.

The facility is being built after state lawmakers approved a law in 2024 that requires 17-year-olds to be treated as adults, rather than minors, in the criminal justice system. The change Gov. Jeff Landry pushed has created a space crunch in some local jails.



The state Criminal Justice Priority Commission originally awarded Concordia Parish Sheriff David Hedrick $3 million earlier this year to convert an old community center into a jail for 17-year-olds. The commission upped the project budget to $3.5 million Thursday after Hedricks office said project bids came in higher than expected.

The facility will accommodate 17-year-olds from East Baton Rouge, Lafayette, LaSalle, Livingston, Madison, Tensas, West Carroll, West Feliciana, Winn and possibly other parishes, according to the project application submitted last year.



State budget officials had not initially recommended the Concordia facility receive funding, but legislators and the governors staff inserted it into the list of approved projects earlier this year to address concerns from sheriffs about needing space to house more 17-year-olds.



The decision to treat 17-year-olds as adults conflicts with federal law and has created logistical problems for Louisiana sheriffs at their local jails. The federal government prohibits 17-year-olds from being housed with adults and requires sheriffs to provide the teens with educational resources while they are jailed.

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Sheriffs have complained they dont have the space or funding for these accommodations. This Concordia facility devoted exclusively to 17-year-olds is supposed to help alleviate that pressure.

Work on the Concordia jail is expected to start Nov. 17 and take about 10 months to complete.

The state is also building a brand new juvenile detention center in Lafourche Parish, expanding a juvenile detention center in Rapides Parish and constructing a new youth prison on the site of the Jetson Center for Youth in East Baton Rouge Parish.

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PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  Ameren Illinois is asking state regulators for permission to raise its natural gas delivery rates by more than $128 million, a move the company says is necessary to meet federal safety mandates and replace aging infrastructure.

Consumer watchdogs argue the request would put too much pressure on families already struggling with high costs.

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is currently reviewing the proposal, which Ameren says would add about $6 a month to the average residential customers bill.

Watchdogs Call for Deeper Cuts

The request comes after Ameren filed an original proposal for a $134 million increase, later adjusted to $128.8 million during the review process.

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An administrative law judge has already recommended cutting that request by about $44 million, but groups like the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and Illinois PIRG say that doesnt go far enough.

Since 2018, Ameren has increased gas delivery rates by about $200 million while profits have soared, said Jim Chilsen, Director of Communications for CUB. Customers see these constant hikes and say enough is enough.

Chilsen said Amerens proposed rate hike would be its fourth since 2018, totaling nearly $200 million in increases over seven years. He urged the ICC to reject what he called a money grab and cut the increase further.

Ameren Responds

Ameren officials defend the rate case, saying the funds are needed to comply with federal regulations and to ensure the company can safely deliver gas to homes across Central and Southern Illinois.

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About 40% of our increase is to meet new federal requirements for testing transmission pipelines by 2035, said Brad Kloeppel, Senior Director of Gas Technical Services for Ameren Illinois. Another portion goes toward replacing leak-prone pipe to keep our system safe and reliable.

Kloeppel added that roughly half of Amerens pipeline network is more than 50 years old, and continued upgrades are essential to maintaining safety. He also noted that even with the proposed hike, Amerens average total gas rate would remain below the national average, around $1.50 per unit, compared to $1.85 nationally.

What Happens Next

The Illinois Commerce Commission is expected to issue its final decision by Dec. 1.

Consumer groups are planning a public forum on Nov. 1 in East St. Louis to discuss the proposal and the broader future of gas utilities in Illinois.

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KNOXVILLE, Iowa  Recent consumer trends are starting to impact the Iowa wine industry, according to a report from Iowa State University.

The 2024 Wine Report indicates that 13 wineries have closed in the state between 2022 and 2024. The state now has 88 wineries, according to this report. Production, sales, and inventory have all decreased during this same time period.

Dr. Randall Vos is a Commercial Fruit and Crop Field Specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Knoxville. Vos said wine consumption is decreasing globally and not just in Iowa. This is because consumers are switching to ready-to-drink beverages, like spirits, canned cocktails, and hard seltzers.

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Grinnell restaurant takes top honors in statewide tenderloin contest

Christine Jensen of the Iowa Wine Growers Association said that consumers are looking for lower alcohol content products or non-alcoholic wines. She said some state wineries are now trying to create non-alcoholic wines to stay competitive with this new consumer trend.

Jensen said the biggest challenge Iowa wineries are now facing is the inventory that they arent selling, creating cash flow problems for businesses.

Vos said there is a greater supply than demand for wine in Iowa. He said Iowa has 900 acres of grapes that are devoted to wine. He said wineries that grow their own grapes are in better shape than those that purchase grapes from growers.

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They make agreements with these growers like, I will buy your fruit. And given the market constraints, thats challenging for them because theyve made commitments to buy this fruit. What do they do with it when the tanks are still full? he said.

Vos said one downside to the Iowa wine industry is not having a designated wine location in the state. Vos said many states with booming wine industries have specific locations where wineries are located, like Long Island in New York, Traverse City in Michigan, or Hermann in Minnesota.

We dont have a wine region where you can really market, said Vos. Theres wineries all spread out so that limits wine tourism a little bit for Iowa.

Partially, this is a testament to Iowas ability to grow grapes in all regions of the state, but it limits Iowas ability to co-market between multiple wineries.

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However, wineries located in tourism destinations in Iowa are not seeing the impacts of recent consumer trends because of the influx of tourists. The Covered Bridges Winery in Winterset is one example.

[In just one day] I had people from Minneapolis, Chicago, Kansas City, people that flew in from Sweden and were touring the Midwest, two different couples that had been to the Paul McCartney concert the night before and were heading home. So, you know, we have a big draw here, and are not reliant on just getting our locals to come down to visit us, said co-owner Kevin Fifo.

Madison Countys tourism and Fifos award-winning wines keep customers coming to his winery, but he said many wineries are having to get creative with attracting crowds. Fifo said he will host music or game nights to give people more reasons to come to the winery.

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MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  We are less than a month away from a deadline that could impact thousands of hospital patients across the Gulf Coast.

Laurel Hill father, son arrested in connection to child porn investigation

A contract dispute between USA Health Providence Hospital and UnitedHealthcare could soon impact thousands of patients across the Gulf Coast.

If the two sides cant reach a new agreement by Nov. 14, UnitedHealthcare members will lose in-network coverage at Providence Hospital in Mobile.

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This would mean that higher out-of-pocket costs for many patients will begin on Nov. 15.

In a statement to News 5, USA Health said theyve been working for months to find a resolution:

For many months, USA Health has worked to reach a fair agreement with UnitedHealthcare so that patients can continue accessing care without disruption, the statement said.

Unfortunately, despite USA Healths best efforts, an agreement has not been reached.

However, UnitedHealthcare told News 5 a different story.

In a statement attributed to Michael Wahlstrom, President and CEO of UnitedHealthcare of Alabama, the company said:

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USA Health is demanding a 100% price hike for Providence Hospital that would make it significantly higher cost than any hospital in the market. Consumers and employers would bear the brunt of USA Healths egregious demands.

Both sides say theyre committed to reaching a deal, but until that happens, patients remain in limbo, unsure how their coverage could change in just a few weeks.

Man accused of dragging victim 2 miles to his death enters plea

Providence patients are also under the added pressure of Open Enrollment, which runs through Dec. 15 for coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2026.

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Daniel Hersl, a former Baltimore Police officer convicted as part of the corrupt Gun Trace Task Force, has died at 55, according to federal court records.

A death notification filed by Hersls probation officer and signed Thursday by U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher confirmed his death.

Hersl was diagnosed with prostate cancer in February 2023 that had spread to his lymph nodes, liver and lungs, according to court filings. Prison doctors said he had less than 18 months to live, prompting him to seek early release on compassionate grounds. His initial request in October 2023 was denied, but a federal judge granted his release in January citing his terminal medical condition.

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Hersl was among the most notorious members of the task force, a rogue, plainclothes unit whose members were convicted of robbing residents, dealing drugs and falsifying overtime. Known in many Baltimore neighborhoods for aggressive tactics, Hersl was accused of routinely assaulting or humiliating people during arrests. In one instance, he broke a womans arm; in another, he poured beer on a woman and struck her in the face with the bottle, according to court records.

His conduct was well-known inside the police department. A departmental memo once identified him as one of the officers most likely to experience a negative interaction with the public based on [his] history, according to a U.S. Department of Justice report examining the origins of the Gun Trace Task Force scandal.

A federal jury in 2018 found Hersl guilty of racketeering, robbery and overtime fraud. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison, and had been scheduled for release in 2031.

In numerous letters written early in his incarceration, Hersl maintained his innocence, accusing prosecutors of misconduct and saying he was the victim of fabricated stories and prison trauma.

His family could not immediately be reached Friday for comment.

Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich.
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher says several guns were seized from a convicted felons home on Thursday after a joint investigation between his office and the Pennsylvania State Police Troop R Vice Unit.

According to the criminal complaint, police served a search warrant on South Main Avenue in Scranton on Thursday.

46-year-old Jeremiah Carmody, who has a prior felony drug conviction, lived at the home. He is ineligible to possess firearms, Gallagher said in a media release.

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19-year-old woman dies after motorcycle crash

Police stated they recovered four firearms and ammunition from Carmodys home, as well as drugs such as cocaine. One of the firearms recovered had previously been reported stolen from a vehicle in a separate incident in Scranton, officials say.

Carmody was taken into custody without incident

Carmody now faces charges for possession of a firearm by a prohibited possessor, as well as drug and theft charges.

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  The Kern County Coroners Office identified a man who was allegedly killed by his son in south Bakersfield.

The man was identified as Alfred V. Juarez, 71, of Bakersfield. Juarez was found dead in the 6100 block of Chandler Way on Oct. 13 around 6:20 p.m.

Alfred V. Juarezs son, identified as Alfred Reyes Juarez, was arrested on suspicion of murder in Los Angles County on Oct. 14, according to booking information.

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The Bakersfield Police Department is investigating this case.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17 News.
A correctional police officer was arrested Tuesday and charged with distributing synthetic marijuana, known as K2, at the Hudson County Jail in Kearny, authorities said Friday.

Marquis Santiago, 33, is charged with three counts of distributing K2 and one count of conspiracy, all as third-degree crimes, according to court records and Hudson County Prosecutor Wayne Mello.

Earlier this year, Santiago was among seven people  including a retired police detective and a 911 dispatcher  charged in a large-scale drug investigation in Kearny.

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Mello said Santiago was arrested on the latest charges at the prosecutors office in Jersey City and released pending a court hearing.

Information on Santiagos employment status was not immediately available.

An inmate, Francisco Salcedo, 44, of Jersey City, was charged with three counts of third-degree distribution and conspiracy.

Israel Rosado, 38, of Newark, a second inmate, was charged with one count of third-degree possession.

Mello noted that the inmates were charged through summons complaints at the jail.

A Bayonne resident, 31-year-old Alvin DeLeon, was arrested at the prosecutors office on Thursday and charged with conspiracy. He was released pending a court hearing, Mello said.

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Mello said an investigation revealed Santiago provided Salcedo with K2 inside the jail between Jan. 8 and April 7.

Salcedo then distributed K2 throughout the facility, including to Rosado. DeLeon assisted in the distribution process, Mello alleged.

Attorney information for those charged was not contained in court records on Friday.

Santiago was charged over the summer with conspiracy to distribute cocaine after a six-month investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutors Office Narcotics Task Force and Internal Affairs Unit uncovered an alleged wide-scale drug distribution operation, officials said.

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A search warrant executed on July 17 in North Bergen, West New York and Union City resulted in the seizure of over $70,000 in cash, more than 4 kilograms of cocaine, two handguns and seven vehicles, officials said at the time.

In a statement on Friday, Hudson County Department of Corrections Director Becky Scott said the jail is committed to the core values of safety and rehabilitation.

Our employees are held to a high standard in order to protect the integrity of this facility, Scott said.

Stories by Anthony G. Attrino

Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Morning Minute is a daily newsletter written by Tyler Warner. The analysis and opinions expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Decrypt. Subscribe to the Morning Minute on Substack.

GM!

Todays top news:

Crypto majors very red as Bitcoin hits 4-month low at $105,700

ETFs see biggest outflows since August with $530.9M

Charles Schwab plans to launch crypto custody in H1 2026

MegaETH partners with Chainlink for real-time data stream oracles

Meteora introduced its tokenomics and airdrop checker, trades at $1.08B premarket

 Crypto Selloff - The Natives Did It

Its been a long-standing joke: Are the sellers in the room with us?

Well, it turns out: Yes, indeed they are.

 What Happened?

According to JPMorgan, the sharp crypto correction last week in crypto and carrying through this week was largely self-inflicted.

In a note to clients, the bank said the sell pressure came from crypto-native investors, not institutions.

The data backs that up: While open interest on Binance and other offshore venues cratered, CMEs institutional contracts barely moved.

Its very much a tale of two markets.

Regarding on-chain crypto, the more than $19 billion in liquidations that slammed the crypto market on Friday have tremendously impacted sentiment and prices, neither of which have yet to recover.

Glassnode shows nearly $12 billion in futures open interest evaporated overnight, the biggest single-day decline in dollar terms ever.

Bitcoin's Plunge Below $105,000 Sends Crypto Market Cap to Lowest Level Since July

Yet, institutional flow looks calm.

The ETFs have seen steady inflows through the turbulence. Across the past two weeks:

BTC ETF inflows: $2.4B

ETH ETF inflows: $460M

CMEs Bitcoin open interest held steady, ETF outflows were minor, and Coinbase volumes even ticked up, suggesting that institutional money (smart money) mostly watched from the sidelines.

This was the crypto casino cleaning itself out, not TradFi calling it quits.

 Why It Matters

The institutions have mostly still been buying through the pain so who has been selling?

Answer: ancient whales and 4-year cycle believers.

Theres plenty of data showing the amount of Bitcoin sold this year from those ancient whales, many of whom were up billions. They said they were going to dump their coins on Wall St., and then they did.

And then one of the biggest anecdotal takeaways from the Asia crypto conference tour last month was that many Asian whales still believe in the 4-year cycle, and fully planned on selling this year aligned with prior cycles.
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

Credit: CSA Images via Getty Images

Around four years ago, now 77-year-old John Gormly went for what was supposed to be a routine blood test. But the results were life-changing.

The test suggested Gormly had colon cancer, which a colonoscopy later confirmed was Stage 2, meaning the cancer had spread through the wall of the colon but not to his lymph nodes.

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"I thought [my doctor] was wrong," Gormly, CEO of a construction company near Newport Beach, California, told Live Science. "I go, 'Nah, I don't feel anything.' But there it was. It was real; the colonoscopy showed it."

Gormly was one of the first patients to take a newly approved test called Shield, which its makers say can detect colon cancer from a blood sample. After his diagnosis, Gormly had surgery to remove the tumor and was back to work within 10 days.

Science Spotlight takes a deeper look at emerging science and gives you, our readers, the perspective you need on these advances. Our stories highlight trends in different fields, how new research is changing old ideas, and how the picture of the world we live in is being transformed thanks to science.

An early version of Guardant Health's Shield test has been commercially available since 2022, but it wasn't covered by insurance. However, after approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2024 , a diagnostic version of Shield was launched commercially and is now covered by Medicare.

Shield is only a blood drop in an ocean of emerging "liquid biopsies."

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Scientists have developed blood tests for several cancers, including those of the breast , pancreas and stomach . Some blood tests even detect multiple types of cancer. If these liquid biopsies can be rolled out widely, they could help detect cancer earlier, more easily, or with fewer invasive measures  which, in turn, could lead to earlier detection and fewer cancer deaths.

But many of these tests are still in their early stages. They often detect a lower fraction of cancer cases than gold-standard screening tools like colonoscopies do, meaning they will likely supplement, rather than replace, traditional screening methods. Others may have unacceptable rates of "false positives," meaning a person is initially told they have cancer but diagnostic follow-ups show they do not. This can lead to needless worry or additional invasive tests. These include traditional biopsies, which involve removing tissue samples via needles or surgery. And for some diseases, it's not clear that early diagnosis on a blood test will lead to better outcomes.

However, as these kinks are ironed out, it's likely that blood-based cancer screening will become a normal part of our medical care  one that has the potential to improve cancer outcomes dramatically, experts say.

John Gormly went in for a routine blood test and learned he likely had colon cancer. After follow-up diagnostic tests and a relatively simple surgery to remove the cancer, he is now in remission. | Credit: Guardant Health

Simplifying screening

Gormly's doctor recommended a Shield test after noticing that Gormly hadn't had a colonoscopy in a while. He's not alone. Current recommendations suggest that people ages 45 to 75 who are at average risk of colon cancer get a screening, such as a colonoscopy or a stool-based test, every five to 10 years. Yet around 1 in 3 of these people have never been screened.

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That's a problem, because colon cancer is the fourth-most-common cancer . Experts have argued that early detection could eliminate 90% of colon cancer deaths . It typically takes around 10 years for early, precancerous growths like polyps to morph into deadly cancer cells, and if these cells are caught early, they can easily be removed.

Despite the potential for early diagnosis and cure, many people avoid these screenings. This may be one reason colon cancer is the second-most-common cause of cancer death .

People avoid screenings for many reasons, said Dr. William Grady , a professor of translational science and therapeutics at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle who helped lead the Shield trials. Some people feel embarrassed during screenings such as colonoscopy or fear that it may be painful, he told Live Science. Those opting for colonoscopy may struggle to get time off work, whereas others may dislike the idea of handling stool for a stool-based test, he said.

"That's why there's an opportunity for blood tests that is really powerful because people are inclined to do blood tests; they're convenient and can be done during a health care encounter," Grady said.

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Shield works by detecting small DNA fragments that are released into the blood from colon cancer cells or precancerous cells called adenomas , a type of polyp. The test also picks up on subtle differences between cancerous cells and normal cells in chemical tags on DNA known as methyl groups.

In a paper published in March 2024 in The New England Journal of Medicine , Grady's team showed that Shield detected 83% of colonoscopy-confirmed colon cancer cases in a cohort of almost 10,000 people. It also had a false positive rate of 10%.

Because Shield detects a smaller percentage of colon cancer cases than stool-based tests (92%) or colonoscopies (95%) do, it won't replace those diagnostic tests, Grady said. However, it could expand the number of screening options available to patients, he added. This additional option may improve screening compliance, which could lead to earlier disease detection and thus a reduction in colon cancer deaths.

The Shield test is approved for use every three years, Grady said. However, current studies are investigating whether it would be more accurate if it were done every year or two, he added.

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If Gormly's cancer had spread to the rest of his body, it would have been much harder to treat. People whose colon cancer is caught at Stage 2, like Gormly, have an 85% chance of living at least another five years . By Stage 4, when it has spread throughout the body, those odds go down to just 10%.

"That could have been the end of me, so it [Shield] definitely changed my life," Gormly said.

A researcher working in the Shield blood testing laboratory. Guardant's test for colon cancer was FDA-approved in 2024. | Credit: Guardant Health

Accelerating diagnosis

Pancreatic cancer is another disease that could benefit from a blood-based diagnostic test. Unlike colon cancer, pancreatic cancer is relatively uncommon, affecting 1 in 56 men and 1 in 60 women . Yet pancreatic cancer is the third-most-common cause of cancer death in the U.S.

That's because, by the time most people notice symptoms, such as abdominal pain or discomfort, the disease is already very advanced , said Ajay Goel , a professor and chair of the Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope in Duarte, California.

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There is no broad-based screening program in the U.S. for people at average risk of pancreatic cancer. Later stages of the disease are easily detectable via MRI or CT scan , Goel told Live Science. But by that point, the five-year survival rate is extremely low : around 3% once the cancer has spread throughout the body, compared with 44% if it is still limited to the pancreas. Once cancer has spread beyond the pancreas, surgical removal is usually no longer possible, and treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy are minimally effective .

A potential solution is a new blood test developed by Goel's team. It aims to detect early-stage pancreatic cancer by identifying small cancer-specific molecules called microRNAs. These molecules regulate whether genes are switched on or off and are found in the blood of patients with early-stage disease, as well as inside exosomes , which are tiny packages that cancer cells release into the blood.

In a study of nearly 1,000 people, the test (which is still unnamed) detected between 88% and 93% of early- and late-stage pancreatic cancer cases, using blood drawn from people in the U.S., South Korea and China. When the test was modified to also measure the amount of a protein known as CA-19 in the blood, it picked up 97% of early-stage cases in the U.S. group. CA-19 is a known biomarker of pancreatic cancer, but on its own, it is not reliable enough to be used for diagnosis. When combined with CA-19 detection, the new test had a 5% to 10% false positive rate, Goel said.

The findings, which haven't been peer-reviewed yet, were presented at the 2024 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in San Diego.

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"If you can find more and more of these cancers early on, there is a hope that many of these patients can be cured," Goel said.

The team envisages the test being taken yearly  for instance, when patients see their doctor for an annual physical exam. However, in those who have a family history of pancreatic cancer, it may make sense to test more frequently  perhaps every six months, Goel said.

If you can find more and more of these cancers early on, there is a hope that many of these patients can be cured. Ajay Goel

Multicancer detection

Scientists are also developing multicancer detection (MCD) tests that screen for many types of cancer at once. MCD tests differ slightly in the types of cancer they detect and how they do it . But like many of the single-cancer detection tests, MCD tests look for cancer-specific molecules, such as tumor DNA, but on a larger scale. Some MCD tests sample urine or another bodily fluid in addition to blood.

In theory, such tests could not only provide a less-invasive approach to screening but also reduce the number of tests a person has to take at once. However, most of these tests are still in early development . The ones that are farther along, such as Grail's Galleri and Exact Sciences' Cancerguard , have not received FDA approval yet. And some experts have argued that the tests' efficacy claims are overhyped .

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Even if MCD tests do work and they become more affordable (Galleri, for example, currently costs around $950), experts still aren't sure of the best way to use them. "There's this belief that if we could only detect all cancers early, we would solve the cancer problem," Ruth Etzioni , a professor at Fred Hutchinson who was not involved in Grady's work with Shield, told Live Science. But sometimes there is no good treatment for early cancers, so catching them ahead doesn't necessarily lead to improved outcomes.

And there's always a risk of false positives. After taking an MCD test, patients may wait up to six months to know one way or the other, Dr. Jennifer Croswell , a medical officer at the National Cancer Institute, told Live Science. There may be many reasons for this delay, including that it takes time to perform multiple rounds of follow-up testing to figure out which organ is affected, she said. There are also currently no evidence-based clinical guidelines that tell doctors the best way to follow up on positive results from MCD tests, Croswell said. Consequently, these tests may create uncertainty for patients.

The way forward

While many diagnostic blood tests for cancer are still in the pipeline, at least some of these tests will likely affect diagnosis and treatment in the next several years. For instance, Goel and colleagues are now running a clinical trial to see if their test can detect early-stage pancreatic cancer in high-risk individuals who have not yet been diagnosed. If it's successful, they intend to test it in the general population.

"I think if things go well, we foresee that probably in the next two to four years, this test should be on the marketplace to be used for early detection of pancreatic cancer worldwide," Goel said.

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Meanwhile, Grady's team is planning to investigate whether Shield helps get more people screened for colon cancer who are often missed, such as underrepresented minority groups or those who live in areas with restricted health care access.

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Shield is "the first of, I think, a whole series of tests that we're going to be seeing coming up for screening for not only colon cancer but also for breast cancer, lung cancer , liver cancer ," Grady said.

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Four years later, tests show Gormly is cancer-free. He hopes his experiences help others who may be tempted to skip colon cancer screening.

"I hope that as a result of this [speaking up]," he said, "someone else tries it and has the same success I did."

Editor's note: This article was first published March 21, 2025 and republished Oct. 17, 2025
LAPEL  Residents in the Madison County town are pressuring town officials to tell them why the water pouring out of their faucets sometimes turns rust-colored or yellow.

About two dozen people gathered at the town council meeting on October 16 to voice concern and distress about drinking, bathing in or washing their clothes in the yellow, brown water as the public comment period stretched over an hour. They asked town councilors to be as transparent as the water that flows out of their taps on good days.

The conversation often grew heated as residents sought a solution to the problem.

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Councilors promised the crowd they are "working on it," but Glen Smart, a Lapel resident, said he's been hearing that for 10 years.

The whole situation "makes you feel crazy," said Brianna Davis, another Lapel resident who moved to the area a year and a half ago with her two children. Like many of her neighbors, she occasionally sees discolored water pouring from her taps. The water isn't discolored every day in Lapel, but it happens often enough that Davis now only drinks bottled water out of caution.

Town officials say the water is fine to drink. In a post on Facebook, the town of Lapel wrote that local water is "safe and potable per all Indiana state drinking water standards. The discoloration is caused by naturally occurring minerals, specifically iron and manganese."

But Davis said Thursday night that she had asked the town to provide the test results that showed iron and manganese in the water, and the town's attorney informed her that no records existed for manganese testing.

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"How can we publicly say manganese is the cause if there are no tests that have confirmed it?" she asked councilors at the meeting.

To respond to residents' concerns, town councilors invited Dan Cutshaw, an engineer at CDS Engineers to speak at the meeting. Cutshaw explained that historically manganese was present in the area's water and that iron and manganese typically appear together in Indiana, potentially changing the color of drinking water.

Davis expressed frustration that the town's Facebook post phrasing was based on an assumption, despite incomplete records.

"At this point, we just need to be transparent. We all know that there is a water problem. There's no reason to hide it. We just need to address it and get through it," Dr. Katherine Callahan, a nurse practitioner, said in the meeting.

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Iron and manganese in drinking water do not raise health concerns, experts say. Still, no one wants tainted water in their home. The chemical elements can leave a bitter, metallic taste and stain laundry and household appliances. Then there's the mental hurdle of downing a glass of brown or yellow liquid.

Brian Robertson, a town councilor, said that he's been working with Cutshaw for about three months on the "water issue."

Cutshaw tried to assure residents that the town would find a solution, reiterating that the water utility says that any contaminants in the Lapel water fall under the legal threshold. The one test that came back high, he said, was for iron, which can cause discoloration.

A few factors could be contributing to the brown water, Cutshaw said, including the 60-to-80-year-old cast iron piping throughout the town. Mineral buildup called scale can flake off, creating discoloration. Addressing that would require replacing the water main, a project that would cost more than $30 million and possibly quadruple water utility rates, Robertson and Cutshaw said.

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Davis said that while she still feels frustrated with the town's response, she's hopeful about working with Cutshaw. In the meantime, she's trying to organize a bottled water drive for the town and the school.

"I don't think that the children at the school getting clean water should be up for a debate," she said. "At least until the water runs clear and consistent testing shows that it's safe."

IndyStar's environmental reporting is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

Sophie Hartley is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach her at sophie.hartley@indystar.com or on X at @sophienhartley.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: At Lapel meeting, residents and councilors spar over discolored water
BEAUFORT, S.C. (WSAV)  Thursday, the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office (BCSO) made a plea to potential eyewitnesses of the St. Helena shooting to come forward.

A LOOK BACK: FBI sets up digital tips website for Willies Bar shooting

BCSO released the following statement:

The Beaufort County Sheriffs Office continues to investigate the mass shooting that occurred at [Willies] Bar & Grill on St. Helena Island, a tragedy that took the lives of four people and left sixteen others injured.



This wasnt just an act of violence. It was an attack that tore through families  mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, and cousins  people who are deeply loved in our community. Their loss is felt in homes, schools, and workplaces all across Beaufort County.



Sheriff PJ Tanner and our investigators have strong evidence that numerous eyewitnesses were present that night. We know some of you saw what happened and your information, no matter how small it may seem, could be what helps us bring justice to the victims and their families.



Please, if you witnessed the shooting or know anything about those responsible, come forward. Be courageous. Please help us give these families the answers they deserve and help make our community safer for everyone.



You can contact the lead investigator on the case, Master Sergeant Duncan, by calling him directly at 843-255-3418.



We ask the community to stand with us  partner with us  and work together with us to bring justice and healing to the victims, their families, and safety to everyone who calls Beaufort County home.

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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 WSAV-TV.
Oct. 17WABASHA, Minn.  The Wabasha County Board's decision last year to cut the county attorney's salary not only violated Minnesota law but was based on personal and improper actions of the county commissioner who brought the resolution, a judge ruled this week.

Steele County District Court Judge Joseph A. Bueltel issued a written ruling in a civil case appealing the board's 3-2 decision to lower County Attorney Matthew Stinson's salary on Nov. 19, 2024.

Bueltel remanded the matter back to the county, stating commissioners should reinstate the official's salary to $130,900 retroactive to Nov. 19, 2024.

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Last year's move violated a state law that prohibits reducing the position's salary during the term for which the county attorney is elected or appointed, Bueltel found.

Bueltel also noted in his ruling that the issue appeared to be driven by one county commissioner.

Testimony in the case revealed County Commissioner Donald Springer's son was charged with a curfew violation in July 2024. In his testimony, Springer expressed dissatisfaction with how the case played out and that he felt like the county attorney was not being fair by prosecuting his son when charges against two other juveniles in the car with him were dismissed.

Among the reasons Springer said he brought the resolution to the board were Stinson's lack of prosecutorial experience before being elected county attorney, that Stinson was slow in responding to emails and to department heads, too often accepted plea deals and had a lighter case load than the office handled in years prior.

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Bueltel noted that the board had voted in November 2023 to increase Stinson's salary to $130,900 after giving him a favorable review. He also noted that the board weighing in on how cases can and should be prosecuted is an invasion in prosecutorial discretion. Bueltel also wrote he was unswayed by the argument that Stinson's case load was lighter.

"Just looking at the raw numbers of criminal trials does not fully assess County Attorney performance," he wrote.

Springer testified that this incident did not play a role in him bringing the resolution to lower Stinson's salary. However, Bueltel wrote he did not find that credible.

"Springer was admittedly 'dissatisfied with the process' and 'took it personally.' While the other Commissioners thought the cuts 'went too far,' or that they felt like they 'could vote no on an increase but not cut,'" Bueltel wrote. "(I)t was Commissioner Springer who brought both resolutions for the cut in salary and persuaded most of the board to vote to do so."

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Going along with Springer's resolution led to an "arbitrary and capricious" decision, the judge found.

"But for Commissioner Springer's improper need to 'get the attention' of the County Attorney and 'make him do his job better,' Stinson's salary would not have been reduced," Bueltel concluded.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  The Caddo Parish Sheriffs Office will host a youth diversion class on October 18, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its Community Relations and Crime Prevention Office, 1501 Corporate Drive in Shreveport.

CPSO leads anti-bullying training for Caddo Parish students

According to the CPSO, the program, called C.H.O.I.C.E. (Choosing Healthy Options Instead of Criminal Engagement), is designed for ages 12-17 who are at risk, have faced school disciplinary issues, or have arrest records.

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The class focuses on helping young people avoid infractions, understand the consequences of risky behavior, and explore positive alternatives and decision-making strategies.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.




HARTFORD - Massachusetts police officers pursued a person wanted for larceny into Connecticut on Friday in a chase that ended when the suspect was injured in a crash on Interstate-91 in Hartford, police said.

The pursuit began at about 10:30 a.m. in Holyoke, Mass., when officers spotted the suspect driving a vehicle reported stolen out of Connecticut and attempted a traffic stop, Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan said.

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Keenan said the driver, who was wanted in connection with a larceny that had taken place in the city, then struck a cruiser head-on and nearly hit several officers before speeding away from the scene.

Keenan said police pursued the individual south on I-91 with the help of the Connecticut State Police. He said the driver crashed near Exit 32 and was transported to a hospital after being arrested.

"The officer involved in the crash is expected to be OK," Keenan said. "No further information will be released at this time."

A state police spokesperson confirmed troopers responded to a report of a crash on I-91 south in the area of Exit 32A-32B. The official said injuries were reported in the wreck, but did not immediately share more.

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According to CT Roads, the state Department of Transportation's traffic monitoring site, the Exit 32A ramp to Interstate-84 west has been closed since 11:06 a.m. The section of the highway is the interchange where I-91 meets I-84.

This article originally published at MA police chase ends in violent crash on I-91 south in Hartford, police say.
Crash involving CMPD cruiser blocks road in south Charlotte

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officer was involved in a crash with another vehicle late Thursday night in south Charlotte.

The crash blocked Ardrey Kell Road near Blakeney Heath Road just before 9 p.m. Thursday, CMPD said.

Channel 9 sent a crew to the scene and spotted a CMPD cruiser with significant damage to its front end, and the cruiser had been loaded onto a tow truck. Another vehicle with front-end damage was spotted in the same intersection.

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MEDIC wasnt able to provide information on any injuries. CMPD hasnt given any information on the officer, or the other driver or potential passengers.

Its not clear what led to the crash at this time.

This is a developing story, and were working on getting more details. Check back for updates.

(VIDEO: CMPD reveals crime findings, addresses safety concerns with public safety report)
NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR)  Conservative non-profit group Turning Point USA made a national college tour stop at the University of Oklahoma Thursday night.



The event, held inside the universitys Lloyd Noble Center, was open to students and the general public. Hundreds of people showed up to the arena Thursday night, with those that News 4 employees spoke with saying they wanted to support the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk.



I wrote Charlie Kirk for a few years, said Oklahoman Audrey Buford, who showed up for the Thursday event. Like, Ive loved his videos and watch him. Hes been a huge inspiration to me.



Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated during another college tour stop in Utah in September.



Charlie Kirk was set to speak at our campus today, but Im so excited to host the Turning Point USA tour at the University of Oklahoma, said Turning Point OU chapter president Kalib Magana during Thursdays event.

Oklahoma State Representatives office searched as part of ethics probe

News 4 reached out to Magana prior to the event, requesting an interview, but never heard back.



Thursdays event included guest speeches from Governor Kevin Stitt, TV personality Savannah Chrisley, and actor Russell Brand. Brands attendance at the event drew protests from a group of Oklahoma college Democrats. Hes currently facing rape allegations in the United Kingdom.

Turning Point USA OU event. [KFOR]

Protestors gather outside Lloyd Noble Center on OU campus ahead of Turning Point USA event. [KFOR]

Turning Point USA OU event. [KFOR]

Turning Point USA OU event. [KFOR]

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Turning Point USA OU event. [KFOR]

Posters on chair in Lloyd Noble Center for Turning Point USA event. [KFOR].

OU Turning point USA





Were here today to stand up to fascism, Christian Nationalism, and also specifically Russell Brand, said Marley Hutchins, College Democrats of Oklahoma president. A lot of students are very personally offended that the university has allowed him to come and talk today to students.



News 4 spoke with attendees to weigh in on how they felt about Brands involvement.

Two Walters OSDE staffers leave with big payday

Cant judge a book by its cover, and well just see where it goes from there, said Joseph Buford.



Governor Stitt addresses Kirks lasting legacy, faith, and the importance of college students being engaged in events like the Turning Point USA tour.



Charlie would be so proud of the Turning Point Chapter right here at the University of Oklahoma, said Stitt. He created a legacy that honored God.



Stitt said that Kirk will be remembered because he stood for something. While not every Oklahoman who showed up agreed with him, both sides expressed the importance of unity, saying political violence is never the answer.



We need to get back to unity between both sides, said Joseph Buford. We need to get back to discussing things.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
CHARLOTTE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Nestled in the hills of Dickson County lies Sweet Charlotte, a family-owned country store and diner that offers a blast from the past.

It brings back old memories, said Jeff Waddell, co-owner of Sweet Charlotte. It creates goosebumps for a lot of folks.

Inside, love is in the air and old-fashioned candies are everywhere.

This is candy land here, said Michelle Green, manager at Sweet Charlotte. Good old school taffy, its filled by the bag. Who doesnt want to come and pick whatever taffy and candy you want?

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Experience the beloved Country View Market in Charlotte

They also have a stash of retro sodas so good, you can almost taste your childhood.

Probably have the largest offering of glass bottle throwback sodas in Tennessee, if not the Southeast, said Jeff. We have over 130-140 different flavors of sodas.

Green advises taking a sip down memory lane with a soda float.

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Two scoops of vanilla, chocolate, cotton candy, your choice, Green said. You get to decide whatever flavor you like, and then we are going to pour our [soda] right over our ice cream and see how full I can get it without going over. Thats always the fun of a soda float.

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If that doesnt turn your frown upside down, they also believe in love at first pop. They have a daily sample bar of their small-batch gourmet popcorn.

It is all house-made, Green said. Everything starts out as a kernel. Here, we turn it into a savory world, a sweet world, which will be Tennessee whiskey, sea salt, buttery caramel, or specialties, which include chocolate, nuts, cookies, something amazing.

Once you satisfy your sweet tooth, you can step back into the 1950s for classic comfort food at the diner.

News 2 On Tour | Explore the communities that shape Middle Tennessee

We introduced hot dogs, and then we introduced hamburgers, and then we introduced chicken, and then we introduced chili, all of which our customers really rave about, Jeff said.

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Thats just the inside. If you step outside, youre bound to find a sweet escape with scenic views from their Treehouse Party Deck..

I mean, seriously, we want everything to be really fun here, said Maryann Waddell, co-owner of Sweet Charlotte.

As Maryann Waddell puts it, lifes too short not to play carnival games. She created her own Midway with tons of games and photo ops for the young ones.

Before you hit the road, the Waddells insist on stopping by the historic cabin on site.

Its a 200-year-old cabin, so its just amazingly charming, wonderful, Maryann said.

Whether you live nearby or are just passing through, Jeff said all are welcome to relive the good old days at Sweet Charlotte.

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People come happy, and they leave happier with big smiles on their faces, and thats what makes it special to be able to have a store like this, Jeff said.

Sweet Charlotte is located at 3601 Highway 48 North, Charlotte, TN 37036. For more information, visit the stores 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 WKRN News 2.
Nvidia (NVDA) shares opened higher on Wednesday after Frank Lee, an HSBC analyst, upgraded his rating on the artificial intelligence (AI) behemoth to Buy.

Lee raised his price target on NVDA stock this morning as well to a Street-high $320, indicating potential upside of more than 75% from current levels.

More News from Barchart

Following HSBCs research note, only one Wall Street firm (Deutsche Bank) has a Hold rating on the AI stock while another (Seaport Global) has a Sell rating on it.

Note that Nvidia stock is currently up nearly 110% versus its year-to-date low in early April.

www.barchart.com

Why HSBC Turned Uber Bullish on Nvidia Stock

According to Frank Lee, Nvidias recent agreement with OpenAI and the Stargate initiative at large significantly expands the GPU total addressable market (TAM) versus initial expectations.

For fiscal 2027, the HSBC analyst now estimates data center revenue at $351 billion, about 36% higher than consensus.

The investment firms bullish note on NVDA shares arrives about a month ahead of the companys third-quarter financial results.

Consensus is for the giant to earn $1.17 on a per-share basis  up 50% versus the same quarter last year. Nvidias upcoming earnings release could prove a near-term catalyst for its stock.

China Could Turn Into a Tailwind for NVDA Shares

HSBC views China restrictions as temporary only and expects an eventual recovery in that regional business to prove a major tailwind for Nvidia shares.

We also see potential easing of China GPU uncertainties following the potential US-China trade deal that could enable NVDA to see a demand recovery in the Chinese market, Lee argued.

Simply put, the investment firm recommends investing in the semiconductor giant for its dominant position in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Hyperscalers and enterprise customers are increasingly dependent on its GPUs to power next-gen workloads, which will drive the companys stock price higher over the next 12 months, the analyst concluded.

Wall Street Continues to Recommend Owning Nvidia

Other Wall Street firms agree with HSBCs bullish view on Nvidia shares as well.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP)  Criminal charges have been dropped against a Florida man who authorities said abandoned his dog in floodwaters near a highway as residents evacuated Floridas Gulf Coast last year shortly before Hurricane Milton made landfall.

The case led to legislation signed into law this year by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, enhancing penalties on people who abandon pets during natural disasters.

Tampa-area prosecutors on Wednesday filed a court notice that they were dropping charges against the 24-year-old man from Ruskin, Florida, who had faced a count of felony aggravated animal cruelty. The nolle prosequi notice usually is filed when there's a lack of evidence or witnesses.

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The bull terrier, nicknamed Trooper by the Florida Highway Patrol, was alive when he was found by a trooper in floodwaters up to his chest along Interstate 75 in the Tampa area as residents evacuated Floridas Gulf Coast hours before the Category 3 hurricane made landfall.

Troopers brought him to a vet, where he was examined for injuries and received a clean bill of health. He eventually was adopted by a couple in the Fort Lauderdale area.
A sheriff said his deputies are methodically investigating a weekend mass shooting that killed four people and injured 16 more at a bar on a South Carolina island but havent gotten the kind of help they need from the hundreds of people partying before the shooting.

ALSO READ: 4 dead, at least 20 injured in a shooting at SC bar

No arrests have been made yet as investigators test DNA, analyze weapons and bullets, and enhance video from the crime scene of the early Sunday shooting at Willies Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island, Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner said Wednesday.

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Investigators think the shooting started as a dispute between two or three people who grew up together in Beaufort County and started firing at each other.

We had 700 people at this party. And we have yet to get a witness that can tell us who the shooters are. Its ridiculous, Tanner said.

The sheriff said he thinks people want to cooperate but fear retribution. He said they can report what they know anonymously through Crimestoppers.

Tanner took questions from reporters and the community Wednesday about the shooting that happened near last call for drinks at a party celebrating the 25th anniversary of the class of 2000 at Battery Creek High School in Beaufort.

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Tanner called the scene horrific but not surprising considering the shots were fired indiscriminately in such a large crowd of about 300 people inside the bar itself and 400 outside.

When that many shots are fired in a crowd with the volume of people we had  multiple people get injured. Multiple people died, Tanner said at Wednesdays briefing.

Building a case based on evidence as opposed to eyewitnesses takes time, Tanner said.

Shell casing and bullets, some taken from inside the victims, were being sent to state agents on Wednesday. The FBI was trying to enhance and analyze video from inside and outside the bar. And Beaufort County deputies were testing DNA, Tanner said.

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The goal is to make sure whatever charges are filed stick, the sheriff said.

What Im not going to do is victimize these families a second time, Tanner said.

Tanner refused to say exactly how many people may have fired or give any identifying information about possible suspects.

The sheriff also clarified that 16 people were wounded in the shooting. Initial reports said at least 20 were hurt by gunfire.

Kashawn Glaze, 22; Chiraad Smalls, 33; Amos Gary, 54; and Ashantek Milledge, 22, were killed in the shooting.

Willies Bar serves Gullah-inspired cuisine and describes itself on its website as not just a restaurant but a community pillar committed to giving back, especially to our youth.

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An estimated 5,000 or more Gullah people living on St. Helena Island trace their ancestry back to enslaved West Africans who once worked rice plantations in the area before being eventually freed by the Civil War.

VIDEO: Man accused of killing 3, hurting 5 at bar on NC coast held without bond
NEW YORK  Its Zohran Mamdanis Democratic Party now, whether Democrats like it or not.

At a fiery debate Thursday, the democratic socialist heavily favored to be the next New York City mayor weathered attacks from former Gov. Andrew Cuomo that mirrored broadsides hes facing from Republicans eager to weaponize his more controversial positions in next years midterms.

Cuomo accused Mamdani of wanting to legalize prostitution. He alleged Mamdani is sympathetic to Hamas. And he charged that Mamdani believes in defunding the police.

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Mamdani pushed back with rebuttals and redirects, refuting Cuomos claims while undercutting his experience argument by prosecuting the former governors pandemic record and hammering the issue he rode to victory in the Democratic primary: affordability.



Zohran Mamdani walked in the favorite and leaves the favorite, said Lis Smith, a Democratic strategist who once worked for Cuomo but is now critical of him. Andrew Cuomo needed a perfect night and a few clean hits on Mamdani, but he spent more time on defense than offense.

But Mamdanis defensive stance on policing  and his efforts to clean up equivocal remarks about Hamas this week  exposed the fault lines Democrats still face heading into the midterms: how to talk about crime and the war in Gaza without alienating swing voters or their base. Beyond the glaring lights of the 30 Rock stage, state and national Republicans pounced on Mamdanis refusal to issue a return endorsement of Gov. Kathy Hochul while praising fellow democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). They attacked his policies like hiking taxes to fund free buses. And they accused him of being a communist.

If he wins, this guarantees that hes going to be the albatross that Fox News and the MAGA universe hangs around the Democratic neck for the foreseeable future, said Alex Hoffman, a Democratic strategist and donor adviser. They will loop him with [Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] and Bernie and say the radical left runs and owns the party even though they dont speak for the rest of the party or the country.

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Mamdani has taken steps in recent days to neutralize some of those attack lines. He issued a mea culpa to rank-and-file police officers in a Fox News interview earlier this week for past statements he made about cutting funding for a department he characterized as racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety. Thursday night, he attempted to clarify his views on Hamas, saying of course I believe that they should lay down their arms days after declining to issue such a call during the Fox News sitdown.



But even as some Democratic strategists said Mamdanis efforts could help allay voters concerns in the Big Apple, they warned it was unlikely to stop Republicans from turning his past statements into a campaign cudgel against the party in the midterms.

The faceoff in Manhattan  hosted by POLITICO New York, NBC 4 New York and Telemundo  served as one of the last chances for the candidates to reach undecided or uninspired voters. It also served up an opportunity for fresh fodder for Republicans to use against even those Democrats that have taken pains to distance themselves from Mamdani.

Mamdani is poised to succeed Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out of the race. He has a massive polling lead over fellow Democrat Cuomo, with Republican Curtis Sliwa  who was a footnote in Thursdays debate  far behind them. The democratic socialist is hoping to run up his vote count and get elected with a mandate for change.

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While Hochul has endorsed Mamdani, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have not. Both congressional leaders have cited Mamdanis hesitation to denounce the phrase globalize the intifada, which some hear as a call to violence against Jews, as a point of concern. Swing-district Democrats, including Long Island Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen, have denounced Mamdani and his positions. And from the moment he won the June primary, Republicans have worked to make Mamdani the next Democratic standard-bearer.

In New York, GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik has steadily lambasted Hochul for her connection to and endorsement of Mamdani, labeling him a communist and an antisemite. Stefanik is expected to challenge Hochul in next years highly anticipated race for governor.



Rep. Mike Lawler has similarly seized opportunities to strike at Hochul for her ties to Mamdani. He did so during Thursdays debate, responding to a clip of Mamdani speaking about funding proposals like free and fast buses.

Insanity, the battleground Republican posted on X. @ZohranKMamdani wants to raise taxes on all New Yorkers by $9 BILLION to pay for his policies. @GovKathyHochul should make clear where she stands on this proposal.

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Meanwhile, GOP campaign arms have been eager to seize on anything Mamdani says about policing and the economy to keep yoking their gubernatorial and congressional candidates to his far-left policies. The Republican National Committees rapid response team blasted out clips of Mamdanis swerve on police funding, his idea to raise taxes to eliminate bus fares and his attempt to clarify his muddled view of sex work .

Tonight is further proof that radical socialist Zohran Mamdani is the new face of the Democrat Party, Mike Marinella, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement. They cant escape the far-left takeover thats gnawing away at any chance they have of retaking the House, and theyre guaranteeing electoral poison for a party thats already too far gone.

Mamdani said his relevant experience is as a New Yorker who has seen how his fellow residents struggle with the rising cost of living, which, he made sure to note, President Donald Trump ran on a pledge to drive down. And the candidate said he has reversed his earlier position that the NYPD should be defunded. He wants to create a Department of Community Safety but keep the NYPD headcount steady.



Mamdanis hedging in the Fox News interview about Hamas  he said he didnt have opinions about the future of the terrorist organization  has already become a line of attack for Republicans.

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This interview proved that the Democrat Partys main constituencies are made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals  that is who the Democrat Party is catering to, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News.

Gillen, one of the countrys most vulnerable Democratic incumbents, earlier this week wrote on X, Shame! Pro-Hamas Zohran is unfit to hold any office in the United States.

On Thursday, Mamdani sought to paint himself as ready and able to lead the heavily Democratic New York City  a top Trump administration target for its sanctuary status.

Cuomo castigated Mamdani as too inexperienced: If the assemblyman is elected mayor, Donald Trump will take over New York City, and it will be Mayor Trump, Cuomo said.



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But Mamdani returned fire by attempting to link Cuomo to Trump.

If you think that theres no difference between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, then thats the candidate for you, Mamdani said of Cuomo. If you think its time to have a Democratic Party that actually stands up to Donald Trump and his billionaire-backed donors, then vote for me.

All in all, when it came to winners and losers, Mamdani appeared to come out on top, avoiding any major gaffes and defending himself against Cuomos broadsides. He also played to the camera with a broad grin and a combination of style and substance as a counterweight to Cuomos lengthy resume .

Mamdanis allies in organized labor, most of whom were with Cuomo in the primary but are now campaigning for the Democratic nominee in the general election, cheered him for speaking to New Yorkers top concern: affordability. Mamdani plans Friday to host a reverse town hall post-debate, a setting that his campaign said will allow him to ask everyday New Yorkers questions and hear their concerns.

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As Zohran said so well, Trump made false promises to lower our cost of living, but Zohran will actually do it, 32BJ SEIU president Manny Pastreich said. If Trump wants to dehumanize New Yorkers and defund our taxpayer-funded essential services, hell have a fight on his hands.

After the debate, as reporters crowded the 30 Rock elevators waiting for the candidates, Cuomo  who ran a tightly guarded primary campaign that limited press access  vanished out a different entrance. Mamdani did, too  but not until after he took a highly public victory lap on MSNBC.

Jason Beeferman contributed to this report.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A Camas School District custodian was arrested this week on charges related to child porn, according to Vancouver police.

Authorities said Jordan James Palomino is charged with trying to view depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Not going to allow that in our communities: Hillsboro couple blocks CBP van

Camas School District confirmed the arrest to KOIN 6 News and added that Palomino no longer has access to any of the districts students, facilities, or systems. He has been placed on paid administrative leave due to the pending charges.

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We understand the seriousness and sensitivity of this situation, the district wrote in a letter to families. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our top priority.

According to the district, their employees undergo thorough background checks and screening prior to employment and the administration regularly reviews and updates their safety practices in partnership with police.

Missing Forest Grove 78-year-old may have fallen in hole, search underway

District officials also said the incident involving Palomino does not appear to be connected to their students, though they acknowledge the concern it may cause.

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Our schools remain safe, supportive environments for students and staff, and our administrative team is committed to transparency, care, and communication as this process unfolds, the district said.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  On Thursday, Oct. 16, Colorado Springs School District 11 (D11) broke ground on Jenkins Middle Schools new academic wing.

According to D11, the new wing will feature state-of-the-art classrooms, flexible collaboration spaces, and innovative learning environments designed to prepare students for the future.

Jenkins Middle School closed in early 2025 due to structural concerns. The first stages of renovations finished just in time for the start of the school year. School leaders are commending the communitys resiliency through everything.

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Despite the disruption, the distance, and the uncertainty, our students thrived. Our teachers led with heart, and our community wrapped support around us. We stayed jaguar strong throughout the entire process, said Anthony Jackowski, Principal of Jenkins Middle School.

Crews expect the new academic wing to be completed by next August.

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 FOX21 News Colorado.
Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux rejected a multimillion-dollar offer to help federal immigration enforcement, even after the city fell short on police staffing and funding.

The Dallas Police Department recently turned down a $25 million offer to join ICEs 287(g) program under the Department of Homeland Security, which reimburses local police for helping enforce immigration law, Comeaux said during an October 14 meeting of the Community Police Oversight Board.

We were contacted by the federal government  I think it was last week, or within the last two weeks  and we were offered $25 million to be a part of 287(g), Comeaux said. We said, Absolutely not, no. That was me who said that, turned it down.

Comeaux rejected the ICE funding after Dallas new budget fell short of the statutory requirement to maintain at least 4,000 police officers and to offer combined salary and benefits among the top five in the metroplex, as The Dallas Express reported.

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During the meeting, Comeaux said Dallas police have not been helping ICE with many investigations, but city rules require officers to assist if they request help.

Right now, we have had very little interactions with ICE on anything. Thats the truth about whats happening in Dallas right now, he said. I have a really good relationship with ICE, and they have not requested our assistance to go out and assist with them in the streets.

Comeaux debunked several rumors that Dallas police have been working with ICE. He said officers have simply helped federal authorities like the U.S. Marshals target human traffickers and sex offenders.

Some of the things that are being posted and being said are just absolutely not true, Comeaux said. Its not happening in Dallas.

Corbin Rubinson, Dallas police public information officer, told The Dallas Express the department will help federal law enforcement while focusing on its core mission.

The Dallas Police Department and Chief Comeaux are focused on serving our city by answering 9-1-1 calls and aggressively fighting violent crime, Rubinson said. Federal authorities have a different mission with the same importance.

Funding To Help ICE

DHS offered Dallas police $25 million to join the 287(g) program, according to Comeaux. The program confers federal immigration-enforcement authority on local police and reimburses them for assisting federal officers.

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DHS announced new funding opportunities through the program beginning October 1. ICE offered to fully reimburse participating agencies for the annual salary and benefits of each officer trained in 287(g) and to award bonuses for locating wanted criminal aliens.

ICE is not only supercharging our hiring, we are also multiplying partnerships with state and local law enforcement to remove the worst of the worst, including murderers, gang members, rapists, terrorists, and pedophiles from our country, ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan said in a September press release.

Across Texas, 185 agencies  including the Denton and Tarrant county sheriffs offices, and multiple police departments across the metroplex  work with ICE under the program.

When The Dallas Express asked Rubinson how Dallas police cooperate with ICE, he pointed to the departments operating protocols.

Dallas police officers are barred from arresting illegal aliens due to their immigration status, according to the protocols. They may not stop anyone for the purpose of determining their immigration status, and they must presume that anyone with a valid ID has lawful presence in the United States.

Officers are permitted, but not required, to ask about the immigration status only of those persons who are lawfully detained or arrested, the protocols read. However, officers may not arrest an individual because he or she is undocumented.

Staffing, Budget Shortfalls

Comeaux rejected the ICE funding, despite the departments current shortfalls per Proposition U, a measure that voters passed in November 2024, setting police staffing and pay standards.

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Proposition U requires Dallas Police to maintain a minimum of 4,000 officers and to rank among the top five North Texas departments for combined salary and non-pension benefits among agencies serving populations above 50,000.

But Dallas new budget only anticipated hiring 350 more officers in FY 2026, ending the year with 3,424 sworn officers  576 short of the statutory minimum. One regional pay comparison suggested the departments base starting pay would rank 12th among area departments  seven ranks below the minimum.

Dallas police have made a slight improvement in emergency response times this month and year-to-date.

According to the October 13 City Response Time Report, officers are reaching top-priority emergencies in about 10.4 minutes on average month-to-datetheir fastest pace this year but still above the citys 8-minute goal. That figure includes 4.4 minutes for dispatch and 5.9 minutes for travel.

Dallas Police Department response times for top-priority emergencies averaged 10.36 minutes as of October 13, 2025, city data show.

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Year-to-date, officers average 10.97 minutes, compared with 11.27 minutes during the same period last year, a marginal 3 percent improvement.

The report also shows a 7.79 percent drop in total dispatched calls28,781 so far this year compared with 31,212 last yearwhich may have contributed to the modest speed-up.

When officers with the Plano Police Department chased suspects into Dallas in September, the pursuit ended in a crash at 7:12 p.m., as Fox 4 reported. Plano police managed the scene for hours before Dallas officers arrived at 11:15 p.m.
Dallas has seen dozens of murders this year, and two shootings this week have tipped the murder count for the month of October into the double digits.

A 30-year-old man died after being shot Thursday evening in Dallas, police reported. Andrew Harris was shot around 7:50 p.m. in the 3900 block of Investor Drive. Dallas Fire Rescue transported Harris to a local hospital, where he died. Police have not released information about suspects or a possible motive.

The homicide remains under investigation, documented as case #149391-2025. Detective F. Silva is leading the investigation. Anyone with information should contact him at 214-608-2832 or fernando.silva@dallaspolice.gov.

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Just two days prior to this violent incident, Dallas police responded to a shooting call in the 2300 block of Topeka Drive. They determined that the victim, 34-year-old Joseph Jefferies, had been shot at the scene. He was transported to a local hospital, where he subsequently died.

The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Detective Paul Johnson at 214-671-3616 or paul.johnson1@dallaspolice.gov, referencing case # 14821-2025.

The two shooting incidents bring the total murder tally for October to 11, including one unborn child. Four arrests have been made in connection with five of the deaths, including two suspects who were arrested in Houston and charged with the murders of three persons in West Dallas earlier this month.

Updated October Homicide Summary

As of Oct. 17, 2025

Date Location Victim(s) Suspect(s) Case # Sept. 29 / Oct. 11 4500 Live Oak St. Delia Duron, 57 Damion Soloman  Murder charge 140547-2025 Oct. 5 8800 Ferguson Rd. Anthony Torres, 23  143466-2025 Oct. 5 3800 Bernal Dr. Pedro Lara Roa, 47; Pedro Lara, 21; Unidentified male Two suspects arrested in Houston 143554-2025 Oct. 5 2600 Myrtle Springs Ave. Unborn child; mother survived  143555-2025 Oct. 6 4500 Metropolitan Ave. Anthony Anderson, 32  144363-2025 Oct. 7 2500 W. Wheatland Rd. Cecilia Simpson, 41 Keona Hampton, 22  Murder charge 144712-2025 Oct. 12 8300 La Prada Dr. Jacob Cuellar, 21; four injured  147041-2025 Oct. 14 2300 Topeka Dr. Joseph Jefferies, 34  148421-2025 Oct. 16 3900 Investor Dr. Andrew Harris, 30  149391-2025

Totals: 11 homicide victims, including one unborn child. Four arrests connected to five cases.

Staffing Context

The Dallas Police Department has been hampered by a chronic shortage of police officers, and the city has yet to meet the standards mandated by Dallas voters through Proposition U last year. The measure requires the City to maintain a police force of 4,000 sworn officers and to provide the force with a pay and benefits package that ranks among the top five cities in the metroplex with populations over 50,000.

Anyone with information about these or other cases can contact Dallas Police homicide detectives or submit anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers at 214-373-TIPS (8477).
Oct. 17MOSES LAKE  Local residents are invited to share their memories through a program by sponsored by the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter, according to an announcement from the DAR.

In preparation of the USA's 250th anniversary celebration, the DAR Karneetsa Chapter is looking for farmers throughout Grant, Adams, and Kittitas counties to share their memories and knowledge of the years 1970-1990, particularly about the impact of the eruption of Mount St. Helens on the agricultural community, according to the announcement.

The chapter will arrange interview times with individuals between now and Nov. 15 to record their stories, according to the announcement. The interview should not take more than 20 minutes; an interview prep sheet will be sent prior to the scheduled recording. Once a day and time has been scheduled, the recorded interview will take place at the Quincy Museum. In partnership with America 250, participants will be encouraged to share their story about history, hopes and dreams for the future.

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"This is a wonderful opportunity for members throughout the community to be able to tell their American experience, and the various voices that make this country unique," Karneetsa Chapter Regent Stephanie Massart wrote in the announcement. "We are excited to be in partnership with the National and State Commissions. If anyone has pictures they would like to contribute to our narrative, we are accepting digital copies as well."

Anyone interested in participating is invited to email [email protected] with their name, phone number and interest, and a member of Karneetsa Chapter will be in contact.
Oct. 17 (UPI) -- On this date in history:

In 1931, gangster Al Capone was convicted of income tax evasion. It took jurors four days to decide whether the mobster had cheated the Internal Revenue Service out of $215,000.

In 1945, Juan Peron became dictator of Argentina. He remained in power for 11 years before being overthrown.

In 1949, British steamer Anhui reported taking fire from Communist China's army as it sailed for Hong Kong with 1,400 passengers aboard. Ship's officers said the vessel was under fire for 15 minutes, resulting in three dead and 25 injured.

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In 1964, reconnaissance flights made by the U-2 played a role in obtaining for the United States advance information on Red China's first nuclear blast.

Syrian Democratic Forces troops celebrate the October 17, 2017, liberation of Raqqa, Syria, on October 20, 2017. File Photo by Youssef Rabih Youssef/EPA

In 1965, following a two-year run that saw more than 51 million people walk through its gates, the 1964/1965 New York World's Fair closed its doors. With a theme of "Peace Through Understanding," the fair was a showcase for science and technology and lives on in the Unisphere, a 12-story high model of the world which dominates Flushing Meadow.

In 1973, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries declared an oil embargo on countries supporting Israel in its war with Egypt, Syria and Jordan. The ensuing energy crisis drove up gasoline prices and created a shortage in the United States, prompting long lines at the pump.

A man watches as a car, which plunged down due to collapsed San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, is being hoisted up after the October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta earthquake. UPI File Photo

In 1979, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a Roman Catholic nun who cared for the sick and poor, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

On October 17, 1979, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a Roman Catholic nun who cared for the sick and poor, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. UPI File Photo

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In 1986, Congress passed a landmark immigration bill, the first U.S. law authorizing penalties for employers who hire undocumented immigrants.

In 1989, the most powerful California earthquake since the legendary tremblor of 1906 struck the San Francisco Bay area at the evening rush hour. At least 63 people were killed and hundreds of others injured.The quake hit just before the scheduled start of Game 3 of the World Series in San Francisco between the Giants and the Oakland A's.

Amanda Bailey with the Missouri History Museum adjusts a cutout figure of Al Capone as final preperations are made for the exhibit American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition in St. Louis on April 22, 2014. On October 17, 1931, Capone is convicted of income tax evasion. It took jurors four days to decide whether the mobster had cheated the Internal Revenue Service out of $215,000. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

File Photo by Rod Lamkey/UPI

In 2001 the U.S. Congress closed for security sweeps after 321 staff members and police officers tested positive for exposure to anthrax.

In 2017, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said it cleared Raqqa, the Islamic State's de facto Syrian capital, of all militant fighters. The Second Battle of Raqqa had begun June 6, 2017.

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In 2024, Israel Defense Forces killed Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas and mastermind of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, during a ground operation in southern Gaza. He was succeeded by his brother, Mohammed Sinwar, who was himself killed in May 2025.
By Katya Golubkova and Sam Li

TOKYO (Reuters) -Oil prices rose around 1% on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged his country would stop buying oil from Russia, a move that could drain supply elsewhere.

Brent crude futures rose 54 cents, or 0.87%, to $62.45 a barrel by 0430 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures climbed 57 cents, or 0.98%, to $58.84.

Both contracts touched their lowest since early May in the previous session on U.S.-China trade tensions and after the International Energy Agency warned of a big surplus next year as OPEC+ producers and rivals lift output amid weak demand.

Trump said on Wednesday that India - which taps its top supplier Russia for about one-third of its oil imports - would halt oil purchases from Russia, and the U.S. would next try to get China to do the same as Washington intensifies efforts to cut off Moscow's energy revenues and pressure it to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine.

The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to emailed questions about whether Modi had made such a commitment to Trump.

Some Indian refiners are preparing to cut Russian oil imports, with expectations of a gradual reduction, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said on Wednesday that he told Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato that the Trump administration expects Japan to stop importing Russian energy.

India and China are the two top buyers of Russian seaborne crude exports, which are sanctioned by the U.S. and European Union. For months, Modi resisted U.S. pressure to stop buying Russian oil, with Indian officials defending the purchases as vital to national energy security.

"At the margin, this is a positive development for the crude oil price as it would remove a big buyer (India) of Russian oil," said Tony Sycamore, a market analyst at IG.

The UK government also announced new sanctions on Wednesday, directly targeting Russia's Rosneft and Lukoil - two of the world's biggest energy companies.

The sanctioned entities include four oil terminals, the private refiner Shandong Yulong Petrochemical in China, 44 tankers in the "shadow fleet" transporting Russian oil, and Nayara Energy Limited, a Russian-owned refinery in India.

Later on Thursday, investors will be watching for the weekly U.S. inventory statistics release from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) after mixed data from the American Petroleum Institute (API) trade group.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  A 74-year-old man was arrested on October 10 for allegedly threatening to shoot his neighbor and her dog, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detailed.

According to police, officers responded shortly before 8 a.m. after a woman reported that a man had approached her and her dog on the 3400 block of 23rd St., SE, threatening harm.

During the encounter, the woman said the man first claimed he was going to shoot her and then went inside his home, grabbed his machete, and continued threatening her.

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Manassas Park home suspected as the murder site of Mamta Kafle up for auction

When police arrived, officers searched the mans house and seized a BB gun, a twelve-gauge shotgun, and a machete.

Robert Hammond, of Southeast D.C., was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a prohibited weapon, threats to kidnap or injure, and possession of an unregistered firearm.

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GLADE SPRING, Va. (WJHL)  A growing number of dead vultures has raised concerns about avian flu spreading throughout Southwest Virginia, including in Glade Spring.

According to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), an outbreak of avian flu in waterfowl began nationwide about four years ago. Migrating birds have spread the disease to other bird species, including vultures.

John Tracy, a wildlife veterinarian at DRW, said a case of avian flu was confirmed in Wythe County, Virginia, about two weeks ago.

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Tracy said the risk to humans is very low.

When this particular virus gets introduced in the black vultures, it can look severe, Tracy said. We have a roost of birds that are densely congregated together, and once its introduced, it can kill a large number of those birds in a short period of time.

We dont know if the original introductions here in Southwest Virginia are a result of migratory waterfowl or whatnot, but weve had no other reports in any other species, other than vultures, as of this time, Tracy said.

BVPD: Man arrested after sexual assault case reopened

Rhonda Caudill, a resident of Glade Spring, said she has found multiple dead vultures in her yard over the past three weeks.

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There used to be probably around 50 vultures that would just kind of hang around and now were pretty much down to maybe 8 or 10, if that, Caudill said.

You come outside and theres like, three or four dead at a time, and then each day, three or four more, Caudill said. I called the wildlife hotline, and the lady there said they were aware of an avian outbreak.

Caudill said a local wildlife agent came to her yard to collect the dead birds and test them for avian flu. She is still waiting for the results.

They told us to dispose that it was the property owners responsibility to dispose of the bodies, the carcasses, Caudill said. So, they told us to either bury them or double-bag them and take them to the landfill.

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Glade Spring Town Manager Shane Barton said there have been no formal complaints about the dead vultures to the town, but the town wants residents to be aware.

A Facebook post on the Glade Spring Community Group was posted, I believe, on the 10th, that started to get some attention, Barton said. That same day, I asked our maintenance and our police department if they had received any formal sort of complaints or comments from citizens, and they hadnt yet.

Barton also said representatives from Congressman Morgan Griffiths office are in contact with the responding agencies and are providing updates from across the region.

It was a couple days later, I believe, on Tuesday, that we received a phone call from Morgan Griffiths office, sort of asking if we had any updates and at that time, we didnt, we still hadnt received any formal complaints, Barton said.

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Barton said testing the carcasses could take days to weeks.

Tracy said several carcasses from the Saltville area are also undergoing testing.

Barton said the Virginia Department of Health is monitoring the risk to humans, which is low. He said that if someone sees a dead bird on public property, they should file a formal complaint or issue a notice.

It is hard for us to monitor social media posts, Barton said. Its hard for us to discern whether social media posts or rumors, hoaxes, or credible. The only thing that I can act on is a formal complaint or a formal notice from a citizen here at town hall.

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Barton said Glade Spring has posted on Facebook with more information on how to report a dead vulture and what to do if you begin to feel sick after being around a dead bird. Physical copies of the information are available at the Glade Spring Town Hall.

Our typical reporting guidelines are like, if you find five or more dead vultures over a period of a week or a few days, if you find, ten or more dead songbirds or other birds, over a period of a few days, or if you find sick, or dead eagles, hawks, other raptors that you report those to us, Tracy said.

Barton also said there have been no confirmed cases of avian flu in humans or domestic birds in News Channel 11s coverage area.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
WAUTOMA, Wis. (WFRV)  The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched a death investigation in Waushara County following a standoff after a domestic violence call on Thursday.

According to a release from the Wisconsin DOJ, its Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is investigating a death that happened in Wautoma on the evening of October 16.

Fond du Lac teen accused of homicide claims self-defense in court testimony

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Around 5:25 p.m., a deputy with the Waushara County Sheriffs Office and a trooper with the Wisconsin State Patrol responded to a domestic violence call at a home near the intersection of State Road 73 and County Road O.

After the deputy got to the home, a man who was standing outside retreated inside when he suddenly fired a weapon at the deputy, leading the deputy to return fire.

The man then reportedly barricaded himself inside, and negotiation tactics began. After additional tactical teams arrived, authorities reported hearing gunshots from inside the home.

Brothers wrongfully convicted of 1987 Green Bay murder each receive over $150k in compensation

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Following additional communication methods, law enforcement went into the home and found the man dead.

No other injuries occurred. All involved law enforcement is fully cooperating with the investigation.

DCI is continuing to review evidence and determine the facts of this incident and will turn over the investigative reports to the Waushara County District Attorneys Office when the investigation concludes, the release states.

Local 5 will update this story when more details are released.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Democrat Jay Jones, left, and Republican incumbent Jason Miyares shake hands at the start of the Virginia attorney general debate in Richmond, Va., Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Photo by Mike Kropf/ via AP/pool)

In their only debate of the election cycle, Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares and Democratic challenger Jay Jones laid out their plans should they be elected Virginias top prosecutor Thursday night at the University of Richmond. In an exchange markedly less heated than last weeks gubernatorial debate, both men portrayed themselves as defenders of the law who would work to stem crime statewide, enforce consumer protections and uphold Virginians rights.

Throughout the debate, moderated by Virginia State Bar president Brett Marsten, Jones emphasized his willingness to push back against President Donald Trumps administration in court and accused Miyares of aligning with federal policies that constitute federal overreach.

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Miyares pledged to continue cracking down on illegal immigration to thwart gang violence and repeatedly called Jones character into question by referencing the former state lawmakers past reckless driving charge and violent text messages, both revealed in recent weeks.

Before the questions got underway, Jones used his opening statement to address text messages hed sent to a Republican state lawmaker in 2022 in which hed referenced shooting former House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, and Gilberts children dying in their mothers arms in order for the party to take action on gun safety laws. The texts prompted Republicans inside and outside the state  from Miyares and Gov. Glenn Youngkin to Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance  to call for Jones to drop out of the race.

I am sorry to Speaker Gilbert. I am sorry to his family. I am sorry to my family, and Im sorry to every single Virginian, Jones said.

You had three years to apologize, Miyares countered in his opening monologue, who urged Jones to leave the race multiple times during the evening.

Dueling visions of how to protect Virginians

Jones, a litigator in D.C. and former state delegate from Norfolk, is a married father of two sons. He is the grandson of a pioneering civil rights attorney and the son of a longtime state delegate and circuit court judge.

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Miayres is ending his first term as attorney general after being elected to the office in 2021. The son of a mother who immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba, Miyares is also a former state delegate and a prosecutor in the Virginia Beach Commonwealths Attorney Office, and the first Latino to serve in a statewide office in Virginia.

On the debate stage, both men promised to protect Virginians, but professed vastly different approaches to doing so.

When not jabbing at Jones about the scandals, Miyares depicted himself as the peoples protector and touted a state program hes helped lead in that has helped reduce crime and noted consumer protection lawsuits hes undertaken to shield Virginians from rising prescription costs and other challenges.

Jones countered that Miyares would seldom take a stand against Trump, saying Miyares is too weak to stand up to the president. He also pointed out that Miyares hadnt emulated attorneys generals in different states who have joined attempts to block the president from deploying the National Guard to their states and to hinder proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act. He also repeatedly pummeled Miyares and Republican leaders over mass federal workforce reductions this year, a hot topic in the state that is home to hundreds of thousands of federal workers.

Democrat Jay Jones participates in the Virginia attorney general debate with Republican incumbent Jason Miyares in Richmond, Va., Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Photo by Mike Kropf/ via AP/pool)

Energy and environment

Each pointed to their voting records in the General Assembly, too, with the conversation lingering on energy legislation.

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Miyares said he supported an all of the above approach to meeting Virginias energy needs, in a nod to Youngkins refrain about the importance of embracing multiple energy sources. He reminded the audience of how his office negotiated Dominion Energys offshore wind plan to reduce ratepayers share of the costs.

The attorney general also described the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) as a tax on working class Virginians that I oppose and that Jay Jones supports.

Jones noted his support of the Virginia Clean Economy Act and Virginias membership in the RGGI measures aimed at reducing carbon emissions in the state. Jones called the states withdrawal from RGGI patently illegal and doubled down on his support of the VCEA, which set benchmarks for utility companies to phase out fossil fuel reliance over time.

Jones also called for the state to hold our biggest corporate polluter accountable  thats Dominion Energy, and bashed Miyares for accepting campaign donations from the utility.

Criminal justice

Miyares reminded the audience several times that Jones voted in favor of a law allowing inmates with good behavior to trim their prison sentences, casting it as evidence of Jones being a criminal-first, victim-last politician.

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Of the 19% of people who were released with the earned sentence credits that were reconvicted last year in the demographic, 5% were reincarcerated, Virginia Department of Corrections data shows.

While neither man followed through for an interview when The Mercury recently examined the programs effectiveness, several beneficiaries said it gave them the chance to live fulfilling, responsible lives.

Jones said he would prioritize protecting civil rights and Virginia communities. He also referenced his three-point public safety plan, which he said was created in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials.

Republican incumbent Jason Miyares participates in the Virginia attorney general debate with Democrat Jay Jones in Richmond, Va., Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Photo by Mike Kropf/ via AP/pool)

Housing rights

On housing, Jones prodded Miyares about a 2022 investigation he inherited from former Attorney General Mark Herring regarding an apartment complex in Richmond where predominantly Latino and immigrant tenants complained of mismanagement and discrimination. When he first took office, Miyares fired staff members that had been involved in the case and a recent FOIA request revealed that the investigation had been closed, citing inconclusive evidence.

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Miyares countered that his office won a discrimination case where a vacation rental home landlord evicted a family due to one of its members being Black, lauding it as the biggest victory against housing discrimination in the states history.

Higher education

The men shared thoughts about Virginias colleges and universities, which have been roiled this year by shifting federal standards and mandates to end diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The University of Virginia is currently deliberating a compact proposed by the Trump administration which would give the school funding in exchange for adhering to a set of operating requirements that state legislators have described as political extortion.

When pressed on how the attorney general should balance academic freedom, public safety and political influence from Washington, D.C. when advising Virginia universities, Miyares said that he is a product of Virginia universities who is committed to protecting them. He said he couldnt outline how he advised Virginia universities in these matters due to attorney-client privilege.

What we know about his attorney-client privilege is that it runs straight to Donald Trump, Jones said, noting his experience as a UVA law alumni. He promised to defend Virginia colleges and universities against federal overreach and said he has a vested interest in making sure our higher education system remains the best in the country.

Looking ahead

Amid federal workforce layoffs, an ever-shifting national landscape of health care and reproductive rights laws, and Virginias own economic status, the next attorney general will serve as the states top lawyer for constituents and counsel to the next governor.

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Miyares expressed his wish to continue serving in this role and pointed to decreased crime rates under his watch, while Jones leaned on his experience defending civil liberties and sought a chance to lead the attorney generals office with a fresh vision for the future. Voters will choose one man for the role, with early voting underway and Election Day on Nov. 4. Learn more about the candidates positions, and hear from gubernatorial and lieutenant governor candidates, in our voter guide.

Republican incumbent Jason Miyares, left, and Democrat Jay Jones shake hands following the Virginia attorney general debate in Richmond, Va., Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Photo by Mike Kropf/ via AP/pool)

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WATERBURY-It's a busy afternoon at the new Food Universe Marketplace on Grove Street in the city's Hillside neighborhood. Some shelves and refrigerated sections are still being stocked, finishing touches are being done to the deli section which will be offering sandwiches and hot food.

New employees are working cash registers under the watchful eyes of store managers ready to step in and help check out a steady stream of customers that have been coming in since the store held its soft opening last weekend. A grand opening is planned for sometime in the next month.

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Store manager Miguel Suncar said that this approximately 13,000 square-foot space is one of a dozen owned by the same family and they are all similar in their offerings. They include international foods, exotic fruits and vegetables, meats and fish.

Suncar said he expects the deli should be offering hot food this week and that they will be offering delivery soon. The staff is also working on providing kosher items that have been requested by some customers.

Suncar said a few hundred shoppers came in during the soft opening on the weekend and that he expects to grow their customer base as the news spreads about the first grocery store in the neighborhood in decades.

"They're excited that there is a supermarket in the center of the neighborhood after all this time," Suncar said, adding that one of the reasons the owners wanted to open in this location is because there is no competition.

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And as that customer base grows, so too will the number of full- and part-time employees. Suncar said they will eventually employ 25 to 30 people and that they are always accepting new applications.

Waterbury Economic Development Director Joseph McGrath said the city is excited for the neighborhood residents who have been essentially been living in food desert since the C-Town that was there burned down in the early 2000s and have been anticipating a new grocery store for a few years now.

The store, at the corner of Cook and Grove streets, is directly across the street from Linden Place, a 44-unit. low-income apartment complex that opened in 2024.

Developer Rob Annunziata said he's happy to finally have the store open for neighborhood residents after several years of delays. Construction was completed in 2018, he said, but a legal dispute with a planned operator, and then the pandemic, set things back.

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The legal dispute, which Annunziata characterized as a "difference of opinion over the value of the property," was eventually settled and the new operator has been working for over a year to complete the build-out, which he said includes the most modern equipment available.

"The neighborhood deserves it. It couldn't have worked out better," he said. "They now have a place to walk to shop."

The Food Universe Marketplace is at 96 Grove St. It is open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

This article originally published at Decades after C-Town fire, Waterbury North End neighborhood finally gets new grocer.
The Haifa resident was killed, then taken hostage by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, during the Nova festival massacre, according to the IDF.

Former Gaza hostage Inbar Hayman was laid to rest in Petah Tikva on Friday after being returned during phase one of US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan.

Thousands of Israelis accompanied Hayman to her final resting place, President Isaac Herzog noted while eulogizing her.

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All of us here, so many of us, are here to accompany your noble, endlessly loving family along this most painful of paths, to finally grant you a place, a resting place, in the landscape of your homeland," he said.

"At this moment, as President of the State of Israel, I wish to ask you, and you, Inbar, and all our fallen hostages and their families, for forgiveness. Forgiveness that we were not there for you. Forgiveness that we could not save you. Forgiveness that it took us so very long to bring you back to us."

The Haifa resident was killed, then taken hostage by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, during the Nova festival massacre, according to the IDF.

Her remains were held by the terror organization for over two years.

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Hayman was 27 years old when she was killed. Her death was confirmed to her family by Israeli authorities in December 2023. She is survived by her parents and one brother.

Following the release of almost all the female hostages held by Hamas during the November 2023 releases, Hayman was the only woman left in Hamas captivity for most of the wars duration.

Demonstrators protest for the release of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip, outside Hakirya Base in Tel Aviv, August 31, 2025 (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)

Upon her return from captivity, the military said that it could now reveal that Hayman had served as a commander in the IDFs mixed-gender Caracal Battalion.

Our Inbar, the salt of the earth, served as a commander in the Caracal Battalion for three years. We salute you and invite the entire public to join us in honoring you  a hero of Israel, her family said in a statement shared through the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.




The trial of a former Connecticut official accused of demanding bribes from construction firms for his influence on lucrative school projects is set to resume Friday, a day after he took the stand is his own defense.

Konstantinos "Kosta" Diamantis is facing 21 federal felony charges of bribery, extortion, conspiracy and making false statements to investigators.

Diamantis took the stand Thursday afternoon following the brief testimony and cross-examination of his daughter, Anastasia Diamantis, in the morning.

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Over the course of about two-and-a-half hours of meandering testimony that occasionally drew rebuke from the judge and objection from the prosecution for relevance, Diamantis admitted to taking a 50 percent share of $70,000 from executives at a masonry company. He claimed the payments were for helping them forge a business relationship with a Bristol construction company.

Diamantis repeatedly testified under questioning from his lawyer, Norm Pattis, that he had not taken bribes, extorted executives or forced one of the companies to hire his daughter at an inflated salary.

Three executives have pleaded guilty to paying Diamantis bribes - Salvatore Monarca, owner of Acranom; John Duffy, the company's former vice president; and Antoinietta D. Roy, owner of Construction Advocacy Professionals.

Here are live updates as the trial resumes Friday:

After D'Amato finished testifying, the judge sent jurors home for the weekend at about 2:45 p.m.

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"We are very close to ending the evidence," he told them, saying there was the possibility of some testimony Monday, "but I think in all likelihood given what I know the case will be to charge and closing argument either Monday or Tuesday."

The attorneys and Diamantis remained behind for a charging conference to talk about the instructions that will be given to the jury.

The next defense witness was Edward D'Amato Jr., whose company, D'Amato Construction, has been at the center of some of the allegations. D'Amato said he was a longtime friend of Diamantis, dating back to the 1970s.

He said Diamantis didn't pressure him to hire Acranom, as prosecutors alleged.

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"I talk to Kosta a lot but I don't think we had conversations about Acranom directly," he said. "Family, friends. That's our conversations."

He also said he didn't "necessarily" think knowing Diamantis gave his company an unfair advantage in getting an emergency construction job on Tolland's Birch Grove Elementary School.

"I was not expecting anything," he said. "It was an in-road and we went and pitched ourselves to the town like we always do."

After the lunch recess, Francis resumed his questioning by asking about the counts Diamantis faces concerning alleged lies to the FBI.

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"If you testified now differently, then what you told the agents was wrong?" Francis asked

Diamantis asked the prosecutor to ask the question again.

"If your testimony is different to what you told the agents, then what you told the agents is wrong?" Francis asked.

"Yes," Diamantis replied.

At the beginning of re-direct questioning from Pattis, he said he did not intend to mislead anyone with his answers.

Despite saying he did not negotiate compensation for his daughter at her job with Roy's company, Francis pointed to texts in which Diamantis told his daughter, "I negotiated your deal for the school part 100000"

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His daughter asked who he was negotiating with.

"Antoinette," Diamantis replied. "I expect 100 from school project."

After Anastasia texted she had been paid a total of $1,500 in checks, Diamantis replied "Great and more to come."

Diamantis told the jury the conversation "was all tongue in cheek" because he was referring in the texts to how much an architect makes on a project.

About a half-hour before noon, Francis noted that many of the meetings at the center of the allegations in the case occurred at the Capital Grille, a Hartford steakhouse.

"Perhaps one of the things we can agree on is you really like the Capital Grille in Hartford," the prosecutor said, prompting a slight grin from the defendant.

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"Ever since I was introduced to it by Luke Bronin," Diamantis replied, referring to the Hartford mayor facing a subpoena in the case.

The judge broke for a 15-minute recess at about 11:40 a.m., telling jurors to have a snack because lunch could be late.

After the jury was brought from the room, Pattis asked for a mistrial, citing Francis' occasional exasperation and incredulity when questioning Diamantis.

"I realize this is me the pot calling the kettle black," Pattis said, differentiating his role as a defense lawyer from a prosecutor. "I get that."

Francis said he took his role seriously and said he thought it had been a "relatively mild-mannered" cross-examination thus far.

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Underhill denied the motion but said he does think "the examination could be less animated," advising both Francis and Diamantis to "take the temperature down a notch."

The prosecutor reminded Diamantis of the dozens of texts he sent to Duffy and Monarca threatening Acranom's business if they didn't pay him. One such message to Duffy said Monarca didn't know what he was capable of with his "back to the wall."

"Because you will do things to Acranom if they don't make good on their deal?" Francis said.

"Sal," Diamantis replied, referring to Monarca.

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Francis showed a text from Diamantis saying that a Tolland school construction project "needed a new mason" if he wasn't paid.

"You were threatening to replace Acranom on the Birch Grove project with a new mason?" Francis said.

"Yes," Diamantis said.

The prosecutor also showed text messages that showed, he said, Diamantis "desperate" for money, such as one saying he needed $5,000 and "I shouldn't have to beg he owes me 77 2 months ago."

Francis asked Diamantis whether the "77" meant $77,000, referring to interest on the $70,000 the company owed him originally.

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Diamantis said it actually was because he had treated Monarca to lunch and hadn't been reimbursed.

"The reason you wanted to get paid was because you were desperate for money," Francis asked Diamantis. "You were in financial trouble."

"I wanted to get paid," Diamantis said.

"Were you in financial trouble after you paid for your daughter's wedding in Crete?" Francis asked.

"No, and I wasn't in financial trouble to the point I couldn't pay my bills," Diamantis said, contradicting text messages he admitted sending in which he told Acranom officials his bank was calling him at work because he didn't pay his mortgage.

Francis showed the jury text messages Diamantis sent to Acranom officials in which he said that "being on the team had value" and said "zero is an insult to my character."

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"I had an agreement with Acranom," he said. I had an agreement with John (Duffy), absolutely."

"In fact, sir, your deal with Acranom was they were going to pad their contract for Birch Grove Elementary by $70,000 and kick that back to you," Francis said. "That was the real deal wasn't it?"

"It was not the real deal," Diamantis said.

Francis noted Diamantis also sent Acranom officials texts saying he needed money that had been "built in" to a contract which referred, prosecutors allege, to $70,000 Acranom had increased its bid on a project on unnecessarily.

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"It's a different $70,000?" Francis said.

"Yes," he said.

Some jurors smirked slightly or raised their eyebrows as Diamantis continued to answer questions from the prosecutor about not disclosing money he got from Acranom.

"You keep saying you're not in business with Acranom," Francis said. "But you're taking money from Acranom?"

"Correct," Diamantis said.

"And you're doing something in exchange for the money?"

"Correct," he said.

Francis also noted Diamantis signed statements saying he had read and understood state ethics rules and didn't reach out to the Office of State Ethics.

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"I didn't think I needed their help," Diamantis said.

The prosecutor also noted Diamantis didn't disclose income from Acranom to his accountant, but now said he plans to file an amended return.

"Because you got caught, now you think you need to amend them?" Francis said.

"Correct," Diamantis said.

Francis' questions became more pointed as his cross-examination of Diamantis approached the mid-morning recess.

He asked Diamantis whether he took money from any other firms besides Acranom to help them with referrals on a public school project.

"None," Diamantis replied.

"Is that why you kept it a secret?" Francis asked.

"It was outside the scope of my employment," he said. "What secret was it?"

Francis noted Diamantis took money from Acranom despite not listing the company as an income source on disclosure forms.

"I'm not in business with Acranom," he said.

"You took a referral fee from Acranom," Francis said. "That's not being in business with them?"

"No," Diamantis said.

Francis recalled testimony from Diamantis in which he said he worked as a criminal defense lawyer. The prosecutor asked whether he was familiar with the concept of quid pro quo, a Latin term meaning "this for that." In the context of corruption, the phrase refers to a public official offering something in exchange for something of value.

"Yes," Diamantis replied.

The prosecutor then went through the timeline of Diamantis' daughter being hired by CAP, a firm which then received a job on a school construction project.

He asked Diamantis whether he started taking money from Acranom in 2018, and Diamantis said no.

The prosecutor showed a spreadsheet showing that the firm wrote a check to its owner for $5,000 in August and Diamantis deposited $2,000 cash in his own account days later.

"He cashed a check for $5,000 and I deposited $2,000," Diamantis said matter-of-factly.

After Pattis asked a final series of questions in which Diamantis said he intended to file an amended tax return to report income he received from Acranom, which he said he "didn't recall" whether he had, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Francis began his cross-examination of Diamantis by recounting his testimony that he wanted to "clean up" school construction in Connecticut.

"And the way you did that was taking envelopes of cash from Acranom?" Francis asked.

"Outside of school construction," Diamantis replied, after which the prosecutor asked him to repeat the answer twice.

"And the way you brought down costs and eliminated waste was pressuring public officials to hire CAP for a redundant position?" Francis asked.

"I did not pressure elected officials or officials in Hartford," Diamantis answered.

The prosecutor asked the defendant if he recalled the testimony last week of city officials Melvyn Colon and Frank Dellaripa, who said that he had.

"That's their testimony," Diamantis said. "Not mine."

Pattis showed several of Diamantis' alleged lies to investigators on screens in court, asking his client whether he had misled them.

"I felt like it was always asked of me whether I was involved in the hiring process for these people, and the answer is no," he said.

He said money he received from the companies was for legal work and for brokering a relationship between two other companies.

Pattis asked whether one of the firms, Acranom Masonry, had received "special treatment" on a construction project at Weaver High School. Prosecutors allege Diamantis intervened on behalf of the firm in a dispute over its work,

"None," he said. "They did not."

Diamantis resumed testifying Friday morning with Pattis going through the charges lodged against him, with the defendant denying his criminal conduct.

He said he didn't help firms get state contracts, as alleged by federal prosecutors, because he had recommended more than one firm in multiple projects, he said.

"If you're recommending more than one, I'm not sure how it helps either one of them individually," Diamantis, the former head of the office overseeing state construction grants for school projects, said.

Former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, who was subpoenaed by the defense to testify, has filed a motion seeking to quash the subpoena that would see him testify at trial next week.

After the jury had been dismissed for the day on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill asked Pattis about his remaining witnesses, noting that if he didn't need Bronin to testify, the motion was moot.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Francis asked Underhill to expedite subpoenas for witnesses to be available on Friday, which Pattis called "ridiculous."

The government, Pattis noted, had access to more resources, including agents and grand juries.

"I'm doing this in real time, and I'm doing the best I can," Pattis said.

This article originally published at Judge in ex-CT official's corruption trial says closing arguments near: Live updates.
EAU CLAIRE  Changes to criminal charges are common as cases are resolved. Plea agreements often lower the severity in exchange for a plea of guilty or no contest.

Getting the charges lowered though a motion? Thats much more rare, but a Cadott man managed to make it happen.

Jody Larson was charged in the spring of 2021 with his fifth OWI and fifth driving with a prohibited alcohol concentration charge, along with criminal damage to property, failure to install an ignition interlock device and driving while revoked.

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Larson, 53, was charged after an incident in which a resident of the Town of Washington told police someone had driven over her septic pipes, damaging them. According to the criminal complaint, her doorbell cameras recording allowed officers to identify the vehicle as Larsons.

Larson answered the door when officers arrived, but his balance was uncertain and he slurred his words. He refused sobriety tests, but a blood draw after his arrest returned a level of .178.

The change in charges centers on differing interpretations of a 1995 drunken driving conviction in Eau Claire County. Larsons attorney told the court Larson did not have legal representation during that case and did not voluntarily waive his right to counsel. The defense argued the 1995 case should not count for assessing the number of prior offenses because of that.

That was the same argument posed in an earlier OWI case involving Larson and, due to the limited records available from the 1995 case the court accepted it. The motion said the parallels between the earlier cases and this one were extensive, involving an identical issue between identical parties.

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Prosecutors argued against the change in their filing, but Judge John Manydeeds disagreed, granting the defense request and amending changing the charges from a fifth offense to a fourth earlier this week.

The difference between the charges could be substantial. Fines for a fifth offense can climb to $25,000 and it can bring up to a decade in prison. A fourth conviction, by contrast, has up to six years behind bars and fines are capped at $10,000.

While the change was a win for the defense, the case remains scheduled for trial in February 2026.
Its a tough job market for young people these days. Around 600,000 graduates are currently claiming benefits  which is grim at the best of times, but especially so when your idealistic son or daughter has landed themselves in 53,000 worth of debt after being hoodwinked into studying for degrees even Mickey Mouse would turn up his nose at.

The numbers dont lie. It is an undeniable  shocking!  fact that many companies simply dont want to employ bright-eyed, unnervingly earnest 22-year-olds with a BA (Hons) in A Load of Woke B-----ks.

The latest example of the genre is Decolonising Tolkien et al, a module at the University of Nottingham, which invites undergraduates to interrogate Tolkiens Anglo-Saxon imagery. Actually that sounds relatively sensible until you get to the bit where students are expected to critically unpick Middle-Earths racial hierarchies and examine intersectional mythic identities or whatever. (The modules core text states maligned peoples include Easterlings, Southrons and men from Harad, in case you were wondering, and says Tolkiens treatment of the fictional races exhibits anti-African antipathy.)

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Spoiler alert: along with virtually every other book in the English canon, the Lord of the Rings volumes are riddled with ideological sins, crimes against minorities and ethnic chauvinism. Sorted.

A historian has claimed that Lord of the Rings fairer-skinned races are shown as virtuous while orcs and other dark-skinned characters are the victims of ethnic chauvinism - Pierre Vinet/New Line Cinema

Oh no. Just because a text was written at a time of very different societal norms doesnt let it off the academic witch hunt.

From Shakespeare to Dickens, nobody gets a free pass, however gripping the plot or sublime the verse. Time was, these things would be noted en passant and then everyone would move on. But no more.

In an age of trigger warnings and emotional safety, these great authors must be retrospectively denounced for overshadowing marginalised voices. Or better still, cancelled.

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One tried and tested approach is to pusillanimously avoid problematic texts altogether  the Welsh GCSE curriculum, for example, no longer includes Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, nor To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, because of concerns over the psychological impact of racial language.

At university level, Nottinghams preposterous hobbit-shaming is just one manifestation of the guff that has been passed off as education in recent years.

Who can forget Staffordshires David Beckham Studies or Cornwall Colleges degree in Surf Science?

Other institutions have flirted with Stand-Up Comedy and Puppetry Design. Exeter once ran a module about donkey representation in film. Come on people, who wouldnt want to pay 9,250 a year to watch Shrek?

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At Queen Mary University in London, a summer school offered a Swift and Literature course, inviting students to close-read Swift  examining metaphor, narrative structure, intertextuality and evolving imagery. No, not the 17th century satirist Jonathan. Taylor. Yes, Taylor Swift.

Who wouldnt want to take the lyrics of Taylor Swift and deconstruct them to a granular level? - Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

Dedicated fans could then take part in a Tay Day conference at the University of Liverpool.

Whats that at the back? I think what you meant to say was treating Swift as a text to be parsed, questioned and located within discourses of power is an entirely defensible scholarly move. And yes, Shake It Off is everyones favourite.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has vowed to axe what she calls rip-off degrees without naming any in particular. Its now glaringly obvious where she ought to start  with the disgraced micro-aggressors of Middle Earth.

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Of course, academics usually respond to public bewilderment by assuring students they will be learning critical thinking.

But my advice to school leavers would be to do the critical thinking before signing up.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Oil prices recovered slightly in early Asian trade on Thursday after a steep drop that pushed WTI and Brent to five-month lows the day before. The rebound was fueled by renewed optimism over U.S. pressure on India to curb its imports of Russian crude, which could tighten arbitrage flows and compress margins for buyers.

At the time of writing, West Texas Intermediate for November delivery was trading 0.91% higher at $58.80 per barrel. Meanwhile, Brent December futures were up 0.89% at $62.46 per barrel.

The price rise came after President Trump said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to stop buying Russian crude, a development that could ease oversupply fears. Trump then indicated that he would now attempt to make China do the same thing.

Despite Trump's comments, the market remains sensitive to lingering concerns over demand and supply dynamics. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that the global oil glut may be larger than expected in 2026 if production from OPEC+ and others continues to ramp up. Meanwhile, U.S.-China trade frictions continue to cloud demand expectations, with the risk that heightened tariffs could erode growth in both economies.

Compounding the uncertainty, U.S. data showed a sizable spike in crude inventories, suggesting that domestic stock builds may already be pressuring the market.

Should India curtail purchases of discounted Russian crude, it could reduce seaborne offerings, especially those sold under the G7 price cap mechanism, thereby propping up global balances. But traders will be waiting to see movement in the import numbers.

Meanwhile, if OPEC+ producers continue to expand output or if Chinese demand remains tepid, that upward support may be offset.

Bank of America has recently joined the chorus of bearish voices warning that escalating U.S.China tensions, coupled with sustained production from OPEC+, may push Brent crude below US$50 per barrel under certain downside scenarios. Still, BofA maintained a base case of around $61 for Q4 2025 and $64 in H1 2026, reflecting a possible floor near $55.

It will take more than just words from Trump to change the broader bearish sentiment in oil markets.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Delaware is continuing its efforts to address the statewide shortage of affordable housing. With more than 19,000 affordable homes needed, state officials are turning to a long-standing federal program to help close the gap: the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.

Officials celebrated $3.4 million in preliminary 2025 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit awards during an Oct. 16 event in Milford. The funding supports four major housing projects in Delawares three counties, including Mispillion Station II, a project that will preserve 32 units and create 16 new ones, in Lewes.

Established in 1986, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit is the nations primary tool for financing affordable rental housing. The program offers tax credits to developers who commit to reserving a portion of their units for lower-income renters. Developers often sell those credits to investors to raise upfront capital, reducing construction costs and allowing for lower rents.

A toy house is featured outside The Shepherd Place on a rainy winter day in Dover, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. Founded over two decades ago, The Shepherd Place is a temporary family shelter to help the homeless in Dover.

DSHA director Matthew Heckles said the allocation of the tax credits will help make renting or owning a home a reality for more than 200 families.

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COMMUNITY HOUSING FOR SENIORS: Affordable senior townhomes ready in Wilmington's Southbridge

2025 tax credit projects

LIHTC credits will support the creation of 105 affordable apartments and the preservation of 116 existing units in each county, including:

Village of Francis and Clare, Wilmington: DSHAs first high-rise senior community funded through LIHTC, adding 51 new units.

Willows at Northstar, Lewes: A 46-unit development within a master-planned community that integrates affordable and market-rate housing.

Mispillion Station III, Milford: The latest phase in a multi-year effort to preserve and modernize 40 apartments in the Mispillion community.

Georgetown Apartments Phase I, Georgetown: A rehabilitation project modernizing 76 affordable units

A pallet village for the homeless in Georgetown in February 2023.

In addition to Georgetown Apartments Phase I, Leon N. Weiner & Associates, Inc., one of Delawares longest-standing affordable housing developers, is using LIHTC funding to expand and renovate the 1979-built apartment complex. Phase II will add 12 new units and upgrade 50 more, serving households from 40% of area median income to market-rate renters. When complete, the site will be a 138-unit mixed-income community within the towns Downtown Development District.

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LNWA is also partnered with the Dover Housing Authority and CSG Advisors on the $29.1 million rehabilitation of Owens Manor and Queen Manor. That project, funded through LIHTC and other federal and local sources, will preserve affordable housing and modernize facilities for existing residents.

In Delaware, the program is administered by the Delaware State Housing Authority, which receives a limited allocation of credits each year and distributes them through a competitive process. Officials describe LIHTC as the most effective way to attract private investment into affordable housing.

To share your community news and activities with our audience, join Delaware Voices Uplifted on Facebook. Nonprofits, community groups and service providers are welcome to submit their information to be added to our Community Resources Map. Contact staff reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware housing officials celebrate use of federal tax credits
Sample claim mailers included in part of a class action lawsuit against Deloitte that now has a proposed settlement. (Photo illustration by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)

State contractor Deloitte has agreed to pay a proposed $6.3 million under a settlement to resolve claims related to last years RIBridges data breach filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island.

The proposed agreement, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, still needs final approval from a federal judge, but members of the class  a total of 735,501 people, according to court filings  could receive an estimated $100 with no documentation of identity theft needed.

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But those checks could quickly shrink as the settlement fund needs to pay for attorneys costs and other legal fees. The more claims there are, the smaller the payouts will be.

A Deloitte spokesperson declined to comment when reached by email Friday.

The settlement agreement notes that Deloitte denies all liability and wrongdoing, and the agreement shields the company from future litigation by people who do not send a request to opt out, whether or not they submit a claim.

Tim Rondeau, a spokesperson for Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, said via email Friday that The State is not a named party to this action and did not participate in this settlement. But the deal does shield the state  by declaring it a released party  and its agencies from any related lawsuits by class members who dont opt out of the settlement.

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The State had a contract with Deloitte for IT and computer processing of the state programs such as food stamps, Peter Wasylyk, part of the plaintiffs legal team, said.

The case was originally filed last December, after the breach was first made public, by Wasylyk on behalf of food stamps and other public benefit recipients whose personal data was impacted. RIBridges is the unified platform made and still currently run by Deloitte which helps residents access public benefits and the states health insurance marketplace. The data plundered by cybercrime outfit Brain Cipher in the breach included information used to apply for these services.

The case was eventually consolidated with several other named plaintiffs into the current class action suit.

While the state is not named as a defendant in the suit, its inclusion as a party released from future litigation is not unusual in a large class action lawsuit. In law, the concept of global peace often extends future legal protections to entities beyond the ones being specifically sued.

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Meanwhile, both parties are still waiting for updates, and Wasylyk said the court is still reviewing the settlement agreement. The agreement will need a preliminary approval and a final approval. Claims will be due before the judge issues final approval.

An approximate timeline in the agreement would see the final approval hearing take place at least 100 days after the motion for preliminary approval is filed, meaning sometime in Jan. 2026, but that schedule could change with the availability of U.S. District Judge Melissa R. Dubose, who is assigned to the case.

Claims will eventually be open for submission on a website and toll-free line run by Kroll, a firm noted for its settlement administration services. After a judges preliminary approval, Kroll will also send out postcard notices to eligible class members, with information on how to submit claims by mail. Those postcards will go out within 30 days of the judges preliminary approval.

Anyone who received an RIBridges breach notice earlier this year is likely eligible to stake a claim. Class members can opt out of the settlement benefits if they so choose. Otherwise, they remain eligible for one of the following:

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Reimbursement up to $5,000 with third-party documentation like phone records, receipts, emails, and so on, that show evidence of harm or identity theft from the breach.

An estimated $100 reimbursement, no documentation needed.

Kroll will also handle opt-out requests, which requires class members to send a requestor written notice asking to be excluded from settlement. The deadline to opt out or submit objections is 30 days before the final approval hearing. Class members who do not submit or opt out will not receive any compensation, and they will also lose their ability for future litigation.

The settlement also provides all class members, regardless of which reimbursement they choose, the option to sign up for two years of medical data monitoring from CyEx.

Wasylyk said Friday that the $100 is the baseline both parties agreed to, and that class members could see more money if there arent enough claimants to exhaust the full $6.3 million.

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In that case a pro-rata increase to more than $100 would go to class members, Wasylyk explained.

But the settlement agreement details that these payouts are subject to pro rata increase or decrease, meaning they go up or down depending on the final number of claims. The total $6.3 million windfall also includes attorneys fees and other litigation costs, as well as the expense of the CyEx medical monitoring.

A draft of the claim submission form clearly delineates the money that could be deducted from the total: up to one-third of the $6,300,000 Settlement Fund ($2,100,000), plus reimbursement of costs for the class legal team, plus Service Awards in the amount of $2,500 to each Class Representative, which are the named plaintiffs in the class suit.

After people choose how to be paid, any residual funds would go toward the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a digital-privacy nonprofit based in Washington, D.C, after 240 days.

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DELPHOS  Allen County commissioners voted Thursday to receive a new petition by two Marion Township property owners for the annexation of their property into the city of Delphos.

The petition comes after a similar petition to annex the 10.33 acres near the U.S. Route 30 exit off Lincoln Highway was withdrawn in September due to issues with the land survey used in that petition.

Efforts to complete this annexation process have been ongoing for several months, including efforts to seek an expedited annexation, which was rejected in June by Marion Township trustees.

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The annexation would allow for the construction of a new Speedway gas station on that property. Residents in the vicinity raised concerns about the expedited annexation process, calling for more time for studies on what impact a new gas station would be for those residents, such as increased noise and traffic.

A public hearing on the annexation request will be held at 1 p.m. Jan. 6, 2026, in the first-floor conference room at 204 N. Main St., Lima.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. recently announced the death of one of its former presidents, Dr. Paulette C. Walker. The 25th national president of the sorority was a leading figure at the Greek organization and in academia.

Dr. Paulette C. Walker dedicated her life to education

The organization reflected in her career in both academia and as a core element of the sorority through the decades. Walker initially joined the sorority in October 1966 through the Epsilon Epsilon Chapter at Michigan State University. A Detroit native, she earned a bachelors in mathematics education from Michigan State University, as well as a Master of Arts in guidance and counseling and a Doctor of Education in administration and supervision from the University of Michigan, according to Watch the Yard.

Walker spent her life working in education. She held roles as a teacher, school counselor, director of counseling, assistant principal and district-level supervisor of state and federal programs. Until 2011, she worked at the University of South Floridas College of Education as the director of undergraduate programs and internships, according to Savannah Morning News. Walker also researched and co-authored the book We Can Have Better Urban Schools, which called for action to improve education in underserved communities.

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A visionary and steadfast leader, she earned the admiration and respect of sorors across generations for her wisdom, grace, and resolute commitment to uplifting others, the sorority wrote in a statement. Her influence extended beyond the academytouching countless lives through service, mentorship, and civic engagement across numerous boards and organizations.

Walker received several honors for her work as a speaker, researcher and a mentor. She was awarded the Ronald McNair Scholars Role Model Mentor Award, as well as the Presidents Affirmative Action Award at USF. She was also recognized as an Honorary Citizen of the State of Georgia.

Dr. Paulette C. Walker served Delta Sigma Theta Sorority for five decades

She was the sorority president from 2013 to 2017. The organization noted her unwavering devotion to Deltas ideals of sisterhood, scholarship, service, and social action. It also highlighted Walkers motto: No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

She encouraged all to recognize and share their unique gifts with the world, and she lived this truth daily through her leadership, faith, and love for Delta, the sorority wrote. As we honor her extraordinary life and legacy, we hold fast to her example of excellence and compassion. The Sisterhood will deeply miss her presence, her wisdom, and her enduring Delta spirit.

Courtney Taylor, the VP of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, took to social media to pay tribute to Walkers life and contributions.

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When I first met Dr. Paulette C. Walker, I was completely star-struck. Here was someone I admired so much, yet in that moment, she wasnt focused on herself, she was focused on me. With so much grace, she made sure to check on my broken foot, showing a level of kindness and nurturing that Ill never forget. Her caring spirit was truly unmatched, she captioned her Instagram post.

What stood out most about her was the way she made everyone feel valued, heard, and cared for. I will miss her warmth, her wisdom, and her unwavering kindness, she added. Rest in power, Dr. Walker. Your impact will never be forgotten.







The post Delta Sigma Theta Mourns Former President Dr. Paulette C. Walker appeared first on Blavity.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) condemned White House press secretary Karoline Leavitts latest attacks on the Democratic Party.

During an appearance on Fox News on Thursday, Leavitt declared that the Democrats "are made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals. Her comments sparked massive backlash on social media, as critics accused her of escalating dangerous rhetoric toward opponents of President Donald Trump.

Jeffries joined those critics during comments to reporters on Friday.

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You got Karoline Leavitt, whos sick. Shes out of control, and Im not sure whether shes just demented, ignorant, stone cold liar, or all of the above, Jeffries said.

But the notion that an official White House spokesperson would say that the Democratic Party consists of terrorists, violent criminals and undocumented immigrants  this makes no sense, that this is that the American people are getting from the Trump administration in the middle of a shutdown," he said.

So their actions continue to speak for themselves, which is why theyre on the wrong side of public sentiment, he added.

Jeffries: "You've got Karoline Leavitt, who's sick, she's out of control. And I'm not sure if she's just demented, ignorant, a stone cold liar, or all of the above. But the notion that an official WH spokesperson would say that the Democratic Party consists of 'terrorists, pic.twitter.com/RXqBFlsujY  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 17, 2025

The White House Rapid Response account fired back at Jeffries over his retort to Leavitt.

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"Stop talking about yourself, Hakeem. If you dont want to be lumped in with terrorists, illegals, and violent criminals, stop simping for terrorists, illegals, and violent criminals," the account wrote on social media platform X.

Demented, ignorant, a stone cold liar, or all of the above? Stop talking about yourself, Hakeem.



If you dont want to be lumped in with terrorists, illegals, and violent criminals, stop simping for terrorists, illegals, and violent criminals. https://t.co/1Whb5XXMJk  Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 17, 2025

Other elected Democrats also condemned Leavitts language on Thursday.

Most Republicans are good people. Most Democrats are good people. The White House says outrageous things to make you hate your neighbor. Your neighbor isnt the problem. The White House is, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) wrote on X in response to her comments.

And U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called Leavitts comments grossly dark.

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This is grossly dark. These are broken people.But its also so politically dumb. How do they think Americans will react to being told that anyone who doesnt support Trump is a terrorist? he wrote on X.

Leavitts comments come weeks after Republicans and Trump accused Democrats of inciting political violence with their rhetoric. Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that the radical left is responsible for most acts of political violence.

Stories by Lauren Sforza

Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
President Trumps deployment of federal forces threatens Democrats municipal monopolies on political power. This is why they so strenuously object to federal assistance in cities law enforcement. Without overwhelming city vote totals, Democrats political control in states across America would collapse.

President Trump has repeatedly injected federal resources into city law enforcement - Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Memphis, and now Portland and Chicago - where he has deemed crime to be out of local authorities ability or will to control it. At each intervention, national Democrat leaders have loudly protested - even in Washington, where Mayor Bowser acknowledged crime was down.

Apart from playing to their national base, Democrats protests rest on the reality that their power depends on maintaining their monopoly grip on cities huge vote totals. Of Americas top 20 cities, Democrats control 18; of the top 40, Democrats control 32; of the top 100, Democrats control 66. Notably, Americas 33rd largest city, Fresno, California, is the largest to have a Republican mayor in a Blue state.

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For Democrats, control of cities huge populations means control of the states in which these are located. As examples: New York City makes up 44.3% of New York states population; Chicago is 21.6% of Illinois population; Albuquerque is 26.5% of New Mexicos; Portland is 15.3% of Oregons. And these are just single-city examples; in some states, control of several big cities (e.g., Minneapolis and St. Paul are 12.8% of Minnesotas population; Denver and Colorado Springs are 20% of Colorados population) make for similarly overwhelming percentages.

Why this is so important for Democrats nationally can be seen from 2024s presidential election results. Between the coasts, Democrats were barely competitive, losing over 70% of the electoral votes cast outside California, Washington, New York, and Massachusetts.

Even winning the less than 30% the electoral votes Democrats won between Americas coasts required them to win states like Illinois, Minnesota, Colorado, and New Mexico - states where Democrat-controlled city populations were significantly larger percentages of their populations than the popular vote percentage that separated Kamala Harris from Donald Trump in them. Even New York, a Democrat bastion (the last Republican presidential victory there was Ronald Reagans in 1984) is a dramatic example: While New York City is 44.3% of New York states population, Harris beat Trump by only 12.6 percentage points there: She did so by winning 67.7% of New York City votes - almost 1 million more than Trump and almost her entire margin of victory in New York state.

It would not take an enormous swing of city voters to be a national threat to Democrats. Each city vote that goes to Republicans effectively counts as two: one vote taken from Democrats and one given to Republicans. If formerly dependable Democrat city voters sat out an election, this still equates to votes Democrats wont have to offset their vote deficits outside of big cities. Finally, even if Democrats were simply forced to fight to retain their city bases - votes they could, and have, taken for granted - those are resources that are unavailable for use outside of cities and in swing states they must retake to be competitive.

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To imagine the presidential impact, consider: If Democrats had simply split the popular vote in Denver, Colorado Springs, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Albuquerque, they would have lost Colorado, Minnesota, and New Mexico and an additional 25 electoral votes, taking Harris total down to 205 electoral votes and raising Trumps total to 337. This outcome would have been Democrats worst since 1988.

Most Americans see crime as a serious problem, and significantly more city residents see it as extremely or very serious. Crime is therefore a perfect wedge issue for enticing city voters to abandon the Democratic political monopolies surrounding them.

Showing city voters an effective Republican response on such a central issue could also illustrate the viability of other Republican policy alternatives - on schools, basic services, taxes, and spending - now effectively nonexistent in many big cities. Having long lived under political monopolies, seeing the viability of policy competition could lead to demands for local political competition too - all to Democrats extreme detriment.

As headlines daily attest, crime is a salient issue for city citizens. As Americas electoral math attests, city political monopolies are the only reason Democrats are competitive in many states - and their only hope for being competitive in presidential elections. Democrats know both these things quite well. The real reason Democrats are so histrionically opposing President Trumps federal forays against city crime is because these constitute real threats to the political monopolies on which their party depends.

J.T. Young is the author of the recent book Unprecedented Assault: How Big Government Unleashed Americas Socialist Left from RealClear Publishing and has over three decades experience working in Congress, the Department of Treasury, the Office of Management and Budget, and representing a Fortune 20 company.
"No Kings" organizers are expecting tens of thousands of people from the suburbs and city neighborhoods to participate in a peaceful protest Saturday beginning at Butler Field in Chicago's Grant Park.

Red paint, white poster board and a final stroke, "Democracy dies in silence" is the phrase protester Alex Saucedo is using for his hand made sign for Chicago's "No Kings" protest.

"We want to make sure that we're drawing attention to the cause of making sure that ICE fully aware that we don't need them here," Saucedo said. "They're not welcome in Chicago."

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Planning to attend Saturday's protest, Saucedo and his wife came to this Brighton Park Art Studio to make signs today. ..With the help of his friend musician Samantha Rose, Mural Artist Holiday Gerry opened his studio up today to the public...They provided free supplies to make No Kings signs....

"A lot of people are talking about it, and people are really going to be showing up," said Holiday Gerry with Holiday Studios. "And I wanted to extend this community space for people to get to know each other."

RELATED | What to know about 'No Kings' protests around US

Chicago is one of dozens of cities nationwide holding "No Kings" protests Saturday. Because of the recent ICE arrests in the Chicago area, organizers are expecting a much bigger crowd than the previous "No Kings" rally held in June.

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"Authoritarianism wins when we decide we're too scared to show up and defend our Constitution and our fundamental rights," Personal PAC CEO and protest organizer Sarah Garza Resnick said. "It is going to be peaceful tomorrow. We are peaceful people who just believe in standing up for what is right."

Garza Resnick's organization Personal PAC is one of several organizations behind Chicago's "No Kings" event. President Donald Trump and his administration have painted protest participants as left wing violent radical groups who are getting paid.

"This is their tactic," Garza Resnick said. "Nobody is getting paid out there. I'm a mom."

Promising a peaceful event, Garza Resnick expects people from all walks of life to participate.

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Armed with a speaker and bullhorn, Samantha Rose says the protest will be a family affair. She is bringing her dad and her friends are bringing their kids. Rose does not view it as a partisan event.

"The political party is Americans for America, speaking up and using our right freedom of speech," Rose said. "That's what being American is."

SEE ALSO | Arrests made as protesters return to Broadview ICE processing facility

After a two-hour program beginning at noon in Grant Park on Saturday, protesters will then march through downtown. The Chicago Police Department says it will have extra resources throughout the Loop.
Democrats and pro-democracy organizations held a rally Oct. 16 to call for the creation of an independent redistricting commission. (Photo by Henry Redman/Wisconsin Examiner)

A group of pro-democracy organizations held a rally, attended by Democratic legislators, Thursday afternoon outside the state Capitol to push for the creation of an independent commission tasked with drawing the states legislative maps.

The renewed push for permanently taking the construction of Wisconsins political maps out of the hands of politicians comes amid a national debate about gerrymandering and as the states Democrats are outlining what state government will look like if they hold power in all three branches after next years midterm elections.

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Across the country, Democrats  who have for years been the party calling for a nonpartisan process for drawing political maps  are weighing the merits of unilaterally disarming by putting the drawing of maps in the hands of independent bodies in blue states while Republicans are redrawing maps in red states such as Texas in an explicit effort to hold on to their slim congressional majority.

Next month, voters in California will weigh in on a referendum asking if the Democrats in control of the states government can temporarily bypass the independent map-drawing commission and redraw maps to benefit Democrats as a counter to the Republican effort in Texas.

State Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison), a candidate in the Democratic primary for governor, told the Wisconsin Examiner after the Thursday rally that Wisconsin Democrats should push for a permanent resolution to the states map debate because a more effective counter to increasing authoritarianism than tit-for-tat congressional gerrymanders is creating systems that allow government to be more responsive to voters wishes.

Here in Wisconsin, what the people want are permanent fair maps, and that means keeping the decision of redistricting out of politicians hands and within a group of nonpartisan folks, she said. If were going to have representative democracy, thats what we need. But we also have to remember to be proactive, and thats why the permanent fair maps matter. And if were going to be responsive to an eroding democracy, thats also how we should be empowering the people 

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After Thursdays rally, the advocates  including members of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and Fair Maps Wisconsin Coalition  were going into the Capitol to deliver the draft of their plan to legislators.

Under the plan, the state Department of Administration would be responsible for managing the selection of 18 independent redistricting commission members (15 acting members and three reserve members).

The membership would be divided evenly between representatives of the two major political parties and unaffiliated. Members would not be allowed to hold other public offices and could not be a family member of a public office holder. Lobbyists and anyone who has donated more than $2,000 to a candidate for office in a year over the previous five years wouldnt be allowed to sit on the commission.

After the DOA selects a pool of 240 applicants, the majority and minority leaders of both legislative chambers would be allowed to strike down a certain number of candidates.

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The IRC would be required to hold public hearings while it deliberates on the maps. Approval of final maps would have to come through a two-thirds majority vote that includes votes from members representing the interests of both major parties and the independents.

The plan includes a provision for members to rank proposed maps if such a multi-partisan agreement cant be reached.

Any proposed maps from the commission would need to still be approved by the Legislature and governor within 30 days. If maps arent approved, the Legislature or governor must provide a written explanation to the commission and the commission would have 15 days to respond or provide new maps.

The Legislature and governor would have three attempts to approve maps before Aug. 15 of a redistricting year. If maps cant be codified by then, anyone in the state would have the authority to file a lawsuit with the Wisconsin Supreme Court to adopt a commission-proposed map.

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Democrats said at the rally that they want to make sure the commission is crafted in a way that prevents meddling after the fact from politicians. Redistricting commissions in states such as Iowa and Ohio have been undermined once their proposals were subjected to the political process.

Sen. Jeff Smith (D-Brunswick) said Republican legislators like the Iowa-style commission because if they vote down the commissions proposals three times, the map-drawing authority returns to the Legislature.

They figured out the flaw in that model, he said. That is why we need a Wisconsin model, a Wisconsin model that works for all of us.

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By Katya Golubkova and Sam Li

TOKYO (Reuters) -Oil prices rose around 1% on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged his country would stop buying oil from Russia, a move that could drain supply elsewhere.

Brent crude futures rose 56 cents, or 0.9%, to $62.47 a barrel by 0655 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures climbed 58 cents, or 1%, to $58.85.

Both contracts touched their lowest since early May in the previous session on U.S.-China trade tensions and after the International Energy Agency warned of a big surplus next year as OPEC+ producers and rivals lift output amid weak demand.

Trump said on Wednesday that India - which taps its top supplier Russia for about one-third of its oil imports - would halt oil purchases from Russia, and the U.S. would next try to get China to do the same as Washington intensifies efforts to cut off Moscow's energy revenues and pressure it to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine.

However, India said on Thursday that the country's two main goals were to ensure stable energy prices and secure supply. The foreign ministry statement made no reference to Trump's comment about India's purchases of Russian oil.

Some Indian refiners are preparing to cut Russian oil imports, with expectations of a gradual reduction, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said on Wednesday that he told Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato that the Trump administration expects Japan to stop importing Russian energy.

India and China are the two top buyers of Russian seaborne crude exports, which are sanctioned by the U.S. and European Union. For months, Modi resisted U.S. pressure to stop buying Russian oil, with Indian officials defending the purchases as vital to national energy security.

"At the margin, this is a positive development for the crude oil price as it would remove a big buyer (India) of Russian oil," said Tony Sycamore, a market analyst at IG.

The UK government also announced new sanctions on Wednesday, directly targeting Russia's Rosneft and Lukoil - two of the world's biggest energy companies.

The sanctioned entities include four oil terminals, the private refiner Shandong Yulong Petrochemical in China, 44 tankers in the "shadow fleet" transporting Russian oil, and Nayara Energy Limited, a Russian-owned refinery in India.

Later on Thursday, investors will be watching for the weekly U.S. inventory statistics release from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) after mixed data from the American Petroleum Institute (API) trade group.
(The Center Square)  Denver has signed on to an amicus brief looking to protect federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

The Mile High City joined more than a dozen Democrat-run cities and counties on the brief to support a challenge against funding cuts to Planned Parenthood in the Big Beautiful Bill Act passed this summer.

In Denver, we will always fight for the rights of women to access contraception and reproductive care, said Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. We are proud to join this amicus brief to push back on President Trump and the Big Beautiful Bills unconstitutional targeting of Planned Parenthood and to ensure women receive quality, life-saving care regardless of their ability to pay.

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The Republican-pushed legislation blocks Medicaid payments (i.e. federal funding) for one year to any healthcare provider that received over $800,000 in federal Medicaid payments in 2023 and is primarily involved in family planning services, is a nonprofit organization or provides abortions.

As a large national organization, Planned Parenthood fell under that description. That means its patients might not be able to use their Medicaid insurance for any of the services it provides, including those besides abortion.

On July 7, just days after the bills passage, Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, among others. They argued this restriction is unconstitutional because it violates their right to freedom of association.

A federal court issued two preliminary injunctions that same month, blocking the funding cuts while the legal proceedings continue. In September, just before the cuts were set to go into effect on Oct. 1, a federal appeals court put a hold on that injunction.

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That allowed the funding cut off to continue, meaning that, at this time, federal Medicaid payments are not allowed to go to Planned Parenthood affiliates.

Also in July, 22 states united to file a similar lawsuit to try to protect the funding. Colorado was one of those states.

Some states, like Colorado, have also stepped in to supplement Planned Parenthoods funding. In August, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill providing state funding for Medicaid payments to providers in the state like Planned Parenthood.

Denver supported this in a statement though expressing concern that it was necessary.

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Though welcome, the fact that Colorado may have to step in to ensure clinics continue to operate means there could be less funding for other Colorado and Denver priorities, it said. This is especially notable given the funding gap experienced by state and local governments.

Ultimately, while it is unclear how the lawsuits will play out, in June, the U.S. Supreme Court did rule that states have the right to exclude abortion providers like Planned Parenthood from state Medicaid programs. That could open the door up to similar federal restrictions.
DENVER (KDVR)  A Denver deputy sheriff was arrested in Colorado Springs, according to a press release from the Denver Sheriff Department on Thursday.

The department did not report when the deputy was arrested, stating only that the department was notified after the deputy was arrested by the Colorado Springs Police Department.

Denver officer fired after sending texts to victim, downloading swimwear photos

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The deputy is identified as Darrell Killebrew. He became a deputy sheriff in 2023 and is assigned to the Downtown Detention Center.

Denver Deputy Sheriff Darrell Killebrew faces charges of: felony menacing, third-degree assault, criminal mischief, child abuse and second-degree criminal tampering (Credit: Denver Sheriff Department).

Killebrew faces charges, including:

Felony menacing

Third-degree assault

Criminal mischief

Child abuse

Second-degree criminal tampering

Sheriff Elias Diggins placed the deputy on investigatory leave on Wednesday.

The Office of the Independent Monitor was notified, and the Public Integrity Division is investigating.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
A Matthews man is facing new charges after deputies say he asked them to hold his backpack at the Union County Courthouse, a bag that was later found to contain meth, drug paraphernalia, a machete, and a hatchet.

INSIDE LOOK: Union County crime labs crucial role in putting criminals behind bars quicker

Deputies told Johnny Johnson, 30, of Matthews, to return his back to his vehicle or home, but he threw it in the bushes.

He then re-entered the building. Johnson was subsequently arrested on outstanding warrants for violating a domestic violence protection order. The abandoned backpack drew the attention of deputies, who conducted a follow-up investigation.

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Keep in mind that this is the same bag Johnson had asked our deputies to hold a short time before his arrest, the sheriffs office stated.

Inside the bag, deputies found approximately 26 grams of methamphetamine, assorted drug paraphernalia, a machete, and a hatchet.

In addition to his existing charges, Johnson now faces felony possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a weapon on court/state property, and carrying a concealed weapon.

He remains in custody under a $25,000 secured bond.

Johnsons backpack is now stored securely in evidence where it will remain until this case is resolved.

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The sheriffs office reminded the public, The hardworking men and women of the UCSO always seek to serve and protect, but please dont ask us to hold onto your drugs.

VIDEO: Mother who created Union County support group grieves sons murder following mistrial
DES MOINES, Iowa  A Des Moines man was convicted of willful injury in a 2024 road-rage shooting by a jury on Thursday.

36-year-old Brandon Butters was found guilty of willful injury for shooting a motorcyclist during a road-rage incident in 2024 by a Polk County jury.

Court records state that on November 1, 2024, the victim had pulled his motorcycle in front of Butters vehicle while stopped at an intersection. The victim claimed Butters had struck his motorcycle and, after the victim approached the driver window, an argument ensued.

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Arrest made after hidden camera found at Water Works Park porta-potty; police seeking to identify victims

Brandon Butters

Authorities say the argument escalated when the victim and Butters exchanged blows before Butters fired a shot from his handgun. The bullet passed through the victims arm. Butters left the scene before the police arrived, evidence states.

During the trial, Butters argued that the victim was the primary aggressor and that he had acted with justification.

Butters was originally charged with attempted murder, but was found guilty of a lesser charge of Assault with Intent to Cause Serious Injury by the jury. The jury also found Butters guilty of Willful Injury Causing Serious Injury, Assault While Participating in a Felony Causing Serious Injury, and Felon In Possession of Firearm.

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Convicted as a habitual offender, each of the felony charges carries a 15-year sentence for Butters. Additionally, the jury found that Butters used a dangerous weapon to commit Class C felonies, which carries a minimum of five years in prison on each count.

Butters is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.

Iowa News:

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.
DES MOINES, Iowa  Andrew Clark, a shopper at OReilly Auto Parts, sprung to action and detained an alleged shoplifter until authorities arrived on Monday.

Clark says he was shopping at the store when he felt called into action after an employee yelled for help.

I heard the clerk, the store clerk yell, Help, hes stealing. And I asked her who? And then I turn around and the guy come running past me and took off out the door and I seen where he was running. So I chased down after him and I caught up to him, Clark said.

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Clark said once he caught up to the man in the parking lot, a fight ensured.

Man who allegedly placed hidden camera in Des Moines also reportedly placed camera in State Center

I grabbed a hold of him and tackled him and tossed him to the ground and held him and kind of put him in a hogtied position with his arms and his legs behind his back and just restrained him until the cops came there, Clark said.

Several bystanders came to Clarks aid and helped keep the man subdued until authorities arrived. According to a police report, Robert Allen was arrested and charged with 5th Degree Theft for stealing three flashlights from the OReilly Auto Parts located on 2700 E University.

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Sgt. Paul Parizek with the Des Moines Police Department shared a statement with WHO 13 following the incident saying, We encourage people to be the best witnesses they can be, call 911, and not to unnecessarily risk their own safety.

Metro News:

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.
DeSantis announces major I-4 expansion

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans to add express lanes to Interstate 4, aiming to alleviate traffic congestion in Hillsborough County.

The new express lanes will extend for 17 miles, stretching from I-75 to County Line Road, as part of the states Moving Florida Forward initiative.

DeSantis made the announcement during a visit to Bartow in Polk County on Thursday.

The Moving Florida Forward initiative is designed to get ahead of population growth and reduce congestion on major roadways.

Watch the full announcement here:

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.




A standard sheet of paper, bearing a message likely brought into this world by a home printer, carefully laminated and affixed to an orange construction cone. That's what's been greeting visitors trying to enter a dead-end street in San Francisco's Inner Richmond neighborhood since at least Oct. 5. It's also created a stir online. Incredibly thorough, it begins in massive, bold font: "NO WAYMO 8:00PM to 8:00AM."

Below the all-caps request reads an explanation of how a quiet residential cul-de-sac has become an all-night autonomous vehicle turnaround point.

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"Waymo comes at all hours of the night and up to 7 times per hour with flashing lights and screaming reverse sounds waking people up and destroying the quality of life," the message, which has racked up 1,400 upvotes on Reddit, continues.

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It delves into the bureaucratic mess - multiple requests to Waymo, conversations with engineers, and 311 tickets, which had all apparently gone ignored - before finally providing instructions for human drivers. "Please move [the cones] back after you have entered so we can continue to try to block the Waymo cars from entering and disrupting the lives of residents."

This isn't the first time Waymo's autonomous vehicles have disrupted San Francisco residents' peace. Last year, a fleet of the robotaxis created another sleepless fiasco in the city's SoMa neighborhood, honking at each other for hours throughout the night for two and a half weeks.

Residents in San Francisco's Inner Richmond neighborhood are using cones to block "screaming" Waymos from entering a dead-end street. (Kasia Pawlowska/SFGATE)





Online, not everyone sympathized with the Inner Richmond turmoil. One Redditor claimed to immediately file a 311 report, warning that "if random people put cones up to stop others from entering or exiting, this city is going to get gridlocked real fast." Others shared similar frustrations. A Noe Valley resident claimed Waymos routinely spent 30 minutes stuck on their dead-end street.

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By Oct. 16, the sign remained at the corner of Lake Street and Second Avenue, but something appeared to have shifted. Waymo vehicles weren't allowing drop-offs or pickups on the street, though whether this was due to the home-printed plea, the cone blockage, or simply updating routes remains unclear.

SFGATE reached out to Waymo for comment but did not hear back by publication time.

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This article originally published at Desperate SF residents ask for help blocking autonomous cars from their street.
Volunteers, friends and family members hold cardboard cutouts representing the 46 people killed in domestic violence incidents last year in South Carolina. The 28th annual Silent Witness Ceremony was held Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, on the Statehouse steps in Columbia, S.C. The known victims included 35 women (represented by red silhouettes) and 11 men (blue silhouettes). (Photo by Skylar Laird/SC Daily Gazette)

Hopeful Horizons helps upwards of 1,500 survivors of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault annually across South Carolinas five southernmost counties, offering free emergency housing, counseling, and legal services to those seeking help.

To fund its work, the Lowcountry organization and others like it rely heavily on a patchwork of federal grants, said Sara Barber, executive director of the S.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.

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But that money has been dwindling since 2018 and was thrown into further uncertainty earlier this year amid lawsuits, budget disputes and funding clawbacks.

While legal challenges and a shutdown of the federal government still leave much unsettled  a recent series of grant funding did spell some relief for providers of victims services.

Grants awarded

Most recently, Hopeful Horizons received a three-year, $500,000 grant to continue paying a lawyer and paralegal it has on staff to provide free legal aid.

Far too often, survivors are left without the legal resources they need to protect themselves, safeguard their families, and reclaim their lives. Hopeful Horizons has been a steadfast lifeline in the Lowcountry, walking alongside survivors in their most difficult moments, said U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolinas coastal 1st District, who supported Hopeful Horizons grant application.

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Wednesdays announcement is on top of $1.1 million awarded to the organization late last month for its shelter and other services.

Hopeful Horizons Legal Program helps more than 200 people each year obtain additional safety measures and support that they would otherwise not be able to access, CEO Kristin Dubrowski said in a statement.

These legal professionals help victims fight for custody of their children, finalize divorces from abusive spouses and secure court orders of protection, Julia Haddick, the groups chief development officer, told the SC Daily Gazette.

Thats essential in a state that, for years, has appeared at or near the top of national lists for the number of women killed by their male spouses and partners.

In addition, the state attorney generals office last month doled out about $23 million in federal funding and $3 million in state funding to police departments, solicitors offices, hospitals and non-profit organizations statewide.

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Despite the ongoing federal government shutdown, these organizations have access to a portion of the funding  enough to cover them through the end of the year.

Funding shrinks

The money comes from a pair of national laws  the Violence Against Women Act and Victims of Crime Act  the latter of which has seen declining revenues since 2018.

Congress passed the Victims of Crime Act in 1984, which established the Crime Victims Fund. Under the law, fines and penalties collected from people and businesses convicted of federal crimes are distributed to states.

For 15 years, Congress set an annual cap on withdrawals that remained below $1 billion annually until 2015. But because the cap was so low, money started piling up.

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Congress then raised it to $2.3 billion. And in 2018 it peaked at $4.4 billion. Then, the funding plummeted. By fiscal year 2024, Congress had it set at $1.2 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, which oversees the grant programs.

Problems with the fund began as the Department of Justice was increasingly settling federal cases. Money from those settlements went into the general treasury instead of the Crime Victims Fund. By the time Congress passed a law in 2021 to fix it, the change was too late to make a major difference.

South Carolina reached a low of $12.4 million in its share of the funding last year, Barber said.

That was just a quarter of the states nearly $51 million share in 2018.

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But theres some hope as the most recent grant round, which started Oct. 1, came in at $20.3 million for the Palmetto State.

Among the organizations receiving funds, according to the state attorney generals office, are the City of Anderson Police, which gets $93,520 to pay officers who investigate domestic violence cases; McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, which receives $251,900 to treat victims of sexual assault; and Helping And Lending Outreach and Support (HALOS), a Charleston nonprofit that helps grandparents and other relatives who are raising children to keep them out of foster care. In all, 140 groups received money.

Greater needs

Still, need continues to outpace the funding thats available to these groups, Barber said.

On any given day, South Carolinas 15 domestic violence organizations might provide services to 688 victims, according to the latest survey conducted by the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Another 48 victims will go without help because the organizations lack the resources.

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The majority of those unmet needs are for emergency shelter or other housing, one of the top issues facing these organizations in the state as the population has ballooned and housing prices soar, Barber said.

To offset the federal funding losses, Attorney General Alan Wilson has asked legislators for state funding to fill the gap.

In 2022, the Legislature approved $10 million in one-time funding to establish the Supplemental Allocation for Victims Services program in the state.

In 2024, legislators set aside just $5 million in one-time funds, a third of what Wilson requested. And in the most recent budget, they included $19.5 million in one-time funds as well as $216,000 in additional aid that will continue annually. The program received no state funding in 2023.

Impacts

Worries over the future of federal aid to crime victim organizations reached a fever pitch in April, when the Department of Justice started clawing back $800 million in previously awarded grants.

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In South Carolina, that included four, multi-year grants:

$400,000 to the Charleston Jewish Federation for a project to track, respond to, and educate about issues of antisemitism and all forms of hate.

$2 million for Prisma Health-Midlands to treat substance abuse, as well as mental and emotional health care for those facing issues such as unemployment, homelessness and a lack of education

And a pair of grants worth $1.9 million for Serve & Connect, a Columbia-based nonprofit focused on creating connections between police and the community. One of the grants funded police outreach to youth groups in northeast Columbia.

A federal judge, in July, threw out a lawsuit seeking to block the cuts, according to The Associated Press.

The unspent funding that remained on the grants when cancelled is unknown. Neither Serve & Connect nor the Jewish Federation responded to messages from the SC Daily Gazette. And Prisma Health did not provide information ahead of deadline.

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The reason for grant cancellations also is unknown.

Meanwhile, a series of legal battles over use of new funds continues.

Democratic attorneys general in 20 states sued the Department of Justice this month over a new rule barring organizations that receive funds from providing services to domestic violence and rape survivors whose immigration status is in question. That rule was supposed to take effect Oct. 31.

But its already been blocked by a similar lawsuit filed by 17 organizations that aid victims of domestic and sexual violence. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Oct. 10, The Associated Press reported.

The Trump administration rule would put providers in an odd legal predicament, Barber said, since federal law enacting the grant programs explicitly states eligibility for victim services cannot be based on immigration status.
Magnus Humphrey had known Maleesa Mooney only for a few days, but the Minnesota man had already become "obsessive" about the model, who lived in a downtown L.A. apartment.

Thats my girl, thats my woman," he would say about Mooney during the five days they spent together in September 2023, according to her friend, Kiersten Dossett.

The two were rarely "more than one foot apart," she said. Humphrey made comments about marrying Mooney, 31, who joined him at a family barbecue during their weeklong relationship.

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Despite Humphrey's romantic pronouncements, their union  the exact nature of which remains unclear  lasted less than a week. It ended in horror, prosecutors said.

More than two years have passed since Mooney's body was found bound and gagged inside her refrigerator, but Los Angeles law enforcement officials have revealed few details about the killing or how Mooney knew her alleged murderer.

A clearer picture of Mooney's final days emerged over the last week in a downtown L.A. courtroom, where prosecutors displayed a series of gruesome images and put forth witnesses who suggested that confusion about the nature of her and Humphrey's brief relationship may have played a role in her killing.

A judge ruled Thursday there was enough evidence for Humphrey, 43, to stand trial in the torture and murder of Mooney, who was two months pregnant when her body was found. Humphrey is eligible for the death penalty, but the district attorney's office has not made a decision about whether to seek capital punishment.

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Although Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman announced in March that prosecutors could once again seek the death penalty against certain defendants, the office has yet to do so under his leadership. The committee that approves such decisions has reviewed 48 cases this year, and decided to seek life without parole in 45 of them, according to a spokesman for the district attorney's office.

Magnus Humphrey is charged in the death of Maleesa Mooney. (KTLA-TV)

Mooney's body was bound with electrical cords and fabric from a cheetah-print dress, according to images displayed in court and testimony by LAPD forensic analysts and detectives. Humphrey allegedly shoved a piece of clothing three inches into her mouth, the witnesses said.

Mooney's cause of death was determined to be "homicidal violence" likely caused by asphyxiation, according to Brice Hunt, a medical examiner with the Los Angeles County coroner's office. It remains unclear whether Mooney was alive when she was put inside the refrigerator.

Evidence presented during the weeklong preliminary hearing showed that clumps of hair had been ripped out of Mooney's head, and severe bruising suggested she had been whipped and beaten. Deputy Dist. Atty. Antonella Nistorescu described the killing as a cold, calculated, premeditated act of violence.

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Deputy Public Defender Michael Lambrose denied his client held any responsibility for the killing and argued the evidence in the case was "thin."

No one witnessed the killing and none of the witnesses who observed Humphrey and Mooney's brief courtship suggested he was aggressive toward her, Lambrose said.

Although DNA and video evidence proved Humphrey was at the crime scene and that he'd had sex with Mooney, that didn't prove he killed her, the public defender argued.

Even if Humphrey had committed the killing, Lambrose said, there was no evidence that he planned it or intended to make Mooney suffer.

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"All of the evidence we have to his mental state is that he cared very deeply about this person  that they talked about getting married," Lambrose said.

Although prosecutors didn't offer a specific motive, Nistorescu suggested a dispute over money and a misunderstanding may have sparked the killing. Mooney worked as a model and real estate agent, but she was also an escort, according to her friend Dossett's testimony.

Humphrey flew to L.A. to meet his estranged brother in early September, who happened to be a friend of Dossett. Dossett, who was also an escort at the time, said she brought Mooney to meet the two men at a Santa Monica bar, where Mooney and Humphrey hit it off. Dossett said that all four did cocaine together that night and that Humphrey soon began staying at Mooney's downtown apartment.

While Humphrey appeared to be falling for Mooney, Dossett said, she was concerned he was getting territorial over the woman he just met. At one point, Dossett said, Humphrey forcefully threw his arm around her friend.

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I felt like it was more of an ownership grab," Dossett said.

Dossett testified that Mooney sent text messages to her expressing frustration that Humphrey wasn't paying for anything. Lambrose also pointed to text messages in court in which Dossett suggested Humphrey should be paying to see Mooney naked.

"There is evidence that what started out as a consensual encounter between these two people then evolved into a situation where the victim was wanting to ask the defendant for money, but not knowing exactly how to do it," Nistorescu said in court Thursday.

Mooney was last seen on Sept. 6, 2023. Her mother asked the Los Angeles Police Department to perform a welfare check. Days later, according to a video shown in court, LAPD Officer Kevin Hwee entered Mooney's apartment and found a puddle of blood on the floor and moved toward the refrigerator. When he opened it, he shouted and jumped back in horror, according to the video.

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"Thats a homicide, bro. Thats a homicide. It scared the s out of me, he said, according to the video.

Det. David Marcinek said a more thorough look around the apartment suggested Mooney suffered before she died. He found clumps of hair on the floor and in the trash, stains on walls and the carpet that appeared to be signs of dried blood or bleach used to clean up, and a duffel bag full of rags, also caked in dried blood.

Marcinek also found a pillow stained with dried blood in a bedroom closet, and prosecutors suggested Humphrey kept Mooney captive inside the alcove before killing her.

Humphrey had multiple prior convictions for assault and battery, including a case that Nistorescu described as a "mirror image" of some of the abuse Mooney suffered.

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Arbra Brown, Humphrey's ex-fiancee, said they were set to have a child together in 2009, but the baby was born prematurely and did not survive. They split a short time later. When Humphrey visited their former home to get his engagement ring back, Brown said she couldn't find it. Humphrey got a look in his eyes like "he wasnt there," she said.

Brown alleged that Humphrey punched her repeatedly, smashed two picture frames over her head, pistol-whipped her and even struck her with their baby's urn before forcing her into a closet at gunpoint, where he whipped her with an electrical cord.

Humphrey told Brown to come up with a "90-second dissertation" on why their relationship was ending, and later called his great-grandmother to say goodbye because he was going to kill me and they were going to lock him up," Brown said.

Eventually, Humphrey calmed down and left, but not before warning Brown that if she called the police, he would come back and kill her, her mother and her dog. The torment, she said, still haunts her to this day.

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This wasnt a fight. This was more than that," she said. "This went on for hours.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Wayne County Airport Authority sign informing travelers it is not associated with a video being played by the Transportation Security Administration at Detroit Metro Airport. Oct. 17, 2025 | Photo by Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance

Officials from the Wayne County Airport Authority have asked Transportation Security Administration officials to stop playing a video that blames Congressional Democrats for the ongoing federal government shutdown, which has contributed to thousands of flight delays across the country.

The video in question features Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

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Matt Morawski, director of communications and external affairs for the Wayne County Airport Authority, confirmed on Tuesday that the TSA was playing the video on monitors in the space it leases at Detroit Metro Airport.

On Wednesday, the airport authority issued a statement noting that it had asked the TSA to stop playing the video. The airport authority reiterated that it does not control the checkpoint monitors within TSA-leased airport space, and that the administration did not request permission to play the message.

The airport is also displaying signs at the entrances of TSA checkpoints that read: The views expressed in this TSA controlled video do not represent the views of the Wayne County Airport Authority. The Wayne county airport authority does not engage in partisan politics. Thank You.

Update: In addition to our statement, these signs are being placed at the entrances to the TSA checkpoints at DTW. pic.twitter.com/TznXist944  DTW Airport (@DTWeetin) October 15, 2025

In the video, Noem says that Democrats in government have refused to fund the federal government, noting that most TSA employees are working without pay.

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We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel, Noem said. And our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.

When asked about the Wayne County Airport Authoritys request via email, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security  which oversees the TSA  responded with a statement from Assistant Secretary For Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin.

FIRST ON FOX: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem blasted Democrats for the government shutdown affecting TSA workers in a video that will play at every public airport in America. pic.twitter.com/LdhRmF6wlT  Preston Mizell (@MizellPreston) October 9, 2025

It is TSAs top priority to ensure that travelers have the most safe, pleasant and efficient airport experience possible, McLaughlin said. However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, most of our TSA employees are working without pay. While this creates challenges for our people, our security operations remain largely unimpacted at this time.

McLaughlin added: Its unfortunate our workforce has been put in this position due to political gamesmanship. Our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.

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On Monday, spokespeople for Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority and Flint Bishop International Airport confirmed they were not playing the video.

On Thursday, Heidi Groenboom, communications and events associate for the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority, also said that the digital screens owned by the airport authority are designated for static content offering travel information and helping travelers find their way.

Kasey Posa, director of marketing and public relations for Flint Bishop International airport, said the airport is not showcasing the video on any monitors owned or operated by the Bishop International Airport Authority.

However, Posa also said that the TSA is an independent federal agency that manages security in leased space within airports. For this reason, the TSA has its own internal communications system and has the discretion to air federally distributed content independent of the Airport Authority.

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Because the message in the referenced video violates [Bishop International Airport Authoritys] Airport Rules and Regulations, we have requested that TSA stop playing the video, Posa said.

Since the shutdown began, the Trump Administration has taken to blasting Democrats through various official channels, displaying messages on several federal agencies websites blaming Democrats for the shutdown

However, Democrats have pushed back, noting that Republicans, as the party in control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, the government shutdown is the GOPs crisis to own.

The Hatch Act bars federal employees from engaging in partisan political activities while on duty, and the federal government is now facing several legal challenges due to its shutdown messaging.

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Consumer advocacy watchdog Public Citizen filed legal challenges against nine government agencies, while the Center for Biological Diversity filed complaints against the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Democracy Defenders Fund, a nonpartisan organization focused on protecting democracy and defending the rule of law, filed two letters with the Government Accountability Office calling for an investigation into whether the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Treasury, Agriculture, Justice, State, and Health and Human Services violated the Anti-Deficiency Act, as well as other bans against using federal funds for political propaganda.

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With a market cap of $139.4 billion, Pfizer Inc. (PFE) is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in New York, known for developing and manufacturing medicines and vaccines across areas such as oncology, immunology, and infectious diseases. Its key products include Comirnaty, Paxlovid, Eliquis, and Ibrance.

The pharma titan is slated to announce its fiscal Q3 2025 results before the market opens on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Ahead of the event, analysts predict Pfizer to report an adjusted EPS of $0.68, down 35.9% from $1.06 in the year-ago quarter. However, the company has surpassed Wall Street's bottom-line estimates in the past four quarterly reports.

More News from Barchart

For fiscal 2025, analysts expect the drugmaker to report adjusted EPS of $3.07, down 1.3% from $3.11 in fiscal 2024. Nevertheless, adjusted EPS is anticipated to grow 2.6% year-over-year to $3.15 in fiscal 2026.

www.barchart.com

Shares of Pfizer have dropped 8.2% over the past 52 weeks, lagging behind both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 11.9% rise and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund's (XLV) 7.1% decrease over the same period.

www.barchart.com

On Oct. 6, Pfizer shares surged 7.2% after the company announced a landmark agreement with the U.S. government to lower prescription drug prices. The deal includes most-favored-nation pricing for Medicaid, 50% average discounts through a government website, and a $70 billion investment in U.S. research and manufacturing, providing a three-year tariff grace period and easing policy uncertainty for the pharmaceutical sector.

Analysts' consensus rating on Pfizer stock is moderately optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 24 analysts covering the stock, six recommend a "Strong Buy, one has a "Moderate Buy" rating, 16 give a "Hold" rating, and one suggests a "Strong Sell. The stocks mean price target of $28.48 implies an upswing of 16.8% from the prevailing price levels.

On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah 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
NEED TO KNOW

London Thomas, 17, went missing on April 5 and her body was discovered by Michigan State Police on April 26 after a tip came in about the location of her body

The individual who provided that tip also provided information which has led to the arrest of London's boyfriend and his mother

Jalen Pendergras, 23, and his mother Charla are now facing a second-degree murder charge and will make their first court appearance on Friday

Prosecutors in Michigan have announced the arrest of a mother and son in connection with the alleged murder of a teenager who had been missing since April.

Jalen Pendergras, 23, is charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of his 17-year-old girlfriend London Thomas. His mother, Charla Pendergras, 49, is facing the same two charges for her alleged role in the girl's death.

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Court records reviewed by PEOPLE show that a bench warrant was issued for the pair on Wednesday, Oct. 15  the same day that Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy and her office filed a formal complaint against the mother and son.

Thomas was last seen on April 5 after her sister dropped her off at the Pendergras' home in Inkster, Mich., a city located approximately 15 miles west of Detroit.

Three weeks later, her body was discovered in a plastic bin.

That discovery came after police received a tip, which also led to the arrest of the mother and son, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.

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On April 26, an individual called to report that Charla had contacted him on April 7 to ask if he could move a plastic bin into a vehicle in Southfield, about 15 miles north of Inkster.

That individual provided authorities with the name of the street in Southfield where the vehicle had been parked and soon after, Michigan State Police managed to find the remains and identify them as being those of Thomas.

The medical examiner later determined her cause of death to be asphyxia and the manner to be homicide.

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.

Michigan State Police announced the discovery at the time, and while Jalen and Charla were questioned and even briefly detained, no formal charges were ever filed against the two  until now.

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"I am proud of the excellent work that has been done in this case. It has taken countless hours of investigation, and diligent work by the Michigan State Police, the Detroit Police Department, and the FBI," said Worthy. "As a result of that work, we have been able to charge and bring the perpetrators of this cruel and deadly crime to justice."

What remains a mystery, however, is why the two would have wanted to kill Thomas.

The pair will make their first court appearance on Friday, Oct. 17, at which point they are expected to enter pleas to both charges.

Read the original article on People
A water affordability plan in Detroit that once enrolled nearly 30,000 households has run out of money, officials say, forcing the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department to revamp the plan into one with a higher monthly bill that serves fewer customers in need.

DWSD's Lifeline Plan  a water affordability program that reduced eligible Detroiters' water bill to as low as $18 a month and wiped away debt from overdue bills  launched in 2022 with regional, state and federal funding.

Now, money from the state and federal government is gone. What remains is $3.5 million to cover about 5,000 residents in a given year, as the city's water department tries to get more funding from the state's newly approved budget. Water advocates raised questions and concerns about the enrollment process for the scaled-back version of the program, named Lifeline H2O, and called for a permanent funding source.

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"Since we only have $3.5 million to work with, in order to stretch it as far as we can and to be able to help as many people as we can, the first change that people are going to see is that the $18 all-in water bill that they were receiving will go to $34," DWSD Director Gary Brown told the Free Press.

The original Lifeline Plan set fixed bills for water, sewer and drainage at three tiers, based on income and household size: $18, $43 and $56 a month. Most households, as of Oct. 1, were in the $18-dollar tier, according to a dashboard on the water department's website.

City officials launched the program as a way to address water affordability and prevent shutoffs. But even at the time, Brown acknowledged the need for a permanent funding source. Water rights advocates have long pushed for income-based water rates. A decade ago, Detroit drew international attention for its shutoff practices, spurring the United Nations to declare that cutting off water for those with a genuine inability to pay is a human rights violation.

Cecily McClellan, director of water works for We the People of Detroit, said the grassroots group was disappointed to see changes that will lead to fewer Detroiters benefiting from the plan.

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"We are deeply concerned that the transition from the Lifeline Plan to the new Lifeline H2O program will cause harm to the very residents this program was meant to protect," McClellan said in a statement to the Free Press.

Here's what to know about the change:

How will the Lifeline Plan change?

The smaller version of the program is for households at or below 200% of the federal poverty level  or $53,300 for a three-person family  and who don't have a past due balance. Under the plan, the monthly water bill will be $34 and households can use up to 6 centrum cubic feet (CCF) of water, or about 4,000 gallons. If customers are 90 days past due, they'll be removed from the program. They can re-enroll once they're up-to-date and request to enroll again.

Paring down the program to one tier, as opposed to three, is a "lot less burdensome administratively," Brown said. The Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency will no longer administer Lifeline; the water department will. Brown said the move redirects several million dollars to go toward households instead of paying the nonprofit to operate the program.

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The DWSD Board of Water Commissioners this week authorized the water department to contract with technology company, Promise Network, Inc., to process applications and eligibility. The water department will manage the program, including customer service, deploying in-house staff for the task, Brown said.

More: Michigan cash aid program for moms and babies gets 'massive investment' in state budget

When will the changes kick in?

Brown said the water department expects to have the new plan in place by mid-November. Customers, he said, should see the $34 bill in December. In October and November, Detroiters who were in the former version of Lifeline will see a regular bill  on average, $88.

Last September, more than 25,000 households were in the program. At the time, the water department required customers to verify their income eligibility and re-enroll in the program each year to remain on the plan. Nearly 8,000 households were enrolled in Lifeline, as of Oct. 1. The new iteration of Lifeline can take 5,000.

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"We'll take those 8,000 people, we'll start re-enrolling them into the new program until we get to 5,000  first in, first out  and then the 3,000 that don't get in will seamlessly move into EasyPay," Brown said.

Detroit's EasyPay Plan is an interest- and penalty-free program that does not have income restrictions. Customers can enroll by putting down a $10 deposit, then paying off the overdue balance over 36 months, on top of the regular bill. The program spares them from a water shutoff as long as they make payments.

A letter from DWSD to Lifeline enrollees, marked Sept. 8, notified customers that funding for the program goes through September and that their next bill would reflect regular monthly charges. DWSD referred customers to the EasyPay Plan if they have a past due balance and let them know to watch for updates from the water department. Next, customers are expected to get another letter, detailing how to verify their income and household size to qualify for the new version of Lifeline.

"We're hoping to have all of this done within 60 days and by mid-November, have our 5,000 folks recertified into the program," Brown said.

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More: Reparations program offers $25,000 in housing support to Black metro Detroiters

How much funding does the program still have?

Lifeline has $3.5 million from the Great Lakes Water Authority's (GLWA) WRAP program  a 68% reduction from the roughly $11 million the program had in state and GLWA dollars for the 2025 fiscal year, from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. WRAP, which stands for Water Residential Assistance Program, is intended to help households reduce past due balances and get water and sewer bill payment help.

Brown said the water department is seeking a slice of statewide utility funding approved in the state budget. His department wants $3 million, of the $5 million allocation, which he said could double the reach of the new Lifeline program.

"We're searching for federal dollars, state dollars, philanthropic dollars to be able to enroll everyone that needs help," Brown said, who acknowledged it's "highly unlikely" for the program to get the funding it once had.

What do water advocates have to say?

At a September DWSD Board of Water Commissioners meeting, before commissioners approved the new Lifeline plan, speakers during the public comment period expressed concerns about the overhauled program, including the ability of new applicants, especially those with arrearages, to enroll.

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"This policy is being rushed," said Demeeko Williams, CEO of Hydrate Detroit which helps people with high water bills, at the Sept. 17 meeting. The monthly bill, he said, should be $25 instead of $34 and seniors should receive an $18 bill.

At this week's Board of Water Commissioners meeting, advocates raised questions about how residents would be notified of the changes and the re-enrollment process. Residents on fixed incomes, who are in Lifeline, are concerned about what the new plan will mean for them and if they can get into the program, said Norrel Hemphill, legal and public policy manager at We the People of Detroit at the Oct. 15 meeting.

McClellan, also of We the People of Detroit, said the organization has long advocated for a permanent water affordability solution that's not dependent on temporary funding and ensures that households are paying no more than 3% of their income on water.

"Such a solution would both stabilize revenue for utilities and guarantee that every Detroiter has access to this life-sustaining resource," McClellan said.

Contact reporter Nushrat Rahman at nrahman@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit water affordability plan raises bills, serves fewer households
When developers first approached Spring Township officials about pursuing a project on more than 100 acres of open land on the southeast corner of Broadcasting and Paper Mill roads, they were told the property was the townships crown jewel.

Its sprawling space and ideal location  bordered to the east by Route 222, across the street from Broadcasting Square and just down the street from Penn State Berks  is seen as providing almost unlimited opportunity.

That message was taken seriously by the developers  Atlanta-based SJC Ventures and Washington, D.C.-based Concordia Group  who vowed to create something there equal to the lots lofty status.

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During a ceremony Thursday morning, with heavy land-moving equipment humming in the background, those developers said they believe theyve succeeded.

We will deliver the highest-quality mixed-use development in the region, Devin Tuohey, co-managing partner of Concordia Group, told a group gathered for the projects official groundbreaking.

The $350 million development of what will be called Broadcast District will create something entirely new for Berks County.

Devin Tuohey, comanaging partner for the Concordia Group, speaks with the media following groundbreaking ceremonies at the Broadcasting District development along Paper Mill and Broadcasting roads in Spring Township on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Tuohey said the project centers around the construction of a 35,000-square-foot Whole Foods store, the countys first branch of the organic grocery chain. It is expected to serve as the anchor for development on the site.

Other retail ventures will follow in 2027, with businesses such as MyEyeDr., Sephora, Nothing Bundt Cakes, European Wax Center, Shake Shack, First Watch and BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse already announced as tenants. Tuohey said about 85% of the 120,000 square feet of retail space has been filled.

More than retail

But Broadcast District isnt about just retail. The development will include 770 residential units  a mix of townhomes, single-family residences and apartments.

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The project will include the creation of 2.5 acres of green space. Features include an outdoor fitness space, dog park and places to gather. A 1-mile walking trail will wind around the development and eventually connect to Penn State Berks campus and Grings Mill Recreation Area.

The Broadcasting District development encompasses 103 acres along Broadcasting Road in Spring Township. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

Tuohey said developers have been working with Penn State Berks to address concerns about a lack of safe access from campus to the new development and Broadcasting Square. The project, he said, will feature traffic and pedestrian crossing upgrades to help make the area walkable.

After all, Tuohey said, thats the whole idea behind Broadcast District.

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The idea is that once you come home and park your car you dont need to leave again, he said. And thats what Berks County didnt have before.

Tuohey said that while Whole Foods will be the first piece of the project to be completed, the apartments and the rest of the stores and restaurants should follow in late 2027 or early 2028.

The single-family housing will be the final step of the project, he said, and its completion will largely be based on demand.

Government support

The project has drawn support from local and state officials, many of whom attended Thursdays ceremony.

Sen. Judy Schwank, who helped secure more than $2 million in state grants for transportation improvements for the project, expressed excitement to see Berks welcome the kind of mixed-use development typically seen in the Philadelphia collar counties.

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State Sen. Judy Schwank comments during groundbreaking ceremonies at the Broadcasting District development along Broadcasting Road in Spring Township on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

In making this investment, Concordia sees Berks Countys potential, she said.

State Rep. Eric Weaknecht said he was excited to see the site developed, noting that it had been discussed for many years.

Its actually happening, he said, glancing toward the heavy machinery rumbling in the distance. Its literally happening right now.

State Rep. Eric Weaknecht speaks during groundbreaking ceremonies at the Broadcasting District development along Broadcasting Road in Spring Township on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Penn State Berks Chancellor Radha Pyati called the product a game-changer for her university and the county as a whole.

It enriches our lives and community in Berks County, she said. This corner of Berks County is going to be amazing.

Dr. Tadha Pyati, Penn State Berks chancellor, speaks during groundbreaking ceremonies at the Broadcasting District development along Broadcasting Road in Spring Township on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
Bryan Kohbergers sister couldve testified as a witness for prosecutors if the case against him had gone to trial.

Newly unsealed court documents list Amanda Kohberger on the states amended witness list, filed on June 25.

Just days later  he took a plea deal, preventing a trial.

There are about 180 names on the witness list for the prosecution, including Amandas. Shes the only family member of Bryans whose name is listed for both the defense and prosecution.

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Per the documents, Bryans mother, father, and other sister, Melissa, were also on the list of 56 people that his team may have called on to testify.

Other notable names from the states list include surviving roommates Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen, and Ethan Chapins triplet brother and sister, Hunter and Mazie Chapin.

Bryan was sentenced to life without parole on July 23 for the murders of Ethan, Ethans girlfriend Xana Kernodle, and Xanas roommates Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen.

The crime took place at a home near the University of Idaho in November of 2022.

Bryan, who was a Ph.D. criminology student at nearby Washington State University, was arrested about a month later at his familys home in Pennsylvania.

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Investigators revealed DNA found on a Q-tip from the garbage of his parents home matched DNA found on a knife sheath found inside the home where the students were murdered.

A motive for the killings is unknown  and may never be known. At his sentencing this summer, Bryan told the judge, I respectfully decline, when asked if he would like to explain.

Hes incarcerated at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution in Kuna.
(WHTM)  President Donald Trumps disapproval rating continued to rise this month in the latest Emerson College Polling survey.

The survey found Trump with a 48% disapproval while his approval rating held steady at 45%.

The president did find favor with voters on his handling of the Israel/Hamas war following the Gaza ceasefire deal; 47% of voters approve of Trumps handling of the war, while 34% disapprove.

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Voters are also split on whether the presidents second term is a success or failure, with 50% saying its been successful and 50% saying it has not.

Republicans generally approve of Trumps handling of the war between Israel and Hamas at

80% to 7%, while Democrats disapprove 57% to 19%, Spencer Kimball, executive director of

Emerson College Polling, said. The shift in overall approval comes from independents, who

approve 43% to 38%; in April, independents disapproved 43% to 25%.

Voters continued to cite the economy as the countrys top issue at 31%, followed

by threats to democracy (23%), immigration (13%), healthcare (9%), crime (8%), and housing

affordability (6%).

Forty percent of voters say their household finances are worse off than a year ago, while 30% are

better off, and 30% are about the same.

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Majorities of voters under 30 and in their 40s say they are worse off financially than a year ago,

and these groups are most likely to name the economy as the top issue facing the country. Voters over 70 are more concerned about threats to democracy, at 39%, than any other age group, Kimball said.

Democrats also have a slight lead in the 2026 congressional ballot test with 44%, while Republicans received 43% support.

In a hypothetical 2028 presidential poll, Vice President JD Vance (R) led California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) 46% to 45% with 10% undecided.

Political Power Ranker

Latest episodes of Political Power Ranker

Spencer Kimball, Director of Emerson College Polling, and Chris Berg, Political Content Director for Nexstar Media Group, discuss the polls findings in this weeks episode of Political Power Ranker.

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Each week, Chris and Spencer will examine whos up and whos down in the world of politics based on the latest data from Emerson College Polling, focusing on the states and races that impact the national picture.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a significant celebration in South Asia and for several religious groups. It begins in mid-October and lasts for five days, with each day having its own special meaning and traditions.

The Festival of Lights is celebrated by people of the Hindu, Sikh and Jain faiths in India, and among communities worldwide, including in the United States. The celebrations are marked by prayers, lighting lamps, shared meals, music and more.

The five-day festival begins on Oct. 20 and will last through the week.

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Here's what to know about the holiday of Diwali.

When is Diwali 2025?

Diwali 2025 is on Oct. 20.

Dhanteras, the first day of the holiday leading up to Diwali, will begin on Oct. 18, two days before the beginning of the festival, which will continue for five days after.

The lunar calendar determines Diwalis date. Diwali lasts five days, from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Kartik, according to Britannica.

Diwali typically occurs in the fall, usually in late October or early November.

How long does Diwali last?

Diwali spans five days, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. These five days are called:

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Dhanteras (Oct. 18) Kali Chaudas (Oct. 19) Diwali (main day) (Oct. 20) Govardhan Puja (Oct. 21) Bhai Dooj (Oct. 22)

The third day of Diwali is the primary day of the holiday. This day is devoted to the triumph of light over darkness. It is the birthday and day of worship for Goddess Lakshmi.

What is Diwali, the festival of lights? What religions celebrate it?

According to National Geographic Kids, Diwali, or Deepavali, is known as the festival of lights. Over time, it has become a national holiday in some countries. Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities have their own way of celebrating it.

The term "Diwali" comes from the Sanskrit word "Deepavali," which translates to "row of lights." This name reflects the tradition of lighting clay lamps, known as "deepa," outside homes during Diwali. These lamps symbolize the light that protects against spiritual darkness.

Who celebrates Diwali?

Followers of the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain faiths all celebrate Diwali. Since India is a vast country with diverse cultures and religions, each community has its own unique way of celebrating, often accompanied by different stories. However, all celebrations share the common theme of the festival of lights, which includes the lighting of candles.

How is Diwali observed?

Depending on the region and tradition, the way Diwali is observed varies, according to Britannica.

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The most common practice among Hindus is to light diyas (small clay lamps filled with oil) on the night of the new moon to attract the goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi.

When the diyas are lit, they are arranged in rows in temples and homes or floated on rivers and streams. Homes are traditionally decorated with rangoli, intricate designs made with colored rice, sand, or flower petals, to invite the goddess Lakshmi to bless their home with wealth and success.

USA TODAY contributed to this report.

Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jordan.green@commercialappeal.com.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: When is Diwali? Here's who celebrates the religious holiday
Oct. 16The Dixon Public School Board is looking into contracting with a solar vendor to decrease its long-term energy costs.

The district previously moved forward with a solar project in late 2022 with Chicago-based energy company Econergy that estimated a potential district savings of almost $2 million over 25 years. The board voted to terminate those contracts in April 2025 based on a lack of progress on the project, but board members said they'd still like to pursue solar options.

At the board's meeting Wednesday, Dixon Public Schools Business Manager Marc Campbell said he's found a solar vendor with "a likely option for us to move forward with."

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A representative with the vendor will make a presentation and answer questions from board members at the next meeting, at 6 p.m. Nov. 19, at 1335 Franklin Grove Road in Dixon. Board meetings can also be viewed on the district's YouTube channel and are typically uploaded the day after the meeting.

Campbell said the vendor is offering two different models  one for seven years and the other for 15.

The seven-year model offers "some nice benefits," he said. It gives the district the ability to purchase the system at a fair market value of about $230,000, with a zero-interest loan to pay that out over 10 years. It also sets the energy rate at 0.036 cents per kilowatt, which is set for the length of the Power Purchase Agreement with the vendor, Campbell said.

A PPA is a contract in which a company installs and maintains a solar panel system on the other party's property at little to no upfront cost. The other party in the contract  in this case, the district  agrees to buy the electricity generated by the system at a predetermined rate for a set period of time.

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Campbell said the vendor predicts it would begin construction around October 2026 "should we choose to go forward with them."

The vendor already has provided the district with a drafted PPA, but "I do believe that it still needs a lot of work with our attorneys," Campbell said. The goal is to have that finalized and up for approval by the board at the November meeting.

"Given the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' and some of the stipulations [of it] we do have to act quickly on this," Campbell said.

President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" was signed into law in July. It includes large tax cuts in multiple areas along with shifting the federal focus from clean energy to expanding domestic oil and gas production, according to whitehouse.gov.

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That bill "has created some very specific deadlines" for incentives that would be beneficial to solar vendors, which is why the board has to move fast because "without those incentives" the project would "kind of be void," Campbell said.

However, "not moving forward with this one we would be delaying any type of future solar action for years" because the solar industry will undergo a kind of reset, Campbell said.

"I think from our discussion last time [in April] there was enough interest to" move forward with this, Board President Linda Wegner said.

"For me, the big driver is going to be your [Campbell's] level of comfort with this," Board member Jon Wadsworth said.

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Campbell said that "as an overall perspective, I would say that the vendor has been very attentive. ... We're moving forward from a very, very honest perspective of where we're at and what our needs are and what we hope to accomplish with this."

"We will continue to move the information forward and see where we end up," Campbell said.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Its a story that her brother said has been told every way imaginable. Whenever theres a true crime show, at some point, her case will inevitably come up.

The story of Pamela Butler.

Courtesy: Derrick Butler

Her mother, Thelma, knew something was wrong when Pamela Butler didnt show up to take her to a Valentines Day dinner on Feb. 14, 2009.

47-year-old Pamela, an employee of the Environmental Protection Agency living in Washington, D.C., was known for being tidy and prompt, sometimes referred to by loved ones as a neat freak.

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When Thelma initially called her son, Derrick Butler, to ask if he had heard from her, he wasnt initially concerned. His sister had been dating her new boyfriend, so he assumed she wanted to spend Valentines Day with him instead. The 14th was a Saturday, but by the time Monday, Feb. 16, 2009, rolled around with no word from Pamela, the whole family grew concerned.

Family Goes to Pamelas Home

When family members went to the Northwest D.C. home, they immediately knew something was off. They didnt walk into an obvious crime scene. No blood, nothing broken. But they knew Pamela well enough that they could pick up even the slightest thing out of place.

The blinds were wrong. Pamela was a private person, always moving the blinds from the top down to let the sun in, but leaving the bottom of the blinds closed to keep privacy. The window was also not locked, something Pamela would never forget to do.

In her office, papers were scattered about on the desk and floor, but Pamela wasnt someone who would leave a task unfinished or leave her things in disarray.

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Her new boyfriend, Jose Rodriguez-Cruz, had left a note on her desk, saying he had stopped by. A message from him was also left on Pamelas answering machine.

Concerned about Pamelas whereabouts, her brother, Derrick, called Jose to ask him if he knew anything. Jose said he and Pamela had broken up, but that he was also concerned about where she was.

Derricks Reaction

Derrick asked Jose if hed let him come over, and Jose agreed, but as Derrick got to Joses apartment, he wasnt there.

A phone call confirmed that Jose was heading back home, telling Derrick that he was just coming back from his brothers place.

After being let into the apartment, Derrick began searching high and low for anything that would potentially incriminate Jose in his sisters disappearance.

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There was nothing  although Derrick didnt stop there.

Jose, Derrick said. This is very serious to me, and you dont really have a choice. Im going to need you to take your clothes off.

Jose  to his credit  did so without hesitation. Derrick knew his sister. If Jose had something to do with it, she would have fought back, and he would have had scratch marks on him.

But Jose was clean. The only noticeable marks on him were old scars that Jose said were from a crazy ex who tried to kill him.

The surveillance

Derricks phone rings  its his mom, Thelma. She asks him to quickly return to his sisters place. After some back-and-forth, Derrick reluctantly leaves Joses place to head back.

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While Derrick had been at Joses, his family had been scouring through surveillance footage. Although it was 2009 and technology was not as advanced, Pamela had a full security system, including cameras and motion detectors.

The cameras covered every part of the home, except one spot  the window with the blinds pulled up. At some point, Pamela and Jose were captured on camera walking into the home. There appeared to be some movement around Feb. 13 when the door opened and someone, presumably Pamela, grabbed the mail.

Throughout the weekend, Jose was seen coming and going from the residence, while Pamela was never seen leaving.

Early investigations

Although a missing persons case, the investigation quickly turns into a homicide investigation.

Courtesy: Derrick Butler

Courtesy: Derrick Butler

Courtesy: Derrick Butler

Police began uncovering more evidence during their early investigation into Pamelas disappearance.

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Upon entering her bedroom, detectives noticed that the sheets were gone from the bed. Despite searching the home, including the washer and dryer, the sheets were nowhere to be found.

However, the home looked lived in, and detectives saw no evidence that pointed to Pamela running away.

Investigators also found a small piece of plastic on the unlocked window, the one area that Pamelas surveillance cameras did not cover. This indicated to the police that someone may have been carrying things out of the window in bags, not wanting to be seen.

Pamelas car keys and phone were also missing, but her car was parked out front, with the cover off and the windows down. However, family members noted to investigators that Pamela, a creature of habit, never left her car cover off.

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Detectives brought cadaver dogs to the home, where they picked up a scent on Pamelas car, as well as the garage. Police often use cadaver dogs, specially trained canines, to locate the scent of human remains.

Although Pamelas phone could not be found, investigators were able to trace her phone data to see where it was last detectable. The data placed Pamelas phone at Joses place, before it last pinged across state lines in the area of Seneca Valley Park in Maryland  a red flag for investigators, since it pinged at Joses home after he said he had last seen her.

Surveillance cameras at Pamelas home also captured Jose going in and out in the days following Pamelas disappearance, sometimes carrying plastic trash bags and what appeared to be cleaning supplies.

Suspects

With surveillance footage placing Jose at Pamelas home around the time of her disappearance, investigators deemed him a primary suspect in her murder.

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In one instance, police called Jose in to take a polygraph, and Derrick offered to drive him. But when the two arrived at the station, Jose took the polygraph wires off, refusing to cooperate any further, Derrick detailed to DC News Now.

Thats when Derrick said he truly felt that Jose was involved in Pamelas disappearance. With the hope that his sisters case could be solved, he continued to look for answers, keeping in close contact with the Metropolitan Police Department and the local media.

A vocal advocate in the case, Derrick kept it in the public eye. Each year around Pamelas disappearance, he held vigils to raise awareness and honor her life.

Derrick loved his sister, which is why he was shocked to learn that police had started to look into him as a potential suspect.

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As the case continued to garner attention, tips had come in suggesting that Derrick was involved in Pamelas disappearance. Derrick had a property with Pamela and was listed on her will, which detectives thought may have given him a potential financial motive in her death.

However, investigators quickly determined that Derrick and the rest of Pamelas family had no involvement in her disappearance.

Joses story

In interviews with investigators and in conversations with the family, Jose insisted that he and Pamela had broken up shortly before Valentines Day and that he did not know where she went. He told at least three family members that the last time he had seen Pamela was Feb. 12, police detailed.

However, surveillance footage showed him at her home in the days after that. In the overnight hours of Feb. 14, cameras captured Jose going in and out of the home, often pacing frantically along the side of the two-story house.

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As for the plastic bags Jose was captured on camera carrying from Pamelas home, he told investigators that they consisted of his personal belongings and clothes, since the two had parted ways.

Jose, a former military police officer, also told investigators that he had killed people during his time in the service and that he had Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), investigators said. However, detectives noted that there were notable inconsistencies with his interviews, including him telling police that he had been to parts of the world he had never been.

Despite this, Jose maintained his innocence, even going so far as to talk to the media about how he was not involved with Pamelas disappearance.

The case goes cold

With Pamelas body still missing and no concrete evidence pointing to what happened to her, the case went cold.

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In D.C., when a body is not found, a person may only officially be presumed dead after they have been continuously missing and unheard from for seven years. As a result, Pamelas family petitioned to have her legally declared dead in July 2016, per a report from the Washington Post.

Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham  who was the D.C. police chief for part of Pamelas case said that not having a body made things challenging, and could be challenged in court.

When you dont have a body, you cant say with certainty that shes dead, Newsham said.

Because these types of cases arent dealt with often, theres no set rubric as to how to get the conviction, and the U.S. Attorneys office may be reluctant to pursue it, Newsham noted. In D.C., especially, Newsham said jurors often want a considerable amount of evidence in murder cases.

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Despite the deadlock, Derrick pushes the case every anniversary, hoping something changes that can move his sisters case forward. He has carried the burden of the loss and feels like people were still looking at him as though he killed his sister.

Courtesy: Derrick Butler

New detective

The case file for Pamela was passed around a few times. Multiple detectives looked at the case, including Bryan Kasul  who was the first lead detective Mitch Credle, and finally, in 2017, it landed in the hands of one eager detective, Michael Fulton.

Is that the case where two go in and one comes out? Fulton asked. I want it.

Fulton began reviewing everything: scene evidence, surveillance, and tips. He needed to follow up on every suspect  including Derrick. Which means he needed to bring Derrick back in.

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The conversation was awkward for Fulton and off-putting for Derrick. Fulton didnt really believe Derrick had done anything, but he needed to be sure. Theres always the what if?

However, it was the surveillance that would prove essential to the case. Hours upon hours, Fulton went through and watched the cameras and motion detectors.

At night, any moment triggered the lights to go on. He watched as a cat would come by. Lights on. Then back off.

Later, the same cat would come back. Lights on. Lights off. But as he continued to review the footage, he barely noticed when the cat came back again. It was dark and easy to miss.

But  it was dark.

The motion detectors were no longer working or, more likely, had been turned off. In the footage, Jose could be seen entering the home on the night of Feb.13, and the light came on. When he was seen pacing outside afterward, there were no lights.

When Jose was coming in and out of the home before Feb. 13, he used a single key. However, after Pamela went missing, he could be seen using a key with a key fob dangling  eerily similar to the keys Pamela used to use.

One camera on the front porch would show when the headlights face the house. Fulton noticed a reflection in the glass door of Pamelas home of someone starting to walk up, wearing a distinct outfit that Jose had been seen wearing a few days prior.

Fulton began writing on a dry-erase whiteboard to keep track of suspicious things he noticed in the footage. It started small, but through the course of the investigation, it began to look like hieroglyphics.

From early on in the investigation, Jose was the primary suspect, and as Fulton continued to investigate, he began putting a large microscope on him and his history.

Joses History

Upon looking into Jose further, Fulton quickly discovered that the former military police officer had a past filled with domestic violence accusations, with allegations from at least three women, including a woman named Guadalupe and a woman named Marta Rodriguez.

However, Martas name particularly stuck out to Fulton.

Jose had been previously married to Marta, with whom he shared a son, Hansel. However, in 1989, Marta disappeared, just months after Jose allegedly kidnapped and assaulted her in Northern Virginia.

Marta was able to escape the reported kidnapping but was involved in a struggle with Jose outside when an officer witnessed the scuffle. The officer took Jose into custody on the scene after finding items consistent with a kidnapping, including duct tape and rope, inside his car, according to police.

About two months later, Jose was released to await the hearing. Thats when Marta was scheduled to appear in court, but never showed.

Her family filed a missing persons report.

Years later, a tip emerged that indicated Marta may have left for Florida to get away from Jose. To confirm her identity, Florida authorities went to the home, where a woman presented herself with Martas identification.

As a result, the missing persons case was closed in 2001, according to a report from the Washington Post.

However, unsatisfied with this, Fulton contacted police in Florida while investigating Pamelas case and had them send over a photo of the woman who had claimed to be Marta.

It wasnt her the photos didnt match.

Investigators determined the woman to be Guadalupes sister, who had been using Martas identification since her disappearance, according to Fulton.

In the midst of the investigation, Fulton contacted Hansel to learn more about his mothers mysterious disappearance. Hansel confirmed Marta as his mother, but told Fulton that he never had the opportunity to get to know her.

Growing up, Hansel lived with Jose and Guadalupe, witnessing firsthand Joses violent behavior towards his stepmother.

Hansel told Fulton that in one instance, Jose was so angry that he feared for his life. Not knowing what to do, a young Hansel ran into one of Joses rooms upstairs, only to find a note from Jose confessing to Martas disappearance, Hansel said.

The phone call that changed it all

April 8, 2017, Derrick got a phone call around 3 a.m. It was Fulton. During the time Fulton had the case, he called anywhere from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., asking seemingly random questions about Pamela.

But he never called at 3 a.m.

Do you know who this is? Fulton asked.

Yes, detective Fulton, Derrick replied.

Where are you? Fulton continued.

Im at home.

Derrick was preparing to go look out the window, expecting to see a police car with handcuffs waiting for him, when Fulton went on to say, What would you say if I told you, I locked his motherf***ing a** up?'

That was the best news Derrick had ever heard, and he immediately began to tear up. In under three months, Fulton was able to arrest Jose in Alexandria and charge him with first- and second-degree murder.

But an arrest is only half the battle. To avoid a long, lengthy series of court appearances and potentially a trial, the idea of a plea began to circulate. Derrick wasnt pleased by the deal at first, but key prosecutors, like Deborah Sines, convinced him that Martas case would bring additional justice.

He settled on 12 years, and Jose pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the strangulation of Pamela Butler. He also described her last moments.

On the night of Friday, Feb. 13, the two got into an argument when Pamela called him a p****. Jose snapped. He turned around and hit Pamela, causing her to fall on the ground.

Jose said he blacked out. When he came to, he was standing over Pamela, choking her, and she was already gone.

As part of the deal, Jose was required to make a good faith effort in recovering Pamelas body. On Interstate 95, where there was once a dirt median, is where Jose said he buried Pamela in 2009.

Since then, the median has been paved over, becoming an HOV lane, with some spots having anywhere around 30 feet of dirt placed down before it was paved over. Still, police searched. Bringing out cadaver dogs to assist.

Derrick needed to be there. Unable to help with the search, he stood at an overpass down the way, waiting to see if his sisters body could be found.

It wasnt.

Instead of Pamelas body being recovered, someone assisting with the search remembered something about this particular stretch of I-95. Back in 1991, investigators uncovered a Jane Does body, but were never able to identify her.

It was Marta.

A 1991 Jane Doe

A year after Jose was sentenced for Pamelas murder, police identified the Jane Doe remains found in the same area in 1991 as Marta Rodriguez.

Derrick wasnt satisfied with the way Virginia handled Martas case. It took a while for the attorneys office to pursue the case. But through Derricks persistence  and connections with the media  Jose was also charged in her case.

He pleaded guilty in November 2020 and was sentenced to 40 years in prison for Martas 1989 disappearance in April 2021.

The aftermath

Derrick wanted the case to close for his mother, Thelma. It was important to him that she see Pamelas killer held responsible. Many people played a part in bringing justice for Pamela, from Fulton, Sines, Newsham, the community, and even D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

While in the midst of the case, Derrick remembers feeling angry that Bowser  a leader for the city  didnt do enough, but as he reflects on the case, he realizes that she was doing the best she could.

He now resides as a board member on the Black and Missing Foundation in D.C., continuing to work to amplify and raise awareness of cases involving missing people of color. Jose is finishing up his D.C. sentence for Pamela at FCI Glimer in West Virginia, before he will then serve 40 years for Martas murder.

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Blackstone Infrastructure is one step closer to positioning itself to profit from rising U.S. energy demands by acquiring one of the largest public utilities in the Southwest.



TXNM Energy (NYSE: TXNM), parent company of Public Service Company of New Mexico, PNM, has applied to New Mexico's Public Regulation Commission to transfer ownership to the infrastructure arm of global investment firm Blackstone Group.

Blackstone's interest in PNM is a strategic move that could reap short and long-term profits for its investors. The Energy Information Administration predicts record demand in the commercial and residential sector for 2025 and 2026 with a corresponding jump in wholesale energy prices. If energy usage by data centers, cryptocurrency miners, and retail customers continues rising, ownership of utility providers such as PNM could become extremely profitable.

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If the application is approved, it would officially seal the $11.5 billion deal that Blackstone Infrastructure and PNM originally announced in May. TXNM shareholders voted in favor of completing the acquisition on August 25, according to a company statement. TXNM investors will receive $61.25 per share.

PNM customers will also receive benefits if state regulators approve the deal. The transfer of ownership application indicates that Blackstone will offer a combined $105 million in rate credits over the next four years that are expected to give PNM customers average annual savings of $168.

"The benefits in this filing are unprecedented and underscore Blackstone Infrastructure's commitment to PNM and New Mexico," PNM President and CEO Don Tarry said, according to Source NM. "This transaction keeps PNM rooted in New Mexico while giving it the financial strength to transform our grid and harness the opportunities to benefit our customers and communities for decades to come."

Trending: Arrived Home's Private Credit Funds has historically paid an annualized dividend yield of 8.1%*, which provides access to a pool of short-term loans backed by residential real estate with just a $100 minimum.

Blackstone will also increase the budget for PNM's Good Neighbor Program Fund, which assists low-income customers, by 300%. Blackstone has also pledged to set aside $35 million for "large-impact economic development programs," and an additional $25 million to help New Mexico achieve its sustainable energy transition goals.
NEW YORK (AP)  A Georgia man accused of sexually assaulting five women during a New York City crime spree in the early 1990s was linked to the cases by DNA authorities obtained from a discarded cup, prosecutors said.

Michael Benjamin, 57, of Conyers, was arraigned Thursday after being extradited to New York and was ordered held without bail due to his high flight risk, prosecutors said.

While officers escorted Benjamin from a New York police station Thursday he told reporters he was innocent of the allegations.

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I didnt do this! I didnt do none of this!" he screamed. "What witness? What fingerprints? I didnt do this!

The assaults occurred between July 1995 and February 1997, with the attacker entering the residences through a window, prosecutors said. The victims ranged in age from 21 to 42  including one woman who was assaulted on two separate occasions. Each victim was also robbed of money and valuables.

Benjamin was linked to the assaults by DNA obtained last year from a discarded cup he had used inside the Rockdale County Sheriffs office, prosecutors said. It was submitted for testing and matched DNA retrieved at the time the assaults occurred.

Benjamin was arrested in Georgia on Sept. 22 and extradited to New York on Tuesday. He faces 17 counts, including sexual assault and burglary charges.

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Although decades have passed, these cold cases were not forgotten, Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz said. It is never too late for justice.

Benjamin's lawyer, Joseph Amsel, said his client vigorously, vehemently and vociferously" denies the charges. Most of these charges are outside of the statute of limitations, Amsel said.
WEATHERFORD, Okla. (KFOR)  A search warrant detailing the events leading up to the death of Southwestern Oklahoma State University student, Logan Musil, has been released.

The search warrant references an interview with the suspect, Cameron Lewis, where he explains that Musil went with him to his parents home in Purcell on Sept. 12 for a sleepover.

Lewis later says in the interview that he dropped Musil off at a family members home in Edmond. Musils mother says that it didnt really happen.

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RELATED: Missing SWOSU student found dead, OSBI officials say

For him to keep saying that Logans family lives in Edmond, none of us live in Edmond, said Erin Musil.

The documents state that during Lewiss second interview with investigators, he admits to getting in a fight with Musil after the pair took mushrooms.

Lewis claims that during the fight, Musil fell and hit his head on a rock.

According to the warrant, investigators learned through Lewiss cellphone records that he never went to Edmond, like he originally claimed. Instead, Lewis told investigators that he got scared, put Musil into his car, and drove his unconscious body to Veterans Lake in Sulphur.

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Lewis told investigators that when he got to the lake, he took Musils body out of the car, heard him take his last breath, dragged him into the woods, and dropped Musils phone into the lake.

I cant stand the thought of him leaving my son out in the wilderness for weeks; it kills me, said Logans mother.

Lewis is being tried at the Chickasaw Nation District Court. He is being charged with one felony count of abusing a corpse.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation told News 4 that this case is still being investigated as a homicide.

Musils mother says she is waiting for justice, Hes not going to get away with what he did to Logan because that was not right. Logan didnt deserve that.

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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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright speaking at the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Feb 25, 2025. Wright announced forthcoming furloughs of federal nuclear weapons workers on Oct. 16, 2025.(Photo by Anna Padilla for Source New Mexico)

National Nuclear Security Administration employees could face layoffs as soon as Friday if the federal shutdown continues, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in an Oct. 16 appearance on Bloomberg TV, a message he reiterated to USA Today.

Following publication of this story, a Department of Energy spokesperson confirmed the furloughs to Source NM in a statement reading: Due to the Democrat shutdown, approximately 1,400 NNSA federal employees will be furloughed as of Monday, October 20th and nearly 400 NNSA federal employees will continue to work to support the protection of property and the safety of human life. NNSAs Office of Secure Transportation remains funded through Oct. 27, 2025.

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The statement also said Wright would appear in Las Vegas, Nevada on Monday to further address the issue.

We have not furloughed anyone yet, but we will be out of funds by tomorrow or early next week. So we will be forced to do that if this shutdown continues, Wright said on Bloomberg. Weve been paying them to date, but starting tomorrow, Monday at the latest, were not going to be able to pay those workers, if that continues on for long, they may get other jobs, Wright, putting the the sovereignty of the country, at stake.

The NNSA is a section of DOE that oversees the nations nuclear stockpile and development of nuclear weapons and waste, including programs for Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory and other programs such as nuclear disposal near Carlsbad.

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Alabama), who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, underscored the message Friday morning during a U.S. House of Representatives news conference, when he said he had been told the NNSA would furlough most of the staf about 80% of employees.

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We were just informed last night, the National Nuclear Security Administration, the group that handles the nuclear stockpile, that the carryover funding theyve been using is about to run out, he said Friday. These are not employees that you want to go home. They are managing and handling a very important strategic asset for us. They need to be at work and being paid, he said.

He also told CBS News that the NNSA told his office the agency would place roughly 1,400 employees on furlough and 375 would continue to work.

Neither Wright nor other officials have said where furloughs will occur.

A spokesperson for Los Alamos National Laboratory told Source via an emailed statement that LANL has funds in place to continue operations. We focus on maintaining the safety and security of our employees and facilities.

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An automatic response from Sandia National Laboratories stated that they are open and employees are reporting for work. The Labs will operate in the short-term using unspent funding.

In a statement, Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) said the DOE had not provided any information on site-specific impacts, but called Wrights comments an excuse.

In New Mexico and across the country, workers at our National Labs or other defense-related facilities are crucial for our national security. At this time, LANL and Sandia continue to operate at full capacity to deliver the cutting-edge research, technologies, and capabilities that keep our nation safe, Lujan said in a statement to Source NM. Now, Secretary Wright and the Trump administration have used the government shutdown as an excuse to threaten these critical jobs. Secretary Wright and the Trump administration must prioritize this vital workforce to protect our national security.

Requests for comment from other members of New Mexicos congressional delegation remained pending Friday. This story will be updated if needed.

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In a statement Friday afternoon, Rep. Melanie Stansbury called the NNSA furloughs a dangerous political move that puts national security and American lives at risk.

She further said: While Sandia National Labs in Albuquerque can maintain operations for now, prolonged NNSA furloughs will directly impact New Mexicos labs and compromise our national security. These career professionals are essential to both our safety and economy. This shutdown must end. I urge my Republican colleagues to reopen the House and negotiate in good faithto protect our labs, our security, and the healthcare of families across our state and nation.

Phone lines for media contacts at Sandia National Laboratories and local NNSA offices all had out-of-office messages, and deferred further comments about the shutdown to the U.S. Department of Energy press office.

The lack of information about furloughs and the shutdown is dispiriting, Dylan Spaulding, the senior scientist in the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit science advocacy group, told Source NM Friday.

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It conveys that the NNSA and Department of Energy are not reliable employers, he said. I think the best and greatest scientists in particular will move to opportunities elsewhere. The danger is, once those people are lost, they never come back, so even if the furloughs stop, even if the shutdown ends, funding is resumed, youve done some irreparable damage.

Are you an employee or former employee at the national laboratories or other nuclear facilities in New Mexico impacted by the shutdown? Reach out to reporter Danielle Prokop securely on Signal at d_prokop.22 or by using this link.

Local anti-nuclear groups said the furlough was contradictory to the administrations push to develop nuclear power and weapons.

I think this is mostly theatrical and designed to bring Democrats to the bargaining table,Greg Mello, the executive director of nuclear nonproliferation nonprofit Los Alamos Study Group, said. However, if NNSAs unspent balances are not in the categories they need, they may well have to furlough people, and they might even furlough people as part of the theater.

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Don Hancock, director of the Nuclear Waste Safety program at the Southwest Research and Information Center, criticized the lack of transparency from the federal government about what impacts this may have on nuclear weapons stockpiles and waste work in New Mexico.

What I dont understand is why this shutdown is so different from the 35-day one in the first Trump administration when they didnt get rid of 80% of the NSA folks, Hancock said.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO/AP)  Artificial intelligence is ubiquitous in the United States. The technology requires data centers to operate, and the possibility of such facilities finding a home in South Dakota is now part of the race for the governors office in 2026.

Republican Dusty Johnson, who is seeking to change jobs from South Dakotas lone member of the U.S. House to its governor in Pierre, envisions data centers coming to the state and providing property and sales taxes.

Phase 2 of Minnesota Ave. project starting next spring

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This would be a huge opportunity for us to lower that tax burden on South Dakotans, Johnson said Thursday. But right now, we are simply not going to build any data centers in this state because our laws are not a good fit for them.

Data centers utilize considerable quantities of power and water; some could actually demand more electricity than a community the size of New Orleans or Pittsburgh. Toby Doeden and Jon Hansen, who are also vying for the Republican nomination in South Dakotas 2026 gubernatorial race, are clear on how they view AI.

I think the United States should be at the forefront of AI, Doeden said Thursday. I think the United States should dominate the development of AI and data centers. I generally do. I have said from the beginning of my campaign, Dan, that my focus is putting South Dakota first.

I absolutely welcome new business and innovation that brings jobs and growth to our communities and provides opportunities for our kids to find good work and stay in South Dakota, and the president is right when he says that AI is going to change the world, Hansen said Thursday.

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Johnson wants companies interested in building a data center in South Dakota to pay less in state taxes, or no state taxes, on electronic equipment. But he says a company intending to build a data center would have to prove a few things within his plan.

Theyre not going to have any negative impact on electric users: existing South Dakota electric rate payers, Johnson said. Number two, theyre not going to have any negative impact on water users in the area. Number three, that they are going to pay substantial taxes, and then number four, they are going to create good jobs.

But on the question of how data centers could come to South Dakota, Hansen and Doeden have similar thoughts.

These data centers, by the way, are owned by some of the worlds richest tech billionaires, Hansen said. Theyre coming here, and theyre pushing for these massive state tax breaks, and Im not for that.

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We ought not be using taxpayer subsidies to fund these data centers in South Dakota on the backs of hardworking, taxpaying South Dakotans that are already struggling to pay their bills, Doeden said.

Also running for governor of South Dakota in 2026 are Democrat Robert Arnold and independent Terry Gleason. Arnold told KELOLAND News via email Thursday that he opposes making it easier for data centers to come to South Dakota in any way. KELOLAND News spoke with Gleason over the phone Thursday; he says he would support Johnsons plan for bringing data centers to South Dakota.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
Vermont is set to hold over 40 "No Kings" protests across the state on Saturday, Oct. 18, joining a national movement that organizers expect to be the largest single day of protest in modern American history.

The protests are the second iteration of a coordinated day of action targeting what organizers see as increased authoritarianism as President Donald Trump sends National Guard troops into cities, encourages redistricting and continues his mass deportation efforts.

In June, organizers estimated that the demonstrations drew over five million people across more than 2,100 events across the country, and they are expecting an even higher turnout this time.

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Heres what to know about the protests in Vermont.

What is No Kings?"

The "No Kings" movement, launched by Indivisible, a nonprofit coalition of political action groups, is meant to be a pushback against Trump's agenda.

The group says that Trump is ignoring mass shootings, terrorizing communities by deploying troops to cities and threatening democratic processes through voter suppression and redistricting efforts. They say they are also responding to his actions on immigration, healthcare and the economy.

The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we dont have kings and we wont back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty, reads a statement on the website.

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Protesters are being urged to wear yellow as the "unifying color" to symbolize "peaceful resistance." The protests are intended to be nonviolent.

Homemade signs and Palestinian flags were paraded up and down Church Street at the June 10 LA to Burlington protest.

What's the weather forecast for the No Kings protests in Vermont?

The weekend is likely to be moderate and dry, according to the National Weather Service of Burlington.

Temperatures are expected to rise into the mid 50s to 60s. The day be partly cloudy, NWS predicted.

No Kings protest Burlington

In Burlington, there will be three marches starting at Callahan Park, Roosevelt Park and Ethan Allen Shopping Plaza at 10:30 a.m. and converging on City Hall at noon. 50501 Vermont says there will be no speeches, just "marching and singing with our neighbors."

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If you don't want to march, there are other options: you could display No Kings banners at Patchen Road Overpass, join the Honk and Wave group on the west sidewalk of North Avenue or hold flags or signs at Dorset Street in front of the University Mall.

No Kings events to happen across Vermont

There are nearly 50 protests planned in Vermont on Oct. 18. Some towns and cities are holding multiple events.

Below is a list of communities in Vermont holding protests this weekend, as of Oct. 17. Find more information on your local communitys event here.

Alburgh Barre Bellows Falls Bennington Brandon Brattleboro Burlington Chester Essex Junction Fairfax Hardwick Jericho Manchester Middlebury Milton Montpelier Morrisville Newbury Newport Pawlet Randolph Richford Royalton Rutland Saint Johnsbury Shelburne South Burlington South Hero St. Albans Vergennes Waitsfield Wallingford Waterbury White River Junction Williston Wilmington Windsor Winooski Wolcott Woodstock

Map of No Kings events near you

You can see a map of Vermont No Kings protests here.

To see a map of registered No Kings protests across the U.S., go to nokings.org.

Contributing: Jennifer Lindahl

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: No Kings day near you: These 40+ VT cities to join protests on Oct. 18
Ever heard someone waffle on an answer during a debate?

There is an elegant word for that, and it is called tergiversate.

It may be a mouthful of syllables, but its meaning can be as evasive as the politicians it describes.

Here is what you need to know about the word tergiversate.

What is the definition of tergiversate?

The word tergiversate means to make conflicting statements.

It is a verb that can also mean to change ones loyalties.

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The term can also describe someone being evasive.

How is tergiversate pronounced?

The word tergiversate can be pronounced two ways: /TER-juh-vur-SATE/ or /ter-JIV-er-SATE/.

How can you use tergiversate in a sentence?

The senators tendency to tergiversate during debates made it difficult to discern her true position on key issues. Faced with the truth, he chose to tergiversate, cloaking his betrayal in vague justifications and half-truths. To tergiversate is not merely to change ones mind, but to do so evasively or with a lack of conviction.

What is the origin of tergiversate?

The word tergiversate comes from the Latin tergiversatus.

The past participle tergiversari means to show reluctance, with tergum meaning back combined with versare which means to turn, according to Merriam Webster.

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The terms first known use was in the year 1590.

What famous book or movie uses the term tergiversate?

Those familiar with British philosopher Bertrand Russells work A History of Western Philosophy will find the term used in the following passage:

There seems no use in thrift, when tomorrow all your savings may be dissipated; no advantage in honesty, when the man towards whom you practice it is pretty sure to swindle you; no point in steadfast adherence to the cause, when no cause is important or has a chance of stable victory; no argument in favour of truthfulness, when only supple tergiversation makes the preservation of life and fortune possible. The man whose virtue has no source except a purely terrestrial prudence will in such a world, become an adventurer if he has the courage, and, if not, will seek obscurity as a timid time-server.

What historical figure uses the word tergiversate?

Fans of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill might be familiar with the term used in his memoir of his early years:

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I had a feeling once about Mathematics  that I saw it all. Depth beyond depth was revealed to me  the Byss and Abyss. I saw  as one might see the transit of Venus or even the Lord Mayors Show  a quantity passing through infinity and changing its sign from plus to minus. I saw exactly why it happened and why the tergiversation was inevitable but it was after dinner and I let it go."

If you missed the last word of the day, click here.

More Words of the Day to Check Out

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A raccoon that got into a fight with a dog in the Thomasville area early this week has tested positive for rabies, the Davidson County Health Department said.

A resident of the home off Stemp Everhart Road west of Thomasville killed the raccoon and promptly notified Davidson County Animal Control. The raccoon was sent to the North Carolina State Laboratory, which confirmed rabies on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

The dog had been recently adopted and had no documented medical history or rabies vaccination, so it was humanely euthanized in accordance with state public health guidelines, the health department said.

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One resident of the house who may have been exposed has begun post-exposure treatment, the press release said.

This was the fifth case of rabies this year and the second in one week.

Rabies is a serious and potentially fatal virus. The Davidson County Health Department urges all pet owners to monitor pets and children while they are outdoors, as the rabies virus is spread through saliva of an infected animal.

The rabies virus is 99.9% fatal in humans who do not seek immediate post-exposure treatment.
Dog starts house fire chewing on lithium-ion battery

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina (WJW)  A fire chief is sending a safety message after an incident that happened inside his own home.

According to Chapel Hill Fire Chief David Sasser, his dog started a fire by chewing on a battery.

19-year-old drowns in Lake Milton: officials

The video shows Colton the dog chewing on something, then the dog runs as it begins smoking and sparks into a fire.

Colton is a good boy, but he counter-surfed while his humans were away and got hold of a device with a lithium-ion battery, according to the fire department.

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The fire department said the battery was fully charged, unplugged and not under any recalls.

However, they say it was not stored safely.

Colton was able to get the battery, break its protective features by chewing on it, and ended up causing a fire, the department said.

Popular rice brand issues nationwide recall: FDA

Colton wasnt hurt. The fire destroyed a rug, but there was no other damage.

We want to remind everyone how important it is to safely charge, store, and use lithium-ion batteries, the department said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (FOX 44)  The U.S. Department of Justices Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has awarded nearly $600,000 in federal grants to law enforcement agencies across Central Texas.

The funding, distributed through the Community Policing Development Microgrants program, supports projects designed to develop innovative approaches to crime prevention, enhance officer recruitment and retention, and strengthen community engagement.

According to the Department of Justice, the following agencies received funding:

Recipient Award Amount City of Austin $175,000 City of College Station $174,540 Killeen ISD Police $76,213 Texas Department of Public Safety $174,071 Total $599,825

U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced the grant awards following the DOJs release of funding details.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) has signed a strategic partnership with Turkish Petroleum Overseas Company (TPOC), initiating a key development in the farm-out process for Eastern Offshore Indus Block-C.

PPL said that this collaboration stems from intergovernmental discussions aimed at fostering energy sector collaboration and attracting foreign direct investment into Pakistan's offshore exploration industry.

The company has agreed to hand over the blocks operatorship to TPOC, pending regulatory consent.

This step is part of a broader initiative to align Pakistan's offshore exploration practices with international standards.

Alongside this, PPL has involved Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Mari Energies (MariEnergies) in the farm-out process.

Following comprehensive due diligence by these companies, a farm-out agreement was executed that includes PPL, TPOC, OGDCL and MariEnergies.

According to the terms of the farm-out agreement, PPL will allocate a 25% participating interest (PI) and the operatorship to TPOC, while OGDCL and MariEnergies will each receive a 20% PI.

PPL will maintain a 35% PI and remain instrumental in the ongoing development of the block.

PPL noted that this partnership is a pivotal step towards tapping into Pakistan's offshore hydrocarbon resources and lays the groundwork for enduring strategic energy relations between Turkiye and Pakistan.

In April 2025, TPAO joined forces with three Pakistani national energy companies to participate in Pakistan's offshore oil and gas exploration tender.

The agreement was finalised during a visit to Islamabad by Turkiye's Energy Minister, Alparslan Bayraktar, coinciding with his attendance at the Pakistan Mining Investment Forum.

In July last year, Turkiye signed an agreement granting it exclusive rights to explore and produce hydrocarbons in three blocks in Somalia, covering a combined area of 5,000km.

"PPL forges energy partnership with Turkish Petroleum Overseas Company" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




Ever since the Trump Administration started to blitz Chicago with a surge of federal immigration enforcement, its touted the arrests of people whove gathered to protest the operations.

Sometimes it describes these people as domestic terrorists, other times rioters. Greg Bovino  the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) commander with a checkered past who leads what the Trump administration calls Operation Midway Blitz  has called them unhinged, vile mouthed individuals. One senior ICE official told Glenn Beck that those arrested during protests against the operation were professional agitators that are being brought in.

You hear a lot of elected officials saying, theyre out there protesting, theyre out there exercising their First Amendment rights. But you dont go in there and truck in shields, rocks, tear gas grenades  that isnt the First Amendment, acting ICE director Todd Lyons said. That right there is just domestic terrorism.

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A close look at the cases that the administration has brought in court shows that the governments charges, mostly of assaulting or resisting federal officers, are faltering as they come up against video evidence or lack thereof. In at least four cases that were brought in connection with protests against Midway Blitz, Chicago federal prosecutors either withdrew charges or had a judge declare that they failed to meet their burden of probable cause, per a TPM review.

These cases are important not only because prosecutors are withdrawing them in their initial stages. The administration has sought, largely successfully, to portray these operations in Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles, and elsewhere as focused on immigration enforcement. They involve large numbers of federal law enforcement officers ostensibly charged with related missions: CBP patrols the border; ICE is responsible for enforcing immigration law (as administrative as it may be). Showy missions like the Blackhawk helicopter raid on a South Side Chicago apartment building use pyrotechnics to reinforce that impression.

But the reality is that these overbearing operations also affect U.S. citizens. They involve federal law enforcement taking aggressive steps against people who record their actions or who stage protests. The increased threat of facing charges after appearing at a protest can have a chilling effect as well.

The charges also come after the White House issued NSPM-7 on September 25. NSPM-7 is a national security memorandum that directs federal law enforcement to consider anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, anti-Christianity as well as opposition to traditional values as factors that may lead a person to commit acts of political violence. Days later, Attorney General Pam Bondi directed prosecutors in the Northern District of Illinois and Oregon on Sept. 29 to be maximally aggressive in charging every person suspected of threatening or assaulting a federal law enforcement officer or interfering with federal law enforcement operations.

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This aggressive approach has led to multiple cases in which prosecutors ultimately declined to pursue their initial charges after video evidence seemingly failed to support the original allegations. Most of the footage  or lack thereof  has come from body-worn cameras, donned by some, but not all, DHS agents operating in the city.

Federal prosecutors charged Oak Park, Illinois resident Cole Sheridan on October 4 with assaulting, impeding, or resisting a federal agent over a situation that took place outside an ICE facility in suburban Chicago. In an affidavit attached to the complaint, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent alleged that Sheridan pushed Border Patrol officers during an Oct. 3 protest.

At a hearing last week, however, that account was called into question. Bovino, the flashy CBP commander, was involved in the arrest; per a federal official at the hearing, he was not wearing a body cam during the incident.

That lack of video prompted open skepticism from the judge.

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Without video of the actual physical exchange  there is only the evidence of the hearsay statement of Bovino, Magistrate Judge Heather K. McShain reportedly said. McShain found that there was no probable cause to support the assault portion of the charge, per an order. The magistrate allowed other portions of the charge, including resisting a federal agent, to move forward.

Air Force veteran Dana Briggs, 70, was charged on Sept. 29 via criminal complaint with a felony count of assaulting a federal officer at a protest. The affidavit, made by a Homeland Security Investigations special agent, cited YouTube videos in alleging that Briggs had swung his arm at a Border Patrol officer, and said that other officers had been wearing their cameras at the time.

Days later, federal prosecutors moved to dismiss the initial complaint and replace it with a misdemeanor. That charge omitted the assault allegation.

The reversal prompted the magistrate in the case, Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes, to ask to review the same videos on which the initial affidavit was based, saying in an order that the sworn affirmation had been a substantial part of the basis for the Courts initial determination of probable cause on the complaint.

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Magistrate Judge Fuentes has had two other Midway Blitz cases end after prosecutors declined to support claims made in the initial affidavit. Federal prosecutors charged Hubert Mazur via criminal complaint with a misdemeanor charge of resisting a federal officer. An FBI special agent wrote that after a Border Patrol agent pushed Mazur back, the two fell to the ground.

Days later, prosecutors moved to dismiss the case. At a hearing, government attorneys said that a review of additional body-worn camera footage prompted the decision. Judge Fuentes had prosecutors confirm, according to a minute order, that the FBI agent had sworn under oath that he had reviewed video evidence, and that that affirmation is what prompted the judge to find probable cause.

Paul Ivery was charged on Sept. 28 with felony assault of a federal officer. An HSI agent alleged in an affidavit that Ivery shouted, Ill fucking kill you right now at Border Patrol officers. He then ran away and grabbed an agents helmet as he was being arrested, the affidavit said, citing body-worn camera footage.

Prosecutors dropped that case last week and Fuentes put down the same record in an order: he only found probable cause because the affidavit cited video evidence.

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Other resisting federal officer cases against Chicago protesters have also fallen short.

One, filed against a couple that ICE accused of being armed rioters, was dismissed after a grand jury declined to indict. Marimar Martinez, a 30-year-old Chicago resident and teacher, was accused in a DHS press release of being a domestic terrorist and of ramming a government SUV while armed. An affidavit filed in her case said that Martinezs car drove into and side-swiped a CBP car, and contradicts the DHS press release on a few points: there were only two cars in the convoy, according to the affidavit, not ten, as DHS claimed. A CBP officer purportedly shot Martinez multiple times during the episode.

Body-worn camera footage undermined the governments account there, her attorney has said. Instead, video shows that she shouted la migra while driving alongside immigration enforcement in Chicago, her attorney told the Chicago Sun-Times. As she shouted the warning about ICEs presence, a CBP agent purportedly shouted, do something, bitch, before firing at her. The government later allowed the agent to drive the car back to his home in Maine, per a court hearing in the case.

That episode attracted national attention. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) asked DHS Secretary Kristi Noem about it in a Thursday letter, demanding body camera footage and to know how Laura Loomer apparently received photos from the scene.

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Illinois did not return requests for comment.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  No Kings marches and rallies are scheduled across the country this Saturday, including in Portland.

Protesters at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland told KOIN 6 News on Thursday that they plan to march over the weekend  and are excited to make their voices heard.

Not going to allow that in our communities: Hillsboro couple blocks CBP van

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Organizers with Indivisible Oregon said the Waterfront in downtown Portland will be the finish line for three different peaceful marches across the city.

Back in June, the No Kings rally in Portland drew big crowds. This time around, organizers are expecting much of the same, though the city is seeing ongoing protests outside the ICE facility along with the federal threat of a National Guard deployment.

Marcia Schnieder with Indivisible Oregon said they have noticed that tension is on the rise, but are committed to non-violent action.

Not only do we commit, but we do a lot of training. So we have large groups of volunteers doing all kinds of safety for the route for the participants so that we can make this as safe an event for folks as possible, Schneider said.

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Schnieder said volunteers have been trained to de-escalate a situation if it starts getting out of control.

We dont throw rocks. We dont light fires. We dont do those things. If other people, not part of our organization, decide to do those kind of things, we are not affiliated with it, Schneider said. We do not condone it or support it, and we will separate ourselves from that action.

Missing Forest Grove 78-year-old may have fallen in hole, search underway

Oregon lawmakers like Sen. Jeff Merkley have urged residents not to take the bait when protesting by not reacting violently, which they claim would give the administration reason to send in troops or officers.

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In every possible way, we have a president who thinks hes a king who is violating the law, Merkley said. So the plight of the executive branch violating our freedoms, scraping or shredding our Constitution, and the people are standing up against it, and theyre going to be expressing that this Saturday.

Protesters also said they plan to send a message while keeping it peaceful.

I want to show ICE itself and the Trump Administration that not only are we here, were present, were vocal, and we oppose them, but we are not going to do so in an aggressive way, protester Josiah Davis said. Im not going to act on any of these agents. I want to speak with them. I want them to tell me why they are doing what theyre doing.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as we continue to follow these protests.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
President Donald Trump on Thursday made a claim even he admitted was hard to believe.

And his critics were quick to point out why its so difficult to grasp: Its literally impossible.

Politics: Karoline Leavitts Incredibly Dangerous Rant About Democrats Draws Instant Backlash

While unveiling a new program to reduce the cost of IVF treatments, the president boasted that hes delivered steep discounts on the prices of all medications.

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Now Im getting them down... 500, 600, 800%, he said. In some cases, even more than that. Its hard to believe.

Reducing the price by 100% would make the item free. Going past that to the 500, 600, 800% that Trump mentioned would, in theory, mean paying people to take the medication.

Yet he repeated that claim moments later.

Politics: Donald Trumps Latest Boast Breaks Math Brains Across The Internet

Hes also made similar comments in the past. In July, for example, he said he was bringing drug prices down 1,000%, 600%, 500%, 1,500%.

Numbers that are not even thought to be achievable, he added.

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The plan announced on Thursday will significantly reduce the prices of some IVF drugs, which often arent covered by insurance. CNBC reports that Americans pay up to 271% more for the treatments than patients in other countries.

Starting in January, the prices of several Merck drugs will drop by 84%. In return, Merck will be given protection from Trumps tariffs, according to Reuters.

Politics: Donald Trumps Latest MAGA MATH Has Critics Checking Their Calculators

But while the deal could save families thousands, Trumps critics found his claim that prices are coming down by 500, 600, 800% to be not just hard to believe, but a sign the president hasnt quite mastered math:

Trump is right! It is hard to believe that he got drug prices down 500, 600, 800 percent. It is also hard to believe that no one can explain how percentages work to Trump. https://t.co/EaAsCZd28w  Dean Baker (@DeanBaker13) October 16, 2025

All the people in the Trump administration aren't as ignorant as he is. Many graduated from good colleges and some can even do math. But not a single one of them has the courage to tell the doofus you can't reduce the price of anything more than 100%.  JOHN VALENTINE (@SageAmenti) October 16, 2025

Quite hard to believe any price cuts of over 100%. https://t.co/Ti0Em8oVgU  Euan Rellie (@euanrellie) October 16, 2025

It's hard to believe bc its mathematically impossible unless big pharma pays you to buy their drugs -- fat chance. Think about the two reasons he keeps on saying this:

1. He's a moron; and

2. No one close to him is telling him not to do this bc of fear of losing their MAGA job. https://t.co/mFMi5nHQap  Richard Signorelli     (@richsignorelli) October 16, 2025

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Thanks to Donald Trump, buying a single pill will mean drug companies pay you thousands of dollars. https://t.co/vfZm4vIm3M  Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) October 16, 2025

You would think someone who filed for bankruptcy 7 times would know that things cant drop more than 100 percent. https://t.co/xxTKku9quo  Rose Benson (@RoseBensonDC) October 16, 2025

It *is* hard to believe, mainly because reducing a product's price by 100% would reduce the price to zero and any greater percentage implies the buyer being given money instead of paying the seller for the product. https://t.co/qH3uUtCbFo  Jonathan Nicholson (@JNicholsonInDC) October 16, 2025

I have a hardcore drug habit and I've never been richer! Every time I go to the pharmacy they hand me my prescriptions and bags of cash.  Sheeple_People (@Oh_You_Sheeple) October 16, 2025

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Whats hard to believe is you thinking you can lower anything more than 100%  Marlene Robertson (@marlene4719) October 16, 2025

800% off? Pharma now owes you money for being sick.

Welcome to Trump's America  War Updates FC (@k_c_shivansh) October 16, 2025

Some might say impossible to believe. Those some understand basic math.  Ive got an idea (@IvorButler) October 17, 2025

Considering that its mathematically impossible

It is actually impossible to believe  William Buecker (@wcbuecker) October 16, 2025

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Sticking with the bit, gotta give him that. How long until Wharton demands his diploma back? https://t.co/LFpxBpy64j  Jeff Domingues (@jeffdomingues) October 16, 2025

So if I get my drugs today, theyll have to pay me 5,6, or 8 times the old price? So if I buy a drug that usually costs $100 dollars theyre going to give me $800 instead of me paying $100? Thats awesome! https://t.co/RmOIZIgUyv  Rob Baudhuin (@MyTeacherRobB) October 16, 2025

It's hard to believe because it's mathematically impossible. https://t.co/Db1nal3cQ4  Frances #MaskUp  (@Frances17033) October 16, 2025

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Related...

Read the original on HuffPost
DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) A man was taken to the hospital after a motorcycle crash in Dothan late Thursday night.

It occurred sometime around midnight near downtown Dothan.

According to Lieutenant William Phares with the Dothan Police Department, a man driving westbound on a motorcycle on Main Street struck a construction sign near Commonwealth Ct., right outside of the CVS.

Lt. Phares said the man was transported to a local hospital and his condition is unknown at this time.

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Initial reports from Dothan dispatch showed the victim suffered critical injuries.

Stay with WDHN for updates.

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DELHI, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  A Delaware County Grand Jury returned a 29-count indictment against a Downsville man on Thursday.

Delaware County District Attorney Shawn Smith announced that 38-year-old Jeffrey Emerich is being accused of 29 charges related to sexual abuse.

Counts One through Twenty accuse Emerich of Sexual Abuse in the in the First Degree, each being a Class D Felony. It is alleged that Emerich, from the summer of 2020 through the spring of 2024, repeatedly subjected a person to sexual conduct by forcible compulsion.

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Count Twenty-One alleges Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A Misdemeanor. It is alleged that Emerich, from the summer of 2020 to the spring of 2024, acted in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental, and moral welfare of a child less than 17 years old.

Counts Twenty-two and Twenty-three accused Emerich of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a Class D Felony. It is alleged that Emerich, in the summer of 2022 and in the summer of 2023, subjected another person to sexual conduct when the other person was less than 13 years old and he was twenty-one years old or older.

Count Twenty-four alleges Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor. It is alleged that Emerich, in the summer of 2023, did subject another person to sexual conduct when the other person was less than 14 years old.

Count Twenty-five accuses Emerich of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A Misdemeanor. It is alleged that Jeffrey Emerich, from the summer of 2022 to the summer of 2024, acted in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental, and moral welfare of a child less than seventeen years old.

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Counts Twenty-six through Twenty-eight allege Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, each a Class B Misdemeanor. It is alleged that on three occasions between the summer of 2024 and the summer of 2025, Jeffery Emerich did subject another person to sexual contact.

Count Twenty-nine accuses Emerich of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A Misdemeanor. It is alleged that Jeffery Emerich, from the summer of 2024 to mid-July 2025, acted in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental, and moral welfare of a child less than seventeen years old.

The identities of the victims are being withheld per office policy.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34.
Dozens of weapons found at home after violent assault in North County

VALLEY CENTER, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  Four people, including a man who was out on bail, were arrested earlier this month after a violent assault in Valley Center, authorities said.

Steven Brickhouse, 36, Jordan Redfern, 18, Daniel Villa, 19, and a 17-year-old girl were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, the San Diego County Sheriffs Office (SDSO) said in a news release Thursday.

The incident occurred Saturday, Oct. 4, around 10 p.m. at the Rincon Travel Plaza in the 33700 block of Valley Center Road on the Rincon Reservation, according to authorities.

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Deputies responded to a call of a man being attacked by a group of individuals in the parking lot of the Rincon Travel Plaza.

Police find guns, drugs and cash connected to North County burglary series

One of the suspects brandished an assault rifle during the altercation, the sheriffs office said.

After the four suspects were arrested, deputies conducted a search at the adult suspects homes where they found 21 firearms connected to Brickhouse.

The following are the weapons that were discovered:

Three Special Purpose Rifles (SPRs)

Two fully modified automatic handguns

Two ghost guns

Multiple rifles and handguns

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Four bulletproof vests

One AR-15 upper

One rifle suppressor

One ballistic helmet

Several thousand rounds of ammunition

Brickhouse, who was out on bail, was rearrested and booked into the Vista Detention Facility, per SDSO. He faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun and possession of a silencer.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
An empty high school classroom. (Dan Forer | Getty Images)

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) released its 2025-26 general school aid data this week, showing that 71% of public school districts will receive less general school aid this year, while over $350 million in general aid will be diverted to voucher schools.

Each year DPI is required by state law to release the certified aid figures by Oct. 15. The data for the 2025-26 school year shows that of 421 districts, 111  or 26%  will receive more aid, while 301 districts  or 71%  will receive less. The numbers replace those from the estimate released in July, which had shown a projected 65% of schools would receive less aid.

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DPI noted in a release that the states total general aid remained flat this year at $5.58 billion. The Republican-led Legislature decided during the recent state budget process not to provide additional general aid to public school districts.

The distribution of general aid funds is determined by a formula that considers property valuation, student enrollment and shared costs. When school districts lose state aid, they do not lose school revenue authority, meaning many school districts will be left to decide whether to increase local property taxes to make up the difference or make more budget cuts.

Democratic lawmakers, who have repeatedly called for increasing general school aid, blamed their Republican colleagues for the numbers during a virtual press conference Thursday morning.

Sen. Jeff Smith (D-Brunswick) said that data provided a harsh reality check for school districts that their state Legislature, specifically the Republican-controlled state Legislature, which they have controlled for 30 out of the last 32 years, does not view them as a priority.

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When Democrats win a majority in the state Senate, our schools will not have to fear this Oct.15 date, Smith said, adding that Democrats are committed to investing in the future of Wisconsin children and re-establishing our state as one of the leaders in K-12 education as it once was.

This system that our state has been forced to adopt is not sustainable, Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin (D- Whitefish Bay) said. In lieu of state funding, school districts in Wisconsin have turned to raising property taxes through referendum, which must be approved by voters, in order to meet their financial obligations, including paying staff salaries, purchasing educational materials and building costs.

After the state budget was signed, some school leaders warned that the trend of relying on property taxes would continue without a state general aid increase.

Due to the Legislatures failure to fund our schools, Wisconsin already has one of the highest property tax rates in the country, and if our communities continue to be forced to referendum, those tax rates will continue to rise, making our state even more expensive than it already is. Wisconsin residents are depending on their elected officials to rein in the skyrocketing costs of living in our state, Habush-Sinykin said. Yet, the Republican-controlled Legislature has no problem forcing their constituents to suffer under continuously rising property taxes.

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Viroqua School Board President Angie Lawrence said during the press conference that the system is bolstering inequity in Wisconsin schools.

The school districts and areas of high poverty are generally failing when trying to pass a referendum and the wealthy districts generally are passing their referendum when going to their communities Is this who we really want to be? Lawrence asked. Dont you think that our tax dollars should be supporting every student equally so that each student has a path to academic excellence, and we shouldnt have to go to referendum in order to provide a high quality education for our students?

School voucher programs grow

Alongside funding for public schools, the DPI also released data on the costs of the states school voucher programs, which use taxpayer dollars to cover the cost of tuition for students who attend private and charter schools.

The estimated annual cost for the states voucher programs in the 2025-26 school year overall is about $700.7 million.

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According to the DPI data, $357.5 million will be reduced from general school aid to go towards private voucher schools in 2025-26. This includes $260.9 million for the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, $44.4 million for the Racine Parental Choice Program and $52.2 million for the Special Needs Scholarship Program.

The rest of the $700.7 million going toward voucher schools will come from the states general purpose revenue to fund students in the Milwaukee voucher program as well as for students in the Racine voucher program who enrolled before the 2015-16 school year. The Milwaukee program is estimated to cost $336 million.

Enrollment in all four of the states school choice programs rose by 2,349 students in the 2025-26 school year, reaching a high of 60,972 students.

The Milwaukee program grew by 235 students, the Racine program shrank by 14 students, the statewide program grew by 1,814 students and the special needs program grew by 419 students.

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Organizations that support school voucher programs had mixed reactions  celebrating the growth, but also cautioning that it was modest compared to previous years.

Lawmakers in Madison should continue to prioritize protecting these private-school options for all students, said Carol Shires, vice president of operations for School Choice Wisconsin. This milestone validates the strong support from Wisconsins political leaders for strengthening the financial foundation of parental choice programs.

School Choice Wisconsin, the largest school choice lobbying group in the state, also noted in its press release that the growth comes as an enrollment cap on the statewide Wisconsin Parental Choice Program is set to expire in the 2026-27 school year.

[The caps coming off] will allow more families  including those now on waiting lists  to benefit from the nations longest-standing program committed to educational freedom, School Choice Wisconsin said.

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Caps on school voucher program participation, which limits the percentage of students in a district who can participate, have been increasing by 1% per year since 2017 and reached 10% of a school districts enrollment in the 2025-26 school year. When the nations first school voucher program launched in Milwaukee in 1990, enrollment was limited to no more than 1% of the Milwaukee Public Schools student population. When the statewide program launched in 2013, enrollment was limited to just 500 students and no more than 1% of a districts enrollment.

According to the Institute for Reforming Government, a conservative think tank, this years numbers represent stable growth for the Milwaukee, special needs and independent charter school programs, but the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program had its lowest growth since 2017-2018.

Quinton Klabon, the organizations senior research director, urged supporters of school choice to not be complacent.

Informing parents, expanding high-quality schools, and protecting schools from hostile red tape are high priorities. Otherwise, the baby bust will close choice schools, Klabon said in a statement.

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The total number of schools participating in the statewide program has risen from 403 schools in 2024-25 to 415 schools in 2025-26.

Republicans have introduced some legislation this year to support enrollment in voucher programs. AB 460 from Rep. Cindi Duchow (R-Delafield) would change state law to ensure that siblings of a student who participated in a voucher program would be eligible for enrollment. AB 415, coauthored by Rep. Shae Sortwell (R-Two Rivers) would prohibit DPI from requiring documents to verify a students residence unless their residence has changed from a previous verification.

Democratic lawmakers and public education stakeholders expressed concerns about what the school voucher enrollment numbers will mean for the states public schools.

Lawrence of Viroqua called attention to the amount of money going to the Academy of Excellence, a Milwaukee virtual private school that has been criticized for misusing public funds and for blurring the line between homeschooling and voucher schools. Students who are homeschooled in Wisconsin arent supposed to receive public funding under state law.

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The Academy of Excellence is not excellent, Lawrence said. It is not meeting the requirements of high standards of public education, and yet it received over $40 million in tax dollars from the state of Wisconsin [in the 2024-25 school year] They are funding families that choose to homeschool without the cost of bricks and mortar, or the transparency of how theyre spending the tax dollars they receive. If our state wants to make improvements in education for our students, lets put our money where our mouth is and spend our tax dollars to improve public education so we can provide the highest academic outcomes for each child.

The Academy of Excellence is estimated to receive over $50 million in 2025-26 from the state with over 4,000 students enrolled. Those enrollment numbers include students in various voucher programs throughout the state  808 students from the Milwaukee program, 200 from the Racine program, 3,340 from the statewide program and 63 who are enrolled in the special needs program.

Democratic lawmakers in recent months have introduced an array of bills aimed at limiting voucher school programs and increasing transparency surrounding the costs.

This week Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) is circulating draft legislation that would bar virtual schools from being able to participate in the voucher program.

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Rep. Christian Phelps (D-Eau Claire) has introduced AB 307, which would eliminate the sunset on the voucher program caps, leaving them at 10% into the future, and AB 496, which would require an annual verification of the income of voucher students families. (Currently, there is an income cap to enroll in the programs of 220% for the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program and 300% for the Milwaukee and Racine programs. If a student is continuing in a program or was on a waiting list, they are not required to meet income limits.) Lawmakers have also proposed legislation to disclose voucher costs on property tax bills across the state.

Habush-Sinykin said on the call that the voucher program caps coming off is a crisis facing the states education system. However, she said advancing bills that would change the states trajectory will likely take new leadership in the Senate and Assembly.

Its really up to all of us to explain how important it is to have a change in the legislative leadership so that we can have bills like keeping caps on vouchers, etc., be heard and voted on, Habush Sinykin said.

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(FOX40.COM)  Dr. Richard Pan, a former California state legislator, announced his campaign on Tuesday for a Republican-controlled congressional district that could be redrawn to favor democrats if Proposition 50 is approved by voters.

Pan, who served in the state Assembly and later Senate from 2010 to 2022, sat down with Inside California Politics host Nikki Laurenzo on Thursday to discuss a number of issues, including what made him want to run for Congress.

I decided I wanted to run several weeks ago when RFK Jr. came before the Senate Finance Committee to do his hearing, Pan said. I was getting so many calls from people, including reporters, saying basically whats happening at the federal government theyre taking apart everything you worked on, that people worked on here in California.

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Pans spent much of his time in the legislature focused on medical issues. Among his most notable achievements was the passage of Senate Bill 277 (2015), which eliminated personal belief exemptions for existing school-required vaccines.

Earlier this week Pan filed a statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission to run for Californias 3rd Congressional District, which is currently held by Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley.

Much of Pans message in his announcement video, posted to Facebook, was focused on healthcare and was sometimes framed in medical terms.

Im running for Congress because Congress is not doing their job, Pan said. Theyve already taken away healthcare from millions of Californians This is an illness in Washington that we need to cure.

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  An adoption day in Kent County Friday celebrated an 11-year-old girl being adopted by her aunt and uncle.

This is just a dream come true for all three of us, Alice Collingwood said of adopting her biological niece, Daisy, as her daughter.

Daisy is hard of hearing. Her classmates from the deaf and hard of hearing program at Northview Highlands Middle School supported her from the gallery inside the Kent County Circuit Courtroom and sign language interpreters made sure everyone could understand.

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Daisy can hear, but shes hard of hearing. She wears hearing aids. Some of the kids are completely deaf, Collingwood explained.

Daisy in court with her new parents Alice and Edgar Collingwood for an adoption proceeding on Oct. 17, 2025. Daisy celebrates being adopted on Oct. 17, 2025. Daisy in court with her new adoptive mother Alice Collingwood for an adoption proceeding on Oct. 17, 2025.

Daisys father died two years ago. Her mother has health problems and is not able to take care of her.

She has been living with us full-time for over three years now, but she has been a part of our lives since the day she was born, Collingwood said.

The family moved from Oklahoma to continue Daisys education because the deaf and hard of hearing programs in public schools there end after the fifth grade.

I volunteer at the lighthouse association in Ludington. Ive been doing that for nine years and we met a woman who is a retired teacher here in Grand Rapids. She spent 40 years here. I told her about the situation and she told us about the Northview School District, Edgar Collingwood, Daisys adoptive father, said.

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Her classmates gave Daisy a daisy flower after the ceremony.

Speaking with News 8 with the help of an interpreter, Daisy told News 8 she was grateful for her new parents.

I really, really like them so much, Daisy said. Im feeling really good and Im really happy.

The judge who presided over the ceremony encouraged others to consider adoption.

It was amazing, the joy that you see in all the families either as coming in originally as a family member who is taking a child in for sick parents or foster parents who are later adopting. The level of permanency that they can provide to these children is just amazing and wonderful, Kent County Circuit Court Judge Mathew DeLange said.

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TOPEKA (KSNT)  A Shawnee County judge has sentenced a woman for her role in a deadly crash that claimed the life of a 36-year-old man in 2024.

A judge sentenced Hailey C. Pelton to almost three-and-a-half years in prison on Oct. 17. Pelton was accused of causing a deadly vehicle vs. house crash in 2024 that killed her passenger, Troy L. Fields Jr., last year. Pelton pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter on Aug. 11, 2025.

Hailey C. Peltons mugshot. (Photo Courtesy/Shawnee County Department of Corrections)

Police were called around 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 1, 2024 to the area of Southwest Huntoon Street and Southwest Plass Avenue regarding reports of a vehicle striking a nearby home. Officers arriving at the scene found a vehicle had hit a house near the intersection.

First responders found a passenger in the vehicle, identified as Fields, had been ejected in the crash. Medical crews transported Fields to a nearby hospital where he was later declared dead.

Photo by Savannah Meier. (Photo Courtesy/Patti Ard)

Prosecutors later charged Pelton for her role in the deadly crash on June 9, 2025. Three of her original four charges were eventually dismissed.

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Topeka 18-year-old charged with murder after July shooting

For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

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Key Points

The size of Oracle's revenue backlog suggests that its growth is set to accelerate nicely in the future.

The multitrillion-dollar opportunity in the cloud computing market over the next decade can make Oracle a multibagger stock.

10 stocks we like better than Oracle 

Nvidia is currently the largest company in the world with a market cap of $4.5 trillion. Given Nvidia's dominance in the global artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor space and the billions of dollars that are going to be spent on building out AI data center infrastructure in the long run, it is easy to see why there are murmurs on Wall Street that it has the potential to achieve a $10 trillion market cap.

It won't be surprising to see Nvidia indeed reaching that mark thanks to its solid moat and the $5.2 trillion that's expected to be invested in AI data centers over the next five years. However, investors should also account for the rising competition that Nvidia is likely to face from competitors such as Broadcom, AMD, and others in the AI chip market, which could pose challenges in the company's quest to achieve a $10 trillion market cap.

Moreover, there's another company that's currently way smaller than Nvidia but is showing signs of breaching the $10 trillion mark before the chip giant. Let's take a closer look at that name.

Image source: Getty Images.

This cloud infrastructure giant has the potential to overtake Nvidia

Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) stock has been in fine form on the stock market in 2025, rising 76% as of this writing. That's well above the 36% gains that Nvidia has registered so far this year. Oracle's impressive rally has brought its market cap to $835 billion, making it the 12th largest company in the world.

You may be wondering how Oracle is in a position to race ahead of Nvidia toward the $10 trillion mark. But a closer look at Oracle's business model, the role it is playing in the proliferation of AI, and the pace at which it is building its revenue pipeline will make it clear why it is indeed capable of achieving that feat.

Oracle's global data center infrastructure is being used by major cloud computing companies, governments, and AI companies for running AI workloads. In fact, the company has been receiving more business in the cloud infrastructure segment than it can fulfill. This has led to a massive increase in its remaining performance obligations (RPO), which refers to the total value of the company's contracts that are yet to be fulfilled at the end of a period.

For instance, Oracle's overall revenue grew by 12% year over year in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 (which ended on Aug. 31). Meanwhile, its RPO shot up by a whopping 359% year over year to $455 billion thanks to "four multi-billion-dollar contracts with three different customers." Management remarked in September that Oracle is on track to sign up "several additional multi-billion-dollar customers and RPO is likely to exceed half-a-trillion dollars" in the next few months.
Volumes of the Alaska Administrative Code are seen on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, at the Legislative Reference Library in the Alaska State Capitol at Juneau. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

In the next few years, Alaskans could see sweeping changes to everyday life under an ambitious and far-reaching program launched by Gov. Mike Dunleavy.

Administrative Order 360, issued in August, calls on state agencies to reduce the number of state regulations by 15% before 2027 and 25% cumulatively before 2028.

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Both deadlines would come after Dunleavy, who is term-limited, leaves office in December 2026.

If laws are the bones of a state, regulations are the ligaments and connective tissue that keep it moving. Alaskas administrative code, a shelflong 10-volume set of thick books, dictates everything from how to conduct an election to the proper labeling of eggs and the correct way to install an underground fuel tank.

Forty-five different professions are regulated by the state: Pharmacists follow the rules in that code, as do nail technicians, concert promoters, barbers, midwives, and people who euthanize animals.

Elections officials operate under a system of regulations, as do local electric companies, water providers, and the people providing Internet service. Utilities, which have local monopolies on critical services, are tightly regulated, with even their profit margins controlled by the state.

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Regulations are intended to protect the public and ensure safety, but some businesses see them as a problem, particularly if the cost of following them is high, or if they go beyond what the business owner thinks is warranted.

There are often numerous, unnecessary requirements that simply impose an unnecessary burden on businesses, the public, and the agencies themselves, says a regulatory reduction guide distributed by the Dunleavy administration to state agencies as part of the administrative project.

Development permitting regulations are a top priority

The governors order specifies that the departments of Natural Resources, Environmental Conservation and Fish and Game focus on permitting process reform, eliminating regulations that lay out steps to take before a development project like a new mine, road or neighborhood can be built.

Attorney General-designee Stephen Cox began leading the Alaska Department of Law not long after Dunleavy issued AO 360, and his agency is taking a lead role in its implementation.

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One of the things that the governor is trying to do is make Alaska all the more attractive for investment, he said.

Sometimes, Cox said, regulations go farther than what was intended by law. Rather than serving as connective tissue, they can act almost like a spider web as additional forms and requirements are added over time, with none taken away.

You might start out with a single strand, but then there becomes this whole web that you can walk right into. You can feel it everywhere.  its just sort of expanding and expanding, and it hardly ever shrinks, until the rain comes, and thats what AO 360 will be akin to, he said.

Department of Law officials believe the state has a large number of outdated regulations that could be easily removed.

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In other cases, regulations have adopted parts of federal law by reference, but agencies havent checked to see whether those federal laws have been repealed or changed in the meantime.

A cursory review shows some areas of the code havent kept up with technological development. Telegraph appears five times in the code, fax 16 times, telex four times.

For many departments, the guide suggests that reducing training requirements or eliminating parts of mandatory forms could earn credit toward the governors goal, even if the main regulation stays in place.

Consider, for instance, a requirement that an applicant for a professional license complete 1,000 hours of training before he or she can be certified. Some training is necessary, so the requirement should not be eliminated completely, but 1,000 hours may be excessive. Requiring 500 hours of training, for instance, may be sufficient, the guide states.

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Fairbanks writer Dermot Cole, a frequent critic of the Dunleavy administration, noted online that doctors are required by regulation to take 25 credit-hours of continuing-education classes each year. Under the guide, the state is encouraging Alaskas state medical board to reduce that requirement, he argues.

The guide states that when eliminating requirements, agencies should be mindful of the important role of regulations in promoting public health, safety, and welfare, and developing our natural resources, and should not eliminate any requirements that are critical to protecting the public and the environment.

Deadlines approach for early action

Already, state agencies have flooded Alaskas public notice system with requests for Alaskans submit suggestions for regulations to eliminate. The first deadlines to do so are this week.

According to a draft schedule, agencies have until Jan. 5 to draft a proposed plan setting forth regulations identified for reform based upon stakeholder meetings.

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Final plans should be posted for review no later than Feb. 1.

Further squeezing agencies is a requirement that they submit guidance documents  materials that tell Alaskans how to follow regulations  to the Department of Law for review. By Feb. 1, the department will make a determination whether those documents should themselves become regulations.

If they do, that would mean the agencies would have to make further cuts in order to fit their guidance documents within the number of regulations theyre allowed.

The states baseline number of regulations  a figure that will dictate how many regulations must be cut under the governors plan  was supposed to be published by Oct. 13, according to the draft schedule. It has not yet been finalized.

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Seven agencies have completed or substantially completed their baseline count information, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Law. The remaining agencies have asked for an extension.

The Alaska Public Interest Research Group, a consumer watchdog, has been following the governors project with some alarm. Its particularly concerned with upcoming changes to utility regulations.

We support thoughtful, periodic review of regulations to make sure theyre effective and up to date. But this process isnt that. By setting an arbitrary target for cuts and moving at breakneck speed, the state is creating a chaotic process that favors well-organized industry interests, leaves the public at a disadvantage, and places unnecessary strain on state agencies already stretched thin, said AKPIRG regulatory analyst Brian Kassof.

Regulations exist to protect the public interest and provide stability and certainty for communities and businesses. This rush to eliminate 15% of regulations across our state agencies does not leave adequate time for meaningful public engagement and risks creating unintended consequences that will be much harder to fix later.

Alaskas program follows others in Idaho and Virginia

Dunleavys program is modeled after a similar one that began in Virginia in 2022, Cox said. That one was itself modeled after a different but similar effort in Idaho that started in 2019.

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Both of those programs had the support of prominent national conservative groups, including the Federalist Society and the American Legislative Exchange Council, which has offered example programs to states for them to use.

Think-tanks like the Heritage Foundation have called Virginias program a role model for other states, and the Hoover Institution praised both Virginias system and a newly launched one in Texas.

In July, after three years of work, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin held a ceremony to celebrate the fact that his state had beaten its 25% regulation-reduction goal.

That event showed the similarities and differences between that states program and the one in the works for Alaska, which has fewer state agencies and regulations.

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Youngkin, for example, praised the elimination of tens of thousands of regulations related to home construction, something he claimed had reduced the cost of new homes in the state.

Here in Alaska, the state doesnt regulate home construction. In Alaskas administrative code, the word house appears only 316 times, and is more likely to apply to housing assistance or an ice fishing house than a residential structure.

Virginias program significantly reduced the rules governing how stormwater runoff is regulated. Andrew Wheeler, former EPA director for President Donald Trump, launched Virgnias program for Youngkin and said that before he started work, Virginias stormwater regulations formed a stack 23 inches high. Afterward, the stack was five inches high.

In Alaskas administrative code, the word stormwater appears just seven times.

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The federal government has taken steps toward regulatory reform under multiple Republican and Democratic administrations, but during the first Trump administration, the president tried regulatory budgeting and ordered that two federal regulations be repealed for every new one. That was new.

They adopted something called regulatory budgeting, and so they would look for ways to reduce the number, Cox said.

Something similar will be in place in Alaska. If an agency wants to enact a new regulation, it needs to find another to remove, while also pursuing additional removals to meet the 25% goal.

Cox said AO 360 was issued with the federal context and other states context in mind.

Its with that goal of really unleashing the Alaska economy and inviting new investment into Alaska, that is motivating the governor in terms of why this is appropriate, he said.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  The Dutch Supreme Court on Friday rejected a final appeal by Russia against a $50 billion arbitration award to former shareholders of Russian oil giant Yukos, who claimed Moscow deliberately bankrupted the company more than 20 years ago.

The Netherlands' highest court said the decision marked a definitive end to the yearslong legal battle over the arbitration award to former Yukos shareholders, who have long argued that the Kremlin took down the oil company to silence its CEO, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin.

Fridays ruling upheld a decision last year by judges in Amsterdam to reject Russias final legal argument in litigation stemming from a 2014 ruling by a panel of international arbitrators that Moscow seized control of Yukos in 2003 by deliberately crippling the company with huge tax claims.

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The state launched a full assault on Yukos and its beneficial owners in order to bankrupt Yukos and appropriate its assets while, at the same time, removing Mr. Khodorkovsky from the political arena, the arbitrators, who deliberated in The Hague, said in 2014.

Khodorkovsky was arrested at gunpoint in 2003 and spent more than a decade in prison as Yukos main assets were sold to a state-owned company. Yukos ultimately went bankrupt.

Tim Osborne, CEO of a holding company called GML that represents the interests of the former majority shareholders, hailed what he called a landmark ruling.

The Supreme Court decision is not just a historic victory for the shareholders, it also reaffirms the fundamental principle of justice that no state, not even a rogue state like Russia, is above the law, he said.

He added that real justice requires successful enforcement, so we will now focus all our efforts on enforcing against Russian state assets worldwide until every penny of the award has been clawed back. GML said the amount of the award has risen to more than $65 billion when interest is factored in.
HOWARD, SD (KELO)  Predictions of a strong pheasant season in South Dakota are already proving to come true at one private hunting preserve in South Dakota.

Even though the traditional pheasant season doesnt begin until this weekend, preserves in the state have been welcoming hunters since last month.

Chance of cold winter in South Dakota, NWS says

Hunting at the Top Gun Preserve is a longstanding tradition for this group from Minnesota and Wisconsin.

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A customer appreciation hunt. We bring customers out here every year and been doing it for probably 25-plus years, Larry Koenig of Luck, WI said.

And their time in the field did not disappoint.

Wind was a little tough. But that rain held off and it was a great morning, Koenig said.

Out-of-state hunters are always willing to go the extra mile to do their shooting in South Dakota.

There are some hunting preserves that we have in Wisconsin and some natural birds that we hunt. So yeah, its not quite to the caliber of South Dakota here, Koenig said.

Top Gun has been growing through the years to accommodate more and more hunters.

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We started off very small, hosting eight people at the lodge and then 12 people at another facility across the road. And now weve expanded our lodge four different times and now we can hold up to 40 people in the lodge which is almost about 10 thousand square feet, Top Gun Hunting Preserve owner Kevin Schumaker said.

Owner Kevin Schumaker says two mild winters in a row have been a boon to pheasant numbers this fall.

And weve seen that since weve been starting hunting. Our first couple groups, we were flushing a lot of wild birds and getting a few of them. We dont get as much now because weve chased them off our property and they dont seem to come back until somebody else chases them back, Schumaker said.

Preserves can always release more pheasants to shoot.

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You never run out of birds around here, thats for sure, Schumaker said.

Schumaker says the fall harvest has been progressing rapidly so theres even less cover for the pheasants in the fields, increasing the odds for hunters to bag their limit.

Its going to be one of the best years South Dakota has ever had, I can almost guarantee that, Schumaker said.

Schumaker reminds all hunters arriving here for the opener to respect landowners property and keep an eye out for livestock, as well as follow all Game, Fish and Parks hunting laws.

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Starting Monday, voters in Hunt County will have the option of voting early in the Nov. 4 election.

Early voting for all precincts in the county will be at the Hunt County Election Administration Office at 2217 Washington St. in Greenville through Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., again on Oct. 27 through Oct. 29 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., then with extended hours on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For voters in Greenville, the local proposition on the ballot is for a $399 million facilities bond package for Greenville ISD.

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As in the districts previous bond attempts, two of the districts greatest needs included in the bond are replacing both its middle school and early childhood center because both are around 75 years old and no longer meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards, Texas Education Agency requirements or current building codes.

The proposition, as written on the ballot, includes the following projects:

 Building a new high school.

 Purchasing land for the new high school.

 Repurposing the current high school as the new middle school.

 Building a larger/more fully featured early childhood center.

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 Expansions to Lamar Elementary School and Carver Elementary School.

 Classroom updates at Travis Intermediate School, Bowie Elementary School and Crockett Elementary School.

This will be GISDs fourth attempt at passing a facility bond since May 2022. In the districts most recent previous attempt in November 2023, the district made three separate propositions  one for a new middle school, another for a new early childhood center and a third for improvements to the high school  which all narrowly failed, with each proposition drawing 49.12%, 47.92% and 46.35% of the vote, respectively.

When early voting begins Monday, however, Greenville ISD isnt the only entity in Hunt County that will be having an election.

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Bland ISD has two propositions on the ballot  one for a $9 million bond for building expansions/renovations, new equipment and safety/security enhancements; and another proposition asking voters for permission to increase the districts property tax rate to 93.69 cents per $100 valuation to generate an additional $325,806 in revenue.

Apart from school districts, Hunt County elections also include those for city council in Josephine  which will pit Doug Ewing against April Aurand for Place 1, Brad Ahflinger against Jane Ridgway for Place 2, and Kenny McCarty against Pamela Sardo for Place 4.

Another set of city council elections will appear on ballots in West Tawakoni, with Chad Jacoby running against Pam Reed for Place 1, Gregg Sprinkel running against Kevin Helms for Place 3, and Chris Burkett runnin unopposed for Place 5.

In addition to the Hunt County-specific elections, the ballot will also include 17 statewide propositions for amendments to the Texas Constitution.

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Out of the proposed amendments, most have to do with lowering taxes for Texans involved in a variety of living situations, including: homeowners, businesses, elderly and disabled homeowners, spouses of veterans, homeowners whose houses were destroyed by fire, property owners with border security infrastructure and sellers of animal feed.

The gists of those statewide propositions are as follows:

 Proposition 1: Creating an $850 million endowment to fund equipment upgrades, training facilities and other improvements for Texas State Technical College.

 Proposition 2: Would prohibit the Texas legislature from imposing a capital gains tax.

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 Proposition 3: Would require judges to deny bail for people accused of certain felonies such as murder, aggrivated assault and indecency with a child if the defended is deamed by the state to be a public safety or flight risk.

 Proposition 4: Would direct $1 billion in sales tax revenue each year into the Texas Water Fund for infrastructural improvements, flood mitigation projects and water conservation efforts.

 Proposition 5: Tax exemption on animal feed thats being held as inventory to be sold.

 Proposition 6: In preparation for the launch of a Texas-based stock exchange, it would prohibit the creation of new taxes on stock trading.

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 Proposition 7: Total homestead property tax exemption for unremarried spouses of veterans who died from conditions connected to their service.

 Proposition 8: Would prevent the Texas legislature from imposing a state inheritance tax.

 Proposition 9: A $2,500 to $125,000 exemption on taxes on inventory, equipment, furniture, tools and other supplies that the owner uses to generate income.

 Proposition 10: Would create a temporary exemption from property tax for homeowners whose houses were damaged or destroyed by fire if their house remained uninhabitable for at least 30 days after the fire. If passed, homeowners who lost their homes to a fire would need to apply for the exemption for the year the fire happened.

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 Proposition 11: $60,000 school tax exemption for homeowners who are 65 or older or disabled.

 Proposition 12: Would restructure the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to include seven citizens and six judges, all appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate. It would also grant tribunals called by the Chief Justict of the Texas Supreme Court with the authority to sanction judges (with pentalties that included suspension without pay or removal from office) for willful or persistent misconduct.

 Proposition 13: $140,000 school tax exemption for homeowners in general (meaning that those who are 65+ or disabled could be eligible for up to a total $200,000 homestead exemption on their school taxes if both Proposition 11 and 13 pass).

 Proposition 14: Would provide $3 billion to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

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 Proposition 15: Would reinforce existing parental rights in Texas (such as the Parents Bill of Rights and state law that allows parents to temporarilly remove their kids from classes that conflict with their beliefs) by codifying parents as the primary decision makers for their children in the state constitution.

 Proposition 16: Explicitly state that voters have to be United States citizens.

 Proposition 17: Would allow state legislature to create property tax exemptions in U.S.-Mexican border counties for value added by border security infrastructure.
Heres what youll learn when you read this story:

The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is a particularly weak region of the magnetic field stretching from South America to western Africa.

Wherever the magnetic field is weak, satellites run the risk of malfunctioning and even blacking out because of interference from charged solar particles a strong magnetic field usually keeps out.

As this anomaly keeps spreading, researchers are relying on ESAs Swarm trio of satellites to track changes, so long as they dont glitch either.

Our magnetic field is thought to have been acting strange for at least 8 million years, possibly up to 11 million, though the glitch was only discovered less than 200 years ago. Why does it keep growing weaker in some areas and stronger in others?

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Known as the South Atlantic Anomaly or SAA, this uncharacteristically weak spot in our magnetic field (which protects us from being fried like Mars) allows charged particles to form the solar wind precariously close to Earths surface. Particle radiation can mean chaos for satellites. It not only messes with computers and other sensitive equipment onboard, getting in the way of these instruments collecting data, but can cause the entire system to crash. It isnt about to impact anyones internet on the ground yet. The operative word here is yet.

The origins of the SAA are in Earths molten metal outer core, where the magnetic field emerges. This is the geodynamo, a layer of constantly swirling liquid iron with trace amounts of nickel and silicon, which gives rise to the magnetic field through the electric currents it creates. While our magnetic field is mostly aligned throughout the planet, that alignment is not exactly perfect. Dynamic processes cause fluctuations. The SAA is the result of one of those fluctuations, and it is expanding from South America towards Africa, meaning an even greater region of minimum magnetic field strength.

ESAs trio of Swarm satellites, developed under the space agencys Earth Observation FutureEO program, were launched late in 2013 and have been monitoring the SAA since 2014. They map its structure and track any shifts that they observe. Not only does it keep expanding, but the region closer to Africa is losing a greater amount of strength than the South American end. This is happening because of more magnetic field glitches called reverse flux patchesessentially where the magnetic field flips. Reverse flux patches occur at the core-mantle boundary. How the SAA moves depends on how these patches move and change in intensity.

Chris Finlay, Professor of Geomagnetism at the Technical University of Denmark, has followed the evolution of the SAA since Swarm began tracking it. He and his research team have compiled an exhaustive study of changes that satellites Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie picked up during those 11 years. While the minimums of magnetic field intensity extend from Patagonia to the west coast of Africa in the southern hemisphere, where magnetic field lines are retreating back into to the core instead of extending outward, there are also surprising maximums in Canada and Siberia in the northern hemisphere, as well as a region south of Australia in the southern hemisphere.

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This hemispherical asymmetry in the field intensity provides important clues regarding the core dynamo process currently generating and maintaining the field; changes in the relative amplitudes of the two northern hemisphere maxima are thus of fundamental interest., Finlay said in a study recently published in Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors.

Even as the SAA weakens, the surface area of the strong magnetic field region in Siberia has grown so much that it has added an area close in size to Greenland. This almost balances out the losses of the Canadian strong field region, which has shrunk but is still holding on. This is thought to be the result of the northern magnetic pole recently shifting away from Canada and towards Siberia. Having a strong magnetic field can affect navigation in positive ways, such as making compasses and GPS more reliable.

ESA scientists predict that Swarm will be able to give even better insights into this phenomenon as we approach a solar minimum, when solar activity is at its lowest and there are not as many charged particles flying around.

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In a rare interview, Lia Thomas described what life was like as arguably the most prominent transgender swimmer in the world.

Thomas has been the subject of global scrutiny after winning a host of NCAA womens races, triggering an outcry from those who thought she  as a transgender woman  held an unfair advantage over her competitors.

The issue was given extra attention after the Trump administration ordered the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), for whom Thomas competed, to erase the transgender swimmers records.

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In July, Penn modified a trio of school records set by Thomas and said it would apologize to the female athletes she competed against.

In an extensive interview with Philadelphia-based public media outlet WHYY just before Penns decision, Thomas spoke about the impact so much attention has had on her life and career.

Lia Thomas swims the 200 free for Penn at the 2022 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships in Atlanta. - Brett Davis/USA Today Sports/Reuters

Thomas last competed for Penn in 2022 and, in 2024, lost a legal battle against the global swimming governing body World Aquatics which prevented her from competing in elite womens races due to its new policy.

As such, her life as a professional swimmer was over.

I still swim occasionally, just on my own at a local YMCA, Thomas told WHYY.

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With everything that happened my senior year and has happened since, its very easy to slip into almost like a negative perception of swimming, where swimming and being in the water just brings up all that pain and all those feelings of grief all over again and very fresh. It takes a lot of effort to try to focus on the joy that swimming still brings me.

There are moments where I can just, I can find that escape that it was for me as a child, and just let everything sort of wash away and it feels almost like Im flying, and it still absolutely, it can be that place of peace and happiness, but it unfortunately takes a concerted effort at times.

Finding acceptance

In the interview, Thomas spoke openly about how she struggled with gender dysphoria during her younger years and said swimming was often a way of escaping her problems.

Thomas said she knew she was trans just before starting college and that it felt like a wonderful realization before fears about how people would react came creeping in.

Lia Thomas won the women's 500-yard freestyle final during the 20202 Ivy League Swimming and Diving Championships. - Paul Rutherford/X02835/USA TODAY Sports

The toughest conversation was the first time I came out to my parents. And that was the most sort of terrified Ive ever been in my life, Thomas said, adding her parents were initially confused but supportive.

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They were caught totally off guard. They had no idea; they did not see it coming.

What I think essentially happened in between that first conversation and the next conversation was they tried to research what being trans was and meant. And, in doing that, fell into essentially transphobic misinformation rabbit holes.

Thomas said her parents needed time to accept her desire to transition and that it took them seeing how happy she was to fully understand her decision. She hopes that, ultimately, the same will happen with sections of society and media.

They parroted a lot of really transphobic talking points, and it caused a lot of harm. But it wasnt totally unsalvageable, Thomas said.

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What fixed it, what healed that relationship, was seeing just how much this meant to me. And also after starting hormone replacement therapy, seeing just how much happier I was when I was being true to myself. And every day more that they saw that, they only solidified their support and have come fully around and are now some of my biggest supporters.

Advice to children

There were times, Thomas said, that she felt the whole world was against her. In those dark moments, she leaned on the support of close family and friends, including Schuyler Bailar.

Bailar is a transgender man who, like Thomas, swam at a high collegiate level. Now, he works to educate people on trans issues.

When Thomas was asked what she would say to children who might be facing the same issues she faced, she echoed advice that Bailar had given her six years ago.

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Its easier to fight the whole world than to fight yourself every day, Thomas said.

Because when I look back on my journey, on all the difficulties, all the highs and lows, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Theres just no substitute to living and being your authentic self. But it unfortunately takes courage because of the many difficulties that there are surrounding being openly trans, especially being an openly trans athlete.

But its absolutely worth it, and I know you can do it.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
The popular Echo Canyon Trail on Camelback Mountain was closed until further notice due to recent storm damage, Phoenix officials said.

Metro Phoenix has been battered by windy, rainy weather from a pair of tropical storms moving through the region over the past week.

The recent storms have caused erosion along the trail that presents safety concerns, Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department Director Cynthia Aguilar said in a news release.

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During the closure, the city will assess the storm damage and determine next steps, the news release said.

We know Echo Canyon is one of our most popular hiking destinations, and we appreciate the communitys patience and cooperation as our team works to ensure that it is safe to hike the trail again, Aguilar said.

Echo Canyon Trail, which the city rates as extremely difficult, is popular with Phoenix residents and tourists alike for its challenging terrain and 360-degree view of the city at its summit.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made headlines when he hiked the trail with his son in July.

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Arizona weather forecast: Here's what to expect this winter

Even in ideal conditions, the 1.14 mil trail is steep, very rocky and completely exposed to the elements, according to the Parks and Recreation Department website.

Park rangers will be on duty to ensure visitors stay off the Echo Canyon Trail until it is safe to reopen, the news release said.

In the meantime, the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department recommended the public explore other local trails, including Piestewa Peak, North Mountain, Dreamy Draw, Lookout Mountain and South Mountain Park and Preserve.

Stephanie Murray covers national politics and the Trump administration for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Reach her via email at stephanie.murray@gannett.com and on social media @stephanie_murr.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Echo Canyon Trail in Phoenix damaged by storm
The weekend of July 4, 2024, was a bloody one in Chicago. Over 100 people were shot in the city and, for 19 Chicagoans, this was the last holiday weekend they ever would see. In its wake, this citys business leaders announced a remarkable thing: they had come up with $104 million to fight the violent crime that they could see was threatening not just their business interests but the city in which many had chosen to raise their families and recruit others.

The list of contributors to an initiative begun earlier in the year was extensive and filled with big Illinois names: McDonalds, JP Morgan Chase. Northern Trust, Hyatt Hotels, Illinois Tool Works, Allstate. Wealthy philanthropists, such as the Crown Family, were already part of an initiative managed by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago. The money was to support something called Scaling Community Violence Intervention for a Safer Chicago, or SC2. The idea was to take the CVI initiatives that had proved promising and massively expand them: initially, the plan was to focus on seven Chicago neighborhoods, including several where bodies had been found the previous weekend.

This was not the first time the business community had sounded the alarm about crime. In 2021, when pandemic-era crime was rampant, leaderssuch as Jack Lavin, president of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, had warned it could stall the citys recovery. But that was rhetoric. By 2024, the business leaders had come up with cash, with a commitment of more to come.

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We remembered that history when Mayor Brandon Johnsons news release about his plans for the city budget reached our inboxes. Wed heard rumor of the return of the so-called head tax, a per-employee tax paid to the city that was tied to the number of employees who worked within Chicago boundaries. We were curious to see how much Johnson would propose. But the words head tax did not appear in a budget filled with narrative blather and ideological pronouncements.

At first we thought Johnson had enjoyed an epiphany. The head tax is a terrible idea because it gives corporations incentives to move out of the city when Chicago needs to be encouraging precisely the opposite. It tells companies such as Walgreens that they were smart to close their satellite office in the Loop and suggests others should think about doing the same. It incentivizes businesses not to add workers in Chicago, which means not adding the very people who shop, eat at restaurants and patronize our ailing transit systems.

Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel understood that the symbolic weight of the tax was also important: when he removed it, he was signaling that Chicago was serious about snagging new corporate headquarters.

Of late, that train has been moving in the other direction. Citadel has left, Boeing has left. With a big tax, it could become an express.

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But where was Johnsons head tax we were told was coming?

A-ha! Found it. Its sneakily disguised as something called a community safety surcharge, aiming to raise $100 million seemingly to do something similar to what the business community already had done of its own volition and for which the city has not held up the funding level agreed last year.

Johnsons budget applied the tax at $21 a month per employee for any corporation with more than 100 workers (precisely the corporations we need to retain and attract). That is more than five times the old rate. All aimed at precisely the people who had previously stepped up to help.

We hear they are furious. Who would not be?

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Its not a job killer. Its a job creator, Johnson said Thursday of the head tax, sounding like a spokesperson for Pravda who just says stuff in the hope it will make it so. He insisted that businesses want public safety.

Sure they do. Thats why they ponied up all that money last year for something that actually is Johnsons job, not theirs. They all remain committed to the program. Or maybe that should be remained, now the Johnson administration has co-opted the narrative and turned what was an act of civic service from the private sector into a punching bag for socialists. And disingenuously so too. He has turned generous allies  at least on the matter of fighting violent crime  into adversaries.

There was yet worse news for business in this tax-larded $16.6 billion budget. Johnson also proposes to hike the cloud-computing tax from 11% to 14%, aiming to take the diminishing group of big corporations  always with the big corporations  for another $333 million. Thats a 27.2% increase on the heels of last years 22% increase in that tax. This is another job killer (or in Johnsonian parlance, another job creator). This money, too, is apparently to be earmarked for community safety, although the limits of that definition surely are in the eye of the beholder and, in realty, this is just plugging a massive hole in the budget and poking the ultra-rich, by which Johnson means large businesses, in the eye.

Essentially a city sales tax on what businesses pay to license cloud-based software, this levy is an inducement for companies to move workers out of the city because Chicago companies can reduce what they pay by showing that a percentage of their workers are located outside the city. Chicago is one of the only cities in America with this draconian sales tax on a necessity of modern business life. None of our suburbs impose it. As we wrote last year, this is in essence a head tax by another name. It also happens to be the equivalent of a flashing dont come here sign to tech companies.

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As weve said many times before as this administration tries to redistribute pieces of a declining pie rather than grow the whole, these policies are going to be a boon to office buildings outside city limits. That is, if more companies dont simply pull up stakes like Citadel and move to another state.

This budget is so bad that one editorial wont cover all its flaws, but heres another big problem that must be discussed. The city risks yet more credit downgrades by substantially reducing how much Chicago has been paying into its dramatically underfunded pension funds. Chief Financial Officer Jill Jaworski told reporters that move risked a downgrade, but she said the city had other priorities.

And  heres the biggest no-no of them all  the city plans to float debt to cover operating expenses, something that Johnsons finance team has ensured skeptical aldermen in past debates over future borrowing they wouldnt do. The budget would debt-finance $90 million in settlements over past police misconduct and another $185 million owed to Chicago firefighters in back pay per a recently settled union contract  a total of $275 million.

With credit clouds hanging over this profligate administration, we can only imagine how those bonds will be greeted when theyre floated next year.

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Were not pretending that plugging this $1.2 billion deficit in a different fashion will be easy or without significant pain. But one basic principle that aldermanic critics of Johnson rightly have set isnt close to being met in this budget. Before this administration asks for more taxes, it must show that its willing to cut costs far more meaningfully than this budget suggests.

Yes, that likely would mean layoffs. Other budget-stressed cities are trimming their workforces; theres no good reason Chicago cant, or shouldnt.

At the end of the day, a signal this negative to investors and existing businesses simply will lead to more future budget shortfalls as the citys economy falls into recession. Chicago needs to be open for business. Right now, Mayor Johnson is saying  in deeds, not words  that the city that works will make it as expensive as possible to bring workers. Rivals will be rubbing their hands.

It is going to be up to the City Council to stop all this madness.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
Heres what the president had to say about Orlandos annual Pride celebration, which has grown into a daylong festival that draws people together across all walks of life:

In this great country, founded on the principle that we are all created equal, you fulfill our nations charter by standing up for what you believe. Your work on behalf of the gay and lesbian pride movement is making a real difference in our struggle to create a world where everyone is free to make his or her own contribution to society.

Well, we didnt say it was the current president. This letter from President Bill Clinton was sent in 1994, a few years after Orlando started its annual Pride parade and celebration of LGBTQ+ community members. Clintons words were somewhat guarded, but reflected a world that was changing for the better  toward a day when people wouldnt be stigmatized, financially ruined or physically attacked for something so fundamental as their sexuality.

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Pride celebrations sprang up in other Central Florida communities, but none were as big or as vibrant as Orlandos  and few saw such a coordinated effort to change hearts and minds. The annual Pride parade grew in length, in vibrancy and in star power: In 1996, then-Supervisor of Elections Betty Carter served as Grand Marshal. Local and national businesses were also taking note, and setting up booths on the grassy park around Lake Eola.

Over the following decades, barriers kept crashing down: Many local employers dropped their automatic opposition to employees who were gay, and would eventually adopt anti-discrimination policies that, for the first time, included LGBTQ+ employees in their embrace. Floridas ban on adoption by same-sex couples crumbled in 2010 and was officially abolished (in a bill signed by then-Gov. Rick Scott) in 2015. That same year, the Supreme Court struck down the barriers to gay marriage, and the militarys dont-ask-dont-tell policy faded in favor of a broad policy of non-discrimination.

Along the way, this city proved that those landmark wins were only part of the equation. What Orlando nurtured was something less definable, but more sustaining: An early rejection of the cruel attitudes that still burdened other parts of the state and nation  replacing repression with joyful community that helped sustain Orlando through the greatest tragedy in the citys history: the mass shooting that claimed 49 lives at the Pulse nightclub.

But there are shadows gathering, and a very valid fear that the unity and acceptance that are the keynote of Orlandos Pride festival, and dozens of other celebrations around the state, are under attack. Some cities, including Kissimmee, Tampa and Fort Myers, have cancelled their Pride celebrations.

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They are reacting to a climate that is slowly reinstating some of the old prejudice and fear. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and many state legislators have adopted revisionist policies that strip books from school libraries for simply acknowledging that LGBTQ+ people exist. They have increasingly singled out transgender people and drag-show entertainers for scorn and ham-fisted repression.

This toxic aggression is all the more cruel for its cynicism; the most recent attacks on the LGBTQ+ community play to the lowest common denominators of suspicion and hate.

Against this backdrop, Saturdays Come Out with Pride celebration, scheduled from noon-10 p.m. in Eola Park, serves as an affirmation: Orlando gathers to celebrate love and elevate community. To connect with each other in a vast celebration of shared humanity that includes the faith community, local businesses and civic officials

And of course, as always, it will be a heck of a party.

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Happy Pride, Orlando. May the light, color and joy of this celebration remind us why this city is so special, and inspire us to stand together against forces that seek to divide and conquer.

The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com
We've been here before. Multiple times. Not even that long ago.

President Donald Trump has appeared to be on the verge of taking a decisive step that could genuinely put pressure on Russia to make it end its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and then the phone rings.

"Hey Don, it's Vlad  wanna chat?"

And puff, just like that all the momentum disappears and Russia is allowed to carry on its war unabated.

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The latest installment of this particular Groundhog Day unfolded last night when Trump announced he had had a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the pair would be meeting in Budapest to discuss the war in Ukraine.

The timing was far from accidental.

President Volodymyr Zelensky is right now in Washington D.C. for a highly anticipated meeting with Trump later today.

President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 16, 2025, ahead of scheduled talks with U.S. President Donald Trump the following day. (Presidential Office)

Political momentum is on Ukraine's side  Trump's patience with Russia is running on fumes after months of the Kremlin refusing to agree to a ceasefire.

The U.S. president has been mulling sending Ukraine Tomahawk cruise missiles. Already battered by Ukrainian drones, Russian oil refineries would likely face devastation from these weapons, exacerbating an ongoing fuel crisis and further hammering Russia's war economy.

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The Kremlin is rattled. Economic forecasts are already dire, queues are forming at gas stations across the country, and Putin's ability to wage war seems doubtful in the long term.

And then comes the phone call.

Anyone with even the slightest understanding of Russia's lying, manipulation, and utter lack of will for a genuine peace deal can see what happens next.

Any big announcements of U.S. support planned for today will be put on hold while Trump scopes out Putin's latest hollow offer.

Even by agreeing to the meeting, Trump is already falling for the trap and will once again be made to look like a fool.

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Putin has offered nothing since Day 1 of Trump's peace efforts, and has repeatedly stalled and delayed when it looked like the U.S. president was actually going to do what is needed to end the war  inflict pain on Russia, either economically or through force.

In May, Western powers including the U.S. looked set to impose tough new sanctions on Russia over its consistent refusal to agree to a ceasefire.

Putin suggested holding talks in Istanbul. Trump agreed. They went nowhere. The sanctions momentum disappeared.

Over the summer Trump's patience began to wear thin. Threats were made. Putin suggested meeting in Alaska. Trump agreed. The talks went nowhere.

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Since then Russia has only escalated its attacks. Here in the newsroom in Kyiv this morning, we described last nights attack that had 70 kamikaze attack drones launched by Russia as "a quiet night."

Trump has an opportunity today to do something that could genuinely make sure that a quiet night is as quiet as those we knew before the war.

All he has to do is not fall for Putin's bullsh*t.

Read also: EU left in the dark about Trump-Putin meeting within its borders, questions its point

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
(Reuters) -Salesforce (CRM) shares jumped more than 7% in trading on Thursday, after the company forecast faster revenue growth in the coming years, easing concerns that AI tools were eroding demand for its software.

The Marc Benioff-led company had posted its first revenue decline in about three years earlier this year, sparking fears that businesses focused on AI investments were cutting back on what has long been essential customer management software. That had knocked its stock by more than a quarter in 2025 so far.

But the company's better-than-expected forecast of more than $60 billion revenue in 2030 allayed some of those fears.

That forecast, unveiled at the company's Dreamforce event on Wednesday, excluded the boost from its planned $8 billion acquisition of software-maker Informatica. The deal, set to complete by the first half of next year, will bolster Salesforce's AI capabilities by integrating Informatica's data management tools into its cloud services.

Salesforce also announced a $7 billion share buyback plan over the next six months, a move J.P.Morgan analysts said reflects "confidence in free cash flow durability and the near-term re-acceleration in bookings and eventually revenue".

The new outlook "should help shift the narrative around Salesforce's business positively and toward the notion of sustainable double-digit growth", potentially easing investor concerns, analysts at J.P.Morgan said.

Earlier this week, Salesforce expanded partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic to embed their advanced AI models into its Agentforce 360 platform, which has now been launched globally across its suite of cloud-based tools.

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The company has also said it would invest $15 billion in San Francisco over the next five years to accelerate AI adoption.

Salesforce's "healthy pace of margin expansion" could bring it in line with large-cap peers by the end of the decade, Jefferies analysts said.

(Reporting by Rashika Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)
HOLYOKE  After seven years in Holyoke, Entrepreneurship for All will shut its Pioneer Valley office and move all programs online by the end of the year, said Executive Director Tessa Murphy-Romboletti in a statement Friday.

The nonprofit agency, which supports new business owners through mentoring and pitch contests, said going virtual will help it reach more entrepreneurs across the country and Puerto Rico.

Local leaders and alumni gathered Thursday to celebrate the program and say goodbye to its downtown space.

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Murphy-Romboletti said the decision to close the Holyoke office wasnt easy. But after years of planning and uncertainty, shes now looking forward to what comes next.

The shift to a virtual model means EforAll will no longer offer in-person co-working space or host events. Instead, all mentoring, pitch contests and business training will happen online.

The national EforAll team has updated its curriculum, program model and application process to make it easier for entrepreneurs to join and succeed, she said.

Additionally, Murphy-Romboletti will step down as EforAll leader to head a new department.

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My role as executive director will end, and I will be transitioning into the new alumni service position, which is a national role, she said.

Cata Herrera Denegri will assist, staying on as an alumni facilitator.

The executive director role will transition to a new position, a community development manager, and that will be filled by Jose Castro, a longtime EforAll employee who has been running the Worcester based site.

As part of the changes, Program Manager Jayne Astacio Melendez will leave next month to become director of programs at the Follow My Steps Foundation.

Maria Moreno, who coordinated programs, began teaching full-time in the Culinary Arts Department at Holyoke Community College in September.

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Murphy-Romboletti said EforAll still needs volunteers and encouraged anyone interested in applying to do so now.

She also invited the community to join next weeks celebration for the Summer 2025 cohorts, which marks the end of their three-month business accelerator program.

Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The El Paso Childrens Hospital is celebrating Halloween early with past NICU patients during their annual Trunk or Treat Reunion.

The event took place on Friday, Oct. 17, at the El Paso Childrens Multispecialty Center, located at 5400 Alameda Ave.

According to El Paso Childrens Hospital, this yearly special reunion invites former patients of the Laura and Pat Gordon Family Advanced Level IV Neonatal Facility to take part in trick-or-treating with hospital staff.

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For more information about the NICU, you can visit the hospitals website.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  El Paso County will host the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Milagro Park in far East El Paso this Friday.

The ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. on Oct. 17 at 640 Linwood Drive.

This event marks a milestone for the County in its ongoing commitment to enhancing recreation spaces in the far East El Paso region, read the news release.

According to the County, the Milagro Park project cost $3 million, which was made possible through a $1.5 million investment from El Paso County and a $1.5 million grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

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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 KTSM 9 News.
An El Paso driver was allegedly to be paid $2,000 before a rollover crash killed two migrants during a failed smuggling run along the Rio Grande, court documents stated.

Juan Bernardo Galarza, 18, of the Lower Valley, was arrested on a federal charge of bringing in aliens and remains jailed without bond, according to El Paso police and federal court records. It is unclear if he could face additional charges.

Borderland: Migrant deaths at border in El Paso decrease, but crisis remains despite decline in arrivals

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Galarza is accused of transporting migrants who had just illegally crossed the border before crashing while fleeing from the U.S. Border Patrol on Sunday evening, Oct. 12, on West Paisano Drive, near Executive Center Boulevard by the old Asarco site.

A car  a 2011 Infiniti G37  was carrying six undocumented migrants from Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.

The El Paso Police Department reported that Axel Everado Iquic Sequen, 30, of Guatemala, and Manuel Mateo Lopez, 22, of Mexico, died at the scene of the crash.

Documents: Driver was to be paid $2,000 by Juarez smuggler

Galarza is a U.S. citizen with no criminal history, according to a criminal complaint filed by a Border Patrol agent obtained by the El Paso Times.

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When questioned by Border Patrol agents after the wreck, Galarza allegedly told them that he had entered into "an agreement with a known smuggler" from Juarez to pick up and transport migrants, the complaint stated.

More: CBP: Woman killed in hit-and-run on El Paso border highway ran from Border Patrol

Galarza was allegedly in constant communication with the smuggler as he drove to the spot next to the border, where the migrants were waiting to be picked up, the complaint stated.

Galarza told agents that he did not know where he was supposed to take the migrants and that he was to receive a phone call with the drop-off location, the document added. Galarza was to be paid $2,000 for the job.

Border Patrol spots smuggling on West Paisano Drive

On Sunday evening, a Border Patrol agent saw a group of migrants get into a black car about 2 miles west of the Paso Del Norte international bridge in Downtown on West Paisano Drive, which runs parallel to the border fence and the Rio Grande.

Two migrants were killed when a suspected smuggler driver crashed while fleeing from the U.S. Border Patrol in El Paso on Oct. 12. File photo.

As the Border Patrol agent and a trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety responded, the car made a U-turn and continued speeding westbound before losing control on a curve, hitting the curb and crashing into a light pole, police and the Border Patrol stated.

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The car ended up on its roof and slid to a stop.

Galarza got out of the wreck and was attempting to walk away on Paisano Drive when an agent ordered him to stop and get down on the ground and handcuffed him, the complaint stated.

Guatemala, Honduras migrants survive crash

Two men were found dead inside the car. Four survivors were pulled from the wreck  two were hospitalized, one for head injuries and one for back injuries. Two others were treated by paramedics at the scene but did not need further medical attention, the complaint stated. The document does not identify the patients by name or specify their injuries.

The survivors were identified in a police news release as Brenda Fernandez, 47, of Honduras, and Javier Isaac Gonzalez Cardona, 19, Mario Gilberto Mendoza Alvarado, 32, and Esperanza Yamileth Lopez Ramirez, 18, all of Guatemala.

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More: 'What has happened to our heart?': El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz calls for care of poor, migrants in address

A Border Patrol vehicle's windshield was struck by a rock during the incident. The agent was not injured, Landon Hutchens, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said in a brief emailed statement that did not explain further.

The fatal rollover is under investigation by the El Paso Police Department and CBP Office of Professional Responsibility, as is standard practice.

Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com and @BorundaDaniel on X.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso driver was allegedly to get $2,000 in fatal smuggling crash
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP)  After drubbing El Salvadors gangs during a more than three-year state of emergency, President Nayib Bukele turned his attention this month to another persistent, but softer, problem: his countrys many, many stray cats and dogs.

Thousands of dogs and cats live on our streets. We want to change that, but without cruelty. We have the financial resources, but we seek expert partners to make it a model for Latin America, Bukele wrote on X on Oct. 8. Who wants to come and help?

San Salvador struggles with a problem widely seen in cities across Latin America, as free-roaming cats and dogs sleep on the streets with no one to care for them. Dogs can be spotted lying on the warm asphalt on road shoulders, skillfully crossing six lanes of traffic like its a walk through the park or picking through trash on edges of a market. But they're often underfed, sick or injured, searching for food and water.

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It's not clear what kind of solution Bukele, a controversial leader fond of spectacles with a well-oiled government communications machine, is aiming for, but he likes a problem that lends itself to a grand solution.

Plus, the millennial leader appears to have a soft spot for rescues. He adopted a dog, Cyan, while he was mayor of San Salvador, the capital.

At the Good Fortune Rescue shelter in Zacamil, just north of the capital, Rafaela Perez said something needed to be urgently done because the number of abandoned animals you see daily and that are reported on social networks is minimal compared to those that really exist.

We need to change this bad culture of abandoning and getting rid of animals because they are living beings, she said.

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Bukele and his allies have already taken steps to address a shortage of public institutions to care for animals, which has left cash-strapped non-governmental organizations often filling in the gaps.

In 2021, a government controlled by his New Ideas party made animal abuse in El Salvador punishable by prison sentences ranging from two to four years, as well as fines.

In 2022, his administration opened the region's first public veterinary hopsital, the Chivo Pets Hospital. It provides services at a symbolic cost of 25 cents, or its equivalent in Bitcoin.

Patricia Madrid of Fundacion Gratitud, the head of an organization dedicated to spaying, neutering and providing care to stray dogs, has long worked with six other volunteers in the streets of Salcoatitan, around 50 miles from El Salvador's capital. But they've struggled to keep up since their funding comes from just one Salvadoran woman living in the United States.

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Madrid said she hopes that her organization can work together with the government to change that.

It wasn't immediately clear where the money for Bukele's latest project will come from. He has touted earnings from buying the cryptocurrency bitcoin, but the Central American country faces mounting debt and received a $1.4 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund earlier this year.

Bukele previously enlisted help from China to build a modern public library in the main square of San Salvador.

Praise for the animal welfare idea has also come from outside the country, from people like Niall Harbison, a Thailand-based social media influencer who said he's "on a mission to save stray dogs around the world, by raising money to finance their sterilization.

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Harbison responded to Bukele's public call on a social media post on X, saying he would love to talk about how to help. He added that he would hop on a plane to meet with people to see what he can do.

Ive always been looking for a country to partner with to show how collaboration between the private and public sectors can work  to make it so effective that other countries can copy and implement it," Harbison wrote.

Let's do it, the social media savvy president responded.
As geopolitical tensions mount and the climate crisis becomes ever more pressing, the European Union is seeking to improve energy ties between member states.

By acting in union as opposed to a fragmented bloc, the EU will be able to "boost its security of electricity supply and to integrate more renewables into energy markets", said the European Commission.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electricity imports and exports among European OECD member countries have increased significantly over the past two decades.

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But, which countries have the highest net import rates  meaning they buy more electricity than they sell? And which countries are net exporters, selling more electricity than they purchase?

Among 35 European countries in 2024, 13 were net exporters of electricity, while 21 were net importers, according to Eurostat. Only one country, Cyprus, reported no electricity imports.

Dependence on imports

The main way to see how much a country relies on electricity imports is by looking at net imports as a percentage of its total electricity use. If this rate is positive, it means a country imports more electricity than it exports, while a negative figure indicates that the country exports more than it imports.

Among the 35 countries in 2024, 'net imports as a percentage of electricity available for final consumption' averaged at -0.5% in the EU. On average, EU countries therefore export more than they import.

Highest net exports in Sweden and France

In several countries, net electricity exports exceed imports. Sweden holds the strongest position at -27%, followed closely by France at -22%.

Slovenia (-19%), Norway (-14%), Slovakia (-13%), Czechia (-12%), and Austria (-10%) are also strong exporters of electricity.

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Among the EUs four largest economies, France (-22%) and Spain (-4%) are net exporters, whereas Germany (6%) and Italy (18%) are net importers.

Jacques Percebois, professor emeritus at the University of Montpellier, noted that net exporting countries are those with significant hydroelectric production, such as Sweden and Norway, or a large nuclear fleet, for instance in France and Sweden.

Net importing countries are those with a high proportion of intermittent renewables, as they import a lot when there is no wind or sun.

Yearly fluctuations may occur

The figures can vary notably from one year to the next, as evident when comparing 2024 and 2023 data.

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For example, while Greece was a net importer with a rate of 10% in 2023, it became a net exporter in 2024 with a -0.6% total. Similarly, Croatias net import rate increased sharply from 10% to 26% over the same period.

Experts also refer to the energy mix and patterns of electricity use in these fluctuations.

John Springford, associate fellow at the Centre for European Reform (CER), said that countries that rely on gas to set the electricity price will tend to import more electricity.

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Countries in which gas is more often the marginal producer will be bigger net importers. As the price of gas is higher, and they use gas more often, these countries will find that they import more from lower-priced plants abroad, he said.

Rina Bohle Zeller, programme lead for EU energy policy at Agora Energiewende, noted that Germany was a net electricity exporter for two decades before becoming a net electricity importer in 2023. This then continued into 2024.

Reasons behind this shift include higher carbon prices, which have made German coal less competitive on the European market" and "the retirement of three nuclear reactors", said Zeller.

She added that a renewable energy buildout in neighbouring countries has also increased low-cost supply.

Net volume: Italy the largest importer

Looking at the net volume of electricity trade, two major economies stand on opposite sides. Italy is the largest net importer, with 51,000 GWh, followed by Germany with 26,269 GWh.

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In contrast, France is the largest net exporter of electricity in absolute values, with 89,851 GWh, followed by Sweden with 33,435 GWh.

France became the worlds largest electricity exporter in 2024 with net electricity exports amounting to a record 90 TWh, corresponding to more than Belgiums annual electricity consumption, Zeller said.

This was mainly driven by the rebound of nuclear output and a 10% increase in renewables generation.

When Germanys sun sets, Denmarks wind rises

Cross-border electricity trade is a crucial feature of Europes energy system. Such exchanges make electricity cheaper for European households and industry, while also being the most low-cost way of guaranteeing security of supply, Zeller said.

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It also eases the integration of variable renewable energy  whose output fluctuates depending on the weather  thereby cutting power sector emissions, she added.

For example, wind power generation in Denmark can pick up when Germanys solar production decreases in the evening, she added.
ELGIN, Ill.  An Elgin police officer was placed on administrative leave for a social media post regarding immigration matters, according to the department.

Elgin police chief Ana Lalley said an internal investigation has been launched into officer Jason Lentz after he made a post regarding immigration matters on a personal social media account.

I want to state unequivocally that the department remains dedicated to our core values and mission that include working with our community to continue to build lasting and meaningful relationships that are based in respect, understanding, accountability, and trust. These values have not, and will not, change, chief Lalley wrote in a post.

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Lentz has been placed on administrative leave. In 2014, WGN News reported that Lentz was placed on administrative leave for a Facebook post on the Ferguson, Missouri case.

In 2015, the Chicago Tribune reported that an arbitrator reinstated him as a police officer after the Elgin Police Department fired him over the Ferguson post.

Police chief Ana Lalleys full statement is below.

Good afternoon,

Last evening, I was made aware of a social media post regarding immigration matters attributed to the personal account of Officer Jason Lentz. This morning, the officer was placed on administrative leave and an internal investigation with the citys independent investigator has been launched.

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As emotions and concerns may be high for some regarding this matter, I want to reassure the community that our commitment to you remains steadfastto serve and protect everyones rights, to ensure a safe community, and remain committed to the highest standards of professionalism.

I want to state unequivocally that the department remains dedicated to our core values and mission that include working with our community to continue to build lasting and meaningful relationships that are based in respect, understanding, accountability, and trust. These values have not, and will not, change.

Updates will be provided when they become available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
ELKINS, W.Va. (WBOY)  On Thursday night, the City of Elkins joined around 20 other municipalities in West Virginia that have passed an ordinance to protect the civil rights of those in the LGBTQ+ community.

According to a release from Fairness West Virginia, the Elkins City Council voted 8-2 Thursday night to adopt Ordinance 348, a measure protecting those who identify as LGBTQ+ from discrimination related to employment, housing and public services.

Photo of supporters of an LGBTQ+ fairness ordinance that was passed by the Elkins City Council (Courtesy: Fairness West Virginia)

On top of the protections for sexual orientation and gender identity, the FAQ provided in the citys agenda said that the new ordinance fills several additional gaps in existing state and

federal anti-discrimination laws, including protections based on veteran status, marital status and familial status, items that are still not fully addressed in West Virginia law.

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The FAQ also clarified that this ordinance contains an exemption protecting the right of religious institutions to hire leaders of their faith without compromising their beliefs.

No Kings rallies scheduled in West Virginia Saturday

The release said that the Elkins City Council first considered adopting an ordinance like this in 2015 after community members like Katy Ross began to push for it.

I am deeply pleased with the City Councils decision to pass Ordinance 348, Ross said. This is a historic step for our community, and one that has been a long time coming. Ten years ago, many of us began advocating for protections like this, leading to the adoption of a nondiscrimination resolution in 2015. Tonights decision builds on that work, ensuring that all people who live and work in Elkins are explicitly protected under the law.

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Dozens of residents and more than 30 businesses across Elkins signed on to support the ordinance, the release said.

You can read the full text of the new ordinance in the citys council meeting agenda below:

Elkins City Council Agenda 101625Download

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
An MQ-9 Reaper approaches the runway at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, April 29, 2024. The 89th Attack Squadron, a tenant unit at Ellsworth, coordinated with Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, to fly an operational MQ-9 to Ellsworth. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dylan Maher)

South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden on Friday recognized a remotely piloted aircraft squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base for its role in a June U.S. military operation that officials say helped end a 12-day war between Israel and Iran.

A news release from the governor said that for the safety of all those involved, Friday was the first day the governor could publicly acknowledge the squadrons involvement in the operation.

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The 89th Attack Squadron remotely pilots MQ-9 Reaper drones from ground control facilities at the base near Rapid City. In June, the squadron participated in Operation Midnight Hammer, which culminated in strikes on Iranian nuclear sites ordered by President Donald Trump, according to the governors office.

The operation destroyed three Iranian nuclear sites, according to statements from the Trump administration. Trump said at the time that the strikes were intended to end Irans nuclear weapons program, calling them a spectacular military success.

Rhoden praised the squadron for what he described as heroic service and sacrifice in defense of America and our freedoms. He declared Friday as 89th Attack Squadron Appreciation Day in South Dakota.

The governors office said the squadron conducted 177 hours of intelligence operations and provided information that helped safeguard more than 17,000 U.S. troops and informed the presidents decision-making on the military strikes.

Rhoden presented the recognition during a ceremony at Ellsworth Air Force Base.

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This story was originally published on Higher Ed Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Higher Ed Dive newsletter.

Dive Brief:

Elon Universitys chapter of the American Association of University Professors is seeking more faculty involvement in the merger process as the institution looks to take over Queens University of Charlotte.

In a statement Wednesday, the group described faculty as being blindsided by the merger announcement in September and left out of the planning process. They called for faculty to elect representatives on integration teams and for officials to formally include of the universities faculty councils in merger advising.

The Elon AAUP also said faculty should have a role in deciding whether to formally approve the merger. The two private nonprofits expect their boards to approve final parameters in November.

Dive Insight:

Elon and Queens, about 115 miles away from each other in North Carolina, said last month that their combination creates new advantages of scale, bringing together resources, faculty expertise, research capacity and student services across both universities.

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They also said their merger would accelerate the creation of new programs meant to address the Charlotte areas workforce needs, such as a growing shortage of nurse practitioners, physician assistants and lawyers and a rising demand for graduate offerings.

Since that announcement, Elon has said hundreds of employees, students and other stakeholders have attended town hall events about the combination and listening sessions and that officials are using their feedback to shape the plan. It has also seen public pushback from faculty, students and alumni.

Faculty feedback has been important to the extensive work of a team with representatives of both campuses discussing questions related to the academics, operations, and programming of a merged institution, the university said Thursday in an emailed statement.

But the universitys AAUP chapter said faculty need a larger, more formal role in the process.

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Shared governance is not a courtesy; it is a cornerstone of higher education and a safeguard for academic quality, the faculty group said in its statement, which was published by Elons student news organization. It only functions when faculty are partners in major institutional decisions.

The chapter said officials didnt consult with Elons academic council before the merger announcement. Thats despite stipulations in the universitys faculty handbook for the council to advise the President on the setting of priorities and the planning of long-range goals for the University.

Going forward, Elons AAUP called for a meaningful advisory role for the full council and its Queens counterpart on the combination. They acknowledged scheduled meetings that included the chairs of those bodies, but the Elon AAUP pushed for the full involvement of the councils.

With a fleshed-out merger plan still to be approved, the Elon AAUP is pressing for faculty to have a say in the ultimate decision.

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If faculty will be called upon to help make the merger a success, then faculty should be included in the decision of both institutions to move forward with the merger, the group said.

In its Thursday statement, the university said, There have been, and will continue to be, opportunities for Elon faculty, in their individual capacities and through involvement with Elons Academic Council, to participate in strategic conversations as work progresses toward a final decision by the boards of trustees of Elon and Queens.

Elon is the larger institution of the two, with 7,207 students in fall 2023, an increase of 3.1% from 2018. Queens fall 2023 headcount of 1,846 students was a 27.2% decline from five years earlier.

Elon is also on firmer financial footing. It had $1.2 billion in assets in fiscal 2024, more than three times that of Queens. That year, Elon logged a $70.4 million operating surplus while Queens reported an $8.7 million deficit. However, in a FAQ page on the merger, the universities said that the combination plan is not driven by crisis.
Since packages are being offered en masse to everyone, according to their specific positions, Starbucks workers may have few or no opportunities to negotiate individual packages for themselves.

Still, workers will need to use this money wisely to try to help them cope with the consequences of being left unemployed.

One employment lawyer who spoke to Business Insider, Walker Harman, said that this offer was a "positive thing" because it goes beyond any legal requirements and sends the message that the company is trying to do the right thing (4).

Since Starbucks baristas earn around $15 to $22 hourly and shift managers earn around $20 to $29 hourly, this severance pay could add up to between several hundred dollars to more than $2,000 per worker.

According to Business Insider, an internal Starbucks document called Severance Summary revealed that laid-off baristas will get 60 hours of pay, shift supervisors will get 84 hours, and cleaning attendants around 30 hours (4). Store managers and regional managers were offered significantly more generous packages with weeks of pay, with more pay for more years of service (5). Retail employees are also going to receive a lump sum payment big enough, the company claims, to cover the cost of three months of health insurance premiums.

In a small silver lining, the laid-off workers will have a bit of a cushion until they can find work again, in the form of severance pay.

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Using the companys annual reports, the business reporting site Sherwood News estimated that as of last year, Starbucks had an average of just under 20 employees per store (2). Starbucks did not disclose how many retail employees are being laid off due to store closures. However, according to CBC reporting, the company plans to finish this year with 124 fewer stores than last year in the U.S. and Canada (3). That would mean something in the neighbourhood of 2,500 retail employees are being shown the door, although the company has promised to try to find work for many of them at nearby locations that arent closing (1).

Starbucks is closing close to 1% of its stores across the United States, eliminating retail staff as well as more than 900 non-retail workers (1).

Story Continues

But thats not the case for all laid-off workers. Here's what you need to know.

What is severance pay?

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, severance pay is often granted to employees when employment is terminated, and its usually calculated based on length of service (6).

Severance pay could be paid as a lump sum, or over time like a typical paycheck, and it is intended to help employees bridge the gap until they find another job. It could also help workers cover other new costs they have to pay once they are laid off, like paying for health insurance if the company was covering it.

Companies may offer severance pay as a gesture of good will, or to limit legal risks of a wrongful termination lawsuit. They also do it to maintain positive associations with their brand and mitigate bad publicity due to layoffs (7).

According to a recent Bloomberg article, around a quarter of laid-off U.S. workers get severance pay, while a global survey conducted by a Dutch recruitment firm found that 42% of workers across the world are offered severance in that event (8).

Many of the workers that do collect severance pay are full-time workers, according to HR company Paychex  making Starbucks an outlier, as it also offered severance to part-timers (9).

What are the laws on severance pay?

Severance pay is not required by any state or federal laws. While states do have laws on when final paychecks must be issued, no rules say that companies must offer severance (6).

There is a rule in the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, which requires that companies with a large number of employees provide advance notice of mass layoffs caused by things like plant closings (10). No severance is required  just 60 days' notice and guaranteed back pay and benefits for up to 60 days if they don't get the required notice.

In the absence of laws, severance is a voluntary arrangement between an employer and workers, except in specific cases, such as unionized workplaces where there is a collective agreement in place that mandates severance (7).

As Business Insider reported, Starbucks likely was not subject to any of these requirements, and its offers of severance were voluntary (4).

Read more: Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US  with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in great wealth. How to get in now

What is typically included in severance packages?

Starbucks' severance packages included pay based on wages and the cost of health insurance, which is pretty common. According to Thomson Reuters, a severance package may include:

Payment calculated based on the number of years of service with the company; a common entitlement being two weeks per year of service

Continuation of some job benefits, like health insurance

Help for offboarding, like resume writing assistance or job placement services

A payout of unpaid vacation time

A right to exercise stock options that have vested

According to Bloomberg, severance packages are worth an average of $40,000 per employee when they are offered (8). While the Starbucks packages may not be worth that much, they may still help employees make the best of a bad circumstance.

How can you negotiate for the best severance package?

Since the Starbucks packages are being offered to so many employees, it's not clear if they will have any meaningful opportunities to negotiate.

In many cases, however, you can negotiate on your severance package, especially if you were a full-time worker with a leadership role or held a higher-level position in a company. When you are negotiating:

Research what's customary in your industry to determine if your package seems fair

Consider the big picture, including your length of service and what benefits you had at work, like earned vacation you are entitled to or health insurance premiums you would like the employer to cover

Understand why your employer might negotiate severance. As employment lawyer Drew Lewis explained on his blog, employers are usually more willing to negotiate if they fear you may have a legal claim, if they want you to keep things confidential, or if they don't want you to work for a competitor (11)

Be specific in the request you are making. Explain what you're asking for and why

Determine what you'll do if your employer won't negotiate, including whether you'll walk away or seek legal representation

Keeping these tips in mind should help you negotiate the best agreement possible. You may also need to consult an employment lawyer, if you believe you may have a legal case, or if your employer is trying to get you to agree to things that would limit your future rights, such as not working for a competing company.

How can you use your severance when looking for a new job?

If you are offered severance, you'll want to make the best use of that money. You could:

Add it your emergency fund

Invest in job training to help you find new work

Use the money to cover key expenses, after revising your budget to account for lower income while you are unemployed

You should also apply for unemployment insurance as soon as you can to help the money stretch further. Many states allow you to collect unemployment even if you are getting severance, so try to apply for it as soon as you are eligible (12).

Starbucks workers face a tough road ahead in this job market, but these tips should help them, and anyone else who is laid off, try to stay financially secure until they find another role.

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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.

Starbucks (1); Sherwood News (2); CBC News (3); Business Insider (4); Business Insider (5); U.S. Department of Labor (6); Thomson Reuters (7); Bloomberg (8); Paychex (9); U.S. Department of Labor (10); Drew Lewis (11); CNBC (12)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Mercks healthcare division in Canada and the US, EMD Serono, has signed an agreement with the Trump administration to expand access to the companys in vitro fertilisation (IVF) therapies for more than 10 million American women struggling to conceive.

EMD Serono agreed to provide direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales of its entire range of IVF therapies, including Ovidrel (choriogonadotropin alfa injection), Cetrotide (cetrorelix acetate for injection) and Gonal-f (follitropin alfa injection), to qualified patients with prescriptions at lower prices.

When all three therapies are included in a standard IVF protocol, patients will benefit from an 84% reduction on list prices.

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EMD Serono is set to take part in the TrumpRx.gov direct purchasing platform, scheduled to launch in January 2026.

Patients will have access to an expanded network available from early next year, as well as all of EMD Serono's fertility medications through the company's current pharmacy network.

This public-private partnership is in accordance with the White House Executive Order aimed at enhancing affordable access to IVF.

EMD Serono has also reached an agreement with the US Secretary of Commerce to exempt its pharmaceutical products and ingredients from Section 232 tariffs, contingent upon the companys investment in future biopharmaceutical manufacturing and research in the US.

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Merck executive board chair and CEO Belen Garijo stated: We have a strong presence in the US across all three of our business sectors, with a significant number of our employees based in this key market, and look forward to growing our footprint here even further with future fertility manufacturing.

We are committed to working with the US administration to add value over the long term, ensuring that our patients and customers continue to have access to and benefit from the innovations within our portfolio.

In September 2025, Merck and Siemens signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance their strategic partnership, aimed at accelerating digital transformation in the life sciences sector.

"EMD Serono partners US government to widen IVF access" was originally created and published by Pharmaceutical Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




Joshua Sear, CEO of the popular rideshare alternative Empower, won't be incarcerated for his company's continued operations in Washington, D.C., after Superior Court Judge Shana Frost Matini agreed on Thursday to stay her contempt order pending a decision from the D.C. Court of Appeals. Empower will likely be able to operate within the nation's capital until at least January 9, when the Superior Court reconvenes for a status hearing.

After a years-long legal battle, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb requested that Sear be incarcerated until Empower complies with a Superior Court order and registers with the city's Department of For-Hire Vehicles (DFHV) as a private vehicle-for-hire company. Earlier this month, the court declined to take Sear into custody on the condition that Empower stop operating as a private vehicle-for-hire company within Washington, D.C., by October 10.

Last week, Empower submitted an update to the Superior Court explaining that the company "is changing to a no-contract business model in the District." Under this new model, Empower's software-as-a-service (SaaS) agreement does not apply to drivers when operating within the city.

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Empower contends that this change brings the company into compliance by placing it outside the DFHV's authority entirely; a February 2024 ruling in the D.C. Court of Appeals found the company to be "subject to DFHV's regulation" because of "the contract between Empower and its subscribers." Empower's argument was unintentionally supported by D.C. Assistant Attorney General Dia Rasinariu, who said during oral argument in October 2023 that "the company would fall out of the definition of a private vehicle-for-hire company" if it didn't have a contract with drivers. Despite this change, Matini held Thursday that Empower remained in contempt.

On Tuesday, the D.C. Superior Court convened to hear arguments from Empower and the D.C. government about whether the company had come into compliance by updating its SaaS agreement. Assistant Attorney General Anthony Celo characterized Empower's no-contract model as a distinction without a difference. Celo argued that an "implied contract" still exists between Empower and drivers because the company still subjects D.C. drivers to background checks, requires them to submit their licenses, and facilitates payments (via Stripe) to them from riders. "If it looks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck," Celo said.

These two ducks are not equally profitable: Sear testified Tuesday that the no-contract model will cost Empower an estimated $1.5 million to $3.5 million annually. Sear rejected the existence of an implied contract by likening Empower's discretion over whom to allow on its platform to a bar excluding underage patrons from the premises. After more than an hour and a half of arguments and testimony, Matini decided to take the matter under advisement.

On Thursday, Matini sided with the district, finding that Empower's amendment to its SaaS agreement is merely "a different term of the same contract." Accordingly, Martini ruled that Empower remains in contempt of court because "a contract, whether expressed or implied, remains present" between Empower and drivers operating in the nation's capital. Matini stayed fines against Empower and Sears' incarceration pending the Court of Appeals' decision.

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Since launching in 2020, Empower has disrupted the D.C. rideshare market by enabling drivers to provide cheaper rides and keep more revenue than they're able to with traditional rideshare companies. Despite offering a superior service to the public, Empower has faced bureaucratic roadblocks at every turn from a city government that seems intent on entrenching incumbent firms and suffocating competition.

Now, Empower's fate, and that of thousands of drivers and riders, is in the hands of the D.C. Court of Appeals.

The post Empower Stays on D.C. Streets as Appeals Court Weighs Future of Rideshare Company appeared first on Reason.com.
Over the summer, the state of Maine applied herbicide to part of Sokokis Lake in Limerick in the hopes of snuffing out a pesky invasive plant. Early signs show it might be working.

If the efforts prove successful long-term, it would mark a significant win against what the Lakes Environmental Association describes as arguably the most difficult invasive plant to control in Maine.

Brittle naiad, an aquatic plant native to Europe and originally introduced in the United States as a food source for waterfowl, can spread quickly and choke out native plant species.

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The invasive plant was first found in Sokokis, also known as Holland Pond, in 2022 in the lakes southern basin. Attempts to control it manually with trained volunteers pulling the plants by hand proved to be an uphill battle.

Eradicating invasive aquatic plants is no easy task. What makes brittle naiad particularly problematic is that it is small and resembles a native species of naiad, making it difficult to identify. The invasive species reproduces by fragmentation and the dispersal of tiny seeds, which can hitchhike on boats and be consumed and transported by waterfowl. If even a tiny piece of a plant makes its way to a different location, it can start a new population.

John McPhedran, an invasive aquatic species biologist at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, said several factors led to the decision to use herbicide: the infestation was still relatively isolated; the plant continued to bounce back after attempts to manually remove it; and there was a risk that it would spread throughout the lake or to nearby water bodies.

You think, well, maybe we should try and nip this in the bud and use herbicide now, McPhedran told The Maine Monitor.

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The DEP held a public information meeting in June and later got approval under its general herbicide application permit to apply the herbicide AquaStrike. On July 31, a state contractor submerged a perforated hose to spray the herbicide on the plant in three locations on the south end of Sokokis, treating about four acres of the 192-acre lake.

There are early signs that the treatment worked. Last month, staff from Lake Stewards of Maine, the DEP, and the York County Soil and Water Conservation District, along with volunteers from Sokokis Lake Association and Patrollers of Arrowhead's Littoral Zone, conducted a post-treatment survey and did not find any living brittle naiad.

Thats encouraging news, McPhedran said. But the visibility can be difficult in Sokokis  kind of murky and cloudy  so just because we didnt find any in the fall doesnt mean that we are out of the woods.

As part of the ongoing response, the DEP and its partners will continue monitoring Sokokis and will return in late spring or early summer to see how much, if any, of the plant escaped the herbicide. If the invasive plant cant be eliminated altogether, it will likely have to be managed long into the future, McPhedran said.

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Brett Willard, the aquatic invasive species program director at Lake Stewards of Maine, which led the recent post-treatment survey, said the Sokokis infestation highlights the importance of early detection and rapid response. The plant was first found by a trained volunteer who was paddling the lake and actively looking for invasive species.

Theres a really great group of volunteers that we have statewide, but particularly in York County, which is a high population center, but also theres a number of infestations, Willard said.

A survey crew examines Sokokis Lake in Limerick on September 23 for any live remnants of the invasive plant brittle naiad. It did not find any but will return to check next year. Photo courtesy Jim Kelley, York County Soil and Water Conservation District.

The DEP fielded a number of concerns ahead of applying the herbicide in July, including from a local beekeeper and dog owners worried about their pets drinking from the lake, McPhedran said. A notice that went out to lakefront property owners told them not to drink, swim in or use lake water for irrigation in the days after the treatment.

The DEP collected and analyzed water samples to monitor the levels of endothall and Diquat dibromide, the active ingredients in AquaStrike, following treatment. The water samples it tested two weeks after applying the herbicide showed no detectable levels of the chemicals, according to the DEP. It said it found limited to no harm to native vegetation.

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McPhedran said the state would prefer not to use herbicides when managing aquatic invasives. But in doing so at Sokokis, the DEP is hoping to avoid a similar situation at Milton and Northwest ponds on the Maine-New Hampshire border, where the state and several partners have been fighting a brittle naiad infestation since 2015.

Obviously, if its a new plant and we have a chance at eradication, we need to move quickly, he said.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A 25-year-old man was arrested for the murder of a 36-year-old man who was found dead earlier this month in a residence in far East El Paso.

Leopoldo Ortega, 25, was arrested with a charge of murder. He was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility with a set bond at $250,000, according to the El Paso County Sheriffs Office (EPCSO).

Leopoldo Ortega. Photo courtesy of the El Paso County Sheriffs Office.

As KTSM previously reported, shortly before 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 2, deputies were dispatched to a residence along the 12800 block of Barstow Avenue about a deceased subject.

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Sheriffs Office investigating suspicious death in far East El Paso

When deputies arrived, they found 36-year-old Juan Oscar Becerra, who was confirmed dead. Evidence at the scene indicated signs of foul play, according to the Sheriffs Office.

The Sheriffs Office Major Crimes Unit was dispatched and assumed the investigation.

During the investigation, detectives identified Ortega as a suspect and a warrant was obtained for his arrest on a count of murder, EPCSO said.

According to the Sheriffs Office, on Thursday, Oct. 16, Ortega was arrested along the 7400 block of Cimarron Market Avenue by the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force. The task force was comprised of members from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Anthony Police Department, Texas Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshals Service.

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I want to thank our federal, state and local partners for their swift and professional work on this investigation, El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte said. This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to keeping El Paso safe. If you commit a crime here, we will find you and hold you accountable.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Oct. 16EPHRATA  The final layout of a former business recently purchased by the city of Ephrata, and the ultimate fate of the existing Ephrata City Hall, are still to be determined. That will be part of the process of remodeling the old Rite-Aid building at 250 Basin St. SW. Ephrata City Administrator Ray Towry said the first step will be hiring an architect.

"We'll budget for a (request for proposals) for an architect to redesign that space for us next year," Towry said. "Depending on how involved you want to be, and (how much) we want to involve the public in that design, will determine the length of time it takes."

The existing city hall and the possible uses of the old Rite-Aid building were among the items discussed at the regular meeting of the Ephrata City Council on Wednesday. Council members also discussed revisions to a union contract and renaming two streets at the site of the new Grant County Jail.

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Towry said each department will be asked to estimate the amount of space they would need in a new facility.

"The architect would then come back with some conceptuals, and we could start (revising) those to our liking, and would get a final design on that," Towry said.

Council Member Mike Warren asked about the existing city hall, whether some staff would remain in the building or if all departments would move.

"We don't know," Towry said. "That would be part of the whole process."

In other business, council members approved revisions to a contract with the union representing all but clerical employees working at city hall. The EPD and other employees are represented by other unions.

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"Going through the collective bargaining agreement, we discovered a couple of errors, one particularly where we have been paying for a plan that had not been bargained for. We bargained at a certain level, but we have been paying for a different plan since at least 2010," Towry said. "There is a cost difference associated with that."

Union officials agreed to pay half the cost of that plan, he said, which would cut the city's costs.

Council members approved renaming three streets at the site of the new jail. Public Works Director Rob Harris said the original plat for the land was done by Grant County.

"(The county procedure for naming streets) doesn't fit with our city's layout," Harris said.

The new streets will provide access to the jail and Grant County PUD property adjoining the jail. Utility district officials asked that the street to PUD property be named Electric Avenue. Nat Washington Way will be extended across the intersection and the new road behind the jail site will be named Old Speedway Avenue.
Eric Trump, the second son of the president, did little to allay concerns about his fathers apparent promise to arrange a phone call about Trump Organization business between Eric and the president of Indonesia.

In a hot-mic moment at Mondays Gaza ceasefire summit, President Trump and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto were caught exchanging words, seemingly about a Trump Organization project in Indonesia.

Trump told Prabowo that he would have Eric, a vice president at the company who holds no government role, reach out to him. Hes such a good boy, the president said of his son. Ill have Eric call.

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CNNs Kaitlan Collins on Thursday asked about this apparent instance of the president using his office to advance his and his familys business interests. Eric Trump, 41, said of his father: Im glad he acknowledges that Im a good boy. I am a good boy.

He also said he hasnt received the call (yet), but expressed gratitude that the president of Indonesia is aware of the Trump Organizations ventures in the country. Ive never met the president of Indonesia, he said, but it doesnt surprise me, given the magnitude and prominence of those projects, that he knows about what Im doing over there.

But Prabowos conversation with Trump raises the possibility that he is more than just aware of the Trump Organizations works in Indonesia. Trump and Prabowo seemed to discuss details about the progress of a specific project, and at one point, the Indonesian president told Trump he had spoken to Harypossibly meaning Hary Tanoesoedibjo, a businessman who frequently partners with the Trump Organization on its projects in the region.

Collins asked Eric Trump if he sees the hot-mic conversation as weakening the notion that a wall separates his fathers presidential and private affairs.

I think theres a huge wall, he replied. I mean, theres so much of a wall that the guy [Prabowo] has never met me. It was an interesting response, given the president clearly promised to arrange the very meeting his son was citing as proof that a wall exists.
During his trip last week to the Middle East, Donald Trump set off alarms stateside when he was caught on a hot mic talking to President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia about his request to meet with the presidents son Eric, whos not a government official.

In a private exchange picked up by microphones, the Indonesian leader asked to meet Eric Trump, to which the president answered, Ill have Eric call you, calling his adult son a good boy.

And Eric Trump didnt seem afraid to put the subtext of that exchange out in the open.

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In comments Thursday to pro-Trump content creator Eric Bolling, Trump said the Indonesian leader had requested the meeting with the Trump family business in mind. As Mediaite noted, the younger Trump offered this explanation after touting two properties his family has in Indonesia:

We have the other one in Bali. Were building a great hotel, and thats going to start very soon. And I never met the president, and I used to go over there quite a bit. And obviously we manage teams over there, and its pretty amazing that he knew who I was. And, you know, its obviously  I dont get involved in politics in Indonesia  but when I heard that, I started laughing. Can I please meet Eric? He must know the projects very well. And so, you know, were very proud of what we did in Indonesia. Weve been there for, you know, well over a decade. And so, you know, Im sure he hears about our great success.

In a separate interview with CNN on Thursday, the younger Trump again touted the real estate projects and suggested the Indonesian leader tried to make inroads with the Trump family business in mind through his father, saying hes honored that the president knows about it and clearly asks about it because theyre probably two of the most consequential real estate projects in the region.

The Trump Organization has two of the largest and most substantial projects in all of Indonesia, which began in 2015, long before President Trump entered office for the first term, the Trump Organization told ABC News in a statement. Reuters reported that the Indonesian foreign minister said he did not know what [Subianto] spoke to Trump about and that the two leaders shared a close relationship and could have discussed issues outside of state affairs.

Confronted with such a blatant example of self-dealing, you might expect some outrage from the conservatives who spent years accusing President Joe Biden, without evidence, of leading a criminal enterprise to line his familys pockets. Republicans like Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and James Comer of Kentucky were fixtures on the conservative media circuit, routinely peddling allegations about the Biden crime family and its purportedly elaborate web of government grifters.

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And now here we have audiovisual evidence of the United States criminally convicted president setting up a potential meeting between a foreign leader and his son  and said son now suggests the foreign leader wants a meeting because of his interest in the Trump family business. (The White House has previously asserted that the president is not playing a role in the familys business and his assets are being held in a trust.)

But I wouldnt recommend holding your breath waiting on Republicans to fire up the outrage over this development.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The American dream came true on Thursday for two families as Eries Habitat for Humanity dedicated brand new homes to two deserving families.

Organizers said that they selected the Brown and Copland families because of their passion, faith and drive to be homeowners.

Each Habitat family is required to dedicate 300 hours to development and both families worked even more than that, making these homes some of the fastest built homes in the history of Eries Habitat for Humanitys 36 years. Both families helped out by laying the foundation, sanding, mudding and more.

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They told us that although it was hard physical work that their newly developed skills would help them to maintain their homes for years to come. Both organizers and the Habitat home owners mentioned that this opportunity will benefit their families for years to come.

We need this in this town  Albion Marketplace reopens with new look

Every month you pay your mortgage, its your money  it goes into your account, so when they sell the house, its their money, it doesnt belong to someone else. We are making the American dream of home ownership and financial equity and growth possible. Most families in Habitat homes do not sell their houses. In fact, they stay in it for the 25 years and after theyve paid off their mortgage, they give their house to their children or to their grandchildren, said Dr. Roche Vermaak, the executive director of Erie Habitat for Humanity.

The Copelands are high school sweethearts who share one baby girl and are looking forward to creating memories in their new home. More family time basically and plus barbecue to have fun, do whatever we want and plus a safe environment for our daughter, Denaysha Copeland said. Their five-year-old, Telana, said that she looks forward to painting her bedroom pink and purple.

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Desheia Brown is a single mother of two teenage boys and said that her family is originally from Flint, Michigan and moved to Erie to take care of her mother while she was also pursuing her bachelors degree. Alongside her fiance and 18-year-old son, she dedicated over 400 hours in between other responsibilities to help build her familys new home.

Scott Enterprises building new Marriott with help from CRIZ

This is gonna be a big legacy for my family. My children are gonna know what its like to be a part of being a homeowner. Whenever I leave this Earth, theyll become the homeowners. I wanted to show my kids something different, you know, I wanted them to see that their mom can make it regardless of the struggles in life, she said. She said that she walks by faith and not by sight and that she can achieve anything that God has planned for her.

If you would like to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity or apply to become a homeowner, you are invited to visit their website. Applications for home ownership open on January 10.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A flight departing from Portland International Airport had to make an emergency landing in Boise on Tuesday after police said a Washington woman physically assaulted two crew members.

According to Boise police, the Alaska Airlines flight bound for Dallas, Texas, landed at around 1:30 a.m., after reports that a woman was showing erratic behavior and hit the flight attendants who were attempting to calm her down.

The woman, identified as 61-year-old Tracy Barkhimer of White Salmon, was restrained while the flight was diverted to the Boise Airport.

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Washington co-leads suit against EPA for stalling low-income solar energy program

After landing, police said Barkhimer was arrested and booked into the Ada County Jail on two counts of battery.

Medics also met the plane at the gate and cleared the crew to fly after a 90-minute delay.

At Alaska Airlines, safety is our number one priority, and we do not tolerate violence of any kind against our employees, the airline said in a statement. The passenger in question has been banned from flying with us. We are grateful to our crew for their professionalism, and we apologize for any concern or inconvenience this situation caused.

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Stellantis Chinese partner Leapmotor will begin large-scale production in Europe next year with the B10 compact electric SUV, a company executive said.

The move is likely to allow Leapmotor to avoid European Union tariffs on Chinese full-electric and extended-range hybrid vehicles. The brand now pays 20.7 percent additional levies on top of the EUs blanket 10 percent import duty.

Sales of the B10 start in Europe this month with models imported from China. With a base price of just under 30,000, the B10 could take market share from the leaders in the segment for compact full-electric SUVs that include the VW ID4, Skoda Elroq and Kia EV3. Those three models accounted for 57 percent of all BEV sales in the segment.

Danilo Annese, vice president for commercial operations at Leapmotor International, said Oct. 14 in a videoconference that the B10 would be the first European-built model, although Leapmotor had started building the T03 minicar in Poland in 2024 before abandoning that plan this year, reportedly because the car was not eligible for French EV incentives.

CEO Antonio Filosa said recently that Leapmotor models would be built in a Stellantis factory in Spain.

Annese said that the company is still evaluating which of Stellantis three Spanish plants, in Zaragoza, Madrid and Vigo, would be used by Leapmotor. The Spanish press and Reuters reported that Zaragoza is the most likely location.

Leapmotor launched in Europe last year with two models, the T03 electric minicar and the C10 midsize SUV, the latter offered as full electric or range-extender electric.

B10 developed with input from Stellantis

Stellantis took a 20 percent stake in Leapmotor in 2023 with an investment of about 1.5 billion. At the same time, it took a 51 percent share in Leapmotor International, a joint venture created to develop, sell and service Leapmotor cars outside of China.

The B10, revealed at the Paris auto show in 2024, is the first model designed by Leapmotor after it sold a stake to Stellantis in 2023.

The interior of the B10. It is the first Leapmotor model developed with input from Stellantis, which took a stake in the Chinese automaker in 2023.

Leapmotor has an 18-month time to market, and the B10 is the first new product with inputs from Stellantis, Leapmotor Internationals head of product and marketing, Francesco Giacalone, said at a B10 media event in Biot, southern France, on Oct. 13.

Giacalone said that Leapmotor will add an EREV variant to the B10 in about six months. The company has not decided yet if the EREV variant could also be built in Spain along with the electric B10.

Chinese-built EREVs pay the same 30.7 percent total duty that Leapmotor pays on full electric models.
Editors note: The video aired on Oct. 14.

NEW YORK (PIX11)  A retrial date has been set after lawyers for a man whose conviction in the 1979 disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz was recently overturned asked for his release from prison.

Pedro Hernandezs conviction was overturned in July by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that the jury in his 2017 trial should have gotten a more thorough explanation from the judge of its options, which could have included disregarding all of the confessions.

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He was ordered freed unless he was retried within a reasonable period.

District Judge McMahon issued an order on Thursday, stating that if a jury selection does not commence by June 1, 2026, Hernandez must be released.

After Tuesdays hearing, defense attorney Harvey Fishbein said he wants prosecutors to make a decision whether to retry Hernandez because we have a man sitting in jail now for 13 years that the 2nd Circuit said was innocent.

He has already been tried twice. His 2017 conviction came after a previous jury couldnt reach a verdict. Now 64, he has been serving a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

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Hernandez was a teenager working at a convenience shop in Etans downtown Manhattan neighborhood when the boy vanished.

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Police met him while canvassing the area, but didnt suspect him until they got a 2012 tip that hed made remarks years earlier about having killed a child in New York, not mentioning Etans name.

Etan was among the first missing children pictured on milk cartons. His case contributed to an era of fear among American families, making anxious parents more protective of kids who had been allowed to roam and play unsupervised in their neighborhoods.

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This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
European leaders are trying to secure a seat at the negotiating table between Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump after their previous meeting undermined efforts to maintain pressure on Russia.

Source: Bloomberg, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Bloomberg quoted four European officials who expressed disquiet at the announcement of the Trump-Putin summit in Budapest.

They said Putin has intervened just as relations with Trump were beginning to shift in Ukraine's favour.

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The officials stressed that the Russian leader is stalling for time and attempting to derail the talks scheduled for Friday 17 October between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House.

Two of Bloomberg's sources noted that EU leaders should take a firm stance on Russia and find ways to counter Putin's influence over Trump during the summit.

One of them suggested that Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who played a key role in talks at the White House following the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska in August, should somehow be present at the meeting in Hungary.

At this stage, it is not yet known whether Trump will invite Zelenskyy to join the negotiations in Budapest as part of a trilateral summit.

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A senior EU official said he hopes that Trump will remember how, after the Alaska summit, Putin acted in direct contradiction to what the US president had hoped for.

Background:

Trump spoke with Putin on 16 October for the first time in nearly two months. Following the conversation, he announced plans for a meeting in Budapest, which would mark Putin's first appearance in an EU capital since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Such a visit would require Russian aircraft to cross the airspace of other EU member states.

After the call, Trump said Putin did not like the idea of the US providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles and added that he believed that now "it may not be perfect timing" to impose secondary sanctions aimed at reducing Russia's energy revenues.

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BRUSSELS, Belgium  A general sense of skepticism prevails among European officials and diplomats over U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of planned Ukraine peace talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Hungary.

"We can only commend all efforts leading to a ceasefire and long-lasting peace in Ukraine," a EU official, speaking on conditions of anonymity, told the Kyiv Independent.

An EU diplomat noted that Washington appeared eager to capitalize on recent diplomatic moves in the Middle East.

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"Clearly, the Trump administration feels momentum after the Middle East peace deal. A real peace agreement in Ukraine would be a very big result for him," the diplomat said.

Yet, diplomats in Brussels believe that Ukraine is now in a far stronger position than earlier this year, when relations between Kyiv and Washington were strained after a public Oval Office fallout between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine, they say, is increasingly confident in its ability to withstand Russian aggression and to strike deep into Russia's oil infrastructure with drones.

"Europe has proved willing to stand by Ukraine and make clear that we cannot accept an unjust peace. Hence, the only way forward is to pressure Russia to compromise  and I think Washington knows this," the same diplomat added.

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According to a source in the Ukrainian President's Office, Brussels found out that the meeting between Trump and Putin is to take place in EU territory from the U.S. president's social media.

"Trump (obviously) doesn't ask (Brussels') opinion," the source said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, on Oct. 16, 2025. (Alexander Zemlianichenko / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Unease now lingers in EU corridors over Trump's unpredictability. Expectations are also low due to many pointing towards the fraught Alaska meeting between the U.S. and Russian leaders that had produced no tangible outcomes towards peace.

"This feels like Groundhog Day  one phone call, and all the tedious work of getting (U.S.) President Trump back on the right side is looking shaky again," another EU official quipped.

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"This must be fun from the Kremlin's perspective: Whenever pressure is mounting, Putin calls as a friend to turn off the heat  no doubt it will work again," the official added.

"But next day he will bomb Ukraine like never before and continue to send his drones to wage his war against us  he is ridiculing Trump and the U.S. over and over again," a third official, also speaking on conditions of anonymity, said.

Read also: Trumps two wars: Why diplomacy worked in Gaza but not in Ukraine

'Hungary and friends' in spotlight

Though unclear yet when the meeting is set to exactly take place, talks in Budapest would be "to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' war between Russia and Ukraine to an end," Trump wrote on social media.

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Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, long positioning himself as Trump's key ally within the EU, quickly hailed the initiative that could become a significant win for his government.

Orban has meanwhile resisted Trump's calls to stop buying Russian oil.

Hungarian officials used to downplay the EU's role, arguing that the talks would give Hungary "a distinctive role within the EU by providing a diplomatic environment" for peace efforts.

Most EU diplomats expect Orban to arrive emboldened at the European Council summit in Brussels next on Oct. 23, where continued support for Ukraine will dominate the agenda.

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The timing is sensitive: EU ambassadors this week failed to seal the bloc's 19th sanctions package against Russia, with Slovakia and Austria holding out for concessions.

"I am not interested in imposing more sanctions on Russia," Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Oct. 15, pledging to put the issue on the summit agenda.

In practice, while Trump's announcement did embolden the EU's Russian-friendly block, there is no certainty that the meeting would actually take place in the union's territory.

EU officials noted that exemptions to travel and flight restrictions could theoretically be granted, as in past cases when sanctioned Russian diplomats traveled to Geneva or Vienna for UN or OSCE meetings; however, no one had the time to look into this yet.

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Putin has largely avoided foreign travel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him for war crimes. Hungary, however, formally notified the United Nations in June of its intent to withdraw from the ICC's founding treaty by mid-2026.

If the meeting takes place this year, Hungary would still be bound by the Rome Statute, leaving Budapest to violate its obligations and raising the question of ICC's effectiveness as an institution.

Read also: What to expect from Zelensky-Trump meeting as Ukraine hopes for Tomahawks

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The European Parliament's energy committee has supported a proposal to ban imports of Russian gas and oil to the EU for a year.

The draft legislation received support from the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), with 83 votes in favour, 9 against and one abstention.

This ban, effective 1 January 2026, comes with limited exceptions for existing contracts.

Short-term contracts will be allowed until 17 June 2026, while long-term contracts can continue until 1 January 2027, provided they were signed before 17 June 2025.

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Backed by the committees on industry, research, energy and international trade, the proposal allows energy operators to terminate contracts for Russian gas imports.

In addition, the MEPs propose to prohibit the temporary storage of Russian-origin natural gas in EU facilities starting in 2026.

To prevent circumvention, operators must provide customs authorities with detailed evidence of the gass country of origin before import or storage.

Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) lead MEP Ville Niinisto said: The vast majority of the members of the two committees have voted for a strong position to strengthen the exit from Russian fossil fuel imports.

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I am impressed by the shared understanding of the need for effective legislation that is not just banning imports of Russian gas and oil to the European Union but is also stringent in enforcement and closes the loopholes of the Commissions proposal.

The draft legislation also targets Russian oil imports, mandating prior customs authorisation and verification of the country of production.

To address circumvention risks, such as relabelled imports and 'shadow fleets', the legislation requires origin certification for oil pipelines and quarterly audits.

It also requires a list of high-risk liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals to be managed by the European Commission.

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The MEPs removed a review clause that would have allowed the Commission to temporarily suspend the import ban in cases threatening EU energy security.

Also, they introduced penalties for violations of the regulation to strengthen enforcement.

The Parliament will inform its plenary chamber of this decision during its session on 2024 October.

International Trade Committee lead MEP Inese Vaidere said: The almost unanimous support gives me a strong mandate for negotiations with the Council.

"The ban of Russian fossil fuels is a great achievement for the European Union and a turning point in European energy policy.

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We have strengthened the European Commission's initial proposal by including oil and its products, ending long-term contracts a year earlier than proposed, adding penalties for non-compliance and deleting exceptions for landlocked countries.

Last month, the EU planned to implement a ban on Russian LNG imports earlier, aiming for a complete phase-out by January 2027.

"EU Parliament backs ban on oil and gas imports from Russia " was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




The European External Action Service proposed to use further diplomatic channels to pressure the US to ensure that the viability of the PA as the leaders of a Palestinian state is not undermined.

The European Union is making an exertive effort to maximize its leverage to pressure US President Donald Trump to ensure his ceasefire plan does not undermine the future of a two-state solution, POLITICO reported Friday, citing a four-page document by the EUs foreign service.

The document says that there is a need to reinforce a positive narrative on the two-state solution, including by highlighting the role of the EU, according to POLITICO.

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This follows several European countries recognizing a Palestinian state in September, including France, Portugal, and Belgium, among others.

The European External Action Service proposed to use further diplomatic channels to pressure the US to ensure that the viability of the Palestinian Authority as the leaders of a Palestinian state is not undermined.

The service is seeking support to advocate against economic and financial barriers facing Palestinian institutions, and to increase pressure on Israel not to annex territory in the West Bank.

Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas addresses the UN General Assembly last year. He and his cohorts aspire to a single Palestinian state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. (credit: BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS)

Pressuring Hamas to step down

It also supports engaging with Israel and ceasefire mediators, including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, to pressure Hamas to continue implementing Trumps full ceasefire plan.

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The document stresses the importance of ensuring the continued flow of aid into Gaza, according to the report. It also supports Israel lifting restrictions on humanitarian NGOs operating in the West Bank and Gaza.

The EU aims to play a role in the reconstruction of Gaza, investment in the Strip, and the facilitation of trade.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in September that should would introduce sanctions on Israeli ministers and scale back economic cooperation, citing Gazas humanitarian crisis; however, that plan has since been put on hold following the ceasefire.
In the wake of a US-brokered peace deal, the European Union is under mounting pressure to redefine its role in the Middle East.

The European Commission and European Parliament have signalled a willingness to move from being a humanitarian aid provider to a more active political actor in post-conflict reconstruction and governance in Gaza.

The EU nations, deeply divided since the attack by the militant Islamist group Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, now hope to regain a leading role in the implementation of the peace plan for Gaza.

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Ensuring peace in Gaza will be "extraordinarily complex," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday. "The peace plan requires significant international support to succeed," she stressed, and Europe wanted to contribute fully to this.

Encouragement and a bid for a seat at the table

At a formal ceremony in Egypt on October 13, the heads of state of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey signed a document intended to consolidate the current ceasefire on the basis of US President Donald Trumps 20-point plan.

EU leaders broadly welcomed the peace plan.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noted that the EU would continue to support the rapid and safe delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. "And when the time comes, we will be ready to assist in recovery and reconstruction."

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Rebuilding Gaza will be costly: According to estimates, more than 55 million tons of rubble must be cleared from the coastal strip. Over the next three years alone, this may cost some 17 billion ($19.9 billion).

The EU has long been in favour of implementing the two-state solution as the only way to bring long-term peace to the Middle East.

Slovakias Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar said Bratislavas diplomacy will "continue to intensify humanitarian efforts and provide political support for maintaining peace."

Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said that while the first part of the US peace plan for Gaza is being successfully implemented, it was important to be aware of the "fragile situation and dilemmas" that will need to be considered in negotiations on the second phase.

Roadblocks at the border

Caution is not unwarranted as delays in the restart of the EUs civilian mission to monitor the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt shows.

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Originally scheduled for a start on Wednesday, the deployment has been halted, as Israel insisted that Hamas first hand over the remains of the last deceased hostages it holds.

The EU mission remains on standby and will be deployed at the Rafah border crossing as soon as conditions allow, said a spokesman for Kallas in Brussels.

The EU Border Assistance Mission in Rafah (EUBAM Rafah) was set up in 2005 to help monitor the border crossing in the south of Gaza. It was suspended two years later after Hamas took control of Gaza.

Rafah is the only border crossing from the Gaza Strip that does not pass through Israeli territory  and remains closed to passenger traffic. Direct aid deliveries from Egypt to Gaza are also currently not possible. However, trucks carrying aid supplies are entering from the Egyptian side and are then being diverted to border crossings in Israel.

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The EUBAM monitoring mission aims to provide a neutral, third-party presence at the key crossing and involves police from Italy, Spain and France. It was briefly redeployed in January but suspended again in March.

In a statement, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said he had authorized the resumption of Italian operations within the EU mission for the reopening of the crossing under the same conditions as in January.

The German government has meanwhile been laying the groundwork for its possible participation in a future mission.

Expanding the European role

The EU, the main donor to the Palestinians, has committed to helping with the reconstruction of Gaza.

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Brussels has already provided more than 550 million to the Palestinians since October 7, 2023. In April, the commission announced a multiannual programme of up to 1.6 billion to cover the period 2025 to 2027.

The commission has signalled a willingness to move beyond aid, expressing readiness to participate in transitional governance arrangements in Gaza post-ceasefire. This includes leveraging existing EU missions for border security, police training, and institutional capacity-building.

"We stand ready to contribute to its success with all tools at our disposal," said von der Leyen about the peace plan, including by "providing support on governance and for the reform of the Palestinian Authority."

The EU has also indicated its intention to join Trump's Board of Peace, which will oversee Gazas recovery and reconstruction, reflecting a desire for a more central political role.

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"We believe that Europe has an important role and that we should also be part of that," said Kallas last week. "I think that Europe should not only be a payer but also an actor," she added during a visit to Kuwait.

Earlier this week, Spains Premier Pedro Sanchez opened the door to sending Spanish troops to monitor peace in Gaza following the ceasefire, in what he described as an "active presence."

French President Emmanuel Macron, while saying that Europeans would "step up" their efforts to train Palestinian police officers in Gaza, indicated that France would not participate in the stabiliation force that is to be set up.

EU concerns over long-term peace

It is not clear whether the peace agreement will lead to a long-term end to the fighting between the two sides, with two key topics being the role of Hamas going forward, and the broader issue of who administers the Gaza Strip.

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Israel and the United States insist Hamas can have no role in a future Gaza government.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stressed that Hamas must be disarmed and no longer allowed to exert political influence. "And it will be the task of the Palestinians to break away from this organization," he said on German TV.

A spokesman for Kallas likewise has said: "We reaffirm as the EU that Hamas must not have any future role in the administration of the Gaza Strip."

Macron assured that France would play a "very special role" in ensuring that the Palestinian Authority is integrated into the future governance of Gaza.

The content of this article is based on reporting by AFP, AMNA, BTA, dpa, EFE, STA and TASR as part of the European Newsroom (enr) project.
The European Commission is considering the idea of using not only 140 billion of frozen Russian assets held in a financial repository in Belgium but also an additional 25 billion from private Russian accounts in various countries for a reparations loan to Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda, citing Politico

Details: The proposal involves raising an extra 25 billion for the reparations loan to Ukraine, namely from private accounts of sanctioned Russians in institutions across different EU countries, in addition to the Russian assets stored in Euroclear.

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A document reportedly sent by the European Commission to capitals ahead of a meeting of ambassadors on 17 October noted that "it should be considered whether the Reparations Loan initiative could be extended to other immobilised assets within the EU" and stated that the legal aspects have not yet been fully assessed, but this needs to be done before moving the issue forward.

The document also outlined the general principles of the reparations loan to Ukraine, which need to be discussed ahead of the EU summit in Brussels next week.

It is expected that EU leaders will discuss the initiative in detail at the summit and ask the European Commission to submit a corresponding proposal.

Background:

The EU Defence Roadmap presented by the European Commission on 16 October stated that the reparations loan should be agreed by the end of 2025.

Ukraine has been identified as a key component of the EU's defence readiness.

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German members of the European Parliament (MEPs) Peter Liese and Katarina Barley are pushing for more relaxed approval regulations for male contraceptives in a letter to the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

A "pill for men" could solve many problems, they wrote on Friday to EMA boss Emer Cooke, calling on the EMA to take action on this issue.

"We urge the EMA to take a leading role in this area," the letter stated.

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New guidelines based on equality must be developed to support the approval of novel contraceptives for men.

The term "pill for men" is an umbrella phrase for a range of drugs that work to significantly reduce sperm production and thus the likelihood of a woman becoming pregnant after sexual intercourse.

Liese criticized the fact that regulatory authorities have paid much more attention to the side effects of drugs designed for men than those for women. Studies have been discontinued in the past, because men complained of excessive side effects, pointing to mood swings and depression.

Liese, who is also a medic, and Barley, vice-president of the European Parliament, both said preparations administered to men could be a great help.

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Currently, there are two main safe options for men, either condoms or a vasectomy, a surgical procedure in which the vas deferens is severed.

But when asked, the EMA said it supports developers in promoting new therapies, including contraceptives for men.

It said that current regulations did not contain any provisions that hindered the development of contraceptives for men.
Michael Gahler, the European Parliament's Standing Rapporteur on Ukraine, has said that Ukraine could join the European Union even if parts of its territory remain under occupation, following the precedent of West Germany or Cyprus.

Source: Gahler in an interview with European Pravda

Details: Gahler said it is essential to remain realistic, as Ukraine's accession to the EU during wartime would entail the EU's direct involvement in the war  a scenario that requires unanimity and is therefore highly unlikely.

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He suggested, however, that the situation would be different if a ceasefire were reached but some territories remained occupied.

Quote: "Then we will have a situation somehow similar to West Germany's membership in the EU, despite [the fact that] it did not control East Germany. And after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the German constitution was activated in East Germany and it became part of the EU automatically, as the EU recognised Germany as its member, despite where its borders lie."

More details: Gahler added that there is a comparable example in Cyprus.

Quote: "In the moment when a solution is found and Cyprus is reunited, the EU membership and EU laws start to be applied on the whole territory."

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More details: He believes the same approach could be applied to Ukraine.

Quote: "If there is a point of a ceasefire while not everything is under government control, nothing prevents us from negotiating your accession.

And the subject of negotiations would be the membership of Ukraine, not part of Ukraine. Our counterpart in these negotiations would be the government of the entire Ukraine in its internationally recognised borders. And if not, the entire territory is yet under government control, these parts will join the EU at the moment of their return under government control."

More details: Gahler stressed that the existence of occupied territories should not prevent Ukraine from becoming an EU member.

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He also noted that transitional arrangements would allow for the seamless integration of those territories once they are returned under Ukrainian control.

Quote: "When Ukraine joins the EU, the transitional period is applied to the part of the country that is under government control [some regulations of the EU joint market are not applied for a specific time period  European Pravda]. And, to put things simply, when other parts of Ukraine join later, there will be similar transitional periods applied."

More details: In the same interview, Gahler implied that accession talks may not open before Hungary's elections in spring 2026, saying that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will not change his mind.

Background: Earlier, Marta Kos, EU Commissioner for Enlargement, announced that Ukraine and the European Union have completed the screening of Ukrainian legislation as part of EU accession negotiations.

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As another government shutdown day looms, it's hard not to feel frustrated by the reckless brinkmanship coming from Democratic leadership. Instead of working across the aisle to ensure basic government functions continue  like paying our troops, funding infrastructure and supporting small businesses  theyve chosen political theater over practical governance.

Wisconsinites know the value of hard work and compromise. We dont shut down the barn because the cows moo differently. Yet in Washington, Democrats seem more interested in scoring headlines than solving problems. Their refusal to negotiate on spending reforms, border security and energy policy has left everyday Americans footing the bill for their dysfunction.

Shutdowns hurt families, delay services and erode trust in our institutions. We deserve better than partisan posturing. It's time for Democrats to stop blaming others and start leading responsibly. If they can't pass a budget without holding the country hostage, maybe it's time voters send folks to Washington who can.

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Lets restore common sense to Congress. We shouldnt tolerate leaders who clock out when the job gets tough. If Democrats wont do the work to keep government running, voters need to send a louder message: enough delay, enough dysfunction. Get it done  or get out of the way.

Ted Engelbart, Hustisford

Opinion: Staying silent amid chaos has its own cost. People must be willing to speak up.

Opinion: We owe Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley our gratitude

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Federal government shutdown is hurting American families | Letters
By Tom Hals

DOVER, Delaware (Reuters) -Elon Musks $56 billion pay package from Tesla should have been restored by a vote of the companys shareholders last year, a Tesla attorney argued to the Delaware Supreme Court on Wednesday.

One of the biggest corporate legal battles entered its final stage after a lower court judge rescinded the Tesla CEO's record compensation in January 2024. The company is also appealing a ruling by the lower court that rejected as legally invalid a vote by shareholders to restore the pay package.

This was the most informed stockholder vote in Delaware history, Jeffrey Wall, an attorney for Tesla, told the justices. Reaffirming that would resolve this case.

The case's outcome could have substantial consequences for the state of Delaware, its widely used corporate law, and its Court of Chancery, a once-favored venue for business disputes that has recently been accused of hostility towards powerful entrepreneurs.

The Court of Chancery ruling striking down Musk's pay has become a rallying cry for Delaware critics. Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick ruled that the Tesla board lacked independence from Musk when it approved the pay package in 2018 and that shareholders lacked key information when they voted overwhelmingly in favor of it. As a result, she applied a demanding legal standard and found the pay unfair to investors.

Musk did not attend the arguments, which were held in a special court to accommodate the 65 people in attendance, mostly lawyers.

The defendants, current and former Tesla directors, denied wrongdoing and said McCormick misinterpreted the facts and the law.

COMPANIES SWITCH LEGAL HOMES

Tesla argued in Dover, Delaware, that the five justices on Delaware's high court had three avenues to reverse the lower court ruling. They could find that Musk, who owned 21.9% of Tesla stock in 2018, did not control the board pay negotiations and that shareholders were fully informed when they voted to approve it that year. They could determine that rescinding the pay was an improper remedy because it did not undo the work that Musk had done or the gains that shareholders had received. Or they could determine last year's ratification vote demonstrated that shareholders wanted to accept the pay deal, despite the legal flaws.

"Shareholders in 2024 knew exactly what they were voting for," Wall said.

Greg Varallo, an attorney for Richard Tornetta, the small investor who brought the case in 2018, said if the court accepted ratification, it would allow a party to change the outcome after a court case had run its course. "Lawsuits would be interminable," he told the justices.
NEED TO KNOW

Clifford Proctor, a former LAPD officer suspected of killing a homeless man in 2015 was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday, Oct. 16

He is being held on $2 million bail, according to jail records

Brendon Glenn, 29, was fatally shot twice in the back on May 5, 2015

A former LAPD officer suspected of killing a homeless man in 2015 was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday, Oct. 16.

Clifford Proctor, now 60, was booked into jail on Friday, Oct. 17 and is being held on $2 million bail, according to jail records.

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The Los Angeles Police Department is aware of the arrest of a former LAPD officer at Los Angeles International Airport on a felony murder warrant, the LAPD said on X. We will continue to support the justice system as this case proceeds and will work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners throughout the process.

Brendon Glenn, 29, was fatally shot on May 5, 2015, following an argument with a bouncer near the Venice Beach Boardwalk, ABC7 reported. Proctor and his partner at the time had responded to the reported disturbance and followed Glenn, which is when Proctor allegedly opened fire on the man after he claimed he thought Glenn was trying to grab his partner's gun.

The LAPD concluded that Glenn was lying on his stomach when Proctor shot him twice in the back, per the outlet.

Glenn was not armed, per the Los Angeles Times.

Brendon Glenn

According to the Times, Proctor resigned from the LAPD in 2017, and the following year former L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey declined to file any charges against him, citing "insufficient evidence" despite a recommendation from then-LAPD Chief Charlie Beck to prosecute the officer.

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However, an arrest warrant was eventually issued for Proctor last year, KTLA reported.

The warrant came after former District Attorney George Gascon had the case reviewed by a special prosecutor he hired to re-examine prosecutions of police in on-duty shootings, according to the Times.

After Gascon decided to charge Proctor in 2024, the former officer allegedly fled the country and is believed to have lived in Trinidad for the past year, NBCLA exclusively reported. He attempted to return to Los Angeles on Thursday night, but he was flagged and arrested at the airport, per the outlet.



Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office via AP

Our office is aware of the public reports about Mr. Proctor's arrest, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office said in a statement to PEOPLE on Friday, Oct 17. At this time, our office is unable to comment. Should circumstances change, we will provide additional information when appropriate.

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.

Glenns family is relieved and gratified upon news of Proctor's arrest, Glenn family attorney James DeSimone tells PEOPLE.

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He was very loved by his mother, son, and sister," DeSimone says. "And our hope is just that this is something where the current district attorney moves forward with the prosecution and then ultimately a conviction can be secured.

Glenn, says DeSimone, was couch surfing at the time of his death.

Brendan had a home in New York, he says. He had come out to California for some work and had done some construction work in San Diego then made his way up to a farm and worked for a while. And then he came down to Venice and, like so many others, fell in love with the eclectic nature."

But, he says, Glenn was "really at a crossroads where he really missed his family, wanted to go back, but didn't want to go back with nothing. He was trying to get work and at least be able to pay for his way back home to see his family.

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In a statement provided by DeSimone, Glenn's sister Brittany said their family was "looking forward for the rest of this criminal process to play itself out for all to see.

Ten years has gone by, but it feels like yesterday when the tragedy took place, achieving justice for this terrible moment in time finally feels like a tangible thing versus something we as a family have always hoped for, she said.



Read the original article on People
Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroder on Friday defended the construction of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline as he testified in an inquiry.

The 81-year-old appeared in front of the regional parliament in the north-eastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern via video due to health concerns after suffering from burnout earlier this year.

Schroder, who led Germany between 1998 and 2005, said his government wanted to end the country's dependence on nuclear energy and needed the supply of cheap natural gas from Russia.

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The former chancellor has faced huge criticism since leaving office after serving on the boards of major Russian energy companies.

The inquiry is investigating the founding of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Climate Protection Foundation, which was established in early 2021 to aid the completion of Nord Stream 2.

The move was reportedly taken due to threats of sanctions from the United States targeting the companies involved, but members of the regional parliament want to clarify who initiated the establishment and whether Russia may have exerted influence.

"The foundation was an instrument to prevent American intervention in our energy policy," said Schroder, calling its creation an "extraordinarily sensible decision."

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The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a follow-up to the Nord Stream 1 line, was completed in 2021 but never entered operation due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In 2022, the pipelines were damaged by explosions. Investigations are still ongoing into the perpetrators of the sabotage acts.

Schroder appeared visibly frustrated by the questioning on Friday.

Addressing the committee chairman Sebastian Ehlers, he said: "Mr Chairman, can you stop this rubbish?"

Helge Braun - head of the Chancellery under Schroder's successor, Angela Merkel - is set to be questioned as a witness later in the day.

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Schroder, after leaving politics, was active for many years with Russian energy companies, including as chairman of the board of Nord Stream 2 AG, which contributed 20 million ($23.34 million) to the controversial climate change foundation.

Braun was one of the closest associates of then-chancellor Merkel during the planning, approval, and construction phases of Nord Stream 2 and the foundation's establishment.
Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroder on Friday defended the construction of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, as one of two top-level officials to be questioned in an official inquiry.

The 81-year-old appeared in front of the regional parliament in the north-eastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern via video due to health concerns after suffering from burnout earlier this year.

Schroder, who led Germany between 1998 and 2005, said his government wanted to end the country's dependence on nuclear energy and needed the supply of cheap natural gas from Russia.

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The former chancellor has faced huge criticism since leaving office after serving on the boards of major Russian energy companies.

The inquiry is investigating the founding of the controversial Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Climate Protection Foundation, which was established in early 2021 to aid the completion of Nord Stream 2.

The move was reportedly taken due to threats of sanctions from the United States targeting the companies involved, but members of the regional parliament want to clarify who initiated the establishment and whether Russia may have exerted influence.

"The foundation was an instrument to prevent American intervention in our energy policy," said Schroder, calling its creation an "extraordinarily sensible decision."

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The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a follow-up to the Nord Stream 1 line, was completed in 2021 but never entered operation due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In 2022, the pipelines were damaged by explosions. Investigations are still ongoing into the perpetrators of the sabotage acts.

Sanction threats from US

The former chief of staff of ex-chancellor Angela Merkel, Helge Braun, described the establishment of the foundation as a federal matter during his testimony on Friday.

Merkel was informed of plans for it to be founded, but the federal government did not itself evaluate the project, Braun said.

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Braun added that the threats of sanctions did not come from the US government directly. They were relayed in media, for example by US senators and the then US ambassador to Germany. At the time, it was difficult to assess how serious these sanctions threats were, he said.

'Can you stop this rubbish?'

Schroder appeared visibly frustrated by the questioning on Friday.

Addressing the committee chairman Sebastian Ehlers, he said: "Mr Chairman, can you stop this rubbish?"

Schroder, after leaving politics, was active for many years with Russian energy companies, including as chairman of the board of Nord Stream 2 AG, which contributed 20 million ($23.34 million) to the controversial climate change foundation.

Braun was one of the closest associates of then-chancellor Merkel during the planning, approval, and construction phases of Nord Stream 2 and the foundation's establishment.
Authorities arrested a former Los Angeles Police Department officer suspected of killing an unarmed homeless man in 2015, the department confirmed Friday.

The LAPD announced on social media that its team arrested ex-officer Clifford Proctor at the Los Angeles International Airport on a felony murder warrant.

We will continue to support the justice system as this case proceeds and will work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners throughout the process, stated the LAPD.

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Although the arrest was made this week, a warrant for Proctors arrest was issued a year ago, even after the previous L.A. County District Attorney refused to take up the high-profile case.

An investigator photographs then-LAPD Officer Clifford Proctor after he shot and killed Brendon Glenn, 29, near the Venice boardwalk. (Credit: Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) Brendon Glenn is shown in a photo from his Facebook page. Bruce Chartier, 30, places sage on a memorial for his friend Brendon Glenn, who was fatally shot by police on May 5, 2015, in Venice. (Credit: Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Protesters shout at police officers near the scene of the officer-involved shooting in Venice. (Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Solomon Turner, 54, protests the May 5, 2015, LAPD officer-involved shooting of Brendon Glenn, a homeless man, in Venice. (Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) LAPD officials faced an angry, standing-room-only crowd at Westminster Avenue Elementary School in Venice over the departments shooting death of a homeless man. C.R, standing, wore a shirt showing Brendon K. Glenn, the victim in the shooting, and shouted during the meeting. (Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) A man on a bike pedals past a messages written in chalk near the site of a May 5, 2015, fatal LAPD officer-involved shooting of a homeless man in Venice. (Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Brendon Glenn, fatally shot by LAPD on May 5, 2015, in Venice, is shown in a photo provided to KTLA.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Proctor is suspected of shooting 29-year-old Brendon Glenn twice in the back in May 2015.

Proctor and his law enforcement partner responded to reports of a disturbance after Glenn and his dog were removed from the Bank of Venice restaurant on Winward Avenue. When the officers ordered the 29-year-old to leave the area, they followed him, The Times reported.

A short time later, when Glenn got into an altercation with a bouncer outside a nearby bar, the officers attempted to arrest him and during a struggle with the 29-year-old, Proctor shot him twice in the back.

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Glenn, who was unhoused at the time, died from the gunshot wounds.

Former L.A. County DA Jackie Lacey declined to file charges against Proctor despite then LAPD Chief Charlie Beck calling for the officer to face manslaughter charges.

Three suspects arrested in deadly North Hollywood shooting

Its unclear exactly what charges Proctor is facing, but two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Times on condition of anonymity said they are in connection with the fatal shooting of the 29-year-old.

In an email to KTLA, V. James DeSimone, the lawyer for Glenns family, reported that the 29-year-olds mother, Sheri Camprone, is hopeful for justice and in response to the news of a warrant being issued for Proctors arrest, she said, Its about time.

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Josh DuBose and Nidia Becerra contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
An ex-LAPD officer who shot and killed an unarmed homeless man in 2015 was arrested on a felony murder warrant Thursday, authorities said.

Clifford Proctor, 60, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport after flying back to the U.S. from a foreign country, according to two law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity to discuss an ongoing criminal case.

"The Los Angeles Police Department is aware of the arrest of a former LAPD officer at Los Angeles International Airport on a felony murder warrant," the department said in a statement.

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The fatal 2015 confrontation triggered a decadelong legal fight over whether Proctor should face criminal charges for his on-duty actions.

Proctor fired two fatal shots into the back of Brendon Glenn, 29, after a dispute with a bouncer outside a bar near the Venice Speedway in May 2015. Glenn was unarmed at the time, and the shooting sparked outrage and protests.

Former Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck publicly called for Proctor to be charged in the shooting. In 2018, then-L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey declined to bring a case.

Sources previously told The Times that a warrant for Proctor's arrest was issued last year, after then-Dist. Atty. George Gascon had the case reviewed by a special prosecutor, Lawrence Middleton, whom he hired to re-examine prosecutions of police in on-duty shootings. Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman fired Middleton earlier this year.

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The district attorney's office declined to comment. Calls to Gascon, Middleton and Michael Gennaco, the special prosecutor Hochman placed over the case earlier this year, were not immediately returned.

Bill Seki, Proctor's former defense attorney, said he had no information about an arrest. Court records do not show the filing of a criminal complaint against Proctor.

The ex-officer was known to be living outside the country at the time Gascon obtained the arrest warrant last year, multiple law enforcement sources told The Times.

Proctor was arrested after departing an international flight when officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection flagged the arrest warrant, two sources told The Times. Los Angeles Airport Police initially took Proctor into custody, then turned him over to the LAPD.

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It is about time that the next step toward bringing justice for the family of Brendon Glenn is taken by arresting the officer who is responsible for his death," said V. James DeSimone, an attorney for the Glenn family. I know this is something that is very important to his mother and sister and they hope ultimate justice is achieved with a conviction."

Proctor and another officer responded to reports of Glenn and his dog causing a disturbance after hed been kicked out of the Bank of Venice restaurant on Windward Avenue in 2015, according to a report issued by the district attorneys office when they declined to prosecute Proctor.

Glenns dog moved toward Proctor, who threatened to shoot the animal before ordering Glenn to leave the area, the report said. Glenn responded by hurling several racial slurs at Proctor. Both men are Black.

Glenn walked away from the area and the officers followed, the report said. After Glenn got into an altercation with a bouncer at a different bar, Proctor and his partner tried to arrest Glenn, the report said.

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During the ensuing struggle, Proctor shot Glenn twice in the back while the officers were wrestling with him on the ground. In 2016, Proctors attorney said Glenn was reaching for his partners gun, but footage from the scene contradicted that claim.

Glenns hand was never seen on or near any portion of the holster, according to a report made by the citys Police Commission in 2016, and Proctors partner never made any statements or actions suggesting Glenn was trying to take the gun.

Proctor resigned from the LAPD in 2017.

Craig Lally, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents rank-and-file city police officers, said in a statement that the organization hasn't represented Proctor since he left the department.

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"We have confidence that the criminal justice system will produce a fair outcome with regard to this tragedy," Lally said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
By Sarah N. Lynch and Jack Queen

GREENBELT, Maryland (Reuters) -John Bolton, the national security hawk and former adviser to Donald Trump who has become one of the U.S. president's biggest critics, was expected to surrender Friday and face an initial appearance in court on charges he mishandled classified information.

Bolton, who was indicted on Thursday, is the third of Trump's prominent critics to face prosecution in recent weeks, as the U.S. president dispenses with decades-long norms designed to insulate federal law enforcement from political pressures.

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The indictment alleges that Bolton shared sensitive information with two of his relatives for possible use in a book he was writing, including notes on intelligence briefings and meetings with senior government officials and foreign leaders.

"I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose (Trump's) abuse of power," Bolton said in a statement on Thursday.

Bolton's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said Bolton did not unlawfully share or store any information.

Trump, a Republican who campaigned for the presidency on a vow of retribution after facing a slew of legal woes once his first term in the White House ended in 2021, has actively pursued his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to bring charges against his perceived adversaries.

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That included pushing Bondi's Justice Department to bring charges against his perceived adversaries including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, even driving out a prosecutor he deemed to be moving too slowly in doing so.

The investigation of Bolton was opened in 2022, predating the Trump administration. Inside the Justice Department, the case is viewed as stronger than the prosecutions of Comey and James, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The indictment of Bolton, filed in federal court in Maryland, charges him with eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of retention of national defense information, all in violation of the Espionage Act.

Each count is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, but any sentence would be determined by a judge based on a range of factors.

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In some of the chats described in the indictment, Bolton and his relatives - who are not identified - discussed using some of the material for a book. Bolton referred to the two people with whom he shared his daily notes as his "editors," the indictment said.

"Talking with [book publisher] because they have a right of first refusal!" Bolton wrote in one message, according to the indictment.

The two relatives referred to in the indictment are Bolton's wife and daughter, two people familiar with the matter said.

Bolton served as White House national security adviser during Trump's first term before emerging as one of the president's most vocal critics. Bolton, also a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, described Trump as unfit to be president in a memoir he released last year.

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Asked by reporters at the White House about the Bolton indictment on Thursday, Trump said: "He's a bad guy."

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Jack Queen; Editing by Stephen Coates and Doina Chiacu)
By Sarah N. Lynch and Jack Queen

GREENBELT, Maryland (Reuters) -John Bolton, the national security hawk and former adviser to Donald Trump who has become one of the U.S. president's biggest critics, surrendered on Friday morning on charges of mishandling classified information.

Bolton, who was indicted on Thursday, is the third of Trump's prominent critics to face prosecution in recent weeks, as the U.S. president dispenses with decades-long norms designed to insulate federal law enforcement from political pressures.

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Bolton did not speak with reporters as he arrived at the courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland to surrender. He is expected to face an initial court appearance later in the day.

Bolton and his team were seen entering the U.S. Marshals Service office to surrender.

The indictment alleges that Bolton shared sensitive information with two of his relatives for possible use in a book he was writing, including notes on intelligence briefings and meetings with senior government officials and foreign leaders.

"I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose (Trump's) abuse of power," Bolton said in a statement on Thursday.

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Bolton's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said Bolton did not unlawfully share or store any information.

Trump, a Republican who campaigned for the presidency on a vow of retribution after facing a slew of legal woes once his first term in the White House ended in 2021, has actively pursued his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to bring charges against his perceived adversaries.

That included pushing Bondi's Justice Department to bring charges against his perceived adversaries including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, even driving out a prosecutor he deemed to be moving too slowly in doing so.

The investigation of Bolton was opened in 2022, predating the Trump administration. Inside the Justice Department, the case is viewed as stronger than the prosecutions of Comey and James, according to a person familiar with the matter.

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The indictment of Bolton, filed in federal court in Maryland, charges him with eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of retention of national defense information, all in violation of the Espionage Act.

Each count is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, but any sentence would be determined by a judge based on a range of factors.

In some of the chats described in the indictment, Bolton and his relatives - who are not identified - discussed using some of the material for a book. Bolton referred to the two people with whom he shared his daily notes as his "editors," the indictment said.

"Talking with [book publisher] because they have a right of first refusal!" Bolton wrote in one message, according to the indictment.

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The two relatives referred to in the indictment are Bolton's wife and daughter, two people familiar with the matter said.

Bolton served as White House national security adviser during Trump's first term before emerging as one of the president's most vocal critics. Bolton, also a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, described Trump as unfit to be president in a memoir he released last year.

Asked by reporters at the White House about the Bolton indictment on Thursday, Trump said: "He's a bad guy."

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Jack Queen; Editing by Stephen Coates, Doina Chiacu and Nick Zieminski)
By Sarah N. Lynch and Jack Queen

GREENBELT, Maryland (Reuters) -John Bolton, the national security hawk and former adviser to Donald Trump who has become one of the U.S. president's biggest critics, surrendered on Friday morning on charges of mishandling classified information.

Bolton, who was indicted on Thursday, is the third of Trump's prominent critics to face prosecution in recent weeks, as the U.S. president dispenses with decades-long norms designed to insulate federal law enforcement from political pressures.

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Bolton did not speak with reporters as he arrived at the courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, to surrender. He is expected to appear in court later in the day.

Bolton and his team were seen entering the U.S. Marshals Service office to surrender.

The indictment alleges that Bolton shared sensitive information with two of his relatives for possible use in a book he was writing, including notes on intelligence briefings and meetings with senior government officials and foreign leaders.

"I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose (Trump's) abuse of power," Bolton said in a statement on Thursday.

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Bolton's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said Bolton did not unlawfully share or store any information.

CHARGES AGAINST PERCEIVED ADVERSARIES

Trump, a Republican who campaigned for the presidency on a vow of retribution after facing a slew of legal woes once his first term in the White House ended in 2021, has actively pursued his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to bring charges against his perceived adversaries.

That included pushing Bondi's Justice Department to bring charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, even driving out a prosecutor he deemed to be moving too slowly in doing so.

Advertisement Advertisement

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Bolton served as White House national security adviser during Trump's first term, before emerging as one of the president's most vocal critics. Bolton, also a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, described Trump as unfit to be president in a memoir he released last year.

The investigation of Bolton was opened in 2022, predating the Trump administration. Inside the Justice Department, the case is viewed as stronger than the prosecutions of Comey and James, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The indictment of Bolton, filed in federal court in Maryland, charges him with eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of retention of national defense information, all in violation of the Espionage Act.

Each count is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, but any sentence would be determined by a judge based on a range of factors.

Advertisement Advertisement

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In some of the chats described in the indictment, Bolton and his relatives - who are not identified - discussed using some of the material for a book. Bolton referred to the two people with whom he shared his daily notes as his "editors," the indictment said.

"Talking with (book publisher) because they have a right of first refusal!" Bolton wrote in one message, according to the indictment.

The two relatives referred to in the indictment are Bolton's wife and daughter, two people familiar with the matter said.

Asked by reporters at the White House about the Bolton indictment on Thursday, Trump said: "He's a bad guy."

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Jack Queen; Editing by Stephen Coates, Doina Chiacu and Nick Zieminski)
Oct. 17 (UPI) -- John Bolton, the former national security adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, pleaded not guilty Friday after he turned himself in to federal authorities on charges he illegally held and shared national security information.

Bolton, 76, entered the Greenbelt, Md., federal courthouse with his legal team around 8:30 a.m. EDT. His initial court hearing was slated for later in the day. He proclaimed his innocence in front of federal Judge Timothy Sullivan.

On Thursday, a federal grand jury indicted Bolton on 18 felony counts of holding or sharing "diary-like" documents that he wrote while Trump's national security adviser from 2018 to 2019 during his first term.

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Bolton is now the third Trump foe targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice after former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James after the FBI raided Bolton's home in August.

He said in a statement following the charges that he was the "latest target" of the president's long-mentioned retribution campaign on perceived political enemies, despite Trump's scant evidence and difficulty nailing down grand jury indictments.

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) appears with then-national security adviser John Bolton in Aug. 2019 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. On Thursday, Bolton added that his life's work dedicated to U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives would "never compromise those goals." Bolton's attorney maintains that keeping diary entries is "not a crime." File Photo by Andrew Harrer/UPI

Bolton added Thursday that his life's work dedicated to U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives would "never compromise those goals."

Bolton's attorney, meanwhile, argued that his client keeping diaries was "not a crime."

"These charges stem from portions of Ambassador Bolton's personal diaries over his 45-year career -- records that are unclassified, shared only with his immediate family, and known to the FBI as far back as 2021," according to Washington attorney Abbie Lowell, who was lead trial counsel to Hunter Biden, the son of former U.S. President Joe Biden.
Oct. 16As part of the continued vision to beautify the city, ArtWalk Albert Lea has unveiled more art created by community members of all ages  this time the artwork has been converted into vinyl wraps to cover utility boxes downtown.

Konrad Hawkinson, assistant director of the Albert Lea Convention and Visitors Bureau, said when completed, five utility boxes will be wrapped or covered with art. The first three installed are along Fountain Street and in Central Park. A fourth one will be installed yet this fall, with the last one coming in the spring.

Hawkinson said it has been a longtime vision of the CVB leadership to beautify the boxes.

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The artwork on one of the boxes was created by youth through the STARS Mentoring program. Hawkinson, who is on the STARS Mentoring board, said part of his duties with the organization involves putting together group activities.

He created a doodle day, where the youth could come and create drawings. He said they had an enjoyable time, and the designs were compiled into software to be put on the box.

For the second box, he went through the Albert Lea Senior Center. That box features artwork of the seniors that is quilted together like squares.

"Part of the beautification process was to incorporate local artists of all ages," he said.

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The box at Central Park includes images that various community members have contributed to Albert Lea over the years that are pieced together and given a paint-like texture, making it look like it was hand-painted or drawn.

The fourth box will feature a large ArtWalk Albert Lea logo, and the fifth box will feature work of a longtime local artist.

The vinyl wraps are made at Sparkling Image in Alden and Southern Minnesota Branding in Albert Lea.

"It is exciting to see local artists come together and beautify our downtown," he said. "We have a lot to offer in Albert Lea, and art is one of them we need to push forward on."

Hawkinson said organizers are open to other submissions as well for additional boxes, whether that's for something to convert into a vinyl wrap or something to be painted directly onto a utility box.
By John Irish

PARIS (Reuters) -A senior Belarusian diplomat has held meetings with Europeans after his country sent out invitations last month, in what European diplomats called an overture to reduce Minsk's isolation after a thaw with Washington under Donald Trump.

Senior officials from Belarus have largely been persona non grata in the EU since Europe imposed sanctions in the wake of a sweeping crackdown on opposition protests following a disputed election in 2020. Sanctions have been tightened repeatedly since Minsk backed Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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But at least one European diplomat said he had had a recent meeting with Yuri Ambrazevich, a former deputy foreign minister of Belarus, posted in March to Rome as Minsk's ambassador to the Vatican and tasked with reaching out to European countries.

DIPLOMAT 'INFORMALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING CONTACTS'

Ambrazevich sought to pass on a message that Belarus was seeking to break its political isolation, and could play roles in finding a negotiated solution between Russia and Ukraine and in future talks on European security, the diplomat said.

The Belarusian embassy in Paris, where Ambrazevich is also accredited as envoy to the U.N. cultural body UNESCO, sent an emailed invitation at the end of September to a number of European countries' missions inviting diplomats to meet him.

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The email, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters, said Ambrazevich was "now informally responsible for coordinating Belarusian diplomatic contacts in the capitals of Western Europe" and requested meetings in Paris on October 6, 8 or 9.

The Belarusian embassy told Reuters Ambrazevich had "requested several meetings with his fellow ambassadors accredited to France, in accordance with standard diplomatic practice".

Three other European diplomats confirmed their countries had received the invitations, and that some countries had agreed to meet Ambrazevich. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity. Reuters could not independently determine how many countries had received the invitations or which had accepted them.

"I think they feel there is a window that's now opened with Trump to get their sanctions dropped so they are seizing it," said one of the diplomats.

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THAW WITH TRUMP

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been isolated for years by Western sanctions. But since Trump took office and reached out to Moscow, Washington has increased engagement with Belarus, sending multiple delegations to Minsk this year.

In recent weeks Trump has phoned Lukashenko, praising him as a "highly respected" leader. He sent an envoy to Belarus for talks that led to the freeing of more than 50 political prisoners in mid-September. In return, Washington eased sanctions on Minsk's state airline Belavia to give it access to spare parts.

CHARM OFFENSIVE MET WITH SCEPTICISM

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Two of the diplomats described the outreach to Europeans as a charm offensive that sought to take advantage of Trump's rapprochement and demonstrate that Minsk was not completely beholden to Moscow.

"They say they don't want escalation of the conflict so what they want now is to have an open line of discussion with other states and to underline their differences from Russia," said one.

U.S. officials say the Trump administration hopes to draw Belarus out of Moscow's geopolitical orbit, even if only to a degree. But some Europeans see this as unlikely, given Lukashenko's heavy dependence - politically, economically and militarily - on his much larger neighbour.

One of the European diplomats who confirmed the invitation to meet Ambrazevich viewed the move sceptically, noting Lukashenko's continued support for Putin. The diplomat said Belarus had arrested more opposition figures immediately after the release of the prisoners in September.

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Minsk and Moscow held joint military exercises in September, and Lukashenko proposed building a nuclear power station in eastern Belarus that could provide electricity to Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the exiled Belarusian opposition, voiced unease about the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Belavia and urged the EU to keep sanctions in place "until there are systemic and irreversible democratic changes in Belarus".

A major goal for Lukashenko would be easing sanctions on potash fertiliser from Belarus, its sole world-leading product, and the restoration of the landlocked country's access to Baltic ports to ship it. But the exiled Belarusian opposition, which has the backing of Baltic EU member states, has strongly opposed any such move.

"I don't see, for now, Lithuanians or Latvians' readiness to lift those sanctions from Lukashenko," said Pavel Slunkin, a former Belarusian diplomat now living outside the country.

(Additional reporting by Mark TrevelyanEditing by Peter Graff)
By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. military carried out a new strike on Thursday against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean, and in what is believed to be the first such case, there were survivors among the crew, a U.S. official told Reuters.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not offer additional details about the incident, which has not been previously reported. But it raises new questions, including whether the U.S. military rendered aid to the survivors and whether they are now in U.S. military custody.

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The Pentagon, which has labeled those it has targeted in the strikes as narcoterrorists, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Prior to Thursday's operation, U.S. military strikes against suspected drug boats off Venezuela killed at least 27 people, raising alarms among some legal experts and Democratic lawmakers, who question whether they adhere to the laws of war.

The Trump administration argues the U.S. is already engaged in a war with narcoterrorist groups from Venezuela, making the strikes legitimate.

Videos presented by the Trump administration of previous attacks showed vessels being completely destroyed, and there have been no prior accounts of survivors.

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The strikes come against the backdrop of a U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean that includes guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and around 6,500 troops as President Donald Trump escalates a standoff with the Venezuelan government.

On Wednesday, Trump disclosed he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, adding to speculation in Caracas that the United States is attempting to topple Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In a letter to the United Nations' 15-member Security Council, seen by Reuters, Venezuela's U.N. Ambassador Samuel Moncada asked for a U.N. determination that the U.S. strikes off its coast are illegal and issue a statement backing Venezuela's sovereignty.

Less than a week ago, the Pentagon announced its counter-narcotics operations in the region would not be led by the Miami-based Southern Command, which oversees U.S. military activities in Latin America.

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Instead, the Pentagon said a taskforce was being created that would be led by II Marine Expeditionary Force, a unit capable of rapid overseas operations that is based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

That decision came as a surprise to U.S. military-watchers, since a combatant command like Southern Command would normally lead any high-profile operations.

Earlier on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the admiral who leads U.S. Southern Command will step down at the end of this year, two years ahead of schedule, in a surprise move.

The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed, called Admiral Alvin Holsey's unexpected resignation troubling given mounting fears of a potential U.S. confrontation with Venezuela.

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"Admiral Holsey's resignation only deepens my concern that this administration is ignoring the hard-earned lessons of previous U.S. military campaigns and the advice of our most experienced warfighters," Reed said in a statement.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Chris Reese and Lincoln Feast.)
By Jana Winter, Ted Hesson and Marisa Taylor

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has promised tens of thousands of federal agents carrying out his immigration crackdown that they will be paid during the government shutdown, according to emails seen by Reuters, even as other federal workers go without pay.

The pay plan was communicated to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection staff on Wednesday in separate internal emails seen by Reuters.

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After Reuters first reported the plan, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement that more than 70,000 law enforcement officers across DHS including those at CBP, ICE, Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration will be paid.

They are to receive by October 22 a "supercheck" covering pay for all hours worked during the shutdown period and the next pay period, she said.

The decision shields the personnel, who are implementing one of Trump's top domestic priorities in the face of mounting public criticism, from the financial hardship many federal workers are experiencing during the shutdown.

The Trump administration has also said it will pay military troops and FBI agents during the shutdown.

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The shutdown, which started October 1, has suspended salary payments for hundreds of thousands of federal workers, even as many of them are still required to work because their jobs are considered essential.

It was not clear what funding ICE and CBP would use to provide pay to the workers. DHS did not answer a question about where the funding was coming from.

According to a detailed plan published shortly before the shutdown took effect, roughly 97% of CBP's 67,000 workers are funded through annual appropriations, which ran out on September 30 due to a dispute between Republicans and Democrats in Congress over healthcare subsidies.

Likewise, 95% of ICE's 22,000 workers are funded through annual spending legislation.

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ICE, CBP, and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.

The decision affects ICE officers and Border Patrol agents who have been assigned to the administration's law enforcement surge in Democratic-leaning cities like Chicago, as well as customs officers tasked with fighting fentanyl smuggling, another administration priority.

CBP officials told union representatives on Wednesday afternoon that a reclassification of the funding source for their pay would allow some of the department's employees to receive paychecks. The agency's published shutdown plan specifies that they would not be paid, even though they would still be required to work.

The following positions have been declared exempt: Air and Marine Agents, Border Patrol Agents and CBP Officers, as determined by management, CBP officials told union representatives in an email reviewed by Reuters.

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The National Treasury Employees Union, which represents customs officers, also told its members they would start getting paid, according to a message seen by Reuters.

AIR MARSHALS TO RECEIVE PAYCHECKS

Separately, the TSA, which like ICE and CBP is overseen by the DHS, informed federal air marshals that they will start getting paid during the shutdown, according to internal agency emails reviewed by Reuters.

Two government officials separately confirmed that the 50,000 TSA officers that staff airport security checkpoints are not part of the group that will be paid.

In 2019, during a 35-day shutdown, the number of absences by controllers and TSA officers rose as workers missed paychecks, extending checkpoint wait times at some airports. Authorities were forced to slow air traffic in New York, which put pressure on lawmakers to quickly end the standoff.

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Trump has sought to punish his Democratic opponents during the shutdown by freezing billions of dollars in funding and laying off thousands of workers at agencies like the Education Department that have traditionally been championed by Democratic lawmakers.

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the administration from carrying out those layoffs for the time being.

The shutdown has disrupted a wide range of government services, from consumer protection to flood insurance. A 2019 law requires workers to be paid retroactively when the shutdown ends, though Trump's administration has questioned that interpretation.

(Reporting by Jana Winter, Ted Hesson, Marisa Taylor and David Shepardson; Editing by Andy Sullivan, Nia Williams and Cynthia Osterman)
(Reuters) -The U.S. military is holding two survivors aboard a Navy ship after rescuing them in the aftermath of a U.S. strike on Thursday on a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean that killed two others, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

President Donald Trump's administration has informed Congress that the strikes are part of a U.S. war on narcoterrorism, raising the possibility that the strike survivors are the first prisoners of war in that campaign.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali)
By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

(Reuters) -The U.S. military is holding two survivors aboard a Navy ship after rescuing them from a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean hit by a U.S. strike that killed two others, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

The disclosure, which has not been previously reported, raises the possibility that the survivors from Thursday's strike are the first prisoners of war in a conflict declared by President Donald Trump against a "narcoterrorist" threat he says is emanating from Venezuela.

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The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

One of the sources said the vessel struck on Thursday moved below the water and was possibly a semi-submersible, which is a submarine-like vessel used by drug traffickers to avoid detection.

Prior to Thursday's operation, U.S. military strikes against suspected drug boats off Venezuela had not left any known survivors and videos presented by the Trump administration showed vessels being destroyed.

The Trump administration has said the previous strikes killed 27 people, raising alarms among some legal experts and Democratic lawmakers, who question whether they adhere to the laws of war.

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The strikes come against the backdrop of a U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean that includes guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and around 6,500 troops as Trump escalates a standoff with the Venezuelan government.

On Wednesday, Trump disclosed he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, adding to speculation in Caracas that the United States is attempting to topple Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Alistair Bell)
By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

(Reuters) -The U.S. military is holding two survivors aboard a Navy ship after rescuing them from a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean hit by a U.S. strike that killed two others, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

The disclosure, which has not been previously reported, raises the possibility that the survivors from Thursday's strike are the first prisoners of war in a conflict declared by President Donald Trump against a "narcoterrorist" threat he says is emanating from Venezuela.

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The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

One of the sources said the vessel struck on Thursday moved below the water and was possibly a semi-submersible, which is a submarine-like vessel used by drug traffickers to avoid detection.

Five sources familiar with the matter said the U.S. military staged a helicopter rescue to pick up the survivors of the attack and bring them back to the U.S. warship.

Prior to Thursday's operation, U.S. military strikes against suspected drug boats off Venezuela had not left any known survivors and videos presented by the Trump administration showed vessels being destroyed.

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The Trump administration has said the previous strikes killed 27 people, raising alarms among some legal experts and Democratic lawmakers, who question whether they adhere to the laws of war.

The strikes come against the backdrop of a U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean that includes guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and around 6,500 troops as Trump escalates a standoff with the Venezuelan government.

On Wednesday, Trump disclosed he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, adding to speculation in Caracas that the United States is attempting to topple Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In a letter this week to the United Nations' 15-member Security Council, seen by Reuters, Venezuela's U.N. Ambassador Samuel Moncada asked for a U.N. determination that the U.S. strikes off its coast are illegal and to issue a statement backing Venezuela's sovereignty.

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Earlier this month, the Pentagon disclosed to Congress in a notification reviewed by Reuters that Trump has determined the United States is engaged in "a non-international armed conflict."

The document aimed to explain the Trump administration's legal rationale for unleashing U.S. military force in the Caribbean.

Less than a week ago, the Pentagon announced its counter-narcotics operations in the region would not be led by the Miami-based Southern Command, which oversees U.S. military activities in Latin America.

Instead, the Pentagon said a task force was being created that would be led by II Marine Expeditionary Force, a unit capable of rapid overseas operations that is based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

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That decision came as a surprise to U.S. military-watchers, since a combatant command like Southern Command would normally lead any high-profile operations.

On Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the admiral who leads U.S. Southern Command will step down at the end of this year, two years ahead of schedule, in a surprise move.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Alistair Bell)
Tennessee-based regional bank, First Horizon (FHN), reported its Q3 2025 results yesterday, before the markets opened. While they were reasonably strong, they weren't enough for investors, causing FHN stock to decline nearly 10% on the day.

The price drop could have been an example of the adage, Buy on rumor, sell on news. Alternatively, it might have been due to the fear-mongering by JPMorgan & Chase (JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon, whose comments about cockroaches generated considerable controversy.

More News from Barchart

Whatever the reasons, it was a blow for long-time First Horizon shareholders, erasing 75% of their gains in 2025. On the plus side, theyre still up 98% over the past five years, more than double the performance of the iShares U.S. Regional Banks ETF (IAT).

In yesterdays options trading, FHNs volume was 173,468, the second-highest daily volume in 2025, 5.8 times the 30-day average.

As a result of the increased activity, the regional banks stock had 11 unusually active options yesterday  eight calls and three puts  with two in the top 12.

Whether youre bullish or bearish on its stock,

First Horizons unusual options activity reveals three standout trades.

FHN Income Strategy

Im going to reach outside my comfort zone on this one, opting for a Stock Repair strategy, also known as a Covered Ratio Spread. Its not something Ive recommended before. Theres a first time for everything.

In this situation, you already own 200 shares of First Horizon stock. Well say you bought them on Dec. 31, 2024, at the days low of $20.04.

Based on yesterdays closing price, youre sitting on a slight loss over eight months. You use this strategy to recover some or all of your original $4,008 investment, and if possible, some of the profits lost from yesterdays trading. You are unwilling to buy more shares.

The strategy combines a Covered Call and a Bull Call Spread. You want to buy one ATM (at the money) call and sell two calls with a higher strike price.

Of the eight calls from yesterdays unusual options activity, three had expiration dates of around 90.

In this example, you would buy one long $21 call expiring on January 16, 2026, and sell two short $22 or $28 calls.
By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. military carried out a new strike on Thursday against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean, and in what appeared to be a first, there were survivors among the crew, a U.S. official told Reuters.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not offer additional details about the incident, which has not been previously reported.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Prior to Thursday's operation, U.S. military strikes against suspected drug boats off Venezuela killed at least 27 people, raising alarms among some legal experts and Democratic lawmakers, who question whether they adhere to the laws of war.

The Trump administration argues the United States is already engaged in a war with narcoterrorist groups from Venezuela, making the strikes legitimate.

Videos presented by the Trump administration of previous attacks showed vessels being completely destroyed, and there have been no prior accounts of survivors.

The strikes come against the backdrop of a military buildup in the Caribbean that includes U.S.-guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and around 6,500 troops as President Donald Trump escalates a standoff with the Venezuelan government.

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On Wednesday, Trump disclosed he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, adding to speculation in Caracas that the United States is attempting to topple Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; additional reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Chris Reese)
A South Carolina inmate who killed a man, burned his eyes with cigarettes and then wrote "catch me if u can" on the wall with the victim's blood more than 20 years ago has been scheduled to be executed next month.

The state Supreme Court issued the death warrant Friday for Stephen Bryant, 44. The court denied a request from Bryant's lawyers, who asked for a delay because they work with the federal court system and the U.S. government is shut down.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review Bryant's death sentence.

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While Bryant is being put to death Nov. 14 for one killing, prosecutors said he also shot and killed two other men he was giving rides to as they were reliving themselves on the side of the road during a few weeks that terrorized Sumter County in October 2004.

Bryant will be the 50th person executed in South Carolina since the state restarted the death penalty in 1985 and the seventh inmate put to death in less than 14 months since the state was able to obtain a drug for lethal injection and reopen the death chamber after an unintentional 13-year pause.

Bryant will have until Oct. 31 to choose if he wants to die by lethal injection, firing squad or in the electric chair. Since the long pause, four inmates have chosen lethal injection and two have died by bullets.

A total of 38 men have been executed so far this year in the U.S., with an inmate scheduled to die Friday by lethal injection in Arizona. At least five other executions are set in the U.S. during the rest of 2025.

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Taunts written in blood on the wall

Bryant admitted to killing Willard "TJ" Tietjen after stopping by his secluded home in rural Sumter County and saying he had car trouble.

Tietjen was shot several times. Candles were lit around his body. Someone took a potholder made by his daughter when she was child, dipped the corner in blood and wrote "victem 4 in 2 weeks. catch me if u can" on the wall, authorities said.

Tietjen's daughter called him several times, getting more worried when he didn't answer. On the sixth call, she testified a strange voice answered.

The person on the other end told her she had the right number. Then she demanded to speak to her father.

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"And he said 'you can't, I killed him.' And I said, 'this isn't funny, who are you?' He said, 'I'm the prowler.' And I said, 'excuse me, who are you?' He said, 'I'm the prowler,'" Kimberly Dees testified before a judge who determined Bryant's sentence.

Killings terrorized a South Carolina county

Prosecutors said Bryant also killed two men  one before and one after Tietjen. He gave the men rides and when they got out to urinate on the side of lonely, rural roads he shot them in the back.

As deputies frantically looked for the killer, many of the 100,000 people in Sumter County lived in fear over the random attacks. Officers stopped nearly everyone driving on dirt roads and told people to be leery of anyone they did not know asking for help.

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Bryant used drugs to blunt pain from alleged sex abuse

Bryant's lawyers said he was troubled in the months before the killing, begging a probation agent and his aunt to get him help because he couldn't stop thinking about being sexually abused by four male relatives when he was a child.

"He was very upset. He looked like he was being tortured. It's like his soul was just laid wide open. In his eyes you could see he was hurting and suffering and he was living the abuse over again as it was coming out," aunt Terry Caulder testified.

Bryant tried to help himself through the pain by using meth and smoking joints he sprayed with bug killer, his defense attorneys said.

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Previous inmates executed have said methods are cruel

The six inmates executed in South Carolina since September 2024 have argued the state's methods are cruel and unusual punishments, but have not been able to stop their deaths.

With the firing squad, attorneys for the inmates say the three volunteers with rifles nearly missed the heart of the second man killed, Mikal Mahdi. They suggested Mahdi was in agonizing pain for three or four times longer than experts say he would have been if his heart had been hit directly.

In contrast, the autopsy on Brad Sigmon, the first man killed by firing squad in the state, showed three distinct bullet wounds and his heart was obliterated, according to Dr. Jonathan Arden, a pathologist hired by attorneys for condemned inmates.

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Condemned inmates have also scrutinized the lethal injection procedures, which appear to now use two doses of the powerful sedative pentobarbital. They said inmates drown in a rush of fluid into their lungs but are paralyzed and cannot react.

Witnesses to the four executions have not seen any signs of struggle and report the prisoners appear to have lost consciousness in about a minute.

FILE - This undated photo provided by the South Carolina Department of Corrections shows the state's death chamber in Columbia, S.C., including the electric chair, right, and a firing squad chair, left. (South Carolina Department of Corrections via AP, File) / Credit: / AP

According to the Death Penalty Information Center, South Carolina currently has 29 inmates on death row. No clemencies have ever been granted in the state.

The state's longest-serving death row inmate, Fred Singleton, died of natural causes last week at 81 years old.

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Millions of Americans are expected to gather Saturday for another round of No Kings demonstrations protesting authoritarianism under President Donald Trump, who, in recent months, has sicced the National Guard and immigration agents on blue strongholds, pressured the Justice Department to charge his politicalenemies and used his power to wield control over mediagiants.

While House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has claimed the 2,500-plus protests are being arranged by the pro-Hamas wing and the Antifa people, the actual groups helping rally protesters include Indivisible, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign and the American Federation of Teachers.

Ive had it with these people, Johnson complained on Fox News last week.

Demonstrators march in the No Kings protest with a President Donald Trump balloon in Los Angeles on June 14. via Associated Press

If the size of Junes No King protests are any indication, Saturdays events will be widespread and massively attended. The one in late spring drew around 5 million people and is thought to be one of the largest single-day coordinated protest events in U.S. history, organizers said.

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And while a map of events shows huge clusters of protests planned in blue areas, there are still more than a dozen each in deep-red Wyoming and Oklahoma.

This is bigger than political disagreement, the official No Kings website states. This administration has defied our courts, deported American citizens, disappeared people off the streets, and slashed our services  all while orchestrating a massive giveaway to their billionaire allies. Enough is enough.

Thousands of demonstrators marched to San Francisco City Hall for June's No Kings marches. Anadolu via Getty Images

This time, there will be one in Washington, D.C. For the June events, organizers asked people to keep their protests outside the capital, where Trump was holding a more sparsely attended military parade on his birthday, saying they wanted the center of gravity on June 14 everywhere President Trump isnt.

D.C. is one of the cities where Trump has deployed out-of-state National Guard troops since August, with the White House claiming violence there is out of control. In reality, D.C. violent crime rates have significantly dropped since a spike in 2023 and remain dramatically lower than those of the 1990s.

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Republicans like Texas Gov. Greg Abbott say they already plan to deploy National Guard troops to the protests, describing them as a planned antifa-linked demonstration.

People demonstrate against the Trump administration during the No Kings rally in downtown Austin, Texas, in June. SERGIO FLORES via Getty Images

Hes one of several Republicans indicating they expect the protests to get violent, even though Junes gatherings were largely peaceful. There was one fatal shooting at a Salt Lake City protest and some people injured by people who drove their cars intoprotesters.

Ezra Levin, the co-founder of Indivisible, told HuffPost on Wednesday that its obvious to him why the GOP is railing against the marches.

Politics: Crowds Turn Out Against Would-Be Autocrat Trump Just Blocks From His Seat Of Power

I dont think its that complicated, he said. The one thing an unpopular authoritarian regime is scared of is mass, organized, peaceful people-power. That is it.

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People interested in arranging a protest in their area can do so using the No Kings toolkit.

Related...

Read the original on HuffPost
AUSITN (KXAN)  Homeland Security officials are closely monitoring the No Kings protests planned in Austin and Central Texas on Saturday.

Gov. Greg Abbott has National Guard troops on standby. He also claimed the protests are antifa-linked, but organizers said thats not the case, and the event should be peaceful.

How many people? Where? When?

Sophia Mitro, one of the protest organizers, expects around 20,000 to 30,000 people to show up.

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Where No Kings protests are expected in Central Texas

Saturdays protest will start at the Texas Capitol at 2 p.m., where some leaders will speak about the movement. At 2:30 p.m., protesters are expected to march together to Auditorium Shores. From 3 to 5:30 p.m., protesters will meet with dozens of organizations to continue protesting.

National Guard Troops

On Thursday, Abbott announced he will deploy both Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troops as well as the Texas National Guard.

Texas will deter criminal mischief and work with local law enforcement to arrest anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property, the governor said.

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Mayor Kirk Watson said the Guard will not be on the streets of Austin unless there is a determination that there is an emergency need.

Austin Police Department

APD is fully prepared for Saturdays protests.

The Austin Police Department fully supports and upholds our communitys constitutional right to peacefully assemble, Chief Lisa Davis said. We will take appropriate action when individuals engage in illegal acts that threaten the safety of others or damage property. Those responsible will be held accountable.

The department will once again utilize its Dialogue Police Team to assist demonstrators, answer questions, and help ensure that lawful expression occurs safely.

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Additionally, APD will post hourly updates on its social media pages about protest happenings.

What happened at the last No Kings protest in Austin?

Two major protests happened in the city in June, an anti-ICE protest on June 9 and a No Kings protest on June 14.

June 9 was a Monday. The protest began in the evening and lasted until after 10 p.m.

Thirteen people were arrested and four officers were hurt, according to law enforcement. Two of APDs eight arrests were felonies. Officers arrested and charged a woman, accusing her of spitting on an officer. That case is still open. The other felony charge was ultimately dropped to misdemeanor riot participation. One charge got dropped completely, and another was reduced to the equivalent of a traffic ticket.

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Troopers arrested five people that night. Three still face third-degree felonies in connection with tagging a building. Two people had their charges dropped.

Following the June 9 protest, Watson had a similar message to his sentiments ahead of this weekends protest, encouraging free speech and denouncing violence.

The June 14 No Kings protest, which was far larger than the June 9 event, resulted in three arrests, three officers injured, and three instances of officers using force.

Formula 1 is also happening, how does impact traffic flow?

Formula 1 has two major events on Saturday: a sprint race and a qualifying session. Wesley Lucus with Visit Austin said the race brings a lot of people out of town, into the city.

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According to a 2021 study, about 65% of folks are from out of state  so lots of visitors in town, Lucas said. Looking at last years race, the average daily rate for downtown from Thursday to Sunday was $739. Thats hugely high for our city. Across the city was about $477.

Gideon Swords is a bartender at Saturn Cocktail Club, which is located on congress where protesting will be marching. Swords said he expects a lot of foot traffic to come inside their business with the protest an Formula 1.

We staff up and we have these things set out a couple of weeks in advance just to be ready for whatever could happen, Swords said.

Lucas said that its important to plan in advance to avoid any traffic in the area.

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Check out your routes, whether its your app, to make sure that you know where the traffic flow patterns are, Lucas said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Warning: This article contains images of a man being shot by police and then bitten and dragged by a police dog.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  The shooting of a man by Grand Rapids police last month has left his family with unanswered questions, especially after the department declined to release body camera video.

But an expert in police tactics who reviewed doorbell camera video obtained by Target 8 said he believes the shooting was justified. He said he also believes police were justified when they used a police dog to bite and drag the injured man, Xzavion Troutman, before he was arrested.

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Man shot by GRPD had recently been discharged from psych unit after stabbing himself

New Ring camera video provided to Target 8 by the family shows what happened after Troutman was shot and injured by police. Officers tried for a little more than two minutes to get him to respond after he fell face down in the grass outside his brothers home on the citys West Side. They got no response. Then they brought out the police dog on a leash.

Xzavion, put your left hand out from underneath you or youre going to get bit by a dog, an officer can be heard commanding.

Then another warning before an officer released the dog, which bit Troutmans lower left leg. Troutman moaned.

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Hands are out, hands are out. Lets take him into custody, an officer said as the dog dragged Troutman.

A still image from doorbell camera video shows a police dog dragging Xzavion Troutman after he was shot by Grand Rapids police on Sept. 25, 2025.

Troutmans mother Pauline Irving said she understands why police shot her son. In fact, she said she believes the shooting was justified, at least based on what she saw on the Ring video  but she questions the need for the dog.

It almost broke me. It was really hard to see, Irving said of the video. For them to let the dog go, I thought that was just like an overkill.

She said her son, who has a history of mental illness, suffered not only gunshot wounds, but also a bite wound to his left calf.

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He cant walk. Hes in a wheelchair, she said.

An undated courtesy photo of Xzavion Troutman.

Troutman was paroled in May 2025 from prison, where he was serving time for assault and possession of meth. Then, in mid-September he was discharged from a psych hospital after stabbing himself in the neck 8 to 10 times about two weeks earlier.

At Target 8s request, Roy Taylor, a former police chief and now a training consultant, reviewed the doorbell camera video of the shooting and the deployment of the dog.

It was on Sept. 25 that his brother called 911 to report Troutman had pulled a knife on him at the brothers home on Broadway Avenue NW. The doorbell video shows officers trying to talk Troutman into leaving the house peacefully.

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Police say Troutman charged officers with a knife, leading two officers to deploy Tasers, which were ineffective.

Somebody running like that, the Taser is probably not going to hit, Taylor said. Theyve got almost a 40% fail ratio even if they do hit, so its not the beat-all, end-all weapon that everybody would have liked it to be, being that its less lethal.

The officers then shot Troutman, striking him multiple times.

They dont have a choice. I mean, hes armed with a fairly large kitchen knife, it appeared, that can certainly do a lot of damage to a police officer if theyre struck in the neck or the face or the lower abdomen, femur, anywhere theyre not wearing protective armor, Taylor said. It can certainly do a lot of damage, so that would fall into the category of deadly force.

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As for the dog, Taylor said, certainly theres bad optics, and I say any use of force may be lawful, but it looks awful, and these arent choreographed events and the dog was appropriately used.

If they can justify that they were worried that the knife was still in his possession and if they would get within striking range, they could be seriously injured, thats when K-9s are used.

He questioned why the Grand Rapids Police Department has refused to release bodycam video. In a press release, GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom said it was to protect the privacy of the man and his family.

We are hopeful that this will contribute to this person getting the care he needs, Winstrom said in the release.

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Citing family concerns, GRPD choosing not to release video of shooting at this time

News 8 has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the video and was told it would take at least six months.

In a similar police shooting that injured a man in December 2023, GRPD released bodycam video within a day or two. That man, Nodin Chervenka, also had a history of mental illness. The shooting was ruled justified.

It would certainly make you wonder, well, why did they not show it right away? Taylor said of the latest case. Why are they being difficult in releasing it? But based on what we can see here, I cant see any reason that they wouldnt release it.

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It was Troutmans mom who provided both Ring camera videos to Target 8. She wants to know what happened in the minutes before the Ring camera started recording. She said she now wants police to release the bodycam video.

I think it would be fine for the public to see because if they did everything they could, theres nothing to hide anyway, she said.

In a text message to Target 8 Friday, the chief defended his decision to release video in the 2023 Nodin Chervenka shooting but not the most recent.

In determining what information to release, GRPD seeks to balance the publics interest with privacy concerns and the impact release of information could have on the investigation, Winstrom wrote. While both shootings took place outside, Nodin did not have a connection to the location, while the Sep 25 incident occurred in front of the subjects familys home. In Nodins case, the incident started in a public store where the subject was interacting with members of the community leading those in the area to call 911. The circumstances leading up to the Sep 25 incident took place inside a private residence with family members. Additionally, I was made aware that Nodins injuries resulted in critical injuries while those sustained in the recent shooting resulted in serious but non-life threatening injuries.

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Troutmans mom said she has spoken to her son, who told her he was high at the time and panicked, but that he wasnt trying to hurt police officers. She said he was shot in the arm and the pelvis, suffering injuries to his bladder and intestines. Troutman is recovering in a state prison hospital after violating parole.

Michigan State Police are investigating the shooting and will turn over the case to the Kent County Prosecutors Office, which would determine if it was justified.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
The key to protecting today's children from a dangerous product commonly sold at convenience stores may be simpler than it seems  and pay dividends for the health of future generations and the planet. A team led by University College London and King's College London researchers revealed in a news release that plain packaging may deter children and teenagers from vaping.

Despite indications that vaping is a marginally better option than smoking cigarettes, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that no tobacco products are safe, particularly for youth, as nicotine can impede brain development.

Since nicotine is highly addictive, youth who vape are also likely to continue, adding to a growing pile of toxic plastic and electronic waste. They may also be at higher risk of switching to cigarettes. Billions of cigarette butts end up contaminating waterways every year.

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Most vapes are sold in bright packaging, as the Manchester Evening News highlighted. The researchers found that more than half of youth indicated they'd be interested in vaping when viewing products in this type of vibrant branded packaging.

In contrast, standardized packaging with black and white lettering resulted in a 15-point decline in interest in vaping. Only 38% of youth found these vapes appealing.

The study found no difference in the vaping interest of adults. "Standardised packaging and limiting flavour descriptors reduced youth appeal but had minimal effect on adults' interest or harm perception," the researchers wrote in The Lancet Regional Health Europe.

Lead author Eve Taylor, with UCL's Department of Behavioural Science and Health, suggested her team's work could support a push for stricter vape packaging regulations.

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A vape packaging makeover wouldn't be the first push for changes involving tobacco marketing. In 1997, for example, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission charged the Joe Camel advertising campaign with violating federal law because the cartoon mascot successfully targeted children. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. halted the push less than two months later.

"Vape packaging and flavour regulations need to strike a delicate balance. They must aim to deter young people and people who do not smoke, while at the same time avoid discouraging people who smoke from using vaping to quit," Taylor said. "... This gets us close to striking that balance."

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Amid the U.S. federal government shutdown that started on October 1, conservationists are urging visitors to stay away from all 433 U.S. national parks until the government reopens.

What's happening?

The National Parks Conservation Association said reduced staffing means visitors will be largely on their own, with limited facilities and little help available in case of emergencies.

The National Park Service is keeping parks partially open, but with more than half of its workforce on leave or furlough, the remaining rangers are stretched thin, despite national parks attracting around 330 million visitors annually.

Why is the shutdown concerning?

Conservation groups and former park rangers have said that leaving the parks open puts both visitors and the environment at risk.

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With the government shutdown, the NPS lacks the communication staff needed to alert visitors about hazards, closures, or dangerous conditions, an issue made worse by mass layoffs by the Trump administration earlier this year.

"We wouldn't recommend going into them over the weekend," Kristen Brengel, the NPCA's senior vice president of government affairs, told the BBC. "You're really taking your chances going in with a limited staff."

During the last government shutdown in 2018-19, visitors vandalized protected areas, looted historical sites, and left behind piles of trash. Former park superintendents said iconic landmarks were damaged and habitats destroyed during that period.

Experts warn that limited oversight could lead to off-roading in protected areas, wildlife poaching, and damage to sensitive ecosystems and cultural sites.

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"We saw off-roading, damage to petroglyphs, wildlife poaching, and even some facilities were broken into," Brengel added. "One of our concerns is that once this shutdown is over, and if any damage happens to national parks, there are fewer people to take care of them."

Visiting green spaces isn't just enjoyable; it can also improve your mental health and provide your lungs with clean, non-polluted air. Experiencing these areas and the wildlife within them is a privilege we can't take for granted, and we must protect them.

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

What's being done about park closures?

Dozens of former park superintendents have called on Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to close the parks entirely, calling the decision to keep them partially open "reckless" and "dangerous."

Meanwhile, lawmakers from both parties have insisted on keeping parks accessible despite the risks.

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"It's the economic impact," said Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper, per the BBC. "It's the emotional impact. In stressful times like this, parks are where a lot of people go to massage their spirit."

The NPCA is urging anyone concerned about the parks to take action and send a message to Secretary Burgum to close them during the shutdown.

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By Guy Faulconbridge and Olena Harmash

MOSCOW/KYIV (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest soon to discuss a way to end the war in Ukraine.

What might a peace deal look like?

WHO WOULD GET WHAT?

Russia controls more than 116,000 square km (44,800 square miles), or more than 19% of Ukraine, an area just under half the size of the United Kingdom, according to the Russian military.

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Russia says Crimea, which Moscow took in 2014, Donetsk and Luhansk - together known as Donbas - as well as Zaporizhzhia and Kherson are now legally parts of Russia.

Three sources familiar with Kremlin thinking said after Putin's August summit with Trump that Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw from the parts of Donetsk that Ukrainian forces control - around 20%, about 5,300 square km.

That is less than his original 2024 demand for Kyiv to cede the entirety of Donbas plus Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south, an area of nearly 20,000 square km.

Russia wants Western leaders to recognise Crimea, which was handed to Ukraine in 1954 by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, as part of Russia, citing their recognition of Kosovo as independent in 2008 against the wishes of Russia and Serbia.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has acknowledged that some Russian-occupied territories might be recognised as temporarily de-facto occupied but has ruled out any de jure recognition. He says he does not have a mandate to give away territory and that any withdrawal would expose both Ukraine and its European allies to new Russian attacks.

WHAT ABOUT NATO?

One of Putin's most important conditions for ending the war is a demand that Western leaders pledge in writing to stop enlarging the U.S.-led military alliance NATO eastwards; Russian officials cite an assurance to that effect from U.S. Secretary of State James Baker to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990.

NATO leaders agreed in 2008 that Ukraine and Georgia would one day become members and Ukraine has enshrined the path to NATO and the EU in its constitution. It says any change would have to be agreed in a referendum, an unlikely prospect.

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Trump has said that previous U.S. support for Ukraine's NATO membership bid was a cause of the war, and has indicated that Ukraine will not get membership.

NATO says it is up to individual countries whether they want to join the alliance but that it is not discussing NATO membership for Ukraine but rather a security guarantee.

HOW WOULD SECURITY GUARANTEES WORK?

Ukraine wants a way to guarantee that it will not be invaded again, but the West is anxious not to sign up to anything that could lock it into a future war with Russia, the world's biggest nuclear power. The EU and NATO have so far focused on practical support, infrastructure readiness, and strategic deterrence.

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Russia is keen to resurrect a draft agreement from April 2022 envisaging permanent neutrality for Ukraine in return for security guarantees from the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

Ukraine and its European allies have said Moscow is not a reliable guarantor and neutrality for Ukraine would leave Europe exposed.

Moscow has also demanded limits on Ukraine's armed forces and protection for Russian speakers and Orthodox believers. Kyiv rules out any limits on its armed forces and says Russian speakers already have all the protections they need, citing the fact that the first language of Zelenskiy himself is Russian.

TRADE PROSPECTS AND FROZEN ASSETS

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After speaking to Putin on Thursday, Trump mentioned the prospect of resuming U.S.-Russia trade if peace was achieved. Many in Washington have been troubled by the "no limits" partnership between Putin and China's Xi Jinping - and have proposed trying to bring Russia closer to the United States.

Particularly important for Russia would be the ability to use the U.S. dollar in global transactions and the opening up of Western financial institutions to Russian money again.

European powers are searching for a way to finance Ukraine's defence and reconstruction with some of the 210 billion euros worth of Russian sovereign assets frozen in the West.

Russia says that taking that money would be theft and would undermine confidence in the euro as a reserve currency and trigger years of legal - and other - reprisals. Moscow has suggested some of the money be spent on rebuilding the areas of Ukraine that Russia controls.

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CHILDREN

U.S. first lady Melania Trump said she had secured an open line of communication with Putin about repatriating Ukrainian children caught up in the war with Russia. Ukraine has already been working with help from Qatar to free some children and has expressed hope more can be released.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow and Olena Harmash in Kyiv, additional reporting by Andrew Gray in Brussels; Editing by Philippa Fletcher)
By Guy Faulconbridge

MOSCOW (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest soon to discuss a way to end the war in Ukraine.

So what might a peace deal look like?

WHO WOULD GET WHAT?

Russia controls more than 116,000 square km (44,800 square miles), or more than 19% of Ukraine, an area just under half the size of the United Kingdom, according to the Russian military.

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Russia says Crimea, which Moscow took in 2014, Donetsk and Luhansk - together known as Donbas - as well as Zaporizhzhia and Kherson are now legally parts of Russia.

Three sources familiar with Kremlin thinking said after Putin's August summit with Trump that Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw from the parts of Donetsk that Ukrainian forces control - around 20%, about 5,300 square km.

That is less than his original 2024 demand for Kyiv to cede the entirety of Donbas plus Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south, an area of nearly 20,000 square km.

Crimea, which was handed to Ukraine in 1954 by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, has been recognised as part of Russia by Syria, North Korea and Nicaragua. Putin has accused Western countries of double standards by not following suit, citing their recognition of Kosovo as an independent state in 2008 against the wishes of Russia and Serbia.

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WHAT ABOUT NATO?

One of Putin's most important conditions for ending the war is a demand that Western leaders pledge in writing to stop enlarging the U.S.-led military alliance NATO eastwards.

At the 2008 Bucharest summit, NATO leaders agreed that Ukraine and Georgia would one day become members. Ukraine in 2019 amended its constitution committing to the path of full membership of NATO and the European Union.

Trump has said that previous U.S. support for Ukraine's NATO membership bid was a cause of the war, and has indicated that Ukraine will not get membership.

Russia wants a pledge on NATO in writing because Putin thinks Moscow was misled by the United States after the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall when U.S. Secretary of State James Baker assured Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990 that NATO would not expand eastwards, Russian sources have said.

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NATO says it is up to individual countries whether they want to join the alliance.

Russia has repeatedly proposed a new security architecture for Europe as Moscow is unhappy with NATO's European dominance in the post-Cold War world. European diplomats have rejected the proposals, describing them as an extension of two centuries of Russian efforts to gain influence over European affairs.

HOW WOULD SECURITY GUARANTEES WORK?

Ukraine wants a way to guarantee that it will not be invaded again, but the West is anxious not to sign up to anything that could lock it into a future war with Russia, the world's biggest nuclear power.

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Under a draft agreement that was almost approved in April 2022 after talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul, Ukraine would agree to permanent neutrality in return for international security guarantees from the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

Russia has cited this as a model for a future deal. Ukraine and its European allies have said Russia is not a reliable guarantor.

Russia has also demanded limits on Ukraine's armed forces and protection for Russian speakers and Orthodox believers.

TRADE PROSPECTS AND FROZEN ASSETS

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After speaking to Putin on Thursday, Trump mentioned the prospect of resuming U.S.-Russia trade if peace was achieved. Many in Washington have been troubled by the "no limits" partnership between Putin and China's Xi Jinping - and have proposed trying to bring Russia closer to the United States.

Particularly important for Russia would be the ability to use the U.S. dollar in global transactions and the opening up of Western financial institutions to Russian money again.

European powers are searching for a way to finance Ukraine's defence and reconstruction with some of the 210 billion euros worth of Russian sovereign assets frozen in the West.

Russia says that taking that money would be theft and would undermine confidence in the euro as a reserve currency and trigger years of legal - and other - reprisals. Moscow has suggested some of the money be spent on rebuilding the areas of Ukraine that Russia controls.

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CHILDREN

U.S. first lady Melania Trump said she had secured an open line of communication with Putin about repatriating Ukrainian children caught up in the war with Russia.

(Reporting by Guy FaulconbridgeEditing by Philippa Fletcher)
By Jihoon Lee

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea's chief presidential policy adviser said on Thursday he was "optimistic" about talks to finalise a trade deal with the U.S., the latest remark by an official pointing to progress in negotiations that helped fuel an auto-led stock market rally.

Kim Yong-beom and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan spoke to reporters before departing for the United States. They will be joining Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol and Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo for follow-up negotiations in Washington.

Kim's comments echo Minister Koo's remarks earlier this week that there was "huge progress" and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun saying there were "positive signals" in reaching a deal.

On the U.S. side, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday the countries were close to finalising a trade deal and he expected an announcement in the next 10 days. Seoul has been seeking to reach a deal by late October when U.S. President Donald Trump is due to visit the country for an Asia-Pacific summit.

Seoul has been concerned over the foreign exchange implications and the structure of a $350 billion investment package included in a preliminary deal reached in late July. It has asked Washington for a safeguard, such as a currency swap line, to prevent any currency market impact, along with other measures to guarantee "commercial feasibility".

South Korea's benchmark KOSPI stock index rose 2.5% to a record high on Thursday. Shares of Hyundai Motor surged 8.3% to a one-year high and sister automaker Kia jumped 7.2% on hopes of a cut in auto tariffs, to 15% from 25%, promised in the July deal.

"There was some response from the U.S. about foreign exchange risks, but more work is still needed on a bigger framework and the text of the agreement," a trade official said.

Wi Sung-lac, South Korea's top national security adviser, clarified at a briefing held later in the day that there was no progress in discussions with the U.S. Department of the Treasury about setting up a currency swap.

"Even if it is set up...there also have to be sufficient conditions, but no progress has been made in that area," Wi said, amid local media reports that various tools were being discussed for a currency safeguard.

Kim Jin-wook, an economist at Citi, said in a report that the odds of a partial compromise after a prolonged deadlock appeared to have risen with three conditions.

The conditions are faster-than-expected timing for reaching a deal, no change in the headline figure of $350 billion and a form of safeguards to mitigate currency risks instead of an unlimited central bank dollar swap line, Kim said.

(Reporting by Jack Kim, Jihoon Lee, Hyunjoo Jin and Joyce LeeEditing by Ed Davies)
By Kiyoshi Takenaka

TOKYO (Reuters) -Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takaichi's bid to become Japan's first female prime minister regained momentum this week, as alliance discussions with another political party moved forward.

After the Komeito Party ended their 26-year partnership last week, the LDP - which has ruled Japan for almost all of its post-war history - has been in talks with the right-leaning Japan Innovation Party, known as Ishin.

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The parliamentary vote to pick the next premier is scheduled for Tuesday. Here's how the election works and how votes might stack up for Takaichi.

HOW THE POLL WORKS

The candidate who wins the majority of votes cast by the lower and upper houses of parliament will take the top job. If no one secures a simple majority, there will be a run-off poll between the two candidates with the most votes.

If there is a disagreement between the two chambers, the choice of the lower house prevails.

WHAT TAKAICHI NEEDS TO WIN

The LDP holds 196 of the 465 seats in the lower house, well short of the 233 needed for a simple majority. If Ishin joins hands with the LDP, their combined number is 231. To get the two extra votes, the LDP is asking for cooperation from smaller new parties.

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It's not clear if Ishin will become a formal coalition partner or just lend its political support.

WILL THERE BE OTHER CONTENDERS?

That remains uncertain. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), which holds 148 seats, has proposed that opposition parties jointly field one candidate, saying that person could be Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP).

If the CDPJ joins hands with the DPFP, which has 27 seats, and Komeito, which has 24 seats, the three would have more than the LDP's 196 but not enough for a simple majority.

DPFP's Tamaki has said, however, his party and the CDPJ differ significantly on issues such as nuclear energy and security, making an alliance difficult.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Russia shot down its own Su-30SM fighter jet over Crimea while its air defense was trying to intercept Ukrainian drones flying to the occupied peninsula and deep inside Russia overnight, Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, said on Oct. 17.

Pletenchuk said that the intercepted radio communications reveal that the pilot flying the fighter jet in the northwestern part of Crimea was killed after two engines caused fire.

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"The enemy likely shot down its own multirole fighter while repelling a (Ukrainian) drone attack using air defense systems," Pletenchuk told the Kyiv Independent.

The Ukrainian drone attack appears to have hit a facility near the Gvardeyskoye airbase in Crimea, and the footages appear to show the oil depot nearby on fire, the Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported.

Ukraine's Special Forces later confirmed that its drones inflicted damage on Gvardeyskoye's oil depot and a plant, attaching a video supposedly showing the attack from a drone view.

The Russian occupational administration in Sevastopol has stayed silent on the possible consequences of the Ukrainian attack.

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In Russia, cities including Sochi, about 400 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, were under attack.

"An air defense system is active in Sochi. An attack by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is being repelled," Sochi Mayor Andrei Proshunin said.

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The mayor later claimed that a missile attack was being repelled by air defense systems in the city. Russian media reported that over 10 airports had temporarily suspended operations.

At around 7:30 a.m. local time, all drone and missile threats were cleared, Proshunin said afterwards.

Ukraine's army regularly strikes military infrastructure within occupied territories and deep within Russia in an attempt to diminish Moscow's fighting power as it continues to wage its war against Ukraine.

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In Donetsk, a Russian ammunition depot was hit in a drone attack, with fires and explosions reported in the occupied city.

A map showing Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast as of 2025. (The Kyiv Independent)

Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the attacks, and the Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims.

Sochi sits on Russia's Black Sea coast and is located about 310 kilometers (193 miles) from Ukraine and approximately 538 kilometers (334 miles) from Ukrainian-controlled territory near Orikhiv in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Overnight on Oct. 16, Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery in Russia's Saratov Oblast, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SSO) confirmed.

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Meanwhile, an electrical substation in Russia's Volgograd Oblast was in flames following a reported Ukrainian drone strike the same night, regional Governor Andrey Bocharov said the morning of Oct. 16.

Read also: Ukraine war latest updates: First footage of North Korean troops directing fire into Sumy Oblast released

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
South Florida congressional seats are in Republicans crosshairs after this weeks U.S. Supreme Court hearing about the Voting Rights Act  a case Gov. Ron DeSantis has been closely watching, and which outside advocates say could put three Democratically held seats in Florida at risk.

We believe Florida will become ground zero for discriminatory redrawing of maps should this court not make the right decision, April England Albright, National Legal Director for Black Voters Matter, said after the hearing.

Both Democrats and Republican groups are already gearing up for a coming legal battle in Florida over new, mid-decade maps ahead of next years midterms.

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The Florida Democratic Party recently hired new legal counsel specifically focused on redistricting, party Chairwoman Nikki Fried told the Miami Herald. The national conservative political committee Club for Growth has set aside a pot of funds to run ads in Florida to boost any new maps promoted by the Florida Legislature.

Wednesdays Supreme Court hearing in Louisiana v. Callais was about whether state lawmakers should be allowed to draw congressional minority opportunity districts as a remedy to racially discriminatory voting maps under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

Its a provision that gives minority voters a fair chance to elect candidates of their choice who are responsive to their needs, a safeguard created in response to discrimination, according to Black Voters Matter. Opponents, like the group of white Louisiana voters bringing the challenge as well as DeSantis, say accounting for race at all in drawing the maps is unlawful.

Black Voters Matter identified 19 Democratically held congressional seats across the South that could be targeted by states that otherwise have Republican governing trifectas if the court rules in favor of the white voters case.

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Three of those 19 potential targets are in Florida. The seats where Black and brown voters specifically help determine the outcome of elections, according to Albright, are: Orlando-area District 9 held by Rep. Darren Soto, Palm Beach Countys District 20 held by Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Miami-area District 24 held by Rep. Frederica Wilson.

DeSantis has called out Cherfilus-McCormicks district specifically. I think almost certainly if the VRA is interpreted to say that you cant use race that way, then that district will have to be redrawn 100%, DeSantis told reporters in August.

This attempt to pack, crack, and racially gerrymander districts are a blatant attack on the past 60 years of progress toward equity, Cherfilus-McCormick wrote in a statement Thursday. Right now, we are seeing maps that try to silence, divide, and erase. And Im here to say: we will not be erased.

Just because those three might be interpreted as minority opportunity districts under the Voting Rights Act doesnt mean they will be targeted by Florida lawmakers if they pursue a mid-decade redistricting.

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Democrats say Republicans are more likely to try to challenge the separate state-level Fair Districts Amendment  passed by voters in 2010 banning partisan gerrymandering  after the states Supreme Court sided with DeSantis in August in a case alleging Floridas current maps violate the amendment. Most states dont have a state-level restriction on overtly partisan gerrymandering like Florida does.

Fried said DeSantis will use the ruling from SCOTUS to pat himself on the back and want to go further in gerrymandering our maps, which she said the partys lawyers would argue would be done for partisan reasons in violation of the Fair Districts Amendment.

Hes specifically targeting South Florida districts, she added. And so the analysis of what this could do for Florida, it will have a direct impact on our Black voters, but it will also dilute the power of our Jewish voters.

Democratic South Florida Congressman Jared Moskowitz has hinted at a potential Senate run if hes drawn out of his district, as Democrats wait to see if theyre going to be pitted against one another ahead of the midterm elections.

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Club for Growth said it is waiting to see what that committee does before it begins its ad spend in Florida. The political group has said it has allocated a seven-figure national investment in redistricting, and has run campaigns in Missouri, Texas, Indiana, Kansas and North Carolina. Part of that pot is set aside for Florida, its next planned target, according to Club for Growth President David McIntosh.

He said theyre hoping to see a map that could expand the number of Republican opportunities from Florida, maybe even by three additional seats, as the group seeks to prevent Democrats from taking back the House of Representatives next year.

The advantage Florida has is its a very late primary, late filing deadline so theyve got several months to work it out and get it passed, McIntosh added.

Another factor at play in Floridas potential redistricting efforts: Attorney General James Uthmeier is trying to get the U.S. Commerce Department to allocate Florida an additional congressional seat based on its population size, a legally complicated request without another Census.

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Florida House Speaker Danny Perez has created a select committee on congressional redistricting this legislative session, but the committee has not yet met, according to two committee members offices. Committee Chairman Mike Redondos office did not respond to a request for comment.

Albright, the Black Voters Matter legal director, said shes working to educate Florida voters in particular about redistricting in the coming months.

You have a remedy that a lot of states dont have if they start trying to redraw lines. Theres actual language in your state Constitution that will give you the opportunity to seek remedy in court. That also means that youve got to make sure youre participating in judicial elections in the state, Albright said. South Floridians need to fight for that.
Days after publicly floating the idea, President Donald Trump on Friday backed off giving powerful long-range weapons to Ukraine, telling reporters and President Volodymyr Zelensky that he had concerns about depleting the US supply.

Trump made the comments during a White House meeting in which Zelensky was hoping to get the full-throated fanfare of Trump announcing increased military assistance on the heels of Trumps success in reaching a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

As reporters asked the two leaders questions, the public saw Zelensky openly negotiating with Trump, offering to help the U.S. produce more armed drones in exchange for powerful Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep inside Russia.

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Wed much rather not need Tomahawks. Wed much rather get the war over, Trump said, sitting across the table from Zelensky. It could mean a big escalation. It could mean a lot of bad things could happen.

Trump originally suggested selling the missiles to Ukraine on Monday, while en route to Israel. After a Thursday night phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Trump sounded more hesitant to give Ukraine more powerful weapons to counter Russias ongoing invasion. Trump intends to meet Putin in Hungary in the coming weeks.

Trump is growing increasingly frustrated at Putins unwillingness to discuss American ceasefire proposals. His August summit with Putin in Alaska didnt lead to a breakthrough. More recently, Trump had indicated he was open to giving Ukraine U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles that can reach deep into Russian territory. But he dialed that expectation back on Thursday after his call with Putin.

Ukraines military has wanted to add Tomahawk missiles to their arsenal as a way to counter Russias ability to strike deep inside Ukrainian territory. The sophisticated American weapons could hit targets in Moscow or St. Petersburg, Russias two major cities. During his visit in Washington, Zelensky also met with U.S. defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon to discuss Ukraine buying air defense systems, missiles and fighter jets. Such purchases would have to be approved by the U.S.

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Zelensky is hoping additional firepower would give Ukraine more leverage on the battlefield and convince Putin to come to the negotiating table.

Unlike Zelenskys previous two visits to the White House this year, there was no Oval Office meeting with Trump on Friday. Instead, reporters were brought in at the beginning of a lunch between the two leaders in the Cabinet Room. Trump called Zelensky a very strong leader and a man who has been through a lot. Trump said the two of them have gotten along really very well.

Its taken time for Zelensky to establish a working rapport with Trump, who often spoke dismissively of Ukraine on the campaign trail. Their meeting in February devolved into a shouting match with Vice President J.D. Vance accusing Zelensky of being insufficiently grateful for U.S. support and Trump telling Zelensky he didnt have the cards to negotiate. In the months since that heated exchange, Trump has reversed course and suggested he believes Zelensky can hold off Russia.

Trump and Putin spoke on the phone Thursday for more than two hours. Asked on Thursday what he told Putin on the call, Trump said: I did actually say: Would you mind if I gave a couple of thousand Tomahawks to your opposition? I did say that to him. I said it just that way.

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He didnt like the idea. You have to be a little bit lighthearted sometimes, Trump said, adding that he would describe his call with Putin to Zelensky when they meet.

Zelensky left the White House just before 4 p.m., less than three hours after he had arrived.

Recent polling shows increasing support among Republicans for the US to continue arming Ukraines defense, a marked shift after an extended period of GOP support lagging behind Democrats. Polling conducted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found Republican support for sending U.S. military aid to Ukraine increased from 30% in March to 51% in July.

That upward trend of support among Republicans appears to have continued. A Harvard CAPS-Harris poll conducted in early October shows 73% of Republicans and 72% of Democrats support arming Ukraine and sanctioning Russia. The poll of 2,413 voters was conducted on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2 and has a margin of error of 1.99%.

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The same also found that Volodymyr Zelensky is widely liked by Americans at the moment. Of major political figures, his favorability ratings in the October Harvard CAPS-Harris poll were only surpassed by two people: Charlie Kirk and Erika Kirk.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Did Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, or Turning Point USA file a $400 million lawsuit against investor and philanthropist George Soros over an alleged defamation campaign "to silence conservative voices and manipulate public perception"? No, that's not true: The claim originated from a satirical page that said explicitly that nothing it publishes is real. As of October 16, 2025, no credible sources suggested that the lawsuit was indeed filed.

The story appeared in a post (archived here) on X where it was published on October 15, 2025. It opened:

Erika Kirk and Turning Point USA are suing George Soros for $400 million over an alleged online slander campaign targeting Charlie Kirk. They're accusing Soros-funded networks of orchestrating a smear operation to silence conservative voices and manipulate public perception. The tide is turning. The people who thought they could attack Patriots without consequence are finally being exposed. Justice is coming.

This is what the post looked like on X at the time of writing:

Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of post at x.com/17QStorm

The claim, however, originated from a satirical source: America's Last Line of Defense that published (archived here) it on its page on Facebook one day earlier, on October 14, 2025. The page's description (archived here) reads:

The flagship of the ALLOD network of trollery and propaganda for cash.

Nothing on this page is real.

The page on Facebook is part of the "America's Last Line of Defense" network of satire websites run by self-professed liberal troll Christopher Blair from Maine in association with a loose confederation of friends and allies. Those websites and Facebook pages display visible satire disclaimers everywhere and mostly publish made-up stories with headlines specifically created to trigger Republicans, conservatives and evangelical Christians into angrily sharing or commenting on the story on social media without actually reading the full article, exposing them to mockery and ridicule by fans of the sites and pages.

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Every site in the network has an about page that reads (in part):

About Satire

Before you complain and decide satire is synonymous with "comedy": satire

sati()r

noun

The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. Everything on this website is fiction. It is not a lie and it is not fake news because it is not real. If you believe that it is real, you should have your head examined. Any similarities between this site's pure fantasy and actual people, places, and events are purely coincidental and all images should be considered altered and satirical. See above if you're still having an issue with that satire thing.

Articles from Blair's sites frequently get copied by "real" fake news sites that omit the satire disclaimer and other hints that the stories are fake. One of the most persistent networks of such sites is run by a man from Pakistan named Kashif Shahzad Khokhar, also known as "DashiKashi" (archived here), who has spammed hundreds of such stolen stories into conservative and right-wing Facebook pages in order to profit from the ad revenue.

As of this writing, no reputable sources reported that the story about Erika Kirk's supposed defamation lawsuit against George Soros was real. Searches on Google News for the keywords seen here (archived here) and here (archived here) and Yahoo News (archived here) yielded no such results.

Had the rumor been true, there would have been official court documents confirming it. However, searches across the Public Access to Court Electronic Records portal (PACER) did not show any recent lawsuits against Soros that wouldn't predate Charlie Kirk's death (archived here) on September 10, 2025:

Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of PACER

A broad search for the names of Erika Kirk and Soros on Google Scholar's case law (archived here) yielded no lawsuits, either:

Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of Google Scholar

Last but not least, the purported lawsuit was not mentioned on Erika Kirk's account on Instagram, the press release (archived here) or news (archived here) sections on the Turning Point USA website or on its social media pages on Facebook (archived here), X (archived here) and Instagram.
President Donald Trump uses a lot of inaccurate numbers. Sometimes, like on Thursday, he uses a bunch of them in rapid succession.

At a White House event at which he announced sharply reduced prices for some common fertility drugs through a new direct-to-consumer platform, Trump:

Again falsely claimed he is cutting prescription drug prices by a mathematically impossible 200% to 800%

Again falsely claimed he has secured over $17 trillion in investment in the US this year, nearly double the White Houses exaggerated $8.8 trillion figure

Again falsely claimed he has ended eight wars; this figure counts two disputes that werent actually wars and one war that is still running

Falsely claimed Democrats are trying during the government shutdown battle to give $1.5 trillion to undocumented immigrants, though that is not close to true

Falsely claimed the prevalence of autism was just 1 in 20,000 just 20 years ago or so, though the actual figure about 20 years ago was between 1 in 125 and 1 in 110

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Here is a fact check.

Prescription drug prices

Trump claimed, as he has repeatedly this year, that he is cutting prescription drug prices by well over 100%. This time, he said, Drug prices are coming down 400%, 200%, 600%, numbers that nobodys ever seen before, then added later, Five hundred, 600, 800%, in some cases even more than that. Its hard to believe.

Its hard to believe because those numbers are mathematically impossible, as CNN and others have repeatedly noted. If Trump magically got companies to reduce the prices of all of their drugs to $0, that would be a 100% cut. A cut of 200% to 800% would mean that Americans would be paid money to acquire their medications, which is not happening.

At the same event, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Trumps administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, made a claim about the price of one common fertility drug being reduced from $242 to $10, and said, I dont know what the math is on that. We cant even calculate it. Its a lot. Its too high to calculate without a more studied approach. But its not too high to calculate; its a 95.9% cut, a good example of how the presidents own numbers do not make sense.

Investment in the US

Trump twice repeated his regular claim that, this year alone, he has secured over $17 trillion in investment in the US. I think one of the great numbers that Ive ever heard. Think of it. Over $17 trillion being invested in our country, he said at one point.

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But the great number is fiction.

The White Houses own website says there have been $8.8 trillion in major investment announcements this term. A White House spokesperson wouldnt explain why the president keeps using the much larger $17 trillion. And an item-by-item CNN review of the White Houses list found that even the $8.8 trillion figure is a major exaggeration.

The White House is counting trillions of dollars in vague investment pledges; pledges that are about bilateral trade, investments and trade or economic exchange rather than strictly investment in the US; and vague statements that dont even rise to the level of being actual pledges. You can read more here.

Trump and wars

Trump said, I dont know of anybody that ended wars. I ended eight of them. While Trump has certainly played a significant role in resolving some conflicts at least temporarily, notably including this months Gaza ceasefire, his eight figure is wrong.

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Trump and the White House have previously explained that his list of eight supposed resolved wars includes one between Egypt and Ethiopia, but that wasnt actually a war. It was a long-running and still-unresolved diplomatic dispute about a major Ethiopian dam project on a tributary of the Nile River.

Trumps list of wars ended includes another supposed war that didnt actually occur during his presidency, between Serbia and Kosovo. He has sometimes claimed to have prevented the eruption of a new war between those two entities, providing few details about what he meant, but that is different than settling an actual war.

And Trumps list also includes a supposed success in ending a war involving the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, but that war has continued despite a peace agreement brokered by the Trump administration this year  which was never signed by the primary rebel coalition doing the fighting.

The shutdown and undocumented immigrants

Trump, criticizing Democrats over the ongoing government shutdown, claimed, They want to spend $1.5 trillion on illegal immigrants and they want to destroy health care for everyone else.

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Leaving aside the subjective but dubious claim that Democrats are seeking to destroy others health care  Democrats are proposing to reverse Trump-approved cuts to Medicaid and other health programs and extend the enhanced pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year  they are not proposing to spend $1.5 trillion on undocumented immigrants. Undocumented people are not eligible for either Obamacare subsidies or federal Medicaid insurance coverage (hospitals are required to provide people with emergency care regardless of immigration status or ability to pay).

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a fiscal watchdog group, estimated that the spending proposal the Democrats released in September would add $1.5 trillion to the debt over the next decade. But that figure is not about undocumented people in particular. And the White House itself has claimed that Democrats are proposing to spend about $193 billion  much less than Trumps $1.5 trillion  on health care for illegal immigrants and other non-citizens, the emphasis ours. The White House published an itemized list that makes clear that even by its own contested calculations, the majority of even that smaller sum would be for these other non-citizens who are in the US legally.

The prevalence of autism

Theres no doubt that the known prevalence of autism among children has spiked in the last 20 years, which experts have attributed in large part to greater awareness of the symptoms and improvements in diagnostic practices. But Trump has repeatedly exaggerated the extent of the increase, and he did so again Thursday.

It used to be 1 in 20,000  and that was not that long ago, 20 years ago or so, he said.

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In reality, the known prevalence of autism among children 20 years ago or so was much higher than Trump claimed. It was 1 in 125 in 2004 and 1 in 110 in 2006, according to figures published online by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even 25 years ago, in 2000, it was 1 in 150.

Some of the earliest studies on the subject, from the 1960s and 1970s, estimated autism prevalence to be in the range of 2 to 4 per 10,000 children, but that was much longer ago than 20 years ago or so.

Trump cited a variety of figures on Thursday for the supposed current prevalence of autism, saying it is 1 in 12, 1 in 28, 1 in 32; theres a couple of different numbers out there. The CDCs most recent published prevalence, for 2022, is 1 in 31.

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Claim:

Freed Israeli hostage Alexander Turbanov released a statement praising his captors in October 2025, in which he said, in part: "Your kindness will forever be etched on my soul. I spent 498 days among you. Despite the oppression and aggression you endured, I learned from you the true meaning of manhood, pure bravery, humanity, and respect for values."

Rating:

Rating: Incorrect Attribution

Context:

According to international news reports, Turbanov was a real person, though they used the name Alexander "Sasha" Trufanov. However, the quote originated from a Palestinian social media influencer who wrote it from Trufanov's perspective. Additionally, he was released in February 2025; therefore, he was not among the hostages returned in October 2025 as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

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In October 2025, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire that came into effect on Oct. 10. The agreement saw Hamas release the last of the surviving Israeli hostages whom they captured on Oct. 7, 2023, in exchange for Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners. The deal also led to a pause in the two-year conflict, which left much of Gaza in ruin.

Following the exchange, some social media users claimed one of the released Israeli hostages praised his captors for how they treated him. For example, one Instagram user (archived) said a hostage named Alexander Turbanov released a statement describing the "kindness," "humanity" and "respect" he experienced while imprisoned.

The quote also appeared on X (archived) and Facebook. The latter post, along with another X post (archived), added that Turbanov made this statement after the October 2025 hostage release. The full alleged statement read:

Your kindness will forever be etched on my soul. I spent 498 days among you. Despite the oppression and aggression you endured, I learned from you the true meaning of manhood, pure bravery, humanity, and respect for values. Even in captivity, you were free, while I, being free, was a prisoner. You protected my life. Like a father treats his sons with love, you cared for my dignity, health, and honor. Though I was in the hands of people fighting for their land and stolen freedom, and while my government was committing the worst genocide against a besieged nation, you neither starved me nor humiliated me. I saw the real meaning of manhood in your eyes. I understood the value of sacrifice by living among you. I saw you smiling even in the face of death, against an enemy armed with weapons of mass destruction, while you had nothing but your own bodies. Even if I tried, I couldn't find the words to truly express your worth and status, or to reflect my astonishment and admiration for your noble character. Does your faith really teach you to treat prisoners this way? How great is that belief that raises you to such a level where all man-made laws of human rights fall apart, and all protocols of war pale in comparison to your example. Even in the harshest of times, your justice and mercy stood out  not just as slogans, but in your actual behavior. You never compromised on your principles, no matter how dark the circumstances were. Believe me, if I ever return, I will live among you as a dedicated student, because I have learned the truth from your people. I have realized that you are not just the owners of the land, but the owners of principles and justice.





Turbanov, a freed Israeli-Russian hostage  whose name was spelled as Alexander "Sasha" Trufanov in Russian and Israeli media  was a real person, according to international news reports (it is not clear why the name Turbanov was circulating on social media, though it could have been an alternative translation  Snopes will continue this article with the name Trufanov). However, he was not among the hostages released in October 2025 and he never released this statement. Trufanov was actually released months earlier in February. We have rated this claim incorrectly attributed.

Origin of quote

Khaled Safi, a Palestinian social media influencer, was the true source of the quote. Safi posted the passage in Arabic on X (archived) in February 2025. Though not verbatim, the social media platform's automatic translation more or less matched the quote attributed to Trufanov in October.

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In multiple follow-up posts (archived, archived, archived), Safi clarified that the words were his own, not Trufanov's, though he said he wrote them from Trufanov's perspective.

Multiple international news media outlets reported that Trufanov was among the Israeli hostages released in February 2025. The Israel army's Facebook page also posted a video showing Trufanov being reunited with his family that month. Therefore, he was not among the Israeli hostages who were released in October.

Trufanov spoke publicly at least twice between the time he was released and when the remaining living hostages were freed in October, according to Israeli news media reports. Both times, once in March and once in April, Trufanov advocated for the release of the remaining hostages, saying it should be a national priority above the total defeat of Hamas. It was not possible to find any evidence that he referenced the conditions he experienced while in captivity either time.

In April 2025, while meeting Trufanov and his family, Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted his country's role in securing Trufanov's release and said he thought "we should express our gratitude to Hamas leaders and its political wing for accommodating our request and making this gesture." Trufanov himself did not express similar sentiments, and instead once again focused on advocating for the release of the remaining hostages.

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For further reading, Snopes has fact-checked numerous claims about the Israel-Hamas war.

Sources:

Finally Together. After 16 Months, Alexander (Sasha) Trufanov Has Been Reunited with His Family. Israel Defense Forces, https://www.facebook.com/reel/468160262894249.

Fox, Nina. "Former Hostage on Rom Braslavski's Video: "His Eyes Are Not the Same."" Ynetglobal, 18 Apr. 2025, www.ynetnews.com/article/bkthyokjeg. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

'Gaza War in Maps and Satellite Images - BBC News'. News, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-217c6a28-4a90-4d47-a91c-13113a7dc7db. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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Graham-Harrison, Emma, et al. 'A Visual Guide to the Destruction of Gaza'. The Guardian, 18 Jan. 2025. World News. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/18/a-visual-guide-to-the-destruction-of-gaza.

Kempinski, Yoni. 'Sasha Trufanov Speaks for the First Time since His Release'. Israel National News, https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404695. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

"Meeting with the Trufanov Family." Kremlin.ru, 16 Apr. 2025, en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/76694. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Moscow (AFP). 'Putin Meets Russian-Israeli Hostage Released by Hamas'. France 24, 17 Apr. 2025, https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250417-putin-meets-russian-israeli-hostage-released-by-hamas.

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Newsroom. https://newsroom.ap.org/editorial-photos-videos/detail?itemid=7ee8f6ccb505470487607763561c6454&mediatype=video. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Russian Citizen Alexander Trufanov Released from Hamas Captivity. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/russian-citizen-alexander-trufanov-released-from-hamas-captivity/3483228. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Safi, Khaled. "Safi X Post about Quote Origins." X (Formerly Twitter), 15 Feb. 2025, x.com/KhaledSafi/status/1890820463833612646. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
President Donald Trump made multiple false claims to the press during a Friday meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House  including a long-debunked claim about the war in Ukraine.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine

Trump repeated his previous fake history about Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, saying that Russia failed to win the war in a mere week because it decided to invade through muddy ground rather than simply using highways.

They got stuck in the mud. They wouldve been in Kyiv very quickly. They were heading to Kyiv, adding moments later, That was a very interesting moment. When the tanks started rolling and some brilliant general said, Lets go through the mud instead of going down the highway. Right? So they got a little bit lucky.

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This is not what happened, as military analysts and various Ukrainians have pointed out since the president began making similar claims earlier in the year. In reality, Russia tried and failed to make it to Kyiv using roads and highways. Its tanks were thwarted by fierce Ukrainian resistance and logistical problems in addition to muddy conditions.

Russian forces used roads and highways as much as possible during the initial invasion, and took heavy losses on many of them. Russian tanks did get stuck in the mud during the initial invasion, but this was often after they struggled to advance along roads, said Rob Lee, a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy Research Institutes Eurasia Program who has closely followed military tactics during the war. One of the factors that hindered Russias invasion is that there were not many good highways and roads leading from Belarus to Kyiv, which canalized their forces.

When CNN asked the White House for comment in August, an official responding on condition of anonymity noted that Russian tanks did get stuck in mud during and even before the invasion. The official provided links to some articles that mentioned this happening.

But even one of those articles clearly contradicted Trumps claims that Russia didnt make it to Kyiv because it chose not to use highways. The article said, The Russians invaded using Ukraines major highways expecting a blitzkrieg-like attack that would leverage speed and overwhelming firepower to capture the capital city of Kyiv.

Previous presidents and wars

Trump repeated his regular false claim that he has solved or ended eight wars. That figure is a significant exaggeration  counting two disputes that werent actually wars and one war that is still running. (You can read more here.) He also delivered a version of a false claim he started making on Thursday  suggesting no other president has ever ended a war.

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So to the best of my knowledge weve never had a president that solved one war. Not one war, he said this time, adding, A lot of them start wars, but they dont solve the wars, they dont settle them.

We cant say for sure what history Trump has knowledge about, but this narrative is nonsense. US presidents have played a major role in ending various wars by winning those wars, including World War I, World War II and the Gulf War. In addition, presidents have brokered numerous peace agreements in wars not being fought by the US.

President Theodore Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for his role in a peace agreement ending a war between the Russian and Japanese empires; President Jimmy Carter played a major role in brokering a 1979 peace agreement to end a long-running state of war between Egypt and Israel; President Bill Clinton played a major role in the 1995 peace agreement that ended the Bosnian War; US administrations have mediated a long list of other armed conflicts.

Other Trump claims

Trump claimed, as he has for years, that he gave Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine while former President Barack Obama gave them sheets. While its true that Trump provided Javelins and other weapons to Ukraine and that Obama declined to do so, Obama didnt give Ukraine mere bedsheets (or pillows and bedsheets, as Trump has also said). Rather, the Obama administration provided more than $600 million in security assistance to Ukraine between 2014 and 2016 that included counter-artillery and counter-mortar radars, armored Humvees, tactical drones, night vision devices and medical supplies.

Trump repeated his usual lie that the 2020 election was rigged. He legitimately lost a fair election to Joe Biden.

Trump repeated his false claim that, through tariffs, we took in hundreds of billions of dollars in my first term from China. In reality, US importers, not China or other foreign countries, make the tariff payments to the US government, and they often pass on at least some of their costs to consumers; study after study, including one from the federal governments bipartisan US International Trade Commission, found that Americans bore almost the entire cost of Trumps first-term tariffs on Chinese products.

Trump repeated a false claim he made during his first presidency, saying that a Democratic senator, Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, wanted a tunnel from the mainland to Hawaii, then she said, Well we cant do that, so were gonna build a railroad to Hawaii. Do you remember? But Hirono never called for such a tunnel or railroad; Trump was mischaracterizing an exchange Hirono had with a reporter in 2019, which you can read about here.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Thousands of U.S. federal employees stopped working on October 1, when the government shut down due to a budget impasse in Congress.

Following are the longest shutdowns since 1980, when U.S. administrations started furloughing some federal workers as budgets expired.

2018-2019 - 35 days

The longest shutdown on record started December 22, 2018, during President Donald Trump's first term in the White House. Democrats in Congress refused to back a spending bill that included Trump's $5.7 billion request for fencing on the U.S.-Mexico border. Lawmakers eventually approved a spending bill without border wall money that Trump signed into law on January 25, 2019, ending the shutdown.

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1995-1996 - 22 days

The government partially shut down on December 16, 1995, as part of a clash between the Republican-controlled Congress and then-President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, over how to balance the budget. Clinton signed a bill to re-open the government on January 6, 1996. Some polls showed the public largely blamed Republicans in Congress for the shutdown, and some analysts said the spat helped Clinton win reelection in 1996.

2025 - 17 days

The shutdown currently under way is now the third-longest. Democrats have blocked spending legislation in the Republican-controlled Congress, saying that any funding package must also expand COVID pandemic-era healthcare subsidies due to expire at the end of December. Republicans say that issue should be dealt with separately.

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2013 - 16 days

Government workers started furloughs on October 1, 2013, after Republicans demanded cuts or delays to a healthcare law championed by then-President Barack Obama, a Democrat. The shutdown was part of a broader impasse over the national debt, with the government at risk of defaulting on its obligations without congressional authorization for further borrowing. Obama signed a bill re-opening the government shortly after midnight on October 17, 2013, with legislation that also authorized more borrowing.

1995 - 6 days

In a prelude to the longer shutdown at the close of 1995, government workers started furloughs on November 14, 1995, after Clinton vetoed a spending bill backed by Republicans. Washington reached a deal November 19, 1995, to re-open the government, but another shutdown was only weeks away.

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1990 - 3 days

Republican President George H. W. Bush vetoed a spending bill over a fight on how to reduce deficits, leading to a partial shutdown on October 6, 1990, that closed national parks and other landmarks. Lawmakers passed a measure to re-open the government in the early hours of October 9, 1990.

2018 - 3 days

Democrats in the Republican-controlled Congress blocked a spending bill, triggering a shutdown on January 20, 2018, partly as a way to shield from deportation immigrants who entered the country without authorization as children. Congress approved a bill ending the shutdown on January 22, 2018, without addressing the fate of the young undocumented immigrants.

(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Scott Malone, Alistair Bell, Leslie Adler and Cynthia Osterman)
(Reuters) -The United States has acknowledged carrying out at least five strikes on vessels near Venezuela that it says were transporting drugs, killing at least 27 people.

A sixth strike targeted a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean on Thursday, and in what is believed to be the first such case, there were survivors among the crew, who were rescued and are being held on a Navy ship, sources told Reuters on Friday.

The U.S. has described some of the victims in the first five strikes as Venezuelans, while Colombian President Gustavo Petro has suggested some were from his country. In Trinidad, family members of one man believed killed in a strike this week have demanded proof he was a drug trafficker.

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Venezuela's government has said the strikes are illegal, amount to murder and are an aggression against the country.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has shored up his security powers and deployed tens of thousands of troops around the country, has also accused Donald Trump of seeking regime change, an allegation the U.S. president has downplayed.

Here is a list of the strikes:

SEPTEMBER 2 - The U.S. military killed 11 people in a strike on a vessel from Venezuela allegedly carrying illegal narcotics, Trump said, in the first known operation since his administration deployed warships to the southern Caribbean. The Venezuelan government later denied any of the 11 were members of the Tren de Aragua gang mentioned by Trump.

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SEPTEMBER 15 - Trump said that the U.S. military carried out a strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug cartel vessel heading to the United States. He said three men were killed in the strike, adding that it occurred in international waters. Trump provided no evidence for his assertion that the boat was carrying drugs.

SEPTEMBER 19 - Trump said the United States attacked a vessel carrying drugs, killing three men.

OCTOBER 3 - The United States killed four people in a strike against a vessel allegedly carrying illegal drugs just off the coast of Venezuela, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.

OCTOBER 14 - A U.S. strike on a boat off the coast of Venezuela killed six suspected drug traffickers, Trump said.

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OCTOBER 16 - The U.S. military carried out a strike against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean, and in what is believed to be the first such case, there were survivors among the crew, a U.S. official told Reuters.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Julia Symmes-Cobb; Editing by Alistair Bell)
We recently published 10 Stocks Hammered Harder than Wall Street. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS (NYSE:TKC) is one of the worst performers on Tuesday.

Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS (NYSE:TKC) saw its share prices drop by 6.26 percent on Tuesday to close at $5.54 apiece as investors sold off positions ahead of an upcoming tender for the development of 5G frequency in Turkey.

State-owned Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) is scheduled to hold a tender on Thursday, October 16, for mobile operators to offer 5G services beginning April 2026.

Part of the tender would include the renewal and extension of existing licenses that are scheduled to expire in 2029. Upon expiry, telco operators infrastructures and services will then be subject to a new authorization regime.

Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS (NYSE:TKC) last month expressed its interest in participating in the bidding, alongside its competitors, Turk Telekom and Vodafone.

Turkcell (TKC) Drops 6% Ahead of Govt 5G Frequency Tender

hin255/Shutterstock.com

According to Turkeys transport and infrastructure minister, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, a total of 11 different frequency packages will be allocated to operators, which will be held at a minimum value of $2.125 billion for a total of 400 MHz of frequency in the 700 MHz and 3.5 GHz frequency bands.

While we acknowledge the potential of TKC as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now.
(Reuters) -Several pharmaceutical companies have said they will sell drugs direct to patients in the U.S. and offered discounts following President Donald Trump's calls to bring down drug prices and cut out "middlemen" like pharmacies, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers.

The Trump administration announced in September plans to launch a government-run website called TrumpRx.gov in early 2026, offering reduced prices for prescription drugs.

U.S. patients currently pay by far the most for prescription medicines, often nearly three times more than in other developed nations. Trump sent letters to 17 major companies in July demanding they slash U.S. prescription drug prices.

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Below is an overview of pharmaceutical companies that recently announced direct-to-consumer sales and price cuts in the U.S., in alphabetical order:

ASTRA ZENECA

AstraZeneca and the Trump administration signed a deal on October 10 under which it would sell some medicines at a discount to the government's Medicaid plan in exchange for three years of tariff relief.

The deal also envisages up to 80% discounts on some of AstraZeneca's drugs to be sold through the TrumpRx website, CEO Pascal Soriot said at the Oval Office.

BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB

Bristol-Myers Squibb will cut prices to eligible U.S. patients for blood clot treatment Eliquis and plaque psoriasis drug Sotyktu, with the latter being offered at a more than 80% discount to the list price, it said in September.

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ELI LILLY

Eli Lilly said in June it would ship the two highest doses of its popular weight-loss drug Zepbound to cash-paying customers on its website starting early August.

MERCK

Trump and Merck KGaA said on October 16 they had struck a deal under which the German company would sell its fertility treatments, including Gonal-f, Ovidrel and Cetrotide, directly to consumers with a combined discount of 84% off list price if three of them were used in IVF.

Trump also said Merck would offer all new drugs launched in the U.S. at the prices it charges in other developed countries.

NOVO NORDISK

Novo Nordisk said in August it would offer its diabetes drug Ozempic for $499 per month to eligible cash-paying patients with type 2 diabetes in the U.S. via its own pharmacy, a tie-up with telehealth service GoodRx and other platforms.

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It had announced in April that it was working with telehealth firms Hims & Hers, Ro and LifeMD to sell Wegovy to cash-paying U.S. customers.

PFIZER

Pfizer and Trump said in October they had cut a deal in which the U.S.-based drugmaker agreed to lower prescription drug prices in the Medicaid programme to what it charges in other developed countries, in exchange for tariff relief.

Pfizer will invest $70 billion in research and development and domestic manufacturing and received a three-year grace period during which its products will not be subject to U.S. tariffs on pharmaceuticals, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said.

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PhRMA

U.S. pharmaceutical lobby group PhRMA said in September it would launch a new website, AmericasMedicines.com, next January to help patients buy prescription drugs directly from manufacturers.

ROCHE

Roche is considering selling its prescription medicines in the U.S. directly to consumers to bring costs down for patients, as part of talks with the U.S. government, CEO Thomas Schinecker said in July.

The model could appeal not only to the uninsured or under-insured, but also to insured patients comparing the cost of accessing drugs through insurers with cash prices, an industry source told Reuters.

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SANOFI

French drugmaker Sanofi said in September it would offer a month's supply of any of its insulin products for $35 to all patients in the U.S. with a valid prescription, regardless of insurance status.

WISP

Women's telehealth provider Wisp said in September it expanded its weight-care offerings to include sale and doorstep delivery of Novo Nordisk's and Eli Lilly's popular drugs without the need for insurance.

It priced Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro at $598, $558, and $489 per month, respectively, with the cost also including consultation, monthly follow-ups, and direct-to-door delivery.

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ZEALAND PHARMA

Zealand Pharma is considering a direct-to-patient sales model as well as traditional insurer channels for the experimental weight-loss drug it is developing with Roche, its CEO told Reuters in September.

(Compiled by Javi West Larranaga and Emanuele Berro, Editing by Helen Reid and Milla Nissi-Prussak)
(Reuters) -Donald Trump will discuss the possible supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday.

Supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could significantly expand its strike capabilities, enabling it to hit targets deep inside Russian territory, including military bases, logistics hubs, airfields and command centers that are currently beyond reach.

WHAT MAKES TOMAHAWK MISSILES SO POWERFUL?

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The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile is a long-range cruise missile typically launched from sea to attack targets in deep-strike missions. The precision-guided Tomahawk cruise missile can strike targets from 1,000 miles (1,600 km) away, even in heavily defended airspace. The missile measures 20 feet (6.1 meters) long with an 8.5-foot wingspan and weighs about 3,330 pounds (1,510 kg).

COST AND PRODUCTION OF TOMAHAWK MISSILES

RTX's Raytheon unit makes the non-nuclear Tomahawk missile which can be launched from land or sea. According to Pentagon budget data, the U.S. plans to buy 57 missiles in 2026. They have an average cost of $1.3 million. There is also an ongoing effort to spend millions to modify and upgrade the weapons including the guidance systems.

RECENT COMBAT USAGE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

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U.S. and allied militaries have flight tested the GPS-enabled Tomahawk and used it in an operational environment including when the U.S. and U.K. Navies launched Tomahawk missiles at Houthi rebel sites in Yemen.

HOW TOMAHAWKS DIFFER FROM UKRAINE'S CURRENT MISSILES

Ukraine currently has several domestically made and Western-supplied long-range missiles:

Flamingo - Ukrainian company Fire Point recently developed the Flamingo missile, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has described as his country's most successful weapon. It has a range of over 1,000 miles and Ukraine reported its first use in August 2025.

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Neptune - Ukraine developed the Neptune anti-ship missile and unveiled it in 2015. Subsequent versions have a range of just over 600 miles.

Harpoon - Made by Boeing in the U.S., the Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile that uses active radar homing and flies just above the water to evade defense. It can be launched from ships, submarines, aircraft or coastal batteries and has a range of 75 nautical miles.

ATACMS - Made by Lockheed Martin Corp in the U.S., the Army Tactical Missile System has a maximum range of up to 190 miles depending on the model. It is a solid-fuelled, medium-range tactical ground-to-ground ballistic missile, about 4 metres long. ATACMS can be launched from the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) or the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).

Storm Shadow Missiles - Made by Europe's MBDA, these cruise missiles have a range of 155 miles with a conventional warhead of 990 pounds.

(Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
Students in a classroom. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Allegations that Centreville High School staff coerced minors into getting abortions and assisted them in undergoing the procedure without their parents knowledge are likely untrue, Oct. 16 findings from Fairfax County Public Schools legal probe surmised.

The legal probe runs parallel to a separate, ongoing Virginia State Police investigation launched at the request of Gov. Glenn Youngkin after a conservative blogger reported in August that a FCPS teacher named Zaneida Perez alleged another staff member had helped students obtain abortions in 2021. The blogger has family ties to Youngkin but he said it didnt influence his investigation.

Under Virginia law, it is illegal for minors to get surgeries, like abortions, unless they have parental consent or a successful petition to a court. Such court records are also exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

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In the FCPS allegations case, emails between the accused staffer, a social worker, and Centrevilles former principal purport that proper protocol was followed concerning pregnant students, who were referred to a school nurse. The school nurse was employed by the local health department rather than the school division, and was legally allowed to discuss reproductive health care options with students.

The documents released by King & Spaulding, the law firm FCPS hired, stem from their investigation into the abortion allegations and are part of a U.S. Department of Education request that required documentation regarding the matter.

While the school divisions law firm said they have been unable to locate the former student who allegedly obtained an abortion, a letter purportedly written by the student that was referenced in the bloggers report may have actually been written by Perez. Thats due to a high similarity in the handwriting of the supposed student letter and other complaints filed by Perez, the legal counsel said.

The lawyers also recently spoke with a student that Perez claimed had been pressured to have an abortion, but the student said as recently as Oct. 9 this year that it was the school nurse she consulted, not the accused social worker, and that high school staff have been supportive of her decision to continue her pregnancy and give birth.

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The newly-released documents also suggest that Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Youngkin may have known about the allegations for more than a year, but have only spoken out about them in recent months, ahead of this falls pivotal statewide elections.

The documents include a complaint about the abortion allegations from March 2023 that Perez filed with the attorney generals office, which FCPS claims they were never contacted about.

While the state attorney general office doesnt have the local jurisdiction to prosecute the local complaint from Perez, the filing noted how a referral to state police could have been made in 2023.

OAGs Office of Civil Rights has no record of a complaint filed by Ms. Perez, a spokesperson for Miayres office said in a Oct. 17 email.

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A spokesman for Youngkin said in an October email that the governor learned of the allegations following the August report, after which he had directed state police to launch a criminal investigation.

The filing from FCPS lawyers probe also pointed to social media posts by a Northern Virginia parental rights activist that claim the Youngkin administration knew about the allegations a year ago.

In the new filings from their law firm, FCPS collectively shared that it finds it very disturbing that so many of the individuals who are now (in the weeks leading up to a hotly contested election) shining a spotlight on these dated (and, our investigation shows, likely false) allegations have known about these same allegations for years.

Walter Curt, the investigative reporter who published the August report about the abortion allegations, cast doubt on the law firms findings and took to social media to emphasize that a state police investigation is still underway.

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We dont have to give even a remote bit of credibility to the findings of multimillion dollar law firms hired to try and get FCPS and Michelle Reid out of hot water, he wrote on Oct. 17.

FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid has been under fire from parents along with state and federal leaders much of the year for various decisions, including overhauling admissions at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology to promote greater diversity, and resisting statewide transgender policies that advocates said infringe on trans students rights. By mid-August, the district had begun arranging a security detail for Reid.

Reid is also not the only local official to draw ire from Virginias executive branch. Steve Descano, Fairfax Countys Commonwealth Attorney, has been frequently portrayed by Miyares as too lenient a prosecutor. As attorney general, Miyares has long pushed for changes in state law that could allow the state to intervene in local prosecutions.

The abortion allegations have percolated ahead of this years elections for the states executive branch  Miyares is seeking a second term  and as the entire House of Delegates is also up for election. An in-progress constitutional amendment could enshrine reproductive rights including abortion access, but its potential to advance to voters on statewide ballots next year hinges on Democrats retaining their majority in the House this year.

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Reid issued a statement to Centreville families and staff on Oct. 16, echoing the attorneys findings that so far indicate the abortion allegations are likely untrue.

As I stated in a letter to the school community two days following these allegations, such behavior would never be acceptable in Fairfax County Public Schools, Reid wrote.

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  Good news for businesses located near Fairmount Street in Sioux City, the $1.5 million Watermain Replacement Project that closed that road is almost finished.

A two-block stretch running north off Gordon Drive closed to traffic in the first week of June, pacing is now underway, with hope for a reopening yet this month.

Story continues below

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Along the water main, a sanitary sewer, storm sewer, streetlights, and new sidewalks are all part of the project.

The work is being done in preparation for the Iowa DOT Gordon Drive Viaduct and Bacon Creek Conduit Replacement Projects, which will require Fairmount Street to be used as a detour route during construction.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
Online disinformation from at home and abroad is ringing alarm bells as Cote dIvoire prepares to vote in a presidential election next week. Media experts in Abidjan told RFI about the struggle to keep fake news from disrupting a key vote.

Ahead of polls on 25 October, concern has been raised about false narratives spreading on social media, including AI-generated content. Some claim violence at protests, others unfair campaigning.

"On digital social networks, particularly TikTok, there are a lot of rumours and misinformation circulating about possible violence and forms of destabilisation that might take place or are currently taking place," says Joel Djaha, a sociology PhD student at Felix Houphouet-Boigny University in Abidjan.

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"From my experience, they come mainly from online activists who are politically aligned, whether they are from opposition parties or the party in power."

When Ivorians go on social media, said Assane Diagne, French-language editor of The Conversation Africa and former editor of fact-checking platform Africa Check, it's easy to get the impression that the situation could blow up at any moment.

"I'll give just one example: a highly visited Facebook page in Cote d'Ivoire, Cash Ivoire, which recently presented a video that went viral. The video claimed to be proof of a strong mobilisation, with hundreds of people running and singing," Diagne told RFI.

"The same video was posted last week by Malagasy internet users. Upon verification, this video was filmed in Haiti."

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How Gen Z is taking the fight for their rights from TikTok to the streets

Turbulent history

Social media's potential to inflame tensions is concerning in a country whose electoral history has been marred by turmoil.

In the 2010 presidential race, Alassane Ouattara challenged then incumbent Laurent Gbagbo. He contested Ouattara's victory, triggering violent clashes that left more than 3,000 people dead.

A military intervention led to Gbagbo's arrest, followed by a trial at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. It ended in acquittal.

Gbagbo's Front Populaire Ivoirien boycotted the next election in 2015 in protest. Its absence helped Ouattara to re-election.

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In 2020, the sudden death of Amadou Gon Coulibaly, the ruling RHDP partys designated candidate, prompted Ouattara to run for a controversial third term. That election, held amid heightened tensions and the Covid pandemic, saw inaccurate information, widespread disruptions, the closure of polling stations and low voter turnout.

As Cote d'Ivoire prepares to vote again, Ivorians fear a return to violence, stoked by some of the same narratives.

In the run-up to this month's election, rumours spread around the origins and dual nationality of opposition candidate Tidjane Thiam, who renounced his French citizenship in order to run.

These identity-based controversies are potent because they tap into issues that have caused conflict in Cote dIvoires past  such as who has a claim to Ivoirite, or being truly Ivorian.

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Both Thiam and Gbagbo were disqualified from the vote, and authorities have banned protests over their exclusion. Reports of violence by protesters are at the core of the rumours circulating.

In such a context, it's easy to imagine that some opposition supporters might seek to amplify anger, says Hyacinthe Bley, a historian at Felix Houphouet-Boigny University.

"Their supporters have called to march to protest against their exclusion, and the authorities should let them express their anger, or else they will think that the current government just uses all means for repression to their advantage," he told RFI. "That cannot be good for a peaceful election."

Outside interference?

Alongside domestic tensions, international observers have raised concerns about possible outside interference. Analysts warn that Cote dIvoire could be the target of foreign operations that aim to sway political narratives.

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Diagne says the election is of interest beyond Cote d'Ivoire. The country's economic weight in the region, and particularly within the West African Economic and Monetary Union, means "it interests all of West Africa, and Africa in general".

The vote is taking place amid shifting regional dynamics, as several Sahel states where military rulers have seized control reject former colonial power France in favour of closer ties with Russia. Ouattara opposed the coups in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, and has maintained good relations with France.

Earlier this month, Cote d'Ivoire's National Agency for Information System Security flagged an online disinformation campaign linked to the Sahel juntas, especially in Burkina Faso, which saw scores of social media accounts spread false reports that Ouattara had died and a violent uprising had begun.

Sahel juntas in online bid to disrupt polls in Cote d'Ivoire

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Mohamed Kebe, a journalist, fact-checking specialist and media consultant, says several pieces of false information currently being shared on social media are linked to the Alliance of Sahel States, composed of the three military-led countries.

"It's very important to take them seriously. Because these issues can be a source of serious tension," he told RFI.

But some observers are sceptical. Burkina Faso has enough problems, says Bley, and many Burkinabe live here in Cote dIvoire, so any backlash against them could be really bad for Ouagadougou. Thats why I dont believe Burkina has any interest in destabilising Cote dIvoire.

Efforts to counter false information

In a pre-election assessment published last month, the International Republican Institute relayed concerns about the proliferation of false narratives around the Cote dIvoire vote on social media, "exacerbated by low digital literacy and foreign malign influence".

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It recommended more efforts to counter distorted information, as well as digital literacy programmes.

The government has been seeking to raise awareness of online manipulation. In 2023, it launched a national campaign  named #OnlineAllResponsible  to warn people not to believe everything they see on the internet.

For Kebe, people are most susceptible to fake news if it confirms their political views.

"If you're in the opposition and your party produces false information, even if you think it's false, you choose to believe it because it follows an agenda. It's the same for the ruling party," he told RFI.

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Kebe believes that the authorities have taken appropriate measures to crack down on people who produce false information. He also points to independent organisations such as fact-checking platform IvoireCheck that "fight against false information on a daily basis".

Diagne adds that social media can also be part of the solution, if put to good use. "It can help raise awareness and raise consciences," he said.

Djaha, meanwhile, has faith in Ivorians' digital literacy. Ivorians know about the internet, what happens the day before elections and what is being said, he told RFI. They have a culture of digital reading and I think that it won't really have too much influence.
(FOUNTAIN, Colo.)  A dangerous trend on social media recently caused panic for one family in Fountain, after the entire police department responded to their house. Its called the AI Homeless Man Prank, but police say there is nothing to joke about.

It all started on Wednesday, Oct. 15, when a mother called 911 after receiving a text from her daughter stating that a strange man was in her house. 10 Fountain police officers and several detectives were sent to the home on reports of a burglary.

Originally, there was no response from anyone, Lisa Schneider, Fountain Police Departments Public Information Officer, explained. So at that point, the situation is now amping up even more because theres no response. Theres a strange person in the home. Officers were preparing to do whatever they needed to do to get inside that home.

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According to the police, the daughter, who is an adult, eventually came to the door and said it was a prank. Police are now using the incident to remind the community to be mindful of what they do online.

If your kid has a cell phone, if they have social media, youve now made them age appropriate to have that discussion as to what is safe and what is not safe and what the consequences could be, Schneider said.

Fountain Police shared a photo on its Facebook showing an example of what the mom received, and its a trend taking over social media.

Fountain police say people use Artificial Intelligence (AI) altered photos, appearing to show an intruder, as a way to prank people.

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Pranks are fun, but this is more serious than just a prank, Schneider explained. Could this eventually lead to a fake active shooter situation? Right? If its so easy to impose any type of image into a background, right? Thats a possibility, which is frightening for us because thats a huge response.

Some people reacting on Facebook said, My son did this to me last week. Husband went and got the gun, and thankfully, my son said, No, its just a joke. While others criticized the police departments response on Wednesday, saying, I think you should cover why every available officer was dispatched, but it takes hours to get officers to actual emergencies.

The Fountain Police Department is responding, saying their response was so large because they had more to go off of than just a report of an intruder. There was proof, Schneider said. There was a photo of a strange person in the home, and theyre not supposed to be there. The mom couldnt get a hold of her daughter, and we want to send as many resources as we can for a situation like that.

Police warn the community that if the trend continues, you could face charges depending on the situation.

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This is the first that Ive been made aware of in Fountain, and I didnt find anything within the state of Colorado yet, so were lucky to be the first, I guess, Schneider said.

Fountain Police does not currently train officers on how to identify AI, but says it is something the department will look into.

We dont have the time to filter, which is why we want to educate people to do that filtering themselves, Schneider said.

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FALL RIVER  The citys affordable housing stock may be given a wider share of the market if the City Council adds a new ordinance imposing stricter terms around residential development to the city code.

At the Oct. 14 City Council meeting, City Councilor Shawn E. Cadime explained why the city  amid a housing crisis compounded by an ever-growing need for affordable housing  ought to privilege affordable homes with stricter regulations, as stated in a resolution filed Sept. 22.

While Fall River is teeming with new housing developments, few of these projects ensure that residents of all income levels have access to safe, decent, and sustainable housing, Cadime said.

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About 30% of Fall Rivers housing stock is market-rate.

Market-rate future: The future of Fall River's rental market may not be affordable housing, developer says

A rendering in the office of Anthony Cordeiro shows concept art for an apartment building to be constructed on Hartwell Street in Fall River on Sept. 6, 2025.

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40B sets regulations surrounding affordable housing through the state's Department of Housing and Community Development.

How is rent controlled with 40B laws?

Affordable units are subject to a long-term use deed restrictions and are limited in occupancy to income-eligible households earning no more than 80% of the Area Median Income, which, according to 2025 Massachusetts Housing Partnership data, a single-person household would need to earn less than $69,200 to qualify.

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Rents are set so eligible households pay no more than 30% of its gross income for housing costs. The number of affordable units a municipality has is able to be included the Commonwealth's Subsidized Housing Inventory.

Maintaining that other municipalities in the state have implemented ordinances and bylaws requiring a percentage of newly constructed housing units to be designated affordable, Cadime said so should Fall River, citing concerns of gentrification.

The living room in one of the apartments at the old Durfee Tech.

Cadime alluded to the possibility of modifying zoning requirements in overlay districts as a way to expand development.

Measures like 40B improve economic balance and stability, as well as equitable access to housing opportunities. But they also come with steep deed restrictions that protect affordability for at least 50 years.

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'Ready to pop': Fall River and market-rate housing: Cordeiro Group plans major expansion

In Somerset, developer Marc Landrys Residences at Slade Farm have 120 units; 30 of them designated workforce housing units, and the other 90 listed at market rate.

Projects involving state statute Chapter 40B are sanctioned and administered under the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, an agency that strives to make housing more affordable across Massachusetts. In particular, the office encourages all towns and cities to meet a threshold of at least 10% subsidized housing inventory.

A kitchen in one of the renovated apartments at 95 June St., Fall River.

Cadime wants Fall River to model 40B framework

Based on June 2023 data from the states EOHLC, Fall Rivers Subsidized Housing Inventory stock occupied 10.23% of the housing market.

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As of December 2024, the city's Community Development Agency had committed to 11 affordable housing projects in various stages of development scattered throughout the city that promised to bring 113 affordable units online. Among the most notable properties on that list is the St. Louis School, a Rock Street property under a purchase and sale agreement, and the former Notre Dame Rectory at 529 Eastern Ave.

Exterior of the St. Louis Schoolhouse Condominium in Fall River April 30, 2025.

Cadime is calling on the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Ordinances and Legislation to convene with the city administrators, City Engineer and Planner Daniel Aguiar, and Corporation Counsel Alan Rumsey to discuss the implementation of restrictions by way of an ordinance applicable to housing development in the city.

Cadimes resolution states that any new housing development project of 10 or more units must set aside between 10% and 20% for affordable housing.

Additionally, developers must ensure these units remain affordable by virtue of a deed restriction of 50 years, modeling regulations on 40B stipulations.

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This is just to get the conversation started, Cadime said at the meeting, and though it may not resolve all housing concerns for Fall River, he indicated a compromise could be reached after discussing the matter with the city officials.

The resolution was unanimously referred to the City Council Committee on Finance.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Fall River city councilor says developers must build affordable units
ROBERTSON COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  Randy Insko dedicated more than two decades to Robertson County, serving 21 years as sheriff.

Now, hes back wearing the badge after former sheriff Terry Gray resigned.

Theres good people in this county and they deserve a sheriff who will serve their needs, said Insko.

Insko was appointed by Robertson County Judge Executive Valerie Grigson Miley after Grays arrest earlier this month.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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Police said Gray was driving more than 110 miles per hour through Mason County with his emergency lights on and nearly flipped his car while under the influence.

Miley explained her decision on Facebook, writing in part, Our county is experiencing what I can only describe as trauma. She added that, this is a critical time, requiring experience and expertise, and that the appointed sheriff doesnt have time for a learning curve.

Insko said he is asking for the communitys patience during this transition and is thankful for the support hes already received.

RELATED l Kentucky sheriff resigns at governors request following multiple DUI arrests

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Scott Lengle, a captain at Post Six, hes helped us out. Heres forwarded 911 calls for right now, explained Insko. That wont last forever, he wont be taking them forever, he basically told me, Well take the calls until you get back on your feet.'

Insko will serve out Grays remaining year as sheriff, but said he doesnt plan to run in 2026.

Im going to do what Im supposed to do, and after that point, well see how it works out, Insko said.

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Loved ones are calling for accountability after their family member died inside the Clay County Jail.

Jarel Walker-Webb was found unresponsive in jail nearly three months ago. He was first arrested in 2022, accused of sexual battery.

He was dating a 17-year-old; he just turned 18, said Shannell Webb, Jarels aunt. They snuck out in the middle of the night; they got caught, and he went to jail.

His family shared the autopsy report with Action News Jax, which shows he died from fentanyl.

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For me to see that it was just weird because he was a kid that never did drugs, said Shannell. He didnt like to drink alcohol.

A report shows that Clay County detectives were investigating a potential jail overdose the same day Walker-Webb died.

It states that investigators found a straw-like instrument appearing to contain a white powdery residue inside, which tested positive for fentanyl.

There was also a deodorant stick that was found, which appeared as if it had been removed multiple times, in an attempt to possibly conceal something underneath the deodorant.

Another inmate was charged with conspiracy to commit sale and delivery of fentanyl inside the jail. That offense was committed the same day Walker-Webb overdosed, according to that inmates arrest report.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) was involved in both investigations.

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Action News Jax asked the FDLE if that arrest was related to Walker-Webbs death, but we did not receive a response.

Walker-Webbs family said they wont stop asking questions until someone explains what happened.

We feel like his death is being swept under the rug, said Shannell. We just need help. We are not getting answers from anybody.

The Clay County Sheriffs Office said it is still an open investigation, and when more information is available, they will share it with us.

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Family Matters star Darius McCrary was denied bail during his first court appearance following his arrest at the U.S.-Mexico border over the weekend.

McCrary, 49, appeared in San Diego Superior Court on Wednesday, where a judge denied his bail after he had been arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents on Sunday for an out-of-state felony warrant, according to Blavity and People.

The judge agreed with prosecutors that McCrary was a flight risk after he was apprehended crossing into the U.S. from Mexico. At the hearing, McCrary initially chose to represent himself, but the judge later appointed a public defender.

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He will remain in a San Diego jail until he is extradited to Michigan, where he has a warrant for missing a court appearance related to unpaid child support for his daughter Zoey, his rep told TMZ.

McCrary was reportedly in Mexico for real estate

Prosecutors said the actor owed more than $75,000 in child support to his daughter in Michigan as of August 2024, ABC 10 News reported. They said the amount is now substantially more.

They also stated that McCrarys agent said he was in Mexico looking to buy real estate. However, his public defender argued against that claim, stating that he was in Tijuana working with a group to build homes before he was arrested for re-entering the U.S. from Mexico.

McCrarys rep, Ann Barlow, told People that the prosecutions labeling of her client as a flight risk is false. She said he has no ties to Tijuana and accidentally crossed over due to a mix-up [about] where to meet his partner for the Esperanza program, when he volunteered to build homes for unhoused people.

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While McCrary initially waived his right to fight extradition, Barlow said he remains focused on fighting the case in Michigan.

McCrary has another court date set for Nov. 14, according to online records.







The post Family Matters Star Darius McCrary Denied Bail And Set For Extradition After San Diego Court Appearance appeared first on Blavity.
(Reuters) -U.S. Bancorp said on Wednesday it had formed a new unit focused on digital assets and money movement to speed up development as well as grow the revenue from emerging digital products and services.

Jamie Walker, a U.S. Bancorp veteran of more than 20 years, will lead the new unit.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The goal of the new organization is to develop digital products and make more money from the growing areas in finance such as stablecoin issuance, cryptocurrency custody, asset tokenization and digital money movement.

KEY QUOTE

"Clients increasingly want to understand how digital assets can help them safely move money, store deposits and use tokenized assets, among other potential use cases," said Dominic Venturo, chief digital officer at U.S. Bancorp.

CONTEXT

More companies have been trying to cash in on better crypto prices and U.S. President Donald Trump's support for the crypto industry.

(Reporting by Anuj T in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas)
TYLER, Texas (KETK)  One family member of Nikki Curtis spoke with KETKs Ashlyn Anderson on Thursday about why he is frustrated with Robert Robersons third stay of execution.

Texas appeals court again pauses execution of Robert Roberson in shaken baby case

This is my life every single day since I was five years old. Basically its been a repeat, repeat and repeat. My family has not been able to rest, Nikki Curtis brother Matthew Bowman said.

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From since he was a young boy, Bowman has been fighting for the truth of what happened to his baby sister Nikki.

Every single day of my life she has never been forgotten but everybody else has forgotten about her and now they care about the monster up here, Bowman said.

Death row inmate, Robert Roberson received a last-minute stay of execution last week for the 2002 death of Nikki. His legal team said his conviction was based on junk science like Shaken Baby Syndrome, but Bowman disagrees.

They havent showed any new evidence at all, its still the same stuff that were reviewing since 2016. Its still blunt force trauma. Its not shaken baby like everybody says. The autopsy makes that very clear, Bowman said.

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Robersons attorney, Gretchen Sween said there is no evidence that Nikki was beaten to death. She added that those accusations are proven false by medical records and blood work. His team is pushing for a new trial.

The case has been brought back to a district court in Anderson County. If a new trial is granted, Bowman wants Robersons past brought back up.

New evidence regarding the death of his daughter may halt execution of East Texan Robert Roberson

Theyre worried about how hes acting now. He wasnt acting this way back then. He had friends. He had drug buddies, Bowman said. He was robbing people. He was doing stuff to his wife where he beat her one time. There are records of that. Theres just a lot that I dont understand.

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As he was flipping through photos and funny memories of Nikki, Bowman said one photo of Nikki and Robert doesnt display the truth.

You know, my grandparents forced her to sit in his lap that day? So lets talk about forced pictures. Pictures arent worth a million words. You know, sometimes all that stuff yall show has been forced. My sister never wanted to get in that car that day either, but my grandparents were sick and thought he was supposed to be a awesome dad. For some reason she was always scared of him and now we know, Bowman said.

Robersons legal team will try and prove his conviction was based off the Shaken Baby Syndrome hypothesis as his legal case continues.

You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming.

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents pointed a gun at a family, including a mother holding her 3-month-old baby, as they burst into their Oregon home, footage of the incident showed.

The video recorded by Mari Magana and posted on Facebook showed the moment ICE agents kicked down the bedroom door in the familys apartment in Gresham, approximately 17 miles outside of Portland, Wednesday evening. The video has been shared across social media.

The babys grandmother, Gloria Bautista, told The Independent that her daughter has been left shaken by the ordeal.

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The mother is so traumatized that anything scares her, she's shaking all the time, she said.

Agents were heard shouting, Police, dont move, hands up, and appeared to point their weapons at the family after breaking down the door as the family sat in the room.

ICE agents appear to point weapons at the family, including the mother, who was holding her 3-month-old baby, a viral video showed. (Mari Magana/Facebook)

The baby, who was being held by Magana, was heard crying off-camera after the agents started shouting.

This is unfair they scared my baby, Magana wrote in a Facebook post alongside the footage. We are not criminals to be treated that way let alone point us with guns.

Two male relatives in the room were detained by ICE agents in the confrontation, where an agent appeared to grab one of them by the hair and pull him backward out of the room. The two suspects have been taken to a detention center in nearby Tacoma, Washington.

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A senior Department of Homeland Security official told The Independent that no injuries were sustained in the operation, which was targeting a previously removed violent criminal illegal alien from Mexico who remains at large.

ICE officers attempted to pull this criminal illegal alien over in a vehicle stop, the official said. He attempted to evade arrest and rammed into a United States Postal Service vehicle before fleeing on foot into an apartment. After refusals to come out, law enforcement entered the apartment.

The target escaped and remains at-large, the official added. Two other aliens from Mexico were found inside the apartment and taken into ICE custody at the scene.

The family claimed the men who were detained are in the U.S. legally.

A video showed the moment ICE agents kicked down the bedroom door in the familys apartment in Gresham, approximately 17 miles outside of Portland (Mari Magana/ Facebook)

Magana filmed the moment ICE agents kicked the door down because they had been attempting to enter the property for hours, according to Latino news outlet Noticias Noroeste NW.

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An agent was heard asking the mother: "Why don't you put the phone down, we're in your house right now."

A GoFundMe appeal launched by Ashley Valdez, who said she was Magana's cousin, wrote that the agents "came in forcibly with guns pointing at them" and the mom "feared for her newborn baby."

"Her daughter was present and captured all on camera as she feared for her 3-month-old newborn baby on what would happen next," Valdez said.

GoFundMe confirmed the page launched by Valdez, seeking support for attorney fees, was legitimate when contacted by The Independent.

"These people are not criminals," Valdez added. "They are hard-working people, they don't deserve this."

The Trump administration has sought to deploy the National Guard to Portland in recent weeks but has been blocked by federal judges. Trump has dubbed the liberal city "war-ravaged," as part of his crime crackdown and the Portland ICE facility has become a battleground for anti-immigration demonstrators and federal agents.
By Andrea de Silva

LAS CUEVAS, Trinidad and Tobago (Reuters) -Relatives of a Trinidadian man who say he was killed in a U.S. military strike on a boat in the Caribbean this week are demanding evidence to back up allegations by U.S. President Donald Trump that those who died were trafficking drugs.

Trump has ordered a large U.S. military buildup in the southern Caribbean and U.S. troops there have conducted at least six strikes on boats the administration says were involved in drug trafficking, without providing evidence.

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At least 27 people have been killed. The U.S. has described some of them as Venezuelans, while Colombian President Gustavo Petro has suggested others were from his country.

Family members of 26-year-old Chad Joseph said they believe he was killed in a strike on Tuesday, along with another Trinidadian man named by some media as Rishi Samaroo.

"I'm feeling very hurt. You know why? Donald Trump took a father, a brother, an uncle, a nephew from families. Donald Trump don't care what he is doing," said Joseph's cousin, Afisha Clement, 41, who said Joseph was humble, calm and a father figure to her young daughter.

"If you say a boat has narcotics on it, where is the narcotics? We want evidence, we want proof. There is nothing," she added.

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Joseph's great-uncle, Cecil McClean, 93, called the strike "perfect murder".

"There is nothing they could prove that they are coming across our waters with drugs," McClean said. "How could Trump prove the boat was bringing narcotics?"

Family members said Joseph was a fisherman who had traveled to Venezuela, where he had relatives, to find work six months ago.

Joseph's mother Lenore Burnley said she has so far not been contacted by anyone from Trinidad and Tobago's government, adding she saw social media posts naming her son as one of those killed in the strike.

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"I put everything in God's hands, God will give me my satisfaction," Burnley said, when asked what she would say to Trump.

The Trump administration has provided scant information on the strikes, including the identities of those killed or details about the cargos. A new strike on Thursday appeared to be the first to leave survivors, a U.S. official told Reuters.

Legal experts have questioned why the U.S. military is carrying out the strikes instead of the Coast Guard, which is the main U.S. maritime law enforcement agency, and why other efforts to halt the shipments aren't made before resorting to deadly strikes. Democrats have said the administration has failed to provide Congress with any credible justification or intelligence to justify its actions.

The Trump administration argues it is fighting Venezuelan narcoterrorists, making the strikes legitimate.

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Trump also confirmed on Wednesday that he authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, marking a sharp escalation in U.S. efforts to pressure Maduro, who the U.S. has accused of links to drug trafficking and criminal groups.

Maduro denies the accusations and has repeatedly alleged the U.S. is hoping to drive him from power.

Venezuela on Thursday asked the United Nations Security Council to determine that deadly U.S. strikes on vessels off its coast are illegal.

(Reporting by Andrea de Silva;Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb;Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA)  The EPA is giving $430 million to Illinois for climate programs and a lot will be going to farmers.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture is urging farmers to apply for some of the cash from Washington, which will encourage the use of no-till or strip-till practices. The IDOA and the states EPA consulted with farm organizations on the program details.

From the Farm: New farming survey finds low morale amongst corn farmers

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Andrew Larson of the Illinois Soybean Association said farmers will have to be fast to get part of the $430 million. Enrollment begins in 10 days, but a pre-enrollment period began on Wednesday.

Contact the Illinois Department of Agriculture for details about the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. There is a lot of money to encourage reduced tillage, and Illinois does not want to send any money back to Washington.

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Farmers have criticised the Governments 11th-hour policy reversal on payments for promoting wildlife.

The farmers have argued that the announcement came too late to stop them from ploughing up habitat and replacing it with crops.

The Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier pays farmers for activities such as planting trees and wildflowers or laying hedges, which creates space for animals, including hares, endangered farmland birds and insects.

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Subsidies had been scheduled to end in December. However, this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced that the programme would be extended by a year.

Rather than welcoming the extension, some farmers and conservationists said it was too little, too late. Many have already returned to conventional agriculture, meaning land once used to support wildlife has now been given over to crops.

Tom Allen-Stevens, who runs the British On-Farm Innovation Network, which champions sustainable agriculture, called it a betrayal.

He said: They could have made this decision a year ago. They could have said it at any point, but they waited until now, until we had already committed our land to food production and taken it out of stewardship.

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This Government does not understand farmers.

The timing is problematic, as almost every farmer who made the change from environmental stewardship to conventional arable farming will have already sown their land.

The investment will have been considerable, and they cant go back now, even if they would rather be managing their land for nature.

A big amount of money to save

Mr Allen-Stevens, who is also an arable farmer in Oxfordshire, put 30pc of his farm back into production in early autumn at considerable expense.

He said: The cynic in me believes that [the Government] deliberately did it to save money. If you think about the thousands of farmers who wont go back now, thats a big amount of money theyre going to save.

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The Countryside Stewardship scheme was introduced in 2015 to promote biodiversity, water and air quality and natural flood management. In 2024 alone, the scheme paid out 678m. It comprises a range of different subsidy schemes, but the most popular elements are mid-tier grants and so-called wildlife offers.

While some grants will continue, the end of the mid-tier scheme, which was the most widely available subsidy, was greeted with dismay.

The National Farmers Union (NFU), which lobbied for the preservation of mid-tier grants, has heralded the extension as a victory. David Exwood, NFUs deputy president, called it a massive help for thousands of farmers.

However, Graham Denny, an arable farmer and conservationist in Suffolk, said: Reintroducing the stewardship scheme at this moment makes no sense. I know people who have recently bought land with schemes on it, and theyve just ripped them all out.

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He conceded that the extension was better than nothing, but stressed that much wildlife had already been lost.

Richard Negus, a Suffolk hedge layer and conservation advisor, said: The main issue is this stop-start mentality that this Government has. Who knows whether countryside stewardship will exist the following year?

Mr Allen-Stevens said he wanted to set aside land for wildlife, but could only afford to do so if he was paid consistently.

I walked through one of my fields the other day, and I saw a skylark [a farmland bird species in rapid decline], and I just thought, we are really achieving something. But if you come back in a year, all of that goodwill will have been undone, and that is what is really tragic, he said.

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Frustration over the handling of the subsidy scheme adds to pre-existing anger over Labours treatment of farmers. The past 12 months have seen a succession of protests against new inheritance tax laws on agricultural assets, known as the family farm tax.

The policy has helped the Prime Minister earn the nickname Starmer the farmer harmer in parts of the countryside. Morale in agriculture has been worsened by one of the poorest harvests in memory.

Dame Angela Eagle, the farming minister, said: Were backing farmers with the largest investment in nature-friendly farming in history, underpinning our cast-iron commitment to food security.



This targeted extension to Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier agreements ensures that farmers have the certainty and support they need to continue to grow their businesses, get more British food on our plates, and help restore nature.

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Clean Clothes Campaign explains in a new report titled 'Heat and Garment Workers' Rights - Fashioning a Just Transition' that as global temperatures rise from climate change, so do the risks of illness, harassment and wage theft faced by fashion workers in factories.

It notes that workers across garment supply chains, from Indonesia to Pakistan, are already feeling the strain of rising temperatures at work, whether in factories or at home.

Clean Clothes Campaign points out that as temperatures rise, the onus doesn't just fall on fashion brands and suppliers. It states that governments also need to do their part by introducing standards on heat in the workplace and providing social security for the health and income impacts that high temperatures can have on workers.

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Womens Center Sri Lanka's Gayani Gomes says: Sometimes, women in factories are forced to work long hours in extreme heat, often until they faint. In workplaces with metal roofs and little to no ventilation, they are made to continue without adequate breaks. As temperatures rise, incidents of gender-based violence and harassment also increase, adding to the daily struggles and risks women face at work."

Union leader Emelia Yanti from Gabungan Serikat Buruh Indonesia adds: We must make sure that workers dont pay the price when factories get too hot to work by being forced to work extra hours to fulfil orders for no extra pay. Brands need to take responsibility and make workplaces safe, and adjust their orders when temperatures make it unsafe to work.

Giuseppe Cioffo, Clean Clothes Campaign International Office, says, Governments must take workplace heat seriously and act now to protect workers. Action includes binding standards to monitor heat in workplaces, protect workers from the threat of heat and reduce harm when temperatures make workers ill. They also need to foresee and address the impact this will have on employment in the future.

What can fashion brands, suppliers and governments do to combat heat stress?

Protect workers health and safety from heat in the workplace in a way that is worker-driven, inclusive and addresses local contexts. Safeguard workers livelihoods and protect communities from heat risk and impact:

A) Protect wages when heat disrupts production

B) Protect workers livelihoods when heat leads to sickness, injury or job loss

C) Worker-centred heat-adaptation plans to address socio-economic impacts of heat. Protect and respect all human and workers rights regardless of temperature  paying particular attention to the rights of women, home-based workers and migrant workers. Mitigate climate change and environmental degradation to reduce heat risk.

Work-place heat is no longer isolated problem

Clean Clothes Campaign points out that as the climate and ecological crisis intensifies, driven in no small part by the fashion industry, work-place

heat is no longer an isolated hazard but a systemic threat.

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It states: "It is deepening existing labour rights violations and creating new ones for the very workers who have contributed least to the crisis. Heat in the workplace must be recognised as a fundamental and urgent labour and human rights issue across the sector.

"Fashions global workforce, with high numbers of women, migrants and workers on non-standard forms of employment, faces unsafe conditions, poverty wages and the denial of basic rights. As heat intensifies, so too does the risk of exploitation, illness, harassment and income loss. Communities face widespread social upheaval and economic consequences."

Clean Clothes Campaign suggests that governments, suppliers and brands must act as a matter of urgency to reduce their contribution to climate and ecological change.

It concludes: "They must stop the repression of fashion workers rights and ensure their full freedom to organise, negotiate, and co-create climate adaptation strategies. They must end exploitative business practices, uphold the right to decent work in climate-vulnerable regions, and invest in social protection systems for all workers, regardless of contract type or migration status.

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"Without action, garment workers are left exposed to the full force of climate breakdown, threatening their safety, livelihoods and future."

In September, Fashion Revolution revealed that only 6% of fashion brands currently disclose their strategy to electrify high heat processes and move away from fossil fuels.

"Fashion brands urged to tackle deadly heat in garment factories" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand.




NEED TO KNOW

Lt. Nathan Kaas died after being accidentally shot by his friend on a hunting trip on Oct. 12

A hunting rifle accidentally fired and shot Kaas in the leg, causing major bleeding

Kaas was a member of the Riverside County Sheriff's Emergency Response Team

A Sheriff's Office Lieutenant died after being accidentally shot by his friend on a hunting trip.

On Oct. 12, Lt. Nathan Kaas went on a hunting trip with a friend in Idaho's Caribou-Targhee National Forest. The two were preparing to hunt mule deer when the friend removed a hunting rifle from its case, and it accidentally discharged and struck Kaas in the thigh, per ABC 7 News.

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Kaas suffered severe bleeding, The San Bernardino Sun reported. The shooting occurred in the Sheep Creek area, per Fox 11.

The shooter has not been publicly identified at this time.

Kaas was a member of the Riverside County Sheriff's Emergency Response Team in Riverside, Calif., according to a social media post from the Riverside County Sheriff's Association. The association noted that Kaas died "from a hunting accident."

A fundraiser for his family was organized through Help A Hero. The description confirms that Kaas was a husband and father to three children.

"His relationship, love and service to Jesus Christ, his church and community, emboldened his impact on the many walks of life he encountered. He will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and loyal friend," the fundraiser description began.

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Kaas was described as a "protector and mentor embodied the Service Above Self pride of the Riverside County Sheriffs Office."

Riverside County Deputy Sheriff Relief Foundation Nathan Kaas Nathan Kaas

The statement continued, "His relationship, love and service to Jesus Christ strengthened his impact on the many walks of life he encountered. Lieutenant Kaas' loved ones, the Riverside County Sheriffs Office, and the Riverside County Sheriffs Association, thank you for your support, prayers and donations for the Kaas family."

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.

Kaas joined the RCSO in April 2000 and held the ranks of Investigator, Sergeant, and Lieutenant during his 25 years of service, the RCSO said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

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"We extend our heartfelt condolences to Lieutenant Nathan Kaas's family, friends, and colleagues as they navigate this difficult time," the RCSO added.

Kaas' death comes just two days after 21-year-old Kaylanee Orr died of an accidental gunshot wound while hunting with family in Idaho on Oct. 10, per multiple reports.



Read the original article on People
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A Charlotte man is facing charges after police said he allegedly pointed a gun at his son and threatened to kill his entire family during a heated argument.

According to Mecklenburg County court documents, authorities responded to West Charlotte High School along Senior Drive just after 1 p.m. on Thursday, October 16.

A Department of Social Services worker at the scene told Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers she had been interviewing a man, identified as Sandell Brooks, at the school.

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Brooks reportedly told the DSS worker and officers that he was frustrated with his son for not following house rules, including chores and daily responsibilities. During the argument, Brooks said he went to his bedroom, got a firearm, and threatened his son in an effort to make him obey the rules, court documents state.

FBI raids homes of Charlotte activist Cedric Dean in health care fraud investigation; neighbors say they kept an eye on him

His son told authorities a different story.

According to his son, Brooks pointed the gun at him and threatened to kill him, his brother, their mother, and then himself. The son told CMPD he believed his father was serious and capable of carrying out these threats, according to court records.

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Brooks later reportedly admitted to making the threats, saying he was angry and wanted to be heard. He also reportedly told his wife about the threats he made toward her.

The firearm was later found in the center console of Brooks vehicle. Brooks was arrested and is now facing several charges:

Possessing a firearm on educational property

Two counts of communicating threats

Assault by pointing a gun

Carrying a concealed weapon

The investigation remains open and ongoing. Brooks bond has been set at $50,000 secured. This case is due back in court this November.

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By Andrea Shalal and Karin Strohecker

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Top U.S. and Chinese officials joined a meeting on Wednesday of the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable, where a key topic was the lack of transparency about commercial bank loans that have complicated developing countries' debt restructuring efforts.

The International Monetary Fund, World Bank and current G20 president South Africa issued a progress report after the meeting, calling for continued efforts to address elevated debt vulnerabilities, particularly in low-income countries.

It said debt levels in low-income countries and emerging economies had generally stabilized, but remained higher than during the pre-COVID-19 era, with a few being particularly vulnerable. Many also faced elevated debt-service challenges, crowding out spending on education, health and infrastructure.

"Recent shifts in global policies and cuts in foreign aid add to the challenges," the report said, underscoring the need for domestic reforms by debtor countries to boost growth, with specific attention to rising domestic debt vulnerabilities.

Participants agreed to keep working to improve debt restructuring processes, including looking for ways to accelerate the restructuring of non-bonded commercial debt, accelerating support to countries with sustainable debt but high debt-service challenges, and strengthening transparency.

IMF strategy chief Ceyla Pazarbasioglu said the continued participation of the U.S. and China in the roundtable, despite a fierce trade war dividing the world's two largest economies, showed their commitment to keep addressing the high debt levels hurting developing countries.

The roundtable, which met during the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank in Washington, had led to progress in shortening the timelines of official debt restructurings and reworking bonded debt, but there was more work to do on non-bonded debt, Pazarbasioglu told reporters before the meeting.

"These discussions have been important to get everyone on the same page," she said. "The fact that tomorrow we will have the U.S. Treasury Secretary (Scott Bessent) there, China will be there, and others will be there, is a sign that they are still committed to this discussion."

CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY OVER DEBT

The progress report showed that transparency was a shared concern, especially regarding non-bonded debt.

"Non-bonded debt is the laggard at this point," Pazarbasioglu said, noting some countries had moved through a restructuring but still faced bank exposures or other loans that prevented credit ratings agencies from removing their default status and raising ratings.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP)  The father of a 7-month-old boy missing in Southern California pleaded guilty to second-degree murder of his son after a monthslong investigation that has failed to locate the child's remains.

Jake Haro on Thursday also pleaded guilty to assault on a child under 8 that results in death, paralysis or a comatose state, and a misdemeanor count of filing a false report.

Haro, 32, and his wife Rebecca Haro, 41, attracted national attention this summer after reporting their son Emmanuel Haro had been kidnapped outside a store in San Bernardino County on Aug. 14.

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Rebecca Haro told authorities that she was attacked outside a store in the community of Yucaipa while changing her sons diaper and was left unconscious. Authorities said Haro told them that when she awoke, her son was gone.

Rebecca Haro was later confronted by authorities about inconsistencies in her account and refused to continue to cooperate, the sheriffs department said.

A week after reporting their son missing, authorities arrested both parents as part of a murder investigation.

The couple was charged with the murder of Emmanuel Haro and making a false report. Theyve each been held on $1 million bail.

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Based on the evidence, investigators determined a kidnapping in Yucaipa did not occur, the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department said after their Aug. 22 arrest. The search to recover his remains is ongoing.

Prosecutors have said they believe the boy died from abuse.

In 2023, Jake Haro pleaded guilty in open court to abusing another one of his children in 2018. The girl suffered rib and skull fractures, a brain hemorrhage and other injuries.

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said the prosecution asked the judge to sentence Haro to prison at that time, but instead he was allowed to serve 180 days of work release, plus probation.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  The FBI has accused a Louisiana resident of participating in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, then lying about his past and fraudulently obtaining a visa to live in the U.S.

According to an FBI criminal complaint unsealed this week, Mahmoud Amin Ya'qub Al-Muhtadi armed himself and gathered a group to cross from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel during the attack that left more than 1,200 people dead.

Hamas fighters also kidnapped more than 250 people, including dozens of American citizens, during the raid. This week, Hamas released the 20 remaining living hostages after the two sides agreed to a tenuous ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.

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Al-Muhtadi was an operative of the Gaza-based military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, according to the complaint prepared by FBI Supervisory Special Agent Alexandria M. Thoman O'Donnell and submitted to a federal judge on Oct. 6. O'Donnell serves on a task force investigating the murder and kidnapping of American citizens during the attack two years ago.

On his U.S. visa application, Al-Muhtadi denied he had ever been involved in terrorist activities, and became a legal permanent resident in 2024, the complaint says.

The complaint says he could face charges for visa fraud and for conspiring to provide support for a foreign terrorist organization. Al-Muhtadi was arrested Thursday, according to the Justice Department.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the Justice Department remains dedicated to finding and prosecuting those responsible for that horrific day, including the murder of dozens of American citizens.

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We will continue to stand by Jewish Americans and Jewish people around the world against anti-Semitism and terrorism in all its forms, Bondi said.

Inmate records show someone with Al-Muhtadi's same name and age is being held at St. Martin Parish Correctional Center, near Lafayette. He was scheduled to appear in federal court Friday morning.

No attorney was identified for Al-Muhtadi in court filings. The FBI declined to provide more details to The Associated Press, citing the government shutdown.

Justice will be served, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in an X post. He added that Al-Muhtadi might be sent to the newly opened immigration detention wing of the state's maximum security prison, known as Louisiana Lockup: Perhaps this is Louisiana Lockups newest resident?

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Al-Muhtadis social media and email accounts revealed a yearslong affiliation with a Hamas-aligned paramilitary group, including carrying out firearms training, according to the FBI.

On the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas forces attacked Israel, the then-military commander of Hamas, Mohammed Deif, called for the masses to join in.

Al-Muhtadi told his associates to get ready and bring the rifles, and that there is kidnapping, and it's a game, which will be a good one, according to phone calls reviewed by the FBI. He also asked an associate to bring ammunition.

The FBI says Al-Muhtadi coordinated an armed group to travel into Israel and that during the attack his phone pinged a cell tower near Kfar Aza, an Israeli village where dozens of residents were killed and approximately 19 kidnapped.

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In June 2024, Al-Muhtadi submitted an electronic U.S. visa application in Cairo. In the application, he denied serving in any paramilitary organization or having ever engaged in terrorist activities. His application said he intended to live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and work in car repairs or food services." He entered the U.S. in September 2024.

Al-Muhtadi lived in Tulsa through May but by early June had relocated to Lafayette, where he worked for a local restaurant, the FBI says.

An unidentified FBI agent repeatedly met with Al-Muhtadi in Lafayette from July to September this year.

An associate advised Al-Muhtadi not to contact anyone from the paramilitary group because he was under surveillance in the U.S. and to avoid posting on social media in support of Hamas. The FBI says Al-Muhtadi responded that he could post whatever he wanted, including pictures of Hamas leaders, and he would be safe.

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___

Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Federal immigration agents were spotted across Chicago on Thursday as "Operation Midway Blitz" continues.

Witnesses say as many as 30 federal officers swarmed a flea market, taking multiple people into custody who tried to run away ... while leaving fear and uncertainty with the vendors left behind."

Federal agents detained several people at a Swap-O-Rama flea market located near 41st Street and South Ashland Avenue in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.

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"If anyone was running, that's who they grabbed," Swap-O-Rama vendor Noe Ochoa said. ""I saw one lady just look half-fainted, I guess. Just shocked, like, 'Why me?'"

Alderwoman Julia Ramirez of the 12th Ward says several vendors were among those detained.

The Thursday morning operation happened not far from a clash between federal agents and demonstrators near a BP gas station at West 47th Street and South Western Avenue.

Video showed multiple immigration officers wrestling a man to ground. One person appeared to be detained. The crowd then grew as federal vehicles drove off.

RELATED | Chicago federal intervention: Tracking surge in immigration enforcement operations | Live updates

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"A couple U.S. citizens were detained on that corner," Ald. Ramirez said. "I'm still gathering more information on that, but we're seeing an escalation of force."

Some of those same demonstrators later returned to the Back of the Yards flea market in protest.

"Terrorizing our people! We want our communities to be safe," anti-ICE demonstrator Elizabeth Aramas said.

Uncertainty loomed over the families who depend on the flea market for survival.

"This just scares people away," Ochoa said. "We're not making any business."

ABC7 Chicago reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Border Patrol for comment but have not heard back.

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Alderwoman Ramirez says about 15 people were detained at the Swap-O-Rama.

SEE ALSO | Judge orders ICE field director to testify, 'Operation Midway Blitz' agents to wear body cameras

Also on Thursday, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle signed an executive order banning the use of county property for immigration enforcement. The order says ICE cannot stage, debrief or use county property for any immigration operation.

"Cook County is proud to be a welcoming County, committed to protecting the safety, dignity, and human rights of all residents," Preckwinkle said in a statement. "It is critical that the government's interactions with the public adhere to our nation's laws and values. Yet, ICE's increasingly aggressive, inhumane and unlawful actions continue undermining the safety and stability of our communities. We will do everything we can to ensure all residents receive fair treatment and our communities are safe from harassment and intimidation."

SEE ALSO | ICE arrests Hanover Park police officer, accuses him of being in US illegally


When masked federal agents arrived at the Swap-O-Rama flea market, the people standing between the might of the United States government and the livelihoods of the immigrants who make up its vendors and customer base were working-class employees in red sweaters.

They faced armed federal agents wearing camo and bearing guns.

One of our people said this is private property and they said to that person, If you resist well arrest you, were coming in anyway,' Ted Joseph, the flea markets co-owner, told the Tribune.

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A battery of armed agents covering their faces entered the open-air shopping staple of the Back of the Yards neighborhood Thursday morning and took a number of people away. Community members said there were more than a dozen arrests. The Department of Homeland Security in a post on X Friday said 13 had been detained in the raid and alleged they were guilty of various crimes but provided no specifics and did not release any names.

As residents shouted Get out! agents marched through Swap-O-Rama, a market where community vendors rent spots to sell everything from household goods to homegrown tomatoes. Immigration officers removed a man in a Bears shirt and a woman in a gray sweater. As they led her from the market, the woman held her hands in front of her as if in prayer. She cried for mis hijos, my sons, as a man urged the agents to let her go.

They ignored him.

As President Donald Trumps Operation Midway Blitz continues ripping through the citys immigrant communities, businesses across Chicago have pledged support to immigrant communities by posting ICE is not welcome here signs in storefront windows.

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But in heavy immigrant neighborhoods, like the Back of the Yards community where Swap-O-Rama is located, protecting customers and employees is not theoretical. The raids have forced lower-wage workers to make an agonizing choice: whether to risk their own already precarious livelihoods and safety to protect the well-being of their neighbors and customers. Its a reality pitting employees against employers, customers against businesses.

In the aftermath of the raid, some blamed Swap-O-Rama for letting federal agents onto the premises. On social media, calls for a boycott emerged. As Joseph spoke to the Tribune, a Latino man shouted at him for not doing enough to protect the community.

Ninety percent of your customers are Mexicans! the man said.

Im trying to do what I can do within the framework of the law to keep people safe, Joseph said.

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Our vendors are wonderful people, theyre family people. They buy houses, they pay their taxes, they dont deserve this type of treatment, Joseph added. But Im not going to put my employees in harms way.

Swap-O-Rama has been around Chicago for more than 50 years. Its been set up at 41st and Ashland Avenue since 1992 and is a staple in the community.

People come here for their produce, their vegetables, their home supplies, their clothing, their needs, Joseph said. They get it at a good price and are treated fairly by the vendors.

Since Trumps inauguration, Joseph said, thats changed. Business is down.

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Theyre afraid to come out. Theyre afraid to shop, Joseph said. It goes full circle and affects the community because people dont have the wherewithal to go out.

About a mile away from Swap-O-Rama, around the same time, another small business took a different approach when federal agents showed up outside.

Adan Guerra, 26, first saw a caravan of cars pull into the alley behind his familys auto shop around 10:20 a.m. Thursday. Video footage he shared with the Tribune shows at least seven vehicles, white SUVs alongside three black minivans and a silver pickup truck, rolling through.

Most of the men inside the cars were masked, Guerra said, but a few seemed to be in plainclothes.

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Guerra guessed that the agents were using the alley as a place to regroup and plan their next steps. He walked over, told them it was a private alley and to get out.

In a video shared with the Tribune, a masked agent in the passenger seat asks Guerra, Whats up with you? Just watching what were doing?

Yeah, Guerra replied. I have to.

Asked why, Guerra said, Its us against yall.

The agent in the passenger seat asked if Guerra is a U.S. citizen and claimed they are protecting U.S. citizens.

I dont want your protection, Guerra said.

He pointed out someone he believed was Mexican in the back seat, and the agents drove away.

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A few hours later, Guerra leaned against one of the cars parked in rows outside the auto shop and said he felt disgusted and worried. His hands still had machine grease on them.

I feel like theyre just coming here to spread more racism (and) hatred, or maybe some of them have their own personal agenda, I dont know, he said.

A few men who worked at the shop peered out from the doorway. A volunteer brought the workers a sign to put on the door that declared the building private property.

Another volunteer spoke on the phone with a 27-year-old woman who said federal agents had arrested her father outside their familys McKinley Park home.

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The woman, who declined to give her name, said her dads phone location had last registered in the alley outside the auto shop. Shed driven to the alley and seen several agents gathering there around 11 a.m.

They were taking people out of cars and putting them in different ones as more vehicles rolled up, she said. She had not caught a glimpse of her father and had heard since that he had been taken to the ICE processing center in Broadview.

Claudia Galeno-Sanchez and a few other neighborhood residents lingered in the alley in case federal immigration agents returned. She had a pair of pink goggles tucked under her arm and a small orange whistle hung around her neck. The 48-year-old said she is a U.S. citizen, but she hasnt felt like one since the Trump administration took over and particularly not since the start of Operation Midway Blitz.

They are not coming to protect us, she said, craning her neck to see the traffic on 43rd Street.

They are coming to terrorize our communities. This is like an attack against people of color. And we wont tolerate it.

Chicago Tribunes Laura Rodriguez Presa contributed.
CHICAGO  A federal judge has ordered immigration enforcement agents operating in the Chicago area to wear body cameras, citing concerns over escalating confrontations between federal officers and protesters.

U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis issued the mandate Thursday as part of an expanded temporary restraining order aimed at curbing the use of tear gas and other riot-control tactics by federal agents.

The decision follows a series of incidents in which agents allegedly used chemical agents and force against demonstrators, journalists, and bystanders during immigration enforcement operations under the Trump administrations Operation Midway Blitz.

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I live in Chicago, if folks havent noticed, Ellis said during a hearing. And Im not blind. I tend to get news.

Ellis initially issued the restraining order last week after plaintiffsincluding media organizations and civil rights groupsfiled suit alleging that federal agents violated First Amendment rights by targeting peaceful protesters and members of the press with pepper balls, rubber bullets, and tear gas.

The updated order now requires all agents involved in Operation Midway Blitz to wear body-worn cameras and keep them activated during public encounters. Ellis said the footage would help verify whether agents are complying with court directives, including issuing warnings before deploying force.

Justice Department attorney Sean Skedzielewski pushed back, arguing that not all agents are equipped with cameras and that logistical challenges, including a government shutdown, make immediate compliance difficult.

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Ellis acknowledged the limitations but said the order will stand.

I would not be expecting agents to wear body-worn cameras they do not have, she said. But the details can be worked out later.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker praised the ruling, saying it would improve transparency and accountability. They clearly lie about what goes on, Pritzker told reporters. Its hard for us to know right away what the truth is.

The Department of Homeland Security criticized the move during a press conference, calling it an extreme act of judicial activism. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the agency already uses body cameras in some regions and reviews all uses of force.

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Ellis has summoned ICE Field Director Russell Hott to appear in court Monday to explain how the agency plans to comply with the order. The hearing is expected to address recent incidents, including a tear gas deployment on Chicagos Southeast Side that reportedly exposed civilians and police officers.

The judges ruling adds to what is now a series list of federal court decisions challenging the Trump administrations immigration enforcement tactics in Illinois. Last week, a separate judge blocked the deployment of National Guard troops to assist ICE operations in the state.

Dont violate the Constitution, Ellis said. And we [will] never have to pull any video from anybody, ever.

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Oct. 16 (UPI) -- A federal judge in Chicago ruled Thursday that immigration agents must begin wearing body cameras to record their actions during enforcement operations.

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis issued the order in federal court in Chicago after reports of immigration agents clashing with residents of the city's Southeast Side, incidents that ended with officers spraying people with tear gas and other chemical agents.

Ellis' decision comes following a temporary restraining order that she issued on Oct. 9 restricting immigration agents' use of non-lethal weapons on civilians.

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"I am profoundly disappointed about what has been happening over the last week since I entered this order," Ellis said, the Chicago Sun Times reported. "I live in Chicago, if folks haven't noticed, and I'm not blind, right? So, I don't live in a cave. I have a phone. I have a TV. I have a computer and I tend to get news."

Ellis said she believes the Trump administration is not following her orders to stand down on the clashes, which is causing her "serious concerns," she said.

Ellis said Thursday that she will expand her restraining order to require all federal agents who are part of Operation Midway Blitz, and who wear body cameras, to have them on when encountering protesters.

She initially required all immigration agents to wear body cameras, but moderated after a Trump administration attorney said equipping all officers to wear cameras was logistically impossible and would be cost prohibitive.

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The Justice Department continued in opposition, saying it would be challenging to review body camera footage of every officer in response to every allegation.

Ellis issued the restraining order after a group of local journalists and protesters sued the Trump administration, alleging that agents targeted people engaging in peaceful protests, including multiple reporters who claimed they were shot with pepper balls despite being identified as members of the media.

Ellis ordered a Homeland Security official to appear in court on Monday to discuss the matter.

According to local reports, Ellis ordered a top Homeland Security official to appear in court on Monday to address the issue.
The U.S. Department of Education has begun laying off more than 450 employees  many of whom oversee special education and civil rights enforcement.

After the layoffs, a federal judge in San Francisco on Wednesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from firing government workers. While the judges decision has temporarily prevented more cuts to government agencies, other federally funded programs remain at risk.

The recent layoffs at the agency, which happened on Oct. 10, mark the second round this year. The staff reductions came after cuts in March eliminated more than half of the departments staff.

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The shutdown, which began Oct. 1, is disrupting several areas of the education system, including the Education Department, its Office of Civil Rights, and other locally and federally funded education programs. While some operations remain unaffected at the moment, the longer the shutdown continues, the more is at risk, experts told Capital B.

As the shutdown careens into its third week, there are no signs of the government reopening soon.

What does the shutdown mean for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid?

On Thursday, a message on the Department of Educations homepage said due to a lapse of appropriations, information on this website may not be monitored or maintained.

Inquiries may not receive a response until appropriations are enacted, the message continued.

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As of now, the pause is not affecting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which opened earlier than the usual Oct. 1 start date this year. However, advocates worry about how the shutdown could affect the governments ability to keep up with the requests.

The longer a shutdown goes on, it does raise some questions about the departments ability to continue to, you know, stay on top of that, said Blair Wriston, a senior government affairs manager at EdTrust, an education advocacy group.

Student loan payments are not affected by the shutdown, and borrowers should continue paying unless they have prior approval.

New federal grants and applications for the 2026 fiscal year are currently on pause, Wriston said.

What happens to discrimination claims at the Office of Civil Rights?

The Office of Civil Rights has been a part of the agency since the 1980s. The office is responsible for enforcing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ensures everyone has equal access to high-quality education without discrimination based on age, sex, religion, gender, or race/nationality.

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Wriston said he is concerned about the mounting civil rights cases and complaints and wonders what will become of them during the shutdown.

The department has significantly fewer staff, Wriston said. How the department will be able to effectively process those complaints  its a real concern.

The office posted a similar message to the Education Departments homepage, saying that responses to inquiries might be delayed. The department did not respond to Capital Bs request for comment regarding the shutdown.

Evaluating civil rights complaints can be lengthy. The office evaluates written complaints to determine whether they require further processing, and those that do must be submitted within 180 days after the alleged discrimination.

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If a complaint is not filed on time, the accuser must explain why it wasnt submitted within 180 days. If it is determined that a law has been violated, then it will proceed with an investigation.

With the previous layoffs rippling through the federal government, students, lawyers and experts said they are concerned about the potential effects of not having enough staff to evaluate discrimination complaints. Wriston said complaints during the shutdown will be addressed at a slower rate, if at all, due to limited staff.

How does the shutdown impact local education programs?

The shutdown is already impacting a small cohort of local agencies funded by the federal government.

Head Start, an early childhood education program for low-income families, relies on $12.2 billion in government funding. Currently, six local Head Start programs did not receive their scheduled funding on Oct. 1, the first day of the shutdown, said Tommy Sheridan, the deputy director of the National Head Start Association.

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The reality of where we stand right now as it relates to Head Start and the government shutdown is that Head Start is here for children and families, no matter what, he said.

Sheridan said the program has remained resilient for the past 60 years, but that it cannot rely on resilience alone.

The mission of Head Start, of being that foundation for success, of being that launch pad for future leaders in every corner of this country, that mission shouldnt be collateral damage in Washingtons political stalemate, he said, adding: And thats whats happening right now.

As the shutdown continues, Sheridan said, Head Start is approaching the point where several local programs will have to consider closing their doors due to a lack of funds. He said that some of the programs may have to close as early as Oct. 20, and the shutdown could impact nearly 6,500 children.

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From 2021 to 2022, the program served more than 800,000 children from birth to age 5 as well as pregnant women, according to Head Starts website. Nearly a third of the children it serves are Black.

By Nov. 1, an additional 134 local programs across 41 states and Puerto Rico  currently serving 58,627 children  will face the same cliff and close, according to a statement from the organization.

Head Start not only provides education to low-income families, but it also gives meals, health screenings and other services.

For many children in communities across the country, this is the place where they get nutritious meals, Sheridan said. This is where they get health screenings, where they get early intervention for developmental delays. Those services cant wait.

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Sheridan said Head Start does not rely on just federal funding; it also depends on funding from communities. He said each local Head Start program looks different  some receive state and local funding as well as donations from the community.

How has the Department of Education changed under the Trump administration?

The Trump administration threatened mass layoffs for federal workers earlier this year. Now, federal workers are being furloughed and working without pay. Black people make up nearly 20% of the federal workforce but 13% of the overall U.S. population.

Before President Donald Trumps inauguration, there were more than 4,100 employees at the Department of Education, the agency said in March. After the March terminations, the staff was reduced to roughly 2,183 workers.

On Oct. 10, according to court filings, 466 agency workers were laid off.

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Every year, Congress must pass a budget legislation for the upcoming fiscal year. When Democrats and Republicans couldnt agree this time, it resulted in the first government shutdown in six years and the 22nd in the past half-century.

Most federally funded programs will have funding through the end of the year, Wriston said. While programs like food stamps, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs are not currently affected, their future depends on the duration of the shutdown and what actions Congress takes to resolve the shutdown.

Unfortunately, resilience alone is not going to fund the government, Sheridan said. We do urge Congress to take action and make sure that they can come to some sort of an agreement to avoid this.

The post Federal Layoffs Put Head Start, FAFSA, and Civil Rights Investigations at Risk appeared first on Capital B News.
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  The Michigan State Police assisted the United States Department of Agriculture and the IRS in an operation Oct. 16.

Our troops assisted USDA/IRS with executing a search warrant on Romarios Party Store in Lansing, Lt. Rene Gonzalez wrote in an email to 6 News Friday.

Gary Singh, owner of Romarios Party Store, 300 W. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., declined to comment when 6 News visited the store Friday morning. He said agents took surveillance equipment. He declined to identify which federal agencies were involved.

A comment from Romarios Party Store owner Gary Singh made on Facebook Oct. 16 regarding federal authorities being at his business. (Screenshot of comment. WLNS)

But on Facebook, he wrote, Romarios owner here. False accusations of illegals working in my store, got raided. Everyone of us are citizens.

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A resident near the party store who wished not to be named out of safety concerns, told 6 News that between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Thursday 10 to 12 undercover vehicles and two Michigan State Police SUVs packed the stores parking lot. The neighbor said agents were seen removing boxes from the building.

Social media exploded on Thursday with pictures and allegations Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, was conducting an operation in Lansings Old Town area.

A Lansing Police Department Facebook post about federal authorities activities at Romarios Party Store, 300 W. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., on Oct. 16. Michigan State Police confirm the agency assisted the United States Department of Agriculture and the IRS in serving warrants at the location. (Screenshot of LPD Facebook Post Oct. 17. WLNS)

On Friday afternoon, the Lansing Police Department took to social media about the activity Thursday.

Were aware of rumors circulating about ICE activity in Lansing on October 16th. These reports are not true.

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Weve confirmed there was a criminal investigation in the 300 block of W. Cesar E. Chavez Avenue. This was not an immigration operation, and neither ICE nor the Lansing Police Department was involved in this incident. LPD does not participate in immigration enforcement.

Romarios Party Store, 300 W. Cesar E. Chavez Ave.

6 News has reached out to the IRS for comment, but has not heard back. This story will be updated.

Voicemail for the local USDA office reported the office was closed due to a lapse in federal funding. 6 News left a message.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
Dueling groups verbally backed and bashed Palm Beach County School Board member Edwin Ferguson on Oct. 15, about a month after his description of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a racist bigot sparked an enraged response that included death threats.

Black religious and community leaders held a news conference and prayer vigil in support of Ferguson, whom they said was being unfairly attacked for speaking the truth about Kirk and for offering guidance to teachers who had been warned by Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas that some public comments about Kirk could cost them their jobs.

Two hours later, Kirk supporters arrived with large flags and placards showing their support for President Donald Trump and for Kirk, who was shot to death on a Utah university campus on Sept. 10.

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Kirk's death sparked a wave of grief among many Republicans, who threatened retribution to those whom they saw as celebrating his killing. Democrats, meanwhile, pointed to what they describe as the many racist, homophobic, sexist and anti-Semitic comments he made in arguing that they won't mourn a bigot.

The dueling sides almost came to blows before the 5 p.m. start of the school board meeting and occasionally berated one another inside during the public comments portion of the meeting. More law-enforcement officers were on the scene, and meeting attendees were directed to pass through a metal detector instead of undergoing the typical security procedure of having a security guard wave a wand over those looking to enter the meeting room.

Dedrick Straghn, President of the South Palm Beach County branch of the NAACP speaks to the media supporting school board member Edwin Ferguson and his comments about Charlie Kirk outside the school district headquarters in West Palm Beach, Florida, on October 15, 2025.

No district policy was established or repealed, and no consequential votes were taken by board members. But the meeting underscored deep divisions, largely along racial and political lines, about how Kirk should be remembered and about the limits of free speech.

Ferguson's backers made clear they share his view of Kirk.

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"If you make racist statements over and over again, I would deem you to be a racist," said Alfred Fields, president of the West Palm Beach chapter of the NAACP. "Just because you were murdered doesn't make you a martyr for free speech."

Alfred Fields, President of the West Palm Beach branch of the NAACP, speaks to the media supporting school board member Edwin Ferguson regarding comments about Charlie Kirk and the right of free speech outside the school district headquarters in West Palm Beach, Florida, on October 15, 2025. Fields is joined by Charles Ridley, left, pastor Rae Whitely and Dedrich Straghn, President of the South Palm Beach County branch of the NAACP.

Kirk's supporters called for Ferguson to be removed from office after he said: "Unless you as a parent or you as a teacher feel bad, because I as a teacher don't miss a racist, a racist bigot at that, I don't see how you're going to be at risk of losing your teaching certificate. When we talk about the Holocaust, I've yet to hear a person of the Jewish faith say that I miss Adolf Hitler."

The comments, made during a board meeting held a week after Kirk's death, infuriated his supporters, who flooded Ferguson with profane, racist and threatening messages. One caller said they knew where he lives and would burn his house down. Another threatened to blow his head off. Ferguson reported those threats to police.

Willy Guardiola, a local GOP activist who called on Gov. Ron DeSantis to remove Ferguson from office, condemned those threats of violence.

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"Any type of violence, any type of threat, to me violence isn't the way," he said, adding that he hoped to "convert" Ferguson to his view of Kirk and apologize for his comments about the slain activist. "I'm here for conversion. That's what I'm trying to do. Now, if he doesn't want to convert, then, you know, why don't you step down?"

DeSantis has denounced what he and other Republicans say is an inappropriate celebration of Kirk's death among Democrats. The governor, however, has not moved to suspend Ferguson, who was first elected to the board in 2022.

Dedrick Straghn, president of the South Palm Beach County chapter of the NAACP, said Kirk supporters calling for Ferguson's removal are being hypocritical.

"The same individuals who defend Kirk's right to spew division under the banner of free speech are now condemning board member Ferguson for exercising the same right," Straghn said. "Free speech does not belong to only one side of the political aisle. The right to speak truthfully about hate is just as protected as the right to spread it."

Laura Levites, left, and Victoria Doyle wave a banner outside the School District of Palm Beach County in West Palm Beach, Florida, on October 15, 2025. Supporters and protestors gathered outside, a month after board member Edwin Ferguson called conservative activist Charlie Kirk a racist bigot.

One Kirk supporter after another said the slain activist was not a bigot and urged those who describe him to review his public statements and writings.

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Some of that content included questioning the "brain processing power" of Ivy League-educated Black women like former MSNBC host Joy Reid, former first lady Michelle Obama, the late Texas congressman Sheila Jackson Lee and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Kirk said the women "had to go steal a white persons slot to go be taken somewhat seriously."

Kirk called passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which struck down segregation, a "huge mistake" that "created a beast, and that beast has now turned into an anti-white weapon."

Two years ago, Kirk said: "Happening all the time in urban America, prowling Blacks go around for fun to go target white people. Thats a fact. Its happening more and more."

And last year, Kirk said: "If I see a Black pilot, Im going to be like, boy, I hope hes qualified."

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Told of some of those comments and asked why a Black person would not view them as racist, Lonnie Weinberg, a committee vice chair of the Republican Party of Palm Beach Party, paused for a moment.

"It's hard for me to answer that question," he said. "I'm not Black, and I can't put myself in that position. We all know (diversity, equity and inclusion) is a problem."

Charlie Kirk supporters outside the School District of Palm Beach County in West Palm Beach, Florida, on October 15, 2025. The group was protesting against school board member Edwin Ferguson who called the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk a racist bigot at the meeting last month.

Even as Ferguson supporters repeated some of Kirk's comments during the meeting, the late activist's backers held fast to their support of him as a role model. And they excoriated Ferguson for his comments.

"Ferguson compared a young man that started a movement trying to bring awareness to a lot of uneducated people on college campuses to Hitler," Robert Rosetto said. "What a stupid and hateful thing to say. Comparing Kirk to Hitler is essentially telling some that violence, even murder, is an acceptable response to people you disagree with or consider evil. Frankly, if anyone is a racist bigot, it's Mr. Ferguson."

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Lynne Hubbard said "privilege" has led some Kirk supporters to believe they can force Ferguson out because they don't agree with his views of the late activist.

"Understand me," she said. "This has nothing to do with his opinions. We could care less about what he thought. We've been called worse by better people. The point is our freedom of speech. You think you have the right to tell us what to say and how to respond to what he said about us and our community."

Palm Beach County School Board members choose their words in Kirk fray

After the public had its say on the topic, board members had their say. Ferguson's colleagues on the board have largely steered clear of the controversy.

Erica Whitfield offered support for the First Amendment and decried violence.

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"Violence in any form is never the solution," she said. "I believe we need to remember that when we choose our words."

Gloria Branch reminded the audience of remarks she made during an Oct. 8 workshop, when she said: "Thank you to everyone that has reached out since our last board meeting regarding the personal opinions that were made. These are not the mission of our school district. This distraction takes us away from our top priorities and what we are trying to accomplish."

Palm Beach County School Board members Karen Brill and Edwin Ferguson talk at a board meeting in West Palm Beach, Florida, on October 15, 2025.

Straghn had blasted board members as "cowards" for not publicly coming to Ferguson's defense even as he received death threats.

When it was his turn to speak during the meeting, Kirk supporters booed. "Scumbag!" one person yelled.

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"The last 30 days or so have been somewhat interesting as evidenced by the heckler in the back," he said. "At all times, let us be mindful of other people's right to free speech, especially when making comments that are not discriminatory. But even if the comments are discriminatory, virtually nothing said  whether perceived as fact or fiction  warrants threats of property damage, threats of violence, threats of death, nor continual harassment as is happening in the back against persons who you disagree with."

After the meeting, Ferguson said he stands by his previous comments and will not step down.

"I'm totally accountable for what I say," he said. "I don't take back anything that I said. I want to reiterate: It pains me that any person was assassinated, killed or murdered. It's unfortunate that people tried to bully me, scare me, threaten me with loss of life. For what? I'm standing here. I'm standing firm. I will not be bullied by anyone, any place, any time."

Wayne Washington is a journalist covering education for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: School board member detractors, backers square off over Kirk comments
PORT SUDAN, Sudan (AP)  Fighting in North Darfurs embattled capital of el-Fasher has tripled the number of displaced people this year alone in Tawila, a town about 60 kilometers (37 miles) away, said a U.N. migration agency official.

Ugochi Daniels, deputy director general for operations at the International Organization for Migration, IOM, told the Associated Press Thursday that the conflict had also reduced el-Fashers own population by 62% this year. She warned that the massive displacement presents major challenges for the country, echoing other aid workers who have repeatedly labeled Sudan the world's largest displacement crisis.

The recent displacement spike was fueled by intensified fighting in el-Fasher, which has seen a series of attacks in the conflict between the army and rival paramilitaries as they seek to control the city.

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The war between the Rapid Support Forces, RSF, and the military began in 2023 when tensions erupted between the two former allies that were meant to oversee a democratic transition after a 2019 uprising.

The fighting has killed at least 40,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, and displaced as many as 12 million others. Over 24 million people are facing acute food insecurity, according to the World Food Program.

North Darfur remains the epicenter of the crisis here in Sudan and we need peace to be able to access the most difficult places where the needs are the greatest, said Daniels.

El-Fasher is the militarys last stronghold in the sprawling Darfur region, which has been the epicenter of the violence along with Kordofan.

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Daniels explained that its hard to provide services for many people who have moved in such a short period of time, especially amid the collapse of health care and other essential services.

An active war zone

The conflict and resultant mass displacement have restricted access to essential services like clean water, proper nutrition, and health care.

Sudans Health Minister Haitham Ibrahim told the Associated Press on Wednesday that health care services have been restored in at least 60% of hospitals in areas retaken by the army, including Khartoum.

However, diseases such as cholera, malaria and dengue fever remain rampant amid collapsed health care systems and destroyed infrastructure, particularly water facilities.

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Speaking to the AP during the World Health Organizations annual Regional Committee in Cairo, Ibrahim said that dengue has spread across at least 14 Sudanese provinces. Separately, WHO said late September that 113,629 cholera cases and 3,029 deaths have been recorded across Sudan since the outbreak was declared in July 2024.

Ibrahim said that while cholera significantly increased last year, its spread has now declined to roughly 100 cases a month due to vaccination efforts. To combat dengue and malaria, he said the ministry distributed over 15 million mosquito nets in various areas across the country but could not reach el-Fasher due to difficulty of access.

The minister said the amount of medical aid entering Sudan doesnt meet the needs of the population because the trucks often get attacked or robbed before they reach communities.

He urged humanitarian organizations and international groups "to break this humanitarian barrier especially in Darfur, which he described as an active war zone with RSF presence.

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The minister said health professionals are often unable to expand health campaigns due to lack of funding. While hospitals in Darfur and Khartoum are still intact, they were robbed of equipment and medical resources, especially in the first year of the war, according to Ibrahim, who said total medical losses in Sudan are estimated at around $11 billion.

According to Daniels, only 26% of Sudans overall humanitarian response plan has been funded, adding that the IOMs own required funding stands at just 16% of its goal.

Calling for an end to the misery and suffering endured by the Sudanese people, Daniels emphasized the need for peace and a ceasefire. "Theres no amount of assistance that can bring peace, but if we have peace, we will have access to the people that need assistance, said Daniels.

____

Khaled reported from Cairo.
A new crypto-focused bank backed by some of Silicon Valleys most influential figures has received preliminary conditional approval for a national charter from a top US regulator, a move to reshape the banking landscape for technology startups. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced the approval for Erebor Bank on Oct. 15, signaling a new chapter for crypto-focused finance at the federal level.

The approval positions Erebor to address a significant void in the market created by the March 2023 collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, which left many tech and crypto firms without adequate banking services.

According to its charter application documents, Erebor was organized by Palmer Luckey, the founder of defense firm Anduril, and Joe Lonsdale, a co-founder of data analytics giant Palantir. Major investors, including Peter Thiels Founders Fund, support the venture.

Stablecoins and Regulatory Scrutiny

Filings reveal Erebors ambition to operate as a premier, highly regulated institution that handles stablecoin transactions. The bank plans to hold certain digital assets on its balance sheet for operational purposes, a core part of the strategy behind Lonsdales investment in Erebor. This strategy places digital currency operations at the center of its business model, moving beyond the simple custody services offered by other institutions.

The decision from the OCC arrived just four months after Erebor filed its application in June 2025, a notably fast turnaround that suggests a more receptive federal environment for digital asset banking. The move comes as other major players in the digital asset space, such as Peter Thiels Bullish exchange, also pursue deeper integration with US financial markets.

While the preliminary approval is a significant step, Erebor must clear several regulatory hurdles before opening its doors. The OCC has conditioned its final approval on the bank obtaining FDIC insurance, maintaining a minimum 12% Tier 1 Leverage ratio for its first three years, and receiving agency non-objection for its senior executive team. The bank will be headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and operate a digital-only model under the leadership of co-CEOs Owen Rapaport and Jacob Hirshman.

Read original story US Regulator Approves Peter Thiel-Backed Erebor Bank for National Charter by Zoran Spirkovski at Coinspeaker.com
Finland is set to deliver its 30th military aid package to Ukraine, as President Alexander Stubb endorsed the government's appropriate recommendation on 17 October.

Source: press service of the Finnish Ministry of Defence, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The cost of deliveries under this package will be approximately 52 million.

The package will consist mainly of new orders from Finnish companies.

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"The future of a free and secure Europe will be decided in Ukraine  this requires perseverance and determination from all allies," said Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen.

For operational security and to ensure the cargo reaches its destination, Finland is not disclosing further details about the contents of the aid, the method of delivery or the timetable.

The Finnish Ministry of Defence added that both Ukraine's needs and the resources of the Finnish armed forces were taken into account when deciding on the aid.

Background:

On 15 October, it was reported that Finland has decided to join the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, which involves purchasing weapons in the United States for transfer to Ukraine.

Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said that Russia is modernising and rearming its military on the borders with the European Union, preparing for the second phase of potential aggression against the EU and NATO.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A firefighter was injured in a house fire in the Soulsville area Thursday night, according to the Memphis Fire Department.

MFD says they responded to the home fire in the 1100 block of James Street a little before 8:30 p.m.

Smoke flames were seen coming from the back of the home that had been converted into four small one-room apartment units. Fire crews say they were able to quickly contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to the other units.

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The fire was ruled accidental due to ongoing electrical issues in the unit, and electricians had recently been working on the wiring.

Fire investigation underway in Wolfchase area

No civilians were reported injured. But a firefighter was taken to Regional One Burn with minor burns to his neck.

There was a total of $52,500 worth of damage.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Three East Orange firefighters rescued three people from the top floor of a house where a fire broke out late Thursday night, officials said

Three residents and a firefighter suffered minor injuries and were treated and released from an area hospital, a city spokeswoman said.

The fire ignited on the second and third floors of the three-story home on the 50 block of Lincoln Street and was extinguished shortly before midnight.

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Red Cross New Jersey said it helped 15 people from three families with temporary housing, food and clothing.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Stories by Jeff Goldman

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U.S. military forces conducted a strike against an alleged drug vessel on Thursday, and for the first time, there were survivors among the crew, according to Reuters, which broke the story.

Two survivors have reportedly been detained by U.S. naval forces and are being held on a warship in international waters. It remains unclear what the Trump administration will do moving forward.

It is not confirmed whether or not survivors were intended, but officials told The New York Times that two others were confirmed dead.

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Thursdays strike adds to the number of attacks under the authority of President Donald Trump in the administrations efforts to deter drug traffickers from transferring drugs to the U.S. through the Caribbean. The White House has shared some of the strikes on social media, warning narco terrorists what will become of them if they attempt to bring drugs into the country.

Though some question the legality of destroying the vessels in international waters and providing little information, the Trump administration has remained confident in its actions. Earlier this month, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth posted on X, These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!

Last week, Hegseth also announced a new counter-narcotics Joint Task Force in the area with the responsibility to crush the cartels, stop the poison, and keep America safe. The message is clear: if you traffic drugs toward our shores, we will stop you cold.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025 in Quantico, Va. | Andrew Harnik, Associated Press

Trump vs. Venezuela

The ongoing conflict with the U.S. and Venezuela escalated on Wednesday when Trump told a room of reporters that he authorized the CIA to take unspecified action in Venezuela.

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I authorized for two reasons, really, Trump said. No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America.

And the other thing are drugs, he added. We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea."

NBC News political analyst Carlos Carbelo told NBCs Mosheh Gains that the U.S. is getting closer and closer to a full-fledged military conflict with Venezuela.

President Nicolas Maduro flashes victory signs during Indigenous Day in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct 12, 2025. | Ariana Cubillos, Associated Press

It is pretty peculiar or unique that an American administration would announce that it has authorized covert CIA operations, Carbelo said. So to me, this means that the United States is really trying to up the pressure against Maduro, the president of Venezuela, and get him out of power, and to have a government that No. 1 is perhaps friendlier to the United States, and that No. 2 does right by the Venezuelan people,

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He continued, Even though Democrats have questioned the administrations actions in the Caribbean, Maduro has no fans on the Hill. Hes an anti-American dictator. He has violated his own peoples human rights (and) imprisoned people who oppose his government, so there is no love lost for him, no sympathy for him.

Adm. Alvin Holsey to retire

Before the news of the struck vessel on Thursday, Hegseth announced the early retirement of Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander of the U.S. Southern Command, which oversees U.S. military activities in Latin America and about 1,200 personnel.

Effective, 12 December 2025 l will retire from the U.S. Navy. Serving as your commander and deputy for the past 34 months has been a tremendous honor. The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so, Holsey said in a statement. I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe. Stephanie and I extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to have served alongside our nations finest warfighters. Keep Charging!!

Though he did not comment as to why he was retiring early, Sen. Jack Reed, the leading Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Reuters he found it troubling.

Admiral Holseys resignation only deepens my concern that this administration is ignoring the hard-earned lessons of previous U.S. military campaigns and the advice of our most experienced warfighters, said Reed, D-R.I.
A team of scientists was on an expedition on a remote Indonesian island in 2023 when it met a fisher who had caught something interesting. In between Sumatra and Borneo, the local had pulled up a trap to find a critically endangered Malaysian giant turtle  which became the "first official record" of the species, per the Miami Herald. The team recorded the sighting in a study published in the Check List journal in September.

According to the researchers, the Malaysian giant turtle can reach up to 31 inches long, making it "the largest freshwater turtle in Southeast Asia." They live in shallow bodies of water, such as swamp-forest habitats and streams.

Photo Credit: iStock

The turtle found was 22 inches long with claws on its limbs, a blackish-brown top, and a yellowish bottom. It also had smooth skin on its head.

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Malaysian giant turtles are classified as critically endangered because of their "slow reproductive cycle" and are "often caught as bycatch in commercial and artisanal fisheries," per the study. Additionally, their habitats have been destroyed by pollution, deforestation, mining, aquaculture, and commercial industries.

The researchers examined the turtle and took pictures, then released it where it had been caught.

There was another sighting of a Malaysian giant turtle in 2020, but it's unverified. However, it suggests there could be multiple populations. The researchers want to conduct further surveys to be sure.

Sightings of endangered species are crucial because biodiversity is vital for everyone. According to The Royal Society, you can't have a healthy ecosystem without a range of animals, and ecosystems are crucial to the food we eat and the air we breathe.

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Other surveys have shown great discoveries, too. In India, an endangered dhole, an Asiatic wild dog, was photographed by a professor.

Trail cameras have also been successfully used to monitor rare species. For example, the Wildlife Information and Nature Guide Society set up cameras to track the gray wolf in Madhaiganj but instead made the first sighting of the fishing cat in West Burdwan. The wild cat is West Bengal's state animal.

To find out how to protect the animals in your area, check out local volunteer organizations.

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
With just weeks until Election Day, the New York City mayoral candidates, Democrat Zohran Mamdani, independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, faced off in a fiery debate on Thursday evening, when they clashed over the affordability crisis, governmental experience, the Israel-Hamas war and Donald Trump, among other issues.

Here are some of the top moments from Thursdays two-hour debate, hosted by NBC News New York and Telemundo New York, in partnership with Politico:

Mamdani shuts down concerns over his experience, says Cuomo lacks integrity

It didnt take long for things to get heated between the two leading candidates. Within the first few minutes, Mamdani and Cuomo traded barbs over leadership and experience.

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Throughout the campaign, Cuomo has repeatedly targeted the New York State assemblyman over his resume. This is not a job for someone who has no management experience, Cuomo said. This is not a job for a first timer. Any day you could have a hurricane, you  God forbid  a 9/11, a health pandemic. If you dont know what youre doing, people could die.

Mamdami shot back, asking the former governor if the city was to go through another health pandemic, then Why would New Yorkers turn back to the governor who sent seniors to their death in nursing homes?

Thats the kind of experience thats on offer here today, Mamdani added. What I dont have in experience, I make up for in integrity. And what you dont have in integrity, you could never make up for in experience.

Sliwa paints himself as an outsider and labels his opponents professional politicians

In an effort to set himself apart from the two front-runners, Republican Sliwa came out swinging, labeling Cuomo and Mamdani career politicians.

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We have the architect and we have the apprentice of no-cash bail, which has been a disaster, said the founder of the crime prevention group Guardian Angels. We have the architect and the apprentice here of Raise the Age  my own son was almost killed because of that in a gang attack. We have the architect and we have the apprentice of Close Rikers Island, which would just release criminals in the street.

Thank God Im not a professional politician because they have helped create this crime crisis in this city that I will resolve, Sliwa said.

Candidates spar over how to address New York Citys affordability crisis

All the candidates were asked about their plans to curb skyrocketing rents and address the housing crisis plaguing the city.

Mamdani said he would freeze the rent for more than 2 million New Yorkers who live in rent-stabilized apartments, and pledged to build 200,000 affordable homes over the next decade. He also said he would make it easier for the private sector to build housing.

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Cuomo hit back at Mamdani over his promise to freeze the rent, which he said would only delay any increases. Freeze the rent only postpones the rent because then you have to have an increase to cover the costs, otherwise the building is going to go bankrupt.

The former governor also pointed to his time as housing and urban development secretary during the Clinton administration. I built affordable housing all across this nation. I built affordable housing in this city when I was in my twenties. I know how to get it done, he said.

Sliwa said his housing policy centered around an idea to improve and not to move, using the thousands of available empty apartments scattered throughout the city that are under mayoral control. He also suggested converting unoccupied skyscrapers and office space into housing.

Israel-Hamas remains a hot-button topic

In addition to local issues, the candidates were also questioned about the recent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

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Mamdani said he was proud to have been one of the first elected officials in the state to call for a ceasefire and was hopeful the deal would hold. But, according to the democratic socialist, in order for a deal to hold, We also have to ensure that it addresses the conditions that preceded this, conditions like occupation, like the siege and apartheid.

Sliwa and Cuomo both applauded the Trump administration for its handling of the deal. Sliwa accused Mamdani in particular of being incapable of praising our president or giving credit where credit is due.

Cuomo also attacked Mamdani, asking why he refused to condemn Hamas and suggested Mamdani does not support Israels right to exist.

Ive said time and again that I recognize Israels right to exist, Mamdani replied. I would not recognize any states right to exist with a system of hierarchy on the basis of race or religion.

Trumps presence continues to loom large

The candidates were asked what they would say to the president in their first official call to set the tone for your relationship moving forward.

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Mamdani said he would be willing to talk and work with the president on issues such as lowering the cost of living for New Yorkers, but stressed he would stand firm against Trumps pressure. What New Yorkers need is a mayor who can stand up to Donald Trump and actually deliver, he said.

Cuomo also pledged to work with Trump on policies that would help the city residents, but that he would fight the president every step of the way, if you try to hurt New York.

Sliwa said he has a love-hate relationship with Trump that goes back over 30 years, but promised to take a less confrontational approach than his opponents. If you try to get tough with Trump, the only people who are going to suffer from that are the people of New York, he said.

The candidates are scheduled to face off again in a final debate Oct. 22, ahead of the Nov. 4 election.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani smiled his way through a two-hour debate where Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa tried to land punches on the front-runner.

Few of those hits had much of an impact against Mamdani, who effectively pressed his affordability platform without making any significant mistakes. Cuomo needed a moment that he didnt get. Mamdani had a largely pain-free night.

Here are five takeaways from the first of two general election debates:

Mamdani was smooth

The young assemblymember reminded debate viewers why a 33-year-old democratic socialist is on the cusp of becoming mayor of New York City  hes a great communicator.

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With a double-digit lead in every poll, all Mamdani really needed was not to collapse. He succeeded  and avoided any major missteps. Some Republicans seized on his awkward moment declining to endorse Gov. Kathy Hochuls reelection, even though she took a big political risk by backing his candidacy but thats not exactly going to cost Mamdani the race.

At times, he might have been too smooth  hes practiced lines on topics like affordability and Israel so many times you can almost see him going into autopilot.



Clinical Cuomo struggled

Cuomo needed a breakout moment against Mamdani. Hes stuck in second place in polls, and even with Mayor Eric Adams suspending his campaign, the ex-governor has not been able to surpass the front-running Democratic nominee.

The debate underscored the key problem facing Cuomo whos running as an independent after losing in an upset to Mamdani in June. In his long career, Cuomo has never successfully run a campaign as the underdog. His sole electoral loss came 23 years ago against Carl McCall. Every election since, Cuomo was the clear favorite.

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Cuomo spoke from the podium with a dry recitation of facts. Mamdani appeared well prepared for the ex-governors attacks, many of which  like the Queens assemblymembers past criticism of Barack Obama  were recycled from the primary campaign. That criticism didnt work then, and it isnt clear why Cuomo would think it could work now in a general election.

Curtis talked up Trump

One of the quirks of this race is the candidate with the deepest experience with President Donald Trump is Cuomo, who has known him for decades. Mamdani has never met the president. Sliwa, the Republican nominee, has the most strained relationship.

Trump has scoffed at his partys candidate to lead his hometown as not ready for primetime. The president derisively noted that Sliwa lives with a lot of cats in a small apartment.

Yet it was Sliwa who pledged to have a working relationship with the president, who has tried to exert his will over this deep blue city. The Guardian Angels founder said it wouldnt be productive to work against Trump or try to be a tough guy with the president.

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This stance serves multiple purposes. Cuomo is trying to steal Sliwas Republican supporters, and Sliwa needs MAGA New Yorkers to stay in the fold. Sliwa also likely knows Cuomo and Mamdani wont go out on a similar limb since they cant afford to lose Democratic voters who loathe Trump.

When youre explaining

The former governor spent much of the evening explaining. And explaining. And explaining some more.

Cuomo had to parry attacks on his decade-long record as the states chief executive when it came to funding for homeless people and mental health programs. He repeatedly pushed back when Mamdani or Sliwa referenced the sexual harassment scandal that drove him from office, once again denying any wrongdoing.

Those digressions cost him precious time to prosecute the case against Mamdani.



Mamdanis clear weaknesses

The otherwise strong night by Mamdani had the effect of highlighting his weaknesses on public safety and Israel.

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He struggled when talking about his plans for making changes to the Civilian Complaint Review Board  almost sounding like a Wikipedia entry when describing the panels job of assessing police misconduct. Mamdani was also on his backfoot when being attacked by Cuomo over embracing the phrase globalize the intifada.

As strong as Mamdani can be on affordability and cost-of-living concerns that are so important to New Yorkers, he still has vulnerabilities on other issues where Cuomo is strongest.
Gov. Brian Kemp issued an executive order to lower the flags in memory of Georgia State Rep. Mandi Ballinger.

Ballinger represented Georgia District 23 for four terms. She died on Oct. 12 after a battle with cancer.

Representative Ballinger was a longtime public servant, valued friend and a beloved wife, mother and grandmother, Kemps order read.

The Georgia state and United States flags will be at half-staff on all state buildings and property on Friday.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Before her time in politics, Bellinger began her career working in a domestic violence shelter. She also worked as a victim advocate for the Cherokee County District Attorneys Office and Forsyth County District Attorneys Office. She later founded a child advocacy center non-profit.

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A funeral service for Ballinger will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at the Canton First Baptist Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to The Childrens Haven or The Cherokee County Veterans Treatment Court c/o the Cherokee Friends of Recovery.

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(Photo: News 19)

(Courtesy: Florence Police Department)

FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT)  Florence Police said that a driver was airlifted and another was taken to a hospital by an ambulance after a vehicle crashed into Florence Middle School on Friday.

Florence Middle School announced that students will be released at 9:30 a.m. on Friday due to the crash.

According to the school, the car accident took place on Hermitage Drive on the north end of the school around 8:23 a.m. A vehicle involved hit the side of the building.

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School officials are asking to the public to avoid the area of Hermitage Drive and Kendrick Street while crews work to clear the scene.

Stay connected with News 19 as we will continue to update the story as more information becomes available.

Florence Middle School

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
All the double-leveraged ETFs on the market are starting to look downright quaint.

Several exchange-traded fund issuers recently flooded the SECs Edgar system with dozens of proposed triple-leveraged single stock products. Not to be outdone, one company, Volatility Shares, skipped right to 5x. That firm filed numerous proposed ETFs with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday, all of which are either 3x- or 5x-leveraged single-stock or crypto funds. Thats really taking the name Volatility Shares seriously.

If there is a use case for such an aggressively risky product, it is speculative intraday betting, said Bryan Armour, director of ETF and passive strategies research for North America at Morningstar Research Services. Anything beyond that would almost certainly be a poor outcome for investors, he said. Leveraged ETFs have a very bloodied history.

SUBSCRIBE: Receive more of our free Advisor Upside newsletter. READ ALSO: Advisors Are Piling Into the RIA Channel. That May Not Be a Good Thing and Why This Commonwealth Team Decided to Move to Osaic

There Will Be Blood

Volatility Shares, which declined to comment, filed for more than two dozen new ETFs. Those include both 3x and 5x single stock versions for Circle Internet Group, MicroStrategy, Nvidia, Amazon, Coinbase Global, Palantir Technologies, Tesla, Google and AMD. There are also 3x and 5x ETFs focused on digital assets, including XRP, Bitcoin, Ether and Solana. Another is a 3x leveraged VIX ETF.

With positive stock performance, there is a big potential for amplified returns. What could go wrong? A lot, it would seem:

Of all the leveraged ETFs that have existed in the US, more than half of those that were on the market for at least three years have closed, Armour noted.

17% of ETFs in the category have lost a cumulative 98% of their values over their lifetimes, he said.

A UK-domiciled GraniteShares exchange-traded product, the 3x Short AMD, earlier this month went to zero after AMDs stock rocketed 38%, and shareholders lost everything they had in the fund.

Im Finished! Its unclear if the SEC could approve any of the 3x leveraged ETFs that issuers are now seeking, let alone any 5x ones. The regulator has limits on volatility that historically have prevented such strategies. But then again, it was not long ago that the SEC didnt allow single-stock or spot-crypto ETFs, Armour said. I dont know where the line is for the SEC anymore.

Of course, it could give some day traders what they want. A 20% daily decline could lead to 100% losses and if held longer-term, there could be significant compounded losses even with lower daily declines, said Roxanna Islam, head of sector and industry research at TMX VettaFi. If approved, however, its a way to capture demand and volume in a segment of the market eager for high risk/high return investing.

This post first appeared on The Daily Upside. To receive financial advisor news, market insights, and practice management essentials, subscribe to our free Advisor Upside newsletter.
Florida bill would require teachers to take an oath to defend US and state constitutions

A new proposal in Florida could require teachers to take an oath to defend the U.S. and Florida constitutions if they wish to continue teaching in the state.

The bill, introduced by State Rep. Tom Fabricio, aims to have educators pledge to perform their duties in a professional, independent, objective, and nonpartisan manner.

This requirement would apply to all teachers licensed by the State of Florida.

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I believe that when we entrust our students with the teachers they should be treated as professionals, which they are professionals, said State Rep. Tom Fabricio, the bills sponsor. This bill elevates them as professionals here in Florida, Fabricio added.

However, Duval County teacher Chris Guerrieri, who has taught in the district for 25 years, criticized the proposal, saying, Its just a shame that this is where our legislators in Tallahassee find themselves, that instead of helping public education, instead of working to improve things, that they just have these culture wars.

The proposed legislation suggests that the oath could be as simple as signing a notarized form, rather than a formal ceremony involving placing a hand on a bible.

Fabricio argues that, similar to other professions such as lawyers and law enforcement officers, teachers should also take an oath due to the importance of their role.

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Despite the proposal, the bill has not yet gained a Senate sponsor and will be considered in the next legislative session, which begins in January.

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Oct. 17 (UPI) -- The Palm Bay City Council in central Florida censored council member Chandler Langevin after controversial remarks about the local Indian community on social media, including a call to "deport every Indian immediately" and "Indians are destroying the South."

The 3-2 decision Thursday restricts his ability to introduce agenda items, speak during council reports and serve on city-appointed committees and boards. Langevin now has to receive majority approval from the council to place an item on the agenda.

Langevin voted against the measure.

Palm Bay, with a population of 142,000, is located about 50 miles south of the Kennedy Space Center.

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Langevin is a 33-year-old Republican elected to a four-year term in November after serving in the U.S. Marines.

He has targeted others with incendiary, racist and xenophobic statements online though his X account.

Regarding Indians in the community, he wrote: "Indian migration has to cease immediately."

He also wrote: "There is not a single Indian that cares about the United States. They are here to exploit us financially and enrich India and Indians."

"I not only have a constitutional right, but I personally believe that I have a duty and an obligation to engage other elected officials, to have dialogue with my constituents and to drive policy in a matter that I deem best," Langevin said, in describing the situation as a witchhunt.

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Langevin, wearing a U.S. Flag around his neck during the meeting, said he would sue, alleging a violation of the First Amendment.

Anthony Sabatini, an attorney and Lake County commissioner, posted on X: "This textbook first amendment retaliation & totally illegal -tomorrow we will file a lawsuit and now they will pay."

JUST IN-The City of Palm Bay on a 3-2 vote just passed an unlawful motion to punish my client Councilman @ChandlerForPB & reduce his ability to speak at city council meetings in response to his expressed viewpoints against immigration. This is textbook first amendment... pic.twitter.com/2LQ9Refddx Anthony Sabatini (@AnthonySabatini) October 17, 2025

"The government cannot punish and limit your rights just purely based on your viewpoint," Sabatini said in a report by WKMG-TV. "You can pass a censure motion, that's fine, but you can't limit his ability to speak based on his opinion."

The council also voted 4-1 to look into hiring an outside attorney to investigate whether Langevin made any ethics violations.

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Two weeks earlier, the commissioners wrote a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis asking to have Langevin removed from his elected seat.

Commissioners, as well as Mayor Rob Medina, said his comments are serious misconduct.

"I think if we represent the population at large, there's some issues then we need to tailor our speech," Medina said. "We represent everyone, right, so it is conduct unbecoming."

Councilman Richard "Mike" Hammer voted against the censure. Hammer posted on Facebook that he did not agree with the things Langevin said about Indian Americans, but he did not agree with the restrictions placed on him, he said.

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Indian American Chamber of Commerce President Jan Gautman told Spectrum News that he was satisfied with an apology.

"After meeting with several community leaders, he came to understand the tremendous value the Indian American community brings to this country -- especially through business ownership, job creation, and contributions as one of the strongest economic drivers in our nation," Gautman said. "Our community appreciates his apology and chooses to move forward with positivity, focusing on unity, understanding, and the betterment of our shared future.

"We wish him well and look forward to continued collaboration in building stronger communities together."

On Oct. 6, Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said in a statement: "Chandler Langevin's comments towards the Indian American community are vile and reprehensible. The people of Palm Bay deserve better leadership than someone who so proudly displays his hateful ignorance through divisive and racist rhetoric.

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"The Florida Democratic Party proudly stands in solidarity with our Indian American neighbors and is grateful for their contributions to our State. We look forward to beating bigots like Mr. Langevin at the ballot box to ensure Florida's elected officials represent the best of our shared values."

Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott wrote on X on Oct. 1 that there is "no place for this kind of hate in Florida. As Governor and now as U.S. Senator, I've been proud to stand with our state's incredible Indian American community, who are proud Americans and value the ideas that make our country great."
TALLAHASSEE  The Florida House this week rolled out a series of proposed constitutional amendments to cut property taxes, while looking to shield funding for schools and law enforcement.

House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, outlined the menu of proposals, which came as Gov. Ron DeSantis has made a top priority of asking voters in the 2026 elections to slash homestead property taxes.

If we have faith in the voters to elect us, we should not be afraid to let them be a part of the conversation about the taxes they pay, Perez, R-Miami, wrote in a memorandum to House members. It is our position that the House does not need to limit itself in presenting one single plan, but instead allow the people of Florida the ability to choose some, all, or none of the proposals on the 2026 ballot.

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As examples, Rep. Kevin Steele, R-Dade City, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 201) that would eliminate non-school homestead taxes. Meanwhile, Rep. Monique Miller, R-Palm Bay, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 203) that would phase out non-school homestead property taxes over 10 years. Under Millers proposal, the homestead tax exemption would increase by $100,000 annually.

Currently, homeowners can qualify for a homestead exemption from local government and school district taxes on the first $25,000 of the taxable values of their properties and from local government taxes on the values between $50,000 and $75,000.

Another proposal (HJR 205), sponsored by Rep. Juan Carlos Porras, R-Miami, would exempt people ages 65 and older from paying non-school taxes on their homes.

Perez this spring created a select committee to study property taxes. The issue is being closely watched by cities and counties, which rely heavily on property taxes to pay for services and say they could need other sources of money to make up for tax cuts. The House proposals include sections aimed at preventing reductions in law enforcement funding.

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Asked Wednesday while in West Palm Beach about alternative revenue sources to replace property taxes, DeSantis reiterated a position that the vast, vast majority of property tax revenue is not from homestead Floridians properties. Its second homes, investment properties, commercial properties.

Nobody asks, Why cant government spend less money? DeSantis added.

DeSantis has proposed the state cover lost property tax revenues for rural fiscally constrained counties, which have limited tax bases.

While the Senate doesnt have a committee to focus exclusively on property taxes, Majority Leader Jim Boyd, a Bradenton Republican who will become Senate president after the 2026 elections, said Tuesday hes interested in property tax reform.

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I do believe theres ways we can make our property tax system more fair and more economical, if you will, to taxpayers, Boyd said.

Almost all of the House proposals released Thursday would require voter approval because they would be constitutional amendments. Lawmakers will consider the proposals during the legislative session that will start in January.

Other proposals include:

Rep. Shane Abbott, R-DeFuniak Springs, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 207) that would create a new non-school homestead exemption equal to 25% of the assessed value of homes after other exemptions are applied. Perezs memo said the proposal, in part, could help first-time homebuyers.

Rep. Demi Busatta, R-Coral Gables, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 209) that would create an additional $100,000 homestead exemption for people with property insurance.

Rep. Toby Overdorf, a Palm City Republican who co-chaired the House select committee, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 211) that would allow people to transfer the full value of accumulated Save Our Homes benefits to new homes. That would add to what is known as portability of Save Our Homes benefits. The Save Our Homes law limits annual increases in the assessed value of homesteaded properties to 3% or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower.

Rep. Griff Griffitts, R-Panama City Beach, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 213) that would change the Save Our Homes caps. It would limit increases in taxable values for homestead property to 3% over three years. The limit is currently 3% a year. Also, increases in the assessed values of non-homesteaded property would be limited to 15% over three years, rather than the current 10% a year.

Rep. Jon Albert, R-Frostproof, is sponsoring a proposal (HB 215) that would require two-thirds votes by local governments to increase tax rates. The bill would also allow newly married couples to combine accumulated Save Our Homes benefits.

By Jim Turner, News Service of Florida
Media coverage of our massive king tides this month has been extensive and opened more eyes to worsening flood risk in Florida. But its mostly been overshadowed by even worse news: When two problems coincide, they can magnify both impacts. King tides during a government shutdown reveal to us how precarious our flood risk situation really is.

The shutdown has already hurt so many people, with jobs lost, services suspended and paychecks not certain to arrive. Flood insurance policy purchases are also suspended during the shutdown. With those sales halted, guess what else you cant buy or sell? Homes! That is, if you need a mortgage.

Flood insurance is required to obtain a mortgage, if the property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, which is a lot of Florida. Or else, you have to go to the private insurance market. You also cant renew a federal flood policy, or increase your coverage, when the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) office at the Federal Emergency Management Agency is closed.

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The issue that no one can buy flood insurance is just one detail that disadvantages Florida and other southeastern states. Right now, we have king tides, with coastal storms stirring things up, plus sea-level rise that scientists say is accelerating. We see houses up to the Carolinas falling into the sea, while Florida neighborhoods are swamped.

Opinion: Florida needs to get serious about cleaning up Lake Okeechobee

Florida has almost 2 million flood insurance policyholders, nearly 20% of all NFIP policies, the most of any state.

"If your drivers license says Florida, youre going to flood, former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told Central Florida Public Media.

Government shutdown leaves Floridians to brace the elements

There are over 25,000 real estate closings with a mortgage requiring flood insurance per month in Florida, according to Redfin. If the shutdown goes on much longer, there could be a messy traffic jam at the for-sale door or, more troubling, people caught between places to live.

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While waiting on hold for a FEMA rep to pick up the phone, I checked out the Realtor.com web site for more information. On the top of the page, it cautions: The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which insures nearly 5 million properties across the U.S., has officially lapsed following the government shutdown. FEMA can no longer write new or renew existing policies under the program, leaving flood-prone homeowners in a dangerous lurch.

Its a lurch! And even if your insurance coverage is secure, theres no guarantee that flood claims will be paid on time if water gets into your house when the NFIP is closed. Were not out of the woods storm-wise, as hurricane season lasts until Nov. 30.

Opinion: For Florida, nature-based solutions are key to advancing climate resilience

Maybe we should fix our storm drains, or raise the sea walls or elevate our streets. Yet its unlikely any of thats going to be proposed during a shutdown. Climate change denial gets very loud when the solutions are going to cost real money.

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States and cities can rarely afford climate change adaptation solutions on their own, and the federal government also eliminated the FEMA resilient grants programs. Its no secret that many in our administration dont like to mention climate change, or its causes and impacts. Its risky to say the words in public, even around here with my sneakers in a puddle. It might be best to just let your neighbors know to be ready: We still have more king tides coming to Florida this year  watch especially for the full-moon periods around Nov. 3-8 and Dec. 2-7.

Regardless of what some may say, flooding is real, flood insurance is needed, flood prevention grants save homes and communities, and FEMA is still the only number many have to call. Lets hope someone answers the phone. We all need the federal government to be open.

Katie Carpenter

Katie Carpenter is a West Palm Beach-based filmmaker with Everwild Media (www.everwildmedia.com), producing documentaries about conservation, climate change and solutions. This opinion piece was distributed by The Invading Sea website , which publishes news and commentary on climate change and other environmental issues affecting Florida.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida faces a new government shutdown peril in king tides | Opinion
FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WFRV)  The Fond du Lac teen accused of killing a 20-year-old woman during a 2023 shooting unexpectedly took the stand Thursday morning, admitting that he fired a gun, but that it was out of fear.

Brothers wrongfully convicted of 1987 Green Bay murder each receive over $150k in compensation

Parise Larry took the stand to testify in his own defense, saying he only pulled the trigger when he saw two others, identified as Keshawn and Antonio Johnston, pull out their guns.

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I just saw Keshawn and Antonio pulling out guns and I was in fear for my life, Larry said on the stand.

Fond du Lac District Attorney Eric Toney asked if that was why he pulled out his gun and fired.

Yes, Larry said.

Prosecutors pressed and asked if one of the bullets from Larrys gun could have struck and killed Tatyanna Zech, who was struck in the head while taking out the trash.

One of your bullets couldve been the one to kill Tatyanna Zech? Prosecutors said.

Yes yes, yes  to all victims, Larry said.

City in Wisconsin removes picnic and park benches after over 1,100 reported incidents including vandalism

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Larry faces 17 charges, including multiple counts of first-degree intentional homicide.

The trial will continue through Friday with possible closing arguments.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Several food giveaways will be happening around central Arkansas amid the government shutdown.

If you are a government employee and have recently missed a food giveaway, below is a list of upcoming events.

Oct. 17: Clinton National Airport and Arkansas Food Bank

The drive-through will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1000 Temple Street, the airport cargo building north of the terminal, accessible via Airport Road.

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Clinton National Airport to host federal employee food drive

Oct. 21: Arkansas Food Bank

The giveaway will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Cabot at Hopes Closet Food Pantry located at 2535 S. Rockwood Drive.

Arkansas Foodbank hosts food distributions for government employees

Oct. 22-23: Central Arkansas Development Council

The Central Arkansas Development Council will give away food boxes at 8 a.m. at the Bryant Senior Activity Center and 9 a.m. at the Benton Senior Activity Center.

All federal employees will need to provide a government ID.

Story will be updated as more distribution events are announced.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
The Social Development Commission reopened its doors more than 10 months ago, yet it is further away from becoming the legacy agency it once was.

Here's everything to know about where the anti-poverty agency stands.

What programs are available at SDC?

None. SDC hasn't offered programs since it abruptly closed in April 2024, according to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.

William Sulton, SDC's attorney, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last year that the agency reopened four programs. He now says those programs have been delayed due to a state financial audit, the agency's battle to retain its title as a community action agency, and its struggle to gather funding.

What happened to SDC's North Avenue building?

SDC lost its longtime headquarters at 1730 W. North Ave. to foreclosure.

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The court ordered SD Properties, the real estate arm of SDC, to pay its lender, Forward Community Investments Inc, over $3 million in mortgage payments, plus thousands more in attorney fees and daily interest.

The agency lost four other parcels to foreclosure, including 1701 W. North Avenue, 1729-1735 W. North Avenue, 1810 W. North Avenue and 1824 W. North Avenue, according to court records.

SDC vacated the buildings and still possesses one building on Teutonia Avenue, Sulton said.

Has SDC paid its employees?

Many SDC employees who were laid off last year are still owed wages and paid time off.

The state Department of Workforce Development is suing SDC for nearly $360,000 in unpaid wages and benefits. The department claims SDC owes money to about 97 employees, according to court records. The next court date in the case is Nov. 11.

Does SDC owe contractors?

Yes. The Wisconsin Department of Administration halted contractor work in March 2024 due to SDC's mismanagement of funds, according to court records. It's unclear exactly how many contractors from SDC's roughly 20 programs haven't been paid.

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On Oct. 2, a judge ruled that SDC owes more than $187,000 to three contractors from its weatherization program: Action Heating & Cooling, Affordable Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. and Insulation Technologies.

Sulton estimates SDC owes around $400,000 in total to contractors for its weatherization program.

In February, a technology company named TriShulla LLC sued SDC for over $471,000. The Dane County company says it provided technology services to SDC and created the agency's app, but SDC began falling behind on payments in early 2024.

In May 2024, a month after the agency closed, TriShulla said SDC terminated its hardware storage services to save money but didn't respond to the company's requests to pay for its other data storage. TriShulla continued to cover the storage fees and is demanding repayment for that, too, according to the lawsuit.

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In July, Amy Rowell, the executive director of COA Youth and Family Centers, told SDC board members that the agency owes nearly $154,000 for work the center did to address workforce challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic.

What were the results of the state's forensic audit?

The Department of Administration's forensic audit of the agency is ongoing.

The department launched the audit about 18 months ago in April 2024 after noticing SDC's overdue payments to contractors. The department estimated it would take about a year to identify how much funding was misallocated, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

The audit has since expanded to "all SDC programs with questioned costs," said Tatyana Warrick, spokesperson for the department.

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"Our obligation continues to be ensuring Wisconsin taxpayer dollars are used responsibly and prudently," Warrick said in an email.

Sulton, SDC's attorney, said SDC gave the state access to all of its financials across all programs a year ago.

However, the department said SDC gave it access to one accounting system that did not contain all the financial information needed for the audit.

Did SDC lose its status as a community action agency?

No, the final decision is still pending.

In May, the state Department of Children and Families moved to terminate SDC's community action agency status due to its poor financial standing. This designation gives SDC access to millions of federal Community Services Block Grant funds.

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SDC appealed the decision with the federal Office of Community Services. That review is estimated to be complete by mid-November, but the government shutdown will likely delay it, said Gina Paige, spokesperson for the Department of Children and Families.

Elected officials and the department strongly encouraged SDC to voluntarily give up its designation so another agency in the county could take its place. About $1.2 million in Community Services Block Grant funds were awarded to the county, but expired in September and returned to the federal government due to the dispute over SDC's status, Paige said.

The Department of Children and Families attempted to extend the deadline for the grant, but the Trump administration denied it, Paige said.

"SDC still has not resumed services despite saying they are able to do so," Paige said.

What funding does SDC have?

Wings Financial Credit Union agreed to provide SDC a "revolving line of credit of up to $15 million," according to an Oct. 1 letter of intent shared by Sulton. The letter says it is not a "legally binding obligation."

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The credit line advance is for only government-funded programs that SDC manages. Wings will need to know details of the programs and get assurance that the government will repay the line of credit, according to the letter.

How can I keep up with SDC?

The SDC Board of Commissioners meets virtually once a month on Thursdays. The board's next meeting is Oct. 30 at 5:30 p.m.

Board members from SD Foundation and SD Properties will be present at the meeting, according to the agency's website.

Do you have questions, tips or thoughts about the Social Development Commission? Gina Castro is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at gcastro@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Here are the issues facing SDC, Milwaukee's anti-poverty agency
A surge in international tourists drawn by South Koreas booming cultural exports has pushed Seoul hotel prices to record levels, with demand outstripping available rooms across the capital.

Average daily room rates in the SeoulIncheon area climbed to nearly 296,000 won (167) in September, up 14.6% from a year earlier, according to global hotel data provider STR.

This is the closest the regions rates have come to the 300,000-won mark.

Occupancy reached 80.8% in August and 81.6% in September, effectively full when luxury suites and reserved rooms are excluded.

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STR analysts noted that hotel openings have been limited, with supply growing by only about 2% annually over the past few years.

Mid-range properties are seeing the steepest increases, with rates up almost 14% through Augustnearly double the growth rate for luxury hotels.

Weekend bookings have become particularly costly, with Friday and Saturday rates up around 5%, compared with modest midweek rises of about 12%.

K-pop tourism fuels demand

The price surge coincides with a record number of international arrivals. Between January and August, 12.4 million foreign travellers visited South Korea, up 16% from the previous year.

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The government expects up to 18.5 million arrivals by year-end, potentially surpassing the pre-pandemic record of 17.5 million in 2019.

The reinstatement of visa-free entry for Chinese tour groups in late August has further boosted the tourism rebound. The growing number of independent travellers booking through online travel agencies has also contributed to higher room prices, as these guests typically pay standard retail rates rather than discounted group fares.

The appeal of K-pop, streaming content and hit productions such as KPop Demon Hunters has drawn fans from around the world to Seouls landmarks and filming locations.

Strong weekend demand from domestic tourists is also sustaining high occupancy levels across both budget and luxury segments.

New projects fail to keep pace

Industry analysts say the imbalance between soaring demand and limited new supply is driving much of the price escalation. Rising construction costs, scarce land and tighter financing have slowed hotel developments, keeping the citys room stock almost static.

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Luxury hotels have also raised rates amid persistent demand. At Signiel Seoul, rooms now start at around 1 million won (590) on weekends, while weekday stays average about 800,000 won (470).

The Four Seasons Hotel Seoul has seen average prices exceed 900,000 won (530), more than double the citys five-star average.

Some analysts, however, believe the market could soon level off. After Tokyo experienced similar price highs last year, rates later eased as global demand softened.

A comparable adjustment could occur in Seoul if economic conditions weaken or international travel growth slows in 2026.

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"Foreign visitor influx sends Seoul hotel prices soaring" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand.




SWIFTON, Ark.  Arkansas State Police troopers arrested a former Swifton police officer on a charge related to arson.

According to ASP officials, authorities arrested 30-year-old Benjamin Drake Slagley Monday, Oct. 13. The arrest comes after an investigation into a fire at Slagleys house in Swifton, which was reported on Aug. 30.

Arson guilty plea gets Little Rock man seven-year federal sentence

Special agents said the Jackson County Sheriffs Office requested assistance from ASP officials after Slagley contacted 911 to report the fire.

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Following the incident, state troopers said Slagley resigned from his position.

Benton police say arson threat led to deadly gas station shooting

Special agents took Slagley into custody and transported him to the Jackson County Detention Center.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
William J. Samford Hall at Auburn University, as seen on August 14, 2023 in Auburn, Alabama. A former Auburn University instructor has sued the school, claiming she was fired over a post on the death of far-right activist Charlie Kirk. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

A former Auburn University lecturer filed a lawsuit against the school on Wednesday, accusing Auburn of firing her over a social media post about the death of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk.

Candice Hale, a former English professor, said the firing violated her free speech rights.

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Candice Hale exercised her right to speak on matters of public concern, the death of Charlie Kirk, a political figure  expression that lies at the core of the First Amendment  and was subsequently terminated for doing so, the complaint said. Such retaliation cuts to the heart of democratic principles, where open discourse and the free exchange of ideas are essential to the preservation of liberty and justice.

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Auburn University officials said in a statement Thursday they did not have a comment on the lawsuit.

The lawsuit names as defendants Auburn University President Christopher Roberts; Chris Hardman, a behavioral threat assessment coordinator for the university; Clarence JC Stewart, assistant vice president of campus safety and compliance; Scott Forehand, the director of compliance, investigations and Security for Auburn University; Jason Hicks, the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Tami Poe, a senior manager of human resources at Auburn.

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On Sept. 11, Hale shared her thoughts about Kirks death on Facebook.

I do not mourn oppressors. I do not show them empathy. I dont give a damn about evil racist, fascist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, mediocre, white men who claim to be christian and then do everything Christ would not do on Earth, the post said.

On Sept. 17, Roberts said in a statement posted to social media that multiple employees were fired for their social media posts. The school did not give a specific number.

Hale alleges in her complaint that the same day the statement was posted, she was notified by Hardman to coordinate a meeting with himself and Forehand.

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According to the complaint, during the meeting, Hale was questioned by Hardman and Forehand about her online posting and was asked how students who were in the Universitys Turning Point USA chapter would feel about her comments.

Turning Point USA is a non-profit organization founded by Kirk that advocates for right-wing policies on high school, college and university campuses.

Hale also alleges in the complaint that Hardman and Forehand asked how she would interact with white male students who had the same views as Kirk and if she had any weapons or intent to harm anyone who is a member of Auburns Turning Point USA chapter.

Hale told the two that she was unaware of the universitys Turning Point chapter and that she didnt have any weapons.

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According to the filing, Forehand and Harding did not signal that the meeting would go to the universitys human resources department and that they did not find that Hale was a threat to campus safety.

However, two days later on Sept. 19, Hale said Poe requested a meeting with her and Hicks.

Hale said in the complaint that she asked for the meeting to be postponed until she could secure counsel to represent her, to which Poe said no matter when the meeting was, Hale would be placed on administrative leave.

Hale alleges that on Sept. 23, Poe called her to say she was not allowed to have counsel present at the meeting.

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The next day around 3 p.m., Hale had a virtual meeting with Poe and Hicks. According to the complaint, during the meeting Hicks told Hale the university wanted to end her employment and gave her a 21-day window to consider a severance agreement.

The complaint said Hale has not been allowed to return to work and has been banned from campus by Stewart.

Hale said in a Facebook post on Thursday that she was also fired by The University of Alabama shortly after her social media post about Kirk without a formal investigation, hearing, or opportunity to respond.

A message seeking comment was left with The University of Alabama Thursday.

Both institutions have tried to silence my voice. I reject these efforts. I remain steadfast in defending my right to speak truth to power and to challenge white supremacy, misogyny, and injusticeespecially within academic spaces, Hale said in the post.
Key Points

Walmart is teaming up with OpenAI to allow users to plan and complete Walmart and Sam's Club purchases on ChatGPT.

The chatbot will eventually learn individual shopping patterns and make suggestions.

It's the latest in AI innovations that the company is embracing.

10 stocks we like better than Walmart 

Walmart (NYSE: WMT) is finding a new way to use artificial intelligence (AI). The nation's largest retailer announced a partnership with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, that will allow customers to make purchases -- and even plan their shopping lists -- through ChatGPT's app.

Walmart already used a generative AI shopping agent, Sparky, to help consumers plan their purchases and make recommendations. The Oct. 14 announcement brings Walmart's brands to the dominant chatbot in the world, boasting 700 million weekly users and a global market share of more than 80%.

"For many years now, e-commerce shopping experiences have consisted of a search bar and a long list of item responses. That is about to change," Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said. "There is a native AI experience coming that is multi-media, personalized and contextual. We are running toward that more enjoyable and convenient future with Sparky and through partnerships including this important step with OpenAI."

Image source: Getty Images.

How the partnership works

Customers of Walmart and Sam's Club will be able to complete purchases directly within ChatGPT. The chatbot will be capable of learning and predicting shopping patterns, and help customers anticipate their needs, Walmart says.

Customers will use Instant Checkout on ChatGPT to complete their purchases. "We're excited to partner with Walmart to make everyday purchases a little simpler. It's just one way AI will help people every day under our work together," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said.

What it means for Walmart

The partnership is Walmart's latest foray into using AI to improve operations and customer experience. The company started using natural language processing as early as 2020 to allow voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa or Alphabet's Google Voice to help them shop.

The company also operates a voice assistant for its employees, called Ask Sam, to help them locate store items, prices, and sales information.

And it rolled out a series of AI tools earlier this year for its employees, including real-time translation of dozens of languages and task management tools.

"AI is a key enabler in improving how we work, and we believe its full potential is unlocked only when paired with the strengths of our people," said Greg Cathey, a Walmart senior vice president, in July. "When you put intuitive, accessible technology into the hands of millions of associates, the impact isn't incremental -- it's transformational."
Air Canada is facing more accusations of forcing customers to sit in seats soiled with other peoples vomit.

Air Canada made me sit in someone elses vomit for an eight hour international flight and then acted like it was no big deal, former Bachelor contestant Elizabeth Liz Sandoz Presta says in a Oct. 16 Instagram post explaining the incident.

The dating show alum says that upon sitting down in her seat on a recent Air Canada flight, she immediately noticed something was off. The buttons were sticky, a funky smell lingered in the air and there were chunks of food on the remote control [and] sprayed on the wall.

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It was really gross, she adds.

Sandoz Presta asked a flight attendant if she could switch seats, but was informed nothing else was available. However, the passenger noticed toilet paper sitting in empty seats in the back of the plane.

Upon insisting further that something else be done, I was brought a biohazard kit to clean it up myself, Sandoz Presta says.

The content creator, who primarily uses her platform to post pregnancy and birthing tips, says she later learned that as a passenger she is not allowed to sit in other peoples bodily fluids nor be exposed to the harsh chemicals used to clean it up.

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I was very uncomfortable for the eight hour flight. I couldnt sleep. I couldnt touch anything, she says. I had to get home to my kids so I had to take this flight.

Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty An Air Canada plane at Toronto Pearson Airport An Air Canada plane at Toronto Pearson Airport

After landing at the airport, the customer says she had to buy new clothes since her previous set was ruined.

Sandoz Presta later reached out to Air Canada about the incident, but was "disappointed" in their response.

There was no real apology, nothing meaningful done and they didn't take real accountability for their actions, she says.

Nobody should have to buy a ticket and then be forced to sit in a biohazard. Air Canada, you need to do better, she says at the end of her video.



In the caption, Sandoz Presta pointed to various protections and regulations that she says should have prevented this from happening, including the European Unions Air Passengers Rights Regulation of 2004, the Montreal Convention, Canadian Air Passenger Protection Regulations and even Air Canadas own Conditions of Carriage.

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On Oct. 17, a representative for Air Canada told PEOPLE they are now "reaching out to the individual to apologize and to resolve the matter."

They added: "We deeply regret this customer's experience, which is clearly unacceptable."

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.

This is not the first time Air Canada has faced public scrutiny after passengers were forced to sit in seats with other customers vomit. In August 2023, the airline apologized to two passengers who were escorted off a plane after refusing to sit in a soiled seat. Fellow passenger Susan Benson described the incident in a Aug. 29 Facebook post

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At the time, Air Canada told CNN, The Associated Press and The Washington Post that they issued an apology to the passengers as they clearly did not receive the standard of care to which they were entitled.

We are reviewing this serious matter internally and have followed up with the customers directly as our operating procedures were not followed correctly in this instance, the statement read, according to the outlets. We remain in contact with them about this matter.



Sandoz Presta was a contestant on Nick Vialls season of The Bachelor in 2017. She later married husband Vito Presta in February 2019. Together they share two kids.

Read the original article on People




BRIDGEPORT - Konstantinos "Kosta" Diamantis and a federal prosecutor locked horns Friday morning in sometimes testy exchanges as the former director of Connecticut school construction attempted to refute 21 felony charges in an extortion and bribery case that could send him to prison for 20 years.

Diamantis said he worked within state ethics rules and laws, and that he did not take bribes, did not extort executives at two companies, did not steer contracts to them and did not force one of the firms to hire his daughter. He admitted to taking a 50% share of about $70,000 in payments from executives at a Middlefield masonry company, one of whom was his former brother-in-law.

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And he said that an introduction he made was outside the scope of his state work and therefore not illegal.

Diamantis admitted that in August 2022, while he was pressing Acranom Masonry Inc. for $28,000 in payments, he threatened to remove Acranom from a Tolland school project. But he said in court that he did not have the power to do so as the head of state school construction grants.

Also, Diamantis admitted that he did not report thousands of dollars in additional income to the IRS, adding that he "neglected" to report payments and that he intended to eventually file amended tax documents. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Francis displayed several years of state ethics filings in which Diamantis did not list payments from Acranom Masonry of Middlefield.

Diamantis replied that in the ethics filing he listed his additional occupation as a lawyer, a catch-all definition.

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The cash payments in 2019 and 2020 came as part of his outside work networking on behalf of Acranom, which he introduced to a Bristol construction firm that became a contractor for a Tolland school project and eventually hired Acranom as a subcontractor, he said. Another contractor gave him two $1,000 checks and a third check for $1,500, but he denied accepting $1,000 in cash in what was described in earlier court testimony as similar to a "drug deal" on a Hartford street corner.

"I never got cash," Diamantis said of the allegation made earlier by Antonietta Roy, whose firm Construction Advocacy Professionals worked on projects in Hartford and Tolland and who hired Diamantis' daughter at $45 an hour.

"You got caught and now you think you need to amend them?" Francis asked Diamantis in an exchange about the unreported income.

"Yes," he replied.

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"You kept them secret from federal agents, too?" Francis said.

"How'd I keep it secret?" Diamantis said, noting that dozens of records of banking transactions are part of the evidence.

Diamantis denied that text messages shown by Francis were connected to a $450,000 contract that CAP was given by the town of Tolland to oversee an emergency rebuilding of Birch Grove Primary School.

During a recess at 11:40 a.m. Friday, the eighth day of the trial, defense attorney Norman Pattis moved for a mistrial, charging that the prosecution was too combative with Diamantis.

"I realize this is me, the pot, calling the kettle black," Pattis, who has a reputation for being mercurial in the courtroom as a defense lawyer, told Judge Stefan Underhill. "This is compromising my client's right to a fair trial."

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"I require no admonishment," Francis said while the jury was out of the courtroom. "He needs to discipline his client."

"Let's take the temperature down a notch," Underhill said, rejecting Pattis's request.

Francis had begun his cross-examination of Diamantis by recounting his Thursday statement that he wanted to "clean up" school construction in Connecticut.

"And the way you did that was taking envelopes of cash from Acranom?" Francis asked. "Outside of school construction," Diamantis replied, after which the prosecutor asked him to repeat the answer twice.

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"I did not pressure elected officials or officials in Hartford," Diamantis answered. Francis asked Diamantis if he recalled the testimony last week from two Hartford officials who said that he had.

"That's their testimony," Diamantis said. "Not mine."

On Thursday afternoon, Diamantis first took the witness stand in his high-stakes effort to convince the jury he is innocent of the charges, including lying to federal investigators.

On Friday, Francis, pointing to a May 2019 text exchange, noted that Diamantis sought $50,000 in payments from Acranom, but would accept $44,000. Francis called it a kickback at a time when Diamantis was in financial trouble. Diamantis denied that $70,000 was built into Acranom's contract to work on a new school building in Tolland to pay him.

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Francis recalled testimony from Diamantis in which he said he worked as a criminal defense lawyer. The prosecutor asked whether he was familiar with the concept of quid pro quo, a Latin term meaning this for that. "Yes," Diamantis replied.

The prosecutor then went through the timeline of when Diamantis' daughter was hired by CAP, which got work supervising school construction projects in both Hartford and Tolland. He asked Diamantis whether he started taking money from Acranom in 2018, and Diamantis said no.

The prosecutor displayed a chart showing that the firm wrote a check to its owner, Salvatore Monarca, for $5,000 in August and Diamantis deposited $2,000 cash in his own account days later.

"He cashed a check for $5,000 and I deposited $2,000," Diamantis said.

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Francis' questions became more pointed as his cross-examination approached the midmorning recess.

He asked Diamantis whether he took money from any other firms to help them with referrals on a public school project.

"None," Diamantis replied.

"Is that why you kept it a secret?" Francis asked.

"It was outside the scope of my employment," he said. "What secret was it?"

Francis noted that Diamantis took money from Acranom despite not listing the company as an income source on disclosure forms.

"I'm not in business with Acranom," he said.

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"You took a referral fee from Acranom," Francis said. "That's not being in business with them?"

"No," Diamantis said.

"You keep saying you're not in business with Acranom," Francis said. "But you're taking money from Acranom?"

"Correct," Diamantis said.

"And you're doing something in exchange for the money?"

"Correct," he said.

Diamantis testified for about two-and-a-half hours on Thursday afternoon before Underhill sent the jury home for the day. When they left the fourth-floor courtroom, Francis said he would offer Diamantis' tax records into evidence. Underhill accepted the request Friday morning. Earlier this week, an IRS agent produced a fact sheet of withdrawals and deposits involved in the case.

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Under questioning from Pattis, Diamantis repeatedly said he had virtually nothing to do with contracts in Hartford and Tolland that were awarded by local school officials and contractors to Acranom Masonry and Construction Advocacy Professionals.

Diamantis, who ran the state program that reviewed and awarded school construction grants from 2018 until he was fired by Gov. Ned Lamont nearly four years ago, described a strained relationship with John Duffy, his former brother-in-law and former vice president of Acranom.

Diamantis said he introduced Duffy to the principal who runs the family-owned D'Amato Construction Co. Acranom eventually worked on foundations at Weaver and Bulkeley high schools in Hartford and Birch Grove Primary School in Tolland, a project that overlapped with CAP.

Roy, Duffy and Salvatore Monarca, the owner of Acranom, had previously entered guilty pleas and testified against Diamantis during the trial that started last week.

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"Did Mr. Monarca give you money?" Pattis asked Diamantis. "We were at a restaurant in Durham, Connecticut," Diamantis said.

"How much money?" Pattis said. "Five thousand, six thousand dollars," said Diamantis, adding that it was the result of setting up a meeting between Acranom and D'Amato officials and an eventual invitation to bid on a 2019 project as a subcontractor.

"Did you play any role, did you do anything in your personal capacity, to put pressure on D'Amato to hire Acranom," Pattis asked.

"No," Diamantis said.

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"Did you have any role in assuring that Acranom would be hired for any job?" Pattis asked.

"I created an introduction between John Duffy and D'Amato Construction," Diamantis said.

"Did you ever attend a meeting with D'Amato?" Pattis followed up.

"No," Diamantis said.

The day's testimony ended with Edward D'Amato Jr., one of the co-owners of the company, testifying for the defense that he never had a conversation with Diamantis about possibly hiring Acranom.

"We don't get told by anyone to hire anyone," he said under cross-examination from Assistant U.S. Attorney David Novick.

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Diamantis, a family friend, had informed D'Amato that the Birch Grove Primary School project was an emergency project because of the crumbling foundation caused by a decaying mineral in the cement.

"We were given a name," D'Amato told the jury, adding that he had been friends with Diamantis since growing up together in Bristol. "We dealt with the town. It was an inroad, and we went to the town and pitched ourselves as we always did."

He said the project was big. "The masons we usually use were not adequate for a project that size."

This article originally published at Federal prosecutor cross-examines former CT school building chief in corruption trial.
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  Police arrested the former store manager of the Foot Locker, who pleaded guilty to embezzlement in 2022, after prosecutors filed a motion to adjudicate his guilt.

PREVIOUS STORY: Former mall store manager pleads to embezzlement

Julius Keith Hastings, 30, of Wichita Falls, was booked into the Wichita County Jail on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. According to Wichita County Jail records, he remains held on a $5,000 bond as of the publication of this story.

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Court documents show that Hastings pleaded guilty to theft over $2,500 and under $30,000 in August 2022. Hastings received a deferred sentence of five years of community supervision and was ordered to pay $8,369.84 in restitution.

On Oct. 14, 2025, more than three years into Hastings probation sentence, prosecutors with the Wichita County District Attorneys Office filed a motion to proceed with the adjudication of his guilt.

According to the prosecutions motion, Hastings failed to make restitution payments and was delinquent by $2,266. The motion also alleged that he failed to pay the urinalysis fee and the supervision fee that were a part of his community supervision sentence.

The states motion also alleged that Hastings further violated the terms of his probation sentence by admitting to using marijuana in August 2023. The motion also alleged that Hastings left Wichita County in September 2025 and was in Wise County despite not having permission from the court.

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PREVIOUS STORY: Former Foot Locker manager accused of embezzlement

Hastings was initially arrested in July 2019 after a protection specialist with Foot Locker reported four missing deposits from the store totaling $8,369.84:

$1,096.58 deposit on Nov. 27, 2018

$965.57 deposit on Jan. 25, 2019

$2,863.53 deposit on Feb. 8, 2019

$3,444.16 deposit on Feb. 14, 2019

According to the affidavit, an officer said Hastings told him that he alone stole the deposits, admitting that he had both keys needed to unlock the safe in the store. Police said security footage supported the fact that Hastings committed the thefts.

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Police said Hastings provided Foot Locker with a handwritten statement admitting to the theft and claiming the stolen funds were for his unborn child.

This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com.
Former General Motors Vice Chairman Harry J. Pearce, best known for successfully proving in 1993 that Dateline NBC falsified a crash test to ignite a massive fuel-tank fire in a GM pickup truck, died on Oct. 14. He was 83.

GM CEO Mary Barra, who briefly served as Pearces executive assistant, told the Detroit Free Press in an emailed statement that she was saddened by his passing.

Serving as Harrys executive assistant in the 1990s helped shape my approach to leadership  he brought integrity, intellect, and a deep commitment to his role while at the company, she said. On behalf of the GM family, I extend heartfelt condolences to Harrys loved ones.

Former GM Vice Chairman Harry J. Pearce died on Oct. 14. He was 83.

Among the hallmarks of his career, Pearce led GMs decision to purchase the Renaissance Center and was instrumental in the launches of the EV1, the industrys first modern electric vehicle, and a hydrogen fuel cell concept car.

NBC defamation case

At a historic 1993 news conference at GMs old headquarters on West Grand Boulevard, Pearce outlined in meticulous detail why the Detroit automaker filed a defamation case in Marion County, Indiana, against NBC and the Institute for Safety Analysis. As general counsel, Pearce was seeking compensatory and punitive damages for what he called an outrageous misrepresentation and conscious deception in its Nov. 17, 1992, report titled Waiting to explode?

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The episode aired two unscientific crash demonstrations intended to test a safety defect that would purportedly allow the vehicle to burst into flames when impacted from the side at a speed of 30 mph.

The safety defect in question was the decision to place the fuel tank outside the vehicle frame rail on the Chevrolet C/K pickup trucks. The sidesaddle design of the fuel tank  installed in over 10 million square body trucks from 1973 to 1987  was deemed many times more dangerous than those of GM's truck-building competitors by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Still, the footage Dateline aired revealed a far more dramatic explosion than reasonable  as the show's producers allowed incendiary devices to be strapped to the vehicle and overfilled the gas tank prior to the staged crash to produce a larger post-collision fire.

Pearce sent GM employees to inspect junkyards in the vicinity of the crash and brought the exact vehicles Dateline strapped rockets to  the same vehicles the network said were unavailable for analysis  back to Michigan to reveal onstage during the two-hour news conference. He also tracked down footage of the crash recorded by onlookers in which smoke is seen pluming from beneath the pickup before it was hit.

General Motors world headquarters in the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit on June 6, 2017.

Free Press auto critic Mark Phelan attended the news conference tribunal where Pearce debunked the network's scheme.

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It was the kind of courtroom moment you think only happens in movies. Our jaws were hanging open, Phelan said. You could have heard a pin drop when Harry Pearce showed 'Dateline' had faked the footage.

Harry J. Pearce, former GM vice chair and legal counsel, died Oct. 14 at 83.

Following Pearces landmark conference, NBC admitted to rigging the test and settled its lawsuit with GM. The president of NBC was fired, and Dateline anchors Jane Pauley and Stone Phillips were ordered to read a 3-minute on-air apology to viewers and GM.

Family, company man

Pearce was born on Aug. 20, 1942, in Bismarck, North Dakota, to William Ridgely and Jean Murray Pearce. His early love of rocket science drew him to the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he earned a B.S. in engineering in 1964.

After military stints in Illinois, England, and the Netherlands, he moved back to Bismarck with his wife, Kathy, to raise their three children, Shannon, Susan and Harry Mark.

Before joining GM, former Vice Chairman Harry J. Pearce became a captain in the U.S. Air Force.

In his GM application submitted on May 1, 1985, Pearce outlined his credentials that included 15 years as a trial attorney, chairman of the traffic safety committee of the state bar of North Dakota, a municipal judge and single term as police commissioner of Bismarck. Of his many job offers at the time, working at GM would be the lowest paying, his family said  but it would allow him to stay put long enough to spend time with family.

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On the final page, he wrote: What remains of my time is spent in airplanes and at home reassuring my family that they have a resident husband and father.

By 1994, Pearce was responsible for Electronic Data Systems, then owned by GM, while it experimented with microwaves in telecommunications. Pearce saw a unique opportunity to incorporate telecom into transportation and recruited engineers for an initiative code-named Project Beacon who suggested using the existing U.S. cell phone network.

More: We asked GM's Duncan Aldred what's next for EVs as electrification challenges mount

Pearce then pulled in train salesman Chet Huber from the company's Electro-Motive Division in LaGrange, Illinois, to bring the technology to market. That project became OnStar, which grew into a multibillion enterprise with over 6 million subscribers.

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Harry was an amazing leader, visionary and a true example of integrity and resolve, Huber said in an emailed statement to the Detroit Free Press. He was the driving force behind the creation of OnStar, and along with Rick Wagoner the only reason something so disruptive survived GMs natural instincts to shut it down on multiple occasions when the challenges got tough.

Career at GM

A safety advocate, Pearce also helped standardize the Event Data Recorder across GMs vehicles, functionally a black box that used the vehicles existing technology that, in the event of a collision, registered the speed the vehicle was at and the change of velocity during the crash, his son Harry Mark told the Free Press. GM was the first to standardize EDR tech across production vehicles in 1994.

He also worked to standardize glow-in-the-dark safety escape latches in the trunks of GM vehicles.

In addition to vehicle safety, Pearce was an advocate of racial and gender diversity. Through his position as GMs general counsel, he sent a letter in 1989 to every law firm that he expected more diversity among those working on GM cases. It came to be known as The Pearce Letter and had a butterfly effect across the legal field.

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A major change in his career path came from a leukemia diagnosis in 1998 that drew national headlines. At the time, Pearce was widely speculated to be in line to be chairman. Though he recovered, he retired from GM in 2001 and went on to serve as chairman of Hughes Electronics, Chairman of Nortel Networks, and Chairman of Montana Dakota Utilities as well as sit on the boards of six blood cancer foundations.

The visitation is on Oct. 24 at Lynch & Sons Funeral Home in Clawson, according to funeral director Pat Lynch.

Senior autos reporter Jamie L. LaReau contributed to this report.

Jackie Charniga covers General Motors for the Detroit Free Press. Reach her at jcharniga@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Former GM vice president and lawyer Harry J. Pearce dies at 83
Miranwas held in a cramped cage and bound for weeks. His family shares chilling details of his ordeal.

Omri Miran, who was held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, was kept in a cramped cage and was bound for weeks during his time in captivity, according to details shared by his family to Israel Hayom.

Speaking on Thursday, Mirans brother, Boaz, described the physical conditions his brother endured. At first, there were five hostages in a cage just 1.8 meters by 1.6 meters. You couldnt stand  you had to crouch, he said. Gradually, they took people out until only he and one other hostage were left.

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Boaz said Omri was bound for three weeks, though not immediately after being abducted. We dont know why. It had to do with the terrorists who were holding them. They kept changing  the locations, the people, everything, he said.

'There was nowhere to run'

The captors, according to the family, frequently left their weapons unattended near the hostages. Omri told me that sometimes a terrorist would just go out and leave his gun beside him, Boaz said. He considered trying to escape, but he knew there was nowhere to run.

Boaz also recounted that the hostages were told by their captors about fellow hostage Ron Krivoy, who briefly escaped but was later recaptured. They said someone had been walking around outside for three or four days, and when locals found him, they beat him badly. Hamas terrorists rescued him from the crowd, he said.

Tzvika Mor, the father of released Israeli hostage Eitan Mor, speaks to the press, flanked by Boaz and Nadav Miran, the brothers of released Israeli hostage Omri Miran, at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, Israel, October 15, 2025. (credit: Gabriel Colodro/The Media Line)

In the days leading up to his release, Miran reportedly heard nearby explosions and heavy machinery. He said he could hear D9 bulldozers driving above them. You could actually feel it. There were very powerful explosions, Boaz said.

Miran was released as part of a previous hostage deal. Further details regarding his recovery and the conditions of other hostages are still under investigation.
Japans former prime minister, who apologised for his countrys atrocities during the Second World War, has died aged 101.

Tomiichi Murayama expressed deep remorse over the crimes committed by Japanese troops during the war on the 50th anniversary of their surrender.

Mizuho Fukushima, the head of the Social Democratic Party, which is seen as the successor to Murayamas now-defunct Socialist Party, said: Tomiichi Murayama, the father of Japanese politics, passed away today at 11.28am at a hospital in Oita City at the age of 101.

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The former prime ministers comments on the Second World War, known as the Murayama Statement, went further than any of his predecessors and became a benchmark for his countrys subsequent apologies.

Making the statement in August 1995, Murayama said: Japan ... through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations.

In the hope that no such mistake be made in the future, I regard, in a spirit of humility, these irrefutable facts of history, and express here once again my feelings of deep remorse and state my heartfelt apology.

Tomiichi Murayamas government officially recognised the use of the Hinomaru flag - Kyodo News

The phrases deep remorse and heartfelt apology were used by successive Japanese prime ministers when marking the 60th and 70th Second World War anniversaries. It was used until 2013, when Shinzo Abe, the nationalist prime minister at the time, stopped apologising.

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Murayama was elected to serve in a coalition government that also included the Liberal Democratic Party, Japans dominant post-war political force. He was the first socialist prime minister in 47 years. He was in office from 1994 to 1996  a turbulent period that saw a huge earthquake in western Japan in 1995, and a sarin gas attack on Tokyos subway in the same year that killed more than a dozen people and injured more than 5,800.

Under his government, Japan agreed to uphold a security treaty with the US, recognise the legitimacy of the Self-Defense Force and the use of the Hinomaru flag that the country uses today, all of which his party had long opposed because of its pacifist stance.

A pacifist prime minister

Murayama was born on March 3, 1924, in Oita, before moving to Tokyo in 1938. He was later drafted into the armed forces and was stationed in Kumamoto, on the southern island of Kyushu, at the end of the Second World War.

In an interview with the public broadcaster NHK in 2015, Murayama called the military a dreadful thing, describing how rebellion or argument was absolutely forbidden. He recalled his difficult memories towards the end of the war, when food was already scarce, and very few weapons remained, adding: We had weapons made of bamboo. I wondered if we could wage war in this condition.

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Murayama retired from politics in 2000.

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TOKYO (AP)  Japans former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, who was known for his 1995 Murayama statement apologizing to Asian victims of his countrys aggression, died Friday. He was 101.

Murayama died at a hospital in his hometown Oita, southwestern Japan, according to a statement by Mizuho Fukushima, the head of Japan's Social Democratic Party.

As head of what was then known as the Japan Socialist Party, Murayama led a coalition government from June 1994 to January 1996.

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A historic apology for Japan's actions in World War II

He is best remembered for the Murayama statement, an apology he issued on the 50th anniversary of Japans unconditional surrender ending World War II on Aug. 15, 1995. It's seen as Japans main expression of remorse for its wartime and colonial past.

During a certain period in the not too distant past, Japan, following a mistaken national policy, advanced along the road to war ... and, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations, he said in the statement.

In the hope that no such mistake be made in the future, I regard, in a spirit of humility, these irrefutable facts of history, and express here once again my feelings of deep remorse and state my heartfelt apology.

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A government marked by controversy

Murayama was first elected to parliament in 1972 as a socialist lawmaker after working for a labor union and serving in a local assembly.

When he became prime minister in 1994, he broke with his party's longtime opposition to the Japan-U.S. security alliance and Japan's Self-Defense Forces, recognizing them as constitutional in a speech given in the face of yelling by angry members of his party.

In 1995, Murayama dealt with two major disasters: a massive earthquake in the western port city of Kobe that killed more than 6,400 people, and a Tokyo subway gas attack that killed 13 and injured more than 6,000 people. He came under fire for slow responses to both.

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He resigned early the following year in an unexpected announcement that came as he returned to work after the 1996 New Year holidays. Murayama said he had done what he could in a year marking the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. He said he made the decision while looking at the blue sky in the new year.

Murayama criticized his successors for questioning Japan's wartime guilt

Murayama was active in politics even after his retirement in 2000, frequently criticizing attempts by his more nationalist successors to back away from responsibility for Japan's wartime action.

The Murayama statement set a standard followed by all prime ministers for nearly two decades, until nationalist Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stopped apologizing in 2013 as members of his Liberal Democratic Party said it interfered with Japans national pride. That included Abe's protege Sanae Takaichi, who was recently elected party leader and is now poised to become prime minister next week.

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This year, outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed remorse over the war, marking the first time a Japanese leader has used the word in their annual Aug. 15 address since Abe shunned it.

Murayama also criticized the governments reluctance to acknowledge that the Japanese government during World War II systematically forced Asian women to provide sex for Japanese soldiers at military brothels.

A historical view saying Japan's war was not aggression, or calling it justice or liberation from colonialism, is absolutely unacceptable not only in China, South Korea or other Asian countries but also in America and Europe, Murayama said in a statement in 2020.

He also stressed the importance of Japan establishing a lasting friendship with China, noting the tremendous damage his country caused to its neighbor because of its past war of aggression. In order to build peace and stability in Asia, we must build stable politics, economics, cultural interactions and development.




Former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg will announce his campaign to be the next Bexar County judge after the Nov. 4 election, according to a source with firsthand knowledge of Nirenberg's plans.

That will set up a March Democratic primary match-up between Nirenberg and County Judge Peter Sakai, who is seeking a second term.

Since leaving the the mayor's office in June, Nirenberg had flirted with running for a statewide office. He had mulled running for the U.S. Senate or Texas governor - Democratic primary races that have drawn candidates with more statewide name ID, such as state Reps. James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa.

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Nirenberg, 48, served as mayor for eight years, the maximum under San Antonio's term limits. Before challenging and defeating incumbent Mayor Ivy Taylor in 2017, he served two terms as the Northwest Side's councilman.

He left office with a higher voter approval rating and more name ID than Sakai, according to polling from the University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Public Opinion Research.

Fifty-six percent of San Antonio voters surveyed by the center in April said they strongly or somewhat approved of the four-term mayor, compared to the 40% of Bexar County voters who told the center in early October that they approved of Sakai's performance.

Ten percent of the October poll respondents said they had never heard of Sakai, who was elected in 2022 and previously served as a longtime district court judge. Less than 1% of the April poll respondents were unfamiliar with Nirenberg.

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Sakai, 70, lashed out at Nirenberg on Friday.

"At one point Ron's bags were packed for DC. At one point he was running for Governor, then Senator," he said in a statement to the San Antonio Express-News. "Now, despite at one point telling the Express-News he wasn't running for County Judge, it's clear Ron never found the greener pastures he dreamed of. I, on the other hand, am not searching for something to do. We're doing it."

"It's a free country, at least for now," he said. "But considering the challenges we face, it's disappointing that some rather start fights within our Democratic Party than work together to lift up our community. Nevertheless, I'm keeping my focus on countering the Republican cuts to Medicaid, to SNAP, and their promotion of job-killing tariffs."

Nirenberg, who is teaching a communications class at Trinity University this fall, did not respond a to request for comment for this story.

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He told the Express-News in September that he was "not done with public service."

"I have made clear that there's a great urgency to the issues we face, that I plan to be involved and that I'm not done with public service," he said at the time.

Choosing sides

Nirenberg is waiting to launch his campaign until after the Nov. 4 election, when county financing for a downtown Spurs arena is on the ballot.

Both Nirenberg and Sakai want Proposition B to pass, which would put up $311 million in county hotel and rental car tax revenue for an arena to be built at Hemisfair. The county portion of the deal is the only part that requires voters approval.

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The overall cost of the Spurs arena would be an estimated $1.3 billion.

Sakai has taken a far narrower approach to the job than his predecessor Nelson Wolff, who expanded the scope of county government and oversaw economic development initiatives and major public works projects, such as Mission Reach improvements on the San Antonio River.

Local philanthropist Harvey Najim is hosting a fundraiser on Oct. 22 for the recently formed Team Ron political action committee to raise money for his county judge campaign. Najim voted for Sakai in 2022.

"We need someone in there that really understand how the city runs because the city is part of the county and that's why I have decided, along with many others, to support Ron Nirenberg," Najim said.

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"I think he's more than qualified for the role," he added.

Sakai was sitting on more than $435,000 as of July 15, according to semi-annual campaign finance reports. Nirenberg reported having just over $7,000 in the bank.

Unlike the San Antonio mayor and City Council, the county judge and the four county commissioners are partisan offices.

Commissioners Court approves the county's annual budget, sets the property tax rate, and approves major purchases and contracts.

Water politics

Nirenberg is likely to make water supply and protection a major part of his campaign for county judge.

Since the start of this year, he has become increasingly vocal in advocating against a proposed wastewater treatment plant to serve Guajolote Ranch, a controversial development northwest of the city. He has raised concerns that the effluent discharged into Helotes Creek could contaminate the Edwards Aquifer, which is San Antonio's largest water source.

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As mayor, he was a member of the San Antonio Water System's board of trustees, which in 2022 agreed to provide water service to the development in exchange for concessions on open space and requirements for wastewater operations.

In early 2024, Nirenberg asked a state agency not to grant a permit for the treatment plant, and since then, he's amplified his concerns about the development and its impact on the aquifer, which provides water for more than 2 million people in Central Texas.

He is scheduled to speak Monday at the Geological Society of America's meeting in San Antonio about how San Antonio has diversified its water supplies and taken steps to "protect its local underground aquifers."

Reporter Liz Teitz contributed to this report.

This article originally published at Former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg to challenge Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai.
ROSMAN, N.C. (WNCN)  A former Cold War spy station in North Carolinas Blue Ridge Mountains is for sale. The 192-acre site is listed for $30 million.



In the 1960s, NASA built a communications hub in Rosman, N.C. that allowed the agency to photograph some of the first images of Earth as seen from space. It was also a communications link for crewed space programs, Project Gemini and Project Apollo.

Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (Credit: Airbus via Google Earth, taken on June 3, 2023)

In 1981, the National Security Agency saw it as the perfect location to aid in surveillance during the Cold War. The satellites, already installed by NASA, were key in gathering signals intelligence for the United States.

The Rosman Research Station was strictly off limits to the public. The remote location allowed the NSA to work in secrecy as satellites returned images related to the Soviet Union, and other areas across the globe. The sites underground workspaces, including tunnels, still exist today.

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After the Iron Curtain fell and the Cold War wound down, the NSA transferred the property to the U.S. Forest Service in 1995.

In the decades since, starting in 1998, the site has been repurposed into the home of the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute. The former spy stations locale has provided PARI with the perfect dark sky needed for astronomical observation and scientific research.

The property was recently listed as available to purchase. Real estate company NAI Piedmont Triad is handling the sale. According to the listing on their website, the site includes:

Superior utilities with 5 wells (80 gal/min),

Up to 45 MW power,

106 fiber strands (multi-directional entries),

4 generators

37 transformers

Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (Credit: Airbus via Google Earth, taken on June 3, 2023) Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (Credit: Airbus via Google Earth, taken on June 3, 2023)

The 192-acre site includes 30+ buildings, spanning 94,346 square feet. The buildings include: an admin/welcome center, library, exhibits, dorms/staff housing, and dining facilities. Scientific and technological assets include 25+ optical telescopes, a planetarium, dish antennas, data centers, laboratories, radio arrays, and more.

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According to the PARI website, a team statement has clarified that the institute will remain fully staffed and open for visitors, STEM education, and outreach programming. The statement also notes that while the real estate listing shows what a total site sale would look like, it also includes purchase and lease options for only a portion of the site.

The PARI statement also said, The decision to offer some or all of the property for sale was made to help give PARI the flexibility and resources to continue this mission for decades to come.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.
Webasto is set to lay off another 300 employees in Germany as part of its ongoing restructuring initiatives in response to a challenging market landscape.

The job cuts will predominantly impact employees at the German automotive suppliers facilities in Stockdorf and Gilching, with a particular emphasis on leadership roles within administrative divisions.

This decision follows discussions between management and employee representatives.

Affected employees have been briefed on the forthcoming steps, with the retrenchment due to be finalised by the end of the year.

Webasto CEO Joerg Buchheim said the decision was not easy, but essential amid the market developments.

He stated: The shifts in the automotive market demand a leaner, more cost-efficient organisation with reduced complexity and faster decision-making processes. This is the only way we can remain competitive.

In collaboration with the company-wide works council, the management has developed a balanced reconciliation of interests and a social plan, as per the companys statement.

A significant aspect of this plan is the provision for impacted staff to move into a transfer company, which will offer support for up to 12 months for their professional reorientation.

In January, Johann Stohner assumed the role of chief restructuring officer (CRO) at Webasto.

Stohner has been tasked with expediting the financial and operational restructuring efforts to secure the companys future viability.

"Webasto to shed another 300 jobs in Germany amid restructuring" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.




A sergeant with the 10th Special Forces Group is suspected of repeatedly stabbing a Colorado Springs police dog Wednesday  an attack that left the K-9 in critical condition and led to the removal of one of his legs.

Police identified the suspect as Anthony Bryant, 37. An official at Fort Carson, Colorado, confirmed to local news outlets that Bryant is a sergeant first class assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group. His booking information with the El Paso County Sheriffs Office also lists him as being on active duty at the U.S. Army base.

Officers responded Wednesday morning to a residence about 20 miles north of Fort Carson for a reported violation of a domestic violence protection order. There, Bryant barricaded himself inside the home, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department.

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Police sent in a tactical enforcement unit, along with K-9s. A police dog by the name of K-9 Roam and his handler encountered Bryant, and Roam was stabbed multiple times.

The dog was taken to Animal ER Care, where he arrived in critical condition and underwent surgery. Roam was stabbed in the head and neck and had a severe laceration extending from his abdomen to his left hind leg, which had to be removed during surgery, Abby Sticker, one of the veterinarians who treated Roam, said during a Wednesday news conference.

Roam, a K-9 with the Colorado Springs Police Department, surrounded Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, by the veterinarians who treated him after he was stabbed multiple times Wednesday. (Courtesy of Colorado Springs Police Department)

Sticker said Roam received multiple blood transfusions for hemorrhaging.

As of Friday, Roam was in stable condition and expected to survive, said Caitlin Ford Blanco, a Colorado Springs Police Department spokesperson. Sticker said recovery would require multiple days at the animal hospital.

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Bryant was tased and struck with a chemical irritant before being arrested. Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said during the news conference Bryant would be charged with burglary, obstruction, resisting arrest and attempted felony aggravated cruelty to law enforcement animals.

Those charges would be elevated if Roam dies from his injuries, El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen said during the news conference. At that point, Bryant would be facing a Class 4 felony, Allen said, which in Colorado carries a sentence of two to six years in prison.

Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Bryant, assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson, Colorado, is suspected of stabbing a police dog Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. He remained in custody Friday on a $500,000 bond. (Courtesy of Colorado Springs Police Department)

The police departments homicide unit is leading the investigation. As of Friday, Bryant was being held on a $500,000 bond, and his court date was set for Oct. 27, according to county booking information.

K-9 Roam was the departments first certified gun detection dog, trained to find concealed firearms and ammunition.

When asked by a reporter Wednesday why Roam wasnt wearing a stab-proof vest during the incident, Vasquez said he was too young for one. K-9s start wearing vests at 20 months old, otherwise they do not fit appropriately, he said. Roam is 18 months old.
The Fort Worth City Council will vote on October 21 on whether to rename a portion of White Settlement Road, a move long supported by Native American advocates who have called for change due to the roads historical ties to the removal of Indigenous peoples from the area.

The proposed new name, Westside Drive, would apply to a roughly mile-long stretch from the roundabout at North Henderson Street and Jacksboro Highway to University Drive. Developers behind the $1.7 billion Westside Village project proposed the name and agreed to cover the $26,000 cost.

As part of major developments, its not unusual to see name changes to really create that place  thats exactly what you see happening here, said Council Member Elizabeth Beck, according to Fort Worth Report, whose district includes downtown and parts of White Settlement Road.

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Beck said the change aligns with Fort Worths efforts to modernize its urban core. Renaming the street makes it that destination that we want it to be, she said, adding that the project represents a really positive direction for the city.

Westside Village will include office and retail space, apartments, and a luxury hotel. The project sits on 37 acres near Fort Worth ISDs former administrative building and is led by FW Westside RE Investors, a partnership between Keystone and Larkspur Capital.

The name White Settlement dates to 1841, when Texas militia forces under Gen. Edward H. Tarrant attacked Native American settlements along Village Creek. The campaign forced Indigenous groups, including the Comanche, Kickapoo, and Caddo, farther west, clearing the way for white settlers. The road later connected Fort Worths military outpost to nearby homesteads.

City officials first considered renaming the street in 2021, but delayed action. Beck said procedural issues slowed progress until now. It gives us the ability to address our members of our community that have for a long time said that the name of this road was painful, she said.

If approved, the change would apply only within Fort Worth city limits. The portion of the road in the neighboring city of White Settlement would remain unchanged.
This story was originally published by ProPublica.

When the Supreme Court recently allowed immigration agents in the Los Angeles area to take race into consideration during sweeps, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that citizens shouldnt be concerned.

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If the officers learn that the individual they stopped is a U.S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States, Kavanaugh wrote, they promptly let the individual go.

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But that is far from the reality many citizens have experienced. Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents. Theyve had their necks kneeled on. Theyve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear. At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them. One of those women had already had the door of her home blown off while Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem watched.

About two dozen Americans have said they were held for more than a day without being able to phone lawyers or loved ones.

Videos of U.S. citizens being mistreated by immigration agents have filled social media feeds, but there is little clarity on the overall picture. The government does not track how often immigration agents hold Americans.

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So ProPublica created its own count.

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We compiled and reviewed every case we could find of agents holding citizens against their will, whether during immigration raids or protests. While the tally is almost certainly incomplete, we found more than 170 such incidents during the first nine months of President Donald Trumps second administration.

Among the citizens detained are nearly 20 children, including two with cancer. That includes four who were held for weeks with their undocumented mother and without access to the familys attorney until a congresswoman intervened.

Immigration agents do have authority to detain Americans in limited circumstances. Agents can hold people whom they reasonably suspect are in the country illegally. We found more than 50 Americans who were held after agents questioned their citizenship. They were almost all Latino.

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Immigration agents also can arrest citizens who allegedly interfered with or assaulted officers. We compiled cases of about 130 Americans, including a dozen elected officials, accused of assaulting or impeding officers.

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These cases have often wilted under scrutiny. In nearly 50 instances that we have identified so far, charges have never been filed or the cases were dismissed. Our count found a handful of citizens have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors.

Among the detentions in which allegations have not stuck, masked agents pointed a gun at, pepper sprayed and punched a young man who had filmed them searching for his relative. In another, agents knocked over and then tackled a 79-year-old car wash owner, pressing their knees into his neck and back. His lawyer said he was held for 12 hours and wasnt given medical attention despite having broken ribs in the incident and having recently had heart surgery. In a third case, agents grabbed and handcuffed a woman on her way to work who was caught up in a chaotic raid on street vendors. In a complaint filed against the government, she described being held for more than two days, without being allowed to contact the outside world for much of that time. (The Supreme Court has ruled that two days is generally the longest federal officials can hold Americans without charges.)

George Retes, an American combat veteran, at the site of his arrest by immigration agents on Californias Central Coast. Retes was detained for three days without access to a lawyer and missed his daughters third birthday. Sarahbeth Maney/ProPublica

In response to questions from ProPublica, the Department of Homeland Security said agents do not racially profile or target Americans. We dont arrest US citizens for immigration enforcement, wrote spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.

A top immigration official recently acknowledged agents do consider someones looks. How do they look compared to, say, you? Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino said to a white reporter in Chicago.

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The White House told ProPublica that anyone who assaults federal immigration agents would be prosecuted. Interfering with law enforcement and assaulting law enforcement is a crime and anyone, regardless of immigration status, will be held accountable, said the Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson. Officers act heroically to enforce the law, arrest criminal illegal aliens, and protect American communities with the utmost professionalism.

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A spokesperson for Kavanaugh did not return an emailed request for comment.

Tallying the number of Americans detained by immigration agents is inherently messy and incomplete. The government has long ignored recommendations for it to track such cases, even as the U.S. has a history of detaining and even deporting citizens, including during the Obama administration and Trumps first term.

We compiled cases by sifting through both English- and Spanish-language social media, lawsuits, court records and local media reports. We did not include arrests of protesters by local police or the National Guard. Nor did we count cases in which arrests were made at a later date after a judicial process. That included cases of some people charged with serious crimes, like throwing rocks or tossing a flare to start a fire.

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Experts say that Americans appear to be getting picked up more now as a result of the government doing something that it hasnt for decades: large-scale immigration sweeps across the country, often in communities that do not want them.

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In earlier administrations, deportation agents used intelligence to target specific individuals, said Scott Shuchart, a top immigration official in the Biden, Obama and first Trump administrations. The new idea is to use those resources unintelligently  with officers targeting communities or workplaces where undocumented immigrants may be.

When federal officers roll through communities in the way the Supreme Court permitted, the constitutional rights of both citizens and noncitizens are inevitably violated, argued David Bier, the director of immigration studies at the libertarian Cato Institute. He recently analyzed how sweeps in Los Angeles have led to racial profiling. If the government can grab someone because hes a certain demographic group thats correlated with some offense category, then they can do that in any context.

Cody Wofsy, an attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union, put it even more starkly. Any one of us could be next.

When Kavanaugh issued his opinion that immigration agents can consider race and other factors, the Supreme Courts three liberal justices strongly dissented. They warned that citizens risked being grabbed, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed simply because of their looks, their accents, and the fact they make a living by doing manual labor.

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Leonardo Garcia Venegas appears to have been just such a case. He was working at a construction site in coastal Alabama when he saw masked immigration agents from Homeland Security Investigations hop a fence and run by a No trespassing sign. Garcia Venegas recalled that they moved toward the Latino workers, ignoring the white and Black workers.

Garcia Venegas began filming after his undocumented brother asked agents for a warrant. In response, the footage shows, agents yanked his brother to the ground, shoving his face into wet concrete. Garcia Venegas kept filming until officers grabbed him too and knocked his phone to the ground.

Other co-workers filmed what happened next, as immigration agents twisted the 25-year-olds arms. They repeatedly tried to take him to the ground while he yelled, Im a citizen!

Officers pulled out his REAL ID, which Alabama only issues to those legally in the U.S. But the agents dismissed it as fake. Officers held Garcia Venegas handcuffed for more than an hour. His brother was later deported.

Leonardo Garcia Venegas told agents he was a citizen both times he was detained. His REAL ID was dismissed as a fake. Sarahbeth Maney/ProPublica

Garcia Venegas was so shaken that he took two weeks off of work. Soon after he returned, he was working alone inside a nearly built house listening to music on his headphones when he sensed someone watching him. A masked immigration agent was standing in the bedroom doorway.

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This time, agents didnt tackle him. But they again dismissed his REAL ID. And then they held him to check his citizenship. Garcia Venegas says agents also held two other workers who had legal status.

DHS did not respond to ProPublicas questions about Garcia Venegas detentions, or to a federal lawsuit he filed last month. The agency has previously defended the agents conduct, saying he physically got in between agents and the subject during the first incident. The footage does not show that, and Garcia Venegas was never charged with obstruction or any other crime.

Garcia Venegas lawyers at the nonprofit Institute for Justice hope others may join his suit. After all, the reverberations of the immigration sweeps are being felt widely. Garcia Venegas said he knows of 15 more raids on nearby construction sites, and the industry along his portion of the Gulf Coast is struggling for lack of workers.

Kavanaughs assurances hold little weight for Garcia Venegas. Hes a U.S. citizen of Mexican descent, who speaks little English and works in construction. Even with his REAL ID and Social Security card in his wallet, Garcia Venegas worries that immigration agents will keep harassing him.

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If they decide they want to detain you, he said. Youre not going to get out of it.

Men building a home in rural Baldwin County, Alabama. Garcia Venegas was detained by immigration agents twice while working on homes in the area. Sarahbeth Maney/ProPublica

George Retes was among the citizens arrested despite immigration agents appearing to know his legal status. He also disappeared into the system for days without being able to contact anyone on the outside.

The only clue Retes family had at first was a brief call he managed to make on his Apple Watch with his hands handcuffed behind his back. He quickly told his wife that ICE had arrested him during a massive raid and protest on the marijuana farm where he worked as a security guard.

Still, Retes family couldnt find him. They called every law enforcement agency they could think of. No one gave them any answers.

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Eventually, they spotted a TikTok video showing Retes driving to work and slowly trying to back up as hes caught between agents and protestors. Through the tear gas and dust, his family recognized Retes car and the veteran decal on his window. The full video shows a man  Retes  splayed on the ground surrounded by agents.

They broke his window, they pepper sprayed him, they grabbed him, threw him on the floor, his sister told a reporter between sobs. We dont know what to do. Were just asking to let my brother go. He didnt do anything wrong. Hes a veteran, disabled citizen. It says it on his car.

Retes was held for three days without being given an opportunity to make a call. His family only learned where he had been after his release. His leg had been cut from the broken glass, Retes told ProPublica, and lingering pepper spray burned his hands.He tried to soothe them by filling sandwich bags with water.

Retes recalled that agents knew he was a citizen. They didnt care. He said one DHS official laughed at him, saying he shouldnt have come to work that day. They still sent me away to jail. He added that cases like his show Kavanaugh was wrong completely.

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DHS did not answer our questions about Retes. It did respond on X after Retes wrote an op-ed last month in the San Francisco Chronicle. An agency post asserted he was arrested for assault after he became violent and refused to comply with law enforcement. Yet Retes had been released without any charges. Indeed, he says he was never told why he was arrested.

Retes said that agents knew he was a citizen. They didnt care. Sarahbeth Maney/ProPublica

The Department of Justice has encouraged agents to arrest anyone interfering with immigration operations, twiceordering law enforcement to prioritize cases of those suspected of obstructing, interfering with or assaulting immigration officials.

But the governments claims in those cases have often not been borne out.

Daniel Montenegro was filming a raid at a Van Nuys, California, Home Depot with other day-laborer advocates this summer when, he told ProPublica, he was tackled by several officers who injured his back.

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Bovino, the Border Patrol chief who oversaw the LA raids and has since taken similar operations to cities like Sacramento and Chicago, tweeted out the names and photos of Montenegro and three others, accusing them of using homemade tire spikes to disable vehicles.

I had no idea where that story came from, Montenegro told ProPublica. I didnt find out until we were released. People were like, We saw you on Twitter and the news and you guys are terrorists, you were planning to slash tires. I never saw those spike tire-popper things.

Officials have not charged Montenegro or the others with any crimes. (Bovino did not respond to a request for comment, while DHS defended him in a statement to ProPublica: Chief Bovinos success in getting the worst of the worst out of the country speaks for itself.)

The governments cases are sometimes so muddied that its unclear why agents actually arrested a citizen.

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Andrea Velez was charged with assaulting an officer after she was accidentally dropped off for work during a raid on street vendors in downtown Los Angeles. She said in a federal complaint that officers repeatedly assumed she did not speak English. Federal officers later requested access to her phone in an attempt to prove she was colluding with another citizen arrested that day, who was charged with assault. She was one of the Americans held for more than two days.

DHS did not respond to our questions about Velez, but it has previously accused her of assaulting an officer. A federal judge has dismissed the charges.

Other citizens also said officers accused them of crimes and suddenly questioned their citizenship  including a man arrested after filming Border Patrol agents break a truck window, and a pregnant woman who tried to stop officers from taking her boyfriend.

The prospects for any significant reckoning over agents conduct, even against citizens, are dim. The paths for suing federal agents are even more limited than they are for local police. And thats if agents can even be identified. Whats more, the administration has gutted the office that investigates allegations of abuse by agents.

The often-inadequate guardrails that we have for state and local government  even those guardrails are nonexistent when youre talking about federal overreach, said Joanna Schwartz, a professor at UCLA School of Law.

More than 50 members of Congress have also written to the administration, demanding details about Americans whove been detained. One is Sen. Alex Padilla, a California Democrat. After trying to question Noem about detained citizens, federal agents grabbed Padilla, pulled him to the ground and handcuffed him. The department later defended the agents, saying they acted appropriately.

How We Did This

Americans have reported a wide range of troubling encounters with immigration agents. To get a wider sense of agents conduct, we cataloged all incidents we could find of citizens being held against their will by immigration officers.

Critically, there is no way to know the complete scope of these stops since the government itself does not track them. But we were still able to fill in the picture a bit more.

We reviewed more than 170 cases overall, which we sorted into two categories.

The first is Americans who were held because agents questioned their citizenship. We found more than 50 such cases. The second category is Americans arrested by immigration agents after being accused of assaulting or impeding officers at protests or during immigration arrests of others. In that category, we tallied about 130 Americans, including more than a dozen elected officials. In many of these cases, the government never charged these individuals or the cases were dismissed.

We also tracked another nine citizens who reported being concerned about racial profiling after being extensively questioned by immigration officials. This includes a Mescalero Apache tribal member who was pulled out of a store and asked for his passport, and a California man who was previously deported by mistake and got another deportation order in the mail.

We did all this by sifting through both English- and Spanish-language social media, lawsuits, court records and local media reports. We compiled cases from the beginning of the current Trump administration through Oct. 5. Our accounting of arrests in Portland, Oregon, and Chicago is particularly limited, since the events there are still unfolding.

We did not review cases of Americans detained in airports or at the border, where even citizens are more likely to encounter increased questioning. We also did not review cases of Americans arrested at some point after alleged encounters with immigration agents since those involved a judicial process. We similarly excluded arrests of immigration protestors by local police who, unlike many of the federal agencies, booked protesters into a local jail where they could access the legal process and their families could find them.

Do you have information or videos to share about the administrations immigration crackdown? Contact Nicole Foy via email at nicole.foy@propublica.org or on Signal at nicolefoy.27.

Political Updates

Read the original on HuffPost
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  The Youngstown Business Incubator is getting ready to hold its sixth Shark Tank event on October 23. Its an event that continues to grow every year, helping YBI fulfill its mission.

Read next: All-you-can-eat sushi restaurant opens in Boardman

Shark Tank is the Youngstown Business Incubators only fundraiser for the year. Its one of the best events in the Valley, said YBI CEO Barb Ewing. We work very hard every year to keep it fresh, and its loosely based upon the television show Shark Tank.'

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Local and regional entrepreneurs narrowed down by YBI will make their pitches to a panel of six celebrity sharks at the event.

Its a great opportunity for some of our companies to earn some cash to take their business to the next level. It is a pretty high bar. We typically have somewhere between 50 to 75 companies apply, and its a pretty broad basis for who gets selected because its not just who is the best idea, because there are a lot of great ideas out there, said Ewing. We will have more than 700 people in the room. It is a fun fundraiser, so it has to be companies that can tell a great story and not be afraid to pitch in front of nearly 800 people.

The Youngstown Business Incubator narrowed down the finalists to four companies: Nivalon Medical, which is a 3D printed spinal implant company with spinal implants that are printed in Youngstown; a welding technology company called LeapFast Manufacturing; Rapt, which is a software platform that uses technology and AI to help people do a deeper dive into scripture and Bible study; and a company out of Cleveland called Gizmo and Trinket that allows gamers to use their own dice when theyre playing virtually with their friends.

The event at Mr. Anthonys in Boardman promises to be an exciting night. The public is invited, and there will even be an opportunity to bid on an auction to be one of the sharks.

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From 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the buffet and the bars are open. Jeff Ryznar and his team from 898 Marketing come in and run our blue carpet pre-show, and at 6:30 p.m., we transition onto the main stage, said YBI Director of Development Luke Politsky. We will introduce our MC, who will introduce our sharks. This year, we have a mystery Shark Auction, and an audience member has the opportunity to bid for that mystery shark seat.

After all the sharks are on stage, the companies will pitch one by one. Theres an opportunity for them to demo their product, and then the sharks and the companies will have some questions and answers. Theres a deliberation period for the sharks to decide who will receive the award. At the same time, the audience is voting on who they want to award their prize to.

We come out and have an award ceremony at the end. The shark prize is $10,000, and the audience votes on awarding $5,000, said Politsky. Something that were doing differently this year is that every company, just for pitching at the event, is awarded $5,000. All of the companies are YBI portfolio companies, so they are already working with our staff.

The fundraiser makes a huge difference in what YBI is able to accomplish.

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It all goes back to support our staff and what they do out in the community with entrepreneurs, said Politsky. It allows us to bring other portfolio companies into our ecosystem, to receive our services, to benefit from the different programs that we have at YBI.

If you want to be a contender for next year, get your pitch ready.

To pitch for next year, we always have a launch party, normally its in June, said Politsky. The launch party allows us to not only introduce our school of sharks for the upcoming Shark Tank, but we formally open the application process for companies to apply.

The Shark Tank event is on Thursday, October 23, at Mr. Anthonys in Boardman. For more information and for tickets, visit YBI.org. You can also follow YBI on Facebook.

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PARIS (Reuters) -France imposed a ban on cattle exports and events such as bullfighting, the agriculture ministry said on Friday as it tries to contain the highly contagious lumpy skin disease sweeping through farms in the country for the first time.

Lumpy skin disease is a virus spread by insects that affects cattle and buffalo, causing blisters and reducing milk production. It does not pose a risk to humans but often leads to trade restrictions and severe economic losses.

The measures will take effect on October 18 and be valid until November 4. They will be lifted on November 5, if the health situation allows, the ministry said.

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OUTBREAKS ON THE RISE

After waning this summer, outbreaks of lumpy skin disease picked up in France this month, spreading from the Alps to the Jura and Ain regions in eastern France. Three outbreaks of the disease have been found near the Spanish border this week.

"The very recent emergence of several isolated outbreaks (one in Ain, three in Jura, and three in Occitanie) is a cause for concern and is probably the result of animal movements, some of which were illegal," the ministry said.

During a visit to Jura, French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard said the future of French livestock farming was at stake.

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"We are at a critical moment. It is essential we keep up our efforts to protect the French cattle herd," she said. "Let's rise to the challenge together, as we have since last June."

The virus is historically present in Africa and the Middle East but had been absent from Western Europe until last June, when a first outbreak occurred on Italy's Sardinia island, followed by France. Spain reported a first case last week.

Cases have been found this week in three communes of the Pyrenees-Orientales in southwestern France - La Bastide, Oms, and Valmanya - prompting a mandatory vaccination campaign in the surrounding area, the farm ministry said in a statement.

The affected villages are close together and about 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) from the Spanish border.

"We can imagine that there is a link with Spain but we are still investigating," Genevard said.

(Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide, editing by Kirsten Donovan and Bill Berkrot)
PARIS (Reuters) -France's anti-terrorism prosecutor has opened a formal probe into four men arrested by police on suspicion of plotting to attack an exiled Russian opposition figure, his office said on Friday.

A prosecutor's spokesperson declined to identify the Russian opponent allegedly targeted, though Biarritz-based Vladimir Osechkin, who is Russian, said on his Telegram account the plot was directed against him.

"Once again, a huge thank you to the French police special unit that is responsible for my physical protection and security. A huge thank you to the French counterintelligence and counterespionage services," Osechkin wrote on the social media platform.

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Osechkin runs a human rights group called Gulagu.net ('no to the GULAG' in Russian) that monitors and reveals abuses in Russia's prison system.

The four men, aged 26 to 38, were arrested on Monday as part of an investigation by the domestic intelligence police DGSI, who suspect them of belonging to a terrorism organisation and planning "crimes against persons", the prosecutor's spokesperson said in a statement.

"They were placed under formal investigation and were set in custody in prison," the spokesperson said.

The anti-terrorism prosecutor's spokesman declined to detail the men's nationalities and where they were arrested.

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In November 2021, Osechkin was added to Russia's wanted list after Gulagu.net said it had received a massive leak of documents, photos and videos proving that hundreds of people across the prison system had been tortured and raped by other inmates directed by prison officials.

Being placed under formal investigation in France does not imply guilt or necessarily lead to trial but shows judicial authorities consider there is enough to the case to further a preliminary probe.

(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Lucy Papachristou; editing by Richard Lough, William Maclean)
Physicians at Frederick Health Hospital are diagnosing lung cancer earlier after the hospital recently implemented 3D technology to support its robotic lung biopsy systems.

By using robotic biopsy systems alongside 3D imaging, the hospital said it is now detecting nearly 40% of lung cancers at Stage 1  surpassing the national average of about 27%, according to the American Lung Association.

The technology was good before, but thered be some instances where you got a biopsy, it was negative, but youre not sure if it was negative, so the patient had anxiety between waiting for that next CT scan, said Dr. Maurice Smith, chief thoracic surgeon. ... With this, Im able to look them in the eye and be honest, Hey, heres the picture ... We saw our tools in the lesion biopsying it, so whatever answer we get, we feel comfortable with.

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With earlier diagnosis comes higher survival rates and the decreased likelihood of needing chemotherapy, Smith said.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.

In Frederick County, an average of 146 people are diagnosed with lung cancer each year, according to Frederick Health.

Over time, doctors predict better patient outcomes and lower mortality rates for lung cancer in the county due to earlier diagnosis.

Through donor funds, the hospital in 2021 acquired the Ion robotic bronchoscopy tool  manufactured by health care technology company Intuitive.

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A traditional bronchoscope has the approximate diameter of a pencil and does not reach deep into the lungs due to narrowing airways, according to Mahmood.

When doctors wanted to biopsy nodules or masses further in the lungs, they did so from outside the body with a needle.

This procedure had high risks of a pneumothorax, which is a partial collapse in the lung, that resulted in pain for the patient and potential hospital stays that could last multiple days, according to Dr. Syed Kashif Mahmood, a pulmonologist and advanced bronchoscopist.

The robotic tool is less than half the diameter of the traditional tool and reaches to the periphery of the lungs, Mahmood said. This allows doctors to reach smaller nodules and potentially diagnose cancers earlier.

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But the robotic tool was still limited in accuracy when the hospital only had two-dimensional imaging. The recent addition of 3D imaging has allowed doctors to have a high-resolution scan of the lungs and better navigate the bronchoscope.

The procedure is painless and has a low risk of complication, Mahmood said. It is now the standard at Frederick Health Hospital for lung nodule biopsies.

With the implementation of this new technology, the hospital has seen a stage shift  where the average lung cancer diagnosed has gone from a higher stage to a lower stage, Mahmood said.

It allows us to do safer procedures with less complications and give [patients] a quicker diagnosis when it comes to lung nodules, abnormalities within the lungs, and lung cancer, Mahmood said.

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Smith said he was the only doctor who used the robotic technology for diagnosis before Mahmood joined Frederick Health about two years ago.

Now, the pair, in addition to pulmonologist Dr. Kellen Mulhern, are conducting more diagnostic procedures each week, which allows them to treat patients quicker.

Smith said he can now dedicate more time to lung cancer surgeries as diagnosis procedures have been split between more doctors.

The hospital has also decreased the amount of time between a patient receiving abnormal imaging and when the biopsy procedure is performed. It initially took between 60 to 90 days and now takes about 10.

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Some concerns patients have about this new technology is related to potential increased radiation and the hesitancy toward robotic tools. But doctors say the benefits outweigh the risks.

Mahmood said the radiation from this procedure is lower than a traditional CAT scan. With its increased accuracy, it also means patients are likely needing fewer scans in the future.

Smith tells patients he controls the robot, which steadies the tool and comes with increased accuracy.

This team at Frederick Health was instrumental in the facility being designated as a case observation site for the technology. Physicians from across the country now visit the hospital to learn about and train with it.

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Frederick Healths James M Stockman Cancer Institute was also recently named a Center of Excellence for Lung Cancer Care and Pulmonary Nodules by the organization GO2 for Lung Cancer, which promotes high-quality early detection and treatment standards.

In addition to its updated technology, the hospitals designation can also be attributed to its multidisciplinary lung cancer program.

Physician Assistant Taylor Rose, who specializes in surgical oncology, assists patients by readily coordinating a single appointment for patients with all of the doctors within various specialties needed for their care.

They come up with this multidisciplinary action plan on what is the best way to treat and hopefully cure the patient. And so, thats pretty innovative here, Mahmood said. ... I havent seen as efficient a program as we have here, where everyones on the same page, everyones in the same room. We have this process thats very seamless.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  Ozarks Food Harvest is hosting a free, drive-thru grocery distribution this Saturday, October 18, 2025, for federal employees who have been impacted by the ongoing government shutdown.

The giveaway is available for all federal employees that live in Ozarks Food Harvests 28-county service area.

According to Ozarks Food Harvest, the organization has ordered an additional $30,000, or roughly 20,000 pounds, of food in anticipation of increased need during the shutdown.

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The giveaway is prepared to provide up to 300 federal employees and their families with a variety of nutritious and fresh food.

The drive-thru distribution is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the OReilly Center for Hunger Relief, 2810 N. Cedarbrook Ave. in Springfield, Mo.

Guests will be instructed to enter on Packer Road and exit on Cedarbrook.

Attendees must pre-register by noon today, Friday, Oct. 17, at ozarksfoodharvest.org/need-help and present a valid form of federal identification at the event, Ozarks Food Harvest officials said.

Ozarks Food Harvest stated the giveaway is intended to support federal workers and their families who have missed a full or partial paycheck as the government shutdown continues. The organization is prepared to continue supporting these families during the duration of the shutdown.

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Ozarks Food Harvest is the Feeding America food bank for southwest Missouri, serving 270 faith-based and community charities. The Food Bank reaches 60,000 individuals monthly and provides more than 20 million meals annually.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  The National Civil Rights Museum is hosting the 34th annual Freedom Awards Thursday night.

The ceremony begins at 7 p.m. and its being held at the Orpheum Theatre.

One of this years honorees is National Urban League President Marc Morial, who spoke earlier Thursday about the state of this country and what it means for African Americans.

Urban League leader urges more money for neighborhoods, not National Guard

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Poverty, affordable housing, voting, and the National Guard are just some of the topics the National Urban Leagues president talked about Thursday, in a room full of elected officials and community members.

We must defend democracy and all of its principles. Second thing, we must do, we must demand diversity, equity and inclusion, said President Marc Morial of the National Urban League.

To create effective change and reduce crime, Morial says its also important for city leaders to tackle the poverty rate in Memphis and Shelby County.

Data shows that in 2024, Memphis overall poverty rate was 22.6%, which is significantly higher than the national average.

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Commissioner says Halbert may be correct in lease dispute

Housing costs, whether its rent or mortgage, have increased six times faster than incomes since the year 2000. This is a 21st-century problem, created by a succession of presidential administrations that have failed to advance a comprehensive program to build more housing in America, said President Morial.

While the poverty rate remains high, voter turnout remains low, not just in the City of Memphis, but in the state of Tennessee.

When theres an election, we cant tolerate 35% voter turnout. We got to get in the neighborhoods, knock on these doors, wake our people up to use this right to vote. Voter suppression is awful, self-suppression is a moral sin, said Morial.

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Morial is calling on elected officials and political candidates to connect more with community members, to determine where improvements are needed.

Tonights awards ceremony begins at 7, with actor Larenz Tate as the host. There are three honorees: Marc Morial, Memphis Civil Rights Activist Velma Jones, and Mark Suzman, the CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.













Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Key Points

Jobys partnerships in the Mideast position the region to host the worlds first commercial eVTOL service.

The governments of Saudi Arabia and the UAE can approve projects far more quickly than in the West.

Early launches in this region could reshape investor sentiment surrounding the "flying taxi" maker.

10 stocks we like better than Joby Aviation 

When investors think about where flying taxis might debut, cities like Los Angeles or Tokyo often come to mind. But for Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY), a leader in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) race, the most likely launchpad may be somewhere else entirely -- the Middle East.

Between Dubai's head start in building urban air mobility infrastructure and Saudi Arabia's ambition to diversify its economy, the region appears on course to provide Joby's first paying passengers. For investors tracking Joby's slow march toward commercialization, that possibility is worth paying attention to today.

Image source: Getty Images.

Dubai is already building Joby's launchpad

The United Arab Emirates aims to lead the world in next-generation transportation -- and it's investing substantial funds into achieving this goal. Joby has already completed 21 piloted full-transition flights in Dubai, successfully operating its eVOTLs under desert heat of up to 110 degrees F (45 degrees C).

Those tests proved critical. They validated Joby's aircraft under some of the harshest conditions on Earth, confirming its ability to maintain flight performance, battery integrity, and thermal management in extreme environments. Those flights were more than PR milestones -- they provided operational data that moved the aircraft closer to commercial readiness.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority has committed to launching an air taxi service by 2026, and infrastructure work is already underway. Skyports Infrastructure is constructing a vertiport network that includes hubs at Dubai International Airport and downtown Dubai.

This means Joby could begin passenger flights in Dubai as early as 2026 -- potentially before its planned launch in the U.S. If it achieves that timeline, those flights would debut the world's first live, paying eVTOL service.

Winging its way toward the Saudi Arabian market

Saudi Arabia isn't far behind. In 2025, Joby signed a partnership with Abdul Latif Jameel, one of the country's largest privately held conglomerates, to explore a deal for up to 200 eVTOLs valued at roughly $1 billion.

The deal aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 -- the national plan to diversify its economy beyond oil through innovation, sustainable technology, and tourism. In principle, eVTOL aircraft -- clean, futuristic, and capable of linking the country's emerging smart cities -- fit neatly into that vision.
In a trial without a body, witnesses, or confession, a court in France has sentenced a man to 30 years in prison for the murder of his wife.

Judges in Albi in southern France ruled on Friday that the circumstantial evidence was enough to convict the 38-year-old defendant of killing his wife almost five years ago, according to French media reports from the courtroom.

However, one of the most famous missing persons cases in France in recent years will continue to occupy the courts. The defendant's lawyers immediately announced that they would appeal.

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The defendant maintained his innocence throughout the trial. I did absolutely nothing to Delphine, he said in his final statement.

The 33-year-old nurse disappeared on a December night in 2020.

Shortly after 4 am (0200 GMT), her husband reported her missing. The couple, who have two young children, were in the process of divorcing at the time.

Six months after the woman's disappearance, inconsistencies in the husband's story led investigators to focus their attention on him as a suspect.

In court, the evidence mounted against the man: two neighbours reported hearing a woman screaming during the night; acquaintances reported threats that the husband had allegedly made against his wife; a former fellow prisoner and a friend of the man at the time said that he talked about killing his wife.

After the verdict, the lawyers representing the family of the missing woman appealed to the convicted man to reveal the location of her body. They said this was important for the relatives to be able to deal with their grief and move on with their lives.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survived two no-confidence votes, but the budget battle that has driven his country to political crisis looked little closer to resolution.

Motions by the far-left and far-right both failed, averting the possibility of snap parliamentary elections.

The immediate danger may have receded, but the core problem is still very much center stage, the Associated Press said: Lecornus minority government must navigate fraught politics for any legislation, including the passage of a budget that has torpedoed successive governments for over a year.

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The impasse has driven French bond yields higher, and threatens to hit the countrys economy, with many of its neighbors watching nervously. The dilemma France faces isnt unique, an ING economist warned.
PARIS (AP)  Police in France detained four people suspected in a plot targeting exiled Russian rights activist Vladimir Osechkin, who exposes abuses in Russian prisons, France's national anti-terror prosecution office said.

In an interview with The Associated Press Friday, Osechkin, who founded a rights group for prisoners in the notoriously tough Russian carceral system, said he believed Russia's security services were behind a plot to kill him after he saw video evidence from French police, including video footage of his home.

I saw how everyone was filming, how they prepared the sites from which to shoot, he told the AP, adding he believes this was an expensive special operation, sanctioned and financed from Moscow.

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The General Directorate for Internal Security, Frances counter-espionage and counterterror intelligence service, has been the leading the investigation, the anti-terror prosecution office said on Thursday evening.

It said four men aged between 26 and 38 were detained Monday but gave no details about their nationalities, any possible motives for allegedly targeting Osechkin or whether the men are suspected of links to foreign spy services. Osechkin said he believes some of the men detained are from Dagestan, a majority Muslim republic in southern Russia.

Following questioning, Frances anti-terror prosecution office said the four men are being kept in detention on a preliminary terror-related charge, enabling investigators to continue holding them while the probe continues.

French officials did not confirm there had been an attempt on Osechkins life. The AP did not immediately receive a reply from the Russian Foreign Ministry over the allegations.

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A campaign of alleged Russian sabotage and attacks

The French intelligence service is among multiple European agencies that have been investigating what Western officials say is a broad campaign of alleged Russian sabotage and hybrid warfare targeting European allies of Ukraine. That campaign has included multiple arson attacks across Europe, as well as cyberattacks and espionage.

Four European intelligence officials told the AP earlier this year that Moscow is threatening exiled opponents and running what they described as an assassination program targeting perceived enemies of the state. That has included attempts to assassinate high-profile figures such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while in Poland and the head of a German arms manufacturer that provides weapons to Ukraine. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

The Kremlin has previously denied Russia is carrying out a sabotage campaign against the West.

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Osechkin has long suspected that he could be targeted for possible assassination because of his work, even in exile in Biarritz, the beach resort town on southwest Frances Atlantic seaboard where he lives. He said there have been several threats on his life since 2022, most recently in February this year.

He said the suspects circled the area and filmed in detail the place where he regularly did livestreams on his social media channels and looked for escape routes to leave unnoticed.

Osechkin said he believes he is only alive because French police previously provided him with protection. He said he remains at risk although French police carried out arrests in the wake of earlier death threats, adding that he and his family are often moved to safe houses when new threats emerge.

Those who were arrested are just a part of the overall picture, they are part of a big team, he said.

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Activism work includes videos and accounts of Russian prisons

During questioning, Osechkin said French authorities asked him about his activities and in what way this could cause anger and aggression from the Kremlin, Putin and his intelligence services and why they are trying to kill me.

Osechkin sought political asylum in France after fleeing Russia under pressure from authorities over his prison activism. His group routinely publishes videos and accounts of alleged torture and corruption in Russian prisons, and he was among the first to reveal that Russias military was recruiting prisoners to fight in Ukraine.

His group, Gulagu.net, also helped bring Russian fugitive paratrooper Pavel Filatiev to France in 2022. Filatiev served in Ukraine war before being injured, and later published accounts online of what he saw, accusing the Russian military leadership of betraying their own troops out of incompetence and corruption.

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Other Russian defectors have been killed. In 2024, Spanish police found the bullet-riddled body of Russian helicopter pilot Maxim Kuzminov in southern Spain. He escaped across the front lines and into Ukraine with a helicopter in 2023. The head of Russias Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, subsequently told Russian journalists that Kuzminov was a traitor and criminal who was a moral corpse."

Osechkin suggested other critics of President Vladimir Putin's regime including Russian opposition figures and journalists are also at risk and said the goal was not only to silence him but also them.

This isnt just about the killing of me as an individual, Osechkin said, but also an attempt "to frighten other human rights activists into reducing their activity or stopping it altogether."

___

Burrows reported from London. Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.
NEED TO KNOW

A Michigan mother is speaking out five years after her 20-year-old daughter was mistakenly declared dead

Erica Lattimore is pursuing legal action against EMS workers who contributed to Timesha Beauchamp's death declaration in August 2020

Timesha Beauchamp, who had cerebral palsy, was still breathing when a funeral home worker prepared to embalm her body

The mother of a 20-year-old woman who was mistakenly declared dead and nearly embalmed while she was still alive is speaking out for the first time, five years after the incident.

Timesha Beauchamp, who had cerebral palsy, was declared dead via phone by an emergency room doctor at her Southfield, Mich., home in August 2020, PEOPLE previously reported, citing a family attorney.

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A spokesperson for the Oakland County Medical Examiners Office told PEOPLE at the time that Beauchamp's death declaration was based on real-time medical data, including heartbeat and breathing, that was provided by responding authorities and EMS personnel.

But Beauchamp was still breathing and had her eyes open when she arrived at a funeral home in a body bag with a worker prepared to embalm her body.

Beauchamp's mother, Erica Lattimore, recently spoke to the public as she pursues legal action against the Southfield Fire Department's EMS workers.

"That's devastating to a family already to hear she's deceased, prepare your mind mentally that you have to prepare a funeral initially and then to hear someone say, 'No, your child is alive,'" Lattimore said at a press conference, WXYZ-TV reported on Oct. 14.

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In a statement, Lattimore's attorneys alleged that the Beauchamp's breathing was "severely restricted" while she was believed dead and in transport to the funeral home, leading to her actual death two months later.

The attorneys, Jennifer Damico and Steven Hurbis of Fieger Law, say the family has been "denied their day in court" due to government "gamesmanship."

"The family has been denied their day in court because of three postponements of the trial," reads the statement. "Most recently, at the 11th hour, 3 days before trial, the government again sought another delay of the trial."

"Because of governmental immunity laws in Michigan, the defendants are entitled to automatic appeals on certain issues," the statement continues. "This allowed the government to engage in gamesmanship up until the very eve of trial and further delay accountability. The defendants have pulled every procedural lever to avoid being held responsible for their egregious actions. The family deserves their day in Court.

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The Southfield Fire Department did not immediately return a request for comment from PEOPLE.

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Beauchamp's mother says she's not going to stop pursuing justice.

"I'm not giving up," Lattimore said, per WDIV-TV. "I will go through the long haul, however long it takes. She lived 20 years. If it takes 20 more years for this to get heard in court and God gives me the breath, I'm there."



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Republicans are seriously pissed at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for slow-walking funds for disaster aid amid her busy schedule of appearing on television, NOTUS reported.

Noem has been largely criticized for a disastrous rule she instituted requiring her to personally sign off on all DHS expenditures exceeding $100,000, which resulted in the pitifully delayed response to the deadly flooding in Texas earlier this summer. Now, Republicans are saying shes delayed critical funding to their states.

Among the Republicans hurt by Noems policy was Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina, who placed a hold in September on supporting all DHS nominees until his state received federal funds promised in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. He has publicly blamed Noems spending policy for the holdup.

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Choke-holding this thing or stonewalling states that are hurt by hurricanes is not the way to get rid of waste fraud and abuse, he said at the time. Noem quickly announced a $12 million grant to his state, but more than a month later, it seems the MAGA senators hold is still in place.

Budd told NOTUS Thursday that he was concerned that Western North Carolina get the support that it needs.

I am in communication with the secretary and have great hopes that this will be resolved, Budd told NOTUS, adding that positive discussions had been held over the last few weeks.

He wasnt the only Republican lawmaker experiencing delays. Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia told NOTUS that she was aware of one grant in our state that has been slow walked.

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Another GOP member didnt mince words. You would think a former member of Congress would have more fucking respect for the institution she used to serve in, they told NOTUS, adding that Noem was causing a lot of problems.

One Senate Republican aide told NOTUS it was basically impossible to get Noem on the phone. Another source told the outlet that it was also difficult to get her to agree to appear before Congress. The view among Republicans on the Hill is Secretary Noem is less interested in doing the blocking and tackling of her day job than she is with promoting herself in taxpayer-funded TV commercials, another senior GOP aide told NOTUS.

A report last month revealed that Noem was more of a figurehead for the agency, and much of the real work of DHS was being done by her handler Corey Lewandowski, with whom shes reportedly having an extramarital affair.

In typical DHS fashion, an agency spokesperson defended Noems policy and said: Who are these members complaining? Democrats who shut down the government?
A crew of mobsters pleaded guilty Friday to a series of violent extortion schemes that included arson, vandalism and a few old-fashioned beatdowns.

When the owner of a New York City carting business held out on their monthly protection payments to a crew of Gambino crime family associates, mob soldiers set a fire on the steps of his home, and, a few weeks later, let the air out of his hauling trucks tires, federal authorities said.

I knew this was against the law, alleged Gambino captain Joseph Joe Brooklyn Lanni, told a judge in Brooklyn Federal Court as he pleaded guilty to charges including racketeering and extortion.

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According to prosecutors, the crew sought to dominate the New York City carting and demolition industries.

Lanni told the court that between 2017 and 2023 he knowingly and voluntarily participated in schemes where he or participants intended to commit unlawful acts.

Despite being known as Joe Brooklyn, Lanni actually lives in Staten Island.

The crew members were so pleased with their operation that one of them posed for a photo hoisting a bottle of champagne after the carting business owner started paying again.

Francesco Uncle Ciccio Vicari, who was pictured with the bubbly, was one of seven men, along with Lanni, the alleged ringleader, who pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges.

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Prosecutors said one of their victims was beaten with a hammer in punishment for missing payments, and another was threatened with a knife.

Other schemes involved no-show jobs with union benefits, and embezzlement from union and employee benefit plans.

Officials said the crew also rigged bids in the demolition and carting industries.

A total of seven individuals have pleaded guilty, and another reportedly may do so soon. Each of the defendants faces 20 years in prison
ST. LOUIS  Despite a government shutdown, St. Louis Gateway Arch is open for a limited time to celebrate 60 years of the landmark.

A release from Jefferson National Parks Association shared Friday afternoon that the Arch will be open from Saturday, Oct. 18 to Sunday, Nov. 2 with the support from several local partnerships.

St. Louis shines brightest when we come together, President and CEO of Explore St. Louis Brad Dean said. The reopening of the Gateway Arch National Park during this milestone anniversary reflects the strength of our community and the pride we take in sharing our citys most iconic landmark with the world. The Arch is more than a monument. Its the heart of our skyline and a symbol of St. Louis hospitality that inspires everyone who visits, from near and far.

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Explore St. Louis joins the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, The Arch Cafe and the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis to provide financial and in-kind support.

The Visitor Center will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with 60th anniversary celebrations occurring Oct. 25 through Oct. 28. Visitors can still walk through the museum, ride the tram o the top, shop at the store and eat at the cafe.

This effort demonstrates the best of what partnership can achieve, President & CEO of JNPA David Grove said in the release. Keeping the Arch open as we celebrate its 60th anniversary reflects what St. Louis can accomplish together when we step up to support something that matters to everyone.

For more information or to purchase your tickets, click here.

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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 FOX 2.
Gavin Newsom has accused Kristi Noem of breaking the law with her Transportation Security Administration video, adding that airports in his state should resist the agencys pressure to play it.

The California governor on Thursday claimed Noems video blaming Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown was a blatant violation of the Hatch Act, which restricts some political activities of federal workers.

Federal resources arent campaign tools. @Sec_Noems new TSA video crosses the line, violating the Hatch Act with blatant political messaging. https://t.co/mFDnSxJ6V4  Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) October 16, 2025

In a letter to California airport operators, Newsoms legal affairs secretary added that while all California-based airports recently confirmed to our office that they are not airing the message from video monitors that they control, TSA is currently putting pressure on airports to run the message.

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Our office strongly urges you to hold firm and avoid being complicit in facilitating a clear violation of federal law, David Sapp wrote.

Newsom accused Noem of

The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House and the TSA for comment.

Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said it was the TSAs top priority to ensure that travelers have a safe and efficient airport experience.

However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, most of our TSA employees are working without pay. While this creates challenges for our people, our security operations remain largely unimpacted at this time, she said

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Noem released her video about ten days into the shutdown, which is occurring amid GOP control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress.

Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted and most of our TSA employees are working without pay, Noem says, similar to how many federal government websites have put up banners faulting the minority party.

But those words arent being heard by some airline passengers in California. Airports in many other states have also chosen not to play it.

A spokesperson for Nevadas Harry Reid International Airport, for instance, told CNN that the video had political messaging that did not align with the neutral, informational nature of the public service announcements typically shown at the security checkpoints.

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Molly Prescott, a spokesperson for Portland, Oregons international airport, explained, We did not consent to playing the video in its current form, as we believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes and messaging.

As of Wednesday, per CNN, at least 27 airports arent showing Noems video.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed preferential college admissions to descendants of enslaved persons. The proposal arose as California continues its process of exploring reparations for slavery and racism, while the Trump administration pushes back against diversity efforts and policies that acknowledge race.

Newsom vetoes bill but urges colleges to consider preferences for descendants of slavery

Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 7 after the California Assembly approved it on a 55-18 vote and the California Senate on a 30-10 vote in September. The bill would have allowed, but not required, public and private colleges and universities in California to consider providing a preference in admissions to an applicant who is a descendant of slavery.

In a statement explaining his veto, Newsom argued that the states universities already have the authority to determine whether to provide admissions preference like this one, and accordingly, this bill is unnecessary, adding, I encourage the institutions referenced in this bill to review and determine how, when, and if this type of preference can be adopted.

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Assembly Bill 7 was proposed as part of a larger initiative in California surrounding reparations for slavery and other forms of racism, the most significant such effort in the United States. Since authorizing Californias reparations task force in 2020, Newsom has established a mixed record concerning reparations bills. In addition to striking down the college admissions bill, he recently vetoed bills that would have helped descendants of slavery purchase homes and provided compensation for Californians who lost property due to racist eminent domain enforcement. Still, Newsom has pushed forward other reparations policies, tasking the California State University to help develop procedures for determining who is considered a descendant of slavery. Newsom also signed into law the creation of Californias Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery, which would assist qualified individuals in accessing benefits.

Navigating a complicated legal and political environment

As The Los Angeles Times reports, experts have been divided on whether the vetoed legislation would have endured legal challenges. The bill attempted to provide benefits to descendants of slavery without violating California Proposition 209, which has banned affirmative action in college admissions in the state for nearly thirty years, or the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision that banned race-conscious college admissions policies nationwide. Some experts hold that, even though the bill didnt directly consider the race of the applicant, it could be held that its using descent from enslaved persons as a proxy for race in a way that is prohibited by law.

Other experts, however, note that by focusing on direct descent from slavery, the bill was narrowly tailored to demonstrate a compelling interest  the standard by which courts judge race-based legislation. Experts also point toward a California policy allowing benefits for Native American students based on tribal affiliation, rather than race, as a parallel to the proposed bills focus on descent from slavery instead of race. The Trump administration has aggressively targeted diversity programs and broadly interpreted the 2023 Supreme Court ruling, suggesting that it might have opposed the California bill. However, the Trump White House has continued to support HBCU funding, partially based on the fact that these schools do not admit students based on race, establishing a principle that could have been applied to the California bill.

For now, these questions have been rendered moot by Newsoms veto; if, however, California schools take his suggestion to consider implementing preferential admissions for descendants of slavery, the legal issues raised in this debate may come up again. As California continues to push forward with other aspects of its reparations agenda, legal and political challenges will likely continue to arise against its programs even as policymakers seek to achieve unprecedented progress in redressing the legacies of slavery and racism.







The post Gavin Newsom Vetoes California Bill Allowing Preferential College Admissions For Descendants Of Slavery appeared first on Blavity.
A week into the ceasefire, Israel has continued to seal Gazas Rafah crossing with Egypt despite repeated international calls to allow in large-scale aid deliveries. Meanwhile, Israeli attacks killed and wounded several Palestinians in northern Gaza.

For several days, the United Nations has warned that there has been little progress in aid deliveries into Gaza and that assistance must enter at scale through all border crossings to meet urgent humanitarian needs. Under the deal to end Israels genocide, which has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians in two years, Israel was to allow for a surge in aid deliveries.

The UN said on Friday that aid convoys were struggling to reach famine-hit areas of northern Gaza due to bombed-out roads and the continued closure of other key routes  Zikim and Beit Hanoon (called Erez in Israel)  into the enclaves north.

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The World Food Programme (WFP) said it has brought an average of 560 tonnes of food per day into Gaza since the ceasefire began last week, but the amount is still below what is needed. The UN agency said it has enough food to feed all of Gaza for three months.

UN humanitarian affairs chief Tom Fletcher said this week that thousands of aid vehicles would have to enter weekly to tackle widespread malnutrition, displacement, and a collapse of infrastructure.





Were still below what we need, but were getting there  The ceasefire has opened a narrow window of opportunity, and WFP is moving very quickly and swiftly to scale up food assistance, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told a news briefing in Geneva.

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But the WFP said it had not begun distributions in Gaza City, pointing to the continued closure of Zikim and Beit Hanoon, with Israeli forces remaining in the north of the enclave where the humanitarian crisis is most acute.

As part of the US-brokered ceasefire deal, which calls for their gradual withdrawal, Israeli forces remain in approximately 53 percent of Gaza.

Access to Gaza City and northern Gaza is extremely challenging, Etefa said, adding that the movement of convoys of wheat flour and ready-to-eat food parcels from the south of the territory was being hampered by broken or blocked roads.

It is very important to have these openings in the north; this is where the famine took hold. To turn the tide on this famine  it is very important to get these openings.

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Global medical charity Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initial MSF, said many relief agencies had not fully returned to the north, where hospitals are barely functioning, leaving many still unable to access regular care.

More Palestinians killed

As calls for much-needed aid continue, Israeli attacks on Palestinians in Gaza have also gone on unabated.

Gazas civil defence said its teams are carrying out rescue operations after an Israeli artillery strike hit a small bus carrying a displaced family who were heading to inspect their homes east of Gaza Citys Zeitoun neighbourhood.

The attack caused several deaths and injuries, the agency said. One injured boy was rescued, while the fate of the others remains unknown due to the danger at the site as attempts to reach the area continue.

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Separately, three Palestinians were injured, with varying severity, after Israeli forces opened fire towards them in southern Gazas Khan Younis, the Wafa news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Hamas insisted it was committed to returning the remains of captives still unaccounted for under Gazas ruins, as it returned the body of one more Israeli late on Friday.

The groups armed wing said it has handed over all the bodies it was able to recover, adding that returning more remains would require allowing heavy machinery and excavation equipment into Gaza, much of which has been reduced to rubble by Israeli bombardment.

Al Jazeeras Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said there is a clear disconnect from what the Israeli government is demanding from an area that has been reduced to rubble.

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With heavy equipment and machinery being blocked by the Israeli military, Israel is creating a challenge for the residents of Gaza who are experienced and have the expertise to search and to dig out bodies from under the rubble, Mahmoud said.

He noted that it is not just the bodies of deceased Israeli captives under the rubble, it is the thousands of Palestinian bodies buried and missing and trapped under tonnes and tonnes of rubble and debris.





Authorities in Gaza have also been struggling to identify dozens of bodies of slain Palestinians that were returned by Israel earlier this week. Only six out of 120 bodies have been formally identified so far, according to the Health Ministry.

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The ministry said the bodies exhibit signs of torture, including hanging and rope marks, bound hands and feet, and gunfire at close range.

The bodies showed conclusive evidence of field executions and brutal torture, Gazas Government Media Office said.

Hamas disarmament

The next phases of the truce are expected to address the disarmament of Hamas, possible amnesty for its leaders who lay down their weapons, and the question of who will govern Gaza after the war.

Hamas politburo member Mohammad Nazzal said the group intends to maintain security control in Gaza during an interim period, adding that he could not commit to disarmament.

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He told the Reuters news agency Hamas was prepared for a ceasefire lasting up to five years to allow for the reconstruction of Gaza, provided Palestinians are offered horizons and hope towards statehood.

Asked whether Hamas would give up its weapons, Nazzal replied, I cant answer with a yes or no. Frankly, it depends on the nature of the project. The disarmament project youre talking about  what does it mean? To whom will the weapons be handed over?

He added that any discussion about weapons would not concern Hamas alone but also other armed Palestinian factions, and would require a collective Palestinian position in the next round of negotiations.




CAIRO (AP)  Palestinians and aid workers are eagerly awaiting the reopening of the Rafah border crossing, which is the Gaza Strips lifeline for food and other aid and its only gateway to the outside world that wasn't controlled by Israel before the war.

The crossing between Gaza and Egypt will probably reopen Sunday, Israels foreign minister said Thursday, though it wasn't clear if it will be opened for both aid deliveries and the flow of people into and out of the territory.

With much of Gaza turned to rubble and gripped by famine, it needs a massive influx of fuel, food, medicine and tents. United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher said Thursday that he was headed to the crossing and hoped to see the route full of trucks, as part of a massive surge of aid following the peace deal.

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Heres why the crossing is so vital.

A lifeline for Gaza

Before the war, Rafah bustled with goods and people passing to and from Egypt and Gaza, which is home to roughly 2.3 million Palestinians. Although Gaza has four other border crossings, they are shared with Israel, and only Rafah links the territory with another neighboring country.

After Hamas-led militants invaded southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing roughly 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage, Egypt tightened its restrictions on traffic through the Rafah crossing. After Israel took control of the Gaza side in May 2024 as part of its offensive that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, it closed the crossing except to the occasional medical evacuation.

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A reopened Rafah crossing would make it easier for Gazans to seek medical treatment, travel internationally or visit family in Egypt, which is home to tens of thousands of Palestinians. It would also help Gaza's devastated economy, as Palestinian-made olive oil and other l products are widely sold in Egypt and throughout the Arab world.

Closing the crossing was breaking the backbone that many families relied on as a lifeline, said Adel Amr, who works in the transport sector based in the West Bank and has been trying to organize aid shipments into Gaza.

The crossing is a lifeline for our families in Gaza. This was the only safe route for those who wanted to travel from the Gaza Strip to the outside world, he said.

What comes next?

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On Wednesday, 400 truckloads of aid passed through the Egyptian side on their way into Gaza and headed through a buffer zone toward an Israeli-controlled crossing a few kilometers (miles) away. It's unclear, though, if the aid made it through the Israeli security inspection and to those who desperately need it, though the World Food Program said some of its trucks have been getting through.

The Gaza side of the Rafah crossing was heavily damaged during the war, and it's unknown if repairs are underway. Once it does reopen  perhaps as early as Sunday  Israel has agreed to stick to the humanitarian terms put in place for a January 2025 ceasefire, including allowing a certain number of truckloads of aid per day into Gaza.

With the ceasefire deal calling for Hamas to have no role in running Gaza, it's unclear who will operate the territory's side of the Rafah crossing once the war ends.

Whoever it is, the crossing should be run completely by Palestinians, with some help from the U.N. or the European Union, said Sami al-Arian, a public affairs professor at Istanbul Zaim University who runs the Center for Islam and Global Affairs.

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The EU said this week that it is ready to redeploy a longstanding humanitarian mission to the Rafah crossing if and when it is safe to do so.

This is a Palestinian town  a Palestinian city. And Palestinians should mainly comprise the majority of the people coming in and out (of Rafah), al-Arian said, adding that he thinks Israel should have no veto power over the entry of aid and goods and the flow of Palestinians through the crossing.

___

Associated Press reporters Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed to this report.
A week since the ceasefire in Gaza came into effect, tens of thousands of Palestinians are returning to the flattened rubble of the places they once called home. As they return, there is worry among prominent voices in South Africa  one of Palestines fiercest supporters  that the agreement may not lead to a meaningful and permanent peace.

It was just months into the war on Gaza in 2023, when South Africa made history by becoming the first country to take Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on charges of genocide. That move reflected the hopes of thousands of Palestine supporters in South Africa and across the continent, as two million people suffered under bombardment in Gaza.

Last week, after more than two years of war, which killed at least 67,967 Palestinians, relief spread in Gaza and around the world as United States President Donald Trumps peace plan was agreed to by Israel and Hamas. But in South Africa, the government and its supporters have promised to continue pressuring Israel for accountability over crimes inflicted on Palestinians.

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There is a need to scrutinise the USs peace plan, Naledi Pandor, South Africas former foreign minister under whom the ICJ case was filed in December 2023, told Al Jazeera, as it is important to make sure Israel answers in court for the Gaza war, and several other violations.

The ceasefire is a welcome step because, of course, we want to end the killing, Pandor said. But Im concerned because the struggle of the people of Palestine is about much more than the war that has been under way, [and] this genocide of the past [two years].

Palestinians are striving for self-determination, freedom, and justice, she said, speaking in a personal capacity after retiring from government service last year. I dont think the ceasefire addresses the core issues relevant to the struggle of the Palestinian people, she added.

I believe the [ICJ] case must continue, Pandor continued, highlighting the examples of past genocides. We should, as we acted with Rwanda and Bosnia, ensure that perpetrators of war crimes are held to account. That is what we owe those who lost their lives in Gaza and other parts of Palestine.

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Pandors words echo the official South African stance. President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking to politicians in Cape Town on Tuesday, stressed his governments determination to bring the legal case to a proper close, one he said would bring healing for the Palestinians.

The peace deal that has been struck, which we welcome, will have no bearing on the case that is before the International Court of Justice, Ramaphosa said.

South Africas former foreign minister Naledi Pandor, centre, attends the session of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, on January 26, 2024, during a case filed by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza [Patrick Post/AP Photo]

South Africas genocide case against Israel

When some of South Africas most renowned scholars arrived in The Hague to represent Palestine at the proceedings that began in January 2024, thousands of supporters stood outside the ICJ, holding up Palestinian flags. At the time, Western countries like the United Kingdom and France stood firmly by Israel, citing its right to defend itself. Both countries have since adjusted their stance by challenging Israels attacks on Gaza and even recognising the state of Palestine in September.

South Africas dream team, as the legal representatives at the ICJ were nicknamed by their supporters, included globally recognised law professor and apartheid critic John Dugard, senior counsel Max du Plessis, and barrister Adila Hassim, among others. In a lengthy presentation, they accused Israel of genocidal acts in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention but also of a 75-year apartheid, a 56-year-occupation, and a 16-year blockade of Palestinian territories.

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Israels team, led by British lawyer and experienced international court expert Malcolm Shaw and Australian-Israeli lawyer Tal Becker, argued that Israel had a right to defend itself and that South Africas genocide claims could not be substantiated.

In its ruling in January 2024, the court found it plausible that Israel was violating the Genocide Convention, and ordered Israel to take all measures to prevent genocide. Later, in March 2024, following more prompting by South Africa, the ICJ ordered Israel to ensure that food entered Gaza in the face of famine. Finally, in May 2024, the court issued a third order requiring Israel to halt attacks on Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were sheltering at the time.

Israel did not comply with the rulings in all three instances, rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch found. Still, the case had some ramifications for Israel, with Belgiums Wallonia regional government immediately suspending some weapon exports to the country, citing the courts interim rulings and deteriorating conditions in Gaza. Japanese trading firm Itochu also cut ties with Elbit Systems, an Israeli defence contractor, following the courts orders for Israel to halt the Rafah offensive.

Experts say the most challenging task for the South African team will be to prove that Israel intended to commit genocide in Gaza, a requirement that Pandor, who was also at The Hague last January, said the South African team has met. South Africa submitted a 500-page document detailing the evidence in October 2024. Israels counterarguments are due on January 12, 2026. Oral hearings will be held in 2027, and a final judgement could be pronounced by late 2027 or early 2028, analysts say.





Discussion of accountability absent

The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) in August declared the Gaza war a genocide. It also noted that Hamass October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, which led to the death of about 1,100 people and the capture of about 200 others, constituted international crimes.

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Melanie OBrien, president of the IAGS, told Al Jazeera that South Africa had accurately represented the Gaza case to the court. Legal proceedings like the ICJ case and an ongoing case against Israeli leaders at the International Criminal Court (ICC) are particularly important now, in light of the peace deal, she said.

Accountability is crucial, and the discussion of accountability is very noticeably wholly absent from the ceasefire and peace talks and plan, which is shocking, OBrien said.

What is being presented is a situation where there will supposedly be a ceasefire, and perhaps peace, but there is not even discussion, let alone mechanisms presented, about holding perpetrators of horrific crimes accountable, she added. And we know very well from history that if there is no accountability, there will be no reconciliation, and the cycle of violence will simply continue.

Meanwhile, the ceasefire itself, experts say, would have no impact on the ICJs schedule, but it could help Israels defence.

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It may have an impact on the substantive arguments in the sense that Israel can seek to use these developments as evidence that it has not been acting with genocide intent, Mike Becker, a law professor at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, told Al Jazeera.

Demonstrators hold Palestinian flags and placards as they walk past a statue of the late Nobel Peace laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, during a protest to show support for Palestinians in Gaza, in Cape Town, South Africa, on September 27, 2025 [Esa Alexander/Reuters]

South Africa faces US backlash for ICJ case

This year, South Africa has been in the crosshairs of Israels biggest ally  the US  largely for its legal action against Israel.

Relations between Washington and Pretoria have deteriorated to the lowest point in decades, analysts say, because of the ICJ case against Israel, as well as South Africas close relationship with China and Russia  both US rivals  and false claims by President Trump that a genocide against white people is taking place in South Africa. Trumps administration has offered asylum to dozens of white South Africans, a move analysts have called discriminatory as the US cracks down on other migrants.

Trump imposed steep 30 percent tariffs on South Africa from August, specifically citing the ICJ case against Israel as one reason. South African manufacturers used to enjoy tariff-free exports to US markets under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) framework, but are now in precarious positions, with some 30,000 jobs at risk, according to analysis from Liechtenstein-based Geopolitical Intelligence Services (GIS). Some 9 percent of South African exports, ranging from precious metals to vehicles to fruits, go to the US every year, the intelligence firm found.

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Still, Pandor said South Africas own history of apartheid meant that it had the moral obligation to stand up for Palestinians in Gaza, despite the risk of upsetting others.

In pursuing our own struggle against apartheid South Africa, we were assisted by many different nations as well as organisations in civil society, so we regard the bonds of international solidarity as extremely important and we take international law seriously, Pandor said.

We believed and continue to believe that great harm was under way, and that crimes against humanity and war crimes were being committed by the apartheid state of Israel. And that the people of Palestine and of Gaza at the time were in serious danger of elimination, and we felt that we could not be silent.

Apartheid in South Africa began collapsing in 1990 when political prisoner Nelson Mandela was freed, and ended in 1994 when the Black majority was allowed to vote for the first time. The late Mandela and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat were especially close, with Arafat welcoming the South African leader when he was freed from his 27-year imprisonment. In December 1997, while addressing foreign dignitaries in South Africa, Mandela declared the rallying cry that has since become a blueprint for the African National Congress-led government, saying: We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.

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Nearly two years after taking its first legal action against Israel, South Africas most pressing goal at the time  to urgently end the killings in Gaza  has been achieved, although it took many months and many lives, Pandor noted.

The task now, she said, is to deliver what she called the core demands of Palestinians: self-determination, sovereignty, and justice.

I know that the Palestinian people are hoping for much more than what appears on paper, Pandor said. The world has somewhat lost its moral authority, and I think its necessary to restore it. And Im actually proud that my country and our cabinet had the courage to stand up and actually take a stand in terms of international law and respect for human rights.




Yesterdays decision by Birminghams Safety Advisory Group (an arm of the local council) to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from next months Europa League match at Villa Park on the advice of the West Midlands police needs to be seen in the context of the past two years of hate marches and protests.

As the streets of London and other cities have been taken over by antisemitic mobs, the reaction of the police has been to stand and watch. The message from the authorities could hardly have been clearer: antisemitic chanting is fine. The police might as well have taken out full page ads announcing: Come and spew your Jew hate, all welcome. West Midlands Police have now decided that their response to Jewish fans planning to visit Birmingham should be to recommend banning them.

A word on this context: It is not only my assertion that the marches and protests are antisemitic. It is, now, the Prime Ministers. Asked yesterday if the chant From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free is antisemitic, Sir Keir Starmer answered unhesitatingly and unambiguously with one word: Yes. He went further when challenged by the Jewish Chronicle that his view put him at odds with the Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan, who said last week that it was not antisemitic. Starmer added: I take a strong view on this, and weve dealt with cases in my own party where people have used that expression and weve taken action against them.

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That particular chant is ubiquitous at every march, rally and protest. In and of itself, that chant characterises both the demonstrations and the demonstrators. And it is antisemitic.

This is the state of Britain today. The polices response to threats of violence against visiting Jewish fans  let us not pretend this is about Israelis, when they are fans of a team named after historic Jewish heroes  is to ban the Jews.

That decision has been welcomed by the MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, Ayoub Khan. No surprise there; Khan was one of the four sectarian Muslim MPs elected last July. He has campaigned to have the Maccabi fans barred, using the argument that their presence would present a safety risk. Well, yes: but not in the sense meant by Khan. With Jew hate at record levels and in the wake of a terrorist murder, there is indeed a safety risk: to Jews across Britain  and especially to those who would be visiting Villa Park.

It is ironic that the ban was announced yesterday. Earlier in the day Sir Keir had visited the headquarters of the Community Security Trust, the charity which monitors and protects the Jewish community against antisemitism, and announced an extra 10 million in funding for more security staff and equipment around Jewish sites, such as CCTV, alarms and floodlights. Sir Keir told the charity, as he and his ministers regularly tell the Jewish community, that there is no place for antisemitism on the streets of Britain  as if we have all lived in a cave for the past two years, when the hate marches and the steep rise in figures for antisemitic incidents show that there is every place for it on our streets.

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When the decision to make Villa Park Judenfrei was released, the prime minister released a statement stating clearly that, This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets (there is that phrase again). He is said to be furious with the police and working on plans to ensure Jews can indeed be admitted to Birmingham. Spare me the crocodile tears. For over a year Sir Keir has seen the hate marches spew out their antisemitic chants and been the very definition of see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. Not a syllable of criticism has passed his lips. It is only now, after the Manchester terror attack, that it appears to have dawned on him that when you allow a mob to whip up hate against Jews, something may happen as result.

It seems likely that this ban will be reversed. Good. But that will not hide the reality of where we now are in Britain. The polices response to the rise in Jew hate is to buckle and be cowed by the mob, while sectarian Muslim MPs rejoice. It is not a good time to be Jewish in Britain.

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A Gaza man living in Louisiana was arrested Thursday in Lafayette for his alleged involvement in the Hamas-led terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023. Mahmoud Amin YaQub Al-Muhtadi, 33, was taken into custody as part of the Justice Departments Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7) investigation.

The arrest marks the first public action by the Justice Departments Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7), established in February 2025 to pursue those responsible for the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust.

Bondi: This Monster Has Been Found

After hiding out in the United States, this monster has been found and arrested for participating in the atrocities of October 7  the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust, Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. While nothing can fully heal the scars left by Hamass brutal attack, this Departments Joint Task Force October 7 is dedicated to finding and prosecuting those responsible.

FBI Affidavit Places Suspect Inside Israel During Massacre

According to a sworn FBI affidavit filed in federal court on October 6, investigators allege Al-Muhtadi personally crossed into Israel through the Malaka region and participated in assaults near Kibbutz Kfar Aza  one of the worst-hit communities during the Hamas-led massacre. Cell-tower records cited in the filing show his phone connected to an Israeli network near Kfar Aza at 10:01 a.m. on October 7, 2023, placing him inside Israel during the attack.

Linked to Militant Wing of Palestinian Group

Court documents identify Al-Muhtadi as an operative for the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestines military wing, the National Resistance Brigades (NRB), which took part in the Hamas-led attack that killed about 1,200 people, including 49 U.S. citizens.

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The FBI affidavit details that Al-Muhtadi, using the alias Abu Ala, organized and armed a group of militants in Gaza before the invasion. Investigators say he communicated with Hamas operatives as early as 6:30 a.m. that morning, instructing others to bring rifles and prepare to cross the border.

False Visa Application Led to U.S. Entry

On the morning of October 7, 2023, Al-Muhtadi allegedly armed himself and gathered others before crossing into Israel to assist in the attack, according to court documents. His phone reportedly connected to a cell tower near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, the site of a massacre that killed at least four American citizens.

As set forth in documents filed yesterday, on October 7, when Al-Muhtadi learned of the unfolding barbaric attack on Israel and civilians from multiple nations, including the United States, he sprang into action. He armed himself, recruited others, and entered Israel, said Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg. Subsequently, Al-Muhtadi fraudulently obtained a U.S. visa using false information about his paramilitary ties and Hamas connections, hoping to remain undetected.

The suspect entered the United States on September 12, 2024, after submitting a visa application that included multiple materially false statements about his affiliations, training, and role in the October 7 attacks.

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The complaint alleges Al-Muhtadi falsely declared that he had never received weapons training or served in a paramilitary organization  denials prosecutors say were contradicted by photographs showing him in uniform with the NRB, holding automatic rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

Located in Lafayette After Months of Surveillance

Al-Muhtadis presence in the U.S. was discovered by Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7), which Attorney General Pamela Bondi created in February 2025 to pursue justice for victims of the attacks and to degrade Hamas operations worldwide.

Local and federal law enforcement  including the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Louisiana State Police, Lafayette Police Department, and Lafayette Parish Sheriffs Office  coordinated on the arrest with Israeli security agencies providing critical assistance.

The FBI located Al-Muhtadi in Lafayette in June 2025 after months of surveillance, according to the affidavit. Agents observed him working at a local restaurant before arresting him in September. He remains in federal custody pending further proceedings in the Western District of Louisiana.

Justice Department Vows Continued Pursuit of Hamas Operatives

Let this arrest serve as a reminder that those who perpetrate acts of terrorism cannot evade justice by hiding in our communities, said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana. Our state, local, and federal partners are working tirelessly to bring these people to justice.

The October 7 attacks also resulted in about 250 people being abducted by Hamas, including eight U.S. citizens. The Justice Department said JTF 10-7 will continue to degrade and dismantle Hamas, hold its supporters accountable, and achieve justice for victims of terrorist-led antisemitism.
(The Center Square)  Federal agents have arrested a Gaza man living in Louisiana, saying he lied to obtain a visa in the United States after having taken part in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Mahmoud Amin Yaqub Al-Muhtadi of Lafayette has been found and charged with participating in the atrocities of October 7  the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust, adding that the Justice Departments Joint Task Force October 7 is dedicated to finding and prosecuting those responsible  including the murder of dozens of American citizens.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said court filings describe Al-Muhtadi arming himself, recruiting others and entering Israel after learning of the assault.

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Investigators say his phone connected to a cell tower near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where many civilians  including at least four Americans  were killed.

This arrest is the first public step in bringing to justice those responsible for harming Americans on that day, Eisenberg said.

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana called the case a reminder that those who perpetrate acts of terrorism cannot evade justice by hiding in our communities, crediting a coalition of federal, state and local agencies  including the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Louisiana State Police, Lafayette Police Department and Lafayette Parish Sheriffs Office  with assisting the investigation.

According to a criminal complaint, prosecutors say Al-Muhtadi is an operative for the National Resistance Brigades. That's the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a Gaza-based paramilitary group that participated in the attack.

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Prosecutors say he later secured entry to the United States by concealing ties to armed groups, training and involvement in the assault on his visa application. Department of Homeland Security records show he entered the country Sept. 12, 2024, and has been working and residing in Lafayette.

An affidavit states Al-Muhtadi met with a consular officer at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo on Aug. 6, 2024, took an oath, provided fingerprints and photographs, and indicated plans to settle in Tulsa, Okla., to work in car repair or food service. Investigators say they later obtained the fingerprint records noted by the consular officer.

The case is being led by Joint Task Force October 7 and the FBIs New Orleans Field Office with assistance from Israeli authorities, including the State Attorneys Office of Israel, the Israeli Security Agency, Lahav 433, the Israel National Police, the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing, as well as the FBIs legal attache in Israel.

The Louisiana State Police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Lafayette Police and the Lafayette Parish Sheriffs Office also contributed.

The task force was established in February 2025 by Bondi to investigate perpetrators of the Oct. 7 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed by Hamas, including 49 U.S. citizens, and roughly 250 were abducted, including eight Americans. Israel retaliated and the number of dead is now believed to exceed 68,000.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is travelling to Turkey on Friday against the backdrop of an uncertain Middle East peace.

Talks are planned in the capital Ankara between the conservative German politician and his counterpart Hakan Fidan, as well as other representatives of the Turkish government.

According to a spokesman for the Foreign Office in Berlin, the focus of the discussions will include the situation in the Gaza Strip.

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The aim is to quickly improve the humanitarian situation there and to begin implementing further points of US President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan.

Additionally, the situation in Syria, the Russian war against Ukraine, and a number of bilateral issues are also to be addressed, the spokesman said.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry stated that during the meeting, the two sides want to emphasize the importance they attach to coordinating European security strategies under the NATO umbrella.

Ankara is seeking involvement in the European armament strategy Security Action for Europe (SAFE), which was presented by the EU in May and which aims to specifically strengthen the European defence industry.

A total of up to 150 billion ($175 billion) in the form of low-interest loans is available. The German government is open to Turkey's involvement.
President Donald Trump has commuted the federal prison sentence former U.S. Rep. and convicted felon George Santos from prison Friday.

The New York Republican was serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges. He admitted to deceiving political donors and stealing the identities of 11 people to make donations to his campaign and was sentenced in April.

George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated, the president wrote on Truth Social. Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck George, have a great life!

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Trump started his statement, saying Santos was somewhat of a rogue, but there are many rogues throughout our county. He went on to compare the former congressman to Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who has been the subject of Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondis questioning over his military service.

The president accused him of lying about the fact that he was a Vietnam war veteran. The Connecticut senator clarified he misspoke about his service and apologized for it in 2010.

This is far worse than what George Santos did, and at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN! Trump wrote.

The president called for Santos to be immediately released from prison. The disgraced congressman made a plea to the president earlier this week, praising his administration and pleading to return to his family, complaining that he had been in isolation since late August.

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Mr. President, I am not asking for sympathy. I am asking for fairness  for the chance to rebuild, Santos wrote in his letter to the president Monday.

The post George Santos Sentence Commuted for Immediate Prison Release, Trump Says appeared first on TheWrap.
TBILISI (Reuters) -Georgian police conducted searches on Friday at the homes of three former senior officials as authorities clamp down on figures accused of trying to overthrow the government.

In a statement, the prosecutor general said law enforcement had raided the homes of Irakli Garibashvili, a two-time former prime minister; Grigol Liluashvili, a former internal security chief; and Otar Partskhaladze, an ex-prosecutor general.

All have been close allies of Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire former prime minister and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, widely seen as the de facto leader of the South Caucasus country.

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Electronic devices, documents and a large amount of cash were seized, the Interpress news agency cited the prosecutor general as saying.

The authorities have alleged that a plot to overthrow the government lies behind a series of opposition rallies that began a year ago when Georgian Dream won a parliamentary election that its critics say was fraudulent.

A total of 62 people have been arrested since a large rally two weeks ago, authorities said on Friday.

Partskhaladze, who is a dual Georgian-Russian citizen, was sanctioned by Britain last month for links to Moscow.

Garibashvili, who last served as prime minister from 2021 to 2024, largely spearheaded Tbilisi's anti-Western turn since the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine.

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In a speech in Bratislava in May 2023, Garibashvili said that the enlargement of the transatlantic NATO alliance was to blame for Russia's invasion.

Georgia, which fought a brief war with Russia in 2008, had previously been one of the most pro-Western countries to emerge from the ashes of the Soviet Union, with aspirations to join the European Union.

In the lead-up to a municipal election this month, Georgian Dream accused the EU ambassador of expressing support for an attempt to seize power. Brussels accused Tbilisi of disinformation.

(Reporting by Lucy Papachristou and Felix Light; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Friday downplayed a Polish court's refusal to extradite a suspect in connection with the attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines.

"A court decision has been made in Poland, which I respect because we recognize the separation of powers," he said in response to a question from a journalist during a visit to the Turkish capital Ankara.

"If court decisions have been made, especially in other countries, then I believe it is not the job of the executive to interfere."

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The attack on the German-Russian prestige project made international headlines in September 2022.

Six months after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, several explosions hit the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea. Four leaks were subsequently found on three of the four lines.

The Nord Stream 1 pipeline had carried gas to Germany directly from Russia. The almost finished Nord Stream 2 never went into operation as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

A Polish court ruled on Friday that a suspect in the case should not be extradited from Poland to Germany. The court also cancelled the pre-trial detention of 46-year-old suspect, Ukrainian Volodymyr Z, the PAP news agency reported.

On Wednesday, the highest Italian court stopped the extradition of another suspect in the case who was arrested in Italy.
Germany and Turkey agreed to step up cooperation in tackling international crises, particularly in Gaza, Ukraine and Syria, the two countries top diplomats said on Friday following talks in Ankara.

"I believe that close coordination between Turkey and Germany can make a decisive contribution to the future," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan.

Wadephul was referring to the US-backed Gaza peace plan. He praised Ankara's engagement in the initiative and its influence over the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas.

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Fidan said Ankara is ready to join the peacekeeping and infrastructure missions envisioned in the Gaza plan, details of which remain unclear.

Fidan added that Hamas currently lacks the resources to recover the remains of missing Israeli hostages, a point of contention as Hamas has said it is unable to retrieve them within the time agreed in the ceasefire agreement without heavy equipment.

Regarding Turkeys European Union membership bid, Wadephul reaffirmed Germanys support, provided Ankara advances reforms, particularly on human rights.

What matters to me is seeing genuine political will for Turkey to move seriously toward the European Union, he said.

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Fidan called on Germany to back progress on Turkey-EU customs union modernization and visa liberalization demands.

Help to restore Israeli-Turkish ties

Ahead of the trip, Wadephul said Berlin can play a key role in restoring ties between Israel and Turkey following the peace deal in Gaza, while on the plane to the Turkish capital.

"I see a definite role for Germany in re-establishing understanding and a common level between Israel and Turkey," he said.

Wadephul also called on Turkey to use its good relations with Hamas to pressure the group to implement the US-backed peace plan in the Gaza Strip.

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Wadephul said the relationship between Israel and Turkey has worsened significantly since the October 7, 2023, attacks led by Hamas, which sparked the war in the coastal territory.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly accused Israel of genocide in Gaza and ordered trade between the two countries to be suspended.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (L) and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan speak during a press conference after their meeting at the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Michael Kappeler/dpa
German railway operator Deutsche Bahn on Friday presented its new stepless long-distance train.

"We don't just want to transport, we especially want to inspire," said the railway's new boss, Evelyn Palla, at the presentation in Berlin's Ostbahnhof train station.

The new Intercity-Express (ICE) L trains are to be deployed in stages from December 14, initially between Berlin and Cologne.

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The special feature of the vehicles is the stepless boarding - the "L" in the name stands for "Low Floor," according to Deutsche Bahn. This could help wheelchair travellers or those boarding with bikes or suitcases.

Wider doors and electrically adjustable tables available for wheelchair-accessible seats are also on board.

The ICE L is intended to replace the old Intercity 1 trains and can reach speeds of up to 230 kilometres per hour - lower than other ICE trains.

"With the new ICE L, we are clearly focusing on greater comfort and reliability for our passengers," said Palla.

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Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder praised the new model. "Modernization not only improves the technology, but also the travel experience for millions of people," he said.

The railway has ordered 79 of the new trains from Spanish manufacturer Talgo.

From May, the trains are to be used on the line between Berlin and Hamburg, with further connections from July.

Deutsche Bahn has struggled with punctuality in recent years, with repeated delays due to poor infrastructure. The company is implementing an ambitious modernization programme on the country's key rail routes over the next decade.
Conservative German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing heavy criticism over remarks on deportations dubbed "racist" by opposition lawmakers.

Merz's coalition partners from the Social Democrats (SPD) were also showing their displeasure on Friday, with Integration Commissioner Natalie Pawlik saying that the "populist" comments "divide society even more and help the wrong people, instead of promoting solutions."

The chancellor on Tuesday responded to a question about the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) by boasting of his administration's efforts in reforming migration policy since taking office in May.

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"But we still have this problem in the cityscape, of course, and that's why the federal interior minister is facilitating and carrying out large-scale deportations," he said.

The "cityscape" remark has been widely criticized as racist, suggesting urban populations - which are more diverse than rural areas in Germany - should be targets for deportation.

In a letter to Merz seen by dpa, dozens of politicians from the opposition Greens have demanded a public apology for the "racist, discriminatory, hurtful and indecent" remarks to those affected by racism and marginalization.

"They are here in the first, second or third generation, yet you deny them their German-ness and their belonging to Germany - simply because of their appearance, their origin or their name," the letter said.

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The managing director of the refugee organization Pro Asyl, Karl Kopp, also reacted indignantly. He said that Merz was strengthening right-wing extremists "with resentful slogans."

"As chancellor of a country of immigrants, this is inexcusable," he added.
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Friday defended his military service plans as necessary for Germany's security.

The proposal aims to establish and guarantee the country's defence capability, said Pistorius in the Bundesrat, the upper house of parliament.

"It's not about armament," he said. "We are not threatening anyone. We are being threatened."

Pistorius said that Russia under President Vladimir Putin poses a real threat to Germany, Europe and the NATO alliance.

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Putin is trying to undermine the integrity of European states and divide societies.

"He wants to provoke NATO member states and does so almost every day," said the defence minister.

The remarks came one day after Pistorius presented his bill in the Bundestag to restore a voluntary military service.

Military service in Germany was suspended in 2011, but Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government is intent on reintroducing the measure to raise troops for the Bundeswehr, the German military, in line with new NATO defence targets.

However, there is disagreement within Merz's coalition on how to respond if not enough volunteers sign up for the programme, with the chancellor's conservative bloc pushing for a lottery system.

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"We need to know who can defend our country," Pistorius said on Friday. "The focus must always remain on the Bundeswehr's ability to react and deploy."

The new military service would make combat missions less likely for all soldiers overall, explained Pistorius.

"The stronger we are, in terms of personnel and equipment, the more capable we are of defence, the more effective - and that's what it's all about in the end - we are a deterrent."
Germany can play a key role in restoring ties between Israel and Turkey following the peace deal in Gaza, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Friday as he travelled to Ankara for talks with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan.

"I see a definite role for Germany in re-establishing understanding and a common level between Israel and Turkey," Wadephul said on the plane to the Turkish capital.

He also called on Turkey to use its good relations with Hamas to pressure the Palestinian militant group to implement the US-backed peace plan in the Gaza Strip.

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Wadephul said the relationship between Israel and Turkey has worsened significantly since the October 7, 2023, attacks, which sparked the war in the coastal territory.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly accused Israel of genocide in Gaza and ordered trade between the two countries to be suspended.

Wadephul is due to meet Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kaln before talks with Fidan on the situation in the Gaza Strip.

Additionally, the situation in Syria, the Russian war against Ukraine, and a number of bilateral issues are also to be addressed, a spokesman for the German Foreign Office said ahead of the trip.

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The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the two sides want to emphasize the importance of coordinating European security strategies under the NATO umbrella.

Ankara is seeking involvement in the European armament strategy Security Action for Europe (SAFE), which was presented by the EU in May and which aims to specifically strengthen the European defence industry.

A total of up to 150 billion ($175 billion) in the form of low-interest loans is available. The German government is open to Turkey's involvement.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Friday welcomed the planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest.

"I think it is basically a good development that the talks are finally continuing," said Wadephul on the plane to his first visit to Turkey since taking office in May.

Negotiations on ending the Russian war in Ukraine have stalled, Wadephul said.

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Praising Trump's efforts to secure a peace agreement in Gaza, Wadephul said the announcement of the Budapest meeting on Thursday shows Trump's "clear intention to enter into a phase of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine."

Washington and Moscow have said they hope the meeting can be held within the next two weeks.

Responding to questions over whether it was appropriate that Putin, who is under an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, should be welcomed to an EU member state in Hungary, Wadephul said: "As long as it takes place with the clear aim of conducting peace negotiations, that is acceptable."

However, he said that the failure of the previous summit between Putin and Trump in Alaska showed that clear steps are needed to move the peace process along.

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Trump plans to receive Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington on Friday. The Ukrainian hopes that Trump will authorize the sale of the Tomahawk long-range cruise missile, which would allow Ukraine to take more offensive actions deep within Russia to hinder Moscow's war effort.

Wadephul said of Zelensky's Tomahawk demand: "I believe that it is important to make an offer on the one hand, that talks can be held, but also to make it clear what the alternative would be."
NEED TO KNOW

Micah Smith and his three young children were found and rescued on Oct. 12, after they were reported missing during a hike in Utahs Big Cottonwood Canyon

The dads brother Zach wrote in a GoFundMe that the family was earlier caught in a storm

One of Micahs sons, Ezra, is being kept alive by a heart and lung bypass machine right now, Micah added

The family of a 31-year-old man, who survived with his three young children after they got lost while hiking in a Utah canyon, said the dad bravely sacrificed himself by protecting the kids amid their traumatic ordeal.

On Oct. 11, the father, identified in a GoFundMe as Micah Smith, and his three kids  a 2-year-old boy, a 4-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl  went walking in the Broads Fork Trail area in Big Cottonwood Canyon, the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

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The family was later reported missing, and their vehicle was located in the Broads Fork parking lot, officials added.

After a search and rescue mission began, first responders located the man and children on Oct. 12, and all four of them were taken to local hospitals "for medical evaluation and treatment," the sheriff's office said.

Two of the children were found in critical condition, the third was stable and Michah was listed in fair condition, the sheriff's office said at the time.

Zach Smith, who identified himself as Micahs brother, wrote in the GoFundMe that the dad and his kids were caught during a storm in the Wasatch Mountains over the weekend.

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The storm blew in as they were on the peak of Twin Peaks, Zach, the campaign organizer, wrote. Micah bravely sacrificed himself to protect his 3 kids on the mountain in freezing temperature and weather. Thankfully search and rescue was able to find them early the next day.

He added that Micah suffered third-degree frostbite, and the three kids were hospitalized. Micahs son, Ezra, is being kept alive by a heart and lung bypass machine right now.

Zach described Micah as a good and loving dad who likes to take his kids on adventures.

In a Wednesday, Oct. 15, update on the fundraiser, Zach wrote that the condition of Micahs two boys is improving, although Ezra remains in the ICU.

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We are praying hard for complete healing for him, Zach wrote. We dont fully know the impact this has had on his little body quite yet, but we are concerned for neurological damage.

Zach also noted that Micah was able to see his sons and even walk a little. Hes a tough guy and wont let his injuries keep him from his children. Were hoping for a full recovery for him, but its still early to tell, Zach wrote in the update.

Meanwhile, Micahs 8-year-old daughter was discharged from the hospital, the sheriffs office said, Fox affiliate KSTU reported.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

PEOPLE contacted the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office on Friday, Oct 17, for additional information. The sheriff's office said in its previous news release that the investigation is ongoing.

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Meanwhile, in a statement to ABC affiliate KTVX, Micah's family said that they are "grieving and asks for privacy and sensitivity during this profoundly difficult time."

"We appreciate the outpouring of concern from the community," the family said. "Our hearts are broken by what has happened, and our focus now is on ensuring that Micah, Samantha, and their children receive the support and love they need to heal. The kids are continuing to recover and your deepest prayers are appreciated.

The Smith family wishes to acknowledge with deep appreciation the extraordinary efforts of the Search and Rescue teams, emergency responders, and the medical staff who are treating the family. The family is equally thankful for the communitys expressions of sympathy and support during this difficult time, their statement added.



Read the original article on People
A 13-year-old boy who livestreamed taking his own life in a parking lot in Gig Harbor was talked into killing himself by a young man in Germany who is part of a violent and extreme group that has targeted other vulnerable youths, according to a report published in the Washington Post on Thursday.

The report details how the investigation of Jay Taylors death on Jan. 17, 2022 extended from Gig Harbor police to the FBI and eventually authorities in Germany, who in June arrested a 20-year-old medical student suspected in Jays death. It also describes the emotional and jurisdictional hurdles investigators faced while trying to crack a case with little precedent, and the toll the teens death took on his parents, Colby and Leslie Taylor.

Colby Taylor declined an interview Thursday when reached by phone, saying he wasnt quite sure he was ready to discuss his sons death. He and his wife, however, shared photos of Jay with The News Tribune and also of his artwork that showed their son was a talented artist.

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The Gig Harbor Police Department initially looked at Jays death as a suicide, according to the Washington Posts reporting, but that changed after a video turned up showing his death by hanging behind a grocery store had been livestreamed on Instagram where users watched. Detectives suspected it was connected to online groups that manipulate and extort vulnerable children, one of which is known as 764.

Started by a boy in Texas who named it for part of his zip code, according to the Washington Post, the FBI has described 764 as a nihilist extremist group with members who target children to sexually exploit online and share images of child porn and victims harming themselves or others.

Gig Harbor detectives later asked the FBI for help, showing agents private chats where the people victimizing Jay had laughed and bragged about coercing him into killing himself.

Lori Maricle, a spokesperson for Gig Harbor, said that Police Chief Tray Federici was in department meetings Thursday afternoon and not available to discuss the case. She said as far as she was aware, Jays death is an ongoing investigation and the city could not comment. She referred questions to the FBI. The News Tribune requested police reports and dispatch logs in July related to Jays death, but the requests were denied Oct. 1 because of the ongoing investigation.

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The FBIs Seattle Field Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

One of the agents who sat down with Gig Harbor police is Pat McMonigle, a 45-year-old Gig Harbor resident who left the FBI in June 2024, due in part to the negative mental effects he experienced from working this case. Hes now running for a position on the Pierce County Charter Review Commission, which will be tasked with evaluating the County Charter for updates or amendments.

Reached by phone Thursday afternoon, McMonigle did not have time for an interview with The News Tribune. A call later in the day went unanswered.

In interviews with the Washington Post, McMonigle described federal prosecutors reluctance to open a criminal case, recalling one interaction outside a bathroom at the U.S. Attorneys Office in Seattle where McMonigle and his partner were told they were wasting their time. A subordinate prosecutor was apparently persuaded to approve subpoenas under laws prohibiting possession and distribution of child sexual-abuse material.

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The subpoenas, which could only be served to companies with servers in the United States, turned up data that suggested a 764 member in Germany who referred to himself as White Tiger, was central to targeting Jay, according to the Washington Post. In summer 2022, FBI investigators located their suspect, an 18-year-old named Shahriar. News outlets have generally withheld his last name due to German privacy laws.

Shahriar has been charged with the murder of Jay among 123 counts of sexual abuse and violence for harm he allegedly caused eight teenagers from four countries, the Washington Post reported. A defense attorney for Shahriar told the Washington Post the murder charge was an overreach and that Shahriar, now 21, is not guilty.

In February 2023, McMonigle and his partner met with German prosecutors, local and federal police in Hamburg to discuss the chat messages plotting Jays death and other evidence linking Shahriar to Jay and other victims.

Years passed before authorities arrested the man. According to the Washington Post, the State Criminal Police Officer, Jan Hieber, said the FBIs evidence wasnt admissible in German courts, so they had to start their investigation from scratch.

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In the meantime, McMonigle was wracked with guilt over the lack of progress on the case. The Washington Post reported that he requested and was granted reassignment to an administrative job, and after he reported the mental effects he was experiencing from the case, he was ordered to turn in his gun, and his colleagues were interviewed about his fitness to serve. In June 2024, McMonigle left the FBI.

The Washington Post reported that it is unclear whether Shahriar abused any children in the time it took authorities to arrest him. Two months after Jays death, he reportedly almost persuaded a 15-year-old girl in Canada to kill herself with a knife.

German officials reportedly said much of the violence Shahriar is accused of was to satisfy sexual urges and to fulfill his perverse power fantasies. According to the Washington Post, the FBI is now investigating nearly 300 people suspected of preying on children and vulnerable people, and the FBI has said groups like 764 are a growing threat.
A Milwaukee County jury has convicted a Glendale landlord of killing his tenant's boyfriend during an argument earlier this year.

Jurors found John Sweeney, 34, guilty of first-degree intentional homicide - use of a dangerous weapon, a class B felony. The verdict came down on Oct. 16, the fourth day of his trial.

Prosecutors argued Sweeney quickly emerged as a suspect in the May 18 shooting death of Andrew Martin, who had been dating Sweeney's tenant since February.

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Investigators spoke with Martin's girlfriend, who paid rent to live in Sweeney's basement. A criminal complaint says Sweeney argued with Martin, 31, earlier that day.

More: 17-year-old charged with reckless homicide in Milwaukee police chase that killed 3

Sweeney had previously told the woman he didn't want "rando" people coming to the home, Martin specifically.

On May 18, Martin came to the home because he was too intoxicated to drive to his own home. That touched off an argument, during which Sweeney flashed a gun in his hip, according to the complaint.

Martin attempted to walk to his car and leave the home, but as he walked away, Sweeney fired a shot into the ground.

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Later, the woman told Sweeney in a text she was moving out. She went to a relative's home to pack a bag with plans to stay at a hotel.

Martin expressed on the phone that he wanted to talk to Sweeney, according to the complaint. At some point later, the woman was at the house to reclaim her stuff. As she took a duffel bag to her car, Martin pulled up.

More: 15-year-old South Milwaukee teen accused of strangling grandmother charged with homicide

The complaint says Martin and Sweeney started to have a conversation, but things escalated.

The woman told investigators she heard Martin's voice "get higher," followed by three gunshots, the document says, also noting that she was not in a position to see the shooting.

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She ran to her car to get her phone to call 911 and heard three more shots.

'I'm gonna call you back'

The complaint said police also spoke with another witness, a friend of Sweeney's. The friend was talking with Sweeney on FaceTime at the time of the incident.

"I dont have a problem if youre gonna be here, I just dont want to hear all the arguing," Sweeney was heard saying, according to the complaint. "Your arguing is taking away from my peace.

I just wanna have a talk," Martin said, followed by the sounds of tussling, items getting knocked over and two or three more gunshots.

Sweeney's tenant is later heard yelling in the background, followed by what prosecutors believe is Sweeney's voice:

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Bro, he's bleeding out on my garage.  Im gonna call you back.

Another FaceTime call was made to the friend minutes later, during which it was apparent police were on scene.

The trial for Sweeney began Oct. 13. Jurors began deliberations just after 3 p.m. Oct. 15.

The verdict was returned just after 2 p.m. Oct. 16.

Sentencing will be Dec. 5 before Circuit Court Judge David Borowski.

Chris Ramirez covers courts for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at caramirez@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Glendale landlord convicted of killing tenant's boyfriend
The United Nations agency that governs global shipping has voted to delay the adoption of its landmark decarbonization strategy by one year, following intense opposition from the Trump administration.

The Friday decision by the International Maritime Organization in London casts uncertainty over the future of the Net-Zero Framework, which would have been the worlds first binding emissions target for an entire industry.

Todays delay in adopting the [framework] is a missed opportunity, Natacha Stamatiou, who leads the Environmental Defense Funds global shipping work, said in a statement to Canary Media. Every delay means that innovation will struggle to scale, inequities will deepen, and the transition to clean shipping will become harder and more costly.

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International shipping is responsible for about 3% of the worlds annual greenhouse gas emissions. Climate pollution from diesel-guzzling vessels  which haul virtually everything we buy and use  is projected to soar in the coming decades if nothing changes.

The Net-Zero Framework would require large ships to progressively reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible by 2050. The strategy, which leans on a carbon tax, would force ships to swap out dirty fuels with cleaner alternatives, such as e-methanol or green ammonia, and adopt other energy-saving technologies like wind-assisted propulsion.

The delayed vote puts that progress on ice  and represents a stunning reversal from where negotiations sat just a few weeks ago.

In April, over 60 countries in the IMO, including Brazil, China, and India, agreed to put the framework to a vote in October. In the months leading up to this week, diplomats, environmental groups, and even industry organizations said they expected relatively smooth sailing toward approval.

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However, on Oct. 10, ahead of the negotiations, the Trump administration issued a statement forcefully opposing an international environmental agreement, claiming it unduly or unfairly burdens the United States. U.S. officials also began calling and writing to countries that supported the measure, threatening to impose tariffs, withdraw visa rights, and take other retaliatory measures, The Guardian reported on Wednesday.

On Friday, the final day of talks, the U.S., Singapore, Liberia, and Saudi Arabia all called on IMO to postpone adoption of the climate rules. The motion to delay was ultimately put forward by Singapore and called to a vote by Saudi Arabia. While 49 countries voted against the delay, 57 were in favor. Twenty-one nations abstained.

Without a clear framework in place, progress toward decarbonizing shipping will remain slow going. Efforts to kickstart alternative, lower-carbon fuels have emerged in recent years, but shipping companies and fuel producers have been hesitant to invest at a meaningful scale without a clear directive from the IMO.

Shipping companies, for their part, had said they welcomed the certainty that a global, finalized net-zero standard would provide  particularly as the European Union presses ahead with its own ship-emission rules. A coalition of major shipping industry groups said in an Oct. 9 statement that without an international strategy, a patchwork of separate regulations could bog down the industry in costs without advancing decarbonization.

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This delay unfortunately continues the business uncertainty that hampers investment for private sector actors that are ready and eager for this energy transition to accelerate, said Ingrid Irigoyen, president and CEO of the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance.

The Net-Zero Framework is the product of the IMOs now decade-long attempt to institute a climate strategy.

While the details are still being sorted out, the basic idea behind the regulation is as follows: Every year, shipping companies must calculate their GHG fuel intensity  the emissions per unit of energy used, on a lifecycle basis  the results of which determine their next steps. Ships that dont meet IMOs fuel-intensity standards must buy remedial units to cover their compliance gap; the dirtiest ships must pay an additional penalty to IMO for every metric ton of CO 2 above the established threshold.

Had the strategy passed, the global fuel standard and carbon-pricing mechanism would have taken effect in 2027, and ships would have needed to start reporting their GHG fuel intensity in 2028. That timeline will now be revised.

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Theres no clear deadline yet for when the group will reconvene and conduct a final vote to officially adopt the framework. The IMO will hold a technical meeting to discuss the design of the framework next week.

But experts and advocates warned that there is no more time to delay.

This is catastrophic for confidence, and therefore also for the equitable and ambitious decarbonisation we need," Tristan Smith, professor of energy and transport at University College London, said in a statement. We will now have to double-down on other means to drive shipping GHG reduction and energy transition. Climate science tells us that the challenge of decarbonisation does not go away, it gets harder.


As police in Grand Blanc, Michigan, concluded their investigation into the tragic shooting and fire that claimed the lives of four people during a Sunday service at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they called upon a local photographer to capture the scenes profound aftermath.

Stephanie VanWagoner was struck by what the flames had spared.

What really stood out to me is what was untouched, she said in an interview from the police station.

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VanWagoner accompanied the police to the site on Oct. 8, 10 days after the attack. By then, time had stilled the chaos, leaving behind only the burnt remains of what once was a sacred place of worship.

I wanted to tell the story in a way that people would understand what happened here, VanWagoner said. The beauty of what survived in that fire, that remained untouched. The strength, the grace of it all. I just dont feel like I have words to describe it.

Photograph, taken on Oct. 8, 2025, by police photographer, reveals the remains of a hymn book page following the Sept. 28 shooting and fire at a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Mich. | Stephanie VanWagoner

Photograph, taken on Oct. 8, 2025, by police photographer, shows the outside of a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Mich., following a Sept. 28 shooting and fire. | Stephanie VanWagoner

Photograph, taken on Oct. 8, 2025, by police photographer, reveals the remains of a hymn book page following the Sept. 28 shooting and fire at a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Mich. | Stephanie VanWagoner

Photograph, taken on Oct. 8, 2025, by police photographer, shows the outside of a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Mich., following a Sept. 28 shooting and fire. | Stephanie VanWagoner

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Photograph, taken on Oct. 8, 2025, by police photographer, shows the steeple of a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Mich., following a Sept. 28 shooting and fire. | Stephanie VanWagoner
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Thursday, the suspect of the shooting that took place earlier this month at Goodman Plaza was arrested in Canandaigua.

On October 6, officers went to Goodman Plaza on North Goodman Street for a report of someone being shot while entering a store but then leaving. Later, a man in his 30s arrived at Rochester General Hospital with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

Through an investigation, it was found that there was an altercation in the Goodman Plaza parking lot, which led to the suspect shooting the victim and then fleeing. Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Section were able to determine the suspects identity as 26-year-old Christopher Thacker.

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On October 16, Detectives learned Thacker was in Canandaigua. They coordinated with the Ontario County Sheriffs Office, which located Thacker and arrested him.

He is being charged with second-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon in the second and third degrees.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
Democratic candidate Christina Bohannan, left, and Republican incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks, running in Iowa's First Congressional District, participate in a debate Sept. 26, 2022 on Iowa PBS. (Pool photo by Zachary Boyden-Holmes/Courtesy of Iowa PBS)

Though there have been many shake-ups in Iowa races heading into the 2026 campaign season, Republican candidates have largely kept their fundraising leads in Iowas U.S. Senate and House races, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission reports.

Iowa will have open races for two U.S. House seats, as well as for governor and U.S. Senate in 2026  a large change from previous recent election cycles, in which Republican incumbents were largely able to hold on to their seats. Democrats hope the shifting campaign landscape, alongside discontent among voters over Trump administration actions and GOP-led bills like the budget reconciliation measure, will allow their partys candidates to break the full GOP hold of Iowas federal delegation.

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Still, Republican candidates outraised Democrats in most of Iowas races for federal office in the most recent FEC filing period from July 1 through Sept. 30.

There was one exception  Democrat Christina Bohannan outraised incumbent U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the 1st District, according to the October reports, as she aims for a rematch in 2026.

Bohannan, who unsuccessfully ran against Miller-Meeks in the 2022 and 2024 elections, raised nearly $1.06 million in the most reporting period and ended with $1.6 million cash on hand. In comparison, her opponents to become the Democratic nominee, Travis Terrell and Taylor Wettach, raised $12,940 and $429,099 respectively.

In a recent statement, Bohannan thanked her supporters for helping her campaign work to flip Iowas 1st Congressional District.

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Miller-Meeks campaign is well-funded by big corporations, billionaires, and party bosses because she does their bidding in Washington DC, Bohannan said. Were showing that we can win this race the right way and for the right reasons  with the support of hardworking people who are ready to get costs down, defend the middle class, and actually put Iowa first. And were just getting started.

Though Bohannan raised more than Miller-Meeks, who reported $806,731 in fundraising during the period, the incumbent Republican retains a lead in reserve funds with $2.62 million cash on hand.

Miller-Meeks campaign said in a statement Democrats are targeting the seat in vain, as her numbers show best-funded campaign IA-01 has ever seen.

In 2024, Democrats outspent me by millions and still lost because Iowans know I fight for them, not for D.C. elites or the establishment, Miller-Meeks said. With the resources we have built, we are ready to share our record, and WIN again for Iowa and American workers, farmers, and families.

Nunn outraises Democratic challengers in 3rd District

Iowas 3rd Congressional District, currently represented by Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, is also a seat targeted by national Democrats as a potential pick-up. His campaign reported raising $524,657 in the most recent reporting period, ending with $1.6 million in reserve funding.

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Though Nunn raised less than the leading candidates in Iowas 1st District, he still raised more than the two Democrats competing to take him on in the 2026 election  state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines, and former House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst. Nunns Campaign Manager Brendan Duffy said in a statement the fundraising numbers send a clear message, that Nunn is battle-tested, well-prepared, and ready to defend the seat from far-left activists pushing an out-of-touch, radical agenda.

Iowans trust Zach Nunn, and as one of the top ten most bipartisan members of Congress, he will continue to build a safer, more prosperous future for every hardworking Iowa family, Duffy said in a statement.

Trone Garriott was the closest to Nunns fundraising totals, ending the third quarter having raised $437,684 and keeping $598,212 cash on hand. Konfrsts fundraising totals were lower this period, raising $175,556  less than half of Trone Garriott  and ending with $195,333 in cash on hand. Trone Garriotts campaign stated the recent FEC filing clearly demonstrates that Trone Garriott is the frontrunner to take on Zach Nunn.

Former state lawmaker Joe Mitchell emerges as top fundraiser in 2nd District

In September, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst announced she will not seek a third term in the Senate. The news was shortly followed by U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, a Republican who currently represents Iowas 2nd Congressional District, stating she will run for the Senate seat.

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Political forecasters have predicted some Iowa congressional races, particularly in the 1st and 3rd districts, may be among the most competitive in the nation. Hinsons move to run for U.S. Senate also led Cook Political Report to move its rating for Iowas 2nd District from solid Republican to likely Republican.

Though there is not an incumbent Republican competing in Iowas 2nd Congressional District after Hinsons exit, Republican candidate Joe Mitchell, a former state legislator, raised more than both Democratic and Republican competitors. Mitchell reported fundraising $407,555 during the period and having $405,883 cash on hand. More than $307,000 of this funding came from outside contributors, in addition to Mitchell loaning his campaign $100,000.

Mitchells campaign called the fundraising figures record-breaking, covering three weeks between when he announced his campaign and the reporting period ended.

The campaign has several fundraising events scheduled this year to continue building the resources necessary to win in November, Mitchell said in a statement.

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Other Republican candidates in the 2nd District race include Iowa Sen. Charlie McClintock, R-Alburnett, who reported raising $14,307. Former U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, who dropped out of the race Monday, reported raising $250,181, with most funding coming from a personal loan. Rep. Shannon Lundgren, R-Peosta, who entered the race Sept. 23, did not file a report.

The 2nd District Democratic primary field saw more competitive fundraising numbers. Iowa Rep. Lindsay James, D-Dubuque, led among Democrats in the most recent reporting period with $273,649 raised and $226,300 in cash on hand. Clint Twedt-Ball, the founder of the nonprofit Matthew 25, raised a similar amount at $218,815, and ending the period with $152,398 in reserves.

Twedt-Ball thanked his supporters in a statement, saying 90% of contributions came from Iowans.

As Ive traveled the district, Ive heard from countless Iowans that its time for new leaders, instead of career politicians, to address the rising costs of healthcare, housing and other basics, Twedt-Ball said. Our campaign is about building a new kind of politics: lighting the way to a stronger, more affordable future for our state.

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Kathy Dolter, the former dean of nursing at Kirkwood Community College, reported raising $39,109 during the third quarter, and Guy Morgan, a Democrat from Boone, raised $2,413.

James emphasized in a news release that Hinsons exit from the race gives Democrats a solid opportunity to flip Iowas 2nd Congressional District.

This outpouring of support sends a clear message that our campaign has the momentum to win in November, James said in a statement about her fundraising. Were building a well resourced campaign that will listen to voters in every community in the 2nd district and go fight on their behalf in Washington D.C.

Siouxland Chamber of Commerce president leads GOP field in fundraising for 4th District

In Iowas 4th Congressional District, a longtime Republican stronghold, is another open race in 2026, as U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra considers a bid for governor following Gov. Kim Reynolds decision not to seek reelection in 2026.

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Feenstra has not officially announced a gubernatorial campaign but is not expected to run for reelection in the 4th District. He reported raising $24,854 during the FEC reporting period and having $1.32 million in cash reserves.

In the campaign to replace Feenstra, Siouxland Chamber of Commerce President Chris McGowan led the GOP primary field with $372,285 in fundraising.

In a news release from McGowans campaign, Katie Delzell, who serves as the campaigns fundraising strategist, said the FEC filings show he is the strongest candidate to take over from Feenstra in 2026.

Chris McGowans early success signals an extraordinarily strong show of support for his candidacy from across the 4th District, and this has sent a powerful message, not only to Iowans, but to the political leadership in our nations capital, Delzell said. This significant accomplishment has solidified Chris as the clear front-runner in the race to represent Iowas 4th congressional district.

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Ryan Rhodes, the founder of the Iowa Tea Party, reported raising $183,205 in the third quarter with $100,000 coming from a loan. Former House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl reported raising $67,425. Republican Christian Schlaefer, a software consultant who launched his campaign in September, did not file an FEC report.

Among Democrats, former state Rep. Dave Dawson raised $36,194 during the reporting period, and Ashley WolfTornabane, a stay-at-home mother from Storm Lake, reported raising $6,122. Democrat Stephanie Steiner, a retired nurse running for the 4th District seat, did not file a fundraising report.

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson pledged to be President Donald Trumps ally in the U.S. Senate if elected to succeed U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst in 2026 during her campaign kickoff event in Cedar Rapids Sep. 14, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Hinson leads in U.S. Senate race fundraising

Hinson quickly gained sizable financial and structural support in her campaign to follow Ernst in representing Iowa in the Senate. Shortly after entering the race, the Republican representative was endorsed by President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Tim Scott, alongside many other Senate and Iowa GOP leaders, quickly solidifying her place as the likely GOP nominee for the seat.

Her fundraising totals show a similar base of support. Hinson raised $1.72 million during the reporting period, outpacing her opponents from both parties. She also ends the period with $4.05 million in reserves  a total that includes funding transferred from her U.S. House campaign.

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Hinsons campaign celebrated the fundraising totals, with Campaign Director Addie Lavis saying in a statement the FEC reports show Iowans are fired up to elect Ashley as their next senator.

Ashleys commonsense message  cutting taxes for working families, lowering the cost of prescription drugs and healthcare, securing our border and keeping our communities safe, and ensuring China cant buy up Iowa farmland  is resonating with Iowans in every corner of this state, Lavis said. This will be a fight, but Ashley Hinson is putting in the work to be Iowas next U.S. Senator and keep all of Iowa red.

There are two other Republicans running for the Senate seat  former state lawmaker Jim Carlin and Joshua Smith. Carlin reported raising $45,492 during the filing period, while Smith did not file a report.

There is a more competitive primary field among Democrats for the 2026 race. Iowa Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, reported raising more than $1 million since launching his campaign in August  outraising the other Democrats in the field. He ends the quarter with $651,981 in cash on hand.

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Tureks campaign said the fundraising was the record for the most money raised by a first-time Democratic Senate candidate in their opening quarter in the race, and shows his campaign has strong support from Iowans.

This campaign isnt powered by corporate PACs  its powered by teachers, nurses, farmers, and working families from every corner of Iowa who are ready for a leader who will fight for them, Campaign Manager Brendan Koch said in a statement. Josh is building a movement, and this milestone proves Iowans are ready for something different.

Though Turek raised the most during the reporting period, his overall fundraising falls short of state Sen. Zach Wahls total for the election cycle at $1.3 million. Turek raised more than Wahls, who reported $646,658 in fundraising and an ending balance for $585,045 for the FEC filing period.

Wahls called attention to receiving contributions from Iowans in all 99 state counties alongside endorsements from six Iowa labor unions in a news release on the fundraising totals.

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Our campaigns strength comes from the people of Iowanot corporate PACs or Washington insiders, Wahls said in a statement. Iowans are responding to our message of taking on the corrupt political establishmentof both partiesand standing up for the working families who make this state great. Thats how well build the campaign to defeat Ashley Hinson and deliver real change for Iowa.

Former Knoxville Chamber of Commerce Director Nathan Sage reported raising $410,501 during the most recent period, bringing his total for the election cycle to $1.12 million.

Des Moines School Board President Jackie Norris, who ended her campaign Thursday, reported raising $345,621 in the most recent FEC filing and ending the period with $227,320 cash on hand.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is shrugging off a fresh round of criticism from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who accused him of hypocrisy.

I try not to react to what Marjorie Taylor Greene says every day, Johnson said at a press conference on Friday. I dont know what shes talking about.

Politics: Epstein Accuser Virginia Giuffre Was A Fan Of Trump For This 1 Reason

Despite her history as a conservative firebrand, Greene has in recent weeks been critical of her own party, particularly with regard to the ongoing government shutdown.

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In a Thursday interview with Axios, she took aim at Johnson over his refusal to answer questions about Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), who has been hit with a restraining order after a former girlfriend, Lindsay Langston, accused him of threatening to release sexually explicit photos of her following their split.

They expelled George Santos, Mike Johnson did. He was speaker and oversaw George Santos being expelled, she told the outlet. Why isnt he doing anything about Cory Mills?

Q: What is your reaction to Marjorie Taylor Greene saying this is a serious situation with regard to Cory Mills?



MIKE JOHNSON: I try not to react to what Marjorie Taylor Greene says every day. I don't know what she's talking about. pic.twitter.com/byGNqmsYIb  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 17, 2025

In his press conference, Johnson clarified that he didnt vote to expel Santos, the New York Republican who in 2023 was found to have spent thousands of dollars in campaign funds on personal services and products, including Botox treatments and access to a website used primarily by sex workers.

When Santos was expelled from Congress, he had not been found guilty of a crime. The former New York lawmaker later pleaded guilty to identity theft and wire fraud and was serving an 87-month prison sentence. On Friday, President Donald Trump announced hed commuted Santos sentence.

Politics: White House Gives Wild Response To A Simple Question Asked By HuffPost Reporter

Mills, meanwhile, has denied any wrongdoing. Still, Greene was quick to point out that theres clearly proof behind [Langstons] accusations that a judge is issuing a restraining order.

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So I would say to Speaker Johnson, this is a serious matter, and it needs to be taken seriously, she told Axios.

Greenes recent willingness to take on members of her own party has drawn some surprising praise from prominent Democrats like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who called her one of the decent, honest Republicans.

True to form, she hasnt held back on Democrats, going so far as to blast them on X for having created the healthcare crisis in America in 2010 by passing the Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare.

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Republican Rep. Dave Taylor said Thursday that his office was targeted as part of an elaborate ruse after an American flag reportedly altered to include a swastika was found in his Washington, DC, office earlier this week and that similar flags have been found in other Republican offices.

Numerous Republican offices have confirmed that they were targeted by an unidentified group or individual who distributed American flags bearing a similar symbol, which were initially indistinguishable from an ordinary American flag to the naked eye. My office was among those that were subjected to this ruse, the Ohio congressman said in a statement Thursday.

Taylor did not provide any evidence or name the other offices he said were affected. No other GOP offices had come forward publicly as of late Thursday to report similar incidents.

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He said he is confident that none of his staffers would knowingly display such a despicable image.

The congressman on Wednesday said his office was conducting an internal investigation into the incident alongside US Capitol Police.

CNN reached out to Capitol Police for additional details. In response, the agency sent an autoreply that its public information office is closed for routine business during the government shutdown.

The congressman has refrained from identifying the symbol on the flag as a swastika, instead describing it as a vile symbol. But Politico reported Wednesday that USCP was called after an American flag altered to include a swastika was found inside Taylors office in Washington, DC.

CNNs Annie Grayer contributed to this report.

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Republican senators have questions and concerns about how President Trump is managing to pay more than 1 million military service members during the government shutdown and are seeking more information about what funds he is dipping into to achieve his political ends.

Republican lawmakers are glad that active members of the military and their families around the country didnt miss their first paychecks of the shutdown on Oct. 15, but theyre frustrated that Trump once again appears to be trampling on Congresss power of the purse.

Traditionally, the White House needs to send a request to reprogram federal funding to Capitol Hill, and members of the Appropriations Committee need to approve it before an administration is able to shift funds away from the programs for which they were intended.

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Republican appropriators say they are not aware of the White House sending a reprogramming request to Congress before Trump ordered Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to use all available funds to make sure that troops got their paychecks this week.

One Republican senator who requested anonymity to comment on Trumps aggressive repurposing of federal funding said the administration didnt explain its legal authority.

Thats a concern of not just appropriators, it seems broader than that, the senator said.

The GOP lawmaker said Republican colleagues have asked the administration for more details about what accounts will be most impacted by shifting funds to pay the troops during the duration of the shutdown and what legal authority the White House is citing to justify its action.

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Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said shes seeking more information from the White House, both on what funds are being used to cover military paychecks and what programs will see their reserves depleted as a result.

Weve been given two different explanations. One, is that its unobligated balances. One, is that its taken from certain research and technology programs. But we dont have the specifics. We have asked for the specifics, Collins said.

At the same time, Collins, who faces a competitive reelection race next year, added that shes glad that the troops are getting paid.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she has concerns about Trumps repurposing previously appropriated federal funding without input or approval from Congress.

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I get that they say for the military pay for this pay period it comes out of  research and development technology [fund] but where? Is that taking it from projects that we have already identified? Maybe somethings really important to me. Wheres it coming from? We havent seen that, she said.

Typically what will happen is youll have some kind of reprogramming request, she said, noting the administrations departure from standard practice.

Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) told The Hill that shes not sure whether Trumps repurposing of funds to pay troops is legal.

Asked what legal authority Trump has used to shift the funding, Murray replied: I do not know the answer to that question.

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The tug-of-war between Republican appropriators in Congress and Trumps Office of Management and Budget (OMB) over funding authority has been a source of intraparty tension all year.

Some Republican senators were not happy at all when OMB Director Russell Vought submitted a proposal for a pocket rescission in August to claw back nearly $5 billion in foreign aid funding previously appropriated by Congress.

A pocket rescission is designed to rescind federal funding without a vote of Congress, and many lawmakers in both parties say the maneuver is illegal. Vought testified before the Senate earlier this year that he believes Trump has constitutional authority to use it.

Trump announced over the weekend that he would make sure members of the military get paid during the shutdown, which is dragging into its third week.

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I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on Oct. 15th, Trump posted on Truth Social.

We have identified funds to do this, he added.

The Pentagon identified $8 billion in unspent research, testing and evaluation money to keep troops paid during the early weeks of the shutdown.

Some Republican senators are worried about what other federal programs the Trump administration raids when it depletes the unobligated funds it decided to tap into this week.

Trump signed a memorandum Wednesday significantly expanding his administrations authority to repurpose unspent funds to pay service members during the shutdown.

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Democrats immediately questioned whether Trumps claims of broad authority are lawful.

Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) said Trumps reallocation of federal funding was probably not legal.

In an interview with CBSs Face the Nation on Sunday, Himes said the White Houses understanding of United States law was pretty tentative to say the best.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Trump is pulling funding for the troops from areas of the budget that will be replenished at a later date.

Where theyre trying to find some of the funding is out of areas of the budget that obviously they will replenish and pay it back, he said.

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These are the decisions that get forced upon you when the government shuts down, which is why nobody wins with a government shutdown, he said.

Here we are, the administrations having to make some hard decisions. Obviously, paying the troops is a big priority for them. It should be a priority for all of us, he said.

The longer this drags on, the more complicated that decisionmaking process becomes. They obviously are going to make decisions about where to put money, where not to put money and which departments and agencies get prioritized and which dont, he said.

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Appropriations Committee who is up for reelection next year and received Trumps crucial endorsement ahead of the 2026 GOP primary in his state, defended Trumps use of executive authority to shift around funding to pay military service members.

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He said Trump has the authority to repurpose funds because were operating under a continuing resolution right now.

The continuing resolution does not have the built-in specifics limiting the movement of funds that an appropriations bill would have, he said, noting that the funding authority that lapsed on Oct. 1 was provided by a continuing resolution passed in March that extended funding levels enacted under former President Biden.

But other GOP senators are skeptical of that argument.

Ive heard that, but I dont know where that comes from, said the GOP senator who requested anonymity, raising a question about the precise legal authority for such a claim.

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The Hill reached out to the White House for comment.

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The Kentucky Supreme Court Thursday heard arguments in two cases that questioned Democratic Gov. Andy Beshears power to make appointments to state boards.

Both cases are related to the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches.

One of the cases explores whether the power to appoint members to the state fair board belongs to the governor or the agriculture commissioner, and the other seeks to determine whether ethics commission appointments belongs solely to the governor or other executive-level officeholders.

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The court cases date back to a pair of laws enacted in the past four years by the Kentucky General Assembly that sought to reduce Beshears power to appoint board members.

The governor has fought them in court. Beshear argues in both cases the General Assembly passed laws contrary to the states constitution, which Beshear believes gives him ultimate authority.

The cases presented Thursday morning to the Kentucky Supreme Court involve the governor, agriculture commissioner and attorney general, and seek to determine whether the General Assembly, has the power to make changes to longstanding boards. In both instances, legislation changed how the boards were comprised and the key official overseeing appointments.

Kentucky State Fair Board appointments

The first case centers on House Bill 518, passed in 2021, which created a new structure for state fair board appointments.

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Beshear sued to challenge the law, saying it was unconstitutional and stripped the governor of power over the board.

H.B. 518 shifted control of the majority of appointees from the governor to the states agriculture commissioner, while also and adding the speaker of the House of Representatives and Senate president to the board.

Under the new law, Kentuckys governor would appoint five members of the board, while the agriculture commissioner, currently Republican Jonathan Shell, would appoint nine members.

Beshears lawyer, Travis Mayo, argues the bill violates the constitution by the governors authority over an executive branch board and handing that power to another constitutional officer.

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Matt Kuhn, an attorney for Shell, argues H.B. 518, a product of the elected General Assembly, should stand.

If the (Supreme) Court sustains (Beshears) argument, it will usher in a sea (of) change not only in how appointments to statutory boards and commissions are made but also to how state government functions day to day, Kuhn wrote in his brief.

In Kentucky, there are more than 25 boards that do not have majority appointments from the governor.

State Ethics Commission

The second case before the seven-justice panel also calls into question the governors appointment authority, this time over the states Executive Branch Ethics Commission.

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Beshear filed suit in 2022, after the General Assembly passed House Bill 334, which would have eliminated the governors power to appoint all members.

Currently, the EBEC consists of five commission members, all appointed by the governor. If enacted, the law would eliminate the current membership and replace it with seven members, five of whom would be picked by the other five constitutional officers: secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, auditor and commissioner of agriculture.

Beshears attorney argues this law is also unconstitutional, calling it a power grab by the legislative branch and a dramatic shift in the longstanding statute.

If the law stands, Mayo says it would allow the General Assembly to control the executive branch by moving its power to other executive officials whenever they disagree with an executive branch action.
CANFIELD, Ohio (WJW)  Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has ordered that the flags be flown at half-staff in honor of fallen Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Nicholas P. Cayton.

DeWine ordered that flags of the United States and the State of Ohio be flown at half-staff on all public buildings and grounds throughout Mahoning County, the Ohio Statehouse, the Vern Riffe Center and the Rhodes State Office Tower.

Deeply saddened: OSHP trooper killed in Mahoning County crash

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This order will remain until sunset on the day of Trooper Caytons funeral.

According to a press release from the office of the governor, all other public buildings and grounds in the state may fly flags at half-staff at their discretion for the same time period.

Cleveland man charged with shooting US Marshals officer during standoff

Trooper Cayton was killed after being struck by a vehicle while assisting a disabled vehicle on state Route 11 in Mahoning County on Thursday morning. Click here for more details.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.




Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday appointed Brandon L. Simmons as Texas' first higher education ombudsman, charging him to lead a newly created office to investigate complaints filed against the state's colleges.

The ombudsman's office was created as part of Senate Bill 37, which was passed by the Texas Legislature earlier this year and went into effect on Sept. 1. The office will have the power to investigate complaints claiming that universities and colleges aren't following the new law or the state's ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, as well as recommend funding cuts for violators.

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SB 37 gives governor-appointed regents new authority to approve or deny the hiring of top university administrators as well as courses that they consider do not align with the state's workforce demands. Traditionally, faculty have advised university administrators on such academic matters and hiring decisions, but SB 37 also limits professors' influence on campuses.

HUNT, TEXAS - JULY 08: Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a news conference on July 08, 2025 in Hunt, Texas. Gov. Abbott announced more than 160 people still missing after deadly floods early Friday. Last week, heavy rainfall caused severe flash flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas, leaving more than 100 people reported dead, including children attending Camp Mystic. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)





Supporters say the office will bring needed accountability to higher ed institutions, while the American Association of University Professors has contended that, without due process protections, it is ripe for abuse.

According to the Legislative Budget Board's fiscal analysis of SB 37, the ombudsman's office will have five employees.

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Simmons, who served as chair of Texas Southern University's Board of Regents, said Thursday he will step down from the board. Regent James Benham will be taking over as chair.

Simmons is a distinguished professor of business at Wiley University in Marshall.

"Brandon Simmons' achievements and dedication to educate our future leaders as an entrepreneur, professor, and university chairman will help ensure Texas' higher education institutions continue to set the national standard and prepare our students to thrive," Abbott said in a press release.

Simmons' appointment requires confirmation from the Texas Senate.

This article originally published at Gov. Greg Abbott names head of new office to investigate higher ed complaints.
Governor Josh Stein announced Thursday that $6 million will be put towards reducing flood risks across the state,

These funds will help restore the French Broad River Basin after catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Helene in the western part of the state last fall. It will also go toward others projects in the river basins of Cape Fear, Neuse, Tar-Pamlico, and Lumber rivers, according to a news release.

"Last year's flooding of the French Broad River after Helene is a somber reminder of how damaging flooding can be to an area," Gov. Stein said. "We must stay prepared for future severe weather events, and this funding will help communities become more resilient and less vulnerable to flooding."

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We must stay prepared for future severe weather events.

Heavy rains from hurricane Helene caused record flooding and damage on September 28, 2024 in Asheville, North Carolina Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images via CNN Newsource

The grant funding was made possible by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Flood Resiliency Blueprint program. Projects were chosen by the department's Division of Water Resources, a news release said.

Why was the flooding in Asheville so extreme? Meteorologists explain

The remnants of Hurricane Helene were not the only factor that contributed to the severity of the flooding that struck Asheville, North Carolina.

"Recent storm events, including Hurricane Helene, have highlighted the need for continued flood resilience initiatives across North Carolina," Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Secretary Reid Wilson said. "These targeted investments will strengthen resilience and help local governments reduce the costs, extent, damage, and disruption from flooding events."

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The Blueprint continues to allocate $76 million in funding to support flood mitigation projects, according to a news release, such as water retention, floodplain restoration, or nature-based flood mitigation efforts in the Cape Fear, French Broad, Lumber, Neuse, Tar Pamlico and White Oak river basins.

WATCH: 'Hurricane Helene: One Year Later': Full Episode

A look at the storm's devastation and the resilience of the people in Western North Carolina.


SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  Louisianas primary voting process will change in 2026. In preparation, Governor Jeff Landry announced that the Louisiana Legislature will convene for a special session in late October.

The 2025 First Extraordinary Session will start at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 23, 2025.

There are no bills filed as part of the session, and its only agenda item is To legislate relative to the election code, election dates, election deadlines, and election plans for the 2026 election cycle, and to provide for the funding thereof if necessary.

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Louisiana is changing the primary voting process, are you ready?

According to the governors proclamation, the session should end no later than November 13.

In April, Louisiana voters will participate in a closed-party primary to elect new members of the U.S. Senate, U.S. Representative, La. Supreme Court Justice, and Public Service Commission Member.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
BOSTON (WWLP)  Massachusetts is cracking down on illegal drag racing and street takeovers, as these activities pose a significant risk to public safety.

Tibbits-Nutt resigns, Ts Eng tapped as interim transportation chief

On October 11 alone, police across the state issued 232 civil citations, 74 warnings, 20 criminal summons, and 7 arrests. 15 vehicles were towed, 2 vehicles were seized, and 1 stolen car was recovered.

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To continue this work, the governor is awarding $14 million in grant money to cities and towns to support traffic safety, including awards to the Amherst, Belchertown, Chicopee, Holyoke, and Springfield Police Departments, among others.

We have zero tolerance for this stuff. Zero tolerance. And as shown by this past weekends effort, well find you, well hold you accountable, said Governor Healey.

The State Police are monitoring social media, where many street takeovers are organized and advertised. Massachusetts top cop sees this first big enforcement push as a major success, but a work in progress.

The work that we are talking about today is not isolated to an eight-hour operation. These are ongoing efforts, said Colonel Geoffrey Noble.

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Since the governor held her first drag racing press conference last week and the State Police issued citations and made arrests, there have been no successful street takeovers in the Bay State.

Governor Healey continues to encourage anyone who witnesses a street takeover event in person or sees it advertised online to call 911 to report it to law enforcement.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Download the 22News Plus app on your TV to watch live-streaming newscasts and video on demand.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  More than a dozen Head Start sites across the Kansas City metro are at risk of closing next month due to the ongoing government shutdown.

According to the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), 17 Head Start locations will close on Nov. 1 if the federal government does not reopen. These sites serve nearly 2,300 children and families, and employ nearly 400 early childhood educators.

Volunteers help students cross busy street after 9-year-old girl hit, killed by van

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Our leaders in Washington owe our children, our families, and our communities better, said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who also serves on the MARC Board of Directors.

Closing early childhood care for thousands of Kansas City children and families will have devastating effects on thousands of Kansas City families, workplaces, and most importantly, kids.

Head Start is the longest-running, national school readiness program in the U.S., according to MARC. It provides federally funded learning services to qualifying families in Clay, Platte and Jackson counties.

Cutting early childhood programs through Head Start is cruel to Kansas City and American families, Lucas said. Leaders in the U.S. House should get back to work and join their Senate colleagues in resolving the budget impasse before more American kids are devastated by their inaction.

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As of Friday, Oct. 17, the U.S. government has been shut down for 17 days, leaving several federal workers without pay. It marks one of the longest funding lapses in U.S. history.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
BARTOW, Fla. (WFLA)  Governor Ron DeSantis held a news conference in Bartow on Thursday regarding traffic congestion relief projects across the state.

The governor spoke about the Moving Florida Forward initiative, particularly in advancing construction on parts of the project dealing with Interstate 4, which were not set to begin until 2037.

I am pleased to be able to announce additional I-4 expansion we are going to be able to incorporate with the Moving Florida Forward Initiative. So this is the 17 miles of the new lanes in Hillsborough County from I-75 to County Line Road, Governor DeSantis announced.

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That is going to make a big difference for folks that are travelling in that Hillsborough County section of I-4. And, so the lanes will make a difference, it will increase reliable traffic flow, and it will give people a better option to get from the Tampa area into Central Florida or vice versa.

DeSantis also spoke about the new temporary lane opened on I-4 earlier this year with the intention of alleviating areas of heavier traffic along the highway, as well as the recent announcement of the I-275 construction in Pinellas County, which would ease traffic around Tropicana Field heading into the Howard Frankland Bridge.

Additionally, the governor announced a new truck parking facility along the I-4 corridor in Polk County, as well as a groundbreaking on the nations first infrastructure for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
The Scene

Chicago is either a war zone quickly spiraling out of control, or a peaceful city under siege by an overreaching federal government. It all depends on who you ask  and which channel they watch.

This week, Ben and Max bring on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to talk about how hes navigating a communications crisis and a messaging battle against the Trump White House in the new media landscape.

They also talk about how conservative media is shaping the situation on the ground, what he thinks of California Governor Gavin Newsoms trolling approach to Trump, and whether we should bet on the Chicago Bears.

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For more from , check out ThinkwithGoogle.com.

Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani

If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Flags around Nevada will be flown at half-staff on Thursday in honor of U.S. District Court Judge Jim C. Shirley, whose death was announced by the Nevada Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Judge Shirley served in the states Eleventh Judicial District, which comprises Lander, Mineral, and Pershing Counties.

Judge Shirley was a tremendous Nevadan, and in honor of his life and legacy, all flags in Nevada will be lowered to half-staff, Lombardo said.

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Judge Shirley was a pillar of our judicial community, but more than that, he was a true gentleman and a wonderful friend to so many of us who were privileged to know him, said Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice Douglas Herndon. He deeply loved Nevada, and his wisdom, compassion, and dedication touched countless lives. He will be profoundly missed, and our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.

Shirley was born in Pioche, Nevada, and began his judicial career in 2015. The flags will be flown at half-staff until sunset.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
A Plain City man is mourning the loss of his grandfather, while his grandmother remains hospitalized from what he thinks may have been a propane explosion and fire that destroyed the couple's home in Madison County.

Around 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, neighbors in the 9000 block of Pringle Benjamin Road in Fairfield Township reported hearing a loud "boom."

George Schwartz was killed in the explosion and fire, while his wife, Betty, escaped but was hospitalized with severe burn injuries, their grandson, 33-year-old Trevor Rose, told The Dispatch. The couple is in their mid-70s, he said.

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A passerby was also injured trying to help the couple escape, Rose said.

A backhoe carefully sifts through the rubble Thursday night, Oct. 16, 2025, as authorities look for the remains of an elderly man killed in an explosion and fire that destroyed a home on Pringle Benjamin Road in Fairfield Township, Madison County. His wife managed to escape but was hospitalized with severe burns, according to their grandson.

A backhoe was still on scene Thursday night, Oct. 16, carefully clearing through debris and rubble while cadaver dogs scoured the site for George Schwartz's remains. A state fire marshal who was on scene assisting with the operations declined comment.

The Pleasant Township Fire Department responded to the blaze, which was fanned by strong winds that made it more difficult for firefighters to contain the blaze. Rose said he believes that a propane tank may have caused the explosion.

"It was like a tinderbox," said Rose, who had been at the scene of the blaze with his wife since noon. He said he was devastated at the scale of destruction of the house that his grandparents had lived in since 2009.

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According to Rose, after the explosion, his grandmother fought her way to the door of the house to escape. "I wasn't surprised that she fought to the door," said Rose, citing her tenacity.

Rose described his grandparents as well-known members of the community who were dedicated church members. His grandfather was a Navy veteran and avid outdoorsman who loved Old Western movies and had an affinity for guns, he said.

Amid his loss, Rose said the support from the community has been "amazing." He said he would continue to come to what remains of the home until his grandfather is found.

Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@dispatch.com, at ShahidMeighan on X, and at shahidthereporter.dispatch.com on Bluesky.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Madison County house explosion and fire kills one and injures two.
CARROLL COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)- A Grayson County school employee has been fired following his arrest on child pornography charges.

Austin Douglas Farmer, 25, of Hillsville, was arrested on Thursday, October 16 by the Carroll County Sheriffs on charges of possession of child exploitation material and possession of obscene material depicting sexual acts with animals.

The investigation began following a tip by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

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According to Carroll County Sheriff Kevin Kemp, the social media company Snapchat notified task force officers of Farmers alleged online activity.

Roanoke woman charged with shooting husband at store

Our investigators work tirelessly to protect children and to hold accountable anyone who engages in the exploitation or abuse of others, wrote Sheriff Kemp in an email to WFXR News. We will continue to work closely with ICAC and our technology partners to identify and stop these crimes.

Farmer was terminated from his job with Grayson County Public Schools on Friday, October 17.

According to division superintendent Kelly Wilmore, Farmer was placed on administrative leave on September 30 after school administrators were contacted by the Carroll County Sheriffs Office.

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While the two crimes allegedly occurred in 2024, Grayson County Schools had no knowledge of any alleged criminal activity or law enforcement investigation involving this employee until September 25, 2025, wrote Wilmore in a letter posted on Facebook. I personally spoke to Carroll County Sheriff Kevin Kemp this morning, who assured me that he has no information at this time to indicate that any Grayson County Public School students were involved in this individuals alleged illegal activities.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
Greek police said they had dismantled a criminal organization accused of forging identity documents and smuggling migrants to central and northern Europe.

Five suspected members of the group were arrested, while two others remain at large, the police said in a Thursday statement.

Investigators found that the group had operated two professionally equipped forgery workshops in Athens since 2024.

The suspects allegedly charged up to 8,000 ($9,350) per person for producing fake travel documents and arranging the illegal transport of migrants, according to Greek public broadcaster ERT and other media reports on Friday.

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Police seized numerous items during their raids, including counterfeit IDs, passports, residence permits and technical equipment used to make the documents. Several vehicles, cash, and data storage devices were also confiscated.

Authorities estimate the organization earned more than 120,000 from the sale of forged documents alone. Europol is assisting in analyzing the seized digital data through a mobile forensic unit.
The smell of corn, venison, and wood smoke circled the air as the Ho-Chunk Nation gathered behind the Tribal Office Building for its annual Green Corn Celebration on October 9.

The celebration featured a community potluck, cooking and craft demonstrations, social and green corn dances, and cultural presentations focused on reconnecting with ancestral food and land practices.

The green corn to me was often a dance that was held in the fall at each of our powwows, Jon Greendeer, president of the Ho-Chunk Nation, told Native News Online. I never really understood exactly where that derived from, because it wasnt simply a dance.

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Around 2015, Greendeer began researching the origins of the Green Corn ceremony through conversations with elders and members of the traditional court.

It was a little bit of a struggle at first, how you ask things and who you ask matters in Ho-Chunk country, Greendeer said. But I learned that the Green Corn was about celebrating the harvest season and the continuity of our people.

Greendeer said the ceremonys revival represents a return to pre-boarding school traditions.

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Replicating something that we had prior to the late 1800s was what Id call a quantum leap into generations before, Greendeer said. We didnt lose this tradition. We always say it went to sleep. And around 2017, it woke up.

The Green Corn ceremony has roots throughout the Indigenous South and Midwest, where many tribal nations once gathered to mark the ripening of the corn crop, one of the first foods gifted by the Creator.

The celebration encouraged community members to share traditional dishes and revisit original food practices that existed before colonization. While contemporary menus often rely on processed and convenience foods, events like this reconnect people to the nutritional value of Indigenous foods.

Traditional food practices have largely been modified into more contemporary comfort foods, Greendeer said. Weve eliminated a lot of the processing that would normally be part of traditional gathering, it took a lot of work, a lot of time. Nowadays, people dont always have the means or time to do that.

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Traditional dishes such as corn soup, venison, and squash-based meals were served, representing sustainable foods that once sustained the Ho-Chunk people for generations.

What Green Corn does is take those wonderful foods we had before, takes them out of the gravy, out of the additives, and brings us right back to our first fireplaces, Greendeer said. People are re-tasting these again, and its waking something up inside them.

Greendeer also noted that food sovereignty also depends on paying attention to natural cycles that determine when and how food should be gathered.

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When the corn is ready, its time to go do corn. When the rice is dropping, we go do rice. When the evenings drop below freezing, the maples are ready to give their sap, Greendeer said. These are our times. This is our clock.

Across the Great Lakes region, projects such as Enbridges Line 5 pipeline continue to raise concerns about water protection and the long-term health of traditional food sources.

For many tribal nations, including the Ho-Chunk, the preservation of clean water is important in preserving food sovereignty. Environmental changes and industrial activities can also have lasting effects on those systems.

When we have storms, pollution, or personal watercraft on our lakes, these things matter, Greendeer said. They affect the safety and quality of our food. Green Corn connects people not just to food, but to the entire food system.

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The celebration also reinforces intergenerational learning. Knowledge keepers shared language and traditional food preparation, while younger participants learned how to prepare, serve, and respect the ingredients used.

The Green Corn is really about showing our gratefulness for the things we still have today, Greendeer said. And one day, when our Indigeneity is challenged, which it often is, well be able to point to something like this and say, we are still Indigenous, we are still here.

About the Author: "Kaili Berg (Aleut) is a member of the Alutiiq\/Sugpiaq Nation, and a shareholder of Koniag, Inc. She is a staff reporter for Native News Online and Tribal Business News. Berg, who is based in Wisconsin, previously reported for the Ho-Chunk Nation newspaper, Hocak Worak. She went to school originally for nursing, but changed her major after finding her passion in communications at Western Technical College in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. "

Contact: kberg@indiancountrymedia.com
GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  A man was sentenced to 25 years after he pled guilty to trafficking heroin and other drugs, according to the solicitors office.

28-year-old Jalonzio Demarcus Gamble pled guilty to trafficking over 28 grams of heroin, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and resisting arrest.

Investigators said text conversations were uncovered between Gamble and an overdose victim, saying that Gamble supplied narcotics to victim prior to his death in January 8, 2022.

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On January 11 2022, investigators approached Gamble outside his home in Greenville County to confiscate his cell phone. Gamble fled on foot, and dropped a bag of heroin during the pursuit. When Gamble was apprehended, he threw another bag containing crack cocaine.

While Gamble was out on bond for the January 2022 charge, he continued selling drugs. Between March and July 2024, Gamble sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover officer.

Gamble was sentenced to 25 years at the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Oct. 16SANTA FE  Gregg Hull knows the dismal recent track record of New Mexico Republicans running for statewide office.

But the Rio Rancho mayor, who officially announced his campaign for governor this week, said he's optimistic his pragmatic approach to crime, health care, education and other topics can lead to a breakthrough in next year's race.

"I think for the majority of people in the state it's not so much about Republican or Democrat anymore, it's about can we get results," he said during an interview.

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Hull is the first Republican to officially enter the 2026 race for governor, though several other potential GOP candidates have expressed interest in the contest.

He initially planned to launch his gubernatorial campaign in June, after confirming his plans to run in April.

But Hull said he decided to delay the planned launch in order to travel the state and watch how the gubernatorial field took shape.

"I could have spent a lot of money on a kickoff campaign, or I could invest my time in actually getting around New Mexico," said Hull, who estimated he has taken part in at least 30 parades around the state over the last several months.

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He said the response from voters during his campaign swing was largely positive, while adding that many state residents were familiar with his work as Rio Rancho's mayor.

After Hull decided to move forward with his gubernatorial bid, he formally launched his campaign this week by releasing a nearly two-minute video, something he said was done in an attempt to keep his campaign as efficient as possible.

While Hull said he plans to ramp up his fundraising efforts, whoever wins the Republican Party nomination in June 2026 will likely face a well-funded Democratic opponent in next year's general election.

Democratic candidates Deb Haaland and Sam Bregman both reported hefty campaign hauls this week, with Haaland reporting more than $4 million in donations during a recent six-month reporting period and Bregman taking in nearly $2.5 million.

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But Hull said he's not daunted by the race's financial landscape or the fact that no Republican has won a statewide race in New Mexico since Judith Nakamura won election to the state Supreme Court in 2016.

"As the only declared candidate on the Republican side, we don't need a lot of cash right now, quite frankly," he said. "We've had the liberty to get out and talk with people without any opposition whatsoever."

He also said he's planning to tout his record on public safety, economic development and infrastructure issues as Rio Rancho mayor, a post he's held since 2014.

"Obviously to be a formidable opponent you're going to have to have a message of success, and we have that," Hull said.

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He also said recent New Mexico governors have embraced a "one-size-fits-all" approach, instead of working with local leaders on plans that best fit their communities.

Hull's current term as mayor runs through March's local election in Rio Rancho, and he has not decided whether he will seek another term as he also pursues his gubernatorial campaign.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY)  A group is challenging the legality of a $125 annual registry fee required by sex offenders in West Virginia.

The National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL) announced this week that it has filed a federal class-action lawsuit in the Southern District of West Virginia, claiming that the fee, which will be enforced starting in January 2026, is an unconstitutional punitive fine rather than a legitimate administrative cost.

The fee is $125 for anyone who is required to register as a sex offender in West Virginia and is expected to generate $800,000 for the state, according to a release from NARSOL. The lawsuit claims that because none of the revenue from the fee will be used costs related to the registry, it is a fine instead of a fee, and therefore, unconstitutional.

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The lawsuit asks that the amendment to W.Va. Code  15-12-2(o) be made unenforceable.

Man accused of 300 counts of sexual abuse indicted in Marion County

The WV Sex Offender Registry is a database of convicted offenders who are required to report their information to the public that is maintained by the West Virginia State Police. The registry is kept in the interest of public safety, but it does not limit an offender on where they can live. An offender who failed to register as a sex offender when they have been ordered to by a court faces a misdemeanor charge and up to a year in jail on the first offense and a felony and up to five years in prison for a repeat offense, according to West Virginia Code.

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A man has been charged with the deadly shooting at SEPTA's City Hall Station.

The shooting happened around 7:30 a.m. Friday on the northbound platform of the Broad Street Line.

A cashier reported hearing a gunshot and police said surveillance video showed commuters fleeing the station.

A 27-year-old man was killed after he was shot in the chest.

The suspect, 27-year-old Dawiz Idris Munsion, later turned himself in to authorities.

SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch said the gunman is a permitted gun owner, and surveillance video shows an altercation before the shooting.

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Busch said it's unknown if the gunman is claiming self-defense or if the suspect and victim knew each other.

Trains were bypassing the station in both directions while the investigation was underway.

"Getting on the subway, I did not know until we got to Race and Vine that we had to get off at Walnut and Locust because somebody got shot down here," said Fallyn Cummings from North Philadelphia.

Munsion has since been charged with murder and other offenses.

RELATED: Check the 6abc Neighborhood Safety Tracker


ABUJA, Nigeria (AP)  Gunmen ambushed a security personnel in Nigeria's northwestern Zamfara state and killed at least eight people, the state's governor said.

The attack took place Thursday on the Gusau-Funtua road in Zamfara states Tsafe area, and killed five police officers and three members of a local paramilitary group that works with the police, Gov. Dauda Lawal said in a statement posted on Facebook.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the killings.

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Such attacks are common in Nigerias northern region, where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. The farmers accuse the herders, mostly of Fulani origin, of grazing their livestock on their farms and destroying their produce.

In recent months, there has been an increase in attacks by armed groups who kidnap residents for ransom in northwest Nigeria, and particularly in Zamfara state.

We pray to God to bring an end to this security problem in Zamfara state and Nigeria, Lawal said on Facebook.

Buhari Morki, a resident of Gusau, told The Associated Press that the gunmen waited in the bushes along the road where law enforcement officials usually patrol.

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The bandits were moving to a community in the area when they saw the patrol, Moriki said.

Nigeria is also battling to contain Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast, where some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than 2 million displaced, according to the United Nations.
This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com.

More information has been released after a Seattle tech company said it was hit by a sophisticated cyberattack.

Hackers backed by the Chinese government are being blamed for the attack on Seattle-based F5 Inc., Bloomberg reported. Meanwhile, China publicly denied it.

Regarding such groundless accusation made without evidence, we have made clear Chinas position more than once, China Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press conference, according to Bloomberg. China always opposes and fights hacking activities in accordance with the law. And China firmly opposes spreading disinformation out of political agenda.

F5 Inc. reveals breach in regulatory filing

F5 Inc. revealed the breach in a regulatory filing on Wednesday. Representatives for the company told customers that hackers were in the network for at least a year, Bloomberg reported.

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The hackers stole files, including source code, from applications that are widely used by Fortune 500 companies and government agencies.

Federal authorities called the threat significant and urged agencies to update their F5 devices and software immediately.

F5 said it brought in top cybersecurity firms like CrowdStrike and Mandiant, and believes it has contained the threat, according to The Puget Sound Business Journal.

So far, there are no signs that the companys software supply chain was tampered with. There is also no evidence that customer data or financial systems were accessed.
Tyrone Leroy Hughey, 43, of Hagerstown, faces a life sentence plus 65 years for the 2006 killing of Denise Horsey in what had been a cold case until Salisbury police announced a breakthrough in September.

Hughey had an initial court appearance Friday in Wicomico County Circuit Court, where a bond hearing was waived because he is already serving a 45-year sentence.

According to court documents, Hughey was convicted in February 2016 of multiple offenses, including 25 years for sex abuse of a minor family member, five years for attempted second-degree rape, 10 years for two counts of attempted second-degree sex offense, and five years for third-degree sex offense.

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Hughey appeared in court with a public defender as an adviser who was not yet officially assigned to the case. The public defender apparently did not know about Hugheys prior offenses.

Wicomico Circuit Court Judge Karen Dean advised Hughey not to proceed to trial without an attorney. Obviously, that is not a good idea in most cases, Dean said.

A trial date was not set Friday, but a spokesperson for the Public Defenders Office said that should be done in the next several weeks.

Hughey faces additional maximum sentences of life for first-degree murder, 30 years for second-degree murder, 25 years for first-degree assault, and 10 years for second-degree assault.

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He was indicted on Sept. 22 by a Wicomico County grand jury in connection with Horseys death, according to Salisbury Police Chief David Meienschein. Police said Hughey was arrested in Hagerstown and continues to be held there, apart from his brief court appearance Friday.

Details about the Horsey case

The cold case had lain dormant for almost two decades.

According to police, on April 8, 2006, officers received reports of a woman yelling in an alley near the 300 block of Naylor Street. There, they found Horsey, 40, with multiple stab wounds. She was taken to a hospital and later died, police said.

Capt. Ryan Koerner had been among the first to respond to the scene almost 20 years ago, then a patrol officer with two years on the job and the second officer to arrive. He commended Horseys relatives for urging detectives to take another look at the case.

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Family members attended a news conference in September, including her daughter Alicia Taylor, sons Eric and DAngelo Carter, and nephews David and Antoine Jones.

We, the family and community, we love you, Aunt Niecy. We miss you. We never forgot you. And theres not a day goes by that we dont think about you, David Jones said at the time.

Meienschein said a renewed examination by investigators, along with support from law enforcement partners and residents, led to a major breakthrough in this case. He praised the professionalism and perseverance of those who worked tirelessly to bring this case to this point.

Our message to the citizens of Salisbury: no matter how much time passes, the dedicated men and women of this agency, both sworn and civilian, is a testament to our dedication and resolve to solving these types of crimes, Meienschein said. We will never forget our victim or their families in this case and in all that our SPD officers work on. We will always work tirelessly for you.

Have a news tip? Contact Eastern Shore bureau chief Josh Davis at jdavis@baltsun.com or on X as @JoshDavis4Shore.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pulled no punches in comments about White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt Friday morning.

Leavitt had drawn widespread outcry with an inflammatory claim Thursday that the Democratic Partys main constituency consists of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals.

Jeffries, in turn, described the press secretary as sick and out of control.

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Im not sure whether shes just demented, ignorant, a stone cold liar, or all of the above, he told reporters. But the notion that an official White House spokesperson would say that the Democratic Party consists of terrorists, violent criminals, and undocumented immigrants. This makes no sense that this is what the American people are getting from the Trump administration in the middle of a shutdown.

Jeffries: "You've got Karoline Leavitt, who's sick, she's out of control. And I'm not sure if she's just demented, ignorant, a stone cold liar, or all of the above. But the notion that an official WH spokesperson would say that the Democratic Party consists of 'terrorists, pic.twitter.com/RXqBFlsujY  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 17, 2025

Leavitts divisive statement has earned condemnations from other prominent Democrats as well.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut called it both grossly dark and politically dumb, writing on X, How do they think Americans will react to being told that anyone who doesnt support Trump is a terrorist?

Most Republicans are good people. Most Democrats are good people. The White House says outrageous things to make you hate your neighbor, said Tim Walz, the Minnesota governor and previous Democratic nominee for vice president. Your neighbor isnt the problem. The White House is.

Representative Greg Casar of Texas, a progressive Democrat, called on Leavitt to resign. They try to make us hate each other, he said, to distract from the fact that theyre robbing us all blind.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) unloaded on White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday morning, attacking her recent rantduring which she called Democrats a party for Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals.

And then you got Karoline Leavitt, whos sick, Jeffries told reporters on Day 17 of the government shutdown, which was spurred by an impasse over Affordable Care Act subsidies. Shes out of control, and Im not sure whether shes just demented, ignorant, a stone-cold liar or all of the above.

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Leavitt drew the backlash for her attack on the Democrats while a guest Thursday on Fox News after she was asked for the White Houses response to New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani not answering whether Hamas should disarm in Gaza.

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The Democrat partys main constituency is made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals; that is who the Democrat party are catering to, Leavitt said.

Not the Trump administration and not the White House and not the Republican Party, who is standing up for law-abiding Americans, not just across the country but around the world, she continued.

Her answer also drew condemnation from other Democratic leaders, who criticized the White House representatives comments as divisive.

Politics: Hakeem Jeffries Calls Out Trump On 1 'Stone-Cold Lie' About His Party

Jeffries told reporters Leavitts remark makes no sense.

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This is what the American people are getting from the Trump administration in the middle of a shutdown, Jeffries said. So their actions continue to speak for themselves, which is why theyre on the wrong side of public sentiment.

Leavitt fired back at Jeffries and doubled down in her remarks, telling Fox News Digital that he and the Democrats are lashing out because they know what I said is true.

Democrats do NOT serve the interests of the American people. Hakeem Jeffries is an America Last, stone-cold loser. Now open up the government and stop simping to try to get your radical left-wing base to like you, Leavitt told the outlet.

News: LendingTree CEO Doug Lebda Dies In Tragic Accident On Family Farm

Jeffries criticism of the White House representatives wild address followed soon after she sent HuffPost a bizarre response when asked a simple question about President Donald Trumps meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary.

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Leavitts response to when HuffPost asked who picked Budapest? was Your mom did.

Related...

Read the original on HuffPost
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now)  A quiet night turned into a nightmare for one Alexandria family after three people dressed in disturbing Halloween costumes showed up at their door and threatened them.

The terrifying encounter, caught on the familys Ring doorbell camera Tuesday night, shows the masked suspects pounding on the front door and making menacing gestures before trying to break in.

Theres no other way to address it other than saying that its not acceptable. Its terrifying, said Shayla, the homeowner, who did not want to appear on camera.

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She said the ordeal left her and her mother shaken. My heart dropped. My momwas in shock, she said.

No Kings protestors coming to the DMV

The suspects also damaged the familys back fence while trying to get inside.

Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire said investigators are taking the incident very seriously.

This is a very serious matter, Walker said. Historically, we have seen pranks around the nation as it relates to people wearing masks trying to mimic movie scenes or horrific films. These are serious matters because, number one, they are frightening to people in the community  especially leading up to Halloween  and most importantly, can result in serious injury.

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Police are now reviewing nearby surveillance footage in hopes of identifying the suspects before they strike again.

There wont be a next time, Shayla said. Because that was terrifying.

Alexandria Police are urging anyone with information about the suspects to contact them immediately. The family hopes that by sharing their story, others will stay alert and that those responsible will be caught before anyone is hurt.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live.
(Reuters) -Hamas said on Friday it would transfer the body of another hostage to the Red Cross, with Israel confirming the handover would occur just after midnight on Saturday amid a dispute over delays in the return of remains under their ceasefire deal.

Israel says it has received nine of 28 bodies held in Gaza, and Hamas, citing technical problems, said it needed heavy machinery and excavating equipment to speed up the process of locating bodies buried under rubble.

Israel, insisting Hamas knows the whereabouts of the hostages' bodies, had said the group was running out of time.

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Hamas has said it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement and to handing over the bodies of all remaining hostages.

In a statement on Friday, Hamas' armed wing said a new body had been recovered and would be released at 2300 local time. An Israeli security source said the handover to the Red Cross was scheduled for 0030 in Israel (2130 GMT).

The issue has cast a shadow over the ceasefire agreement  the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to end the war.

Earlier on Friday, Hamas called on mediators to push for the next steps under the ceasefire, including reopening the border, letting in aid, beginning reconstruction, setting up an administration and completing Israel's withdrawal.

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Fighting has largely stopped in Gaza under Trump's plan, endorsed by mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. The 20 living hostages taken with others in an October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel, were returned from Gaza earlier this week.

Israel said on Thursday it was preparing for the reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt to allow Palestinians to move in and out, but gave no date as it traded blame with Hamas over violations of the ceasefire.

Other unresolved elements of the plan include the disarmament of militants and Gaza's future governance.

(Reporting by Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Ahmed Elimam and Tala RamadanWriting by Ahmed Elimam and Hatem MaherEditing by Peter Graff and Howard Goller)
(Reuters) -Hamas said on Friday it would transfer the body of another hostage to the Red Cross, with Israel confirming the handover would occur just after midnight on Saturday amid a dispute over delays in the return of remains under their ceasefire deal.

Israel says it has received nine of 28 bodies held in Gaza, and Hamas, citing technical problems, said it needed heavy machinery and excavating equipment to speed up the process of locating bodies buried under rubble.

Israel, insisting Hamas knows the whereabouts of the hostages' bodies, had said the group was running out of time.

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Hamas has said it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement and to handing over the bodies of all remaining hostages.

In a statement on Friday, Hamas' armed wing said a new body had been recovered and would be released at 2300 local time. An Israeli security source said the handover to the Red Cross was scheduled for 0030 in Israel (2130 GMT).

The issue has cast a shadow over the ceasefire agreement  the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to end the war.

At a news conference in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Israel's statements were worrying. "Will Israel use Hamas' incapability to locate bodies left under rubble ... as an excuse and break the ceasefire? There is concern in the international community over this," he said.

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Earlier on Friday, Hamas called on mediators to push for the next steps under the ceasefire, including reopening the border, letting in aid, beginning reconstruction, setting up an administration and completing Israel's withdrawal.

Fighting has largely stopped in Gaza under Trump's plan, endorsed by mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. The 20 living hostages taken with others in an October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel, were returned from Gaza earlier this week.

Israel said on Thursday it was preparing for the reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt to allow Palestinians to move in and out, but gave no date as it traded blame with Hamas over violations of the ceasefire.

Other unresolved elements of the plan include the disarmament of militants and Gaza's future governance.

(Reporting by Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Ahmed Elimam and Tala Ramadan; Additional reporting by Tuvan Gumruckcu in Ankara; Writing by Ahmed Elimam and Hatem MaherEditing by Peter Graff and Howard Goller)
(Reuters) -Hamas said on Friday it would transfer the body of another hostage to the Red Cross, with Israel confirming the handover would occur just after midnight on Saturday amid a dispute over delays in the return of remains under their ceasefire deal.

Israel says it has received nine of 28 bodies held in Gaza, and Hamas, citing technical problems, said it needed heavy machinery and excavating equipment to speed up the process of locating bodies buried under rubble.

Israel, insisting Hamas knows the whereabouts of the hostages' bodies, had said the group was running out of time.

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Hamas has said it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement and to handing over the bodies of all remaining hostages.

In a statement on Friday, Hamas' armed wing said a new body had been recovered and would be released at 2300 local time. An Israeli security source said the handover to the Red Cross was scheduled for 0030 in Israel (2130 GMT).

The issue has cast a shadow over the ceasefire agreement  the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to end the war.

At a news conference in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Israel's statements were worrying. "Will Israel use Hamas' incapability to locate bodies left under rubble ... as an excuse and break the ceasefire? There is concern in the international community over this," he said.

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Earlier on Friday, Hamas called on mediators to push for the next steps under the ceasefire, including reopening the border, letting in aid, beginning reconstruction, setting up an administration and completing Israel's withdrawal.

Fighting has largely stopped in Gaza under Trump's plan, endorsed by mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. However, Gaza's Civil Defence Service said on Friday that 11 people were killed when Israeli troops opened fire on a vehicle southeast of Gaza City, including seven children and three women. The Israeli military did not comment on the incident.

The 20 living hostages taken with others in an October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel were returned from Gaza earlier this week.

Israel said on Thursday it was preparing for the reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt to allow Palestinians to move in and out, but gave no date as it traded blame with Hamas over violations of the ceasefire.

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Other unresolved elements of the plan include the disarmament of militants and Gaza's future governance.

(Reporting by Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Ahmed Elimam and Tala Ramadan; Additional reporting by Tuvan Gumruckcu in Ankara; Writing by Ahmed Elimam and Hatem MaherEditing by Howard Goller and Cynthia Osterman)
Hamas has handed over the remains of an additional captive it recovered in the ravaged Gaza Strip, as the Palestinian group urges mediators and the international community to pressure Israel to open border crossings and allow aid in.

The armed wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, said in a statement on Friday that its fighters handed over the remains at 11pm local time (20:00 GMT), without elaborating on where the body was retrieved.

According to the group, the remains were pulled out earlier in the day and were those of an occupation prisoner, suggesting they belonged to an Israeli rather than one of the captives of several other nationalities also taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office confirmed a short while later that Israel had received the coffin of a captive after it was handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas in Gaza.

The coffin will be transferred to Israels Ministry of Healths National Center for Forensic Medicine, where a formal identification process will be conducted before the family is informed.

The Israeli military requested that the public act with sensitivity and wait for the official identification. It also added that Hamas is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the deceased hostages.

Hamas has said its committed to the terms of the United States-mediated ceasefire deal, including the handover of captive bodies still unaccounted for under Gazas ruins. It has repeatedly said it has returned all the bodies it was able to recover, but needs help locating remaining captives trapped under the rubble following Israeli strikes.

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There are still 18 bodies held inside Gaza, said Al Jazeeras Hamda Salhut, reporting from Amman on Friday. Hamas says that theyre waiting for the assistance they need in the help in the form of heavy machinery and teams on the ground.





Israel is not cooperating

Former Israeli ambassador Alon Liel said the return of the bodies of the dead captives is being treated very emotionally in the country, creating pressure on the government.

He said many Israelis believed that Hamas was cheating on the ceasefire agreement by not returning all the bodies of the deceased captives. There is a lot of anger, Liel said.

In a statement earlier on Friday, Hamas said some captives remains were in tunnels or buildings that were later destroyed by Israel, and that heavy machinery was required to dig through rubble to retrieve them. It blamed Israel for the delay, saying it had not allowed any new bulldozers into the Gaza Strip.

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Most heavy equipment in Gaza was destroyed during the war, leaving only a limited number as Palestinians try to clear massive amounts of rubble across the bombarded territory.

Al Jazeeras Nour Odeh, reporting from Amman, said Israel is not cooperating with countries that are lending help to possibly look for those remains.

Turkiye, for example, was ready to send 81 experts in the retrieval of bodies, and Israel has not allowed it to enter. It has also not allowed it to provide equipment that could possibly facilitate that, Odeh said.

On Friday, two bulldozers ploughed up pits in the earth as Hamas searched for captives remains in Hamad City, a complex of apartment towers in Khan Younis. Israeli forces repeatedly bombarded the towers during the war, toppling some, and troops conducted a weeklong raid there in March 2024.

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US President Donald Trump has warned Hamas that he would greenlight Israel to resume the war on Gaza if the group does not live up to its end of the deal and return all captives bodies, totalling 28. So far in the past days, Hamas handed over the remains of nine captives, along with a 10th body that Israel claims was not that of a captive.

The return of the 10th dead captive on Friday comes as Gazas civil defence said more than 10,000 slain Palestinians remain trapped under debris and rubble across the enclave. Only 280 have so far been retrieved.

Hamas has urged mediators to ensure the increased flow of essential aid into Gaza, expedite the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and start reconstruction. Despite the ceasefire deal agreed last week, Israel has yet to allow the entry of aid in scale and is still operating in about half of the Gaza Strip, as attacks continue in some areas.
The U.S. Navy has submitted its report on the potential punishments for Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) over a recent video where he and other Democratic lawmakers told U.S. service members to disobey illegal orders. The report, which was ordered by the Defense Department and referred to the Navy, was sent to the Pentagons Office of
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP)  Israel received the remains of another hostage from Gaza on Friday, the prime ministers office said, a handover from Hamas as the militant group worked to shore up a ceasefire by using bulldozers in a search for bodies under the rubble in the war-scarred enclave.

The Israeli military and security forces received the coffin from the International Committee of the Red Cross inside the Gaza Strip, and it was to be sent to the Ministry of Healths National Center for Forensic Medicine in Israel.

Israeli authorities said the family of the deceased would be notified first after a formal identification process.

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The handover came after Hamas military wing, known as the Qassam Brigades, said the remains were that of an occupation prisoner, suggesting that they belonged to an Israeli rather than one of the hostages of several other nationalities also taken in Gaza.

The handover of hostages remains, called for under the ceasefire agreement, has been among the key sticking points  along with aid deliveries, the opening of border crossings into Gaza and hopes for reconstruction  in a process backed by much of the international community to help end two years of devastating war in Gaza.

A warning from Trump

Hamas has said it is committed to the terms of the ceasefire deal, including the handover of bodies. This week, Hamas has handed over to Israel the remains of nine hostages, along with a 10th body that Israel said wasnt that of a hostage.

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The effort to find bodies followed a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump that he would green-light Israel to resume the war if Hamas doesnt live up to its end of the deal and return all hostages bodies, totaling 28.

The Israeli military and Shin Bet security service, which received the remains, insisted that Hamas is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the deceased hostages.

Hamas has said some hostages remains were in tunnels or buildings that were destroyed by Israel, and insisted heavy machinery is required to dig through rubble to retrieve them. The group blamed Israel for the delay, saying it had not allowed any new bulldozers into Gaza.

Most heavy equipment in the territory was destroyed during the war triggered by the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in Israel, leaving only a limited amount as Palestinians try to clear massive amounts of rubble across Gaza.

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On Friday, two bulldozers plowed up pits in the earth as Hamas searched for hostages' remains in Hamad City, a complex of apartment towers in the city of Khan Younis. Israeli forces repeatedly bombarded the towers during the war, toppling some, and troops conducted a weeklong raid there in March 2024, fighting militants.

While much focus has been on the handover of hostages' remains, Hamas has urged mediators to increase the flow of aid into Gaza, expedite the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and start reconstruction.

It also said work should start immediately to set up a committee of Palestinian independents who will run Gaza and called for Israeli troops to continue pulling back from agreed-upon areas.

The ceasefire plan introduced by Trump had called for all hostages  living and dead  to be handed over by a deadline that expired Monday. But under the deal, if that didnt happen, Hamas was to share information about deceased hostages and try to hand them over as soon as possible.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel will not compromise and demanded that Hamas fulfill the requirements laid out in the ceasefire deal about the return of hostages bodies.

Obstacles to retrieving bodies

Hamas has assured the U.S. through intermediaries that it's working to return dead hostages. The retrieval of bodies is hampered by the scope of the devastation and the presence of dangerous, unexploded ordnance. The militant group has also told mediators that some bodies are in areas controlled by Israeli troops.

Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages on Monday. In exchange, Israel freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

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In Israel, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum  which groups many families of hostages  said they will continue holding weekly rallies until all remains are returned.

Israel has also returned to Gaza the bodies of 90 Palestinians for burial. Israel is expected to turn over more bodies, though officials have not said how many are in its custody or how many will be returned.

A Palestinian forensics team examining the remains said some of the bodies showed signs of mistreatment.

Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government in the territory. Thousands more people are missing, according to the Red Cross.

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France says international force for Gaza is in the pipeline

France said it's working with Britain and the U.S. to propose a U.N. resolution in coming days that would provide a framework for an international force for Gaza.

French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said Thursday that Arab countries want a U.N. mandate for the force.

Arab countries are expected to be among those contributing troops to the force, which will oversee Egyptian-trained Palestinian police.

New insights into U.S. response to Israels strike in Qatar

Also on Friday, new details emerged about the Trump administrations initial surprise about -- and subsequent response to -- an Israeli strike last month on the headquarters of Hamas political leadership in Qatar. The attack came just as its top figures gathered to consider a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.

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In excerpts of an interview with CBS program 60 Minutes to be aired in full on Sunday, Trumps Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said he and Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law, felt a little bit betrayed by Israels attack.

Kushner said he thought Trump felt like the Israelis were getting a little bit out of control in what they were doing, and that it was time to, it was time to be very strong and stop them from doing things that he felt were not in their long-term interests.

Weeks later, hosting Netanyahu at the White House, the president announced the initial contours of the planned ceasefire agreement.

Wait for a large infusion of aid into Gaza goes on

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Meanwhile, in Gaza, the flow of aid remains constrained because of continued closures of crossings and restrictions on aid groups.

United Nations data on Friday showed 339 trucks have been offloaded for distribution in Gaza since the ceasefire began a week ago. Under the agreement, some 600 humanitarian aid trucks would be allowed to enter each day.

COGAT, the Israeli defense body overseeing aid in Gaza, reported 950 trucks  including commercial trucks and bilateral deliveries  crossing on Thursday and 716 on Wednesday, the U.N. said

Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian aid chief, visited a World Food Program bakery in Deir al-Balah on Friday, and said in a social media post that U.N. humanitarian teams were executing a 60-day plan to massively ramp up aid. He warned that the challenges ahead are immense," and urged the opening of more crossings to allow more aid in

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Since last Saturday, WFP has sent more than 280 trucks, weighing some 3,000 metric tons, into Gaza to support bakeries, nutrition programs and general food distributions, the U.N. food aid agency said.

Nahed Sheheiber, the head of Gazas private truckers union, which organizes pickups of aid after Israeli inspection, says improved security in Gaza has helped prevent looting or gangs intercepting aid convoys  even if there has been no significant increase of supplies arriving since the ceasefire. He said only 70 trucks went in Thursday.

Gaza's more than 2 million people are hoping the ceasefire will bring relief from the humanitarian disaster caused by Israel's campaign. Throughout the war, Israel restricted aid entry to Gaza  sometimes halting it altogether.

Famine was declared in Gaza City, and the U.N. says it has verified more than 400 people who died of malnutrition-related causes, including more than 100 children.

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Israel says it let in enough food, accusing Hamas of stealing much of it. The U.N. and other aid agencies deny the claim.

___

Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations; Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.
Hamas claims the return of Israeli hostages remains will take time, saying some are buried in destroyed tunnels and others under bombed buildings.

Hamas claimed on Thursday that the return of Israeli hostages' remains may take time, as some were buried in tunnels destroyed by Israel, and others remain under the rubble of buildings that Israel bombed and destroyed, adding that the group remained committed to the Gaza agreement and keen to hand over all the remains of all hostages held in Gaza.

The retrieval of the remaining hostages required equipment to remove rubble, which was currently unavailable due to Israels ban on entry of such tools, Hamas added.

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Israel will continue refusing to allow a Turkish delegation of 81 rescue personnel and heavy equipment to enter the Gaza Strip until Hamas returns all the remains of deceased hostages that it can, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.

Hamas terrorists and Gazan civilians congregate in Jabalya, northern Gaza Strip. January 30, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM)

'Group of hostages bodies that Hamas can return right now'

There is a group of hostages remains that Hamas can return right now [and] another group they know the location of, but they need equipment and assistance to retrieve them, another source said. And there are some bodies they genuinely do not know where they are.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Thursday: We know for certain that Hamas can easily release a significant number of hostages in accordance with the agreement. What they are doing now is a fundamental violation of that agreement.

Amichai Stein contributed to this article.
VESTAL, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  Thursday was the national day of mourning for the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, which was one of the worst days in Israels history. Binghamton University Students held a vigil ceremony Thursday night where a survivor of the attacks at the NOVA Festival spoke to the community.

Atir Vinnikov shared his story from being at the Israeli music festival as the rockets hit. He says security turned off the music and told everyone they were under attack and the party was over.

Vinnikov told the audience about how he ran to safety and survived.

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Jewish Student Leader Eytan Saenger says Vinnikovs story was inspiring.

Their lives were taken from us as they were joyfully celebrating together. They were busy dancing, you know, celebrating life. And yet the opposite occurred, death. But as we hear from him, he has continued to move on, he has continued to inspire others with his story. And thats what were trying to do, were trying to remember those lives, get inspired from them, get inspiration to move forward because that is what we do. We move forward even amidst the tragedy, said Saenger.

The ceremony involved a candlelighting to honor victims of the attacks. One of them being Omer Neutra, who was planning to attend Binghamton University but was killed, and his body is still held in captivity by Hamas.

While the anniversary of October 7 fell on a Jewish holiday, students and other community members were able to come together last night to commemorate the tragedy.

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(Reuters) -Hamas called on mediators on Friday to push for the next steps under the ceasefire in Gaza, including reopening the border, letting in aid, beginning reconstruction, setting up an administration and completing Israel's withdrawal.

Fighting has largely stopped in Gaza under U.S. President Donald Trump's plan, endorsed by mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. But further steps have been held up in part by Israeli accusations that the militants were too slow in handing over bodies of dead hostages.

Israel said on Thursday it was preparing for the reopening of Gazas Rafah crossing with Egypt to allow Palestinians to move in and out, but gave no date as it traded blame with Hamas over violations of the ceasefire.

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Other unresolved elements of the plan include the disarmament of militants and Gazas future governance.

Hamas said it remained committed to the ceasefire agreement and to handing over the bodies of all remaining hostages, but that this process may take time.

(Reporting by Ahmed Elimam and Tala RamadanWriting by Ahmed ElimamEditing by Peter Graff)
The Palestinian terror group said in a statement that there was a need to complete the formation of a community support committee which should begin its work in administering the Gaza Strip.

Hamas called on mediators on Friday to follow up on the implementation of the remaining provisions of a US-brokered ceasefire agreement with Israel, which ended two years of war in Gaza.

The Palestinian terror group said in a statement that there was a need to complete the formation of a community support committee, which should begin its work in administering the Gaza Strip.

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Hamas's demand comes as the group continues to delay the return of hostage remains to Israel, a condition of the first phase of the ceasefire deal. Officials from the group have told mediators that the group had lost the remains; however, an Israeli official previously told The Jerusalem Post that Hamas knows the location of at least some of the remaining hostages.

Negotiations for the second phase of the plan have been put on hold until Hamas returns the remains.

Contrary to reports published in The Wall Street Journal, negotiations on phase B have not yet started, the officials told the Post. Professional teams are currently in Egypt discussing methods for locating the bodies of the kidnapped fallen.

Red Cross vehicles transport the bodies of deceased hostages who had been held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, after they were handed over by Hamas militants as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City, October 14, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/DAWOUD ABU ALKAS)

Hamas grips power in the Gaza Strip

Hamas's executions against those it accused of collaborating with Israel have also led experts and Middle East analysts to believe the terror group may not be willing to give up power in the Strip, another term of the agreement.

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Greatly weakened by the IDF during the war, Hamas has gradually sent members back into the streets of Gaza since the ceasefire began on Friday, moving cautiously in case it suddenly collapses, according to two security sources in the territory.

Trump stated that "if Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them," in a post on Truth Social on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Trump told CNN that he would consider allowing Israeli forces to resume fighting in Gaza if Hamas fails to uphold its end of the ceasefire deal.

"Israel will return to those streets as soon as I say the word. If Israel could go in and knock the crap of them, theyd do that," Trump was quoted as saying to CNN in a brief telephone call when asked what would happen if Hamas refused to disarm.

Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
Hampton Planning Commission recommends City Council to revoke use permit for local lounge

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY)  The future of a popular Hampton restaurant and lounge is in the air after the citys Planning Commission voted Thursday to recommend that City Council revoke the facilitys use permit following several violent incidents.

Hampton Police and city officials cited a lack of security and crowd management among other issues Chances Restaurant and Lounge has been doing dealing with.

Its unfortunate that we have to do this, but I do think its necessary, Hampton Planning Commission Chair Michael A. Harris said.

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A Hampton Police officer shared during a presentation that there has been public concern brought on by the fights and firearm related offenses.

That Hampton officer laid out several instances of violence happening outside of Chances in a presentation, even playing a video of the moments gun shots rang out in front of the facility during a recent shooting. The officer also noted the increasing police presence the business calls for, which pulls police manpower from other parts of the city.

Extraordinary efforts for a business that hasnt really changed its mode of operation since October of 2024 and hasnt shown signs that theyll be doing that in a meaningful way to protect their own patrons, Hampton Police said.

Man dies following shooting at Chances Restaurant and Lounge in Hampton

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The most severe of the violent incidents happened in May when a man was shot and killed near the property. That homicide is still under investigation.

Since then, the business liquor license has been revoked  the business confirmed that in an Instagram post. In the post, the business said in part, Family, we want to be transparent with you. Due to incidents that happened outside of our doors involving the behavior of some individuals after leaving Chances, ABC has made the decision to revoke our liquor license.

The offenses are why officials are calling for Chances use permit to revoked. The use permit is the permit the business needs to operate, and city officials want it revoked due to the mounting permit conditions violations.

Its become a safety issue, Harris said.

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Ultimately, the Planning Commission voted to recommend the revocation. The matter will now go before City Council.

The restaurant owner was not at Thursdays hearing, and 10 On Your Side contacted a phone number and address that was found for the owner, but neither pointed to the actual owner.

10 On Your Side also reached out to the business Instagram account for comment, but have not heard back. A visit to the restaurant also led to more questions, as mail was piled up and a failure to pay taxes notice was on the door.

I think its important to talk to them face-to-face to get their point of view because there may be some underlying things that we havent seen or heard of, and we didnt get that clarity today, so thats unfortunate Harris said.

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Hampton City Council will discuss, and possibly vote on, the revocation decision at its upcoming council meeting Oct. 22.

For a full look at the presentation, click here.

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BEIRUT (AP)  A Lebanese judge on Friday ordered the release of the son of Libyas late leader Moammar Gadhafi on condition that he pay $11 million bail.

Hannibal Gadhafi has been imprisoned in Lebanon for a decade without being charged.

The expected release comes after his lawyers have said that he had been ill in his cell at police headquarters in Beirut. Libya in 2023 formally requested his release, citing his deteriorating health after he went on hunger strike to protest his detention without trial.

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On Friday, judicial officials said he was taken to the Justice Palace in Beirut, where Judge Zaher Hamadeh questioned him and later ordered his release once the money is paid. Another condition for his release, however, is that he be banned from traveling outside Lebanon for two months.

After the session was over, Gadhafi was taken back to the cell.

Judicial officials in Beirut said Gadhafi's defense team has filed a case against the Lebanese state in Geneva over holding him without trial, adding that the case is expected to be discussed in Switzerland next month.

One of Gadhafi's lawyers, Charbel Milad al-Khoury, told The Associated Press that Gadhafi does not have the money and does not have access to accounts in order to pay the bail. Al-Khoury added that Hannibal Gadhafi's defense team plan to lodge an appeal on Monday over the $11 million bail and ask that it be abolished.

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This decision is almost impossible to be met, al-Khoury said about the bail. Hannibal has been held for 10 years and it is not logical to release him for $11 million bail.

Gadhafi has been detained in Lebanon since 2015 after he was abducted by Lebanese militants demanding information on the whereabouts of a prominent Lebanese Shiite cleric. Lebanese police later announced it had picked up Gadhafi from the city of Baalbek, in northeastern Lebanon, where he was being held. He has since been held in a Beirut jail.

Gadhafi had been living in exile in Syria with his Lebanese wife, Aline Skaf, and children until he was abducted and brought to Lebanon.

He has faced questioning over the past years over the 1978 disappearance of Shiite cleric, Moussa al-Sadr, during a visit to Libya.

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The case has been a long-standing sore point in Lebanon. The clerics family believes he may still be alive in a Libyan prison, though most Lebanese presume he is dead. He would be 96 years old.

Al-Sadr was the founder of a Shiite political and military group that took part in the long Lebanese civil war that began in 1975, largely pitting Muslims against Christians.

Asked on Friday, about al-Sadr, Gadhafi responded "I Don't know and I don't remember, according to four judicial officials who attended the session. They spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Moammar Gadhafi was killed by opposition fighters during Libyas 2011 uprising-turned-civil war, ending his four-decade rule of the North African country.

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Hannibal Gadhafi, who was born nearly three years before al-Sadr disappeared, fled to Algeria after his father was toppled and Tripoli fell to opposition fighters, along with his mother and several other relatives. He later moved to Syria where he was given political asylum and stayed there until he was abducted.

Moammar Gadhafi had eight children from two marriages. Most of them had significant roles in his government. His son Muatassim was killed at the same time as Gadhafi Snr was captured and slain. Two other sons, Seif al-Arab and Khamis, were killed in the uprising.

Seif al-Islam, the one-time heir apparent to his father, has been in Libya since his release from detention there in 2017. Gadhafis son Mohammed and daughter Aisha live in Oman. Al-Saadi, a former soccer player, was released from prison in Libya in 2021 after being jailed following repatriation from Niger in 2014, and is believed to be living in Turkey.
The technology of war never stands still, and each conflict provides hard-won lessons in where the current generation of weaponry worked  and where it didn't. One of the main lessons being learned in the ongoing war in Ukraine is the susceptibility of current smart weapons to the effects of GPS-jamming and other electronic jamming. In the case of one weapon, the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb, it's been reported that the weapon performed so badly that the Ukrainians rarely use it.

This vulnerability has seen Hanwha Aerospace join forces with BAE Systems. Hanwha, a South Korean company, is to integrate BAE Systems' next-generation, anti-jamming GPS technology into its Deep Strike Capability weapons system. The Deep Strike Capability system is a versatile system capable of launching a range of missiles depending on mission requirements. It also has the capability to work in single or dual-launcher configurations.

The partnership with BAE is expected to enhance the weapon's precision and reliability, even when operating in highly contested "electronic environments." The system is also being engineered to ensure it meets NATO's interoperability requirements. From a military perspective, this ensures that the system integrates seamlessly with Western command and control networks.

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It's also a move that's intended to make the weapon more appealing to European and other allied nations. Poland has already purchased over 200 Homar-K variants of the weapon and has signed an agreement with Hanwha to manufacture missiles in Poland. Let's have a closer look at the missile system and the upgrade making it "NATO-friendly."

Read more: 11 Of The Most Iconic Ground Attack Military Planes In History

Inside the anti-jamming GPS upgrade

Hanwha weapon on display at an arms fair - John Keeble/Getty Images

The partnership between Hanwha and BAE aims to add the British company's next-generation anti-jamming GPS technology to the weapons platform. The BAE system is designed to keep guided weapons on course even through a "blizzard" of electronic warfare interference. As the ongoing Ukrainian war proves, such technology is critical if precision-guided weapons are to remain just that  precise. In some instances, the use of electronic warfare measures has reduced the accuracy of weapons from an expected 20 meters to over a kilometer.

BAE's advanced countermeasures aim to cut through the "chaff" and maintain accuracy even in areas that are considered highly contested, at least in an electronic warfare sense. The Integrated GPS anti-jam system (IGAS) uses a "12-beam steering" system that allows it to simultaneously apply its anti-jamming technology across all satellite connections. It's also a compact device that weighs in at a maximum of two pounds. Of course, IGAS also needs to be robust enough to withstand the rigors of rocket launches and high-G conditions. To this end, IGAS is designed to withstand forces of up to 150 g and operate in a temperature range of -65.2 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

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The current 24-channel system is an evolution of BAE's 12-channel NavStrike and Joint Direct Attack Munitions receivers. Ultimately, the goal of the project is to allow precision weapons to reclaim that 20-meter accuracy and maintain consistent, reliable, and accurate targeting performance even in GPS-denied or heavily contested combat zones.

Boosting NATO interoperability

Missile streaking across the sky - Olena Bartienieva/Getty Images

By opting for the BAE IGAS system, Hanwha has ensured that the weapon can operate as part of NATO's increasingly networked battlefield systems. However, NATO's interoperability doctrine goes beyond military hardware and includes such basic factors as allies being able to work together, share resources, and adapt common procedures. In hardware terms, NATO defines interoperability not as the use of common weapons, but as systems that, "share common facilities and are able to interact, connect and communicate, exchange data and services with other equipment."

In practical terms, this means that Hanwha's Deep Strike Capability aims to be a NATO "plug and play" weapon. It can be deployed alongside existing NATO assets and integrate seamlessly with shared command and control assets. Speaking about the integration of the system into the weapons package, Billy Boo-hwan Lee, head of Precision Guided Munitions at Hanwha, said, "The purpose of this cooperation with BAE Systems is to secure advanced electronic warfare protection technology to protect our guided weapon systems."

The growing importance of such devices is also ably demonstrated by the US Army's decision to retrofit anti-GPS jammers in its artillery systems and the increasing use of fiber-optic drones immune to electronic jamming. Both of which are demonstrations of how real combat situations shape the evolution of weapons systems.

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Ultimately, with NATO interoperability, it's also representative of the move to an increasingly connected battlefield.

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KANSAS (KSNT)  The Food for Peace program was a part of U.S. Agency for International Development, but after the agency was cut from the federal budget, the programs future had been uncertain.

Kansas farmers have struggled amid President Donald Trumps trade war with China, but hope remains the administration could use the Foreign Food Assistance Program PL-480, or Food for Peace, to generate more demand for U.S. agriculture. The program allows the federal government to buy agricultural products like corn, soy and sorghum from farmers across the country for donation to countries in need.

Trade war threatens Kansas soy industry, despite record yields

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At the time of the cuts, it was though that the program was absorbed into the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but Kansas Senator Jerry Moran sheds some light onto what exactly happened.

Moran said the U.S. Department of State has absorbed the authorities for the Food for Peace program, but the USDA remains a partner in the implementation of it. In February, the senator joined Senators John Hoeven (North Dakota) and Roger Marshall (Kansas) in introducing legislation that transfers the duties, assets and liabilities relating to Food for Peace to the secretary of Agriculture to streamline the programs operations and reduce waste.

For more than 70 years, Food for Peace has served as a tool to feed the hungry around the world using American-grown commodities, Moran said. At a time when commodity prices remain low, it is imperative that farmers have all available markets open to them. I am working with this administration to ensure Food for Peace can continue to operate efficiently and successfully.

Kansas farmers look away from China

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Although there has been no improvement in the trade war with China, the PL-480 still exists as a way to bail out farmers, and theres plenty of support from Kansans to sell their grain as soon as possible.

We would like to see Food for Peace this year, said Andy Hineman, a fifth generation farmer based in Lane County in September. Its great when Kansas commodities get sent to people in need. Diplomatically its great when people in need get bags of crops with our flags on them, and it takes bushels from Kansas farmers and gets them paid.

As farmers wrap up their harvest season, theyre already looking at what to plant for 2026. Prices drive decisions, and if there is no hope in sight, then Kansas farmers may be forced to make some tough decisions.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

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LIMA  A Harrod man was sentenced to a minimum of 19 years with a maximum of 22 1/2 years in prison on Thursday for drug trafficking.

Mark Ruvoldt, 33, of Harrod, received six years minimum with a maximum of nine years on the first three counts and seven years minimum with a maximum of 10 1/2 for the fourth count.

Allen County Common Pleas Court Judge Terri Kohlrieser set counts one and three as concurrent and counts two and four as consecutive.

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Before being sentenced, Ruvoldt made a plea to the court.

I want to apologize to the court, my family and the community, Ruvoldt said. I take full accountability for actions, and I am personally committed to making a change in my life.

Ruvoldt also had letters of support read by his father and sister, as well as statements made in court by his uncle, his girlfriend and a family friend.

According to court documents, the charges stem from allegations Ruvoldt sold methamphetamine between Jan. 25 and March 31, 2024, to a confidential informant. Jurors in the trial of Ruvoldts co-defendant, Shawn Metzger, heard lead investigator Derek Dennis describe how task force members recruited confidential informants who orchestrated the sale of suspected methamphetamine from Metzger and co-defendants Paige Snider and Ruvoldt at gas stations near Interstate 75 on Feb. 22, 2024.

During Metzgers trial, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Cecily Stewart likened the alleged enterprise of Metzger and his co-defendants to a McDonalds restaurant. Metzger sat atop the enterprise like a manager, with co-defendants Ruvoldt and Snider acting as shift leaders and the confidential informants as fry cooks, Stewart said.
DENVER (KDVR)  Airports across the nation continue to react to a video the Department of Homeland Security is asking them to play. Many airports have decided not to play it for various reasons; some worried it violates a law.

Airports, including Denver International and Colorado Springs, say they will not play the video.

While they each cited their own reasons, other airports are pointing squarely at a longtime law; the Hatch Act.

This is completely unacceptable: Rep. Lauren Boebert lashes out at DIA over TSA video

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The 30-second video has Americans talking and airports making decisions. In it, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blames Democrats in Congress for delays travelers may be experiencing at the airport.

It is TSAs top priority to make sure you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe. However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, Noem said at the beginning of the video. We will continue to do all we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel. And our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government, Noem said.

While Denver International Airport told Fox31 they will not be displaying the video because their monitors can only display flight information and cannot play video or audio, Colorado Springs Airport said they are not playing the video because airport policy prohibits it.

As a publicly operated facility, the Airport adheres to policies that prohibit the display of materials that could be interpreted as political or partisan in nature. In accordance with our Advertising Policy, content of this nature is not eligible for display within airport facilities. Our focus remains on providing a safe, efficient, and welcoming experience for all travelers. Therefore, Colorado Springs Airport is unable to display the Department of Homeland Security video.- Colorado Springs Airport

Other airports across the country have pointed to the Hatch Act. The 1939 law prohibits most federal employees from engaging in partisan political activities while on the job or using government resources. Our political analysts had different opinions about whether or not this violates the law.

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I dont understand why we are even questioning it. Because she used federal resources as the secretary, she went on and produced a video and then had it sent out, using federal resources, to blame the Democrats for the shutdown. If thats not a clear violation of the Hatch Act, I have no idea what is, said FOX31 Political Analyst and Democratic Strategist Andy Boian.

I think its wholly inappropriate that the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security is putting out a video in airports when we cant even get air traffic controllers to control aircraft around the country, Boian added. Theyre leaving because they are not getting paid and Kristi Noem is worried about a video going out in airports. I think its a clear violation of the Hatch Act. And it also really perpetrates more people to do things like this.



Were talking about something where she is putting out a video. There is not an election year, its not about a candidate, said FOX31 Political Analyst and Republican Strategist Michael Fields. Its not about a specific election thats coming up or happening right now. Theres no government resources helping a candidate or anything like that. So if you look at this, this is really a policy discussion thats happening.

Republicans are saying, lets open the government up. Democrats are saying, no we want to shut it down in order to try to get healthcare subsidies. So I think its a factual thing that is happening, Fields added. Now, does that have to be across the country on these videos? Thats up to Kristi Noem and their budget and everything else. But I dont think its any violation of the law.

Supreme Court declines to hear Colorado case involving parental rights, gender identity

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Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert said she will be demanding action on airports that are refusing to show the video via a post on X. Some watchdog groups and Democrats on Capitol Hill have filed complaints with the Office of the Special Counsel. People working at the office are out right now because of the shutdown. In the past, penalties for violating the Hatch Act have been considered to be mild by experts. People found in violation could be reprimanded, removed or face a $1,000 civil penalty.

I think Kristi Noem is not going to have any repercussions from doing this, clearly, Boian said. Even people who have violated this before faced small fines or a letter saying you need to stop or change that. So, again, I dont think this is going to happen. I dont think thats going to be the ruling on it. But if it was, it would probably be like, Hey, you have to go back and do another video that doesnt say Democrat in it,' Fields said.

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New Haven is one of the "best places to visit in 2026," according to a new list released by U.K.-based travel agency Skyscanner.

The Elm City was named to its list of trending destinations for travelers next year, landing at No. 8 on the list above Bilbao, Spain, and Mykonos, Greece.

"Acclaimed for its pizza and cultural scene, New Haven offers museums, architecture and diverse cuisine, plus a surge in visitors this fall as 'Gilmore Girls' fans celebrate the show's 25th anniversary in nearby Stars Hollow-inspired Connecticut," Skyscanner said about New Haven on its list.

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To curate its list, Skyscanner's travel experts used data to determine which destinations saw increases in flight searches between Jan. 1 and June 30 for travel throughout 2025 compared to the same time period in 2024. Its travel experts then selected the top 10 locations based on "travel suitability."

New Haven saw a 39 percent increase in flight searches in 2025 compared to 2024, according to Skyscanner.

Limon, Costa Rica, was the No. 1 trending destination for 2026. The only other U.S. location besides New Haven to make Skyscanner's list was Vail, Colorado.

Skyscanner's experts determined through its list that U.S. travelers were looking for "smaller, lesser-known destinations that fly further under the radar, but offer something fresh beyond the big-name spots," according to its website.

This article originally published at New Haven is a 'trending' destination for 2026, according to travel agency Skyscanner.
The head of the U.S. Southern Command, responsible for military operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean, is stepping down after less than a year on the job.

Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, who took charge of the Doral-based military command in November, announced Thursday that he will retire from the service effective Dec. 12. The posting is usually a three-year assignment.

No reasons were given for the decision. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also didnt offer one in his statement on X, which extended gratitude to Holsey for his service.

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On behalf of the Department of War, we extend our deepest gratitude to Admiral Alvin Holsey for his more than 37 years of distinguished service to our nation as he plans to retire at years end, Hegseth posted. A native of Fort Valley, Georgia, Admiral Holsey has exemplified the highest standards of naval leadership since his commissioning through the NROTC program at Morehouse College in 1988.

Holsey began his tenure as commander of SOUTHCOM in an emotional, history-making ceremony in which he became the first African American to lead the U.S. combatant command after replacing the first woman, Army Gen. Laura Richardson, in the role.

We are making history today, Lloyd J. Austin III, secretary of defense at the time, said as he presided over the change-of-command ceremony at SOUTHCOM headquarters, in front of defense officials from 32 Latin America and Caribbean countries and members of Congress. The first woman commander of SOUTHCOM passes the baton to the first African-American commander of SOUTHCOM.

Holseys announcement caps a career that has spanned more than 37 years. His service has included deployments aboard U.S. Navy frigates and cruisers, missions on the Navys first hybrid electric propulsion warship and commanding a helicopter anti-submarine squadron.

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Its been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend the Constitution for over 37 years, Holsey, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, said in a statement posted on X. Serving as your commander and deputy for the past 34 months has been a tremendous honor.

Holseys unexpected departure comes as the Pentagon faces a wave of high-profile dismissals and resignations, and amid growing controversy over the build up of U.S. military presence in the southern Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela to allegedly target drug traffickers.

On Thursday, a woman in Trinidad and Tobago told the Miami Herald that her 26-year-old son, Chad Charpo Joseph, was among six people killed two days earlier when U.S. military drones blew up the fifth boat since the operations against alleged drug-carrying vessels were launched. Neither the U.S. nor Trinidadian governments have identified those who were on board, though President Donald Trump confirmed on his Truth Social site that he had ordered the strike and that it had occurred in SOUTHCOMS area of responsibility.

The U.S. military campaign has received public support from Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, but has drawn scrutiny from other regional leaders and opposition figures. The prime ministers of Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines raised the issue during their recent addresses to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, while former Jamaica Prime Minister P.J. Patterson warned that the strikes erode the idea that the Caribbean is a zone of peace and threatens countries sovereignty.

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The attacks, he told the Jamaica Gleaner, are fundamentally dangerous and a horrible erosion of regional leaders commitment to sovereignty in the region.

SOUTHCOM, one of six unified combatant commands in the U.S. military, oversees U.S. defense and security cooperation with partner nations in the Caribbean, Central America and South America, as well as U.S. military operations in the region.

Earlier this week, Holsey made his first visit to the Eastern Caribbean. He traveled to Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada, which confirmed last week that Washington had asked for permission to install a radar system at its Maurice Bishop International Airport, which was originally built by Cuba.

SOUTHCOM said the meetings between Holsey and leaders, including Antigua and Barbudas chief of defense and the Royal Grenada Police Force acting commissioner, centered on reaffirming the longstanding security collaboration with both nations and shared challenges that affect the Eastern Caribbean, including transnational organized crime, illicit trafficking and border security.

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The statement added that Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada are vital contributors to the collective efforts of like-minded nations aimed at strengthening security in the Eastern Caribbean.

It is unclear whether Hosley and Grenada officials discussed the proposal for the radar sites, but ahead of Hosleys arrival in St. John on Monday, Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne left no doubt where he stood.

Browne announced in an interview that his twin-island nation has absolutely no interest in hosting any form of military assets here in the country.

In his farewell message posed on X, Hosley said the team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation.

I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengths our nation and endures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe, he said, before urging them to Keep Charging!
Healey orders review of utility bills to ease costs for Mass. ratepayers, so what charges should go?

Governor Maura Healey has taken unprecedented action, directing the states Department of Public Utilities to conduct a line-by-line review of all utility bills in Massachusetts. The goal is to determine whether some costs currently charged to consumers should be shifted away from ratepayers.

Boston 25 News anchor Kerry Kavanaugh spoke with Larry Chretien, executive director of the Green Energy Consumers Alliance, about what the review could mean for households struggling with high energy costs.

During Boston 25 News Now at 3, Chretien said electric and gas bills deserve close scrutiny, pointing to expenses tied to maintaining and expanding gas pipelines as areas that could be reexamined. He said would not want to see any cuts to programs like Mass Save or to programs that fund low-income assistance.

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Healeys directive comes as energy prices remain a major concern for Massachusetts residents heading into the winter heating season.

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(This story has been updated with new information.)

The Health Care District of Palm Beach County has acquired 9.5 acres near West Palm Beach for $16.8 million to build a state-of-the-art Crisis Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse treatment. The purchase was finalized on Sept. 24.

Once it opens by the end of 2029, the center is expected to reduce health-care costs in the county by $143 million annually.

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The site is at 100 N. Benoist Farms Road, in an industrial area between Floridas Turnpike and the South Florida Fairgrounds. It once housed greyhounds that raced at the Palm Beach Kennel Club.

The Crisis Center, whose construction cost is estimated at $145 million, will serve as the countys Care Traffic Control for mental health care, providing a reliable place to go when they need help, according to the Health Care District.

It will be the first of its kind in Florida by:

Merging traditionally siloed services under one roof that will be available 24 hours a day.

Reducing financial and clinical resource pressure on hospital emergency rooms.

Alleviating pressure on limited and critical criminal-justice system resources.

Location of the new $145 million Health District Crisis Center in West Palm Beach near the Turnpike. It is expected to open by the end of 2029.

Why the new mental health facility comes at an ideal time

The district has had the center in the works for years and has been looking for a site since January, when county commissioners agreed to contribute $10 million to build a crisis facility.

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The announcement of the new facility comes at an ideal time. HCA Florida JFK North Hospital in West Palm Beach stopped hospitalizing Baker Act patients under age 12, requiring them to be taken to Martin County. About 100 children under 12 years old are hospitalized annually through the Baker Act, according to county officials.

A new mental health care facility in the county would be designed to break the current cycle that results in patients returning again and again for treatment.

The Baker Act is the common name for the Florida Mental Health Act, a law that allows for emergency examination and temporary detention for people with mental health disorders.

This process, which can last up to 72 hours, is intended for those who are either a danger to themselves or others because of their mental illnesses. The act can be invoked either by law-enforcement officers or mental-health professionals, or by filing a petition with the Clerk of the Circuit Court.

The Health Care District hired a consultant two years ago to conduct a study as a result of inconsistent treatment options in Palm Beach County. The recent Baker Act gap for pediatric patients is an example of inconsistent treatment, according to the Health Care District.

How expensive is the center and what's it's construction timetable?

The Health Care District's new Crisis Center, expected to open by 2029, will treat patients in need of mental health care regardless of income.

The land acquisition cost is close to double itsappraised value of $9.6 million. The property owner paid $14 million for the site in May 2022.

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"The site was determined to be the best suited for the projects needs in terms of size, location and adjacent use criteria," the district said in an email.

The district will pay the $145 million cost, in part, through reserve funds it has been setting aside over the years. It levies a countywide property tax to pay for its operations that include Lakeside Medical Center in Belle Glade, a network of clinics and an emergency response system featuring Trauma Hawk helicopters.

Construction is not expected to begin until 2027. As a condition of receiving county funds, the district agreed to have the new facility open by the end of 2029.

The facility will be designed to be a gold standard in psychiatric and clinical care, providing patients with seamless connections to long-term support services, according to the district. No one will be turned away, ensuring that all community members have access to the resources they need, regardless of ability to pay.

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The center is expected to build off the momentum created by the district's Operation COAST program, which stands for Crisis Outreach and Support Teams. The law enforcement-district initiative is designed to help people in crisis get care, not cuffs, according to the district.

The Health District expects health care savings to exceed $140 million once its Crisis Center open in 2029.

Licensed therapists join law-enforcement officers on mental health-related 911 calls to de-escalate situations that often end in unnecessary Baker Act commitments. Instead, people needing care are taken to the districts Community Health Center in Mangonia Park for specialized outpatient psychiatric care, avoiding arrests or hospitalizations.

The district said it is working with five law-enforcement agencies on the COAST program: the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and North Palm Beach.

The business model of behavioral health is broken in our county," said Darcy Davis, CEO of the district. "That is why the Health Care District is positioned as the public health and safety net to fill this gap for sustainable and reliable mental health care services under one roof.

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"Its ER diversion, jail diversion, and above all, evidence-based mental health and crisis care with clinical expertise are at the forefront that supports long-term resilience, health, and wellness for all."

HEALTH CARE: Why support and connection are vital for maintaining mental health as you age

HEALTH CARE: Where $2 prescription drug prices, Obamacare stand in Trump executive order onslaught

HEALTH CARE: End of Obamacare subsidies starts hitting enrollees' mailboxes as shutdown drags on

This Crisis Center, she said, is expected to lessen the confusion and navigation issues that patients and families face, giving them a place to go that can look at their cases individually and help them deal with a broad spectrum of mental health conditions.

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Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Health Care District buys site for new West Palm Beach crisis center
The Frederick County Health Department is looking for a man who had direct contact with a rabid raccoon on Monday.

The man is described to be white and in his late 20s or early 30s with curly brown hair and no facial hair, according to a health department press release on Thursday. He was wearing a dark blue sweatshirt, either dark cargo shorts or jean shorts and black and white sneakers.

At about midnight on Monday, the man brought a raccoon wrapped in a fleece jacket to CARE Veterinary Center, at 1080 W Patrick St. He left the center without leaving his information.

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The raccoon then tested positive for the rabies virus.

If you were the man described or have information about him, please contact the Frederick County Health Department as soon as possible so he can be given treatment. Call us at 240-315-9515 between 8am and 5pm or 301-600-0312 after 5pm, the press release said.

The health department does not yet have a photo of the man.

Once located, the man will need to speak with a Frederick County Communicable Disease Program nurse who will provide guidance on needed medical steps.

The county recommends individuals who have been exposed to an animal confirmed or suspected of having rabies call Community Health Services at 301-600-3342.

 Marwa Barakat
Oct. 17The Anchorage Health Department says it is investigating a measles case that may have exposed people traveling through Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on Monday evening after the person arrived from Las Vegas via Seattle.

Measles is highly contagious, spreading by air and direct contact, but it is preventable with an MMR vaccine.

City health officials believe exposure risk to the public in this case was limited because the individual isolated after their arrival in Anchorage.

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A health department alert describes the person as having traveled to Anchorage on Monday "from an area of the United States that is experiencing a substantial measles outbreak."

"They did not have a history of being immunized against measles," the alert said.

People may have been exposed to the virus if they were at the airport between 4 and 8 p.m. Monday, the alert said.

Also on Monday, people who were at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. or at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. may have been exposed, the alert said.

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People who were potentially exposed on flights with the person were directly notified, according to Anchorage Health Department spokeswoman Michelle Fehribach. Details on those flights aren't typically shared with the public to maintain privacy of those who may be affected, she said in an email.

If someone not vaccinated is exposed to a person contagious with the virus, symptoms could be expected between Oct. 20 and Nov. 3, the alert said.

Measles symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, a rash that usually starts on the face and moves to chest and back, and red, watery eyes, according to the health department. The respiratory illness can be dangerous or fatal, especially for babies or children.

People who think they have measles symptoms should call a health care provider before going to a hospital or clinic in-person, the alert said.

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As of Oct. 14, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention measles tracking website said there have been three measles cases in Alaska in 2024 and 2025. Other measles cases reported in Alaska this year were a juvenile in Anchorage in May and a Kenai Peninsula resident in January, who was hospitalized in Homer with the virus after traveling overseas.

This year, the U.S. has seen close to 1,600 cases of measles and three deaths, according to the CDC's website. The vast majority of cases have involved people who were either unvaccinated or it's not known if they had been vaccinated, according to the CDC.

Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles, the health department said in its alert.

People interested in getting vaccinated at the Anchorage Health Department can schedule an appointment by calling 907-343-4799.

[Editor's note: This article has been updated with with information from the Anchorage Health Department about how people on impacted flights were notified.]
CHICAGO  An early-morning drive-by shooting on the citys Near North Side left four people hospitalized on Friday.

According to Chicago police, the shooting unfolded just after 3:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of North Dearborn Street in the citys Gold Coast neighborhood.

Officers say the victims were on a sidewalk in the area when a gray Acura sedan approached and someone inside the vehicle opened fire, striking four people.

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The sedan then fled the scene, heading southbound along Dearborn.

In total, officers said a 22-year-old woman, a 60-year-old man, a 45-year-old man and a 24-year-old man were all struck by gunfire. All victims are in stable condition or have been released from the hospital.

Alderman Brian Hopkins, 2nd Ward, says reports indicate that the shooters were targeting a person or group of individuals patronizing Gold Coast Social, located at 7 West Division Street.

Surveillance video also captured large fights breaking out near the nightclub prior to the shooting, according to Hopkins.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

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Area 3 Chicago Police Detectives are currently conducting an extensive investigation.

Hopkins says he has made a formal request to CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling to issue a summary closure to Gold Coast Social while the investigation is being conducted.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
By Vincent Mumo

NAIROBI (Reuters) -Thousands of mourners attended a state funeral for Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga on Friday under heavy security after a deadly day that saw officers open fire to disperse crowds at a stadium hosting a public viewing of his body.

Odinga, a major figure for decades in Kenyan politics who was once a political prisoner and ran unsuccessfully for president five times, died on Wednesday aged 80 in India, where he had been receiving medical treatment.

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He commanded a passionate following in the East African nation and huge crowds took to the streets from early Thursday, storming the country's main airport when the plane carrying his body arrived and later breaching a gate of the Nairobi stadium hosting the public viewing.

Security forces then fired in the air and police lobbed tear gas to disperse the crowd, according to a Reuters witness. Police said three people were killed, while KTN News and Citizen TV put the number of fatalities at four, with scores injured.

Kenyan authorities deployed heavy security on Friday, with police keeping crowds at a distance outside parliament, footage from local television and Ruto's office showed.

Odinga's body was taken to the parliament where it would lie in state before being taken to Nairobi's Nyayo National Stadium, with President William Ruto, heads of the parliament and the judiciary in attendance.

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Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was among the African dignitaries seen at the ceremony.

Thousands of mourners at the stadium were waving white handkerchiefs and dancing at the venue which was bedecked with large banners with Odinga's portrait. Others blew whistles and vuvuzelas in honour of the man they referred to as "Baba" ("Father" in Swahili).

The mourners, some of whom were not yet born in 1991 when Kenya became a multi-party democracy, paid tribute to Odinga's efforts as an activist.

"Raila Odinga, the father of democracy in Kenya, was a selfless leader who would risk everything - even his life - to make Kenya work," Jean Jerry Abeka, 24, told Reuters.

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Though mainly known as an opposition figure, Odinga became prime minister in 2008 and also struck a political pact with former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018, and with Ruto last year in a career of shifting alliances.

He commanded deep devotion among supporters countrywide, especially in his Luo tribe based in western Kenya, many of whom believe he was cheated of the presidency by electoral fraud.

(Reporting by George Obulutsa and Vincent Mumo; editing by Ammu Kannampilly and Toby Chopra)
A few years back, we were interviewing candidates for a new environmental reporter role at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, an area where staff departures had left us scrambling for stability.

At the time, we were working with Report for America, which partially funds new reporting roles with the idea that local newsrooms build community support to cover the rest.

We had two candidates who stood out: Caitlin Looby, a scientist-turned-reporter who was training scientists in writing and communication at the University of Minnesota, and Madeline Heim, who had distinguished herself as an aggressive and thoughtful health reporter covering COVID and related issues at the Appleton Post-Crescent.

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Funding one would be a challenge, two a downright stretch.

We went for two.

When we did, it was a leap of faith that you  our readers  would come through.

Were so grateful that you did.

Caitlin and Madeline have become anchors of the strongest team in the state when it comes to covering issues that affect our water, land and air  things that matter to all of us and a healthy future. That ranges from innovative efforts to tackle algal blooms to a new way to remove invasive mussels at the bottom of Lake Michigan.

The three-year Report for America commitment has passed, but we have found a new way to support this team  through the recently created Community-Funded Journalism Project administered by the Chicago-based Local Media Foundation.

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In just the past few months, we have received substantial support from Outrider Foundation, Brico Fund, Fund for Lake Michigan, Barbara K. Frank, The Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, and many, many individual contributions. We are tremendously grateful for their support.

Our team is stronger because of it, and our community is stronger because of the work of our team. Think about the recent story from Madeline and fellow team member Laura Schulte about the ammunition plant that helped the United States win World War II but left a toxic legacy in the water supply. No one else is telling those stories in the way we can.

We need community support to keep telling them  and to tell more of them.

Who is on your environmental team?

Caitlin Looby is continuing her focus on the Great Lakes and the environment, including climate issues. Madeline Heim has broadened her focus to include public health, another area of expertise, and continues to keep an eye on the Mississippi River basin.

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Their editor is Tom Koetting.

In Madison, Laura Schulte tracks state government agencies, including the Department of Natural Resources, and has written more stories  and more insightful stories  than probably any reporter in the state on the hazards of forever chemicals, typically known as PFAS.

Outdoors editor Paul Smith plays a key role as well, writing stories about everything from the wolf hunt to why flamingos showed up in Port Washington.

What should we watch for from the team?

More good stories, of course. It is what sets us apart and provides a strong newsroom foundation during a time of great uncertainty in the news business.

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We have several projects in the works, including one around the fallout of PCB cleanup in Green Bay waterways and another that looks at the future of the deer hunt, a deep-seated Wisconsin tradition that faces a raft of challenges.

Beyond that, we hope you see a lot more of our team  from community events to radio appearances to speaking engagements. And to see our work in more formats (text, video, audio) and on more platforms (JSOnline, of course, but also Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and more).

From story ideas to speaking requests to feedback on their work, you can reach the team at these email addresses:

Caitlin Looby: clooby@gannett.com

Madeline Heim: mheim@gannett.com

Laura Schulte: leschulte@jrn.com

Paul Smith: paul.smith@jrn.com

Tom Koetting, editor: thomas.koetting@jrn.com

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My contact information is below. We hope to hear from you.

How can I support this effort?

We are working to build a broad and sustained coalition of support around our environmental team. Those interested in learning more about how they can help should contact Erin Richards, our director of development, at erichards@gannett.com.

The project is administered by Local Media Foundation, tax ID #364427750, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association.

To make a direct, tax-deductible contribution to the Community-Funded Journalism Project, administered by the Local Media Foundation, go to jsonline.com/support. Meanwhile, checks can be addressed to Local Media Foundation with JS Community Journalism in the memo, then mailed to: Local Media Foundation, P.O. Box 85015, Chicago, IL 60689.

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In recent months, I have written about the many partnerships we have built, our Community-Funded Journalism project, and the guidelines we follow to assure we remain independent and put our readers and the community first.

In September, when I wrote about an expansion of our education team, I ended the piece the same way I will now: We need you. We appreciate you.

We thank you.

Greg Borowski is executive editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @GregJBorowski and reach him via greg.borowski@jrn.com.

Connect with the Journal Sentinel

Subscribe and support independent journalism: jsonline.com/deal

Support our reporting on neighborhoods, the environment, education and other key issues: jsonline.com/support

Send a news tip: projects.jsonline.com/tips

Reach the newsroom: jsmetro@journalsentinel.com or 414-224-2318

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Help us cover Wisconsin's waters, land and air
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  An incident in the neighborhood surrounding Henninger High School placed the building on a brief lockout Thursday.

On Thursday, October 16, the Syracuse Police Department notified school officials of a shooting that took place in a nearby neighborhood at around 1:05 p.m., the Syracuse City School District said.

As a result, Henninger immediately entered into a stay-in-place and lockout.

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Syracuse Police said the shots fired call was located in the 600 block of Hixson Avenue, and they located multiple shell cases.

A home in the 200 block of Kinne Street was hit by a bullet during the incident.

When Syracuse Police let school officials know it was all clear, the stay-in-place and lockout was lifted. Students were dismissed at the regular 1:59 p.m. dismissal time, and every student had the opportunity to get home.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR.
The federal government shutdown, now heading toward a fourth week after negotiations stalled again, is taking a toll on Oklahoma, as effects on employment, food banks and federal operations in the state continue to increase.

Gridlock between Republicans and Democrats on a funding bill has been unrelenting since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, largely due to disagreements surrounding Affordable Care Act tax credits.

USA TODAY reports more than 750,000 federal employees have been furloughed across the U.S., a number thats likely to grow after a 10th attempt to pass a funding bill in the Senate failed Thursday, Oct. 16.

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In Oklahoma, the third-longest government shutdown in U.S. history is impacting meal programs and unemployment, and effects will likely multiply as funding and resources continue to dwindle.

A study by WalletHub released earlier in October found Oklahoma is the ninth-most impacted state by the shutdown.

Data from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission shows unemployment claims have reached 412 so far this month from the federal government. The agency reported 61 filings in the first week of October, followed by 194 in week two. Through Thursday, Oct. 16, the agency reported 157 filings in the third week of the shutdown.

All unemployment claims in Oklahoma are up year-over-year for the filing week that ended Oct. 4. State data shows initial claims were up 8.3%, and continued claims are 13.4% higher than a year ago.

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Lynn Gray, the chief economist for the Employment Security Commission, said the increase is apparent, but not yet concerning.

"We've been at a relatively low level," Gray said.

Shutdown standstill impacting Oklahomas largest military installation?

The largest employer in the metro area, Tinker Air Force Base, is undoubtedly impacted by the shutdown, though it remains unclear to what extent.

Theres no word on how many of the 26,000 military and civilian employees are affected, but the base relies on annual federal appropriations to continue operating. Multiple inquiries to Tinkers Public Affairs Office were not returned as of print deadline Oct. 16.

The office did send a statement to The Oklahoman on Oct. 1, stating the Department of the Air Force operating under an appropriation lapse significantly impacts their readiness, modernization efforts, overall ability to maintain technological superiority.

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A contingency plan by the Department of Defense states that close to half of all civilian employees will be furloughed during the shutdown.

Tinker Air Force Base is pictured Oct. 1.

Food banks preparing for rise in demand

The shutdown will eventually affect everyday Oklahomans as it persists, Regional Food Bank Director of Marketing and Communications Austin Prickett said.

Preparing for a rise in demand is akin to preparing for a disaster response or gearing up for tornado season, Prickett said.

Weve seen a rise in the need for food assistance across our partner network here in Oklahoma, he said. A lot of them are probably going to be seeing us for the first time, if we get to that point in the shutdown where more and more federal workers are missing paychecks.

The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is preparing for a rise in demand as a result of the federal government shutdown.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) might be affected as soon as November. In a letter to state agencies dated Oct. 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said there will not be enough funding to pay the entirety of November SNAP benefits if the shutdown continues.

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Regional Food Bank, which serves 53counties and has about 1,300 partner agencies across central and western Oklahoma, has been keeping an eye on the situation over the summer and has ordered food ahead of time to stay ahead of the demand. They have a good supply for the next few months, and they are continuing to order ahead in case they run into more stumbling blocks, Prickett said.

On day 15 of the shutdown, Oct. 15, the food bank was prepared for more folks to lose their paychecks, though some paychecks were extended, Prickett said, adding theyre continuing to monitor the situation.

If people need emergency food assistance, they can find the nearest food shelf online at www.rfbo.org/get-help.

Thats what were here for is to help folks through emergency times like this where maybe you need some help supplementing your groceries for the month or youre missing a paycheck, so you either have enough savings to pay your bills, pay your rent or buy food, he said.

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Prickett urged people to come together and find a compromise to get the government back open because it will start to affect everyday Oklahomans who are struggling day to day to find food.

In a long-term view its going to impact them as well, as we put another strain on our social safety net in Oklahoma, he said.

Nonprofits have also had a tough year, and he encouraged people to volunteer, donate and advocate for them, Prickett said.

A worker moves pallets of food at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma on Thursday, Oct. 16. The organization is preparing for a rise in demand as a result of the federal government shut down.

Federal courts approach end of funds

The federal courts website states that the judiciary will remain open through Friday, Oct. 17, by using court fee balances and other funding not dependent on an appropriation.

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The three main federal courthouses in the state are located in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Muskogee.

Should the shutdown enter a fourth week, judiciary funds would be exhausted. At that point, courts would operate under the Anti-Deficiency Act. This allows work deemed necessary under Article III of the U.S. Constitution to continue.

Under this scenario, each court and federal defenders office would determine the staffing resources necessary to support such work, the website reads.

Volunteers help at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City.

OKC International Airport hasn't seen impacts yet

Oklahoma City Director of Airports Jeff Mulder said the Oklahoma City International Airport hasnt had any operational issues in air traffic control or security checkpoints.

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However, travelers can likely expect delays at major airports due to a lack of air traffic controllers in busier airspace areas.

Travelers are pictured at OKC Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, July, 22, 2025.

Just prepare yourself mentally for that, he said. Its hard to predict, but its occurring.

I would encourage anybody traveling just to prepare to encounter some problems in their trip, because it's a system-wide issue, he said. Ultimately, you'll obviously get there safely and maybe a little delayed, but you know the system still works and it's safe.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Here's how Oklahoma is affected by the government shutdown
Updated 2:55 p.m. ET Oct. 17

PARIS  With the news that Veronique Nichanian is stepping down as mens artistic director at Hermes after 37 years, the French luxury brand is facing the kind of generational handover that has become rare in a world of revolving doors.

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In a statement on Friday, Hermes said Nichanian, fashions longest-serving creative director, would depart after presenting her final collection on Jan. 24 during Paris Mens Fashion Week.

The house is expected to announce her replacement in the next few days, and sources believe an internal successor could be named. Among Nichanians longest-serving deputies is designer Benjamin Brett, who joined Hermes in 2010 from Yves Saint Laurent, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Another alternative would be for Hermes to broaden the remit of Nadege Vanhee, its artistic director of womens ready-to-wear. Or the house, whose past creative directors include Martin Margiela and Jean Paul Gaultier, could bring on board another star designer.

Among the leading menswear figures currently without a portfolio are Kim Jones, who stepped down as artistic director of mens collections at Dior in January, and Hedi Slimane, who left his post as artistic, creative and image director of Celine in October 2024.

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It wouldnt be out of the realm of possibility that a star designer goes there again, said Mary Gallagher, senior consultant at Find executive consulting. It would just probably have to be one that would conform to being in this legacy family company.

Whatever happens, luxury experts expect Hermes to choose continuity over radical change, especially since its ready-to-wear business is strong.

I see this as a natural transition, and I dont attach great consequence to the change. Creative directors will continue to have limited visibility at Hermes, as the brand prevails more than at other houses, said Luca Solca, analyst at Bernstein. Having said that, Hermes has done very well with rtw, and I expect they will work to keep this performance going.

The handover comes as brands battle to reverse a slowdown in luxury consumption worldwide, with aspirational consumers turning their backs on high-ends goods after several years of steep price increases in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Hermes has benefited from its safe-haven status, as the rarity of its handbags make them investment pieces that see their value often increase, rather than decrease, over time.

The brands ready-to-wear and accessories division has also proved a solid earner, with sales rising 6 percent in the first half, helping the company outperform its sector peers. The division now accounts for 28 percent of sales at Hermes.

Taking the Long View

Jean Vigneron, a consultant specialized in the creative industries at executive search company Egon Zehnder, said the length of Nichanians tenure was matched by only a handful of industry figures, among them Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, and founders like Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren.

This really shows us once again that Hermes operates on its own timeline  its not driven by trends. Whats fascinating is how stable its remained, with a long-term perspective that feels very deliberate. Its less about reacting to whats going on in the world and more about staying true to a clear identity, he said.

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Far from stodgy, that approach is reaping dividends amidst upheaval at many leading houses, Vigneron noted. Paradoxically, at a time when the world feels incredibly fragmented and complex, the brands that are the most steady, the ones that dont wildly change direction, seem to be the ones thriving, he said.

A graduate of the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, Nichanian began her career at Cerruti, working under Nino Cerruti.

She was asked to join Hermes in 1988 by its legendary chief executive officer Jean-Louis Dumas, becoming one of the few women leading a menswear division at a major luxury house. During her tenure, the brand has grown into an industry behemoth, with revenues of 15.2 billion euros in 2024.

Working for Hermes since 1988 has been an immense pleasure. I am very proud to be part of this big family in which I have been able to flourish and enjoy total creative freedom, the 71-year-old designer said in the statement issued by Hermes.

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Her spring 2026 was a condense of her signature style, combining sensual textures  think leather openwork weave on shirts and trousers, rough edges on jaunty silk twill bandanas, and ribbed and nubby knits  with a breezy sense of luxury.

My wish has always been to create clothes of today for the long term. To me, there is not an Hermes man; there are Hermes men, she said.

Laia Farran Graves, author The Story of the Hermes Scarf, said that while Nichanian remained under the radar, her impact on the industry has been considerable.

What shes done is pretty incredible. She has brought together comfort, luxury, utility, beauty and simplicity of lines, combined with the heritage, and created this very specific look, she said.

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Above all, Nichanian managed to project a seamless elegance. Theres so much work involved  a bit like when you see a swan, but underneath, theyre doing all the work, said Farran Graves.

A Loyal Team

Hermes lauded her knack for chic, discreet and timeless elegance and continuous research around materials, know-how and color.

We thank Veronique warmly for her eye, her vision, her generosity, her energy and her curiosity. Propelled by her talent, conviction and whimsy, she has guided the destiny of a man who walks with allure. The success of the mens universe owes much to her, it said.

One key to her success has been inspiring loyalty in her team, meaning there is a deep well of in-house talent to ensure continuity at the brand.

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The menswear team has remained very stable. Many of them have grown in stature inside the house and know it inside out. And honestly, I think in menswear, you need a star designer far less than you do in womenswear, Vigneron said.

The question is whether anyone from that team is ready to step into a more visible role. She was never a showboat designer, but it also depends on who likes the limelight and who doesnt, Gallagher said.

Vanhee, meanwhile, has been with the house since 2014. She is widely expected to lead its planned foray into haute couture, which could launch in late 2026 or early 2027, and could also be charged with overseeing the mens division.

I dont think that adding couture into Nadeges remit and adding men to Nadeges remit would necessarily overextend her. I think the structure would form around her, said Gallagher, noting that brands like Givenchy already cumulate all three divisions under one designer.

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But what sets Hermes apart from other luxury houses is that the creative directors of all its divisions report to artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas, the son of Jean-Louis Dumas and cousin of the current CEO, Axel Dumas.

Theyve got trusted people leading each creative department, people who really understand the codes of the house, but theres an overarching vision, so theyre able to keep everything aligned, like a shepherd keeping the flock together, Vigneron said.

With so many creative directions and specialized roles, that macro perspective is essential. These are individuals who have the brands DNA in their veins  they really get it, and thats invaluable, he said.

With that in mind, Nichanians replacement will have to align with the houses identity and avoid alienating the core Hermes customer.

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I dont see a big change coming. The menswear at Hermes is like the brand itself: elegant, timeless and efficient, Vigneron said. If someone younger were to come in, sure, they might bring a sharper sensitivity to certain social topics  thats natural and generational  but it would be a matter of nuance.

Farran Graves agreed that Hermes has little to gain by tinkering with a winning formula.

I dont have a crystal ball, but given the structure of the brand and how strong the family ethos is, it would make sense to me that they hire within and keep it really tight and close, because theyre doing really well, unlike some of the other brands, she said. I would say its still a time to play safe.



 With contributions from Miles Socha

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Attract new business and preserve character  thats exactly what members of the Metro Council in Hermitage and Donelson are setting out to do.

When you drive through Hermitage and Donelson, there are many historic landmarks. However, with the area growing, local officials are are proposing a design overlay to preserve and beautify major corridors.

The corridors that are within this plan are the front doors to our community, District 14 Metro Councilmember Jordan Huffman said.

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According to Huffman, Metro leaders are looking at Central and Lebanon Pike, as well as portions of Old Hickory Boulevard. He said this proposal provides clear design standards for new development coming into the area.

BNA to open new access lane for valet, hotel parking  what travelers need to know

It really focuses on items such as building placement, height of those buildings, setting landscaping standards, lighting standards, Huffman described.

He said the overlay also provides standards for sidewalks and signage.

Overall, we feel that this overlay ensures that future projects will support walkability, it will enhance overall safety in the area, and it will preserve the visual character of the Donelson-Hermitage community, Huffman explained.

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Huffman told News 2 this will have no impact on current property owners, adding that the overlay only applies to properties being redeveloped.

| READ MORE | Latest headlines from Nashville and Davidson County

He said all of this comes amid an uptick in requests for development in Donelson and Hermitage: You have certain areas that look very nice, theyre up to date, and you have other issues that could use a little work, and as were looking at ways that we can improve our community, setting standards such as this really does make a long-lasting impact.

Huffman and District 12 Metro Councilmember Erin Evans will host a community meeting on Nov. 11 at the Metro Nashville Police Departments Hermitage Precinct to provide an overview of the project. Notices have also been mailed out regarding the proposal.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.




A minor earthquake that shook the Bay Area Thursday morning was a fitting prelude as San Francisco officials gathered to watch the city demonstrate its unique system for fighting fires in the event of a major seismic event.

At 10:20 a.m., 40 minutes after the temblor hit and immediately following a scheduled regionwide earthquake drill, a firehose atop a 100-foot ladder truck cranked on to send a spout of high-pressure bay out into San Francisco Bay.

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The test of the city's Emergency Firefighting Water Training System capped an eight-year, $20-million upgrade of Pump Station No. 2 at Aquatic Cove, which was built in 1913 in the aftermath of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. The fire-fighting system is designed to ensure that when water lines break and the power grid is out, the city will still have a supply of water as vast as San Francisco Bay, and a way to send it citywide.

San Francisco Fire Department Chief Dean Crispen speaks to attendees during a test of the city's Emergency Firefighting Water System on Thursday at Aquatic Cove. (Lea Suzuki/S.F. Chronicle)





Attending the demonstration Thursday were Mayor Daniel Lurie, District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherill, Fire Chief Dean Crispen, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission General Manager Dennis Herrera, and Public Works Director Carla Short, among others.

"This is a fun event. Everybody likes shooting off water cannons," Sherrill said just before the system was activated. "But the point of this is to show the public that we are making regular investments in the safety of the city."

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The test was timed to the 36th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989, when hydrants ran dry in the Marina District and the city's fireboats came from the Ferry Building to draw bay water for fighting fires that engulfed apartment buildings and threatened the neighborhood with destruction.

But Pump Station No. 2 was not utilized in that case because the quake was not of a devastating magnitude and the fire boats were deemed sufficient to supply water to the Marina, according to a fire department spokesperson. Pump station No. 2 was not built specifically to protect the Marina or North Beach, but rather the city as a whole.

Its four massive pumps can send 10,800 gallons of baywater a minute up through a network of pipes to either the Ashbury or Jones tank, and from there on up to the Twin Peaks reservoir, which holds 10.5 million gallons. It sits at a high point allowing the pressure of gravity to send water wherever needed. Together with Pump Station No. 1, which is in the basement at the department's headquarters station on Second Street, it amounts to an independent emergency water system that is matched in North America only by a similar system in Vancouver, B.C.

San Francisco Fire Department members listen to speakers during a test of the city's Emergency Firefighting Water System on Thursday at Aquatic Cove. (Lea Suzuki/S.F. Chronicle)





"As firefighters, we are incredibly proud of our water supply," said Chief Crispen. "We like redundancy, and that is exactly what this station supplies."

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Pump Station No. 2 is a weapon of last resort and has never been activated in an emergency, though close calls are everywhere. Thursday morning's 3.1 earthquake centered in Berkeley followed a Wednesday morning pre-dawn fire in a residential building on Chestnut Street that was contained at the cost of two firefighters who fell through a floor and had to be hospitalized.

"Yesterday was a bad day," said Lurie, in acknowledging the sacrifice of firefighters. "We know that earthquakes are not just part of our past. They will be part of our future."

Pump Station No. 2 still utilizes the same system of four big pumps and dials and gauges from when it opened in 1913. In 1975, the power supply for the station was upgraded from steam to diesel. But the pump house itself, a national landmark built in the Mission Revival Colonial style and situated at the municipal pier that was once used for transferring prisoners to boats destined for Alcatraz, had not been upgraded to meet seismic standards.

Bay water drawn into Pump Station No. 2 is sprayed from a ladder fire truck and from the ground back into the bay during a test of the city's Emergency Firefighting Water System on Thursday at Aquatic Cove. (Lea Suzuki/S.F. Chronicle)





In 2010, the SFPUC took over from the fire department management of the Emergency Firefighting Water System, and since then it has invested $200 million in upgrades paid for through bonds. This included anchoring the pump station to bedrock, reinforcing the concrete walls with interior steel bracing, rebuilding the generator room and installing a new steel roof, all managed by the SFPUC.

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The pump house is now expected to withstand an earthquake that measures 7.9 on the Richter scale, equal to the 1906 quake and far stronger than the 6.9 of Loma Prieta.

"This is the first live test of our upgraded pump system," said Lurie. To do so, the baywater came in through an intake pipe and was pumped 1,000 feet through underground pipes to a high-pressure hydrant on the corner of Van Ness and North Point. The bay water went through a hydrant and into the hose that came back down Van Ness with enough force to send it up to the top of the ladder truck and back to the place from whence it came.

Given the news about the morning quake, the success of the test was enough to make people stand up from their folding chairs and applaud the Emergency Firefighting Water System.

"The earthquake is a reminder," said Department of Emergency Management Executive Director Mary Ellen Carroll, "that this is the reason why we are here."

This article originally published at This high-powered water cannon will help S.F. firefighters fight post-earthquake fires.
Video note: Despite this articles time stamp, the above video is the latest forecast from The Weather Authority.

POWELL COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  A hiker was rescued Thursday after becoming stranded on a rock island along the Auxier Ridge Trail in the Red River Gorge.

According to Powell County Search and Rescue (PCSAR), teams were dispatched after receiving a call from a bystander reporting someone had jumped from the trail side of the ridge onto a nearby rock formation.

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The subject apparently misjudged the width, depth, and height difference between the two points, resulting in them becoming stuck.

Rescuers were able to make contact with the stranded hiker on a rock island.

First responders gave the hiker a harness, and teams set up a progressive rope system to safely bring him back to the trail side of the ridge without injury.

Powell County Search and Rescue Powell County Search and Rescue Powell County Search and Rescue Powell County Search and Rescue

Authorities said a nearly identical rescue happened four years ago, involving the same circumstances.

Several team members who had responded to the earlier incident were also helping with Thursdays rescue, applying the same successful techniques used in the past.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
The Autism Hikes! group sets out for a trek up the Marion Davis Trail in Peterborough's Miller State Park. (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin)

Mary Kae Marinac, of Andover, Massachusetts, once heard some advice at an autism conference that stuck with her.

I heard that parents need to find their childs special skills and use those as a hook to get into the neurotypical world, she said. And so I use that as a mantra.

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Marinacs twin sons, Will and Jeff Quirnbach, 31, have profound autism, and when they were young she set out to help them find that special skill. As a family, theyd spend every Saturday trying something new. Many activities failed to stick. One week, when the twins were 7, they tried visiting a family farm in Peterborough, New Hampshire.

And it was another unmitigated disaster, she said, adding that the smells and textures there triggered sensory issues.

Marinac said it took 14 years to get both sons to learn to use the toilet, and this became an issue at the farm.

Datta Bapatla (left) and Mary Kae Marinac talk during a hike up Pack Monadnock. (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin)

We had three toileting accidents in 90 minutes to the point we had no more clean clothes in the car, she said. We just figured, OK, this is it. So we packed the car and drove home.

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As they left, they saw the entrance to Miller State Park in Peterborough and signs for restrooms, so they pulled in.

And right beside it was a 1.4-mile hiking trail, Marinac said. And we said, Well, OK, why not?

As the boys climbed, Marinac was amazed.

Other than Will needing a little bit of encouragement in the middle, they charge up the hill and they run up the fire tower, completely mesmerized by the view of Boston skyscrapers to the south and all the panoply of the White Mountains, she said. And then, for the first time, in like forever, they slept. And the next day, their teachers asked me what new med I gave them. They paid attention. They participated.

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From there, the family became avid hikers. Once they summited all of the notoriously challenging Appalachian Mountain Clubs list of 48 New Hampshire 4,000-footers (which took them roughly 11 years), they moved onto the 19 other 4,000-footers in New England. Once they reach the peak of Vose Spur near Bartlett  which they plan to attempt on Sunday  theyll have completed 100 of New Englands highest mountains.

She said, discovering their unique capabilities in hiking is a joy of my entire life.

But they havent only hiked alone as a family. Roughly 11 years ago, Marinac and her husband, Paul Quirnbach, started Autism Hikes!  a group of autistic people and their families from across the area that hike together.

Earlier this month, the family returned to Pack Monadnock with the group. The hikers represented a wide range of the autism spectrum, from profound to high-functioning.

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Datta Bapatla, one of the hikers, said it is a good outlet. Bapatla has been hiking with the group for around five years, and he said likes being with other autistic young adults like himself.

Another hiker, Conor Bromley, agreed that the community aspect was a big draw.

Its just people that you can get along with, he said. They welcome you with open arms. Theyre just a bunch of cool people.

And cool views. One of Bromleys favorite memories at a peak in the year hes been hiking with the group had nothing to do with the vista below  it was a fighter jet circling overhead.

Will and Jeff Quirnbach wait for the hikers at the back of their group. (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin)

Meanwhile, Marinac has been paying attention to the latest national conversation about autism. President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert Kennedy have insisted, despite caution and skepticism from experts, that Tylenol taken by pregnant women is causing autism in newborns.

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I read that, and I say, Wheres the data? Marinac said. Because the data they presented was sparse and often refuted by other experts. In my own personal experience, I didnt take Tylenol, and the individuals that I know who have kids with autism didnt take Tylenol. I havent found one person affected, and I have a pretty wide circle, and it doesnt overlay with the rise of autism. Tylenol has been around way before the so-called bubble in the rise of autism, so it doesnt align with the surge in additional diagnoses. So I dont see where the data is coming from, and I remain skeptical, because they certainly havent proven to me that that is the case.

She does, however, have concerns about whether a drug she took during pregnancy to forestall labor caused her sons autism, but the studies on that are inconclusive.

Many experts attribute at least part of the growing number of autism diagnoses to expanded diagnostic criteria and increased awareness of autism. What was formerly known as Asperger syndrome (which presents less profound symptoms) is now Autism Spectrum Disorder. Some families of those with profound autism argue this expansion shifts focus away from their childs needs.

As the world has become more aware of autism, which is a fabulous thing in so many ways, Marinac said, funding has often skewed toward individuals who are closer to so-called normal or easier to get over an edge to be able to employ, go to college, live independently, and that kind of stuff, and the individuals who struggle in a profound way are often underrepresented in research.

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Many in the autism community argue theres no need for a cure and that the condition is part of who they are. Although she acknowledges that because they cant speak much (they have limited communication ability) she isnt certain what her sons want, Marinac believes its different for people like Jeff and Will.

I applaud those who are able to see their symptoms as just a unique facet of the patchwork of skills they bring to the world, she said. That doesnt happen to be the case for my guys. Will and Jeff dont present with some of the aggressive, self-injurious, maladaptive behaviors that are part of the profound end of the autism spectrum, but for those who do, it is a pain. I question whether anyone wants to live with the internal disruption that causes you to hurt yourself or others.

She notes Will and Jeff cant read or write and are still learning daily activities like showering on their own. She doesnt feel theyre maximizing their life.

Still, hiking helped Marinac see her sons differently.

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It changed my life. It truly did. I started seeing capability, not disability, she said. Yes, Will and Jeff cant read, but they can climb a mountain better than a fraction of the entire human population. I mean, not everybody can do what they do.

And nowhere was that more apparent than when the family trekked up Mount Eisenhower in New Hampshires Presidential Range early in their hiking careers.

Theres a big sign that says, Stop. This is the area with the worlds worst weather. Dont go further if the weather is bad, she said. And Im thinking, Is this supposed to be a sign? Should we stop here? Will, he heard the cog railway. He saw the smoke of the train going up the mountains. It was a pristine, beautiful-sky day. He looked above the tree-lined section. He looked at me. And he ran. He ran. Im thinking this is my most motor planning-challenged child, running up the hill. It was amazing. I followed him, and so did the rest of us. Thats a metaphor if there was one.
Last October, days after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez stood together during a news conference in Tampa and announced a development in a case that sparked outrage and spurred lawmakers to pass a new law.

A man accused of leaving a white and brown bull terrier tethered to a wire fence next to Interstate 75 as the storm bore down on Tampa Bay had been arrested on an aggravated animal cruelty charge, DeSantis said.

When this poor dog was left out there, DeSantis said, we said ... were going to nail you when we find out who did it. And thats exactly what theyre doing here in Hillsborough County with State Attorney Lopez.

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Lopez, who owns two bulldogs  one of whom she named Rhonda Santis in honor of the governor  promised stiff consequences for the owner of the dog, which was later renamed Trooper.

You dont get away with doing what this man did in Hillsborough County, she said. Not under my watch.

On Wednesday, exactly one year to the day of that news conference, Lopezs office filed a notice that it was dropping the charge against Giovanny Aldama Garcia, 24. The case was set for trial next month and Aldama Garcia of Ruskin faced up to five years in prison if convicted.

The main reason behind the decision, according to Lopezs office: There was no clear evidence that the dog was intentionally tied to the fence after all. Rather, its collar appeared to have gotten stuck in the fence.

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While this case stirs many emotions and even ethical questions, we do not have a good-faith basis to continue this prosecution, Erin Maloney, a spokesperson for the State Attorneys Office, said in a prepared statement released Friday. While it was initially reported that the dog was tied to the fence with a rope, we have insufficient evidence to support that allegation. As a result, we cannot meet our burden of proving aggravated animal cruelty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Aldama Garcias defense attorney, Tony Lopez, did not immediately respond to messages left at his office Friday.

The investigation began with a call to the Highway Patrol on Oct. 9, 2024, as Hurricane Milton was hours away from tearing through the Tampa Bay area, according to an arrest report.

A woman called 911 to report that the dog was tied to a fence along the right shoulder of the northbound side of I-75, south of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. Trooper Orlando Morales drove to the area and began calling for the dog over a portable speaker. About a quarter-mile south of the exit, he saw the dogs head pop up, the report states.

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Video footage that the Highway Patrol later posted to social media shows the dog standing near the roadside in a pool of water up to its chest. Morales noticed fresh tire marks in the grass nearby. The dog trembled, growled and barked as Morales approached.

I dont blame you, the trooper told the dog.

The dog ended up in an animal shelter in Tallahassee and was later adopted.

Two days later, Aldama Garcia called an animal shelter in Hillsborough County, telling them he was the dogs owner, according to the arrest report. He said he would give up the dog if its new owner could love and care for it.

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Morales later interviewed Aldama Garcia at his home in Ruskin, the affidavit states. Aldama Garcia said the dogs name was Jumbo. Hed had Jumbo since he was a puppy but could not take care of him. He tried unsuccessfully to get rid of him.

He was with his mother, who drove along the interstate during the mass evacuations that preceded Miltons arrival, the report states. She pulled over and let the dog out of the car.

He described seeing the dog standing in water amid heavy rain and leaving it behind, according to the arrest report. The report does not detail how the dog ended up attached to the fence. He later saw social media posts about the dogs rescue and returned to Ruskin to try to claim it.

According to a memo that Lopezs office filed this week along with the notice dropping the charge, prosecutors learned during the discovery process the dogs collar was stuck on the fence.

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The trooper was able to fashion a makeshift leash to gain control of the dog, detach the collar from the fence, calm the dog and take the dog to safety, the memo stated. The facts as depicted in the video and statements do not support the theory that the dog was attached to the fence in an intentional manner.

The memo notes that a defendant could still commit this crime through a failure to act, but that other than Aldama Garcia and his mother, there are no witnesses to what led to the dog being alone on the side of the interstate.

Aldama Garcia and his mother told investigators that the dog was stressed and aggressive as they were evacuating during the storm, the memo stated, and he jumped out and got loose when they stopped the car to address the situation. Prosecutors found no evidence to refute that account, according to the memo.

A failure to locate the dog during an emergency evacuation does not equate to a criminal failure to act, the memo stated.

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At the time of the October 2024 news conference, Lopez, a Republican, was in the midst of a closely watched political campaign against Andrew Warren, a Democrat, whom DeSantis suspended from office in 2022, accusing him of neglecting his duty. The governor appointed Lopez to replace Warren, and she branded herself a tough-on-crime prosecutor. She won an election over Warren in November.

Less than three months after Trooper was found, state Sen. Don Gaetz filed a bill nicknamed Troopers Law making it a third-degree felony, which is punishable by up to five years in prison, to restrain a dog outside during a natural disaster and abandon it. The bill passed the Legislature unanimously, and DeSantis signed it into law in May. It took effect Oct. 1.

Trooper was later adopted by Carla and Frank Spina of Parkland. In a public Facebook post on Friday, Frank Spina decried the decision to drop the charge.

Troopers case is a national story and the fear of losing it on a national stage, and its political fallout, was enough to throw Trooper under the bus, the post said. Once again, politics over people, politics over victims.
About two weeks ago, when news broke that more members of Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronisterscommand staff were under internal investigation for possible academic dishonesty, Yvette Lewis dialed the sheriffs number.

The president of the NAACPs Hillsborough Branch wanted to talk about why the two colonels under investigation, both of whom are white, were still on the job. Weeks earlier, Anthony Collins, one of Chronisters chief deputies and the highest-ranking Black person in the offices history, was suspended and resigned while facing a similar investigation.

That looked like unequal treatment, Lewis recalls telling Chronister. She said the sheriff assured her that race had nothing to do with his decision and how things had played out.

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But the perception of this is there in the community, Lewis recalls telling the sheriff. And when I say community, Im not just speaking of the African American community. Im speaking of the many people who have asked me about this ... If everything is still under investigation, then why are the other deputies still working? It doesnt make sense.

The questions underscore the fallout that began with Collins resignation after Chronister said the chief deputy admitted to having a man named Robert Roush complete about half of his coursework inthe prestigious FBI Academy.

Collins, in a statement to the Tampa Bay Times for a story that published in late August, denied that Roush wrote papers for him, asserting that he was merely a tutor.That contradicted what Chronister said Collins told him, prompting the sheriff to call Collins a liar.

Collins departure and the circumstances surrounding it stunned many who saw him as a bridge-builder between the Sheriffs Office and communities of color and a realistic prospect to be Hillsboroughs first Black sheriff.

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Then, the Times on Oct. 3 reported that three more command staff members faced investigations related to Roush. Capt. Lora Rivera, who oversaw the sheriffs professional standards bureau, resigned a day earlier amid allegations shed paid Roush to complete a work-related paper for her, according to Chronister.

And Michael Hannaford and Chris Rule, both colonels, exchanged emails in 2021 and 2022 with Roush in which they sought his help writing assignments, according to public records obtained by the Times. It is unclear how much Roush helped the pair. Both colonels remain employed and have not been suspended.

The Sheriffs Office has also confirmed that another member of the command staff, Capt. Zuleydis Stearns, is under investigation related to Roush. The 25-year veteran of the office currently leads its Communications Bureau and Records Division. Stearns also remains on the job while that investigation is ongoing.

In an emailed response to questions from the Times, Sheriffs Office spokesperson Amanda Granit said Chronister values the feedback he receives from community members, including Ms. Lewis, and takes their concerns seriously.

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However, its important that the facts, not emotion or speculation, guide this discussion, Granit said.

Granit noted that alongwith allegations of academic dishonesty, Collins initially faced serious criminal allegations of child abuse, in addition to administrative concerns about an inappropriate relationship with an employee.

Given the totality of those allegations, it was clear that he could not remain in his position while investigations were conducted, Granit said. By contrast, the ongoing investigation involving Colonels Hannaford, Rule, and Captain Stearns included no criminal allegations. It centers solely on whether they violated agency policy, and therefore, the circumstances are not comparable.

The investigation began when Alexandra Collins sent emails to her husbands law enforcement colleagues in July that alleged that he had Roush write academic papers for him while attending the FBI National Academy. She also alleged hed had an affair with a female deputy and blamed him for a domestic dispute in which one of their children was injured.

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Investigators did not find conclusive evidence of an inappropriate relationship and deemed the domestic allegation unfounded.

Granit said Thursday that no other command staff members are under investigation related to Roush.

There have been more allegations related to Roush lobbed against Chronisters second-in-command, Undersheriff Thomas St. John, by a former sheriffs deputy.

In early October, James Stahlschmidt sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis, the U.S. Attorneys Office and other agencies citing the cheating issue and a range of other allegations to call for anoutside investigation into the Sheriffs Office. Stahlschmidt, who worked at the Sheriffs Office from 1999 to 2018, alleged that St. John is suspected of using other personnel to complete his coursework in educational or academic programs directly related to his position, or of knowingly supporting others in doing so.

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Granit said St. John is not under investigation and Stahlschmidts allegation is just another baseless and sensationalized claim made from a disgruntled, former employee.

Chronister issued a statement on Oct. 7 addressing Stahlschmidts letter.

Despite sensational claims in his correspondence, this office remains committed to a complete, thorough, fair, and transparent investigation into any misconduct allegations, the sheriff wrote.

Tyron Pope, an assistant professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a retired New York Police Department sergeant, said it is essential for the sheriff to take transparent steps to address the crisis.

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Pope suggested an independent external review could be necessary to examine how cheating occurred and make recommendations about how it could be prevented. The findings should be made publicly available, he said. To do otherwise will erode the communitys trust in the Sheriffs Office.

Silence or leniency in this situation can easily be read as complicity, Pope said. And thats something you dont want. You want to restore trust. The sheriff has a hard job ahead of him.

Academic integrity is not just an academic concern, but its a measure of character, Pope said. When an individual in a position of public trust engages in academic dishonesty, it calls into question their broader ethical judgment.

Chronister, a Republican who was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott when Sheriff David Gee retired in 2017, won a second four-year term without opposition in 2024. Chronister told the Times last month that he plans to run again in 2028.

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He has emphasized a commitment to diversifying the office, from the rank-and-file deputies to the upper reaches of the command staff, to better reflect the county it polices. He also pushed for the office to increase its presence in the community.

The departure of Collins, who became a familiar face and point of contact for many residents, was a blow to both of those efforts.

Tampa community activist Connie Burton, who also serves as second vice-president of the Hillsborough NAACP, said shes disappointed with how Chronister handled Collins case and said the former chief deputys record and value to the office should have counted for more.

Chronisterknows how that man has walked inside of our community to diffuse whole situations that, if he was not there, could have gone another way, Burton said.

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Burton said she thinks Hannaford and Rule staying on the job indicates theyre being held to a different standard.

These people might get a lightweight suspension, they might get missing pay for 30 days, she said.But it was immediate and it was swift for Anthony.

A Democrat who previously voted for Chronister, Burton said she wont do so again in 2028.

Lewis said its still unclear to her how much the circumstances of Collins departure and the academic dishonesty investigations that it spurred might affect the sheriffs support.

I dont know how much damage itll do, she said. But I think its something thats always going to follow him."
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  After opening a second Columbus location last month, Blu Note Jazz Cafe owner Derrik Pannell is now eyeing preparations for a new live music venue in Franklinton.

Called Blu Note on Rich, the project is taking over a historic warehouse at 375 W. Rich St., a property Pannell and The Robert Weiler Company acquired in 2023. Plans for the 10,000-square-foot building include a partnership with Donatos, indoor dining with live jazz, various patios and an outdoor amphitheater called the Pannell Pavilion with 200 to 300 seats. The project is slated to open in 2026.

Smith & Wollensky cancels plan to open new Columbus restaurant

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In our mind, its almost operating two separate visions of an outdoor space for the daytime and then  reel it in with a jazz club in the evening, Pannell told NBC4 in 2024.

Blu Note on Rich is taking over a historic warehouse at 375 W. Rich St. (Courtesy Photo/Blu Note Jazz Cafe) Blu Note on Rich is taking over a historic warehouse at 375 W. Rich St. (Courtesy Photo/Blu Note Jazz Cafe) Blu Note on Rich is taking over a historic warehouse at 375 W. Rich St. (Courtesy Photo/Blu Note Jazz Cafe) Blu Note on Rich is taking over a historic warehouse at 375 W. Rich St. (Courtesy Photo/Blu Note Jazz Cafe) Blu Note on Rich is taking over a historic warehouse at 375 W. Rich St. (Courtesy Photo/Blu Note Jazz Cafe)

The Rich Street development follows the recent launch of Pannells second location, Blu Note on Town, which opened to the public on Sept. 28 at 530 E. Town St. in a historic Downtown-area building. In addition to live jazz performances on Sunday and Monday, that venue houses a private social space called Renaissance Club.

For Pannell, the expansion is about more than business, its personal. Blu Note on Rich is rising just blocks from where he grew up and once played as a child, a press release said. The sites building, which withstood a catastrophic flood in 1920 that reshaped the area known as The Bottoms, will be a destination where history, music and community come together.

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Short North boutique Happy Go Lucky to close after 14 years of business

The Rich Street property was purchased for $750,000 in 2023 through Pannell Music Center LLC, with Robert Weiler serving as minority partner. The site was previously owned by the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority.

The first Blu Note opened in 2020 on East Main Street near Bexley, and has built a following with its blend of daytime cafe service and live jazz. In the press release, the vision for the upcoming Franklinton location was described as preserving and celebrating jazz culture in Columbus while creating an inclusive, community-driven space.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Disability rights advocates gather Feb. 26, 2025, at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix to urge Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs and Republican legislative leaders to remedy a funding shortfall in the state's Division of Developmental Disabilities that could leave them suddenly without essential services. Photo by Caitlin Sievers | Arizona Mirror

Parents of Arizona children with developmental disabilities who were scrambling to deal with massive service cuts finally got some good news today, when the state paused the implementation of those cuts.

Leading up to and following Oct. 1, when Arizonas Medicaid program began using those new rules to assess the hours of service those children qualify for, desperate parents who had little notice of the drastic nature of the changes begged the state to amend the rules. Some said the changes would leave them in fear of homelessness and their children at risk of being institutionalized.

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On Oct. 15, just two weeks after the Arizona Healthcare Cost Containment System, the states Medicaid program better known as AHCCCS, began to use the rules, Gov. Katie Hobbs announced a pause on their implementation. Doing so, she said in a written statement, will give the state time to undergo an emergency rulemaking process to amend the new assessment tool to allow exceptions for kids with extraordinary needs.

Michele Thorne, one of the advocates for the developmentally disabled community whose organization, Care 4 the Caregivers, has been lobbying the state for more flexibility in the new rules, reacted to the news with relief, thankfulness and cautious optimism.

Im happy that they listened to the caregiver community and instituted a pause, she told the Arizona Mirror. We were really struggling with the pace of implementation.

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Details about strict age-based limitations to the services children qualified for through the Division of Developmental Disabilities were only announced publicly about a month before they were implemented, leaving parents panicking about how to deal with huge disruptions in the lives of their families.

The new rules regarding how many hours the state will pay for either a parent or outside caregiver to provide attendant care, or supervision for certain tasks, and habilitation, or skill development to children served by DDD were the result of huge spending increases for those services last year.

While Republicans in the Arizona legislature blamed DDDs Parents as Paid Caregivers Program for the cost increases, increases in paid hours for parents and outside caregivers both contributed to those increases.

After months of protests from members of and advocates for the developmentally disabled community, in April the state finally passed a bill that provided $122 million in gap funding to DDD to deal with cost increases without sudden cuts to services.

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DDD and AHCCCS immediately began developing a new assessment tool to evaluate how many attendant care and habilitation hours each child could receive, based on changes in the law. But many parents didnt find out how drastic the cuts to those services would be until early September.

During a webinar about the changes on Sept. 25, Zane Garcia Ramadan, assistant director of DDD, and Jakenna Lebsock, a deputy assistant director at AHCCCS, admitted that they made mistakes in communicating about the new rules.

We acknowledge that the rollout of the new policies was not perfect, and we will commit to doing better moving forward, Ramadan said.

But Ramadan also emphasized how crucial the cuts are to the future of the entirety of DDD because of huge increases in attendant care and habilitation hours for those under 18 that resulted in exponential cost increases.

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Altogether, DDD spent $77 million on attendant care and habilitation services for those under 18 in 2019. That cost rose to $380 million in 2024 and $614 million in 2025. Those increases are coming out of the states general fund at a time when deep federal cuts to Medicaid and other programs are coming, and are likely to put the state budget in the red.

Its for this reason that Thorne still has concerns. Even though this pause will give parents who rely on DDD for attendant care and habilitation services more time to prepare for changes, she said the feared cuts are still coming.

And its unclear if some of the Republicans in the GOP-controlled legislature will continue funding DDD at current levels  or if they would again agree to provide supplemental funding to cover more cost increases this year during the next legislative session that begins in January.

This is a pause, Thorne said. It doesnt mean that the rollout (of the new rules) wont happen and that cuts wont be made. At some point, we have to stabilize the system.

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A list of facts about the pause posted by AHCCCS said that it was spurred by advocacy from families and that Hobbs had directed the Medicaid program to reevaluate the assessment tool to include exceptions for children who require extraordinary care.

That change was based on pleas from parents like Jessyca and Dominick Damato, of Show Low, whose six-year-old daughter Lilyan needs constant one-on-one supervision and help with all tasks of daily living, from dressing, to showering, to preventing her from injuring herself.

They were just one of many families who scoffed at the new rules that cut supervision services for kids younger than 10 because a parent of a child without disabilities would be expected to watch them closely until that age. The Damatos argued that the constant vigilance required to prevent Lilyan from escaping out a window, banging her head on the sidewalk or burning herself on a hot water faucet were far above and beyond the kind of supervision the parents of a non-disabled six year old would have to provide.

Its a huge relief for parents, Thorne said of the pause and rule changes. I know that extra time to plan is going to be life saving, and I do mean that.

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Thorne said she was grateful to the Governors Office, as well as Republicans and Democrats in the Arizona legislature, for listening to the concerns of the community and taking necessary action.

The state is undertaking an emergency rulemaking process to make these changes, and plans to post them for an expedited public comment period.

Arizonans with disabilities and their families deserve to have a say in decisions that affect their lives, Hobbs said in a statement. By working together, increasing transparency and community input we will continue delivering best in the nation care to Arizonans with disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities, while ensuring these services remain fiscally sound for years to come.

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SAN DIEGO (AP)  The father of a Marine who was arrested by immigration authorities when visiting his pregnant daughter at Camp Pendleton has a criminal record that includes charges of domestic violence and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday.

Esteban Rios was deported to Mexico in 1999, removed from the United States again in 2005 and ordered deported by an immigration judge in 2020 after entering the country illegally a third time, the department said.

The statement was the first detailed account that Homeland Security provided since the Marine, Steve Rios, said last week that his father was detained after visiting the Southern California military base, released with ankle monitors and detained again when reporting days later to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, as ordered.

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Homeland Security initially did not provide details when asked several times by The Associated Press on Tuesday for information on any criminal record Esteban Rios had, saying only that criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S. The department said it had no other information to release.

On Thursday  one day after AP published a story on Esteban Rios, and two days after it sought details from the department  DHS released the detailed account of his criminal record. The department also accused the AP of having deliberately obscured the facts, despite the agency having not provided AP with the information it accused the news organization of obscuring.

Steve Rios of Oceanside, California, told San Diego station KNSD that his parents inspired him to enlist in the Marines. He said they came to the U.S. from Mexico more than 30 years ago and have washed cars and cleaned houses for his whole life.

It was just making them proud, right? Ive seen all the struggles theyve gone through, Steve Rios told the station. The least I could do, right, and serve this country and try to, you know, put some time in.

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Steve Rios said he and his parents were picking up his younger sister and her husband, who is also a Marine, at Pendleton on Sept. 28, as they have done that every weekend for the past few months while she is expecting her first child. After stopping at the gate, ICE officials arrived to detain both parents, later releasing them with ankle monitors. He said his father was deported Oct. 10.

The Rios family told the station the parents had no criminal record, had pending green card applications sponsored by Steve and authorization to work.

In response to inquiries from AP, Tricia McLaughlin, a Homeland Security spokeswoman, issued a statement Tuesday that read, Under President (Donald) Trump and Secretary (Kristi) Noem, if you break the law  including domestic violence and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon  you will face the consequences. Criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S.

The statement did not say anything about Esteban Rios, including whether he was arrested or charged with any crime or if he had any immigration history.

When AP followed up to ask if Esteban Rios and his wife had criminal histories, Luis Alani, a communications strategist at ICE, wrote, By statute, ICE has no information on these aliens. To clarify, there is no information we can release.
The in-house Pentagon press corps has been largely reduced to a handful of right-wing publications, freelance reporters and foreign media outlets after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded journalists consent to a policy that restricts what they can cover.

Roughly 15 reporters have agreed to Hegseths rules, according to The Washington Post, while those from most major U.S. news outlets have refused to do so.

News: After Courthouse Detention, Woman Goes Off On ICE Agents: All Of Us Angry Out Here

Some reporters whove acceded to Hegseths policy are from conservative media outlets like The Federalist, The Epoch Times and One America News Network, the Post reports.

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Others work for foreign media publications, including Turkeys Aksam and the countrys state-run Anadolu Agency. Two Turkish freelancers, an Afghan freelancer and a reporter for The Australian are among the additional reporters whove agreed to comply. AWPS News, the India Globe and a blog called USA Journal Korea are a trio of lesser-known publications that have signed on to the new policy.

Prominent conservative publications, including Fox News, The Daily Caller and Newsmax, have all refused to adhere to Hegseths demands, however  along with dozens of other outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and HuffPost.

Reporters carry their belongings from the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 15, 2025, after many news outlets declined to sign new restrictive Pentagon media rules and were stripped of their press credentials. The new rules come after the Defense Department restricted media access inside the Pentagon, forced some outlets to vacate offices in the building and drastically reduced the number of briefings for journalists. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

News publications have broadly criticized Hegseths policy as an effort to restrict what they can cover and infringe on press freedom. Under the new rules, reporters risk losing their credentials if they solicit non-public information from sources that the Pentagon hasnt preapproved.

Make no mistake, today, Oct. 15, 2025 is a dark day for press freedom that raises concerns about a weakening U.S. commitment to transparency in governance, to public accountability at the Pentagon and to free speech for all, the Pentagon Press Association said in a statement.

Politics: Even Fox News Thinks This Pete Hegseth Order Is A Bridge Too Far

Hegseth has taken other steps to curtail press freedom at the Pentagon, including by tightening restrictions on reporters access to different parts of the building.

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In a stark show of opposition to Hegseths policy, reporters from numerous publications turned in their badges and left the Pentagon on Wednesday. Those who dont sign the document acknowledging the new rules can no longer hold a credential to access the building.

In every step of the process establishing common sense media procedures for Pentagon press, representatives from outlets like the New York Times, CNN, and others have expressed their gratitude for our efforts. Yet at the last minute, they have decided to move the goal post and refuse to sign the policy because of a single issue: a line that says they understand what our policies are, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell claimed.

The policy does not ask for them to agree, just to acknowledge that they understand what our policy is. This has caused reporters to have a full blown meltdown, crying victim online. We stand by our policy because its whats best for our troops and the national security of this country.

News: Country Singer Goes Viral Criticizing Christians Who Laugh When Families Are Torn Apart

Journalists have committed to continuing their staunch reporting on the military in the face of the new proposal, and emphasized that they wont be cowed by Hegseths actions.

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The policy is without precedent and threatens core journalistic protections, five major broadcast networks, including ABC, NBC and Fox, wrote in a statement. We will continue to cover the U.S. military as each of our organizations has done for many decades, upholding the principles of a free and independent press.

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Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) warned President Donald Trump not to fall into this trap of weaponizing the IRS or any other government agency against his enemies, Thursday, on SiriusXMs The Dan Abrams Show.

After the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration was planning to install allies at the IRS to go after Democratic donors such as George Soros, McCormick warned the president against the idea.

Arent you concerned, if its true, that the president is installing allies at the IRS for the purpose of investigating Democratic donors? asked host and Mediaite founder Dan Abrams.

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McCormick responded, First of all, the government should never be weaponized. Never, ever. Not by any party, not by any person, not by the president, and by the way, I think that we had exceedingly powerful presidents the last three presidents. He continued:

Weve gotten out of balance. The legislative branch is no longer equal to the executive branch and that really concerns me. I want to be consistent. I thought you made a really good point, very impassioned plea to be equal in application of our opinion. If its bad for Obama to do it, its bad for Trump to do it. I dont like the government being too powerful. In fact, most of the laws I focus on are to rein back in bureaucracies and even presidential power to make sure that were in balance with our Constitution, which is very frustrating to people because everyone wants to see change, but its the way we were designed on purpose, that we have an ineffective government so it would never become more powerful than the people themselves, and this has been abused by lots of presidents in the past. I dont want to see this president fall into that trap where, even though I do believe he was absolutely mistreated, absolutely had the law misappropriated against him, I dont think we should use the same tactics against our enemies because I just think its wrong.

I dont care if its IRS, EPA, education. I dont care what it is, the congressman concluded. I hate overreaching bureaucracies. The government should never go after people. I dont care if its independent or in conjunction with the president of the United States.

Watch above via SiriusXM.

The post House Republican Warns Trump Not to Fall Into This Trap of Weaponizing IRS, DOJ to Go After His Political Foes first appeared on Mediaite.
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DeAnn Wiley was on the hunt for a new rental in Detroit earlier this month when she had the displeasure of arriving at a property that looked nothing like what was advertised online.

The photos made the home look brand new, only to get there and see the usual wear and tear and the old landlord special,  she told Slate. She tweeted the stark, even hilarious differences between what was posted and what she saw in person.

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Her listing appeared to show a pristine, albeit A.I.-generated, house with smooth textures, clean walls and windows, a nice green lawn, and a bench out front under bucolic lighting. However, the photo she said she took in person showed a much shabbier house, featuring uneven grass and cluttered with yard equipment where the bench was supposed to be.

Like this had me screaming. This the pic in the listing v.s what shows up on google maps.  https://t.co/8fmJt9b6zF pic.twitter.com/ybpPPlPXWy  I appreciate you. (@DeeLaSheeArt) October 6, 2025

Wiley appeared to be yet another victim of A.I. slop proliferating online. Although the technology has encroached on peoples everyday lives in small and large ways, this seemed to be a more egregious example of it in housing. With the prospect of homeownership slipping out of reach for most Americans, who are struggling to afford their basic needs, the search for a home, even a rental, now comes with more stressors. And we can thank the overzealous adoption of A.I. for that.

In recent months, homebuyers, renters, real estate agents, and photographers have noticed an uptick in A.I.-rendered images in listingssome with fake staging and altered details, and others that seem to show entirely different houses. Although cosmetic edits and digital staging are nothing new to real estate, these A.I.-ified creations are causing clients and professionals to ask themselves if this is a straight-up deceptive practice.

Wiley says shes OK with a landlords staging of a house, adding a few aesthetic touches here and there, but notes that the house she toured was completely false advertising.

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It ends up wasting a lot of time. Thats gas money, time and energy you have to waste during your search, she said. A.I. is making an already tedious task even more difficult.

Santiago Torres, a freelance real estate photographer, has also been in the market for a home and tells Slate that of 100 listings he has seen, he believes that at least a dozen of them have been enhanced or entirely materialized with A.I. He predicts that this number is definitely going to grow this year.

Torres worries that this practice will become normalized and pervasive in his industry, leading to fewer jobs for human photographers like himself and his peers. I think many photographers havent realized how many listings already use A.I., he added.

The technology is being deployed more widely in real estate, but housing professionals note that few of these nefarious listings are being posted to official housing databases that agents are using right now.

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What we are seeing is experimentation on the edges, mostly in consumer marketing or social media content, Kevin Greene, the general manager of real estate solutions for a data solutions company, told Slate. The ability to generate a full property listing from scratch is here, but its not being used in the MLS. (MLS stands for multiple listing service, a private digital database that realtors and brokers use to circulate listings.)

Greene says most property agents are using A.I. to generate the descriptions for these listings, something he argues does save them a lot of time. In fact, he believes that its the subtle use of this tech that should be more concerning for buyers and renters.

The bigger risk isnt full fabrication; its subtle manipulation. Tools that can brighten a photo can also remove power lines, add trees, or replace grass with a pooland thats where things start to cross the line, he said. What matters most is whether that content reflects ground truth data, which means the verified, factual attributes of a property drawn from public records, imagery, and on-site validation.

Derek Leben, an associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University who teaches courses on A.I. and ethics, agrees that using A.I. language models to render descriptions of a house is not irresponsible, but that presenting images that do not live up to reality is deceptive.

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If you provide information thats misleading, thats an instance of deceptive practice, Leben explained. In traditional ethics law, this happens around fraud or false advertising. For example, if a company shows a picture in their ad of a cheeseburger, but its not a real cheeseburger and it looks nothing like a cheeseburger youd order in the restaurant, is that falsified information? Not really. Youre not giving lies. Its not untrue, but its perhaps misleading.

And, as Leben notes, these practices can result in wasting peoples time if they go and tour the place. In the worst-case scenario, a client can enter a contract under false premises.

In cases where people buy properties sight unseen, it would be a stronger case that they made that contract under misleading pretenses and for it to be null and void, Leben said.

For real estate photographers, he is concerned about the displacement of their work. The A.I. is going to take our jobs worry is real, and we call this job displacement.

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Torres and his peers are also concerned about widespread A.I. adoption, namely how easy it may seem for agents to overlook hiring professional photographers for listings. In the future, agents will only need to know from which angle to take each photosomething they can learn in just a few hours with a cheap tripodand leave the editing to A.I., he said. It wont be the same result as a professional photographer, but it will be good enough for the listing to look decent.

Buyers and renters who already feel stifled by housing options believe that this practice should be heavily regulated. For Wiley, who experienced this firsthand with her rental search, the calculus is simple: If youre going to make the effort to search and visit propertiessomething that often requires untold hours poring over Zillow listings, Craigslist ads, and Facebook Marketplace poststhe places you visit should at least resemble the photos online. You shouldnt have to deal with the torrent of A.I. slopespecially when youre finding a home.

People are focusing so much on whether or not people can spot an A.I. photo and missing the point that no one should have to worry about being misled and taken advantage of while looking for housing, Wiley said. The focus shouldnt be on renters to have discernment but on these rental apps to regulate their platform so that users can avoid potential scams or manipulation during their search.




The corner of Taft Street and Westheimer Road in Montrose may be packed with more than 100 people Sunday who plan to advocate for Houston's iconic rainbow crosswalks, after the Texas governor ordered the removal of street markings representing "political ideologies."

The state plans to withhold road funding from cities and counties that don't remove these markings, Gov. Greg Abbott said earlier this month. The directive includes crosswalks painted with pride flag colors.

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'COUNTERPRODUCTIVE': John Whitmire breaks silence on Greg Abbott's call to remove rainbow crosswalks

Friends of the Boulevard, A Tale of Two Bridges and Walk and Roll Houston will host "Don't Mess with the Texas Rainbow" at 12 p.m. Oct. 19 to protest the removal of the pride crosswalks, which have been a longtime symbol of the LGBTQ+ community in Montrose.

The rainbows were first added in 2017 to memorialize a man who died in a hit-and-run. Alex Hill, 21, was struck by a car at the intersection in 2016.

The rainbow striping was temporarily removed this year during construction but was recently repainted before the governor's announcement.

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Mayor John Whitmire talked this week about Abbott's call to remove "political ideologies" from crosswalks, saying it was a "manufactured" and "counterproductive" move by the governor, according to previous reporting.

The protest is expected to attract over 100 people and will feature music, advocacy signs, free drinks and snacks. Community members, LGBTQ+ advocacy group members, district council member Abbie Kamin and other community leaders are expected to attend, according to the event description.

This article originally published at Houston groups plan 'Don't Mess with the Texas Rainbow' protest Sunday at Montrose crosswalk.
For months, ABC13 has heard your complaints about traffic pickup delays.

This week, Houston leaders say they added more solid waste vehicles to help improve pickup times and efficiency.

READ MORE: Houston Solid Waste Management says it's adding new trucks in aim to improve trash pickup

Rice University's Baker Institute public policy fellow, Bill King, wrote an opinion piece for ABC13's partners at the Houston Chronicle, stating that he believes it's time to move trash collection to private contractors.

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He says that for years, people have long complained about their trash collection, and his opinion is that we should let the private sector handle it. Houston Mayor John Whitmire told 13 Investigates in September it's not something they're considering right now.

The city's solid waste department is slated to add 50 new solid waste vehicles by the end of the month, which they say will help improve efficiency across town.

King says the delays have been a constant problem for years. He says industrially speaking, it's a small operation, and the city's spread out in a wide geographic area.

"Whitmire is working on it hard, but it's just proved to be an insoluble problem because the model doesn't make any sense from an operational standpoint," King said.

SEE ALSO: Residents say they've been cited for trash not picked up due to city of Houston delays

King says the city should provide a basic level of service and ask contractors to bid on the service.

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"Operationally, it doesn't make any sense to have this big spread-out city and try to have an operator cover the entire city like we do. And what you would probably end up doing if you contract this out is you would have different contractors in different parts of the city," King said. "Nobody would put up with the city service if it wasn't for free."

Just last month, Whitmire told 13 Investigates they're trying to fix the problems right now as a city department. The mayor says he has full confidence in the new solid waste director and says he believes the city's on the right path, but that it may take time.

Solid Waste Management Department Director Larius Hassan sent ABC13 the following statement on Friday:

"The City of Houston has historically utilized private contractors to supplement solid waste heavy trash collection and to assist with storm debris removal after major weather events. Partnering with contractors allows the department to maintain reliable service during periods of high volume or equipment challenges. The department is in discussions with contractors to assist with a citywide heavy trash cleanup, which will help reset operations and support upcoming service improvement initiatives. The Solid Waste Management Department is also developing a program that will allow residents to schedule heavy trash pickups and is prioritizing the resolution of outstanding 311 service requests."

For updates on this story, follow Daniela Hurtado on Facebook, X and Instagram.
BIG SPRING, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Officials in Big Spring are investigating after a reported sexual assault occurred on the Howard College campus this week.

According to school officials, late in the afternoon on October 16, campus leaders received a report of a sexual assault that occurred on the south side of the campus. The reported event occurred in the early evening hours of Tuesday, October 14, 2025, in a building on campus. The incident was reported to the Big Spring Police Department and immediate efforts began to gather information and to review recorded footage by the Howard College Security Department.

A suspect has been identified and Howard College Campus Security, assisted by the BSPD, contacted the suspect who was verbally issued a Criminal Trespass Warning. The college is working closely with BSPD on its investigation and the suspect in question has been identified as a slim Hispanic male in his early 60s with gray/black hair and approximately 58 tall.

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We ask that all employees and students regardless of gender be very mindful of their surroundings and be cautious. If anyone notices unusual behavior or questionable individuals on campus, please notify Campus Security at 432-264-5222 or dial 911 if you feel an immediate threat to your safety. Howard College will make needed support services available to all students/employees. These supports may be requested by contacting the Dean of Students office at 432-264-5029, the school said in a statement.

There is no indication of any additional victims or threats at this time. Campus Security and BSPD will continue to monitor the situation closely and will take action as needed.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is investigating two recent attacks by black bears. (Photo courtesy of Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)

When a black bear attacked a man in Franklin County on Sept. 3, it seemed like a one-off tragedy. But a second fatal attack in Newton County, just four weeks later and about 80 miles west, has raised questions about whether the fatal attacks  the first in more than a century  are more than a coincidence.

Both attacks involved young, male black bears, who assaulted the victims apparently unprovoked. Testing revealed the bear involved in the first attack was malnourished and not functioning normally, according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Spokesperson Keith Stephens said the AGFC is still waiting on test results for the bear involved in the second attack, but initial findings indicate the bear was extremely healthy with a belly full of natural foods.

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AGFC is still searching for answers, having found no evidence of diseases like rabies or distemper that could explain the aggressive behavior. But leading conservation biologists consulted for this article say the attacks are likely related to widespread human changes that have created ecological disruption.

Neil Carter, an associate professor at University of Michigan, studies the relationship between wildlife, people and the environment. Carter said that, in the exceedingly rare case a black bear attacks a human, multiple factors are usually at play, such as the bears health and psychology, social interactions with other animals, changes to its environment and global climate shifts.

Because bears are laser-focused on finding food, small shifts in their environment that are related to large-scale climate disruptions  like human-induced climate change  can have a measurable effect on their behavior, Carter said. He explained that climate change creates longer-term stressors that alter a bears access to food and water.

Climate change is a contributing force here, but whether or not thats what drove one or two bears to do this, its virtually impossible to make that connection, Carter said. I would probably say instead that its probably not just one thing, its probably a series of things happening simultaneously.

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For example, La Nina climate oscillations are associated with drier years and less mast production  the fruit and nut trees that bears gorge on in the fall before hibernation  leading to increased human-bear conflicts. Carter said this resource scarcity can force bears to drastically expand their home ranges and wander into new, human-dominated areas.

Our research is pointing to the idea that because climate change is prevalent and pervasive, that its not unreasonable to consider that small changes in where and how much food is available will have ramifications on where animals like bears are and how they interact  wherever that food goes, or doesnt go, pushes them around quite a bit, he said.

Carters concerns about climate shifts are supported by current meteorological forecasts. A climate shift outlook released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in September indicated a high probability of La Nina conditions persisting through the fall. These conditions increase the chances of below-average precipitation across the Southern U.S., and align with the ongoing drought affecting much of the Ozark region.

Emily Puckett is an associate professor at the University of Memphis who studies bear migration patterns. She previously worked on the Missouri Black Bear Project, tracking the growing population of black bears coming into Missouri from Arkansas. Puckett emphasized that a bad season for mast crops could lead to this kind of unusual bear aggression, and that current data on mast production could provide additional insight into the attacks.

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AGFC does not believe a lack of available natural food sources stemming from recent droughts is related to the attacks.

Theres no indication of that, Stephens said in an email. Both bears had natural foods in their stomach, but only the Franklin County bear was malnourished.

Stephens said there are anecdotal observations indicating an average mast crop, but AGFC could not immediately provide requested mast crop data to support this observation.

Human encroachment on bear territory

Human activities, such as development, new road construction and recreational land use, can also alter bear habitats and increase the likelihood of encounters with people. While human encroachment on wild areas drives away most other animals, bears stay behind, and are often rewarded for it with human scraps.

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A lot of animals cant do that, but bears can, Carter said. So I think the answer is an unsatisfying probably, its entirely possible these things are happening.

Puckett noted how bear population recovery efforts have corresponded with accelerated human development over the past few decades.

This has been a long-term effect of a decrease in human persecution [of black bears] that kind of stopped in the 60s and 70s, and weve seen these localized recoveries of populations not just of bears but of other mesocarnivores as well, she said. But at the same time, human development is coming into their habitat.

A path forward

Stephens said AGFC is continuing to investigate the attacks. Both bears have been euthanized, although AGFC is still awaiting DNA results to confirm the second bear shot was the one that perpetrated the attack. Sams Throne Campground, where the second attack occurred, will remain closed until the match is confirmed, Newton County Sheriff Glenn Wheeler previously stated.

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We are committed to educating the public on respecting wild animals and viewing them from a safe distance, Stephens said. We are investigating both attacks in an attempt to identify what may have provoked the animals, but we may never know the answers to these questions.

Carter emphasized it was impossible to determine the exact causes of the attacks without extensive research, which could take years. He suggested AGFC commission a research program to investigate whether shifts are being driven by factors like human development and climate change.

Puckett suggested people stay up to date with knowledge of how to effectively prevent bear attacks.

Bears and humans do utilize very similar landscapes when they have the choice, she said. And so thats why we have to be so cognizant of how our choices can create this situation for bears to get into conflict and do our part to minimize that.

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By Anita Komuves and Krisztina Than

BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Hungary will ensure that Russian President Vladimir Putin can enter the country for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump planned in Budapest and return home afterwards, Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Friday.

Trump agreed on Thursday to a second summit on the war in Ukraine to be hosted in the Hungarian capital, saying it may happen in the next two weeks. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban spoke with Trump on Thursday and talked to Putin on Friday, saying preparations "are going full steam ahead".

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The choice of Budapest has raised attention. Putin faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, which Hungary is in the process of leaving. Moscow denies the ICC allegations, calling the warrant evidence of the West's hostility to Russia.

HUNGARY CALLS ON EUROPE TO OPEN DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS

"We will ensure that he enters Hungary, has successful negotiations here, and then returns home," Szijjarto told a press briefing.

"There is no need for any kind of consultation with anyone, we are a sovereign country here. We will receive (Putin) with respect, host him, and provide the conditions for him to negotiate with the American president."

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Orban, a long-time Trump ally who has also kept close ties with Russia, said the meeting could take place within the next two weeks if the U.S. and Russian foreign ministers manage to settle remaining issues at a planned meeting next week.

Szijjarto said a date could be discussed after those meetings.

Orban, speaking earlier on state radio, said the meeting "will be about peace" and if there is a peace deal, that would lead to a new phase of economic development in Hungary and Europe.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is due to visit the White House on Friday to push for more military support, including U.S.-made long-range Tomahawk missiles, as the war escalates.

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Orban said on Friday Europe should open its own diplomatic channels towards Russia and he again accused the EU of taking what he called a "pro-war stance" over Ukraine.

TENSE RELATIONS WITH UKRAINE

The veteran Hungarian premier has often clashed with other EU leaders over Ukraine, questioning whether the bloc should send military aid to Kyiv.

Ukraine's relationship with Hungary has grown increasingly tense. Zelenskiy accused Hungarian drones of crossing into Ukraine last month, prompting Orban to retort that Ukraine was not an independent sovereign state.

Hungary has also remained reliant on Russian gas and crude oil deliveries even as the EU seeks to phase out those supplies by 2028 and Trump has urged the bloc to end Russian energy imports.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than and Anita KomuvesWriting by Jason HovetEditing by Christopher Cushing, Gareth Jones and Aidan Lewis)
By Anita Komuves and Krisztina Than

BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Hungary will ensure that Russian President Vladimir Putin can enter the country for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump planned in Budapest and return home afterwards, Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Friday.

Trump agreed on Thursday to a second summit on the war in Ukraine to be hosted in the Hungarian capital, saying it may happen in the next two weeks. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban spoke with Trump on Thursday and talked to Putin on Friday, saying preparations "are going full steam ahead."

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The choice of Budapest has raised attention. Putin faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, which Hungary is in the process of leaving. Moscow denies the ICC allegations, calling the warrant evidence of the West's hostility to Russia.

PUTIN NOT UNDER EU TRAVEL BAN

The EU welcomed the proposed meeting if it could help bring peace in Ukraine, a spokesperson said on Friday, adding Putin was under an asset freeze but not a travel ban by the bloc.

Putin would still need to navigate an EU flight ban on Russian aircraft put in place by Brussels after the 2022 invasion, said Ian Petchenik, a communications director at Flightradar24, a flight-tracking service.

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"A decision will need to be made at either the EU level or the national level to allow a flight if that is where they're going to meet," he said.

According to Petchenik, the shortest route into Hungary would be flying over Poland and Slovakia, while a much longer route would be from the Black Sea into the EU through Romania.

HUNGARY CALLS ON EUROPE TO OPEN DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS

"We will ensure that he enters Hungary, has successful negotiations here, and then returns home," Szijjarto told a press briefing.

"There is no need for any kind of consultation with anyone, we are a sovereign country here. We will receive (Putin) with respect, host him, and provide the conditions for him to negotiate with the American president."

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Orban, a long-time Trump ally who has also kept close ties with Russia, said the meeting could take place within the next two weeks if the U.S. and Russian foreign ministers manage to settle remaining issues at a planned meeting next week.

Szijjarto said a date could be discussed after those meetings.

Orban, speaking earlier on state radio, said the meeting "will be about peace" and if there is a peace deal, that would lead to a new phase of economic development in Hungary and Europe.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is due to visit the White House on Friday to push for more military support, including U.S.-made long-range Tomahawk missiles, as the war escalates.

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Orban said on Friday Europe should open its own diplomatic channels towards Russia and he again accused the EU of taking what he called a "pro-war stance" over Ukraine.

TENSE RELATIONS WITH UKRAINE

The veteran Hungarian premier has often clashed with other EU leaders over Ukraine, questioning whether the bloc should send military aid to Kyiv.

Ukraine's relationship with Hungary has grown increasingly tense. Zelenskiy accused Hungarian drones of crossing into Ukraine last month, prompting Orban to retort that Ukraine was not an independent sovereign state.

Hungary has also remained reliant on Russian gas and crude oil deliveries even as the EU seeks to phase out those supplies by 2028 and Trump has urged the bloc to end Russian energy imports.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than and Anita KomuvesWriting by Jason HovetEditing by Christopher Cushing, Gareth Jones and Rod Nickel)
Hungarys nationalist prime minister Viktor Orban has celebrated his countrys status as the host of upcoming talks between US President Donald Trump and Russias Vladimir Putin, a meeting where the two leaders are expected to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine.

Mr Trump announced his second meeting this year with Mr Putin on Thursday, a day before he was sitting down with Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

A date for the meeting has not been set, but Mr Trump said it would take place in Hungarys capital, Budapest, and suggested it could happen in about two weeks.

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Speaking to state radio on Friday, Mr Orban, a close ally of Mr Trump and considered Mr Putins closest partner in the European Union, suggested that his long-standing opposition to the West supplying Ukraine with military and financial aid for its defence against Russias invasion had played a role in making Budapest the site of the talks.

Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held, primarily because Hungary is almost the only pro-peace country, Mr Orban said.

For three years, we have been the only country that has consistently, openly, loudly and actively advocated for peace.

Mr Orban, who has often taken an adversarial stance toward Ukraine and Mr Zelensky, has consistently portrayed his position as pro-peace, while casting as warmongers his European partners who favour assisting Kyiv in its defence.

A trip to Budapest for Russian President Vladimir Putin would require him flying through the airspace of several Nato member countries (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

Yet Mr Orbans critics view Hungarys position as favouring the aggressor in the war and splintering European unity in the face of Russian threats.

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Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Hungary, a Nato member, has refused to supply Ukraine with weapons or allow their transfer across its borders.

Mr Orban has threatened to veto certain EU sanctions against Moscow and held up the blocs adoption of major funding packages to Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Hungary has actively resisted weaning off of Russian fossil fuels that help fund Moscows war, and, in contrast to almost all of the EUs other 26 countries, has even increased its supplies since the 2022 invasion.

The meeting in Budapest comes after Mr Trump failed to secure an agreement to end the war in Ukraine during an August meeting with Mr Putin in Alaska.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is considered Vladimir Putins closest partner in the European Union (Armando Franca/AP)

Falling short of his campaign pledge to quickly stop the bloodshed, Mr Trump rolled out the red carpet for the man who started it.

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A trip to Budapest for Mr Putin would require him flying through the airspace of several Nato member countries, a potential complicating factor in organising the meeting.

Yet, while Mr Putins assets have been frozen by the EU, he is not subject to a travel ban in Europe. Russian planes are banned from entering the bloc, but member countries are permitted to allow certain flights in.

Hungary is also a signatory to the International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, Netherlands, which in 2023 issued an arrest warrant for Mr Putin for war crimes.

As a signatory, Mr Orbans government would be required to arrest Mr Putin if he set foot on Hungarian soil.

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But Mr Orban said in April that his country would begin the process of withdrawing from the court after he gave red-carpet treatment in Budapest to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also faced an ICC warrant on suspicion of crimes against humanity, which he denies.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto said that Hungarys government would welcome Mr Putin, and that it did not require approval from any institutions or allies to host the Russian president.

We assure him that he will be able to enter Hungary, have a successful negotiation and then return home, Mr Szijjarto said.

There is no need for any consultation with anyone. We are a sovereign country.

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Budapest hosting the Trump-Putin meeting also holds symbolic significance: It was in the Hungarian capital in 1994 that the US, the UK and Russia granted Ukraine assurances of sovereignty and territorial integrity in exchange for Kyiv giving up its nuclear weapons.

Yet for many Ukrainians, the Budapest Memorandum has become a symbol of promises that carried no weight after Moscow shredded the agreement first with the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and then with the full-scale invasion in 2022.

On Friday, Mr Orban said he had spoken to Mr Trump on Thursday evening and would speak directly with Mr Putin on Friday morning.
Hungary has made it clear that Russian leader Vladimir Putin need not fear arrest under an International Criminal Court warrant when he arrives in Budapest for a summit with US President Donald Trump.

Source: Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto during a conversation with journalists, quoted by European Pravda

Details: The minister said that the date and details of the meeting between Trump and Putin will be announced after all preparatory talks between officials from the three countries have taken place.

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"Of course, here in Hungary, in Budapest, we are ready to provide the necessary conditions for the American and Russian presidents to hold talks in a safe and peaceful environment. This is the safest country in Europe. It is one of the safest countries in the world, so if there is a place where talks can be held in safe conditions, it is here," Szijjarto emphasised.

Meanwhile, he made it clear that Putin would be able to enter Hungary without any problems and then return home.

"We respectfully await President Putin, of course. We will ensure that he can enter Hungary, hold successful talks here, and then return home. No agreements with anyone are needed," the Hungarian minister said. [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president  ed.]

"We are a sovereign country. We will respectfully welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin, receive him as a guest and provide conditions for his negotiations with the American president," he added.

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Background:

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin, finding him guilty of the illegal deportation of thousands of children from Ukraine. The issuance of the warrant means that Putin could be arrested if he travels to any ICC member country.

In early April 2025, Hungary announced its intention to withdraw from the ICC during a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for whom the court had also issued an arrest warrant.

In response, the ICC's governing body said Hungary's decision to withdraw from the Court was "concerning". In May, the Hungarian Parliament voted to withdraw from the ICC.

Hungary's withdrawal from the ICC will take effect one year after notification to the UN Secretary-General. Hungary sent such a notification on 2 June 2025.

Until then, Hungary remains bound by its obligations to the ICC, including the execution of arrest warrants.

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Hungary will not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he travels to Budapest for a summit on the Ukraine war, Hungary's foreign minister said on Friday, despite an outstanding International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Putin.

Moscow and Washington are preparing for Putin and US President Donald Trump to meet in the Hungarian capital within the next two weeks, although an exact date has not been set. The two leaders spoke by phone on Thursday about the potential summit.

"We await President Vladimir Putin with respect," Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told a news conference in Budapest, according to local media.

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He said Hungary's government guarantees Putin free entry and exit from the country.

No coordination with anyone is necessary for this, "because we are a sovereign country," the minister continued.

Hungary announced plans in April to withdraw from the ICC, and its parliament approved the decision in May. However, the withdrawal takes effect only one year after formal notification, meaning Hungary would still be legally obliged to arrest Putin if he entered the country.

Even after withdrawal, Hungary would remain bound to cooperate with ongoing ICC investigations launched before its exit, though the court's enforcement powers are limited.

The ICC accuses Putin of being responsible for the abduction and deportation of children and minors from Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine to Russia. It issued an arrest warrant for him in March 2023.
Hungary's far-right, nationalist leader Viktor Orban has hailed President Trump's announcement that he'll hold a second summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, to discuss the war in Ukraine, in Budapest, the Hungarian capital, as "great news for the peace-loving people of the world."

Orban is one of the very few European leaders who has kept close ties with Putin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

He is also a key ally of Mr. Trump, having built a close relationship with the president over many years, helping to turn himself into a favorite European figure on the American right.

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"The planned meeting between the American and Russian presidents is great news for the peace-loving people of the world. We are ready!," Orban - whom the European Union has accused of turning Hungary into an autocracy - said in a social media post on Thursday. "Preparations for the USA-Russia peace summit are underway. Hungary is the island of PEACE!"

President Trump shakes hands with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during a meeting in the Oval Office on May 13, 2019. / Credit: Mark Wilson / Getty Images

Mr. Trump is set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday following a long phone call he had Thursday with Russia's leader. "I believe great progress was made," Mr. Trump wrote Thursday on Truth Social regarding his conversation with Putin.

The Kremlin said in a statement Friday that Orban had spoken with Putin on the phone to express Hungary's "readiness to provide conditions" for the upcoming summit.

The date for the Trump-Putin summit in Budapest has not been confirmed, though Mr. Trump said Thursday that it would likely take place within a couple weeks.

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It will be the two leaders' second bilateral meeting this year, following in-person talks in Alaska in August.

That initial effort by Mr. Trump to end the Ukraine war yielded no tangible results. Putin has so far declined the president's urging to hold a three-way meeting with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Meanwhile, the Russian military has continued its aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities, targeting infrastructure and killing civilians.

Before his announcement on Thursday, President Trump had voiced increasing frustration with Putin's intransigence on negotiating an end to the war.

"I don't know why he continues with this war," Mr. Trump told reporters earlier this week in Washington. "He just doesn't want to end that war."

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The Kremlin, in a Thursday statement attributed to Putin aide Yury Ushakov, said the Russian leader had given Mr. Trump during their phone call "a detailed assessment of the current situation," which included noting that on the ground in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine, "the Russian Armed Forces hold full strategic initiative along the entire line of contact."

Why Ukraine may be disappointed by Hungary as a summit venue

Orban's government has often taken an adversarial stance toward Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian cause since Russia launched its full-scale invasion three years ago.

While Hungary is a member of both the European Union and the U.S.-led NATO alliance, Orban has been a fierce critic of Europe's financial and military support for Ukraine's efforts to repel the Russian invasion. Hungary has halted all sales of weapons to Ukraine since the war began, and Orban's government has also prohibited weapons from Ukraine's Western partners from transiting through the country.

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Earlier this week, Orban posted a promotional video on social media declaring that "Hungary will follow its own path, protect its sovereignty, refuse to send its money to Ukraine, and remain a haven of peace. We will not pay for wars that are not ours!"

Tension between Orban and Zelenskyy has escalated dramatically in recent months.

Budapest has fiercely opposed Ukraine's bid to join the European Union  a move Kyiv sees as a vital step in protecting itself against the potential threat of future Russian aggression.

Under EU rules, new states can only be admitted with the unanimous consent of all its existing members.

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"Hungary has no moral obligation to support Ukraine's EU accession. No country has ever blackmailed its way into the European Union  and it won't happen this time either," Orban said earlier this month. "The EU Treaty leaves no room for ambiguity: membership is decided by the member states, unanimously."

Zelenskyy was quoted in May by the Ukrainian Interfax news agency as calling Hungary's opposition to Ukraine's bid "dangerous" for the EU, "because that's the sovereign choice of another country. Just as we have no right to interfere in Hungary's affairs."

Kyiv has also accused Hungary of illegally flying drones into Ukrainian territory. In September, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted a map on social media of an alleged Hungarian drone incursion with the caption: "Our Armed Forces have gathered all of the necessary evidence, and we are still waiting for Hungary to explain what this object did in our airspace."

Orban appeared to acknowledge the incursion late last month in an interview on a podcast produced by his far-right Fidesz party, while also questioning Ukraine's independence, echoing a talking point often promoted by the Kremlin.

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"Let's suppose they flew a few meters in there [Ukraine], and so what?" Orban said, according to the Reuters news agency. "Ukraine is not an independent country. Ukraine is not a sovereign country. Ukraine is financed by us, the West gives it funds, weapons."

Sybiha, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, said in a social media post that Orban's remarks showed he was "intoxicated by Russian propaganda."

While Hungary has participated in imposing several rounds of EU sanctions against Russia since the war started, Orban has consistently called for greater economic relief for the Kremlin.

"It's time to talk about sanctions! Did they bring the war to an end? No. Did they cripple the [Russian] economy? No. Did Europe manage to replace Russian energy from other affordable sources? No," Orban said in January. "The sanctions engineered by the Brussels bureaucrats achieved one thing: they destroyed the competitiveness of the European economy."

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Budapest has defied other EU nations' efforts to wean themselves off a years-long reliance on Russian oil and gas  despite repeated calls from both Mr. Trump and Zelenskyy to do so to squeeze Putin's ability to fund the war.

Research from the Center for the Study of Democracy, an independent policy think tank, shows Hungary has actually increased its reliance on Russian energy over the past three years. Hungary's purchases of Russian crude oil increased from 61% of its total imports pre-invasion, to 86% in 2024, the study showed.

Orban is a key Trump ally

While Hungary is not perceived as friendly to Ukraine, President Trump will arrive to a warm welcome in Budapest if the summit goes ahead.

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Orban was the first and only EU leader to publicly endorse Mr. Trump's first successful bid for the U.S. presidency in 2016, and the two have had warm ties ever since.

Orban, who according to Human Rights Watch has used his party's supermajority in the Hungarian parliament to undermine the independence of the country's judiciary, crack down on independent media, demonize migrants and discriminate against LGBTQ people, was also effusive in praising Mr. Trump's return to the Oval Office in January.

Hungary's government pays citizens to start the "right" kind of families

"The Trump tsunami swept through the entire world," Orban said earlier this year. "It gave back hope to the world. We are no longer suffocating in the woke sea."

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In 2022, the EU said Hungary, under Orban's leadership, could no longer be considered a "full democracy," calling it a "hybrid regime of electoral autocracy."

Mr. Trump has also prolifically praised Orban's strongman leadership, calling him "a great man and a very special person."

Sneak peek: My Uncle Joe's Murder

Catastrophic flooding leaves trail of destruction in western Alaska

Restaurant owner says he's "barely breaking even" amid tariffs, inflation
By Diego Ore

SAN JOSE/MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) -One night last November, four carloads of armed Nicaraguan police pulled opposition figure Henry Briceno and his family out of their home and deposited them at a checkpoint on the border with Costa Rica.

Seven months after the Bricenos were expelled to Costa Rica, the family was packing its bags again.

Unknown men, travelling by motorcycle or in unmarked cars, had been following Briceno. And Briceno started to fear that he could be the latest Nicaraguan political exile to be killed in Costa Rica, he said in an interview with Reuters.

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The Nicaraguan opposition figure, Roberto Samcam, had told fellow Nicaraguan exiles and Costa Rican police the same thing was happening to him in the days before he was shot dead inside his house in San Jose on June 19.

It was the third killing of a Nicaraguan political exile in Costa Rica since 2023.

Eleven days later, Briceno, 75, his wife and two children flew to Europe - despite being granted political asylum in Costa Rica - to escape what dissidents say is the increasingly long arm of President Daniel Ortega's crackdown on political opposition.

'ONLY A MATTER OF TIME'

"Having to start all over again after only seven months (in Costa Rica) was difficult," Briceno said. "But it was necessary  We thought it was only a matter of time before we got killed." Briceno did not identify the country, saying he feared for his safety.

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At least 50 Nicaraguan families have fled Costa Rica for Europe and North America since August last year - and two dozen more Nicaraguan exiles and their families are planning to leave, according to Reuters interviews with 19 Nicaraguan exiles who have sought refuge in the country.

The scale of the flight of Nicaraguan exiles from Costa Rica has not been previously reported.

The country was once renowned for its low crime rates and political stability. More than 200,000 Nicaraguans sought asylum in Costa Rica between 2018 and 2024, with another 15,000 granted refugee status.

The exiles Reuters spoke to described an expanding crackdown by the Ortega government that has left them fearful of reprisal even after they fled the region. A dozen exiles told Reuters they had received identical threats by text and cell phone saying: "get off social media, stop attacking (the government) ... or face the consequences."

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Nicaraguan Co-President Rosario Murillo, who is Ortega's wife and serves as the spokeswoman for the Nicaraguan presidency, did not respond to questions about the killings. The Nicaraguan Embassy in San Jose also did not respond to requests for comment.

Costa Rican Public Security Minister Mario Zamora told Reuters that Nicaraguan exiles "facing risks to their life" could ask the courts for additional security.

None of the Nicaraguan exiles Reuters spoke to had requested protection.

Zamora did not respond to questions about specific killings. Costa Rica's Public Prosecutor Office said it could not provide details on whether any Nicaraguan exiles had requested government protection, as it was "confidential information."

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Four suspects, all Costa Ricans, are in custody charged with Samcam's killing, but the head of Costa Rica's judicial investigation body, Randall Zuniga, said last month that the crime's "mastermind" remained at large. He said the authorities were investigating whether the killings were "a case of political incursion by another government."

The U.N. Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua said in a report last month that the possibility that Managua orchestrated the killings of Samcam and other Nicaraguan exiles "cannot be excluded until comprehensive and independent inquiries are completed."

The report said Managua surveils exiled opposition figures to "silence dissenting voices wherever they are found."

DEEPENING REPRESSION

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Human rights groups say Ortega has grown increasingly authoritarian since massive anti-government protests in 2018, consolidating presidential control and silencing his critics through violence, imprisonment and exile.

Over the last few years, activists have accused Ortega's government of ratcheting up the repression by tracking down and killing opponents in exile.

At least four exiled Nicaraguan opposition figures - including Samcam, a Sandinista major turned dissident - have been killed in Central America since 2022, according to human rights groups.

Three more Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica told Reuters that they had been shot at by men riding motorcycles. Another exiled Nicaraguan interviewed by Reuters said he was severely beaten.

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The attacks come as Costa Rica wrestles with a surge in homicides as drug cartels fight for new trafficking routes.

Many of the Nicaraguan exiles fleeing Costa Rica described having limited options.

The United States, under President Donald Trump, has tightened asylum pathways and stripped thousands of Nicaraguans living in the U.S. of protection from deportation. Other Central American nations are wracked by insecurity.

For many, Spain has emerged as the preferred destination, due to the shared language, the relative ease of the asylum process, and the distance from Nicaragua. But even those who have fled to Europe said they were afraid of revealing their location.

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"ABSOLUTE LACK OF SAFETY"

In 2018, human rights activist Alvaro Leiva fled Ortega's crackdown on anti-government protesters, settling in Costa Rica.

A year later, he said, he began receiving death threats on his cellphone from men with Nicaraguan accents. Strange cars and motorcycles stalked him at home and at work. Fellow Nicaraguan exiles told him that they saw some of these motorcycles depart from the Nicaraguan Embassy in San Jose.

Leiva began to suspect that Nicaragua had sent assassins to Costa Rica with the aim of tracking down and killing off its opponents, and that these operatives were based at the embassy, posing as diplomatic staff.

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Leiva said he sent nearly a dozen letters to Costa Rica's political leaders and security officials over the next five years, detailing the threats.

Costa Rica security chief Zamora said he was unfamiliar with the situation, when asked by Reuters.

In his final letter in Nov. 2024, addressed to Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves, Leiva renounced his political asylum because of the "absolute lack of safety for myself and my life."

Then he fled the country.

"The tyrants have unrestricted capacity for repression, both within Nicaragua and abroad," he said in a WhatsApp message.

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He did not disclose his location, saying he feared he was still within Managua's reach.

(Reporting by Alvaro Murillo in San Jose and Diego Ore and Gabriela Selser in Mexico City; Editing by Laura Gottesdiener and Suzanne Goldenberg)
Oct. 16A hunter in North Idaho was charged by a grizzly bear near the Canadian border on Wednesday.

The hunter, who wasn't injured, fired four shots in self-defense, according to a Facebook post from the the Boundary County Sheriff's Office.

Neither the bear nor any blood were immediately found. The post said it's unclear if the bear was hit by any of the rounds, but that there's "a high likelihood" that an injured grizzly is in the area.

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The hunter was on state land along State Highway 1 near Porthill, a border crossing town north of Bonners Ferry.

North Idaho is part of what bear managers consider the Selkirk Recovery Zone. It's one of six areas where federal officials have worked to recover the bears, which have been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act since 1975.

The most recent minimum count estimated there were at least 57 grizzlies in the U.S. portion of the Selkirks, which includes parts of Northeast Washington.

In May, a black bear hunter mistakenly shot a grizzly bear north of Priest Lake in neighboring Bonner County.
A womans mysterious disappearance in France, which was described as a perfect murder, has ended with her husband being convicted of killing her.

Cedric Jubillar, a painter and decorator, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for murdering his wife Delphine, whose disappearance during the countrys Covid lockdown became a national obsession.

After nearly five years of denials, contradictions and televised drama, the verdict, delivered by the Tarn assize court in the southern town of Albi, concludes one of the most closely followed and divisive trials in recent years.

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Jurors concluded that the 37-year-old had killed his wife in a fit of rage on the night she planned to leave him for another man and then concealing her body, which has never been found. Nor were there any traces of blood or indications of a crime scene.

Delphine, a 33-year-old nurse, vanished from the couples home in Cagnac-les-Mines, near Albi, on Dec 15 2020. Shortly after 4am, her husband called police and said: I dont know where my wife is.

He told officers she had gone out to walk their dogs and had never returned. But no one saw her leave, and no evidence ever supported that claim.

Search teams of volunteers, police, divers and drones scoured fields, rivers and woods for weeks, but not a trace was found. Jubillar even helped in the search.

Delphine and Cedric Jubillar on their wedding day. Her body has never been found

Since her disappearance, France has debated whether Jubillar was a manipulative killer or a victim of over-zealous investigators. Was he a clueless everyman, or a jealous husband cornered by lies?

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Throughout the four-week trial, Jubillars defence fought bitterly against what they called a one-sided investigation.

In a closing plea, Emmanuelle Franck, his lawyer, described the case as a machine to crush where bad faith meets incompetence.

She told jurors: We have created a criminal to explain a crime. This is a castle of sand. When you cannot prove, you imagine. When you cannot find, you invent.

The defence ridiculed the prosecutions reliance on a pyjama, a pair of glasses, and a few late-night noises to convict.

Ms Franck argued: No body, no blood, no trace of a fight. You are being asked to believe that a man who can barely organise his own toolbox executed the perfect crime.

Candles and flowers were placed outside Delphines home in Cagnac-les-Mines after her disappearance - Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty

Prosecutors argued that the disappearance of Delphine, a mother of three, followed a classic pattern of domestic violence  jealousy, control, rage, then denial.

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They said Jubillar exploded after learning that his wife planned to move in with her lover, a fellow nurse from Montauban.

To defend the idea of Mr Jubillars innocence requires dismissing four experts, silencing 19 witnesses and killing the sniffer dog that established that Delphine did not leave her home on the night of her disappearance, argued Pierre Aurignac, the chief prosecutor.

He added: The perfect crime will have to wait. The perfect crime is not a crime without a body, but one for which you are not convicted  and you will be convicted, Mr Jubillar.

The deepest wounds came from within his own family. His mother Nadine, once his defender, told the court last week she now believed her son to be guilty.

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She expressed regret that she had not taken him seriously when he said: Im fed up, she annoys me, Im going to kill her, Im going to bury her, no one will find her.

Nadine Jubillar, the killers mother, told the court last week she now believed her son to be guilty - Matthieu Rondel/AFP via Getty

Equally devastating was a letter written by the couples son, now aged 11, which was read aloud by his legal guardian.

In it, he referred to his father not as Papa but by his full name, Cedric Jubillar, and accused him of mistreating both his mother and himself.

He described being beaten, humiliated and belittled, and said he believed his father did something bad to his mother. He had witnessed them arguing that night and discussing separation.

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The childs legal guardian told the court the boy was very, very angry with his father and held him responsible for his mothers death. His younger sister, who was 18 months old when her mother vanished, still asks whether Mummy is alive or not, the guardian said.

The testimonies of two former girlfriends of Jubillars proved crucial. One, known only as Jennifer, said he had confessed to strangling Delphine in the couples home when she had visited him in prison.

Severine, another of his former partners, said he had told her he had buried his wifes body in a burned-down farm. He dismissed this as a joke. Searches following those claims found nothing  but to the jury, the pattern of deceit was overwhelming.

The defence had requested acquittal. Ms Franck, the defence lawyer, implored the court to resist what she called the easy narrative of a jealous husband who killed in anger.

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A guilty verdict would mean telling two motherless orphans Your father killed your mother. You must be certain to say such a thing. Can we be certain here?

Alexandre Martin, her colleague, added that the judges had the duty to acquit given the absence of physical evidence.

Emmanuelle Franck, a lawyer for Jubillar, called for his acquittal - Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty

Pale, and with dark circles under his eyes, Jubillar addressed the court for a final time on Friday to utter one sentence: I have done absolutely nothing to Delphine.

But Laurent de Caunes, the lawyer representing the siblings of the missing woman, said: These are words that are disembodied, like those he has been treating us to since the beginning of this hearing.

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One of the two prosecuting magistrates told the jury that although there was no body and no blood, there was no plausible alternative either.

Each fragment, they said, pointed in one direction. No matter how you look at this case, you come to the same conclusion  guilt, said Mr Aurignac.

For France, where one woman is killed by a current or former partner roughly every three days, the case has reignited debate over how authorities respond to domestic abuse, and whether the justice system is equipped to handle conjugal disappearances that leave no trace.

Pauline Rongier, a lawyer representing a friend of Delphines, told the jury said the case could prove a historic step in the fight against femicide.

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The defence said it would appeal, insisting that reasonable doubt remains overwhelming.

When the verdict was announced, Delphines family hugged and kissed each other on the four benches reserved for the civil parties, where they sat in tight rows. Some cried, while one of her uncles fainted.

We are all in shock after four years of proceedings, said Philippe Pressecq, a lawyer for the civil parties. The jurors rose to the challenge during these four weeks. It is because they followed and understood the case well that they reached an indisputable decision.

Mourad Battikh, a lawyer for Delphines family, said: Truth has won over lies. Its a relief.

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Laurent Boguet, another lawyer for the civil parties, said: Delphine was killed at the hands of her husband. The severity of the sentence can be explained by Jubillars attitude during the investigation and the trial.

In the interests of the children, he should say where he has hidden the body.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Iberville Parish Sheriff Brett Stassi issued a public apology to the family of St. Gabriel Police Captain Devin Boutte after making comments after his death.

Ive learned from my mistakes, and Im asking that they accept my apology, my sincere apology to the family, said Stassi.

Boutte was found stabbed to death in his home in July. His accused killer, Warren Mitchell III.

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So, why did it take this long for Sheriff Stassi to change his story?

I didnt want to say anything until after the grand jury had done its case. I did not want any of my words to affect the case any more than they already have, said Stassi.

Stassi said his apology is aimed toward the public, Captain Bouttes family, and the St. Gabriel Police Department. The St. Gabriel police chief, Kevin Ambeau, said he forgives him.

At the end of the day, our job is to protect and serve the people that we took an oath to protect. And I accepted the apology on behalf of me, my department, and the family. It takes courage to do what you did, said Ambeau.

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Bouttes mother also said she forgives Stassi.

If we dont forgive the sheriff, then what do we get? We said we believe in God. So, if God forgives him and hes made his peace with God, then who are we not to forgive him? she said.

An apology, coupled with a desire to see the man accused of killing Boutte, brought to justice.

Thank this family. Theyve been through enough. And I hope we can put this thing behind us and we can convict this man and send him to the place he needs to be, said Stassi.

Mitchell was indicted last week on second-degree murder charges. His arraignment is set for Nov. 19 in Iberville Parish.

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By Renee Hickman

CHICAGO (Reuters) -A suburban Chicago police officer arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday was legally authorized to work in the U.S. and had completed a full background check by the FBI, according to the Village of Hanover Park, where he was employed.

Radule Bojovic, who was born in Montenegro, was arrested "during a targeted enforcement action," according to a press release from the Department of Homeland Security. DHS said Bojovic was in the country illegally after overstaying a B2 tourist visa more than 10 years ago. But a statement from the Village of Hanover Park later on Thursday said its police department received a work authorization card for Bojovic issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which had recently been renewed. The Village also said Bojovic had successfully completed a background check with the FBI and the Illinois State Police.

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"The bottom line is that all information we received from the federal government indicated that Officer Bojovic is legally authorized to work in the United States as a police officer. Clearly, without that authorization, the Village would not have hired him," the statement said. Bojovic was being held in immigration detention at the Clay County Justice Center in Brazil, Indiana, on Friday morning, according to ICE's online detainee locator. The Village's statement said Bojovic had been placed on administrative leave during his immigration proceedings and that he would return to duty if he were allowed to remain legally in the U.S. Since the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump launched its federal immigration enforcement blitz in the Chicago area last month, about 1,500 people have been arrested, according to DHS. The use of tear gas and other chemical munitions by federal immigration agents to disperse crowds during arrests has increasingly come under scrutiny by civic leaders and residents. Some, including Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, have also questioned the veracity of statements issued by the DHS about the incidents.

Earlier this month, DHS accused Marimar Martinez of ramming a U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicle with her car in the Chicago neighborhood of Brighton Park before agents shot her multiple times. Martinez survived the shooting and was subsequently indicted on charges of impeding a federal officer. But her attorney says that body camera footage shows federal agents striking Martinez's car.

And on September 12, DHS issued a press release saying an ICE agent had shot and killed Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, a Mexican national, during an arrest attempt in Franklin Park, Illinois, because the man had driven his car at agents, injuring one and causing him to fear for his life.

Body camera footage later showed the agent saying the injury was "nothing major." In a court filing from a lawsuit filed by protesters and journalists over ICE agents' use of force, government attorneys said that Chicago ICE Field Director Russell Hott's last day overseeing enforcement operations in the city was Friday. On Thursday, a U.S. judge ordered Hott to appear for a hearing on Monday to answer questions about a number of incidents where ICE agents used tear gas against protesters despite a court order requiring them to give a warning first. Hott, formerly a top ICE official in Washington, D.C., was reassigned in February amid pressure from the Trump administration to dramatically increase arrests of people living in the U.S. illegally.

(Reporting by Renee Hickman in Chicago; Additional reporting by Diana Jones in Chicago; Editing by Emily Schmall and Matthew Lewis)
ICE arrests more than 1,400 in Massachusetts during Operation Patriot 2.0

Federal agents arrested 1,406 people across Massachusetts in a multi-week U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation dubbed Operation Patriot 2.0, authorities announced Thursday.

The arrests took place between September 4 and 30, targeting individuals ICE says were in the country illegally.

According to ICE, the operation focused on those with criminal backgrounds, including members of transnational gangs operating in Boston and other parts of the state. Among those arrested were alleged murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, child sex predators, and members of violent transnational criminal gangs.

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Every illegal alien we arrested during the operation was breaking U.S. immigration law, and hundreds were violent criminals, acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons said in a statement.

ICE noted that the operations targeted egregious criminal alien offenders involved with criminal organizations known to operate in and around Boston and throughout Massachusetts, including the notorious MS-13, Tren de Aragua, Trinitarios, and 18th Street gangs.

Others had foreign arrest warrants and Interpol Red Notices, according to ICE.

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About 600 people arrested had significant criminal convictions or pending charges. Additionally, 277 of those arrested had previously been ordered to leave the U.S. by the Department of Justice.

Lyons criticized local law enforcement agencies for releasing individuals instead of transferring them to ICE custody.

Patriot 2.0 exposed the grave consequences of sanctuary policies and the urgent need for local leaders to prioritize their constituents safety over politics, Lyons said. Local law enforcement agencies released them instead of handing them over to us in a secure environment, and this puts neighborhoods, law enforcement officers, and illegal aliens at risk. Local politicians are responsible for protecting their constituents, so they need to step up and end irresponsible sanctuary policies.

ICE ERO Boston acting Field Office Director David Wesling noted that Massachusetts is a significantly safer place to live and work thanks to the hard work and determination of the men and women of ICE and our federal partners.

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This marks the second phase of ICEs enforcement efforts in Massachusetts, following a similar operation in May that resulted in approximately 1,500 arrests.

The crackdown has sparked protests across the state, including outside the ICE facility in Burlington, where demonstrators voiced opposition to the federal governments immigration policies.

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The holiday season is nearly here, and many retail chains are gearing up for their busiest time of year  including iconic toy store Toys R Us.

While most retail chains are revamping staff, Toys R Us is also looking forward to adding new stores.

The company announced it will open 36 new stores across the U.S. and several international markets before years end.

Of those new locations, 10 stores opening in the U.S. will be flagship locations and 20 will be seasonal holiday shops.

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As we head into the most magical time of the year, ToysRUs is reaching more kids and families than ever before, said Kimberly Miller, global chief marketing officer for Toys R Us.

She said the companys goal is to create joy and excitement for kids of all ages everywhere through new store openings and holiday events.

Six of the new stores are opening on U.S. Navy and military bases through a partnership with NEXCOM, adding to two locations already in operation.

The expansion marks the brands largest growth year  bringing its total footprint to more than 1,500 stores and e-commerce sites in more than 35 countries.

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In addition to the new stores, the company plans to engage shoppers with in-store and digital brand activations and social content to help customers find gifts.

The toy retailer opened or will open the following flagship and holiday locations in these areas:

California

Camarillo Premium Outlets, Camarillo

Bay Street, Emeryville

Long Beach, Long Beach

Colorado

Denver Premium Outlets, Thornton

Iowa

Jordan Creek, West Des Moines

Louisiana

Lakeside Shopping Center, Metairie

Maryland

Arundel Mills, Hanover

The Mall in Columbia, Columbia

Michigan

Great Lakes Crossing, Auburn Hills

Nebraska

Westroads Mall, Omaha

North Carolina

Crabtree Valley Mall, Raleigh

Tennessee

Tanger Nashville, Nashville

Texas

Grapevine Mills, Grapevine

South Plains Mall, Lubbock

Utah

Station Park, Farmington

Washington

Westfield Southcenter, Tukwila

More Business News

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Generative AI was used to draft this story based on data from a press release provided by Toys R Us. It was reviewed and edited by MassLive staff.

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This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com

Mac & Jacks Brewing Company, one of the most notable craft breweries in the state, is ditching Redmond as its base of operations and production in favor of Bremerton.

The move, which started earlier this week, is expected to be finalized by the end of the year. The brewerys taproom in Redmond will remain open until the move is complete.

Mac and Jacks was founded by Mac Rankin and Jack Schropp in 1993. Three decades later, Seattle-based Ackley Brands acquired Mac & Jacks Brewing in 2023. Two years after the acquisition, Mac and Jacks is relocating its production facility to a shared production space in Bremerton, alongside Silver City Brewery, another craft beer brand acquired by Ackley Brands earlier this year.

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The company cited that it had faced issues constantly in Redmond, but the new zoning changes to accommodate Sound Transits expansion into the city were the driving force behind its relocation.

Zoning changes will impact Mac & Jacks longtime Redmond location in 2026, meaning the brewery would need to move by next year, Ackley Brands stated, according to The Washington Beer Blog.

Mac & Jacks Brewing is most famous for its flagship African Amber craft beer. The brewery is credited as one of the pioneer craft beer establishments in the Pacific Northwest, helping create the craft beer culture seen throughout Washington.
About 87% of the roughly 116,000 Idahoans who have insurance through the state exchange get the enhanced tax credits. (Getty Images)

This week, Idahoans can start choosing or switching health insurance plans on the states exchange.

Idahos exchange, called Your Health Idaho, is the first in the country to start open enrollment. Insurance premiums on exchanges are expected to surge next year, unless Congress renews enhanced tax credits that deeply subsidize consumers monthly payments.

About 87% of the roughly 116,000 Idahoans who have insurance through the state exchange get the enhanced tax credits, according to a report by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

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Your Health Idaho Executive Director Pat Kelly urged Idahoans to shop and compare to explore all of their health insurance options.

Two weeks into the federal government shutdown, Congress is still deadlocked over temporary funding as Democrats insist on extending the credits that Congress created in 2021.

Without those credits, 25,000 Idahoans are likely to cancel their insurance policies as average premiums are expected to double, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. And Idaho could lose 1,100 jobs next year if the credits expire, out of almost 340,000 job losses estimated across the U.S., an analysis published Thursday by the Commonwealth Fund found.

Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Nechocea says many families are learning they will have to give up coverage altogether.

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This is no accident, she said in a statement. The Trump regime and Idaho Republicans refused to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits that have kept coverage within reach for 117,000 Idahoans. Their carelessness means retirees, small business owners, and working parents will be forced to choose between health care and basic necessities.

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How long is Your Health Idahos open enrollment?

Your Health Idahos open enrollment started Wednesday, and it ends Dec. 15.

That gives Idahoans almost nine weeks to pick health insurance plans on the exchange for coverage starting Jan. 1, 2026.

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The exchange is a common place for people to buy private health insurance when their jobs dont offer any, their employers policies are unaffordable, or people dont qualify for public assistance like Medicaid or Medicare.

Heres how to shop for insurance in Idaho:

Use an affordability calculator on Your Health Idahos website to explore plans at https://affordability.yourhealthidaho.org/#/

Find an agent or broker on Your Health Idahos website at https://www.yourhealthidaho.org/find-connector-help/

Kelly encourages people to get started shopping early, and not to wait until the last minute.

How much will Idaho health insurance premiums rise?

In Idaho, average gross health insurance premiums on the exchange are expected to rise by 75%, or $100 a month, Kelly told the Sun. Thats because premiums are rising by 10% next year, and the tax credits could expire.

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The enhanced premium tax credits ensure people dont pay more than 8.5% of their income on health insurance for benchmark plans.

To learn more about how your insurance costs will change, Kelly recommended using Your Health Idahos tools online and working with agents and brokers.

Everybodys situation is so different, Kelly said. Its really hard to comment on how it might be different in southeast Idaho versus North Idaho versus the Treasure Valley.

Heres a few examples of how Idaho households could be affected, based on estimates from Your Health Idaho:

A family of four that earns $130,000 a year would see their annual premiums rise by $10,831 a year. Because they earn more than 400% of the federal poverty level, they wouldnt be eligible for tax credits if the enhanced credits expire. Losing tax credits would cost them $7,800 a year, and their separate premium raise would cost them another $3,031 a year.

A couple that earns $85,000 a year would see their premiums jump by $18,600 a year. Theyd also lose credits, because they earn more than 400% of the federal poverty level, which is the cutoff for the smaller tax credits created through the Affordable Care Act.

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Lebanese individuals, allegedly civilians, were seen approaching up to 80 meters from the border with Israel.

Brigadier-General (Brig.-Gen.) Yuval Gez, commander of the Galilee Division, sent a message on Friday to residents of the northern border, local authorities' heads, security coordinators, and the regional council heads, clarifying that the rules of engagement have not changed.

His message comes amid claims from local residents of a weakening of deterrence in recent days, after Lebanese individuals, allegedly civilians, were seen approaching up to 80 meters from the border with Israel.

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"Division 91 and the IDF as a whole are working day and night to prevent the rehabilitation of the Hezbollah terror organization in southern Lebanon.

Our soldiers, both regular and reservists, carry out raids, destroy infrastructure, and thwart terrorists every day, and we maintain extensive operational freedom," wrote Brig.-Gen. Gez in his letter.

The division commander confirmed an increase in attempts to approach agricultural areas during the olive harvest, emphasizing that forces are taking action to distance the suspects.

Members of the northern town of Katzrin emergency squad train with the IDF and Police in a joint drill, in Katzrin, Golan Heights, on June 11, 2025. (credit: MICHAEL GILADI/FLASH90)

"We will not allow Hezbollah activity or rehabilitation at the front and will continue to act offensively and consistently," he clarified.

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"We will continue our ongoing dialogue with you and examine every claim or request, with the goal of ensuring your security." Gez wrote. Next week, the division will conduct a full-scale exercise, the largest since the beginning of the war.

IDF targets Hezbollah in southern Lebanon

On Sunday, the IDF killed a Hezbollah operative near the village of Kalbiyya in southern Lebanon, who was involved in rehabilitating the organization's military infrastructure.

Additionally, the IDF attacked an engineering vehicle used for the same purposes by the organization near the village of Blida in the southern region.

"The Hezbollah terror organization continues its attempts to rehabilitate terror infrastructure throughout Lebanon, while endangering Lebanese civilians and using them as human shields. The actions of the terrorist and the attempts to rehabilitate military infrastructure in southern Lebanon constitute a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon," said an IDF spokesperson.
The troops are deployed in the area in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, the military added.

The IDF struck several terrorists who were seen exiting a tunnel shaft in the area of Khan Yunis and approaching the troops, the military said Friday.

Additionally, several terrorists were identified exiting a tunnel shaft in the area of Rafah, also in southern Gaza, and opened fire toward IDF troops in the area.

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No soldiers were wounded, the military said.

The troops are deployed in the area in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, the military added.

This is the first instance in which the military has said that it has targeted terrorists in the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire went into effect.

IDF soldiers are seen operating in Gaza City, October 3, 2025 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Ambush attempts in Khan Yunis

In the last several months, there have been many attempts by Hamas terrorists to ambush soldiers while emerging from tunnels in Khan Yunis.

Notably, in mid-August, IDF soldiers thwarted an attempt by over 15 terrorists to raid an IDF post in Khan Yunis. Three soldiers were wounded in the incident.

In early August, IDF soldiers from Division 36 fought some 13 armed terrorists in Khan Yunis who attempted to ambush and likely abduct soldiers. The terrorists were armed with Kalashnikov rifles and RPGs. The terrorists eventually retreated into an underground tunnel.
IHG Hotels & Resorts has launched its first Garner-branded hotel in Turkiye with the opening of a new property near Istanbul Airport in the Arnavutkoy district.

The 56-room property is designed to suit the needs of both business and leisure travellers.

The propertys location offers easy access to local transport connections, including subway, bus and taxi services to the airport.

Guests can also make use of flexible airport transfers, which include private transfer services.

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The hotel provides guest rooms equipped with workspaces and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi.

Facilities include interconnecting rooms, laundry and dry-cleaning services, a 24-hour reception, and a range of food and beverage options available throughout the day. Breakfast is available daily at the on-site restaurant.

All Garner hotels feature a lobby shop accessible around the clock, where guests can purchase snacks and drinks.

The Istanbul location maintains brand standards such as the Sketches of Humanity lobby installation, which IHG states represents the diversity of its guests.

IHG has plans to expand capacity at this site, with additional rooms scheduled for completion in 2026 and 2027. This expansion will bring the total room count to 118.

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Garner Hotel Istanbul - Airport Arnavutkoy general manager Mehmet Kocabas said: We are incredibly proud to mark the opening of Garner Hotel Istanbul  Airport Arnavutkoy  the very first Garner hotel in Turkiye and a major milestone for the brand.

Situated just minutes from one of Europes busiest and most connected transport hubs, this hotel is purpose-built for travellers who value comfort, convenience, and quality.

Garner Hotel Istanbul  Airport Arnavutkoy is part of a global portfolio of more than 28 open Garner hotels.

In Europe, the property joins 20 operational hotels and 36 in development, including locations in Edinburgh, Preston, Rome and several cities in the DACH region.

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Recently, IHG Hotels & Resorts selected Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay as the first hotel in Asia to participate in its Low Carbon Pioneer programme.

"IHG opens first Garner hotel in Turkiye near Istanbul Airport" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand.




CHICAGO  Cook County barred the use of county-owned buildings, parking lots, garages and vacant lots for civil immigration enforcement activities, implementing similar measures enacted in Chicago and most recently neighboring Lake County.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle signed an executive order Thursday that will prevent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from using county-owned property, resources and personnel for operations, the county announced in a news release.

Last week, Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order establishing ICE-free zones at Chicago city property and unwilling private businesses. Since, others have moved to follow suit.

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The Evanston City Council on Monday unanimously agreed to a resolution that prohibits the use of city property for federal immigration enforcement operations. A day later, the Lake County Board passed a similar resolution.

After federal immigration enforcement activity surged in Carpentersville and neighboring Elgin on Wednesday  with federal agents spotted across the area, including outside Carpentersville Village Hall  village officials said they will look at doing something similar.

ICEs increasingly aggressive, inhumane and unlawful actions continue undermining the safety and stability of our communities, Preckwinkle said in a statement. We will do everything we can to ensure all residents receive fair treatment and our communities are safe from harassment and intimidation.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said on social media earlier this week that Operation Midway Blitz  President Donald Trumps local mass deportation push  has resulted in more than 1,500 arrests across the state.

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Preckwinkles order comes a day after Chief Judge Timothy Evans enacted a general order prohibiting warrantless arrests by immigration agents in or around county courthouses.

Last month, immigration agents arrested at least two people in the vicinity of the countys domestic violence-focused courthouse, sparking fears that the enforcement action would have a chilling effect on people seeking orders of protection and other forms of help at the courthouse.

In turn, county commissioners called on other county officeholders to help sound the alarm if federal immigration agents turn up at county courthouses and other public facilities.

Cook Countys strength lies in its diversity, Preckwinkle stated. We will continue to stand with our immigrant communities and protect them from policies that instill fear rather than promote fairness and justice.

_____

(Chicago Tribunes A.D. Quig and Madeline Buckley contributed.)

_____
ICE ordered to wear body cameras

A U.S. District Court judge in Chicago has ordered federal immigration enforcement officers to wear body cameras while performing their duties.

Judge Sara Ellis issued a temporary restraining order last week to limit federal authorities use of tear gas and other measures to disperse protesters.

The judge updated the order Thursday to include the body camera mandate.

Camera funds announced for local police

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The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board has announced the opening of the application period for the Fiscal Year 2026 Law Enforcement Camera Grant.

This grant provides over $56 million in state taxpayer funding to equip police agencies across Illinois with video technology.

Individual awards of up to $3 million are available through the program.

Fed's Beige Book released

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago says economic activity in the Feds Seventh District was little changed in the latest reporting period.

The Beige Book released Wednesday showed declines in business spending and manufacturing activity, and increases in consumer spending and real estate activity.

Employment was flat, prices rose moderately and wages went up modestly.

The Chicago Fed covers parts of five Midwestern states.
More arrested in Broadview protests

Illinois State Police say 11 people were arrested Friday morning after they repeatedly blocked a street outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview.

ISP said there are two designated protest zones, and Illinois law provides that individuals cannot stand on a road and block traffic.

ISP noted that arrested individuals would be taken to the Broadview Police Department or the Cook County Jail in Chicago.

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Shutdown impacting federal courts

Federal courts are reducing operations and stopping payments to employees due to the partial shutdown of the U.S. government.

Virginia Kendall, chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Chicago, said in a statement Friday that the lapse in appropriations required a workforce reduction in the U.S. Attorneys office and other agencies, especially with respect to civil cases.

Youth deer harvest record set

Youth deer hunters in Illinois set a new season record with a preliminary total of 4,714 deer harvested from Oct. 11 to 13.

The top harvest county was Randolph with 259, followed by Pike with 164.

Youth hunters with an unfilled, valid youth deer permit may still hunt during the upcoming firearm deer seasons Nov. 21-23 and Dec. 4-7.
(WTVO)  Illinois has the third-highest rate of teen abortions in the United States, according to a new study analyzing federal data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The research, conducted by the Birth Injury Lawyers Group, examined abortion statistics for teens ages 15 to 19 across all 50 states between 2018 and 2022.

Illinois recorded 454 abortions per 100,000 teens during that period, more than double the national average of 222.

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The findings place Illinois behind only two other states, New Jersey and New York, in teen abortion rates. Around 470 abortions per 100,000 teens were performed in New Jersey while New Yorks numbers reflect 524 abortions per 100,000 15- to 19-year-olds.

Researchers used data from the CDCs Abortion Surveillance Reports, which track legal induced abortions reported by state health departments.

The Birth Injury Lawyers Group said its study aimed to highlight disparities in reproductive health access and outcomes among teens.

Understanding where and why these rates are higher can help inform public health strategies and education efforts, the group said in a statement.

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The Illinois Department of Public Health has also reported a steady increase in overall abortion numbers in recent years. In 2023, the state recorded more than 72,000 abortions  the highest total since reporting began in 1973  with a significant portion performed on out-of-state residents.

Experts say Illinois relatively high teen abortion rate may reflect broader access to reproductive health services compared to neighboring states, many of which have enacted stricter abortion laws following the Supreme Courts 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

The CDCs latest surveillance data shows that nationally, the number of abortions among teens has declined over the past decade, though rates vary widely by state.

Illinois law allows minors to obtain abortions without parental notification, a policy change enacted in 2021 when the state repealed its parental notice requirement. Advocates say the move expanded access for vulnerable youth, while critics argue it undermines parental rights.

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One person was found dead following a report of a pedestrian struck on I-80 westbound in Henry County.

According to a release from the Illinois State Police (ISP), on October 16, ISP Troop 2 responded to a report of a pedestrian struck on I-80 near milepost 18. The pedestrian was found dead and has not been officially identified.

The Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Zone 2 requests the publics assistance with the death investigation and is seeking information from any motorist traveling in the area of I-80 near milepost 18 on October 16, during the approximate times of 12:00 a.m. to 12:15 a.m.

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ISP Special Agents request anyone driving in the area at the time of the crash, anyone who witnessed the crash or anyone who may have dash camera footage of the incident or footage from the location near the time of the crash to call (309) 752-4915 ext. 4937.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
(Reuters) -The International Monetary Fund has discussed Bolivia's economy with the country's presidential candidates ahead of a runoff vote this Sunday, an IMF official said on Friday.

"We benefited from hearing their views on the challenges facing Bolivia and how they view the best way to restore stability and growth in the country," said Nigel Chalk, deputy director of the Western Hemisphere Department at the IMF, in a press briefing to launch the region's economic outlook.

The presidential runoff vote pits centrist Senator Rodrigo Paz against conservative former President Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos in New York; Editing by Chris Reese)
By Jan Strupczewski

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The European Union should jointly borrow to pay for European public goods like defence, research and development and energy, Alfred Kammer, the head of the International Monetary Fund's European Department, told Reuters on Friday.

Joint borrowing by EU countries is a highly controversial topic. The bloc's biggest economy, Germany, is especially sensitive to joint debt, but a number of other northern European countries are also sharply opposed.

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The EU broke the taboo in 2020 when it jointly borrowed 800 billion euros to re-launch the European economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, and the option of more joint borrowing, while still very difficult, has been in the public debate since then.

EU URGED TO FINANCE RISE IN PUBLIC GOODS SPENDING WITH DEBT

The threat of Russian aggression in Europe has dramatically increased the need for defense spending, and competition from China and the U.S. has added to pressure to boost European innovation and lower energy prices.

"We are suggesting concretely to more than double the European Union spending on these public goods, going up from 0.4% of GNI (gross national income) to 0.9% of GNI," Kammer said in an interview. That increase would be roughly equivalent to 100 billion euros ($117 billion).

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"We have one more recommendation, and that is to finance this increase in the EU budget with common debt in order to pay for these European goods, because they are a must, they need to be done, the benefits accrue to everybody, and you want to make sure that they start accruing now," he said.

"And with that, of course, you are going to service that debt over time. For that, you need to have an increase in own resources (revenues to EU budget) to do that service. So don't shy away from thinking about common debt for common interests," Kammer said.

Common EU defense projects, paid for jointly by the EU, are already happening through the EU programme of 150 billion euros of cheap EU loans, though probably more money would be needed given the huge scale of necessary defence investment.

Joint financing to create a European energy market would be new - the EU needs not only to switch away from burning fossil fuels to zero-emission energy sources but also build networks across borders to transport the electricity all over the bloc.

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Investing in research and development and innovation would also benefit all 27 EU countries and the bloc's 450 million citizens.

"Those public goods are going to support many other reform efforts, so they are key in terms of moving up," Kammer said, adding that a coordination mechanism at the EU level is needed and doing so would save money.

"More coordination at the European level on the energy electricity market saves 7% of the costs of the clean transition," Kammer said.

"Other studies have said that, on defense spending, when you move to common procurement and have a more coordinated effort, you would actually save 30% compared to national-level efforts," Kammer said. "It's cheaper to do them at the European level."

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The EU has been discussing the idea of public goods as part of the debate about the bloc's next seven-year budget starting from 2028, but no conclusions have been agreed.

($1 = 0.8554 euros)

(Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; Editing by Paul Simao)
The World Bank, UN and European Union had estimated in February that it would cost more than $50 billion to rebuild Gaza, and are finalizing a new interim estimate of $70 billion.

Top finance officials from around the world this week underscored their willingness to help rebuild the Palestinian enclave of Gaza as the World Bank and United Nations worked to finalize a new cost estimate of $70 billion.

Members of the ministerial-level Development Committee that advises the World Bank and International Monetary Fund discussed the challenges involved during a meeting on Thursday, World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said.

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"We're all very, very appreciative that there's a ceasefire and that the killing has stopped, that hostages have been brought home, that Palestinians can get food," Okonjo-Iweala said. "We hope that it will just lead to the next phase and that that will happen peacefully."

A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas terrorists has halted two years of devastating war, but UN officials say aid convoys are struggling to reach famine-hit areas of north Gaza due to war-damaged roads and the closure of key routes.

Palestinians gather near a site where searches are underway for the bodies of hostages killed after being seized by Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attack, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, October 17, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/STRINGER)

Aid enters Gaza Strip

The UN World Food Program said 560 metric tons of food has entered the Gaza Strip per day on average since the ceasefire deal, but that was still well below the scale of need.

Okonjo-Iweala said the Development Committee discussed the reconstruction of Gaza and what form that might take, with World Bank officials expressing willingness to work with people in the region and others.

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"We want to help. So we just hope that this means a way forward and normalization of life ... so that people get back to their normal lives," she said. "It will take a long time."

Haoliang Xu, acting administrator of the UN Development Program, told Reuters that the conditions for reconstruction were not yet in place. He said plans were taking shape for a reconstruction conference, but the timing was not yet set.

"The problem is where do you start?" Xu said, citing the latest UN estimates that over 61 million tonnes of rubble had to be removed from the area.

"We are capable, we can do it, but the conditions have to be right. We need the hostages released, the bodies released," he said. Shelter was another huge need, he said, noting that winter was coming.

The World Bank, UN and European Union had estimated in February that it would cost more than $50 billion to rebuild Gaza, and are finalizing a new interim estimate of $70 billion.
Trump administration immigration agents have detained or arrested more than 170 U.S. citizens since the president took office, including nearly 20 children, two of whom have cancer, according to a new analysis.

The government does not officially tally this statistic, but scores of U.S. citizens have been caught up in the crackdown, a ProPublica investigation found.

In February, a 10-year-old who was being treated for brain cancer was deported to Mexico alongside four of her American siblings and her two parents, who are both undocumented.

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The family was stopped that month in Texas at an immigration checkpoint as they headed towards Houston, where the 10-year-olds specialist doctors live. Previously, letters from their doctors and lawyers had allowed them to pass through such checkpoints, but immigration officers refused to let them go this time.

Her mother told NBC News that the family was temporarily split in the U.S. detention system, and the sick young girl was made to lie on a cold floor beneath incandescent lights as she awaited deportation.

Immigration agents have held more than 170 U.S. citizens, including nearly 20 children, since Trump took office, according to a new analysis (Chicago Sun-Times)

The fear is horrible. I almost cant explain it, but its something frustrating, very tough, something you wouldnt wish on anyone, she told the broadcaster.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol declines to speak on the specifics of cases out of privacy concerns, but the agency has said descriptions of this case are inaccurate and that those who are given expedited removal orders will face the consequences.

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In late April, another mixed-status family that included an ill American citizen child was removed from the country.

On April 25, the New Orleans Immigration and Customs Enforcement Field Office removed at least two families and their minor children, three of whom are U.S. children aged two, four, and seven, according to the Louisiana ACLU.

Many of the U.S. children detained and deported by the Trump administration were part of mixed-status families (AP)

The families were all arrested less then a week prior and held incommunicado from family members and legal counsel on the outside, according to civli rights groups.

A four-year-old U.S. citizen in one of the families with a rare form of metastatic cancer in the kidneys was deported without medication or the ability to consult with their doctors, even though ICE was notified of the childs medical needs, per the ACLU.

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The families sued ICE in August, alleging the agency failed to follow its procedures by denying the families due process and keeping them at undisclosed locations before removing them from the country, keeping their parents from securing adequate care for the children in the U.S.

ICE has a policy for what theyre supposed to do in these instances, and they most certainly did not follow that policy, Stephanie Alvarez-Jones, who is representing one of the families, told The Louisiana Illuminator that month.

The government has yet to respond to the suit, which was temporarily delayed by the government shutdown.

A group of families deported from Louisiana in April have sued ICE, alleging they were denied due process as they and their U.S. citizen children were removed (AFP via Getty Images)

The Department of Homeland Security said in April both mothers had final orders of deportation and voluntarily chose to bring the children with them back to Honduras.

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The agency has continued to dispute reporting about the impact of immigration raids on U.S. citizens as fake news.

We have said it a million times: DHS enforcement operations are HIGHLY TARGETED and are not resulting in the arrest of U.S. citizens, DHS wrote in a statement on Thursday on X.

We do our due diligence. We know who we are targeting ahead of time. If and when we do encounter individuals subject to arrest, our law enforcement is trained to ask a series of well-determined questions to determine status and removability.

Immigration officials can legally detain U.S. citizens if they initially had reason to suspect they were in the country illegally, or if Americans are accused of assaulting officers, or interfering with their operations.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Memphis and several other Tennessee cities are expecting thousands of people to protest the deployment of troops this weekend.

Demonstrators will once again take to the streets for No Kings Day, a nationwide series of protest against the Trump administration.

But are protests really effective? A nationally known constitutional law professor and author visiting Memphis shared her thoughts.

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Tensions rise ahead of No Kings protests: What to know

Memphis is one of several U.S. cities where large crowds of protesters are expected to gather Saturday, part of a growing national movement opposing what organizers call authoritarian practices by President Trump.

Its the second No Kings protest and the third mass demonstration against the administration this year, and similar to rallies held in Memphis and Hernando back in June.



Some conservative lawmakers have sharply criticized the demonstrations, calling them Hate America rallies.

Youre going to bring together the Marxists, the socialists, the Antifa advocates, the anarchists, and the pro-Hamas wing of the far-left Democrat Party, said Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana). That is the modern Democratic Party. Thats where theyve gone. And the Hate America rally is the common theme among all those groups.

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Mayor Harris declares state of emergency due to Memphis Safe Task Force

Legal scholar and author Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, a constitutional law professor known for her work on protest movements, is in Memphis this week reflecting on the sanitation workers strike.



I also want to think about everyday people and remind that sanitation workers were everyday people who decided to protest for better working conditions, protest for their rights, and protest to create a union, Browne-Marshall said.

She weighed in on the No Kings rallys possible impact.

I think protest has already grabbed their attention, and thats why you have people disparaging protesters, calling them un-American, saying that theyre, you know, should be illegal, she said.

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Free The 901 discusses National Guard, federal agents in Memphis

Browne-Marshall is also promoting her new book, A Protest History of the United States. It examines how organized movements have shaped American democracy.

Its a democracy where Browne-Marshall says the voices of the people should still be heard today.

So, people who are protesting, who are going against the status quo, are always seen as outsiders and troublemakers, but those same troublemakers have given us the rights that we have every day when we wake up every morning, and we need to understand protest has power, and the people have been given those rights under the First Amendment, she said.

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You can meet Gloria Brown-Marshall and discuss her new book A Protest of the United States. The book signing takes places at 6 p.m. Friday at Novel Memphis on 387 Perkins Extended.

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Houston police officers said two people were killed along the Katy Freeway just after 1 a.m. on Friday when the driver of a Tesla rear-ended another vehicle, causing it to burst into flames.

The crash shut down all inbound lanes of I-10 at the Taylor Street exit for hours.

An HPD lieutenant told ABC13 that the victims in a Nissan were a married couple who had just left the gym.

ABC13 later learned the couple was in a relationship, but not married. Glendy Romero said her sister, Bianca Romero, was one of the victims.

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Early on Friday morning, she said her family received a notification that something was wrong.

"We were like, what's this? A critical accident? We went and we saw all the freeway blocked and it was just crazy," Romero recalled.

The driver of a Tesla, along with a passenger, was speeding down the freeway, according to investigators, and crashed into the back of the Nissan, causing the car to catch on fire.

The Tesla continued moving and eventually crashed into the freeway's barriers before coming to a stop, police said.

According to HPD, the Nissan was still on fire when first responders arrived on the scene. After extinguishing the flames, the bodies of the victims were discovered.

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The passenger of the Tesla was taken to the hospital, and the driver is now under investigation for possible intoxication.

The DA's office hasn't identified the driver, but told us they're facing intoxication manslaughter charges. We're still waiting for officers to identify the male victim.

Romero said her sister leaves behind her parents, two brothers, and a cat named Decoy. She said her sister loved working at the downtown aquarium in Houston and had even bigger dreams.

"She wanted a coffee shop," Romero said. "That was her goal. She was like, I want to do a coffee shop."

Instead, her family is now planning a funeral and seeking justice for their loved one.
President Trump is ramping up military pressure on Venezuelas authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro, raising the prospect of strikes inside the country, which would mark a major escalation from already controversial military attacks against alleged drug trafficking boats in international waters.

Trumps confirmation on Wednesday that he authorized the CIA to carry out covert land strikes inside Venezuela is amplifying the possibility he could seek regime change in Caracas.

Such a move would return the U.S. to engagement in Latin America, where it pursued what is understood as a failed 20th-century policy of military intervention.

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One thing thats been surprising to me, is even sort of in private conversation, people are very, very careful with this issue, a House Democratic aide told The Hill, requesting anonymity to comment on internal discussions.

Nobody is at all concerned about Maduro himself.  I dont know anybody whos shedding a tear for the guy.  I think the general feeling is more fear, not the fear of Trump succeeding, fear of Trump failing in a way he hasnt predicted.

At least one potential danger is whether Trumps revelation of CIA operations in Venezuela will trigger blowback from Caracas.

This is no longer a covert operation, maybe not even clandestine  if something goes wrong theres no deniability for CIA operatives, said Evelyn Farkas, executive director of the McCain Institute at Arizona State University and a former senior Pentagon official in the Obama administration.

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They will be seized and used as pawns by Maduro, as he has already done with countless Americans and Venezuelans, including our McCain Global Leader alumnus Jesus Armas, who sits in prison simply for going to a demonstration.

Trumps earlier diplomatic outreach to Maduro, through his envoy for special missions Richard Grenell, succeeded in bringing home at least seven Americans unjustly detained in the country and facilitating Caracass acceptance of repatriation flights of migrants without legal status from the U.S.

But The New York Times reported on Oct. 8 that Trump ended diplomacy with Caracas.

Trump on Wednesday said he wants to stop drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

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The Times reported Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser, is leading the charge on a harder policy toward Maduro, ultimately with regime change as a goal.

Rubios stock has risen exponentially in Trumps inner circle. The president, celebrating on Monday the release of hostages held by Hamas and a ceasefire, described Rubio as one of the greatest secretaries of State in Americas history.

Its important to note the confidence and the influence of Sec. Rubio on all things Latin America, in particular for Sec. Rubio: Venezuela, even dating back to his time as a senator, has long been a priority, and dislodging Maduro has been a priority for Sec. Rubio, said Jason Marczak, vice president and senior director at the Atlantic Councils Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center.

I think the presidents end goal is, he does fundamentally see Venezuela as a problem, he added.

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But I think the announcement [Wednesday] is meant to provide even more fear in the political leadership in Caracas, that the U.S. is serious this time and the question is, serious to what end? Is it serious on the illicit trafficking? Or is the U.S. serious that its time for Maduro to leave? And I think that question is still yet to be answered.

By the time diplomatic talks ended, the administration had already built up a sizable force in the Caribbean and had carried out four strikes against suspected drug trafficking boats, killing 21 people. The latest strike, on Tuesday, killed six people and was carried out in international waters off the coast of Venezuela.

Trump on Wednesday said he wanted to expand to land operations to target drug traffickers but would not answer as to whether he had authorized the CIA to take out Maduro. There are 10,000 U.S. forces supporting counternarcotics operations in the region of U.S. Southern Command.

Farkas, of the McCain Institute, said its within the presidents powers to expand CIA operations, but the escalating military operation in the Caribbean Sea would be made stronger with bipartisan support from Congress.

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But predictable partisan divides have emerged. Republicans are galvanized behind the president in public, in particular Florida GOP representatives appealing to the Cuban and Venezuelan diaspora.

I am glad that President Trump and Marco Rubio are dedicated to getting rid of all narco-traffickers. Maduro is one of them, so if that means Maduro is out of power, that will be a great day for the world, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said on Fox News.

Democrats are trying to strike the balance between raising alarm about unauthorized military action while expressing zero tolerance for the scourge of deadly illicit drugs and reinforcing Maduros illegitimacy.

I support cracking down on the cartels and traffickers, said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

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But the Trump administrations authorization of covert CIA action, conducting lethal strikes on boats and hinting at land operations in Venezuela slides the United States closer to outright conflict with no transparency, oversight or apparent guardrails. The American people deserve to know if the administration is leading the U.S. into another conflict, putting service members at risk or pursuing a regime-change operation.

The CIAs history of covert action in Latin America is usually held up as a cautionary tale about the overreach of American intervention, which undergirds criticism of American imperialism in the Western hemisphere. The New York Times, first reporting Trumps CIA directive, laid out some of the agencys most high-profile involvement in the region.

In 1954, the CIA orchestrated a coup that overthrew Guatemalas democratically elected president, who was replaced with a military dictatorship that led to decades of instability.

The Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961 failed, and the agency repeatedly tried to assassinate Fidel Castro.

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Also in 1961, the CIA supplied weapons to dissidents in the Dominican Republic who assassinated the authoritarian leader, Rafael Trujillo. The CIA was also not far from the action in other major developments in Latin America in the mid-20th century  the 1964 coup in Brazil, the death of Che Guevara in Bolivia, and the 1973 coup in Chile.

In the 1980s, President Reagan authorized the CIA to fund Contra rebels to oust the leftist Sandinista government in Nicaragua.

The reality is that we have a checkered past when it comes to using the CIA in the hemisphere, and so it feels retro  going back to the days of J. Edgar Hoover, when the FBI and the CIA ran operations with very little congressional oversight, if any, and unlimited power given to them by the executive. And that ended up in a lot of mistakes, Farkas said.

But members of Venezuelas opposition movement are welcoming Trumps tough talk against Maduro and say the U.S. charges against the Venezuelan strongman as head of the cocaine-trafficking Cartel de Los Soles are legitimate American national security issues, on top of decades of malign activity.

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The regimes links to organized crime and even terrorist networks have been documented for years by outlets like CNN and denounced by leaders across the political spectrum, including leftist Chiles President Gabriel Boric. Even during the Obama administration, the U.S. formally recognized Venezuelas regime as a threat, Freddy Guevara, an exiled Venezuelan opposition member who was a political prisoner under Maduro.

Guevara was referencing a 2017 investigation by CNN uncovering how members of Maduros regime gave passports to individuals with ties to terrorist groups like Hezbollah.

U.S. actions should be seen both as self-protection  since the regimes criminal and terrorist ties pose a regional danger  and as humanitarian support for a population suffering hunger, repression, and mass exile.

Likewise, Maria Corina Machado, the recent Nobel Peace Prize recipient and leader of Venezuelas opposition, dedicated her award to Trump and put her support behind the presidents tough stance against Maduro.

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Machado led a movement in the 2024 presidential election to independently certify the results and demonstrate that the opposition, led by Edmundo Gonzalez, had won. Maduros claim of victory was rejected by most of the international community.

Machado described Maduros power seizure as declaring war on the Venezuelan people in an interview with CNN, and Trumps targeting of drug trafficking as cutting off the sources of Maduros criminal, narcoterrorism structure.

We need the help of the president of the United States to stop this war because it is about human lives, Machado said.

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An independent investigation into the Haverhill Police Department has been launched following rapid leadership changes and union pressure.

The investigation, led by attorney Regina Ryan, comes after the department experienced three chiefs in as many days due to votes of no confidence against former chiefs Robert Pistone and Stephen Doherty.

It takes an outside investigation. One that should be transparent in finding facts, finding and discovering what transpired within the agency, said law enforcement expert Todd McGee. Why department members may be disgruntled and what led up to this vote of no confidence.

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The leadership changes in the Haverhill Police Department were influenced by union pressures and votes of no confidence.

The investigation will not cover the death of Francis Gigliotti, who died in police custody over the summer, a decision that has drawn criticism from Gigliottis family lawyer.

Haverhill Mayor launches independent probe into in-custody death; family demands special prosecutor

I think its prudent that the mayor try to get this ship off the rocks, get things with the department moving back into smooth sailing waters, so to speak, McGee added.

Boston 25 has reached out to the city on the cost of the investigation to taxpayers, but officials are working on providing that information.

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This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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US President Donald Trump said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged to stop buying oil from Russia, but New Delhi said the two leaders havent communicated in recent days.

The confusing back-and-forth  reminiscent of an episode earlier this year in which Trump said he spoke to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, an assertion denied by Beijing  underlined persistent tensions between the US and India. Their ties have been upended by Trumps frustration with Indian purchases of oil from Russia, which Washington argues is helping Moscow fuel its war with Ukraine.

Once again, Donald Trump has made a claim that may not square with facts, a leading Indian journalist said. Still, New Delhi has little option but to tread with caution.
By Shivam Patel

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India expects to spend about 654 billion rupees ($7.44 billion) to buy engines for fighter aircraft that are under development until 2035, according to estimates shared on Friday by a defence official who leads the efforts to build a home-grown engine.

The country will require about 1,100 engines for a variety of fighter jet programmes that are progressing through various stages, said S. V. Ramana Murthy, director of India's Gas Turbine Research Establishment, a state-run defence laboratory.

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India's decades-old programme to power its light combat Tejas jets with home-grown Kaveri engine has yet to take off due to technical shortcomings.

"There is a need to work on mission mode to create an ecosystem for indigenous fighter engine," Murthy said at an event in New Delhi, adding that the country needed infrastructure such as a high-altitude testing facility, along with an industrial base.

He also said that a derivative of the Kaveri engine can be used for a home-grown unmanned combat aerial vehicle.

Murthy is heading the efforts to co-develop an engine with an international partner to power India's first 5th generation stealth fighter aircraft, for which France's Safran, Britain's Rolls-Royce and U.S. General Electric have shown interest.

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A prototype of the fighter, known as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, is expected to roll out in 2028, Indian officials have previously said.

It is the first fighter aircraft for which bids would also be open to private firms, the government has said, in order to reduce pressure on Indian state-owned warplane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, which makes most of India's military aircraft.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has sought to boost India's manufacturing capacity for defence equipment and invited weapon makers to set up units by partnering with Indian firms.

($1 = 87.9462 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Shivam Patel in New DelhiEditing by Peter Graff)
A sprawling property tax plan signed into law this spring "didnt make a big enough dent" for Hoosier farmers, the group said. (Photo by Larry Mayer/Getty Images)

The Indiana Farm Bureau wants lawmakers to offer more property tax relief, improve services for rural residents and preserve productive farmland.

We need the General Assembly to consider legislation that will protect farms and rural communities to ultimately ensure safe, affordable food, President Randy Kron said in a news release. Thats not just for Hoosiers, but for people all over the world.

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The influential group plans to keep up the pressure on property taxes, despite action this spring.

Gov. Mike Braun holds a sign at a property tax rally on March 17, 2025. (Photo by Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Gov. Mike Braun signed a sprawling property and income tax plan into law in April. Local governments warned the cuts went too deep, while Hoosier taxpayers complained the relief was meager.

Senate Enrolled Act 1 didnt make a big enough dent in farmers pocketbooks to strengthen the (agricultural) economy, Kron said. With continued pressure from rising input costs, land prices and property taxes, it will be difficult for farmers just to break even this year. We need lasting property tax reform now.

The organization also called for greater support to the rural communities that host Indianas farms.

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That includes investments in food production infrastructure, economic development projects, education, health care and emergency services, according to the news release.

Emergency medical services, fire and police are essential to keep rural communities surviving long term, said Katie Nelson, the Farm Bureaus executive director of public policy. We will support legislation this coming year that prioritizes effective, efficient and responsive local government services for our members.

Rounding out the list of priorities was conserving fertile ground.

Indiana lost almost 350,000 acres of farmland between 2010 and 2022  mostly to residential development  according to a 2024 study conducted by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

Food security is national security, Nelson said. As the average person gets farther and farther away from the farm, it becomes increasingly important that farmers have a voice in the policies that impact them. Our members have made it clear that legislation protecting prime agricultural soils and natural resources should remain a priority moving forward.

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This objective includes more beneficial zoning and land use policies, plus a look at energy and water.

The Indiana Farm Bureau builds its policy priorities starting with its county-level organizations, each of which can make policy recommendations. A Farm Bureau committee and, later, hundreds of delegates from across the state, consider the suggestions. Then, the board of directors settles on areas of focus.

Organization leaders and staff plan to push the priorities with lawmakers at an annual breakfast on Organization Day  the ceremonial first day of the legislative session  as well as in January, when the session begins in earnest.

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FARMERSBURG, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Indiana Conservation Officers are encouraging hunters to participate in the Hunt for Hunger program this deer season.

Hunt for Hunger is a program administered by the Department of Natural Resources Division of Law Enforcement. This program provides grants to the divisions nonprofit partners, like Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry, the Dubois County Sportsmen Club, and Hunters and Farmers Feeding the Hungry. These grants are then used to pay for meat processing fees so that hunters can donate legally harvested deer to help feed Hoosiers in need.

Venison harvested through hunting is an important source of nourishment for Hoosier families, said Col. Steve Hunter, Director of DNR Law Enforcement. Through Hunt for Hunger, hunters can donate a deer and expand that generous impact to even more Hoosiers in need across the state.

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Conservation Officers said that participation in the program is simple and broke it down into five steps.

Enjoy a deer hunting experience. Harvest a deer. Drop off the field-dressed deer at a local participating processor. Processing fees are paid for by Hunt for Hunger (no cost to the donating hunter). The processor creates healthy venison burgers to distribute to food banks.

The organizations then notify food banks throughout the state when the venison is ready to be collected from the certified Hunt for Hunger processors. The food banks then distribute the meat to soup kitchens and food pantries. More than 500,000 pounds of venison have been donated through the program since its inception in 2008.

For information on donating harvested deer and a list of participating processors, you can visit this link.

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VINCENNES, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Indiana State Police arrested four individuals in Vincennes in the early hours of Thursday morning on several felony drug charges.

According to Indiana State Police, an officer was patrolling in Vincennes around 12:43 a.m. when he noticed a driver traveling down the center of 15th Street near Main Street. When the officer approached the vehicle, he stated that he noticed a total of four individuals.

According to police, the driver, identified as 30 year old Mariah Lewis of Vincennes, had an active warrant for her arrest out of Knox County for child neglect. Police stated that due to suspicious circumstances, Lewis and the three passengers were removed from the vehicle. A Knox County deputy and K-9 came to assist officers and while doing a walk around the vehicle, the said the K-9 alerted the presence of narcotics.

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Indiana State Police warn of phone scam

According to a news release, troopers located over 20 grams of suspected heroin, over 240 syringes, more than 50 glass smoking pipes, a small amount of methamphetamine, and over $1,200. Lewis along with Bryce Cummings, 29, Kandace Hawkins, 33, and Sarah Liddle, 26, were arrested and taken to Knox County Jail where they are currently being held.

The four subjects are all being charged with dealing herion over 12 grams, possession of a narcotic, possession of meth, possession of a syringe, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Indiana State Police stated that the four are being held on bond and that the investigation is ongoing.

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This story has been updated, including with new comment from Mark Cuban.

The Indiana Daily Student has over $400,000 to spend, but the former adviser of the paper said administrators hamstrung his ability to use those funds, worsening the newspaper's deficit spending.

This week, Indiana University fired student media director Jim Rodenbush and ordered the 158-year-old publication to cease printing its newspapers. University administrators point to a new business plan and the paper's running deficit as the reason behind their decision.

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The sequence has drawn national outrage, including from IU alum Mark Cuban who posted on X, "Not happy. Censorship isnt the way."

Cuban confirmed to IndyStar that he donated after a few students reached out over the summer to ask for financial support to help pay staff salaries. Cuban more than doubled their ask of $100,000 in a $250,000 donation. He has donated at least $600,000 to the publication over the years, Rodenbush said.

However, Rodenbush said he was not able to use Cuban's contributions for operational costs. An administrator told him to think more strategically and of "better uses."

"With the $250K, the general thought had been 'great, our deficit is covered this year,'" Rodenbush said in a text message.

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When asked about Rodenbush's claim, Cuban said, "Ive heard conflicting info on that. I honestly dont know."

The newspaper's current deficit nearly matches Cuban's contribution, totaling nearly $249,000, Rodenbush said.

IndyStar reached out to IU and Media School Dean David Tolchinsky for comment. Regarding Cuban's donation, IU Foundation spokesperson Barbara Brosher said it is "committed to honoring the intent of every donor."

Rodenbush primarily tried to use that fund to pay for student wages and travel opportunities for conferences or coverage. But the process became so layered and difficult, he said he reached out to school staff to clarify what his role was in dictating the use of the fund.

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The IDS often runs campaigns and encourages contributions to the IDS Legacy Fund, which "ensures the financial viability of our editorial operations" and is used for costs like student pay, conference fees and other operation costs. This fund has north of $400,000, Rodenbush said.

All donations to the Legacy Fund are routed through the IU Foundation, the universitys philanthropic arm. And, the Media School must approve all spending from that fund, Rodenbush said. The IDS, though editorially independent under a charter, is an auxiliary of the university and is housed within the Media School.

The IDS has had financial struggles over the past five years. In 2021, when it ran out of money, the paper was allowed to run a deficit for three years, and in 2024, the campus waived nearly $1 million of deficit spending as "covered by campus."

In recent statements, university administrators have cited a new business plan developed in 2024 to address financial issues. Still, student editors argue the move to cut print is counterproductive since advertising revenue generated $11,000 in profit from three print editions this semester.

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Though the IDS sits in a precarious financial position and receives university dollars, Mike Hiestand, senior legal counsel at the Student Press Law Center, said that does not give the university a license to control its content.

Editor's note: IndyStar First Amendment reporter Cate Charron is a former editor-in-chief of the Indiana Daily Student, the student newspaper at Indiana University in Bloomington.

The USA TODAY Network - Indiana's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners.

Have a story to tell? Reach Cate Charron by email at ccharron@indystar.com, on X at @CateCharron or Signal at @cate.charron.28.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IU hamstrung student paper's ability to use donations, ex-adviser says
Metro Detroiters might see giant frogs and various other creatures at public gathering spots this weekend.

Inflatable costumes have become a standout part of anti-President Donald Trump protests recently, and some will likely make an appearance at the nearly 100 reportedly planned "No Kings" protests in Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Costumes arent a new part of the ongoing anti-Trump protests in 2025, said Monica Kloc, 35, of Rochester Hills, who created the Stand Up. Fight back. southeastern Michigan group that regularly protests in her neck of the woods.

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One protester tends to come in a Spiderman costume. Someone else came dressed as the Easter bunny when that holiday rolled around.

But the idea of wearing inflatable costumes to a protest truly jumped off after a federal agent sprayed a chemical spray into the air vent of a Portland protesters frog suit earlier in October, as reported by The Oregonian and reiterated by metro Detroit protest leaders.

Monica Kloc, 35, of Rochester Hills, known as Sparkle Princess, during a protest along Walton and Livernois Road in Rochester Hills on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025.

The Portland protester, who had been at an immigration office, said hed had spicier tamales after the spraying incident caught in a now viral TikTok, The Oregonian reported.

More: Anti-Trump protesters are out almost every day in metro Detroit. We cant stop

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Now, several metro Detroit protest leaders said they expect to see attendees of the No Kings protest on Saturday, Oct. 18, in their own inflatable costumes.

There may be frogs abound.

The Troy Democratic Club, organizing No Kings in Troy, plans to have at least one member dressed as an American eagle costume and another as a shark, said Vice Chair Justine Galbraith.

Galbraith said that with more than 900 people signed up online for the protest as of Oct. 17, she thinks there will be at least a handful of inflatable costumes. The protest will also include music and signs.

"The protest is about us coming together as a community to say we dont agree with what the (Trump) administration says and does," Galbraith said. "It's coming together in a peaceful, joyful way. Its all about standing together as a community and knowing we can do better than were doing right now as a county."

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The costumes align with some earlier ideas to incorporate Halloween costumes into the mobilization but come with a particular message as GOP leaders paint the efforts as dangerous, Kloc said.

Some GOP leaders have also referred to the protests as expected to involve antifa, which is short for "antifascist and is a loosely organized group of activists without clear leadership that the Trump administration has deemed terrorists, as reported by USA Today.

Its fun to have the costumes, organizers said. It also shows that we are not the people they are saying we are, Kloc said.

One of the organizers for the Detroit gathering echoed the latter sentiment.

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Lindsay White, 37, of Madison Heights, is a captain of 50501 Detroit who has been protesting this year. Shes also a member of a coalition of groups called the DROP Coalition, or Detroit Resisting Oppression by the President.

The reasoning for costumes is important. Its not simply spectacle or silliness, she said.

The inflatable costumes kind of underline the absurdity of any leaders referring to protesters as terrorists and dangerous, she said.

More: Protesting in Michigan this weekend? These are your rights

And, she noted, it comes as federal agents have used increasingly strong tactics amid protests in other cities in the nation. Federal authorities have defended the maneuvers as being a response to attacks on agents and property.

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Protesters have the right to free speech and freedom of assembly, White said.

Nearly daily protests in metro Detroit have been observed being peaceful, though sometimes Trump supporters and protesters exchange harsh words or give each other the middle finger. The last No Kings rally in Detroit saw a brief skirmish involving a motorcycle club and protesters.

Protest groups have called for peaceful action.

Detroit Police Deputy Chief Arnold Williams said on the afternoon of Oct. 17 that officials dont expect any issues but are prepared should any arise. The department intends to make sure participants have a safe space to demonstrate and intends stop any unlawful activity. There was no intelligence suggesting bad actors would be present, he said.

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Saturday's protest will be the second "No Kings" protest this year and one of many more local protests tied to national movements.

The metro Detroit rallies have advocated for causes including stopping immigration crackdowns, stopping authoritarianism, health care, maintaining a positive relationship with Canada amid tariffs, declaring Detroit a sanctuary city, stopping deaths in Gaza and more.

Previously, the White House has slammed their concerns as lies. The Michigan Republican Party Chair, state Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, also expressed indignation regarding statements on democracy being under attack.

Asked for a reaction to the protests ahead of time, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson replied, Who cares? USA Today reports.

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Saturday's protests come as the government enters the 18th day of the federal government shutdown on Saturday.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Frogs, other inflatables expected at Michigan No Kings protests
SAC COUNTY, Iowa (KCAU)  New information about the proposed new jail for Sac County was announced recently.

The County Sheriffs Office published an informational flyer on the project, which you can find at the bottom of this article. Officials said there will be seven cell classifications with 26 beds. Those would accommodate both men and women inmates.

Authorities said the proposed jail would bring sufficient space to secure evidence storage, along with offices for a deputy staff of ten instead of six.

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Story continues below

The bond request totals $12.5 million and will be included on the November ballot.

Should the resident approve the measure, officials said the jail will equal standards not currently met at the current jail, which ranks as the oldest in Iowa.

Supporters also point to cost savings. Sac County would no longer need to pay out-of-county housing and transportation costs. The bond measure needs 60% approval to pass.

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Find the flyer in its entirety below:

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
US Wind officials are seeking a preliminary injunction in their federal case, requesting to move forward with an Ocean City offshore project before a ruling is issued. Town officials, meanwhile, point to potential damage and question who would remove the infrastructure if the final decision goes against the company.

The vibrations alone from the pile driving necessary to install 114 turbines and 4 platforms as close as 10.9 miles off of our coast would be a definite deterrent to tourists visiting Ocean City, and it would have a major negative impact on our commercial and recreational fishing industries, said Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan.

The mayor also pointed out that construction comes with a permanent impact.

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The question then becomes if the project is permanently stopped who would be responsible for removing any infrastructure that was already put in place? Meehan asked. Or would it remain as an obstruction to deteriorate off of our coast permanently?

The project refers to an offshore wind farm approved in 2024 by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). It would include 114 turbines, each 938 feet tall, to be built 10.7 miles off Ocean Citys coast. The Town of Ocean City sued, arguing the turbines would be visible from shore and could harm tourism, fishing and the environment.

Under the new federal administration, a Jan. 20 memo ordered the withdrawal of offshore wind leasing from all areas on the Outer Continental Shelf and a review of permitting practices. That was followed in August by a request from the Department of the Interior, which, speaking for BOEM, asked the court to vacate the wind farms approval. Federal officials said they had identified an error in the prior administrations decision and that the review process needed to restart.

US Wind argues its needed

Lawyers from Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, representing US Wind, argued in an Oct. 15 filing the company needs to move forward in order to survive. If the project goes away, they claim more than $322 million in investments already made may never be recouped.

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The loss of US Winds COP approval through the Governments execution of its Revocation Decision creates an existential threat to its entire businessand would cause irreparable financial and reputational harm even if somehow it did not permanently kill the Project, U.S. Wind attorneys wrote.

They are requesting a preliminary injunction to block any further attempts to vacate, remand, withdraw, rescind or in any way undermine US Winds Construction and Operations Plan until U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher rules in the case.

An injunction is also necessary, US Wind lawyers argued, because of political pressure surrounding the case.

The Governments actions in the instant case have plainly been motivated by political pressure and undue influence and must therefore be set aside, lawyers for US Wind wrote. There is voluminous public evidence that improper political considerations are driving the Governments decision-making process. Furthermore, the harms caused by this undue political influence are already manifest and will continue to grow.

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As evidence, the attorneys include multiple public statements by President Donald Trump blaming wind turbines for the death of whales, calling wind energy THE SCAM OF THE CENTURY and promising to end wind development. They also cited a Sept. 11, 2025 Energy Watch article quoting Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum as saying under this administration, there is not a future [for wind projects].

One only needs to review the totality of this Administrations actionspublic statements, industry-wide orders and memoranda, actions intended to halt offshore wind projects, and corollary actions to harm US Windto understand that there is no doubt about the endgame: termination of the Project, US Wind attorneys wrote.

What happens next?

On Friday, federal lawyers asked Judge Gallagher to grant them an extension of time to respond to the injunction request. The current deadline is Oct. 29, but federal attorneys asked for an extension to Nov. 5 due to a death in the family.

Counsel for Federal Defendants will be travelling the week of October 20th for a family members funeral, the request stated, noting that US Wind attorneys had no problem with an extension.

Have a news tip? Contact Eastern Shore bureau chief Josh Davis at jdavis@baltsun.com or on X as @JoshDavis4Shore. Contact Emerging News Editor Brian Carlton at bcarlton@baltsun.com.
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (PIX11)  An inmate allegedly shot another inmate as they were being taken in a van to a New York jail on Thursday, according to authorities.

Mount Vernon police said five prisoners were in a van heading to the Westchester County Jail around 7:40 p.m. when officers in front of the vehicle heard a single gunshot. The van driver then turned around and went back to the police department headquarters to assess what had happened, according to authorities.

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Police said an inmate was found with a gunshot wound to their leg. They were taken to a local hospital for their injuries, according to authorities.

Police identified the alleged shooter as Louis Santos, 32, from the Bronx, who had been arrested in connection with a forcible touching incident on Oct. 15. The man does not have a significant prior criminal history.

A 22-caliber Rohm revolver was recovered from the van.

The weapon had one spent round and four live rounds remaining, said Mount Vernon Police Chief Marcel Olifiers. The firearm has not been reported stolen, and a full trace is underway.

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Authorities have not revealed the identities of the inmate who was shot or what led up to the shooting. Law enforcement sources say the alleged shooter smuggled the gun in his buttocks.

Chief Olifiers stated that moving forward, a handheld wand will be mandatory for all new prisoner processings.

Preliminary findings indicate the firearm should have been detected prior to the transport The use of it was optional previously, Olifiers said.

Chief Olifiers said Santos will face additional charges, including criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, assault in the first degree, and reckless endangerment.

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Make PIX11 your preferred source on Google: Heres how

The Westchester District Attorneys Office told PIX11 News in a statement,

The Westchester County District Attorneys Office is assisting in that investigation. Separately, the Public and Law Enforcement Integrity Bureau within the District Attorneys Office is conducting an independent, holistic review of the incident. That investigation remains ongoing, and no further details can be released at this time. Westchester District Attorney Susan Cacace

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
NEED TO KNOW

Hulus Murdaugh: Death in the Family is once again shining a spotlight on the shocking June 2021 murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh

Alex Murdaugh, a once-prominent South Carolina attorney, is serving two consecutive life sentences for killing his wife and son at the familys hunting estate

A cellphone video recorded by Paul moments before the murders ultimately unraveled Alexs alibi and became the key evidence that sealed his conviction

With Hulus Murdaugh: Death in the Family reigniting public fascination with the case, new audiences are revisiting the shocking June 2021 night when disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh murdered his wife and son  and the digital evidence that shattered his alibi.

On June 7, 2021, at the familys South Carolina hunting estate, Paul, 22, was shot in the chest and head with a shotgun at close range. Maggie, 52, was shot multiple times, including one shot in the back and additional shots while she was lying on the ground. She had been struck with 300 Blackout ammunition from an AR-style rifle. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Grace Beahm Alford/The Post And Courier via AP Alex Murdaugh Alex Murdaugh

More than a year after the bodies were discovered, Alex, the once-prominent attorney, was indicted for the killings. Authorities said Alex killed his wife and son as personal and financial struggles became overwhelming.

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During a highly publicized six-week trial, a cellphone video Paul took on the night of the murders was shown to the jury that placed Alex at the murder scene.

Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP, Pool Alex Murdaugh Alex Murdaugh

The video  which was taken near the dog kennels on the Islandton, S.C., property  featured the voices of Paul, Maggie and Alex. Alex had initially denied being near the dog kennels on the night of the murders, but when he was testifying in his own defense, he admitted to lying about his whereabouts that evening.

Prosecutors said that Alex committed the murders at approximately 8:49 p.m. that night, just minutes after the video was taken. Then, he called his wife's phone and sent a text message after her death in an effort to create an alibi.

Alex claimed he left his house at approximately 9 p.m. to visit his ailing mother. When he arrived back at the home around 10 p.m., he called 911 and told the dispatcher that he had found his wife and son's bodies. He later testified that he lied about his whereabouts but denied killing Maggie and Paul.

Hampton County Detention Center Alex Murdaugh; Murdaugh family Alex Murdaugh; Murdaugh family

"I could never intentionally do anything to hurt either one of them," he said on the stand. "Not ever." He testified that the reason he lied about where he was that evening was because of the paranoia he claims he was experiencing due to his drug addiction at the time.

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Alex's surviving son, Buster Murdaugh, testified in his father's defense, telling the jury he knew a little bit about his fathers drug use and claimed that his father was heartbroken following the deaths.

At the time of the murders, the Murdaugh family was facing a lawsuit filed by the family of 19-year-old Mallory Beach, who was killed in a February 2019 boating accident while Paul was driving; he was under criminal indictment. Prosecutors said that Alex was worried his multiple financial schemes  which included stealing money from clients  would have been exposed during Paul's upcoming trial.

Maggie Murdaugh/Facebook Maggie Murdaugh; Paul Murdaugh Maggie Murdaugh; Paul Murdaugh

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

In March 2023, Alex was found guilty of two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime for Maggie and Paul's killings. He was subsequently sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in prison without parole. Alex was also handed down state and federal sentences for financial crimes.

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The Murdaugh case has received extensive media coverage, including several docuseries and, most recently, a scripted series on Hulu titled Murdaugh: Death in the Family, which premiered on Oct. 15.



Read the original article on People
By the time FBI Director Kash Patel took office in February, the investigation into whether John Bolton mishandled classified information had been in the works for roughly three years.

President Donald Trump had long been calling for Bolton  and other perceived political enemies  to be prosecuted, and the Maryland US Attorneys office had been quietly building a case that started during the Biden administration.

When Patel was briefed on Bolton and other sensitive investigations shortly after landing at the bureau, he was surprised at the amount of evidence gathered.

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Why isnt this m*therf**ker  in jail yet? Patel said after being briefed, sources familiar with the exchange told CNN.

Bolton, who served as Trumps national security adviser in 2018 and 2019, is now the third Trump critic to be indicted in the past month after the president implored Attorney General Pam Bondi in a social media post he thought was a private message: We cant delay any longer, its killing our reputation and credibility.

Within days of that message urging Bondi to act, Comey was indicted on charges of lying to Congress. Soon after, New York Attorney General Letitia James was charged with bank fraud related to a mortgage in an indictment unveiled last week. But while Trump called in his post specifically for the prosecutions of Comey, James and California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff, he never mentioned Bolton in his missive.

The cases against Comey and James were presented to a grand jury by Lindsey Halligan, an interim US attorney handpicked by Trump for the position after the previous US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia was forced out amid pressure to bring the cases.

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Halligan, Trumps former personal lawyer who had no previous prosecutorial experience, was the only prosecutor to sign both indictments.

In contrast, six prosecutors, including US Attorney for Maryland Kelly Hayes and the current head of counterintelligence investigations at the Justice Department, Scott Lara, signed the 26-page indictment against Bolton.

In it, prosecutors accused Bolton of sharing more than a thousand pages of information about his day-to-day activities through his personal email account with two unauthorized individuals, who CNN has reported are his wife and daughter.

Unlike prosecutions brought against Comey and James, the Bolton case has maintained the support of career prosecutors and investigators, people briefed on the matter said. That hasnt stopped Trump from repeatedly attacking Bolton and possibly causing damage to the case, some Justice officials fear.

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Trump has railed for years against Bolton over his 2020 memoir that was highly critical of the president, claiming he should have gone to jail because classified information was contained in the book. Trumps first Justice Department opened criminal and civil investigations into the book in 2020.

I think hes, you know, a bad person. I think hes a bad guy, Trump said Thursday when told Bolton had been indicted, adding that he had not reviewed the case.

Bolton made his initial court appearance in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Friday morning, pleading not guilty to all 18 counts. He said in a statement Thursday that he was a victim of Trumps weaponization of the Justice Department.

These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct, Bolton said. I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power.

Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton, left, departs following his arraignment at the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Friday. - Rod Lamkey/AP

Good luck, Mr. Mustache!

In June 2021, the Justice Department closed its year-old criminal investigation that scrutinized whether Boltons 2020 book had illegally revealed national security information.

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Around the same time, an Iranian hack of Boltons AOL email account would set in motion a new probe that led to Thursdays charges.

On July 6, 2021, a Bolton representative notified the FBI that he was the victim of an email breach by suspected Iranian hackers.

Investigators have been laboring on this case since then after the FBI began assessing potential damage from the hack and raised questions about whether Boltons practice of sending diary entries from his personal email broke the law, according to people briefed on the probe.

The Iranian hacking campaign targeting Bolton and other former government officials included threats against Bolton to expose him and cause him problems of the kind that crippled Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign, according to a person familiar with the matter.

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Good luck Mr. Mustache! one message sent in August 2021 said, according to a person who described investigative documents.

The FBI and national security lawyers in Maryland, and at Justice Department headquarters, formally opened an investigation into the hack in 2022, sources said. Early in the probe, prosecutors on the investigation got warrants to receive the data from service companies that hosted relevant accounts, such as Yahoo for Boltons AOL account and Google for another account, sources said.

The work building a case was slow and meticulous. Information returned to the prosecutors needed to be reviewed by both the intelligence community, which was sensitive to classified information, and processed through a filter team at the Justice Department that would pull out confidential attorney-client records, because Bolton was a lawyer.

For years, the work around what Bolton had and shared in his email account was an investigation essentially walled off from the one related to his book, which had been run by the US Attorneys office in the District of Columbia.

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By the time investigators were ready to obtain a search warrant in August, the book manuscript had once again become part of the case. It was part  along with the hack  of what prosecutors pointed to in court as a basis for searching his office and home, according to court filings.

The decision to search Boltons office and especially his home were crucial in the final turn of the investigation before the indictment this week.

While investigators spent months assembling an idea of the emails and classified records they would want to use to build the case, Boltons home contained printed copies of some of the emails, the indictment said. Investigators had long suspected they would find hard copies like those, sources told CNN, because some of the emails Bolton wrote to his family he noted were for the Archives.

National Security Adviser John Bolton is seen while President Donald Trump speaks to the media at a press conference on July 12, 2018 in Brussels, Belgium. - Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Its really treasonous

Trump has repeatedly attacked Bolton since the release of his 2020 book and as Bolton has become one of the more prominent ex-Trump staffers turned critic of the president.

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Bolton was named Trumps third national security adviser in 2018, a position that marked the culmination of a lengthy career in Washington across multiple administrations, including as George W. Bushs ambassador to the United Nations.

The initial Justice Department criminal probe of Bolton began in 2020 with an investigation into whether his he violated the law by including information the administration said was classified in his memoir. The same year, the Trump administration sued in civil court to try to stop publication of Boltons book over a dispute of whether he got proper sign off from classification authorities.

Boltons memoir included shocking allegations about the inner workings of the Trump White House, including that Trump requested Chinese help to win the 2020 election, argued Venezuela was part of the US and offered to help Turkeys leader avoid a Justice Department probe.

Trump publicly called for Bolton to be prosecuted in 2020 over the books publication, saying in an interview that his former national security advisor released massive amounts of classified information in its pages.

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Its really treasonous what he did, Trump said at the time.

On X, then called Twitter, Trump called Bolton a lowlife who should be in jail.

This year, Trump hasnt frequently commented this year on the Bolton probe  a stark contrast from his public pressure campaigns for the prosecutions of other political foes who were key figures in investigations into himself.

But since the search of Boltons house and office in August, Trump has asked advisers about the status of the case. He had been assured in recent weeks that they were moving ahead and that it was a strong case, sources said.

Stay tuned

In late August, when FBI agents executed a search warrants on Boltons home and office, they seized electronics and multiple documents labeled secret, confidential, and classified, including some about weapons of mass destruction, according to court records filed by prosecutors.

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Bondi, Patel and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino all posted statements on X the morning of the search, breaking department norms of not commenting on ongoing investigations.

FBI agents carry boxes outside the home of John Bolton, former national security adviser to President Trump, August 22, in Bethesda, Maryland. - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Public corruption will not be tolerated, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino wrote.

After the search, Boltons attorney Abbe Lowell said that the records Bolton kept would have been typical of those kept by a long-time government official. In a statement Thursday, Lowell said that the records were unclassified, shared only with his immediate family, were known to the FBI and were personal diaries.

The next month, senior Justice Department leaders, including an attorney from the deputy attorney generals office, were pressing for the US Attorneys office to charge Bolton in the days after Trump complained that prosecutions of his enemies werent moving quickly enough.

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But prosecutors in the Maryland US attorneys office pushed back, arguing the timeline was too aggressive and they needed more time to bring a stronger case against Bolton, including reviewing the records obtained from the search warrant.

One Justice Department official was considering pulling prosecutors off the case out of opposition to the deputy attorney generals instruction.

In the end, though, the political pressure eased on the Maryland office after Comeys indictment. Career prosecutors on the case withdrew their reservations on timing and set in motion finalizing the indictment last weekend.

On Thursday, the lead prosecutor in Boltons case, Thomas Sullivan  who also worked on the Biden classified documents investigation under special counsel Robert Hur  presented to a federal grand jury for a little over two hours at the federal courthouse about 20 minutes outside DC.

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Fifteen minutes after members of the grand jury filed out of the courthouse, Sullivan, four of his colleagues and the jury foreperson took an elevator one floor up to Magistrate Judge Gina Simms courtroom to deliver the indictments approved that day. After the foreperson handed up the indictments, the judge asked if there were any other matters she needed addressed, to which Sullivan said yes.

He handed the judge a slim red file, but and said nothing else. Simms then quickly reviewed the file  also not saying aloud any details of it  before adjourning. The entire proceeding lasted less than 10 minutes.

Outside the courtroom, Sullivan said few words to reporters seeking information about what he gave the judge.

I would just stay posted, he said. Stay tuned.

CNNs Devan Cole contributed to this report.

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Trump: We to speak with Zelenskyy about my talk with Putin

Photo: president.gov.ua

U.S. President Donald Trump said he will discuss with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who arrived at the White House, his yesterday's conversation with head of the Kremlin Vladimir Putin.

"I had a very good talk yesterday with President Putin. We will be talking about that," Trump said.

According to Trump, things are going very well, which began with Alaska, where they discussed how to end the war.
A young boy places a stone on the grave of his father as friends and family gather to commemorate the first anniversary of his death from heroin overdose. Between 2011 and 2021, more than 321,000 children across the U.S. lost a parent to a drug overdose, according to a recent federal study. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images.)

If individual insurance subsidies are allowed to expire at the end of the year, it wont just harm the millions, including Ohioans, who use it to address conditions like high blood pressure and pneumonia. It will also rip thousands of people out of treatment for opioid-use disorder and increase overdose deaths, the CEO of a treatment company said on Tuesday.

Much of the federal government has been shut down since Oct. 1 as congressional Republicans resist calls to extend subsidies for insurance bought in marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. The subsidies are set to expire on Dec. 31, while open enrollment for next year begins in two weeks.

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Amid the uncertainty, six states have already posted prices for insurance in the marketplaces next year. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., posted on X an insurance quote received by one constituent, Axios reported. Coverage that cost $307 a month with the subsidy would cost $906 a month without it.

In Ohio, where about 583,000 get coverage on the exchanges, insurance companies have proposed increasing pricing by as much as 40%. Its unclear whether those proposals include the possible loss of the subsidies.

The health nonprofit KFF estimates that on average, the cost of coverage will more than double for 24 million Americans if the subsidies are allowed to expire.

That wont just result in many more uninsured Americans, said Cooper Zelnick, CEO of Groups. It will put treatment out of reach for hundreds of thousands of Americans suffering from opioid-use disorder.

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The company has 20,000 patients in 12 states, including Ohio. Instead of billing insurers or Medicaid for services such as doctor visits or drug tests, Groups is paid based on outcomes as a consequence of its wraparound services.

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That makes it the largest value-based provider of opioid treatment in the country, Zellnick said.

For many, those outcomes will be in jeopardy if the ACA insurance subsidies are allowed to expire, he said.

We serve 1,500 people every week nationally who have coverage through the ACA exchanges who will no longer be able to afford insurance once the subsidies expire, he said. We believe a significant portion of those folks will wrongly not qualify for Medicaid and not be eligible for employer-sponsored insurance.

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For people in recovery to get coverage through the exchanges, they most likely have gotten things together enough to hold down one job or several. If coverage is no longer affordable, they will face the stress of no health coverage for themselves and their families at the same time they lose treatment for their addiction.

For every person who backslides into using, that means more kids growing up with the chaos and neglect of drug-addicted parents, more people languishing in jails and prisons, more uncompensated ER visits, and more absenteeism from work.

And then there are the people who simply wont be here. The ACA health subsidies were implemented in 2021. Theyre credited with helping bring down the rate of the uninsured in the United States to an all-time low of 8% in the first quarter of 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Meanwhile, the number of overdose deaths plummeted from 111,451 in the 12 months ending in August 2023 to 73,690 over the period ending last April, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats a merciful decline of more than one-third.

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Zelnick said the drop is partly attributable to treatment financed through the ACA subsidies and through Medicaid. Letting the ACA subsidies expire will easily result in half a million opioid-addicted Americans losing coverage  and treatment, he said.

We massively celebrated getting (overdose deaths) down 10%, 15%, 20%, Zelnick said. Thats 10,000 or 15,000 or 20,000 lives saved. If 500,000 people lose access to care, you could quite easily see a world where overdose deaths return to levels not seen since 2022, or 2023.

Zelnick said that even more important than access to treatment, widespread losses of coverage will cause people in recovery to lose hope.

Addiction treatment is a necessary-but-insufficient condition for success, he said. Its not that treatment gives you a meaningful life. Its that treatment gives you the opportunity to build a meaningful life. That involves work. That involves taking care of your family. That involves participating in your community.

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The person were talking about went through hell. Went through treatment. Got a job, and is supporting their family. If suddenly, they dont get medication, they get sick and cant go to work and they lose that job. Once you lose that job, you lose hope. And once you lose hope it seems futile to face one day at a time.

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The interim head of the Chicago U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Field Office, who was called to answer questions Monday about federal agents' use of force, is heading back to Washington, effective Friday.

That news came out in a court filing about a hearing on Monday, where Russell Hott was being summoned to appear.

There was a hastily called hearing Friday afternoon, in which Judge Sara Ellis told the government she wants live testimony Monday from someone from ICE and someone from Customs and Border Protection.

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She said she wanted the witnesses to have knowledge of recent incidents and other enforcement operations in the Chicago area, along with knowledge of how the terms of her temporary restraining order have been disseminated to agents in the field.She did require that any particular person appear, but left it up to the government to produce the appropriate witnesses.

Hott was being asked to testify Monday about several incidents involving agents allegedly violating her order not to use tear gas against peaceful protesters without warning.

The Department of Justice is requesting that Customs and Border Protection Deputy Incident Cmdr. Kyle Harvick answer questions about those potential violations instead.

In a statement Friday, the Department of Homeland Security said, "Russell Hott is the permanent Field Office Director (FOD) for the Washington, DC area of responsibility, not Chicago. He served in Chicago as interim FOD and this is planned return to his permanent office in DC. Samuel Olson, permanent FOD of St. Paul and former FOD of Chicago, will now be acting as interim FOD of Chicago."

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The government says it was CBP personnel that were "mostly, if not entirely involved" in two incidents in Chicago where plaintiffs allege federal agents violated the terms of the TRO by using force and deploying tear gas without the warnings required by the court's TRO.

"I just need somebody from ICE and Customs and Border Patrol to tell me what is happening and has been happening over the last week since I issued this order," Ellis said. "It doesn't have to be complicated. I just need some people here that can answer the questions I have as to how this order has been disseminated, what happened with these various incidents over the last week - some of which I have found particularly concerning - and give me some belief that my order that I entered is being followed."

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Ellis modified an already existing temporary restraining order, or TRO, in place to require all agents working under "Operation Midway Blitz" who have already been issued body cameras to wear them and keep them on during "law enforcement activities" in Chicago.

In addition to Monday's hearing, Judge Ellis also set a Nov. 5 date for a preliminary injunction hearing to decide whether the TRO will remain in effect for a longer period.

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Judge Ellis told the parties the "ideological motivation" behind the Administration's so-called Operation Midway Blitz is, so far, "irrelevant" to this case. Rather, the judge is focused on how agents are enforcing the law, and whether it's violating people's constitutional rights.

"What I'm looking at is how are these agents enforcing the law?" Ellis said. "Are they doing so in a manner that is violating other people's constitutional rights? If that is happening, that needs to stop."

ABC News contributed to this report.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Interim Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota and members of the Jackson County Legislature shared updates on property assessments Friday afternoon.

Kansas City approves temporary jail ahead of 2026 World Cup matches

In addition to property assessments, LeVota shared his plans for delivering relief to residents across the county.

LeVota, who was officially sworn in as Interim Executive on Thursday, was adamant about addressing the issues his office faces in an interview with FOX4. Those issues ultimately led to the recall of former executive Frank White.

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Tax assessment, tax assessment, tax assessment, he said on Thursday when asked what his three priorities are.

LeVota said that his first move as executive will be to cap all commercial tax property assessment increases at 15% for properties valued under $5 million.

Under the authority granted to me by the Jackson County Charter, Im taking direct action to provide tax relief, LeVota said Friday during a news conference.

Additionally, he said the county will work to correct any increases that were previously made above that threshold. LeVota said commercial property owners do not need to apply to get this relief. Property tax bills get mailed out in the middle of November. Theyre due at the end of the year.

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We hope it will be on this tax bill, LeVota said. I dont know why it would not be.

LeVota wasnt the only one who spoke Friday. He brought two business owners in the county to talk to reporters as well. One was the Co-Founder of J. Rieger and Co. Andy Rieger. The other was the Blip Coffee Roasters Owner Ian Davis.

A 626% property tax increase is not a bill. Its a death sentence for small businesses, Davis said Friday. Thats what I said a few weeks ago before the Missouri Special Interim Committee on property tax reform.

Jackson County, MO Resident and Data Analyst Preston Smith had similar stories of other commercial property owners earlier in the day. He showed us the commercial assessment for a property north of Independence skyrocketed from 2023 to 2025. Online records show the propertys owned by OXG LLC.

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You figure theres no way that it goes from $173,000 to $9.4 million, unless they found gold out there or struck oil, Smith said.

NKC mayor releases statement on possible Kansas City Royals stadium

Other issues the county is facing, like the future homes of the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs, were discussed as well.

The press conference was held at the Jackson County Courthouse.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A man who was driving while intoxicated was arrested after striking and killing a motorcyclist early Thursday morning, Oct. 16, in Northeast El Paso, El Paso Police said.

Police say Jose Francisco Acevedo Osorio, 24, from Horizon is facing a charge of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault after striking and killing Eduardo Adrian Munoz, 32, who was riding on a motorcycle, and injuring another motorcyclist.

Person dies after motorcycle crash in Northeast El Paso

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Police say they responded to the crash just after 3 a.m. that Thursday, at the 10900 block of Martin Luther King in reference to a crash involving a motorcycle.

The preliminary investigation revealed that Munoz and another person on a motorcycle were traveling southbound on Martin Luther King when Acevedo, who was also traveling southbound, rear-ended both motorcyclists, police said.

Munoz died at the scene, and the other motorcyclist was taken to a hospital, police said.

Acevedo shows signs of intoxication and was taken into custody. He was booked under a $250,000 bond.

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.
Rapid City, S.D. (KELO)  Investigators are still out looking for a suspect involved in the murder of a familys horse in the Black Hills last week.

A week ago today the Wolff family woke up to a terrifying discovery. Their 15-year-old therapy horse, Cheyenne, was found dead after an apparent attack with a shovel.

Were just trying to make it day-by-day. Its been difficult without her and trying to figure out who might have done something like this. So right now were just hoping the investigative division can find out some information, Lacy Wolff said.

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Since this incident was reported, the community has been showing their support as the search continues.

They dont even have to be people with horses, the entire community is outraged by this. It was horrific, it was uncalled for and just like that pain and suffering that she went through is awful. So the community has been great at helping spread the word and we really do appreciate that, Wolff said.

The family struggling in this situation is offering up a $10,000 reward to anybody who can provide information to the sheriffs department that will lead to the eventual arrest. They are concerned for their safety right now unknowing of when or if anything else could happen.

The Sheriffs Office shared that the initial investigation appeared to be that the unknown person assaulted the horse with a shovel prior to her death.

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Cheyenne was just part of our family and when something like this happens to your family its just very personal and we arent going to stop until we find who did this, Wolff said.

If you have any information about this case, you are asked to call the Pennington County Sheriffs Office.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  An investigation is underway after a Clay County Detention Center inmate died six days after attempting death by suicide in his cell.

According to the Clay County Sheriffs Office, 48-year-old Christopher G. Ballowe was found just before 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10, by his cellmate.

Detention staff began trying to save his life until emergency responders arrived on the scene.

Six days later, on Thursday, Oct. 16, Ballowe died at a hospital.

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Volunteers help students cross busy street after 9-year-old girl hit, killed by van

According to the sheriffs office, Ballowe was taken into custody at the Clay County Detention Center on a felony domestic assault charge eight days prior, on Oct. 2. He was also being held for violating his probation on another domestic assault charge.

Detectives said he had just returned from a court hearing when he made the attempt. He reportedly had not shown any previous risks of self-harm.

The investigation is ongoing, the sheriffs office said.

If you are having suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis, call or text 988. Veterans can press 1 after dialing 988 to connect directly to the Veterans Crisis Lifeline. For texts, veterans should continue to text the Veterans Crisis Lifeline short code: 838255.

You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. Kansas City residents can find local mental health resources here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Gov. Kim Reynolds spoke with reporters after a roundtable meeting with state lawmakers and community members at the Roy R. Estle Memorial Library in Dallas Center Oct. 16, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Gov. Kim Reynolds has reiterated her goal of tackling property taxes in the 2026 legislative session, the last session before her term as governor ends.

In Dallas Center on Thursday, Reynolds held a roundtable discussion on property taxes and other issues with Dallas County community members, business and local government leaders, as well as state Reps. Carter Nordman and David Young. While the meeting was closed to the press, the governor told reporters after the event that she and Republicans in the state legislature plan to craft legislation aimed at lowering property taxes in 2026. Reynolds, who is not seeking reelection in 2026, said this would be the final piece of years of work as governor with a Republican-controlled legislature to lower taxes.

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This year, we went to a 3.8% flat income tax, Reynolds said. We no longer tax pension or inheritance. We did the unemployment insurance tax last year, where we cut in half what employers are taxed on  thatll be a $10 billion savings for employers over 10 years. So the last piece to really tackle is property taxes.

The discussion on lowering property tax costs has come up in several recent legislative sessions. In 2023, Reynolds signed a law capping levy rates for cities and counties and providing new exemptions for property owners.

Earlier this year, House Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, and Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, the 2025 chairs of the Ways and Means committees in the House and Senate, held multiple meetings on a property tax bill that included a repeal of Iowas rollback system, in which only a portion of residential property value is treated as taxable. Though the proposal went through multiple iterations and committee meetings, it failed to advance in the 2025 session.

The governor did not say whether any bill she may propose in 2026 would include ending the rollback or other proposed changes. And while she did not share details on her plans, she did say everything is on the table as she meets with local governments, businesses and taxpayers to discuss how property taxes could be lowered.

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Were taking what we hear at these roundtables, well aggregate the information, if we start to see some consistency, some suggestions that they have, thatll be a part of what well take a look at when we  put that piece of legislation together, Reynolds said.

Nordman, who will chair the House Ways and Means Committee beginning in 2026, said issues such as finding new efficiencies in local government as well as changes to the states Tax Increment Financing (TIF) system and the 2023 property tax law have regularly been discussed as state and local leaders meet to discuss property taxes ahead of the 2026 session.

Ultimately, the localities are the ones who are spending the money, Nordman said. And so they need to be at the table, willing to look at efficiencies and see how they can cut costs within their jurisdictions.

While previous proposed measures have focused more exclusively on residential property taxes, Nordman said leaders have also discussed changes to commercial property taxes as well. However, he emphasized were not married to anything now, and the goal of Reynolds and GOP lawmakers meetings is to find the best path toward lowering property tax costs for Iowans.

I think every single legislator is at the doors listening to the biggest concern of these individuals, and its property taxes, Nordman said. So, its definitely a priority for us.
Iowa State University agronomy professor Kan Wang has spent her career studying Agrobacterium. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Iowa State University researchers have unlocked new secrets within the bacteria responsible for the creation of thousands of fruits and vegetables as we know them today, with the goal of seeing how they can balance its uses as a tool versus its prevalence as infection.

Kan Wang, an ISU professor of agronomy and biotechnology, and students have released a paper detailing how they investigated the chromosomes of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a bacterium responsible for crown gall disease in plants and the most crucial instrument in genetically modifying crops.

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Using gene editing tools they tailored to their needs, Wang said the team manipulated Agrobacterium chromosomes and found that by rearranging its DNA, scientists can impact how well the plant grows, its resiliency and ability to infect plants.

Its our bread and butter for biotechnologists  for us, Wang said.

Agrobacterium enables natural, human-led genetic modification

Evidence of crown gall  a disease implanted by Agrobacterium that causes bulging tumors to grow on plant roots and stems  can be found all over the world, Wang said, with her own family finding the growths on trees in Seattle, Iowa City and the Czech Republic.

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The earliest mention of crown gall comes from Italy in the late 1500s, Wang said, and efforts to address the disease in the U.S. go back to the early 1900s. As technology progressed, so did researchers work to learn more about Agrobacterium and its mysteries, with Wang starting her own research into the subject during her time studying at the University of Ghent in Belgium in the 1980s.

It was while she was studying as a graduate student that her professor found that Agrobacterium has the ability to deliver its own DNA into the plant and then integrate into their chromosome, which is something no other bacteria can do. From there, researchers found they could, through gene editing, disarm the genes that cause tumor growth in plants and replace it with a different gene of interest.

It was these findings that paved the way for genetically modified crops, which are changed to become more resilient to stress and attack or encourage certain traits. According to the Food and Drug Administration, most corn and soy grown in the U.S. are GMO crops, as well as cotton, canola and sugar beets.

All (of) the GMOs on the market were made by Agrobacterium, Wang said.

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Around 2,000 plant species, from black pepper to persimmons to strawberries, have also been identified as N-GMOs, which Wang described as plants that were infected in the past by Agrobacterium and became the dominant crop through domestication or other means.

One example Wang gave of this was the sweet potato. Researchers found out that all domesticated species of the root vegetable have Agrobacterium, but wild species do not. The Agrobacterium caused the sweet potato to bulge, a trait Wang said was likely preferred by those harvesting the vegetable due to it providing more food.

Its a horizontal gene transfer, which occurs naturally, and in this case happens to be Agrobacterium, Wang said.

Untangling chromosomes

Thoughts of the past and lingering questions were drivers in this study, Wang said, as those who made earlier milestones in Agrobacterium research did so without the technology currently available.

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The research team started their work by swapping out components of a gene editing tool previously tailored to research E. coli to ensure it would work for their purposes. After that, Wang said, they could play around with Agrobacterium chromosomes, deleting certain genes and adding others in.

Wang, a knitter when she isnt conducting her work, said going through chromosomes is like having to untangle a pile of yarn that got mixed together  time-consuming and complicated.

Agrobacterium has both circular and linear chromosomes, which Wang said caused curiosity as most bacteria have only circular chromosomes. The team also found a variant in the bacteria that had its chromosomes fused together into a large, linear chromosome, and tested it against the original setup and two other variants they created with the gene editing tool.

The variants had different levels of success in infecting plants, Wang said, and varying resiliency. They found that Agrobacterium with fused chromosomes were better at replication and stronger in growth, but could not infect plants as well as variants with separate chromosomes.

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Wangs drive to keep studying Agrobacterium is two-fold, she said, and split between finding real-time solutions to disease and development of technology to improve the tool the bacteria has become.

The more we know the bacteria, their lifestyle, their biology, maybe we can come up with a more effective biocontrol for them to not to become such a headache for vegetable and fruit farmers right then, Wang said. On the other hand, Agrobacterium is also a tool for us. So we want to see, okay, can we learn more from their behavior so we will know how to improve our tools for biotechnology.

Even with all of the breakthroughs scientists have made with Agrobacterium, Wang said shes excited to keep diving into the bacteria and other plants it has infected and changed.

Agrobacterium has shown up where it wasnt expected, such as in hydroponics equipment used to grow tomatoes, and much is still unknown about what triggers the bacteria to leave the soil and enter plants. Wang said next steps are to apply for funding to continue with the work.

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The more we learn (about Agrobacteriums) ability, their biology, then the more effective we can think about ways to compete (with) the pathogenic bacteria, Wang said.

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The Assyrian Restaurant in Olympia

When siblings Lisa and Jacob David opened a food truck in downtown Olympia in 2011, they had one problem: The local health department, which needed to approve their operation, had no code for traditional shawarma. No one in Thurston County had asked for the process to be certified before, they recall.

Jacob David, raised with his sister in Toledo, Ohio, called in some Midwest backup. He contacted the health department in Dearborn, Michigan--home to a lot of Middle Eastern cuisine. "I asked them what the rules and policies are, and I took all the notes, and I helped the [Thurston County] health department basically write their rules," he says.

The food truck, called Nineveh Assyrian, was an instant hit, busy from day one in its parking spot next to a long-running taco truck, about a block from Olympia City Hall. Besides the slow-roasted meats, they dished falafel and hand-cut fries dusted in za'atar. It was good food for takeout, and did especially well during the pandemic 10 years later.

The Davids knew that Olympia needed shawarma; when Lisa came to Olympia to study at Evergreen State College she was taken aback by the lack of Middle Eastern food. "My first visit here was in '98 and I saw it myself; it was culture shock," remembers Jacob. "Maybe lack-of-culture shock."

But the Nineveh food truck, which last year expanded into a full restaurant, is rare in both Olympia and the entire US. It focuses not on general Middle Eastern cuisine, but specifically Assyrian food. Does the name not ring a bell? Dig deep into long-forgotten social studies knowledge.

Assyrians are, as Jacob describes, "ancient indigenous Mesopotamians from northern Iraq, western Iran, southern Turkey, and eastern Syria." The siblings are Assyrian on their father's side, with family roots in Iraq and Iran. As Lisa puts it, "It's an extremely tiny population with, like, an almost dead language," largely driven out of their homeland due to modern conflicts. But the world's oldest cookbooks were from Mesopotamia--4,000-year-old tablets held at Yale University describe lamb and other stews.

As the creative chef in their sibling partnership, Lisa got to expand their menu when the brick-and-mortar restaurant opened last year. That meant soups like bushala (yogurt-based) and chipteh (a rich meatball soup). Persian influence to the cuisine means tastes of saffron and pomegranate molasses. Jacob went to Iraq to learn how to make traditional barley bread in a tannur, or clay oven, then adapted it to be cooked on a steel dome saj in the restaurant.

Lisa David co-owns the restaurant with her brother, Jacob.

Though the Assyrian Empire may have faded a long time ago--Nineveh is named for the ancient capital city that fell in 612 BC--the restaurant's flavors have broad geographic roots. Amba, a fermented, pickled mango that Lisa uses for sauces, was an Indian staple brought to Baghdad by Iraqi Jews. It's a popular side for falafel today in both Iraq and Israel, says Lisa, but "you're not gonna find it in other countries."

Today the Davids' extended family has left Iraq, but their relatives' faces illuminate one of Nineveh Assyrian's walls in framed photos, all in black and white with gold gilt frames. The restaurant interior pops with bright teal vintage chairs. Lisa, who studied ceramics at Evergreen, made the lighting, and screens use a fish scale pattern from an ancient Assyrian palace.

When Lisa first dreamed of an Olympia restaurant in the 1990s, she just wanted to get good falafel without having to drive to Seattle. Now she and Jacob see huge interest from locals, often selling out whenever they experiment with new specials. The food truck still draws lines, and on a recent weeknight I saw Nineveh the restaurant fill to capacity by 6pm, chatter bouncing off the teal walls in the space's rear bar.

"It's really great to see people's palates expanding," says Jacob.

Nineveh Assyrian

728 4th Ave E, Olympia (food truck)

113 Capitol Way N, Olympia (restaurant)
ECI Software Solutions (ECI), a global provider of cloud-based business management software and services, has announced the early access release of AI Assist for MobileTech, an AI-powered service call resolution solution built for the office technology industry. Embedded directly in the MobileTech mobile app, AI Assist enables service organisations to resolve equipment issues faster, more accurately, and at lower cost  addressing key challenges such as declining first-time fix rates, rising labour costs, and widening technician skills gaps. Unlike tools that rely on knowledge bases, content uploads, or technician prompts, AI Assist automatically analyses service ticket data to deliver step-by-step workflows that speed resolution and increase first-time fix rates.

Field service technicians in office technology have long relied on manual troubleshooting, searching documentation, and knowledge sharing to resolve equipment issues, said Laryssa Alexander, President of the Field Service Division at ECI Software Solutions. With AI Assist for MobileTech, were giving technicians a practical AI solution, transforming a traditionally manual process into a smarter, faster, and more reliable experience. This launch represents a major step forward in our mission to harness modern technology to solve everyday challenges for dealers.

With first-time fix rates averaging just 6773% across the industry, MobileTech AI Assist leverages service ticket data to recommend troubleshooting steps, guide technicians through repairs, and surface relevant resolution instructions in real time. The solution helps technicians complete more calls on the first visit, while also reducing the impact of rising labour costs and the knowledge drain created by an ageing workforce.

Early Access Benefits

Through the early access program, participating service organisations will be among the first to evaluate and shape AI Assist for MobileTech. Key benefits include:

Free Evaluation: Access to AI Assist at no additional cost during early access.

Influence: Direct input into refining requirements for future predictive alerts and guided workflows.

Innovation: Hands-on experience with next-generation AI tools designed to reduce downtime and boost technician productivity.

Advantage: Early adoption expertise to prepare teams for long-term industry shifts.

MobileTechs AI Assist early access is now available to all MobileTech hosted users.

About ECI

ECI Software Solutions provides cloud-based business software for running small and mid-sized businesses end to end. Built by experts in manufacturing, residential construction, building supply, office technology, field service, and wholesale/retail distribution industries, ECIs industry-specific software connects businesses and customers, improving visibility, operational efficiency, and profitability. With ECI, businesses seamlessly integrate sales and marketing, business intelligence, CRM, data and analytics, ecommerce, mobile apps, and payment processing. With more than 30 years of industry leadership, ECI is trusted by 24,000 customers in more than 90 countries globally. Headquartered in Westlake, Texas, it has offices in the US, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, and Australia. For more information, visitwww.ECIsolutions.com
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  The former superintendent of Iowas largest school district falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen on a federal form and knowingly possessed several firearms illegally, according to a newly returned indictment that raises the prospect of a lengthy prison term.

A federal grand jury issued the two-count indictment Thursday charging former Des Moines schools superintendent Ian Roberts with one count of making a false statement for employment and one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm while being in the country illegally. Together, the charges carry a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Roberts, who is originally from Guyana and worked for two decades in school districts across the U.S., was detained Sept. 26 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in a targeted operation that shocked the community.

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Authorities said Roberts lacked authorization to work in the U.S. and fled from agents who conducted a traffic stop while he was driving his district-issued Jeep Cherokee. Roberts was later apprehended in a wooded area with help from the Iowa State Patrol. Authorities found a handgun wrapped in a towel inside his car, investigators said, along with $3,000 cash.

Des Moines Public Schools hired Roberts in 2023 to lead its district of about 30,000 students. Days after being detained, Roberts resigned from his job, which included an annual salary of $286,716.

The indictment alleges that Roberts made a false attestation on a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Eligibility Verification form, known as an I-9, claiming he was a U.S. citizen when he knew he was not.

Roberts' attorney Alfredo Parrish said his client was not surprised by the indictment and would fight the charges at trial.

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Dr. Roberts intends to enter a not guilty plea because he's innocent of these charges, he said. Our immigration system, as most Americans understand, is in shambles.

The district on Friday refused to release the I-9 form in response to a public records request filed by The Associated Press, saying it was a confidential personnel record under Iowa law and also part of the federal investigation. District officials have said Roberts also submitted a driver's license and Social Security card as part of the verification process.

Authorities have said Roberts came to the U.S. in the 1990s and his work authorization expired in 2020. An immigration judge issued a final order for his removal last year after a hearing where Roberts failed to appear, and Roberts' request to reopen the proceedings was rejected earlier this year. Roberts' attorney has argued his client was led to believe by a former attorney that the appeal had been resolved in his favor.

After his detention by ICE, Roberts was transferred to U.S. Marshals custody Oct. 2 to face a federal firearms charge. Roberts, 54, remains at the Polk County Jail in Des Moines.

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In addition to the one in his vehicle when he was arrested, three other firearms were found during a search of Roberts home, authorities said. The indictment describes the four weapons, including two pistols, a rifle and a shotgun.

The firearms charge carries a punishment of up to 15 years in prison, while the false statement charge carries up to five years.

The Department of Homeland Security has publicized a lengthy criminal history for Roberts, including a 2020 arrest in New York state on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon, details of which have been sealed. He was cited in 2021 for a minor firearms violation in Pennsylvania related to his storage of a hunting rifle in his vehicle.

The fallout from the case has been widespread. The district filed a lawsuit alleging the consulting firm it used during the 2023 superintendent search failed to adequately vet Roberts' background. The firm has defended its work, which included flagging a discrepancy involving a doctorate degree falsely claimed by Roberts on one resume.

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State Auditor Rob Sand announced this week that his office will investigate the districts finances in response to an outside request. The move came after the AP reported that Roberts had pushed to award district business to a firm that employed him as a consultant, despite the conflict of interest.

School Board Chair Jackie Norris ended her campaign for U.S. Senate on Thursday, citing the need to lead the district through the crisis. The district is asking voters to approve a $265 million bond referendum next month that would raise property taxes in order to support program and building improvements.

___

Foley reported from Iowa City, Iowa.
A group of United Nations experts has voiced alarm about continued Israeli air and drone strikes in Lebanon, saying the attacks have caused mounting civilian casualties and widespread destruction despite a ceasefire agreed last November.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel continues to strike Lebanese territory almost daily, the experts said in a statement on Friday, urging all parties to fully adhere to the cessation of hostilities and calling for investigations and accountability for all violations of international law.

These attacks have resulted in a mounting toll of civilian deaths and injuries and destruction and damage of infrastructure, housing, the environment and agricultural zones vital to civilian livelihoods, the experts added.

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The statement came on the same day that Iran also criticised Israels violations of Lebanese sovereignty, and as Lebanese authorities reported more attacks by Israel in the countrys south.

Hezbollah and Israel signed a US-brokered truce in November last year, which put an end to more than a year of hostilities, including a two-month all-out war.

The two parties agreed to cease fire and withdraw their forces south of the Litani River. But both sides accuse the other of failing to fully implement the deal. Israel says Hezbollah still has infrastructure in the south, while Lebanon and Hezbollah say Israel is occupying Lebanese soil by not withdrawing from five hilltop positions. Israel also continues to target Lebanon, especially in the south.

The UN experts said Israels repeated strikes and partial occupation of territory in Lebanon have left schools, health centres, and places of worship inaccessible, preventing the resumption of essential civilian life and services. They added that Israels conduct is seriously undermining efforts by Lebanese authorities to implement effective disarmament of the southern area.

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Since last November, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has verified 108 civilian casualties in Lebanon, including 16 children. The UN report said Israeli soldiers abducted at least 19 civilians in the southern region. The experts also noted that more than 80,000 people remain displaced in Lebanon, unable to return to their homes.





Clear violation of Lebanons sovereignty

On Friday, Lebanons official National News Agency reported unspecified casualties in an Israeli strike targeting a car in the countrys south. And on Thursday, some of the heaviest Israeli raids since the ceasefire began hit south Lebanon, with the Ministry of Public Health saying one person was killed and seven others wounded. The Israeli army said it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure and facilities used by an NGO under US sanctions that Israel considers a cover for the group.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the strikes targeted civilian facilities, condemning a ceasefire violation and a systematic policy aimed at destroying productive infrastructure and hindering the countrys recovery.

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Irans Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on Friday slammed the ongoing Israeli attacks as a clear violation of Lebanons sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a statement, he also called out France and the United States  who are guarantors of the truce  for their continued inaction and appeasement towards Israel over the repeated violation of the deal.

In August, the Lebanese government made a decision to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year, but Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has firmly rejected the mounting pressure.

However, the Iran-aligned group has been severely weakened by its most recent hostilities with Israel and the overthrow of key ally Bashar al-Assad, who it helped prop up in neighbouring Syria during its civil war.

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Lebanese officials are now saying that resources are too limited to meet the deadline, but that they are aiming to fully clear a stretch along the Lebanon-Israel border, defined as south of the Litani River, by the end of November before moving into further phases.

On Friday, the UN Security Council also expressed support for the commitments made by the Lebanese government to exercise sovereignty over its entire territory.

The members of the Security Council welcomed the efforts and commitments of the Lebanese government to exercise its sovereignty over its whole territory, through the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and recognize no authority other than that of the Government of Lebanon, said a council statement, urging for global support to the Lebanese Armed Forces in order to ensure their effective and sustainable deployment South of the Litani River.




Iran plans to mobilize 80,000 new morality police officers in Tehran to enforce compliance with Islamic dress codes that require women to wear their headscarves more consistently, according to an official.

"The new forces are intended to combat social inequality and any tendency towards secularism," Ruhollah Momen-Nassab, head of the Authority for the Promotion of Ethical Standards told Fararu news site.

This initiative aims to bring about a "profound social transformation" in Tehran, Momen-Nassab said.

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The headscarf requirement is considered one of the ideological cornerstones of the Iranian state. Under Islamic rules, women in Iran must wear a long jacket and a headscarf to cover the shape of their bodies and their hair.

But more and more Iranian women are disregarding the rules, especially since the nationwide protests in 2022 and rise of the women's movement.

Islamic hardliners sought to counter the increasing disregard for religious rules with tougher penalties and passed a new headscarf law in parliament subjecting women to heavy fines, exclusion from public services and prison sentences for repeat offenders.

However, both the government of President Masoud Pezeshkian and influential Security Council halted the implementation of the controversial headscarf law, fearing it could lead to renewed protests like those in 2022.

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Pezeshkian even warned that violent enforcement of the regulations could alienate the population from Islam itself.

The women's movement, which rallies under the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom," formed after the death of the young Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini who died in custody after having been arrested for allegedly violating the headscarf requirement.

Her death sparked nationwide and international protests that roiled the nation, plunging Iran's Islamic system into its worst crisis to date.
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Taftan volcano in Iran seems to be waking up after a 700,000-year-long sleep. | Credit: mohammad aaref barahouei/Alamy

A volcano in southern Iran thought to have been extinct for some 710,000 years has stirred.

New research published Oct. 7 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters finds that an area of ground near the Taftan volcano's summit rose 3.5 inches (9 centimeters) over 10 months between July 2023 and May 2024. The uplift has not yet receded, suggesting a buildup of gas pressure below the volcano's surface.

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The findings reveal the need for closer monitoring of the volcano, which hasn't been considered a risk to people before, said study senior author Pablo Gonzalez , a volcanologist at the Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology, a research center of the Spanish National Research Council (IPNA-CSIC). Volcanoes are considered extinct if they haven't erupted in the Holocone era, which started 11,700 years ago. Given its recent activity, Gonzalez said, Taftan might be more accurately described as dormant.

"It has to release somehow in the future, either violently or more quietly," Gonzalez told Live Science. There is no reason to fear an imminent eruption, he said, but the volcano should be more closely monitored.

Taftan volcano is a 12,927-foot (3,940 meters) stratovolcano in southeastern Iran, situated among a rumple of mountains and volcanoes that was formed by the subduction of the Arabian ocean crust under the Eurasian continent. Today, the volcano hosts an active hydrothermal system and smelly, sulfur-emitting vents called fumaroles, but it isn't known to have erupted in human history.

When Mohammadhossein Mohammadnia , a doctoral student working under Gonzalez at IPNA-CSIC, first examined satellite imagery of the volcano in 2020, he saw no evidence that it was doing much of anything. But then, in 2023, people started reporting gaseous emissions from the volcano on social media. The emissions could be smelled from the city of Khash about 31 miles (50 kilometers) away.

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Mohammadnia took another look at the satellite imagery from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 mission, which provides round-the-clock imagery of Earth's surface. Taftan is remote and does not have a GPS monitoring system such as those found on volcanoes like Mount St. Helen's; the area is also dangerous due to the activity of insurgent groups and border conflicts between Iran and Pakistan. The satellite imagery revealed a slight rise of the ground near the summit, indicating increased pressure below.

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The closer a volcano is to erupting, the greener the trees around it look from space

Mohammadnia calculated that the driver of this uplift sits 1,608 to 2,067 feet (490 to 630 m) below the surface. It's impossible to know exactly what is going on, but the researchers ruled out external factors like nearby earthquakes or rainfall, Mohammadnia told Live Science. The volcano's magma reservoir sits more than 2 miles (3.5 km) down  far deeper than whatever is driving the uplift.

Instead, either the uplift is caused by a change in the hydrothermal plumbing below the volcano that is leading to the buildup of gas, or a small amount of magma may have shifted beneath the volcano, allowing gases to bubble up into the rocks above, raising the pressure in rock pores and fractures, and causing the ground to heave up slightly.

The next stage in the research, according to Gonzalez, will be to collaborate with scientists who do gas monitoring at volcanoes.

"This study doesn't aim to produce panic in the people," he said. "It's a wake-up call to the authorities in the region in Iran to designate some resources to look at this."
Mourners gathered in the Israeli city of Petah Tikva on Friday to bury Inbar Hayman, the last female hostage whose remains were returned by Hamas.

The 27-year-old had been volunteering at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023 when she was abducted by Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist militia, and killed in captivity in the Gaza Strip.

As with previous funerals of hostages whose remains were returned, Israeli President Isaac Herzog delivered the eulogy.

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"In what kind of world must parents yearn, for two terrible years, for the right to bring their beloved daughter to burial?" Herzog said.

Herzog praised Hayman for fighting "like a lioness" as the militants abducted her. He also asked for forgiveness.

"Forgiveness that we could not save you. Forgiveness that it took us so very long to bring you back to us," he said.

Haymans mother, Yifat Hayman, wept as she spoke at her daughters coffin: "We waited month after month, deal after deal, and in the end, you came back."

The ceremony was livestreamed by the Israeli Government Press Office.

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Hayman, a graffiti artist known by the pseudonym Pink, was honoured by mourners wearing shades of pink at the familys request.

Hamas handed over the remains of Hayman and another hostage on Wednesday evening, both of whom were later identified by Israels national forensic institute.

Under the terms of the ongoing ceasefire agreement, Hamas is required to return the remains of 28 hostages. So far nine have been handed over.
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Alexander Cornwell

CAIRO/TEL AVIV (Reuters) -Israel said on Thursday it was preparing for the reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt to let Palestinians in and out, but set no date as it traded blame with Hamas over violations of a U.S.-mediated ceasefire.

A dispute over the return of hostages' bodies held by Hamas threatens to derail the truce and other unresolved elements of the plan, including disarmament of militants and Gazas future governance.

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Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters Israel remained committed to the agreement and continued to uphold its obligations, demanding Hamas return the bodies of the 19 deceased hostages it had not handed over.

The Islamist faction has handed over 10 bodies but Israel said one was not that of a hostage.

Hamas said it remained committed to the Gaza agreement and to handing over all the remaining bodies of hostages, but that returning the remains may take time as some were buried in tunnels destroyed by Israel and others were under the ruins of buildings that Israel had bombed.

The armed wing of Hamas said the handover of more bodies in Gaza, reduced to vast tracts of rubble by the war, would require the admission of heavy machinery and excavating equipment into the Israel-blockaded Palestinian enclave.

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On Thursday, a senior Hamas official accused Israel of flouting the ceasefire by killing at least 24 people in shootings since Friday, and said a list of such violations was handed over to mediators.

"The occupying state is working day and night to undermine the agreement through its violations on the ground," he said.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to the allegation of violating the ceasefire. It has previously said some Palestinians have ignored warnings not to approach Israeli ceasefire positions and troops "opened fire to remove the threat".

After local health authorities said an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis in southern Gaza killed two people, the Israeli military said its forces fired at several individuals who emerged from a tunnel shaft and approached troops, describing them as posing an immediate threat.

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Palestinian local health authorities said at least seven people were killed by Israeli fire across the Gaza Strip on Thursday. People in Gaza reported seeing drones and warplanes in the skies over the southern Gaza Strip with sporadic gunfire heard from time to time.

CALL TO DISARM

Israel has said the next phase of the 20-point plan to end the war, a blueprint engineered by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, calls for Hamas to relinquish its weapons and cede power, which it has so far refused to do.

Hamas has instead launched a security crackdown in urban areas vacated by Israeli forces, demonstrating its power through public executions and clashes with local armed clans.

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Trump repeated his threats against the militia group, saying in a post, "If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them."

Asked about his recent threats toward Hamas, Trump told reporters in an Oval Office event, If they behave, good. If they don't behave, we'll take care of it.

He added that action would not involve U.S. forces, but be carried out under U.S. auspices.

Twenty remaining living Israeli hostages were freed on Monday in exchange for thousands of Palestinians jailed in Israel.

The Gaza health ministry said on Thursday Israel had released 30 bodies of Palestinians killed during the conflict, taking the number of bodies it has received since Monday to 120.

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Longer-term elements of Trump's plan, including the make-up of an international "stabilization force" for the densely populated territory and moves towards creating a Palestinian state - rejected by Israel - have yet to be hashed out.

MASSIVE AID INCREASE NEEDED

In a statement on Thursday, Israel's military aid agency COGAT said coordination was under way with Egypt to set a date for reopening the Rafah crossing for movement of people after completing the necessary preparations.

COGAT said the Rafah crossing would not open for aid as this was not stipulated by the truce deal at any stage, rather all humanitarian goods bound for Gaza would pass through Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom after undergoing security inspections.

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With famine conditions present in parts of Gaza, U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday that thousands of aid vehicles would now have to enter Gaza weekly to ease the crisis.

Aid trucks rolled into Gaza on Wednesday, but medical care remains scarce and most of the 2.2 million population is homeless. Ismail Al-Thawabta, head of the Hamas-run Gaza media office, said the aid that had entered since the fighting subsided was a "drop in the ocean".

Much of the heavily urbanised enclave has been rendered a wasteland by Israeli bombardments and airstrikes that have killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.

The war was triggered by Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Yomna Ehab and Ahmed Tolba in Cairo, Alexander Cornwell, Steven Scheer in Jerusalem, Tala Ramadan in Dubai, and Jarrett Renshaw in Washington; editing by Mark Heinrich, Hugh Lawson and Nia Williams)
Hamas originally said that it would return the body of a slain Israeli hostage at 11 p.m. on Friday, but the Red Cross handover occured around midnight.

The IDF received the remains of one slain hostage after Hamas announced earlier on Friday that it had recovered a captive's body in Gaza.

The remains arrived in Israel at 12:45 a.m. Saturday morning. The Red Cross received the remains at around midnight, though Hamas said that the handover would happen at around 11 p.m. on Friday.

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The terror group discovered the remains of the hostage on Friday evening.

Forensic doctors are currently examining the remains of the hostage to determine their cause of death and identify the body.

"All families of the hostages who were killed have been informed, and in this difficult time, our hearts are with them. The effort to bring back our hostages continues without interruption and will not cease until the last hostage is returned," a press release from the Prime Minister's Office stated.

Red Cross vehicles transport the bodies of deceased hostages who had been held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, after they were handed over by Hamas militants as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City, October 14, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/DAWOUD ABU ALKAS)

The IDF confirmed that it had informed the relevant family, and that IDF representatives would escort them through the process.

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Hostage coordinator Gal Hirsch confirmed to the families of captives that the remains of a hostage are expected to arrive in Israel on Friday night. After receiving the remains, a respectful military ceremony will be held, and then they will be transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification.

The disclosure came after Israel and mediators applied pressure on the terror group to return the remains of the hostages in alignment with US President Donald Trump's agreement.

The terror group has been criticized for delaying the return of the remains of killed hostages.

Hamas blames Israel for terror group failing to return hostages

Hamas claimed on Thursday that the return of Israeli hostages' remains may take time, as some were buried in tunnels destroyed by Israel, and others remain under the rubble of buildings that Israel bombed and destroyed, adding that the group remained committed to the Gaza agreement and keen to hand over all the remains of all hostages held in Gaza.

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The retrieval of the remaining hostages required equipment to remove rubble, which was currently unavailable due to Israels ban on entry of such tools, Hamas added.

Israel will continue refusing to allow a Turkish delegation of 81 rescue personnel and heavy equipment to enter the Gaza Strip until Hamas returns all the remains of deceased hostages that it can, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.

Amichai Stein and Reuters contributed to this report.
(Reuters) -Israel said early Saturday that the Red Cross had turned over the body of another deceased hostage from Gaza to Israel's military amid a dispute over delays in the return of remains under the ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.

Hamas had said on Friday it planned to transfer a deceased hostage to the Red Cross.

This was the 10th deceased hostage Israel has received out of 28 bodies held in Gaza. and Hamas, citing technical problems, has said it needed heavy machinery and excavating equipment to speed up the process of locating bodies buried under rubble.

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Israel, insisting Hamas knows the whereabouts of the hostages' bodies, had said the group was running out of time.

Hamas has said it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement and to handing over the bodies of all remaining hostages.

In a statement on Friday, Hamas' armed wing said a new body had been recovered and would be released at 2300 local time. An Israeli security source said the handover to the Red Cross was scheduled for 0030 in Israel (2130 GMT).

The issue has cast a shadow over the ceasefire agreement  the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to end the war.

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At a news conference in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Israel's statements were worrying. "Will Israel use Hamas' incapability to locate bodies left under rubble ... as an excuse and break the ceasefire? There is concern in the international community over this," he said.

Earlier on Friday, Hamas called on mediators to push for the next steps under the ceasefire, including reopening the border, letting in aid, beginning reconstruction, setting up an administration and completing Israel's withdrawal.

Fighting has largely stopped in Gaza under Trump's plan, endorsed by mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. However, Gaza's Civil Defence Service said on Friday that 11 people were killed when Israeli troops opened fire on a vehicle southeast of Gaza City, including seven children and three women.

The Israeli military did not comment on the incident while Hamas again accused Israel of violating on the ceasefire.

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The 20 living hostages taken with others in an October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel were returned from Gaza earlier this week.

Israel said on Thursday it was preparing for the reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt to allow Palestinians to move in and out, but gave no date as it traded blame with Hamas over violations of the ceasefire.

Other unresolved elements of the plan include the disarmament of militants and Gaza's future governance.

(Reporting by Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Ahmed Elimam and Tala Ramadan; Additional reporting by Tuvan Gumruckcu in Ankara; Writing by Ahmed Elimam and Hatem MaherEditing by Howard Goller and Cynthia Osterman)
Indiana State University provost Chris Olsen has been chosen as the next president of Northern Michigan University.

He will begin his tenure on Jan. 1.

The NMU Board of Trustees announced Olsen's selection in a special meeting Thursday, according to a university news release.

The university is located in Marquette, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula.

With more than 20 years of higher education leadership experience, Olsen is currently the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Indiana State University, a position he has held since 2021.

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Previously, he was ISUs dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and chair of the department of history.

Olsen holds a bachelors degree from North Dakota State University, a masters from the University of Nebraska and a doctorate from the University of Florida, all in the discipline of history.

In making the announcement, NMU Board of Trustees Vice Chair Missie Holmquist said that Olsen emerged from the rigorous interview and stakeholder engagement process as the right choice to lead Northern, based in large part on his extensive background in several areas of higher education leadership and management, according to an NMU news release.

Some of those areas key to Northerns future direction include strategic planning, enrollment management, student success, distance education, external relationships and philanthropy, she said. As provost at Indiana State, hes had 20 direct reports from a variety of campus entities, providing him with valuable insight on diverse functions across the university. We are confident that his wide-ranging experience, along with his constant connection with students and collaboration with leaders across campus, the region, and the state, have prepared him well to lead Northern as its next president.

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Northern Michigan University is a four-year, public, comprehensive university.

For fall 2025, its enrollment is more than 7,300 undergraduate and graduate students. It offers over 170 degree programs, including 25 graduate programs, according to its website.
In an effort to get more hits online from tourists looking for their next holiday destination, the mayor of the small Italian town of Vallecrosia has decided to add "al mare" ("by the sea") to its name.

Valle in Italian means "valley," leading to a situation where tourists searching the internet for a beach holiday have been sent to competing destinations, says Mayor Fabio Perri.

Vallecrosia is on the Italian Riviera, directly on the Mediterranean Sea, not far from the French border.

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"The problem is that the algorithm categorizes us as a valley, as if we were inland," said the mayor. "As a result, visitor flows are redirected to the beaches of our neighbouring towns."

The municipality commissioned several market studies, which concluded that the name change could address the problem.

The town council of the 6,800-resident municipality approved Perri's proposal to now call the town Vallecrosia al mare.

The decision will now be put to a referendum, requiring a majority vote in favour, but Perri expects it to pass. The town has already tripled its tourism budget for the coming year.

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Apart from the addition to the name, nothing else will change. The postal code will remain the same, and all existing documents with the old name will remain valid.

The Ligurian coast, with towns such as Sanremo and Ventimiglia, is one of Italy's popular holiday destinations.
People First Bank has reported another year of strong results for the year ending 30 June 2025, achieving solid growth across lending, deposits and customers while advancing major technology and community initiatives.

Financial highlights for 2024-25 include:

Net profit after tax of $44.1 million, up 7% from $41.4 million.

Total loans and advances of $21.1 billion, up 4% from $20.3 billion.

Retail deposits of $20.1 billion, up 6% from $19.0 billion.

Total assets of $25.3 billion, up 3% from $24.5 billion.

Total capital ratio grew to 17.5%, up from 15.5%in the 12 months to June 2025.

CEO Steve Laidlaw said the results highlight both strong performance and future direction.

These results show that we are delivering for customers while building for the future. By combining a clear purpose with technology investment, People First Bank is well placed to grow as a strong and sustainable customer-focused bank.

Digital at the heart of better banking

The bank advanced major technology programs during the year, with final piloting of its new mobile and internet banking platforms underway ahead of launch next year, alongside a redesigned website. Upgrades to lending systems are also making it simpler and faster for customers to buy a home.

Partnering with globally recognised providers including Backbase, Salesforce, Simpology and Fiserv, the bank is building a best-of-breed suite of cloud-based platforms that will deliver outstanding digital experiences and security, while enabling the use of innovations such as AI.

We are investing in platforms that will give customers a simple, secure, world-class banking experience, Steve Laidlaw said. These investments also make us more adaptable to a rapidly changing market.

Thirty-four branches were refreshed with the People First Bank brand during the year, with only three Peoples Choice sites still to be updated before the rebrand of Heritage branches begins in 2026. Smart ATMs were also introduced across the network.

Product enhancements included more flexible home loan features, expanded green car loan options and People First Banks first general insurance offering.

Customer advocacy remained a strength, with People First Bank welcoming 45,000 new customers and recording a Net Promoter Score of +31 over the past six months  almost three times the industry average.

Keeping customers safe

People First Bank strengthened its defences against scams and fraud through a new Anti-Scam Strategy, supported by specialist staff and new technology. Its Scams Hotline helped prevent 480 scams and protected almost $13 million of customer funds, while its Security Operations Centre continued 24/7 cyber monitoring.

Support for customers experiencing vulnerability also grew, with capped fees, a safety net for government benefit recipients and new protections for those at risk of financial abuse.

Backing communities and sustainability

People First Bank contributed $8.8 million in community support nationwide through its Foundation, Community Lottery, local partnerships, and community branches.

The bank launched its Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan and almost doubled employee volunteering through its Good Squad program. Progress also continued on the new Toowoomba head office, with demolition completed at the

Ruthven Street site.

The bank remained carbon neutral for the fourth year, sourced more than half of its energy from renewables, and had its emissions targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.

People First Bank also achieved B Corp re-certification, extending this globally recognised accreditation for a further three years.

Looking to the future

Laidlaw said the year carried historic significance as People First Bank marked its 150th anniversary.

This year we made strong progress. While we celebrated our history, our focus is firmly on the future  building the very best digital banking capabilities, and supporting our customers, communities, employees, and the environment.

These are the foundations that will ensure our success as a modern, purpose-driven bank that can rely on for generations to come.
One of Italys most prominent crime journalists has been targeted in a suspected mafia car bomb.

An estimated 1kg of explosives detonated on Thursday evening next to a car owned by Sigfrido Ranucci, host of Report, an investigative television programme.

Mr Ranucci, who has been under police protection since 2024, said his daughter had walked by the car approximately 20 minutes before the explosion on Thursday evening in Campo Ascolano, a suburb 20 miles south of Romes city centre.

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The explosion reduced two cars belonging to Mr Ranucci, 64, and his family into a heap of twisted metal and shattered glass. No injuries were reported.

Credit: X / @reportrai3

The force of the explosion was so strong that it could have killed anyone passing by at that moment, Report said in a statement on X.

Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister of Italy, whose Right-wing administration has repeatedly sued Mr Ranuccis programme, condemned the serious act of intimidation.

Freedom and independence of information are essential values of our democracies, which we will continue to defend, she wrote in a statement on X.

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Mr Ranucci recalled hearing a tremendous bang from outside his front gate at approximately 10.17pm.

Speaking on Friday as he left the offices of the Carabinieri, Italys national gendarmerie, in Romes Trianfole district, he told reporters: Theres an endless list of threats, of various kinds, that Ive received, which Ive always reported to the judicial authorities, and which my security detail has always reported.

However, I feel calm in the sense that the state and the institutions have always been supportive of me over these months.

Sigfrido Ranucci, pictured earlier this year, says he heard a tremendous bang outside his home

He said its impossible to say at this time who was behind the explosion.

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Carlo Nordio, Italys justice minister, has described the attack as 100 per cent an attack on the State.

Matteo Piantedosi, the Italian interior minister, said he is deploying every possible measure to provide Mr Ranucci with maximum protection.

The Italian news agency ANSA reported that anti-mafia prosecutors have opened an investigation for criminal damage with aggravating circumstances of mafia-style methods.

Ranuccis wife is escorted by Carabinieri after the explosion - Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse

Police are combing through CCTV footage and debris of the wreckage to help identify the individual responsible for planting the bomb.

Mr Ranucci revealed that a pair of bullets had been left outside his home in 2024 and that his newsroom had been the subject of various threats over the years.

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No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

The explosion happened on the eighth anniversary of the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, the Maltese journalist, who was killed in a car bomb attack.

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EAU CLAIRE  State Sen. Jesse James, who moved from Altoona to Thorp last year due to boundary changes in the legislative maps, announced Thursday he is coming home to Altoona and will run for the 31st Senate District seat, setting up a showdown with incumbent Democratic Senator Jeff Smith.

I am ready to come home. When the maps changed, my home in Altoona was drawn out of my district, James wrote in his campaign announcement. I no longer represented Eau Claire County, my home, and my community. The district I was elected to included four new counties and new constituents who did not vote for me. Back home, I was no longer the State Senator for my wife and my family. However, in order to honor the voters who elected me to serve, I chose to uproot my home to finish my term.

He continued: I am ready to represent the voters who elected me in 2022. I am ready to represent the community I grew up in, that my family resides in, and that it has been the highest honor to represent in Madison.

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James, the former Altoona police chief, won the vacant 23rd state Senate seat in 2022 after incumbent Kathleen Bernier didnt seek re-election. Smith, D-town of Brunswick, also won re-election in the 31st Senate seat in 2022. Both will hold their seats through 2026. Smith, who has held the Senate seat since 2018, announced last week he will seek a third term. He also served in the Assembly from 2007 to 2011.

Prior to holding his Senate seat, James represented the 68th Assembly District since winning the seat in 2018.

Two years ago, Republicans held a 22-11 super-majority in the Senate. However, after new legislative maps were approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers, the Senate majority shrunk to an 18-15 advantage last November.

Smith is optimistic that the Democrats can take control of the Senate by flipping two more seats, while retaining his seat.

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The new 31st Assembly District brings us back to a Chippewa Valley district, which it should have been all along, Smith told the Leader-Telegram on Thursday. People think that Altoona and Eau Claire should be together.

Smith noted that the Republican-controlled Senate has only been in session seven days so far this year, which is a new low. He said its one of the reasons Democrats should be given control of the Senate.

Its time for a change, he said.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills said Thursday she supports keeping the filibuster in place, breaking with most members of the Senate Democratic Caucus she hopes to join as she launches a campaign to oust GOP Sen. Susan Collins, herself a staunch defender of the Senates 60-vote requirement.

I would certainly want to retain the filibuster, Mills said, according to the Bangor Daily News. Mills made the comments while talking to reporters after accepting the endorsement of Dan Kleban, the co-founder of Maine Beer Co. who had been running for the Democratic nomination before Mills entrance into the race.

Mills comments came on her third day in the race, which is one of the biggest in the country this year. The Democratic primary is set to be a clash between her and Graham Platner, a progressive oysterman. The winner will then have to face Collins, the only Republican senator from a state won by Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.

U.S. Senate candidate Janet Mills' opposition to filibuster reform could prove a major obstacle to Democratic ambitions. Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

In her remarks, the 77-year-old Mills also appeared to mix up the status of the filibuster, suggesting retaining it could give senators a say over judges. The filibuster has not been in use for judicial nominations for over a decade.

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When it comes to Trump appointing 200 judges with very questionable qualifications, I would want to have a say in those judgeships, for instance, Mills said.

Politics: Plan To Fire Artillery Over A California Highway During JD Vance Base Visit Irks Governor

If Mills support for the filibuster holds and she makes it into office, her support for the 60-vote threshold could limit Democratic ambitions the same way former Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema did during President Joe Bidens administration. Without eliminating the filibuster, Democrats would be limited to using the reconciliation process to deal with budgetary matters on a simple majority and could not pass any meaningful government reform or abortion rights legislation.

Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and Democrats face an uphill battle to retake the chamber in 2026 or even 2028. Republican dominance of rural states, which are given massive additional power due to the structure of the Senate, makes it nearly impossible for Democrats to gain sizable majorities without drastically expanding their coalition.

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Eliminating or reforming the filibuster became a litmus test issue for Democrats around 2020, and most Democratic senators and candidates came to support eliminating it in order to pass either voting rights or abortion rights legislation.

Abortion rights, in particular, are expected to be a major flashpoint in any Democratic challenge to Collins, who nominally supports abortion rights but voted for two Supreme Court Justices  Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch  who were instrumental in striking down Roe v. Wade.

Politics: Jimmy Kimmel Roasts Trump With 71 Savage Nicknames Ahead Of No Kings Protests

EMILYs List, which is backing Mills, pulled its support from Sinema in 2022 because of her opposition to filibuster reform ahead of Democratic efforts to pass voting rights legislation.

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Right now, Senator Sinemas decision to reject the voices of allies, partners and constituents who believe the importance of voting rights outweighs that of an arcane process means she will find herself standing alone in the next election, said the groups then-President Laphonza Butler.

EMILYs List did not immediately respond to a HuffPost email seeking comment.

Political Updates

Read the original on HuffPost
By Yoshifumi Takemoto and Anton Bridge

TOKYO (Reuters) -The Japan Innovation Party and the Liberal Democratic Party made "big progress" in talks towards a possible coalition, party executives said on Friday, bringing LDP chief Sanae Takaichi closer to clinching the premiership next week.

"Both parties agree that big progress has been made today," Fumitake Fujita, co-head of Japan Innovation Party, known as Ishin, told reporters.

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The right-leaning Ishin, which had also been courted by the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) for a rival three-way coalition with the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP), had pulled out of those talks, Fujita also said.

Takaichi's path to succeed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had seemed all but certain until the LDP's junior partner, Komeito, quit their 26-year coalition last week, setting off a flurry of negotiations with rival parties to select the next premier.

While Fujita said some issues remain to be sorted out with the LDP before a final decision is made on Monday, a partnership with other opposition parties was no longer on the cards.

"We told the CDP and DPFP that Ishin would find it difficult to vote for their leaders for prime minister," Fujita said.

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In response, the CDP decided to put forward its own leader, Yoshihiko Noda, as a candidate for prime minister, Kyodo reported.

The LDP and Ishin together hold 233 seats in the lower house - just two short of the majority needed for Takaichi to win. The parliamentary vote is set for October 21.

A number of diplomatic events await the new prime minister towards the end of the month, from international summits in Malaysia and South Korea to U.S. President Donald Trump's expected visit to Japan.

(Reporting by Yoshifumi Takemoto and Anton Bridge; Writing by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim, Jamie Freed and Kate Mayberry)
By Yoshifumi Takemoto and Anton Bridge

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan's lower house scheduling committee board has agreed to hold a parliamentary vote to select the next prime minister on October 21, a senior committee member told Reuters on Friday.

While the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), led by its new leader Sanae Takaichi, proposed the date, opposition parties objected to the schedule, citing ongoing coalition talks.

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The LDP has approached the right-leaning opposition Japan Innovation Party in a bid to secure a majority vote and expand its coalition, which would enable Takaichi to become Japan's first female prime minister.

A number of diplomatic events await the new prime minister toward the end of the month, from international summits in Malaysia and South Korea to U.S. President Donald Trump's expected visit to Japan.

(Reporting by Yoshifumi Takemoto and Anton Bridge; Writing by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Jamie Freed)


Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) delivered a blistering rebuke of Democratic challenger Jay Jones during Fridays edition of Foxs America Reports, saying Jones wouldnt pass a background check in his attorney generals office.

If Jay Jones were applying to be a line prosecutor in my attorney generals office  in fact, any attorney generals office in all 50 states  he wouldnt pass the background check for the job, said Miyares to Foxs Sandra Smith and John Roberts.

Jones has faced mounting scrutiny over past conduct, including 2022 text messages in which he fantasized about shooting thenHouse Speaker Todd Gilbert (R) and wished harm upon Gilberts children. Around that same time, he was caught driving 116 mph on Virginias I-64 and later sidestepped jail by fulfilling community service hours.

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There were four people in court that day, all going around the same speed, Miyares continued. Three out of four of those people got active or suspended jail time. The only person who didnt was Jay Jones because hes a politician. And then he did the community service hours to get out of a jail sentence for his own political action committee, which obviously isnt a charity.

On Thursday, during a debate between the two candidates, Jones apologized for his past conduct, saying he was ashamed and embarrassed. He added that Miyares is going to try to make this race about my mistakes, but this race has always been about more and the stakes of this race are too high for it to be about anything else.

Watch the clip above via Fox News.

The post Jay Joness GOP Opponent Burns Dem AG Candidate Over Violent Fantasies: He Wouldnt Pass the Background Check first appeared on Mediaite.
Noh stage (Photo by Toto-taoru, Wikipedia photo)



What is Noh?

Noh is one of Japans oldest performing arts, a classical form of theatre that dates back to the 14th century. Recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, it combines dance, music, and drama in a tightly stylised performance.

With stories often adapted from classical literature and historical legends, Noh has remained largely unchanged for centuries. Its slow, deliberate movements, masked actors, and minimal staging offer a striking contrast to more modern theatrical conventions.

Noh masks (Wikipedia photo)



Noh plays are traditionally divided into five categories, each with distinct themes and styles:

God Plays (shobanme mono): Stories featuring deities who bring blessings like peace and good harvests.

Warrior Plays (shura mono): Tales of samurai spirits trapped by their past and seeking redemption.

Woman Plays (kazura mono): Dramas centred on female characters, often caught between love and sorrow.

Madness Plays (kyojo mono): Portrayals of characters driven to madness by tragic circumstances.

Demon Plays (kiri noh): Short, fast-paced pieces featuring supernatural beings.

Where to See Noh

A leading venue for Noh performances in Tokyo is the Yarai Noh Theater, located in the historic Kagurazaka neighbourhood of Shinjuku. Originally built in 1935 and reconstructed after World War II, it is now the citys second oldest Noh theatre.

The theatre retains key elements of traditional stage design, including a cypress-wood platform and the iconic bridgeway (hashigakari) used for entrances and exits. With just over 200 seats, it offers an intimate setting where subtle gestures and expressions can be closely observed by the audience.

Types of Performances

Yarai Noh hosts a variety of events throughout the year. Regular performances, usually held on the second Sunday of each month, include both Noh and Kyogenshort comedic pieces that historically served as light interludes between more solemn Noh dramas.

In addition to its core offerings, the theatre also hosts special events throughout the year, including season festivals, anniversary recitals, and showcases of rare plays.

Occasionally, English-language sessions are offered to provide an accessible introduction to Noh. These may include guided stage tours, lectures, dance demonstrations, and opportunities to try on traditional masks and costumes.

Language and Accessibility

While most performances are delivered entirely in classical Japanese, language support for non-Japanese speakers is gradually improving.

At special events, English subtitles may be available via rental tablets. For regular performances, an English-language bookletwith summaries of the play and information on the instruments, stage, and history of Nohis often available on request.

Even without these aids, the music, movement, and visual staging make for an accessible and worthwhile experience.

Ticket Options

Tickets can be purchased via Yarai Nohs official website, which links to external ticketing platforms. Payment is usually possible by credit card or at convenience stores. Phone reservations may also be available for certain events.

Prices generally range from 3,000 to 6,000, depending on seat location and type of programme. Students under 26 may qualify for half-price tickets.

Many performances are divided into two parts, with tickets sold separately for each. Purchasing tickets for both parts often qualifies for a discount.

Getting there

Yarai Noh Theater is just a 2-minute walk from Kagurazaka Station (Tokyo Metro Tozai Line) and 5 minutes from Ushigome-Kagurazaka Station (Toei Oedo Line). It is also reachable via a slightly longer 1520 minute walk from Iidabashi Station (JR).

The theatres entrance is understated and signage is limited, so its advisable to view photos of the location in advance on the official website. Arriving at least 30 minutes prior to the performance is advisable, particularly for first-time visitors.

Yarai Noh Theater

Address: 60 Yaraicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 162-0805

Phone: 03-3268-7311

Email: ticket@yarai-nohgakudo.com
US Vice President JD Vance believes that "a lot more work" is needed to achieve a peaceful settlement to the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Source: European Pravda, citing Vance in an interview with Newsmax

Details: Vance said that US President Donald Trump's "energetic diplomacy" could help bring Ukraine and Russia closer to a peace agreement, but this requires the willingness of both sides.

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"And right now, for all of our work, and we're going to keep on working at it, the Russians and the Ukrainians are just not at the point where they can make a deal," he said.

Vance added that he believes a peaceful settlement is still possible, but that it will require "a lot more work".

"I think there's a fundamental misalignment of expectations, where the Russians tend to think that they're doing better on the battlefield than they actually are," Vance said, adding that this has made it difficult to reach an agreement.

Background:

On 16 October, Trump spoke with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin for the first time in nearly two months and announced that they plan to meet in Budapest.

After the conversation, Trump said that Putin does not like the idea of the US supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine and suggested that now is not the perfect time for secondary sanctions that would reduce Russia's revenue from energy exports.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Friday went off on White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt while talking about political violence and recent controversies in connection with the Republican Party.

Weve already seen a rise in political violence and hatred in America, and then youve got swastikas apparently appearing in the offices of Republican members of Congress, Jeffries told reporters on Capitol Hill. Youve got Young Republicans engaging in the most antisemitic and racist speech possible.

Jeffries said Republicans are ripping the sheets off before turning his attention to President Trumps press secretary.

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And then youve got Karoline Leavitt, whos sick; shes out of control, Jeffries continued. Im not sure whether shes just demented, ignorant, a stone-cold liar or all of the above. But the notion that an official White House spokesperson would say that the Democratic Party consists of terrorists, violent criminals and undocumented immigrants, that makes no sense.

Jeffries was reacting to comments Leavitt made during a Fox News appearance Thursday, when she claimed Democratic Party constituents are made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals. This was in reaction to New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani (D) not calling for Hamas to disarm.

Democrats do NOT serve the interests of the American people, Leavitt wrote in her response to Jeffriess remarks on the social platform X. Hakeem Jeffries is an America Last, stone-cold loser. Now open up the government and stop simping to try to get your radical left-wing base to like you.

Before railing against Leavitt on Friday, Jeffries was lambasting two controversies from this week. One revealed that Young Republican National Federation leaders and members reportedly exchanged racist and xenophobic text messages on a group chat, according to Politico.

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The other controversy was over an American flag with a swastika depicted in the middle seen in the office of Rep. Dave Taylor (R-Ohio). Taylor said the revelation of a vile and deeply inappropriate symbol near an employee in my office prompted an investigation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Jerome Joint School District trustees this month will consider adopting a policy that removes a long-standing prohibition on audio and visual recordings during public school board meetings. (Photo courtesy of Idaho Education News)

This story was originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on Oct. 15, 2025.

Jerome Joint School District trustees this month will consider adopting a policy that removes a long-standing prohibition on audio and visual recordings during public school board meetings.

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School district staff on Aug. 26 told a local television reporter and newspaper reporter that it is against district policy to record a school board meeting. Superintendent Brent Johnson said he consulted with legal counsel the next morning, then called KMVT and the Twin Falls Times-News to say that policy needs to be amended. Trustees took a first reading of the updated policy on Sept. 23 and are expected to adopt the policy on Oct. 28.

We needed to update that, Johnson told EdNews on Monday. That hadnt been our practice and certainly isnt our practice moving forward. So we want it to be open.

While the new policy will allow attendees to record meetings, the district is not following a growing trend of other districts that provide patrons the opportunity to watch meetings from home as they happen, or days later. Jerome provides live audio via a Zoom link in meeting agendas, but does not record that audio for later listening.

About 30% of Idaho school districts and charters provide livestreams of meetings, an EdNews review found this week, a 10% increase from two years ago. More districts started livestreaming meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic when social distancing was necessary.

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Jerome has had a policy on the books since 2006 that regulates conduct at open meetings. The policy broadly prohibits the public from using audio recording devices, cameras and video equipment during school board meetings. The board may allow the public to take photos and videos, however, when it would be desirable for the board, such as when the district presents awards or swears in new trustees.

A blanket ban on video and audio recording is beyond unreasonable, according to the Idaho Press Club, and violates the medias constitutionally protected rights to cover government entities.

We believe that your policy regarding video and audio recording violates Idahos open government laws, previous court rulings, and the First Amendment, President Melissa Davlin wrote in a Sept. 2 letter to Jerome trustees.

READ: Idaho Press Club letter

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The 19-year-old policy provides several explanations for the prohibition. It states audio recorders are easily tampered with and those tampered recordings might embarrass trustees. If the public is allowed to record meetings, then there must be an official recording prepared by the district to secure the sanctity of the record. High quality recording equipment is expensive, the policy adds.

Fears of embarrassment or saying something inarticulate, as cited in section 5-a of your policy, do not trump the First Amendment, Davlin wrote in the Sept. 2 letter.

The new policy simply crosses out the entire old policy and adds a section called, Board Meeting News Coverage.

One of the paramount responsibilities of the Board of Trustees is to keep the public informed of its actions, the new policy states. Consequently, local news media representatives shall be welcome and encouraged to attend all regular and special meetings of the Board.

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READ: Jerome revised media policy

Audio, photo and video recordings are allowed at all meetings open to the public under the new policy. Camera operators must limit disruption and cannot obstruct the view between the audience and trustees.

Johnson, who was hired in July 2024, said the district consulted with the Idaho School Boards Association and used its model policy.

We try and stay within their model policies as theyve been legally approved and consulted with a team of attorneys, he said.

In a written statement to EdNews on Tuesday, Davlin said she is pleased to see the proposed policy welcomes recording of public meetings.

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I hope the board officially adopts it, and that both the public and local media continue to attend these meetings, Davlin wrote.

How other school districts handle recordings

Idaho law does not require school districts to livestream or record meetings, but does require written minutes within a reasonable time. There is a wide variety in how Idaho school districts allow the public to follow along if they cant attend a meeting in person.

An EdNews review this week of school district and charter school websites found 57 of 192, about 30%, livestream board meetings. Thats a 10% increase over the past two years. An EdNews review in 2023 found 39 of 186 districts and charters livestream meetings.

The review this week also found four districts post video recordings after meetings, but do not livestream, and three provide audio only.

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Currently, the five largest districts in Idaho livestream and archive school board meetings on YouTube. West Ada and Boise school districts have catalogs of recordings going back to 2020. For most meetings in West Ada, many more people watch the videos than attend in person. The videos have hundreds, or sometimes thousands, of views.

Let Idaho Education News know how you follow your local school board meetings when you cant attend in person. Do you have any concerns with how your district records, or doesnt record, meetings? Contact reporter Sean Dolan at sean@idahoednews.org.

Vallivue, the sixth largest district, provides a call-in option that provides live audio during meetings. The district does not record meetings, deputy board clerk Jenny Titus confirmed. She said there havent been a lot requests for video recordings from patrons who cant attend. The number of people who call during the meetings varies from month to month.

Sometimes we have as little as five callers, sometimes we have up to 25 or 30, Titus said. It kind of depends on whats going on and whats on the agenda.

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Twin Falls School District livestreams meetings on YouTube, but does not record or archive them for later. The livestreams are provided as a courtesy, according to district spokesperson Eva Craner. If the district recorded meetings, those recordings would become an official record and the meetings would have to stop if the recording fails. Those records would also have to be maintained permanently, Craner said, and the district would likely have to purchase more servers and cloud storage solutions.

With roughly 42 hours of meetings a year, conservatively, that storage could become costly quickly, Craner wrote in an email to EdNews.

YouTube will store videos, Craner added, but that is part of the overall storage the district has available through Google that the district uses to store other documents in the cloud.

In Boise School District, spokesperson Dan Hollar said the district does not pay for storage on YouTube and the meetings would continue if the recording fails. But there are several hours of staffing costs to run the livestreams as well as costs to purchase and maintain equipment. Agendas include a disclaimer:

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As a courtesy, the meeting will be live-streamed and the link will be provided immediately prior to the meeting, the agendas state. Please note, if there are technical difficulties, the meeting will continue as scheduled.

EdNews data analyst Randy Schrader contributed to this report.

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(The Center Square)  The wide-open race for New Jersey governor is tightening in the final weeks as the top two candidates slug it out over taxes, energy costs, immigration and the impact of the Trump administration's policies.

Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill is running against former GOP Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli to replace outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat who is prevented from seeking reelection because of term limits.

Much of the race has focused on national partisan divisions and voter attitudes toward President Donald Trump, but also key local pocketbook issues like housing costs, property taxes, and energy prices.

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A FOX News poll released earlier this week suggested the race is tightening with Sherrill ahead of Ciattarelli by five points among New Jersey likely voters, 50% to 45%, which is down from Sherrill's eight-point lead in a previous poll in late September.

A separate poll by Quinnipiac this week gave Ciattarelli 44% of the vote compared with Sherrill's 50%. A Quinnipiac poll last month showed Ciattarelli with 41% compared with Sherrill's 49%, pollsters said.

Sherrill, 53, is a former Navy pilot and federal prosecutor who was first elected to Congress in 2018. She has sought to tie Ciattarelli's platform to Trump's agenda, warning that he would seek to replicate the president's divisive policies in the state if elected.

"New Jersey cant risk a governor whos vowed to bring the MAGA agenda to New Jersey, defund Planned Parenthood, and supports an abortion ban," Sherrill posted on X this week. "I'll protect abortion rights and ensure the strongest possible protections for providers in our state."

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Sherrill's campaign got a boost on Friday after former President Barack Obama endorsed her bid for the governor's office, urging Democrats and independents to show up on election day to help her win.

"Mikie is a mom who will drive down costs for New Jersey families," Obama said in the 30-second ad. "Mikies integrity, grit, and commitment to service are what we need right now in our leaders."

Ciattarelli, 63, is a former state assemblyman who is making his second gubernatorial run. He narrowly lost a challenge to then-incumbent Murphy in the 2021 elections.

If elected, Ciattarelli says his top three priorities as governor will be to improve affordability, end state sanctuary policies and stop mandated affordable housing.

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He has sought to portray Sherrill as an establishment Democrat who is "out of touch" with average New Jersey voters. He argues that she would mean higher taxes and energy costs for the state.

"While New Jersey families tighten their budgets to afford skyrocketing energy bills and the highest taxes in the nation, she used her time in Congress to triple her net worth and even got fined for it," Ciattarelli said in a statement. "New Jersey deserves a Governor whos focused on helping families get ahead  not enriching herself while they struggle to get by."

The New Jersey governor's race has garnered national attention as one of only two gubernatorial elections this year. Democrats are hoping to hold onto the governor's office, while Republicans are hoping that the state's suburban voters will help them return the post to GOP control for the first time since 2018, when Chris Christie stepped down.

Both campaigns are ramping up their voter outreach efforts with about two weeks until the election in an effort to sway undecided voters and get their messages out. The election is Nov. 4.
Beginning in the 1960s, the rails-to-trails movement has sought to turn the abandoned routes of former train lines into paths for people to enjoy on foot or by bicycle. They offer a perfect way to get some outdoor activity while taking in unique sites and history. New Jersey's railroad history runs deep, with the first American-built steam locomotive operated in Hoboken, an underrated Manhattan suburb with a vibrant history. At one point, New Jersey was crisscrossed with thousands of miles of tracks, being a crucial trunk line for coal transportation.

As the 1900s crept onward, though, railroads declined, and the state had more abandoned tracks than any other. These unused pieces of land are finally starting to see some new life  as of October 1st, 2025, Passaic County opened a new rail trail called the Highlands Rail Trail that's part of an expanding network of many across the state. The route is about 2 miles long in Wanaque, a quaint New Jersey suburb with vibrant fall colors and community fun. It was put in place over the former tracks of the New York & Greenwood Lake Railway, which operated from the 1870s to the 1980s but has sat forgotten ever since.

The path is designed not only to give people the chance to enjoy a scenic route through the wooded Highlands of North New Jersey, but also to offer an alternative connection between shops and parks in the area without needing to rely on the limited Ringwood Avenue. The trail starts on Union Avenue and runs north to F A Orechio Drive, with views of the Wanaque Reservoir along the way. Those flying in can reach Wanaque in about a 45-minute drive from Newark Liberty International Airport or just under an hour from LaGuardia Airport.

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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

More rail trails opened and planned around New Jersey

The Middlesex Greenway, a rail trail in New Jersey going under a bridge - LoJones-Images/Shutterstock

There are several projects underway throughout New Jersey that are focused on revitalizing its abandoned railroad tracks as trails. One of the biggest projects, which first broke ground in July 2025, is the planned Essex-Hudson Greenway. It's supposed to be nearly 9 miles long and 100 feet wide, designed to connect major urban and suburban cities like Jersey City, Newark, and Montclair. The trail's development will dovetail with ecological restoration, including the addition of trees, which could make it an easy fall foliage destination near New York City. It will also have public spaces like playgrounds and performance areas for the newly connected communities to enjoy.

According to the Rails to Trails Conservancy, there are already about 350 miles of rail trails around New Jersey, with 19 more trails being developed. Another recently created trail is the Pompton Valley Rail Trail, opened in May 2025, connecting the northern towns of Pequannock and Wayne. The trail is just over 5 miles along a former railroad. Like the Highlands Rail Trail, it relied on federal funding (rather than tax revenue), meaning that the state's growing pathway network doesn't burden local budgets, and it will, indeed, keep growing. As reported by Morris County, Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett described the trail as part of a "vision for a much larger regional trail network."

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Read the original article on Islands.
Hey, even a broken Trump watch is right twice a day.

Joe Rogan, during his Wednesday episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, criticized President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown and deployment of National Guard troops onto the streets of U.S. cities.

Joe Rogan, left, and President Donald Trump. Getty

Despite the comedians repeated calls for tighter border controls, he suggested Wednesday that he feels that some of Trumps tactics are a bit extreme.

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Rogans moment of clarity came amid a rant about how much he thinks comedian Marc Maron sucks. Rogan was complaining about a recent joke Maron made in which he said people voted for Trump because they wanted to use the R-word again.

Rogan greets then-President-elect Donald Trump during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 16, 2024, in New York City. Jeff Bottari via Getty Images

Thats a strawman, Rogan said of the joke, before going on to claim that the real reason people voted for Trump was because they realized there was a crazy thing happening where the border was wide open.

But does that mean that you support everything that theyre doing now, where theyre kicking people out? said Rogan, who publicly backed Trumps 2024 campaign. No! No. The storming into the fucking Home Depot and arresting people? No, thats not cool either.

Rogan added: The military in the street, I think, is a dangerous precedent.

Rogan quickly shifted back into peddling right-wing misinformation about the state of cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Portland, Oregon.

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This wasnt the first time Rogan slammed Trumps over-the-top immigration strategy. Earlier this year, the popular podcaster said it was horrific that innocent people are getting carelessly swept into deportation raids.

The thing is, youve got to get scared that people who are not criminals are getting like lassoed up and deported and sent to El Salvador prisons, like that kind of shit, Rogan said.

Political Updates

Read the original on HuffPost
John Bolton, former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, pleaded not guilty Friday to 18 counts related to mishandling classified information.

Bolton, 76, stood before Judge Timothy Sullivan at the federal district courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, and declared himself not guilty during his initial court appearance and arraignment, just before 11:30 a.m.

The former Trump adviser, sitting beside his attorney Abbe Lowell, responded that he understood the charges against him, with each count carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. If found guilty, Bolton could spend the rest of his life in prison.

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Shortly after, Judge Sullivan said Bolton could be released so long as he surrendered his passport to the court, preventing him from flying outside of the United States.

Bolton, a former adviser-turned-Trump critic, is the latest person to be indicted by the Justice Department, which the president has promised to use in a retribution campaign against his perceived enemies.

A courtroom sketch of John Bolton, former national security adviser to Donald Trump, who pleaded not guilty to 18 counts of mishandling classified information in a Maryland courtroom Friday (AP)

Bolton slammed Trump in his 2020 memoir, The Room Where it Happened claiming his former boss was unfit to serve as president (Getty Images)

On Thursday, a grand jury in Maryland returned an 18-count indictment against Bolton on accusations that he unlawfully retained and shared national defense information using his personal email and a messaging app.

The indictment alleges Bolton shared more than 1,000 pages of diary notes about his daily activities with family members while serving as Trumps national security adviser in 2018 and 2019.

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The former adviser has denied any wrongdoing and accused Trump of weaponizing the DOJ to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts.

Trump fired Bolton in 2019 after repeatedly clashing with him over foreign policy issues. Since then, the former adviser has become an outspoken Trump critic, claiming his former boss was unfit to be president, and subscribes to chaos as a way of life.

When asked about Boltons charges Thursday, Trump referred to his former national security adviser as a bad guy.

Although Bolton is on Trumps perceived list of enemies, the probe into his handling of classified information began after Bolton published his 2020 memoir,The Room Where it Happened, that detailed his time working in the administration and was highly critical of Trump.

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In June 2020, a judge determined Bolton likely jeopardized national security by disclosing classified information in violation of his nondisclosure agreement obligations in his book. However, the following year, the Department of Justice under the Biden administration, closed the case.

Bolton arrived at the federal courthouse in Maryland Friday morning, prepared to surrender to authorities less than 24 hours after being indicted on 18 counts (AP)

Abbe Lowell, Boltons attorney in the case, is also representing James Comey, Letitia James and Lisa Cook  all people Trump has sought to bring charges against (REUTERS)

Boltons attorney, Lowell, has insisted Bolton has not broken the law. The underlying facts in this case were investigated and resolved years ago," Lowell said in a statement.

Lowell is also representing other people recently indicted by the administration and targeted by Trump including former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

While Bolton joins Comey, also a perceived enemy from Trumps first administration, in being indicted, the charges against Bolton were brought differently.

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Career prosecutors in Maryland investigated and charged Bolton with the 18-count indictment following normal procedure. But Trump had to fire and replace a prosecutor in Virginia who refused to bring charges against Comey, citing lack of evidence, in order to obtain charges against the former FBI director.

Due to the complexities of handling classified documents, its likely Boltons case will take more time before heading to trial.

His next court date is scheduled for November 21.
GREENBELT, Maryland  Former national security adviser John Bolton pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he illegally shared classified information with his family members and stored top secret documents at his Bethesda home years after he left government.

Bolton, who was a top aide to President Donald Trump in his first term before falling out with the president and being fired from the White House, entered the not guilty plea during a brief hearing in federal court.

Bolton was wearing a dark suit and red tie as he entered the courtroom in the custody of U.S. Marshals. He was not restrained, but the clanging of cellblock keys could be heard as he was brought in.

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Not guilty, your honor, said Bolton when asked by U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Sullivan to enter a plea. Prosecutors did not seek to detain Bolton, who was released on his own recognizance.

The session took place one day after a grand jury in the same courthouse returned an 18-count indictment accusing Bolton of regularly sending family members lengthy diary-like updates containing national-security secrets by email while he served as a senior White House official from 2018 to 2019. He was also charged with keeping similar documents containing information classified Secret and Top Secret.

Despite Trumps calls for the Justice Department to target his political adversaries, prosecutors did not arrest Bolton but allowed him to surrender, avoiding the perp walk that sometimes follows an FBI arrest.

Bolton arrived at the courthouse along with his lawyers around 8:30 a.m. and spent more than two hours Friday morning in the U.S. Marshals suite at the courthouse prior to his appearance before the judge.

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The involvement of a large volume of classified evidence in the case is likely to complicate the proceedings, attorneys said.

The lead prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sullivan, said the government had begun in advance the process of obtaining security clearances for defense lawyers so they can review the classified discovery to be turned over by the government. He said the other evidence related to the case would be disclosed to the defense within a week.

Judge Timothy Sullivan said U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang, an Obama appointee who will oversee the case, has set a status conference for Nov. 21. No trial date was immediately set.

Prosecutors agreed to let Boltons lead defense attorney, Abbe Lowell, keep Boltons passports rather than turning them into the court as is customary. The judge also barred Bolton from traveling outside the U.S. without court permission. Lowell said he planned to seek such permission for an international trip Bolton has planned for early November.

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Despite the widespread publicity about the case, the judge initially addressed Bolton on Friday by his middle name. Are you Robert Bolton? the judge asked.

Im John Robert Bolton, Bolton replied. The judge also asked Bolton standard questions about whether he could speak, read and write in English and whether he understood his right to remain silent. When asked how much education hed completed, the Yale Law grad said, Law school.

The judge also cracked a brief joke after Bolton chimed in that he has two passports, common for frequent international travelers.

I hope theyre both in Mr. Boltons name, the judge quipped.

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They are, Bolton said.

During the 12-minute hearing, Lowell offered no hints about the substance of Boltons planned defense.

Bolton left the courtroom with the marshals and emerged from their office later in the morning. Bolton ignored questions from reporters as he and the defense team walked out of the courthouse.

In a statement Thursday, Bolton said he sees the case as the product of Trumps vows to use the Justice Department to target people he views as nettlesome adversaries.

I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts, Bolton said, noting that he advised the Biden administration in 2021 that his emails about his government service had been hacked, apparently by Iran.

In a separate statement, Lowell stressed that Bolton only shared his diaries, at least deliberately, with his immediate family and insisted that Bolton did not unlawfully share or store any information.
Washington John Bolton, who served as national security adviser to President Trump in his first term, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges related to his alleged mishandling of classified information shared with two relatives in "diary-like entries" across a seven-year span.

Bolton appeared at the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, where he was expected to be processed in the criminal case. He made an initial appearance before a magistrate judge after a federal grand jury handed up an 18-count indictment against him Thursday. Bolton was released on his own recognizance, promising to appear in court as required and surrender to serve any sentence that may be imposed.

He was required to turn over his passport and is restricted from traveling outside the continental U.S. without permission from the court, according to an order setting the conditions of his release. U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang, appointed to the federal bench by former President Barack Obama, will oversee the criminal case against Bolton.

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Bolton, who has held a variety of senior positions within the U.S. government since the 1980s, is the third prominent critic of Mr. Trump's to face criminal charges in recent weeks. Grand juries in Alexandria, Virginia, indicted former FBI Director James Comey late last month for allegedly lying to Congress, and New York Attorney General Letitia James for alleged bank fraud. Comey pleaded not guilty to the two charges brought against him, and James has called the claims against her "baseless."

Prosecutors allege that from 2018 to August 2025, Bolton shared with two unnamed relatives more than 1,000 pages of information about his day-to-day activities while serving as national security adviser to Mr. Trump, some of which was classified. The indictment also claims that Bolton kept documents, writings and notes related to the national defense, including information that was classified, in his home in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Bolton faces eight counts of transmitting national defense information and 10 counts of retaining national defense information.

In a statement following the indictment, Bolton said Mr. Trump has been working to punish him since he left his post as national security adviser in 2019, during the president's first term in the White House.

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"Now, I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts," Bolton said.

He said the charges brought against him "are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct."

Abbe Lowell, Bolton's lawyer, denied that his client committed wrongdoing.

"These charges stem from portions of Amb. Bolton's personal diaries over his 45-year career  records that are unclassified, shared only with his immediate family, and known to the FBI as far back as 2021," Lowell said in a statement. "Like many public officials throughout history, Amb. Bolton kept diaries  that is not a crime."

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Prosecutors allege that Bolton's "diary-like" notes were typed transcriptions of handwritten notes that were then sent to two unnamed relatives through a commercial non-governmental messaging app. They said Bolton also used personal email accounts, like those from AOL and Google, to email classified information to the relatives at their own accounts.

The indictment alleges that the entries included sensitive information up to the top secret and sensitive compartmented information level, a designation that means it was derived from sensitive intelligence sources. The notes contained "detailed information that Bolton learned from meetings with senior members of the U.S. Government, intelligence briefings from members of the intelligence community and military, discussions with foreign leaders and foreign intelligence and military organizations, and intelligence products and reports," according to the document.

Bolton is also accused of printing out and storing the notes at his Maryland home and keeping digital copies on personal devices. The FBI conducted a search of Bolton's house and Washington, D.C., office in August and seized electronic files showing the diary entries had been transmitted to the two relatives, according to the indictment. Investigators also found hard-copy printed versions of Bolton's diary entries during the search, it said.

Prosecutors said that at some point between 2019 and 2021, after he left the White House, Bolton's email account was hacked by a "cyber actor," believed to associated with Iran, which gained "unauthorized access " to the classified and national defense information housed within the account.

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A representative for Bolton notified the U.S. government of the hack in July 2021, but didn't disclose that it contained sensitive information, according to the indictment. Prosecutors said that Bolton received an email around July 2021 that read: "I do not think you would be interested in the FBI being aware of the leaked content of John's email (some of which have been attached), especially after the recent acquittal. This could be the biggest scandal since Hillary's emails were leaked, but this time on the GOP side! Contact me before it's too late ..."

The FBI was informed of the message.

The indictment against Bolton includes much more detail than those involving Comey and James, and the charges were brought by a different U.S. attorney's office than the one pursuing those other two cases. Still, Bolton  like Comey and James  has been frequent target of Mr. Trump since he left this post as national security adviser.

Soon after the president returned to the White House for a second term, Mr. Trump ended Bolton's U.S. Secret Service protection. Bolton had been granted protection by the Biden administration in 2021 following a series of threats from Iran related to the 2020 killing of General Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. drone strike.

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Mr. Trump told reporters Thursday after Bolton was indicted that he's a "bad guy." Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that "Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law."

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Former National Security Adviser John Bolton fired back after he was indicted Thursday, vowing to fight the charges and expose President Donald Trumps abuse of power.

Bolton served during Trumps first term, leaving in September 2019 and evolving into a fierce critic of his former boss  winning him praise from Democrats and Never Trump Republicans but putting him in the presidents crosshairs, especially after Trump won re-election and with it, access to government power again.

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In August, the FBI raided Boltons home, reportedly related to a national security investigation into classified documents and notes he sent himself on an AOL email account while he was working for the Trump administration.

Thursday, a Maryland grand jury returned an indictment against Bolton, charging him with eight counts of transmission of national defense information and ten counts of retention of national defense information.

Bolton, both directly and through his legal representation, has repeatedly denied that he mishandled classified materials, and he issued a longer statement Thursday evening specifically responding to the indictment.

CNN chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins shared Boltons statement on social media.

In the first reaction to his indictment, John Bolton says: "For four decades, I have devoted my life to Americas foreign policy and national security. I would never compromise those goals. I tried to do that during my tenure in the first Trump Administration but resigned when  Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 16, 2025

In the statement, Bolton declared his devotion to American foreign policy and national security interests, as well as his innocence regarding the charges against him, accusing Trump of targeting him for retribution and as part of an intensive effort to intimidate his opponents.

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I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power, he concluded.

Boltons statement in full:

For four decades, I have devoted my life to Americas foreign policy and national security. I would never compromise those goals. I tried to do that during my tenure in the first Trump Administration but resigned when it became impossible to do so. Donald Trumps retribution against me began then, continued when he tried unsuccessfully to block the publication of my book, The Room Where It Happened, before the 2020 election, and became one of his rallying cries in his re-election campaign. Now, I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts. My book was reviewed and approved by the appropriate, experienced career clearance officials. When my e-mail was hacked in 2021, the FBI was made fully aware. In four years of the prior administration, after these reviews, no charges were ever filed. Then came Trump 2 who embodies what Joseph Stalins head of secret police once said, You show me the man, and Ill show you the crime. These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct. Dissent and disagreement are foundational to Americas constitutional system, and vitally important to our freedom. I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power.

__

The post John Bolton Responds to Indictment, Vows to Expose Trumps Abuse of Power: I Look Forward to the Fight first appeared on Mediaite.
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA)  Four years after Decatur Public Schools and Richland Community College launched the Prep Academy, the program is set to expand as the first class of students graduates.

Launched in 2021, the Prep Academy is a tuition-free, dual-enrollment program that allows high school students enrolled in DPS to earn both a high school diploma and an associates degree simultaneously over the course of four years. In May, 25 students graduated from the program. They were the first to do so since it was established.

Together, the students earned more than 1,500 credit hours, had an average GPA of 3.09 and many receive academic honors. The program saved each graduate an estimated $26,000 in public college tuition.

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Decatur Public Schools is appreciative to Richland Community College for partnering to provide the students in the Prep Academy Program the opportunity to successfully complete an early college program, said Ashley Grayned, Executive Director of Innovative Programs and Strategic Planning for Decatur Public Schools. These students entered the program as 14-year-old high school students and freshmen in college and graduated as 18-year-old high school students with a diploma, associate degree, and transferable skills to allow them to transition right into universities all over the country. We are beyond proud of the dedication of the Prep Academy Students from Cohort 1. They are all truly trailblazers!

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Statewide, more than 91,000 high school students were enrolled in one or more community college credit courses during Fiscal Year 2024. About one in five students taking courses at Illinois community colleges were high school students earning dual credit.

Because of this trend and the success of the Prep Academys first graduating class, Richland Community College is planning to increase opportunities for students across the Decatur Public Schools district. The college will now offer three other pathways for students in addition to the Prep Academy:

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Heartland Technical Academy for those interested in the trades

Transfer Academy for juniors and seniors who spend half their school day at Richland

Dual Credit for students aiming to earn college credits before graduating high school

In addition, Richland is reaching out to other local high schools to create more opportunities for students looking for dual credit opportunities.

The collaborative effort of Richland Community College and Decatur Public Schools to create the Prep Academy is extraordinary, said Cris Valdez, President of Richland Community College. However, the energy, persistence and tenacity of these students outshines all. These young people achieved at high levels and the graduation rate of the first cohort, at 54% nearly doubles the national average for completion.

DPS students interested in the Prep Academy can learn more by visiting the DPS website or Richlands website.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
Jon Stewart believes CNNs Kaitlan Collins is the only reporter right now who can go toe-to-toe with President Trump and other members of his administration.

The Daily Show host revealed as much during Thursdays episode of The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart podcast when he was asked if he thinks reporters should respond to Trumps insults with some of their own. Oooh, do like a rap battle? Stewart joked. Its certainly where its all going, isnt it?

One of Stewarts co-hosts remarked that they think Collins has it in her to come out on top in that kind of context, to which Stewart replied, Kaitlan Collins is the only one.

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Over the past 10 months, Collins has had several viral interactions with Trump and other government officials, including a heated exchange with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in October over Trumps attempts to deploy the National Guard in Portland.

In April, Collins pressed Trump, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller about immigrants who had been wrongly deported from America by the Trump administration. The interaction prompted Trump to sharply declare that Collins had no credibility. Stewart clearly disagrees.

I actually think shes the only one that even they arent quite sure what to do with, because shes always just matter-of-fact like, Because you did say two and a half weeks ago, and I think Ive got the quote right here,' Stewart said of the CNN anchor. Theyre all like, What are you doing? Homework? Why are you trying to make us all look bad? I dont understand. Youre collecting facts and then youre going to say them back at me, live? Unacceptable!

You can watch the full Weekly Show moment yourself in the video below.

Elsewhere in the episode, Stewart was asked whom he believes is really responsible for the ongoing government shutdown. The Riyadh Comedy Festival, the Daily Show comedian joked. There is no question in my mind if [those comedians] hadnt have gone over there, done a 10-minute set on poor quality hummus, that we wouldnt [be here].

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Pivoting, Stewart said he would actually blame the shutdown on Americas Founding Fathers, who came up with this  overly complex bureaucratic web of nonsense that it takes to get anything done. Expounding on his take, Stewart added, I think its very difficult when one political party that represents 75 million voters has zero say, authority [or] heft.

So, yeah, once again, fk you, James Madison. Boom! Stewart concluded. Every episode should end with that. Thanks so much for watching. Thanks so much for listening. Fk you, James Madison!'

The post Jon Stewart Says Kaitlan Collins Is the Only Reporter Who Can Go Toe-to-Toe With Trump Officials | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
When Sen. Josh Hawley (RMo.) clashed with a Boeing attorney at a committee hearing earlier this month, he was clearly picking sides in an ongoing fight between the company and thousands of striking workers at a Missouri factory.

But Hawley wasn't just borrowing the labor union's rhetoric as he criticized Boeing's CEO's pay and demanded "fairness" for the workers. As a result of that hearing, Hawley has directly (if perhaps incidentally) empowered labor unions in New York and California, who will find friendlier turf for labor disputes while the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) continues to lack a quorum.

Here's why: New York and California have recently created state-level entities that are meant to serve the same purpose as the NLRB, which was created in 1935 to adjudicate disputes between unions and employers. The creation of those state-level entities has been backed by labor unions as a way to "circumvent" the Trump administration's expected appointment of less labor-friendly members to the NLRB, as Politico explained last month.

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It's not clear whether those states can legally do that, and the NLRB has already sued New York on the grounds that a state-level labor board undermines the "core jurisdiction" of the federal board.

For now, the laws authorizing the New York and California boards allow those entities to operate only while the NLRB is inactivewhich it currently is, because it does not have enough members.

That's where Hawley enters the picture.

Scott Mayer, the Boeing attorney who drew Hawley's ire at that October 3 hearing, was one of three people picked by President Donald Trump to fill vacancies on the NLRB. At the hearing, Mayer reminded Hawley that he was not sitting before the Senate as a representative of Boeing and pointed out that both the company and the striking workers were negotiating towards a new contract.

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That didn't slow Hawley down. Hawley pushed for a "fair" resolution to the labor dispute between Boeing and members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents workers at a factory in Missouri that produces fighter jets.

"With 3,000-plus members of residents in my state on strike, unable to work, unable to get health care, while your CEO is getting paid $30-some million," Hawley said, while tag-teaming Mayer with Sen. Bernie Sanders (IVt.).

A week later, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted to confirm two of Trump's NLRB nominees. Mayer's nomination was tabled.

Without that seat filled, the NLRB still lacks a quorumand, as a result, the labor boards in New York and California have power.

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Of course, blocking Mayer's appointment to the board is within Hawley's authority as a senator and a member of that key committee. Still, exercising that authority has opened Hawley to criticism.

"Hawley is definitely trying to help unions," Sean Higgins, a research fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a free market think tank, told Reason via email.

Higgins attributes Hawley's recent actions to politics rather than policymaking. By aligning with unions, Hawley thinks he can "peel them away from the Democrats. Or at least put them in play politically."

Hawley's office did not return requests for comment.

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It's true that the Trump era has brought a shift in union politics and potentially created an opportunity for Republicans to exploit. But if there is a lesson to be gleaned from Trump's success with rank-and-file union members, it seems to be that Republicans can peel those voters away by speaking directly to them on a cultural level, rather than by echoing labor union talking points. Trump didn't win by promising union bosses that he'd appoint friendly bureaucrats in key positions, after all. Quite the opposite.

Politics aside, the policy consequences of Hawley's tiff with Mayer seem clear: labor unions in New York and California have more power to flexat least until those entities are ruled illegal by the courts or until the NLRB gets a quorum again.

That sort of ad hoc federalism might be preferable to having a single federal entity setting labor law for everyonealthough Higgins, no fan of the NLRB, also warns that it could create labor law chaos and lots of headaches for employers operating in multiple states. Any positive, federalist outcomes for workers would hinge on the NLRB being permanently shut down by Congress. Otherwise, it would simply come back into power when the next labor-friendly administration takes over.

In some ways, this fight over the NLRB mirrors the concurrent battle over the ongoing government shut down. In both cases, the temporary hobbling of federal authority is not actually reducing the size or power that the government has over anyonebut is merely channeling that power through new directions.

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In Hawley's case, he is channeling that power in an unusual way: Away from Trump's hand-picked nominee and towards blue-state labor unions.

The post How Josh Hawley Is Empowering Unions in New York and California appeared first on Reason.com.
The Mark Sanchez criminal case apparently will be televised.

Via Lauren Conlin of Los Angeles Magazine, Judge James B. Osborn has approved a request to allow cameras in the courtroom. His predecessor in the proceedings, Judge Jennifer P. Harrison, had declined to permit cameras.

In the federal court system, cameras are prohibited by rule. In state courts, cameras are often permitted.

As explained by Conlin, Indiana courts generally restrict the presence of cameras. However, individual judges have discretion to allow them.

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Frankly, all courtroom proceedings that are open to the public should be televised. It's an inherently public exercise. The media should be allowed to transmit audio and video to anyone interested in consuming the content.

Judge Osborn has set multiple pre-trial hearings, along with a December 11 trial date. Continuances routinely occur; it's unlikely that Sanchez's criminal case will be tried so quickly.

Sanchez faces multiple charges (including felony battery) arising from an October 4 incident that left him stabbed multiple times. Perry Tole, a 69-year-old truck driver, allegedly was assaulted by an allegedly inebriated Sanchez, who was in Indianapolis to call the Week 5 Raiders-Colts game for Fox.

Tole has filed a separate lawsuit against Sanchez and Fox. The civil process remains in its infancy; the first step will be for Sanchez and Fox to file formal responses to the complaint.
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  An event aimed at teaching people how to spot signs of human trafficking is taking place next week in Trumbull County.

Warren Municipal Court Judge Natasha Natale is hosting a Human Trafficking Awareness Seminar. Its scheduled for Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. at the Living Lord Lutheran Church in Howland.

Several speakers will be there to talk about how to recognize human trafficking, available resources, and how people can help.

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Its really important because it does raise awareness in the community, starts conversation, it leads to better detection, faster help for victims and stronger prevention, Judge Natale said.

The seminar is open to the public. Admission is free.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
A federal judge on Thursday said she is "profoundly concerned with the apparent violations by federal agents of a temporary restraining order she issued last week imposing restrictions on the use of tear gas and other riot control weapons against journalists and protestors in Chicago.

Judge Sara Ellis of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ordered Russell Hott, director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Field Office in Chicago, to appear before her on Monday to answer questions about a number of incidents over the last several days in which agents have clashed with residents and protestors.

Ellis said she is also expanding her temporary restraining order to include a requirement for federal agents equipped with body-worn cameras to wear them and keep them on during "law enforcement activities" in Chicago.

The Washington Post via Getty Im - PHOTO: Residents and protesters clash with federal agents on the Southeast Side of Chicago, October 14, 2025, after a vehicle crash involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

The judge said she was particularly concerned about an incident that occurred on Tuesday in a residential neighborhood on the Southeast Side of Chicago, in which Border Patrol agents were involved in a vehicle crash while chasing a man they alleged had rammed their vehicle and was in the country illegally.

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During the incident, federal agents deployed tear gas on a crowd of residents drawn to the crash. A 19-year-old U.S. citizen, Warren King, was also detained during the incident.

King told ABC News that he was shopping in a store in the southeast side neighborhood when agents confronted him as he exited, tackling him to the ground and detaining him for several hours despite him and others around him telling them that he was an American citizen.

Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: US-POLITICS-PROTEST-NATIONAL GUARD

"We are in an urban, densely populated area, where crowds are going to converge when there's a commotion, where appropriate crowd control is important," said Ellis, adding that the Chicago Police Department has protocols on when to call off chases in residential neighborhoods.

"Underlying all of these policies is that everyone has to abide by their constitutional obligations," Ellis said. "I am profoundly concerned with what is happening over the last week since I entered this order."

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Sean Skedzielewski, an attorney representing the Department of Homeland Security, said during Thursday's hearing that Ellis does not have all the facts on these incidents and is relying on inaccurate news reports. But Skedzielewski provided no information on the Southeast Side incident.

Skedzielewski also said that not all agents have been issued body cameras and that rolling out a costly program to provide the cameras presents a challenge, given the ongoing government shutdown.

"Numbers of [agents] are changing daily. Considering the lapse of appropriations we're dealing with, I don't think we would be able to roll out a body cam program for ICE," Skedzielewski said.

Ellis responded that having the camera is important for government accountability and to ensure her orders are being followed.

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"Frankly, Mr. Skedzielewski, this is going to help the agency [DHS/ICE]," Ellis said. "If there are issues, or I have a concern or plaintiffs' counsel has a concern, that we think there's a violation, we can go back to the cameras."

The case that prompted Ellis's temporary restraining order was filed last week against the Department of Justice, the DHS, and other federal entities by a group of journalists and religious leaders, alleging that the federal agents had "shot, gassed, and detained individuals engaged in cherished and protected activities."

"Never in modern times has the federal government undermined bedrock constitutional protections on this scale or usurped states' police power by directing federal agents to carry out an illegal mission against the people for the governments own benefit," the complaint alleged.

The Southeast Side incident is the latest in a string of incidents that have outraged Chicago's elected leaders and community groups.

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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has said the federal immigration crackdown in Chicago is "creating mayhem."

On Thursday afternoon, Pritzker told reporters that Judge Ellis is "doing the right thing" and accused federal agents of lying about certain incidents.

"I think the judge reacted to that properly by ordering that now ... the federal agents are required to have body cameras on them because they clearly lie about what goes on," Pritzker said. "It's hard for us to know right away what the truth is."

Cartels issuing bounties up to $50,000 for hits on ICE, CBP agents: DHS

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Last Friday, Debbie Brockman, an employee for WGN-TV in Chicago, was in the city's North Side walking to work when Border Patrol agents forced her to the ground and handcuffed her, according to her attorney.

DHS alleged that Brockman, a U.S. citizen, was detained because she threw something at the agents. Brockman, who denied the allegations and is considering legal action, was released without being charged, her lawyer said.

"The facts of the case have not changed," Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said on Thursday of the incident involving Brockman.

McLaughlin said U.S. Border Patrol agents were conducting immigration enforcement operations when "several violent agitators used their vehicles to block in agents in an effort to impede and assault federal officers."

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"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 U.S. citizen, threw objects at Border Patrols car and she was placed under arrest for assault on a federal law enforcement officer."

McLaughlin added that the incident reflects a "growing and dangerous trend."

"These attacks highlight the dangers our law enforcement officers face daily -- all while receiving no pay thanks to the Democrats government shutdown," McLaughlin said.

On Wednesday, a woman who was shot by Border Patrol agents on the Southwest side of Chicago pleaded not guilty to a single-count indictment charging her with assault on a federal officer with a dangerous or deadly weapon.

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DHS officials claimed that 30-year-old Marimar Martinez and a second suspect charged in the Oct. 4 incident, Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, were part of a caravan that "ambushed" Border Patrol agents, ramming their vehicle and attempting to pin them in. Ruiz also pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to an assault charge.

During an Oct. 6 court hearing, federal prosecutor Sean Hennessy alleged that when the Border Patrol agents got out of their vehicle, "Ms. Martinez drove toward one of them," prompting the agent to open fire.

But Martinez's attorney, Christopher Parente, told U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather McShain on Wednesday that he and his client dispute allegations made by the government.

Protester shot in Chicago by border patrol agents who claim they were 'ambushed' by convoy

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Parente told the court that he had reviewed video from one agent's body-worn camera and contended that what he saw and heard did not align with the governments allegations.

"I understand they are relying on what the agents are telling them, but the video does not support what is being said," Parente told the court.

Parente claimed that the agent wearing the body-camera was in the rear of the Border Patrol vehicle and could be heard saying, "Do something, bitch" in the moments before the vehicles collided.

"When I watched the video after this agent says, 'Do something, bitch,' I see the driver of this vehicle turn the wheel to the left. Which would be consistent with him running into Ms. Martinezs vehicle, okay," Parente said. And then seconds later, he jumps out and just starts shooting."

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ICE officer relieved of duty over NYC confrontation

A DHS statement on the incident emphasized that Martinez "was armed with a semiautomatic weapon and had a history of doxxing federal agents. The government alleged that the law enforcement officers were "ambushed by domestic terrorists."

However, the criminal complaint filed in Martinez's case made no mention of a weapon, and prosecutors have acknowledged in court that the gun was not displayed or possessed by Martinez, who has a concealed carry permit, during the confrontation. The weapon was discovered in her purse when agents searched her vehicle later, according to court records.

"But [they] just put out that sound bite that she's fully armed and everybody is up in arms that people are attacking these agents with firearms," Parente said in court. "That is just not the truth. That is just not the facts."
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT)  A Fayette County grand jury will now decide if convicted child sex offender Timothy Vess Benton will face additional charges.

Last month, a CBS 42 investigation looked into how Benton was released into house arrest after serving just five and a half years of a 17-year prison sentence. Weeks after his release, Benton was arrested for a Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) violation  which is why he appeared in court today.

The big news out of court today is a judge finding probable cause for the SORNA violation Benton was arrested for last month. The family of one of Bentons victims was in the courtroom, and they say the judges ruling gives them hope for the future.

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We got a small victory today, said Chris Keys, the father of one of Bentons victims. Well be going to grand jury. See if he gets indicted and well go from there. Were looking at some time, maybe six months or so, but its a start. They could have let him walk. They didnt.

In 2017, Benton was indicted by a grand jury on 48 charges, ranging from human trafficking to sodomy. To avoid a trial and secure a prison sentence for Benton, the Keys family says they supported a plea deal, which Benton took in 2019.

Man killed in Birmingham shooting, suspect in custody

He pleaded guilty to two counts of sodomy and was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

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In August, Judge Samuel Junkin modified Bentons sentence, releasing him into his parents home under a form of house arrest. The Keys family was not notified of the change to Bentons sentence, which caused outrage in Fayette County.

Weeks after Benton was released, he was arrested for a SORNA violation. In court Thursday, a Fayette County deputy testified that Benton failed to provide a valid state-issued ID within 14 days of his release, which he says is a state law for sex offenders.

Following a CBS 42 investigation into Bentons release, both the Fayette County District Attorney and Judge Samuel Junkin recused themselves from the case. That is why Benton appeared in the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse Thursday, with the Attorney Generals Office acting as the prosecution.

Keys said he feels confident that justice will be served.

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So, it was it was a good feeling just hearing him say that its going forward, that everybody did everything right, he said.

The next step will be for a Fayette County grand jury to decide if and what charges Benton will face for his SORNA violation.

CBS 42 attempted to speak with Bentons defense attorneys, but they said they had no comment at this time.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
A judge on Friday approved the Hillsborough County school districts request for an injunction to stop operations at Walton Academy for the Performing Arts due to safety concerns at least until an appeal hearing.

The request for an injunction was filed after Walton Academy remained open despitethe Hillsborough County School Board voting to immediately pull the schools charter on Tuesday. The district told Walton they intended to close the school after receiving a letter from the state highlighting the concerns, which included an open gate, cluttered shelter spaces and faulty emergency alert systems.

The school, however, remained open Wednesday and Thursday while waiting for the district to file a legal complaint, a step the district argued was not required.

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In a virtual hearing, 13th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Helene Daniel heard testimony from Walton Academy principal Tanika Walton, a district major for security and emergency management Zamir Ode and the districts chief of school security John Newman.

A lawyer for Walton Academy argued that the safety issues were already corrected and no immediate danger to students existed. A lawyer for the district argued the fixes were irrelevant, that a long pattern of safety concerns existed and the school was defying the boards vote to immediately pull their charter.

The seriousness of this occasion is not lost on this court, Daniel said. Its a difficult thing to ask a court whether to close a school.

She said the evidence presented to her Friday suggested that the students are actually not currently safe; that theres an ongoing threat to these children as they continue to attend Walton Academy.

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During the hearing, John Leombruno, an attorney representing Walton Academy, said the state gave the district a spectrum of options to address the concerns and did not require the district to shut down the school.

He pushed back on the assertions that the school was unsafe.

(The concerns) are things that are almost instantaneously remedied, he said.

All of the concerns, he said, had already been addressed and some were done in the presence of the inspector, but none were documented.

The judge also asked if the public and parents of students had an opportunity to weigh in on the safety concerns and if theyd been addressed.

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Margolin, an attorney for the district, said the public had ample opportunity to weigh in, and the board made its decision after taking it all into account. Anything Walton fixed after the boards decision was too little, too late.

Really, the first legal question before the court is whether the statute means immediate when it says immediate, Margolin said.

The judge asked Tanika Walton how she would ensure backpacks or clutter wouldnt fill shelter spaces again.

Walton said that had been communicated to all staff as a high priority. Each month, the staff focuses on on different topics. Last month was bullying, she said, but safety will be a priority moving forward.

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Margolin asked Ode if he had continued concern for safety. Ode said he did. So did Newman.

Everybody has a bad day, a bad audit, but it seems like every single audit has deficiencies, Ode said.

Daniel said she understands the schools right to appeal, adding that her ruling was not intended to impact that process. But the pressing issue, she said, was the immediate safety of students and staff.

Every second does count, she said. The court is unwilling to take a chance that something may happen for which you are completely unprepared.

An appeal hearing is scheduled for early November.

Walton said more than 110 students remained enrolled at the school. Eight have transferred since the beginning of the year.

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The districts charter school office has contacted each Walton Academy family to inform them of options to relocate. A spokesperson for the district said they will be tracking the placement of every student.

Editors note: A previous version of this story incorrectly referred to the title of the judge that ruled on this case. This story has been updated to reflect the correct title.

Divya Kumar is a reporter covering education as a member of the Tampa Bay Times Education Hub. You can contribute to the hub through our journalism fund byclicking here.
DENVER (KDVR)  Several local police departments are warning residents about a growing national crime trend known as jugging, when someone watches a person at a bank or ATM and follows them until they can rob them.

The Greeley Police Department warned about this trend and said jugging is coordinated  it isnt just someone waiting in an alley. The robbers will follow people to their next stop, and it could include breaking into someones car, holding them up or grabbing whatever they can. The Lakewood Police Department has also spoken about this crime and said the suspect demands money, often with threats of violence or assault.

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Greeley police said you may not even realize youre being targeted until its too late. However, there are ways to protect yourself.

How to protect yourself from jugging

The Denver, Lakewood and Greeley police departments said people should be aware of their surroundings when taking cash out and being discreet about the money.

Here are some safety tips from the police departments:

Watch out for people paying extra attention to you while youre at the bank or cash machine. Be aware of loitering vehicles near bank parking lots and watch out for vehicles that look like theyre conducting surveillance.

Be discreet with the withdrawn cash by putting it in a purse, wallet or bag before returning to your vehicle. Dont leave the bank with your cash on display.

Vary your routine by switching up banking locations and ATMs, changing the route from the bank or changing the time to prevent robbers from learning habits.

Contact police to report any suspicious behavior or alert bank security if you think someone is intending to commit a crime.

If you feel like you are being followed, head to a well-populated public place or a police or fire station. Dont confront them or play hero.

Use digital options when possible.

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While this is a growing trend across the country, it isnt a huge problem everywhere.

In June, the Denver Police Department said they have received fewer than 25 reports of jugging since early 2024. That said, protective practices will keep those numbers down in Denver.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Three-Time Loser

In a closely watched case, a federal jury acquitted a woman Thursday on charges of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer over the summer during a transfer of detainees to ICE outside of the D.C. jail.

Federal grand juries had declined three times to indict Sydney Reid on felony charges for the incident. Rather than dropping the case, D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro charged it as a misdemeanor and took it to trial. U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan said it may have been the first time any criminal defendant has been charged federally in D.C. with misdemeanor assault on a federal officer, WUSAs Sophie Rosenthal reports.

While the case has widely been seen as an example of jury nullification, its more accurately categorized as on overcharged case. The evidence against Reid was weak, but that didnt matter. Pirro had ordered her prosecutors to impose the stiffest federal charges possible during Trumps retaliatory surge of law enforcement into D.C. Some federal judges have balked at some of the cases that have wound up in federal court that might normally have been pursued in D.C. Superior Court  or not pursued at all.

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For prosecutors, seeking maximum charges has made winning cases harder. But in Reids case, prosecutors did themselves no favors.

Prosecutors  and the two federal officers who were the purported victims in the case  were late in turning over discovery. Some discovery was never turned over at all, leading to admonitions from Judge Sooknanan during trial this week. These are games, Sooknanan told prosecutors at one point.

The discovery failures by prosecutors ultimately led Sooknanan to give a curative instruction to the jury:

Before the jury even got the case, Sooknanan acquitted Reid of the misdemeanor as to one of of the federal officers because of insufficient evidence shed assaulted him. The officer in question had testified to the grand jury that Reid has initiated physical contact, but video of the incident showed that wasnt true, Sooknanan said in court.

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That left the jury to decide whether Reid had assaulted the other officer, the sole witness for the prosecution. That officer didnt turn over some of her text messages about the case until the first day of trial, and even then one was missing. The missing message was only discovered in the middle of cross-examination, WUSA reported.

The prosecutor argued that the missing message was the result of a mistake the officer made while screenshotting the messages. But Judge Sooknanan was out of patience. That seems to be a common theme with all your witnesses. Did they lie, or did they continuously make mistakes? Sooknanan told the prosecutor.

Reid issued a statement after the jury verdict:

To sum it up, Pirro lost three times:

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three grand jury no bills;

one acquittal by the judge;

one acquittal by the petit jury.

Juries are doing their jobs, but it should never come to this.

The Bolton Indictment Is Still Crooked

As expected, the federal indictment of John Bolton in Maryland was more solid, evidence-based, and plausible than the bogus charges wielded against the other indicted Trump nemeses, James Comey and Letitia James. Theres no evidence that career prosecutors balked at the charges, and the acting U.S. attorney in Maryland is herself a career prosecutor.

In addition, Bolton comes off in the indictment as downright dumb in additional to careless and even reckless in how he allegedly handled classified information, sharing while Trumps national security adviser more than 1,000 pages of diary-like entries with two family members, reported by the WSJ to be his wife and daughter. This alleged exchange is peak WTF:

35. On or about July 23, 2018, BOLTON sent Individuals 1 and 2 a message that stated, "More stuff coming!!!" A few minutes later, BOLTON sent Individuals 1 and 2 a 24-page document which described information that BOLTON learned while National Security Advisor. Less than three hours later, BOLTON sent Individuals 1 and 2 a follow-up message that stated, "None of which we talk about!!!" In response, Individual 1 sent a message that stated, "Shhhhh." Individual 2 then sent a message that stated, "The only interesting thing is what [senior U.S. Government official] might have said from [foreign language] interpreter, which you didn't tell us..." Approximately two minutes later, Individual 1 sent a message in response that stated, "More to come with cloak and dagger...or something. So he says...."

But plausible criminal charges by themselves do not eliminate the stink that Trump has put all over this investigation. Id go further than Joyce Vance, who writes that Trump has undercut the integrity of the criminal justice system. John Bolton would not have been indicted but for his role as a critic of Trump. The investigation, which began in Trump I, had been closed under the Biden administration, but was revived once Trump took office again. Its a travesty of justice that this case is being brought at this time in this way.

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The WaPo drops a little tidbit in its story on the indictment:

John Eisenberg, head of the Justice Departments National Security Division, was at the White House on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. His division has been involved in the Bolton investigation, which is typical for cases involving classified documents.

In Trump I, Eisenberg was a deputy White House counsel and legal advisor to the National Security Council, starting before Bolton arrived, who was involved in some key first term moments. The WaPo story implies but doesnt outright say that Eisenberg was briefing the White House on the Bolton indictment. But at this point, Im not sure fleeting accounts of DOJ officials being sighted at the White House carry the same weight as they used to. As Morning Memo has noted repeatedly, the Justice Department is being run out of the White House.

The same day Eisenberg was at the White House, Attorney General Pam Bondi, deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel together made an Oval Office appearance with President Trump in which he publicly called for them to target former Special Counsel Jack Smith, former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann, and former deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.

Mass Deportation: Chicago Edition

The Trump administrations assault on Chicago  which lives in the Republican mind as a post-apocalyptic hellscape beset by urban (read: Black) violence and decay  is running hard up against federal judges:

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A three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals consisting of Trump, Obama, and Bush I appointees unanimously upheld a district court injunction barring the deployment of the National Guard in Illinois.

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis of Chicago said she will order federal immigration enforcement officers to wear and use body cams.

U.S. District Judge Georgia Alexakis of Chicago ordered prosecutors to ship back from Maine on a flatbed trailer the vehicle of a Border Patrol agent involved in a hotly contested incident in which he shot a woman after their vehicles collided earlier this month. Defense attorneys demanded that it be returned to the Chicago area so that they can examine it.

Trumps Venezuela Misadventure

In the latest developments:

Adm. Alvin Holsey is stepping down as head of the U.S. Southern Command after less than a year in what is typically a three-year term. Holsey has overseen the buildup of forces in the Caribbean and the unlawful U.S. attacks on alleged drug-smuggling boats. Holseys impending departure comes after he raised concerns about the mission and the attacks on the alleged drug boats, the NYT reports.

Only one of the 27 people killed in the U.S. high seas attacks in alleged drug-smuggling boats has been tentatively identified publicly. [D]espite the mounting death toll, no authority has come forward to publicly release the names of any of the dead, the NYT reports.

Analysis by the WaPo shows that the U.S. militarys elite Special Operations aviation unit has likely been operating in Caribbean waters off the coast of Venezuela in recent days.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is making a show of deploying his forces to fend off any U.S. attack.

Thread of the Week

The federal budget apparatus is exceedingly complicated and byzantine, but one of the reasons for that is the constitutional structure that is meant to keep the power of the purse from becoming a tyrannical tool. Now President Trump and his OMB are tearing at the fabric of those constitutional restraints in new and dramatic ways:

Propagandist-in-Chief

The drumbeat of stuff like this out of the White House is constant and never-ending, polluting the political atmosphere with a steady stream of propaganda and disinformation:

Special Offer for Morning Memo Readers

Our big celebration of TPMs 25th anniversary has officially begun with the publication of the first in a series of 25 essays by a group of A-list contributors on the history of digital media.

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Were going to be marking the milestone over the next three weeks, culminating with a two-day extravaganza in NYC on Nov. 6-7. Tickets for both nights are on sale now.

Morning Memo readers can get 33% off tickets to the live show on Thursday, Nov. 6 by using the code MorningMemo at checkout. Ill be joining other TPMers past and present on stage that night for a reminiscence of our shared history and hijinks.

Please join us and hang for one or both nights. Im looking forward to meeting more of you in person, but I especially delight in watching yall get to meet each other.

Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know!
ALTOONA, Iowa  An Altoona man was convicted of sexually abusing a child under the age of 12 by a jury on Thursday.

40-year-old Kenney Ryan Hunsley was convicted of four counts of second degree sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12 by a Polk County jury on Thursday.

Marshall County says man who allegedly placed hidden camera in Des Moines also placed camera in State Center

The Polk County Attorneys Office says the evidence shows that between January 2014 and September 2021, Hensley abused the child multiple times. The abuse was reported to authorities in July 2024.

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The jury deliberated for around three hours before returning the verdict, according to PC Attorneys Office. Each of these charges is a Class B felony and carries a 25-year sentence. Hunsley faces up to 100 years in prison and will be sentenced at a later date.

Metro News:

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.
A Milwaukee County jury has found a Milwaukee woman guilty of homicide and other charges in the death last year of 6-year-old Zane McAttee-Adams.

The panel deliberated just 45 minutes on Oct. 16 before reaching a verdict to convict 34-year-old Anitra Burks of first-degree reckless homicide, neglecting a child in which the consequence is death and physical abuse of a child, repeated acts causing death.

Her trial began Oct. 13.

Here's what police and prosecutors say happened to Zane McAttee-Adams

Zane was first taken to Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital - St. Joseph on July 21, 2024. He was barely conscious, and had bruising and lacerations on his face. A criminal complaint described him as having "bruises head to toe."

Zane McAttee-Adams died on July 22, with his father's girlfriend accused of intentional homicide and neglecting a child.

He was later transferred to Children's Wisconsin Hospital and died the next day with a lacerated small intestine and fractured pelvis.

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The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner cited blunt force trauma as the cause of death and said his injuries were extremely rare in accidental trauma," according to a criminal complaint.

An autopsy also determined some of the injuries discovered on Zane's body lined up with the adjustment rivet holes on a crutch found at the home. Burks had recently undergone ankle surgery.

Burks told police the night Zane was admitted to the hospital that Zane was very thirsty and vomiting earlier that day, and that she had put him to bed for misbehaving.

Devon Adams, Zane's father, was dating Burks at the time. On that day, Zane was under her care.

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Adams was arrested and jailed while awaiting sentencing in an unrelated crime, stemming from a 2022 New Year's Day party. He was convicted in that case in March 2024 and is serving a 5-year prison sentence.

More: Woman who served time for prior child neglect charge now charged in stepson's death

Anitra Burks previously served time for a crime involving harm to children

In 2013, Burks pleaded no-contest to child abuse-recklessly causing bodily harm and was sentenced to three years in prison and six years of extended supervision for burning a 14-month-old boy with hot water during a bath.

A judge in 2015 reduced her supervision from six years to five years.

She served two years and two months at Taycheedah Correctional Institution, followed by roughly five years on extended supervision that ended in August 2021.

What's next for Anitra Burks?

Burks is being held at the Milwaukee County Jail.

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Sentencing was set for Nov. 13 before Circuit Court Judge Laura Crivello.

Chris Ramirez covers courts for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at caramirez@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee woman guilty in death of 6-year-old Zane McAttee-Adams
LEBANON, Mo.  A man from Lebanon was found guilty of abusing children by burning and pepper-spraying them back in 2022, according to court records.

After a trial that lasted three days, the jury found Timothy Easton guilty of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child with serious physical injury, abuse or neglect of a child with serious emotional or physical injury and two counts of abuse or neglect of a child.

On Sept. 15, 2022, Easton was arrested after it was reported that he had burned a 13-year-old boy and pepper-sprayed two girls.

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Laclede Co. man charged with burning, pepper-spraying children

The Laclede County Sheriffs Office said Easton put the boy in a ring of fire and ordered him to leave the ring, then kicked a can of gasoline at the child and made sparks with a lighter, which caught the boys shirt on fire.

Court documents also state that he sprayed pepper spray in the faces of a 16-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl, as well as ordering them to mop up coffee with their hair and having them hit each other.

The childrens mother was also threatened and was prevented from taking the children to the hospital for about two weeks.

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Easton is set to be sentenced on Dec. 15, 2025.

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 KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
The New Jersey jury that made history last week by awarding $5 million in damages to a Delbarton School graduate who claimed a monk sexually assaulted him decided Thursday not to impose further penalties on the elite Catholic prep school.

The four women and two men on the panel declined to award any punitive damages to the accuser, who has been identified only as T.M. during the more than five-week trial in Morris County Superior Court.

Nevertheless, in the aftermath of Thursday's decision, T.M. released a statement calling the case a "seismic shift towards institutional accountability."

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"My hope is that by pursuing this nearly nine-year climb to justice, I can help others understand the profound and lasting impact of clergy sexual abuse  not just on the victims, but on their families, their communities, and their futures," T.M. said. "No one should have to endure what I have experienced."

His lawyers, Rayna Kessler and Michael Geibelson, also released a statement that did not directly address the jury's decision not to award punitive damages.

The evidence presented at trial showed that the Order of St. Benedict of New Jersey, the operator of the Delbarton School, enabled decades of child sexual abuse and systematically concealed it to guard their reputation," it said. "This is the first verdict against Catholic Church-affiliated defendants for sexual abuse in New Jersey, and it sends a clear message: the culture of secrecy is shattered."

In a joint statement, the schools headmaster, the Rev. Michael Tidd, and the monastic orders current leader, Abbot Jonathan Licari, said: "We are pleased and grateful that the jury in the punitive damages phase of this trial unanimously found that St. Marys Abbey and Delbarton School are not liable for punitive damages.

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"The jurys verdict in this phase of the trial is consistent with what they found earlier in the compensatory portion of the trial: St. Marys Abbey and Delbarton School did not know of the abuse found by the jury, and there was no intentional misconduct nor malice towards the plaintiff by the Abbey or School."

Last week, the jury agreed unanimously that T.M. had been assaulted and found that the man accused of abusing him, the Rev. Richard Lott, was liable for 35% of the compensatory damages.

Lott is still a priest but is no longer a monk at Delbarton, nor is he affiliated with the school. An attorney for Lott, Mark J. Brancato, did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent after normal business hours Thursday.

The panel also ruled that Delbarton and its connected monastery, St. Marys Abbey, were responsible for the rest of the compensatory damages, or $3.25 million.

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After the first ruling, Tidd and Licari put out a statement saying, in part, "we do not believe that the damages awarded in this case are either fair or reasonable."

On the stand Tuesday, Tidd doubled down on that assertion.

"Reasonable people can reasonably disagree, he said, according to The Morristown Daily Record. Our position all along is that it didnt happen.

T.M.s case was the first of 39 pending abuse cases to go to trial against Delbarton, which is on a sprawling 187-acre campus in Morristown and where the tuition for its 600-plus students is $48,725 a year.

Tidd estimated on the stand that the orders total net assets were $164.3 million but added that they are tied up in property it would have to sell to pay settlements.

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Asked whether it could sell the campus to raise the money, Tidd replied, We could, but we would go out of business.

T.M., now 65, accused the Benedictine order of enabling" his abuser in a lawsuit this year, which named the school, the abbey, the monks and Lott as defendants. All the defendants denied the allegations.

On the stand, T.M. alleged that Lott plied him with liquor at an off-campus party on New Years Eve 1975 before he drove him to the barn on the grounds of Delbarton where the monk had his quarters. He said he was tipsy when Lott pulled down his pants and performed oral sex on him.

T.M. said he reported the alleged assault to the late Abbott Brian Clarke in a letter after he graduated in 1977. He said Clarke, who died in 2019, told him that Lott had admitted abusing him and that he would deal with him.

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A 2018 deposition from Clarke was introduced at the trial. In it, he admitted destroying the letter T.M. sent him accusing Lott of assault because its bad for the reputation of a school when there is sexual abuse associated with it.

T.M. said in his statement Thursday: "I trusted him to ensure that Lott would be held accountable and that what happened to me would never happen to anyone else. That trust was betrayed."

Lott, 89, testified that on New Years Eve 1975 he was more than an hour south of the Delbarton campus at a church in Lakewood, New Jersey.

Lott confirmed that Clarke confronted him about T.M.s abuse allegation. He told the court he denied the allegation to Clarke.

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Delbarton publicly acknowledged in 2018 that at least 30 men had come forward with allegations that, over three decades, 13 past or current priests and monks at the school had victimized them  in addition to a lay faculty member who is now retired.

Greg Gianforcaro, a lawyer who represented some of the accusers, said before T.M.s trial that the order did not admit liability in cases that have been settled.

More than 30 more people came forward after the initial lawsuits with allegations of sexual abuse against the school's monks. They have either filed their own lawsuits or joined existing cases, Gianforcaro said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
(Rod Lamkey Jr./AP photo)

John Bolton, former national security adviser and vocal critic of President Donald Trump, has pleaded not guilty in the classified documents case as he appeared in court for the first time on Friday.

Bolton surrendered to authorities earlier Friday to face Espionage Act charges over his alleged mishandling of classified information.

The 26-page, 18-count indictment, filed in federal court in Maryland on Thursday, accuses Bolton of transmitting and retaining highly sensitive material, including diary entries he shared with two unnamed individuals while he served in the White House.

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Prosecutors say the notes described in detail Boltons daily activities as the National Security Advisor, including classified settings and briefings.

In a statement on Thursday, Bolton denied any wrongdoing, vowing to defend my lawful conduct and to expose [Trumps] abuse of power.

Bolton, 76, who served as UN ambassador under former President George W. Bush before becoming Trumps national security adviser, emerged as a frequent critic of the president on TV after resigning from the post in 2019.

Moments after the indictment came down, Trump told reporters: Hes a bad person. I think hes a bad guy, yeah. Hes a bad guy. Too bad. But thats the way it goes. Thats the way it goes, right? Thats the way it goes.

The post JUST IN: John Bolton Enters Plea in Classified Documents Case first appeared on Mediaite.
The Kanawha County Judicial Annex in Charleston, West Virginia on Oct. 15, 2025. (Photo by Lori Kersey/West Virginia Watch)

A Kanawha County circuit judge on Friday ruled against a mother seeking a religious exemption to the states school compulsory vaccination law on behalf of her son.

Judge Richard Lindsay dismissed the lawsuit against the Kanawha County Board of Education, saying that the states school vaccination law  with no religious exemptions  passes the strict scrutiny legal standard that the government must meet when determining if its action is constitutional.

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Vaccination of our children is a compelling state interest and it is pursuing the least restrictive means in order to satisfy that compelling interest and it is narrowly tailored to the extent that it is the only way possible to keep outbreaks of measles and other diseases and viruses at bay, Lindsay said.

Nakesha Watson filed the complaint against the Kanawha County school board on behalf of KJ, III, her child. The state Bureau for Public Health granted KJ a religious exemption to the school vaccine requirements, but the school board is not letting him attend school without being vaccinated, according to the complaint.

Watson, whos acting as her own attorney, did not show up to a hearing originally planned for Wednesday nor to a rescheduled hearing Friday morning.

The case is one of a handful filed against school officials on the basis of Gov. Patrick Morriseys executive order in January requiring the state to offer religious and philosophical exemptions for school vaccination requirements. The executive order is based on the states 2023 Equal Protection for Religion Act. Morrisey has argued that the school vaccination law should be read alongside EPRA to allow religious exemptions.

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All states require students to be vaccinated against a series of infectious diseases including measles, chicken pox and polio. West Virginia has been one of only five to allow only medical exemptions to those requirements. Morrisey has not rescinded his executive order even though the Legislature this year rejected a bill that would have codified the exemptions.

Lindsay on Friday further ruled that Morriseys executive order does not have authority in the matter.

The court also finds that the governor through his executive order is not empowered to make law, Lindsay said. That is empowered and entrusted by our state Legislature. And on three occasions since [Equal Protection for Religion Act] has become law, the Legislature has refused the amendment of the [Compulsory Vaccination Law] for religious and or philosophical exemptions.

It is the Legislatures authority to make and or amend law and to pursue those and pass those exemptions, should they arise, Lindsay said.

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The ruling Friday comes just after a Raleigh County Circuit judge entered a ruling certifying that families across the state who have asked the state for a religious or philosophical exemption can be part of a class. Judge Michael Froble said he would enter a final ruling by the end of November on behalf of all the approximately 575 families who have asked the state Department of Health for religious or philosophical exemption.

In his order Thursday certifying the class, Froble defined the class as anyone who has sought, will in the future seek or has obtained a religious exemption to the states compulsory school vaccination law under the Equal Protection for Religion Act and those been denied access to school because of enforcement of the states school vaccination law.

The class excludes those that have received final judgement for a similar lawsuit in another court. Parties who have filed lawsuits in other counties may join the Raleigh County class when they withdraw their pending claims with permission from the other court.

Froble in July granted a preliminary injunction allowing students in the Raleigh case to attend class with a religious exemption.

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During that hearing, Froble ruled said the states mandatory school vaccine law is invalid without a religious exemption to the law. If there were any question, he said, the states Equal Protection for Religion Act makes it clear the law should make exceptions for religious beliefs.

The issue seems destined to be decided by the state Supreme Court. The state Board of Education has already filed notice that it would appeal Frobles July preliminary injunction ruling.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Corey Palumbo, an attorney representing the Kanawha County Board of Education, said Lindsays ruling was good.

I think he understands the clear language of the [compulsory vaccination law] does not provide for a religious exemption, he said. I think he understands the separation of powers argument. I think even if the EPRA does apply to the CVL, it passes strict scrutiny. So I think its a good ruling.

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Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the mountaineering team that first reached the summit of Mount Everest, the worlds highest peak, has died in Nepal at the age of 92.

The Nepal Mountaineering Association described Kanchha Sherpa as a historic and legendary figure who died at his home in Kapan in the Kathmandu district of Nepal on Thursday.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Mr Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the first successful summit of Mount Everest in 1953, the associations president, Fur Gelje Sherpa, said in a statement.

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His absence leaves an irreplaceable loss  He will be dearly missed, the president said.

Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa said his grandfather had some issues with his throat recently. Otherwise, he had no major health issue for a person of his age, his grandson told the DPA news agency.

Kanchha Sherpa was among the 35 members of the team that helped Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hillary reach the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) peak of Everest on May 29, 1953.

He was one of three Sherpas to reach the final camp before the summit with Hillary and Tenzing.

Hillary and Norgay, both 39 at the time, became the first to reach the summit on May 29, 1953.





Kanchha was born in 1933 in the village of Namche in the Everest foothills, when most members of Nepals Sherpa community  a Himalayan people renowned as mountaineering guides  worked in farming.

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He spent his childhood and young adult years earning a meagre living through trading potatoes in neighbouring Tibet. When he and several friends later visited Darjeeling, India, he was persuaded to train for mountain climbing, and he began working with foreign trekkers.

His fathers friendship with Tenzing Norgay helped Kanchha Sherpa secure a job as a high-altitude porter for Tenzing and Hillary.

Kanchha Sherpa worked in the Himalayan mountains for two more decades after the 1953 expedition, until his wife asked him to stop the dangerous journeys after many of his friends died assisting other climbing treks, his family said.

He never actually climbed to the summit of Everest himself, as his wife considered it too risky, he said in a March 2024 interview with The Associated Press, and he forbade his children from becoming mountaineers.

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Later in his life, Kanchha had mixed feelings about Everests fate as an adventure tourism destination where thousands of people have made the ascent to the peak and the mountain has become known for overcrowding and discarded litter.

National Geographic Society said in an article published in April that more than 600 people attempt to summit Everest every climbing season, and the mountain has grown increasingly polluted, leading to the contamination of the local watershed, which threatens the health of local people.

The mountain has become so overcrowded that oftentimes climbers have to stand in line for hours in freezing cold conditions to reach the top, and when climbers finally reach the summit, there is barely room to stand because of overcrowding, the magazine said.

In 2024, Kanchha Sherpa urged people to respect the mountain, revered as the mother goddess Qomolangma among the Sherpas.

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It would be better for the mountain to reduce the number of climbers, he said.

Qomolangma is the biggest god for the Sherpas, Kanchha added.

But people smoke and eat meat and throw them on the mountain.

Kanchha Sherpa is survived by his wife, four sons, two daughters and grandchildren.




KANSAS (KSNT) -The Kansas Farm Bureau announced on Oct. 15 that its Safety Poster Contest will be coming to an end after 75 years.

The Safety Poster Contest has served as a way to increase awareness among farm and ranch families about the inherent danger of agricultural life and more by having children create colorful posters that encourage safety in and around the farming world. This contest challenged children across Kansas to envision a safer tomorrow through their art.

This program has always been about more than art  its about awareness, responsibility and community, said Serita Blankenship, contest manager. Seeing children interpret agricultural safety in their own words and pictures reminded me every year why this work matters.

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Chief Justice Luckert suffered apparent stroke, car crash

For 75 years, young minds have shared safety slogans and illustrations in the hopes that tragic accidents could be reduced across Kansas. Winners of the contest received a letter, upwards of $175 and more.

County Farm Bureaus are encouraged to keep the tradition alive locally, and although the program ends for the state organization, farm and rural are safety remains an important lesson for Kansas kids everywhere.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

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CHEROKEE COUNTY, Kan.  A Baxter Springs man pleads guilty to federal child porn charges.

Late Thursday in a Wichita federal courtroom, Kenneth Baker, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child porn. His sentencing is scheduled for January 14 of next year.

PREVIOUS: Kansas man had nearly 2,200 child sex videos and images, feds say

FBI agents arrested Baker back in June. They started investigating Baker in February after software detected child porn images being requested from his IP address.

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Agents say the software traced multiple images and video to Baker, prompting them to serve a search warrant at his house. Investigators say they found 150 videos and more than 2,000 images on Bakers computer.

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.
ERIE, Kan.  A southeast Kansas high school principal accused of mishandling reported threats is no longer an employee of the district.

Earlier this week, the Erie-Galesburg School Board held a special meeting to discuss Robert Schneebergers performance record. On Monday, board members voted unanimously to accept his retirement.

This comes just two weeks after the school district alerted parents on Facebook, that a student had made comments to peers about shooting up the school. Parents and students accuse Schneebergers of mishandling the reported threats, and many were calling for his resignation.

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A week later, Superintendent, Scott Palser issued a letter to parents stating Schneeberger would be away from the high school for a period of time, but wouldnt elaborate on his absence.

The student accused of making the threats is charged as a juvenile with seven felony counts of criminal threat.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.
After President Donald Trump touted yet another meeting with his benefactor/murderous dictator Vladimir Putin Thursday, this time in Budapest, HuffPost contacted his top spokespeople at the White House with an obvious question: Why Budapest?

Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images

After all, the Hungarian capital was the site of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in which Ukraine gave up the thousands of nuclear weapons it had inherited upon the breakup of the Soviet Union in return for assurances that Russia would respect Ukraines territorial integrity.

Nurphoto / Getty Images

Related: Someone "Removed Trumps Orange Makeup To See How He Looks Underneath It," And The Photo Is Going Mega Viral

Putin broke that promise with his 2014 invasion and annexation of Crimea, with his decade-long military offensive in the Donbas region, and then with his all-out invasion in 2022. He continues killing Ukrainian civilians in their homes to this day with regular drone and missile attacks.

Contributor / Getty Images

Given all that, HuffPost asked the White House: Who picked Budapest?

Anna Rose Layden / Getty Images

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Related: MAGA Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Doesn't Like This Army Vet's Now-Viral Speech

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded minutes later with: Your mom did.

Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung after a minute added the far more succinct: Your mom.

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Related: If You're Wondering What Charlie Kirk Believed In, Here Are 14 Real Quotes

After HuffPost asked Leavitt if she thought her response was funny, she replied:

Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

Its funny to me that you actually consider yourself a journal [sic]. You are a far left hack who nobody takes seriously, including your colleagues in the media, they just dont tell you that to your face. Stop texting me your disingenuous, biased, and bullshit questions.

Alex Wong / Getty Images

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Related: This White Guy Protesting ICE Somehow Gave The National Guard The Most Humbling Speech You've Ever Heard, And It's Just So, Soooo Good

HuffPost is devastated, and is fearful of asking any more questions, let alone escalating with Im rubber, youre glue, or some such.

Andrew Harnik / Getty Images

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.

Also in In the News: "WHY ARE PEOPLE SO STUPID": This MAGA Supporter Shared 10 Reasons Why They Regret Voting For Trump, And The Internet Is Not Impressed

Also in In the News: "Put This On A T-Shirt"  People Are Praising This Anti-ICE Protestor's 3-Word Response To Getting Tear-Gassed At The LA Protests

Also in In the News: A Trump Supporter Said They're "Living On Credit Cards" And Begged Him To Send A Stimulus Check Amid Rising Costs...And The Internet Reacted Exactly How You Think

Read it on BuzzFeed.com
Trump White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt drew fierce blowback on Thursday for what was slammed as an insane and vile hot take on the Democratic Party.

Leavitt was asked on Fox News for the White Houses reaction to New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdanis (D) refusal to say whether he thinks Hamas should disarm in Gaza.

Politics: Trump Says Putin Should Be Allowed To Keep The Land He Has Seized In Ukraine

She spun her answer into a wider attack on Democrats, claiming the interview proved the partys main constituency are made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals.

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That is who the Democrat Party is catering to, she added. Not the Trump administration and not the White House and not the Republican Party, who is standing up for law-abiding Americans, not just across the country but around the world.

Leavitt: "The Democrat Party's main constituency is made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals." pic.twitter.com/IcJwhYYV5x  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 16, 2025

Critics slammed Leavitts comments as divisive rhetoric, incredibly dangerous and sick and called for her to resign.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) responded on X, formerly Twitter: Most Republicans are good people. Most Democrats are good people. The White House says outrageous things to make you hate your neighbor. Your neighbor isnt the problem. The White House is.

Many others agreed:

Most Republicans are good people. Most Democrats are good people.



The White House says outrageous things to make you hate your neighbor.



Your neighbor isnt the problem. The White House is. https://t.co/pkjrafRaEk  Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) October 16, 2025

Karoline Leavitt should resign.



They try to make us hate each other to distract from the fact that they're robbing us all blind.



It's sick.https://t.co/pAzF5g0jJR  Congressman Greg Casar (@RepCasar) October 16, 2025

This is INCREDIBLY dangerous framing and should make the hair on the back of your next stand, whether you're a Republican, Democrat, or Independent.



And it's also patently false. https://t.co/JzOVajsZEW  Carey Lohrenz (@CareyLohrenz) October 16, 2025

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Remember when they pretended to want to turn down the temperature?  https://t.co/THX7iFyvn6  Brandon Wolf (@bjoewolf) October 16, 2025

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Chattering class lost its goddam mind over Clintons basket of deplorables comment.



This - like so much of the White Houses most egregious behavior - will be overlooked as just how they talk, political theatre. https://t.co/m1GtT3IDZZ  Lauren French (@laurennfrench) October 16, 2025

But Dems should really tone down their rhetoric https://t.co/DpRVC3f37Y  Sarah Longwell (@SarahLongwell25) October 16, 2025

That she is the official White House spokesperson makes this all the more outrageous https://t.co/ReHxvnWEa8  David Pepper (@DavidPepper) October 17, 2025

This is a lie.



Every day, Trump & his enablers are working to divide Americans and make us hate one another.



It's inflammatory. It's shameful. It's wrong. https://t.co/XqYkAa0H1N  Rep. Jason Crow (@RepJasonCrow) October 16, 2025

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This woman is vile. https://t.co/yJf9ZfAC0Y  Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) October 16, 2025

At least she didnt call Democrats deplorables because it would lead to endless news stories about it for months and used as evidence that she is unfit to do her job. https://t.co/r1hOYllmxB  Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 16, 2025

It is astonishing that just weeks after Republicans took to the media to angrily say any reference to their party as Nazi or fascist was incitement to violence, theyre now accusing the Democratic Party of being Hamas terrorists.

Per their own logic, they are inciting violence. https://t.co/lIRhqOslU3  Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) October 16, 2025

This is grossly dark. These are broken people.



But it's also so politically dumb.



How do they think Americans will react to being told that anyone who doesn't support Trump is a terrorist? https://t.co/cWa5VsET5r  Chris Murphy  (@ChrisMurphyCT) October 16, 2025

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What does it say about you if you think tens of millions of Americans, and the majority of people in many of our biggest and most productive states, are "terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals?" https://t.co/iPPA7IcVrq  Tom Malinowski (@Malinowski) October 17, 2025

In a sane reality, this insane comment wouldve ended the career of any other press secretary. In this reality, its just another Thursday.



But when the Trump fever breaks, and it will break, these people will have to reckon with the digital footprints of their own depravity. https://t.co/yqjgi3lLXz  Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) October 16, 2025

Officials who speak this way about their fellow Americans who simply have different beliefs should not be anywhere near government. What a terrible person. https://t.co/9NdzaTrlzd  MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) October 16, 2025

This shit is so fucking dangerous and everyone on the Republican side just nods along https://t.co/xWqze9GVKg  Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) October 16, 2025

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Tell that to the 748,589 people in Contra Costa and Solano Counties who I represent in Congress. https://t.co/5wqmjG39kM  John Garamendi (@RepGaramendi) October 16, 2025

How is this anything other than deliberate incitement that risks leading to deadly violence? https://t.co/NsXUsNYMiA  Dylan Williams (@dylanotes) October 16, 2025

Deplorables was a scandal for years and she wasnt even in the government yet. This is the White House Press Secretary, whose salary is paid by the American public. https://t.co/xQ1B9Ttz8f  Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) October 16, 2025

Related...

Read the original on HuffPost
The man convicted of killing 21-year-old Katelyn Markham more than 14 years ago is asking for a Butler County judge to grant him early release from prison.

John Carter, 37, filed a motion in Butler County Common Pleas Court on Oct. 15 seeking judicial release, a form of early release granted by a judge that transitions qualifying offenders who have not completed their full prison sentences to probation.

Carter pleaded guilty in June 2024 to involuntary manslaughter, 13 years after killing Markham, his fiancee. He was sentenced to three years in prison for the woman's 2011 disappearance and death.

John Carter sits during his sentencing for the disappearance and death of Katelyn Markham at the Butler County Courthouse in Hamilton, Ohio, on Thursday, July 18, 2024.

The court filing states that Carter "has worked extremely hard at being a 'model-inmate,'" citing the autonomy he has been granted as a prison porter and his work mentoring other inmates.

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"John has applied for any and all programs available to him to better himself and to return as a law-abiding, productive member of society who presents no threat to anyone," his attorney, Carl Lewis, wrote in the court filing.

Carter is requesting that an evidentiary hearing be held before the judge rules on his early release. He has served more than a year of his sentence.

"It is very frustrating that he feels 15 months is enough for the crime he committed," Dave Markham, Katelyn Markham's father, wrote in a text message to The Enquirer. "He already is getting off easy with 3 years."

Markham added that he hopes the judge will deny Carter's motion.

Dave Markham at the Butterflies for Katelyn Markham on June 8, 2024, at Creekside Park in Fairfield.

Markham's disappearance led to 11 years of investigation

In August 2011, Fairfield police responded to Katelyn Markhams Dorshire Drive townhome after Carter, then 23, called 911 to report her missing.

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He told Fairfield police that he last saw his fiancee the night of Aug. 13, 2011, when he left her townhouse, court records show, adding that the couple exchanged texts after Carter said he left.

When Carter didnt hear from Markham the next day, he let himself into her home but found no sign of her, according to his statements to police. Her purse, wallet and keys were left behind, but her phone was missing. Markham's car was parked outside, and her dog wasn't locked up.

What followed Markhams disappearance was a months-long search to uncover any signs that might lead to her whereabouts.

Katelyn Markham of Fairfield disappeared in 2011 and her body was found 20 months later by a couple looking for aluminum cans near an Indiana creek.

Friends, relatives, local authorities and even a national mounted search group from Texas conducted dozens of searches for Markham. They combed local parks, waterways and areas in Butler and Hamilton counties but found no trace of her.

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Her skeletal remains were eventually found in April 2013 by a couple gathering aluminum cans near a creek off Big Cedar Road in Cedar Grove, Indiana.

Her death was ruled a homicide, but the cause of death was never established. Prosecutors said cutting wounds caused by "sharp force trauma" were present on her left wrist.

The homicide investigation eventually changed hands from the Fairfield Police Department to the Butler County Sheriffs Office after Markhams family successfully lobbied in 2015 for the case to be re-examined.

After months of investigation, the sheriffs office announced they had a "strong singular person of interest but not enough evidence to pursue charges.

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In January 2020, the Butler County Prosecutors Office launched its own investigation.

Lie detector tests, cellphone records and cryptic notes used as evidence

During early interviews, police noted the presence of scratch marks on Carters neck, which he first attributed to his electric razor, though he later told police he couldnt recall how he got the scratches.

Carter voluntarily submitted to polygraph examinations in 2011, 2014 and 2021, which each showed he gave deceptive responses while denying his involvement in Markhams disappearance and death, investigators said in court documents.

While Carter and Markham had plans to leave the state, several witnesses told investigators the couples relationship was strained in the days and months before Markhams killing. Months before Markhams death, she disclosed to one person that she was unhappy with her engagement to Carter and felt trapped in the relationship, investigators said.

John Carter appears for a March 2023 arraignment in Butler County Common Pleas Court before Judge Daniel Haughey.

Phone records showed Markhams cellphone went dark just after midnight on the night of her disappearance, meaning it was turned off, the battery died, or the SIM card was removed. The device was never recovered.

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Investigators said Carters phone was likewise inactive for 15 hours from early morning to mid-afternoon on Aug. 14, 2011. He also deleted texts between him and Markham from the night of her disappearance, saying he did so accidentally.

Investigators said Carter was also familiar with the area where Markhams body was discovered because it was along the routes to his dads properties in Ross Township and Laurel, Indiana.

During a 2023 search of Carters family home in Fairfield, police found notes about Markhams homicide investigation, drawings of an angel in the woods and poetry about death and killing, investigators said.

Police also found a roll of landscaping material in the homes shed. Investigators zeroed in on similar material used to dispose of Markhams remains, which Carter likely obtained from his moms house, less than a mile from his fiancees townhome.

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Carter was eventually indicted on murder charges in March 2023.

When will the judge decide on judicial release?

As of the afternoon of Oct. 17, court records did not indicate that a hearing had been scheduled for Carter's motion.

If such a hearing is granted, it will likely be held before Judge Daniel Haughey, who presided over the original criminal proceedings.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Katelyn Markham's dad opposes release of fiance convicted in killing
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  Alex Kelloff, a Democrat from Old Snowmass, is running to unseat Republican Jeff Hurd in Colorados 3rd Congressional District. With no end or compromise to the ongoing government shutdown in sight, Kelloff sat down with Wake Up Western Slope anchor Justin Adam Brown to share why he believes CO-3 is ready for a change.

The ongoing government shutdown is now the third-longest funding lapse in modern history, eclipsed only by the shutdowns of 1995 and 2018-19. Shutdowns are a relatively recent phenomenon, having only begun in their current form in 1980.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune sent the upper chamber home for the weekend after Thursdays votes, meaning the funding lapse will continue until at least Monday.

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Ken Martin has been almost everywhere since he became the chair of the Democratic National Committee, attempting to put out fires for a party in the wilderness as he has hopscotched some 33 states over the last eight months.

Just this week, Martin quietly shuttled from Indianapolis, where Indiana Republicans are weighing mid-cycle redistricting at the demand of President Donald Trump, to Washington for the Supreme Courts oral arguments of Louisiana v. Callais  which could weaken the Voting Rights Act and further set Democrats back  to Pittsburgh, where he campaigned for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court retention races.

Most people think I've got the shittiest job in America, but I feel like I've got the best job in America, Martin said.

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But he also didnt mince words about the challenges and drama that it has brought to his life.

Theres not a day that I dont go home wanting to pull my hair out, because its a tough job, Martin said.

With Election Day looming next month, New Jerseys gubernatorial matchup is making Martin nervous these days  and where hes headed this weekend.

In a wide-ranging interview while he was in Pittsburgh, Martin spoke with POLITICO to preview the partys prospects in New Jersey and Virginia, where Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger are trying to secure the governors mansions, and discuss Democrats efforts to defend House seats from Republican-led gerrymandering attempts.

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New Jersey is the best place, probably, for Donald Trump to actually stop the Democratic momentum  or at least minimize the Democratic momentum that weve seen throughout this year, Martin said, pointing to what he cites as his partys overperformance in nearly four dozen special elections since Trumps inauguration. We've overperformed on that to the tune of, on average, about 16 percentage points, which is a historic overperformance. And so, you know, theyre looking to blunt our momentum somewhere.

Despite touting his partys performance under Trumps second presidency, Martin declined to handicap whether Sherrill needed to match or beat former Vice President Kamala Harris 6-point margin in the New Jersey last November.

I don't care if we overperform or underperform, Martin said. What I care about is making sure we win. At the end of the day, we know that the Republicans are feeling very bullish about their chances in New Jersey for a whole host of reasons, right? Jack Ciattarelli lost to Phil Murphy by 3 points four years ago. In the Harris race last year, they significantly shrunk the presidential margin there. And New Jersey has a history of electing Republican governors, combined with the fact that they haven't ever elected a Democrat to a third term, right, at least in the last 50 years.

Indeed, Republicans are feeling bullish here due to Trumps inroads in the state last year  particularly in areas with large Black and Hispanic populations  and the increase in registered Republicans since Ciattarellis 2021 bid for governor, when he lost by an unexpectedly small margin. Should Sherrill win  which some Democrats acknowledge will be challenging  the party will be reading the tea leaves to see how she performed in these areas where Democrats lost ground last year.

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Martin, though, said that if the election were held today, certainly, I feel like both Mikie and Abigail would win handedly, but we've got three weeks left.

Martin is also pushing for Democrats in some blue states to mount their own redistricting efforts to counter Republicans aggressive push to redraw maps in red states across the country, led by Trump and Vice President JD Vance. But he acknowledged that his partys hands are tied in more ways than others.

Every Democrat that Ive talked to, including our governors, they all understand how imperative it is that we stand up to this, again, unconstitutional power grab by the Republicans, Martin said. He insisted that Democrats believe in good government and are committed to fair and free elections.

We believe in putting, you know, safeguards in place to prevent exactly what we're seeing around the country, and as a result, in many states, including in states like Illinois and other states that are controlled by Democrats, it's much harder for them to actually do what the Republicans are doing in those Republican-controlled states, Martin said. So I don't begrudge anyone for not being able to do it.

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In addition to the gubernatorial matchups in Virginia and New Jersey, the other major race that has garnered national attention is for attorney general in Virginia, where Democratic candidate Jay Jones has landed in hot water after his use of violent rhetoric in a text message was revealed. The incident has animated the gubernatorial race and become a cudgel wielded by the White House .

Martin granted that Jones made reckless and unacceptable comments and pointed out that he has apologized. But he didnt go out of his way to defend Jones.

Virginia voters are the ones that will have to make this decision, and each race is their own, Martin said. Virginians will make a final decision on who they want to be their next attorney general. Still, Martin said he believes Jones will win.

Madison Fernandez contributed to this report.

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FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56)  A Kentucky man is exonerated after being wrongfully accused of stabbing his neighbor in 2017.

According to the Exoneration Project, John Brandon Lamotte was convicted in 2019 for stabbing Kate Sanders and sentenced to 11 years in prison.

An Exoneration Project News Release noted that, when asked by first responders, Sanders said her ex-boyfriend attacked her.

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However, during the Frankfort Police Departments investigation, officers focused on Lamotte, who was her neighbor at the time.

After the trial, Sanders recanted her perjured trial testimony and admitted she had sent an innocent man to prison.

On Wednesday, Oct. 15, the Kentucky Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeals 2023 reversal of Lamottes conviction.

Today has been a long time coming for Brandon and his family and friends, who have fought tirelessly for the truth to be exposed. The false charges levied against him and the many years of wrongful incarceration have had a severe impact on them all. Our hope is that with the appellate courts rulings, Brandon and his family can begin rebuilding their lives, said Amy Robinson Staples of the Exoneration Project, one of Lamottes attorneys.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56)  A Winchester man has been indicted in connection with the overdose deaths of two people in central and eastern Kentucky.

The federal indictment contains two counts, accusing 44-year-old Brian Epperson of Winchester of knowingly and intentionally distributing a mixture or substance that contained methamphetamine, leading to the deaths of Kristen Morris and Reacheal Dawson.

Epperson was arrested in August on a Powell County indictment in connection with the death of Morris, 32. Octobers federal indictment also accuses him of causing the death of Reacheal Dawson, whose body was found in a Winchester motel room in June.

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RELATED l Man tied to Stanton Airbnb death faces additional charge: Indictment

Court documents allege Winchester man tied to deaths of 2 women at motel, Airbnb

The indictment came as a result of testimonies on Thursday by a Drug Enforcement Administration task force before a federal grand jury in Lexington.

Chief Travis Thompson of the Winchester Police Department (WPD) and multiple law enforcement groups had investigated the case in-depth for months.

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Winchester officials wrote that Epperson remains lodged in the Clark County Detention Center under federal custody under a $1 million bond, separate from his $1 million in-state circuit court bond.

Each count he was indicted for carries a minimum sentence of life in prison, per Thompson. Hes due in court for a pre-trial conference at 3 p.m. on Nov. 5 in Powell County Circuit Court.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.


Florida is settling into a new era now that a

court ruling has struck down the ban on open carry.

The Sunshine State is slowly, steadily moving through a "learning curve" concerning open carry following a ruling by a three-judge panel of the Florida Court of Appeals last month which struck down the state ban on open carry.

The Tallahassee Democrat has just published a report which explains where one can, and cannot, ,open carry, and in the opening paragraphs, the newspaperperhaps unintentionallyexposes how some people are reacting. The newspaper quotes a Tallahassee resident who declared, "I just don't want to get caught in the crossfire over the last jar of peanut butter," in reaction to the announcement by Publix Supermarkets that the chain will allow open carry in their stores. It's a response which typifies the squeamish attitude some people have about legally-armed citizens, especially if they openly carry.

Noting there are currently about 2.6 million active Florida concealed carry licenses, the newspaper acknowledged the court ruling "opens a new front in Florida's debate over guns."

But the story seemed to focus on the discomfort some Floridians are feeling about seeing fellow citizens openly carrying sidearms. 
Kenya has held a state funeral for revered opposition leader Raila Odinga, a day after security forces killed several people after opening fire to disperse crowds of mourners at a stadium hosting a public viewing of his body.

Two people were killed and almost 200 others were injured in a stampede at the football stadium in Kenyas capital Nairobi where the funeral was being held on Friday, medical NGO Doctors Without Borders said in a statement. Members of the public had lined up to view the former prime ministers body after a service.

Tens of thousands had earlier gathered amid a heavy security presence at the Nyayo National Stadium, waving white handkerchiefs and dancing at the venue, which was bedecked with large banners featuring Odingas portrait, while others blew whistles and vuvuzelas, a brightly coloured plastic horn.

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President William Ruto attended the ceremony, alongside heads of parliament and the judiciary. Somalias President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was among the African dignitaries present.

Odinga, 80, died from a suspected heart attack at a health clinic in southern India on Wednesday, triggering a huge outpouring of grief across much of his home country.

Affectionately known as Baba (father in Swahili), Odinga was arguably the most important political figure of his generation in Kenya.

Though mainly known as an opposition figure, Odinga became prime minister in 2008 and also struck a political pact with former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018, and with Ruto last year in a career of shifting alliances.

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Although he never succeeded in winning the presidency despite five attempts, he played a central role in returning the country to multi-party democracy in the 1990s and is credited as the main force behind a widely praised constitution passed in 2010.

The mourners who attended Fridays ceremony paid tribute to Odingas efforts as an activist.

Raila Odinga, the father of democracy in Kenya, was a selfless leader who would risk everything  even his life  to make Kenya work, Jean Jerry Abeka, 24, told the Reuters news agency.

Odinga had, however, become a controversial figure of late, said Al Jazeeras Catherine Soi, reporting from his funeral service.

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There have been a lot youth-led antigovernment protests over the past year, said Soi, and Odingas political party aligned with the government so a lot of people say that he was a betrayer.

However, right now theyre saying that even though there was anger, a lot of them are saying they want to remember him for the things that he did for this country, concluded Soi.

There were chaotic scenes on Thursday as his body was repatriated from India and taken to a stadium on the outskirts of Nairobi to lie in state.

As huge crowds surged towards a VIP gate at one point, security forces opened fire, killing at least three people, according to prominent rights group VOCAL Africa.

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It said on X that it had confirmed three bodies from Kasarani (stadium) have been received this evening at City Mortuary.

Police also said three people were killed, but Kenyan channels KTN News and Citizen TV put the number of deaths at four, with dozens injured.

Odingas body will next travel to western Kenya, his familys home region, where more huge crowds are expected on Saturday, before a private burial service on Sunday.

His death leaves a leadership vacuum in the opposition, with no obvious successor as Kenya heads into a potentially volatile election in 2027.




WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy were scheduled to meet in Washington at the White House on Friday to discuss Ukraine's air defense and long-range strike capabilities amid Russia's continued war in Ukraine and escalating attacks on both sides.

The timeline below details key moments between the two world leaders:

MARCH 2019

Trump allies and others begin circulating a discredited theory beneficial to Russia that Ukraine colluded with Democrats to meddle in the 2016 election to harm Trump.

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APRIL 2019

Zelenskiy, a comedian with no political experience and few detailed policies, wins Ukraine's presidential election by a landslide and upends the status quo, later securing an unprecedented mandate when his party secures the majority in a snap parliamentary election. He takes office on May 20.

JULY 25, 2019

Trump, in a now-infamous phone call with Zelenskiy, asks the Ukrainian leader to "do us a favor" and investigate former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden, Biden's son Hunter, and the discredited theory that Ukraine colluded with Democrats in the 2016 election. The call later triggers the first impeachment case against the Republican U.S. president. Hunter Biden had joined the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma while his father was U.S. vice president, a post he left in early 2016 when Trump first took office.

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SEPTEMBER 24, 2019

U.S. House of Representatives launches an impeachment inquiry over Trump's call with Zelenskiy. As the probe continues, Zelenskiy says Trump did not seek to blackmail him during the call. Trump denies any wrongdoing, saying it was a "perfect" call and that there was no quid pro quo, calling it a Democratic hoax.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2019

Trump and Zelenskiy meet in person for the first time at a U.N. gathering in New York. The U.S. Justice Department also releases a summary of the Trump-Zelenskiy call just days after a whistleblower complaint about the July call is published in The Washington Post. The unclassified version of the complaint is released the next day. The timing of the July call  shortly after the United States froze nearly $400 million in aid to Ukraine  prompted concern that Trump used taxpayer money approved by Congress as leverage for his personal political gain.

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FEBRUARY 5, 2020

The U.S. Senate votes to acquit Trump in his impeachment trial, voting largely along party lines 52-48 against the two articles of impeachment backed by the Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives in December 2019.

NOVEMBER 7, 2020

Trump loses his reelection bid to Biden after results from enough U.S. states show the former Democratic vice president won the November 3 election, but claims without evidence that the contest was rigged. He leaves office on January 20, 2021, just days after his supporters' attack on the U.S. Capitol in a bid to prevent lawmakers from certifying his loss. He departs Washington without attending Biden's inauguration, as is customary for U.S. presidents.

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FEBRUARY 24, 2022

Russian forces invade Ukraine, a former Soviet state, in Moscow's biggest attack on a European state since World War Two.

NOVEMBER 5, 2024

Trump again wins the presidency, defeating Biden's vice president, Kamala Harris. Zelenskiy is among the first world leaders to congratulate Trump and his "decisive leadership."

JANUARY 20, 2025

Trump is sworn in for a second time as U.S. president, after campaigning in part to end Russia's war in Ukraine on "day one."

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

Trump and Zelenskiy clash at their first face-to-face meeting since Trump began his second White House term, resulting in a diplomatic disaster and prompting an outpouring of global reaction.

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MARCH 3, 2025

The White House says Trump has halted all U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

AUGUST 18, 2025

Zelenskiy joins European leaders for a meeting at the White House just days after Trump met with Putin for a summit in Alaska. Trump said the United States would help guarantee Ukraine's security in any deal to end Russia's war there, a promise that Zelenskiy hailed as "a major step forward." Both leaders say the talks could help lead to three-way talks with Putin.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2025

Zelenskiy travels to New York to address the United Nations and meet with Trump. Shortly afterward, Trump dramatically shifted his rhetoric about the conflict, saying he believed Ukraine could retake all of its land occupied by Russia and urging Kyiv to act quickly. Ukrainians shrug off the comments while analysts and others appear skeptical.

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OCTOBER 17, 2025

Trump hosts Zelenskiy for a third time at the White House as Kyiv seeks more long-range weapons, more than three years after Russia launched its invasion.

(Reporting by Susan HeaveyEditing by Rod Nickel)
VATICAN CITY (AP)  The Catholic Church and Church of England, divided for centuries over issues that now include the ordination of female priests, will take a historic step on the path to unity next week when Britains King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV pray together in the Sistine Chapel, officials said Friday.

The Oct. 23 ecumenical prayer service, drawing on the shared concern for care of Gods creation, marks the first time since the Reformation that the heads of the two Christian churches pray together.

Buckingham Palace and Vatican officials on Friday announced details of the two-day trip that Charles and Queen Camilla will undertake on Oct. 22-23, a visit that was scheduled for April but was postponed after Pope Francis' final illness, shortly before his death.

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Charles, who is titular head of the Church of England, strongly wanted to visit the Vatican during the 2025 Holy Year, a once-every-quarter century celebration of Christianity. In doing so, he is following in the footsteps of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who visited during the 2000 Jubilee, said Monsignor Flavio Pace, secretary of the Vatican's office for promoting Christian unity.

During the visit, Charles will be given a formal new title and recognition at a pontifical basilica that has strong, traditional ties to the Church of England, St. Pauls Outside the Walls. The title Royal Confrater, is a sign of spiritual fellowship and will be given to Charles along with a special chair decorated with his coat of arms that will remain in the basilica for Charles and his heirs to use, officials said.

Anglicans split from the Catholic Church in 1534 when English King Henry VIII was refused a marriage annulment. While popes for decades have forged warm relations with the Church of England and the broader Anglican Communion on a path toward greater unity, the two churches remain divided over issues such as the ordination of female priests, which the Catholic Church prohibits.

Significantly, the Archbishop of Canterbury-designate, Sarah Mullally, will not join the king and queen since she hasnt been formally installed as the Church of Englands spiritual leader. She is the first woman to hold the position, which is considered the first among equals in the broader Anglican Communion, which has more than 85 million members spread across 165 countries.

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In her place, the archbishop of York will preside with Leo in the Sistine Chapel service, which will feature hymns sung by members of the royal choirs alongside the Sistine Chapel choir, Pace said.

Pace dodged a question about whether the Sistine Chapel service would have gone ahead as planned had Mullally been installed in time and joined the king and queen on the visit. He noted past joint statements of the Catholic and Anglican churches acknowledging their differences over women's ordination but insisting that such obstacles shouldn't prevent theological dialogue from continuing.

Charles and Camilla's trip was originally scheduled for April as part of a joint Vatican-Italy state visit. After Francis got sick, the king and queen went ahead with the planned four-day leg in Italy, and briefly greeted Francis at the Vatican just a few weeks before he died.



Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Buckingham Palace has released details of King Charles and Queen Camillas State Visit to the Vatican next week. And the trip has been described as historic, as the Palace has shared that the King and Pope will pray together at the Sistine Chapel. The King will also be the first monarch to attend a service at St Pauls Outside the Walls, a church with an historic connection to the English crown.

The visit will mark Their Majesties first meeting with Pope Leo XIV since his election in May 2025, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told media. The visit will also mark a significant moment in relations between the Catholic Church and Church of England, of which His Majesty is Supreme Governor, recognising the ecumenical work they have undertaken and reflecting the Jubilee years theme of walking together as Pilgrims of Hope. The spokesperson added, This will be the first State Visit, since the Reformation, where the Pope and the monarch will pray together in an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel, and the first time the monarch will have attended a service in St Pauls Outside the Walls.

Pool/Tim Graham Picture Library - Getty Images

The decision to have the King and Pope pray alongside each other comes almost exactly 25 years after such a move was rejected for Queen Elizabeth II and Pope John Paul II during her visit to the Vatican in 2000. Then, The Guardian newspaper reported that the plan had been dropped after concerns that it would upset factions in the Church of England.

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The move, which would have seen the Supreme Governor of the Church in England praying with the head of Roman Catholicism, would have been interpreted as a hugely significant act of reconciliation following nearly 500 years of largely rancorous division since Henry VIII led the church in England away from Rome, The Guardian reported at the time.

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While this trip will be recorded as the historic moment taking place, it has already been claimed that King Charles prayed privately with Pope Francis earlier this year. The King and Queen made a personal visit to the Vatican in April where they met Pope Francis not long before his death. In August, the Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that a royal book claimed they had prayed together. Arguably the most historic moment of the visit, if not the entire reign of Charles III, was not captured by the media. For the first time, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Bishop of Rome prayed together, the newspaper quoted author Robert Hardman as having written in an updated version of his book about the King.

King Charles will also be honored on next weeks visit by being made Royal Confrater of St Pauls Outside the Walls. He will be given a special seat in the Basilica which the Palace said will remain in the Basilica as a perpetual mark of mutual respect between Pope Leo and His Majesty as Heads of State.

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A UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said about the importance of the visit, At a time of global instability and conflict, the UKs relationship with the Holy See is more important than ever  and this historic State Visit will be a key moment to strengthen this relationship.

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The King continues to receive treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. He has been carrying out a busy program of engagements in the UK, and this time last year he spent nine days in Australia and Samoa. However, the trip to the Vatican will be short and there are as yet no further details about future visits.

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NEED TO KNOW

King Charles and Queen Camilla are heading to Vatican City to meet with Pope Leo for two days on Oct. 22 and 23

The royal couple was scheduled to visit in April, but they postponed the trip due to the poor health of the late Pope Francis

The King and Queen will attend historic services in the Sistine Chapel and at a basilica where Charles is set to be presented with a unique gift

New details have been shared about King Charles and Queen Camilla's visit to the Vatican, including a unique gift for the monarch.

He already has a throne or two, but when King Charles visits the pope in the Vatican next week, he will receive a new commemorative seat. The chair, which is seen as a mark of respect from Pope Leo and the Vatican, is being gifted to the King, 76. Charles will use it when he is at a service with Queen Camilla at an ancient basilica in the Vatican.

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Complete with King Charles coat of arms, it will then be permanently left in the Basilica of St. Pauls Outside the Walls after he and Camilla, 78, have left.

King Charles, as head of the Church of England, is visiting the new head of the worldwide Catholic Church on Oct. 22.

King Charles and Queen Camilla were scheduled to visit the Vatican in April as part of their week-long trip to Italy. However, it was postponed due to Pope Francis' ill health at the time. Instead, the royal couple met privately with the Catholic leader on April 9. Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88, and Charles son and heir, Prince William, attended the pope's funeral.

Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty King Charles and Queen Camilla meet Pope Francis on April 9, 2025 King Charles and Queen Camilla meet Pope Francis on April 9, 2025

The two-day visit to the Vatican begins when Charles and Camilla visit with Pope Leo XIV in the Apostolic Palace, joining him to celebrate the 2025 Jubilee Year, which is traditionally marked every 25 years. The visit, the palace says, is a "significant moment in relations between the Catholic Church and Church of England, of which His Majesty is Supreme Governor, recognizing the ecumenical work they have undertaken and reflecting the Jubilee years theme of walking together as Pilgrims of Hope.' "

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The King and Chicago-raised Pope Leo, 70, will also pray together in an ecumenical service at the Sistine Chapel  the first time a monarch and a pope have done so in centuries, Buckingham Palace says.

The service will also feature the Children of the Choir of His Majestys Chapel Royal and the Choir of St. Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle, accompanied by the Sistine Chapel Choir.

Alessandro Bremec/NurPhoto via Getty King Charles and Queen Camilla visit Italy on April 10, 2025 King Charles and Queen Camilla visit Italy on April 10, 2025

After the service, Queen Camilla will stay in the chapel to meet the choirs, while King Charles and the pope join a meeting on sustainability in the Sala Regia.



Finally, the couple will say their goodbyes to Pope Leo at the Apostolic Palace.

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After the visit to the Holy See, King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St. Pauls Outside the Walls, where Charles has been made "Royal Confrater" of the Abbey, a recognition from the Pope of spiritual fellowship. Celebrating that bond is the gift of the special chair for King Charles. It will remain in the apse of the Basilica for future use by the King and his heirs and successors.



CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty King Charles and Queen Camilla in Italy on April 10, 2025 King Charles and Queen Camilla in Italy on April 10, 2025

After the service, the King is expected to attend a reception at the Pontifical Beda College, a seminary which trains priests from across the Commonwealth, while Camilla will meet six Catholic Sisters from the International Union of Superiors General. The Sisters are working around the world at the grassroots level to support female empowerment through girls education programs and improved access to healthcare. They also tackle sexual violence and human trafficking, two subjects the Queen has worked hard on during her public life.

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The bond between the American pope and King Charles was underlined when Leo sent a heartfelt message to the British royal family when Katharine, Duchess of Kent, died on Sept. 4 at age 92.

Read the original article on People
Oct. 17 (UPI) -- King Charles III plans to visit Pope Leo XIV next week in the Vatican as the first reigning English monarch since 1534 to pray in a service with the pontiff.

Charles, along with his wife, Queen Camilla, will visit the Vatican on Wednesday and Thursday. They will appear with the pope during a service on Thursday at the Sistine Chapel, where a special seat has been created for Charles.

The chapel was dedicated on Aug. 15, 1483. Michelangelo painted the ceiling from 1508 to 1512.

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Henry VIII split from the Vatican 22 years later.

Buckingham Palace on Sept. 26 announced the state visit to the Holy See for late October in the church's 25th Jubilee Year to "celebrate the ecumenical work by the Church of England and the Catholic Church, reflecting the Jubilee year's theme of walking together as 'Pilgrims of Hope.'"

Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives for the weekly General Audience in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City on May 21. File Photo by Angelo Carconi/EPA

The royal couple had a private meeting with Pope Francis on April 9 in celebration of their 20th wedding anniversary. It took place at Casa Santa Marta hospital in Rome, 12 days before he died.

In 1961, Queen Elizabeth II was the first British monarch since the Reformation to visit the Holy See. Queen Elizabeth died on Sept. 8, 2022, and Charles became king.

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"It marks a historic moment in the journey of reconciliation between our Churches," Archbishop Flavio Pace said in a Vatican press briefing Friday. "It celebrates how far we've come -- and offers hope for the future."

This gathering will bring together members of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England, of which the king is the supreme governor.

"This will be the first state visit, since the Reformation, where the pope and the monarch will pray together in an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel, and the first time the monarch will have attended a service in St. Paul's Outside the Walls, a church with an historic connection to the English crown," a Buckingham spokesman told the Guardian.

They also will visit the adjacent Benedictine Abbey. This church, which contains the tomb of St. Paul, had been associated with the English monarchy dating to medieval and Anglo-Saxon rulers who helped with the upkeep.

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King Charles will also be honored with the title of Royal Confrater, "recognizing the long-standing ties between the British Crown and the Benedictine abbey attached to the basilica," Vatican News said.

During the service with the pope, there will be a hymn by Saint Ambrose of Milan sung in an English translation by Saint John Henry Newman, who was canonized in 2019. King Charles attended that event.

Music will be provided by the Sistine Chapel Choir, alongside choristers from the Chapel Royal at St. James' Palace and the Choir of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The king and queen will also meet Vatican officials.

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The Vatican said the "two central themes of the Royal visit are Christian unity and care for the planet."

The Roman Catholic Church has approximately 1.4 billion members with 20.4% in Europe, including 6.2 million baptized Roman Catholics in England and Wales, and 676,000 in Scotland.

The Church of England is the largest Christian denomination in Britain with 13.3 million followers. The church originated in the break from the Vatican and features Protestantism and Roman Catholicism.
VATICAN CITY/LONDON, Oct 17 (Reuters)  Britains King Charles and Queen Camilla will meet Pope Leo at the Vatican next week in a visit seen as a sign of closening ties between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, five centuries after their turbulent separation.

The British royals will arrive on Oct. 22 for the two-day state visit, which is only being made to the Vatican and not to surrounding Italy.

Charles, supreme governor of the Church of England, will pray together with Leo in the Vaticans Sistine Chapel in an ecumenical service on Oct. 23, Buckingham Palace and the Vatican said, in the first joint prayer including a British monarch and Catholic pope since 1534.

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The King will also make a visit later that day to Romes Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of Catholicisms four most venerated churches, where Leo has granted him a new title of Royal Confrater, or brother, at the connected abbey.

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This is certainly an historic event, said Archbishop Flavio Pace, a senior Vatican official responsible for ecumenical dialogue. It is the recognition of a joint journey among the two Churches, he said.

KING TO RECEIVE SPECIAL SEAT AT CATHOLIC BASILICA

The Catholic Church, 1.4 billion members, and the Anglican Communion, 85 million members, have been improving their ties since the 1960s, but the plans for the visit represent some of the strongest steps of recognition yet taken between the denominations.

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The teachings of the two traditions align on many major issues, but the Catholic Church does not ordain women and generally does not allow priests to marry.

The Church of England is one of 46 autonomous churches across some 165 countries that together form the Anglican Communion.

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The Archbishop of Canterbury, appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the prime minister, leads the English Church and is regarded as the spiritual head of the global Communion.

Charles, who visited the Vatican in April with Camilla earlier this year to see Pope Francis shortly before the pontiffs death, will also be gifted a special seat in the apse of the Rome basilica.

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The wooden chair, reserved in the future for use only by British monarchs, is decorated with the kings coat of arms and the ecumenical motto Ut unum sint (That they may be one).

NEW ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY NOT PART OF VISIT

The split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England was formalized in 1534, when King Henry VIII broke away from papal authority after Pope Clement VII refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

Henrys desire for a male heir  and a new wife who might provide one  was the immediate catalyst, but other factors were also at play, involving the English crowns seizure of church assets and the growth of Protestant ideas in England.

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Today the Kings role in the Church of England is largely ceremonial.

Sarah Mullally, named the first woman to become Archbishop of Canterbury earlier this month, is not expected to be part of the royal visit, as she has not yet been installed in her role.

The Sistine Chapel service on Oct. 23 will feature two royal choirs, Buckingham Palace and the Vatican said, and Charles and Leo will have a meeting afterwards to discuss issues of climate sustainability.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee and Muvija M; Editing by William Maclean)

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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This isnt the first time a British monarch will have met the Pope  the late Queen Elizabeth met several, starting as a teenager with the aged Pope Pius XII, and Charles and Camilla both met Pope Francis. But next weeks visit by the King and Queen to the Vatican to meet Pope Leo will be striking for one thing: the pontiff and the head of the Church of England, will share an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel on the theme of care for creation, a passion for both.

Mercifully, the royals will be accompanied by the choirs of St Georges Chapel and the Chapel Royal, so the small congregation wont be exposed to the solo efforts of Sistine Choir, or the Sistine Screamers, as they are unkindly known. If theres one thing the British do really well, its church music  think of the cathedral and university chapel choirs  and that whole glorious tradition will be showcased next week.

This joint service marks the extent to which ecumenical relations between the CofE and Rome have shifted, even in a couple of decades. Twenty-five years ago, when Queen Elizabeth was due to meet Pope John Paul II, there were suggestions that the pope and the Queen might pray together, but this was swiftly scotched on the British side, for fear that doing so might somehow compromise the Queens position as Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

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Things have moved on since, and the service  not a mass, which would highlight differences between the churches  will feel normal. Its not long since the King attended the funeral mass at Westminster Cathedral for the Duchess of Kent, and Camilla is familiar with the Catholic Church, since her first husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, is a Catholic and their marriage was celebrated by a Catholic priest.

The Palace has made much of the event, saying in a statement that this will be the first state visit, since the Reformation, where the Pope and the Monarch will pray together in an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel. That makes it sound as if, before 1535, popes and English kings were in the habit of regularly worshipping together. They werent, though a number of monarchs did go on pilgrimage to Rome, including Alfred the Great, who first went as a child.

As for ecumenical services, they werent a Pre-Reformation thing. But the service is still a welcome indication that, even though formal union between the churches seems further off than ever  not least because of women in Anglican ministry, including the next head of the CofE  relations between Anglicans and Catholics are warm and fraternal on the ground. That counts for a lot.

For Pope Leo, the King is not his only royal visitor lately; last week he received King Abdullah of Jordan and his wife at the Vatican, a visit which will have a bearing on his forthcoming visit to Lebanon, a challenging event. But although that visit was warm on both sides, there were no joint prayers.

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The King will also attend a service in St Pauls Outside the Walls, a church with an historic connection to the English Crown and one of the papal basilicas, even though it lies in Italian territory, not in the Vatican. And here the King will become, at the Popes suggestion, a Confrater of the Abbey  for the church is run by Benedictine monks. That title  brother with the abbey  says much about the way the head of the CofE is now seen in Rome, no longer as an antagonist but as a brother and friend.

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Coughs and colds are rife this time of year, but how can you tell when they might be a sign of something more serious, like pneumonia?

Recognising the difference between an ordinary cough and a potentially dangerous lung infection can play a crucial role in ensuring timely treatment and a smooth recovery.

To help clarify the signs, we spoke to Dr Claire Agathou, co-founder of the A-Z General Practice at The Wellington Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK, who explained exactly what pneumonia is, what its key symptoms are, and when to seek medical advice.

What is pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs which causes inflammation in the tiny air sacs in the lungs, which are called alveoli, which then fill with fluid or pus, explains Agathou. This makes it much harder for oxygen to pass into the bloodstream which leads to coughing, breathlessness and fever.

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It can affect just one lung or sometimes both and ranges from mild to life threatening.

According to British charity Asthma + Lung UK, there were 518,525 hospital admissions for pneumonia alone in England last year and almost a fifth of these patients were readmitted again after 30 days.

What causes it?

Pneumonia is most often caused by bacteria called streptococcus pneumoniae, but viruses and less commonly fungi can also trigger it. We often call this an atypical pneumonia, says Agathou. Pneumonia can develop after a viral illness like a flu when the immune system is really run down or when bacteria is inhaled into the lungs.

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How can I tell if my cough is likely to be from pneumonia vs from a viral infection or allergies? Are there any key differences to look out for?

Typically a more viral or an allergic cough tends to be on the drier side. Sometimes, if its viral, its also linked to a sore throat or feeling a bit congested and usually improves itself after a week or two, says Agathou.

However, she highlights that pneumonia coughs are typically productive, i.e, bring up mucus or phlegm.

If youre bringing up green, yellow or rusty-coloured phlegm and start to feel very feverish, are experiencing any breathlessness, those would be the sort of things that would start to make you think it might be pneumonia, says Agathou. You will generally feel more unwell and weak with a pneumonia than you would with a simple cold or hay fever-like symptoms, if it was allergy related.

Any there any other key symptoms to look out for?

Another big thing to look out for is chest pain, or pain when breathing in, highlights Agathou. Another common symptom that we see, particularly in older adults, is confusion. In addition, when youve got a pneumonia you may pass much less urine and tend to be dehydrated, so these are some other things to look out for.

Who is more at risk?

It is possible for anyone to develop pneumonia and many healthy adults recover well with antibiotics, says Agathou. However, the rates are much higher in vulnerable communities  so in the elderly or people with reduced immune function or respiratory conditions.

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Its really important that babies, the elderly or those with chronic conditions, weaker immune systems or respiratory conditions displaying symptoms are seen to very promptly.

When should you go to a GP about your symptoms?

If youve got a cough thats just lingering and persisting after five to seven days, you should be seen by a doctor, advises Agathou. But, irrespective of time frame, if you have a really severe cough, feel really unwell and start to feel that your breathing is off the norm, then I would get checked out very quickly by a GP.

If there is a pneumonia there, we want to treat it as soon as possible when its mild, to prevent you from getting much worse.

How is pneumonia diagnosed?

When you go to a GP, we check your oxygen levels, your breathing rate, your temperature, your pulse and all of these things that can indicate to us how severe the infection is, explains Agathou. We also listen to your chest to see if we can hear anything unusual and if we are very concerned we can organise an X-ray.

How is pneumonia treated and managed?

If its a typical pneumonia, antibiotics and fluids are the primary sources management, says Agathou. Oral antibiotics are usually prescribed, provided that the person is able, is not vomiting, and is in a suitable condition to be managed at home. However, the most severe cases need hospital care, oxygen support and fluid.

Why are people more susceptible to pneumonia in the colder months?

In the colder months, our immune systems are working harder because of the stress from a cold response, and also because infections tend to spread more, says Agathou. We also know that flu is more common in the winter months, and when people have flu or viruses it means their immune systems can be weaker and thats why youre more susceptible to getting pneumonia.

Are there any ways to prevent yourself from getting pneumonia?

It is all about making sure that your immune system is kept as strong as possible, says Agathou. For example, doing things that can help us fight infection better, like making sure youre dressed warmly and taking multivitamins.

In addition, if you are eligible for the flu and/or Covid vaccine you should consider having these.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  Voters will soon head to the polls to cast their ballots in dozens of municipal elections across the Lowcountry, deciding who will lead their cities and towns as mayor, on council, and in other offices.

While most of these elections are considered small in scale, they carry a lot of weight in determining what happens around you and how it will affect daily life  from what projects your tax money will fund to what ordinances are put into place, and how critical infrastructure is maintained.

Party nominees will also be chosen for the special election in South Carolina House District 98 to succeed Rep. Chris Murphy (R), who announced his retirement in August. The seat covers parts of Dorchester County.

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Damian Daly, Stephen Kohn, and Sonja Ogletree Santani are seeking the Democratic nomination, while Greg Ford, Brian Hill, and David Johnston are seeking the GOP nomination.

Election Day is November 4, but voters dont have to wait until then to cast their votes.

Governor Henry McMaster signed a law in May 2022 that replaces in-person absentee voting with an early in-person voting period for the two weeks leading up to election days.

Any registered voter, including those who will be 18 years old by Election Day, can cast a ballot during the early voting period without an excuse.

With early voting right around the corner, now is the time to check your registration, know your voting location, and review the sample ballot for your precinct, said Jenny Wooten, interim director of the State Election Commission. Make a plan today to make your voice heard  and your vote count.

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Heres what voters need to know:

When is the early voting period?

Early voting for municipal elections begins Monday, October 20, and ends Friday, October 31.

Where can I vote early?

Each county in South Carolina is required to have at least one polling location open for early voting. Some larger counties may have multiple early voting locations, while smaller counties may have just one.

Early voting centers are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the early voting period. Locations are closed on the weekends.

Here are the early voting locations in the Lowcountry, by county:

Berkeley County

County Voter Registration and Elections Office  1003 US Highway 52 (Moncks Corner)

Daniel Island Library  2301 Daniel Island Drive (Daniel Island)

Charleston County

Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections Headquarters  4340 Corporate Road (North Charleston)

Main Library  68 Calhoun Street (Downtown Charleston)

Essex Village Church of Christ  736 Savage Road (West Ashley)

Baxter-Patrick Library  1858 S Grimball Road (James Island)

Seacoast Church  750 Long Point Road (Mount Pleasant)

Colleton County

Colleton County Voter Registration and Elections Office 72 Bells Highway (Walterboro)

Dorchester County

Rollins Edwards Community Center  301 N Hickory Street (Summerville)

St. George Middle School  600 Minus Street (St. George)

Wescott Park  9006 Dorchester Road (North Charleston)

Georgetown County

Georgetown County Voter Registration and Elections Office  303 N. Hazard Street (Georgetown)

Andrews Recreation Center  220 S. Cedar Avenue (Andrews)

Choppee Recreational Center  8259 Choppee Road (Georgetown)

Waccamaw Recreational Center  83 Duncan Avenue (Pawleys Island)

Williamsburg County

Alex Chatman Auditorium  147 W. Main Street (Kingstree)

JJ Mitcheom Community Center  2233 Hemingway Highway (Hemingway)

Where can I find my sample ballot?

You can view a sample ballot based on your voting precinct by visiting the State Election Commissions website. Click here.

Do I need a photo ID to vote?

A valid photo ID is required to vote in South Carolina elections, including during the early voting period. Acceptable forms of identification include:

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SC Drivers License

SC Department of Motor Vehicles ID card

SC Voters Registration Card with Photo

Federal Military ID

US Passport

Can I still register to vote?

Unfortunately, no.

State law requires an individual to register to vote at least 30 days before an election.

Voters can check their registration status by visiting scvotes.gov.

How can I request an absentee ballot?

Eligible voters can request an absentee ballot from their county election office starting Jan. 1 of the election year.

The deadline to return your application is 5:00 p.m. on the 11th day prior to the election, which falls on October 24.

All absentee ballots must be returned by no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day.

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You can find more information on eligibility requirements and how to return your absentee ballot here.

*Editors Note: A previous version of this article included the incorrect date to return an absentee ballot application.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
Former national security adviser John Bolton turned himself in to federal authorities Friday morning in Maryland and pleaded not guilty after being indicted on charges of keeping top secret documents at his home and sharing classified information with family members.

Bolton was ordered released from custody after making his court appearance.

His criminal case is the third brought by the Justice Department in recent weeks against someone deemed adversarial to President Donald Trump. It also amplifies concerns that Trump is using the nation's top law enforcement agency to punish political foes.

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Bolton didn't comment to reporters as he entered the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, about 13 miles (21 kilometers) northeast of Washington.

But he said Thursday in a statement after a grand jury returned the 18-count indictment against him that he has become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts.

Here is what to know about Bolton and the charges he faces:

Who is John Bolton?

The 76-year-old Bolton is a longtime Republican who spent more than a year as a national security adviser during Trump's first term.

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His 17-month tenure was rife with clashes over countries including North Korea and Iran, with him voicing skepticism over Trumps outreach toward and summit with Kim Jong Un. On Iran, Bolton backed Trumps decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal but favored regime change and was frustrated when Trump called off a planned military strike in 2019.

The Republican president fired Bolton in 2019 and the two continued to clash in public comments long after Bolton left office.

Bolton's book, The Room Where It Happened, was released in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and was highly critical of Trump and his first term in the White House.

The Trump administration sued to block the book's release, claiming it disclosed classified information, but the Justice Department under President Joe Biden abandoned the lawsuit in 2021.

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Bolton's Maryland home was searched in late August by federal agents.

Charges levied against Bolton

The indictment, which was brought against Bolton on Thursday, also accuses him of sharing with his wife and daughter more than 1,000 pages of notes that included sensitive national defense information he had gleaned from meetings with other U.S. government officials and foreign leaders or from intelligence briefings. Authorities say some of the information was exposed when operatives believed to be linked to the Iranian government hacked Boltons email account he used to send the diary-like notes about his activities to his relatives.

Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement Thursday.

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The indictment cited an April news media interview in which Bolton chastised Trump administration officials for using Signal to discuss sensitive military details.

Authorities say Bolton took meticulous notes about his meetings and briefings as national security adviser and then used a personal email account and messaging platform to share information classified as high as top secret with his family members.

The indictment also says that a Bolton representative told the FBI in July 2021 that his email account had been hacked by operatives believed to be linked to the Iranian government but did not reveal he had shared classified information through the account or that the hackers now had possession of government secrets.

Other enemies of Trump targeted

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New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, was indicted earlier this month in a mortgage fraud case. She was charged with bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution in connection with a home purchase in Norfolk, Virginia, in 2020.

James has sued Trump and his administration dozens of times. She won a staggering judgment last year against Trump and his companies in a lawsuit alleging he defrauded banks by overstating the value of his real estate holdings on financial statements.

An appeals court overturned the fine, which had ballooned to more than $500 million with interest, but upheld a lower courts finding that Trump had committed fraud.

Former FBI Director James Comey was charged in September with lying to Congress. The charges against Comey followed Trump appearing to publicly urge Bondi to prosecute Comey and other perceived political enemies.

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Comey had been involved in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, an investigation that Trump has claimed to be hoax and a witch hunt despite multiple government reviews showing Moscow interfered on behalf of the Republicans campaign.

Comey was fired during Trumps first term.
Activists and advocacy groups staged a second round of "No Kings" protests across the country on Saturday in response to what they call abuse of power by President Donald Trump and his administration, including his immigration crackdown and the sending of troops into American cities.

Photos and videos of events from Boston to Los Angeles showed huge crowds of demonstrators carrying signs protesting the administration's policies such as mass deportations.

Republicans contended the protests were "hate America" rallies and claimed they're prolonging the federal government shutdown.

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There were no immediate reports of violent incidents or arrests, according to local police departments.

Leah Millis/Reuters - PHOTO: Demonstrators hold flags and placards during a "No Kings" protest against President Donald Trump's policies, in Washington, D.C., Oct. 18, 2025.

Later, in a statement organizers said nearly 7 million people took part in demonstrations held in over 2,700 cities and towns throughout the U.S.

"The millions of people protesting are centered around a fierce love for our country. A country that we believe is worth fighting for, MoveOn Executive Director Katie Bethell said in a statement.

There was no independent tally of participants, but the Crowd Counting Consortium, a project of Harvard University and the University of Connecticut that documents the size of political demonstrations based on publicly available data, said it would provide an estimate in a few weeks.

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Jeremy Pressman, political science professor at the University of Connecticut and co-director of the consortium, told ABC News the turnout reported by organizers would make it the largest reported turnout for a one-day protest in the U.S., second only to the first Earth Day in 1970.

In Washington, D.C., roughly 200,000 people showed up for the Washington, D.C. protest, according to organizers.

Scientist and TV personality Bill Nye was among the speakers who took the podium at Washington, D.C., recalling the protests against the Vietnam War.

"We are protesting in the same fashion today. Only today, the stakes are higher. Rather than abandoning a war against an elusive, perhaps sometimes imaginary foe, we are confronting the possible end of our republic," Nye said.

Timothy A.c Clary/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: People participate in a "No Kings" national day of protest in New York, on Oct. 18, 2025.

"We are here to tell our lawmakers that what's going on in our government is wrong. They must stop the abuses of this petulant president and his circle of sycophants. No thrones, no crowns, no kings," Nye said to a cheering crowd.

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Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., was also among the protesters in Washington, telling ABC News he was struck by one sign that said "silence is compliance."

"We cannot be silent with this increasing militarization of our cities, the abuse of the Justice Department and] the dismantling of science. People need to speak out, and it's wonderful millions around the country are speaking out today," Schiff said in an interview.

Amid Farahi/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: A man dressed as former President Abraham Lincoln holding an American flag participates in a "No Kings" national day of protest in Washington, D.C.,, on Oct. 18, 2025.

Timothy A.clary/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: People participate in a "No Kings" national day of protest in New York on Oct. 18, 2025.

"It's wonderful to see so many people out here today to express themselves, to protest, to speak out against the authoritarian lurch of this administration," Schiff added.

Over 100,000 people peacefully participated in the protests across New York City's five boroughs and no arrests were made, according to the New York Police Department.

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"The majority of the No Kings protests have dispersed at this time and all traffic closures have been lifted," the NYPD said in a post on X.

What are the "No Kings" protests?

The daylong "No Kings" protests follow up on the thousands held in mid-June . They are being run by a coalition of organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union, Indivisible, 50501 and others . Organizers say there are more than 2,600 events planned nationwide -- including major cities such as New York; Washington, D.C.; Chicago and Los Angeles -- and say millions are expected to attend.

Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: People participate in a "No Kings" national day of protest in Boston, Massachusetts, on Oct. 18, 2025.

Jim Vondruska/Reuters - PHOTO: Mayor of Chicago Brandon Johnson speaks during a "No Kings" protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's policies, in Chicago, Oct. 18, 2025.

They have been "organized by regular people, by volunteers," Deirdre Schifeling, chief political and advocacy officer of the ACLU, told ABC News.

Thune says he offered Democrats a vote on Obamacare subsidies to end government shutdown

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While organizers have not released details on fundraising ahead of the protests, and the coalition has remained relatively decentralized, a few groups have indicated either heavy spending to promote the rallies or planned star power to increase buzz around them.

For instance, Home of the Brave, a political group, said Monday it was spending $1 million to advertise the No Kings protests, including in local and national newspapers.

ABC News - PHOTO: ABC News' Christiane Cordero interviews Sen. Adam Schiff at the No Kings rally in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 18, 2025.

Alyssa Pointer/Reuters - PHOTO: People gather on the day of a "No Kings" protest against President Donald Trump's policies, in Atlanta, Oct. 18, 2025.

Celebrities, including Jane Fonda, Kerry Washington, John Legend, Alan Cumming and John Leguizamo, are slated to attend, according to a fundraising email on Thursday from the political action committee Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

"We'll be in the streets for immigrant families under attack and for voters who are being silenced. For communities being terrorized by militarized policing. For families who are about to lose their health insurance. And for every single person whose rights are threatened by this administration's cruelty," the group wrote in the email.

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In advance of Saturdays rallies, law enforcement is actively monitoring social media and the internet, as well as working with local organizers and potential counter-protesters, to get a sense of what might be expected. That vigilance comes as there continues to be heightened concerns about large-scale public gatherings, especially political events.

What to know about 'No Kings Day' protests across US to counter Trump's military parade

What are Republicans saying about the protests?

Republicans have been slamming the protests, claiming that the protests are a reason the Democratic Party does not want to end the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Grant Baldwin/Getty Images - PHOTO: Protesters gather at a main traffic intersection in support of the nationwide No Kings rallies on Oct. 18, 2025, in Waxhaw, North Carolina.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune asserted on Wednesday that Democrats are waiting to solve the funding issues until after Saturday's "No Kings" rallies.

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"The truth is -- what Democrats really want is something Republicans can't give them. And that is the approval of their far-left base," Thune said.

Republican leaders have also framed the "No Kings" protests as a series of "Hate America" rallies, framing the upcoming events as meant to criticize America and what it stands for.

"And I encourage you to watch -- we call it the Hate America Rally that will happen Saturday," House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Wednesday. "Let's see who shows up for that. I bet you see pro-Hamas supporters. I bet you see Antifa types. I bet you see the Marxists in full display, the people who don't want to stand and defend the foundational truths of this republic."

Johnson did not provide any proof to support his claims that pro-Hamas supporters and Antifa types will show up. Organizers have said they cannot control who shows up to protests from outside groups and have emphasized wanting to keep protests respectful and nonviolent.

Jaimi Joy/Reuters - PHOTO: Demonstrators gather during a 'No Kings' protest, part of a global campaign against U.S. President Donald Trump's policies, outside the U.S. Embassy in London, Oct. 18, 2025.

Thibault Camus/AP - PHOTO: A woman holds a placard during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump, in Paris, Oct. 18, 2025.

In an interview taped with Fox News Maria Bartiromo on Thursday, Trump was asked about the rallies and he shot down that he was a "king."

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"They're referring to me as a king. Im not a king," Trump said.

Some state leaders have also said they are calling up more law enforcement in light of the protests, which supporters of the protests have said may be meant to "suppress" them.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, wrote on X on Thursday, that he "directed the Dept. of Public Safety and National Guard to surge forces into Austin" ahead of the rallies.

"Texas will NOT tolerate chaos. Anyone destroying property or committing acts of violence will be swiftly arrested, Abbott wrote.

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State Rep. Gene Wu, who chairs the state Houses Democratic caucus, wrote in response, "Sending armed soldiers to suppress peaceful protests is what kings and dictators do -- and Greg Abbott just proved hes one of them."

How are protest organizers responding to Republican claims?

Organizers have countered that Republicans in power are responsible for the ongoing shutdown, and have said that Johnson and some other Republicans not saying the name of the protest is telling.

I think it's really telling that he spent an entire week calling this a 'hate American Rally,' on the attack against this coalition and Americans across the country, and he won't even say the name of the protest," Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of Indivisible, one of the major groups in the "No Kings" coalition, told reporters on a press call on Thursday.

Polls show Americans blame both parties equally as federal government shutdown drags on

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"That's because if you say the name of the protest, 'No Kings,' the entire argument falls apart  there is nothing more American than saying that we don't have kings and exercising our right to peaceful protest," Greenberg said.

When asked if they thought the claims from Republicans would impact participant turnout on Saturday, organizers said they think it could have the opposite effect.

"I think, if anything, it will increase turnout," said Schifeling. "I think Americans can really see through these sad attempts to distract attention from the failure of these Republican Congress people and Republican Trump administration to actually address what most Americans want and need from their government."

Jaimi Joy/Reuters - PHOTO: Demonstrators wearing costumes walk during a 'No Kings' protest, part of a global campaign against U.S. President Donald Trump's policies, outside the U.S. Embassy in London, Oct. 18, 2025.

Christian Mang/Reuters - PHOTO: A demonstrator uses a megaphone during a "No Kings" rally against U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration, near the U.S. embassy in Berlin, Oct. 18, 2025.

Ezra Levin, the co-executive director of Indivisible, told ABC News that he welcomes the publicity, but simultaneously believes Republicans are trying to stop Americans from exercising their First Amendment right.

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"I think the Republicans and Trump see that the largest peaceful protest in modern American history is coming together on Saturday to push back against the authoritarian overreach by this regime and its supporters in Congress, and they're looking for ways to message against it ahead of time," he said.

ABC News' Josh Margolin contributed to this report.
More "No Kings" protests planned for Oct. 18 in as many as 2,500 communities across the country  including in North Dakota  will be part of what organizers say could be the largest single day of protest in modern U.S. history.

The first "No Kings" protests that took place across the country in June were billed as a "nationwide day of defiance" against President Donald Trump's agenda.

Since then, organizers say, Trump has "doubled down" by escalating immigration enforcement and sending troops into several Democratic-controlled cities, while also making changes to health care and driving up the cost of living.

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"The president thinks his rule is absolute," organizers wrote on their website. "But in America, we dont have kings and we wont back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty."

While protests are expected in many of the country's big cities, suburbs and small towns, there are anchor events planned outside the Capitol in Washington, DC, and in Boston, New York, Atlanta, Kansas City, San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans and Bozeman, Montana, USA TODAY reported.

Related: How will the government shutdown affect North Dakota? Here's what to know

Where are there Oct. 18 'No Kings' protests planned in North Dakota?

There are at least eight 'No Kings' protests planned for Oct. 18 in North Dakota.

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Bismarck, noon to 2 p.m., North Dakota State Capitol, N. 6th St. and E. Boulevard Ave.

Devils Lake, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Lake Region Heritage Center, 502 4th St. NE

Fargo, 1 to 3 p.m., Fargo City Hall, 225 4th St. N

Grand Forks, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Town Square, 1 S. 3rd St.

Jamestown, 10 to 10:30 a.m., Mill Hill, Louis Lamour Lane and I-94 Business Loop

Minot, 2 to 4 p.m., 831 S. Broadway

Valley City, noon to 12:30 p.m., Main Street and Central Avenue

Williston, noon to 2 p.m., Harmon Park, 1215 Main St.

What to know about your rights at a protest

The ACLU has advice for protesters on its website, including:

Your rights are strongest in "traditional public forums," such as streets, sidewalks and parks. Other public property  plazas in front of government buildings, for example  likely qualify too, as long you're not blocking access or interfering with its function.

Private property owners are allowed to set rules for speech on their property, and the government can't restrict your speech if it takes place on your property or with the permission of the property owner.

Counterprotesters also have free speech rights, and police must treat them both equally, though they are allowed to keep them separated.

When you're lawfully present in a public space, you're allowed to photograph anything in plain view, including federal buildings and police. However, on private property, the owner can set rules related to photos and videos.

You don't need a permit to march in the streets or on sidewalks as long as you're not obstructing traffic or other pedestrians. If you don't have a permit, police can ask you to move to the side of a street or sidewalk to let others pass.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: What to know about Oct. 18 'No Kings' protests in North Dakota
Trump has been weighing sending Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine.

The long-range missiles would offer Ukraine a critical capability boost.

However, it's unclear how Ukraine would launch them.

The US continues to signal that it might send Ukraine American-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, which would hand Kyiv a powerful American long-range strike weapon with significant reach.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he raised the possibility of the US sending Tomahawks to Ukraine in a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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"Would you mind if I gave a couple of thousand Tomahawks to your opposition?" Trump said he asked Putin, sharing that "he didn't like the idea."

"Tomahawk is a vicious weapon," the president said, describing the weapon as offensive and incredibly destructive. "Nobody wants Tomahawks shot at them," he said.

If Trump decides to give the green light, the US could supply Ukraine with the missiles directly or sell them to NATO for the alliance to then transfer to Kyiv.

Tomahawk missiles, built for striking high-value, fixed targets deep inside enemy territory from standoff, have become the latest high-profile weapon sought by Ukraine from Western partners. The weapon would promise a potential boost to its deep-strike capabilities at a time when Kyiv is stepping up its attacks on Russias energy infrastructure.

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But the US-made missiles are typically launched from warships, submarines, or special ground systems Ukraine does not have, raising questions about how it could actually use them in combat.

What is the Tomahawk?

Tomahawk missiles have long ranges and are precision-guided. US NAVY/AFP via Getty Images

The BGM-109 Tomahawk Land Attack Missile, manufactured by RTX Corporation, is a precision-guided, jet-powered, subsonic cruise missile that has been in service since the early 1980s. The estimated per-missile price tag is $1.3 million.

The Tomahawk's reach depends on the variant, but some can strike targets up to about 1,550 miles away, far beyond the reach of the Western missiles that Ukraine has already received. The country has developed long-range drones and missiles with ranges said to rival, and in some cases reportedly exceed, the reach of certain Tomahawk variants.

Even with the Ukrainian innovations, Tomahawks would still offer clear advantages in combat capability, proven reliability, and political signaling. Effect depends on numbers though.

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An important question with this weapon is whether the US can afford to pull a significant number of these weapons from its stockpiles. The US relies heavily on these missiles, and stocks might not be able to withstand substantial additional withdrawals.

US strikes with these weapons have often involved the use of multiple missiles against a single target. And reports indicate that the lead time on producing replacements can be as long as two years.

With an adequate supply, Ukraine could threaten a range of Russian targets.

Conflict analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, have determined that there are at least 1,900 Russian military targets within range of the 1,550-mile Tomahawk variant, and more than 1,600 targets within range of the 1,000-mile variant of the missile.

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Targets include air bases, weapons production sites, and other high-profile military assets that Ukraine has long attacked with its domestically produced missiles and drones.

Moscow would also be within reach, but Ukraine's long-range strikes into Russia have been focused solely on military targets.

Tomahawk missiles would give Ukraine a major deep-strike boost. Institute for the Study of War

"Ukraine likely can significantly degrade Russia's frontline battlefield performance by targeting a vulnerable subset of rear support areas that sustain and support Russia's frontline operations," ISW analysts wrote in a recent battlefield assessment.

Tomahawk missiles can be launched in all weather conditions and fly at speeds of around 550 miles per hour, roughly the same as a commercial aircraft. It is equipped with precision guidance and can carry a conventional warhead weighing 1,000 pounds. They fly low to the ground and fast, making them harder to detect and engage.

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Tomahawks are combat-proven systems with employment running back to the Gulf War. They've been used in various conflicts and military operations in the years since, primarily in the Middle East. Most recently, the US launched the missiles at Iran's nuclear sites, though they have also been employed in strikes against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen.

The US Navy is the primary operator of the Tomahawk, but it is also in service with the UK, Australia, and the Netherlands. Japan has purchased 400 of the missiles, and a Japanese destroyer is in the US receiving modifications for launch.

It's unclear how Ukraine would launch the Tomahawks if it received them. The missiles are fired from vertical launch system cells on warships, torpedo tubes on submarines, and ground launchers like the Army's new Typhon system. Kyiv lacks all of these, and any transfer would likely require the US to send additional equipment to support the strikes or modify some other launcher.

Like other cases where Ukraine has received or been expected to receive high-profile weapons from the West, Moscow has tried to dissuade the US from sending the Tomahawks. Putin previously said that doing so would lead to the "destruction" of relations with Washington, which have thawed during the Trump administration.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump could hold a new summit within two weeks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

The two leaders discussed the plan by phone on Thursday, with Budapest emerging as a potential venue. Trump also said after the call that the meeting would happen "probably over the next two weeks."

Their last meeting took place in Alaska in August.

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Trump, who repeatedly said he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine in as little as one day should he return to office, has been eager to broker a deal to stop the fighting.

Peskov said the meeting should take place as soon as possible but noted that several "issues" still needed to be resolved. He added that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio would speak by phone, the TASS news agency reported.

According to Peskov, Putin spoke on Friday with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who offered to host the summit  a proposal Putin accepted. Orban maintains close ties with both leaders.

Russia is expected to demand security guarantees for Putins attendance, as the Russian leader remains subject to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

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Hungary announced plans in April to withdraw from the ICC, and its parliament approved the decision in May. However, the withdrawal takes effect only one year after formal notification, meaning Hungary would still be legally obliged to arrest Putin if he entered the country.

Even after withdrawal, Hungary would remain bound to cooperate with ongoing ICC investigations launched before its exit, though the court's enforcement powers are limited.

The ICC accuses Putin of being responsible for the abduction and deportation of children and minors from Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine to Russia. It issued an arrest warrant for him in March 2023.

Moscow refers to the forced transfers of children as "evacuations."
By Andrew Osborn

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia and the United States should build a "Putin-Trump" rail tunnel under the Bering Strait to link the two countries, unlock joint exploration of natural resources and "symbolize unity", a Kremlin, a Kremlin envoy has suggested.

The proposal by Kirill Dmitriev, President's Vladimir Putin's investment envoy and head of Russia's RDIF sovereign wealth fund, envisages a construction project costing 8 billion dollars funded by Moscow and "international partners" to build a 70-mile (112-km) rail and cargo link in under eight years.

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Dmitriev, who has helped spearhead a Russian charm offensive designed to revive U.S.-Russia ties, floated the tunnel idea late on Thursday after Putin spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump by phone and agreed to meet in Budapest to try to find a way to stop the war in Ukraine.

PROPOSAL TO INVOLVE COMPANY OWNED BY MUSK

"The dream of a USRussia link via the Bering Strait reflects an enduring vision  from the 1904 SiberiaAlaska railway to Russias 2007 plan. RDIF has studied existing proposals, including the USCanadaRussiaChina railroad, and will support the most viable," Dmitriev wrote on X.

The Bering Strait, which is 51 miles (82 km) wide at its narrowest point, separates Russia's Chukotka region from Alaska. Ideas to link the two points have been around for at least 150 years, with various projects drawn up but never implemented.

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Dmitriev, who has forged ties with Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, and spoken of the possibility of U.S. energy majors taking minority stakes in Russian projects in the Arctic, suggested the tunnel could be built by The Boring Company, a U.S. tunnel construction company owned by Elon Musk.

"Imagine connecting the US and Russia, the Americas and the Afro-Eurasia with the Putin-Trump Tunnel - a 70-mile link symbolizing unity. Traditional costs are $65B+, but @boringcompany's tech could reduce it to <$8B. Let's build a future together," Dmitriev wrote to Musk on X.

There was no immediate public response to the idea from Musk or Trump.

Dmitriev said a similar idea - to build a "Kennedy-Khrushchev World Peace Bridge" - had been floated during the Cold War and published a sketch from that era of the route it might have taken, along with a graphic showing the route the new tunnel could take between Chukotka and Alaska.

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"RDIF has already invested in and built the first ever Russia-China railroad bridge. The time has come to do more and connect the Continents for the first time in human history. The time has come to connect Russia and the US," said Dmitriev.

(Editing by Timothy Heritage)
By Andrew Osborn

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia and the United States should build a "Putin-Trump" rail tunnel under the Bering Strait to link their countries, unlock joint exploration of natural resources and "symbolise unity", a Kremlin envoy has suggested.

The proposal by Kirill Dmitriev, President Vladimir Putin's investment envoy and head of Russia's RDIF sovereign wealth fund, envisages a construction project costing $8 billion, funded by Moscow and "international partners", to build a 70-mile (112-km) rail and cargo link in under eight years.

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Dmitriev, who has helped spearhead a Russian charm offensive designed to revive U.S.-Russia ties, floated the idea late on Thursday after Putin spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump by phone and agreed to meet in Budapest to seek a way to stop the war in Ukraine.

Asked about the idea on Friday by a reporter during a meeting in Washington with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Trump called the idea "interesting" and asked Zelenskiy what he made of it. "I'm not happy with this idea," the Ukrainian leader said, prompting laughter from the U.S. side.

MUSK'S 'THE BORING COMPANY' PROPOSED AS CONTRACTOR

"The dream of a USRussia link via the Bering Strait reflects an enduring vision  from the 1904 SiberiaAlaska railway to Russias 2007 plan. RDIF has studied existing proposals, including the USCanadaRussiaChina railroad, and will support the most viable," Dmitriev wrote on X.

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The Bering Strait, 51 miles (82 km) wide at its narrowest point, separates Russia's vast and sparsely populated Chukotka region from Alaska. Ideas to link them have been around for at least 150 years. The small Diomede islands, one Russian and one belonging to the U.S., sit in the middle of the strait, only 2.4 miles (4 km) apart.

Dmitriev, who has struck up a working relationship with Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, suggested U.S. energy majors could join Russian projects in the Arctic, and proposed that the tunnel be built by The Boring Company, a U.S. tunnel construction company owned by U.S. billionaire and sometime Trump ally Elon Musk.

"Imagine connecting the US and Russia, the Americas and the Afro-Eurasia with the Putin-Trump Tunnel - a 70-mile link symbolizing unity. Traditional costs are $65B+, but @boringcompany's tech could reduce it to <$8B. Let's build a future together," Dmitriev wrote to Musk on X.

There was no immediate public response from Musk.

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Beyond the tunnel itself, it would cost a huge sum to build and upgrade infrastructure on both sides of the strait. Chukotka's existing roads and railways are sparse, at best.

Dmitriev said a plan for a "Kennedy-Khrushchev World Peace Bridge" over the strait had been floated during the Cold War. He posted a sketch from that era of the route it might have taken, with a graphic showing the route the new tunnel could take.

"RDIF has already invested in and built the first ever Russia-China railroad bridge. The time has come to do more and connect the Continents for the first time in human history. The time has come to connect Russia and the US," Dmitriev said.

(Editing by Timothy Heritage and Kevin Liffey; Editing by Alistair Bell)
MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin said on Friday that a summit between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump could take place within two weeks, or a little later, but that there was a great deal to be worked out before a date could be set.

Trump and Putin agreed on Thursday to a hold a second summit on the war in Ukraine, provisionally in Budapest, following an August 15 meeting in Alaska that failed to produce a breakthrough.

The surprise announcement came on the eve of a meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and as Washington is considering supplying Kyiv with Tomahawk cruise missiles.

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio would need to call each other and set up a meeting to sort out many pre-summit issues.

"There are many questions, negotiating teams need to be determined, and so on and so forth. Therefore, everything will be done in stages, but, of course, the presidents' will is there," Peskov said.

"It (the summit) could indeed take place within two weeks or a little later. There's a general understanding that nothing should be put off."

Peskov said Russia remained open to a settlement to end the war in Ukraine peacefully.

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Russia blames Kyiv and its European allies for the impasse in peace talks. They in turn accuse it of posing unacceptable demands and have said they do not believe that Putin is serious about seeking peace.

The Kremlin said separately that Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had spoken by phone on Friday to discuss the upcoming summit and that Orban had said Hungary was ready to host the event.

(Reporting by Reuters reporters and Gleb StolyarovWriting by Maxim Rodionov and Mark TrevelyanEditing by Andrew Osborn)
When Donald Trump first announced his candidacy for president back in 2015, he didnt have what anyone could call a real campaign. Loosely advised by his old pal Roger Stone and others, there was no real structure or normal hierarchy since Trump saw himself as a managerial genius who didnt think he needed a formal campaign apparatus. A year earlier, at an event in New Hampshire, he met a fellow backstage who had been hovering around the fringes of politics for a while. Corey Lewandowski was a lobbyist and an ex-cop, and Trump eventually hired him as campaign manager. He was just the first of several to have the job, but hes one of the few from those early days who made it back inside the Trump orbit. But it was a long, circuitous road to get there.

According to the New York Times, Trump liked Lewandowski for his feisty instincts and off-color humor but he ended up reluctantly firing him after hed manhandled a reporter. Lewandowski knocked around on the periphery for a while, but in 2019 he went on a fishing junket hosted by conservative billionaire donor Foster Friess, where he met Kristi Noem, the recently elected GOP governor of South Dakota. The pair reportedly hit it off right away, and Lewandowski was soon serving as her unpaid adviser.

Rumors of an affair began almost immediately. This was slightly inconvenient, since both parties were married to other people and were working closely together in the governors office. When the gossip became public a year or so later, Noem dismissed it as total garbage. The governor was enmeshed in several other scandals, including allegations that she strong-armed a state official into giving her daughter an unearned certification as a real estate appraiser. Lewandowski, meanwhile, stood accused of sexually harassing a Republican donor at a Las Vegas charity event in 2021. This was just too much for the governor, who announced that he would no longer be working with her.

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But there was no keeping the political soulmates apart for long. Widely considered a top prospect to be Trumps running mate, Noem ruined her chances by proudly revealing in her 2024 memoir that she had taken her dog to a gravel pit and shot her for misbehaving. Republicans are more than fine with cruelty to humans, but apparently even they are leery of trying to elect a puppy killer.

After being axed from Noems office, Lewandowski wormed his way back into Trumps inner circle. He was hired to work on the 2024 presidential campaign, where he immediately began to interfere with the machine put together by co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita. And as it turned out, he and Noem were still in touch, planning how to rescue her future.

According to a blockbuster expose by Ben Terris at New York Magazine, Noem and Lewandowski cooked up a scheme to have Noem named as Trumps secretary of homeland security. Lewandowski rounded up supporters such as Tom Homan, the immigration czar who is reported to have taken bribes before the election  although theres no evidence that Lewandowski paid him for his endorsement. Trump apparently offered Noem her choice of the interior or agriculture departments, but she held out, telling him she wanted to run the department that was his top priority. He agreed.

But there was a caveat. Trump tasked Stephen Miller, whom he named as White House homeland security adviser and deputy chief of staff, with overseeing the administrations immigration policy. The mass round-up and deportation of millions of immigrants, undocumented or not, is his lifes dream. Miller is the one guiding the homeland security ship, while Noem is in charge of public relations and day-to-day departmental operations. She brought Lewandowski with her to run the massive department as if its their own fiefdom.

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While Noem is the agencys public face, Terris reported that Lewandowski is her enforcer, reprising his role as an unpaid adviser. While he was disappointed he wasnt named chief of staff, its worked out fine for him. He can maintain his outside businesses and run roughshod over the department while Noem, in Terris words, brings reality-show energy as she travels the world, dresses up in various costumes and makes propaganda videos.

The story revealed Noems stunningly poor management of DHS, a vastly important agency that has poured virtually all its resources into deporting immigrants while ignoring counterterrorism efforts, FEMA and cybersecurity. The dynamic duo has clogged up the bureaucracy, requiring that all contracts over $100,000 be personally approved by Lewandowski  a step that has created massive delays in paying the bills. (The departments electricity was reportedly nearly cut off.). People are being fired willy-nilly, even MAGA die-hards, if they get on the wrong side of Lewandowski. He routinely demands that top employees take polygraphs if he suspects they are leaking to the press. The disarray is so bad that Trump was persuaded to tell them to get their acts together.

Want more sharp takes on politics? Sign up for our free newsletter, Standing Room Only, written by Amanda Marcotte, now also a weekly show on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

With her famous shiny pout and long dark tresses, Noem is the public face of Donald Trumps emergent police state. And she is everywhere. At nearly every immigration hotspot, the secretary stages photo shoots demonstrating her hands-on leadership of the administrations crackdown, all while sporting attire that she (mistakenly) believes fits the moment. In one surreal instance, Noem posed in front of prisoners in the notorious El Salvadoran gulag wearing a $50,000 Rolex.

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DHS has spent more than $50 million filming television commercials of Noem thanking Donald Trump for securing the border, and the agency recently distributed a public service announcement of the secretary informing passengers in Transportation Security Administration lines that Democrats have shut down the government and are to blame for any delays. (Many airports are refusing to air it.) The low-rent Leni Riefenstahl social media propaganda campaign, in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and street theater are meticulously documented, has the effect of inuring the public to the idea that troops are invading American cities and no one who opposes the regime is safe.

But Noem has a lot of money to play with. The One Big Beautiful Bill handed over a massive $170 billion war chest to the department, which is engaged in building detention camps all over the country  by private companies, who are making a killing, naturally  and is offering up to $50,000 signing bonuses to any dude willing to put on a mask and start cracking heads.

Terris writes:

Under Noem, it is DHS, not the Justice Department, that has emerged as Trumps most devastating and visible weapon against the rights perceived enemies. Shes going to play a key role in advancing Donald Trumps effort to consolidate the powers of the presidency, a former DHS official told me. I think by the end of this administration, if she stays the whole time, shes likely to become the warden of the police state.

But in the meantime, Noem and Lewandowski are working night and day together, preparing for the next step in her political career. Shes clearly swinging for the fences, and is almost certainly planning a run for president in 2028.

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When Noem was confronted about the reprehensible story of her shooting her dog, she responded that she told the story to illustrate her willingness to do anything difficult, messy and ugly. In that regard, Noem is certainly proving her capability, and she is evidently counting on the fact that her image as the cold, remorseless executor of the plan to rid America of foreigners will launch her into the White House. They dont call her ICE Barbie for nothing.

The post How Kristi Noem became the face of Donald Trumps police state appeared first on Salon.com.
(KTAB/KRBC)  KTABs General Manager and Vice President has been awarded with a prestigious honor at Abilene Christian University.

Albert Gutierrez was honored with the Abilene Unsung Hero award on Thursday evening at Una Noche De Honor  Celebrating Champions of Hispanic Leadership dinner at Abilene Christian University.

Gutierrez is a force in leadership in Abilene, having served on numerous nonprofit and civic boards in the Big Country, including the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, West Texas Rehabilitation Center and more.

Since arriving in Abilene in 2013 to become the General Manager/Vice President of KTAB, Gutierrez has constantly elevated the stations position in the community, concentrating on community engagement and servant journalism. According to the most recent ratings reports, KTAB is the dominant news leader in Abilene and Big Country, as the most watched news in every time period.

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Of notable achievement, in 2014, Gutierrez was able to launch the markets only Spanish-language newscast in the market.

Getting this award is such an incredible honor and a truly humbling experience for me. It really reflects my career-long commitment to advocating for our community, said Gutierrez. I want to continue being a visible role model and inspire younger generations to pursue their dreams and make a positive difference. Together, we can forge a brighter and more inclusive future for all.

Thursdays event was the inaugural one spearheaded by ACUs Intercultural Engagement and Belonging department, of which former Abilene Mayor Anthony Williams heads.

Additional honorees at the event included:

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Jose Moore  ACU Alumni Entrepreneur

Abraham Enriquez  ACU Leader of Tomorrow

Elena Rhodes and Jorge Daniel Garcia Santiago  ACU Servant Awards

Billy Enriquez  Abilene Legacy Award

Aida Pantoja  Abilene Leadership Award

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating possible local transmission of Clade I mpox after confirming multiple cases in individuals with no recent international travel history.

So far, three people in Los Angeles County have tested positive for Clade I mpox.

Clade I mpox is less common and typically causes more severe illness than Clade II, the strain behind the 2022 U.S. outbreak, when the disease was known as monkeypox. Clade I is primarily found in Central and Eastern Africa and is believed to spread more easily than Clade II.

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Both strains can cause flu-like symptoms and skin lesions or rashes that spread through close personal contact, including sexual activity, massage, or sharing personal items within a household.

County health officials are working with the California Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the cases through enhanced surveillance and contact tracing. The CDC is conducting genomic sequencing to analyze the virus in each case.

Health officials continue to recommend the two-dose vaccine against Mpox, which protects against both versions of the virus. Vaccination is particularly recommended for gay and bisexual men, transgender and nonbinary individuals, and people living with or at risk of contracting HIV.

The vaccine, officials said, is available at pharmacies and public clinics across the county, and is free for those enrolled in certain public health programs. A full list of providers is available at the countys Sexual Health Clinics page.

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So far in 2025, Public Health has reported 118 cases of clade II mpox.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
By Simon Lewis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Labor unions filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government on Thursday, alleging that the Trump administration violated the First Amendment rights of people who are legally in the United States by searching their social media for specific viewpoints, including criticism of Israel.

The complaint is the latest legal challenge to the broad immigration crackdown initiated since President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January, which has seen unprecedented deportations of migrants, including some who had valid visas.

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The Department of State on Tuesday said it had revoked the visas of at least six people over social media comments made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Three major trade unions -- United Auto Workers, Communications Workers of America and American Federation of Teachers -- sued the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the heads of these agencies at a federal court in New York.

The State Department, DHS, ICE, and USCIS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump officials have argued that foreigners do not have the same constitutional rights as U.S. citizens and that a visa is a privilege not a right.

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The complaint by the labor unions cites high-profile cases and the comments of officials themselves to argue that a government program uses artificial intelligence and other automated tools to monitor visa holders' posts and singles out individuals with negative views toward the U.S. government and the Trump administration in particular, U.S. culture and what the government deems "hateful ideology."

The federal government has broadly defined support for terrorism to include criticism of U.S. support for Israel, of Israel's actions and support of Palestinians and used this as a reason to cancel visas, they said. The complaint cited cases including green card holder Mahmoud Khalil, who was released in June following months in detention after the administration sought to deport him for taking part in pro-Palestinian protests.

The unions argue this has chilled the speech of thousands of their members by threatening immigration action if the government disapproves of their views.

Many union members have stopped expressing their views because "the government has promised and proven that saying the wrong thing can trigger life-altering immigration consequences, particularly for visa holders and Lawful Permanent Residents," the complaint says.

(Reporting by Simon Lewis; editing by Diane Craft)
A new government scheme to boost support for veterans launches today, as nearly 2 million can gain access to their digital veteran card.

Only accessible as a physical copy before now, the veteran card allows those who have served in the military access to certain services and discounts.

Moving the card to smartphones will make it easier and quicker to access its benefits, the MoD says. By downloading the optional card on their smartphones, former service personnel can show their veteran status without needing a physical card.

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It provides a range of benefits from housing and mental health support to reduced entry at museums and money discounts at certain retailers.

The digital card will display their name, photo, latest service, and date of birth, with the security features to protect their personal information.

The launch of the cards could serve as a case study for how such credentials work and alleviate public concerns over the governments plans to bring in mandatory IDs, a minister has said.

Veterans have previously been required to carry a physical copy of the card (Getty)

Ian Murray, minister for digital government, acknowledged that the rollout of digital cards for veterans could demonstrate to the public how the credentials work, potentially addressing criticisms that have been raised over civil liberties.

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The Labour MP for Edinburgh South said: [Its] probably a demonstration to the public by default, in that sense, on the basis that this is the first use case for having a digital credential on your smartphone, and that digital credential is the first sort of verifiable one that government have now launched.

How to download the veteran card

To get a digital veteran card, the applicant must first have a physical one. You can apply for a card on gov.uk.

Cardholders can then apply for a digital version on gov.uk as well. They will need to create a One Login app account to do this, requiring an email address.

They will need to submit a passport-style photo to be used on the app if their current picture is not clear enough. After this, the card will be accessible on the One Login app.

Keir Starmer announced controversial plans to launch a digital ID in September (PA)

The card is now the first digital document to be stored in the app, which the government has been developing for several years. It is also planning to launch digital driving licences.

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Technology secretary Liz Kendall said: Our veterans have given everything by serving for their country, and it is only right that we give them all the support they need.

As we deliver national renewal we are modernising our public services so they work around peoples lives and keep pace with the digital world we live in. The digital veterans card will help remove barriers, reduce red-tape and make it easier for people to access the public services they need.
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A Thanksgiving tradition is coming back once again: the CPI Security Charlotte Turkey Trot returns to south Charlotte on Thursday, November 27.

Whether youre in it to compete or just to burn some calories before the big feast, theres something for everyone:

CPI Security 8K: Kicks off at 8:10 a.m.

CPI Security 5K: Starts at 9:10 a.m.

Harris Teeter 1 Mile Fun Run: Begins at 8:00 a.m.

Harris Teeter Tot Trot: A short dash for the littlest runners, happening 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

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All races, except the Tot Trot, will now start on Carnegie Blvd, so be sure to check your route ahead of time. Registration info and prices:

5K & 8K: $50 + fee (goes up to $55 after October 31)

1 Mile Run: $30 + fee (goes up to $35 after October 31)

Tot Trot: Free to enter, just follow signs to the Finish Festival area at the Dicks Sporting Goods parking lot

With thousands of runners and families expected, this festive race is one of Charlottes favorite ways to start the holiday. Costumes, turkey hats, and high-fives are welcome!

For more information, please click here.

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LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)  A Lafayette resident has been charged in connection with the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel, court documents show.

Mahmoud Amin Yaqub Al-Muhtadi, 33, is charged with providing, attempting to provide or conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and visa fraud in federal court.

Online jail records show he is being held in the St. Martin Parish jail.

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After hiding out in the United States, this monster has been found and charged with participating in the atrocities of October 7  the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust, said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. While nothing can fully heal the scars left by Hamass brutal attack, this Departments Joint Task Force October 7 is dedicated to finding and prosecuting those responsible for that horrific day, including the murder of dozens of American citizens. We will continue to stand by Jewish Americans and Jewish people around the world against anti-Semitism and terrorism in all its forms.

Al-Muhtadi is accused of being part of the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which carried out one of a series of terrorist attacks on Israel that killed over 1,200 people. Cell phone records pinged Al-Muhtadis phone at a cell tower in Kfar Aza, the site of one of the attacks.

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Prosecutors also obtained recorded calls that allegedly show Al-Muhtadi used that phone to organize a group to participate in the attack. Approximately 60 people were killed and 19 others kidnapped in that attack.

He is also alleged to have falsified the application for a visa to enter the United States. According to the Associated Press, Al-Muhtadi submitted an electronic U.S. visa application in Cairo in June 2024. In the application, he denied serving in any paramilitary organization or having ever engaged in terrorist activities. His application said he intended to live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and work in car repairs or food services.

Mahmoud Amin Yaqub Al-Muhtadi (left) shown allegedly conducting training for a Palestinian terrorist group.

According to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection records, Al-Muhtadi entered the United States on Sept. 12, 2024.

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Al-Muhtadi lived in Tulsa through May but by early June had relocated to Lafayette, where he worked for a local restaurant, the FBI says. An unidentified FBI agent repeatedly met with Al-Muhtadi in Lafayette from July to September this year.

A criminal complaint was filed Oct. 6 under seal in federal court in Lafayette and unsealed late Thursday. It is signed by FBI Special Agent Alexandria M. Thoman ODonnell, who is described in court documents as a counterterrorism expert assigned to a Justice Department task force investigating the murders and kidnappings of Americans in the Oct. 7 attacks.

Louisiana Atty. Gen. Liz Murrill called the attacks evil personified.

If what is alleged is true, this person needs to be prosecuted to the absolute fullest extent of the law, Murrill said. If the death penalty is available, the federal government should seek it. If state charges can be lodged, we will seek them. I continue to pray for the victims of Hamas evil actions that day and afterward.

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Al-Muhtadi appeared in U.S. District Court for his initial appearance today. His next court date is scheduled for Oct. 22.

Read the complaint in its entirety below.

Mahmoud Amin Yaqub Al-MuhtadiDownload

Latest news

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Pinellas is introducing five programs to support primarily low- and moderate-income residents still recovering from last years hurricanes nearly a year to the week after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida.

This is going to be a huge economic lift, said Commissioner Brian Scott at a news conference earlier this week.

Applications open Monday for the People First Hurricane Recovery Programs, which are funded by a nearly $814 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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A homeowner reimbursement program for repairs completed prior to applying will offer up to $50,000 per household, and disaster relief reimbursement for up to six months of consecutive expenses such as rent, mortgage and utilities will offer up to $15,000.

These will be the first two programs to deliver money to residents, hopefully by the end of the year, said Assistant County Administrator Matthew Spoor.

The other three programs will be for homeowner rehabilitation and reconstruction, landlord support and homebuyer assistance.

Scott specially asked mobile home residents to take advantage of the programs.

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If you live in a mobile home community and you were affected, highly, highly encourage you to apply, he said.

St. Petersburg residents will not have access to these programs because the city is slated to launch Sunrise St. Pete, a similar program, by early 2026. The city received a separate $159.8 million in funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for this program.

All other Pinellas residents that meet the financial requisites and are applying for support with their primary residence are eligible for consideration.

Residents can find more information and apply here.
President Donald Trump said Friday that he commuted the sentence of former U.S. Rep. George Santos, who is serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges.

The New York Republican was sentenced in April after admitting last year to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people  including his own family members  to make donations to his campaign.

I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY, Trump posted on his social media platform.

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The latest:

News stories show that reporters may have left the Pentagon, but they havent stopped working

Two days after dozens of journalists left their desks behind rather than agree to government-imposed rules on how they report about the U.S. military, its apparent that they are still on the job.

Reporters have relied on sources to break and add nuance to stories about U.S. attacks in the Caribbean on boats suspected of being involved in the drug trade, as well as military leadership in the region.

This comes as many are still navigating how their jobs will change  Where will they work? Who will talk with them?  brought on by the dispute. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded reporters relinquish their Pentagon workspaces if they didnt acknowledge rules, which the journalists say would punish them for reporting on anything beyond what he wants them to say.

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The Pentagon has characterized the changes as common sense and accused journalists of mischaracterizing them.

 Read more about how the reporters are continuing to work

No Kings protests return, as organizers say Trump ramps up authoritarian practices

Big crowds are expected in thousands of places around the country Saturday in protests against what some are characterizing as increasingly authoritarian practices by the president.

Its the second No Kings protest and the third mass movement against the administration this year, and it comes amid an intensifying conflict between federal law enforcement and protesters nationwide.

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Some conservative critics have condemned the protests as Hate America rallies, while supporters say they represent a patriotic fight for First Amendment rights.

 Read more about what to expect on Saturday

Trump dropped an f-bomb. It wasnt the first time, and the White House is embracing it online

The president talks plainly, bluntly, often even coarsely. But its rare he drops an actual f-bomb as cameras are rolling.

He did so Friday, when a journalist asked him about reports that Venezuelas president offered concessions to try to reduce bilateral tensions.

He has offered everything, Trump responded. He offered everything. You know why? Because he doesnt want to f--- around with the United States.

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It didnt take long for the White House to promote Trumps curse word, which helped underscore his administrations hard-line stance toward Venezuela and the Maduro regime.

The administrations rapid response account on the social platform X quickly pushed out a video of the f-bomb, accompanied by three fire emoji. Its now the pinned post on the RapidResponse47 account.

The official White House account, meanwhile, posted it with the acronym FAFO, meaning f--- around and find out.

 Read more about the presidents language, past and present

US and UN sanction former Haitian security head, gang leader

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The sanctions on Dimitri Herard and Kempes Sanon are for their roles in criminal gang activities that have destabilized the impoverished Caribbean nation.

The U.S. Treasury Department said the two supported a coalition of gangs that the Trump administration designated as a foreign terrorist organization this year.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution hours later ordering all 193 U.N. member nations to freeze the mens assets and impose a travel ban. The resolution also imposes an arms embargo on Haiti.

Herard was head of presidential security when President Jovenal Moise was assassinated in 2021. He was imprisoned in connection with the assassination. After escaping in 2024, he colluded with Haitis most powerful gang coalition, Viv Ansanm, Treasury said in a statement.

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Sanon heads the Bel Air gang, one of many groups in Viv Ansanm. Treasury and the U.N. also accused him of extortion, kidnapping, illicit taxation and human rights violations.

White House joins Bluesky and immediately trolls liberals

The White House joinedthe social media platform of choice for many in the left-leaning online world Friday.

In its inaugural post, it offered a sizzle reel of administration memes, trolls and messages from President Trumps nine months since returning to office. The post appeared aimed at tweaking liberals who are not his fans.

It included mentions of the administrations executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico; a doctored image of Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries with a sombrero and faux mustache standing beside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer; and photos and video from other moments in Trumps second term.

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Whats up, Bluesky? the White House said in a message accompanying the video. We thought you mightve missed some of our greatest hits, so we put this together for you. Cant wait to spend more quality time together!

TIMELINE: Shortly after Santos was elected, questions about his conduct began to surface

Nov. 8, 2022: Santos defeats Democrat Robert Zimmerman in the first known congressional election featuring two openly gay candidates. The district includes a tiny part of New York City and a swath of suburbs on Long Island.

Dec. 19, 2022: The New York Times publishes a story questioning whether Santos fictionalized his resume.

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Dec. 26, 2022: Santos admits fabricating some details of his biography, including that he had a degree from Baruch College and had worked for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. Despite calling himself a proud American Jew in a position paper, he insists he never claimed to be Jewish but rather Jew-ish.

Dec. 28, 2022: Nassau County prosecutors say they have launched an investigation into Santos.

January 2023: Santos is sworn into office. Questions surface about how he financed his campaign after filings offer contradictory accounts.

Jan. 31, 2023: Santos steps down from his congressional committees but says he wont resign.

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 Click here to continue reading a timeline of Santos extraordinary rise and fall

Trump offers US automakers additional relief from his tariffs on auto parts

He is extending what was supposed to be a short-term rebate until 2030. Its part of a proclamation signed Friday that also made official a 25% import tax on medium and heavy duty trucks, starting Nov. 1.

The action reflects administration efforts to use tariffs to promote American manufacturing while also trying to shield the auto sector from higher costs that Trumps import taxes have created for parts and raw materials.

The rebate initially announced in April had been set to be lowered and then expire in 2027. At the time Trump described it as short-term aid during this little transition with the expectation that automakers would move production lines back to the U.S.

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The extension and adjustments came after conversations with the industry, senior administration officials said. The goal is to expand domestic production and make it more competitive. The officials insisted on anonymity as a condition for talking to reporters ahead of the signing.

Trump: Santos a rogue, but sentence overly harsh

George Santos was somewhat of a rogue, the president said of the former congressman from New York, who pleaded guilty to fraud charges.

He added, but there are many rogues throughout our Country that arent forced to serve seven years in prison.

The remark came Friday on Trumps social media platform as he announced the commutation of Santos sentence.

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Trump urges Ukraine and Russia to stop war immediately, implies Moscow keeping territory it has taken

Not long after hosting Ukraines Zelenskyy and his team for talks, Trump posted online: Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts.

He added, They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!

Later, after arriving in Florida for the weekend, Trump urged both sides to stop the war immediately and implied that Moscow would keep territory taken from Kyiv.

You go by the battle line wherever it is  otherwise its too complicated, Trump told reporters.

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In recent weeks he had shown growing impatience with Russian President Vladimir Putin and expressed greater openness to helping Ukraine win the war.

But with his latest comments, he appeared to be edging back in the direction of pressing Ukraine to give up on retaking land lost to Russia.

Memphis Democratic officials sue Tennessee governor over National Guard deployment

The lawsuit was filed by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and other officials. It argues that Gov. Bill Lee unilaterally sending the troops into the city at Trumps request violated the state constitution.

The lawsuit cites the state constitution, which says the guard shall not be called into service except in case of rebellion or invasion, and then only when the General Assembly shall declare, by law, that the public safety requires it. The General Assembly is the state Legislature.

Lee and state Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti are named as defendants. They did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump announced last month that the guard would be combat crime in Memphis alongside authorities from federal agencies as part of a Memphis Safe Task Force.

The governor recently praised the task force ands said Memphis was in a unique spot to have the resources available to remove the crime element.

Santos lawyer: very, very happy with the decision to commute sentence

The defense team applauds President Trump for doing the right thing, Andrew Mancilla said by phone. The sentence was far too long.

He added that it is unclear at this point when Santos will be released.

Former US Rep. George Santos made renewed plea this week

On Monday, Santos published what he called a passionate plea to President Trump, praising him and pleading for the opportunity to return to my family, my friends, and my community.

In an open letter published by the South Shore Press on Long Island, Santos said he had been in isolation in prison since late August while the FBI investigated a death threat against him and the experience left him in limbo, caught between uncertainty and silence.

Mr. President, I am not asking for sympathy. I am asking for fairness  for the chance to rebuild, Santos wrote.

He acknowledged making mistakes in his past and said he has faced his share of consequences and takes full responsibility, but nobody deserves to be lost in the system, forgotten and unseen, enduring punishment far beyond what justice requires.

I want nothing more than to begin again  to contribute, to serve, and to rebuild my life from the ashes of my past.

Santos asked Trump administration to intercede immediately after April sentencing

Former U.S. Rep. Santos appealed to the administration within hours of receiving his sentence, insisting in social media posts and interviews that it was overly harsh and politically motivated.

A prominent former colleague, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, also urged the White House to commute his sentence, saying in a letter days into his prison term that it was a grave injustice and a product of judicial overreach.

Santos was serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges.

The judge in Santos case agreed with prosecutors that a stiffer sentence was warranted because he did not seem remorseful, despite what he and his lawyers claimed.

Fridays commutation is Trumps latest high-profile act of clemency for former Republican politicians. Others include pardons for former Rep. Michael Grimm and former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland.

Trump says he has commuted the sentence of former US Rep. George Santos in federal fraud case

The president made the announcement Friday about commutation for George Santos, who is serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges.

The New York Republican was sentenced in April after admitting last year to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people  including his own family members  to make donations to his campaign.

He reported to Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, in southern New Jersey, on July 25 and is being housed in a minimum-security prison camp with fewer than 50 other inmates.

I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY, Trump posted on his social media platform.

Wall Street rises to finish its best week in 2 months after bank stocks stabilize

The S&P 500 rose 0.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 238 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.5%.

The gains capped the best week for the S&P 500 since early August, but it was a roller-coaster ride. Indexes careened through several jarring swings as worries built about the financial health of small and midsized banks as well as the souring trade relationship between the United States and China.

Some of the nervousness around those trade tensions eased Friday after Trump said the very high tariffs he threatened for Chinese imports are not sustainable.

Trump also told Fox News Channels Sunday Morning Futures that he would meet with Chinas leader, Xi Jinping, at an upcoming conference in South Korea. That was counter to an earlier, angry post he made on social media in which he said there seemed to be no reason for such a meeting.

Zelenskyy cautiously responds to Trumps call for Ukraine and Russia to end war now

Zelenskyy told reporters after the meeting that it is time for a ceasefire and negotiations. He appeared to stop short of embracing Trumps call for an immediate end to the war and for the two sides to stop where they are.

The president is right, we have to stop where we are, and then to speak, Zelenskyy said.

Trump said again Friday that Putin and Zelenskyy feel hatred toward each other, making direct negotiations difficult.

Its not about feelings, to me or any other Ukrainian, Zelenskyy said. They attacked us, so they are an enemy for us. They dont intend to stop. So they are an enemy. It is not about someone just hating someone else. Although, undoubtedly, we hate the enemy. Undoubtedly.

Trump calls on Kyiv and Moscow to stop where they are and end the war

Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts, Trump said in a Truth Social post following his meeting with Zelenskyy. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide.

Catholic bishops denounce Trump administration IVF initiative

Three bishops who chair important committees for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops assailed new moves by the Trump administration to reduce the cost of in vitro fertilization.

We strongly reject the promotion of procedures like IVF that instead freeze or destroy precious human beings and treat them like property, the bishops said Friday.

Without diminishing the dignity of people born through IVF, we must recognize that children have a right to be born of a natural and exclusive act of married love, rather than a businesss technological intervention, their statement said. And harmful government action to expand access to IVF must not also push people of faith to be complicit in its evils.

The bishops were Robert Barron, chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth; Kevin Rhoades, chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty; and Daniel Thomas, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow deployment of National Guard in Chicago area

The Trump administrations request Friday escalates the presidents conflict with Democratic governors over using the military on U.S. soil.

The emergency appeal to the high court came after a judge prevented, for at least two weeks, the deployment of Guard members from Illinois and Texas to assist immigration enforcement.

Zelenskyy and Trump have finished their meeting

The two spent more than two hours with top advisers.

The lunch meeting went much longer than planned, according to a senior Ukrainian official who was not authorized to talk to the media and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

 Susie Blann
Far-right German lawmaker Petr Bystron was fined 11,250 ($13,150) on Friday over a photomontage he published on social media showing former chancellor Angela Merkel with her arm raised and hand outstretched in an alleged Hitler salute.

The Munich District Court convicted Bystron, who serves in the European Parliament for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), of using symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations in the 2022 post.

The court said evidence showed that Bystron had used the banned Hitler salute in the photomontage "through the composition of the photos."

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Bystron, who was not in court on Friday, denied the accusation. Ahead of the court date, he described the proceedings as political abuse of the judiciary.

The verdict can be appealed within one week. He had faced up to three years in prison, according to the German penal code.

Bystron had published the collage after the dismissal of former Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, with the caption "Bye, bye Melnyk! German politicians wave goodbye!"

He faces separate charges of money laundering and bribery over accusations he received money from the pro-Russian outlet Voice of Europe in order to act in favour of Russia in the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament.

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He is not the only AfD lawmaker to face charges over the use of banned Nazi symbols.

Bjorn Hocke, the party's chairman in the eastern state of Thuringia, has twice been convicted for knowingly quoting the banned slogan of the Nazi Party's SA stormtroopers during political speeches.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Several local and state lawmakers filed suit Friday against Gov. Bill Lee and the state attorney general, challenging the deployment of Tennessee National Guard troops in Memphis.

The lawsuit, filed in Davidson County Chancery Court, seeks a temporary restraining order and injunction that would immediately halt further National Guard activity in Memphis, arguing that the deployment usurps the authority of elected officials, endangers civilian safety, and sets a dangerous precedent for military intrusion into local communities.

Mayor Harris declares state of emergency due to Memphis Safe Task Force

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The suit was filed by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, Memphis City Councilman J.B. Smiley, County Commissioners Erika Sugarmon and Henri Brooks, State Representatives G.A. Hardaway and Gabby Salinas and State Senator Jeff Yarbro.

2025-10-16 8p  Memphis National Guard (Complaint)Download

For me, its about protecting the dignity of everybody that calls Memphis and Tennessee their home, said state Rep. Gabby Salinas (D-Memphis).

They argue that Lees deployment violates the Tennessee Constitution and state law, citing the state Constitution, which states the Militia shall not be called into service except in case of rebellion or invasion, and then only when the General Assembly shall declare, by law, that the public safety requires it.

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The Guard deployment was carried out at the request of President Donald Trump as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, after statistics showed Memphis had one of the highest violent crime rates in the country.

Trumps use of the National Guard sets up a legal clash testing presidential power

Local officials, however, say that the crime rate has shown a drastic drop in the last few months, before the law enforcement surge. Some have pushed back on a statement by President Trump that U.S. cities should be used as training grounds for the military, fighting the enemy within.

We have to accept the fact that we have a crime problem. We must do everything in our power to reduce violent crime in our communities, City Councilman Smiley said in a video statement. But not like this.

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Republican state Rep. John Gillespie of Memphis called opposition to the task force by local Democrats absurd and unacceptable, saying the task force is arresting violent repeat offenders and has found nearly 50 missing children.

Once again the far left of Shelby County sides with criminals over victims, Gillespie said.

Mayor Harris said local governments and law enforcement agencies have seen an increase in law enforcement activity and have been told to expect increased arrests at nearly 200% of current daily rates.

Harris has declared a local state of emergency in Shelby County for the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare of Memphis residents.

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Task force makes nearly 1,000 arrests

Memphis Mayor Paul Young said said there are currently about 700 federal agents and 150 National Guard members in the city as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force.

As of Thursday, the Department of Justice said the Memphis Safe Task Force had made nearly 1,000 arrests.

The task force has been in Memphis for more than two weeks. The National Guard arrived last Friday.

The City of Memphis is not a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

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(The Center Square)  Two Ohio lawmakers want a local judge removed from office for making public statements about the death of Charlie Kirk.

State Rep. Adam Mathews called Judge Ted Berrys comments egregious and inflammatory, and the second-term Republican has called for the judges resignation.

With no movement, Mathews introduced a concurrent resolution to start removal proceedings against the Hamilton County municipal court judge. He is the son of Theodore M. Berry, the first Black mayor of Cincinnati.

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Judge Berry has had more than a month to take the honorable path and resign, Mathews said in a release. The people of Ohio deserve a judiciary they can trust to be fair, unbiased, and beyond reproach. Judge Berrys actions have fallen far short of that sacred trust, and now the Legislature must act to defend the courts.

Kirk, posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this week by second-term Republican President Donald Trump, was gunned down during a campus event in Utah in September. Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA and known for active engagement in civil debate with those in disagreement with him.

Media reports have shown Berrys comments included reds in Hatred & Division, Hows he feel about gun violence & gun control in Hell now, and So, a white guy killed him! Color it KARMA!

Rep. D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron, called the comments misconduct and violation of ethics.

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Judge Berry has had every opportunity to step down in recognition of his misconduct and his blatant violations of judicial ethics, Swearingen said in a statement. His refusal to resign leaves the Legislature no choice but to pursue the most serious option available to ensure public confidence in the fairness of Ohios courts.

Berry was removed as a member of the Joe Burrow Foundation following the comments.

In 2021, Berry was charged by the Judicial Disciplinary Counsel with violating the code of judicial conduct for sending inappropriate Facebook messages and videos to a court employee.

According to records, he stipulated to the charge of misconduct and was publicly reprimanded.
CLARK COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  A typical Tuesday morning turned tragic on Sept. 3, 2024. Fifteen-year-old McKenna Letcher, a freshman at George Rogers Clark High School, was crossing Veterans Memorial Parkway in Clark County when she was hit and killed by a school bus.

Letchers mother filed a lawsuit the following month, on Oct. 18, against the bus driver, Paul Hollon, and the districts Director of Logistics, Daren Snell, who, according to the suit, also oversees transportation services for Clark County Public Schools.

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According to the lawsuit, Hollon was driving the bus with nine elementary-aged children on board when the crash happened.

It alleges he was streaming videos on his cell phone while approaching a red light at Veterans Memorial Parkway and Ironworks Road. The suit said Hollon failed to stop, hitting McKenna. He then attempted to brake, swerving to the left and running over her body.

The lawsuit states Hollon did not get off the bus to see what he had hit, nor did he check on or help the teen. McKenna suffered catastrophic blunt-force injuries and died at the scene.

Court documents also claim Hollon had previously worked as a bus driver for Paris Independent Schools, where he was suspended multiple times for issues related to his personal and professional conduct. Despite those obvious red flags, the lawsuit said Clark County Schools hired him.

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The suit lists several claims against Hollon, including negligence and wrongful death. Snell faces claims of negligent hiring, training, retention, and supervision, as well as wrongful death.

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FOX 56 reached out to the attorneys representing McKennas mother and the attorneys representing Hollon and Snell. Both declined to comment at this time.

Hollon is set to appear for a video deposition on Oct. 28. He also has a court date for a pretrial conference at 9 a.m. on Nov. 20.

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A new lawsuit from immigrant advocates argues that the federal government is illegally detaining and deporting crime victims who should have been protected from deportation.

Among the plaintiffs is Yessenia Ruano, the former Milwaukee Public Schools teacher's aide who publicly fought her deportation but eventually was forced by immigration officers to return to El Salvador with her twin U.S. citizen daughters.

The federal lawsuit, filed in the Central District of California Oct. 14, identifies several immigrants nationwide who had applied for trafficking and crime victims' visas, known as T and U visas, but were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The lawsuit targets policy changes by President Donald Trump's administration that it alleges are running contrary to laws "that Congress created specifically to protect them from deportation," the suit said.

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More: Milwaukee police have seen a rise in U visa applications for undocumented crime victims

Named as defendants are Kristi Noem, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, as well as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement  ICE  which handles deportations, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, which handles legal immigration pathways.

The lawsuit focuses on immigrants with two kinds of statuses: crime victims who were granted a "deferred action" status, meaning they are allowed to legally stay in the U.S. for a period of time; and victims who have pending T or U visa applications.

More: Rep. Gwen Moore introduces bill to shield immigrant crime victims from deportation

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More: ICE arrests of farm workers shake up Manitowoc County, a dairy powerhouse

Before Trump took office, people with pending T and U visas could generally remain in the country while they waited for a decision in their cases. ICE told Ruano she must self-deport instead of waiting for a decision in her case from USCIS, the agency that would issue that visa.

The lawsuit argues that ICE was required by law to ask its counterpart, USCIS, if Ruano's T visa case had enough evidence to support it. If it had been found to meet initial requirements, ICE would've been legally required not to deport her. ICE did not seek that determination in Ruano's case, the lawsuit said.

Several of the other plaintiffs are women who survived domestic violence or are crime victims, then applied for T or U visas, and were granted the "deferred action" status. Despite that, the lawsuit said, the women were detained by immigration agents.

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Among them is a 64-year-old Los Angeles woman identified in the complaint with a pseudonym who has lived in the U.S. for nearly 30 years and has four U.S. citizen children and three grandchildren. The suit said the woman was arrested outside her home by ICE in April for a 1998 deportation order. Her attorney informed ICE of her deferred action status, but officers deported her a day later, the suit said.

Also included in the lawsuit is a 46-year-old vendor of tamales in Los Angeles who was beaten at a bus stop in 2021 and had received a deferred action status. She was detained as part of ICE raids in her city and was released on bond, but is required to give ICE her location weekly, the complaint said.

A 43-year-old woman, Kenia J. Merlos, of Honduras, is also legally in the U.S. under the deferred action status, the complaint said. While she was visiting Canadian relatives at a park in Washington state, border agents approached the family and detained her, her 71-year-old mother, her four children  a 7 year old and 9-year-old triplets  and the Canadian relatives. All were later released except Merlos, who remains in ICE custody, the lawsuit said.

The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit with several California-based immigrant advocacy groups, including the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, and the Immigration Center for Women and Children.

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They asked the federal government to revert to its previous policies that would shield immigrant crime victims from deportation. And they asked the court to issue an order returning the plaintiffs to their previous position. If the suit is successful on that front, it could mean Ruano would be able to return to the U.S.

The policies replace "the long-standing and judiciously crafted 'victim-centered' approach with an unforgiving, arbitrary and unlawful 'deportation-centered' system that ignores crime victims' eligibility for relief and railroads them into detention and removal without due process," the complaint said.

Sophie Carson is a general assignment reporter who reports on religion and faith, immigrants and refugees and more. Contact her at scarson@gannett.com or 920-323-5758.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee aide Yessenia Ruano sues federal government over deportation
DEWEY COUNTY, Okla. (KFDX/KJTL)  A person from Lawton was found dead after a single-car collision.

According to Trooper Kendrick Johnson #520, the crash happened on October 16 at 2:47 pm on Highway 183 and County Road 760 in Dewey County, Oklahoma. The person has been identified as Karen Woodward, 78, from Lawton.

Woodward was heading southbound on US-183, approaching County Road 760, when they departed into the grass heading west before striking a culvert (AOI). After striking the AOI, Woodward became airborne and rotated before hitting the ground with the front hood and drivers side roof.

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Woodward rotated again after making impact with the ground and came to a stop after striking the rear bumper on an AOI approximately 20 feet west and 156 feet south of the initial AOI impact.

Woodward was wearing a seatbelt while driving the vehicle. The next of kin have been notified.

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LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now)  A 17-year-old boy was charged after allegedly bringing a weapon to the Academies of Loudoun on Wednesday, according to the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office.

Deputies said a school resource officer (SRO) was notified at 10 a.m. of a student who was possibly under the influence, and an initial investigation determined that the student may have also brought a weapon to school.

Teen arrested in Stafford County hit-and-run crash

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According to deputies, the SRO searched the teens car, where a firearm and ammunition were found and seized. Deputies added that there is no evidence that the teen made any threats towards the school or any person.

The student was charged with possession of a weapon on school property, and the incident remains under investigation.

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LE MARS, Iowa (KCAU)  Asking for big bucks to build new city facilities can be a challenge, and thats why Le Mars leaders are selling the story behind a bond measure for a new fire station.

So far, the bond, not to exceed $16 million, is getting mixed reviews from residents.

Over the course of an hour and a half, Le Mars Fire Chief David Schipper spoke to residents about the bond measure and why the multi-million dollar station is needed.

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Officials said theyve outgrown their current facility, and a new one would fix several problems. Some of which include improved accommodations for firefighters to make sure they are rested and ready when the call comes.

Story continues below

While the fire chief said many people have reached out in support of the bond, with projects including upgrades at Le Mars Community School as well as a wastewater pre-treatment facility in the works, some residents are a little skeptical of adding another multi-million dollar project.

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If you put this vote in two years ago, probably would have voted yes. Unanimous. Timing-wise, it sucks, said a Le Mars Resident.

Were out of room now. And so, yeah, its not the best timing, but when is a good time? You know, if we wait a year, then something else is going to come up and somebody is going to say, Oh, its just good timing, you know? So as the chief, I need to bring it to peoples attention when its needed and let them decide, said Chief Schipper.

Chief Schipper said this was a productive week for informing the community about the bond, with Monday nights town hall having been a packed room.

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PITTSBURG, Kan.  The community in Pittsburg welcomed some special guests Thursday.

Its just highlighting some of the best of the best thats going on in the city of Pittsburg right now. And were really excited to have everybody here, said Kim Froman, Leadership Kansas Local Co-Chair.

Leadership Kansas took 40 people from around the Sunflower State on a guided visit of Pittsburg, highlighting the citys local businesses, and plans for the future.

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We are really excited to show them Washington school, our child care work, any of our development with the Kelce College of Business and the Besse hotel in downtown development, said Froman.

Its miserable, Bitcoin mining facility in rural Kansas too loud, neighbors say

The tour started at the Washington School, which will soon be home to the Grow Eden Early Learning Childcare Center. It sets out to address critical needs within the state.

We were glad to be able to present with them the needs for child care in Kansas, the need for high quality child care in Kansas. And really kind of what parents are facing right now is high costs and not high qualities, said Kandy Rushing, Grow At Eden CEO.

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Rushing says she hopes this tour will get more working professionals into the childcare space.

I hope to encourage employees that were outside of the early learning sector to come join the early learning sector. Theres a lot of really wonderful feelings about giving back to young children and knowing that youre making a big difference.

Froman wants the tour to reflect the four pillars of what keeps people coming back to Pittsburg.

We look at usually four things to keep people here, there has to be things to do, has to be child care, there has to be jobs and there has to be housing. And so those are the four pillars that were working really hard on. And those are the things that were trying to demonstrate here in the city of Pittsburg on the visit with Leadership Kansas as well, said Froman.

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LAWRENCEVILLE, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV)  Testing the waters oxygen levels and more, River Day at Hutsonville High School has been an important learning experience for years. Learn how one teacher inspired generations to learn more about nature.

Two local high schools are taking their students outside the classroom for some hands-on learning and testing the Embarras River.



Hutsonville High School biology students and Red Hill High School wildlife classes joined together Thursday to test the Embarras River in Lawrenceville, Illinois. Students rotate through five different parameters: habitat assessment, what organisms can live, water chemistry, flow rate, which is the amount of nutrients the water has, and what insects live in each parameter tells the students what the water quality is.



Theres just so many different things in it and its just fun for everybody, said Brynn Griffin, a senior at Hutsonville High School.



This 20-year-long effort was established by David Abendroth, a high school teacher at Hutsonville. All of the materials the students used during river day are owned by Abendroth.

He said he wants them to learn real procedures.



Students remember this day more than anything I tell them in the classroom. So, they get out, they get wet, they learn real science procedures. The protocols are all the same. Real sciences do this, so thats why were here, said Abendroth.

I would say doing more hands-on is the better way to learn than sitting in a classroom, said Griffin.



Heres a little fun fact. Students found a Dobsonfly larvae or hellgrammites and they are a clean water indicator.

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Abendroth said this day would not be possible without sponsors and donations. To learn how you can donate, contact David Abendroth at david.abendroth@hutsonvilletigers.net.

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Infectious disease physician Tyler B. Evans discusses his article Meeting transgender patients where they are: a health care imperative. Tyler, an infectious disease specialist and author of Pandemics, Poverty, and Politics: Decoding the Social and Political Drivers of Pandemics from Plague to COVID-19, shares striking data on violence, mental health, and HIV disparities affecting transgender and nonbinary communities worldwide. He recalls formative patient experiences that reshaped his understanding of gender affirming care, emphasizing the need to move beyond outdated disease models and rigid medical training. Tyler explains why social determinants from housing to acceptance are critical to health outcomes, and why true reform begins with meeting patients where they are. Listeners will gain practical insights into building compassion driven systems that improve health equity and save lives.

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Transcript

Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today we welcome Tyler B. Evans. Hes an infectious disease physician. Todays KevinMD article is Meeting transgender patients where they are a health care imperative. Tyler, welcome to the show.

Tyler B. Evans: Thanks, Kevin. Good to be here.

Kevin Pho: Lets start by briefly sharing your story and then jumping right into the KevinMD article that you shared with us today.

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Tyler B. Evans: I am an adult infectious disease and addiction medicine doc. Ive worked with trans folks for the last dozen years or so. I am deeply committed to the mission. Ive worked for many years in the global south, in low- and middle-income countries, areas in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Ive worked in war zones and complex humanitarian emergencies. Ive worked on the Ebola response twice.

Throughout all those experiences, I connected that to my work in the U.S. and a lot of my work in the states, in the foxholes of chronic health inequities, places like the South Bronx and South LA. I have a theory on the Souths, connecting that to the South Sudan experience where I was the only doc for 29,000 refugees. I didnt see that much difference in terms of the feeders that connected to the health care outcomes.

The magnitude of the burden of disease was considerably different, but in terms of the feeders, a lot of them were very similar. That universal thread is often socially and politically driven. I talk about that extensively in my book, *Pandemics, Poverty, and Politics*. When I focus on certain communities, particularly historically marginalized communities, trans communities are a key one.

The good news is weve had a lot of advances in understanding what trans health looks like in the United States and beyond. Ive talked about this extensively across the country. We have good evidence to support primary care and surgical care for trans communities. Unfortunately, weve gone several steps back in the last few years as a result of the politics, focusing on the wrong messages and banning pediatric care for trans communities. Its so important to get it right early on; the evidence is very strong for that case. If we are able to provide gender-affirming care at a very early age, the outcomes are very similar to cisgender communities from a mental health outcome perspective. Its really important to get it right early on.

Kevin Pho: You talk more about these issues in your KevinMD article, Meeting transgender patients where they are a health care imperative. For those that didnt get a chance to read your article, just tell us what its about.

Tyler B. Evans: It was summarizing the importance of understanding the trans experience and providing that gender-affirming care, essentially coming at it from a trauma-informed perspective as much as possible. Honestly, its not about treating trans communities any differently than you would any patient. You just meet them where theyre at and you understand where they are in their experience.

The simplest way that I explain it is there are three chapters to their path. The first is the realization, connecting to that identity. Thats a big one. I dont think we often acknowledge that. When we have certain patients that might identify with different gender pronouns, and we might see a beard or some other physical manifestation while hearing a feminine name, sometimes as docs or providers, we see that and it disrupts us. It disconnects from everything that weve ever been trained to understand. Its really important to just let go and understand where theyre at and meet them where they are, even though it deviates from our cultural norms or understandings.

The second is the primary care. The modalities are not significantly different from what we do in general practice. Yes, when it comes to certain prevention modalities, cancer prevention, etc., youve got to follow the guidelines in terms of their biological assignment at birth. You have to get used to that. Then theres the hormone component, and you need to understand whats important to them. Again, that doesnt really deviate much from that physician or provider-patient relationship. Its really important to understand whats important to our patients and to get them there.

The third is the surgical, if they choose to accept that. There are a few other pieces in there. There are some behavioral health concerns sometimes that we do need to address. Its hard to live in that space, particularly in todays world when there are so many politics making these folks feel uncomfortable. Particularly as kids, even in my own community. I live in Santa Cruz, California, which is generally a pretty progressive community. I go back and forth between New York City and Santa Cruz, both very progressive places. Yet even in my own community, there was a school where my youngest son was at, a Montessori school. He was two years old at the time, and not trans or deviated from the biological course as far as we know. The school essentially started banning books that were talking about it, and that made us feel very uncomfortable. Were seeing it all across the world, and I can only imagine what certain parents are experiencing. I think the important thing is for docs and providers to be champions for our communities and really help parents out as much as we possibly can.

Kevin Pho: As you know, a lot of physicians dont get a lot of education when it comes to treating trans patients. In the exam room, Im a primary care physician. Tell us the type of questions that we should be asking that can maintain that sensitivity and understand some of the lived experiences that trans patients are going through.

Tyler B. Evans: The most important ones are really just understanding where theyre at in their journey. Start off with gender pronouns. Sometimes that gets confusing for certain primary care providers. I see this happen often; theyre trying, but its a bit uncomfortable for them because its something different, and thats OK. That cultural humility is really important to invoke in this space. Sometimes, particularly in the beginning, I would just say, Listen, I dont often do the gender pronouns. My name is Dr. Evans or Tyler. Thats how you can address me. Tell me about you. Tell me about your experience. Tell me about how you want me to talk to you. If I make some mistakes, I really apologize. I dont mean to do it. That really works if youre just human about it.

Its important to level-set, understanding where they are in the journey again. When did they first identify as a gender different from what they were assigned at birth? We are seeing a lot of gender fluidity nowadays, so its sometimes not just this bifurcation. Understand where they want to go. A lot of folks I was in New York at the time where Medicaid was started. Most of my patients are Medicaid patients or uninsured, so when Medicaid started supporting the surgeries for my patients, they were queuing up to get there, but not everybody is. You have to see where theyre at.

The primary care piece is really important. Again, the primary care should not be that different, and I honestly think that as physician champions of these communities, sometimes we talk a little bit too much about treating these folks differently. Dont treat them differently. Theyre just humans, and their care is slightly different, but the primary care approach is very similar. Then there are the other pieces adjacent to it, which are the hormone modalities. A lot of my patients didnt want hormones, so you ask them, Is this the outcome that you want? And if it is, then the primary care providers can easily look up what the guidelines are. There are tons of CMEs out there that they can receive. WPATH is the gold standard for trans professionals. Its the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. Go to WPATH; there are guidelines out there. UCSF has great guidelines. Theyre out there. Get your CMEs. Learn about it. Its really important to your patients.

Kevin Pho: On the other end of the spectrum, are there any red flags or things physicians definitely should not do that you are seeing that theyre doing?

Tyler B. Evans: Obviously, you dont want to disrespect your patients. If you do slip and say certain things that trigger them, you have to understand why it triggers them. Theyre dealing with decades of trauma, so its not you; you just happened to trigger them. Getting back to that cultural humility, apologize. Just apologize and say, I really apologize for triggering that. I can understand how Use that empathic language that we have been trained and experienced to invoke here. I can understand how this triggered you. Id like to get back on track, etc.

Dont go rogue. You have to get some training. Its not that difficult, but dont go rogue on this stuff. Phone a friend if theres something thats a little bit different. What we do often find is some of our patients may back in the day, its changed considerably, but 15 years ago or so, a lot of my patients would get hormone meds on the streets because there werent a lot of providers out there that could provide them. Some of those meds were expired or not good or not real, and sometimes wed see excess amounts of certain medications. Spironolactone is one of them, so youre going to want to measure your potassium, for example. You have to keep on track on certain things.

Dont go rogue. Understand that sometimes when theyre taking something, theres this rush that folks are feeling. Imagine, right? Its hormonal. When theyre feeling that rush, whether its the testosterone or the estrogen, they might use too much of it, and you have to track that. If they do deviate, and Ive seen this quite a bit, you just have to level-set with them. Just say, This isnt working. I understand that its really important to you and you want to accelerate it. Imagine these folks now have access, and theyre feeling the rush, and they just want to move on that journey. You have to pump the brakes. You have to slow it down and say, We have to do this together because there are serious consequences if you go too fast.

Kevin Pho: You mentioned politics a few times. Just give us a sense of some of the lived experiences that your trans patients are currently feeling or living through under this political climate.

Tyler B. Evans: Its rough. In California, New York, your core blue states, its a little bit easier for our patients, but even there, its hard. I hear a lot of narratives from our patients, particularly in other states, where theyre thrown every type of verbal assault. Theyve been beaten. There was one particular situation where I had one patient who switched to us because that person was provided the incorrect name at the front office. Somebody knew that person and followed that person home and beat them because they understood that they had transitioned, and that was not OK. This is in the Bronx. They are going through a lot in terms of social environments that certain communities dont understand.

In terms of the politics, we are not in a politically supportive environment right now, unfortunately. A lot of folks dont understand the science. Almost every academy or institutionthe American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, certainly WPATH and the WHO, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologiststhat I know of supports gender-affirming care. The science is there. Its real.

This is a pathological element to it, and thats tough sometimes. When we are communicating this to patients, sometimes this comes up: Why are you treating me like this is a disease? This is not a disease. Heres the problem: as docs, we have to. We have to code it that way. We have to put in an ICD code to get our care reimbursed. Thats the reality of medicine. I think its important to frame it that its not a disease per se; its just a state of health. They might see that on their paperwork, and we have to explain that to them. I and others have worked for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to change some of these ICD codes. Its an uphill battle. There are a lot of politics against this.

Im an optimist. I do think we will get past a lot of these challenges, and in the future, I think we will get to a better place. At the same time, I am a member of communities. Im a dad of four. I understand how communities can react to this, and theyre scared about their kids as well. Theyre scared because they dont have the information. Thats it, bottom line. A lot of these folks just dont have the information beyond their politics. We cant change that, but I think that as docs, as champions of these communities, if we can explain this in a way that gets to the core elements of peoples moral compass or ethical base Even a lot of religious communities, particularly Christian communities, I have certain good friends who have experienced this themselves or have fathered or mothered children that are going through this experience and who are religious, and its been transformative for them. If we can really explain this to people to understand what these folks are going through, I think we can get to a better place. But we cant push these folks either. I think that was some of the problem with our space in the last ten years or so; I think we pushed a little too fast. From a political spectrum, in terms of the 2020 election, I think we were just pushing too much. I think we need to go at a pace that is commensurate with what people are comfortable with, and I think we just have to read the room there.

Kevin Pho: What does that mean, like when you say that you have to go at a pace that is commensurate with peoples comfort levels? What does that mean to you?

Tyler B. Evans: You have to read the room. If you are in a California coastal community, you have to see where folks are at. If you are a local leader, you have to talk to folks and just ask them questions and see where theyre at. You have to talk to community leaders, interfaith leaders, and other CBOs and see where those folks are at. Then you need to go at a pace where you feel theyre going to be comfortable. Im generalizing here, but if youre looking at a very conservative state, perhaps a Mississippi or Kentucky or an Indiana, thats going to be a very different pace from California. I think theyll get there, perhaps, or certain micro-communities will, but you have to explain it and you have to get the right stakeholders in the room to get them there as well, and interfaith leaders are a big one.

Kevin Pho: So were going to look at a situation perhaps where different states are going to have different levels and different comfort levels with gender-affirming care.

Tyler B. Evans: As a doc, I always use metaphors for what we are doing. You have to triage. You have to see where folks are at and how you can get them to where you want them to go. You have to use your population health scalpel to do that. You might not be able to do everything, but you could probably move the needle to get somewhere, so thats important to acknowledge.

Kevin Pho: Before we summarize, just tell us, in your ideal world, what would your ideal vision be like for gender-affirming care? If you were in charge of everything, what would you like to see happen?

Tyler B. Evans: Great question. I would love to see a place where all providers had some training on this, and there were general grand rounds or conferences around this where there was dialogue, interdisciplinary rounds, and dialogues to help address certain patients. We could look at certain case studies. I think if all medical communities needed to come together to understand the intersectionality of these humans and how everything comes together, and we all learned from that and looked at the science, I think we could have considerable advancements in biomedicine.

I do think there has been considerable research. If you go to the last WPATH conference I went to, it was about nine years ago. I actually piggybacked my wedding on that. It was in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and I ended up getting married in Argentina. But at that time, there was one session where they were looking at the increase in studies on transgender and gender-affirming care, and it was almost a parabolic curve. It was really considerable. Id love to look at where thats at now. Unfortunately, I think its been a bit stagnant in the last few years, again, because of the politics. But I think well get back there. If we use the science and the evidence to support this care, I feel like most docs, not all, but most docs and health care professionals would support it.

Kevin Pho: Were talking to Tyler Evans. Hes an infectious disease physician. Todays KevinMD article is Meeting transgender patients where they are a health care imperative. Tyler, lets end with some take-home messages for the KevinMD audience, and certainly you could mention your new book in that as well.

Tyler B. Evans: Great. Thanks, Kevin. The take-home messages are, my practice in health care is both on the individual level as well as the systems level. Lately, I run an organization called Wellness Equity Alliance, so we are working in the streets through street medicine, HIV street medicine mostly. We are working with at-risk youth and carceral health communities. Were really focused on historically marginalized communities because were looking to close the gap on those inequities. I often now treat the system as opposed to the individual, but I still do see patients, and the systems very sick.

The reality is I think we need to understand that more. As our students come out of their training, its really important to understand how the systems connect to the individual level, and I dont think that we get enough of that in medical school. When we can marry med school with the MPH, for example, or public policy, you start to understand the more macro level. I think thats really important to understand the systems that you are working in before you just apply your technical skills to that. A good, concrete example of that is in my world, we address a lot of our issues through the syndemic lens. Those are epidemics that are working together synergistically to amplify the outcome. HIV, for example, never really acts alone. In the individual exam room or on a systems level, we cannot look at HIV in a vacuum. We need to understand how it intersects with behavioral health, with addiction and substance use, with other infectious diseases, and particularly with the social determinants.

That is the main takeaway message: to really understand how health is all connected. Particularly when were looking at historically marginalized communities, we need to understand that all of these pieces connect, and if we are not addressing all of that, youre going to lose. Its super important to do that. I talk a lot about that in my book, *Pandemics, Poverty, and Politics*. Its on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, published by Johns Hopkins University Press.

Kevin Pho: Tyler, thank you so much for sharing your perspective and insight. Thanks again for coming on the show.

Tyler B. Evans: Great to be here. Thanks.
BROADVIEW, Ill. (WGN)  More protests were held outside of a suburban immigration processing facility on Friday after a string of setbacks in court for the Justice Department and ICE.

Protesters had already begun gathering outside the facility by 8 a.m. on Friday, despite a recent executive order signed by Broadviews Mayor, which limited protests to a designated area only between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily.

WGN-TV crews were on the ground as protesters began gathering and things appeared to get out of hand rather quickly. Cameras were rolling when Illinois State Police (ISP) officers and protesters clashed, resulting in the detainment of 15 individuals outside the facility.

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Protesters allege confusion played a role in the detainments. They say they were given mixed information and believed they were going to be allowed to demonstrate in the street.

It was confusing. We were told we cant be here. Were told to stand over here, then stand over there, but it didnt need to escalate like that, protester Sara Lindsay said.

Broadview police officers held the protesters back before ISP showed up. There was no tear gas or pepper balls deployed but ISP did use batons to push the crowd back.

They were pushing hard, they were trying to push us back, protester Levi Rolles said.

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According to ISP, all 15 protesters who were detained are facing charges related to resisting, obstruction or disobeying a police officer. Their ages range from 23 to 44-years-old.

Some demonstrators did not leave after the 6 p.m. curfew so they were directed onto the public sidewalk near the facility.

Fridays protests come after a string of setbacks for the Trump administration and DOJ amid their ongoing immigration enforcement effort dubbed Operation Midway Blitz.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Not only did the Trump Administration lose its appeal to mobilize the National Guard in Illinois, but another federal judge also ordered that ICE agents must wear and turn on body cameras. Cook County also recently established ICE-free zones.

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It was a series of wins for demonstrators who also celebrated the recent deconstruction of a fence that had been put up around the facility.

Federal officials had until the end of the day on Tuesday to take down a fence surrounding the Broadview processing facility and DHS beat the deadline by just a couple of hours, eventually bringing it down by about 10:30 p.m.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

The protesters, however, may still be held back from getting close to the building itself, as they are supposed to stay inside the concrete barriers and off the street.

The decision to remove the fence was praised by state leaders who called the barrier a symbol of Donald Trumps contempt for the community.

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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 WGN-TV.
A woman on Reddit sparked a wave of outrage and sympathy after revealing that her mom regularly claims theyre broke, while secretly sending thousands of dollars to a megachurch. My mom says we dont have enough money, but I catch her giving thousands of dollars monthly to a megachurch, the person wrote on r/mildlyinfuriating earlier this year. The post, which included a photo of a $600 online donation receipt to Bill Winston Ministries, drew over 142,000 upvotes and more than 7,600 comments.
BEIRUT, Lebanon, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- A Lebanese judge on Friday ordered the release of Hannibal Qadhafi, son of late Libyan leader Moammar Qadhafi, on a $11 million bail after he has been imprisoned in Lebanon for a decade without being charged.

Judge Zaher Hamadeh questioned Qadhafi for the first time since his last interrogation in 2017 and decided to release him on $11 million bail. He also prohibited him from traveling for two months.

Qadhafi, who had been living in Syria with his family since fleeing Libya in 2011 amid an uprising against his father, was kidnapped by armed men near the Lebanese border in December 2015, reportedly lured there under the pretense of a newspaper interview.

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The armed men smuggled him into Lebanon, where they tortured him for information about the disappearance of Musa al-Sadr, a prominent Lebanese Shiite cleric and political leader who mysteriously vanished with two companions in August 1978 during an official visit to Libya.

The kidnappers also demanded a ransom, according to Human Rights Watch.

Later in December, Lebanese security authorities arrested Qadhafi after rescuing him from his captors, while Judge Hamadeh issued an arrest warrant for him.

In 2016, the judge formally charged Qadhafi, accusing him of withholding information about Sadr's disappearance.

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Qadhafi has repeatedly maintained that he was only 3 years old when the cleric and his two companions -- journalist Abbas Badreddine and Sheikh Mohammad Yaacoub -- disappeared. He has consistently denied any knowledge of the incident.

His Lebanese lawyer, Nassib Chedid, welcomed Friday's decision to release him, saying it was "high time" for such a move after he had spent 10 years in detention "without a reason" and "without being tried."

Chedid, however, questioned the decision to impose such a high bail and to prohibit Qadhafi from traveling.

"This, in Lebanon, is something very dangerous, because if he leaves the prison, we don't know who could attack him," the lawyer told UPI, referring to the travel ban. "This is all illogical. ... It is not the end of the story."

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Qadhafi's lawyers said he is unable to pay the bail, and they plan to challenge the travel ban.

"They should instead pay him $10 million for keeping him in prison for 10 years," Chedid said, explaining that Lebanese law provides for a maximum of three years in prison for concealing information.

Qadhafi is to remain in prison until the bail is paid, according to his lawyer, who said it was "as if the judge was forced into the decision" to release him.
A Democratic Socialist candidate sitting down with a Fox News anchor is a big deal. The nations two most prominent elected officials affiliated with Democratic Socialists hosting a town hall on CNN on the same day suggests a potential inflection point. Is a new moment for the left on cable news finally here?

While we may not be at the cusp of a cable news revolution, two high-profile events on Wednesday  Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdanis interview on Fox News and the CNN-hosted shutdown town hall featuring Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.  point to a potentially promising recalibration.

Progressive voices have long been treated as punchlines, typically serving as foils to conservative voices on mainstream and cable news. With Wednesdays pair of appearances on prominent cable outlets, the left showed it is no longer content to shout from the sidelines. Progressive politicians will now be unashamedly on the field  and seeking to create a moment of dissonance.

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Mamdani entered enemy territory already under sustained attack. For months, Fox News has been hammering him, painting the New York assemblyman with Islamophobic tropes, and calling him an anti-semite and a communist. His decision to appear on Fox was a risky political gambit that holds lessons for the lefts broader media ambitions. On the campaign trail, the 33-year-old mayoral front-runner  who turns 34 on Saturday  has been relentlessly focused on economic issues. But he did not shy away from tackling Fox News culture war questions head-on.

Host Martha MacCallum opened the interview with a question reminiscent of the one that arguably propelled Mamdani to the head of the pack in the crowded Democratic primary: If he thought Hamas should disarm following its tenuous peace agreement with Israel. She pressed him on whether he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited New York, a pledge that Mamdani made in a September interview with the New York Times.

As with his standout primary debate answer, in which he vowed to stand up for Jewish New Yorkers wherever they are across the five boroughs when asked if he planned to visit Israel as mayor, Mamdani attempted to center his response on domestic concerns and diffuse a potential liability. He also forcefully pushed back when MacCallum seemed to push Thatcherism on him, pressing him about running out of other peoples money hours after the White Houses announcement that it is working to double a $20 billion private sector bailout to prop up the moribund currency of Argentina after MAGA-friendly President Javier Mieles reforms.

But perhaps the most consequential gesture of his appearance came when Mamdani, whose mother is a celebrated filmmaker, showed off his command of stagecraft.

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MacCallum challenged Mamdanis past criticism of New York Police Department officers, whom he referred to as racist and wicked in social media posts. Police officers that I spoke to, they dont want a behind closed doors apology, she said, pressing him to apologize live on-air. The giant smile on his face was an indication that Mamdani relished the opportunity Fox News provided. Looking straight into the camera, Mamdani apologized for his criticism, continuing on after MacCallum interrupted his apology, demonstrating a willingness to learn and grow that was refreshingly human. Before President Donald Trumps ascent, it was a trait lauded in a leader.

Mamdani also directly addressed Trump and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent and is Mamdanis top rival in the mayoral election.

I want to take this moment, because you spoke about President Trump, and he may be watching right now, and I just want to speak directly to the president, Mamdani said, again turning to camera. I will not be a mayor like Mayor [Eric] Adams, who will call you to figure out how to stay out of jail. I wont be a disgraced governor like Andrew Cuomo, who will call you to ask how to win this election. I can do those things on my own. I will, however, be a mayor who is ready to speak at any time to lower the cost of living.

Within minutes of his appearance, Mamdani was vilified. Fox News host Will Cain called him a threat to Western civilization immediately after the interview aired. But on Special Report that night, Fox News contributor Brit Hume begrudgingly admitted that Mamdani is a big talent. As Hume explained to the television audience, the striking thing about him is not only is he polished and articulate, but very disarming. Hes got this ready smile, and he seems so easygoing and friendly and affable.

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Indeed, beyond the charisma Mamdani is widely praised for, his appearance demonstrated the very strength and dominance that Democrats and the left are too often lacking. By speaking not just to hostile Fox News viewers, but also to conservatives more broadly and to Trump himself, he asserted agency without emulating Republicans.

Want more sharp takes on politics? Sign up for our free newsletter, Standing Room Only, written by Amanda Marcotte, now also a weekly show on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

But Mamdani wasnt the only one who took flak from the right. Across social media, Fox News viewers seemed displeased with MacCallums performance. As hard as she tried to paint Mamdanis proposals as unreasonable, she often muttered right under her breath as he answered her questions, serving to unintentionally bolster his talking points.

For all the attention given to Mamdani, its certainly easier to win adulation and skirt scrutiny when you dont have the baggage of being in office. Thats why its notable that, armed with the knowledge that cable loves conflict, congressional leaders on the left turned to the medium to directly confront a government shutdown that is stretching into its third week.

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On the same day as Mamdanis Fox News debut, CNN hosted the Shutdown America town hall. Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders took the opportunity to call out the common lie thats been spread by Republican leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, about emergency care and undocumented immigrants at the heart of the shutdown fight.

I dont know about you, but me, as a human being, I dont want to live in a world where if a human being is struck by a car or is getting rushed into a hospital, that people in the ER surgical room are asking for your insurance information or asking for documents before they save your life, said the congresswoman, defending the law signed by Republican President Ronald Reagan that requires all hospitals that participate in Medicare to provide emergency treatment to anyone who needs it, regardless of immigration status.

An audience member noted that about 80% of people who benefit from the health care subsidies Democrats are fighting to extend live in states that voted for Trump. If the Republicans are so insistent on sticking it to their own voters on this issue, they said, why dont the Democrats just let them? Ocasio-Cortez offered a powerful rebuttal: Trump believes that if you dont vote for him, he doesnt have to be your leader. I dont care if someone voted for me or not. I dont care if someone is a Republican or an independent or a Democrat That will never change the fact that Im going to fight for them to have health care.

And that is the difference, she continued, between a strongman and an authoritarian, and a leader of a democracy.

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Sanders, for his part, used his time to push back against corporate media.

I think the Republicans are effective, he said in response to another audience question. They have learned a lot about social media. And by the way, it doesnt hurt that their friends own all of the major social media platforms, calling out billionaire media owners like Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, who is rumored to be interested in CNN after his son David recently purchased the parent company of CBS News. Mr. Ellisons going to own you pretty soon, Sanders told host Kaitlan Collins.

In an era of cable news grifting, bickering and blatant bigotry, progressive voices like these are a breath of fresh air. Trying to shift the terms of debate, especially via a medium like cable news, is structurally inhospitable. Thats why a successful media strategy is not mere cable presence but involves multiplatform reach. Within hours, both Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani had posted clips from their respective appearances to YouTube and social media. They understand that cable presence gives legitimacy for potentially viral clips.

Still, every time the left breaks through, the backlash is swift and brutal. Ocasio-Cortezs minor verbal slip (suggesting corporate polluters include Deloitte, an accounting firm) was gleefully amplified by opponents in an attempt to overshadow her broader points. Eff that woman, Megyn Kelly ranted on her podcast about Ocasio-Cortez after the debate. The conservative pundit claimed the congresswomans town hall appearance inspired her own political aspirations. If she runs for president, I might run Ill find my way into the ticket somehow.  Even under such pressure, progressives cannot retreat or self-censor.

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A couple of high-profile events like these do not build institutional momentum. But if the lefts performance this week on cable news has taught Democrats anything, its that media training should be as vital as polling or fundraising.

The post How the left can win on cable news appeared first on Salon.com.
Lemurs first arrived on the island of Madagascar 53.2 million years ago, probably hitching a ride on a vegetation raft from mainland Africa. The island was predator free, and the lemurs evolved into an abundance of species to thrive in its various habitatsan expansion that hasnt stopped since.

Scientists typically expect such rapid species growth to eventually slow down. However, in a study recently published in the journal Nature Communications, a team of researchers presents evidence that lemurs defy this evolutionary principle.

Lemurs are often cited as an example of adaptive radiation, as more than 100 extant species have evolved and filled ecological niches on Madagascar, the researchers wrote in the paper. Adaptive radiation is the rapid increase in the number of species of a certain lineage. However, recent work suggests that lemurs lack a hallmark of other adaptive radiations: explosive speciation rates that decline over time.

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While youre probably imagining the iconic black-and-white primate from the PBS Kids show Zoboomafoo, lead author and Oregon State University biologist Katie Everson explained in a statement that lemurs come in numerous different formsfrom Earths smallest primate (Madame Berthes mouse lemur) to a now-extinct lemur species that was as large as a gorilla. Because they are all native to Madagascar, the island hosts a whopping 15 percent of all primate species.

[ Related: Sorry, Darwin: Most male mammals arent bigger than females. ]

In the study, Everson and her colleagues conducted a phylogenomic analysis (the study of evolution through genomes) to investigate lemur evolution, including the timeline of their arrival on Madagascar. Our analyses reveal multiple bursts of diversification (without subsequent declines) that explain much of todays lemur diversity, the researchers explained in the paper, whose work also. Today, three specific groups of lemursmouse lemurs, sportive lemurs, and brown lemurshave very high rates of speciation, or how fast new species form.

Speciation rates provide insight into how quickly biodiversity is created, and can reveal evolutionary patterns, and can serve to compare different animal groups. For instance, the team found that diversification among lorises, bushbabies, and galagos (lemur primate relatives) on continental Africa and Asia is much slower. This indicates that something special is happening on Madagascar, Everson admitted in the statement.

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The lemur clades with high diversification rates also have high rates of genetic material from one species becoming part of the gene pool of another, a phenomenon known as genomic introgression, she added. That suggests that hybridization in these primates is not an evolutionary dead end, as it often can be, but potential fuel for diversification.

The iconic animals, however, are at risk of extinction, with 95 percent of lemur species considered threatened. According to the team, the data presented in their study will influence future conservation actions.
(Sergey Bobylev / Sputnik via AP) (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social account after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday afternoon that he wanted Ukraine and Russia to both claim Victory and make a DEAL! to end the war with the current border lines.

The comment by Trump was a reversal from his position less than a month ago, when he called Russia a paper tiger and said that he believed Ukraine should be able to get all of its land back from Russia.

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The presidents previously strong stance against Russia surprised Zelensky and other supporters of Ukraine, and won praise from some of Trumps harshest critics.

When Zelensky met with Trump at the United Nations in late September, he reportedly asked for Tomahawk missiles, which would allow Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory, arguing that this expanded military capability would help force Russia President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.

This week, however, Trump reversed course after a phone call with Putin on Thursday, reportedly backing down from the plan to provide Tomahawks or other longer range weapons and announcing an upcoming in-person meeting between the two in Budapest, Hungary.

Friday, Trump met with Zelensky at the White House, and posted on Truth Social after the conclusion of their conversation.

Wrote Trump:

The meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine was very interesting, and cordial, but I told him, as I likewise strongly suggested to President Putin, that it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL! Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide! No more shooting, no more Death, no more vast and unsustainable sums of money spent. This is a War that would have never started if I were President. Thousands of people being slaughtered each and every week  NO MORE, GO HOME TO YOUR FAMILIES IN PEACE!

The post Let Both Claim Victory! Trump Urges Ukraine and Russia to Make a DEAL! with Current Border Lines first appeared on Mediaite.
Amiram Ben Uliel was convicted in 2020 of the murder of three members of the Dawabsheh family in an arson attack in the West Bank village of Duma.

Rabbi Reuven Ben Uliel, father of Amiram, convicted in the 2015 Duma arson case, has formally appealed to President Isaac Herzog for clemency.

Amiram Ben Uliel was convicted in 2020 of the murder of three members of the Dawabsheh family in an arson attack in the West Bank village of Duma, and received three life sentences.

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In a letter addressed to the Presidents Residence, Ben Uliel called for his sons release, alleging that Amiram was subjected to abusive interrogation methods and has been held in solitary confinement for nearly nine years.

Amiram was arrested and brutally tortured by the Shin Bets Jewish Division until a false confession was extracted for an act he did not commit, the letter stated.

According to Ben Uliel, the court acknowledged the harsh interrogation methods and alleged legal irregularities, yet upheld a conviction based solely on the confession.

Amiram Ben-Oliel, charged with racially-motivated murder for the arson attack on the Dawabsha family home in Duma (credit: Courtesy)

He referenced the recent release of Palestinian prisoners as part of a hostage deal, writing, At a time when 250 murderers, some sentenced to multiple life terms, have been released, Amiram remains imprisoned for a crime he did not commit.

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He argued that the continued incarceration of his son was a moral distortion and urged Herzog to intervene.

Mr. President, do not turn a deaf ear, hear his cry and erase this terrible disgrace, he wrote.

Amiram has consistently denied any involvement in the murders, with his lawyers previously claiming that his confession was coerced through torture.

The Presidents Office has not issued a public response to the clemency request.

The Duma attack

The July 2015 attack killed 18-month-old Ali and his parents, Saad and Riham, and destabilized Israeli-Arab relations throughout the region.

Immediately following the handing down of the sentencing, Ben-Uliels wife, Orion, and supporters rose to their feet and yelled at the judges, You are the murderers!

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In 2022, the case reached the Supreme Court, where lawyers for Ben-Uliel told the justices that the Shin Bet tortured him during his interrogation, which should have invalidated his confession and led to his acquittal.

The Supreme Court rejected the appeal, which was slammed by MKs Itamar Ben-Gvir and Simcha Rothman.

Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.
To the editor: Not only is the entire conspiracy theory false, but the claim that it is possible to see the voters preference through a hole in the return envelope is demonstrably inaccurate, at least for Los Angeles County ballots ( California ballot design prompts false conspiracy theories that the November election is rigged, Oct. 14). The yes" and "no" circles for voting are less than an inch from the ballot fold (or bottom of the envelope, depending on your placement). The holes in the envelope are approximately two inches from the bottom and four inches from the top of the envelope. While ballots in other counties may have different layouts, L.A. County is Californias most populated by far and makes up a massive amount of the ballots.

It is disappointing that the secretary of state suggested that voters might have to take additional steps to protect the privacy of their ballots without mentioning this. It is also disappointing that the Los Angeles Times didnt include this fact-check in its article.

Elizabeth Ralston, Los Angeles

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
To the editor: Given the existential scale of oil-industry-caused climate change, Texas-based Sable Offshore Corp. should not be allowed to drill in waters off Californias coast ( How grand plans to restart oil drilling off Santa Barbaras coast hit Californias green wall, Oct. 13). The Golden States environment and economy should not be put at risk in order to enrich Lone Star State investors.

California has Americas largest ocean economy, estimated at $44 billion . The largest components of this economy are tourism, recreation and commercial and recreational fishing, with aquaculture and renewable energy generation becoming increasingly important. Oil spills have caused California major problems for more than 50 years and are a constant menace to the environmental treasures of our coast.

Lets send Sable back to Houston with the message that Californias world-class economy was not built on a fuel that imperils the global environment. If Texans want to invest in Californias marine economy, they can put their money into our states renewable energy enterprises.

Tom Osborne, Laguna Beach

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A Long Island woman is facing multiple charges in connection with a drug-fueled August crash that killed a man and injured two other people, officials announced Friday.

Cassandra Panetta, 41, of Plainview, was allegedly driving under the influence of methamphetamine when she ran a red light and crashed into a car in East Meadow on the afternoon of Aug. 10, the Nassau County District Attorneys Office said in a press release.

Investigators said Panetta was driving her 2012 Nissan Maxima when she approached a steady red light at the intersection of Carman Avenue and Salisbury Park Drive.

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Instead of stopping, Panetta allegedly drove through the red light and crashed into the rear drivers side of a 2024 Nissan Altima making a left turn onto Carman Ave. The crash heavily damaged the vehicle and injured the driver and the front-seat passenger, prosecutors said.

The backseat passenger, 55-year-old Steven Diamond, went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to Nassau County Medical Center in East Meadow. He was pronounced dead a few hours later.

Diamonds life was senselessly cut short because of conduct that was as reckless as it was preventable, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said, referring to Panettas alleged decision to drive while under the influence of methamphetamine [which] had irreversible consequences.

The other two occupants of the 2024 Nissan, both women, were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. The 57-year-old driver suffered a concussion, while the 56-year-old front-seat passenger sustained minor injuries, officials said.

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Panetta fractured her wrist in the crash, and investigators said forensic testing of her blood later revealed the presence of methamphetamine and amphetamine.

She was arrested Friday following a thorough investigation on charges of manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, assault, driving while ability impaired by drugs (DWAI) and reckless driving, according to police.

Panetta pleaded not guilty during an appearance in Nassau County Court. Her bail was set at $500,000 cash, $750,000 bond or $1 million partially secured bond, online court records show.

Shes expected back in court on Dec. 4. If convicted, she faces seven to 15 years in prison.
(The Center Square) - About two weeks after receiving the proposal, the University of Pennsylvania announced it would not be joining the Trump Administrations Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.

Penn was one of nine elite universities initially sent the compact and is among four who have officially rejected its terms, a decision that reflects concerns shared by voices across the political spectrum.

Among them is Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who responded to the announcement on social media Thursday.

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The Trump administrations dangerous demands would limit freedom of speech, the freedom to learn, and the freedom to engage in constructive debate and dialogue on campuses across the country, said Shapiro. He added, Penn has long been a crucial part of the fabric of this Commonwealth and needs no special consideration from the federal government.

The governors criticisms of the proposal were more pointed than Penns public response, which respectfully declined the presidents offer for funding opportunities tied to compliance with his administrations political priorities.

At Penn, we are committed to merit-based achievement and accountability, wrote the schools president, Dr. J. Larry Jameson. The long-standing partnership between American higher education and the federal government has greatly benefited society and our nation. Shared goals and investment in talent and ideas will turn possibility into progress.

Penn has already made changes to their policies to settle a dispute with the administration over womens sports. To join the compact would mean further committing to new admissions requirements and ideological standards.

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The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, which includes academic freedom amongst its primary concerns as an organization dedicated to protecting speech, issued a statement in opposition to the compact.

A government that can reward colleges and universities for speech it favors today can punish them for speech it dislikes tomorrow, concludes the statement. Thats not reform. Thats government-funded orthodoxy.

Still others who support Penns decision say that the larger issue with the compact is federal funding for higher education in the first place. The Center Square spoke with Dr. Neal McCluskey, director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, a Libertarian think tank.

McCluskey emphasized that because education funding isnt enumerated in the Constitution, it isnt within the federal governments reach. Using federal money to dictate more limits on academic freedom would, for him, be a step in the wrong direction.

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The right way for higher ed to operate is without government funding. That would mean there would be no federal student aid and then very little federal research money, said McCluskey, though he acknowledged that within the current system, that would be an impossible ask.

It's easy to kind of blame the institutions and say, Well, if the institutions don't like it, they shouldn't take the money, said McCluskey. But the federal money is so ubiquitous, it is almost impossible to be a viable institution that doesn't take - especially - the student aid.

Funding aside, McCluskey had concerns about the implications the compact has for academic freedom.

Whats particularly concerning about the compact is when it does things like say, Well, you have to have intellectual or ideological balance, said McCluskey. Who is going to determine - and how are they going to determine - whether or not your university has sufficient ideological balance? That's not spelled out anywhere that I've seen. And so it's an open question, and when you start to try and answer it for yourself, it gets pretty concerning.

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McCluskey also pointed out that there are variations within the broader body of the political left and right with a mix of positions on any number of issues. He noted that certain academic fields would lend themselves toward what might be perceived as a left or right leaning political viewpoint. McCluskey was hesitant to cite specific areas where this would be the case, noting that his own expertise is in the field of education.

One example of how these concerns could play out, however, might be climate science. While most scientists agree that climate change is influenced by humans, skepticism as a political position is almost exclusively seen among conservatives. To create an ideologically balanced department studying climate change would be a highly inaccurate representation of the scientific community.

Yet, while the debate as to why schools tend to lean to the left rages on in the U.S., the fact that liberals far outnumber conservatives among college faculty is undisputed. Thats why despite his own reservations about the compact, McCluskey said he understood the underlying reasoning driving it.

McCluskey said that, from what hes observed, conservative policy analysts largely disagree with the compact, But I think they are sympathetic to the motivation behind it, which is that higher education has been very hostile to conservatives for a very long time and is happy to take conservatives tax money, and they just feel that that's unjust and that this would be a way to rebalance the scales.
LIMA  Thirty-six silhouettes stood in honor of victims of domestic violence Thursday night, and a congregation held candles for the 30th year.

Olivia DePalma, mobile advocacy and outreach coordinator at Crossroads Crisis Center, said the night was a huge landmark for Crossroads Crisis Center.

This is held in memory of all those who have lost their lives, she said. Inside the sanctuary, we have 36 silhouettes, 23 women, two men and the other 11 children. This is an event for loved ones to come and remember their loved ones, but its also a chance for us to honor and celebrate survivors and recognize all those working to end domestic violence.

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Crossroads board member Jenny Market shared her story about how domestic violence affected her life and her family.

Since May 2003, I have witnessed and experienced a lot of things, she said. After serving on the board, I pledged to give voice to the voiceless, hope to the hurting and safety to those who need it most.

Crossroads Executive Director Christel Keller applauded her staff and reiterated the centers mission.

To watch my advocates together providing care is truly the best, she said. I have the best team, and we protect this environment at all costs, providing mutual support and safety.

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DePalma said it was important to know that domestic violence happens everywhere, no matter the race, economic standing, gender or religion, and not just in Lima or Ohio.

Seeing the number of people showing up meant a lot.

It means everything to us because it shows people care, and sometimes we can lose sight of that, DePalma said. We can lose sight that there are still good people in the world who want to show support and help.

To call or text the Crossroads crisis hotline, dial 419-228-4357.

Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.
(FOX40.COM)  An officer with the Lincoln Police Department was arrested on Thursday after being accused of long-term sexual abuse of children.

On June 23, the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office received a call from four female family members who reported being sexually abused years earlier by their uncle, 52-year-old Timothy Jaekel. Deputies spoke to the primary victim by phone, who was an adult living in Arizona.

SCSO said it learned that Jaekel was an active police officer with the Lincoln Police Department. The woman reportedly advised SCSO that she had already contacted LPD earlier in the day and told them about the alleged abuse.

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All four females said there was a long-term pattern of being touched by Jaekel over and under the clothing between the ages of 8 and 16, in Sacramento County, according to SCSO. Jaekel is also accused of requesting nude pictures from one of the victims while she was still a child.

Additionally, they reported seeing Jaekel inappropriately touch other female family members.

On Thursday, SCSO obtained a warrant for Jaekels arrest. He was booked into the Sacramento Main Jail where he remains ineligible for bail.

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In a battle of edgy drink brands, Death Wish Coffee is suing Liquid Death over the potential that the latter company may soon sell coffee products. As reported by FoodBev Media and Daily Coffee News, Death Wish expressed in an October 7 complaint that Liquid Death has filed a trademark for an unreleased drink named the "Deathuccino." On October 9, Liquid Death shared on Instagram, "we have no real plans to actually launch a coffee."

Death Wish alleges that the water company's expansion into the coffee space will confuse consumers with its similar, skull-based logo and "death" branding. Back in 2023, Death Wish sued another coffee company, Death Before Decaf, over its "edgy, rebellious" social media presence and use of the word "death" (via Sprudge).

Death Wish is known for making dark-roasted coffee with unusually high levels of caffeine to help customers grind through their day. Liquid Death, on the other hand, is known for selling water in a can to reduce plastic waste and give non-drinkers a beverage on a night out that looks like a beer. Notably, the two brands already have a history of social media banter. In 2022, Death Wish called out Liquid Death on Twitter (now X), asking, "How does it feel to be the world's weakest coffee?" Liquid Death replied, "We're actually water, not coffee. And without water, you are not coffee either. You'd just be Death Wish Bean Bags."

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Read more: 26 Popular Vodka Brands, Ranked By Their Versatility

The lawsuit is playing out in real time on social media

Bags of Death Wish coffee on store shelf - The Image Party/Shutterstock

Social media greatly influences consumer eating habits, and food brands are no doubt aware of this. So, it's unsurprising that the battle between Death Wish Coffee and Liquid Death has expanded beyond the courtroom.

While Liquid Death denied any plans to release a coffee beverage, its October 9 Instagram post did take a jab at Death Wish's CEO, Steve Gardiner, for perhaps developing paranoia after drinking too much of the company's own coffee. The water brand suggested the executive switch to its new energy drink (coming in January), which only contains 100 milligrams of caffeine per serving  much less than Death Wish's 728 milligrams per 12-ounce cup. Liquid Death did, however, leave the door open for a future move into coffee and argued that no brand should own the word "death."

Liquid Death fans have flooded Death Wish's Instagram, poking fun at the company with Liquid Death GIFs and memes. Death Wish has yet to post about the lawsuit. This isn't the only high-profile lawsuit in the food space, as Smucker's is suing Trader Joe's over an allegedly copycat product.

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President Trump on Friday welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House for a third time to discuss ending his countrys war against Russia.

The Ukrainian leader and his top officials have been lobbying Trump to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles, which would enable strikes against military and energy targets deep inside Russia.

Trump said supplying the missiles to Ukraine would be difficult and dangerous, adding that he hoped it would not be necessary. Zelensky suggested the U.S. and Ukraine could exchange missiles for drones.

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Trump and Zelensky offered contrasting views on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready for peace, ahead of Trumps upcoming meeting with Putin in Hungary.

Earlier on Friday, former national security adviser John Bolton pleaded not guilty to 18 federal charges in his first federal court appearance since being accused of unlawfully sharing and storing classified information.

On Thursday, a federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Md., returned the indictment charging Bolton with 18 felonies, making him the third longtime foe of Trump that the Justice Department has recently brought charges against.

Congress is out Friday, but Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) held his daily press conference on the government shutdown  now in its 17th day.

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POLK COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  Lee David Strole, 39, was arrested on Oct. 15, after reports of a shooting at a Livingston residence.

My family cant rest: Nikki Curtis brother speaks out against Robert Robersons stay of execution

Photo Courtesy of Polk County Jail

On Oct. 15, the Polk County Sheriffs Office responded to reports of a shooting at a Livingston residence on Wilson Road.

Upon arriving to the residence, law enforcement secured the scene and identified Strole as a suspect in the shooting. After an extensive search of the surrounding area, Strole was located in a wooded area near Parrish Road and was taken into custody on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with no bond.

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Suspect in East Texas triple homicide crashes vehicle at Buc-ees, shoots himself

The victim was transported to an out-of-county hospital with life-threatening injuries. Polk County Sheriffs Office said that an investigation is still underway but would like to assure the public that there is no ongoing threat to the community.

You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming.



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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Hunters from around the country are arriving at the Sioux Falls Regional airport for the opener of pheasant hunting season.

Experience Sioux Falls and several vendors are welcoming hunters by providing them with information on local attractions and businesses for their visit.

Welcome, guys.

Leslie Johnson, the owner of Let Freedom Ride 605, is hoping for a windfall selling her windshield covers at Sioux Falls Regional Airport.

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Providing windshield covers for side-by-sides, construction equipment, getting into boats, kind of do a little bit of everything, Johnson said.

This is Johnsons first time pitching her products to hunters arriving for South Dakotas pheasant season.

I didnt know what to expect. Although I do know theres a lot of hunters that come through from all over the country and we were excited to meet people, Johnson said.

The big seller for Deer Creek Alpacas has been socks, because no hunter wants to be in the field with wet feet.

The alpacas a really good product. Its a bit warmer than wool, its lighter than wool, Valerie Hicks of Deer Creek Alpacas said.

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This is the fourth time the White, SD company has had a booth at the airport.

We have a lot of travelers that arent used to the cold weather, so we get lots of people looking for socks, or gloves. Hats, Hicks said.

Just like in real estate, location is everything when you want to sell products to hunters at the airport.

Were actually second in line as they come off the escalators here, so. And were the only one that has orange apparel, Folds of Honor South Dakota Chapter Vice-President Don Zwart said.

Vendors say they dont even have to move merchandise at the airport in order to be successful. The hunters they meet today will often reach out to them after returning home from their hunting outings. Closing a deal that started with a friendly greeting in the terminal.

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Its a testament to South Dakota and what we have to offer, Johnson said.

A dozen vendors were set up at the airport. Thats four more than last year. Experience Sioux Falls says the increase is likely due to cheaper fees for vendor spaces.

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Local food bank offers more help to assist those during government shutdown

Its day 17 of the federal government shutdown, and leaders with one local food bank say they are seeing an increase in the number of people needing assistance.

Feeding Northeast Florida says they are gearing up to order more food as they prepare extra meals for airport employees and those active-duty military members here at Naval Station Mayport. Since many are going without pay due to the government shutdown.

Some of the things that we have seen specific to the shutdown is really just a level of anxiety and concern around it, said Susan King, President and CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida.

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That concern over how food might get put on the table during the government shutdown has been felt by Feeding Northeast Florida. The charity is the largest food bank serving eight counties in the region.

Its president and CEO, Susan King, says they have already seen an influx of military families since the government shutdown started. Theyre all looking to stock up on food.

Were seeing an increase, but that increase ranged anywhere from a reported 10% to as much as a 100% increase, said King.

That growing need from federal employees and the military was seen earlier this week as Mayport Navy Leagues latest military Monday food drive saw double the number of people they usually serve. Action News Jax spoke with a military family getting that assistance

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And it feels a little bit hard when youre like kind of proud and dont want to do those kinds of things, but you gotta do what youve got to do, said Iris Macfarland, wife of a Navy sailor.

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Feeding Northeast Florida says they went out yesterday, surveying airport employees and started preparing roughly 300 meals for TSA agents at JIA, and theyre also working on getting more meals ready for active duty personnel at Mayport.

In addition, we have ordered a food supply kind of beyond what we normally do and are going to be building 6,000 boxes that are probably about a three-meal dry box that we can provide for anybody, said King.

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They want people to know that they are here to help, but say they are counting on donations earlier this year because their funding and the amount of food products they regularly receive have been cut.

The end of September, we were down 35%. And thats, you know, thats 11, 12 million dollars, I mean, 11 or 12 million pounds of food that comes to us and donated, said King.

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JOPLIN, Mo.  MSSU invites local high school students to create art on campus today.

Around 100 students filled the Department of Art and Design for the 11th annual High School Art Day. Each student participated in one of 8 workshops led by MSSU art instructors focused on a variety of media including water painting, glass jewelry, and felting. The event was at capacity because officials say its such a hit with local students.

It was like kind of like a field trip thing and I was like, yeah I want to go because like I love like all types of art. I love everything about it, said Victoria Carriker, Attendee.

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I dont know if weve had any students make it all four years, but we do have a couple who repeat like twice. And then later on, if Im at a recruiting event at their school or something, and they stop by their table, you know I always hear about how their workshop went. And thats really kind of cool to hear that sort of feedback at the end, said Frank Pishkur, MSSU Department of Art and Design Chair.

After they created a unique piece of art to take home, students got a sneak peek at the Squeeze Me in Two exhibit in the departments gallery and got to talk to the artist.

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ST. LOUIS  A Vietnam veteran who served his country now gets to sit back and let his country serve him.

On Thursday, local nonprofit Rebuilding Together St. Louis and The Home Depot partnered to give 78-year-old Air Force veteran Casteen Harrisons home some TLCan effort to help veterans restore their homes as they age.

What makes it so special is the workers are volunteer workers, Harrison said. Its really a blessing to watch your home transform and things be done to your home.

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Some of the projects completed were painting the exterior, installing light fixtures to help Harrison see, beautifying the front porch and installing a new roof that had been previously fixed.

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Were out here working with Rebuilding together Saint Louis, putting in sweat equity to help Mr. Harrison live a little better and age comfortably in his home, said Tom Harris, district manager for Home Depot St. Louis.

Harrison said he bought his home in 1995 and has taken pride in it ever since. He says its the first place hes ever had that feels like a home instead of a house.

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Harrison told FOX 2 the efforts are greatly appreciated and couldnt be done without the help from volunteers.

According to their release, Rebuilding Together St. Louis has been supporting safe and healthy housing for 32 years. Rebuilding Together St. Louis provides free home repair to low income seniors, people with disabilities and veteran families.

The nonprofit said its mission is repairing homes, revitalizing communities and rebuilding lives.

Harris said the organization has a long waitlist of people to helpbut Harrison said from his experience, it was well worth the wait.

The vision is safe homes and communities for everyone.

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LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56)  People in Laurel County are ready to celebrate the glory of the honey bun yet again on Saturday.

There are tons of activities set for Honey Bun Day in London, all honoring how the humble honey bun helped support thousands of jobs across the city since the early 1950s.

The town is home to Flowers Bakery, the nations largest producer of honey buns. The shop turns out nearly three million pounds of honey buns and other delicious sweets a week.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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The company reports that its three honey bun lines can produce almost 60,000 honey buns per hour, totaling about 10 million honey buns per week.

Honey Bun Day is celebrated all over town at restaurants, shops, London Community Center, and Town Center Park in downtown London.

Special events include an Arts & Makers Market, live music, food trucks, and a Taste the Buns Honey Bun Food Challenge.

The day concludes at 7 p.m., with the city attempting to set the record for the most people eating a honey bun at the same time.

LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS:

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Participants will also be entered to win a $1,000 prize package.

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NEW LONDON - A jury found a city man guilty of robbery and other charges Friday for stealing a person's car at gunpoint more than two years ago, prosecutors said.

Victor Hall, 32, of New London, was convicted in connection with an armed carjacking that occurred March 10, 2023, according to New London Judicial District State's Attorney Paul J. Narducci.

Narducci said Hall was found guilty of first-degree robbery, third-degree robbery, second-degree larceny, larceny of a motor vehicle and criminal possession of a firearm.

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Police have said the charges stemmed from an armed robbery that took place in the area of Brewer Street at Blinman Street. Officials have said that a masked Hall held a female driver at gunpoint before taking off with her vehicle.

Officials have said the driver complied with Hall's demands and was not injured during the carjacking. Hall later was arrested in Waterford after officers spotted the stolen vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.

According to Narducci, Hall engaged the police in pursuit, eventually crashed the car and tried to flee on foot but was apprehended by officers. He noted that law enforcement also recovered a firearm in the area.

Narducci said Hall is scheduled to be sentenced in New London Superior Court on Jan. 28, 2026.

This article originally published at New London man convicted of carjacking driver at gunpoint, prosecutors say.
When Donald Trump announced he would meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest for another summit on Ukraine, Viktor Orban hailed Hungary as the only place in Europe where such a meeting could take place.

However, the choice of location poses practical and legal hurdles for the Russian president. Putin cannot reach Budapest without crossing Nato airspace, or that of a country signed up to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The ICC has issued a warrant for Putins arrest, meaning Hungary and its neighbours, including Serbia and Romania, are technically obliged to detain him if his aircraft enters their skies.

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The announcement of the summits venue has already sparked a diplomatic row, with Germanys foreign ministry urging Budapest to arrest Putin.

Other countries are more sympathetic, and are unlikely to want to be seen as obstacles to peace in Ukraine by scuppering Putins travel plans.

These are three of the routes the Russian leader could take.

Three-hour route

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'

Before the war, direct flights from Moscow to Budapest took around three hours, passing over Belarus and western Ukraine.



Flying in Ukrainian airspace is now practically impossible for Putin as its skies are an active war zone. A symbolic flight path over Ukraine would be unbelievably risky, particularly through its western regions, which are outside Russian control.

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Even if there was no official directive to try to take down Putins plane, rogue troops with access to heavy weaponry could attempt an attack.



Putins security concerns are well known. Earlier this year his helicopter was reportedly near the epicentre of a drone attack as he visited the Kursk region. It is highly unlikely he would risk a similar incident on a journey into Europe.

Five-hour route

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'

Another possibility for Putin is a five-hour route through Belarus and into Poland before turning south over Slovakia into Hungary. Slovakia, like Hungary, has been notably sympathetic to Moscow, despite its EU membership.



Earlier this week, Slovakias prime minister Robert Fico used his veto to block new European sanctions against Russia. He also defied Brussels earlier this year by travelling to Moscow, where he shook hands with Putin and attended Russias Victory Day parade.



However, while Slovakia would likely have no problems facilitating Putins passage, Poland would. One of Ukraines firmest allies, it was recently the victim of suspected Russian drone incursions. In response, Poland told Russia it should not whine if its aircraft or missiles were shot down over Nato territory.

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Poland is a proud Nato member and one of the strongest supporters of the ICC. While it is highly improbable that Warsaw would target Putins presidential jet - an act that could trigger World War III - even the very remote possibility makes such a route politically and militarily untenable for Putin.

Eight-hour route

b'

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Putins most plausible route would take eight hours and runs south to Turkey, a Nato member that has avoided severing ties with Moscow. From there, Putin could skirt around Greece and cross the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas before heading north.



His plane might then pass through Montenegro, an ICC and Nato member, and into Serbia, which remains one of Russias few European allies. From there, the flight into Hungary would be straightforward.

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There is precedent for such a convoluted route; earlier this year, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, altered his usual flight path from Israel to New York, avoiding mainland Europe and instead flying through the strait of Gibraltar.

Relaxing the laws

Russian aircraft are still banned from landing in and flying over EU airspace, including Hungarys, but Orban said on Friday the meeting will take place regardless. Montenegro could object, though European diplomats also told The Telegraph they would not block a summit that could result in peace.

A European Commission spokeswoman responsible for foreign affairs said on Friday that neither Putin nor his foreign minister Sergey Lavrov were subject to a travel ban as part of EU sanctions.



She said member states can issue exceptions to the ban on European airports and airspace for Russian flights, a decision for national governments to make alone.

Peter Szijjarto, Hungarys foreign minister, insisted that his country will ensure that he enters Hungary, has successful negotiations here, and then returns home.

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He said: There is no need for any kind of consultation with anyone, we are a sovereign country here. We will receive (Putin) with respect, host him, and provide the conditions for him to negotiate with the American president.

Emily Ferris, a Russia analyst at Rusi, said European nations will not want to be seen as an obstacle to peace. She said: The key point of jeopardy for Putin is if there is some sort of emergency on board and the plane is forced to land. Will that country enforce the ICC warrant? Or will they force his plane to land and arrest him that way? I think its unlikely.



They could block him from flying but I dont know why they would. You can disagree with Putin and the war but if the US is trying to force Putin to the negotiating table, it would seem unnecessarily intractable to block him.



Hungary began withdrawal proceedings from the ICC in April, but the process takes a year to come into effect, meaning it is still technically obliged to arrest Putin, a spokesperson for the court confirmed. However, that prospect seems remote. In April, Hungary hosted Mr Netanyahu, who is also subject to an ICC arrest warrant, without incident.



Mr Orban, a long-time Trump ally who has maintained close ties with Moscow, said the meeting could take place within two weeks if US and Russian foreign ministers resolve outstanding issues at talks next week.

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A former longtime Fairfield firefighter and EMT pleaded guilty to forgery and falsification on Oct. 16, according to Butler County court records.

The Fairfield Township Fire Department was made aware of alleged misconduct involving firefighter Jason Agoston on Aug. 18 while he was attending paramedic school at Butler Tech, according to a news release. The department notified Butler Tech administrators the same day.

After Butler Tech conducted an investigation on Agoston, he was removed from paramedic school on Aug. 22. Agoston was placed on paid administrative leave from the fire department, and Fairfield police conducted an investigation, the release said.

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Agoston was charged with forgery, a felony, and falsification, a misdemeanor, on Sept. 5 in Butler County. The two charges were "related to actions that took place while attending paramedic school at Butler Tech," the department said in the release.

Court documents did not provide further detail on the investigation into Agoston's misconduct.

On Oct. 3, he resigned from the fire department where he had been employed since 2006.

After the police investigation, Agoston accepted a plea agreement and is set to be sentenced on Dec. 1. He faces up to a year and a half in prison and $3,500 in fines.

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The integrity of our department and the trust of the community we serve are of the utmost importance. We hold all our members to the highest ethical and professional standards. Violations of the law and department policy are taken seriously, and we are committed to full transparency and accountability," Fairfield Fire Chief Ryan Berter said in the release.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Former Fairfield firefighter pleads guilty to forgery, falsification
Rep. Steven Jackson sponsored a new law that requires the Louisiana Board of Ethics to broadcast its public meetings. (Allison Allsop/Illuminator)

State Rep. Steven Jackson, D-Shreveport, has asked the Louisiana Board of Ethics to dismiss more than $10,700 in fines he faces for failing to properly submit public disclosure and campaign finance forms over the past two years.



Jackson, who has also held a local elected seat, has a decade-long history of not filing his election and government transparency paperwork on time and appropriately.



Since he first ran for the Caddo Parish Commission in 2015, Jackson has been fined by the ethics board 22 times, including the seven existing penalties he is asking to be waived, according to the ethics board staff.

Jackson told the ethics board in an August email he had recently hired an accountant to handle his campaign finance paperwork and his failure to submit the forms properly was not malicious.



In most instances, the reports were submitted, though some contained errors. In the limited cases where a report was not filed, it was due to duplication of information rather than any intent to violate the law, Jackson wrote to state Ethics Administrator David Bordelon.

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The board staff has recommended the board deny Jacksons appeal of the penalties and require the legislator to pay the fines.

Campaign finance reports and personal financial disclosure paperwork are the primary way the public knows who donates to a political campaign and what conflict of interest elected officials might have. When those forms arent submitted properly, members of the public are denied the ability to learn about a politicians donors and personal financial interests.



The bulk of Jacksons current round of the ethics penalties, around $7,200, comes from missing deadlines or leaving information off of five reports related to the 2023 election, when he first won his state representative seat.



Jackson also faces a $2,500 penalty for not including all of his income streams on a personal financial disclosure form he was required to fill out in 2023 as a Caddo Parish commissioner and a member of the Louisiana Housing Corporation Board of Directors. He served in both roles before he became a legislator.

He has also failed to turn in another campaign finance report listing who gave him political donations and how he spent money from his campaign account for the year of 2024. The report was due Feb. 15 of this year, but Jackson has never submitted it, according to the ethics board staff.



The state representative has often complained the board is too aggressive about enforcing deadlines.

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SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE





He declined to talk to a reporter about his waiver request when reached by telephone this month and instead asked for questions to be sent to an Elect Steven Jackson email account. He said questions sent to the email address would be answered by campaign workers, who he refused to identify by name and didnt sign an emailed statement.

Late filings shouldnt result in excessive fines or aggressive penalties. Rep. Jackson remains committed to fixing a system that punishes paperwork delays more harshly than serious offenses, reads a statement sent from the email account.

The state had to resort to extreme measures to collect previous fines from Jackson for forms that werent submitted properly during his 2015 and 2018 races for the Caddo Parish Commission.

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It filed a short-lived lawsuit on Aug. 15, 2019, to block Jackson from qualifying to run for his second term on the commission over $3,600 in late fees for his 2015 race. State law requires candidates for public office to have paid their penalties in full before they enter a new election cycle. The suit was withdrawn a day later after Jackson hastily met with the board and paid some of the fines he owed.

Over a separate group of fines, the attorney generals office garnished more than $1,000 monthly from Jacksons paychecks for three months in 2022. It covered fines he accrued when he didnt file paperwork properly during the 2018 election cycle.

If Jackson doesnt pay or resolve his latest set of penalties soon, he could face similarly aggressive enforcement methods. Bordelon said in an interview that two of the seven fines Jackson currently owes have already been referred to the attorney generals office.

In an email with Bordelon, Jackson argued he should not have to pay at least one of the fines that has already gone to the attorney general, worth $2,500, because of a 2024 law he authored.

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Jackson was assessed this particular fine in 2023 because he never filed the required personal financial disclosure form when he ran for state representative. The report, which is due a few days after candidates sign up to run for office, includes information about a candidates income, property ownership and business interests for the public to inspect.

Jackson said that he didnt think he had to turn it in because he had submitted similar information to the ethics board as a Caddo Parish commissioner a few months earlier.



The 2024 law Jackson authored, which the Louisiana Legislature approved unanimously, now exempts candidates who are already in elected office, like Jackson, from having to file a second personal financial disclosure form if they have already done so.

But the law isnt retroactive, and Jackson will still be responsible for the fine unless the board agrees to waive it.

In previous years, Jacksons mounting penalties led the state representative to lash out at the ethics staff. Over several email exchanges from 2019-23, Jackson accused the ethics staff of harassing him and treating him unfairly.

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You all are nothing more than a debt collection agency that harasses and bullies elected officials who dont have the means to defend themselves, Jackson wrote as Caddo Parish commissioner in an October 2022 email to former Ethics Administrator Kathleen Allen.

The board has also struggled to deliver notice of late fees to Jackson via certified mail. Four attempts to get penalty notices to Jackson went unsigned from August of 2024 to March of 2025 alone, according to information provided by the board staff.



As a result, Bordelon, as the state ethics administrator, decided to personally hand deliver Jacksons most recent late notices directly to the state representative while Jackson was at the State Capitol on April 23. At the time, Jackson was in Baton Rouge for the state legislative session.

The ethics board will consider Jacksons request for fine waivers at its Dec. 5 meeting. The matter was pushed from its October meeting two weeks ago until December in order to accommodate Jacksons schedule, according to information the board provided.

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Luigi Mangione's lawyers allege that the Trump administration is using their client as a "pawn to further its political agenda" and prejudicing his case in a new court filing arguing to dismiss the federal indictment or the government's notice of intent to seek the death penalty.

In a Friday letter submitted in New York federal court, Mangione's attorneys argued that social media posts and public comments made by the Department of Justice and White House have prejudiced Mangiones right to a fair trial.

Mangione, 27, is facing two federal counts of stalking, one count of murder through the use of a firearm and one count of a firearms offense. He is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, on the streets of midtown Manhattan last December.

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"Mr. Mangione is one young man, alleged to have acted alone, fighting for his life in three separate cases, against the full force and might of the entirety of the United States Government that is actively and persistently using his him as a pawn to further its political agenda," Mangione's defense lawyers wrote. "This is the very definition of prejudicial where the consequence is death."

The letter marked the latest twist in an ongoing back-and-forth between Mangione's attorneys and the federal government over the posts and public comments.

In an interview with Fox News on Sept. 18, President Donald Trump said that Mangione "shot someone in the back as clear as youre looking at me. ... He shot him right in the middle of the back  instantly dead. ... This is a sickness. This really has to be studied and investigated," according to Friday's letter.

A day later, an X account affiliated with the White House, Rapid Response 47, posted a clip from the Fox interview to its more than 1.2 million followers, according to Friday's letter.

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Mangione's lawyers said in the Friday letter that the video was then reposted by Chad Gilmartin, the deputy director of the Justice Departments public affairs office. Gilmartin wrote that Trump "is absolutely right" in his repost, a screen grab of which is included in the letter.

The Department of Justice declined to comment, and the White House referred NBC News to the Justice Department.

After complaints from Mangione's attorneys about the comments, federal prosecutors said in a letter addressed to the judge earlier this month that they "promptly directed" the posts to be taken down once they became aware of them. They added that the officials are not part of the prosecution's team.

"They operate entirely outside the scope of the prosecution team, possess no operational role in the investigative or prosecutorial functions of the Mangione matter, and are not associated with this litigation," prosecutors then said.

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Prosecutors allege that Mangione was the masked man seen in security footage fatally shooting the UnitedHealthcare CEO last year.

Mangione was arrested at a McDonalds in Pennsylvania days later, concluding an interstate manhunt that gripped the nation. Prosecutors allege that when they arrested Mangione, he had a diary on him that allegedly contains a diary entry suggesting that someone should "wack the CEO at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention." Thompson was killed hours before UnitedHealthcare was set to hold an annual investor conference.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges against him. Mangione has also pleaded not guilty in his pending state cases in New York and Pennsylvania in connection with the December incident.

In their letter on Friday, Mangione's attorneys also pointed to comments Attorney General Pam Bondi made on Fox News in April to bolster their argument.

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"If there was ever a death case, this is one...this guy is charged with hunting down a CEO, a father of two, a married man, hunting him down and executing him," Bondi said, according to the letter. "I feel like these young people have lost their way. I was receiving death threats for seeking the death penalty on someone who was charged with an execution of a CEO."

That month, Bondi directed prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Mangione.

"There can be no doubt that the Attorney General of the United States herself is 'associated' with Mr. Mangiones case, as the Attorney General is the only individual in the DOJ authorized to seek the death penalty in any case," Mangione's lawyers wrote.

Mangiones lawyers have previously argued that federal prosecutors should be precluded from treating it as a death penalty case due to Bondis comments.

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In their letter on Friday, Mangione's legal team also accused UnitedHealth of making "continued attempts to influence" the Trump administration. The letter pointed to a Wall Street Journal report detailing meetings between company executives and officials in the Trump administration. Mangione's lawyers also pointed to reporting that the company doubled its lobbying efforts in the months after Thompson's slaying.

"UnitedHealths continued financial viability depends upon maintaining the narrative that Mr. Mangionerather than the company or its business practicesis the villain," the letter reads. "Accordingly, the defense respectfully requests discovery regarding these meetings to determine whether the 'other issues' discussed between UnitedHealth and the government precipitated coordinated efforts by the White House and the Department of Justice to malign and prejudice Mr. Mangione."

UnitedHealth did not immediately return a request for comment.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Lawyers for alleged UnitedHealthcare CEOkiller Luigi Mangione on Friday cited President Donald Trumps own social media posts in court to argue the entire case should be dismissed, or at least the death penalty should be taken off the table.

Mangiones defense team argued that the Trump administration is using their client as a pawn to further its political agenda, and that statements and reposts by DOJ officials have completely tarnished his right to a fair trial.



On September 18, Trump said in a Fox News interview that Mangione looked like a pure assassin.

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He shot someone in the back as clear as youre looking at me. He shot him right in the middle of the backinstantly dead. This is a sickness. This really has to be studied and investigated.

Everything Trump said was only alleged.

.@POTUS on the deranged fans of Luigi Mangione: "He shot someone in the back as clear as you're looking at me... He shot him right in the middle of the back  instantly dead... this is a sickness. This really has to be studied and investigated." pic.twitter.com/lbsEsgkrbQ  Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 18, 2025

A clip of the interview was posted by the White House social media team Rapid Response 47. Justice Department Public Affairs head Chad Gilmartin retweeted it, commenting that the president was absolutely right, violating the judges explicit orders that DOJ employees refrain from public comment about the case.

The Department of Justice and the White House have coordinated to cultivate and disseminate negative public rhetoric deliberately designed to taint the prospective jury pool, defense attorneys Karen Agnifilo and Avi Moskowitz told the court. The significance of these prejudicial statements is that they have life or death consequences for Mr. Mangione.

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The Justice Department tried to argue that Trumps statements are irrelevant given that hes not related to the case, but the defense highlighted the presidents growing control of DOJ.

Unlike any of its predecessors since the Watergate era, the Department of Justice has not acted independently of the White House in this caseor in several others, the defense filing read. This departure from the longstanding principle of prosecutorial independence has created a blurred and constitutionally troubling line between the Department of Justice and the Executive Office of the President.

Prosecutors also argued that any potential jurors have plenty of time between now and Mangiones trial to forget about Trumps statements. Mangiones lawyers disagreed.

The government has engaged in purposeful, repeated, unlawful actions specifically designed to hurt Mr. Mangiones chances at fair legal proceedings and a fair trial and as part of a wider government effort to further a political agenda, they said. These same officialswhether acting directly or through their subordinateshave continued on this course even after this Court has explicitly directed them not to has caused this case to be unlike any prior death penalty case.

Mangione still sits in a Brooklyn jail awaiting a trial date.
Former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin out-fundraised incumbent U.S. Rep. John Larson during the third quarter, amid what is likely to be a highly contested - and highly expensive - Democratic primary to represent Connecticut's 1st Congressional District.

Bronin, who announced his campaign in late July, raised just shy of $1.2 million and has about $1.1 million on hand, according to quarterly filings with the Federal Election Commission, which were due Wednesday night. Larson, who didn't formally announce his campaign until September, raised about $800,000, filings show, and has about $880,000 on hand.

State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest of West Hartford, who joined the race in late August, raised about $54,000 and has about $45,000 on hand, saying she chose not to focus on fundraising during the opening weeks of her campaign.

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The 1st District race is shaping up to be Connecticut's most interesting congressional primary in 2026, as multiple challengers seek to unseat the 77-year-old Larson, who has held the seat since 1999.

Then-Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin speaks during an announcement of proposals to reduce gun violence at the Capitol in Hartford, Conn., on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023. Bronin is now challenging U.S. Rep. John Larson for the seat in the 1st Congressional District. (Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media)





Money has been an early theme of the campaign, as both Bronin and Gilchrest paint themselves as grassroots candidates not reliant on corporate donors. Bronin has pledged to reject all money from corporate political action committees and urged Larson to do the same.

"John Larson has been in office for almost three decades, he's taken millions of dollars from corporate PACs, and we still expect he's going to out-raise us," Bronin senior adviser Amanda Sands said in a statement Thursday. "But out-raising him this quarter without a cent of corporate PAC money shows that there's a lot of enthusiasm for Luke, and there are lots of people who know it's time for change."

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Gilchrest, meanwhile, called this week for a federal "clean elections" program aimed at taking big money out of politics, a proposal Larson says he supports as well.

"The religious devotion to money in politics has broken our democracy and sold out everyday people," Gilchrest said in a statement this week. "Political insiders told me that I should spend the first month of my campaign raising money. That's ridiculous. I've been using my time to hear directly from voters about what they need instead of asking them for donations."

U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, speaks before the unveiling of a plaque marking the first location of Pratt & Whitney on Friday, July 25, 2025, in Hartford. Larson is seeking to fend off multiple challengers to retain his seat in Congress. (Jim Michaud/Hearst Connecticut Media)





Larson, who raised about $300,000 from PACs in the third quarter, has grumbled about the amount of money likely to be spent in this primary, arguing any money he raises to fend off Bronin and Gilchrest would be better spent in battleground states important to Democrats' hopes of winning back the House of Representatives.

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The 1st Congressional District, which includes much of central Connecticut, including Hartford and its surrounding suburbs, has gone for Democrats by large margins in all recent elections and is considered a safe blue seat in 2026 as well.

Asked this week about Bronin's challenge not to accept corporate PAC money, Larson's campaign issued a strongly worded statement defending the congressman's record and noting that Bronin has accepted money from business interests at other points in his political career.

"Because Luke hasn't identified a single policy difference or explained how he'd do the job any differently, he's resorting to attacking the congressman instead," the Larson campaign said.

Even amid questions about his age and effectiveness, Larson enters the primary as a favorite, thanks to a strong electoral track record and a solid reputation among Connecticut Democrats. Last weekend, he received a public endorsement from U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, an early sign he retains support from the party's establishment.

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Larson's opponents, however, see an opening at a time when many Democrats nationwide are looking for fresh voices. Bronin, 46, who served as mayor of Hartford from 2016 through 2023, has said he respects Larson's record but believes it's time for a younger generation of Democrats to confront President Donald Trump.

"The Democratic Party needs big changes and new energy, and we're building a strong campaign that will have what it takes to win," Bronin said in a statement.

Larson has insisted he remains up for the job even as he approaches 80, touting his voting record and his advocacy for strengthening Social Security. In their statement this week, the Larson campaign rebuffed the idea that Bronin represents a new direction for Democrats.

"After 25 years in politics, the idea that he's suddenly a 'fresh face' ready to reinvent the party is laughable," the campaign said.

State Rep. State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest of West Hartford announced in August that she intends to challenge U.S. Rep. John Larson for his seat in the 1st Congressional District. (Ken Dixon/Hearst Connecticut Media)





Gilchrest, 43, a state representative since 2019, has also spoken about the need for change, while positioning herself as the most progressive candidate in the race. This week, she announced an endorsement from Indivisible Connecticut, a liberal advocacy group that has played a significant role in anti-Trump protests in recent months.

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"Jillian has consistently shown that she puts people first," Indivisible CT founder Jim Chapdelaine said in a statement. "She's a strong advocate for democracy, health care access and working families."

Gilchrest welcomed the endorsement, saying in a statement, "This isn't my campaign, it belongs to all of us."

Two other Democrats have also filed to run against Larson: Hartford Board of Education member Ruth Fortune, who raised just over $40,000 during the third quarter, as well as Southington Town Council member Jack Perry, who reported about $29,000 in contributions, on top of $500,000 he loaned to his campaign.

The lone Republican who has filed to run for the seat, Dr. Amy Chai, reported no campaign contributions during the third quarter, which spanned from July 1 to Sept. 30.

This article originally published at Luke Bronin out-fundraises John Larson in congressional race in Q3, with Jillian Gilchrest behind.
PARIS (Reuters) -More outbreaks of the highly contagious lumpy skin disease have been detected in cattle in southwestern France near the Spanish border, the agriculture ministry said ahead of a ministerial visit to one of the latest affected regions on Friday.

France is struggling to contain a surge in cases of lumpy skin disease, a virus spread by insects that causes blisters and reduces milk production in cattle.

The disease, which is sweeping across Western Europe for the first time, does not pose a risk to humans but often leads to trade restrictions and severe economic losses.

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REBOUND IN OUTBREAKS

Farms in three communes of the Pyrenees-Orientales - La Bastide, Oms, and Valmanya - have reported cases, prompting a mandatory vaccination campaign in the surrounding area, the farm ministry said in a statement late on Thursday.

The affected villages are close together and about 30 kilometers from the Spanish border. Local authorities earlier this week had mentioned only a single outbreak in the region.

France reported a sharp drop in outbreaks in late August after a mass vaccination campaign, but cases have picked up again this month, spreading in the east and now to the southwest.

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Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard is due to visit Jura, one of the latest affected regions in eastern France, on Friday for a crisis meeting on the disease.

Western Europe had been spared from lumpy skin disease, which is usually present in Africa and the Middle East, until this summer.

Italy's Sardinia reported the first outbreak in late June, followed by cases in France and, most recently, Spain.

The three countries are already battling the bluetongue virus affecting sheep and bovines that has spread across Europe.

(Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide, editing by Mark Heinrich)
It has been almost three months since I handed in my notice  and yet I am still here.

Sounds like a long time? Trust me, it feels even longer.

Three-month notice periods, once reserved for the highest echelons of senior management, are a disturbing new norm for ordinary workers in white-collar Britain. And I have become their latest victim.

The number of jobs advertising a three-month notice period has risen by 8pc in the past decade, according to consultancy firm Clover HR. But the data is hard to track definitively, as most employers are unlikely to declare a long notice period up front.

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A survey by Incomes Data Research last year found just 10pc of employers follow the statutory minimum of one weeks notice for resigning employees, with more setting their own rules.

Experts say a faster-moving job market is to blame. Generation Z are obsessive job hoppers: those aged 18 to 25 have had an average of six employers already  the same amount as those aged 65 to 74, according to insurer Canada Life. It means fed-up employers have been forced to extend their notice periods to retain some stability.

Historically, longer notice periods were for senior executives because it took longer to recruit people for these roles and there needed to be time for the transfer of knowledge, says Marie Hart, founder of Popoki HR. But now were seeing three-month notice periods for everybody from middle management up. Theres a feeling its more acceptable now.

For the sake of my editor, I must at this point stress that I am leaving The Telegraph because of an unexpected job offer elsewhere. I love my current job (I promise) and felt in no desperate rush to leave.

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Even so, I have been surprised by the endless drudgery of working my three months. It is, after all, a quarter of a year, one third of a pregnancy and one-three hundredth of the average life expectancy. It is enough time to learn to drive, exchange on a house, and healthily lose one stone and 12 pounds without fat jabs (according to NHS guidelines).

Worst of all, in these past 91 days, I have become the least productive, most troublesome and humbling of all things: a notice period employee.

Its almost like a couple breaking up

It is no secret that notice period employees are a drain on teams. Disengaged and impatient to move on, most (though if youre my editor, not me) succumb to quiet quitting  perhaps more loudly and shamelessly than their colleagues still dependent on future pay cheques.

It is why Obi James, an employment consultant, increasingly finds her expertise deployed to cool feuds between departing employees and their wounded bosses. The minute somebody hands in their notice, they mentally check out. They dont want to be there anymore and so they end up influencing those who are still around, she says.

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At the same time, managers often take the news quite personally and feel quite rejected, so they start to punish them. Its almost like a couple breaking up: Im not going to let you collect your things, Im going to make this as hard as possible for you to move on. A lot of toxic behaviours emerge.

Christine Armstrong, a workplace researcher and author, agrees. Notice period employees can cause a lot of trouble. The last thing a boss wants is them sitting in the canteen all day and bitching. I often tell employers that if somebody really wants to go, let them go.

Reddit is awash with horror stories. Im worried if I dont leave soon I might have an actual breakdown, says one social media executive being forced to work her notice period in full.

Another user describes being inundated with reams of unmanageable work by their manager whose sole objective appears to be punishing them. A third bemoans that theirs is killing interviews and offers for potential new roles.

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The overwhelming advice littered in their replies? Get up and leave  and risk being sued  or show up every day but refuse to do any work.

They are there to protect the employee as much as the employer

Employment lawyers are at pains to point out that a long notice period is a benefit to employees. Emma Wayland, a partner at Keystone Law, says: Its hard to argue against three-month notice periods, as they are there to protect the employee as much as the employer.

It gives managers enough time to find a suitable replacement while employees have the security guarantee of three months pay if they are made redundant.

The prevalence of three-month notice periods makes Europe an outlier compared to the rest of the world.

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In America, workers typically have to give just two weeks notice if they wish to leave a job. When you factor in accrued annual leave and sick days, it often means employees can leave the very same day they hand in their notice. (I previously worked in New York and it was an almost weekly occurrence that colleagues would enter the managing editors office only to swan off just 20 minutes later. There was no time to wave goodbye, let alone sign a leaving card.)

Similarly, in both Australia and Singapore, employees only have to give one months notice if they have worked at a company for more than five years. Anything below that and their notice period is typically a matter of weeks.

Now, after 91 days of work on my notice period, I have left The Telegraph  I am free! And on I go.... to another job with a three-month notice period.

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ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) -Madagascar's coup leader Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as president on Friday, after the military took power in the island nation this week following youth-led protests that forced Andry Rajoelina to flee.

Rajoelina, whom lawmakers impeached after he fled abroad at the weekend, has condemned the takeover and refused to step down despite widespread defections in the security forces.

The African Union and the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have condemned the coup, which came after weeks of "Gen Z" protests.

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"I will fully, completely, and justly fulfil the high responsibilities of my position as President of the Republic of Madagascar," Randrianirina said in a ceremony at the High Constitutional Court.

"I swear that I will exercise the power entrusted to me and dedicate all my strength to defending and strengthening national unity and human rights," he added.

Randrianirina said earlier that the military had taken power and dissolved all institutions except the lower house of parliament, or National Assembly.

He also said that a committee led by the military would rule for up to two years alongside a transitional government before organising new elections.

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Randrianirina was a commander in the elite CAPSAT army unit that played a role in the 2009 coup that brought Rajoelina to power but broke ranks with him last week, urging soldiers not to fire on protesters.

Madagascar's population of about 30 million people has an average age of less than 20 years. Three-quarters of the people live in poverty. Between its independence in 1960 and 2020, GDP per capita plunged 45%, according to the World Bank.

(Reporting by Lovasoa Rabary, editing by Ammu Kannampilly and Alex Richardson)
By Tim Cocks

ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) -Madagascar's coup leader Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as president on Friday to cheers, blaring trumpets and raised swords, days after taking control of the island nation in the wake of youth-led protests that forced out his predecessor.

Ex-leader Andry Rajoelina, whom lawmakers impeached after he fled abroad at the weekend, has condemned the takeover and refused to step down while in exile, despite widespread defections in the security forces and the High Constitutional Court ratifying the army takeover within hours of it happening.

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The African Union and the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have condemned the coup, which came after weeks of "Gen Z" protests initially triggered by severe, chronic power and water shortages.

MILITARY-LED COMMITTEE TO RULE FOR UP TO TWO YEARS

"I will fully, completely, and justly fulfil the high responsibilities of my position as President of the Republic of Madagascar," Randrianirina said in a ceremony at the High Constitutional Court, a colonial-era red-brick building of French windows, segmental arches and stone balustrades.

"I swear that I will exercise the power entrusted to me and dedicate all my strength to defending and strengthening national unity and human rights," he added, before military officers raised swords and blew trumpets to mark the handover.

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Randrianirina has said that a committee led by the military will rule for up to two years alongside a transitional government before organising new elections, although analysts doubt this can be guaranteed.

"Whether the military returns power depends less on words and more on binding safeguards, incentives and oversight," Ketakandriana Rafitoson, Malagasy researcher and Vice Chair of Transparency International, told Reuters from Washington.

"Commitments such as 'We will hand over in two years' are weak if unaccompanied by mechanisms that limit the junta's capacity to entrench itself".

While many of the youths cheered the demise of Rajoelina, who came to office in a 2009 coup, some are already expressing misgivings about the swiftness with which the army stepped in.

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Even Gen Z protesters who turned up to celebrate the new military leader's inauguration, some wearing the trademark T-shirt depicting a skull with a straw hat from the Japanese manga series "One Piece", did not consider their work done.

"Not yet," 18-year-old student Mioty Andrianambinintsoa said outside the court, as dignitaries draped in the red, green and white of the Malagasy flag walked past her to waiting jeeps. "This is a stage. Our aims haven't been achieved."

Asked what those aims were, fellow protester Francko Ramananvarivo, 23, said: "Our objective is to be led by a government that is close to the people. We are not there yet."

ELITE ARMY UNIT

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Randrianirina is a commander in the elite CAPSAT army unit that played a role in the 2009 coup that brought Rajoelina to power, although he was not involved in that putsch himself. He broke ranks with the president during the protests, urging soldiers not to fire on protesters and offering to protect them.

Underlying Madagascar's periodic upheavals is a young population - the average age is under 20 - and some of the world's worst poverty, which blights the lives of three-quarters of its roughly 30 million people.

Despite exports of prized commodities such as vanilla, nickel, sapphires and the white pigment ilmenite, the Indian Ocean island's average income is barely $600 a year, while prices of basic goods such as the staple rice have spiralled.

Between its independence in 1960 and 2020, GDP per capita plunged by nearly half, according to the World Bank, making it one of the few nations to have become worse off over that period.

(Reporting by Tim Cocks and Lovasoa Rabary; Editing by Ammu Kannampilly and Alex Richardson)
Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Col. Michael Randrianirina, head of an elite unit of Madagascar's special forces, was sworn in as president Friday, days after joining Gen Z-led protests and mounting a military coup that toppled the sitting president, Andry Rajoelina, from power.

Speaking at a ceremony in the capital of the Indian Ocean island nation, Randrianirina said he was assuming power at the head of a transitional military government, promising elections within two years once political and electoral reforms were complete.

Vowing to defend and strengthen national unity and human rights, the colonel, who was held without trial in 2023 in a maximum security prison under Rajoelina's administration, also promised to tackle the power and water shortages behind the revolt.

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"We will work hand in hand with all the driving forces of the nation to draft a fine constitution. We are committed to breaking with the past. Our main mission is to thoroughly reform the country's administrative, socio-economic and political systems of governance," Randrianirina said.

He also promised to listen to the people with the army meeting leaders of the mass youth protests for talks this week. Some, however, worried about military rule and whether their agenda would be sidelined.

Florent Rakotoarisoa, president of the Constitutional Court, objected to countries and international bodies calling what had occurred a "coup," insisting it was the result of a faulty constitution that offered no route to remedy a worsening situation as it unfolded.

The African Union and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday were the latest to condemn the army's seizure of power.

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However, RFI reported that diplomatic cars belonging to Britain, France, Switzerland, Germany, China and the European Union arrived for the ceremony at the Constitutional Court in Antananarivo, the capital.

Prime Minister Ruphin Zafisambo, appointed by Rajoelina 11 days ago, and former President Marc Ravalomanana were also present.
Madagascars new head of state is a soldier, not a seasoned politician. Propelled into power by a military mutiny that joined forces with a youth-led protest movement, Colonel Michael Randrianirina is now custodian of a fragile peace in one of the world's poorest countries.

"I am an officer, an implementer, and I was just part of the handover, that's all," Randrianirina told RFI last week. "The fact that I speak in public does not mean that I am the leader."

Since then, he has been sworn in as Madagascar's president and embraced his position at the head of a "national refoundation".

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The chief of an elite military unit known as Capsat, Randrianirina helped clinch the downfall of his predecessor Andry Rajoelina when he ordered his men not to fire on young protesters frustrated with poverty, corruption and failing infrastructure.

Three days later, flanked by soldiers, he appeared in front of the former presidential palace to announce that the military was now in charge.

"I did not seize power," Randrianirina told RFI just before he took over. "I was given power. Power was transferred to me. That's different."

How Gen Z is taking the fight for their rights from TikTok to the streets

Imprisoned for instigation

Randrianirina, who is believed to be 51 years old, was born in the Androy region in the far south of Madagascar.

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He trained at Antsirabe Military Academy and served as governor of Androy from 2016 to 2018. He then obtained a post as commander of an infantry battalion in the city of Toliara, some 1,000km from where he rules today in the capital.

In 2022, he was promoted to the upper ranks of Capsat  often described as Madagascar's most powerful military unit because of its position between the armed forces and political elites. The unit was instrumental in Rajoelina's ascension in 2009, when months of protests brought down then president Marc Ravalomanana.

Criticism of Rajoelina, however, led to Randrianirina's arrest for mutiny on 27 November 2023. He was charged with instigating a military mutiny and attempting a coup d'etat.

A three-month stretch followed at Tsiafahy prison before his release in February 2024 after being given a suspended sentence.

From soldier to statesman

After a return to military fatigues at the head of Capsat, Randrianirina has now slipped into the dark suit and blue tie of the international statesman.

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He said he would appoint a new prime minister who will be responsible for forming a transitional government. He promised elections would follow within two years.

As for the young protesters who precipitated the upheaval, "I would like to see their representatives involved in the running of the country," Randrianirina told RFI. "I have listened to what they are saying."

He also insists he will respect the rule of law. After announcing the dissolution of several institutions, including the High Constitutional Court (HCC), he later rescinded the measures.

"To hold power, we must return to the law, respect the law and respect what the HCC decides," he told RFI.

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The court, however, says that the election of a new president must be held within a maximum of 60 days  far shorter than the timeline Randrianirina has set himself.

"To organise an election, you need an electoral commission and an electoral roll that are accepted by all," he told RFI. "Do we have an electoral commission that is accepted by all? No. Do we have an electoral roll that is accepted by all? No. It takes time to set up."
Todays installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.

* With just 18 days remaining before Election Day in New Jersey, the latest statewide poll from Quinnipiac University found Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill leading Republican Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, 50% to 44%, while the latest Fox News survey found Sherrill up by a similar margin, 50% to 45%. Both polls showed the race has tightened since last month.

* In Maine this week, incumbent Democratic Gov. Janet Mills launched a U.S. Senate campaign, hoping to take on Republican Sen. Susan Collins next year. Soon after, Dan Kleban suspended his statewide bid and endorsed the governor, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee formed a joint fundraising committee with Mills.

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* In related news, Mills will have to overcome a primary fight with Graham Platner, a former Marine combat veteran who now raises oysters, whose record is suddenly facing some scrutiny. Politico reported that Platner once suggested in online posts that violence is a necessary means to achieving social change, while CNN reported that he once called himself a communist who derided police officers. Platner disavowed the posts to the cable network, saying, I dont think any of that is indicative of who I am today, really.

* With just 18 days remaining before Election Day in Virginia, Barack Obama is throwing his support behind former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanbergers candidacy for governor, including starring in two digital ads for her campaign.

* On a related note, the Democratic former president is also starring in a new ad airing in California in support of Proposition 50, which would allow Democratic officials to redraw the states congressional district map.

* In Massachusetts, Sen. Ed Markey learned this week that hes facing a Democratic primary challenge from Rep. Seth Moulton, whos making the incumbents age an issue: Markey will be 80 on Election Day 2026, making him one of the oldest members of Congress seeking re-election next year.

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* Iowas Democratic U.S. Senate primary narrowed a bit this week, as Jackie Norris, the chair of the Des Moines school board, ended her bid.

* And in North Carolina, where Republican state lawmakers are moving forward with a new gerrymandering scheme, GOP officials unveiled a draft district map this week that would give Republicans control over 11 of the states 14 congressional seats, up from the current 10.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Todays edition of quick hits.

* Given the recent pattern with the Republican-appointed justices, the White House probably likes its chances in this appeal: The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to immediately allow for the deployment of National Guard troops in Illinois, alleging they are needed to protect federal agents conducting immigration enforcement. The move comes in response to lower court rulings that blocked the effort, with the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday again ruling against the administration.

* A closely watched meeting: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, with long-range Tomahawk missiles and the trajectory of the war with Russia on the agenda as Kyiv intensifies its push for U.S. military aid.

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* Thats a lot of cases: South Carolinas measles outbreak has grown to 15 cases, state health officials reported Friday, a small increase from a few days ago. ... In Ohio, where five cases in the central part of the state have been reported within the last 2 weeks, quarantine for 122 people was expected to end Friday. ... In the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, 118 kids are now back in school after they were exposed to an outbreak of 20 measles cases. Their quarantine ended Wednesday.

* Im eager to learn what the administration intends to do, exactly, with these survivors: The U.S. is providing medical treatment to survivors from the latest attack on a vessel suspected of transporting illegal drugs in the Caribbean, according to two officials familiar with the matter. The two survivors were rescued by the Coast Guard and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, which has a full medical staff. An unspecified number of others aboard the submersible were killed in the strike, the officials said.

* The expected plea: John Bolton, who served as national security adviser during Donald Trumps first term before becoming a critic of the president, pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges of mishandling classified information.

* The more this list grows, the better: The University of Pennsylvania and the University of Southern California on Thursday declined to sign President Trumps proposal to give funding preferences to schools that agree to concessions, such as capping international enrollment and freezing tuition, and taking steps to protect conservative viewpoints. The rejections raised the number of universities that have said no to the offer to four, reflecting mounting opposition to the deal.

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* The University of Virginia joined the list of schools rejecting the White Houses proposed compact on Friday afternoon.

* U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro sure does lose a lot: Theres already a stunning pattern of grand jurors rejecting indictments sought by the Justice Department in President Donald Trumps second term  specifically when it comes to allegations of assaulting law enforcement in connection with protests against the administrations abuses of power. As time goes on, well learn what trial jurors think of the politically motivated cases that make it that far. We got a prime example Thursday in the case of Sidney Reid, who was acquitted in Washington, D.C.

* A lawsuit worth watching: More than 20 states sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday, challenging the agencys decision to cancel a $7 billion program that aimed to make solar power accessible to low-income households.

* Another lawsuit worth watching: Three labor unions represented by the Electronic Frontier Foundation sued the Trump administration on Thursday over a program that is searching the social media posts of visa holders, arguing that the practice violates the First Amendment rights of people legally in the United States.

Have a safe weekend.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
To put it mildly, Donald Trump and John Bolton have not been on good terms since the former national security advisers tenure in the White House ended. For example, Bolton, after having served at the presidents side for a year and a half, warned the public that Trump is unfit to be president. The Republican responded with an endless stream of insults and complaints about his former aide.

At one point, Trump even published an item to social media that read in part, Bolton ... likes dropping bombs on people, and killing them. Now he will have bombs dropped on him!

One such bomb detonated on Thursday afternoon. MSNBC reported that Bolton was indicted by a federal grand jury in Maryland. From the article:

The 26-page indictment charges Bolton with 18 counts related to the retention and transmission of national defense information. ... The search warrant affidavits, which authorized federal agents to search for classified records, mentioned two sections of the Espionage Act, as well as a statute dealing with the retention or removal of classified information. They also referenced a hack of Boltons AOL account by a foreign entity, but the details in that section of the document were redacted.

John Bolton said in a statement that he was being prosecuted for criticizing Trump and characterized himself as the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department. Federal prosecutors, he added, were using charges that were declined before or distort the facts to punish Trumps enemies. He called the case an abuse of power by the Republican administration, which he compared to Stalinist Russia.

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The charges werent altogether surprising. Over the last several weeks, Trump has breathed new life into his yearslong offensive against Bolton, calling him a fired loser and a really dumb person. Days earlier, the president added that Bolton was stupid and accused him standing in the way of the peace process in Ukraine.

But Trumps campaign wasnt limited to juvenile name-calling and online insults. In January, he canceled Boltons Secret Service protection detail, which Joe Biden had approved after the FBI discovered evidence of an Iranian assassination plot. Around the same time, the Republican also revoked Boltons security clearance. In August, Trumps FBI raided Boltons home and office.

Two months later, the former White House national security adviser was indicted.

Its important to emphasize that while another name has been ticked on Trumps enemies list, there is a qualitative difference between the federal case against Bolton and the recent charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The Comey and James cases are obvious examples of the system being corrupted and weaponized to pursue the presidents political enemies.

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In pursuing Bolton, however, the Justice Department followed a normal process; there was no pushback from career prosecutors; no officials were fired or felt the need to resign; and the indictment actually included credible evidence of alleged wrongdoing.

What a pleasant change of pace in the Trump era.

That said, as The New York Times noted, While the Bolton indictment contains an expansive evidentiary explanation, it remains unclear if the offenses outlined would have warranted an indictment  much less fast-tracked charges  if Trump had not publicly singled out Bolton for punishment.

In other words, although prosecutors managed to assemble evidence against Bolton, that doesnt mean the case has been free of political motivations.

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Whats more, as Bolton prepares for a court appearance, this seems like a good time to revisit whats become of those on FBI Director Kash Patels enemies list, which first appeared in his book Government Gangsters and was filled with those he deemed as members of the deep state.In alphabetical order:

Former President Joe Biden is, at Trumps insistence, facing a federal investigation.

Former White House National Security Adviser John Bolton has been indicted.

Former CIA Director John Brennan is facing a criminal investigation. (Brennan is a paid contributor to MSNBC, my employer.)

Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted.

Former Department of Homeland Security official Miles Taylor is, at Trumps insistence, facing a federal investigation.

Democratic Rep. Alexander Vindman of Virginia is facing a federal investigation.

Former FBI Director Chris Wray isnt officially facing a federal investigation, but Trump recently said he would think that Justice Department officials are pursuing him.

And while there are plenty of people on Patels enemies list who arent currently facing law enforcement scrutiny, theres no reason to assume there wont be additional developments in the coming weeks, months and years. Watch this space.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Because the United States has long been the worlds preeminent superpower, the U.S. Armed Forces maintain combatant commands around the globe. Those who lead these commands might not be known to the public, but they hold unique and powerful positions.

The head of European Command, for example, coordinates U.S. military planning and operations in and around the continent. There are related posts for Africa Command, Central Command in the Middle East and so on.

U.S. Southern Command, which is responsible for overseeing Central and South America, has been of particular interest lately  in part because Donald Trump has ordered a series of deadly military strikes against civilian targets in international waters, and in part because the Republican president has escalated tensions with Venezuela to an unsettling degree.

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Indeed, just in recent days, the White House has authorized new intelligence operations in Venezuela and reportedly flown an elite Special Operations aviation unit near the Venezuelan coast. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that Venezuela is moving troops into position on the Caribbean coast and mobilizing what President Nicolas Maduro asserts is a millions-strong militia in a display of defiance against the biggest American military buildup in the Caribbean since the 1980s.

The head of Southern Command, in other words, has a critically important job right now. So its significant that the Navy admiral in this leadership post announced that hes stepping down. The New York Times reported:

The officer, Adm. Alvin Holsey, is leaving his job as head of the U.S. Southern Command, which oversees all operations in Central and South America. ... It was unclear why Admiral Holsey is suddenly departing, less than a year into what is typically a three-year job, and in the midst of the biggest operation in his 37-year career.

Naturally, theres been a great deal of speculation about what may have prompted the admiral to quit, though the mystery appears to have an answer. The Times referenced two sources who said Holsey had raised concerns about the mission and the attacks on the alleged drug boats. CNN ran a related report, noting that the SouthCom chief had privately expressed reservations about the legality of the Trump-approved strikes.

And while MSNBC hasnt independently verified that reporting, if accurate, it paints a rather dramatic picture. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a written statement, At a moment when U.S. forces are building up across the Caribbean and tensions with Venezuela are at a boiling point, the departure of our top military commander in the region sends an alarming signal of instability within the chain of command.

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Complicating matters is the sheer volume of U.S. military leaders whove left Secretary Pete Hegseths Defense Department, either through firings or resignations. Indeed, just days before Holsey stepped down at SouthCom, the Pentagon chief fired Navy chief of staff Jon Harrison. (His ouster roughly coincided with two high-profile military retirements  Gen. Bryan Fenton, the head of U.S. Special Operations Command, and Gen. Thomas Bussiere, a top Air Force commander  though its unclear if their departures had anything to do with Hegseth.)

There was no ambiguity, however, in late August when the defense secretary fired Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, who served as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and Rear Admiral Milton Sands, a Navy SEAL officer who oversaw the Naval Special Warfare Command.

Four days earlier, Gen. David Allvin, the chief of staff of the Air Force, was also shown the door.

The broader purge also includes Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, who was both the head of U.S. Cyber Command and the director of the National Security Agency; Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. James Slife, former vice chief of staff of the Air Force; Adm. Linda Fagan, the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard; Adm. Lisa Franchetti; Lt. Gen. Jennifer Short; Lt. Gen. Joseph B. Berger III, the Armys top military lawyer; Lt. Gen. Charles Plummer, the Air Forces top military lawyer; and Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, the only woman on NATOs military committee.

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Each of these instances is important in its own right, but lets not miss the forest for the trees: A scandal-plagued former Fox News host appears to be destabilizing the U.S. military.

Toward the end of his unsettling speech to the nations generals and admirals a few weeks ago, in which his argument boiled down to the assertion that testosterone is the key to modern warfare, Hegseth delivered an unsubtle message to his audience. If the words Im speaking today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign, the secretary said.

Those words continue to resonate for a reason.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
As the ongoing government shutdown drags on, in large part over the fight to keep health care insurance affordable for Americans, Republicans have become increasingly unsubtle in their overt opposition to the Affordable Care Act.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise declared late last week that for 90% of his GOP conference, the ACA is a sinkhole and a failed product. Soon after, House Speaker Mike Johnson condemned the popular and effective system as a boondoggle. Around the same time, Rep. Byron Donalds, a leading Republican candidate for Florida governor, insisted that officials have to repeal and replace Obamacare, echoing the phrasing his party seemed to abandon years ago.

Of course, one of the obvious questions is what, exactly, the GOP would offer American families after theyre done repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act.

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune told CNBC last week that the White House is looking for an overhauled system that costs less and does more for consumers. And while that certainly sounded nice  who would oppose a cheaper system that delivers higher quality care?  the South Dakota Republican said literally nothing about how his party would deliver such reform.

This week, the House speaker boasted to CNBC, Weve got pages and pages and pages of ideas of how to reform health care. What are the ideas included on those pages? The Louisiana Republican didnt say.

A day later, JD Vance appeared on Newsmax and was asked whether his party has a health care plan. We do have a plan, actually, the vice president replied.

They dont have a plan, actually.

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Indeed, the more the Ohio Republican tried to answer the question, the more obvious it became that he wasnt willing to share even the vaguest details about his partys preferred blueprint.

The party has been stuck on this path for a painfully long time. In fact, it was on June 17, 2009, more than 16 years ago, when then-Rep. Roy Blunt made a bold promise. The Missouri Republican, a member of the House Republican leadership at the time, had taken the lead in crafting a GOP alternative to the Affordable Care Act, and he proudly and publicly declared, I guarantee you we will provide you with a bill.

The same week, then-House Minority Whip Eric Cantor told reporters that the official Republican version of Obamacare was just weeks away.

That was 833 weeks ago. Theres still no bill.

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In April 2016, then-Republican Rep. Fred Upton, who chaired the House Energy and Commerce Committee at the time, told reporters, Give us a little time, another month or so. I think well be pretty close to a Republican alternative.

That was 114 months ago. Theres still no alternative.

And then, of course, theres Donald Trump, who famously declared during last years campaign, I have concepts of a plan, following several years worth of rhetoric about the unveiling of his plan being just two weeks away.

Its against this backdrop that Vance apparently wants the public to believe that he and his party do have a plan, actually.

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Maybe well see it right around the time Team Trump releases the Epstein files, the tape of border czar Tom Homan accepting $50,000 in cash in a Cava bag, the presidents tax returns and the administrations evidence to bolster its deadly military strikes on civilian boats in international waters.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Its not exactly a secret that in American politics, partisan officials distribute talking points to their allies. The purpose is obvious: Those in a position of authority have specific messages and phrases they want the public to hear, and so they encourage disciplined communications, to be repeated as often as possible.

Ahead of Saturdays No Kings rallies, Republican officials havent exactly been subtle in what they want to convey. The Washington Post reported:

Ahead of thousands of anti-authoritarian No Kings protests planned for Saturday across the United States, Republicans are trying to brand the demonstrations as hate America rallies, ramping up their rhetoric about the millions of people expected to peacefully protest President Donald Trump and his administrations policies as they did in June.

After House Speaker Mike Johnson used the line a week ago, claiming the No Kings protest scheduled in Washington, D.C., deserved to be seen as a hate America rally, I started taking notes on how many GOP officials embraced that phrasing.

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Soon after, I had to give up. So many Republicans were pushing the same line that it proved overwhelming.

The more Republican rhetoric about the No Kings events turns hysterical, the easier it is to believe that the party is panicking about the growing public backlash to its agenda. Just as notably, lets not forget that a benchmark of any authoritarian movement is the delegitimization of political opposition and a crackdown on public dissent.

But looking specifically at the partys choice of slander, its also worth emphasizing the degree to which Republicans are helping prove the progressive activists point.

There were plenty of ways for GOP officials to attack these protests. For that matter, Republicans couldve simply ignored them or downplayed their importance.

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Instead, the party settled on an unusual smear: To oppose Trump, they appear to argue, is to hate America. Its a perspective rooted in the idea that the president is the embodiment of the United States, and as such, his critics are necessarily unpatriotic.

No Kings protesters couldnt possibly love their country or its highest ideals, the Republican argument goes, because if they did, these progressive activists would join the cult of personality the GOP has built up around their partys president.

LEtat, cest moi is a phrase attributed to 17th century French King Louis XIV. Now, 370 years later, Republicans are putting their own twist on the adage: I am the state has effectively become Trump is the state.

The party has been headed down this path for much of the year. Indeed, the president, not long after his second inaugural described himself as a king, which came just days after he similarly declared, He who saves his Country does not violate any Law, a phrase often attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte.

"CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!"

President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/IMr4tq0sMB  The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 19, 2025

It was around this time when an official White House social media account released a portrait showing a grinning Trump wearing a crown.

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Eight months later, his party has decided that anti-Trump protests deserve to be labeled hate America events.

If the goal was to discourage participation in the rallies, I have a hunch the GOP slurs will have the opposite effect.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Big Flats, N.Y. (WETM)  Hundreds of high school students went to an expo at the Big Flats campus of Corning Community College to learn more about local manufacturers in Chemung County.

There were over 25 manufacturers at the expo to teach the students about automotive parts, steel works, and more with demonstrations.

One of the demonstrations was with Hilliard Corp. At the booth, students could put together a differential for a Polaris four-wheeler. At the Nucor booth, students used cardboard to put together a joist that typically is made of steel and supports ceilings.

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Special Needs Expo to be held in Sayre for its second year

The Chemung County Chamber of Commerce hosted the event for the ninth time, and say this expo is for students who dont know what they want to do after high school.

This gives them the opportunity to listen and hear about the potential career paths that they can have here right in their community, said Jennifer Herrick-Mcgonigal, the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce. Not everyone is meant to move away and leave so we wanna really garner the interest of these students to let them recognize that they can have a nice high-quality job in Chemung County.

All of the manufacturing companies at the expo are located in Chemung County.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.
A prestigious Christian private school in Nashville, Tennessee, has been attacked for its handling of students efforts to mourn the late MAGA activist Charlie Kirk.

The Turning Point USA founder, 31, was shot dead by a rooftop sniper as he debated students on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, Utah, on September 10, sending shockwaves across the political divide.

His widow, Erika Kirk, was presented with his posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Donald Trump at a White House ceremony on Tuesday, on what would have been Kirks 32nd birthday.

Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at an event on a Utah college campus on September 10 (Getty)

While conservatives across the U.S. have been looking for ways to pay tribute to the influential activist, from erecting statues to renaming roads, Lipscomb Academy in Nashville comprehensively failed in honoring his memory, according to reality TV star turned conservative activist Savannah Chrisley, who appeared on Newsmax on Thursday to discuss the issue.

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Guesting on National Report, Chrisley, 28, explained that her younger sister is in seventh grade at the institution and that it had been she who first told her that pupils had been prevented from wearing suit jackets and red ties in tribute to Kirk, prompting Chrisley to draw attention to the situation on social media.

According to The Tennessean, the incident in question occurred on September 12. It involved 12-15 boys, who were told by Upper School Head of School Jesse Savage that they must remove the ties because they violated Lipscombs dress code.

When these children were told to take off ties because it was in violation of a dress code... to see these kids struggling and mourning and not having the faculty to rally around them was really heartbreaking, Chrisley told Newsmax. Wearing the red ties, for it to be a dress code violation, was honestly laughable.

The schools student handbook stipulates, according to The Tennessean, that attendees are allowed to wear a variation of khakis or pleated skirt with an approved Lipscomb shirt. However, certain approved sweaters, blouses, and vests are also permitted. Buttons, badges, and pins are not, however, and only a Lipscomb spirit tie may be worn.

Savannah Chrisley discusses the Charlie Kirk controversy at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, on Newsmax on Thursday October 16 2025 (Newsmax)

A school spokesperson previously told Fox News in a statement: To clarify, on Friday, September 12, a small group of Academy students wore red ties to honor Charlie Kirk. While this was out of dress code, they were not disciplined but were asked to remove them.

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The morning of the very next school day, Monday, September 15, Academy administrators met with these students to understand their experiences and to support them in finding a meaningful way to honor Charlie.

As a result of this meeting, the students were given approval and planned to wear red ties on another day. But, instead they chose to collaborate with the Academys team to plan a future chapel focused on being bold and impactful in their faith.

Lipscomb subsequently issued a press release on September 25, apologizing for its handling of the tie episode in response to complaints from students and parents. Still, this did not stop protesters from gathering on its front lawn the following morning.

Chrisley subsequently cheered the development on X and told the boys: Your school and faculty didnt just miss the mark.they betrayed you in a moment that called for faith, unity, and truth.

Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, a prestigious private Christian school (Google Streetview)

The chapel service to honor Kirk was also a cause of chagrin to Chrisley, who complained on Newsmax that it only lasted 23 minutes.

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Unfortunately, at Lipscomb you have these far left-wing activists that have come into the school and theyre trying to control everything, she alleged.

These staff members have referred to Charlie Kirk as a racist, a fascist, and that's the sad part. This is a private Christian school.

Chrisley further claimed that a member of the schools leadership hierarchy had written a dissertation on applying DEI initiatives in southern Christian teaching institutions, which she felt would offend parents if it were more widely known, and said the school suffered from a lack of strong male leadership.

The Independent has reached out to Lipscomb Academy for comment.

A former reality TV star known for appearing in Chrisley Knows Best and Growing up Chrisley, Savannah Chrisley successfully lobbied President Trump earlier this year to pardon her parents of tax evasion and fraud charges.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Mahoning Countys chief deputy and chief of staff has been let go.

Read next: Austintown influencer charged after incident at Pittsburgh Zoo

Ryan Kadel, director of operations for Mahoning County Clerk of Courts Michael P. Ciccone, issued the following statement today:

The position of Chief Deputy and Chief of Staff serve at the pleasure of the elected Clerk of Courts. Clerk Michael P. Ciccone has determined that the services of Chief Deputy and Chief of Staff Jennifer Ciccone are no longer needed, effective October 17, 2025, at 8:00 A.M.

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This decision reflects Clerk Michael P. Ciccones ongoing commitment to ensuring that the operations of the Clerk of Courts Office continue to serve the best interests of the office and the people of Mahoning County.

A replacement for Ciccone has not been named yet, and no reason was given for Jennifer Ciccones departure.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
The dome of the Maine State House in Augusta. (Jim Neuger/Maine Morning Star)

Thousands of state employees and programs relied on by tens of thousands of Mainers are at risk if the federal government shutdown continues into November.

Kirsten Figueroa, commissioner of the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services, gave the Legislatures Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee an update on the impact of the shutdown on state finances and operations on Friday afternoon.

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Im not going to caveat it, she said. Just the fact of the matter is: the daily evaluation and also the daily information that comes in and then changes, it sometimes frustrates people because it doesnt feel like theyre getting information fast enough.

But the fact of the matter is, were hearing something and we make a plan for that, and the next day we hear something thats different. And so we are, right now, adjusting to all of that and doing the best that we can.

Employees

There are approximately 2,500 state of Maine employees whose jobs are funded, either entirely or in part by federal funds. According to DAFSs evaluation, there is enough funding to cover employee pay through the end of October, though thats being reevaluated daily.

After that, we will definitely be in a position in a number of our programs where well have to start issuing layoff notices, Figueroa said.

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One of the largest entities that the state would have to start considering layoffs for if the federal shutdown goes into November is the Maine Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, which has approximately 106 state employee positions that are fully or partially funded by the federal government.

Changes with federal employees outside of Maine would also have impacts on the state

For example, earlier on Friday lawmakers discussed plans for how the state will conform with federal tax changes made in the GOP spending bill passed this summer.

There was a lot of promise of technical assistance, guidance, updated forms, for instance, tax forms at the federal level that need to be changed as a result, Figueroa said. But as Im sure that you all know, half  over 36,000 IRS employees  were furloughed.

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Without that support, Figueroa expects implementation delays which, she said, will only cause more confusion and probably mistakes as those things start to move.

Grants

How long the state of Maine will be able to continue work funded by federal grants will be specific to each individual grant.

Which is, I know, an answer that sometimes frustrates, Figueroa said, but it really is dependent on what grant were talking about.

And, she said, when the funding runs out, the authority runs out. The state wont be able to move money that had been dedicated for a different purpose to help cover a grant serving another purpose.

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If the shutdown continues, some pauses are already expected. On October 10, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services was notified by the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food and Nutrition Service to pause or delay their November issuance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP.

If the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November food SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the nation, the notice read.

An estimated 172,000 Mainers receive SNAP benefits.

While the state has the authority and funding, agencies can try to alleviate the impact of the shutdown and postpone the impacts, Figueroa said.

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She used an example of a program that relies on federal match. If it has a $100 federal component and a $100 state general fund match and $2 is spent every day  $1 in federal money and $1 in state money  then normally the program could last for 100 days.

Figueroa explained that without the federal component the state could make the decision to spend $2 out of the match, because its the same authority, the same purpose, with the expectation that when this settles out then the feds will reimburse and then we go back to being able to replenish our match and move forward.

However, thats with the expectation that the federal government will eventually pass a budget that provides that reimbursement.

Figueroa also said that if the state is put in the position where it has to cover a federal match or other federal expenses for a period of time, the administration would have to grant permission through financial orders, which require a 30-day wait.

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Because we really wouldnt have the opportunity to wait, its possible we would be coming to this committee with financial orders the longer this goes on, she said.

Long vs. short term solution

How lawmakers in Washington, D.C., ultimately choose to end the shutdown will also have implications for Maine.

For example, the Maine Department of Transportation has to pay certain obligations first, so if Congress passes an annual appropriation, it would provide the agency some flexibility. However, if there is only a short-term stopgap measure, funding would need to go toward those obligations.

Figueroa said that would mean MDOTs funding could be significantly impacted if there isnt a longer-term solution that comes out of this shutdown.

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Currently, MDOT is paying about $27 million per week with its existing cash. That should get them through the next three weeks, Figueroa said, and with some financial orders likely three more weeks after that.

After that, without a longer term appropriation from the federal government, DOTs ability to contract and pay its contractors significantly reduces, Figueroa said.

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The Legislature's Taxation Committee hears public feedback on bill proposals in Augusta. (Photo by Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)

A preview of one of the debates anticipated next session came Friday when Maines Office of Tax Policy provided state lawmakers with an overview of Gov. Janet Mills temporary plan for conforming to federal changes to the tax code.

On Oct. 1, Mills issued preliminary instructions for how the State Tax Assessor will administer Maines 2025 tax returns in light of changes made in the federal GOP spending bill passed this summer. But thats not the final word on the topic.

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A state law passed last session allows the governor to make temporary adjustments to state tax administration in the case of nonconformity, or a lag between federal tax changes and state rules, which is common. But under that law, any temporary changes must be consistent with legislative intent as reflected in already enacted Maine tax laws.

The governor suggested not adopting a few provisions from the GOP bill: no tax on tips and overtime, allowing business owners to claim a tax deduction equal to 100% of the cost of a qualified property, and an immediate tax deduction for businesses based on qualifying research expenditures.

This means that Mainers would still pay state taxes on these earnings, but not federal taxes.

Dan Pittman, associate tax policy council for Maines Office of Tax Policy, walked through the specifics during a joint meeting of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee and Taxation Committee Friday morning. He explained that the governor didnt feel she had the authority to make a decision on those provisions based on the state law.

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As the governor has made quite clear, this is not the end of the discussions of any of these topics, Pittman said.

Temporary determinations are ultimately contingent on lawmakers enacting legislation that addresses the federal income tax law changes.

Kirsten Figueroa, commissioner of the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services, said permanent changes also must be considered as a part of the larger fiscal conversation.

Its just not as easy as, we see that somethings happening at the federal level  should we apply it? Figueroa said.

Lawmakers are meeting later Friday to discuss state impacts from the ongoing federal government shutdown, as well as changes and cuts to programs and responsibilities shifted from the federal to state government. In light of that, Figueroa said, We wont be able to take just the tax implications and tax conformity piece because of the fiscal impact it will have in concert with what are the decisions that were going to make about those components as well, again all in spirit of needing to balance our budget.

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The administration also discussed the need to wait for updated revenue projections expected in December.

Rep. Kenneth Fredette (R-Newport) questioned why the governor didnt call a special session to address conformity earlier.

Those present from the tax office said it was above their pay grade but Appropriations Committee co-chair Sen. Peggy Rotundo (D-Lewiston) responded, I would suspect that, given the amount of work thats going to have to go into making these decisions, a special session one day would not have solved these issues.

But Rep. Amy Arata (R-New Gloucester) called for a public hearing the first week of November to consider adopting federal tax changes, before the Legislature is slated to start its next session in January.

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Legislative Republicans have already been sharply criticizing the Mills administration for not fully conforming with the federal changes.

Its never enough for Maine Democrats. Instead of taking this opportunity to provide much-needed relief to Maine citizens, our Governor has chosen to continue with her unsustainable tax-and-spend mentality, Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) said in a statement on Oct. 3. Democrats angry obsession with opposing anything President Trump touches is going to continue to hurt Maine people.

Fredette also questioned Friday that, if Maine doesnt ultimately comply fully with federal tax changes, if it would essentially amount to tax increases for Mainers.

Pittman said no. If the state doesnt conform or choose to piggyback off of a federal tax cut, your federal state tax isnt changing. You just dont get that benefit. There are parts of the Maine tax law that provide tax benefits that the federal government doesnt provide. An example: the federal government taxes Social Security benefits. But Maine doesnt.

Looking at federal changes holistically, the tax deductions may not be enough to offset the negative effects of other aspects of the Republicans spending bill.

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Graham Platner, who is running as an insurgent Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine, once suggested in online posts that violence is a necessary means to achieving social change  comments now drawing scrutiny in an era of increased political violence.

Platner, 41, a former Marine and combat veteran who now raises oysters, made the statements on Reddit in 2018, long before he emerged as a serious candidate to take on Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the midterms.

If people expect to fight fascism without a good semi-automatic rifle, they ought to do some reading of history, he wrote in one since-deleted post. In another, he said that an armed working class is a requirement for economic justice.

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CNN first reported Thursday on Platners participation on the subreddit r/SocialistRA, alongside other Reddit forums where he called himself a communist and said that all police are bastards. All of the posts have been deleted.

The posts, which were removed three months ago shortly before Platner launched his Senate bid, were obtained by POLITICO and verified using an archive of deleted Reddit comments and by cross-checking other posts by the same user that mentioned biographical details consistent with the candidates life.

The posts suggest far deeper ties with socialist groups than were previously known. When he announced in August that he would challenge Collins, Platner said he rejects the label liberal but was also running on several progressive tenets  including universal health care and restricted arms sales to Israel. He has hired the Democratic strategist Morris Katz, who also works with Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist running for New York City mayor as a Democrat.

In a statement to POLITICO, Platner did not dispute his authorship of the posts but disavowed their violent rhetoric.

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As I told CNN, I was fucking around on the internet at a time when I felt lost and very disillusioned with our government who sent me overseas to watch my friends die, Platner said. I made dumb jokes and picked fights. But of course Im not a socialist. Im a small business owner, a Marine Corps veteran, and a retired shitposter.

Maines Democratic governor, Janet Mills, recently joined the crowded race as the establishment favorite for the key midterm election. The revelations may cast a shadow over the meteoric rise of the tattooed oyster farmer in the state.

The existence of the graphic posts comes amid a spiral of actual political violence and violent rhetoric including by Virginia Democratic Attorney General candidate Jay Jones who suggested the former Republican House speaker should get two bullets to the head. Jones has since apologized for the texts.

Like the Jones exchange, which was from 2022, Platner must now contend with the yearsold posts. They include one from September 2018, when he responded to a Reddit user concerned about what their roommate would say if they purchased their first AR-15. Platner, under the username P-Hustle, replied: Tell them that if they expect to fight fascism without a good semi-automatic rifle, they ought to do some reading of history.

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The reddit thread r/SocialistRA, which describes itself as the Socialist Redditor Rifle Association, says it is unaffiliated with the Socialist Rifle Association, a left-wing group that advocates for gun rights.

In a July 2018 post on the same subreddit, Platner said that he agreed with a 1914 quote from former socialist presidential candidate Eugene V. Debs that workers should arm themselves unless they are willing to be forced into abject slavery.

Platner cited Debs, who ran for president from prison, as an example to counter the notion that the 2nd Amendment only gained salience in the 1970s.

Thats why this poster and the Debs quote that follows above should be shared far and wide. An armed working class is a requirement for economic justice, Platner said.

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There are dozens instances of Platner engaging with posts on the subreddit r/SocialistRA, which is self-described as the Socialist Redditor Rifle Association.

In another since-deleted post from Sept. 2018, this time on the r/politics subreddit, Platner, again using the username P-Hustle, wrote: "Get Armed, Get Organized. The Other Side Sure As Hell Is, in response to a story about a Democratic candidate in Colorado whose truck was shot at with her inside.

Platner, an Iraq and Afghanistan War veteran and political newcomer, said in his campaign launch video that he is not fooled by this fake charade of Collins deliberations and moderation. He has leaned into his status as a novice, earning the attention of younger Democrats and progressives. He also recently won the endorsement of three influential labor unions including the United Auto Workers.

His posts about arming the working class and fighting fascism take on heightened scrutiny in the era of increased hostilities and concerns over political violence.

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Jones, has faced widespread backlash over the 2022 text messages that included a vow to piss on the graves of Republican opponents in addition to the violent remarks about former Virginia Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert.

Jones again apologized for the texts, which were first reported by the National Review, during a Thursday debate and said, Im ashamed, Im embarrassed and Im sorry.
Yet another major cruise line is deciding not to stop in a popular Caribbean destination.

Celebrity Cruises is skipping stops at the port in Labadee, Haiti, for the rest of 2025 and in 2026 until further notice due to safety reasons, according to Travel + Leisure.

The cruise liner changed 11 different itineraries on the Celebrity Apex and Celebrity Beyond cruise ships.

Heres where the cruise liner will stop instead, what other cruise liners are avoiding Labadee and why.

Where will Celebrity Cruises stop instead of Labadee, Haiti?

Instead of stopping at Labadee, Celebrity Apex will stop in Turks and Caicos.

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Other Celebrity cruise ships will stop at Grand Cayman or Cozumel, Mexico, instead of Labadee, according to Travel + Leisure.

All passengers on affected upcoming sailings have been notified, and a full list of itinerary modifications are available here.

What other cruise liners are avoiding Labadee, Haiti, and why?

Royal Caribbean announced last month it would cancel its sailings to its port in Labadee, Haiti, until at least May 2026.

Royal Caribbean, as well as Celebrity Cruises, are not sailing to Labadee, Haiti, because of gang violence and political instability in the country, according to the most recent travel advisory for Haiti.

The State Department issued its Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory in September 2024, warning travelers specifically about kidnapping, crime, civil unrest and limited health care.

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You can find more information about the travel advisory and ways to stay safe here.

Travel Advisories & News

Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Even Americas top military commanders are jumping in on the AI chatbot wave.

A U.S. Army general told reporters earlier this week that hed become very fond of Chat, even trusting the algorithm to make key command decisions in relation to his post.

Ive becomeChat and I are really close lately, Maj. Gen. William Hank Taylor said, using a cozy pop culture moniker to refer to generative AI programs during a roundtable at the annual Association of the United States Army conference on Monday.

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As a commander, I want to make better decisions, Taylor explained. I want to make sure that I make decisions at the right time to give me the advantage.

Taylor did not provide specific examples as to how AI has assisted him in completing his duties, though he underscored its use in writing weekly reports and noted that the field army he commands in South Korea was regularly using relevant AI programs for predictive analysis.

As we talk about protection, drone use, counter-drones and counter-UAS, medical modernization, aviation modernization, we have something going on in almost every domain of modernization in Korea, right? AI is one thing that, as a commander, its been very, very interesting for me. Obviously, Ive been in the Army for a long time, right? And so I was in the Army before computers, Taylor said, according to DefenseScoop.

Like most of Americas managerial workforce, Taylor said that hes also turned to AI to inform his leadership approach.

One of the things that recently Ive been personally working on with my soldiers is decision-makingindividual decision-making. And how [we make decisions] in our own individual life, when we make decisions, its important. So, thats something Ive been asking and trying to build models to help all of us, Taylor said. Especially, [on] how do I make decisions, personal decisions, rightthat affect not only me, but my organization and overall readiness?
New York City mayoral candidates were back on the campaign trail Friday following a heated first debate.

Barely 12 hours after the debate was over, Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani was greeting teachers, physicians, flight attendants and office cleaners at the headquarters of 32BJ, one of the city's largest unions.

"I feel good about the campaign every day. I do feel that the debate went well because it was an opportunity to speak directly to New Yorkers about our agenda," Mamdani said.

Mamdani took that opportunity Thursday night, withstanding a series of attacks from former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

Lauren Glassberg has the latest.

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"Zohran! Boy, your fantasies are never going to come about in terms of funding everything you want. 'It's going to be free, free, free.' It's a fantasy. Let's deal with the reality," Sliwa said during the debate.

Meanwhile, Cuomo called out Mamdani's experience.

"This is not a job for a first timer. Any day you could have a hurricane, or God forbid, a 9/11, a health pandemic. If you don't know what you're doing, people could die," Cuomo said.

Mamdani quickly pushed back.

"And if we have a health pandemic, then why would New Yorkers turn back to the governor who sent seniors to their death in nursing homes? That's the kind of experience that's on offer here today. What I don't have on experience, I make up for on integrity. And what you don't have on integrity, you could never make up for with experience," Mamdani said.

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But when Mamdani struggled to explain how he would pay for his vast affordability agenda, Cuomo pounced.

"It's impossible. He said he's going to raise the taxes the same as New Jersey? Corporate tax? No, it would be double the tax. You would see New Yorkers on I-95 fleeing for Florida," Cuomo said.

A new Fox News poll gives Mamdani 52% of likely voters, with Cuomo trailing by 24 points. The former governor now admits winning is nearly impossible with Sliwa in the race.

"On the math, if Sliwa was not in the race, it's either head to head or I win, depending on which poll you believe," Cuomo told Eyewitness News anchor Bill Ritter on Up Close.

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When asked about plans to drop out, Sliwa says he's not going anywhere.

"The problem with Andrew Cuomo is that he doesn't understand what 'no' means in many different ways," Sliwa said.

"I''ve got the energy, I've got the resolve, I've got the new ideas. I'm the only one who's in the streets, in the subways, who reflects what average, everyday working people are saying."

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Mayoral candidates Curtis Sliwa, Zohran Mamdani andd Andrew Cuomo Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY, Alex Krales/THE CITY

This story was originally published by THE CITY. Sign up to get the latest New York City news delivered to you each morning.

The three mayoral candidates on Thursday spoke over each other, traded barbs and made their pitches for why they deserve to lead New York City in the first general election debate.

Politics: Trump To Hold Putin Summit In Budapest  Where Russia Promised Not To Invade Ukraine

Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, who leads the polls, fought back attacks from his opponents. Meanwhile, GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa and independent former Gov. Andrew Cuomo tried to portray the frontrunner as too untested and reckless to become mayor.

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Still, Mamdani maintained his poise when defending himself, and he was able to briefly describe his proposals and strike Cuomo.

If you want more of the same, vote for Andrew Cuomo, if you want an actual approach to lower crime, look at our Department of Community Safety, Mandani said at one point, before launching into his plan to dispatch mental health outreach workers to respond to mental health crises.

Cuomo found himself under fire not just from Mamdani, but from Sliwa, too, as the former governor attempted to hit both his rivals.

Politics: GOP Feud Intensifies As Marjorie Taylor Greene Unleashes New Hit On Mike Johnson

Appearing without his signature red beret, Sliwa attempted to paint Cuomo and Mamdani as two-of-a-kind.

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At one instance, he called Cuomo and Mamdani the architect and the apprentice of several policies he said made the city less safe, including bail changes.

Mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa and Zohran Mamdani take part in a mayoral debate at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Oct. 16, 2025. Screengrab via WNBC

Most of the first hour of the debate was dominated by questions about international issues before discussions on local issues like affordability or education.

A big chunk of the evening was spent discussing Mamdanis former social media posts. Cuomo, for instance, brought up Mamdanis 2020 posts calling the NYPD racist and anti-queer following George Floyd protests. Months later, he tweeted criticism of the polices overtime budget.

Politics: People Are Applauding AOC's 'F**king Baller' Trump Takedown

Andrew Cuomo is a politician of the past, and all he can speak about are the tweets of the past in 2020, Mamdani said. Those are tweets which I have apologized for to New Yorkers and police officers directly, and they are not what I am actually running on.

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The Democratic primary winner  who maintains a double-digit lead in the polls  was questioned at length about his criticism of Israel. The candidates also sparred about how theyd handle the National Guard and how they would stand up to President Donald Trump.

Sliwa  who said he has not spoken to the president in years and is not fully aligned with the Make America Great Again backers  said his opponents had high levels of testosterone when it came to dealing with the president. He would be different, he said.

You can be tough, but you cant be tough if its going to cost people desperately-needed federal funds, he said, adding that he would negotiate to keep the Gateway Tunnel from New Jersey to New York, but was fine with the cancellation of the Second Avenue Subway extension in East Harlem.

Politics: Jon Stewart Names The Only Reporter Who Really Rattles Trumpworld

If you try to get tough with Trump, the only people who are going to suffer from that are the people of New York City, Sliwa added.

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Cuomo hit at Mamdanis relative lack of experience, claiming Mamdani has never had a job before  although hes been an assemblymember since 2021 and previously worked as a housing counselor.

If you look at the failed mayors, it was the ones that had no management experience, dont do it again, Cuomo said.

Mamdani and Cuomo went back and forth on the latters decision to send sickened seniors back to nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is reportedly under investigation by the Department of Justice.

Politics: Mike Johnson Gets Brutal Instant Fact Check Over The Rep He Still Refuses To Swear In

If we have a health pandemic, then why would New Yorkers turn back to the governor who sent seniors to their deaths in nursing homes? Thats the kind of experience thats on offer here today, Mamdani said. What I dont have in experience I make up for in integrity. And what you dont have in integrity, you could never make up for in experience.

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The moderators then asked candidates to weigh in on local issues, including housing, education, policing and immigration.

One of Mamdanis signature promises is to direct the Rent Guidelines Board to freeze the rent for more than 1 million rent-regulated apartments. He also said hed build 200,000 truly affordable apartments over a 10-year period.

Sliwa promised to cut property taxes for residents over 65 and who make less than $250,000, while Cuomo said hed focus on building more housing.

On education, Sliwa called for the expansion of the gifted and talented program, noting his two younger sons tried at age 4 and didnt get in  but said it didnt affect their education.

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Cuomo said he would double the number of specialized high schools from nine to 18 and keep the test to get into those schools.

Mamdani, who graduated from a New York City specialized high school, clarified his plan to cut the gifted and talented program for kindergarten students only.

None of the candidates, though, offered any policy ideas or suggestions for the thousands of students with learning differences when asked.

All candidates raised their hands to indicate they could take actions to stop a federal crackdown on immigrants  including arrests of asylum-seekers showing up to routine appointments  but none had concise answers on what, exactly, theyd do.

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Cuomo and Mamdani said theyd work to provide migrants with legal representation, while Sliwa said migrants who are essential workers should be protected.

The debate, co-hosted by WNBC, Telemundo and POLITICO, is the first of two required under rules from the city Campaign Finance Board. The final debate, co-hosted by THE CITY, is set for Wednesday, Oct. 22 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. It will air on NY1 and WNYC, as well as on THE CITYs website.

Whether this debate can move the needle is unclear.

A recent Quinnipiac poll saw Cuomo pick up 10 points after Mayor Eric Adams dropped out, with 33% supporting him  but he still trailed Mamdanis 46%. The same poll showed very few New Yorkers remain undecided.

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Cuomo looked to gain some momentum with 10 days to go before early voting begins on Oct. 25 and weeks before Election Day on Nov. 4.

Ahead of the debate, Mamdani marched from Trump Tower to 30 Rockefeller Center, where the debate took place, with a bevy of supporters, including a marching band.

Sliwa, who lost to Adams in the 2021 election, told THE CITY before the debate that he was the peoples mayor after he greeted his cheering supporters. Some of them blew whistles.

I represent the outer boroughs. I represent the working class. Im the populist candidate, he said. Andrew Cuomo, hes old. He had it. He had his chance. He destroyed the state. And Mamdani, thats fantasy. Im bringing reality to the stage tonight.

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Cuomo was the last to arrive, greeting supporters before going into the debate studio.

Political Updates

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Mamdani also stated that he believed Hamas should lay down their arms, saying "a ceasefire means ceasing fire."

New York Citys leading Democratic mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani, stated that if elected, he would recognize Israel, "but not as a Jewish state," during the mayoral debate against Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa held on Thursday night.

When pressed on the Gaza war, Mamdani accused Israel of genocide several times, while also calling on Hamas to honor the ceasefire.

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"Of course I believe [Hamas] should lay down their arms. Calling for a ceasefire means ceasing fire, that means all parties have to cease fire and put down their weapons, and the reason that we call for that is not only for the end to the genocide but also unimpeded access of humanitarian aid, he said, adding that he would continue to push to address "the conditions that preceded this, conditions like the occupation, the siege and apartheid."

"I want to be very clear that the occupation is a reference to international law and the violation of it, which Mr. Cuomo has no regard for since he signed up to be Benjamin Netanyahu's legal defense team during the course of this genocide," Mamdani said.

However, his statement was challenged by Cuomo, who pointed out that Mamdani has declined to condemn the use of the phrase globalize the intifada.

Mamdani continued to dodge antisemitism claims

Why wouldnt he condemn Hamas? Why wouldnt he condemn Hasan Piker? Cuomo asked, referring to the popular influencer who has repeatedly been accused of antisemitism, including by New York Democratic congressman Ritchie Torres.

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While Mamdani stated he found Pikers comments to be objectionable and reprehensible, he insisted that he would refuse to recognize Israel as an explicitly Jewish state.

Ive said time and again that I recognize Israels right to exist, he said. I would not recognize any states right to exist with a system of hierarchy on the basis of race or religion.

Jews dont trust that you are going to be there for them when they are the victims of antisemitic attacks, Silwa told him.
Andrew Cuomo was the main punching bag at Thursdays first general election mayoral debate, with Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa repeatedly ganging up on the former governor, knocking him on everything from his reliance on billionaire donors to what Mamdani is spinning as his collegial relationship with President Trump.

Cuomo, whos running as an independent in the Nov. 4 mayoral election, swatted back, mostly at Mamdani, contending the 33-year-old democratic socialist doesnt have the experience to be mayor while also painting him as ideologically extreme on issues like taxation, policing and the Israel-Hamas war.

His divisiveness is chronic, Cuomo said at one point during the often testy two-hour debate, held at the NBC studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

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In making that argument, Cuomo cited Mamdanis past support for defunding the NYPD  a position he has walked back as a mayoral candidate. He also lampooned what he described as the Democratic nominees overly harsh criticism of Israel, such as his reluctance in a Wednesday night TV appearance to call on Hamas to lay down arms and unwillingness to acknowledge Israels right to exist as a Jewish state.

The Hamas comment put Mamdani on a backfoot as he shifted his stance from the night before. Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms, said Mamdani, a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights.

Shifting gears, Mamdani, on many occasions with backing from Sliwa, countered that Cuomos a stalwart of the status quo whose style of leadership is out of step with what New Yorkers need at a time of a spiraling cost of living crisis and federal funding threats from Trumps administration.

If you want more of the same, vote for Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani said, accusing him of lacking integrity, citing, among other things, his resignation as governor in 2021 amid sexual and professional misconduct accusations he now denies.

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Slliwa, whos polling in third place behind Cuomo and Mamdani, blasted both his opponents. But keen to attract some of Cuomos politically moderate supporters, Sliwa singled out Cuomo as his main target, tearing into him over public safety reforms he enacted as governor and also questioning whether hed be able to work with Trump or stand up to him.

You think youre the toughest guy around, Sliwa told Cuomo, seeking to ridicule his claim that hes best equipped to deal with Trump because of his long record in government.

I agree with Curtis, added Mamdani, who accused Cuomo of being Trumps puppet, citing overlapping donors as well as the presidents apparent preference for the ex-governors campaign. Trump was reportedly engaged in efforts to push Mayor Adams out of the race in order to make it easier for Cuomo to take on Mamdani.

Thursdays showdown made for an unusual dynamic, as the front-runner in a mayoral race is typically the main target in a debate setting.

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According to polls, the election remains Mamdanis to lose. Hes edging out Cuomo by 13% and Sliwa by 30% in the most recent survey of the race conducted earlier this month by Quinnipiac University.

The debate, which at times delved into deeply personal issues like Mamdanis religion and Cuomos family history, came just over a week before early voting begins Oct. 25.

This years campaign is no typical mayoral race, as Cuomo, a lifelong Democrat, runs as an independent in the Nov. 4 contest even though he lost Junes Democratic mayoral primary to Mamdani by a 12% margin. Adams, who was also running as an independent, abandoned his bid for reelection last month amid record low approval ratings.

The race has also become a test for the two ideological factions of the Democratic Party, with Cuomo representing the more moderate, traditional guard, while Mamdani has emerged as an icon for the left since his upset primary victory.

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That theme came up on several occasions during Thursdays debate, as Cuomo tried to make the case Mamdani isnt a real Democrat.

Youre not a Democrat, youre a democratic socialist, he fumed at Mamdani before accusing him of not supporting Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

Mamdani affirmed he did vote for Harris and later declared: Mr. Cuomo lies again and again and again.

While he mostly focused his ire on Cuomo, Sliwa did join the ex-gov in knocking Mamdanis affordability agenda as unrealistic. The Democratic nominees agenda includes promises to freeze the rent for stabilized tenants, make public buses free and drastically expand subsidized child care, all of it bankrolled by tax hikes on millionaires and corporations that would need to be approved by the state.

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Your fantasies are never going to come about, Sliwa told Mamdani.

One of the most tense moments of the debate was when Cuomo accused Mamdani of not being representative of the Muslim community.

Mamdani, whod become the first Muslim mayor in New York history if elected, said it was shameful for Cuomo to deliver that line of attack.

On a lighter note, the candidates found some agreement when the moderators asked for their favorite mayor of New York City. Both Mamdani and Cuomo named Fiorello LaGuardia, while Sliwa offered up Rudy Giuliani.

After the debate, neither Cuomo nor Mamdani stuck around to answer questions from reporters, though both camps issued written statements touting their respective successes.

Sliwa, who did stop to talk to reporters, said that in his view neither Cuomo nor Mamdani presented a good vision for the citys future during the debate.
NEW YORK  Andrew Cuomo was the main punching bag at Thursdays first general election mayoral debate, with Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa repeatedly ganging up on the former governor, knocking him on everything from his reliance on billionaire donors to what Mamdani is spinning as a collegial relationship with President Trump.

Cuomo, whos running as an independent in the Nov. 4 mayoral election, swatted back, mostly at Mamdani, contending the 33-year-old democratic socialist doesnt have the experience to be mayor while also painting him as ideologically extreme on issues like taxation, defunding the police and the Israel-Hamas war.

His divisinessness is chronic, Cuomo said at one point during the often testy two-hour debate, held at the NBC studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

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In making that argument, Cuomo cited Mamdanis past support for defunding the NYPD  a position he has walked back as a mayoral candidate  and what he described as the Democratic nominees overly harsh criticism of Israel, such as his reluctance in a Wednesday night TV appearance to call on Hamas to lay down arms and unwillingness to acknowledge Israels right to exist as a Jewish state.

The Hamas comment put Mamdani on a backfoot as he shifted his stance from the night before. Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms, said Mamdani, a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights.

Shifting gears, Mamdani, on many occasions with backing from Sliwa, countered that Cuomos a stalwart of the status quo whose style of leadership is out of step with what New Yorkers need at a time of a spiraling cost of living crisis and federal funding threats from Trumps administration.

If you want more of the same, vote for Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani said, accusing him of lacking integrity, citing, among other things, his resignation as governor in 2021 amid sexual and professional misconduct accusations he now denies.

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Sliwa, whos polling in third place behind Cuomo and Mamdani, blasted both his opponents. But keen to attract some of Cuomos politically moderate supporters, Sliwa singled out Cuomo as his main target, tearing into him over public safety reforms he enacted as governor and also questioning whether hed be able to work with Trump or stand up to him.

You think youre the toughest guy around, Sliwa told Cuomo, seeking to ridicule his claim that hes best equipped to deal with Trump because of his long record in government.

I agree with Curtis, added Mamdani, who accused Cuomo of being Trumps puppet, citing overlapping donors as well as the presidents apparent preference for the ex-governors campaign. Trump was reportedly engaged in efforts to push Mayor Eric Adams to exit the race as part of an effort to make it easier for Cuomo to take on Mamdani.

It made for an unusual dynamic, as the front-runner in a mayoral race is typically the main target in a debate setting.

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According to polls, the Nov. 4 election remains Mamdanis to lose. They show him edging out Cuomo by 13% and Sliwa by 30% in the most recent survey of the race conducted earlier this month by Quinnipiac University. Thursdays debate, which at times delved into deeply personal issues like Mamdanis religion and Cuomos family history, came just over a week before early voting begins Oct. 25.

This years campaign is no typical mayoral race, as Cuomo, a lifelong Democrat, runs as an independent in the Nov. 4 election even though he lost Junes Democratic mayoral primary to Mamdani by a 12% margin. Mayor Adams, who was also running as an independent, abandoned his bid for reelection last month amid record low approval ratings.

The race has also become a test for the two ideological factions of the Democratic Party, with Cuomo representing the more moderate, tradiitonal guard, while Mamdani has emerged as an icon for the left-wing since his upset primary victory.

That theme came up repeatedly during Thursdays night debate, as Cuomo tried to make the case Mamdani isnt a real Democrat.

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Youre not a Democrat, youre a democratic socialist, he fumed at Mamdani before accusing him of not supporting Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

Mamdani affirmed he did vote for Harris and later declared: Mr. Cuomo lies again and again and again.

While he mostly focused his ire on Cuomo, Sliwa did join the ex-gov in knocking Mamdanis affordability agenda as unrealistic. The Democratic nominees agenda includes promises to freeze the rent for stabilized tenants, make public buses free and drastically expand subsidized child care, all of it bankrolled by tax hikes on millionaires and corporations that would need to be approved by the state.

Your fantasies are never going to come about, Sliwa told Mamdani.

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One of the most tense moments of the debate was when Cuomo accused Mamdani of not being representative of the Muslim community.

Mamdani, whod become the first Muslim mayor in New York history if elected, said it was shameful for Cuomo to deliver that line of attack.

On a lighter note, the candidates found some agreement when the moderators asked for their favorite mayor in New York City. Both Mamdani and Cuomo named Fiorello LaGuardia, while Sliwa offered up Rudy Giuliani.

Before the debate, Mamdani led a march from Trump Tower to the 30 Rock studios that included dozens of supporters, some of whom played brass instruments while chanting Zohran, Zohran, Zohran.

Im very excited at the opportunity to take on Donald Trumps puppet  and Im not talking about Curtis Sliwa, Mamdani told reporters before walking into 30 Rock.

_____
Zohran Mamdani blasted former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for being President Donald Trumps alleged puppet as the two sparred over their ability to stand up to the White House at a New York City Mayoral debate on Thursday.

Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, stressed that Cuomo didnt call out Trump by name when he responded to the Justice Departments decision to pursue an indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James.

News: Country Singer Goes Viral Criticizing Christians Who Laugh When Families Are Torn Apart

That move, he argued, spoke to Cuomos reluctance to confront the president, along with past media reports that suggested a cozier relationship between the two.

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Youll issue a statement that doesnt even name the president. And no matter what you think about Donald Trump, you know that not even being able to name him is an act of cowardice, Mamdani said. That is what we would see from Donald Trumps puppet.

Cuomo countered that hed condemned political weaponization of the justice system, and said that hed pushed back on Trump over pandemic policies when he was governor.

Id like to work with you, I think we can do good things together, but No. 1, I will fight you every step of the way if you try to hurt New York, Cuomo said of Trump.

News: Gunman Arrested After Storming Stage At NYC Wikipedia Conference And Threatening Suicide

Mamdanis statements come as the New York City contest heads into its final weeks, and as a New York Times report previously suggested that Cuomo had held a call with Trump regarding the race. The president has mused about clearing the field to help a moderate candidate win.

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Both politicians have denied that a call took place, a position Cuomo stuck to at the Thursday debate.

When asked about his last phone conversation with Trump, Cuomo said it occurred around the time of the assassination attempt on the then-presidential candidate in 2024. When he was asked, Mamdani said he had not spoken with Trump before.

Cuomo had also previously wondered whether Trump could help sway Republican voters to his side while speaking at a fundraiser. He argued Thursday that Trump would be emboldened to target New York if Mamdani won, suggesting that he would become Mayor Trump.

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Mamdani jabbed at the past media reports about Cuomo and emphasized that he was committed to countering any Trump threats to go after the city.

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What Id tell the president is, if he ever wants to come for New Yorkers in the way that he has been, hes going to have to get through me as the next mayor of the city, Mamdani said.

Both candidates also said that they opposed efforts to deploy the National Guard to New York City, a threat that Trump has previously levied against multiple Democrat-led cities.

Throughout the debate, the two largely stuck to attacks theyve espoused before over experience, Israel and Cuomos past harassment allegations as Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa chimed in occasionally with his own barbs.

News: 'Democracy Is A Verb': 'No Kings' Protests Kick Off Across U.S.

With the election less than a month away, Mamdani has maintained a solid lead in the polls, with roughly 46% support, while Cuomo had 33% in a recent Quinnipiac survey.

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A Politico recap of the debate concluded, The front-runner won by making no major mistakes, while his opponents failed to land any serious blows.

Related...

Read the original on HuffPost
The man accused of killing a Hamilton County sheriff's deputy will now stand trial on April 6, 2026.

That new trial date was selected at a hearing Friday, Oct. 17 in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. A previously scheduled trial date in January was deemed to be too soon because Rodney Hinton Jr. will now undergo at least two additional mental health evaluations.

Prosecutors are seeking a second opinion after an independent forensic psychologist said that Hinton, who is facing the death penalty, has a mental illnesses that under state law makes him ineligible for the death penalty.

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That independent forensic psychologist's findings were described at an Oct. 15 hearing. Hinton's attorney, Clyde Bennett II, told The Enquirer that Hinton, 39, has bipolar disorder and psychosis. Bipolar disorder is one of the four serious mental illnesses that under a state law enacted in 2021 makes someone ineligible for the death penalty.

Rodney Hinton Jr. appears in Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Jody Luebbers courtroom for a pretrial hearing on Oct. 15.

In addition to the prosecution's evaluation, Bennett told Judge Jody Luebbers on Oct. 17 that he will have his own expert evaluate Hinton.

A hearing about whether Hinton has a serious mental illness that means he can't face the death penalty is set for Dec. 10.

Prosecutors say Hinton intentionally drove his car into Deputy Larry Henderson on May 2 as the officer was handling traffic control for a University of Cincinnati graduation ceremony.

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It happened just hours after Hinton and his family met with Cincinnati police to review body camera video of his 18-year-old son, Ryan, being fatally shot by a Cincinnati police officer.

Hinton faces charges including aggravated murder.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Rodney Hinton Jr. gets new trial date in deputy's killing
The man accused in a double homicide in northwest Charlotte is now behind bars at the Mecklenburg County Jail.

Earlier this month, officers arrested Alvara Ozuna Sierra in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Two killed in shooting at former motel in northwest Charlotte

Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department claim he shot and killed 54-year-olds Pankaj and Anilkumar Patel on Oct. 2 at the old site of Old Lamplighter Inn in northwest Charlotte.

Channel 9 is asking what led up to the violence.

Sierra is expected to face a judge this morning.

VIDEO: Mooresville minister accused of trafficking, sex crimes against children from Argentina




A man who tried to stop a shoplifter at a San Francisco Walgreens was assaulted Thursday night, police said.

Just after 8 p.m., officers responded to the 3600 block of California Street regarding a "physical altercation," the San Francisco Police Department said. While on scene, officers learned that the victim - a man who was shopping in the store - attempted to intervene when he noticed the suspect trying to shoplift.

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During the altercation, the suspect assaulted the victim with an unknown object before fleeing, police said. No arrests have been made.

Paramedics who responded to the scene assessed the victim for non-life-threatening injuries. He declined further treatment, officials said.

A video posted to NextDoor on Thursday night appeared to depict the graphic aftermath: The entryway to the store was spattered in blood, with items strewn on the concrete.

Next to the pools of blood stood a man whom the NextDoor poster identified as the victim in the incident. The man appeared to be covering his eye with some kind of object and was a "little out of it" as witnesses encouraged him to sit down.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact SFPD at 415-575-4444.

This article originally published at Man assaulted while trying to stop theft at S.F. Walgreens.
EVERGREEN PARK, Ill.  A man was charged with attempted murder following Wednesday afternoons shooting at a Walmart in Evergreen Park.

Yoseph Barnes, 20, of Chicago, was charged and further charges are pending due to an indictment, according to police.

The shooting happened just before 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Walmart located in the 2500 block of West 95th Street.

Police said one of the victims, identified as a 23-year-old man, was walking into the store when the suspect got out of a gray Hyundai and chased after him while shooting.

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The 23-year-old man was shot in the leg at least five times and taken to Christ Hospital in unknown condition. A 70-year-old woman was also shot in the foot and taken to an area hospital in good condition.

2 shot at Evergreen Park Walmart; 1 person in custody

Barnes we taken into custody in the 9300 block of Country Club Drive.

Chicago police officers reportedly found the vehicle he arrived in located in the 800 block of West Marquette.

And all of a sudden I heard boom, boom, boom. I wasnt aware at first but I was like, this sounds like gunshots. So thats when I ran for cover. It seemed a little far distance from me, but I did hear the gunshots and everyone was in a panic. People were just scattering everywhere, running for cover, one witness said.

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Barnes is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
RALEIGH COUNTY, WV (WVNS)  A man was charged with multiple crimes with a fraud scheme in Raleigh County.

According to a criminal complaint, Glen Thomas Ullman was charged with seven counts of Grand Larceny and seven counts of Fraudulent Schemes.

Man arrested after reported shooting in Mercer County

The criminal complaint stated that at around 1:17 p.m. on Friday, September 19, 2025, a Trooper with the West Virginia State Police received a complaint about The Fence Daddy and MORE LLCs business.

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According to the criminal complaint, a woman reportedly paid Ullman, who owned The Fence Daddy and MORE LLC, a $12,000 deposit for roof work that was not finished. The victim allegedly kept documentation of information sent between her and Ullman.

The criminal complaint stated that the member of the West Virginia State Police went to the womans house in the Daniels area of Raleigh County on Friday, September 26, 2025, where they were shown the check that was paid to Ullman and dated in June 2025.

In addition to the check, the Trooper was also reportedly shown an invoice from the Fence Daddy and MORE LLC that showed $24,000 as the total cost for labor and materials, as well as text messages between the initial victim and Ullman, and Ullman allegedly did not finish any work at the house.

The criminal complaint continued to say that the investigating Trooper went to a location in the Fairdale area of Raleigh County on Friday, September 26, 2025 for another complaint about The Fence Daddy and MORE LLC.

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Man arrested in connection to ongoing child abuse and death investigation in Virginia

According to the criminal complaint, another victim reported that she paid Ullman $15,000 for a front porch at her house. Ullman reportedly started building the porch after July 4, 2025, but due to code violations, was stopped by code enforcement and the remaining work was left unfinished and no refund was given.

The criminal complaint stated that the invoice, dated in May 2025, was shown to the Trooper that showed the projects total cost for materials and labor was $15,000. This victim showed the Trooper text messages between her and Ullman, as well as the code enforcement code violations, and photos of the unfinished front porch were taken by the Trooper.

According to the criminal complaint, on Friday, September 26, 2025 the Trooper went to the Daniels area of Raleigh County due to another complaint about The Fence Daddy and MORE LLC. A third victim reportedly paid Ullman $8,000 to build two decks, however code enforcement stopped Ullman after work started on the first deck, and the second was reportedly never started.

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The criminal complaint stated that the victim never received a refund from Ullman, and showed the Trooper two checks that were paid to Ullman, which were $5,000 (dated in July 2025) and $3,000 (dated in August 2025) respectively. The Trooper took photos of the uncompleted deck, and was also allegedly shown text messages between the victim and Ullman, as well as the code enforcement violations.

According to the criminal complaint, due to another complaint the Trooper talked with someone else on Friday, September 26, 2025 who stated that in July 2023 he paid Ullman $3,000 to build a deck at his house in the Fairdale area of Raleigh County.

Former WV pastor who allegedly sexually abused young girls for years indicted on charges in another county

The criminal complaint stated that Ullman was paid in cash and that the victim showed the Trooper the invoice that was paid to The Fence Daddy and MORE LLC, which totaled $3,000. The Trooper was informed by the victim that materials were not dropped off by Ullman, who reportedly did not start the project or answer text messages from the victim requesting a refund.

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According to the criminal complaint, the Trooper talked with a woman on behalf of her parents, who were additional victims in the fraud. The reporting on behalf of her parents was due to her father having Alzheimers. The Trooper was informed that Ullman was paid $4,000 in July 2025 by Ms. Daniels parents to build a fence at their house in the Beaver area of Raleigh County.

The criminal complaint stated that Ullman allegedly did not work on a fence or give these victims a refund, and the victim in this situation showed the Trooper a $4,000 check, paid to Ullman, that was dated for July 2025.

According to the criminal complaint, the Trooper received another complaint about The Fence Daddy and MORE LLC and went to talk with another alleged victim on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. The Trooper was reportedly informed that Ullman was paid $3,000 to build a deck at her house in the Cool Ridge area of Raleigh County in July 2025. The victim reportedly informed the Trooper that the $3,000 was the deposit for a $5,000 total, and that Ullman was paid in cash due to preferring cash payment.

The criminal complaint stated that Ullman reportedly sent the victim a text message in October 2025 requesting to meet so he could be given half of the remaining money to buy supplies, however the victim allegedly did not give Ullman more money. Ullman also reportedly did not give an invoice to this newest victim, and no work was done when the complaint was reported.

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Two people arrested after traffic stop in Wyoming County

According to the criminal complaint, another person talked with the Trooper on Sunday, October 12, 2025 about a complaint against The Fence Daddy and MORE LLC. Ullman was reportedly paid $3,200 by the victim and his wife in August 2025 to build a deck at their house in the Beckley area of Raleigh County.

The criminal complaint stated that Ullman was paid in cash and the money was picked up by Ullmans wife, Miranda Ullman. In August 2025, Ullman was stopped from working on the deck by code enforcement due to not having a work permit. Ullman reportedly tore down the project and restarted it after receiving a work permit a couple days after being stopped by code enforcement.

According to the criminal complaint, Ullman suddenly stopped and never finished the project, and the victim was informed by code enforcement that the deck would not pass inspection. Ullman reportedly contacted the victim and stated he was not coming back and was not going to refund any money.

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The criminal complaint went on to state that Ullman reportedly informed the victim that they could meet and the victim could pay him for the remaining materials, and the victim and his wife showed the Trooper the text messages with Ullman.

According to the criminal complaint, the Trooper talked with Raleigh County Code Enforcement on September 26, 2025 and was told that Ullman did not have building permit, and that Ullman posted on Facebook advertising free estimates on September 24, 2025.

The criminal complaint stated that the Trooper received a total of seven complaints, totaling $48,200, against The Fence Daddy and MORE LLC.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
Pedro Hernandez, the man convicted of abducting and murdering Etan Patz, must be re-tried by June 2026 or he will be released from custody, a federal judge in New York ruled on Friday.

This is the latest twist in what Judge Colleen McMahon called "the nearly half-century long saga of the disappearance and presumptive murder" of Patz.

Mark Lennihan/AP - PHOTO: A photograph of Etan Patz hangs on an angel figurine, as part of a makeshift memorial in the SoHo neighborhood of New York, May 28, 2012.

Suspect held on $2.5M bail in alleged kidnapping of missing 23-year-old Philadelphia woman: Police

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Six-year-old Patz went missing while walking to his school bus stop alone in SoHo in 1979. He became the first missing child whose face appeared on a milk carton and changed the way the country responds to missing children cases.

Hernandez's first trial ended in a hung jury. In 2017, after Hernandez's second trial, he was convicted of kidnapping and murder and sentenced to 25 years to life. Because of a lack of physical evidence, the trial hinged entirely on purported confessions from Hernandez, who has a documented history of mental illnesses and a low IQ.

Louis Lanzano/Pool via AP - PHOTO: Pedro Hernandez appears in Manhattan criminal court with his attorney Harvey Fishbein, Nov. 15, 2012, in New York.

Manhattan DA asks Supreme Court to intervene on retrial of man convicted of murdering Etan Patz

A federal appeals court ruled earlier this year that Hernandez was wrongfully convicted because of an error by the state court judge who oversaw his trial. The appellate court ordered Hernandez released or retried within a "reasonable" period of time.

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The Manhattan District Attorney's office will be asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and, in the meantime, said it has not decided whether to put Hernandez on trial again.

McMahon said it was not her job "to read the tea leaves and make predictions," though she expressed some sympathy for the "unusual, even extraordinary, difficulties" the district attorney's office faces. All but one member of the original trial team no longer works there and dozens of long-scattered witnesses need to be found.

McMahon gave the district attorney's office until June 1 to retry Hernandez. "If jury selection does not commence by June 1, 2026, Hernandez must be released," McMahon said.
UPDATE: Wright has been safely located.

HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA)  The Henderson County Sheriffs Office is asking for help in locating a missing man with dementia.

74-year-old Warren Sandy Wright was last seen in the area of South Mills River wearing blue jeans. Wright also suffers from dementia.

If you have seen Wright or have any information regarding his whereabouts, contact the Henderson County Sheriffs Office at 828-697-4911.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Oct. 16A man died following a possible altercation outside a Halloween store Thursday in Northeast Albuquerque.

The Albuquerque Police Department has not released a statement on the incident, but crime scene tape cordoned off the parking lot of Spirit Halloween on Carlisle, near Indian School. A body could be seen near the entrance.

It is unclear how the man died, but National Guard troops on scene said there had been reports of gunfire.

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A woman at the scene told the Journal she was walking to the parking lot when she saw a man run out of the store with a security guard chasing him. The woman said there was "an altercation" but she hadn't heard gunshots.

Numerous officers could be seen in the parking lot of the store investigating the incident.
HOLMES COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV)  A man was found guilty of first-degree murder after a two-day trial in Holmes County.

According to prosecutors, Melvin Day was found guilty on October 16, 2025, in connection to the shooting death of Jordan Perry, 28.

Bond denied for man charged in fatal Alcorn State University shooting

Pickens police responded to a shooting at the Citgo gas station on Highway 51 on September 14, 2024. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

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Investigators said they obtained surveillance video from the Citgo, which showed Day and Perry engaging in an altercation before Perry was shot.

Melvin Day (Courtesy: District Attorneys Office)

Prosecutors said Day was sentenced to life in prison plus 10 years.

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A man who died in a shootout with San Antonio police outside a West Side motel Wednesday morning was out of jail on community supervision.

San Antonio police have not identified him as of Thursday, but KSAT-TV is citing a source within the department that says he was identified as 36-year-old Odon Paul Bustos IV.

Since Bustos' death, family members have lamented Bustos' killing, including his father Odon Bustos, who wrote on social media: "You will forever be in my heart my son rest easy your pain has gone away but left the scars. love you Odon Paul."

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Another loved one briefly messaged the Express-News regarding Bustos' death.

"The fact that they put him out like he was a monster is not right," she said. "They didn't even know him."

Bexar County court records indicate that Bustos had last served jail time for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, a case stemming from back in September 2022. He had been released from jail since, but a motion to revoke his probation was issued in September 2024, meaning he violated the terms of his release and was to be sent back to jail.

ALSO READ: San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, a John Jay alumna, offers condolences to family of dead student

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A judge granted Bustos parole and he was placed on community supervision for two years, including credit for time served in jail. That supervision would have ended next month, according to court records.

KSAT had also reported that Bustos was wanted on warrants out of another county, including for charges of aggravated robbery, parole violation and obstructing a court order.

Last year, Bustos had also been accused of mail theft and another charge of unlawful carry of a weapon, but those charges were dismissed.

On Wednesday, police Chief William McManus addressed the media about the shootout. He said that Bustos had been on the opposite side of a chain-link fence, making gestures at police at a motel in the 6800 block of U.S. Highway 90 West near West Military Drive. Then, after a woman called 911 on Bustos whispering something from the hotel, the officers who were being taunted went to the other side of the fence to investigate the call, as Bustos was circling around the hotel.

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As an officer pulled up to the hotel, Bustos had made his way back to the front and encountered police.

ALSO READ: Lawsuit: Hill Country student sexually assaulted in hazing episode

McManus said Bustos shouted that he was not going back to jail and started running.

At some point, Bustos pulled out a gun from his waistband and started shooting at the officers, including a cadet who was with them, McManus said.

Two officers began shooting back and hit Bustos. McManus said one officer had also jumped on Bustos to stop him during the shootout.

Bustos died at the scene.

The two officers who were wounded have been treated for their injuries and released from the hospital. The cadet did not fire and was not injured.

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No new details were released by police regarding the shooting Wednesday, including what was said in the 911 call, or the identities of the officers involved. Police typically name the officers within a few days of an officer-involved shooting.

McManus said the officers involved have an average of six years of service with the department. The case will be reviewed by SAPD investigators and the Bexar County District Attorney's Office, as is standard in officer-involved shootings.

This article originally published at Man killed in police shootout was on community supervision, wanted.
Federal prosecutors accused a man in Louisiana of participating in Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel, then traveling to the U.S. on a fraudulent visa, according to newly unsealed court documents.

Mahmoud Amin Ya'qub al-Muhtadi, 33, was allegedly part of the National Resistance Brigades, the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a paramilitary group that has fought alongside Hamas and participated in the 2023 attack, according to the documents.

Al-Muhtadi was charged with providing, attempting to provide or conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and the fraud and misuse of a visa or other documents. The charges were brought in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.

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Al-Muhtadi allegedly coordinated a "group of armed fighters" to cross into Israel after hearing about Hamas' attack, according to the court documents. He told one man to "bring the rifles" and another to "get ready." He also sent messages asking for ammunition and a bulletproof vest for another man.

Al-Muhtadi's phone pinged a cell tower near Kibbutz Kfar Aza at about 10:01 a.m. on Oct. 7, 2023, the documents said, a few hours after the attack began. Kibbutz Kfar Aza is just a few miles from Gaza's border. Sixty people were killed there, and 19 were kidnapped, the court documents said. More than 1,200 people in Israel were killed and 250 taken hostage during the attack. The documents do not accuse al-Muhtadi of any killings or specific crimes.

Al-Muhtadi allegedly coordinated a "group of armed fighters" to cross into Israel within hours of hearing about Hamas' attack, according to the court documents. He told one man to "bring the rifles" and another to "get ready." He also sent messages asking for ammunition and a bulletproof vest for another man.

Al-Muhtadi allegedly submitted a U.S. visa application in June 2024, the court documents said. In the application, he said that he was not a member or representative of a terror organization, that he had no specialized skills or training, including firearm usage, and had never engaged in terrorist activities.

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He met with a U.S. Embassy consular official in August and entered the United States through Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Sept. 12, 2024, according to the documents. He lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for several months, the documents said. Photos shared by al-Muhtadi on social media show him posing with a gun in his Tulsa apartment.

Mahmoud Amin Ya'qub al-Muhtadi loads a gun at his home in Oklahoma. / Credit: United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana

In early 2025, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents located al-Muhtadi living in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he worked in a local restaurant.

A person with al-Muhtadi's name and birth date was being held at the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center near Lafayette, according to online records. He was booked into the facility on Thursday. He made his initial court appearance on Friday, according to court records. Online records did not make it clear if he had a lawyer.

Federal prosecutors have previously charged six senior Hamas leaders with the deaths of at least 43 American citizens on Oct. 7. Those charged included former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed in October 2024.

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Federal law enforcement arrested a man in Louisiana on Thursday, accusing him of allegedly participating in the Hamas-led Oct. 7 terror attack against Israel and then traveling to the U.S. on a fraudulent visa, the Justice Department said in a release Friday.

The man, identified as 33-year-old Mahmoud Amin Yaqub Al-Muhtadi, allegedly entered Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 with the intention of assisting in the unfolding attack. The release alleges Al-Muhtadi later provided false information in a U.S. visa application and entered the country in September 2024, where DOJ officials say hes been residing ever since.

After hiding out in the United States, this monster has been found and charged with participating in the atrocities of October 7  the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust, Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. While nothing can fully heal the scars left by Hamass brutal attack, this Departments Joint Task Force October 7 is dedicated to finding and prosecuting those responsible for that horrific day, including the murder of dozens of American citizens.

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The release from the Justice Department alleges that on the morning of Oct. 7, he learned about the Hamas invasion, armed himself, gathered others, and crossed into Israel with the intention of assisting in Hamass terrorist attack. Cell phone data allegedly tied Al-Muhtadi  who the Justice Department says is originally from Gaza  near Kibbutz Kfar Aza in Israel during the Oct. 7 attacks, a region Hamas militants decimated during the raid.

Al-Muhtadi was allegedly a part of the National Resistance Brigades  the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine involved in the attacks on Israel, according to the release. It also alleges the Gaza native provided false information related to his involvement in the organization, along with his connection to Hamas, participation in a terrorist attack, and military training.

Let this arrest serve as a reminder both that those who perpetrate acts of terrorism cannot evade justice by hiding in our communities and that state, local, and federal law enforcement  here, the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Louisiana State Police, Lafayette Police Department, and Lafayette Parish Sheriffs Office  are working tirelessly to bring these people to justice, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana said in the release.

As of Friday afternoon, it was not yet clear from court records if Al-Muhtadi has legal representation.

The Justice Department in 2024 charged six senior leaders of Hamas with terrorism, murder conspiracy and sanctions-evasion charges for the Oct. 7 attack.
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  A Niles man accused in a 120-mile-per-hour police chase was sentenced this week in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

Read next: Austintown influencer charged after incident at Pittsburgh Zoo

Mark Koenig, 65, was sentenced to three years of probation, and his license was suspended for two years. He will also have to pay a $500 fine and submit to drug and alcohol testing, according to court records.

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Koenig pleaded guilty to an amended indictment in August on charges of attempted failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer and OVI in connection with a February 2025 police chase from Lordstown to Weathersfield Township. Police said the chase started after Koenig almost hit a Lordstown cruiser after officers tried to pull him over on Highland Avenue.

According to the report, the vehicle that Koenig was driving reached speeds of about 120 miles per hour as it drove into Weathersfield Township toward Niles. An officer reported the vehicle went into the wrong lane a few times, and the driver almost lost control of the vehicle before it eventually stopped.

Police said Koenig appeared unsteady on his feet when he got out of the vehicle, and when asked how much he had to drink, he replied, Too much, according to the report. The report states that he also admitted to taking an opioid pain medication after drinking about 10 rum and Cokes starting at 9 a.m. that day.

Chelsea Simeon contributed to this report.

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An Elliott County man received a $270,000 settlement after he sued Kentucky State Police and county officials, when troopers were wrongly sent to his house and shot him.

Mark Eldridge was shot twice at his home by KSP troopers after they were sent to his residence by 911 dispatcher Johnny Boggs, according to a lawsuit filed in December 2023.

Boggs had intended to send troopers to a different home where a dispute with a gun had occurred in January 2023.

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When police showed up at Eldridges home by mistake, he grabbed a gun because he thought people were breaking into his home, according to his lawsuit. Police then shot him.

Eldridge was shot twice with high-velocity, semi-automatic weapons, according to the lawsuit. He shot back at the officers, still unaware they were law enforcement. None of the officers were injured.

Eldridge sued Boggs, the Elliott County Fiscal Court, deputy sheriff Casey Brammell and KSP troopers Johnson McGraw, Jacob Williams and Ethan Crouch.

As a result of the settlement, Elliott County paid Eldridge $250,000, and state police paid $20,000.

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Ned Pillersdorf, Eldridges attorney, said the settlement was fair for all involved. Scott Miller, who represented the troopers, agreed.

We felt we had viable defenses to our case given the difficult circumstances everyone faced that evening, but I feel like this is a good resolution for everyone, and we are glad we can put this behind us, Miller said.

What led up to the shooting

On Jan. 1, 2023, Boggs took a 911 call from a resident who told him two children had come to her door asking for help and their mother was being attacked by her boyfriend with a gun, according to the lawsuit.

The caller gave their address, which was in the 100 block of B. Ison Road, but told Boggs the children lived two or three houses away.

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Boggs dispatched troopers to Eldridges home instead, which is in the 200 block of B. Ison Road about 10 miles away, according to the lawsuit.

When troopers arrived at Eldridges home, they did not have lights and sirens on, and they parked 150 feet away from the front entrance of his home, according to the original complaint.

Officers McGraw, Williams, Crouch and Brammell called in the registration plates of vehicles at Eldridges home, but the name tied to the vehicles didnt match the names given to the dispatcher who took the original call.

The lawsuit says no attempts were made to get the original 911 caller to confirm whether they were at the right address.

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Home alone and eating a bowl of chili, Eldridge was not expecting visitors and was not aware law enforcement had arrived, according to the lawsuit.

Eldridge heard loud noises on his porch and heavy banging at his door, which made him think someone was trying to break in, according to the lawsuit. He grabbed a handgun and peaked out of his curtain, where he was blinded by bright lights.

Officers did not announce themselves as law enforcement, according to the lawsuit, and the lights shining at Eldridge obscured him from seeing their uniforms.

Eldridge thought he was under attack and opened the door, and was then shot twice, according to the lawsuit. He then returned fire, but no officers were injured.

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After Boggs was told someone had been shot, he received a call from another individual that neighbors had come to his home and reported a domestic dispute at the same location on B. Ison Road as the original caller.

Dispatcher Boggs then realized he had negligently and carelessly given the wrong address to law enforcement, Pillersdorf wrote in his lawsuit.

Boggs allegedly went to the sheriff and said, we have got a mess, and it is my fault.

Eldridge was transported to the Morgan County hospital and was at high risk for loss of life or limbs from uncontrolled bleeding and traumatic wounds, according to the lawsuit. He had been shot once in his right and left forearms.

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He was later transported to University of Kentucky Hospital, where he remained for 18 days and underwent five surgeries, according to court documents.

As a result of the officers shots, his left arm is partially numb from the elbow to the hand, and he has no full function in his left wrist, according to the lawsuit. He also does not have control on his left-hand fingers, and describes it as the claw.
The Massachusetts Parole Board has denied parole for Wayland Coleman, a man serving a life sentence for the 1997 murder of a teenager in Worcester.

In a decision dated Oct. 14, the board stated that Coleman has not shown a level of rehabilitation that would make his release compatible with the welfare of society. His case will be reviewed again in three years.

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Coleman was 19 years old on May 25, 1997, when a fight broke out as a crowd left the Eden Restaurant on Water Street. During the altercation, Coleman got a gun from a car and shot 17-year-old Neal-Sabree McClain, who was unarmed, at close range. According to the boards case summary, Coleman shot McClain a second time as he lay on the ground. McClain was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries.

In 1998, a Worcester Superior Court jury found Coleman guilty of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Coleman became eligible for parole after a 2024 Supreme Judicial Court ruling deemed life-without-parole sentences unconstitutional for offenders aged 18 to 20. His sentence was subsequently changed to life with the possibility of parole after 15 years.

During his May 8, 2025, initial hearing, the board reviewed Colemans 26 years of incarceration. It noted he has accumulated more than 30 disciplinary reports and has completed minimal programming, though he did earn a GED and a bachelors degree from Boston University. The board also stated that Coleman, who maintains his innocence, refused to answer questions about the crime on the advice of counsel. A risk assessment tool categorized him as a high risk to reoffend.

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Testimony opposing parole was presented by Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr., Worcester County Assistant District Attorney Anne Kennedy, and family members of McClain. Five people testified in support of Colemans release.

Generative AI was used to draft this story, based on data provided by the Massachusetts Parole Board. It was reviewed and edited by MassLive.

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A Mexican man who turned himself in to federal agents in Riverside County and sought to be deported in accordance with ongoing immigration crackdowns allegedly had an ulterior motive: pitting the government against itself.

As first detailed by Seamus Hughes Court Watch, Geovany Espinoza Norzagaray was facing methamphetamine distribution charges and had indicated hed plead guilty once he took a trip to see his grandmother.

When in Indio to see his grandmother, however, Norzagaray also attempted to self-surrender at the Indio Border Patrol Station, prosecutors said in a motion.

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Despite claims by Norzagarays attorney that he had traveled to the Border Patrol station to ask what would happen to his immigration status after his criminal case was over, prosecutors said they have evidence that he was trying to be deported before he could be convicted on the drug charges.

The defendant intentionally got himself arrested by the Border Patrol, showed up only with American and Mexican currency on his person, lied to Border Patrol agents and claimed he had never been arrested, and even attempted to speed up his deportation by asking to participate in an expedited removal program, prosecutors wrote.

The scheme was revealed when Norzagaray didnt show up to that hearing to change his plea last month.

As a result, the judge issued an arrest warrant, resulting in his transfer from immigration custody to that of the Department of Justice.

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The evidentiary record developed reveals that the defendant attempted to evade prosecution through deportation, prosecutors said. The defendants gambit failed.

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A man who murdered his niece has learned his punishment.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

As News Center 7 reported in April, what started as a suspicious death turned into a homicide investigation.

Raymond Scott was sentenced to 31.5 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping, domestic violence, and aggravated murder, according to court documents.

TRENDING STORIES:

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On Feb. 15, Springfield officers responded to Jasper Street for reports of an unresponsive 22-year-old woman.

The woman, identified in a police report as Kaleena Bentley, was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

A coroner ruled Bentley died of strangulation, and prosecutors approved murder charges.

Scott was identified as a possible suspect after reviewing cameras in the area.

Bentley is Scotts niece, according to a police report.

Police said they have uncovered at least two other women whom Scott is criminally charged with assaulting and choking. Those victims survived.

As part of his sentence, Scott must also register as a sex offender.

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CHESTER, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Authorities are still seeking a man wanted for murder in Chester County.

The Chester County Sheriffs Office is working with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and FBI to find Carlton Dixon in a 2024 homicide. Dixon, 45, is charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and possession of a firearm or ammunition by a person convicted of certain crimes.

Dixon is accused of shooting Elijahwan D. Boulware, 29, on Flint Street on June 17, 2024. Anyone with information on Dixons whereabouts should contact SLED at 866-472-8477 or email tips@sled.sc.gov. He is described as being 6 feet tall, weighing 190 pounds.

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There is a $15,000 reward available for information leading to an arrest.

This is a Developing Story . Check back for updates

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
A man and a teen were charged with the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old in a New Brunswick park last week, authorities announced Thursday.

The shooting happened in Pine Street Park on Oct. 8, according to a statement from the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office. When officers arrived shortly after 11:30 p.m., they found Fernando Buezo Diaz, 18, of New Brunswick, dead at the scene. He had been shot multiple times.

Detectives determined that Diaz was shot after an altercation and that Jalen Terrell-Ingram, 20, of New Brunswick, was in possession of a gun on the night of the incident, the office said.

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On Oct. 10, Terrell-Ingram was charged with first-degree conspiracy to commit murder and weapons-related offenses, investigators said. He turned himself in to the New Brunswick Police on Monday.

On Wednesday, a 17-year-old boy was taken into custody and charged with acts of juvenile delinquency for crimes which if committed by an adult would constitute murder, conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of weapon, authorities said.

No other details about either the teens or Terrell-Ingrams roles in the deadly shooting were revealed by the office on Thursday.

Anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area was asked to call New Brunswick Police Det. Victor Delgado at 732-745-5200 or Det. Stephanie Redline of the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office at 732-745-3316.

Chris Sheldon

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As the investigation into the death of Mango founder Isak Andic continues, the Andic family said they are confident that the process will be concluded as soon as possible and that his son Jonathans innocence will be confirmed.

Local media reports in Spain said that Jonathan Andic, 44, was being investigated for a possible homicide.

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Isak Andic, 71, was non-executive chairman of the fast-fashion company when he died in December after falling more than 300 feet from a cliff in the Montserrat caves near Barcelona, in Catalunya, Spain. The fatality happened during an excursion with his family.

Media requests to Spanish police officials were not returned Friday.

After his passing, the incident was described as an accident. The investigation into Andics death was reportedly reopened in March.

Andic was saluted by many including Spains Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who praised his great work and business vision, which transformed his Spanish brand in a global point of reference in fashion in a post on X.

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The Spanish fast-fashion retailer has more than 15,500 employees, operates some 2,800 stores in more than 120 markets worldwide and has major online activity. The international business accounts for nearly 80 percent of turnover. Mangos revenues in 2024 amounted to 3.34 billion euros, a 7.6 percent increase compared to 2023.

Andic started Mango, which now sells womenswear, menswear, kids wear and a home collection, in 1984. The first location was on Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona, Mangos home city. In 1992, the company expanded outside of Spain with two outposts in Portugal. Media-shy and reserved, Andics net worth was said to be $4.5 billion, according to Forbes. After his passing, Mangos chief executive officer Roni Ruiz took on the role of chairman of the board.

Executives at Mango declined to comment Friday about the investigation. A Mango corporate affairs spokesperson, referred to a statement that had been issued by a spokesperson for the Andic family.

The statement read, The Andic family has not commented and will not comment on Isak Andics passing during these months. However, it would like to show its respect for the proceedings that have been carried out in this regard and will continue to cooperate with the competent authorities as they have done so far.

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The statement continued, They are also confident that this process will be concluded as soon as possible and that Jonathan Andics innocence will be confirmed.

Asked if Jonathan Andic will continue to serve on the Mango board, the spokesperson did not respond.

In June, the 44-year-old Andic stepped away from his executive responsibilities at the multinational fashion company to reportedly take on more responsibilities within the Andic familys holding companies, which control the familys real estate and business holdings. That reportedly includes Mango MNG Holding, which controls 95 percent of Mangos capital.

On Friday, a Reuters report noted that La Vanguardia newspaper said late Thursday that the judge looking into Isak Andics death began officially investigating Jonathan in September, due to contradictory statements that he had given as a witness. But the Barcelona courts press office said on Friday that the case, which remains sealed, was not directed at any particular individual, according to Reuters.

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In honor of Mangos 40-year anniversary last year, the company expanded its board from four to nine members, including independent directors for the first time. The brand also revealed a two-year strategic expansion plan that called for 500 store openings.

During Isak Andics career, he held numerous positions such as member of the International Advisory Board of the IESE Business School, vice chairman of Banco Sabadell and member of the International Advisory Board of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Investment Advisory Council for Turkey, and the Friends of the Prado Museum Foundation. In addition, he was chairman of Family Business Institute from 2010 until April 2012, and patron of the MACBA Foundation, the Princess of Asturias Foundation, the Museu Nacional dArt de Catalunya and the Elena Barraquer Foundation.

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MANHATTAN (KSNT)  A public hearing is scheduled in the Little Apple to consider changes to the administrative regulations relating to water rights administration and management.

The hearing is set for 10 a.m. on Oct. 27 at 1320 Research Park Drive in Manhattan. The Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) is proposing regulatory changes to two separate water issues.

Whats on the Kansas Supreme Courts October docket?

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First, the KDAs Division of Water Resources wants to revoke two regulations, K.A.R. 5-4-1 and K.A.R. 5-4-a.

K.A.R. 5-4-1 is regulation that relates to governed claims of impairment. It currently requires that a senior water right holder submit a request to secure water to the KDA after the agency has determined that its rights are being impaired. Then, the regulation would remove the requirement the KDA solicit recommendations from the area groundwater management district regarding the resolution of the impairment.

K.A.R. 5-4-a currently applies to impairments caused by what the regulation refers to as a regional lowering of the water table. Currently, when a complaint is received that a prior right to the use of water is being impaired, the procedure outlined in K.A.R. 5-4-1 is to be followed until the determination is made that the impairment is caused by a substantial regional lowering of the water table.

Is the tap water safe to drink in Carbondale?

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The proposed regulation, K.A.R. 5-4-1b, would allow a water rights owner to only provide certain additional information to the KDA upon request, and it would remove notice requirements that are already contained in other rules and regulations. All situations that actually constitute impairment can be dealt with via K.A.R. 5-4-1b in conjunction with the Kansas Water Appropriation Act impairment statutes. The state legislature has explicitly provided other tools to manage groundwater resources in areas where groundwater levels have declined excessively.

Anyone interested in providing public comment can find more information out on the KDA website. For more information about these rules and regulations, check out the Economic Impact Statement regarding these proposed changes.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

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Everyone makes mistakes.

OpenAI wants you to think its mistakes are just a product of a young company moving fast.

That may be part of it. But it's also beginning to look like a strategy: Asking forgiveness instead of permission.

OpenAI says it's sorry it used someone's intellectual property without their permission. And it promises to do better in the future.

Quiz time!

Are we talking about:

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OpenAI's announcement on Thursday night that it had "paused" the ability for Sora users to make videos using the likeness of Martin Luther King Jr., after King's estate complained?

Or are we talking about OpenAI's announcement earlier this month, when it said it would make it harder for Sora users to make videos using the likeness of Hollywood characters, after Hollywood complained?

Or are we talking about OpenAI's announcement last year, when it said it would stop using a computer-generated voice that sounded a lot like Scarlett Johansson  after Johansson complained, and said she'd turned down OpenAI's offer to pay her for her voice?

You can see where we're going here. Let's spell it out: OpenAI is building a track record of using stuff it may not have the rights to use  and only backtracking once it hears from rights owners and their lawyers.

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Which leaves us two ways to think about that track record:

It's possible that OpenAI is a $500 billion company but is also a clumsy startup that moves fast and makes mistakes, and it's going to keep doing that.

It's also possible that when it comes to intellectual property  whether we're talking about the stuff it hoovers up to train and power its artificial intelligence engine, or the output those engines create  OpenAI is intentionally ignoring concerns about who owns and controls that intellectual property.

My hunch: It's a bit of both. Which is what OpenAI and its leadership have said at various times.

"Please expect a very high rate of change from us," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wrote earlier this month, when he announced he was softening what had been a very aggressive stance toward Hollywood. "We will make some good decisions and some missteps, but we will take feedback and try to fix the missteps very quickly."

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But a day before, OpenAI executive Varun Shetty had made it clear that OpenAI's stance toward Hollywood and copyright wasn't an accident, but a conscious choice. Sora had launched with minimal restrictions because other AI-powered media-makers did the same thing. "We're also in a competitive landscape where we see other companies also allowing these same sorts of generations," Shetty told journalist Eric Newcomer. "We don't want it to be at a competitive disadvantage."

All of which means we should expect OpenAI to keep following the same pattern: Use something it may not have the rights to use, and figure out the details later. Whether it's doing that intentionally or mistakenly is almost beside the point. (When asked for comment, OpenAI directed me toward this tweet.)

And all of this certainly will get worked out over time, as OpenAI and its competitors strike rights deals with some companies (Disclosure: OpenAI has a commercial deal with publisher Axel Springer, which owns Business Insider) and fight others in court.

But let's zoom out. Should you, a normal person, care about the way OpenAI works  or fights with intellectual property owners?

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Look: I'm flattered and pleased that you're reading this story. But it's probably not going to impact your life that much.

On the other hand: OpenAI certainly seems like it's going to be one of the leading AI companies that is going to reshape a lot of our lives. But in order for that to work, it's going to need to interact with lots of different companies and industries.

And that "agentic future" OpenAI and others talk about  the one where AI bots perform all kinds of tasks for you  will only work if everyone involved trusts the rules won't keep changing. Asking for forgiveness instead of permission has worked for OpenAI so far. At some point, it won't.

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On Thursday, the United States military carried out its latest strike on an alleged Venezuela drug smuggling vessel, as the admiral overseeing the Trump administrations controversial campaign in the Caribbean Sea announced his early departure.

Officials did not offer additional details about the incident, in which they said there were some survivors  unlike the previous boat bombings.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted on X that Admiral Alvin Holsey of the Southern Command would be retiring at the end of the year, less than a year into the post, which is usually three years long.

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The latest attack on a boat came a day after United States President Donald Trump confirmed that he authorised the CIA to carry out secret operations in Venezuela and suggested that he was mulling a land attack, too.

Trump told a reporter that he authorised the CIA to go into Venezuela because there are a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea, so you get to see that, but were going to stop them by land also.

In a TV address on Wednesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro cautioned against further escalation, objecting to failed regime changes  carried out by the CIA.

So, how many Venezuelan boats has the US struck so far, how deadly have they been, and what troops has the Trump administration sent to the Caribbean Sea as it threatens the Maduro government in Venezuela?

How many vessels have been attacked so far?

The US has carried out at least six strikes on boats in Venezuelan waters since the start of September, killing some 27 people, after allegations that they were carrying narcotics.

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However, the Trump administration has failed to provide evidence that the targeted boats were carrying narcotics bound for the US.

(Al Jazeera)

September 2

The US military killed 11 people in a strike on a vessel from Venezuela allegedly carrying illegal narcotics, Trump said on September 2. It was the first known operation since the USs deployment of warships to the southern Caribbean.

Trump shared aerial footage of the bombing on his Truth Social account, stating, Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere.

September 15

On September 15, Trump confirmed that three people had been killed by a US military strike on another Venezuelan vessel. He took to his Truth Social account to say that the operation had positively identified drug trafficking cartels. The post was accompanied by a video which appeared to show the boat exploding on the water.

September 19

This marked the third fatal attack on a vessel allegedly smuggling drugs. Trump posted on social media that the strike had killed three people who were affiliated with a designated terrorist organisation.

October 3

On October 3, the US government confirmed that four people had been killed when its forces destroyed a boat allegedly involved in drug trafficking on the high seas not far from Venezuela.

October 14

In its latest operation, the US killed six people on board a boat in international waters near the Venezuelan coast, Trump confirmed on social media on Tuesday.

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In his post, he wrote, Intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics, was associated with illicit narcoterrorist networks, and was transiting along a known route for smuggling.

October 16

In Thursdays attack on the suspected drug vessel, there were survivors, unlike the previous strikes. Unlike previous attacks on boats, US officials have not posted photos of the attack.

It is unclear whether US forces offered medical help to the survivors, whether they were captured, or where they are now.

Is the US breaking international law?

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said the maritime strikes amount to extrajudicial killings.

US officials cannot summarily kill people they accuse of smuggling drugs, said Sarah Yager, Washington director at HRW. The problem of narcotics entering the United States is not an armed conflict, and US officials cannot circumvent their human rights obligations by pretending otherwise.

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The use of military force against foreign ships in international waters is considered unlawful unless a clear legal exception applies. In a letter to Congress on September 4 Trump cited the right to self-defence as justification for the USs actions at sea.

Coastal countries like Venezuela control the waters within 12 nautical miles (22km) of their shores, known as territorial waters, where they have full sovereignty. Beyond that, they can claim up to 200 nautical miles (370km) as an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), all states enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight on the high seas, which lie beyond any nations control. Ships there fall under the jurisdiction of the country whose flag they fly, except when involved in piracy or other illegal acts.

(Al Jazeera)

Where are US ships deployed?

In August, Washington started deploying warships just outside Venezuelan waters.

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On August 14, the US Fleet Forces Command published a news release stating sailors and Marines assigned to the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group had departed from Norfolk, Virginia and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

According to the latest United States Southern Command  one of 11 unified combatant commands of the Department of Defense responsible for Latin America, Central America, the Caribbean, and surrounding waters  various strike packages and naval assets are in proximity to Venezuela.

Additionally, air and naval assets, including Reaper drones, Poseidon aircraft, amphibious transport docks and strike packages, are stationed around the coast of Puerto Rico.
Salesforce billionaire Marc Benioff backtracked on Friday from comments suggesting President Donald Trump should send the National Guard to San Francisco. The tech CEOs remarks initially drew a wave of criticism.

Having listened closely to my fellow San Franciscans and our local officials, and after the largest and safest Dreamforce in our history, I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco, Benioff posted on X on Friday.

My earlier comment came from an abundance of caution around the event, and I sincerely apologize for the concern it caused, he added.

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The companys annual Dreamforce conference took place this week and drew tens of thousands to the city.

Last week, Benioff told the New York Times that he supported Trumps deployment of federal troops into Democrat-led cities and thought it could help reduce crime in San Francisco.

We dont have enough cops, so if they can be cops, Im all for it, he said to the Times.

Benioff is the latest tech billionaire in the Bay Area, once a liberal bastion, to cozy up to Trump in the presidents second term.

Benioffs comments sparked a swift backlash, including within his circle. The Times reported that prominent venture capitalist Ron Conway quit the Salesforce Foundation board over Benioffs Trump comments. CNN has reached out to Salesforce to confirm the departure.

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The Times also reported on Thursday that Benioffs ties to Trump extended beyond support for his mobilization of the National Guard in American cities. The report cited internal documents showing Salesforce pitching itself as a tool to boost hiring for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which seeks to ramp up deportations across the country, and suggesting how AI could help evaluate tips and improve ICE investigations.

Salesforce did not respond to CNNs requests for comment regarding the report. The company told the New York Times that it had served the US government under previous administrations; the report notes that Salesforce contracted with ICE under the Obama and Biden administrations.

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A teenager from San Anselmo has been arrested in connection with a bomb threat back in August at Archie Williams High School, police said.

The Central Marin Police Authority told the Chronicle that officers arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection to a bomb threat on Aug. 27 that sent the high school into a panic.

At about 9 a.m. that day, police said officers responded to a report of a bomb at the high school and responded with support from the Ross Valley Fire Department, Marin County Sheriff's Office and the California Highway Patrol.

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The school was evacuated and classes were canceled for the remainder of the day.

When police searched the school and grounds, they didn't find explosive devices or suspicious materials, the authority said. After investigating, officers identified the 17-year-old as a suspect, obtained search warrants and arrested him.

The teenager was booked into Marin County Juvenile Hall and is charged with making a false bomb threat.

"The Central Marin Police Authority takes all threat-related incidents seriously," Central Marin Police Authority Sgt. Jeff Peterson said. "We are committed to the safety of our schools and community and will continue to dedicate the necessary resources to fully investigate such events."

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The Tamalpais Union High School District sent a note to parents Thursday announcing the arrest, acknowledging the "fear, disruption, and distress this incident caused to our students, families, and staff."

"The decision to evacuate and cancel classes was not made lightly, but it was necessary to ensure the safety of everyone on campus," said Superintendent Courtney Goode. "We are immensely grateful to our students, educators, and support staff for responding quickly and calmly during a very difficult situation."

Goode said that the district will pursue "appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with our own policies, procedures, and state law," though the process and outcome will remain confidential.

This article originally published at Marin police arrest teen in connection with school bomb threat.
Some kinky leopard sharks were caught having a three-way off the coast of New Caledonia in the South Pacific!

It shocked the virgin biologist, who was believed to be the first person to ever witness that species of shark getting busy  much less having a menage a trois.

Its rare to witness sharks mating in the wild, but to see it with an endangered species  and film the event  was so exciting that we just started cheering, says marine biologist and ecologist Hugo Lassauce of the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia, who was snorkeling when he spotted the frisky fin-ners, which are not dangerous, per ScienceAlert.

He says he first saw a female with two males grasping her pectoral fins on the sand below me, he told Cosmos. He watched the three sharks, which remained almost motionless on the sea floor, for almost an hour, when the two males alternated mating with the female.

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It was over quickly for both males, he says. The first took 63 seconds, the other 47. Then the males lost all their energy and lay immobile on the bottom.

The female was much perkier, swimming away actively although she had visible wounds on her pectoral fins.

One theory behind the threesome was that multiple fathers may increase the genetic diversity of the endangered sharks, which could help increase their chances of survival.

Next up  paternity testing.

From a genetic diversity perspective, we want to find out how many fathers contribute to the batches of eggs laid each year by females, says Lassauce.

This story Marine Biologist Shocked to Witness Leopard Sharks Having a Three-Way Off the Coast of Caledonia first appeared on National Enquirer. Add National Enquirer as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Shortly after completing Marine Officer Candidates School this summer, Donald Reichard pinned second lieutenant bars on a fellow OCS graduate: His wife Cheyanne.

The couple had gone through the course at the same time as the first step toward their goal of becoming Marine Corps judge advocates. Donald graduated from OCS on Aug. 2, Cheyanne Aug. 9, meaning he outranks his wife on date-of-rank by a week.

They expect to attend The Basic School next fall or in early 2027.

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Donald, 28, served as a Navy corpsman for more than eight years. He was inspired by his work with Marines to join the Corps. He started training five weeks before his wife and later dropped her off at OCS so she could complete the Platoon Leaders Class.

The two were not in the same training class, so rarely saw each other during training. But each knew the other was facing the same challenges.

I thought that it was extremely uplifting to know that he was enduring the same suck that I was, said Cheyanne, 27.

Occasionally, the two would see each other on Brown Field, the main training area.

I was going out to do the final event, The Forge, and she was actually in the middle of her 6-mile hike at the same time, Donald said. We obviously didnt talk to each other, but I saw her in passing.

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Cheyanne said that when the two were near each other during OCS, she had a conscious effort to keep her bearing and not look at him.

But I could feel his eyes on me because he was standing right behind me, essentially, she said.

For Cheyanne, this summer provided her with the opportunity to finish her officers training. After completing the first six-week section of the Platoon Leaders Class in 2023, she was supposed to return to OCS the following year, but was delayed by a medical diagnosis. She was finally medically cleared to finish the training this year.

Having to rejoin OCS in the boot camp-like transition phase and being older than most of her other classmates were the most difficult aspects of the experience, she said.

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As a prior enlisted service member, Donald said he found himself helping others who were experiencing military life for the first time.

You get there, you kind of know how to do things, he said. You kind of know how the military works a little bit. You know kind of how the flow of things are, and when you fall into the flow of things youre doing a lot of helping out others. That can be very difficult.

Both Cheyanne and Donald are studying law at the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce Law School. She is graduating in May, and he will finish his law degree in 2027.

When asked which is more difficult, OCS or law school, Donald gave a very lawyerly answer.

I think that when I was in OCS, I wished I was at law school, and at times at law school, I wished I was back at OCS, he said. I think they are both very, very, difficult things to endure, and I think theyre difficult for different reasons.
Maryland Del. Charles Otto, a Republican representing District 38A in Somerset County, Wicomico County and Worcester counties, died on Friday.

The news was announced by Maryland House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, who released a statement Friday afternoon. There has been no information released as to the cause of death.

I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Maryland State Delegate Charles J. Otto, Jones wrote. Since 2011, he served the Maryland House of Delegates with integrity and an unwavering dedication to the people of District 38A. He cared deeply about his community and always put his constituents first.

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On behalf of the Maryland House of Delegates, I extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones, constituents, and staff. He will be sorely missed by us all.

Gov. Wes Moore also offered his prayers to Ottos family and friends, praising the longtime Assembly member as a man who loved his state.

This was a man who loved Maryland to his core, fighting every day for his constituents and moving in good faith with partners in the General Assembly to deliver results, Moore said in a statement.

The governor also reflected on the last time he spent time with Otto, back on Sept. 24 as they announced the completion of the project to bring broadband to Smith Island.

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I saw in him then what so many have seen throughout his careera fidelity to our state that could never waver, and a commitment to our people that could never fade, Moore said. Delegate Otto and I may not have belonged to the same political party, but we could agree on this: Marylanders are always worth fighting for. We must carry that legacy forward, together.

Members of the Maryland Senate Republican Caucus called Otto a tireless advocate for the people of the Eastern Shore in a Friday afternoon statement. They also praised him as a steadfast voice for Marylands farmers, rural communities and small businesses.

Charles brought common sense and integrity to every discussion in Annapolis, they wrote. He worked across party lines to ensure that rural Marylands needs were heard and respected.

Otto remembered as longtime public servant

The 61-year-old Otto was a corn and soybean farmer who had worked as a sales representative and crop consultant in his career before getting elected to the House of Delegates in November 2010. During his time in state government, Otto served in the Environment and Transportation Committee, Protocol Committee and the Environmental Matters Committee in the House. He also served as the Deputy Minority Whip for the Maryland House Republican Caucus from 2013 until his death.

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As one of the very few farmers serving in the Maryland General Assembly, Delegate Charles Otto used his real-life experiences and his committee position to fight for our Shore rural way of life, said District 38 State Sen. Mary Beth Carozza. He had a quiet wisdom and was humble in his work with both colleagues and constituents. It was always a brighter day with Charles whether at official events or on the campaign trail in parades or county fairs. Charles kept it real for all of us.

Other Eastern Shore lawmakers said Otto was dedicated to his district.

Throughout his many years in the Maryland General Assembly, Delegate Otto worked tirelessly to support agriculture, protect rural communities, and ensure that the voices of the Shore were heard in Annapolis, said Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano. He was deeply respected by colleagues on both sides of the aisle and was always willing to lend his time and expertise to help local leaders strengthen their communities.

Del. Wayne Hartman added that Otto brought a wealth of knowledge to the Assembly.

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He was certainly dedicated to his district and a wealth of knowledge to the Environment and Transportation Committee as one of the only farmers left in the Maryland House of Delegates, said Del. Wayne Hartman. He didnt speak often, but when he did speak, it was something very relevant and spot on.

Hartman said the news came as a surprise, as Otto had just filed for reelection on Wednesday.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, Hartman said. He never had a bad word to say about anyone. He was always friendly, and he would help anyone he could.

Have a news tip? Contact Eastern Shore bureau chief Josh Davis at jdavis@baltsun.com or on X as @JoshDavis4Shore.
Staff member at Massachusetts school dies after being kicked by student, DA says

An investigation is underway after a staffer at a Massachusetts school collapsed and died during a physical altercation with a teenage student, authorities announced Thursday.

The deadly altercation happened at Meadowridge Academy, a residential therapeutic school for youth and young adults at 664 Stevens Street in Swansea, shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Bristol District Attorneys Office.

Staffers were attempting to restrain a 14-year-old girl who was trying to leave her dormitory without permission when Amy Morrell, a 53-year-old staff member, was kicked in the chest, the DAs office said.

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Morrell, of Riverside, Rhode Island, collapsed after being struck and was rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead on Thursday afternoon.

A family friend on Friday shared a photo of Morrell with Boston 25 News reporter Drew Karedes.

Amy Morrell

The student, whose name hasnt been released due to her age, was arraigned Thursday in Fall River Juvenile Court on a charge of assault and battery causing serious bodily injury.

In a statement issued on Friday afternoon, the Meadowridge Academy called Morrells death a tragic loss for the school community.

The Meadowridge Academy community is deeply saddened by the passing of direct care staff member, Amy Morrell, a school spokesperson told Boston 25. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Amys family during this difficult time. Support services and resources are available to assist students and staff as we grieve this tragic loss.

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Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the DAs office are assisting Swansea police with the investigation.

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A recent Massachusetts State Police operation focused on cracking down on street takeovers led to seven arrests on highways across the state, though it is not clear how direct the link is between the arrests and the events.

Many of the arrests were on Interstate 95, and those charged face crimes ranging from misdemeanor motor vehicle infractions to assault and battery, according to State Police. On top of the arrests, State Police issued 232 citations, 74 warnings and 20 criminal summonses.

Troopers also towed 15 vehicles, seized two and recovered one reported stolen.

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At least four communities in Massachusetts saw violent street takeovers this month, including one such event in South Boston, where a police cruiser was set on fire. The events, typically organized on social media, are not isolated to Massachusetts but are part of a nationwide trend.

Officials say there were no takeovers in Massachusetts on the weekend of Oct. 11, when the operation took place.

Read more: Crowds attacked police in violent assaults across Mass.: What to know

At a press conference on Thursday announcing the results of the operation, State Police Col. Geoff Noble said the agency brought on 50 additional troopers to specifically focus on preventing the takeovers across eight hours on the night of Oct. 11.

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This is tough work, this is dangerous work, and they did it to an exceptional level. They were professional and they were very effective, he said.

The work that we are talking about today is not isolated to an eight-hour operation. These are ongoing efforts, Noble said.

Gov. Maura Healey said the operation reflected her administrations zero tolerance for the takeovers, vowing that anyone who organized or participated would face consequences.

Weve got more work to do, of course, and were going to continue to stay on it, Healey said. Im just proud of the great work of the police teams to get this done.

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Every resident of our state deserves to live in a community with a high quality of life and where public safety is assured, she continued.

While officials touted the arrests as part of a broader effort to crack down on takeovers, there is no clear link between those who were arrested and the events themselves. The increased patrols did not lead to arrests State Police troopers would not otherwise make.

Those arrested were:

A 23-year-old woman charged with operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license. She was arrested on I-95 in Mansfield.

A 35-year-old man charged with operating an unregistered and uninsured motor vehicle. He is also charged with not posssesing a registration. He was arrested on Interstate 495 in Norton

A 24-year-old man who was arrested on outstanding warrants issued from Lowell District Court, charging him with possession of Class B and Class C drugs, conspiracy to violate drug law, witness intimidation and larceny from a person. He was arrested on Route 27 in Brockton.

A 19-year-old man arrested on a warrant charging him with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of a crash causing property damage.

A 23-year-old man charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, a number plate violation and failure to stop for police. He was arrested on Interstate 195 in Seekonk.

A 27-year-old man charged with operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, speeding and not having an inspection sticker. He was arrested on I-95 in Attleboro.

A 19-year-old woman charged with assault and battery. She was arrested on I-95 in Foxborough.

Street "takeovers"

Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Harvey City Council voted unanimously to apply for a rare status designating the city financially distressed at a contentious special city council meeting Thursday night, at the urging of Mayor Christopher Clark.

Clark also announced an imminent partial shutdown of city government to deal with the citys financial situation.

The Illinois Financially Distressed City Law gives the state broad authority to intervene in a citys financial affairs in order to provide a secure financial basis for the continued operation of a financially distressed city. The law has been invoked once before, when East St. Louis was given the designation in 1990.

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Harveys finances have been turbulent for years, and most of the meeting was taken up by a 90-minute presentation by Clark that laid the blame squarely at the feet of the previous mayor, Eric Kellogg, who led the city from 2003 to 2019. Kelloggs administration was marked by multiple high-profile scandals, including the disappearance of millions in bond money intended for hotel construction, the diversion of water bills owed to the city of Chicago, and a yearslong strip club extortion scheme.

Clark argued during the meeting that due to the overwhelming debts and legal obligations the chain of scandals left Harvey with, combined with chronically low tax collection rates, applying for financially distressed status and submitting to direct state oversight was the only way remaining to remedy the citys dire financial situation.

Weve been riding on heat for quite some time, and you know how you get when youre riding on heat, and youre trying to figure out, okay, am I finally on fumes? Or when is the car going to just stop? Clark said. The amount thats lost by the defaulting property taxpayers, that 25 to 27 million, puts us in a hole so deep that we cant even meet our obligations.

Illinois does not otherwise have a process in place to allow financially distressed municipalities to declare bankruptcy. Earlier this year, Harvey laid off 10% of its city workforce in an effort to stabilize the citys finances.

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We dont have what all the other municipalities have, Clark said. And thats what were trying to get to. Thats what we need to get to.

The ordinances passage is only the beginning of the process to declare the city financially distressed. The city has now appealed to the state to determine whether Harvey qualifies for the status, which requires the city to be in the top 5% of tax rates and the bottom 5% of tax collection.

The mayor also said that he intended to exercise his powers to temporarily shut the city down in case of emergency, with the emergency being a lack of sufficient revenue to continue operating. He did not give an exact timeline as to when city services would be reduced or shut down, or details on which services, if any, would cease to function.

The only thing that I can give you at this particular point in time is soon, because were still figuring out everything as far as employees are concerned, as far as our departments are concerned, Clark said.

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Clarks critics saw his presentation as an attempt to avoid accountability for alleged financial mismanagement by his own administration.

We need to start (talking about), since we done took over this administration, the unnecessary fees weve incurred. The lawsuits weve incurred. The people we done laid on off and didnt lay off nobody from city hall, but we laid off our street workers and our police department, said 4th Ward Alderperson Tracy Key.

2nd Ward Alderperson Colby Chapman, the mayors most vocal critic on the City Council, called for Clarks resignation during her comment.

I just cant even believe the slideshow presentation. No bank statements, no nothing. Just straight blasphemy about the previous administration, Chapman said after the meeting. We already know that. I called for his immediate resignation because its insanity to continue to do the same thing and expect different results.

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Chapman said there should have been more detailed information supplied about the citys current financial state, as well as more discussion of the potential negative effects of declaring the city financially distressed.

We shouldve walked away with a handout. We shouldve had something that we can look at and have a reflection point to, right? Thats why they make banking statements, Chapman said. You can only think, what are we hiding?

Residents were not given a chance to share their thoughts on the mayors presentation during the meeting, as the agenda was amended at the start of the meeting to move public comment ahead of the presentation.

One of the residents who offered comment, Amanda Askew, expressed frustration at the rearranged agenda. Askew said she attends the citys finance committee meetings regularly, and the possibility of invoking the Financially Distressed City Law had not previously been discussed, despite the significance of the move.

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Here we are at the eleventh hour screaming for help, when, whats the purpose of having a finance committee if were not discussing this? This Financially Distressed City Law didnt happen overnight. This has been years of mismanagement. And what are you all meeting for every quarter if youre not going to address the elephant in the room? Askew said. Whatever youre going to say in the presentation youre going to have after this, it really doesnt mean anything, because we never shouldve been to this point to begin with.

One resident was escorted out by police for interrupting during the comments of the 5th Ward Alderperson Dominique Randle-El, who was defending the mayor.

He only threw one person out, said Ryan Sinwelski, who runs the Harvey Historical Society. Thats really good, for the mayor.

Harvey Public Library District trustee Chapelle Hooks said the blame for Harveys financial struggles doesnt start with Kellogg or with Clark. She said it dates back to the 1970s, with misbehaviour by James Haines, the last in an unbroken line of white Harvey mayors, as the citys demographics were shifting.

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We were purposely put in a decline, Hooks said. I dont think that (the city is) coming out. Because everybody is still being greedy, and theyre taking, and theyre steady taking, and theyre steady taking. Nobody is trying to come up out of it, they steady trying to find slicker ways of getting what they want to get.

Chapman said despite her opposition to the mayor and her problems with the way the process was handled, she voted in favor of the ordinance because she hopes state oversight will bring transparency she said is long overdue.

I voted in favor of it because I believe that the state can really provide financial oversight in a way that Ive never historically seen with the city of Harvey, Chapman said. We got here because theyre not answering any questions.

elewis@chicagotribune.com
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris has declared a local state of emergency for the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare of Memphis residents.

Lawmakers file suit against governor of Guard deployment in Memphis

Mayor Harris said local governments and law enforcement agencies have seen an increase in law enforcement activity and have been told to expect increased arrests at nearly 200% of current daily rates.

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The declaration said this comes after the President of the United States issued a Presidential

Memorandum, Restoring Law and Order in Memphis. The president and the Governor of the State of Tennessee have since deployed federal law enforcement officers, creating the Memphis Safe Task Force.

Task force makes nearly 1,000 arrests

And Governor Lee said the task forces crime-fighting operation will be permanent.

The reason I think this will last forever is because what were learning about how agencies can collaborate, because these law enforcement agencies. The surge in numbers may not be here to stay, but the agencies are here to stay, he stated.

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Mayor Harris and the Shelby County Sheriffs Office both share concerns about how the surge in arrests will impact 201 Poplar, which has suffered from overcrowding for years.

In a letter to commissioners, the Sheriffs Office stated, The County jail population has reached historic levels, with no indication of a decline in the near future.

SCSO addresses jail population concerns to commissioners

Its now calling for the Shelby County Commission to provide at least $1.5 million to assist with the current challenges.

As the Sheriffs Office awaits a response to its emergency funding request, there are still questions about the National Guards role in Memphis.

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Police Chief CJ Davis said the Guardsmen would tackle blight; however, Governor Lee said they would help support law enforcement.

Whenever there is a presence of the National Guard, it frees the operation of a law-informed officer with the Memphis Police Department, for example, to pursue the violent criminals, Governor Lee mentioned.

The state of emergency will continue until the end of the Memphis Safe Task Force operations or until detention facility populations are reduced to the capacity level or below, according to Mayor Harris.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
In front of a packed crowd at Dickies Arena on Thursday morning, Mayor Mattie Parker delivered an optimistic State of the City address, celebrating Fort Worths growth and stability, while also acknowledging challenges with homelessness and the citys struggling public school district.

The sold-out luncheon brought together Fort Worth businesses, community leaders, and major sponsors to reflect on the citys progress and look ahead to its next chapter.

The event began with networking at 10:30 a.m., followed by lunch and recognition of local entrepreneurs who helped drive the citys growth in 2025.

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Before Parker took the stage, the Fort Worth Chamber presented the 2025 Small Business and Innovator Awards, highlighting the citys business community. Among the honorees were:

Emerging Business Award: At Your Home Caregiving of Texas

120 Employees: Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation

2150 Employees: Bob Moore Construction

Parkers speech centered on Fort Worths story of steady, responsible growth, opening by saying, Perhaps most importantly, we raised our budget without raising your taxes.

The mayor quickly shifted to discussing the citys continued focus on managing homelessness.

One area we have doubled down is homelessness solutions, she said. The discussion of homelessness often feels impersonal, but we are talking about human beings who are in crisis. No one living on the streets is well. It is very critical we maintain our focus, and our momentum on this issue.

The Police Department, and overall public safety, were another theme of discussion, earning some of the days loudest applause. The Fort Worth police department continues to be one of the best departments in the entire country thanks to our initiatives, Parker said acknowledging the recent SmartAsset.com study that ranked Fort Worth the third safest city in America.

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She then welcomed new Police Chief Eddie Garcia, praising his reputation for building trust and transparency. Garcia previously served as Dallas police chief before resigning last year to take an assistant city manager position in Austin. His recruitment and hiring were widely seen as a major win for City Manager Jay Chapa, who has only been in the role since late January. Notably, Dallas reportedly did not want to lose Garcia to Austin, another major Texas city located about 30 miles away.

Parker said she expects the police department to be fully staffed by 2026. The mayor also celebrated the addition of more than 600 first responders following the introduction of a new EMS system within the Fire Department, which has statistically improved emergency response times across all city districts.

The Mayor would also recognized and honored the citys first responders for the citys quick action during recent Central Texas flooding, as previously reported by DX, where more than 20 Fort Worth personnel joined rescue efforts.

The City Councils decision to rename the South Division headquarters in honor of Sgt. Billy Randolph was another reminder Thursday that Parker and the community will not forget its fallen heroes.

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Turning to public education, Parker shared data showing Fort Worth ISD students met grade-level standards only 37% of the time on the Texas STAAR exams in 20242025. That figure is up two percentage points from the year before. The district faces a possible state takeover, and several failing campuses are already undergoing state-led transformations.

Fort Worth ISD is a separate governmental and taxing entity from the City of Fort Worth and not Parkers direct responsibility. However, Parker has publicly pressed FWISD Trustees on critical reform efforts as the districts performance improvement is critical to the future of the citys economic development and public safety.

This is where our students are, it may be a stark reality, but importantly a great story worth telling is that this community has responded with a tremendous amount of work in the last 5 years. We are absolutely headed on the right path. I see it every single day, she said; later praising new early college high school programs that allow students to earn associate degrees before graduating.

On the health front, Parker cited a TCU initiative in which the school distributed 10,000 bottles of prenatal iron this year to expectant mothers. One iron pill a day can reduce the need for blood transfusions in childbirth by one-third, she explained.

Parker closed by celebrating Fort Worths economic momentum, particularly the citys growing film industry, which has reportedly created more than 50,000 jobs and generated roughly $1 billion in economic impact.
The Rev. Solomon Kinloch and Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield squared off at the Detroit mayoral debate during the Mackinac Policy Conference, May 29, 2025. | Kyle Davidson

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for Chalkbeat Detroits free newsletter to keep up with the citys public school system and Michigan education policy.

Detroits mayoral candidates may be far apart about how they should solve many of the citys challenges, but their views on improving education in the city sound similar.

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Rev. Solomon Kinloch, Jr., the pastor at Triumph Church in Detroit, and Mary Sheffield, the president of the Detroit City Council, faced off Wednesday night during a televised debate on WXYZ-TV. Moderators asked one question about education, but related topics such as child poverty, transportation, and safety also came up.

Education has been an issue throughout the campaign because of the depth of Detroits school challenges. Low academic achievement and high rates of chronic absenteeism are big problems in district and charter schools. While the mayor doesnt have control over how schools are operated, the person elected can play a role in addressing many of the barriers that make it difficult for children to learn, including housing instability, a lack of transportation, and extreme poverty.

Heres what they had to say at Wednesday nights debate.

How will the candidates help improve education in Detroit?

Moderator Carolyn Clifford noted the citys high rate of illiteracy and the most recent results for the Detroit Public Schools Community District on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, in which just 5% of district students were proficient or above in reading. Noting that the mayor has no control over district and charter schools in the city, she asked the candidates, What can a mayor do to help ensure Detroit kids can read, can learn, and succeed?

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Kinloch repeated what hes said throughout the campaign: that he would be an educational mayor and would create a cabinet-level position that would partner with the school district. Though the city has dozens of charter schools, Kinloch only mentioned partnering with the district. Kinloch said that while the school district is not the mayors job, its still the mayors responsibility.

What we will do is partner with the district to make sure that were removing the social ills that keep the children from showing up in class in a productive way, not to just to survive, but to thrive. There are a whole lot of things that take place before those children get to class. And so we got to make sure that they have access to mental health professionals, that they have access to affordable housing, that they have access to food and grocery stores and healthy eating, that they have access to extra curriculum activities to keep them off the street and give them a sanctuary to be safe.

Sheffield said she believes the mayor can be a greater partner to drive better outcomes for our youth and that every child deserves access to a quality education.

My administration will have a liaison working directly with our DPSCD and charter schools on a consistent basis. We will ensure that we have robust after school programming within a two mile radius of every school, focusing in on literacy. We will provide the wraparound service and address the social deterrents that prevent and impact our families and our students, like mental health and housing and having support in the schools and on the grounds to support our families and students. And lastly, as a mayor, I can ensure that we have safe routes to school and fixing the infrastructure around our schools and providing more coordinated transportation to reduce absenteeism and get our students back in school.

Setting students up for post-high school success

At various points during the debate, Sheffield and Kinloch talked about ensuring that children are set up for success once they leave high school.

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Sheffield noted that the Detroit Promise, a scholarship program that gives eligible Detroit residents a tuition-free path to an associate degree, bachelors degree, or technical certificate, already provides opportunities for Detroit youth.

We want to enhance that program and ensure that were creating pathways so that everyone who wants to receive secondary education has a pathway to do so, Sheffield said.

Kinloch made a similar statement.

Ill make sure that every child has access to a quality education, giving them a pathway to college and giving them a pathway to a career, Kinloch said.

Crime may be down, but safety is still an issue

Chalkbeat heard from a number of students earlier this year who said they often feel unsafe in the city, avoid being out in large groups because they fear what could happen, and worry about violence as they travel to and from school. Thats despite crime being down in the city.

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At Wednesday nights debate, candidates were asked how they explain the disconnect between the statistics and what people say in their neighborhoods and what they would do if elected mayor to solve this problem.

Kinloch noted that as a pastor, he has had to give children dignity in death that they didnt get in life because their life was taken too soon.

He said one of the reasons there is a disconnect is because Detroiters deserve two things. They deserve safety and they deserve justice. He also suggested that the city is fudging crime statistics. BridgeDetroit and the Detroit Free Press reported that after the debate, Kinloch explained his comments, saying there should be additional oversight into how crimes are tracked.

Sheffield noted the reduction in crime stats, but also said one life lost is still far too many.

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I believe in a comprehensive and holistic approach to public safety that is rooted in strong partnerships with our law enforcement agencies in our community. I will ensure as mayor that we are investing in prevention, more year round, youth employment for our young people, ensure that were expanding our community violence intervention work.

Her plan also includes launching the citys first ever office of gun violence prevention and expanding community policing efforts.

Improving public transportation is important

The candidates were asked to explain how they would improve public transit in the city. While the question wasnt specific to education or students, the citys transportation woes affect school attendance. Many students take city buses to and from school, and Chalkbeat has heard from students who say the buses frequently arrive late, making them late for school, or dont show up at all.

Transportation barriers are one of the reasons the DPSCD chronic absenteeism rate is high. The rate is improving, but 60% of students were chronically absent in the 2024-25 school year. At least one DPSCD school is experimenting with distributing bikes to students to make it easier for their children to get to school.

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Sheffield said the most pressing issue is addressing public transportation wait times.

We have to ensure that no one is waiting 30, 40, 50 minutes to catch a bus. And so as mayor, my number one priority is to reduce wait times, increase frequency and reliability of our system, make sure that our drivers are paid the wages that they deserve, and make sure that the system is safe.

Kinloch said the city needs to ensure it is offering competitive pay to transit workers, has reliable vehicles, and has trained mechanics.

I remember growing up in the city of Detroit, and the only way I can get from point A to point B is I had to depend on public transportation, said Kinloch, who said improving the transit system is a necessity. A lot of our school children are dependent on public transportation. Our family, our community is dependent on public transportation.

Lori Higgins is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.
BOSTON (WPRI)  Gov. Maura Healey has appointed Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) General Manager Phillip Eng as the states interim transportation secretary.

Healeys office announced Thursday that Monica Tibbits-Nutt decided to step down as transportation secretary and CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). Tibbits-Nutt will continue to serve as an advisor through the end of the year.

Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver was also promoted to serve as undersecretary of transportation.

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Both Eng and Gulliver will retain their current roles as MBTA general manager and highway administrator, respectively.

As General Manager of the MBTA, Phil Eng has overseen a transformative period for public transportation in our state and delivered the results that the people of Massachusetts have needed for a long time when it comes to safety and reliability, Healey said in a press release. He is a trusted leader with decades of transportation experience, and I know that he is the right person to lead MassDOT during this period.

ALSO READ: MBTA to improve Foxboro station ahead of World Cup

The governor also acknowledged that Gulliver is the longest-serving highway administrator in the states history and highlighted his ability to deliver major, complex projects.

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Tibbits-Nutt is leaving her role to rejoin the private sector, according to Healey.

Secretary Tibbits-Nutt has led our entire statewide transportation system and a workforce of more than 12,000 employees, Healey explained. During her tenure, MassDOT secured more than $1.8 billion in federal transportation funding, the highest in state history.

Eng first signed on as general manager of the MBTA back in March 2023. Since that time, Healeys office noted that he enhanced public safety and accessibility through eliminating subway speed restrictions, opening the South Coast Rail service and modernizing signal systems.

A well-balanced multimodal transportation network is essential. MassDOT and the MBTA work hand-in-hand to make sure our transportation system is safe, reliable and modernized, Eng said. I look forward to taking on this interim role with MassDOT and working even more closely with Undersecretary Gulliver and their great team to deliver the world-class transportation system that the people of Massachusetts and our visitors deserve.

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The KnuckleHeadz may just be the thing to save Americas youth. Theyre categorized too neatly as a punk band from Whittier, but theyre actually a movement: Southern Californias most raucous self-help program and hardcore band. The members are built like dockworkers and dressed like a deleted scene from "The Warriors": black-and-green leather vests with a spiky-haired skull back patch. They are also the driving force behind the Punk Rock Fight Club, a Southern California-based organization dedicated to improving young mens lives through fitness and structure. The rules are as strict as they are simple, and in this topsy-turvy world, truly radical: no hard drugs, no crime, no racists, no abusers. Respect yourself, your brothers and your community.

The KnuckleHeadz achieved a moment of internet fame after hosting a completely unsanctioned show in an unsuspecting McDonalds for a hundred people. The viral clip of the show is the convenient entry point, but it sells short what the gentlemen have built. Onstage, the KnuckleHeadz are all sweat and spectacle: profanity-laced breakdowns, fans crowd surfing on boogie boards riding a human tide, and the green-and-black army in the pit pulling strangers upright. The absurdity of a fast-food slam pit, bodies and burgers briefly airborne  suggests anarchy. Look closer and you see choreography: Men catching falls, clearing space and enforcing a code. Punk has always promised salvation by noise. The KnuckleHeadz add a footnote: Salvation requires reps, rules and someone mean enough to care. Offstage, they run an infrastructure for staying alive.

Founded in June 2021 by frontman Thomas Telles of Whittier, better known as Knucklehead Tom, and with the help of guitarist and tattooer Steven Arceo, aka Saus, of El Monte, the Punk Rock Fight Club (PRFC) has grown in a few years to six chapters and more than 200 members across Southern California. What started as a tight circle around a band hardened into a movement: discipline for kids who never got it, structure for men who need it, and a community without substance abuse . Prospects earn their way through mornings, sweat and commitment before theyre trusted with the skull back patch. The rules read like a brick wall and function like a doorway.

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I started the club because I wanted to do good in the scene, Knucklehead Tom said I wanted to create a tribe where we all supported each other, a family for people from all walks of life, especially those who came from broken homes. I wanted people to know they have somewhere to go and a family they can count on.

I first ran into the KnuckleHeadz and a few club members by accident three years ago in a London train station en route to the Rebellion Punk Rock Music Festival in Blackpool, a yearly event featuring more than 300 veteran and emerging bands. They were impossible to miss  part wolf pack, part brotherhood, pure energy. That year the KnuckleHeadz struck a chord with me, not just through their all-in, no-holds-barred performances, but also through their message, their obvious love for one another and their mission to better their community. Since then, I have taken a hard look inside both the band and the club; I visited their gym and attended many of their shows. I have met and talked with families and those the KnuckleHeadz and the club have helped. They have indeed, in many cases, worked miracles. But the guys dont call them miracles. They call it Tuesday.

Read more: How Militarie Gun evolved from pandemic project to indie-punk force

"Since we founded Punk Rock Fight Club, we paved way for what we knew was the movement and lifestyle many people in our scene needed," Arceo said. "Weve changed so many lives and with that our lives changed as well. We made a family built on brotherhood, loyalty with the camaraderie that can only be achieved through martial arts and punk rock. Thats something many of us grew up without. So to be able to bring this into the world is worth every sacrifice. Were going on five years strong and will keep going till the day we die."

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The bands ascent mirrors the spread of the club: a steady climb from underground slots to punks biggest stages. They earned a place on the final NOFX show and graduated from Rebellions side stage to the festival's main stage. Theyve organized benefits for causes that dont trend and for people who cant afford to be causes. The Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas recently added a piece of PRFC memorabilia, one of the club's cuts  a leather vest with the skull back patch  to its collection, a true museum piece that still smells faintly of sweat. Next, KnuckleHeadz prepare for a U.S. run with punk legends GBH, the sort of tour that turns rumor into resume.

The Whittier dojo, KnuckleHead Martial Arts, is where the KnuckleHeadz code gets practical. Its where guys run martial arts drills and where the mats serve double duty as community center flooring. During the bands F Cancer benefit for 17-year-old Cesar Little Cesar Lopez II, the driveway became an impromptu slam pit. Inside, kids tumbled on the mats while guitars shook the walls. Families brought food, local businesses donated services, and more than $6,000 went toward treatments. In the carnival-like atmosphere outside, Little Cesar grinned and hyped the pit from the sideline, proving that joy, like violence, can be contagious.

One member, Bernard Schindler, 55, of La Mirada, came in after a life of ricochets: rehab, prison, relapse, repeat. The club gave him a schedule first and a future second, and now with the support of the club, hes been clean and sober for more than two years.

"Tom and the Punk Rock Fight Club completely turned my life around," Schindler said. "It gave me purpose, discipline and a new family of brothers that push me to be better. I went from being a broken down drug addict to the healthiest I've ever been mentally, physically and emotionally in the 55 years I've been alive."

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Since getting involved with the KnuckleHeadz nearly three years ago, Schindler says he's gotten closer to his family, including his three sons and his girlfriend, in addition to staying sober. "I can honestly say that I couldn't have done it without Tom and our God-given club, the Punk Rock Fight Club," he said.

The PRFC trophy case is full of medals and awards, sure, but the real accomplishments are much quieter and miraculous. There are pay stubs where rap sheets used to be, text threads that start with the question You good? at 3:17 a.m., and apartment keys handed over when a kid cant go home.

Hip-hop synth-punk artist N8NOFACE, now a fixture on lineups from the annual L.A. festival Cruel World tours with Limp Bizkit and Corey Feldman, calls Tom my brother and credits that code with keeping him aligned. I was getting clean, and Ive always believed that if you follow the right people, it helps you stay on your path, N8 says. Tom was about health, about not getting all messed up, about being a fighter and a warrior and taking care of your body first. To find that in punk was very different.

When asked about his hopes for the future of the band, Tom says, I just want to keep having fun. We love doing it and are grateful for all the love and support. The band is currently playing shows across SoCal with gutter punk legends GBH, including a show Friday at the Ventura Music Hall.

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"With the club, I want to keep changing lives. It makes me happy to know that my son Nieko has an army of goodhearted uncles if anything were to happen to me. The righteous men in this club make me so proud.

Thats the trick. Thats the point. In the noise between those truths, a lot of young men hear something theyve never believed before: a future theyre allowed to keep.

Slaughter is a photographer and writer who has covered music and culture for countless outlets, including the OC Weekly and L.A. Times. He is a founding member of In Spite Magazine.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
NATCHEZ, Miss. (WJTV)  The Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) and Mississippi State University (MSU) signed an agreement that establishes a framework to create a regional hub for education, research, and workforce development at Historic Jefferson College near Natchez.

MSU President Mark E. Keenum, MDAH Director Katie Blount, and MDAH Board of Trustees President Spence Flatgard signed the memorandum of understanding on October 17, 2025.

Rain, snow or sun? NOAA releases weather predictions for holidays, start of winter in Mississippi

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Through the MOU, officials said the 19th century college will be the site of year-round programming that includes field schools, workshops, and other experiential learning opportunities.

Today, we are embarking on an innovative educational and economic development model that will benefit both students and communities, Blount said. MDAH is building on the legacy of Jefferson College to open new educational pathways for students across the state.

MSU will serve as a lead academic partner, working in collaboration with other institutions as appropriate to expand statewide impact. According to MDAH, students will receive hands-on training in historic preservation and archaeology.

The project will move forward as MDAH continues rehabilitation of the buildings on the campus where Mississippis first constitution was signed August 15, 1817.

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Public Health - Seattle & King County issued a public warning of a confirmed measles case from an adult at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport this week.

The case was reported on Oct. 13.

If you are not immune to measles or dont know your vaccination status, and were at the airport on October 13th, please visit our measles website for specific information about potential areas of exposure within the airport," the health department said.

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This case is not connected to any previous local measles cases.

Its unclear if the infected person was a local or was traveling.

The infected person was at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport before being diagnosed with measles.

See where the person was in the airport here.

The times include the estimated period when the individual was at the location and two hours after.

The measles virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after someone infected with measles leaves the area.

People with measles can spread the disease before they know they are infected and before any rash appears.

If you were at the locations during the times listed above and are not immune to measles, the most likely time you would become sick would be between October 20, 2025 and November 3, 2025.

About measles from the DOH

Measles is a highly contagious and potentially severe disease that causes fever, rash, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected. It mainly spreads through the air after a person with measles coughs or sneezes.

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Measles symptoms begin 7 to 21 days after exposure. Measles is contagious from about 4 days before the rash appears through 4 days after the rash appears. People can spread measles before they have the characteristic measles rash.

Measles is preventable with the safe and highly effective measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles and that protection is long lasting.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Oregon health officials are warning that measles has been found in routine wastewater testing in Marion County.

The announcement on Friday comes after a sample collected on Oct. 6 from a wastewater treatment plant came back positive, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

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A positive wastewater test means that at least one person had contracted measles in the area. However, health officials say this announcement serves as a precautionary warning and does not show whether there is ongoing risk to the community.

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Marion County officials have been advised to monitor for any patients who might have measles, and residents are encouraged to be up-to-date on their vaccinations.

One way to think about wastewater surveillance is like a ping on a radar  it could be low levels of the virus just passing through or something more serious, like an outbreak, said Howard Chiou, the medical director of communicable disease and immunizations at OHA. It gives us a chance to prepare our health care partners with information they can use to help patients take steps to protect themselves, including reminding them to be up to date on their measles vaccines.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
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Louisiana and Mississippi rank last in serving Medicare recipients, a new study shows.

People in both states who are covered by the federal health insurance program that primarily serves older adults have more trouble accessing and affording care than those in other states, and the quality of care they receive is lower, according to a report released Thursday by the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that studies health care access in the U.S.

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Medicare costs in Louisiana and Mississippi are some of the highest in the nation, but do not correspond to better health outcomes for patients. The states life expectancies at 65 are some of the lowest in the country, according to federal data. Mississippi comes in last place, with people living two years shorter than the national average.

Lower ranking states have weaker overall health infrastructure, a trend across Southeastern states, said Gretchen Jacobson, the Commonwealth Funds vice president for Medicare.

The report used 31 metrics to assess each states care, including strictness of prior authorization policies, access to outpatient care and how much beneficiaries pay.

About 650,000 Mississippians and 960,000 Louisianans  over 20% of each states population  are enrolled in Medicare, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program provides coverage to nearly all people 65 years or older and covers some younger people with disabilities.

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Sixty-nine million Americans are enrolled in Medicare, making it the largest payer for health care in the country. The program was established in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to provide health insurance to older Americans. It has changed over the last six decades, expanding eligibility to more people and offering additional benefits, like prescription drug coverage and Medicare Advantage plans.

Private companies run Medicare Advantage plans and provide an alternative to traditional Medicare. About half of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in such plans.

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Medicare was designed to deliver uniform benefits to older Americans regardless of where they live, but states differ widely in their delivery of quality care, the report authors said.

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We have more work to do to ensure it delivers the care equally and effectively for people in every state, said Dr. Joseph Betancourt, president of the Commonwealth Fund, during a press conference Wednesday

Some disparities stem from how the program is structured, because Medicare relies on private providers to deliver care, said Mark Diana, associate dean for research and graduate programs at the University of West Florida who has researched health policy and management.

All of the variations in how private medical care is provided across the country exist in the Medicare program, just like everywhere else, Diana said.

While coverage may be the same across states, the services that patients are able to access may differ.

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In Louisiana and Mississippi, older Medicare recipients are prescribed medications that should be avoided in the elderly at higher rates than in other states, according to the report. Such medications increase the risk of confusion, falls, bleeding risk and other potential harms.

Nursing home residents who are hospitalized are readmitted to the hospital more frequently in Louisiana and Mississippi, and avoidable emergency room visits are more common,the report said.

Patients are sicker when they enroll in Medicare in Louisiana and Mississippi, where there are high rates of uninsurance and poverty, said David Radley, a senior scientist for the Commonwealth Foundation, during a press conference Wednesday. For example, more than two out of three Medicare beneficiaries in Mississippi and Louisiana have three or more chronic conditions, like diabetes or high blood pressure.

When people are sick coming into Medicare, they tend to be really sick when theyre in Medicare, Radley said.

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Research has shown that people who are uninsured before age 65 have higher health care costs when they enroll in Medicare.

Improving health care systems ability to care for people of all ages will enhance care for Medicare recipients, Jacobson said.

Even with the support of Medicare, older people in Mississippi and Louisiana struggle to afford the costs of health care. More Medicare recipients in Mississippi and Louisiana went without care because they couldnt afford it in the past year than in most other states.

Experts say the Medicaid spending cuts passed this summer in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act may impact low-income Medicare beneficiaries, many of whom are enrolled in both programs.

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Cuts to Medicaid may make it more difficult for dually enrolled beneficiaries to access services that arent required to be provided by traditional Medicare plans, like dental care or home and community-based services, Jacobson said.

More than a third of Mississippians and Louisianans over 65 went without a dental visit in the past year, the report said.

The legislation also imposed a moratorium on changes that aimed to reduce enrollment barriers for Medicare Savings Programs, which allow Medicaid to pay Medicare premiums and other costs for low-income beneficiaries. These changes will not be implemented until 2034.

The open enrollment period for Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.

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(Louisiana Illuminator)  Louisiana and Mississippi rank last in serving Medicare recipients, a new study shows.

People in both states who are covered by the federal health insurance program that primarily serves older adults have more trouble accessing and affording care than those in other states, and the quality of care they receive is lower, according to a report released Thursday by the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that studies health care access in the U.S.

Medicare costs in Louisiana and Mississippi are some of the highest in the nation, but do not correspond to better health outcomes for patients. The states life expectancies at 65 are some of the lowest in the country, according to federal data. Mississippi comes in last place, with people living two years shorter than the national average.

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Trump announces a deal with a manufacturer to make a common fertility drug cheaper for IVF patients

Lower ranking states have weaker overall health infrastructure, a trend across Southeastern states, said Gretchen Jacobson, the Commonwealth Funds vice president for Medicare.

The report used 31 metrics to assess each states care, including strictness of prior authorization policies, access to outpatient care and how much beneficiaries pay.

About 650,000 Mississippians and 960,000 Louisianans  over 20% of each states population  are enrolled in Medicare, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program provides coverage to nearly all people 65 years or older and covers some younger people with disabilities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sixty-nine million Americans are enrolled in Medicare, making it the largest payer for health care in the country. The program was established in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to provide health insurance to older Americans. It has changed over the last six decades, expanding eligibility to more people and offering additional benefits, like prescription drug coverage and Medicare Advantage plans.

Private companies run Medicare Advantage plans and provide an alternative to traditional Medicare. About half of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in such plans.

Medicare was designed to deliver uniform benefits to older Americans regardless of where they live, but states differ widely in their delivery of quality care, the report authors said.

We have more work to do to ensure it delivers the care equally and effectively for people in every state, said Dr. Joseph Betancourt, president of the Commonwealth Fund, during a press conference Wednesday

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some disparities stem from how the program is structured, because Medicare relies on private providers to deliver care, said Mark Diana, associate dean for research and graduate programs at the University of West Florida who has researched health policy and management.

All of the variations in how private medical care is provided across the country exist in the Medicare program, just like everywhere else, Diana said.

While coverage may be the same across states, the services that patients are able to access may differ.

In Louisiana and Mississippi, older Medicare recipients are prescribed medications that should be avoided in the elderly at higher rates than in other states, according to the report. Such medications increase the risk of confusion, falls, bleeding risk and other potential harms.

Advertisement Advertisement

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Greenstein: Louisiana Medicaid provider reimbursement rates increase

Nursing home residents who are hospitalized are readmitted to the hospital more frequently in Louisiana and Mississippi, and avoidable emergency room visits are more common,the report said.

Patients are sicker when they enroll in Medicare in Louisiana and Mississippi, where there are high rates of uninsurance and poverty, said David Radley, a senior scientist for the Commonwealth Foundation, during a press conference Wednesday. For example, more than two out of three Medicare beneficiaries in Mississippi and Louisiana have three or more chronic conditions, like diabetes or high blood pressure.

When people are sick coming into Medicare, they tend to be really sick when theyre in Medicare, Radley said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Research has shown that people who are uninsured before age 65 have higher health care costs when they enroll in Medicare.

Improving health care systems ability to care for people of all ages will enhance care for Medicare recipients, Jacobson said.

Even with the support of Medicare, older people in Mississippi and Louisiana struggle to afford the costs of health care. More Medicare recipients in Mississippi and Louisiana went without care because they couldnt afford it in the past year than in most other states.

Experts say the Medicaid spending cuts passed this summer in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act may impact low-income Medicare beneficiaries, many of whom are enrolled in both programs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cuts to Medicaid may make it more difficult for dually enrolled beneficiaries to access services that arent required to be provided by traditional Medicare plans, like dental care or home and community-based services, Jacobson said.

More than a third of Mississippians and Louisianans over 65 went without a dental visit in the past year, the report said.

The legislation also imposed a moratorium on changes that aimed to reduce enrollment barriers for Medicare Savings Programs, which allow Medicaid to pay Medicare premiums and other costs for low-income beneficiaries. These changes will not be implemented until 2034.

The open enrollment period for Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.

Latest News

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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 Louisiana First News.
Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of the Winners Chapel International church, has made headlines after declaring that his faith is the reason for his private jet acquisition.

According to GhanaWeb, a 2024 video of Bishop Oyedepo is gaining attention on X, in which the pastor claims his now international church, sometimes known as Living Faith Church Worldwide, was a solo endeavor.

"Nothing here came through a group discussion," he said, per GhanaWeb. "This is the place that came to me alone."

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While some backlash to this notion included X users acknowledging the clear help he received when starting the church back in 1981, the real pushback came from his religious justifications for one massive purchase.

"It was God who told me," Bishop Oyedepo continued in the video. "It's time to get the aircraft."

He also claimed the aircraft was not bought with church funds, but was a divine gift.

"God bought it," Bishop Oyedepo said, as quoted by Punch Online.

Though the use of the jet was said to make travel to his churches easier, it's not uncommon for private jet usage to receive public backlash.

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From costing an outrageous amount of cash to releasing a ton of dirty pollution into the air, this mode of transportation is often frowned upon. A study has shown that carbon pollution from private jet travel has increased by 46% in five years.

According to PBS News, a portion of the super-wealthy contributed 17.2 million tons of carbon dioxide by way of flying in private jets in 2023.

"That's about the same amount as the 67 million people who live in Tanzania," the article added.

While proposals such as a carbon tax may help hold people accountable for their negative environmental decisions, like flying private, this doesn't attack the issue at the root.

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By actually turning away from dirty energy, such as by switching to an electric vehicle, using solar panels, or even promoting the use of all-electric air travel, the production of planet-warming gases can be significantly decreased.

Commenters on an X post sharing the video of Bishop Oyedepo gave their input on the matter.

"Lol church is now a business," one user said.

Another person asked, "God told you to buy [an] airplane?"

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.




A car belonging to a well-known Italian investigative TV journalist was targeted in a bomb attack and completely destroyed.

Video posted by Italian public broadcaster Rai, where reporter Sigfrido Ranucci, 64, hosts the programme "Report," showed the destroyed vehicle. His daughter's car, which was parked next to his, was also destroyed. No one was injured.

Italian politicians condemned the attack on Friday.

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"The freedom and independence of information are indispensable values of our democracies, which we will continue to defend," Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said, calling the attack an attempt to intimidate the press.

Ranuccci had parked his car outside his home in a suburb of Rome. The attack occurred on Wednesday evening at around 10 pm.

So far, there has been no claim of responsibility or other clues pointing to the perpetrators, and the motive remains unclear. One possible hypothesis is that the Mafia could be behind the attack.

Two bullets also found outside his home

Ranucci lives in the Roman suburb of Campo Ascolano, located directly on the Mediterranean coast. Residents reported hearing two consecutive, extremely loud explosions.

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Ranucci, who was inside his house at the time, is now under police protection.

"I still cannot make sense of what happened. I have only pieced together a few things that have occurred in recent months," he said.

Last year, he also found two bullets outside his house, which had apparently been left there as a threat. Ranucci has been hosting the weekly investigative programme "Report" on Italian television since 2017. The show has received multiple awards.
Giorgia Meloni has lashed out at a prominent union leader who she said insinuated she was a prostitute.

Maurizio Landini, the head of the countrys biggest union, accused the Italian prime minister of acting as a bag carrier and courtesan to Donald Trump, the president of the United States, at the Israel-Gaza peace conference in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday.

At the summit, Mr Trump said Ms Meloni was beautiful and endorsed the newly published English edition of her autobiography, I Am Giorgia.

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Meloni just acted as the courtesan of Trump and didnt lift a finger, Mr Landini said during an interview on Italian television.

The prime minister reacted furiously, saying that the word courtesan is often used as a euphemism for prostitute.

The general secretary of the CGIL, Maurizio Landini, evidently clouded by mounting resentment (which I understand), called me a courtesan on television, she wrote on X.

I think everyone knows the most common meaning of this word, but for the benefit of those who dont know, Im publishing the first definition found with a quick internet search.

She posted a dictionary definition which describes a courtesan as a woman of easy virtue, heterosexual; euphemism: prostitute.

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She said that the Left had for decades lectured us about respect for women, but then, in order to criticise a woman, for lack of serious arguments, calls her a prostitute.

Mr Landini, whose CGIL union has five million members and is the second biggest in Europe, denied that he had effectively called Ms Meloni a prostitute.

Giorgia Meloni was criticised by Maurizio Landini, right, for her closeness to Donald Trump - Palazzo Chigi

During his interview, the union boss said Meloni followed in Trumps footsteps, was at Trumps court, and acted as Trumps errand boy.

He said he was making a political judgment about the prime ministers record, not a sexist insult.

But ministers and MPs from Ms Melonis Right-wing coalition government said his remark was unacceptable and called on him to apologise.

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Some figures on the Left also said the comment smacked of sexism. Carlo Calenda, the leader of the centre-Left party Azione, said Mr Landini should withdraw the remark.

In contrast, Laura Boldrini, a senior member of the centre-Left Democratic Party and a former parliamentary speaker, said: If you listen to the entire interview, it is clear that Landini was simply saying that Meloni is part of Trumps court.

I dont think there was any intention to offend the prime minister in a sexist way. He was just saying that she is politically subordinate to Trump. He didnt mean to say she is a prostitute.

Ms Meloni was among the world leaders who travelled to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt this week for the signing of the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas.

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She was greeted effusively by Mr Trump, with whom she has a warm relationship both politically and personally.

In the midst of his address about the Middle East deal, the president said: Im not allowed to say it because usually its the end of your political career if you say it  shes a beautiful young woman.

If you use the word beautiful in the United States about a woman, thats the end of your political career, but Ill take my chances.

Credit: Reuters

Turning round to address Ms Meloni, 48, the president said: You dont mind being called beautiful, right? Because you are.

On his Truth Social media network, the president wrote: Giorgia Meloni, the GREAT Prime Minister of Italy, has written a new book, I am Giorgia: My roots, My principles.

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Giorgia is doing an incredible job for the wonderful people of Italy, and this Book explores her journey of Faith, Family and Love of Country, which gave her the Wisdom and Courage required to serve her nation and make her people proud. She is an inspiration to all.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
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23:57 Woman dies after jumping off 16th floor of building near Mumbai A woman allegedly committed suicide by jumping from the 16th floor of a residential tower in Ghodbunder Road area of Thane, a police official said on Friday. The incident took place on Thursday evening, the Kasarvadavali police station official said. As per her kin, she was undergoing... Read more >

23:46 JMM keen on contesting Bihar poll, talks underway with RJD: J'khand minister JMM chief and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren. Jharkhand minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu on Friday said he has informed Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav about the seats the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is keen to contest in the Bihar assembly elections. Speaking to reporters, Sonu said he discussed the issue during a recent meeting in... Read more >

23:37 K'taka panchayat officer suspended for attending RSS event A panchayat development officer in Raichur district has been suspended for allegedly taking part in the RSS event, sources said on Friday. The officer posted in Sirawar Taluk Panchayat was suspended after he allegedly took part in an RSS event wearing the outfit's uniform. The action... Read more >

23:09 Delhi private school receives hoax bomb threat A private school in south Delhi received a hoax bomb threat on Friday, an official of the Delhi Fire Service said.The officer noted that a call regarding a bomb planted in the school was received at 1.19 pm.We rushed two teams of DFS, including local police, dog squad and bomb disposal squad to... Read more >

22:41 Light tank developed by DRDO fires Nag anti-tank missile Light tank fires anti-tank guided missile Nag Mk II./Image courtesy RMO on X India's newly-developed light tank achieved a major milestone as it fired anti-tank guided missile Nag Mk II. The tank has been designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation and manufactured by Larsen and Toubro Ltd. The project is mainly being overseen by... Read more >

22:25 Another cop ends life in Haryana; wife, in-laws booked In yet another alleged suicide by a Haryana cop, an assistant sub-inspector of police posted in Gururgam allegedly hanged himself here at his ancestral home, the police said on Friday. A suicide note has also been recovered from his house in Jainabad village in Rewari district, in which the... Read more >

22:04 Three arrested in Rs 25 cr cyber investment fraud case in Kochi Three people were arrested on Friday from Kozhikode in connection with a cyber investment fraud case in which a city-based businessman lost Rs 25 crore, the police said. The arrested are from Kozhikode. According to the police, a woman had been arrested earlier in... Read more >

21:55 Haryana govt hikes monthly old-age pension to Rs 3,200 per month File image On completion of one year in office of the Bharatiya Janata Party government's third straight term in Haryana, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday announced to increase old-age pension to Rs 3,200 from Rs 3,000 per month, officials said.Saini also announced fresh plot allotments under the... Read more >

21:42 Uddhav inaugurates MNS 'Deepotsav', hints at tie-up The growing bonhomie between the once estranged Thackeray cousins was on full public display on Friday as the two leaders and their family members came together for a Diwali event, further lighting up the buzz around their political alliance in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav... Read more >

21:09 Two Tadoba tigresses to be relocated to Sahyadri Reserve in Nov File image The National Tiger Conservation Authority has approved the relocation of two tigresses from the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district to the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, a forest official said on Friday. Anand Reddy, deputy director of TATR's core zone, said the STR... Read more >

20:36 17-year-old held with Rs 1.15 crore hashish oil in Hyderabad A 17-year-old boy from Andhra Pradesh was apprehended on Friday for allegedly transporting 5.1 kg of Hashish oil worth Rs 1.15 crore, the police said. In a joint operation, sleuths from the Special Operations Team, Malkajgiri, and Ghatkesar police stopped the juvenile near Ghatkesar Railway... Read more >

20:27 Fire crackers' use in Delhi-NCR may rise by 40% this Diwali after SC nod The Supreme Court order, allowing the sale and bursting of green crackers in Delhi-NCR region, may increase the number of families bursting fire crackers by 40 percent as compared to the last year, raising fears that 'regular fireworks' could also make a comeback, a LocalCircles study... Read more >

20:02 Kerala school hijab row: HC seeks govt stand The Kerala high curt on Friday sought the state government's stand on a church-run school's plea challenging an education department directive to permit a Muslim girl to attend classes wearing her religious headscarf or 'hijab'. Justice VG Arun directed the government lawyer to come with... Read more >

19:54 5.5 magnitude quake hits Afghanistan, second in a single day A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan on Friday evening, marking the fourth quake to hit the country in less than a month and the second quake to hit the country in less than 12 hours.According to the US Geological Survey, the tremor occurred 47 km north-northwest of Khandud at... Read more >

19:44 Andhra cops nab 2 men from UP, Maha for 'links' with Jaish terror group The Andhra Pradesh police have arrested two people from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra respectively, for their alleged links to a local terror suspect and the Pakistani terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad, said the police on Friday. Sri Satyasai district superintendent of police S Satish Kumar... Read more >

19:24 Four dead after ambulance overturns in UP's Sitapur An ambulance, which lost control after its tyre burst, hit several people and killed four, including a woman, in Sitapur district on Friday morning, the police said.The accident took place at around 6 am on the National Highway in the Ataria police station area, according to police. The... Read more >

19:05 Retired SC judge to probe Sep 24 Leh violence The ministry of home affairs on Friday ordered a probe into the September 24 violence in Leh by retired Supreme Court judge B S Chauhan to find out the circumstances leading to the serious law and order situation, police action and the resultant death of four persons. According to an... Read more >

18:59 Rupee falls 7 paise to close at 88.03 against US dollar The rupee pared initial gains and settled for the day lower by 7 paise at 88.03 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday, weighed down by trade tensions and global uncertainties. Forex traders said renewed foreign fund inflows and lower crude oil prices boosted investor sentiment... Read more >

18:38 Uttarakhand: Avalanche occurs near Badrinath, no casualties File image An avalanche occurred on Friday from the Kuber Bhandar glacier near Badrinath in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, reaching the upper reaches of the Kanchenjunga river. No casualties were reported, an official said. District disaster management officer Nand Kishore Joshi said that the... Read more >

18:28 BSE Sensex top gainers today Benchmark Sensex spurted by 484 points and Nifty closed at a 52-week high on Friday, extending their winning run to the third consecutive day on buying in blue-chip banking and oil shares and foreign fund inflows. In a volatile session, the 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 484.53 points or 0.58... Read more >

18:16 EC assures security for BLOs in run-up to voters' list revision in Bengal Amid reports of threats and harassment to booth-level officers in West Bengal, the Election Commission assured that security would be provided to them during the state's Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls, which is likely to begin soon, an official said.Members of the 'Sangrami... Read more >

18:02 Special teams formed to monitor drug firms in TN Tamil Nadu has formed special teams to continuously monitor drug manufacturers, with inspections conducted at nearly 50 of the total 397 pharmaceutical firms in the state, minister for medical and family welfare Ma Subramanian said on Friday.Speaking in the assembly, Subramanian said the... Read more >

17:22 Two Maoists surrender in Jharkhand's Chatra Two Maoists, including an area commander of the banned Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee, surrendered before the police in Jharkhand's Chatra district on Friday, officials said. They were identified as Kunal alias Kuldeep and Rohini Ganjhu alias Rohini Singh. Kunal was the area... Read more >

17:06 Sri Lankan PM meets Modi; Indian fishermen's issue discussed Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya meets PM Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on Friday./@narendramodi X/ANI Photo Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday discussed a range of issues such as development cooperation and the welfare of Indian fishermen with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya. Amarasuriya met Modi at his official residence in New Delhi. Glad to welcome Prime Minister of Sri... Read more >

16:43 VIP chief opts out of Bihar polls, aims to be deputy CM M I Khan in PatnaVikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani on Friday announced that he will not contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls, and will instead focus on campaigning for his party's candidates as well as those of the Mahagathbandhan.Hum chunav nahi ladenge kyonki humko deputy... Read more >

16:32 Rahul visits Zubeen Garg's family, demands closure Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said Zubeen Garg's family and the people of Assam have the right to know what happened to him in Singapore. The sooner the truth comes out, the better in Zubeen Garg's case, as the family needs closure, Gandhi said, after visiting the singer's family at... Read more >

15:53 2 accused in Zubeen death case remanded to judicial custody ANI Photo Two band members of Zubeen Garg Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta were remanded to judicial custody on Friday, after their 14 days of police remand ended in connection with the singer's death in Singapore last month. The duo was brought to court and later taken away in separate... Read more >

15:24 It's not just about RSS: Siddaramaiah The Karnataka Cabinet's decision to bring rules on the use of public places and government premises for holding events was not just about RSS, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Friday. His remarks came a day after his led-cabinet decided to bring rules, apparently to check RSS activities,... Read more >

14:41 Woman finds hidden camera in light bulb holder in loo A shocking incident from Hyderabad's Yousufguda surfaced as a woman found a hidden camera inside a light bulb holder in her bathroom. 23-year-old Bhukya Sanskruthi is married to Nenavath Umesh, who works at the Aditya Trade Centre in Ameerpet.She made the disturbing discovery on October 13. A... Read more >

14:26 Shah, on three-day visit to poll-bound Bihar, meets Nitish Union Home Minister Amit Shah, whose averments on Nitish Kumar's continuance as Chief Minister of Bihar have been fuelling speculations in the poll-bound state, on Friday met the JD(U) president in Patna. Shah, who had arrived in Patna the previous evening on a three-day visit, drove down to... Read more >

14:12 Microsoft Revamps Governance Framework For India... In a first, Microsoft has overhauled its governance and compliance framework for India's public sector and critical infrastructure clients -- a move that comes amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and regulatory fragmentation worldwide.The announcement follows a recent court battle in which... Read more >

14:08 Indian duped into Russian job, forced to fight war Representational image A 37-year-old man from the city, who was offered a job in a construction company in Russia, is trapped on the Russia-Ukraine border and allegedly forced to fight in the war after being duped by a Mumbai-based agent, his family said in Hyderabad. Mohammed Ahmed's wife has written to External... Read more >

14:00 Banned cough syrup worth Rs 2 crore recovered from goods train in Tripura Banned cough syrup worth around Rs 2 crore has been recovered from a goods train at Jirania railway station in Tripura, police said on Friday.The recovery was made following a search operation on Thursday that commenced around 4.30 pm and concluded in the early hours of Friday, they said.In a... Read more >

13:45 Jadeja's wife Rivaba sworn in as Gujarat minister Jadeja with his wife Rivaba. Pic courtesy: Rivaba Jadeja/Instagram Ex-Gujarat Congress president Arjun Modhwadia, who had defected to BJP, takes oath as state cabinet minister. Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja's wife Rivaba sworn in as minister of state in Gujarat cabinet. Read more >

12:47 Harsh Sanghavi takes oath as Dy CM of Gujarat Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, CM Bhupendra Patel, and BJP National President & Union Minister JP Nadda arrive at oath ceremony for Cabinet expansion. Harsh Sanghavi takes oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat. Read more >

12:26 Amazon India's Festival Sale Draws 70% Of Traffic From Smaller Cities Amazon India recorded 2.76 billion (276 crore) customer visits during its month-long Great Indian Festival sale, with more than 70 per cent originating from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, highlighting the e-commerce platform's penetration beyond major metros.The company facilitated over 1,000 crore in... Read more >

12:22 Trump to hold second summit with Putin on Ukraine Ahead of his meeting on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House, US President Donald Trump said that his country cannot deplete its own stockpile of Tomahawk cruise missiles by supplying them to Ukraine.Following an hour-long telephone call with Putin in which great... Read more >

12:00 Gujarat CM asks governor's nod to hold oath ceremony Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday morning met Governor Acharya Devvrat and sought his permission to hold the oath ceremony of his new cabinet members, a government release said. During the meeting at Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, the CM informed the governor about the current... Read more >

11:50 How To Make Online Gaming Safe For Your Kids Talk to your child about gaming the same way you'd talk about school or sports. Ask them what they played, who they met, what they enjoyed. Create shared gaming spaces like keeping the consoles in the living room, advise experts while suggesting how to make online gaming safe for kids and teens,... Read more >

11:41 Student raped in campus, accused asks 'do you need pill' A 21-year-old engineering student was arrested for raping his college mate inside a men's toilet on the campus of a private engineering institution in South Bengaluru. The accused, identified as Jeevan Gowda, a sixth-semester student, was taken into custody by police on Wednesday, reports... Read more >

11:01 'Mahagathbandhan on verge of major split' BJP leader Guru Prakash Paswan on Friday said that the Mahagathbandhan is on the verge of a major split, citing the visible disunity within the opposition alliance. With today marking the final day for nominations, he said that there is still no clarity on seat-sharing ahead of the upcoming Bihar... Read more >

10:23 How RBI Plans To Take UPI To More Countries... The Reserve Bank of India is advancing cross-border collaboration in digital payments through multiple initiatives, including linking India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with other countries' fast-payment systems, according to Governor Sanjay Malhotra.This will enable merchant payments... Read more >

10:19 Jio Financial's Q2 Profit Almost Flat At Rs 695 Cr Jio Financial Services (JFS) on Thursday reported 0.9 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth in its consolidated net profit to Rs 695 crore in the second quarter of 2025-2026 (Q2FY26), against Rs 689 crore in the corresponding quarter the previous year. The total income for the period under... Read more >

10:15 Delhi student sends bomb threat mail to avoid exams A bomb threat e-mail sent to a private school in outer Delhi turned out to be a hoax, with police tracing the sender to a student who wanted to avoid exams, officials said on Friday. According to police, a PCR call was received at the Paschim Vihar East Police Station on Thursday after the... Read more >

10:05 FSSAI Bans Food Brands From Using 'ORS' Tag The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a directive stating that no food brand can label a product as oral rehydration salts (ORS), unless the product has been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).As a result, any violation of the directive would be seen as... Read more >

09:48 'Rajiv Gandhi was agent of Swedish military company' Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey on Friday shared a document on social media, claiming that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was an agent of a Swedish military company. He added that this means he was involved in brokerage in the 1970s. In a post shared on X, BJP MP said,... Read more >

08:57 US Senator flags poor quality drug imports from India US Senator Jim Banks has urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to step up inspections of overseas pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, expressing concern over poor-quality drugs being imported from countries like India and China. In a letter to FDA Commissioner Martin Makary,... Read more >

08:19 'Nehru's unilateral ceasefire led to creation of PoK' Union Minister Jitendra Singh has blamed former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru for the unilateral ceasefire that led to the creation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying the issue would not have arisen had then home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel handled it.Had the then prime minister,... Read more >

07:56 Razorpay Reports Rs 1,209 Cr Loss Fintech firm Razorpay posted a consolidated revenue of 3,783 crore in financial year 2024-2025 (FY25), a 65 per cent increase from 2,296 crore in FY24.The company reported a post-ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) loss of 1,209 crore, driven by costs incurred for restructuring and tax payments... Read more >

07:53 200 Naxalites to surrender in Chhattisgarh today File pic Around 200 Naxalites from the Dandakaranya region, including senior leaders, are set to surrender their arms and return to the mainstream on Friday in Bastar. According to IG Bastar P Sundarraj, the surrender ceremony will take place in the presence of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo... Read more >

07:50 Trump holds lengthy call with Putin ahead of meeting Zelenskyy US President Donald Trump on Thursday held a lengthy call with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday. Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he will report its contents after the call concludes. He said, I am... Read more >

07:47 Continuing To Engage With China On Rare-Earth Elements: MEA India on Thursday said it is in talks with China on the supply of rare earth elements, and is respectful of its international obligations on the various frameworks and arrangements regarding end-user certifications. Recently, China sought guarantees from India that the rare earth elements... Read more >

00:50 Bihar polls: State chief among 48 names in Cong's first list The Congress on Thursday released its first list of 48 candidates for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, fielding its state unit chief Rajesh Ram from Kutumba seat and CLP leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan from Kadwa. The party announced the candidates even before finalising the seat-sharing... Read more >

00:35 Army's new generation vehicle logistics hub comes up in Leh File image A new generation vehicle logistics hub for the armed forces has come up in Leh, with satellite hubs planned in important border areas, including Kargil, Tangtse, and Nyoma, along the India-Pakistan and the India-China borders in Ladakh. General Officer Commanding, Fire and Fury Corps,... Read more >
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  The surge in arrests from the Memphis Safe Task Force continues to put pressure on the Shelby County legal system.

We have a jail problem and Sheriff Bonner needs to fix it, said Criminal Defense Attorney Phil Harvey.

From DUIs to first-degree murders, Harvey handles various cases across West Tennessee.

Since the Memphis Safe Task Force has been in operation, he said his law firm has seen a slight uptick in calls, with many of them being for non-violent misdemeanors and felonies.

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Anecdotally, what Im noticing is that a greater percentage of the cases Im reviewing are from state troopers, Harvey said.

Upwards of 1,000 arrests have been made by the task force.

The Shelby County Sheriffs Office told WREG that the jail population from when the operation started was just under 2,800, and as of Wednesday, it was just under 3,000.

County Mayor Lee Harris declared a local state of emergency, stating, current populations in all detention facilities of Shelby County, Tennessee are strained and near or at maximum capacity, with limited staffing.

Mayor Harris declares state of emergency due to Memphis Safe Task Force

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Harvey stated he is seeing issues primarily with the intake process.

When I have clients who are first-time offenders, with no prior record, and theyre arrested on non-violent misdemeanors, it should not take five days for them to get booked, processed, and bonded out, he mentioned.

Sheriff Floyd Bonner said in a statement that they are working with other agencies to address the additional arrests and reduce the jail population.

The conditions of the county jail have been a major topic of conversation among elected officials for months.

Until a solution arises, Harvey said he encourages families of those arrested to try to post bond as soon as possible.

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The days are unfortunately gone where we could assure individuals that their loved one is going to see a judge within 72 hours, and if the bond is too high, we could have a bond motion the following day. We just dont count on that anymore, he stated.

The state of emergency will continue until the end of the Memphis Safe Task Force operations or until detention facility populations are reduced to the capacity level or below, according to Mayor Harris.

We will keep you updated on this developing story.







Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
CHARDON, Ohio (WJW)  Two of the men accused of a brutal attack and robbery of an Amish family will appear in court Friday morning. A fourth person has also now been arrested.

William Hatfield and Randall Cromer will face their kidnapping charges at a 10 a.m. hearing at Chardon Municipal Court. Police said the men, along with Bradford Hosler of Canton, robbed a familys business and ransacked their home in Middlefield Township last week.

2 kids hit by distracted driver, local sheriff says

Middlefield Township

Investigators said the men beat the owner and then used his eight-year-old son as a pawn to show them where the family kept their cash. Police said the suspects used a stun gun to torture the father and son. They say that when the suspects did not get what they wanted, they attempted to kidnap the child, but he was able to get away.

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Deeply saddened: OSHP trooper killed in Mahoning County crash

The father was able to provide a description of Hosler, and investigators used flock cameras to track the stolen truck used in the crime that led to his arrest.

William Hatfield William Hatfield Randall Cromer Randall Cromer Bradford James Hosler (Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction)

Now a fourth suspect, Ricky Lee Martin, 43, has been taken into custody. He was arrested in Bainbridge on charges of complicity to commit aggravated robbery. Investigators say Martin worked as an Amish taxi driver and they say they believe he served as a scout for the three men.

43-year-old Ricky Lee Martin from Canton and his Chevy (Credit: Geauga County Sheriffs Office)

Police said if you recognize Martin and feel as though you fell victim to a theft, you are asked to contact the Geauga County Sheriffs Office.

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Police said the men got away with $5,000. The sheriff said he had hoped to return most of the cash taken but unfortunately, he said the men spent most of it buying drugs.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.




MERIDEN - The Midstate Chamber of Commerce was forced to cancel a candidate question-and-answer program scheduled for Oct. 22 because some candidates were unable to attend, according to a note from chamber President Rosanne Ford.

"Sadly, we will not be going forward with the program because not all of the invited parties are able to attend," Ford wrote in a note to party leaders. "Therefore, we are not able to provide a 'level playing field' so that all interests are represented in a fair manner."

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Ford could not be reached for comment further about the cancellation, but Billy Taylor chairman of the Democratic Town Committee said the entire Democratic slate was ready and willing to participate in the event.

"We are very disappointed by this decision," Taylor wrote in response to Ford. "To be clear, for the benefit of your members whom I'm sure will be disappointed, our Democratic City Council candidates were planning to attend, and unlike the Republican candidates, a number of them have already adjusted previous commitments to do so. It was an opportunity we looked forward to and will continue to support in the future, regardless of whether or not we are joined by our fellow local parties."

Taylor stated in a separate text, "if Meriden Republican candidates don't have the courage to share their ideas at a chamber of commerce forum, how can Meriden voters possibly expect them to stand up for their constituents?"

Republican Town Committee Chairwoman Elain Cariati (submitted)





Republican Town Committee Chairwoman Elain Cariati would not comment when asked why members of the GOP would not attend.

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But the cancellation surprised Republican Minority Leader Dan Brunet, who is running for his fourth term on the City Council.

"I was ready willing and prepared," Brunet said. "But, no one asked me for my thoughts. Maybe some of the newer candidates didn't feel comfortable with it. I would have been happy to carry the load."

Brunet said he believed it was the first time in the history of the forum that it was cancelled because some people declined to come. He said he thought the candidates would welcome the opportunity to participate, but stopped short of saying he disagreed with the party's decision.

"I would not have a problem with it," Brunet said about the chamber event. "I have been through these forums. Personally, I would have done it."

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Republican At Large City Council incumbent Ray Ouellet said he would welcome the opportunity to sit down with voters and participate in the question-and-answer session, but some members say the events favor one political party over the other.

"All the candidates should be treated equally," Ouellet said. "I'm not going against the party."

Taylor disagreed that the parties are treated differently, and was hoping the GOP candidates would reconsider and the event return to the calendar. But he has not heard anything more from the chamber.

Ford ended her note to party leaders stating the chamber will host another program with elected officials in early 2026.

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"We will likely plan a program after the elections where members of the Midstate Chamber of Commerce, along with other community stakeholders can network with our City Councilors and highlight issues that are important to our business community," Ford stated.

This article originally published at Meriden chamber cancels candidate forum after Republicans decline to take part.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  Mesa Countys Nurse-Family Partnership held its annual celebration Thursday morning.

Its just a way to get together to show that, you know, were a community here, says Brooke Sorenson, a registered nurse with Nurse-Family Partnership. Although the nurse and the client develop this very intimate, one-on-one relationship, were part of a bigger community.

Nurse-Family Partnership is a program for first-time moms. Moms are assigned a registered nurse who typically meets the mother during pregnancy and stays with them until the baby turns 2.

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Each mama gets their own personal registered nurse that comes to their home and gets to have somebody there for them in such an important time in their life, says Sorenson.

Sorenson tells WesternSlopeNow the nurses typically provide support, education, [connect] them to resources around the community and [help] them with obtaining economic stability.

Becoming a first-time mom is such a transformative time in womens lives. So having somebody, a support person there, can be really important for a lot of them, says Sorenson.

Audrey Celorio, one of Sorensons clients, says having her support has made a huge impact.

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When I was going through like postpartum rage and postpartum depression, Brooke really helped me, like seeing her and like talking about it and really like getting it out helps a lot Stuff that I didnt know, I could just text Brooke and she would just know, said Audrey.

Audrey tells WesternSlopeNow she feels like being a first-time mom would be a lot harder without Nurse-Family Partnership.

I feel like my postpartum depression would be still, like, lingering and like around a lot more. Because Brooke also did get me in contact with a therapist.

Audrey even referred her sister, Kacie, to the program, who says she doesnt know where shed be without it.

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I think I wouldve tried to find a program like it or, you know, find someone, but theyre very helpful in a lot of different ways I think theyre great, and if moms need help, then they should look into it, said Kacie.

To make a referral to Mesa Countys Nurse-Family Partnership program, visit Mesa Countys website. Mothers can be enrolled during pregnancy or up to 30 days after giving birth.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com.
Among a number of personality traits that could use an improvement or two, it turns out Andrew Tate needs some lessons in geography.

Mark Zuckerbergs Meta was more than willing to provide those lessons Thursday in a filing in federal court over the ex-Big Brother UK contestants $50 million lawsuit. Far-right king of toxic masculinity Tate and his brother Tristan first filed their suit(s) in August against the social media giant and more over his 2022 deplatforming from Instagram and Facebook, as well as other social media outlets.

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The Court should transfer this case to the Northern District of California, Metas Los Angeles- and D.C.-based Kirkland & Ellis wrote today to Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald of the Central District of California with an invisible smirk. To be clear, Meta has no contract with plaintiffs, so plaintiffs have no claims against Meta, the attorneys continued, noting thatMetas true corporate HQ (long tax story short) is actually in Ireland.

The multimillion-dollar claims by Tate and his brother Tristan allege that being kicked off Facebook and Instagram, as well as TikTok (who they are also suing for $50 million), YouTube and the then Twitter (who let the self-described braggadocious Tate back in late 2022) was the culmination of a coordinated campaign to suppress, silence, and destroy the reputations and livelihoods of two controversial but law-abiding men.

Claiming international victimhood, the pair are actually under charges and investigations from the U.S. to Europe. Last month, UK Crown Prosecution Service announced the rape and sexual violence claims of four women against Andrew Tate were DOA because our legal test for prosecution was not met, and that no further action should be taken. The UK prosecutors are still pursuing 10 charges, including rape and human trafficking, against Andrew Tate and 11 such charges against his brother from earlier this year. They are waiting on going deeper into the cases until 2022 rape and trafficking indictments against the siblings in Romania are resolved.

In that context, Metas Kirkland and Ellis team added, But for the time being, Meta is the defendant in this suit. And although plaintiffs Complaint acknowledges that venue is proper where Meta is headquartered Menlo Park, California, plaintiffs nonetheless sued in Los Angeles County, apparently on the mistaken belief that Menlo Park is located here. Because of that mistake, and because litigating this case in the Northern District of California would serve the interests of litigation, convenience, and efficiency, the Court should transfer this case. Doing so would enable the speedy resolution of this dispute and would pose no prejudice to plaintiffs, who reside in Romania and who apparently selected this forum based on geographical error.

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The fact that the Tates L.A.-based lawyers at Brenneman APC, who are teamed with Miamis Equity Legal PLLC, couldnt figure out which Menlo Park the kinda well known Meta is situated would be funny if the case and the Tates werent so serious, with wider implications in todays MAGA America.

To that, perhaps the real meat here is with Meta pitching that the Golden State move would bring little hardship to the Eastern European-set Tates, and would make things a little bit easier for potential Meta witness, this all belongs within the exclusive jurisdiction of Irish courts anyway. Plus, Meta will move to dismiss this case at the appropriate time, as it declares in todays nine-page filing.

Until that time, Meta is seeking a January 12, 2026 hearing on the jurisdiction change.

It wont be the only court date, Tate will be likely facing in the City of Angels.

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Currently facing rape claims in Los Angeles Superior Court from ex-girlfriend Brianna Stern over an alleged March 10 assault at a Beverly Hills hotel, Tate went after the former model in mid-August with counterclaims and cries of a smear campaign. Loving to talk tough to his broverse, Tate moaned in his countersuit about losing sponsorships, cancelled business deals and irreversible damage to his global reputation due to Sterns allegations.

Today, based primarily on First Amendment grounds, the Tony Buzbee-represented Stern moved to dismiss Tates countersuit. Our focus is winning the case in California, which we intend to do, the lawyer told Deadline today. Today we moved to dismiss the counterclaim because it is completely meritless.

On the Meta case, the Tates lawyers did not respond to Deadlines request for comment on the companys effort to move the case and seek a dismissal. Maybe they were busy buying some Rand McNally maps.

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Traffic moves across the Capital Beltway's Woodrow Wilson during rush hour between Virginia and Maryland in this 2018 file photo. Local officials have dropped, for now, a proposal to add express lanes to the heavily traveled bridge. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Washington-area leaders voted unanimously Wednesday to drop plans for express lanes across the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge from the regions long-range strategic plan, but to study the project further with the possibility of bringing it back next year.

The I-495 Southside Express Lanes project called for extending Virginia express lanes another 11 miles, to stretch from the Springfield interchange in Fairfax County, Virginia, and across the Wilson Bridge to the Maryland Route 210 interchange in Prince Georges County.

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Supporters said the project would ease traffic congestion between Maryland and Virginia, but critics said the plans lacked detail and the project would lead to an increase in vehicles and air pollution levels.

Wednesdays vote by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board pulls the project for now, but directs the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to improve its studies and report back next year on the status and outcomes of its work with all relevant jurisdictions. The Washington Council of Governments is scheduled to take a final vote Dec. 17 on the plan to submit to the Federal Highway and the Federal Transit administrations.

The project is not dead, said board Chair Walter Alcorn, a Fairfax County supervisor. He said the board could restore the project at a later date, but Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., must first agree on the specific aspects of the expressway extension that advocates and opponents say will create significant impacts.

The delay was welcomed by board member Eric Olson, a Prince Georges County Council member, who agreed more study is needed.

Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn listens to a fellow board member at the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board meeting on Wednesday. (Photo by Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury)

I think we, as a region, came together and understood that this was not the right thing for the region and certainly not now, Olson said. There are a lot of unanswered questions, a lot of things that need to be looked at as far as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge corridor.

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Alcorn said one problem was that there is not an agreement and consensus by the different jurisdictions through which the project would go. But he believes some improvements will be needed.

There still needs to be more work to be done, but well see. In my opinion, there does need to be some sort of project that would improve traffic now and in the future on the Beltway, and provide those transit options that we need all over the region, Alcorn said.

In a statement, VDOT said the boards decision will allow the agency to continue its work with its development of the project, and resubmit it in 2026 for inclusion in the regions long-range transportation plan.

These transportation improvements will provide near-term benefits and improve the lives of the hundreds of thousands of travelers who rely on the I-495 Southside corridor each day, as well as the surrounding residents and communities, the VDOT statement said.

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Virginia has been conducting a study since 2022 on the addition of the express lanes, which speakers at Wednesdays meeting referenced. About 13 people spoke at the meeting, many in opposition to the project, with some noting that the states study lacked cost estimates for decommissioning private toll lanes in hopes of building a Metrorail line. Others said the express lanes would lead to an increase in vehicles and air pollution levels.

Only by clearly leaving out the preferred alternative can the region ensure that theres collaboration among jurisdictions to explore alternatives, said Bill Pugh, transportation and climate director for the Coalition for Smarter Growth, emphasizing the need for sustainable transportation alternatives and what he called the negative environmental and social impacts of the project.

The projects backers say express lanes would reduce travel times and provide more reliable arrival estimates for drivers. The lanes would minimize vehicle idling and ultimately decrease pollution, supporters suggested.

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Its been said that what we need now is a 21st-century multimodal solution, and this project delivers exactly that solution, said Richard Parsons, a representative of the Suburban Maryland Transportation Alliance. It outperforms all other options in terms of expanding person-throughput and reducing congestion delays, while preserving the right of way for future rail.

Although Jason Stanford, a representative from the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance, supports the project that provides the greatest congestion relief, he added that deferring the project would be a wise decision because the stakes are too high to do nothing.

Board members, including Virginia Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, voted unanimously to keep the project out of the long-term plan. She added that if the item had come down to an up-or-down vote, it would have failed due to concerns about the projects environmental and community impacts.

We feel this is a very important issue, Boysko said. We need to build consensus with the entire region.

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Olson said more study is needed on the plan.

We do need better transportation, Olson said. We do need to look at alternatives  like transit, like transportation demand management  but it was not even close to being ready to be put into a regional plan to advance.

 This story first appeared in the Virginia Mercury, which, like Maryland Matters, is part of States Newsroom. The nonprofit news network is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.

Editors note: The Coalition for Smarter Growth is a past donor to States Newsroom. Reader and organization donations help the network cover costs for staff and freelancers, but donors have no input on editorial decisions. For more information on States Newsrooms funding click here. See here for our ethics policy.
MetroLINK has a newly renovated Centre Station, a revitalized downtown multi-modal transportation hub that continues to serve as a cornerstone of connectivity, community, and economic impact in the Illinois Quad Cities, a news release says.

(gogreenmetro.com)

A ribbon cutting was held Wednesday, Oct. 16, to mark the occasion.

Originally opened in 1998 after more than a decade of planning, Centre Station was envisioned as a centralized transportation hub that would strengthen downtown connectivity, enhance passenger amenities, and promote economic vitality. The project was the final component of the John Deere Commons development, which also included the Civic Center, Radisson Hotel, the John Deere Pavilion and John Deere Healthcare.

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Together, these public/private investments transformed downtown Moline into a thriving hub of activity.

Centre Station is proof that when we invest in public transit, were really investing in peopleand in the future of our downtowns, said Jennifer Hirsch, manager of administration for MetroLINK. Today isnt just about a building. Its about a shared vision for connection, accessibility, and community. Centre Station will keep serving as a welcoming gateway to downtown Moline for years to come.

Now, thanks to a $2.5 million investment from the Illinois Department of Transportation Rebuild Round II capital program, Centre Station has been modernized and re-imagined to better serve the needs of todays riders and downtown visitors. Renovations include:

A new HVAC system for improved energy efficiency and comfort

Updated restrooms with enhanced ADA accessibility

An expanded entrance vestibule to reduce energy use

A redesigned lobby to create a more inviting passenger experience

A refreshed Metro Shop cafe, offering quick bites and beverages for travelers and downtown employees

New customer support space to serve guests

A new community mural by artists Werc and Geraluz, created in partnership with Quad City Arts.

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22:18 NDA candidate's nomination rejected in Bihar M I Khan in PatnaIn a setback to the ruling National Democratic Alliance in Bihar, the nomination papers of one of its candidates were cancelled by the concerned authorities on Saturday.This is seen as an advantage for the opposition Mahagathbandhan in next month's assembly polls.Seema Singh, a... Read more >

21:14 Gurugram: 30-year-old cab driver beaten to death in scuffle A 30-year-old cab driver was allegedly beaten to death by a group of men following an altercation in the Udyog Vihar phase 4 area in Gurugram, in the wee hours on Saturday, police said.According to an official, the deceased, Vikas Kumar, a native of Khagadia in Bihar, was at his friend Anil's tea... Read more >

21:06 Telangana plans salary cuts for neglecting parents Telangana will introduce legislation under which, if a government employee neglects their parents, 10 to 15 per cent of their salary will be deducted and given to the neglected parents, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said on Saturday.Addressing a gathering before handing over appointment letters... Read more >

20:18 Zubeen death: Assam Police ready for Singapore visit A team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam Police has completed preparations for its visit to Singapore from Monday in connection with the death case of cultural icon Zubeen Garg, a senior official said.He said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CID, which is probing... Read more >

19:25 Assembly bypoll: NC offers to back Cong in Nagrota Ahead of the November 11 Assembly bypoll to two seats in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the National Conference has offered Nagrota to its ally Congress, and would announce its candidate for Budgam in a couple of days.So far, the name of just one candidate (for... Read more >

19:19 Rae Bareli Dalit lynching case: 2 more held Two more individuals have been arrested in the Rae Bareli district in connection with the lynching of a Dalit man, Hariom Valmiki, police said on Saturday.Ajay Agrahari was arrested on October 15, while Akhilesh Maurya was arrested on Saturday. With this, the total number of arrests made in the... Read more >

19:06 Sale of green firecrackers begins in Delhi The sale of green firecrackers began in the national capital on Saturday after the Supreme Court allowed their sale and use under certain conditions, bringing cheer to traders who reported a steady flow of customers through the day.Traders who had applied for licences to sell eco-friendly... Read more >

18:53 INDIA member JMM to contest independently in Bihar Jharkhand's ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Saturday announced that it will contest the Bihar assembly polls independently, and field candidates in six seats.Elections to 243 seats of the Bihar assembly will be held on November 6 and November 11, and the votes will be counted on November 14.The... Read more >

18:20 Fire at Dhaka Airport, flight ops suspended Image only for representation Flight operations at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport were halted on Saturday after a fire broke out in the airport's cargo section, bdnews reported.According to officials, the blaze began near Gate 8 around 2:30 pm.Fire Service spokesman Talha Bin Jashim said nine firefighting... Read more >

17:52 Durgapur gang rape survivor discharged from hospital A second-year student of a private medical college in West Bengal's Durgapur, who was allegedly gang-raped on October 10, was discharged from the hospital on Saturday after improvement in her health condition, officials said.According to a health bulletin issued by the hospital, the decision to... Read more >

16:59 Avoid company of 'sanatanis': Siddaramaiah Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday urged people to avoid the company of 'sanatanis' and remain cautious of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Sangh Parivar, saying they had historically opposed Dr B R Ambedkar and the Constitution he framed.Keep your company right. Associate with... Read more >

16:42 Zubeen's death: 9 held over violence near Baksa jail in Assam Nine people have been arrested so far in connection with violence during the shifting of five accused in Zubeen Garg's death case to a jail in Assam's Baksa district, police said on Saturday.Several others involved in the violence have been identified, and a search is underway to arrest them,... Read more >

16:40 Army jawan administers CPR to infant on speeding train, saves life An ambulance assistant of the Indian Army returning to duty from leave administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to an eight-month-old infant on a train and saved his life, a Defence official said on Saturday.Sepoy Sunil, posted in a field hospital of the Army in the north-east, administered... Read more >

16:12 Dangal actor Zaira Wasim gets married Former actor Zaira Wasim, who rose to fame with her role in 2016's sports drama film Dangal, shared pictures from her wedding on social media.The post uploaded by the 24-year-old actor on Friday featured her signing the marriage contract. Another picture had the actor posing alongside her... Read more >

15:59 Shah promises 'good resolution' to people of Ladakh Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday promised restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir at 'an appropriate time' and a 'good resolution' of demands raised by people of the Union Territory of Ladakh. Speaking at a media conclave in Patna, he also claimed that after the abrogation of... Read more >

14:49 Choose between 'peace and chaos': Pak Army chief warns Taliban Army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Saturday warned Afghanistan to choose between 'peace and chaos' as it asked Kabul to take firm and immediate action against terrorists using Afghan soil to launch attacks inside Pakistan.Munir's statement came amidst Pakistan launching fresh air strikes... Read more >

14:22 Aurangabad railway station renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar The Aurangabad railway station in Maharashtra has been renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar station through a gazette notification issued by the state government. The move comes nearly three years after the then government headed by Eknath Shinde formally rechristened Aurangabad city as... Read more >

14:19 EC warns cos against denying paid leave on poll day The Election Commission on Saturday said voters in Bihar, where polls will be held in two phases next month, are entitled to paid holidays on polling days, and employers who contravene this legal provision can be fined.It added that voters in eight assembly constituencies across various states,... Read more >

14:05 Hijab row: Kerala education minister offers support to girl in changing school Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Saturday said the government is ready to help the Muslim girl student, who was barred from wearing a hijab in a Church-run private school in Kochi, to get admission in any other institution where she wishes to join.A special order will be issued... Read more >

13:28 Chirag thanks BJP, JD-U 'for showing big heart' Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Saturday thanked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United and the Bharatiya Janata Party for 'showing a big heart' in accommodating smaller National Democratic Alliance partners, including his Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas, in the seat-sharing... Read more >

12:42 Woman posing as judicial officer held for trying to defraud bank Police in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh on Friday arrested a woman posing as a judicial officer, along with her alleged assistant and driver, for attempting to fraudulently secure a Rs 30 lakh personal loan from a private bank.Additional Superintendent of Police Krishna Gopal said the accused,... Read more >

12:38 Man held for 'inflammatory' post on Zubeen's death A 27-year-old man has been arrested in Assam's Nagaon district for allegedly posting a controversial video with inflammatory remarks on social media related to the death of singer Zubeen Garg, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday.The accused had used a clip from an OTT platform and... Read more >

12:37 Elderly man kills bedridden wife, attempts suicide An elderly man allegedly killed his bedridden wife before attempting to take his own life at Kidangoor in Kottayam on Saturday, police said.The deceased has been identified as Remani (70) of Manthadi, Kidangoor, who had been bedridden for the past few years due to health issues. Police have... Read more >

12:35 'Easy' to solve: Trump on Pak-Afghan conflict Amid escalating hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan, United States President Donald Trump claimed that the conflict between the two countries will be an 'easy' one for him to solve, 'if' he had to solve it. While speaking to the media during a bilateral lunch with the President of... Read more >

11:23 Shutters of Mullaperiyar dam opened as water level crosses 137 feet File image of Mullaperiyar dam Following heavy rains, the water levels at various dams in Idukki have risen, prompting authorities to release water, the district administration said on Saturday. The water level in the Mullaperiyar dam has crossed 137 feet, leading to the opening of three shutters to 75 cm and the release... Read more >

11:08 IPS officer booked for 'dowry harassment' after complaint by doctor wife An FIR has been registered against a Karnataka-cadre IPS officer and six others on charges of dowry harassment, domestic violence and other offences. The complaint was lodged by his wife, who is doctor based in Noida, police said on Saturday.According to officials, the complaint was filed by... Read more >

11:06 All-party bandh in Telangana over stay on BC quota A statewide bandh called by the BC JAC to protest against the high court's stay order on 42 percent quota to BCs in local body polls began in Telangana on Saturday, with all political parties, including the ruling Congress supporting the agitation. R Krishnaiah, chairman of Backward... Read more >

10:57 Sabarimala Temple gets new chief priest With the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season just weeks away, Prasad E D from Thrissur was selected on Saturday as the new 'melsanthi' (chief priest) of the famed Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple here. Manu Namboothiri M G, a native of Mayyanadu in Kollam district, was chosen as... Read more >

10:41 Fire breaks out on Amritsar-Saharsa Express coach in Punjab; all passengers safe A fire broke out in a coach of the Amritsar-Saharsa express in Punjab on Saturday morning, said the Ministry of Railways.A fire broke out in a coach of Train No. 12204 Amritsar-Saharsa at Sirhind Station in Punjab earlier today. No casualties were reported. Fire has been extinguished, as per the... Read more >

10:08 Assam man held for posting video on Zubeen's death Assamese singer Zubeen Garg A month after the demise of popular Assamese singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore, the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed that the police apprehended a man from Nagaon district for posting a controversial video on social media related to Garg's demise. Noted singer Zubeen Garg died in... Read more >

09:30 Police bust extortion racket targeting Raj deputy CM; 2 held in MP The Rajasthan police detained two people from Madhya Pradesh associated with a news portal for allegedly publishing a series of fake and defamatory reports against deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari and demanding Rs 5 crore for their removal. According to the complaint lodged on September 28,... Read more >

09:22 Four militants arrested in Manipur Security forces arrested four militants, belonging to various factions of the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party, from two districts of Manipur, police said on Saturday.A member of the outlawed KCP (Nongdrenkhomba) was apprehended from Tekcham area in Thoubal district on Thursday for allegedly... Read more >

09:13 Bengaluru: Two held for college student's murder over rejected marriage proposal Two men were arrested in connection with the murder of a 20-year-old college student, the police said. The main accused, Vignesh (28), a neighbour of the victim, allegedly killed her out of anger and frustration after she rejected his marriage proposal, the police said on Friday. The... Read more >

09:07 3 Indians dead, 5 missing in Mozambique boat capsize File image At least three Indian nationals have died, and five others remain missing after a launch boat carrying crew members of a tanker capsized during a crew transfer operation off the coast of Beira port in central Mozambique, according to the Indian High Commission in Mozambique. The incident... Read more >

08:43 Afghan exits cricket series as Pak attack kills 3 players The Afghanistan Cricket Board on Saturday expressed profound grief over the killing of three Afghan cricketers in a Pakistani airstrike in Paktika province and announced its withdrawal from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I series involving Pakistan. In a statement posted on X, the ACB said, The... Read more >

08:27 Pak troops foil suicide attack on camp; 4 terrorists killed Pakistani security forces on Friday foiled a suicide attack on their camp in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing four terrorists, including the suicide bomber, officials said. According to security officials, the terrorists attempted to target the security forces' camp in Mir Ali area of... Read more >

08:23 Raj minister takes bulldozer action at Kota school due to poor construction Rajasthan minister Hiralal Nagar on Friday supervised the demolition of portions of a school building and the boundary wall of a pond at Aamli Jhad village under his constituency Sangod in Kota district due to substandard construction work, officials said. Speaking to mediapersons after the... Read more >

08:15 Pak breaches ceasefire, kills 6 in Afghan airstrikes File image At least six people, including two children, were killed and seven others wounded in a series of airstrikes conducted by Pakistan in Afghanistan's southeastern Paktika province, marking a breach of the recent ceasefire agreement between the two neighbouring countries, Tolo News reported on... Read more >

00:52 Defamation case against Rahul: Savarkar's grandnephew deposes in court Satyaki Savarkar, grandnephew of V D Savarkar, on Friday deposed before a special court here in the defamation case linked to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks about the Hindutva ideologue, marking the beginning of the trial. Advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, representing complainant Satyaki... Read more >

00:50 Maoist carrying Rs 1 lakh bounty arrested in Chhattisgarh A Maoist carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head was arrested in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, the police said on Friday. Muchaki Manga (24) was allegedly involved in the murder of a villager and planting of improvised explosive devices. Teams of the Central Reserve Police Force... Read more >
Outgoing New Mexico State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard is suspending her campaign for lieutenant governor.

Garcia Richard, a two-term land commissioner who faces a term limit, said Thursday she decided to put her Democratic primary campaign on pause after her husband of 26 years, Eric Velasquez, was diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of the year.

As time wore on, she said she realized the demands of running in the 2026 election were incompatible with her husband's health needs.

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"A statewide campaign and election is so grueling, so taxing, that we could not focus on both and do both justice," she said. "We really had to prioritize Eric's health, recuperation, recovery and focus on that."

The surprise development comes about a month after a spokesperson for New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, another Democrat who faces term limits in her current post, confirmed Toulouse Oliver was considering running for lieutenant governor.

Garcia Richard said Toulouse Oliver's potential run wasn't a factor in her decision.

"I need to do what's best for my family," she said. "That's what my decision was based on."

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Only time will tell whether she'll restart her campaign, she added.

The primary is in June, and the general election is in November 2026.

"I use the word 'suspend' for a reason," Garcia Richard said. "I don't want to speculate what the future holds. I need to do this thing right now, and that's what I'm focusing on."

Her decision comes as a new survey by Blueprint Polling indicates Toulouse Oliver could be hard to beat in the Democratic primary.

The survey, conducted Sept. 8-10, found the two-term secretary of state has high name recognition and strong favorability among likely Democratic primary voters.

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"Maggie Toulouse Oliver is in a strong position to begin the race for New Mexico's lieutenant governor, with a sizeable lead over her two potential opponents," the polling firm, which did not return a message seeking comment, wrote in its report of the survey.

Garcia Richard was the first Democrat to announce an intention to seek her party's nomination for lieutenant governor. About two months later, Harold Pope, an Albuquerque Democrat who is New Mexico's first Black senator, announced his plans to run for the post.

The survey found both Garcia Richard and Pope have much less name recognition than Toulouse Oliver, giving her a crucial advantage, especially in a crowded contest.

While Toulouse Oliver is known to 73% of likely Democratic primary voters, "only a little more than a third of respondents have heard of Stephanie Garcia Richard, and just 21% say they have heard of Harold Pope," the report states.

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But Garcia Richard, with a head start on the race, reported the biggest fundraising haul over the last six months, which covered the latest campaign finance reporting period.

With $165,000 in campaign contributions, Garcia Richard dwarfed Pope, who reported raising only $7,054.

Although she hasn't announced a bid, Toulouse Oliver reported raising $20,250.

After her husband was diagnosed with what she called the "C word," Garcia Richard said they decided to face it head-on.

"We were taking it in stride like we do everything else that we've done for 26 years," she said. However, she added, it became apparent her husband's health would need to take priority over her campaign.

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"I was working so hard to come out with some good numbers for the first campaign finance report," she said. "It kind of became evident then that those two things were not compatible."

She called it a difficult decision made with others' input.

"It was through much conversation, not just with each other but with supporters, with folks we trust, to come to this determination that this was what we were going to do," she said. "We were going to prioritize Eric's health."

Garcia Richard, who previously served in the state House of Representatives, said, "My husband has been with me by my side in all my campaigns for 15 years. I felt like I should turn it around and make him the focus."
Oct. 16Though relations between the United States and Mexico have been strained during the Trump administration, New Mexico state officials say the relationship between the Land of Enchantment and its neighbor across the border is as strong as ever.

This month, the state of New Mexico opened a new economic development and tourism office in the World Trade Center in Mexico City, in the hopes of facilitating trade, tourism and economic collaboration between New Mexico and Mexico, New Mexico Economic Development Department officials said.

"We're just reinforcing that that relationship hasn't changed between New Mexico and Mexico," state Economic Development Secretary Black said. "In fact, we see it as a growing opportunity for our economy."

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The office will help facilitate trade between New Mexico and Mexico and foster new opportunities, Black said.

In addition to tourism and cultural exchanges, the office will help students from New Mexico travel across the border for academic opportunities, and will recruit students from Mexico to study at New Mexico's public universities, according to Black.

"We think that there's great opportunities for both cultural and educational exchange," Black said.

New Mexico's other foreign economic development office is in Taiwan, according to EDD officials.

The support from both sides of the border for the initiative has been "unprecedented," said Patricia Pinzon, the Consul of Mexico in Albuquerque.

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Mexican and New Mexican officials signed a letter of intent Oct. 7 in Mexico City, affirming the two governments' wishes to develop cross-border ties.

Mexico is the state's largest export market, according to federal trade data. New Mexico exported $7 billion in goods to Mexico last year, accounting for 58% of the state's total exports.

"Mexico is the first trading partner of New Mexico, and not only at the commercial or economic level. We are extremely united in many ways," she said.

The team did not encounter any difficulties at the federal level when opening the Mexico City office, Pinzon said.

"We are very happy to work with this state that is so, so welcoming of Mexico and so immigrant-friendly," she said.
Oct. 16MORGANTOWN  People who conduct FaceTime phone calls in public are pretty annoying, but they don't belong in jail.

That was the determination Thursday morning as a group of Morgantown High School students, sitting as Morgantown City Council, agreed it would be an "egregious overreach " for the city to outlaw the practice.

Further, the body voted against the construction of a new parking garage at MHS.

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The above scenarios were discussed and debated during a mock council meeting conducted as part of the city's observance of Municipal Government Week.

The students worked efficiently through the agenda items despite some interesting public commentary and borderline unruly audience behavior from city staff, elected officials and volunteers relishing a turn on the other side of the dias.

For example, Mayor Danielle Trumble was nearly removed from the proceedings for holding a spirited FaceTime conversation in her third-row seat. Councilor Joe Abu-Ghannam chastised the council over the city's covert use of animatronic surveillance birds.

All acting  but not completely outside the realm of what one might experience while conducting a public meeting.

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"That's always my favorite part because it catches the kids off guard. They don't really have anything to compare it to, so when they're up there and they start getting yelled at, it throws them off a little bit. It also helps loosen the vibe, so to speak. The kids realize it's not meant to be so serious. We can have fun, " Abu-Ghannam said.

Many of the participants taking on the roles of council members and city staff were from a business and marketing class taught by Abu-Ghannam at MHS. Others have participated as deputies in the City Ambassador program.

Taking part were: Maddie Mazzoni, Ava Miller, Beaux Carlson, Zoey Wolford, Anthony Sellaro, Addison Smith, Audrey Davis, Andrew Lucci, Austin Lucci and Karter Farley.

"I was just really impressed with their level of thinking about these issues. They were asking questions about ADA accessibility and changing traffic patterns, " Abu-Ghannam said of the mock council's parking garage debate. "I think it gives the kids more perspective and it really showcases the fact that they're quality students and quality people all around. I was really proud to hear the stuff they came up with on their own."

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Municipal Government Week 2025 started Oct. 13 and runs through Sunday.

According to the West Virginia Municipal League, the observance is meant to be an opportunity for residents, schools and local leaders to engage in activities that showcase how municipal services impact daily life.

In addition to the mock meeting, the city of Morgantown held a touch-a-truck event at Mountainview Elementary as well as a coloring contest, a photography competition and a read-a-book series in which city staff and elected officials were recorded reading themed children's books for dissemination through the city's social media outlets.
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Lansing Mayor Andy Schor and the Lansing Regional Chamber announced the reopening of Michigan Avenue this morning after being closed for a year.

The Michigan Avenue Reconstruction Project. (WLNS)

The Michigan Avenue Reconstruction Project began its second phase in July 2024. The $14.1 million project stretched from Howard Street to Pennsylvania Avenue.

The work included full road reconstruction and reconfiguration, sidewalk replacement, traffic signal upgrades, and improvements to facilities, including sewers and water mains.

Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce celebrates Michigan Ave. reopening. (WLNS)

The construction reconfigured Michigan Avenue from five lanes to four, with two westbound traffic lanes, a center turn lane, and one eastbound traffic lane.

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The Michigan Avenue corridor is a lifeline for Lansing and East Lansing, connecting our

capital city to one of the nations leading research universities, said Tim Daman,

President and CEO of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, in a news release sent to 6 News.

The Michigan Avenue Reconstruction Project. (WLNS)

This investment is about more than just rebuilding a road; its about strengthening the economic spine of our region. Now that the construction is complete, its critical that the cities of Lansing and East Lansing and our partners focus on aligning economic development priorities along this corridor, leveraging the strength of our health care and higher education institutions.

Together, we can make Michigan Avenue a showcase for the Lansing region, one that attracts new jobs, investment, and opportunity.

Headaches increasing along Michigan Ave with construction

City of Lansing Public Service Director Andy Kilpatrick told 6 News the project will bring a much-needed facelift to this major artery through the Capital City.

The Michigan Avenue Reconstruction Project. (WLNS)

We call this our capital to campus corridor on purpose. This is a linkage. We know MSU is doing so much work on Michigan Avenue and appreciate it. Theyre working on the new daycare on the other end of Michigan Avenue, and thats going to be huge having MSUs presence right here in our city, said Andy Schor.

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Local businesses feeling the effects of road construction

During construction, local businesses like Fabianos Candies and Jerusalem Pita and More Bakery spoke to 6 News in May. They expressed frustration with the drop in customers due to the road work.

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 WLNS 6 News.
Protestors at the "No Kings Day" demonstration in Howell. June 14, 2025 | Photo by Jon King

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Friday that President Donald Trump and his supporters were attempting to stir up anxiety, fear and violence ahead of the planned weekend No Kings protests, all under the guise of provoking a federal law enforcement response.

That statement, issued Friday in a news release from Nessels office, was evidenced by a bizarre statement made by a local Metro Detroit GOP official, who warned in a vague email that left-wing agitators were planning to infiltrate and derail Saturdays protests in Michigan.

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More than 100 communities from southeast Michigan to the westernmost part of the U.P. are set to hold No Kings rallies in support of civil rights, democracy and the rule of law. The protests are expected to attract millions of people nationwide to speak out against the Trump administration and the numerous anti-democratic policies enacted by his office in his second term.

A large turnout on Oct. 18, across the state and nation, would be the biggest litmus test yet for the growing movement against the Trump administration. As such, various far-right pundits, members of the Republican Party and the White House itself have been attempting to blunt that momentum by warning that members of the loosely organized antifascist Antifa movement and other left-wing agitators were planning to cause trouble.

On Thursday evening, Oakland County GOP Chair Vance Patrick joined them in stirring the pot with an email containing unsubstantiated and unsourced claims that an incoming mobilization of left-wing trouble makers were headed for Michigans protests.

Patrick and the countys GOP branch said it believed that included the Communist Party USA, the Freedom Socialist Party, and the Democratic Socialists of America. Patrick and his office also claimed that those groups have a history of causing unrest in communities.

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Again, Patrick did not point to any credible threat issued by law enforcement, nor any credible news source indicating that such a situation was occurring.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

Still, Patrick doubled down, claiming that attendees at earlier No Kings rallies held in June called for Trumps assassination or violence against law enforcement.

Our county will not be intimidated by organizations whose only aim is to sow chaos and division, Patrick said. The Oakland County Republican Party stands for law and order, and we reject the radical and violent tactics that have become the hallmark of the No Kings movement and its extremist sponsors. It is time for everyone, regardless of political affiliation, to denounce violence and work toward a safer, more united community.

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Patrick also said that conservative activists had expressed an interest in forming a counter-demonstration, but the Oakland GOP was recommending that they avoid the protest due to concerns for their safety.

Our first priority will always be the safety and well-being of our supporters, Patrick said. We strongly urge everyone to stay away from these events and to avoid any confrontations that could put you in harms way.

On Friday, Christine McGillivray, executive director of Voters Not Politicians, one of the organizers of the Michigan protests, reiterated that the movement was peaceful and the demonstrations would remain that way. In a statement to Michigan Advance, McGillivray also responded directly to Patricks veiled warning.

All across our state, your neighbors will be waving flags alongside children and their grandparents. We love this country, but are alarmed at what the Trump Administration is doing  using the military against US citizens, masked agents abducting people off the streets, prosecuting his political opponents, McGillivray said. These things are totally un-American. Smearing tens of thousands of Michiganders standing up for our rights is quite sad. But dont take my word for it  do your own research! Come visit a No Kings demonstration and make up your own mind. There are more than 100 across the state, so theres certainly one near you.

Several thousand people gathered at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing for a No Kings Day rally and protest. June 14, 2025 | Photo by Ben Solis

Nessel also responded, encouraging people from all walks of life to show up and have their voices heard in the face of growing authoritarianism from Trump and his supporters.

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The No Kings protests happening across Michigan and the country are powerful opportunities for people to make their voices heard, Nessel said. I encourage everyone who wants to participate to make signs, bring your friends, and stand together for what you believe in.

Nessel also called out officials and pundits, like Patrick and others on social media, for trying to cause a panic that would ultimately give the Trump administration the justification it would need to step in and crack down on the First Amendment rights of millions of protesters.

At the same time, we have seen a troubling pattern wherein the Trump Administration and his supporters are already attempting to squash the movements momentum and scare attendees by predicting violence and labeling this legal protest an act of terrorism, Nessel said. We know from this Administrations actions from coast to coast that they are looking for any reason to invoke the Insurrection Act. We must deny them that justification and protest peacefully and lawfully.

The attorney general also asked all those who attend to remember the core values of the nonviolent protest movement, as acting otherwise would be antithetical to responsible civic engagement.

When protests turn chaotic, our voices are drowned out, the safety of protestors and public safety officers may be jeopardized, and it hands the White House the excuse they so badly want to abuse and test the limits of their constitutional authority, Nessel said.
LANSING  About 120 soldiers from the Michigan Army National Guard are deploying Oct. 17 to support federal law enforcement efforts at the Southern border with Mexico, the Michigan National Guard said in a news release.

The soldiers, members of the 1430th Engineer Company, based out of Traverse City, are expected to be deployed for up to one year, assisting U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the release said. Members of the company were last deployed in 2010, to Afghanistan.

It's the sixth Michigan National Guard deployment to the Southern border since 2020, and the latest and all previous deployments were approved by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, said Michael Kroll, a spokesperson for the Michigan National Guard.

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Whitmer approved prior deployments in 2020, during President Donald Trump's first term, and in 2021, 2022, and 2024, under former President Joe Biden, the release said. Kroll couldn't immediately say which year involved two deployments.

The deployments to the Southern border are made under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, said Michigan National Guard spokesman Michael Kroll. Though the nature of the deployments are significantly different, that's the same section of U.S. law that Trump has used to deploy Michigan National Guard members to U.S. cities in California, Oregon and Illinois. The governors of California and Illinois have gone to court to try to block those deployments.

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan National Guard deploys to U.S. Southern border to aid federal agents
(The Center Square)  The Michigan State School Board of Education voted to endorse the Invest in MI Kids ballot measure.

It passed it by a vote of 5-2.

Michigan schools have been underfunded for decades, said Mitchell Robinson, a member of the board that voted to endorse it. The ballot initiative Invest In MI Kids is a meaningful effort to provide secure, stable revenue for K12 funding. Just one small dollar invested in our kids education pays off tenfold down the line for the future of our communities.

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The ballot initiative, which is a constitutional amendment, is currently in the process of gathering signatures ahead of the 2026 Midterm Election.

It would add an additional 5% tax on all taxable income over $1 million for joint filers and $500,000 for single filers. This would be in addition to existing state income taxes.

Advocates have labeled the tax a small, fair share surcharge.

Many groups have already joined together to push back against the initiative, including Americans For Prosperity, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Association of Michigan.

Those organizations have labeled the initiative dangerous.

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Make no mistake that this proposal is a jobs killer. It would wreck Michigan small businesses, and that's the same thing as wrecking the Michigan economy, said Brian Calley, president and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan, as previously reported by The Center Square.

Advocates for the initiative argue against that claim, saying it will only tax the richest Michiganders, while raising much-needed money for Michigan public schools. It anticipates it could raise upwards of $1 billion in annual funding.

The Detroit Federation of Teachers, the Michigan PTA, and many Democrats have joined the Michigan State School Board of Education in endorsing the initiative. One of those is U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-MI.

We can't get the years back for them when we don't invest in their education now, Tlaib said. They deserve to be a priority.

Michigan would not be the first state to pass such a measure. For example, Massachusetts adopted a similar millionaires tax in 2022.
On Oct. 15, Midland Habitat for Humanity (MHFH) dedicated its 208th house, located on the 800 block of Snyder St., to the Coatney family.

The home was funded by Occidental Petroleum, The Wayne & Jo Ann Moore Charitable Trust, John Herriage, Joan McCown, and the Texia Fund.

Occidental employees spent two days volunteering on the worksite alongside MHFH staff. Joey Hopkins, MHFH Executive Director, said We are extremely grateful to all the sponsors of this house and those who volunteered as well. Our mission of Changing Lives Through Affordable Homeownership would not be possible without support like theirs. Lynn Rogers, MHFH Neighborhood Liaison, said in a news release. Congrats to the Coatney Family on this amazing occasion. Theyre hard work and dedication showed through the entire process. Were excited to welcome another neighbor home!

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MHFH is one of the premier institutions responsible for constructing affordable housing in the Permian Basin. The organizations partnership model offers deserving, hard-working families a hand-up. MHFH uses a rigorous qualifying process that includes progress from the application through homeownership. Each participant contributes a minimum of 250 hours of sweat equity on the worksite and completes a homeownership education program. Successful candidates are then awarded a 0% interest mortgage, making homeownership a reality for some of the neediest families in the Permian Basin.

Anyone interested in supporting MHFHs efforts in the Permian Basin can contact Jeff Meyers, Chief of Staff, at 432-686-8877

The post Midland Habitat for Humanity dedicated the 208th house in programs history appeared first on Odessa American.
(WHTM) Demonstrators will once again gather across Midstate Pennsylvania this weekend to protest the Trump Administration.

No Kings Day kicked off on June 14, 2025, in response to the U.S. Armys 250th anniversary military parade in Washington, D.C. Now, the protests are returning across the country, with roughly 2,000 events scheduled.

On October 18, millions of us are rising again to show the world: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people, the No Kings website says.

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While many of the larger protests will be held in major cities around the country, multiple gatherings are scheduled to take place in South Central Pennsylvania.

Ten No Kings demonstrations will be held in the Midstate on Saturday, in Carlisle, Lancaster, Manheim, Lebanon, Hershey, York, Waynesboro, Hanover, Gettysburg, and Harrisburg.

Protests are scheduled to take place at different times on October 18.

Carlisle: 4:00 p.m.  6:00 p.m.

Gettysburg: 12:00 p.m.  1:00 p.m.

Hanover: 11:00 a.m.  12:00 p.m.

Harrisburg: 11:00 a.m.  1:00 p.m.

Hershey: 3:00 p.m.  4:30 p.m.

Lancaster: 2:00 p.m.  4:00 p.m.

Lebanon: 11:00 a.m.  1:00 p.m.

Manheim: 2:00 p.m.  4:00 p.m.

Waynesboro: 12:00 p.m.  1:00 p.m.

York:10:00 a.m.  12:00 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 ABC27.
How much playing dumb can House Speaker Mike Johnson do before he reveals that hes a genuine idiot?

During a press conference Friday, Johnson had an outlandish response when asked about a recent ProPublica report that found 170 U.S. citizens had been unlawfully detained by ICE, including 20 children.

Im notI dont know what youre talking about with the children, Johnson replied.

When the reporter interrupted to repeat the number of U.S. citizens that had been detained, Johnson doubled down. I havent seen that, so Im not going to comment on it. But I will tell you that ICE is doing the job that the American people demanded that they do.

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Johnson was also asked about Representative Marjorie Taylor Greenes comments criticizing the speaker for failing to address the protective order against Representative Cory Mills for allegedly threatening to release sexually explicit materials of his ex-girlfriend.

They expelled George Santos, Mike Johnson did. He was speaker and oversaw George Santos being expelled. Why isnt he doing anything about Cory Mills? Greene told Axios Thursday.

Theres clearly proof behind her accusations that a judge is issuing a restraining order. So I would say to Speaker Johnson, this is a serious matter, and it needs to be taken seriously, she added.

But Johnson didnt seem interested in that. I dontI try not to react to what Marjorie Taylor Greene says every day, he replied Friday.

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I did see, somebody told me that she accused me of ousting Santos, which of course is the exact opposite of the history. Everyone can go review what happened. I opposed his expulsion from Congress. I voted against it. I advocated to my colleagues not to do that, he said.

Johnson oversaw Santoss expulsion in 2023, though he noted at the time he had voted against the measure because he didnt want to set a precedent of removing members who had not been convicted of a crime. The Louisiana Republican also claimed that as Santos reported to prison, he had posted a friendly message about the speaker. In fact, Santos had accused Johnson of blocking his shot at a presidential pardon.

So look, I dont know what Marjories talking about, Johnson said, adding that hed wait for the legal procedures against Mills to play out. (Johnson had dismissed a question about the Mills allegations Wednesday as not really serious.)

This is far from the first time Johnson has played dumb about a question, as he continues to conduct daily propaganda press briefings during the ongoing government shutdown. I dont know has become his answer for everything.

Johnson claimed Thursday he had no idea how the government shutdown would end. When asked about reports of brutality by federal agents operating in Chicago, Johnson claimed hed not seen them cross the line yet.
Recently appointed lawmaker Andre Cheong was elected yesterday as the new Legislative Assembly (AL) president.

In the afternoon session dedicated to electing the new president, the plenary voted unanimously in favor of Cheong, who received all 33 possible votes.

This is the first time that a lawmaker appointed by the CE will assume the role of AL president.

Cheong, former Secretary for Administration and Justice, was appointed to the role following a recent cabinet reshuffle by Chief Executive (CE) Sam Hou Fai, who designated former Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak to Cheongs previous position.

Commenting on the move  the first time an appointed lawmaker has been elected president of the Legislative Assembly  a legal expert who preferred to remain anonymous said that [authorities] have ruled that a long-standing practice in the Assembly has no legal basis.

If the president of the Legislative Assembly is an appointed lawmaker, it wouldnt technically violate the Members Statute. But it would always carry the unsightly appearance of undermining the illusion of separation of powers between the Chief Executive, the top representative of the executive branch, and the Assembly president, the head of the legislative body, the legal expert told the Times.

Meanwhile, after the short session presided over by the oldest lawmaker, Jose Pereira Coutinho, a swearing-in ceremony followed, during which the CE officially recognized Cheongs election.

The session resumed in the afternoon with Cheong in the presidents chair to elect the vice president and two secretaries.

As in Cheongs case, lawmaker Ho Ion Sang was also elected with 33 votes in favor, representing 100% of the votes.

After the election, Ho thanked all lawmakers for their trust and support. He pledged to dedicate himself to learning more about his new role, performing his duties conscientiously, and assisting the AL president with legislative work.

Lawmakers Si Ka Lon and Ella Lei were elected as the ALs first and second secretaries for the new four-year term that started yesterday.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the AL plenary session, Cheong noted that this new legislative term marks a trend of rejuvenation, professionalism, and broad representation.

He noted that the new hemicycle contains many new lawmakers, some of them young. He also highlighted that the composition is diverse, with lawmakers from different sectors and fields.

He expressed confidence that, with the concerted efforts of all members, the new AL will usher in new prospects and make meaningful contributions to social development.

The new AL president also expressed hope that the ALs legislative and supervisory roles can significantly contribute to progress, innovation, and improvement of laws and policies, making them more reflective of public opinion and social expectations.

Cheong expects the AL to address several topics soon, including strengthening the legal system to safeguard national security, improving peoples livelihoods and the business environment, promoting economic diversification, strengthening institutional integration with the Greater Bay Area, and deepening public administration reform.

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Critics are tearing into House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over his latest claims about Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), whom he still hasnt sworn in to office more than three weeks after she won a special election in Arizona.

He blamed Democrats for the delay  and then attacked Grijalva for not doing her job, which she is largely unable to perform because he hasnt sworn her in yet.

Politics: CNN Anchor Leaves GOP Rep Momentarily Dumbfounded After Exposing Hole In His Story

I am happy and anxious to administer the oath to Rep. Grijalva, and we will do that as soon as we return to legislative session, he told CNNs Jake Tapper on Thursday. We need [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer and the Democrats in the Senate to do that.

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Johnson adjourned the House last month after passing a funding bill that has since stalled in the Senate, leading to a partial shutdown of the federal government. Democrats are looking for concessions on health care, especially the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.

Mike Johnson: "Let me say this right now though, Jake. Rep. Grijalva should be working for her constituents right now. I don't know what she's doing. I keep seeing their political stunt videos. She should be in her office. She should be working or in the district for her pic.twitter.com/ZPAdu3alVq  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 16, 2025

The speaker said he wont bring the House back into session until Senate Democrats end their holdout  and he wont swear in Grijalva until the House returns to session.

The House has been holding brief pro forma sessions, and Johnson has used those sessions to swear in new members several times this year.

Politics: White House Gives Wild Response To A Simple Question Asked By HuffPost Reporter

But he wont do it for Grijalva.

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Johnson also claimed he was following a precedent set by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who once delayed swearing in a new member for more than three weeks in 2021.

Johnson didnt mention that it was due largely to COVID-related protocols in place at the time.

Then, Johnson scolded Grijalva for not working.

Politics: GOP Feud Intensifies As Marjorie Taylor Greene Unleashes New Hit On Mike Johnson

She should be working for her constituents, he told Tapper. She should be in her office. She should be working, or in the district for her constituents.

Grijalva earlier in the day shared a video showing her new office  but much of the equipment inside, including the computers, doesnt work because she hasnt been sworn in yet and therefore doesnt have access:

Keys to the office? Check! 

Sworn in as Congresswoman? Not quite  pic.twitter.com/ZpEWiQQUFq  Adelita Grijalva (@AdelitaForAZ) October 16, 2025

Many observers say theres another reason Johnson is stalling: Grijalva, once sworn in, would be the final signature needed on a discharge petition to force a vote to compel the Justice Department to release a trove of files related to late convicted sex predator Jeffrey Epstein.

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President Donald Trump and those around him repeatedly vowed to release those files during last years campaign.

Politics: Joe Rogan Is Blasting Trump For 1 Of His Grossest Tactics: Its A Dangerous Precedent

Now that he is in office, Trump  who was once close friends with Epstein  has called it a Democrat hoax.

Critics on social media called out Johnson:

Bless his heart He doesn't know how it works around here. https://t.co/mn9XySt6Fs  Andy Kim (@AndyKimNJ) October 17, 2025

She cant work for her constituents because you wont swear her into her job. My god these people. https://t.co/uqIDl1hvuM  MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) October 17, 2025

hey so funny thing about that https://t.co/auI5Bqimt2  Ofirah Yheskel (@ofirahy) October 17, 2025

It's the Republican philosophy -- elections only matter when they like the outcome. Just like in 2020. https://t.co/NUvtQpAW1N  Dean Baker (@DeanBaker13) October 16, 2025

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Bless his heart, the Speaker must not know how things work around here.



Because she hasnt been sworn in, she legally CANT be doing constituent advocacy with agencies like the VA, the IRS, or the Social Security Administration.



Shes got a lot to do here, youre the one https://t.co/LHEO4avA8A  Rep. Greg Stanton (@RepGregStanton) October 16, 2025

Wow. That is some twisted lie-logic flowing out of Johnson's mouth hole right there.  Mimzy (@MimzyNGB) October 16, 2025

his excuse that im following the pelosi precedent is so obviously bullshit because why didnt he follow said precedent for the three other representatives elected in specials this year? https://t.co/EYVX4uWHbQ  SoFlo Democrat  (@thomas_sch242) October 16, 2025

The fact that Tapper just sits there and stares with no response as Johnson spews his bullshit is so maddening. Push back a little?!? Come on https://t.co/vAgcZ9xp1q  Mitch  (@Schrommboy33) October 17, 2025

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Better watch Rep Grijalva video when she is in her office.

She cannot do squat without being sworn in.

She doesn't have a government email.

She has no budget.

She has no computers.

She has no phones.

She has no government website.

She has NOTHING -you won't swear her in. https://t.co/7N8p1ggLHF  Rebel Rice (@RebelRice) October 16, 2025

She should be doing the job you're not letting her do? https://t.co/FsHPoIVABT  Ian Mariani (@ian_mariani) October 16, 2025

@SpeakerJohnson is the most dishonest, smarmy House Speaker in history. https://t.co/4IX8awn3ip  Todd Domke (@ToddDomke) October 17, 2025

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Political Updates

Read the original on HuffPost
House Speaker Mike Johnson doesnt understand why Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva isnt workingeven though hes the one holding her back.

Johnson has delayed Grijalvas swearing-in ceremony for weeks. At first, Johnson claimed that she couldnt start her job while Congress was in a pro forma session. But as the weeks have dragged on, its become clear that Grijalvaand her constituents in Arizonas 7th congressional districtare not a priority for Republicans during the government shutdown.

Still, theres plenty of precedent for her to join the ranks of the lower chamber, regardless of the scenario. In April, Congress swore in two Florida Republicans the day after their respective special elections. And in 2019, the entire House was sworn in during a shutdown in Trumps first term.

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But rather than try to instate Congresss missing member, Johnson has cooked up a new offensive against Grijalva: blaming her for not doing the job that he wont allow her to do.

Representative Grijalva should be working for her constituents right now. I dont know what shes doing, Johnson told CNN Thursday. She should be in her office. She should be working or in the district for her constituents.

Shes already hired 16 staffers, she should be taking constituent calls. She should be directing and helping them navigate the crisis that her colleagues here have created for her constituents, Johnson said, adding that his party was focused on getting the lights back on while minimizing the political significance (and requirement) of Grijalvas oath.

Except, although Grijalva finally got access to her congressional office, theres nothing in it to allow her to do her job. When Grijalva got the keys to her office earlier this week, she was stunned to find just a spaceno phone lines, no computers, and not even working internet.

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Earlier Thursday, Johnson attempted to extort Grijalvas seat, telling CNBC that the representative-elect could assume her duty as soon as Arizonas two Democratic senators vote to reopen the government.

Grijalva became the first Latina that Arizona has sent to Congress when she won an election last month to determine the replacement for her late father, Raul Grijalva. Shes also the last signature that the House needs on a petition to force a vote on releasing government documents related to the investigation of deceased pedophilic sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

But the unending holdup has brought surged fire and fury among Arizonas public officials. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes told CNN Thursday night that she had lawyers downstairs right now drafting litigation to sue Johnson for refusing to swear in Grijalva.




NEW MILFORD  A write-in candidate for mayor of New Milford has filed a complaint with the State Elections Enforcement Commission after being excluded from a mayoral debate

"I'm not looking to punish people  I just really want the people to hear me and what I plan to do and be involved," Carmine Amelio said. "That's my goal in filing the complaint."

New Milford's Republican and Democratic town committees organized a mayoral debate Wednesday evening at Sarah Noble Intermediate School between Pete Bass, the incumbent and Republican-endorsed candidate, and Robyn Mann, the Democratic-endorsed candidate. Amelio was not included in the debate.

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Amelio filed his declaration of intent as an unaffiliated write-in candidate for mayor of New Milford with the Connecticut Secretary of State on Oct. 3, according to the complaint. His filing was confirmed by the Secretary of State and transmitted to the New Milford Town Clerk, where it was stamped received on Oct. 6, the complaint states. The RTC and DTC announced on Oct. 10 they would be holding the debate.

Amelio filed his complaint on with the SEEC on Tuesday ahead of the debate, alleging "violations of Connecticut General Statutes concerning the use of public resources for the benefit of selected candidates and potential collusion between two major party committees and their candidates to suppress the electoral opportunities of a legitimate, certified opponent, thereby depriving the electorate of a fair and open election process," according to the complaint.

Amelia leveled the complaint against both the RTC and DTC, as well as the New Milford Public Schools, Bass and Mann.

In his complaint, Amelio requested the SEEC "immediately investigate the actions" of both committees and their candidates, as well as the use of a school to hold the debate. He also asked the SEEC to require the debate be rescheduled and that he be allowed to participate "ensuring that it is an inclusive event featuring all certified candidates for mayor."

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The mayoral debate took place Wednesday evening without Amelio.

Amelio said Joshua Foley, an attorney for SEEC, and New Milford Superintendent of Schools Janet Parlato both told him the Oct. 15 debate could not be postponed.

Amelio's complaint has not yet been formalized as a copy of the SEEC's official complaint form needs to be notarized and filed with the SEEC, according to SEEC officials.

"The debate was set up jointly by the Democratic and Republican Town Committees to specifically hear from the candidates endorsed by each committee," said Lynn Umbarger, chair of the New Milford RTC. "I am not aware of any statute that requires us to include people who are last-minute write-in candidates of other political persuasions."

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The New Milford DTC, as well as Mann, declined to comment.

Bass, who is running for his fifth term in office, said the RTC and DTC organized the debate and set the rules.

"We're going to obviously, vigorously defend any kind of analysis," he said.

According to the complaint, Amelio learned about the debate late Monday evening and that it would feature only Bass and Mann while Amelio had been "explicitly excluded."

"It has been confirmed that both candidates, Pete Bass and Robyn Mann, personally reviewed and approved the press release announcing this exclusive event," Amelio stated in his complaint. "By using a public school for this purpose, the respondents are leveraging a public resource to confer an unfair advantage upon their selected candidates while actively excluding a legitimate opponent."

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"Both political committees and their candidates were aware that I had been duly certified as a write-in candidate prior to issuing their press release," Amelio said in his complaint.

With a slogan of "No BS, Just CS," Amelio, a Connecticut resident since 2007, said his campaign for mayor is focused on problem-solving for New Milford.

"There are approximately 30,000 people in New Milford," Amelio said. "We're not debating national issues in the world  we're trying to fix problems, we're trying to address issues in New Milford. We're problem-solving in New Milford, so we're not political. It's common sense."

Amelio said he was "taken aback" that he wasn't invited to the debate and decided to research whether he should have been included. He claimed it is a "violation" for the candidates to promote themselves while excluding him and to use the intermediate school, "a public building maintained by taxpayer funds," for a political event that excludes a certified candidate.

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"I really don't understand why a strong, eight-year-run mayor, (a) Republican and incumbent, and a Democratic lawyer on the two major parties on the ballot would be worried about an insignificant person like me as an unaffiliated write-in," Amelio said, "so I'm going to find the answer to that."

As far as his next step, Amelio said he has "zero desire" to take his complaint to court but he is "100% confident that I'm going to be the second write-in candidate to win office in all of Connecticut."

This article originally published at New Milford write-in mayoral candidate excluded from debate files complaint to CT elections watchdog.
Another day, another broken promise from this hapless Government.

Well, not quite yet perhaps, but Ed Milibands pledge to bring down household energy bills is as good as dead after it was rubbished by some of the industrys most influential figures in devastating fashion.

It seems set to join a growing list of unfulfilled, exaggerated and unachievable manifesto promises made by Labour in its desperate bid for power, whether that be a commitment to smash the boat gangs, targets on NHS waiting lists or welfare reform.

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The party made scores of manifesto pledges, too many for the vast majority of voters to be able to keep count.

But for a whole host of reasons, everyone remembers Milibands guarantee to reduce energy bills by 300 by 2030, not least because it was one of Labours flagship promises.

A typical family forked out a wallet-busting 1,740 to heat and light their home last year, unsurprisingly making Labours promised 300 saving extremely meaningful for millions.

Indeed, for the many who have been struggling to pay their bills  two fifths of UK households fall into that category, according to charities  its the sort of incentive that wins votes.

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However, Milibands promise of lower energy costs has been on the rocks for months as it becomes ever more apparent that far from being the solution to eye-watering bills, his green energy scramble is actually part of the problem.

Much to his embarrassment, Milibands pledge was given a thorough roasting in Parliament on Wednesday at the hands of folk who understand how the energy market works better than anyone.

As a slew of energy bosses queued to warn of higher bills, the hearing highlighted the absurdity of Labours vow to magically make bills more affordable by building yet more wind turbines.

The revelations from the stinging energy select committee session leave Milibands credibility in tatters  if it wasnt already, of course.

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Among the many marmalade-droppers to come out of the session was that from Rachel Fletcher, the director for regulation at Octopus Energy.

She said that, contrary to Milibands rash talk of lower bills, households are likely to be spending considerably more on energy by the end of the decade.

This isnt because of those much maligned fossil fuels that Labour is attempting to eradicate at light speed either, but because of a slew of green policy costs that help to bankroll the Energy Secretarys obsession with yet more renewables that the grid cant cope with.

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Almost comically, it turns out Miliband was right to be banding around a figure of 300, just not in the way he anticipated. Instead, thats how much Octopus calculates will be added to bills in the coming years as a result of net zero-related charges, including green levies.

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In fact, green levies are becoming so exorbitant that they threaten to push household bills higher, even if gas and power prices fall dramatically, MPs were warned.

This means that even if the wholesale cost of electricity halved, bills would still spike by around 150 overall, Fletcher claimed.

At which point, Miliband should have gone for a lie down in a field full of solar panels  at least, until the Government can find someone less likely to lead this country down the path to financial ruin.

Instead, the testimony was greeted by Milibands department with the sort of response that sounded like it came from a parallel universe or compiled by ChatGPT.

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Dismissing the claims as nothing more than speculation  which they clearly werent  a spokesman trotted out the usual unfounded cut-and-paste propaganda that we are used to hearing by now: The only way to bring down energy bills for good is by making Britain a clean energy superpower, which will get the UK off the roller-coaster of fossil fuel prices and onto clean, home-grown power that we control.

Its a stance that treats voters with contempt. Yes, an energy industry built on fossil fuels is intrinsically wired to display some level of resistance to a green revolution that requires an entirely new system to be constructed.

But to dismiss these concerns as nothing more than pure guesswork is plain wrong.

Its not as if this were a bunch of frothing-at-the mouth oil and gas zealots out to trash renewables. On the contrary, we completely support the decarbonisation of electricity, Fletcher said.

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True, bills are high because of the energy crunch triggered by Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine but thats only part of the reason.

A big part of the increase is undeniably because households are being forced to shoulder the cost of upgrading a woefully underinvested grid that is in no fit shape to keep up with the pressures that Red Eds race to go green requires.

Massive upgrades are needed because we have a fanatical Government whose war on gas boilers and petrol cars means increasing numbers of electric vehicles and heat pumps are set to overwhelm the system further.

Labour is also offering extraordinarily generous price guarantees to new wind farm manufacturers, and we are all about to be landed with a huge bill for the construction of Sizewell C nuclear plant in Suffolk.

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And Fletcher also pointed out that the Government has allowed too many costs to be added into the mix without fully considering their cumulative impact.

As she neatly put it: There is no budgetary control of this.

Meanwhile, in case anyone thought this was normal, Simone Rossi, the boss of EDFs UK arm, made the point that the cost of serving customers in Britain is roughly double that of France.

But Miliband wont be deterred. At a time when concerns about Beijings threat to national security have never been greater, ministers, it seems, are okay with the Chinese building an armada of floating wind turbines off the Scottish coast.

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Is nothing off limits in the pursuit of this green nirvana?

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Johannesburg  Large crowds gathered Friday in Madagascar's capital city to watch the leader of the African island nation's recent military coup be sworn in as its new president.

Col. Michael Randrianirina's power was cemented after weeks of youth-led "Gen Z" protests culminated a dramatic few days of unrest, capped by former President Andry Rajoelina's impeachment by the country's highest court on Tuesday, for desertion of duty.

After weeks of demonstrations over a lack of jobs, water and regular power cuts, representatives of the youth-led protest movement stood Friday beside politicians and foreign delegations, including representatives from the U.S., to witness the swearing-in ceremony for the 51-year-old coup leader.

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Randriairina said Friday that Madagascar had been propelled to a historic turning point, "with a people in full fervor, driven by the desire for change and a deep love for their homeland," and he said his leadership would "joyfully open a new chapter in the life of our nation."

President of Madagascar Michael Randrianirina speaks during his swearing-in ceremony in Antananarivo, Oct. 17, 2025. / Credit: MAMYRAEL/AFP/Getty

At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 injured amid the mass unrest over the last few weeks, according to United Nation figures. As the violence flared last weekend, Randriairina appeared in a video, calling on soldiers to side with the student protest leaders.

Hours after the video was posted online, soldiers were seen clashing with police in the capital. There was no sign of or word from then-President Rajoelina during the chaos, leaving rumors to swirl that he had fled the country.

"Nothing is working in Madagascar, there is no president, no president of the senate, no president of the government," Randriairina declared, appearing on the streets. "Nothing is working, so we have to take responsibility, that's it."

Protesters clash with members of the Malagasy gendarmerie as thousands gather during demonstrations demanding the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina, in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Oct. 11, 2025. / Credit: LUIS TATO/AFP/Getty

French media reported that forces from the country, which was Madagascar's colonial ruler until the late 1950s, had evacuated Rajoelina to Reunion Island, and that he later flew to Dubai.

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In a statement cited by the French news agency AFP, Rajoelina said he left the country between October 11 and 12, after "explicit and extremely serious threats" to his life.

On October 14, the former president was impeached by the National Assembly, a move later approved Madagascar's highest court, and the military seized power.

Both the United Nations and the African Union have condemned the military's takeover, with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saying Thursday that "the unconstitutional change of government in Madagascar" should be reversed by a "return to constitutional order and the rule of law," according to his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

The African Union suspended Madagascar's membership and called for immediate elections and a return to civilian rule.

A map shows the location of Madagascar, with it's capital Antananarivo, off the African continent's southeast coast. / Credit: Marko Bulgakov/Getty

Randrianirina had become a vocal critic of Rajoelina in recent years, and he was arrested and imprisoned in November 2023 for three months after for instigating a mutiny.

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Amid the international criticism, Randrianirina denied this week that he had initiated a coup, pointing to the constitutional court's backing of his new role. Speaking with journalists at various times this week, he was careful to repeatedly deny that it even was a coup, saying at one point: "I don't think there was a coup. The army is just showing the Malagasy people that we still exist."

At the swearing-in ceremony, Randrianirina shed his military garb for a suit and tie and said he would appoint a civilian prime minister and hold elections within two years.

He has suspended most civil institutions in the country, however, and announced a new military council made up of army and police officers to lead the nation, which is home to some 32 million people.

This is the third military power transition Madagascar has seen since gaining independence from France, with previous coups putting commanders in power in 1972 and 2009.

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World Bank figures show up to 80% of the country's population lives below the poverty line, making it one of the world's poorest nations.

It is also the latest of several former French African colonies to fall under military control in just half of a decade, following coups in Mali, Gabon, Niger, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

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Madagascar has sworn in an army colonel as president, just days after a military takeover on the back of a popular rebellion that sent President Andry Rajoelina fleeing into exile.

The African island nations High Constitutional Court on Friday formalised the appointment of Colonel Michael Randrianirina in a ceremony, crowning a tumultuous week in which Rajoelina was impeached for desertion of duty on Tuesday, with the military stepping in.

Mass demonstrations in recent weeks over power and water shortages turned deadly, with the United Nations reporting that at least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 others were injured.

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Today marks a historic turning point for our country. With a people in full fervour, driven by the desire for change and a deep love for their homeland, we joyfully open a new chapter in the life of our nation, Randrianirina said on Friday.

The ceremony was attended by military officers, politicians, representatives of the Gen Z youth-led protest movement and several foreign delegations, including from the United States, the European Union, Russia and France.

We will work hand in hand with all the driving forces of the nation to draft a fine constitution  and to agree on new electoral laws for the organisation of elections and referendums, Randrianirina said, thanking the youth for spearheading the protests that ousted Rajoelina.

We are committed to breaking with the past, Randrianirina said. Our main mission is to thoroughly reform the countrys administrative, socioeconomic and political systems of governance, he added.

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Randrianirina said earlier that the military had taken power and dissolved all institutions except the lower house of parliament, or National Assembly.

Al Jazeeras Fahmida Miller, reporting from capital Antananarivo, said that Randrianirina had carefully picked his attire: a civilian suit rather than his military uniform, and the location for the ceremony.

I think what is important to him to bring across is an impression that there are constitutional guidelines around the swearing-in ceremony and going forward, the formation of a new government.





The 51-year-old commander of the CAPSAT unit has pledged elections in 18 to 24 months and told local media that consultations were under way to appoint a consensus prime minister.

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Amid international criticism, including from the United Nations, Randrianirina denied he had initiated a coup, pointing to the constitutional courts backing of his new role.

Rajoelinas camp has condemned the constitutional courts support of the CAPSAT commander as riddled with procedural illegalities that risked destabilising the former French colony.

It has insisted that Rajoelina remain the leader and was working to find solutions to the problems dogging the impoverished island, which prompted the youth-led protest movement on September 25.

Government forces were accused of a harsh crackdown on the protesters, with many reported dead or wounded, until CAPSAT announced on October 11 that it would refuse orders to shoot at them.

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The statement was a turning point in the uprising, with the unit hailed by the protest movement, which is now expecting a role in the new set-up.

Rajoelinas office confirmed in a statement late Wednesday that he fled the country the same weekend CAPSAT stood behind the protesters, saying he feared for his life. He did not reveal his whereabouts.

Media reports said the 51-year-old was evacuated on Sunday on board a French military plane that took him to the French island of Reunion, from where he travelled to Dubai.

Madagascar is the latest of several former French colonies to have fallen under military control since 2020, after coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon, and Guinea.

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It is the third military transition in Madagascar since independence from France in 1960, following coups in 1972 and in 2009.

The country is one of the poorest in the world, despite an abundance of natural resources and a rich biodiversity.

About 80 percent of its roughly 32 million people live in poverty, according to the World Banks benchmark.

Rajoelinas escape is the third time a Malagasy head of state has left the country after being ousted. Didier Ratsiraka fled to France in 2002 after post-electoral violence, and Marc Ravalomanana went to South Africa in 2009.

The African Union and regional SADC bloc said they would send fact-finding missions to the island and called for constitutional democracy to be upheld.

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The transition is now under way. We call for the full involvement of civilians in the ongoing process, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Thursday.

The mobilisation of Madagascars youth must be fully heard to build a sustainable, peaceful and calm solution, he told reporters during a visit to Nigeria.




A top military official leading Donald Trumps war on drugs is stepping down early.

Adml Alvin Holsey, who as head of the US Southern Command has overseen the administrations strikes on Venezuelan drug boats, will retire just over a year into what is normally a three-year term.

The reasons for his move are unclear, but one official told The New York Times he had expressed concerns about attacks on alleged drug trafficking boats.

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Sources also told CNN Adml Holsey had reservations about the legality of the campaign and clashed with Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, who blamed him for not aggressively tackling drug trafficking in the Caribbean.

I cant think of a combatant commander who left his or her post early, ever, said Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives armed services committee.

However, a Pentagon source pushed back on the claims. Admiral Holsey didnt resign in protest, they told The Telegraph, adding: Anyone writing that has no clue what theyre talking about.

Adml Holsey allegedly clashed with Pete Hegseth

Republicans and Democrats in Congress have questioned whether the administration is executing people without legal justification or due process when it strikes the Venezuelan boats in international waters.

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Earlier this month, Mr Trump said the US was in an armed conflict with drug cartels, which under international law would allow the military to kill enemy fighters who pose no immediate threat.

Mr Hegseth, who leads what has been informally renamed the department of war, thanked Adml Holsey for his 37 years of distinguished service and said he planned to retire at the end of the year.

Throughout his career  from commanding helicopter squadrons to leading Carrier Strike Group One and standing up the International Maritime Security Construct  Adml Holsey has demonstrated unwavering commitment to mission, people, and nation, Mr Hegseth continued.

His tenure as Military Deputy Commander and now Commander of United States Southern Command reflects a legacy of operational excellence and strategic vision.

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Adml Holsey, in a statement published by US Southern Command, said his team had made lasting contributions to the defence of our nation and will continue to do so, urging his colleagues to keep charging.

Jack Reed, a Democrat on the Senate armed services committee, said the admirals departure sent an alarming signal of instability within the chain of command while tensions with Venezuela are at a boiling point.

Since September, Washington has struck at least six Venezuelan boats that American officials claim were carrying drugs to US soil. At least 27 people are said to have been killed so far.

At least six boats allegedly transporting drugs have been destroyed in US strikes

Gustavo Petrol, the Colombian president, repeated on Friday the US strikes in the Caribbean were targeting Colombian fishing boats rather than Venezuelan drug boats.

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The latest attack on Thursday, which Mr Trump said targeted a submarine, left two or three survivors, according to Fox News. A US helicopter rescued two survivors who were being held on a Navy ship, Reuters reported.

Mr Trumps campaign against drug boats has raised tensions with Caracas, which has accused the US of carrying out extrajudicial murder.

In turn, the president has labelled Venezuela a narco-terror state and accused Nicolas Maduro, its leader, of backing drug networks and gangs such as Tren de Aragua to destabilise the US.

He has deployed eight warships, a nuclear-powered submarine and fighter jets to the region, raised the prospect of land strikes, and this week admitted authorising covert CIA action on Venezuelan soil.

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In recent days, US military attack helicopters have flown fewer than 90 miles from Venezuelas coast as they carry out training exercises.

Mr Smith said Mr Trump appeared to be preparing to go to war with Caracas. Who in America wants to go to war with Venezuela? Not too many, he added.

The Pentagon has been approached for comment.

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The indictment explains that these people were responsible for providing the terrorists with weapons and transporting them from the West Bank to the bus stop before the attack.

Four Palestinian residents from east Jerusalem and the West Bank were indicted for allegedly collaborating with the terrorists during the deadly terror attack at Ramot Junction on September 8, where six people were murdered and dozens were wounded, Israel Police said on Friday.

The suspects are accused of providing the terrorists with weapons and transporting them from the West Bank to the bus stop before the attack, police said.

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Detectives from the Jerusalem Police Headquarters, in collaboration with the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), arrested the four suspects on the same day of the attack, the statement explained.

With the conclusion of the investigation phase, an evidentiary foundation was formed against them, and an indictment is expected to be filed against them. An indictment was already filed against the east Jerusalem resident who drove them to the scene of the attack about two weeks ago.

On October 10, the IDF announced that it had blown up a building in the town of Katana, near Jerusalem, on October 10, which belonged to a terrorist who took part in the attack.

Scenes at the Ramot Junction terror attack. (credit: ISRAEL POLICE SPOKESPERSON''S UNIT)

Everyone who lends a hand to terrorism should know that even if they did not pull the trigger, they bear direct responsibility for the act of terrorism, the police warned.

The Ramot Junction terror attack

On the day of the attack, the terrorists boarded the Line 62 bus in Jerusalem, which operates across the city, and began shooting at passengers.

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At least 21 were wounded at the scene and were transported to three different medical centers, including Shaare Zedek and Hadassah-University Medical Centers at Ein Kerem and Mount Scopus. Upwards of 26 individuals at the scene were treated for anxiety.

Yaakov Pinto, 25, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak Pash, Israel Mentzer, 28, and Yosef David, 43, Sarah Mendelson, 60, and Rabbi Mordechai Steinsteg, 79, were killed during the attack.

Pinto immigrated from Spain and was recently married. Pash taught at a Jerusalem yeshiva. Mentzer and David were residents of the Ramot neighborhood.

Mendelson served as the director of Public Relations in the Bnei Akiva youth movement treasury. Steinsteg, a resident of Ramot and retired cardiologist, owned the well-known bakery, Dr. Marks Pastry, located in Beit Shemesh.

Walla contributed to this report.
In Milwaukee as in the Middle East, the news of a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has prompted mixed feelings of relief, joy, grief and uncertainty for Jewish and Palestinian community members.

The release of the last 20 living Israeli hostages, as well as around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, is part of the first phase of a peace plan from President Donald Trump and his advisers. Trump has said the war is over, although much remains undecided about the future of Gaza.

Since then, the bodies of some of the deceased Israeli hostages have been handed over by Hamas, although Israel said Hamas is returning them too slowly, and one of the bodies returned was not that of a hostage. Meanwhile, Palestinian doctors said some of the roughly 120 bodies Israel has returned to Gaza bore signs of torture or execution, and most had bands on their necks, the Associated Press reported.

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Among the details yet to be worked out: who will govern the enclave, which may cost $70 billion to rebuild, according to one UN estimate. Israel has said that Hamas must disarm, which Hamas has long refused to do. Hamas wants Israel to pull all troops out of Gaza and not restart the war, but Israel is unlikely to do that unless Hamas disarms, the AP reported.

Trump's 20-point peace plan calls for the formation of an international body which may be named the "Board of Peace" to oversee the governance of Gaza.

Locally, Jewish and Palestinian American leaders both acknowledged the hurdles ahead and said their end goals were not yet achieved. Jewish leaders expressed a sense of joy at the Israeli hostages returning home, while Palestinian advocates expressed a more muted hope given the widespread destruction in Gaza.

The reality is that the advocates' perspectives are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the wide spectrum of opinions on a highly polarizing and devastating war. For instance, a Washington Post poll from early October found 61% of American Jews believe Israel committed war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza and 39% believe it committed genocide. Three-quarters say Israel's existence is vital for the future of the Jewish people.

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Here are four Milwaukee-area advocates' thoughts on the ceasefire and what's next for Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Janan Najeeb, Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine

Janan Najeeb is the president of the Muslim Women's Coalition and a Palestinian American advocate.

Janan Najeeb is the president of the Muslim Women's Coalition, based in Greenfield, and is affiliated with the Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine, which is comprised of 90 organizations. She is relieved the bombing in Gaza has stopped, but she is skeptical about the future. In Najeeb's view, Israel long has demonstrated a desire to take over or control Palestinian lands.

"There's an ideology there that is incredibly problematic," she said. "But I think that what is different this time is that the world is very, very aware. So it's not going to be the same situation as it was before. I think that Israel has clearly been isolated by the world."

Najeeb sees more support worldwide for an independent Palestinian state.

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"The entire world has watched this in real time, and you cannot unsee what you've seen," she said.

She hopes it can lead to freedom and equal rights for Palestinians. She also wants to see all the Palestinians held in Israeli prisons to be released. Several thousand people were taken from Gaza during the war and held without charges in Israel, the Associated Press reported.

The Wisconsin Coalition recently put up billboards around Milwaukee urging people to stand with Gaza. It's part of an effort to publicize pro-Palestinian advocates' perspective. As the war ground on, Najeeb said she saw that perspective take hold among hundreds of Jewish community members who are "completely, completely supportive of Palestinian human rights."

"I can't even start to tell you the number of new Jewish friends and groups that are participating from across the state," she said. "I think that that's where we are going to see change."

Miryam Rosenzweig, Milwaukee Jewish Federation

Miryam Rosenzweig is the president and chief executive officer of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.

For Miryam Rosenzweig, president of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, every conversation she's had since the hostages were released is full of "tremendous joy."

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People in her office have hung posters of the hostages on their doors and worn yellow ribbon pins to remember the hostages and to keep them in the public eye, she said. She is hopeful the ceasefire will hold.

"To watch the reunions, and to watch them come home after two years, was so powerful," Rosenzweig said. "This has been an incredibly difficult war. The human toll is something none of us can bear."

A two-state solution is favored by many Jewish people, she said, as it would lead to future peace. For Rosenzweig, that means that both states "believe that the other is going to focus on ensuring the best life for their citizens and not attack each other.

In Rosenzweig's view, it's only Jewish community members who consistently talk about wanting peace for all. She also views negatively comments that equate the Israeli hostages who were taken from a music festival with the Palestinians with prison sentences for violent crimes who were released as part of the ceasefire deal. Reports indicate that along with those convicted of crimes, many of the Gazans released by Israel had been detained without charges during the war.

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"The country has been holding its breath for two years," Rosenzweig said of Israel. "This is where we see ourselves as a collective Jewish people. This is not about the citizenship we hold."

Heba Mohammad, Milwaukee4Palestine

Heba Mohammad was an organizer with a movement encouraging Wisconsinites to vote "uninstructed" in the 2024 presidential primary.

Heba Mohammad, an organizer with Milwaukee4Palestine, said a respite from the bombing in Gaza is welcome news, but it is just one step in a "long journey toward liberation" for Palestinians across the region.

Mohammad views Trump and Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu as complicit in a genocide of Gazans, and she does not believe that they can put together a "genuine peace plan."

She pointed out that Israeli settler violence in Palestinian villages in the West Bank has continued since the ceasefire in Gaza, and there are reports of arrests in the West Bank by Israeli forces. She is worried daily for her relatives in the West Bank, she said.

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For advocates in Milwaukee and elsewhere, Mohammad said, "our work is not done, and frankly, it doesn't really change what were advocating for."

Her group is continuing its campaign against Derco Aerospace, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin based in Milwaukee that pro-Palestinian advocates say sends spare parts to Israeli fighter jets.

Mohammad, who was an organizer in the "uninstructed" movement of the 2024 presidential primary, urging Wisconsin voters not to vote for Trump or former President Joe Biden, won't praise Trump for making the ceasefire happen. But she said it showed that "someone has proven that there is a limit for what Israel is allowed to do, which has always felt impossible."

"It remains to be seen what comes next. I do think that it could be just as bad in the next days, weeks, months," Mohammad said. "But for now, there's a feeling of, 'wow, someone told Israel to stop, and they did stop.' And that is a big deal."

Rabbi Joel Alter, Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid

Rabbi Joel Alter of the Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid speaks.

Rabbi Joel Alter, who leads Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid in Glendale, visited Israel twice recently. There, he came to realize how nationwide anxiety over the fate of the hostages held the Israeli people in a "very tight vise."

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It had been crushing, he said, as ceasefire agreements over the last two years failed after deals seemed close. He was struck by the videos of the living hostages returning home and reuniting with family, and he was reminded of how Judaism speaks about the concept of overcoming death.

"It was just completely overwhelming to see the pent-up hope released in this explosion of relief," Alter said. "It's not often that hopes, so long delayed, are requited."

He said he recognizes that the ceasefire is tenuous, and the grief in both Israel and Gaza is "enormous." The Oct. 7 attack was cataclysmic for the Israeli people, he said, and he understands that for Gazans, there's no word big enough to describe the catastrophe of the war.

At the same time, the fact that 20 hostages' lives that were saved must be celebrated, Alter said. He also is hopeful that Hamas may have fewer weapons and be less of a fighting force in the future, and that feels like a victory, he said.

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To honor the release of the hostages, Alter's congregation tied a yellow band around the Torah scroll during a service for a holiday marking the end of the annual cycle of Torah readings.

"I'm not a Pollyanna and I'm not naive, and there is plenty of blame to go around, on all sides," he said. "But I hold as an article of faith that life will win out."

Sophie Carson is a general assignment reporter who reports on religion and faith, immigrants and refugees and more. Contact her at scarson@gannett.com or 920-323-5758.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukees Jewish, Palestinian leaders react to Gaza ceasefire
* The speaker of the house

 Appointed lawmaker Andre Cheong elected president of the Legislative Assembly  first-ever appointed legislator to preside over chamber

* Govt reshuffle | Wong to engage more with community in new role

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* Tourism: Zhuhai residents weekly Macau visa applications surge

* Espionage: MI5 chief Ken McCallum says China is a daily threat to Britains security as spying case collapses

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To those who knew Carrie Zettel, especially the children in her life, she was known affectionately as Grandma Carrie.

She would bake the kids her signature dish, a cheesecake-like dish, and they'd help her around the home. That included Jordan Wake's daughter, Mia, 10, who Zettel knew since she was 4 months old.

"She was always there for the children," Wake said.

A vigil for Carrie Zettel was held on Oct. 16, where family, friends and neighbors shared about her bright personality. Zettel was killed on Oct. 12 and prosecutors charged her daughter Lauren Spors with homicide in her death.

Wake was one of about 50 friends, family, neighbors and children who attended a candle vigil at Zettel's home at Milwaukee's southern edge. It came four days after Zettel was killed on Oct. 12 and as authorities arrested and charged her daughter, Lauren Spors, 29, of Milwaukee, with first-degree intentional homicide in the killing.

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Alex Spors, Zettel's son, led the vigil. He and others said Zettel had a bright personality and was an advocate for support for those with mental illness. Wake said Zettel had helped her with her own struggles with mental health, emphasizing the simple need for her to "take care of herself."

"She was always a light to those in dark places," Alex said.

Zettel's murder comes years after a restraining order against her daughter expired and several distressing incidents involving Lauren Spors were reported to authorities in the last decade. Lauren Spors faced charges three separate times for violating an injunction not allowing her to be near her mother. A doctor found her incompetent to stand trial in each.

On Oct. 15, Milwaukee County Court Commissioner Barry Phillips ordered Lauren's competency be evaluated before she stands trial in the charges she's facing in her mother's murder, according to online court records.

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Lauren's history with the criminal justice system has been scrutinized in the days since Zettel's killing, with friends and others calling her death preventable.

Susan Hoffmann, who was Zettel's best friend, has been among the most vocal at speaking out on Lauren's history.

At the vigil, she retold the story of how her and Zettel were friends as children and later reconnected as adults. Hoffmann and her daughter, Loretta Moyer, had assisted Zettel in trying to find help for Lauren and assist the mother's dealings with the court system.

Hoffmann has reached out to city and state politicians as well as the police to try and advocate for ways to stop deaths like this from happening in the future, she said.

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"There's no reason this had to happen," Hoffmann said.

Carrie Zettel poses with her best friend, Susan Hoffmann, at Summerfest in 2018. Zettel died Oct. 12. Her daughter is accused of killing her.

Alex Spors said his mother was a member of St. Pauls Episcopal Church and the Rev. Seth Raymond led prayers and gave a blessing. Raymond's prayers called for help for those struggling with mental health issues and for those with concerns to be taken seriously.

"We need interventions that take seriously our concerns, our challenges," Raymond said during his prayer. "And they are done with compassion and care and love."

David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: At Milwaukee vigil, Carrie Zettel remembered as 'Grandma Carrie'
ELKINS, W.Va. (WBOY)  A Berkeley County man reported missing for more than a week has been found dead in rural Randolph County, officials say.

According to a release put out Thursday evening by the Randolph County Sheriffs Office, Brent L Rees, 32, of Berkeley County, was found dead on Shavers Mountain in the Bowden area of Randolph County.

The release explained that Rees had been reported missing since Oct. 8 and that his case was under investigation by the Berkeley County Sheriffs Office, which determined through investigative leads that Rees had arrived in Randolph County around that same date.

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On Oct. 14, Randolph County deputies responded to a wellness check on Shavers Mountain regarding an unoccupied vehicle parked in a remote location that the caller said had been there for around one week. Deputies noted that the owner of the vehicle was Rees and began active searches in the area around the vehicle.

Over the following two days, deputies and other agencies conducted searches around Shavers Mountain using canines, drones and UTVs before locating Rees body on Oct. 16.

Excavators called to assist with fire at old Webster Hotel

The Randolph County Sheriffs Office was assisted in this investigation by the following agencies and organizations:

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West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Police

West Virginia State Police

West Virginia Emergency Management Division

Randolph County Office of Emergency Management and E-911

Randolph County EMS

Whitmer Volunteer Fire Department

Beverly Volunteer Fire Department

Coalton Volunteer Fire Department

Tygart Valley Volunteer Fire Department

Leading Creek Volunteer Fire Department

Parsons Volunteer Fire Department

Alpine Shores Campground

Elkins Walmart

The Randolph County Sheriffs Office extended its gratitude to everyone who assisted in the search efforts.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
A missing person complaint in Old Lyme led to the discovery of a dead person on Thursday.

Troopers began searching for the individual after receiving the report that they had been missing, according to Connecticut State Police.

State police did not disclose specifically where the search was conducted but said they found the individual who had been reported missing dead. The individuals identity has not been released.

According to state police, the scene was still active as of late Thursday.

Additional information was not immediately released.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WSPA)  The Memorial Mission Hospital has been placed under Immediate Jeopardy following an evaluation from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

In a letter to Mission Hospital, NCDHHS said the hospital failed to properly identify and monitor patients, that nursing staff failed to respond and assess patients with emergency needs, and failed to ensure safe transportation for patients among others.

The effect of these practices resulted in an unsafe environment for patients, the letter stated.

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The Immediate Jeopardy was placed based on four separate violations in 2025 ranging back to September.

The NCDHHS recommended to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that Mission Hospital be placed under a 23-day termination due to noncompliance with the conditions of participation for Medicare and Medicaid.

Mission Hospital said they were disappointed by the NCDHHSs decision to place the hospital under Immediate Jeopardy.

While we respect the surveyors role, the state regulators have not articulated what insufficiencies exist today given the extensive corrective action plans we have implemented and provided to them, said a Mission Health spokesperson in a statement.

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Mission Hospital said they have already shared their corrective plans with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and that they are confident in the ability of our team to provide compassionate, high-quality care and are committed to continuous improvement in patient safety and clinical excellence.

Mission Health said they would continue to cooperate with NCDHHS and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to resolve the issue.

Mission Hospital was placed under Immediate Jeopardy in February 2024, after a survey found the hospital was not in compliance with six federal regulations for Medicare reimbursements.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
SALEM, Mo  Police are investigating a Jamaican lottery scam that has defrauded several elderly residents in Salem and across the United States, authorities said.

According to the Salem Police Department, the scam originates from Kingston, Jamaica, and involves callers posing as representatives of the Publishing Clearing House. Victims are told they have won a multi-million-dollar prize and a new car, but must first send money to cover taxes, fees, or processing costs.

Several local residents have fallen victim to the scheme, with reported losses ranging from $5,000 to more than $1 million, police said.

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The department is urging residents to be cautious and to warn family membersparticularly older relativesabout the scam. Officials stress that legitimate sweepstakes will never ask winners to pay money in advance to claim a prize.

Anyone who has received similar calls or sent money to the scammers should contact the Salem Police Department immediately. Police said they are working with state and federal agencies to track down those responsible.

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 KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
NEED TO KNOW

A woman who claimed she got pregnant from another inmate while in jail has been found guilty on murder charges related to the death of her other children's father

Daisy Link, who gave birth to a child allegedly fathered by fellow inmate Joan DePaz in 2024, was convicted in the 2022 shooting death of Pedro Jimenez

DePaz is also accused of murder in a separate case

A woman who claimed she got pregnant in jail without physical contact has been found guilty of murdering the father of her older children.

On Thursday, Oct. 16, Daisy Link was convicted of second-degree murder for the 2022 fatal shooting of Pedro Jimenez, according to Local10, CBS News and NBC Miami. Link, 30, and Jimenez had been together for nine years and shared two children together, per Local 10.

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PEOPLE previously reported that Link went viral in 2024 after claiming she got pregnant by another inmate with no physical contact. At the time, she was charged with the murder of Jimenez and had been in jail awaiting trial when she gave birth to Joan DePaz's baby last year.

DePaz is also accused of murder, according to WSVN.

The pair claimed they used bedding to make a line between their two cell vents. Then, DePaz allegedly used that to pass Link semen rolled in Saran wrap. I cant believe it worked," Link told the outlet in November 2024. "I think everything happened for a reason."



Miami-Dade Corrections Daisy Link mugshot Daisy Link mugshot

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PEOPLE has contacted the South Miami Police Department for comment.

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When it comes to Jimenez's death, prosecutors claimed that Link shot her partner in a moment of rage. This is a toxic relationship with domestic violence going back and forth, prosecutor Alex Bergida said in court, per Local 10. And you know what Ms. Link did? She lit a match and lit that fire that night because she wanted this relationship to be over and this was the best way to do it.



However, according to the outlet, Links lawyer, Ayuban Tomas, argued that Jimenez made it clear that he was going to break into that home and lock her out and keep her away from her children, which he had no right to do.

Tomas added, And, importantly, she has every right  every right  to use deadly force to prevent him from doing that."



CBS News reported that it took the jury less than two hours to find Link guilty on Thursday, while Local 10 added that Link reportedly showed no emotion during the verdict.

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Juror Kenan Bowie opened up about why he chose to vote for Links conviction. If hes running away, shot in the back, [it] doesnt seem like self-defense if hes running away, he said, per Local 10. There was a lot that she lied about, a lot from the second she called 911, he said he believed.

The baby that Link gave birth to while in prison is said to be with family members, according to Local 10.

The next court date for pre-sentencing investigations is set to take place Nov. 21, CBS News reported.



Read the original article on People
President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he leaves the White House, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Washington, as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, looks on. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and communications director Steven Cheung dove back into the middle school well to respond to a question from HuffPost on Friday.

After President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he would meet with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Budapest, HuffPost reached out to ask who had suggested Budapest.

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Leavitt replied, Your mom did, while Cheung kept it shorter, writing back only, Your mom.

HuffPosts S.V. Date offered some context explaining why the choice of Budapest was notable:

After all, the Hungarian capital was the site of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in which Ukraine gave up the thousands of nuclear weapons it had inherited upon the breakup of the Soviet Union in return for assurances that Russia would respect Ukraines territorial integrity. Putin broke that promise with his 2014 invasion and annexation of Crimea, with his decade-long military offensive in the Donbas region, and then with his all-out invasion in 2022. He continues killing Ukrainian civilians in their homes to this day with regular drone and missile attacks.

Trump wrote the following on Truth Social after a call with Putin on Thursday:

I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, and it was a very productive one. President Putin congratulated me and the United States on the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East, something that, he said, has been dreamed of for centuries. I actually believe that the Success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the War with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin thanked the First Lady, Melania, for her involvement with children. He was very appreciative, and said that this will continue. We also spent a great deal of time talking about Trade between Russia and the United States when the War with Ukraine is over. At the conclusion of the call, we agreed that there will be a meeting of our High Level Advisors, next week. The United States initial meetings will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, together with various other people, to be designated. A meeting location is to be determined. President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this inglorious War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end. President Zelenskyy and I will be meeting tomorrow, in the Oval Office, where we will discuss my conversation with President Putin, and much more. I believe great progress was made with todays telephone conversation.

 

The post Your Mom: Trump White House Goes Back to Middle School With Response to Question on Putin Summit first appeared on Mediaite.
BEIJING (Reuters) -Mongolian Prime Minister Gombojav Zandanshatar has resigned, the Chinese national broadcaster reported on Friday, after taking office just four months ago.

Zandanshatar was confirmed by Mongolian lawmakers as the country's latest prime minister after his predecessor, Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene, quit after losing parliamentary backing due to corruption claims and street protests.

(Reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Christopher Cushing)




WATERBURY - Monsignor John J. Bevins, former 24-year pastor at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, is being recalled as the type of individual who "comes along once in a lifetime."

The lifelong resident died Oct. 13, just days after his 93rd birthday.

The parish celebrated Bevins' birthday Oct. 9 during the Catholic Academy of Waterbury gala with cake and balloons, said pastor the Rev. James Sullivan. Over 400 people attended and children sang a song in his honor. "He was delighted."

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The next day, Bevins attended a priest's funeral. Afterward, he was acting uncharacteristically, Sullivan said, so he was taken to the hospital. He died two days later.

Mass was celebrated at the foot of Bevins' bed. "The last thing he consumed on Earth was the precious blood - the (Holy) Eucharist," Sullivan said. "We placed a little drop of the precious blood on his tongue. That, for a priest, is a great grace.

"He had that privilege. It was really a beautiful death," he added.

Bevins is credited with being instrumental in encouraging the U.S. military to bestow a Navy Cross on Immaculate Conception priest and WWII hero the Rev. Thomas Conway, a city native and member of the parish in the early 1900s, Sullivan said.

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Bevins was ordained May 15, 1958, in Hartford by his excellency the Most Rev. Henry J. O'Brien in St. Lawrence O'Toole Church, according to his obituary.



Bevins was unable to drive due to his age, and recently asked to live at the basilica. "He was still in good health at 88. He was a huge help to us," Sullivan said.

Monsignor John J. Bevins, Capt. U.S. Navy (ret.), gives the invocation during the dedication of the Lt. (Rev.) Thomas M. Conway Memorial at Waterbury City Hall in 2022. (Jim Shannon / Hearst Connecticut Media)





Although Bevins was no longer able to celebrate Mass, he helped with Holy Communion and heard confessions, Sullivan said. "He was a humble man who loved Waterbury."

Bevins served 23 years as a military chaplain for the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine, according to his obituary. He was assigned to posts throughout the world, including in Greece, Spain and the Far East.

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In 2015, Pope Francis appointed Bevins a Prelate of Honor of His Holiness, bestowing on him the title of monsignor, it continued.

His niece, Gail Baer of South Carolina, said her uncle was "very generous with his family" and "someone you could confide in on a personal level."

Bevins gave sage advice to people, and enjoyed fine wines, she added, the latter of which, Baer added, was from his time in the Navy.

Mayor Paul K. Pernerewsk Jr. issued a statement Wednesday. "Men like Monsignor Bevins come along once in a lifetime. He dedicated his life to God and His people as a Catholic priest. The Catholic Church, the United States, and the city of Waterbury are all better for having had him among us. And now, together with God, we say: Well done, good and faithful servant."



Bevins volunteered for the Vietnam War, Sullivan said. "There was a certain bravery that he possessed," which the Christian church refers to as "fortitude, a certain strength, resilience."

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He grew up in the Washington Hill neighborhood, and was a parishioner of St. Francis Xavier Church in Waterbury, Sullivan continued. "That's where his faith was discovered."

Bevins was devoted to the congregation, Sullivan added. "He was dedicated to his prayer life, dedicated to his ministry, dedicated to the people."

He was best known for a number of things, Sullivan explained, including his "greatest spiritual accomplishment," Eucharistic adoration, which Bevins introduced in 1993. It involves praying in the basilica throughout the day and night, and continues 32 years later, Sullivan noted.

Champion of the Rev. McGivney

Bevins wanted to be known for championing the canonization of Waterbury native the Rev. Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus and parishioner in the 1850s, according to Sullivan. A 6-foot-tall bronze statue of McGivney was recently installed at the basilica.

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"He had a great desire to see Father McGivney canonized as a saint," he explained. In the late 1990s, Bevins led a prayer at the start of every Mass for his intention."

In 2020, a miracle was attributed to McGivney, who was beatified and given the title Blessed. "Monsignor Bevins was very happy he lived to see that day," Sullivan continued.

In 2008, because of Bevins' efforts, the Vatican granted the Immaculate parish the title of minor basilica, he added. "It's a great distinction, which means the basilica is in the papal household. We're directly connected to the Holy Father."

The honor is bestowed upon a Catholic church for several reasons: its architectural beauty, sacramental activity, and prominence, he continued. "We're the mother church of all of Waterbury." Every other church in the city "essentially grew from the mother church."

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Bevins worked with Kenneth Braithwaite, secretary of the U.S. Navy, to bestow the Navy Cross posthumously upon the Rev. Thomas Conway, a city native and member of the Immaculate parish in the early 1900s. It is the second-highest military decoration in the Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, according to military.com.

McGivney was killed on the U.S.S. Indianapolis during WWII, Sullivan said.

"For three days in shark-infested waters without food, drink or shade, Father Conway, 37, heroically swam back and forth between groups of survivors, offering comfort, prayers, baptism, last rites, and encouragement to keep the faith and not lose hope of eventual rescue," military.com said.

Calling hours are Friday from 4 to 7 p.m.

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Funeral services will be held Saturday at noon at the basilica, 74 W. Main St. For more information, visit caseyfunerals.com.

This article originally published at Monsignor John Bevins of Waterbury, helped WWII priest get Navy Cross, has 'beautiful death'.
China poses a daily threat to Britains security, the head of the countrys domestic intelligence agency said yesterday, remarks that step up pressure on authorities to explain why the prosecution of two men charged with spying for Beijing collapsed just before they were due to stand trial.

The government, opposition politicians and prosecutors have traded blame over the failed criminal case as the United Kingdom tries to balance between challenging and engaging with the Asian superpower.

Do Chinese state actors present a U.K. national security threat? The answer is of course yes, they do, every day, MI5 Director-General Ken McCallum told reporters during a rare public appearance. He said his agency had intervened to stop a threat from Beijing as recently as the past week.

McCallum said Beijing-backed meddling has included cyberespionage, stealing technology secrets and efforts to interfere covertly in U.K. public life.

Spying for China allegations

Academic Christopher Berry and parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash were charged last year with providing information or documents to China that could be prejudicial to the safety or interests of the U.K.

Then, last month, the prosecutors said the charges were being dropped.

Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson pointed at the government, saying officials refused to testify under oath that China posed a threat to national security at the time of the alleged offenses, between 2021 and 2023.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer denies interfering, and late Wednesday the government published witness statements submitted to court by Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Collins describing China as the biggest state-based threat to the UKs economic security and saying Bejings espionage activities harm the interests and security of the U.K.

McCallum called Britains relationship with China a complex mix of risk and opportunity, and said MI5 agents detect and deal, robustly, with activity threatening U.K. national security.

I am frustrated when opportunities to prosecute national security-threatening activity are not followed through for whatever reason, he said, but added that decisions about prosecution were out of MI5s hands.

British intelligence authorities have ratcheted up their warnings about Beijings covert activities and Parliaments Intelligence and Security Committee labeled Beijing a strategic threat in 2023.

The center-left Labour Party government, which took power last year, has tried cautiously to reset ties with Beijing after years of frosty relations over spying allegations, human rights concerns, Chinas support for Russia in the Ukraine war and a crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong, a former British-ruled territory.

Cash and Berry were charged under the Official Secrets Act, a century-old statute that covers spying for countries deemed enemies of the U.K. It has since been replaced by new national security legislation.

The two men deny wrongdoing, and the Chinese Embassy has called the allegations fabricated, dismissing them as malicious slander.

Russia and Iran

McCallum also painted a stark picture, saying the U.K. faces multiple overlapping threats on an unprecedented scale from both terror groups and states, naming the more reckless Russia and Iran.

State threats are escalating, he said, with a 35% increase in the past year in the number of people MI5 is investigating for espionage, including against our Parliament, our universities, our critical infrastructure.

He said Russia and Iran are increasingly using ugly methods  including surveillance sabotage, arson or physical violence  something he said he had not previously seen from nations during his intelligence career.

Russia is committed to causing havoc and destruction, he said. In the last year, we and the police have disrupted a steady stream of surveillance plots with hostile intent aimed at individuals Russian leaders perceive as their enemies.

He said Tehran is also plotting to injure and kill its enemies on British soil, with more than 20 potentially lethal Iran-backed plots disrupted in the past 12 months.

JILL LAWLESS, LONDON,MDT/AP

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Oct. 17Montana Red Cross is offering in-person training in Polson on Saturday, Oct. 25, for those interested in supporting their communities during emergencies such as home fires, wildfires and other disasters.

The free training will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Polson Rural Fire District Station, 25b Regatta Road, and is open to residents of Lake, Lincoln and Flathead counties.

Participants will learn how to provide comfort, care and critical assistance to families affected by local disasters. Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be provided.

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"When disaster strikes, it's the volunteers who are there first  offering a warm blanket, a hot meal or simply a listening ear," said Shellie Creveling, Red Cross community disaster program manager for Northwest Montana. "Volunteers are the heart of our mission, and Red Cross couldn't do this work without them. That's why we're encouraging more people to step forward and join our team."

Each year, the Red Cross responds to hundreds of disasters across Montana  most commonly home fires. Volunteers play a vital role in meeting families' immediate needs, such as food, shelter and emotional support. During larger-scale events like wildfires, the Red Cross also opens emergency shelters and coordinates broader relief efforts.

To register for the training and complete a Red Cross volunteer application, visit volunteerconnection.redcross.org.

If you have questions, need more information or would like to pursue a different Red Cross volunteer opportunity, email [email protected].
MONTCLAIR, NJ (PIX11)  Despite having some of the highest taxes in New Jersey, Montclair Public Schools are facing a $19.6 million budget deficit as officials search for ways to close the gap.

How that happened is unclear.

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Superintendent Ruth Turner says an upcoming special election in December will allow voters to decide whether or not to raise taxes to cover the districts shortfall. The ballot will have two questions.

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The first  a one-time property tax increase to cover the 2024-2025 deficit, which is $12.6 million.

Question two would be a recurring property tax increase to cover the current school year deficit, which is $7 million.

Its so important that our community and our voters are aware of whats at stake with these two questions and as we approach the special elections, in order to ensure that we continue to provide the rigorous education for our scholars, said Turner.

Alex Ross, a homeowner in Montclair, expressed concern about the potential for rising property taxes in a town where the average tax bill exceeds $20,000.

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Im also concerned that the solutions that are being presented are either a threat that the state will take over or youre going to have to pay a lot of money for the next  this year  and then 10 years after that, Ross said.

If the measure fails, the district would have to rely on state aid, which would cover only part of the deficit, leaving the district potentially facing $7 million in staff and service cuts to balance the 20252026 budget.

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That is the cuts that we proposed to the board and to the public that would need to take place, Turner said. Not because those services and staff are not essential. Its because we are obligated to reduce our budget deficit.

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Last month, the Montclair School Board and teachers union approved raises starting at three percent.

At a town hall meeting on Thursday, school officials updated the public on a previous $188 million district bond referendum and the status of completed and ongoing improvement projects. Turner noted that these projects are not affected by the districts budget deficit because they are funded separately.

Residents will vote on whether to raise property taxes on December 9th.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
George Retes, an American combat veteran, at the site of his arrest by immigration agents on Californias Central Coast. Retes was detained for three days without access to a lawyer and missed his daughters third birthday. (Photo by Sarabeth Maney/ProPublica)

When the Supreme Court recently allowed immigration agents in the Los Angeles area to take race into consideration during sweeps, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that citizens shouldnt be concerned.

If the officers learn that the individual they stopped is a U.S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States, Kavanaugh wrote, they promptly let the individual go.

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But that is far from the reality many citizens have experienced. Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents. Theyve had their necks kneeled on. Theyve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear. At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them. One of those women had already had the door of her home blown off while Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem watched.

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.

About two dozen Americans have said they were held for more than a day without being able to phone lawyers or loved ones.

Videos of U.S. citizens being mistreated by immigration agents have filled social media feeds, but there is little clarity on the overall picture. The government does not track how often immigration agents hold Americans.

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So ProPublica created its own count.

We compiled and reviewed every case we could find of agents holding citizens against their will, whether during immigration raids or protests. While the tally is almost certainly incomplete, we found more than 170 such incidents during the first nine months of President Donald Trumps second administration.

Among the citizens detained are nearly 20 children, including two with cancer. That includes four who were held for weeks with their undocumented mother and without access to the familys attorney until a congresswoman intervened.

Immigration agents do have authority to detain Americans in limited circumstances. Agents can hold people whom they reasonably suspect are in the country illegally. We found more than 50 Americans who were held after agents questioned their citizenship. They were almost all Latino.

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Immigration agents also can arrest citizens who allegedly interfered with or assaulted officers. We compiled cases of about 130 Americans, including a dozen elected officials, accused of assaulting or impeding officers.

These cases have often wilted under scrutiny. In nearly 50 instances that we have identified so far, charges have never been filed or the cases were dismissed. Our count found a handful of citizens have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors.

Among the detentions in which allegations have not stuck, masked agents pointed a gun at, pepper sprayed and punched a young man who had filmed them searching for his relative. In another, agents knocked over and then tackled a 79-year-old car wash owner, pressing their knees into his neck and back. His lawyer said he was held for 12 hours and wasnt given medical attention despite having broken ribs in the incident and having recently had heart surgery.

In a third case, agents grabbed and handcuffed a woman on her way to work who was caught up in a chaotic raid on street vendors. In a complaint filed against the government, she described being held for more than two days, without being allowed to contact the outside world for much of that time. (The Supreme Court has ruled that two days is generally the longest federal officials can hold Americans without charges.)

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In response to questions from ProPublica, the Department of Homeland Security said agents do not racially profile or target Americans. We dont arrest US citizens for immigration enforcement, wrote spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.

A top immigration official recently acknowledged agents do consider someones looks. How do they look compared to, say, you? Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino said to a white reporter in Chicago.

The White House told ProPublica that anyone who assaults federal immigration agents would be prosecuted. Interfering with law enforcement and assaulting law enforcement is a crime and anyone, regardless of immigration status, will be held accountable, said the Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson. Officers act heroically to enforce the law, arrest criminal illegal aliens, and protect American communities with the utmost professionalism.

A spokesperson for Kavanaugh did not return an emailed request for comment.

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Tallying the number of Americans detained by immigration agents is inherently messy and incomplete. The government has long ignored recommendations for it to track such cases, even as the U.S. has a history of detaining and even deporting citizens, including during the Obama administration and Trumps first term.

We compiled cases by sifting through both English- and Spanish-language social media, lawsuits, court records and local media reports. We did not include arrests of protesters by local police or the National Guard. Nor did we count cases in which arrests were made at a later date after a judicial process. That included cases of some people charged with serious crimes, like throwing rocks or tossing a flare to start a fire.

Experts say that Americans appear to be getting picked up more now as a result of the government doing something that it hasnt for decades: large-scale immigration sweeps across the country, often in communities that do not want them.

In earlier administrations, deportation agents used intelligence to target specific individuals, said Scott Shuchart, a top immigration official in the Biden, Obama and first Trump administrations. The new idea is to use those resources unintelligently  with officers targeting communities or workplaces where undocumented immigrants may be.

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When federal officers roll through communities in the way the Supreme Court permitted, the constitutional rights of both citizens and noncitizens are inevitably violated, argued David Bier, the director of immigration studies at the libertarian Cato Institute. He recently analyzed how sweeps in Los Angeles have led to racial profiling. If the government can grab someone because hes a certain demographic group thats correlated with some offense category, then they can do that in any context.

Cody Wofsy, an attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union, put it even more starkly. Any one of us could be next.

When Kavanaugh issued his opinion that immigration agents can consider race and other factors, the Supreme Courts three liberal justices strongly dissented. They warned that citizens risked being grabbed, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed simply because of their looks, their accents, and the fact they make a living by doing manual labor.

Leonardo Garcia Venegas, 25, sits for a photo outside of his home before leaving for work in Silverhill, Alabama, on Sept. 12, 2025. In May, Garcia Venegas filmed a worksite raid by ICE, which captured rough treatment of his brother and coworkers. (Photo by Sarabeth Maney/ProPublica)

Leonardo Garcia Venegas appears to have been just such a case. He was working at a construction site in coastal Alabama when he saw masked immigration agents from Homeland Security Investigations hop a fence and run by a No trespassing sign. Garcia Venegas recalled that they moved toward the Latino workers, ignoring the white and Black workers.

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Garcia Venegas began filming after his undocumented brother asked agents for a warrant. In response, the footage shows, agents yanked his brother to the ground, shoving his face into wet concrete. Garcia Venegas kept filming until officers grabbed him too and knocked his phone to the ground.

Other co-workers filmed what happened next, as immigration agents twisted the 25-year-olds arms. They repeatedly tried to take him to the ground while he yelled, Im a citizen!

Officers pulled out his REAL ID, which Alabama only issues to those legally in the U.S. But the agents dismissed it as fake. Officers held Garcia Venegas handcuffed for more than an hour. His brother was later deported.

Garcia Venegas was so shaken that he took two weeks off of work. Soon after he returned, he was working alone inside a nearly built house listening to music on his headphones when he sensed someone watching him. A masked immigration agent was standing in the bedroom doorway.

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This time, agents didnt tackle him. But they again dismissed his REAL ID. And then they held him to check his citizenship. Garcia Venegas says agents also held two other workers who had legal status.

DHS did not respond to ProPublicas questions about Garcia Venegas detentions, or to a federal lawsuit he filed last month. The agency has previously defended the agents conduct, saying he physically got in between agents and the subject during the first incident. The footage does not show that, and Garcia Venegas was never charged with obstruction or any other crime.

Garcia Venegas lawyers at the nonprofit Institute for Justice hope others may join his suit. After all, the reverberations of the immigration sweeps are being felt widely. Garcia Venegas said he knows of 15 more raids on nearby construction sites, and the industry along his portion of the Gulf Coast is struggling for lack of workers.

Kavanaughs assurances hold little weight for Garcia Venegas. Hes a U.S. citizen of Mexican descent, who speaks little English and works in construction. Even with his REAL ID and Social Security card in his wallet, Garcia Venegas worries that immigration agents will keep harassing him.

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If they decide they want to detain you, he said. Youre not going to get out of it.

Retes said that agents knew he was a citizen. They didnt care. (Photos by Sarahbeth Maney/ProPublica)

George Retes was among the citizens arrested despite immigration agents appearing to know his legal status. He also disappeared into the system for days without being able to contact anyone on the outside.

The only clue Retes family had at first was a brief call he managed to make on his Apple Watch with his hands handcuffed behind his back. He quickly told his wife that ICE had arrested him during a massive raid and protest on the marijuana farm where he worked as a security guard.

Still, Retes family couldnt find him. They called every law enforcement agency they could think of. No one gave them any answers.

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Eventually, they spotted a TikTok video showing Retes driving to work and slowly trying to back up as hes caught between agents and protestors. Through the tear gas and dust, his family recognized Retes car and the veteran decal on his window. The full video shows a man  Retes  splayed on the ground surrounded by agents.

Retes family went to the farm, where local TV reporters were interviewing families who couldnt find their loved ones.

They broke his window, they pepper sprayed him, they grabbed him, threw him on the floor, his sister told a reporter between sobs. We dont know what to do. Were just asking to let my brother go. He didnt do anything wrong. Hes a veteran, disabled citizen. It says it on his car.

Retes was held for three days without being given an opportunity to make a call. His family only learned where he had been after his release. His leg had been cut from the broken glass, Retes told ProPublica, and lingering pepper spray burned his hands.He tried to soothe them by filling sandwich bags with water.

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Retes recalled that agents knew he was a citizen. They didnt care. He said one DHS official laughed at him, saying he shouldnt have come to work that day. They still sent me away to jail. He added that cases like his show Kavanaugh was wrong completely.

DHS did not answer our questions about Retes. It did respond on X after Retes wrote an op-ed last month in the San Francisco Chronicle. An agency post asserted he was arrested for assault after he became violent and refused to comply with law enforcement. Yet Retes had been released without any charges. Indeed, he says he was never told why he was arrested.

The Department of Justice has encouraged agents to arrest anyone interfering with immigration operations, twiceordering law enforcement to prioritize cases of those suspected of obstructing, interfering with or assaulting immigration officials.

But the governments claims in those cases have often not been borne out.

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Daniel Montenegro was filming a raid at a Van Nuys, California, Home Depot with other day-laborer advocates this summer when, he told ProPublica, he was tackled by several officers who injured his back.

Bovino, the Border Patrol chief who oversaw the LA raids and has since taken similar operations to cities like Sacramento and Chicago, tweeted out the names and photos of Montenegro and three others, accusing them of using homemade tire spikes to disable vehicles.

I had no idea where that story came from, Montenegro told ProPublica. I didnt find out until we were released. People were like, We saw you on Twitter and the news and you guys are terrorists, you were planning to slash tires. I never saw those spike tire-popper things.

Officials have not charged Montenegro or the others with any crimes. (Bovino did not respond to a request for comment, while DHS defended him in a statement to ProPublica: Chief Bovinos success in getting the worst of the worst out of the country speaks for itself.)

The governments cases are sometimes so muddied that its unclear why agents actually arrested a citizen.

Andrea Velez was charged with assaulting an officer after she was accidentally dropped off for work during a raid on street vendors in downtown Los Angeles. She said in a federal complaint that officers repeatedly assumed she did not speak English. Federal officers later requested access to her phone in an attempt to prove she was colluding with another citizen arrested that day, who was charged with assault. She was one of the Americans held for more than two days.

DHS did not respond to our questions about Velez, but it has previously accused her of assaulting an officer. A federal judge has dismissed the charges.

Other citizens also said officers accused them of crimes and suddenly questioned their citizenship  including a man arrested after filming Border Patrol agents break a truck window, and a pregnant woman who tried to stop officers from taking her boyfriend.

The prospects for any significant reckoning over agents conduct, even against citizens, are dim. The paths for suing federal agents are even more limited than they are for local police. And thats if agents can even be identified. Whats more, the administration has gutted the office that investigates allegations of abuse by agents.

The often-inadequate guardrails that we have for state and local government  even those guardrails are nonexistent when youre talking about federal overreach, said Joanna Schwartz, a professor at UCLA School of Law.

More than 50 members of Congress have also written to the administration, demanding details about Americans whove been detained. One is Sen. Alex Padilla, a California Democrat. After trying to question Noem about detained citizens, federal agents grabbed Padilla, pulled him to the ground and handcuffed him. The department later defended the agents, saying they acted appropriately.

Do you have information or videos to share about the administrations immigration crackdown? Contact Nicole Foy via email at nicole.foy@propublica.org or on Signal at nicolefoy.27.

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Illinois State Police arrested 11 people in a scuffle with hundreds of protesters demonstrating Friday morning outside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Broadview processing center.

The arrests are the latest to come from a string of protests outside the west suburban facility as the Trump administrations so-called Operation Midway Blitz wears into its second month in and around Chicago.

Local officials have struggled to manage hundreds of people who gather mainly on Fridays and Sundays outside the processing center, where federal agents have repeatedly deployed chemical crowd controls and less-lethal ammunition in an attempt to subdue crowds.

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Fridays confrontation was the first in almost a month to take place on Beach Street after federal officials removed what the town called an illegally constructed fence from outside the facility. Protesters began to chant around 8 a.m. Friday, in violation of Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompsons recently issued order that protests only occur between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Thompson has been highly critical of federal agents actions outside the processing center, declaring that this is not Putins Russia and demanding federal authorities cooperate with a set of criminal investigations. On Monday, Thompson shrank the designated protest area previously established alongside state and Cook County sheriffs police, saying demonstrations last week degenerated into chaos at the expense of the villages roughly 8,000 residents.

At the site on Friday, protesters around 8:05 a.m. pushed toward the ICE building, overpowering a handful of state police and Broadview officers. About five minutes later, dozens of state police in helmets with batons walked toward the crowd and began pushing them back.

Troopers tackled and dragged several people, including a woman with an accordion. None of the people arrested appeared to be seriously injured. All sat quietly on a curb with their hands zip-tied as legal observers shouted for their names and dates of birth behind a set of concrete barricades in a so-called media area.

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A group of federal agents in military fatigues stood about a hundred feet away beside the building itself, watching quietly as sheriffs police loaded arrestees into a van.

State police said in a statement released Friday morning that officials had issued repeated instructions for demonstrators to move and said that blocking the street created traffic safety issues and made it more difficult for lawyers and other third parties to get into the processing center building.

Among those arrested was a campaign staffer for Kat Abughazaleh, who is running in the Democratic primary for Illinois 9th Congressional District, which includes parts of the North Side and north and northwest suburbs, Abughazaleh campaign manager Sam Weinberg said through a spokesperson. The staffer, whom the campaign declined to name but said had not been charged with any crime as of Friday afternoon, was in custody for three to four hours and then went to urgent care with a possible concussion, according to the campaign.

Abughazaleh, a progressive content creator who has been attending the protests for several weeks and has at times been joined by some of her primary opponents, said on social media that she got hit in the face with a baton at the Friday protest.

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Those arrested were being taken either to the Broadview Police Department or Cook County Jail, state police said.

In a text message statement on the mornings events, Thompson said the most effective protests are those that inspire our better angels, not incite our worst demons and said that hostile behavior would hurt the interests of immigrants who protesters were looking to support.

Broadview police Chief Thomas Mills and Deputy Chief Brandy Johnson could be seen among county and state police following the pushback as chants of Say it loud and say it clear, immigrants are welcome here echoed down the street over a makeshift drumbeat.

Behind a set of concrete barriers, a woman stood in front of a sign that read Gods Love Knows No Borders holding an American flag upside down.

Chicago Tribunes Olivia Olander contributed.
By Vincent Mumo and Giulia Paravicini

NAIROBI (Reuters) -Seventeen mourners were being treated for injuries on Friday after a stampede at the state funeral of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga, a source at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi told Reuters, with thousands attending the tribute.

Odinga commanded a passionate following in the East African nation and his memorial ceremonies have attracted huge crowds. Three people were shot dead by security forces a day earlier when mourners breached a gate of the stadium hosting a public viewing of his body.

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Odinga, a major figure for decades in Kenyan politics who was once a political prisoner and ran unsuccessfully for president five times, died on Wednesday, aged 80 in India, where he had been receiving medical treatment.

As the state funeral got under way in a Nairobi stadium on Friday, some members of the crowd surged forward to view Odinga's body, crushing mourners in the melee, Kenyan broadcaster NTV reported, without providing further details.

A spokesperson at Kenya Red Cross confirmed that a stampede had taken place.

"Our teams are there helping to provide treatment and evacuate the injured," the spokesperson told Reuters, adding that further details were not immediately available.

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Calls to police by Reuters were not immediately answered.

Kenyan authorities had deployed heavy security on Friday, with police keeping crowds at a distance, footage from local television and President William Ruto's office showed.

Thousands of mourners waved white handkerchiefs and danced at the venue which was bedecked with large banners with Odinga's portrait. Others blew whistles and vuvuzelas in honour of the man they referred to as "Baba" ("Father" in Swahili).

As dignitaries left the venue, mourners were invited to a public viewing of the body, when the stampede occurred.

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Thousands of people have taken to the streets to mourn and celebrate Odinga from early Thursday, with mourners storming the country's main airport when the plane carrying his body arrived and prompting a two-hour suspension of flight operations.

Odinga's body will be taken for burial on Sunday in his homestead in western Kenya, where he commanded particularly deep devotion among members of his Luo tribe, many of whom believe he was cheated of the presidency by electoral fraud.

Though mainly known as an opposition figure, Odinga became prime minister in 2008 and also struck a political pact with former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018, and with Ruto last year in a career of shifting alliances.

(Reporting by George Obulutsa, Vincent Mumo, Giulia Paravicini and Ammu Kannampilly; editing by Ammu Kannampilly and Toby Chopra)
Those driving from Tampa to Lakeland and other parts of Central Florida will eventually have an extra lane that could hasten their commute.

The Florida Department of Transportation plans to add one express lane in each direction on a stretch of Interstate 4 in Hillsborough County from the intersection with Interstate 75 to County Line Road. Construction is expected to start on the new lanes in 2028.

Traffic often jams in that 17-mile stretch, as local traffic headed to Plant City mixes with cars commuting to Lakeland and Orlando.

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These express lanes will bring significant congestion relief to the traveling public by separating long-distance traffic from local commuter traffic, providing additional reliable travel options and enhancing the quality of life for residents traveling in the area a release from the Governors Office said.

The express lanes will likely have fewer exits compared to the local lanes. They may also be tolled, as is the plan for I-275 express lanes along the Howard Frankland Bridge that are scheduled to open in spring 2026.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has focused on relieving congestion along the I-4 corridor during his tenure.

In April, DeSantis announced two more lanes would open eight months early along I-4 at a particularly clogged stretch from east of U.S. 27 in Polk County to World Drive near Disney Springs.

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Transit advocates have long questioned the wisdom of adding more lanes to Tampa Bays crowded interstates.

They cite the concept of induced demand." A 2019 study suggested wider highways encourage more people to travel on the interstate as opposed to local roads, resulting in similar or greater levels of congestion over time. Instead, advocates have pushed for investment in public transit that could move cars off the road.

Justin Hall, secretary for District 7 of the state transportation department, said the interstates arent meeting current demand. Major thoroughfares like I-4 are already so congested that cars are crowding neighborhood streets.

The development of I-4 express lanes could help bring Brightline, a privately-owned commuter rail service, to Tampa faster.

Johnny Wong, executive director of Hillsboroughs transportation planning organization, previously said the construction of rail tracks from Orlando to Tampa will likely coincide with the expansion of I-4 that is now in the works.
More metro Atlanta homeowners shocked by liens against their brand-new homes

Homeowners in Austell purchased brand-new homes, only to find out their properties already had several liens filed against them.

The CEO of the Atlanta-based company is facing more than a thousand liens and legal actions. Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln has worked to get answers for these homeowners.

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There should be some type of class action lawsuit or some type of investigation into this person, Al Frierson said.

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Frierson is the latest homeowner to reach out to Channel 2 Action News after discovering more than $17,000 in liens are filed against an Austell rental property he owns.

I was like, wow, this is insane, he said.

Friersons liens were tied to the developer  Riz Communities for not paying contractors who worked on or supplied appliances for this Austell development.

This shouldnt be on me. I bought a brand-new propertyits new construction," Frierson said.

Channel 2 Action News first reported on this issue in August. Since then, the company has taken down its website and stopped posting on social media.

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Rachel Bradford owns a home in Covington. She learned about the liens after receiving a foreclosure notice for unpaid balances that she says she didnt owe.

Its insane, Bradford said.

Since 2023, nearly 300 liens or pending legal actions have been filed against Riz Communities properties, according to the Georgia Clerks Authority.

Lincoln found Riz also operates under other entities, Buyside Capital and Prestigious Group. State records show more than 800 liens filed in several metro Atlanta counties.

Real estate attorney Erin Glynn says homeowners should never move in without an occupancy permit or title insurance  and should sign up for the states alert system to monitor liens.

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Its very much buyer beware  you could definitely get yourself into trouble," Glynn said.

Earlier this month, national title underwriter Williston Financial Group flagged Riz Communities and more than 20 of its entities.

The notice instructed real estate agents to contact their office if working with any of Choudrys more than 30 entities.

The sad thing about this whole thing is that there are other homeowners with liens on their propertiesand a lot of people cant afford to pay an extra $10,000 for something they had nothing to do with," Frierson said.

The owners say they are working to pay off additional outstanding liens. Frierson told Lincoln on Thursday afternoon that only one of his liens has been paid off by the developer.

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From left, Sanford Health Chief Medical Officer of Virtual Care Dave Newman moderates a panel on innovation in rural health care with Nworah Ayogu, of Thrive Capital; Emily Barey, of Epic; and Atteev Mehrotra, of Brown University School of Public Health at the fourth annual Summit on the Future of Rural Health Care hosted by Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Oct. 14, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Sanford Health)

SIOUX FALLS  The key to improving rural health care in the Dakotas is more than telehealth, according to health and innovation experts.

Itll require providing rural residents with tools to monitor their own health, and nearby hubs or health care access to conduct basic tests ahead of telehealth visits with specialists.

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How do we have both the tools and the training to tell you how to use them so that the care can start even before the ambulance gets there? said Nworah Ayogu, a physician and investor in health care technology.

Ayogu, who is also a member of the Sanford Health Plan board, was one panelist to speak about efforts to improve rural access to affordable and quality health care at the fourth annual Summit on the Future of Rural Health Care hosted by Sanford Health in Sioux Falls on Tuesday.

Investments in tech aim to relieve some challenges, panelists say

Ateev Mehrotra, a physician and professor at Brown University School of Public Health, urged caution in the health care industrys rush to invest in artificial intelligence.

As a panelist alongside Ayogu, Mehrotra added that the investment shouldnt be made to the detriment of patient care and that health systems should ensure there is evidence supporting the technology is a good investment of their money.

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Mehrotra highlighted the gap in telehealth use nationwide for rural and urban patients. Even though telehealth was created in large part to address rural needs, he said, urban patients tend to use the technology more consistently. Rural patients nationwide will also sometimes bypass their local, smaller hospitals to get care from larger hospital systems hundreds of miles away.

Its not the technology; the technology can fix this problem. Its rather how were deploying it right now in the United States, Mehrotra said. And so thats really what Im focused on, which is how do we change the way that were using telehealth in the United States so that we can finally address that big gap.

From left, Emily Barey, of Epic, and Atteev Mehrotra, of Brown University School of Public Health, speak on a panel at the fourth annual Summit on the Future of Rural Health Care hosted by Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Oct. 14, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Sanford Health)

The gap could also be due to a lack of adequate technology access, Mehrotra said.

Most patients Dave Newman sees have access to broadband, said the Fargo, North Dakota-based endocrinologist and chief medical officer of virtual care at Sanford. But he has had telehealth visits with farmers on their phones during harvest season or with a patient still with a rotary phone.

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Telehealth does not require complex technology, but simply meeting the patients where theyre at, Newman said. The virtual care center has more than 75 specialties now, he added.

Health systems like Sanford are working to improve virtual care, including training providers on webside manners and establishing a network of clinics and access points close to rural residents, Newman said.

We consider ourselves a hub and we support multiple different spokes, Newman said. What the spokes are is dependent on what patients need.

As an example, he said a clinic in Williston, North Dakota, with a nurse, lab and imaging facilities can run tests a patient needs before a telehealth visit with a subspecialist in Fargo or Sioux Falls without having to travel the huge distance.

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Avera Health, another major health system in South Dakota, was awarded a three-year federal grant to invest in its virtual nursing program, which connects virtual nurses to patients in hospital rooms. The program also uses AI to monitor patient falls in hospitals, which Avera Virtual Health Director Kristine Becker told South Dakota Searchlight after the award announcement will shape the way hospital systems deliver care.

Further investment in remote patient monitoring, equipment at home and other technology can improve rural care even further, participants at the conference said.

Although AI could potentially increase efficiencies, nurses and clinicians are still needed to care for South Dakotas growing and aging population, panelists said.

$50 billion for rural health

State governments can further help address rural health needs by bringing partners together, Ayogu and Newman said, and ensuring medical students and doctors receive training pertinent to practicing in a new world.

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Mehrotra added that the state could facilitate e-consults across the state and across health care systems to improve care, and it could provide licensure reciprocity with nearby states so South Dakotans could receive virtual care from out-of-state providers rather than traveling hundreds of miles to Minneapolis or other larger health care systems.

Adequately reimbursing telehealth services for patients on Medicare or Medicaid, which brings together state and federal players, was top of mind for Newman and other panelists.

We know its effective, and there have been temporary fixes, Newman said. We have had kind of a Band-Aid instead of an actual fix to the problem. The funding bills now have a longer fix, but nothing has been done to reassure the health care systems or the providers that are doing this care that they will continue to see reimbursement.

Republican South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden highlighted the states efforts in recent years at the conference, including a game changer telemedicine program meant to bolster rural ambulance services. The program was launched with pandemic relief funds during former Gov. Kristi Noems administration.

From left, Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health, moderates a panel discussion with American Hospital Association President and CEO Rick Pollack at the fourth annual Summit on the Future of Rural Health Care hosted by Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Oct. 14, 2025. (Photo by Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

He added that the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program will be a new opportunity, with over $500 million of those funds expected to reach South Dakotans in the next five years. The fund was created to offset the impact of Medicaid changes on rural hospitals created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump in July.

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I think that theres going to be a sizable investment in rural health care in South Dakota, Rhoden said.

American Hospital Association President and CEO Rick Pollack called the $50 billion five-year investment modest compared to the $1 trillion in funding hospitals nationwide are expected to lose in the next decade.

Theyre going to look for transformation in terms of different approaches, Pollack said during a panel discussion, whether its expanding access to behavioral health services, whether its telehealth, whether its using different technologies in terms of virtual care, whether its how you can retain and grow a workforce in rural areas.

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More than 30 "No Kings" protests against President Donald Trump and his administration's policies are planned in Tennessee for Oct. 18.

Nicknamed "No Kings 2.0" by some, the Oct. 18 protests are considered a follow-up to the movement that took over the U.S. in the summer when protests were held on the president's birthday.

"On October 18, millions of us are rising again to show the world: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people," the protest organizer's website reads.

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The "No Kings" protests, organized by a nonprofit coalition of progressive political action groups called Indivisible, are described on the organizer's website as a "nationwide day of defiance" in response to Trump and the military parade, saying, "were taking action to reject authoritarianism."

With an emphasis on nonviolent activism, the website outlines the movement's broad appeal, "from city blocks to small towns," and makes a promise to battle Trump's "ego" in a fight for democracy.

Here's what to know if you plan to take part in the "No Kings" protests in Tennessee.

Where are 'No Kings' protests taking place in Tennessee?

Across Tennessee, 33 protests are scheduled to take place on Oct. 18, marking the largest number of protests against President Trump in Tennessee in 2025. Protests will take place in these Tennessee cities:

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Ashland City

Bristol

Chattanooga

Clarksville

Cleveland

Columbia

Cookeville

Crossville

Gallatin

Jackson

Johnson City

Kingsport

Kingston

Knoxville

Loudon

Manchester

Maryville

Memphis

Morristown

Murfreesboro

Nashville

Oak Ridge

Paris

Pikeville

Pulaski

Sevierville

Springfield

Sweetwater

Tazewell

Tellico Plains

Tullahoma

Union City

Winchester

Can I protest in Tennessee?

Yes, the First Amendment protects the peoples right to protest through the enshrined rights of free speech, assembly and petition.

However, there are some narrow restrictions on the exercise of these rights that are allowed to be implemented by law enforcement and government officials in the interest of public safety.

Do I need a permit? Where can I protest?

Rarely, though it can depend on your location.

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There is a First Amendment principle commonly known as the public forum doctrine, which divides most government property into three categories: traditional public forums, limited public forums and nonpublic forums.

Most protests occur in traditional public forums, which includes locations like public parks, public sidewalks and areas usually open for expressive activity.

A group of protesters gathered at Public Square Park took pictures before marching to the Tennessee State Capitol in support of public education access for all students regardless of immigration status on Monday, April 14, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn.

Former Supreme Court Judge Byron White, who is known for defining the borders of speech forums in the case Perry Education Association v. Perry Local Educators Association (1983), said that in quintessential public forums, the government may not prohibit all communicative activity, and noted that most content-based restrictions in these areas should be viewed with serious caution.

The First Amendment only restricts the actions of the government regarding speech, not that of private individuals, organizations or businesses.

Can I legally film police in Tennessee?

If you are in a public space, you have the right to video and photograph anything within plain view, including law enforcement, federal buildings and fellow protesters.

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If you are audio recording in public, there is generally an understanding that there is no expectation of privacy.

However, you should be aware of your states laws regarding consensual audio recording. While a majority of states favor one-party consent for audio recording, some require two. Tennessee is a one-party consent state. Check your states law here.

State Troopers fill the rotunda as people react after it was announced Republicans began the process of expelling Democratic Reps. Justin Pearson of Memphis, Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville, and Rep. Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, during a House session at Tennessee state Capitol Building in Nashville , Tenn., Monday, April 3, 2023.

If you enter private property, these First Amendment protections do not apply, and the property owner may set the rules for audio and visual recording.

Some states have laws known frequently as halo laws, which dictate how closely citizens can stand to law enforcement when officers are working. Tennessee passed such a law in April, which bans standing within 25 feet of a police officer after being told to retreat.

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Similar buffer-zone laws in Arizona, Louisiana, Florida and Indiana, which have no exception for journalists, have all faced public and legal pushback on First Amendment grounds.

Can I legally burn an American flag?

Yes. The Supreme Court ruled in Texas v. Johnson (1989) that burning the American flag is a form of protected speech and expression under the First Amendment, with the Court later affirming in United States v. Eichman (1990) that a federal statute against flag burning would be unconstitutional.

The issue has sparked debate recently after Trump called for protesters who burn the American flag at protests to spend a year in jail.

They proudly carry flags of other countries, but they don't carry the American flag. They only burn it," Trump said on June 10, while speaking at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. "People that burn the American flag should go to jail for one year. And we'll see if we can get that done."

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Its not the first time Trump has made the claim. At a campaign event in Detroit, Michigan in August 2024, he proposed the same punishment, complaining that advisors told him it was unconstitutional.

They say, Sir, thats unconstitutional, he said. Well make it constitutional.

Can law enforcement take my phone?

Law enforcement cannot confiscate your phone or camera, nor demand to review its contents, without a search warrant, per citizens Fourth Amendment rights.

Steisy Vasquez, records as a person speaks after people walked out following SB 836 advancement during an education committee hearing at Cordell Hull State Office Building in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

They may ask you to stop videotaping or photographing if the action is legitimately interfering with public safety or law enforcement activities.

What do I do if I am stopped by law enforcement?

Even if you believe officers are violating your First Amendment rights, do not resist or argue with officers.

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Instead, calmly assert your First Amendment right to demonstrate while asking if you are free to leave. If you are, leave immediately. If you are placed under arrest, ask for a lawyer immediately. Do not say or sign anything until a lawyer is present.

Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for the Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X at @_leyvadiana

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What are protesters' rights during anti-Trump, 'No Kings' protests
Gov. Patrick Morrisey (center)  accompanied by Del. Pat McGeehan, R-Hancock (left), and Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman R-Ohio, (right) at the Chester Volunteer Fire Department in Chester, West Virginia  ceremonially signs House Bill 3297, which establishes the Washington Center for Civics, Culture and Statesmanship at West Virginia University on Thursday, June 26, 2025. (Photo courtesy of the West Virginia Office of Gov. Patrick Morrisey)

Gov. Patrick Morrisey hasnt yet named a director of West Virginia Universitys new Washington Center, an academic program mandated by Republican lawmakers for the campus. Its required to teach classical western history and culture.

The new state law mandating the center gave Morrisey the task of appointing its director in consultation with the Senate and WVUs Board of Governors. The appointed director must name a seven-member academic council for the center by Nov. 8, according to the legislation. The council can include only one university employee.

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Morriseys office didnt respond to questions for this story. The Republican governor previously said that the legislation was a part of his priority to combat the woke agenda.

Here in West Virginia, we are going to educate, not indoctrinate, he said in a June news release about the bill. Students should be taught how to think, and not what to think. The Washington Center will accomplish this goal while also providing students with instruction on Americas founding and a focus on classical education.

The legislation didnt outline any other required dates for the center to be up and running.

WVU and the Governors Office are in the process of finalizing the appointment of the director of the Washington Center. We expect to make an announcement soon, and then have the center up and running, Shauna Johnson, WVUs executive director of strategic communications, said in an email.

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Del. Pat McGeehan, R-Brooke, who sponsored the Washington Center legislation, declined to comment, saying hed leave a formal announcement to the governors office.

His bill, House Bill 3297, passed by the GOP-led legislature in April, though some Democratic lawmakers  and WVU alumni  raised concerns about a political appointee overseeing academics.

The bill mandated that WVU operate the Washington Center for Civics, Culture and Statesmanship focused on teaching constitutional studies and great debates of Western civilization. It will also present the fact-based instruction on Americas founding, according to the governors office.

The center shall equip students with the skills, habits and dispositions of mind they need to reach their own informed conclusions on matters of social and political importance, the measure said.

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According to the bill, the director shall be an expert on the western tradition, the American founding, and American constitutional thought, and shall have publicly demonstrated, through speeches, publications, or presentations, a commitment to the purposes, goals, and policies of the center.

The directors term will be for five years and renewable, and he or she will report to the WVU president and other university leaders.

The director is tasked with overseeing the Washington Center, including managing and recruiting staff, overseeing its curriculum and the programs budget.

While the bill initially didnt come with funding for the centers director and faculty, the final budget bill contained $1.5 million for WVU to use on the center.

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Along with a director, the bill requires the university to have five additional faculty at the center, which comes in the wake of WVU eliminating around 300 faculty and staff jobs for financial reasons.

The Washington Center can use existing faculty and courses to accomplish the bills requirements of civics instruction.

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With 26 years of judicial experience, the newly appointed Prosecutor General Tong Hio Fong emphasized yesterday that both the courts and the Public Prosecutions Office are committed to upholding judicial fairness.

He also confirmed that an ongoing investigation into a case related to the National Security Law will be disclosed only at an appropriate time if prosecutions proceed, in accordance with legal provisions.

In his first address to the media as Prosecutor General of the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), Tong, the former President of the Court of Second Instance, responded to inquiries about a National Security Law case from July.

He confirmed that the case remains under investigation, stating, Any related prosecutions will be announced at an appropriate time following the completion of the investigation, in accordance with legal provisions.

Tong added that, due to the ongoing investigation, details regarding the individuals involved and specifics of the case cannot yet be disclosed.

Outlining his future priorities, Tong underscored his commitment to leading his office in upholding the rule of law, enforcing laws strictly and impartially, and enhancing oversight of judicial activities.

He stressed the importance of judicial efficiency and the need to safeguard the fairness and authority of the legal system, stating that judicial credibility is rooted in the integrity and professionalism of its team.

Tong expressed his intention to strengthen internal development and management to create a professional, reliable, and publicly trusted prosecutorial team.

In my future work, I plan to engage in in-depth discussions with relevant personnel within the Public Prosecutions Office, including prosecutors and administrative staff, to identify internal issues and explore optimization measures, he said, adding that these efforts aim to boost morale and improve case-handling efficiency.

The Prosecutor General emphasized that Macau exemplifies the successful practice of One country, two systems, highlighting that its long-term prosperity and stability are inherently linked to the safeguards provided by the rule of law. As a crucial institution dedicated to upholding this principle, the Procuratorate bears the responsibility of defending legal dignity, protecting citizens rights, and combating criminal activities.

He affirmed his commitment to leading the Procuratorate with a strong sense of responsibility and mission to thoroughly implement the overarching concept of national security.

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BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WBOY)  Governor Patrick Morrisey stopped in Harrison County on Thursday where he, alongside Diversified Energy, announced a new initiative aimed at safely retiring oil and gas wells across the Mountain State.

The initiative is known as the Mountain State Plugging Fund. Through it, Diversified Energy has committed $70 million over a 20-year period toward the mission of safely retiring its oil and gas wells across West Virginia.

The governor said that this fund will allow wells to be plugged outside of the public dime, as well as mitigate environmental risk, calling the impact of the new fund very, very positive.

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As part of this agreement, Diversified is committed to retiring at least 1,500 wells in the first 20 years, Governor Patrick Morrisey said. And heres the best part. This is going to create at least 50 to 100 jobs at an average salary of about $75,000 a year, plus benefits.

10th annual NCWV Business Summit held in Fairmont

Diversifieds subsidiary Next LVL Energy, which is headquartered in Bridgeport, will be leading the charge to plug the wells with a fleet of more than 20 rigs. The Governor and Diversified said that the private sector is especially suited to deal with retiring these wells.

Everybody talks about wanting to retire wells, but they dont know really how to do it. This is a way to fund it. Weve got these guys behind me today at Next Level who know how to do it, and were going to collaborate and do it together, and were going to retire wells over the long haul, Diversified Energy CEO Rusty Hutson Jr. said.

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While the Governor was excited for this new partnership, he said he hopes it is just the beginning, and that other companies take the initiative as well.

Truth is, while today is about the wonderful partnership between the state of West Virginia and Diversified. Theres still a lot of other wells that need to be plugged, Morrisey said.

This new initiative comes just a year after an international company set up shop in Buckhannon, intending to find and plug orphaned wells in West Virginia.

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Oct. 17MOSES LAKE  Candidates for the Moses Lake City Council and Moses Lake School District discussed school and city finances, trust and water at a forum sponsored by the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce. Joel Graves, running for city council, said Moses Lake has some challenges to address.

"These aren't problems that we can keep kicking the can down the road on," he said.

Council candidates Deanna Martinez, Graves and Jeremy Davis, and school board candidate Mike Nordsten, answered questions submitted by the forum's sponsors. Council candidate Jim Perez sent a statement, saying work commitments kept him from attending. Chamber Manager Debbie Doran-Martinez said school board candidate Lila Baker had declined to attend, citing her withdrawal from the race due to health reasons.

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Water

Moses Lake gets most of its drinkable water from a deep underground aquifer that's gradually declining, and all council candidates said the city needed new sources of water.

"We have been talking pretty much since day one of (her term) about how do we address this bigger issue of our water source," Martinez said. "It takes a lot of people, a lot of partners, a lot of organizations to give us permission to access different water sources."

She cited Moses Lake as an example. The city doesn't have rights to use water from the lake, she said, and the city is working with state and federal agencies to explore the lake as a possible source.

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Council members and city officials have worked to get funding to improve existing water sources, she said. That includes one of the city's wells near Grant County International Airport, which the city is trying to rehabilitate using state, and possibly federal, funding. Martinez said she was one of the council members working on that project.

Davis said he thinks city officials should move quickly to obtain water rights and look at surface water as an alternative. He also cited the city's lack of access to water from Moses Lake.

"We need to figure out how to either get the water rights, which would be my primary goal, or we need to work with the Bureau of Reclamation to acquire water either directly out of the canal (system) or directly from the Columbia River, to some degree," he said.

He said he would support reductions in water fees to Moses Lake residents. In his opinion the fees are too high.

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"To me, that's unsustainable for a vast number of our citizens," he said.

Graves said the city needs to do a better job communicating with its residents about water, citing the continued construction of housing while at the same time asking residents to reduce water use. He said he would support reconsidering water fees.

"We do have water supply issues  there's no doubt about it," he said. "I'd like to see us look at additional sources of water supply. We have plenty of water around, a lot of it comes down to access and infrastructure."

City finances

City council candidates also were asked about finances, specifically a question about the status of the city's audits. The city has fallen behind on them, which has affected its ability to submit capital bond requests to city voters.

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Graves said any concerns expressed by auditors should be a focus of attention, and the auditors have had some concerns in the past.

"Nothing egregious that was discovered, but there were some significant improvements that needed to be made to the way our city operates financially that need to be addressed with a little bit more urgency," he said. "There is a tendency in city government to become complacent and to lose a sense of urgency."

Martinez said part of Finance Director Madeline Prentice's job is to make sure the city is hitting its audit targets.

"The audits are a priority for us. Madeline is working as hard as she can, along with her team, to catch us up, and to acknowledge whatever the audit has required us to do, and we are making those changes," Martinez said.

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The problems started prior to her time on the council, Martinez said, but city officials are working to ensure the city is in compliance.

Davis said the city, and the council, need to address any issues that are identified in an audit as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

"We need to hold our city staff much more accountable," Davis said. "We need to be very responsive when it comes to audit findings."

School finances

Nordsten said he plans to serve one term if he's elected to the school board.

"I really feel like these positions on the school board are community positions and we should have as many people as we possibly can running for these positions," he said.

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School district voters approved a four-year educational programs and operations levy earlier this year, which came after a double rejection of an EP&O levy in 2024.

"(That) tells me that the patrons of the school district are beginning to trust the school district more," he said. "We need to keep working on that  we need to keep making things transparent."

The EP&O levy rejection was followed by the news that accounting errors had drained MLSD's reserves. One of the changes that followed that disclosure is a monthly review by board members of the district's finances.

"There have been errors that have been picked up and caught before they've actually been a big problem," he said. "We also need to make sure we are spending within our means."

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He said one of his considerations when looking at spending proposals will be its long-term as well as its short-term financial impact.

"What it means is, down the road, do we have other things coming up that we need to hold on to some of this money for?" he said. "We need to make sure we're never in the position again where we're wondering if we can make payroll."
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A California mother is speaking out after losing both of her sons to separate killings less than a month apart in El Paso.

Davonna Fanaro says her sons, Jearhamel Fanaro, 34, and Jerome Dio Fanaro, 37, lived in the Sun City for the last four years.

They both were dads, she said. My oldest son had three kids, one boy, two girls. My youngest had just one girl.

El Paso Police say Jearhamel Fanaro was shot and killed Sept. 9 inside a home on Dale Douglas Drive in East El Paso. A 26-year-old woman was also injured during the incident, according to investigators.

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Two men arrested in fatal East El Paso shooting

Detectives arrested Manuel Gonzalez, 43, and Salvador Gomez, 44. Both were booked on charges of murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, police say.

Court documents state Gomez identified himself as the ex-boyfriend of Jearhamel Fanaros girlfriend and told investigators the confrontation stemmed from a previous fight.

Less than a month later, on Oct. 7, Jerome Fanaro died after investigators say he was placed in a chokehold during a fight at a home in the Eastlake area.

El Paso son charged after deadly chokehold during confrontation with moms ex-boyfriend

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Court records identify Jeremiah Nathanial Aguilar, 23, the son of Jerome Fanaros ex-girlfriend, as the suspect. Aguilar is charged with criminally negligent homicide.

Jerome Fanaros mother told KTSM the two were still in a relationship at the time of his death and says her son was planning to return home to California, but never made it.

The El Paso District Attorneys Office tells KTSM the case remains open and confirms Aguilar has a bond hearing scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 23. Court and booking records show Aguilar remains in custody.

I only had two (sons), and theyre gone and theyre never coming back. Nothing that anybody could say or do will make my pain go away, Davonna Fanaro said.

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Davonna Fanaro is asking for accountability, I want justice, and I call it justice for the Fanaro brothers. Something has to be done. They cant just get away with it. They have to be punished somehow.

The family also has a GoFundMe to help with expenses during this difficult time.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
A drone filmed the moment a paddleboarder got too close to a southern right whale mother and her calf amid an attempt to record the pair in Point Ann, Western Australia.

The protective mother whale nudged the individual away, as Australia's ABC Great Southern reported.

Wildlife cinematographer Blair Ranford has research and commercial filming permits, and he told ABC that these incidents are becoming more common. He attributed the uptick to the allure of going viral on social media.

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"They're trying to get more shares, more likes, and unfortunately, that is becoming a bigger problem," Ranford asserted.

Getting too close to wild animals can create problems for both animals and humans, and the practice almost always conflicts with local regulations enacted to protect wildlife.

Animals are unpredictable, especially when they feel the need to defend their young or territory, and can be dangerous when disturbed or they feel threatened. Unfortunately, tourists often ignore warnings and guidelines regarding maintaining safe distances.

In national parks and wildlife preserves, animals can become startled when visitors get too close. If the animal charges in self defense, it could potentially injure both the approaching humans and the animal.

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Maintaining a safe distance and adhering to local guidelines is crucial to ensure both human safety and the well-being of the animals.

In Western Australian waters, people are required to maintain a 100-meter distance from any approaching whale, while boats and other water vessels must maintain a 300-meter distance.

University of Western Australia whale researcher Kate Sprogis told ABC that the waters around Point Ann are a protected spot for southern right whales, where mothers can spend time resting and nursing their calves.

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Mothers do not feed while they are nursing, so expending any extra energy to protect their young puts the mother whale's health in jeopardy. They are an endangered species, so safeguarding them is vital.

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Preserving animals and their habitats and keeping them free from human interference is important. We should be able to appreciate the beauty and wonder of animals in nature while giving them the space and respect they deserve.

Approaching an animal to get friendly or to get a "just right" photograph is unacceptable.

"I think we're starting to love our wildlife a little bit too much," Ranford remarked.

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NAIROBI (Reuters) -A number of mourners were injured in a stampede at a state funeral for Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga on Friday, local broadcaster NTV reported, with thousands seeking to pay tribute to the former prime minister.

NTV posted on its X account a picture of emergency services attending to a person injured in the stampede.

(Reporting by Ammu Kannampilly, editing by Silvia Aloisi)
Officials are concerned that a potentially more severe strain of mpox is starting to spread locally after a third case was confirmed in Los Angeles County on Friday.

The trio of cases, all reported publicly this week, represents the first time this particular type of mpox, known as "Clade I," has been found in the United States among people who had no history of traveling overseas to high-risk areas.

The first case, reported publicly on Tuesday, involved a resident of Long Beach. The second and third cases, reported Thursday and Friday, occurred among other Los Angeles County residents. All three patients were hospitalized but are now recovering at home.

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"At this time, no clear link has been identified between the cases," the L.A. County Department of Public Health said.

Nonetheless, "the confirmation of a third case with no travel history raises concerns about possible local spread in Los Angeles County," Dr. Muntu Davis, the L.A. County health officer, said in a statement. "Were working closely with our partners to identify potential sources and understand how this potentially more serious type of the mpox virus may be spreading."

While the overall risk of ... exposure to the public remains low, we are taking this very seriously," Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. This underscores the importance of continued surveillance, early response and vaccination.

Read more: Mpox is on the rise in L.A. County. Here's how to avoid it

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This type of mpox is different from the one that spawned a global outbreak in 2022, which is known as "Clade II."

Clade I is potentially even more concerning, however, because it may cause more severe illness and spread more easily, "including through close personal contact," such as massage or cuddling, in addition to sex, the L.A. County Department of Public Health said.

The California Department of Public Health said last year that Clade I has historically caused more severe illness than Clade II, but added that "recent infections from Clade I mpox may not be as clinically severe as in previous outbreaks, especially when cases have access to quality medical care."

Read more: Sex, 'casual contact,' pimples: A California monkeypox guide, separating fact and fiction

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Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is primarily spread through close, intimate contact, such as through body fluids, sores, shared bedding or shared clothing, as well as kissing, coughing and sneezing, health officials say.

"Casual contact, like one might have in an airplane, office or store, is unlikely to spread mpox," the California Department of Public Health said.

Tell-tale symptoms "include rash or unusual sores that look like pimples or pus-filled blisters on the face, body and genitals, fever, chills, headache, muscle aches or swelling of lymph nodes," the L.A. County Department of Public Health said. Other symptoms can include a sore throat.

"Anyone who develops an unexplained rash or lesions should avoid sex and intimate contact and seek medical evaluation as soon as possible," the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services said.

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People should get tested if they have symptoms, officials said. Those who have symptoms should also avoid sex or close contact.

Read more: Scientists big monkeypox fear: It will spread to wild animals and be here to stay

Clade II mpox generally causes mild-to-moderate illness and has been circulating at low levels throughout the United States since 2022, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health.

There have been 118 cases of Clade II mpox reported to the L.A. County Department of Public Health so far this year.

Before this week, there had been a total of six cases of Clade I mpox in the U.S.  all among people who had recently traveled to areas where this type of mpox is circulating, namely central and eastern Africa. None of those cases was linked to each other, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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The CDC says there have been more than 40,000 cases of Clade I mpox in central and eastern Africa.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the countries with confirmed cases, multiple modes of Clade I mpox transmission have been documented, including "contact with infected dead or live wild animals" and "household contact often involving crowded households," in addition to sexual contact, according to the CDC.

These countries in central and eastern Africa have reported Clade I mpox cases since 2024. (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The risk to the general U.S. population in the U.S. from Clade I mpox is considered "low," the CDC says. The agency classifies the risk to gay and bisexual men who have sex with more than one partner as "low to moderate."

Travel-associated cases of Clade I mpox have also been found in a number of other regions globally, including Asia, Australia, Europe and South America.

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The first Clade I mpox case in the U.S. was reported 11 months ago  in someone in California who had traveled to Africa and received care in San Mateo County, according to the CDC and California Department of Public Health. That person had mild illness, the San Mateo County health department said at the time.

Most people who are infected get better within two to four weeks, the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services said, "but antiviral treatments may be considered for individuals with or at risk of developing severe illness."

Read more: First U.S. case of mpox variant reported in San Mateo County

The two-dose Jynneos vaccine is also available to help prevent the spread of mpox.

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Those who got only one dose can get their second doses "no matter how long it's been since the first dose," the L.A. County Department of Public Health said.

Vaccines are widely available, and can be found at pharmacies such as Walgreens and CVS. People can look up locations to get vaccinated through the vaccine's manufacturer, Bavarian Nordic. The L.A. County Department of Public Health also maintains a list of vaccination sites.

The vaccine is available to people at higher risk for the illness, including those who were exposed to an infected individual over the last two weeks.

Read more: After mpox outbreak, vaccinations plummeted. Now, officials are renewing the push

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Also eligible for vaccination are gay and bisexual people and other men who have sex with men; transgender, nonbinary or gender-diverse people; people with HIV; people who are eligible or are taking medicine to prevent getting HIV from sex or injection drug use; people traveling to sub-Saharan Africa or areas with Clade I mpox outbreaks; people who plan to attend a commercial sex event or venue, such as a sex club or bathhouse; people who have a sex partner at higher risk for getting infected; and anyone else who requests mpox vaccination.

Officials recommend people with occupational risks for infection, such as certain lab workers, also get vaccinated.

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.
(FOX40.COM)  On Thursday, at the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education meeting, community members called for the termination of President Jasjit Singh. This announcement comes as tensions continue to rise surrounding the removal of two prominent teachers  Jeanine Rupert and Mark Henrikson  at Phoebe Hearst Elementary School.

Emotions at the meeting ranged from heartbroken students who said they miss their teachers, to pure anger from parents who said they were fed up with the district leaders and what theyre calling their lack of transparency.

FOX40 spoke with people in attendance including Leia Wallace. Wallace has a son currently at Phoebe Hearst Elementary School. She said when she first moved to the community, she immediately saw the school as a safe space.

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The energy and the feeling you get when you walk in that campus it was home, Wallace said. And its like taking the heart and soul out of this place.

According to many people in the Sacramento City Unified School District, Phoebe Hearst Elementary School isnt about pencils and assemblies.

I feel like we need Mr. Henrikson and Ms. Rupert to thrive, one student told FOX40.

Chea Kim and his younger sister Amy have a deep history with the school. They said the teachers are a critical part of the education process. Chea said he had Ms. Rupert as a teacher last year, so he was hoping to visit her this year. Ever since he learned she was no longer with the school, the student said he has been fighting for change and asking district leaders to help.

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Its different from, like, listening and hearing, the now 7th grader said. [The Board of Education] heard what we said, but they werent truly listening to us.

Phoebe Hearst parents told FOX40 that nearly 250 students missed school Monday morning  standing in solidarity with Rupert and Henrikson.

There are still many unanswered questions surrounding the beloved teachers removals. The school district removed the two long-term teachers from their classrooms this semester. According to the districts board of education, this is a human resources concern, but parents said it feels like retribution. While the school district has yet to answer questions directly from our team about the circumstances leading to either teachers removal, parents told FOX40 that this entire incident stems from Rupert removing a ripped carpet from her classroom without formal approval. They said Rupert believed it was dangerous because students had tripped over it in the past. Parents added that there were concerns it could have been a source of fleas residual from a past flea outbreak.

My daughter actually tripped on it, Wallace said. So it was a tripping hazard.

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Caitlin Beckett has been an advocate for the two teachers since everything first unfolded. She also attended Thursdays meeting to speak.

It is crazy, Beckett said. Its a teacher who is trying to make her classroom better  safer.

Leia Wallace wearing a shirt in support of two Phoebe Hearst Elementary School teachers who were removed from their classrooms this semester

Around 24 parents publicly demanded change at Thursday nights board of education meeting. At the end of Becketts public comment time, she served President Jasjit Singh with a notice of intent to recall, or remove, him from office.

If you wont do your job, we will remove you and elect someone else, Beckett said.

This bold action resulted in waves of applause from the audience, but was met with minimal reaction from the board members.

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Thursday morning, prior to the meeting, the school district held firm on their stance. In a statement, the districts superintendent said the Sacramento City Unified District Board of Education remains confident in their personnel process.

Im proud to be a Phoebe [Hearst Elementary School] parent, Wallace said. Im not proud to be a Sac City Unified parent. Its embarrassing.

The superintendent also said, in a message to parents, that the board is not changing any decisions  implying leaders did not regret nor plant to soon-reverse Ruperts location re-assignment and Henriksons administrative leave.

However, students told FOX40 they are still hopeful and ready for their teachers return.

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Bring miss Rupert back. Yeah, bring miss Rupert back, students chanted.

I really hope the board actually listens to us this time, Chea said. Because last time, they kind of brushed us off.

Now that President Singh has been served, parents told FOX40 that they will begin petitioning to have him removed. If they get the required number of signatures  approximately 20% of district constituents  things could head to the polls, at which point the decision will be up to voters.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
Two members of the gang MS-13 were convicted Tuesday of a brutal machete attack that left a man nearly decapitated seven years ago, the Orange County District Attorneys Office said.

Jose Rafael Andrade-Membreno, 29, and Edwin Diaz, 25, both of Mission Viejo, were convicted on one count each of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of lying in wait, conspiracy to commit murder and an enhancement of personally using a deadly weapon, the DAs Office said in a news release.

Andrade-Membreno and Diaz, who were 22 and 18 years old, respectively, during the Oct. 1, 2018, attack, ambushed 25-year-old Marcos Morales as he was in a hot tub in Lake Forest with his girlfriend.

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After Andrade-Membreno and Diaz attacked Morales in the hot tub, they chased him into an apartment stairwell, where they continued the attack and left him to die, OCDA said.

Morales, who was not a gang member and who tried to defend himself with a patio chair, was left nearly decapitat[ed] by the assault, which also nearly cut off his arm and resulted in at least 18 stab wounds, including to his brain, officials said.

Xiomara Berrios, left, and Jose Andrade-Membreno are seen in booking photos released Oct. 2, 2018, by the Orange County Sheriffs Department.

Morales 18-year-old girlfriend, meanwhile, was stabbed by a girlfriend of one of the gang members.

The OCDA did not specifically name the third defendant, Xiomara Berrios, as the woman who attacked the girlfriend, but Berrios was charged with a felony count of assault with a deadly weapon in addition to murder and conspiracy charges.

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Berrios, who is Diazs sister and was 18 years old at the time, saw Morales and his 18-year-old girlfriend at the pool area of the apartment complex where they all lived and allegedly let her boyfriend know that Morales was there before the couple agreed to kill Morales, officials added.

Berrios agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for her testimony.

Officials say blood evidence tied the trio to the killings when more than 50 neighbors declined to help police despite allegedly hearing the murderers  screaming their allegiance to MS-13.

At least some witnesses were ultimately located, however, as they testified that the attackers were both laughing as they ran back from the final attack and jumped into a car to leave the crime scene.

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Andrade-Membreno and Diaz face a possibility of life in prison without parole when theyre sentenced on Jan. 23, 2026, and District Attorney Todd Spitzer said their callous responses to the killing are the reason why.

The most terrifying monster is not the one under our beds but the human being who finds joy in inflicting violence on others, said Spitzer. The callousness and calculation involved in this murder was designed to brutalize their victim until his very last breath while striking fear in everyone who witnessed it. And these are exactly the kinds of criminals  murderers who kill before they turn 26  that the California Legislature wants to allow to be eligible for parole and released back into our communities. Some crimes are so heinous that you must be removed from society, and the ruthless murder of Marcos Morales is one of those crimes.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
MISSOURI  Randy Hagedorn sees deer on nearly a daily basis.

His car has front-end damage from a recent collision involving one.

I just didnt have time to react, Hagedorn said.

The damage is minor compared to the Montgomery County residents previous collision with a deer.

I was driving right next to a cornfield and a deer came running out and tried to jump over my car and went through the windshield, Hagedorn said.

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The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) reported 2,951 traffic crashes in the state involving deer collisions in 2024.

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Troopers encourage drivers to be especially alert for deer this time of year. Mating season results in more deer movement.

MSHP reports that most of the crashes occurred in the state from October through December, typically between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Ive seen some pretty bad damage, said Larry Loraine, a co-owner of Collision Centers of St. Louis.

He warns anyone involved in a deer collision to remember there can be more damage than whats visible on the surface.

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Drivers should be cautious not to drive the car immediately after they have a collision with a deer, Loraine said.

He said damage to parts such as the radiator can lead to an overheated engine.

2 boys stop burglary at an ice cream shop in south STL

Be cautious of that and conscious of the fact that you need to watch the temperature on your engine, Loraine said.

Visitors to Creve Coeur Memorial Park spot deer on a regular basis. On Thursday, several deer darted across Marine Avenue just before sunset.

Theyre all over the place, said Brian Fitzgerald, a park visitor. He once lost his drivers side mirror during a collision with a deer.

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The Missouri Department of Transportation warns drivers against swerving to avoid deer. Swerving can lead to even more damage and expenses.

A collision with a deer is covered under your comprehensive insurance, which generally has a much lower deductible, said Loraine. If you swerved and missed the deer but hit a tree, now youre under collision, and generally your deductible is sometimes two or three times as much as your comprehensive.

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The citys restaurant and similar establishments saw modest growth in 2024, according to data from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).

Total receipts for the sector increased by 3.4% year-on-year to MOP15.05 billion, while expenditure rose by 3.1% to MOP15.10 billion. Although the industry continued to operate at a loss, the deficit narrowed compared with 2023.

Restaurants and eating and drinking places with dine-in service generated MOP12.75 billion in receipts, up 3.4% from the previous year.

Growth was led by Chinese restaurants, which rose 2.8%, and local-style cafes, congee and noodle shops, which grew 6.9%. Expenditure for these establishments rose 3.8% to MOP12.68 billion, resulting in a gross surplus of MOP89.23 million for 2024.

Takeaway shops without dine-in service recorded receipts of MOP2.25 billion, up 2.7%, while expenditure edged down 0.4% to MOP2.40 billion. The sector continued to register a loss, totalling MOP149 million, though the deficit was smaller than in 2023.

Cooked-food stalls in municipal markets experienced strong growth, with receipts up 10% to MOP46.86 million and expenditure rising 17.9% to MOP26.88 million, generating a gross surplus of MOP19.98 million.

The survey covers 4,930 licensed establishments, including 2,470 dine-in restaurants, 2,380 takeaway shops, and 80 municipal market cooked-food stalls. Excluded from the survey are restaurants operated by hotels and gaming enterprises, as well as street stalls.

Earlier this year, Aeson Lei, president of the Macau Catering Industry Association, told the Times that Macau is likely to face challenges in offsetting the resulting decline in local consumer spending in the short term.

The F&B representative attributed this trend to the increasing willingness of Macau residents to head north to mainland China for their consumption.

While the government has implemented various measures, like consumer promotion campaigns, which have somewhat boosted market consumption, particularly in the catering industry, the current economic environment is declining. This issue isnt exclusive to Macau; many other regions are also experiencing a drop in consumer spending, Lei said in a previous interview with the Times.

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(Tom Williams | Credit: AP)

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) slammed House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday for failing to hold a single meeting to discuss budget strategy as the government shutdown continues and vented frustration that her party has no plan.

Speaking exclusively to Axios, Greene singled out Johnson for keeping GOP lawmakers out of town for the past month and said the Speaker has not had a single conference meeting to discuss strategy.

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Hours earlier, Johnson had defended the move to send lawmakers back to their districts as the responsible decision to help constituents as the shutdown entered its third week.

What am I saying that can be criticized? Im saying the cost of living is too high, health insurance premiums are destroying the middle class, and Republicans have no plan, Greene told the outlet.

She added: Mike Johnson has not had a single conference meeting about any sort of plan to deal with the ACA tax credits expiring  a lapse she said would leave many of her constituents without healthcare provisions.

The congresswoman also accused her own party, and President Donald Trump, of abandoning the America First principles that once defined the movement, saying parts of the presidents second-term agenda amount to America Last.

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While praising Trump for doing a great job in a lot of places, Greene argued that his administrations focus on foreign affairs risks sidelining domestic concerns.

Its a revolving door at the White House of foreign leaders when Americans are, you know, screaming from their lungs, she said.

Greene also jibed at Trumps tariff war, quipping that farmers and manufacturers dont know if the tariff policy is going to change as the president shifted stances with each Truth Social post.

The Georgia Republican, long an outspoken MAGA loyalist, has taken heat for voicing concerns from fellow Republicans but she sees herself as an ideological purist when it comes to the America First doctrine.

It doesnt faze me at all, Greene said.

The post MTG Slams Mike Johnsons Failure to Negotiate on Shutdown: Republicans Have No Plan first appeared on Mediaite.
Rock Island County Regional Superintendent of Schools Tammy Muerhoff has announced her campaign for re-election, bringing more than two decades of hands-on classroom experience, innovative leadership, and community commitment to the race, according to a news release.

Tammy Muerhoff (contributed photo)

Muerhoffs career in education spans every level of the learning journey  from substitute teacher to classroom teacher, parent educator, and regional leader. She taught in Head Start, pre-kindergarten early childhood special education, and first grade classrooms before joining the Regional Office of Education (ROE) in 2002 as a parent educator, where she guided families through developmental milestones and early learning success.

She was promoted first to assistant early childhood program coordinator, then early childhood program coordinator, and later appointed assistant regional superintendent in 2010. In August 2011, she became regional superintendent of schools.

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Under Muerhoffs leadership, the office has earned accreditation through COGNIA, affirming the regions dedication to excellence and accountability. She also led the creation of the R.I.S.E. Academy (Regional Safe School Program)  a lifeline for students needing a second chance to thrive in a supportive, alternative learning environment. A hallmark accomplishment of Muerhoffs recent term is collaborative work with statewide and local community leaders to provide a countywide effort to connect families with essential services and strengthen partnerships among schools, early care and education providers and community organizations.

Muerhoof is an active member of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools

(IARSS), where she collaborates with peers statewide to improve educational systems, support teachers, and promote safe, equitable learning environments for all students.

Ive devoted my career to helping children succeed, not just in school, but in life, said

Muerhoof. Our schools deserve leadership that listens, adapts, and acts. Im proud of what

weve built together, and I stand ready to keep moving education forward.

About the Office of the Regional Superintendent

The regional superintendent of schools serves as the chief administrative officer for schools in the region, ensuring compliance, providing educator support, and fostering continuous improvement across classrooms, districts, and programs.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A Multnomah County Sheriffs deputy was found justified in shooting a man who pointed a gun at officers back in early June, according to the District Attorneys office.

Additionally, the man, identified as Luis Cervantes-Santiago, has been indicted on multiple charges stemming from the same incident.

The shooting originally occurred in the 4600 block of Northeast 116th Avenue on June 6.

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Italian man residing in Oregon sentenced for stealing SNAP benefits

Cervantes-Santiago was briefly contacted and detained by Portland police in the late afternoon when officers investigated a disturbance where two men were reported fighting.

However, after no crime victim was found, Cervantes-Santiago  who appeared intoxicated at the time  was released to go home and officers cleared the scene just before 5 p.m., according to court documents.

Another call from the same block came in soon after and officers responded. Cervantes-Santiago was back out on the street, holding a gun, and had fired at a house, court documents said.

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MCSO Deputy Matt Hansen was nearby, heard the call come out, and stopped to help, officials said.

Missing Forest Grove 78-year-old may have fallen in hole, search underway

As officers were coming into the area, the sounds of additional gunshots were reported. The deputy worked with PPB officers to challenge the suspect with the gun in the middle of Northeast 116th Avenue just south of Northeast Sandy Boulevard, and the suspect pointed the handgun at the uniformed law enforcement officers, the Portland Police Bureau said in a release.

Court documents added Cervantes-Santiago began to walk rapidly towards them, pointing his gun at various houses as he advanced, despite verbal commands from officers that he drop his gun.

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At that point, Deputy Hansen fired at Cervantes-Santiago and he dropped the gun, officials said. Police said they provided post-traumatic first aid to Cervantes-Santiago until the emergency medical services they had called arrived. He was then taken to a hospital by ambulance for serious injuries.

A semiautomatic handgun was found at the crime scene and seized as evidence, officials said.

A gun found at a crime scene after a NE Portland shooting. June 6, 2025 (courtesy Portland Police Bureau).

The investigation also revealed that another area resident fired shots during this incident, police said. The man remained at the scene, cooperated with the investigation, and no arrests were made, officials said.

Police further noted they documented some property damage from the exchange of the gunfire between the suspect and the neighbor.

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Deputy Hansen, who has been an officer for 32 years, was placed on critical incident leave following the shooting, per standard protocol, according to the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office.

On Oct. 15, a review of the investigation by Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Brian Davidson found Deputy Hansens use of force was justified under Oregon law and therefore not criminal, as he believed Cervantes-Santiago was an imminent deadly threat.

Separately, a grand jury has indicted Cervantes-Santiago on charges of second-degree attempted murder, unlawful use of a weapon, recklessly endangering another person, as well as menacing, the DAs Office said.

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STEPHENS COUNTY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  A suspect in a Stephens County murder for hire case has been sentenced to serve 5 years in prison for a federal firearm charge.

Jacob Wayne Spencer pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm with Obliterated Serial Number earlier this week in Federal court and received a sentence of 60 months in prison.

He is still facing charges of Capital Murder with Remuneration and Unlawful Installation of Tracking Device in Stephens County in connection to the case.

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Court documents filed in the Possession of a Firearm case reveal more about allegations, saying the Texas Department of Public Safety began investigating Spencer in April 2025 after law enforcement received a tip about a possible murder for hire.

During the investigation into the tip, the documents state detectives interviewed the hitman, who is referred to in the documents as only as Cooperating Defendant.

This hitman, who is a convicted felon, said Spencer had given him a firearm equipped with a silencer, a burner phone, and $10,000 to murder his stepfather, according to the documents.

The documents state the hitman claimed Spencer put a tracking device on the victims truck and told the hitman to go to the victims property, murder him and steal his truck in order to take the truck with the tracking device to Spencers home. Spencer allegedly also planned to destroy the firearm, and after the murder was completed, he said he was going to give the hitman an additional $10,000.

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Spencer wanted to murder the victim because Spencers mother left her estate to the victim and the victim was in the process of evicting Spencer, according to the documents.

Investigators did find a tracking device on the victims vehicle, and when agents executed a search warrant on Spencers residence in May, the documents state they found unused tracking devices, evidence of homemade silencers, cash, and a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

Spencer now remains held in jail on bond totaling $1,275,000. No further information is available at this time.

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Donald Trump is on a roll. Not only is he making history in the Middle East but also in Eastern Europe. By finally pushing back against the failing Russian regime, Trump has opened a path to something few expected even weeks ago: a faster end to Putins disastrous war. If successful once again, it would be very hard for the Norwegians to deny Trump the Nobel Peace Prize next year. As a lucky side-effect, he may even, believe it or not, help the Russians rid themselves of Europes last 19th-century despot.

Trumps pivot has two parts. First, he has made plain that Europe must stop freeloading on US taxpayers and take basic responsibility for its own security. This was long overdue. For a generation, European governments preferred disarmament theatre and moral grandstanding, exaggerating Moscows strength to keep American cheques flowing, even as European energy firms continued to buy Russian oil. Trump was mocked for saying as much in his first term, and for insisting that Nato members honour their spending commitments. No one is laughing now.

Second, Trump has finally ditched the Cold War notion that Russia is so formidable that we must, to avoid World War Three, accept that it can bully its neighbours into vassalage. Russia is a weakish, brittle power in rapid decline, with a sphere of influence that has been steadily shrinking for decades. The invasion of Ukraine was meant to arrest the decay; it accelerated it. The land seized at vast cost does not begin to compensate for the collapse of Russian clout in Central Asia, the Middle East and the rest of Europe.

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The crucial moment came in late September, when Trump publicly embraced the proposition that Ukraine can recover all its territory. That was not just rhetorical flourish; it marked a clean break with the both sides must yield mush that undermined the heroic Ukrainian fight and flattered Kremlin mythology. Words from a US president matter. Treat Russia as strong and stakeholders default to caution. Treat it as fragile and initiative is unlocked.

We are already seeing the practical effects. US support has shifted toward enabling strikes that degrade the aorta of the Russian war machine  its energy complex, refineries and logistics hubs  rather than feeding trench attrition that hurts the smaller side most. Talking accurately about Russias under-reported weakness may also embolden the reformers and fence-sitters inside the Russian system who needed reassurance that the Leviathan is a rusting hulk, not a dreadnought. And Trump has gone further, talking openly about supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawks  missiles that can reach deep into Russia, including Moscow, and may evade even its best air defences. His meeting with Zelensky in the White House showed that he may still need to be persuaded, but it is notable that he has even admitted the possibility that they might be supplied.

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This is not to deny risk. Moscow always warns of dramatic escalation when taboos against hitting targets inside Russia are punctured. But squeals are not strength. Russia has been forced to reroute fuel flows, import goods it once exported, and swallow refinery disruptions that bite into war-fighting capacity. With Tomahawks in the conversation, the more serious risk of escalation finally sits where it belongs: against Russia rather than Ukraine. The Kremlins bluff is being called. The sound is not a bears roar but a wince  and, one suspects, nervous shuffling in the corridors of Russian power.

This is what much of Europe still misses. For years, the line was that Russia is so mighty that only the US can contain it. The truer line is the opposite: Russia is so systemically weak that moral clarity, targeted pressure and support for Ukraines asymmetric strengths can move both the battlefield and Moscows politics. Ironically, Washington has sobered up faster than a Europe still addicted to its old alibis.

Energy is the acid test. The EU banned seaborne Russian crude in 2022 but left pipeline derogations that Hungary and Slovakia still exploit. Even in 2025, several EU states increased purchases of Russian energy (LNG) versus 2024. Frances imports rose, as did the Netherlands and Belgiums. Hungary and Slovakia remained big buyers of crude and pipeline gas. Europe moralised in public, rationalised in private, and outrageously helped top up the Kremlins war chest.

Because of this doublespeak (and a previously wobbly Washington) I argued when Ukraine was losing ground that a temporary conflict freeze might be a necessary evil while waiting for an American president ready to hit Russia where it hurts. Luckily the wait already appears to be over. The US is now supplying intelligence, pressuring oil buyers and insurers, floating the Tomahawk threat and, most importantly, sending the correct political signal: Russia is perfectly beatable.

Putin is manifestly not a strategic genius - MIKHAIL METZEL/SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL/EPA/Shutterstock

Europe should rediscover its inner spine and pile on. Stop pleading incapacity. Rebuild the munitions base. Above all, end the energy hypocrisy. The Hungarian and Slovak crude derogations cannot be permanent. France and others buying Russian gas must explain how financing the Kremlin today squares with their Ukrainian liberation rhetoric. Align words with deeds and Putins options shrink further. He is already running out of rope faster than many realise.

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It is worth remembering that regimes built on fear can crumble quickly once the myths of might and cunning are punctured. Russias economy is buckling; its army is depleted; morale is low; and Putin is manifestly not a strategic genius. He is a thug who has betrayed Ukrainians  and his own people. Imagine what Russia might have achieved by now were it not trapped with a regime embracing a 19th-century mindset. Many Russians know that a leap into modernity requires retiring the men who have chained them to the past.

If calm takes hold around Gaza (and there is at least a fragile diplomatic path) and if Russia is shoved back into its box by belated European responsibility plus American pressure on energy flows, Oslo will face an awkward choice next year. They may not wish to, but on outcomes they would struggle not to hand the Nobel Peace Prize to the man who broke the stalemate psychology first in Gaza, then in Eastern Europe. The US president who, in relation to the Ukraine conflict, was both the last to indulge Cold-War superstition and the first to abandon it.

Wars never end with neat immaculate narratives. They end when the ammo, soldiers and money run out. Hamas learned it. Putin is close to learning it, too.

Mark Brolin is a geopolitical strategist and the author of Healing Broken Democracies: All You Need to Know About Populism

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Gov. Phil Murphy and other officials broke ground this week on a new womens prison in Burlington County that will replace Edna Mahan Correctional Facility, the states only womens prison.

The new facility is being built after years of scandal at Edna Mahan, which has been investigated for abuse, neglect and decades of sexual violence.

The new facility in Chesterfield will hold up to 420 prisoners. State officials said the facility will include modern architecture and more units for specialized needs on a 33-acre parcel of existing New Jersey Department of Corrections property.

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Pamela Boykin Jones, known as Pastor Pam, who volunteered at Edna Mahan for years, called the new prison a step in the right direction.

Standing here ... it feels deeply personal, she said.

In 2020, a U.S. Department of Justice investigation found Edna Mahan personnel failed to protect incarcerated women from a systemic pattern of physical and sexual abuse.

The prison made headlines again in 2021 after officers stormed cells, for what they called extractions, after claiming unknown substances were thrown at them. Prosecutors later alleged those officers and their superiors tried to cover up the brutality of the beatings with statements that clashed with video evidence.

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Murphy acknowledged Edna Mahans troubling history during Wednesdays groundbreaking for the new prison.

For decades, Edna Mahan has stood as a shameful symbol of a deeply flawed status quo, the Democratic governor said.

Today were beginning a new chapter for criminal justice in New Jersey, Murphy added.

Following those scandals and reporting by NJ Advance Media, the Murphy administration vowed to close the prison. The facility began shutting down main facilities in 2021, and inmates were moved to a satellite location in Clinton. Then, the new prison was proposed in Chesterfield.

Victoria Kuhn, the states first female corrections commissioner, who was appointed by Murphy after the scandal, said progress has been made.

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Kuhn said the Murphy administration set a goal to establish a culture of dignity and safety for the population at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility. This morning we gather to celebrate a very visible representation of that goal.

Some of the reforms included community feedback panels and oversight, expanded mental health resources, education programs for inmates and body cameras for staff, Kuhn said.

Myrna Diaz, who was incarcerated at Edna Mahan and had her sentence commuted by Murphy last year, said she feels hopeful about the changes.

Diaz was convicted as an accomplice in the 2006 murder and robbery of her boyfriend, Jose Cabrera of Newark. She argued unsuccessfully that she did not know the men who robbed Cabrera intended to harm him. Diaz was sentenced to 40 years in 2010 and served 14 years before Murphy commuted her sentence under the states new clemency program.

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Murphy, who is in his final year as governor, has granted the most clemencies in state history.

Today we stand at the edge of something new, a moment where change meets opportunity and courage meets possibility, Diaz said.

The groundbreaking comes amid controversy. Indictments against more than a dozen people who worked at the now shuttered Edna Mahan who were accused of coordinating beatings were dismissed this month by a Hunterdon County judge.

The indictments were dismissed with prejudice, meaning the charges cannot be refiled.

The state attorney generals office has vowed to appeal.

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A college employee accused of issuing fraudulent student refund checks, while pocketing more than $75,000 for herself, has pleaded guilty to forgery, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutors Office.

The 40-year-old employee worked at Rowan College of South Jersey when she used her position to issue the phony refunds from accounts at the college, the prosecutors office said.

She forged student names in order to cash the checks and deposited the money in her personal bank account, according to investigators.

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The employee carried out the fraud scheme between February 2023 and March 2024, officials said.

She pleaded guilty Friday to a third-degree forgery charge, the prosecutors office said.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a 364-day jail sentence and a term of probation.

She will be required to pay restitution and forfeit her employment with the college. She will also be barred from future public employment in New Jersey.

Her sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 30, 2026.

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The president of the New Jersey School Board Associations board of directors was removed last week after she was accused of an unspecified violation of the groups code of conduct just a few months into the job.

More than 80% of the board, which is made up of representatives of the states local school boards, voted Friday to remove Tammeisha Smith, whose two-year term began in May.

Prior to being elected president, Smith served as the New Jersey School Board Associations vice president for finance for two terms starting in 2019.

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One of New Jerseys largest academic medical centers is preparing to transfer most of the hospitals key services elsewhere, leaving locals with a shell of the current services, according to U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone.

Monmouth Medical Center, a 513-bed facility in Long Branch owned by RWJ Barnabas Health, plans to transfer its labor and delivery services, acute care in-patient beds, and the hospitals license to a new facility in Tinton Falls.

Pallone said Friday he was aware of the plans because he was initially involved in a proposal to allow for a new hospital to be built in Tinton Falls, while keeping Long Branch a full-scale acute care hospital.

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The congressman said that RWJ Barnabas originally accepted the plan but then changed it at the prompting of the Acting State Health Commissioner, and ultimately the Governor. It is their fault this is happening, but they have the power to stop it.

The office of Gov. Phil Murphy did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday morning, nor did a spokeswoman for RWJ Barnabas Health.

Pallone said the state health department deemed the hospitals application to transfer services complete the previous day, on Thursday.

But the plan doesnt go into effect immediately.

Pallone said the hospital system and the state health department must hold separate public hearings before a final decision is rendered within 120 days.

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The New Jersey Department of Health did not immediately return a request for comment.

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Sands China Ltd. is championing the next generation of Asian filmmakers with its second sponsorship of the International Film Camp (IFC) 2025, a platform that provides emerging talent with mentorship, funding, and international exposure while reinforcing Macaus creative credentials.

The IFC 2025 concluded recently with the announcement of eight winning short film projects at its closing ceremony at The Londoner Macao.

Organized by the Asian Film Awards Academy, the initiative has become a platform for nurturing young Asian filmmakers and aims to solidify Macaus position as a hub for cultural exchange and creative industries.

Now in its second year, the camp brought together 18 emerging filmmakers from eight countries and regions, including mainland China, Macau, Hong Kong, South Korea, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, and Kyrgyzstan.

Over five days, participants received mentorship from renowned industry professionals and developed short film projects based on the theme My Best Friend.

Eight winners were awarded HKD300,000 each to produce their short films, which will receive continued support in professional post-production and international promotion.

Curated by veteran festival director and mentor Roger Garcia, the program this year built on lessons learned from its inaugural edition.

The film expert stressed that the IFC is not just about instruction, but about collaboration across borders.

Coming to a camp like this, you dont only learn from professionals who are talking, you also learn from each other, he said. Every filmmaker, wherever they come from, faces challenges. Many of them share common problems, and learning from those shared experiences is something that can be transformative.

Mentorship and training

The camp featured an impressive lineup of mentors, including Hong Kong filmmaker John Chong, known for over 100 productions, including Infernal Affairs and Cloud Atlas, as chief mentor. Other instructors included acclaimed directors and producers Anthony Chen, Mabel Cheung, Brillante Mendoza, Chan Hing Kai, and Meng Xie.

Participants attended masterclasses, seminars, and one-on-one mentorship sessions covering directing, screenwriting, post-production, and pitching.

At a masterclass before the closing ceremony, award-winning Hong Kong director Stanley Kwan shared insights into his creative journey, leaving participants with lessons on perseverance and artistic vision.

Dr. Wilfred Wong, chairman of the Asian Film Awards Academy, noted that the IFC has already made a mark.

Last years inaugural camp yielded encouraging results, with several short films showcased at festivals across Asia and overseas, showing that the IFC is a true launchpad for aspiring filmmakers, Wong said.

Voices from the participants

For many young filmmakers, IFC 2025 was not just a learning experience, but also a turning point in their careers.

Jane Zhang, a Macau-born filmmaker who proposed a short film about memory and self-acceptance, said the camp broadened her creative and professional horizons.

Making short films is always difficult, especially with funding, Zhang said. Through this camp, I learned a lot about pitching, how to secure funding, and how to approach professionals. Witnessing other filmmakers pitch their unique stories was invaluable.

Zhang added that networking with peers across Asia gave her a circle of friends and collaborators that will support her future projects.

For Pham Hoang Minh Thy, an aspiring Vietnamese filmmaker whose project Death in Tokyo explores the theme of life and mortality, the camp represented both a personal and professional milestone.

This is a very special chance to meet filmmakers from different cultures and to learn from world-class mentors, Pham said. For me, one of the most important benefits is being seen and heard by renowned Hong Kong filmmakers and producers whom Ive admired for a long time  that has been a great reward of this experience.

Building on success

The IFC continues to build momentum following its successful launch last year, with several funded short films already screened at international festivals  a track record that, according to Garcia, shows the programs impact.

For emerging filmmakers, whats important is having a chance to get exposure through film festivals, he noted. This camp is fairly unique because we provide production grants at the end of the process. That means participants can actually make their films and show them overseas.

He added that the IFC also helps shine a spotlight on Macau as a host city.

A film festival tries to attract people through its programming, but with a film camp, were bringing people here for a quality learning experience, Garcia said. When people understand this process, it helps position Macau in a strong place internationally. People think, the International Film Camp, that happens in Macau, and that really makes a difference.

Sands Chinas sponsorship aligns with the SAR governments goals of promoting cultural development under its moderate diversification strategy, as well as the tourism+ and culture+ initiatives.

Grant Chum, CEO and executive director of Sands China Ltd., reiterated the companys belief in the role of cinema in strengthening the SARs international image.

Cinematic art not only captures the essence of beauty and life, but also holds the potential to introduce the audience to new destinations, Chum said. Through the power of film, we can attract visitors to Macau and share its compelling stories with the world.

As Chum remarked, initiatives like the IFC are not just about nurturing film talent  they are about supporting Macaus development.

We have invited outstanding film professionals from around the world to provide guidance to participants from various Asian countries and regions, he said. [We hope] to cultivate diverse artistic talents to drive the sustainable growth of the film industry in Macau.

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A New Jersey man was arrested after authorities learned he asked a 6-year-old girl to record sexually explicit videos of herself for him, officials said.

Shakem T. Holmes, 23, began chatting with the East Peoria, Illinois girls in March on a popular social media platform not named by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General in a statement Friday.

Holmes then began texting the girl. He later sent her sexual videos of adult women and asked the girl to record herself performing the same acts and send him the videos, authorities said.

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The girls parent found the text messages on her phone and contacted local police, who learned the person texting her was in New Jersey.

State Police in New Jersey were contacted on July 23. Troopers found Holmes at a hotel and arrested him after executing a search warrant. Investigators seized his phone, tablet and a laptop computer.

Holmes, of Edison, is charged with multiple counts of endangering the welfare of a child as well as aggravated sexual assault, attempted sexual assault and obscenity to a minor.

A judge ordered him to be held at the conclusion of a detention hearing earlier on Oct. 3. He has been in the Middlesex County jail since Sept. 26, according to jail records

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Holmes is represented by a public defender.

Holmes was also charged with endangering the welfare of a child in Somerset County in 2023, according to court records . It wasnt immediately clear how that charge was resolved.

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A Morris County man was arrested on charges of leaving sexually explicit notes and lewd photographs on at least three cars within the past year, including one parked outside a local bar earlier this month.

The man, a 74-year-old Budd Lake resident, was arrested Wednesday after police investigated separate instances where photographs of male genitalia and a coinciding note were left on car windshields dating back at least to last year, the Morris County Prosecutors Office said.

The man is charged with both providing and distributing obscene materials, lewdness, harassment and endangering the welfare of a child, the county prosecutor said. He was released from the Morris County jail and ordered neither to contact the affected people nor return to any of the businesses where he left the graphic materials.

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The man allegedly left obscene notes and graphic photographs on windshields dating back to June 2024, when two were found on a car parked outside a restaurant in Rockaway Township, the county prosecutor said.

This month, the man allegedly left a note and a graphic Polaroid photograph on a womans car outside of the Black River Bar in Randolph. The bar owners responded to the allegations on Facebook, saying they were taking the case very seriously.

I have four daughters that have literally been raised in the Barn, I do not think it is a joke, the bars owner wrote on social media. I have dedicated my life to the community. I have never heard of anything like this, so if you can make suggestions, I am more than open to follow through with your suggestions.

The woman and her cousin discovered the note after returning to their car after being at the bar on Oct. 4, she said, speaking to ABC7 New York.

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We thought it was a ticket...when we saw the note, we were grossed out, said the woman, who asked to remain anonymous.

The man allegedly repeated his behavior in September by leaving a similar note and photograph on a car parked outside a Quick Check. The driver and her 17-year-old daughter who visited the convenience store reported their discovery to Mount Arlington police, the county prosecutor said.

Eric Conklin

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SAN FRANCISCO  Nancy Pelosi will face a challenge from a prominent California lawmaker if she runs for reelection, adding to pressure on the former House speaker to step aside amid Democrats widening intraparty generational divide.

State Sen. Scott Wiener, a moderate Democrat by San Francisco standards, is expected to announce his campaign next week, according to three allies briefed on his plans and granted anonymity to discuss them. He has previously said he would wait until Pelosi retired to run for the seat.

Pelosi, 85, hasnt said if she plans to run for another term in 2026. Wieners abrupt foray into the race comes as Pelosi already faces a stronger-than-expected primary challenger in Saikat Chakrabarti, a wealthy former tech executive who previously worked as chief of staff to New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

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One person familiar with Wieners thinking said hes eager to launch his campaign now to start fundraising, noting Chakrabarti has poured $700,000 of his money into the race.

Wieners move will upend politics in a citadel of Democratic power while adding fuel to an uncomfortable generational divide between a party establishment and megadonors loyal to Pelosi and younger activists backing Wiener, 55, or Chakrabarti.

Wieners campaign declined to comment on his plans, which were first reported by The San Francisco Standard .

Pelosi spokesperson Ian Krager did not directly respond to questions about Wieners expected candidacy. He said the former speaker is focused on campaigning for California Democrats redistricting ballot measure, which aims to offset Republicans' congressional gerrymander in Texas and other red states.

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Speaker Pelosi is fully focused on her mission to win the Yes on 50 special election in California on November 4th on the path to taking back the House for the Democrats, Krager said in a statement. She urges all Californians to join in that mission.

Speculation about Pelosis future has swirled in her hometown since she stepped down from leadership after Democrats lost the House in 2022. But Pelosi, who was first elected in 1987, has remained in Congress longer than many local party leaders expected.

If Pelosi retires, other potential contenders for the seat include Christine Pelosi, her daughter and a longtime party organizer; city Supervisor Connie Chan, a leader of the citys progressive wing; and Jane Kim, a former supervisor and director of the left-leaning California Working Families Party.

Meanwhile, Wiener has spent the last few years building his shadow campaign to succeed her and has raised nearly $1 million for the effort  a move that has angered Pelosi allies.

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But Wiener, a former city supervisor and lawyer, has built his own San Francisco political machine. Hes also one of Californias most prolific state legislators, passing landmark laws to bolster housing construction, regulate artificial intelligence models, protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people and expand funding for public transit.

Laura Foote, a longtime Wiener ally, said supporters are hopeful that he could help nationalize the pro-housing YIMBY (or Yes in My Back Yard) movement that aims to remove local regulations stymieing development.

I am optimistic about the prospect of a younger, pro-housing leader bringing new energy into Congress, said Foote, who leads the advocacy group YIMBY Action. More than any other individual he has driven change in California housing policy.
California state Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco, is reportedly running for the seat former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has held on to for nearly 40 years, resisting calls for her to step aside and usher in the next generation of lawmakers.

Wiener, 55, whose planned campaign was reported Friday by The New York Times and The San Francisco Standard, isnt Pelosis first primary challenger, but hes perhaps her most serious one yet.

A former San Francisco supervisor whos represented the city and part of a neighboring county in the California State Senate since 2017, Wiener has built a big profile successfully pushing for more housing development, protections for transgender Americans and a requirement that presidential candidates disclose their tax returns to appear on Californias ballot in 2020. (President Donald Trump sued him for that one, and the courts ultimately struck down the policy.)

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) after a rally with members of the Democratic caucus on Sept. 30. Tom Williams via Getty Images

But even with his acclaim, Wiener should expect to face a decidedly uphill battle if Pelosi runs again, California Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio told HuffPost on Friday.

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Few will want to cross her by endorsing her opponent or making contributions, Maviglio said. Wiener is an appealing candidate with a solid legislative record. But defeating Pelosi, the patriarch of SF politics and a national hero to many Democrats, is a tall order, particularly in a Top 2 election.

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Though Pelosi, 85, has filed candidacy paperwork to run again in 2026, she hasnt formally announced her plans. She has never competed in a close race, save for the special election when she first ran for the seat in 1987.

Wiener, who also filed that paperwork over the summer, hasnt kept his aspirations for Pelosis seat a secret, but he previously indicated hed wait until she stepped aside to launch a campaign.

State Sen. Scott Wiener at a Halloween event while campaigning in San Francisco last October. via Associated Press

Ive been clear that I intend to run for this seat whenever the race opens up, whether in 2026 or 2028, Wiener said in a statement when he filed the paperwork.

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Wieners office did not respond when asked to comment on the reports, but sources familiar with the plans told the Standard an announcement from him is expected next week.

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When reached for comment, he told the outlet: Ive been preparing and raising money for whenever the race starts.

Though she stepped down as House speaker in 2022, Pelosi is regarded as one of the most powerful women in politics. She regularly spars with Trump and reportedly played a critical role in pressuring former President Joe Biden to exit the race last year, clearing the way for then-Vice President Kamala Harris ultimately unsuccessful campaign.

The biggest threat to Pelosis legacy may be her refusal to step down. Polling by Beacon Research for Saikat Chakrabarti, whos running for Pelosis seat after serving as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs (D-N.Y.) chief of staff, found that 51% of people had supported Pelosi in the past but now think its time for a change.

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But Maviglio is skeptical that interest in new faces will be sufficient to oust Pelosi.

Politics: Trump Literally Takes A S**t On No Kings Protesters In Wild AI Video

Im doubtful the appeal of generational change is enough to dislodge her, he said, adding that he expects Wiener will focus on this in his campaign.

If it were an open seat, he said, it would be an entirely different story.

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A national group hoping to help people survive cardiac arrest held their campaign launch Thursday night at a restaurant in Boston.

Cardiac Crusade was created in Texas, after one of the founders was saved by an automated external defibrillator, or AED.

I was personally saved by an AED, and I am 5 years strong after that event, Co-founder Julie Coons said.

Julie and her husband, Greg Coons, are going around the country to bring more AEDs to underserved areas.

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Boston has some pockets that are not at all covered by AED, Julie said.

Her husband, Greg, says an AED is the only thing that can bring someone who is having cardiac arrest back to life. He wants to make sure people have access to the device and can find one quickly when someones heart stops. Minutes matter, as every minute that goes by, someones chances of survival drop. Only 10 percent of people who go through cardiac arrest survive.

Thats the difference between someone living and someone dying, Greg said. On a mission to increase the survival rate of those going through cardiac arrest. Its a no-brainer, of course, it needs to be on the map. Of course, its going to save lives.

Their mission is to have phones tell people where the closest device is. Pulse Point has a map where you can see the thousands of AEDs in San Diego, California. You can zoom in and see which businesses have one. The Cardiac Crusade wants to get more cities on the map, so people can just hopefully, one day ask their phones where the nearest one is.

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The ability for any individual to be a lifesaver. Right? If they know where the AED is, they can help someone in need like I was helped, Lauren Quint said.

Quints heart stopped a year and a half ago. People outside her doctors office in Norward rushed in to save her with an AED. Now, shes volunteering with the mission to try and help more people.

An AED mapped today might not save someone in the next month, but in 5 years, if you know its there, it could potentially save someones life then.

Their goal is to add 1,500 AEDs to the map around Boston over the next few months.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has said he plans to deploy state troopers and members of his states National Guard to the streets of Austin on Saturday to help police the latest round of No Kings protests against the Donald Trump administration.

Today, I directed the Dept of Public Safety and National Guard to surge forces into Austin ahead of an Antifa-linked protest, Gov. Abbot wrote on X on Thursday. Texas will NOT tolerate chaos. Anyone destroying property or committing acts of violence will be swiftly arrested. Law and order will be enforced.

Abbott provided no evidence to support his claim that the nationwide No Kings demonstrations, which were first held on June 14 in over 2,000 cities and towns, are affiliated with Antifa, the name given to a loose grouping of left-wing activists that Trump has accused of engaging in domestic terrorism, but which do not appear to have a central organizing structure of any kind.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has claimed the No Kings demonstrations are Antifa-affiliated, without providing any evidence (Reuters)

In response, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said in a statement of his own that the Guard will be on hand but not called upon unless there is a determination that there is an emergency need.

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The city of Austin and I will continue to protect the right of people to peacefully assemble, Watson said. I support people exercising their right to engage in peaceful protest against politics and policies that they disagree with.

Power should always stay with the people, where it belongs. I share the belief in our democracy. I am committed  now more than ever  to stand against efforts to devalue and dismantle our democracy.

The mayor went further, adding: Let me be clear: I dont condone the militarization of our streets Much of what we see out of Washington is to create fear and chaos. Unfortunately, our state engages in this, too. We should not play into these politics.

Michael Bullock, President of Austin Police Association, said: Our department has been very accommodating to make sure that we help people express their first amendment rights in a peaceful manner so that way they can exercise their rights. However, that does not include criminal behavior.

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I would encourage anybody that may be considering engaging in illegal behavior to be aware that the department does monitor things and we are prepared for things and its not worth going down that route. Its always best to just remain peaceful and to not engage in any criminal behavior.

The Texas Department of Public Safety told Fox 7 Austin that its Homeland Security division will be monitoring Saturdays event, investigating any possible terror links, and making swift arrests if anyone breaks the law.

A drag queen performs a routine at the Texas State Capitol in Austin during the original No Kings rally on June 14 2025 (AFP/Getty)

Abbotts attempt to tie the No Kings rallies to Antifa follows Transport Secretary Sean Duffy doing the same during a Fox Business appearance earlier this week, claiming without evidence that the demonstrators set to take part are paid members of Antifa.

This is part of Antifa, paid protesters, it begs the question whos funding it? Duffy asked host Maria Bartiromo Monday.

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Democrats want to wait for a big rally of a No Kings protest when the bottom line is: whos running the show in the Senate? Chuck Schumers not running the show. The No Kings protesters or organizers are running the show.

Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall has, meanwhile, accused protesters of being paid by George Soros, a favorite boogeyman whose Open Society Foundations network is under investigation by the Department of Justice under Trumps direction.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson is among the conservatives who have labelled the protests Hate America rallies and accused opposition Democrats of being unable to control their rabid base.

The No Kings organizers shot back at Johnson over those remarks, accusing him of running out of excuses for keeping the government shut down.

Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, hes attacking millions of Americans who are peacefully coming together to say that America belongs to its people, not to kings, they added.
The National Guard has exceeded its fiscal 2025 recruiting goals with the Air National Guard and Army National Guard combining to recruit nearly 50,000 new enlistees, officials announced Sept. 23.

Young Americans are eager to serve, Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said in a release. Todays recruits are seeking long-term value, and the National Guard delivers through career training and hands-on, practical experience in more than 200 career specialties.

The Army National Guard started a new marketing campaign in March dubbed Uncommon is Calling. The campaign showcases the dual lives of Guardsmen who balance civilian careers with Guard duties during emergencies and national crises, according to the release.

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Thats what attracted Spc. Bruno DaSilva of the 1060th Transportation Company to the Massachusetts National Guard.

Outside of the National Guard, I have my own company.  Im in the insurance business, DaSilva said in the release. In the National Guard, I can serve my country and run my business at the same time.

The Army National Guard has hit 328,000 soldiers in end strength, officials said. Army Col. Timothy Smith, chief of the Army National Guards Strength Maintenance Division, credited dedicated recruiters and the Future Soldier Preparatory Course as initiatives that helped the Guard exceed their goal.

Their hard work is the bedrock of our readiness. The organization has made recruiting and end strength priorities because if you cant fill your end strength, you cant be ready, Smith said. Theyre tied together. Our readiness starts with our recruiters.

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The Future Soldier Preparatory Course serves as a bridge to basic training, helping recruits improve either academically or physically before starting basic training. Nearly 7,000 Army National Guard recruits have entered basic training through the course to date, according to the release.

Nordhaus and Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines visited the course at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in March to meet the cadre and trainees, officials said.

Were a team of teams, Nordhaus said, We need every committed American who wants to serve, even if they arent meeting the standards when they make that decision. This program helps them reach their potential and ensures we have high-quality Soldiers in our formations, because the standards wont change.

The Air National Guard also surpassed its recruiting goals and is on track to surpass 105,000 airmen by the end of the fiscal year, according to the release.

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Air Force Col. Daniel Curtin, director of Air National Guard Recruiting and Retention, said the success is driven by several factors, including 19 consecutive months of year-over-year increases in new accessions.

The recruiting environment is strong, Curtin said in the release. We have worked diligently to establish a culture of excellence and opportunity that appeals to potential recruits.

The Air Guard is working to centralize recruiting efforts within each state and territory. Previously, some recruiters operated under a wing or force support squadron, while others worked under a states joint force headquarters. However, Air Guard recruiting headquarters will now operate as separate flights or squadrons, solely dedicated to recruiting and retention, according to the release.

The biggest thing we are trying to do is create a structure where you have a single officer that is responsible for the recruiting force in that state or territory, Curtin said. It is a formally appointed commander responsible for recruiting. Thats probably the most important thing that were driving out of this, because that allows us to do a lot of other things.

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Curtin also credited the funding of 150 temporary recruiting support positions and 210 temporary Unit Manning Document positions as vital in improving recruiting operations in fiscal 2025.

Nordhaus emphasized that the National Guard needs to maintain momentum on recruiting moving forward.

The source of our strength is the fearsome deterrence of our warfighter talent  the men and women of the National Guard, he said. While we exceeded our goals with historic levels of recruiting this year, we cannot take our foot off the accelerator. We must continue recruiting the next generation of elite warfighters while retaining our most skilled and talented Soldiers and Airmen.
On October 1, 2025, the U.S. government shut down because Democrats and Republicans can't agree on funding for government services like the Affordable Care Act, which provides health insurance for over 20 million Americans. Until they reach consensus, hundreds of thousands of federal employees will remain furloughed without pay. National Park Service employees across the country are among the federal workers who have been placed on unpaid leave until the government shutdown ends. Despite the lack of staff, many national parks around the U.S. have remained open to the public. Some parks are already struggling (tourists are risking their lives in Yosemite), but Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is reportedly still going strong despite staffing challenges due to volunteer efforts.

According to Rocky Mountain National Park's website, the park remains open and "as accessible as possible" at this time, but the lack of staff may impact your visit to the park. "Some services may be limited or unavailable," the webpage states. Entrance fees, which normally cost visitors $15-$35, are not being charged during the government shutdown. Additionally, timed-entry is not being enforced, so visiting does not require reservations at this time. The visitors centers throughout the park are currently closed.

Volunteers are working hard to care for Rocky Mountain National Park due to the lack of park service employees on-site. A group from the YMCA of the Rockies has been collecting trash and emptying trash cans throughout the park. Those who choose to visit during the government shutdown should attempt to abide by Leave No Trace principles, so as not to overwhelm the limited volunteers and staff members attempting to keep things under control.

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Rocky Mountain National Park remains busy, and volunteers are stepping in to help things run smoothly

Iconic Alpine Visitor Center at Rocky Mountain National Park - John Morrison/Getty Images

Rocky Mountain National Park appears as busy as ever, but there's no way to officially count how many people are entering the park since no one's charging the usual admission fees. Since visitors centers within the park are closed, guests should stop by the Fall River Visitor Center in Estes Park for park information. It's currently being operated by members of the Rocky Mountain Conservancy staff in the absence of park rangers.

Although volunteers and members of the Rocky Mountain Conservancy staff are doing their best to help out and keep the park as clean as possible, they're no replacement for park rangers. "They don't have the training or the same educational background and institutional knowledge as our dedicated Rocky Mountain National Park Rangers," Kaci Yoh, communications manager for Rocky Mountain Conservancy, told the Aspen Times in an interview.

Tips for visiting Rocky Mountain National Park during the government shutdown

Fall hiker at Rocky Mountain National Park - Haveseen/Getty Images

The YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park Center program director, Susan Taylor, offered tips for visitors on the organization's Facebook page. She suggested using bathrooms outside the park, as bathroom facilities inside the park may be limited. Visitors should also pack out all their trash and dispose of it properly outside of the park.

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Taylor also recommends that guests plan which hikes they want to embark on in advance, and download trail maps ahead of time. Check weather conditions before you head out, as rangers might not be available to offer information within the park. With limited staff on-site, you should use extra caution when exploring.

One Reddit user called Mambo_KC, who claimed to visit the park last week, wrote that the shuttles were running as normal and parking lots were filling up early. They suggested that visitors bring their own toilet paper, and mentioned that the vault toilets at Bear Lake and Sprague Lake were open, but that some flush toilets were locked. The water hydrants were also turned off, so they recommended ensuring visitors bring plenty of their own water. "Overall, people were gracious, aspens are still beautiful, elk are bugling like crazy, and locals were happy to see us. Be patient, be nice, pack out your trash and you will have a great time," they added.

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On Saturday, Oct. 18, residents across Northwest Indiana and Chicago are expected to join a national series of No Kings protests. Organizers say the demonstrations are meant to show opposition to what they view as threats to democracy and government overreach.

Republican leaders have sharply criticized the movement. House Speaker Mike Johnson called the planned No Kings march in Washington a hate America rally.

When are No Kings protests in Northwest Indiana and Chicago?

All protests are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18.

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Gary: 910 a.m., at U.S. 20 and South Lake Street , near the South Shore Miller Train Station. Organizers say they will be accepting donations for the Humane Society of Northwest Indiana.

Crown Point: noon2 p.m., at Crown Point Courthouse Square, 101 S. Main St.

Highland: 34:30 p.m., at the Highway of Flags Veterans Memorial, southeast corner of U.S. 41 and Ridge Road.

Valparaiso: 11 a.m.2 p.m. The events address is private; participants must sign up online for details.

Chicago  Main Rally: noon2 p.m., at Butler Field in Grant Park, near East Jackson Drive and South Columbus Drive.

Chicago  Logan Square Send-Off: 9:3011 a.m., at Unity Park, 2636 N. Kimball Ave.

Chicago  Lincoln Park Send-Off: 1011:30 a.m., at Oz Park, near Lincoln and Webster avenues.

Chicago  Lake View: 12 p.m., on the sidewalk in front of the Nettelhorst Playground, 3290 N. Broadway.

Elsewhere in Indiana:

Indianapolis: 11 a.m.2 p.m. ET, at the Indiana Statehouse.

A full list of protest locations and sign-up links is available at https://www.nokings.org/

What is No Kings all about?

No Kings is a national movement that describes itself as a peaceful effort to challenge government abuse of power. The group first gained attention in June when protesters across the country held rallies to counter a military parade in Washington, D.C., held in honor of the Armys 250th anniversary and President Donald Trumps 79th birthday.

The post Nationwide No Kings Protests This Weekend Include Rallies in Gary and Chicago appeared first on Capital B Gary.
Several educational institutions have been losing part or all of their government funding because they failed to comply with the rules, particularly submitting reports in a timely manner.

According to information published on the Public Assets Supervision and Administration Bureau portal, the failure to submit timely reports is the primary cause of the reduction of public funding for institutions.

In the latest case, the Beijing Foreign Studies University Macau Student Communication Association was also penalized in the same way for submitting its financial report late.

This year alone, 13 institutions, including the Kiang Wu Charitable Association, the Rotaract Club of Macau, the Macau Portuguese School (EPM), and the Macau University of Science and Technology Foundation, have seen funding cuts for the same issue.

In the case of the Rotaract Club of Macau, the association had its financial support canceled for violations of unspecified duties defined in the financial support plan, related to its 2024 annual financial plan for students and youth.

Lighter penalties have been applied in cases such as the EPM, where the report on the subsidy plan for their 2023/2024 extracurricular activities was delayed.

In this case, the Education and Youth Development Bureau will not deduct an amount related to a 5% reduction from the total financial support, a sum that serves as a deposit.

Although these penalties are common and can occur for many reasons, including discrepancies between the original plans submitted for financial support and the actual implementation, the government portal shows that many institutions have had their funding completely canceled.

Depending on the reasons, this can lead to a ban from reapplying for other subsidy and financial support programs for up to two years, as specified by the regulation for the Education Fund.

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Thanks to a new program in California, the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel has regained ownership of 1,107 acres of ancestral tribal land in San Diego County, SFGate reported.

This August, INSY announced in a press release that it had received the land on the eastern side of the Volcan Mountains. The act was a part of a $100 million program meant to return land in California to the Indigenous tribes who historically managed it.

"This is coming from a place of understanding that the lands that we all live on have been managed and cared for by tribes, and that has been something that has been done since time immemorial," Geneva E. B. Thompson, deputy secretary for tribal affairs at the California Natural Resources Agency, told SFGate.

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Thompson continued: "Our environment actually co-evolved with tribal practices, with tribal culture, ecological stewardship and tribal sciences. So through those historical wrongs and the disruption of tribal ecological knowledge, tribal stewardship and tribal care of these lands, we're actually seeing our land suffer."

Indeed, traditional land management practices support biodiversity and reduce the severity of wildfires, which are at the forefront of California's mind.

The University of California reported that some Indigenous peoples have actually used controlled, cultural burns to prevent wildfires. Fire isn't always dangerous; it can be a form of healing for the land.

Burning areas selectively can prevent wildfires from happening on vulnerable land. It happens on a planned cycle, and it allows many Indigenous peoples to continue thriving on their land.

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The return of INSY's oversight opens multiple possibilities for the land, which includes several types of natural forest and native grasslands. Endangered species found on the land include the golden eagle and the arroyo toad.

According to INSY's press release, it intends to open a cultural and educational center on the property called the Ewiinally Traditional Ecological Knowledge Center.

"The return of these 1,107 acres of Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel ancestral land is more than a restoration of territory, it is a restoration of identity, responsibility, and healing," said INSY Chairman Kevin Osuna.

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A Navy commander overseeing strikes on alleged drug boats off the Venezuelan coast stepped down Thursday as some of the intended targets of the latest U.S. aerial attack appear to have survived.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on X that 37-year veteran Admiral Alvin Holsey will retire by the end of the year.

Throughout his careerfrom commanding helicopter squadrons to leading Carrier Strike Group One and standing up the International Maritime Security ConstructAdmiral Holsey has demonstrated unwavering commitment to mission, people, and nation, Hegseth said Thursday.

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Holsey had spent less than a year in a position that was expected to last three years, according to the New York Times. A reason for his departure wasnt stated. He reportedly had reservations about U.S. operations in Central and South America targeting non-military ships.

At least 27 people appear to have been killed in those strikes in recent weeks. One strike that took place Thursday in the Caribbean left behind survivors, a U.S. official told Reuters. Who those crew members were or what became of them isnt clear.

The Trump administration contends its at war with Venezuelan narco-terrorist groups.

Venezuelas U.N. Ambassador reportedly petitioned the United Nations Security Council to condemn the attacks as illegal.

President Trump said Wednesday hed authorized the CIA to operate in Venezuela. He claims the country is sending drugs and mentally ill people into the United States.
The U.S. Navy is holding two survivors from a sixth airstrike on an alleged drug trafficking boat, multiple outlets report.

The airstrike on Thursday targeted an apparently semi-submersible vessel that was partially underwater when it was hit, according to Reuters, which first reported on both the airstrike and the survivors. Two survivors were recovered by a U.S. military helicopter while at least one other person onboard died, according to Reuters and the Associated Press. The two survivors are being kept on a Navy ship, the outlets report.

The new attack came two days after the fifth airstrike in the sea killed six people. The attack on Thursday would bring the death toll since September from American attacks to at least 28.

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The Trump administration has repeatedly called the people killed drug traffickers and narco-terrorists, following the designation of drug cartels as terrorist organizations. It is not immediately clear how that would impact how any survivors would be held if in American custody.

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Task & Purpose reached out to the Pentagon, SOUTHCOM and the Navy regarding both the strike and under what conditions the survivors are being held, but has not heard back as of press time.

The White House and Department of Defense have accused the ships of moving narcotics from Venezuela, although no evidence has been put forward. The Guardian reported that two people killed in previous strikes were from Trinidad and Tobago.

The Trump administration had previously told Congress it considers the United States to be in an armed conflict with cartels. In August, the United States began moving several warships, a Marine expeditionary force and fighter jets into the Caribbean in the name of counter-drug trafficking operations. American forces began airstrikes on boats in September, even as Navy and Coast Guard ships continued regular interdictions. Last week SOUTHCOM organized a joint task force to oversee counter-narcotics efforts.
An image of a flag appearing to include a swastika was seen on the wall of Republican politician Dave Taylors office - Politico

American flags, doctored to include a swastika, have been planted in Republican congressional offices in Washington, DC, a congressman claims.

On Wednesday, a flag with a Nazi symbol was spotted on the office wall of Ohio Representative Dave Taylor. Mr Taylor said in a statement on Thursday night that he was not the only Republican congressman who had been targeted by an unidentified group or individual.

New details have emerged from a coordinated investigation into the vile symbol that appeared in my office. Numerous Republican offices have confirmed that they were targeted by an unidentified group or individual who distributed American flags bearing a similar symbol, which were initially indistinguishable from an ordinary American flag to the naked eye, he said

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My office was among those that were subjected to this ruse. After a full-scale internal investigation, I am confident that no employee of this office would knowingly display such a despicable image, and the flag in question was taken down immediately upon the discovery of the obscured symbol it bore.

As Ive said previously, I unequivocally condemn hate in any form and continue to collaborate with Capitol Police and the Committee on House Administration to uncover additional details in this investigation.

Donald Trump with Dave Taylor earlier this year

It is unclear how many of these flags were received by Republican members of Congress.

Images of the flag, in which three of the red stripes were manipulated into the shape of a swastika, were published by Rooster Ohio, a local independent news website on X. The image later went viral.

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The user claimed a friend in DC was on a Zoom call with one of Mr Taylors legislative aides, Angelo Elia.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr Taylor said he had asked Capitol Police to investigate the incident. He said: The content of that image does not reflect the values or standards of this office, my staff, or myself, and I condemn it in the strongest terms.

The previous flag incident took place in February, Politico reported. A congressional aide told the website that the editing of the flag, which was thrown away after being photographed, was obvious, he said.

Because of the government shutdown, the US Capitol Police was unable to provide a comment. Mr Elia, who has worked in Mr Taylors office since January, has been approached for comment.

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In February, similar flags were sent to Republican offices, Politico reported.

Earlier this week, hundreds of racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic text messages in a Young Republicans group were leaked to Politico.

Texts included jokes about sending political opponents to the gas chamber, with one poster writing: Im ready to watch people burn now.

Leaders of the Young Republicans swiftly disowned vile and inexcusable language.

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SPRINGFIELD  Democrats are firm in their resolve to protect tax credits in the Affordable Care Act as the government shutdown heads toward its fourth week.

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal said higher bills for health insurance  costs the tax credits are meant to counteract for working Americans making too much money for Medicaid that will end the impasse.

The premium notices are going out, Neal, D-Springfield, said in an interview Friday. Between now and November, those higher bills will go out.

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Neals office estimates that in the 1st District, cuts will mean higher premiums for 29,000 residents, with more than a 185% increase for a 60-year-old couple making $85,000 a year.

Neal said Democrats have no interest in a one-year fix, if one is offered by Republicans.

That gets them through the next election, he said.

Itll be President Donald Trump who will decide when Republican lawmakers are ready to make a deal and end the government shutdown now in its third week, he said.

Trump holds sway over the Republicans, Neal said. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., probably has more leeway than House Speaker Mike Johnson, Neal said.

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Neal said Friday that he and his fellow Democrats have been in D.C. this week, ready to make a deal. A higher number of Republicans were not in town.

Johnson, of Louisiana, faces dissension in his own Republican caucus which can vote to remove him.

Thune yesterday said Trump is ready to weigh in and sit down with the Democrats or whomever, once the government opens up.

Thune said hed also be willing to talk, but only after the shutdown ends.

I am willing to sit down with Democrats, Thune posted on social media Friday.

Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that Democrats must first vote to reopen the government, then we can have serious conversations about health care.

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The shutdown means 8,744 federal workers in the 1st District are either working without pay or are furloughed. And cuts to WIC and SNAP will mean 23,816 residents in the district will lose access to affordable food.

Federal agencies are also not responding to congressional offices of both parties, Neal said.

About half the IRS staff have been furloughed and it is no longer taking congressional inquiries

And at the Small Business Administration, about 30% of staff are furloughed and Neals office has received out-of- office emails to our inquiries.

Associated Press reports were included.

Stories by Jim Kinney

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A family takes photos on the east steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 25, 2022. (Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline)

Democratic candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives in Colorado have raised a combined total of nearly $20 million so far in 2025 as they look to flip one or more Republican-controlled seats in the 2026 midterms.

The combined fundraising haul is nearly triple the size of the total raised by Colorados four incumbent GOP members of Congress, each of whom has already drawn at least one well-funded challenger as Democrats look to win back control of the House next year.

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By contrast, the states four Democratic House incumbents have so far drawn only token opposition from candidates who have yet to report any fundraising activity to the Federal Election Commission.

To date, Democratic donors have showered the most campaign cash on the Colorado congressional race that analysts say they are the least likely to win: in the 4th Congressional District, where U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert won a 12-percentage-point victory over Democrat Trisha Calvarese in 2024. The districts nine-point GOP lean, according to the Cook Political Reports Partisan Voting Index, makes it the most heavily Republican district in Colorado.

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Eileen Laubacher, a retired Navy rear admiral and former National Security Council official, has raised more than $4.4 million since announcing her 4th District candidacy in May, more than triple Boeberts haul over the same period. Repeating a pattern set by previous challengers to Boebert, a controversial far-right figure with a national profile, the vast majority of Laubachers campaign receipts have come from out-of-state donors and small-dollar contributions through digital fundraising sites like ActBlue, according to FEC disclosures. The 4th District stretches across most of the states rural Eastern Plains region, along with a handful of more suburban areas in Douglas, Weld and Larimer counties.

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Ive listened to veterans driving hours for care theyve earned, hospitals struggling to keep their doors open, and families hit by rising costs. Lauren Boebert ignores them, Laubacher said in a statement on her fundraising haul. She wont show up, wont answer their questions, and wont lift a finger in Congress to help. I will. Ill show up, Ill listen, and Ill fight for real solutions for the people of this district.

Calvarese has also raised more than $640,000 in 2025 as she seeks a rematch with Boebert, and a third Democratic hopeful, John Padora, has reported $350,000 in receipts, bringing the Democrats combined 4th District haul to well over $5 million.

Thats substantially more money than has been raised so far by the combined Democratic field in the tossup 8th District, where incumbent GOP Rep. Gabe Evans eked out a victory by fewer than 2,500 votes last year. The district includes suburban areas in north metro Denver along with more rural areas in Weld County.

State Rep. Manny Rutinel of Commerce City continues to maintain a large fundraising lead over a crowded field of Democratic primary hopefuls in the 8th District. Since launching his campaign in January, hes raised over $2 million, and he reported just over $1 million in cash on hand as of Sept. 30.

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In a press release, Rutinel boasted of a third-quarter fundraising total that exceeded Evans haul, though the Fort Lupton Republican reported far more cash on hand, amassing over $1.9 million as he waits for a Democratic challenger to emerge from the June 30 primary.

Were building the strongest campaign to defeat Gabe Evans, and that starts with raising the resources to win, Rutinel said. Im proud that our campaign is backed by thousands of teachers, firefighters, ranchers, nurses, small business owners, and so many more that have chipped in a few dollars at a time.

Another Democratic candidate in the 8th District, state Rep. Shannon Bird of Westminster, trails Rutinel with about $560,000 in cash on hand, having raised about $833,000 since launching her campaign in May. She touted a high percentage of contributions coming from Colorado donors in a press release Thursday.

Im grateful that Coloradans are uniting behind our campaign to fire Gabe Evans, Bird said. Together, well flip this seat and lower costs, expand healthcare, and protect our Colorado way of life.

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After former 8th District Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo dropped her bid to win back her seat last month, three other Democrats remain in the primary race. As of Sept. 30, Evan Munsing, a Marine veteran and private equity consultant, has raised $260,603; Colorado State Treasurer Dave Young has raised $164,392; and Amie Baca-Oehlert, former president of the Colorado Education Association, has raised $129,823.

Republicans favored in 3rd, 5th districts

Two other first-term Republican incumbents  Rep. Jeff Hurd of Grand Junction in the 3rd District, and Rep Jeff Crank of Colorado Springs in the 5th District  are considered favorites to win reelection, but could be in jeopardy if theres a wave election for Democrats. As of this month, both races are rated as likely Republican by the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

Hurds lone Democratic challenger, financial executive Alex Kelloff, trails far behind the incumbent in fundraising so far in 2025, having collected about $459,000 in receipts while loaning his campaign another $220,000. Hurd, who has raised over $1.9 million, also faces a conservative primary challenger in Hope Scheppelman, a former state GOP vice chair, who has raised about $169,000 since her June campaign launch. The 3rd District encompasses most of Colorados Western Slope, along with the San Luis Valley and the greater Pueblo area.

Jessica Killin, an Army veteran and political operative, leads three other candidates for the Democratic nomination the 5th District. Her third-quarter fundraising total of over $1 million was more than double Cranks reported haul, which Killin said in a statement showed an appetite within the district, which is centered on Colorado Springs, for new leadership that is responsive to the needs of this community.

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(Crank) lost Space Command, added $4 trillion to the national debt, and continues to put partisanship over the people of the Pikes Peak region, Killin said. Im so grateful for this support that will help us flip Colorados 5th district together and restore competence, courage, and character to Washington.

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CHICAGO (WGN)  Jury selection begins Friday in the case of a South Side man charged with the execution-style murder of a 71-year-old man on a Chinatown street.

After years of delays, Alphonso Joyner will stand trial in connection with the shooting death of Woom Sing Tse. Prosecutors have never identified a clear motive in the deadly shooting.

According to police, Tse was walking on the 200 block of West 23rd Place around noon on December 7, 2021 when shots were fired from a silver sedan. Joyner then exited the vehicle and reshot Tse before driving off.

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More than 20 bullets were fired. Joyner was arrested shortly thereafter on the Kennedy Expressway.

Now, nearly four years later, Tses family is still waiting for the answer to one question: Why?



WGNs Judy Wang spoke to the family ahead of the trial and has more.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent Bryan Waugh, at podium, joins Nebraska Adj. Gen. Craig Strong at left and Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Director Rob Jeffreys as the state announces work a new ICE facility. Aug 19. 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  The State of Nebraska officially signed a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Sept. 30 to convert the state prison in McCook into an ICE detention facility, officials announced Friday.

Under the initial two-year, 183-page contract, ICE plans to pay Nebraska at least $2.5 million each month to house federal detainees, adult males and females, at Nebraskas Work Ethic Camp, which includes a daily bed rate of $269.17 per detainee. In the second year, minimum ICE payments to Nebraska would rise by 3%.

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The Work Ethic Camp previously had an annual operating cost of $10.2 million and a daily bed rate of $199.50 per inmate. It housed only male inmates.

Gov. Jim Pillens office said the contract would annually net Nebraska about $14.25 million. ICE agreed to also pay Nebraska a one-time lump sum of $5.9 million for facility renovations.

Projected cost savings

Kenny Zoeller, director of the governors Policy Research Office, which is largely Pillens main legislative lobbying arm, said in an email to state senators Friday that the arrangement is designed to maximize fiscal benefit.

This new revenue model, when weighed against the current annual facility operating expense from general funds, demonstrates a significant financial advantage for the State of Nebraska, Zoeller wrote.

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Speaker the Nebraska Legislature John Arch of La Vista could not be immediately reached for comment.

McCook Mayor Linda Taylor speaks during a press conference with Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen at McCooks Ben Nelson Regional Airport. (Brigham Larington/McCook Gazette)

Pillens office said the facility, which officials have said would be rebranded the Cornhusker Clink, will remain state-owned, and the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services will continue to run it.

Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys signed the contract on behalf of Nebraska. The contract states Nebraska and ICE could agree to use the Work Ethic Camp this way for up to five years.

Pillens office now estimates that the state could begin accepting detainees before November. Jeffreys has said he hopes the facility can be a Midwest hub for immigration enforcement.

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Im very grateful to President Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for their strong leadership in securing our nations southern border and addressing illegal immigration through initiatives like this, Pillen said Friday in a statement.

Minors are not supposed to be housed at the repurposed prison. Any young people sent there must be relocated within 72 hours and be housed away from adults during that time, the contract states.

Thirteen Nebraska state lawmakers attended a conference at the White House on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. From front left, State Sens. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln, Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, Bob Hallstrom of Syracuse, Beau Ballard of Lincoln, Paul Strommen of Sidney, Rob Clements of Elmwood, Dave Murman of Glenvil, Loren Lippincott of Central City, Ben Hansen of Blair, Brian Hardin of Gering, Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, Bob Andersen of north-central Sarpy County and Barry DeKay of Niobrara. (Photo courtesy of State Sen. Loren Lippincott)

Reached Friday, State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Legislatures Appropriations Committee, said he hadnt yet reviewed the contract but was pleased to hear one was signed. He said was still supportive of using those facilities to enforce the law.

I just knew that we were going to cover all of our expenses, but I didnt know we were going to make that much money, Clements said. Im pleased to hear that.

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He said the extra funds could also help Nebraskas budget situation and that every little bit helps as the state continues to face a projected budget deficit.

Public has a right to know

State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha blasted the contract Friday as not just morally wrong, its unconstitutional because of legislative checks and balances. She criticized provisions in the contract that ban videotaping, recording and public access to the state-owned facility, which would be contrary to how other state facilities operate.

Nebraska taxpayers are funding this prison, and the public has a right to know whats happening inside, Hunt said. When oversight is blocked, abuse thrives.

State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha warned that ICE could withhold or deduct state payments for alleged noncompliance at the facility and that if detainees rights are violated, Nebraska taxpayers could be on the hook for any legal costs.

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Hunt said that if ICE or state officials bar senators from conducting oversight, it would violate the separation of powers and obstruct lawmakers constitutional duties.

State Sens. Victor Rountree of Bellevue and Megan Hunt of Omaha. April 10, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

It wasnt immediately clear why officials did not release the contract for 17 days after Jeffreys and an unnamed federal official signed it Sept. 30, hours before the ongoing federal shutdown. Pillens office and Jeffreys agency had denied multiple public records requests over that span, including one from the Examiner requesting a copy of the contract on Oct. 2.

Prison transition specifics

Attorney Jennifer Huxoll in the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office told a Red Willow County District Court judge Thursday that she did not know when the facility would open but that all state inmates had been moved out. A Correctional Services spokesperson could not immediately answer Friday specifically where the inmates had been relocated.

Zoeller said all remaining state inmates were transferred to other facilities last week. There were 186 inmates at the facility on Aug. 19 when Pillen announced the plan.

Jennifer Huxoll, chief of the Nebraska Attorney General Offices Civil Litigation Bureau. Aug. 2, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Huxoll had also indicated Nebraska had entered multiple contracts, though she did not specify with whom. Jeffreys agency is currently contracting with a Lincoln-based fencing company for $750,000 to build a razor-wire fence around the Work Ethic Camp, which Huxoll said Thursday was 90% complete.

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Zoeller said internal modifications will continue so Nebraska can house up to 300 detainees, up from about 200, and allow for virtual and in-person attorney visits and court proceedings. Providing additional housing and legal space will involve converting rehabilitative programming space. Zoeller said an intruder detection system had also been installed, and armed staff will constantly patrol the perimeter.

Staffing will increase from 97 full-time employees to 171. Zoeller said the new positions will provide coverage for repurposed spaces, housing units and transportation. Transportation will be reimbursed monthly at $10,816.67, with regular and overtime rates for on-call guards.

State Sens. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha, John Cavanaugh of Omaha, Victor Rountree of Bellevue, Terrell McKinney of Omaha, Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, Danielle Conrad of Lincoln and George Dungan of Lincoln, from left, meet off the floor of the Legislature. March 26, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Minimum staffing levels required of the state under the contract have been redacted, as has information on handling emergency situations in receiving or discharging detainees.

NDCS has developed staff training specific to the management of the detainee population and is exploring options to allow for the utilization of electronic translation services to assist non-English speaking detainees, Zoeller said.

Separation of powers lawsuit

State lawmakers created the Work Ethic Camp in 1997 at the request of then-Gov. Ben Nelson, a McCook native and the states last Democratic governor. It opened four years later. The prison is primarily designed to reduce Nebraska prison crowding by moving out low-risk offenders and making space for more violent offenders elsewhere.

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Thirteen McCook residents, plus a former state lawmaker, filed a lawsuit Wednesday to try to stop the transition and reopening of the Work Ethic Camp. They argue that because Pillen and Jeffreys did not receive legislative approval first, the transition of the facility violates the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches.

Red Willow District Judge Patrick Heng will hear arguments next Friday on whether to grant a temporary injunction. He declined this week to block further action in the meantime.

State officials did not immediately answer whether they would begin to accept federal detainees before the temporary injunction motion could be heard. A temporary injunction would pause action until the lawsuit can be more holistically argued and evaluated.

In 1958, voters gave the Legislature authority over the general management, control and government of all state penal institutions. The latest lawsuit targets that constitutional provision as well as a state law that says state agencies cant change or divert from the use or purpose, kind or class of public buildings in which lawmakers have appropriated tax dollars for.

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Pillen has previously argued state law gives him authority through the creation of the Corrections Department, plus a clause in the Nebraska Constitution that supreme executive power rests with the governor.

Nick Grandgenett, an attorney on behalf of the McCook residents, told District Judge Heng that state law also does not give Jeffreys agency the authority to house federal detainees.

At its core, this is not about immigration, Grandgenett said Thursday. This is about our constitutional republican form of government.

This is a developing story. It was last updated at 5 p.m.

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HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY)  If youve noticed an uptick in negative campaign ads, thats not your imagination  political experts say we can expect to see a lot more between now and Nov. 4.

Truth Tracker takes on ads in Virginia attorney general race

Truth Tracker: Tracking post-governor debate ads

There are a lot of people who will say they dont like negative advertising, but the reason why it persists is because it works, said Dr. Cayce Myers, Virginia Tech professor and director of graduate studies.

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Myers says when it comes to negative political ads, they hold more power than you think.

It changes the narrative of an election, Myers said. And it can frame how an election is going to be discussed, the talking points, how candidates are framed, what they look like, how they sound.

He says they will pop up more in the last few weeks of a campaign since thats usually when voters start paying more attention.

Typically, you can galvanize voters more to motivate them to vote against someone than for someone, Myers said. And so, sometimes these negative ads are not really about making someone like another candidate, but dislike a candidate enough that they go and vote for their opponent.

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Myers said Virginia is on track to break records in terms of political ad spending. Across all elections in the Commonwealth, candidates have spent $71.6 million on political ads. The governors race holds the lions share at $34.1 million.

And he said ads have gotten better over the years when it comes to clipping bite-sized bits of information or a singular moment they want voters to focus on, like with our recent gubernatorial debate.

Earle-Sears came in knowing that she wanted to get some moments in that debate that she could then clip and use as sort of viral content, he said. You want something thats short, to the message that gets peoples attention, [and] that can be communicated effectively within a few seconds.

Myers believes the gubernatorial election is closer than what polls are reflecting and that each side is doing their best to play to their strengths in these last few weeks. He says maybe someday, voters will get tired of the mudslinging, and then candidates will have to change their approach.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced deep concern over the militarys seizure of power in Madagascar, describing it as an unconstitutional change of power.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, October by his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, Guterres urged all Malagasy stakeholders to engage in dialogue to peacefully address the ongoing crisis and its underlying causes.

He reaffirmed the UNs commitment to working alongside the African Union and the Southern African Development Community to restore peace, stability, and democratic governance in the island nation.

The military in Madagascar announced on Tuesday that it would assume collective presidential authority for a two-year transitional period, during which a referendum will be held to establish a new Constitution. In the wake of the takeover, five key institutions  including the High Constitutional Court, the Senate, and the Independent National Electoral Commission  have been suspended, leaving the National Assembly as the only functioning state body. The development marks a significant setback for Madagascars fragile democracy, drawing swift international concern and calls for restraint.
NEVADA, Mo.  Nevada High School is reviving a program it hasnt seen in nearly a decade.

Its the Students Against Drunk Driving club  but with a renewed focus.

Drunk driving to destructive decisions kind of broadens the idea of the group and the club itself, said Tamara White, Nevada High School Teacher.

The name  Students Against Destructive Decisions  means helping teenagers make safer and more responsible choices. Whether thats behind the wheel, around vaping, or in everyday situations.

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Knowing that certain decisions can be destructive. Those choices they have now in life will follow them later on beyond high school, said White.

The program is just now getting up and running and Nevada High School is accepting applications for middle school and high school students to help kick start the club.

We are going to be the ones that start it, but its a completely student-run program. So if they have suggestions then they are going to choose amongst themselves on what the next step is, how can we do this bigger and better for the following year, said CPL. Michael White, Nevada Police Department.

White says this not only benefits students now, but also impacts their future.

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They will be able to get in touch with local law enforcement, other local first responders so these decisions you are making your community sees it and if you are making positive decisions your community can help you beyond.

The club will hold its first meeting next week  where student leadership roles will be assigned.

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EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  This week on Newsmakers: Nate Raymond, legal affairs correspondent for Reuters in Boston, discusses his recent article about the central role New England judges are playing in court fights over President Trumps policies, plus, a look at the weeks biggest political headlines.

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Doug Boswell trying out the ReWalk Exoskeleton to take his first steps after his T-11 spinal cord injury. (Photo by David Middleton/MU Extension Courtesy Appointment, Missouri AgrAbility Level 2 Assessor)

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Doug Boswell is no stranger to challenges. He grew up on a southern Oklahoma farm, helping his dad raise beef cattle, and grow forage crops. He left the farm after high school graduation, but the dream of farming again never left him.

A few years after his parents moved to Missouri, he followed so he could help them out. He and his wife, Teresa, met while working at Snap-On Tools in Springfield. But they wanted a rural acreage where they could raise cattle and hay, and hunt. In 2014, the year he turned 52, they discovered 160 acres near Stockton.

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It had 80 acres of heavily wooded, and 80 open acres for cattle  it was perfect, he says. The plan was retiring from my job at 55 and farming full time.

The Boswells continued their day jobs, and spent weekends mowing their property, repairing fence, and building a hay barn. They made plans for a new home there, and within a few years, their Gelbvieh herd had grown to 65 head.

Then on a cold November day in 2017, after they finished feeding cattle, Teresa headed back to the pickup to warm up a bit. One cow took off on a dead run through an open gate. Doug knew the fences wouldnt hold her, so he jumped on the ATV. When the cow abruptly stopped directly in his path, he braked, and the ATV flipped.

He doesnt recall much more. He didnt have his phone, and it was 45 minutes before Teresa discovered him. He had broken all the ribs on his left side, along with two on his right side, shattered his right shoulder, and punctured a lung.

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But worst of all, he couldnt move his legs. He was transported 60 miles by helicopter to the hospital in Springfield, where they confirmed his spine was fractured. The neurologist told Doug hed be paralyzed for life.

He had two surgeries. After consulting neurosurgeons at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals in Lincoln, Nebraska; Frazier Rehab Institute in Louisville, Kentucky; Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, and Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado, his prognosis remained the same: T-11 spinal cord injury. But he was more determined than ever to walk again.

Help closer to home

During two-and-a-half months of intensive physical therapy at Craig Hospital, his desire to farm never dimmed. His doctors told him about the National AgrAbility Project, and its outreach to disabled individuals through assistive technology. After returning home, he followed up with Karen Funkenbusch, Missouri AgrAbility Project director and a University of Missouri Extension professor. She visited him at the farm in March 2018 with her team, including an agricultural engineer and case managers from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Mo-DESE) Vocational Rehabilitation.

They advised him how to adapt his pickup and tractors with hand controls and apply for an extension hoist-and-chair to lift him into his pickup bed, enabling him to attach implements. He also qualified for a track chair, a motorized wheelchair with treads to navigate the farms uneven terrain.

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As a patient, Doug became a strong advocate for what he needed, Karen said.

He celebrated his successes when he could brush hog again, cut hay, and change oil in his tractors.

In the spring, Doug began using a bud box corral to vaccinate his cattle. Cows are guided into it through an alley chute, and he pulls a lever to keep them stationary. He also installed gate openers.

He and Teresa modified the plan for their 3,200-square-foot house. It would be an accessible one story with ramps and wide doorways, and an exercise room for maintaining his upper-body strength. I use a stand-up frame to keep my bones strong, Doug says. They moved in by October 2020.

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None of these retrofits and workarounds convinced anyone that Doug was resigned to his lack of mobility. He refused to be a sit-down farmer, Karen said. His goal was to walk again.

New world of wearable exoskeletons

Seven years ago, when Karen Funkenbusch and her team conducted two on-farm assessments, they agreed Dougs best option was a standing wheelchair. It was fully funded, along with other devices, by Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation.

He spent five winters at Brooks Rehabilitation, a neuro recovery center in Jacksonville, Florida, where he participated in clinical trials, using robotic-assisted walking devices and body-weight-supported treadmills. In 2019, for the first time since going there, his knee-jerk reflex test demonstrated an ability to move his feet. It was a game-changer.

The stage was set for him to pursue his goal of walking. Beginning in 2015, veterans had been eligible for FDA-approved wearable robotic exoskeletons. Worn over clothing, an exoskeleton is composed of an external, powered, motorized frame that fits to the limbs and body. Powered by a battery waist pack, it enables individuals with spinal cord injuries or stroke damage to stand and walk and sometimes climb stairs.

The ReWalk Exoskeleton that Doug Boswell wears to enable him to stand up and gain mobility. (Photo by David Middleton/MU Extension Courtesy Appointment, Missouri AgrAbility Level 2 Assessor)

The out-of-pocket purchase of a robotic exoskeleton, at approximately $100,000, was out of reach for most until it was approved by Medicare in January 2024.

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Although AgrAbility closed his case in 2018, Doug and Karen had continued their conversations about how he could take the next steps to walk again.

He filled out forms for the Indego Exo Personal and ReWalk Exoskeleton, and tried out both units.

Next, Doug was required to see his doctor, where he passed a DXA Scan for bone density, and was checked for pressure sores, small fractures in his spine, height and weight criteria, and his level of spinal cord injury.

ReWalk set up a Zoom meeting. They wanted to see if I could complete weight transfers in and out of my chair on my own. They needed to see how flexible I was, he said. The next step was meeting a ReWalk team at Mercy in Springfield where he would spend two hours wearing a custom-fit exoskeleton weighing 60 pounds.

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With the push of a button, a wrist-worn communicator powered him from a sitting to standing position. Forearm crutches assisted with his balance.

I just got in it and started walking, he said. Everything was great. It was that quick to try it out.

After 37 supervised sessions, Doug had learned how to get up if he fell, how to go up and down stairs, and navigate curbs. He was allowed to take the exoskeleton home in February 2024, where he walked 100,000 steps on the patio and in the house.

Medicare paid for 75% of Dougs ReWalk and his secondary insurance paid 25%.

The good and the not good enough of exoskeletons

Although his dad, Roy, and his brother-in-law Bob Arrington often help him with farm tasks, Doug was ready to be more independent. I wanted to work on my vehicle and tractors in my shop, and carry tools back and forth, he said.

Doug Boswell with his bud box corral that allows him to vaccinate and treat his cattle with minimal physical labor. (Photo by David Middleton/MU Extension Courtesy Appointment, Missouri AgrAbility Level 2 Assessor)

But its still a work in progress. My hands and arms arent free using the crutches, he said. I had to adapt my pickup to open up the drivers side to get out easily.

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During haying season, Doug says it saves time to use his track chair. It takes five minutes to get out of the ReWalk, and seven minutes to get into it, he points out. You cant bend easily, or get on your knees, so its not feasible for some work  it isnt quite there yet.

His goal is walking 2,500 steps in the exoskeleton daily. In snow and ice, or on wet tile floors, youre not going to do it youll just tip, he says. Youre strapped in completely, locked in. Its a learning curve, theres a lot of balance involved.

On the home front, he says, Ive tried brushing my teeth, bending down to rinse my mouth, but I have to undo two straps, and cant straighten back up without those fastened.

But he can shop for groceries, pushing the cart, sit in the church pew, and get daily exercise. Hes currently working with a University of Arizona study team to tailor an exoskeleton more to the ag sector.

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ReWalk batteries cost $2,500 each, and he keeps them plugged into a smart charger. Its worked perfectly, he says.

ReWalk offers a 5-year warranty. Ive been using the heck out of it, he says. ReWalk gets back to me in two to five days.

Technology advances daily

Karen Funkenbusch continues to monitor assistive technology breakthroughs for Missouri AgrAbility clients, and keeps in touch with Doug.

Doug was not going to not walk, she says. When I met him, walking was his lifelong dream. Weve gone through lots of emotions these past few years. Dougs been willing to participate in various clinical trials to get where he is today, and AgrAbility has been a key partner.

Doug Boswell makes adjustments on his round hay baler equipment. (Photo by David Middleton/MU Extension Courtesy Appointment, Missouri AgrAbility Level 2 Assessor)

She adds, Technology is changing by the moment. AgrAbilitys challenge is how to provide guidance, support, and direction to Doug and other farmers as they continue to move down this path.

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Dougs goal this winter is wearing his ReWalk to repair a tractor with a burned out top motor. Mechanics use roll carts all the time, he says. I may need help for some work if it takes two hands.

He adds, Im still learning what I can do.

This column first appeared on Cheryl Tevis blog Unfinished Business, and it is republished here via the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

Editors note: Please consider subscribing to the collaborative and its member writers to support their work.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed out work on another land parcel near the Niagara Falls Storage Site, determining it is safe for future use.

It had investigated a 4-acre parcel labeled Vicinity Property H Prime, north of the main storage site and owned by Chemical Waste Management. The Army Corps proposed that no further action needs to be taken at the site, as there are no human or ecological risks there.

This parcel on the Lewiston and Porter town line is one of 26 parcels formerly part of the 7,500-acre Lake Ontario Ordnance Works, surrounding the current NFSS property. These were sold off to other private and government entities during the 1950s to reduce its footprint, while the storage site started to host waste materials from the Manhattan Project.

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In the 1980s, the Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission conducted remediation work on the vicinity properties, closing out work and releasing them from the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. In 2000, the Army Corps built a contaminated material storage area on Vicinity Property H Prime for storing such materials during the removal of TNT pipelines at the Ordnance Works, lasting until 2004.

The sites were further investigated in 2014. The soil, concrete, surface water, and groundwater were analyzed for radiological characteristics from radium, thorium, and uranium.

While the parcel is part of CWMs Porter landfill, it is not used for much other than housing a rail line and an air monitoring station.

After analyzing 267 soil samples, eight surface water samples, and three groundwater samples, the Army Corps determined there are no unacceptable human health or ecological risks at the site. Concentrations for radioactive materials were found to be negligible and do not pose any additional cancer risk.

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The public comment period will continue until Nov. 13, with no one from the public speaking during a presentation at the Lewiston Senior Center on Wednesday evening. The Army Corps will investigate any comments received to determine if they warrant further action.

Once that process is complete, the record and decision document stating the decision will be released. The parcel will be turned over to the Department of Energys Office of Legacy Management for future stewardship.
Drones attacked temporarily occupied Crimea on the night of 16-17 October. A large-scale fire has broken out at the oil depot in the village of Hvardiiske in the Simferopol district, which belongs to the largest petrol station network on the peninsula. Reports have also emerged of a possible hit on a nearby ammunition warehouse.

Source: Krymskyi Veter (Crimean Wind) Telegram channel

Details: The first reports of the attack on Hvardiiske began appearing at around 02:40 Kyiv time. Witnesses reported hearing explosions, followed by a large-scale fire that broke out near the local oil depot.

   :    ,     https://t.co/e7RcZijDPy pic.twitter.com/PnZx9qC0va     (@ukrpravda_news) October 17, 2025

Early reports indicated that the attacked oil depot belongs to LLC Kedr, which owns ATAN, the largest petrol station network in Crimea. A successful attack on such a facility could lead to significant fuel supply problems on the temporarily occupied peninsula.

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In addition to the oil depot, there is unconfirmed information about a possible strike on an ammunition warehouse located nearby.

At around 06:20, several powerful explosions were heard directly in Simferopol and the Simferopol district. Russian occupation authorities have not yet commented on the situation.

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A candidate for a local New Jersey Board of Education seat is charged with driving onto a New Province lawn and running over a sign supporting his opponent.

Miguel Marshall is accused of criminal mischief, reckless driving, failure to maintain a lane and leaving the scene of a crash he failed to report, the New Providence Police Department said Thursday.

The 43-year-old suspect, who moved to New Province from New York City in 2020, allegedly ran over a sign endorsing write-in candidate Rupa Kale Saturday afternoon, NJ.Com reported.

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Longtime New Providence resident Josephine Sharf, whose lawn was run over, expressed concern at a borough council meeting that someone could be so violent and act in such a careless manner, according to local online outlet TAPinto

The Daily Voice reported that Marshall also ran for a seat on the school board in 2024 and finished last among the five candidates competing.

Marshall teamed up this year with candidate Steve Rossi hoping to fill both empty seats on the board. They list addressing students physical and mental health as a primary issue. A site promoting their joint candidacy was marked as private Friday.

The election takes place Nov. 4.
James Comer is greeted by friends and family upon his release from Northern State Prison in Newark on Oct. 17, 2025. (Photo by Steve Hockstein/HarvardStudio.com)

A man whose criminal case helped redefine juvenile justice in New Jersey left prison Friday after nearly 26 years behind bars, a release civil rights advocates celebrated as an affirmation of their decade-long fight against extreme prison sentences for minors.

James Comer was 17 when he was sentenced in 2003 to 75 years behind bars  with no possibility of parole for 68 years  for a deadly 2000 robbery spree in Newark in which he was an accomplice but not the triggerman.

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He successfully appealed, with the state Supreme Court decreeing in 2022 that juveniles shouldnt face the same mandatory sentences adults face, that judges must weigh immaturity and other hallmark features of youth in setting punishment, and that minors condemned to lengthy sentences can petition for sentencing review after 20 years.

Since then, such sentencing reviews have become known as Comer hearings, and Comer had his own Comer hearing not long after his 2022 landmark win, with a judge reducing his sentence to 25 1/2 years.

Under his original sentence, he wouldnt have been eligible for parole until 2069, at 86 years old. Instead, at age 42, he walked out of Northern State Prison in Newark Friday, meeting a joyful group of attorneys and other supporters who waited for him outside.

It means the world to me to have the opportunity to rejoin my loved ones, he said. I am forever grateful for this second chance and relieved that no child will face the hopelessness that I endured when I was effectively sentenced to die in prison.

James Comer is greeted by friends and family upon his release from Northern State Prison in Newark on Oct. 17, 2025. (Photo by Steve Hockstein/HarvardStudio.com)

Attorney Alexander Shalom, who represented Comer for years, said his case demonstrates the importance of second chances, especially for young people.

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James resilience and unwavering belief in positive change have forever advanced youth justice in New Jersey, Shalom said.

Nationally, the U.S. Supreme Court has drastically limited extreme sentences for law-breaking minors in a series of rulings dating back to 2005, in which they barred judges from sentencing people under 18 to the death penalty, life without parole in non-homicide cases, and mandatory life terms in homicide cases, with exceptions for permanent incorrigibility.

In New Jersey, the state Supreme Courts Comer ruling came after years of court fights and legislative advocacy. Since 2022, nearly 100 people condemned to lengthy terms behind bars for offenses they committed as children have successfully petitioned New Jersey courts for Comer hearings, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey.

Amol Sinha, the groups executive director, said Comers case is part of a bigger story of decarceration in New Jersey and a racial justice victory in a state with some of the highest racial disparities in its prisons in the nation.

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His release comes after the Christie administration ended cash bail in 2014 and the Murphy administration signed a law in 2020 allowing early releases during public health emergencies. It also comes after Gov. Phil Murphy launched a clemency effort in 2024 that has seen him pardon or commute the sentences of 170 people  more clemencies than New Jersey governors have done in the past 30 years combined. Such efforts have cut New Jerseys prison population, now about 13,000, by about half since 2011.

James story is yet another story where New Jersey can claim leadership of being one of the most forward-thinking states when it comes to decarceration and justice, Sinha said. He was effectively sentenced to die in prison. Because of his persistence and his fight, now dozens of people across New Jersey are able to face a more just juvenile justice system.

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Duke Rodriguez in an undated photo. The potential Republican gubernatorial candidate and cannabis executive filed a lawsuit Oct. 16, 2025 urging the New Mexico Supreme Court to revoke line-item vetoes the governor made to the Legislatures recent spending package passed to counteract federal budget cuts. (Courtesy Duke Rodriguez)

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham crossed out several provisions in a $162 million spending package state lawmakers approved during a special session earlier this month, an act that a prominent cannabis CEO contends in a new lawsuit is unconstitutional.

Duke Rodriguez, the CEO of Ultra Health Cannabis who is publicly weighing a run for governor as a Republican, filed a lawsuit Thursday asking the New Mexico Supreme Court to undo the governors vetoes.

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He argued that the governor striking language from House Bill 1, a spending bill lawmakers approved in early October to counteract federal funding cuts, disrupts the balance of power between the Legislature and the executive branch.

Each of the line-item vetoes distorts legislative intent and is therefore an unconstitutional attempt by the Executive to substitute her policy-making judgment for that of the peoples elected representatives, the lawsuit alleges.

The bill awarded $12 million to the state Health Care Authority to maintain the minimum federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit for elders and people with disabilities. But the governor struck the words minimum federal.

Rodriguezs lawsuit argues that removing that language illegally allows the executive branch to expand SNAP benefits beyond the minimum federal requirements, which was not the state Legislatures intent.

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The Governor may attempt to use funds appropriated by the Legislature to provide SNAP benefits that exceed the federal minimum, or to provide SNAP benefits to an expanded class of beneficiaries, in direct contravention of legislative intent, Rodriguez writes in the lawsuit.

The governor also struck language regarding about $6 million aimed at replenishing funding local public broadcasters lost when Congress cut funding to the Center for Public Broadcasting. She removed requirements that the unexpended funding to the state finance and Indian Affairs departments be returned to the general fund, and she removed language requiring the funding to be spent within the next two fiscal years.

Michael Coleman, the governors communications director,, told Source New Mexico on Friday afternoon that Rodriguezs attempt to speak on behalf of the Legislatures behalf is preposterous.

Mr. Rodriguez was not present for discussions with lawmakers about the budget, but he appears to be claiming knowledge of the legislative intent of these appropriations, he said, before noting that the Legislature passed the appropriations with broad bipartisan support. With this lawsuit, Mr. Rodriguez is advocating to take food off the tables of New Mexican families that need it most.

In an Oct. 3 statement Lujan Grisham published detailing the vetoes, she said they were minor but necessary changes to counteract provisions that unduly constrain the Executive Departments ability to assist New Mexicans.

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Rodriguez is seeking the courts immediate intervention to determine the constitutional limits of the governors line-item veto power. He argues that he has standing to bring the lawsuit as a private citizen because the separation of powers is an issue of substantial public importance.

Jacob Candelaria, a former state senator, is representing Rodriguez in court. Candelaria was a Democrat until his last year in office 2022, when he changed his party designation to Decline to state.

He successfully sued Lujan Grisham in 2021 over a similar allegation of the governor usurping the Legislatures spending power. He argued that lawmakers, not the governor, should be in charge of distributing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal pandemic funding.
Closeup of the New World screwworm showing its mouth hooks. New Mexico is enlisting the help of hunters across New Mexico to be on the lookout for the parasitic fly that could devastate livestock. (Courtesy USDA)

Several New Mexico agencies are encouraging hunters across the state to be on the lookout for New World screwworm, a parasitic fly that could threaten livestock, after Mexican authorities in recent weeks detected the insect 70 miles from the Texas border.

The New Mexico Game and Fish Department, along with the state Agriculture Department and Livestock Board, issued a joint statement Thursday telling hunters to check harvested game and live animals for evidence of the screwworm, calling it a serious threat.

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The movement of the parasitic fly, previously eradicated from the U.S. for the last several decades, has disrupted international cattle trade through New Mexico, Arizona and Texas in the last several months. The screwworms name references the maggots behavior of burrowing into the flesh of a living animal, sometimes causing serious or fatal damage to livestock, wildlife and pets.

State Veterinarian Samantha Holeck told Source New Mexico in a phone interview Thursday that three recent detections in Mexico, and the prospect of several more weeks at least of warm weather, prompted the state to ask hunters to be vigilant.

Its better for us to get word out to [hunters] sooner than later. We still have a decent amount of warm weather ahead of us, she said. The more people we can inform and have them on the lookout, especially in the more rural parts of the state, the better.

The detections all occurred in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, which borders southeast Texas, since late September. Authorities found one screwworm on Sept. 21 about 70 miles from the border, according to an announcement from the United States Agriculture Department.

Contact information for hunters who encounter possible New World screwworm:

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish: (888) 248-6866 or ispa@dgf.nm.gov

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New Mexico Livestock Board: (505) 841-6161

New Mexico Department of Agriculture: (575) 646-9191 or the Agriculture Reporting Hotline

New Mexico State University: Visit any of the County Extension Offices

Since then, amid a federal government shutdown, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has posted on social media about other detections in Nuevo Leon. Her most recent post was Oct. 11 about a detection about 390 miles from the Texas border; the other post Oct. 6 was about a detection 170 miles from the Texas border.

The state agencies are asking hunters who encounter possible screwworms to take a GPS location, photos of the wound, larvae, animal and, if they can, safely collect a sample.

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Using gloves or tweezers, place several larvae into a sealed container (small jar or plastic vial) with 70% alcohol, the agencies advise.

Reports should be sent immediately to Game and Fish, Agriculture or the Livestock Board. They urge hunters not to eat, handle or transport the animal that could be infected.

Hunters should be on the lookout for maggots on living or very recently deceased animals. Common sites are wounds or body openings like the nose or genitals, according to the agency.

Your reports are critical for early detection and rapid response. Quick action could protect wildlife and livestock across the state, the agencies wrote in the news release.
The Angolan Presidency is set to launch a social education programme intended to enhance access to education, reduce illiteracy, and improve the quality of teaching nationwide. The move was announced on Wednesday, October 15, during the state of the nation address by the Angolan Head of State, J. Lourenco.

The initiative will emphasise education in underserved and rural areas, and will involve constructing or rehabilitating schools, increasing the number of teachers, and ensuring curricula and educational materials meet international standards. It replaces or complements earlier efforts such as the Expansao e Modernizacao do Sistema de Ensino and aligns with broader government commitments to improve infrastructure, reduce classroom shortages, and expand school enrolment.

Officials see this programme as part of Angolas larger strategy of social inclusion and human capital development, reinforcing past programmes like Empoderamento da Rapariga e Aprendizagem para Todos (Empowering Girls & Learning for All) and other special education interventions. The new measures are expected to be implemented over a multi-year time frame, with funding, legal instruments, and institutional coordination defined to ensure the programme reaches its intended coverage and delivers lasting improvement in educational outcomes.
DENVER (KDVR)  Its been a week since an overnight fire broke out at the Caribou Village Shopping Center in Nederland and officials said Thursday that they have not found evidence to support the fire being set intentionally.

The fire started at about 3:41 a.m. on Oct. 9 in Nederlands largest shopping area, prompting emergency evacuations for the surrounding area. No injuries were reported in the fire, but the community has been set on its heels while local business owners and residents try to determine what comes next.

Nederland fire chief shares perspective on challenges of fighting devastating building fire

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Investigators with the Boulder County Sheriffs Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives National Response Team, and the Nederland Fire Protection District have been continued to actively pursue all leads, including conducting multiple interviews, reviewing surveillance footage, analyzing photographs and video submitted by the public, and completing the excacation of the fire scene to collect and evaluate evidence.

The Boulder County Sheriffs Office said Thursday that the origin and cause of the fire are still pending, based on the outcome of evidence submitted for laboratory testing and analysis.

Investigators are applying the scientific method to interpret findings from the scene in conjunction with all other information collected throughout the investigation. Once the final determination of origin and cause has been reached, the ATF, Nederland Fire Protection District and Boulder County Sheriffs Office will provide an update, the sheriffs office said.

B&F Mountain Market reopens after fire in Nederland (Courtesy of Boulder County Sheriffs Office) Shopping center in Nederland impacted during a fire Thursday. (KDVR) The Caribou Village sign in Nederland. (KDVR) The Boulder County Sheriffs Office shared these images of damage and flames at the Caribou Village Shopping Center in Nederland on Oct. 9, 2025. (Courtesy of the Boulder County Sheriffs Office) A fire broke out at the Caribou Village Shopping Center in Nederland early Thursday morning. (Courtesy of the Boulder County Sheriffs Office)

The sheriffs office said that the following businesses have been determined to be complete structural losses:

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Nederland Chiropractic & Wellness

Tres Gringos Restaurant

Spinning Silica

ONeil Rocky Mountain Art

Kaleidoscope Gallery

Lindas Pizza

Dam Liquor

Tadasana Yoga Studio

Mountain Man Outdoor Store

Very Nice Brewing Co.

Columbine Family Care

The Laundry Room

Austinas Winery

Boulder County Sheriffs Office Substation

The Shop

Wild Bear Nature Center

Brightwood Music

Picaso Hair Artistry

Support was noted for the Boulder Police Department and Colorado Rangers, with deputies and officers maintaining 24-hour site security during the investigation.

Nederlands largest grocery store reopens after destructive fire

A final road closure of Big Springs Drive, which is behind the shopping center, has also been lifted.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
In early September, the Global Sumud Flotilla set off from Barcelona with Greta Thunberg and around 500 other activists from around the world on board, with the intention of breaking Israels siege on Gaza and delivering much-needed humanitarian aid and food to the people of Palestine.

Mario Wurzburger / Getty Images

The flotillas departure came shortly before a two-year United Nations investigation ruled that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza . On Sept. 16, the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry shared its findings that Israel has flagrantly disregarded international law and orchestrated a genocidal campaign for almost two years.

Anadolu / Getty Images

Unfortunately, the Global Sumud Flotilla did not make it to Gaza, with the Israeli navy intercepting it on Oct. 1, boarding several vessels, and detaining many of the activists  including Greta.

Anadolu / Getty Images

Related: Trump's Spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, Just Made A Claim So Ridiculous That People Almost Can't Believe It

After Greta and other activists were taken by Israel, fellow flotilla participant Ersin Celik told Anadolu news agency: They dragged little Greta by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others.

Nurphoto / Getty Images

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Greta was deported from Israeli detention on Oct. 6, and she initially did not speak up about her experience, repeatedly refocusing the conversation back to the Palestinians when she was asked about what had happened during her detainment.

Milos Bicanski / Getty Images

However, earlier this week, she gave an in-depth interview with Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet , where she alleged horrific mistreatment at the hands of Israeli authorities during her five days in captivity, which included being stripped and humiliated, psychological torture, and physical abuse.

Mario Wurzburger / Getty Images

The moment that men with covered faces and automatic weapons boarded Gretas boat was watched live by people all over the world as it was broadcast through the flotillas own channels, and Greta shared that she and her fellow activists were then taken to a lower deck where they were made to sit in a circle without moving while the boat was taken to land.

As she got off the boat, Greta says a bunch of police officers grabbed her, pulled her to the ground, and threw an Israeli flag over her. After this, she said, everything went from zero to a hundred.

It was kind of dystopian. I saw maybe 50 people sitting in a row on their knees with handcuffs and their foreheads against the ground, she said of her arrival at the detention centre. They dragged me to the opposite side from where the others were sitting, and I had the flag around me the whole time. They hit and kicked me.

Lluis Gene / Getty Images

Related: Donald Trump's Latest Boast About His Cognitive Abilities Completely Fell Apart In Front Of His Own Crowd

Greta alleges that the Israeli guards had even learned insults in her native Swedish, and repeatedly called her Lilla hora, which translates to little whore, and Hora Greta, which translates to whore Greta.

Fredrik Sandberg / Getty Images

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She claimed that the police forced her to sit in a corner and placed an Israeli flag next to her, recalling: The flag was placed so that it would touch me. When it fluttered and touched me, they shouted Dont touch the flag and kicked me in the side. After a while, my hands were tied with cable ties, very tightly. A bunch of guards lined up to take selfies with me while I was sitting like that.

Armando Babani / Getty Images

Greta said that authorities made her watch as they slowly cut up all of her personal belongings with a knife, and that she was kicked by a guard any time she lifted her head from the ground while others were being thrown to the ground and beaten. She was then taken to a building to be searched and undressed.

Milos Bicanski / Getty Images

Related: This White Guy Protesting ICE Somehow Gave The National Guard The Most Humbling Speech You've Ever Heard, And It's Just So, Soooo Good

The guards have no empathy or humanity, and they keep taking selfies with me, she alleged. Theres a lot I dont remember. So much is happening at once. Youre in shock. Youre in pain, but you go into a state of trying to stay calm.

Yassine Mahjoub / Getty Images

When Greta refused to sign papers stating that she had entered Israel illegally, among other things, her hands were allegedly tied together with cable. She was blindfolded, and put in a freezing cold cell inside a car alongside other prisoners as they were driven to a prison.

Lluis Gene / Getty Images

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Once outside, Greta says she was forced to strip again. It was mockery, rough handling, and everything was filmed, she claimed. Everything they do is extremely violent. People's medications were thrown into the trash can in front of their eyes. Heart medication, cancer medication, insulin.

Europa Press News / Getty Images

Greta also alleges that they hardly received any food or water during their days in captivity, and were forced to drink from the tap in the toilet sink where something brown flows, with many prisoners becoming ill.

You felt that you couldnt afford to cry because you were so dehydrated, she said. It was so hot, like 40 degrees [104F]. We begged the whole time: Can we have water? Can we have water? In the end, we screamed. The guards walked in front of the bars the whole time, laughing and holding up their water bottles. They threw the bottles with water in them into the trash cans in front of us.

Thomas Lohnes / Getty Images

At one point, Greta alleged, around 60 people were put in a small cage outside in the hot sun, with most not having room to sit down. As people fainted, the others banged on the cage and asked for a doctor  at this point, guards are said to have threatened to gas the prisoners. Greta said: It was standard for them to say that. They held up a gas cylinder and threatened to press it against us.

Thomas Lohnes / Getty Images

In the night, guards would apparently wake the prisoners by regularly shaking the bars, shining a flashlight, and forcing everybody to stand up. Greta alleges that she was also placed in a bug-infested isolation cell at one point.

Representatives from the Swedish embassy in Israel did not come to meet with the Swedish prisoners for three days, but Greta says that they didnt do anything. She added: We were together and told them about the treatment we received. About the lack of food, water, about the abuse. The torture. We showed them the physical injuries we had  bruises and scratches."

We said over and over again: we need water, Greta said. The embassy staff said: Well make a note of that. One of us, Vincent, said: 'Next time we meet you, you must bring water.

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She claims that the embassy staff did not return for another two days and didnt bring any water apart from a half-empty one of their own, which the prisoners gave to Vincent, who was in the worst shape.

Greta was released and deported to Greece after five days in captivity. When her suitcase was returned to her, Whore Greta had been written on it in large letters, as well as a Star of David and an erect penis.

Related: "My Generation Will Never Forgive You": 25 Of The Very Best And Very True Political Tweets From The Last Week

This is not about me or the others from the flotilla. There are thousands of Palestinians, hundreds of whom are children, who are being held without trial right now, and many of them are most likely being tortured, Greta told Aftonbladet . What we have been through is only a small, small part of what Palestinians have experienced. On the walls of our prison cells, we saw bullet holes with bloodstains and messages carved into the walls by Palestinian prisoners who had been there before us.

Europa Press News / Getty Images

She went on: This shows that if Israel, with the whole world watching, can treat a well-known, white person with a Swedish passport this way, just imagine what they do to Palestinians behind closed doors.

Paul S. Amundsen / Getty Images

Israeli authorities have denied Gretas allegations, with the foreign minister saying in a statement to the Telegraph : All of her legal rights were fully upheld. Interestingly enough, Greta herself refused to expedite her deportation and insisted on prolonging her stay in custody. She also never lodged any complaint with the Israeli authorities regarding these ludicrous and baseless allegations  because they simply never happened.

More on this

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WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. (WWLP)  The fire department at Bradley International Airport was called to a non-aircraft incident on Friday morning.

22News received a news tip showing several fire trucks outside a United jet and a smaller American jet between Gates 25 and 27.

Newly renovated PeoplesBank Arena set to open doors Friday

Connecticut Airport Authority Public Information Officer Brian Spyros told 22News that members of the fire department resolved the incident, which did not involve any aircraft. There was also no impact on airport operations.

Photo sent to 22News from Sergio Colon

No further information was released.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Download the 22News Plus app on your TV to watch live-streaming newscasts and video on demand.

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Video: June 14 No Kings protest in Little Rock

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Groups across Arkansas are planning fifteen No Kings 2.0 protests this weekend as part of a nationwide day of action that organizers say includes more than 2,500 events across the country.

On Saturday, Oct. 18, protesters will gather at Capitol Avenue and Broadway at 10 a.m. followed by a march at 11 a.m. with Central Arkansas Pride. The event is hosted by 50501 Arkansas, The Peoples Protests and Marches, Central AR Pride and Indivisible LRCA.

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What to know about upcoming No Kings protests

Other Arkansas cities holding No Kings 2.0 actions include:

Hot Springs: Hill Wheatley Plaza, 24 p.m. (Hosted by Hot Springs Rising)

Harrison: Boone County Courthouse, 12:302:30 p.m. (Hosted by Collective Voices)

Rogers: S. Promenade Blvd. & Crown Lane, 9:3011:30 a.m. (Hosted by Indivisible NWA)

Mountain Home: 401 S. Main St., 1011:30 a.m. (Volunteer-led)

Russellville: Pope County Courthouse, noon1:30 p.m. (Volunteer-led)

Jonesboro: Intersection of Highland & Red Wolf, 10 a.m.1 p.m. (Hosted by Coalition for Change)

Heber Springs: Eagle Bank Park, 10 a.m.noon (Volunteer-led)

Fort Smith: Rogers Ave. & 74th St., 4:306 p.m. (Hosted by 50501 Arkansas)

Fayetteville: Washington County Courthouse, noon2 p.m. (Volunteer-led)

Monticello: The Square, 10:30 a.m.noon (Volunteer-led)

Eureka Springs: Hwy. 62 (Top of Planer Hill), 10 a.m.noon (Volunteer-led)

Batesville: St. Louis & Harrison streets, 11 a.m.1 p.m. (Volunteer-led)

Thousands of Arkansans protest in No Kings march on Saturday

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The first No Kings day of protest was held June 14, when organizers estimated more than 5 million people participated in about 2,000 protests nationwide. The Little Rock event that day drew more than 10,000 participants who marched across the Broadway Bridge, according to a spokesperson.

More information can be found on The Peoples Protest and Marches AR social media.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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A new round of No Kings protests against President Donald Trump and his administration will happen on Saturday.

In 2025, the 50501 organization has arranged several protests at the Mississippi State Capitol Building, and other groups have arranged demonstrations across Mississippi. Groups protested on Feb. 5; President's Day, Feb. 17; March 4; April 5; April 19; over Memorial Day weekend, May 24; on D-Day, June 6; on Trump's 79th birthday, June 14; and over Labor Day weekend.

This will be the second round of No Kings protests. The first, held in mid-June, was organized by more than 140 groups across the nation, including the ACLU, the Women's March, 50501 and other local political and social groups.

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This, without question, will be the single biggest day of protest in American history," said Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, which is helping organize the rallies. Since we last did this, people have become far more aware of what is going wrong with this administration."

In Mississippi, the weather forecast calls for severe weather over the weekend. Will an event near you be affected? Here's what you need to know about how to find the protest in Jackson and where and when other groups will meet across the state.

Who is putting this on?

Groups organizing the No Kings protests include the ACLU, American Federation of Teachers, Common Defense, 50501, Human Rights Campaign, Indivisible, League of Conservation Voters, MoveOn, National Nurses United, Public Citizen, SEIU and United We Dream.

Protests led by the same organizers this year, including the ones in Mississippi, have been peaceful.

Why is it called 'No Kings'?

The name "No Kings" comes from the organizers' belief that Trump is acting like a monarch rather than the leader of a democracy.

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"America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people," their website says.

When was the first No Kings Day?

No Kings Day was on June 14. It synced up with Flag Day, the U.S. Army's 250th birthday and Trump's 79th birthday. A military parade, estimated to cost $40 million, was held in Washington, D.C. with tanks, other military equipment and marching troops.

Event organizers and the Trump administration said the day was only to celebrate the Army. The U.S. Navy celebrated its 250th birthday on Oct. 13, and the U.S. Marine Corps has its 250th on Nov. 10. Neither has a similar event scheduled at this time.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which co-organized the rallies, estimated that more than 5 million people participated in about 2,100 "No Kings" protests across the U.S.

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In Mississippi, approximately 1,500 people marched at the State Capitol and at several other events around the state.

The White House called the day of protests an "utter failure."

When, where are new No Kings protests in Mississippi?

The only protest in Jackson is noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Mississippi State Capitol Building, 400 High St.

Other events are scheduled across the state on Oct. 18. Information could change. Check nokings.org to learn more. Or look for events near you on social media to make direct contact with local organizers and track potential changes, like weather delays.

Gulfport : 9-11 a.m. at Dan M. Russell Jr. Federal Courthouse Annex, 2012 15th St.

Oxford: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at City Hall at The Square, 107 Courthouse Square

Tupelo: noon to 1:30 p.m. at Trent Kelly's Office, 431 W. Main St.

Starkville : noon to 2 p.m. at Old County Courthouse, 101 E. Main St.

Hernando: 2-4 p.m. at DeSoto County Courthouse, 2535 Highway 51 South

Hattiesburg: 3-5 p.m. at City Hall, 200 Forrest St.

Corinth: 3-5 p.m. at Trailhead Park, 401 Cruise St.

Will severe weather affect No Kings protests in Mississippi?

According to the National Weather Service, Northwest Mississippi might get severe storms Saturday afternoon and into the night. Widespread rain is possible, even in areas unlikely to get storms, as of the Thursday forecast.

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Be sure to check for an updated forecast online, have a severe weather plan to stay safe.

Contributing: Pam Dankins, Brian Broom

Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.

Senior national political correspondent Sarah D. Wire can be reached at swire@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: New No Kings protests will be on Oct. 18. When, where is Jackson event?
Protests against the administration of President Donald Trump are planned in cities across Minnesota this Saturday as part of thousands of events scheduled around the U.S.

A rally at the Commons, a park in downtown Minneapolis near U.S. Bank Stadium, and others across the state are part of the second round of No Kings protests in response to what organizers call the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the Trump administration.

The Minneapolis No Kings event is one of dozens scheduled across Minnesota and is set to begin at 1 p.m. It will include a march along a planned but unannounced route and is expected to end around 4 p.m. Scheduled speakers at the event include Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham and Monique Cullars-Doty with Black Lives Matter Minnesota.

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Organizers say there will be two rallies from noon to 2 p.m. in St. Paul  at Lexington Parkway South & W. Seventh Street and near St. Catherine University at 525 Fairview Ave. S.

Organizers with Indivisible Twin Cities, Womens March Minnesota and Minnesota 50501, another anti-Trump protest movement, said the Minneapolis speakers will focus on actions Minnesotans can take to stand together against the abuses of power, cruelty, and corruption and protect our communities, especially our immigrant communities as ICE and the National Guard invade American cities.

Its unclear how many will attend the rally in Minneapolis, though around 25,000 people attended the first No Kings Rally at the state Capitol in St. Paul on June 14, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. Organizers with Indivisible claimed 80,000 attended.

That turnout came even as dozens of No Kings events were canceled in Minnesota amid an ongoing manhunt for the alleged assassin of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her Husband, Mark, at their home in Brooklyn Park earlier that morning. The Minnesota State Patrol had urged people to avoid the events until the suspected killer had been apprehended.

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Organizers expect millions to attend the roughly 2,500 events planned in all 50 states this weekend.

Besides Minneapolis and St. Paul, activists have events planned Saturday in numerous Twin Cities suburbs, Duluth, Rochester, St. Cloud, Fargo-Moorhead, International Falls, and other communities across the state.

What likely will be Minnesotas largest No Kings rally is happening in downtown Minneapolis rather than the state Capitol because of a booking conflict for the space, according to Heather Friedli with 50501.

In anticipation of a rally downtown, the Minneapolis Police Department said it is partnering with other law enforcement agencies and that residents can expect a visible police presence through the weekend. A department spokesman said he did not anticipate any road closures.

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Activists held the June No Kings rallies as counterprograming for a military parade in Washington, D.C., ordered by President Donald Trump.

A second round of No Kings protests comes amid an ongoing immigration crackdown and deployment of National Guard troops to Democratic-controlled cities by the Trump administration and a government shutdown.

As of Thursday members of Congress had not reached a deal to fund the government, meaning many federal services remain in limbo.

The shutdown started Oct. 1 after Congressional Democrats refused to approve Republican spending plans unless they preserved soon-to-expire health insurance subsidies for millions of Americans.

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House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Republican representing Minnesotas Sixth Congressional District, drew criticism from Democrats this week for calling No Kings protesters the terrorist wing of their party.

This is one thing and one thing only, Emmer said of the ongoing shutdown. To score political points with the terrorist wing of their party, which is set to hold  a hate America rally in D.C. next week.

In response, Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, sent Emmer a letter expressing concern over his remarks, calling them careless and inflammatory in the wake of recent political violence in Minnesota.

Your comments were out of character, out of line, and represent the worst in our politics; language that threatens peoples safety, said Murphy, who served in the Legislature with Emmer. We can speak clearly and firmly to our differences without throwing gas on an already dangerous fire.

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Des Moines is one of over a dozen locations across Iowa that will host a No Kings protest in October.

The June No Kings protest in Des Moines brought out an estimated 7,000 people. Across the nation, the protest mobilized millions of people across the county to protest the Trump administration.

"The president thinks his rule is absolute," according to the No Kings website. "But in America, we dont have kings and we wont back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty."

What does No Kings mean?

No Kings protests started because America doesn't "belong to kings, dictators or tyrants," according to the No Kings website. This second round of protests is due to the recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainments, a key issue for President Donald Trump.

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"His administration is sending masked agents into our streets, terrorizing our communities," according to the No Kings website. "They are targeting immigrant families, profiling, arresting and detaining people without warrants."

The protests also advocate against cuts to healthcare, public education and environmental regulations.

More: Politics or just Halloween? Valley Junction shop owner says inflatable costume sales rising

When is the No Kings protest in Des Moines?

The Des Moines No Kings protest is from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Iowa State Capitol.

Other protest around central Iowa will take place in Ames, Indianola, Ankeny, Newton and Pella. To find more No Kings protest locations in Iowa and around the country, visit the No Kings website.

How have Iowa's protest laws changed?

Penalties increased for protest-related crimes in Iowa following widespread demonstrations in response to the police killing of George Floyd.

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When Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the changes into law in 2021, she described it as "Back the Blue" legislation. The law created higher penalties for protest-related crimes like rioting and unlawful assembly. It expanded the definition of other crimes such as criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and harassment.

The law also added a definition of "qualified immunity" to Iowa Code, which means Iowa police officers enjoy stronger lawsuit protections.

Other elements of the law include:

Raise the penalties for rioting to a felony and raise penalties for unlawful assembly to an aggravated misdemeanor while expanding the definition of charges, including criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, assault and harassment.

Add a new aggravated misdemeanor charge for "interference with public disorder control," meant to penalize protesters who disrupt law enforcement from "legally deploying a device to control public disorder."

Grant civil immunity to drivers of vehicles who injure someone who is blocking traffic while engaging in disorderly conduct or participating in a protest without a permit. The driver must be exercising "due care" at the time and not engaging in "reckless or willful misconduct."

Expand the charge of "eluding" to include failing to stop for an officer in an unmarked law enforcement vehicle.

Make changes to officer benefits related to workers' compensation and health insurance.

Penalize local governments or law enforcement agencies that adopt policies that discourage the enforcement of any state, local or municipal laws.

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Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What is No Kings Day protest? See when Des Moines protest takes place
You take your good news where you can find it.

Donald Trump is obsessed with controlling the message. He is no different than literally any other president who came before him in that regard. He just takes it to extremes. Hell do anything he can to try to shape the flow and content of information to keep his base happy (and his opponents angry): lie, attack, make stuff up, intimidate media companies.

Is Portland, Oregon, really war-ravaged, on fire or bombed out? Is the situation so dire that shop owners cant put glass in their windows?

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Of course not. But saying so makes it easier to justify sending U.S. troops into the city, especially for a base that is eager to believe anything Trump tells it.

Lately, however, there have been pockets of resistance to media control, to propaganda, to trying to discourage free expression. I dont know if youd call it heartening, but it is, at least, encouraging  and healthy. It's not about MAGA vs. everyone else. It's about free speech.

Reporters refuse Pentagon power play

From a purely media standpoint, the biggest story occurred when reporters covering the Pentagon turned in their credentials and left the building, rather than go along with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseths new access policy that restricts their work.

Good for them.

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According to the Wall Street Journal, the rules require that "military personnel need approval before sharing information with the media, even if it isnt classified. It says members of the media should be aware that agency 'personnel may face adverse consequences for unauthorized disclosures.'

Jonathan Turley  Jonathan Turley!  said on Fox News, What theyre basically saying is if you publish anything thats not in the press release, is not the official statement of the Pentagon, you could be held responsible under this policy. That is going to create a stranglehold on the free press, and the cost is too great.

When Turley is attacking a Trump administration action, you know you've gone too far.

In case its not clear, this is not how journalism works: You dont need authorization from anyone to write a story. Stories would never be written if you did. But this is how solidarity works.

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Even outlets like Fox News, which never misses a chance to put Trump in a good light, and Newsmax, which is even more blatant in that regard, refused to sign the new policy. One America News, which is basically state media for Trump, did sign on to the policy. Whatever the boss wants for that bunch.

Theres some irony here. Hegseth has been obsessed with media leaks at the Pentagon  even though he used to be a Fox News host. After some early trouble with his Signal group chat, hes especially wary, no doubt.

To be clear, access is nice for journalists, but hardly essential. If Hegseth thinks this will somehow stymie the flow of stories about the Pentagon, hes wrong. Although he later praised the move, Trump himself said, Nothing stops reporters. You know that.

Credit where it's due. Hes right about that.

Kudos to Sky Harbor Airport for standing up to Kristi Noem

Another bright spot is that more than a dozen airports around the nation, including Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, are refusing to show a propaganda video that blames Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown.

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Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says in the video. And because of this, many of our operations are impacted and most of our TSA employees are working without pay. We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel. And our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.

Thats just the message weary and nervous travelers want to hear when theyre scrambling to make their flights. Its just relentless with this bunch  take credit for everything you want, blame Democrats for everything else. The only mystery here is why other airports are running the video, which many legal experts believe is illegal.

No, the 'No Kings' rallies aren't 'hate America' rallies

Finally, massive "No Kings" rallies to protest the Trump administration are planned for Saturday, Oct. 18, including in Arizona. Its not the first. There were also No Kings rallies in June. But this time around, Republicans have latched onto the planned protests with what certainly seems like a coordinated campaign to attack them preemptively.

They have a hate America rally thats scheduled for Oct. 18 on the National Mall, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said. Its all the pro-Hamas wing and the Antifa people, theyre all coming out.

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On Friday, he offered this update: "They're going to descend on our capital for their much-anticipated so-called No Kings rally. We refer to it by its more accurate description: 'The Hate America' rally. I'm not sure how anybody can refute that."

I'm not sure how anyone can't.

House GOP Whip Tom Emmer said, Youll see the hate for America all over this thing when they show up to rallies, saying that protesters just do not love this country.

Or maybe they love it so much theyre willing to fight for it, even in the face of unwarranted criticism? Just a thought. You might think Republicans and Democrats would be against America having kings. Im starting to wonder.

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Whatever the case, everyone has the right, protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution, to protest. Republicans are clearly trying to talk people out of it. But theres more. Trump has signed an executive order designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, even though its not an organization at all. (Antifa is short for "anti-fascist," and is a label adopted by some, mainly on the far left, to mount sometimes violent protests. The term has become a lazy catchall phrase for Republicans to try to discredit any liberal group or movement they dislike.)

But to MAGA followers, it is if he says it is. What if Trump declares anyone who protests on Saturday is an Antifa member and, by extension, a terrorist? Hes already sent troops into U.S. cities. Whats next?

Its scary. But its also encouraging that millions are expected to protest anyway. Even if you support Trump, that should be good news. Trump and his followers talk a lot about supporting free speech. Now lets see if they put their money where their mouth is and leave the protests  and protesters  alone.

Too dump for even Trump: MAGA outrage over Bad Bunny Super Bowl show is absurd

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Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Media commentary with a side of snark? Sign up for The Watchlist newsletter with Bill Goodykoontz.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'No Kings' to Pentagon walkouts, Trump pushback grows | Opinion
A woman holds a sign that reads "No Kings!" with an upside down American flag at a prayer vigil and rally at a Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office on August 25, 2025 in Baltimore. Credit - Andrew HarnikGetty Images

As Republican leaders attempt to cast the nationwide No Kings protests planned for Saturday as anti-American rallies, organizers are pushing back and say that they have spent weeks preparing demonstrators to remain calm, lawful, and nonviolenteven if met with aggression.

The organizers said they expect millions to turn out for what they describe as a peaceful demonstration against President Donald Trumps expansion of executive power, suggesting that Trump's prediction of "very few people" taking part will prove false. The marches, planned in more than 2,600 cities and towns, will be the second major mobilization of the movement since Junebut it comes amid heightened warnings and military preparations from some state and federal officials.

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In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott announced National Guard deployments in Austin, citing what he called possible threats from antifa-linked demonstrators. Democrats there accused him of using the Guard to intimidate protesters.

The tension reflects a broader clash over the meaning of public dissent in the Trump era. While administration officials frame the protests as a potential threat to order, organizers say they represent a test of the countrys ability to tolerate peaceful oppositionand of citizens willingness to defend their own rights.

Given the heightened rhetoric, groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, Indivisible, MoveOn and the American Federation of Teachers say they are taking extra precautions, focusing on de-escalation and community safety, and distributing guidance on how to respond peacefully if met with aggression by law enforcement or counterprotesters. They might try to paint this weekends events as something dangerous, said Diedre Schlifeling, the ACLUs chief political and advocacy officer. But the reality is there is nothing unlawful or unsafe about organizing and attending peaceful protests. Its the most patriotic and American thing you can do.

The No Kings movement began earlier this year as a response to Trumps assertion of sweeping executive powers. Its sloganmodeled after the Revolution-era rejection of monarchyhas become a rallying cry for those who see the administrations actions as a threat to democratic institutions.

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The movements first nationwide day of protest in June was largely peaceful, though isolated clashes broke out between police and demonstrators in several cities. Organizers deliberately avoided holding a march in Washington, D.C. at the time, as Trump was attending a military parade in the city after he lobbied for one commemorating the Armys 250th anniversary, which coincided with his 79th birthday. Around five million people attended the protests nationwide, organizers said.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump downplayed the scope of the demonstrations. They have their day coming up, the President said. I hear very few people are gonna be there, by the way. But they have their day coming up and they want to have their day in the sun.

House Speaker Mike Johnson called the demonstrations against the Trump Administration a Hate America rally and claimed it would draw the pro-Hamas wing of the Democratic party and the antifa people. Majority Whip Tom Emmer accused Democrats of promoting the terrorist wing of their party.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described expected participants as the farthest left, the hardest core, the most unhinged in the Democratic Party. Republican Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas suggested the National Guard might need to show up.

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In a press conference on Thursday, organizers accused Republicans of attempting to intimidate people from attending. Now they are trying to smear millions of Americans who are coming out to protest so that they can justify and crack down on peaceful dissent, said Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible, one of the groups that organized the event. It is the classic authoritarian playbookthreaten, smear and liebut we will not be intimidated.

We do not expect there to be any need for the National Guard to be deployed, but if the Trump Administration attempts to do that as a way to intimidate peaceful protests, we are prepared for that, Schlifeling added. We have done a lot of preparation and Know Your Rights trainings with people across the country. Just yesterday, one session had 18,000 people.

Write to Nik Popli at nik.popli@time.com.
South Africa and China have signed a groundbreaking stone fruit trade protocol, granting South African exporters unprecedented access to the vast Chinese market.

The agreement, signed on Wednesday in Shanghai by Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and Chinas General Administration of Customs Minister Sun Meijun, opens Chinas borders to five South African stone fruit varieties  apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, and prunes  under a single accord.

It marks the first time China has extended such comprehensive access to multiple fruit categories from one nation, underscoring the depth of trust and cooperation between Pretoria and Beijing.

Describing the deal as a major breakthrough for South African fruit producers, Minister Steenhuisen said the agreement represents a strategic move to diversify export markets and enhance agricultural resilience amid shifting global consumption patterns. He projected that the Chinese market could unlock roughly R400 million in export value over the next five years, with the figure expected to double within a decade. The inaugural 2025/26 export season alone is anticipated to yield approximately R28 million, rising to R54 million in 2026/27. Steenhuisen also noted that the surge in Chinese demand for peaches and plums  surpassing 40 million cartons annually  positions South Africa favourably to capture a 5% share of its total fruit exports by 2032.

Beyond economic value, the agreement promises tangible social dividends. Steenhuisen said the new trade corridor is projected to create over 350 direct farm and packhouse jobs and nearly 600 additional roles across logistics and packaging sectors. He also invited a Chinese technical team to South Africa to inspect cherry and blueberry facilities, paving the way for future market access. Commending Chinas infrastructure investment through the Belt and Road Initiative, he highlighted its role in improving South Africas rail, port, and road networks  key enablers of efficient agricultural trade. China has been South Africas largest trading partner for over a decade, Steenhuisen affirmed. This agreement not only strengthens our economic partnership but symbolises our shared commitment to sustainable growth and mutual prosperity.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  On Saturday, over 2,500 No Kings events will be taking place across the country, including in Grand Junction.

Participants in the event will meet at noon on Main Street and Spruce Avenue before marching through downtown carrying signs, noisemakers and dressed up in costumes to protest the recent actions and policies passed by the Trump administration.

Indivisible Grand Junction, the organizer of the local march, encourages attendees to bring their ballots to the ballot box, but warns them to keep any signs outside a 100-foot radius from the box, as campaigning or electioneering within that radius is illegal. People are also encouraged to attend an earlier Mesa Valley Education Association event at 9 a.m. at Sherward Park for speakers, breakfast and canvassing.

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Indivisible Grand Junction will have Safety Team Members at the event and has been working with the Grand Junction Police Department (GJPD) to ensure the safety of all involved.

When WesternSlopeNow asked about whether there would be a heavier police presence at the event, GJPD stated, We are aware of the planned No Kings protest. As with every public event, the Grand Junction Police Department is working closely with local organizers to ensure that everyone can exercise their rights safely and peacefully. The safety of all participants, bystanders and members of the community remains our top priority.

Other No Kings events on the Western Slope on Saturday include:

Durango  2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Rotary Park, located at 1565 E 2nd Avenue.

Gunnison  2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at West Ruby Avenue and North Main Street.

Montrose  3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Centennial Plaza, located at 434 S 1st Street.

Paonia  Noon to 2 p.m. at Paonia Park, located at 708 4th Street.

Telluride  11 a.m. to noon at San Miguel Combined Courts at 305 W Colorado Avenue.

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A full list of registered events for No Kings can be found at www.nokings.org.

The No Kings events on Saturday aim to build on its previous nationwide event on June 14.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Were expecting to see widespread protests against President Donald Trump across the country, including many locations in the DMV, on Saturday.

Around 2,000 No Kings protests are planned to take place across the country to push back against many of the Trump administrations actions, including deploying the National Guard and threats of mass federal layoffs during the government shutdown.

What to know about upcoming No Kings protests

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Over 30 protests are scheduled to take place in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, drawing crowds to the streets in what No Kings organizers say will be peaceful protests.

The main protest is set to start on Pennsylvania Avenue NW and 3rd Street SW, in front of the U.S. Capitol.

You can see what protests will be taking place near you on the No Kings website by looking up your zip code.

These protests took place once before in June, when protestors also pushed back against Trumps military parade in D.C.

The Metropolitan Police Department provided a list of road closures and traffic impacts:

From Friday, October 17, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., through Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., the following street will be posted as Emergency No Parking and closed to vehicle traffic:

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Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd Street to Constitution Avenue, NW

On Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking:

6 th Street from C Street to Constitution Avenue, NW

Constitution Avenue from 7 th Street to 6 th Street, NW

U Street from 15 th Street to 13 th Street, NW

W Street from Martin Luther King Jr Avenue to 13th Street, SE

On Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the following streets will closed to vehicle traffic:

Pennsylvania Avenue from 3 rd Street to 7 th Street, NW

6 th Street from C Street to Constitution Avenue, NW

Constitution Avenue from 7 th Street to 6 th Street, NW

3rd Street from Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue, SW

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On Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 5:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the following streets will closed to vehicle traffic:

W Street from Martin Luther King Jr Avenue to 13th Street, SE

On Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., the following street may experience temporary street closures:

14th Street from Florida Avenue to F Street, NW

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live.
A woman holds up a poster with the image that has come to define the nationwide No Kings day of protest in Scottsdale, Ariz. on June 14, 2025. As many as 40 protests happened across the Valley, despite an extreme weather advisory. Photo by Gloria Rebecca Gomez | Arizona Mirror

Thousands of Arizonans are expected to join rallies and marches this weekend in a second series of No Kings protests held to criticize President Donald Trump and his administration for its authoritarian actions.

More than 60 peaceful demonstrations are planned across the state, from as far north as Tuba City and as south as Nogales. Over a dozen events are scheduled to take place in the Valley, with the most-attended one likely to be at the state Capitol in Phoenix. An estimated 5,000 people showed up at the Capitol despite the summer heat during the first No Kings protest in June.

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As many as 2,600 events are planned across the country in every state.

The national day of action comes as the federal government shutdown enters its third week and amid an ongoing immigration crackdown in California, Oregon and Illinois that has seen violent clashes between National Guardsmen, federal agents and protesters.

Organizers say the demonstrations are meant to denounce what they say is the Trump administrations descent into authoritarianism. Emily Kirkland, the co-chair of Phoenix-Metro Democratic Socialists, said that the public outrage is more than just a political disagreement and that Arizonans are fed up with the federal governments flouting of due process and the rule of law.

This administration has defied our courts, deported American citizens, disappeared people off our streets, and slashed our services, all while orchestrating a massive giveaway to their billionaire allies, she said in a written statement. As President Trump continues to pretend hes a dictator, we are standing up again to push back against his hateful, authoritarian actions.

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High turnout is expected even in rural Republican strongholds in Arizona. Ellen Ferreira, the head of Democrats of the Red Rocks, helped put together two separate events in the Sedona area that she projects will draw more than 1,000 attendees, including residents from neighboring towns. And while the events are largely organized by progressive groups, Ferreira said that political affiliation is secondary when it comes to concerns over the Trump administrations actions.

We will see people from every political persuasion showing up, she said. A lot of people are very scared about whats happening  the invasion of American cities, people are concerned about the dramatic increase that they expect to see in health care costs, people are concerned about prices. Trump said hell bring down grocery prices on Day One and theyve done nothing but go up. Were not seeing any positive outcomes from this presidency.

Ferreira added that the overarching theme of the No Kings protests is to call out Trumps drastic reshaping of the federal governments role and the expansion of his executive power, which has at various times been criticized as unconstitutional. Trump has set tariffs by declaring trade deficits a national emergency, seizing a constitutional authority reserved for Congress, and administration officials, carrying out Trumps immigration agenda, have ignored judicial orders and undermined due process.

The main message is to stop the overreach of the administration, Ferreira said. The president is an elected official, and we have three branches of government. And he seems to be trying to overtake all three.

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Since Trump took office in January, public pushback against his administrations policies has surged across the country. In February, Americans rallied for civil rights during 50501 protests. Criticism of billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk and the gutting of federal services took center stage at Hands Off protests in April. Most recently, in July, just a month after the first wave of No Kings protests, Americans took to the streets to honor the legacy of civil rights icon John Lewis with Good Trouble demonstrations.

Ferreira said this weekends events are an offshoot of the frenzy of nationwide mobilization that came before and that the protests serve as a way for people to speak out about all of the discontent and fear thats been building for the past several months.

Theres just so many things that people are upset and frustrated about, she said.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Across the Bay Area and nation, millions of Americans are planning to hold another "No Kings Day" protest on Saturday.

These demonstrations come as there are growing concerns of President Donald Trump deploying the National Guard to San Francisco and other cities.

RELATED: Trump vows federal 'surge' in more American cities to combat crime

California sued the Trump Administration over its deployment of the Guard to Los Angeles during ICE protests back in June, and Thursday at an unrelated press conference, Governor Gavin Newsom told reporters he believes the president is illegally trying to use federal troops as his personal police force.

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Newsom said, "His latest assertion that he was going to come to San Francisco. On what basis? He didn't even claim, there's no pretext anymore. Let's disabuse ourselves that there has to be a pretext with Donald Trump, that there's anything that would justify that there's no existing protest in a federal building, there's no operation that's being impeded. I guess it's just a training ground for the president of the United States. It is grossly illegal. It's immoral. It's rather delusional."

RELATED: SF leaders respond after Trump vows to 'strongly recommend' sending troops to city

There are three different "No Kings" gatherings planned in San Francisco and dozens more across the Bay Area Saturday.

There was a massive turnout from past No Kings protests here this summer.

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Republican leaders have slammed the demonstrations as anti-American, with House Speaker Mike Johnson calling it the "hate America rally."

Organizers are expecting thousands at the downtown San Francisco one alone and say their intention is to peacefully push back against the White House.

RELATED: SF DA fires back after Salesforce CEO suggests Trump send National Guard to city

Dianne McClure, VP of National Nurses United, says, "We do not believe in one person or one group of people, such as billionaires controlling our country. That's not what our nation was built upon. To threaten sending in the National Guard or any anything of that matter, that's that just means that we're effective in our organizing for our event."

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A spokesperson for SFPD says the city has a long tradition of First Amendment expression that officers will facilitate, while also having resources ready in case issues arise to ensure public safety.

The president's calls for sending in the National Guard to San Francisco did not appear to be directly related to these protests, but it's worth noting there will be troops at Saturday's protests in other states, including Texas where its governor is deploying members of the Guard to Austin.

You can find all the planned protests in the Bay Area and across the country on the No Kings website here.

Saturday Street Closures

The following streets will be closed from 1:15 to 2 p.m.:

Market from Beale to Steuart

Steuart from Market to Howard

Spear from Market to Folsom

Main from Market to Howard

All intersections with Mission Street will remain open

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The following streets will be closed from 2 to 4 p.m.:

Market from Eighth to Steuart

Hyde from McAllister to Market

Grove from Market to Van Ness





If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live
ST. LOUIS  Thousands of No Kings protests are expected across the United States on Saturday, including several around the St. Louis region.

The protests come in opposition to what organizers characterize as increasingly authoritarian practices from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Saturday marks the second No Kings mass movement against the Trump administration this year. In June, No Kings rallies were held in nearly 2,000 locations nationwide, in part to protest a military parade in Washington D.C. that marked the Armys 250th anniversary and coincided with Trumps birthday.

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Worker dies from injuries after being hit by car in CWE: SLMPD

Four months later, the protests are set amid intensifying conflicts over a government shutdown, ongoing immigration crackdowns and federal law deployments in certain U.S. cities. Some critics have labeled the protests as Hate America rallies, while many supporters consider them a defense of First Amendment rights.

According to the No Kings website, planned protests around St. Louis include:

St. Louis City

West St. Louis County

South Louis County

Franklin County

Jefferson County

St. Peters

Troy (Mo.)

Alton

Belleville

Edwardsville

OFallon (Ill.)

Waterloo

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The protests are not expected to be violent. The No Kings website emphasizes that all events follow strict commitment to nonviolent action. Participants are instructed to not bring weapons of any kind and encouraged to deescalate any potential confrontations.

The American Civil Liberties Union advises participants to be aware of their constitutional rights and offers online resources for safe and informed protest participation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
No Kings protests planned in more than a dozen metro Atlanta, north Georgia cities

No Kings protests are being planned across the country, and north Georgia is no different.

A planned No Kings protest in downtown Atlanta has been approved to proceed this weekend after a lengthy permit process. The protest will march from the Atlanta Civic Center to the State Capitol.

His march is not an act of chaos, but a celebration of constitutional courage, protest organizer Zack Simmons told Channel 2s Michael Doudna.

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Simmons views the protests as a response to what he and others see as executive overreach, citing actions by ICE and the National Guard in cities such as Chicago and Portland.

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Simmons emphasized that the protests are about self-defense and standing up for rights, especially in what he describes as a purple city that offers some protection.

Previous No Kings protests in the metro Atlanta area have been peaceful, with the exception of one in DeKalb County that ended in tear gas and arrests.

TRENDING STORIES:

City officials and police departments are collaborating with organizers to ensure the protests remain peaceful, balancing constitutional rights with public safety.

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Obviously, we totally respect the right to assemble, but we want to make sure that the right-of-ways are kept free. And of course, everyone goes home safe, said John McHenry, Tucker City Manager.

Atlanta Police will monitor the march, while DeKalb County is engaging with organizers and distributing instructional videos to prevent violence.

The City of Atlanta, which hosts nearly 300 protests annually, says it supports the fundamental right to protest.

Other No Kings protests have been planned in Athens, Canton, Carrollton, Cartersville, Decatur, Fayetteville, Gainesville, Hiram, Marietta, Newnan, Smyrna, Tucker and Woodstock.

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Rhode Island is set to almost a dozen "No Kings" protests across the state on Saturday, Oct. 18, joining a national movement that organizers expect to be the largest single day of protest in modern American history.

The protests are the second iteration of a coordinated day of action targeting what organizers see as increased authoritarianism as President Donald Trump sends National Guard troops into cities, encourages redistricting and continues his mass deportation efforts.

In June, organizers estimated that the demonstrations drew over five million people across more than 2,100 events across the country, and they are expecting an even higher turnout this time.

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Heres what to know about the protests in Rhode Island.

What is No Kings?"

The "No Kings" movement, launched by Indivisible, a nonprofit coalition of political action groups, is meant to be a pushback against Trump's agenda.

The group says that Trump is ignoring mass shootings, terrorizing communities by deploying troops to cities and threatening democratic processes through voter suppression and redistricting efforts. They say they are also responding to his actions on immigration, healthcare and the economy.

The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we dont have kings and we wont back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty, reads a statement on the website.

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Protesters are being urged to wear yellow as the "unifying color" to symbolize "peaceful resistance." The protests are intended to be nonviolent.

Protesters march around the Rhode Island State House during Wednesday's anti-Trump protest.

What's the weather forecast for the No Kings protests in Rhode Island?

The weekend is likely to be moderate and dry, according to the National Weather Service of Boston/Norton.

Temperatures are expected to rise into the mid to upper 60s. The day will start sunny and get cloudier, NWS predicted.

No Kings Providence

Providence will hold its No Kings protest on the mall side of the Rhode Island State House. It will take place from 1 - 4 p.m. on Oct. 18.

No Kings events to happen across Rhode Island

There are 11 protests currently planned in Rhode Island on Oct. 18. Below is a list of communities in Rhode Island holding protests this weekend as of Oct. 17. More may be added.

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Find more information on your local communitys event here.

Town Time Location Barrington 12  1 p.m. 461 County Rd Block Island 12  1 p.m. Estas Park East Greenwich 1  3 p.m. Private East Providence 11 a.m.  1 p.m. Freedom Green sidewalk Little Compton 12  1 p.m. Little Compton Town Green North Kingstown 10 a.m.  12 p.m. Sidewalk in front of the town hall North Smithfield 12  2 p.m. 901 Victory Hwy Portsmouth 10  11 a.m. Intersection by Clements and the Bank Newport Providence 1  4 p.m. Rhode Island State House Tiverton 1  2 p.m. United States Postal Service Westerly 12  2 p.m. Private

Map of No Kings events near you

You can see a map of Rhode Island No Kings protests here.

To see a map of registered No Kings protests across the U.S., go to nokings.org.

Contributing: Jennifer Lindahl

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: 'No Kings' protests planned around RI on Oct. 18. What are they?
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Multiple demonstrations are active across North and South Carolina this Saturday as the nationwide No Kings protest movement returns.

The protests, aimed at pushing back against what organizers call authoritarian actions by President Donald Trump, are planned in several Charlotte-area communities.

The demonstrations are part of a national effort involving more than 2,500 cities and towns across the United States.

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Organizers said the goal is to defend First Amendment rights and call attention to what they describe as escalating threats to democracy.

Pictures from protest and rally in Uptown Charlotte:

Around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, CMPD said the rally ended and the streets reopened. There were no arrests or incidents during the planned events.

CMPD officers were on scene throughout the event, implementing a strategic operations plan to ensure public safety, manage traffic, and support the communitys right to assemble, CMPD said. We appreciate everyone who came out and helped make this a safe and respectful event for all.

Local North Carolina locations:

Charlotte: First Ward Park, 301 E 7th Street, 10 a.m.  12 p.m.

Waxhaw: Downtown Waxhaw 10 a.m.  12 p.m.

Morganton: South Green Street, 10 a.m.  12 p.m.

Lincoln County (Denver): 7120 NC-73, 10 a.m.  12 p.m.

Newton: Catawba County Justice Center, 10:30 a.m.  12 p.m.

Concord: East side of Concord Parkway near Carolina Mall, 11 a.m.  2 p.m.

Albemarle: Sidewalk in front of Walmart/Urgent Care on Leonard Ave, 11 a.m.  12:30 p.m.

Cornelius: 20329 Catawba Ave., 2 p.m.  3:30 p.m.

Belmont: Primal Brewery, 52 Ervin Street (March from Wilkinson Blvd and Park Road)

Local South Carolina locations:

Indian Land: Indian Land Intermediate School, at 521 & Dobys Bridge Road, 11 a.m.  2 p.m.

Fort Mill: Walgreens location, 11 a.m.  1 p.m.

Rock Hill: Dave Lyle Boulevard between Main Street and White Street, 2 p.m.  4 p.m.

CHARLOTTE, USA JUNE 14: Thousands of demonstrators flood the streets of Charlotte, North Carolina on Flag Day, which also marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, to protest against former President Donald Trump on June 14, 2025 (Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images) CHARLOTTE, USA JUNE 14: Thousands of demonstrators flood the streets of Charlotte, North Carolina on Flag Day, which also marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, to protest against former President Donald Trump on June 14, 2025 (Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images) CHARLOTTE, USA JUNE 14: Thousands of demonstrators flood the streets of Charlotte, North Carolina on Flag Day, which also marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, to protest against former President Donald Trump on June 14, 2025 (Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images) CHARLOTTE, USA JUNE 14: Thousands of demonstrators flood the streets of Charlotte, North Carolina on Flag Day, which also marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, to protest against former President Donald Trump on June 14, 2025 (Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images) CHARLOTTE, USA JUNE 14: Thousands of demonstrators flood the streets of Charlotte, North Carolina on Flag Day, which also marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, to protest against former President Donald Trump on June 14, 2025 (Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images)

This is the second No Kings protest of the year. The last one happened in June and remained largely peaceful. Organizers said Saturdays demonstrations are in response to recent federal actions they argue are unconstitutional, ranging from attempts to restrict the press  to crackdowns on immigration and political disagreements.

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MORE: No Kings protests, sporting events and more happening around Charlotte the weekend of Oct. 17

Some conservative lawmakers have criticized the movement, calling it divisive. But protest leaders said the events are nonviolent and patriotic, focused on civic engagement and constitutional protections.

What to expect if you go this weekend

Expect signs, speeches, and marches. Organizers are asking attendees to remain respectful and safe. Some road closures or slowdowns may happen near protest areas.

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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 Queen City News.
Big crowds of protesters are expected Saturday in thousands of places around the U.S. in opposition to what some are characterizing as increasingly authoritarian practices by President Donald Trump.

Its the second No Kings protest and third mass movement against the administration this year, and it comes amid an intensifying conflict between federal law enforcement and protesters nationwide.

Some conservative politicians have condemned the protests as Hate America rallies, while others say that it represents a patriotic fight for First Amendment rights.

Where are protests here?

Northeast Florida

Bradford County

Noon to 2 p.m. at the Corner of 301 and 100, 205 W Madison Street, Starke

Clay County

10 a.m. to noon, 2297 Kingsley Ave., Orange Park

Columbia County

10 a.m.  5 p.m., Olustee Park, 169 N Marion Ave., Lake City

Duval County

10 a.m. to noon, at U.S. Route 1 and Race Track Road

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2:15 p.m., march at Friendship Fountain, Jacksonville

3 p.m. to 5 p.m., rally at Duval County Courthouse, Jacksonville

Putnam County

10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Reid Street and Memorial Parkway, on the bridge and along Reid Street in Palatka

St. Johns County

9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Castillo de San Marcos Nation Monument, 11 San Marco Ave., St. Augustine

Southeast Georgia

Glynn County

1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Mary Ross Waterfront Park in Brunswick

9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Waycross. Event is private, sign up here

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

Here is what to expect on Saturday

Organizers aim to boost political engagement

Ezra Levin, a leading organizer of Saturdays protests, said the demonstrations are a response to what he called Trumps crackdown on First Amendment rights.

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Levin, the co-executive director of the nonprofit Indivisible, pointed to Trumps sweeping immigration crackdown, his unprecedented promises to use federal power to influence midterm elections, restrictions on press freedom and retribution against political opponents.

He said those steps cumulatively represented a direct threat to constitutionally protected rights.

Protests are planned for more than 2,500 locations nationwide  from the countrys largest city, New York, to small unincorporated, rural communities like East Glacier Ridge, Montana, with roughly 300 residents.

Organizers will consider the day a success, Levin said, if people are galvanized to become more politically involved on an ongoing basis.

Mostly peaceful protest in June

The last No Kings protest took place on June 14 in thousands of cities and towns across the country, in large part to protest a military parade in Washington that marked the Armys 250th anniversary and coincided with Trumps birthday. No Kings organizers at the time called the parade coronation that was symbolic of what they characterized as Trumps growing authoritarian overreach.

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Confrontations were isolated and the protests were largely peaceful.

Police in Los Angeles, where protests over federal immigration enforcement raids erupted the week prior and sparked demonstrations across the country, used tear gas and crowd-control munitions to clear out protesters after the formal event ended. Officers in Portland also fired tear gas and projectiles to disperse a crowd that protested in front of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building well into the evening.

One protester was killed during the Salt Lake City march in June. A safety volunteer shot at a person allegedly pointing a rifle at demonstrators, but inadvertently struck and killed protester Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, a beloved fashion designer.

Utah organizers focus on healing

Four months later, no one has been charged. Experts have said state gun laws may shield both the shooter and the man who brandished a rifle but didnt fire shots.

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Jamie Carter, an organizer of Saturdays rally, said Utah activists considered not participating in this round of No Kings demonstrations, but we also felt that we really had to get back out there.

Organizers are not affiliated with the groups who put on the June demonstration that turned deadly. Safety volunteers will be present but unarmed, and all have received de-escalation training, said Carter, of Salt Lake Indivisible. Attendees have been asked not to bring weapons.

We really want this to be a very uplifting, happy event of people coming together in a community to kind of try to erase and replace some of the bad memories, she said.

Concerns about large political demonstrations remain heightened in Utah, where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was also assassinated during a speaking event last month.

Crackdown on protests

Trumps crackdown against protests, especially in Democratic cities, has intensified since the June marches. He has since sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tenn. His efforts to deploy troops to Chicago and Portland, Oregon, have stalled in federal court.

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Organizers in Chicago are expecting tens of thousands of demonstrators at a popular Lake Michigan park, followed by a downtown march.

Federal immigration agents have arrested more than 1,000 people in Chicago, the nations third largest city, with increasingly aggressive tactics since September. Protests have been frequent and well attended in recent weeks, and have boiled over in intense clashes outside a suburban federal immigration processing center.

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Protesters are expected to pack the streets of Los Angeles and several other cities on Saturday for a nationwide "No Kings" rally.

They'll be demonstrating against several controversial Trump administration policies, and political leaders are asking people who show up to protest peacefully.

It's the second "No Kings" protest and third mass movement against the administration this year, and it comes amid an intensifying conflict between federal law enforcement and protesters nationwide.

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Some conservative politicians have condemned the protests as "Hate America" rallies, while others say that it represents a "patriotic" fight for First Amendment rights.

Saturday's rally is organized by the 50501 Group, which stands for 50 protests, 50 states and one movement.

The nationwide goal of the day is to end what organizers call the Trump administration's push toward a dictatorship... and its racist policies, including mass deportations.

Organizers are planning for a peaceful march and rally, but L.A. Mayor Karen Bass says the city will be ready for whatever happens.

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"We absolutely support, and have to have, peaceful protests, period. That is a part of our American way, and no one should engage in any type of vandalism. And I'm referring to graffiti. I'm referring to violence of any type. That is completely unacceptable. And people will be held accountable. But the overwhelming majority of the protests have been peaceful. It's important for people to express themselves. It's unacceptable for there to be violence of any type," Bass said.

People are advised to keep in mind that the downtown L.A. area could experience heavy traffic during the rally Saturday.

Crackdown on protests

Trump's crackdown against protests, especially in Democratic cities, has intensified since the June marches. He has since sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tenn. His efforts to deploy troops to Chicago and Portland, Oregon, have stalled in federal court.

Organizers in Chicago are expecting tens of thousands of demonstrators at a popular Lake Michigan park, followed by a downtown march.

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Federal immigration agents have arrested more than 1,000 people in Chicago, the nation's third largest city, with increasingly aggressive tactics since September. Protests have been frequent and well attended in recent weeks, and have boiled over in intense clashes outside a suburban federal immigration processing center.

"People are angrier. It feels so much more immediate," said Denise Poloyac with Indivisible Chicago. "They're very concerned about what's happening in Chicago and around the country."

The "No Kings" organizers have led numerous virtual safety trainings leading up to the protests with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, which is listed as an official partner on the "No Kings" website.

The trainings informed viewers about their rights during protests - such as whether you are required to carry ID or if wearing a mask is allowed (both vary according to each state) - and emphasized de-escalation techniques for encounters with law enforcement.

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Each official protest has a safety plan, which includes designated medics and emergency meeting spots.

Mixed response from elected officials

The protests have already drawn swift condemnation from some of the country's top politicians, with House Speaker Mike Johnson dubbing the event the "Hate America rally" at a news conference on Wednesday.

Some state leaders, like Texas' Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, have decided to activate the National Guard ahead of the protests.

"Texas will deter criminal mischief and work with local law enforcement to arrest anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property," Abbott said in a statement.

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Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom struck a more optimistic tone, saying he hopes Californians turn out in large numbers and remain peaceful. He said Trump "hopes there is disruption, there's some violence" that he can exploit.

--------------------

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Moroccos Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira, conducted strategic bilateral meetings with African counterparts Thursday in Istanbul, advancing economic cooperation initiatives on the sidelines of the 5th Turkey-Africa Business and Economic Forum.

Hejira held separate discussions with Libyas Economy and Trade Minister Mohamed Ali Al-Haweg, Gambias Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines Juwara Nani, and Kenyas Secretary General for Investment Promotion Abubakar Hassan Abubakar. The meetings focused on strengthening bilateral economic cooperation, promoting reciprocal investments, and expanding partnership perspectives at continental levels.

The Libya talks emphasized facilitating business exchanges, improving air connectivity, simplifying visa procedures, and exploring joint investment opportunities across Africa. Al-Haweg acknowledged Moroccos consistent support for Libyas political and economic stability, characterizing the discussions as fruitful for advancing commercial relations under Moroccos 2025-2027 foreign trade program, which prioritizes Arab and African markets.

Gambian Minister Nani praised Morocco-Gambia relations as exemplifying Africas best bilateral cooperation models, highlighting Moroccan support in education, infrastructure, and international event organization, including the 15th OIC Summit held in Banjul in May 2024. Discussions covered increasing bilateral trade, facilitating investment flows, and promoting intra-African commerce under common continental agendas.

Kenyas representative outlined three specific investment projects in port infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizer production for potential Moroccan involvement. These initiatives will receive detailed attention at Decembers African Continental Free Trade Area Forum in Marrakech, where definitive agreements are expected.

Hejira extended official invitations to all counterparts for the 2nd AfCFTA Forum scheduled December 11-12 in Marrakech. The event will feature ministerial summits, African products exhibitions showcasing Moroccan exports, and business networking forums, reinforcing Moroccos commitment to strengthening African economic integration and continental trade partnerships.
Protests are set to return to the Tampa Bay region Saturday, part of a nationwide effort to push back against President Donald Trumps latest domestic policies.

This is the second round of No Kings protest events this year. The last protests were on June 14, the same day Trump held a military parade on his birthday. Organizers estimated about 5 million people attended those demonstrations nationwide.

Saturdays events are intended to again affirm America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people, according to theNo Kings website.

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The protests are a public rebuke of Trumps latest executive power flexes, organizers said, including: deploying National Guard troops to several cities, continuing to deport thousands of those in the country illegally, clawing back congressional spending and cutting Medicaid benefits.

There are protests planned Saturdayin more than 50 cities across Florida, according to the No Kings website, including in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Gulfport, Largo and Sarasota. They include:

Tampa: Tampa City Hall, 315 E. Kennedy Blvd., 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

St. Petersburg: Tyrone Square, 6901 22nd Ave. N., 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m.

Clearwater: Duke Energy Trail Overpass, 9 a.m.-10 a.m.

Largo: Largo Central Park, 101 Central Park Drive, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Brandon/Riverview: Providence Road and Bloomingdale Avenue, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.

Gulfport: Gulfport Casino, 5500 Shore Blvd. S., 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Zephyrhills: Alice Hall Community Center, 38116 Fifth Ave., 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Trinity: Chilis, 3240 Little Road, 12 p.m.-2 p.m.

Sarasota: Payne Park, 2010 Adams Lane, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Floridas events correspond with others nationwide, with hundreds of rallies happening in every state. The protests are organized by a broad coalition of groups, including the Sierra Club, American Civil Liberties Union, League of Women Voters and 50501, which organizes anti-Trump demonstrations nationwide.

Protest organizers emphasize that attendees are expected to remain peaceful and should de-escalate any confrontations.
Big crowds of protesters are expected Saturday in thousands of places around the U.S. in opposition to what some are characterizing as increasingly authoritarian practices by President Donald Trump.

It's the second "No Kings" protest and third mass movement against the administration this year, and it comes amid an intensifying conflict between federal law enforcement and protesters nationwide.

Some conservative politicians have condemned the protests as Hate America" rallies, while others say that it represents a patriotic fight for First Amendment rights.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Here is what to expect on Saturday.

Organizers aim to boost political engagement

Ezra Levin, a leading organizer of Saturdays protests, said the demonstrations are a response to what he called Trumps crackdown on First Amendment rights.

Levin, the co-executive director of the nonprofit Indivisible, pointed to Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown, his unprecedented promises to use federal power to influence midterm elections, restrictions on press freedom and retribution against political opponents.

He said those steps cumulatively represented a direct threat to constitutionally protected rights.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Protests are planned for more than 2,500 locations nationwide  from the country's largest city, New York, to small unincorporated, rural communities like East Glacier Ridge, Montana, with roughly 300 residents.

Organizers will consider the day a success, Levin said, if people are galvanized to become more politically involved on an ongoing basis.

Mostly peaceful protest in June

The last No Kings protest took place on June 14 in thousands of cities and towns across the country, in large part to protest a military parade in Washington that marked the Armys 250th anniversary and coincided with Trumps birthday. No Kings organizers at the time called the parade coronation that was symbolic of what they characterized as Trumps growing authoritarian overreach.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Confrontations were isolated and the protests were largely peaceful.

Police in Los Angeles, where protests over federal immigration enforcement raids erupted the week prior and sparked demonstrations across the country, used tear gas and crowd-control munitions to clear out protesters after the formal event ended. Officers in Portland also fired tear gas and projectiles to disperse a crowd that protested in front of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building well into the evening.

One protester was killed during the Salt Lake City march in June. A safety volunteer shot at a person allegedly pointing a rifle at demonstrators, but inadvertently struck and killed protester Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, a beloved fashion designer.

Utah organizers focus on healing

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Four months later, no one has been charged. Experts have said state gun laws may shield both the shooter and the man who brandished a rifle but didn't fire shots.

Jamie Carter, an organizer of Saturday's rally, said Utah activists considered not participating in this round of No Kings" demonstrations, but we also felt that we really had to get back out there.

Organizers are not affiliated with the groups who put on the June demonstration that turned deadly. Safety volunteers will be present but unarmed, and all have received de-escalation training, said Carter, of Salt Lake Indivisible. Attendees have been asked not to bring weapons.

We really want this to be a very uplifting, happy event of people coming together in a community to kind of try to erase and replace some of the bad memories, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Concerns about large political demonstrations remain heightened in Utah, where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was also assassinated during a speaking event last month.

Crackdown on protests

Trumps crackdown against protests, especially in Democratic cities, has intensified since the June marches. He has since sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tenn. His efforts to deploy troops to Chicago and Portland, Oregon, have stalled in federal court.

Organizers in Chicago are expecting tens of thousands of demonstrators at a popular Lake Michigan park, followed by a downtown march.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Federal immigration agents have arrested more than 1,000 people in Chicago, the nations third largest city, with increasingly aggressive tactics since September. Protests have been frequent and well attended in recent weeks, and have boiled over in intense clashes outside a suburban federal immigration processing center.

People are angrier. It feels so much more immediate, said Denise Poloyac with Indivisible Chicago. Theyre very concerned about whats happening in Chicago and around the country.

The No Kings organizers have led numerous virtual safety trainings leading up to the protests with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, which is listed as an official partner on the No Kings website.

The trainings informed viewers about their rights during protests  such as whether you are required to carry ID or if wearing a mask is allowed (both vary according to each state)  and emphasized de-escalation techniques for encounters with law enforcement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Each official protest has a safety plan, which includes designated medics and emergency meeting spots.

Mixed response from elected officials

The protests have already drawn swift condemnation from some of the countrys top politicians, with House Speaker Mike Johnson dubbing the event the Hate America rally

Some state leaders, like Texas' Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, have decided to activate the National Guard ahead of the protests.

Texas will deter criminal mischief and work with local law enforcement to arrest anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property, Abbott said in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom struck a more optimistic tone, saying he hopes Californians turn out in large numbers and remain peaceful. He said Trump hopes there is disruption, theres some violence that he can exploit.

___

Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City; Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; Juan A. Lozano in Houston, Texas; Terry Chea in San Francisco; and Sophia Tareen in Chicago.
Big crowds of protesters gathered across North Carolina on Saturday, joining nationwide demonstrations against what they describe as President Donald Trump's abuse of power.

This marks the second "No Kings" protest and the third mass movement against the administration this year. Protests were planned at over 2,500 locations nationwide, amid an escalating tensions between federal law enforcement and protesters nationwide.

Some conservative politicians have condemned the protests as "Hate America" rallies, while others view them as a patriotic fight for First Amendment rights.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ezra Levin, a leading organizer of Saturday's protests and co-executive director of the nonprofit Indivisible, described the demonstrations as a response to Trump's "crackdown on First Amendment rights."

Levin highlighted Trump's immigration policies, promises to use federal power to influence midterm elections, restrictions on press freedom, and retaliation against political opponents.

No Kings protest in the Bull City

The Bull City was host to another No Kings protest in the region Saturday as thousands filled the streets in opposition to behavior and policies of President Donald Trump.

Durham organizers, in solidarity with other cities across the country, mobilized fired up residents who rallied to make their voices heard.

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"The whole government needs to see that this looks like everybody. It looks like America," said one woman from Durham, who only wanted to be identified as Martha. "(Trump's) extremely mean to all those who are defenseless. And he's dangerous. He's corrupt. He is crazy."

Thousands of Bull City residents filled Foster Street and the surrounding areas of Durham Central Park to march through the streets.

Organizers gathered the crowd across the street from the park to hear from speakers, including Dr. Reverend William Barber.

"We must make clear is that standing up and speaking the truth and protesting and voting like never before is required now. We cannot let this happen. We cannot give up on this democracy. Not now, not ever," said Barber.

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"We are not a people who give our loyalty to a king. And we are not people who run from a king. No, we the people of the United States of America. And yes, we are striving to be united by our commitment to liberty and justice for all."

Across the country, No Kings organizers said nearly 7 million Americans joined in protests.

"This is just a small way to show that we're not willing to stand for what's going on in our country right now," said new mother Emily Beaver. "And I just hope that (my son) can grow up somewhere where everybody is able to thrive and be who they are."

The North Carolina GOP sent a statement to Eyewitness News that read, in part, "These manufactured events organized by billionaire left-wing donors do nothing but highlight how out of touch the radical left is with the American people and here in North Carolina, thousands of voters every month reject being labeled a Democrat."

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Durham organizers have yet to release final figure from Saturday's attendance.

No Kings Protest takes over Cary

Hundreds began lining up the streets in Cary Saturday morning along SE Maynard Road and Kildaire Farm Road.

"It's a democracy, right? We don't need a king, correct? We got to stand up against that," said Johnny Yinger, of Cary.

Those who came out tell Eyewitness News that they enjoyed the sense of community amongst everyone protesting.

"We've got to fight for our Constitution and we got to fight for American democracy. That's the only reason we're here. We love our country," said one protestor.

WATCH: Chopper 11 over 'No Kings' protest in Cary

Chopper 11 over 'No Kings' protest in Cary

Sign during 'No Kings' protest in Cary

Thousands line Capital Blvd. in Raleigh

Thousands lined Capitol Boulevard for the No King's protests in the City of Oaks Saturday.

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The protest officially began at noon, but many came out up to an hour ahead of time to begin lining up near Triangle Town Center.

"I love America. That's why I'm here," said Jeff Brons, of Raleigh.

Brons says he is frustrated by several actions the administration has taken, including immigration actions.

"Rule of law, due process," he said. "It's the videos that I keep seeing of citizens and residents, people that are watching ICE do."

Gale Brickman and her daughter Alanna said they came out to stand up for issues impacting women and immigrants.

"A lot of the women's issues, a lot of the women do it now. The immigrants now, just the cruelty," said Gale Brickman. "We don't like what's happening and we need to do something. And if this is all I can do, this is all I can do. I have to do something. I can't sit and let it happen without being involved."

Some politicians have condemned the protests as "Hate America" rallies, while others view them as a patriotic fight for First Amendment rights.

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Last June, thousands of North Carolinians participated in the first "No Kings Day,". These demonstrations occurred ahead of the U.S. Army's 250th birthday celebration in Washington, D.C., and coincidentally on President Trump's birthday.

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson released a statement ahead of Oct. 18:

"Peaceful protest is one of the most important rights we have as Americans. It's how people make their voices heard and stand up for what they believe in. I encourage everyone who chooses to demonstrate to do so peacefully and to look out for one another's safety. Protesting peacefully honors both the cause and the Constitution. Peaceful protest strengthens our democracy; violence undermines it."

WATCH: Fayetteville joins nationwide protests against President Trump

Fayetteville joins nationwide protests against President Trump

WATCH: Chopper 11 over 'No Kings' protest in Apex

Chopper 11 over 'No Kings' protest in Apex

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


NEW YORK (PIX11)  Protesters are mobilizing this weekend for the nationwide No Kings march, rallying against the Trump administrations policies.

The first No Kings march was held in June during Trumps birthday military parade. Thousands of people across the U.S. protested in the streets, focusing their fight on ICE detainments.

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The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we dont have kings and we wont back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty, the No Kings website reads.

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Heres where protests will be held across New York:

Long Island

Westchester

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

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For a list of No Kings protests in New York City and New Jersey, click here.

For more information on No Kings protests across the tri-state area, click here.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
UCG/Getty Images

This Saturday, No Kings rallies will take place across the United States, with more than 2,600 events planned, organizers say. That makes this iteration of the event the largest yet, which is really saying something. The first No Kings rallies, in June, were estimated to be among the largest single-day American protests in recorded history.

It looks like 90% of the country is within half an hour of their local No Kings protest, says co-organizer Leah Greenberg of Indivisible, a grassroots organization involved in the No Kings protests.

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A plethora of organizing groups, nonprofits, and labor unions are behind the event, which has recently received targeted attention from the Trump administration and congressional Republicans. House Speaker Mike Johnson called it a hate-America rally, attended by The people who dont want to stand and defend the foundational truths of this republic, Johnson said during a recent news conference, according to the Washington Post.

Organizers and supporters argue that these demonstrations are quintessentially American  protesting authoritarian and lawless actions by the Trump administration.

NO KINGS Immigration Protest shows all races protesting ICE raids of Trump Administration feature colorful signs in downtown Los Angeles, CA. Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Getty Images

In Chicago and Portland, OR, federal agents have used physical power against civilians, protesters, and journalists during demonstrations over the administrations immigration crackdown. The first No Kings rallies occurred around the time of the National Guard's deployment to Los Angeles in response to protests of ICE raids in the city, Greenberg says. As such, the action directly and intentionally highlighted the attacks on immigrants, on Los Angeles and residents rights.

Greenberg says further that the organizers wanted to make clear that the anti-immigrant attacks are core to and inseparable from the attacks on our democracy and our rights as citizens. They incorporated voices speaking about genocide, she says, noting that Palestinian American lawmaker Ruwa Romman of Georgia spoke at the flagship rally in Philadelphia for the first No Kings events.

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While this is a big tent, says Greenberg, and it includes everybody who can collectively come together to say no to authoritarianism, it also includes people who are fighting for more: for justice and dignity, over and above simply getting through this moment, and this attack on our democracy.

Teen Vogue spoke with Greenberg about the tactical goals of the No Kings protests scheduled for October 18.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

What to Know Before Heading to a Protest

[***Black Canary***](https://www.teenvogue.com/tag/black-canary) *is a column sounding the alarm against enduring injustice in America.*

Teen Vogue: Can you describe the goals of the No Kings rallies?

Leah Greenberg: There are three really central purposes to an event like No Kings, and the first is protest. Just to preface: Protest is a tactic; it is not a strategy on its own, and it should never be intended to stand on its own outside of a broader strategy.

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[You] have Donald Trump, having gotten elected, rapidly sprinting to push his own formal powers to the max as the executive, but also very visibly and intentionally trying to crack down on any alternate form of power and dissent in American public life. You see that with corporations and law schools and law firms and higher education and media, all of the above. I don't have to recite the kind of list of people who folded. You're seeing that now with civil society and political opponents as well, as they escalate their post-Charlie Kirk assassination attack on organized opposition.

In a period when this kind of crackdown is happening, a large-scale mass public protest that is taking place everywhere in the country is an important part of holding open civic space and demonstrating that defiance continues and lives on. It takes on a kind of specific, symbolic imperative  not because it's going to fix everything, but because [you] need something that shows that Donald Trump is not inevitable, that he will not inevitably consolidate power; that there is, in fact, widespread resistance  and perhaps surprising levels of it  everywhere in the country.

The second purpose is really around shared identity. We are asking everybody in the country to collectively figure out, what is your leverage? What is your local organizing home? How are you getting engaged in resistance on a daily and ongoing basis? In order to do that, we need to have people feel like they're part of a movement, and like they're part of something that is bigger than themselves as part of millions and millions of people who are collectively figuring out and working our leverage to push back against authoritarianism.

[The] third is absorption. It is not a success to us if everyone goes to the march and goes home and does not stay involved. We really want to use these as on ramps to get people connected with a local organizing home, to get people into ongoing and increasing sophistication of action, to make sure that people weave resistance and opposition to this regime, and support for our neighbors under threat, into the fabric of their life.

TV: With the targeting of protesters by the Trump administration, and the incidents tied to the previous No Kings events  the deportation of journalist Mario Guevara after he livestreamed an Atlanta metro area No Kings protest; a shooting at a No Kings-related Utah event  how have you tried to promote safety and security, especially given the scale of the October 18 actions?

LG: In advance, we have trained tens of thousands of people in safety and de-escalation. I think we had 18,000 people on a training last night.

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[We] work very hard to stress up front what we stand for: a really deep and strong and principled commitment to strategic nonviolence. There's not an ability to control every unaffiliated actor who could potentially show up, but we can be extremely clear about what we are asking of people, and what you can expect from us at a No Kings event.

[We're] operating at a scale that is unprecedented. We are now looking at 2,600 events everywhere in the country. We have pulled an enormous amount of staffing and resources in support of folks on the ground who are doing and organizing this. We're building that out as we go.

No-King-Rally-in-Los-Angeles DAVID PASHAEE/Getty Images

TV: What would you advise attendees to consider?

LG: Everyone involved has to make decisions about their own safety and security profile. Some people are at higher risk than other people, and depending on your citizenship status, your gender identity, your racial identity, you may want to make different choices based on whatever risk factors you have.

[A] big part of what Donald Trump and his cronies are doing right now is trying to make us afraid to exercise our First Amendment rights, and trying to create a chilling effect around any kind of peaceful mass mobilization such that they can continue to steamroll forward with their agenda. And part of our own strategic posture is declining to be cowed. It is declining to submit or advance. It is continuing to insist that we are, in fact, doing absolutely nothing wrong  and not only [that], we are doing the most American thing in the world, which is peacefully protesting.

TV: Lets say this is someones first protest. How should they go about staying engaged beyond October 18?

LG: Be on the lookout for organizations or for collectives of people at these events that you might want to go to or be in touch with. If it's a smaller protest  some of these protests are going to be a few hundred people  say hello to the organizers. Thank them for putting it on. Ask them what they're doing next, and if you can come to that event.

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A lot of the protests are being organized by volunteer-led pop-up groups that also have ongoing ways to get involved. The people who are putting on your protest now are also doing mutual aid, [or] canvassing or campaigning to get their crappy Republican-elected out of office, [or] about to launch a primary challenge, in some cases. Figure out who's organizing it, and figure out whether they've got a follow-up action that you might take or a follow-up meeting you might be able to come to.

[Don't] be afraid to say, This is what's bringing me out, and now I want to find out how to get more involved in that. If you're coming out because you are activated and furious about what ICE is doing to our communities, there's a local immigrant rights collective in your area. They might be at the protest or they might not be, but fundamentally there is definitely going to be local, engaged organizing happening wherever you are  because it is happening everywhere in the country. Let this be a springboard, not the end of your journey.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue

More great activism coverage from Teen Vogue:
EAU CLAIRE  Cynthia Greening of Chippewa Valley Indivisible was thrilled that the first No Kings political rally in June drew about 4,500 in Eau Claire and between 350 and 400 people in Chippewa Falls. Greening is optimistic that the rallies planned for Saturday will draw a lot more.

Our sign-up is way ahead of what we had last time, Greening said Wednesday night. And not everybody signs up. I do think well have a good number; I think well be over 5,000.

The No Kings rally is a protest against President Donald Trump and the policies he has implemented since returning to office in January. The rally in Eau Claire begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at Owen Park, while the event in Chippewa Falls will begin at 4 p.m. Saturday at the roundabout at N. Bridge Street and River Street at the south end of the downtown corridor. Also, an event in Menomonie will be held 2-4 p.m. at Wilson Park.

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There arent any keynote speakers planned at either the Chippewa Falls or Eau Claire events.

We dont want political speeches, she said. Well have a talk about walking safely, and well walk for our friends and neighbors.

Greening said they have four separate routes planned in Eau Claire, to divide up the crowd to avoid causing traffic issues. She noted they have permission to use two of the UW-Eau Claire parking lots, and attendants will be out directing traffic.

Each line will have a bucket drum band, Greening said. We are trying to avoid street lights.

In Chippewa Falls, rally attendees will walk north on N. Bridge Street and loop back south on Bay Street, she added.

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Attendees are asked to wear yellow.

I think its because its bright and cheery. This is not a dark movement, she said.

In recent weeks, Republican leaders have called the planned gatherings as Hate America rallies and that the people who attend are brushed off as paid protesters. Greening disputes both claims.

This is an I love America rally, and I love all the people in America, she said. We want a democracy that works for everybody. We want the America we believe in.

Greening laughed at the claim of Democrats paying people to attend, noting that they have weekly rallies in Eau Claire that routinely draw 200 supporters.

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There is no way someone is paying them every week to show up, Greening said.

There are a few reasons Greening is expecting larger crowds. She noted how much has changed in the past four months since the last rally. Trump has ordered the military to shoot and destroy boats off Venezuela, claiming that they were filled with drugs but providing no proof. Trump has also sent ICE and has activated the National Guard to go into several U.S. cities. Farm foreclosures have jumped this year, as the $12 billion in soybean sales to China have vanished due to Trumps tariff policies.

I believe the Trump cuts to health care and services ... people are starting to feel it, she said. People are getting their insurance notifications, and they are starting to realize it.

Trump vowed to bring prices of groceries down on day one, but beef, fruit and coffee prices have jumped, she noted.

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The price of groceries are terrible, she said. People are having a harder and harder time getting their health care needs met. And I think the threat of sending troops to places in America is making people really nervous. This is not the America I know.

No Kings organizers claim that more than 5 million people attended the June 14 rallies nationwide. On Saturday, about 2,500 rallies are planned nationwide, including 85 in Wisconsin.

Groups organizing the No Kings peaceful protests across the country include ACLU, American Federation of Teachers, Common Defense, 50501, Human Rights Campaign, Indivisible, League of Conservation Voters, MoveOn, National Nurses United, Public Citizen, SEIU, United We Dream, among others. A full list of partners can be seen at nokings.org/partners.

To learn more about Chippewa Valley Indivisible, visit chippewavalleyindivisible.com.
Thousands of protesters are anticipated at the No Kings rally in Salt Lake City this weekend.

And thats just one of 12 planned events in the state of Utah. More than 2,500 such events are scheduled for Oct. 18 nationally, as people protest the Trump administration.

Salt Lake Indivisible is leading the event at the state Capitol, in partnership with Green Wave, Our Revolution and national DemCast. The organizations leader, Sarah Buck, clarified to KUTV that there is no collaboration with Salt Lake Indivisibles safety protocol and 50501, the group that led the protest in June, where innocent bystander Arthur Folasa Afa Ah Loo, 39, was fatally wounded by a security peacemaker at the event.

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Buck also told the outlet that no safety volunteers would have weapons at the Salt Lake City event and that they were working in collaboration with Utah law enforcement.

A police officer puts up crime scene tape after a reported shooting during a No Kings protest and march in Salt Lake City on Saturday, June 14, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Our No Kings day is the people coming together in power and in peace to say to our leaders, no to kings, no to dictators, no to cruelty and no to corruption, Buck said in a press release. This will be a historical day, as we are expecting it to be the largest peaceful protest in history.

The rallies come during a tense time for politics in the United States and just weeks after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. But organizers insist Saturdays events will be peaceful.

Sen. Nate Blouin, D-Salt Lake City, told the Deseret News that this movement will be the example of how to protest in America.

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In the wake of far too much recent political violence, the No Kings rallies across the country give Americans the opportunity to participate in nonviolent opposition to a regime that has adopted brutality and spite as central to their theory of governance. We will show our force in sheer numbers, not by picking up weapons and pitting our neighbors against one another, he said.

Protesters pass the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building as they participate in a No Kings protest and march in Salt Lake City on Saturday, June 14, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

On Wednesday, the organizers announced that the protest will stay at the Capitol without any marching in the interest of ensuring public safety.

Saturdays protest is all about standing up against tyranny emanating from the White House and taking root right here in Utah, where the supermajority GOP Legislature continues to subvert the will of voters, Blouin continued. Trumps policies are raising prices and selling out ordinary Americans, and peaceful demonstration is at the core of our countrys history of telling leaders who overstep their bounds that we demand accountability.

Who is funding No Kings?

The No Kings website boasts 250 partners, including ACLU, American Federation of Teachers, Planned Parenthood, 50501 and League of Women Voters.

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The first such protests were held on June 14.

Last week, Home of the Brave, a nonprofit with the mission of pushing against President Donald Trump and a partner with No Kings, launched a $1 million national ad campaign in support of Saturdays rallies.

There can be no doubt about it today: Donald Trump is acting like hes our king, George Conway, Home of the Brave advisory board member, said in the press release. But thats not America. We have no king. Americans should peacefully turn out across the country on October 18 and let their voices be heard.

Other partners have sparked criticism online.

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Utah Sen. Mike Lee posted on social media, pointing out that the No Kings movement meant to call out fascism is sponsored by Communist Party USA.

No Kings*

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*Stalins and Maos okay https://t.co/XRRVN7gau3  Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 16, 2025

Blouin responded to the post, arguing that Lees support of Trump means he supports communist actions.

this stuff really fails to hit the mark when the president you unconditionally support implements price controls, redistributes wealth to his liking, and props up private sector companies as he deems necessary. you know, the stuff communists do. https://t.co/hwpyPwE2zC  Nate Blouin (@NateForUtah) October 16, 2025

Jennica Pounds, better known by her online name DataRepublican, posted a thread on X delving into the organizers behind the national protests and who theyre funded by.

This week, the movement that started with a Google Doc... Indivisible... is back in the streets, Pounds said. Founded by former congressional staffers Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin and funded by George Soros Open Society network, Indivisible has grown from a viral guide into one of the most powerful grassroots networks in the U.S. Now, theyre leading NoKings, a nationwide push to remind America that democracy means no one is above the law.
Support for victims and survivors of domestic violence is available 24/7: 1-800-897-LINK (5465). If you or someone else is in immediate danger or an emergency, please call 911 immediately.

ELBERTA, Utah (ABC4)  A Goshen man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting and kidnapping his girlfriend, then leaving her on a rural dirt road.

Luis Garcia-Lopez, 33, is charged with one count of aggravated kidnapping (first-degree felony), one count of aggravated robbery (first-degree felony), one count of aggravated assault (third-degree felony), one count of reckless endangerment (Class A misdemeanor), and one count of damage communication device (Class B misdemeanor).

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According to court documents, on Oct. 10, dispatch received a 911 call with a female on the other end of the line asking for help but providing no further details. The line disconnected. After law enforcement tried calling back a few times, the phone began ringing to voicemail.

The area was off of Highway 68 in Utah County. Court documents state that deputies checked the area but were not able to locate anyone in distress.

Court documents report that over an hour later; dispatch received another 911 phone call from a female (hereafter referred to as victim). The victim had called dispatch from a passerby cell phone. The victim stated they were assaulted by their boyfriend, who was later identified as Garcia-Lopez.

When law enforcement met the victim, it is reported that she was walking with a limp,

had blood on and around her mouth, and had a swollen right hand.

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The victim told police that she had been in an argument with Garcia-Lopez while driving. The victim stated that Garcia-Lopez suddenly turned off on a back road off of Highway 68.

When the victim asked to be let out of the truck, Garcia-Lopez threatened the victim by telling her he had his gun with him.

Court documents report that Garcia-Lopez followed the threat by saying we can take this farther and reached to a compartment of the truck and pulled an object from it. The victim was unable to say for certain it was a handgun.

Approximately 10 minutes later, Garcia-Lopez told the victim he was not letting her out of the truck, and she could jump out of the moving vehicle if she wanted to get out.

The victim waited for a natural slow in the roadway and jumped out of the moving truck in an effort to escape, according to court documents. The victim stated she then called 911. Garcia-Lopez stopped the truck, went to the victim, took the phone and struck her in the face

several times. Garcia-Lopez then took the victims cell phone and a set of car keys from victims person and reportedly told her that no one will find you out here.

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Court documents state that the victim then walked for approximately 1.5 hours until a good Samaritan stopped and asked them if she needed help. The second 911 call was made from the Samaritans phone.

Garcia-Lopez has been booked into Utah County Jail on Wednesday.

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK)  East Texans gathered near Gregg County Courthouse in Longview on Thursday to unveil a historical marker remembering a dark moment in the citys past.

Palestines first black mayor reflects on citys historic accomplishments

In 1919, anti-Black race riots, now called the Red Summer, broke out across the country and in Longview. From July 10 to July 20 of that year, race riots broke out in Longview and led to the death of Lemuel Walters and the burning down of several Black homes, according to the Texas State Historical Association.

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Everyones story needs to be told. Its important so that we know where weve come from, so that we can heal through it, 1919 Longview Remembrance Project co-founder Alicia Johnson said on Thursday. As a mental health professional, I know the value of unpacking and then healing through discussion and coupling that with community, and thats just what weve done. So when you reveal a truth and you share a story, you give honor, but also you give an opportunity to heal, because no one heals in silence.

This summer, Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara and the Longview City Council recognized July 10 as 1919 Longview Remembrance Day.

Photo courtesy of the 1919 Longview Remembrance Project.

This day represents years of hard work and a deep commitment to truth 1919 Longview Remembrance Project spokesperson Clent Holmes said. As a community, we are finally able to recognize, honor, and properly lament this horrific reality that is part of our shared history and still shapes our lives today. This marker is not an endingit is the beginning of a continued journey toward truth, justice, and healing.

According to the Texas State Historical Association, the Longview Race Riot ended the Texas National Guard declared martial law in the city and county. That declaration was followed by a citizens committee passing resolutions disapproving the shooting and burning.

You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has sparked controversy with claims that Nigeria is witnessing a Christian mass murder, urging Washington to classify the West African nation as a violator of religious freedom  a move that could lead to sanctions.

The Nigerian government has strongly rejected the allegations as baseless, insisting that there is no systematic targeting of Christians. While Cruzs proposal awaits Senate consideration, his assertions have gained traction among U.S. evangelical groups and commentators who have framed the violence as Christian genocide, despite the lack of verifiable evidence.

Nigerias security crisis, which has claimed thousands of lives, stems from a complex web of religious, ethnic, and socio-economic factors. Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) programme reveals that from January 2020 to September 2025, there were over 11,800 attacks resulting in more than 20,000 deaths. Of these, only 385 incidents were identified as religiously motivated assaults on Christians, leading to 317 deaths, while attacks on Muslims resulted in 417 fatalities. Experts note that both Christian and Muslim communities are victims of ongoing violence driven by extremist insurgencies, resource-based farmer-herder conflicts, and communal clashes across Nigerias north and middle belt.

Analysts and human rights experts have dismissed Cruzs genocide claims as misleading. They argue that Nigerias conflicts, though deadly and deeply concerning, do not meet the international legal threshold for genocide as defined by the United Nations.

Scholars such as Olajumoke Ayandele of New York University and Chidi Odinkalu of Tufts University emphasise that the violence is indiscriminate rather than religiously orchestrated. They caution that inflammatory narratives from abroad could exacerbate tensions. Meanwhile, Nigerian authorities continue to call for international understanding and partnership to address the broader insecurity plaguing the country.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The five universities that were still weighing President Donald Trumps higher-education compact were asked to join a White House call Friday to discuss the proposed deal. By late Friday afternoon, one of the schools  the University of Virginia  had already declined to sign the agreement.

The meeting with university presidents, first reported by The Associated Press, was an important step toward defining a shared vision, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a post on X. She called for renewed commitment to the time-honored principles that helped make American universities great" and said she looked forward to more dialogue.

The White House has faced a flurry of rejections after inviting nine universities to become initial signatories of the so-called compact, which asked colleges to make commitments aligned with Trumps political priorities in exchange for favorable access to research funding. It was the latest effort by Trump's administration to bring to heel prestigious universities that conservatives describe as hotbeds of liberalism.

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The White House asked university leaders to provide initial feedback on the compact by Oct. 20, yet as the deadline approaches, none has signed on to the document. Those that have not yet announced a decision are Dartmouth College, the University of Arizona, the University of Texas and Vanderbilt University. They did not immediately respond to questions about Fridays call. Leaders of the University of Texas system previously said they were honored to be included, but other universities still weighing the deal have not indicated how theyre leaning.

After the meeting, McMahon took a collaborative tone, speaking of ongoing discussions with universities and referencing continued federal funding.

American universities power our economy, drive innovation, and prepare young people for rewarding careers and fulfilling lives, she said in the social media post. With continued federal investment and strong institutional leadership, the higher education sector can do more to enhance American leadership in the world and build tomorrows workforce.

No takers so far

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Nevertheless, the University of Virginia on Friday became the fifth university to decline to participate in Trump's compact. Providing federal money based on anything but merit would undermine the integrity of research and further erode public confidence in higher education, the university's interim president said in a letter to McMahon and White House officials.

We look forward to working together to develop alternative, lasting approaches to improving higher education, Paul Mahoney wrote.

Its unclear exactly what universities have to gain by agreeing to the deal  or what they stand to lose if they dont. In a letter sent alongside the compact, Trump officials said it provided multiple positive benefits, including favorable access to federal funding. In exchange, colleges were asked to adopt 10 pages of commitments aligned with Trumps views.

The administration asked for commitments to eliminate race and sex from admissions decisions, to accept the governments strict binary definition of man and woman, to promote conservative views on campus and to ensure institutional neutrality on current events, among other provisions.

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Institutions of higher education are free to develop models and values other than those below, if the institution elects to forego federal benefits, the compact said.

The issue weighed on some students at Vanderbilt on Friday, with some worrying the university might sign the agreement even after student and faculty groups condemned it.

My major concern is just that this is like a first hook, Marjolein Mues, a postdoctoral researcher in language development in the brain, said in an interview at the Nashville campus. And once universities agree to this, the terms will change, and more and more will be asked of universities, and that maybe the government will start to interfere more with the types of research being done here.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology was the first to decline the deal last week, saying it would limit free speech and campus independence. Similar concerns were cited in rejections from Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Southern California.

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A push to change academia

The compact  which aims to reshape higher education through negotiation rather than legislation  has stirred a wave of pushback from academia and beyond. It has been protested by students, been condemned by faculty and drawn the ire of Democrats at all levels. Gov. Gavin Newsom in California and Democrats in Virginia have threatened to cut state funding to any university that signs on.

In a joint statement Friday, more than 30 higher education organizations urged the administration to withdraw the compact. Led by the American Council on Education, an association of research universities, the coalition said the agreement would give the government unprecedented control over colleges' academics and hinder free speech.

The compact is a step in the wrong direction, the statement said.

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Many of the terms align with recent deals the White House struck with Brown and Columbia universities to close investigations into alleged discrimination and to restore research funding. But while those agreements included terms affirming the campuses academic freedom, the compact offers no such protection  one of the roadblocks cited in Browns rejection.

In Trump's ongoing quest to win obedience from powerful universities, his top target has been Harvard, the first university to openly defy a set of wide-ranging demands from the government. The White House went on to slash billions of dollars in research funding at Harvard, cancel its federal contracts and attempt to block the Ivy League school from enrolling foreign students.

A federal judge in Boston reversed the funding cuts last month, calling them an unconstitutional overreach.

Several other prestigious universities have also had their funding cut amid investigations into alleged antisemitism.

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White House officials described the offer as a proactive approach to shape policy at U.S. campuses even as the administration continues its enforcement efforts.

Trump on Sunday said colleges that sign on will help bring about the Golden Age of Academic Excellence in Higher Education. Speaking on his Truth Social platform, he said it would reform universities that are now corrupting our Youth and Society with WOKE, SOCIALIST, and ANTI-AMERICAN Ideology.

___

The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Film cameras against an orange background.

Camden high school students will have the chance to learn about photography through a free after-school program.

The Erik James Montgomery Foundation, Inc. (EJM Foundation) will teach 10 to 13 students the art and business of photography over seven months, starting on Nov. 3, as part of a new program its hosting, called the Camden Camera Creatives, according to the nonprofits founder and CEO Erik James Montgomery.

The selected students will meet every Wednesday at the nonprofits studio, JPEG Photo Gallery, 303 Market St., from 3 to 5 p.m., Montgomery said. EJM will provide students with access to cameras and MacBooks for taking and editing photos, he said. The nonprofit has also partnered with Rutgers-Camden to provide the students with a mentor who will help them with homework and photography instruction, Montgomery said.

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Programs like this are at the core of why Montgomery founded the Camden-based nonprofit in 2010, he said.

I want to offer marginalized individuals the opportunity to learn photography without any hindrance to price points of, Oh, I dont have a camera or I dont have a good computer, Montgomery said.

We take care of all of that so the students who are going to be participating have access to professional cameras, and they can use our laptops to edit, he added. Its like one-stop shopping.

At the end of the workshop in May, students will have the opportunity to exhibit their work at JPEG Gallery, he said.

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Montgomery has already reached out to individual teachers to help sign students up, but noted that interested Camden students can apply to the program by scanning the QR code on the flyer, sending an email to info@ejmfoundation.org, or contacting EJMs through its website. The deadline to apply is Oct. 31, and the only requirement is that applicants attend a Camden high school.

camden camera creatives flyer

Amira Sweilem

Stories by Amira Sweilem

Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Norfolk is demolishing a large Ocean View beach ramp just months after construction due to storm damage and significant erosion, according to city officials.

Most of the $430,000 structure  which was built partly as an accessway for emergency vehicles  is being torn down following extreme beach erosion from several offshore hurricanes and noreasters, said city officials.

After looking at the condition of it, we do not have the area of beach for the emergency vehicles to get past the structure, and so the decision was made to go ahead and remove it, said Tammy Halstead, an assistant city engineer with the Norfolk Department of Public Works.

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On Wednesday afternoon at Ocean View Beach Park, crews from Sandbridge Marine removed wooden planks from the end of the ramp. Sea grass clung to the end of the ramp and water began to obscure it as high tide rolled in.

The structure includes a ramp on the left side and a stairway on the right. Worker Kevin Miller said the crews were just removing the ramp and would leave up the stairway.

Ocean View resident Jason Johnson watched from a nearby bench with his large dog. He said the ramp went up in May and is now partially submerged at high tide.

Norfolk spokesperson Kelly Straub said there are no immediate plans to replace the ramp.

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Since the beginning of the planning and construction of the ramp in 2022, the beach around it has lost almost 35 feet of shoreline, Ward 5 council member Tommy Smigiel said in the Facebook post. He also said the ramp was scheduled to be removed prior to the most recent coastal storm.

The ramp was part of a $2.5 million, multi-year renovation project that demolished the former Greenies dive bar and constructed green space, shower and foot wash stations, benches and a food truck circle, among other amenities.

In the Facebook post, commenters expressed frustration with the ramp design and what they said was a waste of resources.

Part of the reason why the ramp is so large, Halstead said, is it allows emergency vehicles to access the beach. In photos shared by Norfolk officials during the construction of the ramp, the water line runs up several feet back from the structure.

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But the storms within the last few weeks accelerated beach erosion, Halstead said, leading to the current situation.

Mother Nature can turn on us at any time, she said.

Norfolk has an agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers for long-term sand replenishment in the area, but due to the federal shutdown, the budget that would fund the federal portion of the project has not been passed, Smigiel said on Facebook. He said city officials hope the project can be federally funded in 2026 and completed in 2027. The last major renourishment project was in 2017.

An emergency sand replenishment, assuming we could find sand, would cost about $4 million, Smigiel added.

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Ocean View residents have previously expressed concern about worsening beach erosion throughout the area, especially in East Beach. A spring survey by the city found the shoreline retreated at an average pace of about four feet a year from May 2024 to April.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com
The video above is from WAVYs coverage of the double homicide in February, 2024.

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  A Norfolk judge has ordered Ronnie Nyamekye Campbell, 22, into inpatient state hospital treatment after finding him not guilty by reason of insanity in the second-degree murders of his father and grandmother in 2024, according to a news release from the Norfolk Commonwealths Attorneys Office.

Campbell will remain in custody pending the courts review of his mental health progress.

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Previous coverage: Man fatally stabbed grandmother, father in Norfolk, police say

The murders occurred on February 8, 2024. Campbell stabbed his 46-year-old father, Ronnie Credle Campbell, and his 64-year-old grandmother, Arneta Marie Thagard, at their home on Dunkirk Avenue.

The younger Ronnie Campbell lived with his grandmother. His father did not live with them.

It is tragic that Mr. Campbells father and grandmother are dead as a result of Mr. Campbells mental illness, said Commonwealths Attorney Ramin Fatehi. Had Mr. Campbell been sane, he would be in prison. Since he was legally insane, he is where he belongs: in a locked treatment facility where he will remain, likely for years, until mental-health professionals and a judge recommend otherwise.

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Moments after the elder Mr. Campbell arrived outside the residence, Ronnie Campbell went outside, and stabbed him numerous times, according to the prosecution. The elder Mr. Campbell was wheelchair-bound due to having an amputated leg and was defenseless during the attack. After stabbing his father, Ronnie Campbell went back inside the residence and stabbed Arneta Thagard numerous times as well.

Medics transported both victims to a hospital, where Ms. Thagard was pronounced dead shortly following her arrival and Mr. Campbell suffered for eight hours before succumbing to his wounds. The younger Mr. Campbell was arrested in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, made a full confession to police, and has been held in custody since his arrest.

While Mr. Campbells case was pending trial, his defense counsel requested that a mental health doctor evaluate him to determine if he was legally insane at the time he killed his father and grandmother. The court ordered that evaluation, and the doctor determined that Mr. Campbell was legally insane at the time of his offense.

In Virginia, a defendant can be considered legally insane if  at the time of their crime and because of mental disease or defect  they could not understand the nature or consequences of their actions, were unable to distinguish right from wrong, or were unable to resist an impulse to commit the actions. Both psychotic disorders and intellectual disabilities qualify as a mental disease or defect.

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After receiving notice from the defense of the results of Mr. Campbells first evaluation, the Commonwealths Attorneys Office requested that the court appoint a second doctor to perform a new evaluation. That doctor also determined that Mr. Campbell was legally insane when he killed his father and grandmother.

On March 27, 2025, Mr. Campbell entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity to his four charges. Judge David W. Lannetti accepted Mr. Campbells pleas, found him not guilty by reason of insanity, and ordered Mr. Campbell to the custody of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services for further mental health evaluations.

On Aug. 15, after reviewing Mr. Campbells progress and recommendations, Judge Lannetti ordered Mr. Campbell into inpatient treatment for the next year. Mr. Campbells next review hearing is set for Aug. 28, 2026.

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GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP)  Viral videos circulating continue to stir reaction in Greensboro. The videos appear to show UNCG polices interaction with a student and her boyfriend, allegedly showing the student being taken to the ground by police, following a traffic stop.

Senator Michael Garrett demanded a full investigation, saying the officers chose escalation over patience.

On Friday, the North Carolina Police Benevolent Association spoke out on behalf of the officers.

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A staff representative with the North Carolina Police Benevolent Association said they represent some of the officers involved in the October 6 incident on campus.

He said officers reached out to them right after the incident, also explaining what happened.

Viral videos capturing encounter with UNCG police spark outrage from campus NAACP, state senator

Due to some of the, the attention from elected officials and stuff on this case, the officers were concerned about possible disciplinary issues or retaliate retaliatory issues through the position of, specifically Senator Garrett. You know, with his position as an elected official, said Brandon McGaha, Staff Representative for the North Carolina Police Benevolent Association:

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The encounter happened on October 6 near Lexington Residence Hall in UNCGs Spartan Village.

Campus police say a car had been parked running for nearly 40 minutes, and the driver, 24-year-old Quinten Thomas, had a suspended license.

According to a statement from UNCGs NAACP, Thomas had parked briefly in a left-turn lane on Glenwood Avenue to walk his girlfriend, 22-year-old UNCG student Alisia Rea, to her dorm.

The officers. Ive spoken to them who were on scene. So, she came out and got involved, and they were trying to arrest the male. She, to my understanding, she grabbed one of the officers that were trying that was trying to get this young man out of the car, said McGaha.

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A viral video appears to show officers pulling Thomas from the car.

In another video, Rea appears to walk away, but is later taken to the ground by 3 officers.

The association representing some of the officers said it has evaluated the situation and believes the officers acted within policy.

What you see is her resisting arrest and trying to get her into custody after theyve tried to resolve this without taking her to jail or the man, or, for that matter, they will take him to jail. They tried to resolve it without taking him. And these young folks just didnt want to cooperate with it, said McGaha.

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State Senator Michael Garrett said he was contacted by concerned parents, students, and faculty about the incident, and he immediately called for transparency.

The way the video ends, with the young woman who, you know, its, in my opinion, a bystander videoing the, videoing the incident that didnt really deserve to be tackled to the ground and taken into custody. I thought that was an overreaction by law enforcement at the time that I saw the video, said NC Senator Michael Garrett (D-Guilford County).

Garrett said hes met with UNCG administrators and police.

McGaha with the North Carolina Police Benevolent Association said he spoke with Garrett on Thursday about the incident.

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I told him, as Ive told anybody that asks that Im waiting to see what the report says at the end of the day, and, the report that Im most interested in is the one that involves the UNC system, said Garrett.

At this time, the North Carolina Police Benevolent Association said they are offering support to the involved officers they represent.

We monitor the situation. If they face any type of, disciplinary or legal challenges, well get involved with attorneys, in that situation, evaluated to see if the officers, were acting justly or if they if they did, make mistakes out there, we which weve already weve already done an evaluation on that portion from the information we have available to us, said McGaha.

At this time, UNCGs police chief said they are waiting for the court to rule on our petition for the release of the bodycam footage.

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If that footage is released, it will be shared with UNCG administrators and the UNC System office for oversight and review of the incident.

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North Korean threat group Famous Chollima is using blockchain technology to hide malware payloads in smart contracts, which marks the first documented case of a nation-state actor adopting EtherHiding techniques.

Cisco Talos and Google Threat Intelligence Group independently confirmed the attacks target job seekers through fake interview processes, deploying malware that steals crypto and credentials.

The group deployed a new JavaScript module that combines BeaverTail and OtterCookie malware, featuring keylogging and screenshot capabilities.

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The malicious software was distributed via a Node.js package named node-nvm-ssh on the official NPM repository, disguised as a chess application called Chessfi.

Node-nvm-ssh infection path | Source: Cisco Talos

Google has documented a North Korean group, UNC5342, which has been embedding JADESNOW malware and INVISIBLEFERRET backdoors within smart contracts on the BNB Smart Chain and Ethereum since February 2025.

UNC5342 EtherHiding on BNB Smart Chain and Ethereum | Source: Google Cloud

The technique stores malicious payloads on public blockchains, creating a decentralized command-and-control infrastructure that cannot be taken down by law enforcement.

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This discovery comes as North Korean hackers stole over $1.3 billion across 47 incidents in 2024 and $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025 alone, funding the regimes weapons program through elaborate money laundering networks.

EtherHiding Turns Blockchain Into Bulletproof Hosting Platform

EtherHiding embeds malicious JavaScript payloads within smart contracts on public blockchains, turning decentralized ledgers into resilient command-and-control servers.

Attackers retrieve payloads using read-only function calls that avoid transaction fees and leave no visible blockchain history.

The technique offers decentralized storage, prevents takedowns, pseudonymous transactions obscure attacker identity, and immutable smart contracts cannot be easily removed.

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Attackers controlling contracts can update payloads at any time, changing attack methods or deploying different malware simultaneously.

Google Threat Intelligence documented UNC5342 using EtherHiding in the Contagious Interview campaign, where fake recruiters impersonate companies like Coinbase and Robinhood.

Victims download malicious files from GitHub repositories during technical assessments, triggering multi-stage infections.

The JADESNOW downloader queries BNB Smart Chain through API providers like Binplorer to retrieve payloads from smart contract address 0x8ea**8a71c.

The contract has been updated over 20 times within four months, costing an average of $1.37 in gas fees per update.

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On-chain transactions | Source: Google Cloud

Blockchain explorers show on-chain transactions containing Base64-encoded and XOR-encrypted messages that decrypt to heavily obfuscated JavaScript payloads.

The malware pivots between networks, querying Ethereum transaction history through multiple explorer APIs, including Blockchair, Blockcypher, and Ethplorer.

The final INVISIBLEFERRET.JAVASCRIPT payload connects to command-and-control servers via port 3306, sending victim hostname, username, operating system, and current directory.

The backdoor processes arbitrary command execution, file exfiltration, and directory harvesting while targeting over 80 browser extensions, including MetaMask and Phantom.

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Functional similarities between Famous Chollima tools | Source: Cisco Talos

Fake Companies and Stolen Identities

Earlier this year, it was discovered that North Korean operatives established legitimate US corporations using fake identities to create credible corporate fronts.

Silent Push researchers discovered Blocknovas registered to a vacant lot in South Carolina, while Softglide traced back to a Buffalo tax office.

These companies launched the Contagious Interview campaign, a Lazarus Group subgroup specializing in malware deployment.

ZachXBT documented at least 25 instances of North Korean IT workers infiltrating crypto companies, operating under more than 30 fake identities with government-issued ID cards and professional LinkedIn accounts.

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A compromised device revealed systematic expense documentation for purchasing Social Security numbers, professional accounts, and VPN services.

Last month, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao also warned about four primary attack vectors, which include fake job applications, fraudulent interviews with malware-laden links, customer support scams, and bribery of employees or outsourced vendors.

He cited a major Indian outsourced service hack that leaked U.S. exchange user data, resulting in over $400 million in losses.

Cisco Talos has previously documented Famous Chollima creating fraudulent skill-testing websites using React frameworks that closely mimic legitimate company assessment platforms through the PylangGhost malware campaign, which targets crypto professionals.

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Victims complete technical assessments, which include downloading alleged video drivers containing malicious Python-based payloads.

Efforts have been made to stop these bad actors, as U.S. authorities recently seized over $7.7 million in crypto allegedly earned through networks of covert IT workers.

Read original story North Korea Weaponizes Blockchain for Stealth Hacks, Poses as Job Recruiters by Anas Hassan at Cryptonews.com
(Photo by Peter Dazeley/Getty Images)

A Wisconsin-based health system is forcing doctors in Duluth to sign a heavily amended contract or resign, physicians say. The contract includes a noncompete clause, which bars physicians from working at a competing hospital after leaving. An author of Minnesotas 2023 ban on noncompete agreements says the contract likely violates the law, though labor law experts say its unclear how a court might rule.

Aspirus, a health system based out of Wausau, Wis., merged with St. Lukes Duluth in 2023 and operates 19 hospitals and over 100 outpatient clinics across Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.

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The Minnesota Attorney Generals office is now investigating physicians complaints and served Aspirus a subpoena Thursday, said Elizabeth Odette, the assistant attorney general who manages the offices antitrust division.

The office has enough information for a reasonable basis to investigate whether Aspirus is violating Minnesotas noncompete law, Odette said. Now we just need to gather the information to determine whether there is a violation of law.

The investigation is still in its preliminary stages, and Thursday was the first time the office reached out to Aspirus.

An Aspirus spokesperson declined to comment in an email.

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This is not the first time the health system has faced scrutiny for its labor practices  in 2021, Aspirus paid $1.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit around employees retirement plans. Aspirus St. Lukes is also currently being sued by a Duluth physician in a class action suit alleging wage theft.

The 2023 hospital merger between Aspirus and St. Lukes is part of a broader trend of health care consolidation. A wide body of research, reviewed by health policy research organization KFF, has shown that health care consolidation has depressed employee wages and led to higher prices but not necessarily better care.

In Minnesota, the factory style of modern medicine, a consequence of sweeping health care consolidation, has led doctors at Allina to unionize in 2023. Aspirus physicians have yet to unionize.

Very physician-unfriendly and very administration-friendly

The Reformer reviewed the contracts and drafts of new amendments for two Aspirus physicians, who were granted anonymity because they werent authorized to speak to the media and fear retaliation. The amendment includes significant changes to sections on compensation, physicians duties and termination.

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Several physicians were told that failure to sign would be taken as a resignation, according to both physicians who spoke to the Reformer.

I wouldnt have signed this if I was looking for a job, said one physician. She described the amended contract as very physician-unfriendly and very administration-friendly. The administration has new power to change work hours and location and how many patients doctors see.

Some physicians are seeing significant pay cuts as part of the process, said another physician.

Minnesota-based physicians are also upset that theyre going to be shackled to the noncompete, despite the 2023 state law banning them in new agreements, said the second physician. The contract amendments retained an existing noncompete from the physicians previous contract, which was renewed on a yearly basis  and thus also arguably unenforceable because a renewed contract is considered a new agreement, employment lawyers say.

Rep. Emma Greenman shakes the hand of a colleagues family member after the closing gavel on Jan. 3, 2023. Rep. Greenman led legislation banning noncompetes in 2023. (Photo by Catherine Davis/House Public Information Services)

Noncompetes: From Jimmy Johns to hospitals

Noncompetes bar workers from leaving a company and working at a competing company nearby for a period of time; the goal is ostensibly to prevent workers from taking trade secrets and client lists  in this case, patient lists  after leaving.

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Noncompetes have emerged as an intensely debated legal and political issue in recent years, especially since Jimmy Johns got sued in 2014 for forcing sandwich makers to sign them. Since then, some legal scholars have defended noncompetes, seeking to rebut research thats shown how they can suppress wages and innovation.

Workers with noncompetes are partially hamstrung in any pay negotiation  and likely to stay put  because they cant seek out more lucrative work elsewhere or found a competing company. To help workers and spur innovation, the Biden-era Federal Trade Commission moved to ban noncompetes in 2024, though the ban was immediately blocked in federal courts. In September, the commission dropped the effort for an across-the-board ban and instead is now focusing on targeting specific companies that use noncompetes improperly.

The federal pullback makes Minnesotas legislation more important for Minnesota workers.

When is a noncompete unenforceable?

Employment lawyers interviewed by the Reformer said that the heavily amended contract makes it a new agreement, voiding the noncompete. Rep. Emma Greenman, DFL-Minneapolis, who co-authored the 2023 legislation, said that she couldnt think of a way that the Duluth hospitals noncompete could be enforceable and legal.

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Once you change the contract or renew the contract, or once the parties are different, thats a new contract to need consideration, and this ban would apply to that, said Greenman, who is an attorney, in an interview.

Even when a noncompete is unenforceable, however, it can spook employees into not seeking new jobs, according to a study from the University of Michigan Law School. Employers will sometimes include unenforceable noncompetes in their contracts because of the chilling effect when workers dont know their rights.

Bert Black, an attorney who has previously written about Minnesota noncompetes, said the physician noncompete sounds unenforceable, though he cautioned that you cant say unequivocally, this is the law, because Minnesota courts have said little if anything on the subject after 2023.

Regardless of the states noncompete ban, noncompete clauses have always been subject to limitations based on factors like reasonableness and impact on consumers.

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Thats especially true with physician noncompetes, said Rachel Arnow-Richman, a professor of labor law in Florida. The concern of patient choice and access to health care adds another dimension.

One of the Northland doctors said they are concerned about their patients. Theres not enough doctors here to take care of everybody that needs care, said the physician. But again, Im also not sure I want to sign this.

The effect of banning noncompetes, the physician said, should be that providers at least have some freedom to quit a lousy job, stay in the community where they live and keep providing care.
Oct. 16GRAND FORKS  An allegation of substance use informed the decision to terminate Everett C. Jones Sr. as Northlands Rescue Mission's executive director, according to a board member who has since resigned due in part to the allegation, which she believes is unfounded.

Anna Lee Eickenbrock said she felt there was a lack of transparency in the process of Jones' termination, both to the community and Jones himself.

"What happened to Everett, the way it was done, was very wrong," Eickenbrock told the Grand Forks Herald. "The man should have known why he was let go."

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Learning of the allegation, Jones said there had been no prior conversations between himself and the board concerning substance use, and it's an issue he asserts he's never struggled with.

"I want to be very clear about that," Jones said. "This is not a thing. This is an absolute farce."

Jones was

hired in May

to lead the Mission, Grand Forks' primary emergency shelter, which also distributes hot meals and food boxes to the community. He was

terminated Oct. 2

. He believes his firing was retaliation for a disagreement with one board member; the board later released a statement that said it was a unanimous decision.

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Eickenbrock, one of eight board members, stepped down Thursday, Oct. 9, and sent a statement to the Herald earlier this week. In it, she said making the decision to step down was difficult, but she felt it was necessary due to recent circumstances "that have challenged my commitment to the values of transparency, compassion and integrity."

Eickenbrock declined to get into specifics about the original complaints brought against Jones. The Herald reached out to other board members for comment. One responded but did not schedule an interview prior to this report's publication.

Eickenbrock said that when the possibility of Jones' termination was brought up during an early October board meeting, she originally was unwilling to vote in favor of it. She told board members she wanted to offer grace for any shortcomings Jones may have in the position, which he held for less than six months.

She corroborated Jones' statement that he received no prior formal reprimand or warning to correct issues before his termination. Eickenbrock believes that was unfair.

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"He was never given the opportunity to rectify (any issues)," she said.

Eickenbrock acknowledges that North Dakota is an at-will employment state, meaning employees can be fired at any time for any reason  or no reason  as long as it is not illegal, such as an act of discrimination or retaliation. However, she said this doesn't mean the process should lack transparency.

"More importantly, it does not remove our responsibility to treat each other with empathy and compassion, especially during difficult times," she wrote in her statement. "Delivering bad news is never easy, but it should never be done devoid of humanity. Unfortunately, the severance of Mr. Jones was handled in a manner that lacked both empathy and compassion."

Eickenbrock said the information she received during the meeting didn't feel like it called for a termination. After speaking with Jones and reviewing text messages between him and other board members  also shared with the Herald  she said she observed "too many gaps" in the narrative.

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To her, the messages showed that a board member was commending Jones' work and, in turn, Jones was honest about what he was doing at the Mission, and willing to accept help for subjects that weren't within his expertise  such as finances.

Eickenbrock said what ultimately made her change her mind, and vote in favor of Jones' dismissal, was when a board member claimed Jones is a substance user. Eickenbrock said the type of substance was not specified. She said that when she asked if the allegation can be proven, a board member responded they'd bet their next paycheck on it.

She said the vote was unanimous among those who voted, but one board member abstained or was not present at the meeting.

Jones said he felt the board members pulled out the substance abuse claim in order to "sway the holdouts" to vote in favor of his termination. He also said he would have no issue doing a urinalysis or hair follicle test.

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Jones said he ultimately thinks the decision was made as a response to a disagreement with one board member, which he believes he handled professionally. Jones said he attempted to set boundaries regarding when the board member could contact him, and that  combined with a financial disagreement about refinancing the Mission's line of credit with a different bank  led to a "knee-jerk decision."

Eickenbrock said she felt the substance use claim was brought up to redirect the conversation, and it ultimately got her to agree to Jones' termination. She said she later spoke with Jones about the allegation, and the way he responded  with eagerness to take a urinalysis and prove the allegation wrong  led her to believe the statement was unfounded.

"(That was when I realized) I really messed up, and this is horrible," Eickenbrock said. "... At the end of the day, it was a decision that should not have been made on the spot."

Eickenbrock said she will be at a

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Thursday, Oct. 23, community meeting,

to publicly apologize to Jones. The meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Valley Christian Church, located at 3920 Cherry St. in Grand Forks. It is intended for discussion about the Mission, as well as a call to reinstate Jones, according to a flyer previously shared with the Herald.
Norwegian F-35 fighter jets based at NATO's air force command centre in the town of Bod have intercepted a Russian reconnaissance plane during their first mission.

Source: Norwegian broadcaster NRK, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Norwegian Air Force reported that F-35 jets had detected a single Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace outside Finnmark.

The incident occurred without any dramatic events, as the Russian aircraft was conducting routine operations, the Norwegian Air Force added.

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This was the first mission for the NATO air force command centre in Bod, which opened last week.

NATO fighter jets occasionally intercept Russian military aircraft near NATO airspace.

Background:

At the end of September, NATO Air Command reported that two Hungarian Gripen fighters had intercepted five Russian military aircraft.

Earlier, three Russian MiG-31 military aircraft violated Estonian airspace, prompting discussions within NATO about the appropriate response to such incidents.

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The co-hosts of ABCs The View advised No Kings protesters to remain peaceful on Saturday because detractors are hoping to use violent images against them.

Millions of Americans are expected to take to the streets in cities across the country to protest Trump administration policies, ICE agents in the streets, and the government shutdown.

The show played video of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) saying Friday, I encourage you to watch. We call it the hate America rally that will happen Saturday. Lets see who shows up for that. I bet you see pro-Hamas supporters, I bet you see antifa types. I bet you see the marxists in full display, the people who dont want to stand and defend the foundational truths of this republic.

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Sara Haines disagreed with Johnson, saying the protesters love the country and know that it could be great.

But I also find that its a little rich of Mike Johnson to kind of think of a hypothetical of whos going to show up at this whenyesterday, we spoke about the leak of the young Republicans, Haines continued, referring to the racist Telegraph chats. This wasnt a maybe people think these things. This was a dozen young Republican leaders from different states across the country who showed us exactly who they are in writing. So, I dont think nows the time to worry about whos going to be showing up at a protest.

Well, unless you know theres going to be paid instigators that show up, Ana Navarro said. Then, you can be that secure that thats going to be there.

Joy Behar showed a protest image from the Vietnam War showing a woman presenting armed National Guardsmen with a flower.

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That, to me, is a symbolic photograph of how people feel when theyre protesting, Behar said. Were not here to start trouble. We just want you to hear us. And that flower is a symbol.

Navarro added, Thats very important, that we remind people to remain peaceful. Peaceful protest is what matters. And they want you to get riled. They want to be able to show the images of there being trouble. So, do not take the bait. Remain peaceful.

Watch the clip above via ABCs The View.

The post Do Not Take The Bait! Ana Navarro Warns No Kings Protesters That Detractors Want Images of There Being Trouble first appeared on Mediaite.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) have developed an innovative new way to measure biological age, which could make it easier to detect and track age-related conditions.

The study, "Deep Reinforcement LearningDriven Multi-Omics Integration for Constructing gtAge: A Novel Aging Clock from IgG N-glycome and Blood Transcriptome," is published in Engineering.

A team from ECU, together with researchers from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney and Shantou University Medical College in China, has studied elements in the blood that change with age, specifically the IgG N-glycome, which refers to sugar structure attached to antibodies, as well as a snapshot of gene activity within blood cells, called transcriptome.

By combining these two sets of data using an artificial intelligence (AI) technique called Deep Reinforcement Learning, the researchers created a new aging clock called gtAge.

The gtAge method predicted a person's age with 85% accuracymore precise than using just the IgG N-glycome or just the transcriptome alone.

They also found the difference between predicted age and actual agecalled delta agewas linked to health markers related to aging, such as cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Ageis it just a number?

Co-author and Postdoctoral Research Fellow in ECU's School of Medical and Health Sciences, Dr. Xingang Li explained that although chronological agethe time elapsed since birthis the most direct and commonly used metric, it does not entirely capture individual variability in the aging process.

"In reality, some individuals remain healthy until into their 80s and 90s, whereas others may experience age-related decline much earlier," Dr. Li said.

"This discrepancy can be attributed to differences in biological age, which integrates genetic, lifestyle, nutritional, disease-related, and general health factors to accurately reflect the true biological aging process."

Dr. Li noted gtAge explains 85.3% of the variation in chronological age.

"By merging IgG N-glycome data and transcriptome data, we have elevated the accuracy of biological aging estimation," he said. "It links to real health risks and could help spot people at risk of age-related diseases earlier."

Crunching the data

In an important example of cross-disciplinary work, co-author Dr. Syed Islam, ECU Senior Lecturer of Computer Science, led the AI side of the study.

"To improve age prediction using integrated multiomics data, we developed a custom AI tool named AlphaSnake, powered by Deep Reinforcement Learning," Dr. Islam explained.

"This algorithm works by picking the most useful data points from the two different biological sources, avoiding the pitfalls of just blindly blending data."

Where to from here?

The study involved testing gtAge on 302 middle-aged adults from the Busselton Healthy Aging Study in Western Australia.

With Australia's aging population, the research team believes gtAge could serve as a valuable medical tool.

"By measuring biological age and not just looking at someone's birthdate, it could be very useful to better understand their health," Dr. Islam said.

"If we know in advance, then we can change our lifestyle to better act on preserving our health and help prevent some of the damages our body may have experienced."

Dr. Yao Xia, Dr. Syed Islam, Dr. Xingang Li, Dr. Abdul Baten, Dr. Xuerui Tan and Professor Wei Wang were co-authors of the study.

More information: Yao Xia et al, Deep Reinforcement LearningDriven Multi-Omics Integration for Constructing gtAge: A Novel Aging Clock from IgG N-glycome and Blood Transcriptome, Engineering (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.eng.2025.08.016
By Heejung Jung

SEOUL (Reuters) -The death of a South Korean student lured into working in a scam centre in Cambodia with the promise of a good wage prompted Seoul this week to send officials to Phnom Penh to seek the release of people held against their will.

But not all those who end up in Cambodia are upstanding citizens, according to a South Korean missionary who works with people in a similar plight.

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South Korean media said the college student, who was found dead in August, was tortured to death in a case linked to an employment scam. Cambodia's embassy did not comment to Reuters about the case.

MOST WHO CAME 'JUST WANTED TO MAKE MONEY, MISSIONARY SAYS

More than 1,000 South Koreans are believed to be among about 200,000 people of various nationalities involved in the scam compounds in Cambodia, South Korea's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said this week.

"Rarely did young people come with a good heart to be good to their parents," Ok Hae-shil, a missionary living in Cambodia for 14 years who helped some South Koreans return home from scam compounds, told Reuters.

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"Most of the people... just wanted to make money, thinking 'whoever is harmed by this has nothing to do with me'."

Ok said Cambodia was a country "where visas are very simple, so those in nearby countries who have visa difficulties or living issues think Cambodia is easy for them to come live and smooth over issues with bribes."

The United Nations estimates the scam centres, which have emerged in Southeast Asia since the COVID-19 pandemic, generate billions of dollars in revenue for criminal networks every year, targeting victims through phone and online scams.

BAN ON TRAVEL TO SOME PARTS OF CAMBODIA

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South Korea issued a "code-black" travel ban for parts of Cambodia on Wednesday, and dispatched a team of high-level officials to help other nationals lured into working in scam compounds.

About 60 South Korean nationals will be flown back to Seoul on Saturday, but Wi said these were people suspected of committing crimes who were being expelled from Cambodia with police escorts and would be arrested in South Korea.

"Those people would have had their own position (in scam centres) and played roles like a manager," said Ok.

Ok said he and his peers had paid several million won for some young people to obtain new passports and plane tickets to return from Cambodia to Seoul, but that some of those individuals had returned with friends and sold them off.

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Wi said Cambodia had the right to respond to crimes on its own soil, and that the best course of action for South Korea was to cooperate.

"After this week, everyone (operating the scam centres) will settle down and hide, move to other countries... but there's nothing we can do at this time," Ok said.

PRESIDENT ORDERS BAN ON ONLINE ILLEGAL JOB ADS

Other moves by South Korea include an order by President Lee Jae Myung on Friday for the urgent removal of online illegal job advertisements - not only for Cambodia but also for Southeast Asia as a whole - to stem the flow of nationals being lured in the first place.

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But Ok said he believed the underlying issue was more systemic.

"If South Korea had a situation where young people could find jobs and live while being rewarded for their work... they wouldn't have done this," said Ok.

"But education has focused only on successful high salaries at large corporations and public enterprises for so long."

The South Korean government did not immediately respond to his remarks.

(Additional reporting by Yunji Ha and Jungmin Ryu, Writing by Joyce Lee, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Del. Gabriel Acevero (D-Montgomery) speaks at a news conference Thursday in Baltimore where a coalition of environmental and community health advocates said the state needs to move faster to advance a Clean Heat Standard for residential heating equipment. (Photo by Christine Condon/Maryland Matters)

A group of Maryland environmental advocates is pushing the state to hasten its development of rules that would bolster electric heating systems inside homes, including heat pumps.

Under a June 2024 executive order from Gov. Wes Moore (D), the state must establish Clean Heat Rules, aimed at reducing air pollution from fossil fuel-burning heating equipment.

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State officials said they are progressing toward meeting the goal. But advocates said Thursday they want to see more urgency from the states Department of the Environment.

While the transition to heat pumps is happening, its not happening fast enough to meet our climate commitments, said Anne Havemann, general counsel at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. Its also not happening equally across income brackets. Right now, its mostly higher-income Marylanders who are making the switch.

Thats what brought a number of nonprofit groups to Baltimores Patterson Park on Thursday, to announce formation of the Maryland Clean Heat Coalition to push for the change. The groups  including the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, the Sierra Clubs Maryland chapter and Interfaith Power and Light of the DMV, among others  are planning to launch a $200,000 digital advertising campaign focused on the benefits of transitioning to all-electric heating.

They were joined by Del. Gabriel Acevero (D-Montgomery), who said that electrifying more heating equipment in residential buildings could help prevent explosions tied to natural gas pipes.

A 2016 explosion in a Silver Spring apartment building killed 7 people and injured dozens more, and was attributed to a buildup of natural gas from an unconnected vent line, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

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We need to ensure that we are not just avoiding instances like that, but providing alternative clean energy solutions right here in the state of Maryland, Acevero said. But also, more importantly, ensuring that my constituents, Marylanders, have affordable energy and their bills do not continue to skyrocket, which is what were seeing today.

Eventually, the standards would require property owners to transition end-of-life furnaces and boilers to electric alternatives  a policy that could hit low-income ratepayers hard, according to a new analysis from the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter and the Center for Progressive Reform.

The rule could mean that 14,000 space heating units and up to 22,000 water heaters a year in low-income Maryland households need to be replaced with heat pumps, the study said. It would cost $185 million more than in-kind replacements.

But the switch is expected to save low-income ratepayers money in the long-run. The study suggests that the energy bill savings would reach $350 million per year (in 2024 dollars) by 2050.

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There would also be positive health impacts, advocates say. A 2023 study from GHHI estimated that pollution from fossil fuel heating systems was costing $1.3 billion in health costs annually in Maryland, because it contributes to respiratory issues and asthma

It comes as high electric bills continue to raise an outcry  and attract attention from Maryland legislators. This past legislative session, lawmakers voted to give ratepayers two bill credits, worth an avearage $40 bill each, in addition to longer-term measures that fast-track certain energy storage and generation projects through the Maryland Public Service Commission.

The state is also under pressure to meet its ambitious climate goals, which will require an increasing number of buildings and homes to go electric. The state has set a goal of reducing its carbon emissions 60% below 2006 levels by 2031 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2045.

Per Moores 2024 order, MDE actually must issue two clean heat regulations. The agency declined to comment on the coalitions demands, pointing to a webpage about the standards under development.

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One is called the Zero-Emissions Heating Equipment Standard, which will set emissions standards for newly manufactured residential-scale furnaces, boilers and water heaters.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

The other is the Clean Heat Standard, that will set requirements for heating fuel providers, such as pipeline gas utilities and fuel oil/propane delivery companies, to lower their emissions over time by delivering cleaner fuels, installing electric equipment or weatherizing buildings, according to the MDE website.

A timeline from the department indicates that the state plans to adopt the Zero-Emissions Heating rule some time in 2026, with the standard taking effect in 2029. The timeline calls for adoption of a rule to set a credit system for the Clean Heat Standard in 2026. For now, MDE has proposed reporting requirements for fuel delivery companies, which would take effect next year.

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GHHI President and CEO Ruth Ann Norton said the federal governments recent efforts to pull back funding and tax credits for clean energy projects shows that the ball is in Marylands court to advance policy change more rapidly.

Its on the state. Its on us to be doing this. Its on the governor to lead this, Norton said. We strongly feel that adopting these standards as quickly as possible means that people will be healthier sooner.
A for sale sign is posted outside a home in Providence's Silver Lake neighborhood. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)

Last year marked the first time no community in Rhode Island was affordable to a household earning under $100,000 a year. And now this year is the first time the median renter cannot afford an average two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the state.

Thats one of the many bleak takeaways of the latest housing factbook released Friday by HousingWorks RI, the housing policy research group based at Roger Williams University. This years report determined that the lowest income to affordably rent the average-priced two-bedroom apartment, including utilities, is $60,320.

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The average renter in Rhode Island earned an annual income of $48,434 in 2024, according to the 84-page report.

Simply put, Rhode Islanders continued to face a challenging housing market, the factbook says.

Among the many major factors leading to the smallest states affordability crisis: There just arent enough places for people to live.

A healthy rental market typically has a vacancy rate of 5 to 8%, according to the factbook. Data from the Federal Reserve notes a statewide rental vacancy rate of 2.6% in 2024.

Its somewhat better in the Providence metropolitan area, which had a 3.2% rental vacancy rate, according to the factbook.

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We have not hit that number in at least six plus years, Brenda Clement, executive director for HousingWorks RI, said in an interview Thursday.

State officials have encouraged new home construction over the past couple of years by adopting new laws that have eased zoning restrictions, streamlined permitting, and allowed accessory dwelling units. But Clement said its ultimately up to local leaders to get on board.

What you build, where you build, and how you build are all at the local level, she said.

But not every town wants to have dense, multifamily developments.

The town of Johnston is battling in court to stop a proposed 252-unit apartment complex after Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr., a Democrat, tried to use eminent domain to seize the site for a public safety complex. The Westerly Planning Board nixed a plan to construct 2,300 homes at Winnapaug Country Club  a decision recently upheld by a Superior Court judge.

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Many leaders who oppose large projects instead favor single family homes, which the HousingWorks report contends furthers the continuation of inefficient land use in Rhode Island.

While large homes on expansive lots may seem to generate the most revenue for a municipalitys tax base, single family homes in Rhode Island are less valuable, per acre of land, the report states.

That focus on single family homes has made it so most towns continue to fail meeting the states 10% affordable housing target set in the 1991 Low and Moderate Income Housing law. Eight municipalities  Burrillville, Central Falls, East Providence, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, West Warwick, and Woonsocket  met the goal for 2025. Its double what HousingWorks reported last year, but thats only because the legislature updated the definition of what constitutes an affordable home.

The law passed in 2024 added any homes where Section 8 federal housing vouchers were used, as well as mobile homes, to the group of properties that qualify as legally affordable.

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What you build, where you build, and how you build are all at the local level.

 Brenda Clement, executive director for HousingWorks RI

To get towns on board, Clement suggests the state withhold any extra infrastructure funding unless they commit to more construction. Its a similar plan House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi floated when unveiling the chambers 2025 housing package last February.

Clement suggests towns take a look to the past to figure out its future. A prime example, she said, are former mill villages which consisted of a job center surrounded by homes for varying economic classes along a robust transit line.

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Reconnecting all of that together is what can hopefully come about, she said.

But a lot of uncertainty remains whether the state will have the federal funding necessary to get more homes built. Still, Clement remains optimistic that local leaders will work to get new affordable homes open in the coming years.

We just have to keep on pushing where we can push, she said. The end result is worth it  nothing works right in your life if you dont have a decent place to get up from every day and to go back to every night.

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Theres already a stunning pattern of grand jurors rejecting indictments sought by the Justice Department in President Donald Trumps second term  specifically when it comes to allegations of assaulting law enforcement in connection with protests against the administrations abuses of power. As time goes on, well learn what trial jurors think of the politically motivated cases that make it that far.

We got a prime example Thursday in the case of Sidney Reid, who was acquitted in Washington, D.C.

Grand jurors had declined to approve a felony indictment against her a shocking three times. But instead of taking those serial rejections as a sign of serious problems with the case (a rare failure to get past even one grand jury shouldve done that), the DOJ in Jeanine Pirros office moved forward with a misdemeanor prosecution, which didnt require grand jury approval. Law enforcement had alleged that Reid forcefully pushed an FBI agents hand against a cement wall and caused lacerations on the agents hand during an immigration enforcement protest.

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Powerful statements from Reid and her lawyers following the not guilty verdict frame the stakes in her case  and in Trumps second term more broadly. She said the verdict shows that this administration and their peons are not able to invoke fear in all citizens. Calling the president a crazy person, she said she even felt sorry for the prosecutors, who must be burdened by Trumps irrational and unfounded hatred for his fellow man. Her lawyers, Tezira Abe and Eugene Ohm of the federal public defenders office, said the DOJ can continue to take these cases to trial to suppress dissent and to try and intimidate the people. But in the end, as long as we have a jury system, our citizens will continue to rebuke the DOJ through speedy acquittals.

In another notable case, in which D.C. grand jurors refused to approve felony charges against sandwich thrower Sean Dunn, prosecutors are also moving forward with a misdemeanor case after failing to get an indictment. Ahead of his potential trial, this week Dunn filed a motion to dismiss the misdemeanor assault charge based on vindictive and selective prosecution.

Calling his prosecution a blatant abuse of power, his lawyers argued that the government has chosen to bring a criminal case over conduct so minor it would be comical  were it not for the unmistakable retaliatory motive behind it and the resulting risk to Mr. Dunn. They noted that he tossed a sandwich at a fully armed, heavily protected Customs and Border Protection officer, but they maintained that that act alone would never have drawn a federal charge. What did was the political speech that accompanied it.

Dunn isnt the first and wont be the last defendant to press a vindictive or selective prosecution claim against the Trump DOJ. James Comey is expected to file one next week against the charges brought in Virginia by Trump-installed lawyer Lindsey Halligan, who secured an indictment against the former FBI director after the president named him on his revenge list (grand jurors rejected one of the three charges sought by Halligan, who hadnt prosecuted a case before and brought this one over the objections of career prosecutors).

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Halligan similarly secured an indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose prosecution Trump also demanded after she brought the civil fraud case against him. James is due to appear in court next week to be arraigned on her fraud indictment, and she may likewise pursue pre-trial motions like the ones Comey has signaled hell file. The DOJ obtained an indictment Thursday in Maryland against another Trump critic, John Bolton.

While the standard to secure indictments is relatively low  making the failure to get them in several cases this year so remarkable  prosecutors must convince jurors beyond a reasonable doubt in any case that makes it to trial. Reids acquittal is a message to the administration  and to the lawyers trying these cases  that its one thing to get past (or in Reids case, around) a grand jury, but trial juries can stand in the way of convictions for bogus or weak charges.

Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in the Trump administrations legal cases.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  Congressman August Pfluger and community members announced they are providing support to those affected by the federal government shutdown by pledging thousands of dollars in immediate relief.

Pfluger spoke after a meeting with several area organizations about what resources they can provide to help the local people of San Angelo who are affected.

None of our federal workforce, none of our military personnel, are gonna go hungry, Pfluger said. And were gonna make sure, from this community, that we come together to support them in the right way.

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The United Way of the Concho Valley has a portion of its website set up dedicated to relief efforts. The website includes places in San Angelo that are offering food, banking and other resources.

But the bottom line is that during a government shutdown, its stressful on a lot of people who have stepped up to do something, whether its keeping our country safe, in uniform, or helping teach some of those intelligence classes as a government civilian, or serving in a variety of different agencies and entities, Pfluger said. This community, you will not find a better community on the face of the earth.

Local banks and credit unions are offering 0% interest loans to cover missed payments. Other relief efforts include help with late fees on payments, mortgage deferrals, car payment deferrals, gas cards, energy assistance, clothing and food assistance. For a full list of places and resources, visit the Live United Concho Valley website at United Way | Government Shutdown Resources.

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The city of San Angelo is also waiving late fees on utility bills and suspending service shutoffs for federal employees and retirees in response to the federal government shutdown.

San Angelo waives utility late fees for federal employees amid shutdown

Its not a handout, its a hand up, and from that standpoint, I cant thank enough of this group thats behind us and helping moving this forward, Mayor Tom Thompson said.

Pfluger stated that during their meeting, community members raised over $80,000 in donations, along with Angelo State University pledging $85,000 for tuition assistance for military and federal workers.

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We take care of ourselves locally, said Lane Carter, Tom Green County Judge. We come together, and Im proud of the individuals and the people that I know that are coming out to help our airmen and women, our federal employees, were gonna make sure that we take care of them here in our community.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Its a Halloween celebration that gives back to the community. Gateways to Better Living is having its Not So Haunted House.

Read next: Halloween Trick or Treat times

Students from the day programs walked through the house on Friday.

Saturday, it opens to the public from noon to 3 p.m.

This is the fourth year for the event.

Its sensory-friendly, giving kids an outlet to have fun and be themselves. Its also a way for the organization to give back to the community.

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The Not So Haunted House is located in the Austintown Plaza, at the old Casals Building (next to the Post Office).

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
By Stine Jacobsen, Bhanvi Satija and Sriparna Roy

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Shares of weight-loss drug makers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly fell on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump said that the price of Novo's popular Ozempic treatment would be lowered.

Although Ozempic is approved to treat diabetes, it has been frequently used in the United States as a so-called off-label treatment for obesity and often served as a generic reference to weight-loss drugs. The drug shares the same active ingredient - semaglutide - as the Danish drugmaker's blockbuster obesity treatment Wegovy.

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Since taking office in January, Trump has been striving to narrow the gap between U.S. and foreign drug prices. Under its "most favored nation" policy, the U.S. government will require drugmakers to charge patients in the country no more than in other wealthy nations.

NEGOTIATING LEVER

Novo's shares fell to a near three-week low of 342.30 crowns, and were last down 6.3% to 343 crowns. Shares in rivals dropped as well, with Lilly down more than 3% and Zealand Pharma down nearly 7%. Viking Therapeutics was down about 2%.

The comment from Trump has investors worried about a worst-case scenario for the obesity landscape, said Kevin Gade, chief operating officer at investment firm Bahl & Gaynor.

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Trump made the comments during a White House event on Thursday, where he announced a deal with Germany's Merck to cut the cost of some drugs needed for in-vitro fertilisation in exchange for protection from future tariffs.

Trump was asked by reporters to identify the drug that he said earlier at the event would be made less expensive.

"I was referring to Ozempic, or - I was referring to - the fat loss drug?.... They'll be much lower," Trump said.

Trump has earlier said that under his administration's plans, the price of Ozempic would be reduced to $150 from $1,300. Ozempic has a list price of about $1,000 for a month's supply, but is sold directly by Novo to cash-pay customers for $499 per month.

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Mehmet Oz, who runs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and was at the event on Thursday, said the agency had not yet finished negotiating the price for the GLP-1 class drugs, which include Ozempic, Wegovy, and Lilly's Mounjaro.

Bernstein analyst Courtney Breen said Trump's comment seem like a "negotiating lever", adding that this would also set a new precedent for upcoming oral launches for the obesity drugs, providing little space for price differentials.

"We do remind investors, that we are watching a private negotiation play out in public here, and the $150 price is not yet set-in stone," said Breen.

It's hard to know if Trump said that to bring the obesity players to the negotiating table or if he truly believes that will be the final price, said Bahl & Gaynor's Gade.

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A Novo spokesperson said the company was in discussions with the Trump administration over the "most favored nation" order.

Lilly also said it is in discussions with the administration, and did not have any specific details to share.

UBS analysts said they had already factored potential U.S. price cuts into their forecasts.

"If the prices mentioned by President Trump end up being the negotiated prices then this would be more than captured by our numbers," they wrote.

(Reporting by Stine Jacobsen in Copenhagen, Bhanvi Satija in London and Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru. Editing by Terje Solsvik, Mark Potter and Shinjini Ganguli)
By Maggie Fick and Stine Jacobsen

LONDON/COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Novo Nordisk has appointed U.S. pharmaceutical executive Greg Miley as its new head of corporate affairs, as the obesity drugmaker faces growing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump on drug pricing.

Miley recently served as senior vice president of government affairs at U.S. pharmaceutical giant AbbVie. He posted a statement on LinkedIn on Friday and Novo Nordisk shared the statement with Reuters.

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Novo is turning to an American executive with deep U.S. pharmaceutical experience to help navigate political risks under the Trump administration in the United States, its largest market.

NEW HIRE TO FOCUS ON RELATIONS WITH TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

The appointment comes as new CEO Mike Doustdar tries to revive investor confidence through a restructuring to sharpen Novo's focus in a fierce obesity drug battle against U.S. rival Eli Lilly. The overhaul includes cutting 9,000 jobs, with 5,000 positions being eliminated in Denmark and layoffs underway across multiple U.S. departments.

"In this new role, I see great potential to strengthen our Global Communication and Public Affairs efforts," Miley wrote on LinkedIn, adding that he would begin his new role next month and would relocate to Denmark, Novo's home market.

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Miley's urgent priority will be improving Novo's relations with the Trump administration, said a source familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information.

Novos top U.S. public affairs executive is Jennifer Duck, who joined the company in 2019 after working on the Democrat-led Senate Judiciary Committee and as chief of staff to Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein. That background is not seen as the right fit under a Republican president, the source said.

Novo did not immediately reply to a request for comment on these points.

Other big pharmaceutical companies have hired public affairs experts with long backgrounds in Republican circles in order to navigate the administration's pressures on the industry, a source at a European drugmaker told Reuters on Friday.

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TRUMP SAYS OZEMPIC PRICE IN US WILL BE LOWERED

Shares of Novo and Lilly fell on Friday after Trump said that the price of Novo's Ozempic diabetes treatment would be lowered. Ozempic contains the same active ingredient as its weight-loss drug Wegovy.

Miley spent the past decade at AbbVie in Chicago and was promoted two years ago to senior vice president of government affairs, according to his LinkedIn profile. He has worked in the pharmaceutical industry since 2004, building his career at U.S. drugmakers including more than four years in public affairs at Abbott and nearly five years at Pfizer.

AbbVie did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Miley did not reply when contacted by Reuters earlier on Friday.

(Reporting by Maggie Fick in London and Stine Jacobsen in Copenhagen, Editing by Louise Heavens, Kirsten Donovan)
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Novo Nordisk shares fell as much as 6.4% in early Friday trade after U.S. President Donald Trump signalled the price of the Danish drugmaker's weight-loss drugs would be lowered.

Since taking office in January, Trump has been striving to narrow the gap between U.S. and foreign drug prices. Under its "most favored nation" policy, the U.S. government will require drugmakers to charge patients in the U.S. no more than in other wealthy nations.

Trump made the comments during a White House event on fertility treatments and drug pricing. He was asked by reporters to identify the drug that he earlier in the event said would be made less expensive.

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"I was referring to Ozempic, or - I was referring to - the fat loss drug?.... They'll be much lower," Trump said.

UBS ANALYSTS HAD ALREADY FACTORED IN LOWER PRICES

Although Novo's Ozempic is approved to treat diabetes, it shares the same active ingredient as the group's blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy. In the United States, Ozempic has been frequently used as a so-called off-label treatment for obesity and often served as a generic reference to weight-loss drugs.

UBS analysts said they had already factored potential U.S. price cuts into their forecasts. "If the prices mentioned by President Trump end up being the negotiated prices then this would be more than captured by our numbers," they wrote.

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Novo's shares fell to a near three-week low of 342.3 crowns and were last down 6.3% at 343 crowns. Shares in rivals Eli Lilly and Zealand Pharma were down around 4% and 6%, respectively.

A Novo spokesperson said the company was in discussions with the Trump administration over the most favored nation order.

(Reporting by Stine Jacobsen in Copenhagen and Bhanvi Satija in London. Editing by Terje Solsvik and Mark Potter)




Poor engineering and inadequate testing led to the implosion of the submersible that killed a former Connecticut ocean researcher and four others while approaching the wreck of the Titanic in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean in 2023, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded.

The findings could bolster a lawsuit filed last year against OceanGate, the owner of the failed Titan submersible, over the death of renowned Titanic explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, who lived in Greenwich and later Kent before moving to upstate New York in 2022.

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The suit claims OceanGate used negligent manufacturing processes; inferior materials to construct the sub, such as a carbon fiber hull and navigation using a video game controller; and ignored safety warnings from deep-sea divers and engineers, while hiding the dangers from the public and employees.

In a report Wednesday, the NTSB said faulty engineering of the Titan "resulted in the construction of a carbon fiber composite pressure vessel that contained multiple anomalies and failed to meet necessary strength and durability requirements." It also noted OceanGate failed to adequately test the Titan and was unaware of its true durability.

The wreckage of the Titan likely would have been found sooner if OceanGate had followed standard guidance for its emergency response, which would have saved "time and resources even though a rescue was not possible in this case," the NTSB added.

The NTSB report mirrors a Coast Guard report released in August that concluded the Titan implosion was preventable. The Coast Guard determined safety procedures at OceanGate, based in Washington state, were "critically flawed" and found "glaring disparities" between safety protocols and actual practices.

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The Titan's implosion killed OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and led to lawsuits and calls for tighter regulation of private deep-sea expeditions. The implosion also killed British adventurer Hamish Harding; and two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, as well as Nargeolet.

Richard Ortoli, the administrator of Nargeolet's estate, filed a $50 million lawsuit over the death of the explorer, who was known as "Mr. Titanic" for his role in helping to lead the original 1987 mission to find the sunken luxury ocean liner. The suit names OceanGate, Rush's estate and other manufacturers as defendants.

Ortoli did not respond immediately to messages seeking comment on the NTSB final report.

Nargeolet was a crew member aboard the Titan submersible when it imploded on June 18, 2023, instantly killing all five people on board. The sub's disappearance near the wreck, at about 12,500 feet below the ocean, shocked the world as the Coast Guard searched a section of the Atlantic Ocean twice the size of Connecticut for the wreckage.

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"While the exact cause of failure may never be determined, experts agree that the Titan's crew would have realized exactly what was happening," Ortoli said in the lawsuit. "Rush's vaunted acoustic safety system' would have alerted the crew that the carbon-fiber hull was cracking under extreme pressure - prompting the pilot to release weight and attempt to abort. Common sense dictates that the crew were well aware they were going to die, before dying."

The time between attempting to abort and the implosion, the suit notes, was harrowing for the men aboard the vessel in those last moments.

"The crew may well have heard the carbon fiber's crackling noise grow more intense as the weight of the water pressed on Titan's hull," the suit says. "The crew lost communications and perhaps power as well. By experts' reckoning, they would have continued to descend, in full knowledge of the vessel's irreversible failures, experiencing terror and mental anguish prior to the Titan ultimately imploding."

The NTSB report recommends the Coast Guard assemble a panel of experts to study submersibles and other pressure vehicles and recommend new regulations. The report points out current regulations for small passenger vessels "enabled OceanGate's operation of the Titan in an unsafe manner."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

This article originally published at NTSB: Implosion of Titan submersible that killed former CT researcher due to engineering flaws.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

In recent research, treatment with osimertinib plus a platinumpemetrexed chemotherapy combination resulted in statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival in patients with newly diagnosed EGFR-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared to osimertinib alone.

The finding is based on an analysis of the complete data from the phase 3 global FLAURA2 study, co-led by researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Gustave Roussy (Grand Paris, Villejuif, France). Median overall survival was 47.5 months in the osimertinib plus platinumpemetrexed group versus 37.6 months in the osimertinib monotherapy group.

The results of the FLAURA2 trial were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025 in Berlin, Germany, and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine.

"This is the longest overall survival in this patient population that we've seen in any clinical trial to date. It shows that combination therapies can lead to improvements over a single agent. This data helps establish osimertinib plus chemotherapy as standard of care first-line therapy," says ESMO presenter and co-principal investigator Dr. Pasi A. Janne, director of the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology at Dana-Farber.

Janne presented data showing that the combination could benefit subgroups of patients with poor prognoses. For example, the group of patients with central nervous system metastases who received osimertinib plus platinumpemetrexed had median overall survival of 40.9 months compared to 29.7 months for those who received osimertinib alone.

About 1015% of patients in the US and 50% of patients in Asia with NSCLC harbor epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in their tumors. The mutation fuels the growth of the cancer.

The FLAURA2 trial tested adding platinumpemetrexed up-front in combination with osimertinib to stave off recurrence observed with osimertinib monotherapy. Osimertinib is a third generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI).

The combination was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2024 based on FLAURA2 results showing the combination lengthened progression free survival compared to osimertinib alone. This final report of extended overall survival with the combination underscores the benefit of the combination for patients, including patients with a poor prognosis.

"This is a very exciting development," says Janne. "These results show the benefits of a combination when started from the very beginning of treatment. I think there's an opportunity to use this as a platform to develop additional combination therapies that enhance efficacy from the start of treatment."

Patients receiving the combination experience additional adverse events associated with the added chemotherapy. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and bone marrow toxicities and are most pronounced during the first few months of treatment that includes platinum chemotherapy, but lessen during maintenance therapy with osimertinib and pemetrexed.

"There are now multiple options for patients with newly diagnosed EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer, including combination therapies and monotherapies, which is a wonderful thing," says Janne. "Patients have choices, and shared decision-making with patients will be essential to balance the greatest survival benefit against potential side effects."

More information: Overall Survival with Osimertinib plus Chemotherapy in EGFR-Mutated Advanced NSCLC, New England Journal of Medicine (2025). Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine
(The Center Square)  The top three candidates in New York City's mayoral race squared off Thursday night in a live televised debate, trading barbs over support for law enforcement, immigration, housing and President Donald Trump's outsized influence over the contentious race.

For nearly two hours, Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa hammered away at each other over who is best suited to succeed outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, who opted not to seek reelection. It's the first time the three candidates have debated, with early voting in the mayoral election getting underway on Oct. 25.

Mamdani, who went into the debate with a double digit lead in the polls, faced a barrage of attacks from his rivals over previous criticism of the NYPD, Israel and the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, and his far-left tax and spending proposals.

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Cuomo portrayed Mamdani as a newcomer who lacks the political and management experience to take over the nation's largest city.

"He has no experience to run a $115 billion budget. He has literally never had a job. On his resume it says he interned for his mother," Cuomo quipped. "This is not a job for first-timers."

In turn, Mamdani blasted Cuomo as a "politician of the past" and ribbed the former New York governor over accusations of sexual harassment that prompted him to step down in 2021. He also leaned into Cuomo over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying he "sent senior citizens to their deaths" with his decision early in the public health crisis to move infected patients. Cuomo denied the allegations.

"What I don't have in experience, I make up for in integrity. And what you don't have in integrity, you could never make up for in experience," Mamdani told Cuomo.

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Sliwa, who took off his signature Guardian Angel red beret for Thursday night's debate, took aim at both Cuomo and Mamdani for being "out of touch" with average New Yorkers.

He criticized their taxing and spending plans and for being "unwilling" to give President Trump credit for his accomplishments, such as his role in brokering the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.

The panel of moderators, which included representatives of NBC 4 NY, Politico and TeleMundo, asked the candidates if they would stand up to President Donald Trump if he deployed the National Guard to the city to crack down on crime or enforce immigration laws. All three said they would oppose it, but Cuomo claimed if Mamdani is elected Trump will "take over the city."

"If the assemblyman is elected mayor, Donald Trump is going to take over New York," Cuomo said. "It will be Mayor Trump."

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Mamdani said he is willing to work with Trump to lower the cost of living for New Yorkers, but criticized him for his prosecutions of his political enemies and mass deportation plans.

"If he ever wants to come for New Yorkers in the way that he has been, he's going to have to get through me as the next mayor of this city," Mamdani said.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, was criticized by his rivals over his far-left proposals to raise taxes on businesses and the city's top earners scrap New York City bus fares, provide "universal" child care, make city-run colleges "tuition-free" and set up government-run grocery stores.

"You would see New Yorkers on I-95 fleeing to Florida" if Mamdani's tax plan is implemented, Cuomo said.

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Sliwa agreed, saying New Yorkers are being lured away to lower-tax states. "You gotta cut taxes for people to stay here," Sliwa said.

The panel peppered the candidates with questions about their plans for attracting more investment and businesses to New York City, funding education and transportation and cracking down on illegal parking.

Moderators even asked each candidate how much they spent on rent and groceries, as many New Yorkers struggle to afford either. Sliwa spent the most, or $175 a week. Both Cuomo and Mamdani said they drop about $150 a week at the grocery store.

A Quinnipiac poll released last Friday showed that Mamdani leads the race with 46% of likely voters backing him, while Cuomo has 33% support and Sliwa has 15% support. The mayoral election is Nov. 4.
Gloves came off during Thursdays two-hour debate between three candidates for New York City mayor: Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who initially ran as a Democrat before switching to independent, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.

Mamdani is leading the polls with 49% support, followed by Cuomo at 30% and Sliwa with 13%, according to the data compiled by Decision Desk HQ.

Mamdani has garnered the most national attention, including criticism from President Donald Trump, for his socialist policies and his controversial statements on law enforcement and the Israel-Hamas war.

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Cuomo, who faced sexual harassment allegations in 2020 and was accused of mishandling COVID-19 nursing home deaths, directed most of his attacks at Mamdani as Sliwa interjected himself into the conversation. Here are three highlights from the debate.

Israel-Gaza ceasefire deal

Cuomo addressed the recent ceasefire deal and credited the Trump White House for the feat.

Independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. | Angelina Katsanis, Associated Press

Im proud to be one of the first elected officials in the state who called for a ceasefire, Mamdani said.

Commenting on the deal, Mamdani said, Of course, I believe that they should lay down their arms but fell short of crediting Trump.

A ceasefire means ceasing fire. That means all parties have to cease fire and put down their weapons, and the reason we call for that is not only for the end of the genocide but also an unimpeded access of humanitarian aid.

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Cuomo chimed in and slammed Mamdani for not condemning Hamas.

I have denounced Hamas again and again, Mamdani said. It will never be enough for Andrew Cuomo, because what he is willing to say, even though not on this stage, is to call me the first Muslim on the precipice of leading this city a terrorist sympathizer.

He said Cuomo was part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus legal defense team during the course of this genocide.

Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. | Angelina Katsanis, Associated Press

Sliwa attacked Mamdani, saying that the Democratic nominee couldnt gain the trust of Jewish Americans who have been victims of antisemitic attacks.

NYC mayoral candidates on Trump

All the candidates addressed how they would tackle the Trump White House to protect the interests of New Yorkers.

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Mamdani accused Cuomo of cozying up to Trump during this mayoral race.

What distinguishes me from Andrew Cuomo is the fact that he has gotten on the phone with that same president  not asking him how to work together to help New Yorkers or not telling him that he would refuse to back down to protect those New Yorkers, but instead asking him how to win this race, Mamdani said. Thats something I can do myself.

Mamdani said he would work with the U.S. president but warned that if Trump ever went against the interests of New Yorkers, hes going to have to get through me as the next mayor of this city.

Cuomo pushed back, saying Mamdani would fail to protect the city from Trump.

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If the assemblyman is elected mayor, Donald Trump will take over New York City and it will be Mayor Trump, Cuomo said.

Independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, speaks during a mayoral debate with Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, center, and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. | Angelina Katsanis, Associated Press

Meanwhile, Sliwa said he was willing to sit and negotiate.

You can be tough, but you cant be tough if its going to cost people desperately needed federal funds, he added.

But they all agreed that they are against the Trump administrations desire to send the National Guard to New York City.

Defund the police

Sliwa, largely ignored during the debate, targeted both candidates over their comments regarding law enforcement.

You, Andrew Cuomo, during the summer of 2020, said if you dont reform police departments, Im going to defund you. And you certainly said that, Zohran Mamdani, Sliwa said.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, center, speaks during a mayoral debate with independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. | Angelina Katsanis, Associated Press

Both Mamdani and Cuomos criticism of police and public safety came after the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis.

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As of late, Mamdanis comments about defunding the police and banning all guns have been circulating online.

Utah Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican, said banning firearms would be great for criminals (whod never surrender their weapons) and devastating for law-abiding Americans (whod then be at the mercy of still-armed criminals). For that reason, our Constitution takes that option off the table.

Hard pass! he added.

Mamdanis proposal to ban all guns would be great for criminals (whod never surrender their weapons) & devastating for law-abiding Americans (whod then be at the mercy of still-armed criminals)



For that reason, our Constitution takes that option off the table



Hard pass! pic.twitter.com/re9MIjLNvr  Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) October 16, 2025

A day before the debate, Mamdani issued a public apology to law enforcement for his previous criticism, where he called them racist, wicked and corrupt.

Ill apologize to police officers right here, because this is the apology that Ive been sharing with many rank-and-file officers, Mamdani told Fox News. He has also reached out to the NYPD in private and apologized.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  New York City Public Schools students wont be attending class on Monday due to Diwali, the festival of lights.

As the end of the year approaches, children will sporadically be out of school for holidays and parent-teacher conferences. These are some important dates that parents should know about:

When is the first day of school in New York City? 2025-2026 calendar is out

Monday, Oct. 20: Diwali

Tuesday, Nov. 4: Election Day

Thursday, Nov. 6: Elementary school students dismissed three hours early for parent-teacher conferences

Tuesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day

Thursday, Nov. 13: Middle school and District 75 students dismissed three hours early for parent-teacher conferences

Thursday, Nov. 20: Parent-teacher conferences for Kindergarten-12th grade and 6th-12th grade students

Friday, Nov. 21: Kindergarten-12th grade and 6th-12th grade students dismissed three hours early for parent-teacher conferences

Thursday, Nov. 27: Thanksgiving

Friday, Nov. 28: Black Friday

Wednesday, Dec. 24: Winter recess

Thursday, Dec. 25: Winter recess

Friday, Dec. 26: Winter recess

Monday, Dec. 29: Winter recess

Tuesday, Dec. 30: Winter recess

Wednesday, Dec. 31: Winter recess

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Schools will be closed for winter recess through Jan. 2, 2026, according to the New York City Public Schools calendar.

To see what schools outside of New York City are closed for Diwali, click here.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  The NYPD has created a unit to address domestic violence, which has seen a 40% increase in New York City since 2020.

The most common form of domestic violence that police officers are seeing is intimate partner violence, according to data from the NYPD. Mayor Eric Adams announced on Thursday that 450 police officers will be assigned to the newly created Domestic Violence Unit, streamlining how they respond to and support victims.

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The NYPD vowed that the DV unit will get the same attention as gun and gang violence. Police officers in the unit will receive double the training on dealing with domestic violence cases, according to Adams.

The increase in domestic violence cases has come as murder and shootings have plummeted to historic lows.

Domestic and family health violence are common problems estimated to affect 10 million people in the United States every year. Anyone looking for help can find resources here.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

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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 PIX11.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11)  The NYPD has identified the 89-year-old woman who was killed when a car jumped a sidewalk in Brooklyn on Wednesday.

Police said it happened on Neptune Avenue around 12:45 p.m. An 83-year-old woman driving a Nissan Sentra crashed into a Chrysler Town & Country being driven by an 86-year-old man, according to authorities.

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Police said the collision caused the Chrysler minivan to jump the sidewalk and crash into three pedestrians. Klara Litvak, 89, was rushed to a hospital where she died, according to authorities.

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Police said the two other pedestrians, a 75-year-old woman and a 43-year-old woman, and the 86-year-old minivan driver were also taken to a local hospital for their injuries.

The 83-year-old driver of the Nissan Sentra stayed at the scene, according to authorities. No arrests have been made and an investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Former President Obama endorsed Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D) in the New Jersey governors race in an ad Friday as she vies against former GOP state Assembly member Jack Ciattarelli to replace term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy (D) next month.

Hey New Jersey. This is Barack Obama. And I want to talk to you about my friend, Mikie Sherrill. Mikie is a mom who will drive down costs for New Jersey families. As a federal prosecutor, and former Navy helicopter pilot, she worked to keep our communities safe, Obama said in the 30-second ad released by Sherrills campaign.

Mikies integrity, grit, and commitment to service are what we need right now in our leaders, he continued. Mikie Sherrill is the right choice for your next governor. So go vote by Nov. 4.

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Sherrill in a statement said she was grateful to have the former presidents endorsement, saying that this November, we have an opportunity to chart a different path forward  to reject the chaos in Washington and lower costs in New Jersey while also tying Ciattarelli to the President Trump and the government shutdown negotiations.

Obamas endorsement offers Sherrill a last-minute boost in the final weeks of the gubernatorial race. The Decision Desk HQ polling index shows Sherrill leading Ciattarelli, 49 percent to 44 percent.

The ad is particularly notable amid Democratic concerns that Black and Hispanic voters may sit out the election or vote for Ciattarelli. Trump made gains with those voters last November, though Sherrill is seeking to tie Ciattarelli to the president as public opinion of Trump declines.

Obama has increasingly weighed in on political fights this fall, and threw his support behind another Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), on Thursday.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A walk in Frontier Park aims to raise awareness of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

The International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) and OCD Pennsylvania are hosting the One Million Steps for OCD Walk on Oct. 18 in Frontier Park, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Erie Habitat for Humanity donates two homes to local families

The walk will take place during this years OCD Awareness Week, which runs from Oct. 12 through Oct. 18.

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The money raised by this walk will be used to teach the public about OCD, help people get diagnoses more quickly, increase the number of therapists trained to work with OCD and help the OCD community reduce stigma associated with the disorder.

The walk is free. To register or to donate, click here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
More than 60 "No Kings" protests are planned in Wisconsin this weekend, contributing to what organizers anticipate to be the largest single day of protest in modern American history.

The protests oppose President Donald Trump's widespread crackdown on immigration, including violent arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in American cities.

Here's where and when the Wisconsin protests are happening.

Where are the Oct. 18 No Kings protests happening in Wisconsin?

More than 60 anti-Trump protests are planned for Wisconsin on Oct. 18. You can find all the locations at nokings.org.

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In the Milwaukee area, No Kings protests will be held in the following places:

Milwaukee: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Cathedral Square Park, 520 E. Wells St. This will likely be the largest protest in the greater Milwaukee area.

Madison: 2 to 5 p.m. in McPike Park and at the State Capitol, 202 S. Ingersoll St.; Capitol Square

Shorewood: 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Oak Leaf Trail Bridge, at the corner of North Wilson Drive and East Capitol Drive.

Greenfield: 10 to 11:30 a.m., South 76th Street & West Layton Avenue.

Brookfield: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. near near Main Street and West Bluemound Road. Exact address is available to those who RSVP.

Waukesha: 1 to 2:30 p.m. at sidewalk in front of Cutler Park, 321 Wisconsin Ave.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: When are the Wisconsin No Kings protests happening on Oct. 18?
A man accused of carrying out the October 7 massacre has been arrested in Louisiana.

Mahmoud Amin Yaqub Al-Muhtadi was detained on Thursday over his alleged involvement in the Hamas-led terrorist attack against Israel in 2023, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) said.

Mr Al-Muhtadi, 33, from Gaza, is accused of participating in the atrocity  in which 1,200 people were killed and 250 others taken hostage  before obtaining a US visa and settling in the city of Lafayette.

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He allegedly targeted Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where Emily Damari, the British-Israeli former hostage, was taken from.

Pam Bondi, the US attorney general, called the alleged terrorist a monster and said the department is dedicated to tracking down those responsible for the attack.

After hiding out in the United States, this monster has been found and charged with participating in the atrocities of October 7  the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust, she said.

While nothing can fully heal the scars left by Hamass brutal attack, this Departments Joint Task Force October 7 is dedicated to finding and prosecuting those responsible for that horrific day, including the murder of dozens of American citizens.

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We will continue to stand by Jewish Americans and Jewish people around the world against anti-Semitism and terrorism in all its forms.

Mr Al-Muhtadi is allegedly a member of the National Resistance Brigades, which worked with Hamas to carry out the attacks - Amir Levy/2023 Getty Images

On the morning of Oct 7, Mr Al-Muhtadi allegedly sprang into action, arming himself and recruiting fellow marauders to enter Israel, where he targeted one of the communities worst-hit by the attack, the DoJ said.

According to court documents, Mr Al-Muhtadi is a member of the National Resistance Brigades (NRB), a paramilitary group that joined forces with Hamas terrorists to carry out the attack.

His phone is said to have pinged a cell tower near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, an Israeli settlement three kilometres from the border with northern Gaza, where at least 62 people were massacred, including four American citizens.

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In Sept 2024, Mr Al-Muhtadi allegedly entered the US after providing false information on his visa application. He supposedly made numerous materially false statements about his affiliation with the NRB and Hamas, his military training and his involvement in the terrorist attack.

Mr Al-Muhtadi, who allegedly entered the US under false pretences, was arrested as part of a US task force to pursue the perpetrators of the October 7 attack - Alexi J Rosenfeld/2023 Getty Images

He was arrested on Thursday after being tracked down by a special task force set up by Ms Bondi to pursue the perpetrators of the October 7 attack.

The task force reinforces the Departments commitment to degrading and dismantling Hamas, holding Hamas supporters accountable, achieving justice for victims, and fighting terrorist-led antisemitism, a DoJ statement read.

Zachary A Keller, US attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, said: October 7 is a day that lives in infamy for so many, Gentile and Jew alike, because of the terrorist attack on Israel that began a wave of antisemitic violence.

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Let this arrest serve as a reminder both that those who perpetrate acts of terrorism cannot evade justice by hiding in our communities and that state, local, and federal law enforcement  here, the FBI, US Customs and Border Patrol, Louisiana State Police, Lafayette Police Department and Lafayette Parish Sheriffs Office  are working tirelessly to bring these people to justice.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Oct. 17The following construction and maintenance projects are anticipated to affect highways in Lawrence County next week. All outlined work is weather permitting.

U.S. 52 exit ramp maintenance  A maintenance project on the westbound U.S. 52 exit ramp to State Route 141. This project is set to begin on Monday The westbound U.S. 52 exit ramp to State Route 141 will be closed for the duration of the project.

Traffic will be detoured via State Route 93.

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Estimated completion: Friday.

State Route 93 Intersection Improvement  An intersection improvement project on State Route 93 at the State Route 93 and Porter Gap Road. At least one lane will be maintained in each direction for the duration of the project.

Estimated completion: Fall.

State Route 7 Chesapeake Bypass Phase 2  Project will construct the western half of the Chesapeake Bypass between the State Route 527/State Route 7 interchange in Chesapeake to State Route 775 in Proctorville.  County Road 69 (Indian Guyan Rd) will be closed at the intersection with County Road 2 (Greasy Ridge) Monday  Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.  County Road 68 (Shafertown Road) is closed indefinitely between Eaton Road and the State Route 243 intersection.

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Estimated completion: Fall.

For more detailed traffic information, download the OHGO app or visit OHGO.com.

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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

These X-ray scans show the four categories of breast density. The two images on the left are considered "not dense," and the two on the right are considered "dense." Credit: UT Southwestern Medical Center

About half of women over 40 have dense breasts. The denser the breast tissue, the more difficult it is to spot cancer on a standard mammogram. Having dense breast tissue can make it harder to detect cancer and sometimes leads to consideration of supplemental screenings along with your mammogram.

Since 2024, the Food and Drug Administration has required that mammography centers tell women whether they have dense breastssomething Texas health centers have done since 2012.

There are no symptoms related to dense breasts, and it is not associated with breast size. A woman with large breasts can have non-dense tissue, and a woman with small breasts can have very dense tissue. You can't tell whether you have dense breasts by looking at or feeling them. Only a mammogram can show that.

Having dense breasts doesn't automatically mean you'll develop breast cancer, but it is associated with both a slightly higher risk of breast cancer and reduced sensitivity of mammograms. Some women benefit from additional screening, depending on individual risk factors and medical guidelines. Let's discuss the types of breast density and the supplemental breast cancer screening options to talk about with a doctor.

What are the types of dense breasts?

Breasts contain three main types of tissue: glandular, fibrous connective, and fatty tissues. Fatty tissue appears dark on a mammogram, while glandular and fibrous connective tissues appear white. The problem is that tumors also appear white, making it difficult to identify what is normal breast tissue and what may be cancer.

Dense breasts have higher amounts of glandular and fibrous connective tissues and lower amounts of fatty tissue. Breast density is classified into four categories using the American College of Radiology BI-RADS system:

Entirely fatty breast tissue: Your breasts are made up of almost all fatty tissue. About 10% of women have this type.

Scattered fibroglandular breast tissue: You have mostly fatty tissue with some dense areas of glandular and fibrous connective tissue. About 40% of women have this type.

Heterogeneously dense breast tissue: You have many areas of glandular and fibrous connective tissue with fewer areas of fatty tissue. About 40% of women have this type.

Extremely dense breast tissue: You have almost entirely glandular and fibrous connective tissue. About 10% of women are in this category and face a slightly higher risk of breast cancer; more research is needed to understand why.

Women in the latter two groups are considered to have "dense breasts."

If you have entirely fatty or scattered fibroglandular breast tissue, you will see "not dense" on your results. If you have heterogeneously or extremely dense breast tissue, you will see "dense" on your results.

It's also worth noting that breast density can change over time. It generally decreases as women get older, though the rate varies. The level of density in breast tissue may also be influenced by weight changes, breastfeeding, menopause, and hormone therapy. Breast implants do not affect breast density.

If you have dense breasts, talk with a health care provider about supplemental screening to catch potential breast cancer early.

What type of breast cancer screening is best for dense breasts?

Mammograms continue to be the gold-standard screening for breast cancer. If you have an average risk of developing breast cancermeaning you are not at increased risk because of family history, genetics, or other factorsyou should get a mammogram each year starting at age 40.

A standard mammogram and 3D mammogram (tomosynthesis) both use a low-dose X-ray to produce an image of the breast. Unfortunately, the sensitivity of a mammogram can go down to as low as 25% to 30% for dense breasts as compared to almost 100% sensitivity for fatty breasts.

Mammograms are still valuable for women with dense breasts. Even with dense breasts, we can still detect ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a very early form of breast cancer, with a mammogram. This is because it is a calcification and not a soft tissue tumor. Because of this, I would never say a mammogram is worthless, despite the density of your breasts.

But to find most invasive cancers among women with dense breasts, we may need to supplement screening with another breast imaging method such as:

Ultrasound: This exam uses sound waves to produce an image of the breast.

Contrast-enhanced mammogram: This exam combines a traditional mammogram with an injection of an iodine-based contrast, which highlights areas of increased blood flow that can indicate the presence of cancer.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): This exam uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create highly detailed images of the breasts.

There are pros and cons to each type of breast screening. A recent study found that contrast-enhanced mammography and MRI can detect three times as many invasive cancers in dense breast tissue as ultrasound.

However, contrast-enhanced mammography and MRI are more expensive than an ultrasound. Many insurance plans will not cover them as a screening tool unless your lifetime risk of breast cancer is more than 20%. Ultrasound remains quicker and more widely available, but it detects fewer cancers.

If you are allergic to contrast, are claustrophobic, or have an MRI-incompatible device such as some pacemakers or orthopedic hardware, you may not be able to have an MRI.

The best next step is to talk with a doctor about your options. Then, check with your insurance company about what it will and will not cover. You also may be eligible for financial assistance through local, state, or federal programs.

What if something is found during screening?

If you are called back for additional imaging after a mammogram, try not to be alarmed. Most callbacks are due to areas that need a closer look, and the vast majority turn out to be benign. Still, follow-up testing is important to make sure nothing concerning is missed.

If the screening mammogram is abnormal, the next step is usually a diagnostic mammogram and sometimes an ultrasound to take a focused look at the area. In a smaller number of cases, a biopsy may be recommended, which means taking a tiny tissue sample to check for cancer.

If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, your care team will create a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Advances in breast cancer therapy are improving outcomes every year. At UT Southwestern, my colleagues and I are leading research on nonsurgical treatments for early-stage breast cancer, with the goal of helping more women avoid mastectomies and receive care that is less toxic but equally effective.

Screening remains the highest contributor to breast cancer survival. Don't put off your annual mammogramscreening helps identify early-stage breast cancer before symptoms begin, when the chances for successful treatment are highest.

The survey, completed by 518 participants in 2023 and published in the journal Radiology: Imaging Cancer found:

71% preferred AI to be used as a second reader of mammograms, after a radiologist.

4.4% were comfortable with AI alone interpreting their mammogram.

88.9% requested a review after an AI-reported abnormal screening vs. 51.3% after a radiologist review.

Patients who had a close relative diagnosed with breast cancer were more likely to request additional reviews of any abnormality.

Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black patients reported higher concerns about AI bias in mammograms.

More information: B. Bersu Ozcan et al, Patient Perception of Artificial Intelligence Use in Interpretation of Screening Mammograms: A Survey Study, Radiology: Imaging Cancer (2025). DOI: 10.1148/rycan.240290
BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WSAV)  How are repeat offenders, specifically with illegal weapon charges, continuing to post bail and get back on the streets in Beaufort County? Even with state laws that were created to tackle repeat offenders.

These are the questions that were asked after Beaufort County Sheriff PJ Tanner brought up a persistent issue thats been going on in the county.

We chase them every week, every weekend that are out on bond for possession of a machine gun, said Beaufort County Sheriff PJ Tanner.

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Tanner made those remarks in a Q&A meeting yesterday to discuss updates into the investigation on the St. Helena mass shooting.

He said Beaufort County has made 24 arrests for possession of machine guns in the past year and half. Six are still in jail, but 18 have been released on bond.

Nobody should possess a machine gun, Tanner said.

Many people in the community are now concerned, and are posing questions like, is the illegal weapon what was used this weekend on St. Helena? And did the person (or people) have several previous weapon charges?

If so, how were they able to consistently get out of jail and back onto the streets?

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We pass laws upping sentences for repeat offenders and all that, said South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.

Governor McMaster told WSAV that the state has worked to make it harder for repeat criminals to get out of jail.

Laws were created, like South Carolina Bond Reform Statute, 17-15-270, which was formed in 2023.

But the statute specifically targets repeat offenders who commit violent crimes.

17-15-270 South Carolina code makes it a crime for somebody who is on bond or pretrial release for a violent crime, to commit another violent crime while on that bond or pretrial release, said Austin Blake, a Criminal Defense Attorney with the Harvey and Battey Law Firm.

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This means that if someone is out on bond for a violent crime, and commits another violent crime, they can be given a harder sentence under the statute.

This would prevent the individual from continuing to commit crimes and would decrease their chances of getting out on bond.

But is possession defined under a violent crime?

The statute does not indicate anywhere that the mere possession of a firearm, whether automatic, semiautomatic or otherwise, is a violent crime, said Blake.

The law would only apply if the weapon was used with intent to harm or did harm.

Sheriff Tanner said in that meeting that the repeat criminals, specifically ones with possession of machine gun or illegal weapon charges, are given joke bonds.

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Blake said those decisions are in the hands of the court.

Its a case-by-case analysis. Ive had people held without bond. Ive had people held without bond where I thought they should have been released. Ive had people that I didnt think we were going to get a bond for, and we got a bond lower than I could have ever imagined. It all depends on the facts and what facts are highlighted and who the judge is, said Blake.

Though Governor McMaster said theyve passed laws to try and up repeat offenders sentences and make it harder for them to get out of jail, he also noted that laws can only be applied if the courts abide by them.

You can have all the laws in the world, but if you dont have the judges that understand them and enforce them and are serious about it, then youre going to keep on having this, said McMaster.

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A government agency in Southeast Asia is imposing a temporary ban on fishing for a highly lucrative but threatened species.

The Manila Bulletin reported that the Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-2 is implementing a 45-day ban on catching the Ludong fish.

The restrictions are in place from October 1 to November 15 to allow the fish to spawn uninterrupted in the mouth of the Cagayan River, located on the northernmost island of Luzon.

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Sometimes called the "President's fish," the Ludong is endemic to the Cagayan River and its tributaries. It gets its grand nickname from its high market value; only the president, or at least the very wealthy, can afford to eat it.

It also made for a fine gift to visiting heads of state. The fish fetches a price of five to six thousand pesos per kilo (about $86 to $103) in a country with a GDP per capita of just under $4,000. It is apparently quite tricky to catch, but at those prices, many, too many, consider it worth the effort.

Fortunately, fishing bans actually have quite a good track record in helping overfished areas to recover, and it also tends to work out well for the fishing industry.

A year-long ban in the Aegean Sea came with the full backing of local fishing groups, who saw the importance of making their livelihood more sustainable. Additionally, seasonal bans help safeguard threatened marine species when they're most vulnerable.

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The ludong population has also dipped because of habitat destruction caused by dredging and mining activities, according to the Philippine Information Agency.

Until recently, it had little in the way of conservation efforts, but the fishing ban is just the latest measure taken by BFAR-2 to protect the Ludong.

The agency also maintains a captive breeding program, conducts ongoing public outreach, and undertakes long-term research projects to support local efforts.

Research chief Dr. Evelyn Ame explained, per the PIA: "We are also hopeful that with these studies, we can craft and impose measures to protect the fish species and to increase its population for the next generation."

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Officials in Canyon County, Idaho, found a single Aedes aegypti mosquito in August 2025, the first time anyone has spotted this illness-spreading insect in the state, CBS2 News reported.

What happened?

The Canyon County Mosquito Abatement District collected the specimen on Aug. 11 as part of standard tracking efforts. Scientists examined the insect's DNA on Sept. 17 and verified its identity.

"This is the first known detection of Ae. aegypti in the State of Idaho," Jim Lunders, the district's director, said, per CBS2 News.

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After the discovery, workers set up traps and monitoring equipment around the area. The search hasn't produced any more Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, but officials will keep checking the area into 2026.

This mosquito type breeds in artificial water holders and targets humans as its primary food source.

Why are invasive mosquitoes concerning?

The arrival of invasive mosquito species threatens local ecosystems by pushing out native insects that compete for the same resources. When non-native species move into new territory, they can disrupt food chains and spread diseases to which local populations have no resistance.

Maintaining native species' safety helps balance natural systems. Native insects support local bird populations, preserve plant diversity, and help control pest numbers naturally. When invasive species take over, these benefits disappear.

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For people, the Aedes aegypti mosquito poses direct health risks. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, this species carries diseases like dengue fever, Zika virus, and yellow fever. The mosquito bites during the day, making it harder to avoid than mosquitoes that only come out at night.

What's being done about invasive mosquitoes?

Local mosquito control teams are monitoring the situation closely. The Canyon County district has asked residents to check their properties for pooled water and drain it.

If you own a home, drain containers like plant saucers, decorative fountains, and rain-blocked drains. Tiny amounts of pooled water create places for reproduction. These insects deposit eggs in amounts no bigger than a bottle cap holds.

Wear insect repellent when spending time outside during the day. Long sleeves and pants add another layer of defense. Check that screens on windows and doors fit snugly without damage.

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Contact your local mosquito control office if you notice mosquitoes biting during daylight hours. Quick reports allow authorities to map potential breeding zones.

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Drought conditions across the world are threatening communities' access to water.

In Mathis, Texas, which usually gets water from Lake Corpus Christi, water levels will likely soon be too low to extract water from the lake, NBC News reports.

What's happening?

Mathis, a small city of around 4,300 people in southern Texas, is struggling to address its drinking water situation in the midst of a drought.

"It's not that we're running out of water or we're going to be completely dry," Mathis City Manager Cedric Davis told NBC News. "It's going to be difficult to pull clear water out of the lake because we'll be pulling up mud with the water."

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While they normally pull water from Lake Corpus Christi, low water levels could result in muddy, undrinkable water. It can also damage the water infrastructure, including pipes and filtration systems.

According to Water Data for Texas, Lake Corpus Christi was only 15% full as of October 3, 2025. At the same time, the U.S. Drought Monitor classified the county in the Abnormally Dry to Moderate Drought range.

The drought highlights issues that communities around the world will face as climate change intensifies heat and drought conditions.

Why are more intense droughts important?

Droughts are not new weather phenomena. However, the scientific consensus is that human-caused climate change has supercharged weather patterns, and these intensified versions of natural disasters are more dangerous than ever.

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Scientists contend that a rise of every tenth of a degree in global average temperatures will have meaningful impacts on the climate.

Extended dry periods can lead to serious risks to the global food supply. Without rain and adequate access to water supplies, farmers cannot maintain their crops. This leads to lower-quality crops and reduced crop yields.

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Droughts can also wreak havoc on ecosystems. On land, droughts can damage soil health and wither vegetation, having ripple effects on the wildlife that depend on them for shelter and nourishment. In the water, ecosystems can shrink as water dries up, leading to loss of plants and wildlife.

What's being done about droughts?

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has developed a Drought Response Program to help water managers proactively plan and adapt to upcoming drought threats. Some scientists have also been developing drought-resistant varieties of crops.

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For the city of Mathis, Texas, NBC reports that the city is attempting to dig emergency wells to keep water accessible to residents.

"If everything matches up and we can get the wells in by the end of December, we're going to be fine," Davis told NBC.

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ALGANSEE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  Health officials are warning the community to stay away from a creek in eastern Branch County after an untreated manure spill.

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency issued the warning Friday, saying the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy informed them of a spill in Algansee Township.

Manure has been noted in Fisher Creek between Campbell and E. Central roads, according to the health agency.

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Thats why officials are encouraging residents and visitors to avoid the area of Fisher Creek that is north of Campbell Road and east of S. Ray Quincy Road, as well as the Marble Lake water inlet area.

The health agency says its staying in contact with EGLE.

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Argentina is home to one of the largest and most biodiverse wetlands in the world. In the province of Santa Fe sits the Jaaukanigas reserve, where the Parana River flows.

Now, according to Noticias Ambientales, the province has introduced a bill to shore up protections of the 1.2 million-acre ecosystem.

Jaaukanigas is already a designated Ramsar site  recognized as a wetland of significant importance not only to Argentina but also to humanity.

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Wetlands provide myriad benefits. Like rainforests, wetlands naturally absorb carbon, helping to regulate Earth's climate. They also protect against erosion and floods, purify water through filtration, support the global food supply, and generate economic revenue.

While guarding against overtourism is crucial, positive experiences with nature can inspire people to back conservation causes, contributing to a healthier, cleaner future for all.

South America's abundant natural resources have made it an ecotourism hotspot. Cognitive Market Research estimates that Argentina will bring in around $2 billion in market sales revenue from ecotourism at sites like Jaaukanigas by the end of 2025.

However, protecting all of this is easier when robust regulations are in place.

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Noticias Ambientales reported that the government of Santa Fe has proposed creating the Jaaukanigas Provincial Park and Water Reserve, which would protect more than 24,200 acres of public lands, to safeguard this special wetland.

A primary objective of this plan is to support a network of small creeks, lagoons, and waterways that connect to the Parana River, which provides drinking water to millions of people, serves as a trade route, and is a source of hydroelectric energy.

"This wetland not only protects unparalleled biological wealth but also opens the door to a future where production, tourism, and conservation coexist harmoniously," Noticias Ambientales wrote. "With this step, Santa Fe positions itself as a national benchmark in preservation and sustainable development policies."

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Officials watched as the final turbine was installed on the Benjamins Mill Wind Project in Hants County, Nova Scotia. As CBC reported, this is a huge milestone on the path to the province hitting its 2030 renewable energy target.

In September, Halifax-based renewables firm Natural Forces completed the final installations for the Benjamins Mill Wind Project. Now nearing completion, the onshore wind farm will complete final tests before becoming operational and producing 33.6 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy. Each year, this wind farm alone can reduce harmful emissions by about 84,500 tonnes (over 93,000 tons).

"It's huge  a really big milestone for the project," said project construction manager Andrea Bradshaw, per CBC. "There's a lot of work left to do after this in terms of mechanical and electrical completion, but, yeah, this is a big one."

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Nova Scotia is aiming to generate more than 300 MW of wind energy by the end of 2026. Currently, there are three other onshore wind projects in development in addition to the Benjamins Mill Wind Project. By 2030, Nova Scotia hopes to phase out coal and rely on renewable sources of energy, including wind and solar, to generate 80% of its power.

The burning of dirty fuels, such as coal, contributes to planet-warming pollution, adverse health effects, and more extreme weather disasters. Wind farms can reduce harmful emissions and water pollution while also having a minimal impact on wildlife and lowering electricity bills.

Developers hoped to have the Benjamins Mill Wind Project operational by last year, but studies on its impact have halted that timeline.

According to Robert Apold, a principal with Natural Forces, the project was selected to be a "guinea pig" for new approaches to renewable energy in Nova Scotia.

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"Once the guinea pigs have gone through  I think we hit a rhythm, and once we hit the rhythm, it should be a lot easier from that point on," he told CBC.

Across the globe, both onshore and offshore wind farms are being built as an alternative to fossil fuels that can clean the air and produce renewable energy. In Egypt, a wind farm has recently come online, capable of powering half a million homes. In Stockholm, Sweden, a proposed offshore wind project could generate half of the city's power. Even in the U.S., wind farms are being built to power communities. Recently, a New York wind farm was completed that can power 70,000 homes and businesses.

For Nova Scotia, the Benjamins Mill Wind Project marks a massive step toward renewable energy, but it's just the beginning.

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"We're always looking at what we need to reach our 80% renewables, and we believe we're well on our way," said Nova Scotia Energy Minister Trevor Boudreau in a press conference.

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Despite some scrapped plans, energy companies are moving forward with new wind farm projects.

"ABO Energy Canada remains committed to our wind projects, with development activity continuing to move forward," said Sean Fleming, senior project manager of renewables at ABO, who recently scrapped a Nova Scotia project, per CBC.

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Oct. 17Gov. Mike DeWine announced this week that he and the rest of the Ohio Redistricting Commission will convene for the first time on Tuesday, Oct. 21  just 10 days before an end-of-the-month deadline for the commission to pass a bipartisan congressional redistricting update.

If the seven-member, GOP-controlled commission can't reach a map agreement before Oct. 31, the buck would pass back to the Ohio General Assembly, which would have to pass a map of some kind before the end of November.

Today, Ohio is in a unique position where it is bound by its state constitution to redraw its 15 congressional district boundaries before the 2026 midterm election because the state's current congressional plan was passed without requisite Democratic support in 2021.

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The Ohio Constitution gave the legislature until the end of September to pass a bipartisan plan. However, public redistricting discussion didn't commence until Sept. 23. Two subsequent committee hearings on the matter saw members of the legislature's Republican supermajority deride Democrats' plan  which would have split Ohio's 15 congressional districts into eight Republican-leaning districts and seven Democratic-leaning districts  as textbook gerrymandering.

Republicans didn't introduce a plan of their own, and Senate President Rob McColley, R-Napoleon, told this news outlet this week that GOP leaders still haven't drafted a map.

"We don't have a map right now. We would like to have a bipartisan agreement on a map; sometimes that takes time and discussion to get to that point," McColley said after Wednesday's Senate session. "It really comes down to what we can get an agreement for."

While McColley says he wants a bipartisan map, he's also noted several times now that his party doesn't necessarily need to come to the table, at this stage.

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Ohio's redistricting process was overhauled by a voter-approved constitutional amendment that was meant to incentivize bipartisanship by enacting bipartisan-approved maps for an entire decade and only allowing partisan-approved maps to be approved as a temporary last resort.

However, the reform didn't do much to wrangle power away from the legislature's controlling party. As a result, Republicans today have the power to wait out the clock and approve a congressional map on a partisan basis.

McColley reiterated Wednesday that Democrats have even less bargaining power now than they did in 2021 when the state was trying to come up with a 10-year map.

"As I've stated before, with this now being in the realm of a six-year map, an awful lot of the ability for the minority party to have a bigger influence over this is primarily centered on a 10-year map," McColley said. "So, we'll see where we end up. I'd like to have a bipartisan agreement, but we'll see."

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Frustration over the matter is growing for Democrats in the Statehouse.

"Phase one, September: No Republican map. Two weeks into October: No Republican map. Voters in 2018 established a clear process for us to follow. They want to see legislators produce maps; propose them, debate them, negotiate them and come to something that feels fair and representative," House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn told reporters Wednesday. "We have done that, as Democrats. We introduced a map we think is fair; Republicans have not."

Isaacsohn alluded to a growing concern of his that Ohio Republicans are looking to use redistricting as an opportunity to widen the party's congressional advantage, turning Ohio's current 10 Republican, five Democrat delegation into, potentially, a 13 Republican, two Democrat delegation.

"You can see this all over the country, it's a national strategy coming from D.C. because (Republicans) know that they have unpopular policies that will hurt them at the ballot box with voters next November," he said.

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The Ohio Redistricting Commission is made up of the governor, the auditor, the secretary of state, two individuals appointed by Republican statehouse leaders and two other individuals appointed by Democratic leaders.

The commission's first meeting will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 9 a.m.

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Ohio, one of a handful of states without comprehensive sex education taught in schools, has a higher teen birth rate than the national average.

The national birth rate for females 15-19 years old was 13.1 per 1,000 females and Ohios teen birth rate is 14.6 per 1,000 females in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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More than half (61%) of Ohios chlamydia cases in 2023 were people between the ages of 15-24, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Ohios syphilis rate (16.3 per 100,000) was higher than the national average (15.8 per 100,000) in 2023, according to the CDC.

What weve seen is states that have no sex ed or poor sex ed policies, they typically fare worse on health indicators such as (sexually transmitted infections) rates, teen birth rates, having lower contraceptive knowledge, and other existing health disparities, said Nawal Umar, senior policy analyst for Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS).

These states are also putting their young people at higher risk for sexual violence victimization and having poor mental health outcomes because sex education provides really critical instruction, consent and communication and healthy relationships and so much more, Umar said.

Ohios curriculum stresses abstinence as a general policy and requires some instruction about sexually transmitted infections, according to the Ohio Revised Code.

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Schools are required to emphasize adoption as an option to unintended pregnancies and teach the potential physical, psychological, emotional, and social side effects of sex outside of marriage, according to Ohios law.

Because Ohio lacks comprehensive sex education, its ultimately up to each school district on how they decide to teach it.

When theres not a sex education policy in place at the state level, one of the major consequences of that is that teens across the state can have very diverse experiences when it comes to the kind of instruction theyre receiving about their bodies because theres a lack of uniform policy, Umar said.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce is required to conduct an annual audit to ensure school districts are in compliance with the states law.

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Every district completed the 2023-24 audit and all but three school districts were found to be overall compliant. Jefferson Township Local School District (Montgomery County), Ridgewood Local School District (Coshocton County), and Washington Local Schools (Lucas County) were non-compliant.

In explaining why it didnt meet the standards, Ridgewood told the state many family structures exist today, and all can provide children with a loving and supportive environment.

We have school staff and students who come from single-parent households, same-sex couples, and traditional married couple families alike, the district said. This highlights the importance of recognizing and respecting all family types. Furthermore, sex education should never be used to shame students for their family background.

Jefferson Townships district said it only have 255 students and was unable to find someone to teach sex ed, according to ODEWs audit.

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We do not teach children that if they were born out of wedlock there are harmful consequences for society, Washington Local Schools wrote in their explanation. All children have opportunities and are valued by our school district.

Ohio is the only state without its own state health education content standards. Ohio lawmakers decide curriculum requirements, so the State Board of Education can not require health education standards.

Its maddening that the State of Ohio has refused to implement this after decades of experts, educators, even religious communities, asking for this curriculum to be delivered in public schools because, unfortunately, some students dont have families who are able to provide them with this information, said Abortion Forward Executive Director Kellie Copeland.

Comprehensive sex ed is medically accurate, age-appropriate information that teaches about sexual health, healthy relationships, and consent, said Jenna Wojdacz, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohios senior director of strategy and community engagement.

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Access to accurate sexual health information should not be political, Wojdacz said. Its certainly what our young Ohio students need.

The Ohio Center for Sex Education is the education arm of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio that teaches comprehensive sex education in schools and community organizations.

The center currently teaches in six school districts  Cleveland Metropolitan School District (Cuyahoga County), Akron Public Schools (Summit County), Lakewood City Schools (Cuyahoga County), Berea Schools (Cuyahoga County), Shaker Heights Schools (Cuyahoga County), and Columbus City Schools (Franklin County).

A 2021 report from the Journal of Adolescent Health reviewed three decades of research and determined there is strong support for comprehensive sex education.

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When we dont have comprehensive sex education, we know that learners are getting misinformation that is basically values laden by somebody elses propaganda agenda, Wojdacz said.

Benefits of teaching comprehensive sex ed include reduced teenage birth rates, reduced STI rates, increased contraceptive usage, and delayed sexual activity, according to Umar.

Students who received comprehensive sex education were less likely to have a teen pregnancy than those who received either no sex ed or abstinence-only programs, according to a 2008 report in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Advocates spoke out against having abstinence-only as a general policy.

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Its ineffective, Umar said. It also tends to be pretty heteronormative.

A lot of the abstinence-only curriculum teaches this purity idea that if something sexually happens to you, then youre not pure, Copeland said. That is so damaging to the psyche of people who have either become sexually active because they wanted to or because they didnt want to.

Ultimately, Copeland said, teaching abstinence-only as a general policy does not work.

It leaves (students) without vital information for when they do become sexually active later in their lives, she said. Its really important for people to understand how their bodies work, how pregnancy works, and how sexually transmitted infections work.

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Receiving comprehensive sex education does not encourage students to engage in sexual activity, Wojdacz said.

In no way does our curriculum promote giving it a try or encouraging people to engage in any activities, she said. Theres no prescriptive aspect to comprehensive sex ed.  Its reductive to suggest that accurate information is going to suddenly trigger a bunch of destructive behavior in people or a bunch of ill-advised behavior.

Ohio is one of 13 states that received an F on SIECUSs state profiles on sex education policy. Washington, Oregon, California, Illinois, New Jersey and Rhode Island all received an A.

Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring sex education, according to SIECUS.

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Umar urges Ohio lawmakers to push for better sex ed policies.

Theres so many benefits that could be achieved by improving sex education, she said.

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An Ohio pastor was arrested in connection with a sex offense investigation on Wednesday.

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On Wednesday, Oct. 15, the Wilmington Police Department arrested 49-year-old Silas Shelton in connection with an ongoing sex offense investigation, according to a press release from the department.

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Shelton is a Warren County resident and served as a pastor at a church in Clinton County.

Shelton is charged in Clinton County with Rape, Sexual Battery, Unlawful Sexual Conduct with a Minor, and Gross Sexual Imposition.

He was transported to the Clinton County Adult Detention Center and is being held on a $2 million bond.

Sheltons preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 11 a.m. in the Clinton County Municipal Court.

The investigation remains active.

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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

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A meta-analysis of randomized trials suggests fecal microbiota transplantation can ease depressive symptoms, with stronger effects reported for endoscopic or enema delivery, according to researchers at the Department of Nursing, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine. A subset also found improvements in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Global estimates from 2021 place depression at more than 280 million cases. Many patients do not achieve adequate relief with medication or psychotherapy. Growing work on the microbiotagutbrain axis describes altered gut composition in depression and links between microbial metabolites and mood regulation.

Disorders of gutbrain interaction such as IBS show high psychiatric comorbidity, positioning microbiota-targeted strategies as candidates for symptom relief.

In the study, "Clinical efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation in alleviating depressive symptoms: a meta-analysis of randomized trials," published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, researchers synthesized randomized controlled trials to determine whether restoring gut microbial balance could improve mood outcomes.

Twelve randomized trials conducted between 2019 and 2024 across China, Australia, Canada, Finland, and the United States contributed data on 347 treatment participants and 334 controls. Investigators compared fecal microbiota transplantation with placebo, autologous transplant, or standard medication.

Procedures included oral capsule, colonoscopic, gastroscopic, jejunal, rectal, or transendoscopic delivery, depending on study design. Follow-up durations ranged from two weeks to 12 months.

Results indicate a pooled reduction in depressive symptoms favoring fecal microbiota transplantation over control groups. Oral capsules and direct gastrointestinal administration both met significance, with a larger pooled effect for direct routes such as colonoscopy or enema compared with oral delivery.

Analysis showed both short-term and intermediate-term benefits, with long-term effects at or beyond six months not reaching statistical significance of an improvement.

Clinical subgrouping suggested a larger effect in IBS cohorts than in neurological or psychiatric conditions including major depressive disorder, Parkinson's disease, and progressive supranuclear palsyRichardson's syndrome. Publication bias appeared minimal across studies.

The authors conclude that fecal microbiota transplantation may function as an adjunctive option for depressive symptoms, with signals favoring IBS populations and endoscopic or enema delivery over capsules. Durability beyond six months remains uncertain and calls for longer, higher-quality randomized trials and additional dosing.

Written for you by our author Justin Jackson, edited by Sadie Harley, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Eganthis article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you.

More information: Xiaotao Zhang et al, Clinical efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation in alleviating depressive symptoms: a meta-analysis of randomized trials, Frontiers in Psychiatry (2025). DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1656969 Journal information: Frontiers in Psychiatry

 2025 Science X Network
An Ohio pastor was charged with child rape two years after he opposed a book series he said wrongfully encouraged children to "explore their sexuality."

Silas Shelton, 52, who lives in Warren County and serves as a pastor at Blanchester Community Ministries in Clinton County, was arrested on Oct. 15. He faces charges including child rape and sexual battery after a detective said he abused a minor over a period of about six years.

In August 2023, he spoke at a Little Miami Local School District meeting to voice concern about the sale of the "Heartstopper" series at the district's Scholastic Book Fair, according to previous Enquirer reporting. The books prominently feature gay characters.

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"I tell you, I got sick reading that stuff," Shelton said at the time. He also lamented that parents "aren't allowed to talk about the health risks of kids being gay."

Shelton is being held on a $2 million bond in a Clinton County jail.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges, according to online court records. For each charge, a county website listed a September 2019 date as to when each violation is alleged to have occurred.

The Wilmington Police Department, which announced his arrest in a news release on Oct. 16, said it wanted to limit the amount of details released out of respect for the person impacted.

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"Crimes of this nature are concerning," said Detective Codey Juillerat. "Especially when the person was in a position of religious authority."

It's possible more victims could come forward, Juillerat said, as people charged with child sex crimes are often repeat offenders.

Shelton is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Oct. 22. No attorney was listed as representing him, according to a Clinton County website.

Matthew Cupelli is a breaking news reporter for The Enquirer. You can email him at mcupelli@enquirer.com and follow his work on X @MatthewCupelli.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio pastor charged in child rape after opposing LGBTQ book at school
Its Friday Oklahoma!

Some of the topics on todays show include Oklahoma City Animal Welfare is hosting Dogtober Festival at Earlywine Park, two teens are in custody following a high speed chase, and the Choctaw Police share a spooky encounter.

These topics and more on this edition of Around the Block. Watch the episode above!

Watch KFOR News free without an antenna, cable, or satellite subscription on the new free Smart TV app KFOR+. You can also see live and unique exclusive programming.

Now available on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and SAMSUNG.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, speaks at a Public Schools Day rally on Feb. 25 in front of the state Capitol in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY  While the U.S. Department of Education proposes mass layoffs in its special education office, an Oklahoma lawmaker said he intends to bolster state-level support for students with disabilities.

Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, said he plans to file legislation to give families of special education students an outlet at the state level to seek recourse when their children arent receiving the proper services guaranteed to them by law.

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Although funding for special education is secure, the federal employees whose jobs could be eliminated are responsible for holding states accountable to upholding the rights of students with disabilities.

I was hearing from a lot of parents with children with special needs, said Pugh, who leads two committees on K-12 schools. I felt like there was a need for us to act on their behalf because what you dont want is a parent in a situation where they dont feel like the system is working for them and theres no recourse when that occurs.

A key part of his legislation would be to ensure families dont have to hire an attorney when pursuing complaints through the state, Pugh said. He also aims to set clear timelines to address each case, so parents arent dragged into a lengthy bureaucratic nightmare, he said.

I think theres the assurance from the state to parents that, Hey, were not going to let your childs rights be violated here and then force you to foot the bill to fight that through the legal system, Pugh said.

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The deadline for lawmakers to file bills before the 2026 legislative session is Jan. 15.

Lawmakers convene their legislative session Feb. 2. Meanwhile, Pugh also is running as a Republican candidate in the 2026 election for state superintendent.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Education distributed $181 million to Oklahoma for special education through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). That amount covers 14% to 15% of the cost to educate children with disabilities in Oklahoma public schools, Pugh said.

Gov. Kevin Stitt signs bills in his office at the state Capitol on Aug. 19 while joined by, from left, state Sen. Adam Pugh, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and state Rep. Denise Crosswhite-Hader. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

Amid an ongoing government shutdown, the Trump administration attempted sweeping layoffs at multiple federal agencies, including cutting 466 jobs at the U.S. Department of Education. That reduction in force would eliminate almost the entire Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

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A California federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked the layoffs from moving forward.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education assured families that federal cuts wouldnt mean oversight of special education programs would disappear.

The state agency also monitors these services to make sure local school districts comply with IDEA and state standards, Deputy Superintendent Romel Muex-Pullen wrote in a statewide letter this week.

The state Education Department also offers assistance with dispute resolution, she wrote.

Despite changes at the federal level, our mission, responsibility, and dedication remain unchanged, Muex-Pullen wrote. Oklahoma will continue to ensure that all students with disabilities receive the educational services, protections, and opportunities guaranteed under IDEA.

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One of the primary functions of the U.S. Department of Education is investigating and remediating violations of federal laws like IDEA, often threatening the withholding of federal funds to do so.

During an Aug. 19 visit to Oklahoma, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said the federal government still would defend students civil rights, though she continues to advocate for closing the U.S. Department of Education and limiting federal influence in public schooling.

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon operates a virtual reality image of a beating heart on a zSpace laptop while a Dove Science Academy student explains the program during a school visit in Warr Acres on Aug. 19. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

If you were a school that receives federal funding and you are not abiding by the law, then clearly we have the authority and we will take that action, she told Oklahoma Voice during a bill signing ceremony at the state Capitol.

Despite the government shutdown, students are still going to school, teachers are still being paid and schools are still operating as normal, McMahon wrote in a social media post Wednesday. She said thats evidence the federal Department of Education is unnecessary.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  The Oklahoma City Animal Welfare (OKCAW) is hosting its annual Dogtober Festival on Saturday.

According to OKCAW, the event is planned for Saturday, October 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Earlywine Park pavilion, 3033 SW 119th St.

LOCAL NEWS: Haunted house and fall festival now open at Bricktown ballpark

Dogtober Fest 2025. Image courtesy Oklahoma City Animal Welfare.

Pet owners and animal lovers are encouraged to attend. There will be live music, trick-or-treating, arts and crafts, face painting, vendors and food trucks. Also, a Howl-o-ween parade and costume contest for pets will be held at noon. You can register for free online between 10 and 11:45 a.m.

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Its a day of fun, families and wagging tails, and maybe the day you meet your new best friend, OKCAW Superintendent Ronnie Schlabs said.

As part of the celebration, all adoption fees for dogs will be waived on Saturday and there will be a low-cost vaccine clinic from Angel Fund OKC.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Oklahoma City fire crews responded to a restaurant fire early Friday morning.

Officials say crews responded to the restaurant near Reno Ave. and Meridian Ave. at around 1:30 a.m.

Smoke could be seen coming from the roof. According to the Oklahoma City Fire Department, the fire may have started in the kitchen area.

One firefighter received minor injuries and was treated on scene. The cause is still under investigation.

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No more information is available at this time.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission accused state Rep. Ajay Pittman in a civil case of fraud on the same day state agents ramped up a criminal investigation of her by searching her office at the Capitol.

The Ethics Commission sued Pittman in Oklahoma County District Court on Thursday, Oct. 16. It is seeking actual and punitive damages against her.

Also Thursday, agents for Attorney General Gentner Drummond searched both her Capitol office and her mother's home, the AG's press secretary confirmed.

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Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, did not respond to an email, text message and phone calls seeking comment.

The legislator last year reached a $35,000 settlement with the Ethics Commission after it investigated her 2022 and 2020 campaigns. She admitted in the settlement to using campaign funds for personal expenses and to reporting contributions inaccurately.

The settlement required her to reimburse her campaigns $17,858.22 from personal funds. It also required her to pay a $17,141.78 civil penalty to the state's general revenue fund from personal funds.

Pittman, 32, is accused in the lawsuit of committing fraud during settlement negotiations and on documents submitted as proof she was reimbursing her campaigns.

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During settlement talks, she had asked the Ethics Commission for leniency and blamed an accountant for mishandling her campaign filings.

She also sent the Ethics Commission an "alleged letter" from the manager of the building where she claimed her campaign records were stored, according to the lawsuit.

"Pittman had previously communicated ... that she did not have all campaign receipts and records because they had been destroyed by water damage to her office space, and the building manager letter was supplied to support this," the Ethics Commission said in the lawsuit.

The Ethics Commission alleged the May 5, 2024, letter actually was prepared by Pittman's mother and Pittman submitted it "with the intent to deceive."

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This year, she emailed the Ethics Commission a copy of a fake $2,500 cashier's check as proof she had reimbursed her campaigns further from personal funds, according to the lawsuit.

"Defendant falsely represented that the $2,500 deposit into her Committee's bank account on January 27, 2025, was the result of the submitted Cashier's Check, when in truth the deposit originated from a campaign contribution," the Ethics Commission alleged.

The campaign contribution came from the Osage Nation, according to a copy of a check included as an exhibit to the lawsuit. She reported on an April 30 campaign report that the $2,500 came from her.

Rep. Ajay Pittman is pictured in this 2024 file photo. Pittman is being sued by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission over her alleged misuse of campaign finance money.

More: Oklahoma Ethics Commission investigating Ryan Walters again over possible ethics violations

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She also is accused in the lawsuit of breaching her settlement agreement by not making $17,000 in reimbursments by a May 31, 2025, deadline.

The settlement gave her a May 31, 2026, deadline to pay her civil penalty and make a final campaign reimbursement of $858.22.

The attorney general's office has not disclosed any details about its criminal investigation. The Oklahoman reported in July the AG's office is looking into her campaign spending.

The Ethics Commission investigation that led to last year's settlement found she spent campaign funds on purchases at a liquor store, dozens of restaurants, Sam's Club, Walmart, Target, Costco, Homeland, Remington Park, Cinemark Theater and Lenox Skincare.

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It also found she spent campaign funds on airline purchases and hotels in Alabama, California, Georgia, Florida and Chicago.

The Ethics Commission told her in a 2024 notice that a successful candidate can use campaign funds on "ordinary and necessary expenses" connected to the duties of office but not for personal things like vacation.

Pittman was first elected in 2018 and represents House District 99. On Friday, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert removed her from the Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations, effective immediately, because of the Ethics Commission's lawsuit.

Her mother is former state Sen. Anastasia Pittman, who ran unsuccessfully in 2022 and again this year for Oklahoma County commissioner. Anastasia Pittman was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2018.

She could not be reached for comment.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Rep. Ajay Pittman accused of fraud in civil case as criminal investigation heats up
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Olathe School District sent a letter to families on Thursday warning them that their child may have been exposed to whooping cough.

The letters were sent to families at Santa Fe Trail Middle School.

Government shutdown leaves 17 Head Start locations at risk of closing in Kansas City

Your child may have been exposed to a confirmed case of pertussis (whooping cough) at school, the letter reads. If your child has been coughing for two weeks or longer, please call your physician and mention the possible exposure to pertussis and advise your school nurse.

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The school district asks families to isolate children who exhibit symptoms of whooping cough. A person is contagious from seven days following exposure up to three weeks after the onset of coughing episodes.

The school district said any infected children will not be allowed at school and should limit contact with others, except for physicians appointments. Five days of antibiotics must be completed for cases and symptomatic contacts before returning to school, the district said.

75 cases of whooping cough reported in KC so far this year

So far this year, the Kansas City Health Department said 75 pertussis cases have been reported  the highest total in recent years  with most occurring in unvaccinated children and household contacts.

These cases are a serious reminder that vaccine-preventable illnesses can return quickly when vaccination rates drop, Kansas City Health Department Director Dr. Marvia Jones said.

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Young children are especially vulnerable to complications from both pertussis and flu.

Pertussis causes uncontrollable coughing that can make it hard to breathe. While it can affect all ages, it can be dangerous for babies under the age of one.

Symptoms may include:

First symptoms appear like a cold with runny nose, sneezing, cough and low grade fever. This is the most contagious stage.

Irritating cough persists for 1-2 weeks

Cough becomes more severe with repeated attacks of violent coughing with no inhalation between coughs. Occasional vomiting may occur.

Crowing or inhalation whoop following a series of coughs

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If you or your physician has additional questions, please call the Johnson County Health Department at 913-826-1303.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
A former Cambridge city employee sentenced to life imprisonment for fatally stabbing an unarmed man over what prosecutors called a trivial dispute was granted parole this week after authorities deemed he had been sufficiently reformed.

A Middlesex Superior Court jury convicted James Foley of second-degree murder in the 2008 killing of Steven Raftery in Cambridge.

After robbing a convenience store together, the pair had broken into an argument over the meager haul, according to the Massachusetts Parole Board.

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While drinking and using drugs with a small group at a home in Cambridge on the night of June 26, 2008, Foley and Raftery decided to break into the nearby store. Raftery broke a window and entered the store while Foley kept lookout.

Raftery had told Foley the cash register would contain several hundred dollars. Instead, it kept only a few dollars, the parole board wrote in a report of the case.

The man began arguing over the money when they returned home. During the confrontation, Foley stabbed Raftery in the chest with a kitchen knife.

Others in the group called 911, and police arrived to find Raftery dead. Witnesses told the officers that Foley was responsible and he was later arrested.

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Though given the opportunity for parole at sentencing, Foleys first request for release was denied in 2023, according to the parole board.

When he appeared again before the board this May, board members noted Foleys participation in restorative justice programming, his enrollment in a victim impact program, and his minimal disciplinary history behind bars. He also has maintained sobriety and been employed for a year in a prison industries program.

He presented with empathy and insight, the board wrote in its decision granting Foley parole.

Before the stabbing, Foley had accumulated a dozen criminal convictions, including a 1988 count of armed robbery, a news report from his 2010 trial said, citing prosecutors. He had worked for two months in Cambridges Department of Public Works in 2007, it said.

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The parole board heard testimony from Foleys daughter and girlfriend in his support, and weighed it against opposition to granting his freedom from Rafterys sister and the Middlesex District Attorneys Office.

Foley will be released to a residential program after 90 days in a lower security facility, according to the board.

He will be subject to electronic monitoring for six months after his release. The board also required him to remain sober and undergo continued mental health counseling.

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UPDATE at 9:23 a.m.

EDGAR COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA)  All lanes on IL Route 1 are open again after a crash shut the roadway down for a couple of hours Friday morning.

State Police confirmed with WCIA that at 9:23 a.m., all lanes reopened.

There was no further information they were able to share at the time.

EDGAR COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA)  One person had to be airlifted from a crash on Illinois Route 1 that resulted in the highway being shut down Friday morning, State Police said.

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The crash happened just north of Paris at 7:11 a.m. Zack Janis, Chief of the Paris Fire Department, told WCIAs sister station, WTWO, that a car and a semi were involved.

37-year-old, 91-year-old killed in two separate Christian Co. crashes

The car suffered significant damage in the crash, Janis said, and the driver had to be airlifted to a regional hospital. The driver of the semi was taken from the scene in an ambulance.

Route 1 is shut down with detours at Brocton and 1600th Roads. On Facebook, the Edgar County Sheriffs Office advised that people avoid the area if possible.

Instead of questions, be considerate and offer prayer for everyone involved, the Sheriffs Office added.

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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 WCIA.com.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Awareness of diabetes stigma among medical students and residents. Credit: KyotoU / Mari Matsushiro

For people with medical conditions, stigma is a real problem they must worry about on top of their health. Stereotypes about health conditions often cause discrimination even by health care providers, as many may assume those affected don't take care of their health, when in reality they likely have no control over their condition.

Diabetes affects nearly 10% of the global adult population and causes almost two million deaths per year, yet the persistent stigma surrounding people with the disease is a global concern. Physicians may act as inadvertent perpetrators, but their level of awareness is still poorly understood.

To address this, it is essential to gauge the level of awareness of diabetes stigma among future physicians and identify the need for strategic interventions in medical education. This approach motivated a team of researchers at Kyoto University to first assess awareness of stigma and advocacy among medical students in Japan. The work is published in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice.

"Until now, no studies have investigated the awareness of diabetes stigma and advocacy activities among medical students and residents," says corresponding author Takaaki Murakami.

Takaaki and the research team conducted a questionnaire-based survey between July 2024 and March 2025 at Kyoto University and St Marianna University School of Medicine, including both university hospitals. Their study was aimed at residents and medical students, the latter including students at all three training stages of preclinical, clinical lectures, and clinical training. The researchers then analyzed the 921 responses.

The findings revealed some awareness of diabetes stigma and advocacy, but with much room for improvement. Among those surveyed, 57.0% and 25.9% reported awareness of diabetes stigma and advocacy, respectively. Awareness significantly increased with the training stage, but nearly half across all stages held misconceptions and limited knowledge.

Although clinical lectures on diabetes stigma are effective in increasing awareness, this study shows that subsequent training and medical education may have limited impact. Even after attending clinical lectures, about half of the medical students and residents still held misconceptions such as "diabetes is always a genetic disease" and "people with diabetes always have a shorter life expectancy." Surprisingly, a higher proportion of residents, compared to medical students, held these stigma-related beliefs.

Unsurprisingly, the findings also showed that entering clinical practice without acquiring accurate knowledge can lead to the reinforcement and persistence of a diabetes stigma.

The research team aims to continue assessing awareness, and plans to conduct a three-year follow-up survey among third- and fourth-year medical students after they have completed their clinical medicine lectures. The researchers also expect to see similar studies conducted not only in Japan but across the Western Pacific region to understand the effectiveness and challenges of current medical education.

"Based on our findings, we expect that medical education curricula in Japan will be reviewed to help realize a world free from diabetes stigma," says first author Mari Matsushiro.

More information: Mari Matsushiro et al, Awareness of diabetes stigma and advocacy among future physicians: insights from the first real-world survey among medical trainees in Japan, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2025.112937




THOMPSON - One person was airlifted to the hospital after a motor vehicle crash in Thompson Thursday night, police said.

Troopers out of Danielson were called to a "report of a crash" on Dresser Hill Road around 7:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Connecticut State Police.

"Injuries were reported," the agency said, noting one person was transported to the hospital by air.

Further details on the crash, including how many vehicles and people were involved, were not immediately available Friday morning.

This article originally published at One airlifted to hospital after Thompson crash on Dresser Hill Road, police say.




Around 11 a.m. on a recent Thursday, I found myself feeding a stalk of celery to a several-hundred-pound giant tortoise. He and his prehistoric-looking brethren moved at a glacial pace, inching toward the snacks. Tortoises don't have teeth, I learned, and they also don't have great depth perception, so it's imperative to let go of the celery before their ferociously sharp, beak-like mouths clamp down on your hand. No pressure.

The feeding took place at the end of a tour at the charming Turtle Conservancy in Ojai, which is home to some 550 turtles. Located a few miles away from the Ventura County town's idyllic main drag in a quiet residential area, the Turtle Conservancy has been steadily working to save turtles and tortoises for 20 years.

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Lately, that mission has received renewed attention as the town undergoes something of a small restaurant and hotel boom. The conservancy is very much in the zeitgeist; in August, the Los Angeles Times included it in a roundup of "new" things to do in the quietly booming town.

A greenhouse on the property of the Turtle Conservancy in Ojai, Calif. (Karen Palmer/SFGATE)





A visitor feeds a giant tortoise a celery stick at the Turtle Conservancy in Ojai, Calif. (Karen Palmer/SFGATE)





But there is a catch: This nonprofit isn't open to the public. So, unless you're a donating member - or you stay at the Ojai Valley Inn or the Hotel El Roblar, which can both arrange tours for guests who are expected to offer a donation - it's inaccessible.

Should you be lucky enough to get in, you'll find a hidden 10-acre oasis and working conservation organization that houses 40 species. Founded by Eric Goode (an Emmy-nominated filmmaker who also co-owns the Hotel El Roblar) and Maurice Rodrigues in 2005, the Turtle Conservancy works with other organizations to protect more than 65 species and preserve more than 70,000 acres of wildlife around the world, mostly in Mexico and South Africa. It also partners with local Ojai schools to offer education programs around conservation.

A radiated tortoise from Madagascar at the Turtle Conservancy in Ojai, Calif. (Karen Palmer/SFGATE)





A radiated tortoise from Madagascar at the Turtle Conservancy in Ojai, Calif. (Karen Palmer/SFGATE)

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"The main goal of this place is to keep and breed species that are extinct in the wild or critically endangered," Simon Rouot, associate director of the Turtle Conservancy, tells SFGATE. "We take care of animals from the black market and rescue them from poaching. People in the United States collect them in the wild and then send them overseas."

He adds, "A box turtle from the East Coast can be worth a couple of thousand dollars. They can end up at the Turtle Conservancy."

BEST OF SFGATE

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Local | The world's last lost tourist thought Maine was San Francisco

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Over the course of a 60- to 90-minute tour, visitors learn plenty about turtles, such as the fact that all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. One of the major differences? Tortoises live on land and don't have webbed feet, while many other types of turtle live in or around the water. Another good one: The screeching sound of the velociraptors communicating with each other in "Jurassic Park" is just an amplified recording of tortoises mating. (You're welcome.)

A giant tortoise at the Turtle Conservancy in Ojai, Calif. (Karen Palmer/SFGATE)





Turtles swim in an aquarium at the Turtle Conservancy in Ojai, Calif. (Karen Palmer/SFGATE)





On a much more serious note, turtles are some of the oldest living creatures on the planet, having survived the dinosaur extinction. And some species, like the Galapagos turtle, can live to be close to 200 years old. Sadly, turtles are also the most endangered vertebrates in the world, with more than half of their 300-plus species threatened with extinction.

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"We want to inspire people to learn about conservation and teach them about the turtles. Everyone knows someone who has a turtle as a pet or in their backyard," Rouot says. "But still, they don't know much about them. They don't know that [turtles] need our help right now. They may not outlast humans."

According to my tour guide, the conservancy has also bred some 3,000 hatchlings. I was lucky to see a couple of inches-wide (read: absolutely adorable) baby turtles on my tour. As you walk around various enclosures on the property, you see turtles and tortoises in their natural habitats, whether it's on land or in their aquarium; you may even spot some tortoises leisurely munching on a morning snack of cucumber slices.

The starting point of tours at the Turtle Conservancy in Ojai, Calif. (Karen Palmer/SFGATE)





A group of tortoises eat cucumber slices at the Turtle Conservancy in Ojai, Calif. (Karen Palmer/SFGATE)





What makes the Turtle Conservancy so magical, though, is the interaction you get with these quiet creatures and their unique personalities. Some aren't all that friendly while others love to have their shells rubbed. At one point, a particularly dome-shelled male radiated tortoise from Madagascar quite literally followed our group around, seeking more attention, much like a dog would, albeit at a more relaxed pace. I even got to pet the head and neck of one of the giant tortoises we fed celery stalks. She was downright regal.

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As the Turtle Conservancy continues its fundraising efforts to purchase more land overseas, as well as to save species like the southwestern pond turtle right here in California, Rouot says it will remain a closed environment.

Two giant tortoises at the Turtle Conservancy in Ojai, Calif. (Karen Palmer/SFGATE)





"We are not a zoo. We will never be a zoo," Rouot says. "We want to keep this place private for the health of the animals. That's part of the charm of it."



He adds, "Interacting with nature and with wildlife is something people are missing in our society. You come here and you interact with a radiated tortoise, and it's a unique experience. And for the kids who come here, we hope to inspire them to get involved in conservation."

More Central Coast

- Neighbors threaten to sue increasingly popular regional California airport

- Coastal California town grapples with sweeping housing reform

- We're dying': Highway 1 in Big Sur closure to continue through winter

- One of California's most famous surf towns could suffer a major financial hit, study shows

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This article originally published at One of California's coolest hidden gems is in a town that's quietly on the rise.
By Marco Aquino and Alexander Villegas

LIMA (Reuters) -At least one person was killed and dozens of police officers injured in widespread protests overnight in Peru against President Jose Jeri, who assumed power just days ago, the state ombudsman's office said on Thursday.

The government will declare a state of emergency in Lima within hours and is preparing a package of measures to tackle rising insecurity, Prime Minister Ernesto Alvarez said late on Thursday in a press conference.

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The protest on Wednesday night, called by young Gen Z protesters, transport workers and civil groups, was the latest in a series of demonstrations against corruption and rising crime, which led to the dramatic midnight ouster of former President Dina Boluarte last Thursday.

POLICE CHIEF SAYS OFFICER CARRIED OUT SHOOTING

Thousands of protesters amassed around the country, with hundreds clashing with police outside Congress in Lima. Police fired tear gas while some protesters hurled fireworks, rocks and burning objects.

"Everyone must go!" protesters chanted when they reached Congress and tried to tear down metal barriers protecting the building, leading to clashes.

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A 32-year-old man, Eduardo Mauricio Ruiz, was killed during the protest and his death will be investigated, said Fernando Losada, a representative from the country's Ombudsman's office.

Peru's prosecutor's office said Ruiz died after being shot.

Later on Thursday, the head of Peru's national police (PNP), Oscar Arriola told reporters that Luis Magallanes, a member of the force, had been physically assaulted and carried out the shooting. Arriola added that Magallanes was being treated in hospital and had been removed from his duties.

Jeri expressed regret over Ruiz's death in a post on X, saying the death would be "objectively" investigated. He blamed violence on "delinquents who infiltrated a peaceful demonstration to sow chaos."

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"The full force of the law will be on them," he wrote.

NEW INTERIOR MINISTER PROMISES POLICE REFORM

After attending a meeting about the protests at Congress Thursday afternoon, Jeri told reporters he would ask Congress for "authority to legislate on public safety issues."

Jeri said one focus would be prison reform, but did not elaborate on what those powers would entail.

Speaking to Congress soon after, newly-appointed Interior Minister Vicente Tiburcio, said the government would push for comprehensive reform to the national police, adding that 89 police and 22 civilians had been injured during the protest and 11 people were detained.

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The interior ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the police reform or Jeri's request for expanded legislative powers.

TEST FOR NEW PRESIDENT

Wednesday's protests were a bellwether for how Jeri's nascent presidency, which ends next July due to scheduled elections, could play out.

Jeri, 38, has promised to make crime his top priority, but has faced a number of scandals himself, including corruption allegations and a now-shelved investigation for sexual assault. Jeri has denied wrongdoing in both cases and expressed willingness to cooperate with any corruption investigation.

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Boluarte faced widespread protests after she assumed power in late 2022, leading to dozens of deaths and a plunge in her popularity levels, which oscillated between 2% and 4% in the days leading up to her ouster.

Congress - which was headed by Jeri before he became president - is almost equally unpopular with a single-digit approval rating.

(Reporting by Marco Aquino in Lima; Writing by Alexander Villegas; Editing by Deepa Babington, David Gregorio and Kate Mayberry)
A death investigation is underway in western Vigo County in what appears to be a homicide stemming from an Oct. 8 fight.

Dead is Robert Gibson, 73, a Vigo County resident.

Facing charges is Larry Norris, 70, also of Vigo County.

The sheriff's office said deputies were dispatched Thursday to an altercation on Saint Marys Road in West Terre Haute.

Upon arrival deputies were directed to an area where an injured male, Gibson, was found.

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Gibson was alert and informed deputies that he had been speaking with another male subject  Thomas Sebring, 57, also of Vigo County  when a third men approached. The third man was identified as Larry Norris.

Early investigation indicates the men did know each other. An argument began, and it became a physical altercation involving all three, according to a news release from Sheriff Derek Fell.

Gibson was treated by rescue personnel on scene, but he refused further treatment or transport and signed a document to that effect.

Norris had left the scene, but he was later located and transported to Regional Hospital for injuries. Norris was then transferred to an Indianapolis area hospital for further treatment.

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Gibson ultimately was taken to Union Hospital on Oct. 8 for his injuries. He died Oct. 12.

Autopsy findings from October 14th list manner of death as homicide, the sheriff's office said.

A new release from Vigo County Coroner Travis Norris on Thursday said cause of death was complications from blunt-force, closed-head injury.

Larry Norris, currently under medical care, is being charged with aggravated battery, possession of controlled substance and possession of marijuana, according to the sheriff's office.

Additional charges are pending with the Vigo County Prosecutors Office, the sheriff said.
Detroit Metropolitan Airport is the latest to speak out against Kristi Noem's TSA video.

The airport placed signs by TSA checkpoints saying it "does not engage in partisan politics."

Several major airports declined to play Noem's video blaming Democrats for the government shutdown.

A clash between the government and airports over a political message from Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, has grown most obvious in Detroit.

Detroit Metropolitan Airport has placed signs at the entrances to its security checkpoints, making clear that it doesn't approve of the video message.

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But because the areas are leased by the Transportation Security Administration, the airport operator isn't in charge of those screens.

A bright yellow sign, with "attention" written in all caps, says, "The views expressed in this TSA-controlled video do not represent the views of the Wayne County Airport Authority."

"The Wayne County Airport Authority does not engage in partisan politics," it adds.

In a statement shared on X, the WCAA said it had asked the TSA to stop playing the video, and that the TSA had not sought its approval to play it.

Detroit Metropolitan is the country's 20th busiest airport, handling 33 million passengers last year. It's also Delta Air Lines' second-largest hub and was ranked as travelers' second-favorite North American mega airport in J.D. Power's latest survey.

Update: In addition to our statement, these signs are being placed at the entrances to the TSA checkpoints at DTW. pic.twitter.com/TznXist944  DTW Airport (@DTWeetin) October 15, 2025

Several major airports have expressed their opposition to Noem's video this week.

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In the message, Noem said TSA operations were impacted, and most of its employees were working without pay, because "Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government."

"Our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government," she added.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey  which oversees JFK, Newark, and LaGuardia airports  said in a statement to Business Insider that its "longstanding policies prevent airing of politically partisan messages at our facilities."

"Airports are not airing the video on airport-controlled screens," it added.

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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest airport, cited "federal and local airport policies" for not displaying the video on airport-controlled screens.

It added that the airport, which handles over 100 million passengers a year, "strives to maintain a neutral and welcoming environment for all travelers."

Airports in Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Phoenix, Charlotte, and Boston also said they weren't playing the video.

Read the original article on Business Insider
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  One person was taken to the hospital in stable condition after a shooting on North Street on Thursday, Oct. 16, according to emergency medical services officials.

Emergency personnel responded around 5:40 p.m.

Louisiana First News contacted the Baton Rouge Police Department for further details, and we will share more information as it becomes available.

DA: Teen accused of shooting on LSUs campus could be tried as adult

Latest News

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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 Louisiana First News.
It's been one month since a guest died of "multiple blunt force injuries" after riding Stardust Racers at Universal Orlando's Epic Universe.

Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, was found unresponsive on the coaster after riding it late Sept. 17 and later died on the same night. Universal Orlando officials shut down the ride for an investigation into what happened, while Rodriguez's family has publicly pursued answers into what went wrong.

Here's everything to know about the incident so far, from whether Stardust Racers malfunctioned to what members of the Rodiguez Zavala family are saying.

What is Stardust Racers?

Stardust Racers roller coaster features two tracks, yellow and green, that race each other through the cosmos. Universal's Epic Universe opened to the public on May 22, 2025. Visit universalorlando.com.

Stardust Racers is a dual-launch racing coaster located in the Celestial Park section of Epic Universe. It reaches speeds of 62 mph, rises to 133 feet in the air, and runs along 5,000 feet of track.

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The beginning of the coaster features two powerful launches, with another one toward the end of the ride. The two tracks glide between each other many times throughout the ride, including during the "Celestial Spin."

Who is Kevin Rodriguez Zavala?

Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, of Kissimmee died after being found unresponsive on Epic Universe's Stardust Racers roller coaster after riding it on Sept. 17. His family set up a GoFundMe to cover the funeral and memorial expenses.

Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, was a Kissimmee resident. He was a wheelchair user who was born with spinal cord atrophy, but his family noted he led an active, independent life.

Members shared more details about Kevin and the kind of person he was during a Sept. 22 press conference.

Carlos Rodriguez, his father, spoke about how independent Kevin was, from getting his driver's license to obtaining a college degree. He said his family is very proud of Kevin and the impact he had on those around him.

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His mother, Ana Zavala, said her son was amazing and she never put any limits on him, despite his spinal disability. She spoke about his love for Florida's theme parks and how happy they made him.

His older sister Lisa said her brother was someone who would always be there for those he loved, and that they called him an "old soul" for his wisdom. His older brother, Michael, later reiterated that Kevin was a great brother.

What happened on the Stardust Racers roller coaster? What happened to Kevin Rodriguez Zavala?

Rodriguez was visiting the park near Orlando and was found unresponsive on the roller coaster after riding it. In an incident report shared with USA TODAY Network-Florida on Sept. 19, an Orange County Sheriff's Office deputy responded to a medical emergency at the theme park at around 9:20 p.m.

The report revealed that no 911 calls were made about the incident, likely because riders had to put their phones in lockers downstairs. OCSO shared two audio recordings: a self-initiated call by a deputy and a non-emergency call from the Orange County Fire Rescue Department.

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In audio shared by the Orange County Sheriff's Office, the deputy at the scene told the OCSO communication center that they were responding to a guest (later identified as Rodriguez) who had a laceration and was "not breathing."

Universal Orlando Health Services and OCFRD were performing CPR on Rodriguez when deputies arrived. The OCSO said Rodriguez was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead at 10:05 p.m.

The incident report also stated that Rodriguez's girlfriend of 10 years was at the theme park with him and was described by the deputy as "visibly shaken."

What was the cause of death for Kevin Rodriguez Zavala?

Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, of Kissimmee died after being found unresponsive on Epic Universe's Stardust Racers roller coaster after riding it on Sept. 17. His family set up a GoFundMe to cover the funeral and memorial expenses.

The Orange County Medical Examiner told USA TODAY last month that "multiple blunt impact injuries" are the cause of death. It has been ruled an accident.

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In the incident report, it states that Rodriguez had a preexisting spinal injury and was taking medication for it. The report did not specify what medication.

Attorney Ben Crump's office also confirmed that Kevin suffered repeated head injuries during the ride and was unconscious for the majority of the duration of the ride. They added that Rodriguez had lacerations.

Crump said on Oct. 6 they are awaiting the results of the autopsy soon.

What did Universal Orlando first say about the death?

In a statement shared by OCFRD on Sept. 18 to USA TODAY, Universal Orlando said:

"Universal is cooperating with the Orange County Sheriffs Office following a tragic event involving a guest at Epic Universe on Wednesday night. The guest became unresponsive after riding Stardust Racers and was transported to the hospital, where the guest later died. We are devastated by this event and extend our sincerest sympathies to the guest's loved ones. We are fully committed to cooperating with this ongoing investigation."

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They confirmed that they had closed the ride after the incident, and it would remain closed during their investigation.

Did Stardust Racers malfunction?

Initial investigations by both Universal and state regulators indicate the ride did not malfunction.

Universal confirmed to USA TODAY later on Sept. 24 that an internal letter was sent to Orlando Team Members by Karen Irwin, the President and Chief Operating Officer of Universal Orlando Resort.

The letter states that internal findings to date confirm that the ride systems functioned as intended, equipment was intact at the ride's start, throughout the duration of the ride and upon the ride vehicle's return to the station. Irwin also says team members followed proper procedures.

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The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services told USA TODAY Florida on Sept. 24 that their initial findings on the incident align with Universal's memo.

Who did the Rodriguez Zavala family retain as their attorney? Who is Ben Crump?

Ben Crump is a Florida State University alumnus and a renowned attorney who specializes in civil rights and catastrophic personal injury cases, such as wrongful death lawsuits.

The Rodriguez Zavala retained Crump to seek "full transparency" into the death.

What has Crump, Rodriguez Zavala family said about the incident?

During their first press conference on Sept. 22, Crump said the family said it is seeking complete transparency into Rodriguez's death and what the theme park is doing to prevent this from happening again.

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They stressed that Rodriguez's spinal disability did not cause his death and that just because there was no malfunction on the ride, it didn't mean there weren't any safety issues Universal needed to address.

"(On Sept. 17) ... he was fine. He had no medical issues, nothing," Crump said, adding that Universal employees did not stop Rodriguez from getting on the ride. They note they even helped him into the ride vehicle and he was seated at the front of the coaster.

Is Stardust Racers still operating? When did it reopen?

Yes. Universal Orlando's Stardust Racers reopened on Saturday, Oct. 4, a little over two weeks after Rodriguez died.

Why did Universal Orlando reopen Stardust Racers?

In a letter sent to Universal team members, which was shared with USA TODAY on Oct. 3, Irwin stated that their comprehensive technical and operational review confirmed the ride systems functioned properly throughout the boarding process, during the ride, and upon the ride vehicles return to the station.

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They also added that team members followed procedures throughout.

"Our extensive review was conducted working closely with local officials, and the State of Florida observed the testing and reviewed the results," Irwin's statement said. "In addition, the ride system manufacturer of record and an independent, third-party roller coaster engineering expert conducted their own on-site testing and validated our findings."

Have any changes been made to Stardust Racers since the incident?

Irwin stated in her letter that safety is the top priority.

To further assist guests in determining whether they can ride an attraction, the park is "updating operational procedures and attraction signage to reinforce existing ride warnings and physical eligibility requirements at Stardust Racers and other rides."

'Profit over people': Family, Crump says they were betrayed by Universal

During an Oct. 6 press conference with aCrump, family members stated that Universal never contacted them about reopening the ride, and they learned about it through the media.

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Attorney Natalie Jackson, co-director of litigation for Crumps Central Florida office, said they were in the middle of planning their investigation when they heard the news.

Crump called the decision disrespectful to the family, community and Rodriguez himself. He said the family is still trying to get answers to what happened and was blindsided by the reopening announcement, which he called "disturbing."

He added that he found it hard to believe Universal's investigation concluded with officials saying Rodriguez's death was caused by "pre-existing conditions" and not serious concerns with the ride's safety.

Has Crump, Rodriguez Zavala family pursued legal action against Universal?

As of Oct. 16, the family has not filed any lawsuits against the theme park.

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However, Crump stated that his legal team will explore all legal options and request that Universal provide them with video footage of what happened during the ride.

Universal settles a different lawsuit over Stardust Racers injuries

A notice of settlement and a notice of voluntary dismissal with prejudice as to the defendant were filed on Sept. 26 in a different lawsuit regarding Stardust Racers, WESH TV reported.

Sandi Streets filed a negligence lawsuit against Universal City Development Partners Ltd. on Sept. 24 in Orlando, seeking damages exceeding $50,000. The lawsuit alleged that she sustained an injury from riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster.

According to the complaint obtained by USA TODAY Network-Florida, Streets was invited to Epic Universe on April 30, weeks before it officially opened to the public on May 22. While on Stardust Racers, it says Street's head shook violently and slammed into the seats headrest throughout the ride, causing permanent injuries

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Epic Universe ride death update, details a month after accident
LIMA  Tina Hamilton-Shoemaker buses her students from Lima Senior to Heritage Elementary School twice a week.

There, Shoemakers early childhood education students are paired with children from kindergarten or first grade who need one-on-one instruction in math or reading.

Tutors spend each session painting, playing games and conducting science experiments designed to teach basic arithmetic or literacy skills.

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On Thursday, junior Amilliyana Nance brought Playdough to practice spelling with Emarious Glenn, a first grader at Heritage.

On another day, shell bring paint to practice addition and subtraction.

It helps them develop the skills they need to progress higher in elementary school, said Nance, who aspires to become a history teacher.

Lima Seniors early childhood education program, one of the high schools 12 career technical pathways to graduation, is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors like Nance who aspire to become teachers themselves.

Students who successfully complete the program can earn a child development associate certification upon graduation.

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Shoemaker started the field trips to Heritage four years ago so her students could learn how to manage a classroom and plan a lesson.

Kindergarten and first-grade students who need additional instruction in math or reading are removed from class for the 45-minute one-on-one sessions with their assigned tutor each Tuesday and Thursday.

Sessions are focused on math and literacy skills, though tutors also spend time working on fine motor skills.

This teaches them how to work with an individual student and get them to the next level through trial and error, Shoemaker said.
Russian forces attacked Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Sumy oblasts on 16 October, killing one man and injuring 13.

Source: Oleh Hryhorov, Head of Sumy Oblast Military Administration; Vadym Filashkin, Head of Donetsk Oblast Military Administration; Ivan Fedorov, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration; State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Details: Russian forces injured nine residents of Donetsk Oblast. The total number of casualties is given without taking Mariupol and Volnovakha into account.

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A 33-year-old police officer was injured in a Russian FPV drone attack on the Polohy district in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The Russians fired 618 times on 18 settlements in the oblast. Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration received 26 reports of damage to residential buildings, cars and infrastructure facilities.

A 38-year-old man was killed by a Russian drone explosion in the Krasnopillia hromada in Sumy Oblast. Two local residents, aged 56 and 58, were injured. They are receiving outpatient treatment. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.]

A 56-year-old man was injured in a guided bomb strike on the Sumy hromada. He was hospitalised. Overall, 47 settlements in 19 hromadas in the oblast were attacked 112 times during the past day.

In addition, the Russians attacked Kherson with drones overnight, causing a fire in a high-rise building in the suburbs. While emergency services were responding, the Russians launched a repeat strike. A drone struck firefighters, damaging a fire appliance, but the personnel were unharmed.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
A popular online furniture company will be permanently closing its Northern Kentucky warehouse next year, laying off more than 200 people.

Wayfair, the Boston-based furniture and home goods e-commerce store, will be shutting down its Erlanger warehouse by Sept. 30, 2026.

The termination of the warehouse's 215 employees will happen in phases, according to a letter Wayfair sent to Kentucky's Rapid Response Dislocated Worker Unit.

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"Wayfair made the decision not to renew its lease at the Erlanger, Kentucky facility as part of our ongoing efforts to optimize our logistics network. We are deeply grateful to our Erlanger team for their contributions and are committed to supporting impacted employees through internal opportunities and comprehensive transition support as we wind down operations over the next year," Wayfair said in a statement sent to The Enquirer

Florence just saw its own Wayfair location close

About a year ago, Wayfair announced the closure of its outlet and returns center in Florence. The announcement said that the outlet would remain open until the end of 2025.

The company submitted a layoff notice on Oct. 10, 2024, stating that the Florence closure was expected to affect 218 employees and that layoffs would begin at the end of 2024. However, a Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet spokesperson said Wayfair requested a retraction of the notice that same day.

Wayfair announced in January 2024 that it planned to lay off approximately 1,650 employees, representing about 13% of its global workforce, in a move that expected to save the company more than $280 million annually.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Wayfair to close Erlanger, Kentucky, warehouse, lay off 200 employees
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

In a study published in Neuron, a research team at the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, aimed to understand how immune cells of the brain, called microglia, contribute to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. It's known that subtle changes, or mutations, in genes expressed in microglia are associated with an increased risk for developing late-onset AD.

The study focused on one such mutation in the microglial gene TREM2, an essential switch that activates microglia to clean up toxic amyloid plaques (abnormal protein deposits) that build up between nerve cells in the brain. This mutation, called T96K, is a "gain-of-function" mutation in TREM2, meaning it increases TREM2 activation and allows the gene to remain super active.

The researchers explored how this mutation impacts microglial function to increase risk for AD. The team generated a mutant mouse model carrying the mutation, which was bred with a mouse model of AD to have brain changes consistent with AD. They found that in female AD mice exclusively, the mutation strongly reduced the capability of microglia to respond to toxic amyloid plaques, making these cells less protective against brain aging.

Asking whether the T96K mutation in the TREM2 gene helps or hurts the pathogenesis of AD led the team to investigate how this mutation affects microglial function in mouse models of AD.

To analyze the role of this mutation in AD, the researchers combined studies of human genes, a novel TREM2-T96K mouse model, and lab tests on microglial cells. To examine the brain tissue, they used an optical imaging technique called confocal microscopy and protein tracking tools, including ELISA.

Finally, the team used single-cell RNA sequencing of microglia isolated from the mouse brain and bioinformatic analysis to map out exactly how the T96K mutation changes the microglia activity over time.

According to the authors, the study is the first to show that a gain-of-function mutation in TREM2 (not just a loss-of-function mutation) is associated with AD risk, and that it impairs the uptake of toxic amyloid beta (A). Additionally, the specific T96K mutation the team focused on decreased the total area covered by the microglia "cleanup crews" and suppressed their disease-fighting response, specifically in female AD mice.

This study on TREM2 gain-of-function mutations shifts the understanding of TREM2 functionnot only from a genetic perspective, but also from a therapeutics perspective. These findings should help guide novel therapeutic approaches for the prevention and treatment of AD, based on targeting TREM2.

Notably, these results also underscore the need for more studies addressing whether novel AD therapies aimed at enhancing TREM2 activity could have adverse, as opposed to beneficial, effects on AD pathogenesis.

Future work will focus on investigating the role of TREM2 gain-of-function mutations in modulating immune functions, microglial lipid metabolism and cellular aging in human microglia-like cells and mouse models of AD.

More information: The Gain-of-Function TREM2-T96K Mutation Increases Risk for Alzheimer's Disease by Impairing Microglial Function, Neuron (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.09.032 Journal information: Neuron
MMR vaccination coverage has declined in the United States in recent years, with at least 75% of counties nationwide failing to meet the immunity threshold needed to prevent widespread outbreaks, according to new research by Johns Hopkins University and USA TODAY.

The MMR vaccine protects from measles, mumps and rubella. Only 10 of Iowa's 99 counties are at or exceed the MMR vaccination coverage rate of 95% in kindergartners, according to the most recent county-level data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in July.

The USA TODAY report states that childhood vaccination rates in the U.S. have declined since the COVID-19 pandemic, citing factors such as increased skepticism toward vaccines, the spread of misinformation about vaccine safety and a rise in exemptions for religious and philosophical reasons.

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In 2025, 63% of counties in the U.S. meet that minimum 95% threshold, compared to 84% before the pandemic, according to USA TODAY. This dramatic dropoff is highlighted by the over 1,500 measles cases, a disease the U.S. declared eliminated in 2000, that have sprung up in Iowa and 41 other states this year.

More: Iowas eighth measles case in 2025 confirmed. See potential exposure sites:

Is your Iowa county one of the 10 that are above the 95% immunity threshold? Here's what to know.

What Iowa counties are protected by vaccination coverage?

More: Use this tool to explore county vaccination coverage, measles outbreaks and states with rising non-medical exemptions

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Here are the 10 counties with the highest vaccination rate in Iowa based on the percentage of kindergartners who received two MMR doses. Figures were based on data reported in either the 202223 or 202324 school year:

Adams County: 98.4%

Osceola County: 97%

Crawford County: 96.4%

Montgomery County: 96.2%

Grundy County: 96%

Union County: 96%

Worth County: 95.9%

Boone County: 95.9%

Mills County: 95.4%

Audubon County: 95.2%

All but four of these counties  Grundy, Crawford, Mills, and Adams  saw their MMR vaccination rates decrease compared to before the pandemic, according to USA TODAY.

The USA TODAY article warned that when vaccination coverage for a county falls below 90%, the risk of measles outbreaks rises sharply. Roughly half, or 48, of Iowa's counties have vaccination coverage that falls below 90%.

What counties in Iowa have the lowest vaccination rate?

Here are the 10 counties with the lowest vaccination rate in Iowa based on the most recent county-level vaccination coverage among kindergartners:

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Humboldt County: 74.6%

Jackson County: 79.4%

Jefferson County: 80.4%

Keokuk County: 82.4%

Appanoose and Fayette counties: 82.6%

Hamilton County: 82.9%

Decatur and Delaware counties: 83%

Bremer County: 83.2%

The CDC recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine for children: first at 1215 months, then at 46 years. The agency also recommends vaccines for polio, chickenpox and hepatitis B.

Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Only 10 of Iowa's 99 counties meet recommended vaccination coverage
After dozens of veteran reporters rejected the Defense Departments prohibitive new press policy, and handed in their media badges this week, the only journalists left with credentials to enter the Pentagon were a mix of freelancers, foreign media members and staffers from MAGA-boosting outlets.

Dozens of print and broadcast journalists walked out of the Pentagon Wednesday in the wake of nearly every American news organization  including Trump-friendly networks Fox News and Newsmax  refusing to follow Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths media restrictions.

Among the new rules laid out in Hegseths 21-page policy, which he gave credentialed journalists until Tuesday evening to acknowledge, was a ban on reporters soliciting any information  classified or otherwise  from government employees without prior authorization from the Pentagon.

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The Pentagon Press Association, which represents around 100 journalists, tore into the unprecedented message of intimidation delivered by the policy, urging the department to reverse course over its assault on press freedom.

Our members did nothing to create this disturbing situation. It arises from an entirely one-sided move by Pentagon officials apparently intent upon cutting the American public off from information they do not control and pre-approve, the group, which represents members from 57 domestic and international news outlets, said this week. Not all credentialed journalists at the Pentagon are represented by the association.

After Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded that the Pentagon press corps sign new media restrictions, only 15 reporters agreed. (AP)

Members of the Pentagon press corp carry their belongings out of the Pentagon after turning in their press credentials this week. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

By Thursday, it became clear who was left in the halls of the Pentagon. An internal government document, first obtained by The Washington Post, revealed that only 15 people out of hundreds of credentialed reporters had signed the new press pledge.

Of those signatories, two are from the pro-Trump cable channel, One America News; one is from right-wing website The Federalist; and another is from ultra-conservative newspaper The Epoch Times.

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The remaining 11 reporters include freelancers for foreign-based organizations and a couple of little-known independent sites that appear to publish their work solely on social media.

A reporter for the Turkish newspaper Aksam signed the agreement, as did three individuals from the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency and two Turkish freelancers, the Post reported. Other signers included a reporter for The Australian, a News Corp-owned Australian paper; an Afghan freelancer; and three lesser-known operations, AWPS News, the India Globe and a blog called USA Journal Korea.

Additionally, two members of the Jordanian TV network Al Taghier signed an older version of the policy, which had been scrapped and revised amid negotiations and pushback from the Pentagon Press Association and other press advocacy groups.

Prior to a swarm of defense reporters symbolically exiting the Pentagon together Wednesday afternoon, after handing in their badges and cleaning out their desks, only one media outlet had publicly agreed to the restrictive pledge  One America News.

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While these outlets did not immediately respond to requests for comment from either The Independent or the Post, some have made public remarks defending and justifying the policy.

Earlier this week, One America News president Charles Herring said in a statement that after a thorough review of the revised press policy by our attorney, OAN staff has signed the document. Kristina Anderson of the social media-centric AWPS News, meanwhile, stated she felt a profound sense of loss as I walk the Pentagons Correspondent spaces today.

A Pentagon reporter packs up her belongings after the vast majority of media organizations refused to sign the departments new press rules, resulting in the press corps handing in their credentials and walking out. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The Federalist CEO Sean Davis, and editor-in-chief Mollie Hemingway, posted a lengthy and bombastic statement on X claiming they had reviewed the Pentagons press rules and found zero new restrictions for journalists covering the department. At the same time, the conservative pundits railed against the media at large for rejecting the policy.

Where were these self-styled First Amendment defenders when we were illegally censored and targeted for debunking Deep State lies and hoaxes? Many of them not only refused to defend us, but cheered the illegal censorship efforts against us, the statement declared. NBC News, for example, colluded with Big Tech to demonetize and deplatform us for criticizing the government and the corrupt corporate news media.

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Besides editing The Federalist, Hemingway is also a paid contributor for Fox News  which joined other broadcast news networks in rebuffing the Pentagons restrictions and refusing to sign the pledge.

Today, we join virtually every other news organization in declining to agree to the Pentagons new requirements, which would restrict journalists ability to keep the nation and the world informed of important national security issues, the joint statement said. The policy is without precedent and threatens core journalistic protections. We will continue to cover the U.S. military as each of our organizations has done for many decades, upholding the principles of a free and independent press.

Newsmax, another MAGA-friendly network that largely aligns with the Trump administration, also rejected the policy  calling its requirements unnecessary and onerous while urging the Pentagon to review the matter further.

With both Hegseth and President Donald Trump standing firm on the prohibitive media rules, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell mockingly tweeted that the self-righteous media chose to self-deport from the Pentagon and that they will not be missed.

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He also teased some additional news about reporters who will be covering the department going forward.

The Department of War will make an announcement soon regarding the next generation of the Pentagon press corps, he wrote. Stay tuned. The best is yet to come!
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  An Ontario County man has been found guilty on 81 counts following a major narcotics and firearms investigation that began more than a year ago in the City of Geneva.

Prosecutors said Ronnie Spaz Boswell Jr. was convicted of numerous felonies, including criminal sale of a firearm, conspiracy, and criminal possession and sale of controlled substances.

The investigation led to the recovery of 14 firearms, five of them illegal assault weapons, along with 13 high-capacity magazines and about 2,600 fentanyl pills.

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Authorities said the investigation began in August 2024, when Geneva residents reported open-air drug activity and groups of people congregating on sidewalks.

The Geneva Police Department launched an investigation that quickly expanded to include the Ontario County Sheriffs Office, New York State Police, Canandaigua Police Department, Seneca County Sheriffs Office, the Ontario County District Attorneys Office, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Boswell was arrested in January 2025 and charged in an 81-count indictment. Officials said he had two or more prior felony convictions, which could enhance his sentence.

When Boswell was first charged earlier this year, thenDistrict Attorney Jim Ritts said the case was huge for a small community like Ontario County.

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Boswell faces more than 150 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 8, 2026.

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MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  OPA! Greek Fest is officially open in Midtown Mobile.

Man accused of dragging victim 2 miles to his death enters plea

Walking through the back of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Midtown Mobile, attendees will hear chanting, music, and the sharp sizzling sound of whatever theyre cooking up on the grills.

Youll see dancers in their traditional Greek outfits, people shopping, and preparing those savory and sweet snacks everyone cant seem to get enough of.

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Some of it, I cant even pronounce it, but I can eat it, exclaimed Ivery Adams. I had a small Greek salad. It was terrific!

From salads to savory to sweet, Greek Fest showcases the traditional food of Greece, giving everyone a taste of the culture.

It all comes together and everybody enjoys it, church member George Kalaris said. I think it is important to know a little bit about your neighbors so that we understand each other.

Christ Coumanis told News 5 that showcasing his heritage is something he is proud of.

It makes you proud of your heritage and your background, he started. Even more so when you see others getting out there and dancing for the first time, hearing Greek music, having the food, and just really enjoying it. It makes you proud.

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Laurel Hill father, son arrested in connection to child porn investigation

The event began today and runs through Sunday.

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In the early morning hours on Thursday, OPD officers on patrol came across a male subject dressed in dark clothing walking through the 1700 block of E. 53rd St.

As officers contacted the subject, he was found to be wearing a mask, gloves, and a beanie cap. The subject was identified as known auto burglar and gun thief 20-year-old Rocky Junior Gonzales.

Gonzales was found to be in possession of marijuana and 2 handguns that did not belong to him.

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Later, the same day, it was discovered that one of the handguns was taken in an auto burglary in the 1100 block of Douglas Dr. This burglary was corroborated with security video footage within the neighborhood where Gonzales was observed going inside the victims truck and taking the gun out, as well as checking several other vehicles for unlocked doors.

Gonzales was arrested for Possession of Marijuana  Class B Misdemeanor, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon  3rd Degree Felony, A warrant will be completed for Burglary of a Vehicle  Class A Misdemeanor, and Theft of a Firearm  State Jail Felony.

The Odessa Police Department is asking for all citizens to be cognizant of where their firearms are at all times, not left in unattended vehicles, and all doors be secured. There are several guys like Gonzales out there looking to take advantage of your good nature.

The post OPD arrest career criminal appeared first on Odessa American.
Artificial-intelligence powerhouse OpenAI has paused the ability of its Sora AI video system to create user-prompted videos of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the request of the civil rights leaders estate. The company said the decision came after some Sora users generated disrespectful depictions of Dr. Kings image.

In a statement posted on OpenAIs X account, which said it was jointly from OpenAI and King Estate, Inc., the AI company said it worked with MLKs estate to address how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s likeness is represented in Sora generations. At the request of King Inc., OpenAI has paused generations depicting Dr. King as it strengthens guardrails for historical figures.

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While there are strong free speech interests in depicting historical figures, OpenAI believes public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used, the statement said. Authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos.

OpenAI earlier this month released Sora 2, which can generate stunningly realistic-looking videos. Hollywood has objected to the AI companys rollout of the system: The MPA, for one, called on OpenAI to take immediate action to fix its copyright opt-out system so that OpenAI is responsible for policing copyright infringement.

In its statement Thursday, OpenAI thanked Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of the King Center and the youngest child of MLK, for reaching out on behalf of King, Inc., and John Hope Bryant and the AI Ethics Council for creating space for conversations like this.

Established in 1968 by Coretta Scott King, the Atlanta-based Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (known as the King Center) non-profit organization has been a global destination, resource center and community institution for over a quarter century. Nearly 1 million people annually make pilgrimage to the National Historic Site to learn, be inspired and pay their respects to Dr. Kings legacy, according to the King Center.

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Pictured above: Martin Luther King Jr. in Montgomery, Alabama, in May 1961

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Offensive AI videos of Martin Luther King Jr. forced OpenAIs hand this week. The company restricted Sora from generating any content depicting Dr. King after his estate requested intervention. The decision came after disturbing videos surfaced showing the civil rights leader making monkey noises and staging fights with other historical figures.

This marks the first time a major AI video platform has implemented targeted restrictions for specific individuals based on family requests. The precedent signals a watershed moment where digital respect finally catches up with technological capability.

The Bigger Picture Problem

Similar concerns emerge for other deceased celebrities and public figures.

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Robin Williams daughter publicly asked users to stop generating videos of her late father using Sora. Yet celebrity deepfakes remain rampant across the platform. Videos featuring Bob Ross, Whitney Houston, and popular cartoon characters reportedly flood the service with little oversight.

The inconsistent enforcement highlights how AI platforms struggle to balance creative freedom with respect for digital legacies. Your favorite deceased comedian becomes fair game while civil rights icons get protection  the logic feels arbitrary at best.

New Safeguards Take Shape

Authorized representatives gain power to control digital likenesses.

OpenAIs new policy allows estate representatives and authorized family members to request specific content blocks. The company emphasized that public figures and their families should be able to control how their likeness is used in digital media, even while recognizing free speech interests in depicting historical figures.

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This represents a significant shift from the tech industrys typical hands-off approach to user-generated content. The balance between protecting individuals and preserving free speech remains delicate territory, especially when historical scholarship meets social media creativity.

Industry Precedent Forms

Other AI platforms likely to adopt similar protections.

The MLK restriction signals rapid policy evolution under public pressure. OpenAI reportedly develops additional granular controls for copyright holders and estates. Other generative AI platforms will likely implement comparable safeguards to avoid similar controversies.

The move could standardize how digital representations get governed across platforms. Think of it as the moment when AI content creation grew up and realized actions have consequences  even digital ones.

Your AI Future Changes

Content creators face new limitations as respect trumps creativity.

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These restrictions reshape how youll use AI video tools for historical content or celebrity references. While the technology enables unprecedented creative possibilities, cultural sensitivity increasingly defines acceptable use. The incident demonstrates that even cutting-edge AI platforms must navigate the intersection of innovation and human dignity.

Digital legacy protection just became as important as the algorithms themselves. Your creative projects now need an ethics filter alongside the technical specs.

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OpenAI is once again walking back its rules for Sora after the estate of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. reached out to the tech giant about videos that users created featuring his likeness.

The Sora 2 video-generation tool has become a point of alarm in Hollywood over the ease and speed with which users can create content, including with recognizable characters and IP.

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The company released a joint statement with King Estate, Inc. addressing the concerns, with the tech giant saying that it has paused generations depicting Dr. King as it strengthens guardrails for historical figures.

The company noted that some users generated disrespectful depictions of Dr. Kings image, adding that while there are strong free speech interests in depicting historical figures, OpenAI believes public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used. Authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos.

Some Sora users depicted King making crude jokes and other inappropriate content. The generative AI system creates very realistic video and audio, and the videos created look and sound very close to those of King.

King is not the only deceased historical figure whose family has expressed outrage. Zelda Williams, the daughter of comic and actor Robin Williams, implored fans earlier this month to stop sending her gross videos of her father.

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Stop believing I wanna see it or that Ill understand, I dont and I wont, she wrote. If youre just trying to troll me, Ive seen way worse, Ill restrict and move on. But please, if youve got any decency, just stop doing this to him and to me, to everyone even, full stop. Its dumb, its a waste of time and energy, and believe me, its NOT what hed want.

The walk back from OpenAI follows a similar move around the use of intellectual property. While Sora uses an opt-in function for people, it initially let users create videos featuring well-known film and TV characters. Sam Altman walked that back after a few days.

First, we will give rightsholders more granular control over generation of characters, similar to the opt-in model for likeness but with additional controls, Altman wrote. We are hearing from a lot of rightsholders who are very excited for this new kind of interactive fan fiction and think this new kind of engagement will accrue a lot of value to them, but want the ability to specify how their characters can be used (including not at all).

Major talent agencies, likewise, are seeking to protect their clients however possible.

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BOSTON (WWLP)  U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the results of Operation Patriot 2.0, with more than 1,400 people arrested.

This operation follows a previous surge earlier this year that resulted in nearly 1,500 arrests across the state. The initiative is described as targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal records.

Massachusetts Governor Healey provides update on drag racing crackdown

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The launch of Operation Patriot 2.0 comes shortly after the Trump administration filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Boston and several of its leaders. The lawsuit accuses the city of violating immigration laws through its sanctuary policies.

From September 4 to September 30, ICE and federal law enforcement partners arrested 1,406 illegal alien offenders. Of those arrested, more than 600 had significant criminal convictions or pending criminal charges for crimes committed in the United States or were known foreign fugitives. There were 277 who had previously been ordered to be removed from the U.S.

Photos: Operation Patriot 2.0

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Those in ICE custody will remain pending the outcome of their removal proceedings or their deportation from the United States.

Patriot 2.0 exposed the grave consequences of sanctuary policies and the urgent need for local leaders to prioritize their constituents safety over politics, said acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. Every illegal alien we arrested during the operation was breaking U.S. immigration law, and hundreds were violent criminals who should never have been allowed to roam freely in our communities. Local law enforcement agencies released them instead of handing them over to us in a secure environment, and this puts neighborhoods, law enforcement officers and illegal aliens at risk. Local politicians are responsible for protecting their constituents, so they need to step up and end irresponsible sanctuary policies.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Download the 22News Plus app on your TV to watch live-streaming newscasts and video on demand.

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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

The accuracy of child car seat installation and restraint usage following education with a remotely located technician is noninferior to that with an on-site technician, according to a study published online Oct. 13 in Pediatrics.

David C. Schwebel, Ph.D., from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues conducted a noninferiority clinical trial from 2020 to 2023 at seven U.S. locations with 1,509 individuals who regularly drove vehicles with child restraints installed. Participants were randomly assigned to install a child restraint with assistance from a certified technician either live and on-site or remotely via interactive virtual presence.

The researchers found that the on-site group and remote group had unadjusted means of 97.7% and 95.6%, respectively, of installation/usage facets correct following the intervention. The adjusted difference was within the a priori noninferiority margin of 2.5%. Comparable findings were seen in sensitivity analyses controlling for demographics, how the restraint was previously installed, and installation type.

"Our results suggest that interactive virtual presence is a viable and effective alternative to live provision of professional technician assistance for child restraint installation," the authors write. "Implications are significant, as they offer data to support widespread dissemination of the strategy by industry, nonprofit, hospital/clinic, and/or government agencies."

More information: David C. Schwebel et al, Interactive Virtual Presence to Remotely Assist Parents With Car Seat Installation, Pediatrics (2025). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2025-071867 Journal information: Pediatrics

 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
This term, the Supreme Court has several cases on its docket, with several more close behind, dealing with Donald Trumps executive orders. Forget the unitary executive theory  Trump is pushing for what you might call a Harry Potter presidency. Thats where Trump waves his Article Two, says some magic words and gets to do whatever he wants.

Hes already done this repeatedly.

For example, his authority to unilaterally impose tariffs is before the court right now. While the issue in the current term is whether Trump has any authority to impose tariffs at all  the Constitution vests the tariff power with Congress  Trumps use of magic words isnt far behind. The statute in question, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, gives Trump the power to regulate trade only when there is an unusual and extraordinary threat. Trump believes that just saying the words, unusual and extraordinary threat gives him plenary authority that cant be questioned by a court.

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The technical legal argument hes making is that he alone has the authority to determine when there is an unusual and extraordinary threat and that whether such a threat really exists is a political question that cannot be reviewed by a court.

But Trumps efforts at constitutional magic are at their peak when it comes to deploying the American military in U.S. cities. Congress has given the president the authority to federalize and deploy the National Guard when one of three things is true: the U.S. has been invaded or is in danger of invasion by a foreign country; there is a rebellion or a danger of rebellion; or things are so bad that the president is unable to enforce the laws of the U.S. using regular forces.

In Los Angeles, Portland and Chicago, Trump got sued when he attempted to deploy the Guard over the state governors objections. Unable to prove that any of these three things had happened, he fell back on arguing that his claims that there is a rebellion and that federal law cant be enforced is a political question, and that courts dont have the authority to question his decision.

While district courts have consistently rejected Trumps claims, he has fared better (sort of) in the appellate courts, specifically the Ninth Circuit. It, too, rejects Trumps political question claim, but it overturned a preliminary injunction granted in the L.A. case on the grounds that, under an 1827 Supreme Court precedent called Martin v. Mott, Congress granted the president nearly absolute authority to decide when the facts justified deploying the National Guard.

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There is no question that these National Guard cases will be decided by the Supreme Court. When they are, here are a couple of things for the good justices to keep in mind.

If you step back a bit, its easy to see that Trumps wider claim that the courts have no authority to second-guess him when he activates emergency powers is constitutional nonsense. Presidents have no constitutional emergency authority. They only have the emergency powers granted to them by Congress. Although Congress can grant emergency powers to the president under certain conditions, a blanket grant of power would be unconstitutional.

In the case of the National Guard, the Constitution gives Congress the power of calling forth the militia. Therefore, if Congress did pass a law that allowed the president to deploy the National Guard whenever he felt like it, it would violate the non-delegation principle. So a law giving the president the authority to deploy the Guard under certain conditions must mean exactly what it says, no more and no less. In our constitutional order, it falls to the courts to determine whether those conditions exist and whether the president is complying with the law.

In short, Congress has no constitutional authority to give the president the unreviewable power to send the National Guard into the streets of American cities  and courts have a constitutional duty to ensure that the president colors inside the lines.

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This isnt just a constitutional issue, its a practical issue as well. Any presumption that the president is acting either in good faith or even rationally flies in the face of our current reality.

Consider the presidents public musings on Portland. He claims that Portland is burning to the ground. Its insurrectionists all over the place.  Turn on your television. Read your newspapers. Its burning to the ground. Trump also apparently believes that there are no glass storefronts in Portland. None of this is true.

This isnt political hyperbole  its further evidence of dementia revealing the same disconnect from reality as his claim that his uncle taught the Unabomber. At best, President Trump has confused the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 with whats going on in Portland today  which is nothing. Trump is confabulating again, and the court simply cannot ignore that.

In an ideal world filled with virtuous people, perhaps the Supreme Court could hold that courts must accept the presidents factual determinations at face value. But we do not live in an ideal world, and a rule barring courts from evaluating the evidence justifying the presidents assumption of emergency authority is a form of constitutional suicide.

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Theres a word for someone who can use magic words to get whatever they want. That word is king, and theres no room for one in our constitutional system of checks and balances.

Judicial restraint is a fine thing. Judicial abdication is not. If President Trump genuinely believes there is an insurrection that requires putting troops on the streets of American cities, he should have no problem proving that to a courts satisfaction. If he cannot or will not, the courts should send him packing.

Waiving Article Two and shouting Expecto presidentem! is no substitute for the rule of law.

Chris Truax is a charter member of the Society for the Rule of Law and an appellate attorney.

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In the 1871 novel "Middlemarch" by George Eliot  the pen name of Mary Ann Evans  the novelist wrote, Character is not cut in marble  it is not something solid and unalterable. It is something living and changing, and may become diseased like the body.

Sen. Lindsey Graham illustrates her point.

I was chief prosecutor for the terrorism trials at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, when President George Bush decided to transfer the high-value detainees from CIA black sites to Guantanamo to be prosecuted in military commissions rather than to the U.S. to be prosecuted in federal courts. Soon thereafter, the Supreme Court released its opinion in the case of Salem Hamdan  Osama bin Ladens driver  and struck down the military commissions Bush created by Executive Order. The Court said the President did not have unilateral authority to create military commissions and needed congressional authorization.

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Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham led the effort to reauthorize military commissions. In September 2006, I was invited to Grahams office to meet with him and McCain to discuss the legislation. I had known Graham for over 20 years. He was on the defense team in the first trial I did as an Air Force prosecutor in 1984. In that case, he and his co-counsel persuaded the judge to dismiss charges against their clients under a law that prohibits senior officials from trying to influence military criminal proceedings.

I made several recommendations during the meeting with McCain and Graham, which they agreed to include in the legislation. One of my recommendations was a prohibition on the Bush administration meddling in prosecutorial decision-making. Before the high-value detainees reached Guantanamo, I had near total autonomy as the Chief Prosecutor. That changed after Khalid Sheik Mohammed and 13 other former CIA captives arrived. Suddenly, senior officials in the Bush administration had a keen interest in what my office was doing, and they were not bashful about sharing their thoughts on how we should do our jobs.

No one had attempted to unlawfully influence the proceedings at that point, but I could see it coming. As the meeting ended, Sen. Graham asked me to draft language for the provisions I recommended and to send them to him, which I did the next day. The provision I wrote  No person may attempt to coerce or, by any unauthorized means, influence  the exercise of professional judgment by trial counsel or defense counsel  was included verbatim in the bill, which Congress passed, and President Bush signed into law.

President Donald Trump made it clear that if he was elected, he would take retribution against his perceived political enemies. High on his list was former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump hated Comey because of his handling of the Russian interference investigation and his frequent criticism of Trump. He hated James because of the half-billion-dollar civil judgment she obtained against him for fraud.

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He had vowed to humiliate, investigate, and prosecute his enemies, and he was not going to let anyone stop him. When Erik Siebert  the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia who Trump appointed in January  concluded that there was insufficient evidence to indict Comey and James, Trump fired him and installed one of his personal attorneys, Lindsey Halligan, even though she has never tried a criminal case. As expected, Halligan did exactly what Trump said he wanted done.

Kristen Welker asked Sen. Graham on "Meet the Press" last Sunday if Trump had crossed a line and undermined the independence of the Justice Department by insisting that Comey and James be indicted. Graham responded, It doesnt bother me one damn bit.

In 2006, during debate on the bill Graham introduced that protects Khalid Sheikh Mohammed  the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks  from the kind of outside meddling he now condones for Americans James Comey and Letitia James, Graham said: I say to my fellow Americans, it is not weakness, it is a strength, that we have three branches of government. It is not healthy for one branch of government to dominate the other two at a time of stress.

Graham was as right back then as he is wrong now. It is not healthy for one man  a wannabe king  to dominate the whole of government and subvert justice to exact personal revenge. Lindsey Grahams support for such conduct is clear evidence that his character has become fatally diseased.

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Opinion: Trump, Musk's Machiavellian FEMA hoax relies on people not understanding tax law

Opinion: Hegseth military security breach on Signal shows hypocrisy of Republican Party

Moe Davis is a retired Air Force Colonel and the former Chief Prosecutor at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He served as the Senior Specialist in National Security for the 111th Congress.

Moe Davis

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Opinion: Lindsey Graham character fatally diseased by supporting Trump
Let me be frank: The President of the United States is out of his mind, and nobodys doing a goddamned thing about it. What do I mean? Any number of red flags, really, but in particular right now its the latest five hundred words of blithering lunacy he shared on his bitcoin mining operation social media site Tuesday night. They are not the words of a man elected to lead the worlds most powerful nation. They are, instead, those of a malevolent Don Quixote tilting at a cancer-causing, bird-kill
Prosecutors are asking a judge to revoke the bail of a man accused of attacking a jogger on the Little Econ Greenway Trail in July because he made a series of social media posts about a witness in the case after he bailed out, court records show.

This comes as he also faces a new charge of attempted murder.

The motion filed by prosecutors Thursday said Jacoby Tillman was ordered to stay away from anyone involved in the case, including witnesses, when the judge granted him a $9,500 bail.

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If I get any inkling that you have violated the conditions of pretrial release, you will be arrested on a no bond warrant and you will be put right back in jail, the judge told him during his bail hearing.

However, prosecutors said Tillman posted to both Instagram and TikTok about a woman who spoke to reporters about his case.

Stop Going To The News Telling Lies u just mad cause u aint getting this Anymore, a caption on a TikTok post showing a text message, screen shotted in the filing, said.

The witness said the text message was one she once sent to Tillman.

Another screen shot from Instagram shows the account belonging to Tillman wrote, Shes lying. Shes just mad cause I left her.

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A check of both accounts Friday showed the posts had been deleted.

Before his arrest, Tillman allegedly made comments that he did not want to rape the jogger, but instead kill her. Prosecutors said he claimed he wanted to know what it was like to choke someone out.

Prosecutors also said he had plans to flee to Texas before his arrest.

Tillman was also found guilty of a second incident involving a female jogger back in 2022.

The victim in that incident, Nuri Quin, called Tillmans bail heartbreaking when she found out about it.

You obviously cant prevent people from doing wrong, Quin said. You can only protect yourself, implement safety.

A hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday.

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said preparations are under way for a planned "peace summit" between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Budapest.

He spoke about this with Trump by telephone on Thursday evening and immediately initiated preparations, Orban said on Hungarian state radio on Friday. He said he would speak to Putin by phone later on Friday.

Trump announced the meeting after speaking to Putin by phone on Thursday, saying it would take place "probably over the next two weeks."

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Orban said Trump had told him the foreign ministers of Russia and the US would hold talks first and that a meeting between Trump and Putin could then take place a week later.

Orban called Trump's decision to chose the Hungarian capital as the meeting's venue "logical."

Budapest is "essentially the only place in Europe where such a meeting can be held" because it is the only country in Europe that has been "on the side of peace" since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, he said.

The phrase "we are on the side of peace" has been used repeatedly by Orban to justify his attempts to block EU sanctions against Moscow and EU aid for Kiev. He often accuses the European Commission of warmongering.

Hungary is six months away from parliamentary elections and, according to observers, Orban is in danger of losing his majority for the first time since taking office in 2010.
Editor's note: The story is being updated.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Oct. 17, without providing details.

The phone call follows an announcement that in the coming weeks, Budapest will host a meeting between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump as part of efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

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Trump announced the planned summit on Oct. 16, following a more than two-hour call with Putin, which took place only a day before President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House.

Orban, Hungary's illiberal leader who has opposed aid to Ukraine and maintains warm ties with Russia, called the meeting "great news for the peace-loving people of the world," adding that Budapest is "ready" to host the presidents.

The Hungarian strongman is also a close ideological ally of Trump, who endorsed him for the upcoming parliamentary elections in 2026.

The summit would be Putin's first visit to an EU country since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which marked an effective breakdown of relations between Moscow and much of Europe.

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Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who held phone calls with top Russian officials earlier on Oct. 17, vowed that Hungary will ensure Putin's security during the negotiations.

Putin's foreign travels have been hampered by an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2023 over the deportation of Ukrainian children.

Under the ICC's Rome Statute, Hungary remains obligated to detain Putin. Although the Central European country announced its intention to leave the ICC earlier this year, the move will take effect only next June.

Read also: What to expect from Zelensky-Trump meeting as Ukraine hopes for Tomahawks

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Several Oregon advocacy groups have accused federal authorities of unlawfully denying detainees access to legal representation.

The lawsuit that Innovation Law Lab filed on behalf of Clear Clinic and Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste on Thursday has alleged that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection are violating the U.S. Constitution by neglecting to allow detained people to exercise their right to counsel before being transferred to another location.

New chapter: Portland property sold in auction after years of disarray

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Attorneys who attempted to meet with Oregonians who were being held in the agencies Portland and Eugene offices were denied access, according to the complaint. In Portland specifically, plaintiffs claimed that CLEAR Clinics immigration lawyers have repeatedly been denied full or partial access to 20 of their current or potential clients over the past four to five months.

Court documents further alleged that one attorney watched as law enforcement loaded detainees into vehicles with Washington plates and transported them elsewhere, and others waited at the local ICE facility for several hours as federal agents gave them conflicting information on why they couldnt meet clients.

Some agents have denied lawyers the ability to share documents with their clients, leaving them unable to review critical documents, according to Innovation Law Lab.

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Plaintiffs also cited the immigration arrest quotas that President Donald Trumps administration has put into pace.

The resounding theme coming from the administration is that immigration agents should do whatever they need to do to deliver mass arrests and detentions  especially in places like Oregon, which have been identified as sanctuary jurisdictions, Stephen Manning wrote. They have quotas to meet, little accountability, and a mandate to ensure that everybody is targeted.

In addition to the complaint, Innovation Law Lab has filed a motion for a temporary restraining order on behalf of CLEAR Clinic and PCUN. The motion seeks to prohibit defendants from transferring detainees away from the District of Oregon if they were held without a valid judicial warrant and taken into civil immigration custody after Oct. 15.

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If approved, the motion would be in effect for at least three days.

Washington co-leads suit against EPA for stalling low-income solar energy program

In a statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin contended that every single detainee is granted due process.

No lawbreakers in the history of human civilization have been treated better than illegal aliens in the United States, McLaughlin said. All detainees are provided ample opportunity to communicate with their attorneys and family members Get a grip.

KOIN 6 has also reached out to ICE and CBP for comment. This story will be updated when we hear back.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Oregon has a reputation for its breathtaking natural beauty, ranging from its thick forests to the craggy Pacific coast. It is well known for its wine flowing from the Willamette Valley and for being home to progressive, quirky Portland. And its been long lauded as an early childhood trailblazer, having launched the first relief nursery for struggling families in 1976 and one of the first state-funded expansions of Head Start in 1987. Since 2016, the state has moved forward with major investments in pre-K as well as an enhanced tax credit for young children from low-income families.

But recently, the states legislature has taken steps aimed at rolling back some of the Beaver States early care and education progress  and now its on a path toward becoming the canary in the coal mine for child care retrenchment.

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Child care advocates have had their eyes on Oregon for some time as the state has developed and implemented its vision for a comprehensive statewide early childhood system focused on access and equity. In 2016, the state launched Preschool Promise, a statewide publicly funded pre-K system for children from low- and moderate-income families. In 2020, voters in Multnomah county in Portland approved the Preschool for All measure, which is designed to build a universal pre-K system while protecting infant and toddler slots, all funded by a tax on high-earning households in the county.

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But Oregons notable progress in early childhood is now on rocky ground as the state pulls back on its funding for these systems.

In June, the Democratic-controlled Oregon Legislature agreed to cut $20 million from Preschool Promise, a 10% decrease that, per Oregon Public Broadcasting, could necessitate cutting slots for up to 640 students. Other early childhood programs unrelated to preschool, such as those focused on early health and parenting education, will also see substantial cuts.

Separately, in June, there was a last-minute attempt by Oregon legislators to slip an amendment into a study bill on the interaction between state and local tax systems that would have sunset Multnomah Countys universal pre-K system by 2027 by forbidding Multnomah from further collecting the tax. The effort was supported by Oregons Democratic governor, Tina Kotek, who said in a statement around that time that If Portland does not rebound in the way we think it can, the downstream impacts on our economy will end up costing our most vulnerable and lowest income Oregonians the most. Specifically, Kotek and others have expressed a fear that the tax would cause Portland-area millionaires to move to other states. In the face of vociferous opposition by Multnomah politicians and advocates, as well as research suggesting those fears were largely unfounded, the effort has fizzled out for now.

The driving force behind the Preschool Promise cuts and the proposed wind-down of Multnomahs universal pre-K program is a poor economic forecast that has led to declining projections of corporate taxes, which is the primary way Oregon funds its statewide early childhood programs. As one of the top exporting states in the nation, Oregons economy  and corporate tax base  is particularly exposed to effects from the Trump administrations tariff policies. The legislature was clearly, in the words of Democratic Sen. Lisa Reynolds, reluctant to take these actions.

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The big question is whether Oregon is an outlier or a trendsetter. So far, the evidence points toward trendsetter. While few states with specialized funding sources or especially healthy economies, such as New Mexico and Connecticut, have been making major progress in early care and education, many states have begun taking worrying steps to walk back funding in 2025. Thats not surprising. As states begin to wrestle with the downstream impacts of the Republican reconciliation package, which will require more state backfilling of Medicaid and SNAP funding if they want to avoid benefit cuts, theyre looking for ways to cut costs.

For instance, as of January, many major counties in Colorado, including Denver, have instituted enrollment freezes for their states child care subsidy program due to underfunding and compliance with Biden-era policy changes, which required increased per-child reimbursement rates and lower parent copays. In May and August, respectively, Maryland and New Jersey also enacted subsidy enrollment freezes. In early September, Indiana announced it was cutting subsidy reimbursement rates by 10% to 35%  based on the age group of children served  to help close a state budget gap, a move which will likely cause many programs to stop accepting children from families that use subsidies. And Arkansas announced that it was going to a single flat reimbursement rate regardless of program quality, which would result in an average rate cut of nearly 20%  and then delayed the move after widespread protestation.

Related

To Strengthen the Early Care and Education System, Funding Reform Is Needed

In each of these cases, there are state eccentricities at play. Colorado, for example, sets subsidy reimbursement rates and parent copays by county, not at the state level, meaning the new federal regulations have caused uneven consequences. In Indiana, critics point to the states new school voucher system as a big reason for their budget shortfall.

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The common theme, however, is that child care keeps finding itself on the chopping block despite all the political champions that have been cultivated across the years.

This retreat, even among states that have been leaders in early learning, sends a major warning signal to advocates, philanthropists and policymakers. The reality is that its easier to cut an issue area like child care, which while popular with voters, isnt particularly powerful politically, than to slash services protected constitutionally, like schools, or those with huge constituencies, like health care or business. State legislators may be reluctant to drop the knife on child care, but we can already see that they will.

Ultimately, a federally-funded solution for child care is needed to smooth out state differences, but so long as states are holding the bag, it is important that as they envision, develop and implement solutions, leaders are seeking out ways to protect the progress they make. That might include creative alliances with family policy advocates working on school-aged or elder care, building sustainable child care funding streams like dedicated trust funds and establishing a constitutional right to early care and education.

Efforts like these can help insulate child care from the vagaries of state budgeting and the chaos of the current administrations policies. If reliably liberal Oregon, a state thats prioritized early childhood for years, is starting to make child care cuts, then every state should be preparing to stand firm in the face of the approaching storm.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A Madras man, who is a registered sex offender, was sentenced to federal prison on Thursday for attempting to sexually abuse a child.

Ernesto Torres, 45, was sentenced to 10 years behind bars and a 20-year term of supervised release.

Torres used Facebook Messenger to chat with an apparent 15-year-old girl. The child was an undercover deputy with the Deschutes County Sheriffs Office. In the ensuing months, Torres requested sexual images, discussed sexual acts he wished to perform, and tried to set up a meeting with the decoy child, officials said. On December 1, 2024, Torres drove from Madras to Redmond to meet with the child. In the chat records, Torres expressed a desire to take the child to a cabin roughly 50 miles away.

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Torres was indicted by a grand jury in Eugene on Dec. 19, 2024, charging him with attempted coercion, enticement of a minor and attempting to use a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct.

Torres was located and arrested by federal agents on Jan. 10. He pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor on July 15.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
ANDOVER  A long-standing cooperative effort between the Community Counseling Center and Anchor of Hope was further solidified Wednesday afternoon when the two organizations celebrated coming together in one building with a ribbon-cutting.

The Anchor of Hope has been in existence for nine years, working as a referral agency for people in need of a wide variety of treatment, co-founder Jason Hockran said.

CCC President and CEO Paul Bolino said it has been great working with the Anchor of Hope for many years, and he is excited about having a physical presence in the village.

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Hockran and Bolino said it was important to have counseling services in a specific spot because the growing world of online counseling has weaknesses, especially in rural areas such as Andover.

The main thing we do is to provide a constant presence, Hockran said.

Tours of the facility were provided, including an area where a care coordinator will be employed by both organizations to best use the footprint of the building, Bolino said.

Each organization also has separate rooms for their needs, he said.

Bolino said CCC has been seeking a facility in Andover, and the right fit had not occurred, until now.

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This location came up, and it seems like the perfect place, he said.

More than 30 people attended the event.

Some of the services to be provided include outpatient counseling, substance abuse counseling, access to a psychiatrist and peer support organizations, Bolino said.

He said 130 people are employed by the agency at the headquarters in Ashtabula Township, and in Conneaut and Geneva.

A new CCC headquarters is presently being fine-tuned on State Road in Ashtabula Township. Bolino said all the internal and external demolition is complete and the contractors hope to paint the building before the end of the year.

Bolino said he hopes to have workers in the building in 2026, which will improve the counseling experience for clients and staff.
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:

Community health workers en route to deliver care to people in remote communities. Credit: Pivot

The idea that building better health care systems can improve and save people's lives may seem obvious, but until now there has been little published with the data and statistical muscle to prove it.

The best evidence yet may have just arrived from a remote, forested district of Madagascar.

Since 2014, a team led by researchers from the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, the health care delivery nonprofit Pivot, and the Ministry of Public Health of Madagascar has worked to create a model health system in the district of Ifanadiana that provides universal access to basic health care to the region's 200,000 residents.

A new study measuring the impact of this data-driven health-strengthening project conclusively demonstrates success. Infant, child, maternal, and overall deaths fell, even in the face of catastrophic damage from one of the strongest cyclones ever recorded, ongoing political turmoil, and deadly outbreaks of COVID-19, plague, malaria, and measles. Families in the district used more health services, especially for mothers and children, and barriers to care such as distance and cost became less severe.

By contrast, the study showed that during the same period, outcomes and access to health care worsened across the rest of the country.

"The number of children under five who died in the district fell by 30 percent in the decade after Pivot launched this project," said Matthew Bonds, associate professor of global health and social medicine at HMS, cofounder of Pivot, and co-senior author of the study, published in PLOS Medicine. "That's a great start."

But Bonds pointed out that the team was not planning on stopping any time soon. "Our goal is zero preventable deaths."

The data were so encouraging that even before the paper was published, the Ministry of Public Health in Madagascar asked Pivot to expand its project to a region of 1 million people. Madagascar's minister of public health, Zely Arivelo Randriamanantany, is co-senior author of the study.

Bonds says that the secret to achieving these resultsand to collecting convincing evidence that stronger health systems are behind the improvements in careis lock-step integration of science and implementation since before the program launched.

A new beginning

Bonds first visited Madagascar in 2012 as part of a team asked to assess whether there was an opportunity to improve global health delivery and research efforts in the country. Madagascar was one of the few countries in Africa where health outcomes had been steadily getting worse in recent years.

Bonds was traveling with Michael L. Rich, HMS assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. At the time, the two were colleagues at the international health care delivery nonprofit Partners In Health in Rwanda, where they were doing groundbreaking work leveraging scientific research to improve health in a challenging setting. Rich would later become a cofounder of Pivot and co-author of the new study.

In one clinic they visited in Ifanadiana, they found a nine-year-old girl with malaria. The survival rate for malaria in Madagascar then was 50 percent.

"It's a disease that is very preventable and treatable," Bonds said. "Nobody should be dying."

Things didn't look good for the patient. The girl was experiencing agonal breathing, the rapid, shallow, gasping breaths that signal hypoxia and too often warn that death is near. The clinic didn't have any medicine or supplies to treat the girl, but Rich purchased antibiotics, an IV bag, and some quinine from a private source and was able to save her life.

Bonds and Rich saw the great need they witnessed as an opportunity to show beyond the shadow of a doubt what a difference an integrated health system could make in places like Ifanadiana.

Why implementation science is so challenging

Those working in the global health space today can find themselves stuck between knowing how easy it can be to solve a problem and seeing how tenaciously the problem persists, Bonds says. Research can help.

"I'm not a physician, so my goal is to help break this impasse by using science and data to find the best ways to get care to the people who need it," he said.

In global health, many studies show the impact of single interventions. It has been shown that vaccines and mosquito nets, antibiotics and supportive care, prenatal care, and obstetric care can all, separately, save lives in trial conditions. But it has been trickier to show how to increase life expectancies in the overall population, not just people who signed up for a trial or a specific program. To do that, one must address multiple causes of mortality, which requires an effective health system that can deliver the whole package of basic care that people might need over the long term.

Why is such a simple solution so hard to demonstrate?

The kinds of places that lack strong health systems can also be difficult places to do rigorous scientific studies, Bonds says. It's especially hard to create both at the same time.

In Rwanda, for example, data collection capacity didn't ramp up until years after the health care system had begun strengthening, so the opportunity was lost to measure any benefit from those early years.

Teams have to balance the urgent need to deliver care with the challenge of gathering clean data. Sometimes researchers don't have access to baseline data on demographics, health care usage, or clinical outcomes that predate the intervention they want to study. Sometimes the time frame for the implementation and research is too short. For example, it takes at least five years to measure an impact on under-five mortality rates, and research grants are rarely funded long enough to allow that.

Bonds said the Madagascar team was fortunate in that Pivot had funders, including cofounders Jim and Robin Herrnstein, who understood the importance of long-term research and that collaborators in the government understood the value of building capacity to collect data.

Health and science, inseparably linked

To make sure that they had a reliable baseline against which they could measure progress, Pivot team members began building their research infrastructure at the same time as they prepared to stock clinics with medicine and deploy community health care workers.

To study how the community used the health system and how improvements changed health, they created surveys and built data collection into every level of the system.

They also took advantage of the staggered growth of the health system-strengthening effort to have a solid comparison group. Instead of comparing people from Ifanadiana to other districts with different social, economic, and health characteristics, they compared neighbors who lived in the part of the district covered in an initial set of improvements in 2014 to those who lived in the area covered by a second wave that rolled out in 2021.

Instead of looking at a simple before and after picture, the team regularly collected new data and used it to make the health system stronger.

"Strengthening the health system and the science together fueled a feedback loop that continues to generate better results for the people of Ifanadiana," said Andres Garchitorena, first author of the PLOS Medicine study, associate scientific director at Pivot, and former postdoctoral fellow at HMS.

For a 2020 study published in International Journal of Health Geographics and a 2021 study in Health Policy and Planning, Felana Ihantamalala, a co-author of the PLOS Medicine study and former postdoctoral fellow at HMS; Garchitorena; Bonds; and colleagues used a combination of remote sensing and researchers traveling on foot throughout the district to map every building, road, and winding path through the forest that people would travel to get to health care. They found that people who lived more than five kilometers from a health center were exponentially less likely to seek care for a child's illness.

When they saw the results of that study, Pivot focused more effort on the community health arm of the health system, bringing care to the people who were too far from a health center to make the walk with a sick child.

A simple plan

Overall, the intervention was straightforward. Pivot worked to make sure that every level of health care in Ifanadiana has what Partners In Health calls the "Five S's"staff, stuff, space, systems, and social supportnecessary to ensure that people across the district had access to a fundamental package of care, including prevention and treatment.

Care is available through community health workers who visit people in their homes as well as through widely distributed health centers, ambulances, and a district hospital.

The research generated throughout the implementation allowed the team to analyze copious data from 2014 to 2023 for the new study, including clinical records and household health survey data from a representative sample of the whole district.

Co-author Luc Rakotonirina, Pivot's deputy national director, who oversees clinical operations and logistics, says that Pivot's research is an integrated, inseparable part of the operation.

"The community health and clinical care teams help the science team figure out what questions to ask, and the science team brings us the information we need to know in order to improve care," Rakotonirina said. "We're all working to save lives."

More information: Andres Garchitorena et al, Changes in child mortality and population health following 10 years of health systems strengthening in rural Madagascar: A longitudinal cohort study, PLOS Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004549 Journal information: PLoS Medicine
The British Library has reinstated the suspended library card of revered Irish author Oscar Wilde, who died in 1900.

Wildes access to the British Museum Reading Room was revoked in 1895 after the gay writer was convicted of gross indecency and sentenced to two years in prison. Sexual relationships between men were illegal in the U.K. until 1967.

Wildes newly issued card was expected to be collected Thursday  on what would have been his 171st birthday  by his grandson, author Merlin Holland, according to the BBC.

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Holland said his grandfather had been in prison for three months when his library privileges were revoked and wouldnt have been aware of the insult, which is probably just as well.

However, the restitution of his ticket is a lovely gesture of forgiveness and Im sure his spirit will be touched and delighted, Holland said in June when the library announced its intentions to honor Wilde.

The British Library boasts a collection of the influential dramatists works. That includes a handwritten copy of his 1895 play The Importance of Being Earnest and a love letter Wilde penned to fellow poet Lord Alfred Douglas from prison.

Wildes fall from grace followed an ill-fated libel case in which it was proven that he and Douglas were in a relationship. The writer hoped to salvage his reputation by presenting an argument to the contrary. He was soon after arrested on indecency charges, according to History.com.

Wilde died at 46 from meningitis, shortly after emerging from captivity and relocating to Paris.
Three prominent now-former employees of the Oklahoma State Department of Education received extra money in their paychecks in the final days of the administration of state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters.

Walters Texas-based chief adviser, Matt Langston, the agencys former chief of staff, Matt Mohler, and its former deputy chief of staff for academic affairs, Todd Loftin, received between $5,000 and $30,000 in the weeks leading up to Walters' exit, state payroll records show.

As superintendent, Walters frequently awarded large bonuses and payouts to high-ranking employees, including his advisers who helped him craft his controversial agenda for public schools. Such bonuses often were coded as regular pay in the state payroll system.

Matt Langston is one of a group of prominent now-former Oklahoma State Department of Education employees who received thousands in extra pay during the final days of state Superintendent Ryan Walters' administration.

Langstons regular monthly salary for 2025 was $12,500 a month. But in August, he received an extra $15,000 for working zero hours, and in September, his check was for $27,500  an additional $15,000 over his regular pay rate. Susan Miller, who leads the agency's human resources office, said Langston received performance bonuses in both August and September.

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Miller provided the explanation to The Oklahoman hours after the agency's interim spokesperson, Tara Thompson, said agency officials were "working to find the answers to questions about the extra payments.

Mohler, a political ally of Langston who joined the agency earlier this year, had a monthly salary of $15,833.34. He received $28,333.33 in September  an extra $12,500. In both March and July, he received $12,500 for working zero hours. All of it was coded as regular pay, though Miller said those were quarterly performance bonuses.

Loftin, who rose from a mid-level agency employee to deputy chief of staff under Walters, had a monthly salary of $10,416.67, but he received $15,416.67 in August. He was also paid $14,800 in March. All of it, as with Langston and Mohler, was coded as regular pay. Miller said Loftin received performance bonuses in both March and August.

Langston left the agency with Walters on Sept. 30. Mohler and Loftin departed soon thereafter following the appointment of new Superintendent Lindel Fields.

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An email sent to Langston seeking comment was not yet returned, and a text message sent to Loftin did not receive an immediate response. A request for comment from Walters, who now works in the private sector, also has not been answered.

Mohler did reply to a text, saying, "Thanks for the opportunity to respond, no comment."

As Walters' right-hand adviser, Langston was paid a high salary despite only occasional trips to Oklahoma City to work at the Oliver Hodge Building, which houses the state Education Department. Online news outlet Oklahoma Watch, citing public key-card entry records, reported in September that Langston showed up at the Hodge Building on 27 days in 2023, 11 days in 2024 and four days in 2025.

Records show Langston earned $113,500 in 2023 for what the agency said then was part-time work and an estimated $150,000 in 2024. In January 2025 alone, state payroll records show he received $45,000, although its uncertain if that included bonuses Walters awarded to certain agency employees.

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For 2025, he received $175,500 in state wages in nine months.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OSDE employees close to Ryan Walters left with thousands in extra pay
SEATTLE (AP)  The special delivery arrived in a plastic storage box after a chartered flight in bouncy single-propeller plane. Veterinarian Susan Shaffer Sookram snipped the zip ties securing the lid and greeted the cargo: four dogs, one with a gray collar bearing its name, Happy.

What a scary ride!" she said. You made it!

As officials in Alaska work around the clock on one of the most significant airlift operations in state history  evacuating more than 1,000 people from remote, flood-battered villages on the coast of the Bering Sea  another rescue operation is playing out: getting the dogs left behind to safety, in hopes of later reuniting them with their owners.

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The pet shelters closest to the devastated villages are in Bethel, a regional hub around 90 miles (150 kilometers) away by boat or plane.

When Bethel Friends of Canines, a nonprofit that helps rehome animals, learned that 50 to 100 dogs might be abandoned in one of the villages, Kipnuk, it scrambled to charter a plane to evacuate them.

It costs us $3,000 to do this so and we dont know how many times were gonna have to do it, organizer Jesslyn Elliott said by phone Wednesday. Weve never had a natural disaster to this, like, magnitude. So this is all very, very foreign and new to us. So were just kind of winging it.

The first flight arrived in Bethel on Wednesday night, and more happened Thursday. Dozens of dogs have passed through her kennel since the floods began. The nonprofit had raised more than $22,000 after pleading on Facebook for donations.

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The flooding, caused by remnants of Typhoon Halong, has damaged homes in 11 small rural communities, with no more than a few hundred residents, according to FEMA. Many homes cannot be repaired until next summer as winter temperatures and snow are forecast for this month.

State officials began airlifting people to Anchorage on Wednesday, as local leaders in Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, near the Bering Sea, asked to evacuate residents and as shelters in Bethel neared capacity. At least one resident of Kwigillingok was confirmed dead, and the search for two others was called off after their how was swept away.

Pets were not allowed on the military evacuation flights. State officials have said that the evacuation of people is the priority.

Bethel Friends of Canines received dogs throughout the week as people fleeing their homes arrived by boat and by plane. There are no roads connecting towns in the area.

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Many of the pets owners want them back soon, but need time to prepare temporary lodgings in cities like Anchorage and Nome, which are more than 250 miles (400 kilometers) away.

Before the devastating floods, Bethel Friends of Canines typically held 15 to 20 dogs at any one time. Now as many as 15 dogs have arrived on a single flight. Elliott expects most of the additional dogs to stay in Bethel temporarily before being reunited with their owners or extended family that can foster them.

At least eight dogs had been reunited with owners in Anchorage as of Thursday morning, she said.

Homes in affected villages are so damaged that they many not be livable in the winter, emergency management officials said Wednesday, and forecasters said rain and snow could arrive this weekend.

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With the human population in Kipnuk shrinking each day, the animal caretakers in Bethel realized they had to act fast, before everyone who knew the dogs was gone.

Theres going to be nobody left there, said Sookram, the veterinarian, in a phone interview. Were having to kind of accelerate how the animals are going to be leaving places only accessible by, at first, helicopter and now small planes,

Some of the last people to stay behind and serve the community are teachers. Schools in flooded towns have served as emergency shelters and meeting places through the relief effort.

Back in Kipnuk, the dog with the gray collar, Happy, was found waiting on its owners clothes, refusing to move or eat, by teacher Jacqui Lang. She said in a text message that the dog has since been reunited with its family.

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She's one of two or three teachers who helped wrangle the pets to be loaded at the airstrip, according to Lower Kuskokwim School District Superintendent Andrew Hannibal Anderson.

When Bethel Friends of Canines worker Matthew Morgan landed in Kipnuk on Wednesday, the teachers had fed the dogs, coaxed them into crates and labeled them with tags listing their owners.

Youve got some heroes out in Kipnuk. Theyre like the last people left there, Morgan said. Without them, "it would have been chasing dogs all night in the mud.

___

Associated Press writer Jesse Bedayn in Denver contributed.
As we approach the end of a year in which the Israel-Palestine conflict and the war in Gaza have found their way into many film industry debates  from the Film Workers for Palestine petition signed by over 4,000 Hollywood professionals calling for the boycott of Israeli film institutions to the ongoing controversy over MUBIs investment from Sequoia Capital, which also invested in three Israeli defense companies  the Other Israel Film Festival is attempting to offer some common ground. The festival, which aims to offer a nuanced perspective on Israeli life by programming the work of both Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, has announced the lineup for its 19th annual edition, which will once again take place at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan in November.

The festival will begin with the North American premiere of The Sea, Israels official Oscar submission from director Shai Carmeli-Pollak that follows a Palestinian boy who sneaks into Israel in an attempt to see the sea. The rest of the programming includes a mix of narrative and documentary films about Israel and Palestine, many of which deal with the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, such as Nurit Kedars I Cried in Gaza, Stephen Apkons There Is Another Way, and Jerome Sesquins Israel: Ministers of Chaos.

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At a time when both governments and the public are working to silence Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, we are committed to amplifying their voices, Isaac Zablocki, executive director of the Other Israel Film Festival said in a statement. Film and conversation remain the most powerful tools for cultural change.

The festival did not immediately respond to IndieWires request for further comment.

The 2025 Other Israel Film Festival runs from November 6-13 at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan. Keep reading for the complete lineup, with language about the films provided by the festival.

Opening Night: The Sea

North American Premiere, Dir. Shai Carmeli-Pollak, Narrative | Israel | 2025 | 96 min

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Khaled, a 12-year-old boy from a Palestinian village, travels to the sea for the first time during a school trip. But at the military checkpoint, he is denied entry and sent home. Determined, Khaled sneaks into Israel and embarks on a journey to the sea. When his father, an undocumented laborer working in Israel, learns that his son is missing, he risks everything to search for Khaled.

I Cried in Gaza

International Premiere, Dir. Nurit Kedar, Documentary | Israel | 2025 | 55 min

After October 7, Israeli women were recruited for active combat for the first time since 1948. According to Israels Rehabilitation Department of the Ministry of Defense, 5,000 women combat soldiers have undergone mental health treatment. The film shares the experiences, memories, and post-traumatic stress of women warriors who fought in Gaza and Lebanon.

Rabbi Capoeira

New York Premiere, Dir. Barak Heymann, Documentary | Israel | 2024 | 69 min

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How does a shy ultra-Orthodox guy become a world master in capoeira? And how does the ultra-Orthodox community of his city, Bnei Brak, react to the revolution hes determined to bring about? Rabbi Capoeira follows Miki Hayats five-year Sisyphean journey to connect spirit and body, bridging fears and dreams.

There Is Another Way

Dir. Stephen Apkon, Documentary | Palestine/Israel/US | 2025 | 67 min

Amid the escalating conflict, two-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee Combatants for Peace, a group of former enemy combatants, Israeli and Palestinian, works together to find common ground and shape a more hopeful future. This film asserts an alternative to war and that another path is possible for humanity.

A Place of Her Own

Dir. Adi Toledano, Dana Pney-Gil, Documentary | Israel | 2025 | 60 min

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In Jisr az-Zarqa, an impoverished Arab village, a group of women seize a chance to build a long-desired community center. As violence shakes the village and a luxury development threatens their land, their hope for change is tested as they strive for a place of their own.

The Smugglers

World Premiere, Dir. Tony Copti, Yaniv Berman, Documentary | Israel/Palestine | 2025 | 86 min

In the heart of Jaffas old city, a rare Arabic bookshop cafe is dedicated to preserving its language and literature. As the bookstore faces closure, owner Michel George El-Raheb and his nephew journey across the Middle East, with a mission: to launch a public Arabic book festival in Jaffa, designed to spark a cultural revival.

Holding Liat

Dir. Brandon Kramer, Documentary | US | 2025 | 97 min

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On October 7, 2023, Israeli-American Liat Atzili and her husband, Aviv, were kidnapped during Hamas attack and taken hostage in Gaza along with 250 other people12 of whom, like Liat, are American citizens. Caught between international diplomacy and a rapidly escalating war, their family must face their own uncertainty and conflicting perspectives in the pursuit of Liat and Avivs release.

Israel: Ministers of Chaos 

East Coast Premiere, Dir. Jerome Sesquin, Documentary | France | 2025 | 58 min

An investigation into the rise of Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, two ministers driving Israels government, as they push a controversial agenda to reshape the nations democracy and expand its borders under a biblical vision.

Eid

New York Premiere, Dir. Yousef Abo Madegem, Narrative | Israel | 2024 | 90 min

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Eid, a young man from Rahat, dreams of becoming a playwright. When his parents arrange a marriage for him against his will, his life takes an unexpected turn. Trapped between tradition and his own desires, he fights for his freedom and dreams within Bedouin society while grappling with his childhood trauma.

Starring Shadi Mari (Fauda, Our Boys), who won an Israeli Academy Award for his role, this is the first feature film directed by a Bedouin filmmaker.

The Village Leagues

International Premiere, Dir. Tal Michael, David Ofek, Documentary | Israel | 2024 | 60 min

It was Israels great political experiment in the West Bank and Gaza before the intifada. Tahsin Mansour, once mayor of the Palestinian village of Azzoun, now lives isolated by war and a roadblock that turned his home into an enclave. Reflecting on his role in the Village Leaguesan Israeli-backed attempt at Palestinian-Israeli peacehe recalls both the promise of diplomacy and the devastating backlash, as members were denounced as traitors and persecuted.

Open Wound

North American Premiere, Dir. Yousef Abo Madegem, Ofir Trainin, Documentary | Israel | 2024 | 51 min

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The identity crisis of the Bedouins in the Negev has only intensified since October 7, as they are torn between Palestinian roots, family in Gaza, and their Israeli citizenship. The stories of five people, each dealing with the crisis in their own way, reveal the complexities and internal conflicts as they cope with a changing reality.

Some Notes on the Current Situation

North American Premiere, Dir. Eran Kolirin, Narrative | Israel | 2025 | 79 min

A philosophical tragicomedy about space, time, cinema, and wars, composed of six episodes, all together forming an absurdist footnote  somewhat divorced from reality  to the current events in the known universe.

Closing Night: Bella

Dir. Jamal Khalaily, Zohar Shachar, Narrative | Israel, Belgium | 2025 | 75 min, Directors Presentation

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When Yakis sole inheritance, an extremely valuable dove, is taken by his childhood friend, he embarks on a wild road trip across Israel and Palestine. What follows is a series of comical misadventuresnavigating checkpoints, ruining a wedding, and even car theftall in a desperate race to get the dove to a beauty pageant in Jerusalem.

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Oct. 16JBissett @DominionPost.com FAIRMONT  Resolved: You know, when you think about that Mothman and that Flatwoods Monster, you do kind of have to wonder, if you know what I'm saying.

I mean, a lot of people were basically telling the same story.

Must be something to it.

Right ?

Opposed: Well, let's look at that, for a second.

People weren't really sure what they did see  and even the ones who didn't see anything at all were still quick to jump on and say they were there, too.

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And you know there's always going to be that one guy, lurking around the edges, ready to cash in on the merchandising.

Heck, what's-his-name, Mothman, even got a movie and statue out of the deal ... right ?

Just in time for Halloween, Fairmont State University's winning debate team is taking on a fog-shrouded argument, as it were.

FSU's Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center  the repurposed barn is said to be haunted, but that's another tale  is hosting the debates, which will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 27 and 12:30 p.m. Oct. 28.

The team is pairing off to argue the existence, for or against, of the aforementioned, plus all those other cryptids who make the Mountain State a spooky, mystical place  even when a carved pumpkin and store-bought cobwebs aren't involved.

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The prequel to the story ...

For the uninitiated, "cryptids " are those animals or creatures that simply defy standard genus-species characterization.

The name is derived from the practice of cryptozoology, which was founded by Bernard Heuvelmans, a zoologist who traveled the world seeking the marquee origins of such lore.

Is it science or pseudoscience ? Depends upon your boundaries of cryptid conviction.

The Loch Ness Monster, of bonny Scotland, is likely the original cryptid, at least in turns of pop culture.

Add the inimitable Yeti  AKA the Abominable Snowman who has haunted the Himalayas for generations  in there also.

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Don't forget Sasquatch (Bigfoot), who enjoys scaring the pine cones out of people in the Pacific Northwest when he isn't cutting beef jerky commercials.

Cryptids in these climes are indeed folklore, Robert Tinnell says.

Tinnell, who grew up in and around Fairmont and Marion County, is a writer and filmmaker.

West Virginia's collective cryptid oeuvre, as he told The Dominion Post previously, owes itself to the very people and land here.

Storytelling  or a-storying, in the mountain vernacular  is still a thing here.

Particularly as a coping mechanism, as he said.

"It's our Scots-Irish tradition, " he said. "If we can't explain something, we'll come up with a tale."

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The Flatwoods Monster, for example, might owe itself to Cold War paranoia.

A mom and her children were said to be terrified by the extraterrestrial visitor following a purported UFO crash near the Braxton County town in 1952.

Post-traumatic stress may have had something to do with Mothman, described as possessing red eyes and an enormous wingspan.

Mothman was said to have been spotted in the skies over Point Pleasant, Mason County, in 1966, which was a year before the devastating collapse of the town's traffic-laden Point Pleasant Bridge, which killed 46 people.

Was he trying to warn the town ?

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More and more residents said yes, after the bridge buckled.

Of Mothman and Morgantown The story gained legs after the tragedy, which is another Appalachian hallmark, Tinnell said.

And there's even connection to the University City and The Dominion Post, courtesy of the late John Samsell, who was an editor and columnist for 30 years here. Samsell died in 2019 at the age of 84.

Samsell was fresh out of the U.S. Navy and journalism school and had just landed his first real job in the profession as the editor of Point Pleasant Register in 1966.

He was working the nightside when a deputy called. There was this young couple. They were driving and something  with red eyes and an enormous wingspan  swooped down and started following them.

They were really rattled, the deputy said.

"Heck yeah, I'll talk to them, " came Samsell's reply.

And the world's first news account of Mothman clacked out of his typewriter.
Around 200 protesters gathered in Costa Adeje, Tenerife, to demand the suspension of a luxury development's construction. Organizers say the project, dubbed Cuna del Alma, is disrupting the local environment.

Representatives from different social and environmental groups allege the project is illegal. They claim that developers have "increasingly serious irregularities" in the construction process, according to Canarian Weekly.

"The company's strategy is clear: cause as much damage as possible and then argue that nothing is worth saving," Victor Martin, spokesperson for the coalition Tagoror Permanente, told Canarian Weekly. "But there is still time  if action is taken now, the ravine can be protected."

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The Cuna del Alma was fined for damaging significant archaeological artifacts on the construction site. Developers were hit with a 229,500 fine for the damage. Protesters are asking local authorities to do more by halting the project to prevent further harm.

Overdevelopment is bad for local residents, wildlife, and plants. Construction can displace native animals, which then pushes them into human communities. This can create dangerous situations for both people and the critters. Additionally, big projects can contribute to deforestation, which has indirectly led to the deaths of 500,000 people in tropical regions.

These luxury developments also highlight wealth inequality. The Cuna del Alma is being built next to a community of shacks and tents. This highlights the disproportionate impact that the wealthy have on the planet and our lives. One study found that the world's wealthiest 10% generated two-thirds of planet-warming pollution between 1990 and 2020.

There are ways to make your voice heard on critical climate issues. The protesters in Costa Adeje made their demands known to preserve their homes. They chanted slogans like "less cement, more sense" and "the Canaries are not for sale, they are loved and defended." Like this group of activists, individuals can get involved in the local climate action that helps their communities.

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
STRASBURG, Colo. (KDVR)  There has been another large confiscation of animals in Adams County.

This time, 33 dogs were taken from a home in Strasburg on Wednesday morning, according to the Adams County Sheriffs Office.

Over 100 animals rescued after search warrant served at Brighton home

The dogs were confiscated from a home on Defoe Street in rural Strasburg on Wednesday.

Homes are few and far between in that area, separated by large fields and fence lines.

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The sheriffs office tells FOX31 that Colorados Department of Agricultures Animal Health Division/Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act Program was performing an inspection. The sheriffs spokesman said that the department called deputies when inspectors noticed the dogs living in severe conditions.

It sounds like the house was covered with a strong smell of feces. Some of the animals did not have access to water. They were kenneled up, Adams County Sheriffs Public Information Officer Sgt. Shea Haney said.

The home was found to be filled with feces, creating a significant health hazard, the Adams County Sheriffs said in a press release Thursday afternoon.

Free on Your TV  FOX31+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung

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The Riverdale Animal Shelter in Brighton is now caring for the animals. FOX31 was not allowed to see the animals because of the ongoing investigation.

Large number of animals seized in 2025 overwhelms shelter

There has been a huge uptick in animals at the shelter due to seizures. The Riverdale Shelter says it has taken in 500 animals from seven confiscations in Adams County since mid-July.

Its not uncommon for shelters to help with these types of cases. Its something they do routinely, but to see this many in such a short period of time is very abnormal, Riverdale Animal Shelter Community Engagement Manager Tabatha Gormley said.

FOX31 is told the Riverdale Animal Shelter is currently caring for over 600 animals  Thats 200 more than their typical capacity, according to the shelters spokesperson.

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Its also all hands on deck. We have a lot of volunteer support, and we have a lot of staff jumping in to help, Gormley said.

FOX31 was shown a number of dogs up for adoption at the shelter. Riverdale says its hoping more people adopt animals from its facility.

Mother and baby moose reunited after trapped in skate park bowl in Breckenridge

More information on how the community can help can be found online here.

Meantime, the sheriffs spokesperson says, the owners of the dogs confiscated this week have been summoned to appear before a judge for suspicion of animal cruelty.

FOX31 attempted to call those owners, but so far, we have not heard back.

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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 FOX31 Denver.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  On Wednesday, the Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District (MCFMLD) announced that it recently awarded five grants to entities across Mesa County as part of its 2025 grant cycle.

The recipients of MCFMLDs 2025 grant cycle include:

The Town of De Beque received $157,799 for engineering work on the De Beque River Park Project

Gateway-Unaweep Fire Protection District received $45,982 for its Motorola XTS Replacement Project

The Palisade Police Department received $45,000 for its K9 Public Safety Program for Schools and Community

Caprock Academy received $50,000 for upgrades to its Safety and Security Program

Chipeta Elementary School received $50,000 for its park water fountain, shade and locks

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In total, the district awarded $348,781 in grants for the 2025 grant cycle.

The grant funding we receive from oil and gas leases are meant to support our community and address local impacts. The board is thrilled to fund these projects, which will enhance Mesa County for years to come, said Dusti Reimer, grant administrator for MCFMLD.

The funding for the grants comes from federal mineral lease payments, which are distributed to the State of Colorados Department of Local Affairs before being allocated to counties, municipalities and federal mineral lease districts impacted by federal mineral leasing activity. In Mesa County, approximately 70% of the land is publicly owned and features various mineral deposits.

For more information about the MCFMLD, visit mesafml.org.

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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 WesternSlopeNow.com.
An afternoon crash will likely slow southbound Interstate 75 traffic in Sharonville for a while longer, officials said.

The ramp connecting I-75 to I-275 is closed after a tractor-trailer overturned sometime around noon, according to a social media post from the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Quick update, the ramp from I-75 south to I-275 west remains closed. An overturned tractor trailer is the reason for the closure, so it may be a while before the ramp is open. pic.twitter.com/37CDSJ65Uf  ODOT Cincinnati (@ODOT_Cincinnati) October 17, 2025

The cause of accident and status of the driver are not immediately clear. An department of transportation spokesperson did not immediately return a phone call.

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To see live traffic updates, visit the department's of transportation's OHGO website.

The Enquirer will update this story.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Overturned trailer causes closure, traffic on I-75 in Sharonville
A Pablo Picasso painting has done quite the disappearing act in Spain this week.

The artists 1919 piece titled Still Life with Guitar has gone missing on its way to an exhibition at CajaGranada Cultural Center in Granada, CNN reported. The small work, measuring just five inches by 3.9 inches, was supposed to appear at the showcase starting October 9 but appears to have gotten lost in transportation; now, authorities are investigating how the painting slipped through the cracks.

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The artwork went on a journey to get to Granada, one that is well documented. On October 3, a transportation van from Madrid arrived at CajaGranada Cultural Center to drop off various pieces, including the Picasso, the institute said in a press statement. From there, the artworks were shuffled all at once to a freight elevator, and then moved into the exhibition hall, which can be seen on video surveillance.

From there, the centers exhibition manager signed off on the arrival of the packages, which would not be unwrapped until the following Monday. The works, which were still under video surveillance, sat unopened all weekend, with no unusual disturbances recorded. At 8:30 a.m. on October 6, the unpacking process began, but it wasnt until midmorning once all the pieces were set about the exhibition room that the manager noticed the Picasso wasnt there, according to CNN. The team then headed to the local police force.

An investigation is currently underway, and the investigation is attempting to determine when and where the painting disappeared, Granada police told the publication in a statement.

Still Life with Guitar, which is currently owned by a private collector, is ensured for about $700,000, or 600,000 euros, the CajaGranada Foundation told Reuters.

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Even though all eyes are usually on Pablo Picassos famed paintings, that doesnt mean one doesnt go missing or get snatched on occasion. An oil painting that was discovered on a junk site in Capri over 60 years ago may have turned out to be an original Picasso, and two pieces were stolen from the artists granddaughter back in February 2007, among other various incidents. Hopefully, though, Still Life with Guitar wont be missing for long.

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A pair from Everett traveled through Eastern Massachusetts systematically stealing luxury cosmetics and skincare products, ultimately totaling more than $30,000, prosecutors said Friday as they announced criminal charges.

Morin Denisse Sanhueza Diaz, 31, and Kevin Andres Guzman Bernal, 22, carried out the thefts over a two-day July road trip to a half-dozen Ulta Beauty stores, the office of Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz said in a statement.

The pair traveled from Everett to Hingham, Braintree, Westwood, Taunton, Dartmouth and Fall River, systematically stealing prestige brand products including Benefit, Dior, Chanel, Fenty Beauty, and NARS, the statement said.

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Surveillance footage at each store showed Diaz slipping boxes of cosmetics into a tote bag while Bernal served as a lookout and tucked additional items into his waistband, prosecutors wrote. The suspects wore identical clothing during each of their stops.

A Plymouth County grand jury indicted each of them on a single felony count of larceny over $1,200, Cruz said.

The investigation into the thefts was jointly led by the police departments of Hingham, Fall River, Taunton, Everett and Dartmouth, Massachusetts, and Warwick, Rhode Island, with help from corporate loss-prevention representatives.

Diaz is in custody out of state, while Bernal is being held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility. Authorities did not say when they would appear in court.

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PESHAWAR, Pakistan/KABUL (Reuters) -Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed on Friday to extend their 48-hour ceasefire until the conclusion of talks in Doha, according to three Pakistani security officials and one Afghan Taliban source.

A Pakistani delegation had already arrived in Doha while an Afghan delegation was expected to reach the Qatari capital on Saturday, said the sources, who did not want to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Kabul has instructed its forces to maintain a ceasefire as long as Pakistan refrained from any attack, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told Ariana News, a Pashto language local television news channel.

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DOZENS KILLED IN DAYS OF FIERCE FIGHTING

A temporary truce between the South Asian neighbours on Wednesday paused days of fierce fighting that killed dozens and wounded hundreds.

Pakistan's military and foreign ministry and the Afghan defence ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the ceasefire and the talks in Doha.

Once allies, Islamabad and Kabul engaged in fierce ground fighting, and Pakistan also launched airstrikes across their contested frontier before they reached a 48-hour ceasefire that ended at 1300 GMT on Friday.

Militant violence in Pakistan has been a major irritant in its relationship with the Afghan Taliban, which returned to power in Kabul after the departure of U.S.-led forces in 2021.

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The latest conflict between the two countries was triggered after Islamabad demanded that Kabul rein in militants who had stepped up attacks in Pakistan, saying they operated from havens in Afghanistan.

SEVEN PAKISTANI SOLDIERS KILLED IN SUICIDE ATTACK

Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack near the Afghanistan border on Friday, Pakistani security officials said.

The soldiers came under attack in a Pakistani military camp in North Waziristan district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and 13 were also wounded, five security officials said.

While one militant rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the boundary wall of a fort that served as a military camp, two others tried to get into the facility and were shot dead, they said.

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Six militants were killed in the suicide attack, the office of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement, without providing details on the number of soldiers killed.

Pakistan's army did not respond to a request for comment.

The identity of the attackers was not known and no group has claimed responsibility.

PAKISTAN ACTED AFTER LOSING PATIENCE WITH KABUL, SHARIF SAYS

Sharif said on Thursday that Pakistan "retaliated" after losing patience with Afghanistan following a series of militant attacks, but was ready to hold talks to resolve the conflict.

The Taliban denies giving haven to militants to attack Pakistan and accuses the Pakistani military of spreading misinformation about Afghanistan, provoking border tensions and sheltering ISIS-linked militants to undermine its stability and sovereignty.

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Islamabad denies the accusations.

On Friday, the Pakistan Red Crescent said Afghanistan had handed over to it the bodies of seven Pakistanis - two security personnel and five civilians - who were killed during clashes earlier in the week.

Although the Islamic nations have clashed in the past, the fighting this month is their worst in decades. It has drawn the attention of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who have mediated and sought to stop the fighting.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he can help resolve the conflict.

(Reporting by Mushtaq Ali in Peshawar, Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul, Saleem Ahmed in Quetta; Writing by Sakshi Dayal, Sudipto Ganguly and Asif Shahzad; Editing by William Maclean and Alex Richardson)
PESHAWAR, Pakistan/KABUL (Reuters) -Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed on Friday to extend their 48-hour ceasefire until the conclusion of talks in Doha, according to three Pakistani security officials and one Afghan Taliban source.

A Pakistani delegation had already arrived in Doha while an Afghan delegation was expected to reach the Qatari capital on Saturday, said the sources, who did not want to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Word of the truce extension emerged just hours after a deadly suicide attack near the Afghan border killed seven Pakistani soldiers and wounded 13 others, underscoring the fragility of the situation.

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Pakistani security officials said militants attacked a military camp in North Waziristan district, with one attacker ramming an explosive-laden vehicle into the boundary wall and two others attempting to storm the facility before being shot dead. Six militants were killed in the assault, according to a statement from the office of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Later in the day, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told Ariana News, a Pashto language local television news channel, that Kabul had instructed its forces to maintain a ceasefire as long as Pakistan refrained from any attack.

DOZENS KILLED IN DAYS OF FIERCE FIGHTING

A temporary truce between the South Asian neighbours on Wednesday paused days of fierce fighting that killed dozens and wounded hundreds.

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Pakistan's military and the Afghan defence ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the ceasefire and the talks in Doha.

"In this situation, there is a crisis situation, things are, you know, moving. But if a dialogue is to take place somewhere, we will, in the right time, inform you," a Pakistani foreign office spokesperson told a weekly news briefing in Islamabad.

"But what I can convey to you at this point in time, there is no specific information which I can share with you," he said.

Once allies, Islamabad and Kabul engaged in fierce ground fighting, and Pakistan also launched airstrikes across their contested frontier before they reached a 48-hour ceasefire that ended at 1300 GMT on Friday.

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Militant violence in Pakistan has been a major irritant in its relationship with the Afghan Taliban, which returned to power in Kabul after the departure of U.S.-led forces in 2021.

The latest conflict between the two countries was triggered after Islamabad demanded that Kabul rein in militants who had stepped up attacks in Pakistan, saying they operated from havens in Afghanistan.

SEVEN PAKISTANI SOLDIERS KILLED IN SUICIDE ATTACK

In the suicide attack on Friday in North Waziristan district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, six militants were killed, Sharif's office said in a statement, without providing details on the number of soldiers killed.

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Pakistan's army did not respond to a request for comment.

The identity of the attackers was not known and no group has claimed responsibility.

PAKISTAN ACTED AFTER LOSING PATIENCE WITH KABUL, SHARIF SAYS

Sharif said on Thursday that Pakistan "retaliated" after losing patience with Afghanistan following a series of militant attacks, but was ready to hold talks to resolve the conflict.

The Taliban denies giving haven to militants to attack Pakistan and accuses the Pakistani military of spreading misinformation about Afghanistan, provoking border tensions and sheltering ISIS-linked militants to undermine its stability and sovereignty.

Advertisement Advertisement

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Islamabad denies the accusations.

On Friday, the Pakistan Red Crescent said Afghanistan had handed over to it the bodies of seven Pakistanis - two security personnel and five civilians - who were killed during clashes earlier in the week.

Although the Islamic nations have clashed in the past, the fighting this month is their worst in decades. It has drawn the attention of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who have mediated and sought to stop the fighting.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he can help resolve the conflict.

(Reporting by Mushtaq Ali in Peshawar, Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul, Saleem Ahmed in Quetta; Writing by Sakshi Dayal, Sudipto Ganguly and Asif Shahzad; Editing by Alex Richardson and William Maclean)
He was likely hunted by fishermen from the Gaza Strip or washed ashore.

Ofek, the whale shark, died off the coast of Gaza on Friday, according to the environmental conservation organization Sharks in Israel.

He was likely hunted by fishermen from the Gaza Strip or washed ashore.

Ofek, named by the conservation organization, was filmed with crowds of Palestinians crowding around it in the area of Khan Yunis, being dragged along the shore by ropes. In Gaza, it was reported that the largest fish in the world is about ten meters long.

The whale shark had previously been spotted off the coasts of Ashdod, Ashkelon, Netanya, Bat Yam, Tel Aviv, and other areas along the Mediterranean coastline.

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A Gaza resident said, according to Ynet, For two years Israel did not allow us to fish - and today, when it was allowed, we managed to catch a fish weighing several tons."

Whale shark classified as endangered species

Whale sharks were first identified in April 1829, after one was caught in a South African bay. It has been seen several times in the Gulf of Eilat. The species was officially recorded in 1849 by zoologist Andrew Smith.

The species is a shark the size of a whale, with an eating technique similar to that of a whale. It is classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Its size ranges from 12 to 14 meters long, and it can reach a lifespan of over 100 years.

His story is primarily a sad one. He brought us joy for several weeks, kept beach managers on their toes, and reminded us that theres still much to learn and understand in the Mediterranean, Sharks in Israel said in a statement.

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This case also highlights how crucial species protection is here. While nature conservation for cartilaginous fish isnt always a priority elsewhere, today we are an important and protected point in their migratory routes.

We will continue to explain, share knowledge, and create regional collaborations. Because sharks have no borders. Only the sea, the organization concluded.
A plan for Palm Beach to work with billionaire developer Ken Griffin for a project along the Atlantic shoreline at his massive Billionaires Row estate is moving forward.

The Town Council voted unanimously at its Oct. 14 meeting to approve an agreement with Griffin that allows him to remove and replace four deteriorating groins along the properties he owns at 1247 and 1265 S. Ocean Blvd. The agreement is with Blossom Way Holdings LLC and Providencia Partners LLC, the entities through which Griffin owns the land where he is building a large oceanfront estate.

Groins are structures that jut out from the beach. The network of groins along Palm Beach's coast was built from the 1930s forward to trap sand and help prevent erosion, officials have said.

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The plan is to replace the aging groins as "like for like," so they will not perform at the same level as the current conditions, Public Works Director Paul Brazil said.

The council also voted unanimously to grant waivers to allow crews to work to replace the groins for extended hours during Palm Beach social season, to avoid having to work during the sea turtle nesting season that runs from March through generally the end of October. The waivers will allow for construction work between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with no work on Sundays or holidays. "Noisy work" such as pile driving will be done between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The agreement between the Blossom Way Holdings LLC and Providencia Partners LLC and Palm Beach outlines responsibilities between the town and the property owner, said Sara Gutekunst, Palm Beach's coastal coordinator.

Griffin will pay for all of the work, hire the contractors, and get any necessary easements and a submerged land lease, she said. Palm Beach will not take on any liability, town staff has said.

Erosion caused exposed groins south of Midtown Beach in Palm Beach on Jan. 28, 2018.

The work will be done under the town's beach management agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The work also would be completed under Palm Beach's U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit, for which the town in December requested a five-year extension, according to an Army Corps public notice.

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"The groin rehabilitation is addressed in our beach management agreement with the state and is a supported activity for shoreline stabilization, as long as it aligns with our previous groin studies and recommendations," Gutekunst said.

Ken Griffin

The town will be responsible for monitoring the groin conditions under the beach management agreement, and town staff and consultants will inspect conditions during construction, she said.

Hedge fund manager Griffin has amassed about 27 acres of land. Part of that property is where he is building a 44,000-square-foot estate with a mansion for his mother on 8 acres.

If a government agency requires any corrective action to be taken on the groins, the homeowner  not Palm Beach  will be responsible for those changes, Town Attorney Joanne O'Connor said.

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It's unclear who owns the groins because of a lack of records, and the groins themselves often sit on a mix of private property and state land, town staff said in a memo to council.

About a decade ago, Palm Beach evaluated all the groins along its Atlantic shoreline but chose not to do any proposed work because of the cost and potential liability, Brazil previously told the council. Instead, the council directed staff to work with any property owners who decided to undertake the task themselves, he said. Griffin appears to be the first property owner to do so.

Since his representatives first brought the proposal to Palm Beach officials earlier this year, two other property owners at 1341 and 1415 S. Ocean Blvd. are working with town staff on permits to rebuild three groins after the Town Council gave staff the nod to move forward with the process at the Aug. 12 meeting.

The groin rehabilitation projects have faced some pushback from residents south of south of Sloan's Curve.

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Four Sloan's Curve associations, through representative Paula Jastermsky, expressed concerns to the council about monitoring for environmental impacts caused by replacing the structures. The associations' properties total 3,000 feet of beach, she said.

Even with the replacement groins designed to perform at the same level as the existing structures, there could be "a break-in period," Jastermsky said.

"Just because they're designed to be 'like for like,' does not necessarily mean they're going to operate that way," she said. "Mother Nature is very fickle, as we know here in Palm Beach."

The regulatory agencies and Palm Beach will watch and monitor the structures per the permit requirements, Brazil said. The town has 20 years' worth of beach-monitoring data and will continue to watch those same locations, he said.

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Kristina Webb is a reporter for Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at kwebb@pbdailynews.com. Subscribe today to support our journalism.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach agrees to plan for billionaire Griffin to replace groins
Seventh-graders at Surfside Middle School in Panama City Beach dove into marine ecology lessons during a hands-on field trip to St. Andrews State Park on Oct. 14.

Curious and sometimes hesitant, 13-year-olds waded into the shallow waters with empty nets, and collected small fish and other sea life to observe under microscopes.

Surfside Middle School students explore marine ecosystems with Emerald and Forgotten Coast Adventures educators during a field trip to St. Andrews State Park in Panama City Oct. 14.

But not all sea life favorites are minuscule. Kara Myers said she's fascinated by sharks; Carson Nevers said he likes to eat red fish; and Bradley Stewart said he's in awe of the deep-diving and endangered blue whale.

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The day's lesson plan also included cause-and-effect relationships of plastic litter and food chains.

An educator with Forgotten Coast Adventures talks about marine ecology with Surfside Middle School students.

"Things that maybe don't seem like a big deal in isolation, when you look at the big picture, it really does make a big difference," Erin Lange, the school's science teacher and 2024-25 Bay County Teacher of the Year, said about the importance of understanding human behavior, plastic pollution and food chains.

Surfside Middle School students explore marine ecosystems at St. Andrews State Park in Panama City.

"When we look at large bodies of water and large amounts of data, that's where we really start to see the trends  and to look at trends over long periods of time. Because one (pollution) data point, one location, one thing  you're not going to see much. But when you zoom out, try to look at everything from a zoomed out perspective, and then I think that can really change your perspective."

The day's educators and research materials were facilitated by Emerald and Forgotten Coast Adventures. According to their website, they aim to couple fun experiences with education to empower the next generation of environmental stewards.

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"This school year we have over 5,000 students signed up for about 110 trips," Jon Schmidt, executive director of the nonprofit, said about collaborating with Panhandle schools. "This shows me the need in the area for biophilia, (or "life love.") So, that's what we're trying to do  make sure we can give every kid an opportunity to get out in the field."

Surfside students get a lesson in marine ecosystems.

Next up for the "biofilia" organization: map out, present and build a state-of-the-art aquarium along the marina in downtown Panama City.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Nets, microscopes and wet shoes make Bay County field trip unforgettable
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB)  City leaders are restarting their search for a developer to transform the downtown breezeway.

They entered into negotiations with a developer in May for a public-private partnership that involved plans for retail space.

But commissioners ended the negotiation on Tuesday and rejected two other bids for the space.

Instead, theyre crafting a new RFP, putting the property back out for bid between now and early next week.

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The RFP will have some of the same requirements as before, including maintaining access to the Grace Avenue parking lot.

The expectation is that the breezeway has a minimum of an eight-foot easement from Harrison to Grace or vice versa to provide that continuity remains, as well as public bathrooms. I think that was very clear that that needs to happen, that needs to be there, Panama City City Manager Jonathan Hayes said.

Last week, city leaders released more than $500,000 in funding previously dedicated to the breezeway project.

They plan to redirect the money to other projects, which theyll discuss at the November 4th CRA board meeting.

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JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  Multiple data centers and a new gas power plant are in the works in the Jackson-metro area.

On October 16, 2025, a panel was held at Tougaloo College to discuss the harmful impacts the centers could have on the communities.

Keshaun Pearson, the leader of Memphis Community Against Pollution, said hes seen first hand what data centers and gas plants can do to a community. He said the long term public health, water and economic costs will eventually fall on the people of the community with little to no benefit for them.

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What we want for Jackson, Mississippi, what we want for Tougaloo, what we want for this community is not just to be prepared, but to actually win the battles beforehand. We want them to actually succeed before they break ground. Succeed in protecting their land, can succeed in reducing pollution, said Pearson.

He said utilizing laws and enforcing laws, such as the Clean Air Act, are crucial for protecting the environment and the community.

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Parents of children with disabilities are growing increasingly worried as the Education Department shrinks and mechanisms for accountability seem harder to find.

The department laid off nearly half of its workforce earlier this year, is moving to reduce disability services even further and has 95 percent of its employees currently furloughed due to the government shutdown.

Parents say its getting harder to know who to contact for civil rights complaints and progress updates, and their fears are growing as Education Secretary Linda McMahon presses her calls for education to go back to the states while saying little about who will ensure oversight and compliance for the Individuals with Disabilities and Education Act (IDEA).

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Its not just the families that are left high and dry, its our school systems. The fact is that the federal government has a role in the provision of public education in this country, and when thats just stripped out with no warning, no information and no assistance, it leaves everyone affected powerless. Schools are without guidance, and students are potentially  and families  without the protections that theyre guaranteed under the law, said Denise Marshall, CEO of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates.

Alicia Renee, who has two neurodivergent sons, says she has been fighting for years for her younger after his school failed to accommodate his Individualized Education Program, a document that lays out the legally mandated accommodations schools must make for those with disabilities.

Renee has filed complaints on both the state and federal level, including dealing directly with the Education Department for years. But she says it has become more difficult since President Trump took office.

They are slower. You dont know who to email. I dont know who to email when, prior to Trump coming into office, I had a designated dedicated attorney that was working my ORC [Office for Civil Rights] case, she said.

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I would email him and send him new evidence or tell him and ask questions about where things are in my case, what additional information they needed, she added Right now, I dont know who to call. I dont have anyone to contact. No one has reached out to me this since my last outreach to the office in Atlanta.  They were supposed to give me my point of contact of who my case had been assigned to, but I havent received anything.

Renee said other families have told her they have not yet received confirmation emails from their submitted OCR complaints as well.

The Hill has reached out to the Education Department for comment.

When the Trump administration laid off nearly half of the departments employees in March, the OCR was one of the hardest-hit offices. It is responsible for investigating civil rights complaints against schools, with many of the investigations revolving around students with disabilities.

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Concerns are mounting over both the response time to OCR cases and the rate at which those cases are getting dismissed.

According to court documents, the OCR dismissed 3,424 complaints over three months, from March to June, K-12 Drive reported. For the last three months of former President Bidens term, only 2,527 complaints were dismissed.

JM, a parent of a child with disabilities who requested anonymity, said she had an investigator assigned to her in March to deal with her complaint that her childs rights were being violated at school.

She didnt investigate anything, even the document that she produced was inaccurate, JM told The Hill this week.

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They finished their investigation right before the shutdown, they added, noting people cant appeal once a decision has been finalized. Per their manual, theyre supposed to notify the complainant whenever the respondent wants to resolve out of courtesy, out of transparency. I guess they dont have to give me the details, I dont have any say so, but theyre supposed to let the complainant know I didnt receive any notification of anything.

In the latest attempted round of Trump staffing cuts during the government shutdown, which has been at least temporarily frozen in the courts, the Education Department was looking to target OCR again, as well as other services for students with disabilities.

The Associated Press reported only a handful of top officials would be left to oversee IDEA before a court halted the sweeping reduction in force (RIF).

The Democrat government shutdown has forced agencies to evaluate what federal responsibilities are truly critical for the American people. Two weeks in, millions of American students are still going to school, teachers are getting paid, and schools are operating as normal. It confirms what the President has said: the federal Department of Education is unnecessary, and we should return education to the states, McMahon posted on the social platform X.

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The Department has taken additional steps to better reach American students and families and root out the education bureaucracy that has burdened states and educators with unnecessary oversight, she said. No education funding is impacted by the RIF, including funding for special education, and the clean CR supported by the Trump Administration will provide states and schools the funding they need to support all students.

Even while the RIF is paused, the intention to downsize IDEA staff raises alarms for parents who dont see the states or local districts as proper spots for oversight or research initiatives.

The Education Department wasnt ever perfect but the reality is, just because its not perfect, removing it completely and not having any guardrails isnt the answer, said Parul Khemka, a school board member and parent of a child with a disability.

I dont think abandoning it completely  its like throwing the baby out with the bath water. Thats not how you solve issues, she added.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Editors Note: This article contains discussions of suicide. Reader discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, you can find resources in your area on the National Crisis Line website or by calling 988.

(NewsNation)  The parents of Ellen Greenberg on Thursday offered a full-throated rejection of the latest official ruling that Greenberg died by suicide in her Philadelphia apartment in 2011.

For years, Josh and Sandee Greenberg have said their 27-year-old schoolteacher daughter was murdered and have filed legal actions to reopen the case. This week, Philadelphia Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Lindsay Simon issued a report reaffirming the offices previous finding of suicide after evaluating a wide range of information, including Ellen Greenbergs history of anxiety and by watching a recent Hulu docuseries.

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Simon also noted that Greenberg and the live-in fiance who found her body, Sam Goldberg, were not in an abusive relationship.

Family of bruised woman found hanging rejects suicide ruling

Ellen Greenberg, center, with her father, Josh, and mother, Sandee. (Greenberg family)

Appearing on Thursdays Elizabeth Vargas Reports, Josh and Sandee Greenberg said the M.E. went beyond the scope of what she should she have done  mainly, a review the physical evidence. Ellen Greenberg had 23 stab wounds, including incisions to the back of her head.

I think my daughter was murdered, Josh Greenberg said.

By whom? Vargas asked.

I dont know. Im not going there, the father replied. We have never gone there. Weve only asked for two things: an unbiased investigation led by an unbiased investigator.

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He said the case isnt closed: This ruling, which is so fallacious and so bogus, opens the case up to more questioning.  It didnt settle anything with us.

Dr. Marlon Osbourne, the pathologist who conducted the original autopsy on Ellen Greenberg, initially classified the death as a homicide, but changed it to suicide. Osbourne earlier this year signed a statement saying the death should be classified as something other than suicide.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
NEW CANAAN, CT  Election Day on Nov. 4 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot.

Patch reached out to candidates for office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing their towns.

Candidate's Name:

Hilary Ormond

What office are you seeking?

I am running for re-election to the New Canaan Town Council.

What town do you live in?

New Canaan, Connecticut

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Campaign Website

Party Affiliation:

Democrat

Occupation:

I am currently a stay-at-home parent. After college, I worked as a buyer at a major department store for several years before attending graduate school and then law school. I practiced law in New York City for six years, including a year as a federal appellate court clerk.

Family:

I am married with two children ages 12 and 9. We also have two dogs, a horse, and a fish. My children are lobbying for more pets but I know my limits!

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Previous public office, appointive or elective:

I am currently on the New Canaan Town Council.

Why are you seeking this office?

I am seeking re-election to New Canaan's Town Council because I believe all politics are local, and what we do here impacts the daily lives of all residents. The people making those decisions should be thoughtful, well-prepared, and forward thinking--all things I bring to the table.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:

The most pressing issue facing New Canaan residents is keeping our taxes steady or low while also providing the highest level of services and activities that our community wants, needs and expects. Whether it's affordable housing, our schools, childcare, social services, or our beautiful parks, we are facing some big ticket items that will need thorough and efficient vetting. As with all projects, New Canaan's governing bodies will have to weigh all alternatives and decide what is best for our town, considering among other things infrastructure constraints, limited land availability, and a growing multi-generational population. We need to address affordable housing, particularly for senior citizens; I intend to continue working on the Affordable Housing Committee and with our state legislators to make that a reality (and get us proper credit under state law for providing it). We need to at least renovate our existing elementary schools, but do we also need a fourth one? Are there other options? I intend to continue having an open dialogue with the Board of Education and school administration to determine the optimal way forward. We need to maintain all of the programs that make New Canaan great, such as our Parks & Recreation programs. How do we best do that? Among other things, I intend to continue my support of the public-private partnerships that help these programs thrive.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Both my experience serving on the Town Council and being a parent of school-aged children gives me a unique perspective into the day-to-day experience of New Canaanites. I always tell my children that they are having a very different childhood than I did, having grown up in a small town in Virginia as the daughter of a military officer. I never take the privileges we have here in New Canaan for granted, and I want to protect them as much as possible for all of our residents.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Mental health is an important issue for me. New Canaan has been a leader in de-stigmatizing and providing, to the extent possible, mental health care for its residents in large part due to our partnership with Silver Hill Hospital. But there is still work to do. Students in particular report a high level of stress from academic and social pressures, which is likely exacerbated by lives lived online. Parents are suffering under a weight of being the "sandwich generation," having responsibility for both children and aging parents. Senior citizens face a multitude of stressors, from medical and housing needs to loneliness. I want to continue partnering as a town with the many resources available to ensure they are widely available to whoever needs them.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am proud to have served the last four years on a very productive Town Council. Among other things, we have approved a location for and completed construction of a much-needed new police station; opened a new world-class library; re-opened the Playhouse movie theater; and navigated a post-pandemic world, distributing ARPA funds to various non-profits and endeavors that were impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Town Council By-laws & Ordinances Committee, on which I serve as co-chair, drafted and passed a number of governing documents, including: (1) an ordinance clarifying Town Council's role in buying, selling and leasing real property; (2) an ordinance establishing the Affordable Housing Committee; (3) an ordinance re-constituting the Utilities Commission; and (4) revised the Town Council by-laws. We are also considering an ordinance restricting the use of gas-powered leaf blowers, which I took the lead in drafting. Being a member of the minority party requires one to work in a bipartisan manner if you want to get anything done, and I do. My record in rolling up my sleeves, focusing on issues that matter in our community, and doing the work speaks for itself.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

The federal judge for whom I clerked once told me, "never take criticism from anyone from whom you would not take advice." He had other gems, but that one has stuck with me.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Local elections are so incredibly important, and I take this responsibility very seriously. The people you elect in municipal elections make decisions that impact your day-to-day quality of life and what is often your biggest investment - your home. I currently have no aspirations beyond serving New Canaan on a local level because I truly believe in putting your mouth, money and effort where your house is.

Patch Candidate Profile: Hilary Ormond For New Canaan Town Council originally appeared on the New Canaan Patch
The University of Pennsylvania and the University of Southern California joined the ranks of schools rejecting a deal from the Trump administration for preferential access to federal funds in exchange for agreeing to restrictions on school finances, hiring and admissions practices.

Penn President J. Larry Jameson declined the offer after seeking input from faculty, alumni, trustees, students and staff. But he did not provide the same detailed response as his peers at MIT and Brown, who rejected the compact citing academic freedom concerns.

Earlier today, I informed the U.S. Department of Education that Penn respectfully declines to sign the proposed Compact. As requested, we also provided focused feedback highlighting areas of existing alignment as well as substantive concerns, Jameson said in a statement Thursday.

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Although Jameson did not outline his specific concerns, the Faculty Senate passed a resolution urging the universitys leaders to decline the administrations offer, first reported by The Daily Pennsylvanian.

Academic freedom: The liberty of individual faculty, trainees, and students to pursue facts and truth in their research, publications, teaching, and other forms of speech ensures that their work is guided by evidence and reason, the resolution states. The 'Compact' proposes an unprecedented and unconstitutional degree of governmental intrusion on academic freedom.

USC interim President Beong-Soo Kim wrote in a statement Thursday that although there were areas of alignment, the university had concerns that it would undermine academic freedom.

The Education Department did not respond to request for comment.

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The Trump administration offered the deal to nine colleges in recent weeks. The schools would be required to freeze their tuition for five years, cap their international undergraduate student enrollment at 15 percent, ensure sex is defined as male and female and adopt a policy of institutional neutrality, which means their campuses wont weigh in on societal and political events.

But now White House officials are saying schools that don't want to implement these "reforms" shouldn't count on any federal support.

Merit should be the primary criteria for federal grant funding. Yet too many universities have abandoned academic excellence in favor of divisive and destructive efforts such as 'diversity, equity, and inclusion,'" Liz Huston, a White House spokesperson, said in a statement to POLITICO. "The Compact for Academic Excellence embraces universities that reform their institutions to elevate common sense once again, ushering a new era of American innovation. Any higher education institution unwilling to assume accountability and confront these overdue and necessary reforms will find itself without future government and taxpayers support.

The benefits of the agreement would include increased overhead payments where feasible and substantial and meaningful federal grants, according to a cover letter sent to university leaders alongside the agreement. However, the actual compact itself doesnt explicitly state that these benefits will be available.

So far, no universities have agreed to the compact. Some have said that they are reviewing the compact or that they have been asked to provide feedback. White House officials previously told POLITICO that other universities have proactively reached out to participate in compact discussions.
Oct. 17 (UPI) -- The University of Pennsylvania and the University of Southern California have rejected the Trump administration's offer of priority access to federal funds in exchange for adopting government-mandated reforms.

With the rejections of Penn and USC on Thursday, four of the nine universities the Department of Education asked to sign on to its 10-part "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" have so far declined.

In a letter addressed to the Penn community on Thursday, the school's president, Larry Jameson, informed the Department of Education that Penn "respectfully" declined to sign the compact.

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"At Penn, we are committed to merit-based achievement and accountability. The long-standing partnerships between American higher education and the federal government has greatly benefited society and our nation. Shared goals and investment in talent and ideas will turn possibility into progress," Jameson said.

Beong-Soo Kim, interim president at USC, also told his community Thursday that they had informed the Department of Education that they wouldn't be signing the compact.

Included in the statement was the letter he sent to Education Secretary Linda McMahon, which said that while they will not sign on to the compact, it raises issues "worthy of a broader national conversation to which USC would be eager to contribute its insights and expertise."

"We are concerned that even though the compact would be voluntary, tying research benefits to it would, over time, undermine the same values of free inquiry and academic excellence that the compact seeks to promote."

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Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has targeted dozens of universities, particularly so-called elite institutions, with executive orders, lawsuits, reallocations of resources and threats over a range of allegations, from anti-Semitism to the adoption of diversity, equity and inclusion policies.

Critics have accused Trump of trying to coerce schools under threat of stringent punishments -- from losing their accreditation to paying hefty fines sometimes in excess of $1 billion -- to adopt his far-right policies.

The compact announced Oct. 1 demands reforms to hiring practices and student grading and includes a pledge to prohibit transgender women from using women's changing rooms.

It also requires the creation of a "vibrant marketplace of ideas," a tuition freeze for five years and a cap on international enrollment, among other reforms.

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After Penn announced its decision, the state's governor, Josh Shapiro, commended the school for maintaining its independence "in the face of the Trump administration's attempts to dictate what private colleges and universities teach and use the long arm of the federal government to censor ideas with which they disagree."

"The Trump administration's dangerous demands would limit freedom of speech, the freedom to learn and the freedom to engage in constructive debate and dialogue on campuses across the country," he said in a statement.

"I am in full support of the university's decision and appreciate the leadership and courage demonstrated by President Jameson and Board Chair [Ramanan] Raghavendran."

Brown University refused to sign the compact on Wednesday and MIT late last week.
Data centers in downtown Ashburn, Virginia. (Photo by Gerville/Getty Images)

This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here.

As plans to build huge data centers multiply across the United States, some Pennsylvania communities are pushing back.

Responding to public opposition, commissioners in Hampden Township, near Harrisburg, voted in September against allowing data centers in office park zones.

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In the borough of Blakely, northeast of Scranton, a developer dropped plans for a data center that same month after local protests.

And in Anthony Township in central Pennsylvania, a citizens group is urging municipal leaders to reject an application by Talen Energy, a power-generating company, to rezone 1,300 acres near one of its power plants to an industrial classification that could be used for a data center.

To pick up that much land and build any kind of industry would be very detrimental to the whole rural atmosphere, said Sam Burleigh, a co-founder of the group, Concerned Citizens of Montour County.

Taryne Williams, a spokesperson for Talen Energy, said a change to industrial zoning would align with the classification of other Talen-owned land in the area.

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We are still assessing the viability of potential projects, and the rezoning request will help support any possible future development opportunity near the plant, which could include data centers, Williams said.

Data centers power the internet, but whats driving the new increase in proposals around the countrymany of them supersizedis artificial intelligence. Boosters say these complexes are big taxpayers and bring jobs. Critics often cite the intense buildout in Northern Virginia as an illustration of the effect they can have on communities, from constant low-frequency noise to spiking electric bills and major water usage.

Data-center developers warned the Virginia utility Dominion Energy at the end of last year that their upcoming projects would need 40 gigawatts of electricitythe energy equivalent of increasing Virginias households nearly fourfold.

Dominion plans to respond by building more natural gas power plants, which could raise utility bills for households and businesses while increasing carbon emissions.

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Many data centers also have on-site diesel generators that are meant for backup power but are being run more frequently, worsening air quality and prompting noise complaints from residents.

Weve seen the devastating impact of these hyper-scale data centers in other states. We applaud Hampden Township for standing up against this water and energy guzzling industry, said Virginia Marcille-Kerslake, eastern Pennsylvania organizer for the nonprofit Food & Water Watch, which took credit for mobilizing public opposition to the proposed zoning change there.

Some 300 Hampden residents signed a petition opposing the zoning change. The towns seven commissioners voted unanimously against it.

When we caught wind that Hampden was doing this, we created a flyer with a QR code to raise awareness, Marcille-Kerslake said. We started knocking on doors, and nobody knew about it but as word started to spread, the comments people made were so well-informed.

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Marcille-Kerslake urged municipalities to restrict data centers to industrial zones and away from homes, schools and hospitals. Food & Water Watch recommends imposing conditions on data centers rather than banning them altogether.

You have to put it somewhere, so you have to have a very strong ordinance to keep the data center in the industrial district, she said.

Twenty-one data centers are now planned in Pennsylvania, according to padatacenterproposals.com, a database that tracks the projects. Many are in the northeastern part of the state.

Among the projects moving forward is one planned by Amazon Web Services in Salem Township, near Wilkes-Barre. The project, one of two Amazon data centers that represent a total investment of $20 billion by the tech giant in Pennsylvania, is expected to use about as much electricity as 750,000 homes.

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Not far from there, in Hazle Township, NorthPoint Development is planning a 15-building data center on some 1,280 acres.

And in neighboring Delaware, recently unveiled plans to build a six-million-square-foot data center in the northern part of the state have prompted a bill in New Castle County calling on the developer to ensure that the electric grid will have sufficient capacity to supply the 1,200 megawatts that the giant center would need. Delaware is part of the regional grid run by PJM Interconnection, which also includes Pennsylvania and Virginia, and its already under pressure from data-center growth.

The latest version of the New Castle County bill also calls for the developer to plan for the centers decommissioning so taxpayers are not left with the cost of closing it down.

Developer Starwood Digital Ventures said about 40 percent of the site would be open space, about twice the share required by the county, and around double that typically occupied by data centers around the country.

The company plans to meet the plants huge energy needs by connecting to an existing 500-kilovolt power line that is one of the largest capacity lines that is employed on the U.S. grid, said Starwoods CEO, Anthony Balastrieri. Having access to that infrastructure that already exists is very beneficial.
Pentagon retreats from climate fight even as heat and storms slam troops

Retired Marine Corps gunnery sergeant Vida Rivera knows heat can be as dangerous as any enemy.

Early in her military career, she collapsed from heat exhaustion while carrying a 65-pound pack on a sweltering hike in Quantico, Virginia. Years later in Afghanistan, Rivera drove a truck in temperatures nearing 120 degrees. But she was ready. Shed taken a mechanics course  twice  to make sure she could fix the trucks air conditioning if it failed.

She knew extreme heat could incapacitate her Marines. They need water and good temps like everybody, she said.

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Across the U.S. military, climate change isnt a distant threat. Its a daily challenge. The fallout from a warming planet has hit the military hard, sidelining more than 10,000 troops since 2018, flooding bases and undermining everything from runways to nuclear readiness.

Extreme weather is battering installations from Guam to North Carolina and fueling instability in regions overseas where American forces may be called to intervene.

For decades, the Pentagon viewed climate change as a national security threat  not for environmental reasons, but because it undermined operations and readiness.

Now the Trump administration is dismantling that approach. Pentagon leaders have cut climate research funding and abandoned adaptation plans. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed global warming concerns as climate change crap.

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Critics warn that the military is being forced to fly blind  and that the cost could be strategic vulnerability in a world where climate is increasingly shaping conflict.

I think it puts our troops at risk, said Erin Sikorsky, director of the Center for Climate and Security. ... Were going to be less prepared if our troops are deployed somewhere where its incredibly hot and their equipment doesnt work right, or if they themselves cant physically operate  Thats malpractice, I think.

The Defense Department did not respond to Floodlights requests for public documents and an interview to discuss changes to its climate policy.

The Pentagons 2026 budget request recommends cutting $1.6 billion in wasteful climate spending. Among the targeted programs: a $6 million grant to decarbonize emissions from Navy ships. Where most of the remaining cuts would come from is unclear.

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That marked a sharp break from the previous administration, when the Department of Defense sought $5 billion for climate initiatives in its fiscal 2024 budget  including efforts to harden bases against extreme weather and reduce battlefield fuel dependence.

How warming undermines US military power

In September 2018, Hurricane Florence dumped 36 inches of rain on Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, creating a 13-foot storm surge and damaging more than 3,000 homes at the Marine Corps base and nearby air stations.

Just a month later, Hurricane Michael struck Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida with 160 mph winds, flipping fighter jets and damaging more than 600 buildings. The branch spent nearly $5 billion to repair and upgrade the base to become more resilient to future storms.

And in May 2023, Typhoon Mawar slammed Andersen Air Force base in Guam with 140 mph winds and 28 inches of rain. The storm upended cars, took out power lines and damaged nearly 500 buildings. It cost nearly $10 billion to repair and to harden the base against future extreme weather events.

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According to the National Weather Service, unusually warm ocean temperatures supercharged all three storms.

These arent isolated events. Rising seas are projected to cause chronic flooding at coastal military bases in the coming decades. By 2050, half of coastal bases could each face 270 or more flood events each year, according to a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Major storms can hobble nuclear deterrence, too. Hurricanes could damage submarines or delay the transport of nuclear warheads, warned researcher Jamie Kwong, a fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All three nuclear delivery systems  air, land and water  could be hampered by climate change, she said.

Data visualization map showing the recent deployments of troops on the frontlines of climate disasters. - Floodlight



Troops collapse as heat soars: Training and lives at risk

Since 2022, the U.S. military has been deployed to more than 230 climate emergencies, according to the nonprofit Center for Climate and Security.

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Much of that work has fallen to the National Guard. Over the past decade, the National Guard put in nearly 4 million days of service responding to hurricanes, floods, wildfires and other disasters, the Pentagon said in a recent report to four Democratic U.S. senators who had requested the information.

And heat-related illnesses among troops are climbing. From 2020 to 2024, the annual rate of heat exhaustion among service members jumped 52%. In 2024 alone, troops suffered more than 2,800 heat-related illnesses.

U.S. Army Pvt. Cecil Dean is treated for heat exhaustion by Army medics at Forward Operating Base Maimi, Ft. Irwin Calif., National Training Center, June 12, 2012. - Staff Sgt. Dayton Mitchell // U.S. Air Force



Fort Benning has long had a problem with excessive heat. Stretching across 182,000 hot and muggy acres in west-central Georgia straddling the Alabama state line, its one of the Armys top training centers  and it has recorded more heat-related illnesses than any other U.S. military base. Until about a decade ago, someone there was dying from the heat every three years.

That crisis led to the 2019 creation of the U.S. Armys Heat Center at Fort Benning, where military personnel are taught how to prevent and treat heat-related illnesses.

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Officers there developed techniques like arm immersion  lowering soldiers arms into cold water during training breaks to reduce body temperature  and ice sheeting, where frozen bed sheets are wrapped around overheated troops to bring down body heat quickly.

To reduce the risk of heat illnesses, the military generally suspends nonessential outdoor activities on extremely hot days. One such instance occurred in August, when a heat wave gripping the Korean Peninsula forced U.S. and South Korean forces to postpone half of their field training exercises.

These so-called black flag days generally 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above  are becoming more common at many military bases, according to a 2023 Defense Department report.

As global temperatures rise, the military may have to suspend summer training at its hottest bases and spend a heck of a lot of money to relocate that training, predicts Caroline Baxter, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for education and training under the Biden administration.

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Its not just troops who suffer. Military planes and ships are affected, too. Hot, humid air is less dense, which means planes struggle to generate the lift they need and cant carry as much cargo. In fact, a 2019 Climate and Security brief warns that hotter, more humid air will force military aircraft to reduce payloads  or abandon missions entirely.

During the 2016 raid to capture Osama bin Laden, one of the Black Hawk helicopters sustained severe damage during a hard landing. President Barack Obama emphasized the impact that the hot temperature had on the incident.

Warm seawater, meanwhile, makes it harder to cool ship engines, while melting glaciers dilute ocean salinity, which can compromise the effectiveness of sonar.

As the world warms, its bringing more droughts and food shortages to fragile areas, contributing to problems that threaten national security interests, the U.S. Army said in its 2022 climate strategy document.

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Retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, who led the military response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, noted that drought caused by global warming helped trigger the 2011 Syrian civil war and the later armed conflict in Sudan. He has since founded the Green Army, an organization that fights toxic pollution in Louisiana.

You can change your policy to not consider the impact of global warming on your strategic posture, Honore said, but  the heat will cause a disruption to global stability as well as security. And it will continue to have a human impact on our day-to-day training and operational readiness.

Melting Arctic ice also increases the potential for military conflict, experts say, because its opening up shipping lanes that were once inaccessible. Contested economic and military activities between Russia and other Arctic nations will increase the risk of miscalculation, a 2023 threat assessment by the U.S. Intelligence Community warned.

What that really means is there is an accident waiting to happen, according to Threat Multiplier, a book by Sherri Goodman, who as deputy undersecretary of defense led the militarys environmental efforts during the Clinton administration.

Mission over emissions: Why US military once took climate seriously

For more than 25 years, the U.S. military planned for climate change.

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The Department of Defense developed its first climate change strategy in 1998 and a decade later declared global warming a national security issue. After Joe Biden took office, the militarys focus on climate impacts took on new urgency.

Climate change is an existential threat to our nations security, then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in 2021, and the Department of Defense must act swiftly and boldly to take on this challenge and prepare for damage that cannot be avoided.

For the Pentagon, climate change wasnt just about the environment  it was about how and where troops could operate.

How do I continue to do my job despite the fact that the operational environment is changing? said John Conger, a former high-ranking Defense Department official who later ran the Center for Climate and Security. Youre not thinking about emissions, youre thinking about missions.

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In 2022, the U.S. Army began rolling out its first hybrid tactical vehicles. There was a practical reason for that, too: Hybrids are quieter and consume less fuel, which can save lives in combat.

We were losing marines and soldiers in the constant movement of fuel to the front in Afghanistan and Iraq, Goodman wrote in her book. For every 24 fuel convoys in Afghanistan, one soldier was killed.

Some Pentagon projects aimed at boosting effectiveness and efficiency have also spun off climate-friendly civilian innovations. For example, the militarys work with General Motors on hydrogen fuel cells produced fast-charging, off-grid power units that could speed electric car charging.

New doctrine: Climate doesnt matter anymore

President Donald Trump has pushed to rechristen the Department of Defense as the Department of War. And Hegseth has made it clear that the Pentagons priorities have shifted.

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The @DeptofDefense does not do climate change crap, he wrote in a March posting on X. We do training and warfighting.

On March 17, Hegseth issued a memo banning Pentagon agencies from spending money on climate planning and ordering leaders to remove all references to climate change and related subjects from mission statements.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth returns a U.S. Army Soldiers salute during a coining ceremony at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 15, 2025 during an international summit between U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. - Senior Airman Joseph Moon // Alaska Air National Guard



Hegseth doubled down on his message in his Sept. 30 address to hundreds of military leaders at Quantico, declaring there would be no more climate change worship in the U.S. military.

The secretarys March directive does leave room for the continuation of some weather-related work, including risk assessments, environmental reviews and base resilience improvements.

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But the Pentagon also announced its canceling 91 studies focused on climate and social science research. The move will save $30 million  a tiny fraction of the departments $850 billion budget. That research was designed to help military planners anticipate emerging security threats, including climate change, extremism and disinformation.

Were not going to be ready

Cutting those grants is short-sighted, says Tom Ellison, deputy director of the Center for Climate and Security. His group, working with Virginia Tech, was slated to get $2 million to study how rising seas and extreme weather could fuel instability in the Philippines, Guam and Japan  regions important to U.S. strategy in the Indo-Pacific. But in March, they learned the grant was canceled.

These research projects answer key questions about not just climate change, but a variety of issues shaping the world in which the US military operates, including migration, technology, ideology, public opinion, etc. Ellison wrote in an email to Floodlight.

Moreover, he added, they do it for relative pennies, noting the Pentagon spends $30 million roughly every 20 minutes.

Climate action plans from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard have quietly disappeared from public websites in recent months. The Pentagon also shut down its climate resilience portal, seen below.

The former climate resilience portal which has now been shut down. - Department of Defense



Baxter, the former deputy assistant defense secretary, helped build that portal, which she called a vital hub for validated climate data.

Conger, the former Center for Climate and Security director, said: If you do not have complete information because you willfully ignore certain parts of the puzzle, you put yourself at a disadvantage  because the Russians and the Chinese arent ignoring it.

Sikorsky, the centers current director, agreed.

It sends a message to our competitors and adversaries  Were going to be weak because were not going to be ready.

Floodlight is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates the powers stalling climate action.

This story was produced by Floodlight and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
PEORIA, Ill (WMBD)  The Peoria Riverfront Museum announced Thursday a new economic partnership with the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma as part of its upcoming America 250 flagship exhibition.

The partnership includes making display cases that will house more than 100 original documents from the countrys beginnings as part of The Promise of Liberty exhibition, which is guest-curated by renowned documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.

Some documents will include a broadside printing of the Declaration of Independence, the first newspaper printing of the Constitution, the Abraham Lincoln-signed Emancipation Proclamation and the first presidential Thanksgiving proclamation.

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When you walk into our gallery, there will be more than 100 documents, said John Morris, the museums president and CEO. Every single one of them will be among the most important pieces of paper to ever come to Peoria, every single one.

This partnership is meant to solidify the historic ties the tribes have with their ancestral land here in Central Illinois.

The tribe was part of the Illinois Confederacy, including the Kaskaskia, Piankeshaw, and Wea nations that covered much of what is now Illinois. Originally inhabiting ancestral lands near the Great Lakes, the tribe was forcibly relocated multiple times beginning in 1818 before settling in Oklahoma.

Were so excited for that, said Rosanna Dobbs, the newly elected chief of the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.

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The tribe owns a company called Henley Custom that designs and builds the cases that will hold the historic documents.

We have our talented Henley Group to come and build these cases, to house these, which is phenomenal for us, she said. To be able to infuse ourselves in some way back into this community is wonderful.

Morris said this day is a very special moment for the city of Peoria.

Its a very special honor for the museum to be in a position to do this. The mayor of Peoria, the chairman of the county board are both very involved and instrumental. So were doing this in concert with local governmental leaders as well, he said.

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This is not the first cooperation the museum has had with the Henley Group. They also built the display cases for the museums Center for American Decoys.

More information about the Peoria Riverfront Museum is available on its 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 CIProud.com.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  Two South Peoria residents remain in custody Friday after being arrested late Thursday.

Demetrius L. Crawley, 48, and Zanita S. Ward, 55, were both booked in the Peoria County Jail on charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm ammunition and for not having a FOID card, said Semone Roth, a Peoria Police spokeswoman.

Detention hearing for man accused in 2024 homicide set for Wednesday

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Just before 11:15 p.m., Thursday Peoria police officers stopped a car near the intersection of South Louisa and West Howett streets.

Officers developed probable cause to search the vehicle and they allegedly found a loaded .22-caliber AR-15 style rifle.

As of mid-day Friday, no formal charges had been filed against the two in Peoria County Circuit Court.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com.
Chad Joseph was among six people killed during U.S. military airstrikes on boats President Donald Trump claim were carrying drugs.

After U.S. airstrikes in the Caribbean on suspected drug boats left more than two dozen people dead, including a young fisherman, his family is demanding answers.

On Tuesday (Oct. 14), relatives of 26-year-old Chad Joseph said he was killed in an airstrike by the U.S. military along with another Trinidadian man, identified by some outlets as Rishi Samaroo, according to Reuters.

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Donald Trump took a father, a brother, an uncle, a nephew from families. Donald Trump dont care what he is doing, Josephs cousin, Afisha Clement, 41, told the outlet.

The Guardian reported both men were from Las Cuevas, a fishing village in northern Trinidad, and are believed to have been among six people killed in a U.S. strike on a vessel allegedly transporting drugs from Venezuela.

If you say a boat has narcotics on it, where is the narcotics? We want evidence, we want proof. There is nothing, Clement added.

Josephs great-uncle, Cecil McClean, 93, called the strike perfect murder. There is nothing they could prove that they are coming across our waters with drugs, he said. How could Trump prove the boat was bringing narcotics?

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The strike was part of a series of U.S. military operations ordered by President Donald Trump in late summer targeting what his administration claims are narcoterrorist networks smuggling drugs from Venezuela, per the New York Times. The air and sea attackscarried out by U.S. naval forces rather than the Coast Guardhave sparked international backlash, with at least 27 people killed so far. While the White House says the missions are meant to disrupt trafficking routes, it has yet to present evidence confirming narcotics were found, prompting outrage from Caribbean governments and human rights groups who say the actions overstep U.S. jurisdiction and endanger civilians.

Josephs relatives say he had recently moved to Venezuela to work as a fisherman and regularly crossed the waters between the two nations. They insist he was not involved in drug trafficking and believe the U.S. mistook fishermen for smugglers.

Trump has called those killed narcoterrorists, claiming intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics. But at a wake for Joseph and Samaroo, his cousin La Toya, 42, said the men were denied due process and accused Trinidad and Tobagos government of surrendering its sovereignty to the U.S.

Everybody have a right to due process and due process wasnt given, she said, per The Guardian. It dont look like we running under our government no more when it comes to the waters  thats not Trinidad waters.

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At Josephs wake, relatives and neighbors remembered him as a devoted father, loving son, doting grandson, and hardworking fisherman who lived with his grandmother and made a living on the sea. They also said they felt betrayed by their government and powerless under a U.S. campaign they believe has gone unchecked.

I just want to know why Donald Trump killing poor people just so, said Josephs uncle, known locally as Dollars. Just because he going after the people gas and their oil. He going after people riches and killing poor people children.

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A feud between Ocala, Florida, neighbors escalated for more than two years, eventually reaching a deadly climax.

A new documentary revisits the tragic confrontation in a unique way. Streaming on Netflix starting Friday, October 17, The Perfect Neighbor exclusively uses police body camera footage and other evidential materials to detail the prolonged rift between Susan Lorincz and Ajike AJ Owens.

Tensions reached a boiling point in June 2023 when Lorincz shot and killed Owens, making national headlines and sparking heated debate on Floridas controversial stand your ground laws. The new film gives viewers the opportunity to watch the events leading to their fatal confrontationand draw their own conclusions about what happened in their tight-knit community.

What is The Perfect Neighbor about?

The Perfect Neighbor offers a never-before-seen look at the dispute between neighbors Lorincz and Owens.

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On June 2, 2023, Lorincz, then 58, contacted police as part of a series of ongoing disagreements with her neighbor, 35-year-old Owens. Marion County authorities responded to at least six calls regarding the feudprimarily about Owens four children walking and playing near Lorinczs lawnstarting in January 2021.

According to an arrest affidavit, neighbors reported Lorincz frequently yelled at children playing in the area and called authorities with false reports. The document also said Lorincz, who is white, used racial slurs against Owens children, who are Black, during the series of altercationsthough Lorincz later denied this.

This culminated in the pairs final conflict, when Owens confronted Lorincz after she allegedly threw a roller skate at one of the children. During the argument, Lorincz shot Owens through the locked front door of her home with a.380-caliber handgun, resulting in her death.

Lorincz was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to prison

Lorincz was arrested five days after the shooting and later charged with manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery, and two counts of assault.

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Lorincz maintained she shot Owens out of fear for her lifetesting Floridas stand your ground laws, which permit the use of deadly force in self-defense under certain conditions. Her legal team also claimed a history of mental illnessincluding PTSD from suffering years of sexual and other forms of abuseexacerbated her terror.

Conversely, Owens family and prosecutors argued the violence was excessive and, potentially, racially motivated.

Lorincz didnt testify in her own defense at trial and, in August 2024, a six-person jury found her guilty of manslaughter. She was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Judge Robert Hodges, who oversaw the case, determined Lorincz was under no imminent threat and found the shooting completely unnecessary in his ruling.

I am so sorry I took AJs life. I never intended to kill her, Lorincz said.

Where is Susan Lorincz now?

Lorincz is currently incarcerated at the Homestead Correctional Institution in Homestead, Florida, and has a projected release date of April 8, 2048, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

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She has since spoken publicly about the confrontation with Owens and maintains her actions were justified. Lorincz alleged Owens and three of her children made verbal threats against her during the dispute that led to the fatal shooting in an interview with Gainesville, Florida, television station WCJB20 in September 2025. She claims she tripped over roller skates near her sidewalk and asked the kids to remove them, but they refused.

And I said, Kids, pick up your skates and please leave. Youre trespassing. You know youre trespassing, and the kid said, Im going to kill you. If I cant kill you, Im going to find someone to kill you, Lorincz told reporter Robert Bradfield.

She alleges that, soon after, Owens began loudly banging on her front door using expletives and just horrible language, screaming at me and refused to leave. Then she said, Im gonna fking kill you. And I went, Oh my God, and shes pounding and shes pounding and shes pounding, and I just, you know, I was terrified, she continued.

Lorincz added Owens death makes me sick and breaks my heart.

Owens family permitted the use of police footage for the documentary

Courtesy of Netflix

Owens family pursued further accountability for her killing, submitting a wrongful death lawsuit against Lorincz in July 2025 in Marion County.

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The past two years have been the hardest, toughest journey Ive ever been on. Its been filled with grief, sadness, despair, Owens mother, Pamela Dias, said weeks prior to the filing. The current status of the lawsuit is unknown.

Dias played an integral role in the making of The Perfect Neighbor. According to The Guardian, her lawyers used the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to force police to release all footage from the case, including bodycam video, security footage, and phone calls made by Lorincz. She then gave permission for director Geeta Gandbhir to use the materials in the documentary.

I showed Pam the film when it was completed, Gandbhir explained, and I said, Is this what you want? She said, Yesthe world needs to know what happened to my baby.

Watch The Perfect Neighbor starting October 17

Gandbhira two-time Emmy winner for Outstanding Picture Editing for the doumentaries When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2006) and By the People: The Election of Barack Obama (2009)describes the documentary as a deeply personal project, created to transform grief into purpose and honor the lasting legacy of Ajike Owens and her family.

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The Perfect Neighbor begins streaming on Netflix Friday, October 17.

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When Ajike AJ Owens went to Susan Lorinczs door on June 2, 2023, the confrontation was one in a series of years-long disagreements between the two neighbors.

Lorincz, 58 at the time, and Owens, 35, lived in a housing complex in Ocala, Florida, a small community of duplexes filled with young families. Many of the kids in the neighborhood played in a small grassy patch next to Lorinczs home, starting small pickup games and activities in the open land. Lorincz, who is white, hated loud noise, and called police and first responders multiple times over the years claiming the children were trespassing, bothersome, threatening, and a nuisance. Several of the children referred to her as a racist and a Karen, telling their parents she called them the n-word. This is just ridiculous, Lorincz said on a 911 call around 8:54 that June night. The [kids] just keep badgering me and badgering me. Im just sick of these children. Now that theyre home from school, its like, craziness. After the several children told their parents that Lorincz had yelled at them and thrown a pair of roller blades at a 10-year-old, Owens, a Black mother of four, walked over to Lorinczs and knocked loudly on the door, demanding she come outside. Two minutes later, authorities received a second call from Lorincz, this time saying she had shot a woman through her locked front door. I didnt know what to do, Lorincz cried on the 911 call. I thought she was gonna kill me.

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When police arrived, Owens was unresponsive. Neighbors had tried unsuccessfully to perform CPR. Medical experts later pronounced her dead at the hospital. Lorincz was taken into police custody but quickly released after giving her testimony, citing that she only pulled the trigger because she was afraid for her life. Her defense  that she was scared Owens was going to kill her  took language directly from Floridas stand your ground law, which allows residents to use deadly force in their home if they fear for their lives. This statute exists in some form in almost 30 states according to Everytown Research and has been used in some of the most prominent court cases in the past two decades. This includes the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin, 17; the 2020 murder of Ahmaud Arbery, 25; and 2023 shooting of Ralph Yarl, 16  all of which were cases of white men shooting Black teens and young adults because they considered them threats. In Netflixs new documentary The Perfect Neighbor, out Oct.17, director Geeta Gandbhir walks viewers through the circumstances of Owens death. Stand your ground laws were touted as a way to keep people safe. How did it leave four kids without their mom?

Im a documentary filmmaker. Curiosity drives us, Gandbhir tells Rolling Stone. And I felt really compelled to understand how this could happen. How did we get from a trivial dispute about children playing in a yard near Susans house to her picking up a gun and [killing] AJ? How could this happen?

While the Perfect Neighbor begins with the police response to the shooting, viewers are given almost a chronological retelling of the escalating arguments that ended in Owens death  all from the perspective of police body camera footage. There is no overlying narration from witnesses or law experts. Instead, police conversations are a constant, accompanied by dozens of filmed interactions with Lorincz and her neighbors by the Marion County Sheriffs Office. There are interviews with Lorincz, statements from people in the neighborhood, filmed testimony from children as they ride their bikes and play kickball, and conversations between deputies themselves calling Lorinczs responses overblown. But even after multiple deputies and police officers encouraged Lorincz to leave the children alone  and asked the children to involve their parents instead of responding to Lorincz directly  the conflicts continued. Is there anything I can do with these people? Lorincz asked police during one of dozens of 911 calls. Because theyre getting ridiculous. I dont bug anybody. Im a single woman. I work from home. Im peaceful. Im like the perfect neighbor.

The Perfect Neighbor takes a frank  if not uncomfortable  approach to Owens shooting, including clips of Owens children begging for aid, neighbors attempting to do 911 before first responders take over, and the heartbreaking moment when Owens mother, Pamela Dias, and Owens children are informed she has succumbed to her injuries. Hearing Pamela on the phone, to me, is the hardest part to bear, Gandbhir says. Theres an expectation that children will outlive their parents, but as a parent, you never want to outlive your child. But it also includes police footage of the protests and interviews that happened after Owens death, including Lorinczs statement, all focused around Floridas controversial stand your ground law.

Stand your ground laws and their complicated history

Most stand your ground laws center around justifiable uses of force, according to Cynthia Godsoe, a professor of criminal law at Brooklyn Law School. Also referred to as a type of castle doctrine, these laws require that people fulfill certain criteria  like being physically on their inside their homes and being in fear of their life  before they can be legally justified in using a weapon to protect themselves. In the past two decades, dozens of states have expanded these laws to also include private property generally  meaning you could successfully use a stand your ground law just by being inside your property line and feeling threatened rather than in your home. However, research has shown that stand your ground laws not only increase rates of violence and homicides in states that implement them, but are disproportionately used against people of color. According to a 2022 study, stand your ground laws were associated with an eight percent increase in monthly homicide rates in states that have them. A Tampa Bay Times investigation into over 200 cases that cited stand your ground laws found that people were more likely to escape prosecution if their victim was Black. Owens was a Black mother shot by a white woman through a locked door, mirroring similar national cases where Black individuals were shot under stand your ground laws while doing things like jogging or ringing unfamiliar doorbells.

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With stand your ground laws, it kind of shifts the burden of proof. Normally, the prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone did something, in this case, manslaughter, Godsoe explains. But once you assert self defense like this, it almost smears the victim. The prosecution has to prove that this person was not actually scary. And this is where race plays in. Because we know with systemic racism, people will interpret threats from Black people more broadly. So now weve deputized people across the country who are gun owners to take things into their own hands.

Roughly two months after Owens death, Gandbhir and her producers filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Marion County Sheriffs Office, asking for police body camera footage associated with the case. They were given over 30 hours of material on a thumbdrive, dash cam footage, body camera recordings, and clips from community Ring cameras, all of which were jumbled, out of date, and often missing the associated audio. Gandbhir describes it as a huge process, to make sense out of the material, but after she was able to put it in chronological order, she realized the body camera footage offered a perspective often missing from typical true-crime documentaries.

When there is a terrible crime in this country, when it comes to gun violence, unfortunately you only really ever see the aftermath. You see the grieving family. Maybe you see the funeral. You see people talking to the news, she says. But in this [body cam] footage, we had two years leading up to the incident in which you saw this beautiful little community living together, loving each other that the police inadvertently went in and captured all. And that footage is undeniable, because there was no one there on the ground directing anything. No reporter, no journalist. I wasnt there. Nothing else is influencing them. And you see what happened play out in real time.

In Owens case, community members protested after the shooting until Lorincz was arrested. In Aug. 2024, Lorincz was found guilty of first-degree felony manslaughter with a firearm. She was sentenced to 25 years in prison, where she remains. In his ruling, Judge Robert Hodges said that shooting was based more in anger than in fear. Members of Owens family were present when Lorincz received her sentence, footage of which plays during the final credits scene of The Perfect Neighbor. The films debut on Netflix is the first time audiences will be able to see it since its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it took home the directing award for U.S. Documentary. For Gandbhir, while the release of the film feels like a full circle moment in honoring Owens life, she hopes people who watch the documentary will learn just how dangerous stand your ground laws have made life for many Americans. Ajike should still be with us today, Gandbhir says. But in her absence, its our goal that we fulfill her dream by making change. We hope the world will remember her name.

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Netflix's newest true crime documentary, The Perfect Neighbor, tells the tragic story of how Ajike 'AJ' Owens was killed by her neighbor, Susan Lorincz. Using police body camera footage, the documentary recounts the events that led to Owens' death, how Lorincz's defended herself in court, and how family, friends, and locals campaigned for justice.

If you haven't seen it yet, or you want a recap, in 2023, 35-year-old Owensa Black woman and mother of fourwas shot and killed by a single bullet, fired by 58-year-old Lorincz through her closed front door. The altercation began when Owens' son told her Lorincz had thrown a roller skate at him during an argument about where the neighborhood children could play.

Owens went to Lorincz's house to ask her why she had thrown an object at her son, but Lorincz would not open the door and eventually fired her gun through it. Here, we take a look at Lorincz's criminal case and reveal where she is now.

What happened at Susan Lorincz's trial?

During her trial, Lorincz's defense team argued that she was in fear for her life when Owens confronted her on the evening of June 2, 2023, citing Florida's Stand Your Ground law. The law allows people to use deadly force in self-defense, depending on the situation.

Courtesy of Netflix - Netflix

As well as pointing to self-defense, Lorincz's lawyers called an expert in psychological trauma, along with four character witnesses to the stand. Lorincz's sister also testified that the pair had suffered abuse as children and were brought up in an unstable home impacted by family addiction and mental health issues.

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As a result of this, the psychological trauma expert testified that Lorincz suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, which her legal team used as part of her defense argument. The presiding judge, however, rejected this and told the court that any abuse Lorincz suffered years ago was not a mitigating factor in the case.

Ultimately, the defense argued that Lorincz, allegedly in fear of her life, had no choice but to shoot.

At the end of the trial, Lorincz was found guilty of manslaughter by the six-person jury, with Judge Robert Hodges calling the crime very aggravated. She had previously been charged with culpable negligence and two counts of assault, but those charges were dropped.

Where is Susan Lorincz now?

After being found guilty of manslaughter, Lorincz was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Owens' family and prosecutors had pushed for Lorincz to receive the maximum penalty of 30 years, but the judge said her lack of a criminal record played a part in his decision not to hand down the maximum sentence.

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As of October 2025, Lorincz is serving her sentence at the Homestead Correctional Institution in Homestead, Florida. Speaking from the prison to a local news outlet in September of 2025, she told TV20 that reflecting on the crime makes her sick.

Courtesy of Netflix - Netflix

I just never, ever thought in a million years this would happen, and it just, it breaks my heart, she went on. I can't take it back. I can't replace her.

Owens' family have repeatedly rejected Lorincz's apology. Susan's apology was a last-ditch attempt to save herself, Pamela Dias, Owens' mother, told TV at the time of the killer's sentencing. It wasn't sincere; she never showed remorse.

The Perfect Neighbor is available to stream on Netflix from 17 October.

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Florida wildlife officials and Brevard County law enforcement are investigating after a person in a truck struck and killed a large group of birds at a Port Canaveral cargo dock last week.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers responded to a call from the Brevard County Sheriffs Office on Oct. 10, according to a FWC news release.

Officers learned that a person drove a truck through the birds, killing 35 at the scene. Another 13 birds were euthanized due to injuries. One bird survived, according to the release.

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Members of the Florida Wildlife Hospital and Wild Florida Rescue, a local nonprofit, helped to provide care for the injured birds.

Officials have not announced an arrest, but said they have interviewed a suspect.

Ken Smith, a trained wildlife rescue responder with Wild Florida Rescue, told the Tampa Bay Times he received calls that morning to respond to a lumber area on the north side of Port Canaveral.

Smith arrived to the scene and saw multiple birds crushed and injured on the dock.

Smith credits wildlife officials with quickly responding, helping to place injured birds onto blankets and load them into trucks.

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Among the birds killed were herring gulls, sandwich terns and juvenile royal terns, Smith said.

The birds were taken to Florida Wildlife Hospital in Palm Shores.

Megan Stolen, a research scientist who is on the board of Florida Wildlife Hospital, helped triage the broken legs and wings of the birds.

I had not personally seen anything like this, Stolen said. The injuries were really graphic.

Heather Pepe, co-founder and chief operations officer of Wild Florida Rescue, told the Times that local wildlife lovers are hoping for an arrest.

There are a lot of angry people that want to see that person pay a consequence, Pepe said.

Said Smith: All youve go to do is beep your horn. Theres no excuse for plowing through them. We care about our wildlife. It matters.

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Wildlife officials said they have reviewed video evidence, collected physical evidence and talked to witnesses.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is assisting in the investigation, according to the news release.

Any charging decisions will be made by the Brevard County State Attorneys office.
Credit: Lima Municipality Security Department handout via Reuters

A state of emergency is set to be declared in Lima after one person was killed during violent Gen Z protests against the interim government.

Hundreds were injured and one person was shot dead by police after demonstrations turned into street clashes on Wednesday near the capital citys Congress building.

The protesters, alongside transport workers and civil groups, are calling for the resignation of Perus new president, who has been in office for less than a week.

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Jose Jeri, of the conservative Somos Peru party, was sworn in as the interim president following the impeachment of Dina Boluarte, his predecessor. She was ousted on the grounds of permanent moral incapacity.

Jose Jeri has said he will ramp up his powers to address the protests in Peru - Fabiola Granda/Bloomberg

The new president refused to rein in the violence and said he would ramp up powers to tackle the unrest.

The latest wave of violent protests marks a fresh political crisis for Peru, a country that has had seven presidents over the last eight years.

The demonstrations in the South American country are one of several protests led by Gen Z across the globe this year, along with Morocco, Nepal and Madagascar.

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Everyone must go, protesters chanted when they reached congress and tried to tear down metal barriers protecting the building.

Thousands of protesters had amassed around the country, though the most violent clashes were concentrated in Lima. Police fired tear gas while some demonstrators hurled fireworks, rocks and burning missiles.

Eduardo Mauricio Ruiz, a 32-year-old rapper, was killed during the protest after being shot by police, Perus prosecutors office said. Fernando Losada, a representative from Perus ombudsman, said his death would be investigated.

Local media quoted witnesses who claimed they saw the hip-hop artist being shot by a man they said was a plain-clothes police officer.

People attend a vigil for the death of Eduardo Mauricio Ruiz, who performed as the rapper Trvko - Connie France/AFP

Ruiz was the first person to die in the protests, which started about a month ago with calls for better pensions and wages for young workers.

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Mr Jeri said Ruizs death would be objectively investigated and blamed violence on delinquents who infiltrated a peaceful demonstration to sow chaos.

The full force of the law will be on them, he said.

After attending a meeting about the protests in congress, the president said he would ask for the power to legislate on public safety issues, including prison reform.

Protestors in Lima holding up a placard with a Z sign, an allusion to Generation Z - Sebastian Castaneda/Reuters

Vicente Tiburcio, the countrys new interior minister, said the government would also work on comprehensive police reform.

Some 89 police officers were injured in the protests on Wednesday, in addition to 22 civilians. Around 11 people were detained.

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Mr Jeri will serve as president until the next election, which is scheduled for next July.

The 38-year-old has promised to make crime a top priority but has already faced a series of scandals, including allegations of corruption and an old investigation into claims of sexual assault. He denies wrongdoing in both cases.

Ms Boluarte, his predecessor, faced similar protests after she took power in late 2022.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Their final destination could be anywhere from Aurora County to Ziebach County, but for many pheasant hunters, their first stop in South Dakota is the Sioux Falls Regional Airport.

Blaze orange is the color of choice for travelers and floor cleaning robots at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport. A day shy of the traditional pheasant opener, Experience Sioux Falls is greeting hunters with a branded mug and a smile.

We know that theyre going to come into our community, spend their dollars here, and then go out in the fields, spend money out there and so were just here to welcome them, make a good impression for their time in South Dakota, Experience Sioux Falls Communications Manager Matt Barthel said.

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Matt Barthel is with Experience Sioux Falls.

We see a lot of repeat hunters that come in year after year, but we also see some first timers and we just want to make sure that theyre going to have the best time possible in our state, Barthel said.

Bar hopes to reopen after removing Fireball from toilet

I think theres probably about forty of us going to be out there hunting, Tampa, Florida resident Mark Smith said.

Mark Smith is from Tampa, Florida, and meeting relatives west of Salem. Just dont expect him to bag his limit of birds.

I dont even own orange, Mark Smith said. Going to go hang with the relatives and watch them shoot, Mark added.

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That includes his younger brother, Dave.

Well, Im a hunter, and I find a bunch of different spots and different animals, Lakewood Ranch, Florida hunter Dave Smith said.

As important as the pheasant hunting is, its the experience that has the Smiths in South Dakota.

Im coming for both. I guess mainly to see the family, Dave Smith said.

Its the first time the pair has been invited to pheasant hunt, and so far, so good.

I always judge your town by what your airport looks like, by the way. So this looks all right, Dave Smith said.

Which is a win for Experience Sioux Falls.

Theyre going to go back home and theyre going to tell their friends and family about their time here. You know, and so its just all about making sure that we can turn these first timers into repeat visitors for our state, Barthel said.

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Pheasant hunters in South Dakota can shoot from 10:00 a.m. to sunset starting Saturday. The season runs through January 31st.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
Getting a table at one of Philadelphia's hottest restaurants is already difficult to score.

Now, an app that allows the resale of restaurant reservations is facing legislation by Philadelphia City Council, which could curb its operations.

The Troubleshooters first told you about Appointment Trader last year.

The app's founder, Jonas Frey, is doubling down and defending his platform, saying it only helps restaurants and diners.

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But supporters of this new bill say the third-party reservation app is predatory and the city needs to proactively protect against it.

Appointment Trader lets you buy or bid on reservations you want and sell a reservation you either can't make any longer or don't want.

"We have pretty strong guardrails in place that people can't just upload a whole bunch of reservations and sell them," said Frey. "Most of our revenue is actually people requesting a reservation and somebody then filling it for them."

But the restaurant industry worries that the platform boxes out real diners.

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"If it worked that way, peer to peer every single time, it might work," said James Smith, who is the owner of Corio.

"But unfortunately, what we've seen in other cities is that it just ends up eating the reservations online. It's not a guarantee of a person actually showing up."

Legislation in seven states is targeting the app, and now a bill in Philadelphia City Council is looking to regulate it.

"We want these reservations available to anybody, and it really should not be a pay-to-play," said Ben Fileccia with the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association.

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"And part of the legislation allows that any restaurant who wants to use Appointment Trader as another way to capture reservations can. We are just saying that they have to be authorized. It has to be an opt-in," he said.

But Frey says that isn't fair for his platform, or for diners, who often end up paying cancellation fees.

"If the customer is responsible financially for the reservation, how is it the restaurant's reservation at that moment?" Frey questioned. "It's the customer's reservation, not the restaurant's."

Appointment Trader does offer a free partnership program to restaurants.

But again, supporters of this new bill say opting into it should be required, especially before Philadelphia hosts The Michelin Guide next month and FIFA, the All-Star game, and America's 250th birthday next summer.
The Department of Energy (DoE) in the Philippines has introduced the nations initial set of regulations for carbon credits within the energy sector.

This initiative aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, draw investments in clean energy, and prepare the country to engage in international carbon trading markets.

Philippines Energy Secretary Sharon S Garin signed Department Circular No. DC2025-09-0018, titled 'Providing the General Guidelines for the Generation, Management, and Monitoring of Carbon Credits in the Energy Sector' on 23 September 2025.

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Formally issued on 10 October, the circular outlines the policy framework for carbon credits in the domestic energy sector.

The policy acts as the DoEs primary tool to guide energy stakeholders, especially those in the private sector, in tapping into carbon finance.

It prepares them for upcoming carbon market mechanisms and aligns sector actions via specialised DoE Task Force on Energy Carbon Credits.

The framework promotes transparency, accountability, and environmental integrity.

The circular ensures that projects produce genuine emission reductions aligning with international best practices and national policies.

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Additionally, it prevents double counting and sets clear rules for ownership, use, and transfer of carbon credits.

Within the framework, a carbon credit certificate (CCC) will represent a reduction of one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent.

The CCC is capable of undergoing both national and international verification and authorisation processes via the Designated National Authority.

The Philippines seeks to engage in either bilateral or multilateral trade of carbon credits with nations such as Singapore, Japan, and various European countries.

These collaborations are expected to facilitate the exchange of best practices and the development of high-integrity carbon markets.

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The policy seeks to propel the energy transition by harnessing abundant renewable energy resources, encouraging energy efficiency and supporting the development of low-carbon technologies.

This aligns with the Paris Agreement's objective of limiting global temperature rise to well below 2C, with efforts to restrict it to 1.5C.

The issuance of this circular also highlights the DoEs proactive efforts in advancing the objectives of the Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2050, aiming for a secure, sustainable, and low-carbon energy future.

"Philippines DoE unveils framework for carbon credits in energy sector " was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




NEW YORK (AP)  New York mayoral candidates faced off in their first debate as voters prepare to choose the next person to lead Americas biggest city.

___

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Evacuees board a C-17 military transport plane from Bethel to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Flights continued on a C-17 military transport plane Thursday evacuating hundreds of residents of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok after the devastation of ex-Typhoon Halong.

Evacuees sheltered overnight in Bethel on Wednesday after being airlifted from their coastal communities by the Alaska National Guard, each carrying just one suitcase and one bag of personal items.

A couple holds hands as they board an evacuation flight from Bethel to Anchorage on October. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Roughly 150 people stayed at an emergency shelter at the Alaska National Guard Readiness Center. Others stayed with family or friends or in accommodations arranged by the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation in Bethel.

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On Thursday morning, evacuees lined up to board the second flight to Anchorage, landing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Emergency shelters have been set up at Alaska Airlines Center, the Egan Center, and city recreation centers at Spenard and Fairview.

An estimated 2,000 evacuees are expected in Anchorage by Friday, said Mayor Suzanne LaFrance.

Dolly Martin, 19, her mother and four siblings were headed to stay with family.

My emotions are all over the place, she said.

Another flight was scheduled for Thursday afternoon as new evacuees arrive from Kipnuk and Kwigillingok.

Seventy-five people were expected to be picked up in Kwigillingok on Thursday. In Kipnuk, the evacuation is largely complete, said Lieutenant Colonel Brendan Holbrook, commander of the 207th Aviation Troop Command with the Alaska Army National Guard.

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Kipnuk is evacuated for everyone that wants to be evacuated. There are about 50 or 100 that stayed behind, that dont want to come out, Holbrook said, and estimates there are 200 to 300 people in Kwigillingok who are staying there.

The storm killed one woman in Kwigillingok, 67-year-old Ella Mae Kashatok, and left two family members missing, Vernon Pavil and Chester Kashatok. The local search and rescue effort is still ongoing, led by volunteers and village public safety officers with the Association of Village Council Presidents.

As damage continues to be assessed, emergency crews have dispatched to begin repairs on utilities and sewer systems, water, gas lines, roads, boardwalks, boats and structures. At least 15 communities have reportedsubstantial damage across the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region.

On Thursday, Gov. Mike Dunleavy submitted a formal request to the Trump administration for a Presidential Disaster Declaration asking Trump to declare a major disaster for Alaska, and provide support and federal aid to help with the recovery.

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Click on photos to see full gallery

Evacuees board a C-17 military transport plane from Bethel to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees board a C-17 military transport plane from Bethel to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees seen seated on the floor for the second large-scale evacuation flight from Bethel to Anchorage on October. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees seen seated on the floor for the second large-scale evacuation flight from Bethel to Anchorage on October. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees boarded on the second large-scale evacuation flight wait for takeoff from Bethel to Anchorage on October. 16, 2025 (Photos by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees boarded on the second large-scale evacuation flight wait for takeoff from Bethel to Anchorage on October. 16, 2025 (Photos by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Families sit together in the evacuation flight from Bethel to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

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Families sit together in the evacuation flight from Bethel to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees pass around ear plugs inside the C-17 military transport plane, to dampen the aircraft noise on the roughly one hour flight from Bethel to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees pass around ear plugs inside the C-17 military transport plane, to dampen the aircraft noise on the roughly one hour flight from Bethel to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees board the second large-scale evacuation flight from Bethel to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees board the second large-scale evacuation flight from Bethel to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees from Kipnuk and Kwigillingok are seen on the runway in Bethel headed to board the second large-scale evacuation flight on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

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Evacuees from Kipnuk and Kwigillingok are seen on the runway in Bethel headed to board the second large-scale evacuation flight on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

A family boards the second large-scale evacuation flight to Anchorage from Bethel on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

A family boards the second large-scale evacuation flight to Anchorage from Bethel on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees board a C-17 military transport plane from Bethel to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter piloted by the Alaska National Guard takes off for a fifth day of evacuations from Kipnuk and Kwigillingok on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter piloted by the Alaska National Guard takes off for a fifth day of evacuations from Kipnuk and Kwigillingok on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees wait in line to board the second large-scale evacuation flight. Reporter Eric Stone with Alaska Public Media interviews Lt. Col. Brendan Holbrook, commander of the 207th Aviation Troop Command with the Alaska Army National Guard on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

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Evacuees wait in line to board the second large-scale evacuation flight. Reporter Eric Stone with Alaska Public Media interviews Lt. Col. Brendan Holbrook, commander of the 207th Aviation Troop Command with the Alaska Army National Guard on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Members of the Alaska Army National Guard and Alaska Air National Guard seen at the Readiness Center hanger in Bethel, as part of evacuation efforts on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Members of the Alaska Army National Guard and Alaska Air National Guard seen at the Readiness Center hanger in Bethel, as part of evacuation efforts on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Members of the Alaska National Guard outside a tent where evacuees luggage was stored overnight outside the Readiness Center in Bethel on Oct 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Members of the Alaska National Guard outside a tent where evacuees luggage was stored overnight outside the Readiness Center in Bethel on Oct 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Members of the Alaska Army National Guard and Alaska Air National Guard organize the evacuation out of coastal villages and Bethel to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Members of the Alaska Army National Guard and Alaska Air National Guard organize the evacuation out of coastal villages and Bethel to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Sisters Dolly Martin and Rayann Martin of Kipnuk pose for a photo as they wait to board the second evacuation flight from Bethel to Anchorage on October. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

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Sisters Dolly Martin and Rayann Martin of Kipnuk pose for a photo as they wait to board the second evacuation flight from Bethel to Anchorage on October. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees look out the window of the Alaska National Guard Readiness Center hanger in Bethel at the C-17 military transport plane, bringing people to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Evacuees look out the window of the Alaska National Guard Readiness Center hanger in Bethel at the C-17 military transport plane, bringing people to Anchorage on Oct. 16, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
When Orting High School principal Matt Carlson visits his schools cafeteria, the lunch lines wrap around the room.

Many students wait for their food for 20 minutes of a 30-minute lunch break. When they do get their food, dozens of them will find that there arent enough seats for them.

We have 100 kids that eat lunch out of our cafeteria  in the hallway, or in picnic tables out front, Carlson told The News Tribune. We have kids sitting on ramps and stairs eating lunch.

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Most of Orting High School was built in the 1980s, with some additions in the early 2000s. Built for 350 students, the population is now at almost 900  more than double capacity.

Orting High School students walk to and from portables and the main Orting High School building on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Orting, Wash.

Next door is Orting Elementary School. Connie Halvorson-Tran, the principal of Orting Elementary, told The News Tribune that the school is bursting at the seams.

Right now, over half of Orting Elementarys students learn in portable classrooms, Halvorson-Tran wrote in an email to The News Tribune. ... A new elementary school would bring all students together under one roof  where every child can feel a true sense of belonging and safety.

On Nov. 4, voters will decide whether to approve Orting School Districts $137 million bond.

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The bond would rebuild Orting Elementary  which had 572 students during the 2024-2025 school year  from a building designed to house 250 students to one with a 600-student capacity. The new elementary school would sit on 65 acres of land the district owns adjacent to Orting High School, allowing the high school to take over the rest of the 40-acre property the schools currently share.

Students listen to a story in an annex building that is being used for classrooms at Orting Elementary School on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Orting, Wash.

The bond would also allow the high school to gain 200 seats in a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) wing.

The CTE programs that would be constructed would revolve around a [Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics] lab, a culinary commercial kitchen, and a health sciences lab in addition to regular science lab space for our biotechnology, biology classes, chemistry classes, Carlson told The News Tribune.

This marks the fifth time the district has put a bond package before voters since 2023. The district spans 45 miles across Orting and areas near Puyallup, Graham, and Bonney Lake, including part of the master-planned Sunrise Community in South Hill.

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Superintendent Ed Hatzenbeler told The News Tribune this is the first time the bond package will just include the new elementary school and new CTE space for the high school. Brittany Piger, spokesperson for the district, told The News Tribune the district estimates that both the new elementary school and the new space for the high school would be completed in the fall of 2029.

Students utilize electric griddles in a culinary classroom on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, at Orting High School in Orting, Wash. Culinary courses would be moved to a new Career and Technical Education wing with dedicated spaces if the Orting School District's $137 million bond were to pass.

When we didnt pass in November 2024, we commissioned a public group, anyone that wanted to join the bond task force to help us revise or look at the package, Hatzenbeler said. And then they basically made revisions that reduced the amount in this bond.

Its not enough if the yes votes outweigh the no votes. In order to pass, the bond  like all other bond measures in Washington state  needs to meet two requirements:

A 60% supermajority of yes votes.

An overall turnout equivalent to 40% of the last general election  a tall ask after record voter turnout in the 2024 presidential cycle. Kyle Haugh, the elections supervisor for the Pierce County Elections Office, told The News Tribune the bond needs 4,242 votes in order to meet that turnout threshold.

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Laura Lovey Fischer, head of the Yes Committee, worked in the Orting School District for 34 years as a bus driver, school board director and secretary. She retired last year.

The staff here is probably the best, top-notch staff Ive seen, and Ive worked in the Orting School District for 34 years ... and theyre doing a great job, Lovey Fischer said. But to work in these kinds of conditions is very difficult.

There isnt a No Committee listed in the Pierce County voters guide for this measure.

Its like if you put 12 people in a two-bedroom, one-bath.

At Orting High School, there are currently 22 portables compared to 15 classrooms in the building.

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Some might say, Portables are fine, whats the problem? Hatzenbeler said. But when you exceed your built capacity, you dont have enough space in your cafeteria to feed your children and make sure they have adequate seat time. You dont have space for mental health and social support like counseling and intervention. You run out of restroom space.

There are three bathrooms in the building, Hatzenbeler said, and three port-a-potties. Both schools are also struggling with having enough parking.

A port-a-potty sits near a collection of portables used for Orting High School student classrooms on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Orting, Wash.

Its like if you put 12 people in a house thats two-bedroom, one-bath, Hatzenbeler said. Its just, its hard.

Halvorson-Tran said the lunch and bathroom lines are brutal at the elementary school as well.

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Our cafeteria is too small to serve our growing population efficiently, Halvorson-Tran wrote in an email to The News Tribune. The line for the bathroom can take the majority of the lunch block because we simply dont have enough restrooms for the number of kids we serve. We have two toilets for around 8 classrooms during the lunch period.

Halvorson-Tran also said the overcrowding has caused students and staff to repurpose rooms that normally wouldnt be used for instruction.

Every inch of our building is used  storage closets turned into small group spaces for reading intervention, shared offices converted into space for mental health services, multiple special education service providers in single rooms and learning spilling into outside the building when noise from overcrowded spaces becomes too much, Halvorson-Tran wrote in an email to The News Tribune.

A group of Orting Elementary School fifth graders, including Aleks Obshtyr, left, and Malaki Olmsted, right, work on letters and signs in support of the Orting School District's $137 million bond on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Orting, Wash. The group traveled to the Orting Senior Center to share these with residents the next day.

Portables isolate students from their community and from resources they need, Hatzenbeler said, such as interventionists, occupational therapists or physical therapists. On top of that, theyre exposed to the elements.

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Our weather in the rain and the hot and the cold, it doesnt matter. Youre out in it every day, Hatzenbeler said.

There are also safety concerns. Hatzenbeler brought up the example of an active shooter situation.

Youre out in the open, and oftentimes things like alarms, lockdown systems, keyless controls, PA systems  they dont speak and work well attached to your portable facilities, Hatzenbeler said. So, you have the added challenge of communication in any type of emergency.

Hatzenbeler said they are expecting 4,700 more homes in the district within the next decade. According to the districts website, the Daybreak, Sunrise, Uplands and Tehaleh developments are expected to add 542 multi-family homes and 4,117 single-family homes from now through 2035. Piger told The News Tribune in an email the district currently has about 2,890 students and is expecting the population to be about 5,019 in 2035.

Orting Elementary School students wait in line for their lunches in the school's cafeteria on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Orting, Wash.

Carlson said if the overcrowding isnt addressed, future growth will impact gym classes as well.

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Were right in that sweet spot now where our master schedule works, but add 200, 300 students? I dont know how were going to do it, Carlson said.

If the bond passes, Carlson said they would take over the current elementary school after the new elementary school is built, meaning the high school would have two cafeterias and two gyms.

The have-nots in Pierce County

One of the biggest tragedies to come from overcrowding, Carlson said, is not having the space to offer students CTE opportunities like welding, culinary programs and agricultural science. The school has a partnership with the Pierce County Skills Center, but the demand for those programs outweighs the spots the center can offer.

Our kids in this community have the have-nots in Pierce County, Carlson said. If you go to every high school in every school district in the region  White River, Puyallup, Sumner/Bonney Lake  their kids have access to career and technical educational programs that provide them job training in the trades, in the aerospace industry, in the service industry that is commensurate with the world of work. And we currently cannot do that.

Orting High School students take part in a STEM class in a space that used to house shop classes on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Orting, Wash. These courses would be moved to a new Career and Technical Education wing with dedicated spaces for STEM learning if the Orting School District's $137 million bond were to pass.

Carlson noted that many competitive jobs are in the trades.

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Can they get training on the job when they get there? Yeah, but theyre not immediately competitive when they leave us, Carlson said. Kids need access to these programs, desperately. So what happens if we dont pass it? We continue to fall further behind.

How much will this cost?

Taxpayers already pay the district $1.98 per $1,000 assessed property value every year in levies, Hatzenbeler said. This bond would cost about $1.27 per $1,000, meaning taxpayers would pay $3.25 per $1,000 to the district each year.

Zillow says the average home in Orting costs roughly $560,000. That homeowner would pay the district about $1,820 in property taxes each year if the bond passes compared to $1,109 if it fails  a $711 increase.

People get confused. Its like, I already paid a tax, What am I doing? Hatzenbeler said. Levies  those are usually renewed every two to four years  pay for programs that arent funded by the state: extracurriculars, performing arts, transportation that is underfunded, you name it.

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Bonds, Hatzenbeler said, have to do with buildings, and are separate from the existing $1.98 levy.

There would be no increase in 2026, Hatzenbeler said. The increase would take effect in 2027.

According to the districts website, the state would provide $11.1 million in state match funds if the bond passes, to help pay for the projects.

Past bond measures put before the voters were $150 million, but Hatzenbeler said they reduced the cost to $137 million by cutting HVAC improvements, safety and security measures for the other schools, and a gym and cafeteria expansion at Ptarmigan Ridge Elementary School.

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Carlson said he gets lots of questions about using impact fees, which Pierce County puts on new developments to fund the improvements to the schools.

We get $3,300 per new home in Pierce County, compared to $23,000 in King County. Just at those rates, just this $37 million bond package were proposing  we would need to build 32,000 new homes, Carlson said. The math doesnt pan out, we cant use impact fees. We need a bond to do this.

Lovey Fischer said the Yes committee is trying to sway voters who may be hesitant to approve the bond because of the cost.

I hear people say, Im tired of giving money and taxes to the government, Fischer said. The school district is not the government, its an entity of its own ... So, its not like the government where the taxes go and theyre dispersed, when you vote yes on a bond or a levy, those dollars go straight to your school district and they stay in your community.

What happens if the bond fails again?

Lovey Fischer said the yes committee is working as hard as they can to get the bond passed.

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We drilled down to the most important parts that we needed right now in order to keep moving forward, Lovey Fischer said. I think that theres a lot of peoples hands in this and theres a lot of people helping to move this forward because our community cares about kids.

Carlson said if the bond fails, the district will have to make drastic decisions in the future that will harm students and taxpayers.

Ill be putting teachers on carts, Carlson said. Teachers on a cart, moving from classroom to classroom, not having a set classroom, to accommodate.

Students walk from portables to the main Orting High School building between classes on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Orting, Wash.

Lunch period would increase from two lunches to three per day, Carlson said, eating into learning time. He would also have to tackle the bathroom situation, calling his solution port-a-potty city.

The health department would probably require me to have some kind of pump situation for handwashing, and I would have to spend taxpayer dollars on that, Carlson said. I would continue to lose parking spaces for students, which would increase overflow of parking into the city and also for students. And also, potentially, it would cost taxpayers money in terms of trying to find parking off campus where we lease something.

Halvorson-Tran said the elementary school would have to keep increasing its portables.

Our community is growing  and thats a good thing, Halvorson-Tran wrote in an email to The News Tribune. But without a new elementary school, well eventually reach a point where there just isnt any room to grow safely.

Orting Elementary School students stand by the fence as Orting High School students walk between classes on the other side on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Orting, Wash. The elementary school added the green lining to the fence to limit interactions between younger and older students.

Hatzenbeler said the district has not made an exact plan for what to do if the bond fails, but steps could become more drastic as time goes on.

For instance, students may start the day at 6:30 in the morning and some may start their day at 2:00 in the afternoon and go late at night. Bethel and Puyallup have both done those, Hatzenbeler said. You can look at year-round options where youre two weeks on, two weeks off  something to maximize the space in a non-traditional way. You can fill your class sizes up full.

One of the worst things that could happen, Hatzenbeler said, is shutting down the elementary school and sending the students to Ptarmigan Ridge Elementary School.

We may have to close Orting Elementary, ship all of those students to the other and try to run an elementary school of 1,200 students so high school students have room, Hatzenbeler said. Theres no good solution.
PORTAGE, Wis. (WFRV)  First responders helped to rescue construction workers who got pinned in their lifts after nearly 100 trusses collapsed during an installation project in central Wisconsin.

Around 2 p.m. on Thursday, October 16, authorities with the Portage Fire Department say they were called to the Columbia County Highway Shop on Highway 16 for rescue efforts after the structure partially collapsed during an installation.

Brown County Deputy honored as a First Responder of the Year

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It had been reported that two construction workers were pinned and trapped in separate lifts after 90 of the roughly 100 trusses that were being installed had collapsed.

Portage Fire Department Portage Fire Department Portage Fire Department

The workers were in two different lifts, roughly 25 to 35 feet in the air, uninjured but needed help getting out.

Women with mobility issues dead in Wisconsin fire as deputies, delivery driver attempt rescue

Fire crews used a rope system to safely rescue both workers, who were then evaluated for injuries.

No injuries were reported.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
NEED TO KNOW

An Airbus A320 aircraft in Italy suffered a "serious incident" when the plane almost dove into the sea shortly after takeoff last month, authorities have shared.

The aircraft's pilots received a pull-up message, which "occurred as the aircraft approached the sea surface, reaching a short distance from it," the National Agency for the Safety of Flight noted

The agency's press release also stated, "The flight continued without further incident. There were no passengers on board, and two pilots and four cabin crew members were present"



An Airbus A320 aircraft in Italy suffered a "serious incident" when the plane almost dove into the sea shortly after takeoff last month, authorities have shared.

On Saturday, Sept. 20 at 9:57 p.m. local time, an Air Arabia aircraft took off from Sicily's Catania Airport, before "a Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) pull-up message" was received shortly afterward, per a press release shared by the Italian aviation accident investigation agency, the National Agency for the Safety of Flight, translated from Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo (ANSV).

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The plane had been heading to Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan at the time of the incident, the release noted.

Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty A stock photo of an Air Arabia Airbus A320 aircraft A stock photo of an Air Arabia Airbus A320 aircraft

The pull-up message "occurred as the aircraft approached the sea surface, reaching a short distance from it," the ANSV added.

According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, GPWS "are vital safety systems in modern aircraft that are designed to prevent collisions with terrain or obstacles, and were designed to prevent Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) accidents."

ANSV's press release said, "The flight continued without further incident. There were no passengers on board, and two pilots and four cabin crew members were present."

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"After a preliminary review of the information received from the operator, ANSV opened a safety investigation, classifying the event as a serious incident," the post concluded.

ANSV declined to provide any additional details when contacted by PEOPLE.

After the Air Arabia aircraft lost altitude, it reached just under 200 feet from the sea at a speed of just under 300 mph, according to Italian newspapers Corriere della Sera and la Repubblica Palermo.

The plane then rapidly climbed back up, Corriere della Sera reported, per a translated article.

It's unclear why the incident occurred, and the weather conditions were good at the time, the paper stated. The flight landed at 2:52 a.m. local time on Sept. 21, the outlet reported, citing the ANSV.

Toni Palermo/Getty A aerial view of Catania city, Italy A aerial view of Catania city, Italy

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Two Airbus A320 captains spoke to Corriere della Sera about the incident, and struggled to explain the sudden descent, the paper stated. The outlet did not specify if the captains were on board when the incident took place.

However, they pointed out that something like this could happen if "there was a bird strike, which would certainly have forced a return," per the outlet.

Such incidents could potentially occur due to things such as an error in calculating the takeoff weights or a faulty maneuver by the pilots, as well, Corriere della Sera noted. The cause of the September 20 incident, however, is not clear.

Air Arabia didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for comment.



Read the original article on People
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  A plaque honoring the Palmetto States heroes now stands in the heart of downtown Charleston.

The Board of Field Officers of the Fourth Brigade, in partnership with the Washington Light Brigade Infantry and Sumter Guards, unveiled a new plaque honoring 39 South Carolina Medal of Honor recipients.

Friday morning was filled with patriotism and state pride, with military leaders, elected officials, veterans, and the community gathered to reflect on the 39 heroes, each of whom earned the nations highest military honor.

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Among the speakers was retired U.S. Major General James E. Livingston, a Medal of Honor recipient who lives in Mount Pleasant.

You know what I wanted to do this for? The kids of South Carolina, said Livingston. I want them to know who their heroes are, how freedom is paid for, and the service and sacrifice of all the vets.

The President of the United States awards the Medal of Honor to recipients who demonstrate the six characteristics: courage, sacrifice, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, and commitment.

Dale Theiling, Chairman of the Board of Field Officers of the Fourth Brigade, encouraged visitors to read each name on the plaque as they visit Marion Square.

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We hope they notice this plaque and spend a minute reading, said Thelling. These names are important, and otherwise, theyre not hearing them.

Charleston Mayor William Cogswell and Governor Henry McMaster proclaimed October 17th, 2025, as a Day of Honor in recognition of the states recipients.

You can see the plaque on the flagpole in Marion Square at any time.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
A woman pretending to be Farrokh Khambatas wife helped the celebrity chef secure a loan of Rs 40.8 lakh from a private bank, according to the polices charge sheet filed with the Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

The chef and restaurateur, who has been missing since April last year, has been accused by his wife Dilshad Khambata of forging her signature to secure the loan.

According to the charge sheet, bank officials could not reach Dilshad during the loan verification process. Instead, Farrokh gave them a different number, and the woman who answered that call identified herself as Dilshad and completed the OTP confirmation.

If that caller was not the real Dilshad, then someone else posed as her to validate the loan, and it was this possible impersonation that led to the police complaint. The team of officials is yet to get the details of the woman but is waiting to trace Farrokh.

The bank official who placed that call was a 29-year-old sales manager posted at the lenders Andheri Techno Park branch near Holy Family High School in Chakala. His job involved receiving business loan files from DSAs, checking identity and income documents, confirming the details of the applicant and co-applicant over the phone, verifying residence and office addresses, and then forwarding the file to the credit department for processing. Once submitted, the file goes to the credit manager, who does a second round of scrutiny before approving or rejecting any loan.

In June 2024, the sales manager received a business loan application for Farrokh through Urban Money Pvt Ltd, a DSA. The file was submitted by a woman named Dolly, and his manager was also associated with it. The sales manager checked the documents attached to the file, including Aadhaar, PAN, company ownership papers, and the co-applicants details. He first called Farrokh on 937******6, confirmed his address and purpose of the loan, and sent him a system-generated confirmation link. Farrokh then completed the OTP authentication.

After that, the manager tried contacting the co-applicant, Dilshad, on the mobile number printed on her Aadhaar card. The call went unanswered. The sales manager informed Farrokh, who said she might be travelling and not in a position to pick up the phone. A little later, Farrokh provided another number  993*****7  saying it belonged to his wife. The woman who answered that number identified herself as Dilshad. She confirmed that she was the co-applicant and that her husband had applied for the loan. A confirmation link was then sent to that number, and she entered the OTP to complete the process.

With both confirmations in place  one from the main applicant and one from the woman claiming to be the co-applicant  the file was forwarded to the banks credit team. The department re-verified the documents and approved the loan of Rs 40.8 lakh, which was then disbursed to Farrokhs Kotak Mahindra Bank account.

FINANCIAL RECORDS

The financial records shared for Farrokhs proprietorship show a clear upward trend in turnover over three consecutive financial years. In FY 2021-22, the turnover was Rs 4.32 crore, which rose to Rs 7.61 crore in 2022-23, and to Rs 8.19 crore in 2023-24.

The bank statement shows financial transactions for Farrokhs account in December 2024. The opening balance was approximately Rs 4.05 crore. During the period, total withdrawals amounted to around Rs 5.43 crore, while total deposits were about Rs 5.03 crore, leaving a closing balance slightly lower than the opening. Specific transactions include a withdrawal attempt of Rs 74,048 and a large deposit of over Rs 2.21 crore to a private limited company, which was marked as insufficient or disputed due to signature mismatch. Overall, the statement reflects heavy inflow and outflow of funds, with some transactions flagged for irregularities, indicating possible financial mismanagement or fraud-related activity.

A criminal case has been registered at Gamdevi Police Station under Crime Register for offences under Sections 335, 336(2), and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The complainant is 48-year-old Dilshad, who lives in Mumbai.


MIDDLESBORO, Ky. (WATE)  The man indicted in connection with the 2023 death of 17-month-old Elena Hembree has been offered a plea agreement.

Bell County Commonwealth Attorney Mike Taylor confirmed to 6 News on Friday that Harvey C. Gollahan had signed the plea agreement and the document had been submitted, but the agreement has not been accepted by a judge at this time. The agreement is set to be discussed in court on November 3.

TDOT: I-40 repairs in Cocke County to use nearly 200 sacrificial trench boxes

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In the plea agreement dated September 22, prosecutors wrote that the abuse and neglect that Hembree suffered at the hands of her mother happened in Gollahans home. The agreement stated that Gollahan witnessed the abuse, neglect and serious injury on at least three occasions and did not protect her, seek medical attention for her, or seek a protective agency to help her. The agreement also notes that Gollahans cooperation allowed prosecutors to secure a conviction for Hembrees mother, Erica Lawson, which would not have been possible otherwise.

The plea agreement that prosecutors offered Gollahan would dismiss the murder count he is facing in exchange for pleading guilty to three counts of second-degree criminal abuse, which are lowered from the three counts of first-degree criminal abuse of a child under 12 that Gollahan was indicted on.

If the agreement is accepted by a judge, prosecutors recommend Gollahan serve five years for each of the three abuse charges consecutively on top of his five-year sentence in another case, which is a total of 20 years. This sentence would run concurrent with his 51-month federal sentence in the U.S. District Court.

Gollahan was indicted in May on charges of murder and first-degree criminal abuse. His indictment came just days before Lawson pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, failure to report child dependent neglect or abuse, and wanton endangerment. Lawson is currently serving a 20-year sentence.

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Hearing set for four of Trumps Tennessee Valley Authority board nominees

On July 30, 2023, Hembree died at East Tennessee Childrens Hospital. At that time, Bell County Commonwealth Attorney Lisa Fugate explained that the 17-month-old was taken to the hospital two days before and had been placed on life support.

The day after the toddlers death, Lawson was arrested and charged with manslaughter and child abuse. She was indicted in August 2023.

Fugate said Hembree had signs of physical and sexual abuse; however, the Middlesboro Police Department later revealed that a lack of male DNA was found during the Kentucky State Police Forensic Labs analysis. In March 2024, the police department released that Hembrees cause of death was determined to be non-accidental blunt force trauma.

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The commonwealth initially planned to seek the death penalty for Lawson, but the defense filed a motion in January 2024 to dismiss the case or for the court to strike death as an available penalty. A judge signed an order in February 2025 to withdraw the possibility of the death penalty from the case, and Lawson agreed to a plea deal in May. WRIL reported that when Lawson pleaded guilty, she agreed to cooperate in the case against Gollahan.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
Three years after the attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, Poland refused on Friday to extradite to Germany one of the alleged participants, saying the German request was not adequately substantiated.

A court in Warsaw rejected the transfer of the 46-year-old Ukrainian identified as Volodymyr Z and lifted his pre-trial detention, according to the PAP news agency.

The judge ruled that German authorities had provided only very general information, leaving the Polish court with no concrete evidence in the case, PAP reported.

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The German government can appeal.

On Wednesday, Italy's highest court blocked the extradition of another suspect detained in Italy.

Volodymyr Z was wanted by Germany under a European arrest warrant. He was arrested in late September in Pruszkow near Warsaw and has been in custody since.

According to the Federal Prosecutor's Office in the German city of Karlsruhe, the 46-year-old is a trained diver who was allegedly a member of the group that placed explosive devices on the Nord Stream gas pipelines near the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm in September 2022.

The prosecutor's office accuses him of causing an explosive detonation and anti-constitutional sabotage.

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The explosions in the attack damaged the two pipelines so severely that no gas could be transported through them. The explosions were registered near Denmark's Bornholm. Shortly afterwards, four leaks were discovered in three of the total of four pipelines.

Previously, Russian natural gas flowed through Nord Stream 1 to Germany, although not at the time of the attack. Nord Stream 2 was not yet operational due to the Russian war on Ukraine.

Tusk: 'The case is closed'

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, writing on X, greeted the court's decision to reject the extradition, saying, "rightly so. The case is closed."

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Tusk had previously stated that it was not in Poland's interest to prosecute the man or extradite him to another country. The National Security Bureau (BBN), which reports to President Karol Nawrocki, a political rival of Tusk, expressed a similar view on Wednesday evening.

Poland's political leadership has consistently opposed the construction of the pipeline, warning that it could be used by Russia as a tool for blackmail. This stance has not changed despite a change in government two years ago and a recent change in the presidency.
Military exercises called Brave Tiger are underway at the training ground in Drawsko, Poland, aimed in part at practising the operation of a field hospital.

Source: RMF24, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The drills are organised by the Polish 12th Mechanised Brigade and involve 1,000 soldiers and dozens of medics. Troops are practising the evacuation of wounded personnel from the front line, while both military and civilian doctors are learning how a field hospital operates.

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The goal of the exercises is to familiarise civilian doctors with the specifics of military medicine and to train for providing aid in combat conditions.

Quote from Dariusz Czekaj, Commander of the 12th brigade: "We have prepared a number of simulators. These are typical battlefield injuries  lacerations and gunshot wounds caused by artillery shells."

: RMF24

: RMF24

Photo: RMF24

More details: Czekaj added that the exercises are based on Ukraine's experience, as the military aims to recreate situations that most often occur in modern warfare. The doctors taking part in the drills took the military oath a few days ago, officially becoming reservists.

: RMF24

: RMF24

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Photo: RMF24

Background:

On 13 October, Lithuania's Armed Forces launched the Storm Strike 2025 military exercises in the west of the country.

On the same day, NATO began its Steadfast Noon 2025 nuclear deterrence drills.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the exercises are necessary to ensure the highest reliability and effectiveness of nuclear deterrence.

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[Source]

Authorities in Oregon and Ohio have arrested 11 people on suspicion of involvement in organized theft operations that specifically target homes of Asian American business owners, the latest arrests in a crime wave affecting communities across multiple states.

The arrests: Eugene Police arrested seven suspects aged 24 to 44 on Oct. 9 following a shelter-in-place order as at least 60 officers served a search warrant at an Airbnb on Skyline Boulevard. The arrests came after a burglary on Oct. 6 in the Bethel neighborhood where a suspect dressed as a pizza delivery driver was captured on camera before all surveillance systems stopped working at the same time. The suspects face charges of first-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary.

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Meanwhile, West Chester, Ohio police apprehended four people connected to a South American theft ring, with bonds set at $250,000 each. During the investigation, police discovered a ledger containing addresses of homes that had been burglarized or were planned for future burglaries.

The big picture: The arrests fit within a troubling national trend tracked in recent years, as organized crime operations focus on Asian American households where families commonly store cash and valuables. In Eugene alone, investigators are examining whether 21 break-ins dating back to late 2023 connect to coordinated networks deploying advanced tactics: phony delivery driver disguises, covert cameras, wireless signal blockers and aerial drones. The crimes typically occur through back doors during work hours, with thieves taking safes, cash, jewelry and other high-value goods. Authorities in West Chester described how these organizations conduct extensive reconnaissance, with members scoping out businesses to identify proprietors and track their movements throughout the day. Beyond these areas, Franklin, Wisconsin law enforcement has similarly cautioned residents about the interstate criminal activity focused on Asian-owned businesses.

Trending on NextShark: Israel-Hamas deal sparks cautious optimism from Asian American leaders

What authorities are saying: Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner said his department believes a single overarching criminal enterprise directs these operations, deploying various crews as field operatives. We honestly think its the same kind of parent organization thats perpetrating this crime and these are different actors within that, Skinner said, characterizing those arrested as foreign nationals receiving substantial financial backing.

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According to Skinner, the citys Flock automated license plate recognition technology delivered the breakthrough evidence that proved most crucial to cracking the case, though the system now faces questions about privacy protection. Meanwhile, community advocates from the Asian American population had earlier criticized the law enforcement response, contending officials waited too long before warning residents they had become specific targets.

A public safety forum is scheduled for Oct. 23 at the Korean Presbyterian Church of Eugene.

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New York City police say they have a suspect in custody after a man allegedly lured a 13-year-old girl walking to school into a secluded area and sexually assaulted her.

Police arrested 45-year-old O'Neil Kennedy, who has been charged with child endangerment, stalking, harassment, and public lewdness. Kennedy has at least seven prior arrests, including for assault and forcible touching.

Authorities say the sexual assault happened in Seton Falls Park near East 233rd Street and Wilder Avenue just after 8:20 a.m. Thursday.

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The girl was on her way to school at the time when she was lured into the park. The suspect supposedly ordered her to lift her shirt and preformed a lewd act while watching her.

The girl was not touched or injured.

Residents say they will be keeping a closer eye on their kids and staying vigilant after the harrowing encounter.

"I feel for the child and the parents and the parent...they probably work and can't take their child back to school, so I feel for the parents," one resident said.

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New York City police say they have a suspect in custody after a man allegedly lured a 14-year-old girl walking to school into a secluded area and sexually harassed her.

Police arrested 45-year-old Bronx resident ONeil Kennedy, who has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, public lewdness, stalking and harassment. Kennedy has at least seven prior arrests, including for assault and forcible touching.

Authorities say the crime happened in Seton Falls Park near East 233rd Street and Wilder Avenue just after 8:20 a.m. Thursday.

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The girl was on her way to school at the time when she was lured into the park. The suspect supposedly ordered her to lift her shirt and performed a lewd act while watching her.

The girl was not touched or injured.

Residents say they will be keeping a closer eye on their kids and staying vigilant after the harrowing encounter.

"I feel for the child and the parents and the parent...they probably work and can't take their child back to school, so I feel for the parents," one resident said.

Kennedy is expected to be arraigned later Friday.

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OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  A month-long burglary spree in North County has come to an end after Oceanside police arrested two suspects accused of breaking into dozens of businesses across the city.

Police said 32-year-old Matthew Robnett and 34-year-old Taylor Hoganson were taken into custody after investigators linked them to more than 35 commercial burglaries throughout September. A third suspect remains at large.

Poway gun retailer joins lawsuit to sue CA over ban of glock-style guns

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Investigators said the suspects targeted businesses in the Oceanside Harbor, in the downtown area and near College Boulevard and Marron Road. Police said the suspects often used a U-Haul truck during the crimes.

They got illegal firearms, ammunition, high-capacity magazines, stolen checks, credit cards, passports and even U.S. currency as well as drugs, said Oceanside Police Public Information Officer Gina Avalos.

Search warrants at multiple locations turned up those items, according to Avalos. Robnett and Hoganson face multiple felony charges, including burglary, grand theft and conspiracy.

One business owner, Sheri Castro, who runs Harbor Fish and Chips, said her security cameras captured footage of the suspects trying to break in.

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It was very scary knowing that there were masked men trying to break into our businesses in the middle of the night, Castro said.

Castro said she now feels some relief knowing two of the suspects are behind bars.

Usually Ill have my pepper spray in one hand, and now its a little bit of relief, she said.

Police are still working to identify and locate the third suspect. Anyone with information is asked to contact Oceanside police.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.




The San Antonio Police Department has released the names of the injured officers and the man shot dead during a confrontation at a West Side hotel Wednesday.

The department identified the injured officers as Luis Cordova and Ethaniel Valdez, who are recovering from gunshot wounds at home, SAPD said in a news release Thursday. They have eight and three years of service with the department, respectively.

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Police said that Cordova and cadet Antonio Santiago, who has less than one year of service with the department, fired the shots that killed Odon Paul Bustos IV, 36, who was out of jail on community supervision.

It is the 11th officer-involved shooting this year in San Antonio.

Deadly shootout

As the investigation continues, SAPD released new information Thursday that chronicles the events leading up to the shooting.

Around 8:15 a.m., a woman called 911 and asked police to come to the Travelodge/Ramada Inn off U.S. 90 West near West Military. She hung up, but police knew the address.

Police Chief William McManus told reporters Wednesday that the 911 call involved Bustos. The woman was whispering into the phone, he said.

San Antonio police officers respond to the scene of a shooting that took place in the parking lot of a Travelodge/Ramada Inn motel on the West Side, near the intersection of Military Drive West and U.S. 90, on Wednesday, October 15, 2025. A man was killed, and two officers were wounded during a shootout. (Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News)





Before the 911 call came in, Bustos had been taunting two officers and a cadet from the other side of a chain-link fence, according to McManus.

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"He was gesturing to them, and they were ignoring him," he said.

After the woman called 911, Valdez and an unidentified cadet responded to the hotel and made contact with Bustos, police said Thursday. When Cordova and Santiago arrived at the hotel, Bustos began walking away.

Valdez tried to stop him. That's when Bustos pulled a handgun out of the waistband and fired at the officers, according to SAPD.

He shouted that he was not going back to prison, according to McManus.

Officers Cordova and Santiago returned fire, striking Bustos. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

McManus initially told reporters that it appeared all three officers fired at Bustos. However, SAPD said Thursday that further investigation determined only Cordova and Santiago fired.

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All three officers have been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation and an independent review by the Bexar County District Attorney's Office.

Criminal history

Bexar County court records show Bustos had last served jail time for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, a case stemming from September 2022. He had been released from jail since, but a motion to revoke his probation was issued in September 2024, meaning he violated the terms of his release and was to be sent back to jail.

A judge granted Bustos parole, and he was placed on community supervision for two years, including credit for time served in jail. That supervision would have ended next month, according to court records.

Last year, Bustos was accused of mail theft and another charge of unlawful carry of a weapon, but those charges were dismissed.

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KSAT-TV reported that Bustos was wanted on warrants out of another county, including for charges of aggravated robbery, parole violation and obstructing a court order.

Since Bustos' death, family members have lamented Bustos' killing, including his father Odon Bustos, who wrote on social media: "You will forever be in my heart my son rest easy your pain has gone away but left the scars. love you Odon Paul."

Staff writer Jacob Beltran contributed to this report.

This article originally published at Police identify injured officers in West Side hotel shootout that killed San Antonio man.
AI-powered deepfake tech has come a very long way.

Unsurprisingly, teens have been using the tech to prank their friends and family. The latest hoax involves kids sending their parents AI-manipulated pictures of them welcoming homeless men into their houses  prompting widespread alarm and even 911 calls, as NBC News reports.

This new AI homeless man trend is fantastic had to get my wee sister to try persuade her not to actually call the polis     pic.twitter.com/XmAITmcZJT  Isla (@FfsHibs) October 1, 2025

The trend shows how widespread highly sophisticated generative AI tools have become, foreshadowing a future in which you cant believe even imagery from friends and family. Case in point, countless videos on social media involve youngsters boasting about how they terrified their parents or friends with the help of AI.

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No, I dont know him, one disgruntled father messaged their son in one TikTok video that got millions of views. What does he want?

He said you guys went to school together, I invited him in, the son replied, posting an AI-edited image of a man sitting on presumably the familys couch.

JOE PICK UP THE PHONE, the alarmed parent replied. I DONT KNOW HIM!!!!!

The prank has gained so much momentum that law enforcement is now issuing warnings, NBC News reports.

Besides being in bad taste, there are many reasons why this prank is, to put it bluntly, stupid and potentially dangerous, the Salem, Massachusetts police department wrote in a statement. This prank dehumanizes the homeless, causes the distressed recipient to panic and wastes police resources.

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A press release by the Oak Harbor police department in Washington also warned of safety concerns related to an AI homeless man prank. Circulating images made it look like a homeless individual was present on the Oak Harbor High School Campus.

AI tools can create highly convincing images, and misinformation can spread quickly, causing unnecessary fear or diverting public safety resources, the statement reads.

Some are warning that the prank may go far beyond wasting police resources as well.

We want to be clear: this behavior is not a prank  it is a crime, the Brown County, Ohio sheriffs office wrote in a post on Facebook, following a separate incident. Both juveniles involved have been criminally charged for their roles in these incidents.

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Its not just the United States, either. British teens are also using AI tools to prank their parents or friends, according to the BBC, with local law enforcement warning to check if distressing pictures are a prank before calling the cops.

You know, pranks, even though they can be innocent, can have unintended consequences, Round Rock, Texas, police department commander Andy McKinney told NBC. And oftentimes young people dont think about those unattended consequences and the families they may impact, maybe their neighbors, and so a real-life incident could be happening with one of their neighbors, and theyre draining resources, thinking this is going to be fun.

More on generative AI: People Are Using OpenAIs Sora to Mock the Dead
(NewsNation)  A new update has been made in the case of long-time missing Wyoming man Chance Englebert.

Englebert went missing in 2019, when he was 25, during a trip to visit family in Gering, Nebraska.

He had been arguing with his wife and her family, and after saying he wanted to go back to Wyoming, he got out of her car and began walking.

Englebert was last seen on surveillance video walking through Gering, about an hour before a storm hit the area.

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In a statement issued Thursday, the Scotts Bluff County attorney discussed skeletal remains found at Scotts Bluff National Monument, west of Gehrig.

Abducted child returned from Mexico during ICE investigation

Several items were located that family identified as belonging to Chance Englebert when he went missing on July 6, 2019, the statement read.

The investigation into his disappearance has been active and ongoing since it was originally reported. The Douglas County Coroners Office in Omaha is assisting to facilitate the forensic examination of dental records, DNA samples, and other scientific examinations of the skeletal remains.

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The examination is expected to take place in the near future, but a date has not been set. Authorities were clear that no identity could be positively identified until completion of the forensic examination.

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A murderer who was released from prison on parole is back in jail after threatening to rape and kill his friends family, according to court records.

Christopher M. Showalter, 54, of Zionsville, stomped Michael Krumwiede to death after a night at a Lebanon bar in 2002. Showalter was sentenced to 45 years in prison for the murder and served less than half that term when released in November, according to Indiana Department of Correction records.

Showalters friend, Donnie Altic, let Showalter, who is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 270 pounds, live with his family for a few months in their Center Township home after his release, according to a probable cause affidavit. But there were some issues, and Altic asked Showalter to move out, according to the affidavit.

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Showalter in August accused Altic of making him homeless and threatened via text messages to kill Altic and another man in his family, to rape two women in the family and to kill his grandchildren, police reported.

Showalter was arrested Oct. 2 on four counts of intimidation, a Level 6 felony, and stands accused of violating terms of his parole in the murder case. He remains in the Ern K. Hudson Justice Center in Lebanon, pending a determination of his status on the murder case.

He could be released on bond, but, if a judge finds that Showalter violated his parole, he could be returned to prison to complete his murder sentence and await trial in the intimidation case.
Police are searching for three suspects accused of robbing an armored truck guard outside a DeSoto bank on Thursday.

According to the DeSoto Police Department, the guard was servicing an ATM in the parking lot of the PNC Bank at 225 North Hampton Road when two suspects attacked him. Officers said the suspects pepper-sprayed the guard before taking an undisclosed amount of cash.

The suspects fled north in a white Infiniti Q50 sedan driven by a third accomplice, police said. The robbery occurred about 20 minutes south of downtown Dallas.

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Authorities said the guard sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses as part of the investigation. The department said it is working with federal partners, including the FBI, as the investigation continues, according to WFAA.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact the DeSoto Police Department at 469-658-3000 or submit tips anonymously to Crime Stoppers.
UPDATE: This person has been found, according to a text alert sent Saturday.

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  The Ingham County Sheriffs Office is currently searching for Jordyn Summer Bath, 18, from Delhi Township. Bath has autism and police say she is communicative.

Jordyn was last seen in the area of N Eifert Road and McCue Road at around 3:00 p.m. Friday. She is 511 and 130 lbs. and known to wear bright clothing and makeup. Police say if you see her, do not approach her and instead call 911.

Jordyn Summer Bath. (Ingham County 911)

Jordyn Summer Bath. (Ingham County 911)

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
By Marek Strzelecki and Anna Koper

WARSAW (Reuters) -A Polish court will consider on Friday whether a Ukrainian diver who is wanted by Germany in connection with the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions should be handed over to Berlin.

Although Warsaw says the decision over whether Volodymyr Z. should be transferred to Germany is one for the courts alone, its Prime Minister Donald Tusk said earlier this month that handing Volodymyr Z. over was not in Poland's interest.

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Tusk said the problem was not that the pipelines were blown up in September 2022, but that they were built at all.

The explosions largely severed Russian gas supplies to Europe, marking a major escalation in the Ukraine conflict and squeezing energy supplies.

The pipelines were a source of conflict between Warsaw and Berlin as far back as the 2000s when they were still in the planning stage, with Poland arguing they compromised security by making Europe overly dependent on Russian energy while handing billions of euros to Moscow.

Germany's government has declined to comment on Tusk's remarks or tensions over the case, while a Polish government spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

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One Germany diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, said that Tusk's comments could harm cooperation between two of Kyiv's key allies.

However, another German diplomat said they did not expect Berlin to pick a fight with Warsaw over the case and that the investigation would continue whatever the outcome.

ACCUSATIONS OF 'ANTI-CONSTITUTIONAL SABOTAGE'

Germany's top prosecutors' office says Volodymyr Z. was one of a group suspected of renting a sailing yacht and planting explosives on the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm.

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He faces allegations of conspiring to commit an explosives attack and of "anti-constitutional sabotage".

His Polish lawyer rejects the accusations and says Volodymyr Z. has done nothing wrong. He has also questioned whether a case concerning the destruction of Russian property by a Ukrainian at a time when the countries are at war is a criminal matter.

"I'm personally pleased that this case is generating strong public sentiment, including statements from politicians," Tymoteusz Paprocki said on Thursday.

Warsaw regional prosecutors' spokesperson Piotr Skiba said that on legal grounds it would be hard not to hand the Ukrainian over to Germany.

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"It's very difficult to find any grounds on which we couldn't transfer him to the Germans," he said, cautioning that the final decision rests in the Warsaw court's hands.

REPRIEVE FOR SUSPECT IN ITALY

A second Ukrainian suspect, Serhii K., won a reprieve on Wednesday when Italy's top court upheld an appeal against his transfer on procedural grounds.

That case will have to go before court again.

In Poland, courts can refuse to hand over suspects wanted under European arrest warrants if this would violate their human rights or if criminal proceedings for the same offence are underway in Poland.

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Warsaw has launched its own investigation into the Nord Stream bombings, but Volodymyr Z. is a witness not a suspect.

(Reporting by Marek Strzelecki, Anna Koper and Barbara Erling in Warsaw, Sarah Marsh and Andreas Rinke in Berlin, Emilio Parodi in Milan, writing by Alan Charlish, editing by Alexander Smith)
Editor's note: This item has been updated with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's statement.

A Polish court on Oct. 16 refused to extradite Ukrainian national Volodymyr Z. to Germany, where he is accused of involvement in sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, Polish broadcaster TVP reported.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the suspect was released from custody.

"And rightly so. The case is closed," the prime minister added.

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The ruling comes amid tensions over the unsolved Nord Stream explosions, which destroyed key pipelines linking Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea and triggered international accusations.

The 46-year-old suspect was detained in September in east-central Poland.

German authorities accuse him of helping to place explosives on the pipelines as part of a covert operation conducted from a rented sailing yacht that departed from the port of Rostock. The vessel was reportedly acquired through intermediaries using forged German documents.

Poland's refusal follows a similar move by Italy's Supreme Court, which on Oct. 15 overturned the extradition of another Ukrainian national, Serhii Kuznetsov, wanted by Germany on related charges.

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Tusk earlier commented on the matter, saying those who built the Nord Stream 2 pipeline "should be ashamed and remain silent," not those accused of sabotaging it.

Tusk said extraditing the suspect would be "against Poland's interests," and he shared Poland's stance with former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Volodymyr Zelensky "many months ago."

Ukraine's Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar said on Oct. 7 that Kyiv is not interfering in the extradition proceedings. German investigators previously linked the sabotage to a pro-Ukraine group but did not allege direct involvement by the Ukrainian government.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which never became operational, had long been a flashpoint in European energy politics. Even before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, critics said it deepened Germany's dependence on Russian gas and undermined European energy security.

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In 2021, Nord Stream 1 supplied over one-third of Russia's gas exports to Europe. Czech President Petr Pavel later said the pipelines were a "legitimate target" if Kyiv had indeed been behind the attack.

Read also: Putin got scared  Trump needs to be wary of Russias delaying tactic, Ukraine lawmaker, experts warn

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A Polish court on Friday denied the extradition of a Ukrainian suspect to Germany in a case involving the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines three years ago, the PAP news agency reported.

The suspect identified as Volodymyr Z was wanted by Germany under a European arrest warrant. He was arrested in late September in Pruszkow near Warsaw and has been in custody since.

According to the Federal Prosecutor's Office in the German city of Karlsruhe, the 46-year-old is a trained diver who was allegedly a member of the group that placed explosive devices on the Nord Stream gas pipelines near the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm in September 2022.

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The prosecutor's office accuses him of causing an explosive detonation and anti-constitutional sabotage.

The explosions in the attack damaged the two pipelines so severely that no gas could be transported through them. The explosions were registered near Denmark's Bornholm. Shortly afterwards, four leaks were discovered in three of the total four pipelines.

Previously, Russian natural gas flowed through Nord Stream 1 to Germany, although not at the time of the attack. Nord Stream 2 was not yet operational due to the Russian war against Ukraine.
By Marek Strzelecki and Anna Koper

WARSAW (Reuters) -A Polish court on Friday ruled against handing over a Ukrainian suspect wanted by Germany in connection with the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions and ordered his immediate release from detention.

Although Warsaw had said the decision over whether Volodymyr Z. should be transferred to Germany was one for the courts alone, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said earlier this month that handing him over was not in Poland's interest.

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Tusk said the problem was not that the undersea pipelines, which run from Russia to Germany, were blown up in September 2022, but that they were built at all.

"The person being prosecuted, if he was the perpetrator, is entitled to functional immunity, which covers an act committed in connection with his activities for the Ukrainian state," judge Dariusz Lubowski said in his verdict that ruled that the German application was not admissible.

"If Ukraine was indeed the organiser of this act of aggression, then only Ukraine can be held responsible for this event."

Ukraine has denied involvement in the explosions.

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"Polish court denied extradition to Germany of a Ukrainian national...And rightly so. The case is closed," Tusk said on X following the verdict.

MAJOR ESCALATION

The explosions largely severed Russian gas supplies to Europe, marking a major escalation in the Ukraine conflict and squeezing energy supplies.

Germany's top prosecutors' office says Volodymyr Z. was one of a group suspected of renting a sailing yacht and planting explosives on the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm.

He faces allegations of conspiring to commit an explosives attack and of "anti-constitutional sabotage".

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His Polish lawyer rejects the accusations and says Volodymyr Z. has done nothing wrong. He has also questioned whether a case concerning the destruction of Russian property by a Ukrainian at a time when the countries are at war is a criminal matter.

A second Ukrainian suspect, Serhii K., won a reprieve on Wednesday when Italy's top court upheld an appeal against his transfer on procedural grounds. That case will have to go before court again.

In Poland, courts can refuse to hand over suspects wanted under European arrest if this would violate their human rights or if criminal proceedings for the same offence are underway in Poland.

(Reporting by Marek Strzelecki, Anna Koper, Pawel Florkiewicz and Barbara Erling in Warsaw, Sarah Marsh and Andreas Rinke in Berlin, Emilio Parodi in Milan, writing by Alan Charlish, editing by Susan Fenton, Kirsten Donovan)
By Marek Strzelecki and Anna Koper

WARSAW (Reuters) -A Polish court on Friday ruled against handing over a Ukrainian suspect wanted by Germany in connection with the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions and ordered his immediate release from detention.

Although Warsaw had said the decision over whether Volodymyr Z. should be transferred to Germany was one for the courts alone, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said earlier this month that handing him over was not in Poland's interest.

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Tusk said the problem was not that the undersea pipelines, which run from Russia to Germany, were blown up in September 2022, but that they were built at all.

"The person being prosecuted, if he was the perpetrator, is entitled to functional immunity, which covers an act committed in connection with his activities for the Ukrainian state," judge Dariusz Lubowski said in his verdict that ruled that the German application was not admissible.

"If Ukraine was indeed the organiser of this act of aggression, then only Ukraine can be held responsible for this event."

Ukraine has denied involvement in the explosions.

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"Polish court denied extradition to Germany of a Ukrainian national...And rightly so. The case is closed," Tusk said on X following the verdict.

The German justice ministry and the federal general prosecutor's office both declined to comment on the verdict.

Speaking during a trip to Ankara, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the German government respected court rulings.

"In Poland a court has issued a ruling that I respect because we recognise the division of powers," he said. "When rulings are issued, especially in a foreign country, then it is not the job of the executive to get involved."

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MAJOR ESCALATION

The explosions largely severed Russian gas supplies to Europe, marking a major escalation in the Ukraine conflict and squeezing energy supplies.

Germany's top prosecutors' office says Volodymyr Z. was one of a group suspected of renting a sailing yacht and planting explosives on the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm.

He faces allegations of conspiring to commit an explosives attack and of "anti-constitutional sabotage".

His Polish lawyer rejects the accusations and says Volodymyr Z. has done nothing wrong. He has also questioned whether a case concerning the destruction of Russian property by a Ukrainian at a time when the countries are at war is a criminal matter.

Advertisement Advertisement

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A second Ukrainian suspect, Serhii K., won a reprieve on Wednesday when Italy's top court upheld an appeal against his transfer on procedural grounds. That case will have to go before court again.

In Poland, courts can refuse to hand over suspects wanted under European arrest if this would violate their human rights or if criminal proceedings for the same offence are underway in Poland.

(Reporting by Marek Strzelecki, Anna Koper, Pawel Florkiewicz and Barbara Erling in Warsaw, Sarah Marsh, Kirsti Knolle, Thomas Escritt and Andreas Rinke in Berlin, Emilio Parodi in Milan, writing by Alan Charlish, editing by Susan Fenton, Kirsten Donovan)
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  The FBI has accused a Louisiana resident of participating in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, then lying about his past and fraudulently obtaining a visa to live in the U.S.

According to an FBI criminal complaint unsealed this week, Mahmoud Amin Yaqub Al-Muhtadi armed himself and gathered a group to cross from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel during the attack that left more than 1,200 people dead.

Hamas fighters also kidnapped more than 250 people, including dozens of American citizens, during the raid. This week, Hamas released the 20 remaining living hostages after the two sides agreed to a tenuous ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.

Al-Muhtadi was an operative of the Gaza-based military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, according to the complaint prepared by FBI Supervisory Special Agent Alexandria M. Thoman ODonnell and submitted to a federal judge on Oct. 6. ODonnell serves on a task force investigating the murder and kidnapping of American citizens during the attack two years ago.

On his U.S. visa application, Al-Muhtadi denied he had ever been involved in terrorist activities, and became a legal permanent resident in 2024, the complaint says.

The complaint says the agent requested an arrest warrant for Al-Muhtadi on Oct. 6, but does not specify when and where he was taken into custody. The complaint says he could face charges for visa fraud and for conspiring to provide support for a foreign terrorist organization.

Inmate records show someone with the same name and age is being held at St. Martin Parish Correctional Center, near Lafayette. He was scheduled to appear in federal court Friday morning.

No attorney was identified for Al-Muhtadi in court filings. The FBI declined to provide more details to The Associated Press, citing the government shutdown.

Justice will be served, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in an X post. He added that Al-Muhtadi might be sent to the newly opened immigration detention wing of the states maximum security prison, known as Louisiana Lockup: Perhaps this is Louisiana Lockups newest resident?

Al-Muhtadis social media and email accounts revealed a yearslong affiliation with a Hamas-aligned paramilitary group, including carrying out firearms training, according to the FBI.

On the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas forces attacked Israel, the then-military commander of Hamas, Mohammed Deif, called for the masses to join in.

Al-Muhtadi told his associates to get ready and bring the rifles, and that there is kidnapping, and its a game, which will be a good one, according to phone calls reviewed by the FBI. He also asked an associate to bring ammunition.

The FBI says Al-Muhtadi coordinated an armed group to travel into Israel and that during the attack his phone pinged a cell tower near Kfar Aza, an Israeli village where dozens of residents were killed and approximately 19 kidnapped.

In June 2024, Al-Muhtadi submitted an electronic U.S. visa application in Cairo. In the application, he denied serving in any paramilitary organization or having ever engaged in terrorist activities. His application said he intended to live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and work in car repairs or food services. He entered the U.S. in September 2024.

Al-Muhtadi lived in Tulsa through May but by early June had relocated to Lafayette, where he worked for a local restaurant, the FBI says.

An unidentified FBI agent repeatedly met with Al-Muhtadi in Lafayette from July to September this year.

An associate advised Al-Muhtadi not to contact anyone from the paramilitary group because he was under surveillance in the U.S. and to avoid posting on social media in support of Hamas. The FBI says Al-Muhtadi responded that he could post whatever he wanted, including pictures of Hamas leaders, and he would be safe.

___

Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

By JACK BROOK

Associated Press/Report for America
A packed house filled the Polish Falcons in the name of democracy Thursday night.

A large crowd was on hand for a night of music, poetry and art to make the case for democracy, workers and the middle class struggle.

We need this in this town  Albion Marketplace reopens with new look

Organizers said the current political situation may have some questioning where the country is headed, but they said the struggle is constant and getting the word out is key.

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They were great enough to volunteer their time and help us out, because I feel like this is the kind of event we want to get behind, said Matt Texter, an event organizer.

Erie Habitat for Humanity donates two homes to local families

And music, poetry, art, visual art have played a central role in American political history, American cultural history and thats part of what we want to demonstrate tonight, said Chris Magoc, another organizer.

Organizers said its a bit of a warm-up for this weekends No Kings protest at Perry Square.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
The independence of the Department of Justice has long been a hallmark of American democracy. In contrast to despotic and dictatorial regimes around the world, the U.S. insulates from political influence prosecutors who possess the immense power to arrest, charge and potentially imprison.

We know of what we speak: One of us was suspended as a state attorney in Florida by Gov. Ron DeSantis; the other was dismissed as a U.S. attorney by the George W. Bush administration. Many have described our removals as blatantly political acts.

Thursdays indictment of John Bolton, following the charges brought against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, highlights the danger of destroying that longstanding guardrail. Situated within a pattern of political prosecution, this latest act fundamentally blurs the line between criminality and constitutionally protected political dissent.

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Bolton is an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump who previously served as his national security adviser. They have been entangled in a feud since Bolton left the first Trump administration in 2019. One of us previously explained how the execution of a search warrant of Boltons home on Aug. 22 should be a wake-up call for every American: using law enforcement to target political opposition was a new front for authoritarianism.

The president, however, has faced no legal repercussions for his politicization of the justice system, which has emboldened him further. Last month, he ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute three of his political enemies: Comey, James, and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. Erik Siebert, a career prosecutor whom Trump nominated as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, resigned after pressure from the White House to bring charges against James and Comey. (The president claimed he fired Siebert.) Trump installed Lindsey Halligan  one of his former personal attorneys, who had no prosecutorial experience  to make sure the charges were brought.

Boltons indictment is not the same prosecutorial theater as the indictments against Comey and James. Halligan personally presented and signed the latter two indictments, which is highly unusual for the U.S. Attorney to do without other prosecutors. Both charging documents are also extremely light on facts: Comeys contains nothing other than the statutory language, and Jamess has only slightly more information.

By contrast, Boltons prosecution is being handled by the acting U.S. Attorney in Maryland, Kelly Hayes, who spent 12 years rising through that offices ranks. Unlike Halligan, Hayes was joined on the indictment by prosecutors from DOJs National Security Division. The 18-count indictment charges Bolton with improperly transmitting and retaining classified information, and it includes the detailed factual allegations typical of a federal charging document. Bolton allegedly shared more than a thousand pages of information about his daily activities as the national security advisor with two members of his family between April 2018 and August 2025. Diary-like entries sent during this period form the basis for eight counts. The remaining ten counts allege that Bolton kept classified information, including printed versions of the diary entries, in his Maryland home, that were recovered during the August 22 search.

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In all three cases, the full picture of what happened (or did not) will emerge as the prosecutions proceed. Like all defendants, Comey, James and Bolton are presumed innocent until proven guilty. But the Bolton indictment, at this initial stage, appears to be more substantive and more likely to succeed than the other two.

Unfortunately, whether Bolton actually mishandled classified information may be beside the point. Despite the stark differences between the Bolton prosecution and those against Comey and James, the political context for this prosecution taints the case. With the painfully obvious retaliations against Comey and James, Trump has blatantly and publicly seized control of the Justice Department for his political and personal agendas. Those high-profile political prosecutions, along with Boltons, are entirely in line with the broader activity of this Justice Department, which appears to base its activity on satisfying vengeance, not justice.

Earlier this month, for example, a federal judge in Nashville found a realistic likelihood that the Justice Department charge against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who made national news after he was wrongly deported to El Salvador and then returned to the U.S., constituted a vindictive prosecution. U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw found that the evidence suggested that senior officials from DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security induced the local federal prosecutor to charge Abrego not due to the virtues of their case against him, but in retribution for his successful lawsuit challenging his wrongful deportation.

Trumps politicization of the Justice Department makes it hard to distinguish between fiction and reality  between justifiable prosecutions and political hit jobs. Had Trump not repeatedly conflated political dissent with criminality, urged the prosecution of his foes, or put his finger on the scales of justice in other cases, then we would have more confidence that Bolton  or any other defendant with whom the president has an axe to grind  was not being unfairly targeted or baselessly prosecuted.

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We are adrift on uncharted waters wisely avoided by previous presidents. The inability to distinguish criminal prosecutions from political persecutions is a death knell for democracy. The latter erode trust in the system and make it harder to convict criminals who threaten public safety and achieve justice for victims. It confers immunity for people with financial, political and familial ties to the president  and those who supported him by storming the Capitol. Conversely, the powerful can target whomever they want, for whatever reason they decide. In such societies, the law becomes a dead letter, deserving nothing but contempt from the public it was meant to serve.

Congress can take steps to restore prosecutorial norms, such as by codifying DOJs independence or strengthening oversight. Yet in the short term, those fixes are scarcely relevant while this president remains in office. We are heartened by the brave men and women of DOJ who have refused to yield to tyranny  some at the cost of their jobs  but the ultimate solution lies with the public. Americans must demand that prosecutors remain independent from presidential power mongering. Only then can we preserve the integrity of our justice system, bolster confidence in the fair administration of justice, and restore the rule of law to our republic. Otherwise, we will have surrendered to the corruption of justice for political ends  and risk a descent into the abyss of failed democracies.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Political expert weighs in on Markey-Moulton Senate primary

A major U.S. Senate race is taking shape in Massachusetts. On Wednesday, Congressman Seth Moulton officially announced he will challenge Senator Ed Markey in the 2026 Democratic primary.

During Boston 25 News Now at 3, Boston 25 News anchor Kerry Kavanaugh spoke with Tom Whalen, associate professor of social science at Boston University and a presidential historian, to break down whats ahead in the race.

Whalen noted that while Markey overcame long odds in 2020 when then-Rep. Joseph Kennedy III challenged him, the political dynamics may look different this time. Moulton, who is expected to campaign from a more centrist position, could appeal to moderate Democrats, while Markey continues to hold strong support among progressives.

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Kavanaugh also asked about age as a factor in the race  Markey will be 80 by Election Day, while Moulton will be 47.

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A federal appeals court has extended an order blocking President Donald Trump from deploying National Guard troops in Chicago, saying the administration is unable to show that there is an organized rebellion nor that officials are otherwise unable to uphold law and order in the city.

The ruling on Thursday from a three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals extends a previous order that allowed Trump to federalize certain National Guard troops but blocked him from deploying troops in the city.

The panel  which consisted of a Trump appointee, an Obama appointee and a George H. W. Bush appointee  also rejected the administrations argument that federal courts have no power to review a presidents underlying determinations in deciding to federalize troops. That question of judicial authority has cropped up in several similar lawsuits challenging deployments in Democrat-run cities.

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National Guard troops are typically under the control of state governors, but federal law empowers the president to call them into federal service if there is a danger of foreign invasion or rebellion against the authority of the government.

Trump has pointed to immigration-related protests in Chicago and other cities to justify his attempts to use the guard. But the 7th Circuit judges rejected that rationale.

A protest does not transform into a rebellion just because protesters are well-organized, advocate to overhaul the structure of government or use civil disobedience, Judges Ilana Rovner, David Hamilton and Amy St. Eve wrote. Nor do isolated incidents of criminality or violence convert a protest into a rebellion or generalized lawlessness, they added.

We emphasize that the critical analysis of a rebellion centers on the nature of the resistance to governmental authority, the court wrote, adding that there must at least be deliberate, organized violence in opposition to government authority. Political opposition is not rebellion.

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Administration officials have also argued that courts are generally required to show great deference to the presidents decisions regarding use of the military, but the 7th Circuit said their arguments fail even under such a substantial deference standard.

Litigation over the Illinois deployment will now continue in the 7th Circuit. The administration is seeking to overturn a district judges order barring Trump from using the guard there.

A separate three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is currently considering a similar case regarding a deployment to Portland, Oregon. That panel, which includes two Trump-appointed judges, expressed skepticism last week about whether federal courts can review the presidents assessments when deciding to federalize troops.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is coming under heavy criticism from Democrats after likening their voter base to violent criminals and enemies of the state.

In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Leavitt claimed that the Democratic Partys main constituency is made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals.

Thats who the Democrat Party is catering to, Leavitt insisted. Not the Trump administration, and not the White House, and not the Republican party, who [sic] is standing up for law-abiding Americans 

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The comments drew strong pushback from Democrats, who have been accused by President Donald Trump and the White House of stoking political violence by calling Republicans fascist.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called Leavitt sick and out of control.

Im not sure if shes just demented, ignorant, a stone cold liar, or all of the above, Jeffries told reporters on Friday. But the notion that an official White House spokesperson would say thatmakes no sense that this is what the American people are getting from the Trump administration in the middle of a shutdown.

Senator Chris Murphy, D-Conn., called the comments grossly dark.

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But its also so politically dumb, Murphy said in a post on X. How do they think Americans will react to being told that anyone who doesnt support Trump is a terrorist?

Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., said Leavitts statement was a lie and called it shameful.

Every day, Trump & his enablers are working to divide Americans and make us hate one another. Its inflammatory, Crow said. Its wrong.

Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, echoed Murphy and Crow, but also called on Leavitt to resign from the Trump administration, whom he accused of robbing us blind.

Leavitt defended her remarks in a post on X, calling Jeffries as stone-cold loser.

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The Democrat Partys elected officials absolutely cater to pro-Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals, Leavitt wrote. Democrats do NOT serve the interests of the American people.

Responding to Leavitts remarks, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tried to bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans, calling both good people.

The White House says outrageous things to make you hate your neighbor, Walz said in a social media post. Your neighbor isnt the problem. The White House is.

The post Politically dumb: Karoline Leavitt blasted grossly dark Democrat smear appeared first on Salon.com.
President Donald Trumps approval rating on the Israel-Hamas war has skyrocketed, according to the latest Emerson College poll.

The poll, released Friday, showed a 17 percentage-point increase for approval of Trumps handling of the Israel-Hamas war since April. The poll comes days after Trump traveled to the Middle East to celebrate a U.S.-brokered peace deal between Israel and militant group Hamas after more than two years of fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Trump had a 47% approval rating on his handling of the war in October, compared to 30% in April. His disapproval rating also dropped, with 34% disapproving in October compared to the 46% in April.

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Republicans generally approve of Trumps handling of the war between Israel and Hamas at 80% to 7%, while Democrats disapprove 57% to 19%, Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said in a press release. The shift in overall approval comes from independents, who approve 43% to 38%; in April, independents disapproved 43% to 25%.

Kimball noted that despite the shift on Trumps handling of the conflict, his overall approval rating remains stable. The poll found that 45% of voters approved of how Trump is handling his job, while 48% disapproved.

While voters attitudes on Trumps handling of the war between Israel and Hamas have shifted, it doesnt appear to have impacted his overall job approval. Instead, the presidents disapproval increased by a point since August.

NATIONAL POLL



Trump Approval



45% approve

48% disapprove



Approval of Trump handling of:



Israel-Hamas war

47% approve

34% disapprove



Russia-Ukraine war

30% approve

50% disapprove



The economy

37% approve

52% disapprovehttps://t.co/4acg5w4DMZ pic.twitter.com/Zyy1M4GmhU  Emerson College Polling (@EmersonPolling) October 17, 2025

The poll also asked voters whether Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the Israel-Hamas war. More than half, 54%, said Trump does not deserve the award despite his allies nominating him for the prize.

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The poll also showed half of voters disapproved of Trumps handling of the Russia-Ukraine war, with 30% approving and 20% saying they were neutral.

Voters are also still pessimistic about the economy, the poll showed. Just 37% approved of Trumps handling of the economy while 52% disapproved. Forty percent of voters said their household finances are worse from a year ago, while 30% said they were the same and 30% said they were better off.

Majorities of voters under 30 and in their 40s say they are worse off financially than a year ago, and these groups are most likely to name the economy as the top issue facing the country. Voters over 70 are more concerned about threats to democracy, at 39%, than any other age group, Kimball said.

The poll was conducted among 1,000 registered voters Oct. 13-14. It has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Stories by Lauren Sforza

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LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  According to a new Emerson College poll, the economy remains the top issue facing the U.S.  and poll respondents disapprove of the way the Trump administration is handling it.

31% of voters named the economy as the United States top issue, followed by 23% saying threats to democracy, 13% saying immigration, 9% saying healthcare, 8% saying crime, and 6% saying housing affordability.

A majority of respondents, 52%, disapprove of the way Trump has been handling the economy, a three-point increase in disapproval since Emersons 100-day poll back in April. Approval of his economic policy remained the same, holding at 37%.

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Majorities of voters under 30 and in their 40s say they are worse off financially than a year ago, and these groups are most likely to name the economy as the top issue facing the country. Voters over 70 are more concerned about threats to democracy, at 39%, than any other age group, Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said.

Regarding how policy has impacted their lives, 40% of respondents say their household finances are worse off than a year ago, while 30% are better off and 30% are about the same, according to the poll.

Nearly half of respondents, 49% said the government shutdown is having no real impact on their household. 30% said a minor impact, 14% a major impact, and 7% are unsure.

The Emerson College Polling national survey was conducted Oct. 13-14, 2025. The sample

of U.S. active registered voters, n=1,000, has a credibility interval, similar to a polls margin of

error (MOE), of +/- 3 percentage points.

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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 WLNS 6 News.
New research finds that heavy pollution in Southeast Asia is suppressing rainfall over land while intensifying it over the ocean.

Cars, factories, and power plants are producing tiny particles, called aerosols, that turn cities hazy. By blocking sunlight, aerosols have a cooling effect, and that effect is more pronounced over land, where pollution is concentrated, than it is over the sea.

Aerosols act like a brake on daytime heating over land, but the ocean hardly feels that brake, said Kyong-Hwan Seo of Pusan National University in South Korea, lead author of the new research.

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To understand the impact on weather, scientists modeled the effect of aerosols in Southeast Asia, from Thailand to the Philippines, and the surrounding seas. They found that when pollution spikes, rainfall grows up to 50 percent more intense over the ocean. The reason, they believe, is that as warm air rises over the sea, it draws moisture away from the land, yielding heavier downpours.

On land, however, rainfall is more meager and, instead of coming down late in the day, it tends to come down overnight. Were seeing a delay from the usual late-afternoon storms to a midnight peak, said Seo.

Researchers said the findings, published in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, can help weather forecasters determine when pollution will diminish rainfall, helping officials to better predict floods and better manage the supply of fresh water.

ALSO ON YALE E360

As Floods Worsen, Pakistan Is the Epicenter of Climate Change
President Donald Trump said Friday that he commuted the sentence of former U.S. Rep. George Santos, who is serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges.

The New York Republican was sentenced in April after admitting last year to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people  including his own family members  to make donations to his campaign.

I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY, Trump posted on his social media platform.

The latest:

News stories show that reporters may have left the Pentagon, but they havent stopped working

Two days after dozens of journalists left their desks behind rather than agree to government-imposed rules on how they report about the U.S. military, its apparent that they are still on the job.

Reporters have relied on sources to break and add nuance to stories about U.S. attacks in the Caribbean on boats suspected of being involved in the drug trade, as well as military leadership in the region.

This comes as many are still navigating how their jobs will change  Where will they work? Who will talk with them?  brought on by the dispute. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded reporters relinquish their Pentagon workspaces if they didnt acknowledge rules, which the journalists say would punish them for reporting on anything beyond what he wants them to say.

The Pentagon has characterized the changes as common sense and accused journalists of mischaracterizing them.

 Read more about how the reporters are continuing to work

No Kings protests return, as organizers say Trump ramps up authoritarian practices

Big crowds are expected in thousands of places around the country Saturday in protests against what some are characterizing as increasingly authoritarian practices by the president.

Its the second No Kings protest and the third mass movement against the administration this year, and it comes amid an intensifying conflict between federal law enforcement and protesters nationwide.

Some conservative critics have condemned the protests as Hate America rallies, while supporters say they represent a patriotic fight for First Amendment rights.

 Read more about what to expect on Saturday

Trump dropped an f-bomb. It wasnt the first time, and the White House is embracing it online

The president talks plainly, bluntly, often even coarsely. But its rare he drops an actual f-bomb as cameras are rolling.

He did so Friday, when a journalist asked him about reports that Venezuelas president offered concessions to try to reduce bilateral tensions.

He has offered everything, Trump responded. He offered everything. You know why? Because he doesnt want to f around with the United States.

It didnt take long for the White House to promote Trumps curse word, which helped underscore his administrations hard-line stance toward Venezuela and the Maduro regime.

The administrations rapid response account on the social platform X quickly pushed out a video of the f-bomb, accompanied by three fire emoji. Its now the pinned post on the RapidResponse47 account.

The official White House account, meanwhile, posted it with the acronym FAFO, meaning f around and find out.

 Read more about the presidents language, past and present

US and UN sanction former Haitian security head, gang leader

The sanctions on Dimitri Herard and Kempes Sanon are for their roles in criminal gang activities that have destabilized the impoverished Caribbean nation.

The U.S. Treasury Department said the two supported a coalition of gangs that the Trump administration designated as a foreign terrorist organization this year.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution hours later ordering all 193 U.N. member nations to freeze the mens assets and impose a travel ban. The resolution also imposes an arms embargo on Haiti.

Herard was head of presidential security when President Jovenal Moise was assassinated in 2021. He was imprisoned in connection with the assassination. After escaping in 2024, he colluded with Haitis most powerful gang coalition, Viv Ansanm, Treasury said in a statement.

Sanon heads the Bel Air gang, one of many groups in Viv Ansanm. Treasury and the U.N. also accused him of extortion, kidnapping, illicit taxation and human rights violations.

White House joins Bluesky and immediately trolls liberals

The White House joinedthe social media platform of choice for many in the left-leaning online world Friday.

In its inaugural post, it offered a sizzle reel of administration memes, trolls and messages from President Trumps nine months since returning to office. The post appeared aimed at tweaking liberals who are not his fans.

It included mentions of the administrations executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico; a doctored image of Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries with a sombrero and faux mustache standing beside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer; and photos and video from other moments in Trumps second term.

Whats up, Bluesky? the White House said in a message accompanying the video. We thought you mightve missed some of our greatest hits, so we put this together for you. Cant wait to spend more quality time together!

TIMELINE: Shortly after Santos was elected, questions about his conduct began to surface

Nov. 8, 2022: Santos defeats Democrat Robert Zimmerman in the first known congressional election featuring two openly gay candidates. The district includes a tiny part of New York City and a swath of suburbs on Long Island.

Dec. 19, 2022: The New York Times publishes a story questioning whether Santos fictionalized his resume.

Dec. 26, 2022: Santos admits fabricating some details of his biography, including that he had a degree from Baruch College and had worked for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. Despite calling himself a proud American Jew in a position paper, he insists he never claimed to be Jewish but rather Jew-ish.

Dec. 28, 2022: Nassau County prosecutors say they have launched an investigation into Santos.

January 2023: Santos is sworn into office. Questions surface about how he financed his campaign after filings offer contradictory accounts.

Jan. 31, 2023: Santos steps down from his congressional committees but says he wont resign.

 Click here to continue reading a timeline of Santos extraordinary rise and fall

Trump offers US automakers additional relief from his tariffs on auto parts

He is extending what was supposed to be a short-term rebate until 2030. Its part of a proclamation signed Friday that also made official a 25% import tax on medium and heavy duty trucks, starting Nov. 1.

The action reflects administration efforts to use tariffs to promote American manufacturing while also trying to shield the auto sector from higher costs that Trumps import taxes have created for parts and raw materials.

The rebate initially announced in April had been set to be lowered and then expire in 2027. At the time Trump described it as short-term aid during this little transition with the expectation that automakers would move production lines back to the U.S.

The extension and adjustments came after conversations with the industry, senior administration officials said. The goal is to expand domestic production and make it more competitive. The officials insisted on anonymity as a condition for talking to reporters ahead of the signing.

Trump: Santos a rogue, but sentence overly harsh

George Santos was somewhat of a rogue, the president said of the former congressman from New York, who pleaded guilty to fraud charges.

He added, but there are many rogues throughout our Country that arent forced to serve seven years in prison.

The remark came Friday on Trumps social media platform as he announced the commutation of Santos sentence.

Trump urges Ukraine and Russia to stop war immediately, implies Moscow keeping territory it has taken

Not long after hosting Ukraines Zelenskyy and his team for talks, Trump posted online: Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts.

He added, They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!

Later, after arriving in Florida for the weekend, Trump urged both sides to stop the war immediately and implied that Moscow would keep territory taken from Kyiv.

You go by the battle line wherever it is  otherwise its too complicated, Trump told reporters.

In recent weeks he had shown growing impatience with Russian President Vladimir Putin and expressed greater openness to helping Ukraine win the war.

But with his latest comments, he appeared to be edging back in the direction of pressing Ukraine to give up on retaking land lost to Russia.

Memphis Democratic officials sue Tennessee governor over National Guard deployment

The lawsuit was filed by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and other officials. It argues that Gov. Bill Lee unilaterally sending the troops into the city at Trumps request violated the state constitution.

The lawsuit cites the state constitution, which says the guard shall not be called into service except in case of rebellion or invasion, and then only when the General Assembly shall declare, by law, that the public safety requires it. The General Assembly is the state Legislature.

Lee and state Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti are named as defendants. They did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump announced last month that the guard would be combat crime in Memphis alongside authorities from federal agencies as part of a Memphis Safe Task Force.

The governor recently praised the task force ands said Memphis was in a unique spot to have the resources available to remove the crime element.

Santos lawyer: very, very happy with the decision to commute sentence

The defense team applauds President Trump for doing the right thing, Andrew Mancilla said by phone. The sentence was far too long.

He added that it is unclear at this point when Santos will be released.

Former US Rep. George Santos made renewed plea this week

On Monday, Santos published what he called a passionate plea to President Trump, praising him and pleading for the opportunity to return to my family, my friends, and my community.

In an open letter published by the South Shore Press on Long Island, Santos said he had been in isolation in prison since late August while the FBI investigated a death threat against him and the experience left him in limbo, caught between uncertainty and silence.

Mr. President, I am not asking for sympathy. I am asking for fairness  for the chance to rebuild, Santos wrote.

He acknowledged making mistakes in his past and said he has faced his share of consequences and takes full responsibility, but nobody deserves to be lost in the system, forgotten and unseen, enduring punishment far beyond what justice requires.

I want nothing more than to begin again  to contribute, to serve, and to rebuild my life from the ashes of my past.

Santos asked Trump administration to intercede immediately after April sentencing

Former U.S. Rep. Santos appealed to the administration within hours of receiving his sentence, insisting in social media posts and interviews that it was overly harsh and politically motivated.

A prominent former colleague, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, also urged the White House to commute his sentence, saying in a letter days into his prison term that it was a grave injustice and a product of judicial overreach.

Santos was serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges.

The judge in Santos case agreed with prosecutors that a stiffer sentence was warranted because he did not seem remorseful, despite what he and his lawyers claimed.

Fridays commutation is Trumps latest high-profile act of clemency for former Republican politicians. Others include pardons for former Rep. Michael Grimm and former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland.

Trump says he has commuted the sentence of former US Rep. George Santos in federal fraud case

The president made the announcement Friday about commutation for George Santos, who is serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges.

The New York Republican was sentenced in April after admitting last year to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people  including his own family members  to make donations to his campaign.

He reported to Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, in southern New Jersey, on July 25 and is being housed in a minimum-security prison camp with fewer than 50 other inmates.

I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY, Trump posted on his social media platform.

Wall Street rises to finish its best week in 2 months after bank stocks stabilize

The S&P 500 rose 0.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 238 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.5%.

The gains capped the best week for the S&P 500 since early August, but it was a roller-coaster ride. Indexes careened through several jarring swings as worries built about the financial health of small and midsized banks as well as the souring trade relationship between the United States and China.

Some of the nervousness around those trade tensions eased Friday after Trump said the very high tariffs he threatened for Chinese imports are not sustainable.

Trump also told Fox News Channels Sunday Morning Futures that he would meet with Chinas leader, Xi Jinping, at an upcoming conference in South Korea. That was counter to an earlier, angry post he made on social media in which he said there seemed to be no reason for such a meeting.

Zelenskyy cautiously responds to Trumps call for Ukraine and Russia to end war now

Zelenskyy told reporters after the meeting that it is time for a ceasefire and negotiations. He appeared to stop short of embracing Trumps call for an immediate end to the war and for the two sides to stop where they are.

The president is right, we have to stop where we are, and then to speak, Zelenskyy said.

Trump said again Friday that Putin and Zelenskyy feel hatred toward each other, making direct negotiations difficult.

Its not about feelings, to me or any other Ukrainian, Zelenskyy said. They attacked us, so they are an enemy for us. They dont intend to stop. So they are an enemy. It is not about someone just hating someone else. Although, undoubtedly, we hate the enemy. Undoubtedly.

Trump calls on Kyiv and Moscow to stop where they are and end the war

Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts, Trump said in a Truth Social post following his meeting with Zelenskyy. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide.

Catholic bishops denounce Trump administration IVF initiative

Three bishops who chair important committees for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops assailed new moves by the Trump administration to reduce the cost of in vitro fertilization.

We strongly reject the promotion of procedures like IVF that instead freeze or destroy precious human beings and treat them like property, the bishops said Friday.

Without diminishing the dignity of people born through IVF, we must recognize that children have a right to be born of a natural and exclusive act of married love, rather than a businesss technological intervention, their statement said. And harmful government action to expand access to IVF must not also push people of faith to be complicit in its evils.

The bishops were Robert Barron, chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth; Kevin Rhoades, chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty; and Daniel Thomas, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow deployment of National Guard in Chicago area

The Trump administrations request Friday escalates the presidents conflict with Democratic governors over using the military on U.S. soil.

The emergency appeal to the high court came after a judge prevented, for at least two weeks, the deployment of Guard members from Illinois and Texas to assist immigration enforcement.

Zelenskyy and Trump have finished their meeting

The two spent more than two hours with top advisers.

The lunch meeting went much longer than planned, according to a senior Ukrainian official who was not authorized to talk to the media and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

 Susie Blann

By The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The Portland City Council passed an ordinance on Wednesday, codifying Portlands status as a sanctuary city.

The emergency ordinance, brought by District 2 Councilor Sameer Kanal, is effective immediately, enshrining the status in City Code.

According to Kanal, the ordinance marks a critical first step to protect Portlanders from the federal governments targeted attacks on our communities, Kanals office said in a press release announcing passage of the ordinance.

DONT MISS: 20 Oregon counties back Marion Countys sanctuary state lawsuit

This was possible not only because of the solidarity of my colleagues on Council, but also the overwhelming support from many great organizations that make Portland what it is and hundreds of community members who turned out in support of our democratic systems, civil rights and immigrant communities, said Councilor Kanal. Tonight was the first step. Well continue to stand up for immigrant and Latino Portlanders and the First Amendment and ensure our laws reflect our values.

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Under the ordinance, all city employees are banned from helping federal agencies with immigration enforcement and city resources cannot be used for such purposes.

Additionally, the ordinance requires the creation of policies, trainings and resources to help the city handle interactions with immigration authorities.

Not going to allow that in our communities: Hillsboro couple blocks CBP van

The ordinance also requires the Portland Police Bureau to report any exceptions for helping federal authorities with immigration enforcement. PPB must also report any violations of the ban against aiding federal agents with immigration.

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The ordinance was co-sponsored by Council Vice President Tiffany Koyama Lane, and Councilors Angelita Morillo, Candace Avalos, Steve Novick and Loretta Smith.

The emergency ordinance comes after Portland adopted a Sanctuary City resolution in 2017; however, Kanal says that resolution is not binding law.

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Eye on Northwest Politics

The city councilor also highlighted community support behind the ordinance including support from groups such as ACLU of Oregon, SEIU Oregon, Latino Network, Portland Association of Teachers, Ecrumenical Ministries of Oregon, City of Portland Professional Workers Union, National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 82, the Portland Public Schools Board, all Multnomah County Commissioners along with State Representatives Andrea Valderrama (D-Outer East Portland) and Willy Chotzen (D-SE Portland).

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With this ordinance, Portland joins other cities such as Los Angeles and Berkley, California, which have codified their sanctuary city status in the last year.

While Portland codified its sanctuary city status into City Code, Oregon has been a sanctuary state since 1987, when it became the first state in the nation to pass a statewide law banning state and local police from aiding federal authorities with immigration enforcement, according to the Oregon Department of Justice.

Legacy Health to stop services at two Portland urgent cares, along with other PNW programs

The emergency ordinance comes as the Trump administration cracks down on immigration.

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I think this is a big win for the community, said Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) Executive Director Frank So, who helps immigrants working through the system to become legal citizens.

Some days we have over 100 calls a day and people are calling us and theyre just, theyre panicked, So said. Our nonprofit hopes to partner with the city to ensure that theres not oversight, but theres partnership to ensure that what passed last night is really being carried out. This was not just symbolic, but this really is walking our talk.

In August, leaders in Oregon and Washington received letters from United States Attorney General Pam Bondi, demanding sanctuary states and cities comply with federal immigration enforcement efforts.

You are hereby notified that your jurisdiction has been identified as one that engages in

sanctuary policies and practices that thwart federal immigration enforcement to the detriment of

the interests of the United States. This ends now. By Tuesday, August 19, 2025, please submit a response to this letter that confirms your commitment to complying with federal law and identifies the immediate initiatives you are taking to eliminate laws, policies, and practices that impede federal immigration enforcement, Bondi wrote.

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One step ahead: Oregon joins new 15-state health alliance

The U.S. Department of Justice named Portland, Oregon and Washington on its list of sanctuary jurisdictions released Aug. 5.

Rebuffing Bondis letter, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek previously said in a statement, I will fight for the safety and prosperity of every Oregonian, from recent immigrants to people who have been here for generations, adding, Threats like this undermine our values and our right to govern ourselves. We will not be bullied into doing the federal governments job of immigration enforcement.

City officials will be lobbying at the state and federal levels to get more changes made. Councilor Kanal also said councilors are moving forward with their next legislative work in Portland around things like identification verifications and chemical weapon usage by federal agents in the city.

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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 KOIN.com.
LISBON (Reuters) -Portugal's parliament approved on Friday a bill to ban face veils used for "gender or religious motives" in most public spaces that was proposed by the far-right Chega party and effectively targets burqas and niqabs worn by Muslim women.

Under the bill, proposed fines for wearing face veils in public would range between 200 euros and 4,000 euros ($234-$4,671). Forcing someone to wear one would be punishable with prison terms of up to three years.

Face veils would still be allowed in aeroplanes, diplomatic premises and places of worship.

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If signed into law it would put Portugal alongside European countries including France, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands, which already have full or partial bans. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa could still veto the bill or send it to the Constitutional Court for checks.

During Friday's parliamentary session, Chega leader Andre Ventura was confronted by several female lawmakers from left-wing parties who opposed the bill, but it passed with support from the centre-right coalition.

"We are today protecting female members of parliament, your daughters, our daughters, from having to use burqas in this country one day," Ventura said.

Andreia Neto, a lawmaker from the ruling Social Democratic Party, said before the vote: "This is a debate on equality between men and women. No woman should be forced to veil her face."

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Only a small minority of Muslim women in Europe cover their faces, and in Portugal such veils are very rare.

But full-face coverings such as niqabs and burqas have become a polarising issue across Europe, with some arguing that they symbolise gender discrimination or can represent a security threat and should be outlawed.

($1 = 0.8563 euros)

(Reporting by Andrei Khalip and Sergio Goncalves; Editing by Aidan Lewis)
RUTHERFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA)  Possible human remains were discovered Tuesday in Rutherford County.

According to the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to the 2700 block of Poors Ford Road for a possible human bone being found.

Investigators said the bone is believed to be a femur and may be related to a missing person case from June 2025.

The sheriffs office said they conducted a search of the area Wednesday.

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The bone was turned over to the North Carolina State Medical Examiners Office for further evaluation and identification.

Deputies said they have been in contact with the family of the missing person and will provide more information as it becomes available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Police said they had some help catching a suspected package thief in Orange County, affectionately known as Postal Malone.

Things are Better Now that Jacob Daniel Rodriguez, 45, of Santa Ana, has been arrested for burglary, the Irvine Police Department posted on Instagram Thursday afternoon.

Rodriguez, who bears a resemblance to multi-genre musician Post Malone with tattoos on his face, was arrested on Wednesday.

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He is suspected of taking packages from an apartment on Spectrum late last month.

We had some help and appreciate the rockstar(s) who provided tips in this case, police said.

The Police Department also congratulated the deputies who arrested Rodriguez, who was booked into Orange County jail.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
This story was originally published on K-12 Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily K-12 Dive newsletter.

After pleading guilty to hacking and extorting from ed tech giant PowerSchool, 19-year-old Matthew Lane was sentenced Tuesday to four years in prison and nearly $14.1 million in restitution.

The Massachusetts college student was accused of using an employees credentials to gain unauthorized access to the cloud-based K-12 software providers network in September 2024 and extorting $2.85 million in Bitcoin from the company in December 2024, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Massachusetts said in May. PowerSchool wasnt initially identified in legal documents, but was later confirmed to have been the victim.

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Since PowerSchool began notifying districts of a data breach in January 2025, its been revealed that sensitive data was leaked for more than 60 million students and 10 million teachers. A court filing said Lanes access to this student and teacher data included names, email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, medical information, residential addresses, parent and guardian information and passwords.

Lane allegedly told PowerSchool that if it didnt hand over the nearly $2.85 million ransom, he would leak the stolen information worldwide.

The breach shocked district leaders, as it seemed that PowerSchool had been doing all the right things to keep its data secure, said Doug Levin, co-founder and national director of the K12 Security Information eXchange, a national K-12 cybersecurity nonprofit. For instance, he said, PowerSchool had conducted audits and assured that its networks storing school districts information were secure before the 2024 data breach.



The company even publicly touted the importance of K-12 cybersecurity at the White House, he said.

PowerSchool is still facing multiple lawsuits that claim the company was negligent during the cyberattack and failed to provide timely notice to impacted users.

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A PowerSchool spokesperson told K-12 Dive in a Thursday statement that the company appreciates the efforts of the prosecutors and law enforcement who brought this individual to justice. Since the data breach, the company said, it has strengthened its systems by adding more security layers and implementing time-based access controls.

Can't put the genie back in the bottle

Although Lane has been held accountable for the PowerSchool cyberattack and sentenced to prison, "the damage is done" from the leak of the school districts sensitive data, Levin said. Theres no putting the genie back in the bottle.

K-12 cybersecurity remains an ongoing problem, and cyberattacks against schools wont stop just because someone was held accountable for the PowerSchool incident, Levin said.

Between July 2023 and December 2024, 82% of K-12 schools said they had experienced a cyber incident, according to a March report from the nonprofit Center for Internet Security.

As trust eroded, conversations shifted to ed tech

The PowerSchool data breach fundamentally shook school systems trust in big ed tech vendors, Levin said.

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Before that incident, he said, a lot of the conversations in K-12 cybersecurity focused on how schools could better protect themselves through efforts like strengthening firewalls and implementing multifactor authentication.

While those are important strategies, the reality is that schools rely on a large number of vendors that hold their sensitive information. Schools are only as strong as their weakest link, Levin said, and if it turns out the weakest link is a vendor, as weve seen in these cases, it causes folks to rethink what it means to be cybersecure.

More questioning on districts data retention policies

In the PowerSchool case, some of the exposed data taken from school districts was decades old. That, Levin said, suggests that keeping data for extended periods of time may present an unacceptable level of risk  especially when theres no way to reach people whose data may have been leaked.

As a result, K-12 leaders are talking more about how and whether to minimize the data collected  and how long to hold onto sensitive information.

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At a minimum, Levin said, schools should consider ways to delete and archive older sensitive information  or at least prevent it from remaining available on the internet  to reduce risk to their community members.

At the federal level, Levin said, it appears officials have dramatically pulled back support for schools and cybersecurity. The White House and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have shifted a lot more of the burden for cybersecurity to states and localities, including schools, he said.

As the federal government steps back, states are taking more responsibility by, for example, requiring schools to report cybersecurity incidents within a certain time frame or by establishing cybersecurity standards, Levin said.

The good news, Levin added, is that in many cases, we're starting to see that states recognize this is an issue that they need to lean in on. And they need to ensure that public agencies are doing their part, but also that vendors and other suppliers to public agencies are just as critical  that they do their part as well.

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I feared people and feared the doctors because they would probably judge or insult me. So, she (mother) told me no, that should not be the case, and so she offered to take me.

These were the words of Wanjiru (not her real name), a 17-year-old adolescent mother from an informal settlement in Nairobi. Her story reflects the deep fear and stigma that many pregnant adolescents experience when navigating access to antenatal care services. Her case is typical of a broader problem, where judgmental attitudes from health providers and community stigma discourage young girls from accessing essential antenatal care.

Globally, the maternal mortality rate for pregnant adolescents aged 15-19 years is much higher than that of young women aged 20-24 years. Adolescents also face much higher risks of complications in childbirth, putting both themselves and their babies in danger. In addition, babies born to adolescent mothers are more prone to neonatal conditions, low birth weight, and preterm birth.

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Early and consistent antenatal care can help reduce these risks by facilitating the early detection of danger signs, and enabling opportunities to mitigate complications. The World Health Organization recommends eight antenatal visits, starting in the first three months.

Read more: What's in the way of quality antenatal care for women in West and Central Africa

For pregnant adolescents in Kenyas informal settlements, however, healthcare facilities may feel more like hostile spaces than places for safety and support.

As sexual and reproductive health researchers, we conducted a qualitative study in 2022 in an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, the capital city, exploring adolescent girls experiences seeking antenatal care. We interviewed 22 adolescent mothers (two were pregnant at the time of the interview), as well as 10 parents or guardians, and three healthcare providers.

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Our study found that stigma, shame, fear and harsh treatment by healthcare providers led some of these young girls to avoid antenatal care completely or to delay going for care until the last three months of pregnancy.

The adolescent pregnancy rate remains high in Kenya, particularly in low-income urban areas. The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022 puts the adolescent birth rate, that is, the number of live births per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 years, at 73 per 1,000. In Nairobis informal settlements of Korogocho and Viwandani, a survey found that about 116 per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 had given birth.

Reducing stigma through community engagement, providing youth-friendly and confidential health services, and increasing community awareness about antenatal care are essential to support pregnant adolescents.

Late antenatal care

Of the 20 adolescent mothers interviewed, 12 started going for antenatal care during the second trimester and one during the third trimester. Health providers said this was a common pattern.

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The reasons included:

girls not recognising the early signs of pregnancy

fear of the consequences of disclosing their pregnancy, such as being beaten, forced to leave school, or abandoned by their partners

a lack of knowledge about antenatal care being needed

unsuccessful attempts to terminate the pregnancy

fear of being stigmatised, even though adolescent pregnancy is a common occurrence in the study setting

fear of being judged and treated harshly by health providers.

As one adolescent mother put it:

It was challenging, because as I went, I would not go like I am, I would usually find a Maasai sheet and wear a very big sweater. With the Maasai sheet I would cover myself and hold it to cover the front part. That is how I would go to the clinic.

However, in cases where the girls received support from their parents, guardians, or partners, the outcomes were different. Far from the stereotype of absent fathers, some male partners supported their partners in antenatal care visits.

Treatment in healthcare facilities

In our findings, most girls who visited the clinic were treated well, unlike the judgment they expected. However, some girls reported poor treatment from healthcare providers, which led them to dread clinic visits.

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Lack of privacy and confidentiality was also a key factor for the adolescent mothers.

I used to feel very uncomfortable, because whenever the line (queue) was moving and I was next in line, I would feel like running away and going back home. After all, inside the room, its not just one doctor, its like two or three doctors. With the queue where there are pregnant women, I would ask myself, What is it that they would tell me when I go in?. They (other women) would even push me to move.

What needs to be done

The findings from our study suggest that multiple layers of intervention are needed.

Addressing this will require:

Community engagement to reduce stigma: Families, schools and churches must create environments where pregnant girls feel supported. Parents and male partners can also be included in the outreach. Youth-friendly health services: Clinics need to train staff to provide respectful, non-judgmental care and ensure confidentiality for adolescent girls. Antenatal care knowledge dissemination: There needs to be more community awareness about antenatal care, when and where to seek it in case of pregnancy.

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This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Anthony Idowu Ajayi, African Population and Health Research Center and Caroline W. Kabiru, African Population and Health Research Center

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Anthony Idowu Ajayi is affiliated with the African Population and Health Research Center. His time to write this article is supported with financial support from Global Affairs Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the International Development Research Centre as part of the Addressing Neglected Areas in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa (ANeSA) initiative (IDRC grant # 110566-001). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the funders.

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Caroline W. Kabiru works for the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC). This research was funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) through a grant to APHRC for the Challenging the Politics of Social Exclusion project (Sida Contribution No. 12103). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of Sida.

Anne Achieng works for the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC). This research was funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) through a grant to APHRC for the Challenging the Politics of Social Exclusion project (Sida Contribution No. 12103). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of Sida.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he had authorized the CIA to conduct unspecified operations inside Venezuela, an unusual public acknowledgment of U.S. intelligence activity abroad.

The announcement comes amid growing tension between Washington and Caracas. Earlier in the week, Trump said the U.S. military carried out a fifth strike on a boat in the Caribbean, which he claimed was smuggling narcotics to the United States.

When asked about giving the CIA the green light to operate in the South American nation, President Trump cited two reasons.

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No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America, said Trump, according to NBC News. And the other thing are drugs. We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela.

The president was also asked whether the CIA was authorized to take out Venezuelas leader, Nicolas Maduro.

Oh, I dont want to answer a question like that. Thats a ridiculous question for me to be given. Not really a ridiculous question, but wouldnt it be a ridiculous question for me to answer? Trump said.

Trump added that the United States has not ruled out land operations to stem drug trafficking.

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Well, I dont want to tell you exactly, but we are certainly looking at land now, because weve got the sea very well under control, he said. Weve had a couple of days where there isnt a boat to be found.

NBC described Trumps remarks as an extraordinary and unprecedented acknowledgment from a sitting commander in chief.

Multiple drug cartels from Venezuela and other countries in Latin America have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. government, in part over their role in the high death toll from fentanyl use.

Earlier this month, The Dallas Express reported that Texas authorities captured a Venezuelan gang member and a convicted child murderer who had previously escaped from law enforcement the month prior. Alexis Ramon Perozo-Monasterio, 36, was apprehended on Sept. 4 during Texass border security initiative, Operation Lone Star.
Drivers in the West Palm Beach area can expect some traffic disruptions during President Donald Trump's weekend stay at his Mar-a-Lago mansion in Palm Beach.

They will experience most of the delays along Southern Boulevard and around the three bridges that span the Intracoastal Waterway between West Palm Beach and Palm Beach until he flies back to Washington, D.C., on Oct. 19.

Motorists can expect delays along Southern Boulevard when Trump lands at Palm Beach International Airport, which delays in Washington have pushed to after 6 p.m.

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Trump's motorcade will follow Southern to the east from the airport to Mar-a-Lago, a drive of about 3 miles. It will take the same route west when he returns to Washington in the afternoon on Oct. 19.

U.S. President Donald Trump and his granddaughter Kai Madison Trump arrive at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York, U.S., September 26, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

The Flagler Memorial and Southern Boulevard bridges will have similar opening schedules during Trump's stay. They will open on the quarter- and three-quarter hour throughout his stay.

The Southern bridge also may close without notice during the president's stay if his motorcade leaves Mar-a-Lago.

The Royal Park Bridge at Okeechobee Boulevard, known to some as the middle bridge, will open at the hour and half-hour.

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In Palm Beach, South Ocean Boulevard will close to traffic from South County Road to Southern Boulevard during Trump's stay at Mar-a-Lago.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Expect traffic delays in West Palm Beach area during Trump's visit
A montage created by the Montana Historical Society of people arrested and convicted of seditious speech during the World War I era. This photo is by no means exhaustive. Seventy-two Montanans were charged, tried and convicted for running afoul of the Montana Sedition Act.

A new presidential memo on national security is a direct attack on civil liberties  and a reminder of a disturbing period of Montana history, said the head of the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana and a retired University of Montana professor.

Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence, also known as NSPM-7 (National Security Presidential Memorandum), states that recent incidents of political violence, including the fatal shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, are not isolated and merit a new law enforcement strategy.

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It said a National Joint Terrorism Task Force, with support from local law enforcement, will root out groups rallying around Anti-Americanism and Anti-Christianity in chat rooms, in-person meetings, social media, and educational institutions.

But the directive against anti-fascism and terrorism is also a reminder of the lessons that came after the Montana sedition law of 1918, said UM professor Clem Work and the ACLUs Akilah Deernose in recent interviews.

Sticking to the legal aspects, it is just an assault on the First Amendment for sure  and on dissent, said Work, who led the Montana Sedition Project of the UM School of Journalism.

In a special session in 1918, Montana lawmakers passed a law that criminalized just about anything negative said or written about the government or its conduct of the war, according to the Montana Sedition Project.

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Smithsonian Magazine described the law in Montana as one of the harshest sedition laws in U.S. history.

Deernose said the memo is part of a larger pattern of the Trump administration silencing and intimidating its critics or anyone who speaks for ideologies for which the president does not agree.

Truly, there is nothing more un-American than abrogating freedom of speech or freedom of expression, Deernose said.

Signed by President Donald Trump on Sept. 25, the memo outlines strategies for a task force to investigate Americans who participate in organized structures, networks, entities, (and) organizations and all participants in these criminal and terroristic conspiracies that it believes pose a security threat.

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There are about 200 such task forces in the U.S., including at least one in each Federal Bureau of Investigations 56 field offices and the rest in local, state and other federal agencies, according to States Newsrooms Washington, D.C., Bureau, citing the FBI.

Common threads animating this violent conduct include anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, and anti-Christianity; support for the overthrow of the United States Government; extremism on migration, race, and gender; and hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on family, religion, and morality, the memo said.

Deernose said part of whats stunning is the breadth of what is prohibited.

However, she also said the labels used in the memo are vague and undefined, and its important to remember that just because the president offers a narrative, it doesnt mean people have to adopt it.

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Theres no doubt right now that we have an administration who seems determined to undermine and constrain civil rights and civil liberties, Deernose said. And weve also seen a lot of puffery. The president is experimenting to see what he can and cannot get away with.

She recommended people filter the narrative through what they know to be true. For example, Deernose said Americans have the Constitutional right to free speech and freedom of expression, and those rights are strong.

She also said the judiciary is a check on presidential power, and people shouldnt take for granted that the president has all the authority he tries to claim.

Dont accept that you are powerless because you are not powerless, Deernose said.

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Work, who said his hairs stood on end reading the memo, said the ideas it presents are based on fear, as are a lot of laws and political actions.

We need to be aware that this is an attempt to instill fear based on a fear that the enemy is within, and recognize that it is a lot more sophisticated attack on free speech than Montanas sedition law was, Work said.

But work also said the terms in the memo are vague and undefined.

What is anti-capitalism? What is anti-Christianity? What is hostility toward those who hold traditional American views? Work said.   If you air it to the logical conclusion, that would amount to the prosecution of a whole helluva lot of people in this country.

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Work said free speech rights were protected under the First Amendment, but the anti-sedition law would not have been held unconstitutional at the time it was passed.

He said the U.S. Supreme Court didnt start taking a more robust view of the First Amendment until 1925, when it found in Gitlow v. New York that the protection covers abuses by state governments, not just the federal government.

Protections for dissent strengthened in the 1930s through the 1960s, kind of the golden age of protection of political dissent, Work said.

He said people still have those rights in this country, and while Republican-appointed members of the U.S. Supreme Court are generally sensitive to First Amendment rights, theyre also likely to give greater weight to security concerns.

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But this memorandum is a much more sophisticated assault on political dissent, Work said. Its kind of comparing a broadax to an AR-15.

For example, he said it is using the memo to go after the tax-exempt status of organizations, which has raised concerns among law firms with large nonprofit clients.

Works book, Darkest Before Dawn: Sedition and Free Speech in the American West, spurred the project to clear the names of people who were convicted of sedition in Montana in World War I.

Most of the 79 people convicted of sedition were blue collar workers, according to the Montana Sedition Project.

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After attending a reading of Darkest Before Dawn, a UM law school professor launched a clinic with students to research the idea of posthumous pardons.

In May 2006, Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer signed a proclamation of clemency for 78 Montanans convicted under the Montana Sedition Act. It said the law of 1918 ushered in one of the darkest periods in Montanas political history, punishing even the mildest forms of political dissent.

(The Missoulian said one man had his sentence commuted in 1921.)

The Smithsonsian said one scofflaw was Peter Ervik, who got two-to-four years for allegedly saying, I would sooner fight for the Kaiser than I would for the United States, f*ck the United States and f*ck the flag. I mean it.

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One refused to kiss the flag, and another criticized butter and sugar rations, according to examples from the Smithsonian.

The proclamation from Schweitzer said he had the power to grant the pardons, even nearly one century after those who were convicted faced punishment for the enforcement of a unanimity of thought around the war.

There is no time limitation for correcting injustice and clearing the names of honorable people, the proclamation said. By this Proclamation, I have extended and do extend a full and unconditional pardon from the offense of Sedition alleged to have been committed during 1918-1919 and from the conviction of Sedition and from all sentences, judgments, and executions thereon.

Work said the memory of the actions, especially when the gubernatorial pardons brought them to light, seemed to resonate strongly with people, but he also said history has the potential to repeat itself if people dont exercise their rights.

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The fates of those political prisoners who were put in prison for years tells us that hysteria can take over so easily, and people can be punished for no just reason, just because its politically expedient at the moment, Work said.

The ACLU was founded partly in response to the first wave of anti-sedition laws, Deernose said, and she encouraged people to learn from Montanas sedition history to prevent repeating the mistakes of the past.

Its unimaginable that in Montana, people were jailed  actually jailed  for saying benign statements such as, The ration system is dumb, Deernose said.

She said she believes theres still time to avoid a backslide in democracy, and one way people can steer a different way is to band together.

Hopefully, one silver lining of this scary time is that we build more connection, we build more bridges, and we unite on all the things that really connect us, because there are a lot more things that connect us than divide us, Deernose said.
By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) -Once widely reputed to be Queen Elizabeth's favourite son and feted as a dashing young military officer, Britain's Prince Andrew will now always be seen in the public eye as the royal who was accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl.

Andrew, 65, said on Friday he would give up his title of Duke of York after years of criticism about his connections to the late, disgraced U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein.

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The brother of King Charles was accused by Virginia Giuffre of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager at properties owned by Epstein or his associates, and in February 2022 he made an undisclosed payment to settle a U.S. lawsuit.

BY THE QUEEN'S SIDE

While he admitted no wrongdoing, Andrew - who had already stepped down as a working royal over his relationship with Epstein and following a disastrous BBC interview in which he had hoped to clear his name - was stripped of his military links, royal patronages and "His Royal Highness" moniker.

"I never have really partied," he told the BBC. "I was single for quite a long time in the early 80s but then after I got married I was very happy and I've never really felt the need to go and party and certainly going to Jeffrey's was not about partying."

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Increasingly unloved by the public, he was cast aside by his family who saw him as an embarrassment who might cause lasting damage to their whole institution.

Only his late mother seemed to retain her affections, allowing him to escort her into a memorial service for her husband Prince Philip in March 2022.

His public appearances thereafter were limited to major family occasions such as the funeral of the queen later that year and his brother's coronation in 2023.

Earlier in his career, he served in the navy for 22 years and in 2001 he was named the United Kingdom's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, a role he held until he was pilloried for his connections to Epstein.

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Until that point, Andrew was probably best known for his 1986 marriage to the vivacious, flame-haired Sarah Ferguson, or "Fergie" as she was dubbed by the press.

They separated in 1992, not long after he moved to a desk job at the Ministry of Defence so he could be at home more. It was a year of travails and scandals for the royal family which the queen described as an "annus horribilis".

Andrew was said to be devastated by the break-up from his wife, who described him as a gentle man who deserved to be loved.

The couple had two children, Beatrice and Eugenie, and the family remained close and on good terms after they divorced in 1996, going on holiday together and sharing the same house.

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'AIR MILES ANDY'

After leaving the military, Andrew's personal life still hit the headlines. Tabloids linked him to a series of women, from swimwear models to entrepreneurs. Photographs appeared of Andrew cavorting on yachts or sunbathing surrounded by topless women. The papers dubbed him "Air Miles Andy" for his jetset lifestyle.

But his long-term friendship with Epstein, who was jailed in 2008 for child sex offences, began to haunt him. He was forced to quit his roving trade ambassador job in 2011 and Giuffre filed her allegations against him in 2015.

To critics, his downfall was a consequence of an arrogance and sense of entitlement. A former royal protection officer told an ITV documentary that Andrew would throw tantrums if the teddy bears on his bed were moved.

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With his reputation declining, Andrew turned his focus to a scheme called "Pitch@Palace", which aimed to use his royal influence to help young tech entrepreneurs find partners and investors.

But his royal world came crashing down not long after he gave what turned out to be a calamitous interview to BBC TV to explain why Giuffre's account of meeting him sweating and dancing at a London nightclub before having sex with him could not be true.

He was ridiculed for saying he went to see Epstein in New York to tell him he could no longer be seen with him, for saying Giuffre's story was wrong because he was visiting a pizza restaurant to celebrate his daughter's birthday on the night in question, and for saying he was unable to sweat.

He was also criticised for failing to show sympathy for those who say they were abused by Epstein and for saying he was not sorry about his friendship with the financier.

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"I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein," he said in a later statement as he quit official royal duties. But it came too late to save his reputation.

(Writing by Michael HoldenEditing by William Schomberg and Rosalba O'Brien)
The walls of Buckingham Palace have witnessed many royal dramas, but few as seismic as Prince Andrews fall from grace.

Andrew's shocking decline has reached its final act, as the disgraced royal relinquishes every last title, marking the end of his long and troubled journey as a working member of the monarchy.

Behind the grandeur lies humiliation, heartbreak, and a family finally pushed too far.

Prince Andrew Forced To Let Go Of His Last Royal Honors

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

After years of controversy, Prince Andrew has officially given up all remaining titles, a move that comes amid relentless pressure from King Charles and mounting scandal.

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He will no longer hold the title Duke of York, nor his membership in the Order of the Garter, Britains oldest and most distinguished order of chivalry.

His position as Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, a personal honor bestowed by the late Queen Elizabeth II, is also gone.

While he remains a prince by birth, the symbolic purge leaves him stripped of every honor that once defined his royal identity.

Andrew Breaks His Silence After Relinquishing Titles

MEGA

In a solemn statement from Buckingham Palace, the Duke insisted the allegations against him were false.

However, he said, In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

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He added, With His Majesty's agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honors which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

At the palace, there was reportedly a quiet sense of relief that Andrew had finally, as one aide put it per the Daily Mail, fallen on his sword.

The Scandals That Finally Broke Prince Andrews Royal Standing

James Whatling / MEGA

The decision follows years of damaging headlines that have left both the monarchy and the public weary. Andrews close association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein remains the most damning chapter in his downfall.

A Mail on Sunday investigation recently revealed the duke had lied when claiming his last meeting with Epstein in December 2010 was to end their friendship. Contrary to his public statements, just twelve weeks later, he emailed Epstein one day after the infamous photograph of him with alleged teenage victim Virginia Giuffre surfaced.

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He wrote, We are in this together and will have to rise above it. Otherwise keep in close touch and well play some more soon!!! Andrew signed the letter, A, HRH The Duke of York, KG.

This revelation, combined with reports that Andrew invited a senior Chinese official later linked to an international spy case to lunch at Buckingham Palace in 2018, ignited new outrage.

When Virginia Giuffres autobiography was published soon after, the royal household had no choice but to act.

Crisis Talks Inside Buckingham Palace

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

Behind the gilded doors of Buckingham Palace, emergency meetings were called to determine the disgraced princes fate.

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According to royal insiders, King Charles was firm but pragmatic, determined to end the distraction his brother continued to cause. Although the King cannot legally evict Andrew from Royal Lodge, his sprawling 30-bedroom Windsor residence, the royal exile will live on without honor or influence. His private tenancy agreement with the Crown Estate remains intact, but his once-gilded life is now confined to the shadows of royal history.

The palace later confirmed that the changes would take effect immediately, describing Andrews personal issues as an unwelcome distraction from the work of the wider Royal Family.

Prince Andrews Family Faces The Fallout

James Whatling / MEGA

This dramatic royal reckoning extended beyond Andrew himself. His former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, will now revert to using her maiden name, Sarah Ferguson.

Despite their divorce, the pair continue to share Royal Lodge, maintaining one of the most unusual domestic arrangements in royal circles. King Charles personally consulted Prince William, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward before finalizing the decision.

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Sources close to the monarch revealed he was glad of this outcome, seeing it as a necessary step to protect the institution. Meanwhile, Andrews daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, remain untouched by their fathers disgrace. Their titles and positions within the royal family will not be affected.

However, Buckingham Palace has reiterated that the dukes role as a Counsellor of State, a position allowing senior royals to act on the Kings behalf, is inactive, in line with Parliaments 2022 clarification that non-working royals will no longer perform such duties.
And just like that, Prince Andrew is no longer a duke.

The second son of Queen Elizabeth II has been on the outs with the rest of the British royal family since the late Virginia Giuffre, one of pedophilic sex trafficker Jeffrey Epsteins most prominent accusers, first claimed in the 2010s that she had been forced to have sex with the prince while she was a minor.

The king appeared to take matters into his own hands Friday. After years of Andrew being relegated to the fringes of royal life, King Charles III formally stripped his 65-year-old brother of his royal duties. In a concise statement, Prince Andrew acknowledged that his sorry reputation had become a distraction for the rest of the monarchy.

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In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family, the prince wrote in a statement released by Buckingham Palace. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me, Prince Andrew continued. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

Prince Andrew, as a son of the late queen, will retain his title of prince, but he has relinquished several other titles since speaking with the king, including his standing as Duke of York and membership of the Order of the Gartertwo titles that brought him enormous pride.

He cut his military affiliations, ended his royal patronages, and stopped using the style of His Royal Highness in 2022 during a civil case brought by Giuffre. The prince settled that lawsuit without admitting any wrongdoing.

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Officially nullifying the princes titles will, however, take some more time, as the deed requires an official act of Parliament.

The familys decision to sever ties with Prince Andrew arrived several days after the publication of Giuffres posthumous memoir Nobodys Girl, in which she details at least three incidents in which the prince allegedly raped her.

But Giuffres disturbing accusations were far from the only bad press that plagued the prince. Public interest in his personal finances and judgment have also been a sore spot for the family, as was Andrews decision to cozy up to an accused Chinese spy.

Puzzlingly, Andrews misdeeds were not severe enough to peel him from the monarchys succession plan: He will still remain eighth in line for the throne. He will also remain in his Windsor home, Royal Lodge, where he has a private lease with an expiration date in 2078.

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He will not, however, be present during the royal familys Christmas festivities this year in Sandringham.

Prince William, who has had a frigid relationship with Prince Andrew, consulted his father on the decision to strip his uncle of his titles.

This is unlikely to bring them any closer, reported the BBC.

Prince Andrews children, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will reportedly retain their titles, according to the British network. His ex-wife will no longer be known as the Duchess of York and instead will just be Sarah Ferguson.
Prince Andrew will give up his royal title due to the continued scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and the sexual assault allegations leveled against him by the late Virginia Giuffre.

The now-former Duke of York  younger brother of King Charles II  issued a statement Friday, Oct. 17, just days before the posthumous publication of Giuffres memoir on Oct. 21. Giuffre was one of Epsteins most prominent accusers and also filed a high-profile sexual assault lawsuit against Andrew, which was finally settled in 2022. Andrew has long denied Gifufres allegations, and he did so again in his statement renouncing his title.

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In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family, Andrew said. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

He continued: With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

Andrews ties to Epstein have dogged him for more than a decade, going all the way back at least to Epsteins 2008 guilty plea on soliciting prostitution from someone under the age of 18. Giuffres allegations against Andrew emerged not long after in 2014. But it arguably wasnt until Andrews disastrous 2019 interview on BBCs Newsnight about Epstein and Giuffres allegation that he was forced to start distancing himself from the Royal Family.

Just a few days after the interview aired, Queen Elizabeth gave Andrew permission to step back from public duties for the foreseeable future. In early 2022, not long before the suit with Giuffre was settled, his social media accounts were deleted, and on his page on the royal familys website, his duties were changed to be listed in the past tense. He would also reportedly go on to lose his government funding, police protection, and a suite of rooms at Buckingham Palace.

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As for Giuffre, she died by suicide this past April, but spent the last few years of her life working on a memoir, reportedly completing the manuscript last fall. A recent excerpt from the book, published in The Guardian, found her detailing her first meeting with Andrew, as well as several of their alleged sexual encounters. She described him as friendly enough, but still entitled  as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright.

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Originally appeared on E! Online

Prince Andrew will no longer be a duke.

The younger brother of King Charles III shared that he will no longer be using his royal titles, including Duke of York, due to the continued scrutiny related to his association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, Prince Andrew said in an Oct. 17 statement released by Buckingham Palace, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.

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The 65-year-old explained that he has made the decision to put my duty to my family and country first, adding that he stands by the decision he made five years ago to stand back from public life.

With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further, Andrew, who was given the Duke of York title upon his marriage to ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in 1986, continued. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.

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But while he will no longer use Duke of York after 38 years, he will still retain the title of Prince, as he is the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The member of the royal family also addressed the allegations made against him, stating, As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

As to the accusations themselves, in 2021 Virgina Giuffrewho died by suicide in April at the age of 41alleged that she had been trafficked by Epstein and subsequently sexually abused by the British royal when she was 17-years-old.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

While Epstein died by suicide in 2019 in a New York jail while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, Giuffre filed a federal lawsuit against the Prince Andrew in 2021.

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The royal settled the suit the following year, though he has continued to deny that the two engaged in any sexual relations.

I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, Andrew said during a BBC Newsnight interview at the time, none whatsoever.

The is now the second time that Prince Andrew has had changes to made to his titles, as in 2022 Queen Elizabeth, months before her death, stripped him of his military affiliations and royal patronages amid the sexual abuse case.

"With the Queen's approval and agreement, the Duke of York's military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to the Queen," Buckingham Palace said in a statement in January of that year, per BBC. "The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen."

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Andrew isnt the only royal who has made headlines this year. For more news from royals around the world, keep reading

Prince Andrew to Stop Using Duke of York Title

King Charles III's youngest brother Prince Andrew confirmed October 17 that he will no longer be using his title Duke of York, due the the continued controversy over his friendship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family, Andrew said in the statement released by Buckingham Palace. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life. Andrew continued, "With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."





King Charles III and Prince William Make Rare Appearance Together

The monarch and his eldest son stepped out in October 2025 for the Countdown to COP30 event at London's Natural History Museum. The pair posed outside of the museum, before heading inside to meet with government leaders and advocates working to combat climate change. The event preceded the COP30 World Leaders Summit in Belem, Brazil, in November, which Prince William is set to attend on his father's behalf.





Sarah Ferguson Dropped From Charity for Epstein Email

In September 2025, the Duchess of York was dropped as a patron to Julia's House for a resurfaced 2011 email to Jeffrey Epstein in which she called him a friend. Following the information shared this weekend on the Duchess of Yorks correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein, Julias House has taken the decision that it would be inappropriate for her to continue as a patron of the charity, the charity wrote in a statement per The Guardian. We have advised the Duchess of York of this decision and thank her for her past support. A spokesperson for Ferguson said the virtual correspondence was written after a threat made to her by Epstein.





Prince Harry and King Charles III Reunite

For the first time in 19 months, the Duke of Sussex was seen arriving by car to Clarence Housethe Kings London residenceto seemingly meet with his father before heading to another engagement in the city. While Harry pulled into the residence around 5:20 p.m. local time on Sept. 10, Charles returned to the home just hours before.

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Peter Phillips Announces Engagement

The son of Princess Anne and her ex-husband Mark Phillips shared that he was engaged to his girlfriend Harriet Sperling on Aug. 1 after more than a year of dating. "Both families were informed jointly of the announcement," the couple's spokesperson said in a statement to Hello! at the time, "and were delighted with the wonderful news of their engagement."





Queen Camilla Makes History with New Royal Title

One day before her 78th birthday, the royal received the title of Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom from the Royal Navy. Camilla is the first woman to hold the honorary title, which can only be appointed by the sovereignin this case, her husband King Charles IIIon the nomination of the First Sea Lord, who is currently Sir Gwyn Jenkins.





Kate Middleton Pulls Out of Royal Ascot

The Princess of Wales pulled out of a planned appearance at the Royal Ascot hours before she was set to return to the annual horse race alongside, Kensington Palace confirmed to NBC News. According to the palace, Kate was disappointed to have to miss the event but is still figuring out the right balance for herself when it comes to completing public engagements following her cancer battle.





Prince Harry Loses Appeal to Dismiss Decision in His Security Protection Case

Over one year after the High Court denied additional security protection through the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, Prince Harrys legal fight ended when the courts dismissed the case May 2. His and Meghan Markles security was lessened after they stepped back as working members of the royal family in 2021 and moved to the United States. However, in the years that followed, Harry had requested security while visiting the U.K. The Duke of Sussex told the BBC May 2 that he was devastated about losing his legal battle. He emphasized, I cant see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.

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Prince Harry and King Charles III Are Not Speaking

Harry told the BBC May 2 that his father King Charles III wont speak to him because of this security stuff, but added that it would be nice to reconcile. The Duke of Sussex, who shares kids Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet with Meghan, said that he would love to reconnect with his family. But the ball is in his dads court. I cant see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point, he said. Its really quite sad that I wont be able to show my children my homeland. There is a lot of control and ability in my fathers hands, ultimately this whole thing could be resolved through him, Harry added. Not necessarily by intervening but by stepping aside and allowing the experts to do what is necessary and to carry on. Despite the years of conflict, hes waving the white flag in hopes of reconciliation. He added, Life is precious, I dont know how much longer my father has.





King Charles III Shares Insight Into His Cancer Diagnosis

Over one year after King Charles shared his cancer diagnosis, he wrote April 29 that his health journey and cancer treatment are experiences that bring into sharp focus the very best of humanity." "Each diagnosis, each new case, will be a daunting and at times frightening experience for those individuals and their loved ones," Charles wrote in the booklet for the reception to provide resources for those with cancer. But as one among those statistics myself, I can vouch for the fact that it can also be an experience that brings into sharp focus the very best of humanity." He also thanked healthcare workers who helped him amid his journey, adding, It has certainly given me an even deeper appreciation of the extraordinary work undertaken by the remarkable organisations and individuals gathered here this evening, many of whom I have known, visited and supported over the years.





Prince William and Kate Middletons Family Skips Royal Familys Easter Service

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis did not attend the royal familys annual Easter service at St George's Chapel in Windsor April 20. While King Charles III and Queen Camilla celebrated with the rest of the royal family, William and Kate decided to spend the weekend at their Norfolk country home with their kids, multiple outlets reported. Their absence marked the second Easter they skipped, with the 2024 holiday taking place a week after the Princess of Wales announced her cancer diagnosis.





Royal Aide Who Accused Meghan Markle Of Bullying Receives a Promotion

Jason Knauf was announced as the new CEO of Prince Williams organization, The Earthshot Prize, April 15. He shared a statement on the website that he was looking forward to working with our exceptional team and incredible Earthshot community to advance our mission of urgent optimism for our planet. His promotion came nearly seven years after he made a complaint against Meghan Markle, accusing her of bullying two personal assistants and seeking to undermine a third staff member. A spokesperson for the Sussexes denied the allegations and told The Times that the rumors were part of a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. Buckingham Palace investigated the allegations and the case was wrapped up in 2022 without any findings made public.

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Prince George Makes His First Public Appearance of 2025

William and Kates eldest son George attended a soccer match in Paris alongside his dad April 7. The father-son duo were all smiles at the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final game as the Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa FC faced off at the Parc des Princes stadium.





Former Bodyguard to Prince Harry and Prince William Dies

Graham Crakerwho acted as a bodyguard for the royal family, including Prince Harry and Prince Williamdied at the age of 77 in April. Craker was notably with the boys when they learned their mother, Princess Diana, had died and he participated in her funeral services. On the latter, Craker told The New York Post in 2017, "I was standing at the rear of the hearse and William looked up and acknowledged me. I looked toward him and nodded. William was comforted that I was with his mum on her final journey.





The Duke and Duchess of Westminster Expecting Their First Baby

Hugh Grosvenor, who is King Charles IIIs godson, and his wife Olivia Grosvenor announced March 12 that she is pregnant with their first baby. The duchess is expecting a baby in the summer, a spokesperson told The Telegraph. The couple are delighted with the news and are very much looking forward to starting a family together.





Luxembourg's Prince Fredrik Dies at 22

Prince Frederikthe son of Prince Robert and his wife Princess Juliedied March 1 at 22 years old after a battle with PolG mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic disorder. "Frederik knows that he is my Superhero, as he is to all of our family, and to so very many good friends and now in great part thanks to his PolG Foundation, to so very many people the world over," Robert said in a statement. "Part of his superpower was his ability to inspire and to lead by example."

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Prince Harry Reaches Settlement in U.K. Tabloids Lawsuit

The Duke of Sussex reached a settlement with News Group Newspaperswhich is responsible for The Sun as well as the now defunct News of the Worldon Jan. 22 after suing the organization in 2019 over alleged unlawful actions on the part of journalists and private investigators working for the newspapers to obtain information on the royal family. The deal included the company paying "substantial damages," as well as issuing a "full and unequivocal apology" to Harry and public acknowledgement of "the extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales, per NBC News.





Kate Middleton Is in Remission After Finishing Chemotherapy for Cancer

The Princess of Wales announced on Jan. 14 that she's in remission after complete cancer treatments. "It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery," she wrote in a message on X, formerly Twitter, Jan. 14. "As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal." "I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead," she continued. "There is much to look forward to."





Meghan Markle's Longtime Dog Guy Dies

The Duchess of Sussex mourned the death of her beloved rescue beagle, who she adopted in 2015 before meeting husband Prince Harry. She wrote on Instagram Jan. 7, "I have cried too many tears to count - the type of tears that make you get in the shower with the absurd hope that the running water on your face will somehow make you not feel them, or pretend theyre not there. But they are. And thats okay too." "Thank you for so many years of unconditional love, my sweet Guy," Meghan added. "You filled my life in ways youll never know."





Prince William Mourns Death of Former Nanny's Stepson

Edward "Ed" Pettiferstepson of Prince William and Prince Harry's former nanny Alexandra Pettifer, also known as Tiggy Legge-Bourkewas one of the victims of the New Year's Day terrorist attack in New Orleans. "Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer," William said in a message posted on Kate Middleton's Instagram Stories Jan. 4. "Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack."

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Meghan Markle Rejoins Instagram to Reveal New Netflix Show

The Suits alumwho shut down her personal social media accounts shortly before her 2018 wedding to Prince Harrydebuted a solo Instagram page on Jan. 1. A day later, she announced a new Netflix series titled With Love, Meghan, which "reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-tos and candid conversation with friends, new and old," according to a press release.





Kate Middleton, Prince William and Kids Attend Wimbledon

Kate and William stepped out for a rare outing with kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte in honor of Wimbledon in June 2025. "A pleasure to be back in SW19 for the finals of this years @wimbledon Championships this weekend," the family wrote in an Instagram post at the time. "Congratulations again to @iga.swiatek and @janniksin on your wins! And a huge thank you to everybody involved in making the tournament so special."



For free, confidential help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit rainn.org.
Britain's Prince Andrew will not use his royal titles, including the Duke of York, any longer, he said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace on Friday. The announcement comes after the release of excerpts from a posthumous memoir by Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who had repeatedly claimed to have been sexually trafficked by the late financier to Andrew.

"In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family," Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, said in the statement. "I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life."

He continued: "With His Majesty's agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."

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Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, sued Andrew in 2021, alleging that he forced her to engage in sexual acts against her will when she was 17 years old. The two reached an out-of-court settlement in 2022. Andrew has denied the allegations.

In a statement to CBS News, Guiffre's family said they believe Prince Andrew's decision to give up his royal titles is "vindication for our sister and survivors everywhere." They called on Charles to strip him of the title of prince.

"This moment serves as victory for Virginia, who consistently maintained, 'He knows what happened, I know what happened, and there's only one of us telling the truth, and I know that's me,'" the statement said. "This is not just a victory for her, but for every single survivor of the horrific crimes perpetrated by Epstein and his co-conspirators."

Giuffre was one of the most vocal accusers of Epstein, a convicted sex offender, and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was found guilty of helping Epstein groom, recruit and sexually abuse underage girls. Giuffre alleged Maxwell connected her with Epstein, which Maxwell denies.

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In an excerpt of her memoir published by The Guardian, Giuffre describes her alleged encounters with Andrew in detail.

"He was friendly enough, but still entitled  as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright," she wrote. "The next morning, Maxwell told me: 'You did well. The prince had fun.' Epstein would give me $15,000 for servicing the man the tabloids called 'Randy Andy.'"

Andrew, once second in line to the British throne, has long been a source of tabloid fodder because of his links to Epstein, other questionable characters and money woes.

His attempt to refute Giuffre's allegations backfired during a November 2019 BBC interview. Viewers saw a prince who proffered curious rebuttals  such as disputing Giuffre's recollection of sweaty dancing by saying he was medically incapable of perspiring  and showed no empathy for the women who said Epstein abused them.

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Within days of the interview, Andrew stepped down from his royal duties.

As well as no longer being known as the Duke of York, Andrew will also give up other titles: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

He will remain a prince, which he has been entitled to since birth.

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Prince Andrew gave up his royal titles following discussions with his family.

The prince has been subject to scrutiny for his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Court documents and British media have also raised questions about his contact with an alleged spy.

He's still a prince, but that's about it.

Prince Andrew announced Friday that he has given up all of his "titles and honours" after discussing it with his older brother King Charles of England and other members of the royal family.

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"In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family," Prince Andrew said in a statement.

The decision comes amid ongoing scrutiny into the British royal family member's relationship with the now-dead pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, as well as court documents and reports in the British media raising questions about his interactions with an alleged Chinese spy.

"With His Majesty's agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me," Prince Andrew's statement said. "As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."

As the son of the monarch, Prince Andrew will continue to use the title "prince," but he will no longer be known as the Duke of York.

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In lawsuits and depositions, several of Epstein's accusers have accused Prince Andrew of sexual abuse, which he has denied.

Prince Andrew previously lost some of his royal titles in early 2022, after he was sued by Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual assault.

According to Giuffre's lawsuit, Prince Andrew, Epstein, and Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell forced her to have sexual intercourse with the prince in Maxwell's London home, Epstein's New York mansion, and Epstein's private island in the US Virgin Islands.

Prince Andrew settled the lawsuit in March of 2022 without admitting wrongdoing. He said he regrets his association with Epstein.

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A memoir by Giuffre, who died earlier this year, is scheduled to be released on Tuesday.

The prince has also come under scrutiny for his relationship with Yang Tengbo, a Chinese businessman who UK authorities banned from entering the country, believing he was a spy. According to British court documents made public following Yang's legal challenge to the ban, Yang recruited Prince Andrew for a project that would connect Chinese and UK-based businesses.

Prince Andrew's relationship with Epstein has come under renewed scrutiny as pressure mounts for President Donald Trump to release the government's files about Jeffrey Epstein, as members of his administration previously said they would do.

Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. Maxwell is serving a 25-year prison sentence for trafficking girls to Epstein for sex.

Read the original article on Business Insider
NEED TO KNOW

Prince Andrew announced he will no longer use his titles and honors in a statement released by Buckingham Palace

"In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family," he said

"As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me," he added

Prince Andrew is discontinuing the use of his royal titles and honors.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace on Friday, Oct. 17, Prince Andrew said he will no longer use his title or honors as it distracts from the work of King Charles and the royal family.

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Andrew, 65, said in the statement, "In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life."

Andrew Milligan - WPA Pool/Getty; Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty

"With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me," he continued. "As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."

To officially strip Prince Andrew's titles, it would require an act of parliament.

Prince Andrew has been styled as "His Royal Highness" since birth. Upon his marriage to Sarah Ferguson in 1986, his mother, Queen Elizabeth, gave him the titles of Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh.

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The Duke of York is the traditional title for the sovereign's second son, and the elite peerage has a rich royal history. According to British etiquette expert Debrett's, the dukedom has been traditionally conferred upon the second son of the monarch since Edward IV in 1474. Queen Elizabeth's father, King George VI, was also known as the Duke of York prior to the shocking abdication of his elder brother, King Edward VIII, in 1936.

Among other honors, he is also a knight of the prestigious Order of the Garter. However, he has not publicly participated in the Garter Day ceremony, held at Windsor Castle each June, in recent years.

Jordan Pettitt - Pool/Getty Prince Andrew attends Duchess of Kent's funeral on Sept. 16, 2025 Prince Andrew attends Duchess of Kent's funeral on Sept. 16, 2025

The move comes amid renewed interest surrounding Andrew's connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal conspiracy and sex trafficking charges. Prince Andrew, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, stepped back from his royal role in 2019 following his BBC interview regarding his ties to the disgraced financier. In January 2022, the Queen stripped her second son of his military titles and patronages after a judge rejected his attempt to have Virginia Giuffres sexual assault lawsuit against him dismissed. (He settled with Giuffre, who died by suicide earlier this year, out of court for an undisclosed sum.) He also stopped using the "His Royal Highness" styling.



At the time, he kept his Duke of York title and other honors. He also continued to join the royals at family events, which included holiday outings, funerals and more private gatherings. Andrew also kept his place in the line of succession to the throne, which is currently eighth behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markles two children.

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Prince Andrew's relationship with Epstein sparked renewed interest in recent weeks. Reports revealed a newly surfaced email from 2011 that allegedly showed the royal telling Epstein, "It would seem we are in this together," one day after the infamous picture of Andrew with his arm around Giuffre was published.

The email message from Andrew to Epstein also appeared to prove that the pair were in contact after the royal said that he had cut ties with him. The King's brother told BBC Newsnights Emily Maitlis that he had visited Epstein in New York in December 2010 to end their association in person.

Just weeks early, another email was published by The Sun and The Mail on Sunday showing Andrew's ex-wife, the Duchess of York, calling Epstein "a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family." That 2011 email was sent after she had said in an interview that she regretted accepting money from him and vowed not to contact him again. Several charities cut ties with Ferguson in the wake of the reports.

Prince Andrew recently joined the royal family at the funeral of Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, in September. Andrew and Sarah, who divorced in 1996 but remained amicable, arrived together at Westminster Cathedral for the service, also attended by King Charles, Prince William, Kate Middleton and other royals.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty; Karwai Tang/WireImage King Charles; Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew King Charles; Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew

He's also joined the royals on their holiday church outings such as Christmas and Easter since stepping back from his royal role. However, The Sunday Times recently reported that Andrew and Sarah wouldn't be welcomed by King Charles for the Sandringham Christmas outing this year. Similar to last year, when Andrew's Chinese spy scandal was in the headlines and Sarah was "enlisted" to keep him from the family festivities, the monarch reportedly asked the pair to keep a low profile at the holidays and celebrate on their own.

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A source close to King Charles told the outlet, You cant sack someone from being your brother. But this year, if the duke and duchess were both to be as honorable [as last year], it would be very much for the best and the family would not be disappointed, not least to avoid the King having to make any more difficult decisions.

Aside from being largely out of the public eye, Prince Andrew's status as a non-working royal stripped of his military affiliations was obvious at the funeral for Queen Elizabeth in 2022, when he was not allowed to wear his military uniform to the service.

Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Prince Andrew and King Charles at Queen Elizabeth's funeral in September 2022 Prince Andrew and King Charles at Queen Elizabeth's funeral in September 2022

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Since 2019, Prince Andrew has been kept out of the spotlight against his wishes, biographer Andrew Lownie claimed in an August 2025 interview with Sky News tied to the release of his new book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York.

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"What most annoys him is his lack of a royal status," Lownie said. "That's what really sort of gave him his whole sense of identity. And that's, you know, it's not being able to put on his uniforms and strut around and being self-important."

Read the original article on People
Prince Andrew will give up the use of his royal titles, including the Duke of York, in light of ongoing scandals surrounding him, he announced Friday.

Andrew, the younger brother to King Charles III, is facing heightened scrutiny over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has repeatedly denied all accusations stemming from his link to Epstein.

In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family, Andrew wrote in a personal statement.

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His statement continued, I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.

He added that he continues to vigorously deny the accusations against me.

Andrew will still be a prince, but relinquishes use of his title, the Duke of York, which was given to him by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, per the BBC. This move means his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will no longer be called the Duchess of York.

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Both of their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will keep their titles.

In November 2019, Andrew stepped down from his role as a working royal for the foreseeable future, he said in a statement at the time. He noted that his entanglement in the Epstein scandal had become a major disruption to the royal family and its valuable work.

I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein, he added. I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives.

Since stepping down, Andrew has made no public appearances other than a handful of family events, such as funerals and birthdays.

Britain's Kate, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince Andrew and Britain's King Charles III leave after the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral in London, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. | Joanna Chan, Associated Press

Prince Andrew has been sucked into several scandals over his ties to Epstein. Recently, a posthumous memoir from Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre alleges sexual interactions with Andrew while she was still a minor, per CBS News.

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In a 2022 lawsuit, Andrew denied all allegations from Giuffre and they settled.

Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others, one of the 2022 court documents said, per USA Today.

He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.


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Update: Shortly after this story went live, Prince Andrew issued the following statement, agreeing to no longer use his titles:

In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

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With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

Original: In recent weeks, Prince Andrews former friendship with Jeffrey Epstein has made a spate of damaging headlines, from his appearance in Virginia Giuffres memoir to the news that he emailed Jeffrey Epstein after he said they had ceased contact. And in the wake of this it has now been reported that the Prince has made the decision to give up his Duke of York title.

The Telegraph reports that the Prince had decided to give up his title having come under "huge pressure" from King Charles. He will also give up his membership of the Order of the Garter. He will still be a Prince as he was born one as the son of Queen Elizabeth.

The news comes hours after a spate of reports that the King was considering his options regarding his younger brother. It was reported in The Times this evening that the King was considering all options when it came to Andrew and that his title could be removed.

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Not long after this report, the Daily Mail reported that it had its own source saying that the King was considering removing Andrew from the Order of the Garter. And The Sun also cited a source saying that all options were on the table as far as the Palace was concerned. The stories point to hope from royal officials that Andrew would choose to relinquish his title and leave his home in Royal Lodge before his brother was forced to act.

The King can choose to remove Andrew from the Order of the Garter, which is Britains oldest and most senior order of chivalry founded by King Edward III in 1348. Charles cannot, however, remove Andrews Duke of York title, as this has to happen through an act of Parliament. When it comes to the Royal Lodge, Prince Andrew has a long-term lease agreement with the Crown Estate which means he can stay as long as he can meet those terms.

Prince Andrew stepped back from public duties in 2019 when his mother Queen Elizabeth was on the throne. Also during her reign, he was stripped of his honorary military appointments and gave up the use of his His Royal Highness style. However, he has appeared with the family publicly at certain events such as Christmas Day.

The Prince has always denied any wrongdoing, however his association with Jeffrey Epstein continues to cause significant controversy and has made an increased number of headlines of late. His ex-wife Sarah Ferguson has also recently been dropped by charities after an email she is said to have sent to Epstein was made public.





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NEED TO KNOW

Following Prince Andrew's announcement that he has given up his royal titles, his future in the line of succession is unclear

Andrew will no longer be the Duke of York or a member in the Order of the Garter; however, he will remain a prince as is his birthright as a son of the late Queen Elizabeth

Prince Andrew was second in line to the throne when he was born, behind just King Charles; today, he is eighth in the line of succession

Following Prince Andrew's decision to give up his royal titles amid multiple scandals, his future in the line of succession to the British throne is unclear.

King Charles' younger brother made the shocking revelation on Friday, Oct. 17, announcing that he will no longer use his Duke of York title and will give up his membership in the Order of the Garter. He will remain a prince, as is his birthright as a son of the late Queen Elizabeth. He currently remains eighth in line to the throne.

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In a statement, Andrew, 65, said, "In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life."

"With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."

Buckingham Palace released a statement in response, saying, "The Princes decision was taken in close consultation with The King. His Majesty is glad of this outcome."

Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Prince Andrew and King Charles at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19, 2022 Prince Andrew and King Charles at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19, 2022

His ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, will continue to use Sarah Ferguson professionally, as she has for many years. PEOPLE understands that the former couple's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will not be affected by the change.

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The prince had already lost the use of "His Royal Highness" as well as his position as a Counsellor of State. In January 2022, his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, stripped Andrew of his military titles and patronages amid a sexual assault lawsuit against him by Virginia Giuffre, an alleged victim of Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke of York denied any wrongdoing, and in February 2022, settled with Giuffre out of court for an undisclosed sum.

Upon taking the throne, Prince Charles appointed Princess Beatrice in her father's former role as Counsellor of State. The roles, created under the 1937 Regency Act, are given to the monarch's spouse and the next four adults in the line of succession over the age of 21. The position allows the counsellors to carry out business on behalf of the monarch.

Princess Beatrice joined Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward as one of the King's Counsellors. Andrew and Prince Harry were excluded as they were no longer working royals.



When Andrew was born on Feb. 19, 1960, he was second in line to the crown, behind only his older brother. Though Anne was older than him, male-preference primogeniture was still in place until the Succession to the Crown Act 2013.

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That act declared that birth order determines the order of succession, regardless of sex. However, it only applied to royals born after Oct. 28, 2011, and was not retroactive, keeping in line behind her younger brothers.

Today, Prince Andrew is eighth in line to the throne, the first in the order of succession who is not directly descended from the King.

He was granted the title of Duke of York  traditionally given to the monarch's second son  on his wedding day to Ferguson, July 23, 1986, the day of his wedding. He was also bestowed the Earldom of Inverness in Scotland and the Barony of Killyleagh in Northern Ireland.

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While questions remain about his royal status and his future within the royal family  as he's already been barred from attending their Christmas festivities  at least one thing will remain constant for Andrew moving forward: his home.

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The prince has lived at Royal Lodge, located in the Windsor Great Park, since 2004, and has continued to live there with Ferguson even following their divorce. In the fall of 2024, he raised money in order to stay in the residence after the King cut off his personal allowance.

PEOPLE understands that Andrew's private tenancy agreement with The Crown Estate will be unaffected by his decision to give up his titles, and he will continue to live at Royal Lodge on the grounds of Windsor Castle.



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Britains Prince Andrew has surrendered his royal title of the Duke of York after his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein returned to the headlines amid the upcoming release of an explosive memoir from abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre.

In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family, King Charles younger brother wrote in a statement released by Buckingham Palace on Friday.

I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first, he said.

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The 65-year-old disgraced royal previously announced in 2019 that he would step back from public life over his links to Epstein, despite Andrews denials of wrongdoing.

With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further, Andrew said Friday. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

In addition to no longer using the Duke of York, Andrew will also give up the titles of Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. However, he will remain a prince, which he has been entitled to since birth.

Fridays announcement came days before a memoir is set to be posthumously released by Epstein accuser Giuffre, who died by suicide in April of this year at the age of 41. In it, she details her allegations of being trafficked to powerful men, including Prince Andrew, according to an excerpt obtained by The Guardian this week.

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In the book, titled Nobodys Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, Giuffre claims to have had sex with Andrew for the first time in 2001, when she was 17 years old and he was 41.

Giuffre alleges that Epstein paid her $15,000 for pleasuring the man she knew from the tabloids as Randy Andy. There were at least two other such instances, she claims, including one encounter on a private U.S. Virgin Islands property owned by Epstein.

Reflecting on those encounters, Giuffre writes that in the years since, she thought a lot about how [Andrew] behaved, saying that while he was friendly enough, he acted entitled  as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright.

She also notes that Andrew attended a 2000 Halloween party in New York with future President Donald Trump, his then-girlfriend Melania Knauss and Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

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Maxwell was proud of her friendships with famous people, especially men, Giuffre recalls.

Trump, who has has denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein, has since claimed their friendship ended because the disgraced financier stole employees  including Giuffre  from his Mar-a-Lago spa, where she came to know Maxwell.

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of recruiting underage girls and young women to be sexually abused by Epstein. Epstein took his own life in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges in 2019.

In 2022, Prince Andrew reached an settlement with Giuffre on a lawsuit in which she accused of him of sexual abuse. The settlement included a statement filed in court in which the prince acknowledged Epstein trafficked countless young girls and that Giuffre was an established victim of abuse, though he continued to maintain his innocence.

Giuffres memoir is set to be released on Tuesday.

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Prince William stepped out to visit the London Ambulance Service on Oct. 17

The Prince of Wales is a champion of the emergency services and worked as an air ambulance pilot

The prince was shown around the headquarters in Waterloo, London, and heard about mental health support for crew

As a champion of first responders, Prince William is stepping out to see some of Londons emergency teams before taking some family time.

The Prince of Wales, 43, visited the largest ambulance service in the U.K. on Friday, Oct. 17.

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He headed to the headquarters of the London Ambulance Service in Waterloo, where he was taken to see staff who work in the well-being team, who both support people in the building and offer support and services to paramedics carrying out lifesaving work daily.

William also spoke with paramedics and other front-line workers about their experiences and the importance of providing mental health support to those working in emergency services.

Prince William, who was an air ambulance pilot, frequently highlights the strains and stresses of working on the frontline of emergency services  and the mental health support that those teams need.

Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace Prince William at the London Ambulance Service HQ in London on Oct. 17, 2025 Prince William at the London Ambulance Service HQ in London on Oct. 17, 2025

The patron of the London Air Ambulance was shown the Emergency Operations Control room where the team works around the clock managing the calls. He chatted with call handlers, ambulance dispatchers and members of the Clinical Hub team about their various roles in the service.

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William, who served as an air ambulance pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance from 2015 to 2017 and flew 999 missions, was then taken for a tour of the vehicles used by the service, including the worlds first, purpose-built all-electric ambulance and electric fast response cars. He was also introduced to specialist paramedics and took part in a training demonstration.

Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace Prince William with London Ambulance Service staff in London on Oct. 17, 2025 Prince William with London Ambulance Service staff in London on Oct. 17, 2025

It is the services 60th anniversary year.

Each year, the blue light service takes millions of emergency calls, providing in-person care and treating around 180,000 over the phone.

Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace Prince William having a conversation with London Ambulance Service staff at their headquarters in Waterloo, London on Oct. 17, 2025 Prince William having a conversation with London Ambulance Service staff at their headquarters in Waterloo, London on Oct. 17, 2025

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Prince William's royal outing came as his three children with Kate Middleton  Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis  prepare for a break from school as the fall half-term kicks off. The Prince and Princess of Wales typically try to keep work to a minimum when their kids are on break in order to spend time as a family.

The family is also expected to move into their new home in the coming weeks.

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(The Center Square)  In less than two weeks, and with the upcoming holiday season, the ongoing federal government shutdown is expected to suspend taxpayer funding for food subsidies.

U.S. Senate Democrats blocked Republicans' bill to reopen the federal government for the 10th time Thursday. The funding lapse started Oct. 1.

Thursday, the Illinois Department of Human Service announced federal officials informed all states that it will not fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits past Nov. 1 if the government shutdown persists. In Illinois, the lapse of SNAP funding could impact 1.9 million people.

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Friday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said his administration is looking at how state taxpayers can cover the potential of the lapse of federal tax dollars.

It's not a state program. It's a federal program that we administer, but they are making it near impossible, Pritzker told reporters after an unrelated event. So I am hoping that the shutdown will end before Nov. 1.

Some of that help could be to food pantries, Pritzker said.

We're looking at ways that we might be able to at least augment what they're not going to get, he said.

Pritzker said its up to President Donald Trump to get the government back open. Democrats have shifted their demands, saying they will only vote on the clean Continuing Resolution to fund federal agencies if Republicans guarantee that a health policy bill will pass.

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Kate Maehr, the CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, told a recent Illinois House Committee that other impacts to SNAP are coming, even if the shutdown ends and the government opens. Those changes include work requirements to get the benefits.

The Illinois Department of Human Services estimates that 450,000 Illinoisans will be impacted by these requirements, which will begin in December of 2025.

The approximately 1.9 million Illinoisans utilizing the food subsidy cost federal taxpayers $705 million in 2024.

Therese Boudreaux contributed to this report.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker bashed President Donald Trumps claims about soaring violence in Chicago as being rooted in lies, arguing the city has cut its crime rates despite clashing with the administration.

In an interview with POLITICOs Dasha Burns for The Conversation, the Democratic governor praised the city for slashing its local crime statistics by double digits. He lauded the use of civilian law enforcement to combat crime in Chicago, arguing that the citys successes came even though he says the Trump administration had cut the number of agents in the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration from the citys streets.

Weve been building up our police forces, including the state police under my command, Pritzker said. Frankly the money that the federal government used to send to us has now been cut off under him.

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Chicago has resisted the administrations attempts to send the National Guard to fight crime in the city this month, pitching a series of legal battles to stall the deployment. A federal judge in Chicago blocked the administrations deployment to the city last week, and an appeals court temporarily lifted an order blocking the White Houses efforts to federalize troops for use in the city, while maintaining the block on their deployment. Chicago has also seen a surge of immigration enforcement.

Trump also halted billions of dollars in funding for a string of Democratic states this month, including in Illinois.

Pritzker blamed the presidents evidence for targeting major U.S. cities on lies that have gained traction among his supporters and administration officials.

You know, he's got the biggest platform in the country, the presidency, and he just says things, Pritzker said. It's propaganda, again, not true, but he'll say it over and over and over again, hoping that people will believe him.

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Again, Portland isn't on fire, he continued. And yet, yeah, you're right. He lies, he says it over and over again, and if it gets amplified by mainstream media or by podcasts or whatever, then there are people who might listen and believe it.

The full interview with Pritzker is available on this week's episode of The Conversation.
CHICAGO (WTVO)  Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday sharply criticized President Donald Trump, accusing him and congressional Republicans of jeopardizing food assistance for nearly 1.9 million Illinoisans as the federal government shutdown stretches into its third week.

The governors remarks came after the Illinois Department of Human Services warned that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could lose federal funding starting Nov. 1 if Congress fails to reach a deal to reopen the government.

Working families across Illinois are about to go without food assistance because Trump and Congressional Republicans want to score political points and refuse to reach a deal, Pritzker said in a statement. Nearly two million Illinoisans rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table, including households with children, older adults, and people with disabilities.

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Pritzker also criticized federal spending priorities during the shutdown, questioning why funding continues for law enforcement operations while basic needs go unmet.

They can find the money to pay masked federal agents wreaking havoc in our communities but not help people in need put food on the table, he said.

The governor warned that the impact of a SNAP funding lapse would ripple through the states economy, affecting grocery stores, employees, and local businesses.

This doesnt just impact families  it hurts grocers, it hurts employees, and it hurts local economies, he said.

SNAP, which is federally funded, provides monthly food assistance to low-income individuals and families. In Illinois, nearly one in seven residents rely on the program.

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One child going hungry in America is one too many  this used to be a value we could all agree upon, Pritzker said. The Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans need to do their damn job and start delivering for the American people. Enough is enough.

Congress has until the end of October to pass a funding resolution before SNAP and other federally supported programs face suspension.

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Michigans state budget unexpectedly eliminated all $19.4 million in funding for a program that coordinates early childhood services in each county across the state, shocking school leaders, early childhood experts and parents.

Great Start Collaborative works in a wide variety of ways, for example, to get families access to child care and preschool, early childhood literacy programming, developmental screenings, home visits for new parents, family playgroups and parent educational events.

The program has existed in Michigan for nearly 20 years, with the goal of making sure families and their children, especially those between birth and 5 years old, are able to access the services they need to be healthy and developmentally ready to succeed in school. In most counties, Great Start Collaborative funding is administered through Intermediate School Districts.

Great Start Family Coalitions parent leaders at the Pontiac Block Party connecting families to free Pre-K and early childhood resources at Charlie Harrison Park.

Everybody is thrown, said Annette Sobocinski, executive director at the Child Care Network, a nonprofit helping connect families to child care across southeastern Michigan. It happened so suddenly and after the fiscal year. Now ISDs are scrambling to figure out what this means and do we have a way to sustain this work now that state funding is gone?

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In fiscal year 2025, across Michigan, over 280,500 children were served through Great Start Collaborative funds according to Tami Mannes, director of early childhood for the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District.

She collected this data in collaboration with the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Help Me Grow Michigan, a program connecting families to early childhood services that is funded by Great Start Collaborative dollars in the majority of ISDs and will likely face significant cuts without state funding, Mannes said.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and state legislators contacted by the Free Press  including Tim Kelly, chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid and Department of Education, where Great Start Collaborative funding was housed, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, and Speaker of the House Matt Hall  did not respond to requests for comment on the elimination of this funding.

The cut comes after a monthslong budget stalemate saw the Michigan Legislature miss deadlines for approving a state spending plan as lawmakers fought over the size of the budget and funding priorities. The governor and legislative leaders eventually reached an agreement, and Whitmer signed the new budget into law on Oct. 7.

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Through another portion of the programming, called the Great Start Family Coalitions, parents were also able to have a voice in shaping these services to better meet their needs, said Melinda Hambleton, who has worked as the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Counties Great Start Collaborative coordinator for the last 17 years.

Parents, like Jessica Trotter, who has worked for nearly a decade in various roles at Oakland Countys Great Start Collaborative program and currently leads the countys Great Start Family Coalition, say the cut will be detrimental to families with young children.

We have one chance to make an impact in these earliest years, Trotter said.

Families and kids at a Sing. Say. Point. Play. literacy event held by the Oakland County Great Start Collaborative in Southfield, Michigan.

Great Start Collaboratives help make this a reality, she said, by helping families navigate and get connected to the wide range of resources available to them and their kids.

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Trotter, a mother of three, worked with her Oakland County Great Start Collaborative to figure out how to navigate a complicated early education system to get services like Early On, the states early intervention system for infants and toddlers with developmental delays, for her three kids who each had speech delays when they were toddlers.

As a result of the funding cut, school readiness is going to take a tremendous hit, said Scott Koziol, the superintendent of Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District. Koziol called the Great Start Collaboratives the bridge to building school readiness skills, like literacy, in kids.

The state budget increased funding for its universal pre-K program, known as the Great Start for Readiness Program, or GSRP, by $25 million. Koziol believes the Great Start Collaboratives cut was shortsighted and will likely result in Michigan children entering the GSRP program less prepared to succeed.

If education is a priority in Michigan, how do you cut that? Koziol said.

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While some Great Start Collaboratives like the one in Koziols district will continue to operate without state funding by using other local dollars through millages and set-aside general funds, others dont have the same availability of local funds. The Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Counties Great Start Collaborative program will be closing within a couple months, once carry-over funds run out, she said.

Now, youre going to have the have and the have-nots again, Koziol said. This funding leveled the playing field.

No one saw cuts coming

Those who work in early childhood didnt see the total elimination of funds for the Great Start Collaboratives coming, said Alicia Guevara, CEO of the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, a Lansing-based early childhood advocacy nonprofit.

While the governors and Senates proposed budgets both maintained full funding for the program, the Houses budget proposed rolling up Great Start Collaboratives money into general funds the ISDs could choose to use as they pleased. But following budget deliberations, neither option occurred and funding ended up eliminated entirely.

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Koziol was frustrated by the opaque budget process.

There was no heads-up about cutting the program or time to have a conversation with the Legislature about the importance of this program, he said.

Sobocinski said she assumes the program wasnt high enough priority for legislators, especially because a lot of the work of the Great Start Collaboratives  strengthening and streamlining systems to better wrap around families to make sure each child has the best possible start in life  can sometimes be hard to explain and illustrate impact.

Parents will lose access and a voice, advocates say

Parents and early childhood experts are lamenting the loss of a program they say represented the only statewide program entirely dedicated to coordinating and building up the multitude of local early childhood services, informed by the needs of parents.

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It can be hard to quantify all that the Great Start Collaboratives did, because the work often differed county to county, depending on the needs of parents as communicated through the Family Coalitions, said Sobocinski. Family Coalitions brought together parents to engage them in conversation about how early childhood services in their area could work better for them.

Through the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Counties Great Start Collaborative, for example, Hambleton said they worked with car seat technicians to get families free car seats and teach them how to install them, an essential service in the high-poverty counties. Due to the lack of prenatal and postnatal care in the rural counties, they also worked with other Great Start Collaboratives in Grand Traverse along with the Charlevoix and Emmet counties to get grant funding to train more doulas for home visits with both expectant and postpartum mothers.

The Charlevoix, Emmet, and Northern Antrim Counties Great Start Collaborative, Koziol said, brought together nonprofits, local agencies and foundations and child care and preschool providers to create a network of services to bring to child care deserts that exist throughout the counties.

This included bringing a statewide literacy initiative, Talking is Teaching, to parents in local grocery stores and laundromats. Reading corners and literacy games were set up throughout these places to help educate parents on the importance of talking and reading aloud to a little ones healthy brain development.

Toddler Story Time at the Downtown Farmington Library, sharing parenting resources and tips to support childrens literacy and love of learning.

The results of these kinds of efforts: healthier, safer, and developmentally prepared kids who are ready to learn, Koziol said.

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In addition to the crucial impact the Great Start Collaboratives had on young kids, they were also seen as one of the national examples of families being engaged to shape early childhood systems, she said. Without the Family Coalitions, parents' voices threaten to get lost, she said.

These Family Coalitions also helped parents fend off an increasingly common sense of isolation and overwhelming that parents say they experience, making them feel they belonged and mattered, Hambleton said.

Trotter said she previously felt this as a new mom.

I was always really scared about going out with three kids under 1 and didnt know how to navigate that, she said.

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Getting connected to playgroups and other parents through her countys Great Start Collaborative helped her feel less alone among a network of parents. She also took part in educational sessions where she could find support and learn about early childhood issues like picky eaters, sleeping through the night, or potty training, she said.

At Hambletons Great Start Collaborative event last week, over 74 families showed up.

The mood was sobered by knowing that this could be their final event, Hambleton said. She said parents felt disheartened and asked her who is going to listen to our voice and help us find these resources we need?

The last name of Superintendent of the Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District, Scott Koziol, was spelled incorrectly in a previous version of this article.

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Beki San Martin is a fellow at the Detroit Free Press who covers child care, early childhood education and other issues that affect the lives of children ages 5 and under and their families in metro Detroit and across Michigan. Contact her at rsanmartin@freepress.com.

This fellowship is supported by the Bainum Family Foundation. The Free Press retains editorial control of this work.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Great Start Collaboratives lost state funding in Michigan budget cut
Plaintiffs who have sued state lawmakers in favor of Proposition 4 are now asking a judge to block a Republican-led effort to repeal the redistricting law.

Those plaintiffs won a victory in August when 3rd District Judge Dianna Gibson said lawmakers acted unlawfully when they altered the 2018 ballot initiative. Now, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, the League of Women Voters of Utah and several individuals claim the effort to fully repeal Proposition 4 through an indirect initiative is tantamount to the changes made that were already found unconstitutional.

Unlike a traditional ballot initiative  which must receive signatures from 8% of the voters to qualify for the ballot and pass through a popular statewide vote  indirect initiatives only need to receive signatures from 4% of voters before passing through the Legislature. In this case, proponents of the initiative would need to collect about 70,000 votes and meet a similar threshold in 26 of the states 29 Senate districts before submitting it to the GOP-controlled Legislature.

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The statutorily-created indirect initiative process does not provide a mechanism for the Legislature to infringe the peoples constitutional right to alter or reform their government via an initiative passed by a majority of voters, reads the new complaint, filed Wednesday as part of the ongoing legal dispute over political boundaries in Utah.

A legislative repeal of such an initiative does not transform from unconstitutional to constitutional merely because it is supported by the signatures of 4% of voters through a process devised by the Legislature and not the Constitution.

The complaint alleges that supporters of an indirect initiative cannot submit to the Legislature an unconstitutional law.

Rob Axson, the state GOP chairman and one of six sponsors of the initiative to repeal Proposition 4 and an accompanying referendum to undo the new maps adopted by lawmakers last week, blasted the court filing, calling it the height of arrogance and hypocrisy for those who once used the courts and the initiative process to push their agenda to now try to deny others that same right.

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Having climbed the ladder allowed in the process and the courts, they now beg for continued unilateral action from one judge to pull the ladder up behind them, he told KSL.com. You cannot celebrate the rule of law when it serves you and undermine it when others use those same tools.

The courts and the peoples initiative process belong to all Utahns  and are laid out in the law. If their ideas truly stand on principle, they should welcome debate, not hide behind legal gamesmanship to deny Utahns who disagree with them from being heard.

Top legislative leaders also took issue with the lawsuit, and said its why they have been opposed to courts being involved in the redistricting process from the beginning.

This is exactly what happens when courts step beyond their role and make policy from the bench, House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, and Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said in a joint statement. Instead of respecting the separation of powers, the court has thrown Utahs constitutional process into confusion and chaos, leaving Utahns to navigate the fallout in uncharted territory. Our Founding Fathers put together a republic, not a pure democracy.

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The plaintiffs filed the new complaint in the same case against the Legislature, several legislative leaders and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, although the only cause of action in the latest filing is against Henderson in her official capacity. They allege that the initiative to repeal Proposition 4 would violate Utah voters rights to alter or reform their government and asked the courts to issue a preliminary injunction blocking Henderson from printing the signature packets.

Attorneys for the state had not replied in court filings as of Thursday afternoon, nor had the judge. The complaint is only the most recent in the legal wrangling over map-drawing. It follows a move by the same plaintiffs to sue over the new map lawmakers voted on last week, after the judge tossed the maps that were in place during the last two election cycles.

The judge is set to hear arguments on the remedial map next week and is expected to rule on a map before Nov. 10.




MANCHESTER - A proposed $1 million state investment could help Adelbrook Educational Programs expand its Manchester academy, increasing its capacity to serve students with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.

State Sen. MD Rahman, D-Manchester, said the Community Investment Fund Board's recommendation brings the city a step closer to expanding the academy's ability to serve more students with those disabilities.

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The CIF is a state program that awards grants to support economic and community development, especially in underserved areas.

Rahman said that additional funding would help students and families access the education and therapies they need. The Manchester academy is already operating at capacity, leaving many families waiting for help, he said.

"Once this funding is finalized, it will help Adelbrook provide many of those families opportunities for their kids to learn and grow," he said.

In addition to the Manchester school, Adelbrook operates the Learning Center of Cromwell and maintains facilities in Bloomfield and Middletown. The agency also offers residential programs and in-home supports to families.

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Rahman said that expanding the Manchester academy's capacity would also create jobs in Manchester.

State Rep. Geoff Luxenberg, D-Manchester, said in a statement that quality special education services are an urgent need for families across the state.

"This investment is crucial for expanding specialized services as the demand for support continues to rise," he said.

The State Bond Commission is expected to meet within 60 days of the CIF Board's Sept. 30 meeting to take up the Community Investment Fund's recommendations.

Meanwhile, Adelbrook has been working to expand its support in Manchester.

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Earlier this year, the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved renovations to the Adelbrook Academy in Manchester at 42 Prospect St. The upgrades are intended to create space for 30 additional students and 20 new staff members.

Calvin McGee, Adelbrook's vice president for facilities support services, previously told the Journal Inquirer that the Manchester school typically enrolls about 35 students but had to turn away 55 applicants last year due to limited capacity.

This article originally published at Proposed $1M state investment would help Manchester school serve more students with disabilities.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  A motion for preliminary approval of a class action settlement between Deloitte and hundreds of thousands of people whose private information may have been impacted in the RIBridges data breach was filed Thursday in the District Court of Rhode Island.

Court documents show Deloitte and the plaintiffs agreed to settle multiple class action lawsuits for $6.3 million last month following mediation.

BACKGROUND: Deloitte agrees to class-action settlement over RIBridges cyberattack

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Thursdays motion, filed by Jeff Ostrow and Danielle L. Perry as interim co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs, asks District Court Judge Melissa DuBose to approve the preliminary agreement and certify all 735,501 individuals who were notified that their data was compromised in last years cyberattack as the Settlement Class.

Deloitte directors and officers, governmental entities, and court staff are excluded from the settlement.

If DuBose approves the preliminary settlement, eligible members of the Settlement Class will be notified by mail within 30 days.

The proposed terms would make those who can provide evidence of reasonable documented losses as a result of the data breach eligible for up to $5,000, and allow all other members of the Settlement Class to claim an alternate cash payment of around $100.

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In addition, all those who join the class can opt to claim two years of medical record monitoring.

PAST COVERAGE: RIBridges Data Breach

Members of the class who would like to opt out of or formally object to the settlement will have until 30 days before the final approval hearing to do so.

Former state Rep. Peter Wasylyk, who represented the plaintiffs in one of the original class action lawsuits against Deloitte, told 12 News the terms of the proposed settlement will offer those affected lasting peace of mind well after the litigation is over.

A representative for Deloitte told 12 News the consulting company had no comment on the settlement.

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12 News has reached out to the interim co-lead counsel for a statement.

NEXT: Ortho RI patients invited to join $2.9 million settlement after data breach

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HUTTO, Texas (Nexstar)  At the top of the constitutional amendment ballot this November is Proposition 1, a proposal to create an investment fund to support growing and improving the footprint of the Texas State Technical College (TSTC).

The TSTC offers technical vocational education and training for the future of Texas highly-skilled workforce. It offers programs to help students gain an associates degree or certificate in a technical career like welding or HVAC technology.

A welding student works in the TSTC lab in Williamson county (Photo Courtesy: Dylan McKim/Nexstar).

Sebastian Morales is one of the students in the HVAC program at the schools Williamson County campus. He said a year ago, during his senior year at East View High School in Georgetown, he did not have a plan until a friend told him about TSTC.

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Hey, that sounds really interesting, Morales recalled.

Now he is seven weeks into his program learning about electricity and refrigeration and happy with his decision. Im really happy I applied here because this is probably right for me, Morales said.

Sebastian Morales, right, waits for his teacher to check his wiring work in the HVAC lab at TSTC (Photo Courtesy: Dylan McKim/Nexstar).

He is the first one in his family to attend higher education, and in just under two years, he will leave TSTC with a certification to work as an HVAC technician. Hes entering a labor market with a high demand for technical workers as businesses like Tesla, Samsung and SpaceX move into Texas.

Its a demand the college is having a hard time meeting. Joe Arnold, the deputy vice chancellor in government relations for TSTC, said if the college was somehow able to quadruple the output of graduates, there would still be a skills gap in Texas. Arnold estimates there are over a million technician positions open in Texas right now.

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Gov. Greg Abbott referenced the need to grow career technical training in high schools during his State of the State address back in February. Many of the most in-demand jobs are careers like welding, plumbing, and electricians, Abbott said.

TSTC has 11 campuses across the state with a 12th campus scheduled to open in Denton County in the next few years. Arnold said its been a challenge for the college system to grow and renovate because of a lack of financial stability. TSTC is not like your regular community college. Its a state agency that can not call for a bond election or levy a tax on homeowners.

Students in the HVAC lab train with their instructor (Photo Courtesy: Dylan McKim/Nexstar).

Without that, were not able to plan and were not able to answer the needs of employers in the communities when they say they need more welders or HVAC technicians, Arnold explained.

During the 89th legislative session, lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment  SJR 59  to create two funds to address this issue. If a majority of Texas voters approve Prop 1, then the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts would deposit $850 million from the states general fund to the newly created Technical Institution Infrastructure Fund (TIFF) that would act as an endowment. It would also create the Available Workforce Education Fund (AWEF).

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Some of the earnings from the TIFF will be placed in the AWEF every year, which the college system could then draw from for capital projects. The money could not be used to pay for salaries or utility bills. It is strictly for capital projects like buying land, new equipment or renovating aging buildings.

There are critics to the idea. State Representative Brian Harrison, R  Midlothian, indicated he was present and not voting during the House floor debate on SJR 59. He stated his reasoning why in the House journal.

I fully support TSTC, and I proudly filed and passed the bill last session to allow it to expand in Ellis County, Harrison wrote. However, I voted present, not voting on SJR 59 because instead of just authorizing an appropriation of funds, we are creating another constitutionally dedicated fund which allows multiple things to happen. First, it is more off the books accounting because constitutional funds are ironically not subject to the constitutional spending limit. Second, it authorizes greater expenditures in future years without legislative approval.

Texas Policy Research, a nonpartisan public policy organization that believes in limited government, echoes Harrisons concerns and recommends voters vote no on Prop 1. In its rationale for a no vote, the organization said, While expanding access to workforce education supports individual liberty and personal responsibility, embedding this preferential funding mechanism in the Constitution undermines limited government and transparency. A statutory approach with normal budget oversight would better uphold fiscal accountability.

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But Arnold argues the legislature would still have oversight if the college system abused the fund. The legislature put it on the ballot to create. The legislature could put it back on the ballot to do away with it if they want to, Arnold said. Arnold also added the fund would not create or increase any taxes for Texans.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
The man accused of killing an aspiring model and leaving her body in the refrigerator in her downtown Los Angeles apartment was overly possessive during the twos brief romantic relationship, according to new reporting by the Los Angeles Times.

Kiersten Dossett, a friend of 31-year-old Maleesa Mooney, said Magnus Daniel Humphrey and Mooneys relationship only lasted about a week, but during that time, they were rarely more than one foot apart, she told the Times.

Magnus Daniel Humphrey is shown in a Nov. 4, 2023, photo released by the Hennepin County Sheriffs Office.

Thats my girl, thats my woman, Dossett quoted Humphrey, a 43-year-old Minnesota resident, as saying.

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Mooney was found bound and gagged in her refrigerator more than two years ago.

Prosecutors allege Mooney suffered domestic violence before her killing, which Deputy District Attorney Antonella Nistorescu called a cold, calculated, premeditated act of violence, the Times reports.

Magnus Daniel Humphrey is seen in court on Feb. 22, 2024. (KTLA)

Its possible the two argued over financial matters prior to Mooneys death, as she reportedly express[ed] frustration that Humphrey wasnt paying for anything, the Times added.

There is evidence that what started out as a consensual encounter between these two people then evolved into a situation where the victim was wanting to ask the defendant for money, but not knowing exactly how to do it, Nistorescu said, per the Times.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
The Frederick County States Attorneys Office will work with a group from the University of Maryland to help investigate fraud cases.

The office has formed a partnership with the Justice for Fraud Victims, Inc., based at the universitys Smith School of Business, to help investigate financial crimes in the county.

Fraud victims are underserved due to the lack of necessary investigation and resources needed to make a case for prosecution, States Attorney Charlie Smith said in a news release Wednesday.

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Smith was not available for an interview Thursday.

The JFV is composed of student volunteers from the business school, who are mentored by financial professionals, including retired FBI investigators.

Their free services include fraud examinations and reports for cases of embezzlement, payroll fraud, HOA fraud, and most other cases of mis-appropriated assets within small businesses and non-profit organizations, according to the release.

They can also trace stolen funds and provide risk assessment evaluations for non-profits and small businesses.

The group already works with the states attorneys office in Prince Georges County, which was the first to partner with the group.

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The work is good learning experience for the schools students, but oversight and mentoring by certified public accountants and other professionals is important so law enforcement can be confident that their findings can be used in court, said Samuel Handwerger, who directs the program for the school.

As many as 40 students at a time participate in the program, although it may expand, he said.

Forensic accounting follows money or property that is believed to have been lost by fraud, and trying to find evidence that it was taken intentionally and not by mistake, he said.

When their investigation is finished, they provide a report to the prosecutors office with their findings, and can help advise the lawyers on how the information could be presented in court.

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But the final steps are up to prosecutors.

We dont adjudicate. We just report the facts, Handwerger said.

They are also in discussions with Baltimore County, Handwerger said.

Along with their legal work, Justice for Fraud Victims provides risk analysis services to help small businesses and non-profits avoid being victims of fraud in the first place.

The group is part of a national coalition of schools with similar programs, including Gonzaga University, Marquette University, Central Connecticut State University, Siena College, State University of New York at Old Westbury, and others.
(NewsNation)  Authorities have detained more than a dozen people as of Friday morning in a Chicago suburb as protests continued outside an immigration processing facility.

Illinois State Police  armed with helmets, face shields and wooden batons  were seen pushing protesters back as a crowd gathered at the facility in Broadview, Illinois. The location has been the site of frequent, sometimes violent clashes between federal agents and protesters. Fencing that had previously surrounded the facility was removed.

The face-off between demonstrators and authorities comes just a day after a judge in Illinois ordered federal officers to wear body cameras during immigration operations, citing growing concerns over clashes with protesters.

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However, some protesters outside the facility told NewsNation they were not convinced the cameras would hold agents accountable.

Do body cameras even matter at this point when no one is being held accountable for any of their actions? When they are allowed to just blatantly lie, you know, and get away with it, said Demi Palecek, president of Chicagos 46th ward Democrats.

ICE arrests Illinois officer with expired visa

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis issued the order Thursday, saying she was startled by reports that agents used tear gas during confrontations with the public. The ruling followed a viral video showing federal agents deploying tear gas on crowds Tuesday. Ellis said she was profoundly concerned the agents had violated her order from last week, which required them to wear visible badges and banned certain crowd-control tactics.

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She said she now wants all Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents involved in Operation Midway Blitz to wear body cameras and keep them activated during operations.

Florida AG sues California, Washington over sanctuary policies after deadly U-turn crash

A Justice Department attorney said not all officers are equipped with cameras and that the ongoing government shutdown would make it difficult to comply. The judge also ordered Chicagos ICE field director to appear in court Monday to explain how the agency will comply with the ruling.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has spoken out against the deployment of federal agents to the state, celebrated Thursdays ruling.

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The idea that theres any justification for people tossing tear gas in the context of peoples protests, I think the judge reacted to that properly by ordering that now the federal agents are required to have body cameras on them because they clearly lie about what goes on, Pritzker said.

Angels step in after federal agents use tear gas near Chicago school

Last year, ICE began deploying about 1,600 body cameras to officers involved in enforcement and removal operations. Other Homeland Security agencies, including Customs and Border Protection, already require some agents to wear cameras.

Another weekend of protests is planned outside the ICE processing facility in suburban Chicago. Police told NewsNation they were counting on the new body camera requirement and tighter crowd restrictions from the village mayor to help keep tensions under control.

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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 NewsNation.




Twice recently during Bay Area speaking gigs, I've been asked a version of the same question: What good does it do to go to marches and protests like Saturday's No Kings day of action?

Their questions reflect a collective frustration that virtually nothing can slow the pace of President Donald Trump's autocratic actions. Congressional Democrats remain powerless, and leaders of media, academia and tech seem eager to appease him. What good will marching in the streets do?

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The upcoming demonstrations happening at more than 2,600 locations nationwide are expected to make up one of the largest protests in American history. Organizers ask that participants wear yellow, because "throughout history, people who have come together in protest against authoritarian governments have used a unifying color to symbolize their peaceful resistance. Our movement is no different. Yellow is a bright, unmistakable reminder that millions of us stand together in the belief that America belongs to its people - not to kings," Indivisible, one of the 150 groups in the No Kings organizing coalition, wrote on social media.

Its predecessor, the June 14 No Kings rally, attracted an estimated 5 million people nationwide, comparable to the 2017 Women's March, held shortly after President Donald Trump first took office.

Since then, however, Trump has sent in military troops to police U.S. citizens - one of those deployments has since been ruled illegal - ramped up Immigration and Customs Enforcement's harassment - efforts that have also ensnared U.S. citizens - transformed the Department of Justice into a sword to impale his political enemies, stifled free speech and tried to cow media institutions and universities into submitting to his demands.

In response, there have been nearly three times the number of nonviolent demonstrations through July of this year, compared with the same period in 2017, the first year of Trump's first term. While that doesn't make it sound like protests have done much to stop Trump's march toward authoritarianism, experts said it takes time for effective movements to build.

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Mass protests are just one tactic. They are not a magic wand that will change the world in one wave. When managed well, they lead to other actions over the long haul, analysts told the Chronicle.

Mass protests "do a lot, but they don't do everything that you want them to do," said David Meyer, a professor of sociology at UC Irvine and author of "How Social Movements (Sometimes) Matter." "So on Oct. 19, Donald Trump will probably still be president."

Protests can communicate a collective anger to the people in charge, Meyer said. "Big protests send a message to people who have an interest in what the public thinks and how committed people are," he said.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told Gov. Gavin Newsom on his podcast this week that "history tells us that when the people stand up, something magical happens."

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Here is what experts say is the value of large-scale street protests, and what Saturday's mass demonstrations should try to accomplish:

They help individuals channel their frustration, isolation and desperation: "Peaceful protest in this moment is very much a performative act of resistance," said Dana Fisher, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute who specializes in surveying participants in mass protests. Saturday's events are "not going to change President Trump or his administration's policies. (But) going out into the streets provides what we call a sense of collective identity, which is this feeling of not being alone." And they often help people frustrated by the current state of the world feel they are physically doing something to state their opposition.

They are a show of strength: Trump has been trying to arm-twist society into submitting to his demands and create the perception that he will inevitably consolidate enough power that resistance will be futile. "In a period like that, large-scale, mass popular protest is a really important tool for holding open space for resistance across a broader swath of places. Because it makes clear that this is not, in fact, a foregone conclusion that he will successfully consolidate power," Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of Indivisible, told me Thursday.

They typically lead to more political involvement: The high of participating in a mass demonstration often leads marchers to get involved in other kinds of political activity, said Fisher. That could take the form of advocating on behalf of immigrants, participating in boycotts or strikes or running for office themselves, as was the case with many who participated in the 2017 Women's March, she said.

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Fisher tracked participants in those demonstrations and their participation in the 2018 midterms. "What they ended up doing is channeling their outrage and enthusiasm from the streets to the ballot box in terms of getting involved in the midterm elections, which is one of the reasons we saw that blue wave" in 2018, she said.

One of the problems that social movements always confront is: What happens after the demonstration?" Meyers said. "You can bet that at No Kings, they're going to be talking about Democratic primary campaigns. They are going to be talking about the gubernatorial elections (next month) in Virginia and New Jersey. They're going to be talking about the barrels of lawsuits that are still underway, and they're going to be talking about redistricting, which is very salient in California," where Proposition 50 is being pitched in new ads as "a way to stick it to Trump."

They have already produced wins: Hours after ABC pulled "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" off the air for his comments in the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination, a network of activists organized 1.7 million paid subscribers to cancel their memberships to Disney+, the network's parent company. Kimmel was reinstated. Analysts also attribute Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., standing firm in the current shutdown to him seeing people in the streets urging him to do so. "The fact that Schumer was more responsive to the activist base in the Democratic Party this time than he was earlier in the year, that is a function of mass organizing, which includes the first No Kings rally," Meyers said.

They must remain nonviolent to be effective: Saturday's demonstrations must remain nonviolent and peaceful if supporters hope to broaden their tent. Anything less than that will give ammunition to conservatives who want to undercut the movement by linking it to terrorists or tar it by calling it a "hate America" rally.

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox Business that the No Kings protest "is part of antifa, paid protesters." Duffy, a former reality show star, should have listened to Trump's former FBI director Christopher Wray, who described "antifa" as "an ideology, not an organization." But facts matter little in conservative media circles. It's more powerful to throw out scary buzzwords to non-discerning listeners. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called Saturday's demonstrations "a hate America" rally, seemingly unaware of the irony that statements like those reveal him as someone who hates the First Amendment - a tentpole of American life.

I told Greenberg that most Indivisible meetings or rallies I've attended have seemed about as menacing as a pickleball club. There is no evidence of links between the 150 organizations in the No Kings coalition and antifa. At the first No Kings rally, Indivisible Co-Director Ezra Levin led 100,000 marchers in Philadelphia in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Hardly hateful.

"We can both recognize that (the conservative accusations are) ridiculous and also recognize that it's quite sinister at the same time," Greenberg told me. "It's a classic authoritarian playbook move. It is smearing your opponents. It is trying to conflate peaceful protests with other activities in a way that sets up a permission structure for the repression of your dissent, for going after organized opposition, for shutting down people's free speech rights."

Yet organizers understand the importance of how the rallies are portrayed and have emphasized they must remain nonviolent. This week, 18,000 people attended an online tutorial on how to deescalate potential conflicts that may arise Saturday.

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They must be in small towns in the heartland, not just big coastal cities: This week, organizers highlighted how there will be No Kings events held in places such as Bryson City, N.C. (population 1,500), Storm Lake, Iowa (population 12,000), and Manitowoc, Wis. (population 35,000).

We know that progressive strongholds such as Oakland and San Francisco will show up and show out Saturday. But Hardy Merriman, former president of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, told me that "when you have distributed protests in not just big cities but small towns around the country - when people see it in their community - it helps to cut through some of the propaganda and misinformation that they may have seen online."

Merriman said that trusted messengers against misinformation are people who live in a local community. "When you see the small business owner taking a stand in your community, or the teacher or the leader of the faith community, that may have more sway actually than what politicians are saying," he said.

This article originally published at Do protests like No Kings still matter? Here's what experts say.
Leah White of Providence holds up an anti-ICE sign she drew inside the Providence City Council chamber on Oct. 6, 2025. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)

Rhode Islands capital city is one step closer to tightening its rules on how local police interact with U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel.

The Providence City Council on Thursday unanimously granted its first passage of a series of rewrites to the citys Community-Police Relations Act as a way to further to protect the citys immigrant community from the Trump administrations arrest and deportation agenda.

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In Providence, we take pride in being a welcoming city where every neighbor deserves to feel safe, Councilor Miguel Sanchez, a co-sponsor of the amended ordinance, said in a statement. Our immigrant neighbors are the backbone of this city, and they deserve safety, dignity, and accountability.

The initial approval comes over a week after dozens of residents urged the councils Ordinance Committee to pass the measure to ensure that Providence police officers do not assist ICE.

Enacted in 2017 under then-Mayor Jorge Elorza, the Providence Community-Police Relations Act prohibits officers from assisting with federal immigration enforcement regardless of the reason the person is being detained, unless there is a criminal warrant issued for a person in Providence police custody.

But how strictly police adhere to the policy came into question after officers were filmed at the scene of an ICE arrest on Alverson Avenue on July 13 establishing a perimeter at the request of federal agents  an incident the Providence External Review Authority ruled constituted prohibited assistance.

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The new language in the ordinance would bar Providence police from complying with any federal agencys request for assistance  such as sharing information or controlling traffic  unless they provide a criminal warrant signed by a judge.

Schools, places of worship, health facilities and courts would be designated safe spaces, meaning federal immigration authorities cant be granted access unless they have a judicial warrant or are acting in response to a specific act of terrorism, national security threat or when there is the threat of imminent danger of violence.

One provision had split some Democratic councilors during a committee hearing earlier in the month: a clause allowing community organizations to challenge potential violations and sue individual officers.

Such a clause drew concerns from Mayor Brett Smiley, who believed the language could open the city up to frivolous lawsuits.

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That language was updated by the Council Thursday to clarify that organizations may only sue the city as a whole and only for a court to uphold ones civil rights, not for monetary damages.

It was already true in the ordinance, but there were requests that we clarify that, City Council President Rachel Miller said in an interview Friday.

Smiley said in a statement Friday he supports the changes made by the council.

These changes will help to protect our city from dangerous financial liabilities, continue to protect our immigrant communities and support our officers to continue their nationally recognized community policing practices, Smiley said.

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The council will be required to give second approval of the ordinance before it heads to the mayors desk. That next vote is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 6.

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HOLYOKE  Municipal electric utilities  like those in Holyoke, Westfield, Chicopee, South Hadley and even tiny Chester and Russell  sell electricity for about half what their neighboring investor-owned utilities and they want to keep it that way.

And those utilities want people  and businesses  to know it. They also want the freedom to keep doing it.

We dont have any shareholders, said Daniel Faille, general manager of Chicopee Electric Light. None of the money goes out of state. None of it goes on the stock market. It all stays local.

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Local, too, are decisions, said Joe Mitchell, the assistant general manager at Westfield Gas & Electric. Four days a week people at local municipal electric utilities are on the phone deciding whether to buy power, hold off buying power or to hedge a bet against some market swing.

Investor-owned utilities go out twice a year, Mitchell said.

The municipal utilities are also vertically integrated, controlling generation, transmission and house-by-house distribution.

For municipals, the price outlook for winter looks stable, said Thomas P. Flaherty, general manager of the Westfield Gas & Electric.

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Municipal utilities across the state averaged $129 a month per 750 kilowatt hours in 2024. Thats compared  according to information the public utilities shared Friday  an average of $251 in Eversource Western Massachusetts territory and $267 for National Grid.

The average suburban home in Massachusetts uses about 750 kilowatt hours of electricity a month.

When you say people are talking about utility bills, you mean complaining, Faille said. And those people arent in a municipal light plant territory.

Western Massachusetts municipal utilities and the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co. in Ludlow hosted a power briefing Friday for businesses and legislators complete with a tour of the Robert Barrett Fishway and the Holyoke Gas & Electric hydro plant.

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Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co. provides services, including generation, to the states 41 municipal utilities.

They also heard from businesses, including Valley Malt in Holyoke  located right across the street from the fishway from the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts in Chicopee the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center in Holyoke and from precision manufacturer Jarvis Surgical in Westfield.

Flaherty said municipal utilities want to avoid the regulations investor-owned utilities face, including all the surcharges listed on the bills the investor-owned utilities send customers. The fees on those bills fund electric vehicle charging programs or home solar programs.

We do that already, he said.

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Westfield already meets the goal of getting more than half its power from sources that do not emit carbon thats solar, hydro and fractional ownership of nuclear plants in New Hampshire and Connecticut.

Stories by Jim Kinney

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For years, downtown Jacksonville residents have asked the same question: Why isnt there a grocery store closer to me?

Despite the areas rapid growth  new apartments, restaurants and office towers rising block by block  residents often have to leave downtown just to grab basic groceries. Thats about to change.

Publix confirmed plans to open its first-ever location in downtown Jacksonville as part of the Gateway Jax development project, marking a turning point for the areas redevelopment and signaling that a true live-work-play lifestyle may finally be taking shape in Downtown. Here is what we know about the project so far:

Is Publix really opening a store in downtown Jacksonville?

Yes. Publix has announced its intent to open a store in the heart of downtown Jacksonville, filling a long-acknowledged service gap. While Publix has a strong presence across the Jacksonville metro area, this marks its first entry into the heart of the city.

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Grocery stores on the way Many Aldi stores are set to open by 2026 in Florida. Where are new locations?

Where will the new downtown Publix be located?

The store is planned as part of Pearl Square, a mixed-use project that will bring retail, residences and dining to one of downtowns most historic blocks. The new location will be at 119 W. Beaver St.

This is a big deal because downtown Jacksonville has lacked many grocery options for decades. Residents often travel to Riverside, San Marco or Springfield for groceries. A Publix within walking distance could transform daily life and further legitimize downtown as a residential district.

Where are Jacksonville's Publix locations?

Publix stores are spread across Jacksonvilles major neighborhoods, including Riverside, San Marco, Southside, Mandarin, Arlington, North Jacksonville and the Beaches communities, including Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach and Jacksonville Beach. Many stores are located along major commuter corridors  like Atlantic Boulevard, Beach Boulevard, Philips Highway and Roosevelt Boulevard  and often anchored in shopping centers near residential growth.

How many Publix stores are in Florida?

Publix operates more than 880 stores across Florida, making the state its largest market by far. Florida is also home to the companys headquarters in Lakeland and continues to be a major focus for new store projects.

How many Publix stores are in Jacksonville?

As of a 2024 count, Jacksonville is home to over 30 Publix locations, with additional stores in St. Johns, Clay and Nassau counties, which are considered part of the Jacksonville metro area:

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Publix at Riverside  2033 Riverside Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32204

Publix at Gateway Shopping Center  5210 Norwood Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32208

Publix at Arlington River  5858 Atlantic Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207

Publix at University Square  2875 University Blvd W, Jacksonville, FL 32217

Publix at Roosevelt Square  4495 Roosevelt Blvd Ste E-1, Jacksonville, FL 32210

Publix at Old St. Augustine Plaza  11250 St Augustine Rd Ste 4, Jacksonville, FL 32257

Publix at Dames Pointe  7117 Merrill Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32277

Publix at Highland Square  1100 Dunn Ave Bldg 100, Jacksonville, FL 32218

Publix at Deerwood Lake Commons  4320 Deerwood Lake Pkwy, Jacksonville, FL 32216

Publix Plaza  9100 Merrill Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32225

Publix at Normandy Crossing  7749 Normandy Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32221

Publix at Oak Hill Village  7628 103rd St Ste 24, Jacksonville, FL 32210

Publix on San Jose Blvd  10500 San Jose Blvd Ste 36, Jacksonville, FL 32257

Publix at St. Johns Town Center  4413 Town Center Pkwy Ste 100, Jacksonville, FL 32246

Publix at Deerwood Village  9964 Old Baymeadows Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Publix at Mandarin Oaks  11406 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32223

Publix at Cobblestone Crossing  2771 Monument Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32225

Publix at Kernan Square  12620 Beach Blvd Ste 12, Jacksonville, FL 32246

Publix at Duval Station Centre  731 Duval Station Rd Ste 4, Jacksonville, FL 32218

Publix at Reedy Branch Commons  10920 Baymeadows Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Publix at Argyle Village  6001 Argyle Forest Blvd Ste 45, Jacksonville, FL 32244

Publix at Harbour Place  13170 Atlantic Blvd Ste 29, Jacksonville, FL 32225

Publix at Windsor Commons  4765 Hodges Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32224

Publix at OakLeaf Plantation Center  9518 Argyle Forest Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32222

Publix at The Shoppes of Bartram Park  13820 Old Saint Augustine Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32258

Publix at Medical & Merchants Center at San Pablo  14444 Beach Blvd Ste 6, Jacksonville, FL 32250

Publix at Shoppes at East San Marco  2039 Hendricks Ave Ste 325, Jacksonville, FL 32207

Publix at Northpoint Village Shopping Center  12541 Yellow Bluff Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32226

Publix at eTown Exchange  11025 eTown Pkwy Unit 100, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Publix at Plaza at Normandy  11341 Normandy Blvd Ste 201, Jacksonville, FL 32221

Publix at Dames Pointe (alt listing)  7117 Merrill Rd #1, Jacksonville, FL 32277

What Publix is closest to downtown Jacksonville?

The Publix located at 2033 Riverside Ave. in Riverside is considered the closest to downtown Jacksonville.

How big will the downtown Publix be?

The site will feature a 31,000-square-foot Publix on the ground floor, topped by a 15-story residential tower with about 250 apartments and 400 parking spaces. These stores typically include full grocery sections, grab-and-go prepared foods, a deli, bakery and often a pharmacy.

When will construction begin on the new Jacksonville Publix?

Publix has not released an official construction timeline. However, the development is moving through permitting and city approvals. Once groundwork begins, Publix stores of this type typically take 1824 months to complete.

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Big changes to grocery shopping Publix now allows open carry in Florida stores. What about Aldi, Winn-Dixie and others?

Will the new Jacksonville Publix include parking?

Yes. Plans tied to the redevelopment include structured parking, likely a shared-use parking garage that will support both the Publix and surrounding mixed-use components.

How does this fit into downtown Jacksonvilles development boom?

More than 3,000 new residential units are in various stages of planning or construction downtown. City leaders and developers have long said a grocery store is essential to sustaining that growth. The Publix announcement signals that downtown living is on the rise.

A rendering of the Publix slated to go into Gateway Jax's Pearl Square project in Downtown Jacksonville.

Why did it take so long for downtown to get a grocery store?

For more than a decade, multiple grocery concepts have been proposed  and then stalled  in downtown Jacksonville.

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City leaders repeatedly noted that grocery chains were watching population density, waiting for the residential base to hit a tipping point. With the current plans for new units and construction momentum, Publix appears to be seizing that moment.

Will Publix bring more retail interest downtown?

Publix is expected to act as an anchor of downtown development, especially for Gateway Jaxs plans, potentially attracting additional retail and dining interested in a downtown presence.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: New Publix store will open in downtown Jacksonville. Here's where
Heather Graham, mayor of Pueblo, makes remarks during a City Council meeting in 2022. (Mike Sweeney, Special to Colorado Newsline)

Pueblo voters next month will decide whether the city government should return to a city council-city manager form of leadership after the city has operated under a strong mayor since voters approved the switch in 2017.

Election 2025

Coloradans are voting on two statewide ballot measures and a variety of local issues in the off-year election. Click here for more of Newslines coverage.

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Ballot Question 2C, which Pueblo City Council referred to the ballot, would amend the city charter to establish a city manager and eliminate the positions of mayor, deputy mayor and chief of staff.

City Council would select the city manager, and the council would have power over appointments to local boards and commissions as well as the city clerk and municipal court judges. The mayor has control over those positions in the governments current form.

Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham in August vetoed the ordinance referring the question to the ballot, but City Council overrode her veto on a 6-1 vote. Graham said personal issues between her and the council prompted the measure and said it is members attempt to remove her from office. She is only the second mayor Pueblo has had since the city changed government forms, after she defeated former Mayor Nick Gradisar, who started in 2019.

Strong-mayor cities in Colorado, including Denver and Colorado Springs, are rare. A mayor is an elected official who has a more political role in running the city, while a city manager is selected by the city council and is a more professional role that runs the city under the direction of the council.

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Those in support of the measure say Pueblo needs a professional, not a politician, leading the city, and that a city manager executes the vision City Council sets for the city.

Those against the measure say Pueblo has benefited from having a mayor as a leader directly chosen by the people and accountable to the entire community.

The website behind the effort to keep a mayor says the mayor is paid $150,000 annually, has no paid leave and no severance, while the city manager in 2018 was paid $182,947, received paid leave, benefits and bonuses, and would get severance if terminated.

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The Southern Colorado Labor Council supports a no vote on the measure.

If the measure passes, it will take effect immediately and City Council would appoint an interim city manager.

County clerks began mailing out ballots last week. Election Day is Nov. 4.

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What President Donald Trump described as a great and successful day at his Alaska summit with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin two months ago was apparently a major disaster.

The Financial Times reported Friday that after the visiting autocrats warm welcome, ice caps quickly formed between him and Trump. Putin firmly rejected Americas offer to relieve sanctions in return for a ceasefire with Ukraine, and insisted that the bloodshed would only end if Ukraine ceded more territory to him, according to multiple people briefed.

Putin then launched into a rambling historical tirade, citing medieval princes and seventeenth-century chieftains as evidence that Ukraine and Russia were meant to be a single nation.

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Trump was reportedly upset at his good buddys attitude and raised his voice several times, even threatening to leave, people told the Financial Times. The U.S. president ended up cutting the meeting short and canceling a lunch afterward to discuss further cooperation.

And Trumps business partner Steve Witkoff may be partially to blame for the screwup. The U.S. special envoy reportedly traveled to Russia in August to urge Putin to come to the table, and Witkoff apparently misconstrued Russias openness to make a deal. He misunderstood everything Putin said about what the summit was going to be about, a person briefed on the talks told the FT.

Since the summit, Trump has changed his tune on making endless concessions to Russia, even suggesting that Ukraine could claw back its original borders. Trump is scheduled to host Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House Friday, to discuss the possibility of providing arms to Ukraine in the ongoing conflict with Russia, which may be starting to expand across Europe.

The new details about Alaska have emerged as Trump prepares to meet with Putin again. Trump announced Thursday that he would sit down with his Russian counterpart in Budapest within two weeks or so. He did not give a more specific date.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  Vladimir Putin is expected to travel to Hungary soon for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on ending the war in Ukraine  despite the Russian leader facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant.

Putin is wanted by the court on a warrant dating back to March 2023 for alleged involvement in the abduction of children from Ukraine during the conflict triggered by Moscows invasion of its neighbor.

The court, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, relies on other countries to arrest suspects. It seems unlikely to get any cooperation from Hungary, which earlier this year rolled out the red carpet for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also is wanted by the ICC over allegations of crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict. Netanyahu vehemently denies the charges.

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After hosting Netanyahu, Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in April that his country would begin the process of withdrawing from the court.

The International Criminal Court in a nutshell

The court was set up in 2002 and aims to hold leaders and senior officials accountable for crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide. It has 125 member states, but three major global powers  the United States, Russia and China  are not members. Ukraine officially joined the court in January.

More than 900 staff work for the court that has a budget this year of just over 195 million euros ($228 million).

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In an indication of the problems it has getting suspects arrested, judges have issued warrants for 61 people and 30 remain at large.

The ICC is a court of last resort, meaning it only takes on cases when other countries legal systems are unable or unwilling to prosecute suspects.

The United States and Russia both oppose the court

Trumps administration has slapped sanctions on the courts chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, some ICC judges and Khan's two deputies. Trump accuses the court of illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and Israel.

Trump previously sanctioned Khans predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, during his first term in the White House. The Biden administration subsequently lifted those sanctions.

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Russia also rejects the courts authority and has issued a warrant for Khan and the ICC judge who signed Putins warrant.

Putin has already traveled overseas since the warrant was issued in 2023, including to ICC member state Mongolia. Hes also traveled to China and North Korea, which are not court members.

Countries that have left the court

The only other countries to have left are Burundi and the Philippines, whose former president, Rodrigo Duterte, is in custody at the courts cell block in The Hague after he was arrested on charges of crimes against humanity linked to his governments deadly crackdown on drugs.

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Last month, ruling military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger said that the three African nations also are withdrawing from the court, accusing it of what they say is selective justice.

ICC prosecutor is on leave amid ethics probe

Khan has stepped down pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. He has categorically denied accusations that he tried for more than a year to coerce a female aide into a sexual relationship and groped her against her will.

No date has been set for the investigation to be completed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's renewed overtures to U.S. President Donald Trump have raised concerns that once again, the Kremlin is attempting to derail Western support for Ukraine.

Trump announced on Oct. 16 that he will meet Putin in Budapest as part of renewed efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine after a two-and-a-half-hour phone call between the two leaders earlier that day, during which they also agreed to hold a high-level U.S.-Russia meeting next week.

But the timing is clearly not accidental  the conversation between Trump and Putin comes a day before President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Washington, where he is expected to press for the transfer of Tomahawk long-range missiles to Ukraine.

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"Putin got scared because Trump promised to provide Tomahawks to Ukraine and decided to pretend that he is ready for the 'deal' and compromise," Oleksandr Merezhko, a top MP from Zelensky's party, told the Kyiv Independent.

"We have a certain pattern here. Each time when President Trump is getting close to imposing serious sanctions on Russia or giving Ukraine advanced weaponry, Putin is trying to lure Trump into 'negotiations,' " Merezhko said. He added that the goal is to create the impression of talks. "Putin needs to create a semblance of negotiations. All he is interested in is only to avoid American sanctions and military assistance to Ukraine."

International experts echo Merezhko's concerns, with John Hardie, Russia program deputy director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), pointing out that similar situations have already played out on several occasions this year.

"Back in May, when there seemed for the briefest of moments to be a transatlantic consensus on an ultimatum for Putin to accept a ceasefire or face tougher sanctions, Putin responded with a late-night address where he suggested resuming the talks in Istanbul," he said..

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"And then Trump said, OK, Zelensky, do that."

Despite the talks ultimately going nowhere, no sanctions were imposed. Hardie said that when momentum for punishing Russia began to build again, it was then derailed by the much-vaunted Alaska summit between Trump and Putin in August.

With renewed focus on Tomahawks for Ukraine  something Russia has repeatedly said would be unacceptable  the Kremlin is trying the diplomatic trick again with its latest phone call and meeting.

"Of course, it's not going to go anywhere because it won't until Putin's willing to talk about a deal on realistic peace terms," Hardie said.

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"But I hope that this pattern does not repeat itself. But I think that's obviously what Putin is trying to do here."

Read also: Russia shoots down own fighter jet during Ukrainian drone attack on Crimea, Sochi

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin convened a meeting of Russia's powerful Security Council following a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian news agencies reported on Friday, citing Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.

According to Ushakov, Putin provided a detailed briefing to Security Council members about the conversation with Trump.

Trump and Putin agreed on Thursday to another summit on the war in Ukraine, a surprise move that came as Moscow feared fresh U.S. military support for Kyiv.

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In Putin's Russia, the Security Council is a key arena for the formulation of decisions on Russia's most important national security issues.

(Reporting by ReutersWriting by Maxim Rodionov; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed at length figures from medieval and early modern history during his August meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Oct. 17, citing undisclosed sources.

Putin reportedly gave a lengthy lecture on medieval Rus princes, such as Rurik or Yaroslav the Wise, as well as the 17th-century Cossack leader Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, taking Trump aback.

The Russian leader has often invoked Ukrainian and Russian history to justify aggression against Ukraine, like during his interview with U.S. host Tucker Carlson last year.

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The FT reported that Trump nearly walked out of the Aug. 15 summit in Anchorage after Putin rejected a ceasefire deal and demanded that Ukraine cede more territory.

The outlet described the prematurely concluded meeting as a "turning point," after which Trump's position began to shift in favor of Ukraine.

Read also: Kyivan Rus, then and now

Publicly, Trump described the Anchorage summit as a "very warm meeting" and planned to follow it up with direct talks between Zelensky and Putin.

No announcements on the matter have been made since then.

Since August, the Trump administration has approved fresh military aid to Ukraine funded by NATO allies and threatened to increase economic pressure on Moscow  if European partners follow suit.

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The U.S. president is set to meet Zelensky in the White House on Oct. 17, during which the Ukrainian leader is expected to press him on possible deliveries of Tomahawk missiles.

Only a day before the meeting, Putin called Trump to warn him that Tomahawk deliveries would damage U.S.-Russia ties. The two leaders also agreed to meet in the coming weeks in Budapest, marking their first in-person meeting since the Alaska summit.

Read also: Dont give Russia space

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

President Donald Trumps much-hyped Alaska peace summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in August reportedly collapsed in chaos after the foreign leader veered into a sprawling history lecture about medieval princes and Cossack warlords.

The tirade, officials familiar told the Financial Times on Friday, left the president taken aback.

According to officials briefed on the tense Anchorage meeting, Trump arrived expecting to trade sanctions relief for a ceasefire. Instead, per the Financial Times, Putin dismissed the proposal outright and demanded Ukrainian concessions before launching into a lengthy history monologue spanning medieval princes such as Rurik of Novgorod and Yaroslav the Wise, along with the 17th century Cossack chieftain Bohdan Khmelnytsky.

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The narrative is one Putin has frequently retold in making his case that Ukraine and Russia are one nation, the outlet reported. Putins version of history is disputed by Ukraine and other historians worldwide.

Visibly frustrated, Trump reportedly raised his voice several times and, at one point, threatened to walk out. He eventually cut the meeting short and the officials said he later scrapped a scheduled lunch between U.S. and Russian delegations.

By evening, he alarmed Kyiv and European allies by declaring a great and successful day in Alaska. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several Western leaders rushed to Washington worried Trump had been sold on concessions.

Instead, according to the Financial Times, the episode appeared to jolt Trump into a harder line on Russia. His administration has since allowed Europe to buy U.S. stockpiled weapons for Kyiv, supported strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, and threatened to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles capable of reaching Moscow.

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However, Washington has stopped short of sanctioning Russian energy exports.

After a call with Putin on Thursday Trump took to Truth Social to announce that he is planning to meet with the Russian president again in Budapest, Hungary, within two weeks or so.

The post Putins Off-the-Rails Medieval History Ramble Sent Trump Over the Edge in Alaska: Report first appeared on Mediaite.
By Gergely Szakacs and Lili Bayer

BUDAPEST/BRUSSELS (Reuters) -When Russia's Vladimir Putin steps off the plane in European Union and NATO member Hungary for a summit with Donald Trump, it will be uncomfortable viewing for allies of Ukraine that have sought to isolate a leader they say is a war criminal.

The U.S. President said on Thursday he may meet his Russian counterpart in Budapest within two weeks, adopting a more conciliatory tone towards Russia just as it had looked like Washington could send Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv.

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The choice of a country that is part of groupings that have spearheaded international efforts to help Ukraine and isolate Russia for the summit raised eyebrows among diplomats and analysts as much as the plan itself.

It was there that, in 1994, the United States, Britain and Russia signed the Budapest Memorandum, providing Ukraine with security assurances in exchange for Kyiv giving up its nuclear weapons. The signatories of that memorandum pledged to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity - a pledge blown apart by Russia's all-out invasion of its neighbour in 2022.

"It is awkward for both the EU and NATO," said a senior western European official. "Timing is everything: the Tomahawk threat is growing and all of a sudden Putin wants to meet. But if Trump can pull something off, he should do it."

ORBAN ON GOOD TERMS WITH RUSSIA

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has maintained warm relations with Moscow, adding to the bete noire status he had already gained in Brussels after years of conflict over what the EU says is democratic backsliding in Budapest.

Putin is wanted under an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court on charges of illegally deporting children from Ukraine, but few observers expect this to be a problem for him in Budapest.

Orban announced in April during a visit by Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who has an ICC warrant for his arrest on charges of war crimes in Gaza, that Hungary would withdraw from the court.

The process has not yet been completed, meaning that technically Putin should be arrested if he visits Budapest, although, as a senior diplomat from an EU country told Reuters, "nobody will be surprised if the Hungarians don't arrest Putin".

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Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Friday that Hungary will ensure Putin can enter the country for the summit and return home afterwards.

SYMBOLIC BLOW TO THE EU

Botond Feledy, a geopolitical analyst at Red Snow Consulting, said the choice of Budapest for the meeting meant Putin could "hit several birds with one stone".

"On the one hand, he will be holding talks on the Ukraine war in an EU country without EU leaders attending," he said.

"For Putin, this is a much stronger blow to the stomach for Europe symbolically on several levels compared with this meeting being held in Turkey or elsewhere."

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Feledy also noted that the meeting would exclude Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for a second time after the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska and potentially add to bad blood between Budapest and Kyiv.

Ukraine's relationship with Hungary has grown increasingly tense. Zelenskiy said Hungarian drones had crossed into Ukraine last month, prompting Orban to retort that Ukraine was not a sovereign state.

TOUGH ELECTIONS AHEAD

Orban is one of the most high-profile international backers of Trump's MAGA movement, lauded by MAGA devotees for his uncompromising approach to immigration and LGBTQ+ rights, and focus on conservative Christian values.

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Trump said on Tuesday that Orban was "fantastic" and "a great leader", despite his failure to heed U.S. calls to stop buying Russian oil.

European officials expect the Hungarian leader to play up his mediator role ahead of elections next year in which opinion polls show his Fidesz party trailing centre-right rivals Tisza.

"The Hungarian side will definitely try to present its role as an important one, bridging the gap between the two significantly different sides," said Marcin Przydacz, foreign policy adviser to the Polish president.

Analysts say that domestic issues will determine the outcome of the elections, but the summit could help Orban bolster his argument that his links with Russia are needed to end the war.

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"If there is an agreement, that will legitimise his narrative about peace retrospectively," said Zoltan Novak, an analyst at the Centre for Fair Political Analysis.

(Reporting Gergely Szakacs, Anita Komuves, Krisztina Than in Budapest, Lili Bayer and Andrew Gray in Brussels, Barbara Erling in Warsaw, writing by Alan Charlish, editing by Philippa Fletcher)
A planned visit by Russian ruler Vladimir Putin to Hungary, a member of both the European Union and NATO, will put Ukraine's allies in an awkward position.

Source: Reuters, citing European officials and diplomats, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The choice of a country which belongs to alliances that are leading international efforts to help Ukraine and isolate Russia to host the summit has surprised diplomats and analysts almost as much as the fact of the meeting itself.

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It was in Budapest in 1994 that the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia signed the Budapest Memorandum, which granted Ukraine security assurances in exchange for giving up its nuclear weapons. The signatories pledged to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity  a promise shattered by Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbour in 2022.

"It is awkward for both the EU and NATO. Timing is everything: the Tomahawk threat is growing and all of a sudden Putin wants to meet. But if [US President Donald] Trump can pull something off, he should do it," said a senior European official.

Putin is wanted under an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine, but few observers expect this to be an issue for him in Budapest.

Hungary has announced that it intends to withdraw from the ICC, but the process has not yet been completed, meaning that technically, Putin should be arrested if he visits Budapest. However, as one senior EU diplomat told Reuters, "nobody will be surprised if the Hungarians don't arrest Putin".

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Botond Feledy, a geopolitical analyst at Red Snow Consulting, said that choosing Budapest for the meeting means Putin could "hit several birds with one stone".

"On the one hand, he will be holding talks on the Ukraine war in an EU country without EU leaders attending," he said. "For Putin, this is a much stronger blow to the stomach for Europe symbolically on several levels compared with this meeting being held in Turkiye or elsewhere."

Feledy also noted that the meeting will exclude Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the second time, following the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, and could potentially worsen relations between Budapest and Kyiv.

European officials also believe Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will make use of his role as a mediator in the summit ahead of next year's elections. His Fidesz party is trailing behind the centre-right Tisza party in polls.

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"The Hungarian side will definitely try to present its role as an important one, bridging the gap between the two significantly different sides," said Marcin Przydacz, foreign policy adviser to the Polish president.

Analysts say domestic issues will determine the outcome of the election, but the summit could help Orban reinforce his argument that maintaining ties with Russia is necessary to end the war.

"If there is an agreement, that will legitimise his narrative about peace retrospectively," said Zoltan Novak, an analyst at the Centre for Fair Political Analysis.

Background:

Trump spoke with Putin on 16 October for the first time in nearly two months. Following the conversation, he announced plans for a meeting in Budapest, which would be Putin's first appearance in an EU capital since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The visit would require Russian aircraft to cross the airspace of other EU member states.

Trump said after the call that Putin did not like the idea of the US providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, adding that he believes that now "it may not be perfect timing" to impose secondary sanctions aimed at reducing Russia's energy revenues.

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During his meeting with Donald Trump in Alaska on 15 August, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin launched into a lengthy historical monologue that angered the US president, forcing him to raise his voice and even threaten to leave.

Source: Financial Times, citing Western and Russian officials and diplomats familiar with the matter

Details: The FT says Putin began recalling medieval rulers such as Rurik of Novgorod and Yaroslav the Wise, as well as the 17th-century Cossack chieftain Bohdan Khmelnytskyi  figures he frequently invokes to argue that Ukraine and Russia are supposedly "one nation".

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A visibly unsettled Trump raised his voice several times and at one point threatened to walk out. He eventually cut the meeting short and cancelled a planned working lunch, during which broader delegations were expected to discuss economic cooperation and trade ties.

The confrontation reportedly followed a proposal by Trump for a deal to end the war in Ukraine, suggesting the lifting of sanctions on Russia in exchange for a ceasefire. Putin rejected the idea, insisting that the war would only end if Ukraine capitulated and ceded more territory in Donbas.

Background: Recent reports indicate that Trump was infuriated by media portrayals of the Alaska summit as a "Putin triumph".

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The Puyallup School District stretches well beyond the city limits of Puyallup, serving more than 23,000 students in multiple cities and unincorporated areas. Similarly, the winner of an election this November for the districts school board position 4 will have a bigger impact than you might expect.

Like school districts throughout Washington, the Puyallup School District faces uncertain funding from the state. Thats made worse by the overcrowding and aging facilities that currently strain the district, and the failure of past efforts to raise money for school buildings.

These circumstances are going to require what one candidate called difficult choices, as well as the leadership necessary to be open and communicative about changes that will undoubtedly be hard on students and families. To take on this challenge, The News Tribune Editorial Board supports incumbent David Berg.

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Berg, 55, is finishing up his first term on the school board. He stresses the need to get the budget under control quickly, and acknowledges this will affect some popular services. He also stresses the need to get trust and buy-in from the community, who have twice come very close to passing bonds but ultimately didnt reach the high vote thresholds needed to approve them.

Thats not an easy task. We think Bergs experience on the board, as well as his decades of involvement as a parent and PTA member, will serve him well. In an endorsement interview, he showed both a detailed grasp of the issues and a willingness to take ownership of his choices.

On the issues, hes aware of how crowding has affected facilities on a granular level. That informs his belief that consolidating schools to deal with aging buildings will rely too heavily on portables, which many schools have already added to their campuses. He is also sympathetic to concerns from parents that they dont have adequate access to information about their children, while also pointing to the state health and privacy laws the district must follow.

Incumbent David Berg (right) is running against William Rowland for Puyallup School District Position 4 in the 2025 general election.

Berg also discussed the districts decision to submit a bond for school buildings during a special election earlier this year. State rules required the bond to get a very high threshold of yes-votes to pass, which was always going to be hard in an off-season election.

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Waiting until a later election would have meant missing the chance to receive matching funds from the state, Berg said, which were set to expire. It was a risk that ultimately didnt pan out, despite the bond receiving more than 60% of the vote. Berg showed a willingness to adjust his approach and make a stronger case for the financial necessity of future bond efforts.

The other candidate, Will Rowland, cites his experience as a business owner as testament to his leadership skills and focus on outcomes. Hes also a parent who is currently helping his daughter with learning disabilities navigate school in the district.

We like to see a newcomer candidate who has clearly engaged with the community and educators. Rowland, 62, spoke of conversations hes had with instructors who fear assault and other unsafe working conditions, as well as his familiarity with school district policies.

However, we also noticed a disconnect between some of Rowlands answers in our interview and some stances he takes in campaign materials.

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For example, he emphasizes his reservations about diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in school districts on his campaign website. But when asked directly if there are diversity policies in the Puyallup School District he dislikes, he said hes looked over them and thinks theyre generally well written.

Thats odd. No school board members should campaign on divisive issues that they dont actually believe are a problem in the districts where they serve. Nonetheless, Berg showed himself to be a prepared candidate whos taking the process seriously. We hope he continues to look for ways to productively engage with the school district.

The News Tribune Editorial Board is: Laura Hautala, opinion editor; Stephanie Pedersen, TNT president and editor; Jim Walton, community representative; Justin Evans, community representative; Bart Hayes, community representative.
CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN)  After a shocking discovery, a neighborhood in a rural part of Williamson County is battling with county leaders over rights to their roads.

This week on Inside the Investigation, Investigative Reporter Taylor Alanis explains why neighbors worry about the future of their community.

Related stories

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You can watch all new episodes of Inside the Investigation on the KXAN+ app every Friday starting at 1 p.m. Search for KXAN on your preferred streaming devices, such as Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. You can also listen to KXANs investigative podcast, where we feature audio versions of our weekly Inside the Investigation episodes. You can find new episodes every Saturday morning wherever you get podcasts  search for KXAN Investigates.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
If you know an adult with a disability, you understand that finding a job isnt easy.

But a new local initiative is changing that, and supporting this effort could give a significant boost to Quest employees after their first 90 days, exceeding 90 percent.

For Lisa Lofano, working at the Snack Shack is more than just a job. Its nice to work here because the cash register is a good place to learn, she said.

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Lofano is among many clients gaining practical skills at Quest, Inc. in Apopka.

We help individuals with disabilities experience a full life, and here at the training center, specifically, we focus on improving interpersonal and community skills, said Latanya Thompson, Director of Quests Training Center.

Thompson emphasized that these skills are crucial for enhancing employment prospects. According to federal data, in 2024, 75% of individuals with disabilities remained unemployed.

There are clients who have gone from coming to a training center like this to actually finding jobs in the community, Thompson said.

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Research from The Able Trust, a state nonprofit that promotes disability employment, shows that a 1% yearly increase in disabled workers could add $111 billion to Floridas economy over 10 years.

When we are able to tap into that special skill that they have, then its just about giving them that opportunity, Thompson said. An opportunity she wants to see increase, as only 20% of disabled adults in Florida are currently employed.

And while not everyone can work, parents say programs like this still make a difference. For people with severe disabilities, often theres not a lot for them to do, said Nathan Hinds, whose son Chris attends Quest.

Once you get out of school, you kind of fall into a black hole. I think its wonderful that there are facilities like thissomething where they can feel productive and just not sit at home and waste away.

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The retention rate for Quest employees after their first 90 days exceeds 90 percent. One Quest placement even recently retired after 25 years with SeaWorld.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
The field of comparatively low-cost standoff munitions offerings continues to expand, with Kratos throwing its hat into the ring in the form of the Ragnarok Low-Cost Cruise Missile (LCCM).

The slender munition, which is named after the cataclysmic end of the world in Norse mythology, is capable of fitting into the bays of the XQ-58 Valkyrie drone, another Kratos product. The missile has a 500 nautical mile range and can carry an 80-pound payload, according to a release from the company. Ragnarok can also cruise at up to 35,000 feet at Mach 0.7.

Ragnaroks mounted inside and on the wing of an XQ-58. (Kratos)

While these performance figures, as least as claimed, are quite impressive, the price is perhaps more so. Kratos says the missile will cost $150,000 per unit in quantities of 100. One would imagine that number would drop further, possibly substantially so, if purchase volumes were expanded.

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The performance and cost figures fit precisely with the USAFs previously stated goals for such a weapon, which you can read about here.

Other listed features of Ragnaroks design include a heavy use of carbon composites in its construction, an innovative wing-folding mechanism for compact storage and transport, and its ability to be deployed from weapons bays, wings, and from pallets. The fact that it is clearly built with the XQ-58 as a host in mind could prove to be a major advantage for Kratos, as the stealthy drone has extreme interest from various customers, and especially the USMC. Beyond fighters, advanced drones, bombers, and transports, its small size could see it migrate to non-traditional aircraft, including attack helicopters, if its weight allows it. U.S. Special Operations Command is also highly interested in a small cruise missile with this kind of performance, and is actively testing similar ones now.

XQ-58 heading out on a test mission from Eglin AFB. (USAF) Samuel King Jr.

No mention of a ground/surface launch variant is made in the release, nor are guidance packages and payload options, beyond a warhead, but we have reached out for more info on that and other aspects of the program.

Kratos has found a unique niche in the current defense acquisition environment, as its roots are primarily in target drones. The expertise built up by producing these often expendable uncrewed aircraft has ported over to the current rush toward lower-cost long-range munitions, as well as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and other affordable highly autonomous uncrewed systems.

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The push for low-cost cruise missiles has exploded with companies large and small coming to the table with various offerings. Few have the pedigree of reliably building relatively advanced, but low-cost airframes like Kratos. Competition is growing rapidly in this space to meet emerging U.S. and foreign demands, which are in some cases intertwined. Ukraine is now in line to receive thousands of low-cost cruise missile-like munitions developed through a USAF program called the Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM). However, other U.S. allies and partners, and the U.S. military itself, could be on track to benefit from the ERAM effort. Whether they come via ERAM or other programs, U.S. military purchases of weapons in this general vein are clearly on the horizon as advanced munitions stockpile concerns are now making headlines.

Kratos past experience in producing advanced target drones has ported directly over into the offensive marketplace. (Kratos)

Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems, is quoted as stating the following in the official release from Kratos:

The Ragnarok LCCM represents our commitment to developing high-performance strike systems, for Valkyrie, that meet the evolving needs of todays warfighter in conjunction with the budget realities that dictate what systems ultimately make it to the field Its modular design delivers maximum combat capability for carriage and launch options. With complementary capability to the Northrop Grummans Lumberjack thats recently been in the news, weapons in this new class which support unmanned and manned applications are coming to the forefront demonstrating their performance value per cost.

As noted earlier, we reached out to Kratos with a number of questions about Ragnarok and the vision for it as it evolves, as well as its exact developmental state, although the company does say in their release that it is ready for production.

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UPDATE:

Kratos has gotten back to us on some of our inquiries. As far as gross weight of the missile, they are saying it is in the 175lb weight class. We are checking to confirm this with them again as that would be very light for a missile capable of carrying 80lbs over hundreds of miles.

As to if the missile is designed to carry other payloads than warheads, Kratos says it can also carry sensor and electronic payloads.

When it comes to a surface-launched variant of the missile, Kratos states that it is possible: Potentially, and the system would be capable or surface launch, however, the strong focus today is air launch.

Contact the author: Tyler@twz.com.
Raila Amollo Odinga, who has died at the age of 80, was something of a paradox in post-independence Kenyan politics.

A leader who repeatedly ran for president, he never won  in part due to the 2007 election being manipulated in favour of Mwai Kibaki. Despite this, Odinga will be remembered as a figure who profoundly shaped the countrys politics as much as any president.

The son of a famous anti-colonial leader, he was born into influence. Yet he became bitterly critical of Kenyas enduring political and economic inequalities, speaking out on behalf of the countys have nots, which earned him a place in the hearts of millions.

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He was a fiercely nationalist politician who mobilised support across ethnic lines. But he was also the dominant leader of the Luo community - one of the countrys larger ethnic groups mainly based in Western Kenya - whose voters formed the core of his support.

Having self-identified as a revolutionary, Odinga later proved to be committed to institutional reform and democratisation. His greatest legacy is the 2010 constitution, which attempted to devolve power away from the imperial presidency, which he campaigned for over many years.

This was not the end of the contradictions. A leader who often spoke about economic development and deprivation, his agenda was typically more focused on political change. Odinga did so in part because he believed that rights and freedoms would anchor nation-building and development.

Perhaps most strikingly, although he scorned the elite power sharing deals that dominated Kenyan politics  he repeatedly made such agreements himself, often invoking the need for national stability.

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Odinga embodied Kenyas political contradictions, so the impact of his life and death will be debated. This article explores this contested legacy and what it means for Kenyas future.

Early years

Born in western Kenya on 7 January 1945, Odinga  popularly known as Baba (father)  was the son of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the redoubtable community mobiliser who was a thorn in the side of the colonial state. Oginga famously insisted that he and other nationalists would make no deals with the British until Jomo Kenyatta was released.

When Kenyatta became prime minister in 1963, and later president in 1964, Oginga became Kenyas first vice-president and minister of home affairs. However, he fell out with Kenyatta in 1966 over the governments failure to overturn colonial inequalities. This meant that the Oginga family was excluded from the countrys powerful political elite. Oginga spent the following decades in and out of detention.

Raila Odinga spent his early years in Kenya before leaving in 1962 to study in East Germany. Returning in 1970, he became a university lecturer. Later, he joined the government standards agency  a job he lost abruptly in 1982 when he was linked to a failed coup against Daniel arap Moi. Charged with treason, he was detained until 1988, when he became active in the growing opposition to Mois rule. He was detained twice more during the turbulent years of protest that followed and fled briefly to Sweden.

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Odinga returned before Kenyas 1992 elections, the first multi-party polls since the 1960s, siding with his father when the opposition split. Aided by that division and state manipulation, Moi won, but Odingas role confirmed his status as a major political figure.

Blazing his own trail

When Oginga died in 1994, Odinga sought to take over his fathers party but, defeated, left to form his own. He ran for president in 1997, which Moi again won against a divided opposition.

When Moi did not seek re-election in 2002, it seemed Odingas moment had come. However, after briefly supporting Odinga as his successor Moi ultimately decided to back Uhuru Kenyatta, son of Jomo. In response, Odinga threw his weight behind Mwai Kibaki, a move which was critical to Kibakis victory in 2002.

Odingas support for Kibaki was conditional on major constitutional and political reforms. Yet where Odinga had expected widespread constitutional reforms to devolve power away from the executive, Kibaki offered limited changes. Refusing to simply prop up the administration, Odinga successfully campaigned against the governments flawed draft constitution in the 2005 referendum.

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Once again, Odinga seemed on the brink of power: he led a broad coalition into the 2007 elections on a promise of fundamental change. Early results put him ahead of Kibaki in the elections  but then Kibaki was declared the winner in a hasty process that raised widespread suspicions of malpractice and triggered Kenyas greatest crisis, including ethnic clashes and state repression.

A power-sharing deal brought the violence to an end and made Odinga prime minister in a government of national unity. He focused his energy on political reform and constitutional changes, as well as other long standing concerns. In August 2010 a referendum approved a new constitution that devolved power to Kenyas 47 counties. The constitution also reformed key institutions including the judiciary and electoral commission and expanded citizens rights.

A contested final act

The 2010 constitution remains Odingas signal achievement. Certainly, it created the potential for the country to forge a new and more democratic future.

Yet in its aftermath he struggled to find an equally compelling narrative. Constitutional reform had been a long-standing demand that allowed him to mobilise opposition around the promise of a new Kenya. Without this single over-arching cause, Odingas ability to sustain mass mobilisation became more fragile.

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Furthermore, the progressive constitution did not prevent the continuation of older political logics. It proved no barrier against the rise to the presidency of Uhuru Kenyatta and his then deputy, William Ruto, who had faced charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court.

Odinga faced increasingly difficult choices, particularly after repeated presidential defeats in 2013, 2017 and 2022 amid allegations of electoral manipulation.

These losses convinced some that he would never win the presidency  and not only because of the use of state power to deny him. That recognition, coupled with advancing age and ill health, led Odinga to make compromises once unthinkable, revealing an increasingly pragmatic reasoning in his later years. This was starkly illustrated after the 2017 elections, when  having claimed he was rigged out and led mass protests  Odinga struck the handshake deal with Kenyatta in March 2018. This was framed as nation-building but viewed by some as a betrayal.

The handshake led Odinga to stand as Kenyattas preferred candidate in the 2022 elections. This backing proved doubly damaging, however. On the one hand, it undermined Odingas opposition credentials and lowered turnout in his Nyanza strongholds. On the other, it meant that his loss could not be blamed on a deep state conspiring against him.

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The difficulties that followed were magnified when, after suggesting the 2022 results had been manipulated by those around Ruto, Odinga agreed to prop up Rutos struggling government in March 2025. The formation of what was billed as a broad-based administration was presented as nation-building, but critics saw it differently. Coming after mass youth-led protests  first against tax increases and later against corruption, state repression, and Rutos leadership  Odinga appeared to some to side with power against the people he once represented.

Not flawless, but consequential

These turns complicate how history, and Kenyans, will remember him  not as a flawless icon, but as a deeply consequential and sometimes contradictory figure. Yet those with longer memories will also understand what led Odinga there.

Imprisoned and tortured under Moi, sold out by Kibaki, and denied victory in 2007, Odinga endured more than a lifetimes share of misfortune and betrayal. He made his own choices, but rarely under conditions of his own making, and arguably did more than any other Kenyan to make the countrys political system more responsive to its people.

His absence will generate a political vacuum that other leaders will struggle to fill. Ruto was banking on Odingas support to win the 2027 elections. He will now have to work harder to put together a winning coalition. Meanwhile those leaders who coalesced around Odinga  including those who depended on him for their positions  will need to decide how they can most effectively mobilise in his absence.

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As they do so, Kenyas leaders will all be operating in his shadow, and in a context in which the countrys marginalised people and communities will feel even less represented by those in power.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Justin Willis, Durham University; Gabrielle Lynch, University of Warwick; Karuti Kanyinga, University of Nairobi, and Nic Cheeseman, University of Birmingham

Read more:



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Justin Willis has previously received funding from the ESRC and the UK government for research on Kenyan politics

Gabrielle Lynch has previously received funding from the ESRC and the UK government for research on Kenyan politics.

Karuti Kanyinga has previously received funding from East Africa Research Fund on Kenyan politics and elections.

Nic Cheeseman has previously received funding from the ESRC and the UK government for research on Kenyan politics.
Becky Martinez grew up with her younger brother as her baby  carrying him on her hip, changing his diapers, watching him go through school and finally start a family.

But in 2019, at age 31, Calvin Martinez (Dine) just disappeared one day, his sister said.

When you actually are missing someone for so long, you dont feel supported. You dont feel like anybody hears you, she said during a rally Thursday for missing and murdered Indigenous people in front of the Roundhouse. Youre not complete anymore.

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Martinez gestured to the crowd of families holding posters with photos of loved ones and urged people to remember those who are missing because they are somebody.

101525_MS_Missing Indigenous People rally_002.JPG

Amanda Erickson, director of She Cried That Day, which is premiering at the Santa Fe International Film Festival, speaks to a group gathered to honor missing and murdered Indigenous people Thursday at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Seamans/The New Mexican

About 100 people gathered outside the Roundhouse to honor missing and murdered Indigenous women and relatives in New Mexico and urge legislative action, holding posters that read No more stolen relatives and What if this was your child?

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Martinez was among several speakers who shared their stories of searching for missing loved ones and fighting for justice; many said they felt abandoned by law enforcement.

The rally was timed to coincide with the New Mexico premiere Thursday of the documentary She Cried That Day at the Santa Fe International Film Festival. Directed by Albuquerque filmmaker Amanda Erickson (San Carlos Apache), the documentary features one familys search for justice after a woman named Dione Thomas was found unresponsive in a Gallup motel room with a fatal head injury. That case has languished for over a decade with charges never filed.

Erickson told the crowd the rally and film werent just to raise awareness but to serve as a call for action.

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Becky Martinez becomes emotional as she speaks about her missing brother, Calvin William Martinez, of Farmington, during a gathering to honor missing and murdered Indigenous people at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025.

Its up to us to continue to push and press and ask our elected officials, what are they willing to do? she said. How are they going to help? How are they going to make a difference in this issue?

We need more

Karen Watson, Thomas sister, said its been a lonely battle as the family has been searching for answers about her murder for years.

Were still fighting for justice for my sister. Its been over 10 years, but I know a lot of families, its been a lot longer than that, she said.

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She said in an interview she wants the Legislature to do more to focus on addressing the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people, including by addressing some of the jurisdictional issues that often arise with law enforcement between the state and reservations and getting families financial support as they search for loved ones.

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Kimberly Wahpepah talks on the phone before the Thursday gathering at the Roundhouse. Attendees honored missing and murdered Indigenous people and urged legislative action.

Erickson said elected officials need to be reminded of the promises that theyve made to us. We can no longer just get through this on thoughts and prayers. We need more. We need action. We need resources.

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According to the New Mexico Department of Justice, there are 189 missing Indigenous people in New Mexico, and they have been missing for an average of more than 3,400 days.

How much it hurts

Juan Escobars son Andrew was 11 when he went missing in 2023 in Rio Rancho, he told the crowd, holding up a poster with his sons face. He said hes felt law enforcement has dragged its feet.

You run into roadblock after roadblock trying to get just assistance, just trying to get questions answered, Escobar said, So Im hoping [through] this film, our talking together, well be able so we can help each other out. ... Tell our stories. Tell who youre missing. Talk about how much it hurts to not see your son after two years.

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Vangie Randall-Shorty (Dine) has been seeking leads on her sons murder for five years. Randall-Shortys son, Zachariah Juwaun Shorty, disappeared in 2020 and was found shot dead.

101525_MS_Missing Indigenous People rally_005.JPG

Kimberly Carlston of Albuquerque, captures speeches from people missing family members during a gathering to honor missing and murdered Indigenous people at the Roundhouse on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025.

Im sick and tired of this justice system failing us every single day, she said. Every day we see somebody posted who was missing or whose life has been taken.

The rally ended in a march down the street, and chants of no justice, no peace, as passing cars honked in support.

The documentary is being shown at the film festival at 6 p.m. Sunday and 3:30 p.m. Monday.
Editors note: This story has been corrected to indicate the suspect is a former graduate assistant at the university.

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  A case against a man accused of raping a woman at Wichita State University took a step forward on Friday.

At Mohamed Barkat Mias preliminary hearing, a Sedgwick County judge ruled that there was enough evidence to try him in the case.

Man charged, accused of rape is a WSU student, graduate assistant

Mohamed Barkat Mias first appearance on Nov. 14, 2024. (KSN Photo)

Mia is charged with rape and two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy.

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Court documents allege that he sexually assaulted a 43-year-old woman last November in a lab at WSU, where he was a student and graduate assistant at the time.

The judge set Mias arraignment for Nov. 14.

For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
Bronx rapper Suave Drilly was shot and killed in New York City on Wednesday evening (Oct. 15). The NYPD confirmed to Billboard that the 27-year-old, born John Martinez, was transported to a local hospital following the shooting, where he was pronounced dead.

According to ABC7, Drilly was shot multiple times in the torso after leaving a parole office in Mott Haven just shy of 6 p.m. ET. Witness Clarisa Alayeto saw the situation play out and called the police after seeing a group of men, fitted in ski masks, rush the parole office and open fire on Martinez.

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Weve been talking with the state about getting this parole office relocated, Alayeto told reporters. People retaliate; this is what it seems like. People know that a releasee is trying to see their PO, and thats the time they try to maximize and attack, and then the people around are the people who are caught, unfortunately, in the mix.

Three assailants were reportedly seen fleeing after the shooting. A crowd gathered at the scene, and emergency workers attempted to revive Martinez before transporting him to Lincoln Hospital. People were getting close, and they were like back up back up with their guns out, Alayeto added.

Per the New York Daily News, Martinez  who teamed up with Blizzy Drilly for Danger in June  was previously indicted in 2022, among a group of 20 individuals in the Bronx, for a series of alleged shootings in the NYC borough. He was convicted of a first-degree attempted gang assault charge in 2023, but received parole in January 2024.

Police say the investigation remains ongoing and no arrests have been made.

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Two weeks after posting a poll on Florida's property taxes, Palm Beach Post readers are evenly divided on the issue of doing away with the tax  650 readers said yes and 650 answered no.

The results show the measure is a complicated one with no easy answer for Floridians.

The issue started with Gov. Ron DeSantis' idea to eliminate or greatly reduce property taxes. To fund this, he is expected to call for a substantial increase in the sales tax. If the plan advances, voters will face the decision in 2026 when a constitutional referendum appears on the ballot.

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Property taxes throughout Florida currently bring in about $60 billion each year. According to the Florida Policy Institute, property taxes account for roughly 50-60% of public-school funding, 18% of county budgets, and 17% of city budgets statewide. At issue is how to replace that $60 billion.

The Florida League of Cities, however, argues that eliminating property taxes amounts to giving control to distant lawmakers and bureaucrats who are unfamiliar with community needs.

Critics claim the sales tax would need to be raised to 12% to compensate for the loss of property tax revenue, and they emphasize that lower-income residents would be affected much more than higher-income residents. They also point out that the sales tax is regressive, hitting low- and moderate-income residents much harder than high-income ones.

In Palm Beach County, commissioners recently voted 5-2 against a plan to reduce the county tax rate. Concerns were raised that essential services would be impacted. The rate remains at its current level, but with new construction, it will still generate additional revenue.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a luncheon hosted by the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches Oct. 15 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in downtown West Palm Beach.

Property taxes: The case for eliminating them

Homeowners whose primary residence is in Florida would save thousands of dollars.

The state would be the only one in the country without an income tax or property tax.

There would likely be a massive migration and investment flow into the state.

Tourists and non-residents would bear the brunt of funding government operations.

Property taxes: The case for keeping them

There might not be enough money to pay for the operations of schools, city and county governments or to maintain existing infrastructure. Existing services would have to be cut.

Owners of higher-value homes would benefit much more than would the owners of moderately priced homes.

Local governmental entities would be dependent on state funding and would lose control of their budgets, further eroding home rule.

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The property exemption website sums it up this way:

Supporters envision a tax-free haven that attracts unprecedented growth and prosperity. Critics worry about sacrificing the public investments that made Florida attractive in the first place  quality schools, safe communities, and well-maintained infrastructure.

Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Poll results are in: Should Florida's property taxes be eliminated?
If youve heard any Republicans talk about Saturdays No Kings marches across the country, you know what theyre calling them. House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday referred to the marches collectively as a hate America rally. He continued: Lets see who shows up for that. I bet you see pro-Hamas supporters. I bet you see antifa types. I bet you see the Marxists in full display. Many others on the right have echoed these sentiments over and over, and Fox News and the other state propaganda outlets have followed suit, thus washing the brains of their viewers into accepting, once again, the exact opposite of reality.

You will probably find the occasional Marxist or antifa type or even the odd Hamas enthusiast marching somewhere tomorrow, because this is still a free country, and people arent asked a series of litmus-test questions before theyre allowed to join the fray. But overwhelmingly, these are marches of mainstream Americans. These are marches of teachers, lawyers, laborers, service workers, accountants, nurses, Pilates instructors, bank tellerseveryone. These are marches of people who love their country and are horrified at what President Donald Trump and the Republicans are doing to it. These are marches of patriots. The real, actual, thoughtful, quiet, modest, non-flag-hugging patriots (because history teaches us over and over that the people who need to make a show of hugging the flag are often the people who hate a countrys true ideals but need to fool folks into thinking the opposite so they can trample on those ideals and have it called patriotism).

Have a gander at this map of march locations for tomorrow. There are 16 in Wyominga state notoriously pulsing with Hamasniks. There are 18 in Oklahoma, that veritable hornets nest of antifa hooliganism. There are another 18 in my home state of West Virginia (go, Morgantown contingent!), where Marxism has obviously taken deep root among an unsuspecting populace.

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Once again, these are not mere lies from Johnson et alia. I make this distinction from time to time, and its worth making again here. A lie is a mere denial of truthI never said that or No, Mom, that isnt my pot, I was just holding it for Mark. What Republicans are doing here, as they do with such regularity, is more than lie. They invert the truth. They say its exact opposite. They do so with two express intentions: to make people believe that their political foes are doing that which they themselves are trying to get away with, and to make it easier to get away with defiling the Constitution.

But dont ask me. Lets ask James Madison. Imagine that the chief author of the Constitution and Bill of Rights could watch tomorrows events and observe the post-event spin. What would he think? Whose side would he be on? Its obvious. Hed be with the marchers. And its not even close.

How do we know this? For a lot of reasons, but perhaps chief among them is Federalist 47, penned by Madison, which discussed the importance of separation of powers.

One of the hallmarks of Trump 2.0and indeed, from a constitutional point of view, perhaps the hallmarkis the way that, as Trump has made so many moves to concentrate power in his own hands, the other branches of government have supinely gone along with absolutely everything. Congress under Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune is a joke, and as for the Supreme Court, well, its too tragic to be a joke.

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Weve seen many examples of both branches bending over for Trump at every turn, but arguably, the most egregious one just happened: Trump diverting other monies to pay troops during the shutdown. As TNRs Matt Ford shows here, its blatantly illegal. The Constitution says clearly that Congress appropriates such funds. Trump claimed the power to do so as commander in chief, but he has no such power.

The Republican Congress has lain down and said fine. And the really pathetic thing here is that Congress could move a bill directing the payment of troops during the shutdown. It would pass easily. But that cant happen because Johnson wont call the House into session, because theres a new Democrat waiting to be sworn in whose seating has potential ramifications for Trump with respect to the Jeffrey Epstein affair. Again, it all revolves around the wishes and perceived needs of Dear Leader.

As for the Supreme Court, it has given Trump practically everything hes asked for. It has defied him on a couple of minor occasions, but even on the most notable of those, its holding was vague and pusillanimous: It ruled in early April that the administration must facilitate the return to the country of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, but it also held that a district court judge had gone too far in ruling that the administration had to effectuate his return (he was finally returned to the United States in June). But on almost all other matters, the court has given Trump exactly what hes wanted. And this week, during the Voting Rights Act hearings, we saw a court majority working nakedly to advance the partisan goals of one political party and its president.

Nowback to Madison.

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Federalist 47 was Madisons brief to the citizenry in favor of the concept of separation of powersand his argument to them that powers were sufficiently separated in this new Constitution so as to guard against tyranny. Because tyranny was his great concern. In fact, he wrote: The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective [emphasis mine], may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.

This accumulation has not, I admit, happened in a legal sense. But in practice, this is precisely where we are today. So had Madison been among us these last nine months to observe what Trump and the Republicans and the courts majority have done, there is no question that he would say: Yes. This is tyranny.

I asked Michael Klarman of Harvard Law School, author of the amazing book The Framers Coup about the Constitutional Convention, for his thoughts on the relevance of all this. He emailed back:

Madison and other Framers believed that ambition would counteract ambition, by which they meant largely that Congress would check an autocratically inclined executive. Madison and the other Framers were not anticipating the development of a party system, which actually happened quite soon after the founding. Today, all that matters to Republican members of Congress is that they support Trump, whether he is hiding something in the Epstein files, nominating incompetent people to run agencies, destroying congressionally created agencies, murdering people off the coast of Venezuela, or sending troops into American cities to oppress the people. Cowardly, toadying members of Congress are providing no check whatsoever on a tyrannical executive. It is an abandonment of their oaths, really no different from their predecessors who resigned their positions to join the Confederacy in 186061.

And the courts? Klarman wrote, Lower court judges are doing a great job in trying to check that executive. But the Supreme Courtout of some combination of fear, calculated effort not to be defied, and underlying agreement with much of Trumps agendahas mostly been complicit in Trumps authoritarian project.

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This is tyranny. Were not lurching toward tyranny. It doesnt loom on some hypothetical horizon. Its here. Right now.

Madison was right about tyranny. But obviously he was wrong that the Constitution was strong enough to guard against executive accumulation of power. He assumed, as Klarman put it, that the other branches would do their jobs. But Patrick Henry, the noted anti-federalist, turns out to have had the more sober view. In his speech against ratification, he anticipated people such as Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, and John Roberts:

Where are your checks in this government? Your strongholds will be in the hands of your enemies. It is on a supposition that your American governors shall be honest, that all the good qualities of this government are founded; but its defective and imperfect construction puts it in their power to perpetrate the worst of mischiefs, should they be bad men; and, sir, would not all the world, from the Eastern to the Western hemisphere, blame our distracted folly in resting our rights upon the contingency of our rulers being good or bad?

The Americans who are marching Saturday are the Americans who embrace Madisons principle but have sadly come to acknowledge Henrys insight. And theynot Trump, not Johnson, not Robertsare the people who truly love this country.

Johnson also said Wednesday that Saturdays marchers are the people who dont want to stand and defend the foundational truths of this republic, and thats what were here doing every single day. As ever with these frauds, he was talking about himself. He may be dense enough not even to know it. But Saturdays marchers know it all too well.

This article first appeared in Fighting Words, a weekly TNR newsletter authored by editor Michael Tomasky. Sign up here.
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Free Palestine, over 100 thousand people killed, two years of genocide, exclaimed a debate attendee. A fiery start to the Mayoral Race debate in Scranton when someone got up from their seat and started yelling.

It was tit for tat during the Scranton mayoral debate at the University of Scranton.

The four candidates debated for a little more than an hour, taking questions from the panel on many issues the city faces.

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28/22 News reporter Avery Nape was there as the personal attacks were unleashed.

Luzerne County tax increase may impact homeowners

That would take us right back to those days where people think that they could profit personally off of the public, voiced Mayor Cognetti (D).

I want evidence of me being sued by the Greenridge neighborhood association. Youd better be careful what youre saying here, Mayor, interrupted Eugene Barrett, Independent candidate.

A heated mayoral debate took place at the University of Scranton on Thursday evening. Democratic incumbent Paige Cognetti faced off against republican candidate Patricia Beynon, and two independents, Eugene Barrett and Rik Little, in the Scranton mayoral race.

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A number of issues were discussed, but Cognetti took aim at two of the other candidates, making things personal.

Mr. Barrett ran toxic landfill waste under Greenridge, skirting the approval process of a public board. The Greenridge Neighborhood Association sued him for that, stated Cognetti.

Barrett fired back, questioning the lawsuit.

The mayor is telling me that Im violating federal rules and regulations? Were operating under a consent decree. That consent decree comes from the Department of Justice to EPA, DEP, Scranton Sewer Authority, and so on, expressed Barrett.

Cognetti also took issue with Republican Patricia Beynon.

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In the case of Miss Beynon and the construction company for which she works, we did do many audits throughout these last few years, and unfortunately, in one of those audits, we discovered that there was $238,000 that had been given to said construction company in the prior administration, and the work was never performed, said Cognetti.

We met with Beynon following the debate, who says the city paid the company in advance, but couldnt complete the work until the city gave them the green light. She says the green light never came, resulting in a legal battle.

It was never an issue with what we did, although she made it sound like it was. She did the wrong thing; she shouldnt have said that. She misspoke, which was unfortunate and on her part. If youre gonna lie, you shouldnt be a mayor, stated Beynon.

We also caught up with Mayor Cognetti after the debate to ask about her plans to run for Congress, something she says is to help the city of Scranton from the federal level.

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I love being mayor, and I plan to continue being mayor next year. The reason Im running for Congress is because its going to be very hard for us to do our job here in the city if the federal government continues to cut out our legs underneath us, said Cognetti.

Cognetti says if she wins, there would be a special election to fill the remainder of her term. Beynon, however, says she finds Cognettis interest in helping Scranton hard to believe.

Do you think her priorities lie with Scranton? asked Nape.

No, they do not lie with Scranton. Were a stepping stone. Theyre for the next political position that she wants to obtain, said Beynon.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to 28/22 News.
Photographic artist and writer Liz Sales, with her work, Less Like a Window, will discuss varied photographic practices on Oct. 22 at SIU Carbondale. (Photo provided)

Artist to discuss nontraditional photo techniques at SIU

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Photographic artist and writer Liz Sales will discuss her work in nontraditional photography during a presentation at Southern Illinois University Carbondale on Wednesday, Oct. 22.

Sales will present The Camera Obscura and Expanded Photographic Practices during a free, public lecture from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the College of Arts and Medias New Media Center Room 9E in the Communications Building basement.

Dating back to the 18th century, camera obscura refers to a darkened room or box with a small hole or lens that projects an inverted image of the outside world onto a surface inside, said Heather M. O'Brien-Takahashi, an assistant professor of cinema and interdisciplinary media in the School of Media Arts.

This optical phenomenon was historically used by artists to create accurate drawings and paintings and is the fundamental principle behind modern photography, O'Brien-Takahashi said.

As part of Sales art practice, she lived and worked in a livestreamed functional camera obscura for one year in New York City. Sales will give a presentation about the camera obscura as well as her own work with writing and alternative photographic practices. She will also offer a short workshop on how to build a camera obscura.

Sales has been a faculty member at the International Center of Photography, the City University of New York and the University of Connecticut. She writes for publications including Conveyor, Mercuria, LensCulture and Foam, an international photography magazine. She is the author of This Folder May Contain Clippings and Other Ephemeral Material and I Write Artist Statements. Sales was an artist resident in The Walker Cultural Leader Series at Brock University in Canada, where she built and used a 10-by-10-foot freestanding camera obscura with a group of undergraduate students.

In an age of over-image digital saturation and stimulation, Im thrilled to host Liz Sales who will offer an artist talk and presentation on the camera obscura and experimental/analog photographic practices, O'Brien-Takahashi said.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Records newly uncovered by News 4 show the Oklahoma State Department of Education, under former State Superintendent Ryan Walters, gave federal COVID relief money to private schools that didnt qualifyprompting concern from President Trumps U.S. Department of Education.



The funding came from the federal Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) program, created to help private schools serving low-income students during the COVID-19 pandemic.



But according to a February letter the U.S. Department of Education sent directly to OSDE, Walters administration gave money to at least nine private religious schools that did not meet the programs requirement that 40% of a private schools enrolled students come from low-income families.

USDE Feb Email to OSDE_KFORDownload

Two Walters OSDE staffers leave with big payday

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News 4 obtained the letter and other internal records last week after current Superintendent Lindel Fields administration began releasing open records the previous administration had ignored for months.



Those records show Walters received the letter and forwarded it to top aides, but its unclear whether OSDE ever responded.



The nine schools that received funds despite falling below the 40% threshold include:



 Holy Trinity Catholic School (32.38%)

 St. John Catholic School (28.18%)

 Mount Saint Mary High School (25.96%)

 Holy Family Classical School (25.27%)

 Wright Christian Academy (21.24%)

 Family of Faith Christian School (20.24%)

 Altus Christian Academy (10.32%)

 School of St. Mary (9.09%)

 Bishop McGuinness High School (7.09%)



It bothers me to know that, possibly, were going to have to pay some money back if thats what they would ask us to do, Oklahoma House Education Chair Dick Lowe, R-Amber, said. The thing we look at legislatively is that if money is misspent, then weve got to figure out where that money is going to come from to pay it back. And then thats always a scary part.



Attorney and former State Board of Education member Tim Gilpin says the state could very well be on the hook for it.



Now it lets us all know that were open for a federal claw back of the money on down the road, Gilpin said. Or the federal government might decide that its not going to release appropriated money in the future as a result.



The federal letter gave OSDE a March 7 deadline to respond.



The records News 4 received do not indicate if anyone with OSDE ever responded.



News 4 reached out to the new State Superintendent, Lindel Fields office, on Thursday.



A spokesperson thanked News 4 for bringing the letter to their attention, saying is now another surprise among many others Walters administration left OSDEs new leadership to discover on their own.



Fields spokesperson said a team is now reviewing what, if anything, OSDE did in response to the February letter, and will share that information with News 4 as soon as they find it.



Unfortunately. I think theyre going to uncover several things, Lowe said. I know weve got the right crew going to figure it out.



As for OSDEs previous crew under Walters leadership, Lowe says they should have told legislators about everything when the U.S. Department of Education first sent the February letter.



You know, one thing weve always said, you know, just be transparent, Lowe said. And this right here probably tells me we werent too transparent.



News 4 left a voicemail for Walters a voicemail Thursday.



He has not responded.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
The Red Cross is traveling to a meeting point in southern Gaza, where they will receive a coffin carrying the body of a deceased hostage, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) said on Friday.

Hamas armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, has also confirmed that the transfer is scheduled to take place.

Prior to Friday, the militant group had released the remains of nine of the 28 deceased hostages held in Gaza.

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Frustration has intensified in Israel over the delay in returning the bodies of remaining hostages, a condition outlined in the ceasefire agreement that went into effect last week.

Hamas has said that it handed over all of the hostage bodies that it could access. Israeli intelligence has assessed that Hamas may not be able to find and return all the remaining dead hostages in Gaza.

Israel believes that Hamas knows the locations of some of the deceased hostages that it claims are missing, according to two Israeli sources familiar with the matter, as the dispute continues over the return of the bodies.

Al-Qassam Brigades said on Wednesday that significant efforts and special equipment are needed to recover the bodies of the remaining hostages in Gaza.

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In that statement, al-Qassam Brigades said the group has abided by what was agreed upon and has handed over all the living captives in its possession and the corpses it could access.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT)  The Red Cross in Evansville held a special ceremony for Serenity Gibson, a girl who saved the life of her friends great grandmother by performing CPR.

She was just laying on the couch, and she started to stiffen up and said she felt like she couldnt breathe, Gibson said. She felt like she couldnt breathe, and then we called 911, they said someone do CPR, I was like, I am trained in CPR, I can do this and I sat there and did it till EMS arrived.

And for her life saving efforts the Red Cross In Evansville presented her with a certificate of merit to recognize her courageous act. Gibson became certified in CPR training two years ago, during her time as a lifeguard at the YMCA.

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The incident has made Gibson and her friend even closer. Gibson says it is important to know CPR because it could save someones life.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A trained volunteer from the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada was sent to Anchorage, Alaska, to help more than 2,000 people displaced by severe flooding.

The flooding was caused by Typhoon Halong, which pummeled Alaskas western coast this week. Extreme winds toppled homes and storm surges inundated villages, according to a release from the Red Cross.

When disaster strikes, the American Red Cross answers the call, no matter where help is needed, Rachel Flanigan, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Southern Nevada Chapter, said. Our volunteers are dedicated to providing comfort, shelter, and hope to those impacted by the devastating flooding in Alaska, helping them take the first steps toward rebuilding their lives and communities.

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A Red Cross of Southern Nevada volunteer, Tammy Brandl, of Pahrump, flew to Anchorage on Thursday, Oct. 16, to assist with emergency sheltering efforts.

Brandl has been deployed nearly 30 times by the Red Cross to help support disaster relief and brings extensive experience and compassion to the role, the release said.

Two remote communities, Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, were some of the hardest hit and are currently only accessible by air or sea. Residents were rescued by helicopter and taken to a shelter where Red Cross disaster relief volunteers provided assistance.

Evacuees are now being airlifted 400 miles to Anchorage, with the Red Cross working closely with local, state, and tribal officials to help provide safe shelter, meals, emergency relief supplies, emotional support, and health services.

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As Red Cross volunteers, we are driven by a deep commitment to help people in their moments of greatest need, Flanigan said. Providing comfort, hope and support to those affected by disasters is not just what we doits who we are. Standing with communities during their toughest times is both an honor and a responsibility we take to heart.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
A remembrance event for four Pepperdine University seniors struck and killed by a speeding BMW on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu was held Friday on the second anniversary of the fatal collision.

The event at the PCH Ghost Tire Memorial at Pacific Coast Highway and Webb Way included the start of a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the installation of memorial benches at Point Dume in honor of the four students -- Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams.

This project began as Vinita Weir's wish, in memory of her daughter, then was expanded -- at the request of all family members -- to honor all four victims.

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The site was chosen because Point Dume was one of Asha Weir's favorite places, and the inspiration for a poem she wrote, "For a Moment of Peace."

This memorial will consist of two custom benches overlooking the bluffs, beaches, and Pacific Ocean that brought solace to Weir and her friends. The benches will include plaques with a QR code linking to a digital memorial honoring the four victims and Weir's poem, according to the fundraising page.

The fundraising effort is being conducted by Streets Are For Everyone, a nonprofit traffic safety advocacy group which seeks to end traffic-caused fatalities, Fix PCH and the Emily Shane Foundation.

Fix PCH describes itself as "a group of concerned community members in Malibu and the road safety advocacy organization, Streets Are For Everyone, working to get PCH fixed."

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The Emily Shane Foundation was founded following her death in 2010 and whose mother Ellen Shane, its executive director, said on its website, "was targeted by a driver, struck, and murdered at the age of 13."

The driver charged with murder in the deaths of four Pepperdine University students appeared in court Tuesday, and it was the first time news cameras were allowed.

The remembrance event was also set to include a moment of silence, the release of four white doves, a musical tribute to the victims and attendees sharing memories or reflections.

The four victims -- all members of the Alpha Phi sorority -- were all aged 20 or 21 when they were killed on Oct. 17, 2023.

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A driver allegedly speeding westbound on Pacific Coast Highway slammed into several parked cars on the north shoulder of the roadway.

According to sheriff's officials, the impact caused the parked vehicles to strike the women, killing them at the scene. A fifth student was injured but survived.

The driver, Fraser Michael Bohm, was charged with four counts of murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

The four students were set to graduate among Pepperdine's class of 2024 and received posthumous degrees, the university said.

We're hearing from the parents of some of the Pepperdine University students who were killed in a crash on PCH in Malibu last month. They're still struggling with the loss.

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Rolston was a business administration major who planned to pursue an MBA in business analytics. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she graduated from Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, where she was a varsity cheerleader and pole vaulter on the track and field team.

The university described her on its website as "a kind, helpful, and joyful person ... dedicated to serving others by infusing each situation with positivity."

Stewart was an international business major. Raised in New Jersey, she served as the vice president of finance for the Alpha Phi sorority while maintaining a part-time job in Seaver College's Career Center.

Following graduation, Stewart looked forward to beginning a career in the tech industry. She was remembered as "highly involved" in campus life, and described as "a selfless, thoughtful and positive person."

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Weir was an English writing and rhetoric major. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, she grew up in Pennsylvania. She was a Pepperdine orientation leader, a member of the Indian Student Association, and an active member of the sorority.

According to the university, she "selflessly served the Seaver College community with her emotional intelligence and positive spirit. Upon graduation, Weir planned to use her writing ability to make an encouraging and healing impact on others."

Williams was a pre-med biology major at Seaver College. As an undergraduate, she served as vice president of the pre-veterinary club, the recruitment chair for the sorority, and the recruitment counselor for the Panhellenic Club. "A confident, determined and energetic person, Williams possessed the ability to make others feel seen, heard and valued," the university said.

"These abilities allowed her to cultivate a community of belonging at Pepperdine."
Sculptor Benjamin Victor is working this week at Stuhr Museum in Grand Island to create a clay model for a planned bronze sculpture of a Pawnee woman and her child. On Saturday, there will be a "live" sculpting event from 1-5 p.m. (Courtesy of Stuhr Museum)

LINCOLN  Jack and Marilyn Wilson volunteered for 40 years in the back offices of the Stuhr Museum, helping organize records of the museums foundation and aiding the museums research team.

Soon, their hard work will be memorialized at the Grand Island attraction in a bronze sculpture crafted by an renowned artist.

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This week, sculptor Benjamin Victor will be working at the Stuhr Museum to craft a clay model of a Pawnee woman and her infant child. It is an initial step toward placing a bronze sculpture along a pathway to the museums popular Pawnee Earth Lodge.

The Earth Lodge, where schoolchildren are given living history demonstrations about how the Pawnee lived on the plains of Nebraska, was recently renovated and rebuilt due to a donation by the Wilsons two sons, Jim and John, as a memorial to their parents.

That led to discussion of a more permanent memorial that culminated in engaging Victor, an Idaho-based sculptor who has done four works for National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol, including the bronze of Ponca Chief Standing Bear. The idea was to honor Pawnee history and culture.

The culmination of Victors visit with be on Saturday, when he live sculpts from 1-5 p.m., using a Pawnee/Lakota/Santa Ana Pueblo model, Ana Eva Warne, who will be accompanied by her mother, Maylynn Riding.

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Bonnie Smith, executive director of the Stuhr Museum Foundation, said Saturdays event will let visitors see history in the making and help them learn more about two instrumental and dogged museum volunteers.

Jim and John Wilson wanted to provide a significant acknowledgment of their parents, Smith said. They wanted to make sure that people knew that by volunteering you can make a difference.

She added, Its not always your money, she added. It can be your time.

Exactly when the Pawnee sculpture will be installed has not yet been determined.

Several other events are scheduled for Saturday, including three showings of a Ken Burns film, The American Revolution. Admission Saturday is free. For more information, refer to the websites: www.stuhrmuseum.org and www.benjaminvictor.com.

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Rep. Dave Taylor, a Greater Cincinnati Republican, says his office was targeted in a "ruse" after a photo of an American flag with a swastika seen in his office circulated on social media.

In an emailed statement Oct. 16, Taylor, whose district includes Clermont and other southern Ohio counties, said multiple Republican lawmakers were "targeted" with the flags, altered to include the Nazi symbol.

"New details have emerged from a coordinated investigation into the vile symbol that appeared in my office," Taylor's statement read. "Numerous Republican offices have confirmed that they were targeted by an unidentified group or individual who distributed American flags bearing a similar symbol, which were initially indistinguishable from an ordinary American flag to the naked eye. My office was among those that were subjected to this ruse."

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In photos shared on social media by left-leaning Ohio politics blogger D.J. Byrnes and with Politico, the flag was displayed behind the desk of Taylor's legislative correspondent Angelo Elia. The photo was a screengrab captured during a video call with Elia, according to Byrnes' social media post.

A friend in DC had a Zoom call with Congressman Dave Taylors office today



Taylors legislative correspondent, Angelo Elia, had what can only be described as an American swastika flag prominently displayed in his background. pic.twitter.com/zFn3QowS0c  The Rooster (@rooster_ohio) October 15, 2025

In his statement, Taylor did not say Elia was still employed in his office.

"After a full-scale internal investigation, I am confident that no employee of this office would knowingly display such a despicable image, and the flag in question was taken down immediately upon the discovery of the obscured symbol it bore," the statement read. "As Ive said previously, I unequivocally condemn hate in any form and continue to collaborate with Capitol Police and the Committee on House Administration to uncover additional details in this investigation."

Taylor's office initially called the flag 'vandalism'

Taylor's office sent an email press statement on Wednesday, Oct. 15, responding to "vandalism" and a "vile and deeply inappropriate symbol" at his office. Around 10 minutes later, the photo of the altered American flag appeared online.

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In his Thursday statement, Taylor said the flag was at first "indistinguishable" from any ordinary American flag. The Enquirer asked Taylor's spokesperson to send a photo or video of the flag that shows how it appeared differently than what was seen in the social media post. The Enquirer also asked what other lawmakers found the flag in their office. Taylor's spokesperson did not immediately respond to those emails.

Who is Rep. Dave Taylor?

Taylor won a crowded Republican primary last year and went on to succeed former Rep. Brad Wenstrup to represent Ohio's 2nd Congressional District. He began his first term in January.

Raised in Amelia, Ohio, Taylor also runs his family's concrete company, Sardinia Ready Mix.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio congressman says Republicans were 'targeted' with swastika flags
FILE  Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., testifies during a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing on her pending confirmation to be the United Nations Ambassador, on Capitol Hill, Jan. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr., File)

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) branded New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani a jihadist and raging antisemite in a statement she addressed to a New York Times hack.

Stefanik released her statement on Mamdani following Thursdays New York City mayoral debate between Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. She addressed it to Emma G. Fitzsimmons from The Times after she said she was contacted for comment on a story.

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Stefanik wrote:

I call Zohran Mamdani a jihadist because he is. Zohran Mamdani is a raging antisemite. Mamdani is the definition of a jihadist as he supports Hamas terrorists which he did as recently as yesterday when he refused to call for Hamas terrorists to put down their arms  the same Hamas terrorist group that slaughtered civilians including New Yorkers on October 7, 2023.

The congresswoman is referring to Mamdani failing to directly say that Hamas should disarm in a Fox News interview earlier this week amid a ceasefire agreement with Israel.

I believe that any future here in New York City is one that we have to make sure thats affordable for all. And as it pertains to Israel and Palestine, that we need to ensure that there is peace, and that is the future that we fight for, Mamdani told Foxs Martha MacCallum.

But you wont say that Hamas should lay down their arms and give up leadership in Gaza? she pushed.

I dont really have opinions about the future of Hamas and Israel beyond the question of justice and safety, and the fact that anything has to abide by international law. And that applies to Hamas, that applies to the Israeli military, applies to anyone you could ask me about, Mamdani said.

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Stefanik claimed Mamdani, a self-described Democratic socialist, is a communist sent to destroy New York City.

Hi @nytimes hack @emmagf ! You asked us for a comment at 5:28 pm for a lengthy story you published at 5:43 pm. Epitome of @nytimes hackdom. Here is my statement in full  I call Zohran Mamdani a jihadist because he is. Zohran Mamdani is a raging antisemite. Mamdani is the https://t.co/bFWORDsMeF  Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) October 16, 2025

Its why the New York State Democrat Party Chair refuses to support him, she wrote. Its why multiple Democrat Members of Congress refuse to support him. Its why Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries have still not endorsed him. Because Zohran is a jihadist who will destroy New York.

The post Rep. Elise Stefanik Brands Zohran Mamdani a Jihadist in Statement to New York Times Hack first appeared on Mediaite.




Last week, SFGATE published a story about illegal and dangerous behavior taking place in Yosemite National Park during the federal government shutdown, including BASE jumpers launching from El Capitan and unpermitted climbers summiting Half Dome's cables.

The illegal acts have been documented on social media, and a source who works in Yosemite told SFGATE that, "There are lots of squatters in the campgrounds," and "lots of people that truly believe they can do whatever they want because of the lack of rangers." The employee added that they only know of one wilderness ranger working the entire park, and that the person is not technically a ranger, but a volunteer.

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Officials at the U.S. Department of the Interior are now challenging the idea that the park has been left vulnerable during the federal shutdown. And while the National Parks Conservation Association told SFGATE that 50% of Yosemite's employees are currently furloughed, officials with the Interior Department are saying that staffing levels are adequate to handle unlawful incidents taking place during the shutdown.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum posted on X on Tuesday that "[Yosemite] remains fully staffed to ensure visitor safety and protect natural resources," but also that, "Unauthorized camping, squatting, and illegal activities like BASE jumping are being addressed with firm, appropriate law enforcement action."

A motorist passes through a vacant Tioga Pass fee station at the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park in California on the first day of the government shutdown, Oct. 1, 2025. (David McNew/Getty Images)





Also on Tuesday, Interior Department public affairs specialist Elizabeth Peace contacted SFGATE by email that day and asked that we "correct any articles suggesting we are allowing widespread chaos or only staffing the Park with one ranger."

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Peace's email referred to rangers generally, whose duties run the gamut including law enforcement, search and rescue, firefighting and protecting federal property. As mentioned in SFGATE's original story, the Interior Department has stated that those activities have continued during the shutdown. SFGATE's source referred only to wilderness rangers, a subset of park employees who specialize in patrolling trails and checking permits.

To learn more about the situation on the ground at Yosemite from the Interior Department's perspective, though, SFGATE sent Peace a list of questions about how the agency is protecting park resources and visitors during the shutdown. We also interviewed more people who work in and around the park and connected with several recent parkgoers about their experiences.

How the National Park Service is protecting Yosemite

The first thing we wanted to know from Peace was how many people are currently doing the job of a wilderness ranger in Yosemite. She didn't answer that, but did explain that wilderness rangers are currently less necessary and provided information about visitation levels and other park employees who remain on the job, albeit without pay.

"Wilderness rangers patrol Yosemite's backcountry, which recently saw snowfall and very few visitors this time of year," Peace wrote. "During the fall and early winter, it's typical to have little to no backcountry traffic."

FILE: Hikers make their way up the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall in Yosemite National Park in California. (Carolyn Cole / LA Times via Getty)





Peace went on to say that all the park's law enforcement rangers are on duty, highly trained and handling both front-country and backcountry patrols as needed. She said there are climbing rangers and wilderness rangers "on staff, as well as other staff in the park," and that "all of those positions are checking permits and talking to visitors."

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So while there's been an increase in overall visitation during the shutdown, "similar to what we typically experience in summer," Peace wrote, Yosemite teams are "well-equipped to manage these levels safely and effectively."

Yosemite's superintendent described visitation as "perfectly manageable," Peace added, and "cautions against journalism by social media."

She's likely referring to the flurry of social media posts that have shown visitors BASE jumping off El Capitan and Glacier Point and hiking up Half Dome without permits. (BASE jumping is done from heights such as buildings, antennas, bridges and cliffs). As mentioned in our previous story, unlawful activities aren't unique to the shutdown, but there are some notable differences.

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Is there more BASE jumping during the shutdown?

What's changed, according to sources who have lived and worked around the park for decades, is that visitors are taking advantage of the shutdown and becoming more brazen in their pursuit of illegal activities.

Climbers have been dealing with BASE jumpers launching off El Capitan for decades, Ken Yager, president and founder of the Yosemite Climbing Association, said in a phone call. In some cases they come very close to the climbers, and, "It's terrifying," he said. Normally they do this in the early morning or right at dusk, when darker skies make them less likely to get caught, Yager continued, and some even time their jumps to coincide with ranger shift changes.

What's different now, he said, is that people are BASE jumping in broad daylight, which is probably safer and certainly more scenic. "Maybe they're getting a little bolder now, because of what they've been hearing about the park," he said. "But you know, those guys better be careful, because it's still illegal and there's still law enforcement."

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Peace made the same points in her email, explaining that the park sees BASE jumping activity every year. "Law enforcement rangers are responding to incidents as they normally would," she wrote. "Since the start of the shutdown, there have been three reported and documented BASE jumping complaints. These cases are under active investigation, and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."

Those who BASE jump in national parks face penalties of up to $5,000 in fines and six months in jail.

What's happening with Half Dome's cables?

For years, hikers without permits have made the long trek to Half Dome's cables in hopes of meeting someone along the way with extra space on their permit (which can include up to six people). Substitutions are not technically allowed, but they are impossible for the rangers to detect because only the permit holder's name (and possibly an alternate's) goes on the permit. Hikers have continued taking advantage of this loophole through the shutdown, as social media posts and videos have demonstrated.

FILE: A hiker nearing the peak of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park in California. Cables are visible against the sheer cliff. (Krilt/Getty Images/iStockphoto)





What's different now, as seen across multiple social media platforms, is that people are wondering if a government shutdown means Half Dome cables may be unsupervised. For at least one hiker, that turned out to be the case. The woman posted in a private Facebook group last week about having ascended the cables with no permit - and there being no ranger stationed before the cables section at what's referred to as "Sub Dome" to check permits. Other hikers, however, have posted to say they did encounter a ranger checking permits at Sub Dome.

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"The park's Half Dome permit enforcement team has continued operating during the shutdown," Peace wrote. "Rangers are checking permits daily at the base of the cables, where the ascent begins, and are turning away visitors without permits as normal."

Peace also explained that Half Dome's cables are usually taken down by mid-October, at which point ascents - while no longer requiring a permit - become much more "technical, dangerous and physically demanding." Although the cables currently remain up, according to the park's website, they're likely to come down soon. At that point, "visitation naturally decreases and intensive management is no longer needed," Peace wrote.

How bad are the squatters at the campgrounds?

In response to the employee who told SFGATE that squatters had become an issue in the campgrounds, the Interior Department had this to say: "Reports of widespread squatting or unmonitored campgrounds are inaccurate," Peace wrote. "With 1,545 campsites in the park, occasional visitor disputes or etiquette issues are not unusual, and staff continue to handle them as they would under normal operations."

During the shutdown, she said, "All 13 of Yosemite's major campgrounds remain staffed, and personnel are actively monitoring sites and ensuring compliance."

FILE: The Yosemite Valley Welcome Center at Yosemite National Park in California on June 20, 2025. (Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE)





In social media groups about camping in Yosemite, many people are reporting that they've had uneventful camping experiences and didn't experience any problems. But there are also visitors who say they have shown up to their reserved campsites and found them occupied.

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When Sean Jennings, a 58-year-old former helicopter pilot from Northern California, arrived with his daughter at their designated campsite in Porcupine Flat on the evening of Oct. 6, he said, they found a man there in a pop-up camper. Jennings pulled out his phone to show the man his reservation, but the man didn't even look at it.

"He said, Oh dude, sorry about that,' and started packing up," Jennings said. The campground was about 80% full, but Jennings didn't notice whether the man moved spots or drove away. During his one-night stay, though, Jennings didn't encounter a park employee at any point, he added.

To get a clearer picture of what campground workers are experiencing, SFGATE spoke again with the park employee who has knowledge of not just one campground, but all of them. "Almost every day, we are moving someone into an emergency site because there is someone else parked in their site," the employee said. "This is way more than usual."

Fake news?

In a second email to SFGATE, Peace requested that we retract our original story. We stood behind the story's accuracy, but said we would write a follow-up story including additional context that the Department of the Interior provided.

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Thirty minutes later, a post appeared on the X account U.S. Interior Press, the department's press office.

FAKE NEWS like this is exactly why Americans don't trust "mainstream" journalists like @AshleyHarrell3 who would rather LIE than admit that parks are thriving under @POTUS!



If this is considered news, clearly @SFGate is the one with staffing issues! https://t.co/Ly0VdBSptW pic.twitter.com/5vRSKbRd79 - U.S. Interior Press (@interiorpress47) October 15, 2025

"FAKE NEWS like this is exactly why Americans don't trust mainstream' journalists like [Ashley Harrell] who would rather LIE than admit that parks are thriving under @POTUS!" the post reads. There is a screenshot of our story's webpage with a red "FALSE" stamped over it.

Burgum reposted the message, right on top of another post blaming "Congressional Democrats" for the shutdown, but also expressing a sentiment that perhaps everyone can agree on.

"This shutdown is doing unnecessary damage to our federal lands and our gateway communities," he wrote.

More National Parks

- Squatters, illegal BASE jumpers invade Yosemite amid federal shutdown

- Joshua Tree National Park now an epicenter of concern, confusion

- Government shutdown threatens survival of one of America's rarest animals

- California's redwoods hid a secret war machine

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We love national parks just as much as you do, so we have a newsletter that covers them from top to bottom. Sign up here.

This article originally published at Reports of Yosemite misbehavior are 'FAKE NEWS,' says Interior Department.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republican lawmakers on Friday asked the Justice Department to look at whether Jack Smith, the federal prosecutor who led criminal probes into Donald Trump after his first White House term, improperly obtained congressional Republicans' call logs, the New York Post reported.

Trump has long complained about Smith and accused his investigations of being politically motivated, without providing evidence. The move by Trump's fellow Republicans came as another critic, former national security adviser John Bolton, pleaded not guilty to mishandling classified documents.

The Post said that in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn asked that Smith be investigated by the department's Office of Professional Responsibility.

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The letter said that during Smith's investigation, the Justice Department "issued subpoenas to several telecommunications companies in 2023 regarding our cell phone records, gaining access to the time, recipient, duration, and location of calls placed on our devices from January 4, 2021, to January 7, 2021".

The Office of Professional Responsibility does not make disciplinary decisions, but can refer any findings of professional misconduct to relevant bar associations.

(Reporting by Kat Jackson and Doina Chiacu;Editing by David Ljunggren)
The ongoing debate over soon-to-expire Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies has reopened an old wound for Republicans: What should they do about the health care law they have railed against for more than a decade but has now taken root with their own constituents?

While some GOP hard-liners are again embracing repeal-and-replace rhetoric, the scars from the party's failed attempt to undo the ACA in 2017 have left a broader swath of Republicans extremely wary of trying to rip out the law  even as they continue to criticize it.

Instead, as Democrats put the ACA at the center of the ongoing government shutdown fight, Republican leaders and key senators are acknowledging the political reality that Obamacare, at least for the immediate future, is here to stay. Republicans are, instead, eyeing a bipartisan end-of-year health care push that could pair a conservative overhaul of the expiring subsidies with modest proposals that would tweak  but not fully uproot  the 2010 law.

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Speaker Mike Johnson is downplaying prospects for nixing the ACA ahead of the midterms, saying this week he still has PTSD from the GOPs 2017 repeal-and-replace debacle.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune made clear in an interview his members are making plans for a bigger health policy push, including reforms to the subsidies, in the next government funding package and potentially elsewhere before the end of the year.

Theres some very interesting potential health care discussions and even solutions out there, and obviously reforms that need to be made to the Obamacare enhanced subsidies, Thune said, adding that a bipartisan agreement could move as part of a broader package or "independently after the shutdown ends.

The expiring tax credits, expanded by Democrats in 2021, are driving the desire to act on health care this year  millions could go uninsured come the new year without legislative action, according to the Congressional Budget Office. At the same time, Republicans have been discussing a menu of other options in the health care policy arena, both among themselves and with White House officials.

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Ideas include overhauling the operation of drug intermediaries, known as pharmacy benefit managers; granting Americans additional options around Health Savings Accounts; and allowing more flexible employer-provided health insurance plans.

Our members have been working on plans to reduce premiums for families for months now, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said in an interview, mentioning HSAs and things that are focused on reducing premiums. But, he added, Republicans havent yet worked out how to bring those proposals to the floor.

Another big question is how much buy-in from Democrats those proposals might have. Republicans appear unlikely at this point to pursue a party-line reconciliation bill that would include health care policies  at one point a possibility following the success of the tax and spending megabill passed over the summer  which means some bipartisan support will be necessary to get any legislation passed in the Senate.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo said in a brief interview that Senate Republicans have been discussing a year-end health care package, including on HSA flexibility, and my hope is to have it be bipartisan.

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Asked about the possibility of linking that to a potential extension of the ACA tax credits, he said, If we have a vehicle that's moving, I see no reason not to add it.

But Democrats are already seizing on the repeal talk in some corners of the GOP, with Sen. Patty Murray of Washington comparing it to the cataclysmic sinking of the Titanic.

It is bad enough so many of them can see the iceberg coming and are saying, Ah, we'll worry about that after the ship goes down. But we've also got Republicans saying that you wish this ship had sunk earlier, Murray, the Senates top Democratic appropriator, told reporters. She was referring to the GOPs refusal to extend the Obamacare subsidies before Nov. 1, at which point notices will go out alerting enrollees to massive premium hikes.

One favorite GOP proposal, known as a CHOICE arrangement, would allow employers to reimburse employees on a tax-free basis for health insurance premiums or medical expenses. It was one of several health policies that passed the House as part of the GOP megabill but didnt get enacted in the final product.

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House Republicans have indicated that there is appetite to revisit dropped policies such as this one, but a senior House Republican aide who works in health policy, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said it wouldnt be enough to satisfy hard-liners.

I dont see an extension of the Obamacare subsidies happening without a bunch of reforms alongside conservative health care policy wins, and CHOICE arrangements alone is not enough, the aide said. Thats not getting members to vote for Obamacare.

Nothing under serious discussion has so far come close to what some GOP lawmakers are most eager to discuss as the year-end deadline for the tax credits barrels closer: a complete reversal of the ACA. And while appetite within the GOP leadership for gutting the ACA is minimal at this point, vocal opponents of the law could have an influence in a narrowly-divided House Republican majority.

Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.) spoke up on a private House Republican call earlier this month in support of redoubling efforts to repeal Obamacare. And Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, said during a teletown hall this week that Democrats calls for bipartisan negotiations around the fate of the subsidies are falling flat.

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Well, I've got a compromise for them: How about we repeal all of Obamacare? he said, floating the prospect of a second reconciliation bill.

Conservative opponents of the tax credits say they are too costly and rife with waste, fraud and abuse.

Other Republicans are trying to urge their colleagues away from igniting a politically explosive debate just over a year out from the midterms, recalling the 2018 Democratic wave election that was attributable to backlash from the GOP repeal-and-replace efforts.

Even Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), a longtime critic of the Democratic health law, stopped short when asked if he backed the call from some of his colleagues to nix Obamacare entirely.

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"I just think we ought to focus on fixing it, he said in a brief interview.

Johnson also warned this week that the ACAs roots are so deep that many Republicans are wary of trying to completely repeal and replace it. The law now provides coverage for more than 20 million Americans and touches a significant segment of the economy.

"It was really sinister the way, in my view, the way it was created, he said of the 2010 law. I believe Obamacare was created to implode upon itself, to collapse upon itself."

Republicans are now also mired in internal discussions about whether to extend the ACA credits, and what changes they could make to the subsidies to appeal to a broader set of conservatives. They have floated ideas such as instituting new income caps, minimum co-pays, a cutoff for new enrollees and abortion restrictions.

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Republicans insist those talks wont get underway until after the shutdown ends, though some of them also warn negotiations will totally unravel if too many ambitious GOP policy proposals get added to the mix.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican whos been tapped by the White House to work with Democrats on a shutdown offramp, said in an interview this week said the current imperative for government funding negotiations is to keep it simple with some just very easy changes that both sides can agree to and then get in the weeds at a later date.

Im afraid once we dive into health care, Mullin added. It's going to take a while to unpack that.
Weeks after President Donald Trump posted a series of vulgar deepfake videos of Chuck Schumer, in the run-up to the ongoing government shutdown, Senate Republicans have released their own AI-generated ad featuring the top Democrat.

While the social media clip has sparked backlash from journalists and political observers, a spokesperson for the National Republican Senate Committee came out in defense of the ad, insisting that AI is here and not going anywhere - and critics should cease their pearl-clutching.

With the federal shutdown now deep inside its third week with no end in sight, the Republican committee released the political ad Friday that took aim at Schumer for boasting about Democrats refusal to budge.

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During a conversation with Punchbowl News last week, the New York lawmaker suggested that his party was gaining political momentum amid the standoff, which centers on Senate Democrats rejecting a clean short-term spending resolution, unless Affordable Care Act tax credits are extended.

Every day gets better for us, Schumer told the outlet. Its because weve thought about this long in advance and we knew that health care would be the focal point on Sept. 30 and we prepared for it  Their whole theory was  threaten us, bamboozle us, and we would submit in a day or two.

In a Senate Republican political ad, an AI-generated deepfake of top Democrat Chuck Schumer delivers a quote that he only said in print. (YouTube)

That quote was immediately seized upon by Republicans, who called it disgusting and revealing and a vile sentiment from the Senate minority leader.

This isnt a political game. Democrats might feel that way, but I dont know of anybody else that does, Senate majority Leader John Thune fumed last week. The longer this goes on, the more the American people realize that Democrats own this shutdown.

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The Senate Republicans latest ad revolves around Schumers quote. However, since his comments were given to a print outlet, the committee had to create an AI-version of Schumer saying those words. While the clip shows an artificially animated Schumer speaking and smiling, a small disclaimer in the bottom corner notes that the video was AI-generated.

The rest of the ad features conservative journalists and Republicans blasting the Schumer Shutdown, claiming the pain is going to increase on the American people because they want free government-provided healthcare for illegal aliens.

PolitiFact, however, has deemed that claim as false, noting that the Democrats proposal would not grant federally supported health care benefits to people in the U.S. illegally because they dont have that access in the first place.

The AI-generated ad immediately prompted outcry from political reporters, who called it an eyebrow-raising move by the Senate GOP that is likely to deceive people and represented a slippery slope ahead of next years midterm elections.

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This is not a real video. There is instead a small AI Generated disclaimer in the corner, New York Times reporter Shane Goldmacher remarked. It is a real quote to @PunchbowlNews. But it wasn't said on camera like this. New boundaries being pushed here.

In the wake of criticism over the ad, the Republican committees communications director, Joanna Rodriguez, doubled down Friday afternoon and suggested that the GOP would be utilizing more AI-animated content down the road.

A previous fake AI video, mocking Democratic congressional leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, was posted on social media by President Donald Trump on September 29 (Donald Trump/Truth Social)

AI is here and not going anywhere. Adapt & win or pearl clutch & lose, she posted on X.

Senate Democrats voted 10 times to keep the government closed. The impacts are as real as Schumer's quote to Punchbowl News, Rodriguez added. Missed pay. Staff shortages. Benefits at risk. It's all better for Chuck.

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In a series of AI-generated videos shared by Trump at the beginning of the shutdown, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was depicted in a sombrero and sporting a handlebar mustache while mariachi music played in the background.

On top of that, Schumer delivered a fabricated rant where he said have no voters anymore, because of our woke, trans bulls**t and that if we give all these illegal aliens health care, we might be able to get them on our side so they can vote for us.

When confronted over the offensive videos, which Jeffries and other Democrats described as vulgar and racist, Vice President JD Vance insisted there was nothing bigoted about the posts and that it was all in good fun.

Oh, I think its funny, the president is joking and were having a good time, Vance said at the time.
(The Center Square)  Republicans view President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency more favorably than Democrats and independents as the president's cost-cutting bureau enters a new era after the departure of Tesla boss Elon Musk.

The Center Square Voters' Voice Poll, conducted by Noble Predictive Insights, surveyed 2,565 registered voters from Oct. 2-6, 2025, via opt-in online panel and text-to-web cell phone messages.

The poll found that 46% of registered voters thought DOGE was effective at cutting government waste at the federal level. Another 43% said DOGE wasn't effective, but much depends on party-affiliation.

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"If you're asking Republicans, they're feeling pretty good," pollster Mike Noble told The Center Square. "You're asking anybody else, I think they'd say that it fell short when it came to effectiveness."

Among Democrats, 21% said DOGE was at least somewhat effective while 68% said it was ineffective. Republicans view Trump's signature cost-cutting effort more favorably. Among Republicans, 74% said DOGE was at least somewhat effective while 17% said it was not effective.

Among independents, half said DOGE was not effective while 37% said it was at least somewhat effective.

Support for DOGE also varied along income lines. About 60% of voters with household income above $100,000 said DOGE was at least somewhat effective. That fell to 45% for voters with household income between $50,000 and $100,000 and dropped to 39% for those with household income below $50,000.

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The poll also asked voters if they would like to see a DOGE-like program in their state. About 51% of all registered voters said they'd like to see something similar at the state level while 35% disagreed.

As before, Republicans favor the idea more than Democrats and independents. Among Republicans, support for state-level DOGE efforts hit 76%; among Democrats that figure was 27%.

Trump promised Americans a more efficient government when he took office for his second term. At first, his Department of Government Efficiency, with Elon Musk at the helm, led the charge. Musk has since left DOGE and had a public feud with the president.

When Trump created DOGE, he said it would be the government cost-cutting equivalent of the "Manhattan Project." Both Trump and Musk promised Americans would get a more efficient government after DOGE addressed government waste, reduced regulations and reduced the federal workforce.

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Musk initially said DOGE would aim to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget, but he later cut that in half. At a Cabinet meeting in April, Musk said DOGE was on pace to cut $150 billion from the federal budget.

The poll sample included 2,565 respondents, comprised of 978 Republicans, 948 Democrats, and 639 Independents, of which 262 lean toward neither major party, which Noble Predictive refers to as independents who, when asked if they leaned toward one of the major parties, chose neither.

The poll weighted each party  Republicans, Democrats, and True Independents  independently.

The margin of error is 2%.
A series of studies by Cornell University researchers explored which types of crops will work best for New York-area farms when paired with solar panel installations as they seek to optimize both energy and crop cultivation while addressing increased energy needs.

In a recent interview with WAMC, Matt Sturchio, a postdoctoral associate in Cornell's Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, explained that approximately 84% of the state's land that's suitable for future solar developments is agricultural.

"New York State Ag and Markets wanted to know if it's possible to do agrivoltaics," Sturchio told the station. "So the co-location of crop lands and solar in New York State, there's obviously a lot of land use tension, and developing solar on farmland is a pretty hot issue right now. So that's how it all came to be."

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The combination of agriculture and solar photovoltaics, known as agrivoltaics, is being explored globally to optimize land use, provide farmers with extra income, and share the benefits of integrating farming with energy production.

Grazing animals can enjoy the shade from solar panels while munching on an area's plant growth, helping the animals flourish and keeping land maintenance costs down.

When solar arrays are installed with minimal land disturbance, pollinators can thrive and support native grasses and vegetation.

With crop production, the Cornell studies found that New York's short growing season and the types of crops used can seriously affect crop development and overall yields.

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"We found out root crops might not be the best idea in a fall growing season," Sturchio told WAMC.

"In the fall growing season, they end up putting more of their biomass into leaf tissue. So when they try to grow bigger leaves, they put less energy into growing roots and radishes. You want to grow more of that root tissue for the actual crop production."

The shelter that solar panels provide creates microclimates that can reduce temperatures during the day and keep them warmer at night, which generally increases soil moisture levels.

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According to a separate study on agrivoltaics, shared via Nature, many regions in North, Central, and South America, the Middle East, and North Africa have experienced increased aridity, which may put pressure on water access for food production.

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As a result, freshwater demand for agriculture is projected to increase by 55% by 2050 worldwide, making innovative moves like expanding agrivoltaic developments important for food security in the face of a changing climate.

With around 9,300 acres of land already covered by utility-scale solar farms, maximizing dual land use will become increasingly critical for New York State, a Cornell report explained.

"We need to be able to find solutions that either co-locate or find the most efficient land use synergies for solar development, so that's why we're doing this work," Sturchio added.

According to the Cornell report, the team will experiment with planting earlier and harvesting later to see if it can offset growth delays caused by the panels overhead. It's also looking to Europe's method of placing panels parallel with the sun's rays, rather than perpendicular, as outlined by BayWa r.e.

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"In redesigning these systems, we'd really want to put both the cropping and renewable energy at equal levels," Toni DiTommaso, a professor at the university, added, per Cornell.

The next step in the team's research will focus on planting strawberries, raspberries, winter wheat, soybeans, zucchini, peppers, chard, and dry beans, starting in the spring. They have reported promising early results, WAMC revealed.

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is leading efforts to ensure the repopulation of one of North Carolina's most endangered species.

As reported by Coastal Review, increased efforts are underway for a red wolf conservation program in North Carolina. The initiative revolves around the release of captive-bred wolves into the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, a designated recovery area. Officials hope that the program can not only protect the critically endangered species but also help it thrive and develop a self-sustaining population.

GREAT NEWS: On August 8, the Fish and Wildlife Service shared the that the world's only wild population of red wolves has grown by as many as 16 pups. The births are a critical step forward for a wild population that numbered only seven wolves in 2020: https://t.co/MGaxL46rMD pic.twitter.com/WhOcbfQIaX  SELC (@selc_org) August 11, 2025

Red wolves are a vital component of ecological balance and the promotion of biodiversity. The species also plays a large role in preventing disease spread in ecosystems throughout North Carolina. As a keystone species, red wolves are capable of regulating populations of prey and invasive species, preventing further habitat loss for countless species in the state.

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In a September 2024 management update meeting, Emily Weller, Red Wolf Recovery Program Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, explained the uniqueness of the red wolf conservation effort. The conservation program employs strategies that include reintroduction, population monitoring, pup fostering, habitat management, and public education to address ongoing challenges.

"Reintroducing a large carnivore into the wild had never been done before, and the focus of this program in the beginning was almost entirely biological," Weller said. "But the social aspects, the community engagement, and human dimension, those were the cracks in our program's foundation."

According to data provided by the FWS, there are currently 280 red wolves in captivity. Following brief acclimation periods, a handful of captive red wolves are released to join the 30 or so wild red wolves already roaming North Carolina. Half of those wolves reside in the Alligator River refuge, making the region an invaluable resource for conservation efforts.

"Red wolf recovery is about far more than just saving the species," Weller said in a recent program update. "It's about restoring ecosystems or landscapes to their natural balanced state and creating healthier environments that benefit plants and wildlife, including game species, and people."

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Biologists in Brazil were pleasantly surprised after camera traps confirmed a stunning feat of endurance by an apex predator.

Mongabay reported that a male jaguar has absolutely shattered an old record for the longest confirmed swim. The previous record from 1932 was a respectable 200m (660ft), but the new record of 1.4 miles blew that out of the water in the waters of an artificial reservoir in the Cerrado savanna.

The researchers first spotted this feline Michael Phelps back in May 2020 and picked him up again in August 2024 on an island within the reservoir. Jaguars are easily identifiable as they all have uniquely patterned rosettes, which is also how you can tell them apart from leopards, whose rosettes don't have inner spots.

It's well known that jaguars are excellent swimmers; they often take to the water in pursuit of prey and are known to hunt caimans and other crocodilian species thanks to their powerful jaws. As Panthera notes, they have the strongest bite of any cat on a per-pound basis; even turtle shells are barely a challenge for jaguars' mighty chompers.

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It was always suspected that jaguars were capable of long swims; it was thanks to trail cameras that the researchers finally had confirmation. Camera traps are an excellent tool in conservation research in that they can provide valuable insights, like a jaguar's true swimming capabilities, in a non-invasive way. It's also beneficial for researchers, as cameras track what the human eye can easily miss. Trail cameras are used worldwide to track the most elusive species and help form effective local measures to protect species, raise awareness, and mitigate potential sources of human-animal conflict.

"Evidence like this is very rare," Panthera's Fernando Tortato said in an interview with Mongabay. "We now know that crossing may be difficult, but possible, that [the body of water] doesn't constitute an absolute barrier. With this you can better understand how jaguars might move through a landscape."

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Residents of Mingo County, West Virginia, are railing against the addition of two proposed methane gas plants in their community.

What's happening?

At a public hearing in September, residents of Mingo County had plenty to say to the state's Department of Environmental Protection about two proposed methane gas plants coming to their community.

According to West Virginia Watch, the proposal for the plants, which will power new data centers, came from New York-based TransGas. Each plant will contain 117 methane-powered engines; however, if gas is not available, the engines will then run on diesel. According to the company's application for air quality permits, each plant will also emit up to 118 tons of volatile organic compounds, 188 tons of soot, 194 tons of nitrogen oxides, and 206 tons of carbon monoxide.

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Residents are deeply concerned about the potential impact of this pollution on the air quality and health of their community. Representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection promised to fine TransGas if the project didn't go as planned.

"I've never seen these promises come true. They don't care how we suffer while they profit," resident Demone Morgan told West Virginia Watch.

Why are these power plants concerning?

The pollution released by these natural gas plants into the atmosphere is known to worsen local air quality and contribute to increased health risks, particularly for those who already suffer from respiratory problems. Communities may experience rising cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and even black lung as a result.

Additionally, the pollution affects the environment, as it contributes to the heating of the planet, which can lead to more extreme weather events and imbalanced ecosystems. Considering West Virginians are already dealing with environmental health hazards from years of fracking and coal mining, conditions could become more perilous.

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Emissions aren't the only pollution these plants could cause, either, as they will likely contribute to light and noise pollution. The methane and diesel used by the plants could also impact local water quality.

On top of all that, 70% of taxes collected from these plants would be diverted to the state, leaving only 30% for local residents, even though they are the ones who will be directly affected by the health and environmental impacts.

What's being done about these plants?

Unfortunately, according to West Virginia Watch's reporting, nothing can be done. The Department of Environmental Protection made it clear that, unless something significant came to light, the air quality permits would be approved, regardless of whether the residents liked it.

Additionally, the state of West Virginia has a law that prevents localities from enforcing zoning, noise, or light ordinances against establishments created to support data centers.

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SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Thursday nights fiery mayoral debate in Scranton saw incumbent Mayor Paige Cognetti face three candidates who are hoping to unseat the mayor in Novembers general election.

28/22 News reporter Connor Coar spoke with residents of the Electric City about the mayoral race, as election day is less than three weeks away.

Incumbent Mayor Paige Cognetti (D) announced at the beginning of September that she would be running for U.S. Congress.

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At the same time, she is continuing to run for the office of Scranton mayor.

I did not plan to run for Congress. I love being mayor and plan to continue to be mayor next year. The reason I am running for Congress is that it is going to be very hard for us to do our job in the city if the federal government continues to cut out our legs from underneath us, vocied Cognetti.

No law in the state of Pennsylvania says one candidate can not run for two government positions at the same time, which is what Cognetti is doing.

After the debate Thursday night, 28/22 news asked Cognetti what she would say to voters who are hesitant about voting for her in the upcoming election because she is also running for Congress.

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I made it clear tonight that other folks on stage with me tonight do have a record of interacting with the public, and that record is not good in either case. We need to keep moving the city forward. A vote for either of the candidates would send us all the way back to more than six years ago, when people were using the city government to enrich themselves, reasoned Cognetti.

One resident, who spoke with 28/22 News, said he is happy with what Cogentti has done for the city but thinks her focus is split between the positions she is running for.

If youre going to be mayor here, awesome. Be mayor here, but keep your focus here. If you are going to run for Congress, then run for Congress. Dont do it while you are in the middle of a term. It just makes more sense to focus on one or the other, stated Scranton resident Brendan Chalk.

Republican mayoral candidate Trish Beynon was also asked about Cognettis loyalty to the city of Scranton.

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Do you think her priorities lie with Scranton? No. They do not lie with Scranton. Were a stepping stone for the next political position that she wants to attain, expressed Beynon.

The two independent candidates for the Scranton mayoral seat are Gene Barrett and Rik Little.

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 28/22 News.
America's first offshore wind project is yielding positive results for Rhode Island residents, according to The New York Times.

In 2016, Block Island was able to turn off its diesel generators for the first time. This was because the five-turbine, 30-megawatt wind farm just off the island's coast had just come online.

Residents no longer had to clean soot off their windows and curtains. The cost of wind power was less than a third of that of diesel power. The underwater cables connecting the turbines to the mainland grid also provided much-needed broadband internet access, making the island a more palatable tourist destination.

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For some, the reduced noise was the biggest benefit. One recalled finally being able to hear birdsong in the morning after the generators were turned off.

"I still get chills when I think about it," said Barbara MacMullan, head of the board for the local energy co-op, per The New York Times.

Ecosystems have adjusted well to the presence of the turbines, which were positioned outside of bird migration routes. Local fishers report good catches at the artificial reefs created by the turbines.

Fossil fuel power is a driving force in exacerbating destructive weather patterns. Floods, droughts, and heat waves are creating huge agricultural, housing, and ecological costs. By increasing the output of wind, solar, and other sustainable energy sources, it's possible to displace the use of gas and coal and evade those negative consequences.

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The excess power generated by Block Island's wind farm is sold to the grid, but the system also needs to tap into this supply during periods of lower generation. Rhode Island intends to keep moving forward with wind power. An even larger 65-turbine, 704-megawatt wind farm has restarted construction thanks to state pushback against the federal government. Once complete, it should generate enough power for 350,000 homes across Rhode Island and Connecticut.

"This is a monumental moment for Revolution Wind, the Northeast region, and Rhode Island," said Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee earlier in the project's launch. "The installation of the first turbine speaks to the strong private and public partnership driving the project forward. Rhode Island is excited to build upon this progress and lead in clean energy and the offshore wind economy for decades to come."

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(The Center Square)  Theres an old saying that only two things in life are certain: death and taxes.

Perhaps Pennsylvanias hopelessly gridlocked Legislature may add one more: division. Its a chasm that, for now, is too broad for even the most engineering of cartoon characters to pole vault across.

Instead, Democrats and Republicans watch as cash from taxpayers wallets floats down into the darkness of the canyon between them, with no apparent urgency to stop it, not even as Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro cuts an authoritative figure on the horizon.

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Thats where figurative negotiation of the state budget stands, now 109 days overdue. Its the kind of lapse that could shut off the lights or send taxpayers to collections.

It will soon close the doors to county welfare offices, domestic violence shelters, and rape crisis centers.

Meanwhile, some schools lean deep into reserves, teetering just over the minimum balance legally required, even as a court ruling demands more funding not less.

But who should extend the proverbial olive branch? Democrats argue that theyve done so a handful of times, only to be met with silence. Their latest attempt, a $50 billion spending plan that shaved roughly $1 billion off Shapiros opening bid in February, was meant to illustrate their willingness to compromise.

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Its still close to $3 billion more than what the state has available to spend, according to Senate Republicans. For now, they argue, a stopgap measure that funds government at last years levels would ease the pain inflicted on schools, counties, and taxpayers.

In a statement from the chambers top GOP leaders, Sens. Joe Pittman and Kim Ward pointed out that the states budget has ballooned 67% over the last decade, which makes it clear that we must control the growth of our expenditures to prevent a fiscal calamity in the coming years.

What Democrats continuously fail to realize is that divided government requires true compromise, Pittman and Ward said. This means a final budget agreement cannot simply be a checkbook for their reckless spending but must be a reasonable plan, which also includes Republican policies to support families and foster greater economic growth for Pennsylvania.

Democrats say the copy and paste budget amounts to less than nothing.

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Let me tell you what that actually means, said Rep. Jordan Harris, the Philadelphia Democrat who leads the House Appropriations Committee in what has been long considered one of the most influential chairmanships in the chamber. That means they were willing to defund our police. That means they were willing to defund our schools. That means they were willing to defund our health care system in Pennsylvania.

Because heres the thing. Just like you all sitting at home, you have an increase in your gas, your electric, you have an increase in your bills at home. The same way you have an increase, so does the state.

Shapiro, an ally to House Democrats, said divulging his own conversations with leadership doesnt help a deal get signed.

What is helpful is for the Senate to get its act together, get back to work and pass a budget, he said.

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Voters dont see it that way, according to analysis from The Commonwealth Foundation, a nonprofit based in Harrisburg that supports fiscal conservancy. Rather, its 72% who think Shapiro should be leading the way. Roughly two-thirds reject the four-figure tax hike that would land on families to support the $50 billion spending plan.

Governor Shapiro and House Democrats remain entrenched in partisanship around their insistence on runaway spending, Erik Telford, a foundation spokesman, told The Center Square in an email. Their plan calls for billions in deficit spending and would saddle working families with a nearly $2,000 tax hike.

Telfords comments echo their statewide call for the governor to do your job and stop hurting Pennsylvanians, which will air on major networks across the state this weekend.

Pennsylvanians reject this reckless approach and expect Shapiro to do his job  show leadership, work with the Senate, and deliver a responsible, bipartisan budget, he said. So far, hes been either unwilling or unable to do that, and Pennsylvanians are paying the price.

The House doesnt return to session until Oct. 27, while the Senate remains on a 24-hour call.
NEED TO KNOW

A man who dine-and-dashed felt the heat after the restaurant posted his photo online

Michael's Bar and Grill in St. Louis had a customer who paid for his meal with a fake $1,000 bill

After sharing his picture on social media, the man came back to pay his bill and apologize

A Missouri restaurant got even with a dine-and-dasher.

Michaels Bar and Grill in St. Louis turned to the internet to put a customer on blast.

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On Tuesday, Oct. 14, a man ordered a hamburger and sides from the Greek restaurant, local news outlet First Alert 4 reported. The customer asked to pay the $40 check with a $100 bill, but the employee didnt realize that he had given her a fake $1,000 bill until it was too late and he had left the establishment.

$1,000 bills did once exist, according to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing, but were discontinued in 1969 and hadnt been printed since 1945. The bills are still valid but mostly with collectors, according to the Bureau.

First Alert 4 reported that this counterfeit note was marked as ancestor money, a symbolic bill burned as a ritual offering in Chinese culture.

In response to a spike in dine-and-dash incidents, the restaurant increased the number of cameras and have license plate readers, employee Kristina Moriarty said. Plus, Michaels Bar and Grill has been posting pictures of the criminal customers on social media.

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Within hours of his picture being shared on Facebook, the customer who gave the restaurant a $1,000 bill returned to apologize, pay his bill and tip the server, Moriarty said.

Heres the thing, if you do this, we are going to expose you, and were going to make it aware. So we again can prevent this from happening, Michaels Bar and Grill bartender Dawn Lamb explained.

PEOPLE reached out to the restaurant but did not immediately hear back.

Another restaurant moment recently took the internet by a storm.

A Louisiana teen is being hailed as a "hero" after footage was released of her saving a choking customer. Madison Brydels was caught on camera at Budatan, a restaurant in Moss Bluff, La., calmly and quickly jumping into action to save a man.

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In the security footage, a man stood up out of his seat, gesturing that he was choking. Without missing a beat, the teen jumped into action, performing the Heimlich maneuver and patting the customer on the back before the man sat back down.

The restaurant posted the now-viral security footage on Oct. 2 and Facebook users commented on the post, praising the "hero" teenager for the calm way she responded and then walked away like a boss.

Read the original article on People
The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing oversees restaurant inspections in Iowa. (Photo via Getty Images; DIAL logo courtesy of Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing)

State, city and county inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations during the past several weeks, including offenses related to dirty kitchens, unlicensed eateries and moldy and expired food.

The findings are reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which handles food-establishment inspections at the state level. Listed below are some of the more serious findings that stem from inspections at Iowa restaurants, stores, care facilities and other businesses between Sept. 15 and Oct. 9. (Earlier this year, DIAL began withholding from public disclosure all food-safety inspection reports for eight days past the date of inspection.)

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The inspections department reminds the public that their reports are a snapshot in time, and violations are often corrected on the spot before the inspector leaves the establishment. For a more complete list of all inspections, along with additional details on each of the inspections listed below, visit the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensings website.

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Verde, 1507 State St., Bettendorf  During an Oct. 2 visit, a Scott County inspector cited this restaurant for 17 risk-factor violations, an exceptionally high number. The inspector found that the establishment was open and operating without a valid food-service license, as the previous license had expired and had not been renewed.

Also, there was no certified food protection manager on staff, and multiple food items  including red salsa dated Aug. 14, bean puree dated Aug. 18, wine sauce dated July 11, and mango habanero dated Sept. 12  were being held long past the maximum of seven days and had to be discarded.

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In addition, raw whole cuts of beef were stored above fresh herbs and cooked rice inside a cooler, risking cross-contamination; several containers in the clean-dish rack were marred by bits of leftover food debris; the interior of the large ice bin was marred by an accumulation of grime; the sanitizing dishwashing machine in the bar area was not properly functioning; a container of raw, improperly stored fish had to be discarded, and food was being packaged in reduced-oxygen, or vacuum-sealed, packaging without the required approval.

Also, a bag of onions, a box of tortillas, and a box of eggs were being stored directly on the floor of the walk-in cooler; the stainless steel rolling cart had a buildup of spilled grease and food debris, and the air filters above the cooking equipment contained a buildup of dust and grease.

Bradys Bar & Grill, 113 N. Washington St., Edgewood  During an Oct. 9 visit, a state inspector cited this establishment for 12 risk-factor violations, an unusually high number. Among the issues: The staff was assembling sandwiches with their bare hands and there was no soap available at either the bar or dish-room handwashing sinks; there was adulterated pizza sauce and alfredo sauce in the pizza preparation table that had to be discarded, and various food items  including sausage, ham, shredded cheese, coleslaw and cottage cheese  were being stored at temperatures above the maximum of 41 degrees.

Also, the shredded pork, chicken breasts, in-house ranch dressing, in-house salsa, and in-house bacon jam were not marked with dates to ensure freshness and safety. In addition, the microwave oven appeared unclean and the establishments current license was not posted.

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The Bettplex, 4850 Competition Drive, Bettendorf  During an Oct. 8 visit, a Scott County inspector cited this restaurant for multiple products throughout the main kitchen that had been held for longer than the maximum seven days, including Canadian bacon and lettuce dated Sept. 25, bean sauce dated Oct. 1, ranch dressing dated Sept. 30, beer cheese dated Sept. 26 and brisket dated Sept. 28.

Also, access to the handwashing sink was blocked by trash cans positioned in front of it, and several prepared food products  including bags of cooked noodles, cooked chicken, cheese sauce and deli meat  had been held for more than 24 hours without proper date-markings to ensure freshness and safety.

In addition, several pizzas that had been prepared four days earlier and were stored on an open rack in a cooler had a small accumulation of mold growth on them. The inspector also reported an accumulation of fruit flies around two floor drains behind the main bar.

Cabos Cantina & Grill, 1500 E. LeClaire Road, Eldridge  During an Oct. 1 visit, a Scott County inspector cited this establishment for 10 risk-factor violations, an unusually high number. Among the issues: rice on the main hot-holding line in the kitchen had not been reheated to 165 degrees within two hours as required; raw chicken and raw steak in the refrigerated drawers below the grill were holding at 43 to 45 degrees rather than 41 degrees or colder; several knives stored as clear were marred by food debris, and several cans of Raid insecticide, not approved for use in commercial food establishments, were found in the utility room.

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Also, the chlorine dishwashing machine was operating with no detectable levels of sanitizing solution; frozen fish had not been removed from reduced-oxygen packaging before thawing, increasing the risk that any spoilage would go undetected; in-use utensils in the bar area were being stored in standing, room-temperature water, and hot tortillas were being stored in plastic, grocery-style bags rather than in a food-grade container.

Dynasty Buffet (listed in inspection reports as Gog Dynasty Buffet), 5388 Elmore Ave., Davenport  During an Oct. 7 visit, a Scott County inspector cited this restaurant for 11 risk-factor violations, an unusually high number. Among the problems: Employees handled vegetables using their bare hands; raw chicken and seafood were stored above ready-to-eat food items in a cooler, risking cross-contamination; kitchen knives and the ice machines used for customers drinks were marred by debris and gunk; employees were seen eating food off the cutting board surface rather eating at a table in the dining area; the dishwashing machine was not properly sanitizing dishes; multiple food products were stored on the floor of the walk-in cooler, and multiple food products had been left uncovered in the kitchen.

Also, dented cans of food were found in the establishment, and one cooler was storing food products at temperatures of up to 50 degrees rather than 41 degrees or colder. In addition, frozen fish was left to thaw at room temperature in the kitchen, fly strips were hanging in several areas of the kitchen, and spoons and scoops used for food were crusty and had debris buildup.

No foods were date-marked with a production or discard date ... Frozen meat was thawing in large pots of water on the floor in the back of the kitchen.

 State inspector's report for the Colfax Truck Stop

Colfax Truck Stop, 1405 N. Walnut St., Colfax  During a Sept. 25 visit, a state inspector cited this establishment for nine risk-factor violations. Among the problems: Cartons of raw eggs from an unapproved private flock were offered for sale in a reach-in cooler and had to pulled from sale. Also, the individual in charge could not provide the name of an approved source for the large metal pan of yogurt found inside a walk-in cooler or for the plastic grocery bags of frozen meat found inside a walk-in freezer.

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In addition, the pastry stored in a hot-holding case was measured at 114 to 120 degrees and had to be discarded. The establishment, the inspector reported, does not have a date-marking system for time- and temperature-controlled foods that require date-marking. No foods were date-marked with a production or discard date. The inspector also found that equipment and utensils were not being sanitized after washing, and reported that cutting boards, utensils, and storage containers were marred by food debris and buildup on their surfaces.

Cooked chickpeas and cooked chicken were cooling at room temperature with no temperature monitoring, the inspector reported. Frozen meat was thawing in large pots of water on the floor in the back of the kitchen.

All Pho You, 4120 University Ave., Des Moines  During an Oct. 7 visit, a state inspector noted that meat cooked days before had been left in the cooler and freezer with no date-markings to ensure freshness and safety. The inspector also made note of sausage with visible contamination and discoloration and found that the person in charge was not a certified food protection manager as required. During the restaurants previous routine inspection, in October 2024, it was cited for 13 risk-factor violations, an exceptionally high number.

Hy-Vee Foods, 1720 Waterfront Drive, Iowa City  During an Oct. 6 visit, a Johnson County inspector noted that the diced tomatoes in the pizza refrigeration unit were being stored at 47 degrees rather than 41 degrees or colder. Also, cooked items, including pork ribs and smoked pulled pork, were stored in a cooler at 44 and 47 degrees and had to be discarded.

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In addition, several items in the produce areas cooler  such as Margaritaville salsa, black bean and corn salsa, and guacamole salsa  were being held at temperatures above 41 degrees and had to be discarded. The store was also using a nonapproved, noncontinuous method of cooking chicken, and the smoked chicken that was stored in a hot-holding unit in the Market Grill area was being held at 129 degrees  too cool to ensure its safety  and had to be discarded.

The inspector also reported that partially cooked chicken stored on a preparation table in the Chinese food area was measured at 90 degrees and had to be discarded, and raw ground beef was being stored above raw pork steaks in a self-service meat cooler, risking cross-contamination. Also, the handwashing sinks in the meat department were found to have no hot water supply.

Olive Tree Cafe, 2513 53rd Ave., Bettendorf  During an Oct. 6 visit, a Scott County inspector cited this restaurant for food-contact surfaces that had a buildup of soil and/or food debris and required additional cleaning. Also, three cans of food had severe dents along their rims or seams and had to be discarded, one container of quinoa prepared on Sept. 29 had been held for more than the maximum seven days, and there was no certified food protection manager on site each day.

Fas Mart, 1200 Locust St., Glenwood  During a Sept. 30 visit, a state inspector noted that dishes were not being sanitized after washing, and food products were being chilled in an open-air cooler at 58 degrees  too warm to ensure safety. Also, the handwashing sink in the dish room had no hot water supply, and the drain for the handwashing sink was not connected, allowing water to drain directly onto the floor. In addition, the establishments most recent inspection report was not posted in a location that allowed consumers to read it. According to state records, the establishment last underwent a routine inspection in October 2020.

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Hy-Vee Foods, 1125 N. Dodge St., Iowa City  During a Sept. 30 visit, a Johnson County inspector noted that the interior of the ice machine in the Market Grill area was marred by a buildup of unspecified debris, and numerous items  including diced and sliced tomatoes, cheese, deli sandwiches and wraps, and ready-to-eat salami, diced pancetta, and Columbus pepperoni panini  were being held at temperatures above 41 degrees and had to be discarded.

Also, the veggie wash used in the Market Grill area had no detectable level of cleaning solution; food employees in the meat department and deli sandwich section did not wash their hands before putting on gloves and handling food; and the most recent inspection report had not been posted.

Foundry Food & Tap, 5055 Competition Drive, Bettendorf  During a Sept. 29 visit, a Scott County inspector noted that multiple food-contact surfaces throughout the kitchen were marred by a buildup of soil, food debris and grime. The soiled areas included the food-preparation tables, the shelves of the reach-in freezer, the interior of all the refrigerated drawers of a cook-line cooler, the interior of the hot-holding food cabinets, the onion dicer and storage pan, and the ice scoop.

All surfaces require additional cleaning and sanitizing, the inspector reported.

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In addition, three pans of food containing pulled pork, rice and vegetables had no date-markings to ensure freshness and safety. Also, one cooler was holding food product at between 46 and 53 degrees, rather than 41 degrees or colder, and so the food was discarded. Another cooler that was being used to store raw chicken, fish, and breading products was holding food at 47 to 50 degrees, and so that food was discarded. The restaurant also had to discard a container of boneless wings that were being held at 53 degrees, as well as improperly thawed vacuum-sealed salmon filets.

Smoke N Firehouse No. 20, 103 W. Maple St., Ringsted  During a Sept. 19 visit, a Siouxland District Health Department inspector cited this restaurant for 13 risk-factor violations, an unusually high number.

Among the problems: A bag of hamburger buns that showed the presence of mold and had to be discarded; multiple foods stored in all three of the reach-in coolers had been left uncovered, risking contamination; raw ground beef was left sitting on a counter at room temperature; there was no system in place for date-marking foods that were time- and temperature-controlled; cut tomatoes, cooked pulled pork, taco meat, and cooked ground beef had all been held for more than the maximum of seven days and had to be discarded; and the chemical dishwasher was operating with no detectable levels of sanitizing solution.

In addition, the kitchen utensils were soiled; a handwashing sink was filled with dirty dishes; a can of Hot Shot bug spray, not approved for use in commercial food establishments, was located in the kitchen, and the fryers, flat-top grill and coolers were visibly soiled with a buildup of food debris.

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Kitchen walls and floors are heavily soiled with food debris, especially around kitchen equipment, the inspector reported. The visit was in response to a non-illness complaint concerning general sanitation. The complaint was deemed verified.

Hy-Vee Foods, 1700 E. Washington St., Mount Pleasant  During a Sept. 18 visit, a Lee County inspector cited this store for 10 risk-factor violations. Among the problems: Raw, seasoned chicken was stored on top of seasoned ribs on a cart in the walk-in cooler, risking cross-contamination; rotisserie chickens in the hot-holding case ranged from 125 to 130 degrees, which was not hot enough to ensure their safety, and had to be reheated to at least 165 degrees; and various cold items, such as cheese and tomatoes were stored at 48 degrees in the sandwich-prep cooler.

Also, the dishwashing machine in the bakery area was not reaching the minimum of 160 degrees, and the written log documenting sushi preparation was incomplete and missing some of the required information.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Its now two weeks into the government shutdown, and federal workers in the Natural State have all been affected.

Workers at the Clinton National Airport have all been voicing their concern with how rough its been on them not getting paid. Shane Carter, director of public affairs at the airport, says that it hasnt stopped them from coming to work.

Our TSA agents, theyre continuing to be on duty and giving the professional service that they give every day, Carter said.

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Government shutdown impacts portions of Hot Springs National Park

Showing up with a smile despite how they feel, thats what Clinton National Airport TSA employees have been doing, but the load is getting heavier for them as they struggle to keep food on their tables.

We want to do everything that we can do to help take care of them because they take care of us, Carter said.

Thats where local restaurants are stepping in. Places like Trios are lending a helping hand to provide meals for TSA employees in need. Stephanie Caruthers, general manager of Trios, says shes been keeping a list of all eateries that want to help.

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We can take care of breakfast and lunch 5 days a week, and so far, I have today and tomorrow and all of next week filled with a different restaurant, Caruthers said.

She was one of many to donate food during the 2019 government shutdown, and shes back again with Trios now teaming up with other local restaurants to ensure TSA employees are full.

In a situation like this, we are all Arkansans, and we all care about people, and thats where we are always. We come from that place, no matter what, Caruthers said.

Carter says hes also been reaching out to multiple electric companies to assist the employees, and although he doesnt know when this government shutdown will be over, hes thankful for the employees who keep showing up.

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As weve been helping them throughout the week, they come through and say thank you for everything that youre doing, and I say thank you for what youre doing for us, Carter said.

The government shutdowns impact on Arkansas: What to know

On Friday, Clinton National Airport and the Arkansas Foodbank will host a food drive at 1000 Temple Street. The event is open to all federal employees; all you need is your government ID.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLRT - FOX16.com.
Major UK supermarkets have tightened age checks and store systems for high-caffeine energy drinks as the government consults on a legal ban on sales to under-16s in England.

Ministers propose using the Food Safety Act 1990 to prohibit sales of drinks above 150mg caffeine per litre, enforced by local authorities with fixed monetary penalties1,500 for small retailers and 2,500 for larger firms, rising if unpaid.

Retailer policies already in place

Most national grocers introduced voluntary age restrictions in 2018, asking shoppers to prove they are over 16 when buying energy drinks over the 150mg/litre threshold. That includes Asda, Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsburys, Co-op and Waitrose.

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Asda said at the time it would prevent sales to under-16s; Aldi states it was among the first to stop selling to under-16s; Sainsburys signposts the restriction on its energy-drinks page; and widespread 2018 adoption across the multiples is well documented.

Operational impacts for stores and online

Retailers say Think 25 prompts and self-checkout interventions are used to gate sales of age-restricted items, with ID requested if a customer appears under 25policies now applied to energy drinks in many chains.

For online grocery, delivery terms require an adult to receive age-restricted goods; drivers can refuse handover if proof is not available.

These measures mirror current alcohol workflows and would underpin compliance if the UK energy drink ban for under-16s becomes law.

Where independents and vending fit in

While big chains have moved early, officials note some smaller stores continue to sell to children, which is one reason ministers favour a statutory baseline across all channels, including vending machines and ecommerce.

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The consultation proposes a simple vending ruleno sales from machinesto avoid under-age access, drawing on lessons from tobacco vending.

Trade media have urged retailers, suppliers and convenience operators to respond to the consultation so enforcement is practical and proportionate.

What to watch on ranging, signage and verification

If legislation proceeds after consultation, grocers will need clear POS signage, consistent product tagging (using the existing high caffeine content label as the trigger), and robust age-verification at delivery and click & collect.

The measure would formalise current practice at the big sixTesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidland create a level playing field for convenience, hospitality and online marketplaces.

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For category managers, expect limited planogram change (as products remain ranged for adults) but tighter checkout prompts and training refreshes for colleagues.

"Retailers act as UK considers ban on kids energy drinks" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand.




(The Center Square)  Former military leaders have lined up on both sides of the debate between President Donald Trump and Gov. J.B. Pritzker over National Guard deployments.

At a press conference in Chicago Thursday, the governor said Trump is hoping to blur the lines between masked federal agents and members of the National Guard.

We must continue to call this what it is: a dangerous, dangerous power grab that echoes the rise of authoritarianism and authoritarian regimes throughout world history, Pritzker said.

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Pritzker said people have great respect and admiration for members of the U.S. military.

What the president is now doing has the potential to significantly erode that faith that the American public has, the governor said.

Pritzker said Trump was abusing power and attempting to politicize the military.

Retired Navy Captain Brent Sadler disagreed with the governors claims.

The reason why the president is compelled to activate the National Guards against governors who are not taking action is because federal facilities and the execution of federal authorities that are constitutional have been interfered for far too long, Sadler told The Center Square.

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Sadler currently serves as Senior Research Fellow, Naval Warfare and Advanced Technology, at the Heritage Foundations Allison Center for National Security.

Sadler disputed Pritzkers claims that Trump is politicizing the armed forces.

I dont see this as a politicization of the military. I think what Gov. Pritzkers trying to do is probably more an attempt at politicization than anything else, Sadler said.

Several former military leaders lined up behind Pritzker last Thursday, including retired U.S. Army Major General Randy Manner and retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Michael E. Smith.

Major General William L. Enyart, former adjutant general of the Illinois Army National Guard, said he supports Pritzkers efforts to stop the Guard from being deployed.

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Our National Guard members joined and serve to defend our nation, to respond to natural disasters. They are not policeman. They are not political pawns, Enyart said, standing with Pritzker.

Enyart questioned using taxpayer dollars and taking National Guard soldiers away from their jobs and families to pick up trash in Washington, D.C.

Sadler said the National Guard was never ordered to pick up trash and beautify the city.

The way were all raised inside uniformed service and being dedicated to something bigger than ourselves, if you see something thats just kind of messy and youre there, its in our nature to leave things better than when we found them. I dont buy that narrative that they were ordered to pick up trash, Sadler said.

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Sadler said the Guard was ordered to Washington, D.C. to take care of criminal activity that had gotten out of control, which he witnessed firsthand on numerous occasions.

Its very real. And its gotten better. It was the test case for activating the National Guard to try to help restore civility in the city streets, Sadler added.
After igniting an online fury with a debate night comment indicating that he would welcome some National Guard help in protecting soft spots throughout Detroit, mayoral candidate the Rev. Solomon Kinloch now says he would reject any troops in the city.

Campaign spokesman Dan Lijana, on Friday, Oct. 17, clarified Kinlochs statement in an interview with the Free Press, saying that, during Wednesday night's debate, the Triumph Church pastor was referring not to the National Guard, but to other federal agencies. Lijana could not immediately name which ones, but later mentioned the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Lijana blamed the confusion on the question's phrasing. During the debate on WXYZ-TV (Channel 7), moderator and station editorial director Chuck Stokes asked Kinloch's opponent, Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield, specifically whether she would accept National Guard troops in the city. She emphatically responded "no."

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But in asking Kinloch the question, Stokes instead referenced added resources from the federal government to help with crime and immigration enforcement.

In response, Kinloch said: Not in a martial law fashion, but in collaboration in order to make sure we are protecting soft spots throughout Detroit.

Asked for clarification specifically about the National Guard after the debate, during a news media scrum, Kinloch said: When you talk about martial law and you talk about the National Guard patrolling the city of Detroit, that is never acceptable  but when you start talking about working in collaboration and partnership, when you start talking about large venues and large crowds and large gatherings  we can always coordinate with law enforcement agencies in order to assist in that.

President Donald Trumps National Guard deployments to Washington, D.C. and Chicago have sparked jitters in Detroit, a majority-Black city still haunted by the military response to its racial uprising in 1967. That July, tanks rolled down neighborhood streets as troops, untrained in domestic policing, shot into occupied buildings and crowds, former Detroit Police Chief Ike McKinnon recalled in an August interview with WDET-101.9 FM.

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On Sept. 17, during a speech in Howell, Vice President JD Vance offered to send troops to Detroit.

Kinlochs response was a major political misstep, said Jamaine Dickens, a political strategist and principal of Compass Strategies who is not affiliated with either candidate in the race. No one wants to invite the National Guard into our community under any circumstance.

Even if (Kinloch) misspoke, it indicates to Detroiters that, as mayor, he may be willing to invite them, Dickens said. Thats not a mistake one whod never consider it would make.

Karen Dumas, who was a top aide to former Mayor Dave Bing and is not working with either campaign, agreed the comment did not help Kinloch, who finished 33 points behind Sheffield in the August primary.

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Looking at the public response ... people didnt look on that very favorably," Dumas said. "People here hear the National Guard, the militarization of police  that doesnt prompt a good feeling. And its important (that candidates) make statements that dont require post-statement explanation.

Crystal clear?

The candidate sought to clarify his comments publicly at least twice after the debate. In addition to his post-debate statement Wednesday night, on Thursday, Oct. 16, he posted a video online accusing Sheffield, her surrogates and supporters of seeking to twist my words."

So let me be crystal clear: Never ever would I allow the National Guard to police the neighborhoods of an urban community center, Kinloch said in the video.

Lijana said the federal support Kinloch envisions would be for crowded major events, like the Detroit fireworks, where past shootings have prompted the city to bar people from gathering at riverside parks because they can't properly police such a broad area.

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Sheffield has said throughout the campaign that she would oppose troops in the city, but accept federal funding to increase opportunities for Detroiters and help address the root causes of crime.

In a statement to the Free Press on Oct. 17, she said: There was nothing confusing about what (Kinloch) said."

You dont float calling in the National Guard and then try to clean it up later, she said. Detroiters heard him the first time, which was a dog whistle to the Trump administration. In a climate this charged, and with residents already anxious about safety and policing, that kind of statement isnt just careless  its dangerous.

Haunting memories

Donna Givens, a native Detroiter who leads the nonprofit East Side Community Network, recounted traumatic memories of National Guard troops patrolling her neighborhood in 1967, after a police raid on a blind pig at 12th Street and Clairmount Avenue triggered days of violence and unrest.

Troops on Linwood Avenue in Detroit on July 30, 1967.

My first real memory is crawling under the window because my mother feared I might be killed, said Givens, who was 3 years old at the time and living on Chicago Boulevard, near the epicenter of the uprising. A 4-year-old girl had been killed by a National Guardsman shooting at a window where her grandmother was smoking a cigarette.

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My second unclear memory was tanks rolling down our streets and armed soldiers stopping my father, putting a gun to his head and asking where he was going.

We know (the National Guard would) come in with a bias against Black people and Black Detroiters because theres already a national bias against Black people and Black Detroiters, Givens said. They dont know us. They see a thug.

Kinlochs comments  even if misconstrued  reflect a dangerous tough-on-crime pivot by his campaign, Givens and several other residents said.

During a Sept. 14 news conference introducing Lindsey McAdory as Kinloch's new campaign manager, McAdory falsely stated that Sheffield was responsible for 500 deaths in Detroit over the last two years, in part because she voted against the expansion of controversial gunshot detection system ShotSpotter, which was ultimately approved. Kinloch also has questioned the validity of a precipitous decline in violent crime reported by Detroit police last year.

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After the Oct. 15 debate, Kinloch elaborated on his claim that crime data is being manipulated. He said there should be additional oversight into how crimes are tracked, but stopped short of saying that the data doesnt capture all incidents.

In any organization, you have to have a level of objectivity when you're grading your test. And at the end of the day, (the Detroit Police Department) shouldn't be the only one that decides how a crime is called and characterized, Kinloch said. That should also be in partnership with the community. If we're going to deal with it, we have to have transparent conversations, and that's what I'm pushing. I'm not accusing anyone of doing anything erroneous.

Still, the ire on social media was swift.

His earlier campaign strategy was that he was gonna out-progressive her, city of Detroit historian Jamon Jordan posted to Facebook. But that wasnt working. So, now hes gonna out-MAGA her.

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The comments have put Kinloch's campaign on the defensive.

The idea of a Trumpian pivot is ludicrous, Kinloch spokesman Lijana said Friday. Theres only one candidate in this race fighting poverty.

He added: The idea of suspicion about crime statistics is not new to Detroit. ... At the foundation of that discussion is the undeniable reality that people do not feel safe, regardless of what the statistics say.

At least one Detroit native, a retired police officer, took to social media just after the debate to applaud Kinloch for an astute answer to a question that would certainly stir emotions.

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As it relates to working with the National Guard, I would say this: Having been a police officer in Detroit, I'm pretty familiar with the struggles with manpower and policing the city, John Bennett said. We cannot act like if things got out of hand we couldn't use support.

Editor's note: This story was updated to include additional information from the Kinloch campaign.

Violet Ikonomova is an investigative reporter at the Free Press focused on government and police accountability in Detroit. Contact her at vikonomova@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Solomon Kinloch now a 'no' on National Guard in Detroit after debate comment uproar
British security services raised the alarm about a data company which stored classified government files after it was taken into Chinese ownership.

Officials raised concerns about the takeover of Global Switch in 2017 by Chinese investors.

Ministers did not raise any public fears about the business at the time although sources said that some data was moved off its servers soon after the takeover.

By contrast, the Australian government publicly pledged to stop using Global Switch for defence data in the same year as the takeover, stripping it out of its networks at a cost initially estimated at 96m.

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Initial reports on Wednesday suggested that an unnamed data centre used to store classified information was accessed by Beijing.

However, it is understood that this information was instead stolen through a series of separate hacks over recent years, mostly already made public and unrelated to Global Switch.

Security sources insist that, despite their assessment that Global Switchs links to China could pose a risk, there is no evidence any data was actually taken by the Chinese. The company is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Concerns about how Global Switchs ownership could have been turned to Beijings advantage emerged after separate claims by Dominic Cummings that Britains classified information networks were subject to a massive Chinese hack.

Mr Cummings claimed documents stolen by China included material classified as Strap, which is above top secret - Leon Neal/Getty Images

Mr Cummings, a former adviser to Boris Johnson, claimed on Wednesday that China had obtained vast amounts of classified information by hacking into a network used to transfer data across Whitehall.

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He claimed that documents stolen by China included material classified as Strap, which is above top secret in the hierarchy of security classifications. Typically Strap documents include sensitive intelligence briefings.

Sources denied that any Strap documents had ever been taken, insisting Mr Cummingss claims were untrue.

A separate report in the Spectator on Wednesday suggested there was concern in Whitehall about the Chinese takeover of an unnamed data centre business, with one insider telling the magazine it was a stratospheric f--- up.

Several separate sources told The Telegraph that speculation was that the company referred to was Global Switch. However, company and Whitehall insiders said there had been no breach of the systems.

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Sources close to Mr Johnson, who became prime minister in 2019, said there had been an issue with a data centre that was later resolved.

Global Switch investors

Global Switch is a London-based data centre business which was progressively bought up by the Chinese starting in 2016. It operates data centres near Canary Wharf, home to much of Britains banking and financial services industry, which have hosted sensitive government files.

Among its investors are a trust controlled by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), a state-owned business.

AVIC Trust took a 25 per cent stake in Global Switch in 2018, alongside a slate of other Chinese-controlled businesses.

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Beijings national security law means all of those firms can be compelled to assist its intelligence agencies.

Security sources have said ministers were warned about the risks of Global Switch falling into Chinese control at the time, when Theresa May was prime minister.

After Chinese investors bought a 49 per cent stake in Global Switch in late 2016, it is understood that British security officials raised concerns about the companys new shareholders and the potential for sensitive data to be leaked.

Security sources added that despite these warnings, there was no evidence any highly classified Whitehall data was subsequently taken from the company.

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The secret stuff, if its true, would be incredibly serious, said one senior insider familiar with government security protocols, adding: And its not true. At all.

A Government spokesperson said: This data centre has never been accredited or used to store Strap communications, secret or top secret data.

Others have spoken publicly about claims of a Chinese hack targeted at Whitehall.

Ciaran Martin, the former head of GCHQs National Cyber Security Centre, said on Wednesday: It is categorically untrue that in 2020 briefings were given to the effect that the Chinese state had compromised the bespoke systems used for circulating Strap and other highly classified state secrets.

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It would have fallen to the National Cyber Security Centre to support the Cabinet Secretary in a breach of the kind alleged. There was no such NCSC operation in 2020 or the preceding years.

Britains approach to Global Switch stands in marked contrast to that of Australia, where the company used to operate similar data centres.

After the companys new ownership was announced in late 2016, Australian ministers earmarked A$200m (96m) to move files from its defence ministry out of Global Switch-controlled data centres.

That move ended up taking several years and was not fully completed until 2024, according to Australian media reports.

Theoretical security fears

In Britain, top officials are understood to have briefed the government in the late 2010s that Global Switchs ownership by a Chinese investment consortium called Elegant Jubilee raised theoretical security fears. Elegant Jubilee bought a 49 per cent stake in Global Switch in late 2016.

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It was joined in 2018 by AVIC Trust and in the following year by steel conglomerate Jiangsu Shagang Group, leaving Global Switch majority-controlled by Chinese interests.

Chinas national security law, passed in 2015, gives the Communist countrys rulers powers to compel Chinese firms to assist its spy agencies in ways such as passing along their customers sensitive information.

Claims that the British government turned a blind eye to the risks of tech and data centre firms such as Global Switch falling under Chinese ownership risk opening a rift with the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, security sources claimed to The Telegraph.

By raising the possibility that material shared with Britain could have inadvertently ended up in the hands of the alliances arch-enemy, China, sources claimed that Five Eyes nations, such as the US, could limit or restrict the amount of classified information they share with their British partners.

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Reward offered in search for suspect in brutal Parramore sexual assault

Police in Orlando are seeking the publics help to identify a suspect in a rape case that occurred last week in the Parramore neighborhood.

A sketch of the suspect has been released by the Orlando Police Department, and officers are canvassing the area near South Lee Avenue and Grand Street, where the attack took place.

The crime occurred last Thursday, and detectives have been actively knocking on doors, showing the sketch to residents, and asking for assistance in identifying the suspect.

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The attack was described by neighbors as brutal, with the woman being grabbed at the corner and dragged to a nearby bus stop.

The area, which is typically quiet and residential, is located next to the Grand Avenue Neighborhood Center and is filled with homes and playgrounds.

In an effort to expedite the arrest, the Orlando Police Department is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for tips that lead to an arrest.

The attack has caused significant concern among local residents, particularly women living nearby, as police continue their efforts to apprehend the suspect.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. raised some eyebrows with his remarks about fertility during a press conference with President Donald Trump on Thursday, Oct. 16.

The secretary of health and human services joined the president in the Oval Office to announce the Trump administration's goal to make in vitro fertilization more accessible to Americans by pressuring drug companies to lower the prices of fertility medication.

Well dramatically slash the cost of IVF and the treatment and many of the most common fertility drugs for countless millions of Americans, Trump said of his plans during the press conference. Prices are going way down, way, way down.

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But it was Kennedy's comments that went viral. The HHS leader bemoaned the state of procreation in the U.S., bizarrely stating, Our parents arent having children.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Robert. F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump Robert. F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump

Today, the average teenager in this country has 50% of the sperm count, 50% of the testosterone as a 65-year-old man, Kennedy, 71, said. Our girls are hitting puberty six years earlier, and thats bad, but also our parents arent having children."

"Parents who want to have children do not have access," he continued. "I have seven children. I feel that God has blessed me with that, and I cant imagine how different my life would be if I did not have that blessing.

Win McNamee/Getty Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attends a confirmation hearing on Jan. 29 after he was nominated as Trump's health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attends a confirmation hearing on Jan. 29 after he was nominated as Trump's health secretary

American male virility is a frequent talking point for Kennedy, who also brought up his claims about testosterone levels when campaigning against artificial food dyes earlier this year.



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Seventy-four percent of our kids cannot qualify for military service, he said during an April interview with Fox News. We have fertility rates that are just spiraling. A teenager today  an American teenager  has less testosterone than a 68-year-old man. Sperm counts are down 50%.

While some studies point to a decrease in sperm count worldwide due to environmental and lifestyle factors, the scientific evidence to support or refute Kennedy's exact claims is murky.

In July, reproductive urologist Dr. Scott Lundy told NBC News that male fertility is a "very contentious issue in our field."

"For every paper that you find that suggests a decline and raises an alarm for this issue, theres another paper that says that the numbers arent changing, and that theres no cause for concern, he noted.

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IVF has been a hot-button issue since Trump's presidential campaign last year, during which the Alabama Supreme Court  no longer bound by Roe v. Wade  sparked panic for ruling that frozen embryos would legally be considered children, which jeopardized fertility clinics' ability to provide IVF services by criminalizing mishaps with the embryos.

Despite taking credit for overturning Roe v. Wade, Trump went on to declare himself the father of IVF during an October 2024 town hall, insisting that the Republican Party was outpacing Democrats in terms of fertility access.

We really are the party for IVF, Trump said, per CNN. We want fertilization, and its all the way, and the Democrats tried to attack us on it, and were out there on IVF, even more than them. So, were totally in favor.

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.

His Democratic opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, reacted in post on X at the time, saying, "What is he talking about?

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She later went into greater detail while speaking with reporters, saying, What [Trump] should take responsibility for is that couples who are praying, hoping and working toward growing a family have been so disappointed and harmed by the fact that IVF treatments have now been put at risk.

Lets not be distracted by his choice of words, she added. The reality is actually very harmful to women and families in America.



Read the original article on People
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is under constant siege. The political establishment that has long sold itself to Big Pharma is desperate to discredit him, terrified his quiet reforms may finally expose the tangled web of collusion between regulators, corporations, and the media. Every day, his name is dragged through headlines designed to mock, isolate, or destroy. But its not just the establishment sharpening their knives. The attacks are now coming from within the very movement that once hailed him as a hero.

Many in the Medical Freedom community (good, decent Americans who lived through the trauma of lockdowns, mandates, and coerced injections) are furious that justice hasnt come fast enough. They want the COVID shots pulled, the perpetrators exposed, and the architects of this medical tyranny held accountable. Theyre tired of talk. They want action, and they want it yesterday. Their anger is justified. The crimes committed in the name of public health demand accountability. But impatience, when it replaces discernment, can derail the very reforms weve been fighting for.

To understand what Kennedy is actually doing, you have to step back from the noise and look at the structure hes building. He isnt staging a political performance, as many of his predecessors did. Hes engaged in something far more difficult: a methodical reconstruction of the Department of Health and Human Services from the inside out. And, in my opinion, no one has been more effective at decoding that process than biotech analyst and med-legal advisor Karen Kingston.

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Kingston has spent years mapping out the regulatory maze Big Pharma built to shield itself from accountability. She understands the Emergency Use Authorization laws, the loopholes within the FDAs CBER and CDRH divisions, and the points where Pfizer and others may have forfeited their supposed immunity from criminal prosecution. Unlike most analysts, she provides actual documentation supporting her claims, as opposed to mere speculation. Thats what makes her perspective on Kennedys work so significant.

In her research, Kingston describes how she submitted a formal med-legal analysis to the FDA on May 22, 2025, calling for a Class 1 recall of all COVID-19 mRNA injections and the revocation of their Emergency Use Authorizations. She points out that under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, any new vaccine must cause fewer or less severe adverse events than existing alternatives. Unfortunately, that federal law has been ignored for years.

Kingston also highlights a critical standard buried in the FDAs own recall procedures: Class 1 recalls must be supported as completely as possible by scientific documentation and statements that the conclusion is the opinion of the individual(s) making the health hazard determination. That might sound like bureaucratic language, but its foundational. It means decisions of public safety must be tied to documented evidence and real accountability, as opposed to faceless committees or corporate talking points. Thats the kind of procedural rigor Kennedy appears to be reintroducing at HHS.

Her findings also touch on deeper institutional failures. In one whistleblower case, the U.S. government admitted the FDA was aware of protocol violations in Pfizers clinical trials before the agency granted the company its emergency authorization. Kingston interprets this as evidence of fraud, and shes not wrong to do so. Once the procedural integrity of an approval process is compromised, immunity no longer shields those responsible. Kennedy understands this, and his push for transparency may be laying the groundwork for legal accountability far greater than any single executive order could achieve.

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These examples reveal whats really at stake. Kennedy is confronting a system built on shortcuts, narrative control, and corruption. By reestablishing standards of documentation, oversight, and chain-of-custody accountability, hes forcing the machinery of government to operate lawfully again. Its not flashy and doesnt feed the outrage cycle, but its how real reform is made permanent.

Thats why hes under fire from all sides. The establishment attacks him because he threatens their cash flow and control. The Medical Freedom movement attacks him because they want vengeance now. But Kennedy isnt chasing headlines or emotion. Hes working to ensure his reforms outlast him  that once the truth is embedded in the process, it cant be undone by the next administration.

Its worth remembering the FDA cannot directly force a company to recall a product. It can pressure, threaten, and litigate, but the manufacturer must initiate the recall. Thats the world Kennedy is navigating: a system intentionally designed to protect the powerful from accountability. Hes not using force to fix it. Hes using the law, and that takes time.

The conservative and liberty movements have long struggled with this concept of time. We crave the short-term win, the viral soundbite, the cathartic takedown. Meanwhile, the globalist establishment plays the long game, embedding their ideology into bureaucracies, universities, media, and technology over decades. Kennedy seems to understand what so many leaders on the Right have missed: if you want lasting change, you must build it into the system itself.

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We should absolutely demand transparency; release the data, protect whistleblowers, hold hearings, expose the fraud. But we must also be patient enough to allow the foundation to be rebuilt properly. The movement for truth cannot rely on emotional gratification. It must rely on endurance.

If Kennedy succeeds, his legacy will be institutional. He will have reestablished a Department of Health and Human Services that serves science rather than suppresses it, that protects citizens instead of corporations, and that operates according to evidence, not propaganda. The attacks he faces, both from power and from impatience, prove just how dangerous his work is to both sides.

Hes playing the long game, and thats exactly whats been missing in America for far too long. The goal cannot be vengeance. Rather, it must be restoration. And if he stays the course, that restoration may outlast him and finally bring the kind of truth this country has been begging for since 2020.

Jeff Dornik is the CEO of Pickax, a human-centered social media platform that puts peoplenot algorithms, advertisers, or data minersback in control of their own content. He hosts The Jeff Dornik Show, which livestreams exclusively on Rumble and Pickax.
Thousands of demonstrators marched in Center City Philadelphia for the second "No Kings" protest and rally on Saturday.

Organizers say more than 2,500 events were planned across the country to peacefully protest the Trump Administration's policies.

The march in Philadelphia started on the north side of City Hall in the early afternoon.

The march ended with a rally at Independence Mall, which will feature more than a dozen speakers.

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Organizations across the country gathered to create the first No Kings Day rally in June.

The group Indivisible Philadelphia says 100,000 people attended that event.

Dozens of protests happened in surrounding counties, too.


Oct. 17MATTAWA  Drivers heading south of Mattawa can expect State Route 243 to be closed for a short stretch between Mattawa and Desert Aire, beginning Monday.

The city of Mattawa is working on upgrades to its sewer system, and Mattawa Public Works Director Juan Ledezma said the project would require upgrades to the connection between Portage Avenue and the city's wastewater treatment facility. That requires removing and replacing pipes running under SR 243.

"A contractor for the city will close the highway to cut the asphalt, excavate, and install a section of larger pipe," according to a press release from the Washington Department of Transportation. "During that time, the highway will be closed and traffic will be routed through a signed local detour. Detour routes include rural county roads, and travelers should plan for reduced speeds through the area."

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The work could take up to two weeks to complete, the press release said.

It being mid-October, most projects are wrapping up for the winter. Paving is underway on a section of Schoonover Road north of Ritzville.

Eight miles of Schoonover are being rebuilt; paving is projected to be completed by Oct. 21, said Adams County Engineer Scott Yaeger. Once the paving is completed, crews will be striping the road and installing guard rails. The last day of the project is scheduled for Oct. 29.

"It looks good out there," Yaeger said.

Crews are about to wrap up the second year of work on the Vantage Bridge, with construction continuing until the end of the month, weather permitting.

"Crews plan to reopen access across the bridge to all lanes of traffic by the end of October," according to a WASHDOT press release.
Welcome back, Deadline: Legal Newsletter readers. The Supreme Courts first two-week hearing session of the term is in the books, capped off by Wednesdays oral arguments that signaled further erosion of the landmark Voting Rights Act. The justices also rejected Alex Jones bid to upend his defamation judgment, and the Republican-appointed majority continued to greenlight executions over Democratic-appointed dissent.

Jones is still on the hook for the $1.4 billion judgment, which he called the largest in American libel history, because the court declined to hear the case stemming from his lies about the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. The Infowars hosts rejection was one of many on the courts routine order list Tuesday morning (where the court likewise denied Ghislaine Maxwells petition last week).

No justices voiced any dissent from the Jones denial, but the left and right flanks of the court each spoke out in connection with two other rejections, in a contrast that provides a good snapshot of the Roberts Court. In one of the cases denied review on Tuesdays list, Justice Samuel Alito wrote a statement joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, in an appeal over parental rights and schools supporting students gender transitions without parental knowledge or consent. Though the three GOP appointees agreed for procedural reasons that the petition wasnt ripe for review, Alito wrote that the troubling  and tragic  allegations in this case underscore the great and growing national importance of the question that these parent petitioners present.

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A different view of tragedy came from the Democratic appointees, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor leading the way in a dissent in a death penalty case. Writing for herself and Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, the Obama appointee lamented her colleagues refusal to address what they saw as an obvious injustice, writing: Tragically, the Court denies review instead, allowing a death sentence tainted by a single jurors extraordinary misconduct to stand.

That death penalty theme continued in another case this week, in which the Republican-appointed majority declined to halt an execution despite the defendant raising what Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson deemed an important constitutional question. That led Sotomayor to write that the majority abandons its duty in declining to step in, even though a mans life is in the balance. The majority had nothing to say for itself in response, instead denying the stay without explanation in the latest shadow docket outing.

The majority had a lot to say at a key voting rights hearing on Wednesday, and what they had to say seemed to foreshadow the courts latest weakening of the Voting Rights Act. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who holds a pivotal vote in the dispute from Louisiana that could benefit congressional Republicans redistricting efforts, aired his view that race-based remedies in the law must have some sort of time limit  despite the fact that theres no such limit in the law and constitutional amendments at issue.

Pretty catastrophic was how the lawyer arguing against that notion, the NAACP Legal Defense Funds Janai Nelson, described the impact if the court guts Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. That section is what remains of the act after Chief Justice John Roberts and his conservative colleagues previously invalidated another key part of the 1965 law that has been called the crown jewel of civil rights legislation. At Wednesdays hearing, Nelson said that any further neutering of Section 2 would resurrect the Fifteenth Amendment as a mere parchment promise. Yet Kavanaugh, Roberts and company might be moving the law that way.

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Trumps tariffs will be the main event when the justices retake the bench for the two-week hearing session that starts Nov. 3. The pivotal tariffs hearing will take place Nov. 5, and the president said this week that he might attend himself.

As we head into the weekend, the Trump administration wants the justices to let the president deploy the National Guard in Chicago. Lower courts have blocked the effort thus far. So even though they are off the bench until next month, we could hear from the justices on the shadow docket in this case and any other urgent disputes that arise. The court is also set to issue an order list on Monday with the latest actions on pending petitions.

Have any questions or comments for me? Please submit them on this form for a chance to be featured in the Deadline: Legal Blog and newsletter.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Be prepared to set sail on Lake Ontario!

American Cruise Lines has set up three itineraries from May through August 2026 and will take guests from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie.

The map of the itinerary from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie, with Rochester as one of the stops (Photo/American Cruise Lines)

Rochester, NY, is a stop on one of the itineraries. Other stops in NY include Syracuse, Clayton, and Buffalo before heading down to the final stop of the cruise  Cleveland, Ohio. The dates offered for 2026 on this nine-day itinerary include May 22, May 29, June 5, and August 27, with more dates offered in 2027.

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Two other itineraries are offered for a nine-day cruise on Lake Michigan and a 14-day cruise between Cleveland, Ohio, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin through Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan.

Learn more about the cruise by clicking here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
Oct. 16Meetings of the Rochester City Council will return to the city-county Government Center next week.

The meetings were temporarily held in Rochester Public Utilities community room while the shared meeting chambers underwent audiovisual and accessibility upgrades . The upgrades included new hybrid meeting technology, improved digital systems and enhanced accessibility for all participants and viewers.

While the City Council is returning for its 6 p.m. meeting Oct. 20, the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners plan to continue meeting at 2100 Campus Drive SE until the final technology installation is complete, which is expected to happen the first week in November.
ROCKY RIVER, Ohio (WJW)  A teen girl charged in Cuyahoga County juvenile court with a count of disorderly conduct after she allegedly posted a short video online that some viewed as a potential threat to President Donald Trump.

Police told the I-Team the juvenile posted a short video online, with a hip-hop song about President Trump playing in the background. Across the screen was the caption, dt you next. Police say the post was deleted a short time after it was made.

The post was made the day conservative activist Charlie Kirk was murdered.

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Share our heartbreak: Tributes pour in after Ohio trooper killed

Rocky River police released body camera video of an officer speaking to the teens mother about the post.

So obviously it would be considered a general threat on the president, the officer told the girls mother. It is what it is. Especially with what happened today, it is what it is.

The teens mother told police she had not seen the video. She said she had seen another post.

She put Charlie Kirk had been shot and then above it, she wrote, making progress,' the mother said. Thats what I saw.

Fifth measles case confirmed in central Ohio

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Rocky River investigated the matter and called the Secret Service.

The mother said her daughter is a very good kid. She said her daughter has very strong views.

Cuyahoga County prosecutors said the teen had no prior record and her case has been sent to a diversion program.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
(The Center Square)  The Moses Lake School Board might remove language about racial, ethnic and religious diversity from a policy outlining its responsibilities before a new member joins in December.

Two board positions are up for grabs on Nov. 4, with one incumbent running unopposed and two community members vying to replace school board member Ryan Coulston. The winner will begin serving their term after taking the oath of office, following the certification of election results in Grant County on Nov. 25.

Policy 1005 outlines the functions of the board, which it adopted in 2011 and revised in 2016. It starts with a pledge to act on behalf of the community to fulfill a set of responsibilities. However, those could change almost entirely in the coming weeks under a proposal to emphasize research-based standards.

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Im just bringing that to the board for consideration and review, Superintendent Carol Lewis said on Thursday. Its important that we are reviewing all these policies about the roles and functions of the school board during this critical time because we are  bringing on a new member very shortly.

Lewis said the main sections focus on responsible district governance, creating conditions for student and staff success as well as holding the district accountable for learning. The existing policy contains a short paragraph explaining the purpose of each section, which the proposal replaces with bullet points.

Instead of beginning with a commitment to fulfill the current responsibilities, the amendment focuses on following the research-based standards set by the Washington State School Directors Association.

The most notable language changes are around responsible governance. The proposal eliminates the pledge to govern within the context of racial, ethnic and religious diversity. If approved, it will focus on transparency, fairness, adopting well-researched policies, seeking diverse perspectives and more.

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Other sections emphasize setting higher standards for students, staff and the superintendent as well.

The Moses Lake School District placed Lewis predecessor on administrative leave in 2024 after staff uncovered a $20 million budget shortfall. She gave a speech on Thursday, committing to overcoming the ongoing fallout as MSLD wont start collecting a levy that voters recently passed until next year.

Any way we can earmark this so its given to the board member when they arrive? school board member Amy Breitenstein asked. This is something that wouldve been really nice to have when we first started.

Lewis said the district will share any changes with the new member and noted that the proposal will return for the boards consideration at their next meeting on Nov. 6. The board also considered amending the title of another recent measure on Thursday, pushing back on state-sponsored ideology.

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The officials passed a resolution on Oct. 2, criticizing the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The contention was around sexual health education and policies that the board thinks extend beyond biological and scientific instruction and enter into areas of ideology. The measure states that OSPI is promoting political views the board believes are inappropriate for the classroom, explicitly calling for biology-based programming. Several rural districts have taken issue with the states stance on gender.

The shift follows orders from President Donald Trump to root out diversity, equity and inclusion policies or face the loss of federal funding. More rural school districts have found themselves pitted between a rock and a hard place, hoping to fulfill the directive while also worrying about losing state resources.

The [MSLD] Board of Directors recognizes its duty to ensure that all instructional materials reflect the educational priorities, values, and expectations of the local community, according to the resolution.
By Pavel Polityuk

CHERNIHIV, Ukraine (Reuters) -Ukrainian cook Natalia Meshok leaves home at 2 a.m. for the nursery where she works, using night-time hours when power supply is more or less stable to prepare food for dozens of children.

Meshok, 59, lives and works in the northern city of Chernihiv, which has been hammered by repeated Russian drone and missile attacks on its power infrastructure in recent weeks, causing regular blackouts and disrupting daily life.

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"Completely empty and dark. It's a bit scary, but you realise you have to go because there are children here," she said, standing in a dark kitchen where pots of food rested on the stove ready to be served when the kindergarten opened.

Chernihiv was one of the first cities to feel the brunt of intensifying Russian strikes on electricity and gas facilities across Ukraine, including in the capital Kyiv where hundreds of thousands of households lost power after an Oct. 10 attack.

RUSSIA TAKES AIM AT POWER SECTOR, HEATING

Officials say the frequency and accuracy of such attacks have increased during the last two months, leading some to predict a particularly hard 2025/26 winter as the war approaches its fourth anniversary.

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"We are preparing for various scenarios, including the worst-case ones," energy minister Svitlana Hrynchuk said just before the Oct. 10 attack.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia launched 3,100 drones and 92 missiles at Ukraine in just one week starting on Oct. 6.

Russia denies targeting civilians, saying that its objective is to degrade Ukraine's military capabilities.

Meshok was glad the electricity lasted longer than the usual couple of hours that night, meaning that she and her fellow cooks managed to prepare lunch for the children - aged from 2 years and up - as well as breakfast.

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"Do you know why children are in the nursery? Because their parents are working. No one has cancelled that. They need to go to work," said Yevheniia Savchenko, director of the nursery, a municipal facility.

It had been raining in Chernihiv for almost a week when Reuters visited in early October, and the temperature in the nursery was 14 degrees Celsius (57 F). The basement, which doubles as an air raid shelter, was slightly warmer.

Savchenko said she did not know when the heating would be turned on.

In peacetime, Ukraine provided heating to state facilities in time for the so-called "heating season" that starts in mid-October when temperatures typically begin to drop.

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MANY CHILDREN KEPT AT HOME FOR WARMTH

Frequent air raid sirens mean the children at Chernihiv's kindergarten No. 72 spend much of their days in the basement, playing, singing and eating.

At one point the brightly lit space was plunged into darkness, prompting excited shouts from some of the toddlers, before a generator kicked in and the lights came back on to cheers. The generator can provide light, but not heating.

Savchenko said only about 65 children were attending the kindergarten out of a total of 170 registered there.

"As long as there is no lighting and no heat, they (some parents) try to keep the child at home, because there they can heat the room a little with gas," she said.

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HITS TO POWER GENERATION, ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION, GAS

Russia has been targeting Ukraine's energy system throughout the war, and this autumn it has hit both power generation and electricity transmission systems, as well as gas production facilities.

Earlier this month, Russian forces struck Ukraine's main gas fields, and the energy minister, Hrynchuk, said "significant" damage could force Kyiv to increase its gas imports by a third.

Ukraine, which says it does not attack civilian infrastructure, has in turn stepped up attacks on Russian oil refineries, causing a drop in oil processing and creating fuel shortages in many regions.

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During the heating season, Ukraine uses gas mainly for the centralised urban heating system that is left over from Soviet times, without which millions would be living in cold homes as temperatures outside frequently drop below freezing.

If that system is unable to function fully, the electricity supply will not be able to compensate.

Some politicians are urging city dwellers to find winter accommodation in villages where they can use direct natural gas supplies to households or wood for heating.

There have been such warnings in previous years. But this year the energy minister announced for the first time since the war began in February 2022 that the government is prepared to restrict gas supplies to the population if needed, not just electricity.

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"They want to break us, but just as Ukraine is not broken, neither are Ukrainians," Meshok said of the Russians.

"We will endure ... and we will prevail, without fail. Faith in the future is essential. Because if there is no faith in the future, then what is the point of our endeavours?"

(Reporting by Pavel PolityukEditing by Mike Collett-White and Frances Kerry)
Russia and Ukraine are not yet prepared to strike a peace agreement, although some progress has been made over the past few months, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with Newsmax on Oct. 16.

The comments came only a day before U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to host President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House to discuss U.S. support and peace efforts in Ukraine.

"As much as energetic diplomacy from the president of the United States can get people to the one-yard line, eventually you have to have the two parties who are willing to cut a deal," Vance said, lauding Trump's diplomatic efforts.

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"And right now... the Russians and the Ukrainians are just not at the point where they can make a deal."

Trump's now months-long push to broker a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow yielded little result, as Russia continues to escalate strikes against Ukrainian cities and rejects a ceasefire.

According to Vance, there is "fundamental misalignment of expectations, where the Russians tend to think that they're doing better on the battlefield than they actually are."

The vice president also noted that while tariffs can be effective in influencing Russian behavior, sanctions do not "work particularly well."

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Ukraine has said that peace can be achieved only through increased pressure on Russia through sanctions and defense support.

Zelensky is expected to discuss a potential delivery of Tomahawk missiles during his meeting with Trump, but the outcome seems uncertain after the unexpected phone call between the U.S. president and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 16.

Putin reportedly warned Trump that Tomahawk deliveries would damage Russia-U.S. relations, and the two leaders agreed to meet in Budapest in the coming weeks.

The Trump administration said earlier this week that it is ready to fund Ukraine through new heavy tariffs on China  provided that European allies take similar measures.

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Trump has also imposed a 50% tariff on India over its purchases of Russian energy, and later claimed New Delhi plans to halt Russian oil imports.

Read also: What to expect from Zelensky-Trump meeting as Ukraine hopes for Tomahawks

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Fifteen Ukrainian prisoners of war have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 to 21 years in a strict-regime penal colony by the Yuzhny District Military Court in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.

Source: Current Time and Mediazona, Russian media outlets

Details: The Russian authorities have accused the Ukrainian servicemen of "participation in a terrorist organisation", "violent seizure of power" and "training for terrorist purposes".

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The charges against each of the defendants were based solely on their service in Ukraine's Aidar battalion, without any specific allegations of war crimes.The court issued the following sentences:

Vitalii Hruzynov, Roman Nedostup and Serhii Kalynchenko  21 years each in a strict-regime penal colony

Mykola Chupryna, Taras Radchenko, Semen Zabairachnyi, Serhii Nikitiuk, Oleksandr Taranets and Vladyslav Yermolynskyi  20 years each

Volodymyr Makarenko and IIhor Haiokha  18 years each

Andrii Sholik, Vitalii Krokhalov and Viacheslav Baidiuk  16 years each

Dmytro Fedchenko  15 years

Two female medics, Liliia Prutian and Maryna Mishchenko, were also named in the case but have since returned to Ukraine as part of a prisoner exchange. The charges against them have been separated into a different proceeding.

The Ukrainian prisoners of war told the court that they were tortured during the investigation in the territory of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic. In October 2024, the court closed the hearings to the public, citing the "sensitive nature" of the case and "threats to the participants".

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One of the Russian defence lawyers has said the trial of the Aidar fighters violates international law. The lawyers have reportedly faced serious obstacles in their work, including restricted access to their clients, undermining the principles of a fair trial.

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Russian troops, having looted the Kherson Local History Museum, have continued to destroy it, and a third of the building has now been reduced to rubble.

Source: Kherson Local History Museum on Facebook

Details: Museum staff said that Russian forces have been deliberately striking the building for the past three weeks.

Quote: "This unique centre of history and memory of Ukraine's south has suffered extensive damage  a third of the building has been completely destroyed, the roof has been pierced and the walls have been damaged.

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What Russia brazenly called 'its cultural heritage' yesterday, today it is mercilessly erasing from the face of the earth  deliberately, systematically and methodically."

More details: The museum has urged the international community to do everything possible to prevent the destruction of historical sites in Kherson.

The aftermath of Russian attacks on the Kherson Local History Museum.

The aftermath of Russian attacks on the Kherson Local History Museum.

Photo: Kherson Local History Museum

When retreating from Kherson in October 2022, Russian troops looted the region's two largest museums  the Local History Museum and the Art Museum. Overall, the occupying forces stole at least 20,000 exhibits.

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From the Local History Museum, they took items that are highly valued on the black market for archaeology and among private collectors  rare archaeological artefacts from antiquity, weapons and coins, as well as Sarmatian jewellery, medals and orders from the Soviet and Russian imperial periods, 18th-19th-century antique furniture, icons and paintings.

Part of the collection stolen by Russian troops from the Kherson Local History Museum was taken to occupied Henichesk in Kherson Oblast.

Before the occupation, the museum held more than 180,000 exhibits. Among the most valuable stolen items were the Golden Room with Scythian gold and silver, the lapidarium containing samples of ancient writing, and the weapons collection established by the museum's founder, archaeologist Viktor Gashkevych.

At the end of October 2022, the museum's then-director, Tetiana Bratchenko, was charged with treason. According to the website of Ukraine's Office of the Prosecutor General, she was suspected of voluntarily organising and conducting political events, participating in Russian media activities and cooperating with the local Moscow-backed occupation administration.

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In May 2025, the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine upheld a claim by Ukraine's Ministry of Justice to impose sanctions on Bratchenko, who, according to Kherson residents, had literally handed over museum valuables to the Russian occupying forces.

However, museum staff have disagreed with the accusations and sanctions, noting that before leaving for Russian territory, Bratchenko had ordered the most valuable items to be removed from display cases and placed in the museum's storage facilities.

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Russian air defence has shot down its own aircraft over occupied Crimea while attempting to repel a Ukrainian drone attack on the night of 16-17 October.

Source: Ukraine's Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk on the Apostrof, a Ukrainian news YouTube channel

Quote: "They were so eager to repel Ukrainian attacks that they ended up shooting down their own aircraft over Crimea today. The fight goes on."

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Details: Pletenchuk did not specify the model of the aircraft. Social media channels suggest that Russian forces have downed a Su-30SM fighter jet.

Ukraine's Navy spokesperson also said that another oil depot in Russia-occupied Crimea has caught fire.

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Russian forces have attacked the city of Kryvyi Rih with drones, damaging energy infrastructure and an industrial facility.

Source: Yevhen Sytnychenko, Head of Kryvyi Rih District Military Administration; State Emergency Service of Ukraine; Mykola Lukashuk, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Council

Firefighter extinguishing the fire.

Firefighter extinguishing the fire.

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Quote from Sytnychenko: "Russian terrorists [military forces  ed.] attacked the territory of the Kryvyi Rih district overnight, specifically the city of Kryvyi Rih, with UAVs. A fire broke out at an industrial facility as a result. Energy infrastructure was damaged."

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Details: The State Emergency Service added that 86 firefighters and 28 fire appliances had been involved in dealing with the aftermath of the attack.

Lukashuk wrote that air defenders had destroyed 22 Russian drones over the oblast.

A building damaged in the Russian strike.

A building damaged in the Russian strike.

Photo: Mykola Lukashuk on Telegram

He also added that the Russians had attacked the Nikopol district with artillery and drones during the evening and night. Two women, aged 69 and 89, were injured in the Pokrovske hromada. They will be recovering at home. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.]

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"In total, three high-rise buildings, four houses and three cars were damaged in the district," Lukashuk reported.

Shattered windows.

Shattered windows.

Photo: Mykola Lukashuk on Telegram

Background: On the night of 16-17 October, Russian forces conducted a large-scale attack on Kryvyi Rih with Shahed drones. Over 10 explosions were heard in the city.

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A serviceman in a Russian military unit in Moscow Oblast fatally shot a contract soldier, wounded several others, and then took his own life.

Source: Russian outlet Izvestia, citing the press service of the Moscow Military District

Quote from the press service: "On the night of 16-17 October, at a military unit in Moscow Oblast, a serviceman, while on duty at an observation post, violated firearm handling rules and fatally wounded a contract serviceman."

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Details: A commission from the Russian Aerospace Forces' Command is working at the scene.

According to Izvestia's sources, the incident occurred at a military unit in the Naro-Fominsk district of Moscow Oblast. Russian media report that five people in total were affected.

One of the wounded reportedly called his mother to tell her about the shooting, prompting her to contact medics and the police.

Another soldier with severe injuries has been taken to hospital.

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Russian soldiers were handcuffed to trees and left to die after defying orders to advance into Ukrainian territory, video footage recorded near the front line claims.

The four soldiers, abandoned without food or water, were found by Ukrainian troops in the strategically vital zone near Lyman, which separates the opposing sides in Donetsk.

It is understood the group had been abandoned by their commanders because they refused to advance again after the remainder of their unit was killed attempting to gain ground.

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The area around Lyman, north-east of Sloviansk, is a critical stretch of land that serves as a gateway to both the Donbas interior and the northern approaches to Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

Fighting in the area has been fierce since Ukraines counter-offensive recaptured Lyman in late 2022.

A man speaking in the video, identified as Ilya Sergeyevich Gorkov of Russias 36th Motorised Rifle Regiment, claimed his group had been left for four days.

Speaking with his arms tied around a tree trunk, he said they had been abandoned with no food, no water, nothing, and they wont take us anywhere to the toilet.

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This is not the first time Russian soldiers have been seen punishing fellow troops by abandoning them between the front lines. In February 2025 footage circulated on social media showing Kremlin forces tying up their fellow soldiers in areas that were exposed to Ukrainian strikes.

Credit: 60th Mechanized Brigade

Youll die by drone or artillery fire

In the most recent incident the group were allegedly told youll die here under a kamikaze [drone] or under artillery fire, according to Ukrainian war bloggers.

It is thought that Mr Gorkov began his fourth deployment to Ukraine in April 2025 as a crew member on a TOS-1A Solntsepyok thermobaric rocket launcher.

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He was later reassigned to the infantry and placed in an assault detachment of the 36th Motorised Rifle Regiment in the Lyman area.

War bloggers have reported Mr Gorkovs mother said his unit was almost wiped out on a mission to take a Ukrainian-held settlement.

When four survivors returned, their commander ordered them to attempt the mission again. The men refused and were then reportedly tied with their arms wrapped around trees.

Russian forces, including elements of the 20th Combined Arms Army and airborne units, have been trying to push westward in Lyman to regain lost ground.

Analysts describe the area as attritional and static, with Russia attempting small-scale assaults because of manpower shortages and Ukraine conducting limited counter-raids to exhaust Russian logistics.

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Control of Lyman affects both sides ability to manoeuvre in the northern Donbas and secure supply routes linking Svatove, Kreminna and Sloviansk.

According to Western intelligence, Russia has moved to build up its troops in the area despite suffering heavy losses.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former British Army colonel and chemical weapons expert, told The Telegraph: This has been a key objective for Russia, and they have been trying to take Pokrovsk for many months. Hitherto, they have suffered huge casualties.

He added: Earlier this week, there were some reports of a large Russian tank assault, but this appears to have been beaten back with huge Russian casualties.

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Ukraine has heavily fortified the region with layers of defences and artillery positions, using the surrounding forests and river networks for cover.

Some ground has been lost, but usually Ukraine counter-attacks and regains, said Mr de Bretton-Gordon.

If Russia did break through here, it would be a massive psychological blow to Ukraine, as they have invested so much effort and blood to hold this region.

The video footage marks the latest evidence of Russias mistreatment of its forces.

Earlier this month, The Telegraph revealed that Russia has formed units of soldiers infected with HIV, hepatitis and other diseases and sent them into battle.

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Ukrainian military experts shared evidence that soldiers in these units wear armbands marking them out as sick, and have been seen on the front lines around Pokrovsk.

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People in Russia and Ukraine on Friday hoped for progress but anticipated no major breakthrough on ending their war at an upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

The two leaders agreed in a phone call Thursday to meet in Budapest, Hungary, in the coming weeks, according to Trump, who was scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House later Friday.

When (Trump and Putin) meet, I dont think anything will be achieved quickly, 36-year-old Moscow resident Artyom Kondratov told The Associated Press.

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At a previous Trump-Putin summit in Alaska in August, Putin didnt budge from his demands and has raised objections about some key aspects of U.S.-led peace efforts. Three rounds of direct peace talks in Istanbul yielded no major breakthroughs.

There will be some progress (in Hungary), yes, again, regarding prisoner exchanges and the return of children from both sides, but Im sure there wont be any concrete action in the coming days, Kondratov said.

Another Moscow resident, 58-year-old Alexander Fedotov, reckoned Trumps peacemaking efforts could bear fruit.

Trump isnt going to Europe for nothing. Its a big trip for him after all, he said. I think there will be progress.

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More than three years after Russias full-scale invasion of its neighbor began and more than 10 years after it seized Ukraine's Crimea peninsula, many are weary of the war.

I wish everyone well and peace. Were all waiting for this, all Russians want it, 55-year-old Svetlana, who didnt give her last name, said in Sevastopol, Crimeas largest city.

The mood in Kyiv was less hopeful.

There are no expectations from any of these meetings, because the previous meetings showed that they are not productive, Marichka Fartushna, an army medic, told the AP.

Trump has clearly shown his position. He is not for Ukraine, she said.

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Ukrainian veteran Ivan Balatskyi said that amid the intense diplomatic maneuvering he expects the U.S. to stand by Ukraine.

We showed the whole world that we can fight and we are ready to fight until the end, he said. And we expect support from our friends, Americans, from the American people.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
SAC CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  Sac City will be electing a dog as an honorary mayor to help raise funds for a new dog park.

I firmly believe if it cant be fun, it shouldnt be done, Barbara Rench, team captain of the Bark Park, said.

According to the Sac City ordinance code, dogs are not allowed to run without a leash.

People that do let their dogs run freely are kind of taking a chance with that. Were hoping this is a safe place for dogs to run freely, said Sac City Parks and Recreation Board Member, Curtis Bloes.

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Story continues below

And thats when the team captain of Bark Park, Barbara Rench, got the idea from a friend to elect a dog for mayor to help raise funds for a park.

Somebody suggested we have a dog for mayor. Honorary. Of course. And so we did some research on it. And decided it would be fun and would be a positive deal, said Rench.

After Rench teamed up with the city to secure the plot of land, they started offering various ways for people to donate. The funds needed to build the dog park are around $32,000, but the current total is $16,000. Rench said that once the funds are secured, the park will have everything dogs and humans need, such as water fountains, fences to separate small and larger dogs, trees, benches, waste stations, and a sponsorship memorial wall.

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Were doing it in phases, Rench said. Phase one is the fence, and were getting closer. We have several grants out there now, were waiting to hear about. So hopefully were getting closer.

For your furry friend to be nominated and have a chance at this role, there are a few ground rules to follow.

The dogs have to be caught up on their vaccinations, Rench said. We need a picture and we need a short essay about why you think your dog would be a pawsitive influence in our community.

And, if elected, what will the honorary mayor of Sac City do for the residents?

The dog can go to the school and visit the children and school, said Rench. They can go to ribbon cuttings, they can be in parades, they can go visit people anywhere, the nursing homes, just kind of be out there in the community.

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And as a mayor, Im hoping once he gets elected in, then anybody that has a bark with the city could be directed to the new bark mayor, said Sac City Mayor Scott Bundt.

October 16 was the final day to nominate your furry friend for mayor. Voting will take place from October 26 to November 4. While the inauguration date has not yet been determined, the selection of the dog mayor will take place on November 5.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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(FOX40.COM)  An investigation is underway after a person was fatally shot in Meadowview on Thursday night, according to the Sacramento Police Department.

The Sacramento Police Department responded to a shooting in Meadowview on Oct. 16, 2025./FOX40

Around 9:30 p.m., SPD responded to reports of a shooting in the 2400 block of Meadowview Road. When officers arrived at the scene, they found a victim with at least one gunshot wound. Despite life-saving measures, the victim was pronounced dead.

Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
(FOX40.COM)  The Sacramento Police Department was asking for the publics help to find a teen girl who was reported missing.

 Video Above: What should you do if someone you love goes missing?

Johana Orellana, 15, is described as being 5 feet 6 inches tall, 112 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen at around 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday in the 700 block of Ashwick Loop.

Johana Orellana, 15, was reported missing from Sacramento./SPD

Update: The Sacramento Police Department reported on Oct. 17 that Orellana has been safely located.

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Sacramento County health inspectors closed a diner, two grocery stores and other local eateries due to cockroaches, rodent droppings and other food safety violations.

In addition, inspectors gave yellow placards to a total of 17 food-serving facilities for issues ranging from leaky faucets to improperly stored raw meat.

While a yellow placard signals two or more major violations, these are typically corrected or mitigated during the inspection, according to the Sacramento County Food Inspection Guide.

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A red placard, however, signals imminent danger to public health and safety and suspends the health permit until violations are corrected. This could include, but is not limited to, major vermin contamination.

In contrast, a green placard means a restaurant passed inspection. The county performs about 14,000 inspections annually, with 97% of establishments passing, spokesman Ken Casparis previously told The Sacramento Bee.

Approximately 1% of inspections result in a closure, he said. The Bee publishes weekly updates on health inspections across Sacramento County.

There were the results of Sacramento County food facility inspections for Thursday, Oct. 9, through Wednesday, Oct. 15, as of Thursday, Oct. 16.

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If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email The Sacramento Bee at servicejournalists@sacbee.com.

Sacramento diner closed multiple times for cockroaches

Mr. Perrys, 7820 Alta Valley Drive in Sacramento, had two violations on Thursday, Oct. 9.

After closing Mr. Perrys for cockroaches, improperly stored food and other violations on Wednesday, Oct. 8, Sacramento County health inspectors visited the Sacramento diner the following day.

That Thursday, Oct. 9, reinspection resulted in the restaurants second shutdown in two days.

Health inspectors discovered 77 dead German cockroaches as well as six live cockroaches and two dying roaches in various areas, including near the water heater room and on and in the dry food storage room.

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Inspectors also saw debris on ice inside the ice compartment at the dessert bar.

Mr. Perrys was resinspected on Friday, Oct. 10, then underwent another inspection on Saturday, Oct. 11  receiving red placards both times for repeat violations.

The restaurant was inspected for a fifth time on Sunday, Oct. 12, and passed with a green placard.

As of Thursday evening, cafe representatives were not available for comment.

Nearly 100 rodent droppings shut down convenience store

Tonys Market, 4011 West Nichols Ave. in Sacramento, had eight violations on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

Health inspectors shut down the convenience store after finding approximately 92 rodent droppings on a bottom shelf behind the candy from Big Cherry to Starburst, the Oct. 14 report said.

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Inspectors found six more rodent droppings near the candy shelf and behind the cookies on a bottom shelf.

There were gnaw marks on a chocolate bar on the floor, and a bag of peanuts under the hard candy shelf had been gnawed open.

The consumer self-serve microwave had food debris.

The water temperature at the mop sink measured outside of proper temperatures.

A bag of onions was stored on the floor in the back room.

The fan grates in the walk-in cooler were dusty, and the walk-in freezer evaporator lacked part covers.

A four-door cooler by the stairs was draining into a plastic container.

A cardboard container was being reused for refuse disposal in the restroom.

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Tonys Market was reinspected on Wednesday, Oct. 15, and passed with a green placard.

The Bee reached out to Tonys Market for comment on Thursday, Oct. 16, but the market didnt have a manager on site.

Seafood market closed due to cockroaches

Seafood City Supermarket, 6051 Mack Road in Sacramento, had 11 violations on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

Health inspectors shut down the Filipino grocery store after discovering about 30 live German cockroaches and more than 20 dead roaches under the three-compartment sink, at the trash bin area of the kitchen entrance and other areas.

Containers of cooked eggs and shrimp were on the counter by the steam table.

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Rain water from the ceiling was dripping directly on the counter and splashed on an open container of starch water, according to the Oct. 14 report.

The paper towels dispenser for the handwashing sink was barely dispensing paper towels.

There was a gap between the ventilation hood unit filters at the front of the service grill.

Seafood City was reinspected on Wednesday, Oct. 15, and received an additional red placard for vermin.

The market was reinspected on Thursday, Oct. 16, and passed with a green placard.

The Bee reached out to the Seafood City for comment on Thursday, Oct. 16, but the market didnt have a manager on site.

Rodent droppings, mold close Carmichael grocery store

Sana Market and Bakery, 6451 Fair Oaks Blvd. in Carmichael, had 19 violations on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

The Carmichael grocery store and bakery received a red placard after health inspectors discovered 73 rodent droppings in areas including a shelf next to the restroom, the corners of an unapproved ice cream preparation area and retail sales dishes.

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Various dairy and sausages measured outside of proper holding temperatures.

Inspectors found several moldy tomatoes and red peppers at the produce area.

An unapproved fly zapper was installed on a shelf above the meat prep table.

Several boxes with dry food were stored on the floor at the retail area.

Several employees lacked knowledge of proper food safety procedures including handwashing, food storage and warewashing.

The facility was missing a copy of the food mangers certificate. This was a repeat violation.

An employee was observed drinking a beverage at the kitchen from an unapproved cup and placing it on the food prep table between sips.

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Sana Market and Bakery was reinspected on Thursday, Oct. 16, and passed with a green placard.

The Bee reached out to Sana Market and Bakery for comment on Thursday, Oct. 16, but the bakery didnt have a manager on site.

Curtis Park deli closed due to lack of hot water

Curtis Park Market Deli, 2703 24th St. in Sacramento, was closed on Thursday, Oct. 9.

Health inspectors shut down the Sacramento bottle shop and deli due to insufficient hot water, the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department said on its website.

No official report of the inspection was available online. Curtis Park Market Deli reopened on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

The Bee reached out to Curtis Park Market Deli for comment on Thursday, Oct. 16, but the market didnt have a manager on site.

Sizzler had ice-covered bacon, leaky faucet

Sizzler, 5815 Madison Ave. in Sacramento, had nine violations on Thursday, Oct. 9.

Health inspectors gave the chain steakhouse a yellow placard after corn dogs, fried chicken and grilled chicken measured outside of the temperature range considered safe.

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Food items inside the three-door upright cooler and freezer needed to be covered.

Packages with bacon were stored below the condenser unit inside the walk-in freezer, resulting in condensation ice buildup on top. Inspectors also found ice buildup on the shelf under the condenser unit.

An open container with sliced lemons was improperly stored at the customer self-service area.

Plates were stored in the customer self-service area without a proper sneeze guard.

The faucet at the three-compartment sink was actively leaking water, the Oct. 9 report said.

There was grease buildup on the floor under the deep fryer and stove, a repeat violation.

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Inspectors found broken floor tiles near the cooks entry area near the handwashing station.

Sizzler was reinspected on Friday, Oct. 10, and passed with a green placard.

Mexican restaurant, European grocery store cited

Taco Exxpress No. 1, 6368 Power Inn Road in Sacramento, had 12 violations on Thursday, Oct. 9.

Health inspectors cited the Sacramento Mexican restaurant after discovering that six employees food handler cards had expired.

Cooked onions, peppers, chicken, ground beef and shredded beef were at improper holding temperatures.

Two big containers of par-cooked potato strips were past their expiration time. An employee threw the potato strips in the garbage.

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A container of diced onion was nested on shredded lettuce on the cold top of the reach-in cooler, and there was a bucket of food stored on the floor inside the walk-in freezer.

Inspectors found food debris on a can opener and knives stored above the prep table next to the office.

Old food, debris and grease had accumulated in several areas, including inside the floor sink under the soda machine, on the racks inside the walk-in cooler and on the floor inside the cooler and side storage room. Drain pipes beneath the soda machine lacked a minimum 1-inch air gap.

The back screen door was propped open, and there was a 1-inch gap under one corner. In addition, the door didnt self-close.

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The drive-thru window didnt close all the way, leaving a 2-inch gap that could allow animals, birds, and vermin to enter, the report said.

Taco Exxpress passed reinspection on Friday, Oct. 10, and received a green placard.

Teremok Grocery Store, 5519 Hemlock St. in Sacramento, had 21 violations on Thursday, Oct. 9.

The Eastern European grocery store, bakery and grill received a yellow placard after inspectors found two flies in the meat preparation area.

The back screen door was left open and there were openings in the screen.

Inspectors deemed fried fish, crepes, stuffed peppers and other foods unfit for human consumption because they didnt have time controls. The foods were voluntarily discarded.

A large tub with raw lamb stored on the countertop of the meat prep area and boxes of cheese in a cargo cooler measured outside the temperature range considered safe.

Inside the kitchens upright three-door cooler, raw chicken was improperly stored above a poppyseed mixture and raw eggs were stored above soup. In addition, chicken dumplings were stored above beef and lamb dumplings in a retail freezer.

There was an unlabeled spray bottle with liquid residue stored at the food prep area and under a three-compartment sink.

Packaged wafers, yeast and candies in the retail area didnt have labels listing the facility name, address and ingredient list.

There was no soap at the meat prep handwashing station, and toilet paper was stored outside of the dispenser inside the customer side restroom.

Inspectors found a water bottle with an unapproved screw-top lid and an open coffee cup stored in the kitchen on a shelf above the food prep area, as well as several unapproved beverages on prep tables and countertops.

In addition, employees personal food and beverages were stored on top shelves inside the upright freezer and reach-in cooler.

There was debris buildup on the floor beneath all upright coolers.

The manager didnt have a food safety manager certificate available for review. However, he told inspectors that hes in the process of taking a class and is almost done. Teremok Grocery Store was reinspected on Friday, Oct. 10, and was given an additional yellow placard for repeat violations.

The market was inspected another time on Saturday, Oct. 11, and passed with a green placard.

Chinese restaurant, boba tea shop get yellow placards

Asian Pearl Restaurant, 6821 Stockton Blvd., Suite 165, in Sacramento, had one violation on Thursday, Oct. 9.

Health inspectors gave the Sacramento Chinese restaurant a yellow placard following a reinspection.

Several potentially hazardous foods measured outside of the temperature range considered safe, including chicken wings, raw shrimp, raw pork and sauce for roast duck.

The restaurant underwent another inspection on Friday, Oct. 10, and passed with a green placard.

T4 Tea For U, 1048 Florin Road in Sacramento, had two violations on Thursday, Oct. 9.

The boba tea shop was cited by health inspectors after tea eggs measured at improper holding temperatures.

There was an improper twist-off personal water bottle in the food preparation area.

T4 Tea For U was reinspected on Friday, Oct. 10, and passed with a green placard.

Restaurant at Sacramento airport had roaches, unsafe food

Aviators Restaurant, 6151 Freeport Blvd., Suite 125, in Sacramento, had 14 violations on Thursday, Oct. 9.

Health inspectors gave the aviation-themed restaurant at Sacramento Executive Airport a yellow placard after cooked chicken, diced tomatoes, potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, ham, whipped butter and pancake batter measured at improper holding temperatures.

Vegetable soup was also outside the temperature range considered safe.

Whole steaks were in contact with ground beef in a cold drawer, and raw chicken was stored above raw vegetables in the walk-in cooler.

Personal drinks were found in the food preparation area.

About 10 dead and dying Turkestan cockroaches were found in multiple glue traps throughout the facility.

The walk-in freezer was cluttered with food items on the floor.

Aviators Restaurant was reinspected on Friday, Oct. 10, and received a green placard.

Local grocery store, soul food restaurant cited

Sultan International Market, 4132 Manzanita Ave., Suite 100, in Carmichael, had 24 violations on Friday, Oct. 10.

Health inspectors gave the market a yellow placard after spotting five flies throughout the facilty.

About 26 pounds of Greek feta cheese, Gurut dairy, white cheese, two dozen eggs, goat cheese and 16 packages of string cheese were outside of proper holding temperatures.

The warewash area lacked chlorine.

Two containers of labne had been obtained from an unapproved source.

Restrooms lacked toilet paper or paper towels.

The facilitys manager was not knowledgeable on the proper methods to clean and sanitize the meat saw and grinder.

The facility lacked staff with a valid food safety certificates or food handler cards.

Unapproved open beverage cups and other personal beverages and food were stored on the preparation table.

Raw meat was stored on unclean storage racks in the walk-in cooler, while containers of cooked dumplings and dumpling filling were stored on the floor.

The facilitys prep sink lacked hot and cold water.

Sultan International Market was reinspected on Tuesday, Oct. 14, and passed with a green placard.

J Spot Kitchen, 3173 Marysville Blvd. in Sacramento, had nine violations on Friday, Oct. 10.

Health inspectors cited the soul food restaurant after discovering that the kitchen handwashing sink was blocked with multiple plastic buckets in the sink basin.

Fried chicken wings and macaroni and cheese were outside of proper holding temperatures.

The facility had no valid food safety certificate available at the time of inspection.

A rice paddle was stored in an unsanitary manner directly under the rice cooker lid.

Fish, sausage and chicken were improperly thawing at the prep sink.

Shelled eggs were stored above ready-to-eat foods in the two-door front-display upright refrigerator.

Health inspectors found a pot with beef on the restaurants floor.

There was oil and grease accumulation on the side of the stove, according to the Oct. 10 report.

Health inspectors also observed an unapproved non-commercial rice cooker.

J Spot Kitchen was reinspected on Tuesday, Oct. 14, and passed with a green placard.

Folsom doughnut shop stored chemicals near food

BJ Cinnamon Bakery and Donuts, 402 East Bidwell St. in Folsom, had 21 violations on Friday, Oct. 10.

Health inspectors cited the doughnut shop after finding no indication of the use of Time as a Public Health Control for hot dog rolls and ham-and-cheese croissants.

Inspectors observed an employee skipping the sanitation step during manual warewashing of dishes.

There were two expired California food handler cards.

An employee was seen eating in the food preparation area.

The paper towel dispenser was not available inside the restroom. This was a repeat violation.

Sliced tomatoes measured outside of proper holding temperatures.

The scoop handle inside the ice machine was in contact with the ice.

Five flies were observed inside the facility around the preparation area.

A chemical spray bottle was stored on the shelf above the food preparation area, and several spray bottles on and above the prep area lacked labels.

BJ Cinnamon Bakery and Donuts was reinspected on Saturday, Oct. 11, and passed with a green placard.

Fruit flies and spider webs at Sacramento Mexican restaurant

La Terraza, 1027 Second St. in Sacramento, had 14 violations on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

The Mexican restaurant received a yellow placard after health inspectors found approximately six fruit flies in the bar area. This was a repeat violation.

A container of chips without the lid was stored below the cooks line paper towel dispenser.

An unlabeled chemical spray bottle was under the shelf next to the cooks line handwashing sink.

Health inspectors observed debris and spider webs under the bar equipment, the Oct. 14 report said.

There were unclean utensils in the bus tub and a tortilla press next to the prep area.

One of the two stalls in the mens restroom was out of toilet paper, and there was a leak under the restrooms handwashing sink.

La Terraza was reinspected on Wednesday, Oct. 15, and passed with a green placard.

Elk Grove Chinese restaurant had expired food handler cards

NJoy Chinese Cafe, 7520 Elk Grove Blvd., Suite 130, in Elk Grove, had eight violations on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

Health inspectors cited the Chinese restaurant after finding congee rice at improper holding temperatures.

Soap and suds were on a drain board where a big bowl of fried tofu was draining, according to the Oct. 14 report.

Approximately 10 California food handler cards were expired.

An employees beverage without a lid or straw was stored on the prep table.

Fried pork and fried chicken were tightly covered in a plastic tub inside the reach-in cooler.

Several food containers in the reach-in cooler and walk-in cooler were open or missing lids.

Metal racks, fan guards and floor in the walk-in cooler had medium-to-heavy old food debris, residue accumulation and mold growth, the report said.

There was insufficient lighting in the walk-in refrigerator.

N Joy Chinese Cafe passed reinspection on Wednesday, Oct. 15, with a green placard.

Sushi restaurant had old debris and grease buildup

Cajun and Sushi House, 2921 Elverta Road in Antelope, had 14 violations on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

The fusion restaurant received a yellow placard after health inspectors watched an employee fail to remove gloves after handling raw meat.

The restaurant had no soap available at the handwashing sink in the kitchen. This was a repeat violation.

Boiled potatoes, cooked shrimp, beef, chicken, sausage, mussels and noodles were held at improper holding temperatures, another repeat violation.

The restaurants employees lacked knowledge on food safety procedures.

Bulk dry food items were stored uncovered in the dry storage area.

Food items were found stored on the floor in the walk-in refrigerator and walk-in freezer.

Health inspectors observed old debris and grease buildup on the floor under the wok and fryers, according to the Oct. 15 report.

Cajun and Sushi House had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Oct. 16.

Sellands Market Cafe, 5340 H St. in Sacramento, had five violations on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

Health inspectors gave the local cafe a yellow placard due to an empty paper towel dispenser and other food safety violations.

The cafes in-house ranch was in a half-filled ice bath. Ice baths must be filled when cooling food.

A tin cutter blade had old food debris on it, according to the Oct. 15 report.

A box of crispy onions was stored directly on the floor.

Health inspectors observed old food debris between the gasket of the glass-door refrigerator.

Sellands Market Cafe had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Oct. 16.

Water shut off at sinks at Sacramento hotel

Governors Inn Hotel, 210 Richards Blvd. in Sacramento, had seven violations on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

Health inspectors cited the Sacramento hotel after discovering that the soap dispenser wsa not working for the handwashing sink.

Milk in a carafe at the self-service area was outside of the temperature range considered safe.

No sanitizer was available for use inside the warewash room.

The water was shut off for the handwash sink and the three-compartment sink inside the warewash room.

An employee told inspectors that he shut off the water inside the warewash room the previous week to fix the spigot, according to the Oct. 15 report.

Two employees working in the hotels kitchen did not have their food handler cards.

The hotels chlorine sanitizer test stripes had expired.

The ambient temperature of the hotels counter refrigerator was too warm.

The Governors Inn Hotel had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Oct. 16.

Old droppings found at Asian cafe

Asian Cafe, 2827 Norwood Ave. in Sacramento, had 13 violations on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

Health inspectors gave the cafe a yellow placard after raw shrimp and an unattended basket of beef measured outside of proper holding temperatures.

An employee washing a stir-fry wok at the three-compartment sink skipped the sanitation step.

Inspectors found several old droppings at the rear of the cafe under the dry storage rack and under the three-compartment sink near the back wall, according to the Oct. 15 report.

No other signs of an active vermin infestation were found at the cafe, the report said.

The facility did not have a manager certificate available at the time of inspection.

In addition, there were no food handler cards present for the employees. This was a repeat violation.

An employees drink was on the prep table.

Asian Cafe had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Oct. 16.

Sacramento Mexican restaurant, Folsom gyro shop cited

Adalbertos Mexican Food, 3101 Marysville Blvd. in Sacramento, had 13 violations on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

The chain Mexican restaurant received a yellow placard after improperly storing meat and keeping potentially hazardous foods at unsafe temperatures.

Raw meats were stored above ham and cheese in a prep cooler, while raw ground beef was stored in the same container as packaged ham and shredded pork in a walk-in refrigerator.

Raw beef, raw chicken and shredded beef with vegetables measured outside of the temperature range considered safe.

The ambient temperature of the raw meat walk-in was too warm.

The restaurants pest monitoring trap on a shelf had a couple of dead cockroaches, but this was not considered a major violation.

A bus tub of eight pounds of beef had to be thrown away after the meat did not cool down to the proper temperature in the appropriate time frame.

An employees open cup of coffee was spotted on a shelf above a cold top unit.

Self-serve stations with chips and salsa did not have proper sneeze guards or covers for protecting the food.

An employee reportedly washed and dried a container but did not sanitize it. Employees did not know how to find or use sanitizer test strips, the report said.

A menu that included options for undercooked eggs did not have the proper consumer advisory statement and disclosure. This was a repeat violation.

Adalbertos Mexican Food had not been reinspected as of Thursday afternoon.

Prime Gyro & Grills, 704 East Bidwell St., Suite 1, in Folsom, had 11 violations on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

Health inspectors cited the halal Mediterranean restaurant for keeping cooking utensils in unsafe locations and having unapproved equipment.

Knives were reportedly being stored between an electrical conduit and a wall covering.

Two of the restaurants three fryers were not approved for use by the county and they did not have the required fire suppression materials.

Chicken in a steam table and gyro meat on the vertical rotisserie, both potentially hazardous foods, measured at temperatures outside the range considered safe.

A mop was found stored inside a bucket filled with gray-colored water.

Hand sinks in the front service and ware wash areas could not be used. The front sink was blocked by waste and the ware wash sink was disconnected from the drain pipe.

Door seals on a reach-in refrigerator were observed splitting, and a wall next to a prep sink had large holes and water damage.

The restaurant reportedly did not have a food safety certified manager and records of employee food handler cards were not maintained.

Prime Gyro & Grills had not been reinspected as of Thursday afternoon.

What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
(FOX40.COM)  As the government shutdown continues, many are taking to the streets on Saturday to share their opinion on the U.S. government for the No Kings protest.

According to the No Kings organization, the term and the movement come from the notion that America has No King.

Video Above: Thousands gathered at the state Capitol, for the No Kings anti-Trump protest (June 14)

Around 2,000 demonstrations are expected to be held across the nation, including major cities like New York, Los Angeles and the state capitol, Sacramento, according to The Hill.

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Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and bigger. NO KINGS is more than just a slogan; it is the foundation our nation was built upon, the organization said. Born in the streets, shouted by millions, carried on posters and chants, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.

Saturdays protest will also consist of a demonstration outside of the National Capitol in Washington D.C., a difference from the last protest on June 14, which is President Donald Trumps birthday. The Hill stated that protesters were not allowed at the capitol as Trump said anyone protesting against the military parade would be met with very big force.

Protestors in Sacramento will have a parade to the protest beginning at 9 a.m. from Sutters Fort to the State Capitol.

The protest will take place at 10 a.m. on the west steps and end at noon.

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Roseville will also have a protest from 10 a.m. to noon at the Roseville Galleria.

The No Kings organization reminded the community that they are committed to non-violent action.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
Convicted killer Maxwell Anderson must pay $92,896.09 in restitution to the family of Sade Carleena Robinson, the Milwaukee woman he killed and mutilated last year during a first date.

During a hearing on Oct. 16, Circuit Court Judge Laura Crivello ordered restitution of $36,583.71 for Robinson's mother, Sheena Scarbrough; $17,576.52 for Robinson's father, Carlos Robinson, to cover out-of-state travel for the trial; and $775 for Robinson's sister, Adrianna Robinson.

Anderson, who attended the hearing via Zoom, also must pay $37,960.86 to the Victim Crime Compensation Fund, which recover medical costs, funeral expenses and other losses resulting from a crime.

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A jury found Anderson, 34, guilty on June 6 of first-degree intentional homicide, as well as other charges, in the slaying and dismemberment last year of the 19-year-old.

Assistant District Attorney Ian Vance Curzan filed forms in July seeking restitution in the case.

Among his filings were receipts detailing expenses spent by the state for travel for members of Robinson's family who live out of state to attend Anderson's two-week trial.

Jason Findling asked the judge to consider Anderson's inability to pay, arguing his client's life sentence will not give him great earning power to cover what he owes.

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Crivello said the purpose of restitution it to make an attempt to compensate a victim for losses to the best extent possible.

Scarbrough, attending remotely, told the judge, "There's no amount of restitution that can ever replace my daughter."

More: What to know about Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office investigation on Sade Robinson's death

Sade Carleena Robinson

"The loss that I feel every day is something that can't be measured in dollars. My life and our family's life will never be the same," she said.

"The restitution in this case is about more than just money. It's about accountability. It's about acknowledging that what was done has forever changed me, and ensuring this kind of harm is not dismissed or minimized."

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Anderson has signaled his intention to appeal his conviction in recent court filings.

Anderson was transferred from Dodge Correctional Institution in Waupun to an unknown, out-of-state prison.

He attended the hearing remotely, wearing a white or light gray T shirt. Momentarily, an Ohio state seal appeared on the wall behind him.

After a break, the feed was reconnected and the seal had been removed, leaving an eggshell-colored void behind Anderson.

More: Here's a timeline of events in the Sade Robinson homicide, Maxwell Anderson arrest in Milwaukee

Anderson and Robinson had shared texts before meeting in downtown Milwaukee for a first date on April 1, 2024. A walker found a leg belonging to Robinson in Warnimont Park the next day.

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More body parts belonging to Robinson began turning up elsewhere in the days and weeks that followed, in the Milwaukee area and in Waukegan, Illinois.

Chris Ramirez covers courts for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at caramirez@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Judge orders Sade Robinson's killer to restitution to her family
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

On Friday, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff walked back his previous suggestion that President Donald Trump should send the National Guard to San Francisco, writing, I sincerely apologize on X.

I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco, Benioff wrote. My earlier comment came from an abundance of caution around the event, and I sincerely apologize for the concern it caused. Benioff here references Salesforces annual Dreamforce conference, which was held in downtown San Francisco this week  notably, the largest and safest in the companys history.

Having listened closely to my fellow San Franciscans and our local officials, and after the largest and safest Dreamforce in our history, I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco. My earlier comment came from an abundance of caution around pic.twitter.com/7TRdTu7hdq  Marc Benioff (@Benioff) October 17, 2025

In a story published last week in The New York Times, Benioff said that he liked Trumps idea of sending Guard troops to the city: We dont have enough cops, so if they can be cops, Im all for it. The Salesforce CEO was quickly met with criticism from California officials and San Francisco leaders, who insisted that federal troops were neither appropriate nor needed.

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Most notable were responses from Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, who continue to publicly defend the citys ability to manage safety on its own, pointing out that crime rates are falling and speaking to broader national concerns about the use of federal forces in cities like Portland and Chicago.

Yet, on Wednesday, speaking at a news conference alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, Trump doubled down, saying hes going to be strongly recommending National Guard troops in San Francisco. His timeline remains unclear, however, amid ongoing legal challenges.

The post Salesforce CEO Walks Back SF National Guard Suggestion: I Sincerely Apologize first appeared on Mediaite.
A new class action lawsuit in San Francisco federal court has accused software giant Salesforce of building its XGen AI models on a pirated library of books and then scrubbing references to those sources once questions arose.

Filed on Wednesday by authors E. Molly Tanzer and Jennifer Gilmore, the suit is brought under the Copyright Act, alleging ongoing infringement, saying Salesforce continues to do so by continuing to store, copy, use, and process the datasets containing copies of Plaintiffs  copyrighted books.

The complaint says Salesforce.INC pirated hundreds of thousands of copyrighted books to develop its XGen series of large language models, relying on the notorious RedPajama and The Pile datasets that include a books corpus known as Books3, a collection of over 196,000 books copied from the private tracker Bibliotik.

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The filing says Salesforce initially listed RedPajama-Books among its training sources when it launched XGen in June 2023, with a company engineer linking GitHub users directly to both datasets.

By September, however, Salesforce allegedly deleted those references from its website and replaced them with vague descriptions of natural language data drawn from publicly available sources.

Hugging Face, the platform hosting Books3, removed the dataset the following month, citing copyright complaints, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit alleges that Salesforce used The Pile to train its CodeGen models in 2022, then commercialized the technology through its Agentforce AI platform, including the XGen-Sales model released in October 2024.

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Two months later, Salesforce allegedly scrubbed its disclosures, deleting charts and references to "RedPajama-Books" and replacing them with vague language about a "mixture of publicly available data," before claiming by December 2023 that its models used a "legally compliant dataset" with no mention of RedPajama.

Ishita Sharma, managing partner at Fathom Legal, told Decrypt that authors must "prove real financial harm, not just that their books were used for training," noting how Judge Vince Chhabria recently dismissed similar claims against Meta, ruling that "simply claiming 'our work was used' isn't enough."

Meta and OpenAI Use of Copyrighted Books for Training AI Was Fair Use: Federal Judge

Recent rulings favored OpenAI and Anthropic in similar cases, with judges finding authors failed to prove market harm, though one criticized Anthropic for maintaining "a permanent library of pirated books."

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Using public datasets like RedPajama or The Pile doesn't automatically erase willful infringement," Sharma said, adding, "if they knew or ignored that copyrighted works were included, courts could still find reckless disregard."

Unless the AI can reproduce parts of the original work, the model weights themselves aren't considered copyright infringement, she added.

The complaint cites statements from Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who told a Bloomberg interviewer in January 2024 that AI companies "ripped off" training data and that "all the training data has been stolen."

The authors seek class certification for all U.S. copyright holders whose works were used since October 2022, demanding statutory damages, destruction of infringing copies, profit disgorgement, a willful infringement declaration, and attorneys' fees.
TAMANIQUE, El Salvador Reuters) -Fearing detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and being separated from her two young daughters, Yessenia Ruano self-deported back to El Salvador with her family from the United States in mid-June.

Now, Ruano, a 38-year-old elementary school teacher, and her family are seeking to rebuild their lives in the Central American country she fled more than a decade ago to escape poverty and violence, and to chase the American dream.

She arrived in Milwaukee in 2011, where she had family, and for 14 years built a new life: she married a Salvadoran man, had twin daughters, bought a house, and was in the process of trying to get a visa.

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While her life in the U.S. was happy, her journey there had been traumatic. Having paid a smuggler to get her to the U.S., she was held against her will in the U.S. until she could pay off her debts.

That led Ruano many years later to apply for a T visa, available to victims of human trafficking that allows people to remain in the U.S. legally if they help authorities detect or prosecute criminal cases.

Ruano worked at a public school and went to the ICE offices once a year to report.

But since President Donald Trump took office in January, everything changed: she now had to go to ICE once a month. At the end of May, ICE officials warned her that she had to return to El Salvador until the process concluded or else be detained and deported.

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"I was afraid of persecution as part of the government's anti-immigrant policy," she said in an interview at her mother-in-law's house in Tamanique, a small mountain town near the capital, San Salvador, where she now lives with her daughters and husband. "So I decided to start over."

ICE did not respond to a request for comment.

The Trump administration has promised to implement the "largest deportation operation in U.S. history." Hundreds of thousands of people have been deported since he took office.

This had an impact on migrants: many are wondering whether it is better to stay and live in fear of arrest or to leave.

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A NEW BEGINNING

In early June, the family bought plane tickets for Ruano and her two daughters, Elizabeth and Paola, both aged ten and U.S. citizens.

Ruano's husband, Miguel Guerra, a 39-year-old Salvadoran teacher, also self-deported weeks later along with their dog, Copito, a white poodle. Guerra had entered illegally in 2008 and been working jobs in construction and at a frozen pizza factory.

Now, they are beginning to plan their new life: they want to build their own home with the money they managed to save abroad.

Despite ICE raids and operations, data from the Salvadoran government show the number of Salvadorans deported from the United States has decreased by almost 24% between January and June, compared to the same period in 2024, reaching 5,551 people.

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Meanwhile, the government of President Nayib Bukele has been promoting a law to encourage the return of Salvadorans abroad through economic and social incentives, with 388 families returning to El Salvador under the program, government data shows. The Salvadoran government did not respond to requests for comment on Ruano's case.

Ruano and Guerra plan to apply for jobs as teachers, in construction, tourism, or starting an ice cream or tortilla business. Maybe, when their daughters are over 18, they will return to Milwaukee where they still have a home.

(Reporting by Wilfredo Pineda in Tamanique, El Salvador; Editing by Diego Ore and Diane Craft)
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  The city of San Angelo is waiving late fees on utility bills for federal employees and retirees in response to the federal government shutdown.

Rep. August Pfluger was in San Angelo this afternoon to discuss resources for federal employees and military personnel affected by the federal shutdown.

The fee waiver also includes suspending service shutoffs for those employees and retirees. This waiver will only be in effect during the shutdown.

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To receive the waiver, eligible individuals must visit the City Hall Annex located at 301 W. Beauregard Ave. and bring a valid government-issued ID.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.




48 years ago, a new era in San Antonio's Dia de los Muertos celebrations kicked off. It started with the first Altares y Ofrendas exhibit from Centro Cultural Aztlan in 1977, which continues to put the artistic, religious and cultural aspects of the holiday on display.

Now, the city decks itself out in marigolds through Muertos Fest, which ropes in roughly 100,000 visitors each year, in addition to the Muertos River Parade. Since 2018, Dia de los Muertos has been celebrated annually at the Missions, Texas' only UNESCO World Heritage site. And in the historic La Villita downtown, the country's largest catrina and catrin now stand at nearly 40 feet.

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Across the United States, the holiday has spread, with decor available anywhere you look and ofrendas going viral every year on TikTok (often using music from Disney's Coco). Even the viral "clean girl" aesthetic has made its way to the holiday, as a beige ofrenda recently made waves on TikTok.

Malena Gonzalez-Cid, who's been executive director of Centro Cultural Aztlan since 1987, told MySA that the design of an ofrenda can look however the person building it chooses to express themselves. She's seen them all - themed altars, some decked out in purple and gold, even those that are completely white save for the bright orange flowers. Though the elements of ofrendas are symbolic, the way someone designs theirs is "a personal taste and personal creativity of each individual," Gonzalez-Cid said.

Muertos Fest at Hemisfair park in San Antonio on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Isaiah Alonzo)





Dr. Priscilla Martinez, assistant professor of history at the University of Texas at San Antonio, told MySA Dia de los Muertos is "a cultural touchstone, kind of a relationship to the past," even during a time when it's never had such a "global audience."

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Martinez, who specializes in the Borderlands and Mexican-American history, said the "unique and distinct" holiday started as a blending of Catholicism with indigenous traditions, but took on new meaning as time progressed. It's believed that it stretches back to the Aztecs, who lived in Mexico before the Spanish arrived. But eventually, Dia de los Muertos became less a religious Catholic celebration and more a Mexican cultural one, at least for many folks in South Texas and along the border, she said.

"I think where it becomes kind of a national symbol for Mexico is really much later, probably in the 19th century, when the Mexican state is starting to develop as its own independent nation, and rituals like Dia de los Muertos become tied to questions of Mexican national identity," she said. "Dia de los Muertos is kind of one of those kind of cultural holidays that gets kind of pushed up as a marker or as a representation that you haven't lost touch with your cultural heritage."

Is it Dia de los Muertos or Dia de Muertos?

There's some debate about what name to use for the holiday. In the states, we know it popularly as "Dia de los Muertos," but some say that's a back translation (from Spanish into English and back again) of "Dia de Muertos."

Martinez said the name someone uses doesn't necessarily make them wrong, but may reveal where and how they were raised. She said, "It just shows how folks can take traditions and make them their own, and I think I would think that someone wouldn't want to police that." The difference is that Dia de Muertos is used "in a Mexican kind of national conversation," whereas the term Dia de los Muertos is what that looks like when it "crosses borders and now is a bit more commercialized," according to Martinez. "For most kinds of ethnic Mexican households, they'll call it Dias de los Muertos."

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Unlike Halloween, Dias de los Muertos is a series of days - from October 31 to November 2 - during which different things are celebrated.

At the end of the day, Martinez says the holiday provides a way to look at community through a new light as "this continuous string that borders generations." That allows folks to acknowledge "the work that your ancestors have done" and take "stock of future decisions, that you are part of this unbroken lineage of ancestors."

"I think that in the past, whether it was hundreds of years ago, or in the present as it's celebrated now, I think that that's one of the lingering kind of important elements of cultural events like this."

This article originally published at How San Antonio celebrates the 'cultural touchstone' of Dia de los Muertos.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  San Diego International Airport (SAN) has joined other airports in not displaying a video of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the government shutdown.

DHS shared a video of Noem blaming Democrats for the government shutdown to display at airports across the country, discussing possible impacts to airport travel and operations.

SAN shared a statement explaining how airport operations have not been severely impacted by the shutdown and why they are not playing the video in their terminals.

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Our messaging continues to focus on making the customer experience as easy and efficient as possible, SAN stated. We continue to coordinate closely with our federal partners and appreciate their ongoing service and commitment to maintaining the safety and reliability of the national air transportation system.

Governor Gavin Newsom shared on Thursday that his office sent a letter urging airport operators to not play the video, stating it violates the Hatch Act. The Governors Office said the video violates federal law and told airport officials to hold firm and avoid being complicit.

In the video, Noem maintains that Democrats are responsible for the shutdown and are responsible for effects impacting airports.

Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted and most of our TSA employees are working without pay, Noem stated.

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San Diego Councilmember and San Diego Airport Authority Boardmember Marni von Wilpert wrote a letter to the Airport Authority Board, thanking SAN for not displaying Noems video.

San Diegans and the traveling public deserve to know they wont be subjected to this kind of partisan propaganda at San Diego airport, von Wilpert said.

The government shutdown has now lasted for more than two weeks and Von Wilpert said the video is attempting shift blame to Democrats.

This video is false, political, and flat-out wrong  and San Diego International Airport made the right call by refusing to play it, Wilpert added. Now we need a clear policy in place to make sure this never happens again.

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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 FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
SAN FRANCISCO  Marc Benioff didnt just enrage San Francisco Democrats with his call for the National Guard . He sent them running for cover.

The tech billionaires stunning remarks encouraging a crackdown on the citys streets were re-ignited when Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to send troops  a move Democrats quickly blamed on the Salesforce CEO.

[Benioff] is the only thing that has brought San Francisco into his focus right now, said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, a moderate Democrat. There is no secret that Mr. Benioff is now a supporter of President Trump, and that they likely have some level of communication.

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Mayor Daniel Lurie, a fellow moderate, was scheduled to appear with Benioff at an event in San Francisco earlier this week. But it was cancelled on account of a rainstorm  with organizers offering no explanation for why the event was not moved indoors . Lurie, who typically shows up for major city events and the AI industry, did not appear at Benioffs annual Dreamforce megaconference in downtown San Francisco.

And Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman, a leader of the boards moderate majority, acknowledged theres a risk posed by Benioff for local Democrats whove aligned themselves with tech titans in recent years  especially with some of those figures embracing elements of the MAGA agenda.

Its inspired fury and a sense of betrayal in some people, Mandelman said. Its an awkward situation because the Trump administration is threatening San Franciscans in multiple ways, but Marc Benioff has been a great benefactor to the city.

Now, the citys moderate political establishment is racing to contain the blast radius, as Trump and Benioff roil public discourse in this citadel of Democratic politics. Centrist Democrats here wrested control of the city from more progressive forces in recent years. Benioff, the Time magazine owner, was already turning heads last fall when he criticized then-Vice President Kamala Harris for declining to sit with the publication, and before that threatened to pull Dreamforce from the city . But his incendiary comments have left Democrats struggling to distance themselves from him.  while acknowledging how closely they are yoked to his years of largesse in civic causes.

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Jenkins, while sharply criticizing the call for the federal government to bring in troops, said Trump's remarks  where the president said at a press conference with FBI Director Kash Patel, We have great support in San Francisco, so I would like to recommend that for inclusion, maybe in your next group  seem to be confusing government officials with Mr. Benioff.

If the fear for moderate politicians is that the fallout could offer progressives a chance to regain some clout at City Hall after years of stinging losses, one vocal leader on the left already sees an opening.

The conservative, or so-called moderate, forces in San Francisco are scrambling to get away from Benioff as fast as they can, said former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, a leader of the citys progressive wing who lost last years mayoral race.

Benioff isnt making it easy. He has since softened his comments, arguing that hes focused on keeping 45,000 conference attendees safe amid the citys police shortage. He declined to address the controversy surrounding his remarks during a press conference on Tuesday. (Later Friday, after publication, Benioff apologized for his remarks).

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But the atmosphere at Dreamforce, a gathering of techies and political leaders, reflected both Benioffs and Silicon Valleys broader movement toward Trump: The Salesforce leader is a former supporter of Hillary Clinton who once championed a tax increase to pay for homeless services, and pivoted abruptly to hosting David Sacks, a Trump ally, onstage.

On the last day of the conference, famed venture capitalist Ron Conway, a prolific Democratic donor and a confidant of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, resigned from the board of Salesforces philanthropic foundation . As The New York Times first reported and confirmed by POLITICO, Conway cited Benioffs political metamorphosis in an email to the CEO.

It saddens me immensely to say that with your recent comments, and failure to understand their impact, I now barely recognize the person I have so long admired, Conway wrote.

Pelosi said in a statement that San Francisco does not want or need Donald Trumps chaos but did not mention Benioff directly.

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Last year, Benioff was joined by Gavin Newsom at the conference, where the California governor signed legislation onstage . Newsom was absent this year (his spokesperson, Izzy Gardon, said in a text message that the absence was due to preexisting scheduling conflicts and unrelated to Benioffs comments.)

Instead, Benioff was joined this year by Sacks, the  PayPal mafia  member and billionaire investor who Trump appointed as his AI and crypto czar after he hosted a multimillion-dollar campaign fundraiser at his mansion in San Franciscos ritzy Pacific Heights neighborhood.

The memory of past Democratic headliners, including former President Bill Clinton in 2010, made Benioffs comments sting more sharply for Mark Buell, a longtime San Francisco megadonor and civic leader. Buells wife, Susie Tompkins Buell, the co-founder of The North Face clothing line, is a close friend and confidant of the Clintons and a major Democratic Party donor.

These comments are terribly damaging to the city and its reputation, Mark Buell told POLITICO. He said he believed Benioff was simply trying to appease a president with thin-skin.

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I cannot imagine its his core personal belief, Buell said. Everybody knows that to get anything out of [Trump] you have to flatter him.

But Jenkins and other moderate leaders were less forgiving. They accused Benioff of undermining the citys progress in reducing crime. Several suggested Benioff, who moved from California to Hawaii in 2021, is unaware of how the citys political landscape has shifted since the pandemic.

Id rather hear from the titans of tech who are here and experiencing the city on a regular basis, said Jim Wunderman, president of the Bay Area Council, a powerful business advocacy group led by CEOs.

He added, Marc isnt here anymore. It doesnt seem like the same Benioff.

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San Francisco, a famously liberal city once ridiculed for what Republicans cast as its soft-on-crime policies, has pivoted more toward the political center in recent years. Moderate Democrats flipped control of the Board of Supervisors and the local Democratic Party in 2024. Lurie, an heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, was swept into office at the same time. Voters also recalled a progressive district attorney and three school board members in 2022.

Those wins came as tech donors poured tens of millions of dollars into city elections  backing centrist Democrats who appealed to voters frustrations over the citys pandemic-era decline that led to deteriorating street conditions with increases in crime and homelessness. Others, like Benioff, who had stopped giving in local elections, backed major civic projects significant to Democratic politicians here.

Jay Cheng, director of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, one of the citys most financially formidable moderate advocacy groups, said Benioff painted an inaccurate portrayal of street conditions.

San Francisco is a city that has shown it can turn itself around and move to the political center by itself, Cheng said. Local voters have demonstrated theyre willing to do what it takes. Of course, we have a long way to go.

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Meanwhile, several prominent Democrats labored to avoid the spectacle  at least directly  while mounting a defense of the city.

Lurie, who has avoided drawing Trumps ire, or saying his name in public, did not change his political calculus following the threat of a military occupation of his home city. His office spent the week highlighting the citys plummeting crime rate, including a 70-year low in homicides, and its police recruitment efforts. Newsom, the former mayor of San Francisco, joined the PR blitz, sending out a statement touting recent reductions in crime in the city.

Lurie said Wednesday that he had called Benioff last weekend about his comments and to highlight the citys improved public-safety outlook.

People are entitled to their own opinions, the mayor told reporters. But theyre not entitled to their own facts.

Tyler Katzenberger contributed to this report.
The European Commission has clarified that current EU sanctions against Russia's leadership do not include a direct ban on entry for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin or Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, meaning there are no formal obstacles to a possible meeting between Putin and US President Donald Trump in Budapest.

Source: European Pravda, citing Anita Hipper, European Union spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs and Security, during a daily briefing by the European Commission

Details: Journalists asked during the briefing whether an agreement between Trump and Putin to meet in Budapest, Hungary's capital, would contradict existing EU sanctions.

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"We have Putin and Lavrov under an asset freeze but not specifically under a travel ban. So, this was never applied to them. [...] For now, the meeting has not been confirmed. We will not comment on the hypothetical scenarios, but if this were to happen in just a purely factual [scenario], they are not under a travel ban per se," Hipper said.

She was also asked how a plane carrying the Kremlin leader could physically arrive in Budapest, given that the EU has closed its airspace to Russian aircraft, and whether this would mean the European Commission would have to grant a special exemption.

Hipper noted that individual member states would have to provide the necessary exemption for Putin's aircraft to pass through.

In response to a question about the European Commission's stance on a potential Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest, Olof Gill, the Commission's deputy chief spokesperson, said the Commission welcomes anything that could bring a just and lasting peace to Ukraine, adding that if the expected meeting moves things in that direction, it would be a positive development.

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Background:

On 16 October, Trump spoke with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin for the first time in nearly two months and announced that they plan to meet in Budapest, which would be Putin's first appearance in the capital of an EU member state since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine and would require him to fly over other EU countries.

After the conversation, Trump said that Putin does not like the idea of the US supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine and suggested that now is not the perfect time for secondary sanctions that would reduce Russia's revenue from energy exports.

Budapest said it would receive the Russian leader with respect despite the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for him, adding that the date and specific venue of the Putin-Trump meeting have not yet been determined.

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SANFORD, Maine  With homelessness, mental health struggles, and addiction increasingly visible downtown, Sanford City Council candidates gathered Oct. 8 to share their visions for supporting vulnerable residents and fostering a sense of safety across the community.

Incumbents Pete Tranchemontagne, a local business owner, and Robert Stackpole, a retired educator, are seeking re-election to another three-year term. Challenging them are three first-time candidates: Gerry Gay, a retired firefighter; Logan Laughlin, a pharmacy technician; and Cheeny Plante, a military veteran and former contestant on Discovery Channels Naked and Afraid.

Incumbents Pete Tranchemontagne and Robert Stackpole are seeking re-election to another three-year term on the City Council. Challenging them are three first-time candidates: Gerry Gay, Logan Laughlin and Cheeny Plante.

The race is the only contested one that appears on the ballot for the upcoming election on Nov. 4. Incumbents on the School Committee and the boards overseeing water and sewerage face no opposition in their reelection bids.

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York County Coast Star reporter Shawn Sullivan and Sanford-Springvale News reporter Kendra Williams moderated the candidates' forum. Each candidate was asked how, if elected, they would approach and help those who are battling homelessness, addiction, and mental health issues.

Robert Stackpole

Stackpole referred to a resolution, adopted by the City Council on Oct. 7, in which the city will urge the Maine Legislature to reform the states drug laws to restore accountability for those who use substances and to support community efforts to aid in recovery and ensure public safety.

We need to address what I call the drug-addled population  the people who are not making good decisions for themselves and who need the laws to change, Stackpole said. We need to have a process to enforce those laws.

Cheeny Plante

Plante said she has seen the homeless situation in Sanford at the ground level while doing ride-alongs with local police officers. She said those experiences have taught her a lot, such as the names of unhoused people, as well as their stories.

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Thats how we have to approach it, Plante said.

Plante said, if elected, she will join the police on more ride-alongs, meet more unhoused people, and work to solve issues for each one on an individual level.

One-size-fits-most is not going to work here, she said.

Logan Laughlin

Laughlin spoke from experience: They said they had been homeless for years and endured all the difficulties that come with such circumstances. They said they support Housing First initiatives.

The city is pursuing one. The local project seeks to establish a building with many units that would provide unhoused individuals with shelter but also offer support services focused on recovery and reducing chronic homelessness. The building is planned for construction on Heritage Way, on land where a homeless encampment once existed.

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You cannot get clean, you cannot help yourself with your mental health issues, if you dont have a warm bed, if you dont have a place to eat, Laughlin said. This is the first and most important thing all those people need.

Gerry Gay

Gay focused on the impact that the local needle-exchange service has had on the community in recent years.

Earlier this year, the City Council passed an ordinance that brought local needle exchanges down from 100 needles for every used needle to one. Gay cited statistics showing that, before that ordinance, more than a million needles had been provided to heroin users at one point. He said that the high rate of exchange drew drug users to the community.

Weve just got to figure out the best way to deal with this, Gay said. I think the most important thing right now is banning the needles ... That, in some ways, may send some folks back to where they can get needles for free.

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From there, Gay said, the city can take on mental health and housing issues head-on.

Pete Tranchemontagne

Tranchemontagne focused on addiction, as well, noting that the city never asked for the needle exchange program and that the states Center for Disease Control stuck it to us, in my opinion.

I want the needle program done, he said. It doesnt help with harm reduction, in my opinion.

The issue, Tranchemontagne, is heavy addiction, the condition users reach when they are unable to make sound decisions for themselves.

Tranchemontagne noted the recent executive order by President Donald Trump that puts homelessness into two categories: economic hardship and addiction. He said the city has programs in place to address the economic hardship and, after seeking legal guidance, is now working to address addiction.

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Tranchemontagne too advocated for the Housing First model in the community.

More: York to review police use of AI license plate cameras: How is data used?

Candidates confront safety concerns in Sanfords downtown

From there, the forum turned to residents who say they are avoiding the downtown, as well as local trails and parks, due to concerns about whom they may encounter, what they might see, and the needles and other litter they may find on the ground. In recent times, people have reported witnessing individuals using drugs, engaging in sex acts, relieving themselves in public, dumping their waste into local waters, and more.

Plante said she is one of the people who avoid certain parts of Sanford at night. She said she stopped fishing at Mousam Lake once she noticed unhoused people living in tents along the water, and she added that she no longer walks the communitys extensive trail network.

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I dont feel safe, she said. I want to feel safe here. I want all the residents in Sanford to feel that way.

More: Homelessness, drug use and disorder: How one Maine city is responding

Plante said the issue is a big elephant were going to eat one bite at a time, suggesting that the city needs to achieve smaller, easier victories first before working its way to the harder problems surrounding the individuals and behaviors downtown.

This isnt something that is going to be solved in the three years that Im on the council, she said. It could take a while. But I want to get in there ... to see what we can do now with the resources we have.

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Laughlin said improved lighting and infrastructure can help ensure safety. They said that, as a University of Maine student, they saw boxes placed throughout the campus that helped people contact the police if they felt unsafe or had an emergency. Placing such boxes throughout Sanfords downtown would be a great improvement, they said.

Gay said the city needs to look at addressing downtown behaviors and community safety as a series of long-term and short-term goals  in particular, what we can achieve right away and fix it. He said certain downtown behaviors, such as leaving used drug needles on the ground, has gone too far.

Gay applauded the construction of new housing in the downtown, but he wondered aloud whether residents there would feel safe.

When you see people sleeping in the park, at what point do we say enough is enough? he asked.

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Gay suggested signage prohibiting loitering could be effective. He also said the city needs to address panhandling.

The laws just arent there right now to move people along, he said. We need stronger laws.

Tranchemontange agreed that state legislation needs to change.

That starts in November, he said, referring to the election. You have to find out what our leaders are doing at the state level, so we can enforce it at the city level.

Tranchemontagne said the city is equipped to help those who are unhoused due to economic hardship, but he added that the challenges are in assisting those who are addicted to substances. Those struggling with addiction have a hard time making decisions for themselves.

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Thats a proven fact, he said. We have to work with the legislators, so they can open up more asylums, more addiction centers for treatment.

Tranchemontagne also expressed confidence in the Housing First model that Sanford is pursuing.

Im betting youre going to see a huge difference right there, right away, he said.

Stackpole said that many of the other candidates suggestions are already irons in the fire. He mentioned the city has received its Housing First grant and has purchased the land in the mill yard with the purpose of building units there.

Stackpole also said the city is seeking to increase the presence of law enforcement in the community. He said the city plans to create a team of officers dedicated to resolving Sanfords issues with drugs and crime.

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Weve had a lot of carrot here in Sanford, Stackpole said. Maybe we need a little bit of a stick. Im not talking about the inhumane treatment of any of these people. Im talking about some stiff encouragement to seek treatment and to start your life anew.

The forum covered more than the citys downtown woes. The candidates also discussed how to ease the tax burden on property owners, how to attract new businesses to the community, and how Sanford can maintain and build upon the progress it has made.

The candidates also discussed how they feel elected officials should conduct themselves on social media and whether they would support a charter amendment that would place approval of the municipal budget back in voters hands.

To watch the forum, visit WSSR-TVs channel on YouTube.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Sanford candidates weigh in on homelessness, drug use, and safety
WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  The owners of a decades-old restaurant on Franklin Street in Westfield have announced its reopening after a deadly fire in an adjacent apartment four months ago.

On June 12, a fire spread through a first-floor apartment building on 36 Franklin Street, with a woman who had mobility issues inside. The woman, whose name has not been made public by officials, died in the fire.

Woman dead after apartment fire on Franklin Street in Westfield

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The residents of the nine-unit building were left without a home, including the closure of the attached business, Santiagos Family Restaurant. In a GoFundMe post, owners Isamel and Carmen Santiago have been serving the community for over 25 years. Nearly 160 people have donated to the family and staff, with over $12,000 raised.

On Thursday, Santiagos Family Restaurant reopened to the public in the same location, 34 Franklin Street in Westfield. We are excited to welcome everyone back to enjoy the same flavors, family, and warmth that make Santiagos a local favorite. Come hungry, come happy, and come celebrate this fresh new chapter with us, said the owners on Facebook.

Photo captured on July 10, 2025 of the fire aftermath on Franklin Street in Westfield (WWLP-22News) Photo captured on July 10, 2025 of the fire aftermath on Franklin Street in Westfield (WWLP-22News) Photo captured on July 10, 2025 of the fire aftermath on Franklin Street in Westfield (WWLP-22News) Photo captured on June 13, 2025 of the fire aftermath on Franklin Street in Westfield (WWLP-22News) Photo captured on June 13, 2025 of the fire aftermath on Franklin Street in Westfield (WWLP-22News) Photo captured on June 13, 2025 of the fire aftermath on Franklin Street in Westfield (WWLP-22News) Deadly fire in Westfield under investigation (Department of Fire Services) Deadly fire on Franklin Street in Westfield (Screenshot from video sent to 22News from DJ AP)

Massachusetts Department of Fire Services Spokesperson Jake Wark told 22News that the fire was accidental and most likely started with smoking materials on a living room couch. The state fire marshals office is reminding smokers to use a heavy ashtray on a sturdy surface and be sure to put it out, all the way, every time.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Download the 22News Plus app on your TV to watch live-streaming newscasts and video on demand.

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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 WWLP.
There are over a thousand planned or existing data centers across the US, according to a BI investigation.

Major tech companies are racing to construct even more as the AI boom continues. But at what cost?

Satellite images show where these facilities are cropping up and why they're a nuisance to many.

Build, baby, build. That's the mantra behind the AI boom sweeping America.

This year, alone, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Google are projected to spend about $320 billion in capex, mostly for AI infrastructure, according to an analysis of financial statements by Business Insider.

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At the heart of this AI infrastructure growth are data centers that house the specialized hardware and high-speed networking equipment, driving the intensive computations behind large language models. However, AI needs more.

Because AI learns by processing increasingly large amounts of data, improving it requires more computational power, which in turn necessitates more data centers.

A BI investigation found 1,240 data centers across America are already built or approved for construction by the end of 2024.

BI reporters, editors, and designers generated this map from months of extensive research. Business Insider

That's four times more than in 2010. This is the most comprehensive map of data centers in the US, to date.

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BI reporters and editors generated this map by pulling obscure state records, reviewing corporate disclosures, and consulting government researchers, engineering specialists, and researchers who study state and local economic incentive packages.

Watch the documentary below on the dark side of data centers. Keep reading to see satellite images of how data centers are changing the American landscape.

Northern Virginia is one of the most densely populated parts of the DC metro area and the most concentrated area of data centers in the US.

Loudon County in Northern Virginia is the most concentrated area of data centers in the US. Yellow circles indicate built or permitted data centers. Maxar/Business Insider

The largest data centers can require as much electricity as a small city and up to several million gallons of water a day. That's why they often appear in residential areas where these resources are readily available.

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While these data centers promise to bring new tax revenue to Virginia residents, BI's Dakin Campbell reports that some worry about how the centers will affect housing costs, the environment, and their quality of life.

This neighborhood in Prince William County, Virginia, has seen multiple Amazon data centers crop up in its backyard in recent years.

Overhead view of Carlos Yanes' neighborhood in proximity to Amazon data centers. Business Insider

Carlos Yanes lives within 1,200 feet (370 meters) of several Amazon data centers and said he spent almost $20,000 to replace his windows in an attempt to muffle the sound and vibrations from the facilities.

Amazon responded to local complaints by replacing its exhaust fans with taller versions, which did muffle the sound. However, Carlos and his neighbors can still feel the vibrations through their walls, BI's Robert Leslie reports.

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An Amazon spokesperson told BI that it's "operating well below the ordinance levels that we are required to operate under."

Another neighborhood in the same county was surrounded by nature for decades.

Google Earth/Business Insider

In 2021, construction on Google's data centers began near Donna Gallant's home. By 2025, multiple facilities were operational.

Another plot of land near Gallant's neighborhood, intended for housing, was rezoned in 2023 to accommodate more data centers. Gallant, along with other locals, challenged the rezoning, but the lawsuit was dismissed in 2024 and again this year.

It's not just in Virginia. Data centers are appearing across the US.

Satellite images show part of Stanton Springs, Georgia in 2017 and 2023. Maxar/Business Insider

These data centers in Stanton Springs, Georgia, belong to Meta, the parent company of Facebook.

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These data centers in Cheyenne, Wyoming, belong to Microsoft.

Satellite images show part of Cheyenne, Wyoming in 2020 and 2024. Maxar/Business Insider

Cheyenne is the data center hub of Wyoming. The largest data center in the state, belonging to Microsoft, will use up to 84,725 megawatt-hours a year, according to BI estimates.

Utility customers in at least 41 states are already seeing an increase in their electric and natural gas bills, or can expect to see an increase in 2026. This is due to a variety of factors, including power-hungry data centers, BI's Ellen Thomas reports.

Microsoft data centers in Goodyear, Arizona, are approved to use up to 3 million gallons of water a day.

Maxar/Business Insider

Arizona state lawmakers have extended tax incentives to companies through 2033, BI's Campbell reports, encouraging more construction.

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The growing presence of data centers in drought-prone regions of the country, such as Arizona, is raising concerns.

Historically, data centers use ample amounts of water to cool their computer chips.

Map of water scarcity regions in the US. Light green indicates areas of "high" water stress. Dark green is "extreme high" water stress. World Resource Institute

BI's investigation found that 40% of the planned or existing data centers are in the nation's most water-stressed areas.

Microsoft consumed nearly 2.1 billion gallons of water in 2023, a 22% increase from 2022, according to its sustainability report. It has pledged to be water positive by 2030, as has Amazon.

Meta and Google have also made similar pledges.

Meta, with more than a quarter of its built or permitted data centers in high water-stressed areas per BI's tally, said it will return more water to the environment than it consumes by 2030.

Google pledges to replenish 120% of the water it consumes by 2030.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Reuters) -Saudi Arabia is discussing a defence deal with the United States which it hopes to seal when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits the White House next month, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

A senior Trump administration official told the Financial Times there were "discussions about signing something when the crown prince comes, but the details are in flux.

The FT said the deal in discussion was similar to the recent U.S.-Qatar pact that pledged to treat any armed attack on Qatar as a threat to the United States. The U.S. deal with Qatar came after Israel last month attempted to kill leaders of Hamas with an air strike on Doha.

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The U.S. State Department told the FT that defence co-operation with the kingdom was a "strong bedrock of our regional strategy," but declined to comment on details of the potential deal.

The U.S. State Department, the White House and the Saudi government did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on the FT report.

Saudi Arabia has long sought guarantees similar to the Qatar deal as part of Washington's efforts to normalise relations between Riyadh and Israel. Last month, Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defence pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan.

(Reporting by Ananya Palyekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Stephen Coates)
An image from the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site, titled A Playground and Community Center, hosted on the Save Our Signs website. (Save our Signs)

Open the website, click on the thumbnail and you will see it.

The shadow.

In the photo, the outline of a person holding a camera darkens an educational plaque at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka. The bright, slanting sunlight pushes the shadows long  long enough that the person taking the photo cant avoid being in it.

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Some people might see that shadow, obscuring the bottom corner of the display, as a flaw of the photo. Its my favorite part.

That nameless person, in an act of mini-political resistance, left their home and photographed the sign as part of Save Our Signs, a nationwide effort to document and preserve the signs at sites operated by the National Park Service. The shadow memorializes their tiny bit of activism against the Trump administrations censorship, which both looms and grows.

A few weeks ago I wrote a column about the collaborative online effort led by librarians and researchers. After the Trump administration threatened to scrub language on signs at national historic sites, the organizers of Save Our Signs nudged a phalanx of photographers to submit images.

At that time, three of the five sites administered by the National Park Service in Kansas had not yet been documented with photos, and the people at Save Our Signs were reviewing and confirming photos. So the images had not been posted.

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This week, Save Our Signs posted the submitted photos, including photos from four of the five Kansas locations. Those documented locations? Brown v. Board of Education, Fort Scott, Nicodemus and the Tallgrass Prairie.

Fort Larned sadly does not have any photos posted yet.

The page for Nicodemus features 47 photographs, including the exteriors of buildings, educational signs and an artist biography. As a photography teacher, I can confirm that none of the photos are compositional masterpieces  but that is exactly the point. The photos plainly represent what is there. No need for rule-of-thirds composition or dramatic lighting. The best photos allow us to read the text on each sign clearly so that we can monitor and critique any changes that the Department of the Interior makes.

As I clicked through the images this week on the website, I was simultaneously encouraged and chagrined.

An image from the Fort Scott National Historic Site, titled Fort Scott Today. (Save our Signs)

Encouraged, because the website stands as patriotic proof. Consider the federal employees who spent days and weeks of their professional lives creating these historical displays. At Fort Scott, there is an aerial map, which illustrates the historic site while combining it with a timeline. Its more effective than a glitzy drone video on a big screen.

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Youll find even more patriotism if you join me in appreciating the folks who created the Save Our Signs website. The dedication that they show to free speech and their opposition to censorship hold up the First Amendment. Add to that their commitment to telling Americas full story, an honest effort pointing our nation in a virtuous direction, rather than the Trump administrations threats to tamp down historical truths.

Staring in the face of all that patriotism  the federal employees, the amateur photographers, the website creators  is the grim possibility that these signs might begin to disappear, because these signs might be whitewashed soon with this administrations metaphorical bleach.

If these signs continue to be altered, Save Our Signs might provide an insurgent online history, but it wont be able to match the in-person experience. The magic of the National Park Service cannot live exclusively online.

My son and I clicked our way through the photo archive last night. First, we realized how few national parks we have visited. Next, we visited the page of photographs dedicated to the Statue of Liberty National Monument.

An image from the Statue of Liberty National Monument, titled Cover of Puck Magazine sign. (Save our Signs)

On that page, there is an image of a plaque, which reads, This Puck magazine cover pollutes the likeness of the Statue of Liberty to call attention to the widespread lynchings, disenfranchisement, segregation, and poverty that African Americans experienced after the Civil War. The same caption exists online on the National Park Service website, titled Embracing Liberty.

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The online database allows us to intellectually process the message. Yes, widespread lynchings. Yes, disenfranchisement. Yes, segregation. Yes, poverty.

But to swallow those words while standing at the base of the Statue of Liberty like we both did, the historical tension pulls. Beyond anything intellectual, you feel the sinew of America straining. Why was France inspired to gift Lady Liberty to the United States in the midst of so much American injustice? How does that statue look to the African Americans of New York City? The plaque surfaces those questions without asking them.

These are the profound questions that our nations greatest treasures  statues, mountain ranges, forts, battlefields  are poised to ask.

In fact, the tense questions are as much our treasures as the statue itself.

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Those same locations would stand mute with context. Without the uncomfortable history, its just a schoolhouse in Topeka. Or an ambitious town on the plains called Nicodemus. Or a pretty prairie of wildflowers.

The alternative? That visitors to national park sites will navigate to the Save Our Signs website and read the uncensored history: visitors standing, cellphones in hand, pinching and zooming and clicking. Pointing to blank spots in the landscape, the visitors might wonder where the signs once stood.

If that is our shared national experience of visiting when we visit these sites, the Trump administration will have stripped away a central charm of visiting, because these places should guide us away from our phones, instead soaking up our nations history  without meddling from the person in power at the moment.

Eric Thomas teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
Scared for my life: Man charged with manslaughter gets $40K cash-only bond

MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX)  The suspect who allegedly held a man at gunpoint, forcing him to drink a lethal amount of methamphetamine, was in court Friday morning for a bond hearing.

The incident occurred in 2022, but a three-year investigation by the Grand Junction Police Department led to the arrest of Joshua Mayfield, 27, who was arrested last month in Cleburne County, Arkansas. Hes charged with manslaughter, second-degree assault, felony menacing, false imprisonment and distribution of a schedule II-controlled substance.

Officers first responded to the scene on Feb. 3, 2022, after they received a welfare check for a person underneath the Fifth Street Bridge. They found a deceased man, Kurt Abney, 26, in a sleeping bag with drug paraphernalia nearby.

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Police believed he died from an accidental overdose. But nearly a year later, in January 2023, investigators received information that Abneys death was not necessarily accidental. Law enforcement found that Abney was held at gunpoint by an individual and forced to ingest a lethal dose of methamphetamine.

Through their investigation, detectives identified the suspect as Mayfield. They tracked him down to Arkansas, where they took them into custody last month thanks to the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Office and the Cleburne County Sheriffs Office.

GJPD detectives interviewed Mayfield in Arkansas and formally charged him with the death of Abney, according to the police department.

When Mayfield was in front of Judge Craig Henderson at the Mesa County Justice Center, his defense was hoping for a personal recognizance bond instead of the $40,000 cash-only bond that was previously set. His defense argued he had a minor criminal record, which included a traffic infraction and failure to appear.

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Mayfields friend, Eric Niederkruger, spoke before Henderson and told the judge how kind the 27-year-old man has been to him and his family. As he, his wife and their roommate are all disabled, Mayfield has gone out of his way to spend time with and help them with various tasks, Niederkruger said. He added that Mayfield has also volunteered and helped the homeless community.

However, Abneys loved one painted a different picture of Mayfield. One person said shes scared for her life, as Mayfield has allegedly sent several threatening text messages.

Abneys mom, Christy, also spoke, noting that even though they were supposedly friends, Mayfield did an awful thing the night of her sons death.

Although its been several years, it doesnt mitigate what he did, Chisty Abney said.

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Henderson ultimately decided to keep the bond at $40,000 cash-only.

Mayfield will have a review hearing on Nov. 19.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  High school graduation is a huge milestone for students and their families, but some Oklahoma school districts are struggling to find a place for the big ceremony.

For years, school districts have held graduations at the fairgrounds. First, at the Jim Norick Arena, but once it closed, they were moved to the Bennett Event Center.

We were always told each year that when the Coliseum was built, we would just shift into there for graduation, said Dr. Jason Perez, superintendent, Deer Creek School District.

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That promise was broken this Summer, when districts say they received an email that the OG&E Coliseum wouldnt be available for graduations.

OSU hosts 104th Americas Greatest Homecoming

The concern was more of from the coliseum and the fairgrounds perspective is that they would be missing out on contracts for horse shows and different other types of organizations that would bring money into the fairgrounds and surrounding businesses, said Dr. Perez.

Mid-Del School District is also frustrated by the decision.

They knew these things would be the priority when they built it, so why were we told that the new building would be available for graduation at all if that wasnt going to be honored? said Dr. Rick Cobb, superintendent, Mid-Del School District.

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School districts say theyve been told they can still rent the Bennett Event Center.

Dr. Cobb says it isnt ideal, but theyll still be using it for now.

Its flat, I think that a lot of our families had issues with visibility, said Dr. Cobb.

Deer Creek is moving their ceremony to the University of Central Oklahomas stadium.

Piedmont is also affected by the change and sent us the following statement:

Piedmont Schools have used the state Fair Grounds Arena for our graduation ceremonies for many years. We were originally told we would be allowed to rent the new OGE Arena if construction stayed on schedule. In early 2025, we were told all spring graduations would be moved to the Bennett Events Center. Many of our parents were very unhappy with the move to the Bennett Events Center. The Bennett Events Center seating is all on ground floor level. It is very difficult to see the stage from a large majority of seats. This is a once in a lifetime event for our students. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings all want to see their loved one graduate. Stadium seating for 4000-5000 attendees allows for a pleasant event for everyone.



We were led to believe that we would move to the OGE Arena for the May 2026 graduation. We were told in the summer of 2025 that the new OGE Arena would not be rented to schools for graduations. This is a very disappointing development. We have searched for a venue large enough to accommodate our community with no success. We will continue our search. Dr. Drew Eichelberger, Superintendent, Piedmont Schools

Superintendents say there are not many options to choose from.

When theres those limitations to limit it even further, I really feel like it takes away from our communitys sense of Oklahoma and puts it more on just being business-friendly, said Dr. Perez.

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News 4 reached out to the OKC Fair Park and was sent the following statement:

OKC Fair Park had an initial meeting with some of the larger school districts located in the metro. There was a subsequent meeting with a superintendent who had attended the first meeting. The superintendent agreed to reach out to the school districts from the first meeting to set a follow up meeting with OKC Fair Park to discuss graduation opportunities. OKC Fair Park is prepared to meet again as soon as the school districts are ready.

OKC Fair Park spokesperson

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
A staffer at a Massachusetts school for youths with mental health and behavioral issues died after a student allegedly kicked her in the chest, officials said.

A 14-year-old girl has been charged with assault and battery causing serious bodily injury in connection with the incident, according to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office.

WCVB - PHOTO: Meadowridge Academy in Swansea, Massachusetts.

The "physical interaction" occurred Wednesday evening at Meadowridge Academy, a therapeutic residential school geared toward students ages 12 to 21 in rural Swansea, according to the district attorney's office.

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Amy Morrell, 53, a direct care staff member at the school, and other staff were attempting to restrain the teen, who officials say had been trying to leave a dorm building without permission, when the student allegedly kicked her in the chest, according to the district attorney's office. "Shortly after being struck," Morrell collapsed, the office said in a statement on Thursday.

Missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard was seen 2 months ago, investigators say

School staff attempted CPR and called 911, and Morrell was transported to an area hospital, the district attorney's office said.

Officers from the Swansea Police Department and Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office responded to the school, officials said.

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The student was charged with assault and battery causing serious bodily injury based on the initial investigation and arraigned Thursday morning in Fall River Juvenile Court, according to the district attorney's office.

WCVB - PHOTO: Meadowridge Academy is seen in Swansea, Massachusetts.

Morrell, who had remained hospitalized, was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon, the district attorney's office said.

The investigation remains ongoing, officials said. ABC News reached out to the district attorney's office on Friday for any updates in the case but has not yet received a response.

Morrell's cause and manner of death have not been publicly released. A spokesperson for Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, which oversees the chief medical examiner's office, told ABC News on Friday that it does not have any information to share at this time regarding the case.

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Pennsylvania teen dies from bacterial meningitis: School district

The school said it is "deeply saddened" by Morrell's death.

"We extend our heartfelt condolences to Amys family during this difficult time," a school spokesperson said in a statement. "Support services and resources are available to assist students and staff as we grieve this tragic loss."

Andrew Ferruche, a friend of Morrell, expressed shock at her death in an interview with ABC Boston affiliate WCVB.

"I couldn't believe when I got the call today," he told the station on Thursday.

"It's just a tragic situation," he said.

Ferruche remembered Morrell, who was from Riverside, Rhode Island, as supportive and caring.

"She did tell me on more than one occasion she did love what she was doing," he told WCVB.
At a meeting of top conservation groups this week, a bioethics question took center stage: Should scientists be allowed to tinker with the genes of wild plants and animals?

The tentative consensus so far seems to be yes.

In a vote Tuesday, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) approved further exploration of the use of genetic engineering tools to aid in the preservation of animal species and other living organisms.

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The decision is not a full-throated endorsement of the practice, but it could nonetheless have wide implications. Researchers are already pursuing projects that involve changing some species DNA. Scientists are genetically modifying mosquitoes to reduce transmission of diseases like malaria, for example, and synthesizing horseshoe crab blood, which is used in drug development.

Controversial efforts to de-extinct archaic creatures  such as the so-called dire wolf that a biosciences company announced it had revived this spring  fall under the umbrella, as well. So do possibilities like modifying organisms to help them adapt to a warming world, which are on the table but further off in development.

A horseshoe crab. (John Tlumacki / The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

The science is here, its happening, said Susan Lieberman, vice president of international policy with the Wildlife Conservation Society. Maybe there are times when genetically modified organisms can be tested and cautiously and ethically introduced into the environment.

She said that the new framework represents a landmark step, and that the measure could allow conservationists to consider new ways to address the risks of climate change or test new methods of suppressing disease.

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The IUCN  a large group of conservation organizations, governments and Indigenous groups with more than 1,400 members from about 160 countries  meets once every four years. It is the worlds largest network of environmental groups and the authority behind the red list, which tracks threatened species and global biodiversity.

This years meeting was in Abu Dhabi, and the affirmative vote on whats known as synthetic biology establishes a new framework for evaluating genetic engineering projects and potentially implementing them in the wild. The measure calls for scientists to evaluate such projects on a case-by-case basis, be transparent about risks and benefits of potential actions and take a precautionary approach to genetic engineering, among other principles. The decision is applicable to work on a range of organisms, including animals, plants, yeasts and bacteria.

A separate measure, a proposed moratorium on releasing genetically modified organisms into the environment, failed by a single vote.

The IUCNs decisions dont have legal implications, but the approval carries a symbolic weight and has the potential to drive policy internationally, said Jessica Owley, a professor and environment law program director at the University of Miami.

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IUCN is a pretty powerful and recognized force in conservation. People listen to them and governments listen to them. Theyre major players in some treaties, she said. You can think of it as a precursor to language that you might see become law.

Organizations that had wanted a moratorium on releasing genetically engineered organisms into the wild say there isnt enough evidence that it can be done safely and responsibly.

Im disappointed, said Dana Perls, a senior food and agriculture program manager with the nonprofit Friends of the Earth. We need to focus on contained research that doesnt make our environment a live experimental field trial.

As an example, she pointed to the possibility of genetically modifying mosquitoes so that they can resist the parasites that cause malaria. The disease kills more than half a million people each year, so in order to lower that death toll, scientists have proposed pushing this resistance to malaria to become widespread into the broader mosquito population  a practice called genetic drive.

Genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, in 2024. (Jonne Roriz / Bloomberg via Getty Images file)

Perls cautioned that technology like this could have unforeseen risks and would be impossible to reverse.

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IUCN just has really failed to caution even against high risk applications such as gene drives and genetic extinction technology that could cause irreversible harm to biodiversity, she said.

Debates about how much humans should monkey with animal genetics ratcheted up this spring after the company Colossal Biosciences made a splashy announcement that it had used gene-editing technology to restore the dire wolf, an extinct species. The company published photos of genetically engineered dire wolf puppies it had created in the lab.

Some critics described the project as a stunt that merely edited some key genes of gray wolves. Others questioned the utility of restoring a species whose habitat no longer exists.

But Matt James, the executive director of the companys nonprofit arm, the Colossal Foundation, said the tools that led to the creation of the dire wolf can be directly applied to critically endangered species today.

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He supports the newly passed IUCN measure. Colossal has no plans to release the dire wolves into the wild, according to its website.

The restoration of extinct species, the preservation of currently endangered species, doesnt work without habitat and habitat preservation, James said. So it really is a sort of hand-in-hand approach of conventional conservation and new technology that will really unlock wins for our fight against biodiversity loss.

The notion of introducing genetic engineering into wild ecosystems would have been considered a nonstarter in most conservation circles a decade ago, according to Owley. But the intensifying effects of climate change and other stressors to biodiversity are bolstering arguments in favor of human intervention that could make endangered species resistant to those threats.

Could we help them survive by introducing genes that will make them more tolerant of hotter temperatures?, Owley said. A lot of people will say, No, you cant edit genes. And other people will say, Absolutely thats what we need to do in a changing world.

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The IUCN vote, she added, reflects a feeling of desperation among conservationists and governments, as existing regulations and conservation efforts fall short and species continue to disappear worldwide.

Our laws and conservation methods need to do something different, Owley said. Thats why something like this is worth looking at it.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Researchers in Korea have discovered a new method that could help to solve one of the biggest issues with the electrolysis process essential to creating hydrogen as an energy source.

According to Interesting Engineering, scientists at the Korea Institute of Materials Science have developed a catalyst that removes corrosive chloride ions from the electrolysis procedure. This could enable the creation of hydrogen from seawater as well as freshwater.

Typically, the electrolysis process works with freshwater. When you use the same methods with saltwater, you're left with hydrogen and oxygen but also chloride, which eats away at the electrodes required to split the water and create pure hydrogen.

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KIMS scientists used MXene, a two-dimensional nanomaterial that they oxidized before combining it with nickel ferrite to create a catalyst that, as Interesting Engineering described, had five times higher current density and twice the durability of conventional catalysts. It also repelled chloride ions, reducing the risk of corrosion.

"This study is significant in that it addresses the issue of chloride ions in seawater by utilizing the novel material MXene," said project lead Juchan Yang, per IE. "We are actively conducting follow-up demonstration research to advance this technology into a sustainable hydrogen production solution."

Hydrogen  and especially "green hydrogen," or hydrogen produced with renewable energy  has gained some attention as the world seeks more renewable alternatives to oil and gas, aiming to reduce the generation of heat-trapping pollution and diversify the energy mix. However, the drawbacks of the fuel can be significant.

Hydrogen is costly to produce and can require immense amounts of power, defeating the purpose of creating it in the first place, especially in the cases where dirty fossil fuels are a part of the process. On top of that, with freshwater becoming a more rare and precious commodity in many parts of the warming world, using it to create energy poses its own set of problems.

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Meanwhile, this development may open a massive opportunity for hydrogen fuel production to become a bigger part of the energy mix, potentially making saltwater a viable pathway for its generation and ensuring that freshwater can be saved for more essential needs, like drinking and irrigation.

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The identity of the miscreant responsible for a rodent-shaped hole in a Chicago sidewalk is not the beastie everyone thought it was.

After careful examination of all the facts and evidence, a team of sleuthing scientists has determined the true identity of Splatatouille: the 'cement angel' was almost certainly excavated not by a rat (Rattus norvegicus), but by an eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis).

"Our analyses offer little support for the hypothesis that the 'Chicago Rat Hole' was made by a brown rat. The specimen's relatively elongated forelimbs, third digits, and hindpaws exceeded the measurement ranges observed in the brown rat," the researchers write in their paper.

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"Given the relative abundance of Eastern grey squirrels in the Chicago areaour data strongly suggest that the 'Chicago Rat Hole' does not reflect a murid tracemaker."

Related: This Massive Huntsman Just Ate a Lizard on a Family's Living Room Window

Pressed into wet cement decades ago, the Rat Hole appeared on the social media platform X in early January of 2024, where it rapidly skyrocketed to virality.

It didn't take long for the impression to become an urban shrine, collecting offerings of coins and at least one small baggie of estrogen pills, before it was removed by the Chicago Department of Transportation in April 2024 and taken to the City Hall-County Building, where it remains to this day.

Had to make a pilgrimage to the Chicago Rat Hole pic.twitter.com/g4P44nvJ1f  Gatorade Should Be Thicker. (@WinslowDumaine) January 6, 2024

The shape of a rodent-like body with its hand-like paws and a long, spindly tail suggested that the impression was made by a rat that had fallen into freshly laid concrete before, presumably, skedaddling to safety.

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Not everyone, however, was convinced. As early as mid-January 2024, zoologist Seth Magle of Lincoln Park Zoo suggested the impression was made by a squirrel.

Evolutionary biomechanist Michael Granatosky and his colleagues wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Because the slab is currently in storage, the researchers used 25 internet-sourced photos with visible scale markers, such as coins, to measure the impression's shape and dimensions.

They compared these measurements to those of eight rodents known to frequent the Chicago area: brown rat, house mouse (Mus musculus), Eastern gray squirrel, Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus), muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), and Southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans).

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Each species was measured from about 50 museum specimens to avoid size bias.

The Rat Hole filled with coins and a baggie of estrogen pills. ( JunLpermode/Wikimedia Commons , CC0)

These measurements included nose-to-tail length, forelimb length, third digit length, head width, and tail base width, resulting in a classification model with an accuracy of 93.5 percent. Collectively, these measurements matched two species, and neither was the brown rat.

The results suggest a 98.67 percent probability that the Rat Hole was made by either an Eastern gray squirrel or a fox squirrel, with the odds almost 50-50 between them (50.67 percent for Eastern gray and 48 percent for fox squirrel).

This squares with other evidence. Fresh pavement cement is poured during the day, when squirrels are active; rats, by contrast, are nocturnal. Moreover, there were no tracks near the impression, suggesting a direct fall  splat  into the concrete.

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Squirrels tend to fall a lot, especially city squirrels; urban squirrels have 4.5 times the rate of healed fall injuries compared to rural squirrels. There was even a tree near the hole from which the squirrel could have fallen.

Even the long, spindly tail can be explained: the hair that makes up a squirrel's bushy tail is too light and flexible to press into the cement and leave an impression.

"It would actually be quite surprising if a bushy tail had been preserved sidewalk concrete is not an ideal medium for preserving detailed biological features like hair," the researchers explain.

An Eastern gray squirrel in Chicago. ( Joe Ravi/Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 3.0)

But which squirrel was it? Based on the squirrel populations in the area, the researchers concluded that an Eastern gray squirrel is dramatically more likely to be hanging about. For this reason, the researchers propose that the slab be renamed the "Windy City Sidewalk Squirrel" and the viral moment be upheld as a testament to scientific curiosity.

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"Even though the popular conclusion that the 'Chicago Rat Hole' was created by a brown rat is likely incorrect, the public's reasoning  based on the imprint's overall shape and the abundance of brown rats in Chicago  demonstrates an impressive use of inductive logic that the scientific community should encourage," they write in their paper.

"We hope this work  in spite of (or perhaps more specifically, because of) its inherent frivolity  resonates with both the public and the scientific community, demonstrating that scientific inquiry does not need to be confined to laboratories or burdened with impenetrable jargon.

"At its core, science simply requires curiosity and a commitment to understanding the natural world around us."

The research has been published in Biology Letters.

Related News
Wesley Dixon Jones (Photo/Courtesy)

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) issued a press release on Friday seeking assistance to locate 71-year-old Wesley Dixon Jones, a CTUIR tribal citizen missing for close to two weeks. The Umatilla Tribal Police Department (UTPD) continues the search Jones and want the assistance to locate Dixon.

Following his disappearance, UTPD Detective William Morris reported that the department has carried out multiple search efforts in collaboration with the Umatilla County Sheriffs Office Search & Rescue. These efforts have included two canine-assisted searches, three aerial drone operations along portions of the Umatilla River, and two ground searches.

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So were still continuing to follow up on every lead we get, Morris said. Weve had a few false sightings of him in different areas that weve looked into. We do have some more investigative steps to take, but this continues to be a missing person (case).

Jones was reported missing by his family around 10:44 p.m. on October 5, after he had not been seen since earlier that afternoon. He is described as a Native American male, approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing around 140 pounds, with long black hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a black and red Tigerscott jacket, black shirt, black sweatpants, and boots.

Morris noted that the last confirmed sighting of Jones was captured on camera around 3:15 p.m. on October 5. He was seen inside a vehicle on east Short Mile Road. While the possibility of foul play has not been ruled out, there is currently no evidence to support that theory.

We dont have any information that any crime was involved, Morris said. That obviously could change, but just right now the information we have does not indicate a crime. Were treating it as if it could be because it could be, but we havent substantiated any criminal act.

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Search efforts have focused primarily on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, specifically the area between the Highway 331 bridge over the Umatilla River and the train tracks at Sheoships Lane, which aligns with the most credible information about Joness last known location.

In addition to law enforcement efforts, Joness family has conducted their own searches, including one on horseback. While these were independent of UTPD coordination, Morris said the family has kept him updated on their activities.

Anyone who may have information about Joness whereabouts is encouraged to contact the UTPD at 541-278-0550 or reach out directly to Detective Morris at 541-969-7139.

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On Thursday, law enforcement agencies from northern to southern California joined in the search efforts for Ron Dailey, a missing Selma man who has been out in the wilderness of Shaver Lake since Monday.

"You'd be amazed at what people can survive, so odds are definitely in his favor," said Sgt. Scott Weishaar with the Fresno County Sheriff's Search and Rescue.

The Fresno County Sheriff's Search and Rescue not taking any chances, from volunteers to drones to off-road-vehicles, it is using every tool to find Ron Dailey. The 65-year-old Selma man was reported missing on Monday after a day spent deer hunting in eastern Fresno County.

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"Talking to the family, he's extremely familiar with this area. He came well-prepared and luckily, he's got his vehicle. The vehicle's a great source of shelter at night," said Sgt. Weishaar.

Fresno County Sheriff Search and Rescue say it would not be able to continue its efforts without its selfless volunteers.

On Thursday, as many as 32 volunteers stepped forward to assist -- many without a law enforcement background.

"People who have a bit of extra time; a love for the outdoors and love helping people," said Sgt. Weishaar.

Search and Rescue also rolling out specialized equipment that can sustain the rugged mountainous terrain of eastern Fresno County -- even in inclement weather.

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"They can drive off in both the snow and the dirt, compared to other vehicles that are strictly in snow or strictly dirt," said Sgt. Weishaar.

Kern County Sheriff's offering its Sherp to the search - an all-terrain amphibious vehicle designed to handle the most challenging terrain.

"This is really helpful because they can start out in their search area in the dirt and as it transitions to the snow then they don't have to change equipment," said Sgt. Weishaar.

Fresno County Sheriff's will enter its fifth day of the search on Friday -- with this message to Ron's family.

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"Stay strong. They're lucky they have an experienced husband and grandfather that's out there and I'm hopeful that he gets found OK."

On Thursday night, CalFire will join in the search efforts utilizing a specialized aircraft equipped with thermal technology.

The mission to bring Ron Dailey home will continue Friday with a debrief with volunteers beginning at 7 a.m. at the sheriff's base of operations in Shaver Lake.

For news updates, follow Christina Lopez on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Oct. 17A security guard was arrested after allegedly shooting and killing a man who reportedly took $90 worth of merchandise from a Halloween store in Northeast Albuquerque Thursday evening.

Josiah Armijo, 25, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder on Friday. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center and does not yet have a lawyer.

Armijo's wife confirmed he was working as a security guard for New Mexico Security Services LLC for "a long time."

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"I don't know how it could have occurred, but I know he's a good man," she said.

The manager of the security company, Kathy Mauldin, declined to comment Friday morning.

Police will not identify the man who was killed until his family is notified, according to a news release from Gilbert Gallegos, spokesperson for the Albuquerque Police Department.

Officers were dispatched to the Spirit Halloween on Carlisle, near Indian School, around 5 p.m. Thursday following reports of a homicide. Upon arrival, police saw a man with a gunshot wound to the chest, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

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Surveillance footage from the store showed the man place $90 worth of merchandise in his basket before walking out of the store, the complaint states. Armijo chased the man out to the parking lot and tackled him to the ground.

"The man, who was not armed with a weapon, attempted to get up, but Armijo threw him back on the ground without giving any commands," Gallegos said.

Surveillance footage from the store showed Armijo punch the man before he grabbed his gun and pointed it at the man while yelling "Don't (expletive) move, I'll (expletive) shoot you," according to the complaint.

Armijo holstered his gun, got on top of the man and pepper sprayed him in the face, the complaint states. The man rolled onto his back and Armijo put away his pepper spray and drew his gun again.

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The man fought with Armijo and pulled him to the ground, got on top of him and appeared to punch Armijo, Gallegos said. A shot was heard on the surveillance video and the men continued to fight.

Two more shots were heard and footage showed the man fall to the ground, according to the complaint. Armijo used his radio to report that shots were fired and he needed help.

"Detectives, working with the District Attorney's Office, determined that Armijo had probable cause to stop the man for stealing the items from the store," Gallegos said. "But he was charged with 2nd Degree Murder because he did not have the necessary need for deadly force."
A new proposed congressional map released by North Carolina Republicans on Thursday would shift several counties in the states northeast into new, reshaped districts.

The new map, as expected, would redraw the states 1st Congressional District. It would extend the districts lines farther south along the coast to Carteret County.

The 1st district, currently represented in the U.S. House by Rep. Don Davis, a Democrat from Snow Hill in Greene County, is the states only swing district under the map currently in place that was drawn by Republicans in 2023.

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Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall announced earlier this week that GOP lawmakers would take up a new congressional map when they return to Raleigh for a few days of voting sessions next week.

On Thursday, Republicans unveiled the new map and said it would be in front of lawmakers on Monday morning, beginning with the Senate Committee on Elections.

Davis seat in northeastern North Carolina was widely expected to be the most vulnerable to another redraw by Republicans, given its competitive profile.

Proposed redrawn congressional map released in 2025

At President Donald Trumps request, North Carolina Republicans proposed a new congressional map in October 2025 that is likely to pick up another seat for the GOP.

In order to make the 1st district more safely Republican-leaning, the new map would trade a number of counties between the 1st and 3rd Districts.

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The 1st district currently extends from Vance County to Currituck County, while dropping down to Wayne and Lenoir counties. The 3rd district runs from Sampson County east to Carteret County on the coast, and up to Dare County.

Under the new map, the 1st District would retain most of its current composition but extend farther south along the coast to include six counties that currently fall under the 3rd: Beaufort, Craven, Carteret, Pamlico, Hyde, and Dare.

The 3rd District, meanwhile, would include four counties that are currently part of the 1st: Wilson, Wayne, Lenoir, and Greene.

Data provided by the legislature shows that 55% of voters in District 1, as it would be comprised under the new map, voted for President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

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That would be a far tougher district for Democrats to compete in. The competitive district lines currently in place resulted in Davis winning reelection in 2024 by less than 2 points.

Current congressional map in place since 2023

The North Carolina Congressional map passed by the General Assembly on Oct. 25, 2023, to use in the 2024 elections.

The new map, which only requires approval by simple majority votes in both chambers of the GOP-led General Assembly and cannot be vetoed by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, could help Republicans pick up one more seat in the U.S. House.

North Carolina is the latest state to join the current mid-decade redistricting battle that began after Texas Republicans passed a new map, prompting California Democrats to draw their own map and put it on the ballot for approval by voters next month.

Both maps in Texas and California are expected to net the party creating the map five additional seats in Congress, effectively canceling each other out.

Announcing the new map on Monday, Berger and Hall said they would respond to the redraw in California by heeding Trumps call for Republican-led states to enact new maps of their own, ahead of next years midterms.
Indianapolis went through a growth spurt in the 1920s, a decade defined nationally by the "flapper" style, the Jazz Age and a booming economy before the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Sometimes called the "Golden Age" of Indianapolis, the roaring decade saw the economy and population expand in the Circle City as manufacturing and development grew rapidly.

Powered by the growth of the railroad and auto industries, many in Indianapolis and across the state now had "radios, flush toilets, cars, telephones, sewing machines and fancy stores jammed with enticing goods," according to the Indiana Historical Society.

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Prohibition also took hold in Indiana during the decade, though bootleggers did pop up across the state.

While it was a time for growth and change for many, the decade did also have a dark side as the Ku Klux Klan rose to prominence. The Klan hit its highest membership in 1924 in part due to a sympathetic governor and legislature, according to IHS.

Check out the photos that take you into the past below, or click here if you're interested in seeing other decades.

See Indianapolis headlines through the years

Behind the headlines: A look back on IndyStar headlines that made Leap Day front pages, going back 120 years

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: See life in Indianapolis 100 years ago with 'Golden Age' 1920s photos
Millions of Americans are expected to participate in mass demonstrations across the country Oct. 18 to protest actions by the Trump administration and the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement.

Organizers have branded Saturday's rallies under the "No Kings" moniker, which are scheduled across dozens of Indiana cities that include Indianapolis, Bloomington, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Muncie and South Bend.

The first "No Kings" protests drew more than 4,000 people to the Indiana Statehouse on June 14.

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Whether you plan to demonstrate or just want to avoid traffic, here's a map of where rallies are scheduled in Indiana.

Where are 'No Kings' protests in Indiana near me?

First Amendment Rights: What protesters can, can't do under the law as 'No Kings' rallies return to Indiana.

The times and addresses of the Oct. 18 protests scheduled in Indiana can be found below. Events without addresses have private locations, and more details can be found after signing up on the "No Kings" website.

When are 'No Kings' protests in Indiana near me?

Indianapolis: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, @ Indiana Statehouse

Indianapolis: Noon-3 p.m. ET, @ Indiana Statehouse

Albion: 11 a.m.-Noon ET, @ 100 N Orange St

Anderson: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. ET, @ Madison County Courthouse

Angola: 11 a.m.-1p.m. ET, @ South Public Square

Auburn: Noon-2 p.m. ET, @ 100 Main St

Bedford: Noon-2 p.m. ET, @ Bedford Courthouse Square

Bloomington: 2-4:30 p.m. ET, @ Courthouse Square

Brookville: 10 a.m.-Noon ET, @ In Front of the Franklin County Courthouse

Columbus: 11 a.m.-Noon ET, @ Columbus City Hall

Corydon: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ET, @ Corydon Town Square

Crown Point: Noon-2 p.m. CT, @ Crown Point Courthouse Square

Decatur: Noon-3 p.m. ET, @ Adams County Courthouse

Delphi: 3-5 p.m. ET, @ Carroll County Courthouse - Side Walk

Elkhart: 10 a.m.-Noon ET, @ 350 S Main St

Evansville: 10:30 a.m.-Noon CT, @ EVPL McCollough

Evansville: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. CT, @ Vanderburgh County Clerk, 1 NW Martin Luther King Jr Blvd

Fort Wayne: 2-5 p.m. ET, @ Allen County Court Administration

Frankfort: 2-4 p.m. ET, @ 1 S. Maish Rd

Greencastle: Noon-2 p.m. ET, @ Putnam County Courthouse

Kokomo: Noon-3:30 p.m. ET, @ Howard County Courthouse

Lagrange: Noon-2 p.m. ET, @ 105 N Detroit St

La Porte: Noon-2 p.m. CT, @ La Porte County Courthouse

Lebanon: Noon-2 p.m.. ET, @ Courthouse Sq.

Liberty: 10 a.m.-Noon ET, @ Union County Courthouse

Logansport: Noon-2 p.m. ET, @ In front of Big Lots, 2525 E Market St.

Madison: 10 a.m.-noon ET, @ Jaycee Park / Madison Milton Bridge View Parking

Marion: Noon-2 p.m. ET, @ Grant County Court House

Muncie: Noon-2 p.m. ET, @ Fallen Heroes Memorial Bridge

Nashville: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. ET, Private Event

New Albany: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET, @ New Albany City Hall sidewalk

Plainfield: 1-3 p.m. ET, @ Corner of Main St & Mills St

Richmond: 2-3:30 p.m. ET, @ Jack Elstro Plaza

South Bend: Noon-1:30 p.m. ET, @ 211 N Michigan St

Terre Haute: Noon-2 p.m. ET, @ Vigo County Courthouse

Vincennes: 1-3 p.m. ET, @ Knox County Courthouse

Warsaw: 2:30-4:30 p.m. ET, @ Corner of Center and Detroit Streets

Warsaw: 2:30-6:30 p.m. ET, @ Warsaw Community Public Library

West Lafayette: 2-5 p.m. ET, @ Margerum Fountain and John T Myers Pedestrian Bridge

What are 'No Kings' protests?

The protest's organizer, Indivisible, originally planned the June 14 demonstration as a "nationwide day of defiance" in response to the $40 million military parade President Donald Trump orchestrated on his birthday.

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The movement preaches the idea that "America has No Kings," and says, "Now, President Trump has doubled down," referencing the recent actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, healthcare cuts and more.

"The president thinks his rule is absolute," the site says. "But in America, we dont have kings and we wont back down against chaos, corruption and cruelty."

IndyStar reporter Cate Charron contributed.

John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Map shows where to find 'No Kings' rallies in Indiana Oct. 18
ScotusCrim is a recurring series by Rory Little focusing on intersections between the Supreme Court and criminal law.

Please note that the views of outside contributors do not reflect the official opinions of SCOTUSblog or its staff.

The recent federal indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York State Attorney General Letitia James have raised concerns, among other things, of improper selective or vindictive prosecution. These arent just abstract legal concepts: These doctrines are rooted in the Constitution, and there are commonsense as well as prudential reasons to support them.

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The Comey and James indictments.

The remarkable background of the two indictments, within two weeks of each other, is by now familiar. President Donald Trump has long expressed personal dislike of both persons. As the five-year statute of limitations approached, Trump urged U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to charge Comey (in a social media post that he might have been trying to send privately). When career Department of Justice prosecutors allegedly expressed misgivings about the charges, Trump (and Bondi) forced the relevant Trump-appointed U.S. attorney to resign and installed (perhaps unlawfully) a White House assistant with no prosecutorial experience. That new U.S. attorney, Lindsey Halligan, promptly got a grand jury to approve a vague two-page indictment, alleging that Comey made a false statement (actually dating back eight years). Comey has strongly denied the charges.

Days later, Halligan obtained another two-count indictment, this time of James, again based on old facts that had been evaluated as insufficient (as had the Comey charges) by career prosecutors. Trump had railed against James ever since she campaigned in 2018 on statements against Trump and then successfully prosecuted him in 2024 on civil business fraud allegations. (Interestingly, then-private citizen Trump claimed he was the victim of vindictive and selective prosecution.) Trump urged Bondi to charge James in the same social media post mentioned above: Pam:  What about Comey, Adam Shifty Schiff, Leticia??? Theyre all guilty as hell  JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!! James has called the charges baseless and continues to serve as the state attorney general.

Meanwhile, Trump says Its about justice,  not revenge, and is yet urging other payback prosecutions. The critique of weaponizing the justice system has been voiced from both sides of the political aisle, and no doubt that would be a bad development all around. But to lapse into common sense, two wrongs do not make a right.

It sure looks vindictive  but that does not win the legal argument.

Vindictive: intended for or involving revenge. Thats what Websters says. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!) Thats what Trump said when urging Bondi to charge. Commentators think Trumps own words prove that he is prosecut[ing] his political enemies  and it does indeed look that way. Meanwhile, as noted above, the defense of tu quoque (you too) is a logical fallacy: just because others may have engaged in similar bad behavior doesnt make your behavior right. If plain meaning interpretation is applied to legal doctrine, disposing of the indictments of James Comey and Letitia James indictments seems uncomplicated. But legal doctrine does not always follow plain meaning or popular opinion. Lets dig a little deeper.

Vindictive and selective doctrines have the same constitutional foundation and the same cautious application.

The legal doctrines that permit challenging a criminal prosecution as unlawfully selective or vindictive have at least three commonalities:

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Neither is mentioned in the text of the Constitution, but both are firmly rooted in its amendments. Both are rooted in concepts of fairness and equality. Both are difficult to win with, yet they embody commonsense, and necessary, principles.

The body of the Constitution does not mention doctrines of selective or vindictive prosecution. This is unsurprising  the authors of the Constitution were focused on establishing a new form of government (three separated branches). As Chief Justice John Marshall (a prominent member of the founding Federalists) explained, the Framers intention was not to publish a prolix[] legal code, but rather to mark the new governments great outlines and designate its important objects. However, the lack of attention to criminal justice in the Constitution was an immediate point of attack. Thus part of the 1789 ratification bargain was that a bill of rights would immediately be attached as amendments, and the First Congress proposed what became the Bill of Rights in 1791. Unsurprisingly, many of those rights addressed criminal law protections.

In the Fifth Amendment (inter alia) we see the constitutional foundation for guaranteeing fairness and equality in the application of liberty-depriving criminal laws: [N]or shall any person  be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. The idea that a person may not be selected for prosecution unfairly, for improper reasons, is founded in constitutional due process. So too is the idea that a person may not be selected for prosecution purely as a matter of revenge  vindictive prosecution. In this sense, vindictive prosecution is simply a subset of improper selective prosecution.

Along these lines, U.S. attorney general and future Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson explained in his essay The Federal Prosecutor that the use of governmental power to avenge perceived wrongs by harming the liberty of those out of power is fundamentally improper in a constitutional democracy. If you derive nothing else from this column, please read that paper (still found on the Department of justices website) in full here. When a prosecutor acts from malice or other base motives, he is one of the worst forces in our society. Thus selection of criminal cases for improper reasons is the most dangerous power of the prosecutor: that he will pick people that he thinks he should get, rather than pick cases that need to be prosecuted.

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In 1886, in the famous Yick Wo decision, the Supreme Court recognized that the recently-enacted 14th Amendment also supports these legal doctrines. No State shall  deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. The unanimous Yick Wo court found that amendments due process and equal protection clauses do not leave room for the play and action of purely personal and arbitrary power.

To be clear, race and nationality were the improper factors in Yick Wo. But the decision is replete with authoritative announcements against generalized abuses of government power: a reign of just and equal laws prohibits statutes neutral on their face from being applied with an evil eye and an unequal hand, and imprisonment is illegal on such bases. Yick Wo is thus recognized by many, including Justice Anthony Kennedy, as the pathbreaking  equal protection case underlying both the selective and vindictive prosecution doctrines.

The details: why each doctrine makes it difficult to prevail.

Just because such doctrines are recognized, however, does not make enforcement either easy or common, for several reasons.

All prosecutions are necessarily the product of selection.

Public prosecutors have limited time, money, and staff, and thus will always have to select what cases to bring. Jacksons essay again succinctly explained the resource-limitations on universal prosecution which makes some case selection inevitable: [N]o prosecutor can even investigate [let alone prosecute] all of the cases in which he receives complaints  [N]o local police force can strictly enforce the traffic laws, or it would arrest half the driving population on any given morning. As the court explained in 1962, the conscious exercise of some selectivity in enforcement is not in itself a federal constitutional violation. It is instead a practical necessity  but only when based on proper factors.

The legal bar for proving violations is necessarily high, and even obtaining discovery is carefully limited.

Because some selection is necessary, prosecutors are granted (as the court explained in Wayte v. United States) broad  but not unfettered  discretion. We want to assume (note: what we want, not always what we get) that public prosecutors will generally apply their discretion fairly, without constant interference  a presumption of regularity as Chief Justice William Rehnquist wrote in United States v. Armstrong. Thus, the Supreme Court has announced some pretty restrictive rules establishing demanding standards for evaluating selective and vindictive prosecution claims.

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First, Yick Wo established that a defendant must show that similarly situated persons have not been prosecuted. This can require some careful parsing, and (like all legal concepts) is capable of lawyerly manipulation. Similarity is not perfect equality, and the court found the standard met for different Chinese launderers in Yick Wo.

Second, a credible showing of different treatment of the defendant from those similarly situated must be shown, and must be proved by some solid evidence, not just inference or intuition. Thus, for example, in United States v. Armstrong, the fact that all 24 defendants prosecuted in one district for cocaine possession were Black was not sufficient to gain discovery of internal government documents about those or other investigations and prosecutive decisions, without something more. Armstrong has been strongly criticized, but it demonstrates the existing high standard.

Third, a defendant cannot even get discovery on where or who the unprosecuted differently-treated others might be, without first making the required credible showing of likely improper discrimination. Critics have noted that this can create a Catch 22 situation, in which the evidence needed to prove the first two rules above is blocked by application of this one. Thus, as now-U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Stephanos Bibas noted in a 2009 article, [t]he last successful claim of racially selective prosecution appears to have been Yick Wo.

Finally, proving a violation of these legal doctrines depends on proving an improper motive or purpose on the part of the prosecutor  and such mental states (or in lawyerly terms, mens rea), being entirely internal, are notoriously difficult to show. Particularly when a defendant appears to be factually guilty of a charged crime, courts are unwilling to also find an unlawful motive in the prosecutorial mind; but hes guilty can be a powerful rejoinder. Nevertheless, the court has repeatedly and unanimously concluded, in landmark cases like Morissette v. United States and civil contexts like the False Claims Act, that improper motives can be proved; and lower courts have found, albeit rarely, improper selective prosecutions. As the court itself noted in Armstrong, selective prosecution claims are not impossible to prove.

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(It seems important to note that in Yick Wo, the Supreme Court ordered that Yick Wo and Wo Lee be discharge[d]  from custody and imprisonment. Nevertheless, and without citing Yick Wo, a footnote in Armstrong suggested that the remedy for unconstitutional selection might not necessary be dismissal of the charges. This has recently been debated by Professor Guy Rubenstein. But that debate is not my focus here.)

Prosecutorial vindictiveness is a recognized constitutional evil.

When implementing these doctrines, unlawful reasons for prosecution include race, religion, or ones exercise of free speech. Or as the court put it in Wayte v. United States (quoting a prior case), the decision to prosecute may not be deliberately based upon an unjustifiable standard such as race, religion, or other arbitrary classification, including the exercise of protected statutory and constitutional rights.

Over 50 years ago, the Supreme Court recognized another unlawful reason for prosecution selection, which, as Ive expressed above, is especially relevant at the current moment: vindictiveness. In the 1969 case of North Carolina v. Pearce, Justice Potter Stewart explained that vindictiveness against a defendant  must play no part in sentencing after a successful appeal. Only a few years later, in Blackledge v. Perry, the court extended this rule to the prosecutors charging decision. And because a fear of vindictiveness may chill a persons decision to exercise his rights, the court developed a rebuttable presumption of vindictiveness when a prosecutors decision appears more harsh than it would have been absent exercise of that right  that is, when specific criminal prosecution circumstances raise a reasonable likelihood of vindictiveness.

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Scholars have noted that the concept of vindictiveness and the vague rules mentioned here present slippery tools with little further Supreme Court development. But the theory strikes a commonsense chord, and the limiting rules do too. Judicial caution in applying the doctrines is appropriate, and it requires judicial courage (and care) to declare a prosecutors motives constitutionally improper. In the end, actual vindictiveness is required and cannot be presumed. But over many years, the Department of Justice has itself developed principles of prosecution to (one hopes) prevent these constitutional dangers. They prohibit the influence of political association, activities, or beliefs or the attorneys own personal feelings or professional  circumstances in deciding to charge someone. And they direct that federal prosecutors may never make a decision regarding an investigation or prosecution  for the purpose of giving an advantage  to any  political party. (It is presumably these principles which underlay the resistance of career prosecutors to the charges against Comey and James.)

In sum, a criminal law doctrine of vindictive prosecution, applied in a way that closely reflects what we ordinarily mean by vindictiveness and what longstanding precedents and principles have said, is consistent with  indeed, demanded by  the due process foundations of fairness and equality embedded in the Constitution and century-old precedent.

The bottom line.

The nuances and correctness of the doctrines of selective and vindictive prosecution will continue to be mined by judges, whether or not in the cases of Comey and James. And the imprecision of relevant Supreme Court precedents, combined with the unprecedented nature of Trumps actions, may well compel the Supreme Court to revisit these, along with so many other, accepted doctrines. That said, certain facts appear clear in Comey and James circumstances: As others have noted, Trumps own statements  indeed, his social media urgings to his attorney general  appear to provide the smoking gun (surely a credible showing) of improper motive that some doctrinal critics have said is so difficult to find.

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Ultimately, as Hamilton explained in Federalist Paper No. 84, whatever fine declarations may be inserted in any constitution  must altogether depend on public opinion, and on the general spirit of the people and of the government. This is, at bottom, the only solid basis of all our rights. Thus, it is ultimately for the public, as well as judges, to unhesitatingly embrace the longstanding principle that the use of governmental power for prosecutorial vengeance cannot be constitutionally tolerated.

For more Supreme Court news and analysis, visit SCOTUSblog.

Read more at SCOTUSblog 
PARIS, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV) Edgar County Sheriffs Department is asking drivers to avoid Route 1 north of Paris, Illinois, after an accident occurred early Friday morning.

According to Chief Zack Janis of the Paris Fire Department, a wreck occurred shortly before 7 a.m. Friday morning between a car and a semi traveling along Route 1 in Illinois. Chief Janis stated that significant damage was done to the car and the driver of that vehicle had to be airlifted to a hospital. Janis stated that the driver of the semi was also taken by ambulance for his injuries.

LendingTree CEO and founder Doug Lebda dies in ATV accident

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Sheriffs stated that detours are currently in place at both Horace Brocton Road and 1600th Road. Illinois State Police are handling the scene and WTWO will update the story if more information becomes available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com.
(WHTM)  Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was one of just two Democrats to break ranks and vote for the Republican-backed funding measure to keep the government open.

But the budget isnt the only song in the Democratic hymnal that Fetterman isnt singing. He shows unwavering support for Israel and, for many Democrats, too much support of President Donald Trumps policies.

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This Week in Pennsylvania

I really believe in calling balls and strikes, and I think I want to follow the truths, Fetterman said at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday night during NewsNations live town hall. Those are some independent thoughts but overall, I mean, you have to pick one side  Republican, Democrat  thats always been my party.

But is it still his party? J.J. Abbott, a Democratic consultant and former spokesman for Gov. Tom Wolf, said there have been public incidents of Fetterman dismissing his constituents who try to talk to him about issues.

I dont know that its buyers remorse as much as, like, feeling as though they were betrayed, Abbott said.

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Pittsburgh-based Democratic analyst Mike Mikus is even stronger, arguing Fetterman ran and got elected as a progressive but hasnt governed as one.

Ive always known John Fetterman is a phony, now hes showing everybody else, Mikus said.

Fetterman criticizes fellow Democrats over shutdown: I follow country, then party

Fetterman called the bad taste in his supporters mouths really strange.

Run the numbers, Fetterman said. I vote, I think, 90% plus Democrat.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, a Democrat, distanced himself from old, now-deleted social media posts where he referred to himself as a socialist and a communist.

CNN published an interview with Platner, a military veteran and oyster farmer, and a deep dive into his former Reddit handle, P-Hustle.

Politics: Maine Senate Candidate Apologizes For Inflammatory Reddit Posts

That was very much me f**king around the internet, he told CNNs KFile in an interview. I dont want people to see me for who I was in my worst Internet comment  or even frankly who I was in my best Internet comment  I dont think any of that is indicative of who I am today, really.

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Im not a communist. Im not a socialist. I own a small business. Im a Marine Corps veteran, Platner also told CNN.

Platners seemingly uninhibited posts were largely left-leaning and, at times, personal. They could also be curt and inflammatory.

For example, CNN found that Platner repeatedly used an ableist slur to insult social media users. He also called military veterans who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection traitors, f**king morons and f**king p*ssies.

Politics: Epstein Accuser Virginia Giuffre Was A Fan Of Trump For This 1 Reason

In a Reddit exchange, a user said, Bastards. Cops are bastards.

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All of them, in fact, Platner responded.

In 2020, Platner responded to a post titled, White people arent as racist or stupid as Trump thinks.

Platner flatly disagreed: Living in white rural America, Im afraid to tell you they actually are.

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has attempted to distance himself from years-old social media posts where he calls himself a "socialist" and a "communist." Photo: Graham Platner / Facebook

According to Platners website, he served in the United States Marine Corps and the Maryland Army National Guard. After having been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, Platner navigated PTSD and physical challenges, his website says.

He also described how his military service radicalized him, prompting him to become more left-leaning.

Politics: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Ups The Ante As He Calls For A General Strike

In one post in 2021, he said hes a vegetable growing, psychedelics taking socialist these days. After the war, Ive pretty much stopped believing in any of the patriotic nonsense that got me there in the first place, and am a firm believer that the best thing a person can do is help their neighbors and live a loving life.

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Still got the guns though, he added. I dont trust the fascists to act politely.

In another 2021 post, he said: My time in Americas imperial wars definitely radicalized me further, and Im significantly more left today than I was back then.

I did used to love America, or at least the idea of it. These days Im pretty disgusted by it all, he added.

Politics: Trump Literally Takes A S**t On No Kings Protesters In Wild AI Video

Platner boiled down his responses to just being an asshole on the Internet, according to CNN.

The posts were deleted before Platner, a politics newbie with an endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders, launched his campaign in August. He is vying for incumbent Sen. Susan Collins seat.

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The race is a high-stakes one, with many Democrats hoping to flip Collins seat in an effort to get a Dem majority in the Senate next year. Former Maine Gov. Janet Mills also announced that she will be running in the Democratic primary for the same seat. Despite her advanced age, which is an issue for many Maine voters, Mills has already received an endorsement from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Platner and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee did not immediately respond to HuffPosts request for comment.

Related...

Read the original on HuffPost
Senate Republicans shared a deepfake video of Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, designed to make it seem like Democrats are celebrating the ongoing government shutdown, which has lasted 16 days.

In the deepfake, an AI-generated Schumer repeats the phrase every day gets better for us, an actual quote taken out of context from a Punchbowl News article. In the original story, Schumer discussed the Democrats healthcare-focused shutdown strategy, and said they were not going to back away from Republicans playbook of threats and bambooz[ling].

The shutdown is happening because Democrats and Republicans cannot agree to pass a bill funding government through October and beyond. Democrats are trying to hold on to tax credits that would make health insurance cheaper for millions of Americans, secure a reversal to Trumps Medicaid cuts, and block cuts to government health agencies.

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The video was posted Friday on the Senate Republicans X account. According to Xs policies, the platform prohibits deceptively shar[ing] synthetic or manipulated media that are likely to cause harm. Harmful content includes media that could mislead people or cause significant confusion on public issues.

Enforcement actions include removing content, labeling warnings, or reducing visibility. X has not, as of the time of this writing, removed the deepfake or added a warning label  though the video does include a watermark denoting its AI origins.

The Schumer video is not the first time X has allowed deepfakes of politicians to remain on the platform. In late 2024, X owner Elon Musk shared a manipulated video of former vice president Kamala Harris in the lead-up to the election, sparking debate about misleading voters.

TechCrunch has reached out to X for comment.

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Up to 28 states have enacted laws prohibiting deepfakes of political figures, specifically around campaigns and elections, though most dont outright ban them if they have clear disclosures. California, Minnesota, and Texas have banned deepfakes intended to influence elections, deceive voters, or harm candidates.

The latest post comes weeks after President Donald Trump posted deepfakes on Truth Social depicting Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, making false statements about immigration and voter fraud.

Responding to criticism of the lack of honesty and ethics, Joanna Rodriguez, the National Republican Senatorial Committee communications director, said: AI is here and not going anywhere. Adapt & win or pearl clutch & lose.
Senator Marshall discusses officers killed responding to DV calls

TOPEKA (KSNT)  October is domestic violence awareness month, and its a problem that hits home for many Kansans, including first responders.

Senator Roger Marshall hosted a roundtable at the Kansas Coalition Against Domestic Violences headquarters on Oct. 17. Law enforcement agencies, victim advocacy groups and state officials talked about the extreme dangers of domestic violence calls.

The danger isnt just for the victims, but also for the first responders responding to those calls. Two out of four officers killed in the line of duty this year in Kansas, were responding to domestic violence calls.

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Domestic violence calls are one of the most dangerous calls officers respond to. These situations can be volatile and unpredictable because suspects could have various mental health or substance abuse issues.

Washburn students tell their stories during Domestic Violence Awareness Month

This roundtable was not only focused on survivor resources but also addressed the root of the problem.

We have a mental health epidemic in our youth, especially in a lot of reasons for that. But maybe I bet 20, 30% of our youth have some type of a mental health illness challenge going on, said Kansas Senator, Roger Marshall. Again, trying to get to the roots of it. How do we prevent it? Theres not going to be enough medicines out there to treat the epidemic of mental health that we have right now.

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261 repeat domestic violence offenders were identified by the Topeka Police Department this year, with 2,195 calls in total.

Senator Marshall said the community must be committed to fighting this issue while survivors are reaching out for help in record numbers and officers continue risking their lives.

The domestic violence hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-SAFE.

For more resources, you can contact the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

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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 KSNT 27 News.
Oct. 17 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate is poised to take up a bipartisan bill aimed at preventing the Trump administration from launching a full-on war with Venezuela over alleged ties to the international drug trade.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., filed the bill Thursday to stop the administration from starting a war with Venezuela as U.S. forces attacked another alleged drug boat. The move also comes after Trump earlier this week said he authorized the CIA to operate inside Venezuela and mused about potential strikes on land, statements that followed the fifth strike against an alleged drug-running vessel in the Caribbean.

The bill, co-sponsored by Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif., which the Senate would have to vote on within 10 days, would be the second that Kaine and Schiff have put forth to prevent a war.

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Last week, a similar bill sponsored by Kaine and Schiff failed to pass the Senate, 48-51, even with the support of Paul and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, according to NPR.

"The American people do not want to be drawn into endless war with Venezuela without public debate or a vote," Paul told reporters. "We ought to defend what the Constitution demands -- deliberation before war."

Although a U.S. president has the power to defend the nation militarily during an imminent or current threat without first discussing their actions with Congress, the decision to declare war rests solely with the Congress, Paul, Kaine and other members of the body have pointed out.

The administration started a naval buildup off Venezuela's coast in late summer and has at least eight U.S. Navy surface warships -- four guided-missile destroyers, the three-vessel Iwo Jima amphibious ready group, a guided-missile cruiser and a littoral combat ship -- and a nuclear attack submarine in the area.

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Although Trump has long accused Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Muduro, of emptying its prisons into the United States to sow chaos, the military build-up and actions are aimed at staunching the alleged flow of drugs from South America to the United States.

Venezuela has appealed to the United Nations to declare U.S. actions in the Caribbean illegal, with its ambassador condemning the strikes on boats off the nation's coast and repeating that the families of the deceased said their loved ones were fishing when they died.

"American diplomats know this is illegal," Samuel Moncada, Venezuelan ambassador to the United Natons told reporters on Thursday, calling the Trump administration's allegations "fabricated."
KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE)  The sentencing date has been set for a former Knox County Sheriffs Office employee who admitted to using KCSO and federal funds to buy items for personal use.

Ex-Knox County Narcotics Chief David Henderson is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2026. In August, Henderson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program fraud. He is facing up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.

In his plea agreement, Henderson admitted to conspiring with other officers to steal federal program funds for personal use between 2011 and 2018. The conspiracy included Henderson and others purchasing around $138,000 worth of Apple product at Hendersons direction that were given to his friends and family. There were also additional purchases of Yeti Coolers, thermal imagers, security cameras, and tools that were purchased with official funds.

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Prosecutors argued that those purchases were funded through Hendersons official unit credit card and seized drug money.

Plea deal offered for man indicted in 2023 death of toddler Baby Elena

Henderson also admitted to having subordinate deputies use county property and supplies to complete personal projects at his home, the former sheriffs home and at the homes of friends, family and acquaintances.

Henderson was relieved of his responsibilities with the Narcotics Unit in January 2019. He was reassigned to the Special Services Unit in October of that year, but was granted a request for retirement on April 10, 2020, which is the same day the FBI investigation into his actions came to light.

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Out-of-town firefighter charged after off-duty police officer assaulted in downtown Knoxville

In 2023, a judge ruled that Henderson was incompetent to stand trial. After that, he spent four months at a federal medical facility in Massachusetts, undergoing evaluation and treatment that included competency restoration. After subsequent hearings, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill McCook ruled in February 2025 that Henderson was fit to stand trial.

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SEOUL, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Seoul called for stronger global cooperation at the United Nations to combat human trafficking tied to online scam operations, as concern mounts at home over the kidnapping and abuse of South Korean nationals in Cambodia.

South Korea's Deputy Permanent Representative Kim Sang-jin raised the issue Thursday at the U.N. General Assembly, warning that trafficking networks linked to scam centers have become a growing transnational threat.

"This crime is increasingly intertwined with emerging forms of transnational crime, such as online scams as seen in the recent surge in cases targeting citizens of the Republic of Korea and other nations in Southeast Asian territories, underscoring the need for stronger international cooperation," Kim said during an interactive dialogue with the chair of the Human Rights Committee.

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"Human trafficking endangers the right to life and security of person, and [is] a grave violation of international human rights law," Kim said. "Turning a blind eye to it is an abdication of our collective responsibility, leading to lifelong harm, disappearance and even death of countless victims."

His remarks come amid escalating concern in South Korea after reports that hundreds of citizens have been kidnapped or forced into labor at scam compounds in Cambodia.

Most of the cases are linked to transnational crime gangs running large-scale voice phishing rings and illegal gambling operations. Victims are lured with fake job offers and then held against their will.

Seoul says that the number of South Koreans kidnapped in Cambodia has soared over the past two years, with a reported 220 in 2024 and 330 through August of this year. Previous years had seen between 10 and 20 kidnapping cases on average.

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The issue sparked public outrage when the body of a Korean university student was found in August near Bokor Mountain in Kampot Province after allegedly being tortured to death. Three Chinese nationals were indicted on murder and fraud charges by Cambodian prosecutors, state-run news agency Agence Khmer Press reported last week.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday issued a "code-black" travel ban, its highest alert level, for several Cambodian regions, including Poipet, Bavet and the Bokor Mountain area. The government dispatched an inter-agency joint response team to address the crisis and oversee the repatriation of South Korean citizens.

Four Koreans have returned home this week, news agency Yonhap reported Friday, with another 59 still awaiting repatriation.

On Tuesday, Britain and the United States announced they had imposed sanctions on the Prince Group, a Cambodia-based transnational network accused of operating criminal cyber-scam compounds.

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U.N. human rights investigators say scam centers in Cambodia and neighboring countries are part of a broader regional human-trafficking network involving hundreds of thousands of victims from across Asia, many subjected to violence and forced labor.

"The situation has reached the level of a humanitarian and human rights crisis," a team of human rights special rapporteurs said in May.

Amnesty International said in a June report that the Cambodian government has been "deliberately ignoring" human rights abuses, including slavery, human trafficking, child labor and torture, at some 53 scamming compounds in the country.

Amnesty's findings also suggested "coordination and possibly collusion between Chinese compound bosses and the Cambodian police, who have failed to shut down compounds despite the slew of human rights abuses taking place inside."
SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa (KCAU)  A man accused of killing one person and injuring another in a Sergeant Bluff shooting more than two years ago has been deemed competent to stand trial, according to new documents.

The ruling reverses the previous ruling that indicated Raymond Rogers was incompetent and suffered from a disorder and didnt understand that he victims were killed and injured.

Story continues below

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Rogers is accused of shooting his estranged wife and killing Gerele Jones in February 2023 at a Sergeant Bluff home.

Rogers was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He remains in the Woodbury County Jail on a $2 million bond on multiple charges, including first-degree murder.

Raymond Rogers archive

His jury trial is scheduled for May 12, 2026.

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Deloitte Consulting LLP could pay a $6.3 million settlement as part of a class action lawsuit filed after the 2024 cyberattack on Rhode Islands public benefits computer system that potentially compromised the private information of hundreds of thousands of people.

A proposed settlement was filed Oct. 16 in U.S. District Court that could provide financial compensation and credit monitoring to the more than 735,501 members, if approved by the court.

In reaching the deal following negotiations, Deloitte denied all liability and wrongdoing, and in exchange for receiving a payment class members must release all claims related to the data breach against the consulting giant.

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In data breach cases, true justice demands ongoing protection from identity theft and other fraudulent activity. This settlement offers not only financial compensation but also ongoing protection in the form of fraudulent activity monitoring. Such monitoring enables individuals to watch their credit, detect suspicious activity early, and act before harm occurs. It offers lasting peace of mind well after the litigation is over, former state Rep. Peter N. Wasylyk, who brought the lawsuits on behalf of recipients of food stamps, stated in an email.

The settlement specifies that the $6.3 million be used to make payments and pay for benefits to class members, for administration costs, and any legal fees and costs and service awards approved by the court.

How can those affected get their money?

Settlement class members may elect one of two cash payment options, under the terms of the proposed agreement:

Cash Payment A: A cash payment based on documented losses up to $5,000. Examples of documentation to support a claim include "contemporaneously generated or prepared by a third party" or a class member can produce documents detailing expenses paid, namely telephone records and correspondence, including emails, or receipts.

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Cash Payment B: An estimated $100 cash payment, requiring no documentation of losses.

According to the terms, if a class member does not submit adequate documentation supporting a loss, or if their claim is rejected by the settlement administrator and it isnt cured, the class member will be treated as if they opted for the $100 option.

In addition to the cash payments, members may also make a claim for medical data monitoring that will include two years of CyExs medical data monitoring. Those services include real-time credit monitoring and dark web scanning with immediate notification of potential unauthorized use. Additionally, victim assistance will be provided, along with $1 million in identity theft insurance with no deductible and access to fraud resolution agents to help investigate and resolve instances of identity theft.

How we got here

Rhode Island's public benefits computer system was shut down in December 2024 after it was breached by cyberhackers, potentially exposing the sensitive information  including Social Security numbers, banking information and health information  of hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders.

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Deloitte, the information technology vendor that built and runs the computer system known as RIBridges and UHIP, alerted the state and police about a potential attack on Dec. 5. Days later, the attackers sent the vendor screenshots showing personal data files.

Gov. Dan McKee said at the time that the decision to shutter the system and the HealthyRhode.ri.gov website came after Deloitte discovered that dangerous malware was embedded in the RIBridges computer code.

Multiple class action lawsuits, which were later consolidated, were filed against Deloitte after news broke on the breach.

Who may be eligible for a payment?

Individuals who received any of the following benefits from the State of Rhode Island through the RIBridges system are potential class members.

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RIBridges facilitates applications for benefits programs including:

Medicaid

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

Health coverage purchased through HealthSource RI

Rhode Island Works (RIW)

Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS)

General Public Assistance (GPA) Program

At HOME Cost Share

The settlement calls for Deloitte to provide the settlement administrator and lawyers with the names and addresses of the potential recipients within 10 days of preliminary approval by the court. Within 30 days of preliminary approval, postcard notice will be sent to settlement class members.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Deloitte settles class action lawsuit over RIBridges hack. How to claim funds.
BARTON COUNTY, Mo.  Several routes in Barton County will be closed for several days beginning Thursday, October 27.

Officials with the Missouri Department of Transportation have confirmed that four routes throughout Barton County will be closed between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily between Thursday, October 27 and Thursday, November 6 as MoDOT crews work to replace damaged piping that lies underneath each of the selected roads.

MoDOT confirms the following routes will be closed as a result of the pipe work:

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Route V between MO Route 43 and NW 90th Lane south of Bronaugh.

Route CC between NE 80th Road and NE 70th Road north of Milford.

Route KK between 20th Street and 21st Street in Lamar.

Route KK between SE 18th Road and SE 20th Road south of Lamar.

Officials with MoDOT warn residents and motorists of the following:

All lanes of impacted routes will be CLOSED in areas where crews are working.

All lanes of impacted routes will be OPEN at night and on weekends.

Drivers will have access to driveways and entrances on either end of the work zone, but will not be able to travel through the work zone.

No signed detours will be present.

Drivers are urged to find alternate routes.

Signs and message boards will be posted to alert drivers approaching the work zone.

Those with questions can check MoDOTs Traveler Information Map for road closings/traffic impacts.

Weather or scheduling conflicts have the potential to alter the work schedule, MoDOT says, but the planned completion time for the project is November 6 by 5 p.m.

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CLICK HERE for more information.

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Tornadoes, hail and flash flooding could slam areas from Ohio to Texas this weekend as a cold front forms across the Midwest and South.

The cold front, which is making its way across a very warm, soupy atmosphere, could create strong storms bringing large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes and flash flooding.

Beginning Friday night, a line of strong storms may develop from Oklahoma to Missouri, passing through Kansas. After 10 p.m. CST, this line of storms is expected to sweep east and grow in strength on Saturday, right along the cold front.

ABC News - PHOTO: severe weather south map

On Saturday, the severe weather threat -- which extends from Ohio to Texas -- is expected to begin around 8 am. local time and will continue through the afternoon as the system moves east.

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It is now peak hurricane season: What to expect for storms in the Atlantic

ABC News - PHOTO: severe weather map

These areas at risk for powerful storms -- including St. Louis, Dallas and Nashville, Tennessee -- have seen a significant increase in drought over the last two months, but could see 1 to 2 inches of rain this weekend. However, some of these areas may experience excessive rainfall at an accelerated rate, which could lead to instances of flash flooding.

ABC News - PHOTO: severe weather map

The rain will reach Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and western New York on Sunday. While the severe weather threat is expected to be low by the time it reaches these areas, a few storms may still bring strong winds and large hail.

Rain will reach the Northeast on Sunday night and continue into Monday, bringing a rainy start to the work and school week for these areas.




For nearly two decades, SF Music Day has gathered a critical mass of leading musicians working across a multitude of traditions into the War Memorial & Performing Arts Center and thrown the doors open to all comers.

This year, the celebration returns Sunday, Oct. 19 - but the bill has come due.

For the first time, SF Music Day will be a ticketed event. General admission passes are $20 and $10 for students with valid IDs, while entry for children 12 and younger remains free. Presented by InterMusic SF, a nonprofit that plays an essential behind-the-scenes role in nurturing the careers of many of the region's most venturesome musicians, the new policy is intended to help cover a funding shortfall caused by reduced federal funding for the arts.

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"We're looking at a projects funding cut of about $85,000. We have a balanced budget, so we're sound and healthy, but we have to be pro-active," explained InterMusic SF Executive Director Crystal Pascucci-Clifford. "After 17 years of free programming, it's not an easy decision to fundamentally change SF Music Day."

East Bay rapper Ruby Ibarra, pictured here in 2018, is scheduled to perform at SF Music Day, her first San Francisco performance since winning NPR's 2025 "Tiny Desk" Contest. (Cody Glenn/For the S.F. Chronicle)





What hasn't changed is the event's profusion of mind-expanding music. Filling three venues throughout the War Memorial, the 18th edition of SF Music Day boasts some 85 Bay Area artists - including cellist Sandy Wilson, co-founder and guiding spirit of the Alexander String Quartet, who will be SF Music Day's 2025 honoree, and East Bay rapper Ruby Ibarra in her first San Francisco performance since winning NPR's 2025 "Tiny Desk" Contest.

Designed as a family-friendly event, there will also be a bazaar for other arts organizations and KDFC's Glissando Listening Experience to introduce kids to European classical music.

Evelyn Liang and her son Tristan listen as the SFJazz High School All-Stars Combo during SF Music Day in September 2018. (Michael Short/For the S.F. Chronicle)





Now on InterMusic SF's board of directors, Oakland harpist Destiny Muhammad opens the Herbst programming at noon, celebrating Malcolm X's centennial and his deep connections to jazz (including one of his last public appearances in 1965, when jazz harp great Dorothy Ashby opened for him in Detroit).

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Muhammad has become a ubiquitous figure on the Bay Area culture scene, a status she's attained by working closely with InterMusic SF. She's received a series of grants from the organization, fiscal sponsorship and participated in its career-building programs.

"I've had great success finding support," she said. "The workshops were very helpful, applicable information in real time."

Harpist Destiny Muhammad is one of the performers scheduled for SF Music Day at the War Memorial & Performing Arts Center on Sunday, Oct. 19. (Courtesy of Scott Chernis)





The other War Memorial venues are the second floor Green Room and fourth floor Taube Atrium, where clarinetist and composer Ben Goldberg opens the program at 12:30 p.m. with a set inspired by his close relationship with Rob Reich, the pianist, accordionist and composer who died in May. Like many of the artists featured throughout SF Music Day, he's received support from InterMusic SF over the years.

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"What a positive force! They treat musicians with so much respect, with no agenda other than putting things together in a very thorough way in order to get musicians the resources they need," said Goldberg, who performs with some of the same musicians as part of a three-day multi-band residency at West Oakland's Wyldflowr Arts on Oct. 23-25.

Founded in 1998 as SF Friends of Chamber Music, InterMusic SF evolved under the leadership of Dominique Pelletey from 2005-2016, radically expanding its stylistic purview beyond chamber music. Cory Combs, who now runs the Stanford Jazz Workshop, deepened the embrace of jazz, new music and various international styles.

Guests get information from various tables set up during the SF Music Day in 2018. (Michael Short/For the S.F. Chronicle)





That mission has gained post-COVID shutdown momentum under Pascucci-Clifford, who's also an accomplished cellist. She's faced tectonic shifts in the arts landscape, with "cross-sector funding cuts," she said. "Where one funder's priorities were arts, science and education, their priorities shift away from the arts in times like this. We're also seeing a consolidation of funding programs throughout government agencies, city, state and national, with much lower caps on grants."

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But InterMusic SF plans to continue its work undeterred. The latest round of grants, announced in May, includes a cross section of SF Music Day performers like vocalist and composer Anne Hege, Lieder Alive! and saxophonist Kasey Knudsen (part of Goldberg's "So Long Rob" project).

"We have a commitment to continue our grant program, and we have some private funders prioritizing the work we do," reassured Pascucci-Clifford, whose husband is vibraphonist Mark Pascucci-Clifford, InterMusic SF's program director. "InterMusic SF has such a unique position focused on the grass roots level. Mark and I are two thirds of our staff and we're active musicians. All of our board members except one play instruments."

Andrew Gilbert is a freelance writer.

More Information

SF Music Day: Noon-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19. $10-$20; children age 12 and younger admitted free. War Memorial & Performing Arts Center, 401 Van Ness Ave., S.F. www.intermusicsf.org/sf-music-day

This article originally published at SF Music Day 2025 goes ticketed. Here's what to expect.
Thats a shame: Blue Angels performance not canceled yet, but at risk if shutdown continues

The Blue Angels planned performance at next weekends Sea and Sky Air Show could be in jeopardy if the federal government doesnt reopen soon, but city officials arent hitting the panic button just yet.

Every other year, the Blue Angels cut through the skies above the heads of thousands of onlookers on Jacksonville Beach.

But this biannual performance is shrouded in a cloud of uncertainty.

Until the federal government reopens, the Blues are grounded, leaving their fans feeling blue.

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It is a big disappointment, cause I know the kids would just enjoy the heck out of it. Its a lot of fun, said Tom Bingaman, who is planning on attending next weekends air show.

Now we get a chance to see them, but now the government is like, oh, you know, we take care of this, but we dont care about that. And I think thats a shame, said Blue Angels fan Maichael Jennings.

This weekends Blue Angels performance in Georgia was canceled due to the shutdown, and so too was last weekends performance in San Francisco.

But all hope isnt necessarily lost.

According to the Blue Angels, the show is still technically cleared for takeoff.

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If something changes with any of the planned military performers, we have an elite lineup of civilian acts scheduled to perform, the mayors office told Action News Jax in an emailed statement.

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Action News Jax reached out to Tom Larkin, a pilot who flies with Mini Jet Air Shows, which is scheduled to perform next weekend, and asked him what he thought about the potential cancellation of the Blues.

Ive lived long enough to see many of these cycles. I know the show will go on regardless of these issues. Ill be there to perform and help in any way I can to make it a success, said Larkin.

Councilmember Rory Diamond (R-District 13), who represents the beaches, said hes holding out hope lawmakers in DC come to an agreement early next week.

Kids come out. Its a great thing for the beaches. So, obviously, we want to see them out here, said Diamond. Im told that theres gonna be a deadlock thats broken soon enough here, and lets hope that happens, because Ive got a lot of military families in my district and wed like to make sure that they have money for food.

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Ukraine has condemned Russia for the "shameful" jailing of a Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) engineer for donating money to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and allegedly providing detials on the location of Russian armed forces.

The Zaporizhzhia Regional Court, which is controlled by Russian authorities, sentenced Ukrainian Ruslan Lavryk, a 55-year-old engineer at ZNPP, under the Art. 275 of Russia's Criminal Code (state treason) to 16 years in a strict regime colony, the court said on Telegram on Oct. 15.

Lavryk was accused of donating money to a fundraiser for the purchase of "electronic warfare equipment" for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in April and May 2024, and providing Ukraine with information about the movements and deployment of Russian forces in Enerhodar.

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The ZNPP, the largest nuclear power station in Europe, located in the city of Energodar, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022.

Enerhodar Mayor Dmytro Orlov, who lives in Ukraine-controlled territory, told the Kyiv Independent that Lavryk was sentenced on Oct. 14 and was arrested for violating curfew.

"After being detained, he was taken home, searched, and had his bank cards, phones, laptops, and other equipment confiscated. Every 30 days, the detention was extended for another 30 days," Orlov said.

Orlov also added that Lavryk has heart problems and needs hospitalization after prolonged captivity and torture.

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"All criminal convictions handed down in the temporarily occupied territories were and remain legally invalid and have no legal force," Orlov said in a statement on Oct. 15.

Ukraine's state nuclear operator Energoatom, in a comment provided to the Kyiv Independent, "strongly" condemned the imprisonment, saying that "this shameful trial is yet another example of systematic human rights violations in the temporarily occupied territories."

"We regard the fabricated case against Ruslan Lavryk as revenge for his dedication to his profession and his country. It is part of the Kremlin's deliberate policy of intimidation and pressure on ZNPP staff who remained in occupied Energodar and did not sign a contract with the fake occupation administration," Energoatom told the Kyiv Independent.

According to Energoatom, at least 14 employees of the ZNPP are "illegally detained."

A Russian soldier stands outside the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants second reactor on May 1, 2022. The photo was taken during a media tour organized by the Russian army. (Andrey Borodulin / AFP via Getty Images)

An investigation by the Truth Hounds and Greenpeace Ukraine published on Sept. 24 detailed Rosatom's role in pressuring plant staff, "including beatings, electrocution, sexual violence, mock executions, and threats to family members of detainees." Rosatom, the Russian nuclear giant, became ZNPPs operator after the occupation.

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The report indicated that 78 staff members were unlawfully detained, while six were "tortured to death."

It remains disconnected from Ukraine's electrical grid for 25 days as Russian troops reportedly struck a power line at ZNPP on Sept. 23. As a result, the plant has been forced to rely on backup diesel generators to maintain critical safety functions and provide electricity.

ZNPP's six reactors were shut down a month after Moscow's occupation, but the facility still requires electricity to maintain cooling and prevent a nuclear incident.

After Russian state media put the blame for the attacks on Ukraine's Armed Forces, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on Oct. 6 that it was "a deliberate provocation by Russia."

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Greenpeace Ukraine published an investigation on Oct. 1, saying that there is no evidence of any military strikes around the pylons and power line network at the plant.

"Greenpeace is concerned about the high probability that Russia would further escalate the current crisis, and one of the ways they could do that is by further causing more permanent damage to the electricity lines," Greenpeace nuclear expert Jan Vande Putte told the Kyiv Independent on Oct. 7.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring mission has been stationed at the site since September 2022, but Russian authorities have frequently restricted its access.

Rafael Grossi, the IAEA director general, visited Moscow on Sept. 26 to participate in Russia's World Atomic Week  which marked the 80th anniversary of Russia's nuclear industry  and met with the head of Russia's nuclear agency Rosatom.

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"We once again call on the international community, in particular partner countries and the IAEA, to increase pressure on Russia with the aim of complete demilitarization and de-occupation of the ZNPP and its return to the full control of the legitimate Ukrainian operator, Energoatom," Energoatom said.

"This is the only way to restore nuclear safety and end the terror against Ukrainian civilian nuclear workers."

Read also: Russias Rosatom complicit in war crimes, report alleges, says treatment of power plant staff risks nuclear disaster

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has authorized 160 members of the Tennessee National Guard to deploy to Washington, DC. (Photo by Tenn. Air Guard Master Sgt. Kendra Owenby)

Shelby County officials on Friday filed suit against Gov. Bill Lee and other state leaders, seeking an immediate halt to the deployment of the National Guard in Memphis, which they say violates the Tennessee constitution and state law.

The lawsuit, filed in Davidson County Chancery Court, seeks a temporary injunction to keep members of the Tennessee National Guard from patrolling the streets of Memphis while the court challenge remains ongoing. A hearing has been set for Nov. 3.

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Davidson Counselor Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal late Friday denied a request for a preliminary injunction, a separate legal mechanism sought in the case, saying lawyers bringing suit had not demonstrated an immediate or irreparable injury, loss, or damage would occur before the Nov. 3 hearing.

Beginning Oct. 10, guardsmen have been deployed to the city as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force established by President Donald Trump. More than 1,000 members of state and federal law enforcement agencies  among them the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security  have conducted traffic stops and made arrests in support of the effort. State officials have yet to release the exact number of guardsmen and other law enforcement who are working as part of the task force.

As of Friday morning, the task force had made 1,044 arrests, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Service, the task forces lead agency, said.

But the arrests have placed strains on local resources, particularly local detention centers that were already at, or above, capacity before task force arrests began. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris announced Tuesday he had signed a state of emergency the week before to enable him to bypass normal budgetary rules to respond to the increased demands.

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Relief is needed urgently, the 24-page complaint said. National Guard members are supposed to help address emergencies in Tennessee communities, not cause them.

The Court should not stand by while the Governor asserts military power to run roughshod over Tennessee law, it said.

The lawsuit cites a 2021 opinion by former Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery III that concluded, under the Tennessee Constitution, that only circumstances amounting to a rebellion or invasion permit the governor to call out the militia, and even then, the legislature must declare, by law, that the public safety requires it.

The lawsuit also cites state law that entrusts local officials with the authority to determine whether there has been a breakdown in law and order requiring the presence of the guard.

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Yetthe National Guard deployment was made unilaterally, not at the request of Local officials, but over their objections, the lawsuit said.

Tennessee Sen. Jeff Yarbro, a Nashville Democrat, criticized Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti earlier this month for withdrawing Slaterys 2021 opinion and replacing it with his own revised opinion in April 2024, defining the guard as a militia only for purposes of federal law.

Skrmetti said Slaterys opinion was withdrawn in April 2024 because it didnt accurately reflect the state of the law. He said his office withdraws opinions when it finds the state of the law has changed or the analysis was incorrect.

A spokesperson for Gov. Bill Lee did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit on Friday.

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The lawsuit was brought by Harris, state Rep. Gabby Salina and Rep. G.A. Hardaway, both Memphis Democrats, Yarbro, a Nashville Democrat, two members of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners and a Memphis City Council member.

In addition to Lee, the lawsuit names Skrmetti and Major General Warner Ross III of the Tennessee National Guard.

Chancery Court Memphis National Guard challenge
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  The Iberville Parish Sheriffs Office is investigating a deadly shooting in Maringouin on Thursday, Oct. 16.

Deputies were called to the 77200 block of Ridgewood Drive around 6 p.m. about a reported shooting.

Sheriff Brett Stassi said Derrien Scott, 17, of Maringouin, was killed and a 19-year-old man was injured in the shooting. The latter was transported to the hospital and is receiving treatment for his injuries.

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According to Stassi, Scott was a high school senior in the Iberville Parish School District.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Superintendent Dr. Louis Voiron released the following statement.

The Iberville Parish School District is saddened to confirm the death of one of its students, a senior, who passed away on Thursday, October 16, 2025, as a result of injuries sustained during an incident that occurred in Maringouin. Our thoughts, prayers, and deepest sympathies are with the students family, friends, classmates, and teachers during this difficult time. The District asks the media and the public to respect the privacy of the students family during their time of grief. Together, we will support every member of our school family.

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With only 3% of likely voters still undecided on who should be New Jerseys next governor, Democrat Mikie Sherrill leads Republican Jack Ciattarelli by 7 percentage points, according to a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll released less than three weeks from Election Day.

The survey, released Friday morning, found Sherrill ahead of Ciattarelli 52% to 45%.

It aligns with the results of Wednesdays latest Quinnipiac University poll, which found the congresswoman from Montclair held a 6-point lead over the former business owner and state legislator from Hillsborough.

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Meanwhile, a Fox News poll released Thursday found Sherrill ahead of Ciattarelli by 5, 50% to 45%. Thats down from 7 points from last month.

Sherrills 7-point lead in the FDU poll marks a 1-point drop for Sherrill from the groups last survey, when she led by 8 points in late July.

As expected, each candidates support from their party has grown, with 93% of Democrats saying they will back Sherrill and 96% of Republicans vowing to back Ciattarelli, the FDU poll said.

But the pool of undecided voters has dwindled from 11% to 3% and the numbers are favoring Sherrill. Sherrill holds a seven-point lead, 52 to 45, the survey found.

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So far, this race is going exactly as expected, said Dan Cassino, and the executive director of the FDU Poll and a professor of government and politics at the school. Undecided voters have most all made up their minds, and partisans have put aside any misgivings and lined up behind their candidates.

FDU asked participants to rate the candidates ideologies on a scale of 1 to 10, in which 1 is very conservative, and 10 is very liberal, Sherrill is rated overall, at a 7.6, while Ciattarelli gets an average rating of 2.6, according to the poll.

Even Republicans view Sherrill as the more moderate candidate, at 8.6, while rating Ciattarelli a 2.8, Cassino noted.

Generally, people think their opponent is way more extreme than their own candidate is, but thats just not happening here, Cassino said. Democrats think Sherrill is much more moderate than Republicans do, but basically everyone agrees that Ciattarelli is very conservative, even members of his own party.

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Ciattarelli courted and won an endorsement from President Donald Trump in May.

Voters said they liked the candidates personal stories - such as Sherrill being a mother of four and a former Navy helicopter pilot. They also responded favorably to Ciattarelli being a lifelong New Jersey resident and a father of four children, according to the poll.

But some responded less enthusiastically to some of the candidates policy positions.

Ciattarellis call for a state-level Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE was viewed favorably by 90% of Republicans and 18% of independents, but turned off the vast majority of Democrats, at a negative 77%.

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Ciattarellis support of Trumps tariffs and other programs was his least popular position, with an overall rating of negative 18%.

Sherrills most positively viewed proposal  freezing utility costs  earned her a net favorability rating of 39%, and was only mildly disliked by Republicans, at -17%, the poll said. Sherrills pledge to challenge Trump administration policies earned her 17% rating overall, including 28% among independents.

The winner of the Nov. 4 election will succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.

The race was tied three weeks ago, with each candidate getting 43% of support from likely voters, according to a poll by Emerson College/PIX11/The Hill.

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Fridays FDU poll, conducted by Braun Research of Princeton, surveyed 814 registered New Jersey voters from Oct. 9-15. The margin of error was plus-or-minus 3.4 percentage points.

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The leaked documents included internal Shin Bet materials on the Khanist infiltration into the police, which were passed on to MK Chikli and Amit Segal.

A Shin Bet reservist may be indicted on suspicion of conveying classified information and attempting to transmit classified information, Israel Police announced on Friday.

The reservist, who served as a unit deputy head, will be subject to a hearing before an indictment can be made.

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According to police, the secrets leaked to the media harmed Israel's national security interests, and it is suspected that the secrets were passed to journalists Amit Segal and Shirit Avitan-Cohen, as well as MK Amichai Chikli.

Within the leaked documents, there were internal Shin Bet materials, including the agency's document on the Khanist infiltration into the police, which was passed on to Chikli and Segal.

Given the serious suspicion that a service employee removed classified information in a way that endangered security, an internal investigation was immediately launched, the Shin Bet announced.

Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli (credit: Jonathan Shaul/Flash90)

The investigation, conducted by the Exposure Team of the Department for the investigation of Police Officers, has reportedly shown that the suspect approached other journalists with classified information.

Chikli called to label the suspect a 'whistleblower'

Chikli asked the state to recognise the accused officer as a whistleblower. The Likud party, of which Chikli is a member, further defended the suspect.

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A Shin Bet officer who felt the organization under Ronen Bar had become a political body was arrested and interrogated in Shin Bet basements, the Likud party wrote.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didnt comment but retweeted the Likud's statement.

Representing the Former Shin Bet deputy are attorneys Ori Korb, Sivan Russo, and Noy Katz.

Our client passed on information of immense public importance to bring it to public attention while ensuring that no secret information or material that could harm state security was transferred, the attorneys stated, adding, the Shin Bets internal review ended without findings.

The statement also claimed draconian measures were used against our client, including arrest on the eve of a holiday and denial of access to legal counsel and further their clients' full cooperation from the outset.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A Portland man was sentenced to life in prison Friday for the shooting deaths of two brothers outside a business in the Multnomah Village neighborhood over two years ago.

The incident occurred on May 3, 2023, when police responded to 9101 Southwest Barbur Boulevard after the shooter, 24-year-old Jobanpreet Singh, called to report he shot the two men.

Detectives reviewed surveillance footage where they observed Singh shoot the two brothers  Dilrajpal Singh, 33, and Guriqbal Singh, 27  outside a building, according to court documents.

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Both victims died at the scene from their injuries and multiple people working in the area that afternoon heard the shots.

Arrested at the scene, Singh, who was not related to the victims, was booked on two counts of first-degree murder.

Guriqbal Singh (left); Dilrajpal Singh (right). (Courtesy: PPB)

After a trial, which began on July 21, 2025, a Multnomah County jury eventually convicted Singh of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter on Aug. 6.

The jury also convicted him on four counts of unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of recklessly endangering another person.

This was a tragic and unjustifiable double murder of two young men with loving families and bright futures, said Multnomah County Chief Deputy District Attorney Mariel Mota in a statement. We hope that this verdict offers some closure and sense of justice to the families impacted by these heinous crimes.

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For the second-degree murder conviction, Singh was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. For the first-degree manslaughter conviction, Singh was further sentenced to another 10 years in prison, consecutively. This means he must remain in prison for at least 35 years until he is eligible for a parole hearing.

This heinous crime left two children without a father and parents without their sons. We are pleased that the court acknowledged the loss of both lives in her sentenceAccountability was delivered by the justice system today, Mota said.

The two brother victims and the suspect were all former business partners together before a pending civil lawsuit was filed to address the breakup of their business relationship, the DAs office said. Dilrakpal Singh was the victim of murder, while his brother, Guriqbal Singh, was the victim of manslaughter.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Across the country, hospitals are pulling patients out of Acute Hospital Care at Home after Congress failed to pass a budget and prevent a lapse in the Medicare programs funding.

For patients recovering comfortably at home under UMass Memorial Healths care, that meant being pulled from their homes and sent back into the hospital, where the number of people waiting for a bed has climbed from 50 to 70, according to reporting from Politico.

For many older adults, hospital-at-home care is part of a broader network of services that makes aging in place both appealing and possible, allowing them to receive hospital-level treatment without leaving the comfort and safety of home. But since a funding bill to end the government shutdown failed to pass in the Senate, vulnerable patients are now headed back to crowded wards just as flu, RSV, and COVID-19 cases begin to rise.

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Its a crisis that shines an unexpected light on a growing problem in the housing market: Americas population is aging faster than its housing stock can keep up.

Half of baby boomers say they plan to remain in their homes indefinitely, but only about 10% of U.S. homes are equipped for aging in place, per research from AARP. Meanwhile, assisted-living rents now average $6,400 a month, pricing out most seniors on fixed incomes.

Thats why home-based care models like Medicares hospital-at-home waiver have become a crucial stopgap, helping Medicare recipients delay or avoid costly facility care.

Programs like hospital-at-home are crucial to Americas aging-in-place strategy, explains Dharam Khalsa, certified senior adviser and co-founder and CEO of Mirador Living, a platform to connect seniors with affordable assisted living. They allow seniors to get hospital-level care without the disruption and risks of a facility stay.

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But with the federal program frozen amid political gridlock, the gap between how Americans want to age and what the system can support is growing wider by the week.

The human toll: Aging in place in jeopardy

Originally created during the pandemic to relieve overwhelmed hospitals, by April 2024, Acute Hospital Care at Home had grown to more than 320 hospitals across 133 health systems in 37 states, according to the American Hospital Association.

It also led to improved outcomes for patients. Studies show the model lowers mortality, readmissions, and long-term care placement compared with traditional hospital staysall while freeing up beds in hospitals. That pressure release valve may be one of the most valuable aspects of the program.

Hospitals are facing a similar inventory crunch as the housing marketthere just arent enough beds for patients, much like there just arent enough housing units to meet current demandexcept the consequences are much more dire in a hospital setting.

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The national occupancy rate for hospital beds is expected to climb to 85% by 2032 because of an aging population, according to a research letter published in JAMA Network Open. Thats an unsafe level, according to the studys authors.

If the U.S. were to sustain a national hospital occupancy of 85% or greater, it is likely that we would see tens to hundreds of thousands of excess American deaths each year, lead investigator Dr. Richard Leuchter, an internist and assistant professor of medicine at UCLA, said in a news release.

Meanwhile, older Americans own 38% of the countrys homes while accounting for just 21% of the U.S. population. Part of the success of the hospital-at-home model is that it turns that existing housing stock into a decentralized care network, leveraging one of the nations largest untapped assets to meet rising health-care demand without building new facilities.

But the shutdown threatens to unwind that progress.

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Patients who have chosen to be treated at home are facing limited space at hospitals and increased risk of falls and other negative events when they are moved to an unfamiliar environment, Beth Feldpush of Americas Essential Hospitals told Politico. This needs to be fixed immediately.

And for caregivers and families, the instability deepens anxiety about whether home will remain a viable place to heal.

How the shutdown stopped it

Since 2020 the hospital-at-home waiver has survived on short-term extensions buried in budget bills. When Congress failed to pass the latest continuing resolution in late September, the waiver authorization expired.

Without it, hospitals cant bill Medicare for home-based acute care. UMass Memorial suspended its program, sending patients back to the hospital. Delaware-based system ChristianaCare scaled back from 15 to just three patients, while Mass General Brigham has kept some patients at home by using non-Medicare payers.

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For aging patients, the sudden lapse underscores how dependent their independence has become on Washingtons ability to function.

Tying these programs to temporary federal waivers creates enormous fragility in the system, says Khalsa. When the waiver is paused, patients are suddenly forced back into hospitals, families lose the support structures they were depending on at home, and health systems have to scramble for additional capacity.

Aging in place meets policy paralysis

The hospital-at-home model provided better outcomes and dignity for the vast array of patients who have relied on it. But its tenuous funding is laying bare a deeper, structural problem.

We have not treated housing, caregiving, and health care as one system. The more we build access to care around the home, the more dangerous it becomes to run that access on policy that can vanish overnight, explains Khalsa.

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Thats why advocacy groups like Moving Health Home and the Alliance for Connected Care are urging Congress to decouple the program from short-term funding bills altogether.

Right now, [Acute Hospital Care at Home] limps along with the government funding bills, which is why we want to detach it, Kristy Drobac, executive director of Moving Health Home, explained to Politico.

A bipartisan bill from Rep. Vern Buchanan would do exactly that. His legislation would extend the waiver for five years and unmoor it from the budget battle that has put its future in question.

Home health services are especially crucial for the nearly 200,000 seniors in my district, he said in a July press release for the bill. We must ensure this life-changing model remains available for years to come.

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While the bill passed the House Ways and Means Committee, it has stalled in the Senate, where no companion legislation has been considered.

Whats at stake for aging Americans

If nothing changes, this lapse could be a preview of whats to come. In the next five years, the U.S. will need more than 560,000 new senior-housing units to meet demand, according to data from NIC MAP, all while hospital occupancy levels are projected to reach dangerous levels.

Programs like hospital-at-home provide essential infrastructure at a time when inventorywhether it be housing units or hospital bedscome at a premium. The longer Washington treats solutions like these as temporary, the more fragile that infrastructure becomes.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Its day 17 of the federal government shutdown and tensions are starting to rise as funding impacts may soon start impacting people in South Dakota.

According to the South Dakota Democratic Party, the South Dakota Department of Social Services has been instructed by the federal government to freeze SNAP payments.

Investigation on deceased horse continues as the family looks for answers

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Nearly 75,000 South Dakotans, 29,000 of them children, would lose access to food security, according to DSS data.

In a press release, SDDP Executive Director Dan Ahlers said the SNAP funding freeze will hurt rural communities and low-wage workers hard.

Ahlers said DSS will freeze SNAP benefits for the month of November if the shutdown continues into that month.

In a statement to KELOLAND News, Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden office said the federal government issued guidance on Oct. 1 that SNAP payments would not be available if the shutdown continued into November.

Congressional Democrats have known this and have continued their obstruction; now theyre looking to shift blame, Rhoden said in a statement. Lets deal in facts: congressional Republicans have voted several times, alongside a handful of Democrats, to reopen the government. Senate Democrats need to end their obstruction and join Republicans in reopening the government.

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Ahlers said hes urging federal and state leaders to act on ending the shutdown.

DSS told KELOLAND News SNAP benefits in South Dakota are funded through Oct. 31, 2025.

While there is some uncertainty beyond that date, DSS is working proactively to stay informed and prepared. We will continue to share updates as soon as reliable information becomes available, a DSS spokeswoman said in a statement.

Thune: Willing to give Senate Dems vote

In Washington D.C., Republican Sen. John Thune posted on X he is willing to sit down with Democrats to discuss the growing unaffordability and unsustainability of Obamacare.

Its a system they created, but Im happy to hear them out. Heck, Im even willing to give them a vote. Today. Tomorrow. Next week. You name it, Thune said in his post. Theres one condition: End the Schumer Shutdown.

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KELOLAND News heard from both Thune and Republican Sen. Mike Rounds on the shutdown impacting 9,000 federal employees in South Dakota on Wednesday.

This is a developing story.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A gym is set to take over the building that previously held Northeast Portlands Nike Community Store.

The space on 2650 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd is expected to reopen as a Planet Fitness in early 2026, Mike Paone confirmed in an email. He serves as marketing director for Easy Mile Fitness, the Boston-based franchise group at the helm of the new gym.

Portland Fire head coach announced as former assistant for Cleveland Cavaliers

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We are excited to revitalize such an iconic building in Portland, and cant wait to bring our high value gym to the neighborhood, Paone wrote.

Nike confirmed the permanent closure of the community store more than two years ago, after the location had already been shuttered for months. Earlier in February 2023, the Oregon-founded sportswear giant revealed that it wanted to work alongside Portland officials to find additional security for the business.

Because a safe and secure workplace is essential for our employees, consumers, and communities, we have proposed a sustained and coordinated partnership with the City to better protect employees, consumers, and the community surrounding our MLK Community Store, Nike previously said in a statement.

Other employees in the area told KOIN 6 they had noticed a rise in theft at the store over the past several years. Former Mayor Ted Wheeler stated that officials were continuing to work together to unify our public safety response.

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Now, Nikes only store in the city is located in downtowns Pioneer Place mall. And while the Oregon-founded sportswear giant has exited Northeast Portland, the new tenants of its former community store are expanding to other spaces throughout the region.

This Oregon restaurant was named the best hole-in-the-wall burger spot in the state

In September, Easy Mile Fitness announced that it had acquired 15 gyms in Oregon and two in Alaska. Outside of Portland, more locations are expected to open in Bend, Medford and Yakima.

Easy Mile is now the states largest Planet Fitness operator, according to the franchisee.

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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 KOIN.com.
Oct. 16A Butler Twp. couple are accused of defrauding more than 25 people of $11 million in a securities fraud Ponzi scheme.

Wayne Essex, 70, is facing more than 189 charges in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.

His wife, Susan Essex, 67, is facing six counts.

The Essexes owned and operated Essex and Associates, a Washington Twp. accounting and tax preparation business, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office.

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From 2020 through 2025, the Essexes reportedly offered to sell investments in properties in Florida and other locations with an expected average 10% annual return.

Instead, the couple used the funds on personal expenses, including $1.7 million on real estate and a new home and $200,000 on a new Mercedes, said Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr.

They also spent the money on payroll, personal taxes, IRS penalties, gifts for family members, travel, jewelry, chef services and dining.

The prosecutor's office has identified 25 victims who invested nearly $11.5 million.

Heck called the Essex' actions "simple greed," noting many of their victims were seniors or people they knew from church.

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"It's just so basically wrong," he said.

Some of their victims have been refunded, but there's still more than $8 million in missing funds.

Heck also said there may be additional victims. He asked anyone who thinks they may have been a victim or who invested with the Essexes between 2000 and 2025 to contact the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Securities' Investor Protection Hotline at 877-683-7841 or 614-644-7381.

In 2012 the Ohio Department of Commerce reportedly filed a civil lawsuit against the couple for similar activity.

A permanent injunction was issued barring Wayne Essex and his associates from selling, offering to sell or otherwise issue securities or offer investments for the rest of his life, according to the prosecutor's office.

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Heck said the Essexes were operating under the radar, but once the Ohio Department of Commerce realized what they were doing the agency began investigating the couple and built a case.

"Protecting Ohio investors is a top priority for the Ohio Division of Securities," said Ohio Securities Commissioner Andrea Seidt. "These indictments send a clear message that fraudulent financial schemes and violations of court orders will not be tolerated in our state."

The Essexes are scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday. They were arrested Thursday morning.

Wayne Essex faces charges including telecommunications fraud, false representation in the sale of securities, unlicensed sale of securities, securities fraud, issuing false statements as to the value of securities, theft from a protected class, grand theft, aggravated theft and money laundering.

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Susan Essex faces charges of grand theft, money laundering, securities fraud, false representation in the sales of securities and unlicensed sale of securities.

She is also a Realtor with an office in Lebanon.
Despite the staggering death toll and human suffering that Israel has inflicted on Gaza over the past two years, peace has still come too early for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  at least in the eyes of some observers.

Critics have accused the Israeli leader of using the war to deflect attention from challenges to his position, and even his freedom. With the ceasefire in Gaza now in place, none of those challenges has gone anywhere.

Even the ceasefire  which Netanyahu has been at pains to present as a victory  is seen by some, including former Israeli ambassador Alon Pinkas, as stage-managed and forced upon him by a White House running out of patience with the growing financial and diplomatic costs of Israels war.

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So, if he cannot find another war, what challenges does Netanyahu face before next years Israeli elections and beyond, and just how dangerous are they?

Lets take a closer look.

Will the Israeli prime minister continue to face international isolation?

Israel has never been more isolated on the international stage than it is now, and for many, Netanyahu has become the face of that.

Over the last two years, Israels killing of more than 67,000 Palestinians and the scenes of the famine it has inflicted upon Gaza have led to revulsion across the world. In the short term, unless Netanyahus government can permanently ban international journalists from reaching Gaza, the increased coverage of what his government has inflicted upon the enclave is likely to cement Israels pariah status for some time.

Empty seats as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York City, US, September 26, 2025 [Caitlin Ochs/Reuters]

However, Israels growing isolation has been apparent for months and, in September, Netanyahu appeared to be laying the groundwork for it to continue. Setting out his vision for a future Super Sparta  a reference to the martial ancient Greek state  Netanyahu painted a picture of economic and diplomatic isolation and continuous warfare.

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It did not go down very well. The Israeli stock exchange plummeted almost immediately, and the shekel nosedived against other currencies. The Israel Business Forum, representing 200 of the countrys largest companies, put it quite simply, We are not Sparta.

Could the right wing collapse Netanyahus coalition?

It could, but Netanyahu is already taking steps to avoid it.

Throughout the war, and the public battles over the independence of Israels judiciary beforehand, Netanyahu has relied heavily on the support of Israels far right.

Most obviously, this has been in the form of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, both of whom have objected to the ceasefire while remaining within Netanyahus governing coalition, for now.

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Anticipating their possible departure, Netanyahu is reported to be introducing legislation to exempt ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students from the draft in the hope that this will prompt the return of ultra-Orthodox parties in the parliament to his government, ensuring its survival in the face of any defections.





Could the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) still find Netanyahu and Israel guilty?

They could.

In November 2024, the ICC issued international arrest warrants for war crimes against Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamass military commander, Mohammed Deif, who Israel has since killed.

The ICJ is also considering charges of genocide against Israel, for which many are certain to hold Netanyahu responsible if a guilty verdict is handed down.

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There is currently no timeline for a verdict in the ICC case against Gallant and Netanyahu, and a conclusion in the ICJ case is not expected before the end of 2027, at the earliest. If found guilty, the ICC could impose a prison sentence of up to 30 years, while the ICJ would typically refer any guilty verdict to the UN Security Council for enforcement.

Could Trump desert Netanyahu?

Its a real possibility.

Currently, the US is Israels principal economic and military sponsor, as well as its diplomatic bulwark in the face of international hostility. Without it, Israel  and by extension Netanyahu  would be in real trouble.

Whatever Netanyahu may claim, US President Donald Trumps support has clear limits. In 2021, Trump was reportedly furious when Netanyahu became one of the first leaders to congratulate former US President Joe Biden on his election win.

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He is also reported to have cut off contact with the Israeli prime minister in May over concerns that Netanyahu was trying to manipulate him.

More recently, Trumps anger with Netanyahu reportedly peaked after Israels strike on Hamas negotiators in Doha in September, exclaiming: Hes screwing me!

Netanyahu has staked much on his relationship with the notoriously unpredictable US president [Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters]

Describing the build-up to the ceasefire, Trump has described how he had it out with Netanyahu and that he would not permit Israel to redeploy to Gaza, until I say the word.

Celebrating the inauguration of the ceasefire at the Israeli parliament later, Trump characterised the ceasefire as having been 3,000 years in the making, telling his audience, And its going to hold up, too.

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He is unlikely to respond well to that being gambled away.

Will there be an Israeli inquiry into Netanyahus failings ahead of the October 7 attack?

Its looking more and more likely.

Separate investigations into the army and intelligence services failures in the run-up to the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023  which killed 1,139 people and saw about 250 abducted  exposed glaring oversights and confusion within Israels security services as they struggled to respond to an assault that they had not seen coming.

Both the army and intelligence chiefs resigned in the wake of each inquiry.

While Netanyahu raised no objections to those inquiries, he has resisted one into his own governments role, claiming it would be politically biased and impractical during wartime.

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But after the ceasefire, Israels High Court ruled unanimously that there was no longer any real argument to delay it, giving the government 30 days to respond.

Codefendents: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant are both accused of war crimes at the International Criminal Court [Abir Sultan/AFP]

Could Netanyahu go to jail?

Jail time remains a possibility for the Israeli prime minister.

Trump all but acknowledged the connection between Israels prolonged war on Gaza and Netanyahus corruption trials on Monday.

During his address to the Israeli parliament, Trump called upon Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Netanyahu for what he described as cigars and champagne.

In reality, Netanyahu has been on trial in three corruption cases, all of which have continued  despite frequent delays  throughout the war.

The charges against the Israeli prime minister include bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, and could result in a 10-year prison term.




NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Tennessees Nuclear Energy Fund has drawn more nuclear companies to the Volunteer State, helping it become one of the nations leaders in nuclear energy.

The Nuclear Energy Fund, which is now worth $70 million, was created by Gov. Bill Lee in 2023 to expand nuclear energy development in the state. So far, 12 companies, organizations and universities have taken advantage of the grants provided through the fund.

Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom

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This week, Radiant Industries announced its plans to build the worlds first mass-produced nuclear generator factory in Oak Ridge. Its the sixth company to locate in Tennessee through the Nuclear Energy Fund, according to the state.

What is happening here is the global epicenter of the new nuclear revolution, Lee said.

Scott Fiedler with the Tennessee Valley Authority called the recent nuclear energy developments in TN a win for our region.

There is no discussion about powering AI; advanced manufacturing here in the United States without nuclear [energy], Fiedler said. It is a critical technology that we need that provides reliable baseload, which is power thats 24/7, 365, that we need to power these technologies of the future.

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The TVA is working on its own projects in TN, including building the countrys first small, modular nuclear reactor in Oak Ridge. It recently obtained an SMR construction permit, the first utility in the U.S. to do so.

RELATED | TVA becomes first U.S. utility to apply for permit to build first modular nuclear reactor

Fiedler told News 2 nuclear energy has a positive ripple effect on the entire region.

Its not about developing or building an SMR, Fiedler said. Were developing a technology, a supply chain and a delivery model to power Americas energy needs, and what that does is create jobs and opportunities for Tennessee families.

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Right now, the TVA is clearing land, grading the site and adding roadways for heavy machinery and infrastructure at the future SMR Clinch River site.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
NEED TO KNOW

Human remains were found at a construction site near a hospital in upstate New York on June 25, the Auburn Police Department said

In an Oct. 16 update, the police said that the remains may belong to a white male somewhere between the ages of 25 and 35

Authorities noted that soil adherence and staining suggest that the remains may have been in the ground for over five decades



Authorities in upstate New York believe that skeletal remains recently found near a hospital may have belonged to a man who died over 50 years ago.

According to a June 27 news release from the Auburn Police Department, authorities were notified that possible remains were found at a construction site in the vicinity of Auburn Community Hospital on June 25 when a contractor was doing excavation work.

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The discovery prompted a response from Auburn police officers, as well as members of the Cayuga County Coroner and the Cayuga County District Attorneys Office.

The coroner inspected the uncovered portion of skeletal remains and believed them to be human, police in a news release at the time.

With the assistance of hospital administration, a timeline was developed that the area of the excavation appears to not have been disturbed since sometime over fifty (50) years ago. At this time, it appears that only one set of human skeletal remains are at the location, the statement continued.

Because the remains were over 50 years old at the time of discovery, a New York State Archaeologist was brought in to help, the Auburn Police Department said.

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In an update shared with PEOPLE on Friday, Oct. 17, the Auburn Police Department said that the Onondaga County Medical Examiner's Offices forensic anthropology analysis determined that the remains appeared to be that of a white male between the ages of 25 and 35 who was between 5 feet, 5 inches and 6 feet tall.

Police added that no evidence of postmortem fractures were found on the remains, adding that forensic investigators found soil adherence and staining that suggest the remains may have been in the ground for over five decades.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The Auburn Police Department's news release further added that "the friability of the remains"  referring to the ease with which they crumbled  "as well as a chalky white layer exposed beneath the cortical bone of the skull's outer table" suggested that the body had "been subjected to mortuary preservative chemicals prior to burial."



The investigation is ongoing, authorities said. Those with information are asked to contact the Auburn Police Department.



Read the original article on People
There's more bad news for homebuyers. Prices remain high across the country, but especially in the Philadelphia region, where realtors say buyers are facing fierce competition both in the city and, increasingly, in the suburbs.

"Philadelphia's such a stable region that is just well established, so it's a very competitive real estate market," said Paul Carson, broker and owner of Philly Mortgage Brokers.

From Phoenixville to Downingtown, home prices are holding strong, sitting above the national average.

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Data from the 6abc price tracker shows that home prices in the Philadelphia area are 4.4% higher than the national average.

Local realtor Deanna Albanese, of Long & Foster Real Estate, says that stability is part of what keeps prices high.

"We are stable. I think our economy is very stable compared to other parts of the country as well. And though the appreciation has slowed in recent years, it's still remaining steady, just at a slower rate," Albanese said.

Albanese spent the day lining up showings for multiple buyers and says the real competition is now happening outside the city.

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"We still have bidding wars. If a home is priced well and shows well, especially with minimal repairs to be made, buyers are really looking for that home that's move-in ready," she said.

Even with elevated prices, she says buyers are still willing to compete because the Philadelphia market tends to hold its value better than more volatile regions.

"There are parts of the country where, historically, that is a problem with cycles in the market. There are places where, if you overpay drastically in one of those upswings, you could find yourself underwater. That tends to be less of a problem here in the Philadelphia metro," Albanese explained.

Carson adds that deciding when to buy isn't just about watching the market; it's about knowing your own financial situation.

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"What's your personal affordability in terms of your income, what can you afford, and is your personal economy stable? Am I safe and sound, do I know I'm going to be in the area for a while?" he said.

To compare home prices in Philadelphia and around the country, head to 6abc.com/pricetracker.
Honolulus Skyline rail system in Hawaii has commenced public service on its segment two route, marking the launch of four new stations to the route.

The announcement was made by Hitachi Rail, the City and County of Honolulu, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART), and the Citys Department of Transportation Services (DTS).

The expansion includes Makalapa Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Lelepaua Daniel K Inouye International Airport, Ahua Lagoon Drive, and Kahauiki Kalihi Transit Center stations.

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The opening of segment two was marked by an event at Kahauiki Middle Street Transit Center Station, which included an inaugural train journey from Halawa Aloha Stadium Station.

Honolulu mayor Rick Blangiardi said: Today marks another milestone in Skylines revolutionary impact on Oahu. Residents and visitors will now be able to reach the Daniel K Inouye International Airport and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, two major destinations that serve as powerful economic, employment, and transportation drivers.

These additions are intended to improve transport links across Oahu, serving both residents and visitors.

The Makalapa Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam station provides direct access to military bases and surrounding communities, offering a new transport option for both military and civilian employees.

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Lelepaua Daniel K Inouye International Airport station connects travellers and the airports workforce of over 10,000 to the rail system. It also features a new express bus route linking directly to Waikiki.

At Kahauiki Middle Street Transit Center station, commuters can transfer between Skyline trains and the citys bus network using a single fare card system.

This integration is designed to support travel to downtown Honolulu and other destinations, said the company.

Hitachi Rail USA president and country representative Joseph Pozza said: The delivery and completion of Skyline, Honolulu Segment 2  the US first fully autonomous urban rail system, is another proud moment for the Hitachi Rail team, especially our dedicated team leading on the ground in Honolulu, whose work has been paramount in our success.

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Skyline is claimed to be the first fully autonomous urban light rail system in the US and it represents Hawaiis largest public infrastructure project.

According to current plans, segment three is expected to be completed by 2031. This phase will add six stations and further connect Oahus west side with downtown Honolulu.

In January this year, Hitachi Rail Honolulu Joint Venture (JV) filed a lawsuit against HART and the City and County of Honolulu, claiming at least $324m in damages for breach of contract and unjust enrichment.

The Skyline rail project has encountered significant delays and mismanagement, resulting in rising costs for Hitachi Rail

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In August 2024, HART awarded a $1.66bn contract to Tutor Perini Corporation (TPC) for the design and construction of the final segment of the Skyline rail transit project in Honolulu, Hawaii.

In October same year, Tutor Perini announced the execution of a contract and receipt of the notice to proceed for the Honolulu rail project in Hawaii, US.

"Skyline segment two extension opens four railway stations in Honolulu" was originally created and published by Railway Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has announced that he will visit Ukraine for the next Ukrainian-Slovak intergovernmental consultations.

Source: Fico following a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Yuliia Svyrydenko in Kosice, Slovakia, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Fico said he has accepted the invitation to come to Ukraine for the next intergovernmental consultations, with the date and venue to be determined later.

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"I have accepted the invitation for the next talks. We will still agree on the date and time, but they will definitely take place in Ukraine, and we will do everything to make sure the situation improves by then," the Slovak prime minister said.

He also thanked the Ukrainian delegation for visiting Kosice and said he is grateful.

Background:

On 17 October, joint intergovernmental Ukrainian-Slovak consultations took place in Kosice.

Following the meeting, Fico said he wants to have good relations with all countries interested in cooperation with Slovakia, particularly with both Ukraine and Russia.

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World Bank President Ajay Banga has praised the Uttar Pradesh government for presenting a successful model of resilience-based agriculture that supports small farmers. He said the State has effectively demonstrated how digital systems and cooperative frameworks can strengthen the agricultural ecosystem and improve livelihoods. Banga shared these remarks during his address at the World Bank's annual meeting at the event AgriConnect: Farms, Firms, and Finance for Jobs. He stated, "A couple of months ago I was in Uttar Pradesh and I saw all this come together. The foundation, the cooperatives, resilience, and most importantly, the glue that held it together, the digital system, and it delivered. Proof of concept is, it works, and we need to scale it. That's the ecosystem we want to replicate wherever possible" Highlighting the importance of innovation and collaboration in agriculture, he said the World Bank aims to double its agri-business commitments to USD 9 billion a year by 2030. The target also includes mobilising an additional USD 5 billion from private sector sources. He emphasised the need to share ideas openly and adopt successful models from different regions, saying, "Stealing shamelessly and sharing seamlessly is how we will succeed together." The World Bank chief highlighted that resilience must be built into systems from the start and not added later. "Resilience is embedded in the beginning; it is not added later. Digital is the glue that holds the system together," he said. Banga said the World Bank intends to replicate such successful agricultural ecosystems wherever possible to help farmers globally become more resilient and economically empowered. The World Bank event AgriConnect aims to scale what works: building infrastructure and skills, improving rules and land systems, de-risking private capital, and helping smallholders boost productivity, access markets, and build resilience via insurance and climate-smart tech. Banga also shared that agriculture has always been central to development, but the real challenge today is transforming it into a driver of jobs and income while ensuring food security at scale. He said the focus should be on not just growing more food, but turning that growth into a business that delivers higher incomes for smallholder farmers and creates broader economic opportunities. Explaining the need for such transformation, Banga pointed out that over the next 10 to 15 years, around 1.2 billion young people in developing countries will come of age, while current trends indicate only about 400 million jobs will be created. "This gap, hundreds of millions, will either power the global economy or spill over into unrest and migration," he cautioned, adding that this is why the World Bank Group has made job creation its central mission. (ANI)
NEED TO KNOW

Authorities responded to a small plane crash in Bath Township, Mich., on Oct. 16, that killed three people on board

The cause of the crash and the plane's destination are unknown, said the township in a news release

The FAA and the NTSB are investigating the incident, authorities said

A crash involving a small aircraft in a wooded area of Michigan claimed the lives of all three people aboard, authorities said.

The incident occurred near the intersection of Clark Road and Peacock Road in Bath Township on Thursday, Oct. 16, the township said in a statement, adding that the fire and police departments responded to the crash about 5 p.m. local time.

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Three passengers were confirmed as being aboard the aircraft. All three passengers have been found and confirmed as deceased, the statement read.

Authorities added that the cause of the crash and the planes destination are unknown. The township stated that officials with the FAA are at the scene and investigating the incident.

The Bath Township Police Department had earlier advised drivers to avoid the area of Clark Road and Peacock Road as emergency responders were working an active situation.

Images shared by NBC affiliate WILX and CBS affiliate WLNS show plumes of smoke apparently from the crash scene.

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I saw a plane flash just up ahead, a witness told WLNS. It was relatively very low. And then it was kind of gone.

When contacted by PEOPLE on Friday, Oct. 17, the FAA said in an email that it is not responding to routine media queries due to a lapse in funding.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

PEOPLE also reached out to the NTSB for additional information. The agency said in a social media post Friday that it is investigating the crash of a Mexico-registered Hawker 800 XP jet in Bath Township, Michigan."



Bath Township is approximately 10 miles north of Michigan State Universitys East Lansing campus, The New York Times reported.

Read the original article on People
UPDATE: The Smith County Sheriffs Office said that Leslie Karen Bennington has been found safe and was returned to her family by the Mineola Police Department on Friday.

SMITH COUNTY, Texas (KETK) The Smith County Sheriffs Office is asking residents to assist them in finding a missing elderly woman identified as Leslie Karen Bennington.

Photo courtesy of the Smith County Sheriffs Office

Photo courtesy of the Smith County Sheriffs Office

Partial human remains identified as Smith County woman missing since 2023

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According to the sheriffs office, Bennington was last seen on Friday morning at around 3:30 a.m. when she left her home driving a white 2006 Acura MDX. Her license plate is reported to be SCS6338.

Bennington is described to be 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weigh around 165 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.

She was last seen wearing a black shirt and blue jeans. Additionally, she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and is currently not taking her medication, according to the sheriffs office.

Benningtons husband believes she is headed toward Lindale, and anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call the sheriffs office at 903-566-6600.

You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming.



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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
Middle Tennessee is about to get what the National Weather Service is calling a "much-needed, soaking rain."

It also comes with some risks.

A cold front will carry a line of showers and thunderstorms across the region during the evening of Oct. 18 into the morning Oct. 19, the National Weather Service in Nashville said.

"Some of the storms could be strong to severe, mainly along and west of I-65. Winds will be the main threat, but tornadoes can't be ruled out.," the weather service said.

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Rain fall could measure between three quarters of an inch along portions of the Cumberland Plateau to more than an inch across areas to the south and west of Nashville, the weather service said.

Rain will linger in the forecast Oct. 19 as the cold front moves out of the region.

"Temperatures behind the cold front will be dramatically cooler starting on Sunday, with widespread temperatures in the 40s on multiple nights next week, along with some low rain chances as a second cold front looks to race across the mid state on Tuesday and reinforce the cooler temperatures," the weather service said. "For the first time in recent memory, the 6-10 day outlook favors normal to below-normal temperatures across Middle Tennessee (along with below normal rainfall)."

Nashville, Middle Tennessee radar

Nashville 7-day forecast

Oct. 17: Increasing clouds with a high near 83. Mostly cloudy overnight with a low around 63.

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Oct. 18: Sunny with a high near 87 then showers and thunderstorms possible overnight. Lows around 58.

Oct. 19: A 30% chance of showers before 1 p.m., then mostly sunny with a high near 69. Overnight lows around 43.

Oct. 20: Sunny with a high near 73. Overnight lows around 53 with a 20% chance of showers.

Oct. 21: Sunny with a high near 74 and overnight lows around 42.

Oct. 22: Sunny with a high near 71. Partly cloudy overnight with lows around 46.

Oct. 23: Partly sunny with a 20% chance of showers and highs near 71. Rain chances in the evening with overnight lows around 46.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville, Middle Tennessee weather could get severe. What to know
STARK COUNTY, Ohio (WJW)  The Stark County Sheriffs Office is advising motorists of two sobriety checkpoints planned for this weekend.

According to a media release, the Stark County OVI Task Force will conduct two sobriety

checkpoints on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, in Alliance.

Deeply saddened: OSHP trooper killed in Mahoning County crash

Officers will conduct roadside checks of drivers for alcohol and drug impairment and will be vigilant in detecting and apprehending impaired drivers, states the release.

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The first checkpoint will be held from 6-8:30 p.m. in the 600 block of S. Union Avenue in Alliance. The second checkpoint will be held from 8:30-11 p.m. in the 2200 block of W. State Street in Alliance.

2 kids hit by distracted driver, local sheriff says

In 1990, the Supreme Court upheld the use of sobriety checkpoints as long as they meet certain guidelines, which includes public notification.

You can learn more about the legality of checkpoints in Ohio in the video player above.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
South America looks set for a rightward shift in upcoming elections, reversing the course of a leftist pink tide that swept the region in recent years.

Conservative candidates are topping polls in Brazil, Chile, and Colombia, with all due to hold elections soon. The three countries have been mired by worsening inequality, rising criminality, and allegations of corruption, while pressure from the Trump administration has worsened economic growth prospects.

Among those whose successors face dim prospects is Chilean President Gabriel Boric, who has warned of a democratic recession in the region: When democracy is not able to deliver it withdraws, he told The Washington Post.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ  The youngest member on the South Brunswick Board of Education, Alisha Khan, is running for reelection.

A recent graduate from the school district, Khan said she has a firsthand perspective on what students need to succeed.

In a Q&A with Patch, Khan talks about her experience on the BOE, and how she sees a more student-centered vision for the future.

Patch sent out a questionnaire to all candidates seeking a seat on the BOE. Their profiles will be published as received.

Are you running for office in East Brunswick? Contact Sarah Salvadore at sarah.salvadore@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements.

Alisha Khan

Age: 24

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Town of residence: South Brunswick

Family: Mother Henna Khan, younger sister Mashel Khan, and my late father, Sam Khan, who will forever be missed and continues to inspire me to this day.

Education: B.S. in Cognitive Science and Psychology

Occupation: Vice President at a construction consulting firm

Previous or current elected or appointed office: Current South Brunswick Board of Education Member (2023-2025); Current Policy Chair of South Brunswick Board of Education

Why are you seeking a seat on the BOE?

I am seeking re-election because I believe what South Brunswick and this Board need most right now is stability, experience, and representation of all the voices in this town. Im a lifelong South Brunswick resident, having attended Brooks Crossing and graduating from South Brunswick High School in 2019. I know this district not just as a board member, but as a recent former student who experienced firsthand what makes our schools strong. I can still name almost every teacher I had in this district, which says a lot about the lasting impact theyve had on me and on so many others. As our district faces major transitions, from redistricting and budget challenges to welcoming a new superintendent, I believe its critical to have experienced leadership that understands our community and can work through these complex issues with stability and care. When I first ran for the Board of Education, it was because I wanted to give back to the district that raised me. Now, I want to continue that work by helping guide our schools through this next chapter with a steady hand and a student-centered vision for the future.

What, according to you, is the biggest issue facing the school district?

The biggest issue facing our district is the ongoing budget crisis. The states S2 funding formula has cut millions from our schools year after year, and with over 1,600 new students expected from approved housing developments, we face serious financial pressure if these cuts continue. Thanks to the work of our previous superintendent and current business administrator, the district has so far maintained its programs and facilities without major disruption. Now, as we navigate this challenging moment, we need board members who understand the complexities of budgeting, policy, and operations. Experienced leadership will be key as we work with our new superintendent to develop creative, sustainable solutions that keep our district strong, stable, and fully equipped to serve both current and future students.

As new housing comes in and enrollment grows, the school district is grappling with redistricting. Do you have any suggestions on how the district could handle this?

Currently, the district has a community SB Stakeholders Committee, of which I am a member, designed to gather input on how increased enrollment will affect funding, resources, and educational systems. Additionally, there is a smaller core committee, also chaired by members of the administration, that is specifically focused on redistricting and tasked with researching and exploring the best possible options for managing growth. The planning process has been in place for about a year, with numerous presentations at board meetings to ensure transparency and community engagement. Weve also conducted a demographic study, sent surveys to families, and studied enrollment trends to help guide these decisions. The district expects to have a redistricting plan in place by January, and I believe we are doing everything within our power to handle this responsibly. Its important that we continue to make this process open, fair, and community-centered. For more information, please visit the SBSD Enrollment & Budget Study website.

Are you happy with the way the district has handled state aid cuts and budget issues? What would be your approach?

I believe the district has done everything in its power to manage the state aid cuts and budget challenges with the limited options available. Year after year, the state continues to cut millions from our budget through an unsustainable funding formula. The district has responded through three key strategies: increasing revenue, reducing costs, and optimizing our budget. The Finance Committee, of which Im an active member, has worked diligently to pursue grant opportunities, review vendor contracts, and analyze every budget line to avoid cuts to academics, extracurriculars, safety, and student mental health services. Beyond that, weve been paving the way for advocacy. Our Board has testified before the Senate and Assembly, met with state legislators, and mobilized parents and students to lobby in Trenton about the harmful impacts of the S2 funding formula. Moving forward, the most important step is working closely with the new superintendent to develop creative solutions, advocate for meaningful changes to the S2 formula, and plan strategically for the districts future.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the school district?

One of the most pressing issues we need to continue addressing is the achievement gap. While South Brunswick is consistently ranked among the top 100 districts in New Jersey, every student, regardless of background or learning path, deserves the support and opportunities to succeed. This means giving teachers the resources they need to meet students where they are, maintaining programs that support academic and emotional growth, and ensuring equitable access to advanced coursework, career and technical education, and extracurricular opportunities. I also believe the district should explore expanding Career and Technical Education programs to provide even more pathways for students, but these initiatives cannot happen without first addressing our budget challenges and securing sustainable funding. Working closely with the new superintendent to tackle both of these aspects, closing the achievement gap and planning for future program growth, is key to ensuring a strong, equitable future for all students.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

What I feel sets me apart from other candidates is my combination of experience and perspective. Having gone through the school district myself, I understand todays student experience in a way few others can. Since COVID, our students are encountering a new set of challenges, from learning recovery and social-emotional needs to the rise of technology in classrooms. As the youngest candidate for the School Board of South Brunswick, I bring an important perspective to the collective policy-making process. We have important policy discussions ahead, about cell phone use and AI in classrooms, and as Policy Chair, Ive been deeply involved in those conversations. As both a recent college and SBHS graduate, Ive experienced firsthand how technology impacts learning, and I want to bring that perspective to the table when making decisions that shape our classrooms. My goal is always to represent the student voice when the Board makes policy decisions, ensuring we remain a district that truly puts students first.

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As a recent South Brunswick graduate, I bring a firsthand perspective on what students need to succeed, and I am running to ensure their voices guide decisions and that our policies truly support learning, growth, and well-being. Over the past three years on the Board, I have gained experience in school budgeting, operations, and policy, serving as Policy Chair and as an active member of the Education, Finance, and South Brunswick Stakeholders Committees. Through these roles, Ive consistently advocated for students and helped shape policies that directly impact their education. Beyond the Board, I am deeply involved in our community, serving on the South Brunswick Commission on Women, previously on the Township Planning Board, and professionally as Vice President of a consulting and management company working on public school projects. These experiences have strengthened my ability to listen, collaborate, and lead, ensuring that every decision I support reflects the needs of our students and families. I combine the perspective of a recent student with the experience of a dedicated Board member, giving me the ability to make thoughtful, informed decisions that put students first.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your campaign?

From my first day at Brooks Crossing Elementary to walking across the graduation stage at South Brunswick High School, this community has shaped who I am, my values, my friendships, and my passion for giving back. I am proud to be deeply rooted in this town, having grown up here, attended our schools, and now serving our families as a member of the Board of Education. Beyond my work on the Board, I have been actively involved in promoting cultural inclusion and community engagement, serving on the South Brunswick Commission on Women and previously on the Planning Board. I also served as treasurer for South Asian Community Outreach (SACO), helping organize events like the annual Pakistan Day Parade, whose goal is to bring our diverse community together. These experiences have strengthened my commitment to making our schools welcoming, inclusive, and supportive for all students and families. Serving South Brunswick families as a member of the Board of Education has been the most rewarding experience of my life, and I hope to continue using my experience, perspective, and passion to advocate for putting students first.

To learn more about me, please visit AlishaKhanNJ.com or follow me on Facebook at FB.com/AlishaKhanNJ

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com



South Brunswick Board Of Education General Election 2025: Alisha Khan originally appeared on the South Brunswick Patch
Paytm Founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma showcased the company's Made-in-India Paytm AI Soundbox to Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, reaffirming Paytm's commitment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. In a post on X, Sharma wrote that it was a privilege to present the innovation, adding that Paytm is committed to building artificial intelligence for every Indian small shopkeeper. He described the Paytm AI Soundbox as a major step toward making technology and AI more inclusive for millions of small and micro businesses. In his earlier post announcing the product, Sharma wrote, "It takes a lot of time for technology to mature and become magical. AI is there now. When we envisaged AI Soundbox, soon it was clear that it won't be just a payment device anymore. It would rather be like a smartphone in the age of feature phones. QR was like a rotary phone, Soundbox a cellular, and this: a smartphone." He said the device offers "a superhuman capability for small and micro businesses" by turning a payment sound box into a smart and capable business partner. "At Paytm, we are very proud to lead innovations for small and micro businesses in India. Today we bring the perfect AI device for millions of businesses, making technology and AI more inclusive," he posted. The company says, the Paytm AI Soundbox marks the company's next leap after pioneering QR and Soundbox innovations, transforming the counter device into an intelligent assistant powered by payment and business data. It represents Paytm's mission to build Made-in-India technology that is accessible, safe, and inclusive for every business. A recent Emkay Global report reaffirmed Paytm's strong position in the merchant ecosystem, highlighting its omnichannel presence, high-vintage merchant relationships, and deep data capabilities. Emkay called Paytm's leadership in merchant payments a challenge to Pine Labs, noting that Paytm continues to demonstrate product strength and scale through its Soundbox and AI-driven solutions. According to a company statement, with the launch of the AI Soundbox, Paytm reinforces its leadership as India's homegrown fintech innovator, bringing the power of artificial intelligence to millions of shopkeepers across the country. (ANI)
Oct. 16 (UPI) -- The Columbia, S.C., field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation has established a digital tip website seeking information about a bar shooting in St. Helena Island on Sunday that killed four people.

"Anyone with cellphone video or any other multimedia recordings of the incident is encouraged to upload media to www.fbi.gov.sthelenamassshooting," a release from the FBI field office said.

The release said the incident remains under investigation, and that the FBI field office is offering assistance, including video analysis.

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The shooting occurred at Willies Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island at about 1 a.m. Sunday during an after-party attended by between 500 and 700 people, many of whom sought shelter in nearby businesses and buildings, a statement from the sheriff's office said.

Local police said in an update Wednesday that investigators "have lots of information" about the people involved, but will not name suspects until forensic work is completed.

The sheriff's office is conducting DNA analysis and the State Law Enforcement Division is reviewing firearms and ballistics evidence.

Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner could not confirm whether the incident was gang related, but did say all of the victims knew each other, and that all 20 had been identified.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  The race for South Dakotas GOP nomination in the 2026 gubernatorial contest is underway. However, candidates Toby Doeden, Jon Hansen and Dusty Johnson dont need to turn in their first campaign finance report until January 2026.

Shutdown tensions rise as SNAP impacts to hit South Dakota

Candidates running for statewide offices in South Dakota only have to file a year-end report during odd-numbered years. During even-numbered years, they must file three reports: one before the primary election, one before the general election and one for the end of the year. Therefore, South Dakotas candidates for governor in 2026 have not yet had to submit a campaign finance report. This contrasts sharply with the rules for candidates for the U.S. House or U.S. Senate who need to file campaign finance reports quarterly.

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Right now, our campaign finance laws do not give South Dakotans the transparency they deserve, Johnson, who currently holds the states only seat in the U.S. House, said Thursday.

I know that its important that before people go to the polls that theyre able to look at those and see who exactly is backing these candidates, Hansen said Thursday.

I think we should be seeing those reports in real time, Doeden said Thursday. Thats my opinion. I know some people will push back and say, Oh, its too cumbersome.'

On that point, Doeden roundly disagrees.

Listen, filing a few pieces of paper is not cumbersome, Doeden said. My campaign would file every week if thats what the law was, and I would do so happily.

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Hansen is also open to revision.

If theres interest in making those more frequent, thats a conversation Id be willing to have, he said.

As for Johnson, he plans to propose a change.

If youre spending millions of dollars, as people who run for governor do, you should have quarterly disclosures, and you should have far more detailed information about where youre spending the money, Johnson said.

Democrat Robert Arnold is also running for governor; at the moment, he is the only announced Democratic candidate and thus does not yet have a contested primary. Terry Gleason is running for governor as an independent, so he will not participate in a primary election.

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South Dakotas 2026 primary election is scheduled for June 2. The general election is set for Nov. 3.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI)  South Kingstown Town Councilman Jay Wegimont has been acquitted by a district court judge in his misdemeanor assault trial.

The charge came from an alleged physical encounter between Wegimont and Narragansett GOP Chairman Anthony DEllena. Wegimont was accused of leaving a June Town Council meeting in progress and assaulting DEllena in the hallway.

BACKGROUND: South Kingstown councilors assault case now in judges hands

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In the bench trial, DEllena testified that Wegimont made physical contact with him twice, claiming Wegimont was unhappy with social media posts DEllena made about his past DUI arrests.

Wegimont, a 34-year-old Democrat, was first elected to the Town Council in 2024. He was also previously a spokesperson for Providence Public Schools, but is no longer employed by the district.

In a statement, DEllena told 12 News its open season on him after the decision.

Any Democrat I challenge online can now physically assault me without consequences and the justice system just shrugs, DEllena said. This was an open-and-shut case. But like clockwork, Jay Wegimont, a lifelong beneficiary of Democrat privilege, walks away again without facing a single consequence.

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ALSO READ: Trial begins for South Kingstown councilor accused of assaulting local GOP official

DEllena explained he submitted undeniable evidence, including footage showing people reacting, looking into the hallway because they heard the altercation. (DEllena said the footage comes from around the three-hour mark in a recording of the June 9 council meeting.)

The defense argued that DEllena was trying to have the councilman removed from office and replaced by a Republican. (After the alleged incident became public, Wegimont faced a call by the R.I. Republican Party to resign and the South Kingstown GOP created an online petition calling for him to step down.)

DEllenas characterization of the alleged assault on social media was also questioned by the defense.

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READ MORE: RI GOP calls on South Kingstown councilman to resign over alleged confrontation

In a statement of his own, Wegimont thanked the judge, Mary McCaffrey, for her handling of the case and said he was found not guilty and fully exonerated of all charges.

In her decision, Judge McCaffrey not only affirmed what I have said from the beginning  that I am innocent  but also found the allegations and testimony against me to be wholly lacking in credibility, Wegimont said. This judgment goes far beyond a not-guilty verdict; it is a complete vindication.

I am deeply grateful to my attorneys, John MacDonald and Don Lally, for their steadfast representation, and to my family, friends, and the people of South Kingstown and beyond for their faith and support, Wegimont continued. I also want to thank my colleagues on the South Kingstown Town Council and the South Kingstown Democratic Committee for standing by me throughout this process.

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Oct. 17 (UPI) -- South Korean author Baek Se-hee, known for her best-selling memoir I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, has died, according to the Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency. She was 35.

The Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency announced her death Friday in a statement, calling the author "a star in the sky" for saving five lives through donating her heart, lungs, liver and both kidneys at the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital.

The cause and date of death were not made public.

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"We are deeply grateful for the warm-hearted love shown by donor Baek Se-hee and her family in practicing the gift of life," Lee Sam-yeol, director of the Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency, said in the statement.

"The love Baek shared at the end of her life -- after offering comfort and hope through her heartfelt writing -- has become a miracle that gives life to others."

Born in 1990 as the second of three daughters in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Baek studied creative writing at university and worked at a publishing company for five years.

It was during this time that she was diagnosed with dysthymia, a mild but persistent form of depression, and sought therapy -- the content of which became her best-selling I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, published in 2018.

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She followed up that success with I want to Die but I Still Want to eat Tteokbokki the next year. Both have been translated into English, and published by Bloomsbury.

She also collaborated with other authors, creating No One Will Ever Love You as Much as I Do in 2021 and I Want to Write, I don't Want to Write in 2022.

"My sister, whom I loved most, wanted to write, to connect with hearts through writing and to nurture dreams and hopes," Baek's younger sister, Baek Da-hee, said in a statement.

"Knowing her kind heart that loved so much and could not hate anyone, I hope she can now rest peacefully in heaven. I love you so much."
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The First United Methodist Church in South Lyon will host an Affordable Housing Expo on Sunday, encouraging residents to adopt the issue of affordable housing.

Were looking to educate the public about the current housing affordability crisis, said Marge Wisniewski, a member of the First United Methodist Church and a Resident Leader for Manufactured Housing Action. You cant buy homes. Theyre too expensive. Theres just going to be a real tipping point where people are going to end up homeless before too long.

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On top of education, thirteen organizations from around the state will be present to encourage attendees to find an issue within housing affordability that appeals to them. Groups that will be present include Lakeshore Legal Aid, the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness and the Housing Bureau for Seniors at the University of Michigan.

Yvonne Cudney, the Community Outreach and Education Coordinator for the Housing Bureau for Seniors, will also give a presentation.

We want people to leave there and commit to do at least one small thing, to advance the cause, Wisniewski said. Her organization, Manufactured Housing Action, will participate as well, advocating for increased regulation of private equity firms who own lots with manufactured homes and a bill to improve water quality in mobile home parks.

Wisniewski acknowledged the stigma around issues of affordable housing, within South Lyon and in neighborhoods across the state, and spoke to the importance in her daily life of having one-on-one conversations with her neighbors and friends about the issues.

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We want to make people aware that, on any given day, people can be one bad day away from an eviction. You get sick, you lose your job, you cant make your bills that month, it could be anybody. It could be your neighbor, she said. And because of the lack of affordable housing, youre more at risk than ever.

The events hosts at the South Lyon First United Methodist Church are also encouraging other Methodist churches, Wisniewski noted. She called the event in line with the social justice creed of the church, and a very concrete way we can show love for our neighbor.

Ive never seen a more active, engaged group of individuals in a faith community do something so profound and powerful, she added.

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South Shore realtor held on $100k bail in embezzlement case

63-year-old Stephen Webster, until recently, a South Shore realtor, owner of Success! Realty pleaded not guilty to all charges at Brockton Superior Court in an embezzlement case involving millions of dollars.

Prosecutors allege Webster illegally tapped into homeowner escrow accounts, and even borrowed money from other real estate agents to fund an extravagant lifestyle that included a high-rent Florida property, expensive cars, jet skis, boats, vacations, and trips to Boston and Florida casinos.

The allegations are there was $11million that was diverted out of accounts. As we speak right now, theres approximately $1.3 million that is unaccounted for. Including but not limited to 500 thousand dollars or so in monies that are owed to brokers, commissions, downpayment on homes, said Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz.

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The case first came to light last December when Webster abruptly closed Success Realty, cutting homeowners off from their money and agents from their commissions.

Webster was arrested in September at his home in Florida; hes been in custody ever since.

In Court, his attorney said Webster never intended to defraud anyone.

He wasnt intentionally defrauding anyone. He was trying to make ends meet and cover losses, said defense attorney Shannon Byrnes

Beyond this case, Webster is facing other civil suits, many of them from other real estate agents.

Attorney Rich Vetstein tells me his client lost more than 200 thousand dollars to Webster

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This is one of the worst cases of embezzlement in terms of real estate brokerages Ive ever seen, possibly the worst in Massachusetts history, said attorney Richard Vetstein.

Bail was set at $100,000 cash for Stephen Webster

He is due back in court on November 13th.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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South Shore woman facing cruelty charges after 116 neglected farm animals seized from her home

A South Shore woman is facing cruelty charges after more than 100 neglected farm animals were removed from her property in late September, authorities announced Friday.

Jenifer Rogers, 42, of Plympton, is charged with 12 counts of animal cruelty stemming from a search of her property on Lake Street on Monday, Sept. 22, according to Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz.

Members of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and local law enforcement responded to Rogers home after receiving reports that suggested several poultry, fowl, and other farm animals had been continually neglected, and some were deceased and left on the property.

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The MSPCA had received prior reports of potential neglect at the Lake Street home, but was unable to access the property due to a lack of cooperation from Rogers, who was residing there, Cruzs office said in a news release. The homeowner informed MSPCA personnel that several animals had died in the past few months due to neglect and that Rogers chose not to care for the animals.

An inspection of Rogers property revealed several animals living in inadequate shelters with a lack of food or water, dead livestock in the immediate vicinity of live animals, and various bones and skulls from what appeared to be the remains of goats littering the ground, according to Cruzs office.

A day later, 116 animals were removed from the Lake Street property and transported to MSPCA Cape Cod and Methuen shelters after Rogers was allowed to surrender any animals she could not care for.

Examinations of the animals following their removal from Rogers residence, Cruzs office said.

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Rogers will be called to court to face the charges on November 3.

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Mike Farrells family left South St. Paul for California when he was 2, but that didnt erase the Minnesota demeanor he still carries today.

The family lore is widespread in the South St. Paul area, and were proud to call ourselves Minnesotans, Farrell said in a telephone interview Thursday with the Pioneer Press.

Farrell, best known for his role of Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt on M*A*S*H, is being honored by the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. Thursday was Minnesotas day in the organizations Marines Across America program and Farrell was recognized alongside Minnesota Marines Charles Lindberg, Daniel Crawford, Charles Hawkins Sr. and Andrew McCormack (more on them below). The Marine Corps is celebrating its 250th anniversary on Nov. 10.

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Its never what you think youre going to get into, Farrell, 86, said of the Marines. It was horrifying and scary, boot camp was. Once we got through it, we were, of course, terribly proud of having experienced all we experienced.

Memories from the Marines

Quickly after graduating high school in 1957, Farrell and his good friend Pat Merrifield joined the Marines. It was something the two of them had planned for quite some time, he said.

Since we were old enough to talk about it, we wanted to be in the Marines, Farrell said. We always looked at the Marines as the glorious fighting brigade.

The California-raised 18-year-old thought hed be stationed at Camp Pendleton in California. He assumed hed have weekends off and go up and charm all the girls with my high school pals, he said.

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And in fact, they gave me orders to go to be assigned to the 3rd Marines in Okinawa, Farrell said.

He and Pat were assigned to different platoons and rarely saw each other. It wasnt his dream scenario, but it allowed him to travel and see parts of the world he may not have been exposed to, which was really, as I think back on it, beneficial to me as a kid, Farrell said. I was still sort of a punk, and I dont mean punk in a bad way, I just mean sort of a young guy wet behind the ears.

Headed for Okinawa on the troop ship, Farrell said he remembers receiving orders to circle in off the coast of what was then called French Indochina, with the possibility that they would be diverted to assist French forces there.

Farrell said he found the idea of French forces residing in what is now Vietnam very intriguing at the time. The troop was eventually sent back to the Okinawa Marine Corps base, Camp Hansen, where Farrell would spend most of his time during his two years of service.

Marines impact on and off-screen

Farrell said he didnt engage in drinking, smoking or fickle romance during his time of service.

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They called it squared away, Farrell said. I was the square.

A lot of people ignored and avoided him, he said, but there were a few who felt akin and would gather together during off-duty periods.

I think of it now and just remember being a young kid, Farrell said. And we lived in tents, interestingly, similar to the circumstance depicted in my later work on M*A*S*H: I lived in a tent, although the tent was bigger and not as much fun.

Shooting those scenes would transport Farrell back to his time in Okinawa, he said. The tent conditions werent quite as intense as boot camp, he said, but they certainly were not lavish, not that any of the circumstances in the military are plush, he said.

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He said they saw another side of military service when they had weekends off.

We would go to the Air Force Base outside of Kadena, Okinawa, because they had everything in the Air Force, he said. I remember they had a soda fountain. They had a place you could go in and get ice cream, and have a malt and things I remembered from home, but that was unlike what we were dealing with when we were serving as Marines in Camp Hansen.

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Serving in the Marines was extremely demanding and challenging, though fun at times, and exposed him to diverse world views. Farrell remembers a community off the edge of the camp that was deemed off limits and considered a communist village, he said.

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I didnt quite understand at that point what the danger was, and when we went into the village, people were very nice, Farrell said. So I think it didnt seem to be as outrageously dangerous as the orders would have you believe. But I found that to be the case generally in the service; they basically see things in very clear terms. Things are OK or not, and its hard not to fall into that sort of frame of mind. I think I managed to not.

Before joining the Marines, Farrell said he was a kid with not much direction. Service taught him about regimentation, how to behave in a group and take responsibility over others, he said. Hed recommend it for young people like him who, at the time, could use structure and guidance, he said.

Marine pride

Following his time in Okinawa, Farrell was reassigned briefly to Yokosuka, Japan, he said.

After that, I was sent back to San Diego and was discharged from there, he said. There was a lot of growing up that was done, and there was a lot of learning.

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Farrell was named an Honor Marine during boot camp and reached the rank of private first class.

I was very proud of that, Farrell said. But coming out of the service, I went home, strutted around in my uniform when I had the opportunity, before going to Okinawa and after coming back, and the girls from the high school were not as impressed as I hoped theyd be.

Boot camp was not an Air Force ice cream excursion, Farrell recalls, describing how a drill instructor would yell in his face or hit him with a rifle. Though the experience was physically taxing and emotionally confusing at times, it taught him, he said. He learned to respect officers and trust that they would prepare him well for the most intense situation of all: potential combat.

The Marine Corps builds men, they say, and thats the idea, Farrell said. The fighting men are what they want, people who will follow orders, and when your commanding officer says, Charge that machine gun nest, you charge that machine gun nest.

South St. Paul native

Farrells father was born in Rosemount and his mother in Millville, Minnesota. His family of six lived in South St. Paul. They moved to California when he was 2 years old, but would visit their hometown at least once a year, he said.

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My mom, she came from a family of 10 children, and it was a hard scrabble situation, Farrell said.

On top of growing up in a large family, Farrell said his grandfather was killed when his mom was only seven.

You can only imagine what those folks went through during the hard times of the Depression and what have you; particularly a farm family with 10 kids and one sole widow mother, Farrell said. Her life was very much committed to being a family person, and she imbued us, I think, with that understanding.

Farrell said that because of his mothers upbringing, he and his three siblings were raised with a stance of gratitude for their surroundings.

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We would go back to Minnesota, and wed see all our relatives, he said. My moms brothers and sisters, almost all except for one, stayed in South St. Paul, married, and had kids of their own. So we had cousins all over the place and still do.

Farrell said its been a few years since hes visited Minnesota, but it is still home to him.

Theres just a kind of simple decency to the people (of Minnesota) that I find really reaffirming, Farrell said.

Farrell lives in Los Angeles now, and he said working in Hollywood, its not always easy to find that kind of simple decency among the crowd.

Acting and advocating for human rights

On top of being a working actor, producer, director and writer, Farrell is the president of Death Penalty Focus, an organization whose goal is to end the use of the death penalty. He said he is very involved in the world of human rights, a value that he has long held.

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Earlier this year, he starred in an independent feature film, Final decision, thats currently in post-production. He also periodically performs a one-man show, Dr. Keelings Curve, about the man who gathered the first significant measurements of rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Ive been very lucky in my career, and Im happy for it, Farrell said.

Marines celebrate 250 years

Other local veterans honored by the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation include:

 Charles W. Lindberg, born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and later of Richfield, a Silver Star and Purple Heart recipient who helped raise the first U.S. flag on Iwo Jima.

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 Daniel Crawford, of Austin, who walked from Austin, Minnesota, to Austin, Texas, in 2024 to raise awareness for veteran recovery and mental health support.

 Charles Hawkins Sr., of Coon Rapids, the state junior vice commander for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Minnesota.

 Andrew McCormack, of Detroit Lakes, the current department commander for the Marine Corps League of Minnesota.

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Theres a certain pride associated with having been a Marine, Farrell said.

Those recognized embody the values of honor, courage, and commitment within their communities and showcase the contributions Marines make in their local communities or nationally following their active-duty service, according to the foundation.

The foundation asks that members of the public join the celebration by sharing stories of Marines they know, both active and retired, who make a difference in their communities and professional lives. Names can be submitted for recognition at Marine250.com.
As the government shutdown remains unresolved and debates intensify over immigration policies across the nation, many are preparing to take to the streets once again for the second wave of No Kings protests.

Organizers have previously described the movement as a stand against what they see as unchecked executive power, while other political leaders warn of continued violence under the cloak of protesting. Questions are being asked about outside groups that are fueling and funding such gatherings.

The first round of No Kings mobilizations in June drew an estimated five million people nationwide, coinciding with a collection of Trumps executive orders issued throughout the early months of his second term. This weekend, more than 2,500 events are reportedly planned across all 50 states, up from about 2,000 last time, according to the official No Kings website.

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Organizations like the Indivisible Project are leading the charge to organize the protests.

Indivisible, formed after Trumps 2016 presidential win, has become a significant player in the progressive political network, known for partnering with organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America, which has direct links to Antifa.

Its website highlights the message that we dont do kings. Co-founder Leah Greenberg has previously described the movement as a pushback against authoritarianism and corruption, encouraging supporters to mobilize locally through various online platforms. Additionally, she has allegedly continued weekly online calls to organize participants for this weekend.

Reports are swirling that billionaire George Soros Open Society Foundations have poured millions into Indivisible, as seen in a post by X user WallStreetMav, fueling claims that these arent just organic uprisings.

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In Texas, tensions are particularly high after the first round of No Kings protests.

Gov. Greg Abbott has activated the National Guard in Austin, citing concerns about the Antifa-linked protest and how it could potentially cause significant disruptions.

Violence and destruction will never be tolerated in Texas, Abbott said. Today, I directed the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas National Guard to deploy all necessary law enforcement officials and resources to ensure the safety of Austin residents. Texas will deter criminal mischief and work with local law enforcement to arrest anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property.

Other Republican leaders have been equally vocal.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has linked the rallies to the ongoing federal shutdown, describing participants as a mix of Marxists, socialists, and Antifa advocates, per WUSA9 News.

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) has also suggested that more National Guard deployments could be necessary if the demonstrations turn chaotic once again.

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Trumps team continues to push back against what it calls political smear campaigns and legal interference. Recent court rulings have blocked some National Guard deployments, including one in Illinois reported by ABC News, where judges said no amount of rebellion justified the safety measure.

Analysts at the Brennan Center for Justice have also argued that using troops against protesters risks violating constitutional rights.

Some officials, like Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, claim the No Kings protests could further delay shutdown negotiations, but organizers insist the rallies were planned months ago.

If, in fact, they are waiting for this No Kings protest, you know, no kings means no paychecks. No paychecks and no government, Bessent said, per The Hill.

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While some organizers say the No Kings movement honors America, critics see it as deepening the nations political divide with a potential wave of violence in its midst. Across the country, leaders like Abbott and Virginias Glenn Youngkin are preparing security measures to try to keep the events as peaceful as possible.

The Dallas Express will be present at a No Kings protest happening in DFW this weekend to inform readers about any effects the event may have on the city.
By now, the use of hard-kill active protection systems (APS) to protect vehicles on the battlefield is well known, with projectiles used to defeat fast-moving threats, like incoming anti-tank missiles. Much more unusual, however, is a loosely related concept: The Soviet Unions little-known program to develop a system that would, it was planned, swat down incoming ballistic missile warheads to protect its own intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silos.

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union relied heavily on its extensive ICBM force as a key part of its strategic nuclear triad, complemented by submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and long-range strategic bombers. That tradition continues today. While the Soviet Strategic Rocket Forces introduced increasingly more capable and destructive ICBMs, they were always aware of their vulnerability, as long as they were based in silos or other fixed sites.

Such concerns drove the development and fielding of road-mobile and rail-mobile ICBMs, but there were also efforts to better protect the static ICBM fields against potential attack, including from the U.S. ICBMs that would have been their primary threat. The existence of one such measure was brought to our attention by @krakek1 on X. The same user pointed us to this Russian-language article that provides an authoritative backgrounder on the program.

Back in the late Soviet era there was work being done on an APS for silos (specifically R-36M2 silos).



This system used "shotguns" with tungsten rods to defeat enemy RVs in lower atmosphere.



It was successfully tested against RVs (Baikonur -> Kamchatka track) in late 80s. pic.twitter.com/r3qzcrgxTb  krakek (@krakek1) October 3, 2025

The program was named Mozyr, after a town in the then Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic. Also known as izdeliye (Project) 171, it was the responsibility of KB Mashinostroyeniya (KBM), a state defense enterprise located in Kolomna, in the Moscow region.

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In simple terms, Mozyr aimed to develop an APS that would protect ICBM silos against incoming ballistic missile warheads, using a shotgun-like multi-barrel launcher that would fire tungsten rods into the paths of the warheads, bringing them down when they were in the lower atmosphere.

A Russian-language diagram showing the basic operating principle of the Mozyr system. This also shows how the key components of the system, including the projectile launchers, were projected under rotating armored cupolas. via X

Development of Mozyr began in the mid-1970s and was under the direct supervision of the Soviet Minister of Defense, D.F. Ustinov, reflecting the programs high priority. At the same time, as well as KBM, no fewer than 250 enterprises from 22 different state ministries were involved in developing the system.

It seems that the main application for the Mozyr system, once fielded, would be the protection of the future R-36M2 Voevoda ICBM silos. Known to NATO as the SS-18 Mod 5/6 Satan, this system entered service in 1988. The Mod 5 version carried 10 multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV), each with a yield of 500-750 kilotons. The Mod 6 is fitted with a single re-entry vehicle with an eight-megaton warhead. With a range of almost 10,000 miles, the R-36M2 promised an accuracy of 1,640 feet circular error probable (CEP).

A video showing the test launch of an R-36M2 Voevoda ICBM:

Today, the SS-18 Mod 6 remains in Russian service, one of the last two Soviet-era ICBMs that are still operational, the other being the UR-100N (SS-19 Stiletto) that carries the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV).

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As for the Mozyr system, it would never get the chance to defend the Voevoda ICBM silos as a frontline, operational system. However, it was built and tested.

As completed, the Mozyr system consisted of a multi-barrel launcher (some sources state that it had several hundred barrels, others that it had 80). Each barrel was loaded with a propellant charge and a projectile made of high-strength steel alloy.

Russian Strategic Rocket Forces officers at a missile combat center in an underground bunker in Dolgoprudny, a closed army town in the Moscow region, in 1992. Photo by GERDO/AFP via Getty Images GERDO

The system included its own target detection, guidance, and fire-control systems. The last of these determined the required density of the cloud of projectiles, as well as the direction in which they would be fired, depending on the nature of the threat. This was all achieved automatically, with limited human operator input.

The projectiles destroyed the incoming warhead kinetically. This was ensured by a closing speed of around six kilometers (around 20,000 feet) per second.

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Historical sources referring to Mozyr note that many details about it remain unconfirmed, but there is multiple evidence of the system having been tested.

By 1981, work had been authorized to prepare for the testing of the Mozyr system, but the first real steps to establish an experimental test site werent taken until 1984. The chosen location was Kura, on the Kamchatka Peninsula, in the Russian Far East. Construction work here was carried out around 12 miles from Shiveluch, the northernmost active volcano in Kamchatka. Around 250 flights by cargo aircraft were required to move related equipment to this remote site, which was also served by a helipad.

The location of the Kura missile range on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Google Earth

It appears that several prototypes of the Mozyr system were tested at Kura between 1985 and 1988. The test program involved the construction of a simulated ICBM silo, with a prototype of the active defense system located around the launch facility. Meanwhile, a command post for the system was located around 3.5 miles from the silo.

More recent photos of whats presumed to be the test site show various abandoned buildings, towers to carry antennas for the detection system, as well as a mobile support vehicle borrowed from the Pioneer (SS-20 Saber) mobile intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) system.

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The radar used in the tests is understood to have been the 5N65 (Flat Twin), a phased-array type that was developed as part of the Soviet anti-ballistic missile system, but which was never commissioned. It is known to have been installed and tested at Kura, as part of the broader 5K17 tracking and measuring system.

Fairly basic but still interesting diagrams showing parts of the 5N65 phased-array radar from a CIA document. CIA

Unarmed ICBMs were launched toward the site, being fired either from the Plesetsk test site or from Baikonur in Kazakhstan (sources differ).

Reportedly, the targets used to test the Mozyr were provided by decommissioned SS-18 Mod 4 ICBMs. This version of the missile could carry up to 10 MIRVs, although its unclear how many were actually ejected during each of the interception tests.

The following account of the test is provided by the militaryrussia.ru website:

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It all happened at night. The rocket flew from Baikonur for about 20 minutes. A five-minute readiness was announced. The stars shone in the clear, cloudless sky. Suddenly, a new star flashed brightly among them. It quickly increased in diameter and exploded like fireworks, lighting up half the sky. For a few seconds, night turned into day, and it became light. A fireball the size of the moon emerged from the fireworks, explosions were heard, and protuberances burst out from the ball in different directions  the target had been hit.

According to available accounts, the various tests proved that an incoming ICBM warhead could be successfully intercepted in the descent phase of its trajectory. An academic report into the results of these tests stated that the destruction of a nuclear warhead by the Mozyr system was highly likely to prevent the initiation of a nuclear detonation.

A rare view of the payload bus for the R-36M2 ICBM, where the weapons nuclear warheads are housed. This is the SS-18 Mod 5 Satan, which has a MIRV configuration and has one of the heaviest payloads of any ICBM ever developed and fielded. Russia state media via Dmitry Kornev

State testing of the experimental Mozyr system was completed in September 1991, after its funding was discontinued. This was not a reflection of any particular problems with the concept, but rather the failed coup attempt of that year, which precipitated the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Interestingly, Russian accounts suggest that the Mozyr system was not in contravention of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, although this doesnt seem entirely clear. The treaty permitted the Soviet Union and the United States to each have one limited ABM system to protect their capital and another to protect an ICBM launch area; this was later reduced to one system.

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It should be noted that the United States also looked at a very similar kind of APS as a means of protecting its planned MX (later LGM-118 Peacekeeper) ICBM sites. This was known as Swarmjet and would have comprised launchers containing thousands of spin-stabilized unguided rockets. Unlike its Soviet equivalent, it never reached the hardware stage.

In 2012, there were unconfirmed reports that Russia might restart work on a similar kind of APS to defend its ICBM sites, although nothing appears to have come of this.

Nevertheless, its interesting to consider how an APS of this kind might align with current concerns about missile defense, especially with the demise of the ABM Treaty in 2002.

For Russia, this might be of particular interest.

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As its most powerful nuclear adversary, the United States is looking forward to introducing its future LGM-35A Sentinel ICBMs and is also increasingly considering the option of arming them with multiple warheads. These will replace the U.S. Air Forces current LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBMs. The operational examples of the Minuteman III are presently only loaded with one warhead due to arms control agreements with Russia.

A rendering of a future LGM-35A Sentinel silo, which also highlights that much of the facility is expected to be entirely new. Northrop Grumman

Then there are the Trident D5 SLBMs carried by the U.S. Navys Ohio class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), which also have MIRV configurations. The Navys future Columbia class SSBNs are also set to be armed with improved variants of the D5.

As for China, Russias nuclear neighbor, it fields both road-mobile and silo-based ICBMs with MIRV configurations and is rapidly expanding its land-based ICBM silos as well as investing heavily in its seaborne nuclear deterrent.

A Chinese DF-61 road-mobile ICBM, which was publicly unveiled at the 2025 China Victory Day Parade on September 3, 2025, in Beijing. Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images VCG

As we have explained in the past:

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A MIRV configuration not only increases the total number of targets that a single missile can strike but also complicates things for enemy defenders by increasing the volume of threats they have to contend with. Modern ICBMs typically carry decoys (also known as penetration aids) and have other countermeasures to make detection, discrimination, and any attempted intercepts of the missile and/or the re-entry vehicles it releases even more complex.

While multiple warheads were a threat that the original Mozyr system would have had to contend with, since then, there have been more developments in terms of penetration aids, which comprise decoys and other devices intended to make it difficult for enemy forces to determine which of the incoming objects are real threats, track them, and potentially attempt to intercept them. Even without penaids, the prevalence of MIRVs makes the job of a system like Mozyr that much harder, with the possibility of it being overwhelmed with warhead targets.

The U.S. Air Force video below gives a good general look at how the payload bus on a typical MIRVed ICBM, loaded with a mixture of warheads and penetration, functions.

A modern-day APS for ICBM silos would not only face more challenges in terms of advanced decoys and other countermeasures, but also from fast-moving and increasingly maneuverable warheads, including unpowered hypersonic boost-glide vehicles.

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Nevertheless, the original Cold War concept remains an interesting one. At the very least, if perfected, it would seem to provide a far less costly alternative to the missile-based ABM systems that are otherwise the focus of these efforts in China, Russia, and the United States.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
The News in Brief Friday, October 17, 2025

Georgian Dream majority has passed a new legislative package imposing harsher penalties for protest-related offenses, a move widely criticized by civil society as an effort to suppress ongoing demonstrations on Tbilisi's Rustaveli Avenue.Adopted unanimously, the amendments to the Administrative Offenses Code and the Criminal Code increase fines and allow immediate detention for certain violations. Participants who cover their faces, carry pyrotechnics or intoxicants, block roads, or erect temporary structures can now face up to 15 days in detention, while organizers risk up to 20 days. Repeat offenses or participation in protests disbanded by the Interior Ministry may result in up to one year in prison, or two years for repeat violations. Organizers whose actions cause "serious consequences" could face up to four years.Previously, most offenses carried only a 5,000 GEL fine, but authorities argued that penalties were too lenient. Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said a small group of protesters "should not be allowed to oppress the majority" by blocking the capital's main street nightly for over 320 days.Civil society groups warned that the changes effectively "ban peaceful protest." The law also expands penalties for disobeying police and carrying weapons or hazardous materials at demonstrations. Certain groups: pregnant women, minors, people with disabilities, and mothers with young children will face fines instead of detention.The Georgian Ministry of Finance announced the arrest of five Russian citizens accused of illegal entrepreneurial activities and money laundering.At a press briefing on October 16, Guga Tavberidze, deputy head of the Finance Ministry's Investigative Service, said that an unidentified company had been operating without authorization from the National Bank of Georgia. "The company had been providing crypto asset services without proper registration or authorization," Tavberidze stated, adding that it ran "an illegal office" and offered a "courier service" for its clients.According to Tavberidze, the company carried out transactions worth "hundreds of millions of lari" over several months, facilitating unregulated international transfers. "The investigation also found that Russian citizens had allegedly been bringing large amounts of foreign currency into Georgia by car, apparently bypassing border controls, to purchase virtual assets and then legalize illicit funds," he said. "Despite the scale of these operations, neither the company nor the individuals involved were found to have made any tax payments to the state budget."Authorities confiscated 721,000 U.S. dollars, along with accounting records, documents, and computer equipment. The cash was seized from the company's office and vehicles bearing Russian license plates.The case is being investigated under Articles 192 and 194 of the Georgian Criminal Code, which cover illegal entrepreneurial activities and the legalization of illegal income. Convictions under these articles carry prison sentences of nine to twelve years.Tavberidze said the investigation remains active as officials work to identify other individuals who may have participated in the alleged scheme and to collect additional evidence.
Samsung Electronics has ranked fifth in Interbrand's "Best Global Brands" list for the sixth consecutive year, maintaining its position as the top Asian company among the world's leading brands, according to a report by Pulse, the English service of Maeil Business Newspaper Korea. The report noted that the company's brand value reached USD 90.5 billion. Since 2020, Samsung has remained the only Asian company within the global top five brands. 'Interbrand' assesses corporate brand value each year by analyzing financial performance, the influence of brands on consumer purchase decisions, and overall brand competitiveness. The consulting firm said that Samsung's strong performance was fueled by its competitiveness in artificial intelligence (AI) across all business divisions, its AI-powered home experience ecosystem, intensive investment in AI-related semiconductors, and customer-centric brand strategies. Lee Won-jin, head of global marketing at Samsung Electronics, said, "Samsung is committed to ensuring that more customers can experience AI in their everyday lives through open collaboration and continuous innovation. We will keep evolving to deliver diverse values such as health and safety, and become a brand loved by even more people." Among other Korean firms, Hyundai Motor ranked 30th with a brand value of USD 24.6 billion, the second highest among Korean companies. Hyundai Motor has been listed in the global top 100 brands since 2005 and has seen its brand value rise for 16 consecutive years since 2010. An Interbrand official said, "Hyundai Motor has expanded its electric and hybrid vehicle lineups to meet customer needs while strengthening its global presence through region-specific marketing strategies. The company has steadily enhanced its brand influence not only in the U.S. and Europe but also in emerging markets." Kia also made the top 100 list, ranking 89th. Globally, Apple retained the No. 1 spot, followed by Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. Among Japanese companies, Toyota ranked sixth, Sony 34th, Uniqlo 47th, and Nintendo 53rd. Chinese firms Xiaomi, BYD, and Huawei ranked 81st, 90th, and 96th, respectively. Meanwhile, NVIDIA, a leading AI semiconductor company, saw a dramatic rise from 36th last year to 15th this year. (ANI)
A Spanish government-sponsored event this week showcased how its center-left government is bucking a Western trend of cracking down on foreign arrivals and cutting international aid.

The AfroMadrid2025 conference was the latest in a series of efforts by the country to deepen its ties with African nations: Madrid has widened a seasonal migration program, is aiming to open a raft of new embassies across the continent, and wants to expand business and education ties.

The push is not limited solely to Africa: In part to address an aging population, Spain has aggressively expanded migration more broadly, with the number of Latin Americans now calling Madrid home having grown more than tenfold over the last quarter-century to more than a million.
The first debate among the three men running for New York City mayor was marked by heated back-and-forths about crime, qualifications, Israel, affordability  and President Trump.

The Democratic candidate, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, and Republican candidate and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa went after each other again and again Thursday night.

Independent candidate and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, speaks during a mayoral debate with Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, center, and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani on Oct. 16, 2025, in New York City. / Credit: Angelina Katsanis / AP

Just 15 minutes in, Sliwa said "there's high levels of testosterone in this room."

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Cuomo tried to position himself as the clear choice for Democratic voters in the deep blue city by calling Mamdani a democratic socialist  and claiming Mamdani said former President Barack Obama is an "evil liar."

Mr. Trump has made no secret that he doesn't want Mamdani to win, saying last month, "I don't like to see a communist become mayor, I will tell you that."

Cuomo also asserted that Mamdani has little work experience, saying, "This is no job for on-the-job training."

"What I don't have in experience, I make up for in integrity," Mamdani responded. "What you don't have in integrity, you could never make up for in experience."

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Mamdani attacked Cuomo, describing him as an old-school politician who will only give New Yorkers more of the same and insinuating that Cuomo is in some way tied to the president.

The only time the two agreed was when they were asked who the best mayor of New York City was. Both said Fiorello LaGuardia, who served in the post from 1934-1945.

The issue of affordability was front-and-center.

Mr. Trump made it a central theme of his re-election bid. Polls showed it helped garner much support for him.

And a CBS News poll last month had Mamdani leading, with an especially wide gap among those whose top issue is the cost of living.

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At one point, Mamdani said, "It's been an hour and 20 minutes of this debate, and we haven't heard Governor Cuomo say the word 'affordability.' That's why he lost the (Democratic) primary."

And time and time again, the focus seemed to go back to antisemitism and whether Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state.

"The assemblyman still won't say he believes that Israel has the right to existence as a Jewish state. He is a divisive personality," Cuomo charged.

Mandami, who is Muslim, pushed back.

"I've said time and again that I recognize Israel's right to exist. I've said that I will not recognize any state's" he said.

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"As a Jewish state," Cuomo said.

"I said that I will not" Mamdani said.

"As a Jewish state," Cuomo said.

"If I would be allowed to finish," Mamdani said.

"OK," Cuomo said.

"That I would not recognize any state's right to exist with a system of hierarchy on the basis of race or religion," Mamdani said.

Sliwa, who didn't wear his signature red beret, frequently attacked Cuomo. They're both trying to attract moderate voters.

None of the candidates endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul in her reelection bid. And all three refused to raise their hand in a show of support for a possible effort by Mr. Trump to send National Guard troops to the city.

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When asked about the last time each had spoken with the president, Cuomo said it was after the 2024 assassination attempt against Mr. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania; and Sliwa said it was many years ago at a Veterans Day Parade. Mamdani said he's never spoken with him.

The debate had some light moments  including questions about breakfast orders and if the candidates had ever purchased marijuana at a cannabis shop. Mamdani, with a big smile and an apparent blush, said he had.

The next debate is set for Oct. 22, ahead of the Nov. 4 election.

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Dallas residents are calling on neighbors to contact the Dallas City Council to report reckless driving taking place throughout the city.

One Dallas resident posted on the Ring Neighborhood application to request that neighbors contact a city council member in regard to reckless driving taking place in the Lower Greenville area of the city.

Be sure to email or call councilman Paul Ridley for all the crazy speeding on McCommas and Monticello. There are two new speed bumps being added end of month. more community support will be critical in iniativies to handicap the 75 intersection traffic. Lets Keep speeders and non-residents out of our neighborhoods, stated the resident.

The same resident who posted the original request later added that many in the neighborhood have worked on this project, which has seemingly resulted in multiple speed bumps being placed in the neighborhood.

Thanks  its been a group effort  many neighbors here share the same idea.

However, another resident commented that they have reached out to Council Member Ridley in the past, but have had little success to this point.

I have emailed him about speeding and vehicles running stop signs in my Glencoe park neighborhood. He never responds. I had thousands of dollars in damage to my car when it was hailed on because I could not park in my garage due to city road construction blocking my garage entrance for over 18 months. He does not care about or respond to his constituents, commented that resident.

The lack of response from officials has been a citywide issue, with many Dallas residents also complaining about inadequate assistance from the Dallas Police Department.

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The uproar arises as the Dallas Police Department continues to face a significant officer shortage, despite a city ordinance approved by voters that requires maintaining minimum staffing levels.

Proposition U, which was passed by Dallas voters in 2024, stipulates that the DPD must have at least 4,000 sworn officers and fulfill compensation standards, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.

Despite the Dallas City Council approving additional hiring and pay raises, there remains a notable gap between the mandate and the current number of staff.

City officials have yet to provide a clear strategy for fulfilling the requirements of Proposition U, leaving residents questioning when  or if  the DPD will achieve the full staffing levels mandated by voters.
SPRING LAKE, Mich. (WOOD)  Whether its under the bright lights of the high school stage or halfway around the world, two Spring Lake students are proving some of the most powerful lessons happen outside the classroom.

Evan Thompson and Megan Beck have both taken part in a growing travel program at Spring Lake High School designed to help students see the world, and themselves, in new ways.

There absolutely is intention with it, said Principal Ben Armey. It started six or seven years ago where a couple of teachers got together and said, Okay, we have these students that we want to expose them to different cultures, and to be able to get out of the four walls of the school  and out of the country.'

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Through a partnership with EF Tours, Spring Lake now organizes large-scale international trips for about 60 to 80 students every other year. They also host smaller, specialized trips in between.

Europe has been the primary focus, but there have been more trips now throughout the world, Armey said. Most recently, Peru and the Galapagos.

The program has become part of the schools strategic plan.

Global awareness, global citizenship  its something thats very valuable to our students, he said.

For Evan Thompson, those experiences began early in high school. Hes traveled to Italy, Greece and the Netherlands through school programs  and closer to home, he joins the yearly trip to Stratford, Ontario, for a theater festival.

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It was eye-opening in the way of I get to see people perform and enjoy their performances of their art, without having to go and spend a ton of money or travel super far, and I get to hang out with friends while I do it, Thompson said about his theater trip.

He also had the opportunity to meet professional actors after a performance. They have helped inspire his role in Spring Lakes fall play, The Witches of Salem.

I have a couple times where I can break the fourth wall and include the audience, which is a lot of fun, Thompson said.

However, it was his exchange trip to the Netherlands that taught him the most about connection and humility.

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I had to rely on those students a lot to tell me what things meant and what the normal thing to do was, he said. Its okay to be wrong. Its okay to ask questions. Its okay to have people help you figure out what things mean, how to do things.

Armey said travel experiences have helped shape his students.

Its a maturation process, Armey said. To go out into another country, to explore on their own, it helps them grow up. They come back different. More independent. More confident.

Junior Megan Beck says her first international trip, a 10-day visit to Peru with the schools Spanish and world language club, was life-changing.

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It was a pretty small group. There were only 23 of us, so we got really close, and we got to see really cool places like Machu Picchu, she said. That was my favorite part.

The trip also taught her independence.

When we were on the Peru trip, theyd say, You need to be ready at seven and you need to have already eaten, Beck said. We werent coming back until five p.m., so I had to make sure I had everything I needed for the day. Its really helped me.

She also came home with a new appreciation for diversity.

Its a pretty small school, she said. We all kind of dress the same, act similarly. But going to Peru, where they make their own clothing and just have so much culture and spirit, it was so different. And I miss it.

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Armey said both students stand out for their curiosity and courage.

Theyre willing to try it, he said. Its uncomfortable to try something new. But they push themselves and not just once. They do it as many times as they can, to learn as much as they can, he said.

Both students will continue to travel with Spring Lake. Becks next stop is Germany, Austria, and Switzerland this summer. And both, their principal says, are inspiring others to follow.

Theyre just natural leaders, Armey said. Because theyve had these experiences, they recruit their friends. Theyre the ones walking in front of the group saying, Hey, lets go check this out.'

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For Thompson and Beck, their journeys have reshaped what learning looks like, proving that sometimes, the best classrooms dont have walls at all.

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SPRINGFIELD  A total of 11 developers have submitted proposals to build a new courthouse in the city, in a much-discussed $2 billion project that could be a game-changer for the downtown.

The Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, which oversees state building projects, set a 2 p.m. Thursday deadline for developers to submit proposals for the next Springfield Regional Justice Center that will replace the troubled Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse.

Officials for the division have remained tight-lipped about the proposals and have not even communicated with city officials, but high-placed sources confirmed the number of bids received.

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The names of developers and locations are not expected to be revealed until next week at the earliest after they are vetted for completeness.

The timing of sharing the number of responsive proposals will depend in part on the volume of proposals received, so there is not a precise date available at this time, division officials said in response to inquiries about when information about the proposals will be made public.

For years workers unions, lawyers and others have been complaining about the courthouse being a sick building. At least five employees, including two judges who shared the same office, died from the relatively-rare ALS and others have been diagnosed with fatal cancers and other illnesses. District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni and Registrar of Deeds Cheryl Coakley removed all employees from the building in 2021 and 2022, citing unhealthful conditions.

In January, the state agreed it would replace the building and the Asset Management Board voted to fast-track the project by having a private developer build the courthouse, estimated to cost $600 million, and then lease it back to the city in a pact that could last 60 years.

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The state put out the request for proposals at the end of June calling for a building that would measure between 220,000 and 300,000 square feet and be located in an about 12-block area of the citys downtown.

City Solicitor Stephen Buoniconti said he aired concerns about the lack of transparency in the bidding process saying he feels state laws call for the locations and developers to be released upon the bid openings on Thursday.

Officials for the state have not returned inquiries from his office, Buoniconti said.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said his office also has received no information from the state about the bidding process but said he was at least encouraged that the state agreed with lawyers, residents and city politicians and called for the building to be located downtown.

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The big thing when this all began was I really stressed the need to keep the courthouse in Springfield, he said.

Sarno said he continues to believe in a mixed-use project proposed for vacant land along the Connecticut riverfront as early as three years ago would be a game-changer for the city.

Regional business mogul Peter A. Picknelly has floated the idea for a courthouse, 11-story apartment building, a small marina and other uses on 14.5 acres of land on the northern edge of downtown.

Some of the land Picknelly proposes to use is owned by The Republicans parent company.

A second proposal that have been made public is one by James Jeb Balise, owner of Balise Auto and Thomas Dennis, owner of the Dennis Group, that calls for the courthouse to be built in a city block surrounding Chestnut, Lyman, Taylor and Dwight streets.

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The partners, who received approvals from the Historic Commission to raze four historic buildings they own, have also spent more than $8 million buying property in that area in recent months.

There have been rumors of multiple other local developers have been interested and large development firms from Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, have also submitted inquiries to the state about the bidding process, public records show.

State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, D-Springfield, who represents the downtown area, said he was encouraged by the number of proposals submitted.

I take it as a positive sign because there is a chance to look at opportunities throughout the city, Gonzalez said. Let the best location be selected, the best for the residents and especially for the downtown.

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Initially, residents and city officials had aired concerns that the process was sewn up by just one or two developers and others would be discouraged and not apply.

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Oct. 17A Springfield man will not serve time in prison after he reportedly secretly filmed a 13-year-old in Riverside.

What was he sentenced to?

Probation: Judge Elizabeth Ellis sentenced Michael Richards, 52, to up to five years of community control sanctions, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.

If he violates the terms of his probation, he could be sentenced to two to eight years in prison.

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Sex offender registry: He is a Tier II sex offender and must register his address every 180 days for 25 years.

What did he plead to?

Guilty plea: In September, Richards pleaded guilty to one count of illegal use of a minor in a nudity-oriented material or performance, according to court documents.

Three counts of illegal use of a minor in a nudity-oriented material or performance and four counts of voyeurism were dismissed.

What was he accused of?

Filming teen: Richards allegedly used his cellphone to secretly film a 13-year-old girl.

The incidents took place between March 6 and May 18, 2024, according to the indictment.

Multiple videos: Investigators recovered five videos from Richards' phone, according to police.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  Springfield Police arrested four suspects in connection with drug distribution in the South End neighborhood.

In a news release by the Springfield Police Department, around 6 p.m. on Thursday, officers observed an alleged drug deal on Locust Street. They saw the suspect enter a restaurant on Main Street a short time later and allegedly conducted another drug deal inside.

Massachusetts Governor Healey provides update on drag racing crackdown

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Officers recovered 44 bags of heroin, more than 2.5 grams of crack-cocaine, 47 snap caps of crack-cocaine, four oxycodone pills, and $235.

Dequan Wood, Jayvon Gladden and John Galarza. (Springfield Police Department)

Dequan Wood (21) of Springfield is charged with the following:

Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class A Drug

Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class B Drug (Two Counts)

Conspiracy to Violate Drug Laws

Probation Violation Warrant

Jayvon Gladden (19) of Springfield is charged with the following:

Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class B Drug

John Galarza (33) of Springfield is charged with:

Possession of a Class A Drug

A juvenile was also charged however, due to their age, Springfield Police does not release their name, mugshot or specific charges.

Local News Headlines

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No trespassing signs posted outside a popular St. Pete Beach bar have sparked a debate among community members about who owns the beach. Now city and state officials are getting involved to settle the score.

The Undertow, located at 3850 Gulf Boulevard, put up several signs at the edge of the shoreline last week informing beachgoers that a section of sand behind the bar is private beach. According to the signs, this means no alcohol, coolers, tents, umbrellas, chairs or dogs are allowed on the property and all bags are subject to search.

Photos of the signs planted in wet sand quickly surfaced on social media, garnering angry comments from people questioning whether the bar can police the beach, especially so close to the waters edge.

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The Florida Constitution protects public access for all land below the mean high water line said Thomas Ankersen, a professor emeritus at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and emeritus director of the universitys Conservation Clinic.

The line itself is based on an average of high tides over an astronomical cycle, but it is not legally determined until it is surveyed, Ankersen wrote in an email.

Land above the line can be privately owned in some cases.

Timothy Weber, an attorney representing The Undertow said the bar commissioned a professional survey and had it approved by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

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The signs are posted on the Undertows property above the mean high water line, he wrote in an email. That line is different from what the wet sand line may look like on any given day due to natural forces of erosion and accretion, and the like.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ralf Brookes, the interim city attorney for St. Pete Beach, said the city is working to preserve public use of the land in question.

We dont want to make it so that people have to turn around or walk in the water to keep going down the beach, he said.

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Code enforcement has ordered the bar to remove the signs or face potential fines. Brookes said St. Pete Beach is also coordinating with the Department of Environmental Protection to try and verify where the mean high water line is and whether The Undertow is authorized to block public use.

Regardless of where the line is, Brookes said pedestrians should still be allowed to walk the beach under Floridas customary use doctrine.

That rule allows public beach access even in privately-held areas if there has been historic and continuous usage since time in memorial, Ankersen wrote.

Earlier this year, the state Legislature repealed a previous law that made it more difficult for municipalities to enforce customary use.

Its a big deal for the citizens and public who go to the beach, Brookes said, adding that the citys dispute with The Undertow, could be a test case for the entire state of Florida.
SWANSEA, Mass. (AP)  A staff member at a residential school in Massachusetts died after being kicked in the chest while trying to restrain a 14-year-old student, and the girl is charged with assault, a prosecutor said.

The incident happened Wednesday night at Meadowridge Academy in Swansea, which is described as a residential therapeutic school for young people with mental health issues, behavioral problems and trauma.

Amy Morrell, 53, of Riverside, Rhode Island, and several other staff members tried to restrain the student who was trying to leave a dorm building without permission, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said in a statement. Quinn said the girl, who has not been publicly identified due to her age, kicked Morrell in the chest. Morrell collapsed and was taken to a local hospital, where she later died.

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Officials have not released a cause of death.

The student was arraigned Thursday in Fall River Juvenile Court on a charge of assault and battery causing serious bodily injury.

The school said it was deeply saddened by Morrell's death.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Amys family during this difficult time, the school said in a statement. "Support services and resources are available to assist students and staff as we grieve this tragic loss.
South Central Federation of Labor President Kevin Gundlach addresses a rally in support of Group Health workers seeking union representation on Monday, Oct. 13. (Photo by Erik Gunn/Wisconsin Examiner)

A stalemate between Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin and employees who have been seeking union representation for the last 10 months shows little sign of breaking soon.

At a mass meeting Monday at the Alliant Center in Madison, members of Group Health, sometimes called GHC for short, passed a motion directing the co-op to voluntarily recognize the union as the employees originally petitioned in December  covering three departments and a series of health care professionals.

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The motion set a deadline of Friday, Oct. 17. Marty Anderson, Group Healths chief strategy and business development officer, said Thursday that action on all the motions would likely be deferred, probably until November.

We communicated clearly ahead of the meeting that all motions are advisory in nature, Anderson said. Any deadlines that would be in any of the motions would also be advisory in nature.

Mondays mass meeting was the first of its kind for Group Health members to ask questions of the co-op administration and express their opinions about the union drive. About 172 people attended, according to a Group Health spokesperson. Group Health has more than 50,000 Class A and Founding members  the two groups that were considered eligible to attend, according to the co-op.

In the spring, a volunteer committee met with the board to argue in favor of recognizing the union.

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People attending the Monday meeting described the crowd as strongly supportive of the union, and the voice votes in favor of recognizing the union and other motions favored by union supporters were unanimous, according to Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Wisconsin.

Growing dissatisfaction

At a rally outside the Alliant Center before the meeting, South Central Labor Federation President Kevin Gundlach, a Group Health member, charged that the co-op has lost its way in its response to the union organizing drive.

We want GHC to listen to the workers, Gundlach said. And these workers know, and it says on my shirt here  he pointed to his chest  its better in a union.

Group Health has rejected charges that its trying to thwart the union drive, contending that it simply wants health care employees in all departments to take part in the union representation vote  not just those from departments and job classifications that were included in the original union petition.

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Union supporters say that claim is disingenuous and a ploy to dilute the vote, in the words of several workers interviewed  racking up votes against the union from employees in departments that dont have the same concerns.

Anderson denied the charge. We dont know what the votes will be, he said.

According to workers involved in the union drive, the Group Health union campaign grew out of increasing dissatisfaction in specific co-op departments with working conditions and what they contend was a lack of input into the co-ops practices.

I feel like we can improve the patient care that we provide through unionization and through increased involvement in decision-making, Dr. Nisha Rajagopalan, a family physician who has worked at Group Health for 22 years, said Thursday.

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Pay practices, employee turnover and a voice at the table are all reasons employees have cited for supporting the union.

GHC leadership stopped collaborating with us and despite our many patient care concerns and our many meeting requests, said Julie Vander Werff, a physician assistant, the lead speaker at the Monday rally.

Who should be in the union?

Complicating the organizing campaign is the conflict over exactly who among Group Healths workers should be included in the union.

Union supporters involved in the organizing drive originally proposed that the union represent a bargaining unit of about 220 people. They were doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and nursing staff in three departments: primary care, urgent care and dermatology. Their petition also included physical therapists, occupational therapists and health educators.

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The petition was filed Dec. 12, 2024. Group Health filed a brief asserting that the unit the employees sought was an inappropriate unit, said Anderson, the Group Health executive.

To resolve the differences, a National Labor Relations Board staffer held a meeting on Dec. 30 in Madison, where he moved between separate rooms, one housing Group Health executives and the co-ops lawyer, the other housing SEIU Wisconsin staff and Group Health employees leading the union drive.

The NLRB staffer suggested to the union group that they narrow their petition to a single clinic, Group Health employees wrote in a letter to the Group Health board of directors Feb. 10, 2025. Hoping to get an agreement, they took the suggestion.

Group Health opposed the single-clinic unit, however. In subsequent hearings the co-op managements lawyer argued the vote should include all direct care employees, including in departments that werent part of the unions original petition.

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After reviewing briefs from both sides, the NLRB regional director in Minneapolis who heard the case ruled that the single clinic unit that the union had proposed would not be an appropriate bargaining unit. The decision issued by Regional Director Jennifer Hadsall stated that the unit proposed by the employer, Group Health, was appropriate and set an election among all the co-ops health care employees.

SEIU Wisconsin, however, moved to block the election. A raft of pending unfair labor practice charges against the employer could scare employees from voting for the union, SEIU charged. Hadsall agreed to block the vote until the charges are resolved.

As a result, the vote is on hold. The NLRB investigation of the charges is on hold as well, because of the federal government shutdown.

Shared concerns, conflicting concerns

In her order, Hadsall also included a footnote that states she did not address the unit that the employees had originally asked for because it had not been formally litigated.

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We had always argued that we are a clinically integrated organization, Anderson said. Our staff floats between various parts of the organization and different clinics. And the bargaining unit was established [consisting of] all of our clinical sites and all of our direct care employees.

But pro-union employees say there are concrete differences between employees who are in the groups that they had originally included in the union petition and the rest of the Group Health staff  including direct care providers.

Initially our bargaining unit included employees who were in primary care and urgent care, said Rajagopalan, the family doctor. We practice similarly and we share the same concerns. There are other departments within GHC that dont share the same concerns [and] practice very differently than we do. Thats why our initial bargaining unit is an appropriate unit.

Pat Raes, president of SEIU Wisconsin and a nurse at UnityPoint-Meriter hospital in Madison, said that throughout her health care career shes seen many workplaces where only some groups of workers are unionized.

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At the bedside or at the side of the patient, it doesnt make a difference because the priority is patient care, Raes said. Its not whether youre unionized or not.

Addressing the rally before Monday nights meeting, Steve Rankin said it was entirely normal for workers in a single workplace to be represented by different unions or no union depending on their department or position.

There is no reason that everyone at Group Health has to be in the same union, said Rankin, who joined Group Health when it was founded in 1976 and has been active in marshalling Group Health patients to support the union effort. We call on GHC to recognize the bargaining unit chosen by the workers themselves and to commit to bargaining in good faith toward the contract.

While the board has yet to consider the motion that was passed at Monday nights meeting, Anderson said Thursday that voluntary recognition was unlikely.

We want an NLRB sanctioned and overseen vote, he said. Thats always going to be our criteria.

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PRNewswire Pune (Maharashtra) [India], October 17: Adoor Gopalakrishnan, the legendary film director and FTII alum, officially launched The Maker of Filmmakers, the book on his guru Jagat Murari, the man who built FTII from the ground up. Published by Penguin India, the book is written by author Radha Chadha, who, as Mr. Murari's daughter, grew up on the FTII campus. * The book unveils the untold story of Jagat Murari, the man who 'made' Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Subhash Ghai, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Mani Kaul and numerous other filmmakers at FTII. "If the Film Institute has come to earn fame and name, it was all due to my venerated Principal sir, Jagat Murari sir," said Adoor Gopalakrishnan, who was the Chief Guest of the evening. Talking about the book, he said, "The whole story, you know, it's told like it's in a novel.... it is so beautifully written." He called Jagat Murari his "mentor" and "father figure", a sentiment echoed by many other alumni who were present. Adoor added, "Our principal, Murari saheb, richly deserved a book. It couldn't have been written by anybody else...It is a daughter's loving tribute to her great father." Members of India's film and academic communities converged at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) for the official launch of The Maker of Filmmakers. The much-awaited book, written by author Radha Chadha, shines light on Jagat Murari, the man who shaped a generation of iconic filmmakers at FTII. Amidst a hall filled with students, faculty, and renowned alumni, the event became both a tribute and a reunion. "Such well-researched books sometimes become very boring, but this read like a thriller," said Dhiraj Singh, Vice Chancellor of FTII, during his speech. "The good thing about this book is that it is one of the most thoroughly researched books - and I'm not saying this lightly. I have been trained in research in some of the best institute's in the world, and the kind of research that has gone into this book is truly world class." Talking about her journey of writing The Maker of Filmmakers, Radha Chadha said, "Initially, I set out to write his biography as a straightforward story of his life. But pretty soon I realized that I could not tell his story without telling that of FTII. Like twin strands of DNA, they twisted around each other. He made the Institute, the Institute made him." Through her father's journals, Radha discovered a treasure trove of archival materials he had left behind. She added, "He only saw limitless opportunity, or as he put it, 'The Film Institute is an effort to dream up the future of Indian cinema, and to make it a practical reality.'" "It's very easy to make films. It's very difficult to make a good film," Adoor noted during the panel discussion with Dhiraj Singh and Radha Chadha, words that capture the standard of excellence Jagat Murari sought to instil at FTII. Adding to these voices were distinguished FTII alumni from the 1960s-70s, including actor Paintal, sound designer Narinder Singh, filmmaker Arunaraje Patil, cinematographer R.M. Rao, the late and legendary K.K. Mahajan's wife Praba Mahajan, and directors Parvati Menon, Chandrashekher Nair, and Sudhir Tandon. Ambassador Talmiz Ahmed tied the evening together with a vivacious address, recalling the energy of FTII's golden years shaped by Jagat Murari. "What an extraordinary exposure that we had. Every part of this Institute that we had was shaped by my father's closest friend, Mr. Jagat Murari...It is very rare for us to get a book that tells you how an institution grew and became what it is. We are looking at the story of about sixty years - sixty years in the making," he said. In chronicling Jagat Murari's life and influence, Radha Chadha's The Maker of Filmmakers does more than tell a singular story. It celebrates the spirit of Indian cinema itself. About the Book When Jagat Murari, a young film student in post-war America, found himself at the feet of one of cinema's true giants--Orson Welles--during the making of Macbeth in 1947, the lessons he absorbed on that set shaped not only his future but the future of Indian cinema. Returning to a newly independent India, Jagat went on to build the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) from the ground up. In The Maker of Filmmakers, Radha Chadha offers an intimate and meticulously researched portrait of her father--a celebrated documentary filmmaker--and the iconic film school he built. With uncanny consistency, FTII turned out top talent--Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Subhash Ghai, Shatrughan Sinha and Mani Kaul, and other cinema legends. His alumni became the leading names of Bollywood and beyond. They spearheaded the Indian New Wave, kick-started regional language cinema and helped usher television into the country. How did Jagat go about 'making' such extraordinary filmmakers? What was his secret formula? A gripping story of ambition, adversity and artistic brilliance--richly illustrated with rare photographs--The Maker of Filmmakers paints a vivid picture of how one man's vision and determination helped turn Indian cinema into the global powerhouse it is today. About the Author Radha Chadha is an author, columnist, speaker and one of Asia's foremost experts on marketing and consumer insights. Her book The Cult of the Luxury Brand: Inside Asia's Love Affair with Luxury was a bestseller, and is the go-to book for understanding luxury in Asia. After two decades at top advertising agencies--Ogilvy, JWT, Grey and Bates Asia--she founded her own brand consultancy in Hong Kong. For over a decade, Radha also wrote a widely read column for Mint, one of India's leading business newspapers. She holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and a BA from St Stephen's College, Delhi. Radha grew up on the campus of the Film and Television Institute of India, where her father, Jagat Murari, shaped a generation of filmmakers. The Maker of Filmmakers: https://amzn.in/d/6mGH3kt Media Manager Ritesh Verma+91 88604 08458info@chadha-strategy.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2798308/MOFM.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
WALTHAM  The Healey administration on Friday announced $12.7 million in grants through the Massachusetts Life Science Center to boost life sciences education and workforce development.

The center is awarding more than $3.3 million for 49 projects through the STEM Equipment and Professional Development Grant Program. This funding will serve nearly 56,000 students at 131 schools and provide professional development opportunities for more than 320 teachers. The program prepares students for life sciences careers by enabling schools to purchase lab equipment, materials, supplies, and technology, and provide teachers with professional development opportunities that support the implementation of advanced curricula and standards alignment.

Awardees include:

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 Hadley Public Schools, Hadley, $48,789

 Hampshire Regional School District, Westhampton, $27,323

 Pioneer Valley Regional School District, Northfield, $84,750

 Veritas Preparatory Charter School, Springfield, $31,758

 Westfield Public Schools, Westfield, $59,406

The center also is awarding nearly $9.5 million in capital funding to 18 institutions through the Workforce Development Capital Grant Program. The funding will serve more than 3,000 students. This program aims to develop and expand life sciences education and training programs offered by post-secondary academic institutions and nonprofit organizations through capital investment in industry-aligned certificate and degree programs.

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Awardees include:

 Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, $590,602

 Western New England University, Springfield, $249,368

 Westfield State University, Westfield, $453,957

Since its inception, the center has awarded more than $31.8 million to 467 public schools. Funding has served schools in all 14 Massachusetts counties and all 26 Gateway Cities, including all vocational-technical schools offering life sciences programs. This funding has leveraged more than $4.8 million in matching funds. The center also has awarded more than $205 million to support the construction, renovation, and outfitting of life sciences laboratories and training facilities at 58 higher education institutions, including 16 two-year or community colleges.

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Christopher Landau was confirmed as President Donald Trumps deputy secretary of state earlier this year, with a relatively strong amount of Democratic support and a reputation as a serious diplomat with bonafides.

Now, Landau is creating memes on his official government X account about revoking the visas of a range of everyday people  largely for their social media posts about Charlie Kirk, and with the help of far-right provocateurs like Laura Loomer and an X influencer named Bad Hombre. This week, Landau made good on his promise to revoke foreign visas for people who expressed views about Kirk that he found offensive, with the State Department announcing on Tuesday that it had stripped six people of their legal status.

A day after the Turning Point USA leader was killed in September, Landau announced on X that he would be seeking to remove visas from foreigners who glorify violence and hatred.

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I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action. Please feel free to bring such comments by foreigners to my attention so that the @StateDept can protect the American people, he posted.

X users began replying with social media posts they found offensive, and Landau replied to over a dozen of them, mostly with a signature meme he appears to have created: a take on Batmans Bat-Signal, but with the U.S. State Department seal projected above the words El Quitavisas, or The Visa Taker.

One X user asked if they should alert Landau directly with relevant tips. Landau responded, Yes, I will direct consular officials to monitor the comments to this post.

Most of the tips were screenshots of social media posts from people around the world. Some were from prominent scholars or activists in their home country, but most were not famous. The allegedly offensive statements ranged from outward celebrations of Kirks death to noting Kirks own views on gun violence. Landau replied with the El Quitavisas meme to one post that took issue with a Brazilian news outlet simply calling Kirk an extremist.

In some cases, Landau replied to threads started by other X users who identified social media posts about Kirk. On September 13, a large MAGA account called Bad Hombre posted a screenshot of a Facebook post from Serena Luciano, who wrote: charlie kirk can rest in fucking piss  I do not give a fuck about the death of a person who devoted his entire life spreading racist, xenophobic, misogynistic rhetoric. its hot as fuck where this man is and its deserved. Bad Hombre added a photograph of Luciano and a screenshot of part of her LinkedIn page showing her employer. Bad Hombre wrote that Luciano was here on a student visa from Argentina.

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Landau replied to Bad Hombre with the Quitavisas meme. (Republican Florida Congressman Randy Fine also chimed in on the thread, writing deport.) On Tuesday, the State Department announced that one of the six visa revocations was for an Argentine national and included a screenshot of Lucianos Facebook post.

The operator of the Bad Hombre account took credit for the removal of Lucianos student visa this week. I would very proudly like to say that I am 100% responsible for this deportation. BYE BYE! they posted on Tuesday, with Landau replying thank you! once again with his meme.

Nothing escapes the attention of the dreaded Quitavisas. Greetings, Landau replied to another post about Lucianos visa removal, posting the El Quitavisas meme once again.

This week, Landau expanded his use of superhero memes, using his personal X account to post an AI depiction of himself as a muscled Superman shooting disintegrating lasers at a visa.

In the aftermath of Kirks death, some conservatives spent weeks targeting people for their statements about the right-wing activist. Major influencer accounts like Libs of TikTok along with anonymous doxing websites posted personal information and social media screenshots of teachers, nurses, activists, and civil servants, often in an attempt to get them fired.

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Some of the six visas Landaus department revoked this week were for foreign nationals residing in other countries. Luciano notably is living and working in the U.S. on a student visa. Luciano did not reply to emails and her current whereabouts are unknown.

Landau inviting social media users to help the State Department punish people who were critical of Kirk isnt the first time he collaborated with controversial influencers to discuss revoking visas.

In June, Landau replied to far-right activist and informal Trump adviser Laura Loomers post about Bob Vylan, a UK punk-rap duo that led chants of free, free Palestine and death, death to the IDF (the Israel Defense Forces) during their Glastonbury festival concert in June.

@marcorubio Please ban the black supremacist Islamist Bob Vylan from being able to travel to the US. Signed, Everyone who wants their country back from uppity foreigners who refuse to assimilate, Loomer wrote on June 29 at 2 a.m., tagging Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Landau replied to Loomer at 11:13 a.m.: Done! Visas revoked. Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors in our country.

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Landau was Trumps ambassador to Mexico from 2019 to 2021, and was born in Spain to a father who later became ambassador to Paraguay, Chile, and Venezuela. Landau responds to people in Spanish and Portuguese often on X. This weeks visa revocations also included Brazilian and Paraguayan nationals. While serving as ambassador to Mexico, Landau began cultivating a heavy presence on X, interacting with users, posting memes, and pushing the boundaries, as he described his social media use in 2020.

When reached for comment about the visa revocations, a spokesperson for the State Department told Rolling Stone: The Department has well established processes for denying and rescinding visas based on derogatory information. There is no get out of jail free card just because an individual chose to post that information online. As Secretary Rubio made clear, guests in our country who celebrated the political assassination of Charlie Kirk will have their visas revoked.

It remains to be seen if Landaus superhero or supervillain alter ego is just getting started, and if the six announced this week are only the first of more batches of revoked visas to come.

Landau said in September that foreign visitors from countries that do not require visas could also be barred from entering the U.S.  after a Brazilian comedian whose X bio reads Reviewer of Well-Groomed Chubby Girls alerted him that a possible target for deportation, anti-Trump Brazilian influencer Felipe Neto, was at Universal Studios in Florida. Landau laid out the scope of his visa revocation powers in response to a now-deleted post in the thread from an anonymous account with 56 followers, a listed location of Moscow, and a header image of a toddler with a noose around its neck.

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Even if people have a passport from a country that does not require a visa to enter the US, we can still place them on an entry ban list, Landau wrote. Europeans are also subject to El Quitavisas.

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HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. (DC News Now)  Gorgeous weekend weather is perfect for visiting one of the scenic treasures of our region, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.

With the federal government shutdown, though, rangers with the National Park Service are on furlough. This was until the State of West Virginia stepped in.

Its the height of tourist season in Harpers Ferry, but with federal workers furloughed during the government shutdown, there has been anxiety about staffing at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.

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Put simply, said Anette Gavin Bates with the Jefferson County Convention and Visitors Bureau, of the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, its a national treasure, really, to have this park.

So, with a federal government shutdown, National Park Service rangers are furloughed. However, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey had a solution.

How the government shutdown impacts West Virginia

West Virginia, I am proud to say, Morrisey explained, is the first state in the country to reach an agreement with the National Park Service where state funds through this agreement are keeping these parks open.

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At a cost to the state of $7,000 a day.

Christine Edwardsen, visiting the park from the West Coast, said, Im really just grateful that the state is going to keep paying people to keep everything open because this is an important historical site, especially coming from Oregon all the way out here.

A visitor here today reflected on his being at Appomattox National Battlefield in neighboring Virginia yesterday.

No staff available, said Vincent Pfab. Kind of sad.

A bigger tourism payoff for the Mountain State at stake here?

If you want a vacation, said Morrisey, come to West Virginia.

Last year, Harpers Ferry National Historic Park welcomed close to a half-million visitors, 20% during October alone.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live.
DES MOINES, Iowa  In one of the several meetings that the states Revenue Estimating Conference holds every year, projections show that state revenue is set to decline again.

In FY24, the state brought in $9.75 billion in revenue, FY25 dropped to $8.93 billion and the projection from the meeting Thursday shows FY26 at $8.13 billion. That is a decrease in 9% from year to year. While that drop is expected, the state will be operating in a deficit, with funding for the next year sitting at almost $1 billion more than the revenue brought in.

Is this where we want to be? Is this the most comfortable spot? No. But the state of Iowa is in a good financial condition, said Director Kraig Paulsen of the Iowa Department of Management. The revenue decline has been expected since Governor Reynolds signed a 3.8% flat income tax rate bill over three years ago. There were corporate income tax cuts also passed in that same year. The declining revenue has always been apart of the plan, and that is what comes with tax cuts according to Iowa Republican leadership.

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Iowa is in strong financial position with a State General Fund ending balance of more than $1.88 billion, more than $4 billion in the Taxpayer Relief Fund, and full reserve funds. Now that Iowas 3.8% flat income tax is fully implemented, Iowans have more of their own money today than they did at this same time last year. As a result, the states General Fund revenue is down just as we projected and responsibly planned for, and just as it should be. Government should only ask from its taxpayers what it needs to operate effectively on their behalf, said Governor Reynolds (R) in a statement.

Iowa State Patrol cracking down on hands-free law Friday, still in warning period

Reynolds also added that the REC numbers from the last meeting in March to October, saw a decline of almost $375 million in FY26 projected revenue. She said that is mainly because of the tax cuts passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill act passed last July.

Democratic Leadership is saying the opposite, calling the projected decline in revenue historic and calling for a change in tax policy.

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The billion-dollar hole they created in the state budget is ongoing, but reserve funds wont last forever. How long will taxpayers be asked to foot the bill for the majority partys economic mismanagement?, said State Senate Janet Petersen, (D) District 18, from Des Moines.

Iowa House Democrats have a serious tax plan next session that will propose responsible tax breaks that prioritize relief for everyday Iowans to help them during the Republican Recession that our state is facing, said State Representative Dave Jacoby, (D) District 86 from Coralville.

Paulsen added that FY26 will be the first fiscal year with the new individual and corporate income tax rates will not lower. The REC estimated that the state will see an increase in revenue of more than 3% in FY27. The conference will meet again in December to get a final look at number before lawmakers meet in January to pass the budget for the state for the next year.

Metro News:

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.
State trooper killed while helping disabled vehicle, another seriously injured

A state trooper is dead, and another person was seriously hurt after a crash in Mahoning County early Thursday.

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Around 11:52 a.m., Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Nicholas Cayton responded to SR-11 after reports of a semi stopped in the right lane.

While on scene, Cayton was sitting in his marked cruiser with his emergency overhead lights activated when a Mack Granite driven by Ryan Rach, 35, crashed into the back of his cruiser.

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The cruiser went into the back of the semi, also hitting the semi driver, who was standing outside of his vehicle.

Cayton was pronounced dead on the scene, and the semi driver was flown to a local hospital.

Rach was not hurt.

In service and sacrifice, Trooper Cayton honored the badge and fulfilled his sacred oath to the community. My deepest condolences are with the family, friends, and colleagues of this fallen hero, Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement.

Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered all flags to be flown at half staff in Mahoning County, the Ohio Statehouse, the Vern Riffe Center, and the Rhodes State Office tower until the sunset of Caytons funeral.

Troopers did not say if Rach is facing charges.

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(The Center Square)  Attorneys general in California and Arizona say their states are getting billions of dollars back in their many lawsuits over what they call the Trump administration's violations of laws and the U.S. Constitution.

They say federal funds were unlawfully taken from their states and that the suits have a high ROI or return of investment for the money spent to file them.

The ROI on these lawsuits for all of the states bringing them - so far theyre just Democratic states - is absolutely enormous, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said, answering a question Thursday from The Center Square during a virtual news conference.

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California has spent $500 million on its more than 40 lawsuits against the Trump administration and received back $168 billion in federal funds or $33,600 per every dollar spent, California Attorney General Rob Bonta told The Center Square.

Mayes, who estimated her office's salaries at $1 million or $2 million, said Arizona has saved $1.5 billion in federal funds that would have been lost if not for its nearly 30 lawsuits against the Trump administration.

Mayes and Bonta held the conference to announce the latest lawsuits by their and other jurisdictions across the nation over the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys abrupt cancellation of the $7 billion Solar for All grant program.

The attorneys general say the cancellation will hurt 900,000 low-income or disadvantaged households across the U.S.

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Of those, more than 11,000 are in Arizona, Mayes said, noting the grants help low-income and tribal communities. The EPA in 2024 awarded Arizona a $156 million grant for the Solar for All Arizonans program.

California and our fellow states are due the funds we were granted by Congress, Bonta told reporters. In California, we stand to lose almost $250 million, a quarter of a billion dollars. Trumps EPA is violating contracts with each of our states, acting far beyond the scope of the agencys authority and violating the separation of powers and the U.S. Constitution.

The California Public Utilities Commission was set to get $250 million in funds to build community solar systems, which would offer 20% monthly discounts on electricity bills to lower- and middle-income families, according to Bontas office.

The suits, filed Tuesday in the Court of Federal Claims and Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for Western District of Washington, are the 43rd and 44th suits in California and the 27th and 28th in Arizona against the Trump administration. The suits are filed by Democratic attorneys general and public energy organizations from 21 states and the District of Columbia.

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We wouldnt spend any dollars on litigation if [President Donald] Trump hadnt acted unlawfully, Bonta said, answering The Center Square's question. If he acts unlawfully and tries to harm our states, we sue him and try to protect our dollars. And there are priceless rights that you cant put a figure on, like the right to vote and the right to birthright citizenship."

Bonta added California has won 80% of the time with court orders declaring Trumps actions unlawful.

Another reporter asked Bonta about Trumps comments about possibly sending the California National Guard to San Francisco. Bonta said that isnt necessary and noted crime has fallen in the city. He also noted Trump cant deploy the National Guard as a federalized police force enforcing laws under the Posse Comitatus Act, a 1878 federal law.

The main focus of Thursdays press conference was the Solar for All Program.

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Bonta and Mayes agreed the U.S. EPA has no authority to circumvent money that Congress approved to help states with renewable energy through the Solar for All program.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by Congress and signed by Trump, does not drop obligated federal funds that the EPA gives to states, Bonta said.

And the cancellation of the program will hurt states, Bonta and Mayes noted.

Mayes said low-income households in Arizona will see their electrical bills rise 20% without Solar for All. She added that the programs cancellation means the loss of grants to nonprofit and municipality partnerships to develop neighborhood solar projects in low-income and tribal communities.

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It is estimated that 15,000 tribal households in Arizona lack any access to electricity, Mayes said.

The loss of the Solar for All program will also make it more difficult for Arizona to meet the projected 40% increased energy demand in the coming years, meaning a less reliable and less resilient grid and higher electricity bills for Arizonan households and businesses alike, Mayes said. The unprecedented, illegal cancellation of this critical program is simply unacceptable.

Democratic attorneys generals filing the suits include those from Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia. The complaints were also filed by the Democratic governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, the California Public Utilities Commission, the Maryland Clean Energy Center, the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.
Hoosiers protest mid-cycle redistricting as cheating while at the Indiana Statehouse on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. Many hold that Indiana's current 7-2 split in the U.S. House already constitutes gerrymandering. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Indiana Conservation Voters has added $100,000 to a statewide media campaign urging Hoosiers to tell their lawmakers to reject a mid-decade congressional redistricting push.

The added money will ensure the television ads are seen during this weekends Colts, IU and Notre Dame games, according to a news release.

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Hoosiers arent asking for this. Washington outsiders just wont take no for an answer, ICV Executive Director Megan Robertson said. They want us to cheat, and were not cheaters. Indiana lawmakers should be commended for resisting the pressure campaign. We hope theyll stay focused on lowering costs and improving quality of life instead of embracing this political nonsense.

Vice President JD Vance visited Indiana for a second time last week to urge Republican lawmakers and GOP Gov. Mike Braun to redo the states U.S. House maps. He and Hoosier officials also met in D.C.

Currently, Republicans control seven districts and Democrats have two in Indianapolis and northwest Indiana. The maps were drawn by Republicans in 2021 after the decennial census.

At the time, Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray said, We prioritized keeping communities of interest together and drawing districts that make sense for the Hoosiers who live there, while maintaining nearly equal populations in each district. I believe these maps reflect feedback from the public and will serve Hoosiers well for the next decade.

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Supporters, though, want to draw a 9-0 map midway through the decade  and without new census data  to help ensure Republicans retain the majority in the U.S. House in the 2026 elections.

The media buy includes digital, radio and over-the-top streaming platforms. Multiple polls have found opposition to mid-decade redistricting.

Indiana Conservation Voters is encouraging residents to visit PlayFairIndiana.com to contact Braun and their state lawmakers.

Every call and every message sends a clear signal: Hoosiers are not interested in political games from Washington, Robertson said. We want our leaders focused on Indianas future, not D.C.s agenda.
UPDATE:

Brenda Morris has been found safely, according to Morris family and Riverside Police Division.

INITIAL REPORT:

An endangered missing adult alert has been issued statewide for a local woman.

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Brenda Morris, 77, drove away from her home on Charlwood Avenue in Riverside around 8:15 a.m. on Friday and has not returned.

Police say Morris suffers from memory issues, and theyre concerned for her safety.

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Morris is 54 and weighs about 180 lbs. She has white hair and hazel eyes.

She was last seen wearing a leopard print top and black slacks.

Morris drives a 2015 Chrysler 300 with Ohio license plate number JSC3333.

If you see her or the car, or know anything about her whereabouts, please call 911 or the Riverside Police Department at (937) 233-2080. .

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(Reuters) -Stellantis and Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai said on Friday that they had signed an agreement to jointly develop and test self-driving vehicles in Europe.

The partnership will combine Pony.ai's autonomous driving software with Stellantis' battery-electric medium-sized van platform designed for SAE Level 4, or hands-off, eyes-off, driving.

Pony.ai, founded in 2016 in China and operating fully driverless robotaxi services in major Chinese cities, will manage European operations through its Luxembourg-based division.

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Testing will start with the Peugeot e-Traveller model in Luxembourg, with a rollout across European cities from 2026, focusing on safety, performance, and regulatory compliance, the companies said.

The partnership will initially focus on light commercial vehicles (LCVs), a segment where Stellantis, through its Pro One commercial vehicle business unit, holds a leading position in Europe.

(Reporting by Laura Contemori and Giulio Piovaccari; Editing by Matt Scuffham)
BREATHITT COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  The stepfather of Jayden Spicer is asking for his bond to be reduced.

Joshua Gross filed the motion on Thursday, Oct. 16, claiming he could never post the $1 million cash bond and would like the bond adjusted, according to documentation.

The motion noted that this was Gross first felony offense, and he didnt take steps to make himself unavailable to authorities during the investigation into Jaydens disappearance.

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Jayden was found dead on Aug. 12 in the woods roughly 19 miles from his home, officials previously told FOX 56.

Gross is facing multiple charges, including complicity to murder adn abuse of a corpse.

Court documents have him scheduled to appear again on Nov. 7.

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PRNewswire New Delhi / Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 17: Skylark Drones, a pioneer of the Indian Drone ecosystem, has announced a strategic partnership with Sensonic, a leading international railway infrastructure monitoring company, to fuse autonomous drone technology with distributed fiber optic sensing. The collaboration aims to deliver rapid, data-driven monitoring and response capabilities that strengthen railway safety, security, and operational resilience. Mr. Mrinal Pai, co-founder of Skylark Drones stated, "At Skylark Drones, we see the integration of drones with Distributed Acoustic Sensing and other IoT networks as a paradigm shift from reactive to proactive railway operations. Our fully autonomous Bharat Series drones can be deployed in less than one-third the time required for manual intervention, and at significantly lower costs. Together with Sensonic, we're demonstrating how intelligent aerial systems can make critical infrastructure safer, smarter, and more resilient." Signed on 15th October at IREE 2025, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) marks a shared commitment to addressing critical railway challenges including security threats, natural hazards, inspections, and maintenance. Sensonic's innovative vibration sensing solution transforms existing fiber optic cables into a continuous network of highly sensitive acoustic sensors. "Sensonic is proud to combine our cutting-edge fiber optic sensing technology with Skylark's ability to respond rapidly and autonomously via drones to enhance both rail safety and security" said Ashish Upadhyay, CEO of Sensonic. "By combining Distributed Acoustic Sensing and advanced Bharat series of Drones, we're enabling real-time detection and monitoring capabilities along the rail corridor. This actionable intelligence is key to building safer, smarter, and more resilient transit systems." Through closer collaboration Sensonic and Skylark Drones aim to enable further digitalisation of railway operations and maintenance, ultimately preventing and minimising service delays ensuring a safe journey for passengers. About Skylark Drones:Skylark Drones, India's first full-stack drone technology company offering both advanced drone and software solutions, is building the core infrastructure for the global drone ecosystem. As an early mover and policy shaper, Skylark Drones bridges technology, regulation, and enterprise adoption to drive industry transformation. Its flagship software platforms, DMO and Spectra, along with Bharat Drones series, enable aerial intelligence at scale, powering 5,000+ pilots, and 175+ enterprises, including Fortune 500 companies, across Mining, Solar, Infrastructure, Construction, and Utilities. Website: Skylark Drones About Sensonic:Sensonic, part of the Kaynes Technology group is a leading provider of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) solutions to monitor railway infrastructure. Sensonic combines advanced fiber optic sensing technology with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to turn optical fibres into vibration sensors that create a digital time / Sonictwin of railway infrastructure. A multitude of insights are revealed, including alerting of landslides and rockfalls, identifying security threats and more. Sensonic is shaping the future of railway intelligence, delivering insights that enable better railway decisions. Website: Sensonic CONTACT: info@skylarkdrones.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2798438/Skylark_Drones_Photo.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
Oct. 16SANTA FE  New Mexico State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard abruptly suspended her campaign for lieutenant governor Thursday, citing the strain of her husband's cancer battle.

The decision comes just two days after Garcia Richard reported having raised more than $165,000 for her bid to win election as the state's next lieutenant governor, the largest amount of any candidate currently running for the office.

It leaves state Sen. Harold Pope Jr. of Albuquerque and Jackie Lee Onsurez of Loving as the two remaining Democrats vying for the party's nomination in next year's election cycle. Manny Lardizabal of Albuquerque is the only Republican candidate who has filed to run.

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Another Democrat, outgoing Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, also recently expressed interest in running for lieutenant governor next year, and could make a final decision in the coming weeks.

But a Garcia Richard campaign spokeswoman said Thursday the land commissioner's decision to suspend her campaign was not connected to Toulouse Oliver's possible entrance into the race.

In a social media post, Garcia Richard said her husband, Eric Vasquez, was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, after she announced her campaign for the state's second-in-command job.

"Over the past several months, we've made multiple trips out of state for treatment, and after much thought and careful consideration, we've come to the hard decision that we need to prioritize his health," Garcia Richard said in a Facebook post.

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She also vowed to "continue fighting" for New Mexico families and communities.

Garcia Richard, a former state legislator from Los Alamos, was elected state land commissioner in 2018 and reelected to the statewide office in 2022. Per the state Constitution, she is barred from seeking reelection to a third consecutive term next year.

Three Democrats and one Republican have already announced campaigns to run for land commissioner.

All statewide New Mexico offices will be up for election in November 2026, including governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and land commissioner.

Under New Mexico's system, governor and lieutenant governor candidates run independently in the primary election. The winners of those races who share the same party affiliation are then paired on a ticket for the November general election.

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Current Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, who is also a Democrat, announced in June he had decided to forego a run for governor next year, but did not rule out a possible future campaign for elected office.

Under salary increases for statewide officials approved by the Legislature in 2023, New Mexico's lieutenant governor currently makes an annual salary of $144,714.
What if you could hold a little piece of Apples spirit in your handliterally? Next year, that will become a reality: the United States Mint is releasing a Steve Jobs $1 coin, making the late visionary one of the latest honorees in its American Innovation $1 Coin Program. So, how did Californias tech icon win this rare distinction, and what other design surprises does the Mint have in store? Read on to find out.

U.S. Mint reveals Steve Jobs commemorative coin

The U.S. Mint has officially unveiled the design for a new commemorative $1 coin celebrating the legacy of late Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs. The design captures a young Jobs seated cross-legged against a backdrop of Californias rolling hills  a fitting nod to the birthplace of Apple and the states culture of innovation. True to his iconic image, Jobs is depicted in his signature black turtleneck, a detail that immediately evokes his minimalist yet revolutionary style. Etched into the coin are the words Make something wonderful, a 2007 quote that has since come to symbolize Jobs vision and enduring influence, as embraced by his estate.

The commemorative coin will be priced at $13.25 and available for purchase through the U.S. Mints official website, though collectors and fans will need to wait until 2026 for its release.

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For context, the U.S. Mint, an agency under the Department of the Treasury, is responsible for producing Americas coinage used for trade and commerce. Beyond circulating coins, it also issues special editions and commemorative pieces that honor significant figures, historical milestones, and groundbreaking innovations.

The journey behind Steve Jobs dollar coin

The Steve Jobs coin is part of the U.S. Mints American Innovation $1 Coin Program, an ambitious, years-long initiative launched in 2018 to honor the nations most groundbreaking ideas and/or the visionaries behind them. The program spans all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories, each recognizing a local innovation or innovator that has shaped American progress.

So, how does the selection process work? Each state or territorys governor (or chief executive) nominates one or more designs that best represent its contributions to innovation. These nominations are then reviewed by the U.S. Mint in collaboration with expert panels, including the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and the Commission of Fine Arts, before the Secretary of the Treasury gives final approval. This ensures that every coin in the series tells a story thats both historically significant and artistically authentic.

When nominating Steve Jobs earlier this year, California Governor Gavin Newsom said the late Apple co-founder encapsulates the unique brand of innovation that California runs on, a statement that perfectly captures why Jobs legacy continues to resonate far beyond Silicon Valley.

Other 2026 honorees in the American Innovation $1 Coin Program

Jobs isnt the only honoree featured in next years American Innovation $1 Coin lineup. The U.S. Mint has also unveiled designs for three additional coins, each celebrating a remarkable contribution to American progress.

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Iowa honors Norman Borlaug, the pioneering agricultural scientist whose breakthroughs in crop development ignited the Green Revolution and helped combat global hunger. Wisconsin highlights the CRAY-1 supercomputer, a 1970s engineering marvel that revolutionized computing by powering advancements in weather forecasting, nuclear research, and codebreaking. Meanwhile, Minnesota pays tribute to its innovation in mobile refrigeration, a technology that transformed global logistics by enabling the safe transport of perishable food and life-saving medicines across vast distances.

Source: The Verge

Read the original article on GEEKSPIN.

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  A flag lowering ceremony happened on the University of Texas at Austin on Friday morning to honor the lives of two incoming students who died during the July floods at Camp Mystic.

Family, friends, students and staff gathered to honor Chloe Childress and Katherine Ferruzzo near the UT Tower. The lowering of the Texas flag was performed by the ROTC, followed by those who wanted to share memories about Childress and Ferruzzo, according to a social media post from the Katherine Ferruzzo Legacy Foundation.

Family, friends and the University of Texas community gathered near the UT Tower on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, to honor two incoming students who lost their lives in the July floods. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey) Family, friends and the University of Texas community gathered near the UT Tower on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, to honor two incoming students who lost their lives in the July floods. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey) Family, friends and the University of Texas community gathered near the UT Tower on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, to honor two incoming students who lost their lives in the July floods. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey)

At least 135 people were killed in catastrophic flash flooding across Central Texas this summer, while three others remain missing.

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Lauren Brindley, the aunt of Ferruzzo, spoke during the ceremony, saying Childress and Ferruzzo are still changing the world. Both girls, who were counselors at the camp, are among the group of girls known as Heavens 27, whose families are now pushing for reforms to honor their lives.

We wish they were here on this earth changing it with us, but we know theyre with Jesus in heaven. We hope you can take this time to think of their lives and the courage they showed, and the bravery and the life and the fun. I hope you can pour that out on the community around you, Brindley said.

She said it means the world to the family for everyone who showed up to the ceremony.

We hope that you will continue to keep them in your hearts and in your thoughts, and we ask that you continue to pray for our families as we just suffer through such an enormous loss, Brindley said.

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Rep. Monty Fritts, a Kingston Republican and candidate for Tennessee governor in 2026. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout) Photograph by John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout 2025

Two Tennessee Republican gubernatorial candidates are pushing to expand the states private-school voucher program, but a third candidate says he would suspend the so-called scholarships, calling it fiscally irresponsible.

State Rep. Monty Fritts of Kingston told the Lookout this week he considers the governors new program unconstitutional and would try to block expansion on those grounds.

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U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and U.S. Rep. John Rose have said in various public comments they support vouchers. Blackburn is considered the favorite in the primary election that will take place in August 2026.

Fritts comments come after Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton recently said he wants to increase the number of $7,300 vouchers to 40,000 from the 20,000 approved by lawmakers this year. And Gov. Bill Lee said his only disappointment with the program is that it cant reach more applicants. Some 42,000 filled out forms to get the new entitlement.

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

Lawmakers narrowly voted to hand out $144 million worth of vouchers during a January special session. Fritts was among more than 20 House Republicans who voted against the bill.

The state Constitution says the General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance, support and eligibility standards for a system of free public schools, according to Fritts. It doesnt mention private schools, but he interprets that as a specific and restrictive statement that doesnt permit spending public money to send kids to private schools.

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So to double it would be equally unconstitutional, Fritts said.

Even if the Constitution allows vouchers, Fritts considers the move fiscally irresponsible.

If I get elected, I plan to suspend it or end it. Im sure that will bring some kind of lawsuit. Im sure that will bring at least 20,000 unhappy people, Fritts said.

The state projected that 66% of the students receiving the funds would be in private schools already. Fritts said he believes the number is higher.

Fritts clearly is not using the same playbook as Blackburn or Rose in the Republican primary.

Blackburn promised in a recent op-ed to fight for parents rights in education the same way she opposed a state income tax in the early 2000s when people drove around the Capitol honking horns in opposition and threw rocks at Gov. Don Sundquists office.

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Asked where she stands on doubling the size of the program and whether it could hurt public school funding, Blackburn said in a statement to the Lookout, Speaker Sexton is doing phenomenal work to expand Education Freedom Scholarships.

A parent shouldnt have to win the lottery to have a choice in their childs education, Blackburn said. When it comes to expanding school choice, I wont stop until every student in Tennessee has an equal opportunity to succeed.

Rose takes a similar stance, not a rock-throwing one, but he says parents know whats best for their children. In a Facebook post, he said his son is getting a great education at the public school in their hometown of Cookeville, yet adds, As governor, I will defend your right to choose what works for your family.

Rose campaign coordinator Chris Devaney said Thursday if evidence shows the scholarships are giving parents options and improving educational outcomes, then Rose backs expansion.

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Moving students into private schools appears to be all the rage, whether theyre leaving inner-city Memphis or suburban Collierville schools.

The odd thing is that the more lawmakers get involved in Tennessees education system, adopting state standards and tests, the more people want to escape. Thus, the state is winding up paying for two school systems, separate and not necessarily equal. Didnt they solve that with Brown v. Board of Education in 1954? Maybe not.

Hatcher challenging Ogles

Former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher broke the silence on the states worst-kept secret this week when he announced hes running for the 5th Congressional District seat held by U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles. The 5th was redrawn in 2022, as part of the state Republicans successful gerrymander. It incorporates the west Nashville suburbs, Columbia, Franklin, Lebanon and a few rural Middle Tennessee counties. A veterinarian and owner of a family dairy, Hatcher said Washington, D.C. and President Donald Trump need someone with a farmers hard-work mentality.

Trump would have been a fantastic farmer because he has that work ethic, Hatcher said this week.

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Well give Hatcher a pass on this one since its his initial announcement, but typically, hard work means doing more than calling your fixer to handle problems.

Tennessee Department of Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher. (Photo: tn.gov)

Anyway, the seven-year Agriculture commissioner and former member of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees is geared up to run against Ogles, a former Maury County mayor and state director of Americans for Prosperity who has been in and out of the D.C. limelight for a variety of reasons.

He remains under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for discrepancies in campaign finance reporting. The panel found he likely violated federal campaign finance laws by reporting an inflated personal loan to make his bid for office look stronger in 2022. Ogles received permission from the committee to set up a fund to take donations to help him pay legal fees.

Ogles has about $58,000 in his campaign account and loans totaling more than $70,300.

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Hatcher hasnt filed any reports yet. But odds are hell be able to raise more than Ogles  without playing numbers games.

Back in the hunt

Former Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold, who served federal prison time for an e-cigarette scheme at the county jail, is running for the 4th Congressional District seat held by U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, a rural district covering Murfreesboro, Lawrenceburg, Shelbyville, McMinnville and a long stretch of rural counties in Middle and East Tennessee.

Arnold, who was selected to run for sheriff in a 2010 Republican caucus meeting, plummeted from his elected post in 2017 after pleading to wire fraud, honest services fraud and extortion after allowing his chief administrative deputy to run a company called JailCigs in, you guessed it, the county jail.

To run for sheriff in the first place, key Republican lawmakers had to massage qualifications for the job because Arnold held a certificate of attendance at Oakland High School, not a full-fledged diploma.

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Arnold defeated longtime Sheriff Truman Jones to win the job and probably could have kept it as long as he wanted. But arrogance and greed crept up on him, leading to the bright idea for an e-cigs company with a captive clientele.

At one point in the legal process, Arnold became so distraught he was placed on suicide watch at a Kentucky jail where he was held after violating bond for a scuffle with his wife. Once convicted, he was ordered to pay $52,000 in restitution to the county and sentenced to 50 months in prison but reportedly spent part of that time in a halfway house.

A felony conviction is not a disqualifier from serving in Congress  or being president.

No one here gets out alive

Lauren Topping has moved on from her post as general counsel for the Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance.

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Topping recently joined the Nashville law office of Holtzman Vogel, which specializes in political law, regulatory matters and high-stakes litigation. She will concentrate on election and political law compliance and ethics, according to the firm.

Lord knows she has the patience of Job after working with Tennessees lawmakers.

The question is: How will she survive without those daylong Registry of Election Finance meetings and the pithy back-and-forth by board members Tom Lawless and Hank Fincher? Such a void will be hard to fill.

Theres a hole in my life. The Police






(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt fired back at House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) after he called her sick and out of control while taking questions Friday from reporters on Capitol Hill.

Jeffriess attack on Leavitt came as tensions boiled over on day 17 of the government shutdown as Democrats and Republicans continued to point fingers at each other.

Youve got Karoline Leavitt, whos sick. Shes out of control. And Im not sure whether shes just demented, ignorant, a stone-cold liar, or all of the above, Jeffries said. But the notion that an official White House spokesperson would say that the Democratic Party consists of terrorists, violent criminals, and undocumented immigrants  it just makes no sense that this is what the American people are getting from the Trump administration in the middle of a shutdown.

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The Democratic leader was responding to Leavitts declaration to Fox News on Thursday that the Democratic base was made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals.

Leavitt then took the feud to X, doubling-down on her claims.

Hakeem Jeffries and the Democrats are lashing out because they know what I said is true, Leavitt wrote, continuing:

The Democrat Partys elected officials absolutely cater to pro-Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals. House Democrats voted against a resolution condemning Hamas following the horrific October 7th terrorist attacks, and Democrats cheered on pro-Hamas radicals while they hijacked Americas college campuses and harassed Jewish students. Democrats opened our borders and allowed tens of millions of illegal aliens into our country over the past four years, including rapists and murderers, because they view them as future voters. Democrats coddle violent criminals and support soft-on-crime policies like cashless bail that let violent offenders back on the streets to hurt law-abiding citizens. Democrats do NOT serve the interests of the American people. Hakeem Jeffries is an America Last, stone-cold loser. Now open up the government and stop simping to try to get your radical left-wing base to like you.

Hakeem Jeffries and the Democrats are lashing out because they know what I said is true. The Democrat Party's elected officials absolutely cater to pro-Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals. House Democrats voted against a resolution condemning Hamas following  Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) October 17, 2025

The shutdown began over Democrats refusal to vote for a continuing resolution unless Republicans agreed to extend healthcare subsidies set to expire soon. Republicans have accused Dems of wanting to provide health care for undocumented migrants.

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On Saturday, millions of Americans are set to take to the streets for a national day of protests against the shutdown, as well as Trump administration policies.

The post Stop Simping: Karoline Leavitt Fires Back at Stone-Cold Loser Hakeem Jeffries for Lashing Out first appeared on Mediaite.
SOPHIA BANGURA: Hi, Im Sophia. Im a politics major fourth year at UVA here and a former intern for the Center for Politics.

Up until 24 hours ago, I was a student reporter for WUVA, which is an independent student news outlet here on grounds for the past several decades.

Last week, we got the opportunity to speak with interim President Mahoney on the changes going on at UVA.

I was tasked to be a producer on that project and create the questions. I had worked with the students and we all agreed prior to that interview that this was going to be a tough interview to talk about everything from President Ryans sudden resignation to the compact to deportation on grounds.

And then last minute, the primary interviewer, a student, decided to not share those questions and more go the softball question route.

And in that moment I spoke up to ask him specific questions like what dont you like about the compact? What do you say to students who are afraid that ICE might come onto grounds regardless of their legal status? What do say to the student council no confidence vote? Who argue that they dont know why the board selected you and if you were on that public nominations list.

And of course, he gave me very media trained answers. He refused to answer some questions or placed it on another department.

But later that afternoon, I got a call from the president who was also a student who demanded that I apologize for those questions.

He made it clear that one story, quote, one story does not make or break WUVA, but these relationships with the school are extremely important..

I made clear that I was not going to apologize. I spoke with members of WUVAs board.

JIM ACOSTA: Good.

SOPHIA BANGURA: I spoke with WUVAs board, who are filled with UVA alumni, who are journalists, who favored my position, who told me not to apologize, but also made clear that an important principle here at UVA is student self-governance. So they cant really intervene in student leadership for the club.

And then last night I was told that I was being insubordinate, not apologizing and that they would be terminating my affiliation with the group.

And that was quite demoralizing because this was, you know, my peers and I think it reflected that even independent student journalists are feeling the pressure, the culture of not saying certain things to institution for fear of being reprimanded. So yeah, definitely still hurts.

JIM ACOSTA: Well, thank you for sharing that. And I just want to say that you should be commended for standing up for the First Amendment and for doing your job.

And shame on UVA for doing that to you! Shame on this interim president for doing to you that. If somebody tells me youre going to keep charging after this experience, you should do that. You should definitely keep charging. But thank you very much, Sophia. Thanks for sharing.
DES MOINES, Iowa  The Des Moines Public School District is mourning the loss of a beloved teacher, Patrick Brennan.

He was 40 years old.

Brennan taught social studies at Merrill Middle School. In May, he was honored with the Golden Apple award for teaching excellence.

The students he cared for and inspired are struggling with his loss.

I think every single student he had, had some sort of connection, Payton Rayburn, a former student, said. And I think thats also what made him a good teacher. And I dont think we said that last time we were with you. He has connections with all of his students. He made sure to value everyones opinion no matter what.

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He changed me as a person, Jersey Durham, another former student, said. He had a big influence on my life and I think why his passing was so hard for me is because he was a big part of my life. He was an amazing, like a good person to look up to.

A celebration of life ceremony will take place on Sunday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Merrill Middle School.

Visitors are asked to bring their favorite mug and wear skinny jeans, Converse shoes, or Raybans sunglasses in honor of Brennan. Current and former students are also asked to bring a letter sharing how Brennan impacted their lives.

Brennans family did not release the cause of death, but his obituary reads: If you are struggling with your mental health or feeling lost and alone, please reach out to someone and ask for help. Just like Mr. Brennan, you are loved, and the world needs you.

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One place to turn is the National Crisis Lifeline. Simply call or text 988. The hotline is available 24/7.

Metro News:

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Record high levels of negative emotions are typifying the average American workers day-to-day. Thats according to Gallup, which has been measuring U.S. employee life evaluation over a number of years.

In 2019, 60 percent of employees said they were thriving, but by 2024, that number had dropped to 50 percent.

Stress, worry, anger and sadness are fueling declining wellbeing and mental health at work, with younger workers particularly vulnerable.

5 jobs hiring in the U.S.

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Workplace stress is no joke. In fact, it has serious consequences, and is now the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S., ahead of both Alzheimers and kidney disease, according to recent data.

It is also recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as burn-out, which the organization included as an occupational phenomenon in its 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).

Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, the WHOs report stated.

Characterized by three dimensions, youll know youre burnt out at work if youre suffering from feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion. An increased mental distance from your job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to your role is the second signifier. Thirdly, reduced professional efficacy is another symptom of burnout.

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Separate data from the WHO has identified that long working hours led to 745,000 deaths from stroke and heart disease in 2016. That was a 29 percent increase from 2000.

With workplace stress and burnout at such high levels, new trends are emerging as workers struggle to cope.

Weve already seen the rise of phenomena such as quiet quitting, where workers do the bare minimum in order to get by. Loud quitting is the opposite: its where workers let their pent-up feelings be known as they exit the building.

Coffee badging is another trend thats rooted in employee dissatisfaction. Its characterized by workers tapping into the office, being visible for a bit, and then heading back home to get their actual work done.

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Resenteeism is also on the rise, where workers feel stuck. Whether due to the current slow labor market or the cost of living, more employees are having to stay put, and is leading to feelings of bitterness.

Quiet cracking on the rise

Newly emerging is the rise of quiet cracking. Quiet cracking refers to persistent feelings of unhappiness at work, which may lead to disengagement, declining performance, and a desire to quit, says the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

A recent survey from TalentLMS identified that 54 percent of workers say theyre experiencing it. The study surveyed 1,000 U.S. employees across industries, and 20 percent say they experience workplace unhappiness frequently or constantly, with 34 percent experiencing it occasionally.

Another 17 percent of employees feel insecure about their jobs when tied to their companys future, with employees with no training 140 percent more likely to feel insecure about their jobs. Additionally, 29 percent of employees say their workload is unmanageable, and 15 percent dont clearly understand their role expectations.

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Another 21 percent of employees say they dont feel valued and recognized for their contributions at work.

The result of this seems inevitable. Disengagement is taking root in the workforce, confirm the studys authors, noting that while this is less visible than the mass resignations we saw during the COVID-19 era, it is no less damaging.

Quiet cracking isnt just a well-being issueits a business issue. When employees quietly crack, they take productivity, creativity, and loyalty with them.

Other recent research from Upwork offers more insight into the sort of workers who are suffering from quiet craving the most. It has found that the issue is most prevalent among workers who use AI to boost their productivity.

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It found that while 77 percent of executives say AI is helping them with productivity, 88 percent of top AI performers say theyre burned out and twice as likely to consider quitting.

The TalentLMS study points to a few things that can actively help workers who are under threat of quiet cracking. Structured, ongoing learning paths where workers are allowed to choose some of their learning content along with dedicated time for learning, are vital.

The proof is in the pudding: the study identified that employees who received training in the last 12 months are 140 percent more likely to feel secure in their jobs.

Looking for a job that can offer you better work-life balance? The Hill Job Board has thousands of open roles in companies actively hiring

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PESHAWAR (Reuters) -Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack near the Afghan border on Friday, Pakistani security officials said, amid a fragile ceasefire between Islamabad and Kabul that paused days of intense fighting between the former allies this month.

The South Asian neighbours engaged in fierce ground fighting, and Pakistan also launched airstrikes across their contested frontier, killing dozens and wounding hundreds, before they reached a 48-hour truce that is due to end at 1300 GMT on Friday.

The soldiers were killed in an attack by militants on a Pakistani military camp in north Waziristan, which also left 13 injured, five security officials said.

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While one militant rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the boundary wall of a fort that served as a military camp, two others tried to get into the facility and were shot dead, they said.

Pakistan's army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Militant violence in Pakistan has been a major irritant in its relationship with the Afghan Taliban, which returned to power in Kabul after the departure of U.S.-led forces in 2021.

The latest conflict between the two countries was triggered after Islamabad demanded that Kabul rein in militants who had stepped up attacks in Pakistan, saying they operated from havens in Afghanistan.

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Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that Pakistan "retaliated" as it lost patience with Afghanistan following a series of militant attacks, but was ready to hold talks to resolve the conflict.

The Taliban denies the charge and accuses the Pakistani military of spreading misinformation about Afghanistan, provoking border tensions, and sheltering ISIS-linked militants to undermine its stability and sovereignty.

Islamabad denies the accusations.

Although the Islamic nations have clashed in the past, the fighting this month is their worst in decades. It has drawn the attention of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who have mediated and sought to stop the fighting.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he can help resolve the conflict.

(Reporting by Mushtaq Ali and Asif Shahzad, writing by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by YP Rajesh)
ISLAMABAD (AP)  Pakistan's military carried out strikes in southeastern Afghanistan on Friday just hours after a two-day ceasefire between the neighboring countries expired, an Afghan police official said.

The bombings struck southeastern Paktika province and two other areas close to the Pakistan border, and included a strike on a civilian house in Khanadar village that resulted in casualties, police spokesman Mohammadullah Amini Mawia said. He gave no further details, including how the strikes were delivered.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan about the Afghan claim.

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The ceasefire that began Wednesday had halted several days of fighting that killed dozens of people and wounded hundreds. It ended Friday evening with no formal announcement of an extension, though diplomatic efforts to halt the hostilities were underway and Qatar reportedly offered to host peace talks.

The strikes in southeastern Afghanistan came hours after Pakistani officials said that a suicide car bomber backed by the Pakistani Taliban attacked a compound of security forces near the border, killing several people in the area. The attack in Mir Ali, a city in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also triggered an intense shootout that left at least six militants and one soldier dead, police said.

The Pakistani Taliban, considered a terrorist organization by Pakistan officials, is separate from Afghanistan's Taliban but affiliated with it, and Pakistan officials accuse them of operating from bases across the border.

A faction of Pakistani Taliban headed by Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction claimed responsibility for the suicide attack in Mir Ali, local police official Irfan Ali said.

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In Kabul, the Taliban government's chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said a Taliban delegation was preparing to leave for Qatar. He said in general, the policy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is clear and consistent: we do not seek war with Pakistan or with anyone else.

Pakistan's state-run media on Friday night reported that a high-level Pakistani delegation will travel to Qatar for talks with Afghanistan on Saturday. Pakistan TV gave no further details, however.

In Islamabad, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan earlier told reporters that he was not in a position to share any information about possible talks with Afghanistan, and that the ministry would issue a statement when any such talks happen.

Ali said Islamabad wants Kabul to keep anyone from using Afghan soil for attacks inside Pakistan and that Pakistans recent strikes were only aimed at targeting militant hideouts.

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Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks since January, mostly blamed on the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. It has strained ties between Islamabad and Kabul as Pakistan says the group is being sheltered in Afghanistan.

Pakistans military has carried out multiple operations against militants in the region this week, killing 102 militants, according to security officials and police in the region.

The recent clashes between the two countries were the deadliest since 2021, when the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan following the collapse of the Western-backed government as U.S. and NATO forces withdrew after 20 years of war.

Tensions have remained high along the border since last week when Kabul accused Islamabad of carrying out a strike in the Afghan capital, a claim Pakistans government and military have not acknowledged. Pakistani security officials, however, said the strike was aimed at targeting Noor Wali, the head of the Pakistani Taliban.

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The Pakistani Taliban shared a video Thursday claiming Wali is alive and in hiding somewhere in northwestern Pakistan.

The growing tension between the two sides is also expected to hit Afghan refugees illegally residing in the country.

On Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was informed that Pakistan had sent back 1.4 million Afghans under a phased plan that began in 2023, according to a government statement. It cited Sharif as saying that only Afghans with valid Pakistani visas would be allowed to stay in the country.

___

Abdul Qahar Afghan in Jalalabad, Afghanistan and Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this report.
VMPL New Delhi [India], October 17: In a landmark transaction that reflects the rising appetite for trophy homes among global executives, Mr. Thomas PO, President of IBIZ Group a leading U.S.-based management consulting firm has acquired a 8 crore villa at Arihant World Villas, Chowk Panvel. The villa, thoughtfully designed with expansive lawns, colonial-style architecture, and panoramic views of the surrounding hills, reflects a rare blend of scale, elegance, and spatial harmony. Located on the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway, the property offers a rare combination of privacy, nature, and luxury qualities increasingly sought after by high-net-worth individuals seeking second homes near Mumbai. Mr. Thomas PO's decision followed extensive research across the popular pockets of MMR including Lonavala, Alibaug, Chowk Panvel Karjat. His goal was clear: to find a second home that offered architectural beauty, long-term value, and a like-minded community. However, he found that most large-scale developers were offering mixed-use townships that combined residential towers, plotted developments, and bungalows. According to Mr. Thomas, this diluted the exclusivity and disrupted the sense of neighbourhood cohesion. "When you invest in a villa, you're not just buying space, you're buying a lifestyle and a certain standard of living. Mixing high-rise towers with independent homes compromises that vision," he noted. He cited several drawbacks in competing projects: * Shared amenities across towers and villas led to overcrowding and scheduling conflicts. * Inconsistent architectural styles created visual dissonance. * High-rise residents overlooking villa plots compromised privacy. * Mixed demographics affected community bonding and longterm stability. In contrast, Arihant World Villas offered constructed villas with a unified vision of an enclave exclusively designed for villa living. The project's layout, landscaping, and amenities were tailored to support a premium lifestyle, including leisure offerings such as Club10Gymkhana and a 5-star hotel within the project layout. The transaction was further strengthened by the personal involvement of Mr. Ashok Chhajer, Chairman and Managing Director of Arihant Superstructures Ltd. Known for his client-centric approach, Mr. Chhajer ensured that every protocol from architectural compliance to legal documentation was flawlessly executed. Industry experts view this acquisition as a signal of evolving preferences among global executives. The purchase not only reflects the growing appetite for high-value residential assets but also signals a broader shift toward exclusive, nature-integrated living experiences in emerging high-society neighbourhoods near Mumbai. With its strategic location, immersive experiences, and architectural finesse, Arihant World Villas is poised to become one of the most coveted addresses in Chowk, Panvel. As Mr. Thomas PO plans to settle into his new residence, his investment stands as a testament to the aspirations of a new generation of buyers those who seek homes that are aspirational, nature-infused, and grounded in long-term value. Check here: https://worldvillas.in/?utm_source=HT (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  On this episode of Salty People, hosted by Claudia Landis, we sit down with Lauren Rust, the executive director of the non-profit, Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network (LMMN).

From a young age, Rust developed a passion for dolphins and committed herself to their protection. As the founder of the LMMN, she established an organization dedicated to safeguarding marine mammals through scientific research, raising awareness, and conservation efforts.

In this conversation, we learn about the 350-year-round resident dolphins around the Lowcountry and their behavior.

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The LMMN holds the permit for the South Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Network (SCMMSN), which enables the organization to respond to sick, injured, and deceased marine mammals along the coast of South Carolina. Through these responses, the LMMN works to understand the threats faced by these mammals, with the goal of improving their protection.

The LMMN mission aims to raise awareness about marine mammals in coastal South Carolina, educate the public on federal regulations, and cultivate young stewards to protect both marine mammals and their environment.

Today, the public can support the LMMNs mission by voting for them in the Defender Service Awards, presented by Chase. This allows the organization to win a Land Rover Defender 130+ and $30,000 for their non-profit.

Currently, the organization does not have a vehicle dedicated to transporting them for rescues, so they rely on their personal cars. Additionally, the cash prize would enhance their ability to respond to stranded dolphins in our Lowcountry waters.

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You can cast their vote here. Voting will be open until Oct. 19.



Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
President Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court, for the first time, to clear the way for him to use National Guard troops to support the presidents immigration enforcement and mass deportation drive.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer filed an emergency appeal with the high court Friday, seeking to lift lower-court rulings that are currently preventing Trump from deploying National Guard troops he pressed into federal service to aid Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel in Illinois.

Sauer argued that a temporary restraining order issued by a federal district judge in Illinois improperly impinges on the Presidents authority and needlessly endangers federal personnel and property.

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In response to the appeal, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, said on X: Donald Trump will keep trying to invade Illinois with troops  and we will keep defending the sovereignty of our state. Militarizing our communities against their will is not only un-American but also leads us down a dangerous path for our democracy.

The appeal marks the first time the high court will consider Trumps efforts to federalize state-run National Guard troops and deploy them into states led by Democratic governors who have opposed the extraordinary moves. It comes one day after a federal appeals court panel voted, 3-0, to leave in place the Chicago-based district judges restraining order that prevents Trump from putting the guard troops on the streets in Illinois.

Political opposition is not rebellion, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals panel wrote, rejecting the Trump administrations argument that immigration-related protests amounted to the sort of extreme threat to government authority that is needed for the president to have authority under federal law to deploy the guard.

The rulings in Illinois followed similar decisions from federal district judges in California and Oregon blocking deployments in those states. The judges said Trump had made false claims of uncontrolled violence and infringed on states power to manage their own law enforcement challenges.

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One of the judges  a Trump appointee in Oregon  concluded earlier this month that Trumps basis for federalizing Oregon troops to deploy them in Portland was untethered from reality and warned the effort risked normalizing the use of military troops against Americans in ways the founders had warned against.

But courts have not ruled uniformly against Trumps use of the National Guard. In June, the administration won orders from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals allowing deployments in Los Angeles to continue.

The Oregon judges ruling is also currently on appeal at the 9th Circuit. When a panel of that court heard arguments last week, a majority of the judges seemed inclined to allow the troops to be put on the street.

In addition to the Chicago area, Portland and Los Angeles, Trump has ordered the military into Memphis, Tennessee and Washington, D.C., citing claims of uncontrolled violent crime that local officials have sharply rejected.

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The deployments have inflamed tensions with Democratic governors and city leaders, who say the presence of troops has stoked, rather than calmed, civil unrest.

Sauers filing with the high court Friday frames the dispute as one about the presidents powers to control the military, rather than a difference of opinion about law enforcement tactics. The emergency appeal makes 11 references to Trump as commander in chief, including by accusing the 7th Circuit of putting itself in the untenable position of controlling the military chain of command and judicially micromanaging the exercise of the Presidents Commander-in-Chief powers.


(Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court said on Friday it will hear arguments on December 8 concerning the legality of President Donald Trump's firing of a Democratic member of the Federal Trade Commission in a major case that tests the scope of presidential power over government agencies designed by Congress to be independent.

The court in September took up the case while also allowing Trump to terminate Rebecca Slaughter, who had sued to challenge Trump's action. The court lifted a judge's order that had shielded Slaughter from being dismissed from the consumer protection and antitrust agency before her term expires in 2029.

The stakes of the case are high as it could lead to the justices overruling a 90-year-old precedent upholding job protections put in place by Congress to give the heads of certain federal agencies a degree of independence from presidential control.

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The court has a 6-3 conservative majority. Its three liberal justices dissented from the court's order letting Trump remove Slaughter while the case proceeds.

Federal law permits a president to remove FTC commissioners only for cause - such as inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office - but not for policy differences. Similar protections cover officials at other independent agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board and Merit Systems Protection Board.

Slaughter was one of two Democratic commissioners who Trump moved to fire in March. The firings drew sharp criticism from Democratic senators and antimonopoly groups concerned that the move was designed to eliminate opposition within the agency to big corporations.

Washington-based U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan in July blocked Trump's firing of Slaughter, rejecting his administration's arguments that the tenure protections unlawfully encroach on presidential power. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in September kept the judge's ruling in place.

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The lower courts ruled that the statutory protections shielding FTC members from being removed without cause conform with the U.S. Constitution in light of the 1935 Supreme Court precedent in a case called Humphrey's Executor v. United States. In that case, the court ruled that a president lacks unfettered power to remove FTC commissioners, faulting then-President Franklin Roosevelt's firing of an FTC commissioner for policy differences.

The Supreme Court in January is due to hear separate arguments over Trump's attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, though the justices left her in the post for now. That case involves the first-ever bid by a president to fire a Fed official as he challenges the central bank's independence.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham)
The Pennsylvania Capitol Rotunda (Photo by Amanda Mustard for the Pennsylvania Capital-Star).

Survivors of sexual violence should not need to publicly lay bare their most vulnerable moments to compel Pennsylvania legislators to pass the state budget.

Yet here we are.

More than 100 days past the June 30 deadline, Harrisburg is still at an impasse, leaving Pennsylvanias 47 rape crisis centers in an existential crisis of their own. Philadelphias only rape crisis center has paused its services. Across the state, others are scaling back, depriving survivors of the life-saving advocacy that helps them navigate hospitals, police departments, courtrooms, and other complex systems in the aftermath of assault.

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I wish I had more options to stand up for survivors without reopening my own wounds. But after months of political gridlock, I fear that unless lawmakers hear directly from those who rape crisis centers serve, they will continue to write survivors off as another line in a spreadsheet that can wait.

Survivors cant wait. I know firsthand.

I first met an advocate from Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) in August 2021 in an exam room at Magee-Womens Hospital. I had just arrived there in the backseat of a squad car after being assaulted by a stranger on the Allegheny River Trail during my lunch break. Gravel from the fight still clung to my skin as I walked into the emergency room alone.

Not long after I was admitted, a woman appeared at my bedside. She introduced herself as an advocate from PAAR. Her job was to explain every step of the medical, legal, and recovery process ahead  and to make sure I was taken care of along the way. She made it clear that I could choose to consent  or not consent  to any part of the experience.

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That I could make decisions about what happened to my body next had not occurred to me until that moment. Her advocacy restored my sense of agency, which had been stripped the moment I encountered my assaulter. And her presence reminded me I was no longer on my own.

I told her I was 10 weeks pregnant. She calmly described what the nurses would do to protect the pregnancy and what to expect from the forensic exam. Later, she explained what the criminal investigation would entail. She said she could stay in touch for as long as I needed  not only through the hospital visit but through the entire legal process.

PAAR gave me a critical resource that many survivors navigating crisis today no longer have: a trained counselor, funded in part by the commonwealth, whose job was to protect my well-being, dignity, and choices.

Over the months that followed, my advocate communicated with the district attorney so I could prepare for the baby and maintain some normalcy. As we prepared for trial, she held my hand and warned me when I might face triggering evidence. When I testified in court, she physically stood between me and my assailant.

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When the jury reached its verdict, she called me with the news. The man who assaulted me had been convicted and would serve a lengthy prison sentence. Together, we cried  it was almost over.

Weeks later, she read my victim impact statement to the judge at a sentencing hearing while I nursed my newborn daughter at home.

I couldnt have survived this trauma without the help of a rape crisis center, and I mean that literally. There is no version of me  dazed, traumatized, and pregnant  who could have navigated a criminal case without that support. My advocate made justice possible without breaking me in the process.

Rape crisis centers arent optional. Theyre part of the states public-safety infrastructure  the quiet system that helps people report crimes, preserve evidence, and cooperate with law enforcement. Defunding them through legislative inaction doesnt just fail survivors; it weakens justice for everyone.

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Today, advocates like mine are being laid off. Helplines are going unanswered. Survivors are facing the daunting recovery process without guidance.

The legislatures abandonment of Pennsylvanians has placed survivors like me in the unjustand re-traumatizingposition of pleading our cases to state leaders in Harrisburg after already doing so in court.

Every day the state budget remains stalled, another survivor will sit alone in an exam room, wondering how they will survive what comes next. I urge Pennsylvanias elected leaders to pass the budget immediately so she doesnt have to do it alone.

Maria Gardner

Maria Z. Gardner is a writer and advocate for survivors of gender-based violence and complex trauma. She can be reached at maria@mariazgardner.com.
The US carried out a strike on a boat in the Caribbean on Thursday that did not kill everyone on board, two US officials told CNN.

There are believed to be survivors among the crew, but their status is unclear.

The US military has carried out at least six strikes to date on six separate boats in the Caribbean, but Thursdays was not made public by the administration  unlike the previous five strikes  and appeared to be the first time an attack had not instantly killed everyone on board.

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Reuters was first to report on Thursdays strike.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense did not have an immediate comment. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.

The Trump administration has produced a classified legal opinion that justifies lethal strikes against a secret and expansive list of cartels and suspected drug traffickers, CNN has reported.

The opinion is significant, legal experts previously told CNN, because it appears to justify giving the president power to designate drug traffickers as enemy combatants and have them summarily killed without legal review. Historically, those involved in drug trafficking were considered criminals with due process rights, with the Coast Guard interdicting drug-trafficking vessels and arresting smugglers.

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President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he had also authorized the CIA to operate inside Venezuela to clamp down on illegal flows of migrants and drugs from the South American nation, but stopped short of saying they would have authority to remove President Nicolas Maduro.

This story has been updated with additional details.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Purple Domestic Violence Awareness ribbons (Photo: Anna Liz Nichols)

Much can be said about Michigans Fiscal Year 2026 Budget. From maintaining funds for free school meals and continued financial support for innovative programs like RxKids, it is easy to find successes in this years budget negotiations.

Yet, as the CEO of a provider of services for survivors of violence, I am deeply troubled by this budgets failure to meet the needs of victims of violence and some of our most vulnerable neighbors. For decades, federal and state funds have been the primary source of funding for victim services across the country, including in Michigan. Funding these services has been part of the governments commitment to public safety.

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Recently, this definition of public safety has narrowly shifted to policing and law enforcement, leaving behind the actual victims who depend on emergency shelter, legal support, housing, forensic exams, and other services necessary to escape violence and engage with law enforcement in the first place.

Since 2018, federal funding streams for survivors of violence have decreased dramatically, with another projected decrease in 2026. In addition to this downward trend, the swift policy and funding changes of the new federal administration have decimated funds for victims, particularly survivors of human trafficking.

So we, and many advocates, turned to the state for support. We engaged with many supportive legislators and completed all required steps in alignment with a newly announced transparent budget process. We, and many advocates, drafted testimonies. We came prepared with stories to tell and data to highlight client successes, program efficiencies, and even how our programs save state funds. Yet, no committee hearing was held. Few updates were shared. And we, like many others, found that the budget had been decided overnight.

Just hours into Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we saw deep cuts to MDHHS, few state funding supports, and a 2026 allocation for programs, organizations, and Crime Victims Sustaining Grants covering less than half of the total gap in federal funding loss.

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This years budget failed to backfill increasing federal declines in funding for victim services  to the tune of $45 million  allowing this loss to hit communities statewide. Reductions in victim services mean reductions in survival. The loss means more violent deaths, particularly of children.

As did our federal leaders, now our own state government has turned its back on the Michiganders at greatest risk for homicide. Public safety does not just mean holding perpetrators accountable. It also means stopping homicide before it happens by giving victims and their children a place to flee and organizations to protect them  and these are the services slashed in communities across the state.

After the passing of this state budget, YWCA Kalamazoo is facing deep budget cuts, severely reducing comprehensive and life-saving interventions. We know hundreds of survivors will now go unserved within the next year in our area, just as the lethality of violence rises. Across Michigan, domestic and sexual violence organizations are facing much the same, if not closing their doors entirely.

Budgets are more than how and where a state spends its money. They are a reflection of the guiding principles and priorities for the state and its elected officials. While there are pieces of this budget that respond to the growing needs and concerns of some Michiganders, it is also true that many needs  many people  remained negotiable.

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Expendable.

With Michigans 2026 budget decided and no end to the federal government turmoil in sight, community members positioned at the margins will continue to carry the burden. Lawmakers must see our neighbors, particularly women and children, as worthy of protection.

Until then, organizations like YWCA Kalamazoo statewide will host more and more vigils for victims whose lives are needlessly, violently, lost. We hope youll attend and light candles for the lives written out of the budget.

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TAYLOR COUNTY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  A suspect accused of leading deputies on a highspeed chase in Taylor County has been arrested.

Brock Walker was taken into custody for Evading Arrest, Resisting Arrest Search or Transport, Reckless Driving, and Evading Arrest in connection to the incident that happened Thursday evening.

The Taylor County Sheriffs Office says deputies stopped Walker for a traffic violation and found he had a warrant for his arrest, which prompted him to flee at a high rate of speed.

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During the pursuit, Walker crashed on Fulwiler Road and was arrested.

No injuries were reported in connection to this incident.

Walker now remains held in the Taylor County Jail on bonds totaling more than $30,000.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
HENDERSON COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  Three people have died, and the suspect in the East Texas murders has been hospitalized after shooting himself in the head following a vehicle crash at a Buc-ees.

My family cant rest: Nikki Curtis brother speaks out against Robert Robersons stay of execution

The Henderson County Sheriffs Office said the homicides occurred at 2:30 a.m. at the Cedar Creek Cove Subdivision in Mabank. Earlier this morning, the sheriffs office was looking for the suspect, now identified as Christopher Kyle Reid Jr, in connection with the ongoing investigation, who was believed to be driving a 2003 maroon Dodge Caravan or a 2019 grey Subaru.

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When deputies arrived at the shooting scene on Taos Drive in Creek Cove Subdivision, they found an adult woman and an adult man dead from gunshot wounds. Another woman shot at the scene was transported to a hospital in Gun Barrel City where she died.

The Henderson County Sheriffs Office identified the three deceased victims as Kimberly Simpson, 51, Connie Patrick, 72, and Ronny Hammonds, 57. The sheriffs office said that Simpson and Connie were both shot multiple times along with Hammonds who also had injuries from blunt force trauma and multiple stab wounds.

Colton Reid, 24, and Henry Hopgood, 70, were also found with gun shot wounds from the shooting and have been transported to a local hospital to be treated, according to the Henderson County Sheriffs Office. On Saturday, officials listed that Reid is in stable condition and Hopgood is in critical condition.

The Ennis Police Department said the driver of a 2003 Dodge Caravan drove into the southwest entrance of a local Buc-ees at around 5 a.m. and hit and pinned a pedestrian against a sales display near the main entrance.

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Once the vehicle came to a stop, the driver, identified as Reid, shot himself in the head, the police department said. The driver was taken to a hospital and remains in critical condition. The pedestrian, an Oklahoma woman in her 30s, who was passing through Ennis, was taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

We are deeply saddened by this incident and stand with all those involved as our community heals, the Ennis Police Department said.

The Henderson County Sheriffs Office, the Texas Rangers and the Henderson County District Attorneys Office are coordinating together to investigate this case.

You can now stream KETK and FOX51 News live 24/7 on your smart TV with KETK+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming.

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A suspect tried to flee from authorities after allegedly trying to kill a law enforcement officer Friday morning in South Los Angeles.

Officers began chasing the suspect near Slauson Avenue and Vermont Avenue in the Vermont-Slauson neighborhood around 1:30 a.m.

A Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department spokesperson confirmed that someone in the vehicle was suspected of attempted murder of a peace officer.

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The pursuit came to an end about 2 miles away near South Gramercy Place and West 71st Street in the Chesterfield Square neighborhood, where the suspect fled from the vehicle on foot.

A perimeter was set up around the area with the assistance of the Los Angeles Police Department as the search for the suspect continued.

Police search for an attempted murder suspect in South Los Angeles on Oct. 17, 2025. (KNN News)

Eventually, the unidentified suspect was taken into custody.

No further details on the circumstances around the initial attempted murder call were provided.

KTLAs Alexis Lewis contributed to this report.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
A 35-year-old man believed to be responsible for a murder-suicide inside an Orange County restaurant was scheduled to appear in court next month in connection with an arrest for domestic violence against the victim, a Long Beach official said in a statement provided to KTLA.

On July 15, officers with the Long Beach Police Department responded to a domestic violence call at a residential address on Marker Street on the citys north side, Long Beach City Prosecutor Doug P. Haubert told KTLA.

Jonathan Wang was arrested by officers at the scene and was booked at the Long Beach Jail.

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A criminal domestic violence case was filed by the city prosecutors office the following day, accusing Wang of intentionally causing injury to his girlfriend, 45-year-old Jacqueline Medrano.

According to the victims statement, Wang punched Medrano one time in the mouth, grabbed her by the front of the neck, pushed her to the ground, then held her down by the back of her neck until he pushed her out of the room where the attack took place, the statement noted.

The 35-year-old posted bond and appeared in court on Sept. 16 where he was formally charged and served with a criminal protective order requiring him to make no contact with Medrano or be within 100 feet of her.

Marker Street in North Long Beach is seen in this image. (Google Maps)

The criminal protect order also prohibited Wang from owning, purchasing or possessing any firearm, Hauberts said.

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On Oct. 7, exactly one week before Wang reportedly walked into Gui Gui Korean BBQ restaurant in The Palm Court shopping mall in La Habra and fatally shot Medrano in front of several customers and staff members before turning the gun on himself, he appeared in court with his lawyer, where a pre-trial conference was scheduled for Nov. 13.

Unknown number of human remains found in desert junkyard in L.A. County

If news reports are true, this is a grave reminder of the seriousness of domestic violence cases, City Prosecutor Haubert said in his statement to KTLA. That it happened during Domestic Violence Awareness Month shows we still have a long way to go to prevent tragedies like this from happening.

Haubert added that the Long Beach City Prosecutors Office normally refrains from commenting on cases until they are over in order to protect the privacy of the victim and the rights of the accused, before noting the extenuating circumstances in which both the defendant and the victim in this case are deceased.

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If you or anyone you know is suffering from a mental health crisis, professional support can be found for free by calling or texting Crisis Lifeline at 988.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 17: Curie Money, India's first mutual fund-backed UPI app, has introduced a groundbreaking feature that uses liquid funds and an instant redemption facility to enable seamless UPI transactions. This seamless experience combines growth and instant access, redefining how Indians manage and move their money.

When a user selects "Scan & Pay" on Curie, the familiar UPI process begins. Curie, with the user's consent, triggers a redemption from their liquid mutual fund investment. The redeemed amount is credited to the user's linked bank account in real-time, and the UPI payment gets completed within seconds, delivering a seamless and intelligent payment experience. This flow ensures your money continues to grow until the moment you spend it.

"We wanted to make money growth feel invisible, something that just happens while you go about your day," said Arindam Ghosh, Founder and CEO of Curie Money.

The entire process is built on UPI infrastructure and supported through partnerships with Bajaj Finserv AMC, ICICI Prudential AMC, and Yes Bank, ensuring regulatory compliance, reliability, and trust.

By combining the steady returns of liquid mutual funds with the instant convenience of UPI, Curie eliminates the traditional trade-off between liquidity and growth. Users can now grow their money even while they make payments.

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, New York (WJW)  Police are looking for a group of boys caught on surveillance video vandalizing an amusement park in New York.

Westchester County Police released the video Thursday.

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It shows three males who got into the park by taking a small boat to the Playland Amusement Park beach just before midnight on Sept. 23.

Westchester County Police Department

From there, police say they hopped the fence into the park.

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According to police, the trio cut the fiber optic cables in an electrical room, which cut phone and internet service to the park.

Westchester County Police Department

From there, they grabbed garbage bags and stole around 200 stuffed animals. They were seen on camera hauling the prizes away in garbage bags, police said.

The suspects also tried to throw a photo booth off the boardwalk but eventually gave up.

Westchester County Police Department

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Police released the photos to try and identify the suspects.

Anyone who recognizes them, or their boat, is asked to contact detectives in the General Investigations Unit at 914-864-7916.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
SWANSEA, Mass. (WPRI)  A staffer at a residential youth therapeutic school in Swansea has died after she was kicked by a student Wednesday evening, according to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III.

Quinn said the assault happened as the 14-year-old student was attempting to leave a dorm building at Meadowridge Academy without permission.

The victim, identified by Quinn as Amy Morrell, 53, of East Providence, was attempting to restrain the student alongside other staffers when the teenager kicked her in the chest.

Amy Morrell (Courtesy: Andrew Lewis Ferruche)

Morrell, who collapsed shortly after the assault, was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon, according to Quinn.

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Quinn said the student, who has not been identified, has been charged with assault and battery causing serious bodily injury.

The investigation into the assault remains ongoing at this time.

In a statement, Meadowridge Academy described Morrell as being a direct care staffer.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Amys family during this difficult time, the statement continued. Support services and resources are available to assist students and staff as we grieve this tragic loss.

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ZURICH (Reuters) -Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin said on Friday he had spoken briefly to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about the United States' 39% tariffs on Switzerland, but he gave no indication of progress on reducing the levies.

Speaking to Swiss television, Parmelin said that contact between the Swiss and U.S. governments was ongoing on various levels and that he had spoken to Bessent for "a few minutes".

"But that was very brief," Parmelin told Swiss national broadcaster SRF during a visit to Washington. "We're staying in contact, including at a technical level. The federal cabinet will communicate as soon as we have progress to report."

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Parmelin was also asked whether he believed that a deal could be reached with Switzerland by the end of this month. He responded by reiterating that contact was ongoing.

"Again, it's not possible to say more today," he said.

Trump's decision in August to impose the tariffs on Switzerland stunned the country. He argued the tariffs were justified by the U.S. trade deficit with Switzerland.

Since then, the Swiss government has been working to cut the tariffs, but has yet to strike a deal with Trump.

(Reporting by Dave Graham and Oliver Hirt; Editing by Sarah Marsh)
ZURICH (Reuters) -Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin said on Friday he had spoken briefly to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about the United States' 39% tariffs on Switzerland, but he gave no indication of progress on reducing the levies.

Speaking to Swiss television, Parmelin said that contact between the Swiss and U.S. governments was ongoing on various levels and that he had spoken to Bessent for "a few minutes".

"But that was very brief," Parmelin told Swiss national broadcaster SRF during a visit to Washington. "We're staying in contact, including at a technical level. The federal cabinet will communicate as soon as we have progress to report."

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Parmelin was also asked whether he believed his country could reach a deal with the United States by the end of this month. He responded by reiterating that contact was ongoing.

"Again, it's not possible to say more today," he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump's decision in August to impose the duties on Switzerland stunned the country, which eliminated its own industrial tariffs last year. Trump argued the tariffs were justified by the U.S. trade deficit with Switzerland.

Since then, Switzerland's government has been working to lower the tariffs, assembling a package of measures aimed at cutting the U.S. deficit and increasing Swiss investment in the United States. But it has yet to strike a deal with Trump.

(Reporting by Dave Graham and Oliver Hirt; Editing by Sarah Marsh)
The U.S. Army is working to provide soldiers with new technology that can transform air into potable drinking water.

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center and AirJoule Technologies Corporation announced a partnership Oct. 7 that will see new systems developed to provide soldiers with clean water in deprived environments.

The three-year cooperative research and development agreement will build upon existing nanogrid technology fielded by the Army and AirJoules moisture extraction system to create new resources for soldiers.

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AirJoule can operate in a wide range of environments, particularly when surface water and ground water sources are unavailable or contaminated, Matt Jore, AirJoule Technologies chief executive officer, said in a news release. We believe this collaboration will help secure a reliable source of pure water for our troops, and were excited to work with ERDC on this research initiative.

The AirJoule system is a new twist on de-humidification, extracting moisture from the atmosphere and transforming captured water vapor into clean water with energy efficiency.

The Armys nanogrid, unveiled in January, is the first of its kind used by the service. It is a small, self-sufficient energy system powered by hydrogen fuel that can operate noiselessly and independently from electric grid power. Combining it with AirJoules technology could enable soldiers to have a constant and reliable source of clean water while on the move in hazardous and undeveloped areas.

An off-the-grid system capable of transforming air moisture into water would potentially eliminate a multitude of logistical hurdles for troops in the field.

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Access to clean water has been an essential for successful field operations throughout history, and lack of it can cause catastrophes. The crusaders lost the Battle of Hattin to Saladin in 1187 largely due to a water supply crisis.

Centuries later, during World War II, Merrills Marauders were plagued by dehydration and disease from contaminated water sources while conducting irregular warfare operations in Burma, with some resorting to chopping bamboo into pieces to alleviate their thirst.

The U.S. Marines at Peleliu suffered from both dehydration and sickness from drinking contaminated water transported in oil drums, or from stagnant puddles amid the gory island battlefield.

Existing water purification technology often requires complex efforts to use effectively. In May, the Missouri Army National Guards 935th Aviation Support Battalion (ASB) deployed a water purification team to Trinidad and Tobago in support of a multinational exercise. Although lightweight, their water purifiers relied on existing water sources plus four different filters plus added chlorine to clean.

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By contrast, AirJoules system, relying only on the atmosphere, can effectively produce water in areas where water is nonexistent.

Its metal organic framework can hold more than half its weight in water vapor. It requires minimal energy to convert vapor into liquid, potentially expanding soldiers range of mission capabilities in addition to solving existing problems.
Taco Bell is currently testing a bunch of new menu items in four major cities this month, and as fans have already said, they "all sound good."

As it has done in the past, Taco Bell announced today that it would be offering completely new as well as refreshed versions of menu classics in the following cities: Dallas, Nashville, Minneapolis and Knoxville.

Taco Bell Testing Cheesy and Spicy Menu Items With 'Big Flavor' in Dallas, Nashville, Minneapolis and Knoxville This Month

From what Parade is told, all of the new items began testing on Thursday, Oct. 16. The international chain did not say how long it would be testing the items, only suggesting "while supplies last," so in our expert opinion, if you live in one of these areas and want to see what it's all about, don't wait too long.

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And if you don't live in Dallas, Nashville, Minneapolis, or Knoxville, fear not. Taco Bell is extending an exclusive menu offer to its rewards members, regardless of their location, but only for a limited time.

'Sizzlin' New Cantina Fajita Menu: Dallas, Texas

Starting with the "bold" update first, Taco Bell says it's testing a revamped Cantina Fajita menu that promises to bring "sizzling flavor and fresh flair" to select Taco Bell locations in Dallas, Texas. Included in the run is a Cantina Fajita Bowl, a Cantina Fajita Grilled Cheese Burrito, a Cantina Fajita Grilled Soft Taco, a Cantina Fajita Quesadilla, and the Cantina Fajita Discovery Luxe Box.

Cantina Fajita Bowl : A hearty base of flavorful rice with slow-simmered black beans, freshly-prepared daily pico de gallo, guacamole made with Hass avocados, and reduced-fat sour cream. Topped with seasoned fresh peppers and onions, three-cheese blend and creamy jalapeno sauce, served with two warm tortillas. Available with carne asada or slow-roasted chicken for $7.99.

Cantina Fajita Grilled Cheese Burrito : A warm flour tortilla filled with seasoned rice, carne asada or slow-roasted chicken, seasoned fresh peppers and onions, creamy jalapeno sauce and three-cheese blend. Wrapped up with an extra layer of cheese grilled on the outside, all for $5.99.

Cantina Fajita Grilled Soft Taco : A soft tortilla folded and grilled with carne asada or slow-roasted chicken, seasoned fresh peppers and onions, creamy jalapeno sauce and three-cheese blend for $3.49.

Cantina Fajita Quesadilla : A large tortilla grilled to perfection with carne asada or slow-roasted chicken, seasoned fresh peppers and onions, creamy jalapeno sauce and plenty of melty three-cheese blend for $6.49.

Cantina Fajita Discovery Luxe Box: A bundle featuring a Cantina Fajita Grilled Soft Taco (carne asada or slow-roasted chicken), Doritos Locos Taco, Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, Cinnamon Twists and a medium fountain drink, all for $9.

Taco Bell is testing a new Cantina Fajita Chicken menu in Dallas.

Related: Classic Taco Bell Menu Item Gets Limited-Edition Revamp Thats Cheesier and Spicier Than Ever Before

Gordita Crunch Sliders: Nashville, Tennessee

In Nashville, participating restaurants will be serving a fan-favorite in slider form, offering snack-sized portions of "big flavor."

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Gordita Crunch Sliders : A set of two snack-sized soft, pillowy flatbreads wrapped around crispy corn shells, layered with melty three-cheese blend, creamy chipotle sauce and freshly prepared daily pico de gallo. Available in slow-roasted chicken or grilled, marinated steak for $4.49- $5.49 and seasoned beef for $3.49 (depending on location).

$9 Discovery Luxe Cravings Box: A craveable bundle featuring a set of two Gordita Crunch Sliders, a Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco, a Crunchy Taco, Cinnamon Twists and a medium fountain drink.

$6.99 Snack Trio (In-App Digital Exclusive Offer at Select Locations): A perfect pick-me-up with a set of two Gordita Crunch Sliders, Nacho Fries with nacho cheese sauce and a Cinnabon Delights 2 Pack.

Taco Bell launching new Gordita sliders in Nashville, Tenn.

Diablo Nuggets: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Taco Bell's celebrity-loved chicken nuggets are getting a "fiery" makeover in Minneapolis, combining the chain's signature tortilla chip crunch with "bold" Diablo heat, thanks to an innovative new flavor power: sauce that's been turned into a seasoning and dusted over every nugget for an "extra fiery kick."

Plain or Diablo Nuggets: Available a la carte for $4.99 for a 5-piece or $7.99 for a 10-piece, or as part of a combo with fries and a medium fountain drink for $6.99 for a 5-piece or $9.99 for a 10-piece.

Nuggets Deluxe Meal: A hearty bundle with 5-piece Nuggets in your choice of classic or Diablo, plus a Seasoned Beef Chalupa, Crunchy Taco, regular Fries and a Large fountain drink for $11.49.

$9 Discovery Luxe Box: A craveable box that includes 5-piece Diablo Nuggets in classic or Diablo, regular Fries, a Doritos Locos Taco, Cinnamon Twists and a medium fountain drink.

Diablo Nuggets arrive in Minneapolis for a limited time.

Crispy Chicken Crunchwrap Sliders: Knoxville, Tennessee

Unlike other hotspots, Knoxville is only getting one test menu item, but it sounds so good that just one might actually be more than enough.

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For a limited time, participating locations will be serving Crispy Chicken Crunchwrap Sliders. Each comes "grilled to perfection" with crispy chicken, melty cheese, freshly prepared daily pico and your choice of Creamy Chipotle or Sriracha Chile Sauce, priced at $2.49 each or two for $4.99.

Crispy Chicken Crunchwrap Sliders are now available in Knoxville.

Related: Taco Bell Is Now Serving Grande Portions of This Classic Menu ItemBut Only For a Limited Time

New Green Chile Queso: Indianapolis, Indiana

Not to be too cheesy, but we saved one of the hottest items for last: the new green chile queso, available as a side or in a limited-time burrito.

Chicken Queso Burrito : A warm flour tortilla stuffed with grilled all-white-meat chicken, seasoned rice, melty green chile queso, a three-cheese blend and freshly prepared daily pico de gallo, all grilled to go for $3.

Chips & Queso: Crispy tortilla chips served with Taco Bells new green chile queso for just $2.

New Green Chile Queso launches in Indianapolis.

While it's too early to share any reviews, fans' reception has been largely positive so far.

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"We all need more queso in our lives!" one declared.

"Nashville is lucky," a second teased.

"@tacobell can you fly us out to minnesota ," someone else joked.

Another suggested, "Chicken crunch wrap sliders is an immediate yes."

"About time," a different fan quipped.

"All sounds great," one more gushed.

Should Taco Bell decide to launch any of these new items nationwide, we'll be among the first to let you know. Historically, when the company has decided to introduce former test items to its national menu, it has occurred within the first 6 to 12 months of running the test. Fingers crossed that we'll have more to shareand soon!

Next: Taco Bell Reimagines the Classics With New Menu Collaboration

This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the Food & Drink section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwanese officials have been banned from attending events held by China next week to mark the 80th anniversary of the island's "retrocession" to Chinese rule because Beijing is trying to distort history for its own aims, the government said on Friday.

Next Saturday marks the anniversary of Japan, which colonised Taiwan in 1895, handing the island to the Republic of China government in 1945. Both Taipei and Beijing refer to the handover as the "retrocession".

China and democratically-governed Taiwan, which Beijing views as its own territory, have repeatedly clashed this year over their differing interpretations of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two.

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Taiwan says it was the Republic of China that fought the war, not the People's Republic of China, which was founded by Mao Zedong's communists in 1949 after they won the civil war. The Republic of China government fled to Taipei and the Republic of China remains Taiwan's formal name.

In a video statement, Chiu Chui-cheng, head of Taiwan's China-policy making Mainland Affairs Council, said Beijing had repeatedly fabricated "false narratives".

In events related to the "retrocession", Beijing has sought to "concoct the claim that Taiwan is part of the People's Republic of China.

"The ultimate goal is to eliminate the Republic of China and annex Taiwan."

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The government has banned Taiwanese officials, students and teachers from attending any events China may hold around the anniversary, and calls on all others to "put the national interest first" and also not take part, he said.

China, whose Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has not yet announced what it might do on or around the anniversary.

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the office told reporters in Beijing that the "retrocession" was an important outcome of the end of World War Two and a great triumph for all Chinese people, including those in Taiwan.

China marked last month's anniversary of the end of World War Two with a massive military parade.

Taipei next Saturday will host East Asia's largest Pride march, a riotous celebration of LGBTQ+ equality and diversity.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
Zohran Mamdani was pushed to provide specifics about his plans if hes elected mayor of New York City in the campaigns first fall debate, hammered by his two older rivals who painted him as unprepared and accused him of selling the citys residents a fantasy.

Much of the two hours on stage centered on Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist and clear front-runner in the polls. But there were so many back-and-forths that Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee, started an answer just 15 minutes into the event by saying: First of all, theres high levels of testosterone in this room.

Mamdani didnt answer exactly how he would afford his signature policies of freezing increases on rent-controlled apartments and making buses free, or how to square past comments on the police that he says dont represent his current views. And he notably declined to back the reelection bid of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, one of the few major Democrats in the state to endorse him.

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Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary, said Mamdanis whole plan is based on a myth of believing that Albany would pass new taxes to enable his plans. Sliwa called his ideas fantasies. But Cuomo had his own struggles to explain what new ideas he would bring to City Hall or the questions about sexual harassment and his handling of Covid-19 in nursing homes that followed him when he resigned as governor.

What I dont have in experience, I make up for in integrity, Mamdani told Cuomo early on. What you dont have in integrity, you could never make up for in experience.

Here are CNNs main takeaways from the debate.

Cuomo says if Mamdani wins, NYCs leader would be Mayor Donald Trump

Mamdani and Cuomo traded familiar barbs about the Queens native in the White House. But Cuomo debuted a new line to reflect his belief that President Donald Trump would overpower Mamdani and undermine his authority.

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If the assemblyman is elected, Mayor Donald Trump will take over in New York City, and it will be Mayor Trump, Cuomo said.

Andrew Cuomo speaks during the debate in New York on October 16, 2025. - Angelina Katsanis/AFP/Pool/Getty Images

Mamdani responded by accusing Cuomo of being a coward. He noted Cuomo failed to mention Trump in a statement he issued condemning the Department of Justices indictment of State Attorney General Letitia James.

Mamdani, Cuomo and Sliwa were all asked the last time they spoke with Trump.

Cuomo said he spoke with the president after an assassination attempt last year and again denied a New York Times report that the two had recently spoken about the mayoral race. Sliwa said he hadnt spoken with Trump in years, saying he had last spoken with Trump years ago about the Veterans Day parade.

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When asked if he had ever spoken with Trump, Mamdani answered with a curt no. (He did turn to a Fox News camera Wednesday to deliver a message directly to Trump.)

Mamdani was asked what he would say to Trump in a hypothetical first call if elected mayor. He said he would be willing to speak and work with the president as long as it was focused on issues of affordability.



I would make it clear to the president that I am willing to not only speak to him, but to work with him if it means delivering on lowering the cost of living for New York, Mamdani said. Thats something that he ran his presidential campaign on, and yet, all hes been able to deliver thus far.

Israel and Gaza

Since becoming a Democratic sensation and as the partys politics have broadly shifted against the Israeli government during the war in Gaza, Mamdani has proactively repeated the opposition to Israel he expressed consistently from college through his time as an assemblyman.

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On the debate stage, Mamdani spoke of the conversations he has had with Jewish New Yorkers since becoming the Democratic nominee that have opened his eyes to the existence of antisemitism in ways he said he hadnt fully realized existed and how the phrase globalize the intifada could be hurtful. He wouldnt say whether he believes Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state, saying only that he does not support any country that exists with racial or religious hierarchies.

Mamdani also backtracked on an answer he gave just Wednesday on Fox News. Pressed then about whether he would call for Hamas to lay down their weapons, as is called for in the ceasefire agreement, Mamdani said he didnt have an opinion on the matter beyond following international law. On the debate stage, he did have an opinion: Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms.

Mamdani didnt respond when Cuomo tried to make a moment of calling on him to denounce Hamas explicitly. He said while he hopes the ceasefire will hold, he will not stop denouncing the siege, the occupation, and apartheid.

Cuomo leapt on that answer, arguing that the occupation is a reference to Israel existing at all on the land and saying its equivalent to the Hamas-promoted slogan that a future Palestinian state should be from the river to the sea. Mamdani rejected that interpretation.

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Mamdani in turn accused Cuomo of fanning anti-Muslim sentiment, arguing that Cuomo never visited a mosque until after losing the primary to him.

What Muslims want in this city is what every community wants and deserves, he said. They want equality and they want respect.

Sliwa speaks during the mayoral debate in New York on October 16, 2025. - Angelina Katsanis/AFP/Pool/Getty Images

The forgotten Republican tries to make a mark

The Republican nominee came out swinging.

Free of his signature red beret, Sliwa leaned into the center-stage spot given to him to go after both of his opponents. He sought to separate himself from the political establishment, at one point countering a question about his lack of political experience by saying, Thank God I am not a politician.

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Sliwa, best known as the founder of the crime watch group Guardian Angels, focused many of his attacks on Cuomo, questioning his toughness and at one point invoking his father with a particularly sharp zinger.

Sliwa alleged that the state parole board when Cuomo was governor released people accused of killing police officers.

Your father, when he was governor, released none. I knew Mario Cuomo; youre no Mario Cuomo, Sliwa said.

Sliwa is hoping to appeal not just to Republicans but also moderate Democrats unwilling to support Cuomo or Mamdani.

He has repeatedly refused to leave the race as incumbent Mayor Eric Adams did, even as Cuomo allies argue Sliwa staying in the race helps Mamdani. Trump has refused to endorse Sliwa.

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Sliwa called Mamdanis ideas fantasies. Mamdani generally ignored Sliwa, other than repeatedly correcting the Republicans mispronunciations of his first name.

Mamdani did snap at Sliwa when the Republican told him that Jews dont trust that you are going to be there for them when theyre subject to antisemitic attacks.

I will be a mayor who finally addresses that, not just the theatrics on this stage, Mamdani retorted.

Mamdani again apologizes for ripping the police as racist

Since winning Junes Democratic primary, Mamdani has distanced himself from tweets referring to police officers as racist and wicked, though he has a long history of being critical of law enforcement. Hes also met with police officers and won a notable endorsement from a former high-ranking New York Police Department official.

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He reiterated his apology Thursday to New York Police Department officers but also mentioned the names of Black men who have died in police encounters, including the five young men of color who were wrongfully accused and convicted in the Central Park jogger case in 1989.

Cuomo has tried to draw a contrast between him and Mamdani by proposing to increase the police officer headcount, casting himself as a tough on crime candidate and suggesting Mamdani would be soft.

Mamdani has proposed creating a Department of Community Safety which would in part dispatch social workers to calls involving people in mental health crises instead of solely relying on police officers.

He wants to use social workers on domestic violence calls, which are very dangerous, and hes told you what he thinks, Cuomo said.

A brewing fight over taxes on millionaires  and a notable non-endorsement

There was a wide range of subjects discussed Thursday that will confront the citys next mayor, everything from noise complaints to the citys public school system, the largest in the nation.

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Mamdani said he would be in favor of changing mayoral control over the school system, a surprising position considering it could limit his authority. Mayoral control allows the mayor near-complete authority over the citys public school system, centralizing the power with the executive which is in turn seen as being directly accountable for the how the system performs.



Mamdani said he would not give up control in full, saying he wants a participatory system that gives parents and educators increased influence.

He also doubled down on his plan to raise taxes the citys wealthiest residents despite Hochuls opposition, saying he believed the same energy that buoyed his underdog campaign would create support for his push to increase taxes.

A lot of people called even my campaign a nonstarter when we first began, Mamdani said. Now I stand before you proud to be the Democratic nominee who got the most votes in city primary history, and I believe we will see the same thing with our push to ensure that we are taxing the wealthiest and the most profitable corporations the fair amount that they should pay.

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As mayor, Mamdani would not have the power to raise taxes on his own. He would need the approval of the state legislature and for the governor to sign off on the increase  a politically difficult proposition for any executive, particularly in an election year, which Hochul will be facing next year.

Notably, Mamdani declined to endorse Hochul for reelection, saying he was focused on winning the mayoral race, even as Hochul became one of the first major New York Democrats to endorse him for mayor.

Im focusing on November, and I appreciate her support, and I appreciate her work, Mamdani said when pressed by a moderator.

This story has been updated with additional details.

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By Nandita Bose, Gram Slattery and Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy came to the White House on Friday looking for weapons to keep fighting his country's war with Russia, but met an American president who appears more intent on brokering a peace deal than upgrading Kyivs arsenal.

While U.S. President Donald Trump did not rule out providing the long-range Tomahawk missiles Zelenskiy seeks, Trump appeared cool to the prospect as he looked ahead to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a matter of weeks.

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Trump's move to re-engage with Putin, a strategy that has frustrated Kyiv and some European allies in the past, cast a shadow on the U.S. president's otherwise cordial exchange with his Ukrainian counterpart as they spoke with reporters ahead of a private lunch.

Trump said the two leaders would discuss his call the previous day with the Russian president. He portrayed himself as a mediator between the two warring forces, despite the fact that Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

'GET ALONG A LITTLE'

"I think President Zelenskiy wants it done, and I think President Putin wants it done. Now all they have to do is get along a little bit," Trump said.

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Zelenskiy, however, noted how difficult it has been to try to secure a ceasefire. "We want this. Putin doesn't want (it)," he said.

The Ukrainian leader was frank, telling Trump that Ukraine has thousands of drones ready for an offensive against Russian targets, but needs American missiles.

We don't have Tomahawks, that's why we need Tomahawks, he said.

Trump responded: "We'd much rather have them not need Tomahawks."

Later, Trump reiterated that he wants the United States to hold onto its weaponry. "We want Tomahawks also. We don't want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country," he said.

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After the talks, which Zelenskiy described as productive, he told reporters he did not want to talk about long-range missiles, saying the U.S. did not want escalation.

He said he was counting on Trump to pressure Putin "to stop this war."

Trump said in a post on Truth Social that the meeting was "cordial" and that "I told him, as I likewise strongly suggested to President Putin, that it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL!"

BACK TO THE TABLE

It was unclear what Putin had told Trump that prompted him to agree to the upcoming meeting. Their August summit in Alaska ended early with no major breakthrough.

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The Kremlin said much needed to be decided and that the summit might take place "a little later" than within the two-week period mentioned by Trump.

Trump's conciliatory tone after the call with Putin raised questions over the near-term likelihood of assistance to Ukraine and reignited European fears of a deal that suits Moscow. A spokesperson for the European Union said it welcomed the talks if they could help bring peace to Ukraine.

Trump was asked on Friday whether he was concerned Putin might be "playing" him for time by agreeing to talks.

"You know, I've been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well, so it's possible," Trump replied.

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The president expressed affection for Zelenskiy, at one point praising him for sporting a dark suit jacket after he was knocked earlier this year for visiting the White House without one.

"He looks beautiful in his jacket," Trump said. "I hope people notice ... it's actually very stylish."

WAR HAS INTENSIFIED

Trump, who has campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, is eager to add to the list of conflicts he says he has been instrumental in ending.

More than 3-1/2 years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has made some territorial gains this year, but Ukraine's top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Thursday that the Russian offensive had failed.

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Putin this month said his forces had taken almost 5,000 square kilometres (1,930 square miles) of land in Ukraine in 2025 - equivalent to adding 1% of Ukraine's territory to the nearly 20% already held.

Both sides have also escalated attacks on each other's energy systems, and Russian drones and jets have strayed into NATO countries.

ANALYSTS SEE TALKS AS DELAYING TACTIC

The White House had seemed in recent days to be increasingly frustrated with Putin and leaning toward granting Zelenskiy fresh support, including the Tomahawk missiles that Ukrainians say would help them inflict more damage to Russia's war machine.

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Several U.S. and Ukrainian officials emphasized before Trump's meeting with Zelenskiy that no decision had been made, and opinions differed on how Trump would ultimately decide the matter.

Putin's move appeared meant to make the U.S. transfer of such weapons less likely, said Max Bergmann, a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"It does seem that Putin's outreach is perhaps designed to thwart the potential transfer of Tomahawks to Ukraine, so Putin is wanting to put that back in the box," Bergmann said. "It strikes me as sort of a stalling tactic."

Mykola Bielieskov, a senior analyst at Come Back Alive, a Ukrainian non-governmental organization that is a major procurer of military equipment for the Ukrainian armed forces, said Tomahawk missiles would level a playing field that is tipped toward Russia, but that they would not be a silver bullet.

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"We don't expect Russia to crumble after one, two or three successful strikes," Bielieskov said. "But it's about pressure, constant pressure. It's about disrupting the military-industrial complex."

(Reporting by Jeff Mason, Nandita Bose, Gram Slattery and Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Olena Harmash in Kyiv, Cassel Bryan-Low and Tom Balmforth in London, Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, Bhargav Acharya in Toronto, Anita Komuves in Budapest and Anastasia Lyrchikova in Moscow; writing by James Oliphant; editing by Philippa Fletcher, Colleen Jenkins and Rod Nickel)
By Nandita Bose, Gram Slattery and Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy came to the White House on Friday looking for weapons to keep fighting his country's war with Russia, but met an American president who appears more intent on brokering a peace deal than upgrading Kyivs arsenal.

While U.S. President Donald Trump did not rule out providing the long-range Tomahawk missiles Zelenskiy seeks, Trump appeared cool to the prospect as he looked ahead to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary in a matter of weeks.

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After speaking with Zelenskiy for more than two hours, Trump issued a stern call to both sides on social media to "stop the killing, and make a DEAL!"

"They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!" Trump said.

Trump's move to re-engage with Putin, a strategy that has frustrated Kyiv and some European allies in the past, cast a shadow on the U.S. president's otherwise cordial exchange with his Ukrainian counterpart as they spoke with reporters ahead of a private lunch.

Trump said the two leaders would discuss his call the previous day with the Russian president. He portrayed himself as a mediator between the two warring forces, despite the fact that Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

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'GET ALONG A LITTLE'

"I think President Zelenskiy wants it done, and I think President Putin wants it done. Now all they have to do is get along a little bit," Trump said.

Zelenskiy, however, noted how difficult it has been to try to secure a ceasefire. "We want this. Putin doesn't want (it)," he said.

The Ukrainian leader was frank, telling Trump that Ukraine has thousands of drones ready for an offensive against Russian targets, but needs American missiles.

We don't have Tomahawks, that's why we need Tomahawks, he said.

Trump responded: "We'd much rather have them not need Tomahawks."

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Later, Trump reiterated that he wants the United States to hold onto its weaponry. "We want Tomahawks also. We don't want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country," he said.

After the talks, which Zelenskiy described as productive, he told reporters he did not want to talk about long-range missiles, saying the U.S. did not want escalation, and that he was "realistic" about his chance of getting them.

The Ukrainian president, who spoke by phone with European leaders after the meeting, said he was counting on Trump to pressure Putin "to stop this war."

When asked about Trumps social media post, Zelenskiy said: "President (Trump) is right, and we have to stop where we are. This is important, to stop where we are, and then to speak."

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BACK TO THE TABLE

It was unclear what Putin had told Trump that prompted him to agree to the upcoming meeting. Their August summit in Alaska ended early with no major breakthrough.

The Kremlin said much needed to be decided and that the summit might take place "a little later" than within the two-week period mentioned by Trump.

Trump's conciliatory tone after the call with Putin raised questions over the near-term likelihood of assistance to Ukraine and reignited European fears of a deal that suits Moscow. A spokesperson for the European Union said it welcomed the talks if they could help bring peace to Ukraine.

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Trump was asked on Friday whether he was concerned Putin might be "playing" him for time by agreeing to talks.

"You know, I've been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well, so it's possible," Trump replied.

The president expressed affection for Zelenskiy, at one point praising him for sporting a dark suit jacket after he was knocked earlier this year for visiting the White House without one.

"He looks beautiful in his jacket," Trump said. "I hope people notice ... it's actually very stylish."

WAR HAS INTENSIFIED

Trump, who has campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, is eager to add to the list of conflicts he says he has been instrumental in ending.

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More than 3-1/2 years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has made some territorial gains this year, but Ukraine's top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Thursday that the Russian offensive had failed.

Putin this month said his forces had taken almost 5,000 square kilometres (1,930 square miles) of land in Ukraine in 2025 - equivalent to adding 1% of Ukraine's territory to the nearly 20% already held.

Both sides have also escalated attacks on each other's energy systems, and Russian drones and jets have strayed into NATO countries.

ANALYSTS SEE TALKS AS DELAYING TACTIC

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The White House had seemed in recent days to be increasingly frustrated with Putin and leaning toward granting Zelenskiy fresh support, including the Tomahawk missiles that Ukrainians say would help them inflict more damage to Russia's war machine.

Several U.S. and Ukrainian officials said before Trump's meeting with Zelenskiy that no decision had been made, and opinions differed on how Trump would ultimately decide the matter.

Putin's move appeared meant to make the U.S. transfer of such weapons less likely, said Max Bergmann, a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Mykola Bielieskov, a senior analyst at Come Back Alive, a Ukrainian non-governmental organization that is a major procurer of military equipment for the Ukrainian armed forces, said Tomahawk missiles would level a playing field that is tipped toward Russia.

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"We don't expect Russia to crumble after one, two or three successful strikes," Bielieskov said. "But it's about pressure, constant pressure. It's about disrupting the military-industrial complex."

(Reporting by Jeff Mason, Nandita Bose, Gram Slattery and Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Olena Harmash in Kyiv, Cassel Bryan-Low and Tom Balmforth in London, Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, Bhargav Acharya in Toronto, Anita Komuves in Budapest and Anastasia Lyrchikova in Moscow; writing by James Oliphant and Matt Spetalnick; editing by Philippa Fletcher, Colleen Jenkins and Rod Nickel)
VMPL New Delhi [India], October 17: The campus of CGC University, Mohali, came alive with brilliance and boundless energy as SAVISKAR 2025, a two-day techno-cultural extravaganza, unfolded -- celebrating the fusion of technology, creativity, and youthful innovation. Across these two power-packed days, the university transformed into a dynamic hub of discovery and excitement. The fest featured a spectrum of high-octane events -- from the adrenaline-pumping VaultHeist Hackathon and Robo Wars to the strategic debates of the National MUN, and the captivating aerial Drone Show that lit up the skies with futuristic flair. Attendees witnessed fierce competitions in Battle of Bands, electrifying Dance Contests, and the much-awaited Drift Show, which added a thrilling touch of motorsport spectacle to the campus. The fest also became a platform for young thinkers and creators to exhibit their prowess through events like Thinkathon, TechXhibit, The Best Manager Competition, and Forensic Evidence Research, each challenging participants to blend intellect with imagination. Winners from across institutions emerged as champions of innovation and excellence -- Raghav Sharma claimed top honors at the National MUN, Divya Yadav triumphed in The Best Manager Competition, Team Slot Smart impressed all with their ingenuity at Thinkathon, The Forensists in Forensic Evidence Research, while Vishal Kumar stood tall as the winner of TechXhibit. Each of them, along with many more talented participants, walked away with cash prizes worth 5,000 and beyond, celebrating not just victory but vision. Beyond the realm of competition, SAVISKAR 2025 was a feast for the senses. The venue brimmed with food stalls offering a medley of flavors from across the nation, transforming the campus into a bustling culinary carnival. Adding to the fest's grandeur were exclusive movie promotions for the much-anticipated films "Godday Godday Chaa 2" and "Soohe Ve Cheere Waleya", further amplifying the star-studded atmosphere. Evenings at SAVISKAR shimmered with music, dance, and sheer magic. Students of CGC University, Mohali, took center stage with performances that reflected their artistic brilliance and unbridled passion. The celebrations soared to new heights with enthralling live concerts by Kushagra Thakur, the vibrant Sunanda Sharma, and Bollywood's iconic music maestros Salim-Sulaiman, whose electrifying performances transformed the grounds into a sea of rhythm, light, and euphoria. Guided by the visionary leadership of the management of CGC University, Mohali, SAVISKAR 2025 was more than an event -- it was an experience that encapsulated the institution's mission to nurture future-ready leaders through innovation, collaboration, and creativity. It provided a transformative platform for students to learn, lead, and leap beyond the ordinary, embodying the spirit of excellence that defines CGC. As the curtains drew on this magnificent celebration, SAVISKAR 2025 stood as a testament to the power of imagination and intellect -- a symphony of ideas, innovation, and inspiration. It left behind a legacy that will continue to ignite young minds, reminding every CGCian that brilliance isn't just created -- it's cultivated, celebrated, and carried forward to shape the world of tomorrow. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
By Nandita Bose, Gram Slattery and Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy came to the White House on Friday looking for weapons to keep fighting his country's war with Russia, but met an American president who appears more intent on brokering a peace deal than upgrading Kyivs arsenal.

While U.S. President Donald Trump did not rule out providing the long-range Tomahawk missiles Zelenskiy seeks, Trump appeared cool to the prospect as he looked ahead to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary in a matter of weeks.

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After speaking with Zelenskiy for more than two hours, Trump issued a stern call to both sides on social media to "stop the killing, and make a DEAL!"

"They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!" Trump said.

Trump's move to re-engage with Putin, a strategy that has frustrated Kyiv and some European allies in the past, cast a shadow on the U.S. president's otherwise cordial exchange with his Ukrainian counterpart as they spoke with reporters ahead of a private lunch.

The two leaders then went behind closed doors where they also discussed a call the previous day between the Russian president and Trump, who has portrayed himself as a mediator between the warring forces despite the fact that Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

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'GET ALONG A LITTLE'

"I think President Zelenskiy wants it done, and I think President Putin wants it done. Now all they have to do is get along a little bit," Trump told reporters.

Zelenskiy, however, noted how difficult it has been to try to secure a ceasefire. "We want this. Putin doesn't want (it)," he said.

The Ukrainian leader was frank, telling Trump that Ukraine has thousands of drones ready for an offensive against Russian targets, but needs American missiles.

We don't have Tomahawks, that's why we need Tomahawks, he said.

Trump responded: "We'd much rather have them not need Tomahawks."

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Later, Trump reiterated that he wants the United States to hold onto its weaponry. "We want Tomahawks also. We don't want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country," he said.

After the meeting, which Zelenskiy described as productive, he told reporters he did not want to talk about long-range missiles, saying the U.S. did not want escalation, and that he was "realistic" about his chance of getting them.

The Ukrainian president, who spoke by phone with European leaders after the meeting, said he was counting on Trump to pressure Putin "to stop this war."

When asked about Trumps social media post, Zelenskiy said: "President (Trump) is right, and we have to stop where we are. This is important, to stop where we are, and then to speak."

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BACK TO THE TABLE

It was unclear what Putin had told Trump that prompted him to agree to the upcoming meeting. Their August summit in Alaska ended early with no major breakthrough.

The Kremlin said much needed to be decided and that the summit might take place "a little later" than within the two-week period mentioned by Trump.

Trump's conciliatory tone after the call with Putin raised questions over the near-term likelihood of assistance to Ukraine and reignited European fears of a deal that suits Moscow. A spokesperson for the European Union said it welcomed the talks if they could help bring peace to Ukraine.

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Trump was asked on Friday whether he was concerned Putin might be "playing" him for time by agreeing to talks.

"You know, I've been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well, so it's possible," Trump replied.

Michael Carpenter, a former U.S. official who is now a senior fellow at International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the meeting with Trump was not what Zelenskiy had been hoping for but was in line with the administration's approach to the war.

"The underlying reality is that there is no inclination to impose costs on Russia," he said.

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The president expressed affection for Zelenskiy, at one point praising him for sporting a dark suit jacket after he was knocked earlier this year for visiting the White House without one.

"He looks beautiful in his jacket," Trump said. "I hope people notice ... it's actually very stylish."

WAR HAS INTENSIFIED

Trump, who has campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, is eager to add to the list of conflicts he says he has been instrumental in ending.

More than 3-1/2 years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has made some territorial gains this year, but Ukraine's top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Thursday that the Russian offensive had failed.

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Putin this month said his forces had taken almost 5,000 square kilometres (1,930 square miles) of land in Ukraine in 2025 - equivalent to adding 1% of Ukraine's territory to the nearly 20% already held.

Both sides have also escalated attacks on each other's energy systems, and Russian drones and jets have strayed into NATO countries.

ANALYSTS SEE TALKS AS DELAYING TACTIC

The White House had seemed in recent days to be increasingly frustrated with Putin and leaning toward granting Zelenskiy fresh support, including the Tomahawk missiles that Ukrainians say would help them inflict more damage to Russia's war machine.

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After Friday's talks, Zelenskiy said Russia was "afraid" of Tomahawks. Moscow has warned that supplying such missiles would mark a serious escalation.

Putin's move appeared meant to make the U.S. transfer of such weapons less likely, said Max Bergmann, a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Mykola Bielieskov, a senior analyst at Come Back Alive, a Ukrainian non-governmental organization that is a major procurer of military equipment for the Ukrainian armed forces, said Tomahawk missiles would level a playing field that is tipped toward Russia.

"We don't expect Russia to crumble after one, two or three successful strikes," Bielieskov said. "But it's about pressure, constant pressure. It's about disrupting the military-industrial complex."

(Reporting by Jeff Mason, Nandita Bose, Gram Slattery and Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Olena Harmash in Kyiv, Cassel Bryan-Low, Tom Balmforth in London, Daphne Psaledakis and David Brunnstrom in Washington, Bhargav Acharya in Toronto, Anita Komuves in Budapest and Anastasia Lyrchikova in Moscow; writing by James Oliphant and Matt Spetalnick; editing by Philippa Fletcher, Colleen Jenkins and Rod Nickel)
COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE)  Tennessee Department of Transportation crews are continuing to repair the section of I-40 in Cocke County that was washed out during Hurricane Helene. The agency recently shared information on how large steel boxes will help make those repairs happen.

On Monday, TDOT shared a video on social media of Regional Communications Officer for East Tennessee Mark Nagi answering a followers question of Whats up with the big steel boxes on I-40?

Hearing set for four of Trumps Tennessee Valley Authority board nominees

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Nagi explained that to make the repairs to the eastbound lanes of I-40 that washed out during Hurricane Helene, crews will need to use quite a few building blocks, which have the technical name of sacrificial trench boxes. The steel boxes are 12 feet tall, 30 feet long and four-and-a-half feet wide.

(TDOT) (TDOT) (TDOT) (TDOT) (TDOT) (TDOT) (TDOT) (TDOT)

The trench boxes are used to hold foundational elements, called micropiles, which anchor the slope the road is on into the bedrock, Nagi explained. Those two elements together create a low retaining wall, or tow wall, that stabilizes the ground and protects against future flooding.

Once in place, were able to then repair the eastbound lanes that were washed out. Crews will need nearly 200 of these boxes to rebuild all four damaged wall sections, Nagi said.

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The sacrificial trench boxes are just one structural element that crews are using in the repairs. Officials with the North Carolina Department of Transportation also explained to 6 News in August that they are using a new technology: roller compacted concrete walls. These walls are typically used in building dams, and are 30 feet wide and 70 feet tall.

Pet microchip scanners installed at two Knoxville fire stations

In March, one lane of I-40 was reopened in each direction with a 35 mile per hour speed limit. TDOT shared earlier this year that it anticipates to fully reopen I-40 during the summer of 2026.

When Hurricane Helene happened in September 2024, a portion of the roadway along I-40 washed out near the Tennessee-North Carolina state line. The U.S. Department of Transportation provided more than $350 million in emergency relief funds to repair the damages caused by the hurricane, including $70 million for TDOT to repair multiple facilities including I-40 and I-26.

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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 WATE 6 On Your Side.
CADDO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  Calumet has launched its Calumet Cares grant program.

It offers Caddo, Bossier, and Webster parish teachers the chance to fund a STEM project they would like to do in their class. Michkayla Coleman was this weeks winner, receiving 1,000 dollars.

She speaks on the programs hopeful outcome.

So with this project, this is Ridgewoods first year having a robotics program, and I am the 8th-grade science teacher. With that, I would like to connect the standards across by increasing the technology and enhancing the topics that we talk about more in-depth.

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This initiative helps these teachers with their STEM projects.

Once again, congratulations, Michkayla, and good luck on your project moving forward.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
Teachers have been accused of brainwashing children with a simplistic view of aviation, which is deterring pupils from considering a potential career in the industry.

Aviation bosses said that while schools were quick to blame the industry for high carbon emissions, they often failed to highlight the career opportunities available in helping the sector to reach net zero.

Richard Gardner, chairman of the Farnborough Air Science Trust, which runs an aerospace archive and museum, said pupils are commonly taught that aviation is a gas-guzzling industry and that fuel is bad.

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Speaking at the Farnborough Aerospace Consortium (FAC) conference, Mr Gardner said: I sometimes worry about the teaching profession. It has become quite woke and too simplistic. We must start to tell children that you cant uninvent things, you have to work to make them greener and at the same time more efficient and attractive to operators.

Some teachers do brainwash them and they therefore dont join the dots. They spend all their time on their phones but dont realise that the technology comes from defence and aerospace innovation.

Mr Gardner said that talking down aerospace risks exacerbating an existing skills shortage as engineers responsible for building and maintaining the current generation of planes retire. Britains aerospace and defence industry is the second largest in the world after the US, contributing more than 40bn to the economy and employing almost half a million people.

Mr Gardner added: If we dont replace them, the aerospace and airline sectors will suffer and India and China  where huge numbers of engineers are currently being trained  will take our place.

Perception issue

Stephen Cowan, of GKN Aerospace, said Britains legal commitment to achieving net zero emissions from aviation by 2050 should encourage school leavers and graduates to join the industry, rather than deter them.

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He said: If young people really want to change things then going into aerospace is a great option.

Everyone in the sector wants clean, sustainable flight. The more bright minds who take up the challenge, the quicker well have it  but the work must start in primary schools.

Alan Fisher, chief executive of the FAC, said aviation is grappling with a perception issue despite producing only about 2pc of emissions, or about the same as the shipping sector.

He said: Youd think it was 99pc if you listened to some commentators.

Most goods around the world are carried by ships which are often extremely bad for the environment. People dont often see shipping but they will see planes overhead and notice the contrails and that reinforces the perception.

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Dr Stephen Curran, who advised David Camerons government on the 2014 overhaul of the national curriculum, said schools have embedded climate issues in almost all subject areas.

He said: The messaging on climate from teachers, TV and social media has the effect of demonising air travel, aviation and aerospace.

The curriculum really must try and balance the messaging by informing students that the answer to the climate issue must also come through technology and innovation and that we wont solve problems by boycotting things and judging industries on their perceived morality.

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The tensions that had been building for months over a bill aiming to clamp down on antisemitism in California schools came to a head on a Friday morning last month.

Lawmakers gathered in an annex next to the State Capitol for an 11th-hour hearing before a final vote later that day on one of the most controversial pieces of legislation this session. In the days prior, members of the legislatures Jewish Caucus had been scrambling to salvage the bill, watering down its language and cutting deals to appease fellow Democrats who were concerned it would have a chilling effect in classrooms during lessons about Israel and the war it was waging against Hamas.

But they werent yet in the clear. The assemblymember chairing the hearing opened it by lamenting that he was being forced to choose between fighting antisemitism and protecting teachers freedom to teach. He railed that he had seen the latest version of the bill only days before and pressed its authors to shelve it for a year, pointing to the opposition they had faced pushing the bill to the finish line.

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In response, one of the authors wept as she talked about Jewish hate being the oldest hate in the world, adding later that the Jewish Caucus was not trying to sneak around and do anything harmful to anyone. The other teared up when he recounted all the work that had gone into writing and rewriting the proposed law. Yet a third lawmaker, a critic of the bill, nonetheless cried over seeing the tears in my colleagues eyes  even as she criticized them for robbing her of a vote with their last-minute deal making.

The display of raw emotions over the contentious proposal highlighted how Democrats, who control a supermajority in California, are far from a monolith. The debates and fights that played out in Sacramento mirrored broader divides around the country over Israel and the devastating war, pitting pro-Palestinian groups against Jewish organizations, while also forcing lawmakers to draw their lines on how far the state should go in policing speech in classrooms.

For better or for worse, this bill became a proxy to a war taking place halfway across the globe that is affecting communities here in the state of California, said Democratic Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, a member of the Jewish Caucus. We are responsible for enacting legislation that impacts the quality of life of Californians, and so I think there was a lot of resistance to the bill for those reasons.



While it ended up with a law that broadly guards against antisemitism in schools, the Jewish Caucus set out last year to target something far more specific: the curriculum in ethnic studies classes.

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The courses, typically taught in high schools, can cover a wide array of topics loosely related to historically marginalized groups and cultures. But with Israels war against Hamas having sparked a protest movement in the U.S. calling on it to relent, the Jewish Caucus decided to take on what one member described as a lack of curriculum standards that allow groups with biased ideological agendas to peddle factually-inaccurate and blatantly antisemitic curriculum to school districts, posing a threat to Jewish childrens safety. They introduced a bill in February last year to impose standards requiring factually and historically accurate teaching.

The idea was met with resistance as fissures formed between Democrats and labor unions they typically align with. California Teachers Association, one of the states most powerful unions, blasted a part of the proposal that required districts to seek approval to make changes to their ethnic studies courses, calling it a level of control that is unprecedented in other academic disciplines. In August, the authors of the bill, Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur and Assemblymember Dawn Addis, a longtime teacher, eventually hit pause on the measure, in order to have more honest conversations.

"It's important that we get this right the first time, said Zbur at the time.



The authors came back in February this year with a similar proposal that had a sizable backing of 31 co-authors. But pro-Palestinian groups continued to attack it as one that would stifle criticism of Israel. And in emotional meetings that often stretched late into the night, leaders of other diversity caucuses in the legislature met with Zbur and Addis to convey their concerns that by focusing narrowly on the ethnic studies courses, the Jewish Caucus risked doing more harm than good.

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Ethnic studies is not the problem, Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, the vice chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, recalled telling the authors during a floor speech. Learning the histories of Black and Brown and AAPI and Indigenous people in this state  that is not the problem.

Teacher union officials asked the Jewish Caucus to hit reset and work on a broader measure. After getting an extension to bypass a committee hearing deadline, the Jewish Caucus in May announced plans to pivot.

We were really trying to perfect yet a third approach that our colleagues and the stakeholders had asked us to move towards, Zbur said in an interview.



The late change of direction left the Jewish Caucus pressed for time. And there was no guarantee that after obliging CTAs request the union would sign off on their new plan.

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The caucus quickly unveiled language for a new bill that was nearly empty of specifics of what it would do. With a deadline approaching for bills to pass their house of origin, the caucus pushed a general framework through two committees and the full Assembly in late May, giving assurances that talks would continue.

Details, such as they were, didnt come out until late July. In addition to creating an antisemitism prevention coordinator, the proposal would penalize schools that foster an antisemitic learning environment, which the bill defined, in part, as one that puts Jewish students at risk of bullying, harassment or violence. It spelled out some antisemitic tropes and conspiracies, banning portrayals in the classroom of Jews as privileged or wealthy and any messaging directly or indirectly denying the right of Israel to exist.

While Gov. Gavin Newsom had remained mum on where he stood on the bill, the new language allowed the Democratic governor to appoint the coordinator. In an interview at the time, Addis praised Newsom for his support of Jewish issues and said she expected there would be good conversations with him about the antisemitism bill.

CTA opposed the measure within days, continuing to raise alarms about it censoring classroom discussions about Israel and that war. The union also objected to the proposals singular focus on antisemitism, saying it might be seen as prioritizing one form of discrimination over others. With the bill slated for a key vote in the Senate Education Committee in less than a week and the results uncertain, the labor groups dissent dealt a blow. Leaders of Jewish organizations went public with their frustrations, blaming CTA for putting the safety of Jewish students at risk.

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With time running out, members of the Jewish Caucus asked for another accommodation. They went to Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire and pressed him for help, telling him they werent willing to shelve the bill until next year.

McGuire agreed to delay the hearing until after the summer recess, bypassing another deadline and giving lawmakers more time to negotiate. And then in an unusual move for a leader of a chamber, McGuire and his staff  along with Senate Education Chair Sasha Renee Perez  got deeply involved. This was not a laissez-faire approach, Zbur said. They were using the influence of their positions to try to bring the parties together.



While lawmakers were inching closer to agreement during summer recess, dissent grew from outside the statehouse. Lily Greenberg Call, a former staffer at the Department of the Interior and the first Jewish appointee in the Biden administration to publicly resign over the war in Gaza, penned an op-ed in The New York Times in August claiming California Democrats were doing Donald Trumps work for him by using antisemitism as a means to stifle dissent about Israel.

Greenberg Call said it was ironic that vocal opponents of Trump such as state Sen. Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, co-chairs of the Jewish Caucus, along with Zbur, would push legislation straight from the same political playbook. The scathing piece reverberated around Sacramento, leaving Jewish lawmakers seething. Zbur, in an interview, worried the op-ed would sway public opinion about the bill, calling it outrageous.



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Wiener, in a news briefing in late August, said the comparison was false and extremely dangerous, noting that just because Donald Trump is abusing antisemitism doesn't mean that antisemitism somehow doesn't exist.

Greenberg Call, in an interview, said she didnt intend to go after individual lawmakers or their intentions, but wanted to call out what she sees as weaponization of antisemitism to crack down on free speech from both parties.

Theres a reason why people don't see the Democratic Party as being able to effectively fight fascism or be in opposition to Trump right now, Greenberg Call said. Part of it is bills like this. Because using their tactics doesn't make you seem like an opposition party. It makes you seem like Republicans-light.

Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian groups pushed for a seat at table. Lara Kiswani, executive director of the Arab Resource & Organizing Center, said the group asked repeatedly to meet with the bills authors but were given the run around.

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They did meet with members of the education committees that were debating the bill and several lawmakers in diversity caucuses. They delivered teddy bears to the lawmakers offices with the names of Palestinians killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. Students learn about Anne Frank, read a note attached to the stuffed animals. AB 715 would prevent students from learning about the genocide in Gaza.

Both sides, meanwhile, were working furiously to sway another key group. Leaders of Service Employees International Union, the influential labor organization, were being called on to oppose the measure by the California Faculty Association, one of its affiliates, and its Local 1021, which represents school employees.

In June, members of the local passed a resolution calling for SEIU leadership to oppose the bill, arguing it would make union members working in schools vulnerable to censorship, suspension, firing, lawsuit, doxing, arrest, abduction or deportation. And although the measure would impact only K-12 schools, the local warned it would open the door to similar political attacks on college campuses.

SEIU ultimately held off after union leaders had conversations with Jewish Caucus members that Gabriel characterized as frank and honest.

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It was a really big deal that they did not oppose, said David Bocarsly, executive director of the Jewish Public Affairs Committee. I think it's indicative of their desire to work with the Jewish community.

A spokesperson for SEIU declined to comment.

A person with knowledge of the discussions said that key members of the Jewish Caucus, who have previously supported legislation on behalf of SEIU and other labor groups, spent years and years of political capital that they had built up to get the bill passed.

This [bill] had several near-death experiences, so anything more in the opposition camp could have killed it, the person said, adding that it was hard enough to overcome CTA, much less SEIU.



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The Jewish Caucus was still finalizing language heading into the last week of the legislative session in September.

In a last-ditch effort to shore up votes, members met in private with other lawmakers, making deals to significantly amend their bill. Most notably, the authors cut any definition of an antisemitic learning environment as well as restrictions around how teachers were allowed to discuss controversial issues. To assuage concerns of other diversity caucuses, they agreed to support a second bill that would add four additional coordinator positions intended to guard against discrimination based on someones religious beliefs, race and ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.

And Addis and Zbur agreed to a request from Newsoms office that coordinators be placed under the purview of the Government Operations Agency, which the governor oversees. The move was made despite legislative staff pointing out in an analysis that the agency has no expertise in educational civil rights compliance, unclear authority to engage in compliance activities, and no direct relationship with schools.



After the Senate Education Committee signed off on AB 715, attention turned to the Assembly. CTA and other key groups remained opposed over concerns that language still in the measure requiring that classroom instruction be factually accurate could lead to teachers censoring themselves.

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The last-minute deals left Al Muratsuchi, the chair of the Assembly Education Committee, feeling used and ignored by his fellow Democrats. In May, he had allowed the bill to pass his committee when it was still light on specifics with the understanding that he would be able to work with the authors on a final proposal. Over the summer recess, he had sent in his concerns to the Senate Education Committee, but never heard back.

Yet, now Muratsuchi was about to chair a hearing on a bill he had not been consulted on.

The final hearing on AB 715 would be purely informational. Muratsuchi said he expected that his committee would be allowed to vote on the measure after it passed the Senate floor, but wasnt allowed to do so. Nick Miller, a spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, attributed the decision to the time crunch lawmakers were under with the end of session looming. Procedural rules, he said, dictated a vote would have had to be held late in the evening and party leaders wanted to hold the hearing during the day when the public would have a better chance to weigh in.

While it was mostly a futile gesture, Muratsuchi still went hard after the legislation.

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I hate to be in this position where I have to choose in what I see as a false choice that is being forced on all of us  between fighting antisemitism and coming up with a responsible policy proposal that will not attack education, and that will not suppress critical thinking and open discussion in our classrooms, he said.

Addis and Zbur wept while addressing the committee, as did Mia Bonta, a member of the committee. It was an extraordinary scene punctuated by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, a member of the Jewish Caucus who also sits on the committee, telling Muratsuchi how "resentful" he was at his tone as several caucus members looked on in the audience.

The next morning, Zbur confronted Muratsuchi in the hallway outside the Assembly floor about how he had conducted the hearing. The two Democrats stood inches apart arguing angrily before Muratsuchi stormed into the chamber.

Zbur later accused Muratsuchi, who is termed out but is running for state superintendent for public instruction, of scoring political points by publicly castigating his colleagues who were doing our very best to try to protect these children. Muratsuchi declined to comment on the confrontation, but said his comments at the hearing were based on letters of opposition hed read from an array of education groups that included both labor and management, which rarely align on policy. His sole motivation, he said, was trying to do the right thing to achieve the overall goal of the bill without censoring important classroom discussions and academic freedom.

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Muratsuchis stand could not stop the bills passage, which had been all but assured by the compromise with the diversity caucuses. In the wee hours of the following morning, lawmakers in both chambers passed the proposal without a dissenting vote. Muratsuchi abstained, along with 13 other members.



Newsom signed it into law not long after, while also calling for follow-up legislation next year to address some of the oppositions concerns. The governor, when asked about the measure last week, said the law is a work in progress to set up standards for dealing with hate and discrimination across the spectrum.

The fight over the bill could now move to the legal arena. John Affeldt, managing attorney at the civil rights law firm Public Advocates  which opposed the bill  predicted that there will be many lawsuits on both sides with claims on one side over what is deemed antisemitic followed by counter-claims over free speech violations.

Indeed, hours after Newsom signed the bill, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee told supporters in an email: Starting now, we litigate.

Nicole Norman contributed to this report.




As he seeks to fulfill one of his signature initiatives, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is facing criticism over the highly unusual way his office awarded a lucrative contract to a tech company that has financial ties to the nonprofit he founded.



But Lurie and one of his top advisers, Ned Segal, are defending the process they followed to give OpenGov, a San Francisco government technology firm, a contract worth up to $5.9 million in the first year to overhaul the city's notoriously complicated permitting system.

The Lurie administration cast a wide net this spring when it asked companies for ideas about how to centralize the city's fragmented permit processes and create a single online destination for applicants to seek permits from any department that issues them.

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Records obtained by the Chronicle show the mayor's office homed in on OpenGov as a potential winner and decided to contract with the company without taking the usual next step of putting the contract out to bid. To do so, it cited a little-known section of the administrative code that allows the city to pick a particular type of software that it wants to license.

In choosing OpenGov, the office passed over another company that had pitched a far less costly vision for reforming the permitting system. It also overrode staff concerns about OpenGov and broader support for the competitor, Clariti, according to a Chronicle review of hundreds of pages of documents obtained in recent weeks through public records requests.

The San Francisco Standard first reported on the documents and the questions they raised.

The decision to forgo the normal process opened up the Lurie administration to criticism that his office may have unfairly chosen OpenGov, particularly because of the long-standing ties between Lurie, his former nonprofit Tipping Point and OpenGov leaders.

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It's a reflection of how Lurie, who entered office in January as an outsider promising to draw on his nonprofit background and private sector connections to make City Hall more efficient, is straying from bureaucratic norms as he seeks to accomplish his goals as quickly as possible. Lurie has made no secret of his desire to do things differently as he looks to execute his agenda.

"We're trying something new," Lurie told city staff Wednesday as he talked about the OpenGov project. "What you all have been doing - and some of you have been here for a long time - has worked to a point. But we still have to get better.  I got elected because people were tired of all the ways that we had been doing things. They wanted to see change."

Segal, Lurie's chief of housing and economic development, told the Chronicle in an interview Thursday that the city sought an array of information from potential vendors because "we wanted to learn in a really open-ended way" from software providers the city had worked with - and those it had not. After reviewing about 50 submissions and closely evaluating a subset of them, Segal said he and Elizabeth Watty, the head of Lurie's permit reform initiative, chose OpenGov.



"We wanted a really strong product, but also a product that would grow with the city as we rolled it out to more departments as our needs changed," said Segal, a former chief financial officer for Twitter. The fact that the company is based in San Francisco was "an added plus all else equal," he said.

But Supervisor Jackie Fielder, a progressive who has at times been critical of the moderate Lurie, said she was concerned San Francisco was paying OpenGov much more than it needed to compared with its competitor, Clariti.

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"I'm concerned that the city is being exposed to real risks of conflicts of interest, and that billionaire tech bros with connections to the mayor's office are getting preferential treatment," Fielder said in a statement to the Chronicle.

Ed Harrington, the former longtime city controller, said he had never heard of the section of the administrative code the mayor's office cited to award the contract.

"I would think they put this in for something like you are buying a Microsoft product," Harrington said. He was critical of how the decision-making process seemed to be insulated within the mayor's office.

OpenGov said in a statement that it is "committed to fair and transparent public procurement processes, grounded in our mission to power more effective and accountable government.



"As a company founded and headquartered in San Francisco, we're deeply committed to making this project a success for the City and everyone it serves," the statement said.

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Started in 2011 by entrepreneur Zac Bookman and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, OpenGov provides technology to more than 2,000 government customers. In its submission to the city in June, OpenGov said it was founded on the premise that "state and local governments deserved access to modern cloud software suited for their increasingly complex needs" and that "citizens deserved transparency and engagement."





Zac Bookman, center, speaks with Daniel Lurie at the ceremony for the Chronicle's "Visionary of the Year" award in 2015. Lurie's administration is under fire for its award of a contract to Bookman's company, OpenGov. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle)





Bookman, its CEO, is a San Francisco resident who studied corruption in Mexico as a Fulbright scholar. In 2015, he was nominated for the Chronicle's "Visionary of the Year" award by Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, a former 49er and board member emeritus of Tipping Point. A Chronicle photographer captured Bookman speaking with Lurie at the award ceremony.

Bookman contributed $500 to Lurie's mayoral campaign in 2023 and $500 to Lurie's competitor Mark Farrell the next year, records show. Bookman and other OpenGov leaders have given more than $31,000 to Tipping Point over the years, with most of the sum contributed about 10 years ago, said Tipping Point spokesperson Max Szabo, who is also an adviser to Lurie. Tipping Point raises about $30 million annually.

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OpenGov is also linked to Lurie through an adviser, Katherine August-deWilde, a major Lurie benefactor who was on the board of the company before it was acquired by Cox Enterprises. August-deWilde is on the Tipping Point board and has given extensively to the nonprofit and donated to support Lurie's mayoral bid. She currently serves as president of the Partnership for San Francisco, a CEO council formed at Lurie's urging to advise the city on the economy.

Segal said OpenGov's connections to Lurie had no bearing on the city's decision to grant the permit contract to the company.

One of Lurie's first initiatives after he took office this year was PermitSF, a plan to bring speed, predictability and transparency to a city permitting system not known for any of those attributes.

Within a year, Lurie hoped to roll out a new system that would let permit seekers track the status of their applications across departments and implement technology to help departments more easily facilitate permit approvals on the back end.

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His office began speaking with OpenGov about its plans as early as April 2, when Segal wrote an email connecting Bookman with Florence Simon, who had just started her job as director of the mayor's innovation office weeks earlier. Segal said Bookman could "help us think through permitting technology."

"Zac has been patiently waiting for the right partner :)," Segal wrote.

Emails show that Bookman then visited Simon at City Hall, that Simon went to OpenGov's offices to see their product in person and that Simon spoke with an official from Cambridge, Mass., to learn more about the city's work with OpenGov. Emails show that at least one other company, Accela, had also talked to Simon about PermitSF.

"I was hearing from a lot of different vendors" at the time, Simon told the Chronicle. "I took all those meetings."

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Simon told OpenGov in a May 19 email that she had a "great" call with the Cambridge official, who was "very transparent about the process and what OpenGov brought that was so unique."

The next day, the city issued a request for information seeking ideas from potential vendors.

OpenGov and Clariti were among the dozens that responded. In OpenGov's submission, the company estimated the city would pay $1.9 million annually for software services and as much as $8 million to get the technology up and running. Clariti, meanwhile, estimated $528,000 for software licensing and as much as $1.4 million for implementation.

Ned Segal, chief of housing and economic development for Mayor Daniel Lurie, oversaw the awarding of a contract to OpenGov that is now under scrutiny. (Courtesy of Ned Segal)





But Segal said those figures aren't comparable because the city did not solicit detailed questions about costs, giving vendors wide latitude in how they crafted their financial estimates in their submissions.

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As the Lurie administration evaluated the submissions, officials turned to staff in multiple departments for input. Those who assigned scores at two different points in the process indicated a preference for Clariti over OpenGov, records show.

"The general consensus of most testers is that Clariti is the most suitable of the 3 products, and that there were gaps so significant in the other two products that they shouldn't be considered," staff wrote in a July 25 document. They were summarizing results of a technical assessment of three finalists: Clariti, OpenGov and LeapThought.

Segal said the city didn't set up a formal scoring panel to definitively select OpenGov as the permitting vendor. While the Lurie administration considered technical evaluations provided by some city staff, Segal and Watty also evaluated the vendors in other ways.

"We got the best feedback from people when we all got in a room and we just asked everybody to talk about the pros and cons of the different companies," Segal said.

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Simon drafted a presentation in late July that sheds more light on why the city went with OpenGov over Clariti. The presentation said OpenGov executives had "addressed many of our outstanding product roadmap concerns," but Clariti left officials "with some outstanding concerns on implementation experience and partnership approach."

Segal announced the selection of OpenGov internally on Aug. 14, nearly two weeks before he and Lurie announced the choice publicly.

"We believe OpenGov is best aligned with the guiding principles we outlined in the RFI, and glowing references and executive sponsorship give us confidence they will be the right partner as we transform permitting across departments," Segal said in the internal announcement.

On Oct. 2, Segal signed a one-year contract with OpenGov, with a renewal option for two years.

This article originally published at A tech firm with ties to Mayor Lurie got a big city contract. Did it get preferential treatment?.




RYE - Police in Westchester County are searching for three thieves who allegedly broke into Playland Park and stole 200 stuffed animals late last month.

The young men arrived at the amusement park in a small boat in the overnight hours of Sept. 23, climbed a fence and ripped out the fiber optic cables that provide the park's phone and internet service, Westchester County Police said Friday. The 280-acre park, owned by the county government, is located on the Long Island Sound north of Rye Beach.

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Security cameras captured the trio hauling away approximately 200 stuffed animals in garbage bags, police said. They also attempted to lift a photo booth over a fence and into the water, according to pictures provided by police, though authorities said they were unsuccessful.

Police said the trio hauled away 200 stuffed animals in garbage bags. (Courtesy of Westchester County Police)





The thieves allegedly attempted to boost a photo booth into the Long Island Sound. (Courtesy of Westchester County Police)





The department publicly released photographs of the men taken from the park's surveillance footage after investigators were unable to identify them in the aftermath of the theft. In photos, two of the men appear shirtless and one is barefoot.

County officials did not immediately respond to questions.

Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at 914-864-7916.

This article originally published at Teddy larceny: Thieves breach Westchester County Playland, steal 200 stuffed animals.
A teen was arrested after shots were fired in a neighborhood on Thursday morning.

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Just after 10:30 a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to reports of shots fired in the 200 block of North 17th Street in Richmond, Indiana.

TRENDING STORIES:

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Upon arrival, officers secured the scene and located evidence consistent with gunshots being fired.

Officers were also advised that vehicles and individuals that were possibly involved were in the 1st block of South 16th Street.

Several people who were suspected of being involved were detained by additional officers, according to the department.

The investigation ultimately resulted in the arrest of a teenage juvenile for criminal recklessness and other gun-related charges.

Were seeing too many young people making choices with weapons that can take a life in an instant. Parents, know where your kids are, who theyre with, and what theyre doing. These moments cant be undone, Richmond Police Chief Kyle Weatherly said.

The matter remains under investigation at this time.

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo.  A 17-year-old has been certified as an adult and charged in connection with a deadly stabbing in Jennings last year.

The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office has charged Darnell Warner with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the stabbing death of 14-year-old Justin Brooks.

The stabbing occurred just after 3 p.m. on March 12 in the 2400 block of Hord Avenue, a short distance from a school.

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Investigators say Brooks suffered a stab wound to his chest during an altercation. School resource officers responded to an emergency call and provided first aid to Brooks. He was rushed to the hospital but later died of his wounds.

Worker dies from injuries after being hit by car in CWE: SLMPD

The St. Louis County Police Department says detectives later reviewed citizen footage, which showed Warner armed with a bladed instrument confronting Brooks in the street, resulting in the stabbing.

A follow-up investigation revealed that clothing worn by Warner in the footage was found in his home, including a hoodie hidden in an air vent. Forensic testing later matched Warners DNA to the hoodie.

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A court arraignment hearing over Warners charges is scheduled for Friday, according to online Missouri court records.

NOTE: Video is from FOX 2s coverage of the stabbing in March 2024.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
ST. LOUIS  Ten months following the murder of a teenager in the citys West End Neighborhood, another teen has been charged and certified as an adult.

According to officials, the Juvenile Court certified 17-year-old Thomas Russell as an adult Wednesday.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a call for a shooting on Dec. 18, 2024, in the 5600 block of Enright Ave. When they arrived, they found 19-year-old Khalil McCleary with several gunshot wounds.

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McCreary was transported to a hospital where he later died.

Russell is charged with first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, and possession of an illegal weapon.

An initial appearance is scheduled for Friday afternoon.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is accelerating its expansion in Arizona, driven by strong demand for advanced chips in AI and high-performance computing, FocusTaiwan reported. The company will accelerate production timelines for two planned fabs and invest $65 billion in Arizona to construct three advanced wafer fabs, with an additional $100 billion planned for the next few years. CC Wei, Chairman and CEO of TSMC, stated on Thursday that the world's largest contract chipmaker will accelerate its pace of production expansion and technology upgrades in the US state of Arizona, while continuing to invest in Taiwan, according to FocusTaiwan. Speaking at an investor conference, Wei said TSMC's investment project in Arizona proceeded smoothly, adding the company has acquired a large piece of land closer to the existing compound for expansion. The company plans to establish a megafab cluster in Arizona, which will manufacture chips using advanced processes, including 2nm and A16 technologies, Focus Taiwan reported. After the 2nm process starts mass production in Hsinchu and Kaohsiung later this year, Wei said, production will accelerate in 2026 and the more sophisticated N2P and A16 processes are expected to begin commercial production in the second half of 2026. TSMC has partnered with Amkor Technology to develop 3D Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate (CoWoS) packaging and integrated fan-out (InFO) assembly services in Arizona. The first fab in Arizona began commercial production in 2024, while the second fab is expected to start production soon, with the third fab adopting 2nm and A16 process technologies. Despite its aggressive expansion overseas, TSMC will continue to invest in Taiwan, building more advanced wafer fabs and IC assembly plants. TSMC's global expansion also includes projects in Japan and Germany, with the company reviewing client demand and market conditions to determine mass production schedules. In Kumamoto, Japan, Wei said, the first fab using speciality processes has mass-produced chips since the end of 2024, while construction of the second has also started, and the timeframe of mass production will be decided based on market reality. In Dresden, Germany, Wei said that construction of a fab, also utilising speciality processes, proceeded well. TSMC will review clients' demand and market conditions to map out a mass production schedule. Before the two IC assembly plants are ready to operate, Wei said, TSMC has worked with an outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) company that has broken ground on a plant in Arizona. The cooperation is expected to help the chipmaker provide services to its clients in the United States. Wei did not identify the OSAT partner. However, US-based Amkor Technology Inc. announced in August the building of an IC assembly and testing plant in Arizona, with production scheduled to start in early 2028. In October 2024, TSMC and Amkor announced they would strengthen their cooperation to develop 3D Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate (CoWoS) packaging and integrated fan-out (InFO) assembly services. Wei said demand for CoWoS services remained tight, but TSMC has kept narrowing the gap between demand and supply by expanding the services during the current AI boom. In Taiwan, Wei said that efforts to build more advanced wafer fabs and IC assembly plants will not slow down, despite the government's strong support, even as it pursues aggressive expansion overseas. TSMC's expansion in Arizona is expected to turn the state into a self-sustaining semiconductor manufacturing hub, meeting growing demand for advanced chips in AI, smartphones, and high-performance computing. (ANI)
ST. LOUIS  A teen was sentenced to several years in prison after accidentally shooting and killing another teen while playing Russian roulette in north St. Louis.

On Thursday, 19-year-old Mary Lashawn Cornelius was sentenced to seven years in prison for the deadly shooting of 16-year-old Mattison Johnson.

Cornelius pleaded guilty to first-degree involuntary manslaughter after admitting in court Thursday that she was playing with a gun when she accidently shot and killed Johnson. During her statement, Cornelius acknowledged that the two were playing Russian roulette at the time of the shooting.

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Courtroom audio reveals moment STL Sheriff was locked up

Investigators say, on the afternoon of Jan. 3, Johnson was found bleeding on the living room floor of a home after sustaining a gunshot wound to her head in the 1400 block of East Grand Boulevard, located in north St. Louis College Hill neighborhood. At the time of the shooting, Cornelius and Johnson were living together.

In court Thursday, Cornelius, as well as her sister, apologized to Johnsons family before her sentencing.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Three 16-year-olds were arrested and charged with burglary after officers from the Terre Haute Police Department (THPD) found them in the Indiana Theatre, police wrote in a news release.

According to THPD, officers responded to a report of masked individuals seen on security cameras inside the building just after 8 p.m. Thursday. THPD stated that they quickly formed a perimeter around the building and conducted a search with the help of K-9 Simba. During the search, Simba immediately located two individuals who surrendered as Simba approached their position. The third suspect was later located in an elevated area of the theatre and also surrendered before any contact with Simba was made.

THPD investigates vandalism at Fairbanks Park

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Officers stated that they recovered masks and tools from the scene, which were utilized for forced entry. The three juveniles were identified as being from Terre Haute and all three were taken to Vigo County Juvenile Center.

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 MyWabashValley.com.
A Tennessee business that owns an explosives plant where a devastating blast killed 16 people last week said it is committed to determining the cause of this unprecedented tragedy.

Accurate Energetic Systems, an explosives manufacturing company, was shaken on the morning of Oct. 10 when an explosion leveled one of the buildings on its 1,300-acre campus near the town of Bucknsnort about 50 miles west of Nashville.

Those in the community say AES has long had a good reputation as a driver in the local economy. But the company has also seen past troubles, including a negligence lawsuit tied to another fatal blast in 2014 and the 2008 misdemeanor conviction of its then-president John Sonday for destruction of government property.

First responders work at Accurate Energetic Solutions in Hickman County following an explosion Friday, October 10, 2025.

The blast this month was so powerful it clocked a 1.6 magnitude on the Richter Scale, used for measuring earthquakes, and could be felt miles away. The cause is under investigation, which will be a lengthy process, the company said in an Oct. 16 statement to The Tennessean.

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AES in its statement said it has a positive safety record.

Our dedication to the highest safety standards has been our constant priority for 45 years at our facilities and in our community, the company said. This is shared not just by our company leadership but by our team members and our civic and elected officials. This is another reason why this tragedy is so difficult to comprehend.

Founded in 1980, AES for decades has been a well-known employer in the rural counties surrounding its campus. AES employs less than 200 people, according to the company's LinkedIn

The companys owner is Nashville resident Kimberly Sonday, the wife of John Sonday. John Sonday for years served as president but now serves as the board chairman and is a semi-retired consultant for the company. Wendell Stinson is the chief executive officer.

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Tennessee Secretary of State records show Kimberly Sonday as the companys registered agent. Records show John Sonday transferred the title to his wifes name in 2022.

AES President John Sonday stands and speaks at the podium during a visit by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee at Accurate Energetic Systems (AES) in McEwen, Tenn., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2020.

A past conviction

Court records show that John Sonday was convicted of a federal misdemeanor for destruction of government property in connection with a $94,000 contract with the U.S. Navy to supply explosive materials for shoulder fired rockets.

According to court documents, Sonday agreed to use a specific chemical mixture but then in 2003 ordered his employees to use a substitute that didnt meet specifications. Prosecutors said he later lied about the swap and several employees reported him to federal authorities.

Sonday in 2008 was sentenced to five months in federal prison and ordered to pay $94,000 in restitution.

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The company declined to comment on Sondays case.

Despite the criminal conviction, the government continued to do business with the company as Sonday remained as president.

Gov. Bill Lee shakes the hand of AES president John Sonday in front of the many attendees and employees during a visit by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee at Accurate Energetic Systems (AES) in McEwen, Tenn., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2020.

A high-risk field

AES is listed as a woman-owned small business that develops and supplies a range of explosives for defense, aerospace and other industries.

A company profile by the Association of the United States Army says AES operates an explosive fabrication plant that produces a litany of engineered devices like pentolite pellets and pelletized explosives.

The plant also processes and blends highly explosive powders and manufactures explosive melt pour processing items like warheads, grenades, mortars, mining boosters and trinitrotoluene (TNT) cylinders.

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Public records show AES since 2002 has been awarded more than $100 million in federal contracts, including from the U.S. Army and Navy. The Army recently awarded AES a $119,591,567 contract for the procurement of TNT, a Sept. 23 Department of War article shows. AES was the sole bidder.

A memorial is seen outside Accurate Energetic Systems Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. An explosion at the facility killed 16 people and injured several others Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.

Explosives and pyrotechnics manufacturing is an inherently hazardous process, according to an Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidebook. Failure to properly recognize unsafe conditions and to take steps to mitigate the hazards can result in unexpected circumstances that can, and do, result in injury or death.

Workers must wear protective gear like respirators as particles can become airborne.

Clark Mica, president of the Institute of Makers of Explosives, which serves as a voice for the commercial explosives industry, said AES has been a member since 1996. John Sonday once served as board chairman, according to court records.

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Mica in a statement said the organization over the years has awarded AES several health and safety achievement certificates for companies with exceptional safety records.

Mica said he has visited the site several times, most recently in August for a company event in support of OSHAs national Safe & Sound Week.

Each visit reinforced my deep respect for the companys unwavering commitment to safety as their highest priority, he said.

Another fatal explosion

Last weeks explosion marks the second time AES has seen a deadly blast on the campus.

On April 16, 2014, AES was leasing a building to a company called American Sporting Supplies, which manufactured shotgun shells, when an explosion killed worker Rodney Edwards as he was installing a steel barrier fixture between gunpowder hoppers, according to court documents.

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Worker Joseph Clark lost an eye and two fingers in the explosion, while another employee, Sheila Edwards, suffered severe injuries.

Clark, Sheila Edwards and Rodney Edwards widow, Kathryn Edwards, sued AES alleging negligence and lax workplace safety standards.

Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration later cited American Sporting Supplies for more than two dozen legal and safety violations for a total fine of $98,200.

During the inspection it was determined that the employer was lacking in most of the required programs for their particular industry, TOSHA noted in its report. The employer had conducted little or no training for the employees on the hazards and/or safe handling of the gun powder that they were exposed to on a daily basis.

Governor Bill Lee exits a press conference held at gate 1 of Accurate Energetic Systems Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025.

The lawsuit, which names AES and John Sonday, alleged the company knew American Sporting Supplies was not following workplace safety laws in the building but failed to take any action.

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Lawyer Colby Baddour, who represented the plaintiffs, in an interview said AES as part of its lease agreement had a responsibility to ensure American Sporting Supplies was following state regulations.

It was something that could have been prevented, he said.

AES denied the allegations in the lawsuit, and the case was settled for an undisclosed amount.

AES in its Oct. 16 statement said the explosion was in a building operated by a different company for which AES had no management or operational role.

We maintain high industry standards and have regular reviews by state and federal regulators, the company said.

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A 2019 TOSHA investigation showed AES had previously committed several safety violations that left multiple employees with symptoms including seizures. AES was fined $7,200, but the the company contested that penalty and some violations were later removed.

Support in the community

Kim Sonday, wife of AES President John Sonday, gets emotional and happy while listening to Tennessee Governor Bill Lee speak during a visit at Accurate Energetic Systems (AES) in McEwen, Tenn., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2020.

Those in the rural community surrounding the campus said AES has long had a good reputation as an employer. Many of those in the small, close-knit town of Waverly knew the victims.

Grey Collier, a spokesperson for Humphreys County, said she has always heard good things about the company.

In 2020, the company was celebrated by Gov. Bill Lee for creating 80 new jobs in the area as part of a $9.7 million expansion. The company received a $601,000 FastTrack Economic Development grant from the state for the expansion.

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Marcia Alexander, head of the Hickman County Chamber of Commerce, said AES has been a longtime chamber member and sponsor of local events like the Fourth of July fest and annual chamber dinner.

Its just heartbreaking, she said. Im sure that any precautions that could have been taken were taken.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TN explosives company praised for safety but had past criminal charge
Tensions are mounting between Pakistan and Afghanistan amid reports of separate attacks along the border, as a fragile truce between the neighbours, and once allies, is extended for another 48 hours.

An initial 48-hour ceasefire between the two sides came into effect this week after days of bloody cross-border attacks. As it was set to expire at 13:00 GMT on Friday, both sides agreed to an extension, diplomats in Pakistan and Afghanistan said.

But just hours later, Pakistans military carried out strikes in southeastern Afghanistan, according to Afghan officials.

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The bombings struck southeastern Paktika province and two other areas close to the Pakistan border, and included a strike on a civilian house in Khanadar village that resulted in casualties, police spokesman Mohammadullah Amini Mawia told the Associated Press. He gave no further details, including how the strikes were delivered. However, an official at Paktika provincial hospital speaking on condition of anonymity, told the AFP news agency that 10 people were killed in the attack.

The strikes in Afghanistan came hours after Pakistani officials said a suicide car bomber backed by the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) attacked a compound of security forces near the border, killing several people in the area.

Pakistani police official Irfan Ali said the TTP attacked a military compound in Mir Ali, a city in North Waziristan district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Accounts of losses suffered during the attack varied. The official, quoted by the AP, said three fighters were killed in an intense shootout and did not report any troop casualties.

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Reuters however quoted Pakistani security officials as saying seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in an attack by a fighter who rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the wall of a Pakistani military camp in North Waziristan.

The anonymous officials said two other fighters were shot dead as they tried to get into the facility. At least 13 were left injured.

Pakistans Geo News reported that four assailants from TTP were killed in a suicide attack on a military camp in North Waziristan, with security sources saying security forces had suffered no losses.





Deadly clashes

The initial truce, imposed on Wednesday, brought a temporary halt to the deadliest clashes between the neighbours since 2021, when the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of United States and NATO forces.

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The conflict, which threatens to destabilise a region where groups like ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda are trying to resurface, was triggered after Islamabad demanded that Kabul rein in fighters who had stepped up attacks in Pakistan, saying they operated from havens in Afghanistan.

The Taliban denies the charge and accuses the Pakistani military of spreading misinformation about Afghanistan, provoking border tensions, and sheltering fighters to undermine its stability and sovereignty.

Media reported that Qatar has offered to host peace talks between the two countries in Doha, though neither government has confirmed the offer.

Reporting from Peshawar, Al Jazeeras Kamal Hyder said there had been some talk of a meeting in Doha  Friendly countries are trying to make efforts in order to ensure that the ceasefire is extended.

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He described the situation on the border as tense, adding that Pakistan had stated that unless the Afghan side addressed its concerns, the situation would be precarious and can escalate at any moment.

Afghanistans Taliban government said on Thursday that Pakistan had carried out two drone attacks on Kabul the previous day, just before the ceasefire came into effect. Doctors told AP that five people were killed and dozens were injured.





The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said on Thursday that 37 civilians were killed and 425 were wounded in Afghanistan as a result of cross-border clashes with Pakistan this week.

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Pakistan has not provided figures for civilian casualties suffered on its side of the border.

On Thursday, Dawn cited Pakistans Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the military, as saying 34 India-backed terrorists from Fitna-al-Khawarij  the governments term for TTP  had been killed during multiple operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the week.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says his office will investigate the University of North Texas after the school ignored his earlier call to investigate and discipline students who a classmate accused of celebrating the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

In a letter Thursday, Paxton also accused the university of failing to investigate what he called ongoing radical leftist activity on campus, including a student who allegedly approached a table set up by Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded, and shredded the groups materials. He also condemned posters from student groups allegedly promoting militant movements and threats against the student who reported her classmates for celebrating Kirks shooting.

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Educational institutions cannot be incubators of violent radical leftists, Paxton wrote. Therefore, I implore you to take the only proper disciplinary action against the students who celebrated the death of Charlie Kirk: expulsion.

Kirk was killed on Sept. 10 at an event at Utah Valley University. Mary-Catherine Hallmark, the UNT student referenced in Paxtons letter, said in TikTok videos posted that day that she confronted classmates after one student showed a video of Kirk being shot and others cheered. She said she got into an argument with them before her professor told her, not the other students, to take this outside. Hallmark said she left the classroom in tears and went to the dean of students office and then the psychology department chair to report what happened, but felt the university did not really care.

In response to Paxtons announcement Thursday, university officials said in a statement: The University of North Texas holds the safety of its students as a primary responsibility and takes the allegations reported to Attorney General Paxton seriously. UNT will cooperate fully with the Attorney Generals investigation, and will continue the universitys thorough review of the matter while respecting the confidentiality of those processes.

Paxton first urged the university in a Sept. 19 letter to investigate the students and review the professors conduct. He said they may have violated the student code of conduct, free speech, and employee ethics policies, which require staff to act impartially and avoid viewpoint discrimination.

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UNT had previously said in a statement that the recent actions of a few of our community members regarding Mr. Kirks death do not represent the values of our community, though it did not directly confirm the Sept. 10 incident Hallmark described. The university said students who violate the code of conduct will be held accountable, but it didnt say whether it was investigating or disciplining anyone.

Paxtons office, Hallmark and the universitys Turning Point USA chapter did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.

Free speech experts told the Tribune last month that speech that mocks, trivializes or promotes violence is generally protected by the First Amendment. They said the bar for limiting speech comes when students incite or solicit violence, though it can be difficult to prove in court. Experts have also criticized state leaders for lauding Kirk  who often made comments many considered hateful or inappropriate  as a free speech champion while calling for the punishment of those who have celebrated his death.

Last month, Gov. Greg Abbott shared a video on X of a Texas State University student mocking Kirks death and wrote expel this student immediately. The student told the schools student newspaper they were given two choices: withdraw or be expelled. He said he chose to withdraw.

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The investigation also comes as public universities face tremendous political pressure from the states Republican leaders and following more than a month of turbulence at the schools.

At Texas A&M, a clip showing a professor teaching about gender sparked political backlash and the presidents resignation weeks later. Other universities, in an apparent attempt to avoid similar controversies, have requested reviews of their courses, with the Texas Tech University System specifically ordering faculty to comply with federal and state guidance that only recognizes two sexes, male and female.

Faculty have told the Tribune the universities actions have already limited discussions of transgender and nonbinary identities in their classrooms, which they say goes against longstanding academic freedom protections.

The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.

Disclosure: Texas Tech University System and University of North Texas have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here.


Bargain hunters, mark your calendars! Senior Life Midlands Texas Size Garage Sale is offering 50% off on Saturday, October 18th, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

All departments are open, all items are 50% off at the register. Furniture, home decor, clothing, books, kitchenware, antiques, and more; shop it all, while supporting Meals On Wheels and help provide nutritious meals to homebound seniors in Midland County.

The Texas Size Garage Sale is a Midland tradition, said Tracy Renton, Director of Development at Senior Life Midland. This 50% off sale is a wonderful opportunity to save big while making a meaningful impact for local seniors.

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 50% Off Sale

 Saturday, October 18, 2025 | 9:00 a.m.  2:00 p.m.

 407 E. Scharbauer Dr.

 Free Admission

About Senior Life Midland:

Since 1974, Senior Life Midland has been a lifeline for Midlands most vulnerable seniors, combating malnutrition, isolation, and loneliness. Through daily safety checks and dedicated care, we empower seniors to remain independent, healthy, and secure in their own homes.

Senior Life Midland is a leading organization in our community dedicated to addressing the challenges of aging seniors. We develop efficient, flexible, and compassionate solutions to meet the needs of Midlands seniors.

For More Information, Contact:

The post Texas size garage sale offers 50% off this Saturday appeared first on Odessa American.
Federal immigration arrests and a new drone detection system at the Texas Department of Public Safety headlined law enforcement developments this week as the federal government shutdown entered its third week.

The Department of Homeland Security claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are continuing to make arrests of violent offenders despite not being paid because of what the agency called the Democrats government shutdown.

DHS Arrests Alleged Criminal Aliens

In an X post on October 15, DHS wrote, Despite the Democrats government shutdown, our brave law enforcement officers are risking their lives WITHOUT PAY to arrest and remove the worst of the worst from our homeland. Here are a few criminals arrested by @ICEgov yesterday.

Despite the Democrats government shutdown, our brave law enforcement officers are risking their lives WITHOUT PAY to arrest and remove the worst of the worst from our homeland. Here are a few criminals arrested by @ICEgov yesterday:  Homeland Security (@DHSgov) October 15, 2025

A subsequent tweet identified one of those suspects as Adrian Alberto Morales-Maldonado, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of aggravated robbery in Hidalgo County, Texas.

In a press release issued the same day, DHS said ICE officers were risking their lives amid a 1000% increase in assault against them, bounties on their heads and threats to their families from foreign and domestic terrorists, and claimed they were now working without pay because of the Democrats government shutdown.

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The release stated that ICE had arrested several individuals described as the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens. Those listed included Morales-Maldonado and others allegedly convicted of crimes ranging from child sexual assault to large-scale drug trafficking.

Its time for Democrats to end the government shutdown, so our ICE officers can get their paychecks as they work to make America safe again, said Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS.

Another DHS post in the same thread identified a separate suspect as Edgar Ivan Ponce-Aldaco, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to sell or distribute more than 50 kilos of marijuana in Comstock, Texas.

The bust of this apparent marijuana maven followed other law enforcement actions against the substance in DFW.

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In August, Dallas police seized a large quantity of narcotics during a separate operation in Southwest Dallas, according to a report from The Dallas Express.

Nearly 400 pounds of marijuana were confiscated from a storage facility after officers received a tip about an incoming drug shipment, the outlet reported. The Special Investigations Divisions Organized Crime & Racketeering Squad executed a warrant at a location on Communications Drive, where detectives allegedly found about 398 pounds of marijuana.

Anytime we get drugs off the street, its a success  and almost 400 pounds of marijuana taken off the street represents a significant success, said Major Yancey Nelson, commander of the division.

One suspect, identified as 47-year-old Zhenqi Lin, was charged with possession of marijuana between 50 and 2,000 pounds, a second-degree felony.

DPS Deploys Drone Detection System

While federal officers reportedly continued operations without pay, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced a technological milestone in state law enforcement.

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In an October 15 release, DPS said it became the first agency in the nation to deploy Airborne Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ACUS), a helicopter-mounted system designed to detect and respond to drones that could threaten public safety or interfere with emergency operations.

As drone use continues to evolve and expand across the country, so does the potential for these devices to be misused in ways that threaten public safety and law enforcement operations, said Chief Pilot Stacy Holland of DPSs Aircraft Operations Division.

The agency said the new system, which became fully operational in August, can quickly detect, identify and avoid hostile or unauthorized drones  protecting our aircrews, ground personnel and the communities we serve.

The ACUS platform reportedly alerts pilots and dispatchers in real time to drone activity and can pinpoint the precise geolocation of both the drone and its operator. DPS emphasized that the technology will not be used for direct enforcement or interdiction but for situational awareness and safety purposes.

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The department described the initiative as a major step forward in ensuring the safety of aircrews, first responders and the communities we serve.

Texas Takedown Weekly is a recurring series from The Dallas Express chronicling significant immigration-related arrests, prosecutions, and law enforcement developments across Texas.

To read last weeks edition, click Texas Takedown Weekly: Illegal Abortion Network To Special Interest Aliens (October 10, 2025).
For most travelers, spending time in an airport is rarely something to look forward to. Instead, it brings anxiety and stress, as long lines, delays, and inefficiencies lead to increased pressure and frustration. These concerns have been heard, and for one airport in Houston, those investments are paying off. The Houston Hobby Airport is listed as the third best airport in North America on Skytrax's Best Airports by Global Region for 2025. Houston Hobby has also made the airport survey company's coveted list of Top 100 Airports in the World for 2025, and although it comes in at No. 27, it is the highest-ranking U.S. airport on the list.

Located just 10 miles southeast of downtown Houston, just off Interstate 45, this compact airport has just a single terminal boasting 30 gates and is primarily serviced by Southwest Airlines. Despite this smaller size compared to its neighbor, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston Hobby handles approximately 200 flights per day, both domestic and international. Notable population growth in the region continues to put pressure on the airport, and billion-dollar investments are being made in infrastructure to keep this airport experience positive for travelers.

Winning multiple awards throughout the years (including being one of the cleanest airports in the U.S.), it is clear that the traveler experience has been a priority for Hobby. The airport offers a range of seating options, charging outlets, and free fast Wi-Fi throughout the terminal. To improve traveler wait times without compromising safety and security, investments have focused on technology that eliminates the need to remove laptops and liquids during the screening process.

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Read more: The Four Unspoken Rules For The Airplane's Empty Middle Seats

Houston Hobby improvements focus on elevating the traveler experience

Woman riding past a glass mural at the Houston Hobby Airport - James Leynse/Getty Images

Demonstrating a commitment to reduce carbon emissions, Houston Hobby's garage has a unique photovoltaic (PV) solar system that generates 100% clean energy to power the airport's operations. In a press release by Houston Airports, Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for Houston Airports, said, "This project is proof that sustainability can be practical, visible, and directly tied to the passenger experience." Additionally, to reduce curbside congestion and traffic emissions, an intuitive rideshare space was developed with shaded seating for passenger comfort.

The Houston culinary scene is renowned, and Hobby is making sure that travelers who don't leave the airport can still get a taste of the city's vibrant flavors. Three local hotspots have outposts at the airport: The Spot, LaTrelle's Tex-Mex Kitchen, and The Rustic, highlighting Texas foodie staples.

Hobby has become a hub for recognizing local artists, gathering one of the largest collections of public art in the state of Texas, and gaining notoriety as one of the best airports for public art in the country. Showcasing regional identity, the airport also offers an artist-in-residence program, allowing passengers to observe the artists while they are creating in person, in real-time. This has garnered another Skytrax award, as the Houston Airport System takes the No. 1 spot for the World's Best Art in the Airport in 2025, beating out top-rated hubs like Singapore Changi and Amsterdam Schiphol, both of which have some of the most bizarre airport attractions in the world.

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Read the original article on Islands.
PNN New Delhi [India], October 17: As we all are waiting to celebrate Diwali with our loved ones, there are enthusiastic investors who are looking for Muhurat trading. This year, we'll see this trading session happening in the afternoon from 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM on October 21, 2025 (Tuesday). But the big question remains of how to make the most from this auspicious trading session? This blog will provide you with all the answers on how you can pick the stocks, set up trades, and make it a really Happy Diwali. 8 Tips for Successful Muhurat Trading in 2025 Firstly, you need to open free Demat Account with SMC Global Securities to ensure a faster and smoother trading experience. Here are the 8 important tips you need to keep in mind while entering the Muhurat trading in 2025: 1. Decide Between Trading and Investing The first and foremost thing you need to decide before going for Muhurat trading is to choose between trading and investing. While one style requires faster execution and early gains, the other benefits from fundamental and compounding strength. At this time, you can trade and invest across equities, commodities, currencies, and F&O. It is important to pre-decide on which stocks and futures, and options (F&O) you want to trade and invest. This provides a clear roadmap to execute the order in the short duration of 1-hour Muhurat trading. 2. Go with Large Cap Stocks Large-cap stocks are ranked among the top 100 companies based on market capitalization. As Muhurat trading time spans only for 1 hour, these stocks provide sufficient liquidity to execute buy and sell orders. If you go with small-cap or penny stocks, then they have thin volumes and lower liquidity. This can lead to loss of opportunities and sharp fluctuations, which can erode your invested capital. However, the blue-chip or quality stocks have strong fundamentals and face lower volatility, making them an ideal choice for Diwali 2025 trading. 3. Avoid Cyclical Stocks Cyclical stocks are the ones that are closely linked to economic performance. They tend to be highly volatile, as their prices can fluctuate sharply due to policy changes, geopolitical developments, or economic cycles. Examples include pharmaceuticals, real estate, and automobile stocks. On the other hand, non-cyclical stocks, such as FMCG and utilities, have more predictable business models, making them relatively safer choices. However, it is important to conduct specific stock analysis, as not all non-cyclical stocks give stable returns. 4. Be Ready with Your Stock Analysis Stock analysis is something that you need to do every time you execute a buy and sell order. For fundamental analysis, you can prepare a list of stocks that have a reasonable valuation in their respective industry, have a stable ROE, and have a history of delivering stable returns and regular dividends. Since this is also the time for second-quarter results announcements, you can also look for companies that have shown a sharp turnaround in profits or announced major investment and expansion plans for the coming quarters. 5. Stick to Your Trading Plan In the Muhurat session, trading required sharp actions in just one hour. For this, you can prepare the list of stocks based on moving averages, RSI, MACD, etc. For example, if a stock's 50-day moving average crosses above its 200-day average, it may indicate a bullish trend. Identifying such patterns a day before the Muhurat trading can help you save time, and you can mark them on your stock alerts watchlist for faster updates. You will directly get the notification when the stock breaks out of such patterns, and you can grab the opportunity at the right time. 6. Invest in Gold and Silver ETFs Gold and silver are breaking all the records this year, and the festive season is considered to be auspicious to invest in the yellow and white metals. As the prices of these metals are touching the sky, it might be difficult for everyone to buy physical gold or silver this year. With gold and silver ETFs, anyone can start investing in these assets just by buying one unit of the fund. You can consider allocating at least 10% - 15% of your investment in these metals to diversify your portfolio. 7. Keep a Check on Your Budget It is a time when your monthly budget can get haywire for buying new clothes, gifts, sweets, and much more. So, the amount you usually keep aside from your monthly income for investments may get redirected towards festive spending. To avoid such a situation, you can keep aside the amount you wish to deploy for Muhurat trading. You can also use the dedicated apps to keep track of your spending activities and stay aligned with your budget. 8. Avoid Any Fake Stock Tips During Diwali, you may see an endless number of reels and posts on unauthorised social media handles providing you with stock tips. It is crucial to distinguish the fake stock advice from the honest one, which is backed by research analysts and brokerage houses. For this, you can visit the respective sites of the brokerage and research firms and study their detailed report. However, you should be ready with your trading plans and list of stocks to execute timely trades on the Diwali special Muhurat trading session. Conclusion For Muhurat trading, it is important to follow one mantra: "Every successful execution requires prior planning." From picking quality stocks to investing in gold and silver ETFs, this is a celebratory time for every investor. To bring in the new financial year, take your first step towards investing and keep reading SMC Global Securities blogs to stay updated on stocks, mutual funds, and more. Disclaimer: This article is only for informational purposes and does not intend to advise or recommend any sort of investment or platform. About the Author: I am Sheetal Goel, working as a content writer at SMC Global Securities. I hold 5+ years of experience in financial research and writing. As an Economics graduate and MBA (Finance), I possess the right skills to craft valuable blogs and make finance easy for readers. Disclaimer: This is a press release for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or decision-making. Investing in stocks includes financial risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. Readers should conduct their own research or consult with a qualified advisor before making any decisions. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
A Scotch egg and a pork pie used to be the pints natural companions. In todays Britain, its more likely pad Thai. Who wouldnt want a roast duck curry after a few pints of ale? says beer writer Will Hawkes. It certainly beats crisps.

We may have lost more than 15,000 pubs since 2000 but there are now around 2,500 Thai restaurants nationwide and a great many of them are found inside pubs. No other cuisine has managed to replace typical pub grub so pervasively. It is one of those cultural combinations that is typical of modern Britain, says Hawkes. It always surprises me when visitors from abroad are taken aback by it.

The Churchill Arms in Londons Kensington  famous for its iconic hanging baskets, a kaleidoscope of floral foliage  claims to be the first pub in the country to have offered Thai fare, in the late 1980s. Before then, food wasnt a big concern, recalls its general manager James Keogh; the pub was open for limited hours and regulars were satisfied with jacket potatoes, cottage pie and fish and chips.

The Churchill Arms claims to be the first pub in the UK to have offered Thai food, but is also famous for its colourful hanging baskets - Annabel Staff

The breakthrough came in 1989 when one of those regulars, a Thai chef named Ben Songkot Boonyasarayon, suggested to the then landlord, Gerry OBrien, that he try serving Thai food. Of course that was instantly dismissed, says Keogh. Thai food in an English pub like this? Its not going to work. But he persisted.

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Boonyasarayon started operating out of the pub kitchen and his food was an instant hit. Today the layout of the pub reflects that: there are 44 seats in the bar (where drinkers can also enjoy the Thai menu) and 46 in the dining area, originally a courtyard that was later enclosed because demand was so high.

Over time, Keogh has added paintings of canals in Thailand and small Thai flags to the pubs bric-a-brac decor, which includes many a nod to Winston Churchill. The kitchen itself runs as a franchise, now headed by Paew Kloijai Samphaothong  who started as a kitchen porter in 1990.

Fullers, which owns The Churchill Arms, soon began rolling out this model  The Latymers in Hammersmith came next  and today it has eight pubs in the city serving the familiar British-Thai roster of pad Thai, red and green curry. They share the scene with cult favourites such as the Heron in Paddington, the Pineapple in Kentish Town and the Faltering Fullback in Finsbury Park which have all made Thai food a defining part of their identities (which, at the latter, is a joyful blend with its Irish pub vibes).

Deep fried soft shell crab with chilli, peppercorn and crispy holy basil at The Herons Thai restaurant - Martin Pope

Some menus have even gone beyond the common formula. Operating from the Salutation in Hammersmith, Khun Pakin Thai serves less typical dishes  think duck larb ped, papaya salad with salt crab and fermented fish sauce, and raw shrimps in seafood sauce. PSV Cuisine serves both Laotian and Thai food at The Crown and Cushion in Lambeth, while Kanchanas Kitchen at The Kings Arms in Waterloo (which features in The Telegraphs list of top 500 Best Pubs in England, compiled by Hawkes) offers a range of pad (stir-fry) dishes.

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Beyond the capital, lovers of Thai cuisine will be well served at The Queens Head in Old Chesham, Buckinghamshire, at The Plough in Leatherhead, Surrey and at The Queens Head at Harston on the outskirts of Cambridge.

With so many pubs embracing Thai cooking, the obvious question is: why does it work so well?

Thai food at the Faltering Fullback in Finsbury Park, London blends with the pubs Irish vibes

On a basic level, beer of all kinds  but particularly cold, fizzy beer  goes really well with Thai food, Hawkes explains, and British drinkers love the heat and tang of Thai food. Chef Watcharesuang Tepamat of Teparos Thai Street Food, which operates out of the Brown Bear Pub in London, agrees: the cuisines prominent tastes [sourness and spiciness], elevated by herbs like mint and coriander along with lemongrass, pair really well with beer, as do our awesome fried dishes.

A core part of his menu are the dishes, among them spicy salads, that Thai people usually order when they go out drinking.

Spicy chicken pop salad at Teparos Thai Street Food in Londons Brown Bear pub

But theres a practical reason, too. Its a good fit for tiny pub kitchens, says Hawkes. You dont need a lot of space to make really good Thai food. Keogh puts the success of the Thai menu at The Churchill Arms down to its speed: Its a very adaptable, fast operation, he explains. Despite a small kitchen, thanks to the wok method, customers dont have to wait much more than five minutes to get their food.

Chef Watcharesuang Tepamat of Teparos Thai Street Food says that the cuisines prominent tastes pair well with beer

Meanwhile Tepamat recognises the business appeal of starting my restaurant journey in a pub with a low initial cost and low fixed cost. My team can be very lean because front-of-house is done by the pub, and the dining room is already set up, meaning no outlays on decorating or furniture.

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The franchise model might have been where it all began, but the cultural phenomenon is entering new territory. Travellers on the whisky route through Glenlivet might be surprised when they pass The Croft Inn in Moray and see a Thai flag on the sign. The pub, on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park, was converted by Chris Brown and Pariwat Nat Prajudtan (the former a London Underground driver and the latter a chef who had worked in Thai-pub venues in Essex).

Chef Pariwat Nat Prajudtan in the kitchen at The Croft Inn in Speyside, Scotland

Their customer base is more unusual than most, admits Brown, ranging from Spey fishermen to tourists from across Europe and the US, and even the Grant family  owners of the Glenfiddich and Balvenie distilleries. The location has meant some local specialities make the menu, such as pheasant spring rolls. But the Crofts appeal, Brown believes, is that it still feels like youre walking into a Scottish pub.

In Manchester, Bangkok Diners Club is setting a new standard, with a creative Thai menu thats served on the top floor of the Edinburgh Castle in Ancoats but which operates as a completely separate space (modern, understated) to the pub downstairs  a departure from the typical Thai-restaurant-in-pub formula.

At Bangkok Diners Club upstairs at the Edinburgh Castle pub in Ancoats, creative Thai dishes are on the menu

This is a full-circle moment for my wife Bo and I, says co-founder Ben Humphreys. When we got married 17 years ago and Bo made the move from her home in Thailand to mine in Llandudno, the first thing we did together was to rent a kitchen within a pub and cook Thai food for the locals there. After moving to Manchester, Humphreys worked in many restaurants before opening progressive, tasting-menu restaurant District in 2022, which sadly closed due to the pandemic.

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Now back in a pub setting, we are at our happiest, cooking the regional Thai dishes and family recipes we love to eat at home, he says, from artichoke and golden beetroot massaman curry to chicken thigh skewers marinated in milk caramel and oyster sauce. Benefitting both start-up restaurants and landlords looking to offer something different, this model is something we will see more often, Humphreys says. And if it contributes to saving our pubs then that has to be a good thing.

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As the government shutdown continues, government agencies like the Social Security Administration and programs like Medicaidhave been fielding questions about whether the money that Americans rely on will continue to flow.

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Thankfully, for many families, one piece of the puzzle has so far not been in question.School districts around the country have put out messages reassuring families that the National School Lunch Program, which provides low-cost or free nutritious meals to schoolchildren, will continue  for now.

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November will be a different story.

More than 700,000 federal workers have been sent home while the government has ceased operations. Among them are some 43,000-plus workers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the countrys school nutrition programs. Typically, school districts pay for school lunches and then are reimbursed by the government. But without a funding agreement, the government isnt able to spend money on many programs it normally funds, like school lunches.

In its shutdown contingency plan, USDA says funds for school lunches are available throughOctober. But advocates say its unclear what happens next month.

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If schools arent getting reimbursed, the reality is they might not be able to continue these programs, Clarissa Hayes, the deputy director of the child nutrition programs and policy at the Food Research and Action Center, told HuffPost.

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The government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, has no clear end in sight as Democrats and Republicans engage in a standoff over cuts to health care. Neither side has a particular reason to fold: Democrats are still dealing with the political backlash from the last time they agreed to a Republican budget bill without demanding concessions, while Republicans are using the opportunity to pursue government cuts on their agenda. But as the government remains in stasis, how to feed hungry kids becomes a pressing question.

Not all schools can keep their programs afloat. October feels safe. November is a big question mark, Hayes told HuffPost.

To make matters more complicated, some schools were already short of funds. We had heard from several State agencies that didnt have adequate funding to cover Octobers meals, Diane Pratt-Heavner, the director of communications at the School Nutrition Association, a nonprofit that represents the professionals who provide school meals, said in an emailed statement to HuffPost. After those states reached out to SNA for help, the organization was able to get USDA funding for them.

School lunches are a critical lifeline for kids and their families. There is ample evidence that school lunches are an important resource and that well-fed kids perform better academically, enjoy better mental health and have fewer behavioral issues.

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School lunches are particularly crucial for students from families dealing with food insecurity  according to SNA, around 1 in 5 American children live in households without consistent access to adequate food. Reliable, school-provided meals can be a vital resource for kids who otherwise struggle to get enough food or food that meets their nutritional needs.

Politics: Government Enters Shutdown After Congress Misses Funding Deadline

Hayes doesnt anticipate the complete cancellation of meals. Schools wont completely end their food service, she said. But maybe they will streamline their menus and have fewer offerings. More limited options could also mean a more limited benefit: For some children, school meals are the only nutritious meals they receive each day.

Experts say there are some options for schools, should reimbursements get delayed, as the shutdown drags on. Districts can pull funds from other programs that maybe dont need to be funded right away or rely on state agencies for resources. But thats easier said than done.

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In districts that have fewer resources, especially in rural areas, it could be a significant challenge as to where they can find more resources, Weade James, the senior director of K-12 policy at the Center for American Progress, told HuffPost. Every district doesnt have the luxury of having those reserves.

Rural schools have unique funding challenges due to factors like a smaller tax base and lower student enrollment increasing the cost per pupil to keep a school open. While schools get funding based on the number of pupils they enroll, many overhead costs, like staff salaries and utility services, remain the same no matter how many students are in the building.

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About 20% of K-12 public school students in the U.S. attend rural schools, according to CAP, and nearly half of those students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. As of 2022, 17% of all rural school students  1.7 million  attended high poverty schools, where more than 75% of students were eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

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Partnering with food banks is another option, James said. But food banks are stretched thin, too.

The threats to school lunch come at a time when theres a broader fear of food insecurity around the country. Earlier this year, the Trump administration cut $500 million in USDA grants that typically went to support food banks. It also ended a pandemic-era program that partnered schools with local farms to provide free meals.

Then theres the fact that the so-called Big, Beautiful Bill also calls for drastic cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, colloquially known as food stamps, meaning there may soon be an influx of more people who need food banks to make ends meet.

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Its a perfect storm, Hayes said. There are historic cuts to SNAP coming. Food banks are getting a lot more people. Local governments are also preparing for a surge of federal workers using food banks to help feed their families as they go without a paycheck.

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Schools could also look to local farms for help with supplemental school lunch, but the entire agriculture industry has been suffering from Trumps policies. Its going to make it even more difficult for school districts to partner with local farms when that industry itself is struggling, James said.

Students at Peres Elementary School pick up organic meals for lunch in Richmond, California, on Feb. 2, 2017. In a one-week pilot program, Conscious Kitchen partnered with the West Contra Costa Unified School District to serve organic meals made from scratch using ingredients sourced from local farms. Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group

A lot of the uncertainty facing the school lunch programs could be solved, of course, by Congress passing a funding bill and reopening the government. But theres little sign that lawmakers are close to doing that.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has already said that this could be the longest government shutdown in history, surpassing the previous longest, the 35-day shutdown that ran from late 2018 to early 2019. During that closure, there was no disruption to school lunches because the USDA had back-up funding ready to go.

But this Trump term has been significantly different. The administration has spent the last nine months trampling norms, bucking tradition and illegally withholding funds.

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It wouldnt be the first time public schools are left to scramble under the Trump administration. In June, the federal government sent letters to every state notifying them that the Department of Education would be freezing $7 billion in funds to public schools while it ensured that schools were complying with Trumps mandates. The freeze sent schools into a panic, unsure if theyd have to lay off staff or cut critical programs for students. After an outcry and legal threats, the administration released the funds.

During this shutdown, Trump has made sure his priorities, like immigration enforcement and trade policies, can continue despite the funding lapse. But theres no sign that USDA and its food programs fall under that umbrella.

Right now, the uncertainty is the only sure thing. The question is, what happens if [the shutdown] continues through November? Hayes said. Many of us arent quite sure.

Its a hard pill to swallow. And it may be the only thing some kids are getting.

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Thieves bust hole in the side of Atlanta liquor store, walk out with $28k in cash

Atlanta police are searching for burglars who busted a hole in the side of a liquor store and took thousands of dollars in cash.

Police say they were called to Alexs Package Store on Campbellton Road at 5:45 a.m. on Friday morning.

Officers found a large hole in the back of the store. When Channel 2s Courtney Francisco went to the store on Friday afternoon, the hole had been boarded up from the inside.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

When they went inside, they found cash scattered on the floor and a safe that had been cut open.

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The owner reported $28,803 in missing cash.

Investigators say a silver Toyota Camry with license plate CZB9958 arrived at the store at 5:20 a.m.

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Two suspects went behind the building and used a sledgehammer to break through the cinderblock wall, creating the hole.

Police say the men got into the store, took the cash and left in the Camry.

Anyone with information on who the suspects may be should contact Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477 and could be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

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ST. LOUIS  Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway once served as a U.S. Attorney and prosecuted federal cases. She says shes never seen anything like what weve seen with St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery.

I think he just has a fundamental misunderstanding with how much power comes with being sheriff, she said. I think he thinks hes elected king.

From handcuffing a jail commissioner to allegedly using a burner phone to retaliate against witnesses, Hanaway said she cant find quite enough words to say how bad this situation is.

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She mentioned our exclusive April 29 FOX Files investigation involving the sheriffs children.

This was a regular practice where he was getting a deputy go get them and bring them back to the office to watch them, Hanaway said. He was making the taxpayers pay for his daycare.

The sheriffs office argues the deputy was off duty and that Montgomery stopped using a sheriffs car after our report.

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Sheriffs lawyer David Mason pushed back on Hanaways comments, including her claim Montgomery thinks hes king.

He fully understands his duties and powers, Mason said. Hes made it very clear that hes not interested in law enforcement beyond the two buildings where he has security.

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Mason contends the allegations are weak. He believes Montgomery will be exonerated.

My law students could get a not guilty on the case facing the sheriff right now, he said.

Oct. 29 is the next court date in the AGs case. Were still awaiting a federal court date as Montgomerys criminal lawyers are appealing his detention.

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JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (WIVB)  Call 4 Action first told you about the nightmare some drivers have been dealing with after they surrendered their license plates then months, or even years later started getting slammed with toll bills from places theyve never been to before.

Now, more viewers have turned to Call 4 Action with similar stories after going to the same DMV office in the Southern Tier.

This story continues to get deeper and deeper.

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Multiple drivers have gone to the Department of Motor Vehicles office in Jamestown at 512 West 3rd Street to surrender their license plates for various reasons, only to be hit with hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars in tolls and fees. And this is happening, time and time again.

I want them to get to the bottom of it and not let it happen again, said Debbie Bonovitch of Jamestown.

State DMV actively investigating license plate fraud concerns in Jamestown

She wants answers after her license plate fraud situation that spanned nearly a year. She surrendered her old license plates on June 5, 2023 to the Jamestown DMV. This marks the third complaint Call 4 Action has received of drivers going to the Jamestown DMV and their old license plate number ending up on other cars.

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I purchased a new van in Pennsylvania and they were going to license everything, so I had to destroy my old van license plate and I went to the Jamestown DMV, Bonovitch said.

Then in March of last year, Debbie became bombarded by toll violations in the States of Delaware and Pennsylvania. Somehow her old license plate number ended up on a Nissan Altima, cruising highways in both states with Debbie getting stuck with the toll bills, from places she hasnt been to and a car she says isnt hers.

In Delaware, toll bills sent in the mail can be very expensive. One $3 toll ended up being $53 because of additional fees. Another toll for only 50 cents ended up being $88 because fees and civil penalties were tacked on. In total, Debbie was hit with nearly $6,000  $5,853 to be exact  in fraudulent charges. This includes a collection notice for $810 and a speeding ticket tied to her old plate number.

When I talked to the State Police he said that its possible that people got the number and made up a plate because they can do that now and theres all kinds of people that are in this situation, Bonovitch said.

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License Plate Fraud bill gets sponsor in Assembly

Its a recurring issue that often times leads to notices from debt collectors and legal action potentially taken against you.

To make phone calls and try to get to the bottom of it, youre on hold for a while and then, trying to get through to get to a person to talk to and then, that person says theyre going to take care of it and then, you get more bills and you call again, its just over and over again, its aggravating, Bonovitch said.

For Debbie, it took months to put the brakes on the toll bills and getting that speeding ticket dropped. Debbie filed a police report with the Chautauqua County Sheriffs Office and hired an attorney.

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People really need a lot of help navigating through the bureaucracy that is part of these systems whether thats working with law enforcement or whether thats trying to deal with a state agency or the state agencys contractor, its a lot to know exactly what to say, when to say it, and how to send it, said Eddie Sundquist, Bonovitchs attorney.

News 4 contacted Delawares Department of Transportation, which says the agency reviewed Debbies situation and found that the plate appearing in the tickets was fraudulent leading to all tolls being voided. A spokesperson from the Pennsylvania Turnpike says: Due to customer privacy laws, we cannot discuss specifics, on individual cases but the PA Turnpike does say that tolls to Debbie have also stopped.

Something needs to be done to where the plate number isnt used anymore, Bonovitch said.

License Plate Fraud: A Jamestown couples story

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For Debbie, those toll bills stopped in January and so far, she hasnt gotten any more additional toll bills. The Chautauqua County Clerks Office and Sheriffs Office have both told News 4 repeatedly that their procedures in handling surrendered plates are being followed. A spokesperson for the State Department of Motor Vehicles says the DMV is actively investigating concerns over license plate fraud in Jamestown and Chautauqua County.

If you feel youre a victim of license plate fraud, you are encouraged to contact local law enforcement. You can also contact these agencies:

You can also submit a Call 4 Action complaint so that News 4 can take a look into your situation.

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The Governors Office says if you did share your personal information, you should check your credit reports. You can contact TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian to place a credit freeze or fraud alert on your account. Youre also encouraged to change your passwords, check your computer or devices for viruses, and notify your bank and other companies that you have accounts with.

The Governors Office also says EZ-Pass or Tolls By Mail will never send a text or email requesting sensitive personal information. Since the beginning of Congestion Relief in January, text messaging scams from NY Toll Services or other fake names are trying to collect tolls for the Congestion Relief Zone in New York City.

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Jeff Preval is an award-winning anchor and reporter who joined the News 4 team in December 2021. See more of his work here.

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LEXINGTON, N.C. (WGHP)  A third suspect has been taken into custody and is being charged with murder in the June 7 killing of a 19-year-old in Lexington.

On June 7 at 1:42 a.m., officers responded to a shooting at an apartment in the 100 block of Jessup Street and found Xzavion Tyleal Booker, 19, of Lexington, had been shot multiple times and killed.

Officers discovered that a home invasion had happened at the apartment where Booker was shot.

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On July 7, Sejimarion Stiller, 28, of Salisbury, was taken into custody and charged with one count of felony accessory after the fact to first-degree murder for involvement in the shooting, police say. He was released on a $50,000 secured bond at that time.

On October 3, Stiller was once again taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree burglary, six counts of kidnapping and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Tomanche Jackson, 27, of Salisbury, was also taken into custody on October 3 and charged with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree burglary, six counts of kidnapping and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Sejimarion Stiller (left) and Tomanche Jackson (right) (Lexington Police Department)

Stiller and Jackson were held with no bond and were scheduled to appear in court on October 6.

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Investigators have now announced that a third arrest has been made in the case. On Wednesday, Tariq Mosley, 28, of Greensboro, was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree burglary, six counts of kidnapping and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Tariq Mosley (Lexington Police Department)

Mosley was already in custody in Guilford County due to an unrelated case and was served with the warrants while in jail. He is being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on November 13.

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TIRANA, Albania (AP)  Kosovo war veterans and thousands of their supporters gathered Friday in the Albanian capital, Tirana, in a protest against a European Union-backed court prosecuting their former fighters who waged the 1998-1999 war for independence from Serbia, claiming the tribunal is biased and unjust.

Demonstrators from Kosovo and other European countries filled Tirana's main Skanderbeg Square in support of arrested former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, or KLA  a former Kosovo Albanian guerrilla group that led the fight for independence.

Many held national Albanian and KLA flags, while a group of former fighters and some youngsters were in KLA uniform. Some sang songs about the KLA and freedom.

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The protest was organized by the veterans' association known as OVL-UCK, and supported by Albania's government and prime minister, under the motto: Freedom has a name. Justice for the liberators.

Kosovos former President Hashim Thaci, former Parliament speakers Kadri Veseli and Jakup Krasniqi, and ex-lawmaker Rexhep Selimi are on trial and have been in custody since 2020 at the EU-backed Kosovo Specialist Chambers court based in The Hague, Netherlands. They face charges that include murder, torture and persecution of civilians during and after the war.

A big poster with their photos and bearing the slogan Heroes of war and peace hung from the podium.

Albanians do not trust the Specialist Chambers. Processes at The Hague are biased and unfair, said Hysni Gucati, head of the OVL-UCK.

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Alfred Moisiu, 95, Albanias former president, was also present and called for justice, saying the defendants "have been detained without evidence, on fabricated charges."

The rally was peaceful.

The court and an associated prosecutors office were created after a 2011 report by the Council of Europe, a human rights body, that included allegations that KLA fighters trafficked human organs taken from prisoners and killed Serbs and fellow ethnic Albanians. The organ harvesting allegations havent been included in indictments issued by the court.

Two other former KLA members have already been sentenced by the court. Gucati and another KLA official were also convicted by the court of witness intimidation and obstructing justice.

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Some 11,400 people, mostly ethnic Albanians, died during the war, before a NATO bombing campaign forced Serbia to pull its troops out of Kosovo and to cede control of its former province to the United Nations and NATO.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, which was recognized by the United States and most of the West, but not by Serbia or its allies Russia and China. Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia remain high.
LONDON (Reuters) -Three British right-wing extremists were jailed for a total of 29 years on Friday after they were convicted of planning to carry out an attack at mosques or synagogues as part of what they believed to be a coming "race war".

Brogan Stewart, 25, Marco Pitzettu, 26, and Christopher Ringrose, 35, were preparing an act of terrorism when they were arrested in February 2024, prosecutors said at their trial.

The trio were also each charged with two counts of collecting information which may be useful to someone preparing an act of terrorism, while Ringrose was charged with manufacturing a component for a 3D-printed firearm.

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They pleaded not guilty but jurors at Sheffield Crown Court convicted them of all charges in May.

Judge Johannah Cutts jailed Stewart, who prosecutors said played a leading role, for 11 years. Ringrose was jailed for 10 years and Pitzettu for eight years.

Prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford had told jurors that the three defendants expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler and perpetrators of notorious terrorist attacks, as well as hatred for non-white people, especially Muslims and immigrants.

"It was their belief that there must soon come a time when there would be a race war between the white and other races," Sandiford said.

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Among hundreds of messages sent by the trio, including in a Telegram group called "Einsatz 14", the defendants discussed executing then-prime minister Rishi Sunak and torturing imams.

Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said in a statement that the trio "espoused vile racist views and advocated for violence, all to support their extreme right-wing mindset".

"Some of their defence in court was that it was all fantasy or just part of harmless chat, however all three took real world steps to plan and prepare for carrying out an attack on innocent citizens," Dunkerley added.

(Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by William James)
VMPL Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 17: CTR VTP Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., winners of the FAB 2025 "Sense of Place" Award in both Global and Regional categories held in Barcelona, Spain, have unveiled their latest culinary venture -- Shri Sagar, a self-service, affordable multi-cuisine restaurant at Bengaluru International Airport - Terminal 1 Kerbside (beside BMTC Bus Arena). CTR VTP Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. is a joint venture between VTP Lounge LLP, a leading airport concessionaire, and Shoba Refreshments LLP, the proud owners of the CTR (Central Tiffin Room) and Shri Sagar brands. The FAB 2025 award-winning CTR (Central Tiffin Room), located at the Terminal 2 Arrival Section, was recognized for its authentic representation of Bengaluru's culinary heritage and for creating a true "Sense of Place" within an airport environment. Building on this success, CTR VTP Hospitality now introduces Shri Sagar, designed to serve both travelers and airport staff with delicious, wholesome, and affordable food. With airports often associated with premium pricing, CTR VTP Hospitality aims to redefine expectations by offering authentic, freshly prepared meals at pocket-friendly prices. In a move to support the airport community, Shri Sagar offers a 50% discount on its entire menu for airport staff, reinforcing the company's commitment to inclusivity and value. "While CTR represents our premium dining experience, Shri Sagar embodies our self-service, affordable model -- ensuring everyone can enjoy our traditional flavors. Shri Sagar is an affordable brand that has existed from the family of CTR since 1989, carrying forward our legacy of authentic South Indian taste. Launching this concept at the airport allows us to serve both travelers and the hardworking airport staff with the same dedication to flavor and quality," said Mr. Sandesh S. Poojari and Mr. Ganesh S. Poojari, brand custodians of Shri Sagar and CTR. Mr. Pavan P G, CEO of VTP Lounge LLP, who has successfully introduced Hard Rock Cafe, CTR, and Shri Sagar to Bengaluru International Airport, added: "We've stayed true to our tagline -- Gateway to Authentic Eats. From Hard Rock Cafe in Terminal 2 (Post-Security near Gate 8) serving authentic American cuisine, to our homegrown brands CTR and Shri Sagar, our mission is to bring both global and local flavors to the airport while keeping them accessible and affordable for everyone." The initiative was made possible with the continued support of the BIAL Commercial Team -- Mr. Kenneth, Mr. Pravat, Mr. Bhagawantham, Mrs. Ashritha, and Mr. Sampath -- whose collaboration ensured seamless execution. Mr. Prashant Bidari, Partner at CTR VTP Hospitality, also played a pivotal role in the venture's success, reinforcing the group's vision of hospitality rooted in authenticity and community. Featuring a diverse menu of South Indian, North Indian, Chinese, and Chat items, along with fresh juices and quick bites, Shri Sagar delivers a taste of Bengaluru's culinary legacy -- now made affordable for all. CTR VTP is thus dedicated to bringing authentic, traditional, and value-driven dining experiences to India's leading airports, blending culinary heritage with accessibility and hospitality excellence. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
(Reuters) -An explosion at an eight-storey apartment block in Romania's capital Bucharest collapsed floors, killing three people and injuring 14 on Friday, local media reported.

The blast broke windows at a nearby high school, news website Hotnews.ro reported.

The explosion completely collapsed two floors in the building and affected other apartments below, local media said.

The cause of the blast was not immediately known. News website Biziday reported that the gas supply had been stopped on Thursday after residents reported the smell of gas.

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Firefighters ordered evacuations for all 108 apartments in the block over fears it could collapse, media said. Teams were searching the blast site for others trapped, Hotnews.ro reported.

(Reporting by Jason Hovet;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle and Hugh Lawson)
BOONEVILLE  Three defendants pleaded guilty to unrelated methamphetamine-related offenses Wednesday in Prentiss County Circuit Court and were sentenced to significant prison terms.

Barris Shawn Agnew, 50, of Booneville, pleaded guilty to two counts of the sale of methamphetamine and one count of possession of the drug. Senior Circuit Judge Paul Funderburk sentenced Agnew to serve 20 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. The 20-year sentence is in addition to a five-year sentence Agnew is currently serving.

Agnew was also sentenced to an additional 28 years, which was suspended based on his future good behavior and compliance with the terms and conditions imposed by the Court. Upon release, Agnew will serve five years of post-release supervision.

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Janice Anne Nichols, 48, of Booneville, pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking methamphetamine and one count of possession of a weapon by a felon. Funderburk sentenced Nichols to serve 10 years in prison, in addition to an eight-year sentence she is currently serving. She will be required to serve the full 10 years without the possibility of parole or early release.

Nichols was also sentenced to an additional 40 years, which was suspended based on her future good behavior and compliance with the Courts conditions. Upon release, Nichols will be under five years of post-release supervision.

Mark Anthony Mathis, 51, of Blue Springs, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and clonazepam with intent to distribute, along with a charge of possession of a weapon by a felon. Funderburk sentenced Mathis to serve 20 years in prison for those offenses.

Mathis was also sentenced to an additional 25 years, which was suspended based on his future good behavior and compliance with the terms set by the Court. Upon release, he will serve five years of post-release supervision.
Three men have been arrested in connection with a deadly shooting in North Hollywood, police announced Friday morning.

The Los Angeles Police Department said officers responded around 12:30 p.m. Thursday to reports of a shooting in the 7300 block of Lankershim Boulevard.

When officers arrived, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound lying on the ground. Paramedics with the Los Angeles Fire Department tried to save him, but he was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene. Details surrounding what led up to the shooting remain limited as detectives continue their investigation.

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The victim was later identified by officials as 26-year-old Delfino Moor. His cause of death was listed as a gunshot wound to his chest, and he died in a rear parking lot.

Detectives with LAPDs Robbery-Homicide Division Valley Bureau took over the case and identified three suspects, who were later taken into custody.

The suspects were identified as 31-year-old Angel Banuelos, 21-year-old Joshua Provencio and 24-year-old Jonathan Cuellar. Each was booked on suspicion of murder, with bail set at $2 million, police said.

The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office for filing consideration. Detectives are continuing to canvass the area for surveillance footage and witnesses.

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Anyone with information is urged to contact LAPDs Robbery Homicide Division Valley Bureau Section at 818-374-9550. Anonymous tips can be submitted through LA Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.

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(The Center Square)  A hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Thursday to address concerns about sexual misconduct and grooming in schools.

Committee on Government Operations, Accountability and Operations Chair Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, scheduled the hearing and invited State School Superintendent Jill Underly, along with law enforcement.

Nedweski announced Thursday night she would be introducing three bills related to the case including a grooming law, standards for communication between students and faculty and to end a "loophole" where educators can surrender their teaching license rather than facing further investigation.

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She had previously been working on the grooming law and bill on communications standards after the case of Kenosha teacher Christian Enwright, who pleaded guilty to 12 misdemeanors for his conduct sending hundreds of Snapchat messages to a student that resulted in a sentence of 450 days in jail and three years of probation.

Since the Kenosha County Eye exposed Christian Enwrights predatory behavior toward a student, I have been working on anti-grooming legislation that will establish harsh penalties for any adult convicted of grooming a minor for sexual activity, Nedweski said in a statement. This proposal will be modeled after comprehensive laws passed in other states and will give our law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to keep children safe.

Senate Committee on Education Chair John Jagler and Vice Chair Romaine Quinn asked a series of 12 questions of Underly and demanded to get a response within 24 hours of the Thursday afternoon letter on if she will be willing to testify before the committee.

The Senate committee leaders had not heard back from Underly or her office as of 11:30 a.m. on Friday.

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The Capital Times report showed that 200 investigations into teachers for sexual misconduct and grooming were shielded from the public by DPI and that accused teachers were able to forfeit their teaching license to avoid further investigation into alleged grooming.

The Center Square was unable to get comment from Underly or Gov. Tony Evers before publication.
Montana Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy speaks with reporters inside the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Also pictured, from left to right, are Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo.; Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.; and Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

It really doesnt matter if youre lost in a MAGA fog trying to be a warrior for a deluded president, when Montanas senators are on national news, they represent all Montanans to the world. And this week, Montanas freshman senator, Tim Sheehy, embarrassed all Montanans with his rude, evasive, and uninformed interview with CNNs Kaitlin Collins, one of the most professional and respected reporters in the world.

Its hard to figure out just what Sheehy was doing when given an opportunity to discuss the effects of the fiscal impacts of the Trump administrations budget cuts. What he did instead was pull a bully act and repeatedly interrupt, talk over, and ignore Collins questions.

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The zinger happened when Collin, who had done her homework, reminded Sheehy that a billion dollar Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub project that included Montana had been cancelled by Trumps Energy Department  and did not exist in the GOPs short-term funding bill sitting in the Senate.

Apparently Sheehy, for all his bluster and macho man attempts at dominating Collins, did not do his homework  and had no idea the projects funding had been cancelled. Instead, he sat in stunned silence for several seconds, then once again ignored the facts to falsely claim thats why the government shutdown should end. You can see the interview Collins posted on X here.

Fact is, Sheehys lack of policy experience  and apparent lack of knowledge on whats going on with the impacts of the administrations budgets on Montana and Montanans  was on full display for the nation and world. Although his job is to understand where, how, and why the federal government spends or doesnt spend money Congress has appropriated, Sheehy was too busy playing-acting as an important senator to actually do the job of being a senator.

Adding to Sheehys obvious ignorance of the issue, Collins pointed out that Montanas Gov. Greg Gianforte had previously praised the hydrogen hub project as providing good-paying Montana jobs.

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While its bad enough Sheehy didnt know what he was talking about, the image he presented of how Montanans treat other people was downright disgusting. Maybe its because hes not lived in Montana for very long and doesnt appear to understand that mutual respect is not only cherished in this state, but essential in the political and policy arena. He also appears not to know that Montanans have a national and international reputation for being considerate and helpful to those who visit our state  were not a bunch of MAGAs mad dogs.

Nor would Sheehy address the fact that the GOPs funding bill leaves 67,000 Montanans on the hook for vast increases in the cost of health insurance  from $145 per month with the tax credits to a whopping $645 without. While those very real impacts are the reason the bill is not moving in the Senate, all he wanted to do was bash Democrats for the shutdown, despite the fact they are in the minority in both chambers of Congress.

Ironically, while Montanas very junior senator was busy ignoring the impacts to his constituents, Washingtons Sen. Patty Murray did address that enormous impact in a video forum with the head of the Montana Nurses Association and state Sen. Cora Neuman. Succinctly, Murray noted that Republican senators are dodging the issue. Indeed, Sheehys embarrassing performance completely validates that point.

Apparently being a U.S. senator has gone to Sheehys young and inexperienced head. But hed best remember hes representing Montanans on the national and world stage  and that we treat others with respect and expect the same from our senators.
The winner of a high-profile German peace prize believes the "time has come" for the country to reintroduce military service.

Historian Karl Schlogel, a noted Russia expert, said at the Frankfurt Book Fair on Friday that "the time has come to reintroduce compulsory military service in one form or another."

Schlogel is due to receive the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade at the fair on Sunday.

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The 77-year-old said he refused to do military service in his youth during the Vietnam War and did civilian service in a hospital instead.

But times have changed, he argued.

Since the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014 and the attack on Ukraine in 2022, war has been back in Europe, said Schlogel. "You can't negate that. It is realism to face up to it."

Anyone who hears Russian President Vladimir Putin speak can recognize the reality of the threat from Russia, the historian said.

Just a fortnight ago, Putin made a "very clear threat" including "the calculated breach of the nuclear taboo," Schlogel explained.

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The remarks come as Chancellor Friedrich Merz's debates bringing back a form of military service, which was suspended in 2011, to respond to the growing threat from Russia and boost the German military, the Bundeswehr, in line with new NATO defence targets.

Previous winner of the peace prize include Czech politician Vaclav Havel and authors Salman Rushdie and Margaret Attwood.

US-born author Anne Appelbaum took home the award, which carries a 25,000 ($29,000) prize, in 2024.
UPDATE: 10:37 a.m. Oct. 18: Thousands have turned out in downtown Eugene for the "No Kings" rally. Check back later for full coverage.

UPDATE, 11:20 a.m. Oct. 18: Eugene Police Department advises avoiding Ferry Street and East Broadway in downtown Eugene as an estimated 3,000 people attend the "No Kings" rally.

UPDATE 3 p.m. Oct. 18: See our coverage of today's rally here.

A coalition of 20 organizations will host a "No Kings" rally in Eugene to protest the Trump administration and encourage involvement in a host of other issues including: standing up for immigrants, protesting Flock cameras, protecting transgender health care access, labor rights and saying "no to Amazon."

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"No Kings" protests are planned nationwide on Oct. 18. The Eugene event is a follow up to a similar demonstration on June 14 which drew thousands to downtown. That protest coincided with President Donald Trump's birthday and a large military parade in Washington, D.C.

The protests are using the slogan "No thrones. No crowns. No kings." More than 2,500 protests are planned across the country.

Here's what to know about the Eugene event.

When is the Eugene 'No Kings' rally?

Eugene's event is 10 a.m. to noon.

Where is the Eugene 'No Kings' protest?

The protest is at Wayne Lyman Morse United States Courthouse, 405 E. Eighth Ave. in Eugene.

Who is organizing the protest in Eugene?

The Activist Coalition of Eugene Springfield, a coalition of 20 activist organizations in the two cities, is organizing the Eugene rally. ACES also organized the Hands Off protest rally in April and the No Kings Rally in June.

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Members of ACES include The Party for Socialism and Liberation, Oregon Food Bank, Oregon Community Asylum Network, Interfaith Earthkeepers of Eugene Springfield, Indivisible Eugene Springfield, Healthcare for All Lane County, Extinction Rebellion XR Eugene, Eugene Peaceworks, Community Alliance of Lane County, Church Women United, Beyond Toxics, 50501 Eugene, 350 Eugene, Planet vs Pentagon, Raging Grannies of Eugene, SURJ Springfield Eugene, The Belonging Space, Third Act of Eugene, and Trans Alliance of Lane County.

Are there other 'No Kings' protests in Lane County?

Yes. Protests are planned in Veneta, Oakridge and Florence. At least 70 protests are planned in Oregon.

Veneta

When: Noon-3 p.m., Oct. 18

Where: Oregon 126 & Territorial Highway

Oakridge

When: 9-11 a.m. Oct. 18

Where: The Hitching Post, 47851 OR-58

Florence

When: Noon-2 p.m., Oct. 18

Where: 1670 OR-126

Jill Bond is editor of The Register-Guard. Reach her at jbond@registerguard.com.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene Oregon No Kings rally what to know
For those held for two years, release is a collision of timelines. Their timeline, frozen in the moments of abduction on October 7, and everyone elses, which has continued.

When the hostages were finally released from Hamas captivity after two years, the world met them with cameras, tears, headlines, and flags. But when the doors closed and the lights dimmed, when they were finally alone with their families and began the process of rebuilding their lives, the real mental battle began.

It is as if time itself has forgotten them; the world has been living while their own lives stood still.

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For those held for two years, release is a collision of timelines. Their timeline, frozen in the moments of abduction on October 7, and everyone elses, which has continued. They will have to deal with family members who have grown older, perhaps some who are no longer here, with the dramatic changes the world has undergone, technologically, politically, and socially, and with the disorienting reality of picking up a life that did not wait.

When former IDF soldier and Hamas hostage Gilad Schalit was freed in 2011 after more than five years in captivity by Hamas, he struggled to describe what it felt like to step into daylight before a sea of people. I saw dozens of people, hundreds of them, he said later. There were so many people there. It was a strange feeling, a sense of shock.

While the outside world had seen his face on posters, news bulletins, and campaign banners, for Schalit, time had barely moved. His peers had gone to university, started families, moved cities. He was still, in a way, the young soldier abducted at 19.

FREED HOSTAGE Avinatan Or, after his release from Gaza. He must rebuild his life with partner Noa Argamani, herself rescued by Israeli forces from captivity. (credit: Chen Schimmel/The Jerusalem Post)

This temporal dislocation  the concept of time being out of sync, and the emotional shock of emerging into a world that has changed without you  is a phenomenon reported across decades, continents, and conflicts. It is not necessarily a medical diagnosis, but it is definitely a psychological concern.

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Ingrid Betancourt was captured by the rebel group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and held in the Colombian jungle for six years. After her release in 2008, she told CNN, I feel that Im on another planet.

In her mind, the jungle was still the present  the clothes she wore, the voices she heard, the routines that kept her alive. But the world she returned to had evolved. Technology was different. Politics was different. People she loved were different.

I didnt belong to the same time anymore, she would later write in her memoir.

The phrase resonates with dozens of similar testimonies from hostages and prisoners of war: a kind of personal time warp that cant be captured by medical terminology alone.

How life shrinks when in captivity

In long captivity, life shrinks. Days merge into weeks, then months. For some hostages, especially the many Israelis, such as Alon Ohel, who were held in isolation or kept underground for two years in tunnels, there was little to distinguish one day from the next. Some hostages were kept in apartments, were aware of days and dates, while some were left, literally and figuratively, in the dark.

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British clergyman Terry Waite, kidnapped in Beirut in 1987 and held for nearly five years by Hezbollah, spent much of that time chained to a wall in solitary confinement.

Time takes on new meaning when youre deprived of natural light, freedom of movement, and companionship, he later said. You live in your own head.

The outside world might follow every rumor and update. For the person inside, there are no headlines or any sense of the future. Only the slow, grinding repetition of survival.

When release finally comes, it can feel like stepping out of a cave into blinding light and realizing the world outside has been living a parallel story all along.

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This collision of timelines can often shape how former hostages rebuild relationships after captivity and process what happened.

For Waite, it meant returning to a Britain that had moved on without him. Children of friends were suddenly grown. Language had changed. The Cold War was ending.

I had created my own inner world to survive, he recalled years later. When you come out, there are big adjustments to make.

Brian Keenan, abducted in Beirut in 1986 and held for more than four years, put it bluntly when he said, It was like stepping into a film that had kept playing without me.

The music was different, the cultural references unfamiliar, the world older. He was still anchored in the moment hed been taken.

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Psychologists refer to this as ambiguous loss, essentially mourning something intangible. There is no grave to visit for the years spent in captivity. No ceremony for missed birthdays, weddings, and ordinary life.

This grief can be intense. For some, it arrives immediately. For others, it creeps in over months, even years. It can also ripple outward to families and communities, who have lived through their own suspended time, waiting, hoping, fearing.

Trauma specialists have long recognized this temporal rupture in survivors of prolonged captivity, political imprisonment, and war. Judith Lewis Herman, who wrote Trauma and Recovery, describes trauma as an event that shatters the sense of time and self.

Her three-stage recovery model, establishing safety, remembrance, and mourning, reconnection, is in many ways a road map for stitching a torn timeline back together.

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Its not just about treating symptoms, Herman once said. Its about helping a person reintegrate into a world that has moved on, while honoring the part of them that has been left behind.

Similarly, humanitarian psychologists at the International Committee of the Red Cross have warned that post-release support is often poorly tailored to the specific psychological needs of hostages. One ICRC analysis noted that former hostages struggle to regain control over their lives.

Captivity trauma is chronic rather than acute. It involves powerlessness, isolation, and forced adaptation over long periods. That changes how memory works, how relationships form, and how the mind perceives time itself.

Psychologists and humanitarian workers often describe the first hours and days after release as overwhelming. For Schalit, the sheer sight of crowds was a shock. For Betancourt, it was an overload of the senses after years of jungle isolation.

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Researchers who studied former POWs from the Vietnam War and American hostages released from Tehran in 1981 documented measurable physiological spikes in stress levels at the moment of release.

In those first days, the mind is forced to compress years of missing time into a single, blinding present.

What often determines how a survivor fares is not only the care they receive, but how society receives them.

Families and communities, too, have been living in suspended time. They may have imagined their own stories of the captives return, family reunions, built a mythology around survival. But the real person who returns may be changed and may need time, space, or silence rather than immediate celebration.

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Humanitarian psychologists stress that reintegration is a social process. It requires patient family support, community sensitivity, not just clinical treatment.

This is especially true in mass hostage events, such as October 7, where entire communities share in the waiting.

Not all hostages endure the same experience of time. Some are held in groups, others in total solitude. The latter face a particular distortion.

Psychological research on solitary confinement echoes this. People who spend long periods in extreme isolation often report disrupted sleep cycles, disorientation, and difficulty reconnecting with the rhythms of ordinary life. Their clock no longer ticks the same way.

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Unlike physical injuries, temporal dislocation doesnt leave scars that can be photographed. It can manifest in subtle ways, such as a captive who still dresses or speaks as they did when abducted; someone startled by technology that feels as though it were from the future; a parent struggling to relate to a child who is now an adult.

As one ICRC psychologist wrote, We cant ask someone to pick up where they left off. That place doesnt exist anymore.

There is one heart-lifting story that emerged this week of Israeli ingenuity in maintaining a sense of reality while in captivity.

Avi Ohana, father of freed hostage Yosef Chaim Ohana, told Israeli media on Wednesday that at one point, Hamas terrorists gave the hostages a small radio so they could hear the Muslim call to prayer. Not so they could listen to broadcasts, just the muezzin. But they saw electric cables running through the tunnels and managed to connect them to the radio. He told me, Dad, you wont believe it. Elkana Bohbot and I caught Army Radio, and we heard you being interviewed. It gave me strength.

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Similarly, Noa Argamani, rescued by IDF soldiers last June from Gaza, has waited for the opportunity to continue her relationship with partner Avinatan Or, only just released this week. A romance put on hold for two years, and now they must attempt to carry on as if it is still October 8, 2023. But it is not.

Now that they are home, they have returned to an Israel that has palpably changed after two years of war, and to people whose lives have changed in waiting for them.

They now have the chance to rebuild their lives in peace and move on from the terrible ordeal. For the first time in two years, time is on their side.
HFCL Limited (HFCL) has reported a robust quarter, marked by a sharp turnaround in profitability and operational performance, driven by strong momentum in its international and defence businesses. The company's EBITDA surged nearly fivefold in the second quarter of FY26 compared to the previous quarter. According to the company's press release, HFCL's revenue grew 19.78 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs 1,043.34 crore in Q2FY26 from Rs 871.02 crore in Q1FY26. The company's EBITDA rose to Rs 203.37 crore from Rs 42.93 crore, while the EBITDA margin expanded significantly to 19.49 per cent from 4.93 per cent in the preceding quarter. Profit after tax (PAT) turned positive at Rs 71.92 crore, marking a strong recovery from a loss of Rs 29.30 crore in Q1FY26. International business remained the key growth driver, contributing 28 per cent of total revenue during the quarter, up from 24 per cent in Q1FY26 and 10 per cent a year ago. The increase highlights HFCL's growing presence across Europe, the US, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific. The company also reported a surge in defence electronics orders, including contracts for Thermal Weapon Sights and participation in the upgradation tender for 811 BMP-2 Armoured Fighting Vehicles for the Indian Army. These developments underscore the company's progress in diversifying beyond telecom into defence manufacturing. A major highlight of the quarter was the allocation of land by the Government of Andhra Pradesh for HFCL's proposed Defence Manufacturing Facility. The facility will produce Artillery Ammunition Shells and Multi-Mode Hand Grenades (MMHG), strengthening the company's role in India's defence ecosystem. Commenting on the performance, HFCL Managing Director Mahendra Nahata said, "Our Q2 results reflect the power of strategic execution and our innovation-driven transformation. The strong recovery in margins and profitability, combined with growing international demand and breakthrough achievements in defence, affirm our evolution into a global technology enterprise. The proposed Defence Manufacturing Facility is a testament to our commitment to India's self-reliance and global leadership in advanced technologies." However, year-on-year, the company reported a 4.6 per cent dip in revenue compared to Rs 1,093.61 crore in Q2FY25, while EBITDA grew 18.36 per cent. PAT stood at Rs 71.92 crore against Rs 73.33 crore in the same period last year. (ANI)
Though 113 years have passed since the Titanic sank in the northern Atlantic Ocean, fascination with the ship and its tragic demise lives on.

Now, Utahns have the opportunity to feed their fascination with one of historys most infamous disasters as The Titanic Exhibition opens Friday at the Shops at South Town in Sandy. Creators say the traveling exhibit allows visitors to step back in time and experience this piece of early 20th-century history firsthand.

People come with so much information from different sources. With Titanic, some folks have studied that, whether its in books or documentaries or turning to the experts ... and then there are those who only saw James Camerons film and find it fascinating," said Mark Lach, creative producer for the exhibit.

A labor of love

The British ocean liner was traveling from Southampton, England, to New York City when it hit an iceberg nearly 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland on April 14, 1912. The collision tore a hole in the side of the ship, causing it to fill with water and eventually sink in the early morning hours of the following day. Its estimated that 1,500 people died in the disaster.

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Lach has been involved with this educational exhibition for more than 25 years; his connection to the Titanic is not just professional, but deeply personal. He describes his passion as a labor of love and has acquired a vast knowledge of the ship, its passengers and stories behind its artifacts throughout his career.

What sets Lach apart is his unique experience with the ship. In 2000, he joined the last artifact dive to the final resting place of Titanic, traveling 2.5 miles beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean to experience the shipwreck firsthand.

When those lights came up and there was the bow of the Titanic, it was off-the-charts exciting  but very emotional as well, Lach recalled.

That unique experience shaped his approach to every exhibition he curates. Because of that experience, I think it gives you a sense of responsibility to put together an experience that honors the legacy of all those on board, he said.

Utahs Titanic tie

During his time in Utah, Lach visited Payson, which was home to the only Titanic passenger from Utah. Irene Corbett, a schoolteacher and nurse, was 30 years old and on her way home to Utah when she perished in the maritime disaster.

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She was a very strong, ambitious, loving, giving woman, Lach said. She was lost in the sinking, but her story lives on here.

Corbetts love of knowledge and people led her to London to study midwifery. In the winter of 1911, she left her husband and children behind to attend a six-month training program at Londons Lying-In Hospital, the St. George News reported.

It would have been hard for her to leave, but she wanted to do it all, Liz Corbett Plumb, Corbetts great-granddaughter, told the news outlet. She wanted to be a nurse, she wanted to study, she wanted to be a mother, she wanted to be a good wife. She tried to do it all, but sadly, it ended tragically.

Her journey home on board the Titanic as a second-class citizen would have promised her a seat on a lifeboat. Although there are no firsthand accounts, her reputation led her loved ones to believe she stayed on board to help people as the ship was sinking.

Immersed in the story of Titanic

One of the highlights of the Titanic exhibit is a replica of the grand staircase that was on board the Titanic, a duplicate of the one seen throughout the James Cameron film. The replica is an exact match in size and scale, from the number of stairs to the clock.

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The presence of the stairs is inspired by the film, Lach explained, as it gives visitors something they recognize and have fun with.

Many times people will say, Oh, it looks just like the one in the film! he said. Of course, the one in the film looks like the real one, so I think its important to take them on a journey.

Ticket holders can expect the chronicle story of Titanic, including recreations of staterooms and corridors, personal stories of passengers and crew, personal artifacts, a virtual reality dive to the wreck site, an audio tour with commentary and image galleries throughout the exhibit.

The Titanic Exhibition will be open through the holidays and possibly longer depending on demand. But Lach issues a stark warning: Dont wait. When we closed in Dallas, people were still trying to get in on the last day.
Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower told Rutherford County Commissioners Oct. 16 that over 130,000 property assessments should be reexamined for accurrate tax bills.

Mumpower said his office will be billing the county $234,165 for his staff's efforts to look at over 8,000 properties to determine a 25% error rate by Rutherford County Property Assessor's Office led by elected official Rob Mitchell.

Rutherford County Commission Chairman Jeff Phillips, left, speaks with Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower Oct. 16 prior the comptroller speaking to commissioners about property assessment issues.

The comptroller also said someone at the Rutherford assessor's office manually deleted records. Mumpower also accused Mitchell of blocking efforts for two years to comply with the comptroller's office to make corrections to inaccurate property assessments, including the square footage of homes.

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Mitchell after Mumpower's presentation declined to offer a comment to The Daily News Journal.

Mumpower did face questions from Commissioners Wayne Irvin and Hope Oliver about wanting more facts and data to back up the comptroller's assertions. Irvin suggested more detailed findings should have been available in advance of the Oct. 16 meeting. Oliver agreed with Irvin.

Government accountability: TN Comptroller asks all Rutherford mayors to hear investigation results on property assessor

Commission agrees to investigate recommendations

Rutherford County Property Assessor Rob Mitchell attends a meeting on, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, about the findings pertaining to his not complying with state law on accurate property assessments for property tax billing

The comptroller also recommended the county hire an independent third-party firm to review all of the county's property assessments and make any needed corrections. Mumpower also advised the Rutherford government to use the state's IMPACT technology like a vast majority of Tennessee's 95 counties do to assess properties and improve transparency.

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Mumpower suggested the county should be prepared to bill some property owners who have paid less than they should and refund many who have paid too much.

Commissioner Chairman Jeff Phillips responded by calling for a unanymous vote for County Finance Director Mike Smith and County Attorney Nick Christiansen to investigate what third-party indepdent firm could review all the property parcels and make corrections, as well as switching to use the IMPACT technology.

The comptroller also mentioned improved properties that should have been assessed sooner than holding off until 2026 under Mitchell's leadership. Failing to assess improved properties puts more burden on other taxpayers, Mumpower suggested.

This is a developing story.

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Police: Rutherford property assessor reports 'potential software hack' affecting 'citizens'

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: TN Comptroller says Rutherford Co. has many property assessor errors
Heres a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on Oct. 17, according to the Tribunes archives.

Is an important event missing from this date? Email us.

Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago)

High temperature: 86 degrees (1950)

Low temperature: 26 degrees (1948)

Precipitation: 3.61 inches (1988)

Snowfall: Trace (2022)

1891: The Chicago Orchestra (later renamed Chicago Symphony Orchestra) performed its first concert under the direction of Theodore Thomas at the Auditorium Theatre.

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The orchestra is a truly magnificent one, destined to occupy a position side by side with that held by the finest in America  an orchestra which will enable Chicago to take rank in the music world commensurate with her standing as one of the great cities of the country, the Tribune wrote.

1931: Chicago Outfit boss Al Capone was found guilty by a federal jury on five counts of income tax indictments and was later sentenced to 11 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

Auction for Chicago Outfit boss Al Capones goods brings in $3.1 million; his favorite gun sells for $860,000

Capone was transferred by train in May 1932 to a federal penitentiary in Atlanta. Syphilis-related complications earned Capone an early release from prison in 1939.

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1973: Motorola innovator and father of the cellphone Martin Cooper and seven others filed for a patent for their Radio Telephone System, which included both a phone and a tower network to connect it. The result was U.S. Patent No. 3,906,166.

Though it was another decade before Motorola sold the DynaTAC 8000X to the public for more than $12,000 in todays money, Coopers call was the start of a technological revolution.

2003: At least six people were killed and at least seven others were in serious or critical condition following a fire that swept through the 12th floor of a Loop high-rise filled with government offices late in the afternoon, choking the upper floors of the 35-story building with smoke. The blaze forced evacuation of the Cook Country Administration Building at 69 W. Washington St. Though owned by the county, the structure housed 2,500 workers of county, city and state agencies.

2019: Chicago teachers walked out for 15 days, causing the cancellation of 11 school days and disrupting the lives of 300,000 students. A dizzying number of factors contributed to the strike, but they boiled down to politics, time and money. Despite talk of some progress at the bargaining table, neither side had reached consensus on multiple issues, including pay, staffing and the potential duration of a contract.

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The strike set off a protracted battle of wills that ended after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago Teachers Union agreed on a $1.5 billion five-year deal that both sides said would transform Chicago Public Schools.

2021: The Chicago Sky won their first WNBA title.

The Sky completed their miracle run with an 80-74 victory over the Phoenix Mercury in which they came back from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit. They set a WNBA record for most wins in one postseason with eight en route to the franchises first title.

Want more vintage Chicago?

Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicagos past.

Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com
When she was born, doctors informed Opal Sandys parents that their child would never hear. At the age of 11 months, she had not reacted even to the most noise. Two years later, the same child now dances to music and responds when she is calledin all due to a single gene therapy injection that changed her life.

3-year-old Opal was the worlds youngest patient to receive a hearing-restoring gene therapy in 2023. The medicine treated a rare inherited mutation in the OTOF gene that prevents the inner ear from communicating sound signals to the brain. Her case has since been a milestone in modern medicineproof that it is possible for a child born with profound deafness to gain natural hearing.

A Breakthrough Moment in Medicine

The 15-minute procedure was performed in the United Kingdom, where Opals family lives. Under general anesthesia, doctors inserted a healthy copy of the flawed OTOF gene into her right cochlea, the spiral-shaped inner ear structure that converts sound vibrations into electrical signals for the brain. During the same operation, a cochlear implant was implanted in her left ear as a backup.

Opal shortly after her gene therapy procedure. (CREDIT: Jo and James Sandy)

The new treatment, named DB-OTO, was developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company based in New York. It uses a virus that is engineered to deliver functional genetic instructions directly into the sensory cells of the ear. The approach is meant to restore the cells ability to make a key protein that is needed for hearing.

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Her parents, Jo and Paul Sandy, were cautiously hopeful at first. Weeks following the surgery, doctors noticed something remarkable. Opal began to respond to sounds. Soon she was turning her head toward voices, laughing at music, and responding when her name was called.

Opals able to hear perfectly with her right ear alone now, even when the implant in her left ear is turned off. According to Jo and Paul, The difference has been mind-blowing.

How the Therapy Works

In healthy ears, sound waves travel through the ear canal and make the eardrum vibrate. Those vibrations travel to the cochlea, where extremely tiny hair cells convert them into nerve signals. In children with OTOF mutations, the protein that allows for the conversion does not exist, so the auditory nerve is silent.

Weeks following the surgery, doctors noticed something remarkable. Opal began to respond to sounds. (CREDIT: Jo and James Sandy)

DB-OTO works by introducing a functional copy of the gene directly into the cells of the cochlea. Once the new gene takes effect, the cells can once again transform sound into electrical signals and pass them along to the brain. The treatment is designed to be long-term, restoring hearing at the genetic level rather than utilizing external devices.

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For precision, doctors must deliver the viral vector exactly where its needed without damaging any surrounding tissue. They also monitor closely for immune responses and titrate dose to avoid overcorrection. No adverse effects have been reported as yet in the ongoing clinical trials.

Early Results Bring Hope

Regeneron announced in October 2025 that 11 of the first 12 children who had been given DB-OTO had seen significant improvement in hearing within weeks of getting the injection. Many, Opal among them, just keep improving over time. The trial has since opened to patients in the United States, Spain, Germany, and the U.K., and is recruiting children under 18 years old.

Opals case is stunning not only for her rapid progress but for what it reveals about the brains capacity for recovery. Scientists had wondered for years whether restoring hearing in babies after early deafness would hold, since the brains auditory pathways depend on stimulation in order to develop normally. Her success shows those pathways can adapt when given proper inputeven after months of silence.

Opals case is stunning not only for her rapid progress but for what it reveals about the brains capacity for recovery. (CREDIT: Jo and James Sandy)

Experts believe this approach could eventually replace or reduce the need for hearing aids and cochlear implants for certain genetic types of deafness. Its an extraordinary step forward, said a member of the clinical research team. For the first time, were not just compensating for hearing losswere correcting the underlying cause.

Challenges and Ethical Hurdles

Despite the enthusiasm, scientists are cautious. Gene therapy is a new field, and there is minimal margin for error in the inner ears intricacy. Long-term data will be required to see whether the improvement holds and whether side effects with delayed onset could occur.

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Cost and access are also major issues. Producing safe viral vectors and organizing worldwide clinical trials are costly. Even if the therapy is approved, its cost may restrict availability unless governments or insurers get involved.

There are also moral questions of how early in life such therapies should be given. Timing is everythingearly enough for brain development, but only after safety has been fully assured. Transparency, informed consent, and fair access will be essential as the technology progresses.

From Silence to Sound

For Opals family, however, the change has already transformed daily life. Where there was silence, there are now gurgles, songs, and bedtime stories. Jo Sandy describes the moment she knew her daughter could hear, saying: It was like the world had opened up for her. She turned her head towards my voice and smiled.

Her older sister, who still uses hearing aids, now plays and speaks with her in ways never before possible. The therapy hasnt just restored soundits recreated family connection.

Previous OTOF Gene Therapy Milestone

As previously reported by The Brighter Side of News in July, a groundbreaking clinical trial in China successfully restored hearing in patients born with a rare genetic form of deafness, marking a major step forward in gene therapy. The treatment targets mutations in the OTOF gene, which is responsible for producing otoferlin  a protein that helps transmit sound from the ear to the brain. When this gene is faulty, children are born with profound hearing loss, but researchers have now shown that replacing it with a healthy version can reverse deafness.

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The trial, conducted across five hospitals in China, used a single injection of an engineered virus to deliver the healthy OTOF gene directly to the base of the cochlea  the inner-ear structure vital for hearing. The therapy, which had already been proven safe in animal studies, was given to ten patients ranging from toddlers to young adults. Over a period of six to twelve months, participants showed significant hearing improvement, with no serious side effects reported. The most common temporary issue was a mild decrease in white blood cells.

Results were especially striking among younger children. Those aged five to eight saw the greatest recovery, with one seven-year-old regaining near-normal hearing within just four months. On average, hearing levels improved from around 106 decibels  classified as profound deafness  to about 52 decibels, enough to detect normal conversation. While older patients experienced smaller gains, all participants benefited from the therapy.

Opal, pictured with parents Jo and James Sandy, was one of the children to receive the Regeneron gene therapy. (CREDIT: Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

Researchers continue to track the patients to see how long the improvements last, while also expanding their work to other genetic forms of deafness caused by mutations in genes such as GJB2 and TMC1. The success of this trial could open the door to a new era of hearing restoration therapies, offering hope to families affected by hereditary hearing loss around the world.

Practical Implications of the Research

This breakthrough marks a turning point for the treatment of inherited deafness. By proving that gene therapy can safely restore hearing in a living child, scientists have opened doors for similar treatments targeting other genetic conditions affecting the eyes, muscles, and brain.

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For millions worldwide living with hereditary hearing loss, this technology offers the possibility of a cure rather than lifelong assistive devices. It could also inspire new policies supporting early genetic testing and intervention, giving children the best chance for natural hearing development.

In the long run, therapies like DB-OTO could redefine how society views deafnessfrom an unchangeable condition to one that science can meaningfully address.

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LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) is blaming Senate Democrats for shutting down the federal government.

Policy experts have described the current shutdown as a weird one, and Barrett agrees, because Democrats are using the filibuster as a bargaining chip in an unconventional way  likely to get Republicans to vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.

Haley Stevens says its going to get worse for families during shutdown

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While the shutdown feels like it wont end, what Democrats hope to achieve is possible. That has not been the case in previous shutdowns, like when Republicans tried to get Barack Obama to sign a bill repealing the Affordable Care Act or when Democrats were pressured to build the border wall.

Vice President JD Vance, second from left, visits Hatch Stamping accompanied by U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Rep. Tom Barrett, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, in Howell, Mich. (Jessica Koscielniak/Pool Photo via AP)

Americans went out and voted last year in the election, they elected Republicans to the House of Representatives in a governing majority, they elected a Republican majority in the Senate, and they elected a Republican president, Barrett told 6 News this week. The party that claims to defend democracy at all costs, why are they standing in the way of the democratically elected folks who are in positions to make decisions for our country?

When asked if Republicans would eliminate the filibuster, Barrett said it would be up to the Senate and didnt say if any serious conversations about it had been discussed. The filibuster can be used to prolong shutdowns because continuing resolution votes require 60 votes in the Senate. Republicans could bypass the filibuster with a full spending package.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said she isnt beholden to the president in interviews this week and expressed concern for the Republican Party in next years midterm elections. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) accused Republicans of gutting health care.

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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 WLNS 6 News.
President Donald Trump will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday, with the possibility of Tomahawk missile sales to Kyiv at the forefront of discussions.

The U.S.-made missiles, described by Trump as vicious, offensive, incredibly destructive", can strike targets at least 1,550 miles away and are capable of bypassing heavily defended airspace. Should Trump approve the sale of the highly sophisticated weaponry to Zelensky, military targets in Russias two major cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg, would be well within range for Ukraine.

Some of the Tomahawks are also capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

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Earlier this week, the President hinted he could sell the missiles to Zelensky. If this war is not going to get settled, I may send Tomahawks, Trump told reporters as he travelled to Israel on Monday.

On Thursday night during a two-hour long phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said he brought up the possibility of selling the long-range missiles to Ukraine. He didnt like the idea, the President told reporters.

However, Trump also seemed to downplay the idea, claiming he would not want to deplete U.S. military resources.

And, according to President Putins foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, the Russian leader warned Trump during the phone call that giving Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv would cause substantial damage to relations between our countries.

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Prior to the phone call, the Kremlin warned against a potential Tomahawks deal. "The topic of Tomahawks is of extreme concern. Now is really a very dramatic moment in terms of the fact that tensions are escalating from all sides, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media on Sunday.

Trump, in recent months, has expressed frustration with Russia and Putin. In September, the U.S. leader said Putin had really let me down over his failure to end the war in Ukraine.

Whether it is Tomahawks, or something less in terms of range or capability, an arms deal could be agreed upon by the two leaders at the White House later today.

As for what Ukraine wants from the United States of America, it is all there. We delivered to the U.S. president a request containing details and illustrations of what Ukraine wants, Zelensky said in a press conference in Kyiv at the end of September.

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The Ukrainian President continued: We discussed and agreed on the main points with the president. Now we are moving on to practical implementation, adding that separate agreements, including on the sale of long-range missiles, will also be discussed in Washington.

After arriving in the U.S. on Thursday, Zelensky also met with representatives of defense contractor Lockheed Martin to discuss potential arms deals. I outlined Ukraines specific needs for air defense systems and their compatible missiles, as well as F-16 aircraft, said Zelensky on X, adding that such defenses were needed in response to increasingly brutal Russian strikes on Ukraine.

Zelensky also met with representatives from Raytheon, the company that manufactures Tomahawk missiles. The discussions focused on cooperation regarding "Ukraines air defense and long-range capabilities," said the Ukrainian President.

Fridays meeting comes as Trump also announced a fresh meeting with Putin, this time in Hungary.

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President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this inglorious War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end, said Trump on Truth Social.

The President will be hoping that his upcoming meeting with Putin will be significantly more successful than the last. The leaders last met in Alaska in August, serving as their first in-person encounter since 2019, and was intended to foster discussions about a path toward a potential cease-fire, but it ended earlier than expected and, notably, without a deal being reached.

Fridays meeting in the Oval Office at least marks significant progress in the relationship between Trump and Zelensky. During an astonishing meeting played out in front of the worlds media in February, the Ukrainian President was told by Trump, among other things, that he had disrespected the U.S.

Vice President J.D. Vance also weighed in. Have you said thank you once? This entire meeting? Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America, and the President whos trying to save your country.

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Fridays meeting between Trump and Zelensky will be the latest encounter between the pair since Trump reassumed office at the beginning of the year.

In terms of Ukraines other western allies, commitments to defense have already been laid down. During a meeting of the coalition of the willing in Paris in September, over 30 countries agreed to security guarantees for Ukraine.

Such assurances included 26 countries committing to deploying boots on the ground in Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force should a peace deal be reached between Kyiv and Moscow.

French President Emmanuel Macron also suggested that further sanctions would be placed upon Russia by the West, including the U.S, should it not facilitate a one-on-one meeting between Putin and Zelensky.

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If Moscow doesnt want to respect these conditions, we will have to take further steps with the U.S., warned Macron. The key argument here is that there are no limitations for the defence of Ukraine.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that discussions over a transfer of military assets from the United States -- including its coveted Tomahawk cruise missiles -- has motivated Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet President Donald Trump in Budapest, a new diplomatic booking that Trump announced on Truth Social Thursday.

Trumps announcement of a meeting with Putin -- which he said would take place in the next two weeks -- comes a day before hell meet with Zelenskyy for the third time in Washington and as U.S. officials have touted a new mechanism by which European allies purchase American-made military hardware for Ukraines fight.

Trump has mused publicly about the possibility of sending the Tomahawks, which have a range of up to 1,500 miles, to Ukraine, while Zelenskyy has said a sale of the long-range weapons could bolster its war effort.

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Trump says he and Putin plan to meet again to discuss war in Ukraine

Trump said that he and Putin "didn't say much" about the topic of Tomahawks in a phone call Thursday, but they "did talk about it a little bit." The president hedged on the possibility of releasing the missiles from the U.S. stockpile, noting "we need Tomahawks for the United States."

U.S. Navy - PHOTO: Sailors assigned to Navy Munitions Command Pacific, East Asia Division, Unit Guam load UGM-109 Tomahawk missiles onto the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Jefferson City, May 6, 2025.

"We cant deplete [them] for our country," he said. "I dont know what we can do about that."

Trump was more bullish on Sunday, saying "If this war is not going to get settled, I'm going to send them Tomahawks."

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Upon landing in Washington Thursday, Zelenskyy said the agreement for a Budapest meeting was a product of the U.S's public pressure.

"Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he wrote on X.

In a meeting of U.S. officials and a Ukrainian delegation in Washington, officials on both sides welcomed the news of a Trump-Putin meeting, according to a U.S. official. The officials believed Trump's phone call with Putin could yield progress for his meeting with Zelenskyy on Friday, the source said.

Trump's considered green light for Ukraine Tomahawks could 'push Russia back,' NATO minister says

Tomahawks: Scarce but impactful

The U.S. would have to be careful doling out the missiles in light of "underinvestment" in its munitions stockpile, said Tom Karako, the director of the Missile Defense Project at the Centers for Strategic and International Security.

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The U.S. has already expended the Tomahawks in "relatively low-risk operations," Karako said.

"These are scarce non-nuclear strategic assets, and they need to be husbanded and stewarded" for high-value targets, Karako said. "Degrading high-value Russian assets strikes me as exactly the sort of thing they're good for."

The deep range and heavy payloads deliverable by the Tomahawks would "enable a 'Spiderweb' operation at range," Karako said, referring to Ukraine's stealth attack on Russian military assets using drones hidden inside Russia. "You don't have to smuggle stuff into Russia" if Ukraine is equipped with Tomahawks and the necessary systems to launch them from land.

Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: FILES-US-UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-DIPLOMACY

But the U.S. has only recently developed a very small number of the ground-based launchers required for the missiles, raising the question of whether it's capable of providing Ukraine with launchers on short notice.

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The U.S. Army received a prototype for the Typhon missile launcher in 2022 and has operationalized it only recently. The Typhon is essentially a large tractor-trailer and lacks the mobility needed for the battlefields of Ukraine.

In its budget proposal for next year, the Marine Corps killed its Long Range Fires program that became operational in 2023 in limited numbers. That system was also capable of launching Tomahawk missiles, but the Marine Corps felt it was not mobile enough for its needs.

The Army has now taken over the program as a way to improve upon the mobility limitations of its current Typhon system.

Oshkosh Defense introduced at a symposium of the Association of the U.S. Army this week a new, more-compact vehicle from which Tomahawks can be launched.

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With Poland drone attack, Putin is testing Europe and Trump: ANALYSIS

The platform, which Oshkosh calls the future of long-range munitions, is not currently in production, a company spokesperson told ABC News.

Still, if the U.S. could provide the missiles and a complementary platform, the weapons system could be a tactical menace to Moscow, Karako said.

Ukraine could expect "a chilling effect on the ease with which Russia has been able to operate with impunity not far from the Ukrainian border," he added.

They would almost certainly come with U.S. conditions for targeting, Karako said.

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"I would not expect them to fly through the window of the Kremlin," he said.

Zelenskyy has committed to using the weapons only for "military goals."

Andrew Caballero-reynolds/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: FILES-US-RUSSIA-UKRAINE-CONFLICT-TRUMP-PUTIN

Trump administrations tone shift

Speculation over Tomahawks -- and signals from Washington and Moscow -- have come amid a shift in tone from the Trump administration after the president's bilateral meeting with Putin in Alaska did not yield the trilateral meeting, including Zelenskyy, that he sought.

The Kremlin has said a sale of Tomahawks by the U.S. would represent an "escalation."

The Ukrainians, meanwhile, have pointed to other weapons systems as a part of their wish list, including Patriot air defense systems.

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U.S. allies in Europe have been purchasing U.S. military assets for Ukraine via the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, or PURL -- an initiative spearheaded by Trump to arm Ukraine without spending U.S. funds and touted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a meeting of NATO allies Wednesday.

In remarks in Brussels, Hegseth called Russia's war in Ukraine "continued aggression," verbiage he's been hesitant to use in the past.

"If this war does not end, if there is no path to peace in the short term, then the United States, along with our allies, will take the steps necessary to impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression," Hegseth said.

A European diplomatic source told ABC News that Patriot air defenses from the U.S. have been discussed under the PURL mechanism, but that new arms sales for Ukraine will largely depend on the high-stakes meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy on Friday.

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Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, said this week that Tomahawks would put "a lot of Russian oil and gas infrastructure at risk."

"Putin's going to continue to get weaker and weaker," Whitaker said. The decision of whether to send them to Ukraine, though, would depend on the president, he said.
A federal judge has fined the town of Toms River for ignoring court orders to hand over documents in a lawsuit, which alleged that the town used zoning rules to stop Orthodox Jewish groups from building synagogues.

In a ruling issued Wednesday, the U.S. District Court for New Jersey found the township in contempt for ignoring multiple orders to turn over documents and ordered Toms River to pay $29,750 in legal fees as a penalty for the violations.

Stories by Colleen Murphy

Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Mackenzie Ziegler uploaded a mirror selfie in a bold black top on Instagram. She chose a simple base for her pictures and stylized her look via accessories. Her hair was set in a neat modern hairstyle. She captioned the picture saying, close friends posts of the year (pt 1). Mackenzie Ziegler stuns in a daring [] The post Mackenzie Zieglers Mirror Selfie in Bold Top Will Make You Look Twice appeared first on Mandatory.
Akbar Novruz



Past misunderstandings between Azerbaijan and France have been resolved, said President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev as he received the credentials of the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Azerbaijan, Sophie Lagoutte.

This announcement comes at a crucial moment. As we have highlighted during the EPC Summit earlier this month, the event served as a clear signal of a turning point in AzerbaijanFrance relations. The developments we are now witnessing confirm that prediction: the prospects for bilateral cooperation are becoming clearer, and both sides appear ready to focus on pragmatic, mutually beneficial engagement.

Azerbaijan has long shaped its foreign relations based on international law and shared interests. Tensions with France had emerged in previous years, largely due to certain French politicians biased approach to the ArmeniaAzerbaijan conflict, as well as Frances broader geopolitical posture. French officials, in turn, insisted their policy was neutral. However, states do not have permanent friends or enemiesthey have strategic partners and rivals with whom they interact according to interests. Today, France seems to have abandoned its previous destructive approach toward Azerbaijan, and Baku has responded in kind, signalling a new phase of constructive diplomacy.

Still, the economic ties between the two nations mostly held. Between January and August, Azerbaijan exported roughly $46.3 million in goods to France, while importing about $159.4 million in return. These figures closely mirror those of prior years, making clear that despite political disagreements, the practical trade relationship remained resilient. One clear indication that the previous tensions were largely political and somewhat superficial (without minimising their importance) is the continued ability of French companies and entrepreneurs to operate freely in Azerbaijan. Today, around 60 French companies are active in the country. Even a brief look back shows that France has played a pioneering role in Azerbaijans energy sector, most notably, the French company TotalEnergies was the first to develop offshore gas production in Azerbaijan.

Frances earlier support for Yerevan, however, had been driven primarily by its own interests, but it is increasingly evident that ignoring Baku would now be a missed opportunity. With regional dynamics shifting and the South Caucasus gaining geopolitical attention, renewed engagement offers tangible benefits for both sides.

The significance of this shift is also visible in the reactions of the Armenian diaspora, which has launched a series of envious and fear-driven campaigns online, some even targeting our own publications. Such reactions highlight how consequential this new dynamic has become. Azerbaijans growing role as an indispensable player in regional and Eurasian affairs is undeniable.

Now, France, under mounting domestic pressure, is itself at a crossroads. The country is experiencing what many observers call its most severe political crisis in seventy years. Soaring energy and food prices, slowing GDP, high debt, and rising social unrest have created broad public discontent and frequent strikes.

President Macrons authority has been challenged from within and without. He recently reappointed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who had just resigned amid cabinet disputesand yet even that change has done little to restore stability. The new cabinet faces the threat of a no-confidence vote, and critics from both opposition parties and internal circles have called for early presidential elections. Polls show that 68% of French citizens believe the government is out of touch with society, and 54% believe Macron has lost the ability to form a stable administration.

In this turbulent environment, Macron has sought to deflect blame. During a visit to Egypt for ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, he sharply criticised French opposition parties for intensifying the political crisis. The message was unmistakable: domestic dissent must not derail foreign policy.

Against that backdrop, Macron does not want to be left out of the South Caucasus. France has strategic interests in the region, especially regarding Armenia. Weakening his legitimacy at home could push him to secure influence abroad before his position weakens further. Engaging more constructively with Azerbaijan now is one such move.

While France may not be the France of old, Paris still retains the capacity to influence complex regions through careful strategic and economic moves. The key question now is whether this engagement will be sustained, and what it could mean for the stability and prosperity of the South Caucasus. Thanks to the foresight signalled during the EPC Summit, we can already see that AzerbaijanFrance relations are entering a promising new chapter.
Actor Karisma Kapoor on Thursday remembered her late ex-husband, businessman Sunjay Kapur, on his birth anniversary, amid an ongoing legal dispute over his estate. Karisma shared a picture of a cake with "Happy birthday Dad" written on it, in memory of Sunjay, who passed away earlier this year. The post was also shared by her sister, actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, who added an emotional note, writing, "My sam and kiu, dad is protecting you always and forever," and included a heart emoji. Sunjay Kapur, the chairman of Sona Comstar, a well-known auto parts manufacturer, passed away in June this year while playing Polo in London. Since his passing, his estate has been the subject of an ongoing legal battle. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday heard detailed submissions from Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar, representing Priya Kapur, the wife of the late industrialist Sunjay Kapur, in a civil suit filed by Karisma Kapoor's children seeking a share in their father's personal assets. Justice Jyoti Singh presided over the matter, where Priya Kapur has opposed the suit, asserting that there is no valid legal challenge to the will of Sunjay Kapur dated March 21, 2025, under which his assets were bequeathed. Nayar argued that the entire plaint is bereft of any cause of action. There is no challenge to this Will. He submitted that the plaintiffs were aware of the will's existence as early as July 30, when it was disclosed, and that a formal reading of the will was held in their presence. He further pointed out that the suit was filed on September 9 without any reference to the will, and that the document was officially shared with the plaintiffs on September 15, pursuant to the court's direction. "Even after that, there was no amendment to the plaint or any replication challenging the will", he said. Questioning the maintainability of the case, Nayar remarked, "I ask myself in which proceeding are we putting the Will to issue? This is not a probate proceeding. You have not challenged the execution or validity of the Will in the pleadings. There is no declaration sought for cancelling it." He accused the plaintiffs of raising a "non-existent and bogus challenge", adding that after the recent Supreme Court judgment, the court can suo-motu reject the plaint if it discloses no cause of action. Referring to the alleged discrepancies cited by the plaintiffs, Nayar said, "I am told that there are four additional grounds to invalidate a will -- wrong spelling, wrong address, writing testatrix instead of testator, and the closeness of witnesses. In my 45 years of experience, I have never seen a Will invalidated for spelling errors. Forgery has to be complete, with no mistakes left. And this lady (Priya Kapur) is not a housewife; she is an investment banker. Would she spell her son's name wrong?" He went on to argue that minor errors could not invalidate a validly executed will, stating that the only relevant questions were whether the deceased was of sound mind and whether the will was executed in the presence of two attesting witnesses."A will is not judged by whose custody it remained in or when it surfaced, but by whether it bears genuine signatures and proper attestation," he asserted. Nayar also sought to counter the plaintiffs' emotional arguments, remarking, "This is wife versus wife -- obviously, the current wife would be preferred, not the estranged one." He said his submissions were only to "dispel allegations" and establish that prima facie the Will is valid. Reading from the written statement, Nayar pointed out that the execution and disclosure of the will were placed on affidavit and that no material exists before the court to suggest otherwise."The execution of the will and the course of disclosure have been detailed. There is no basis for assuming a different narrative," he said. The court concluded the day's hearing after Nayar's submissions. The matter will continue on Friday for further arguments. Karisma and Sunjay were married in 2003 and got divorced in 2016 after years of public and legal conflict. The two share two children, Kiaan and Samara Kapur. Soon after, Sunjay found love again with Delhi-based model and socialite Priya Sachdev. In 2017, the two got married and later welcomed their son, Azarias. (ANI)
In the long-running compensation case for shareholders of the dismantled Russian oil company Yukos, the Dutch Supreme Court rejected Russia's final appeal, meaning Moscow must pay former shareholders more than $50 billion.

The court's decision upheld the rulings of the lower courts, and concludes the proceedings more than 10 years after the first ruling, it said.

Former shareholders in different countries have been trying for years to seize Russian property in order to get their money back.

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Oil and gas company Yukos belonged to former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, 62, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia declared the company insolvent in 2006, alledging Khodorkovsky had failed to pay billions of dollars in taxes. The company was broken up and shareholders left empty-handed. Khodorkovsky spent 10 years in prison.

However, company shareholders filed a lawsuit and demanded compensation. In 2014, an independent Arbitral Tribunal based in The Hague ruled in their favour and awarded them $50 billion in damages, deciding the company had been expropriated for political reasons in order to "eliminate Khodorkovsky as a potential rival to President Putin and to appropriate Yukos' property."

Russia appealed the ruling through all instances, most recently appealing to the Supreme Court alleging procedural errors. This has now been rejected.

The ruling is now "final, irreversible and enforceable against Russian state assets worldwide," say the shareholders' lawyers. In total, Russia must pay $65 billion, including interest.
Trade Tales |

By Aidan Taylor

While there are still a few months left in 2025, its a good time to start thinking about your business goals for the year to come. This week, learn what three designersTheresa Butler, Elizabeth Krueger and Cheryl Stauffersee on the horizon for their firms.

Cheryl Stauffer - Photo Credit Courtesy of Crimson Design Group

DREAMING BIG



Back in 2017, during a trip to Jackson Hole with my Pearl Consulting Boardroom group, a realization struck me: I needed to push my limits and envision a much larger future for Crimson Design Group. I gave myself permission to dream biggerto imagine our design influence extending across the globe. But dreams need a road map, so we started on a journey to design the path toward that ambitious goal.

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[Our] team is focused on developing a multifaceted growth strategy [centered on] diversification: creating multiple revenue streams to build a strong foundation for Crimsons future. Were exploring new territories, expanding our expertise into secondary markets for multifamily and senior living projects while continuing our established work in residential design nationwide. Leveraging our experience as a multidisciplinary firm, were also thrilled to venture into the world of hospitality design. Its an exciting new avenue for the firm, one where were eager to make our mark. In addition, our real estate arm, Crimson Collective, remains open to strategic investment opportunities. We approach each potential acquisition with creativity and an open mind, always looking for ways to align real estate with our broader vision.

These new markets, sectors and ventures arent solely about growth. Theyre about building resilience. By diversifying our revenue streams, were creating a stronger, more adaptable businessa company equipped to navigate economic fluctuations with confidence. Cheryl Stauffer, Crimson Design Group, Columbus, Ohio

Theresa Butler - Photo Credit Courtesy of Theresa Butler Interiors

INVITING INCLUSIVITY



In the year to come, three areas come to mind: sustainability, flexible space planning and inclusivity. Sustainability is not just a buzzword for the interior design industry; its a powerful force for positive change. It goes beyond choosing eco-friendly materials and extends to reducing ones carbon footprint by sourcing local materials, furniture and fixtures, or by integrating more nature into indoor spaces. This commitment to sustainability not only enhances design but also contributes to a healthier, more balanced environment, inspiring hope for a greener future.

With remote work becoming a permanent fixture in our lives, the need for flexible space planning has never been more pronounced for both residential and commercial interiors. In residential interiors, open floor plans can present significant limitations. Today, its essential to find a balance between fixed office spaces and interconnected areas that are ideal for work and social gatherings. This means there will be more walls, but for good reason: The enclosed spaces will provide the acoustic and physical privacy needed to focus, meet or decompress, while still being inviting. The opposite trend is happening in commercial interiors, especially in office design. While enclosed spaces are still essential, offices are leaning toward more open floor space to encourage gathering and intermingling. Gone are the days of cubicles; shared, open workspaces are taking over. Home-like kitchen spaces are replacing the dull, bland break rooms. Although enclosed conference rooms are still available, more casual spaces are being created for one-on-one or small-group meetings.

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The interior design industry is also becoming more inclusive. People from diverse backgrounds and experiences are embracing their creative side and entering the industry, bringing unique expertise and vision to create stunning spaces. This inclusivity extends beyond the designers themselves to the people we are designing for. The industry is expanding its reach to include older generations and people with disabilities, creating spaces that meet their needs without sacrificing style. [The design trade] is also addressing the needs of the homeless by ensuring that the spaces provided are humane and inspiring. We are using trauma-informed design to improve mental health facilities and wellness centers. Additionally, were designing tiny homes and mobile homes because the size of the abode shouldnt prevent people from having a space they love. Overall, the interior design industry is evolving and growing, and we should all be proud and supportive of these efforts. Theresa Butler, Theresa Butler Interiors, Atlanta

Elizabeth Krueger - Photo Credit Courtesy of Elizabeth Krueger Design

SLOW LIVING



Its easy to feel overwhelmed by the inundation of whats new and next in the industry. There always seem to be new concepts and styles that were supposed to anxiously stay in front of so that we are current and creating content that is relevant. I have come to the realization that I need to focus on what my client wants and needs rather than worry [about] whats current. We are building homes to last for generations, and we want to provide clients with style that lasts a lifetime. In a world where everything changes fast, Im hoping that this next year invites people to slow down, really think about what is meaningful and timeless, and make more decisions that support that. To me, that means that authenticity is going to be at the core of what is to come. Spaces will become more personal, more layered and more meaningfulIm really excited for that! Elizabeth Krueger, Elizabeth Krueger Design, Chicago

These excerpts were originally published in the 2024 Interior Design Business Survey report, produced by Pearl Collective and Interior Talent in collaboration with Business of Home. Download the full report for more insights on the state of the industry.

Want to stay informed? Sign up for our newsletter, which recaps the weeks stories, and get in-depth industry news and analysis each quarter by subscribing to our print magazine. Join BOH Insider for discounts, workshops and access to special events such as the Future of Home conference.
The Trump administration is planning to furlough the vast majority of the civilian staff at a key agency that helps manage the nations nuclear weapons stockpile, according to a notice obtained by POLITICO.

The National Nuclear Security Administration, which falls under the Energy Department, will exhaust its available funding on Saturday, according to the notice NNSA sent to lawmakers.

As a result, approximately 1,400 employees will be furloughed, the notice states, while about 375 will remain on the job for work that has been exempted from the shutdown. In all, about 80 percent of the agencys personnel wont report to work on Monday.

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The agency doesnt directly operate U.S. nuclear weapons, which falls to the Pentagon. But it is a key component of America's nuclear capabilities by maintaining and modernizing warheads, overseeing Navy nuclear propulsion and managing nonproliferation programs. Republicans on Friday warned there could be consequences because of the furloughs, though the memo to lawmakers states the Energy Department and NNSA "are looking at all options to ensure continuity of our critical national security missions."

House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), alongside House GOP leaders, said at a news conference Friday that another consequence of Senate Democrats blocking the Republican-backed funding stopgap was staff reductions at the National Nuclear Security Administration.

We were just informed last night that the National Nuclear Security Administration, the group that manages our nuclear stockpile, that the carryover funding they've been using is about to run out, said Rogers. They will have to lay off 80 percent of their employees. These are not employees that you want to go home. They're managing and handling a very important strategic asset for us. They need to be at work and being paid."

A House Armed Services spokesperson clarified, however, that the panel was told those staff were being temporarily furloughed and not completely laid off.

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Rogers and other top Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, cited the nuclear workforce furloughs as just one of the looming national security consequences of the shutdown and blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for keeping agencies shuttered.

Though the Republicans praised President Donald Trump for shifting Pentagon funding to ensure troops didnt miss a paycheck this week, Rogers noted defense civilian workers are still going unpaid and other major national security functions will be impacted as the shutdown drags on.

"People are about to start missing paychecks, said Rogers in an interview after the GOP press conference. That's when it gets painful."

The Energy Department in a statement confirmed that approximately 1,400 NNSA employees will be furloughed as of Monday while "nearly 400" will continue working. The NNSA's Office of Secure Transportation  which oversees the safe transportation of U.S. nuclear materials, such as weapons, components, enriched uranium or plutonium  is funded through Oct. 27.

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Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a spokesperson said, will travel to the NNSA's Nevada National Security Site on Monday to highlight the shutdown's impact on the U.S. nuclear enterprise.

Energy Department officials have been sounding alarms that the shutdown would result in halting some nuclear security programs and staff furloughs.

Wright said in an interview Thursday on Bloomberg TV that furloughs at the NNSA could occur as soon as Friday, saying the agency wont be able to pay those workers by Monday at the latest.

Kelsey Tamborrino contributed to this report.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the most senior Republican in the chamber and chair of the Judiciary Committee, dinged President Donald Trump on Friday for breaking the law by firing inspectors general without notifying Congress.

Pres Trump takes an oath to uphold the constitution & the laws but he hasnt told Congress he was firing the Ex-Im Inspector General, Grassley wrote on social media, adding:

The law says POTUS has to specifically inform Congress abt IG firings and unless the courts say otherwise thats still the law.

Trump fired almost two dozen inspectors general after starting his second term, sparking an outcry among observers who warned against Trump interfering with the independent watchdogs. In mid-September, a judge found Trump broke the law by not giving Congress a 30-day notice before the firings  a ruling Grassley made clear he agreed with. The court did not, however, restore the IGs to their roles.

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Grassley has long been a strong advocate for inspectors general in the government and has fought the Trump administration from gutting them.

Grassley and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) wrote a letter to Trump Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought at the end of September and demanded he promptly reverse course on a plan to defund a key group related to the federal governments inspector generals.

The Washington Post reported on Voughts plan at the time, explaining that the Trump administration plans to end funding for the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE). The group is  the umbrella organization for 72 inspectors general across government that helps inspectors general root out waste, fraud and abuse in the government, added the Post.

The Senate Judiciary Committee, which Grassley chairs, put out a statement on Tuesday that said Grassley and Collins sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought calling on OMB to reverse its decision to withhold apportionments for the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC).

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Absent immediate action, CIGIE and PRAC will need to furlough staff and terminate important functions that help prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the government, the senators wrote in their letter.

Congress has already appropriated FY 2026 funds for CIGIE and PRAC, and both entities enjoy strong bipartisan support. Thus, any adverse consequences will be solely due to OMBs decision not to apportion available funds, rather than any lapse in appropriations, continued the letter, adding:

Of course, we recognize the need to ensure that all government entities are good stewards of taxpayer dollars and operate efficiently and effectively. We understand from your staff that OMBs apportionment decision may be part of a review of CIGIE and PRAC activities. However, we see no reason why such a review could not occur while those entities remain operational so that they can continue the numerous functions that are mandated by law.

__

The post Top Senate Republican Jabs Trump For Breaking the Law On Key Firings first appeared on Mediaite.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  Shawnee Countys district attorney has filed charges against an 18-year-old for his alleged role in a July deadly shooting that left one man dead.

Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay announced on Oct. 17 that he is charging Aaron K. Hurla following his arrest in connection to the deadly shooting of 28-year-old Destiny Voss in July this year. Hurla is charged with the following:

Murder in the first degree.

Attempted aggravated robbery.

Criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied dwelling.

Criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied dwelling.

Criminal discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle.

Distribute or possess with Intent to distribute marijuana.

Aaron Hurlas mugshot. (Photo Courtesy/Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

Man sentenced for deadly 2023 Topeka shooting

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Topeka police were informed around 11:30 p.m. on July 6 that a gunshot victim had arrived at a local hospital. The victim, identified as Voss, later died of his injuries. Topeka police determined he was shot in the 3200 block of Southwest Randolph Avenue.

Police arrested Hurla on Oct. 14. Topeka police also arrested another 18-year-old, Avant Chambers, in connection to the investigation. Kagay has charged Chambers with multiple crimes including murder in the first degree and aggravated robbery.

If you have information to share with police regarding this investigation, call 785-368-9400 or send an email to telltpd@topeka.org. You can send in anonymous tips to law enforcement by contacting Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007 or by clicking here.

Judge sentences Topeka man to life in prison for killing 22-year-old

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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TORRINGTON - A Torrington Fire Department battalion chief was arrested this month after the state police said he deliberately set a fire on vacant land he owns in Barkhamsted during a high-risk burn day and despite repeated warnings from local officials, documents show.

The fire, which police say Robert J. Shopey III lit to clear land to make room for an excavator, spread from a camp robertfire to burn brush in April. Embers picked up by the wind spread about 15 feet away and started another fire, state police said.

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Shopey told state police he attempted to put out the fire, but it grew too fast for him to control. He then called 911.

The fire took six hours to extinguish with the help of mutual aid from area fire departments, according to the arrest warrant. The approximate size of the fire was 1 to 3 acres, according to state police.

Shopey, 38, of New Hartford, is facing a felony charge of reckless burning, as well as misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment, second-degree breach of peace and open fire kindling without a permit. He is free on $25,000 bond.

Shopey appeared in court Tuesday to apply for accelerated rehabilitation, a diversionary program for first-time offenders that could lead to a dismissal.

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Shopey remains on the job and was the shift commander during a fire on Marvin Street on Wednesday. Fire Chief David Tripp did not return calls for comment.

Shopey's attorney, Robert Salerno, said his client was told by the fire marshal in Barkhamsted that he could do burns in a 5-foot-by-5-foot pit.

"It just can't be bigger than that. He does the 5-by-5s," Salerno said.

Salerno noted Shopey called 911 and helped fight the fire.

"There's more to the story than just, 'Oh, some guy that just doesn't want to pay attention to the rule.' It's a guy who did pay attention and things got out of hand. There's no question about that. He's willing to work with everybody to resolve the case," Salerno said.

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State police initially issued a warning to Shopey at the scene, but Barkhamsted First Selectman Nicholas Lukiwski requested state police to conduct further investigations after informing them Shopey had requested burn permits from the town and was denied.

Town officials notified state police that Shopey first requested a burn permit in December 2024 after he purchased the 20-acre property that year for $182,000, according to state police and town assessment records.

Shopey was denied because state law and the town require a house and well to be on the property for a burn permit to be issued. He asked two more times and was denied, and town officials said "they started burning illegally in January. Again they were verbally asked to stop," according to the warrant.

A neighbor also asked Shopey to stop burning in April.

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No warnings are ever issued in writing for burning, town officials told state police.

On April 18, Barkhamsted firefighters responded to Dew Road in town after being called to a brush fire. The first firefighter on scene immediately called for mutual aid after seeing a large amount of white smoke and then the fire moving rapidly, working up the hill into a heavily wooded area.

That high-burn day was very dry with strong winds that made the fire more dangerous, according to statements from Barkhamsted fire officials to the state police.

"Robert put his hand on his head and started shaking his head back and forth, knowing that he screwed up," Pleasant Valley Deputy Fire Chief Shawn Weinman told state police, according to the warrant.

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Firefighters from New Hartford, West Hartland and other fire companies in Barkhamsted responded to the fire.

Weinman told state police they could see where the fire started and embers "jumped from the anchor point into the woods."

Pleasant Valley Chief James Shanley told state police the fire could have threatened nearby homes or Peoples State Forest had the fire department not arrived when it did.

This isn't the first time the fire department responded to Shopey's property, the state police said. In February or March, Pleasant Valley Fire Department responded to his property because he was burning brush during a high-burn day, fire officials told state police.

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Following the April 18 fire, a state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection fire control officer notified state police of its investigation, calling the blaze "indeed a significant fire" that "placed homes and structures nearby at risk."

This article originally published at Torrington fire official set brush fire on high-risk day to clear his land, warrant says.
Trader Joes is facing legal heat after Smuckers filed a lawsuit accusing the grocery chain of copying the design and packaging of its bestselling Uncrustables. The federal complaint, filed in Ohio by The J.M. Smucker Company, alleges that Trader Joes private-label crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches infringe on Smuckers longstanding trademarks tied to Uncrustables, a product line that generates more than $650 million a year and has become a staple in the grab-and-go snack category.

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According to Reuters, Smuckers claims Trader Joes version mimics several signature features that define Uncrustables: a round, sealed sandwich shape with crimped edges and a clean, crustless cut meant to appeal to both kids and adults looking for a nostalgic lunchbox-style bite. The lawsuit also points to visual similarities in packaging, specifically calling out what Smuckers describes as a confusingly similar color palette and bite-out imagery that echoes the playful branding used on Uncrustables boxes, Reuters reports. By leaning into the same visual cues, the complaint argues, Trader Joes is attempting to benefit from the decades of brand recognition Smuckers has built.

The move signals just how protective Smuckers is of its peanut butterand-jelly empire. Uncrustables have been on the market since 1995 and hold a dominant position in the frozen sandwich space, with Smuckers previously defending its trademarks aggressively against competitors. In this case, Smuckers isn't just asking for damages, it wants Trader Joes to stop selling the product entirely, destroy existing inventory, and scrub all packaging it claims infringes on its intellectual property. For a retailer known for quirky product riffs and house-brand spins on national favorites, this marks a rare moment when Trader Joes private-label strategy is being challenged head-on in court.

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The lawsuit arrives at a moment when Trader Joes remains one of the most closely watched brands in the grocery world, with fans often praising it for creating clever versions of iconic snacks at lower price points. But this time, that same innovation playbook is what put the chain in the crosshairs. Smuckers argues that Trader Joes has gone beyond inspiration and into imitation, presenting its sandwiches in a way that could cause consumers to assume a connection between the two brands, or worse, confuse the identity Smuckers has established with Uncrustables.

Trader Joe's Crustless Peanut Butter & Strawberry Jam Sandwiches; toasted and stacked, the top one has a bite taken out; glass of milk in the background against an orange and wood backdrop

Smuckers points to specific design elements it says define its visual identity: the circular sandwich silhouette, the sealed edge that resembles a pastry crimp, and promotional imagery that often features a stylized, partially bitten sandwich. Trader Joes new product, while unbranded in the same commercial way, appears to adopt nearly all of those cues, framing itself as a crustless, sealed peanut butter and jelly snack intended for quick, on-the-go eating. The lawsuit argues that these choices arent coincidental but calculated, designed to evoke the look and feel of Uncrustables without carrying the Smuckers name.

Trader Joes has not issued a statement or public response. The retailer is known for rarely engaging in public legal disputes, opting instead to quietly reformulate or rename products when intellectual property challenges arise. Whether that approach applies here remains to be seen, but given Uncrustables dominance and the specificity of the trademark claims, this case may unfold differently than past quiet product retirements or package tweaks.

For now, the legal filing marks a surprising escalation in what many consumers might have initially brushed off as just another lookalike grocery item. Smuckers, however, clearly sees it differently. To the company, Uncrustables arent just a nostalgic snack but a protected asset with a brand identity it intends to defend. And if Trader Joes wants to stay in the crustless sandwich game, it may have to do it without leaning so closely into the shape, packaging, and playful language that made Uncrustables a household name.

This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Oct 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the Food section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
CONNEAUT  The city received a draft study from the Ohio Department of Transportation on the Interstate 90 and Route 7 interchange Wednesday evening.

The report recommended the placement of traffic signals at both exit ramps, and the addition of a right turn lane from Route 7 onto Interstate 90.

City leadership has been interested in adding traffic signals at the interchange to reduce accidents and traffic fatalities.

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The city needed the support of ODOT for the changes because Route 7 is a state route.

ODOT studied the interchange in July, at the citys request of the city.

Conneaut City Manager Nick Sanford said the study considered the interchange to be between Gateway Avenue and Underridge Road.

Were very thrilled and grateful to ODOT for the level of effort they did with this study, he said.

At a Tuesday city council meeting, Sanford had said he was expecting the study to be favorable to the city, based on recent conversations with ODOT.

This is an incredible win for the community after so, so many years, he said in an email informing council about receiving the report.

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The interchange has seen an increase in businesses over the last decade, which has brought more traffic, he said previously.

Right now, there are two gas station/truck stops at the interchange, in addition to a Taco Bell and plaza on Gateway Avenue.

A Dunkin opened at the Truck World in August, which was after the study took place, Sanford said.

[The study] tells the story of what we already know, he said.

While there is a right turn lane for travelers going from Route 7 onto I-90 East, it does not extend all the way to the Truck World entrance.

Sanford said the right turn lane would probably be lengthened to connect to Truck Worlds driveway.

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There is no date for when traffic signals may be installed or the turning lane extended at the interchange, but Sanford said he expects to hear more from ODOT in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, Sanford said drivers should take caution when driving at the interchange.

There were no other recommendations from the study, he said.

City leadership had also been interested and lowering the speed limit between Underridge Road and Gateway Avenue.

Sanford said ODOT preferred to add traffic signals before considering a speed reduction.

Im perfectly fine with that, he said.

Sanford said city leadership would be happy to return to the topic in the future, after signals are added.

I think our concerns are validated, he said.
Tragic loss: Mass. school mourning staff member who died after being kicked by student

An investigation is underway as family and friends mourn the sudden passing of a staff member at a Massachusetts school who collapsed and died during a physical altercation with a teenage student.

The deadly altercation happened at Meadowridge Academy, a residential therapeutic school for youth and young adults at 664 Stevens Street in Swansea, shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Bristol District Attorneys Office.

School staffers were attempting to restrain a 14-year-old girl who was trying to leave her dormitory without permission when Amy Morrell, a 53-year-old staff member, was kicked in the chest, the DAs office said.

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Morrell, of Riverside, Rhode Island, collapsed after being struck and was rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead on Thursday afternoon.

A family friend on Friday shared photos of Morrell with Boston 25 News reporter Drew Karedes. Loved ones say that theyre still processing the immense loss of Morrell.

Amy Morrell

Shes just been family, said family friend Andrew Ferruche. When I needed her the most, shes always been there.

He said those who were closest to Morrell knew her by her maiden name, Blanchette.

Shes just a great person and very, very funny on top of it.

The student, whose name hasnt been released due to her age, was arraigned Thursday in Fall River Juvenile Court on a charge of assault and battery causing serious bodily injury.

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In a statement issued on Friday afternoon, the Meadowridge Academy called Morrells death a tragic loss for the school community.

The Meadowridge Academy community is deeply saddened by the passing of direct care staff member, Amy Morrell, a school spokesperson told Boston 25. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Amys family during this difficult time. Support services and resources are available to assist students and staff as we grieve this tragic loss.

Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the DAs office are assisting Swansea police with the investigation.

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Actor Manoj Bajpayee has refuted rumours that he is endorsing a political party. The actor said that a manipulated video circulating on social media ahead of upcoming Bihar elections, which falsly falsely suggests that he is endorsing a political party. On Friday, the actor took to his X account to share a statement, revealing that the viral video was a "patched-up version" of an old advertisement he had done for an OTT platform. According to Bajpayee, the clip was edited in a way that made it appear to deliver a political message. "I would like to publicly state that I have no association or allegiance with any political party. The video being circulated is a fake, patched-up edit of an ad I did for @PrimeVideoIN. I sincerely appeal to everyone sharing it to stop spreading such distorted content and urge people not to engage with or encourage misleading content," he wrote on X. https://x.com/BajpayeeManoj/status/1978888885406175531 This comes at a time when several celebrities have taken steps to legally protect their image and personality rights. Recently, Hrithik Roshan obtained legal protection against the unauthorized use of his persona for commercial purposes. Similar actions have been taken by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and filmmaker Karan Johar. On the workfront, Manoj Bajpayee was last seen in the Netflix film Inspector Zende, where he played a determined police officer who captured the infamous criminal Charles Sobhraj twice in his career. The film, directed by Chinmay Mandlekar, is currently streaming on Netflix. (ANI)
Portland Union Station is a train station in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Mia Maldonado/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

PORTLAND In November 2023, Baker City resident Matt Krabacher helped organize a petition pushing to restore a train line that would connect Portland and Salt Lake City.

By the following January, he had raised 1,500 signatures and presented it to the Oregon Legislature. Since then, hes made it a goal to restore the train line that would connect his rural Oregon town with bigger cities.

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The Pioneer was an Amtrak passenger train that operated from 1977 until 1997, when it was cut because of budget shortfalls. It spanned from Seattle to Denver, passing through the Oregon cities of Portland, The Dalles, Pendleton, Baker City and Ontario, as well as Boise and Salt Lake City.

While it hasnt run for almost three decades, the Federal Railroad Administration in a January report to Congress recommended bringing back the Pioneer route.

The U.S. Federal Railroad Administration in January 2025 recommended Amtrak add 15 new routes, including the Pioneer line, which is shown in green above. (Screenshot of Federal Railroad Administrations Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study)

Krabacher, the Eastern Oregon vice president for the Association of Oregon Rail and Transit Advocates, joined other regional rail advocates at the Pacific Northwest Rail Summit in Portland on Thursday. He said restoring the line would bring economic opportunity and bridge the gap between rural towns in Oregon, Idaho and Utah.

So what would it take? Largely, funding. Most state transportation funding in Idaho, Oregon and Utah goes to highways, and the states transportation departments dont bring in revenue specifically dedicated to rails. Krabacher said restoring the line doesnt necessarily mean Amtrak would have to operate the line, but he suggested states create their own rail authority or interstate rail compact.

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Elaine Clegg, an Amtrak board member and CEO of Boise-based Valley Regional Transit, said restoring the Pioneer line would serve some of the fastest-growing regions in the country.

Idaho experienced the countrys fastest growth in housing units, with a 2.2% increase between 2023 to 2024, followed by Utah at 2%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Oregons 0.9% growth in housing units during the same period lagged the national average of 1% as the state struggles to build its way out of a housing crisis.

Its true that Amtrak is very focused on the Northeast corridor, as it should be, Clegg said. Frankly, theres a lot of traffic on the Northeast corridor. Theres a lot of infrastructure there, but it should be just as true that Amtrak should be focused on building a national network that truly serves the United States, that truly connects the U.S., and not just parts of it.

Oregonians who want to take a train east now have few options. The Amtrak Empire Builder, which runs close to the U.S.-Canada border, starts in Seattle or Portland and ends in Chicago. Otherwise, Oregonians would have to take a train south to California to access the California Zephyr, which runs through Salt Lake City and Denver.

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Theres also a climate aspect to bringing the line back. Krabacher said the passenger rail, behind waterway transportation, is the most sustainable way to transport people in terms of carbon emissions.

Many of your children and grandchildren will not be living in the stable climate and stable weather and stable economics that we have enjoyed the past 20 or 30 years, and rail is an added resiliency and added sustainable form of transit that goes a long way to ensuring that our quality of life and access to transit continues for the long term for our region, he said.

Bringing the train back would bring construction and manufacturing jobs, reduce congestion along Interstate 84 and serve vulnerable populations such as seniors, students and veterans, said Craig Raborn, the executive director of the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho, who appeared over video call.

Krabacher said rural Oregon faces a lot of the same struggles as other rural areas, such as aging infrastructure and an aging population with significant health care needs.

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The nearest airport is Pendleton, which is a small regional airport, or Boise, which is two hours southeast.

People in my town are faced with the decision of having to drive hours, which they may not be able to because of their health care needs, or move where the health care is  which most of the people in my town could not afford to do, he said. They could afford very easily to take a bus or train to a specialty care facility.

Transportation leaders from Oregon, Utah and Idaho discuss efforts to restore the Pioneer line at the Build Northwest Economic Forum and Pacific Rail Summit held in Portland, Oregon. From left to right are Rail Passengers Association Vice President of Government Affairs, Sean Jeans-Gail; Association of Oregon Rail and Transit Advocates Eastern Oregon Vice President, Matt Krabacher;

Utah Rail Passengers Association Executive Director, Mike Christensen; and Valley Regional Transit CEO Elaine Clegg. (Photo by Mia Maldonado/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

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This is a lightly edited transcript of the October 17 edition of Right Now With Perry Bacon. You can watch the video here or by following this show on YouTube or Substack.

Perry Bacon: Im honored to be joined today by Delia Ramirez. Shes a Congresswoman from the great state of Illinois and from the great city of Chicagowhich is really, really great this time of year, particularly. And so I want to talk to her about two things. So whats going on in Chicago right now, which I think is a big, important national story thats happening locally, but also important nationally. And then also, the things happening in Washington, in terms of the government shutdown. So, Congresswoman, welcome.

Congresswoman Delia Ramirez: Hey, Perry, thanks for having me.

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Bacon: Let me start with Chicago. So I think people know that there are ICE raids happening. And the governor has opposed the deployment of the National Guard, that has come anyway. So talk about what the situation back home is right now.

Ramirez: What you see is, you have an unaccountable, unconstitutional rogue agency who is violating constitutional rights every single day throughout the city of Chicago and Northwestern suburbsand Southwestern suburbs, too, but really all over the Chicago area, because they think they can. They have been emboldened by this administrationby Kristi Noem, by Tom Homan, by the assistant director and the field directorto do whatever they want, to stop people, based on the color of their skin. And in many cases, to drag out of their cars women, mothers, citizens, and detain them.

Some would argue that, in many ways, it feels like the city is under siegeunder an invasion of a federal government thats been weaponized against the people. But, Perry, I also want to say that, while Im saying all that and people are getting a visual what it feels like every day in Chicago, the community is fighting back. And theyre also fighting back in the courts. And today, weve had some major victories in the courts, that Im grateful for.

Bacon: Talking about the court victories.

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Ramirez: Yeah. So one of those that I want to mention to you is that the judge just ordered the ICE field director, Director Hott, who some of us, including Senators Durbin and Duckworth, have been demanding to meet with now for the last six weeks to testify before the court next week about the midway blitz operations, and what theyre doing across the city of Chicago. So I think thats really important for the courts to say, you may not want to respond to Congress. You may think that youre unaccountable. But you need to come before the court as a witness and talk about what were seeing in the streets of Chicagocertainly in Broadview, and around the state of Illinois.

But the second piece of that is that theyre saying that agents, all ICE agents, have to wear body cameras.

Bacon: Hm.

Ramirez: Part of why thats so important for us, especially in this moment, Perry, is because ICE is reporting on what theyre doing, and what we see in footage, it doesnt coincide. It is night and day from what they say is happening, and theyre making everyone less safe. For the courts to come back and say, every agent needs a body camera, its a level of transparency and accountability that we just have not seen in Chicago.

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Bacon: So Broadview isiswhere is this? In the suburbs, right? And this isand this is an ICE facility, and this is where there have been some protests. And now, to some extent, theyre sort of cracking down on the protesters there, particularly. Right?

Ramirez: Thats right. So Broadview is a holding center. Just for folks to know this: The state of Illinois, we do not have private detention centers. And so the federal government has these processing centers. Its supposed to be a place for check-in, and a quick checkprocessing of a couple hours. No one should actually be there.

For weeks and weeks since June, Perry, Congressman Garcia, myself, Congressman Davis and Jackson, have attempted to do oversight of this building, and weve been denied. Weve been told to send an email. When we send the email, when we made the calls, they finally gave us a date, and then they canceled it.

Bacon: OK.

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Ramirez: And part of the questions, Perry, is what the heck is happening at Broadview? Why are they boarding up the windows so that we cant see whats happening in there? How many people are staying there? What kind of conditions are they in? Because what weve heard from people whove been contracted to clean there is it is inhumane conditions with worm in foodlike, worms in the food. Absolutely inhumane.

And so part of what youre seeing, this protest at Broadview, is people saying, we need accountability, we need transparency. We need to know whats happening and why youre taking people there. And what theyre doing is findingconfrontingpriests, pastors and journalists with tear-gassing and beatings.

Bacon: Where is the National Guard? Theres not that many people, I assume, so its like a fairly small number. But where are they, and how are they playing into this?

Ramirez: Yeah, so let me also say to you that the courts have ruled, as well, that deploying the National Guard to Illinois, the Texas National Guard to Illinois, is unconstitutional. So where they should be is back in Texas. Thats where they should be.

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Bacon: Right.

Ramirez: Theres a number of them that are in a Naval Academy thats south of the city of Chicago. We have not seen them on the ground directly as much. Weve seen a little bit of activity south of the city.

But frankly, heres the point, Perry. You have a president and a secretary and a border czar who dont respect rule of law. The courts have clearly indicated its unconstitutional to have the National Guard, its unconstitutional not to wear body cameras, its unconstitutional to stop people based on physical appearance and without a warrant, and yet, theyre still doing it. And so thats why the stuff that is happening on the ground, the rapid responders, the neighbors, people who are recording what they see, asking for warrants is so important. Because its footage that then is used in the courts to prove and provide evidence that theyre violating the law every single day.

Bacon: So are they throughoutis ICE throughout the city, or is there certain areas theyre concentrating in? And it is a ... does everyone know theyre there

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Ramirez: No.

Bacon: or are there certain areas that are heavily

Ramirez: No.

Bacon: Latino, to put it bluntly? Or wherewhere

Ramirez: Strategically, what they have been doing is really targeting particular districts. I would say to you that if you lived in my district, in the parts of the district that I represent, that I live in, some of us would argue we see Black Hawk helicopters every single day, and it feels like theyre targeting us only. But the reality is that Congressman Garcias district, myself, Congressman Danny Daviss district, now youre seeing it in Congresswoman Robin Kellys district in the Southeastern part of the city. Theyre seeing this activity. The suburbs are also seeing it.

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Theyre taking advantage of communities that may not have the level of infrastructure, of support that perhaps we have in Chicagolike Elgin or Waukegan or Joliet or Aurora. And theyre also targeting people. But really, if you ask me, wherever they see immigrant populations, or immigrant communities working, theyre attempting to target.

But Perry, heres the other part that just seems crazy to me. So much of this seems crazy to me. Theyre also going down Michigan Avenue. I mean, you saw agents

Bacon: Hm, yeah.

Ramirez: a couple weeks ago in one of the busiest, most touristic parts of the city where people go shopping, and the most highest name brand stores, coming with force. They werent even really doing that much enforcement. But to be able to demonstrate that theyre militarizing our city, and for the people coming into the city to see that were under siege. Its all intentional, designed to attempt to weaken dissent and democracy in the city of Chicago.

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Bacon: So what are people doing about it? You know, I like what the governor is saying. Hes been strong, I think, in my mind. What the governors doing, hes been forceful, in my view.

Ramirez: Yes, I think the governor is doing an exceptional job. I think the mayor is doing an exceptional job. Just last week, I did a press conference with the mayor right in front of my schoolone of my schools, my neighborhood school, actually, fromfrom where I live. And we talked about these ICE-free zones, which basically what it states is that the mayor has passed an executive order that indicates that ICE and the federal government cannot stage ICE raids in public Chicago property, right?

Bacon: Hm.

Ramirez: So if its a parking lot, if its a particular street, or a school, or a hospital, they are not allowed to stage in these areas. And furthermore, theyre really working with a lot of the businesses to remind them of this, Perry, that I think some people just dont know. Ill certainly tell you, Im working with companies like Home Depot so that they can know their rights. But basically that if youre a business, youre a private entity, you could deny service, technically, to anyone. We know this.

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So working with Chambers of Commerce, and working with small businesses, and other businesses, and retail, and restaurants, were saying to them, you could put up a signand the city of Chicago has provided some of this information for these businesses that say, ICE is not allowed in this property. You must have a warrant to enter my private entity. And thats important, because thats protection of your customerswhether its Menards, Home Depot, or a restaurant, and also your employees.

I mean, just think about it. Youre walking around at Home Depot, trying to purchase, you know, I dont know, supply for a development project. And all of a sudden, ICE is just roaming through those aisles, threatening and arresting people, or arresting your employees. No one is safe when the business is not also enforcing their protections and their rights as a private entity.

So one of the things that were doing is making sure that small businesses, and businesses alike, know that they are a private entity, and they can prevent them from coming, and always require a warrant. The other thing I would say to you is that theres a lot of people who are monitoring ICE activity throughout the city and state, and theyre recording. Because the point is this, Perry: They think that if no one is looking, they can do whatever they like.

They killed Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez in Franklin Park, right by the airport, and then tried to turn it around and make it about him, that he was the aggressor. When you saw footage from the businesses and from the people who filmed, it contradicted everything ICE said about that incident. ICE killed this man, a father with full custody of two children, after dropping off his children to daycare.

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And so what the things that people are doing is making sure that they have full camlike, their battery packs are full, and theyre recording what they see. Theyre reporting ICE activity to the hotline. And if someone is taken, sometimes citizens who are being taken, connecting them to legal services or to our office to monitor and identify who has been taken, and what the status and where theyve been taken is.

Bacon: So part of the story youre telling me is that people in Chicago are standing up to this?

Ramirez: Absolutely. People are organizing. Were talking about hundreds of people, Perry. I have people in my district who said to me just last week, and one in front of a school, Congresswoman, Ive lived in this neighborhood for a couple of years. Ive never really been involved, but I heard that they were tear-gassing people right in front of the school playlot.

And so I came out, I took three hours of my day. And Im here, standing here, making sure that my neighbors know that I will protect them. I will do everything I can, whether it is buying diapers for a family whowhose parents was taken, or they cant afford to buy groceries or diapers because theyre afraid of going to work. Or if its me showing up at the school and providing safe passages.

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You have neighbors who are saying we will become human buses. Parents are afraid of dropping off their child, because in front of their child or with their child, theyre taking them. We will go ahead and make sure kids are able to safely go and come back from school.

So these are everyday neighbors organizing, mobilizing, becoming part of the rapid response team, taking on shifts throughout the day. And to me, thats the most inspiring part of all this, because theyre also the ones that are asking local elected, state electeds, and members of Congress, what are you doing? File more legislation. Do everything you can to protect the sovereignty of the state of Illinois. Do everything you can to protect the sovereignty of Chicago.

And also, how about legislation to ensure that these rogue ICE agents dont continue to recklessly drive through our communities, causing accidents and killing people? Oh, another idea. Lets file legislation to be able to ensure that ICE agents cant recklessly drive. So much of these ideas of legislative action are coming from the people on the ground watching whats happening.

Bacon: Are there going to be protests there Saturday? Are you going to be involved?

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Ramirez: I am. Look, this president is attempting to silence us all. That is what authoritarian agendas are about, making sure that everyday people no longer feel safe and free to dissent, to express their freedom of speech.

But it is our responsibility to protect our First right Amendment, our freedom of speech, and the Constitution and democracy. I will absolutely be out there. I will be at a couple of rallies throughout the city of Chicago, and the Chicago area. And I really encourage peopleshow up, have your cameras, bring more people. And even more importantly, after you leave the rally, leave with five things that you will do to take action to be able to stand up against the fascism and the wannabe King and dictators that we see here in D.C.

Bacon: What should those of us who dont live in Chicago, anything we can do?

Ramirez: Look, I think that you need to continue to talk about whats happening in Chicago, Perry. Because heres whats happening. This president wants to test Chicago and make Chicago ground zero to test how far they could go, how much they can get away with, and what level of pushback there will be, and when its successful.

So people have to understand, it may not be happening in your city right now. They are attempting to break us in Chicago so that they can go to your city next. Talk about Chicago. Talk about the fact that whats the biggest concern of safety in this precise moment in the city of Chicago is called I-C-E, Immigration Customs Enforcement, and that people need to continue to speak out. People need to talk about the impact on businesses, and children, and seniors, and on citizens.

Because frankly, Perry, no one is safe under this government right now. 170 United States citizens have already been taken, dragged, and kept in correction facilities and detention centers for days already. It doesnt matter if you have status or not.

And the other piece that I think is important for people to understand, that they are not just raiding Latino communities, or immigrant communities. Theyre going into Black neighborhoods, too, zip-tying children in Black neighborhoods. It is important for us to understand that this is a time of solidarity, of a multicultural coalition thats coming together and speaking up and saying, not in my name. I will not allow you to continue to violate rights.

So keep talking about Chicago. I think that we should continue to talk about the importance of litigation, and the courts, and filing these lawsuits. These individual ICE agents think they can do whatever they like, and theres immunity. And we should start talking about lawsuits for the individual, as well.

Bacon: This is my view: I would like to see your colleagues in Washington do a little more speaking about whats happening in cities. And healthcare is important, but other things are important, too.

Ramirez: And theyre interconnected.

Bacon: Do you agree that they could do more?

Ramirez: Yeah. I mean, look, I said to our leadership this week, we should be talking about the government shutdown. We should be talking about expanding health care. You know, I talk about this every single day.

And, we cant ignore the fact that cities like Chicago, like Oregon, like L.A., are living in day-to-day fear from its own government. We need to talk about whats happening in Chicago, and how its interconnected with this government shutdown. Theyre not separate issues, theyre all interconnected.

But heres the problem. I think sometimes we think, oh, its just too much messaging, or people are not going to get it. People are under attack. Whether its your healthcare, or whether its ICE attempting to arrest you, detain you, kidnap you, or send you to Sudan. Like, this is happening every day, and its all interconnected by an authoritarian government that sees us as a threat to their fascism.

So, no, I think we need to do more. Im going to continue to ask for everyone to talk about whats happening in Chicago. Because, also, the resilience of Chicago should be inspiration for the rest of this country.

Bacon: Talk about the shutdown a little bit itself. So were in week three, I think. What isso this position, I guess, I read somewhere Senator Shaheen wants to have some kind of agreement where the government opens, and that in exchange for that, the Republicans vote forDemocrats vote to open the government. Republicans, in exchange, agree to a vote for one year of Obamacare subsidies. What do you think about that?

Ramirez: Look, I think we are anxious for the government to reopen. And the government should reopen, making sure that healthcare is protected. I think its all in the same sentence.

And I think that the longer we go, the more that people understand whats at stake. That theres no clean C.R. that the Republicans are trying to pass. Theyre trying to pass a continuing resolution that would gut your healthcare systema system that we actually know should be improved, not gutted, right?

Bacon: Right.

Ramirez: And so I think that as the weeks go by, we are seeing all sorts of challenges in our neighborhoods and our communities, federal workers not getting paid. But we are actually at risk of benefits being cut at the beginning of November. Its why I think its important that all of us should be asking ourselves: Where the heck are Republicans right now? Are they out on vacation? Are they out, God knows where, doing whatever they are doing?

Because theyre not at town halls. Theyre not showing up to their office. Theyre not showing up and talking to their constituents. Everyone should be demanding that every member of Congress is in Washington, D.C., doing everything they have to do to reopen the government and to protect healthcare.

But the other part of that, too, and Perry, maybe some people dont want me to say this part. We should also be, in whatever legislation we pass, talking about accountability and congressional oversight to whats happening in agencies across the country, because there has to be guardrails. And the point is, Democrats cant look to the side as they continue to violate your constitutional rights, because theres no guardrails. That needs to be part of the conversation, as well.

Bacon: What do you say? What do you mean when you say guardrails? What canwhat can be in the bill? Do you mean specific

Ramirez: Guardrails to protect us from rescissions fromfrom taking away funds that Congress had already authorized ... Can you still see me?

Bacon: I cant see you, but go ahead. I can hear you still.

Ramirez: OK, sorry. My phone keeps going off. So what I was saying is, we need to make sure that anything related to rescissions, anything related to accountability and oversight of how funds are used, the policies in which agencies operate, that needs to be part of the conversation, as well. Because whats happening is that so many of these agencies and their agency heads who are put in by Donald Trump are trying to abuse congressional authority to get away with cutting critical programs and laying off critical staff that represent the American people every day, and the safety net services that they need.

Bacon: With that, anything else you want to say? I think you give us a lot to think about, and some very important notes about Chicago. Anything else you want to conclude on, or anything else you want to add?

Ramirez: Perry, heres what I would say. I often get asked, what are you doing to protect me? Im not offended by that.

You know, some people would say, well, you know, but arent you doing a, b, and c; you work 70, 80 hours a week. Youre on the line every single day. Youre providing constituency services. Yes, I am. And you should be asking what Im doing.

This is a moment where elected officials need to be doing more, not less. Whether youre a Republican or a Democrat, you should be able to talk about all the ways that you are showing up for your constituents every day. And its more than letters, Perry. Its using every authority. We should stop just voting on some of these bills that come in on Mondays suspension that do nothing to actually impact people.

Republicans have to understand that actually negotiating means that we dont give you a red carpet. We demand to be in a room to negotiate every piece of legislation that were voting on. And that means that we have to do a better job in demonstrating that were the opposition party.

I think this is a moment where Americans are looking at us and asking, tell me all the ways that you are fighting back. And then tell me the other five ways that youre going to fight back next week. We should be OK with that. And you should continue to ask of us that every single day.

Bacon: Great note to end on, Congresswoman. Thank you for all the work youre doing. And thank you for joining me.

Ramirez: Thank you, Perry.

Bacon: Goodbye.
A student who sued the state over a budget clause barring transgender students from using the bathroom of their choice has switched to online learning after facing harassment, his attorneys said. (File/Mint Images/Getty Images)

COLUMBIA  A transgender student in Berkeley County dropped his appeals in a lawsuit over public school bathrooms after switching to virtual learning, one of his attorneys said Friday.

The high school freshman, who is unnamed in court filings, filed suit in November 2024, claiming a clause in the state budget violates the Constitutions equal protection clause and federal law prohibiting discrimination. The budget rule puts school districts at risk of losing 25% of their state aid if they let transgender students use multi-occupancy bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity.

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The underlying case will continue, the students attorney said.

However, the case is on pause until the U.S. Supreme Court hands down a decision in a lawsuit challenging a 2021 West Virginia law that bans transgender students from playing on girls and womens teams in public K-12 schools and colleges. South Carolina passed a similar law in 2022. The nations high court agreed July 3 to hear the West Virginia case.

Part of the Berkeley County students appeal challenged that pause. The appeal also asked the court to suspend the law while the case proceeds.

The student, referred to in court documents as John Doe, was allowed to use the boys bathroom while the appeal made its way through the courts following a U.S. Supreme Court order last month. That decision applied only to that student and acted as a temporary stopgap until judges handed down a decision on the appeal itself.

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The student no longer needed that decision made after switching to virtual learning this month because of discrimination based on his gender identity, including harassment from school staff and peers, said Alexandra Brodsky, an attorney for Public Justice, which is representing the student.

Our clients experience at school is, unfortunately, not unique, Brodsky said in a statement. Transphobic harassment is rampant in many South Carolina public schools. And it is spurred by discriminatory laws like the proviso, which feed baseless stereotypes about, and hostility toward, transgender people.

Directives in the state budget are technically called provisos, and they carry the same legal weight as permanent state law.

A spokeswoman for Berkeley County School District disputed Brodskys explanation for why the student withdrew from school.

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Its not consistent with the information shared with us or the observations of school staff, said spokeswoman Katie Tanner, without specifying the reasoning they received.

The district is committed to preventing and correcting discrimination and harassment of any form, she continued. That commitment applied to the plaintiff in this case, just as it applies to all students, regardless of their personal circumstances. In any event, the District is pleased that the appeal has been dismissed, and we will continue to follow the law, as weve done throughout this litigation.

Sen. Wes Climer, the author of the budget directive, applauded the move.

It is good to finally see the opponents of biological reality bowing to legislative and legal reality, said the Rock Hill Republican, whos running for Congress.

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Attorney General Alan Wilson also declared victory, emphasizing that the law remains in effect.

This is a major win for common sense and for South Carolina families, Wilson said in a statement. While this case isnt completely over yet, I will continue to defend the law at the district court level and all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD)  The parents of a transgender Berkeley County student suing over their childs right to use his preferred school restroom have voluntarily dropped an appeal, but their lawsuit against the state will continue, attorneys said Friday.

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals granted an injunction pending appeal in September, ruling that the state could not bar the 13-year-old boy from using the bathroom corresponding to his gender identity while the appeals process was ongoing.

Federal court records indicated that Doe withdrew his appeal for a preliminary injunction on Friday, with attorneys telling News 2 that the student no longer attends school in person.

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Our client, John Doe, has withdrawn from his in-person public high school because of discrimination based on his gender identity, including harassment from school staff and peers, said Alexandra Brodsky, the Litigation Director of the Students Civil Rights Project at Public Justice.

For that reason, he is no longer pursuing this appeal for a preliminary injunction. He will, however, continue with his lawsuit challenging South Carolinas bathroom ban, which the Fourth Circuit recognized blatantly violates established federal law, she continued.

At issue is a South Carolina budget rule that restricts school districts from allowing students to use accommodations that do not match their biological sex.

The rule, which initially went into effect as a temporary measure in last years fiscal budget, was carried over into the 2025-2026 fiscal year budget and states that school districts could lose 25% of their state operational funding if they fail to comply.

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The students attorneys argued the policy directly conflicts with federal Title IX regulations, which bar sex discrimination in federally funded education programs, and violates the Equal Protection Clause in the U.S. Constitution.

The Fourth Circuit held in a 2020 case, Grimm v. Gloucester County School District, that such policies denying transgender students access to certain bathrooms did constitute sex-based discrimination.

That case was appealed to the Supreme Court, which declined to hear it, leaving the lower courts decision in place.

Doe was assigned female at birth but presented as a boy from an early age and self-identifies as a male, according to the initial complaint.

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The complaint states that Doe began to face harassment from his peers regarding his gender identity due to the school districts monitoring of Johns restroom usage. His parents chose to withdraw him from school last September to avoid further harassment, and he participated in an online education program for the remainder of the year.

Our clients experience at school is, unfortunately, not unique, Brodsky added. Transphobic harassment is rampant in many South Carolina public schools. And it is spurred by discriminatory laws like the proviso, which feed baseless stereotypes about, and hostility toward, transgender people.

In a statement released Friday morning, Attorney General Alan Wilson said the law remains in full effect.

This is a major win for common sense and for South Carolina families, Wilson, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor, said. While this case isnt completely over yet, I will continue to defend the law at the district court level and all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to.

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Attorneys said Doe will continue to pursue a permanent injunction in the South Carolina District Court system.

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Unless youre the sort who pays attention, you probably didnt notice that Gov. Maura Healeys office has quietly stopped publishing a detailed accounting of how taxpayer money is being spent on the states emergency shelter system.

And that matters. Because the bi-weekly reports sent to legislative leaders usually included some pretty big numbers.

One such report, published earlier this year, showed taxpayer spending on the system cruising toward $1 billion. The system houses both permanent Massachusetts residents and migrant new arrivals, with the state spending a weekly average of $3,870 per family.

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That number dropped to an average of $1,182 per family in a report released earlier this month, as the number of families in the system also dropped precipitously.

However, when the state law authorizing the reports expired, they were discontinued. The news was first reported by The Boston Herald.

In a Sept. 22 letter to legislative leaders, administration Budget Czar Matthew J. Gorzkowicz and Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus said they were pulling the plug on detailed reporting on the system.

Reporting on activities that are no longer ongoing, such as hotel shelter or spending from past fiscal years, may be found in previous bi-weekly reports, they said

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Instead of the data, the administration only notes that lawmakers approved $276 million in this years state budget for the shelter system, the average amount spent on families in shelter each week, and the total amount of cash spent from a reserve fund, according to The Herald.

The end of the reports, in some ways, marks the end of one immigration debate on Beacon Hill and the start of another, as the Republican Trump administration prosecutes hardline enforcement policies carried out by masked immigration agents in cities and towns across Massachusetts.

During their short lifespan, the reports served as the most reliable barometer of public spending on the system, which, at its peak, housed more than 7,500 families and burned through hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.

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That made them easy political fodder for the Democratic administrations critics on the right, who had been pressing Healey to turn off the tap of taxpayer largesse and to reform the states decades-old Right to Shelter Law.

The administration took steps to contain costs, ending hotel shelter stays, which had been the site of some disturbing crimes, and calling for residency requirements and other fixes.

Nonetheless, Healeys critics, including two Republicans aiming for her job in 2026, pounced on the news of the reports demise, arguing that it represents another blemish on the states already spotty record for government transparency.

GOP hopeful Mike Kennealy, a former Baker administration official, said hed keep releasing the information even without the statute authorizing it.

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Id just keep doing it, Kennealy, who served as Gov. Charlie Bakers housing and economic development czar, told MassLive. The idea that were stopping it because the law has expired is a terrible mistake.

Brian Shortsleeve, who helmed the MBTA under Baker, pointed to the states poor marks for transparency and accused Healey of hiding the ball.

The right-leaning Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, the most vocal critic of the administrations shelter policies, argued in a statement: Transparency shouldnt depend on a sunset clause.

Taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent every week, every month, every year, the Boston-based groups executive director, Paul Craney, said in a statement.

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In a statement, a spokesperson for Healeys housing office said the administration inherited a shelter system that was not equipped to handle the surge in demand Massachusetts experienced these past few years.

Healey imposed reforms, such as a capacity limit, length of stay limit, residency requirements and background checks, that have successfully reduced caseloads and costs, the spokesperson added, noting that the state expects costs in the 2026 budget year to be hundreds of millions of dollars less than in the 2025 budget year.

In the meantime, Republicans in the state Legislature are pressing ahead with their own transparency efforts.

Republicans in the state House successfully inserted an amendment reauthorizing the reporting requirement into the year-end budget that the majority-Democratic chamber sent to the Senate earlier this week, a spokesperson told MassLive.

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Republicans in the state Senate, meanwhile, also said theyll continue to press for transparency reforms with a new legislative proposal. So even if the reports are gone, there will be some accounting of spending on the shelter system.

The bill, which focuses on state contracts valued at $100,000 or more, [addresses] serious issues that have been raised by multiple sources over the past several months and would significantly reduce the risk of impropriety whenever an emergency drives procurements, Senate Minority Leader Bruce E. Tarr, R-1st Essex/Middlesex, said.

Read more analysis from John L. Micek

Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
PHENIX CITY, Ala. (WRBL)  A high-profile Phenix City murder trial began Monday morning with jury selection inside the Russell County Judicial Center.

23-year-old Ryan Boles was shot to death in a Synovus Bank parking lot in December 2023.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Ryan Boles father speaks out on sons Phenix City murder

18-year-old Jadarius Snipes, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, appeared in a Russell County courtroom, facing murder and robbery charges.

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Snipes and a juvenile accomplice were accused in Boles death as he was leaving a Chamber of Commerce Christmas party nearly two years ago.

Snipes is the only one on trial this week.

Russell County District Attorney Rick Chancey is prosecuting the case.

Snipes is being represented by the Armstrong Justice League and attorney Justus Armstrong.

Boles, who was a recent Columbus State University graduate, was shot and killed on Dec. 12, 2023, while leaving a Chamber of Commerce Christmas party.

Investigators say the shooting happened in the parking lot behind the Phenix City Synovus Bank.

Russell County District Attorney Rick Chancey described the case as a devastating loss for both the family and community.

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You got a young life snuffed out at the very beginning, Chancey said. He was so excited about his new career, his degree, and being a part of the community. Now hes gone  and his family has lost their child. Weve lost a new member of our community.

Snipes was one of two people initially identified by police as persons of interest in the case.

Chancey declined to comment further on any potential co-defendants or related cases.

What I can say is that we are charging Mr. Snipes with the murder of Mr. Boles and the robbery of Mr. Rutledge, Chancey said. Thats who will be tried next week.

Armstrong called the case unique but declined further comment ahead of the trial.

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Jury selection took up most of the day on Monday. The trial is expected to last most of the week.

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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.

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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.

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.

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Oxfam said on Friday it has more than $2.5m worth of lifesaving aid sitting in warehouses outside Gaza and ready to distribute.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.
PORTER COUNTY, Ind.  A suburban man was charged with reckless homicide after a 54-year-old died Wednesday in a Northwest Indiana highway crash. Additionally, an ICE detainer was placed on the driver.

Borko Stankovic, 41, of Lyons, is facing reckless homicide and criminal recklessness resulting in death after Portage police responded to a crash involving a semi-truck at around 1:25 p.m. Wednesday on US 20, near Douglas Drive.

Police believe Stankovic was driving a semi-truck eastbound on US 20 when a van slowed to a stop due to traffic while waiting to make a left turn.

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The semi had a opportunity to move from the left lane to the right lane, however Stankovic passed the stopped van on the wrong side of the road, court documents allege.

The semi-truck collided with a Subaru, driven by Jeffrey Eberly, 54, of Mishawaka, head-on.

The collision caused catastrophic damage to the Subaru and Eberly was pronounced dead at the scene.

A business owner went up to police at the scene and showed footage of the crash on his cell phone, documents state. The van ended up being struck by the semi too.

Two occupants of the van were treated and released at the scene.

Stankovic said he owned the semi-truck and owns a trucking company. Police did not find that his business shows up registered with the Department of Transportation (DOT), documents allege.

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Police allege Stankovic did not possession a valid commercial drivers license.

It was determined an Immigration and Customs detainer would be placed on Stankovic at Porter County Jail.

WGN News spoke with Porter County prosecutor Gary Germann to learn if the detainer could lead to Stankovic not getting locally prosecuted for his charges.

Germann said hes hes not worried about it and believes the federal government, based on his past experience with immigration cases, will let Porter County complete its case.

Were going to do our best to keep that from happening, Germann said. If they detain him, it doesnt mean theyre going to deport him immediately.

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The Porter County Sheriffs Office said ICE has 48 hours to potentially pick up Stankovic on a detainer if he bonds out of jail. His bond hearing is scheduled for Thursday, according to Germann.

WGN News reached out to ICE and have not heard back at this time

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A Georgia truck driver has been arrested and charged after a devastating crash on Interstate 85 that killed three adults and five children Monday afternoon in Jackson County, roughly 60 miles northeast of Atlanta.

Eighth Victim Confirmed in Fiery I-85 Crash That Killed Entire Georgia Family

According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, investigators determined that the driver of a semitrailer, 33-year-old Kane Aaron Hammock, was following too closely behind a Dodge van when his truck collided with it, igniting a massive fire that consumed both vehicles. The vans eight occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.

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Seven Dead, Two Cats Missing After Deadly Georgia Interstate Crash Involving Animal Rescue Group FurKids

Hammock now faces eight counts of second-degree vehicular homicide and one count of feticide by vehicle, as authorities believe one of the victims may have been pregnant. Additional charges include following too closely, no registration, and failure to exercise due care. He was taken into custody by the Georgia State Patrol and booked into the Jackson County Jail.

The identities of the victims have not yet been released pending autopsy results and family notifications. Georgia State Patrol spokesperson Franka Young confirmed that the cause of the fire and final crash sequence remain under investigation by the agencys Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team, with assistance from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Authorities said at least four additional vehicles were involved in what they described as a chain-reaction collision following the initial impact. Among them was a van belonging to Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters, which was transporting 37 cats to Vermont. The driver suffered minor injuries, but the crash left cages mangled and animals scattered. As of Tuesday, two cats remained missing and one was hospitalized in critical care.

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This is a heartbreaking tragedy that has shaken our entire community, said Furkids CEO Samantha Shelton, who confirmed the organizations van was part of the wreck.

Officials continue to investigate what led to the deadly crash, calling it one of the states most catastrophic collisions in recent years.

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Actor Chris Hemsworth is set to share his family's experience amid his father's diagnosis with early-stage Alzheimer's disease through a documentary titled 'Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember'. In National Geographic's first look at 'Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember', directed by Tom Barbor-Might, the Australian actor and his father, Craig, hit the road on a motorcycle to revisit their early homes and other memorable locations. "My dad and I are going on a road trip, back into our past. He has early-stage Alzheimer's. I wanna do everything I can to help him. Turns out, this experience could help fight the disease," said Chris Hemsworth in the trailer. The MCU star explained that "different places instantly bring those memories to life" for his father as they travelled across Australia. This one-hour documentary premieres on November 23 on National Geographic and streams on November 24 on Disney+ and Hulu. In addition to rekindling their bond and strengthening his father's memories, Chris explores the effective science of social connection with Craig, guided by Dr. Suraj Samtani, a dementia specialist and clinical psychologist at the University of New South Wales Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, as reported by Deadline. "My Dad and I had always spoken about taking a trip back to the Northern Territory, where our family had lived years ago, but we had never been able to set aside the time to actually do it," said Chris in the trailer. "More recently, the idea of taking that road trip reemerged with more pressing importance. The result was a more profound, more moving, and more surprising journey than I ever anticipated," as heard in the trailer. The actor shared the trailer of the documentary on his Instagram handle. While sharing the video, Chris described his experience as "profound" and "surprising" as he revisited his early childhood home with his father. "My Dad and I had always spoken about taking a trip back to the Northern Territory, where our family had lived years ago, but we had never been able to set aside the time to actually do it. More recently, the idea of taking that road trip reemerged with more pressing importance. The result was a more profound, more moving, and more surprising journey than I ever anticipated," wrote Chris Hemsworth. https://www.instagram.com/p/DP4mgxCEeAZ/ Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember is produced by Protozoa, Nutopia and Wild State for National Geographic, reported Deadline.
Deep in the Tonto National Forest in southeast Arizona, there is a land where the Gaan, or holy spirits, reside. These spirits commune with Usen, the Creator, and act as messengers to the people.

This article was originally published on Truthdig.

In this belief, the Western Apache have worshipped for centuries using the leaves, the trees, the water and the dirt to breathe life into their traditions and ceremonies. This land holds their way of life and the soul of what it means to be Apache in the midst of hundreds of years of ongoing genocide by the U.S. government.

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This land is known as Chichil Bidagoteel, or Oak Flat in English. It is where Apache daughters have their Sunrise Dances, where Apache men and boys participate in sweat lodges, where gatherings take place and where Apache people go to commune with Usen.

But because Oak Flat sits atop one of the largest copper deposits in North America, it is also an attractive target for mining interests. In 2014, Resolution Copper, a joint venture of Rio Tinto and BHP, entered into a deal with the U.S. government to trade 3,500 acres of land they purchased along the San Pedro River for 2,400 acres of land in the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Since then, tribal members and their allies have been fighting to preserve the sacred site and sensitive desert ecosystem surrounding it.

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Apache Stronghold, a nonprofit organization comprising Indigenous activists and religious leaders, sued the U.S. government to protect Oak Flat in 2021, arguing that destroying the site violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and that it broke the 1852 treaty protecting the site for the Apache people. After years of prayer runs, gatherings and a prayer walk across the nation with other activist and religious groups, the case reached the Supreme Court in 2024.

When the Supreme Court refused to hear Apache Strongholds case, the nonprofit filed for a rehearing. Last week, the Supreme Court denied the petition to rehear its argument. America has shown us the governments true intentions, we are unheard and ignored once again, Apache Stronghold said in a statement after the denial. Our judicial systems voice is muted by capitalism, the ultimate destruction of Mother Earth has been given permission as if they control her, she supplies our lives not the reverse. Such a sad reality.

The law firm representing Apache Stronghold, the Becket Fund, argued that mining Oak Flat will directly impact the ability of the Apache people to practice their religion and therefore their identity. To mine the copper ore from Oak Flat, Resolution Copper would have to dig a 1,100-foot-deep crater, effectively destroying 2,422 acres of land and making it impossible for the Apache people to be able to practice their religion.

Many Native American religions are place-based, which means their religion is inseparable from the place in which it is practiced, explains Beth Wright, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and attorney from the Native American Rights Fund. For tribal nations, their religious practices are essential to their very existence because tribal nations ensure their continued strength by passing on their religions, customs, values and traditions from one generation to the next.

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For the Western Apache, the Sunrise Dance specifically is at risk. Sunrise Dances are three-day ceremonies that prepare a girl for womanhood and the responsibilities she will inevitably carry in her maturity. Once a girl has her first period, she participates in the ceremony, where she is prayed over, painted in clay from the earth and given gifts while spiritual messengers, called Crown Dancers, teach the girl about the creation and other sacred stories through their dance. If these girls are not able to have their dance, this tradition, which survived genocide, will no longer be able to be practiced.

Its actually essential to the practice of the Apache religion to have this place, says NARF senior staff attorney Jason Searle. This is where the medicines that they use, the roots and plants, and the animals theyve used for different ceremonies are collected, and they all are tied specifically to that place, their stories and their songs, they have a history there. And thats the only way that they can really, really sustain those. The way that they pass those along is explaining that to their children, this is what this place means to us, and it gives it a context for all of their beliefs in a way thats hard to explain to other people.

Oak Flat and the land surrounding it was protected under both the 1852 Treaty of Santa Fe and a 1955 executive order signed by President Dwight Eisenhower. But in December 2014, then-Sen. John McCain of Arizona added a last-minute rider to a must-pass defense bill requiring Oak Flat to be transferred to Resolution Copper for the purposes of national security. McCain justified the rider saying, The people in my state are hurting. This mine is an economic opportunity that shouldnt be squandered. President Barack Obama ultimately signed it into law.

The second Trump administration has made opening public lands to private interests a major priority. In one version of Trumps Big Beautiful budget bill, extractive companies were explicitly referred to as customers of the Department of the Interior until Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, was pressured to remove the language from the text, although the spirit still animates government action. The Trump administration found other ways to open the land, such as not renewing environmental protections, eliminating conservation requirements and mining restrictions, and opening wildlife habitats for oil drilling. According to one analysis, these actions will remove protections from approximately 88 million acres of public land.

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It has also specifically prioritized Oak Flat. In April of this year, the administration placed the Resolution Copper mine on a priority list, along with nine other mining projects, in support of Trumps March executive order on increasing domestic production of critical minerals.

Joe Davis, senior counsel at the Becket Fund, explained, A lot of the defense of the copper mine here is based on the idea that its really important to get copper. First, they said, copper is important for green energy. We have to destroy the environment in order to save it. And then they said copper is really important for national security.

Of course, we have arguments against those things, but it really misses the point, which is that the courts are saying that getting copper is more important than this religious exercise, Davis added.

According to the Copper Development Association, the U.S. copper industry supports more than $160 billion in economic output and is expected to grow by 6.5% annually in just the next five years. Due to the green energy transition and regional trends, global copper demand is also expected to increase by 12.6 million tons by 2040. Copper was designated a critical mineral by the Department of Interior this August, after the Department of Energy listed it in 2023. This designation establishes copper as having a high risk of supply chain disruption; Trump announced 50% tariffs on copper imports on July 30 of this year.

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Resolution Copper did not respond to Truthdigs request for comment.

In June of 2022, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to stop the sale of Oak Flat, stating that the land transfer did not substantially burden the Apaches religious exercise  the required standard in proving that the U.S. government is violating religious liberty under the RFRA.

After a rehearing in November of that same year, the 9th Circuit reiterated its earlier decision. Apache Stronghold then appealed the decision to the Supreme Court  which, with the exception of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas, refused to hear the case. Gorsuch and Thomas wrote in their dissent that the courts decision was a grievous mistake  one with consequences that threaten to reverberate for generations. Gorsuch said he would have granted the request when the Supreme Court denied the rehearing on Oct. 6.

As Apache Stronghold took its fight through the lower courts, it amassed an unprecedented amount of support and solidarity. Over 52 tribal nations, 85 religious organizations, renters associations, environmental groups, outdoor recreation groups and mining reform organizations have also pushed to stop the land transfer.

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Russ McSpadden, the Southwest conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, works on other issues  including other copper mines  with similar coalitions, but none as broad as what Apache Stronghold and its founder Wendsler Nosie has created. Theres a dedicated movement around Apache stronghold, because theres  theyre so grassroots, and do so many incredible events at Oak Flat, Spadden said. They travel the country. Theyve traveled to Europe and spoken with religious leaders abroad. Theyve really built something that Ive never quite seen before.

Last year, Apache Stronghold organized a prayer journey that began on July 13 at the Lummi Nation in Washington state and concluded on Sept. 11 at the Supreme Court steps. The mission was to stop the shattering of the human existence and to protect Mother Earth. They visited tribes, churches, unions and any group that would welcome Nosie and his family on this journey.

One major ally and supporter of Apache Strongholds fight is the economic justice organization Poor Peoples Campaign. In an official statement of support of Oak Flat, the Revs. William J. Barber II and Liz Theoharis wrote, This struggle is at the core of what the Poor Peoples Campaign is fighting for. The Apache people have already been abused and exploited by the United States government throughout our history, and now corporations are being allowed to violate the place where Apache ancestors received their covenant with God.

In response to the Supreme Courts decision last week, Nosie said, What is evil created the unfairness, not just to us human beings but to all of Gods creations. When this country was founded, humans with the heart of greed worked to mute the voice of the Creator. By this undertaking, we now live with a third entity, who was created to take and destroy every blessed gift God gave us through our Mother Earth. We know this evil as corporations, which comes from capitalism which colonizes people. We must defend what is spiritual, holy and Gods greatest gift to us all, our Mother. The Becket Fund is continuing the case in the federal district courts in Arizona.

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Although Apache Strongholds case may be over, three other cases related to the land transfer are currently moving through the courts. The newest, filed in July 2025, was brought by Apache women and girls who would lose their Sunrise Dance traditions. The suits seven counts argue that the U.S. is violating the RFRA, their First Amendment rights of free exercise of religion and to direct the religious upbringing of children, and that the government is violating the National Historic Preservation Act and the Administrative Procedure Act.

The other two cases are currently awaiting hearing in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court. Both argue that the Trump administration violated federal law by failing to properly analyze and mitigate the mines potential damage to national forest land, waters and wildlife.

One thing that we would love to do is to protect this place long enough to get to a sane body politic in Congress that would understand the sins of the past and would rectify that injustice, McSpadden of the Center of Biological Diversity, which is involved in one of the cases, said. We will fight tooth and nail to ensure that this land isnt privatized and given over to two multinational mining giants, Rio Tinto and BHP, which make up Resolution Copper.

The plaintiffs in these cases know they have little chance of convincing the current administration to change its plans, and they know that their cases may also end as the Apache Strongholds did. As one case stalls, another moves forward hoping to run out the clock. But as long as the fight continues, hope for Oak Flat remains.

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About the Author: "Elyse Wild is Senior Health Editor for Native News Online, where she leads coverage of health equity issues including mental health, environmental health, maternal mortality, and the overdose crisis in Indian Country. Her award-winning journalism has appeared in The Guardian, McClatchy newspapers, and NPR affiliates. In 2024, she received the inaugural Excellence in Recovery Journalism Award for her solutions-focused reporting on addiction and recovery in Native communities. She is currently working on a Pulitzer Center-funded series exploring cultural approaches to addiction treatment."

Contact: ewild@indiancountrymedia.com
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to allow the deployment of National Guard troops in the Chicago area, escalating President Donald Trump's conflict with Democratic governors over using the military on U.S. soil.

The emergency appeal to the high court came after a judge prevented, for at least two weeks, the deployment of Guard members from Illinois and Texas to assist immigration enforcement. A federal appeals court refused to put the judges order on hold.

The conservative-dominated court has handed Trump repeated victories in emergency appeals since he took office in January, after lower courts have ruled against him and often over the objection of the three liberal justices. The court has allowed Trump to ban transgender people from the military, claw back billions of dollars of congressionally approved federal spending, move aggressively against immigrants and fire the Senate-confirmed leaders of independent federal agencies,

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In the dispute over the Guard, U.S. District Judge April Perry said she found no substantial evidence that a danger of rebellion is brewing in Illinois during Trumps immigration crackdown.

But Solicitor General D. John Sauer, Trump's top Supreme Court lawyer, urged the justices to step in immediately. Perry's order, Sauer wrote, impinges on the Presidents authority and needlessly endangers federal personnel and property.

Eleven people were arrested at a Friday protest outside a U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement facility in the west Chicago suburb of Broadview. Law enforcement had urged demonstrators to stay in designated protest zones.

In recent weeks, the Broadview ICE facility has been the site of tense protests, where federal agents have previously used tear gas and other chemical agents on protesters and journalists.

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A federal judge in Oregon also has temporarily blocked the deployment of National Guard troops there.

Meanwhile, in Tennessee, Democratic elected officials sued Friday to try to stop the ongoing Guard deployment in Memphis. They said Republican Gov. Bill Lee, with Trump's support, violated the state constitution, which says the Guard can be called up during rebellion or invasion but only with the blessing of state lawmakers.

The deployment "sets a dangerous precedent for military intrusion into local communities, Memphis City Council member JB Smiley said.

Since their arrival on Oct. 10, troops have been patrolling areas of downtown Memphis, including near the iconic Pyramid, wearing fatigues and protective vests that say military police, with guns in holsters. Officials have said Guard members have no arrest power.

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Were in a unique spot in this city to have the resources available to us to remove the crime element in Memphis, Lee said recently.

For years, Memphis has dealt with high violent crime, including assaults, carjackings and homicides. While this years statistics show improvement, many people acknowledge that violence remains a problem.

In California, a judge in September said deployment in the Los Angeles area was illegal. By that point, just 300 of the thousands of troops sent there remained and the judge did not order them to leave.

___

Associated Press writers Christine Fernando in Chicago, Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, and Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.
The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to allow deployment of the National Guard in the Chicago area, according to the Associated Press.

On Thursday, a court denied the Trump administration's appeal to continue the deployment of National Guard troops from any U.S. state in Illinois.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice filed for an immediate stay of the 7th Circuit of U.S. District Judge April Perry's ruling issuing a temporary restraining order in the Illinois case about the National guard deployments.

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The TRO blocks federal troops from deploying in Illinois, which was expected to to include National Guard members being stationed at the Broadview ICE facility to assist federal agents.

As the judges denied the appeal, the TRO now remains.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Chicago federal judge temporarily blocks National Guard deployment in Illinois

Last week, the Guard arrived at the Broadview immigration facility on Thursday. Troops could be seen walking around and lingering near the facility.

The Trump administration has argued that the bolstered military presence is needed to protect federal property and employees. But the judge said the government's claims about an out-of-control public on the brink of rebellion were not credible.

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SEE ALSO | Judge orders ICE field director to testify, Operation Midway Blitz agents to wear body cameras

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The video in the player above is from an earlier report.
The Trump administration filed an emergency stay request Friday with the Supreme Court to undo a lower court order blocking the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago.

"This Court should stay the district courts October 9 injunction in its entirety," the filing, written by Solicitor General John Sauer, said.

Sauer argued the injunction "impinges on the Presidents authority and needlessly endangers federal personnel and property."

Scott Olson/Getty Images - PHOTO: Members of the Texas National Guard carry rifles and riot shields at an army reserve training facility on October 07, 2025 in Elwood, Illinois.

He said the Supreme Court should weigh in now "so that the National Guard may perform its protective function while any further litigation is ongoing. Given the pressing risk of violence, this Court should also grant an immediate administrative stay pending consideration of the present application."

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Appeals court declines to lift order blocking Trump from deploying National Guard in Illinois, finding scant evidence of 'rebellion'

On Thursday, a three-judge panel on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals said the Trump administration's decision to deploy National Guard troops was a "likely violation" of the Tenth Amendment, which reserves certain powers to the states.

The panel, which includes a judge appointed by Trump, and presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, also found that the Trump administration was "unlikely to succeed" in proving that there is a "rebellion" against the authority of the U.S. government or that the president is unable to execute the law with regular forces.

Will Dunham/Reuters, Files - PHOTO: The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, June 1, 2024.

A temporary restraining order blocking the deployment of the Guard remains in effect through Oct. 23. U.S. District Judge April Perry has scheduled a hearing for Oct. 22 to determine whether to extend the temporary order.

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As of last week, there were about 200 federalized National Guard troops from Texas and 14 from California currently in Illinois, according to a declaration from a U.S. Army official. Another 300 Guardsmen from Illinois have been mobilized by the president over the objections of Gov. JB Pritzker .

President Donald Trump has said Guard troops are needed for crime prevention in Chicago, which he has described as a "war zone."
In its latest foray into New York transportation, the Trump administration has told the city to stop planning the 34th Street busway until federal officials review the project's plans.

"I demand you cease and desist all activities to implement the 34th Street busway project immediately," Federal Highway Administration Sean McMaster wrote in a letter, citing concerns about ensuring "the safe movement of commuters and commerce-including large truck deliveries-and maintain access for emergency vehicles along this vital city artery."

The 34th Street busway would be the second dedicated crosstown busway, after the 14th Street busway proved effective at speeding up buses. The 34th Street plan got the green light as part of a larger city council deal on redevelopment of Midtown South.

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City and state transportation officials are being asked to meet with the FHA to discuss how the busway can meet federal standards.

The New York City Department of Transportation issued the following statement in response to the order:

"The vast majority of commuters in Midtown are traveling by transit and they deserve world-class, fast, and reliable buses. The redesign for 34th Street mirrors other street designs from across the city and allows for truck, private, and emergency vehicle access on every block. We are confident that the design complies with all applicable federal laws and regulations, and we will work with the federal government to advance this critical project."

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said the federally-ordered pause was a "random" request for information and a case of "Washington whiplash."

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"These kinds of projects are too important to the future of this country to be messing around with, where the funders in Washington don't know what the deal is. I wish they would get their act together," Lieber said during a Friday afternoon press conference.

The order is the second instance of federal interference this week after President Trump said that he "terminated" billions in Tri-State funding for the Hudson Gateway Tunnel project on Thursday.

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President Donald Trump appeared to admit that the import taxes hes unilaterally imposed on Chinese products are having a detrimental effect on American consumers pocketbooks but did not express a willingness to change course in the trade war he has waged against Beijing since returning to the White House nine months ago.

The president made the startling admission during a Friday appearance on Fox Business Networks Mornings with Maria program after anchor Maria Bartiromo pressed him on his recent threat to slap an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese imports after the Chinese government announced plans for new export controls on rare earth metals used in a variety of technology-related products.

Bartitomo asked: If you put a 100 percent tariff on top of what is in place, a 157 percent tariff on China, can that stand? What is that doing to the economy?

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In response, Trump admitted that a 157 percent tax on Chinese imports is not sustainable before conceding that such a tax rate is where the number is at this point.

President Trump appears to have no desire to call off his planned 157 percent tax on Chinese imports despite admitting that it is not sustainable. (Getty Images)

It is probably, could stand  but they forced me to do that, he added.

Trump then pivoted to offering fulsome praise for Chinese leader Xi Jinping, calling him an amazing man and a great leader whose life story could be good for a movie in his estimation.

I think were going to be fine with China but we have to have a fair deal got to be fair, you covered it as well as anybody that ever covered the subject here very complex subject. China ripped us off from day one, he said.

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He then blamed one of his predecessors, Richard Nixon, for having opened China with his 1972 visit there, which preceded a relaxation of trade and travel restrictions imposed during the Korean War. Full diplomatic relations with Beijing were later established during the Jimmy Carter administration, which broke off recognition of Taiwan in favor of the People's Republic of China.

Richard Nixon allowed this to happen opened China  I said, Is that good or bad? You tell me, he said, adding later that the 37th president had unleashed a very strong adversary by working to ease Sino-American tensions.

The proposed 100 percent tax is scheduled to go into effect on November 1, but U.S. Trade Representative Jameson Greer told CNBC that could change depending on what the Chinese do with respect to their export controls on rare earth minerals.
Oct. 16 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump announced a deal Thursday between his administration and a pharmaceutical company that could reduce the cost of some fertility medications.

Administration officials say the deal between the government and EMD Serono will help millions of U.S. women who have trouble conceiving afford the cost of medications that could help.

"In the Trump administration, we want to make it easier for couples to have babies, raise children and start the families they've always dreamed about," Trump said during his Oval Office announcement.

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The president said during the announcement that EMD Serono, the world's largest fertility drug manufacturer, has agreed to provide discounts for the drugs it sells in the United States, including Gonal-f, which is used to treat infertility by men and women.

A fertility drug cycle typically costs between $5,000 and $6,000, the administration said, and only about 30% of families have access to employer insurance that will cover the treatment. Women trying to conceive can require different amounts of the drug.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with EMD Serono Senior Vice President of US Fertility & Endocrinology Libby Horne during an announcement about in vitro fertilization in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on Thursday. Photo by Francis Chung/UPI

Trump said his administration is working with employers to make it easier for them to offer supplemental insurance coverage for fertility treatments.

"As a result of these actions, the per-cycle cost of drugs used in IVF will fall by an estimated 73% for American consumers, and the numbers are going to actually be very substantially higher as time goes by when it really kicks in," Trump continued during the announcement.

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary speaks alongside President Donald Trump during an announcement about in vitro fertilization in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Photo by Francis Chung/UPI

Trump blamed inflated fertility drug prices as a reason for the high cost of IVF treatment, and claimed the cost for the procedure is 700% times more expensive in the United States than in the rest of the world.

Seroni said in its statement that IVF patients will be able to buy Gonal-f at an 84% discount.
President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States carried out another strike on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea this week, further escalating tensions with nearby Venezuela.

In an Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, Trump made his first statements about the attack, when confronted with media reports about survivors.

We attacked a submarine, and that was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs, Trump said, without offering evidence about what kind of vessel it was or what it was transporting.

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This was not an innocent group of people. I dont know too many people that have submarines.

The news agency Reuters broke the story of a new attack on Thursday. It was the first time survivors have been reported since the US began its bombing campaign in the Caribbean on September 2.

A Department of Defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told news outlets in the US that the two survivors have been taken into custody. It is unclear whether they will be prosecuted or what their condition is. Two others died in the blast, according to reports.

In Fridays meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to offer further details when asked about the survivors. He did, however, defend US operations as necessary to intercept illegal drugs.

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Were undertaking these operations against narco-terrorists, Rubio said. Thats what these are. These are terrorists. Lets be clear.





Five other attacks have been confirmed by the Trump administration, with at least 28 people killed in total.

The Trump administration has depicted the military strikes as an effort to stem drug trafficking from Venezuela.

The government has not offered evidence regarding the identities of those killed, but Colombian President Gustavo Petro has said he believes some of his citizens were among the deceased.

A family in Trinidad and Tobago, which lies 11 kilometres (six miles) from the Venezuelan coast, has also said it believes a relative was killed in the recent string of attacks.

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Venezuela has appealed to the UN Security Council for the strikes to be declared illegal.

Legal analysts have said that they almost certainly constitute a violation of US and international law, since drug traffickers are not considered combatants in a military conflict.

Maduro offered everything

In Fridays meeting, Trump also appeared to confirm reports that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has offered concessions in a bid to lower tensions with the US.

He has offered everything. Youre right, Trump said in response to a reporters question. You know why? Because he doesnt want to f*** around with the United States.

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Trump has a long history of animosity with Maduro, stretching back to the maximum pressure campaign he undertook in his first term in office.

Shortly after returning to office for a second term in January, Trump engaged in some limited negotiations with the Maduro government, sending special envoy Richard Grenell to Caracas to arrange the deportation of migrants to Venezuela and the return of imprisoned US citizens.

But earlier this month, the Trump administration called for Grenells efforts to come to an end, effectively severing diplomatic outreach.

In August, Trump also increased the bounty he had offered for Maduros arrest to $50m.





The escalating tensions with Venezuela have coincided with Trumps efforts to increase his own executive power.

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He has claimed that the US faces an invasion of violent migrants, drug traffickers and criminal groups, in order to make sweeping emergency declarations and use wartime powers like those embued in the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

To justify the wartime powers, Trump has said an invasion by the gang Tren de Aragua was masterminded by Maduro himself.

He has not offered any proof, and a report from the National Intelligence Council in April appeared to contradict his claims, finding no evidence of coordination between the Tren de Aragua gang and the Maduro administration.

Critics have nevertheless raised the alarm that such claims could be used to lay the groundwork for military strikes meant to topple the Maduro government. Already, both the US and Venezuela have bolstered their military presence near the Caribbean.

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Trump seemed to confirm reports earlier this week that he had authorised the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.

Venezuela is not considered a major source of global drug trafficking.
President Donald Trump is headed back to his home state of Florida this weekend, arriving at Mar-a-Lago the evening of Oct. 17.

Florida's leadership has long been friendly with Trump and sought to be at the forefront of some of Trump's initiatives, like the immigration crackdowns. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet recently set aside a 2.63-acre parcel in Miami-Dade County for the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library, but that has been challenged in court for alleged government transparency violations, according to the New York Times.

Trump will also be returning to Palm Beach on the weekend of the country's second series of "No Kings" protests, where people all over the country will demonstrate their disagreement with the administration's policies. One such protest will happen down the road from his private club.

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So how are Floridians reacting to Trump's presidency? One state approval rating poll gives us insight:

More: Trump at Mar-a-Lago for MAGA fundraiser same weekend as No Kings protests. What day, time

What is Trump's approval rating in Florida?

Trump has a net positive approval rating in 24 states, according to Morning Consult, which gathers polls over the course of three months to get a look at state-level data among registered voters. The Oct. 14 update shows two states have flipped to net negative approval since the September update. Georgia previously gave Trump a net positive approval, and Arizona was equally split; they're now net negative by Morning Consult's results.

Morning consult notes this is the first time his approval rating has been net negative in every 2024 swing state.

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In Florida, 51% approve of Trump's job performance, compared to 45% who disapprove, according to Morning Consult. The approval is down one point from the September update, but has stayed relatively flat since March. It has also stayed above the national average in that time.

What is Trump's approval rating overall?

Averages based on RealClearPolitics and New York Times aggregators show Trump's approval rating is net negative but relatively stable over the last few months.

As of Jan. 27, 50.5% approved, giving Trump a net positive rating until March 13, when it flipped to net negative with 47.8% approval, compared to 48.5% disapproval, RealClearPolitics graphics show. The approval rating reached a low on April 29 at 45.1% approval, which fell around Trump's 100-day mark. It reached a new low on Sept. 30, the day before the government shutdown started, at 44.8% approving.

The New York Times aggregator showed Trump's approval fell from 52% approval in January to 44% approval in April, and has mostly held steady since. According to the Times, Trump's term low is 43% approval, which he first reached on Aug. 21, about 10 days into Trump's federal takeover of Washington, DC.

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As of Oct. 16, Trump's average approval is 45.4%, according to RealClearPolitics, and 43% on average, according to the New York Times.

Trump's approval rating is low compared to other presidents

In a Gallup poll conducted from Sept. 2-16, 40% approved of Trump's job performance, unchanged from the previous month.

A historical analysis by Gallup shows Trump's approval ratings in September of his first years in office  both as the 45th and 47th presidents  are lower than any other modern president at the same time in their administrations. Here is how his September approval compares to other presidents in September of their first year of their term, according to Gallup:

Joe Biden (September 2021) - 43% approve

Trump (September 2017) - 37% approve

Barack Obama (September 2009) - 52% approve

George W. Bush (September 2001) - 76% approve

Bill Clinton (September 1993) - 50% approve

George H.W. Bush (September 1989) - 70% approve

Ronald Reagan (September 1981) - 52% approve

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Contributing: Reuters; Antonio Fins, Jennifer Sangalang, C. A. Bridges, Lianna Norman, USA TODAY Network

Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump approval rating in Florida tops the US average
Taking to Instagram, Raj Babbar penned a touching note, recalling how Smita touched the hearts of the audience with her impeccable acting prowess.

"Smita consciously used her cinematic journey as a medium to drive change. Her portrayals dared to question norms and dismantle stereotypes. Her ease with complex roles and her deep understanding of characters woven into our social fabric set her apart," he posted.

"She achieved so much within the brief span that destiny allowed. The brevity of her life will alway feel like an unhealed grievance. On her birth anniversary, I fondly remember Smita Patil," Raj Babbar's post further read.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DP5my9GEfrd/?hl=en

Smita's son and actor Prateik too paid tribute to her.

In one of his stories, he shared a picture of a chocolate cake with the words "Happy Birthday Maa" written across it.

Smita Patil, who was known for her contribution to the parallel cinema movement in the Eighties, died a few weeks after she gave birth to Prateik. She was just 31 when she breathed her last in 1986. She was a recipient of the fourth highest civilian honour of India, Padma Shri.

To date, people remember Smita Patil for her versatile acting performances. 'Manthan', 'Bazaar', 'Ardh Satya', and 'Waaris' among others are some of Smita Patil's memorable films. (ANI)
The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to allow the deployment of National Guard troops in the Chicago area, escalating President Donald Trumps conflict with Democratic governors over using the military on U.S. soil.

The emergency appeal to the high court came after a judge prevented, for at least two weeks, the deployment of Guard members from Illinois and Texas to assist immigration enforcement. A federal appeals court refused to put the judges order on hold.

The conservative-dominated court has handed Trump repeated victories in emergency appeals since he took office in January, after lower courts have ruled against him and often over the objection of the three liberal justices. The court has allowed Trump to ban transgender people from the military, claw back billions of dollars of congressionally approved federal spending, move aggressively against immigrants and fire the presidentially appointed leaders of independent federal agencies,

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In the dispute over the Guard, U.S. District Judge April Perry said she found no substantial evidence that a danger of rebellion is brewing in Illinois during Trumps immigration crackdown.

But Solicitor General D. John Sauer, Trumps top Supreme Court lawyer, urged the justices to step in immediately. Perrys order, Sauer wrote, impinges on the Presidents authority and needlessly endangers federal personnel and property.

A federal judge in Oregon also has temporarily blocked the deployment of National Guard troops there.

Guard troops from several states also are patrolling the nations capital and Memphis, Tennessee.

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In a California case, a judge in September said the deployment was illegal. By that point, just 300 of the thousands of troops sent there remained and the judge did not order them to leave.

Related News: Donald Trump

Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
By Andrew Chung

(Reuters) -Donald Trump's administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to allow his deployment of National Guard troops to the Chicago area, as the Republican president moves to dispatch military personnel to a growing number of Democratic-led locales and expand the use of the armed forces for domestic purposes.

The Justice Department asked the court to block a judge's ruling that halted the deployment of hundreds of troops over the objection of Illinois state officials and local leaders, while litigation challenging Trump's plan continues.

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Given events on the ground, the judge questioned the administration's stated reasons for sending in the military. A federal appeals court upheld the judge's ruling on Thursday, also doubting the administration's stated justification.

The administration has stated that danger to federal property and personnel posed by protests against Trump's hardline immigration enforcement policies justified the president's deployment of troops. In a written filing, the Justice Department called the assessment by local officials of these protests as "implausibly rosy" and urged immediate action.

Federal law enforcement agencies "have been forced to operate under the constant threat of mob violence," the department said. "Local forces have failed to respond, or unaccountably delayed their response, even when federal agents face life-threatening violence."

The Supreme Court asked Illinois and Chicago officials to respond to the Justice Department's request by Monday afternoon.

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"Donald Trump will keep trying to invade Illinois with troops - and we will keep defending the sovereignty of our state," Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker wrote on social media. "Militarizing our communities against their will is not only un-American but also leads us down a dangerous path for our democracy. What will come next?"

Trump ordered National Guard troops to Chicago, the third-largest U.S. city, and Portland, Oregon following his earlier deployments to Los Angeles, Memphis and Washington, D.C. Trump has sought to use military forces to suppress protests and support domestic immigration enforcement.

Trump and his allies have described these cities as lawless, crime-ravaged and plagued with vast, violent protests in need of military intervention. Democratic mayors and governors, along with other Trump critics, have said these claims are a false account of the situation and a pretext for sending troops to punish adversaries, accusing Trump of abusing his power.

Federal judges have expressed skepticism over the administration's view of events on the ground. Demonstrations over the administration's aggressive immigration enforcement efforts have been largely peaceful and limited in size, according to local officials, far from the "war zone" conditions described by Trump.

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TESTING THE LIMITS

Though Trump has suggested troops can be used to tackle crime, National Guard and other military personnel under U.S. law are not typically permitted to engage in civilian law enforcement. While a U.S. president can deploy the National Guard under certain authorities, Trump is testing the limits of those powers by sending troops to cities controlled by his political adversaries.

The legal dispute centers on Trump's invocation of a federal law that allows a president to federalize National Guard troops only in the case of rebellion or if he is "unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States."

The administration this month federalized 300 Illinois National Guard troops and also ordered more Texas National Guard troops into the state.

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In the face of criticism and pushback from local leaders, Trump escalated his threats, calling on October 8 for the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois, both Democrats, to be jailed, accusing them of failing to protect immigration officers.

Illinois and Chicago sued the administration over the deployment. On October 9, Chicago-based U.S. District Judge April Perry, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, temporarily blocked the move.

Perry said the administration's claims of violence during protests at an immigration facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview, Illinois, where a small group of demonstrators had gathered daily for weeks, were unreliable.

In a written opinion, Perry faulted administration officials for "equating protests with riots and a lack of appreciation for the wide spectrum that exists between citizens who are observing, questioning and criticizing their government, and those who are obstructing, assaulting or doing violence."

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There is no evidence of a danger of rebellion in Illinois or that the law is not being enforced, the judge said, adding that a National Guard deployment "will only add fuel to the fire."

A three-judge panel of the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to lift Perry's order blocking the deployment, concluding that "the facts do not justify the president's actions in Illinois." Two of the three judges were appointed by Republican presidents, including one by Trump.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)
By Andrew Chung

(Reuters) -Donald Trump's administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to allow his deployment of National Guard troops to the Chicago area, as the Republican president moves to dispatch military personnel to a growing number of Democratic-led locales and expand the use of the armed forces for domestic purposes.

The Justice Department asked the court to block a judge's ruling that halted the deployment of hundreds of troops over the objection of Illinois state officials and local leaders, while litigation challenging Trump's plan continues.

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Given events on the ground, the judge questioned the administration's stated reasons for sending in the military. A federal appeals court upheld the judge's ruling on Thursday, also doubting the administration's stated justification.

The administration has stated that danger to federal property and personnel posed by protests against Trump's hardline immigration enforcement policies justified the president's deployment of troops. In a written filing, the Justice Department called the assessment by local officials of these protests as "implausibly rosy" and urged immediate action.

Federal law enforcement agencies "have been forced to operate under the constant threat of mob violence," the department said. "Local forces have failed to respond, or unaccountably delayed their response, even when federal agents face life-threatening violence."

The Supreme Court asked Illinois and Chicago officials to respond to the Justice Department's request by Monday afternoon.

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"Donald Trump will keep trying to invade Illinois with troops - and we will keep defending the sovereignty of our state," Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker wrote on social media. "Militarizing our communities against their will is not only un-American but also leads us down a dangerous path for our democracy. What will come next?"

Trump ordered National Guard troops to Chicago, the third-largest U.S. city, and Portland, Oregon following his earlier deployments to Los Angeles, Memphis and Washington, D.C. Trump has sought to use military forces to suppress protests and support domestic immigration enforcement.

Trump and his allies have described these cities as lawless, crime-ravaged and plagued with vast, violent protests in need of military intervention. Democratic mayors and governors, along with other Trump critics, have said these claims are a false account of the situation and a pretext for sending troops to punish adversaries, accusing Trump of abusing his power.

Federal judges have expressed skepticism over the administration's view of events on the ground. Demonstrations over the administration's aggressive immigration enforcement efforts have been largely peaceful and limited in size, according to local officials, far from the "war zone" conditions described by Trump.

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TESTING THE LIMITS

Though Trump has suggested troops can be used to tackle crime, National Guard and other military personnel under U.S. law are not typically permitted to engage in civilian law enforcement. While a U.S. president can deploy the National Guard under certain authorities, Trump is testing the limits of those powers by sending troops to cities controlled by his political adversaries.

The legal dispute centers on Trump's invocation of a federal law that allows a president to federalize National Guard troops only in the case of rebellion or if he is "unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States."

The administration this month federalized 300 Illinois National Guard troops and also ordered more Texas National Guard troops into the state.

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In the face of criticism and pushback from local leaders, Trump escalated his threats, calling on October 8 for the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois, both Democrats, to be jailed, accusing them of failing to protect immigration officers.

Illinois and Chicago sued the administration over the deployment. On October 9, Chicago-based U.S. District Judge April Perry, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, temporarily blocked the move.

Perry said the administration's claims of violence during protests at an immigration facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview, Illinois, where a small group of demonstrators had gathered daily for weeks, were unreliable.

In a written opinion, Perry faulted administration officials for "equating protests with riots and a lack of appreciation for the wide spectrum that exists between citizens who are observing, questioning and criticizing their government, and those who are obstructing, assaulting or doing violence."

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There is no evidence of a danger of rebellion in Illinois or that the law is not being enforced, the judge said, adding that a National Guard deployment "will only add fuel to the fire."

A three-judge panel of the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to lift Perry's order blocking the deployment, concluding that "the facts do not justify the president's actions in Illinois." Two of the three judges were appointed by Republican presidents, including one by Trump.

Officials from Portland and Oregon are pursuing a separate legal challenge to Trump's planned deployment to that city. A judge blocked the deployment - extending that order on Thursday - and an appellate court has heard arguments in the administration's appeal.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham)
The Trump administration on Friday afternoon asked the Supreme Court to pause an order by a federal judge in Illinois that bars the federal government from deploying the National Guard to Illinois. U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the justices that the order by U.S. District Judge April Perry cause[s] irreparable harm to the Executive Branch by countermanding the Presidents authority as Commander in Chief, jeopardizing the lives and safety of DHS officers, and preventing the President and the Secretary of War from taking reasonable and lawful measures to protect federal personnel from the violent resistance that has persisted in the Chicago area for several months. Sauer also asked the court to issue an immediate administrative stay to prevent ongoing and intolerable risks to the lives and safety of federal personnel while this Court considers this application.

The Supreme Court instructed the challengers in the case  the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago  to file their response by 5 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 20, signaling that the justices could act quickly on the governments request.

Sauer described the dispute as an example of what has become a disturbing and recurring pattern: Federal officers are attempting to enforce federal immigration law in an urban area containing significant numbers of illegal aliens. The federal agents efforts are met with prolonged, coordinated, violent resistance that threatens their lives and safety and systematically interferes with their ability to enforce federal law, prompting the president to determine that he is unable to enforce the laws of the United States with the regular forces and call[] up the National Guard to defend federal personnel, property, and functions in the face of ongoing violence.

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In this case, Sauer continued, federal officers in Chicago have been threatened and assaulted, attacked in a harrowing pre-planned ambush involving many assailants, rammed in their government vehicles, shot at with fireworks and other improvised weapons, injured and hospitalized, and threatened in person and online. President Donald Trump, having determined that the situation in Chicago had become unsustainably dangerous for federal agents, on Oct. 4 called up 300 members of the Illinois National Guard and deployed them.

U.S. District Judge April Perry on Oct. 9 issued a temporary restraining order that barred the Trump administration from ordering the federalization and deployment of the National Guard of the United States within Illinois until Oct. 23. In an opinion on Oct. 10 to accompany her order, Perry questioned the Trump administrations version of events. She noted that although she did not doubt that there have been acts of vandalism, civil disobedience, and even assaults on federal agents, she could not conclude that declarations by federal officials to support the governments assertions are reliable.

Perry rejected the suggestion that the situation in Chicago amounted to the kind of danger of rebellion that would allow Trump to call up the National Guard under federal law. The unrest Defendants complain of has consisted entirely of opposition (indeed, sometimes violent) to a particular federal agency and the laws it is charged with enforcing  which does not amount, she concluded, to opposition to the authority of the federal government as a whole.

Nor, Perry continued, was Trump justified in calling up the National Guard because he was unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States. Here, she wrote, Defendants have made no attempt to rely on the regular forces before resorting to federalization of the National Guard, nor do Defendants argue (nor is there any evidence to suggest) that the President is incapable with the regular forces of executing the laws.

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Perry scheduled another hearing for Oct. 22 to determine whether to extend her order.

The Trump administration appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, which on Thursday issued an unsigned opinion in which it allowed the portion of Perrys order barring the deployment of the National Guard to stay in place but paused the part of the order prohibiting the federalization of the National Guard. The court of appeals acknowledged that Trump is entitled to a great level of deference regarding his determination that the conditions to federalize and deploy the National Guard are present. But even then, it said, Perrys decision that there is no danger of rebellion should stand. The spirited, sustained, and occasionally violent actions of demonstrators in protest of the federal governments immigration policies and actions, without more, does not give rise to a danger of rebellion against the governments authority. Similarly, the court continued, there is insufficient evidence that protest activity in Illinois has significantly impeded the ability of federal officers to execute federal immigration laws.

One day later, Sauer came to the Supreme Court, asking the justices to intervene. He contended first that only the president, and not federal courts, can decide whether the conditions for federalizing the National Guard have been met. But in any event, Sauer continued, Trumps reliance on federal law to call up the National Guard was lawful and consistent with a long historical tradition, tracing back to President Washingtons response to the Whiskey Rebellion, of relying on the Armed Forces and the militia to assist in responding to violent resistance to federal law enforcement. Perrys order also improperly impinges on the Presidents authority and needlessly endangers federal personnel and property, Sauer concluded.

The Trump administration has also deployed National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued a temporary restraining order blocking that deployment; the Trump administration has appealed that ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

For more Supreme Court news and analysis, visit SCOTUSblog.

Read more at SCOTUSblog 
By Andrew Chung

(Reuters) -Donald Trump's administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to allow his deployment of National Guard troops to Illinois, as the Republican president moves to dispatch military personnel to a growing number of Democratic-led locales and expand the use of the armed forces for domestic purposes.

The Justice Department filed an emergency request asking the court to block a judge's ruling that halted the deployment of hundreds of troops in the Chicago area over the objection of local and state officials, while litigation over Trump's plan continues. Given events on the ground, the judge questioned the administration's stated reasons for sending in the military.

A federal appeals court upheld the judge's ruling on Thursday.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)
By Andrew Chung

(Reuters) -Donald Trump's administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to allow his deployment of National Guard troops to Illinois, as the Republican president moves to dispatch military personnel to a growing number of Democratic-led locales and expand the use of the armed forces for domestic purposes.

The Justice Department filed an emergency request asking the court to block a judge's ruling that halted the deployment of hundreds of troops in the Chicago area over the objection of local and state officials, while litigation over Trump's plan continues. Given events on the ground, the judge questioned the administration's stated reasons for sending in the military.

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A federal appeals court upheld the judge's ruling on Thursday.

Trump ordered National Guard troops to Chicago, the third-largest U.S. city, and Portland, Oregon following his earlier deployments to Los Angeles, Memphis and Washington, D.C. Trump has sought to use military forces to suppress protests and support domestic immigration enforcement.

Trump and his allies have described these cities as lawless, crime-ravaged and plagued with vast, violent protests in need of military intervention.

Democratic mayors and governors, along with other Trump critics, said these claims are a false account of the situation and a pretext for sending troops to punish adversaries, accusing Trump of abusing his power.

Advertisement Advertisement

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Federal judges have expressed skepticism over the administration's view of events on the ground. Demonstrations over the administration's aggressive immigration enforcement efforts have been largely peaceful and limited in size, local officials say, far from the "war zone" conditions described by Trump.

Though Trump has suggested troops can be used to tackle crime, National Guard and other military personnel under U.S. law are not typically permitted to engage in civilian law enforcement. While a U.S. president can deploy the National Guard under certain authorities, Trump is testing the limits of those powers by sending troops to cities controlled by his political adversaries.

The legal dispute centers on Trump's invocation of a federal law that allows a president to federalize National Guard troops only in the case of rebellion or if he is "unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States." His administration has argued that National Guard troops are needed to protect federal officers and property from demonstrators.

The administration this month federalized 300 Illinois National Guard troops and also ordered more Texas National Guard troops into the state.

Advertisement Advertisement

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In the face of criticism and pushback from local leaders, Trump escalated his threats, calling on October 8 for the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois, both Democrats, to be jailed, accusing them of failing to protect immigration officers.

Illinois and Chicago sued the administration over the deployment. On October 9, Chicago-based U.S. District Judge April Perry, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, temporarily blocked the move.

Perry said the administration's claims of violence during protests at an immigration facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview, Illinois, where a small group of demonstrators had gathered daily for weeks, were unreliable.

In a written opinion, Perry faulted administration officials for "equating protests with riots and a lack of appreciation for the wide spectrum that exists between citizens who are observing, questioning and criticizing their government, and those who are obstructing, assaulting or doing violence."

Advertisement Advertisement

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There is no evidence of a danger of rebellion in Illinois or that the law is not being enforced, the judge said, adding that a National Guard deployment "will only add fuel to the fire."

A three-judge panel of the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Perry's order to block the deployment, concluding that "the facts do not justify the president's actions in Illinois." Two of the three judges were appointed by Republican presidents, including one by Trump.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)
The Trump administrations decision to lay off most employees within the U.S. Department of Educations special education office was described by the president this week as part of cuts to Democrat programs that we were opposed to. This was news to many conservative parents of disabled children, as well as disability policy experts.

More than 7.3 million children in all 50 states rely on special education services, which are partially funded and enforced by the federal government.

Special education is a nonpartisan program. Special education services are provided to any student with a disability, regardless of political party, said Maria Town, executive director of the nonpartisan American Association of People with Disabilities.

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A federal district court judge in Northern California on Wednesday granted an emergency order to temporarily pause the mass layoffs that occurred throughout the federal government. If the gutting of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, or OSERS, proceeds, Town and other disability advocates said there is no way the Department of Education can continue to fulfill its responsibilities to enforce the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The act  known by its acronym, IDEA  guarantees students with disabilities the same right to public education as students without disabilities.

Town pointed out that during the first term of President Donald Trump, a Republican, the office determined that Texas, a Republican-led state, had illegally placed a cap on the number of students who could receive special education services in each district. Texas lawmakers lifted the cap in 2017, after receiving pressure from the Department of Education.

Many of the biggest legislative victories for students with disabilities happened under Republican administrations.

Education for people with disabilities goes hand in hand with conservative ideals, wrote disabled journalist Eric Garcia in a recent MSNBC column. While that may seem counterintuitive, having people with disabilities integrated into larger society is a way to reduce the chance that they have to depend on the government..

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Former Republican President Gerald Ford signed the first iteration of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, then-called the Handicapped Children Act. It required that students with disabilities receive individualized education plans and established that they have a right to a free, appropriate public education. Republican President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law in 1990. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was later expanded and reauthorized by a Republican-majority Congress and signed by Republican President George W. Bush in 2004.

Across some of the largest special education and parent groups on Facebook, debate has raged about what this recent move will mean for disabled children. Among conservative-leaning parents, opinions roughly fell into three categories: denial, hopefulness and a sense of betrayal.

Some parents were certain that the change would not affect their children and that the people who had been laid off were just overpaid government bureaucrats. One mother to a child on the autism spectrum from West Virginia wrote in a private parent group with over 100,000 members: Good grief people. Nobody is throwing our kids to the wolves. They will be given the supports [sic] that they need.

This, Town said, is most likely not the case.

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There is a perception that because IDEA, the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act technically remain the law of the land, that enforcement from the Department of Education is redundant and that is simply not the case, she said. Although these laws remain on the books, students and children and families still have rights that need to be enforced.

Other parents praised the layoffs, believing that it would be better for special education services to be moved either to the Department of Health and Human Services or for individual states to hold more responsibility. Many believed that such a change had already happened. This is not the case.

Love it! Gives us more control! Having it under the HHS is so much better. I think we will see better changes and resources than ever before, wrote one Texan mother in Special Education Community, a public Facebook group with over 400,000 members.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon has previously suggested that she would like special education to be managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. In a Fox News interview in March, McMahon said, IDEA funding for our children with disabilities and special needs was in place before there was a Department of Education and it managed to work incredibly well.

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However, that change cannot legally happen without an act of Congress, and the office managing special education funding and enforcement is not being moved to Health and Human Services. Instead, most of the staff were laid off.

Reducing the Department of Education has long been a stated goal for some on the right.

Republicans generally are seeing education as mostly a state and local project, and that the increase in the federalization of education programs and dollars is not a step in the right direction, said Rachel Barkley, director of Able Americans.

Able Americans is one of the only conservative think tank projects dedicated entirely to disability policy. It is housed within the National Center for Public Policy Research, one of the many conservative organizations that contributed to the development of Project 2025.

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But Barkley said that this does not mean a lack of support among conservatives for special education services. She pointed to President Trumps previous fiscal year 2026 discretionary budget request. While it proposes zeroing out or reducing many federal programs funding, that was not the case for special education funding.

The Presidents budget is a kind of ideological statement  a wish list that never gets enacted. His budget level funded IDEA, kept it at the same level, despite other programs having a 15% drop, Barkley said. While she and some other conservatives oppose having a Department of Education, she says they do not oppose support for disabled students.

Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota has repeatedly introduced legislation that would abolish the Department of Education while keeping special education funding and enforcement, which would move to other departments. A previous iteration of the bill died before making it to committee; no legislation will move while the government is shut down.

Other conservative and right-leaning parents online felt less hope and certainty about the future.

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In a private group for parents of children with Down syndrome, one Indiana mother wrote that while she agrees with others who feel the federal bureaucracy is bloated and big changes are needed, gutting the entire department with no replacement or plan isnt help. It doesnt help us.

News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter.
Joe Rogan, the wildly-popular podcaster who endorsed Donald Trump last year, has raised concerns about the presidents deployment of the military in American cities, and aggressive tactics against immigrants.

On Wednesdays episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, he argued that there was a balance to supporting Trump, such as agreeing with the presidents stronger border policies while opposing his aggressive use of federal law enforcement.

The military in the street, I think, is a dangerous precedent, Rogan said, in his latest criticism of Trump.

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Rogan also voiced opposition to immigration law enforcement detaining undocumented immigrants - or those officers perceive as undocumented immigrants - at day laborer pickup spots like Home Depot. Thats not cool either, Rogan told his audience, which averages at 11 million listeners per episode.

Earlier this month, Rogan said he was surprised to see the aggressive force used against immigrants, saying the Trump administration was ripping parents out of their communities. He added: I really thought they were just going to go after the criminals.

Joe Rogan raised concerns Wednesday with some of the tactics the administration has used to detain and deport undocumented immigrants (PowerfulJRE /YouTube)

Rogans comments add him to a growing number of people who are troubled by the presidents use of executive authority to flex his power over U.S. citizens.

Trump has deployed National Guard members into American cities that he claims, often with little evidence, are overrun by crime or out-of-control riots by invoking a rarely-used presidential power to federalize a states troops.

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The presidents actions have drawn widespread criticism with polls showing most Americans oppose his use of the military to control cities.

State leaders, like Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and California Governor Gavin Newsom, have pushed back on Trumps actions, filing lawsuits to try to stop him. Federal judges have even sounded alarm bells at Trumps use of the National Guard, with some blocking the presidents actions and claiming the aggressive tactic is unwarranted.

Protesters in Portland have clashed with federal law enforcement after members deployed tear gas against crowds to disperse them (AP)

After deploying National Guard members to Los Angeles this summer, in response to anti-immigration raid riots, a federal judge told the administration it had violated the Posse Comitatus Act  a federal law that prohibits the government from using the military to enforce domestic law.

But Trump has continued to do so, attempting to send the guard into Portland, Oregon, to control anti-immigration raid protests; Chicago, Illinois, to protect federal law enforcement and Memphis, Tennessee, to help curb crime.

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Some Democratic leaders, such as Pritzker, have accused Trump of sending in federal law enforcement to spark chaos in cities. Troops have been seen clashing with civilians as tensions mount.

No Kings protesters gathered in Los Angeles in June to display opposition to Trumps use of the National Guard in US cities and aggressive anti-immigration tactics (Getty Images)

Nationwide demonstrations, known as the No Kings protests, are planned for this weekend to oppose Trumps use of power to utilize the military for domestic enforcement.

This weekends events will be the second iteration of the protests. In June, thousands of people came out for peaceful demonstrations around the world in opposition to Trumps harsh immigration policies.

There are more than 2,600 protests anticipated to pop up across the nation this weekend. Organizers of the demonstrations say those who have signed up to participate, which is not required, is nearly double what it was in June.

Protests are expected in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Seattle, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and others. But smaller cities are expected to have protest as well.
President Donald Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin on Thursdayone day before hosting Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

The president, 79, said on Truth Social that Putin congratulated him for the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East and asserted that his Success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the War with Russia/Ukraine.

He also announced that High Level Advisors of the United States and Russia will meet next week at a yet-to-be-determined location. He said he will then meet with Putin in Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this inglorious War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end.

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The announcement on Truth Social follows Trumps public musing that he might deliver the Russian president an ultimatum to hold serious peace talks or see Washington arm Kyiv with Tomahawk long-range missiles.

The potential introduction of the long-range cruise missiles would represent a major step-change in capability for Ukraine, extending its strike range deep into Russian territory.

Trump has said he is weighing the move as leverage to force negotiations almost four years after Russias invasion of Ukraine, telling allies he has sort of made a decision, Axios reported.

Februarys Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelensky could not have gone much worse. / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The Ukrainian president will likely be hoping Fridays Oval Office session will be more like his cordial August meeting with Trump at the White House than their stormy encounter in February.

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Then, Vice President JD Vance berated Zelensky for not voicing enough thanks for U.S. help in the war against Russia, before a shouting match ensued.

A Russian lawmaker later boasted that the ambush of Zelensky by Trump and Vance had been predicted in Moscow.

Trumps fresh outreach to Putin comes amid continued Russian strikes and Ukrainian pleas for longer-range precision weapons.

The U.S. presidents aides have framed his approach as accelerating a fast peace deal, while European governments have warned that conditions rewarding territorial grabs would be unacceptable.

Trumps tough treatment of Zelensky has generally been markedly different from that of his good friend Putin, for whom he rolled out a red carpet during their Aug. 15 Alaska summitcomplete with flyover and a chauffeured spin in the presidential limo.

Donald Trump welcomed Vladimir Putin to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Aug. 15 in Anchorage, pulling out all the stops. / Contributor / Getty Images

Russian state TV then gloated that Putin had hoodwinked Trump during that limo ride, basking in the optics even as the meeting yielded no concrete concessions from Moscow.

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Trump left Alaska the same day, reportedly with nothing except a lecture from Putin, who largely ignored his requests. Days later, Trump publicly bragged about the warmth from Putin and the respect he showed him.

Soon, however, Trump was floating U.S.European security guarantees for Kyiv if a ceasefire emergedremarks that suggested a softer line toward Zelensky after their earlier Oval Office blow-up. Their next White House meeting, on Aug. 18, was downright cordial.

Relations were better between Zelensky and Trump come August. / Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Trump said his call with Putin Thursday will be a topic of discussion with Zelenskyy on Friday.

The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins questioned Eric Trump about an exchange between his father and another world leader picked up by a hot mic at the Gaza summit.

During their interview on The Source" Thursday, CNN aired Reuters video clip of a brief conversation between President Donald Trump and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the Gaza summit in Egypt. The two appeared to be talking business as Subianto asked Donald Trump to meet his son Eric, who is the executive vice president of the Trump Organization.

Can I meet Eric? Subianto asked.

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Ill have Eric call, Donald Trump responded. Should I do that? Hes such a good boy. Ill have Eric call.

The two leaders also discussed looking for a better place, though it was unclear what they were referring to. The Trump Organization has two major projects in Indonesia, one located in Bali and the other in Lido.

A live microphone captured Indonesian President Prabowo asking Donald Trump if he could meet his son Eric, an executive vice president of the Trump Organization.



'I'll have Eric call. Should I do that? He's such a good boy,' Trump said https://t.co/RKPjoD1cKi pic.twitter.com/SEtTKMaVMj  Reuters (@Reuters) October 14, 2025

After the clip ended, Eric Trump said he was glad the president acknowledges Im a good boy; I am a good boy.

Eric Trump said he has not yet met or spoken with Subianto but was honored that the Indonesian president requested a call.

Theyre probably two of the most consequential real estate projects in the region that started before my fathers first presidency, Eric Trump told Collins Thursday. So Im honored that he knows about it. Ive never met the president of Indonesia, but it doesnt surprise me given the magnitude and prominence of those projects that he knows what Im doing over there.

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White House officials have said the presidents assets are held in a family-controlled trust and that he will have no role in the familys business activities while in office. Eric and Donald Trump Jr. currently oversee the day-to-day operations, according to the organization.

I think theres a huge wall, Eric Trump said. Theres so much of a wall that the guys never met me. The guy asked to meet me because he has never met me. I think that indicates theres a pretty damn big wall right there.

Eric Trump admits that Indonesian President Subianto was caught on a hot mic talking with his dad about Trump family business deals in Indonesia



(so much for the supposed firewall between Trump's business and the federal government ... ) pic.twitter.com/qG3h53eFrU  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 16, 2025

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Congress leader Supriya Shrinate launched an attack against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, alleging a disproportionate increase in his wife's assets. Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Shrinate cited a Lokpal complaint against Dubey and his election affidavits, to claim that his wife's assets have gone up from Rs 50 lakh in 2009 to about Rs 32 crore in 2024, while there has been no significant rise in the BJP MP's income. According to the Congress leader, the Lokpal bench has asked him to respond within four weeks. She said, "Nishikant Dubey is a four-time BJP MP. He is the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology. He is very close to the Prime Minister and Home Minister, and some serious allegations have been levelled against him. The Lokpal bench has asked him to respond within four weeks." "The complaint against him states that his wife's assets were worth Rs 50 lakh in 2009, and in 2024, her assets increased to approximately Rs 32 crore in 15 years. However, his income did not increase in this way, so this is a case of asset disproportion. Your income did not increase, but your assets continued to grow. Where did this money come from?" According to Dubey's election affidavit in 2024, his wife's movable assets totalled Rs 28.94 crore, while her immovable assets (at cost) were approximately Rs 6.48 crore. Shrinate alleged that the BJP MP's affidavit shows a loan of Rs 1.2 crore, while Abhishek Jha, the alleged lender, claims he did not lend the money to Dubey's spouse. "In his affidavit dated 2024, he stated that he took a loan of Rs 1.2 crore from a person named Abhishek Jha. Abhishek Jha even contested the elections against him as an independent. He claims he did not give any such loan. There is no mention of this in his affidavit. So, whose money is this?" she said. Demanding a clarification from the BJP, the Congress leader added, "The Lokpal is investigating it. But as an MP, the BJP, being the ruling party, should provide clarification on this and answer the public's questions." Amit Malviya, in charge of the BJP's National IT Department, hit back at Congress, claiming that the complainant in Nishikant Dubey's case did not attend the hearing in the Lokpal court. "Anamika Gautam will present her side before the Lokpal. Since the matter is under consideration, it would not be appropriate to respond to the allegations. But the question arises that when the complainant themselves are avoiding the hearing, then why did the Congress feel the need to hold a press conference on this matter? It seems that the wounds inflicted by Nishikant Dubey have now become a chronic sore for the Gandhi family," Malviya wrote on X. (ANI)
President Donald Trump on Friday took a moment to compliment Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on his outfit.

Trump had another in-person meeting with Zelensky to discuss the end of Ukraines war with Russia at the White House just a day after Trump had a very productive phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a Truth Social post, Trump said he would bring up the contents of the call when he met with Zelensky.

When the press finally got access to the meeting, Trump delivered opening remarks before handing it over to Zelensky. The Ukrainian president expressed gratitude for the meeting and also praised Trump for his ongoing work in securing a peace deal in Gaza.

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When Zelensky finished speaking, Trump felt compelled to give him credit for his choice of attire. Zelensky came to the White House sporting a black jacket with lapels over a black collared shirt.

And I think he looks beautiful in his jacket, Trump said as Zelensky grinned and nodded along. Its a beautiful  I hope people notice. Its actually very stylish. I like it!

Zelenskys style has been the subject of scrutiny within the Trump administration for much of the year. During the infamous meeting that saw Trump and Zelensky shouting at one another, Real Americas Voice White House correspondent Brian Glenn berated the Ukrainian president for not wearing a suit. Zelensky instead chose to a black Henley shirt and black pants  tactical gear commonly seen among soldiers.

In their follow-up meeting, Zelensky went with a look identical to the one seen Friday. Glenn praised him for the shift.

Watch above via CNN.

The post Trump Compliments Zelenskys Outfit During White House Meeting: He Looks Beautiful! first appeared on Mediaite.
US President Donald Trump will discuss, among other topics, his recent phone call with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Source: Trump during a press briefing at the White House prior to his meeting with Zelenskyy, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The US president praised Zelenskyy, saying he "has been through a lot" during the war in Ukraine and also called him "a very strong leader".

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"We had a big call yesterday, as you know, with President Putin and we'll be talking about it," Trump said. [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president  ed.]

Background:

The US president has also explained his choice of venue for a meeting with Putin by saying that he likes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Trump spoke with Putin on 16 October for the first time in nearly two months. Following the conversation, he announced plans for a meeting in Budapest, which would be Putin's first appearance in an EU capital since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The visit would require Russian aircraft to cross the airspace of other EU member states.

Bloomberg has reported that European leaders are trying to secure a seat at the negotiating table between Putin and Trump after their previous meeting in Alaska undermined efforts to maintain pressure on Russia.

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President Trump used an expletive Friday to warn Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro against conflict with the U.S., as the administration escalates military action against drug trafficking in the region.

He doesnt want to f with the U.S., Trump said, speaking from the White House during a lunch meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump said Maduro had offered everything as part of diplomatic talks with the U.S., but which Trump reportedly called off last week.

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The New York Times reported Maduro had offered the U.S. a dominant stake in Venezuelas oil and other mineral wealth, as part of months-long discussions.

The Associated Press reported Thursday that Venezuelan government officials had also floated a plan for Maduro to eventually leave office as a bid to ease mounting pressure from the Trump administration.

He has offered everything. Hes offered everything, Trump said. Youre right. You know why? Because he doesnt want to f around with the United States.

Trump confirmed earlier this week that he authorized the CIA to expand covert operations inside Venezuela, and that has raised the possibility of direct action against Maduro.

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The Venezuelan president, who much of the international community views as illegitimate, was indicted in the U.S. in 2020 on charges of leading a drug cartel.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as Trumps national security adviser, increased a reward to $50 million for information leading to Maduros arrest or conviction.

Rubio is seen as a driving force behind the push to oust Maduro from Caracas, although Trump has said his main motivation is to stop drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

Trump is escalating a military campaign against what the administration says are narco terrorists trafficking drugs in the Caribbean Sea, and he said he is looking at land operations as part of the campaign.

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Venezuelas opposition, which is recognized as the legitimate winners of the 2024 election, are welcoming Trumps tough talk on Maduro. Maria Corina Machado, leader of the opposition and recent winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, dedicated her award to Trump and appealed to the U.S. to help win the war against Maduro.

Trump on Friday acknowledged her dedication but said, I dont know who she is.

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President Donald Trump swore live on air during a high-stakes meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

Trump was taking questions from reporters during Fridays meeting and was asked about tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro when he dropped the expletive.

He has offered everything, Trump said, referring to Maduro. You know why? Because he doesn't want to f*** around with the United States.

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After using the swear word, Trump swiftly brought the press conference to a close.

Broadcasters apologized to viewers for the presidents language.

After using the swear word, Trump swiftly brought the press conference to a close and broadcasters apologized to viewers for the presidents language (REUTERS)

As the camera panned out from Trump, Vice President JD Vance broke into a smile and laughed at what just happened.

Pro-Trump accounts on X commended the president for his potty mouth.

President Trump using the F Bomb.he means business, said one MAGA supporter.

A well placed F bomb is an art and President Trump knows how to use it, added MAGA influencer Link Lauren.

LOL Trump dropping the F bomb. Liberals heads are spinning. I love it! another MAGA account posted.

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Others were less impressed.

Grandpa trump comes off crass in trying to look tough for the press, someone said, while another called it immature.

As the camera panned out from Trump, Vice President JD Vance broke into a smile and appeared to laugh. (Fox News/X)

In June, Trump lashed out with the same language after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran he announced earlier appeared to break down.

We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they dont know what the f*** theyre doing, a frustrated Trump told reporters at the White House as he departed for a NATO summit in the Netherlands.

Trumps language became more expletive in his third presidential campaign, according to analysis by The New York Times. In 2024, Trump cursed in public more than 1,700 times, according to the newspaper.

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In 2016, Trump told his supporters, Were gonna have businesses that used to be in New Hampshire that are now in Mexico. Come back to New Hampshire, and you can tell them to go f*** themselves.

Fridays outburst was prompted by a question about what more Venezuelas Maduro could do to ease tensions with the U.S. after the Trump administration escalated the military campaign against the leaders regime this week.

Trump claimed Wednesday that he authorized CIA operations on Venezuelas soil because Venezuela emptied their prisons into the United States of America and flooded the country with drugs.

Last month, the administration declared the U.S. is formally engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels that the president has labeled unlawful combatants, according to a confidential notice to members of Congress.
US President Donald Trump has explained his choice of venue for a meeting with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin: he likes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Source: Trump during a press briefing at the White House during his meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Trump said he decided to propose the Hungarian capital as the meeting venue "because it's a leader that we like".

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Quote: "We like Viktor Orban. He [Putin] likes him, I like him. [Hungary is] a country that's a safe country He's been a very good leader in the sense of running his country. He doesn't have a lot of the problems that other countries have."

Details: The US president said he is confident that Orban "will be a very good host".

Background:

Trump spoke with Putin on 16 October for the first time in nearly two months. Following the conversation, he announced plans for a meeting in Budapest, which would be Putin's first appearance in an EU capital since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The visit would require Russian aircraft to cross the airspace of other EU member states.

Bloomberg has reported that European leaders are trying to secure a seat at the negotiating table between Putin and Trump after their previous meeting in Alaska undermined efforts to maintain pressure on Russia.

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President Donald Trump on Friday floated fresh hopes for an elusive peace in Ukraine and hinted that Volodymyr Zelenskyy could join his upcoming summit with Russias Vladimir Putin.

Meeting with Zelenskyy in the White House, Trump said the Ukraine leader would be on standby to join the talks with Putin in Budapest, Hungary, in case a chance for a breakthrough emerges.

Most likely it is going to be a double meeting. But we will have the president, Zelenskyy, in touch, Trump said, adding that a face-to-face meeting between the warring parties is unlikely.

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Theres a lot of bad blood between the two presidents. I dont think Im speaking out of turn to say it. Trump added. These two leaders do not like each other and we want to make it comfortable for everybody."

Both Trump and Zelenskyy hailed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, and suggested it could build momentum behind peace talks with Russia, even though the conflicts are not directly related.

The two men said they planned to discuss Ukraines request to buy American Tomahawk guided missiles that could put much of Russias military industrial heartland in Kyivs crosshairs.

Trump said he hopes he can get Putin to the negotiating table without what he called an escalation.

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Hopefully, well be able to get the war over without thinking about Tomahawks, Trump said.

Trump shrugged off the idea that the discussion of the new weaponry for Ukraine might have driven Putin to call him Thursday and forge plans for the Budapest summit.

The threat of that is always there, Trump said. Tomahawks are incredible weapons. Theyre very powerful weapons ... Its a big deal.

The meeting was the third White House meeting with Zelenskyy that Trump has held since he returned to power in January.

For his part, Zelenskyy effusively praised Trump and sought to keep any disagreements under wraps, at least in front of the gathered television cameras.

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The Ukraine leader reprised the black suit he wore to their most recent White House meeting, turning the page on the wartime T-shirt look that Trumps team found disrespectful at a contentious February sit down that devolved into a nasty shouting match.

It was the first meeting at the White House since Trump met with Putin for what proved to be an unsuccessful summit meeting in Alaska.

Trump said in the lead-up to the Putin summit that he hoped to persuade Russia to accept an immediate ceasefire on the ground in Ukraine and a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy. Putin rejected both demands.

Its unclear what Trump hopes to get out of the forthcoming summit hosted by Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary or what makes him think Putin will make concessions.

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The meeting came as Ukraine has stabilized its military situation on the front lines in eastern Ukraine and has even spoken about mounting a counteroffensive at some point, perhaps in spring of 2026.

After months of slow but steady advances, Russian troops again appear to be stalled in a bloody stalemate in the strategic Donbas region as winter descends on the area.

The failure to make any major breakthroughs on the battlefield could nudge Putin to make concessions, some analysts say, especially if coupled with a fresh effort to arm Ukraine and potentially give Kyiv the opportunity to inflict more damage on Russian industry and infrastructure.

_____
President Donald Trumps former national security adviser John Bolton was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday.

Bolton, who is a sharp critic of the president, appeared in Maryland court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

He is the third high-profile person in recent weeks to be indicted by the Trump administration after former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

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He was indicted in federal court in Maryland, where he lives. Investigators have been examining whether Bolton mishandled classified information upon his departure from the Trump administration in 2019.

In August, the FBI raided his home in Maryland, after the president revoked Boltons security detail. Trump at the time said he didnt know about the raid. Bolton was not home at the time of the FBIs raid.

FBI agents carry boxes from former National Security Advisor John Bolton's office in Washington, Aug. 22, 2025. | Rod Lamkey, Jr., Associated Press

In court documents Thursday, prosecutors allege Bolton had access to some of the U.S. Governments most sensitive and closely guarded national security secrets.

The indictment said the Trump administration installed a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility in Boltons home, which was approved to process and store classified and top secret behavior. It was decertified when Bolton left the administration.

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The administration alleges that from August 2018 to August 2025, Bolton abused his position by sharing more than a thousand pages of information about his day-to-day activities as the National Security Adviser  including information relating to the national defense. He is accused of sharing the information with two unnamed individuals that are noted as people he is related to.

Bolton unlawfully kept documents, writing and notes related to national defense, including top secret level information, in his Maryland home, the indictment said.

A group of FBI agents leave former national security adviser John Bolton's house where FBI searched the home, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Bethesda, Md. | Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press

He regularly sent diary-like entries to the individuals, including transcribing his handwritten notes from his days activities, using his AOL and Google email accounts.

Trump reacted to Boltons indictment at an event in the Oval Office on Thursday and said he was just now hearing about it.

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I think hes a bad person. I think hes a bad guy, Trump said. Thats the way it goes.

Trump said he hasnt reviewed the case against Bolton but just believes he is a bad person.

President Trump on John Bolton: "I think he's a bad person." pic.twitter.com/4BaCjvOXX3  CSPAN (@cspan) October 16, 2025

Bolton later released a statement about his indictment, arguing he would never compromise the four decades hes dedicated to Americas foreign policy and national security.

I have become the latest target in weaponiziing the Justice Department to change those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts, Bolton said.

Bolton likened Trumps second term to Joseph Stalin and said the charges are not about him as an individual but rather an effort to intimidate Trumps opponents.

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Dissent and disagreement are foundational to Americas constitutional system, and vitally important to our freedom, Bolton wrote. I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power.

Bolton is the third Trump critic in recent weeks to be indicted.

Former national security adviser John Bolton waves as he arrives at his house Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Bethesda, Md. | Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press

Comey, the former FBI director nominated by former President Barack Obama and later dismissed by Trump in 2017, was indicted for allegedly making a false statement to Congress and obstruction of justice. Comey has long tangled with Trump over his 2016 presidential campaign and Russian interference, as well as an investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons private email use.

In addition to Comey, James was indicted last week. She was indicted on two counts involving a property she owns in Virginia, including bank fraud and false statements to a financial institution. Prosecutors say she misrepresented how she uses the property in order to obtain a more favorable loan.
The Trump administration has gone on a spyware spending blitz to bolster Immigration and Customs Enforcements mission to seek out undocumented migrants, and people who they claim want to overthrow the United States Government.

ICE is spending tens of millions of dollars on new spyware contracts, which include eye-scanning apps, software that tracks a phone without a court warrant and can hack into them remotely, and recruiting new staff to man a social media monitoring network.

The agency has relied on surveillance technology for more than two decades. But since Trump designated the movement known as Antifa as a major domestic terrorist organization, ICEs recent spyware spending spree is ringing alarm bells for lawmakers and civil rights groups, who fear it could be used to surveil those who protest the government.

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Trump recently described Antifa as a militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law.

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, whose home state has been at the center of ICE clashes with protesters outside its detention center in Portland, said he was worried by the contracts.

The Trump administration has gone on a spyware spending blitz to bolster Immigration and Customs Enforcements mission to seek out undocumented migrants, and people who they claim want to overthrow the United States Government. (Getty Images)

Im extremely concerned about how ICE will use spyware, facial recognition and other technology to further trample on the rights of Americans and anyone who Donald Trump labels as an enemy, Wyden told The Washington Post.

Trump officials have publicly said the administrations anti-immigration operation could aid their efforts to target left-wing groups.

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White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said the administration would use a whole-of-government approach to end to any illegal activities.

Left-wing organizations have fueled violent riots, organized attacks against law enforcement officers, coordinated illegal doxing campaigns, arranged drop points for weapons and riot materials, and more, Jackson said Thursday. The Trump Administration will get to the bottom of this vast network inciting violence in American communities.

ICE was granted more than $170 billion in funding from Congress after it passed Trumps spending bill in July. In September, ICE signed contracts totaling $1.4 billion, according to USASpending.Gov, which tracks how federal money is spent.

A Massachusetts-based company, B12 Technologies, landed a $4.6 million contract with ICE on September 23 to provide an eye-scanning app that can help agents confirm peoples identities, according to the Federal Procurement Data System.

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The technology matches the image of a persons eye against a database of millions of records, and can get a read on someones eye from up to 15 inches away, even if they are wearing glasses.

Alarm bells are ringing for lawmakers and civil rights groups, who fear the technology could be used to surveil those who protest the government. (Getty Images)

ICE has used similar technology for a number of years, but the mobile system would allow agents to identify people out in the field, the Post reported.

On September 5, Clearview AI scored a $3.75 million contract with ICE for its facial recognition software, despite concerns over its accuracy. It has been used by police, but has resulted in wrongful arrests previously, according to the newspaper.

Elsewhere, ICE is bolstering its social media monitoring network by recruiting more staff at its hubs in Vermont and California. Contractors would use sites such as Facebook, Instagram and X to generate leads about individuals who pose a danger to national security, risk public safety or otherwise meet ICE enforcement priorities. Peoples loved ones and co-workers linked to a target on social media could also be investigated under the plans.

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There was uproar in recent weeks after the Trump administration restarted a $2 million contract with Paragon Solutions, a spyware company founded in Israel whose products have been accused of facilitating the surveillance of journalists and activists.

The deal had previously been frozen to review whether it complied with a March 2023 Biden administration executive order limiting the use of commercial spyware that could pose counterintelligence risks to the U.S. or that might be improperly used by a foreign government, WIRED reported.

Earlier this month it was also reported that ICE was seeking to buy access to a powerful suite of highly controversial surveillance tools that will allow the agency to monitor peoples locations based on data from hundreds of millions of mobile phones.

ICE is spending tens of millions of dollars on new spyware contracts, including eye-scanning and facial recognition apps, and more staff for a social media monitoring network. (AFP via Getty Images)

In a redacted acquisition document obtained by the tech news site 404 Media, the immigration agency proposes entering into a contract to buy all-in-one tools from a company called PenLink that will allow agents to compile, process, and validate billions of daily location signals from hundreds of millions of mobile devices.

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The document also mentions payments for services involving face detection, advanced face search and a dark web data feed.

The Independent has contacted ICE for comment.

A White House official disputed that the administrations surveillance tactics threatened the First and Fourth Amendment rights.

The Presidents actions are focused on entities and individuals engaged in organized political violence and domestic terrorism, an anonymous official told the outlet. Any other characterization is inaccurate.

Josh Marcus contributed reporting
President Donald Trump granted clemency on Friday evening to George Santos, whose lies about his biography and misuse of campaign funds emerged after he won a seat in Congress from New York and ultimately landed him in prison.

Santos had served less than three months of a seven-year term for wire fraud and identity theft when Trump announced in a social media post that he would commute the rest of the sentence.

The president cited the former New York lawmakers political support in the announcement.

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George Santos was somewhat of a rogue, but there are many rogues throughout our Country that arent forced to serve seven years in prison, Trump wrote in the post. George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated. Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY.

In imposing the prison sentence in April, U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert decried Santos flagrant thievery, describing him as an arrogant fraudster talking out of both sides of his mouth. The former lawmaker wept as the sentence was announced, telling the court: I betrayed the confidence entrusted to me by constituents, donors, colleagues and this court.

His crimes spanned a range of fraudulent activity. He acknowledged he used his campaign fundraising apparatus for personal gain and admitted to submitting false reports to the FEC during his congressional run. He also admitted to stealing the personal identity and financial information of elderly and cognitively impaired campaign donors.

He admitted to stealing from donors by persuading them to contribute money to a company that he claimed was a social welfare organization or super PAC, and then using their contributions to put himself up at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, shop at Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Brooks Brothers, pay off his credit cards and gift himself thousands of dollars in cash.

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But Santos was perhaps best known for scores of lies he told about his educational and professional background, many of which were revealed by the criminal investigation and a separate congressional inquiry. He also advanced other falsehoods, including that his mother died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Santos had repeatedly sought clemency from Trump since the presidents reelection last year. After reporting to prison, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene sent a letter to the Department of Justice to formally request Santos sentence be commuted.

In his social media post, Trump compared Santos actions to those of Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, an administration critic who has admitted that he mischaracterized his military service several times suggesting he had served in Vietnam during the war when he was, in fact, stationed in the U.S.

This is far worse than what George Santos did, and at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!, Trump said of Blumenthals statements.

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Some New York Republicans chastised the president's decision. Rep. Nick LaLota said Santos' crimes "warrant more than a three-month sentence" in a statement on X. Rep. Andrew Garbarino, who sat on the House Ethics Committee panel that investigated Santos, said Santos' short sentence is "not justice."

"The President has the discretion to commute sentences for people convicted of federal crimes. In this case, Santos willingly pled guilty to these crimes and then complained about having to serve his sentence," Garbarino said in a statement. "The victims of his crimes still have not been made whole, including the people he stole from and the voters he defrauded. He has shown no remorse. The less than three months that he spent in prison is not justice.

Meredith Lee Hill contributed to this story.
Delhi AAP President Saurabh Bhardwaj has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of hypocrisy on the cleaning methods adopted of the Yamuna river ahead of Chhath Puja, saying that the Delhi BJP had earlier opposed the use of chemicals to clean the river but is now approving the same practice. Bhardwaj recalled that before Chhath Puja in 2022, the Arvind Kejriwal government had sprayed chemicals to remove foam from the river, ensuring a clean environment for Chhath Puja devotees. However, BJP MP Parvesh Verma had then criticised the move, calling the chemical "poisonous". "We have completely exposed the way the Delhi Chief Minister has been lying to the people of Delhi. Before Chhath Puja in 2022, when Arvind Kejriwal's government sprayed chemicals to remove foam in the Yamuna, Parvesh Verma came to the Yamuna and said that this chemical would make the Yamuna poisonous," Delhi AAP President said to ANI. "Today, the same chemical that he called poisonous two years ago... the same chemical has been ordered by the Delhi Jal Board through a tender," Bhardwaj added. Bhardwaj further said that the party has "completely exposed the lie" of how the ex-Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was falsely targeted by BJP leaders in 2022 over efforts to clean the Yamuna ahead of Chhath Puja. "So, his lie has been exposed: out of malice, he did not allow the Delhi government to remove the foam to harass Chhath devotees so that the foam would remain and Chhath Puja would not be celebrated," Bhardwaj said. These remarks come after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, along with Minister Kapil Mishra, on Thursday inspected the preparations for the upcoming Chhath festival at Kalindi Kunj Chhath Ghat, highlighting a significant transformation in the state of the river waters. During the inspection, CM Gupta praised the remarkable improvement in the Yamuna River's water quality, noting that sustained efforts have made the water suitable for aquatic life once again. "This water is now in such a condition that aquatic creatures can live very well in it, whereas earlier, even a mosquito could not thrive in this water. Today, this water is suitable for our aquatic life... This is Delhi's achievement, and work is continuously ongoing in this direction," CM Gupta said to ANI. Earlier, Minister Kapil Mishra on Chhath Puja said, "We are preparing for a grand Chhath Puja. Until last year, there was a ban on Chhath Puja in the Yamuna. When we sought information, there was no such court order. The Kejriwal government lied to the people of Purvanchal. This time, a grand Chhath Puja will be organised on the banks of the Yamuna. Arrangements for Chhath Puja are being made at 1,300 ghats. The Chief Minister herself is monitoring it. We are building modern Chhath ghats everywhere." The Chhath festival begins with Nahay Khay on Saturday, October 25. The second day of Chhath Puja is known as Kharna, which is on October 26. Offering to the setting sun is on October 27, and offering to the Rising Sun is on October 28. (ANI)
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Trump Budget Director Russ Vought announced Friday on X that the Army Corps of Engineers would be pausing $11 billion in funding for lower-priority projects in the Democratic cities of New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Baltimore, and considering them for cancellation.

The Democrat shutdown has drained the Army Corps of Engineers ability to manage billions of dollars in projects, he wrote, before promising more information to come from the Army Corps of Engineers.

The Democrat shutdown has drained the Army Corps of Engineers' ability to manage billions of dollars in projects. The Corps will be immediately pausing over $11 billion in lower-priority projects & considering them for cancellation, including projects in New York, San Francisco,  Russ Vought (@russvought) October 17, 2025

In early October, President Donald Trump likened Vought to the Grim Reaper in a video posted to Truth Social, seemingly celebrating federal firings and cuts. Both Trump and Vought have continued to emphasize their focus on only cutting Democratic programs, with the president saying, Thats the way it works. They wanted to do this, so we will give them a little taste of their own medicine, in a Cabinet meeting last week.

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On Wednesday, during an appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show, Vought said, Well probably end up being somewhere north of 10,000 while discussing federal firings. Just shortly after his comments, however, a federal judge in San Francisco temporarily blocked the layoffs, citing the human cost of the mass terminations.

Trump and his allies have continued to blame Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown, insisting  without evidence  that the left is determined to divert taxpayer funds to provide health care for undocumented immigrants. With an equally ludicrous excuse, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) insisted Friday morning that the spectacle [of the anti-Trump No Kings Day protests across the country] is the reason the Democrats have refused to reopen the government.

The post Trumps Grim Reaper Announces $11 Billion in Paused Projects  New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Baltimore first appeared on Mediaite.
US President Donald Trump said he would rather end the fighting between Russia and Ukraine without providing Tomahawk missiles, in comments to the Ukrainian president at the White House on Friday.

"Hopefully we'll be able to get the war over with without thinking about Tomahawks," he said at a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The US also needs the long-range cruise missiles, Trump said.

Zelensky has repeatedly called on Washington to provide the Tomahawks, and was hoping Trump would approve the sale that would enable Kiev to take a more offensive stance in its defence against the full-scale Russian invasion, under way since 2022.
President Donald Trump, just days after celebrating an Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement he helped broker in the Middle East, turns his attention Friday to the Russia-Ukraine war, hosting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House.

Ukraine's request for American-made Tomahawk missiles is expected to be a focus of the talks.

"They want to go offensive," Trump said of Kyiv earlier this week. "I'll make a determination on that."

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images - PHOTO: President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House, Aug. 18, 2025.

The long-range weapons would give Ukraine the ability to strike deep inside Russia, and Zelenskyy described them as a difference-maker in a conflict that has dragged three-and-a-half years. Moscow, though, warned that Tomahawk deliveries would mark "a dangerous escalation of relations between Russia and the United States."

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Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a long phone call on Thursday, one day before his in-person meeting with Zelenskyy. In a surprise development, Trump announced he and Putin plan to meet again (this time in Budapest) to discuss the war after initial discussions among high-level advisers next week.

Trump said he would be telling Zelenskyy on Friday what he and Putin discussed in the call.

The president said he talked with Putin "a little bit" about Tomahawks in their two-hour conversation. He said he asked the Russian president how he would feel if he sold them to Ukraine. "He didn't like the idea," Trump said.

Trump also expressed concern about depleting the U.S. supply of Tomahawks.

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"They're very vital. They're very powerful. They're very accurate. They're very good. But we need them too. So, I don't know what we can do about that," Trump told reporters as he took questions during an Oval Office event.

U.S. Navy - PHOTO: Sailors assigned to Navy Munitions Command Pacific, East Asia Division, Unit Guam load UGM-109 Tomahawk missiles onto the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Jefferson City, May 6, 2025.

This latest diplomatic push comes nearly two months after Trump hosted Putin in Alaska for a high-profile summit that ultimately yielded no major breakthrough. Days later, Trump welcomed Zelenskyy to the White House as well as a delegation of European leaders who rushed to Washington to support the Ukrainian leader after an extraordinarily tense scene between Zelenskyy, Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office back in February.

Trump, who once said he could end the Russia-Ukraine war immediately upon his return to office, has lamented that the conflict is more difficult to bring to a close than he anticipated.

"This is a terrible relationship, the two of them have. ... Because of my relationship with President Putin, I thought this would be very quick. And it has turned out to be -- who would think I did the Middle East before I did this?" Trump said.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images - PHOTO: President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin as he arrives at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Aug. 15, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska.

In Alaska, Trump's immediate goal was to set up a trilateral meeting with himself, Putin and Zelenskyy, or a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy. Those meetings never occurred.

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ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce, after Trump announced he planned to meet Putin again in Hungary, asked White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt if the president still believed he could get Putin and Zelenskyy in the same room.

"I think he thinks it's possible, and he would, of course, love to see that happen," Leavitt said. "But right now, there were discussions and plans are now being made for the Russian side and our folks, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to meet and then for President Putin and President Trump to perhaps meet again. But I don't think the president has closed the door on that at all."

Meanwhile, Russia continues to bombard Ukraine's energy infrastructure, firing more than 300 drones and about three dozen missiles at targets throughout Ukraine overnight into Thursday.

Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP - PHOTO: Smoke raises amid the ruins in Kostiantynivka, a frontline town where some 5000 people still stay with no water, electricity and gas supply in the site of heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Oct. 13, 2025.

Zelenskyy, landing in Washington on Thursday, said he hopes "that the momentum of curbing terror and war, which worked in the Middle East, will help end the Russian war against Ukraine."

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"Putin is definitely not braver than HAMAS or any other terrorist. The language of force and justice will definitely work against Russia as well. We already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue, just hearing about 'Tomahawks,'" the Ukrainian president wrote on X.

Zelenskyy met with American defense and energy companies on Thursday ahead of his Friday meeting at the White House.

Trump at times blamed Russia's invasion on Ukraine and Zelenskyy, though has recently expressed frustration and disappointment with Putin. This week, he said "all we want from President Putin" is to stop the killing of Ukrainians and Russians.

"It doesn't make him look good. It's a war that he should have won in one week and he's now going into his fourth year," the president said on Wednesday.

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in remarks at a NATO gathering this week, also ramped up rhetoric against Russia, notably calling Moscow the aggressor.

"If this war does not end, if there is no path to peace in the short term, then the United States, along with our allies, will take the steps necessary to impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression," Hegseth said. "If we must take this step, the U.S. War Department stands ready to do our part in ways that only the United States can do."

But so far, Trump and his administration has held back from imposing tougher sanctions on Russia. Instead, he's focused on getting European countries and nations like India to stop purchasing Russian oil.

On Capitol Hill, there are growing calls among Republicans -- including Senate Majority Leader John Thune -- to proceed with a bill that would put economic penalties on Russia.

Asked what he thought about those efforts on Thursday, Trump was noncommittal: "Well, we're going to see."
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday said President Donald Trump can legally invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy soldiers for law enforcement purposes as clashes between protesters and federal agents escalate across the country.

Her comments come ahead of what could be a contentious weekend, as millions of Americans are expected to participate in more than 2,500 No Kings protests scheduled to take place Saturday in all 50 states, including in Salt Lake City, Ogden and Provo.

The event is part of a series of demonstrations  at least partially funded by Democrat-leaning nonprofit groups  that have protested the Trump administrations attempt to expand executive power over immigration, regulations and government spending.

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I pray that these protests remain entirely peaceful, Utah Sen. Mike Lee told the Deseret News in a statement. In the wake of leftist attacks on ICE and other members of law enforcement, however, President Trump is well within his rights to protect federal buildings and personnel.

Police rush to respond to a reported shooting during a No Kings protest and march in Salt Lake City on Saturday, June 14, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Clashes in Chicago continue

On Tuesday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers engaged protesters in Chicago with tear gas and rubber bullets when protesters began yelling and throwing objects at agents who had crashed into a car during an immigration enforcement traffic stop.

This was just the latest standoff between Chicago residents and ICE agents since the Trump administration launched a crackdown on illegal immigration in the nations third largest city five weeks ago. Other confrontations have seen protesters block and damage federal vehicles.

Over the past month, Trump has tried to call up National Guard troops from Oregon, California and Texas to protect federal agents and facilities in Chicago, and Portland  where there have been consistent anti-ICE protests since June.

A detainee is taken back to official government vehicles during a protest in Chicago, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. | Anthony Vazquez, Chicago Sun-Times via the Associated Press

Each of these efforts has been paused by district courts, who have stated that protesters in these cities likely do not meet the threshold of directly inhibiting the execution of laws or conducting a rebellion as outlined in the statute invoked by Trump in his June 7 executive order.

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However, Trump, and his top legal advisers, have increasingly floated another avenue that would give the president much more freedom to deploy troops domestically with potentially less interference from the judicial system.

What is the Insurrection Act?

During a Wednesday appearance on Fox News Hannity, Bondi, the nations chief law enforcement officer, said the president can invoke the Insurrection Act as another means of using military might to ensure the administrations initiatives are carried out.

He absolutely has the right to do that, the legal authority to do that, Bondi said.

Many legal experts agree. The Insurrection Act is a collection of statutes passed by Congress in the 18th and 19th centuries that gives the president wide latitude to mobilize the armed forces as he considers necessary to help enforce federal laws or suppress a rebellion.

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The threshold for invoking the Insurrection Act is far lower than the one courts have scrutinized in reaction to Trumps previous executive order, Mark Nevitt, a professor at Emory Universitys School of Law and an expert in national security law, told The Dispatch.

The Insurrection Act would also allow Trump to avoid the complication of federalizing state National Guard units by instead deploying regular armed forces, wrote Jack Landman Goldsmith, a Harvard law professor and former assistant attorney general to President George W. Bush.

At least 10 U.S. presidents have used the Insurrection Act in over 20 separate instances. Most recently, the power was used by President George H.W. Bush at the request of then-Gov. Pete Wilson to restore civil order in Los Angeles after police officers were acquitted of beating Rodney King.

In this April 30, 1992 file photo, a Los Angeles police officer takes aim at someone attempting to steal something from a market in Los Angeles during the second night of rioting in the city in response to the acquittal of four police officers in the videotaped beating of Rodney King. | John Gaps III, Associated Press

Trump would not be the first to use the Insurrection Act against the wishes of governors. The authority was invoked multiple times in the 1950s and 60s to enforce anti-segregation laws in the South and to protect civil rights marchers.

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These cases involved governors flouting the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens. If Trump were to use the Insurrection Act to advance his policy objectives, it might more closely resemble 19th century invocations to quell labor strikes.

Will Trump invoke the Insurrection Act?

Over the past month, Trump administration officials have increasingly considered the possibility of using the Insurrection Act  something Trump toyed with, but never did, during his first term.

Earlier this month, Trump characterized Portland as a place filled with insurrectionists, while White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller referred to the unfriendly court decision in Oregon as a legal insurrection.

Demonstrators march down Fifth Avenue during the "No Kings" protest, June 14, 2025, in New York. | Stefan Jeremiah, Associated Press

Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday the president was looking at all of his options to deploy military forces in domestic settings to control crime. And on Monday, Trump said if he wants to, he is allowed to use the Insurrection Act.

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The Insurrection Act is the greatest exception to the Posse Comitatus Act, a law banning federal military forces from participating in law enforcement activities, according to Elizabeth Goitein, senior director at the Brennan Centers Liberty and National Security Program.

While it was intended for emergencies when civilian law enforcement is overwhelmed, the Insurrection Act has very vague criteria and few clear constraints on its use, Goitein wrote. But despite criticism from across the political spectrum, Congress has failed to act to narrow the law.

For years lawyers have been saying this is far too broad, legal commentator Sarah Isgur said Sunday on ABC News. They warned about it at the beginning of the Biden administration, This is the time to change the Insurrection Act. We missed the opportunity then, and here we are.
Oct. 17 (UPI) -- A nine-year, $335 million restoration of the U.S. Air Force Academy Chapel has President Donald Trump calling for a federal investigation into the matter.

The president in a social media post on Thursday called the cadet chapel in Colorado Springs, Colo., a "construction disaster" since it was built in 1962 and said the current renovation is projected to be finished in 2028.

"The earlier stories are that it leaked on day one, and that was the good part," Trump said on Truth Social.

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"Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent," he explained. "The renovation, which essentially has been going on since the day it was built, is now projected to go on until 2028."

He said a newly revised budget adds $90 million to the renovation cost, which now is $335 million from its prior $247 million budget.

"This mess should be investigated," Trump added. "Very unfair to the cadets -- a complete architectural catastrophe!"

The Defense Department in August awarded a contract that exceeds $88 million to the JE Dunn Construction Co. to renovate the chapel, which is projected to be finished in November 2028, The Hill reported.

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Officials at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center are overseeing the renovation project and said the additional funds will cover additional costs after encountering unexpected problems.

The chapel has been closed since October 2019 as the restoration project began, but the discovery of asbestos and other issues has delayed the renovation and greatly raised its cost from an original estimate of $158 million, according to KOAA-TV.

The current construction cost estimate is nearly half the cost to renovate the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which was completed twice as fast.

The latest nearly $90 million project allocation from the Defense Department boosted the total cost by 36% from $247 million.

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The project "ensures the long-term structural integrity and watertightness of the Cadet Chapel and will resolve issues that have plagued the building since its opening 60 years ago," the AFCEC said.

The facility leaked water from the moment it opened in 1962 and underwent numerous "Band-Aid fixes" over the years, USAFA architect Duane Boyle said during an April 2024 news conference.

The 150-foot-tall, 52,000-square-foot chapel is comprised of 17 triangular spires that give it an aircraft-like appearance.

It was one of the first modernist-style structures built in the United States and is "one of the most seminal pieces of modern architecture in the United States," Neal Evers, Colorado University-Boulder Environmental Design Department professor, told KOAA-TV.

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He said the chapel was designed and built when modernist-style architecture "was really taking off in the '50s."

Evers said it's unfair to compare the project's cost and time to other restoration projects, but he acknowledged it is a "problem" when the initial five-year timeline is extended to nearly 10.
Chicago police patrol downtown in August soon after President Donald Trump suggested sending National Guard troops to the city to address crime. But a Stateline analysis of U.S. Census Bureau and federal crime data shows that Trumps deployments and proposals have not focused on the nations most violent cities. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump has argued that he needs to deploy National Guard troops across state lines to protect federal personnel and property or to support overwhelmed local law enforcement in cities he claims are overrun by crime.

But a Stateline analysis of U.S. Census Bureau and federal crime data shows that Trumps deployments and proposals have not focused on the nations most violent cities. Of the 10 cities population 250,000 or more with the highest violent crime rates, Trump has sent National Guard troops to just one: Memphis, Tennessee.

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He has proposed action in just three other top-10 cities: Oakland, California; Baltimore; and St. Louis. All, along with Memphis, are Democratic-led cities.

Several other cities with high violent crime rates  including Milwaukee; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Minneapolis  also are led by Democrats but have not been targeted. Two other Democratic-led cities with high violent crime rates, Cleveland and Kansas City, Missouri, are in states with Republican governors and likewise havent been targeted.

Instead, the administration has directed more attention toward larger, Democratic-run cities in Democratic-led states such as Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, along with Washington, D.C., where violent crime rates are lower than in many other major cities.

In recent months, Trump has pledged strong federal intervention in several cities if, he claims, local officials fail to restore order.

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Critics, including Democratic governors and mayors, have challenged his rationale in court, arguing that deployments exceed the presidents authority and undermine local control.

Federal courts have issued orders halting troop deployments in several cities while legal challenges proceed. Most recently, deployments were blocked in Chicago and Portland. The Trump administration is appealing those rulings.

Trump also has suggested deploying troops to New York City and San Francisco.

Statelines data analysis shows violent crime has fallen sharply across the United States, including significant drops in some cities that Trump is threatening with military action.

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Some crime experts question whether a heightened law enforcement or military presence in major cities will have a lasting impact on crime.

In the long term, this cant really be good for public safety, said Nancy La Vigne, a criminal justice researcher and dean of the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University. La Vigne added that crime may decline in the cities where the Guard is deployed, but that it will likely be an artificial suppression of crime because potential victims may avoid downtown areas  an effect that could fade over time.

Violent crime is down

Some Republican governors have welcomed federal support. Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee endorsed the use of Guard troops in Memphis as part of a new citywide anti-crime task force.

Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry has requested federal funding to activate up to 1,000 Guard members statewide, citing elevated violent crime rates in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport. Landry also pointed to critical staffing shortages in local law enforcement.

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According to local police data through Sept. 6 of this year, however, violent crime in New Orleans is not elevated. It has fallen 16%, with homicides down 20% and property crimes also down 20% compared with the same period in 2024.

Likewise in Baton Rouge, both the overall violent crime rate and the homicide rate declined between 2023 and 2024, falling below 2019 levels, according to a Stateline analysis.

In Shreveport, the overall violent crime rate increased between 2023 and 2024, while the homicide rate fell. Both rates remain higher than in 2019.

The cities with populations of 250,000 or more with the highest violent crime rates were, in order: Memphis, Oakland, Detroit, Baltimore, Cleveland, Kansas City, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Albuquerque and Minneapolis, according to Statelines analysis of FBI data.

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Available national crime data shows that both violent and property crime continue to decline nationwide. These broad national trends, however, dont mean every community is experiencing less crime. Some cities and neighborhoods are still seeing higher rates of certain offenses.

According to the Real-Time Crime Index  a free tool that collects crime data from more than 500 law enforcement agencies  violent crime nationwide was 10.7% lower between January and July 2025 than during the same period the previous year, with homicides down 20% and property crime down 12.4%.

The nonpartisan think tank Council on Criminal Justices most recent crime trends report shows declines in homicides, gun assaults and carjackings across 42 major cities in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. The report shows increases in homicide across five cities.

Although the FBIs findings are a year behind, they align with those numbers. The FBIs 2024 report, released earlier this year, showed that violent crime fell 4.5% and property crime dropped 8.1% nationally compared with the previous year. Homicides alone declined by nearly 15%.

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These improvements mark a continued reversal of the pandemic-era surge in violence, when homicides rose nearly 30% in 2020  one of the largest single-year increases in U.S. history.

But the pace and direction of those declines vary widely from city to city, and public perception of crime often diverges from what the data shows.

City-by-city details

Nationally, violent and property crime have fallen sharply since peaking in the 1990s  a trend mirrored in most cities, including the five where Trump has deployed or sought to deploy the National Guard.

There may be variations between national figures and local police data because of differences in data collection methods and how crimes are defined.

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In Washington, D.C., where the number of reported homicides spiked in 2023, homicides declined by 32% in 2024. The homicide rate fell from 39 per 100,000 residents in 2023, to 26 in 2024, according to a Stateline analysis of FBI crime data.

Local police data shows that, as of Oct. 15, 2025, homicides are down 25% from last year, along with declines in every other major crime category, including property crime.

Los Angeles recorded similar declines between 2023 and 2024 across nearly all crime types, except for arson, which rose from 179 reported incidents to 410, according to a Stateline analysis. Still, overall violent and property crime fell during that period. The citys homicide rate dropped slightly from 8 per 100,000 residents in 2023 to 7 in 2024.

Los Angeles ranks No. 32 nationally in violent crime among cities with populations over 250,000. FBI data shows a rate of 728 incidents per 100,000 residents, while a Stateline analysis using U.S. Census Bureau population estimates from May shows a slightly lower rate of 715 incidents per 100,000 residents.

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As of Oct. 4, 2025, data maintained by the Los Angeles Police Department shows violent crime down 16% and property crime down about 18% compared with the same period last year.

Memphis also reported decreases in most major crime categories between 2023 and 2024, though aggravated assaults increased slightly, according to a Stateline analysis. The citys homicide rate fell from 57 to 40 per 100,000 residents during that same period.

In 2024, Memphis recorded the highest violent crime rate among major U.S. cities with populations over 250,000  2,501 incidents per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data. A Stateline analysis using U.S. Census Bureau population estimates from May show a slightly higher violent crime rate of 2,515 reported incidents per 100,000 residents.

Local police data shows homicides during the first eight months of 2025 are at a six-year low compared with the same period in previous years, and overall crime is at a 25-year low.

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Chicago, by contrast, recorded increases in rape, aggravated assault, burglary and larceny-theft between 2023 and 2024, according to a Stateline analysis.

While the overall violent crime rate was lower in 2024 than in 2023, the property crime rate rose slightly. The homicide rate declined modestly from 18 to 17 per 100,000 residents. As of Oct. 12, 2025, overall reported crime is down 13% from the same period last year, and murders are down 28%, according to local police data.

In Portland, most major crime categories fell between 2023 and 2024, though larceny-theft and aggravated assault rose, according to a Stateline analysis. Overall violent and property crime rates were lower in 2024 than in 2023, and the homicide rate declined slightly from about 12 to 11 per 100,000 residents.

Between January and August 2025, compared with the same period in 2024, total crime has remained largely unchanged, according to the Portland Police Bureaus crime statistics dashboard. However, reported violent crimes are up 3%, property crime is down 4% and society crimes such as prostitution and drug offenses have increased significantly.

Public perception of crime

Despite nationwide declines in violent and property crime, most Americans believe crime is getting worse.

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A Gallup poll conducted in October 2024 found that 64% of adults thought crime had increased nationally compared with the previous year, while 49% said there was more crime in their local area. A more recent poll from March found that 75% of adults worry about crime either a fair amount or a great deal.

Criminologists and researchers point to several factors behind the gap between public perception and actual crime trends. Political rhetoric and media coverage often emphasize violent incidents, and misleading interpretations of crime data can reinforce fear.

We live in a society now where people want information and dont want to take the time to stop and think, and to also consult alternative viewpoints, said Alex Piquero, a criminology professor at the University of Miami and former director of the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Crime statistics are notoriously difficult to track and understand, in part because much of the data lags behind real-time events. Different sources can also show different trends, depending on how the information is collected.

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For example, FBI data relies on voluntary reports from police departments, which may not capture all crimes, while the Bureau of Justice Statistics victimization survey excludes homicide and is based on respondents experiences in the six months prior to the survey rather than the year it is released. These differences make it challenging for the public to get a clear, up-to-date picture of crime in their communities.

Public perception is further shaped by visible signs of disorder, such as graffiti, abandoned buildings or homeless encampments, according to experts.

People also tend to remember personal anecdotes or news stories that resonate emotionally, rather than abstract statistics. Experts say that this dynamic can be exploited in political messaging, creating a sense of personal risk even when overall crime is declining.

Crime is kind of one of those things that doesnt go away in the news cycle because it is relevant to people on a day in and day out basis, Piquero told Stateline.

Law enforcement presence

Ramped-up police and National Guard patrols in cities nationwide have sparked debate over whether such deployments are effective at curbing crime or mostly serve as a show of force.

Research suggests that police and military presence affect crime in very different ways. Targeted policing in high-crime hot spots reduces crime in those areas, according to experts.

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Police are one part of an overall crime prevention strategy, and they are very effective at disrupting what we call hot spots, Piquero said.

The National Guard and other military forces, on the other hand, have historically played a very limited role in crime prevention, according to experts. National Guard troops are typically deployed during civil unrest or natural disasters, rather than as a routine crime-fighting tool.

A 2023 research paper led by Brown University examining Cali, Colombia, suggests that military policing rarely outperforms traditional police in reducing crime. In many cases, crime declines are short lived, and rates often go up once military forces leave.

Military deployments in cities are unlikely to produce the sustained reductions in crime that targeted policing can achieve, in part because the National Guard does not receive the same training as local police officers on when and how to use force or implement crime prevention strategies.

In the long term, this can't really be good for public safety.

 Nancy La Vigne, criminal justice researcher and dean of the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University

Some experts say that these deployments may be more effective when requested and guided by local officials who can define the need, duration and scope of their support.

Experts also caution that the presence of military personnel can heighten tensions or erode community trust, potentially undermining the relationships local police have built to effectively address crime. Such deployments may also have economic consequences if residents or tourists avoid city centers out of fear.

Stateline reporter Amanda Watford can be reached at ahernandez@stateline.org.

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Oct. 17President Donald Trump has argued that he needs to deploy National Guard troops across state lines to protect federal personnel and property or to support overwhelmed local law enforcement in cities he claims are "overrun" by crime.

But a Stateline analysis of U.S. Census Bureau and federal crime data shows that Trump's deployments and proposals have not focused on the nation's most violent cities. Of the 10 cities population 250,000 or more with the highest violent crime rates, Trump has sent National Guard troops to just one: Memphis, Tennessee.

He has proposed action in just three other top-10 cities: Oakland, California; Baltimore; and St. Louis. All, along with Memphis, are Democratic-led cities.

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Several other cities with high violent crime rates  including Milwaukee; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Minneapolis  also are led by Democrats but have not been targeted. Two other Democratic-led cities with high violent crime rates, Cleveland and Kansas City, Missouri, are in states with Republican governors and likewise haven't been targeted.

Instead, the administration has directed more attention toward larger, Democratic-run cities in Democratic-led states such as Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, along with Washington, D.C., where violent crime rates are lower than in many other major cities.

In recent months, Trump has pledged strong federal intervention in several cities if, he claims, local officials fail to restore order.

Critics, including Democratic governors and mayors, have challenged his rationale in court, arguing that deployments exceed the president's authority and undermine local control.

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Federal courts have issued orders halting troop deployments in several cities while legal challenges proceed. Most recently, deployments were blocked in Chicago and Portland. The Trump administration is appealing those rulings.

Trump also has suggested deploying troops to New York City and San Francisco.

Stateline's data analysis shows violent crime has fallen sharply across the United States, including significant drops in some cities that Trump is threatening with military action.

Some crime experts question whether a heightened law enforcement or military presence in major cities will have a lasting impact on crime.

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"In the long term, this can't really be good for public safety," said Nancy La Vigne, a criminal justice researcher and dean of the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University. La Vigne added that crime may decline in the cities where the Guard is deployed, but that it will likely be an "artificial suppression of crime" because potential victims may avoid downtown areas  an effect that could fade over time.

Violent crime is down

Some Republican governors have welcomed federal support. Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee endorsed the use of Guard troops in Memphis as part of a new citywide anti-crime task force.

Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry has requested federal funding to activate up to 1,000 Guard members statewide, citing "elevated violent crime rates" in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport. Landry also pointed to critical staffing shortages in local law enforcement.

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According to local police data through Sept. 6 of this year, however, violent crime in New Orleans is not elevated. It has fallen 16%, with homicides down 20% and property crimes also down 20% compared with the same period in 2024.

Likewise in Baton Rouge, both the overall violent crime rate and the homicide rate declined between 2023 and 2024, falling below 2019 levels, according to a Stateline analysis.

In Shreveport, the overall violent crime rate increased between 2023 and 2024, while the homicide rate fell. Both rates remain higher than in 2019.

The cities with populations of 250,000 or more with the highest violent crime rates were, in order: Memphis, Oakland, Detroit, Baltimore, Cleveland, Kansas City, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Albuquerque and Minneapolis, according to Stateline's analysis of FBI data.

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Available national crime data shows that both violent and property crime continue to decline nationwide. These broad national trends, however, don't mean every community is experiencing less crime. Some cities and neighborhoods are still seeing higher rates of certain offenses.

According to the Real-Time Crime Index  a free tool that collects crime data from more than 500 law enforcement agencies  violent crime nationwide was 10.7% lower between January and July 2025 than during the same period the previous year, with homicides down 20% and property crime down 12.4%.

The nonpartisan think tank Council on Criminal Justice's most recent crime trends report shows declines in homicides, gun assaults and carjackings across 42 major cities in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. The report shows increases in homicide across five cities.

Although the FBI's findings are a year behind, they align with those numbers. The FBI's 2024 report, released earlier this year, showed that violent crime fell 4.5% and property crime dropped 8.1% nationally compared with the previous year. Homicides alone declined by nearly 15%.

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These improvements mark a continued reversal of the pandemic-era surge in violence, when homicides rose nearly 30% in 2020  one of the largest single-year increases in U.S. history.

But the pace and direction of those declines vary widely from city to city, and public perception of crime often diverges from what the data shows.

City-by-city details

Nationally, violent and property crime have fallen sharply since peaking in the 1990s  a trend mirrored in most cities, including the five where Trump has deployed or sought to deploy the National Guard.

There may be variations between national figures and local police data because of differences in data collection methods and how crimes are defined.

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In Washington, D.C., where the number of reported homicides spiked in 2023, homicides declined by 32% in 2024. The homicide rate fell from 39 per 100,000 residents in 2023, to 26 in 2024, according to a Stateline analysis of FBI crime data.

Local police data shows that, as of Oct. 15, 2025, homicides are down 25% from last year, along with declines in every other major crime category, including property crime.

Los Angeles recorded similar declines between 2023 and 2024 across nearly all crime types, except for arson, which rose from 179 reported incidents to 410, according to a Stateline analysis. Still, overall violent and property crime fell during that period. The city's homicide rate dropped slightly from 8 per 100,000 residents in 2023 to 7 in 2024.

Los Angeles ranks No. 32 nationally in violent crime among cities with populations over 250,000. FBI data shows a rate of 728 incidents per 100,000 residents, while a Stateline analysis using U.S. Census Bureau population estimates from May shows a slightly lower rate of 715 incidents per 100,000 residents.

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As of Oct. 4, 2025, data maintained by the Los Angeles Police Department shows violent crime down 16% and property crime down about 18% compared with the same period last year.

Memphis also reported decreases in most major crime categories between 2023 and 2024, though aggravated assaults increased slightly, according to a Stateline analysis. The city's homicide rate fell from 57 to 40 per 100,000 residents during that same period.

In 2024, Memphis recorded the highest violent crime rate among major U.S. cities with populations over 250,000  2,501 incidents per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data. A Stateline analysis using U.S. Census Bureau population estimates from May show a slightly higher violent crime rate of 2,515 reported incidents per 100,000 residents.

Local police data shows homicides during the first eight months of 2025 are at a six-year low compared with the same period in previous years, and overall crime is at a 25-year low.

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Chicago, by contrast, recorded increases in rape, aggravated assault, burglary and larceny-theft between 2023 and 2024, according to a Stateline analysis.

While the overall violent crime rate was lower in 2024 than in 2023, the property crime rate rose slightly. The homicide rate declined modestly from 18 to 17 per 100,000 residents. As of Oct. 12, 2025, overall reported crime is down 13% from the same period last year, and murders are down 28%, according to local police data.

In Portland, most major crime categories fell between 2023 and 2024, though larceny-theft and aggravated assault rose, according to a Stateline analysis. Overall violent and property crime rates were lower in 2024 than in 2023, and the homicide rate declined slightly from about 12 to 11 per 100,000 residents.

Between January and August 2025, compared with the same period in 2024, total crime has remained largely unchanged, according to the Portland Police Bureau's crime statistics dashboard. However, reported violent crimes are up 3%, property crime is down 4% and "society" crimes such as prostitution and drug offenses have increased significantly.

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Public perception of crime

Despite nationwide declines in violent and property crime, most Americans believe crime is getting worse.

A Gallup poll conducted in October 2024 found that 64% of adults thought crime had increased nationally compared with the previous year, while 49% said there was more crime in their local area. A more recent poll from March found that 75% of adults worry about crime either a fair amount or a great deal.

Criminologists and researchers point to several factors behind the gap between public perception and actual crime trends. Political rhetoric and media coverage often emphasize violent incidents, and misleading interpretations of crime data can reinforce fear.

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"We live in a society now where people want information and don't want to take the time to stop and think, and to also consult alternative viewpoints," said Alex Piquero, a criminology professor at the University of Miami and former director of the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Crime statistics are notoriously difficult to track and understand, in part because much of the data lags behind real-time events. Different sources can also show different trends, depending on how the information is collected.

For example, FBI data relies on voluntary reports from police departments, which may not capture all crimes, while the Bureau of Justice Statistics' victimization survey excludes homicide and is based on respondents' experiences in the six months prior to the survey rather than the year it is released. These differences make it challenging for the public to get a clear, up-to-date picture of crime in their communities.

Public perception is further shaped by visible signs of disorder, such as graffiti, abandoned buildings or homeless encampments, according to experts.

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People also tend to remember personal anecdotes or news stories that resonate emotionally, rather than abstract statistics. Experts say that this dynamic can be exploited in political messaging, creating a sense of personal risk even when overall crime is declining.

"Crime is kind of one of those things that doesn't go away in the news cycle because it is relevant to people on a day in and day out basis," Piquero told Stateline.

Law enforcement presence

Ramped-up police and National Guard patrols in cities nationwide have sparked debate over whether such deployments are effective at curbing crime or mostly serve as a show of force.

Research suggests that police and military presence affect crime in very different ways. Targeted policing in high-crime "hot spots" reduces crime in those areas, according to experts.

"Police are one part of an overall crime prevention strategy, and they are very effective at disrupting what we call 'hot spots,'" Piquero said.

The National Guard and other military forces, on the other hand, have historically played a very limited role in crime prevention, according to experts. National Guard troops are typically deployed during civil unrest or natural disasters, rather than as a routine crime-fighting tool.

A 2023 research paper led by Brown University examining Cali, Colombia, suggests that military policing rarely outperforms traditional police in reducing crime. In many cases, crime declines are short lived, and rates often go up once military forces leave.

Military deployments in cities are unlikely to produce the sustained reductions in crime that targeted policing can achieve, in part because the National Guard does not receive the same training as local police officers on when and how to use force or implement crime prevention strategies.

In the long term, this can't really be good for public safety.  Nancy La Vigne, criminal justice researcher and dean of the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University

Some experts say that these deployments may be more effective when requested and guided by local officials who can define the need, duration and scope of their support.

Experts also caution that the presence of military personnel can heighten tensions or erode community trust, potentially undermining the relationships local police have built to effectively address crime. Such deployments may also have economic consequences if residents or tourists avoid city centers out of fear.

Stateline reporter Amanda Watford can be reached at [email protected].

YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.
Midtown is the latest front in the Trump administrations apparent war on New York Citys transit system, with federal regulators demanding the city halt work on the recently revived 34th St. busway.

In a Thursday letter to the New York City and State transportation departments, Federal Highway Administration head Sean McMaster directed the agencies to stop work on the project, which would restrict long stretches of the east-west thoroughfare to use by buses and cars going to local businesses by years end.

I demand you cease and desist all activities to implement the 34th Street busway project immediately, until a meeting occurs between NYCDOT, NYSDOT and FHWA to discuss the project and its implications, McMaster wrote, according to a copy of the letter provided to the Daily News.

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There is no federal money involved in the plan to redesign Manhattans 34th St. and prioritize bus traffic.

But, FHWA Division Administrator Richard Marquis argued in a September letter to state and local officials, the municipal street is a principal arterial [road] for the purposes of the National Highway System, and thus must continue to serve the interstate and interregional travel and commerce needs for which the route is designed.

[W]hile the busway proposal indicates trucks are allowed access on the busway, it is not clear if the busway can safely accommodate all commercial motor vehicle deliveries meeting the specified dimensions [in the relevant regulations], Marquis continued.

As previously reported by The News, the citys plans for the 34th St. Busway are functionally equivalent to the 14th St. busway, which was approved during President Trumps first term and has been in place since 2019.

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But the midtown thoroughfare does appear on a map of National Highway System feeder roads while 14th St. does not.

Any continuation of work by the citys Department of Transportation, McMaster wrote, is unacceptable and puts at risk decisions regarding pending and future Federal-aid projects.

If work continues, I will implement appropriate remedial actions, McMaster continued, including withholding project authorizations and approvals, restricting the obligation of funding, limiting transfers, or other actions deemed necessary.

A source familiar with the matter told The News that work had already started on the 34th St. busway last week. But a city DOT spokesman said Thursday that the work had now been paused while officials attempted to resolve the matter with the feds.

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The vast majority of commuters in Midtown are traveling by transit and they deserve world-class, fast, and reliable buses, city DOT spokesman Vincent Barone said in a statement. The redesign for 34th Street mirrors other street designs from across the city and allows for truck, private, and emergency vehicle access on every block.

We are confident that the design complies with all applicable federal laws and regulations, and we will work with the federal government to advance this critical project, he added.

FHWAs top-down stop-work order comes amid a slew of transportation funding and authorization battles between Gotham and the Trump regime.

Most notably, the USDOT  the parent agency of the FHWA  announced two weeks ago that it was pausing all reimbursements on two major New York City projects, the Second Avenue Subway extension and the Hudson River rail tunnel.

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Though both were described by USDOT officials as a procedural move in an effort to make important projects more efficient, President Trump this week claimed his administration had terminated funding to the Hudson River Tunnel because it was a priority of New Yorks senior Democratic senator, Chuck Schumer.

MTA chairman Janno Lieber, whose agency runs the buses that would take advantage of a redesigned 34th St., told reporters on Friday that New York should be able to set its own transit policies.

Weve already proven with the 14th Street busway that this is good for everybody, he said.

I think its a little bizarre how much they want to get into the day-to-day traffic of New York, Lieber said of the feds  who have also tried to shut down the New York City congestion pricing toll. What are you going to have to apply to the Secretary of Transportation if you want to have a block party? Lieber quipped. Is the Secretary of DOT going to decide who gets to sell gyros at which location? I mean, its enough already.
On Monday it was a victory lap of the Middle East.

On Friday, Donald Trump turns his attention to Ukraine when he hosts Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

Insiders see a president buoyed by his success in securing a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza and who is confident he can make a breakthrough in the war between Ukraine and Russia.

But it is more than a vibe shift, they say. It may be that the presidents peace deals (he claims eight and counting) have altered the geopolitical landscape, hemming in Moscow and reducing Vladimir Putins room to manoeuvre.

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I think with all the peace deals that hes been able to strike in these last few months, I think it gives him more optimism that some sort of resolution can come to the Russia-Ukraine war, said a senior administration official.

Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli PM, at the Knesset in Jerusalem on Monday - Evan Vucci/Evan Vucci

Deals struck in the Middle East and in Russias own backyard have extended Washingtons sway at the cost of Putins influence, runs the theory, as each domino has toppled.

Take one of Mr Trumps lesser heralded victories, a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The conflict erupted in 1988 when ethnic Armenians demanded the transfer of Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. It was ended when the two sides signed a deal at the White House in August.

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It establishes a transit corridor, the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, linking a small autonomous enclave with Azerbaijan. At present it is separated by a 20-mile swath of Armenian territory.

Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijans president, Donald Trump, and Nikol Pashinyan, Armenias prime minister, join hands after signing a peace deal on Aug 8 - Shutterstock Editorial

In a Trumpian twist, the US gets exclusive rights to develop the enclave.

More importantly, it reduces dependence on routes that go through or are controlled by Russia. And it ends a conflict that had allowed Moscow to play both sides at different times, supplying arms and deploying peacekeepers.

As Stefan Hedlund, the director of research at the Centre for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Uppsala University, concluded: The Kremlins standing as the hegemon in Central Asia is waning.

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The Kremlin has also seen allies in the Middle East weakened at a time when Mr Trumps standing has grown.

Putin developed a major strategic partnership with Iran, for example, after his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The two nations signed a 20-year treaty earlier this year formalising cooperation in trade, cybersecurity, and energy as a counterweight to Western sanctions.

Vladimir Putin with Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian president, meet in Moscow on Jan 17 - Evgenia Novozhenina/REUTERS

But Irans standing has faltered. Its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah, have been badly degraded in their conflicts with Israel, and the collapse of the Syrian government has all but shattered Tehrans Axis of Resistance.

Against that backdrop, Mr Trump delivered his 20-point peace plan for Gaza after extensive consultations with Arab and Muslim leaders. It built on the Abraham Accords of his first term, which normalised relations between several Arab states and Israel.

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Even Russias efforts at finding friends have been an embarrassing disaster.

Wednesday was meant to bring a Russia-Arab world summit in Moscow, with leaders flying in to Moscow to show that the Kremlin was far from isolated. But it was shelved when only a handful of figures said they would attend.

Instead the world watched as Mr Trump flew to Egypt at the start of the week for a Gaza peace summit where he was feted by kings, presidents, and prime ministers.

Mr Trump has been praised for securing a path to peace in the Middle East - CHIP SOMODEVILLA/AFP

The Abraham Accords and the Gaza deal were not designed to isolate Moscow. And Mr Trump has frequently been accused of going soft on Putin.

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But the combined impact of the agreements and deals signed during the presidents first nine months in office has been to reduce the sort of tensions and unrest in the Middle East that the Kremlin has exploited for decades.

It boxes in Putin, said a source familiar with White House thinking ahead of Mr Zelenskys visit.

There may be a long way to go to turn the Gaza hostage deal into a broader Middle East peace, but one of its unintended consequences may be to set the stage for progress in Ukraine.

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Locals and saints here in Ayodhya are encouraging everyone to adopt Swadeshi goods this Diwali festival. Speaking to ANI, Mahamandaleshwar Vishnu Das Ji Maharaj said the morning rituals began with lamps and mantras, as devotees prepared for Diwali in Ayodhya. "We performed puja in the Bhamaro following Swasti mantras and sacred rules. First, we placed a lamp for Lord Ram, followed by one for the Saryu, considered the elder sister of Ram in the scriptures. Lamps were also placed for Hanuman Ji, Mata Adi Shakti Maa Bhagwati Sita Ji, and the entire Ram Darbar. This marks the beginning of lamp laying on the banks of the Saryu, heralding a historic Diwali celebration in Ayodhya." Adding to the festive spirit, Saint Diwakaracharya Ji Maharaj called Diwali a special festival and urged people to adopt Swadeshi products this Diwali. "Not only the saints but the common people of Ayodhya, people across India, are actively participating in this festival, contributing selflessly in the service of Lord Ram. Shri Ram has been seated in the grand Ram Temple after 500 years, and we have brought earthen lamps from local potters while making all necessary arrangements. This Diwali promises to be truly remarkable," he told ANI. Diwakaracharya further added, "I request everyone to adopt Swadeshi this Diwali, use clay lamps made locally, and light them at home. This will not only bring prosperity to your family but also support the families who work tirelessly to keep the festival alive." Deepavali or Diwali is an Indian festival of lights. 'Deepa' means lamp or light, and 'Vali' means string or row, and Deepavali means rows of lights. It celebrates the victory of good over evil. Diwali is a five-day festival that starts on Dhanteras. On Dhanteras, people buy jewellery or utensils and worship God. The second day is called Naraka Chaturdashi. It is also called Chhoti Diwali or Small Diwali. The third day of Diwali is the main day of the celebrations. People worship Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on this day and offer prayers to bless them with wealth and prosperity. The fourth day of Diwali is devoted to Govardhan Puja. The fifth day is called Bhai Dooj. On this day, sisters pray for their brothers to have long and happy lives by performing the Tika ceremony, and brothers give gifts to their sisters. (ANI)
Washington  After his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House Friday, President Trump said both Russia and Ukraine should declare victory and "let history decide!"

Zelenskyy told reporters after the meeting that he and Mr. Trump decided not to publicly discuss whether the U.S. will provide long-range weapons, including Tomahawks, citing the "escalation" that could bring in Russia's war on Ukraine. Zelenskyy's comment came mere hours after Mr. Trump expressed openness to trading U.S. Tomahawks for Ukrainian drones.

"We decided that we don't speak about it because nobody wants  the United States doesn't want escalation," Zelenskyy said.

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Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday that his meeting with the Ukrainian leader was "very interesting, and cordial."

He continued, "I told him, as I likewise strongly suggested to President Putin, that it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL! Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!"

Mr. Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy took place a day after the president spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and then announced that he and Putin would meet soon in Budapest.

The president expressed some reservations about reducing the number of Tomahawks that the U.S. possesses, though long-range weapons were expected to be a major point of discussion for Mr. Trump and Zelenskyy.

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"Tomahawks are a big deal," Mr. Trump told reporters during the meeting with his Cabinet and Zelenskyy. "But one thing I have to say, we want Tomahawks, also. We don't want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country."

"Hopefully, we'll be able to get the war over without thinking about Tomahawks. I think we're fairly close to that," Mr. Trump said.

After Zelenskyy suggested Ukraine might give the U.S. Ukrainian drones in exchange for the Tomahawk missiles, a reporter asked Mr. Trump if it was a trade that interested him.

"We are, yeah," the president responded. "They make a very good drone," he replied.

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Zelenskyy and Mr. Trump shook hands when the Ukrainian president arrived at the White House, and a reporter asked the president if he believes he can persuade Putin to end the war. "Yup," Mr. Trump responded.

In their meeting, Mr. Trump was seated across from Zelenskyy, who wore a military-style jacket for the occasion. Mr. Trump complimented him, saying, "I think he looks beautiful in his jacket."

"It's an honor to be with a very strong leader, a man who has been through a lot," Mr. Trump said in the meeting, adding he thinks they're making "great progress" in ending the war.

Zelenskyy congratulated Mr. Trump on the "successful ceasefire" in the Middle East, but he added that he thinks Putin is "not ready" to end the war with Ukraine.

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Mr. Trump brought up the possibility that Zelenskyy could join his upcoming meeting with Putin in Budapest, but then added that the meetings "may be separated." A date has not yet been set for Mr. Trump's meeting with the Russian leader.

A reporter asked the president if he's concerned Putin may just be trying to buy more time with the Budapest meeting. "Yeah, I am," Mr. Trump said. "But you know, I've been played all my life by the best of them. And I came out really well. So, it's possible, yeah."

Mr. Trump had previously said the Tomahawks would be a "new step of aggression" in the Russia-Ukraine war. They'd enable Ukraine to strike deep within Russia.

"I might say 'Look: if this war is not going to get settled, I'm going to send the Tomahawks,'" Mr. Trump told reporters earlier this week. "We may not, but we may do it."

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The last time the U.S. and Ukrainian presidents met in person was in late September, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Mr. Trump and Zelenskyy spoke twice over the weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, ahead of Mr. Trump's whirlwind Middle East trip to mark the Israel-Hamas peace deal.

Russia has given no indication it wants to end the war. And Ukrainian authorities said there had been another large-scale Russian strike hours before Mr. Trump spoke with Putin on the phone.

"The massive overnight strike  launched hours before the conversation between Putin and President Trump  exposes Moscow's real attitude toward peace," Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. Olga Stefanishyna said in a statement Thursday. "While discussions about ending the war continue, Russia once again chose missiles over dialogue, turning this attack into a direct blow to ongoing peace efforts led by President Trump."

Mr. Trump in recent months has expressed frustration with Putin over the failure to end the war, though on a separate front, first lady Melania Trump said last week that she has worked with the Russian leader's team to return Ukrainian children to their families. Mr. Trump said the first lady took up that initiative on her own.

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U.S. and Russian advisers will be meeting next week in a location that hasn't been disclosed yet ahead of the anticipated Trump-Putin meeting. The president indicated that initial meetings leading up to the meeting with the Russian leader would be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

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From the archives: CBS News broadcast from Pentagon on D-Day

Watch: Trump says U.S. needs Tomahawks but may consider trade with Ukraine for drones
If I had to identify the most important moment of Trumps second term to date, it would be when Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent gave unrestricted access to the Treasurys central payment system to Elon Musk and his DOGE team on January 31. The career Treasury official tasked with overseeing it was also fired for resisting Musks takeover. This was probably not the tipping point in the decline of the American republic, but it appears to have greatly hastened the transition from a government of constitutional law to one of personalist rule.

Congress and the president have had good reason to come back to the negotiating table in past government shutdowns. When appropriated funds run out, the executive branch has to largely shutter its operations, furlough most of its employees, and not send out paychecks for those required to work anyway. The month-long shutdown of 2019 ended only when so many unpaid air-traffic controllers called out sick that U.S. airports could barely function.

That isnt happening this time, and the situation has drifted from the realm of ordinary executive-legislative disputes into a genuine constitutional crisis. Congresss greatest check on executive power, short of impeachment and removal, is its control over federal spending. Trumps usurpation of that power over the past 10 months has left no ground upon which the two sides can negotiate.

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All governments collect taxes and spend money. Under the Constitution, Congress decides both how much is collected in taxes and what the money is spent on. This is colloquially known as the power of the purse, a throwback to the countrys English roots and the struggles over money between English kings and parliaments. It is a core feature of the constitutional separation of powers. (I know this is all basic stuff, but bear with me for a moment.)

The power of the purse is also something of a legal fiction. Congress itself does not actually collect taxes or spend money. That responsibility instead falls to the executive branch. The IRS collects taxes and deposits them in the Treasurys accounts. The Treasury then distributes that money wherever it is supposed to goprivate individuals, federal agencies, the states, and so on.

The Treasury is supposed to listen to Congress when deciding where that money goes. Musk, a South Africanborn billionaire with little evident understanding of American civics or political culture, had a different idea. He unilaterally blocked large swaths of federal spending under the spurious premise that he was rooting out fraud and waste. Trump and Bessent not only didnt stop him, they egged him on. Hence the legal fiction: It turns out that the power of the purse actually belongs to whoever holds the purse.

Musk is no longer part of the federal government, but his lawless vision remains. Trump has increasingly taken the view that he, not Congress, decides where and how public money is collected and spent. On the revenue side, he began by imposing billions of dollars of tariffs on American businesses and consumers through an almost certainly illegal interpretation of a 1977 law. The Supreme Court is holding oral arguments on the matter in November and will decide its ultimate legality.

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On the spending side, the Trump administration began by targeting discretionary programsthose where he does have some legal leewaybefore moving on to bigger mandatory targets. Congress passed laws to create the Department of Education, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and other federal agencies. Trump and Russell Vought, the director of the White Houses Office of Management and Budget, have demolished those agencies anyway by firing employees and halting most of their operations.

With the congressional spigot formally turned off for the last two weeks, Trumps power grab over spending is getting worse. Members of the armed forces are supposed to get their next paycheck this week. This would normally incentivize Congress and the president to find a solution to the funding impasse. Instead, Trump has decided to simply pay them anyway. He issued a national security presidential memorandum earlier this week to that effect:

Accordingly, as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States under Article 2 of the United States Constitution, I direct the Secretary of War, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to use for the purpose of pay and allowances any funds appropriated by the Congress that remain available for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2026 to accomplish the scheduled disbursement of military pay and allowances for active duty military personnel, as well as for Reserve component military personnel who have performed active service during the relevant pay period. Funds used for military pay and allowances during the current lapse should be those that the Secretary of War determines are provided for purposes that have a reasonable, logical relationship to the pay and allowances of military personnel, consistent with applicable law, including 31 U.S.C. 1301(a).

The New York Times announced the memos publication with the headline Trump Signs Memo Expanding His Authority to Spend Federal Money. Here, the paper of record essentially implies that Trump had always possessed some sort of inherent legal authority to spend federal money in the first place. He does not. There is no Article 2 power that provides the president the right to redirect congressionally appropriated funds from other programsin this case, military R&D outlays for the next five yearsto soldiers paychecks, and it would be anti-constitutional to infer one.

Nor is there statutory authority for Trump to do this. The memorandum says that any funding changes should be made consistent with applicable law, including 31 U.S.C. 1301(a). Would you like to know what that provision says? Appropriations shall be applied only to the objects for which the appropriations were made except as otherwise provided by law. The Trump administration might as well claim the Ten Commandments say covet thy neighbors wife and hope that no one double-checks the stone tablets.

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When we speak of constitutional violations, there are always matters of degree. Some provisions of the Constitution are vague and subject to interpretation. Americans acting in good faith can deliberate about the scope of interstate commerce under Congresss Article 1 powers, for example, or what counts as an unreasonable search and seizure in the Fourth Amendment context.

But while some portions of the Constitution are subject to debate, others are carved in stone. The Constitution is crystal clear that funding the military is Congresss decision, not the presidents. Article 1 says that no public money can be spent except according to law, and it is Congresss power to decide whether that money will be spent or not on the military at least every two years.

The two-year limit is not some mere administrative convenience. The Framers recognized, drawing upon their ancestral English experience, the importance of legislative control of military funding to maintain a functional republic. They knew that standing armies were dangerous to republican values and that English kings had used them to violate the peoples liberties. To allay early Americans fears, the Constitutional Convention invested Congress with the power to declare war and set strict limits on how any military forces would be paid.

The legislature of the United States will be OBLIGED, by this provision, once at least in every two years, to deliberate upon the propriety of keeping a military force on foot; to come to a new resolution on the point; and to declare their sense of the matter, by a formal vote in the face of their constituents, Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist Number 26. They are not AT LIBERTY to vest in the executive department permanent funds for the support of an army, if they were even incautious enough to be willing to repose in it so improper a confidence.

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The Framers expected that Americans would elect lawmakers who would zealously guard these powers. Instead, the people of Louisianas 4th congressional district sent Mike Johnson to the House of Representatives and the narrow Republican majority elected him as speaker. In that role, he has vocally agreed with almost all of Trumps unconstitutional acts, shut down the House on his behalf to block a vote on releasing the Epstein files, and refused to seat a duly elected member of Congress who could provide the decisive vote on releasing them.

Johnson appears incapable of fulfilling his constitutional role. He told reporters this week that Trump has every right to redistribute congressionally appropriated funds and hoped to derive some cynical political advantage from it. If the Democrats want to go into court and challenge troops being paid, bring it, he remarked. (There are no signs of an imminent lawsuit, and it is unclear who has standing to challenge Trumps maneuver in court.)

Trump even floated the possibility that he would let private citizens directly pay the troops. I actually have a man who is a very wealthy person, he said, If there is any money necessary, shortfall for the paying of the troops, I will pay it, meaning he will pay it, he reportedly said at an event. While Trump didnt take the purported offer for nowand it is hard to imagine that any one person could actually afford to do iteven the suggestion is a sign of how far we have drifted from the light of constitutional government.

These lawless efforts to avoid the consequences of the shutdown will likely end up prolonging it. Senate Democrats have no incentive to bargain with Trump on their demands because he has asserted the power to ignore Congresss will whenever he likes. Theres really no point in negotiating with a party whose default practice is to ignore acts of Congress. Democrats lack the votes for impeachment since they control neither chamber of Congress, and it will be more than a year before the numbers might change. Unless Senate Republicans abolish the filibuster to bypass Democrats obstruction, Americans could be stuck in this constitutional crisis for quite a long time.
The US government appears on paper to be assembling parts for a regime change in Venezuela.

 The US military has been firing on what it says are drug-trafficking boats tied to Venezuela.

 President Donald Trump acknowledged authorizing covert CIA operations in the South American country.

 Theres a US Navy buildup in the Caribbean, but in a strange development, on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the sudden departure of the commander overseeing them, Adm. Alvin Holsey.

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 The Venezuelan opposition leader and recent Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado has endorsed US military intervention, including during an interview with CNNs Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday.

Why do you want your countrys future to be decided by US military intervention? Amanpour asked.

Machado was barred from running for office by Venezuelas longtime strongman leader Nicolas Maduro, whose brutal rule has caused a mass exodus of millions of emigrants from the country, including to the US. His 2024 reelection was widely dismissed as illegitimate.

Regime change was already mandated in absolutely unfair conditions that we won (the election), Machado told Amanpour. Machado has dedicated her Nobel Prize to Trump.

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Trump cites two main reasons for his actions against Venezuela.

Number one, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America, he said at the White House on Wednesday, repeating the canard that has motivated his anti-immigration policies.

He also mentioned the allegation that Venezuelas government is complicit in drug trafficking, something also alleged by Machado.

Recipe for disaster

While the Venezuelan opposition might see hope in US military intervention, anyone who has paid much attention to the history of the CIA in Latin America will be extremely skeptical.

I talked to Tim Weiner, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of multiple histories of the CIA, including, recently, The Mission, about the CIA in the 21st century.

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Weiner noted that what when Trump acknowledged he had authorized CIA covert action in Venezuela, it undercut the covert part of any action.

He also pointed to the firing in May of Mike Collins, a longtime intelligence professional who was acting head of the National Intelligence Counsel, which had written an intelligence assessment that undercut the administrations argument linking the Tren de Aragua gang to Maduros regime, a link that is key to Trumps invocation of the 1789 Alien Enemies Act as a tool to more quickly deport some Venezuelans in the US without due process.

Those are two ingredients in a recipe for disaster, Weiner said. The third ingredient is that the history of CIA-backed regime change is not a happy one, not just in Latin America, but throughout the world.

The dark history of the CIA and regime change

Then-Cuban President Fidel Castro speaks at Conventions Palace in Havana, Cuba, on April 11, 2005. - Ismael Francisco/AFP/Getty Images/File

If Trump or the US government were trying to use the CIA to effect regime change, that would be ignoring both the intelligence and the history, Weiner said, offering two examples that warn against American involvement in regime change in the Caribbean and Latin America.

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Fidel Castro survived covert action under presidents from (Dwight D.) Eisenhower onward and outlived them all, he said, pointing to the most obvious failure.

The successes, for example, in Guatemala, ushered in dictatorships and led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, Weiner said.

The last time the US went after a Latin American strongman on drug charges

Supporters of intervention in Venezuela have pointed to the US invasion of Panama as a model for a potential US intervention in Venezuela.

And by the way, the guy who was running Panama in that moment was a drug trafficker, said David Smolansky, another Venezuelan opposition leader, during an interview with Amanpour last week.

US troops move through Panama City in early December 20, 1989 after President George H.W. Bush ordered US forces to intervene in Panama and apprehend strongman General Manuel Noriega. - AFP/Getty Images

The US invaded Panama in 1989 to arrest its leader, Gen. Manuel Noriega, on drug trafficking and other charges, and to protect a large US expat community there. The invasion, which included paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division parachuting into the country, led to the eventual arrest of Noriega after he hid in the Vatican embassy there. Noriega became the first foreign head of state convicted in US court in 1992 and was in US prison until his extradition to France in 2010.

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The US had clear interests in Panama because of the Panama Canal, which Trump has recently mused about retaking. But at the time the US arrested Noriega under President George H.W. Bush, the US maintained a large military base in Panama. It has no such presence in Venezuela.

Noriega also used to work for the CIA

Another important thing to know about Noriega: He was for years on the payroll of the CIA, a fact that taints the eventual US operation against him. So does the collateral damage the invasion caused.

Unfortunately, American bombers killed hundreds of civilians in the process of extricating a former CIA, DEA, asset, from power, Weiner told me.

Panama declared the day of the invasion, December 20, as a national day of mourning in 2019.

A Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) oil pumpjack on Lake Maracaibo in Cabimas, Zulia state, Venezuela, on November 17, 2023. - Gaby Oraa/Bloomberg/Getty Images/File

More than a narcotics state, Venezuela is an oil state

Venezuela also has strategic importance because of its natural resource wealth. Thats why, despite allegations that it is a passthrough for drugs entering the US, it has never been the originator of a major drug trade.

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Venezuela has one of the largest oil reserves in the world. They have the largest gold reserves in Latin America. So theres never been a need for them to develop a native drug-producing industry, said Juan Sebastian Gonzalez, who was the Western Hemisphere senior director on the National Security Council during the Biden administration, during an interview with Amanpour last week.

Does this sound familiar?

A country rich in natural resources where the US government does not like its leader. Americans could easily look back to the flawed intelligence presented in the leadup to the US invasion of Iraq. Except the Trump administration has not offered public intelligence to back up its claims.

Gonzalez told Amanpour there are multiple armed groups, including cartels, that control different parts of Venezuela. This would complicate any regime-change effort and could potentially spill out to other countries.

I think any sort of US intervention, especially having boots on the ground, is something that would be a cause celebre for every illegal armed group that has been fighting in Colombia and other parts of the hemisphere for over half a century. So, its easier said than done.

But Trump would not directly say if he thinks the CIA has the authority to take out Maduro.

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Wouldnt it be a ridiculous question for me to answer? he said, after confirming he had authorized covert operations.

The buildup of naval vessels in the Caribbean is disproportionate to any drug operation, according to Gonzalez.

So, this really looks, walks and talks like a regime-change preparation, he told Amanpour.

Saying the quiet part out loud

Harvard Law School professor Jack Goldsmith wrote, in a long X post about the questionable legal authority for authorizing CIA action in Venezuela, that there is more wiggle room to authorize CIA action than military action, at least under US law.

Whats interesting here is Trumps decision to talk about it.

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As he often does when he is breaking law or norms, he acts openly and without shame or concern, Goldsmith wrote. It is a very effective method for defanging the public impact of law and normsat least in the short run.

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US President Donald Trump kept the option of sending long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine on the table during his call with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

Source: CNN, citing sources familiar with the call, as reported by European Pravda

Details: According to CNN, the conversation  in which Putin warned Trump against approving the Tomahawk transfer  did not convince the US president to drop the option.

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"Why would he [Trump] give up that leverage? He won't remove the threat [of sending Tomahawks  ed.] until it's no longer necessary," a Trump administration official said.

Another source told CNN that Trump is seeking to end the war and is focusing on a diplomatic approach, and that the threat of sending Tomahawks to Ukraine is one of the tools at his disposal as part of these efforts.

Quote from CNN: "The US president, in both public and private, has appeared more willing to allow Ukraine to obtain the long-range missiles in recent weeks, US officials said.

The administration has drawn up plans to provide the weapons to Ukraine, the officials said, in case Trump gives the order, which they stress he can do at any time if he feels it is right."

Background:

On Friday 17 October, Trump is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The possible delivery of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine is among the main topics for discussion.

After his Thursday call with Putin, Trump said the Kremlin leader "didn't like" the idea of Ukraine receiving Tomahawk missiles.

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US President Donald Trump has said that now is not the best time to impose new sanctions against Russia, as it could complicate or even derail his planned meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Source: Trump during a press conference at the White House on 16 October; The Associated Press

Details: While a bill is awaiting approval in the US Senate to introduce high tariffs on countries that buy Russian energy and other goods, Trump expressed doubts about the appropriateness of such measures in the near future.

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"I'm not against anything. I'm just saying, it may not be perfect timing," he said.

Trump emphasised during the press conference that he is currently focused on creating favourable conditions for a personal meeting with Putin in Hungary, likely within the next two weeks.

He believes the upcoming meeting could help bring an end to the war in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the Senate is awaiting Trump's approval of a bill that would impose high tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports in order to deliver a serious economic blow to Moscow.

Although the US president has not yet formally endorsed the measure and Republican leaders do not plan to advance it without his approval, the White House has recently shown increasing interest in the bill behind the scenes. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on Thursday that senators would consider the legislation "in the next 30 days".

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According to two officials familiar with discussions between the White House and the Senate, administration representatives are already studying the bill in detail, suggesting editorial changes and technical adjustments. Capitol Hill sees this as a sign that Trump is beginning to take the initiative more seriously.

"This may be such a productive call that we're going to end up... We want to get peace," Trump said, adding that the final decision on sanctions rests with him.

Background:

The US and Russian leaders held their first conversation in nearly two months on Thursday. Following the call, Donald Trump announced that they would meet again, this time in Budapest.

On 17 October, Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with the possible delivery of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine among the main topics for discussion.

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Hubris courses through what President Donald Trump and his administration are doing right now. So much of it is unpopular and politically fraught. Theyre charging ahead regardless.

Thats true of the tariffs. Its true of the growing militarization of the homeland. And its been true of his cuts to the government and many other things.

But perhaps nothing is as politically fraught right now as whats happening off the coast of South America.

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There are growing signs that Trump is flirting with regime change or even attacking Venezuela. And to the extent its more than a bluff, its not difficult to see the situation blowing up in the administrations face.

CNNs Zachary B. Wolf today runs through the increased saber-rattling and signs of a building clash. The US Navy has built up in the Caribbean, and the Air Force flew B-52 bombers off the Venezuelan coast for hours on Wednesday. The Trump administration is striking alleged drug boats in quite possibly illegal ways. Trump has both left open the possibility of strikes inside Venezuela and confirmed Wednesday that he has authorized covert CIA action there.

We also learned Thursday that the admiral overseeing this US Southern Command region, Adm. Alvin Holsey, has suddenly announced his retirement. CNN reports this came amid tensions over the administrations activities, though the Pentagon denied this.

There are a couple ways to read all this.

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One is that this is part of a trademark Trump pressure campaign to get Venezuela to bend to his will. Perhaps the threat will be enough to get Trump what he wants.

But weve also seen a different side of Trump in his second term  an increasingly militaristic one. He seems to have shed the non-interventionist political veneer that characterized his campaigns for office in favor of a more heavy-handed approach on the world stage. And that would fit with his broader project, which appears to be largely about showing how powerful he can be.

And even if his saber-rattling is all intended as a bluff, at some point its conceivable that the president could be forced to follow through.

The US Navy's USS Stockdale is docked at a naval base near the entrance to the Panama Canal in Panama City, Panama, September 21, amidst the US's targeting of boats allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela and a buildup of US military assets in the region. - Enea Lebrun/Bloomberg/Getty Images

If it comes to that, its difficult to see how Trump would have the American people behind him.

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While we dont have good quality polling on the Venezuela situation specifically, other recent surveys have shown Americans taking a dim view of such foreign adventurism.

A poll from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs last year showed the percentage of Americans who favored an active role in world affairs hitting its lowest point since 1982.

Just 17% of Americans agreed that the US had a responsibility to take a leading role in world affairs.

Similarly, a Reuters-Ipsos poll in June showed Americans agreed 58%-38% that its better if the US stays out of the affairs of other nations. Majorities of Republicans, independents and Democrats agreed with that sentiment.

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Americans have been willing to take active roles in certain foreign conflicts. But that quickly changes when it includes the prospect of conflict involving US troops and regime change, according to several surveys taken around the time of US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities earlier this year.

Americans said 69%-27% that the United States should not become involved in any military action in the Middle East unless it is directly threatened, according to the June Reuters poll.

Americans said 63%-31% that they opposed sending troops to overthrow the Iranian government, even if Iran attacked US military or diplomatic personnel, according to a June poll from the Chicago Council.

Americans by a more than 2-to-1 margin  48%-22%  opposed using military force to try to remove the Iranian government from power, per a June Washington Post poll.

Iran is, of course, not Venezuela. You could certainly argue that going to war with Iran would be a far riskier proposition.

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And its a threat that Americans have been quite concerned about for years and decades. But there is no evidence that Americans feel similarly about Venezuela.

Trump has made the case that Venezuela has sent drugs and gangs to invade the United States, but so many of these claims have proven hyperbolic  and even been rejected by judges and his own intelligence community.

Its conceivable that Americans could be convinced that going into Venezuela is necessary to combat the flow of drugs. A 2023 Reuters poll, for instance, showed Americans supported sending the US military to Mexico to fight against drug cartels and try to reduce the flow of illegal narcotics, 52%-36%.

But even that poll showed how wary Americans are of a wider war. When asked whether the US should do this unilaterally  in other words without the permission of the Mexican government  support plummeted. Americans opposed that about 2-to-1  59%-29%.

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Thats essentially the proposition in Venezuela, with a little potential regime change sprinkled on top.

If Trump really goes there, it will show hes truly thrown political caution to the wind.

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(NewsNation)  President Donald Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday, calling the slain conservative activist an American patriot of the deepest conviction.

He was assassinated in the prime of his life for boldly speaking the truth, for living his faith and relentlessly fighting for a better and stronger America, Trump said at a White House ceremony.

The president remembered Kirk as a visionary and called him one of the greatest figures of his generation.

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GOP lawmakers seek to put Charlie Kirks face on silver dollar coin

Trump also credited Kirk with helping him win the 2024 election: Without him, who knows what would be, maybe youd have Kamala standing here today.

Tuesdays ceremony took place on what would have been Kirks 32nd birthday. Charlie Kirks widow, Erika Kirk, accepted the award  which is the nations highest civilian honor  on her late husbands behalf.

He believed that liberty was both a right and a responsibility, Erika Kirk said Tuesday.

Turning Point USA resumes Charlie Kirks college campus tour

Kirk recalled her late husbands fearlessness and said: If the moment had come, he probably would have run for president, but not out of ambition  he would only have done it if that was something that he believed that his country needed.

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The event came hours after Trump returned from a trip to Israel and Egypt to celebrate a ceasefire agreement in Israels war with Hamas that his administration helped broker.

Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. He was the co-founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth activist group, and a close ally of Trump. Kirk has been widely credited with helping turn out the youth vote in Trumps 2024 election win.

Charlies voice, his message and his legacy are stronger and greater than ever before, Trump said Tuesday.

Trump was the first to announce Kirks death in a post on social media, saying in part that he was loved and admired by ALL, especially me. The president also spoke at Kirks funeral.

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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 NewsNation.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey on Friday shared a document on social media, claiming that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was an agent of a Swedish military company. He added that this means he was involved in brokerage in the 1970s. In a post shared on X, BJP MP said, "Rahul Gandhi ji's father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi ji, was an agent of a Swedish military company, meaning he was involved in brokerage in the 70s?" https://x.com/nishikant_dubey/status/1979010096739819973 Earlier, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate launched an attack against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, alleging a disproportionate increase in his wife's assets. Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Shrinate cited a Lokpal complaint against Dubey and his election affidavits, to claim that his wife's assets have gone up from Rs 50 lakh in 2009 to about Rs 32 crore in 2024, while there has been no significant rise in the BJP MP's income. According to the Congress leader, the Lokpal bench has asked him to respond within four weeks. She said, "Nishikant Dubey is a four-time BJP MP. He is the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology. He is very close to the Prime Minister and Home Minister, and some serious allegations have been levelled against him. The Lokpal bench has asked him to respond within four weeks." "The complaint against him states that his wife's assets were worth Rs 50 lakh in 2009, and in 2024, her assets increased to approximately Rs 32 crore in 15 years. However, his income did not increase in this way, so this is a case of asset disproportion. Your income did not increase, but your assets continued to grow. Where did this money come from?" she asked. According to Dubey's election affidavit in 2024, his wife's movable assets totalled Rs 28.94 crore, while her immovable assets (at cost) were approximately Rs 6.48 crore. Shrinate alleged that the BJP MP's affidavit shows a loan of Rs 1.2 crore, while Abhishek Jha, the alleged lender, claims he did not lend the money to Dubey's spouse. "In his affidavit dated 2024, he stated that he took a loan of Rs 1.2 crore from a person named Abhishek Jha. Abhishek Jha even contested the elections against him as an independent. He claims he did not give any such loan. There is no mention of this in his affidavit. So, whose money is this?" she said. Demanding a clarification from the BJP, the Congress leader added, "The Lokpal is investigating it. But as an MP, the BJP, being the ruling party, should provide clarification on this and answer the public's questions." Amit Malviya, in charge of the BJP's National IT Department, hit back at Congress, claiming that the complainant in Nishikant Dubey's case did not attend the hearing in the Lokpal court. "Anamika Gautam will present her side before the Lokpal. Since the matter is under consideration, it would not be appropriate to respond to the allegations. But the question arises that when the complainant themselves are avoiding the hearing, then why did the Congress feel the need to hold a press conference on this matter? It seems that the wounds inflicted by Nishikant Dubey have now become a chronic sore for the Gandhi family," Malviya wrote on X. (ANI)
In a bid to end the Kremlin's war on Ukraine, US President Donald Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House on Friday.

Trump said it was an honour to meet such a strong head of state. Zelensky has "endured a lot," and the US had been through it with him, he said.

They got on very well, Trump emphasized at his third meeting with the Ukrainian president this year.

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Zelensky is seeking approval for the sale of long-range Tomahawk missiles to bolster Kiev's defence against Russia.

The cruise missiles would extend Ukraine's range, enabling it to take a more offensive stance against Russia and even strike targets in Moscow with precision.

It is not yet clear whether Washington will approve the sale.

Before they met, Zelensky said he hoped Trump would bring about an end to the war. "President Trump has a great opportunity to end this war," he said, pointing to the US role in achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict in the Middle East.

At the same time, Zelensky said Putin does not intend to agree to a ceasefire.

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Zelensky reached the US capital on Thursday. He said he aimed to meet representatives of weapons companies in order to strengthen his country's defences.

Talks on additional deliveries of air-defence systems were also planned.

They come as Moscow's forces pound Ukraine's energy infrastructure; Zelensky also planned to meet representatives of US energy companies.

The day before the meeting with Zelensky, Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a telephone call. Trump held out the prospect of a personal meeting with Putin, saying he wanted to meet with Putin "probably in the next two weeks" in the Hungarian capital Budapest.

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The two met in Alaska in August, without Zelensky and without any tangible results. It is unclear whether the Ukrainian president could play a role in the possible meeting.

Whether Putin and Trump actually meet again this year could also depend on the outcome of Friday's talks with Zelensky at the White House  and on whether the US gives Ukraine the Tomahawk missiles. If it approves the sale, NATO partner countries would most likely buy the missiles from the US and make them available to Ukraine.

The Kremlin, however, has warned Washington not to approve the sale of Tomahawks to Kiev.
US President Donald Trump praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's outfit during his visit to the White House on Friday, a high-stakes meeting as the latter seeks support in fending off Russia's invasion.

"And I think it looks beautiful in this jacket. Yes, beautiful. I hope people notice. It's a good it's actually very stylish. I like it," Trump said, referring to the black suit jacket worn by Zelensky.

Trump's comments recalled one of Zelensky's earlier visits, in February. At the time, some criticized Zelensky for what was seen as his excessively casual outfit, with a right-wing commentator expressing his objections in front of cameras in the Oval Office.

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Then, Zelensky wore a simple jumper, widely seen as a symbol of his active role as commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, though some in the US interpreted this as a disrespectful gesture.

Before they met on Friday, Zelensky said he hoped Trump would bring about an end to the war. "President Trump has a great opportunity to end this war," he said, pointing to the US role in achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict in the Middle East.

Zelensky is seeking Washington's support and had hoped for him to approve the sale of long-range Tomahawk missiles to bolster Kiev's defence against Russia, though Trump said he hoped to end the war without the providing those missiles.
Donald Trump is set to host Volodymyr Zelensky for talks at the White House on Friday  after the US President hailed great progress following his two-hour phone call with Vladimir Putin.

Trump called his conversation with the Russian president  their first since August  very productive, with the pair agreeing to face-to-face talks in Budapest.

Mr Zelensky, president of Ukraine, will be seeking to push his case for the US providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to aid Kyiv in the war with Russia.

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Earlier in the week, Trump signalled he may agree to the request for the missiles, which would be capable of striking Moscow.

However following Thursdays call with Putin, he downplayed the chances of that happening.

"We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too," Trump said. "We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean we can't deplete our country."

Mr Zelensky has argued that long-range strikes deep into Russian territory would compel Putin to take Trump's calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.

But Putin warned Trump during the call that supplying Kyiv with the Tomahawks "won't change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries," according to Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy adviser.

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Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday he would speak with Putin later in the day as Budapest begins preparations to host the meeting.

Orban, a long-time Trump ally who has also kept close ties with Russia despite the war in Ukraine, said the meeting "will be about peace" and if there is a peace deal, that would lead to a new phase of economic development in Hungary and Europe.

Orban told state radio that the meeting could take place within the next two weeks if the US and Russian foreign ministers manage to settle remaining open issues at a planned meeting next week.

"Last night I gave orders to set up an organising committee, we have set out the most important tasks and preparations have started," Orban said. He gave no further details.

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Orban said Europe should open its own diplomatic channels towards Russia and he again accused the EU of taking what he said was a "pro-war stance" over Ukraine.

The veteran Hungarian premier has often clashed with other EU leaders over Ukraine, questioning whether the bloc should send military aid to Kyiv while also maintaining Hungary's heavy reliance on Russian gas and crude imports.
The Trump administration is preparing to allow oil and gas leasing across the entire Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain, a wilderness landscape that has been protected for more than four decades, according to documents reviewed by POLITICO.

The announcement, which is expected from the Interior Department later this month but may be delayed due to the government shutdown, is the latest move by the administration to ramp up U.S. fossil fuel production and would fulfill a promise President Donald Trump made during his first term to advance drilling in the 1.56-million-acre expanse of tundra on Alaskas North Slope. And it would be the latest in a nearly decadelong regulatory back-and-forth over the prospect of drilling in the wildlife refuge that Trump first ordered in 2017 but that was later halted by President Joe Biden.

Along with the new record of decision, Interior will also reinstate seven leases the state of Alaska acquired in the refuge just before Trump left office in 2021 and that the Biden administration then canceled.

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Re-opening ANWR for drilling would almost certainly invite environmental groups and tribes opposed to the action to file legal complaints trying to stop it. It will also test oil companies desire to send rigs to a remote area that has long been a rallying cry for the environmental movement just as low crude prices are causing Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips and others in the industry to lay off workers.

In an email, Alaska Wilderness League Executive Director Kristen Miller described the refuge as the crown jewel of our public lands system and said the administrations decision is part of a broader effort to undermine environmental protections in Alaska and across the American West.

Opening the entire Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge to drilling would destroy one of the most ecologically significant landscapes on Earth  the birthing grounds of the Porcupine Caribou herd, vital habitat for polar bears and migratory birds, and sacred land for the Gwichin people who have stewarded its resources for millennia, said Miller.

But some North Slope communities that have benefited financially from oil and gas drilling have been enthusiastic supporters of developing the refuge. Voice of the Arctic Inupiat, a nonprofit funded by the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, has advocated for responsible development of the coastal plain. In an emailed statement, the organizations president, Nagruk Harcharek, said, Our position is aligned with Kaktovik  the only community located within the boundaries of ANWR  and VOICE will continue advocating for policies that strengthen the North Slopes economy, advance Indigenous self-determination, and sustain Inupiaq culture.

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A BLM spokesperson declined to comment for this story.

The administration previously announced it will scrap a rule issued under the previous administration protecting about 13 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a large chunk of Interior-BLM-managed land west of the refuge. Lease sales in both the coastal plain and NPR-A are already in the planning stages and could take place as soon as this year, according to an Interior Department source.

Part of the largest wildlife refuge in North America, the coastal plain has been fought over since its creation as part of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act in in 1980. A carve-out in the legislation gave Congress the authority to allow drilling in this portion of the roughly 19-million-acre refuge that is home to a shrinking polar bear population protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Porcupine caribou herd and dozens of migratory bird species.

In 2017, Sen. Lisa Murkowski attached a provision to Trumps tax overhaul legislation mandating at least two lease sales in the coastal plain, which passed by a single vote.

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Trumps efforts to advance drilling in the area during his first administration were stymied by legal challenges and the Interior departments own flawed environmental reviews. A lease sale held on Jan. 6, 2021, garnered little interest from industry with only three bidders. None of the oil majors or even smaller players active on the North Slope participated and seven of the nine leases were acquired by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, a state agency that promotes economic activity.

Biden entered office two weeks later and the entire program was paused pending a new environmental review. AIDEAs leases were eventually suspended and then canceled, a decision that was later overturned by a federal court. The revised environmental impact statement released in November 2024 under Biden limited leasing in the refuge to 400,000 acres and imposed stiffer restrictions on any activity in caribou calving habitat. A second lease sale, announced just before Biden left office, did not attract a single bidder.

Trump is now seeking to dramatically expand oil and gas development across Alaskas North Slope, which is believed to possess large untapped reserves. On his first day in office, Trump issued an executive order outlining efforts to unleash Alaskas extraordinary resource potential. It called for rescinding the Biden era record of decision and reopening the entire coastal plain to drilling. The budget reconciliation bill passed in July mandates at least four lease sales in the coastal plain over the next 10 years.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that a meeting between Russian ruler Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump could take place within the next two weeks.

Source: Russian state-run news agency Interfax, citing Peskov

Quote from Peskov: "It really may take place within two weeks or a little later. There is a general understanding that there is no need to put it off for long."

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Details: Peskov did not specify where the meeting might be held.

Why this matters: The statement follows a phone conversation between Trump and Putin earlier this week. The US president later said that high-level talks would be organised next week, after which he would meet the Kremlin leader in Budapest.

It remains unclear how Putin, who is subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, would travel there, as he would have to cross the airspace of ICC member states obliged to enforce the warrant.

More details: Peskov also said that Putin had already held a phone conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

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Background: Earlier, Orban called the planned meeting between the American and Russian leaders "great news for the peace-loving people of the world" and said Hungary had already begun preparations for it.

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By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democratic and Republican U.S. senators announced plans on Friday to force a vote on a resolution to prevent military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization, seeking to rein in President Donald Trump's escalation of pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government.

Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, who is sponsoring the war powers resolution with fellow Democrat Adam Schiff of California and Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, said he was responding to the repeated U.S. strikes on boats off Venezuela.

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There have been at least five such strikes, which the Trump administration says are part of a campaign against drug traffickers. They have killed at least 27 people.

Kaine noted the U.S. constitutional requirement that only Congress, not the president, authorizes war, except for short-term strikes.

The Trump administration's campaign in the southern Caribbean has lasted for weeks. Trump has also dangled the possibility of land attacks against Venezuela. And he disclosed on Wednesday that he authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.

"It's clear there's no congressional authorization for this action," Kaine told reporters.

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The strikes have led some legal experts to question whether the U.S. is violating international law. Colombia, which has condemned the strikes, said one of the vessels was Colombian with Colombian citizens aboard. The Trump administration called that assertion "baseless."

The surprise announcement on Thursday that the admiral who heads U.S. military forces in Latin America will step down at the end of the year added to questions about the campaign.

Venezuela has asked the United Nations Security Council to determine that the strikes are illegal, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Thursday.

'NARCOTERRORISTS'

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The Trump administration argues it is fighting Venezuelan narcoterrorists, making the strikes legitimate.

Members of the U.S. Congress from both parties have complained they have received scant information, such as who was killed, evidence of trafficking, the buildup's cost or the administration's long-term Latin American strategy.

"It's a complete black hole," Kaine said.

He also said the administration has not explained why it needed to blow up the vessels, killing everyone on board, rather than intercepting them. Trump on Wednesday said interdicting drug boats was "politically correct" and had not stopped the drug trade.

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The Senate blocked a similar resolution last week by a narrow 51-48 vote, mostly along party lines, with two Republicans backing the resolution and one Democrat opposing it. Trump's fellow Republicans said the president was merely keeping a campaign promise to attack drug cartels.

Kaine said he hoped the new resolution, to bar military action against or within Venezuela without congressional approval, would garner a few more Republican votes.

"The military is not to be used just so we can kill anyone we want anywhere in the world, as long as the president has put them on a secret list," Kaine said.

"I may be optimistic on this, but I think that there will be a point where more (Republicans) will say, 'Hold on a second,'" he added.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
JB Pritzker has been clashing with Donald Trump for years, but the acrimony reached new heights with the presidents recent declaration that the Illinois governor should be in jail. In a new interview with The Conversation, Pritzker brushed it off.

Im not afraid for me, he said. Im afraid for the people of Illinois and the people of the United States with the attitude of this president.



A billionaire whos positioned himself as a blue-state governor willing to take Trump head on, Pritzker is seeking his third term next year and is widely seen as a potential 2028 Democratic contender.

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Pritzker may not have wanted a battle with the White House, but Trumps decision to send National Guard troops over the governors objections to buttress an increasingly controversial ICE enforcement operation is certainly raising Pritzkers profile. Thats particularly true as Democrats are desperate to find a path back to relevance after being shut out of power in Washington.

In the interview, Pritzker said Democrats should be able to fight for lower health care premiums in a shutdown battle while also protecting American democracy from a Trumpian power grab.



He added that he was particularly worried Trump would try to use the troop deployments as a pretext for interfering in the midterm elections.

I think its not very far away from him offering and providing the military to protect the polling places across America, but particularly in blue states and blue cities, with the idea that they could confiscate the ballot boxes if they think there is fraud in the election, he said.

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This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

I asked President Trump about you and what's happening in Illinois and in Chicago, and he told me, I think he should beg for help because he's running a bad operation and he's letting people be killed in his city. I would have Chicago cleaned out, the criminals removed. What's your response to that?

Well, I know that the president doesn't read much and isn't up to speed on much of anything going on around the country, but we've cut our violent crime rate significantly in Chicago, and indeed our homicide rate has been cut in half. Almost every violent crime statistic is down by double digits.

Maybe  most importantly  what the president doesn't understand is that civilian law enforcement is how you fight crime. And we've got terrific people on the ground. We've been building up our police forces, including the state police under my command, and we've also invested in violence prevention.

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Frankly, the money that the federal government used to send to us has now been cut off under him. He's cut the number of FBI, ATF and DEA agents that are available to help us with crime on the ground. We're nevertheless doing well despite that but would love help. I've said that many times. Please give us civilian law enforcement help from the FBI, ATF and DEA so that we can interdict guns and drugs and go after gang members.

Murders are down in Chicago by more than 30 percent this year compared to 2024. Shootings have fallen almost 40 percent, according to city data. But that does still translate to 1,200 people being shot and at least 274 murders. I'm curious if you feel satisfied with where the crime statistics are in Chicago and in Illinois overall.

I won't be satisfied until we get those numbers to zero  which may be never  which means I shouldn't be satisfied on any day, and I'm not. What I think we should pay attention to though is that so much crime has been reduced in the city of Chicago. And the murder rate is down by half in the last four years.

In part, the reason that so much of the violent crime in the city is down is because we have the most robust community violence intervention programs in the country. And despite the fact that Donald Trump cut the funding for those programs, we've funded it at the state level as best we can, although again we have less money because of that. We have worked with ATF and FBI and DEA to go after the drugs and gangs and guns. I've asked for more of that. But the idea that sending troops in or that ICE is somehow helping with that is ridiculous.

What do you think he's trying to do?

Well, it's clear he's trying to militarize our cities. He's doing that with ICE now. I think that at the moment though, he's also trying to just show off that he is in fact an authoritarian and can do whatever it is that he wants. And we're pushing back and we're winning.

The president last week posted on Truth Social saying that you and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson should be in jail. JD Vance said on Sunday that you should suffer some consequences for your handling of Chicago crime. Talk to me about this moment that you're in. You're drawing some pretty threatening rhetoric from the White House.

Well, all I can say is that with the president's mental health decline, the fact that JD Vance really doesn't know anything about addressing crime, fighting crime  he was a U.S. senator and before that an author  all due respect, we've been actually doing the job on the ground. And threatening to jail your political opponents. I mean, does that sound like the United States? Should we have a president who is threatening to jail his political opponents with no evidence of any wrongdoing, just that we oppose what he's trying to do to our country, which is to militarize our cities and turn us into an authoritarian regime? I don't think that any American thinks that we ought to be jailing people just for their views.

How does that feel for you personally? Especially when you are seeing the Justice Department go after James Comey and Letitia James. Does that resonate with you in a different way at this moment given what the administration is doing?

I'm not afraid for me. I'm afraid for the people of Illinois and the people of the United States with the attitude of this president. When people can just randomly be stopped, detained, arrested, and when he's going after his political opponents  note that anybody that he doesn't like and thinks is opposed to him is on his list of his targets, enemies list, as we've seen. So, look, it's not about me. It is about protecting the people of my state, and that's what I've been doing every day.

You've been pretty outspoken about state sovereignty. But given that there are some federal interests here  immigration enforcement  where is the line between legitimate federal authority when it comes to trying to curtail gang activity and other things that really do matter in these communities, and political interference from Washington?

The president has said that he wanted to go after the worst of the worst. Please come get real violent criminals. We would love help doing that, whether they're undocumented or otherwise. And he's not doing that. When they tackle a 15-year-old girl because she's brown, and haul her in, when they take on a U.S. citizen, a young woman who's coming out of Waukegan City Hall because she's brown  this is not the country that I think we all want. And so I'm deeply concerned.

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All I can say is this is not what anybody signed up for. The immigration laws should be enforced by the federal government. They have that authority and that assignment. But the way they're doing it is ignoring all of the norms of law enforcement and treating people as if they're enemies of the United States, when the reality is they're grabbing Republicans, Democrats. They're grabbing U.S. citizens and people who've never demonstrated that they're anything other than law-abiding people.

The president frequently calls Chicago a hellhole or a war zone. Law and order was a really big part of his campaign message, and it did resonate with some voters. Can you talk about those competing narratives, what's actually going on in Chicago  but also why Trump has been successful in some pockets of the country in painting and branding Chicago in this way as he has with Portland and some other cities?

Look, the president lies consistently, and he's got a lot of people around him, the sycophants, including JD Vance, who lie on his behalf. He's got the biggest platform in the country, the presidency, and he just says things. It's propaganda  again, not true  but he'll say it over and over and over again, hoping that people will believe him

Some of that branding exercise has been successful though.

Sure, because if you say things over and over and there isn't any pushback, then you're somewhat successful.

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I can tell you that Chicago, this summer we had our best tourist season ever in the city of Chicago. We just got named  for the ninth year, by the way  number one best big city in the country by Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

It's a great city. It's a beautiful city. I know lots of people that  probably you know too  who have visited this city, and they don't see what Donald Trump is talking about because it's not true. He just says things. Portland isn't on fire. And yet, yeah, youre right. He lies, he says it over and over again. And if it gets amplified by mainstream media or by podcasts or whatever, then there are people who might listen and believe it. But it's not true.

One of the things that this administration has tried to do is put Democrats on the back foot when it comes to crime. How do you make sure people understand that you're taking crime really seriously while also resisting what the administration is doing?

We're delivering on the ground. That's how we prove that he's wrong, right? I've increased the number of state police since I took office in 2019. We're trying very hard to do that. By the way, they're running ads now to hire people out of Chicago police departments and other departments here and bring them into ICE. So he's going to take civilian law enforcement off the streets in order to help him with his folly about going after the worst of the worst immigrants to this country.

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I want to remind you of something really important. My family is a family of immigrants who were refugees to this country from Ukraine when the Russians were killing Jews. We have a very important history in this country of immigrants being the lifeblood of building the economy and building the future of the country. Half of the Fortune 500 companies in this country are founded by immigrants or the first-generation children of immigrants. So Donald Trump just has this all backward in his head. It's some kind of something that's left over from, I don't know, his childhood or some other time, and his diminished mental capacity has him unable to learn anything new.

You have warned that Trump could use these troop deployments as a pretext for military interference in U.S. elections. Is that something you see as a real threat?

I do. We have to think back to 2020, when he lost the general election and he contemplated using the military to confiscate ballot boxes. And it was something being encouraged by Michael Flynn, his adviser. And then fast forward just another month to Jan. 6, when he was fomenting the violence around the Capitol around the election, and then later pardoned the 1,500 people who were convicted of a crime.

Now he's militarizing the cities, sending people in, and I think it's not very far away from him offering and providing the military to protect the polling places across America, but particularly in blue states and blue cities, with the idea that they could confiscate the ballot boxes if they think there is fraud in the election.

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The Department of Justice under Donald Trump demanded that every state produce their voter rolls. That's never happened in the history of the United States. They won't tell us what they're doing with them, but it appears that they want to use them in the elections next year, claiming fraud. So when you put all these things together, it's not a leap to say that he's doing this because he wants to affect the 2026 elections in favor of MAGA Republicans.

Trump has suggested he might invoke the Insurrection Act. If federal troops were deployed over your objections, do you have a plan for that scenario?

So just a reminder that the president previously, and this is just a few years ago, said that he opposes a president of the United States federalizing the National Guard. So did Kristi Noem last year. So did Greg Abbott in Texas last year. So did every governor, I might add, last year opposed federalizing the National Guard.

He has obviously federalized the National Guard over my objection. But the question the court is addressing is how can he use them? Because federalizing the National Guard to send them abroad to fight for this country, which is what historically National Guard has been federalized for, is a legitimate use. We've seen that. I'm so proud of the Illinois National Guard. They've gone and fought for this country and protected us abroad. Also I have the ability to call them out for floods or other emergencies like Covid-19, making sure we had vaccinations available for everybody.

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But it's like everything is upside down. Now the president has decided federalizing troops is okay and sending them into states is okay. Now all of his sycophants like Kristi Noem, Greg Abbott and others are just doing what his bidding is.

It's unconstitutional, it's unlawful. It's called the Insurrection Act for a reason. It's about insurrection, it's about rebellion, it's about foreign invasions, and that's why you use the Insurrection Act. It shouldn't be about his invasion of our states.

Youve said when there's a Democrat in office or when a Democratic Congress takes over that people are going to be held accountable, and you said a few years from now this is going to hurt. Do you think Democrats would or should push for jail time for some of these officials? How far should Democrats go if and when they do get power back?

Democrats should just do what Republicans should do but are unwilling to, which is follow the law. That means if someone broke the law, whether you're an ICE agent or a CBP agent or Stephen Miller, if they broke the law, they should be held accountable.

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One more thing: The Congress is supposed to have hearings about things like this. Rational people on both sides should come together and ask questions about this. That's not what's happening. They're simply following Donald Trump's lead on the Republican side and not allowing Democrats to have hearings to ask questions. I believe that's why the 2026 elections are so vitally important.

Democrats in Congress right now are trying to take a stand with the shutdown fight, to make a case for health care. Given how you've called on Democrats to step up, what do you think of these efforts?

I think that doubling people's premiums for health care, which is what will happen under the big ugly bill, is truly shameful. Democrats standing up to maintain those subsidies so that people don't have their health care premiums doubled or have to reduce their coverage because they can't afford health care, I think that's a righteous cause, and so I'm glad that Democrats are standing up and doing the right thing on that.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris made a note in her book that you declined to immediately offer her an endorsement when Biden stepped aside from the 2024 campaign, that you said you couldn't commit because you were the convention host. You did endorse the next day, but I'm curious about that initial hesitation. And also why do you think Harris put that in her book?

I don't know. We're friends. I know Kamala Harris. I've talked to her a number of times in the last couple of months, not to mention during the elections. And what I can say is that yeah, that's accurate.

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I didn't know what the process was going to be. I don't think any of us did right away when President Biden decided not to run. And so I wanted to make sure that we weren't biasing a process that might occur at the convention itself in my home state, home city. It was clear to me overnight and the next morning that actually the process had already worked itself out. And it made sense to me to have the vice president become the candidate for our party. I like her and was happy to get on board and support her and worked very hard for her.

But I think it was important for me to be neutral. I fought to get the convention in my city and state, and I didn't want to bias a process that might take place.

Another Chicago guy, Rahm Emanuel, has called the party's brand toxic. He says Democrats are woke and weak. What do you think of his diagnosis? Is your diagnosis different? And what do you see as the path forward for the party?

I think we have too many challenges facing the country for Democrats to be criticizing other Democrats. We know what the problem with this country is right now, and it's what Donald Trump is doing to it. So if there's a unifying force, that certainly is one. And in a midterm election  and I think back to when I got elected in 2018  that was a unifying force back then. I think it will be this coming year, but we're going to have to work for it. We aren't going to get handed anything. And Donald Trump is trying to thwart the election process in 2026. I mentioned, of course, the militarization, but also going to the governor of Texas and getting him to redistrict and trying to do it in Missouri and other states.

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This is truly taking votes away from people. We're talking mid-decade political redistricting  that just doesn't happen very often  is now being led by the president of the United States. And it's for one purpose. It's because he knows he's going to lose in 2026 if he doesn't rig the election.

So do you think the best message and the best approach for Democrats is fighting Trump? Is that what voters want to see from their Democratic officials and candidates?

They want to see Democrats standing up for working families, for their ability to afford the things that are just frankly part of their everyday lives. If you can't send your kid to college or you can't afford to pay the bills at the kitchen table, you can't afford groceries or insurance, all the rest of it doesn't matter to most people. So we Democrats need to be talking about that. That is the party that we are.

Are you doing that enough? Do you think Democrats are talking about those real tangible, day-to-day issues for folks?

I think that we have to walk and chew gum at the same time. We certainly need to be talking about affordability, and a lot of us are doing it. At the same time, we need to fight to make sure we have an election in 2026 and that we're preserving democracy. I think we can do two things at once.


President Trumps legal team has refiled its lawsuit against The New York Times after a federal judge dismissed a previous filing, saying the suit was too long and needed to be whittled down.

As part of its new suit, the president charges that the Times and several of its reporters defamed him, using reckless disregard for the truth as it covered him in the lead-up to the 2024 election.

These breaches of journalistic ethics are further proven by the Times enthusiastic aiding and abetting of the partisan effort to falsely link Russian interference to President Trumps victory in the 2016 Presidential Election, which is well on its way to becoming one of the most profoundly disturbing criminal political scandals in American history, the suit reads.

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The Times has said the suit is without merit, and its executive editor, Joseph Kahn, said earlier this summer the news outlet has no intention of settling the case.

When the judge threw out the presidents first complaint, his attorneys in a statement to The Hill vowed to continue to hold the Fake News accountable through this powerhouse lawsuit against the New York Times, its reporters, and Penguin Random House, in accordance with the judges direction on logistics.

Trump and his allies have taken an increasingly hostile posture toward mainstream news outlets. This week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cracked down on coverage of the Pentagon, while Trumps Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr has threatened to use the power of his department to scrutinize the broadcast licenses of major networks Trump is often critical of.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Donald Trump announced on Friday that he had commuted the sentence of George Santos, a disgraced former Republican congressman who was serving a seven-year prison term.

George Santos was somewhat of a rogue, but there are many rogues throughout our Country that arent forced to serve seven years in prison, Trump wrote on Truth Social, before repeating debunked claims about the Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal.

Additionally, the president claimed Santos has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated and praised the ex-congressman for having the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!

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Santos, who was expelled by colleagues from Congress in 2023 after making a series of brazen false claims about his life story, had appealed to Trump earlier in the week for a reprieve.

I have faced my share of consequences, and I take full responsibility for my actions, Santos wrote in a letter to the president published by The South Shore Press, a New York news outlet. But no man, no matter his flaws, deserves to be lost in the system, forgotten and unseen, enduring punishment far beyond what justice requires.

President Trump commuted former congressman George Santoss seven-year prison sentence, less than a year into the former Republican officials prison term (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

In the message, Santos said he has been in solitary confinement since August following an alleged death threat against him.

Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene praised the president for freeing Santos.

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He was unfairly treated and put in solitary confinement, which is torture!! Green wrote on X.

Santos pleaded guilty last August to defrauding voters to fund his congressional campaign, stealing credit card information, and lying to the Federal Election Commission. He was ordered to pay $580,000 in penalties, including restitution.

Members of the House voted to expel Santos in 2023, only the sixth time this has occurred in U.S. history (Getty Images)

In 2023, he was initially charged with 23 felony counts, with prosecutors accusing him of using multiple schemes to bilk donors and government assistance programs to fund his lavish lifestyle.

Outside of the criminal charges, media reporting revealed that Santos made a number of claims about his background that were not true, including that his mother survived the 9/11 terror attacks, that he was Jewish, and that he worked for top Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs.

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Santos eventually leaned into his reputation for scandal, hosting a podcast called Pants on Fire.

Since resuming office, Trump has issued controversial pardons and commutations for the perpetrators of the pro-Trump January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and for Paul Walczak, a former nursing home executive who had pleaded guilty to tax crimes whose mother had raising millions for Trumps campaigns.
Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, along with First Lady Jayashree Kambhampati, visited the Adivasi Mahotsav and Mruttika, the Terracotta Exhibition at IDCO Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar to purchase handicraft items ahead of Diwali, a release said. The visit reflected the Governor's support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Vocal for Local" initiative, encouraging citizens to promote indigenous products and empower local artisans. During the visit on Thursday, the Governor interacted with stall owners, appreciated their craftsmanship, and lauded the creativity of tribal and rural artisans. Dr. Kambhampati appealed to people to celebrate Diwali in an eco-friendly and traditional way by lighting earthen diyas made by local potters. He emphasised that buying such products would help sustain the traditional pottery profession and preserve India's rich cultural heritage. The Governor also extended his warm Diwali greetings to the people of Odisha, wishing them a joyous and prosperous festival. Earlier on October 2, Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly Surama Padhy paid their respects to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. The tribute was part of the state-level Gandhi Jayanti celebrations held at the Assembly premises. Speaking on the occasion, Speaker Surama Padhy highlighted the significance of the day, stating that it was also the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri."Today is the sacred Gandhi Jayanti. It is also Shastri Jayanti, and the state-level Gandhi Jayanti celebrations are being held at the Assembly premises. CM Mohan Charan Manjhi and Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati were present.", Padhy told ANI. A special exhibition was also held as part of the celebrations, showcasing Mahatma Gandhi's biography, his visits to Odisha, and his efforts to involve the people of the state in the freedom movement. "On this occasion, an exhibition based on the biography of Mahatma Gandhi, his entry into Odisha, and the efforts he made to involve the people of Odisha in the freedom movement, and the appeals he made, all of these topics have been described in the exhibition...", Padhy added. This year marks the 156th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, commemorated as the Father of the Nation for his pivotal role in India's freedom struggle. (ANI)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday his proposed 100% tariff on goods from China would not be sustainable, adding that he would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks and that he thought things would be fine with China.

"It's not sustainable, but that's what the number is," Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network. "They forced me to do that."

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Susan Heavey; Editing by)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said his proposed 100% tariff on goods from China would not be sustainable, but blamed Beijing for the latest impasse in trade talks that began with Chinese authorities tightening control over rare earth exports.

Asked whether such a high tariff was sustainable and what that might do to the economy, Trump replied, "It's not sustainable, but that's what the number is."

"They forced me to do that," he said in an interview with Fox Business Network that was broadcast on Friday.

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Trump unveiled additional levies of 100% on China's U.S.-bound exports a week ago, along with new export controls on "any and all critical software" by November 1, nine days before existing tariff relief was set to expire.

The new trade actions were Trump's reaction to China dramatically expanding its export controls on rare earth elements. China dominates the market for such elements, which are essential to tech manufacturing.

Trump also confirmed he would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks in South Korea - a meeting the U.S. president had cast doubt on last week - and expressed admiration for the Chinese leader.

"I think we're going to be fine with China, but we have to have a fair deal. It's got to be fair," Trump said on FBN's "Mornings with Maria," which was taped on Thursday.

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The softening in tone and affirmation of his intent to meet with Xi helped stem some of Wall Street's early losses on Friday. Major U.S. stock indexes, which have been rattled over the last week by Trump's abrupt reimposition of steep levies on Chinese imports and by credit worries among regional banks, were up modestly in early trading.

Meanwhile, in another indication of a potential thaw in the tensions, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will hold a call on Friday to discuss ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries, CNBC reported on Friday, without disclosing a time for the call. A Treasury spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bessent earlier in the week had accused one of He's top aides of being "unhinged" in recent interactions with U.S. trade negotiators, an assertion Beijing has refuted.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Susan Heavey; Editing by William Maclean and Paul Simao)
By Doina Chiacu and Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said his proposed 100% tariff on goods from China would not be sustainable, but blamed Beijing for the latest impasse in trade talks that began with Chinese authorities tightening control over rare earth exports.

Asked whether such a high tariff was sustainable and what that might do to the economy, Trump replied, "It's not sustainable, but that's what the number is."

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"They forced me to do that," he said in an interview with Fox Business Network that was broadcast on Friday.

Trump unveiled additional levies of 100% on China's U.S.-bound exports a week ago, along with new export controls on "any and all critical software" by November 1, nine days before existing tariff relief was set to expire.

The new trade actions were Trump's reaction to China dramatically expanding its export controls on rare earth elements. China dominates the market for such elements, which are essential to tech manufacturing.

Trump also confirmed he would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks in South Korea - a meeting the U.S. president had cast doubt on last week - and expressed admiration for the Chinese leader.

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"I think we're going to be fine with China, but we have to have a fair deal. It's got to be fair," Trump said on FBN's "Mornings with Maria," which was taped on Thursday.

Later, as he was preparing to have a lunch at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to discuss efforts to end its war with Russia, Trump said: "China wants to talk, and we like talking to China."

The softening in tone and affirmation of his intent to meet with Xi helped stem Wall Street's early losses on Friday. Major U.S. stock indexes, which have been rattled over the last week by Trump's abrupt re-imposition of steep levies on Chinese imports and by credit worries among regional banks, were up in afternoon trading.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the White House event said he would speak with his counterpart, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, later on Friday to discuss ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries.

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"I think that things have de-escalated," Bessent said. "We hope that China will show the respect that we have shown them, and I am confident that President Trump, because of his relationship with President Xi, will be able to get things back on a good course."

WTO URGES DE-ESCALATION OF TRADE SPATS

The head of the World Trade Organization said she urged the U.S. and China to de-escalate trade tensions, warning that a decoupling by the world's two largest economies could reduce global economic output by 7% over the longer term.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told Reuters in an interview the global trade body was extremely concerned about the latest spike in U.S.-China trade tensions and had spoken with officials from both countries to encourage more dialogue.

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But tensions continued to run high, even as Trump and Xi prepared to meet.

Bessent took aim at China's state-driven economic practices in a statement to the IMF's steering committee on Friday, urging the IMF and World Bank to take a tougher stance on China's external and internal balances and industrial policies that U.S. officials say have helped China build up excess manufacturing capacity that is flooding the world with cheap goods.

And China's Commerce Ministry on Friday accused the U.S. of undermining the rules-based multilateral trading system since the Trump administration took office in 2025, vowing to intensify its use of dispute settlement actions at the WTO.

It also urged Washington to roll back measures that breach non-discrimination rules and align its industrial and security policies with WTO obligations.

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Bessent earlier in the week had accused one of He's top aides of being "unhinged" in recent interactions with U.S. trade negotiators. Beijing on Thursday said Bessent's remarks "seriously distort the facts."

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Susan Heavey; Editing by William Maclean, Paul Simao and Andrea Ricci)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said he expected an expansion of the Abraham Accords soon and hopes Saudi Arabia will join the pact that normalized diplomatic relations between Israel and some Arab states.

"I hope to see Saudi Arabia go in, and I hope to see others go in. I think when Saudi Arabia goes in, everybody goes in," Trump said in an interview broadcast on Friday on Fox Business Network.

Trump said he had had "some very good conversations" as recently as Wednesday with states that have indicated their willingness to join the accords.

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"I think that they're going to all go in very soon," Trump said in the interview, which was recorded on Thursday.

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed the accords in 2020 during Trump's first term in the White House, breaking a longstanding taboo to become the first Arab states to recognize Israel in a quarter century. Morocco and Sudan followed suit.

Trump, who convened Muslim and European leaders in Egypt to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip on Monday, has presented his plan to end the war in Gaza as the catalyst for a wider regional peace settlement.

He said then that more countries would join the Abraham Accords initiative and even floated the idea of a peace deal between arch Middle East enemies Iran and Israel, telling the Israeli parliament he thought Iran wanted one: "Wouldn't it be nice?"

The interview was broadcast on FBN's "Mornings with Maria."

(Reporting by Susan Heavey and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Jon Boyle)
US President Donald Trump said he planned to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary in what is likely to be a one-to-one talk, meaning without Ukraine's direct involvement.

They want to remain in contact with Zelensky at the same time, Trump said in comments during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday.

"There's a lot of blood, bad blood, with the two presidents. And I'm not speaking out of turn when I say it's very, a very difficult situation," Trump said.

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He said they wanted to make it comfortable for everyone and that in one way or another, all three sides - meaning Russia, Ukraine and the United States - would be involved, but this may be done separately.

He was referring to plans to speak with Putin. The day before the meeting with Zelensky, Trump spoke to Putin in a telephone call and held out the prospect of a personal meeting with him, saying he wanted to meet the Russian leader "probably in the next two weeks" in the Hungarian capital Budapest

The two met in Alaska in August, without Zelensky and without any tangible results. It is unclear whether the Ukrainian president could play a role in the possible meeting.
The International Maritime Organization on Friday said it would delay a decision on a global shipping carbon tax for one year.

The vote to delay the Net-Zero Framework by delegates meeting in London comes after President Donald Trump said the United States would not abide by any international agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions from ocean-going vessels.

A source close to the Trump administration told FreightWaves that U.S. opposition to the plan had attracted support from members with significant stakes in shipping including Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Liberia, the Bahamas and others.

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The United States for years supported the development of the NZF which would require vessel operators to report GHG levels annually; those vessels exceeding emissions limits will pay fees based on their excess emissions, while those using cleaner fuels will receive incentives. The framework is designed to help international shipping reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050  the first global carbon pricing system for any industry.

But the Trump administration reversed course, calling the plan a tax on shipping that would hurt U.S. consumers.

In a social media post Thursday Trump said, The United States will NOT stand for this Global Green New Scam Tax on Shipping, and we will not adhere to it in any way shape, or form. Vote NO in London tomorrow.

Media reports said the U.S. and Saudi Arabia had filibustered the meeting in an effort to defeat a vote.

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While the delay avoids putting the emissions plan at risk, some experts say its needed to guide development of the global maritime sector. Shipping accounts for about 3% of GHG emissions which scientists say contribute to climate change, on a par with aviation.

Without a predictable and preferably multilateral framework in maritime transport, I am afraid that investors (ships, ports, energy, bunkering) would delay investments, wrote Jan Hoffman, lead maritime analyst for the World Bank, in a LinkedIn post. This, in turn, would lead to less supply of maritime transport capacity. And this would lead to higher and more volatile freight rates.

We learned from Covid and the Red Sea crisis how lower shipping supply can lead to a shift of the supply curve to the left, causing more volatile and higher freight rates.

Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

Related coverage:

Ocean freight rates plummet amid China chaos

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Import surge drives new Q2 record for busiest U.S. port

Union hits Newsom veto of measure to block port automation

U.S. ships built in China exempt from new port fees

The post UN postpones decision on shipping carbon tax appeared first on FreightWaves.
(This story contains strong language in the headline, paragraph 1 and paragraph 4)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump said on Friday that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro does not want to fuck around with the United States, amid escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas.

Trump's comments followed a Reuters report, citing three sources, that the U.S. military was holding two survivors on a Navy ship after a U.S. strike on their suspected Caribbean drug vessel killed two others.

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Thursdays strike was the latest in a campaign declared by Trump against a "narcoterrorist" threat he says is emanating from Venezuela and is linked to Maduro.

In response to a reporter's question about a report that Maduro had offered "everything," including the OPEC member's natural resources, to secure a deal with the U.S., Trump said: He's offered everything. You're right. You know why? Because he doesn't want to fuck around with the United States.

Trumps remarks, during a joint appearance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House, came against the backdrop of a U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean that includes guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and around 6,500 troops.

The Venezuelan communication ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the Venezuelan government has scoffed at media reports of negotiations by high-ranking officials to oust Maduro.

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Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez posted a selfie with Maduro to Telegram on Thursday in response to what she said were "liars."

On Wednesday, Trump disclosed he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, adding to speculation in Caracas that the United States is attempting to oust Maduro.

Maduro has denied any connection to drug smuggling and denounced the U.S. boat strikes as a pretext for regime change, portraying them as violations of sovereignty and international law.

Trump, who had campaigned unsuccessfully for this years Nobel Peace Prize, also brought up this years winner, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. The 58-year-old industrial engineer was awarded the coveted prize last Friday.

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"I didn't get a Nobel Prize. Somebody got it, who's a very nice woman, very nice, Trump said. I don't know who she is, but she was very generous. So I don't care about all that stuff. I just care about saving lives."

(Reporting by Jeff Mason, Jarrett Renshaw, Matt Spetalnick and Julia Symmes Cobb; Writing by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Chris Reese and Lisa Shumaker)
As President Donald Trumps consolidation of authoritarian power escalates, he and his allies have been employing undisguised state-sponsored propaganda to a degree unmatched by any president in modern times. This much, one hopes, is broadly understoodeven if a startling number of Americans seem unperturbed by it. But heres something thats less discussed: This sort of industrial-scale deception would be far more difficult to pull off if Republicans hadnt wholly crippled Congresss oversight function on Trumps behalf.

All this is driven home by an interesting new letter that Senator Chris Murphy sent Friday to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about a horrifying incident that unfolded during Trumps occupation of Chicago. A federal agent shot a woman multiple times after she allegedly menaced the agents with her car. Marimar Martinez, who didnt have life-threatening injuries, is a U.S. citizen.

This incident has been subjected to a barrage of state-manufactured misinformation, and it turns out that MAGA influencer Laura Loomer also was involved in that effort. In response, Murphys letter calls on Noem to account for all these official deceptions, and to come clean on whether government information was improperly leaked to Loomer to assist in them.

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In particular, just after the shooting, DHS put out a statement claiming that the agents in question had been boxed in by 10 cars and that Martinezs vehicle rammed theirs. The statement also suggests she threatened the agents with a semi-automatic weapon. All this forced an agent to shoot Martinez, who then drove herself to the hospital. DHS added that shed previously doxed agents online. In short, the shooting was wholly justified: The victim was the one doing the terrorizingof law enforcement.

Yet these claims are undermined by the criminal complaint against Martinez. It only mentions two cars menacing the agents, not 10. It doesnt mention her gun, let alone her threatening of the agents with one. It says she was taken to the hospital by ambulance. And as the Chicago Sun-Times reports, Martinezs lawyer says body-cam footage even contradicts the claim that she directly threatened the officers with her vehicle and shows that the agent said, Do something, bitch, before opening fire.

Heres where Loomer enters the chat. Shortly after the incident, she tweeted out pictures of Martinezs carcomplete with bullet holes in the windshield from the agents shotswhich Loomer claimed she obtained from a DHS source. Loomer also echoed the (now undermined) claim that Martinez drove herself to the hospital.

Murphy now wants DHS to account for these discrepancies. In his letter, the Connecticut Democrat runs through the problems with the official account, calling on Noem to correct the public record by redacting the misleading and inaccurate facts.

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When the government misrepresents or lies about events involving the safety and wellbeing of federal law enforcement, it erodes public trust, making their jobs much harder, Murphy continues.

Murphys letter also demands that DHS turn over all body-cam footage captured by federal officers involved in the incident. He demands to know whether DHS officials had previously looked into Martinez, to test the claim that she doxed the agents.

Murphy also asks if DHS is internally investigating whether the agent used excessive force, and asks the agency to detail its current use-of-force policies. He presses DHS to provide details of how Ms. Loomer received these photos and to indicate whether DHS is investigating the leak of alleged criminal evidence to Ms. Loomer.

Now ask yourself this: Is it remotely within the realm of possibility that Republicans in Congress will ask questions like these? Of course it isnt. As a result, it will be all the easier for Noem to simply ignore Murphys demands.

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Now, to be clear, its possible that Martinez did commit serious crimes. She has been indicted for attempted murder, though the judge has released her and another man involved from custody for now. Its possible she will be convicted. A jury should decide the matter.

But none of that justifies the level of official deception weve seen around this incident. And it very well may emerge that none of it justifies the force unleashed on Martinez by this federal agent.

In this regard, Murphys questions about whether DHS is reviewing the incidentand what DHS policy is right now on excessive forcedeserve special attention. As Ive previously detailed, the public is unaware of just how atrophied the mechanisms of accountability have become for DHS agents, at a time when the war theyre waging in U.S. citiessometimes against Americansis boiling over daily.

Yet lets be clear: We may never know the full answers to those questions about how DHS is handling accountability for its agents at this fraught moment. Because Republicans wont ask them. And while the criminal justice process might prove illuminating on this incident, DHS may never correct its falsehoods about it or divulge anything to Congress shedding light on what really happened. Because Republicans wont demand it.

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We constantly talk about how the congressional GOP is enabling Trumps lawlessness, whether its his likely illegal impoundment of funds, his military deployments to conduct domestic law enforcement, his extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean Sea, and more. But this GOP abdication is also facilitating the spread of state-sponsored disinformation.

The people are awash in propaganda and lies about what their own government is doing to them, with Congress utterly checked out of the fact-finding business and increasing signs that the free press is retreating in the face of the authoritarian onslaught. It is falling on Democrats to ask the questions that need askingand even to highlight the unnerving reality underlying all of it, that our government is engaged in such remarkably concerted deception of its own citizens. This Murphy letter is a stab in that direction. But we need a whole lot more. And lets face it: Time is running out.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is being accused of inciting violence against Democrats after saying the party is made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals.

Leavitt made the remarks during an interview with Fox News on Thursday in which she was asked to comment on Democratic New York City Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdanis interview with the network the night before.

This interview proved that the Democrat Partys main constituency are made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals, Leavitt said on the broadcast. That is who the Democrat Party is catering to, not the Trump admin, not the White House and not the Republican Party, who is standing up for law-abiding Americans, not just across the country but around the world. And thats why President Trump works so hard to end this conflict in the Middle East.

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Leavitt also claimed that Democrats dont stand for anything except catering to their hard-left base, which as I said, includes antisemites, includes Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals who they want to let out freely to roam in American streets.

Leavitts comments came in response to Mamdani declining to say whether Hamas should lay down its weapons during his interview with Fox News.

Some Democrats and journalists have since criticized Leavitts comments.

It is astonishing that just weeks after Republicans took to the media to angrily say any reference to their party as Nazi or fascist was incitement to violence, theyre now accusing the Democratic Party of being Hamas terrorists, wrote journalist Mehdi Hasan on X. Per their own logic, they are inciting violence.

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Most Republicans are good people. Most Democrats are good people, wrote Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on X. The White House says outrageous things to make you hate your neighbor. Your neighbor isnt the problem. The White House is.

Karoline Leavitt should resign, said U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Tx. on X. They try to make us hate each other to distract from the fact that theyre robbing us all blind. Its sick.

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In a major development, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Kerala High Court has arrested Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, on Friday. The arrest was officially recorded at 2:30 a.m. on Friday. Unnikrishnan Potti's arrest pertains to the theft of gold plating from the sanctum's wooden panels and the Dwarapalaka (door guardian) sculptures at Sabarimala temple. The action comes on the fifth day of the court-monitored SIT probe. He underwent a medical examination at Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital late Thursday night and will be produced before the Ranni court this afternoon. The SIT is also expected to seek his custody for further interrogation. He was taken from the Thiruvananthapuram Crime Branch office this morning to be produced before the Ranni court. Earlier, the Travancore Devaswam Board (TDB) president PS Prasanth suspended assistant engineer K Sunil Kumar for his alleged involvement in the Sabarimala gold theft case.Kumar has been named as an accused in the case. Prasanth said Retired officers involved in the gold-plating controversy will receive a show-cause notice, with a 10-day time frame to respond. "In today's Board rmeeting, it was decided to suspend Assistant Engineer K Sunil Kumar, who is under investigation. Retired officers involved will receive show-cause notices and must respond within 10 days. Further action will be taken as per the rules after receiving their explanations," Prasanth told reporters. The decision was made following a board meeting held on Tuesday. Referring to the 2019 incident, Prasanth said that the Kerala government, along with the Devaswom Board, has a clear stance that lost property must be recovered and culprits must be punished. He further stated that "protest against the Devaswom Board and attacks on employees" was regrettable since the Board was moving while upholding all rituals and traditions.(ANI)
Trump White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spewed stunningly vile hatred about Democrats that went unchallenged and unremarked-upon by Fox News anchors who saw nothing deplorable at all in her rant.

Queens Assemblyman and New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani (D-NY) sat for a 25-minute interview this week with Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum that earned praise and sparked outrage from Mamdanis critics.

On Thursday afternoons edition of Fox News Channels America Reports, Leavitt responded to the interview by accusing the Democratic base of being Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals.

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She made the charge twice  drawing only silence and a cheerful change of subject from anchors Sandra Smith and John Roberts:

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY KAROLINE LEAVITT: Well, thats a classic case of, I dont want to answer the question because I know its wildly unpopular. And the Democrat Party, this interview proved that the Democrat partys main constituency are made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals. (SILENCE FROM JOHN ROBERTS AND SANDRA SMITH) That is who the Democrat Party is catering to. Not the Trump administration and not the White House and not The Republican Party, who is standing up for law abiding Americans, not just across the country, but around the world. And thats why President Trump worked so hard to end this conflict in the Middle East. It was President Trump who brought home the last living hostage out of Gaza, Edan Alexander, who has since been reunited with his family in New Jersey. Its President Trump, who is actually pushing for peace. And I would like to add, where are all of the Free Palestine protesters? Its president Trump who freed Palestine, literally, and they are now very much quiet, because why? They cant stand President Trump. And that is the basis of the Democrat Party today. They dont stand for anything except for catering to their far left base, which as I said, includes anti-Semites, includes Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals who they want to let off freely to roam in American streets. JOHN ROBERTS: Uh, Karoline, let me get back to the shutdown if I could 

Conspicuously absent was any hint of outrage or even request for clarification over a barrage of slurs far worse than when Hillary Clinton accurately described some Trump fans as deplorables  racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic  you name it.

Setting aside that Clinton probably underestimated when she said half, conservatives adopted the talking point that she had insulted half of the country  a wild inaccuracy. Only 26 percent of voting-age Americans voted for Trump, which means she accurately insulted about an eighth of the country.

But the mainstream media also adopted that talking point, and recycled it over and over again, every time a Democrat accurately and negatively described any quantity of Trump fan as anything.

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Nowhere was the Deplorables Effect outrage more palpable than on Fox News, where anchors, hosts, and guests consistently jump on any hint of criticism aimed at Trump supporters as a country-splitting smear.

It may seem predictable, then, that Leavitts vile and baseless smear would fly by this pair, but Fox News also prides itself on a wall of separation between hard news and whatever the rest of it is. Thats kind of the whole point of having Mamdani on to begin with.

In order to behave as credible journalists, they would have had to, at a minimum, treat the attack the same way they would from a Democratic press secretary. Would Jen Psaki have bathed in silence if she had called Trumps main constituency some Mad-Libs jumble of resistance talking points  racist mushroom-worshipping pedophile-loving adjudicated rapist-humpers, for example?

Unlikely. But they could have earned some respect by at least raising an eyebrow and asking literally any followup.

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Watch above via Fox News Channels America Reports.

The post Trump Spox Went On Stunning Hate Rant Against Half The Country  Fox Anchors Did Not Find It Deplorable In The Least first appeared on Mediaite.
President Donald Trump isnt ready to provide the Ukrainian military with the Tomahawk missiles President Volodymyr Zelenskyy came to the White House to ask for Friday.

Trump stopped short of ruling out that possibility during a meeting in the White House Cabinet Room, musing that it might have forced Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. But he also said he was wary of escalation and the toll it might take on the American military.

Tomahawks are a big deal, said Trump, who noted that the U.S. needs the weapons for its own use. They're a very powerful weapon, but they're a very dangerous weapon, and it could mean big, you know, escalation. It could mean a lot of bad things can happen.

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That hesitation is a setback for Zelenskyy who, in his third visit to the Trump White House this year, had hoped to persuade the president to provide the long-range missiles that could enable a stronger offensive inside Russia  a move Trump, like President Joe Biden, fears could make the war worse. And it comes just days after Trump suggested sending Tomahawks to Ukraine was a real possibility.

Zelenskyy, speaking with reporters shortly after leaving the White House, said that Trump made clear that his reluctance to provide the weapons stemmed from concerns about escalating the conflict and U.S. missile stockpiles running low.

Asked if he was more or less confident about getting Tomahawks, Zelenskyy responded with a wry smile: Im realistic, he said, adding that Trumps reluctance was only the U.S. position for today.

But Zelenskyy, in his most candid remarks to date, said he still hopes the US will provide a weapons package that can pressure Putin.

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"Ukraine, in principle, over the years has become strong enough, he said. But we can't today fight with our [air defense systems], for example, against ballistic missiles. And also against these hits made by ballistic missiles that our energy [infrastructure] just can't withstand, Zelenskyy told reporters in Ukrainian, adding that he had been asking for that type of pressure since before Trump was in office.

Trumps withholding toward Ukraine comes as the president discusses new ways to squeeze Russia. In addition to the Tomahawks talk, Trump announced earlier this week that hes received a commitment from India to halt its purchases of Russian oil , although India has not confirmed the presidents claim. And Senate Republicans indicated Thursday that they intend to bring a bill to impose new sanctions on Russia up for a vote within the next 30 days. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, during a meeting with NATO counterparts in Europe this week, made his strongest comments on the war to date, vowing that Russia must face harsh consequences .

Riding high off the Middle East peace deal he helped broker last week, Trump is eager to build on his diplomatic momentum. Recounting his two-hour phone call Thursday with Putin, who he now plans to meet in Budapest in a matter of weeks, Trump suggested again that the Russian leader is ready to end the war.

I think that things are coming along pretty well, Trump said. I think President Putin wants to end the war.

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Trump has said as much before only to see Putin escalate his aerial assault on Ukraines cities. And Zelenskyy was unconvinced that the Russian leader was any more serious this time than the last.

In a social media post following the meeting, Trump called for a peace deal that would freeze the conflict along the current battle lines. It is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL!, Trump wrote in the post. Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!

Asked by reporters about conceding territory as part of a peace deal, Zelenskyy called that matter, very sensitive and the most difficult question, underlining a major point of daylight with Russia, which has pushed for agreeing on a new border before any ceasefire.

Our position is that first we need a ceasefire, he said.

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Zelenskyy, who praised Trump earlier for achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, said he would gladly meet with the Russian leader and reiterated a willingness to cede land for meaningful long-term security guarantees in order to end the war.

I agree with the president, Zelenskyy said. "Both sides have to stop. But between us, its about Putin. Because we didnt begin this war."

Seated across from Trump during the public portion of their meeting, he also suggested that a stronger Ukrainian offensive on the battlefield could change Putins calculation.

We understand what we need to push Putin to the negotiation table, Zelenskyy said.

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Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Zelenskyy suggested that Putins call with Trump a day earlier had been about forestalling any weapons package that included long-range missiles.

I think that Russia is afraid, he said. They understand what we can do.

Trump, asserting several times that bad blood between Zelenskyy and Putin was a major impediment to ending the war, said that his forthcoming sit-down with Putin would not include the Ukrainian leader.

A European diplomat, who was granted anonymity to discuss private discussions, said, we hope this conversation, if it takes place, will be used to increase the pressure on Putin  peace through strength.

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Asked if he thought Putin was stringing him along in an effort to prolong the war, Trump acknowledged that its a possibility but said he didnt think so.

Ive been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well, he said. Its possiblebut I think that Im pretty good at this stuff. I think that he wants to make a deal.

Trumps somewhat glib suggestions this week that he could give Ukraine thousands of Tomahawks appeared to be mostly a hypothetical at this point  dangled as a possibility by a president eager to hasten a diplomatic resolution to another conflict.

Asked at the outset about whether he could approve Zelenskyys request, Trump said it would amount to an escalation but demurred about where he stood. Well be talking about that.

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A Ukrainian official, granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said that Zelenskyy did not intend to adjust his approach following Trumps announcement Thursday that hed meet with Putin.

"We will show how Tomahawks can change the situation at war, the Ukrainian official said. "We will also tell how the air defense systems can change the situation if we actually get what we were promised. The missiles have been the workhorse of the Navys long-range strikes over the past several decades, hitting targets deep inside Iran, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria. American warships carrying the missiles are now parked off the coast of Venezuela."

Tomahawks are a long-range, high-precision cruise missile with a roughly 1,000 to 1,500-mile reach and a warhead of about 1,000 pounds. Sailors will sometimes call it the Hallmark  as in, when you mean to send the very best, said Tom Karako, director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies Missile Defense Project.

The missiles fly low, following the earths natural terrain, making them harder to hit with missile defense systems. A major upside for Ukraine is the missiles were originally designed and built in the 1980s to avoid those Soviet air defense systems, variations of which Russia still uses.

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Americas use of the Tomahawk has, in recent years, outpaced production, which means the most realistic option for Trump is to send Ukraine a couple hundred, and not the thousands he floated, Karako said. Weve just been consuming Tomahawks like candy, he said, citing the recent strikes on Iran that used more than two dozen.

Trump acknowledged the shortage of Tomahawks is a problem, but said it would be a big part of the leaders private conversation.

Hopefully they won't need it, Trump continued. Hopefully we'll be able to get the war over without thinking about Tomahawks.

Zelenskyy interjected that Ukraine could offset U.S. contributions of Tomahawk missiles by sharing its cutting-edge drone technology.

Asked about Ukrainian drones, Trump confirmed his interest.

They make a very good drone, he said.

Veronika Melkozerova contributed to this report.


WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump met with Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday and shortly afterward stated that Russia should be allowed to keep the Ukrainian land it has seized since dictator Vladimir Putin invaded nearly four years ago.

It is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL! Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are, he wrote in a social media post about 45 minutes after the Ukrainian president had left the White House. Let both claim Victory, let History decide! No more shooting, no more Death, no more vast and unsustainable sums of money spent. This is a War that would have never started if I were President. Thousands of people being slaughtered each and every week  NO MORE, GO HOME TO YOUR FAMILIES IN PEACE!

Politics: DHS Skirts Shutdown To Buy $172M Jets For Kristi Noem While TSA Goes Without Pay

He repeated that sentiment upon landing in Florida, where he is scheduled to spend the weekend at his country club in Palm Beach.

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Go by the battle line wherever it is or else it gets too complicated, he told reporters. Stop right now at the battle line.

It is unclear whether this reflects yet another policy shift from Trump or, as is often the case with him, merely a random idea that popped into his head and will disappear just as quickly.

At a de facto news conference at the start of his meeting with Zelenskyy earlier Friday afternoon, he again expressed his surprise that the Ukrainian leader, whose citizens are getting slaughtered nightly by Russian drones and missiles, does not get along with Putin, the man ordering those attacks.

Politics: Trump Says He's Not Happy With Putin, Urges Him To 'STOP' After A Deadly Attack On Kyiv

Theres a lot of bad blood with the two presidents, Trump said. These two leaders do not like each other.

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Putins attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine have been condemned nearly universally, and he has been charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

Fridays meeting came the day after Trump spoke with Putin by phone for two hours and claimed theyd made great progress toward ending the nearly four-year-old war started when Putin invaded his neighbor in February 2022. On the agenda was the possible transfer of U.S. Tomahawk missiles, which have a range that would allow Ukraine to hit targets as far as 1,500 miles into Russia.

Trump, after having called Russia a paper tiger in recent weeks because of Putins inability to conquer and seize all of Ukraine quickly, seemed to equivocate on the idea Friday. Whats going to happen if the United States is in a conflict and we need the Tomahawks? Thats the problem. We need Tomahawks, he said.

Politics: Trump Literally Takes A S**t On No Kings Protesters In Wild AI Video

Trump also talked up the idea of meeting again with Putin in the coming weeks in Budapest  even though the city is in Hungary, currently run by possibly the only pro-Putin leader, other than Trump, in the NATO alliance, Viktor Orban. The city was also where Russia in 1994 promised not to invade Ukraine if it gave up the nuclear weapons it inherited upon the breakup of the Soviet Union.

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For his part, Zelenskyy used the same strategy for dealing with Trump that has been successfully adopted by other U.S. allies: praising him profusely.

Again, congratulations with your successful ceasefire in the Middle East, Zelenskyy said, which followed up on a similar statement he posted online Thursday. Thank you. Thank you so much.

President Donald Trump, left, gestures as he greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Oct. 17, 2025, in Washington. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Zelenskyy again wore a blazer and tie, thereby avoiding the scolding he received at the hands of pro-Trump reporter Brian Glenn and Vice President JD Vance for sporting military fatigues rather than a suit during his February visit to the White House, his first since Trumps return to the presidency. That meeting ended with Trump and Vance piling on Zelenskyy for not being adequately grateful, and was viewed with horror in European capitals.

In the days following Putins invasion in 2022, Trump praised the Russian leader as a genius and savvy for having sent in troops to kill Ukrainians and seize their land. In the months to follow, including following his return to office nine months ago, he blamed Zelenskyy for his country getting invaded and former President Joe Biden for letting it happen.

Politics: Epstein Accuser Virginia Giuffre Was A Fan Of Trump For This 1 Reason

Only in recent months has he begun blaming Putin, too, for his continued drone and missile attacks against civilians, particularly following conversations with Trump.

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The frequency of Russian attacks against Ukraine ramped up dramatically after Trump returned to office, according to a BBC analysis.

Despite Putins willingness to kill civilians, Trump still boasts of his good relationship with him. He cited that as the reason for inviting Putin to meet with him in Alaska in August and rolling out a red carpet for him, literally, upon his arrival.

Putin, nevertheless, went right back to his assaults on Ukrainian cities afterward, even though Trump had warned repeatedly that he expected Putin to agree to a ceasefire at the meeting.

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President Donald Trump spoke directly with some Senate Republicans Friday to convince them to redistrict early. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump spoke with Indiana Senate Republicans on a Friday morning phone call in the latest effort to pressure Hoosier GOP legislators to redistrict the state congressional map early.

The call was first reported by The New York Times Friday afternoon.

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Molly Swigart, communications director for the Indiana Senate Republicans, confirmed that caucus members were invited to join a call with the president and that Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray participated. She would not say how many other lawmakers joined the call.

A few hours later, Sen. Tyler Johnson, R-Leo, posted a statement in support of redistricting. He also attended a meeting at the White House in August on redistricting and other topics.

He blamed the national political landscape for bringing a fight to our doorstep that we did not ask for and Hoosiers rightfully scoff at but we must use every legal means at our disposal to counter this with a redistricting effort.

Sen. Tyler Johnson, R-Leo, listens to his colleagues on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

All states drew new maps in 2021 after the decennial census. Indianas breakdown is 7-2 in favor of Republicans. But advocates for redistricting want to eliminate the Democrat districts in Indianapolis and northwest Indiana.

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Texas was the first state to pass new maps in August at the behest of the Trump administration, which is trying to ensure it retains control of the U.S. House in 2026. Missouri then followed in September.

Democrat-led California responded by putting a question on its November ballot to do the same. Other Democratic states could follow. GOP states Nebraska, Kansas and North Carolina are also being targeted for new maps.

Indiana is a red state through and through, and our congressional districts should mirror that sentiment, Johnson said. For too long, maps have diluted the voices of everyday Hoosiers who prioritize fiscal responsibility, strong borders, and traditional values. By redistricting we can improve the likelihood that Indianas delegation in Washington fights unequivocally for Hoosier interests-lowering taxes, protecting life, and standing up to federal overreach.

He said a unified delegation can ensure health care access, economic growth and energy independence.

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Indianas Senate Republican caucus has been more hesitant than House Republicans and where much of the new pressure has been focused. Vice President JD Vance visited Indiana last week initially to speak to the Senate caucus but added a meeting with House members. It was Vances second visit about the topic since August.

The Indiana Capital Chronicle has been tracking public statements on the proposal  four Senate Republicans have come out in support while three are against. The rest of the 40-member caucus is undecided or havent been definitive in their statements.

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US President Donald Trump has threatened to "go in and kill them" if Hamas continues to murder people in Gaza despite a ceasefire deal, he wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thursday.

"If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them," Trump wrote, referring to the recently signed ceasefire deal between the Palestinian Islamists and Israel that he helped broker.

At the White House, he later made clear when asked that US forces would not enter the Gaza Strip. He said there are "people very close, very nearby" who would do it - which was probably meant to refer to the Israeli military - and they would manage it easily, but "under our auspices."

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Prior to his post, reports of killings in the Gaza Strip by Hamas fighters had caused international outrage. However, Trump initially reacted on Tuesday with a certain understanding.

"They did take out a couple of gangs that were very bad, very, very bad gangs," he told reporters. "And they did take them out, and they killed a number of gang members. And that didn't bother me much, to be honest with you. That's OK."

A video was published on the platform X that allegedly showed a group execution of around eight people in a square south of Gaza City.

Eyewitnesses told dpa by phone that Hamas had accused the deceased of being collaborators with the Israeli military. The Palestinian Authority sharply condemned the alleged executions.

Recovery of dead hostages continues

Israel has called on Hamas to hand over the bodies of all the dead hostages and threatened to return to war in the Gaza Strip if the ceasefire agreement is not adhered to.

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The first phase of the ceasefire initiated by Trump's team involves the release and handover of all living and dead hostages.

On Monday, the Islamists released the last 20 living hostages in the Gaza Strip. On Wednesday, Hamas handed over two more bodies, maintaining that they have now handed over all the remains of hostages accessible to them.

According to the agreement, Hamas must hand over a total of 28 hostage bodies. So far, they have handed over 10 bodies. According to Israeli forensic findings, one of these is not the remains of a hostage.

In a statement issued late on Thursday, Hamas said the return of further bodies of hostages will take time.

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Hamas said some of the bodies are in tunnels destroyed by Israel's army and others are under the rubble of bombed buildings. Recovering more remains, it added, requires heavy machinery and equipment to clear debris - equipment that it says cannot be brought in because Israel is refusing to allow their entry.

The group said it will continue to comply with the agreement but blamed Israel for the delays in returning the bodies.

The Israeli military stated that Hamas is "obliged to adhere to the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all hostages."

Concern over far-right ministers

Both Israeli and US officials fear that far-right ministers in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government will use the issue of the failure to return all the hostage bodies to undermine the ceasefire agreement and push for a resumption of the war, the US news site Axios reported.

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"Hamas will give all the bodies back, but it is going to take time. We will continue working on it but we can't allow the deal to collapse," Axios quoted a US government official as saying.

US broadcaster CNN said Trump was considering allowing Israel to resume fighting if Hamas refuses to comply with their part of the agreement.
One of the funniest types of people I meet in political circles are those who take all sorts of cheap partisan positions, then suddenly invoke some Deep Principle on a matteras if any of us believe them to be motivated by a consistent political philosophy. As confirmation of their cynicism, you'll find the "principle" always aligns with their partisan interest.

You'll see many office-holding Republicans take that transparent tack these days, as they declare the evils of Proposition 50, the temporary mid-decade redistricting proposal on the Nov. 4 ballot. Pick almost any state GOP official and you'll find some overheated statement about why the Democrats' hastily drawn proposed new maps rig congressional races and undermine the initiative that created an independent redistricting commission for Congress.

And they won't be wrong. But here are some points you won't hear from them: A serious explanation about why Democrats put the measure on the ballotor a condemnation of the multiple Republican-controlled legislatures in other states that are taking the exact same approach. They won't criticize the one politician who triggered this nonsense.

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That's President Donald Trump, who urged Texas and other Red States to redistrict before the end of the decade in a shameless attempt to help the GOP pick up additional seats as we head toward the midterm elections. The Republican Party holds a slim House majority, so a slight shift can slow its agenda.

As the president posted on Truth Social: "Big WIN for the Great State of Texas!!! Everything Passed, on our way to FIVE more Congressional seats and saving your Rights, your Freedoms, and your Country, itself. Texas never lets us down. Florida, Indiana, and others are looking to do the same thing."

This isn't as ominous as, say, the GOP effort to steal the 2020 presidential election with absurd claims, bad lawyers and a mob attack on the Capitol. But it's yet another GOP assault on democratic norms. Prop. 50 is the Democrats' attempt to neuter these ill-gotten GOP gains. It's not good, but it's justifiable. It's temporary, with the redrawing heading back to the commission in 2030.

Rep. Kevin Kiley (RCalif.) acted in a principled way when he proposed a bill that would ban mid-decade redistricting nationwide to stop the redistricting wars. Even though he stood to gain personally (his seat is at risk if voters approve Prop. 50), that was the sensible approach. The bill has stalled given the Trump-dominated GOP.

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Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger also was principled when he urged a "no" vote on Proposition 50, as he's one of the few Republicans who has also complained about Trump's anti-democratic shenanigans. In 2008, Schwarzenegger led the charge for Proposition 11, which applied the new independent district-drawing to state legislative races. In 2010, he supported Proposition 20, which did so for congressional boundaries.

Independent redistricting was a great reform. Democrats appallingly gamed the system early on by inserting their activists (rather than fair-minded community members) on the map-drawing panels. The system didn't necessarily create more competitive districts as promised, but it did ultimately create districts that are more fairly drawn and eliminated the sleazy backroom dealing.

I dislike election reforms that try to achieve specific results, such as electing moderates (the goal of California's controversial Top Two primary system) or, in this case, yield more Republican or Democratic representatives. True election reforms should improve representatione.g., help assure that those elected better represent the interests of voters who elect them.

I have long favored increasing the number of state legislators. California has the worst ratio of voters to elected officials in its Assembly (one rep for every 483,000 voters v. one for every 3,290 in New Hampshire, which has the best ratio.) Lower ratios mean politicians who are more accountable and accessible. Fixing that problem is better than the plan by former Assembly GOP Leader James Gallagher (RYuba City) to break the state in twoa fun thought experiment, but an unserious idea.

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Republicans are right, however, that the rural North State already gets short shrift in a delegation dominated by urban interests. One of Prop. 50's maps would put conservative Siskiyou County voters in the same district with liberal Marin County voters. You can guess based on population numbers who gets the short end of that stick.

But none of this is remotely related to any democratic principle. It's about the parties using any tools at their disposal to gain more seats. In this case, the Republicans started it, which left the Democrats with the choice of rolling over or fighting back. Given how the Trump administration is sending troops to U.S. cities and unleashing ICE on the citizenry, I certainly understand why it's on the ballot. I'd be more inclined to side with Republicans on the Prop. 50 debate if they, you know, showed a more principled adherence to the Constitution.

This column was first published in The Orange County Register.

The post How Trump Triggered California's Redistricting Fight appeared first on Reason.com.
President Donald Trump phoned into a private Indiana Senate Republican caucus meeting Friday, pressing reluctant Hoosier lawmakers to undertake mid-cycle redistricting, according to two people briefed on the call who were granted anonymity to discuss the private conversation.

The call  which was Trumps first-known call with rank-and-file Indiana state lawmakers on the matter following an August Oval Office meeting with state House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray  punctuated an intense period of national lobbying on redistricting.

It follows a new push by late MAGA influencer Charlie Kirks Turning Point Action this week to ramp up pressure on Indiana lawmakers who oppose mid-cycle redistricting. The New York Times first reported details of the call.

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Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), a close White House ally, has warned that control of the House of Representatives could ride on whether the state can produce additional Republican-held congressional districts by reopening the maps.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun is supportive of calling a special session to do so, likely next month, but has not wanted to strong-arm the legislature into convening in Indianapolis.

A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The call also comes on the heels of Vice President JD Vances second visit to the Hoosier State to make the case to lawmakers last week. Allies of the White Houses efforts described that meeting as productive but not a slam dunk.

The Indiana Conservation Voters, a liberal environmental-focused group, has put six figures behind television ads opposing mid-cycle redistricting and set to play this weekend during this weekends Colts, Indiana University and Notre Dame games.
President Donald Trump used some coarse language Friday when asked about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros appeals for peace with the United States.

He has offered everything, Trump said. You know why? Because he doesnt want to f--- around with the United States.

President Trump on Venezuela's Maduro: "He's offered everything. You know why? Because he doesn't want to fuck around with the United States." pic.twitter.com/aYNLaHrvYi  CSPAN (@cspan) October 17, 2025

Tensions remain high between Trump and Maduro as the U.S. conducts deadly military strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. In another escalation earlier this week, the president announced he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations within Venezuela.

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I authorized for two reasons really, number one they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America, they came in through the border, Trump said Wednesday. A lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of drugs come in through the sea, but were going to stop them by land also.

Venezuela has reportedly attempted to placate Trump and stop the military strikes by offering the U.S. access to its rich reserves of oil, natural gas and gold.

High-ranking Venezuelan officials recently approached U.S. intermediaries to propose opening the countrys natural resources to American companies and creating a transition in which Maduro would eventually step down, according to a report from the Miami Herald.

A bipartisan group of senators  Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) are pushing for a vote on a war powers resolution aimed at blocking the use of U.S. military force in or against Venezuela. They contend that the White House has not presented sufficient evidence to justify the strikes, asserting they are illegal and unconstitutional.

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The American people do not want to be dragged into endless war with Venezuela without public debate or a vote. We ought to defend what the Constitution demands: deliberation before war, Paul said in a statement.

Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
US President Donald Trump vowed to keep Volodymyr Zelensky in the loop regarding his upcoming talks on ending the Ukraine war with Russia's Vladimir Putin, but he hinted that the Ukrainian president was unlikely to get the long-range missiles he wanted.

Trump said he planned to meet Putin in Hungary in what is likely to be a one-to-one talk, meaning without Ukraine's direct involvement, but they want to remain in contact with Zelensky at the same time, Trump said in comments during a meeting with Zelensky at the White House on Friday.

"There's a lot of blood, bad blood, with the two presidents. And I'm not speaking out of turn when I say it's very, a very difficult situation," Trump said.

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He said they wanted to make it comfortable for everyone and that in one way or another, all three sides - meaning Russia, Ukraine and the United States - would be involved, but this may be done separately.

Trump also said he would rather end the fighting without providing Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine: "Hopefully we'll be able to get the war over with without thinking about Tomahawks." The US also needs the long-range cruise missiles, Trump said.

Zelensky has repeatedly called on Washington to provide Tomahawks, and was hoping Trump would approve the sale that would enable Kiev to take a more offensive stance as it fends off the full-scale Russian invasion, under way since 2022.

The day before the meeting with Zelensky, Trump spoke to Putin in a telephone call and held out the prospect of a personal meeting with him, saying he wanted to meet the Russian leader "probably in the next two weeks" in the Hungarian capital Budapest

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The two met in Alaska in August, without Zelensky and without any tangible results.

Trump said it was an honour to meet such a strong head of state as he welcomed Zelensky to the White House. Zelensky has "endured a lot," and the US had been through it with him, Trump said.

They got on very well, Trump emphasized at his third meeting with the Ukrainian president this year at the White House.

Before they met, Zelensky said he hoped Trump would bring about an end to the war. "President Trump has a great opportunity to end this war," he said, pointing to the US role in achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict in the Middle East.

At the same time, Zelensky said Putin does not intend to agree to a ceasefire.

US President Donald Trump (L) welcomes Ukrainian President Vladamir Zelensky ahead of their meeting at the White House. Andrew Leyden/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, with Zelenskyy in Washington to make his case for procuring American Tomahawk cruise missiles and other military assets.

"President Trump has a big chance now to finish this war," Zelenskyy said during a working lunch in the Cabinet Room with officials.

Tomahawks take center stage in Trump's Russia-Ukraine diplomacy

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The Ukrainian leader highlighted Trump's brokering of a fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East, and said he believed there was momentum to do the same to bring Russia's three-and-a-half year invasion to an end.

"That's why I hope that he will do this, and we will also have such big success for Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.

Tom Brenner/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: President Donald Trump welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as he arrives for a meeting at the White House in Washington, October 17, 2025.

Trump, who spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday in an hourslong phone call in which they agreed to plan to meet face-to-face in the coming weeks, said he wanted to see the fighting stop.

"We're in it to see that end and if we can end it quickly, and I think we can. ... We'll see what happens. But the war in the Middle East was far more complicated. We got that one done. And I think we have a good chance," Trump said.

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In a post on his social media platform after the meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump described it as "very interesting, and cordial," but said he thinks "it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL."

Referring to Russia and Ukraine, Trump said, "They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide! No more shooting, no more Death, no more vast and unsustainable sums of money spent."

Days before the meeting, Trump appeared bullish about potentially selling the long-range missiles to Ukraine as he expressed disappointment in Moscows continued onslaught. But after his call with Putin, Trump seemed more cautious and began to express concern about depleting the U.S. supply.

"That's a problem. We need Tomahawks and we need a lot of other things that we've been sending over the past four years to Ukraine," Trump said as he and Zelenskyy took questions from reporters on Friday.

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters - PHOTO: President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, October 17, 2025.

Trump acknowledged it would be an "escalation" to sell the coveted weapons to Kyiv, but said he and Zelenskyy would discuss it.

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"We'd much rather have them not need Tomahawks," Trump said. "Would much rather have the war be over, to be honest."

Zelenskyy floated the possibility of an exchange where if the U.S. provided Tomahawks to Ukraine, then Ukraine would provide the U.S. with their drones. When asked if that was something he would be interested in, Trump said yes.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Zelenskyy told ABC News' Mary Bruce that he believes Putin fears Ukraine acquiring the long-range missiles but acknowledged that it's possible he might not get them in the end, saying, "I'm realistic."

Zelenskyy also told reporters he agreed with Trump's social media post calling for both sides to "stop where they are."

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Zelenskyy said, "The president is right, and we have to stop where we are." He added, "Both sides have to stop, but between us, it's about Putin because ... we didn't begin this war."

Zelenskyy has described Tomahawks as a potential difference-maker in the conflict, as they would give Ukraine the ability to strike deep inside Russia. That prospect, Zelenskyy's said, could force Putin to negotiate.

"We want peace. Putin doesn't want. That's why we need pressure on him," he said.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images - PHOTO: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky listens during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his Cabinet at the White House, October 17, 2025, in Washington.

Trump talked more about his planned meeting with Putin in Budapest, saying the location was chosen because they both have a positive relationship with Hungary's Viktor Orban.

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When asked if Zelenskyy would join them, Trump said there was a "lot of bad blood" between Zelenskyy and Putin.

"I would say most likely it's going to be a double meeting. It'll be a double meeting, but we will have the President Zelenskyy in touch," Trump said.

Trump says he and Putin plan to meet again to discuss war in Ukraine

Trump last met with Putin in Alaska in August, a high-profile summit that included a military flyover but yielded no major breakthroughs.

Trump was asked on Friday if he was concerned that Putin is trying to buy more time with a second meeting.

"Yeah I am but you know, Id been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well," Trump said. "So its possible. Yeah, a little time. Its alright. But I think that I'm pretty good at this stuff. I think that he wants to make a deal."
By Laman Ismayilova



The book "19th Century Iravan Cuisine", produced by the Azerbaijan National Culinary Association as part of the "19th Century Iravan Cuisine" grant project, funded by the Azerbaijan State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations, has been presented in Baku.

The event was also dedicated to International Chefs Day, celebrated worldwide on October 20. Around 150 scientists, experts, students, and public figures attended the event.

Speakers at the event discussed the significance of the book.

Moreover, participants of the culinary and pastry courses of the State Employment Agency at the Azerbaijan National Culinary Association, along with students from the Baku State Vocational Education Center for Techniques and Technologies, presented dishes and sweets from the Iravan cuisine. They were awarded certificates for their contributions.

The event concluded with a book signing and distribution ceremony.

It should be noted that the book, prepared by Tahir Amir Aslanov and Aynura Amir Aslanova, focuses on the restoration and historical-ethnographic research of the culinary gems, dishes, and sweets of Azerbaijan's national cuisine, which have evolved over centuries in the region of Western Azerbaijan and were later appropriated by the Armenians.

The book is based on the manuscript of Aligulu Zeynalov, a master who was born in Iravan in 1884 and owned a restaurant and pastry shop there from 1913 to 1922.

The publication uses 85 sources and includes 97 recipes, covering dishes, sweets, beverages, cooking methods, photographs, miniatures, paintings, and state postal stamps.

The cover design of the book was created by artist Nigar Aliyeva. This publication is an invaluable resource for scholars, researchers, cultural workers, as well as culinary enthusiasts interested in learning about our national cuisine.

The book "19th Century Iravan Cuisine" also serves as proof of our historical presence in Iravan.
Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson ANS Prasad on Friday slammed Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin's 'believers only' Diwali greeting, asserting that the DMK government lacks even the basic grace to offer greetings for Hindu festivals. Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson criticised Udhayanidhi Stalin for extending Diwali wishes exclusively to "those who have faith," alleging that it reflects the DMK's persistent anti-Hindu stance. Prasad further alleged that Udhayanidhi Stalin's Diwali message constitutes a direct insult to Hindus in Tamil Nadu and across the world. In a statement, Psasad said, "It's common knowledge that the DMK is an anti-Hindu party. Once ensconced in power, they are duty-bound to treat every citizen with absolute equality. The Constitution, meticulously crafted by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, underscores this imperative with unyielding clarity. Yet, the DMK regime lacks even the basic grace to offer greetings for Hindu festivals, choosing instead to spew unrelenting vitriol exclusively against the Hindu faith," Prasad added, urging immediate political accountability. He also referenced previous remarks attributed to Udhayanidhi Stalin regarding Sanatan Dharma, calling the Deputy Chief Minister a provocateur targeting Hindu traditions. Hitting out at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, ANS Prasad asserted that as the Chief Minister, he embodies the collective voice of every Tamil Nadu resident. "No one anticipates festive wishes from MK Stalin in his capacity as DMK chief--nor are they warranted. But as Chief Minister, he embodies the collective voice of every Tamil Nadu resident. The party leader may indulge his personal prejudices and animosities. The Chief Minister, however, cannot afford such luxuries. To do so would flagrantly violate the foundational tenets of the Indian Constitution. He must regard all citizens as equals, without exception. Chief Minister MK Stalin must, at long last, internalise this fundamental truth," the ANS Prasad said. "And yet, Chief Minister MK Stalin never fails to shower greetings on every festival of other religions without exception. He extends them even to celebrations rooted in faiths imported from distant shores. We do not decry this--we embrace it. We commend it wholeheartedly," Prasad later added. The BJP spokesperson emphasised that, as per the Constitution, all citizens must be treated equally, and political leaders must refrain from personal biases while in office. "But in Tamil Nadu, where over 60 million Hindus call home, Chief Minister MK Stalin doggedly refuses to extend even a token greeting to Hindu festivals alone. This blatant discrimination demands our fiercest outrage. It is in precisely this toxic milieu that reports have surfaced of his son and Deputy Chief Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, smugly declaring, "Diwali greetings to those who have faith," Prasad said. "Diwali is the joyous triumph of Hinduism's core tenet: No matter how fiercely adharma rears its monstrous head, dharma shall prevail in the end. It is this very truth that goads the forces of darkness--those arrayed against righteousness--to relentlessly deride and demean the festival," he added. The Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson called for strong political repercussions and an unapologetic backlash against both Udhayanidhi Stalin and the DMK government, asserting that such discriminatory conduct cannot go unchecked. "They may bask in illusory victories today. But ultimate defeat is their inexorable destiny. I extend my unreserved and vehement condemnation to this virulently anti-Hindu DMK government, which forfeits even the semblance of decorum in acknowledging a Hindu celebration, and to Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin," Prasad said. (ANI)
President Donald Trump really doesn't like former National Security Adviser John Bolton. At the beginning of his administration, Trump signed an executive order specifically banning Bolton from receiving a security clearance because of the "grave risk" Bolton posed to national security. And on Thursday, the president celebrated as the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted Bolton under the Espionage Act.

"He's, you know, a bad person. I think he's a bad guy," Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday. "Yeah, he's a bad guy, too bad, but that's the way it goes, right?"

The indictment accuses Bolton of sending "diary-like entries" containing top secret material to two unnamed individuals, one of whom is a relative of Bolton, via a private message app and personal email accounts. With eight counts of transmission of national defense information and ten counts of unlawful retention of national defense information, Bolton faces a maximum sentence of 180 years in prison.

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The indictment also claims that a "cyber actor believed to be associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran" hacked into Bolton's email account, which contained the top secret messages. Alleged Iranian operatives have pulled off several high-profile email breaches over the past few months, including the leak of Vice President J.D. Vance's opposition research dossier and an email trove containing many of Jeffrey Epstein's communications.

"I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose [Trump's] abuse of power," Bolton said in a statement to the media, before surrendering himself on Friday morning to a federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland.

In a press release, FBI Director Kash Patel denied that the indictment was political retaliation. "The case was based on meticulous work from dedicated career professionals at the FBI who followed the facts without fear or favor. Weaponization of justice will not be tolerated, and this FBI will stop at nothing to bring to justice anyone who threatens our national security," he said.

Bolton was the face of the first Trump administration's foreign policy until September 2019, when the ultra-hawkish consigliere had a dramatic falling out with the president. Foreign leaders would "give me everything I wanted because the guy's a nut job," Trump later said of Bolton, but Bolton's hardline stances "set [the administration] back very badly" during sensitive diplomacy with North Korea.

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What really angered Trump was Bolton's decision to write a salacious tell-all memoir, The Room Where It Happened, about his time in the Trump administrationand to publish it against the White House's objections. The DOJ sued to stop the publication and opened a criminal investigation into Bolton's handling of classified information, then dropped both the civil and criminal cases in 2021, after President Joe Biden took office.

Trump's 2025 executive order specifically pointed to Bolton's book as evidence of his danger to national security. The order accused Bolton of "reckless treatment of sensitive information" for "monetary gain."

Several sources told CNN that the current indictment came out of a years-long investigation into Bolton's email account that is separate from the investigation into his book. According to the indictment, Bolton's office informed the government about the alleged Iranian hack in July 2021 without mentioning the classified information in his emails.

One irony of the case is that Trump himself was charged with mishandling classified information in 2023 after he took home boxes of White House documents. That case was dismissed in 2024, after he won the presidential election. On Wednesday, he publicly called for the prosecution of Jack Smith, the special counsel who filed the 2023 charges against Trump.

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Mark Zaid, a national security lawyer who specializes in tough cases involving classified information, called the indictment of Bolton "far, far weaker (and more customary of conduct by senior govt officials) than allegations against President Trump in stealing & storing marked classified documents at Mar-a-Lago."

Another irony is that, despite their personal falling out, Bolton has politically gotten everything he wanted. Within its first year, the second Trump administration has bombed Iran and authorized a regime change campaign in Venezuela, two of Bolton's obsessions during the first Trump administration. In fact, much of Bolton's frustration towards Trump came from his feeling that Trump wasn't serious enough about these projects.

"The President vacillated and wobbled, exacerbating internal Administration disagreements rather than resolving them, and repeatedly impeding our efforts to carry out a policy," Bolton wrote in The Room Where It Happened. (Wobbled, you say?) Bolton complained about Trump's "indecision" on Venezuela and "irrational" order to cancel a planned attack on Iran.

Now that Trump is back in the White House, his administration seems much more determined to carry out his willwhether that's attacking countries Bolton doesn't like or jailing Bolton himself.

The post Trump's DOJ Indicts John Bolton for Leaking Classified Information appeared first on Reason.com.
POLITICAL AFFAIRS: Strong support from one president or one party is a valuable asset. However, Trump will not be in the White House forever.

Former US vice president Kamala Harris, in her campaign memoir 107 Days, writes that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not repay former president Joe Biden for his loyalty to Israel.

He wanted Trump in the seat opposite him. Not Joe, not me, she wrote. Events of the past week explain why.

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While US President Donald Trump was working to end the Israel-Hamas War, bring the hostages home, and expressing genuine passion for Israel in a freewheeling 65-minute speech to the Knesset, Harris was refusing to rule out that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza.

In a Sunday interview on MSNBC, Harris  who fell 2.3 million popular votes and 86 electoral votes short of becoming the 47th US president  was asked about the genocide accusation.

Her reply: It is a term of law that a court will decide, but I will tell you that when you look at the number of children who have been killed, the innocent civilians that have been killed, the refusal to give aid and support  we should all step back and ask this question and be honest about it, yeah.

Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris gestures as she addresses the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's 47th Annual Leadership Conference in Washington U.S., September 18, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/TOM BRENNER)

In other words, maybe theres something to the genocide charge.

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Last year, Steven Pinker  a Harvard University cognitive psychologist, linguist, and popular science author  called that accusation a modern-day blood libel.

In a Free Press podcast interview that was widely circulated this week on social media, he said: It is a blood libel in the sense that, as an accusation of deliberate murder, it is ill-founded. One could disagree with Israels campaign against Gaza and say its not justifiable, its not a just war, but thats still different from deliberately murdering as many people as possible. We know what real genocides look like. No, I think it really is a terrible blood libel.

Is it any wonder, then, that  as Harris writes with a tone of exasperation in her memoir  Netanyahu preferred Trump in the Oval Office rather than her? Especially since, just before the election, she refrained from shutting down a similar accusation hurled at one of her rallies.

When a keffiyeh-clad protester at the University of Wisconsin in October 2024 shouted at her, What about the genocide? Harris responded: What hes talking about  its real. Its not the issue I came to discuss today, but its real, and I respect his voice.

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Contrast that with what Trump said in his Knesset address: I love Israel. Im with you all the way.

Or this: Thanks to the bravery and incredible skill of the Israeli Defense Forces and Operation Rising Lion, the forces of chaos, terror, and ruin now stand weakened, isolated, and totally defeated.

And this: The story of fierce Israeli resolve and triumph since October 7 should be proof to the entire world that those who seek to destroy this nation are doomed to bitter failure.

It is sentiments like these  backed by a long list of pro-Israel actions over two terms, including moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights, recognizing Jewish rights in Judea and Samaria, brokering the Abraham Accords, and striking Iran alongside Israel  that led Netanyahu to declare in the Knesset: Donald Trump is the greatest friend that the State of Israel has ever had in the White House. No American president has ever done more for Israel, and, as I said in Washington, it aint even close. Its really not a match.

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That, in essence, is why Netanyahu wanted Trump sitting opposite him  and not Harris. The difference could hardly be sharper. That contrast says much about where Israel now finds itself  at the height of American support, yet also more dependent on Washington than ever before.

What would have happened if Harris won?

Imagine, for a moment, what Israels situation would be had Harris won the election in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, thereby winning the presidency in 2024.

Would Israel have had a relatively free hand to wage the war in Gaza as it saw fit  not a completely free pass, given Trumps demand in July that Israel increase humanitarian aid, but still considerable leeway? Doubtful.

Could Jerusalem have struck in Iran? Doubtful.

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Would the US have joined in? Highly unlikely.

Would Washington have continued providing the arms needed to fight a seven-front war? Probably, but at a slower pace and with plenty of strings attached.

Would the US have shielded Israel diplomatically at the UN and elsewhere, as its isolation deepened? Not to the same degree.

For Israel, Trumps election in November turned out to be exceptionally well timed.

Trump became only the fourth US president ever to address the Knesset  following Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. But Trumps speech stood apart, not only for its tone but because it symbolized how this particular chapter in US-Israel relations differs from all that came before.

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One can argue  and many, especially among American Jews, do  about whether Trump is good for America, or even for American Jews. A May poll among Jewish registered voters found that 52% described him as antisemitic, and that 74% of Jews disapprove of his job performance.

But it is hard to argue that he hasnt been good  or, as Netanyahu said, great  for Israel.

A Gallup poll last month  before Trumps popularity among Israelis surged even higher after brokering the current ceasefire deal  found that 76% of Israelis approve of the job performance of the US leadership. Thats one of the highest ratings of Washington by any OECD member ever recorded, reflecting the sharp divergence between Israeli and American Jewish attitudes toward Trump.

The level of Israeli support for Trump reflects the dynamic shaping this moment: Israel has never had such a pro-Israel president  and has never been so dependent on one.

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That combination creates a paradox. Trumps friendship is genuine, his record unmistakable, and his pro-Israel instincts clear. After all hes done  and given the circle of advisers around him, from Steve Witkoff to Jared Kushner to Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth  few in Jerusalem still worry that he might suddenly turn on Israel. He now has a track record, and its as strong as it is consistent.

The concern lies elsewhere. First, it is that Trumps intense embrace of Israel has made Israel a hyper-partisan issue in America. In todays polarized climate, anything Trump loves, his detractors instinctively recoil from. And since he so visibly and vocally loves Israel, that dynamic has bled into public perception: for many Americans now, Israel has become a Trump cause.

The second concern is that this unprecedented support  at a time of wider Israeli isolation in the world  has also created unprecedented dependence.

WHEN TRUMP was asked recently whether Netanyahu had signed off on his Gaza ceasefire framework, he replied: He was fine with it. Hes got to be fine with it. He has no choice. With me, you got to be fine. That line captures the new reality perfectly. Netanyahu must be fine with Trump  because he has nowhere else to turn.

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Following Novembers election, Trump emerged not only as president but with a Republican sweep of both the House and Senate. Historically, this is not Israels preferred scenario.

Jerusalem has generally been more comfortable with a divided US government  the kind that allows an Israeli leader to balance between Congress and the White House, as Netanyahu did during the Obama years. When then-president Barack Obama pursued policies he opposed, Netanyahu could go around him, appealing directly to Congress  as he famously did in his 2015 address to Congress against the Iran deal.

That is not possible now. With Republicans united behind Trump, and Democrats distancing themselves, Israel has no alternate channels of influence. This dependence gives Trump unparalleled leverage  and he is well aware of it.

In a CNN interview on Wednesday, Trump was asked what would happen if Hamas refused to disarm, as it is obligated to do under the current agreement.

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I think about it, Trump responded. Israel will return to those streets as soon as I say the word. If Israel could go in and knock the crap out of them, theyd do that.

In other words, Israel cant if he says not to; it needs Trumps permission.

I had to hold them back, Trump said. I had it out with Bibi.

THIS LEVEL of dependence significantly narrows Israels room for independent action. Weve already seen that in real time.

During the war with Iran in June, when Trump called on Israel to halt its bombing after he declared a ceasefire, Israeli jets en route to Tehran turned back.

Earlier this month, after unveiling his Gaza plan, Trump said Israel needed to stop its strikes in Gaza City to allow for a hostage deal. Within three hours, the bombing stopped.

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When Trump instructed Netanyahu to apologize to Qatar after the Doha attack on Hamas leaders, could he say no? Not really.

The new reality is that Trumps warmth toward Israel carries weight far beyond words. His backing has translated into a level of influence in Jerusalem no American president has ever enjoyed.

After France, Canada, Australia, and several other Western nations recognized a Palestinian state last month, there was renewed talk in Israel of annexing parts of Judea and Samaria. Trump quickly took that off the table.

Most Israelis, across party lines, oppose a Palestinian state  the Second Intifada and October 7 disabused many of the notion that it is still a viable option. Yet the 19th point of Trumps 20-point ceasefire plan explicitly states that once Gaza reconstruction advances and the Palestinian Authority reforms itself, conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.

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The wording is careful  hypothetical, distant  but nonetheless plants a seed. Netanyahu agreed to include it. Why? Because, as Trump said, he has to be fine with the president.

And that is the bottom line: There has never been a president as pro-Israel as Trump. But there has also never been a time when Israel has been so dependent on one man, and so unable to say no to him.

Strong support from one president or one party is a valuable asset. However, Trump will not be in the White House forever, and Israel already needs to begin thinking about how it can once again recapture a steady, bipartisan relationship with the US that can endure beyond any one political moment.

Its not going to be easy, especially given Americas generational and demographic shifts. Harriss genocide remarks show just how difficult it will be. But still, the effort must be made  even now, even as Israel is basking in the warmth of a president unabashedly and unapologetically on its side.
Experts say the Trump administration's deal to increase access to in vitro fertilization, or IVF, by reducing fertility medication costs could be a game-changer for women and families in the U.S.

President Trump announced Thursday that the federal government had struck a deal with pharmaceutical company EMD Serono to lower the cost of some fertility medications, such as Gonal-F, which typically cost thousands of dollars.

The plan could benefit millions of Americans, including people facing fertility challenges due to a health condition such as cancer. Approximately 9% of men and about 11% of women of reproductive age in the U.S. are estimated to have some kind of fertility issue, according to CDC statistics. Globally, about 1 in 6 couples of reproductive age face fertility challenges in their lifetime, according to the World Health Organization .

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Below are key takeaways from Thursday's announcement.

STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images - PHOTO: A woman injects herself for ovarian stimulation in an undated stock photo.

What is the discount on fertility drugs?

For people who choose to buy fertility medications "directly from TrumpRx.gov," the White House says they can get "a discount equal to 796% of the deal price."

"Low- and middle-income women (those with incomes below 550% of the Federal poverty level) will receive an additional discount totaling 2,320% of the deal price when purchasing from TrumpRx.gov," the administration added.

Trump announces deal to reduce cost of specific IVF medication

What is the impact of reducing fertility drug costs?

Fertility drugs are only one part of the broader umbrella of assisted reproductive medicine, but lowering the financial burden of prescription medications can mean more people, including people facing health conditions that impact fertility, can have the option of realizing their dreams of having families in the long run.

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"There will actually be new babies born because of this initiative," Dr. Zev Williams, director of Columbia University Fertility Center in New York, told ABC News.

"There'll be patients able to preserve their fertility before going through cancer treatment, who ... otherwise might not have been able to. There's a lot of really great things that will result from this," Williams said.

How common are fertility drugs?

For couples and women experiencing infertility or facing a fertility issue, fertility treatments like IVF -- where a woman's eggs are retrieved, fertilized with sperm outside the body in a lab, and then transferred back into her uterus via the cervix -- can be one option to grow their families.

For a long time, IVF and other fertility treatments like intrauterine insemination, or IUI, have been an expensive option, in part because of the drugs used in such treatments, such as Gonal-F, a prescription drug that mimics how follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH) naturally work in a woman's body.

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"These drugs are ubiquitous. These are the standard medications that patients use, not just when they're doing IVF, but even when they're doing things like egg freezing for fertility preservation," Williams said.

"The high cost of IVF medications has really been one of the biggest barriers that families have been facing," Williams added.

How expensive are fertility drugs?

Fertility drugs often cost thousands of dollars, and for many, they aren't covered by insurance. Many who undergo fertility treatments might also need to undergo multiple rounds of treatment, so the costs can quickly add up.

According to a study by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, one IVF cycle costs about $12,000 on average, though some studies put it closer to $20,000$25,000, and the total cost can top $60,000 in the most expensive areas of the country.

When are the fertility drug discounts available?

The Trump administration and drugmaker EMD Serono estimate that the discounts for fertility medications will be available starting in January 2026.

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"EMD Serono will participate in the TrumpRx.gov direct purchasing platform, which will go live in January 2026," the pharmaceutical company said in a news release. "Patients will continue to be able to access all EMD Serono's fertility medicines through the company's existing pharmacy network and through an expanded network in January 2026."

By the Numbers: Rising costs of IVF for Americans

Anyone considering fertility treatments and fertility drugs should talk to their doctor about their options.

But for those where such drugs may be a good option, Williams called the deal "very practical and compassionate" and one that could "make an immediate impact for patients."

"Fertility, just the experience of it, is so, so difficult," said Williams. "The treatments for it can be challenging, and then on top of that, there could be this financial burden. And so, to be able to make this better is really, I think, a very wonderful thing."
President Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to uphold his deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago.

His lawyers filed an emergency appeal urging the court to set aside rulings of judges in Chicago and hold that National Guard troops are needed to protect U.S. immigration agents from hostile protesters.

The case escalates the clash between Trump and Democratic state officials over immigration enforcement and raises again the question of using military-style force in American cities. Trump's lawyers have repeatedly gone to the Supreme Court and won quick rulings when lower-court judges have blocked his actions.

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Federal law authorizes the president to call into service the National Guard if he cannot "execute the laws of the United States" or faces "a rebellion or danger of rebellion against the authority" of the U.S. government.

"Both conditions are satisfied here," Trump's lawyer said.

Judges in Chicago came to the opposite conclusion. U.S. District Judge April Perry saw no "danger of rebellion" and said the laws were being enforced. She accused Trump's lawyers of exaggerating claims of violence and equating "protests with riots."

She handed down a restraining order on Oct. 9, and the 7th Circuit Court agreed to keep it in force.

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Read more: Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from deploying troops in Portland

But Trump's lawyers insisted that protesters and demonstrators were targeting U.S. immigration agents and preventing them from doing their work.

"Confronted with intolerable risks of harm to federal agents and coordinated, violent opposition to the enforcement of federal law, the President lawfully determines that he is unable to enforce the laws of the United States with the regular forces and calls up the National Guard to defend federal personnel, property, and functions in the face of ongoing violence," Solicitor Gen. D. John Sauer wrote in a 40-page appeal.

He argued that historically the president has had the full authority to decide on whether to call up the militia. Judges may not second-guess the president's decision, he said.

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"Any such review [by judges] must be highly deferential, as the 9th Circuit has concluded in the Newsom litigation," referring to the ruling that upheld Trump's deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles.

Trump's lawyer said the troop deployment to Los Angeles had succeeded in reducing violence.

"Notwithstanding the Governor of Californias claim that deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles would 'escalat[e]' the ongoing violence that California itself had failed to prevent ... the Presidents action had the opposite, intended effect. In the face of federal military force, violence in Los Angeles decreased and the situation substantially improved," he told the court.

Read more: Trump says Chicago mayor, Illinois governor should be jailed amid militarized campaign

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But in recent weeks, "Chicago has been the site of organized and often violent protests directed at ICE officers and other federal personnel engaged in the execution of federal immigration laws," he wrote. "On multiple occasions, federal officers have also been hit and punched by protesters. ... Rioters have targeted federal officers with fireworks and have thrown bottles, rocks, and tear gas at them."

"More than 30 [DHS] officers have been injured during the assaults on federal law enforcement at the Broadview facility alone, resulting in multiple hospitalizations, he wrote.

Officials in Illinois blamed aggressive enforcement actions of ICE agents for triggering the protests.

Sauer also urged the court to hand down an immediate order that would freeze Perry's rulings.

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The court asked for a response from Illinois officials by Monday.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Oct. 17The Hot Springs School District Board of Trustees unanimously voted Wednesday to hand over the investigation into a school employee accused of embezzling funds to law enforcement.

A recent audit found that former school district Clerk and Business Manager Carmen Jackson gave herself unauthorized payroll advances, made personal purchases with the district's credit cards and granted herself additional pay and stipends totaling more than $13,500.

Jackson has since resigned from the district and was replaced by Barkley Flynn.

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A member of the audience at a June 11 meeting brought the financial irregularities to the board's attention, according to a video posted on the district's website.

Superintendent Gerald Chouinard told the Daily Inter Lake he later sifted through credit card statements and noticed a few odd purchases. He contacted the school district's legal counsel, attorney Elizabeth Kaleva, who recommended launching an investigation.

The audit, initiated in July and conducted by Todd Watkins, investigated the 2024-25 fiscal year. These types of audits are costly, district officials said, and the investigation was limited to one year as a starting point. Flynn said this audit alone is expected to cost the school district $5,000.

Hot Springs Watchdogs, a self-described nonpartisan community group, demanded a complete forensic audit investigation in a news release.

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"The Watkins report confirmed what many in the community feared  a lack of oversight allowed one individual too much unchecked control over public funds," the group said in a statement "The investigation did not go back far enough and took a very cursory look of only one year."

Dozens of residents filled the seats during the board's hour-and-a-half meeting on Oct. 15, pinging board members with questions and concerns. Many wanted to know why the school district's annual audit, which costs $20,000, failed to catch any of the report's findings.

"Where is that auditor?" said Tammy McAllister. "Get them in here. They owe us money."

Chair Ricky DePoe said annual exit meetings are held with the auditor and are open to the public. He encouraged people to attend.

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Still, DePoe said he agreed with McAllister.

"That's the first question I have," DePoe said. "What are we paying $20,000 for?"

Trustees also announced that the school district's 14 credit cards were canceled following the investigation, and five new cards were recently opened. During their regular monthly board meeting on Oct. 8, trustees voted to create a finance committee, which will review a quarterly report on the district's credit cards.

Trustee Chuck Stephens told the Inter Lake the new committee's membership has yet to be determined.

During Wednesday's meeting, community members remained unsatisfied with the report, arguing it failed to answer questions, such as how many credit cards were used and what benefits Jackson may have received.

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One man demanded to know whether there will be a warrant for Jackson's arrest.

"That's where we go with legal counsel," DePoe said, "to hopefully understand that more with law enforcement, to find out what is the next step."

Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 758-4439 or [email protected].
Chicago  the city of deep-dish pizza, world-class museums, the Bean and Sears (Willis) Tower  has had a new, unusual claim to fame: the Roscoe Village Rat Hole. However, a recent study found the famed Rat Hole may not actually have come from a rat.

The concrete imprint of what looks like a full-bodied rat has been part of a Chicago neighborhood sidewalk for decades, but it didnt hit fame until January 2024, when comedian Winslow Dumaine posted a photo of it on X. The image quickly went viral, sparking interest in a new Chicago tourist attraction.

Had to make a pilgrimage to the Chicago Rat Hole pic.twitter.com/g4P44nvJ1f  Gatorade Should Be Thicker. (@WinslowDumaine) January 6, 2024

Tourists and locals flocked to see the rodent imprint, leaving offerings like coins, flowers, figurines and even medication at the site, according to the study. The spot inspired a proposal, a marriage and hundreds of posts on TikTok.

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However, not everyone was so enchanted, and the influx of visitors drew complaints from neighbors. In April 2024, the Chicago Department of Transportation stepped in, removing and replacing the sidewalk slab  much to the dismay of fans who had affectionately dubbed the imprint Splatatouille in a naming contest, a nod to Disneys rat chef film, Ratatouille.

The slab is now being kept on the 11th floor of City Hall, as reported by local news station Fox 32.

The squirrely culprit

Over a year later, science has weighed in.

Researchers, led by Michael Granatosky, analyzed the imprint to uncover its true identity. Their conclusion? The hole probably isnt a rat at all, but a squirrel.

A squirrel climbs down a tree on the campus of Utah State University in Logan on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News

Using photos and scans of the sidewalk slab, the team compared the imprint to specimens of brown rats, house mice, Eastern grey squirrels, eastern chipmunks, muskrats, white-footed mice, fox squirrels and southern flying squirrels. Despite the lack of a bushy tail imprint  researchers noted hair would have been too thin to mark the concrete  the data suggested a 98.67% likelihood that Splatatouille was made by a squirrel. Based on local species, the researchers estimated a 50.67% chance it was an eastern grey squirrel and a 48% likelihood it was a fox squirrel.

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What a great way to get the public excited about nature and the world around them, Granatosky said, per CNN.

What we wanted to demonstrate is how difficult it is, even when youre given a near-perfect scenario, to make really good findings off of these imprints, he continued.

A Chicago icon, whatever the species

The study authors concluded with a suggestion that the hole be rechristened the Windy City Sidewalk Squirrel  a name more fitting of its likely origins and more aligned with the evidence at hand.

Despite the scientific revelation, city officials arent rushing to change the imprints nickname.

This Friday, June 15, 2012, file photo, shows the Chicago skyline. | Carolyn Kaster, Associated Press

With great respect to the scientific community, the Rat Hole is part of Chicago lore now, much like the Sears (Willis) tower and Comiskey Park (Rate Field), Ryan Gage, director of public affairs for the city of Chicagos Department of Streets and Sanitation, told CNN. We arent so sure people will be swayed by the study to refer to it as anything else.

Whether a rat or a squirrel, the Roscoe Village imprint has firmly cemented itself as a Chicago landmark.
Bangladeshs ousted prime minister could face the death penalty over her alleged role in a crackdown that left about 1,400 people dead.

Sheikh Hasina, the 78-year-old aunt of the Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, is on trial before the South Asian countrys international crimes tribunal on charges of crimes against humanity.

Prosecutors have demanded that she be put to death if found guilty of ordering state forces to use lethal weapons against protesters.

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Ms Hasina also allegedly ordered the incineration of bodies and denial of medical treatment during the crackdown, which led to mass killings and violence against women and children. She has denied all charges.

The UN human rights office estimates that up to 1,400 people were killed in Ms Hasinas attempts to crush the uprising, which ended her 15-year rule.

The unrest, which started in July last year, began as a protest against civil service job quotas for relatives of veterans from the 1971 war of independence. It soon escalated into a nationwide movement demanding her resignation.

On Aug 5, Ms Hasina fled by helicopter before protesters stormed her residence in Dhaka.

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On the same day, security forces killed at least 52 people in a busy Dhaka neighbourhood  one of the bloodiest incidents in Bangladeshs history.

Her premiership was marked by widespread accusations of election-rigging to maintain her hold on power and human rights violations such as extrajudicial killing, extensive arbitrary arrest, torture and enforced disappearance, including of children.

Tulip Siddiq (right), who resigned from the Government in January, has said she is the victim of an orchestrated campaign - Justin Tallis/AFP

Maynul Karim, a prosecutor, said his team had gathered phone records, audio and video clips, and witness testimonies linking Ms Hasina directly to the atrocities.

We can prove beyond any doubt that she deserves the death penalty, he said. On the basis of command responsibility, the killings were executed under her direct order.

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The court has issued arrest warrants for Ms Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan, the former interior minister, who are both believed to be in India.

Chowdhury Abdullah al-Mamun, the former police chief, has been arrested and pleaded guilty in July, but has not been given a sentence.

He said in his confession that Ms Hasina ordered the extermination of protesters using helicopters, drones and lethal weapons, which he carried out by commanding security forces, according to Mr Karim.

We are optimistic that we can convince the court that she be put on death row, Mr Karim added.

Tajul Islam, the chief prosecutor, said Ms Hasina deserved 1,400 death sentences. He told the court: Since that is not humanly possible, we demand at least one.

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Her goal was to cling to power permanently, for herself and her family. She has turned into a hardened criminal and shows no remorse for the brutality she has committed.

On Sunday, Ms Hasinas defence will start their argument, and are likely to conclude it next week. A final judgment is expected by mid-November.

Ms Hasina also faces having her properties confiscated and auctioned off under the charges, with proceeds distributed to victims of last years uprising. Her state-appointed lawyer argues that the police were forced to open fire in response to violent actions from the protesters.

She has already been sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court, and also faces corruption charges.

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Ms Siddiq is separately being tried in absentia in Bangladesh having been accused of influencing her aunt to secure plots of land for her family. The MP has denied all charges.

Bangladesh is due to hold its next elections in February which will see Hasinas rival party BNP as frontrunner.

Her Awami League party has been banned from all activities, including participating in elections.

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TUPELO  A Tupelo man faces felony charges after trying to pass a fraudulent check at a branch bank.

Police responded to Renasant Bank branch at 210 South Industrial Road on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Employees told the responding officers that a suspect entered the bank and attempted to cash a check from a local business. Thinking something was suspicious, bank personnel contacted the business listed on the check. When representatives of the business arrived at the bank a short time later and confronted the suspect, he fled on foot.

The investigation led to the Oct. 12 arrest of Adam W. Jones, 31, of Tupelo, was arrested and charged with one count of uttering a forgery. When booked into the Lee County Jail, Jones listed his address as Fellows Road, Columbus. He was ordered held on $5,000 bond.
Japan's unstable political landscape is expected to cast doubt over its diplomatic commitments and could hinder progress in its trilateral summit with China and South Korea, analysts have observed.

Uncertainties are mounting as the path to the Japanese premiership for recently elected Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takaichi has been complicated by the abrupt exit of the LDP's junior coalition partner, Komeito.

Takaichi, aiming to be Japan's first female prime minister, remains short of the 233 votes she needs in the country's House of Representatives.

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But an alliance with Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) and its 35 seats could bring her to 231 votes, just two shy of the majority threshold - a scenario that would likely allow her to secure victory in a run-off vote if an initial ballot failed to produce an outright winner.

As the LDP and Takaichi look for more support, analysts have described Japan's political landscape as more turbulent and fragmented than ever.

They added that regardless of who became the next prime minister, no single political party would be able to maintain a stable government, which in turn would undermine Japan's ability to take part effectively in major diplomatic events and could stall momentum in the country's trilateral framework with China and South Korea.

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"If the international community does not see a new Japanese government capable of maintaining its power, its influence in shaping regional cooperation could diminish, which could also affect the substance of bilateral talks with other countries, such as South Korea and China," said Wang Guangtao, deputy director of the Centre for Japanese Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai.

Amid the uncertainty, Wang wondered whether the newly resumed trilateral leaders' summit involving Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing could be held this year, noting Japan was set to host.

Zhang Yun, a professor specialising in northeast Asian affairs at Nanjing University, said Japan's unstable domestic politics could hurt the administration's foreign policy credibility and "directly affect how others perceive its declared commitments".

At their most recent trilateral summit, held in May last year, the neighbours pledged to boost cooperation to keep supply chains stable and work together on denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

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A volatile political situation could hinder functional cooperation within the trilateral framework, according to Zhang, who said stability at a basic level was needed to make progress.

Rintaro Nishimura, senior associate at The Asia Group, a consultancy, said that as no single party in Japan could maintain a stable government, more stakeholders would take part in the decision-making process, complicating the next leader's policymaking.

Nishimura said Komeito's absence from the ruling coalition should be closely watched for how multilayered diplomatic engagements with China's Communist Party were affected.

Komeito had long served as a gateway to exchanges between China and Japan, he explained, even when ties were strained. The Japanese party regularly sends delegations to China and holds talks with senior Chinese officials.

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"With that pipeline out of the ruling parties' reach, it remains to be seen how this affects engagements with China, especially as the LDP continues to deepen high-level exchanges with Taiwan," Nishimura added.

If elected prime minister, Takaichi would be the first woman to lead Japan's government. Photo: Kyodo alt=If elected prime minister, Takaichi would be the first woman to lead Japan's government. Photo: Kyodo>

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-ruled island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.

Several significant diplomatic events are due to take place just days after Japan elects its new leader this month, including the next summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations scheduled for October 26 to 28 in Malaysia.

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Meanwhile, officials in Washington and Tokyo are tentatively planning for US President Donald Trump's visit to Japan ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit in South Korea at the end of this month.

Nishimura pointed out that Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of Japan's Democratic Party for the People and mentioned as a prime minister contender, previously belonged to a group of lawmakers promoting Japan-South Korea relations.

Tamaki has stated in the past that he would like to make the relationship his "life's work", suggesting the ties could be developed predictably, Nishimura added.

For Tokyo's two neighbours, a Tamaki premiership would be less hawkish than Takaichi's yet more hawkish than [caretaker Prime Minister Shigeru] Ishiba's, according to Walter Hatch, a professor of government at Colby College in Maine and an expert on Asian politics.

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"He is LDP-ish," Hatch said of Tamaki, adding: "He mostly follows Japan's right-of-centre party line: close alignment with the United States on security and a large increase in defence spending to counter perceived threats from China and North Korea."

Wang of Fudan University said that if Tamaki became the new prime minister thanks to a united opposition bloc, he would need to work with the other parties to coordinate policy.

"This could create some manoeuvring room for policy towards China and South Korea."

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.
Syria has reportedly elected to only use the equipment on its northern border, to avoid further stoking the already tense relations with neighboring Israel.

Turkey has reportedly agreed to supply the Syrian regime with military equipment in exchange for Damascus allowing Ankara to target Kurdish militant groups on Syrian soil, anonymous Turkish officials told Bloomberg on Friday.

The supply of weapons will reportedly see the transfer of armored cars, drones, artillery, missiles and air-defense systems in the next several weeks, the officials said.

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Syria has reportedly elected to only use the equipment on its northern border to avoid further stoking the already tense relations with neighboring Israel.

The weapons shipments are said to be Turkeys way of backing the Islamist regime of HTS, which has been accused of orchestrating genocides against Syrias Druze community and consolidating power behind Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Israel struck many of Syrias military assets after the fall of the Assad regime, leaving Damascus looking at newly formed allies to bolster its military strength.

Syrian Democratic Forces commander Khalil Qahraman surveys the Tishreen Dam on the Euphrates River in northern Syria, June 7, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Orhan Qereman)

Turkey seeking to hit Kurdish group

Turkey also has a vested interest in strengthening the regimes northeast border, which neighbors Turkey, and is currently controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, according to the Bloomberg report. Parts of the SDF are also affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) - a separatist group considered to be a terrorist group by Turkey, the US, and the European Union.

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PKK announced in May that it would disarm and disband, but the process has been slow as the group waits to see if Turkey will meet Kurdish demands.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) must abandon its "separatist agenda," a day after the group's leader and Syria's government announced a ceasefire.

At a press conference in Ankara alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, Fidan said the Syrian leadership could now fight Islamic State on its own in the country, meaning foreign states must change their approach on the matter.

Syria'a defense minister and SDF's commander said on Tuesday they had agreed a comprehensive ceasefire on all fronts in northern and northeastern Syria.

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Damascus and Ankara have also reportedly discussed deepening their existing security agreement, which allows Turkey to strike Kurdish militant groups near the Turkish border. Turkey wants to extend the permitted range to 30 kilometers, from 5 kilometers now, the officials said.

Ankara also wants the Sharaa to restrict SDFs access to oil and gas fields over apparent concerns the funds are being channeled to the PKK, the officials added.

Reports of the potential deal also follow clashes between Damascus and SDF forces across two districts of Aleppo city.

SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami accused government factions of attempting to enter two Kurdish-held districts of Aleppo with tanks.

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He denied accusations that SDF personnel had targeted checkpoints, saying the group had no forces in the two neighborhoods of Ashrafiya and Sheikh Maqsoud.

Farhad called for the lifting of what he described as a siege, warning that the governments actions were a dangerous escalation that worsens the plight of local residents.

The SDF has stepped up raids in several majority-Arab towns under its control, saying the operations targeted Islamic State sleeper cells. The raids, along with an accelerated campaign to recruit youths for military conscription, have triggered an outcry among some Arab tribal groups who accuse the SDF of discrimination, a charge the group denies.

The Syrian army redeployed along several frontlines with the Kurdish-led group in northeast Syria, the Defense Ministry said on Monday, following the announcement of a ceasefire between SDF and Sharaas forces, saying the move was not a prelude to military action but to prevent repeated attacks and attempts by the SDF to seize territory.
The accused has been identified as Rajendra Kumar. He was wanted in the rape case and had a reward of Rs. 25,000 over his head.

The authorities arrested Lalit Kashyap (33), son of Radhelal and resident of Harnoi village in Lucknow, along with Meraj (20), son of Babukhan from the same village, by another police team.

Police said that earlier arrests were also made in the case. Lalit Kashyap (33), along with Meraj (20), was arrested earlier this month.

On Thursday, the police team from Banthara Police Station and the Surveillance Cell Zone South spotted the third accused while conducting a check by setting up a picket on the Bhatgaon Pandey to Hullaskheda road under the Harnoi outpost area, police said.

The officials noticed a suspicious man walking from Bhatgaon. When the suspect was signalled to stop, he opened fire on the police team. The officials quickly took action, and in self-defence, the suspect was shot in the leg, they added.

The police recovered one pistol, one live cartridge, and two empty cartridges from the possession of the accused.

The nabbed accused has been sent to a hospital for treatment.

Further investigation is underway. (ANI)
ANDREWS COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A coordinated law enforcement operation in Andrews resulted in the seizure of narcotics, firearms, and the arrest of two individuals this week, according to the Andrews Police Department.

On Thursday, October 16, officers executed a search warrant at a home in the 300 block of NW Avenue B after what officials described as an extensive narcotics investigation.

During the search, investigators seized 581 grams of cocaine and seven firearms. Authorities said two people were taken into custody on various charges connected to the investigation.

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The joint operation was led by Andrews Police, with support from the Andrews County Sheriffs Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas Highway Patrol K-9 Unit.

Officials said the investigation was part of a proactive effort to disrupt drug trafficking and other criminal activity impacting the community.

This operation demonstrates our ongoing commitment to reducing the availability of dangerous drugs, seizing illegally possessed firearms, and enhancing public safety across West Texas, the agencies said in a joint statement.

The case remains under investigation, and authorities have not yet released the names of those arrested.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin.
(The Center Square)  Climate change is impacting rising insurance rates and access to mortgages, says two members of Congress from North Carolina and Rhode Island.

Climate change is now hitting family pocketbooks and in a big way, said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.

Whitehouse and Rep. Deborah Ross, D-N.C., say the dominos fall by way of storms, insurance and property values.

Climate change isnt just about melting icebergs, Ross said amid hosting Whitehouse and stakeholders from industry and environmental groups in Raleigh. "Its also about higher costs for homeowners insurance. Renters and homeowners from Rhode Island to North Carolina and beyond know this.

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In October, the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission Science Panel prepared the 2024 Sea Level Rise Science Update for the state Department of Environmental Quality. This analysis predicts a 1-foot sea level rise in the next 25 years.

Threats include flood frequency; rising groundwater tables; saltwater intrusion; and threats to infrastructure and ecosystems. North Carolina Sea Grant reports only 15% of saltmarshes have kept pace with sea level rise in the last 30 years.

Coastal counties Carteret and Brunswick averaged about 16% increases in 2025 for homeowners insurance, with another 15.9% projected next year. Thats far lower than the 99.4% requested of the North Carolina Rate Bureau. More inland, Duplin and Lenoir counties in the Coastal Plains have increases for about 13.6% this year and 13.5% next.

The Department of Insurances last rate settlement was in 2021 and lasted through 2024. The next filing wont happen before June 1, 2027.

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Mortgages for the most part reflect the national market. North Carolina has a high share of vacation and rental properties along its 320 miles of ocean shoreline. North Carolina law enacted by the Republican majority Legislature in July 2024 requires disclosure of being in a flood zone during a sale of property.

In Rhode Island, Pawtuxet River flooding is being examined. Calls have been made to expand the analysis to the Woonasquatucket and Pocasset rivers. Total direct premiums for homeowners insurance increased 53% from 2013 to 2022, a report from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners says.

Rhode Island has seen our rivers flood from massive rain bursts, Whitehouse said. Weve seen our coastal communities hit by ocean storms and sea level rise. Those are familiar things to North Carolina, and its starting to land in peoples homeowners insurance, either in increased cost or in nonrenewals.

And then that hits your home mortgage, and then that hits the value of your property."
By Vincent Mumo and Giulia Paravicini

NAIROBI (Reuters) -Two people were killed and more than 160 others were injured in a stampede at the state funeral of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga in Nairobi on Friday, aid group Doctors Without Borders said.

The funeral for Odinga, who commanded a passionate following in the East African nation, drew huge crowds to Nairobi's Nyayo National Stadium and heavy security was in place.

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During the ceremony, some members of the crowd surged forward to view Odinga's body, crushing mourners, Kenyan broadcaster NTV reported, without providing further details.

"Our teams are there helping to provide treatment and evacuate the injured," a Kenya Red Cross spokesperson told Reuters, adding that further details were not immediately available. The police did not immediately answer calls.

In a statement, Doctors Without Borders said two people were killed in the melee and more than 160 others were injured. It was not immediately clear if all the injuries - which included blunt trauma and fractures - were linked to the stampede.

The fatalities followed three deaths on Thursday when security forces fired shots at mourners who breached a gate at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi during a public viewing of Odinga's body.

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The former political prisoner was a major figure for decades in Kenyan politics and ran unsuccessfully for president five times. He died aged 80 on Wednesday in India, where he had been receiving medical treatment.

At Friday's service, thousands of mourners waved white handkerchiefs and danced under large banners with Odinga's portrait. Others blew whistles and vuvuzelas in honour of the man they referred to as "Baba," or father in Swahili.

Kenya President William Ruto attended Friday's service which included military honors.

People have taken to the streets to pay their respects and celebrate Odinga since early Thursday, with mourners storming the country's main airport when the plane carrying his body arrived. That prompted a two-hour suspension of flights.

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Odinga's body will be taken for burial on Sunday in his homestead in western Kenya, where he commanded particularly deep devotion among members of his Luo tribe, many of whom believe he was cheated of the presidency by electoral fraud.

Though mainly known as an opposition figure, Odinga became prime minister in 2008 and also struck a political pact with former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018, and with Ruto last year in a career of shifting alliances.

(Reporting by George Obulutsa, Vincent Mumo, Giulia Paravicini and Ammu Kannampilly; editing by Toby Chopra and Cynthia Osterman)
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) Crews in Portsmouth responded to a fire in the Craddock section of the city Friday morning.

According to officials, crews were called to the 100 block of Emmons Place just after 10 a.m. for the report of a residential structure fire. When crews arrived, they found a two-story apartment building with a well involved fire in the rear of the structure that extended to one additional living unit.

Crews made an aggressive interior attack on both apartments and were able to stop the fire from spreading to additional units. The fire was marked under control at 10:29 a.m.

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Two people are now displaced and will be receiving assistance from the Red Cross. No one was injured.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Chesapeake and Navy Regional firefighters assisted with the fire.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
NEWPORT, N.H. (ABC22/FOX44)  Newport authorities said Thursday that two men were taken back into custody after an investigation determined they had allegedly sexually assaulted an underage girl and broke into her home with a knife.

Newport police say they initially responded to the girls 911 call on September 28 and took two men into custody.

They say that one man, Jose Ricarte, 21, was charged with misdemeanor simple assault, while the other, Andy Nowel, 20, was not charged and only kept in protective custody because he was intoxicated.

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U.S. Forest Service stationing helicopter in Lebanon

Both men are from Fall River, Massachusetts. Nowel was later released.

Police say they continued to investigate, interviewing witnesses and analyzing evidence, and say that they found probable cause to believe that the girl was sexually assaulted before she called 911.

Nowel had reportedly returned to Fall River, where he was arrested and extradited back to New Hampshire. Ricarte, who was already at the Sullivan County House of Corrections, was also charged.

Both men were arraigned in Newport on charges of aggravated sexual assault. Ricarte is also facing a charge of burglary.

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New Hampshire officials warn about job-seeking scams

Anyone with possible information about this case is directed to contact Officer Jack Matarese of the Newport Police Department at (603) 863-3232 or jmatarese@newportnh.gov.

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.
(Reuters) -An explosion at an eight-storey apartment building in Romania's capital Bucharest collapsed floors, killing two people and injuring 12 on Friday, local media reported.

The blast broke windows at a nearby high school, news website Hotnews.ro reported. The explosion completely collapsed two floors and affected others below, local media said.

At least two died and 12 were injured, news website Biziday.ro cited emergency services and the health ministry as saying. Teams were searching the blast site for others trapped, Biziday said.

(Reporting by Jason Hovet;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
(Reuters) -Two migrants died after their boat collided with a rocky shoreline on the Greek island of Chios late on Thursday, Greece's coast guard said on Friday.

Fire service crews initially rescued five people from the site, including two who were unconscious, the coast guard said. Subsequent searches on land located 24 more migrants in the surrounding area.

Authorities said 12 people were taken by ambulance to Chios General Hospital, where two unconscious women were pronounced dead. The remaining 17 people were transferred to the Chios Reception and Identification Center.

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Greece was on the front line of a migration crisis in 2015 and 2016, when more than a million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa crossed into Europe.

Since then, migrant flows have ebbed. Greece has recently toughened its migration rules, following a resurgence of arrivals from Libya via the islands of Crete and Gavdos.

(Reporting by Antonis Pothitos; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus.)
LANSING  Two Michigan State Police sergeants have sued the department, alleging promotions at the MSP's Flint post continued to be unlawfully manipulated, even after an exam-rigging scandal there ended several careers.

Sgts. Jeffrey Rodgers and Craig Winnie sued the MSP and the Flint post commander at the time they applied for promotions, 1st Lt. Fahad Qureshi, in the Michigan Court of Claims, on Oct. 3. The sergeants allege violations of their state constitutional rights to due process and to be free from government actions that "shock the conscience." Each seeks unspecified monetary damages.

The MSP is facing a barrage of lawsuits over its promotion practices and personnel policies and both the union representing troopers and the union representing command officers have taken overwhelming votes of nonconfidence in the MSP's two top leaders, Col. James Grady and Lt. Col. Aimee Brimacombe.

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In separate lawsuits, Rodgers and Winnie, both military veterans who say they have received numerous awards and commendations during their MSP careers, allege they were the only two candidates who met the Feb. 12, 2025, deadline to apply for a vacant assistant commander's position at the Flint post, which would result in a promotion to lieutenant for the successful applicant. Therefore, the job should have gone to one of them, the lawsuits allege.

But Qureshi made statements indicating he had arbitrarily rejected their applications and then extended the deadline so a favored candidate, who attended recruit school with Qureshi, could apply, the lawsuits allege.

"Notwithstanding the Flint Post promotional scandal and the public attention it garnered, the Michigan State Police continues to violate" state civil service requirements that promotions "shall be based on merit, efficiency, and fitness," the lawsuits allege.

Shanon Banner, a spokeswoman for the MSP and Grady, said Oct. 17 that all state departments are required to follow federal law and state civil service rules in hirings and promotions. Banner said a complaint about the 2025 appointment of the Flint assistant post commander was sustained after an internal affairs investigation, but "the sustained violation did not call into question the selection process or affect its outcome." Banner did not immediately respond to a follow-up question asking whether any discipline resulted from the sustained investigation.

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Qureshi, who Banner said was promoted to inspector and moved to Third District headquarters in August, did not respond to an Oct. 16 email seeking comment.

Kevin Kelly, a Saginaw attorney representing both sergeants, said Oct. 16 that he finds it "quite shocking that they wouldn't have put measures in place to prevent this," following the Flint scandal. "It's cronyism," he said. "This stuff has been going on for decades, but they're getting caught more frequently now."

Qureshi in 2024 replaced former 1st Lt. Yvonne Brantley as Flint post commander. Brantley retired to avoid being fired after investigations determined she was providing favored candidates with advance copies of promotion exam questions, in a scandal that began before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer named Grady the MSP director in September 2023.

Seven MSP promotions between 2019 and 2023 were tainted because the successful applicants were given the exam questions in advance, records the Detroit Free Press obtained in 2024 under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act show.

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In addition to Brantley's forced retirement, one Flint assistant post commander was fired, another retired to avoid discipline, and an assistant commander at another post was demoted to trooper. Also, two sergeants and a trooper were fired, demoted or resigned.

The lawsuits allege that Qureshi created a false pretext to extend the application deadline in order to appoint Lt. Donald Pisha, who had not applied for the job before the original deadline. According to the lawsuit, Pisha attended the same recruit school as Qureshi and Lt. Ty Purdy, an assistant post commander at Flint.

A trooper overheard Qureshi saying that it would be remarkable to have himself, Purdy, and Pisha together running the Flint post after "we all sat next to each other in recruit school," according to the lawsuit.

Pisha and Purdy did not respond to emails seeking comment Oct. 16.

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Rodgers joined the MSP in 2008 after he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marines, according to the lawsuit. He was promoted to detective sergeant in 2020 and his MSP record includes a Citation for Bravery, two Life Saving Awards, and multiple awards for professional excellence, according to the lawsuit. While employed at MSP, he earned an associate degree in criminal justice and completed leadership training, the suit alleges.

Winnie joined the MSP in 2010 after he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force, according to the lawsuit. He was promoted to sergeant in 2021 and his MSP record includes a Life Saving Award, two Third District Commendation Awards and a 2017 Samuel A. Mapes Award, awarded to troopers who are proactive in road patrol and criminal investigations, according to the lawsuit.

On Oct. 15, the Detroit Free Press reported that the MSP's former chief diversity officer, Sarah Krebs, sued the MSP and Grady in federal court Oct. 14, alleging that Grady and other top officials subjected her to retaliation and harassment when she pushed back against hiring policies she saw as unlawful.

This story has been updated to add new information.

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2 sergeants sue MSP, allege rigged promotions continue at Flint post
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha left early Friday for Kalmykia, Russia, to lead a delegation returning the holy relics of Gautam Buddha after a week-long exhibition. The exposition will be held in the capital city of Elista, the capital city of Kalmykia, from October 11 to 18. In a post on X, LG Sinha thanked PM Modi for giving him this "sacred opportunity." https://x.com/OfficeOfLGJandK/status/1978919201780711847 "Leaving for Kalmykia, Russia, where I will lead the delegation to bring back holy relics of Lord Buddha after a week-long exposition. I sincerely thank the Hon'ble PM @narendramodi Ji for this sacred opportunity. AUM nmo buddhaay!," he wrote. Earlier, National Museum Director General Gurmeet Singh Chawla and the delegation of 11 senior Indian monks also offered prayers before departing for Kalmykia for an exposition. International Buddhist Confederation Director General Abhijit Halder said, "... It is certainly going to strengthen the relationship between the two countries because Buddhism has been popular in Russia... Keshav Prasad Maurya is leading the delegation, and upon their return, Manoj Sinha will escort the delegation back. We have 11 monks from the Theravada and Mahayana traditions... We have the good honour that the 43rd Sakya Trizin Rinpoche is accompanying us." On leading the delegation, 43rd Sakya Trizin, Gyana Vajra Rinpoche said, "I feel honoured. This is a great initiative taken by the government. It will help our Russian brothers and sisters... I hope the Indian government will take the relics to all parts of the World..." The Ministry of Culture is organising the exposition with the International Buddhist Confederation, the National Museum, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. The Sacred Relics will be enshrined in the main Buddhist monastery in Elista, known as the Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery, also called the 'Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha.' The Holy Relics exposition, a first in the Russian Republic, is organised by the Union Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), the National Museum, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA). The Holy Relics will be received by the Head of the Buddhists of Kalmykia, Shajin Lama of Kalmykia, Geshe Tenzin Choidak, Batu Sergeyevich Khasikov, Head of the Republic of Kalmykia and other eminent Buddhist Sangha members, a release said. It may be recalled that it was the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, the revered Buddhist monk and diplomat from Ladakh, who played a pivotal role in reviving Buddhism in Mongolia and, subsequently, was also instrumental in reintroducing interest in Buddha dharma in the three regions of Russia, namely Buryatia, Kalmykia, and Tuva. The Kalmyks are descendants of the Oirat Mongols who migrated from Western Mongolia in the early 17th century. Their history is deeply tied to nomadic lifestyles, which influences their culture. They are the only ethnic group in Europe that practices Mahayana Buddhism. Kalmykia hosted the 3rd International Buddhist Forum from September 24 to 28, 2025, in its capital, Elista. The holy relics of the Buddha have been taken to Mongolia, Thailand, and Vietnam in recent times. The Piprahwa relics at the National Museum were transported to Mongolia in 2022, whereas the holy relics of the Buddha and his two disciples, enshrined at Sanchi, were taken for exposition to Thailand in 2024. In early 2025, the holy relics of the Buddha from Sarnath were transported to Vietnam. The relics for Russia are enshrined in the 'Buddhist Gallery' of the National Museum in New Delhi for veneration. The holy relics being taken to Kalmykia belong to the same family of relics based in the National Museum. (ANI)
A food pantry is established for workers who are going without pay during the government shutdown at Salt Lake International Airport in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

When the last government shutdown happened at the end of 2018 and beginning of 2019, the Salt Lake City Airport was at its old location and less prepared to help out the federal workers who still had to show up for their shifts without a paycheck.

Thats a situation that airport administrators said they promised to handle better. Thursday morning, after an appropriations approval from the Salt Lake City Council, one step of that goal was materialized with a pantry dedicated to federal staff, including agents in the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection lines.

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Not only Salt Lakers and Utahns rely on (the workers), but people from all over the globe, because Salt Lake International Airport is more connected around the world than its ever been in the past, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said. We need these federal employees to be well, to feel supported, to know that were grateful for them, and to show up to work.

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The U.S. Congress hasnt agreed on a funding plan for the federal government, pausing some government operations and temporarily leaving federal workers without salaries.

The airport, which Salt Lake City owns, filled a hallway of its offices with all kinds of household items, including dried and canned food, diapers, hygiene products and pet food to help relieve that pressure. Soon, the offerings will also include gift cards for gas and other needs, Bill Wyatt, director of the Salt Lake City Department of Airports, said.

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The public can also get involved, dropping off non-perishable food at a donation facility the airport is setting up at the airports gas station.

There was a high level of utilization last time, and I would just say, on a personal level, a high level of gratitude, Wyatt said.

Let us know what you think...

Administrators are using airport funds to cover the cost of the pantry. While officials have spent about $6,000 in the initial effort, they asked for a $100,000 appropriation from the Salt Lake City Council.

We dont have yet any gift cards or gas cards. We will be including that. But with those kinds of numbers, it will go pretty fast, Wyatt said. If we need to, well go back. We have the support of our airlines, who ultimately are paying a good part of the bill here. But if you park at the airport, if you rent a car at the airport, if you buy gas at the station out there, while youre making your donation, youre helping us raise the resources to do this.

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The pantry may help about 450 TSA workers in the Salt Lake City International Airport, and about 30 from Customs and Border Protection, Wyatt said. Air traffic controllers arent able to accept gifts for conflict of interest reasons.

Currently, the airport is still running smoothly, but officials worry frustrations will grow deeper among federal workers the longer the shutdown holds.

However, other airports across the country have experienced disruptions during the shutdown, a factor that could also affect Salt Lake travelers, Wyatt said.

Its a problem for us, because the airspace that we all share as passengers is a national airspace, and thats how its managed, he said. So its one thing to say were not experiencing shortages of workforce here at the moment, but it doesnt really make any difference if the places that youre going to are struggling.

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Mendenhall pleaded with passengers to bring an extra dose of patience while visiting the airport.

Give some grace to these federal employees, share your gratitude with them. Theyre showing up for the well being of every single one of us, and theyre not getting paid at this point, she said.

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While the summer vacation season is officially over, the U.S. is continuing to closely monitor various international destinations across the globe.

As part of their new assessment of geopolitical events, the State Department has revised their travel advisory warnings for eight new countries, as per the agency's official homepage.

In particular, the government has shared new travel warnings for Maldives, Equatorial Guinea, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Ecuador, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia.

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Breaking down these new changes, the U.S. has updated the travel levels for Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania, each of which retain a travel advisory of level 1.

Meanwhile, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Sri Lanka and Maldives have been changed to include a level 2 travel warning.

Most of the reasons for these changes come as a result of crime, kidnapping and/or terrorism within the country.

Maldives' latest travel update specifically owes to increased instances of terrorism within the country. Equatorial Guinea's new change comes as a result of health crises and crime rates inside the nation.

In contrast, Sudan has been updated to the far more severe level 4 "do not travel" warning, the highest the agency uses for international travel.

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Above all else, the U.S. has warned citizens against traveling to Sudan owing to civil unrest, higher crime rates, kidnapping terrorism and health threats within the country.

"Armed conflict continues in Sudan. This includes heavy fighting among the Sudanese Armed Forces, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, and various armed militias," the agency said of Sudan.

"The situation is violent, volatile, and extremely unpredictable, particularly in the Kordofan and Darfur regions, as well as in the capital region, including Khartoum and Omdurman."

While the U.S. has maintained a level 4 advisory level for Sudan, the department has recently changed due to poor access to adequate healthcare inside the country.

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"Medical services in Sudan are extremely limited," the agency said. "Adequate medical treatment for routine and emergency procedures is often not available. Even minor health issues could require medical evacuation at the travelers expense."

This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The United States Department of State updated its "Do Not Travel" warning for the African nation of Sudan on Wednesday.

There are four levels to U.S. travel advisories. Level 1 simply tells citizens to exercise normal precautions when traveling there and is reserved for nations that are generally safe. Level 2, meanwhile, tells travelers to exercise increased caution.

Level 3 is more severe, advising people to reconsider travel to that location, only venturing there is they absolutely have to. Level 4 is the highest--"do not travel"--and warns travelers not to go to a certain country, period.

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The United States has issued more than 20 Level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisories, including one to Sudan, which was put in place on April 22, 2023 due to "armed conflict, civil unrest, crime, terrorism, and kidnapping." America also suspended its embassy operations in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, in April 2023 as well.

Yesterday, the State Department added another risk indicator to its Sudan "Do Not Travel" warning: health.

The latest on the Sudan "Do Not Travel' advisory

In addition to encountering issues such a civil unrest, terrorism and crime, U.S. travelers to Sudan could potentially face problems related to health and medical situations.

"Medical services in Sudan are extremely limited," the State Department travel update reads. "Adequate medical treatment for routine and emergency procedures is often not available. Even minor health issues could require medical evacuation at the travelers expense. Make sure you have medical or travel insurance that includes medical evacuation."

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If for some reason you absolutely must go to Sudan, the State Department asks that you check with your doctor about any vaccinations and other shots you may need before your trip. You can also check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for the latest Travel Health Information for Sudan.

This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Oct 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The University of Michigan Board of Regents voted Thursday, Oct. 16, to reverse a controversial change it made last year to the student discipline process.

In July 2024, the board eliminated an automatic right of students found responsible for non-academic misconduct to appeal their verdict. Instead, it gave the school the power to determine if an appeal was warranted.

University of Michigan's Shut It Down party's Alifa Chowdhury speaks as students walk out for to protest university administration's proposed disruptive activity policy at U-M's Diag in Ann Arbor on Thursday, April 4, 2024.

The change came after months of campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war. At least 11 pro-Palestine activists have been charged under the process with things like disrupting university functions or failing to vacate after a police order. They say the process, spelled out in the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities, has been used to punish their activism, even after criminal charges were dropped.

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In a note to regents recommending a return to the old process, school President Domenico Grasso said that last year's change had been made "in an effort to streamline and simplify the Statement."

"The proposed change would restore an appeals board to the Statements appellate process," Grasso wrote. "This change reinstates the pre-July 2024 language regarding appeals and provides timeframes to govern the appellate process."

The discipline process involves a hearing where the students are accused of misconduct. They have the chance to defend themselves. If they are found responsible, the equivalent of a guilty verdict in a courtroom setting, they can face sanctions like probation, suspension, expulsion and bans from re-enrolling.

Before July 2024, students had a right to appeal that decision to a panel made up of three people:

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A student appointed by the Central Student Government

A faculty member, appointed by the Faculty Senate

An administrator appointed by the school president

Some of the activists say they're pleased to see that appeal right return, though they still say the process is fundamentally flawed because any verdict can be overriden by the Vice President of Student Life, Martino Harmon.

"We've seen Martino Harmon put his thumbs on the scales of justice before," said Kathleen Brown, a graduate student who is appealing a finding in her case. "It is still fatally flawed, he should not have that ability."

Zainab Hakim, 22, of Canton, is one of the protesters who went through the process when it still included an appeal. The resolution officer recommended no discipline and the appeals panel agreed. Then Harmon overruled the appeals panel and found her responsible.

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Another protester charged with misconduct, Henry Mackeen-Shapiro, told the Free Press the process was "a giant circus that they are orchestrating."

The process has drawn the attention of U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, who visited the campus in August to thank the students for having the courage to protest.

"The public needs to know what they're doing to all of you," Tlaib said. "Charges were dismissed by the Attorney General. They don't care. They're gonna go ahead and create their own process to prosecute you for saying Gaza needs to live and that children in Palestine need to grow old."

Others have questions about the way the administration made the change last year and the change back. One version of a proposed amendment posted on the regents' agenda earlier this week kept language from July 2024 that made the appeal at the discretion of the resolution coordinator.

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"The (resolution coordinator) will determine if there are grounds for appeal," that version of the policy read. It appears that version was replaced sometime Tuesday or Wednesday with the new wording, which returns the right as it was before last year's change.

Kaitlin Karmen is a graduate student in classical studies who serves on the Student Relations Advisory Committee, a group charged with reviewing and recommending amendments to the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities (SSRR).

She said this isn't the first time things have changed quickly without notice. The normal process to amend the SSRR is for the committee to meet once every three years. The committee takes proposed amendments from students, facutly and others, evaluates them and then votes on changes to be forwarded to the university president.

The president then decides which ones are presented to the regents for a vote. But former President Santa Ono and regents ignored that process in July 2024.

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"These new policies were adopted without input or advice from faculty, staff, or students," the Faculty Senate wrote in a letter to the Regents, criticizing the change, in August 2024.

Karmen said when the committee was doing its work this time, it voted unanimously on several proposed amendments to bolster student rights that were rejected by Grasso and never made it to the regents for a vote.

Several of them were rejected by Grasso, who listed his rationale as: "This amendment is rejected as it would impermissibly overturn a 2024 modification to the statement adopted via regental vote."

Karmen said the regents and the administration have disregarded the work of the committee.

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"I think it demonstrates that they have no respect for this process," she said. "They specifically have no respect for any kind of collective community decisions and any kind of popular consensus."

The school did not respond to a Free Press request for an interview with an administrator to discuss the reasons for the change.

Still, Karmen said the decision to return the right to appeal is a step in the right direction, one that she and others have been urging for months.

"I think this is just another demonstration of the fact that they're feeling the pressure from organizers," Karmen said. "Whether that be student organizers, or community organizers, or folks that are within the Faculty Senate, in the labor world as well. So I think they're feeling the pressure."

Contact John Wisely: jwisely@freepress.com. On X: @jwisely

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: U-M reinstates appeal rights for student discipline
The head of the U.S. military's Southern Command will retire later this year, a high-profile departure that comes as the Trump administration strikes alleged drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean and puts pressure on the Venezuelan government.

Adm. Alvin Holsey announced his retirement from the U.S. Navy in a statement posted to social media on Thursday. He said he is retiring after 37 years in the Navy in mid-December  just over a year after he was first promoted to lead Southern Command, or SOUTHCOM.

"I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe," Holsey wrote.

Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander of U.S. Southern Command, speaking at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee at the U.S. Capitol. / Credit: Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via AP Images

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth thanked Holsey for his service, and said his time at SOUTHCOM "reflects a legacy of operational excellence and strategic vision."

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SOUTHCOM's area of responsibility includes much of Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean Sea. It's an increasingly active territory as the Trump administration deploys naval warships, fighter jets and thousands of troops to the Caribbean as part of an anti-drug trafficking mission.

Since last month, the military has carried out six known boat strikes. The most recent took place on Thursday, and unlike in other strikes that were announced by President Trump, some of the passengers survived, a U.S. official told CBS News.

The administration has argued the strikes are justified as part of a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels. But some members of Congress have questioned the administration's legal justification and pressed for more evidence that the boats were carrying drugs.

The attacks have also contributed to increased tensions with Venezuela, as the U.S. accuses the country's President Nicolas Maduro of working with cartels. Maduro has denied the allegations and condemned the boat strikes, alleging Mr. Trump is seeking to foment regime change.

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The U.S. military flew three B-52 bombers within 150 miles of Venezuela on Wednesday. And in two separate incidents last month, Venezuela flew military aircraft near U.S. naval vessels in what Defense Department officials described to CBS News as a "game of chicken."

Mr. Trump told reporters Wednesday he is also weighing strikes on land-based drug traffickers, and he confirmed that he has authorized covert CIA action in Venezuela.

As the situation in the region intensifies, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called Holsey's departure "troubling."

"At a moment when U.S. forces are building up across the Caribbean and tensions with Venezuela are at a boiling point, the departure of our top military commander in the region sends an alarming signal of instability within the chain of command," the Rhode Island senator said in a statement.

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The U.S. military carried out a strike against an alleged Venezuelan drug cartel boat Thursday in international waters in the Caribbean, and for the first time there were survivors, according to a U.S. official.

The strike is at least the fifth the Trump administration has carried out against boats in international waters believed to be connected to Venezuelan drug cartels. At least 21 people were killed in four previous strikes, with no survivors.

NBC News has reported that U.S. lawmakers have grown concerned about the lack of information the White House is provided about the operations.

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On Wednesday, President Donald Trump made an extraordinary admission, confirming he had authorized the CIA to take unspecified action in Venezuela.

Why did you authorize the CIA to go into Venezuela? a reporter asked Trump at the White House.

I authorized for two reasons, really, he replied. No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America.

And the other thing are drugs," he added. "We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela.

The news came as Admiral Alvin Holsey, commander of the U.S. Southern Command which oversees U.S. military activity in Latin America and some 1,200 personnel, said he would retire later this year.

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Holsey said in a statement that he would step down Dec. 12 from the job he only began last November.

"The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so," he said. "I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe."

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in a statement on X that Holsey had "exemplified the highest standards of naval leadership," without mentioning any reason for his retirement.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, endorses during a Senate speech on Oct. 16, 2025, intensification of economic pressure on Russia and deployment of cruise missiles to Ukraine in an effort to end the war started by Russia in 2022. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of the U.S. Senate's YouTube channel)

TOPEKA  U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran reaffirmed Friday a belief that United States interests require delivery of long-range missiles to Ukraine and application of intense economic pressure on Russia to end its unjustified military invasion launched in 2022.

Moran, who has represented Kansas in Congress for more than a quarter century, said in a speech Thursday to Senate colleagues the war between Ukraine and Russia was a threat to stability of the United States.

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The Republican senator said there was merit to transferring American-made Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. Making the cruise missiles available to Ukraine would bring high-impact armaments within range of Moscow.

This weaponry will strengthen Ukraines ability to defend its territory, deter further Russian aggression and help level the battlefield as negotiations hopefully move forward, Moran said. By providing advanced, precision-strike systems, America demonstrates that our commitment to Ukraines sovereignty is backed not only by words, but by legitimate support that can alter the course of this war.

His remarks came after President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and before Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

As the conflict in Ukraine has surpassed the three-year mark, Putin remains undeterred in his mission to carry out his unjust war on the Ukrainian people, the senator said. Each day this war continues, lives are lost and the safety, economic stability and global leadership of the United States are threatened. This war must end.

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He commended the Trump administration for considering transfer of the missiles to Ukraine and for promoting conversations between Russia and Ukraine on finding a durable and just peace.

Bipartisan legislation pending in Congress should be adopted to intensify sanctions against Russias economy and trade, Moran said.

By cutting off the resources that allow Putin to fund this war, we can hasten the path to success in finding peace, he said. It is imperative that the United States stands firm in its support for Ukraine and, in doing so, places significant pressure on Putin to show our adversaries that democracy will not go undefended.
Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander of U.S. Southern Command -- which has overseen recent U.S. strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers -- will retire at year's end, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced, marking the latest high-ranking military officer to leave the service under the Trump administration.

Hegseth announced Holsey's retirement on X without giving a reason.

He praised the four-star admiral and first Black commander of SOUTHCOM for having "exemplified the highest standards of naval leadership" and for his "unwavering commitment to mission, people and nation."

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"His tenure as Military Deputy Commander and now Commander of United States Southern Command reflects a legacy of operational excellence and strategic vision," Hegseth said in the statement.

"The Department thanks Admiral Holsey for his decades of service to our country, and we wish him and his family continued success and fulfillment in the years ahead."

In a statement of his own, Holsey said his retirement will be effective Dec. 12.

"It has been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend the Constitution for over 37 years," he said.

"The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so. I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe."

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Holsey's announcement comes less than a year after he assumed the position in November. He took over from Gen. Laura Richardson, the first woman to lead SOUTHCOM, who also retired.

Military leadership has undergone a shake-up under the second iteration of the Trump administration, with several senior generals and admirals either fired, replaced or retired since January.

A day after his inauguration, Trump dismissed Adm. Linda Fagan, the first woman to serve as commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

In February, Trump fired Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Adm. Lisa Franchetti as chief of Naval Operations.

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Then in April, he fired Gen. Timothy Haugh, head of the National Security Agency.

In August, Gen. David Allvin announced he was retiring early as the U.S. Air Force chief.

The announcement of Holsey's retirement comes as President Donald Trump directed a series of military attacks targeting alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea.

At least 27 people have been killed in the half-dozen attacks since they began on Sept. 2.

Trump and his administration have said intelligence supports their actions, while critics argue that using the military to strike civilian noncombatants may violate U.S. and international law.

#SOUTHCOM Commander Adm. Alvin Holsey is in Antigua and Barbuda to meet with senior leaders to discuss defense cooperation and explore ways to advance security and stability in the Caribbean. Our efforts to strengthen partnerships in the Caribbean are vital to combat... pic.twitter.com/BjrqPAwY71 U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) October 14, 2025




STORRS - Graduate workers at the University of Connecticut are demanding transparency from university leadership as their union fights for a fair contract.

About 30 graduate workers represented by UConn GEU-UAW gathered on campus Friday to deliver a petition to the university president's office calling on the administration to agree to open and transparent contract negotiations.

The union, which represents more than 2,300 graduate employees and postdoctoral researchers at UConn, is specifically pushing back on a university proposal that members said bars them from publicly discussing their negotiations for a new contract.

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A university spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"We think, as workers at a taxpayer-funded institution, we should be able to talk to the public about what's going on," said Grace Easterly, president of UConn GEU-UAW.

Graduate workers across 61 university departments signed the petition rejecting the administration's proposal, union leaders said.

The current contract expires in June 2026, and they recently began negotiation sessions for a new contract that would determine their pay, benefits and working conditions for the next few years, Easterly said. But those negotiations have been stalled by the university's proposed "confidentiality rule," which she and other union leaders said restricts what either party can share throughout negotiations.

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"We reject this ... because what happens at UConn is Connecticut's business," said Olivia Bradberry, a union member and graduate assistant in the natural resources department, outside Gulley Hall on Friday. "The working conditions of graduate employees at UConn determine the quality of education here, and public higher education is the public's business."

With UConn and universities across the country dealing with federal research cuts, a crackdown on international students and other attacks, transparency and a fair contract are especially important to them, union members said Friday.

"At a time when government transparency and First Amendment rights are under attack at the federal level, we believe it is more important than ever that UConn commit to transparency and open discussion," the petition says.

State Rep. Gregg Haddad, D-Mansfield, was at the graduate employees' rally Friday and said he would stand with the workers through their negotiations. He said he was deeply concerned about the federal attacks on public and private higher education institutions across the country, as well as a lack of state support.

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"So good faith negotiations, transparent negotiations is the least we can do in this environment to make sure that we're doing the best for the University of Connecticut, the best for the people who work for it, and the best for the students that we're serving," Haddad said.

Union members said Friday that they were simply asking the university to adhere to the same norms as it did in previous contract negotiations, and the same ground rules as other public universities.

"No other public university in our region, including the University of Maine, the University of Vermont, the University of Massachusetts or the University of New Hampshire, has negotiated ground rules that restrict what either party can share throughout the process of negotiations," according to the petition.

The members said they would now wait for a response from the university and hope they could "get down to business" at the bargaining table, Easterly said.

This article originally published at UConn grad workers demand transparency from administration during union contract negotiations.
The University of Florida is arguing that a former law student's expulsion over what were perceived as antisemitic posts on social media didn't violate his First Amendment rights since his comments threatened students.

The crux of UF's argument, filed Oct. 10 in the Northern District of Florida, is that Preston Damsky was disruptive to the law school's daily functioning. Damsky, 29, was banned from campus since early April. That was after he quoted a controversial historian on X, saying that "Jews must be abolished by any means necessary."

Central to Damsky's complaint, filed in September, are two main points: He was applying the logic from author Noel Ignatiev, who calls for people to "abandon thinking of themselves as white," and that UF's regulations for harassment and disruption don't apply to expression protected by the First Amendment.

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But Damsky's lawsuit  which sparked coverage by The New York Times  is much more complicated than a basic free speech question.

At its core, the case tests how far a public university can go in disciplining a student for speech it deems threatening, while still upholding constitutional protections for expression. It raises thorny questions about whether Damskys words crossed the line from offensive opinion into a true threat, and how the First Amendment applies in higher education settings when safety and academic freedom collide.

He was thrown out of the university in August after a three-member board recommended his expulsion. Chris Summerlin, dean of students at UF, agreed with the recommendation; Damsky appealed to the school a month later and filed suit.

More: UF probes law student over 'abolish Jews' post, sparking free speech fight

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On Oct. 9, the day before UF filed its motion to dismiss the suit, Damsky's internal appeal was denied. UF argued in its filing that Damsky violated harassment and disruption codes of conduct codes, and that he didn't retain First Amendment rights because his post constituted a violent threat.

The university argued he knew students feared him, since someone complained about him in a town hall earlier this year, expressing fear of attending classes.

"While Damsky may have been familiar with the writings of Noel Ignatiev  not exactly a household name  most people are not. And Damsky never explained in his post that Ignatiev was not calling for violence (if that is so)," UF's filing to dismiss the lawsuit says. "Even someone familiar with Ignatiev's writings could properly regard the post as a threat.

"Damsky's threatening post caused material and substantial disruption at UF Law and for that reason, too, was not protected speech."

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Anthony Sabatini, the attorney representing Damsky, called UF's response "completely ridiculous."

"This is one of the most clear instances of targeting a student based on his viewpoint that I have ever seen," Sabatini said in a text message to the USA TODAY NETWORK  Florida.

A UF representative declined comment, saying the school doesn't comment on pending litigation. Damsky's suit was assigned to Trump-appointed Chief U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor.

First Amendment experts weigh in

One of the main questions to be answered in this case is whether there is evidence of violence from Damsky, since UF points to multiple different forms of speech in its argument, including wearing a T-shirt, a social media post and a class paper, said Kevin Goldberg, an attorney and First Amendment expert at the Freedom Forum.

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Goldberg said it's a high bar to determine whether speech itself falls into a true threat of violence or violence itself. He said that hate speech is often the basis for conduct that falls outside the First Amendment, like actual threats or discriminatory harassment, but the point is to look at what a person is trying to do with the speech.

He said many of the cases Florida was referring to didn't fall into the "true threats" argument, or that it was debatable whether one U.S. Supreme Court case  Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District  even applied to universities.

In that late 1960s case, the U.S. Supreme Court said students do not lose their First Amendment right to free speech when they step on school grounds. The court, in a 72 decision, held that schools can limit expression only if it causes a "substantial disruption" to the educational environment.

Proving a substantial disruption in a learning environment may be tough for UF to hold up: "You've really got to have a situation where the entire campus was kind of shut down and unable to move on from this," Goldberg said.

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Damsky also contacted the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a First Amendment advocacy group. Robert Shibley, FIRE's special counsel for campus advocacy, said at the time that he was "very concerned by the lack of due process" toward Damsky.

In a statement, Shibley said "nothing in UF's motion supports its claims that Damsky's speech on social media or in his papers is punishable by the First Amendment. UF is free to offer supportive measures to students and faculty members who were upset by Damsky's expression, but it is not free to punish Damsky for his opinions."

The widespead attention to UF's law school

UF described the law school to be in turmoil over Damsky's social media posts, where some students reportedly avoided signing up for classes he was in or were otherwise afraid to attend those classes.

Then The New York Times published a story, focused on Damsky being awarded a "book award" for his classwork and essay on "National Constitutionalism." The award was a recognition given to Damsky for getting the highest grade in the class.

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Damsky argued that the "We the People" in the U.S. Constitution's preamble referred to white people only, so he said higher courts should reconsider amendments guaranteeing due process, equal protection and voting rights.

Outrage ensued across the country by lawmakers, law students and advocacy groups because his views were widely considered as antithetical to democratic and American values.

More: Watchdog gives Florida 'D' grade for universities' free speech climate

After months of town halls and emails, UF's interim law school dean Merritt McAlister said in a June message to law students that the school was obliged to protect First Amendment rights and academic freedom. At the same time, Damsky's speech was "threatening and substantially disruptive." McAlister didn't respond to a request for comment.

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Damsky would have started his third year of law school in the fall. Some of the claims against him from the university not only focused on his X post, but also because he wore a T-shirt reading "From the river to the sea," which UF administrators called an "antisemitic message" in a letter to Damsky.

The saying is used as a political slogan referring to the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, often said by backers of a unified Palestinian homeland.

This is significant in Florida, since UF is an agency of state government. State officials have consistently been intolerant for anything perceived as antisemitic, and the state government has inveighed against pro-Palestinian protests and comments.

This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@gannett.com. On X: @stephanymatat.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Lawsuit tests free speech limits at University of Florida
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel met Governor Acharya Devvrat at Raj Bhavan on Friday to formally seek permission to organise the swearing-in ceremony for the new cabinet members. Sharing an X post, the Gujarat Governor wrote, "Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel ji visited Raj Bhavan today and paid a courtesy call. During this time, the Chief Minister acquainted with the current status of the Gujarat cabinet and sought permission to organise the swearing-in ceremony for the new cabinet members." This comes amid a significant reshuffle in the cabinet, with all 16 ministers, except CM Bhupendra Patel, resigning on Thursday. The new cabinet will take oath today at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, according to an official statement. Governor Acharya Devvratji will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the designated ministers included in this expansion of the State Cabinet during the ceremony. Gujarat BJP released a list of 26 ministers designate which included among others, Swaroopji Thakor, Pravenkumar Mali, Rushikesh Patel, Darshna Waghela, Kunvarji Bavaliya, Rivaba Jadeja, Arjun Modhwadia, Parshottam Solanki, Jitendra Waghani, Praful Pansheriya, Harsh Sanghvi and Kanubhai Desai. Gujarat can have a maximum of 27 ministers (15 per cent of the 182-member assembly), and the BJP aims to fill more of these positions. The Gujarat cabinet comprised a total of 17 (including the Chief Minister) Ministers, with 8 being cabinet ministers and 8 being ministers of state. The reshuffle is part of the BJP's efforts to rejuvenate its leadership in Gujarat ahead of future electoral challenges. Meanwhile, BJP National President JP Nadda reached Ahemdabad earlier today. The move to bring in new faces to the Gujarat cabinet comes just three years into the government's formation, and two years before the 2027 legislative assembly elections. According to Article 164(A) of the Indian Constitution, a state cabinet shall not exceed 15 per cent of the total strength of the legislative assembly. The minimum number of ministers (including the CM) allowed is 12. In the 182-member legislative assembly, there can be around 27 ministers. The cabinet expansion is seen as a strategic move to inject new energy into the administration and strengthen the BJP's governance framework in Gujarat. (ANI)
LONDON (Reuters) -The British government on Friday lost its bid to block the co-founder of pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action bringing a legal challenge over the banning of the group under anti-terrorism laws.

Huda Ammori, who helped found Palestine Action in 2020, was given permission to challenge the group's proscription on the grounds that the ban is a disproportionate interference with free speech rights, with her case due to be heard next month.

Britain's Home Office (interior ministry) then asked the Court of Appeal to overturn that decision and rule that any challenge to the ban should be heard by a specialist tribunal.

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Judge Sue Carr rejected the Home Office's appeal, saying challenging the proscription in the High Court was quicker, particularly where people have been charged and are facing trial for expressing support for Palestine Action.

The court also ruled that Ammori could challenge the ban in the High Court on additional grounds, which Ammori said was a significant victory.

"It's time for the government to listen to the overwhelming and mounting backlash ... and lift this widely condemned, utterly Orwellian ban," she said in a statement.

The Home Office did not immediately comment.

DIRECT ACTION GROUP BANNED IN JULY

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Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the government in July, making it a crime to be a member, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

More than 2,000 people have since been arrested for holding signs in support of the group, with over 100 charged.

Before the ban, Palestine Action had increasingly targeted Israel-linked companies in Britain, often spraying red paint, blocking entrances or damaging equipment.

It accused Britain's government of complicity in what it said were Israeli war crimes in Gaza. Israel has repeatedly denied committing war crimes in its two-year military campaign, which began after Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel and Hamas agreed a ceasefire last week.

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Palestine Action particularly focused on Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems, and Britain's government cited a raid by activists at an Elbit site last year when it decided to outlaw the group.

The group was banned a month after some of its members broke into the RAF Brize Norton air base and damaged two planes, for which four members have been charged.

Critics of the ban  including United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk and civil liberties groups  argue that damaging property does not amount to terrorism.

However, Britain's former interior minister Yvette Cooper, who is now foreign minister, previously said violence and criminal damage have no place in legitimate protest.

(Reporting by Sam Tobin, editing by William James; editing by Mark Heinrich)
LONDON (Reuters) -The British government on Friday lost its bid to block the co-founder of pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action bringing a legal challenge over the banning of the group under anti-terrorism laws.

Huda Ammori, who helped found Palestine Action in 2020, was given permission to challenge the group's proscription, with her case due to be heard next month.

Britain's Home Office (interior ministry) asked the Court of Appeal to overturn that decision and rule that any challenge to proscription should be heard by a specialist tribunal.

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Judge Sue Carr rejected the Home Office's appeal, saying Ammori's case could proceed in the High Court.

Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the government in July, making it a crime to be a member, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

More than 1,000 people have since been arrested for holding signs in support of the group, with over 100 charged.

Before it was banned, Palestine Action had increasingly targeted Israel-linked companies in Britain, often spraying red paint, blocking entrances or damaging equipment. It accused Britain's government of complicity in what it said were Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

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The group had particularly focused on Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems and Britain's government cited a raid at an Elbit site last year when it decided to proscribe the group.

Palestine Action was banned a month after some of its members broke into the RAF Brize Norton air base and damaged two planes, for which four members have been charged.

(Reporting by Sam Tobin, editing by William James)
The University of Kentucky will no longer offer gender-inclusive housing in accordance with House Bill 4, the state law passed earlier this year banning diversity, equity and inclusion policies at state universities.

Additionally, UK has ended financial support for identity-based student organizations and activities, UK spokesperson Jay Blanton said.

Previously, students who are transgender or non-binary were able to request to live on campus with other transgender or non-binary students. But that is no longer the case, UKs student newspaper the Kentucky Kernel first reported.

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The Kernel also reported that UK no longer keeps preferred pronouns on records.

Blanton confirmed the change was to be in alignment with HB4, which requires state universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to defund all DEI initiatives. That includes offices, policies and practices designed or implemented to promote or provide preferential treatment or benefits to individuals on the basis of religion, sex, color, or national origin, according to the law.

In accordance with House Bill 4 and new federal guidance, the university can no longer offer separate housing accommodations based on an applicants stated gender identity, Blanton said Friday. We understand that housing and roommate arrangements are an important part of the student experience, and we remain committed to supporting all students.

Blanton added: As always, if any student encounters any concerns regarding their housing or roommate assignment, UK Campus Housing and the Office for Student Success are here to work with the student to ensure they have a safe and comfortable living experience on campus.

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Identity-based student organizations are no longer eligible to receive financial support from the university, or can UK host or attend identity-based events or activities, under HB4, according to information on the universitys website.

In accordance with both federal directives and House Bill 4, the university cannot expend institutional funds or resources on identity-based activities, Blanton said. However, all registered student organizations (RSOs), including identity-based ones, receive support by way of an employee advisor, which has always been the case for RSOs.

UK has made several institutional changes under the new law, including adopting a neutrality policy and withdrawing from the Lexington Pride Festival earlier this year.

These changes come as DEI is also under scrutiny nationwide.

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UK was found to be in violation of the federal Civil Rights Act earlier this year for participating in a conference designed for students of color. More than 50 universities were investigated by the Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights for allegations of providing racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities.

UK was found to be in violation for its participation in The PhD Projects annual conference, a networking organization that helps doctoral students complete their degrees.

The university cut all ties with the organization shortly after the investigation was announced. After the violation was announced, UK will now submit a report to the Office for Civil Rights that identifies any other organization that UK has a partnership or affiliation with that may restrict participation based on race.
LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's media regulator Ofcom said a BBC documentary about children's lives in Gaza narrated by the 13-year-old son of a deputy agriculture minister in the Hamas-run government broke broadcasting rules.

It said the failure to disclose the position of the boy's father was "materially misleading".

The BBC removed "Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone" from its online platform in February, five days after it was broadcast.

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Its own investigation found in July that the programme had breached its editorial guidelines on accuracy.

However, it said there was no evidence that outside interests had "inappropriately impacted on the programme".

Ofcom, which received 20 complaints about the documentary, said it had directed the BBC to broadcast a statement on its findings on a date to be confirmed.

(Reporting by Muvija M and Paul Sandle; editing by William James)
Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing populist Reform UK party, has called Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin "a very bad dude" and said he supports the use of frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine.

Source: The Telegraph, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Farage, who has previously spoken of his admiration for Putin, has often faced criticism in the UK for his perceived leniency towards Russia, which has launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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Quote: "Clearly, Putin is not a rational man. The idea that I'm soft on this is just nonsense."

More details: Having described Putin as "a very bad dude", Farage added that he had once hoped that US President Donald Trump could influence the Russian leader.

Quote: "I was really hoping that Trump would bring Putin to heel, that some kind of compromise could be struck, as it's just been recently struck with Gaza and Israel. Clearly, that is not going to happen."

More details: Asked on Thursday 16 October what he would do if Russian aircraft entered allied airspace, Farage replied: "Gotta shoot them down."

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He also said that frozen Russian assets should be used to provide loans to Ukraine "if they're there through illegal means".

Farage also suggested that, if he were to become prime minister, he could support the deployment of UK troops to Ukraine as part of a UN peacekeeping mission in the event of a ceasefire.

However, Farage repeated his long-standing argument that "the endless eastward expansion of NATO and the European Union" had contributed to Putin's decision to invade Ukraine.

Background:

In February 2025, Farage defended Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Trump called him a "dictator".

Later, he said that the February meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump "would have gone better if the Ukrainian president had worn a suit to the White House".

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Ukraine's Special Operations Forces confirmed that a drone strike targeted an oil depot and industrial facility near the Russian Hvardiiske airbase in occupied Crimea overnight on Oct. 17.

A video from the attack posted on social media shows the strike followed by a large fire.

"The result of the successful actions of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces is the destruction of the oil depot in the village of Hvardiiske," it wrote.

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The strike was part of a wider Ukrainian drone operation that hit multiple Russian military targets across occupied territories and inside Russia.

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During the response to the drone attack, Russian air defenses mistakenly shot down their own Su-30SM fighter jet over northwestern Crimea, according to Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk.

Intercepted radio communications suggest the pilot died after both engines caught fire.

The Crimean Wind Telegram channel earlier reported explosions and a fire at the site, with visual confirmation of burning fuel infrastructure.

Drone attacks also reportedly struck military infrastructure in occupied Donetsk, triggering explosions, and air defenses were activated in Sochi, a city some 400 kilometers from Ukraine's border. Over 10 Russian airports temporarily suspended operations.

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Ukraine continues to target Russian military infrastructure in occupied territories and deep within Russia as part of its strategy to diminish Moscows offensive capabilities.

Read also: Editorial: President Trump, dont fall for Putins bullsh*t  again

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BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Commission has suggested Ukraine use part of an envisaged 140 billion euro ($163 billion) reparations loan funded from frozen Russian assets to buy weapons outside the EU, a commission paper sent to member states showed.

The paper, seen by Reuters on Friday, outlines the possible design of the plan floated by the European Union's executive body last month.

The proposal would split the loan in two parts, with the biggest leg meant for the development of Ukraine's defence industry and the procurement of defence material in Ukraine and the 27-nation EU.

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The second leg would consist of budget support, which would allow Ukraine to also buy weapons elsewhere to help in its grinding battle against Russia's full-scale invasion and intensifying missile and drone strikes.

The budget support would also help Kyiv provide financial assurances needed to obtain further assistance from the International Monetary Fund, the document stated.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday he would call at the upcoming EU summit for the bloc to use Russian assets frozen in the West for Ukraine's war effort.

While there is political support for the idea in principle, some countries want more clarity on the legal and fiscal risks.

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The Kremlin has described the proposal as an illegal seizure of Russian property and cautioned there would be retaliation for any theft of Russian assets.

($1 = 0.8566 euros)

(Reporting by Bart Meijer and Andrew Gray; editing by Mark Heinrich)
More than 150 million tonnes of cargo have passed through Ukraine's maritime corridor, created after Russia unilaterally withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Source: Oleksii Kuleba, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister for Communities and Territories Development

Details: Since the corridor was established in 2023, over 6,000 vessels have transported 90 million tonnes of grain to 55 countries worldwide.

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Shelter systems have been installed at the ports of Odesa and have proved effective during Russian attacks.

Port operators and private companies have also set up dozens of their own shelters  a prerequisite for working in the ports.

Kuleba said cargo throughput capacity for freight transport will increase by more than 20% when repair works have been completed at transport junctions near the ports.

Background:

On 10 August 2023, Ukraine announced temporary corridors in the Black Sea for merchant vessels sailing to and from Ukrainian ports. This later became the basis for the Ukrainian maritime corridor.

Russia unilaterally withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative on 17 July and has attacked the port grain infrastructure numerous times since then.

As of August this year, more than 5,300 vessels had transported over 137 million tonnes of cargo via the Ukrainian maritime corridor, including more than 84 million tonnes of agricultural exports, with 13 million tonnes exported in September and October alone.

By January 2024, Ukraine had returned to pre-war levels of maritime exports thanks to the corridor.

Ukraine's grain exports increased in 2024 compared with 2023, averaging 7 million tonnes per month.

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Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya affirmed that the NDA is moving towards a major victory in the upcoming Bihar Polls. "In Bihar, the NDA is moving towards a very big victory. The mahagathbandhan has already crumbled even before the elections... All parties of the NDA coalition are contesting the elections together and receiving very good support from the public," Maurya told ANI. Also, Janata Dal (United) leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan Singh) emphasised his previous statement, calling Mahagathbandhan a "gang of cheats" or "Thugbandhan". He also asserted that the party is running for the Bihar Assembly Polls under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. "I have said it before and I am saying it again, there is no "Mahagathbandhan" but only "Thugbandhan" (gang of cheats) ...Amit Shah has repeatedly said that we are participating in Bihar elections under the supervision and leadership of Nitish Kumar...The opposition is only trying to portray our image negatively...they can do whatever they want, voters know everything," he stated to ANI. Lalan Singh, on Tuesday, highlighted the unity of the NDA alliance and said, "The list (of candidates) will be released on time, and everything will be done on time. Under the leadership of Nitish Kumar, the NDA is united, and we are contesting the elections with unity." He called the Mahagathbandhan a "gang of cheats" and added, "They are creating jobs by registering land and dreaming of transforming Bihar. The people of Bihar understand everything. They are a gang of cheats, all engaged in cheating." Polling for the Bihar elections 2025 will take place on November 6 and 11. The results will be announced on November 14. The NDA has finalised its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, with the BJP and Janata Dal (United) set to contest 101 constituencies each. Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) have been allotted six seats each, while Union Minister Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest on 29 seats. (ANI)
Hi, this is Tania Myronyshena reporting from Kyiv on day 1,332 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Today's top story:

Russia shot down its own Su-30SM fighter jet over Crimea while its air defense was trying to intercept Ukrainian drones flying to the occupied peninsula and deep inside Russia overnight, Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, said on Oct. 17.

Pletenchuk said that the intercepted radio communications reveal that the pilot flying the fighter jet in the northwestern part of Crimea was killed after two engines caused fire.

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"The enemy likely shot down its own multirole fighter while repelling a (Ukrainian) drone attack using air defense systems," Pletenchuk told the Kyiv Independent.

The Ukrainian drone attack appears to have hit a facility near the Gvardeyskoye airbase in Crimea, and the footages appear to show the oil depot nearby on fire, the Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported.

Ukraine's Special Forces later confirmed that its drones inflicted damage on Gvardeyskoye's oil depot and a plant, attaching a video supposedly showing the attack from a drone view.

Read also: Russia shoots down own fighter jet during Ukrainian drone attack on Crimea, Sochi

Russian conscript opens fire on fellow soldiers in Moscow Oblast

A Russian conscript opened fire at a military base in Naro-Fominsk, Moscow Oblast, fatally shooting a contract soldier before taking his own life, Russian state media reported on Oct. 17.

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The incident was confirmed by the Moscow Military District, which said the soldier "violated firearm handling rules," resulting in the death of a contract serviceman. Russian outlet Vazhniye Istorii wrote that the incident happened at a base in Naro-Fominsk, where several elite units are stationed.

Among them are the 1182nd Guards Artillery Regiment of the 106th Airborne Division and formations of the Kantemirovskaya Tank Division.

Ukraine confirms drone strike on Crimea oil depot, releases footage

Last updated 19:48 p.m.

Ukraine's Special Operations Forces confirmed that a drone strike targeted an oil depot and industrial facility near the Russian Gvardeyskoye airbase in occupied Crimea overnight on Oct. 17.

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A video from the attack posted on social media shows the strike followed by a large fire.

"The result of the successful actions of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces is the destruction of the oil depot in the village of Gvardiyskyi," it wrote.

The strike was part of a wider Ukrainian drone operation that hit multiple Russian military targets across occupied territories and inside Russia.

Read also: Ukraine confirms drone strike on Crimea oil depot, releases footage

Around 90% of Ukrainians believe government should be criticized even during war, poll shows

Last updated 4:06 p.m.

Around 90% of Ukrainians believe the government can be criticized, even during a full-scale war, according to a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) published on Oct. 17.

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Of those respondents, 58% said that criticism should be balanced and constructive, in order "to not destabilize the situation in the country."

Another 32% support harsh and uncompromising criticism, while only 8% oppose any criticism of the authorities, the survey showed.

Read also: Around 90% of Ukrainians believe government should be criticized even during war, poll shows

Russia, Ukraine not ready for peace deal, Vance says

Last updated 3:40 p.m. Kyiv time.

Russia and Ukraine are not yet prepared to reach a peace agreement, although some progress has been made over the past few months, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with Newsmax on Oct. 16.

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The comments came only a day before U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to host President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House to discuss U.S. support and peace efforts in Ukraine.

"And right now... the Russians and the Ukrainians are just not at the point where they can make a deal," he said.

Trump's now months-long push to broker a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow yielded little result, as Russia continues to escalate strikes against Ukrainian cities and rejects a ceasefire.

Read also: Russia, Ukraine not ready for peace deal, Vance says ahead of Zelensky-Trump meeting

Russian court sentences 15 Ukrainian POWs to up to 21 years in prison

Last updated 3:16 p.m. Kyiv time.

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A Russian military court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced 15 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) to prison terms ranging from 15 to 21 years, accusing them of participating in a "terrorist organization" and receiving "terrorist training," the court`s press center announced on Oct.17.

The individuals were allegedly affiliated with the Aidar Battalion, which Russia unilaterally designated a terrorist group. Human rights watchdogs note that the charges were based solely on the fact of military service in the unit, with no specific war crimes presented.

Russian media outlet Mediazona reported that drivers and medics were also prosecuted under the same accusations, with prosecutors claiming that even providing medical aid sustained the units combat readiness.

Two female medics and another individual named in the case were reportedly separated into different proceedings. The medics were previously released in a prisoner exchange.

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The sentences are further evidence of Russias violation of international law regarding the treatment of POWs.

Read the full story at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).

Ukraine halts Russian spring-summer offensive, Syrskyi says

Last updated 13:30 pm Kyiv time.

Ukraines Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that the spring-summer offensive campaign of the Russian army has been successfully stopped by Ukrainian forces.

"I can state with confidence: Ukrainian warriors have ceased the enemys spring-summer offensive campaign and continue to disrupt the Kremlins further plans by employing asymmetric measures to neutralize the adversarys advantages in personnel and armaments," he wrote on Facebook on Oct. 17.

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In a statement, Syrskyi said that despite Russias continued attempts to seize territory, it has failed to achieve strategic goals.

At the cost of enormous losses, the adversary has achieved only minor advances, he said, citing nearly 29,000 Russian troops killed in September alone.

Syrskyi reported that Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian troops across all directions, while conducting active defense and local counteroffensive operations.

He admitted particular success in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, as well as ongoing efforts to push Russian troops out of Sumy Oblast.

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Ukraine has also intensified deep-strike operations on Russian military and energy infrastructure, targeting over 45 key facilities since the beginning of 2025. These strikes are among the most effective in the war to date, Syrskyi said.

At least 1 killed, 12 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day

At least one person has been killed and 12 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities reported on Oct. 17.

Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 35 out of the 70 Shahed-type attack drones and other drones launched by Russia overnight, according to the Air Force. Thirty-one strikes were recorded at 10 locations.

One person was killed and four were injured in various strikes in Sumy Oblast, according to the regional military administration.

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In Kharkiv oblast, four people were injured in a Russian attack, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

In Kherson Oblast, two people were injured, regional military administration. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a Russian attack injured two people, according to the regional military administration.

General Staff: Russia has lost 1,128,030 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

Russia has lost around 1,128,030 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Oct. 17.

The number includes 730 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,266 tanks, 23,394 armored fighting vehicles, 64,541 vehicles and fuel tanks, 33,748 artillery systems, 1,520 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,228 air defense systems, 427 airplanes, 346 helicopters, 71,025 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

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Read also: Russia, Ukraine not ready for peace deal, Vance says ahead of Zelensky-Trump meeting

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Washington, DC  Olha Stefanishyna was appointed Ukraines ambassador to the U.S. on Aug. 27, 2025  and has hardly had a moment of rest since. In the few weeks that passed, she moved to the U.S., helped prepare the meeting between Ukrainian and U.S. leaders during the U.S. summit, worked on a bilateral drone deal, and prepared for the Ukrainian delegations mid-October visit to the United States, among other things.

Stefanishyna, 39, is no career diplomat. A lawyer by training, she spent most of her career in the Ukrainian government, with only a short stint in the private sector in between government jobs. Within Ukraines Cabinet of Ministers, she specialized in European and Euro-Atlantic integration  including the past five years as deputy prime minister. She had two notable stints at the Justice Ministry, the first leaving her with an ongoing corruption case dating back more than a decade (a number of the ministrys former officials stand accused of overspending on a report, Stefanishyna among them).

Stefanishyna is also no newcomer to the U.S.-Ukraine relations, or to dealing with the current administration  earlier in the year, she was among the Ukrainian officials working on the minerals deal negotiation, and sat next to Volodymyr Zelensky during the infamous Oval Office meeting on Feb. 28. Now back in Washington, she faces the challenge of strengthening Kyivs relationship with its most critical ally.

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In this role, Stefanishyna succeeds Oksana Markarova, who served for four years from February 2021  and was another former government executive who moved from a ministerial post into ambassadorship.

The Kyiv Independent spoke with Stefanishyna in her new office in Washington, DC, on Oct. 9.

The interview has undergone minor edits for length and clarity.

The Kyiv Independent: You have just recently started in this exciting new position in a very challenging time for Ukraine. What are your impressions so far  from the job, from the city, from the challenge that is ahead of you?

Olha Stefanishyna: I'm a little less than one month here. And I was onboarded just a week before the meeting of two leaders. I think a couple of issues are really important: There's a great amount of supporters in the U.S. for Ukraine. There is a very active Ukrainian community. A lot of organizations and funds are supporting Ukraine. So I do not feel lonely here.

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But on the other hand, I'm not a traditional diplomatic ambassador because I'm not just in any country. The destiny of my country and the lives of Ukrainians literally depend from the decisions taken on this continent and in this capital. And that's why, first and foremost, I have a political mandate to concentrate all of our efforts on ending the war, providing air defense and defense military assistance to Ukraine and making sure that in Ukraine everybody understands the messages from the U.S. administration.

The Kyiv Independent: Speaking of messages, what is the main message that you're bringing to the Trump administration as Ukraine's top representative here?

Olha Stefanishyna: Every message I bring, I bring it from Kyiv. It's always done in coordination and communication with our teams in Kyiv.

I think the key message is, first, changing the angle from helping Ukraine to keep on fighting to ending the war has already played a serious role because it's changed the logic of actions, at many endeavors.

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But at the same time, we have to understand that ending the war is a process, right? And it's composed of many components. Military support, using Russian frozen assets, putting sanctions  these are part of the efforts to end the war. And this does not necessarily require engagement with the aggressor at this point. And around this message, all the other cooperation has been built.

The Kyiv Independent: Many people we talked to praise your predecessor Oksana Markarova as someone who did a great job and set a certain standard for a Ukrainian ambassador here. How are you going to be drawing from the wins of her term here? Is there anything that you're going to be doing differently? What can people who are working with Ukraine in D.C. expect from you as a new ambassador?

Olha Stefanishyna: Well, I don't compare myself to anyone. It was a decision of the president that I will become a new ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, because of the background I have, because of the way I communicate, because of the way I build relations and because of the way my mindset is organized. So these are the skills he and others are considering necessary at this point. I have been a very system-oriented person, so continuity of efforts is vital and diplomatic service is very important at this point.

When I joined the embassy as the ambassador I already had a team of diplomats who have been working here, and I think my presence here opens many more doors to them at this point. And I can see that they are absolutely happy with that.

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The Kyiv Independent: Is there anything that surprised you in these first months of meetings, getting introduced to the political scene here in Washington? Is there anything thats not the way you expected to find it?

Olha Stefanishyna: I think probably the largest takeaway so far is that, in terms of communicating with the American administration, things are not as complicated as it sometimes seems from abroad.

Something that is really important to understand is that once you have a political agreement on something, to make it work you have to spend a ton of hours just speaking about that, communicating, explaining at all levels, and it's never working in a different way because America is the largest and most powerful country on the globe and literally everybody wants to have a meeting, to have an arrangement, so that's why to make it work particularly in your case requires triple efforts.

And as Ukraine, we do not have to underestimate the very fact that Ukraine as a country, but also ending the war in Ukraine is the top priority for the president of the United States. If it were not so, then it would be a million times harder to even have one meeting per week.

Olha Stefanishyna (C) and U.S. senators in Washington, D.C., in a photo published on Oct 9, 2025. (X / Olha Stefanishyna)

The Kyiv Independent: Do you have any specific measurable results that you have in mind, like the prize that your eyes are on? Is there something you think about that motivates you in the sense of, When this happens I'm going to know I succeeded as the ambassador?

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Olha Stefanishyna: Again, let's start from the fact that I'm not in a very traditional ambassadorial position and for me it's not just another step in my personal career. I have accomplished a fantastic career by myself. I'm proud of it, because there's literally nobody behind me apart from me, making it. I'm at service. As a Ukrainian who has been in Ukraine since February of 2022, whose family stayed there  if all of my knowledge and all the trust I brought with me from the Ukrainians and from the president here to DC could be of help to end the war, to prevent Ukrainian cities from being attacked, and making sure that we can deprive Russia from the fuel of war, from the weapon of war  I think this would be a huge success.

And I really know that I will do my best. But also I think that as we remain functional throughout the war, it's no less important to open Ukraine as the country and as a market for the United States and, take it or leave it, with this administration it has become possible.

The Kyiv Independent: Speaking of cutting fuel for Russias war. Something that everybody is talking about in DC right now is the idea that the U.S. may provide Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. What is your take on that? Is that going to happen for Ukraine? (Editor's Note: The interview took place on Oct. 9).

Olha Stefanishyna: Well, politically speaking, I'm sure it will. Militarily speaking, Tomahawk is the headline. When we're speaking about long-range attack capabilities, theres a much broader formula behind that.

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I think largely this decision has been positively perceived by the president of the United States. We had a delegation from our Defense Ministry and Security and Defense Council working here. I follow up all the time on this, so I'm sure this is the reality and I think we really need to make sure that this decision happens as soon as possible.

The Kyiv Independent: Do you think it's going to make a difference?

Olha Stefanishyna: Absolutely. I can give you a simple example: Just after the UN General Assembly, a couple of nights after that, Russians had a plan to launch more than 100 missiles over the territory of Ukraine, but because our special operations forces conducted their successful operations 12 hours before, there were half less missiles. So the math is very simple  having this capability on a larger scale allows us to sleep at night and deprive the aggressor from incentive to even plan the missile attacks.

The Kyiv Independent: Something that Ive been asked in my meetings here is whether Ukrainians understand that the war will need to end in a negotiated deal  and its effectively being asked whether Ukrainians will accept concessions. How do you lead these conversations about concessions and accepting an unfavorable deal? Do you have to explain that it's about people, and its about strategic defense of Europe, not about just the land on the map?

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Olha Stefanishyna: Public speaking and speaking to a broader audience is important and my messages are just the same for any kind of audience. I'm trying to have formal meetings with those people in the White House, in the State Department and in other American institutions, who really are capable and have a mandate to make a difference and a decision. The same applies to the Senate and Congress. If I hear anything like that, I really do my best to invest in the conversation and explanation.

I think it's very important to understand first and foremost Russia, how they operate so as not to be played by Russia, because they really work here  actively. And secondly, I provide accurate data  as we were speaking about the actual situation in the military in a military briefing and we were speaking about the actual situation in the Russian economy. And when we're getting deeper into these elements, things do not look so black and white.

The Kyiv Independent: So is your impression that, basically, a lot of people in DC are getting much more favorable information about Russia's position in the battlefield than it really is? That they're told that Russia is winning and it's unbeatable?

Olha Stefanishyna: This was the thing here a couple of weeks ago. And we invested a lot of effort to communicate largely and provide accurate data. And my president has spent quite a time with the president of the United States informing him of the real situation on the battlefield, and our teams are having briefings here.

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It's really important that we properly communicate that we really provide all the stakeholders with the relevant information, with the relevant data, be it on economy, be it on military, be it on needs, be it on the situation in Ukraine and other endeavors.

Advocacy is something that should not be underestimated. Because in Washington, advocacy is the main weapon. You can be 10 times more brilliant than the others, but if you do not invest in communication, explanation and advocacy, you will not get anywhere.

The Kyiv Independent: You are of course not new to the U.S. scene, because you worked on the minerals deal, and you were in the Oval Office during the memorable meeting back in February.

So just seeing how that meeting went in the beginning of the year and seeing this last meeting in New York that you helped prepare, after which President Trump walked out and made his, by far, most pro-Ukrainian statement yet  how did we get from there to here? Did Ukraine learn something about how to communicate with this administration? How did this change happen?

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Olha Stefanishyna: Its been more than six months  and its been such a dynamic period. I think things were really happening very fast back in February.

Both President Trump and President Zelensky are the most respected leaders globally and they are very committed to what they say, to what they promise. But the difference is that my president is the president of the country at war. It's something that really requires so much understanding because, you know, I'm sitting here in a suit and you're sitting here looking nice but both of us know that when we're coming back to Kyiv, we're sleeping in a parking lot and we accept the very fact that we can die every day and this is not a common knowledge that everybody has around the world and it requires time to build this knowledge and understanding and relations.

And I think there's been so much information around the new U.S. administration about Ukraine ending the war, Russians were presenting themselves as these romantic, nice guys, right? There was a lot of fake information about Ukraine, military situation, and Ukrainian leadership. But we have never stepped back. I think on both sides there were investments in making these relations work and the last meeting was a meeting where trust, first and foremost, was the baseline of the whole meeting.

It was a conversation between two people who were willing to hear each other, were willing to brainstorm, were willing to exchange, and I think it was on both sides.

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The Kyiv Independent: That's great, but where did the trust come from? It's great that they had this in the last conversation but how did Ukraine work towards establishing that trust? How do you win the trust of the president of the United States?

Olha Stefanishyna: There were a number of very successful elements. First, there was the mineral deal, which has become a success for both sides. Because it could have been a success for the U.S., but not a big success for Ukraine.

Secondly, I think there was a huge difference between the meeting in Alaska and the meeting which took place in the White House with President Zelensky and with the (European) leaders. The level of support President Trump gained and the level of details which were discussed has really changed the logic.

But also, we spent a lot of time preparing this meeting. On both sides.

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The Kyiv Independent: What is your interpretation of the change in Trumps rhetoric after that meeting? Everybody is trying to interpret the statement that Trump made after the meeting. Some read it as like he's washing his hands of the war and he's saying, yes, Ukraine can win, good luck with that, Europe needs to step in. There are also those who say that it doesn't mean much because we need to see the action. What is your take on it?

Olha Stefanishyna: Well, all positive signals are positive. So we should read it like that.

Successfully ending the war is not possible without European commitment and contribution. And it could be a financial contribution  and the U.S. has made its commitment on military contribution if there is a proper financing mobilized. So it's not a one day or one person effort, it's a joint effort and evolving from the discussion which has been taking place between the presidents, we read this public communication as something saying that, if everybody does their part, there is a big chance for success. And that the US will not do more than it has to do, when there is something that still could be done by Europeans.

The Kyiv Independent: When can we expect Ukraine and the U.S. to sign the drone deal? Is it something in progress and what's the stage there?

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Olha Stefanishyna: I think the principal political arrangement has been formed over this last meeting between the presidents. Then we had a technical delegation which had been working here a week after the meeting. We have planned a number of next steps which are needed to structure this arrangement. They are planned. And I think it's a good signal. I'm not in a position to give any forecast.

The Kyiv Independent: Can you say what timeline we're looking at?

Olha Stefanishyna: Well, I can say something that is really important: This arrangement is definitely happening.

The Kyiv Independent: Is it a matter of weeks, months, or years?

Olha Stefanishyna: As we have just relaunched our active engagement with the Pentagon, I think it's not a good thing to speculate on the timeline.

The Kyiv Independent: Do you think that these latest incursions of Russian drones in Europe is something that might stimulate the U.S. and other countries to want Ukrainian drones, to want Ukraine's expertise? Because Ukraine is one of two countries in the world now that knows how to fight in a drone war, and the second one is Russia.

Olha Stefanishyna: Two very important things happened after that. First, we saw the Polish defense minister who's been one of the skeptical people coming to Ukraine and arranging cooperation with the defense minister of Ukraine.

Secondly, the European Union has pitched the idea on the drone wall. And I think it has become obvious that, speaking about the great Ukrainian drones, something that is really very relevant to every European capital, because it was not only Poland or Romania, it was Baltic countries, these were Nordic countries. And if Ukraine is not able to stop this, these provocations could continue  and it's only Ukraine, in fact, who can and knows how to do it. The attack of 20 drones has become a major discussion around all NATO, but Ukraine can handle hundreds of drones per night. So it's really being a gamechanger in terms of mindset.

The Kyiv Independent: What type of aid, what type of weapons can Ukraine expect from the U.S. in the near future?

Olha Stefanishyna: Well, I would not go into titles.

The Kyiv Independent: Is there anything that can surprise us there?

Olha Stefanishyna: Absolutely.

The Kyiv Independent: Okay. Is there something that can surprise us sooner rather than later?

Olha Stefanishyna: Yes, it's going to be something that will positively surprise us rather soon.

The Kyiv Independent: And lastly, the majority of our audience is people who are Ukraine followers and many of them are citizens of this country who want to help Ukraine. And the question we constantly get is How can I help Ukraine?

So as the new Ukraine ambassador in the U.S. what is your message to Americans who are asking how they can help Ukraine?

Olha Stefanishyna: You know, yesterday I received a handwritten letter with a check for $25 asking me to forward it to support Ukraine. Of course we forwarded it to United 24.

The Kyiv Independent: Who was it from?

Olha Stefanishyna: From an American. (Editors Note: The Kyiv Independent was shown the letter after the interview.) It's just an American living her life from Monday to Sunday. But somewhere in the middle of this week this person stopped to think about Ukraine. To take the time to write a letter. To say the words which are important for this person and to write out a check for $25. I think it's priceless. It's absolutely priceless. If everyone would just be able to stop for a minute and think what can I do, definitely everyone would find something that could be done to save one life.

And if I were a Ukrainian who would just receive this check it would be such an increase of morale. I would be able to do anything  just knowing that on the other part of the world there's somebody who's thinking of me. So if there's something I can name, it's this kind of thing, which is really important to me, to us, I think.

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Joint consultations between the Ukrainian and Slovak governments have begun in Kosice, Slovakia.

Source: Cabinet of Ministers' broadcast, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Slovak consultations are being held with the participation of Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko and her Slovak counterpart Robert Fico.

"Joint negotiations between the governments of the Slovak Republic and Ukraine are yielding good results," Fico said.

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He stressed that these consultations are a very important signal.

"The government of the Slovak Republic supports the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Our primary interest is to end the war and stop the escalation," he added.

Background:

At the end of September, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with his Slovak counterpart Juraj Blanar on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

During the conversation, they focused on the future of European security architecture, the potential for defence cooperation through the SAFE mechanism, and energy security issues.

It was also reported that Slovakia wants the approval of the 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia to be brought to the EU leaders' summit on 23 October, otherwise it refuses to approve it.

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From the evening of 16 October, Russian forces launched 70 attack drones of Shahed, Gerbera and other types against Ukraine. Ukrainian air defence downed 35 drones, but strikes were recorded at 10 locations.

Source: Ukrainian Air Force on Telegram

Quote: "As of 09:00, air defence units destroyed or jammed 35 enemy UAVs of the Shahed, Gerbera and other types in the country's north and east.

Strikes from 31 attack drones were recorded in 10 locations, with debris from downed UAVs falling in two more."

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Details: The Russians launched drones from the Russian cities of Kursk, Millerovo and Primorsko-Akhtarsk, as well as from temporarily occupied Crimea.

The air attack was repelled by aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of Ukraine's defence forces.

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Pioneering Ukrainian-American author Yuriy Tarnawsky has died at 91, his wife Karina Zalewska announced on Oct. 17 via his personal Facebook page.

Born in 1934 in Turka  then part of Poland, now in western Ukraines Lviv Oblast  Tarnawsky's family emigrated to Germany in 1944, where he attended school, and then settled in the U.S. in the early 1950s.

As a co-founder of the New York Group  a collective of Ukrainian emigre writers  Tarnawsky helped to expand and redefine contemporary Ukrainian literature through his embrace of narrative structure experimentation and linguistic innovation.

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"His poetic work represents an entire galaxy for Ukrainian literature  his prose and dramaturgy embody the ecstasy of experimentation, and his views on art were radical in their unrestrained desire for change," New York-based Ukrainian author Vasyl Makhno told the Kyiv Independent.

"Tarnawsky, although he grew up and developed outside his homeland, earned the right to be called a great poet of the Ukrainian language."

Tarnawsky's literary career traversed poetry, fiction, drama, essays, and translation.

His trilogy "The Placebo Effect"  comprising "Like Blood in Water," "The Future of Giraffes," and "View of Delft" is counted among his greatest works. The trilogy is notable for its interwoven short stories, which Tarnawsky called "mininovels," that blend existential inquiry with a sharp, absurdist humor fit for exploring themes like alienation in modern society.

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Yet, despite his achievements, he was "heartbreakingly and cruelly underestimated at home" in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian author and scholar Alex Averbuch.

"The divide between 'diasporic' and domestic Ukrainian literature remains painful, at times feeling deeper than in the Soviet era. Yuriy stood inside that rift. He never stopped being Ukrainian, yet his Ukrainianness was never closed," Averbuch told the Kyiv Independent.

"He was what I would call a global Ukrainian, open to the world and to many languages and traditions, wary of the claustrophobia of national exclusivity. His sense of belonging was European in the best sense: dialogic, self-critical, curious, and free. The Ukraine he embodied is one we are still learning to reach."

In addition to his literary work, Tarnawsky also built a notable career in the field of technology. For a number of years, he worked at the U.S. tech giant IBM, where he was involved in pioneering projects related to automated language translation and artificial intelligence.

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Those who knew and admired him, while deeply saddened by his passing, are confident that his work will live on and continue to influence future generations of authors.

"The last time we spoke on the phone was about three weeks ago  through the receiver, I heard the fading impulses of his voice, as if the dynamics of life were slowing down," Makhno recalled.

"But I hope that the statics resonate, reaching high octaves in the orchestration of the poet's marvelous style."

Read also: 10 authors shaping contemporary Ukrainian literature

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The only poem that Artem Chapeye wrote as an adult began with the line, When war comes, Ill be a deserter. Growing up in the late 1990s in western Ukraine, he could find translations of French left-wing intellectuals like Albert Camus and Jean Paul Sartre only in Russian; the leftist, anarchist, and pacifist writer later translated works by Mahatma Gandhi and Noam Chomsky into Ukrainian for free. He wrote to Chomsky, and on a visit to the United States, made sure to visit MIT, where Chomsky, perhaps the most famous intellectual critic of U.S. imperialism, taught for decades. For me, he was a hero, he told me recently.

Full-scale war came to Ukraine on February 24, 2022, but Chapeye realized that Gandhis nonviolent tactics would be of no use against Vladimir Putins imperialist war. (He clarifies now that he is a practical pacifist.) He feared that the war effort would fall on ordinary people, while intellectuals like himself would have the luxury of waiting it out. With his wife and two young children, he made his way from Kyiv back to his hometown of Kolomyia, and signed up at the local military enlistment office. Before going abroad with their two children, his wife tried to reassure the kids: Dont worry, Dad will just get sent, you know, to guard  to guard roadblocks.

She wasnt too far off. Chapeyewho was then 40 and lacked military experience beyond a stint in military school as a teen, which he quit because the young anarchist hated hierarchieswas assigned to the military police, guarding sensitive objects. Far from something from Full Metal Jacket, he said that his unit was sometimes like a creation of nineteenth-century Russian anarchist Peter Kropotkin, who advocated for self-governing communes. On assignment in the frontline town of Pokrovsk guarding a prisoner of war camp, its top three leaders were killed by a rocket, and the unit had to elect new leaders. The soldiers boycotted the next in line, he said, and instead, they elected new leaders: Ukraine has a grassroots protest tradition, he told me.

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Chapeye [CHAP-ay], who wrote a short story collection called The Ukraine, which was excerpted by The New Yorker, has published his first book since the full-scale invasion, titled Ordinary People Dont Carry Machine Guns. It was translated into English earlier this year. When we met recently at a coffee shop off Independence Square in Kyiv, Chapeye told me that he wanted to address Chomsky and other left-wing critics of Ukraine, who view it through the lens of U.S.but not Russianimperialism and have cast Kyiv as a puppet of U.S. interests. The Trump-versus-Biden situation shows how little Ukraine is dependent on what the U.S. thinks, he said. We do need support, but nobodys playing the cards given by America. He added: Nobody gives a flying fuck about JD Vances opinion.

In many ways, hes right. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy plans to meet Donald Trump at the White House on October 17 and hopes to come away with Tomahawk missiles, the administration has zeroed out spending on Ukraines arms. According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Europe has overtaken the United States in spending for military aid to Ukraine: the U.S. now provides only weapons that Kyiv must finance itself. Chapeye told me that Trumps comment that the Zelenskiy kerfuffle made great television illustrated how unserious his peace efforts are and that hes more prone to continuing it indefinitely than solving it. At the same time, to maintain its new normal of allowing life to go on in most places while defending itself, Ukraine still needs U.S. air defense missiles to defend against increasingly damaging and deadly aerial attacks. The morning we met in near-normal Kyiv, it seemed to be notable that there wasnt a barrage of missiles and drones the night prior.

Maintaining this balance requires, in part, mobilizing enough soldiers to replenish its ranks, a task Ukraine has struggled with. Under martial law, soldiers cannot be demobilized, except in death or disability. Chapeye remains in the army, something he told me he never imagined when signing up. He has an office job with the military in Kyiv, where his wife and two kids have since joined him. In the early days of the war, the military was overflowing with recruits; now, videos of men violently resisting the draft have gone viral on social media and some go as far as living in hiding or trying to flee the country. (Ukraine does not draft women, although they make up about 21 percent of applicants at recruitment centers.)

In the book, Chapeye wrote about his encounters with men avoiding the war. He and another soldier check out a gym in uniform in a town they will be stationed in; the bodybuilders hide, assuming they are from the recruitment office. Chapeyean outspoken feminist who struggled with the fact that his enlistment effectively turned his wife into a single parent for the first year and a half of the warran into his macho, martial-arts-fanatic neighbor, who was ducking the war, in a coffee shop; Chapeye nodded and left to avoid talking with him. Chapeye told me that as a whole, he feels contempt toward these men, but on an individual level, he often feels empathy: Not everybody is prepared to change their lives, and even fewer are prepared to actually risk their lives. Most of the people who were ready to do so already did it within the first year.

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In late 2022, Chapeye petitioned the government for fixed terms in the military; his missive reached the required threshold of 25,000 signatures for a response. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy replied that it was not possible under martial law. Chapeye compared serving in the army to experiencing the five stages of grief: The early days were denial followed by anger, the petition was bargaining, and he told me now, I think Im still in the depression phase. How many people accept it?

At the end of 2022, Chapeye sought therapy. He wrote that it wasnt PTSD, depression, or even hatred of Russia so much as the painful search for fairness within my own society, meaning how the brunt of the war fell on people lacking social status. He told me he realized he had a problem when he had fantasies about killing civilians who were hiding from the draft. He took video calls from civilian therapists, sometimes from the bushes because there was no other place to get privacy.

Therapy and medication helped, and he no longer has those fantasies, though he still has dreams where children get hurt. But as it has been since the early days of the war, his biggest dream is one where Ukraine survives, the war ends, and he doesnt have to put on a uniform again. (Seeing one of his children play a tin soldier in a school play made him almost break into tears.) Though Chapeye was dressed casually when we met for coffee in Kyiv, he had a uniform in his bag: He had work.

For Chapeye, signing up for an indeterminate term in the army exemplifies Sartres thesis that humans create meaning through their own choicesbut it also seems like no choice at all in a country under relentless attack for three and a half years, with no great power coming to save it. We need to defend the opportunity to make our own choices, he wrote. Be it the right one or the wrong one, but our own choices regardless.
By Sergiy Karazy

KYIV (Reuters) -In January, Dmytro, a 13-year-old Ukrainian boy whose family had fled the war to Finland, walked into Russia after being persuaded to do so by online gamers.

Interrogated at the border, he then spent more than eight months in a Russian children's home before being reunited with his mother in Kyiv.

Dmytro, who was returned to Kyiv earlier this month along with half a dozen children, was one of around 19,500 young Ukrainians who Ukrainian officials say are being held in Russia against their will.

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His story is unusual in that he chose to go there, albeit under the influence of people he met online. Rights advocates say many Ukrainian children held in Russia have been deported and put up for adoption but are hoping that more can be returned. The Kremlin says it is protecting them from conflict.

'WHY DON'T YOU LIVE IN RUSSIA?'

In the early months of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Dmytro and other family members, who asked not to be fully identified, fled in the only direction they could - to Russia - as Russian troops moved in on the port city of Mariupol. Volunteer groups then helped the family make it to Finland, where they found refuge.

Dmytro, however, felt alienated by the different culture and language. One day in January, instead of coming home from school, he walked 9 km (five miles) to the border, eluded Finnish border guards and crossed through a forest.

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When he got to the Russian side of the border, he was detained, he said.

"They (the Russians) tightened the handcuffs on me so much that my wrists were swollen. They pressed my shoulder to the ground with the muzzle of an automatic rifle, not allowing me to stand up."

After hours of interrogation he was sent to a children's shelter in St. Petersburg. By then he had changed his mind about staying in Russia but he was too afraid to say so.

"The Russians would come and ask: 'Why don't you like Russia? Why don't you live in Russia? After you turn 18 you can study and work here,'" he said. "I just agreed with them and said 'Of course, of course, sure.' I just waited to go home."

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After speaking to his mother in the weekly phone calls he was allowed, she spoke to officials at the shelter for three months with no results, and appealed to the ombudsmen in both Ukraine and Russia.

"Kyiv and Moscow started working together directly," she said. "Thanks to that, I was able to take my child home after eight months."

Accompanied on a train to Moscow, then by plane to Minsk in neighbouring Belarus, the boy was able to go to Kyiv, where his mother had returned from Finland to meet him.

Russia has repeatedly denied deporting Ukrainian children throughout the more than 3-1/2-year-old war, saying it has acted to keep them safe from the fighting.

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The International Criminal Court in The Hague issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova, accusing them of unlawful deportation of children, a war crime.

Russia does not recognise the jurisdiction of the court. Lvova-Belova did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the statements by Dmytro and his mother about his time in Russia.

U.S. first lady Melania Trump has said that since her husband passed on a letter from her to Putin at their summit in August, she and the Russian leader have an "open channel of communication" about the welfare of the war's child victims.

Ukrainian officials said they hoped it would bring results. "The only result we want is for our children to be returned to Ukrainian-controlled territory," said Oksana Chervyakova, representative of Ukraine's Ombudsman for children's rights.

(Reporting by Sergiy Karazy, Writing by Ron Popeski; editing by Tom Balmforth and Philippa Fletcher)
A drone strike killed a Russian "war correspondent" Ivan Zuyev, who was working for the Kremlin-aligned news outlet RIA Novosti, in the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region. His colleague, Yury Voitkevych, was seriously injured.

Source: RIA Novosti

Details: On Thursday 16 October, RIA Novosti reported the death of their employee Ivan Zuyev "while on an editorial assignment" in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

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According to the outlet, a group of propagandists came under attack by a Ukrainian drone. Zuyev was killed on the spot, while his colleague Yury Voitkevych was taken to hospital with severe injuries. The death was also confirmed by Yevhen Balytskyi, the Russian-appointed head of the oblast.

Zuyev was an active participant in Russia's information war against Ukraine. He first travelled to Donbas as a correspondent in July 2014. After the full-scale invasion began in 2022, he covered the occupation of Volnovakha, Sartana and the siege of Mariupol for the Russian state outlet Sputnik Blizhnee Zarubezhye. For his loyal service to the Kremlin, he received multiple state awards and, in March 2025, personal praise from Vladimir Putin.

Voitkevych, who was also filming Russian propaganda for years, was awarded the Medal of the Order For Merit to the Fatherland.

RIA Novosti said this was the third death of its staff member "on a combat assignment". Previously, Andrei Stenin was killed in 2014 and Rostislav Zhuravlev in 2023.

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Zuyev's death adds to the list of Russian propagandists killed since the start of the full-scale war:

Darya Dugina, daughter of Russian ultranationalist ideologue Alexander Dugin, died in August 2022 in a car explosion near Moscow.

Vladlen Tatarsky (real name Maksim Fomin), a "war correspondent" known for calls to destroy Ukrainians, was killed in an explosion in St Petersburg in April 2023.

Andrei Morozov ("Murz"), a pro-war blogger, was found dead in February 2024. Russian media reported he had taken his own life after being harassed by military commanders for disclosing high Russian losses near Avdiivka.

Kirill Vishynskiy, former head of RIA Novosti Ukraine accused of treason in Ukraine, died in Moscow in August 2025 at the age of 58 after a "long illness". He had been exchanged for Ukrainian political prisoners in 2019.

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While on leave in the United Kingdom, three servicewomen of Ukraine's Third Army Corps provided first emergency aid to a man injured in a traffic accident.

Source: press service of the 3rd Army Corps

Details: Medics who go by the aliases Sofiia, Mivina and Rebeka were passing by in a taxi when they witnessed the crash.

Photo: 3rd Army Corps

The women immediately stopped the car and rushed to help  they stopped the bleeding, applied a bandage and monitored the man's vital signs until an ambulance arrived.

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The man sustained serious injuries, but the Ukrainians managed to stabilise him on the spot.

The three medics.

The three medics.

Photo: 3rd Army Corps

"Thanks to timely and professional assistance, he was promptly taken to hospital," the corps reported.

The servicewomen were in London to attend the presentation of a biographical film as part of the VARTA project.

"The corps' medics remain on guard for life even far from the front line, once again proving that tactical medicine is the foundation  and the 3rd Corps is always ready, everywhere," the unit said.

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A Hindu student at Aligarh Muslim University, Akhil Kaushal, has written a letter to the Vice Chancellor seeking permission to celebrate Diwali on campus with Deepotsav, fireworks, and sweets. While the administration does not prohibit celebrations, the event may be delayed due to cleaning requirements after a major programme on October 17. Speaking to reporters, student Akhil Kaushal said, "I have written a letter to the vice chancellor of AMU requesting him to grant us permission to organize a program to celebrate Diwali. The program will include Deepotsav, fireworks, and sweets distribution. We needed permission because we are bona fide students of this university, and to organize any big event, we require the university's approval. That's why we took this decision. As of now, we haven't received any response from the vice chancellor." "However, by not granting us permission during Holi celebrations, the AMU administration has already made a mistake. So I think if they are smart, they will not repeat such a mistake again. If we still don't get permission, the Hindu students of the university will celebrate Diwali with great pomp at AMU's Bab-e-Syed Gate," Akhil added. Responding to the students' request, AMU Proctor Professor Wasim Ali clarified that celebrating Diwali on campus is not prohibited. "Akhil is a student in our university's Department of Social Science and Mass Communication. Before this, he completed a BALLB. He wrote to us asking us to let them celebrate Diwali in the university's NRSC club... This is not an issue at all. People are still celebrating it both within and outside the university. I told him there is no restriction on organising the event, so there is no point in giving written permission," he said. However, the professor noted a logistical concern regarding the timing. He said, "The only concern is that they want to celebrate on October 18, but due to a major event organised on October 17, it's not possible to clean the venue on October 18 as per the festival's sanctity and grandness... They requested 1-2 days to clean the place and asked to celebrate Diwali after that..." Deepavali or Diwali is an Indian festival of lights. 'Deepa' means lamp or light, and 'Vali' means string or row, and Deepavali means rows of lights. It celebrates the victory of good over evil. Diwali is a five-day festival that starts on Dhanteras. On Dhanteras, people buy jewellery or utensils and worship God. The second day is called Naraka Chaturdashi. It is also called Chhoti Diwali or Small Diwali. The third day of Diwali is the main day of the celebrations. People worship Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on this day and offer prayers to bless them with wealth and prosperity. The fourth day of Diwali is devoted to Govardhan Puja. The fifth day is called Bhai Dooj. On this day, sisters pray for their brothers to have long and happy lives by performing the Tika ceremony, and brothers give gifts to their sisters. (ANI)
By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA (Reuters) -The U.N. said on Friday aid convoys were struggling to reach famine-hit areas of north Gaza due to war-damaged roads and the continued closure of key routes into the enclave's north despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas militants.

Around 560 metric tons of food had entered the Gaza Strip per day on average since the U.S.-brokered halt to two years of devastating war but this was still well below the scale of need, according to the U.N. World Food Programme.

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With famine conditions in the Gaza City region, U.N. humanitarian affairs chief Tom Fletcher said this week thousands of aid vehicles would have to enter weekly to tackle widespread malnutrition, homelessness and a collapse of infrastructure.

"We're still below what we need, but we're getting there... The ceasefire has opened a narrow window of opportunity, and WFP is moving very quickly and swiftly to scale up food assistance," WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told a news briefing in Geneva.

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.

"Access to Gaza City and northern Gaza is extremely challenging," Etefa said, saying the movement of convoys of wheat flour and ready-to-eat food parcels from the south of the territory was being hampered by broken or blocked roads.

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"It is very important to have these openings in the north, this is where the famine took hold. To turn the tide on this famine..., it is very important to get these openings."

Global medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) said many relief agencies had not fully returned to the north, where hospitals are barely functioning, leaving many Gaza civilians still unable to access regular care.

Jacob Granger, MSF emergency coordinator in Gaza, described the case of a Gaza City woman with a shrapnel wound suffered during the war who was unable to get to a medical facility to change her dressings for five days earlier this month. When she managed to see an MSF nurse and her dressing was unfolded, the wound was infected with worms and maggots, Granger said.

Though small amounts of nutrition products have reached the north - the area of heaviest and most devastating fighting between Israel and Hamas - relief convoys were still unable to move significant quantities of food there.

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Around 950 trucks entered south and central Gaza on Thursday via the Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings with Israel, the U.N.'s humanitarian coordination agency said, citing figures from Israel's military aid agency COGAT presented to mediators.

That followed around 715 trucks that rolled into Gaza on Wednesday, including 16 bearing fuel and gas, OCHA said.

(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin, editing by Kirsti Knolle and Mark Heinrich)
By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA (Reuters) -The U.N. said on Friday aid convoys were struggling to reach famine-hit areas of north Gaza due to war-damaged roads and the continued closure of key routes into the enclave's north despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas militants.

Around 560 metric tons of food had entered the Gaza Strip per day on average since the U.S.-brokered halt to two years of devastating war, but this was still well below the scale of need, according to the U.N. World Food Programme.

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With famine conditions in the Gaza City region, U.N. humanitarian affairs chief Tom Fletcher said this week thousands of aid vehicles would have to enter weekly to tackle widespread malnutrition, homelessness and a collapse of infrastructure.

Fletcher travelled to Gaza on Friday, a U.N. spokesperson said, and was meeting with humanitarian workers and U.N. agencies.

Im in Gaza, supporting our teams as they deliver our 60 day plan to massively scale up lifesaving work. The challenges ahead are immense, but we are determined to deliver on the humanitarian possibilities created by President Trumps peace deal, Fletcher posted on X.

In Geneva, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told a press briefing: "We're still below what we need, but we're getting there... The ceasefire has opened a narrow window of opportunity, and WFP is moving very quickly and swiftly to scale up food assistance."

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The WFP said it had not begun distributions in Gaza City, pointing to the continued closure of two border crossings with Israel in the north of the enclave - Zikim and Erez - where the humanitarian debacle is most acute.

"Access to Gaza City and northern Gaza is extremely challenging," Etefa said, adding that the movement of convoys of wheat flour and ready-to-eat food parcels from the south of the territory was being hampered by broken or blocked roads.

"It is very important to have these openings in the north, this is where the famine took hold. To turn the tide on this famine... it is very important to get these openings."

LIMITED ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE

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Global medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) said many relief agencies had not fully returned to the north, where hospitals are barely functioning, leaving many Gaza civilians still unable to access regular care.

Jacob Granger, MSF emergency coordinator in Gaza, described the case of a Gaza City woman with a shrapnel wound suffered during the war who was unable to get to a medical facility to change her dressings for five days earlier this month. When she managed to see an MSF nurse and her dressing was unfolded, the wound was infected with worms and maggots, Granger said.

Though small amounts of nutrition products have reached the north - the area of heaviest and most devastating fighting between Israel and Hamas - relief convoys were still unable to move significant quantities of food there.

Around 950 trucks entered south and central Gaza on Thursday via the Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings with Israel, the U.N.'s humanitarian coordination agency said, citing figures from Israel's military aid agency COGAT presented to mediators.

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That followed around 715 trucks that rolled into Gaza on Wednesday, including 16 bearing fuel and gas, the agency said.

(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin in Geneva and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Kirsti Knolle, Mark Heinrich and Bill Berkrot)
By Enes Tunagur and Jonathan Saul

LONDON -A majority of countries at the U.N. shipping agency voted on Friday to postpone by a year a decision on a global carbon price on international shipping, after failing to reach consensus on the emissions reduction measure amid U.S. pressure.

The decision to delay the deal is a blow to the European Union and other countries including Brazil which have been pushing for the global shipping industry to go greener and set out a price mechanism for decarbonisation.

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Washington and Riyadh, the world's two largest oil producers, have strongly opposed a carbon price on shipping during talks in London at the International Maritime Organization.

After days of disagreements, Saudi Arabia tabled a motion on Friday to defer discussions for one year, which was passed by a simple majority of 57 countries with 49 opposed who sought to continue with a deal.

U.S. President Donald Trump called on IMO member states on Thursday to vote no, saying on his Truth Social platform that Washington would "not stand for this global green new scam tax on shipping and will not adhere to it in any way, shape or form".

"The delay leaves the shipping sector drifting in uncertainty," said Faig Abbasov, director of shipping with environmental group Transport & Environment.

(Reporting by Enes Tunagur and Jonathan SaulEditing by Peter Graff and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
By Enes Tunagur and Jonathan Saul

LONDON -A majority of countries at the U.N. shipping agency voted on Friday to postpone by a year a decision on a global carbon price on international shipping, after failing to reach consensus on the emissions reduction measure amid U.S. pressure.

The delay is a blow to the European Union and other countries including Brazil which have been pushing for the shipping industry to go greener and set out a price mechanism for decarbonisation.

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Washington and Riyadh, the world's two largest oil producers, have strongly opposed a carbon price on shipping during talks in London at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

After days of disagreements, Saudi Arabia tabled a motion on Friday to defer discussions for one year, which was passed by a simple majority of 57 countries with 49 opposed who sought to continue with a deal.

Countries such as China, Greece, Cyprus, Japan and South Korea had supported a carbon price in April. China on Friday voted in favour of delaying the decision, while the others abstained.

It is not clear when a carbon price would enter into force even if a consensus can be found next year, as the IMO had envisaged ships would only pay for emissions from 2028.

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U.S. President Donald Trump called on IMO member states on Thursday to vote no, saying on his Truth Social platform that Washington would "not stand for this global green new scam tax on shipping and will not adhere to it in any way, shape or form".

The Trump administration is looking to take a bigger role in global shipping, and has previously used tariffs as a weapon to extract better terms from Washingtons trade partners

SHIPPING INDUSTRY REACTION

The maritime sector had been expecting a regulatory framework to de-risk and unlock investment in alternative fuels and modern ships.

Danish shipping company Maersk said the IMO's decision was a loss of momentum for the industry's efforts to decarbonise, adding that it will wait to see how the organisation intends to continue the work on the framework.

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"The delay leaves the shipping sector drifting in uncertainty," said Faig Abbasov, director of shipping with environmental group Transport & Environment.

The IMO, which comprises 176 member countries, is responsible for regulating the safety and security of international shipping and preventing pollution.

Global shipping accounts for nearly 3% of the world's CO2 emissions. About 90% of the world's trade is conducted by sea, and emissions are set to soar without an agreed mechanism.

(Reporting by Enes Tunagur and Jonathan Saul; Editing by Peter Graff and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) -The United Nations and U.S. on Friday announced fresh sanctions on a former Haitian palace security chief and the leader of a downtown Port-au-Prince gang, as the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to renew its sanctions regime.

The sanctions target Bel Air gang leader Kempes Sanon and Dimitri Herard, who headed palace security at the time of President Jovenel Moise's 2021 assassination and escaped prison during a mass jailbreak last year.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

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Haitian police and gangs have been locked in a years-long conflict that has seen violent criminal groups take control of most of the capital and expand to other parts of the country, displacing over 1.3 million people and killing thousands.

The U.N. sanctions plan aims to, via travel bans, asset freezes, and an arms embargo, reduce the funding and firearms reaching Haitian gangs. However, illegal arms continue to flow into the Caribbean nation, largely via ports in Florida and its Dominican land border.

It aims to work alongside a security deployment mandated to help Haitian police restore security that has largely stalled due to a lack of contributions and resources.

KEY QUOTES

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"Haiti views the sanctions regime as an effective instrument of deterrence and justice, if it is properly applied and respected," Haiti's U.N. representative Ericq Pierre told the Security Council.

"Given the current situation, the results are mixed," he added. "Haiti continues to be regularly supplied with heavy weapons and ammunition coming from abroad. We therefore make an urgent appeal to every state, particularly Haiti's neighbors, to exercise utmost vigilance in controlling the transfer of arms."

The U.S. and U.N. accused Herard of facilitating arms trafficking to Haitian gangs and Sanon, whose gang counts an estimated 150 people, of helping consolidate the influence of the powerful Viv Ansanm gang alliance.

CONTEXT

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Sanon leads the Bel Air gang, which controls a part of downtown Port-au-Prince that has seen some of the worst violence, including a series of massacres perpetrated by an alliance of gangs led by Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier.

The area had historically resisted Cherizier's alliance, now known as Viv Ansanm, but after Sanon took control, he joined it.

Herard has, since his 2024 escape, faced rumors of involvement in drug trafficking, a key source of funding for gangs, but has in recent video messages denied these accusations.

(Reporting by Harold Isaac and Sarah MorlandEditing by Rod Nickel)
By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA (Reuters) -The U.N. said on Friday 560 tonnes of food had entered Gaza per day on average since a ceasefire took effect but convoys were struggling to reach famine-struck Gaza city due to war-damaged roads and continued closures of key northern aid routes.

With famine conditions in parts of Gaza, U.N. humanitarian affairs chief Tom Fletcher said on Wednesday thousands of aid vehicles would have to enter weekly to tackle a crisis marked by malnutrition, homelessness and a collapse of infrastructure.

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"We're still below what we need, but we're getting there... The ceasefire has opened a narrow window of opportunity, and WFP is moving very quickly and swiftly to scale up food assistance," U.N. World Food Programme spokesperson Abeer Etefa told reporters in Geneva.

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.

"Access to Gaza City and northern Gaza is extremely challenging," Etefa said, saying the movement of convoys of wheat flour and ready-to-eat food parcels from the south of the territory was being hampered by broken or blocked roads.

"It is very important to have these openings in the north, this is where the famine took hold. To turn the tide on this famine..., it is very important to get these openings."

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Though small amounts of nutrition products have reached the north - the area of heaviest and most devastating war between Israel and Hamas - relief convoys were still unable to move significant quantities of food there.

"We've had 57 trucks yesterday (into southern and central Gaza). We consider this a breakthrough, but we're not yet at the level of around 80-100 trucks a day," Etefa said.

Around 950 trucks passed into Gaza on Thursday via the Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings with Israel, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said, citing figures from COGAT, Israel's military aid agency, given to mediators.

That followed around 715 trucks that rolled into Gaza on Wednesday, including 16 bearing fuel and gas, OCHA said.

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UN Women, a U.N. agency that delivers programmes and promotes standards for women's rights, said there was an "overwhelming need" in Gaza for food, medicine and protection particularly for women.

"The ceasefire may have stopped the fighting, but it has not ended the crisis. Over 1 million women and girls require food aid and nearly a quarter million need urgent nutritional support," the agency's Sofia Calltorp said.

(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin, editing by Kirsti Knolle and Mark Heinrich)
the issue

US presidents in both parties have relied on old authorizations for the use of military force to justify new actions.

It happened when Donald Trump, during his first term, used a 2002 congressional authorization to justify a drone strike against Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020. And former President Barack Obamas administration cited the same law in its campaign against the Islamic State in 2014.

This practice has led some US lawmakers to push for repealing these authorizations, as Congress looks to wrestle back some authority over war powers and foreign policy.

the bond

Proponents of repealing the Gulf and Iraq War authorizations for the use of military force from 1991 and 2002, respectively, may finally have a victory on their hands.

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The House and Senate each recently passed their own versions of annual defense policy legislation that include bipartisan repeals of the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs, as theyre known. The Senates action was particularly remarkable, given that the measure was added by a voice vote  which usually signals a noncontroversial piece of legislation.

The repeals still need to make it into the final version of the defense policy legislation hashed out both chambers, but the effort clearly has momentum.

Sens. Todd Young, R-Ind., who along with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has pushed for years to do away with the old war authorizations, blamed congressional leadership for stamping out past repeal efforts. He warned that its possible a similar scenario plays out again this time.

Id be very disappointed if we had every single member of the United States Senate voting on behalf of their constituents to allow this into the bill, and it was somehow not included in the final legislation, he told Semafor when asked about his confidence in the repeals becoming law.

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That would suggest to me that either leadership or someone in the administration was being unresponsive to the desires of the American people.

Young described the Trump administration as passive on the issue and inclined to defer to Congress. The White House Office of Management and Budget didnt return a request for comment on the administrations position on repealing the AUMFs by press time.

The bills gained momentum just as the Trump administration faced bipartisan scrutiny for its military strikes on alleged drug ships off the coast of Venezuela, though its unclear whether that dynamic played a role in the latest efforts success. The repeal of both these authorizations wouldnt impact the Venezuela campaign.

Know More

While repealing the authorizations would send an important signal, it wouldnt actually have an immediate impact on existing conflicts, said Gene Healy, senior vice president for policy at the Cato Institute, who supports doing away with them.

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He argued that its good to get something that can be used to justify new operations off the books.

There is an additional 2001 war authorization  passed in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks  that would have more real-world implications, given that its been used more expansively to justify deployments and operations against terrorist groups in the Middle East.

People talk about the forever wars. Its kind of the forever authorizations, said Healy, who compared the 2001 authorization to a blank check.

Young noted past efforts to replace the 2001 AUMF have failed, though he said it was not off the table in the future.

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Thats a more complicated effort, and I want to emphasize that continuing to target terrorist groups is still authorized under the 01 AUMF, Young said.

Notable




HARTFORD - State legislators learned Thursday that 36,000 income-eligible people in Connecticut who are receiving federal food benefits risk losing them under new work requirements that take effect Dec. 1.

That could include veterans, people who are experiencing homelessness, residents without jobs, parents of older children and late middle age adults.

Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves and two other top officials of the state Department of Social Services updated members of the Appropriations Committee on federal budget cuts and policy changes affecting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The program known as SNAP currently provides monthly food assistance to 360,000 people in 210,000 Connecticut households in all of its 169 cities and towns.

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"We annually pay about $885 million in our SNAP benefits every year, which is the equivalent to about $75 million a month," Barton Reeves said, "And it sounds like it's a lot of money, but it really averages to about $190 per household."

Legislators and the DSS officials also discussed the repercussions of the ongoing federal government shutdown on SNAP benefits during a two-hour informational forum Thursday at the Legislative Office Building.

Under a new requirement, able-bodied adults ages 19 to 64 must work or volunteer for 80 hours a month, or prove they qualify for an exemption from work requirements, Barton Reeves and Deputy Commissioner Peter Hadler said.

Hadler also informed legislators that electronic SNAP benefits that can be used like cash to purchase food may no longer be available after October because the U.S. Department of Agriculture has instructed states to stop sending information used to provide monthly benefits in November due to the shutdown.

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Not only is there the possibility that no federally funded benefits would be provided in November and beyond while the shutdown lasts, but SNAP beneficiaries may not be able to use any remaining benefits on their EBT cards next month because the USDA will be unable to reimburse SNAP retailers, he said.

"There is a SNAP recipient in every single town, city, hamlet, village in the state of Connecticut," Barton Reeves said. "The numbers vary, but they're all there."

Democratic legislative leaders and Gov. Ned Lamont are discussing the possibility of using part of the last fiscal year's state budget surplus to supplement SNAP and other federal assistance programs. If an agreement is reached, a proposal could be presented for approval at a special legislative session in November. Senate President Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, and the governor's office said Thursday those discussions are ongoing.

In the meantime, state Rep. Toni E. Walker, D-New Haven, and state Sen. Catherine Osten, D-Sprague, the co-chairs of the Appropriation Committee, are planning more presentations from other state agencies to gather information on how other federal food assistance programs are affected, including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC.

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The additional informational hearings will help to identify other federal funding gaps that the state may need to temporarily backfill, they said.

The state Department of Public Health is currently using state cash to continue WIC benefits for more than 50,000 women and children. The monthly operating cost is $5.5 million. The state will seek federal reimbursement after the shutdown ends.

New SNAP rules

This first group to be affected by the new rules on Dec. 1 includes 300 veterans, 5,000 people who are homeless, 17,000 adults in households with children ages 14 to 18, and 20,000 individuals in 68 towns and cities with high unemployment rates that previously exempted local SNAP beneficiaries from work requirements.

Of this final contingent with town exemptions, the DSS officials said 1,500 able-bodied individuals who exhausted their three months of eligibility over a 36-month period will be subject to the work requirements unless they qualify for another exemption. Notices will be issued in November alerting them that their eligibility ends Nov. 30.

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Previously, work requirements applied to SNAP recipients ages 19 to 54. Now, adults ages 55 to 64 will be required to work or volunteer for 80 hours a month unless they qualify for another exemptions. The DSS reported about 44,000 individuals fall within this age group, and it estimates 11,000 will now be at risk of losing their benefits.

Adults in households with children under age 18 generally had been exempt from work requirements. The exemption is being narrowed to households with children under age 14.

Work requirements were waived for individuals living in towns or cities where the unemployment exceeded the national average. The changes increased the threshold to unemployment rates greater than 10%.

"There are no towns in the state of Connecticut where there is a 10% or higher unemployment rate," Hadler said.

Other rising costs

Over 15,600 noncitizens qualify for SNAP benefits, including lawful permanent residents, refugees, victims of human trafficking, and Afghan and Iraqi nationals with special immigrant visas who worked with the U.S government. About 3,000 could lose SNAP coverage, according to DSS.

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individuals without legal immigration status are ineligible for SNAP benefits under federal law, Hadler said.

Barton Reeves and Hadler also reported that an additional 50,000 households participating in the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps income-eligible households with their energy bills, will also see their benefits decreased.

Households whose heat is included in their rent will lose $100 in monthly SNAP benefits, according to DSS. The projected loss is $62.5 million a year. Only households with elderly or disabled members will continue to qualify for so-called "Heat and Eat" SNAP benefits.

In addition, the state's administrative costs will increase. The state and federal governments had been splitting annual administration costs 50-50, but the state share is going up to 75%. Halder said Connecticut's share is currently $160 million, and this new split will add another $40 million.

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Also, the state may end up paying a penalty because of processing errors by DSS or SNAP clients that result in overpayments or underpayments of benefits. At this time, the department is responsible for 40% of errors, and clients account for the other 60%, according to DSS.

The federal government will now require states with error rates of 6% or higher to contribute to the cost of SNAP benefits. It is 5% for error rates between 6% and 7.99%, 10% for error rates between 8% and 9.99%, and 15% for error rates of 10% or more.

The state would have to pick up $44.2 million if the error rate penalty was 5%, $88.5 million if the penalty was 10%, and $132.7 million if the penalty was 10% or higher. Barton Reeves reported the error rate is currently 8.7%.

This article originally published at Under new rules requiring work, 36,000 CT residents may lose their SNAP benefits.
Following the surrender of 208 Naxalites at an event organised in Bastar, Chhattisgarh Director General of Police (DGP) Arun Deo Gautam on Friday emphasised the need for the surrendered Naxalites to contribute to the region's development actively. Speaking to ANI on the occasion, Chhattisgarh DGP also highlighted the impact of Naxalite activities on local communities. "The kind of appeal that Naxalite organisations have made for Bastar, and we have been doing it consistently, is that the youth were being misled that they were fighting for the people of Bastar. But they have realised that they weren't fighting for the people; they were harming them. Bastar hasn't developed in all these years. Now, if they all contribute together, Bastar will progress... It's not about tactics, now the foundation is gone," Chhattisgarh DGP said. Earlier in the day, in a landmark development in Chhattisgarh's battle against Left Wing Extremism (LWE), 208 Naxalites surrendered at an event organised in Bastar's Jagdalpur, holding the Indian Constitution as they were welcomed back into the mainstream. According to officials, the surrendered group includes 110 women and 98 men, representing various ranks of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) organisation. Among them are one Central Committee Member (CCM), four Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) members, one Regional Committee Member, 21 Divisional Committee Members (DVCMs), 61 Area Committee Members (ACMs), 98 Party Members, and 22 PLGA/RPC/other cadres. Among the top Maoist leaders who laid down arms were Rupesh alias Satish (Central Committee Member), Bhaskar alias Rajman Mandavi (DKSZC Member), Ranita (DKSZC Member), Raju Salam (DKSZC Member), Dhannu Vetti alias Santu (DKSZC Member), and Ratan Elam (Regional Committee Member). During the operation, the Maoists surrendered 153 weapons, including 19 AK-47 rifles, 17 SLR rifles, 23 INSAS rifles, one INSAS LMG, 36 .303 rifles, four carbines, 11 BGL launchers, 41 twelve-bore or single-shot guns, and one pistol. The officials hailed the surrender as one of the most significant breakthroughs in recent years, saying it underscores the growing success of the government's Naxal Eradication and Rehabilitation Policy 2025, which combines development, dialogue, and trust-building measures to encourage militants to return to the mainstream. With this, officials said, most of Abujhmad has been freed from Naxal influence, bringing an end to the decades-long Red terror in North Bastar."Only South Bastar now remains affected," the top government officials said. Earlier on Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that 258 Naxalites had surrendered in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra over the past two days. Describing the development as a "landmark day" in the country's battle against Naxalism, Shah said the menace is now "breathing its last."As per the Home Minister, 170 Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh, while 27 had laid down arms in the same state a day earlier. Another 61 cadres surrendered in Maharashtra on Wednesday. (ANI)
Alongside the operations, forces warned recently released prisoners and their families to prevent marches and public displays of celebration for their release.

Undercover Border Police officers arrested a wanted suspect in the area of Nablus during an overnight counterterrorism operation, guided by Shin Bet intelligence, Israel Police confirmed on Friday.

When the security forces surrounded a house, a suspect attempted to flee the building and was shot in the leg, Israel Police said. The suspect was given medical treatment and arrested. Shortly after, another wanted individual surrendered himself to the forces.

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During searches at the scene, a handgun and magazines were seized and transferred to the Shin Bet.

IDF troops killed two terrorists in Jenin and Kabatiya over the past week as part of ongoing counterterrorism operations across the West Bank, the military said.

According to the IDF, troops operated in dozens of villages in a series of raids to thwart terrorist activity. Alongside the operations, forces warned recently released prisoners and their families to prevent marches and public displays of celebration for their release. Armed terrorists parading with supporting flags were immediately stopped.

IDF troops operating in the West Bank, October 17, 2025. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Under the terms of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, Israel had agreed to release approximately 250 Palestinian prisoners who were serving life sentences for involvement in attacks against Israelis spanning four decades. Additionally, around 1,700 individuals detained during the Israel-Hamas War were also released. About 40 remained behind bars.

Security forces seize weapons, bring in suspects for questioning

Troops from the Ephraim Brigade operated in the village of Atil, arresting a terrorist cell involved in the production of explosive devices. During the operation, troops confiscated an explosive device and explosive materials, which sappers destroyed. In Anabta, soldiers confiscated materials for building explosives.

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In Tulkarm and in the village of Budrus in the Binyamin Brigade, as well as in Dura in the Yehuda Brigade, troops seized Hamas flags.

In Akhtaba, Bethlehem, and the Beitot area, forces within the Ephraim, Etzion, and Shomron Brigades located nine weapons, including M16 and M4 rifles, pistols, hunting rifles, and other weaponry.

In the Yehuda Brigade, dozens of suspects were brought in for questioning in two battalion-level operations. In the Binyamin Brigade, forces arrested nine wanted individuals, including Hamas operatives and suspects involved in manufacturing explosives.

Forces from the Shomron Brigade destroyed a lathe used to manufacture weapons and carried out a brigade-level counterterrorism operation in the village of Kaddum.

The IDF said the seized weapons and detained suspects were transferred to the West Bank District Police and the Shin Bet for further investigation.

Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report.
BOCA RATON  Boca Raton's latest public works project won't change the skyline, or even the sand.

City officials in September approved a $2.68 million fiber-optic easement beneath Spanish River Park that will extend the city's reach across the Caribbean and Central America, reinforcing its little-known role as a hub of the global internet.

For decades, Boca Raton has been at the forefront for moving data between continents. The new upgraded line, known as AMX-3, will thread through an existing underground conduit beneath Spanish River Park, connecting the city's downtown data center with networks in Guatemala and Mexico. The conduit, installed in 2000, allows the fiber to run without any disruption to the park above.

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The easement grants telecommunications company Telxius permission to use the conduit for the new line. City officials said the project will not disrupt park grounds or interfere with public access.

The AMX-3 system is expected to begin operating by the end of 2025, adding high-capacity connectivity between Boca Raton and key destinations in Central America and the Caribbean.

The $2.68 million easement value was determined through an independent appraisal by Urban Group, which assessed the property's fair market value at $500 per square foot in a May 2025 report. The easement itself is made up of two smaller parcels bisected by A1A, covering roughly 0.493 acres in total.

According to Boca Raton's Development Services and Public Works & Engineering teams, proceeds from the easement will be deposited into the city's capital improvement fund or any other fund designated by the City Council.

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Although invisible to park visitors, the new cable is expected to bring real benefits to residents and businesses. By boosting the capacity and redundancy of Boca Raton's existing network, the AMX-3 line could reduce delays, improve internet speeds and make international communications more reliable.

The beach at Spanish River Park won its first 'Blue Flag' award from the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association in 2025. It is only the third beach in the U.S. to earn the status, joining the public beach in Delray Beach and one in Malibu, California. (RICHARD GRAULICH/PALM BEACH POST)

City officials said their oversight will focus on ensuring that the project complies with the easement terms. Once Telxius obtains its state permit, a city construction inspector will monitor progress on land, while work in state and federal waters falls under the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

RELATED: Brightline reduces fares for West Palm Beach station for the 2nd time in less than a month

RELATED: Suspended FAU professor: Outside law firm probing faculty social media to skirt Sunshine Law

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RELATED: Man's body found in Boca Raton lake after he vanished more than 10 years ago

Officials expect no significant environmental or construction issues near Spanish River Park. The project will rely on Horizontal Directional Drilling and the existing underground conduit, ensuring the beach, park access and public enjoyment remain unaffected.

Boca Raton also consulted its on-call coastal engineering expert to review potential effects on the reef and the city's borrow sandpit for beach renourishment. Following that review, Telxius rerouted the conduit landing to further protect the surrounding environment.

Jasmine Fernandez is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@pbpost.com and follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @jasminefernandz. Help support our work. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca Raton approves underground cable linking city to Central America
A group of protesters in 2024 calling for expanded health care for undocumented immigrants. State officials are about to delay one health benefit approved in 2024, citing the uncertain market and new federal policy toward immigrants. (File photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

A plan to give undocumented immigrants access to Marylands state health insurance marketplace next year has been put off until 2028 by state officials, citing recent federal policies affecting immigrants as well as overall uncertainty in health care markets.

The delay was the one of the biggest changes outlined for state lawmakers Thursday by health care and health insurance officials discussing the impact of recent Trump administration policies on Marylands health care system.

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The joint virtual meeting of the Senate Finance and the House Health and Government Operations committees went over policies that are expected to increase health insurance costs, create barriers to access plans and reduce federal funding to Maryland, among other effects. The briefing also laid out the ways in which Maryland might respond to those changes.

Michele Eberle, executive director of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, said one of the changes she was the most unhappy about was a delay in the implementation of the Access to Care Act, in light of recent federal developments.

Currently, undocumented immigrants can purchase health care plans directly from insurers. But they are barred from using the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to compare plans and find the most appropriate insurance for their households.

The 2024 Access to Care Act would have change that by opening the marketplace to undocumented residents, allowing them access to the marketplace,where they could comparison-shop health plans from different providers. It was to take effect next year if the state could get a waiver from the federal government, which is got while President Joe Biden was still in office.

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The law would not have given undocumented residents access to the federal subsidies to make health care affordable for many customers. But, for those who could afford to buy individual plans without a subsidy, it would at least have given them a chance to use the online marketplace as a tool to weigh their options.

But with the Trump administrations antagonistic approach toward undocumented immigrants, along with significant changes to health care funding, Eberle said the exchange decided to delay opening the marketplace to undocumented residents until 2028.

We worked really hard under the last [Biden] administration to make sure that it was approved  and we were all set to go, Eberle said. We did not anticipate at that time that we would have the Marketplace Integrity Rule or HR 1 that would throw up a whole bunch of new requirements that we would have to put in place in short order.

The rule and the bill  also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill  overhaul parts of the Affordable Care Act and other federal health regulations, and states like Maryland are having to focus their resources on complying with those changes.

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The Marketplace Integrity Rule also revoked a Biden-era decision that classified immigrants covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program  for undocumented immigrants who were brought to this country as children  as lawfully present individuals. Being lawfully present would have given DACA recipients access to the federal subsidies that help make health care coverage affordable for many.

Without the classification, DACA recipients lose access to the subsidies, a change that is set to affect about 300 DACA recipients in Maryland currently benefiting from those subsidies.

But federal decisions targeting Marylands undocumented and immigrant populations were just part of what Insurance Commissioner Marie Grant called gloomy but important health care-related updates under the Trump administration.

Grant noted the significant rise expected next year in insurance premiums  due in part to the anticipated expiration of pandemic-era federal tax credits that bring down costs of individual plans purchased through the Affordable Care Act.

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In September, the Maryland Insurance Administration approved an average premium increase of 13.4% across plans next year, less than what insurance companies initially asked for, but still a significant hit in monthly costs for many low- to middle-income families.

Health care advocates fear people will drop their coverage because they can no longer afford their plans if those credits expire. But carriers say the rate increases are needed to offset the number of people they expect will choose to go without health insurance  due to high costs.

The General Assembly approved funding this year that would partially replace the soon-to-expire federal tax credits for the coming year. But those state subsidies are only temporary fixes, analysts say, and even with that assistance plenty of people will still pay more each month for coverage than they did this year.

Congress could vote to extend those tax credits, which is at the heart to the current government shutdown debate. But Grant notes that time is running out to make that decision and have it effect 2026 health care plans.

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Were expecting those enhanced tax credits to expire by the end of this year, unless Congress takes action to extend them, she said. The clock is ticking. It is  likely were getting to a point where, unless this extension happened in the next couple of days, it is likely too late to have carriers refile rates for 2026.

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Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, meets with attendees of his Caribou town hall on Oct. 4, 2025. (Photo by Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)

New reporting on controversial comments made by Graham Platner in years past is drawing scrutiny to the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, who has generated significant grassroots excitement since his campaign launch in August.

While the oyster farmer and veteran has been gaining support with his frank speech, the posts reveal a potential vulnerability for the political newcomer as he goes up against seasoned campaigners with national backing.

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In a video posted to social media late Friday, Platner apologized for the remarks that he said he didnt agree with, but that came from a time in his life when he was struggling deeply.

He explained that after serving in the infantry, he struggled with (post-traumatic stress disorder) and depression. His time in the military, he said, left him disillusioned and isolated and I think like a lot of people, I went on the internet to post stupid things and get in fights and find some sort of community in some way, some outlet for my feelings.

He said he stopped posting on Reddit when he moved back to his hometown, started a business, established community and began to feel connected again.

The comments were reported by national outlets days after Maine Gov. Janet Mills, the favorite of Democratic Party leaders, entered the race to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.

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On Wednesday, CNN reported on several now-deleted Reddit posts made by Platner in 2020. In one, the Hancock County native responded to a thread titled white people arent as racist or stupid as Trump thinks. He wrote, Living in white rural America, Im afraid to tell you they actually are.

In another, he described himself as a vegetable growing, psychedelics taking socialist these days.

Platner, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been open about his depression after returning home. He wrote, After the war, Ive pretty much stopped believing in any of the patriotic nonsense that got me there in the first place, and am a firm believer that the best thing a person can do is help their neighbors and live a loving life.

His campaign did not respond to a request for comment, but told other outlets he largely regretted the remarks.

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I didnt feel connected. I didnt feel like I understood my place in the world, my place in our society. And that of course resulted in a lot of feelings of alienation and loneliness, he told Maine Public in response to the reporting. And thats when all this happened.

Politico followed Thursday with reporting on several 2018 posts made by Platner also on Reddit forums highlighting his belief that violence may be necessary to counter facism.

Responding to another user concerned about what their roommate would say if they purchased their first AR-15, Platner reportedly replied: Tell them that if they expect to fight fascism without a good semi-automatic rifle, they ought to do some reading of history.

In another post, Platner said he agreed with the views of former socialist presidential candidate Eugene V. Debs, writing, An armed working class is a requirement for economic justice.

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A primary focus of Platners campaign has been to return the Democratic Party to one of and for working people, while building a lasting structure in Maine for grassroots organizing. He has also been a vocal critic of establishment politicians, including Mills and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who reportedly recruited the Maine governor to enter the race.

I made dumb jokes and picked fights, Platner told Politico. But of course Im not a socialist. Im a small business owner, a Marine Corps veteran, and a retired shitposter.

But the posts are already having a ripple effect. After the Bangor Daily News on Friday reported on additional comments from 2013, former state Rep. Genevieve McDonald resigned from her position on Platners campaign, telling the newspaper that the statements were not known to me when I agreed to join the campaign, and they are not words or values I can stand behind in a candidate.

Before the revelations, political scientist and writer Amy Fried made the argument that a contested primary would be helpful to sharpen Platners previously untested skills in a real campaign environment.

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If theres anything we know about how Susan Collins runs for the Senate, its that her staff is aggressive and tenacious, Fried wrote on her Substack. One of its core strategies is to find a weakness in her opponent and hammer them persistently so it sticks in the minds of Maine voters.

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South Central Judicial District Judge Jackson Lofgren presides over a trial Jan. 27, 2025, in Bismarck. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)

Testimony from kids and parents affected by North Dakotas ban on gender-affirming care for minors wasnt central to a judges decision last week to uphold the statute.

Instead, the ruling hinged on defining who deserves special legal protections and whether the law discriminates on the basis of sex, according to one state constitutional law expert.

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The plaintiffs argued that transgender adolescents affected by the bill should be considered a protected class under the law because they are a small minority being forced to conform with government-imposed sex stereotypes.

Quinn Yeargain, an associate professor of law at Michigan State University, agreed, citing the history of discrimination against transgender people in areas like employment, health care and a host of other areas.

Its very difficult for me to conclude that transgender status, gender identity, however we want to label it, is not a protected class, Yeargain said. Theres every reason to believe that it is.

Had South Central Judicial District Judge Jackson Lofgren agreed, the state may have had to work harder to prove the law is constitutional, Yeargain said. But Lofgren felt differently.

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As he notes in his opinion, special legal status is typically granted to groups that are politically powerless and have repeatedly faced legal oppression. Courts have also found that an important characteristic of these protected classes is that theyre based on innate, unchangeable qualities  like race and ethnicity.

He rejected the notion that transgender people are politically powerless, pointing to the fact that many people testified in opposition to the health care ban and that other state legislatures and courts have acted in ways that bolster transgender rights. He also wrote that he didnt see convincing evidence that the Legislature adopted the law out of animus toward transgender people, or that the authors of North Dakotas constitution were aware of or supportive of transgender people.

Furthermore, Lofgren said he does not consider being transgender an immutable characteristic because peoples gender identities can change over time.

Lofgren also dismissed another of the plaintiffs key arguments: that the health care law discriminates based on transgender status.

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The plaintiffs argued the law is a form of sex discrimination because it bars minors with gender dysphoria from accessing medical treatments that are otherwise available to kids to treat other medical conditions.

Lofgren concluded the law discriminates only based on age and the purpose of the medical treatment in question.

The U.S. Supreme Court in June came to a similar conclusion in its decision upholding a ban on gender affirming care for minors in Tennessee, which Lofgren cited frequently in his opinion.

The plaintiffs also said the North Dakota law infringes on North Dakotans rights to autonomy and self-determination, though Lofgren found that these rights do not bar the state from prohibiting certain medical procedures.

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The lawsuit was brought against the state of North Dakota in 2023 by three families with transgender children and a pediatric endocrinologist. Lofgren later dismissed the families and children from the suit, finding they did not have standing to bring it. That left pediatric endocrinologist Luis Casas as the sole plaintiff.

Attorneys for the state of North Dakota argued that the law is constitutional because the state has an interest in regulating the medical profession and protecting minors.

Two transgender adolescents and their parents testified against the ban at a seven-day court trial earlier this year. They described gender-affirming care as life-saving, and said the health care law had forced them to seek treatment out of state.

Their testimony wasnt discussed in Lofgrens 85-page order.

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Yeargain said this wasnt surprising, given how Lofgren structured his analysis of the case.

If the framework of this is there is no historical support for this, and transgender status is not a protected class, and this is not discrimination based on sex and so on, then a lot of those stories are not legally relevant, Yeargain said.

Absent a finding that the law affects a protected group or restricts an important right, judges evaluate laws in a way that is highly deferential to lawmakers, said James Blumstein, a law professor at Vanderbilt University.

That means state legislatures generally have broad latitude to pass laws like the transgender health care ban. Under this framework, courts will let any law stand so long as that law conceivably furthers a legitimate government interest, Blumstein said.

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It doesnt have to be the most logical or effective policy, it just needs to be plausible that the law helps achieve the legislators goal, he added.

The way I like to say it is, you can burn down the barn to kill the rat, Blumstein said.

In order to have proven the law unconstitutional, the plaintiffs would have had to present overwhelming evidence that withholding gender-affirming care from transgender kids is harmful, said Blumstein.

Jess Braverman, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said this is exactly what they did.

The evidence at trial clearly showed how hard this ban has hit North Dakota families and transgender adolescents, Braverman told the North Dakota Monitor last week. Its just really disappointing that these families wont be able to get the health care they need.

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One parent who was formerly a plaintiff in the suit said in a statement through an attorney their family is heartbroken and angry about the decision.

I am proud to stand up for the rights of my family, my child, and all transgender youth and their families in North Dakota who are impacted by this harmful law, said the parent, who was

anonymous in the lawsuit.

North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley in a statement last week applauded Lofgrens ruling.

The district courts thorough and thoughtful decision makes clear that our elected legislative body appropriately reached this medical health determination and passed legislation that is constitutionally sound, Wrigley said.

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Legal advocacy group Gender Justice, which is representing the plaintiffs, said Friday they had not yet made a decision about whether to appeal.

The evidence

Attorneys for the plaintiffs repeatedly pointed out that mainstream medical associations in America endorse puberty blockers and hormone therapy as a safe and effective way to treat gender dysphoria.

Their witnesses  which included two transgender adolescents and parents, two pediatric endocrinologists, a psychiatrist and psychologist that have treat adolescents with gender dysphoria and other medical experts  said gender-affirming care can be life-saving.

The states expert witnesses included two endocrinologists, a psychologist and a psychiatrist. Only one of the states witnesses had experience diagnosing people with gender dysphoria.

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They testified that there is no robust long-term research exploring the effects of puberty blockers and hormone therapy on minors with gender dysphoria, so minors and their families cannot meaningfully be informed of the benefits or risks of the treatment.

The plaintiffs witnesses did not dispute the lack of research, but noted it is difficult to conduct top-tier studies like randomized control trials on children because its unethical and expensive. They said that the existing data on gender-affirming care demonstrates it works. They also argued that many mainstream medications have been accepted as safe for use on children without this level of clinical research.

Some witnesses for the state also have had the credibility of their testimony disputed in other lawsuits.

The states witnesses did not deny that their views were considered fringe in the United States. However, they argued that leading medical associations only endorse gender-affirming care as safe for minors for political reasons.

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It was up to the judge to decide whether the evidence indicated the Legislature had a rational basis for passing the health care ban.

Yeargain said that ordinarily in cases like this, judges will defer to lawmakers and are not involved in the enterprise of really weighing evidence.

I dont necessarily think just as a flat matter that whatever any medical association says automatically should determine the scope of legislation, Yeargain noted. On the other hand, I think theres something to be said when virtually all of the major medical associations that have expertise in these areas and are qualified to opine on them pretty much articulate the same thing.

Blumstein said he does not consider it concerning that North Dakota lawmakers adopted a policy that goes against the medical establishment.

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He said the United States is in a period of transferring political power from institutional experts to elected officials.

There was a realization that experts are not politically accountable, and having politics in the decision is not a bad thing, it builds accountability, he said.

North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer can be reached at msteurer@northdakotamonitor.com.

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Emotions for three sisters in their 60s and 70s who grew up in a small rural Utah town ranged from disbelief to denial to confusion when they found out they had a sibling they never knew about.

They were more shocked  even sickened  to learn their half-sister was the victim of infamous serial killers in California decades ago.

They felt sorry about whatever circumstances led to her tragic death. They tear up thinking about what she went through. Maybe things would have been different had they known her. She should have just been their annoying little sister. They dont even know her name.

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The three women, who dont want their names divulged for now, find themselves absorbed in a mystery police and forensic genealogists have spent years trying to unravel.

None of the half-siblings were aware of the fact that they had a half-sister. I cant even begin to imagine what goes through your head when you get that call. But theyve been cooperative. They want to see that person identified. They want to see us be able to do so, so we can give her name back, said Calaveras County sheriffs Capt. Tim Sturm, who heads the Calaveras Cold Case Task Force.

The phone call came in September 2024.

Are you missing a sister? forensic genealogist Joe Barrus asked one of the sisters. She said no, that she had already had plenty of sisters, to which he replied, Well, maybe you are.

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Barrus explained that DNA shows their late father had a child in the early 1960s, and he along with police in California are working to find her family, particularly her birth mother. The cold case task force calls her Wilseyville Jane Doe  reflecting the community in Calaveras County where her remains were discovered  until investigators can track down her real identity.

The biological father is deceased (as is his wife) but police are withholding his name and havent shared much about him.

At this point, were hoping to get leads without doing so, Sturm said. We dont know the circumstances of the birth of that child. We certainly dont want to put out any information that we dont know to be factual regarding that.

Its conceivable the birth mother is still living. Investigators dont know if she raised the girl as a single mother or with a spouse or placed her for adoption.

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Investigators believe someone might remember a daughter, sister or friend from Sevier County in central Utah or other areas in the state, including Salt Lake City, who disappeared during the 1960s to 1980s. They dont know how she came to be in California.

Stories from the crypt

In a rare case of serial killers working together, Leonard Lake and Charles Ng brutally murdered at least 11 men, women and children and possibly as many as 25 in 1983 and 1984. The pair buried their tortured bodies in shallow graves outside a remote cabin near Wilseyville, about 150 miles east of San Francisco.

Police arrested Lake on unrelated charges in 1985. He swallowed a cyanide pill sewn into his clothes and died four days later. Ng fled to Canada, where he was eventually arrested and returned to the U.S. to face trial. A jury convicted him on 11 counts of murder in 1999 and he is on death row in San Quentin prison.

After Ngs conviction, authorities placed the victims remains in an above-ground crypt in the Peoples Cemetery in San Andreas, believing they wouldnt ever be able to identify them.

The remains of the victims of two serial killers in the 1980s were placed in a crypt in a cemetery in San Andreas, Calif. | Calaveras County Sheriff's Office

The inscription on the crypt reads:

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In Wilseyville we found you, our lost loved ones. Though taken in darkness, you will forever live in light. Rest in peace. Victims of the 1984-85 Wilseyville mass murder.

Wilseyville Jane Does remains were among at least 1,000 bone fragments, strands of hair, teeth and other minute body parts the task force exhumed from the crypt two decades after they were placed there. Advances in DNA technology and the emergence of forensic investigative genetic genealogy has allowed investigators to reexamine unidentified remains outside traditional police work.

Barrus and police have used DNA, online genealogy platforms, public records, newspaper articles, and interviews among other sources to piece together a profile of Wilseyville Jane Doe.

Who is Wilseyville Jane Doe?

Heres what cold case task force knows about her:

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Her remains were found in June 1985.

DNA/forensic genealogy shows she was likely born between 1960 and 1965.

She had strong family ties to Sevier Valley, Utah, through both her mother and father.

She may have had blue eyes, medium to dark hair, and a pale to medium skin tone.

She may have gone missing in the early 1980s.

Investigators have confirmed her birth father through DNA.

Through Barrus forensic genealogy work, the task force has returned the remains of one known victim, Brenda Sue OConnor, to her family and identified the body of Reginald Reggie Frisby, whose remains had gone unidentified for 40 years.

The task force hopes to do the same for Wilseyville Jane Doe.

We recognize that nobodys name is Jane Doe or John Doe. We believe that everybody has the right to have their name restored, especially in death. Its just absolutely the right thing to do, Sturm said.

Not your fathers police work

After consulting with experts in forensic genetic genealogy, the Calaveras task force obtained a court order to exhume the remains, not knowing the degree of degradation investigators would find in the crypt.

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The task force has a forensic anthropologist examine the remains and select a batch, typically about 50 fragments, for testing at Resolve Forensics, a private laboratory in Salt Lake City. It has tested over 300 pieces to date. The nonprofit task force has spent over $275,000 in donated funds on the processing of those remains as well as on other cold cases.

You get one shot at processing a piece of human remains. Its potentially consumed during the processing, Sturm said. We want to make sure that were staying on top of technology. You pay for good service.

The results go to the renowned Identifinders International where forensic genealogists  like Barrus in this case  start looking for family connections.

Once you have a (genetic) match, you have to use traditional genealogy to find out the family tree, and the descendants, and add how the DNA is shared between the people, Barrus told the Calaveras Enterprise.

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Were genetically close but we could be circumstantially far away. I have been working on this case for over a year  DNA matches provide momentum. Its a matter of time and hurdles.  Mostly it requires patience, which is something I have a lot of. Genetic genealogy is the key; especially with this case, it is the major component.

Investigators have also contacted The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has a vast collection of genealogical records, and have tried to obtain adoption records, though Sturm noted adoption records do not require the name of the father.

A proper burial

While Wilseyville Jane Does half-sisters would like to have her remains, Sturm said the law precludes turning over the remains without a death certificate, which police dont have at this point. And the sisters are not the family who raised her.

Barrus told the Deseret News that the three sisters are highly invested in the case, and he wouldnt have gotten as far as he has without their help.

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Its interesting how this puzzle came together, Barrus said.

But its still incomplete.

The sisters have called distant relatives to glean information. Some were receptive, some were not. They want to know the rest of the story. Their gut feeling is that theyre close.

One thing that has frustrated them is pedigree collapse, where a family tree has fewer unique ancestors than it should because some appear in multiple places in the same tree. It happens when people marry within a limited social, geographical or cultural group. In this case, the Danish community in Sevier Valley.

Whether its with them or with the family who raised their half-sister, they want to find her a home. They didnt have the opportunity to support her in life. They want to support her now. She needs rest.

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Were just trying to give her a place to be buried, one sister said. The thought of her sitting in a box for eternity is not what were wanting.

Anyone with information, can call the Calaveras Cold Case Task Force anonymous tip line at 209-754-6030 or the office at 209-754-6500.
Oct. 16Having a foreign military presence inside the United States is nothing new.

Several allies have operations on U.S. soil, including at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, where Qatar is slated to have a presence. Singapore has had airmen training on F-15 fighter aircraft there since 2009 as part of the 428th Fighter Squadron under the Peace Carvin V program.

The U.S. hosts other nations' military forces, including NATO Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard AFB in Texas, Dutch pilots from the Royal Netherlands Air Force train on F-35s at Luke AFB in Phoenix, Arizona, which also hosts a Republic of Singapore Air Force squadron that trains on the F-16. The British Royal Air Force trains at Edwards AFB in California, and the German Armed Forces Command with a permanent administrative presence in Reston, Virginia, near Washington, D.C.

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The U.S., meanwhile, has some 800 military bases in more than 80 countries, including 10,000 troops at the Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar.

This story has been updated to correct errors in Air Force Base locations and plane names.
A bronze cast of "The Thinker" by French sculptor Auguste Rodin sits outside Grawemeyer Hall on the University of Louisville's campus. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley)

The University of Louisville has suspended a student group supporting Palestinian rights after President Gerry Bradleys Oct. 10 inaugural speech was interrupted by protesters, some of whom shouted Genocide Gerry and carried flags.

Five UofL students and two former students were issued citations on charges of criminal trespass, according to a statement issued Thursday by Louisville Students for Justice in Palestine. The statement said the group is interim suspended.

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According to a video the student group posted online, a protestor can be heard yelling Genocide Gerry during Bradleys speech.

After the suspension, the group rallied on campus Oct. 13, calling on university administrators to reinstate it and demanding that UofL divest investments in Israel. A student was issued a citation when university police stopped protesters who were setting up an encampment, the group said. In its statement, the group said university police violently struck down, breaking through a human chain of students, faculty, and community members to remove tents and canopies.

UofL spokesman John Karman said that as of Friday, Louisville Students for Justice in Palestine remains suspended.

Bradley sent a campus-wide message on Oct. 13 saying the university is a strong advocate for its students rights to free speech and free assembly, but added that Louisville Students for Justice in Palestine has been warned multiple times about conduct on campus.

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Our free speech policies allow students to take a position on issues that inspire them and to use their voices to raise concerns, support others and call for change, Bradley wrote. They are not allowed, however, to disrupt university business or activities or to endanger their fellow students or faculty and staff. There are consequences for students and other members of the UofL community who do not follow university policies and directives.

The UofL Board of Trustees appointed Bradley, who was UofLs executive vice president and university provost, as president in the spring following the departure of former President Kim Schatzel.

In its statement, Louisville Students for Justice in Palestine issued demands of UofL administration:

Disclose all direct and indirect investments from the universitys endowment by companies that are complicit in Israels genocide

Disclose all university partnerships with companies complicit in Israels apartheid and genocide in Gaza

Make all of these disclosures publicly available and accessible.

Remove all investments in companies that are complicit in the Israeli genocide of Gazans and their apartheid state.

Dissolve all partnerships with companies complicit in the Israeli apartheid.

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In an Instagram post, Louisville Students for Justice in Palestine said Bradley spoke highly of free speech and hailed UofL as a morally righteous institution, all the while he refuses dialogue with his students, forcing them to disrupt, and then repressing and punishing students afterwards.

UofL has exposed itself for what it is, an institution blindly committed to zionism and genocide before its students, the group said at the time.

The tension on the Kentucky university campus comes as colleges nationwide grapple with balancing students rights to protest. Campus demonstrations were held across the country in 2024.

Last week, a group of students in support of Palestinian rights filed a lawsuit against the University of South Florida, claiming the university violated members constitutional rights after expelling one student and disciplining others.

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State lawmakers who are part of the Kentucky Israel Caucus issued a letter to university presidents in 2023 calling on them to sign a statement that condemns Hamas and affirms the humanity of Israelis and Palestinians alike. That letter said that Schatzel, the former UofL president, had signed such a statement.

Earlier this year, the Kentucky General Assembly enacted a law banning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the states public universities. Part of that directed the universities to adopt viewpoint neutrality policies and avoid taking political stances.
A former special education aide at Oakdale Middle School has been arrested and charged with sexually abusing multiple cognitively impaired students in classrooms.

The application for charges said two alleged victims are part of Learning For Life, a special education program for students living with developmental and cognitive disabilities, according to the school district.

John McAleer, 22, was charged with two counts each of third-degree sexual offense against a victim under 14, third-degree sexual offense against a cognitively impaired victim and sexual abuse of a minor. Each charge is connected to one of two alleged victims.

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At a hearing on Thursday, Frederick County District Court Judge Dino Flores ordered that McAleer be held without bail because the danger to the community is significant and severe.

Flores said the allegations against McAleer are unspeakable and horrifying.

McAleer was placed on administrative leave from Oakdale Middle on Sept. 19, according to the application for charges.

He previously worked at Carroll Manor Elementary School, the charging documents said.

The two alleged victims have been diagnosed with autism, according to charging documents.

A third alleged victim is mentioned in the application for charges, but McAleer has not been charged with a crime connected to that victim.

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FCPS officials did not provide a comment Thursday.

The Frederick County Public Defenders Office declined and the Frederick County States Attorneys Office both declined to comment on the case.

On Oct. 6, the Frederick County Sheriffs Office SWAT team went to McAleers house after obtaining search warrants, according to a Sheriffs Office press release.

McAleer then barricaded himself in a bedroom. Deputies then made an emergency entry after seeing blood inside the room, the release said.

McAleer had serious self-inflicted injuries after he attempted suicide with a knife, according to the release.

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The sheriffs deputies provided medical aid to stop the bleeding, and McAleer was flown to a Washington, D.C., hospital, according to the press release.

McAleer told the deputies that he was sorry to put you through this, as they treated him, according to charging documents.

During the search, deputies saw the words Im sorry written in blood on the wall of McAleers room, the charging documents said.

Allegations

Another special education aide reported something suspicious on Sept. 19  the same day McAleer was put on administrative leave, according to charging documents.

The aide, who is not named in the document, reported that she discovered the classroom next to hers was locked and the lights were turned off, according to the application of charges.

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The aide said she saw McAleer leave the classroom that moments earlier had been locked, and when she looked inside the classroom, she saw one of the alleged victims, according to charging documents.

The aide also reported that she previously heard McAleer speaking about the size of a students private parts, according to the charging documents.

The document notes that the alleged victim is not fully capable of explaining things in full sentences due to his autism diagnosis.

The alleged victim told a sheriffs deputy and a Child Protective Services staff member that he touched McAleers genitals, according to charging documents.

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On Oct. 3, the second alleged victim was interviewed, according to the application for charges. The document said that this alleged victim is limited in his ability to communicate.

The second alleged victim stated that McAleer touched his genitals and butt, according to the application for charges.

The second alleged victims mother on April 28 sent her sons teacher an email that asked who Mr. John was, and that something is getting [the alleged victim] really upset, according to charging documents.

During a search of McAleers bedroom a notebook was found.

The notebook had statements like Im so sorry. I dont mean to hurt anyone. I never wanted to go out like this, and I fear I have become the monster everyone thinks I am, according to charging documents.

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Despite the difficulty the alleged victims had in describing what had happened to them, information learned from these interviews, as well as incidents reported by the victims parents, corroborate similar instances of abuse by John McAleer, according to charging documents.

Bail review hearing

Lindsey Carpenter, lead prosecutor and the chief of the Special Victims Unit at the Frederick County States Attorneys Office, said at Thursdays hearing that McAleer was an extreme risk to himself and the community.

She recommended McAleer be held without bail.

McAleer appeared in court on Thursday via a live video feed.

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Devon Ayer, an attorney for the Frederick County Public Defenders Office, said at the hearing that McAleer is an extremely young man, and that he should be given pretrial house arrest with a GPS monitor instead.

Ayer said McAleer graduated from Tuscarora High School in 2022. She said he was part of Best Buddies, an international extracurricular that works to create opportunities for students living with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

She added that McAleers older brother is on the autism spectrum.

Ayer said McAleer taught for a year at Carroll Manor Elementary, and then transferred to Oakdale Middle. He has worked the past two school years at Oakdale Middle.

Ayer suggested a cash bond of $2,000.

A preliminary hearing for McAleer is scheduled for Nov. 13, according to court records.

The investigation is ongoing, the sheriffs office said.
The Air Force has scrapped its outgoing chief of staffs plan to create an independent command focused on developing the services future requirements into new systems.

The functions of the provisional Independent Capabilities Command will be folded into a restructured version of Air Force Futures by next April, the department said Wednesday.

This restructuring will accelerate the delivery of combat power, improve efficiency and shorten the decision timeline, Air Force Sec. Troy Meink said in a statement.

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Last February, former Air Force Sec. Frank Kendall and Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin announced plans to create the ICC as a key pillar of a vast reoptimization of the service to better prepare it for a potential conflict with China.

Allvin wanted the ICC to centralize future requirements planning, instead of having individual commands handle those responsibilities themselves. He further urged lawmakers to fund it so the Air Force could move quickly to set it up.

But lawmakers wanted to hear more about how the reoptimization would work. And as the Trump administration returned to power, new Pentagon leaders were skeptical of the program and put it on hold. Allvin announced his surprise early retirement in August, amid reports that it was prompted by his strong advocacy for the reoptimization that was falling out of the administrations favor.

Now, the duties of what would have been the ICC will still be done, but not as its own brand new command.

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The Air Force said that this change will leverage the work done over the past year and speed up decision making, while cutting personnel and eliminating duplication of effort at echelons of command. It will also cut the number of steps needed to coordinate associated command structures, the department said.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the Department of the Air Force to review the effort to set up ICC, the department said.

In the process of that review, according to the emailed statement, Meink and Allvin ordered Air Force Futures to be restructured to better align the services modernization efforts.

As part of the restructuring of Air Force Futures, the service will create a new Chief Modernization Officer position. That official will be in charge of four main areas: Strategy and force design; mission integration and mission threads; capability development and requirements; and modernization investment prioritization.

Until the ICC is fully folded into Air Force Futures, the department said it will keep working to improve modernization and how it is prioritized, supporting key investment areas and preparing to join Futures.
The University of Delhi (DU) on Friday constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the alleged physical assault on a faculty member by Deepika Jha, Joint Secretary of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU), at BR Ambedkar College. The six-member committee will be chaired by Professor Neeta Sehgal from the Department of Zoology. The panel has been tasked with investigating the incident and submitting a factual report at the earliest, with DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh directing them to submit its report within two weeks. According to the university, the inquiry committee comprises of Professor Neeta Sehgal as chairperson and Professor Jyoti Trehan Sharma, DU's Joint Proctor, as member secretary. Other members include Professor (Dr) Rama, Principal of Hansraj College; Professor Swati Diwakar (Department of Environmental Studies); Professor Darvinder Kumar, Principal of PGDAV College; and Awadhesh Kumar, Joint Proctor. The committee has been asked to look into all aspects of the incident and submit its report to the Vice-Chancellor for further action. This has come a day after Delhi University professor Sujit Kumar was allegedly assaulted by Jha, sparking widespread condemnation from teachers and student groups across the university. According to the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), Jha slapped Kumar of the Commerce Department, who is also the convener of the college's disciplinary committee, inside the principal's office during an argument on Wednesday. The committee was reportedly probing an earlier incident involving ABVP members accused of attacking other students. A purported CCTV video shared by teachers shows Jha standing up during a discussion and slapping the professor sitting beside her. A woman police officer present at the scene is seen trying to restrain her. DTF alleged that Jha, along with the DUSU president and nearly 50 students, forcibly entered the college premises, misbehaved with teachers, and demanded Prof Kumar's resignation. Following the incident, all members of the disciplinary committee resigned, citing safety concerns. "This incident reflects a growing culture of mob intimidation on campus. Unless the safety of teachers is ensured, they cannot discharge their duties freely," DTF said in a statement signed by president Rajib Ray and secretary Abha Dev Habib. Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) executive member VS Dixit called the incident "deeply condemnable" and urged the teachers' body to take immediate cognisance and demand strict action. Kirori Mal College professor and DTF treasurer Rudrashish Chakraborty termed it "part of a series of lumpen acts by ABVP, enabled by the university administration." (ANI)
[Source]

A Filipino American and Mexican American business owner filed a federal lawsuit last week against Pennsylvania police following his arrest during a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in July.

What happened: Isaac Elias, 43, witnessed ICE agents arrest 12 Latino people during a saturation patrol in Ambridge near a market that sells Latin American products on July 31. He alerted Casa San Jose, a Pittsburgh-based advocacy organization, which mobilized approximately 40 volunteer observers to the scene.

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After federal agents finished their operation at around 10:40 p.m., Elias retrieved a protest sign from his vehicle that read No Justice, No Peace and began walking the perimeter of the Ambridge Police Department while chanting Shame! He intended to complete seven laps around the building in reference to a biblical story, but officers stopped him by seizing both arms and placing him in handcuffs. Katherine Melson, 45, a registered nurse who was among the observers, was arrested minutes later and also filed a suit last week.

His allegations: Elias complaint, which was filed last Wednesday in federal court, alleges unlawful detention, malicious prosecution and First Amendment violations. The suit describes how Sgt. Sokheng Seng forcibly pulled Elias arm beyond its natural range of motion, resulting in pain and emotional harm. Police reportedly held Elias for about 18 hours on charges of disorderly conduct related to unreasonable noise and resisting arrest. A district judge dismissed all charges last month after Elias fulfilled 25 hours of community service. His legal complaint also addresses property seizure, alleging police confiscated his protest sign from 2020 and never returned it.

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In explaining his decision to sue, Elias told Public Source, Its important that somebody helps to keep the law enforcement folks within the law, adding that people that do [go to protests] should be able to exercise their rights.

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Why this matters: Civil liberties advocates have raised concerns about the case. For one, ACLU of Pennsylvania officials said the arrests appeared to target individuals solely for documenting and critiquing law enforcement tactics, which are activities protected under the Constitution. The Ambridge operation came amid a sharp increase in nationwide arrests amid President Donald Trumps intensified immigration crackdown. For Elias, a U.S. Army veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, the case carries broader significance beyond his personal experience. According to his lawsuit and public statements, he views the arrests as part of a pattern affecting those who lack the ability to challenge police conduct.

Elias has demanded a jury trial and is pursuing both compensatory and punitive damages.

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CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY)  Matthew Harvey, the newly-appointed U.S. Attorney of the Northern District of West Virginia, paid his first visit to his Clarksburg office to meet with staff on Thursday.

Attorney Harvey is a native of Monroe County and served as an assistant prosecutor in Berkley County in 2005 and the assistant prosecutor in Kanawha County in 2009.

Attorney Matthew Harvey

Harvey then moved back to the Eastern Panhandle, where he went into private practice for six years before running for the prosecutor of Jefferson County in 2016, where he served until Wednesday of last week.

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On Friday, Harvey was sworn in as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, a role that he stated has been an idea for years.

Harrison County ambulance worker stole fentanyl; other drugs from employer, troopers say

Backing the ideals of the Trump administration, Harveys main focus in his new role is to tackle violent crime, fentanyl, immigration and the total elimination of cartels.

Harvey told 12 News how hes seen the impact of different drug epidemics sweep across the state since he was in high school and that hes eager to have a bigger impact on the issue.

When I ran in 2016, I ran, and one of my big campaign platforms was about the heroin epidemic. Now eight years and some change later, were talking about the fentanyl epidemic. What Im looking forward to is being able to prepare to respond to the next evolution of the drug epidemic in West Virginia and having the law enforcement ready to act to save lives, Harvey said.

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Harvey expressed both his enthusiasm and gratitude for his new position.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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The United States could help stabilise relations with Beijing by scaling back its military activities in the South China Sea and restraining Taiwan, a think tank has suggested.

Researchers from the Rand Corporation argued that stabilising the ongoing US-China rivalry was "not only possible but can serve the interests of both sides".

Although they said that the two countries were "very far from even conceptualising how their rivalry could end or be transcended", they emphasised the need to look for ways to live with each other despite their deep-seated differences.

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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.

"The United States must take steps to head off the most dangerous Chinese ambitions and safeguard US interests," Michael Mazarr, Amanda Kerrigan and Benjamin Lenain wrote in the report published on Tuesday.

"Even as it does so, however, the United States must, as it did during the Cold War, also seek to keep the rivalry from descending into extreme and dangerous levels of tension."

The report argued that some of the comments by China's leaders were "not as extreme" as they had been portrayed, adding that there was an "opening" for coexistence but "the challenge ... is whether it can be leveraged".

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Ties between the two countries have come under further strain in recent months amid the ongoing trade war and mounting tensions over Taiwan. This situation has raised questions about whether a proposed meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea will go ahead at the end of the month.

The report for Rand's International Security and Defence Policy Centre identified Taiwan as one of the most dangerous potential flashpoints, but said Washington should create a situation where Beijing was given incentives to adopt a "gradual approach" to reunification.

They wrote that although Beijing's military activities and rhetoric towards Taiwan had heightened tensions, so had "numerous statements that have elicited harsh rhetoric" from the island's leader William Lai Ching-te.

"The United States could balance its commitments to Taiwan with leveraging its influence to ensure Taiwan's actions do not escalate tensions with China and destabilise cross-strait security," the report said.

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It added that Washington should make sure the prospect of war over Taiwan was "as hazardous and uncertain as possible" for Beijing.

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. The US, in common with most countries, does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state but opposes any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.

There was also a risk of potential miscalculations in the South China Sea, where China's long-running territorial dispute with the Philippines has resulted in frequent clashes between their coastguards. The US also regularly sends warships into the disputed waters for what it describes as freedom of navigation operations.

The report suggested that the US could "signal privately" that it might be open to negotiations on its intelligence and surveillance activities or freedom of navigation operations. But it said this should be "conditional on China shifting away from its maximalist historic rights claims or demonstrating flexibility in code of conduct negotiations".

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"A credible but conditional willingness to scale back the most visible elements of US military signalling could serve as a valuable confidence-building measure, especially if sequenced alongside visible Chinese restraint," the report said.

The authors also suggested that the two countries should identify areas where they could improve scientific cooperation, including joint research projects between universities and more academic exchanges.

However, they added that "bolder" initiatives "must await some thawing of the relationship".

The authors also warned that they did "do not believe that collaborative coexistence [between the US and China] is possible today".

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"Nonetheless, reducing the risk of crises, preventing unnecessary cascading of competitive moves, and preserving limited areas for positive coordination can benefit both sides.

The American Institute in Taiwan - the de facto US embassy in Taipei - last month accused Beijing of misrepresenting the Cairo Declaration and other World War II-era documents on the island's status to support "coercive" actions.

On Tuesday, the Chinese ambassador to Washington Xie Feng urged the US to "refrain from ... spreading the fallacy that Taiwan's status is 'undetermined' and avoid sending any wrong signal to Taiwan independence separatists".

On Thursday, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi used a meeting with Stephen Schwarzman, chairman and chief executive of the Blackstone Group to call for "peaceful coexistence" between the two sides.

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"Decoupling or the severing of industrial and supply chains are not realistic or rational choices, and confrontation or antagonism will only lead to mutual loss," Wang said.

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.
The United States military has reportedly carried out a strike on another alleged drug smuggling vessel, as the admiral overseeing the Trump administrations controversial campaign in the Caribbean announced his shock departure.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the strike on Thursday. The official said that, in what appeared to be a first, there were also survivors among the crew.

The official did not offer additional details about the incident, which has not been previously reported. The Pentagon and US President Donald Trump are yet to publicly confirm the attack.

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Prior to this latest strike, the US had carried out five attacks on alleged drug smuggling vessels in the Caribbean since early September, killing at least 27 people.

The strikes have drawn the condemnation of legal experts, rights groups and Democratic lawmakers, who criticise their extrajudicial nature and question whether they adhere to US and international law.

The Trump administration argues the strikes are legitimate as the US is already engaged in a war with narco-terrorist groups from Venezuela, and drug traffickers are unlawful combatants who must be met with military force.





Venezuela has repeatedly condemned the strikes, most recently on Thursday when Caracass ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, called on the UN Security Council to investigate what he called the series of assassinations.

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In his speech, Moncada described an attack on a small boat in the Caribbean on Tuesday  the most recent to be confirmed by President Trump  as a new set of extrajudicial executions.

Six people were killed in that attack, including reportedly two fishermen from Trinidad and Tobago, whom Moncada referenced in his speech.

There is a killer prowling the Caribbean, Moncada said, holding up local newspaper The Trinidad and Tobago Guardian, which featured a story detailing the lives of the two men.

Only a couple of miles separate Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago, with the ongoing military strikes spooking fishermen in the Caribbean island dual-nation.

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People from different countries  are suffering the effects of these massacres, he added. There is no justification at all  They are fabricating a war.

Trinidad and Tobagos Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is yet to comment. Following Washingtons first strike on a vessel on September 3, she said, I have no sympathy for traffickers; the US military should kill them all violently.





The strikes come against the backdrop of an unprecedented US military buildup in the Caribbean, as President Trump escalates a standoff with the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Since late August, the US has deployed guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and about 6,500 troops to the region with the stated goal of combating drug trafficking.

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Trump has also floated the idea of conducting land strikes against Venezuelan cartels, while he authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside the country on Wednesday.

Caracas has accused Washington of attempting to overthrow Maduro  whom the US accuses of leading a narco-empire and has offered a $50m reward for  to instigate regime change in the nominally socialist South American country.

Speaking in a televised address following Trumps authorisation of ground operations in Venezuela, Maduro spoke directly to the US public as he declared no to CIA-orchestrated coups detat.

No to regime change, which reminds us so much of the endless, failed wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and so on, he said.

On behalf of the Department of War, we extend our deepest gratitude to Admiral Alvin Holsey for his more than 37 years of distinguished service to our nation as he plans to retire at year's end. A native of Fort Valley, Georgia, Admiral Holsey has exemplified the highest  Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 16, 2025

Also on Thursday, the US admiral overseeing the strikes in the Caribbean announced he will retire just a year into his tenure.

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Admiral Alvin Holsey, the head of US Southern Command that is responsible for forces operating in Central and South America, did not provide an explanation for his departure, which comes two years ahead of schedule.

Effective 12 December 2025 I will retire from the US Navy, Holsey said in a statement posted on Southern Commands X account.

Its been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend the Constitution for over 37 years, he added.

In a post on X, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth praised Holseys career and said the admiral demonstrated unwavering commitment to mission, people, and nation.

His tenure as Military Deputy Commander and now Commander of United States Southern Command reflects a legacy of operational excellence and strategic vision, he said.
By Nate Raymond

(Reuters) -The U.S. federal court system starting on Monday will begin curtailing non-essential functions and furloughing some employees after exhausting what funds it had left to sustain paid operations during the U.S. government shutdown.

The announcement, in a Thursday internal memo reviewed by Reuters, means the federal judiciary will for the first time in nearly three decades be forced to send some of its over 33,000 employees home and require others to work without a paycheck after Congress failed to pass legislation keeping the courts and the rest of the government funded.

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The shutdown has already caused widespread delays in civil lawsuits involving federal agencies, as many of their employees have been furloughed. However, judges overseeing numerous legal challenges to Republican President Donald Trump's policies have frequently denied government requests to pause those cases.

Unlike executive branch agencies operating under Trump's purview, the judiciary had after the government shutdown that began on October 1 been able to sustain its paid operations for a few weeks by using fees and other funds not dependent on Congress authorizing new spending.

But tight budgets in recent years meant the judiciary entered the shutdown with less cash available than it had during a 2019 shutdown in Trump's first term in office, during which the courts sustained paid operations for the full five weeks. Funding was, as a result, projected to be exhausted on Friday.

Courts will remain open, and judges and Supreme Court justices will still get paid, thanks to a bar in the U.S. Constitution against a diminution in their pay. Officials in various district courts said they had been informed they could continue paying jurors, at least for now.

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JUDICIARY TO START SENDING FURLOUGH NOTICES MONDAY

But Judge Robert Conrad, the director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, in Thursday's memo told judges and others that the courts had done what they could to maintain operations by deferring planned spending and would enter into a new phase of the shutdown starting at midnight on Monday.

Furlough notices will be distributed that morning, and "orderly shutdown activities will commence," Conrad wrote.

The last time such furloughs occurred within the judiciary was during government shutdowns that occurred during Democratic President Bill Clinton's tenure in 1995 to 1996.

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Exactly how many court employees will be furloughed is not clear. Officials in various trial courts said most if not all of their staff would be deemed exempt under the Antideficiency Act as they provide essential services that help them fulfill their core duties under the Constitution of resolving cases and facilitating criminal defendants' right to a speedy trial.

But probation officers, judicial clerks and administrative staff still on the job are set to receive their last paychecks on October 24, a possibility that "is extremely stressful to our employees," said Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane of the Southern District of Texas, which covers Houston.

Federal public defenders, who represent indigent defendants who have a right to a lawyer, working in offices that are part of the judiciary likewise will not get paid, nor will private lawyers who do the same under the Criminal Justice Act.

Those private lawyers' pay has already been delayed since July after funding for them ran out, a development the courts deem a "crisis."

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Alistair Bell)
By Timothy Gardner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Trump administration by Monday will furlough about 1,400 workers at the agency that manages the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal due to the government shutdown, the Department of Energy said on Friday.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a post on X that the furloughs will affect National Nuclear Security Administration workers who are "critical to modernizing our nuclear arsenal."

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A spokesperson said nearly 400 workers would remain at the NNSA, a semi-autonomous branch of the Department of Energy that also works around the world to secure dangerous nuclear materials, including in Ukraine as the war with Russia continues. NNSA's federal staff oversees some 60,000 contractors maintaining and testing weapons at national laboratories and other locations across the U.S.

Wright told USA Today that there could be tens of thousands of layoffs of contractors along with furloughs of staff workers due to the shutdown, now on its 17th day.

A nuclear weapons control expert criticized the potential cuts.

"If the Trump administration really thinks the NNSAs functions are important  and many of them are essential for nuclear facility safety and security  I am sure they can find the funds to keep the workers on the job, or else they might want to rethink their position on the federal government shutdown," said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association.

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The agency will not furlough people working on emergency services, Wright told Bloomberg Surveillance on Friday. But he said the modernization of nuclear weapons program to replace older weapons could be affected.

"We're just getting momentum there," he said about the program. "To have everybody unpaid and not coming to work, that will not be helpful."

The costs of operating and modernizing America's nuclear forces through 2034 are projected to soar to $946 billion, 25% higher than a 2023 estimate, a report by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said in April. Nuclear weapons expenditures are divided between the Pentagon and the NNSA.

The DOE said Wright would visit the National Nuclear Security Site in Nevada on Monday to discuss the impacts of the shutdown on the nuclear weapons arsenal.

(Reporting by Timothy GardnerEditing by Bill Berkrot)
A fierce Trump administration push to stop the global shipping industry from paying for its own climate pollution appeared to have been successful Friday, as efforts to approve the worlds first global carbon tax collapsed.

It had been widely assumed the tax would be adopted during a summit in London at the International Maritime Organization, the UN-backed body that governs global shipping. But after four days of fraught negotiations, countries agreed to delay a vote on whether to approve it by 12 months.

The decision came after a vociferous US campaign, with President Donald Trump calling it a scam tax and the State Department threatening reprisals on countries supporting it.

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Experts say the collapse of the talks marks not only a significant blow for attempts to clean up a heavily climate-polluting industry, undermining decades of negotiations, but also represents yet another failure of climate diplomacy.

IMO member states agreed in 2023 that the shipping industry would reach net zero emissions  removing as much planet-heating gas from the atmosphere as it emits  by around 2050.

One of the measures proposed as part of this was a tax on the industrys climate pollution. The shipping industry would have paid the tax into a fund created by the IMO, to encourage emissions reductions and raise funds for climate action. IMO member nations approved the tax at a chaotic April meeting that the US abandoned part way through. The October talks were intended to formally adopt it.

While the tax was supported by members including the European Union, Brazil and small island states such as Vanuatu, oil-producing countries including the United States and Saudi Arabia opposed it strongly.

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The Trump administration spent weeks calling on countries to reject the vote. The US will not tolerate any action that increases costs for our citizens, energy providers, shipping companies and their customers, or tourists, the State Department said in a statement this month.

It laid out a series of threats against countries that supported the tax including potentially blocking vessels from US ports, visa restrictions, increased fees and sanctions on officials sponsoring activist-driven climate policies that would burden American consumers.

In a post on Truth Social Thursday, Trump said he was outraged at the vote and that the US would not stand for this Global Green New Scam Tax.

After days of chaos and disagreement at the IMO talks, Singapore put forward a motion to delay the decision on Friday, which was called to a vote by Saudi Arabia.

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A legally-binding carbon tax on shipping would have been a big deal. It would have marked the first-ever  and legally binding  carbon tax. This explains why petro-states including the United States tried so hard to scuttle the framework, said Christiaan De Beukelaer, a senior lecturer in culture and climate at the University of Melbourne.

A State Department official told CNN the vote demonstrates American leadership on the global stage: Now we have a President who will always lead in putting America first and even worked to prevent consumers from around the world from paying higher prices as well.

The global shipping industry is responsible for around 3% of global planet-heating pollution annually, a figure that could rise to 17% by 2050 if no action is taken, according to a 2018 European Parliament analysis.

The industry has tended to slip under the radar when it comes to climate action, in part because so much of its activity happens in international waters, making the question of accountability for its climate pollution more complex.

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The failure to adopt the tax is a huge missed opportunity, experts say. Every delay means that innovation will struggle to scale, inequities will deepen, and the transition to clean shipping will become harder and more costly, said Natacha Stamatiou of the Environmental Defense Fund.

There are also fears about what it means for climate diplomacy. Other recent efforts to tackle the escalating climate crisis have either collapsed, such as attempts to negotiate the worlds first global plastics treaty, or failed to meet hopes, including last years COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan, which ended in bitterness and a finance deal described by some developing countries as a betrayal.

Experts are concerned for what this might mean for ambition levels at the upcoming COP30 climate conference in Belem, Brazil, next month.

The failure of the IMO to adopt a carbon tax marks a failure of this United Nations agency to act decisively on climate change, said Ralph John Regenvanu, Vanuatus climate change minister. This makes the road to Belem and beyond more difficult.

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The U.S. Marshal who was shot inside an Ohio home earlier this week has been released from the hospital.

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The shooting occurred while U.S. Marshals and Cleveland Police were serving a warrant in the area of E. 91st Street and Stewart Avenue around 8 a.m. Wednesday, CBS affiliate WOIO-19 reported.

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News Center 7 previously reported that the suspect barricaded himself inside a home and fired shots at the law enforcement officers, according to U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott.

The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Larry Wiley, is charged with assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, WOIO-19 reported.

The U.S. Marshal, whose name has not yet been released, was transported to an area hospital by another law enforcement vehicle before EMS arrived.

Wiley was described as a violent, convicted felon who has served almost 20 years in prison and has assaulted law enforcement officers several times previously, WOIO-19 reported.

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He was wanted for several shootings in East Cleveland back on Sept. 16, according to court records obtained by WOIO-19.

Wiley remained barricaded inside the home for several hours before being taken into custody.

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Senior Indian Police Service officer of Punjab, Harcharan Singh Bhullar, arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation, has been remanded to judicial custody till October 31 by the CBI court in Chandigarh on Friday. He was taken into custody by CBI after being caught for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 8 lakh through a private middleman to "settle" a police case and protect a businessman's interests. He was taken from the CBI office to the court, advocate HS Dhanoa, representing him said today, "DIG HS Bhullar has been remanded to judicial custody till October 31." Bhullar, in his response, said, "Totally wrong allegations" were levelled against him. On being asked if he's being framed, he said, "Absolutely." A 2009-batch IPS officer, currently posted as DIG of the Ropar Range, was arrested by the CBI at his office in Chandigarh. Bhullar was arrested on Thursday following a complaint on October 11 that the officer had allegedly demanded a bribe through a middleman to settle an FIR filed against the complainant. The CBI has recovered substantial cash, over Rs 5 crore and incriminating material from his various premises, besides 1.5 kilograms of jewellery, documents pertaining to immovable properties and assets in Punjab. Luxury items, arms, and ammunition have also been recovered. CBI registered a corruption case against Bhullar. The FIR, was filed by the CBI Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), Chandigarh, under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The complaint, received on October 11, was lodged by Akash Batta, a resident of Mandi Gobindgarh, District Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab. Batta alleged that DIG Bhullar, through his aide Kirshanu, demanded illegal gratification to "settle" FIR registered at Police Station Sirhind, and to ensure that no coercive action was taken against his scrap business. According to the CBI, the officer also demanded recurring monthly payments, colloquially referred to as "sewa-paani", and allegedly threatened to falsely implicate the complainant in criminal cases if he failed to comply. During verification by Sub-Inspector Sachin Singh of CBI's ACB, a recorded WhatsApp call between the middleman and DIG Bhullar on October 11 at Sector 9-D Market, Chandigarh, captured Bhullar instructing his aide to collect Rs 8 lakh from the complainant. The number used in the conversation was verified to be registered in the name of DIG Bhullar. The CBI verification confirmed the demand and agreement for illegal gratification. Following the inquiry, the agency concluded that the officer, in connivance with his associate, demanded and agreed to accept Rs 8 lakh from Batta for "settling" the pending FIR and allowing him to operate his business without police interference. Meanwhile, Rs 21 lakh cash was also recovered from the middleman. Both accused were arrested. (ANI)
From knights in heavy plate armor to tanks with steely shells, a thick armored casing alone was often sufficient protection in warfare for centuries. The advent of sophisticated missiles, though, has meant that even heavy armor can be penetrated. Even so, defensive capabilities have advanced right along with offensive ones.

The USS Louis H. Wilson Jr., a state-of-the-art missile destroyer coming to the U.S. Navy, seeks to overcome this threat by means of its formidable missile detection system. This destroyer was officially christened by the navy in September 2025, at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. It's an Arleigh Burke-class Flight III destroyer, as opposed to a frigate, and this means that it'll boast one of the most advanced protective systems in the military: RTX's SPY-6, the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar. This system is not only equipped to U.S. destroyers, but to a total of seven different ship classes in total. It can also be retrofitted onto older models, where possible.

It's a radar system with components that can be fitted together and therefore adapted to the size and needs of the vessel in question. Thisvital quality allows the system to be fitted to a naval fleet of dramatically different ships. The system of radars is connected together via its corresponding arrays, which are linked in turn to the AEGIS Combat System. SPY-6 itself, then, is not armed or a weapon system, but it is a critical element of an equipped ship's capacities as a whole. By feeding the information to the AEGIS, the Louis H. Wilson Jr. crew will be able to detect, identify, and track the danger it faces far more precisely, and quickly. This is a huge part of a U.S. Navy Destroyer's capability to strike targets at range.

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Read more: Every Japanese Aircraft Carrier Sunk In WWII

How RTX's SPY-6 works

USS Jack Lucas guided missile destroyer at sea. - Wikimedia Commons/United States Navy/Huntington Ingalls Industries, Public Domain

Attacks from the surface, from the air, and from different types of missiles (ballistic and hypersonic, for instance) could all put a vessel in peril. The virtue of the SPY-6 is that it's adaptable enough to respond to any of these. This system was introduced to the U.S. Navy in July 2020. It was procured firstly for the Jack Lucas, a Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, pictured here, and represents about a 30-fold boost over the capabilities of its predecessor, the SPY-1.

Raytheon Missiles & Defense's Wes Kremer told Defense News that it was "designed with incredibly long range and sensitivity to support all the missions that Navy destroyers do: ballistic missile defense, surface warfare and anti-air missions simultaneously." Of course, a robust defense such as this is only effective as long as it's not compromised by electronic warfare, and the SPY-6 was designed not to have its all-important coverage stopped by such interference.

A Destroyer's versatility gives it an edge both offensively and defensively. It can have a crucial protective role in carrier fleets, with its primary purpose being to ward off threats to aircraft carriers. These dangers can come from aircraft, submarines, or surface vessels, meaning that a destroyer needs to have the tools to counter all of these. To make it even more versatile, there are four different variants of the SPY-6 system. V1, which will be equipped by the USS Louis H. Wilson Jr., boasts four different radar array faces, with a different number of radar modular assemblies compared to variant four, which was also designed for destroyers. Version two and three are rotator and fixed variants of the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar, which feature defensive boosts against carrier threats like cruise missiles as well as air traffic control compatibility.

What the USS Louis H. Wilson Jr. will bring to the fleet

Image of the future USS Louis H. Wilson Jr. at sea. - Wikimedia Commons/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Armando Gonzales, Public Domain

The vessel itself, also known by its official designation of DDG-126, is being developed at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. The keel for this particular model was laid back in May 2023. It is to be the latest model of the Arleigh Burke class of destroyers, which is the most numerous in the navy. In fact, in August 2025, there were 73 Arleigh Burke destroyers in service.

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The Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyer was first deployed in 1985, and has grown to a huge class divided into several variants: Flight I, II, IIA, and III. USS Louis H. Wilson Jr. will be a Flight III destroyer, which will put its size at about 509.5 feet long, slightly larger than the Flight I and II variants. They're powered by a quartet of General Electric LM 2500-30 gas turbines and capable of traveling at speeds greater than 34.5 mph, which is particularly important: Its primary goal of defending aircraft carriers would be moot if it was unable to keep pace with them, after all.

Similarly, it's crucial that destroyers are equipped with formidable weaponry, and that's certainly the case for the broader Arleigh Burke family, among the most powerful destroyers in the world. They wield MK 48 torpedoes, along with Harpoon, Tomahawk, and RM missiles. Combined, this arsenal offers utility against airborne threats as well as those on and below the waterline, providing a robust threat against any foe the destroyer and its allies may encounter. With the additional flexibility to operate solo and defend itself effectively, these destroyers have much more than a niche role, and it's unsurprising that the U.S. is expanding its ranks with the USS Louis H. Wilson Jr.

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Read the original article on SlashGear.
The US military is holding two survivors on a Navy ship after the US carried out a Thursday strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, according to three US officials.

The strike, which President Donald Trump confirmed Friday, was the sixth known strike on a boat allegedly involved in drug trafficking. But it appeared to mark the first time an attack had not killed everyone on board.

The detention marks the first time that the Trump administrations military campaign targeting drug traffickers has resulted in the US holding prisoners, and it sets up a complicated legal and policy situation for the administration. It is unclear what the US is going to do with the survivors being held, the sources said.

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The US has deployed scores of military assets to the Caribbean as it continues to promise further strikes on alleged drug boats, part of the administrations effort to drive down drug flow into the US and pressure Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelas authoritarian president.

Asked about what happened to the survivors of the strike during an event at the White House Friday, Trump did not address the status of the detainees but said that US forces had attacked a submarine, and that was a drug carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs.

Just so you understand this was not an innocent group of people, he said. I dont know too many people that have submarines, and that was an attack on a drug carrying loaded up submarine.

Trump, who confirmed earlier in the week that hed authorized the CIA to conduct covert action in Venezuela, also had harsh language for Maduro on Friday: He doesnt want to fuck around with the US.

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The threat came when Trump was asked about reports that Maduro offered preferential access to the nations natural resources in exchange for lowering the temperature after the US conducted the series of Caribbean strikes.

US Southern Command, which is responsible for military operations in the region, referred CNN to the White House for comment when asked about Thursdays strike and the survivors.

Legality of strikes in question

The legality of the Trump administrations operations in the Caribbean has been widely questioned. Secretary of State Marco Rubio  who has been both a driver and an architect of the policy  has argued that the US has the right to wage war against narco-terrorists. Earlier in the year, the administration designated multiple drug cartels and gangs operating in Latin America as foreign terrorist organizations.

The administration has also produced a classified legal opinion that justifies lethal strikes against a secret and expansive list of cartels and suspected drug traffickers, CNN has reported. Historically, however, those involved in drug trafficking were considered criminals with due process rights, with the Coast Guard interdicting drug-trafficking vessels and arresting smugglers.

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The detaining of the alleged drug traffickers who were not killed in the strike this week sets up another legal dilemma for the administration. Its unclear under what legal authority the US military can hold the men, said Brian Finucane, a former State Department lawyer who specializes in war powers issues.

The Trump administration has argued that the president has broad authorities under Article II of the Constitution to conduct the strikes against what it claims are narco-terrorists, but lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have questioned that theory. Congress, which maintains broad authority under Article I of the Constitution to declare war, has not authorized an armed conflict against drug traffickers.

The Bush administration advanced the theory that it could rely solely on Article II for its military detention authorities, Finucane said  but the Supreme Court never ruled on the matter, leaving the question of its lawfulness unresolved. The Bush administration was ultimately able to rely on a 2001 congressional authorization that deemed the United States to be at war with al Qaeda and its affiliates to hold military detainees.

The men held by the US Navy could hypothetically petition the courts to rule on the legality of their detention in whats known as a habeas corpus claim, Finucane noted  a pathway followed by a number of detainees in the past that could reveal more information about the Trump administrations secretive legal rationale for the strikes.

CNNs Haley Britzky contributed to this report.

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(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

The Navy is medically treating two survivors of the latest U.S. airstrike on an alleged Venezuelan cartel drug vessel, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The two survivors were rescued from their sunken submersible by the Coast Guard on Thursday and transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, where a medical staff was waiting to treat them, the report said.

This was the sixth known air strike against alleged drug runners and the first time any survivors have been reported.

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Twenty-seven people have been killed so far in the Trump administrations offensive against what they say are Venezuelan drug gangs transporting drugs from Latin America to the U.S.

Venezuelas top ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, held a press briefing with reporters at the U.N. on Thursday where he denounced the strikes and urged Trump to stop this madness. Moncada said the family of two of the men who were killed said they were fishermen from Trinidad and Tobago, and not drug traffickers.

This week, Trump said he authorized the CIA to take covert action in Venezuela, while also hinting that land strikes inside Venezuela could also be conducted, the Journal reported.

We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea, Trump told reporters. So, you get to see that, but were going to stop them by land also.

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Trump has claimed that every one of those boats is responsible for the death of 25,000 American people and the destruction of families. So when you think of it that way, what were doing is actually an act of kindness. However, U.S. lawmakers and some Pentagon insiders have expressed concern over the legality of the strikes without definitive proof that the boats were carrying drugs  and whether the deadly strikes were legal even if drugs were present.

The administration hasnt commented on the recent survivors or disclosed where theyll be taken.

The post US Navy Treating Two Survivors of Latest Airstrike on Alleged Venezuelan Drug Vessel in Caribbean: Report first appeared on Mediaite.
US President Donald Trump has said he will meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Budapest after a "great" call aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. The announcement comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits the White House on Friday to seek US-made Tomahawk missiles.

Following a telephone call, Trump said he expected to meet Putin in Budapest within the next two weeks for what would be their second summit since he returned for a second administration at the White House in January.

The Kremlin described the conversation between the men as "extremely frank and trustful". A spokesperson said the Russian government would prepare for the summit.

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Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, insisted that the threat of Tomahawks had pushed Moscow to negotiate.

"I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation," Trump said on his Truth Social network.

He said he and Putin would meet to "see if we can bring this 'inglorious' War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end."

US president Trump set to meet Ukraine's Zelensky ahead of UN address

'Very productive call'

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, to sort out summit details.

Trump said Putin was unhappy with the possibility of Ukraine acquiring the Tomahawk missiles which have a 1,600-km range.

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But he appeared to cast doubt on whether Ukraine would receive the arms.

"We need them too, so I don't know what we can do about that," Trump said.

Macron urges Ukraine ceasefire as Zelensky demands role in US-Russia talks

Changing attitudes

Trump's relations with Putin have blown hot and cold since his return. After an initial rapprochement, Trump has shown increasing frustration, particularly since he came away from Alaska with no end to the war he once promised to solve within 24 hours.

Zelensky meanwhile has gone the opposite way, winning Trump's support after a disastrous initial meeting in February when Trump berated him in front of the cameras.

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But Trump's latest swing appears to have moved the dial again, leaving Zelensky having to negotiate the situation with Ukraine's main military backer.

Zelensky said as he arrived on Thursday in Washington that he hoped the momentum of the Middle East peace deal Trump brokered would help to end the war in Ukraine.

"We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," Zelensky added.

Europe tightens sanctions on Russia as pressure builds on Washington

'Peace summit'

The Kremlin hailed the "highly substantive" Putin-Trump call, which Putin's top aide Yuri Ushakov told journalists was at Russia's initiative.

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But Putin told Trump that giving Ukraine Tomahawks would "not change the situation on the battlefield" and would harm "prospects for peaceful resolution," added Ushakov.

Budapest had been discussed as a possible venue for the previous Trump-Putin meeting before they settled on Alaska in August.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has maintained friendly relations with both men, said later that he had spoken to Trump. "Preparations for the USA-Russia peace summit are underway," he said on social media.

The choice of Budapest also sidesteps an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for Putin for alleged war crimes.

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Hungary has announced its withdrawal from the ICC yet is still theoretically a member until June 2026.

Orban gave Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a promise that he would not carry out the warrant when Netanyahu visited Hungary in April.

(with newswires)
The system for taking in asylum seekers is being considered to undergo a complete change by the Trump administration.

The United States refugee system may undergo a major overhaul that would benefit certain groups of people, such as white South Africans, English-speakers, and "Europeans who oppose migration," according to a Wednesday New York Times report, citing documents that the paper obtained.

The system for taking in asylum seekers is being considered to undergo a complete change by the Trump administration.

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Changes in the system would see applicants prioritized and tested on how well they would be able to assimilate in the country, adding that they would be required to take classes on US history and values. For Europeans, the NYT quoted a US senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, that the current administration is monitoring who in the continent would be eligible for refugee status.

The report added that some proposals for the refugee system "have already gone into effect," and claims that it "conforms to Trumps vision of immigration, which is to help mostly white people who say they are being persecuted while keeping the vast majority of other people out." The US leader had reportedly already prioritized white South Africans, commonly referred to as Afrikaners, for the new asylum system, claiming that they "face racial persecution in their home country," according to the report.

The US president had reportedly directed federal agencies that if refugee resettlement was in US interests, the report added, and plans were presented to him in April and July of this year. US officials involved in the refugee system change talks have not ruled out any ideas, NYT cited people familiar with the planning.

Asylum seekers at border walls between the US and Mexico, June 6, 2024 (credit: REUTERS/Mike Blake)

In May, South African Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein disagreed with the notion that "white South Africans taking up residence in the US are unique to the white community," and challenged the US administration's contention that the Afrikaners are being singled out for persecution.

US officials ask countries to join campaign to roll back asylum protections

The Times report also comes weeks after top officials from the current US administration had urged other nations to join a global campaign to roll back asylum protections.

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Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau laid out the US stance, saying migrants should seek asylum in the first country they enter, not a nation of their choosing, adding that asylum should be temporary.

Reuters and Shira Li Bartov/JTA contributed to this report.
U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the five-term congressman from the northwest suburbs, continued his torrid fundraising pace this summer in the race for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination, besting the combined effort of his two top rivals, campaign reports from the Federal Election Commission show.

In the still-emerging Republican contest to challenge Democratic Gov. JB Pritzkers bid for a third term, conservative activist Ted Dabrowski of Wilmette held nearly $1.5 million in his campaign bank account to begin this month, far ahead of his two main opponents, according to Illinois State Board of Elections campaign reports.

Wednesday marked the deadline for federal and state candidates to file campaign finance reports for the third quarter of the year, which spans July through September. The financial details came as candidates prepare to begin filing petitions to appear on the March 17 primary ballot. The filing process begins Oct. 27.

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In the race to succeed retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg raised $3.1 million while also transferring nearly $9 million from his existing House campaign fund into his bid for Senate. After spending $5.9 million, he began the month of October with $18.1 million in cash on hand.

Krishnamoorthi is the only U.S. Senate candidate in the Democratic primary who is on TV with advertising and has maintained a steady ad schedule after launching his first campaign commercial in July. His campaign reports show he spent nearly $4.8 million on TV ads in the three-month period.

Kirshnamoorthis two chief competitors, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Lynwood, raised nearly $1.3 million combined  just over $1 million for Stratton and $277,758 for Kelly.

Stratton spent $747,314, largely on fundraising, consultants and staff, and she had $919,774 in her campaign fund to start this month.

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Kelly spent $500,795, leaving her with $1.98 million in cash available to begin October.

Steve Botsford, who made an unsuccessful bid for the Chicago City Council in 2023, announced his U.S. Senate candidacy on Thursday after filing a campaign finance report showing he had given himself $101,791.

On the Republican side, former GOP state Chair Don Tracy of Springfield reported having just over $2 million in cash on hand, largely his own money.

No other Senate candidates reported having more than $10,000 in cash to spend as of the start of October.

In the GOP race for governor, Dabrowski, former president of the conservative activist Wirepoints organization, reported raising $1.5 million since formally announcing his candidacy in September. Among Dabrowskis donors is ultra-conservative megadonor Richard Uihlein of Lake Forest, who gave $250,000. In the past, Uihlein has spent millions on Illinois candidates, including more than $50 million in 2022 on Darren Baileys unsuccessful candidacy for governor.

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Bailey, a former state senator and unsuccessful 2024 congressional contender, announced last month that he would try again to challenge Pritzker. He reported $23,099 in cash on hand as of Oct. 1, but has since received $30,000 from Bull Valley businessman Gary Rabine, one of his unsuccessful primary rivals for governor. Rabines running mate in the 2022 race, Aaron Del Mar, is now serving as Baileys lieutenant governor candidate.

DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, who was the first Republican to announce for governor in February, reported raising $35,237 while spending almost $75,000  including $30,000 for campaign workers, including former state Rep. Darlene Senger of Naperville.

Mendrick also reported giving $500 to the One Nation Under God Foundation, a group headed by longtime leaders of the states pro-family conservative movement who oppose abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. The groups website said it promotes pastor and voter education and Christian voter registration and turnout.

In the Democratic race for state comptroller, an office being left open by incumbent Susana Mendozas decision to retire and pursue a potential Chicago mayoral bid, state Rep. Margaret Croke of Chicago reported having $510,168 in cash on hand after raising $425,541 and spending $177,313. Croke was the endorsed candidate of the Cook County Democratic Party.

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State Sen. Karina Villa of West Chicago, another Democratic contender, raised $239,548 and spent $26,817, leaving her with $215,000 in cash available.

Also in the race is Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim, who reported having $196,221 in cash on hand after raising $185,908 and spending $33,597 during the three-month period. Another candidate, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego, raised $130,706, including a transfer of $72,000 from her legislative campaign fund. She spent $38,235 and had $92,471 to start the month of October.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The United States and the United Nations slapped sanctions on the former head of Haitian presidential security and the leader of a Haitian gang on Friday for their roles in criminal gang activities that have destabilized the impoverished Caribbean nation.

The U.S. Treasury Department said the two men supported a coalition of gangs that the Trump administration designated as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution hours later ordering all 193 U.N. member nations to freeze the men's assets and impose a travel ban. The resolution also imposes an arms embargo on Haiti.

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The sanctions were placed on Dimitri Herard, who was head of presidential security when President Jovenal Moise was assassinated in 2021. He was imprisoned in connection with the assassination. After he escaped from prison in 2024, he colluded with Haitis most powerful gang coalition, Viv Ansanm, Treasury said in a statement.

Sanctions also were placed on Kempes Sanon, the head of the Bel Air gang, one of the many criminal groups that make up Viv Ansanms gang coalition. Besides helping the coalition consolidate power in Haiti, Treasury and the U.N. accused Sanon of extortion, kidnapping, illicit taxation and other human rights violations.

Gangs have grown in power since the assassination and now control 90% of the capital, Port-au-Prince. They have expanded their activities, including looting, kidnapping, sexual assaults and rape, into the countryside. Haiti has not had a president since the assassination.

The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime has reported that increasingly sophisticated weapons are being trafficked into Haiti, mainly from the United States and especially from Florida, contributing to the worsening lawlessness.

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The Security Council said Herard has been implicated in facilitating the trafficking of arms and ammunition. U.S. officials said he provided training and firearms to gang leaders, and directly backs the Viv Ansanms coordinated attacks against State institutions.

The U.N. resolution said Sanon had acted through his leadership of the Bel Air gang, which has approximately 150 members and operates from its stronghold in the capital's Bel Air area.

Sanon also maintains a network of individuals within governmental institutions, including security agencies, which enables him to evade arrest and facilitate his criminal activities, the resolution said. He escaped from prison in 2021, where he was incarcerated for kidnapping, theft, and assassination, and has since continued to destabilize Haiti through his actions.

The Treasury Department sanctions freeze any assets they have in the U.S. and block business transactions with the two men.

Bradley T. Smith, director of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control, wrote in a statement: Todays action underscores the critical role of gang leaders and facilitators like Herard and Sanon, whose support enables Viv Ansanms campaign of violence, extortion, and terrorism in Haiti.
By Jarrett Renshaw and Nidhi Verma

WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India has halved its purchases of Russian oil, a White House official said, but Indian sources said no immediate reduction had been seen, as President Donald Trump's administration presses New Delhi and other nations to buy less Russian crude.

Russian oil is a main irritant for Trump in prolonged trade talks with India - half of his 50% tariffs on Indian goods are in retaliation for those purchases. His administration says Moscow is using petroleum revenue to fund its war in Ukraine.

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The White House official told Reuters on Thursday that talks with an Indian delegation in Washington this week have been productive and that Indian refiners were already cutting Russian oil imports by 50%.

But Indian industry sources said on Friday that New Delhi had not informed refiners of any request to cut Russian imports.

TRUMP SAYS MODI PLEDGED TO HALT RUSSIAN OIL PURCHASES

Refiners have already placed orders for November loading, including some cargoes for December arrival, so any cut could be visible in December or January import numbers, said the sources, who asked not to be identified as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

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Indeed, India's imports of Russian oil are set to rise about 20% this month to 1.9 million barrels per day, according to estimates from commodities data firm Kpler, as Russia ramps up exports after Ukrainian drones hit its refineries.

The Indian oil ministry and refiners that buy Russian oil did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him on Wednesday that India would stop buying Russian oil. India's foreign ministry did not respond to Trump's assertion except to say it was not aware of any telephone conversation between the two leaders that day.

Still, India's oil minister on Thursday sought data on Russian oil imports from all the refiners, including their loadings and arrivals tied up for November and December.

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Oil prices fell on Friday, with Brent crude futures down 48 cents, or 0.79%, to $60.58 a barrel at 0720 GMT, amid uncertainty over global supply as Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin prepared to discuss ending the war.

US-INDIA TRADE TALKS HAVE FLOUNDERED

India has become the biggest buyer of seaborne Russian oil sold at a discount after Western nations shunned purchases and imposed sanctions on Moscow for its 2022 invasion of its neighbour.

New Delhi initially hoped to secure a quick trade deal with the U.S. due to Modi's warm relationship with Trump, but the talks have floundered and the president has slapped some of the highest levies in his global tariff regime on India's products.

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When Modi visited Trump in February, India pledged to more than double its annual U.S. energy purchases to $25 billion, with both nations targeting $500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.

U.S. negotiators have said curbing India's Russian crude purchases would be crucial to reducing its tariff rate and sealing a trade deal. Indian refiners are looking to buy at least 10% of their liquefied petroleum gas needs from the U.S. to help narrow India's bilateral trade surplus, sources told Reuters this week.

Russia accounted for 36% of India's oil imports, some 1.75 million barrels per day, in the six months through September, trade data shows.

Moscow said on Thursday it was confident its energy partnership with India would continue. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia could supply oil more cheaply to countries that Trump is trying to persuade to stop buying Russian oil.

(Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw in Washington and Nidhi Verma in New Delhi; Editing by Chris Reese, Jamie Freed and William Mallard)
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)  U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has been trying to rally fellow evangelical Christians and urge Congress to designate Nigeria as a violator of religious freedom with unfounded claims of Christian mass murder, which the government of the West African nation has vehemently rejected as false.

Cruz, a Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wants Nigeria to be designated a country of particular concern as one with severe violations of religious freedom. Designated countries include Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. A designation could result in U.S. sanctions. The bill he introduced last month is awaiting action by the Senate and there is no certainty of it being approved.

Cruz' claims have been amplified by some celebrities and commentators in the U.S., without evidence, with some going as far as alleging a Christian genocide." Cruz' office did not respond to questions, including about his motivation for the allegations.

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Here's what to know.

Both Christians and Muslims are killed

Nigerias 220-million-strong population is split almost equally between Christians and Muslims. The country has long faced insecurity from various fronts including the Boko Haram extremist group, which seeks to establish its radical interpretation of Islamic law and has also targeted Muslims it deems not Muslim enough.

Attacks in Nigeria have varying motives. There are religiously motivated ones targeting both Christians and Muslims, clashes between farmers and herders over dwindling resources, communal rivalries, secessionist groups and ethnic clashes.

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While Christians are among those targeted, analysts say the majority of victims of armed groups are Muslims in Nigeria's Muslim-majority north, where most attacks occur.

Both Muslim and Christian communities, and groups, have at various times alleged genocide during religiously motivated attacks against both sides. Such attacks are often in the north-central and northwestern regions struggling, among other forms of violence, with farmer-herder conflict that is between farming communities  predominantly Christians  and Fulani herders who are mainly Muslims.

Joseph Hayab, a former chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna state, among the worst hit by the insecurity, disputed claims of Christian genocide.

While thousands of Christians have been killed over the years, things have been better than what they were before," Hayab said, warning, however, that every single death is condemnable.

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Nigeria's government rejected Cruz' claims, which have been discussed among Nigerians. There is no systematic, intentional attempt either by the Nigerian government or by any serious group to target a particular religion," Information Minister Idris Muhammed told The Associated Press.

Nigeria was placed on the country of particular concern list by the U.S. for the first time in 2020 in what the State Department called systematic violations of religious freedom. The designation did not single out attacks on Christians. The designation was lifted in 2023 in what observers saw as a way to improve ties between the countries ahead of then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit.

Responding to the latest claims from U.S. commentators, the Christian Association of Nigeria said it has worked to draw attention over the years to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

In its 2024 report, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom highlighted attacks targeting both Christians and Muslims in what it called systematic religious freedom violations in Nigeria. "Violence affects large numbers of Christians and Muslims in several states across Nigeria, the commission added.

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What the data says

Data collected by the U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data program shows 20,409 deaths from 11,862 attacks against civilians in Nigeria between January 2020 and this September.

Of those, 385 attacks were targeted events against Christians  where Christian identity of the victim was a reported factor, resulting in 317 deaths, ACLED says.

In the same period, there were 417 deaths recorded among Muslims in 196 attacks.

While religion has been a factor in Nigeria's security crisis, its "large population and vast geographic differences make it impossible to speak of religious violence as motivating all (the) violence, said Ladd Serwat, senior Africa analyst at ACLED.

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Analysts reject claims of genocide

Analysts say Nigerias complex security dynamics do not meet the legal definition of a genocide. The U.N. convention on preventing genocide calls it acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group."

If anything, what we are witnessing is mass killings, which are not targeted against a specific group," said Olajumoke Ayandele, an assistant professor at New York Universitys Center for Global Affairs who specializes in conflict studies. The drumming-up of genocide might worsen the situation because everyone is going to be on alert.

Chidi Odinkalu, a professor at Tufts Universitys Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a former chairman of Nigerias National Human Rights Commission, said Nigerian authorities, however, need to address the rampant violence.
Under the "State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI)" scheme introduced by the Government of India, Uttarakhand has secured second place in Category-C at the national level, earning an incentive grant of 100 crore, said a release issued by the State government. The Ministry of Mines has unveiled the State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI) and the state-level rankings. According to the official communication from the Union Ministry of Mines, SMRI is a key initiative aimed at encouraging reforms in the mining sector at the state level. Building on this initiative, improvements in the mining sector have now been incorporated into the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) Scheme 2025-26 by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. A total fund allocation of 5,000 crore has been set aside under this scheme, which includes three components related to mining reforms. One of these components, worth 900 crore, is reserved for the top three states in Categories A, B, and C, as per the SMRI ranking. Each such state is eligible to receive 100 crore from the SASCI funds. State participation in the SMRI process is crucial and requires the timely and accurate submission of relevant data. For fair and comparative evaluation, states have been classified into three categories based on their mineral wealth: Category A - States rich in mineral resources Category B - States with moderate mineral resources Category C - States with limited mineral resources Uttarakhand falls under Category C. Under the SMRI framework, the Ministry of Mines sought detailed information from all states in a prescribed format on matters such as e-auction of mining blocks, issuance of Letters of Intent, mining plan approvals, environmental clearances, mining lease sanctions, execution of lease deeds, CTE/CTO approvals, operationalization of mining blocks, implementation of mining surveillance systems to curb illegal mining and transportation, receipt and utilization of DMF funds, revenue enhancement, etc. Each of these processes was assigned scores based on timely completion. Uttarakhand submitted all required information to the Ministry within the stipulated format and timeline. As per the rankings released by the Government of India under the SMRI: Category A: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat secured the top three positions. Category B: Goa, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam ranked in the top three. Category C: Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Tripura achieved the top three ranks. Based on Uttarakhand's strong performance in Category C, the state will receive an incentive of 100 crore, marking a notable achievement for the state and the mining department. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that mining plays a vital role in the state's revenue. "The state government is emphasising environmentally sustainable and lawful mining practices. Alongside curbing illegal mining, strict action has been taken against tax evasion. The remarkable performance in the central government's mining rankings is a direct result of these efforts," he said. (ANI)
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) -The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday announced fresh sanctions against the leader of a Haitian gang in the capital Port-au-Prince, as well as a former police officer once imprisoned over ties to the killing of President Jovenel Moise.

Bel Air gang leader Kempes Sanon and Dimitri Herard, who headed security at the National Palace at the time of Moise's assassination and left prison during a major jailbreak last year, are barred from any assets or transactions in the U.S.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

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Haitian police and gangs have been locked in a years-long conflict that has seen violent criminal groups take control of most of the capital and expand to other parts of the country, displacing over 1.3 million people and killing thousands.

While efforts to support Haiti's police with an international force have largely stalled, countries have imposed unilateral sanctions on perceived financial backers that aim to stem outside funding for arms trafficking.

However, analysts have warned that sanctions on individuals without assets in that country have limited impact.

KEY QUOTES

"Since his escape from prison in 2024, Herard has colluded with the Viv Ansanm (gang) alliance and provided support to many of the gang leaders with training and firearms," the Treasury Department said in a statement.

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"Sanon and his gang have been involved in indiscriminate civilian killings, extortion, illicit taxation, and kidnappings in Haiti," it added, saying he has played "a significant role in the consolidation of power of Viv Ansanm."

CONTEXT

Sanon leads the Bel Air gang, which controls a part of downtown Port-au-Prince that has seen some of the worst violence, including a series of massacres perpetrated by an alliance of gangs led by Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier.

The area had historically resisted Cherizier's alliance, now known as Viv Ansanm, but after Sanon took control, he joined it.

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Herard has, since his 2024 escape, faced rumors of involvement in drug trafficking, a key source of funding for gangs, but has in recent video messages denied these accusations.

(Reporting by Harold Isaac and Sarah MorlandEditing by Rod Nickel)
Adm. Alvin Holsey, the top commander who oversees U.S. military operations in Latin America, announced he will retire in two months after just over a year on the job. The surprise announcement comes amid U.S. attacks on boats in the Caribbean and escalating tension between the U.S. and Venezuela.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Holseys departure on social media Thursday afternoon. U.S. Southern Command released a statement from Holsey about an hour later, in-part stating that the command has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so.

Neither official gave a reason for the departure, and a spokesperson for the Pentagon said they did not have any additional information beyond Hegseths post. The spokesperson did not say who would replace Holsey. The SOUTHCOM commander role is typically held by a four-star general or admiral for around three years. Holsey was confirmed to the role and promoted to four-star rank in November.

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Its been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend the Constitution for over 37 years, Holsey said in the statement. Hegseth said that Holsey has demonstrated unwavering commitment to mission, people, and nation and his tenure at SOUTHCOM reflects a legacy of operational excellence and strategic vision.

Holsey, who previously served as SOUTHCOMs military deputy commander and is Black, joins a line of roughly a dozen military leaders under Hegseth  many of whom non-white or women  who have been either fired from their posts or who have stepped away early.

Holsey commissioned into the Navy in 1988 through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program at Morehouse College, according to his official biography. A pilot, he flew the SH-2F Seasprite and the SH-60B Seahawk helicopters. He served as the director of Task Force One Navy in 2020, an organization meant to address the issues of racism, sexism and other destructive biases and their impact on naval readiness, according to the sea service. He also served as the commander for Carrier Strike Group One and as the first commander of the International Maritime Security Construct / Coalition Task Force Sentinel.

Escalating attacks around Venezuela

The atypical announcement comes after more than a month of escalatory U.S. military operations in the Caribbean and as the Trump administration ratchets up pressure on Venezuelas president, Nicolas Maduro, who is considered an authoritarian figure.

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Since the beginning of last month, the U.S. military has struck at least five boats off the coast of Venezuela in what it says is an escalating counter-drug operation against smugglers. The strikes have killed 27 people, which has drawn a litany of criticism and speculation as to the legality of the attacks.

President Donald Trump  who said that the U.S. was now in a non-international armed conflict with drug cartels  has leaned on his powers under Article II of the Constitution (after his administration labeled the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations) to conduct these strikes, sidestepping Congress.

On Wednesday, Trump confirmed that he had authorized CIA operations in Venezuela shortly after The New York Times reported it. CBS News reported that the military flew three B-52 bombers near Venezuela the same day Trump confirmed the CIA authorization. He said alleged drug smuggling and empt[ying] their prisons into the United States of America from the South American country was justification for the spy agencys involvement.

This is going to go on, said Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in an interview with Task & Purpose on Thursday said of the military operations. This has now become routine, theres going to be additional attacks on alleged drug vessels.

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He said he is watching U.S. force levels in the region, reportedly around 10,000 personnel as of this week.

So far, they havent gone down, Cancian said, though noted that while the surge is enough to create an intimidation factor it is not likely enough for an invasion. This things going to be around for a while and with every ratchet, the possibility of some sort of kinetic action increases.
The latest U.S. military strike in the Caribbean against an alleged drug boat left multiple survivors, with two being detained and held on a Navy ship, according to multiple news outlets.

Two individuals were killed in the Thursday strike against the vessel, which was purportedly smuggling illegal drugs, according to Reuters, which first reported on the development Thursday night.

The action appears to be the first strike by the Trump administration that left survivors since the military action against drug cartels in the Caribbean off Venezuela began in early September. It is unclear what the U.S. will do with detainees or what their legal status is now.

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On Friday, President Trump said that the U.S. military hit a submarine during the Thursday operation.

We attacked a submarine, and that was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs, the president told reporters at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sitting across from him.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said more details could be released later today.

Both the Defense Department and the U.S. Southern Command (Southcom), which oversees all operations in Central and South America, referred The Hill to the White House for comment. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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The first five boat strikes have killed 27 people, according to administration officials.

The latest strike came amid a flurry of activity related to U.S. operations in the region.

The Pentagon announced Thursday that four-star Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, who is the commander of Southcom, will retir e from the Navy on Dec. 12, less than a year into the position.

President Trump appeared to confirm Wednesday that he allowed the CIA to conduct operations in Venezuela, increasing pressure against Venezuelas authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro, whom the administration sees as an illegitimate leader.

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The administration has beefed up its military presence in the Caribbean, with about 10,000 U.S. forces now supporting counternarcotics operations.

Updated at 2:36 p.m. EDT

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The U.S. military has reportedly struck another suspected drug boat on Thursday in the Caribbean, two U.S. officials told CNN.

The strike, which is yet to be publicly confirmed, would be the sixth such attack since last month.

The alleged operation is thought to be the first of the strikes to leave behind survivors.

The U.S. military has launched search and rescue assets for the two or three people thought to have survived Thursdays strike, whose injuries are unknown, an official told Fox News.

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The Independent has contacted the Pentagon and the White House for comment.

The U.S. has killed at least 27 people across five confirmed strikes in the Caribbean, with a reported sixth attack on Thursday likely set to increase the total (Donald Trump / Truth Social)

Prior to Thursdays alleged strike, which was first reported by Reuters, 27 people have been killed in U.S. attacks on alleged drug boats passing through the region.

Information regarding who was onboard these boats has been sparse.

Chad Joseph, 26, of Trinidad and Tobago, may have been one of six people killed in a similar strike earlier this week, according to his family.

Joseph, a fisherman from the village of Las Cuevas, had been living in Venezuela in recent months. His family said he frequently made trips across the Caribbean in his work as a fisherman.

President Trump has insisted the strikes are legal because the U.S. is in an armed conflict with drug traffickers (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

I dont want to believe that this is my child, his mother, Lenore Burnley, told The New York Times. Is this really true?

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Josephs family denies he is a drug trafficker.

The Trump administration has claimed all those aboard that vessel were male narcoterrorists.

The strikes have proved controversial both in- and outside the U.S.

Officials have not released the names of those killed in the U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean (Donald Trump/Truth Social)

Admiral Alvin Hosley, the head of U.S. Southern Command, which is overseeing the strikes, will retire at years end, according to the Department of Defense, reportedly after Hosley expressed concern about the strikes.

Venezuela, whose citizens are thought to have been killed in prior strikes on the boats, has fiercely criticized the U.S. military buildup in the region and mobilized its own troops and militia forces.

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Legal observers have warned the strikes may not be legal, despite the White House insisting the U.S. is formally engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels that the president has labeled unlawful combatants, freeing up extraordinary wartime powers.

Venezuela has mobilized troops and militia forces in response to the U.S. military buildup in the region (AP)

All available evidence suggests that President Trumps lethal strikes in the Caribbean constitute murder, pure and simple,Jeffrey Stein, director of the ACLUs National Security Project, said in a recent statement. The public deserves to know how our government is justifying these attacks as lawful, and, given the stakes, immediate public scrutiny of its apparently radical theories is imperative.

President Trump told reporters on Wednesday he has authorized CIA missions inside Venezuela as part of his anti-drug crackdown.

The president added that the U.S. was looking at land operations against Venezuela following the naval strikes.

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We are certainly looking at land now because weve got the sea under control, he said Wednesday.

The U.S. is in the midst of biggest military buildup in the Caribbean since the 1980s. It has sent fighter planes, an attack submarine, spy jets, and eight Navy warships to the region.




During the 45 years I have served on the faculty of the University of Texas, I have seen UT achieve the status of a great university. During most of this ascension to the top ranks, Texas has been governed by political conservatives who wisely chose not to threaten the principles of academic freedom that make great universities possible. Since 1993, I have taught at least 20 semester courses on racial topics, and there has never been a hint of censorship or administration disapproval.

In the wake of President Donald Trumps recent offer to nine universities, including UT  a plan he calls the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education  the universitys top-rank status and reputation are in danger of going into free fall. The pact offers special federal funding benefits if universities agree to a list of demands, including identifying only two genders and banning academic units that belittle conservative ideals.

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UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife promptly announced that university leaders would be honored to collaborate with the Trump-led political takeover of the university. So far, Eltife is the only leader in higher education to have embraced Trumps coercive plan for an ideological makeover of American universities. MIT and Brown University have refused to sign Trumps devils bargain.

The Trump strategy for this attempted takeover of American universities is a form of extortion: Either you take the loyalty oath or face financial starvation. Unable to persuade American academics to make the conversion to Trumpism, Trump and his MAGA surrogates must resort to threatening professors with that fateful choice  submission or fiscal ruin.

RELATED: Do not sign: UT students ask university to reject Trump proposal

Longstanding conservative resentment of liberal universities is rooted in the illusion that university faculties, animated by liberal values such as academic freedom, have somehow conspired to limit the numbers of conservative academics who would have created a different academic culture. And yet, according to conservatives, it was a mostly liberal professoriat that built the American academic institutions that are routinely called the envy of the world.

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Conservatives should ask themselves how they would have done better. For it is now clear that enacting anything like Trumps Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education would have been a disaster for American higher education.

Conservatives who resent the liberal capture of universities over the past 60 years ignore the fact that certain professions tend to attract specific political temperaments. People who devote their lives to the production and dissemination of knowledge tend to develop liberal attitudes regarding freedom of thought and resistance to authoritarianism. Trumps plan to put universities under the control of MAGA ideologues is thus both impractical and absurd, since it ignores the issue of professional temperament.

Compare this to the policing profession, which tends to vote for Trump. In September 2016, Police.com reported on a poll that showed Trump crushing Hillary Clinton by a margin of 10-to-1. Every police union that endorsed a presidential candidate in 2016, 2020 and 2024 endorsed Trump.

ALSO READ: Trumps ideological education pact threatens Texas autonomy

This contrast is instructive. Liberals dont demand ideological purges of police departments, because they dont share the autocratic instincts of their MAGA counterparts, and they recognize the nonsensicality of such a proposal. They cant restock police ranks with an army of liberal cops, because such officers dont exist. Similarly, the supply of MAGA-thinkers with doctorates who are prepared to counterbalance tens of thousands of liberal professors is likely to fall far short of the mark.

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There is also the question of why university administrators would enter a Compact with a president who has already done enormous damage to American biomedical research and our premier medical institutions. Why submit to an administration that has perpetrated such attacks on university-sponsored research?

It is not too late to prevent the end of academic freedom at UT. All nine of the universities Trump has targeted must make it clear to the nation that American higher education is not for sale.

John Hoberman has taught at the University of Texas since 1979. He is expressing his views as a private citizen.

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Police in Southern California have found two missing children and their mother, who was accused of abducting them in Utah.

The children, ages 7 and 11, were reported missing over a week ago after investigators with the Payson Police Department in Utah determined their mother had violated a court-ordered custody agreement and taken the children out of state without permission.

Payson police later identified a vehicle that was connected to the mother.

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Using data from an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology, Payson officers spotted the vehicle entering Hermosa Beach, California and notified Hermosa Beach police on Oct. 15.

Officers began a community-wide search for the woman and her children.

Later that day, during a routine patrol around 2 a.m., Hermosa Beach officers spotted the womans vehicle parked in a residential neighborhood. They discovered the woman and her children had been living inside the car, along with two cats and a dog.

Officers safely removed the two children and arrested the woman who was wanted on an active felony warrant for parental kidnapping of minors.

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Paramedics evaluated the children and confirmed they were in good health. They were reunited with their father later that day.

When we learned of this case, we immediately felt the urgency and the seriousness of this matter, said Hermosa Beach Police Chief Landon Phillips. We cannot imagine how it must have felt for the children, their father and other family, and we empathize with how hard it must have been for them. Through close coordination with the Payson Police Department and the effective use of ALPR technology, our officers were able to bring this case to a swift and successful resolution.

Our department deeply values the teamwork and support demonstrated by our colleagues in Hermosa Beach, said Brad Bishop, Chief of the Payson City Police Department. This case is a reminder of what can be accomplished when agencies work together with shared purpose and determination.

No further details, including the womans identity, were released as the case remains under investigation.

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Vice President JD Vance on Thursday continued to downplay the bigoted messages in a Young Republicans group chat, drawing attention instead to the violent texts sent by Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones.

A friend shared these truly disturbing messages from a Young Republican group chat. The group's leader genuinely calls for murdering the children of his political opponents, Vance wrote on X . Oh wait, actually this is from Jay Jones, the Democrat running for Attorney General in Virginia.

Vances post included a screenshot of Jones suggesting that the death of a Republican politicians children could cause a move on policy.

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Im ashamed, Im embarrassed and Im sorry, Jones said Thursday in what will be the only televised debate with incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares. He has refused to drop out of the race and his texts have Republicans newly bullish about the statewide race.

The news of the texts coincided with a slip in the polls for Jones, dropping from 48.8 percent to 43.1 percent, according to polling published by the Trafalgar group.

Vances Thursday post marked the third time in two days that the vice president has waded into the firestorm over the trove of texts obtained by POLITICO and shows how the Trump administrations strategy, articulated in the Art of the Deal, to never apologize and always hit back, extends well beyond the White House walls.

Vance has not defended the posts, which contained more than 250 racist, homophobic and antisemitic slurs, though he did refer to them as edgy, offensive jokes. The vice president has called the response to the posts pearl clutching and said kids do stupid things, especially young boys even though the chat group included men in their 20s and early 30s who hold local, state and federal government posts.

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The messages also had an array of dark jokes, including about rape, slavery and the Holocaust.

Democrats and some Republicans condemned the messages and those who sent them, but some Republicans see the violent texts from Jones as worse.

We're not gonna let the Democrats forget about the fact that they have an AG candidate who wanted to put a bullet in the heads of the former House speaker and his two kids, said one person close to the White House, who, like others in this story, was granted anonymity to discuss strategy and private thinking. [Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer went out and put out this tweet, disgusting, vile, blah, blah, blah. Where are you on the Virginia attorney general candidate?

Vance is the highest-ranking White House official to comment on the POLITICO report. Hours after that report was published, Vance took to his personal X account, which he is known to operate himself, to call Jones messages far worse than anything said in a college group chat.

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The White House referred questions to the Office of the Vice President, which declined to comment.

During an appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show on Wednesday, Vance said he did not want Americans to grow up in a country where a kid telling a stupid joke  telling a very offensive, stupid joke  is cause to ruin their lives.

White House allies privately cheered Vance, asserting its the latest example of a media double standard.

A second person close to the White House said everyone agrees, with Vances views in the West Wing.

Although Vance has been the most vocal on the report, the Trump world response has also focused on the texts in comparison to Jones.

Ultimately everyone thinks that Jay Jones is a way bigger deal, just because he is an adult running for office, said a third person close to the White House. That doesnt necessarily mean the content itself is good, its just a matter of holding people to higher standards. Personally, I would hold someone running for office to a higher standard (and also think the content is more targeted and worse) than I would idiot college kids in a group chat.
By Joshua McElwee and Muvija M

VATICAN CITY/LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla will meet Pope Leo at the Vatican next week in a visit seen as a sign of closening ties between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, five centuries after their turbulent separation.

The British royals will arrive on Oct. 22 for the two-day state visit, which is only being made to the Vatican and not to surrounding Italy.

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Charles, supreme governor of the Church of England, will pray together with Leo in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel in an ecumenical service on Oct. 23, Buckingham Palace and the Vatican said, in the first joint prayer including a British monarch and Catholic pope since 1534.

The King will also make a visit later that day to Rome's Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of Catholicism's four most venerated churches, where Leo has granted him a new title of "Royal Confrater", or brother, at the connected abbey.

"This is certainly an historic event," said Archbishop Flavio Pace, a senior Vatican official responsible for ecumenical dialogue. "It is the recognition of a joint journey" among the two Churches, he said.

KING TO RECEIVE SPECIAL SEAT AT CATHOLIC BASILICA

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The Catholic Church, 1.4 billion members, and the Anglican Communion, 85 million members, have been improving their ties since the 1960s, but the plans for the visit represent some of the strongest steps of recognition yet taken between the denominations.

The teachings of the two traditions align on many major issues, but the Catholic Church does not ordain women and generally does not allow priests to marry.

The Church of England is one of 46 autonomous churches across some 165 countries that together form the Anglican Communion.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the prime minister, leads the English Church and is regarded as the spiritual head of the global Communion.

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Charles, who visited the Vatican in April with Camilla earlier this year to see Pope Francis shortly before the pontiff's death, will also be gifted a special seat in the apse of the Rome basilica.

The wooden chair, reserved in the future for use only by British monarchs, is decorated with the king's coat of arms and the ecumenical motto "Ut unum sint" (That they may be one).

NEW ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY NOT PART OF VISIT

The split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England was formalized in 1534, when King Henry VIII broke away from papal authority after Pope Clement VII refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

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Henry's desire for a male heir -- and a new wife who might provide one -- was the immediate catalyst, but other factors were also at play, involving the English crown's seizure of church assets and the growth of Protestant ideas in England.

Today the King's role in the Church of England is largely ceremonial.

Sarah Mullally, named the first woman to become Archbishop of Canterbury earlier this month, is not expected to be part of the royal visit, as she has not yet been installed in her role.

The Sistine Chapel service on Oct. 23 will feature two royal choirs, Buckingham Palace and the Vatican said, and Charles and Leo will have a meeting afterwards to discuss issues of climate sustainability.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee and Muvija M; Editing by William Maclean)
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY)  A young boys screams pierced the morning air.

Someones trying to kill me.

Residents who witnessed the aftermath of what Virginia Beach Police said was a stabbing in the area of the 2200 block of Meredith Court in Virginia Beach last Saturday, Oct. 11, were awakened by the boys loud screams. That was followed by the 11-year-old boy pedaling on his bike from a nearby trail. A man was arrested in connection to the stabbing, according to police.

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Police say the incident happened around 8:27 a.m., with residents telling 10 On Your Side it appeared the attack was random.

[He was] on the ground with a towel up to his ear, his bike standing up and two adults were aiding him, one resident said. He had a good amount of blood.

When officers arrived, they found an 11-year-old boy suffering from numerous lacerations. The victim was taken to a local hospital in stable condition with injuries considered not life-threatening injuries.

Joshua Rambo (Courtesy: Virginia Beach Police Department)

The suspect, identified as Joshua Rambo, 33,was taken into custody and charged with aggravated malicious wounding, unlawfully stabbing another person while committing a felony and abduction.

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Police say Rambo has multiple felony convictions and was recently released from the Virginia Department of Corrections on May 20.

10 On Your Side conducted a jailhouse interview Friday with Rambo, who shared that he has suffered from mental illnesses like schizophrenia since he was a teen.

VBPD Detective Bureau is investigating the incident.

If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.com and submitting a tip.

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Trump says to meet Putin in Hungary

Xinhua) 08:11, October 17, 2025

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, for talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, following a phone conversation between the two leaders.

"I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, and it was a very productive one," said Trump on Truth Social.

"We also spent a great deal of time talking about Trade between Russia and the United States when the War with Ukraine is over," he said.

"I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation," he added.

Trump said the two countries agreed to hold a high-level advisors' meeting next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the U.S. delegation, adding that the meeting location is to be determined.

"President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end," Trump said.

The phone conversation came one day ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's scheduled visit to the White House.

Trump and Putin met in the U.S. state of Alaska in August, but no deal was reached. In late September, Trump said on social media that he believes Ukraine, with the support of the European Union and NATO, "is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
By Laman Ismayilova



During her visit to the United States, the Director of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, Dr. Amina Melikova, has held meetings with the heads of various leading museums and cultural institutions, Azernews reports, citing the Carpet Museum.

During her meeting with Ms. Marilyn Jackson, President and CEO of the American Alliance of Museums, Dr. Melikova provided detailed information about the rich traditions of Azerbaijani carpet art, the history of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, its current activities, international relations, and future projects. She also spoke about the museums inclusive project  tactile carpets designed for visitors with visual impairments. This innovative initiative sparked great interest in Ms. Jackson. In turn, Ms. Jackson shared information about the activities of the American Alliance of Museums, which has 3,400 members, the current trends in the museum field in the United States, and possible directions for cooperation. She also invited the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum to take part in the next conference of the American Alliance of Museums.

Amina Melikova also met with Ms. Kate Seelye, Vice President for Arts and Culture at the Middle East Institute, and Ms. Lyne Sneige, Director of the Institutes Arts and Culture Center. The parties discussed how the carpet-weaving heritage can serve as a source of inspiration for contemporary artists, as well as opportunities for experience exchange, exhibition organization, and other forms of collaboration.

The next meeting took place at the George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum with its director, Dr. John Wetenhall. The museum director informed Dr. Melikova about the new permanent exhibition and the museum library, and spoke about recent projects carried out together with students. The parties also exchanged views on the rare Azerbaijani carpets and embroideries preserved in the collection of the Textile Museum, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

At the end of the meeting, Amina Melikova presented the exquisite publications of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum as a gift to the rich library of the Textile Museum.

Such meetings are of particular importance for the international promotion of Azerbaijani culture and the creation of new opportunities for cooperation in the museum field.
The Supreme Court on Friday constituted a committee and issued certain guidelines to ensure the protection of the rights of transgender persons in India. The ruling issued by Justice J B Pardiwala-led bench stated that the said committee, which is to be headed by former Delhi High Court judge Justice Asha Menon, will look into issues concerning equal opportunities, inclusive medical care and protection for gender non-conforming and gender-diverse persons. The committee will include transgender activist Grace Banu, Akai Padmashali, CLPR Bengaluru member Gaurav Mandal and Dr Sanjay Sharma from the Association for Transgender Health in India. The top court has appointed Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari as the amicus curiae to assist the court in this regard. The Court has also framed certain guidelines to ensure the protection and inclusion of transgender persons, directing that all institutions without their own policies should adhere to these guidelines until the Union government formulates a comprehensive national policy. "This will go a long way in protecting the rights of transgender persons. We are hopeful that the future of the third gender is secure with this judgment," Justice Pardiwala said while pronouncing the judgment. The top court's ruling came on a plea filed by a transgender pers transgender woman for the loss they faced due to her termination. The top court also noted that it has taken serious cognisance of the manner in which the two private schools had terminated the petitioner. (ANI)
Venezuelan officials say that they have bolstered their armed forces after the United States conducted another strike on vessel that originated from the country, which he claimed carried drugs.

Venezuelan leaders said roughly 284 battle fronts are operational, poised for either land or sea conflict, two officials with knowledge of the Venezuelan government's plans told ABC News Friday.

Schneyder Mendoza/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Venezuelan military patrol around the Simon Bolivar International Bridge at the Colombia-Venezuela border as seen from Villa del Rosario, Colombia on October 16, 2025.

Militias, which are heavily armed, have also been assigned to protect the coastal region at high alert, according to the officials. The officials claimed some 4.5 million militia members were deployed.

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At least 2 survivors of US attack on alleged drug smugglers in American custody

Qatar, a key U.S. ally that assisted with negotiations in the Israel-Gaza conflict, is helping with the conversations between the American and Venezuelan governments, the sources said. In the meantime, Venezuelan embassies in Norway and Australia were closed by the government.

Federico Parra/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro arrives at a press conference with international media at the Hotel Eurobuilding in Caracas on September 15, 2025.

On Thursday, the Trump administration announced that it had issued an airstrike against a vessel that originated from Venezuela, claiming it was a drug-smuggling craft operated by narcoterrorists, the sixth such strike since the summer.

At least two survivors from the strike are now in custody aboard an American vessel after being rescued by helicopter, according to a person familiar with details of the incident.

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B-52s fly off coast of Venezuela in show of force by Trump

Earlier this week, Trump threatened to attack Venezuela by land, confirmed ongoing covert operations inside the country and ordered bombers to fly in circles off its coast in what appears to be an unprecedented show of force intended to pressure the country's president, Nicolas Maduro, to step down.

@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social - PHOTO: An image from a video released by President Donald Trump on his Truth Social account, claims to show a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel just off the Coast of Venezuela, Oct. 14, 2025.

"President Trump believes that Nicholas Maduro is an illegitimate president, leading an illegitimate regime that has been trapped in drugs," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.

When asked on Friday about the alleged CIA operations in Venezuela, Trump told reporters, "I wouldn't say that."

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters - PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Oct. 16, 2025, in Washington.

"But some interesting things are happening around the world, I will say that," he said.

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Sources with the Venezuelan government said that Trump's threat of covert operations is "purely staged," and refuted the president's drug trafficking allegations.

When a reporter asked Trump about Maduro offering "everything" including natural resources for mediation, the president shot back:

"He has offered everything. You know why? He doesn't want to f--- around with the United States," Trump said and ended the news conference.

-ABC News' Anne Flaherty and Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
Machado also congratulated Netanyahu on the agreement for the release of hostages from Gaza.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado recently expressed strong support for Israels actions in its war against Hamas, the Prime Minister's Office said Friday.

In a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Machado commended Israels decisive actions against Hamas in Gaza and its broader efforts to combat the Iranian axis, which she noted poses a threat not only to Israel but also to the people of Venezuela.

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Machado also congratulated Netanyahu on the agreement for the release of hostages from Gaza.

In return, Netanyahu praised Machados efforts for democracy and her dedication to expanding global peace, congratulating her on her Nobel Peace Prize win.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for fighting dictatorship in the country and dedicated the award in part to US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly insisted he deserved it.

US President Donald Trump hosts a ballroom dinner in the East Room at the White House in Washington, US, October 15, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/JONATHAN ERNST)

Machado, a 58-year-old industrial engineer who lives in hiding, was blocked in 2024 by Venezuela's courts from running for president and thus challenging President Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013.

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"Oh my God ... I have no words," Machado told the secretary of the award body, Kristian Berg Harpviken, in a phone call which the Nobel Committee posted on social media.

"I thank you so much, but I hope you understand this is a movement, this is an achievement of a whole society. I am just one person. I certainly do not deserve it," she added.

She later said, in an X post in English: "I dedicate the prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!"

Trump is a fierce critic of Maduro, and the US is one of a number of countries that do not recognize his government's legitimacy.

White House criticizes Nobel committee's decision

The White House had earlier criticized the Norwegian Nobel Committee's decision to focus on Venezuela just days after Trump announced a breakthrough in talks to halt the fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.

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"President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives... The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace," White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a post on X.

Maduro, whose 12 years in office have been marked by deep economic and social crisis, was sworn in for a third term in January this year, despite a six-month-long election dispute, international calls for him to stand aside and an increase in the US reward offered for his capture.

"When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist," the Nobel Committee said in its citation.

Marco Rubio, now Trump's secretary of state, nominated Machado for the Peace Prize together with a group of US members of Congress in August 2024, when he was still a senator.

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Machado is the first Venezuelan to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the sixth from Latin America. Her three adult children are living abroad for safety reasons.

The United Nations human rights office welcomed the award to Machado as a recognition of "the clear aspirations of the people of Venezuela for free and fair elections."

The head of the award committee, Joergen Watne Frydnes, said he hoped it would spur the Venezuelan opposition's work.

"We hope that the entire opposition will have renewed energy to continue the work for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy," Frydnes told Reuters after the announcement.

Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
TROY, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44)  Following a Politico article that identified Vermont Sen. Samuel Douglass (R-Troy), as one person involved in racist, antisemitic, and misogynistic conversations as part of a national Young Republicans group chat, and repeated calls for his resignation from Vermont officials across the political spectrum, Douglass wrote in a statement that he will resign on Monday.

I know that this decision will upset many, and delight others, he wrote.

Vermont legislator faces calls for resignation for part in hateful group chat

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In his statement, Douglass apologized for his remarks while criticizing reactions to them.

Read Douglasss full statement hereDownload

I will mend bridges to the best of my ability I have a duty to set a good example for

others, wrote Douglass.

On Wednesday, the Vermont Republican Party Executive Committee had called for Douglasss immediate resignation, echoing remarks by Governor Phil Scott.

The VTGOP Executive Committee condemns the hateful, racist, and antisemitic messages revealed in a national Young Republican group chat.

Douglass had previously said on Wednesday that he was weighing all [his] options. He was elected in 2024, and began serving in the Vermont Senate for Orleans County earlier this year.

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MONTPELIER, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44)  The Vermont Agency of Education on Thursday released the preliminary results for last school years statewide standardized tests. The state said that the results were largely consistent with the year before, with students from disadvantaged backgrounds continuing to stay behind others.

Most Vermont students from 3rd through 9th grade take the VTCAP tests for English Language Arts and Mathematics. Students in 5th, 8th, and 11th grade take those tests for Science. The state released an average score for each test, as well as what percent of each grade is considered proficient in each subject based on state guidelines.

Coolest Thing Made in Vermont celebrates Vermont craftsmanship

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The biggest changes came in the English tests for 4th and 5th graders, where the Green Mountain States 9- to 11-year-olds improved on last years proficiency results by 7% and 5%, respectively.

The VTCAP results underscore persistent achievement gaps and the need to better support all learners, said Vermont Secretary of Education Zoie Saunders. However, we are encouraged by the improvement among 4th and 5th graders in English Language Arts and are eager to work with educators to build upon that progress.

The state keeps track of which students are from historically marginalized backgrounds  a group that includes students who are living in poverty, English learners, from military-affiliated families, and several other categories.

Report: gaps in Vermont special education driving higher costs

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This years preliminary results show that students with those backgrounds are still well behind others  42% of students tested from historically marginalized backgrounds are considered proficient in English, 26% in math, and 30% in science. Other students are at 72%, 57%, and 60%. respectively.

According to state officials, student results have already been shared with families and caregivers, as well as school staff.

The state says that the final statewide VTCAP results will be released later in the fall but says it does not expect them to be significantly different from the preliminary results.

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NEVADA, Mo.  The Vernon County Sheriffs Office is requesting help from the public as they investigate the shooting and killing of cattle east of Nevada.

The incident occurred off of Highway 54, where several cattle were shot, according to a Facebook post by the Vernon County Sheriffs Office.

Sheriffs deputies have recovered some evidence from the scene, but the investigation remains ongoing.

Courtesy: Vernon County Sheriffs Office

Sheriff Jason Buehler is urging anyone who may have seen or knows information about the incident to contact the Vernon County Sheriffs Office.

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Callers will be allowed to remain anonymous.

Due to the nature of the investigation, the Sheriffs office says its limited on the details deputies can release to the public right now.

In a statement, Sheriff Buehler emphasized the seriousness of the crime, saying, I will not tolerate this.

He also touched on the importance of agriculture to the area, noting, We are a rural community and farms and ranches sustain the life and livelihood of a good portion of the population in Vernon County. I will not leave any stone unturned.

The Vernon County Sheriffs Office can be reached at (417) 283-4400.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.




Verve Coffee Roasters must pay more than $180,000 to employees at the company's Market Street cafe after failing to provide health benefits required by the city's Health Care Security Ordinance, according to a news release from the union that represents the restaurant's workers.

The settlement, reached on Oct. 9, covers 33 current and former employees who were denied healthcare expenditures between July 2022 and June 2025, according to an investigation by San Francisco's Office of Labor Standards Enforcement.

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UFCW 5 spokesperson Jim Araby said the settlement was a "powerful example of what worker-led action can achieve."

"These baristas didn't just secure justice under the law," he said. "They helped spark a movement for dignity, equity, and voice in the coffee industry."

A spokesperson for the Santa Cruz-based Verve said: "The audit was an amicable, interactive and cooperative process. We support the outcome as determined by the City of San Francisco. Our people and our culture are the center-point of who we are and that will never change."

The San Francisco investigation began after Verve baristas and other employees began documenting healthcare violations, which they presented to the city, the union statement said.

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"Without our organizing, Verve would likely have never paid what we were owed," said Annika Mikk, one of the baristas at Verve's Market Street location, said in an emailed statement. "Healthcare is essential, and the back pay I'll receive will help me cover ongoing fertility-related health costs. These MRA funds make a real difference for workers like me."

Employees unanimously voted to unionize on Sept. 29, and Verve has recognized the union and is currently planning negotiation meetings with the union, Araby said. The Market Street cafe was one of three Verve locations that voted to unionize, while the government shutdown delayed the vote of three others.

In the Verve settlement, the city's Office of Labor Standards Enforcement determined that the restaurant chain, classified as a large employer, had not made required healthcare payments on behalf of its covered employees as laid out in San Francisco's Health Care Security Ordinance. OLSE Director Patrick Mulligan said the city audited the company's finances over a three-year period from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025. The city required the company to pay about $184,000 back to employees and a separate fine of about $8,000 to the city, he said.

Verve cooperated with the investigation and the OLSE considers the case resolved, Mulligan said.

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"We are constantly conducting investigations and enforcing San Francisco labor laws," he said. "Most employers are compliant with the city's labor laws and we go to great lengths to provide outreach and services to ensure compliance."

The HCSO law requires businesses with 20 or more employees to set aside money to provide health care benefits for workers, which many restaurants pay for with a surcharge to diners' bills. Under the ordinance, restaurants must pay an hourly rate, which increases annually, based on the size of their business (currently, $2.34 an hour for those with 20 to 99 employees or $3.51 an hour for larger employers).

Employers can use the money to cover employees' health, dental and/or vision insurance. Or they can contribute the funds to San Francisco's City Option, which reimburses workers for health care costs (and, controversially, has about $104 million sitting unclaimed in accounts).

In some cases, Verve employees received payouts of a few hundred dollars, while one longtime employee received approximately $20,000, according to a copy of the settlement, which the Chronicle reviewed.

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The cafe was hardly the only restaurant to run afoul of the healthcare ordinance. In FY 23-24, the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement collected more than $9 million in restitution for 7,050 workers through HCSO cases, according to the department's most recently available annual report.

This article originally published at Verve Coffee to pay nearly $200,000 to S.F. workers over health fund violations.
Veterans and active military personnel are calling on members of the National Guard to resist orders for deployment into cities like Memphis.

The order to send National Guard troops to Memphis was formally announced on Sept. 15, and almost a month later, patrols officially began on Oct. 10.

So far, the Memphis Safe Task Force  which includes the National Guard  has arrested "850 violent criminals and known gang members," and confiscated 175 "illegal firearms," Gov. Bill Lee said on Oct. 14. The task force has also located 45 missing children, according to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch.

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There are between 1,500 and 2,000 federal law enforcement agents in Memphis on a daily basis as of Oct. 14, according to U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces Serralta. The specific number of National Guard troops has not been disclosed.

As more troops are deployed in Memphis and around the country, military personnel are being urged to refuse orders and serve the people rather than the government.

Here's what to know about when military members can resist orders.

Veterans call on National Guard members to resist orders

A new movement is being spurred on by Trump's deployment of troops to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Memphis.

According to a report from USA TODAY, members of the national group About Face: Veterans Against the War, an organization formed to stop "militarism and endless wars," have been slamming the White Houses efforts to use soldiers to police Americans and are urging troops to resist being deployed.

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In Washington, D.C., the group members were arrested protesting the deployment of soldiers to Los Angeles outside military bases, including Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune. Theyve set up billboards questioning if supporting immigration agents is what soldiers signed up for, and as Trump threatened to send troops to Baltimore, members rallied against the planned potential deployment.

About Face Organizing Director Brittany Ramos DeBarros said the organization has about 2,000 members nationwide at the moment, but that hundreds of new members have joined in recent months. Among these members are active-duty soldiers, said the former Army captain, who resigned from her position in 2018 after being investigated by the military for speaking out against the war in Afghanistan.

Can soldiers claim conscientious objection?

Soldiers have at least one option to oppose deployment orders: conscientious objection. This process involves soldiers refusing to fight due to moral or religious reasons.

But conscientious objection is a narrowly defined status that can be hard to claim because a soldier must oppose all conflicts to qualify, not just a single deployment, several experts told USA TODAY.

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"If you are willing to be part of an armed force but just dont like this moment, then you dont qualify," Steve Woolford, a GI Rights Hotline worker, told USA TODAY. "For those people, the military considers that a political objection."

Woolford, who has been answering calls at the GI Rights Hotline since before Sept. 11, 2001, said in recent months hes seen about a 50% increase in calls from soldiers interested in conscientious objection or exploring options to resist orders to deploy to U.S. cities.

Can soldiers refuse orders?

The U.S. military is a volunteer fighting force, but soldiers cannot choose which orders to obey while in service. Doing so could result in serious consequences, including imprisonment, Steve Levin, a University of Maryland Carey School of Law professor, told USA TODAY.

"In the military, disobeying a lawful order threatens the entire chain of command," said Levin, on why resisting orders can be a serious offense. "The system depends on discipline and the military runs on instant obedience for the simple reason that defiance can cost lives."

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The only exception, according to Levin and other legal experts, is for unlawful orders. However, meeting that standard can be exceedingly difficult, even as Trump opponents, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, call deployments illegal.

"Under the present deployments, the legality of the orders is dubious, but historically its not within the ken of any individual service members to make a decision," said John W. Hall, a professor of military history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Can soldiers resist anyway?

A lack of legal options hasnt stopped U.S. soldiers from resisting orders in the past.

"The U.S. has had a democratic tradition when it comes to military service where, though you pay a price for dissent, when that occurs, its a warning to the political leadership that even the troops who are ordered to do these things will speak out," said David Cortright, a professor at the Notre Dame Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies.

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Cortright participated in that kind of resistance himself after being drafted to serve in the Vietnam War. Stationed in New York, he participated in protests in Manhattan when he was off duty and signed a petition against the war.

His efforts to resist got him reassigned to a base in Texas, where "all we did was clean the barracks floor continuously for months," said Cortright.

"If you join in protests, you have to know or expect you could face punishment, commanders never like it when their soldiers disagree with the mission. But back with Vietnam, we didnt care," he said. "The thinking soldier is a real thing, thank goodness for our society, were not just robots."

USA TODAY contributed to this report.

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Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jordan.green@commercialappeal.com.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Veterans urge National Guard to resist deployment orders. Is it legal?
ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL)- Earlier this year, Carter County appointed Shaun Smith as the Veterans Services Officer after the previous one retired.

Its what Ive done my whole adult life, helping fellow service members, and now its just moved on to veterans that are done with their service, and just serving the people is what I love doing, Smith said.

RELATED: Retired couple once in combat together now help other veterans

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Smith spent more than two decades working in communications in the Navy.

I was a radioman. I worked in a radio shack on a ship doing radio communications between ship to ship and ship to shore, Smith said. A lot of stuff became computer-based. And, the Navy shifted from radioman to information systems technician. So I became a it in the Navy and worked on networks along with radio communication still.

Smith spent time on the U.S.S. Freedom, U.S.S. Essex and U.S.S. Kearsarge. He was also stationed in Afghanistan for a year.

I set up the communication channels for people to talk from ships to the shore. As a radio operator, that was mainly what it was for the network. And it was giving people on ships the ability to talk to the shore on email and getting on the internet, Smith said. The biggest part of my job was setting up three separate networks in headquarters building for the three-star staff that was in charge of all the detainee operations in Afghanistan.

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Even though Smith retired as a Chief Petty Officer in 2020, hes still serving.

Im just proud that Ive been able to serve this country for as long as I have, and I feel like Im continuing to do that, helping veterans out, Smith said.

Part of his role allows him to act as a liaison between veterans and the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Smith even helps veterans with their education benefits, housing loans, volunteer opportunities and more.

Unfortunately, I see veterans and surviving spouses in some of the worst times of their lives. Whether it be the spouse just passed away, or a veteran saying that they were just diagnosed with cancer due to Agent Orange exposure. Things like that. That part of the job is taxing, Smith said. But knowing that Im able to help them, navigate the VA system to get compensation for the things that theyre enduring at the time. Thats really satisfying.

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The Carter County Veterans Services office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can find more information here.

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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday ordered a judicial inquiry into the law and order incident that occurred in Leh town on September 24, which led to police action and the unfortunate death of four individuals. The inquiry will be conducted by former Supreme Court judge BS Chauhan to examine the circumstances leading to the incident, the subsequent police action, and the resulting loss of lives. An FIR has already been registered at Leh Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including Sections 189, 191(2), 191(3), 190, 115(2), 118(1), 118(2), 326, 324, 326(e), 326(f), 326(g), 309, 109, 117(2), 125, 121(1), and 61(2). Justice Chauhan will be assisted in the inquiry by Mohan Singh Parihar, Retired District and Sessions Judge, as Judicial Secretary, and Tushar Anand, IAS, as Administrative Secretary. The ministry stated that the inquiry aims to ensure transparency and accountability in examining the events that led to the incident and the subsequent police response The move comes days after a mob instigated by activist Sonam Wangchuk's provocative speeches left the venue of his hunger strike and attacked a political party office as well as government office of the CEC Leh. They also put these offices on fire, attacked the security personnel, and torched police vehicle. The unruly mob attacked the police personnel in which more than 30 police and Central Reserve Police Foce personnel were injured. The mob continued to destroy the public property and attack the police personnel. In self-defence, police had to resort to firing in which unfortunately some casualties are reported. A hunger strike was started by Wangchuk on September 10 stating the demand of 6th schedule and statehood for Ladakh. It is well known that the Central government has been actively engaged with Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance on same issues. Series of meetings were held with them through formal channel of High-Powered Committee as well as Sub-committee and multiple informal meetings with leaders. The process of dialogue through this mechanism has yielded phenomenal results by increasing reservations for Ladakh scheduled tribe from 45 per cent to 84 per cent, providing one-third women reservations in the councils and declaring Bhoti and Purgi as official languages. With this process for recruitment of 1800 posts was also commenced. However, certain politically motivated individuals were not happy with the progress made under HPC has been trying to sabotage the dialogue process. (ANI)
Nationwide No Kings protests against President Trump are set to occur once again this weekend, prompting House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans to label them as Hate America rallies. So, The View host Alyssa Farah Griffin was a bit confused on Friday, after Johnson then encouraged people to watch them.

The protests were the first Hot Topic of the day, and to start the discussion, the ABC hosts played a clip of Johnson telling voters to watch the protests, to see who shows up, and making assumptions about those people. While the hosts were all bothered by Johnsons assessment, Farah Griffin was also immediately baffled.

I also dont really understand, if you dont want to draw attention to something thats opposing your agenda, why you would talk about it, she said. I just wouldnt be like, Tune in for these rallies this weekend! Watch them!'

MIKE JOHNSON CALLS PROTEST A HATE AMERICA RALLY": 'The View' co-hosts react to top Republicans lashing out as millions of Americans around the country prepare for 'No Kings' rallies to protest Pres. Trump. pic.twitter.com/fnv2iP4u8l  The View (@TheView) October 17, 2025

More than anything though, the women were irritated with Johnson shaming the protests. Moderator Joy Behar (sitting in for Whoopi Goldberg, who is off on Fridays), noted that she resented him referring to the protests as hate rallies, while the other co-hosts reminded viewers that peaceful protests are a right enshrined in the constitution.

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He clearly doesnt recognize that the people who take to the streets to protest are protesting because they love the country, and know that it could be great like that, host Sara Haines said.

I think Mike Johnson has it completely wrong, Ana Navarro agreed. This is not about hating America, its about loving America. Its about showing up to defend American values and democracy. You know what hating America is, or not loving America? Not loving America is not doing anything while good people are rounded up around in the streets of America.

The women also immediately called out how Johnson and other Republicans have labeled the January 6 insurrection at the capitol a normal tourist attraction, but dubbed peaceful protests as Hate America rallies.

I think what he should be doing is listening to the fact that so many people and so many events are going to be taking place, host Sunny Hostin said. And theres a real problem with Republican leadership, and this Republican shutdown, where you have thousands, and thousands, and thousands of people not being paid, losing their jobs, while Congress gets paid, while Congress has health care. And the American people are fed up.

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You can watch the full discussion from The View in the video above.

The post The View: Alyssa Farah Griffin Questions Why Mike Johnson Is Encouraging People to Watch No Kings Protests If Theyre Hate Rallies | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Ahead of the next round of planned nationwide No Kings protests this weekend, the cohosts of The View reacted to what several high-profile Republicans had to say about the largely left-leaning gatherings.

Joy Behar started the conversation by framing the protests as speaking out against Trump sending troops to American cities, bullying media institutions, and cracking down on comedians. The panel then reviewed footage of prominent Republicans in power, including Trey Bessent, Steve Scalise, and Mike Johnson, framing the rallies as unhinged and a hate-America rally.

What is he so scared of? Behar pondered of Speaker Johnsons statement on the matter. Hes so scared.

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Sara Haines offered an answer to that probably rhetorical question, saying, He clearly doesnt recognize that the people who the streets to protest are protesting because they love the country and know it could be great. She also called Johnson rich for suggesting Hamas supporters and Antifa types would be among the rallygoers, saying, Yesterday, we spoke about the leak of the Young Republicans [racist texts]. That wasnt a, Maybe people think these things. That was a dozen Young Republican leaders from different states across the country who showed us exactly who they are in writing.

Ana Navarro, who herself attended the last No Kings protest over the summer, then chimed in to say that her experience at that Miami gathering was inspiring.

I saw all sorts of freedom-loving Americans of all ages, all nationalities, all creeds. It was just the most uplifting thing at a time when so many of us feel down because we see threats against democracy. I think Mike Johnson has it completely wrong. This is not about hating America. Its about loving America, she said. Not loving America is not doing anything while good people are rounded up in the streets of America and children are zip-tied, while journalists are silenced at the Pentagon, while we are bailing out Argentina to the tune of $20 billion while American farmers are filing for bankruptcy.

Sunny Hostin had her say next, saying, If Mike Johnson were a true leader, which I dont believe he is he would be listening to the people. Because this government is for us, by us, its of the people And why I think there are going to be 2,500 events in every single state is because people are opposing authoritarianism. People are exercising their First Amendment rights to peaceably assemble and free speech.

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Alyssa Farah Griffin called the rights speeches unwise, saying, I dont really understand, if you dont want to draw attention to something thats opposing your agenda, why you would talk about it. She then suggested that while the rallies will be widely attended, Democrats still need to make it clear they dont just have an anti-Donald Trump agenda on display.

Navarro also had a word of warning for rally-goers, saying, Its very important that we remind people to remain peaceful. Peaceful protest is what matters. They want to show images of there being trouble, so do not take the bait. Remain peaceful.

Behar, who claimed to resent Johnsons characterization, then closed the segment to note, At the January 6th insurrection  or what they called a tourist attraction  there were nooses, there were calls for the death of Mike Pence  the cops were assaulted. And theyre worried about this? Get your priorities straight.

The View, weekdays, 11a/10c, ABC

Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider.
In North Central Florida, Hitchcock's Market was a mainstay grocery chain that had operated in the region for 80 years, but in October 2025, the owners suddenly announced the closure of all its stores, found in 10 different Florida communities. The news shocked both shoppers in the rural communities it served and even Hitchcock's Market employees. But at least three of the stores  in Williston, Keystone Heights, and Alachua, where the chain began  are being purchased by the classic Winn-Dixie grocery store chain. No public statement has confirmed whether a different chain will be taking over the seven other locations.

Hitchcock's Market may not be the oldest grocery store chain in the country (that honor goes to Kroger's, which opened in 1883), but it has served the region since 1945, when Robert Hitchcock Sr. and his son, Bob, a World War II veteran, opened the first store. The chain grew by mostly serving rural areas where larger chains weren't interested in operating. The current owners, the Alvarez family, didn't give a reason for selling the stores.

Read more: The Best And Worst Rotisserie Chickens You Can Find At The Grocery Store

Winn-Dixie is taking over

Front of Winn-Dixie store. - Joni Hanebutt/Shutterstock

At its height, the Hitchcock's Market chain had 12 locations and around $150 million in annual revenue before Bob Hitchcock's son, Alan, sold the company to Haug Enterprises, based in Minnesota. Haug, in turn, sold it to the current owners in 2019. When the Hitchcock's Market stores were under the ownership of the Hitchcock family, they were known for their community involvement and their outstanding meat departments. Winn-Dixie, known for its high-quality meat department and Southern hospitality, is now taking the helm.

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While Hitchcock's Market has been around for 80 years, Winn-Dixie is actually older, having started in Miami, Florida, in 1925. With the announced closures, Hitchcock's Market could have become just another defunct grocery store like New York's Waldbaum's, but it appears that it will survive in some respects. Through all the changes in ownership over the years, Hitchcock's retained its name. However, Hitchcock's Market stores purchased by Winn-Dixie will forego their original title and become Winn-Dixie stores instead.

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Read the original article on Chowhound.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Virginia Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares and Democratic challenger Jay Jones squabbled over a host of lawyerly issues on Thursday in their first and only debate: criminal prosecutions, consumer protection and unlawful discrimination. But one matter overshadowed it all: Jones' leaked text messages endorsing political violence toward a former colleague.

Miyares, the Republican incumbent running for reelection, pushed hard against Jones for suggesting to a Republican delegate in 2022 text messages that former Virginia Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert should get two bullets to the head.

Referencing a quote from President Abraham Lincoln, Miyares started the debate by saying: Character is what you do in the dark when no one is watching. But now we know what he (Jones) was doing in the dark.

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Jones apologized for his words from the start.

Let me be very clear, he said. I am ashamed, I am embarrassed and Im sorry.

Still, the Democrat rebuffed Miyares by noting that violent rhetoric can be heard on both sides of the aisle, and that President Donald Trump has been known to use extreme language at times.

What about when Donald Trump used incendiary language to incite a riot to try to overturn an election here in this country? Jones said, adding, You havent said a word. Ive taken accountability for my mistakes. Its time you take accountability, too.

The race for attorney general of Virginia has emerged as one of the most competitive statewide contests in this year's election, with members of both parties taking an interest in the down-ballot race. Straight-ticket voting is not an option in Virginia, which requires voters to choose candidates in each statewide contest.

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While Republican Winsome Earle-Sears has faced setbacks in her race for governor, as has John Reid, the GOP lieutenant governor nominee, the attorney generals race remains fiercely competitive. Last week, it spilled over into the governor's race when former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor, refused to say during a debate whether she still supported Jones' candidacy, suggesting it was up to the voters to decide.

Jones and Miyares tangled over the violent text message for much of the debate. The way Miyares told it, Jones' texts about shooting a prominent Republican disqualified him from the race to be Virginia's lead prosecutor.

Jones, in turn, spent much of his time arguing that Miyares lacked the nerve to sue the White House if the Trump administration overreached.

Jason hangs out with Donald Trump at MAGA rallies, Jones said. I will see Jason Miyares and Donald Trump in court as your next attorney general.

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The candidates tackled other legal matters likely to involve the attorney general's office, including the enforcement of Virginia's clean energy law and the scope of Virginias Human Rights Act, a state law prohibiting discrimination.

Miyares and Jones also exchanged jabs on which candidate would do a better job of keeping Virginians safe. Miyares argued that Jones lacked the experience to hold criminals to account, citing a story by The Richmond Times-Dispatch of a Virginia state trooper clocking Jones speeding 116 miles per hour.

Jones, for his part, touted his record serving as a delegate in the Virginia House, where he said he supported legislation cracking down on sex offenders and human trafficking. He also referenced his experience going after ghost gun manufacturers while working in the attorney general's office for the District of Columbia.

At one point, a moderator from the Virginia State Bar asked the candidates how they viewed the attorney general's office  as a political or legal one.

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Its clearly a legal one, and thats exactly why we have to hold the president accountable, go after Donald Trump and the bad actions of this administration, Jones eagerly responded.

Miyares side-stepped the question, saying it's an office there to protect Virginians.

Jay Jones wants fights in Washington, he said. Hes running for the wrong office.

___

Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Virginia Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares and Democratic challenger Jay Jones squared off in their first and only debate Thursday over a set of violent and incendiary text messages sent by Jones  an issue that has overtaken the race and vaulted it to national prominence.

Miyares, an incumbent running for reelection, pushed hard against Jones for the leaked texts, which included messages to a Republican delegate in which Jones said that former Virginia Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert should get "two bullets to the head."

Referencing a quote from President Abraham Lincoln, Miyares started the debate by saying: "Character is what you do in the dark when no one is watching. But now we know what he (Jones) was doing in the dark."

Democrat Jay Jones, left, and Republican incumbent Jason Miyares shake hands at the start of the Virginia attorney general debate in Richmond on Oct. 16, 2025. / Credit: Mike Kropf/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP, Pool

Jones apologized for his words from the start.

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"Let me be very clear," he said. "I am ashamed, I am embarrassed and I'm sorry."

Still, the Democrat rebuffed Miyares by noting that violent rhetoric can be heard on both sides of the aisle, and that President Trump has been known to use extreme language at times.

"What about when Donald Trump used incendiary language to incite a riot to try to overturn an election here in this country?" Jones said, adding, "You haven't said a word. I've taken accountability for my mistakes. It's time you take accountability, too."

The race for Virginia attorney general has emerged as one of the most competitive statewide contests in this year's election, with members of both parties taking an interest in the down-ballot race.

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While Republican Winsome Earle-Sears has faced setbacks in her race for governor, as has John Reid, the GOP lieutenant governor nominee, the attorney general's race remains fiercely competitive. Last week, it spilled over into the governor's race when former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor, refused to say during a debate whether she still supported Jones' candidacy, suggesting it was up to the voters to decide.

Jones and Miyares tangled over the violent text message for much of the debate. The way Miyares told it, Jones' texts about shooting a prominent Republican disqualified him from the race to be Virginia's lead prosecutor. Miyares also hit Jones over a reported 2022 reckless driving conviction.

"Jay, if you were to apply to be a line prosecutor ... you would not pass a background check," Miyares said.

Asked by a moderator how voters can trust him, Jones acknowledged that he "made very great mistakes" but was held accountable for them.

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Jones, in turn, spent much of his time arguing that Miyares lacked the nerve to sue the White House if the Trump administration overreached, saying Miyares "won't hold the president accountable."

"Jason hangs out with Donald Trump at MAGA rallies," Jones said. "I will see Jason Miyares and Donald Trump in court as your next attorney general."

The candidates tackled other legal matters likely to involve the attorney general's office, including the enforcement of Virginia's clean energy law and the scope of Virginia's Human Rights Act, a state law prohibiting discrimination.

Miyares and Jones also exchanged jabs on which candidate would do a better job of keeping Virginians safe. Miyares argued that Jones lacked the experience to hold criminals to account, citing a story by The Richmond Times-Dispatch of a Virginia state trooper clocking Jones speeding 116 miles per hour, leading to a reckless driving conviction.

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Jones, for his part, touted his record serving as a delegate in the Virginia House, where he said he supported legislation cracking down on sex offenders and human trafficking. He also referenced his experience going after ghost gun manufacturers while working in the attorney general's office for the District of Columbia.

At one point, a moderator from the Virginia State Bar asked the candidates how they viewed the attorney general's office  as a political or legal one.

"It's clearly a legal one, and that's exactly why we have to hold the president accountable, go after Donald Trump and the bad actions of this administration," Jones eagerly responded.

Miyares side-stepped the question, saying it's an office there to protect Virginians.

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"Jay Jones wants fights in Washington," he said. "He's running for the wrong office."

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VIRGINIA (DC News Now)  Incumbent Virginia Attorney General Jason and Democrat Jay Jones had their one and only face-off during a debate at the University of Richmond Thursday night.

As expected, there was a big focus on violent text messages Jones sent in 2022 about former state Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert and his family.

In his opening remarks, Jones said, I am ashamed. I am embarrassed, and I am sorry.

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Throughout the debate, Miyares repeatedly brought up the texts and a reckless driving conviction.

How can they ever take you seriously, be the top prosecutor, knowing that you view that children should die to advance a political agenda? Miyares said.

Breaking down the Virginia governors debate

Miyares mainly focused on his track record as attorney general, bringing violent crime down and lowering drug deaths.

Weve had $1.2 billion in recovery in consumer protection. Why? Because standing up for Virginia has always been what Ive done, either protecting you from criminal misconduct or corporate misconduct. Thats been my mission as the peoples protector of Virginia, Miyares said.

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On the other hand, Jones focused on Miyaress allegiance to President Trump, arguing Miyares hasnt taken Trump to court over federal job losses and tariffs impacting Virginians.

When Donald Trump fires workers, defunds our schools and levies tariffs that destroy our regional economies, sends armed troops into cities and defunds law enforcement, he has a willing cheerleader here in Jason Miyares who will not step up to sue, Jones said.

Reaction: Jay Jones Text Controversy

Dr. Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and international affairs & director, Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, said the debate was policy-focused and civil, giving voters useful information going into the election.

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I do think both candidates were pretty effective in talking about the issues that they wanted to talk about. Jay Jones consistently talked about the Trump administration and tried to convince voters that they should look beyond the texting scandal and focus on Trump and the cultural warrior politics that represent the anathema to a Democratic voter, Farnsworth said.

Farnsworth said the texting scandal is the best weapon Republicans have this campaign season.

The Republicans, in contrast, are very much focused on the text scandal. That was a big, big issue that has dominated the political conversation in Virginia for two weeks. And it looks like well be headed into week three talking about this topic, Farnsworth said.

Farnsworth said because of that, he wouldnt be surprised if some Democrats vote for governor and lieutenant governor but leave the AG race blank on ballots.

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Polling from Decision Desk HQ shows Jones and Miyares tied at 46.4%.

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A Democratic candidate for attorney general of Virginia used a Thursday debate to once again apologize for a series of leaked past text messages where he compared a former Republican colleague to Hitler and said he should be shot.

I am ashamed, I am embarrassed, and I am sorry, Jay Jones said during the debate of his messages about Todd Gilbert, the former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.

I am sorry to Speaker Gilbert, I am sorry to his family. Im sorry to my family and Im sorry to every single Virginian, Jones, a former Virginia state lawmaker, continued from the debate stage at the University of Richmond. I cannot take back what I said, but you have my word that I will always be accountable for my mistakes, and you also have my word that I will spend every waking moment fighting for you.

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In the messages, first reported by National Review, Jones mentioned Gilbert alongside Hitler, fantasized about shooting the Republican, described the speakers children as little fascists, and said he would piss on the graves of certain Republicans when they died.

Joness rival candidate, the incumbent Republican Jason Miyares, condemned the texts during the debate.

Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones used Thursdays debate to once again apologize for a series of leaked text messages where he made offensive and violent comments about a former Republican colleague (AP)

Abraham Lincoln said that character is what you do in the dark when no one is watching, Miyares said in his opening remarks. But now we know what he was doing in the dark.

Joness comments have received bipartisan criticism and have roiled races across the state.

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The Democrat candidate for AG in Virginia has been fantasizing about murdering his political opponents in private messages, Vice President JD Vance wrote on X earlier this month.

I'm sure the people hyperventilating about sombrero memes will join me in calling for this very deranged person to drop out of the race, he added, referring to recent backlash against the White House for making a racist, AI-doctored video of top Democratic leaders amid government shutdown negotiations.

The fury over Joness texts comes amid heightened concern about political violence following the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last month (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

During a debate last week, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger called the messages abhorrent.

The outrage over Joness texts comes amid wider concerns of the threat of political violence in the U.S., following the September assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a speaking event in Utah.

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Republicans have sought to paint Democrats as the principal cause of political violence in the country, and the administration has launched a crackdown on left-wing groups including Antifa in response.

Studies show that right-wing political violence has claimed more lives in recent decades than attacks by adherents of any other cause, though left-wing attacks are rising.
Republican Jason Miyares and Democrat Jay Jones faced off in a contentious debate for Virginia attorney general Thursday that focused in large part on the recently surfaced violent texts that Jones sent three years ago.

In their only debate before the November election, Miyares, the incumbent, repeatedly slammed Jones over the texts, suggesting they proved he was unfit to be Virginias top law enforcement officer.

We have seen a window to who Jay Jones is and the way he thinks of people that disagree with him, Miyares said early on in his opening statement. Abraham Lincoln said that character is what you do in the dark when no one is watching  but now we know what he was doing in the dark.

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Moments later, Miyares went on the attack again on the topic, addressing Jones directly.

Jay, if you were to apply to be a line prosecutor in not just in my office, but any attorney general office in the country, you would not pass a background check. And right now you may say that you are sorry, but look back at what happened. You had three years to say youre sorry, Jay, and you didnt. Three years to actually recognize what you did was horrific. You chose to stay silent.

The criticisms referred to texts Jones sent in 2022, in which he suggested that Republican Todd Gilbert, then Virginias House speaker, get two bullets to the head. Another text from Jones discussed violence against Gilberts children.

Jones, a former state lawmaker, apologized and expressed remorse over the texts during Thursday's hourlong debate. In his opening statement, he told the audience that they were going to hear from my opponent about text messages that I sent that I deeply, deeply regret.

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Let me be very clear. I am ashamed, I am embarrassed, and Im sorry, Jones said. Im sorry to Speaker Gilbert, Im sorry to his family, Im sorry to my family, and Im sorry to every single Virginian. I cannot take back what I said, but you have my word that I will always be accountable for my mistakes.

The news of Jones texts has further inflamed tensions around political violence and upended races up and down the ticket in Virginia, one of the first major statewide elections to take place since last years presidential race. Jones texts have drawn bipartisan condemnation, but so far, only Republicans have called for him to exit the race.

The debate came at a pivotal moment: Republicans have pumped money into the race, launching ads that center on Jones violent texts, with early voting in the state already open.

Jones repeatedly sought to shift the focus of the debate by going after Miyares for not standing up to President Donald Trump and his policies, which Jones said have hurt Virginians.

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When Donald Trump fires workers, defunds our schools and levies tariffs that destroy our regional economies, sends armed troops into cities and defunds law enforcement, he has a willing cheerleader here in Jason Miyares who will not step up to sue, Jones said. Where other attorneys general have fought to protect their states resources and values and institutions, Jason hasnt done that.

I was held accountable, Jones said at another point, referring not only to his texts, but also to a reckless driving conviction in 2022. But what we have here in Virginia right now is an attorney general who wont hold the president accountable.

Trump, who has endorsed Miyares, has run roughshod over this commonwealth, Jones said.

He mentioned the firing of federal workers this year by Trumps Department of Government Efficiency, as well as the current government shutdown, among what he said were 50 opportunities when Miyares could sue the administration to protect our values.

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His office hasnt done a thing because hes too weak and too scared to stand up to the president, Jones said.

Miyares responded that he had sued both administrations, the Trump administration and the Biden administration, to protect our veterans."

The two also sparred over topics related to public safety, addiction, consumer protections and cashless bail. But the conversation frequently veered into national subjects, including abortion, transgender rights and immigration.

At one point, Jones tried to criticize Miyares over his record on reproductive rights, but Miyares quickly turned the conversation into an attack on trans issues.

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I do find it amazing, Jay, that you talk about the importance of protecting women, he said, before he claimed that Jones will never stand up for female athletes and their desire to be able to compete on the training field.

But time and again, Jones texts took center stage. During Miyares closing message, he asked voters whether they could trust a person who sent the texts Jones did.

How can we trust Jay Jones? he said. How can we trust Jay Jones to prosecute a ... gang member, knowing that he asked for an innocent Virginian to get two bullets to his head? How could Jay Jones ever be trusted to comfort a grieving mother who has lost a child to violence, knowing that he hoped that a child as young as 2 years old would die?

Virginians, we could do so much better, he said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
VIRGINIA BEACH  A man accused in the abduction and stabbing of an 11-year-old boy near a Virginia Beach shopping center has been arrested, police said Friday.

Joshua Martin Rambo, 33, of Virginia Beach, was arrested the morning of Oct. 11 after authorities were called to Meredith Road, near the Lake Shores Shopping Plaza on Shore Drive, on a report of a stabbing.

First responders found the 11-year-old with numerous lacerations, according to an official Virginia Beach Police Department statement. Officers said the child was taken to a nearby hospital and is in a stable condition.

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According to a criminal complaint filed by police, the boy was attacked in an alley near the shopping center by a man with a knife, but was able to escape to Meredith Road, where a resident heard the boys screams for help. He had numerous lacerations to his shoulder, neck and face.

After an investigation, police identified Rambo as a suspect and arrested him at his home, which was nearby.

He faces multiple felony charges, including abduction by force and assault and is being held without bond at Virginia Beach Correctional Center. Police said Rambo has a history of felony convictions and was released from the Virginia Department of Corrections in May.

Police ask anyone with information to contact 757-385-4101, Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or P3Tips.com.
PS Prasanth, Travancore Devaswom Board President, on Friday informed that preparations for President Droupadi Murmu's Sabarimala Ayyappa temple visit are progressing smoothly. He added that the Devaswom Board considers the President's visit to the temple a great blessing and an occasion of pride. "Preparations for the President's Sabarimala visit are progressing smoothly. A trial run of the vehicle that will transport the President is currently underway, and all arrangements are being completed," Prasanth told ANI. "The Devaswom Board considers the President's visit to Sabarimala a great blessing and an occasion of pride," he added. President Droupadi Murmu is set to visit the Sabarimala temple on October 22, on the concluding day of the Thulamasa Pooja. The president is set to visit Kerala for a two-day trip, from October 22 to 24, and attend various programmes in the Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam areas during that time. According to a release, the President will arrive in Thiruvananthapuram at 2:30 p.m. on October 21 from Delhi. After the official reception ceremonies, she will travel to Raj Bhavan, where she will be staying. On October 22 at 9.25 a.m., she will travel by helicopter to Nilakkal. She will be reaching Pampa at 11 a.m. and Sabarimala at 11.50 a.m. After the temple visit, she will have lunch at the Sabarimala guest house, and then travel to Thiruvananthapuram by helicopter at 4:20 p.m. She will unveil a bust of former President KR Narayanan at Raj Bhavan on October 23 at 10.30 a.m. The President will then proceed to Varkala and arrive at Sivagiri by 12:50 p.m. to participate in the Sree Narayana Guru Mahasamadhi event as the chief guest. Later, she will head to Pala to participate in St. Thomas College's platinum jubilee at 4.15 p.m. After the event, she will fly to Kottayam at 5.10 p.m. On October 24, she will fly to Kochi, where she will be accorded a reception at the Kochi Naval Airport at 11.35 a.m. The President will be the chief guest at the centenary celebrations of St. Teresa's College, Ernakulam, at 12.10 p.m., followed by lunch at Bolgatty Palace Hotel. She will travel by helicopter from the Naval Airport to Nedumbassery, from where she will depart for Delhi at 4:15 p.m. The doors of Sabarimala reopened for Thulamasa Pooja on October 17 for the monthly prayers, according to Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the temple. The doors are set to close on October 22 and will reopen again in November for Sree Chithira Attathirunnal. (ANI)
Jeffrey Epstein regularly boasted he could blackmail a powerful network of men using videos showing them abusing young women, according to Virginia Giuffre.

The bombshell claim is made in her posthumous memoir Nobodys Girl, A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice. The Telegraph has obtained a copy of the 367-page book which will be published next week by Alfred A. Knopf.

It will reignite questions about whether the late paedophile maintained a client list after the federal authorities concluded in July that there was no blackmail operation.

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Giuffre finished writing the book six months before she took her own life at the age of 41.

She describes learning about Epsteins death in 2019 and suggests it was possible he could have been murdered in his jail cell.

Hed always suggested to me that those videotapes he so meticulously collected in the bedrooms and bathrooms of his various houses gave him power over others, she wrote.

He explicitly talked about using me and what Id been forced to do with certain men as a form of blackmail, so these men would owe him favours.

Could it be that someone who feared exposure by Epstein had found a way to exterminate him?

Virginia Giuffre said she was trafficked and abused by Jeffrey Epstein

Elsewhere in the book, she questions why information about videos seized from Epsteins Manhattan home were never made public.

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Over 400 pages, Giuffre describes her first encounter with Ghislaine Maxwell at the age of 16, and how the British socialite recruited her as a masseuse for Epstein.

He loves to help people, Giuffre remembers Maxwell saying.

The British socialite is currently serving a 20-year jail sentence for procuring underage girls for Epstein.

It was the start of a two-year ordeal that she says included being trafficked to a string of wealthy or influential men, including prominent scientists, a former prime minister, a politician who was about to be elected governor, and the Duke of York.

The Duke has denied all the allegations and a civil claim brought in the US was settled out of court with no admission of guilt.

The Duke of York, Virginia Guiffre and Ghislaine Maxwell

Epstein was arrested in 2019 and charged with running a sex trafficking network involving dozens of underage girls at his homes in New York and Palm Beach, Florida.

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Investigators seized a safe from his Manhattan town house containing video and audio tapes, CDs, and hard drives.

Giuffre had rebuilt her life in Australia by the time of his death on Aug 10 2019.

The news hit me with an almost physical force, she wrote. I guess I didnt believe someone whod exerted so much power over me could ever die.

She soon realised that she was grieving.

Not because the world had lost a monster  that was a good thing, she wrote. No, like all of Epsteins victims, I was grieving the death of my ability to hold him accountable for what he had done.

The official explanation was that Epstein had taken his own life rather than face justice for his crimes.

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But his sudden death under the nose of prison guards at New Yorks main detention centre has spawned a string of alternative theories, centred on the idea that a powerful cabal of abusers feared being exposed in a court case.

As the details came out, nearly everything about Epsteins death seemed fishy, wrote Giuffre, who concludes: I can make a case for either suicide or murder.

Being in jail, she explained, stripped him of his power over young girls and the chance to rub shoulders with the rich and influential.

That certainly could have made him want to end it all.

Jeffrey Epstein with Ghislaine Maxwell in 2005 - Patrick McMullan

The question of Epsteins death and his client list have roiled the Trump administration all year. Donald Trump and allies stoked suspicions of a cover-up during the 2024 election campaign.

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In July, the justice department and the FBI said they found no evidence that the disgraced financier kept a client list or blackmailed prominent associates.

Rather than drawing a line under the case, it simply heightened accusations that the truth was being hidden.

At the end of her book, Giuffre makes an argument for full transparency as a way of ensuring justice for victims of abuse.

Where are those videotapes the FBI confiscated from Epsteins houses? she asked.

And why havent they led to prosecution of any more abusers?

In their memo, the justice department and FBI said the videos contained illegal child sex abuse material and other pornography but did not justify investigating any third parties.

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This week, reports that Ghislaine Maxwell is being treated like a guest in a hotel at a low-security prison in Texas garnered significant scrutinyso much so that Attorney General Pam Bondi faced questions as to whether the deceased pedophile financiers accomplice is receiving preferential treatment. As she frustratingly evaded those inquiries, heartbreaking excerpts from the posthumous memoir of one of Epstein and Maxwells most visible and vocal victims have been published in a number of outlets, from Vanity Fair to Time.

Earlier this year, Virginia Giuffre, who was recruited by Maxwell when she was working at President Trumps Mar-a-Lago spa at 17 years old, died by suicide. Before her death, however, Giuffre finished a memoir, Nobodys Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice. Due October 25, the book painstakingly details the predation and exploitation she suffered at Epstein and Maxwells hands.

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In a lengthy passage published by the Guardian, Giuffre writes about the day she first encountered Maxwell after she was unknowingly followed by the convicted sex-trafficker on her way into the spa where she worked as a receptionist.

I was walking toward the Mar-a-Lago spa, on my way to work, when a car slowed behind me, Giuffre writes. Inside was a British socialite named Ghislaine Maxwell and her driver, Juan Alessi, whom she insisted on calling John. Alessi would later testify under oath that on this day, when Maxwell spotted memy long blond hair, my slim build, and what he called my notably young appearanceshe commanded him from the back seat, Stop, John, stop!

Maxwell then approached Giuffre as she worked the front desk and offered her the opportunity that would ultimately mar her life: to become the massage therapist to a wealthy man and longtime Mar-a-Lago member: Epstein. Lured by the promise of financial freedom, Giuffre agreed and was instructed to come to Epsteins Palm Beach mansion for an introduction. After her father drove her to the home, Giuffre was led to a naked Epstein, who was lying facedown on a massage bed. Maxwell instructed her on how to massage him as he asked inappropriate and invasive questions.

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Tell me about your first time, Giuffre claimed Epstein asked. I hesitated. Whod ever heard of an employer asking an applicant about losing her virginity? But I wanted this job, so I took a deep breath and described my rough childhood. Id been abused by a family friend, I said vaguely, and spent time on the street as a runaway. Epstein didnt recoil. Instead, he made light of it, teasing me for being a naughty girl.' Giuffre wrote that she denied that, to which he replied: Its OK. I like naughty girls.

The massage swiftly escalated to sexual assault, and Giuffre describes dissociating: A familiar emptiness flooded me. How many times had I put my faith in someone, only to be hurt and humiliated? I could feel my brain begin to shut down. My body couldnt escape from this room, but my mind couldnt bear to stay, so it put me on a kind of autopilot: submissive and determined to survive.

Desperate for the kind of money Epstein and Maxwell offered, Giuffre accepted the job. To this, she also credits Epsteins excellence in manipulation: Several of us had been molested or raped as children; many of us were poor or even homeless. We were girls who no one cared about, and Epstein pretended to care. He also purported to own the Palm Beach police department, and threatened Giuffre by claiming to have personal knowledge of her familys whereabouts. The subtext was clear.

As Giuffre continued working for Epstein, travel became more and more frequent, as did servicing many clients that included anyone from psychologists, academics, and billionaires that Epstein and Maxwell knew. Prince Andrew, as the world well knows by now, was one of them. Maxwell, Giuffre remembered, prepared her like a lamb for slaughtertaking her shopping all day and making clear the expectations for her.

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When Prince Andrew arrived at the house that evening, Maxwell was more coquettish than usual, Giuffre wrote. Guess Jennas age, she urged the prince, after she introduced me. The Duke of York, who was then 41, guessed correctly: 17. My daughters are just a little younger than you, he told me, explaining his accuracy. As usual, Maxwell was quick with a joke: I guess we will have to trade her in soon.' As detailed in various legal documents and proceedings, Giuffre was instructed to sleep with Prince Andrew after a night out. In return, she received $15,000 from Epstein, and Maxwell continued to coordinate her abuse, and that of many others.

In social settings, Maxwell often appeared vivacious, the life of the party. But in Epsteins household, she functioned more as a party planner: scheduling and organising the endless parade of girls who she recruited to have sex with him, Giuffre wrote. Over time, I would come to see Epstein and Maxwell less as boyfriend and girlfriend, and more as two halves of a wicked whole.

In July, as the Department of Justice supposedly investigated President Trumps connection to Epstein, Maxwell denied that Trump was anything but a gentleman in all respects throughout their well-documented friendship. Weeks later, she was transferred to a low-security prison in Texas. More recently, Maxwell is reportedly getting unusually favorable treatment. To write that this is an insult to Giuffres memory, and the lives of all of Epstein and Maxwells victims, is an understatement.

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VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  Deputies from the Vista Patrol Station responded to an incident reportedly involving battery at around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the unincorporated Vista area, according to the San Diego Sheriffs Office.

When deputies arrived at the scene in the 2100 block of Riviera Drive, they reportedly discovered 80-year-old Linda Johnson with traumatic injuries. She was transported to the local hospital but died from her injuries the following day, according to the report.

Deputies arrested an alleged suspect at the location of the crime, who was identified as 55-year-old Tad Johnson, a relative of the decedent, according to authorities.

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Authorities say homicide detectives are investigating the incident and say the motive and circumstances of the crime are still under investigation. According to detectives, it appears to be an isolated incident, with no outstanding suspects and no apparent danger to the community.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is encouraged to call the Homicide Unit at 858-285-6330, or you can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Oct. 17OLYMPIA  The voting period for Washington State's General Election officially commences today, offering residents the opportunity to participate in shaping their local government.

"Elections that are accessible, secure, and transparent are the cornerstone of our democracy, providing you with the opportunity to make your voice heard on a variety of issues," Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said in a statement.

He emphasized that the upcoming general election would empower constituents to have a say in who represents them and to weigh in on measures that directly impact their lives in Washington.

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Hobbs reiterated the importance of voter registration, encouraging all those who wish to participate to ensure they are registered. He explained that in-person registration will remain available at local county elections offices until 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 4.

"If you're already registered to vote, now is a great time to sign into VoteWA and verify your voter registration information is up to date," Hobbs said.

Hobbs also highlighted the critical importance of voter participation in this election year.

"Exercising your right to vote is one of the most powerful ways you can make a difference in your community," he said.

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The local election offices in Adams and Grant counties are also reminding voters about specific logistical aspects surrounding ballot submission.

Heidi Hunt, the Adams County Auditor, said in a statement on the voter's pamphlet that voters should return ballots as early as possible.

"We recommend that you take the ballot inside the post office and ask staff to hand-cancel the ballot before placing it in a mailbox, or that you use one of our ballot drop boxes to deliver it directly to the Adams County Election Office," Hunt said.

She encouraged voters to make use of the various resources available, including their ability to check their ballot status at VoteWA.gov.

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Similarly, Grant County Auditor Michelle Jaderlund stressed the importance of timely action in her statement.

"Voter registration forms that are mailed or completed online must be received by Oct. 27," she said, urging residents to verify their registration details on the VoteWA platform.

Jaderlund also made a point of addressing post-election activities, reminding voters that completed ballots can be returned via U.S. mail, with no postage required. However, she cautioned against late submissions.

"A late postmark could disqualify your ballot," she said.

In a previous interview Jaderlund explained that residents when getting close to the deadline need to visit the post office to get their ballot postmarked or drop it off at a voter drop in box to ensure their vote is counted.

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Both auditor offices have emphasized the security measures in place to protect the integrity of the election process.

Hunt assured voters that the Adams County Auditor's Office works diligently to provide "secure, accountable, and transparent elections."

Jaderlund echoed this sentiment, stating, "We are committed to ensuring a safe and secure election in Grant County."

As the voting period kicks off, the deadlines for the general election have been made clear.

The 18-day voting period will run from today, Oct. 17, to Election Day, Nov. 4. Ballots are due no later than 8 p.m. Nov. 4.

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There is an emphasis from Hunt, Sunderland and Hobbs on the need to ensure that ballots are returned carefully, either through mail or secure drop boxes, to ensure that every vote is counted.

"Thank you for voting and supporting democracy here in Washington," Hobbs said.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY)  When Kim Mayo received her diploma in 1998 from then-Virginia Wesleyan College, it was one of the most magical days of her life. But the institution that she held close to her heart, for now still called Virginia Wesleyan University, is now at the center of what feels like a bad break-up.

Virginia Wesleyan University to be renamed Batten University

Ive never been divorced, but it probably feels that way, a divorce from the university, Mayo said. For many of us alumni, its very disappointing and really sad on many levels.

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Mayo is among the hundreds of alumni and others who are opposed to the plan to change the schools current name, Virginia Wesleyan University, to Batten University in honor of the Batten family of donors.

Virginia Wesleyan alumni upset with name change

Mayo, a member of the Alumni Council, voiced concerns in a recent story in the Virginian-Pilot. The daily newspaper was previously owned by the Batten family.

Heres part of Mayos quote: I feel as an Alumni Council member, my role is not to be a mouthpiece for the current administration, but to represent alumni from near and far.

Wednesday, the universitys chief of staff and vice president for strategic initiatives, Kelly Cordova, sent a note to Mayo that essentially announced that its over. It reads in part: Ive taken your recent activity at face value and accepted your de facto resignationThank you for your past service to Virginia Wesleyan.

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The name change is scheduled for July 1, 2026.

I was flabbergasted. It just seemed very unprofessional and retaliatory, Mayo said. And theres a history of that not involving me. So I was disappointed to see this type of messaging.

Tina Raines, a spokesperson for the university issued a statement to 10 On Your Side:

Ms. Mayo served as an appointed volunteer member of the Alumni Council, a body whose members are expected to serve as ambassadors of the University. Ms. Mayo made various public statements and actions inconsistent with that role and also indicated to an administrator in our Office of Advancement (which includes Alumni Engagement) on Friday, October 3, that she was resigning from the Alumni Council. Virginia Wesleyan University respectfully honored that decision and considered the matter closed.  Virginia Wesleyan University values all of its stakeholders, and any disengagement is always regrettable.

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Cordova provided written confirmation of Mayos removal from the Council and offered her the opportunity to clarify if there had been a misunderstanding. Mayo did not respond.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
Oregon is likely to experience more intense periods of drought, heavy rain and other major weather events and natural disasters as a result of climate change and more than a century of burning fossil fuels. A new plan by Gov. Tina Kotek seeks resident feedback in order to better prepare and address that trend.(Photo courtesy of the Oregon Department of Transportation)

Oregonians may soon have greater input in how the next statewide budget seeks to mitigate natural disasters.

Gov. Tina Kotek on Wednesday, along with Oregon State Universitys Oregon Climate Change Research Institute and the University of Oregons Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience, launched the first of nine online public meetings of the Statewide Resilience Forum, with the goal of collecting feedback on how the state should prepare for wildfires, floods, earthquakes and all manner of natural disasters.

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The feedback will inform a Plan for a Resilient Oregon slated to be done by September 2026 and disaster preparation funding priorities for the states next two-year budget. The next meeting is on Nov. 19 at 1 p.m.

Attend the next virtual meeting at 1 p.m. on Nov. 19 here.

Oregonians dont need another plan that sits on a shelf. They need real investment in what makes their communities stronger, Kotek said in a statement. The intention behind the Plan for a Resilient Oregon is to hear directly from the people living these challenges every day and to act on what they tell us.

Beyond inviting the public to participate, Koteks office split the state into five regions and selected more than 50 community-based organizations to represent each, and to attend meetings and collect and share feedback from residents. Regional leads for each part of the state will present that feedback at statewide meetings. The groups have experience in issues such as food access, immigrant rights, fire safety and toxic waste prevention.

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Attendees at Wednesdays meeting reviewed other states natural disaster preparedness plans, which prioritized equity and environmental justice, solutions like wetland restoration, infrastructure modernization, climate hazards and community engagement, according to agenda notes.

The virtual meetings offer what Koteks office described as a people-centered, resilience and multi-hazard strategy to help Oregon communities thrive despite increasingly severe weather events.

Between 1980 and 2024, Oregon experienced more than 40 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters according to National Centers for Environmental Information data. They include droughts, floods, wildfires, and a few winter storm events. This year, for instance, Kotek declared a state of emergency in mid-July over threats from wildfires posed by extreme high temperatures.

The 2020 fires taught us that recovery starts and ends at the local level, but it cant succeed without strong state partnerships, said Matthew Havniear, executive director of the Jackson County Community Long-Term Recovery Group, which supports survivors of the 2020 Labor Day fires. Havniear is also representing southern Oregon in the states resiliency planning. For organizations like ours, this plan reinforces local leadership, builds capacity, and emphasizes collaboration and coordination.

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Property Reappraisal or How Can a Restaurant on Main Street Remain Vacant for 20 Years? is the topic of former Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson's noon talk Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the Lunch with the League meeting of the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge.

The public is invited to attend the lunch and lecture between 11:15 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. All are welcome to bring their lunch or purchase a boxed lunch. Coffee and tea will be served. The presentation will begin at noon and end with questions and answers.

Watson, who in retirement serves as a municipal advisor to city managers and as a lecturer at various universities and colleges, provided this summary of his talk.

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The purpose of property tax reappraisal is often misunderstood as is the way that the system works in Oak Ridge and other cities. Unfortunately, the appraisals can slow growth and stop developers from activating property. I will provide an overview of the impacts of this process, focusing on how it is controlled by state appeal processes, procedures and local budgets, as well as how these processes slow or impede responsible growth of Main Street.

Watson, who holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Kansas and a Ph.D. in public administration and American government from the University of Tennessee, served as city manager of Oak Ridge for 15 years. A recognized leader in public management, he served as chief executive in eight cities in four states, including in Montana, Arizona and Texas, where he spent nine years managing cities on the U.S.Mexican border.

Watson has been recognized with Lifetime Achievement Awards by the University of Kansas. Recently, he was granted a lifetime membership with the International City/County Management Association for which he had served as a vice president and chair of its International Committee.

Since he retired, he was appointed Oak Ridge representative on the Anderson County Appraisal Review Board. He lives in Oak Ridge with his wife Jenna.

Mark Watson

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Former Oak Ridge city manager to talk about how property reappraisals work
A North Shore bridge closed earlier this week for emergency repairs is back open, state officials said.

When the bridge carrying Route 107 over the Saugus River closed Wednesday, it was unclear how long drivers in Lynn, Saugus and other nearby communities would be detoured.

Authorities warned of an extended closure.

Two days later, the work is completed and the road has reopened, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said Friday.

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The bridge was closed after an inspection revealed cracking on the structures deck panel assemblies, MassDOT said in a press release posted by the city of Saugus.

During the closure, crews worked around the clock to replace or repair 16 affected deck panel assemblies, the department said. MassDOT appreciates the patience of Lynn and Saugus residents impacted by the bridge closure.

The bridge over the river is itself a temporary structure installed during ongoing repairs of the Belden G. Bly Bridge, which began in August 2020. Construction of the new bridge is nearly complete, according to MassDOT.

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Washburn students tell their stories during Domestic Violence Awareness Month

TOPEKA (KSNT)  Speak Your Truth, is an event put on by students for students at Washburn University, allowing domestic violence survivors to express themselves in a safe space.

Participants read poetry, sang, and shared tips with each other.

Students say tonight was a chance to connect through shared experiences.

Growing up, it was a bit difficult, mostly just because I was homeless on and off throughout my childhood. And sometimes people come into your life and theyre not with the best intentions at all, said Samarii Berry, a survivor of domestic violence. So, in October, really, with domestic violence and everything, and sexual violence at any point, I see a lot of that. I know a lot of that. I hear a lot of that.

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Washburn football taking the season one game at a time

Im very grateful that I went through what I went through because it taught me a lot about myself and taught me how to be a stronger person, said Heaven Asebedo, a domestic violence survivor. And now if somebody I know or I dont know has the same situation, I know how to go about it, and I know how to encourage or just be there for that person because abusive relationships are hard. But leaving one is even more harder.

According to data collected by Shawnee County, 2,195 domestic violence calls were made to law enforcement last year. The district attorney and the Topeka Municipal Court prosecuted 1,117 domestic violence cases in that same span.

The domestic violence hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-SAFE.

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For more resources, you can contact the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Washingtons Attorney General is co-leading a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Oregon is now joining the case.



Filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, the suit argues the EPA illegally shut down a $7 billion program known as Solar for All. The program had been designed to cut energy bills for low-income families by bringing solar power to more than 900,000 homes across the country.

Portlands 2025-26 Winter Weather Outlook

Congress originally approved the Solar for All program back in 2022, which directed the EPA to give grants to states for solar energy projects in low-income areas. By August 2024, the EPA had awarded all of the funds to states, who are now the 23 plaintiffs in the current complaint.

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According to the suit, Washington and other states had already moved forward with planning their solar programs when a majority of their funding was abruptly and unlawfully terminated by the EPA two months ago.

The complaint also alleges that on social media, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin made baseless accusations, calling the Solar for All program a boondoggle. The EPA then sent a memo to all recipients of the original funding saying the agency no longer had a statutory basis or dedicated funding for the program, despite Congress approval three years before.

Bolton pleads not guilty in Justice Department case accusing him of sharing government secrets

The administration is again targeting people struggling to get by in America, this time by gutting programs that help low-income households afford electricity, Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown said. Congress passed a solar energy program to help make electricity costs more affordable, but the administration is ignoring the law and focused on the conspiracy theory that climate change is a hoax.

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Brown and the attorneys general of Arizona and Minnesota are leading the complaint. They are joined by the attorneys general of Oregon, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Also joining the complaint are the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, as well as the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla visited the Nari Sewa Sadan and Balika Ashram at Dhalli village in Mashobra near Shimla on Friday. He extended warm Diwali greetings to the women and girls residing there. Lady Governor and Chairperson of the State Red Cross Hospital Welfare Section Janaki Shukla, also accompanied him on the occasion. They distributed sweets to the women of Nari Niketan and the girls of Balika Ashram, said the release. Interacting with the girls studying at the Balika Ashram, the Governor said that education plays a vital role in shaping one's life. He urged them to work hard to achieve their goals and become self-reliant. "Never let your enthusiasm fade, and always strive to contribute to the progress of the nation," he said. Governor Shukla added that Himachal Pradesh is the land of deities, and its festivals are deeply rooted in the rich Dev Sanskriti of the State. "Our emotions and values should remain connected to these divine traditions," he said. The Governor emphasised that children from such institutions should be given equal opportunities to express their potential and encouraged to take part in co-curricular activities, which would provide them with a suitable platform to display their skills and confidence. C P Verma, Secretary to the Governor, officers from the district administration were also present on the occasion among others. Earlier, Governor Shukla called upon the youth to channel their energy and creativity towards the goal of transforming India into a developed nation by 2047, under the vision of Viksit Bharat. He was addressing the inaugural session of the Model United Nations and Youth Parliament, jointly organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, and Himachal Pradesh University, under the Viksit Bharat@2047 initiative. The Governor said that the event not only channels the intellectual energy of the youth but also marks a significant step toward realising the dream of a developed India by 2047. He expressed contentment that the students were engaging in discussions on national and global issues while keeping their local traditions and culture alive on the stage. "This cultural consciousness is the soul of our democracy and the true identity of India," he said. Referring to the "Gen Z" generation, the Governor remarked that "there is a difference between Gen Z in Himachal and abroad. Here, Gen Z youths pull the chariot of Lord Raghunath during the famous Kullu Dussehra festival, thereby nurturing and preserving the culture and traditions. It is this spirit that will help India regain its position as a Vishwaguru." (ANI)
This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com

Over the first six months of 2025, Washington reported the largest decrease in vehicle thefts in the country, which was 42% lower than the first six months of 2024.

In turn, Washington ranked 10th-highest in vehicle theft rate, at 115.20 per 100,000 residents, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) announced.

Only one U.S. territory, Puerto Rico, had a higher improvement in vehicle thefts than Washington, as it reported a 43% drop in vehicle thefts.

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The significant declines we are seeing in 2025 demonstrate the effectiveness of collaborative efforts by law enforcement, automakers, insurers, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau, David J. Glawe, President and CEO of NICB, said.

Vehicle thefts across the U.S.

As a whole, vehicle thefts nationwide fell 23% over the first two quarters of 2025 compared to the first half of 2024.

In the first two quarters of 2024, the number of vehicle thefts nationwide was 435,754. In the first half of 2025, a total of 334,114 vehicles were reported as stolen.

After years of a pandemic-fueled surge in thefts peaked in 2023, stolen vehicle figures are now trending towards pre-pandemic levels, NICB stated. If current trends continue through the end of 2025, vehicle theft totals are set to decrease nationwide for the second consecutive year.

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Alaska was the only state to report an increase in vehicle thefts, with a rise of 26%.

Which car model is most susceptible to theft

The most stolen car model in Washington for 2024 was the Hyundai Elantra, with 1,379 vehicles reported stolen.

In 2025, the Hyundai Elantra was also the most stolen vehicle in the country, as 11,329 vehicles were stolen in the first half of the year.

Over the course of 2024, 31,712 Hyundai Elantras were reported stolen in the U.S.

A trend on TikTok in 2022 challenged thieves to steal a variety of Kia and Hyundai models made between 2010 and 2021. The trend, derived from the hashtag Kia Boyz, involved thieves using a USB cord to hotwire vehicles.

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In September 2024, the Puget Sound Auto Theft Task Force reported that approximately 50 cars were stolen per day in King County, compared to 386 stolen vehicles in Pierce County. Despite the alarming numbers, it was an improvement from 2023.

There has been a decline in the number of auto thefts compared to this time last year, the Puget Sound Auto Theft Task Force wrote in its report. We believe this is due, in part, to several key arrests of Kia Boyz who were operating throughout the region and stealing numerous vehicles each week.

Follow Jason Sutich on X. Send news tips here.
(The Center Square)  President Donald Trump released few details Friday afternoon amid reports that two survivors of a suspected drug submarine strike near Venezuela were in U.S. custody.

A reporter asked Trump during a White House meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the two survivors. Trump initially referred the question to Marco Rubio, who said U.S. officials would release details later. After that, Trump provided new information about what happened on Thursday.

"Let me answer. That was in a submarine, right? We attacked a submarine. And that was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs," Trump said. "Just so you understand. This was not an innocent group of people. I don't know too many people that have submarines."

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Rubio audibly laughed at that last part. Rubio said U.S. officials weren't prepared to release all the attack details.

"We're undertaking these operations against narcoterrorists. That's what these are, these are terrorists, let's be clear," Rubio said. "As far as the details of any recent operation, when we are prepared to announce those, we will."

Neither Trump nor Rubio addressed reports of survivors.

At least two people who survived the strike were in U.S. custody, NBC News reported Friday, citing unnamed U.S. officials.

Trump and military officials have released few details about the growing number of strikes, but Trump has posted videos of at least four recent strikes. The Pentagon has not confirmed the number of strikes or their dates.

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Rubio said more details would be released in the future, possibly even Friday, but didn't provide a specific timeline.

Trump's use of military strikes on suspected drug boats marks a new strategy in the war on drugs. Previously, U.S. forces stopped suspect vessels, made arrests, and seized drugs.

Last week, Trump told Congress that the U.S. is engaged in "armed conflict" with drug cartels in the Caribbean.

"The President determined that the United States is in a non-international armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations," according to the confidential notice the administration sent to Congress. Trump directed the U.S. Department of War to "conduct operations against them pursuant to the law of armed conflict."

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Earlier this week, Trump announced the fifth or sixth such strike. Trump said the military strike on a suspected drug boat off the coast of Venezuela on Tuesday killed six suspected traffickers.

Trump also confirmed this week that the CIA was conducting operations in Venezuela, in a rare public acknowledgment of the spy agency's work in a foreign nation.

Nicolas Maduro, the president of Venezuela, has been accused of consolidating power through fraudulent elections. In 2024, his reelection was widely condemned as illegitimate, with allegations of vote tampering and intimidation of opposition leaders. Maduro is also facing allegations of human rights abuses, corruption, and drug trafficking. U.S. prosecutors have charged Maduro with running a drug cartel that allegedly uses cocaine trafficking as a tool to sustain the regime.

After one of the U.S. strikes against a speedboat, agents from the Dominican Republic's National Drug Control Directorate and the Dominican Republic Navy seized 377 packages of suspected cocaine about 80 nautical miles south of Beata Island, Pedernales province.

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U.S. officials haven't provided details about the operations or what was found on the boats.

Last week, Republican senators shut down a Democrat-led proposal that would have required Trump to get congressional approval before using the military to destroy suspected drug boats in the region. In a 51-48 vote, Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted with Democrats in favor of the measure. Republicans blocked it with help from Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, didn't vote on the measure.

Trump previously said the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua was using the boats to smuggle drugs to the U.S. He said the strikes would prevent the overdose deaths of Americans.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration doesn't consider Tren de Aragua to be a major drug smuggling operation. Tren de Aragua members conduct "small-scale drug trafficking activities," according to the DEA's 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment. That same report, released in May, noted that most cocaine comes from Colombia.

"Colombia remains the primary source country for cocaine entering the United States, followed by Peru and Bolivia," according to the report. "Mexico-based cartels obtain multi-ton cocaine shipments from South America and smuggle it via sea, air, or overland to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean for subsequent movement into the United States."
Watch live: President Trump meeting with Ukraines Zelensky at White House

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks at the White House on Friday, with the U.S. leader signaling hes not ready to agree to sell Kyiv a long-range missile system that the Ukrainians say they desperately need.

>>WATCH LIVE: Boston 25 News will air the meeting on TV and online

Zelenskyy gets his one-on-one with Trump a day after the U.S. president and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a lengthy phone call to discuss the conflict.

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In recent days, Trump had shown an openness to selling Ukraine long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, even as Putin warned that such a move would further strain the U.S.-Russian relationship.

But following Thursdays call with Putin, Trump appeared to downplay the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles (1,600 kilometers.)

We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too, Trump said. We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean we cant deplete our country.

Zelenskyy had been seeking the weapons that would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory and target key military sites, energy facilities and critical infrastructure. Zelenskyy has argued such strikes would help compel Putin to take Trumps calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.

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But Putin warned Trump during the call that supplying Kyiv with the Tomahawks wont change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries, according to Yuri Ushakov, Putins foreign policy adviser.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that talk of providing Tomahawks had already served a purpose by pushing Putin into talks. The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace, Sybiha said on the social platform X late Thursday.

Ukrainian officials have also indicated that Zelenskyy plans to appeal to Trumps economic interests by aiming to discuss the possibility of energy deals with the U.S.

Zelenskyy is looking to offer to store American liquefied natural gas in Ukraines gas storage facilities, which would allow for American presence in the European energy market.

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He previewed the strategy on Thursday in meetings with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and the heads of American energy companies, leading him to post on X that it is important to restore Ukraines energy infrastructure after Russian attacks and expand the presence of American businesses in Ukraine.

It will be the fourth face-to-face meeting for Trump and Zelenskyy since the Republican returned to office in January, and their second in less than a month.

Trump announced following Thursdays call with Putin that he would soon meet with the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss ways to end the war. The two also agreed that their senior aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, would meet next week at an unspecified location.

Fresh off brokering a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, Trump has said finding an endgame to the war in Ukraine is now his top foreign policy priority and has expressed new confidence about the prospects of getting it done.

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Ahead of his call with Putin, Trump had shown signs of increased frustration with the Russian leader.

Last month, he announced that he believed Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia, a dramatic shift from the U.S. leaders repeated calls for Kyiv to make concessions to end the war.

Trump, going back to his 2024 campaign, insisted he would quickly end the war, but his peace efforts appeared to stall following a diplomatic blitz in August, when he held a summit with Putin in Alaska and a White House meeting with Zelenskyy and European allies.

Trump emerged from those meetings certain he was on track to arranging direct talks between Zelenskyy and Putin. But the Russian leader hasnt shown any interest in meeting with Zelenskyy and Moscow has only intensified its bombardment of Ukraine.

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Trump, for his part, offered a notably more neutral tone about Ukraine following what he described a very productive call with Putin.

He also hinted that negotiations between Putin and Zelenskyy might be have to be conducted indirectly.

They dont get along too well those two, Trump said. So we may do something where were separate. Separate but equal.

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A Virginia family say they were left in fear after three masked intruders tried to break into their home, threatening to kill them in a chilling encounter caught on doorbell cam footage.

The video, filmed at around 10 p.m. local time in Alexandria on Tuesday, shows three figuresone dressed as horror icon Michael Myers, another as a clown, and a third as a sinister nunpounding on the front door.

Its either you coming out or we coming in, one of them shouted. Open the door!

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Another said: Its your worst nightmare!

At first I thought it was just a Halloween joke, Shayla, daughter of the widowed homeowner, told the New York Post. So I said, Happy Halloween.'

But as pounding grew louder, my heart dropped when they said they were gonna take a chair and break down the door, she said. That is just too much.

The group then moved to the back of the home, breaking through a wooden fence and slashing open deck screens before fleeing.

Alexandria Police Chief Tarrik McGuire described the case as a very serious matter, warning that the suspects actions constitute burglary under Virginia law.

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They began to make threatening and alarming comments to the family. Specifically, they said, If you do not come out, we will come in, and also threatened to do bodily harm, stating that they would ultimately kill them, McGuire said.

Shayla later reflected on how differently the night might have ended.

Our Second Amendment right was not used  and could have been, she said.

Police are now reviewing nearby surveillance footage as the search for the suspects continues.

Watch above via Fox News.

The post WATCH: Terrifying Clown Leads Masked Trio Threatening to Kill Family in Chilling VA Break-In Attempt first appeared on Mediaite.
(The Center Square)  The Trump administration has struck another deal with a big pharmaceutical player, this time in the fertility space.

EMD Serono, a subsidiary of German pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA, is the latest drug manufacturer to make a deal with the administration to offer discounted pricing to state Medicaid programs and on TrumpRx.gov, an online marketplace facilitating the direct-to-consumer sale of pharmaceuticals.

But Thursdays announcement included an element unique from the other two the administration has made so far (with Pfizer and AstraZeneca). The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is now encouraging employers to offer a fertility benefit to their employees, in addition to the medical and other benefits employers often provide.

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For the first time ever, we will make it legal for companies to offer supplemental insurance plans specifically for fertility, Trump said. Im asking all employers to make these new fertility benefit options available to their employees immediately.

A round of fertility treatments for a couple trying to conceive can cost up to $25,000 per cycle and part of that expense is the cost of the drugs involved.

This will make all fertility care, including IVF, far more affordable and accessible. And by providing coverage at every step of the way, it will reduce the number of people who ultimately need to resort to IVF, because couples will be able to identify and address problems early, the president said.

Currently, Americans can more easily obtain insurance that covers in vitro fertilization or some fertility services through larger employers, as 70% already offer IVF coverage, according to some statistics shared by the White House. But the administration wants to see that kind of coverage become more common among employers big and small by legalizing the ability for employers to offer standalone benefit packages for fertility services.

Popular fertility drugs made by EMD Serono will also be available at deeply discounted rates on TrumpRx, though only to those not using insurance.




WATERBURY - A 15-year-old city resident was arrested Wednesday after police said he recklessly rode a dirt bike and damaged a field on Bunker Hill Road.

Officers were dispatched at about 1:15 p.m. to the 200 block after receiving an anonymous complaint about off-road vehicles in the area, according to Waterbury Police Department, which continues to crack down on illegal ATVs.

Police said the responding officers stopped the juvenile, arrested him without incident and seized the dirt bike.

Police said the teen was charged with insufficient insurance, unregistered motor vehicle, illegal operation of an ATV, first-degree criminal mischief and operation of a motor vehicle without a license.

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The arrest took place a day after officers apprehended an 18-year-old for illegally riding an ATV on a roadway and attempting to flee from officers during a traffic stop on Willow Street.

In August, police conducted a one-day traffic enforcement operation aimed at curbing reckless riding on city roads that resulted in 29 vehicles towed and more than 100 infractions.

"The Waterbury Police Department remains committed to ensuring the safety of our community through proactive enforcement efforts and will continue to take action against individuals who operate ATVs illegally," police said.

This article originally published at Waterbury teen arrested for recklessly riding dirt bike, damaging field, police say.
David C. Waterman was sworn in Wednesday as the United States attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, according to a news release.

Courtesy: AP

Waterman was nominated by President Trump on March 31, 2025, and confirmed by the U. S. Senate on Oct. 7, 2025. Chief U. S. District Judge Stephanie M. Rose administered the oath of office to Waterman on Thursday.

I am honored to be confirmed as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa. I am grateful to President Trump for the nomination and to Senators Grassley and Ernst for their steadfast support. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to my family, friends, and colleagues for their unwavering encouragement, Waterman said. Having been born and raised in the district, I am committed to upholding justice and safeguarding the community I proudly call home. I look forward to joining the many dedicated members of the United States Attorneys Office and working with federal, state, and local partners to strengthen public safety and serve all Iowans.

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The U. S. Attorneys Office in the Southern District of Iowa prosecutes federal crimes in 47 counties in Iowa. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the U. S.

Waterman was most recently employed at a private law firm in Davenport. Waterman spent four years as an assistant U. S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida. He also served as a law clerk to the Hon. Michael J. Melloy, with the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the Hon. John A. Jarvey, with the Southern District of Iowa, and the Hon. Mark W. Bennett, with the Northern District of Iowa.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  Staff at the Knoxville Family Justice Center wore purple Thursday to mark Wear Purple Thursday, a national campaign that raises awareness for domestic violence survivors during Domestic Awareness Month.

The center works with YWCA, the McNabb Center and law enforcement to provide support, counseling, and legal advocacy for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Organizers say this month serves as a reminder that help is available year-round.

Death of Diane Keaton underscores threat of Pneumonia

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Michelle Clayton, executive director for the Knoxville Family Justice Center explained why staff joined in on the movement.

Our goal is to make sure that they know that we are always there for them, Clayton said. The people in this building spend their entire career making sure that people feel safe and have power back, and that is why were trying to do today with wearing purple.

The Family Justice Center will continue its outreach with the Fourth Annual Domestic Violence Awareness Conference on Friday, October 17th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ball Camp Baptist Church.

The half-day event will bring together professionals, advocates, and survivors to discuss prevention strategies and resources across Tennessee. The event will also feature breakout discussions along with a lunch to conclude.

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Founding KISS guitarist Ace Frehley dies at 74

We will be having our annual domestic violence awareness conference, Clayton said. That is for anyone in the community-whether you are a survivor, you know a survivor or you just want to know about it so you can offer support. We encourage everyone and anyone to come and attend.

Anyone seeking help can contact the Knoxville Family Justice Centers 24-hour hotline at (865) 521-6336 or visit fjcknoville.org

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  A local organization looking to provide quality, affordable housing just received a sizable grant in state funding.

Southern Door Community Land Trust was founded in 2019 and on Friday it received $815,000 in state funding secured by Senator Lea Webb.

A news conference was held in front of 6 Florence Street in Binghamton, which Southern Door plans to renovate into affordable housing.

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Executive Director Hajra Aziz says this is a monumental milestone for the organization and housing is a human right.

This is an opportunity for us to allow or support folks in finding stability, so they can move along what we consider a housing continuum so that potentially we can increase the number of homeowners, first-time homeowners in Broome County as well, said Aziz.

The state grant should push Southern Door beyond the 70% level of funding secured that Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham required in order for the organization to access ARPA funds that the City Council allocated to Southern Door over the objections of Kraham.

Council members in turn protested the 70% requirement, arguing that the grassroots organization was being held to a different standard.

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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 WIVT - News 34.
A Belgian court in Antwerp has cleared the extradition of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi to India, declaring his arrest by Belgian authorities earlier this year as lawful. The ruling represents a major development in India's long-running efforts to secure his return in connection with the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case. While granting the extradition request, the Antwerp court clarified that Choksi would not be immediately sent back, as he retains the right to appeal the decision before a higher court. Choksi was arrested by Antwerp police on April 11, 2025, following a formal request from Indian authorities. Since his detention, he has remained lodged in a Belgian prison, with multiple bail pleas rejected on the grounds that he posed a flight risk. The court's decision now places the focus on India's assurances regarding his detention conditions and fair trial once extradited. Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had furnished a comprehensive letter of assurance to the Kingdom of Belgium's Ministry of Justice and its judicial authorities. The document detailed the specific material, medical, and procedural safeguards that would govern Choksi's custody in India to address human-rights concerns raised during the extradition proceedings. According to the MHA, Choksi would be detained in Barrack No. 12 at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, a section reserved for non-violent and white-collar offenders. The facility is equipped with a range of safeguards, including adequate personal space, ventilated cells, 24x7 medical care, attached sanitation facilities, and CCTV monitoring. Detainees are provided three meals a day, access to exercise yards, recreation, and legal consultations. The Indian government also assured that Choksi's medical needs would be fully addressed, with provisions for specialised care and treatment at Sir J J Group of Hospitals, located nearby. Oversight mechanisms involving the National and State Human Rights Commissions (NHRC/SHRC), along with judicial supervision, have been emphasised to ensure transparency and compliance with international standards. Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, is accused of orchestrating one of India's largest banking frauds, involving fraudulent letters of undertaking that defrauded Punjab National Bank of over Rs 13,000 crore. Both face multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. (ANI)
The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. "Sunday Morning" also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.)

Hosted by Jane Pauley

WATCH THE FULL OCTOBER 19 BROADCAST!

Virginia Giuffre (center) is seen in a file photo with Britain's Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell. / Credit: Rex Features

COVER STORY: Jeffrey Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre, in her own words | Watch Video

Virginia Giuffre was a 16-year-old employee at Mar-a-Lago in 2000 when she says she was recruited by Ghislane Maxwell into Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking ring, which Maxwell denies. Before she died by suicide earlier this year, Giuffre wrote a memoir, "Nobody's Girl," and sought the release of the Epstein Files, currently under control of the Trump administration. Tracy Smith talks with Giuffre's co-author, Amy Wallace, and with her brother and sister-in-law, about the woman Giuffre was, her life after Epstein, and whether Maxwell  now in prison for sex trafficking  should be pardoned.

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If you or a loved one is struggling or in crisis, help is available. You can call or text 988 or to chat online, go to 988Lifeline.org.

READ AN EXCERPT: "Nobody's Girl" by Virginia Roberts Giuffre

In her posthumously-published memoir, Virginia Giuffre wrote about her experience being recruited at age 16 into Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking ring, and her life after as a survivor.

For more info:

"Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice" by Virginia Roberts Giuffre (Knopf), in Hardcover, Large Print Trade Paperback, eBook and Audio formats, available Oct. 21 via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.orgamy-wallace.com

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ALMANAC: October 19 (Video)

"Sunday Morning" looks back at historical events on this date.

ART: Can AI dream? Artist Refik Anadol believes the answer is yes (Video)

Artist Refik Anadol has been using artificial intelligence to render immersive imagery, created by algorithms powered by AI, which he likens to a machine's dream state. He talks with Luke Burbank about what he calls a new form of art, and about DataLand, his planned Los Angeles museum that will showcase new ways for AI to communicate with data.

For more info:

refikanadolstudio.comDataLand, Los AngelesUnited Nations' "Summit of the Future 2024"

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HEADLINES: "No Kings" protests mark a week that challenged Trump's use of power (Video)

President Trump's critics took to the streets Saturday, with millions nationwide participating in "No Kings" rallies, protesting Trump's demonstrations of power. The protests came as the government shutdown nears its fourth week, and as tensions remain in the wars over Gaza and Ukraine. Robert Costa looks at a week that tested White House politics.

Actor Tim Curry in the 1970s. / Credit: Photofest

BOOKS: The enigma of Tim Curry | Watch Video

In 50 years on screen, Tim Curry, star of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "Clue" and "It," has played roles campy, comical, and menacingly sinister, yet his most inscrutable role is still Tim Curry. The actor talks with Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz about his memoir "Vagabond" (which is decidedly not a Hollywood tell-all); the stroke he suffered in 2012, and learning how to speak again; and why he never sought to curry stardom.

WEB EXTRA: Extended interview - Tim Curry (Video)

READ AN EXCERPT: "Vagabond: A Memoir" by Tim Curry

The actor renowned for such fan favorites as "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Clue" writes of a multitude of journeys in his life (often in the guise of an irresistible villain), and of the 2012 stroke that nearly ended this vagabond's adventures.

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See also:

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" turns 50: "Don't dream it, be it" (Video)

For more info:

"Vagabond: A Memoir" by Tim Curry (Grand Central), in Hardcover, eBook and Audio formats, available October 21 via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.orgtimcurry.co.uk



PASSAGE: In memoriam (Video)

"Sunday Morning" remembers some of the notable figures who left us this week, including Kiss guitarist Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley.

COMMENTARY: Josh Seftel's Mom on baseball (Video)

Just in time for the World Series, filmmaker Josh Seftel talked with his mom, Pat, about the national pastime and her recent visit to the ballpark. "In this world, nowadays," she says, "you need more baseball."

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VIDEO: Ms. Rachel on raising her voice for kids everywhere (Video)

To millions of toddlers (and their parents), YouTube star Rachel Griffin Accurso's voice is unmistakable. Her music-filled "Ms. Rachel" videos are cleverly-designed language development lessons, with billions of views, while her global brand now extends to books, toys, and a Netflix deal. She talks with Jo Ling Kent about how she came to music education, and about collaborating with her husband, composer Aron Accurso. She also defends her advocacy for children around the world, including in war-torn Gaza.

For more info:

msrachel.comMs. Rachel - Toddler Learning Videos (YouTube)Thanks to Play Street Museum Upper West Side, New York City



MOVIES: Ben Stiller examines the marriage of his parents, comedy greats Jerry Stiller & Anne Meara | Watch Video

Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara were a beloved comedy team  and the parents of actor-director Ben Stiller. After the deaths of his mother and father, Stiller sought to pay tribute as few sons could: a documentary about their lives on-stage and off. But even he didn't anticipate to what depths his film, "Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost," would go. Stiller talks with Jim Axelrod about how examining the lives of two comedy greats led to re-examining his own.

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WEB EXTRA: Extended interview - Ben Stiller (Video)

To watch a trailer for "Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost" click on the video player below:

For more info:

"Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost" streams on Apple TV beginning Oct. 24



HARTMAN: The power of reunions (Video)

This past week witnessed a whiplash of emotions likely never to be forgotten, as Israeli and Palestinian families were reunited with loved ones who had been held hostage or prisoner. Steve Hartman talks with Lorrie Stirm Kitching about the experience of being reunited with her father, Air Force Major Robert Stirm, after he was released from a North Vietnamese prison in 1973.

On the floor of the Haskell Free Library and Opera House, a painted demarcation line separates the Canadian side from the American. / Credit: CBS News

U.S.: A cross-border landmark faces a restrictive new future | Watch Video

For more than a century, a unique cross-border institution has straddled the line between Stanstead, Quebec and Derby Line, Vermont: The Haskell Free Library & Opera House, where visitors from both countries can freely mix, sharing literacy, culture and friendship. But now, the Trump administration has instituted new rules, restricting access to visitors from Canada. Lee Cowan reports on how a symbol of unity and friendship has now become marked by division.

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For more info:

The Haskell Free Library & Opera House



COMMENTARY: Charles M. Blow on the crisis facing local newspapers | Watch Video

By some estimates, more than 3,200 print newspapers have vanished since 2005, with an estimated two newspapers closing each week. As funding for public broadcasting also shrinks, political analyst Charles M. Blow talks about the importance of local media as the connective tissue of communities  an essential public good jeopardized by industry consolidation and funding cuts.

For more info:

"Reimagining Local News" (Documentary Series)"Blow the Stack" with Charles M. Blow (Substack)Rebuild Local NewsPress ForwardMacArthur Foundation

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NATURE: Penguins in Patagonia (Extended Video)

We leave you this Sunday morning in Chile, with penguins in Patagonia. Videographer: Michael Clark.



WEB EXCLUSIVES:

FROM THE ARCHIVES: NPR's Susan Stamberg (Video)

Susan Stamberg, one of the leading voices of National Public Radio and the longtime host of "All Things Considered," died on Oct. 16, 2025 at age 87. In this May 2, 2021 "Sunday Morning" report, Faith Salie talked with Stamberg (the first female host of a national news broadcast) and other NPR luminaries, including Audie Cornish, Eric Deggans and Ira Glass, about the network's first 50 years.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Diane Keaton on Woody Allen, "Annie Hall," and marriage (YouTube Video)

In a conversation with Katie Couric in 2010 for "CBS Sunday Morning," Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton discussed working with writer-director Woody Allen on such films as "Sleeper" and "Annie Hall," and why she never got married.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Hollywood Legends VI (YouTube Video)

Watch more classic "Sunday Morning" interviews with some of the film industry's most luminous stars. From 2022, Julia Roberts on her rom-com "Ticket to Paradise," marriage, and the hobby she picked up on a film set; from 1980, producer-director John Houseman on becoming a late-in-life Oscar-winning actor; from 1997, Bette Midler on her stage and screen career; and from 2008, Dustin Hoffman on his big break in "The Graduate." Then, two stories about advances in film preservation: from 1989, an analog restoration of "Lawrence of Arabia," supported by Steven Spielberg; and from 2023, Martin Scorsese on the importance of preservation, particularly the fragility of color film stocks.

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The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. Executive producer is Rand Morrison.

"Sunday Morning": About us

DVR Alert! Find out when "Sunday Morning" airs in your city

"Sunday Morning" also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.)

Full episodes of "Sunday Morning" are now available to watch on demand on CBSNews.com, CBS.com and Paramount+, including via Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon FireTV/FireTV stick and Xbox.

Follow us on Twitter/X; Facebook; Instagram; YouTube; TikTok; Bluesky; and at cbssundaymorning.com.

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You can also download the free "Sunday Morning" audio podcast at iTunes and at Play.it. Now you'll never miss the trumpet!

Do you have sun art you wish to share with us? Email your suns to SundayMorningSuns@cbsnews.com.

Trump says two survivors of U.S. strike on submersible suspected of drug smuggling will be sent home

Ms. Rachel on raising her voice for kids everywhere

A cross-border landmark faces a restrictive new future
WESTFIELD  Using a unique version of the No Shave November annual fundraiser, the officers of the Westfield Police Department have chosen to help the family of Darren McNutt purchase a specialized van he needs to get around while wheelchair bound.

Getting a van for him will make it easier on his family, said Police Detective Jared Rowe about why the department chose to help Darren  whose father Steven McQuade and stepmother Merry McQuade and mom is Kimberly McNutt and stepfather Charles McNutt.

Growing up in Westfield, Darren, 13, was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a severe form of the condition that primarily affects boys and causes skeletal and heart muscle weakness, which has been a struggle for his extended family.

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But the challenge became greater after Darren broke his leg and with his condition, it will probably never heal, which means hell likely spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

Darren moved to Lenox two years ago to be closer to his fathers family and because his stepmother Merry has family members who are nurses, but his mother and stepfather live in Clinton, Connecticut, and without a wheelchair accessible van, it is very difficult to take him to his doctors in Boston or visit Connecticut, Rowe said.

In fact, since breaking his leg, hes yet to visit Connecticut because there is no way to transport him there.

And purchasing a $60,000 specialized van is not easy for most families. Medicaid and MassHealth dont assist with purchasing vehicles, and neither does health insurance.

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Thats why the McNutts and McQuades have started a GoFundMe page to get Darren some wheels.

For the officers at the police department, Rowe said it was an easy choice, and they are hoping to raise as much as $7,000, and hopefully more.

And he hopes the decision by the officers to help Darrens family will help raise additional funds for the vans purchase, and he urged people to visit the GoFund Me page to donate.

It was wo years ago that the officers decided to try a unique take on the No Shave November fundraising campaign, and for one reason, said Rowe.

A lot of our officers like having a well-groomed beard, he said.

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With that in mind, and with the blessing of Chief Jerome Pitoniak, Capt. Eric Hall developed a set of standards for officers who wanted a beard or moustache.

That meant that the officers would not be raising money just in November, but year-round. The officers participating have a small amount, $6 every other week, deducted.

Its a real morale booster, Rowe said.

In previous years, the officers have donated to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, the Shriners Hospital in Springfield, Home Base, a mental health service for military veterans and their families, and families in need.

In 2023, the Westfield officers donated to the families of two officers from Bristol, Connecticut who were shot and killed in an ambush on Oct. 12, 2022.

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And in 2024, the officers donated to Jailyne Rivera, a dispatcher with the Regional Public Safety Communication Center, who lost her sister and home in a fire in Springfield in October 2023.

Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Cloudy skies remain over the Pacific Northwest as a few light and brief rain showers move through the region on Friday morning.

Patchy clouds will decrease into the afternoon with Portland area temperatures in the low- to mid-60s on Friday afternoon.

The weekend will start off cool, foggy, but dry on Saturday. A few scattered showers are possible in Portland after sunset, yet soaking rains will arrive overnight into Sunday morning with rounds of showers and possible isolated thunderstorms throughout the afternoon. Nearly a half inch of rain is possible from Saturday night to Sunday morning.

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How to see an incoming comet over PNW skies

Halloween weather to expect in Portland this year

Coastal spots can expect to see mostly cloudy skies and highs in the mid- to upper-50s. Rain chances increase Saturday afternoon and last through the day Sunday.

Oregons Cascades could see some additional snow above 5,500 inches later this weekend. Snow accumulation is expected to be limited near the highest peaks.

Could Oregon see a warmer winter? NOAA releases weather predictions for holidays

KOIN 6 Senior Meteorologist Kelley Bayern shares Portlands cool and wet Sunday as dry skies return next week

Dry skies will return to the region early next week. Thats where temperatures remain stable in the low- to mid-60s. The next chance of rain isnt expected until later in the week.

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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 KOIN.com.
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  As the district prepares to open McNiel Elementary next year, officials are asking for community feedback on a re-zoning proposal.

With Jefferson Elementary set to close next year and McNiel re-opening as an elementary school in 2026, WFISD is preparing to shift hundreds of students to balance enrollment across the districts west side campuses.

When McNiel Elementary opens, were going to be shifting students around in order to occupy McNiel. The primary bulk of the students that will be attending McNiel Elementary is Jefferson. In addition to that, we are looking and presenting information to the board to rezone the elementaries of Crockett, West and Fowler, said Dr. Donny Lee, WFISD Superintendent.

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Dr. Lee says rezoning is a part of a long-term plan to use facilities efficiently and make sure every student has the same opportunities.

Its about what campuses do we currently have that are at or near capacity, and how can we alleviate some of those capacity issues, said Lee.

The rezoning will be passed off of boundary lines.

Crockett, West, Fowler, will each be pushing west. So, Crockett Elementary would push into West Elementary. West Elementary would push down into McNiel Elementary. And then Fowler Elementary would push over into McNiel Elementary as well. So, a lot of our elementaries are getting adjusted by certain percentage points, said Lee.

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As the board of trustees considers final attendance zone adjustments, staff, parents, and community members are invited to share their feedback.

We want to hear their feedback if theyre for it or against it. If theyre for it, why? Why are you for it? What are the benefits for you? If youre against it, if its a hardship for you, why is it a hardship? Give us that feedback. Sometimes the answer is no, but that doesnt mean we dont want to listen and hear those concerns and see if theres something that we could do about it, said Lee.

While school boundaries may change, the districts commitment to student success wont.

Community feedback is open until November 6th, and final decisions will be made later that month. To provide feedback or to keep track of rezoning changes, visit the WFISD official website or Facebook page.

You can now stream KFDX and Texomas FOX live 24/7 on your smart TV with KFDX+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming.

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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 Texomashomepage.com.
(WFXR)- WFXR News is joining local veterans on a pilgrimage to the nations capital for the 11th Central and Southwest Virginia Honor Flight.

Seventeen veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam left out of Bedford County, via charter bus, on Friday, October 17.

I just cant believe it: WWII veteran celebrates 100 years

Friday is mostly a trave day. The federal government shutdown has forced a lot of national museums to close. Obviously, it will have an impact on this years itinerary.

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The group is planning to visit the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial on Friday.

The group will return to Bedford on Sunday.

Veterans Voices of The Blue Ridge  Bringing awareness to Military Veterans Suicides

WFXRs Michael Doti is embedded with local veterans for this years honor flight. Look for his vlogs on our social channels.

WFXRs Jermain Ferrell stopped by to wish local veterans a safe and successful journey.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Protests took place across the country Saturday for the No Kings day of action, including in Central Texas.

Organizers said the purpose of the protests was to show the world that America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people.

The Austin Police Department said Saturday evening that the rally in Austin remained peaceful, and no arrests were reported.

The last round of No Kings protests occurred in June on the same day as, and in opposition to, a Washington, D.C. military parade on President Donald Trumps birthday.

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Trump scoffs at Austin resolution to waive fees for No Kings protest, item previously removed from agenda

A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events, organizers said. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.

Central Texas cities expected to hold protests include: Austin, Bastrop, Dripping Springs, Jonestown, Kyle, Lockhart, Marble Falls, Pflugerville, Round Rock, San Marcos, Spicewood and Taylor, among others.

A full map of protests happening across the country can be found here.

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On Thursday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the Texas National Guard would be deployed in Austin ahead of the protest in the state capitol. The Texas Department of Public Safety will also be present.

Abbott claimed the protest was antifa-linked but did not elaborate.

Texas National Guard to be deployed in Austin ahead of No Kings protest

During the first No Kings day of action protest in June, Abbott also ordered state resources to respond. Both protests were organized by the same national group.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson released a statement saying he confirmed the National Guard would not be on the streets of Austin and would only assist DPS if there was an emergency need.

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I support people exercising their right to engage in peaceful protest against politics and policies that they disagree with, Watson said. Power should always stay with the peoplewhere it belongs.

Watson emphasized the First Amendment right to peacefully assemble and said destructive actions or efforts that hurt people, including police, were wrong.

You are damaging your city, and you may be giving those you protest against what they wantan excuse to militarize our streets, Watson said. Let me be clear: I dont condone the militarization of our streets. I also dont condone unpeaceful acts that threaten peoples health or safety, do damage to property, and disrupt the right of those who want to peacefully protest.

Live Blog

6 p.m.

The Austin Police Department said on social media that the rally remained peaceful, with no arrests.

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Were grateful to our community and event organizers for coming together to make sure voices were heard safely and respectfully. Great job ATX!

5:30 p.m.

The crowd at Auditorium Shores starts to disperse as the protest wraps up.

No Kings protestors arriving at Auditorium Shores after marching from the Capitol. (KXAN Photo/Audrey Wong) No Kings protestors arriving at Auditorium Shores after marching from the Capitol. (KXAN Photo/Audrey Wong) No Kings protestors at Auditorium Shores Oct. 18, 2025. (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez) No Kings protestors at Auditorium Shores Oct. 18, 2025. (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez) No Kings protestors at Auditorium Shores Oct. 18, 2025. (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez) No Kings protestors at Auditorium Shores Oct. 18, 2025. (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez) No Kings protestors arriving at Auditorium Shores after marching from the Capitol. (KXAN Photo/Audrey Wong)

4:50 p.m.

Former United States Representative Beto ORourke gives a speech at Auditorium Shores in Austin on Oct. 18, 2025, during the No Kings protest.

Beto ORourke speaks at Austins No Kings protest on Oct. 18, 2025 (KXAN Photo/Kelly Wiley) Beto ORourke speaks at Austins No Kings protest on Oct. 18, 2025 (KXAN Photo/Kelly Wiley) Beto ORourke speaks at Austins No Kings protest on Oct. 18, 2025 (KXAN Photo/Kelly Wiley)

ORourke spoke directly with members of the media after his speech.

4 p.m.

Texas Congressman Greg Casar talks to KXANs Nabil Remadna about the protest in Austin. He said the crowd was full of folks who were having fun while peacefully protesting and standing up for freedom in America.

3:15 p.m.

Protesters arrive at Auditorium Shores in Austin after marching from the State Capitol.

No Kings protestors arriving at Auditorium Shores after marching from the Capitol. (KXAN Photo/Audrey Wong)

No Kings protestors arriving at Auditorium Shores after marching from the Capitol. (KXAN Photo/Audrey Wong)

3 p.m.

APD Commander Lawrence Davis talks with KXANs Nabil Remadna about the atmosphere of the protest in Austin.

2:45 p.m.

Protesters start moving from the Capitol toward Auditorium Shores.

Still shot from KXANs Austonian camera in downtown Austin of the crowd for the No Kings protest on Oct. 18, 2025.

12:45 p.m.

The Austin Police Department issued some safety reminders ahead of the protest set to take place in downtown Austin at 2 p.m.

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Plan ahead: Know your routes, parking options, and exit strategies.

Stay with your group: Have a check-in system and meeting point.

Charge your phone: Bring a portable charger and keep your device secured.

Stay prepared: Bring water and essential items for long days out.

Austin Police (APD) is committed to protecting everyones safety during this busy weekend in Austin, APD said. With multiple major events taking place across the city, we encourage residents and visitors to plan ahead and stay aware of their surroundings.

The department also urged people to call 911 if they see something suspicious.

12:30 p.m.

KXAN Reporter Jala Washington is out in Pflugerville. She said one counter-protester was driving around the area.

12:19 p.m.

Protesters began arriving in Pflugerville at 11 a.m. to participate in the No Kings day of action.

No Kings Protest in Pflugerville on October 18, 2025 (KXAN Photo/ Christian Rodriguez-Panesso) No Kings Protest in Pflugerville on October 18, 2025 (KXAN Photo/ Christian Rodriguez-Panesso) No Kings Protest in Pflugerville on October 18, 2025 (KXAN Photo/ Christian Rodriguez-Panesso) No Kings Protest in Pflugerville on October 18, 2025 (KXAN Photo/ Christian Rodriguez-Panesso) No Kings Protest in Pflugerville on October 18, 2025 (KXAN photo/Jala Washington) No Kings Protest in Pflugerville on October 18, 2025 (KXAN photo/Jala Washington) No Kings Protest in Pflugerville on October 18, 2025 (KXAN photo/Jala Washington)

11:38 a.m.

Protesters took to the streets for the No Kings protest in Lockhart on Saturday.

No Kings protest in Lockhart (KXAN photo/Cora Neas) No Kings protest in Lockhart (KXAN photo/Cora Neas) No Kings protest in Lockhart (KXAN photo/Cora Neas)

11:10 a.m.

KXAN Reporter Jala Washington is out in Bastrop. She said there were currently no counterprotesters at the starting or ending point of the Bastrop No Kings protest.

11:07 a.m.

10/18/25 | Bastrop County No Kings march (KXAN photo/Christian Rodriguez-Panesso) 10/18/25 | Bastrop County No Kings march (KXAN photo/Christian Rodriguez-Panesso) 10/18/25 | Protesters in Bastrop marched to the Kerr Community Center after hearing the speakers (KXAN photo/Christian Rodriguez-Panesso)

10:30 a.m.

Protesters gathered in Kyle for their iteration of No Kings.

10:27 a.m.

Protesters gathered in Bastrop for the No Kings day of action protest. The protest began at 10 a.m.

No Kings protesters in Bastrop (KXAN photo/Jala Washington) No Kings protesters in Bastrop (KXAN photo/Jala Washington) No Kings protesters in Bastrop (KXAN photo/Jala Washington) No Kings protesters in Bastrop (KXAN photo/Jala Washington)

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
NEED TO KNOW

John Wayne Gacy was convicted of murdering 33 boys and young men in the 1970s

There are at least seven reported survivors of Gacy

Four of them testified at Gacy's trial

Convicted of murdering 33 boys and young men in the 1970s, John Wayne Gacy is considered to be one of the countrys deadliest serial killers. But a handful of individuals managed to survive Gacys horrific attacks  with some even helping to land the sadistic killer behind bars.

Before his arrest in December 1978, Gacy was thought to be a model citizen in his Chicago-area community. He owned a successful contracting and remodeling business, volunteered as a clown at local childrens hospitals and participated in local politics, serving as the director for the Polish Constitution Day Parade and meeting First Lady Rosalynn Carter in May 1978.

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But behind closed doors, Gacy lured dozens of unsuspecting young men and boys into his home, where he would proceed to sexually assault and strangle his victims, burying many of their bodies in a crawl space beneath his house, per the Associated Press. When he was finally arrested in December 1978, Gacy confessed to at least 30 murders and was ultimately convicted of 33 in March 1980. The so-called Killer Clown was sentenced to death and executed by lethal injection in May 1994.

Gacys story is now being told in the Peacock scripted drama Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, which stars Severance's Michael Chernus and premiered in October 2025.

Here's everything to know about the survivors of John Wayne Gacy.

There are at least seven reported survivors of John Wayne Gacy

Des Plaines Police Department/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty A police booking photo of American serial killer John Wayne Gacy on December 21, 1978, at the Des Plaines Police Department. A police booking photo of American serial killer John Wayne Gacy on December 21, 1978, at the Des Plaines Police Department.

Over the years, at least seven men have come forward as survivors of Gacy. They are Jeffrey Rignall, Donald Vorhees, Robert Donnelly, Jack Merrill, Tony Antonucci, Patrick Dati and David Bolton.

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Bolton is thought to be one of Gacys first victims, as his attack allegedly took place in the summer of 1956  when Bolton was 10 years old and Gacy was a teenager. They crossed paths at a lakeside resort in Elkhorn, Wis., where Bolton was on vacation with his mother and Gacy was working a summer job, according to a clip from A&Es Invisible Monsters: Serial Killers in America.

Gacy befriended Bolton, inviting him to take a hike around the lake. But while hidden in a thicket, Gacy allegedly molested Bolton and threatened to drown him if he told anyone what happened, Bolton recalled to the Peoria Journal Star in May 2018.

Gacy reportedly assaulted Vorhees  the then-15-year-old son of a local politician  in August 1967 while living in Waterloo, Iowa. He allegedly lured the teenager to his home where he gave him alcohol, showed him pornography and then proceeded to sexually assault him, according to Buried Dreams: Inside the Mind of John Wayne Gacy by Tim Cahill.

Dati alleges that he was raped by Gacy in January 1972 when he was just 9 years old. The attack occurred in the mens room of a Chicago department store, per ABC7, where Gacy allegedly threatened him at knife-point to not tell anyone about the assault.

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In 1975, Antonucci was a 16-year-old apprentice for Gacys construction company, PDM Contractors, in Des Plaines, Ill. During a job, Antonucci stepped on a nail, requiring Gacy to take him for a tetanus shot, he recalled on a 2023 episode of A&Es Close Encounters With Evil.

Gacy later came to check on Antonucci at his apartment  where he was staying solo while his parents were away  and brought wine. Gacy then reportedly attempted to attack Antonucci by handcuffing him. But Antonucci, a high school wrestler, managed to escape the handcuffs, take down Gacy and handcuff him  after which Gacy left, he said.

Meanwhile, Donnelly was allegedly abducted at gunpoint by the serial killer in Chicago in December 1977, when he was 19 years old. Gacy brought Donnelly back to his apartment, where he proceeded to rape, torture and abuse him for hours, according to court documents. Though Gacy reportedly told Donnelly he was going to die, Gacy ultimately released him, dropping him off near the Chicago department store where he worked. Similarly, Gacy abducted, assaulted and tortured  and later set free  both Rignall, per the court documents, and Merrill, as he told PEOPLE in May 2024.

Authorities believe there could be more survivors out there.

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"There were plenty of his victims that got away, thankfully," Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart told ABC7 in October 2011. "Some of those came forward back then and gave a lot of the details. Some of them didn't know who this guy was.

Three survivors reported their assaults to the police

William Yates/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty John Wayne Gacy is removed from the Des Plaines Police Station en route to a hospital on Dec. 23, 1978. John Wayne Gacy is removed from the Des Plaines Police Station en route to a hospital on Dec. 23, 1978.

In March 1968, Vorhees told his father about Gacy sexually assaulting him. His father immediately went to the police, and Gacy was ultimately arrested and charged with one count of sodomy, according to Buried Dreams. Though Gacy maintained his innocence, he failed two polygraph tests and reportedly paid a local teenager to beat up Vorhees and scare him out of testifying, per the book.

Gacy was ultimately convicted in November 1968 and sentenced to 10 years in prison, per the Chicago Tribune. However, he was released on parole in 1970.

Another survivor also went to the police to report his assault on Dec. 31, 1977, according to the Chicago Tribune. Gacy was reportedly questioned by authorities, but claimed the sexual acts  and their brutality  were consensual. The assistant district attorney decided not to pursue any criminal charges against Gacy.

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I was shocked, the survivor told the newspaper in 1979. They [the police] would only say there was insufficient evidence. Both the cops and an assistant states attorney said that he [Gacy] was a solid citizen.

Then, in March 1978, Rignall went to Chicago police after surviving Gacys abduction and attack. However, he, too, was initially dismissed by police after he couldnt identify his attacker, per Oxygen. Rignall then launched an investigation of his own, taking details from his assault  such as the make of Gacys car and the sound of airplanes landing  to stake out his attacker. When he eventually spotted Gacy and provided his identity to police, Gacy was charged with one count of battery  but was released on a minor bond, according to Oxygen.

Chicago polices youth division unit had also been alerted to Gacy in 1975, when kids in the Chicago neighborhood where Gacy lived reported that a man named John would drive around in his car picking up young boys, per the Chicago Tribune. But after tailing Gacy for two weeks, police did not witness him doing anything illegal and were unable to build a case against him.

Four of John Wayne Gacys survivors testified at his 1980 trial

Bettmann Archive/Getty The press await Court Judge Louis B. Garippo's arrival at the Winnebago County Courthouse for start of jury selection in the trial of John Wayne Gacy. The press await Court Judge Louis B. Garippo's arrival at the Winnebago County Courthouse for start of jury selection in the trial of John Wayne Gacy.

When Gacy finally faced trial for 33 murder charges in February 1980, Rignall, Vorhees, Donnelly and Antonucci all took the stand to testify about their encounters with the killer.

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According to court documents, Rignall was called to the stand by the defense and asked to recount his experience with Gacy. Rignall testified to being chloroformed repeatedly by Gacy, causing him to go in and out of consciousness, as well as being brutally raped, sodomized and assaulted throughout the night. However, Rignall stated he did not believe Gacy was legally sane at the time he was attacked  due to the beastly and animalistic ways he attacked me.

Vorhees, Donnelly and Antonucci were all witnesses for the state. Vorhees, according to Buried Dreams, struggled through his testimony and was ultimately withdrawn as a witness. Donnelly, meanwhile, recalled on the witness stand how he was repeatedly drowned, tortured and raped by Gacy, per court documents. Antonucci also took the stand and spoke about his experience with Gacy attempting to handcuff and attack him, according to the docs.

Their testimony helped to convict Gacy on all 33 murder charges  the most any U.S. individual had ever been convicted of at that time, according to the Chicago Tribune. He was sentenced to death.

Several survivors of John Wayne Gacy have since spoken out about their ordeals

WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy Jack Merrill in 2017. Jack Merrill in 2017.

Gacys survivors have spoken about their encounters with the serial killer in books, television appearances, podcasts, theater performances and more.

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Rignall wrote a memoir titled 29 Below about Gacys attack  and his investigative efforts to find him  in 1979. Bolton also wrote a book about his brush with Gacy, called A Hike Around the Lake: My Story of John Wayne Gacy, which was published in 2019. For Bolton, writing about the traumatic experience proved to be somewhat cathartic.

I thought I'd go through life with the story buried in me, he told the Peoria Journal Star.

Dati, who wrote a 2014 memoir titled I Am Me: Survivor of Child Abuse and Bullying Speaks Out, also found writing about Gacys attack to be therapeutic. He also hoped speaking out about his rape would encourage other victims sexual assault  including victims of Gacys  to come forward.

Eighty-five percent of men and boys dont come forward about being abused. I want to show them dont be ashamed, dont be fearful of what people think and come forward. You can survive this, he told the Windy City Times in January 2014.

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In October 2024, Merrill debuted a one-man show about about his life, including the night he was reportedly abducted and raped by Gacy. Called The Save, the coming-of-age story was performed at the Electric Lodge theater in Los Angeles and is coming to New York City in January 2026.

Even telling my story, its never going to go away, Merrill told PEOPLE about the play in October 2024. But there are people who have been through worse  and I decided Im going to have a good life. Doing the show, you're up on stage in front of people and you are forced to deal with how you're made.

Other survivors, like Antonucci, have told their stories in true crime documentaries and television episodes about Gacy.

Jeffrey Rignall died in 2000

In the wake of Gacys attack, Rignall became depressed and withdrawn, suffering from bouts of vomiting and losing nearly 40 pounds, per The Courier Journal. He also endured permanent liver damage as a result of the chloroform that Gacy used on him. To help escape the horrific memories of his attack, Rignall and his partner, Ron Wilder, left the Chicago area in 1980 and moved to Louisville.

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Life became very difficult for him after the incident, after the assault, Alex Danner, the executive producer of the Peacock docuseries John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise, told Oxygen in April 2021.

Rignall died in 2000 at the age of 49, per Oxygen.

John Wayne Gacys survivors continue to process the trauma of their attacks today

Black/Daily Herald, via AP David Bolton in 2018. David Bolton in 2018.

Some survivors of Gacys, such as Antonucci, have refused to let their brush with the infamous serial killer define them.

This is not what I want to be remembered for as a person, Antonucci said in A&Es Close Encounters With Evil. It hasnt overly impacted my life. I dont want something that is as perverse and negative and grotesque as this to have a big impact on me or my family.

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Merrill  an actor who has appeared on Law & Order and Sex and the City  adopted a similar attitude towards his assault.

I made a pact with myself at the time that he controlled me for one night but he would not control my life, Merrill told PEOPLE in October 2024.

Other survivors, such as Dati, have found purpose in their pain. After coming forward with his story in 2011, Dati has worked as a public speaker and advocate for organizations like National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse and Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network (RAINN).

Where I lead with my advocacy is to tell people that it gets better and you need to have hope, he told the Windy City Times in January 2014.

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But for some, the horror of Gacys crimes continues to haunt them today. Bolton, who also served two tours in Vietnam and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a veteran, continues to work through the trauma of his encounter with Gacy more than six decades later.

I still get jittery, Bolton, a real estate investor, told the Peoria Journal Star. I think of it every day of my life. I wish I could erase it.

Read the original article on People
DICKSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  Growing up in the family farming business in White Bluff, Craig Odom knew that wasnt the life for him. So he bought his familys farmland and opened a boat business instead.

Ive had them come from Maine, New York, California. We always tell everybody the easiest way to get here is a helicopter. But, you know, its word of mouth. Weve just took care of customers, and its kept growing, said Odom, owner of C & O Marine.

C & O sells and repairs boats and motors and also does specialized upholstery and fiberglass work. Hes seen his business grow along with his hometown.

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White Bluff was a little bitty old town that you thought was never going to grow, but over the last couple of years, it really took off, Odom said. Its really growing, theyre building houses in a lot of places. Its really blossomed.

Manns Market treating customers like family for 31 years in White Bluff

White Bluff has to be at least twice the size it was when I was a kid. Growing up I think we had about 2,000 citizens for our population, and now were over 4,000, so a lot more homes, but also a lot more businesses, said White Bluff Mayor Stephanie Murrell. Its been a lot of change, but we still have that small town feel.

Murrells family heritage in White Bluff dates back more than 100 years. After serving more than a decade on the town council, she was elected mayor last November.

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With any town in Tennessee right now, theres a lot of growth, and sometimes it can be very rapid growth, so we try to balance having new businesses and a population growth come in and still maintain that small town feel. We are working on some infrastructure projects right now, Murrell said.

Those include paving and storm water drainage improvements and Dickson Countys first greenway project, which will connect downtown White Bluff to Montgomery Bell State Park. Construction will start later this year on the Bibb-White Bluff Nature Park.

There will be outdoor classrooms. There will be ADA-compliant walking trails. There will be soft surface trails. Its a great combination of previous pasture land and woodland, said Jeff Martin, projects administrator for the Town of White Bluff.

PHOTOS: Who was Robert Spicer?

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Martin said the land was donated by Richard Bibb, who also helped the town develop the Bibb-White Bluff Civic Center.

His family has been here for generations. His father started the volunteer fire department. His dad also brought in the first public water supply for the town. Theyve just been very good citizens for White Bluff, theyve really helped move the town forward, Martin said.

Embracing its progress but staying true to its roots, Odom hopes the White Bluff community will share its neighborly values with the next generations.

I know a lot of people in White Bluff dont want it to grow, but its going to grow, and its going to keep growing, Odom said. I just think that White Bluff as a whole, we all got to adapt to that. Theres going to be new people come in, and we need to try to treat people the way we want to be treated, and maybe influence people to be good to each other.

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The Town of White Bluff is forming its first economic and community development board to help better support business owners in the area.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Friday visited the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and explored avenues for collaboration between the institute and Sri Lankan educational institutions. Amarasuriya, who is on a three-day visit to India, met the IIT Delhi administration and visited an exhibition by students at the institute. "My main purpose was to see how we can strengthen our collaboration. IIT Delhi has already collaborated with Sri Lankan universities. We have also set ourselves some ambitious targets in the education and IT sectors. I am looking at ways to strengthen the relationship," she told reporters after the meeting. According to a statement issued by IIT Delhi, the institute proposed the establishment of a 'Sri Lanka Academic and Research Hub' at IIT Delhi. During her visit, Prime Minister Amarasuriya interacted with Prof. Arvind Nema, Deputy Director (Operations), IIT Delhi; Prof. Anil Verma, Dean of International Programmes; faculty members; international students; and startups. Startups incubated at FITT-IIT Delhi showcased their innovations to the visiting dignitaries. CYRAN AI briefed her about the BUDDHI AI DIY Kit developed for STEM education, which enables users to learn, experience, and build AI. Cluix demonstrated its portable water quality analyser technology. The Prime Minister also witnessed various other technologies being developed at IIT Delhi's Research and Innovation Park. Prof. Arvind Nema, Deputy Director (Operations), IIT Delhi, said the institute was honoured to host the Sri Lankan Prime Minister and her delegation and looks forward to strengthening academic and research collaboration with Sri Lankan institutions. "The Institute already has a few students from Sri Lanka. We would like to further strengthen collaborative efforts for capacity building. Sri Lankan students are welcome to pursue Master's and PhD degrees at IIT Delhi and B.Tech. at our international campus in Abu Dhabi. A few dedicated scholarships funded by the Sri Lankan government for their students aspiring to pursue Master's and PhD degrees at IIT Delhi would be a catalyst in furthering capacity building," Prof. Nema added. During the meeting, Prof. Anil Verma, Dean of International Programmes, presented an overview of IIT Delhi's international initiatives to the Sri Lankan Prime Minister. He proposed the creation of a 'Sri Lanka Academic and Research Hub' at IIT Delhi, which would aim to strengthen academic and research cooperation and capacity building by connecting higher education institutions in India and Sri Lanka. Prof. Verma also briefed the Sri Lankan Prime Minister about the institute's state-of-the-art academic and research infrastructure, the cutting-edge research conducted at IIT Delhi, and its achievements in national and international rankings. (ANI)
Reeds view

The cold war between Anthropic and the White House broke out into public view this week when White House AI Czar David Sacks attacked Anthropic Co-founder Jack Clark on X, accusing him of concealing a sophisticated regulatory capture strategy based on fear-mongering.

The core claim: The AI safety conversation is a mere commercial tactic by one of the four main US players in the AI race.

Thats a convenient line for the accelerationists in the White House and some of the other companies, but my own assessment  based on many years of experience in weighing corporate BS  is that people like Clark and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei arent faking it. This is a real, philosophical divide about the nature of this technology, one that has evolved since it burst out of subreddits three years ago.

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A concept I find helpful in this context is Moravecs paradox: Even as AI makes huge leaps in performance with more data and more compute  contributing to scientific discovery, transforming Hollywood, and automating corporate workflows  it continues to have trouble with simple tasks. These very basic mistakes mean that while AI might help us cure cancer, it will still require human supervision for most tasks for the foreseeable future.

From Sacks point of view, this is a goldilocks situation, where all the predictions of AI destroying humanity and replacing most human workers were wrong, and were instead seeing gradual improvements and a competitive marketplace primed to enable a wave of innovation.

But from Clarks vantage point (up-close to some of the top researchers in the world), Sacks assessment is premature. As its capabilities increase, AI may eventually learn how to better itself, leading to more rapid increases. This technology really is more akin to something grown than something made, Clark writes in his essay. We are growing extremely powerful systems that we do not fully understand.

Its possible that AI models trained with todays architecture could continue to improve with scale, but make little progress toward the kind of reliability needed for those simple tasks. In that case, researchers would focus their brainpower on the last hurdles standing in the way of the AI holy grail: predictability and interpretability. Pass those, and youd find a fundamentally different and much safer kind of AI than we have today.

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If not, companies like Anthropic will have to decide whether to keep spending billions on growing something they cant fully control and dont understand.

Room for Disagreement

In a recent video debate published on Substack, AI safety commentator Liron Shapira agreed that employees inside Anthropic are genuinely concerned about AI alignment, but said that makes the companys mission hypocritical because it benefits from framing safety as a problem. The fact that Anthropic exists and theyre still building AI  theyre arguably the biggest offenders at tractability washing because if theyre building AI, that makes it okay for anybody to build AI, he said.

Rob Miles, the YouTuber who Shapira was debating, said Anthropic needs a different approach to government  that theyre well positioned to handle the safety problem, but that it would be better if none of us were progressing towards superintelligence.

Notable
CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN)  Spending nine hours on the scene of Thursdays fatal crash involving an Ohio State Trooper left a lasting impression on Chase Welch, a highway technician for the Ohio Department of Transportation.

To just see the carnage that took place. Its a heartbreaking situation, and it makes you want to do everything you can to help, Welch said.

Welch was assigned to help clear the scene along State Route 11, where Trooper Nicholas Cayton, of Canfield, was killed and another driver was badly hurt. Welch also has a side gig as a singer and musician at venues like White House Fruit Farm. He knew he would be performing there soon, and it gave him an idea.

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I messaged her (Kim Sisco at White House owners) this morning, saying that I wanted to turn this into a fundraiser for Officer Caytong and his family to bring support to them, Welch said.

It was an immediate yes, Sisco said. Were here because of the community support. To have a tragedy happen in your very own community and not reach out would be a mistake for sure.

Welch says hell perform from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, taking donations and turning the money over to the Ohio State Highway Patrol so it can be given to the Cayton Family.

To be able to help other people, raise them up and just show God can use me to help other people in their lives, Welch said.

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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 WKBN.com.
After President Donald Trump touted yet another meeting with his benefactor/murderous dictator Vladimir Putin Thursday, this time in Budapest, HuffPost contacted his top spokespeople at the White House with an obvious question: Why Budapest?

After all, the Hungarian capital was the site of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in which Ukraine gave up the thousands of nuclear weapons it had inherited upon the breakup of the Soviet Union in return for assurances that Russia would respect Ukraines territorial integrity.

Politics: Nobel-Snubbed Donald Trump Finally Wins A Peace Prize But With A Truly Ironic Twist

Putin broke that promise with his 2014 invasion and annexation of Crimea, with his decade-long military offensive in the Donbas region, and then with his all-out invasion in 2022. He continues killing Ukrainian civilians in their homes to this day with regular drone and missile attacks.

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Given all that, HuffPost asked the White House: Who picked Budapest?

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded minutes later with: Your mom did.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung after a minute added the far more succinct: Your mom.

Politics: National Trust Warns Trump's Ballroom Will 'Overwhelm' White House

Well keep asking Trumps spokespeople questions  especially the ones they dont want to answer. Schoolyard taunts wont deter us. Join us today and stand with a press that is fearless, free and fair.

After HuffPost asked Leavitt if she thought her response was funny, she replied:

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Its funny to me that you actually consider yourself a journal [sic]. You are a far left hack who nobody takes seriously, including your colleagues in the media, they just dont tell you that to your face. Stop texting me your disingenuous, biased, and bullshit questions.

HuffPost is devastated, and is fearful of asking any more questions, let alone escalating with Im rubber, youre glue, or some such.

Related...

Read the original on HuffPost




The most recent clash between Gov. Gavin Newsom and the White House centered around whether live ammunition should be allowed to fly over a major California freeway.

On Saturday, the White House plans to celebrate the Marine Corps' 250th birthday at Camp Pendleton - a significant military base between San Diego and Orange County through which Interstate 5 passes. The event is slated to include a live fire demonstration followed by a beach party on Del Mar Beach. But, according to Newsom's office, the White House initially proposed closing a portion of the highway to do it.

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"Donald Trump and JD Vance think that shutting down the I-5 to shoot out missiles from ships is how you respect the military. PUT ASIDE YOUR VANITY PARADE AND PAY OUR TROOPS INSTEAD," Newsom said in a post on social media on Wednesday.

The Marine Corps put out a statement the same day, saying the highway would remain open.

"All training events will occur on approved training ranges and comport with established safety protocols. No public highways or transportation routes will be closed," the U.S. Marines said in a news release.

Caltrans spokesperson Christopher Clark told SFGATE they were "informed of potential plans" and "cautioned against it." Interstate 5 is a major freeway that connects San Diego to Los Angeles and services almost 80,000 travelers a day, according to the LA Times. Using Interstate 15, the most common alternative route to Los Angeles, adds nearly 30 miles to the trip. The closure would have likely created major congestion from Dana Point to past Del Mar. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner, which connects San Diego to Los Angeles via train, will be out of service between San Diego County and Orange County for the event.

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"We're relieved the White House backed off its plans to shut down a major interstate. Now that I-5 will stay open, we hope the Trump Administration applies that same common sense to reopening the federal government!" Gavin Newsom's office told SFGATE in an email.

Fifteen thousand Marines, sailors, veterans and their families are expected to attend the event, officially named America's Marines 250: From Sea to Shore - A Review of Amphibious Strength, according to the LA Times. The White House production office plans to record the event for a national primetime broadcast on Nov. 9.

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This article originally published at White House, Newsom clash over Calif. freeway closure for military celebration.
The White House on Thursday accused Democrats of using a CNN town hall to deflect from their role in the ongoing government shutdown. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) appeared on the network Wednesday night amid the funding impasse.

In a statement, the administration said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and other Democrats have refused to pass funding legislation ten times. President Donald Trump has signed executive orders and emergency directives to ensure service members and recipients of nutrition assistance continue receiving pay and benefits during the shutdown.

As previously reported byThe Dallas Express, Trump on Tuesday issued a presidential memorandum instructing the Secretary of War to use existing funds to guarantee troop pay during the lapse in government funding.

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Democrats have threatened legal action against Trumps emergency measures  a move the White House called hypocritical as federal workers miss paychecks.

During the CNN event, the White House said Sanders struggled to explain his support for the shutdown, noting he had previously called such funding lapses a serious and dangerous action that we must do everything possible to prevent.

An audience member confronted Sanders about Schumers earlier opposition to shutdowns. The White House said the Vermont senator was left stuttering in response.

When a bartender told Sanders she might lose her dream home due to USDA loan delays, he blamed Trump. The White House countered that the womans mortgage approval is stalled because Democrats deliberately shuttered the government.

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Ocasio-Cortez told a TSA employee that the best thing that we can do is to re-open the government. According to the White House, she did not acknowledge Democrats role in blocking funding bills.

Who wants to tell this moron that Democrats are the only ones who can re-open the government? Republicans have done their job  voting to do so (NINE TIMES). @AOC pic.twitter.com/wWWo1XUdJQ  Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 16, 2025

An air-traffic controller asked how Democrats expect workers to buy food without paychecks. The White House characterized Ocasio-Cortezs reply as a rant lacking substance.

The statement said the lawmakers all-but-admitted they have no substantive answer for what Democrats are demanding in exchange for funding.

Sanders also criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations during the town hall, calling the raids a movement toward authoritarianism. The White House said those operations target some of the most dangerous criminals on earth.

The shutdown, now in its third week, has left hundreds of thousands of federal employees without pay while negotiations between the two parties remain at a standstill.
Nicole Hester/Ann Arbor News via AP, File

Nick Fuentes, the highly controversial white nationalist influencer, topped Spotifys trending chart this week for a brief moment before the platform took down his podcast.

Fuentes addressed the controversy on a recent episode of his show while answering messages from his fans. Hooray for problems, says f*ck Spotify, am I right? Fuentes began, reading a message.

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Yeah, whats going on, man? I guess I was number one for like a day, but I didnt even start that channel. Thats not even my channel. Someone else just started uploading my show, he continued, adding:

I didnt even do it. Honest to God, it wasnt me. It wasnt even an intern. Some random guy just started downloading my show, and it went number one immediately, and then they banned it.

Spotify released a statement on the incident amid speculation that the streaming giant had banned Fuentes altogether.

In 2020, we removed this show for repeated violations of our Platform Rules, a Spotify spokesperson told The New York Post on Wednesday, following Fuentess Tuesday surge on the platform.

Our policies are focused on content that violates our guidelines, not on creators themselves. Consequently, while this specific show and the attempts to re-upload it by multiple users are not permitted, the podcaster in question is not banned and still appears as a guest on other shows, added Spotify, making clear Fuentes can still appear as a guest on other podcasts on the platform. Fuentes, who has long been considered too extreme and hateful for mainstream MAGA, has been rising in popularity in recent months, scoring major sit-downs with podcasters like Glenn Greenwald, Patrick Bet-David, and Dave Smith.

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Past deplatforming of Fuentes for hate speech has now led many to embrace him, particularly as anti-woke sentiment permeates much of the right. Fuentes was deplatformed from YouTube, Twitter, and other platforms in recent years over his explicit anti-Semitism, as well as his repeated calls for limiting the rights of women, minorities, and the LGBTQ community. His regular use of violent rhetoric has also caused alarm. All I want is revenge against my enemies and a total Aryan victory, Fuentes said, for example, in 2022.

Fuentes also called for a dictatorship to get rid of the Jewish media that has made Americans evil by making various things popular.

Sodomy is popular, you know, being gay is popular, being a feminist is popular, sex out of wedlock is popular, contraceptives are, thats all popular. Thats not to say its good; thats not to say I like that. Popular means that people support it, which they do. And, uh, and it sucks and it is what it is, but thats why we need  dictatorship. Thats unironically why we need to get rid of all that, he ranted, adding:

We need to take control of the media or take control of the government and force the people to believe what we believe or force them to play by our rules and reshape the society.

In the past, Fuentes has called for the execution of non-Christians and promised to kill for Trump.

The post White Nationalist Nick Fuentes Had the #1 Podcast on Spotify Before It Got Taken Down first appeared on Mediaite.
SPRINGFIELD  Some Jewish residents in Western Massachusetts are taking issue with a definition of antisemitism that a state commission is using and worry it could restrict free speech by conflating criticism of Israel with hatred toward Jews.

They recently launched a campaign, protesting with lawn signs that call on Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield and a co-chair of the commission, to support free speech.

But others in the regions Jewish community disagree with them and support the commissions choice. They and Velis say it does allow for both free speech and the criticism of Israels government.

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For the last year, the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism in the Commonwealth has been working to investigate rising antisemitism and make recommendations to address it. Antisemitic hate crimes rose by 20% in 2024 in the state, according to the commission.

In August, the commission released a preliminary report and recommendations for K-through-12 education.

The special commissions preliminary report recommends that the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Educations training and education around antisemitism should be informed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliances definition of antisemitism. It was endorsed by the state in 2022 under Gov. Charlie Baker.

Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews, the definition reads. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.

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Antisemitism can be targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity, it says. However, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic.

It includes a list of straightforward examples of antisemitism, like denying the Holocaust and making dehumanizing remarks about Jewish people.

There also are other examples critics take issue with. Amnesty International has said some protected critical speech can be erroneously labeled as antisemitic under some examples. These include: Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a state of Israel is a racist endeavor and applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation. The organization says the definition has been used to stifle debate and criticism of the Israeli governments human rights record.

The American Civil Liberties Union has made similar criticisms of those examples.

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Mattea Kramer, a local Jewish resident who is part of the campaign raising concerns, pointed to an example of the definition that she thinks can restrict free speech: Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis. Kramer pointed to a United Nations commission of inquiry that declared Israel had committed genocide in Gaza. The same U.N. commission said Hamas committed war crimes and broke international law in its attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Given that example of antisemitism under the definition, Kramer worries that students could be afraid to criticize Israel and talk about genocide in Gaza.

That is really dangerous for our democracy in our schools, she said. The effect is to chill free speech.

Rabbi Shahar Colt, of Congregation Ahavas Achim in Westfield, shared similar thoughts in the campaigns statement.

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Our governments role should be to protect the civil rights and freedom of speech of all residents. These protections are what made the United States a safe haven for Jews and people of other backgrounds for generations, and upholding these rights should be a priority for all of us.

Kenneth Stern, director the Center for the Study of Hate at Bard College, was a lead writer of the alliances definition, and he since said its been weaponized to stifle free speech.

Many pro-Israel Jewish groups eventually weaponized the definition to suppress student speech and to go after faculty for what they said, materials included in their courses, and speakers they invited to campus, Stern wrote in an essay last month.

Velis called the campaigns allegations reckless and irresponsible in a written statement Friday.

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To even respond to this release would be to give merit to baseless allegations and outright falsehoods that are exactly the opposite of the dialogue and facts that have taken place over the past year and a half with the commission, from my very first remarks on the Senate floor on the amendment creating this commission to my remarks during our meeting just yesterday, not to mention the extensive dialogue my office and I have personally had with these folks throughout the commission process, Velis wrote.

The commissions other co-chair, Rep. Simon Cataldo, D-Concord, declined to comment on the campaigns statement.

The state commission writes in a long footnote in its preliminary report that it heard a significant volume of input from the public, in support of and in opposition to using the IHRA definition, with the concerns centering around suppression of criticism of Israel as a state.

The Special Commission reiterates here, as the commissioners have done publicly throughout the 9 public meetings held thus far, it continues, that criticism of Israels government, even harsh and uncomfortable criticism of Israels government, cannot be regarded as antisemitic in and of itself.

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Velis reiterated that point at a commission hearing on Thursday afternoon at Kerem Shalom Synagogue in Concord, and he highlighted the importance of preserving freedom of speech.

Rabbi Amy Wallk, of Temple Beth El in Springfield, said she supports the commissions work and the IHRA definition.

Nobody says you cant criticize Israel, she said. I criticize the government of Israel a lot.

She spoke before the commission earlier this year.

What I object to is questioning whether the state has a right to exist, she said. The Jewish peoples connection to the land of Israel is thousands of years old.

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Adam Solender, interim CEO of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, shared similar thoughts.

In general, I would say the commission is not promoting censorship, he said. Many states have adopted or endorsed the same working definition of antisemitism, and having a specific definition is really important to fix a problem, he said.

Anti-Israel discourse is not inherently antisemitic, Solender said, but in his opinion can be and often is.

The special commissions final report is due to the clerks of the House of Representatives and Senate by the end of November.

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WACO  Sitting on the front pew of Mosaic church, in the city sometimes called Texas' "Buckle of the Bible Belt," state Rep. James Talarico leaned in as Pastor Slim Thompson described endurance as a tenet of Christian faith.

"What to do when you feel like throwing in the towel and quitting?" said Thompson, dressed casually in an open-collar shirt untucked over jeans as he delivered his sermon on the second Sunday of October. "We are called to endure the long slog of Christianity."

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READ MORE: Why someone not in the running leads the Democratic pack in the U.S. Senate race

For Talarico, who represents a state House district in Austin, his place among about 350 non-denominational protestant worshipers came at the start of what could be a long slog to November 2026 that marries religion and politics. At 36 and studying to become a Presbyterian minister, Talarico is leading with his faith as he seeks to become the first Texas Democrat to win election to the U.S. Senate in his lifetime.

Although he often spends his Sunday mornings delivering sermons of his own that present Christ through the lens of political progressivism, Talarico said after the service that he came to Mosiac Waco to listen and not to preach. After singing along with the guitar-backed youth choir, he joined the members of the congregation on the front steps of the church at the edge of downtown Waco as 11 of them were dunked into the water of a galvanized tub to be baptized.

Several members initiated conversations with Talarico where they welcomed him to their church even as they were surprised to see him in one of Texas' most conservative cities.

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"You tend to think of one party, and not the other, as the party of Christ," said Baylor University student Evan Woods after shaking hands with Talarico. "So I loved seeing him here. It was enlightening."

James Talarico meets with supporters outside Mosaic Church in Waco on Oct. 12. (John Moritz)





In an interview at a hotel coffee shop a few blocks from Mosaic, Talarico acknowledged his unorthodox approach to campaigning in a contested Democratic primary where first-time candidate Terry Virts, a former astronaut, and former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, the party's U.S. Senate nominee in 2024, are also in the race.

"There's sometimes a resistance in my own party to talking about faith so openly," Talarico said. "That said, there are a lot of Democrats who are deeply religious, and there are a lot of Democrats for whom faith is central in their lives. And obviously it's central for a lot of Texans, a lot of Americans, outside the Democratic Party."

A world in 'spiritual crisis'

Talarico, who was born to a single mother and was adopted by the man she later married, was elected to the House at age 29 when he flipped a Republican-held swing district in 2018. During that campaign, he presented himself as a progressive Democrat pushing back on what he called the excesses of Donald Trump's first term as president. He touted his two years of experience as a middle school teacher in San Antonio and a master's degree from Harvard University.

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But scant mention was made of his faith or religious convictions in either his first run for the House or in his reelection campaign two years later. If his faith was part of his early-career platform, it drew little or no attention.

POLL TRACKER: How close is the Senate race between Ken Paxton and John Cornyn? We're tracking the major polls.

That changed March 24, 2021, when Talarico was called on to deliver the daily invocation that traditionally precedes the formal start of business in the House.

Holy mystery, you have so many names," Talarico said to open his two-minute, five-second prayer. "The Torah calls you creator. The Quran calls you peace. The Gita calls you destroyer. And the First Epistle of John calls you perhaps the most beautiful name of all, love."

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Former state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, a north Texas Republican, called the prayer "blasphemy." A year and a half later, Talarico announced that he was entering Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, saying "Our world is in spiritual crisis." His plan was to become a minister, a path he said was inspired by his Baptist preacher grandfather and one he had planned to take when he was child. His studies would revolve around his duties as a state representative, he said at the time.

"What does all this mean for me?" Talarico said in his announcement Sept. 27, 2022 on social media. "I want to understand this spiritual crisis, and be part of the solution. As much as I love being a legislator, I dont want to become a career politician. Id love to lead a church after I leave elected office one day."

Rep. Candy Noble, R-Lucas, debates Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, left, during the debate of SB 10, relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, at the Capitol on Wednesday May 21, 2025. (Jay Janner/American-Statesman)





Since then, Talarico has often put his faith on full display in House committee hearings, during floor debates in the chamber and on the campaign trail. He sparred with the author of the bill requiring that the Ten Commandments be posted in public schools, saying faith by coercion is an anathema to Christianity. He has used similar rationales to oppose the use of public money to subsidize religious schools.

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Both, he said, violate the separation of church and state.

Several of his exchanges with Republican House members, speeches on the House floor and snippets of his sermons have gone viral on Instagram and TikTok and many have pulled in "likes" by the millions.

Talarico entered the Senate race Sept. 9, releasing a video of a sermon-style speech he delivered from the bed of a pickup truck parked outside a church. He raised an eye-popping $6.2 million in less than three weeks and has has been hopscotching across Texas ever since. His pursuit of a master of divinity degree has been paused, but not shelved, while he campaigns full time.

READ MORE: Did the Ten Commandments really shape U.S. law? Legal experts weigh in on Texas classroom display fight.

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Some Republicans have suggested Talarico is twisting Christian doctrine on issues such as abortion and gender identity to suit his politically liberal agenda.

"I dont know what Bible he is reading  but I do know its not the same one Im reading," state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, said in a social media post. "I dont know where his values come from  but I do know they couldnt be more unTexan. James wants to dismantle and alter the very fabric and foundation of our nation and state  and voters will dismiss him accordingly in November 2026."

'A moral duty without moralism'

Mark Chancey, a professor of religious studies at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, said that too often political leaders use faith to legislate behavior or to impose a belief system. Talarico, Chancey said, is taking a more nuanced approach to an emotionally-charged subject.

"We're all equals in the public square, and all of our views merit respect," Chancey said. "So rather than trying to use government to promote his distinctive religious beliefs on everyone else, he follows the core tenets of his faith as he understands them to advocate for the equality of all Texans."

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Jude Barry, a veteran campaign operative who got his start in politics as an aide to the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy in the 1980s, said Talarico appears to have cracked the code that for more than a generation has vexed countless Democratic candidates when discussing their personal faith.

"Talarico is much more conversational in his approach to discussing faith and politics, and therefore is more accessible to both faith-based voters and secular voters," said Barry, who wrote a flattering essay about the Texas lawmaker that was published Oct. 7 in the National Catholic Reporter. "He talks about a moral duty without moralism. He talks about having a conscious without being coercive."

James Talarico, second from right, meets members of the crowd while kicking off his campaign for U.S. Senate at Backyard on Broadway in San Antonio, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News)





Barry, who operates a public affairs consulting firm in San Jose, California, said that since conservative Moral Majority in the late 1970s and early 1980s mobilized evangelical Christians for Ronald Reagan's presidential campaigns and became a pillar of the Republican base, Democrats for the most part ceded the conversations about spirituality to the GOP. He called it "a missed opportunity."

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"We don't want to talk about it, even though we're faithful people, primarily because a lot of the Democratic base is non-religious or secular," Barry said in an interview. "Democratic candidates are not accustomed to dealing with a large religious community as part of our base. It doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

Heading into the 2024 election cycle, a report by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy based on trends over time, said voters who identify as Christian tend to help Republicans far more than Democrats, both in Texas as nationwide. The Houston Chronicle in March, citing a study by the Pew Research Center, found that 74% of Texas Republicans identify as Christian compared with 50% of Texas Democrats.

TEXAS TAKE: The 5 hottest Republican Congressional primaries building in Texas

The "Democrat as the candidate of faith" narrative took hold over the summer as Talarico stepped up his public appearances in the run-up to his formal entry into the Senate race. In July, he sat down for a two-and-a-half hour conversation about faith and politics with the popular podcaster Joe Rogan, whose audience skews younger, more male and more conservative than most Democrat-friendly national media outlets. Rogan suggested Talarico consider a run for president, saying we need someone who is actually a good person.

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Recent polls show Talarico leading the field of Democratic candidates who have already announced Senate campaigns, though U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who hasn't yet outlined her 2026 plans, pulled the most support from likely primary voters.

Teeing up GOP attack ads?

Some Democrats have warned that Talarico's interpretation of Christian teaching, including offering biblical defenses for abortion and suggesting once during a House floor debate on transgender rights that "God is nonbinary", are out of touch with rank-and-file primary voters, and could be a harbinger for disaster should he advance to the general election next November.

Virts, the former astronaut who is also running for the Democratic nomination for Senate, posted clips of such comments by Talarico and predicted Republicans would also amplify them in a general election campaign. Democratic blogger and podcaster Josh Barro wrote last month that he was "a little baffled" that Texas Democrats might nominate someone whose own views on Christian teachings provide Republicans with ready-made attack ads.

READ MORE: James Talarico raises $6.2M in first 20 days of U.S. Senate campaign, outpacing Colin Allred

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"Hes undeniably charming, and hes gotten a lot of mileage out of a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience," Barro said on his blog. "But hes a liberals idea of what a conservative might like: A clean-cut young man whos adept at quoting scripture in support of a conventional set of liberal policy priorities."

Talarico, during the interview in Waco, said that while his faith is central to "who I am," Texans will judge him on such issues as protecting the Affordable Care Act, the state of the economy and pushing back what he calls Trump's overreaches.

"The voters of this state  Republicans, independents and Democrats alike  can evaluate me and whether or not they think I can represent them effectively," he said. "I'm not trying to force my religion down anyone's throat, I'm not trying to force my religion with governmental power. That's something I fought back against."
A growing sense of loneliness - and the associated risks of stroke, heart disease, depression and stress - is spreading among young people and senior citizens in industrialized countries, new research shows.

Among 16 to 24-year-olds, the proportion of those with daily contact with friends fell from 44% in 2015 to 36% in 2022, following an earlier decline of nine percentage points between 2006 and 2015, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says.

Between 2018 and 2022, young people were the group most affected by the feeling that social relationships had deteriorated, the OECD reported in Paris on Thursday.

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Among older people aged 65 and above, the strongest increase in social isolation was observed across all age groups. The proportion of people who reported never meeting friends rose by 5.5 percentage points to 11.4% between 2015 and 2022.

Prolonged loneliness is associated with several known health risks, but the OECD also points to links to poorer job performance, a higher likelihood of unemployment or leaving education early.

The researchers reported that men and young people have emerged as new at-risk groups. "While men have traditionally reported lower rates of feeling lonely and better relationship quality than women, between 2018 and 2022 they experienced larger deteriorations in both," the authors say.

At the same time, unemployment and low income are important factors, as well as older age and living alone. "Compared to the general population, unemployed individuals and those in the lowest income quintile are around twice as likely to report feeling lonely."

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However, the OECD cautioned that the overall increase in isolation likely reflects the reluctance to engage in direct contact during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Overall, the OECD study found that the proportion of people in industrialized countries who meet others in person has steadily declined over the past 15 years, while frequent contact with friends and family via phone or social networks has increased.

Despite technology meant to connect us

A similar finding in 2024 showed that almost a quarter of the worlds people feel lonely, with US survey organization Gallup warning of "serious physical and mental effects."

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The rise in loneliness comes despite decades of technological advances, such as social media, which can help people to stay in touch with each other to a degree arguably unprecedented in human history.

Research has shown that older people can counteract loneliness by being online. A 2024 study published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour found that people aged 50 and over who are online have fewer depressive symptoms on average.

Researchers in the US earlier this year also found evidence that hearing aids can help reduce loneliness and perceived isolation among older people who fear going deaf.

However, particularly among younger people, there have been indications that phone addiction and endless scrolling through messages and apps are contributing to unhappiness and mental health issues.

Social media and changing demographics

In 2023, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy flagged "increasing concerns" that social media was harming young users.

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The same year, Murthy warned of a wider "loneliness epidemic" in the US that was putting people at greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety and premature death. In late 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed loneliness as a health concern.

Demographic and social changes in wealthy countries have, according to some studies, contributed to loneliness, with family sizes shrinking and older people increasingly likely to be put in care or nursing homes rather than be looked after in their dotage by family.

Harvard University doctors published research in 2024 showing over-50s who "experienced chronic loneliness" were 56% more likely to suffer a stroke than other people of similar age.

Robot "companions" for lonely old people have been rolled out in countries such as Japan, South Korea and the US. Research has also suggested artificial intelligence bots could be added to such robots to enable them to 'chat' to their isolated owners.
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  Nearly 100 No Kings demonstrations are planned across Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 18, as a response to President Donald Trumps policies and actions, according to protest organizers.

America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people, the No Kings website reads. Thousands of Michigan residents are expected to attend these protests for the second time this year.

People take part in a No Kings protest outside the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on June 14, 2025 as US President Donald Trump presides over a military parade in Washington, DC. Trump will preside over a huge military parade in Washington on his 79th birthday, as nationwide protests rejecting his brand of politics underscore deep divisions over his second term. But the threat of thunderstorms in the US capital, and the barrage of missiles raining down in Tel Aviv and Tehran  a conflict in which the American military is assisting  could cast a long shadow over the presidents celebration. Nearly 7,000 troops plus dozens of tanks and helicopters will rumble through Washington in an event officially marking the 250th anniversary of the US army  at a cost of up to $45 million. (Photo by JEFF KOWALSKY / AFP) (Photo by JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump has pushed the boundaries of his powers and presidential norms. His approval rating has hovered around 40%, though a new Emerson College poll indicates that 37% of voters approve of Trumps economic policy.

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Mike Rogers urges Detroit mayor to seek Trumps help on crime

Since taking office in January, Trumps actions have changed presidential norms and the way presidents use executive power. Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Michigan Climate Action Network are protesting the president for several reasons, including mass executive orders, immigration raids with arrest quotas, challenges to civil rights protections and efforts to deploy the National Guard or federal forces in Democratic-led cities.

Protests like No Kings are driven by claims that Trump is centralizing power beyond norms, deploying militarized forces to cities and undermining democratic checks and balances. Coalition groups, including the ACLU, say these protests are pro-democracy and pro-worker, and emphasize nonviolent mass action.

Republican leaders characterize the rallies as anti-American and link them to the ongoing government shutdown. The Oakland County GOP sent out a news release Thursday night, referring to the No Kings protests as domestic terrorist activity, though that claim is unsubstantiated. There is no evidence that these protests promote violence or terrorism.

People take part in a No Kings protest outside the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on June 14, 2025 as US President Donald Trump presides over a military parade in Washington, DC. Trump will preside over a huge military parade in Washington on his 79th birthday, as nationwide protests rejecting his brand of politics underscore deep divisions over his second term. But the threat of thunderstorms in the US capital, and the barrage of missiles raining down in Tel Aviv and Tehran  a conflict in which the American military is assisting  could cast a long shadow over the presidents celebration. Nearly 7,000 troops plus dozens of tanks and helicopters will rumble through Washington in an event officially marking the 250th anniversary of the US Army  at a cost of up to $45 million. (Photo by JEFF KOWALSKY / AFP) (Photo by JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images)

Those interested in participating in protests can do so in public areas like streets, sidewalks and in front of government buildings. These areas are open to protests so long as you are not blocking access or interfering with operations, the ACLU said. The No Kings website lists every scheduled protest in Michigan and allows people to search for locations nationwide.

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The Human Rights Campaign website includes a list of ways to be prepared during a protest, including:

Stay hydrated and dress for the weather.

Obey lawful orders.

Know emergency contact numbers written on your body or paper. The HRC advises against phone reliance. Let at least one emergency contact know your plan and make arrangements to keep them posted on your status during and after the event.

Have an offline map of the venue and plan multiple routes in and out of the protest area.

Maintain 360 situational awareness: know what is going on around you at all times, and be alert to anything that seems suspicious. If you see something, say something.

Stay calm, focused and peaceful. Your goal is to make a point, not provoke, the website reads.

Dont engage with agitators. Step away and de-escalate if possible.

If confronted or detained, do not resist arrest or escalate the situation. State that you wish to remain silent and you want a lawyer. If safe, record events, but be aware that some areas may restrict this. Share footage with trusted legal or advocacy organizations, not social media (to protect identities).

Check in after the protest to let friends or family know youre safe.

Do not bring anything illegal or that can be construed as a weapon, contact lenses (they can trap tear gas) or any valuable items.

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 WLNS 6 News.
Kerala Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan on Friday said that whoever is guilty in the Sabarimala gold theft case must be brought to book. He also slammed the Opposition parties in the State, alleging that they are only interested in politicising the issue, but not in ensuring that the real culprits are punished. The Minister's remarks followed the arrest by the Kerala High Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, Unnikrishnan Potti, and his remand to police custody until October 30. "Questioning will naturally continue. Everything is in accordance with the court's decisions, and that is welcome. Let the investigation proceed thoroughly and bring out all facts; that is what we all desire. The arrest was made yesterday, and the accused was produced in court," Vasavan told reporters. "Further questioning was necessary, which is why the police took him into custody. We can wait until the investigation is fully completed," he added. The Minister stated that the State government's goal was to ensure that a single piece of gold from Sabarimala would not be lost. "There is no delay in the process. The SIT was formed and acted swiftly. The charge was taken on October 11, and now it is October 17; everything has proceeded promptly within six days. The court is overseeing the investigation. It is not appropriate for anyone to interfere or make statements in between. The opposition wants this matter to be public for political reasons, not to catch the culprits. Our real goal is that not a single piece of gold from Sabarimala is lost. Whoever is guilty must be brought before the law," he said. "The court has issued important orders regarding this, which we welcome. The SIT is a well-structured team, and all facts will emerge transparently. People have full faith in the investigation so far. All culprits will be brought to justice, and the stolen gold must be returned to Sabarimala. We are not responding to political accusations. The government has no crisis and remains open-minded. Let anyone come forward; let the investigation proceed," he added. Earlier, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president, P.S. Prasanth, suspended Assistant Engineer K Sunil Kumar for his alleged involvement in the Sabarimala gold theft case. Kumar has been named as an accused in the case. Prasanth stated that retired officers involved in the gold-plating controversy will receive a show-cause notice, with a 10-day timeframe to respond. "In today's Board meeting, it was decided to suspend Assistant Engineer K Sunil Kumar, who is under investigation. Retired officers involved will receive show-cause notices and must respond within 10 days. Further action will be taken as per the rules after receiving their explanations," Prasanth told reporters. The decision was made following a board meeting held on Tuesday. Referring to the 2019 incident, Prasanth said that the Kerala government, along with the Devaswom Board, has a clear stance that lost property must be recovered and culprits must be punished. He further stated that "protest against the Devaswom Board and attacks on employees" was regrettable since the Board was moving while upholding all rituals and traditions. (ANI)
Strictly Come Dancing is set to continue welcoming Hollywood guest stars into the ballroom as the beloved BBC dance show has confirmed another famous face will soon be making an appearance. Following on from Cynthia Erivos guest mentor role in Movies Week, the glittering dance competition will be graced by another star of stage and screen in Icons Week.

Fans wont want to miss the show as Golden Globe winning actor Rachel Zegler is set to arrive in the iconic Strictly ballroom. The star rose to fame following her performance as Maria in Steven Spielbergs West Side Story and she recently played the titular Disney Princess in the live-action remake of Snow White.

Zegler is fresh off the back of a run of Andrew Lloyd Webbers hit musical Evita in Londons West End and will be giving Strictly fans a special glimpse of the production in Icons Week.

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However, Zegler wont be taking on the mentor role as Erivo did in Movies Week. She will instead be making an appearance as a guest performer.

Making her Strictly debut during the Icons Week results show, set to air on Sunday 26th of October, Zegler will be singing while accompanied by some of the show's professional dancers.

The BBC have confirmed to Digital Spy the musical theatre star will be performing a rendition of Dont Cry For Me Argentina from Evita.

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Related: Best streaming services UK 2025  including Disney Plus, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV+



Zegler recently received rave reviews for her role as Argentine political leader Eva Peron in the hit musical, which was staged at the London Palladium.

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Evita follows the story of Peron, the First Lady of Argentina, between 1946 and 1952 including her rise to power and subsequent controversies.

The musical was first performed on the West End in 1978, and was later adapted into a feature film in 1996 with Madonna, Jonathan Pryce and Antonio Banderas taking on the lead roles.

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However, the recent West End production gained particular attention for its unusual choice to perform a section of the musical outside.

The memorable moment saw Zegler sing Dont Cry For Me Argentina on the theatre's exterior balcony, with the performance being broadcast to the audience inside via a screen.

Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Interested in talking about Strictly? Visit our dedicated sub-forum

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The new edition of Living Legends is here! Buy Ariana & Witches in newsagents or online, priced at just 8.99.

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WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  A Wichita Falls school has closed for the day due to health concerns.

On Friday, October 17, Wichita Christian did not open due to multiple confirmed suspected cases of pertussis, most commonly known as Whooping Cough.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, children with suspected or confirmed pertussis should be kept out of school or childcare until they have completed five days of antibiotic therapy.

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Early symptoms can last one to two weeks and typically include a runny nose, low-grade fever, and mild cough, but as they progress, symptoms can progress into fits of rapid coughing, vomiting and exhaustion.

Officials with the school confirmed the closure and said the school would reopen on Monday.

An email to parents gave the following requirements:

If your child is sent home from school with a suspected case, we will need a doctors note stating a negative test result for pertussis in order to return.

If your child tests positive for pertussis, we will need a doctors note with the date of diagnosis in order to return.

If your child has a runny nose and cough, please keep them home. Lack of fever does not mean that he/she does not have pertussis.

You can now stream KFDX and Texomas FOX live 24/7 on your smart TV with KFDX+, our brand-new app! No antenna, cable, or satellite neededwatch for free, anytime. Just download it on your Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV and start streaming.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com.
KANSAS  Kevin Hukill, of Wichita, has been sentenced to a little more than six years in prison.

Its related to the shooting death of a Pittsburg man in November. Hukill pleaded guilty in August.

The judge also revoked his probation on previous drug charges and ordered him to serve that two-and-a-half-year sentence before his time starts for the manslaughter case.

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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  A 47-year-old Wichita mother was sentenced Friday to a little more than 16 years in prison for killing her 16-year-old son last October.

A judge sentenced Tesha Florence to 194 months and ordered her to register as a violent offender. Upon release, Florence must serve three years of post-release supervision.

In August, Florence pleaded no contest to three charges, including the reckless second-degree murder of her son, Robert Florence.

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Wichita mother said, I shot my baby, affidavit claims

Wichita police responded to a shooting call at Florences apartments near Harry and Webb streets on Oct. 9, 2024. Florence admitted to shooting her son, saying she accidentally shot him.

First responders went into the apartment and found Robert with a gunshot wound to the head. He was then rushed to the hospital, where he later died.

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RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)  Williamsburg County Treasurer Margaret Cooper is expected to appear for a bond hearing Friday morning after being indicted for misconduct in office, criminal conspiracy, and use of official position or office for financial gain.

Cooper is just one of several current or former Williamsburg County officials the South Carolina Attorney Generals Office announced were indicted on public corruption charges.

Gov. Henry McMaster suspended Cooper from her post Tuesday afternoon and appointed Pearl R. Brown to serve in the interim. Brown previously served as treasurer for 26 years before her retirement in 2011.

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News 2 first reported on the allegations of corruption back in March. Former Sheriff Stephen Gardner and Supervisor Tiffany Cooks were indicted after being accused of misdirecting American Rescue Plan Act funds for their own benefit.

The indictment, announced Thursday by Attorney General Alan Wilson, also includes additional charges of official misconduct in office, use of official position or office for financial gain, and criminal conspiracy for Cooks and Gardner, and for the countys former Clerk of Court, Sharon Staggers, and former county Chief of Administration Keonta Moore.

The latest indictment alleges that these public officials accepted payment over their approved salaries from as early as February 2020 to December 2022, totaling nearly $400,000.

Coopers bond hearing is set for 10 a.m. at the Richland County Courthouse.

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Teachers and leaders from around Ector County ISD got a glimpse of Blended Learning at the secondary level when they attended one of the districts Fall Blended Learning Showcases at Wilson & Young Medal of Honor Middle School Thursday.

Blended Learning is key component of ECISDs academic framework. It combines traditional classroom learning with the added element of adaptive learning via technology to help target individual student needs. Through the process, teachers and students discuss data and results empowering students to take ownership in their learning, a news release said.

Wilson & Young Principal Megan Watts said Blended Learning lets students know more about their own data, creates more advocacy for what they need and more choice about what they want to focus on.

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Eighth-grade English and Journalism teacher Dollucy Grainger talks to a student during the Blended Learning Showcase at Wilson & Young Medal of Honor Middle School Oct. 16, 2025. (Ruth Campbell|Odessa American)

Now were moving into more personalized learning. We have several online systems, and then some of our teachers have created TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) folders for students. Based on data, kids know I perform below in this area, so they can go and find the applicable resource to make sure that theyre remediating or re-teaching in that area so that they can move on to the next the next TEK. It gives them a little bit more choice. Theyre deciding what how they want to learn with what the teachers are providing, Watts said.

To personalize the learning, they create playlists or to-do lists, based on the unit or the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills theyre learning that day, and choice boards, a board with activities designed to align with the TEKS where students can decide which activity theyre going to engage in, she added.

It may be a variety of text. They may all be a nonfiction text, or they get to decide which text theyre going to read and interact with, Watts said.

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She noted that this definitely increases student engagement and student ownership.

They feel like theyre making decisions in their education, Watts said.

Blended Learning Coordinator Amanda Webber said this was the first secondary Blended Learning Showcase, but the initiative has worked its way up from elementary schools to the secondary level, with more schools on the way. Blended Learning started with pilot campuses in 2020 and implementation started in 2021.

Wilson & Young Principal Megan Watts kneels beside a student to talk to her about what shes working on during a Blended Learning Showcase at Wilson & Young Oct. 16, 2025. (Ruth Campbell|Odessa American)

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Eighth-grade Reading Language Arts Teacher Berenisse Ramirez said Blended Learning has helped her a lot to target students who need extra help.

My lower kids are able to get more one-on-one especially when we have bigger classes. Im able to focus more on those (with) specific needs, Ramirez said.

Sometimes she is able to work with the whole class and sometimes its just one student.

Blended Learning has helped me focus on that one kid, Ramirez said.

Crystal Kidd, an experienced teacher, is a gifted and talented specialist with Advanced Academics for secondary science and social studies.

 I think its been great. I love that the kids are on task, they know what theyre supposed to do. The teacher is able to be at the front of the room working with students without having to worry about classroom behavior.  Theyve built a lot to get to this point because students have to know what they need to do in order to be able to work independently without the teachers direction, so I can definitely tell theres been a lot of work that has gone into building a classroom like this, Kidd said.

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Digital Learning Specialist Christina Sifuentez said the classrooms visited Thursday were largely English and Reading Language Arts, but the goal is to bring Blended Learning to other core subject areas. Currently, Wilson & Young is just using Blended Learning for English.

Its just baby steps, Sifuentez said.

Crystal Kidd, a gifted and talented specialist with Advanced Academics for secondary science and social studies, talks to a student about her work during the Blended Learning Showcase at Wilson & Young Medal of Honor Middle School Oct. 16, 2025. (Ruth Campbell|Odessa American)

Blended Learning is a great way to personalize learning. Before, teachers taught the whole class and the class was more teacher centered. This allows teachers to relay the content in a different format so she can spend more time with students at different levels and its more student centered.

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It helps teachers and students because not all students are learning at the same pace and it should keep them engaged, she said.

Kimberly Borjon, a sixth-grade math teacher at Bowie Middle School, said they have used Blended Learning in math there and have extended it to reading and science.

It has benefited my kids , Borjon said.

On Oct. 17, the focus turns to elementary schools. LBJ and Hays STEAM Academy will each host a showcase, Hays starting at 8:15 a.m. and continuing until 9:30 and LBJ beginning at 9:45 a.m. until noon.

The number of ECISD schools implementing Blended Learning is increasing with a five-year rollout plan to expand training to nearly all campuses by the 2028-2029 school year, ensuring that Blended Learning will excel teaching and become a cornerstone of classroom excellence district-wide, the release said.

The post Wilson & Young hosts first secondary Blended Learning Showcase appeared first on Odessa American.
NEED TO KNOW

A Wisconsin couple found dead in a car on Monday, Oct. 6 died from gunshot wounds to the head, according to the coroners office preliminary findings

Rachel and Brandon Dumovich were a week shy of celebrating their one-year wedding anniversary

Harvard Police Chief Tyson Bauman told Fox News Digital that "while a murder-suicide is a potential scenario, no final determination has been made"

A Wisconsin couple found dead in a car died from gunshot wounds to the head, according to the coroners office preliminary findings, Fox News Digital and the Lake & McHenry County Scanner reported.

McHenry County Coroner Dr. Michael Rein said Wednesday, Oct. 15 that autopsies had been performed on Rachel and Brandon Dumovich, per the Scanner.

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The couple, both of Sharon, Wis., was found dead in a car on the side of a road on Monday, Oct. 6 in Illinois. They were days away from celebrating their one-year wedding anniversary when their car was discovered stopped with its hazard lights on, police said in an initial press release.

The Harvard Police Department said in an Oct. 14 Facebook post that the department, in conjunction with the McHenry County Major Investigative Assistance Team, continues to diligently investigate the tragic incident.

Harvard Police Chief Tyson Bauman told Fox News Digital that "while a murder-suicide is a potential scenario, no final determination has been made."

The investigation into the deaths remains active as investigators await the McHenry County Coroners final report and the review and processing of additional evidentiary items, police said.

Rachel Dumovich/Facebook Brandon Dumovich and Rachel Dumovich Brandon Dumovich and Rachel Dumovich

Just before midnight on Monday, Oct. 6, a Harvard Police Department officer saw the car stopped on Route 14 northbound near Burbank St. The officer pulled over and discovered a woman in the drivers seat and a male passenger dead inside, per the initial press release.

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Both had sustained a single gunshot wound, according to police, and a firearm was recovered inside the vehicle.

At this time, this appears to be an isolated incident and there is no evidence to suggest that there is any danger or threat to the public, police said after briefly issuing a shelter in place order to nearby residents.

Related: Wisc. Newlyweds a Week Shy of Anniversary Found Fatally Shot in Car

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According to an online obituary, Rachel, 29, was a two-sport varsity athlete in cheerleading and track in high school before she obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration, Cum Laude, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2018.

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She was known for her drive, ambition, and passion, the obituary read. "She had a strong sense of empathy, compassion, social justice, and fair play, always championing those who needed a voice."

"Rachel loved her friends, family, traveling, fashion, decorating, cooking, and especially life at the lake," the obituary continued.

Brandon, 30, served as a Petty Officer in the United States Navy, according to his online obituary.

His time in the military reflected his deep commitment to service and his enduring passion for helping othersa quality that remained central throughout his life, the obituary said. Brandons infectious smile and sharp sense of humor had a way of lighting up any room. He had an extraordinary ability to lift spirits and bring people together. Family was always at the heart of everything he did; it was his anchor and greatest source of pride."

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Anyone with information is asked to contact the Harvard Police Department at (815) 943-4431 or submit information anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (815) 943-4343 or crimestoppers@cityofharvard.org.



Read the original article on People
(WFRV)  A man from southern Wisconsin was arrested after a multi-month investigation stemming from a fraud complaint.

According to the Dodge County Sheriffs Office, back in July it got a fraud complaint about someone using fraudulent identification to get funds from a banking institution. It was mentioned the person was able to get checks totaling $160,000.

The money was taken from another persons home equity line of credit.

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Suspect in armed robbery of Winnebago County Kwik Trip arrested in traffic stop

Authorities ended up identifying a suspect, and they arrested him. The suspect was identified as a 43-year-old man from Hartford.

It was mentioned that the investigation is still ongoing to see if there are any other suspects.

Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt said their Lomira contract has been a huge success.

Our Lomira Contract has been a huge success, as exemplified by this arrest among many others. Lomira law enforcement services are led by Sergeant Don Counard. Sergeant Counard has a long history as a law enforcement officer, a detective, and a supervisor. His professionalism and the professionalism of those who work directly for him have brought tremendous value to the residents of Lomira and Dodge County, which we all can be proud of.

No additional information was released.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
A Wisconsin man has been charged with making threats against federal law enforcement after posting a series of TikTok videos in which he called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to be shot and killed, according to federal prosecutors.

Andrew Stanton, 38, of Kenosha, was arrested last week and indicted Wednesday on three federal charges, including threatening to assault, kidnap or murder a US official, court records show.

His arrest comes amid heightened tensions nationwide over the Trump administrations immigration enforcement operations and criticism over aggressive tactics observed to be used by immigration agents. The Department of Homeland Security has repeatedly said it is targeting arrests of the worst of the worst and that its agents are facing a surge in attacks against them.

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Stanton pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Thursday in US District Court in Milwaukee.

Prosecutors allege Stanton was behind multiple threatening TikTok videos posted from various accounts between August and October this year, according to the criminal complaint.

In one video posted four days before his arrest, Stanton allegedly called for ICE agents to be targeted, saying in the video, If they (ICE) show up to your neighborhoodits time we start shooting at you, according to the criminal complaint.

CNN has reached out to Stantons attorney for comment.

In a statement to the New York Times, John Bradley, a lawyer for Stanton, said: It is important to remember that the contents of a criminal complaint represent one side of the story and are just allegations. Mr. Stanton pled not guilty. He is presumed innocent, and we will vigorously defend against these charges in court.

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Stanton is also accused of suggesting that mass shootings can be applied to federal agents, prosecutors said, citing a video posted in September. He also keyed on the September 10 murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, saying do a lot more Charlie Kirks, in a video posted that same day, the complaint alleges.

Authorities started looking into Stantons online activity in August after a tip from the Wisconsin Statewide Intelligence Center, a federal office that tracks suspected terror activity. Federal investigators flagged that an account registered to Stanton asked for information about the whereabouts of members of the Israeli military in the Illinois and Wisconsin area, according to the complaint.

A video posted near the end of August also featured Stanton with text superimposed on the screen that read in part, a violent state can only be stopped with violence in return and I think we should be OFFING federal agents, according to the complaint.

You have to use bullets, he was quoted as saying in the complaint.

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Federal law enforcement officers tried to interview Stanton multiple times, in person and over the phone, in early September but were unsuccessful, the complaint said.

On September 11, a supervisor with US Customs and Border Patrol identified himself by first name in a text to Stanton and said he wanted to speak with him about his recent posts. In response, Stanton told him to go away, using an expletive, and sent a series of hostile messages, as well as one asking to meet in person, the complaint alleges.

A pretrial conference in Stantons case is scheduled for December 1, and his trial is scheduled for December 15, according to federal court records. Last week, a judge ordered Stanton to remain in detention pending his trial.

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In a pioneering effort to restore livelihoods and combat environmental degradation, the Green India Challenge (GIC), a nationwide environmental movement founded by former Rajya Sabha MP Joginpally Santosh Kumar, has launched a pilot bamboo plantation project spanning 5 acres in Mullalagutta 2 village, Adilabad Rural Mandal, Adilabad district. This first-of-its-kind initiative aims to address the acute bamboo shortage faced by the Kolam (Kollam) tribes, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Telangana, whose traditional livelihoods and craftsmanship rely heavily on bamboo. For generations, the Kolam community has skillfully used bamboo to craft mats, baskets, fences, and ritual items--products that are integral to their economy and cultural heritage. However, stringent forest conservation rules have restricted access to natural bamboo resources, forcing tribal families to trek even as far as 10 kilometers daily to gather limited bamboo culms. This has pushed over 6,000 Kolam families in Adilabad into economic distress and dependence on exploitative middlemen. Stepping in, Joginpally Santosh Kumar (fondly known as Santosh Anna) has spearheaded the pilot plantation. The site--5 acres of land generously donated by local philanthropist Tekam Rao Ji Patel -will serve as a bamboo nursery and cultivation hub for the Kolam community. A hallmark of GIC's legacy is carrying out record-breaking afforestation drives--including its entries in the Limca Book of Records and Guinness World Records--marking a strategic shift toward community-centered ecological restoration. Currently, 50% of the plantation work has been completed, featuring bamboo species carefully selected to suit the region's soil and climate conditions, under the guidance of forest department experts and GIC volunteers. "This is not just about planting bamboo--it's about planting hope and restoring dignity," said Joginpally Santosh Kumar on Friday. "The artistry of the Kolam tribes deserves revival. By ensuring a sustainable bamboo supply, we can create jobs, enhance incomes, and promote self-reliance. A community event will soon be organized to complete the plantation and introduce training programs in advanced bamboo craftsmanship." Aligned with the objectives of the National Bamboo Mission, the project promotes bamboo as a sustainable, fast-growing resource that supports carbon sequestration, soil restoration, and rural livelihood generation. Once mature, the plantation is expected to yield thousands of bamboo culms annually, providing a reliable and renewable resource base for tribal artisans. Future project phases will focus on value addition and market linkage, empowering artisans to sell bamboo products directly through fair trade markets and eliminating exploitative intermediaries. Now in its eighth edition, the Green India Challenge has successfully planted over 20 crore saplings across India since its inception in 2018, inspiring millions to take part in the nation's green movement. The Adilabad bamboo initiative represents a milestone in GIC's journey--merging environmental stewardship with tribal empowerment. Local community members have hailed the project as transformative. Atram Jangu, a Kolam artisan, shared, "Bamboo is our lifeline. With this plantation nearby, our children no longer need to wander in forests for resources. They can learn our craft, earn with dignity, and build better lives." As the plantation nears completion, Green India Challenge invites volunteers, NGOs, and nature enthusiasts to join hands in the upcoming community event, advancing the vision of a greener, self-reliant, and inclusive Telangana. The GIC challenge is founded by Joginpally Santosh Kumar in an effort to promote afforestation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable living. Through innovative campaigns and record-setting plantation drives, GIC has mobilised millions of citizens to contribute toward protecting India's green heritage. (ANI)
(The Center Square)  Wisconsins top education official has claimed that a story about how her department conducts investigations is inaccurate and demanded a public correction on an article claiming that the Department of Public Instruction has hidden its investigation into 200 cases of sexual misconduct and grooming from school staff.

The reporting is not only incomplete and misleading  it is dangerously irresponsible, Superintendent Jill Underly wrote. It distorts the nature of the DPI's work in this area, omits crucial legal and procedural facts, and undermines public trust in the very systems designed to protect Wisconsin students.

The story claimed that 200 investigations from 2018 to 2023 into teachers for sexual misconduct and grooming were shielded from the public.

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"We stand by our reporting and expect to have a more complete response Monday," Capital Times Editor Mark Treinen told The Center Square late Friday afternoon.

Senate Committee on Education Chairman John Jagler and Vice Chairman Romaine Quinn asked a series of 12 questions of Underly and demanded to get a response within 24 hours on if she will be willing to testify before the committee.

Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, scheduled a hearing for 11 a.m. on Thursday to address her concerns.

Underly said in the letter that the investigations followed state law and the results of investigations are released as soon as practicable and upon request through open records requests.

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The story said that the investigations, which previously were not public, were obtained through open records requests and quoted experts who said the transparency and process Department of Public Instruction goes through is inadequately protecting students.

The licensure status of every educator in Wisconsin, including those who are under investigation, revoked, or surrendered, is publicly accessible on the DPIs website, Underly wrote. Suggesting otherwise is not only misleading; it is a blatant mischaracterization of fact.

The story said that the licensure status of a teacher is available on the website but that the reason the credential was surrendered is not divulged and quoted an expert saying that not providing the reason contributes to a culture of secrecy around educator grooming and sexual misconduct.

Nedweski has proposed bills that will create a crime of grooming along with provide guidelines for communication between teachers and students.

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Underlys letter indicates that the department is open to further law changes that will increase the departments authority to investigate.

The statutory definition of immoral conduct does not currently include grooming or professional boundary violations, limiting our agencys ability to obtain critical pieces of information, Underly wrote. Despite these constraints, DPI investigators work tirelessly within the bounds of law to remove unfit educators from classrooms and prevent further harm.

"I welcome a long overdue discussion about the need to both modernize our licensing systems, and update existing statutes to clarify, broaden and deepen the limited statutory authority the DPI has in these serious matters.
When President Donald Trump announced plans for yet another sit-down with Russian president Vladimir Putin following a Thursday phone call between the two leaders, it looked like yet another sign that Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky was in for a rough ride when he visited the White House Friday.

Just eight months ago, the Ukrainian president and his delegation were unceremoniously ushered out of the West Wing after an unprecedented Oval Office shouting match that included scolding the wartime leader on his choice of clothing and his supposed ingratitude for the billions Washington has provided in defense aid and financial assistance since Russian troops invaded his country three years earlier.

At the time, Trump berated Zelensky, whod come to Washington to press for yet more assistance to repel Moscows forces from his land, about how the Ukrainian leader was risking World War Three by keeping up a fight that he played no role in starting.

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It looked as if Trumps new administration was dead set on pulling the plug on Americas support for Kyiv.

But February seems like forever ago now.

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky once got into a shouting match in the White House. But the mood on Friday was vastly different. (REUTERS)

Zelensky flew to Washington Thursday for meetings with some of Trump's cabinet and multiple American defense contractors before spending the night at the president's official guest house across from the White House. When he arrived at the West Wing the next day, he was greeted by a smiling president whose mood appeared to have been buoyed by his previous Oval Office guest, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.

He and his delegation proceeded to the Cabinet Room, where with cameras rolling Trump introduced Zelensky in glowing terms once reserved for the autocratic leaders he admires  including Putin.

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"It's an honor to be with a very strong leader, a man who has been through a lot," Trump said.

He added that Zelensky was "a man who I've gotten to know very well" and noted that they had "gotten along really very well" in recent months.

"President Zelensky of Ukraine has endured a lot  I mean, he really has," Trump continued. "He's endured a lot, and we've endured it with him."

Trump even went so far as to praise the more businesslike wardrobe the Ukrainian leader has adopted since that February disaster, telling reporters that Zelensky "looks beautiful" in the tie-less dark suit and shirt he was wearing and calling his outfit "very stylish."

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Zelensky had come to Washington to ask Trump for U.S.-built Tomahawk missiles  small, pilotless aircraft that can fly upwards of 1,000 miles before striking targets with incredible precision.

With cameras rolling, Trump praised Zelensky and continued to push for Russia to end the conflict with Ukraine (REUTERS)

Ukraines armed forces are desperate for the American-made weapons because they would give Kyiv the ability to strike deep into Russian territory  as far as Moscow or beyond. The missiles would permit Ukraine to retaliate against Russias myriad attacks against civilian targets, brazen strikes often carried out with the Russian-built equivalent.

Trump, who has been mostly unwilling to take any action that would be viewed as increasing American involvement in the nearly four-year-old conflict, acknowledged to reporters that providing Ukraine with them long-range weapons would be an escalation, but he said the matter would be discussed nonetheless.

He also repeatedly claimed that Putin, in his estimation, still wants to end the war, and said he and the Russian leader had went through a lot of details during their two-hour phone call this week.

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The president did not say he would be providing Ukraine with the cruise missiles Zelensky has sought. He also stressed that the U.S. needs to have adequate stockpiles for its own use.

But even as he didnt say yes, he did not say no, either.

Trump even appeared warm to the idea of allowing Kyiv access to the weapons in exchange for Ukrainian-built drone technology developed by the countrys homegrown defense sector (AP)

Trump even appeared warm to the idea of allowing Kyiv access to the weapons in exchange for Ukrainian-built drone technology developed by the countrys homegrown defense sector  technology that has often allowed Ukrainian forces to punch well above their weight against Russias massive military machine.

With a hint of admiration in his voice, Trump hinted at an interest in such a weapons swap and said the Ukrainians make a very good drone.

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As the question-and-answer session continued, the president still pressed on with his assertion that Putin wants to end the war he started without provocation. Trump said he hoped his planned summit in Budapest would make it unnecessary for any provision of Tomahawks to Kyiv.

But he also conceded that there is a possibility he is being played by the Russian leader, who, according to the Financial Times, spent a large part of their August meeting in Alaska engaging in a rambling historical discursion that left Trump infuriated to the point of raising his voice multiple times and eventually cutting the planned summit program short.

Meanwhile, The Independent understands that Zelensky came to Washington ready to engage Trump with a map-laden presentation showing the American leader exactly how the Tomahawks could be used to inflict terrible blows on the Russian war machine and the Russian oil sector.

The president, according to aides, likes maps. And the more time he spends with Zelensky, the more he appears to like him, too.

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Zelensky might not get his Tomahawks today. But little by little, hes winning Trumps respect and making him feel like a trusted friend.

And if Trump feels as if Putin is playing him when they meet again in Budapest, theres no telling what benefits Zelensky could reap from that breach.
SPRINGFIELD  Most of the colleges and universities in the Pioneer Valley report seeing a decline in the number of international students this year compared to the recent past.

The United States is seeing a decade-low in foreign student arrivals, excluding the pandemic.

The steep drop in international students nationwide  19%  is attributed to the Trump administrations crackdown on immigration and its attacks on international students at institutions such as Harvard University.

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Greg Matthews, senior vice president of enrollment management and student life at Western New England University, said the national drop is happening in the Valley as well.

Policies put in place (federally) have an impact on what we see here at WNE, he said.

August is typically when most international students arrive in the U.S. because their visas allow entry up to 30 days before their programs start.

This fall, Western New England welcomed 222 international students  a dip of 60 students from last year. The university has made deliberate movements to increase its international student population, said Matthews, whose department also focuses on recruitment.

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In fall 2022, the university opened its campus to 108 international students. In 2023 and 2024, there were 241 international students and then 282, respectively.

This (years numbers are) what we perceive as delays in visa appointments, said Matthews. The school is working with students who werent able to come to Western Massachusetts in August to join in January. We encourage longer lead times for students who may face difficulty, he said.

Western New Englands international students predominantly come from India, France, Canada, Ghana and Pakistan, Matthews said.

At Elms College in Chicopee, the international student population has remained stable, a spokesperson for the private school said. While the college declined to share numbers of its international students, it said students this year arrived later than expected due to visa delays.

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Elms College worked hard to make sure they were supported even during times of waiting and uncertainty, the spokesperson said.

The college said it sees students from an array of countries, but the top countries are Tanzania, Vietnam, Canada, Jamaica, Spain and Ethiopia.

Many international students select Elms due to the sense of community, access to faculty, and a safe environment, the spokesperson said.

In South Hadley, the international undergraduate student population at Mount Holyoke College saw a slight decline this year, according to data from the college.

In fall 2023, there were 493 international students who came, primarily, from China, Vietnam, India, Ghana and Bangladesh. The following year, there were 428 students.

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This fall, the school attracted 422 international students. The majority of students came from China, Vietnam, Ghana, Japan and Bangladesh.

Mount Holyoke Colleges international student data does not include graduate students, as its graduate program focuses solely on educators and doesnt have international students, said Christian Feuerstein, spokesperson for the college.

Amherst College also saw a drop in its international students this fall, according to Carolyn McDaniel, the colleges spokesperson. McDaniel did not respond to an emailed request asking if the numbers reflect only undergraduate students, or if it includes graduate students.

In 2022, there were 82 international students. That number rose to 89 students the following year; and 101 students last year. This fall, there was a sharp decline, with 84 international students.

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McDaniel said the percentage of international students can fluctuate from year to year, depending upon the overall pool of applicants and available financial aid.

Unlike other schools in the Pioneer Valley with fewer international students, the University of Massachusetts Amherst has seen a slight increase in undergraduate students from abroad. The graduate student population has seen a decrease, however, according to data from the school. UMass Amherst is the largest school in the Pioneer Valley with over 31,000 students.

Between fall 2023 and fall this year, the international undergraduate student population at UMass Amherst has increased by about 57 students, going from 1,837 to 1,894 students.

On the other hand, its graduate student population decreased by more than 270 students in one academic year. In fall 2023, there were 2,656 foreign students. The following year, that number increased to 2,683. This year, the school enrolled 2,410 students, a 39% decline in new international graduate students.

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Rather than suspend doctoral admissions, as some universities did, UMass Amherst intentionally reduced doctoral admissions for Fall 2025 given the uncertainty of federal funding, a spokesperson for the university said. However, applications for doctoral degrees are up 9% from the previous year.

The most popular countries for undergraduate students to hail from are: India, China, Vietnam, South Korea and Pakistan. For graduate students: India, China, South Korea, Iran and Bangladesh.

International students are key to the vitality of our campus, enrich our classrooms, campus culture and surrounding communities through their knowledge and perspectives from around the world, a spokesperson said. They are also a key driver of talent in the research pipeline and have a positive economic impact on the region.

In the 2nd Congressional District, where UMass Amherst is located, international students contributed $413.5 million to the economy and supported 3,845 jobs, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the worlds largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education, the UMass Amherst spokesperson said.

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Matthews, enrollment management at Western New England, said having students from other countries strengthens campus life.

We can celebrate their holidays and events, learn about other cultures and eat great food, he said.

That translates to residential life, too, he said. People can meet others and recognize similarities and understand fun differences. International students make our campus a greater and more vibrant community.

more news from Western Massachusetts

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NEED TO KNOW

The long-awaited trial of Dahbia Benkired began in France on Friday, Oct. 17

Benkired, 27, is accused of killing 12-year-old Lola Daviet in 2022

Benkired opened the trial by apologizing and asking the victim's family for forgiveness, according to reports

The long-awaited trial for the murder of 12-year-old Lola Daviet in France began with a shocking apology.

Dahbia Benkired, who stands accused of luring Lola into her sisters apartment before torturing, raping and killing the girl, immediately confessed and apologized to the Daviet family on Friday, Oct. 17  asking forgiveness as she faces a possible life sentence in the coming days, according to several reports.

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What I did was horrible, Benkired, now 27, said in her first words to the Paris Assize Court on Friday, according to Le Parisien, The Huffington Post and NDTV. "I would like to ask the whole family for forgiveness. What I did was horrible and I regret it.

Three years ago, Lola was found brutally murdered in the trunk of a car outside the apartment building where her mother and father  Delphine and Johan Daviet  worked as caretakers. Investigators said her throat was slit, her body had signs of sexual abuse, and the numbers 1 and 0 were mysteriously written on each of her feet, PEOPLE reported at the time.

Since then, theres been little doubt about who police believe is responsible for the 12-year-old schoolgirls gruesome death. One day after Lola was reported missing by her mother, Benkired was arrested and charged with her killing.

Facebook (2) Lola Daviet and alleged CCTV footage of Dahbia Benkerid

CCTV cameras inside the apartment building caught Benkired approaching the 12-year-old girl outside the buildings front door and entering the complex with her, just as Lola was returning home from school. That footage was shown again Friday in court, according to Le Parisien and The Huffington Post, as prosecutors narrated what they believed happened.

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Later on the afternoon of Lolas killing, investigators said witnesses watched Benkired leaving the building  where her sister Friha also lived, according to Le Parisien  carrying a trunk, which she stuffed inside a friends car.

Another piece of CCTV footage shown in court Friday appeared to show Benkired leaving the building with the same trunk in which Lola was found  a neighbor even helping hold the door for her as the then-24-year-old struggled to maneuver the luggage outside, Le Parisien reported.

An investigator also testified Friday how Benkired allegedly stopped at a cafe minutes after leaving the building with the trunk and spoke with a man who asked her what was inside the case, according to the outlet. Kidneys, Benkired allegedly told the man, who hours later came to police after hearing the news that a 12-year-old girl was found dead inside a similar trunk nearby.

Authorities testified Friday that Benkired confessed to killing Lola during their first interrogation, according to the newspaper. And shortly after her murder trial began Friday, Benkired apologized and asked forgiveness.

Chesnot/Getty Memorial for Lola Daviet

Le Parisien shared moment-by-moment updates from the emotional courtroom Friday, during which Lolas brother was granted permission to address Benkired directly: We would like you to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, to all of France and to us, Thibault Daviet, Lolas brother, reportedly told his sisters accused killer.

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Some members of the victim's family left the courtroom before prosecutors showed pictures of her mutilated body, according to Le Parisien: "Death was caused by mechanical asphyxia due to obstruction of the nose and mouth," the judge said, reading a medical examiners report as the images lingered on the screen. Her head partially severed.



The Huffington Post described Benkireds trial and opening testimony as highly anticipated in a country where the case surrounding the Algerian [native] has become far-right political fodder  against Lola's mother's public wishes to keep her deceased daughter out of political debate and leave the memory of her young life at peace.

Benkired, who reportedly appeared mostly calm in court Friday as prosecutors laid out the case against her, could face up to life in prison if convicted, Le Parisien reported.

Her trial is set to last for six days.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.

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In August, President Donald Trump took over the police force in Washington, D.C., and flooded the city with officers from various federal agencies. As part of this show of force, federal agents arrested hundreds of people, while prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbialed by interim U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirroseemingly intended to throw the book at them, whether or not the punishment actually fit the crime.

This week, one of the administration's more high-profile cases crashed and burned at trial.

In July, according to a charging document, D.C. resident Sydney Reid filmed with her phone as agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took two people into custody from the city jail. When one ICE officer told Reid to move back, she "continued to move closer to the officers and continued to record the arrest." When she didn't reply to further commands, an officer pushed her against the wall, and FBI Agent Eugenia Bates stepped in to assist as Reid "was flailing her arms and kicking and had to be pinned against a cement wall." During the scuffle, the indictment claims Reid "forcefully pushed [Bates'] hand against the cement wall" and "caused lacerations," and it includes a picture of her hand with two red marks.

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Reid was arrested for "assaulting, resisting, or impeding" federal officers, a felony punishable by up to eight years in prison. But when prosecutors presented the case, a grand jury declined to indictnot once or even twice, but three separate times.

This is not unique to Reid: In August, the same month, prosecutors also failed to secure a grand jury indictment against Sean Dunn, the Department of Justice employee who threw a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection officer stationed in D.C. In fact, within three weeks of Trump's D.C. takeover, grand juries declined to return indictments at least seven times.

After failing to secure an indictment within 30 days, as required by law, prosecutors refiled Reid's case as a misdemeanor. This week, after a three-day trial, a jury deliberated for less than two hours before acquitting Reid of the misdemeanor charge.

The case was troubled from the start. "Nearly a dozen people in the federal jury pool said they couldn't be impartial in the case because of their feelings," CNN reported. One said she couldn't be impartial about immigration officials because "Just last monthmy cousin and my aunt were taken from me."

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At an evidentiary hearing in August, a government witness claimed there was no video of the incident in question because the jail's cameras weren't working at the time. But on Monday, the night before the trial, federal officials suddenly turned over two videos of the altercation that they had previously claimed didn't exist.

"Either your agent lied, or [the D.C. Department of Corrections] lied, or someone was sloppy," U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan told prosecutors.

The prosecution alleged that during the scuffle, when asked to calm down, Reid "continued to resist and instead began raising up her leg as if preparing to strike the

agents with her knee"which would constitute simple assault, even though she did not actually make contact.

Reid said she was present when an officer "viewed a video of the incident, captured by cellphone," and "the angle of the video shows that the knee was not directed at any law enforcement officer but was a reactive movement." But when her attorneys requested a copy of that video, officials said it was posted on social media, and the link was now dead. They also noted that even though multiple agents at the scene wore body cameras, those cameras were either turned off or had dead batteries.

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In September, Sooknanan granted the defense's request to include as evidence text messages that Bates sent to another officer after the incident, in which she called her injuries "boo boos" and referred to Reid as a "lib tard."

Then at trial, during cross-examination of Bates, Reid's attorney realized a text was missing from what Bates submitted as evidence. "That seems to be a common theme with all your witnesses," Sooknanan asked the prosecutor. "Did they lie, or did they continuously make mistakes?"

"This verdict shows that this administration and their peons are not able to invoke fear in all citizens," Reid said in a scorching statement after the verdict. "I feel sorry for the prosecutors really, who must be burdened by Trump's irrational and unfounded hatred for his fellow man. He's a crazy person who's in charge of the most powerful nation."

"This case is a warning from the Department of Justice that they will have the backs of ICE goons, even when three grand juries reject their baseless charging decisions," added Reid's attorneys. "The Department of Justice can continue to take these cases to trial to suppress dissent and to try and intimidate people. But in the end, as long as we have a jury system, our citizens will continue to rebuke the DOJ through speedy acquittals."

The post Woman Acquitted of Assaulting FBI Agent After 3 Grand Juries Declined To Indict appeared first on Reason.com.
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  A Warren woman who turned in front of a motorcyclist, causing him to crash and suffer injuries, pleaded guilty in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court this week.

Brittani Scott, 36, pleaded guilty to an amended indictment that reduced a third-degree felony charge of aggravated vehicular assault to a fourth-degree felony and DUI, according to court records.

Scott will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation.

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Scott was charged following the May 2024 crash on Tod Avenue. According to a crash report, Scott was driving north in the curb lane when she made a U-turn in front of the motorcyclist, causing him to crash into the drivers side of Scotts car.

Scott and the motorcycle driver were both taken to the hospital.

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A victim exchanged gunfire with suspects during a home invasion Thursday on the city's South Side.

The shootout happened around in the 1400 block of East 65th Place in Woodlawn, Chicago police said.

Two male offenders with a firearm entered a home and battered a 26-year-old man, police said. The suspect then exchanged gunfire with a 48-year-old woman at the home.

The suspects fled the scene in a dark-colored vehicle westbound on 65th Place, CPD said.

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The man who was battered suffered a bruise to his head. No other injuries were reported.

No arrests have been made as Chicago police continue to investigate.

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NEED TO KNOW

Three-year-old Julian Wood was fatally stabbed on June 3, 2024

The toddler was stabbed in the face and the back by Bionca Ellis, a 34-year-old with a history of schizophrenia

On Wednesday, Oct. 15, Ellis was found guilty on nine criminal counts, including aggravated murder, felonious assault and child endangering

A woman was found guilty of fatally stabbing a 3-year-old boy outside of a Cleveland supermarket.

The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office announced on Wednesday, Oct. 15, that a jury found Bionca Ellis, 34, guilty in the death of Julian Wood. Ellis has a history of schizophrenia, and her defense attorneys entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, WKYC reported.

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Following the week-and-a-half-long trial, Ellis was convicted on nine criminal counts, including aggravated murder, felonious assault, child endangering and aggravated theft.

A grand jury indicted Ellis on the charges last year, and she was being held in jail on a $5 million bond. After being found guilty this week, she awaits her sentencing on Oct. 27, per ABC News.

Julians parents attended the Oct. 15 court date, and his mother, Margot Wood, said, This was for him today."

Court TV/Youtube Bionca Ellis Bionca Ellis

On June 3, 2024, Ellis stole two knives from the Volunteers of America Thrift Store, which is located next to the Giant Eagle supermarket. She then entered the store, and as she did she spotted Julian and his mother, Margot Wood, and proceeded to follow them.

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Ellis continued to follow them after Margot paid for the groceries and exited the store. Ellis then followed the mother and son to their vehicle.

She immediately stabbed Julian multiple times as he sat in the shopping cart and Margot loaded the groceries into her car, she said during her testimony, per Cleveland.com. Margot said Ellis stabbed Julian in the face. Margot tried to pull him out of the cart and was stabbed in her shoulder. Ellis then turned back to Julian and stabbed him in the back.

A nearby witness of the stabbing, Travis Bush, testified and said that he confronted Ellis about what she had done. Bush said that he asked if she knew she had just stabbed a child. Ellis only responded with a shrug, he testified.

Nearby witnesses called the police and reported the stabbing. The North Olmsted Police Department (NOPD) responded to the location, where they found Ellis walking away with a knife in her hand. She was arrested on the scene.

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Upon their arrival, Ellis was located walking away with a knife in her hand. She was arrested on the scene.

NOPD and EMS administered life-saving aid to Julian. He and his mother were transported to a nearby hospital. There, Margot was treated for her shoulder injuries, and the toddler was pronounced dead.

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Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has said that the "Modi model" of governance is proving effective not only in Haryana but across the entire country. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, key promises are being consistently fulfilled in the state and Haryana is steadily moving forward on the path of development. The Chief Minister made these remarks while addressing a press conference in Panchkula today. Responding to a question about his visit to Bihar, the Chief Minister said, "I am going there to campaign. The people have experienced Congress rule, whether in Bihar or Punjab; they now want development." Speaking about Punjab, the Chief Minister added that both the Congress and now the Aam Aadmi Party came to power by making false promises. The people will give them a fitting response in 2027." CM Saini, responding to questions, said that the people of the state are happy, which is why he always wears a smile. Advising the opposition, the Chief Minister remarked that laughter is good for health. Talking about his visit to Japan, CM Saini said that several companies expressed their interest in investing in Haryana. Citing an example from the Mahabharata, he remarked that just as Barbarik could only see Sudarshan, similarly, in Japan, people were chanting "Modi-Modi." Everyone he met praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his policies. The Chief Minister also informed that MoUs worth over Rs 5,000 crore were signed during the two-day visit. Congratulating the people of the state on Dhanteras, the Chief Minister said that Haryana's tehsils will remain open on Dhanteras. Relevant staff and officers will be available for the registration of plots allotted to the beneficiaries. Responding to questions about the cases of deceased IPS officer Y Puran Kumar and ASI Sandeep, Chief Minister described both incidents as unfortunate. He said that the Chandigarh Police is investigating one case, while the Haryana Police is investigating the other. The Chief Minister assured that the government will not allow injustice to be done to any family and expressed confidence that the investigations will reveal the truth. (ANI)
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  A Warren woman was sentenced this week after pleading guilty to a gun charge.

Read next: Austintown influencer charged after incident at Pittsburgh Zoo

LaCriesha Green, 33, was sentenced to two years in jail. One year was imposed on the charge of improper discharge on or near prohibited premises, a third-degree felony, and the additional year was imposed on a gun specification.

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The case involved a shooting at the Holiday Bar off Elm Road NE in Howland Township on March 29.

The shooting, which caused damage to a vehicle that was parked outside the bar, followed an altercation between Green and two people in the parking lot, prosecutors stated.

Chelsea Simeon contributed to this report.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
CHICAGO  Police are asking for help from the public in the search for a woman who has been missing for more than three weeks.

Chicago police say a search is underway for 19-year-old Desiree Price, who officers say has been missing since Tuesday, Sept. 23.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Officers say Price was last seen near the 500 block of West 81st Place in Chatham on the citys South Side.

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Additionally, the officer said the missing woman suffers from an undisclosed mental illness and is in the care of the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services.

Photo provided by Chicago police shows 19-year-old Desiree Price, who officers say has been missing since Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025.

Price, who stands around 5-foot-7 and weighs about 110 pounds, has brown eyes and black hair. She is also known to wear a nose ring.

Officers provided details about the missing womans disappearance in a news release shared on Thursday, but did not say what she was last seen wearing.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of 19-year-old Desiree Price is asked to contact CPD Area Two Detectives at 312-747-8273 or dial 911.

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Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously.

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ST. LOUIS  A University City woman is behind bars tonight after police say she stole thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from a local Lululemon store.

And all of it was caught-on-camera.

According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments probable cause statement, the thefts all took place on Sept. 28 at the Lululemon store on Maryland Plaza in the Central West End.

Police said Mercedes A. Floyd, 33, went to the store three separate times and took several items, valued at $1,130, $6,558.84 and $1,628, respectively.

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The thefts were captured on store surveillance and Central West End Neighborhood Security Initiative cameras, police said.

The organization tells FOX 2 its camerassituated throughout the neighborhoodare helping police track down those perpetrating thefts like these.

People who work and shop in the area reacted to the news Thursday, expressing shock and disappointment over the incident.

The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged Floyd with three counts of stealing  $750 or more.

She is being held in the St. Louis City Justice Center without bond. She has a bond hearing scheduled for next Thursday morning.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A Wood Village man is facing more than 140 charges of alleged sexual abuse of children, authorities announced Friday.

On Oct. 6, detectives with the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office received information from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children detailing abuse of children and the dissemination of child sex abuse material from a home in Wood Village, Oregon.

On Thursday, detectives executed a search warrant on the home, near Northeast Pike Street and Northeast Kokanee Lane where they arrested 56-year-old Iosif Blashishen.

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Could Oregon see a warmer winter? NOAA releases weather predictions for holidays

Blashishen was booked onto the Multnomah County Detention Center on 142 charges including sexual abuse, rape, sodomy, 67 counts of encouraging child sexual abuse, as well as 67 counts of using a child in the display of sexually explicit conduct.

Detectives believe there may be additional victims in the case and ask anyone with information to contact the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Residents in the Woodbine neighborhood are working together to bring change.

They noticed a busy section of roadway did not accommodate all pedestrians, but with the help of a local organization, theyve now changed that.

Monica and Brandon Wright noticed a crosswalk across Foster Avenue was not complaint with the Americans with Disabilities Act and brought the issue to the attention of Walk Bike Nashville. WBN then worked with the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure to get it fixed and ready for people of all abilities.

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Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More

Foster Avenue is very residential, which means a lot of families walk along the streets. The Peachtree and Joyner intersections of Foster Avenue have long been a dangerous place for people to crossespecially those in a wheelchair.

The crosswalks end with a steep curb, making it difficult for people in wheelchairs to navigate.

According to the Wrights, Foster Avenue is an arterial street, which excludes it from consideration for NDOTs Traffic Calming program, meaning pedestrian options are limited.

Even for something as simple as a stroll through the neighborhood, most people would rather stick to their side to avoid the risk, they said in a statement to News 2. We hope these safer crossing points will change that. As Woodbine frows, getting to the three bus stops along Nolensville Pike needs to feel safe. With bus service continuing to improve thanks to Choose How You Move, these ADA changes will allow crosswalks to be added and remind motorists that people live here.

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Murfreesboro holding Barfield Carnival Bash

WBN Executive Director Meredith Montgomery said there are plenty of crosswalks across Nashville that need to be updated.

ADA-compliant measures help everyone. Im thinking about parents who have strollers, she told News 2. If you have to jump a curb that doesnt have a curb cut-in and is not ADA compliant, its not a pleasant experience. This is a small improvement that can have a big impact on everyday lives in this neighborhood.

Montgomery said WBN is always on the lookout for neighborhoods that could use this kind of change.

We are so grateful for organizations like Walk Bike Nashville, who advocate for Nashville residents and help bridge gaps between the city and the community, the Wrights said in their statement.

Do you have news happening in your neighborhood? Let us know by sending an email to neighborhoodnews@wkrn.com.

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WOODMERE VILLAGE, Ohio (WJW)  The Village of Woodmere held a police processional and memorial ceremony on Friday for K-9 Officer Revan.

According to a press release from the Woodmere Village Police Department, retired Police K-9 Officer Revan faithfully served the Woodmere Police Department alongside his handler, Patrolman Christopher Dotson, from January 9, 2019, until his retirement in April 2024.

Bond set for men accused of brutal attack on local Amish family

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To honor Revans life and service, a processional began at 2:30 p.m. at the Orange Village Maintenance Garage on Friday.

Officers traveled north on Lander Road to Lander Circle, then west along Chagrin Boulevard, arriving at Woodmere Village Hall, where the memorial service began at 3 p.m.

More than 20 police departments and regional K-9 units participated in the tribute, the release said.

The tribute concluded with a traditional End of Watch radio call from Chagrin Valley Dispatch.

Woodmere police shared that K-9 Revan was certified in patrol, tracking and narcotics detection, but clearly made a much bigger impact.

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Those of you who knew Ofc. Revan got to delight in his energetic, bright, and loving personality. And of course, those who were lucky enough on the other side of the law got to experience the fierceness and toughness of Ofc. Revan in action. Ofc. Revan will be dearly missed. Please keep Ptl. Dotson and his family in your thoughts and prayers at this time, Woodmere police said on social media.

Revan was born on Nov. 12, 2018, on Veterans Day. He was the first police K-9 in Woodmere Villages history.

K-9 Officer Revan was featured in the 2024 Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. national fundraising calendar. He was just 5 years old when he made an appearance with Officer Christopher Dotson.

Photo: Woodmere Village Police Department

2 arrested after armed robberies at McDonalds, gas station in Elyria

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Mayor Benjamin I. Holbert III shared, On behalf of the Village, I extend heartfelt condolences to Officer Dotson and his family. Revans legacy of loyalty, protection, and service will forever be part of Woodmeres story. To those who met him, Revans playful nature brought joybut in uniform, his courage and discipline made him an invaluable protector of our community.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
TORSHAVN, Faroe Islands (AP)  The farmers market looked  lets be honest  sad.

Conditions arent friendly in the Faroe Islands for growing food. Raked by north Atlantic winds and nibbled by thousands of sheep, the nearly treeless islands have poor soil and little room for planting. Potatoes and rhubarb are local staples.

But some residents have had enough of importing almost all their food from the rest of Europe and beyond. Many products are stamped with the flag of Denmark, under which the islands are self-governing.

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There are efforts to grow more adventurous crops like kale, seen as hardy elsewhere in the world, and to promote local products  from seaweed to meat and fish fermented by the salty air.

That work can be seen in the Faroese capital of Torshavn, where the tiny farmers' market is held one Sunday a month for much of the year. In September, a few stalls offered meats, bags of kale and cabbage and seasoned salt next to the overcast harbor.

The vegetables were priced at around 40 Faroese krona (over $6) per bag, a reminder of the high prices for food in the remote islands whose closest neighbors are Iceland, Scotland and Norway.

Cups of soup made from fermented local radishes  and imported beans  sold for 75 krona, or over $11, with a piece of bread.

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The farmers market is part of Matkovin, a project set up by a local couple to promote food producers. It notes the growing international interest in Faroese food, including a Michelin-starred restaurant and a network of home-cooked meals for tourists called "heimablidni."

There is a divide, though, between this romantic vision of the Faroese food culture and the everyday state of things, where the majority of our food is imported from far-away countries, the project says. It adds: Few Faroese foods are available in the shops, and we are never told where the producer of these foods is located. The Faroese food producer is invisible.

Some Faroese said the COVID-19 pandemic and its shocks to the supply chain raised serious questions about food security, along with a large labor strike in May 2024 in the islands that led to rationing.

The Matkovin project highlights a dozen local food producers of such things as goose carcasses, pesto and liver pate, along with bios that often describe the craggy islands challenges.

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One half the year we live on the shadow side, as the sun sets for the last time in Trllanes on Michaelmas on Sept. 29, and we do not see the sun again before St. Gregorys Day on March 12. It is indeed very dark here during the winter months, says the bio for Uppistova, a small farm on the island of Kalsoy where the AP purchased eggs and rhubarb jam.

Meanwhile, a project called Veltan is working to coax a wider variety of vegetables from greenhouses on the southern island of Sandoy, though offerings remain hardier ones like peas and carrots.

We at Veltan believe that in Faroe Islands it should be possible to eat Faroese vegetables! the project says.

The work builds on growing local pride that is showcasing the islands more adventurous food offerings, which have emerged over the years from remoteness and tough living.

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The Michelin-starred restaurant Paz offers a tasting menu at nearly $400 for what the land and sea offer at any given moment.

Its menu draws on seafood, which drives the economy, and the local fermenting process by which fish and meat are hung in wood-slatted buildings and left to cure in the sea air. Locals call it an acquired taste.

There is still much work ahead. At a steakhouse in the sheep-roamed islands second-largest community, Klaksvik, a server was asked where they sourced their lamb.

New Zealand, she said.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  Police have arrested a suspect in a shooting that injured four young people in southeast Wichita.

In a news release Thursday night, police said an 18-year-old Wichita man has been arrested in connection with the shooting at the intersection of Clifton and Morris early Sunday morning.

Just before 3 a.m., Wichita police were called to a local hospital after multiple shooting victims walked in. There, officers found several people suffering from gunshot wounds.

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The victims include a 21-year-old male and a 22-year-old female, both with injuries to their lower legs and in stable condition. A 19-year-old male is in stable condition after a midsection injury, while a 26-year-old male is in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the upper body, according to police.

Man dead, suspect in custody after shooting aboard Wichita city bus

Investigators identified and apprehended the suspect using technology such as FLOCK, surveillance cameras, and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN)

The suspect has been booked on four counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle, resulting in great bodily harm.

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The case will be presented to the District Attorneys Office for formal charges, and the investigation is ongoing, according to the release.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday criticised previous Congress governments for engaging in "sarkarikaran" of policy processes, which slowed the country's growth, while noting that his government has always worked to democratise policy and processes. Citing the example of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's decision to nationalise the banks, Prime Minister Modi accused the Congress of further distancing banks and their services from the people of the country. Addressing the NDTV's World Summit 2025 in New Delhi, PM Modi said, "The people of this country can only truly utilise their potential when the government neither exerts pressure nor interferes in their lives. The more sarkarikaran there is, the slower it will become. The more democratisation there is, the more it will accelerate. Unfortunately, the Congress party, which ruled the country for 60 years, always emphasised the sarkarikaran of the policy processes. In the past 11 years, we have worked to democratise policy and process. This is a major reason behind Unstoppable India." "Banking is an example of this. In the 60s, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said that sarkarikaran was done to make banking services accessible to the poor, farmers, and the common man. But in reality, Congress governments further distanced banks from the people of the country. When our government came to power in 2014, more than half of the country's population did not even have their bank accounts... It was very important for the country to come out of this sarkarikaran, and we made that possible," the Prime Minister stated. At the NDTV World Summit 2025, the Prime Minister highlighted that his government has democratised and reformed the banking sector, and now every village in the country has some kind of banking touchpoint. He asserted, "We democratised the banking sector and reformed it. We opened over 50 crore bank accounts in a mission mode... Today, every village in the country has some kind of banking touchpoint. Digital transactions have made India one of the most financially inclusive countries in the world..." Prime Minister Modi further claimed that the then Congress government was preparing to close petrol pumps from 8 pm to 8 am to avoid subsidies on petrol and diesel. PM Modi said, "Before 2014, when the idea of nationalisation was dominant, the Congress government was preparing to close petrol pumps from 8 pm to 8 am to avoid giving the subsidy on petrol and diesel... During the Congress regime, even to obtain a gas connection, one had to obtain a letter written by MPs... As soon as we came to power, we provided free gas connections to more than 10 crore poor families." The Prime Minister also targeted Congress over Naxalism, alleging that the "urban Naxals" flourished under Congress rule and used heavy censorship to ensure that no incident of Maoist terrorism reached the people of the country. At the NDTV World Summit, PM Modi stated, "I believe that the word 'Naxalism' has been coined for no reason. In reality, it is Maoist terrorism... During the Congress rule, the urban Naxal ecosystem was so dominant that they used heavy censorship to ensure that no incident of Maoist terrorism reached the people of the country. There was so much concern about terrorism in our country, and there was so much debate on Article 370, but the urban Naxalites who flourished in our cities during the Congress rule, who had taken control of such institutions, used to cover up the Maoist terrorism and kept the country in the dark." (ANI)
A wrongfully convicted Frankfort man who spent nearly nine years in prison has been freed after the Kentucky Supreme Court overturned his conviction.

John Brandon Lamotte, 32, had been in prison since 2017, when he was charged with stabbing and injuring his neighbor and friend, Kate Sanders. She testified at trial that he had stabbed her, but she later recanted.

Lamotte was convicted in 2019, but a Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled in 2023 his conviction was invalid. On Wednesday, the Kentucky Supreme Court agreed.

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Today has been a long time coming for Brandon and his family and friends, who have fought tirelessly for the truth to be exposed, said Lamottes attorney, Amy Robinson Staples, of the Exoneration Project, a nonprofit that provides free legal services to the wrongfully convicted. The false charges levied against him and the many years of wrongful incarceration have had a severe impact on them all. Our hope is that with the appellate courts rulings, Brandon and his family can begin rebuilding their lives.

When Sanders was stabbed in 2017, she told first responders her ex-boyfriend, who had a history of violence, had attached her, according to the Exoneration Project.

But Frankfort police instead focused on Lamotte, and she eventually identified him as her attacker at trial.

Lamotte was convicted of first-degree assault and sentenced to 11 years in prison.

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But, according to the Exoneration Project, Sanders later recanted on at least three occasions. She also made social media posts admitting she had sent an innocent man to prison.

Lamottes attorneys filed a motion to throw out his conviction, but the Franklin Circuit Court denied Lamottes motion in August 2020.

Even after the Kentucky Court of Appeals issued an opinion reversing Lamottes conviction, but he remained in prison for more than two years as prosecutors fought the decision.
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) Sheriff Frank Priddy is looking to expand the ranks of the Raleigh County Sheriffs Office.

Beckley Area Foundation announces El Mariachi/Rizo Family Scholarship for Shady Spring students

Department members were being presented with over $5,000 in unclaimed property funds from the West Virginia Treasurers Office. These funds will go toward equipment for seven incoming sheriffs deputies. Specifically, Sheriff Priddy said securing new firearms is a priority for the department as he works to get more boots on the ground.



What were going to do is were going to replenish our firearms. Were going to use that for our firearms purchases and its going to be a huge help, Sheriff Frank Priddy told 59News. We have to get new firearms when we hire new people and so forth, and that is a costly expense for us.



Sheriffs deputies have recently been engaged in the departments train with a deputy program. Potential recruits got the chance to work with actual officers to see if they may be a good fit for a career in law enforcement.

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CHEYENNE  The Wyoming Legislatures Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Committee voted to sponsor a controversial bill aimed at protecting the autonomy and mission of Wyomings pregnancy centers, setting up a likely highly contested debate during the upcoming budget session.

The bill, titled Wyoming Pregnancy Center Autonomy and Rights of Expression (CARE) Act, passed the committee Thursday by a vote of 10-2. The legislation seeks to shield nonprofit pregnancy centers, which sometimes counsel against abortion, from being targeted by state or local governmental entities based on their ethics.

The core of the proposed statute prohibits the state or any political subdivision  including counties and cities  from enacting laws, ordinances or policies that would interfere with a pregnancy centers mission.

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Specifically, the bill states that governmental entities shall not require a pregnancy center to offer or perform abortions, provide abortion-inducing drugs or contraception, or refer or counsel a person in favor of abortion. The bill also prohibits interference with a centers staffing or hiring decisions if the individual does not affirm the centers ethics or agree to comply with its operating procedures.

Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper (2025)

Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper

Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper, raised questions about the bills origin, asking if it was a national bill that has been copied. An LSO staff member acknowledged the bill was likely introduced in several different states, though Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, who is also current chairwoman of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, the far-right group of state lawmakers, later said she had drafted it with LSO staff before she brought the legislation to the 2025 legislative session.

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Denise Burke, senior counsel for the Christian legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom, said that since the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization decision in 2022, at least 21 states have introduced measures attacking pregnancy centers autonomy, and five have enacted such measures.

This bill prevents (pregnancy centers) from being singled out by censorship or discriminatory treatment simply because of their pro-life ethics and practices, she said.

Opposition to the bill

Public testimony highlighted sharp divisions over the necessity and wisdom of the legislation.

Opponents argued the bill grants special protection to organizations that are often medically unregulated. Britt Borrell, executive director of WYO United, a nonpartisan organization that advocates for access to reproductive health care in Wyoming, criticized the name CARE Act as shady.

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This bill in no way promotes care for pregnant women and girls. In fact, it aims to shield unregulated pregnancy centers from oversight, she said. To be clear, these centers are not licensed health care providers, they are not required to be staffed by licensed medical professionals, nor are they required to provide accurate and comprehensive medical information to people seeking their services.

She also pointed out that because these centers are unregulated, they do not have to adhere to federal HIPAA standards, meaning sensitive private information could potentially be shared with faith groups or law enforcement.

Emma Laurent, from Sheridan, spoke against the measure, calling the centers fake clinics.

I urge you to stop spending your energy on the theory of the sanctity of life and actually support increasing practical solutions, such as expanding birthing centers and attracting obstetricians to the state to take care of Wyoming women and the tangible health and any subsequent children they choose to have, she said.

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Another opponent, 19-year-old Albany County School District 1 board member Sophia Gomelsky, speaking on her own behalf, said legislation like this elevates ideology over science, discouraging youth who value autonomy from staying in Wyoming.

Thats not free speech, thats medical deception, and this Legislature should be in no business of protecting it, she said.

Cheyenne attorney Linda Burt argued the bill is unnecessary, citing a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling protecting nonprofits free speech rights against being forced to provide abortion information.

Exempting any kind of nonprofit corporation  which is what this is  is providing special legislation for one kind of nonprofit corporation. It opens up a door for everybody to ask for special protections, she said.

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Concerns about the political timing were also voiced by committee members. Scott inquired whether there was an immediate crisis necessitating the bill now, rather than waiting for a general session, noting the measure is likely to be highly controversial and time-consuming during the already tight budget session.

Burke said the bill is proactive, anticipating future government interference.

Support for the bill

Supporters strongly defended the professionalism and transparency of Wyomings pregnancy centers.

Valerie Berry, executive director of LifeChoice Pregnancy Care Center in Cheyenne, directly addressed claims of being unlicensed or unregulated. She stated her center is a medical clinic licensed through the state, staffed by a medical director with a doctorate in osteopathic medicine degree, a volunteer retired OB/GYN once per week, a family nurse practitioner and two registered nurses.

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LifeChoice

Valerie Berry, executive director of LifeChoice Pregnancy Care Center, is photographed April 24 in Cheyenne. "We are here to care for them, but they have full autonomy," Berry said.

To say that we are not a medical clinic, its not true, she said.

Berry noted that there are many couples in Wyoming who would love to adopt, but do not have the option for that because of abortion.

Charla Ricciardi, a former Wyoming Department of Health official, joined the LifeChoice team around six years ago. She said the center is HIPAA compliant, and that all ultrasounds are performed by certified registered nurses and reviewed by their medical director. She confirmed that the center offers services including pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and parenting classes free of charge.

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Despite concerns over the necessity and timeliness of the bill, it still advanced and will be heard in February when the budget session kicks off.

Before the vote, Scott expressed concerns about the political and constitutional controversies surrounding the bill, saying it may not make it through the budget session. Sen. Gary Crum, R-Laramie, expressed similar concerns.

Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, said this bill doesnt protect anyone from anything because there is no threat of what it is attempting to protect.

Joel Guggenmos, R-Riverton and Mike Yin, D-Jackson

Reps. Joel Guggenmos, R-Riverton, left, and Mike Yin, D-Jackson, listen during the Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Committee meeting at the Capitol on Thursday. The committee met about maternity care, emergency medical services, naturopaths, public assistance programs and hospital bankruptcy, among other topics.

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I dont understand the usage of the bill, except for it to be a tool to be used during campaign seasons where its going to be, Oh, this person voted against abortion. Oh, this voted person voted for abortion. So, Im really frustrated that were even spending time on the bill, he said.

Scott and Yin cast the only votes in opposition.
Indigenous education experts and advocates are outraged over the states draft action plan for improving education, which they say lacks detail and fails to meaningfully incorporate community input.

We may be stuck with something that is unconscionable if the Public Education Department doesnt make changes before it submits the final plan to the court in early November, said Regis Pecos, a former governor of Cochiti Pueblo and co-director of the Leadership Institute at Santa Fe Indian School. There has been a growing consensus that this is not what we need, and this is not what our children deserve.

[Editor's Note: This story was originally published by "New Mexico In Depth "Used with permission. All rights reserved.]

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Pecos made those remarks Tuesday during a five-hour gathering attended by dozens of people just north of Albuquerque.

Its been over seven years since a state judge in the landmark Yazzie/Martinez court case found New Mexico was violating its constitutional duty to provide a sufficient education to Native American and low-income students, English language learners, and students with disabilities.

The plaintiffs went back to court last fall, arguing the state wasnt complying with the 2018 ruling. In April, another state judge agreed, setting an October deadline for PED to deliver a draft plan.

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The 70-page document the agency crafted in response is dismal, said Melissa Candelaria (San Felipe Pueblo), education director at the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty and attorney for the Yazzie plaintiffs. The draft, she said, is limited in concrete goals and funding estimates.

Its so vague that its almost useless, said Rep. Derrick Lente, a Democrat from Sandia Pueblo whos considered a champion for tribal education.

Asked for a response to those criticisms, PED spokesperson Janelle Taylor Garcia wrote, We appreciate the engagement from education experts, tribal leaders, and community stakeholders during this critical period.

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PED is accepting comments on the draft action plan online through Friday.

Any feedback will help shape the final version of the plan, Garcia said. The final plan is due Nov. 3, after which the plaintiffs will be able to file objections.

But some education experts and advocates are frustrated that, in their view, the department hasnt fully integrated feedback its received for years, most recently at public meetings held around the state in August.

Tribal communities have long called on the state to carry out the 2003 Indian Education Act, which is meant to ensure students receive an education that connects to their cultures, in part through Native language instruction, following a not-so-distant history of violent attempts at assimilation.

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Where our children spend the greater amount of their time during the course of the day, during the course of the year, thats where they should also see themselves, their languages, their cultures and their history, Pecos said. The survival of language and culture is truly at stake.

Christine Sims (Acoma Pueblo), an associate professor in the University of New Mexicos Department of Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies, presented a number of gaps she identified in the draft.

For instance, one of the goals the draft sets is that every community will have access to high-quality programming that leads to literacy in English and a second language, including Native languages.

But the draft doesnt spell out how schools will provide more Native language classes. It lists tribal partners as one of the parties responsible for helping to meet that goal of increased biliteracy, but it doesnt factor in how districts and schools could collaborate with tribal nations to evaluate existing language programs and design new ones. The draft also doesnt list specific instructional materials needed for language classes, Sims said, adding that teachers are often left to create such materials on their own.

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And aside from one mention of Jicarilla Apache students, the draft does not name the eight Native languages spoken by the 23 federally recognized tribes in New Mexico, nor does it mention tribes by name.

Thats a problem, Sims said, because identifying those languages is the first step in assessing the programs schools offer and whats needed.

During a presentation focused on well-being and behavioral supports, Chenoa Bah Stilwell-Jensen (Dine), a UNM instructor focused on health education, said a man in Farmington she spoke with was troubled that he and his wife were not contacted about the individualized education program for the grandson theyre raising, who has autism.

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Some Taos families have similar concerns, said Glenabah Martinez (Taos Pueblo/Dine), director of the Institute for American Indian Education at UNM. She questions what the state plans to do to make sure special education is culturally relevant.

The draft doesnt meet nine key components the Yazzie legal team outlined earlier this year, Martinez said. Those components  including developing robust accountability mechanisms  push the boundaries of what we should do in terms of curriculum, instruction, assessment, policy, Martinez said.

Were this many years in, and were still fighting for our children, plaintiff Wilhelmina Yazzie (Dine) said. Coming to you as a mother, its heartbreaking to see.

About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.net."

Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.net
New York State Republicans voted Friday to disband the partys chapter for younger members, according to Politico, after a damning report revealed that leaders of Young Republican groups across the country had engaged in a jarringly offensive group chat that glorified Adolf Hitler and sexual violence.

Newsday, a Long Islandbased newspaper, was first to report that the state Republican leadership was planning to disband the chapter.

Politics: There's About To Be An Awful New Consequence Of The Shutdown

Tuesdays report from Politico sparked widespread condemnation, although some high-profile Republicans defended the young people. Several of the texts had come from members of New York State Young Republicans.

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The former chair of the group, Peter Giunta, reportedly wrote in the chat at one point, I love Hitler.

Giunta had been encouraging others to vote for him to chair the Young Republicans national organization, which represents voters aged 18-40.

Everyone that votes no is going to the gas chamber, he wrote, per Politico.

News: JD Vances Hitler Comment Haunts Him In Heated CNN Panel On Young Republicans Racist Texts

Im ready to watch people burn now, Annie Kaykaty, a member of the Young Republicans national committee, who is also from New York, reportedly wrote in response.

A photo obtained by HuffPost shows both Giunta and Kaykaty posing with President Donald Trump backstage at a campaign rally in 2024, illustrating their proximity to the national Republican Partys operations.

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The New York State Republican Party did not return HuffPosts request for comment. But New York GOP chair Ed Cox said in a statement to Politico, The Young Republicans was already grossly mismanaged, and vile language of the sort made in the group chat has no place in our party or its subsidiary organizations.

Politico reported that it reviewed 2,900 pages of chats that had been shared among a dozen Young Republican leaders intent on making a power grab on behalf of hardline Trump supporters. They were sent between January and mid-August.

Politics: DHS Purchase Of Business Jets During Shutdown Draws Democrats Ire

The outlet said that variations on the N-word, f****t and retarded appeared some 250 times combined; Black people were also referred to as monkeys and the watermelon people.

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Bobby Walker, former vice chair of the New York State Young Republicans, reportedly referred to mass rape as epic.

The text chain presents a picture of a culture of rampant racism and sexism among young Republicans.

But not everyone sees it that way, apparently.

Politics: White House Gives Wild Response To A Simple Question Asked By HuffPost Reporter

Vice President JD Vance defended the group against the Politico report on Wednesday, saying, Kids do stupid things, especially young boys. They tell edgy, offensive jokes. Thats what kids do.

Vance is 41, just several months older than the age range the Young Republican group represents.

Related...

Read the original on HuffPost
NEW YORK  New York State Republican Party leaders voted unanimously Friday to disband an organization promoting younger members following POLITICOs exclusive report on a Young Republican group chat filled with racist and antisemitic rhetoric.

The executive committee of the state party suspended the authorization of the younger arm to operate at a statewide level. Leaders have signaled the step makes way for a fresh start.

The Young Republicans was already grossly mismanaged, and vile language of the sort made in the group chat has no place in our party or its subsidiary organizations, New York GOP chair Ed Cox said in a statement.

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Five members of the private Telegram chat featuring jokes about gas chambers, Adolf Hitler and rape had close ties to the state GOP. Peter Giunta is a former chair of the Young Republicans group and Bobby Walker at the time of the chat was its vice chair.

Since POLITICO began its reporting on the chat they posted prominently in, Giunta is out of his job as chief of staff to state Assemblymember Mike Reilly and Walkers offer to manage state Sen. Peter Oberackers congressional bid has been pulled. Both young Republicans have apologized for their remarks but questioned whether the chat was altered.

Newsday first reported the plan to disband the state group for Republicans ages 18 to 40.

Earlier this week, the Kansas Young Republicans club was dissolved as well.

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Cox sent a formal notice to the National Federation of Young Republicans. In his statement, he also took a dig at Democrats.

Unlike the Democrat Party that embraces anti-Semitic rhetoric and refuses to condemn leaders who call for political violence, Republicans deliver accountability by immediately removing those who use this sort of rhetoric from the positions they hold, he said. This incident was immediately condemned by our most senior New York Republican elected leaders.

New York Democrats have sought to capitalize on the Young Republicans appearances in photos with the Democrats political targets, including GOP Reps. Elise Stefanik and Mike Lawler, ahead of the midterms. Both Stefanik and Lawler immediately denounced the chat, though Stefanik later called POLITICOs story a hit job.

Jason Beeferman contributed to this story.
The New York Times issued a scathing statement in response to President Donald Trump refiling his $15 billion defamation lawsuit against them.

As we said when this was first filed and again after the judges ruling to strike it: this lawsuit has no merit, a spokesperson for The New York Times said on Thursday evening. Nothing has changed today. This is merely an attempt to stifle independent reporting and generate PR attention, but The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics.

Trump refiled the suit  which was initially rejected by a federal judge back in September due to its length  in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District in Tampa, Florida Thursday. In the amended lawsuit, the president accuses the outlet of defamation and offered up two articles by the Times from 2024, as well as a book written by the publications reporters, as evidence.

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Reporters Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner and Peter Baker were all named as defendants alongside The New York Times. Michael S. Schmidt, who was named in Trumps initial suit, was not named as a defendant in the amended document.

Penguin Random House was also named as a defendant in the amended complaint, as they were the publisher of Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Fathers Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success, penned by the aforementioned Craig and Buettner.

The president is seeking $15 billion, as well as punitive damages, in his lawsuit.

On the decision to refile, a spokesperson from Trumps legal team shared: President Trump is continuing to hold the Fake News responsible through this powerhouse lawsuit against the New York Times, its reporters and Penguin Random House.

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Trump first sued the Times for $15 billion back in September, but a judge subsequently dismissed the 85-page complaint. However, the judge did give Trumps legal team a near one-month window to refile, demanding the suit be no more than 40 pages. The refiled suit is exactly 40 pages.

A complaint is not a megaphone for public relations or a podium for a

passionate oration at a political rally or the functional equivalent of the Hyde Park

Speakers Corner, wrote Judge Steven D. Merryday at the time.

Trumps Times lawsuit comes on the heels of similar ones hes filed against other outlets, including ABC News, CBS News and The Wall Street Journal.

In December 2024, ABC agreed to pay $15 million, plus $1 million in legal fees, after Trump sued the network for incorrect claims made about the E. Jean Carroll civil case.

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CBSs parent company, Paramount Global, settled with Trump for $16 million back in July 2025, after the latter accused the network of favorably editing a Kamala Harris interview to help her chances in the 2024 Presidential election.

The post The New York Times Hits Back After Trump Refiles $15 Billion Defamation Lawsuit: Nothing Has Changed appeared first on TheWrap.




As uncertainty swirled around Yosemite National Park's ability to safely operate during the ongoing government shutdown, Northern California native Shannon Schiess made her first trip to the park in two decades.

A bare-bones staff has kept Yosemite running since the federal government went dark on Oct. 1. Former National Park Service officials have urged a closure of all 433 of the agency's sites until the government reopens, citing safety concerns and the threat of wilderness destruction. Those warnings have largely gone unheeded - President Donald Trump's administration hasn't wavered from its commitment to keep the parks open.

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The debate has done little to stanch the flow of park visitors. Local business owners reported more customers than usual in the last two weeks, while several visitors said their Yosemite experiences were largely untainted by the shutdown. With the gates unstaffed, the $35-per-car entrance fee is not being collected. Yosemite's pilot reservation system also ended after Labor Day weekend, removing another barrier to park access.

"I feel like there's a lot of negativity around it, but there shouldn't be," Schiess said. "It was amazing. That's how I feel it should be. It should always be open. There shouldn't be restrictions."

Schiess lives in the Stanislaus County city of Oakdale, less than two hours from the edge of the park. She hadn't heard about the shutdown when a visiting family member suggested a trip last week, and she didn't notice anything amiss during her day at Yosemite. The park was clean and bustling with people, Schiess said. She even saw a couple getting married.

The limited staff members left in Yosemite are mostly focused on emergency response and routine maintenance of the park's trails, campgrounds and bathrooms. Food and lodging services are still provided by Aramark-run Yosemite Hospitality, a private concessionaire. The nonprofit Yosemite Conservancy is running its stores and outdoor education programs as scheduled.

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Shuttered NPS visitor centers and fewer rangers were the only visible evidence of the shutdown that Sandi Kushner of New Jersey saw in her three-day trip to the park. Kushner was closely following the possibility of a shutdown during an RV tour of national parks with her husband. It's given an unexpected political bent to her trip, she said.

"The people who travel are the people who are curious and engaged with others and want to see how other people live in different parts of the country," Kushner said. "Those aren't Trumpers."

Kushner wished only that there had been more park rangers to consult on parking and the difficulty of hikes. T.J., an East Bay woman who declined to give her last name, said she saw at least one staff member posted near each campsite during her four days at the park, but she imagined there was an "underbelly scene" that most visitors didn't see.

"The staff here is doing a good job of keeping up appearances," she said. "I can imagine if they have to carry on much longer like this, it would be better for all to shut it down temporarily."

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T.J. considered cancelling her trip after the government shut down, anticipating "chaos." Last week, groups of BASE jumpers were seen soaring off El Capitan, a practice that's been banned in Yosemite for decades.

The Coalition to Protect America's National Parks, a group of more than 40 former NPS leaders, pointed to recent reports of illegal climbing and camping as evidence for closing the park until the government reopens. "This is exactly what we warned about," Executive Director Emily Thompson said in a statement last Friday, predicting that the situation would continue to devolve as the shutdown wore on.

But on Wednesday, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum dismissed concerns about understaffing in the park as "misinformation." He wrote on X that incidents of BASE jumping and illegal camping in Yosemite had been addressed by law enforcement.

"Contrary to recent reports, the park remains fully staffed to ensure visitor safety and protect natural resources. Law enforcement rangers and campground personnel are on duty and actively monitoring activity," Burgum wrote. "Yosemite has a full team working to uphold public safety and preserve the integrity of the park."

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Calls to close the national parks also came during the last government shutdown in the winter of 2018 and 2019. Yosemite didn't fare well during the 35-day funding freeze: A man died after falling in the Merced River and park officials were forced to close trails due to the presence of human waste. But the parks stayed open - they haven't closed during a shutdown since 2013.

Unoccupied kiosks at the Highway 120 entrance for Yosemite National Park are seen in January 2018, during a prior shutdown. (Michael Macor/The Chronicle)





That closure took a toll on the towns at the fringes of the park, which rely on Yosemite tourism to survive. Another one would be "detrimental," said Noah Luce, who works at the front desk of Evergreen Lodge near Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Although Luce said the resort saw a spate of cancellations in the first days of the shutdown, bookings picked back up as people realized the park was still open.

Fish Camp General Store has seen 20% more customers than is typical for October, estimated Donovan Ubben, who owns the outpost near the park's southern gate. Business is also better than usual for Dylan Shull, who said the shutdown has given his vacation rental business a boost just as the park's typical tourism season would usually be winding down. He theorized that visitors have been attracted by the opportunity for free entry.

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"An extended season hopefully puts a little bit of money in everybody's pockets," Shull said. "I wouldn't say that I hope the shutdown itself continues, but I hope the tourism continues."

This article originally published at With Yosemite gates unstaffed, tourists delight in a free park despite shutdown concerns.
A group of young activists who sued the United States in 2015 is now seeking justice internationally, Inside Climate News has reported.

Just over a decade ago, the nonprofit law firm Our Children's Trust filed a landmark suit known as Juliana, et al. v. United States in federal district court in Oregon. In addition to the U.S. government, its 21 young plaintiffs  all under the age of 20 at the time of the initial filing  also named several officials and agencies as defendants.

One plaintiff was listed as "Future Generations," represented by James Hansen, the former director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

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In the filing, the young plaintiffs petitioned the court to "compel the defendants to take action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions so that atmospheric CO2 concentrations will be no greater than 350 parts per million by 2100," as described in a summary from the Columbia Law School's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, which maintains a comprehensive record of the lawsuit's trajectory from its filing on August 12, 2015.

The plaintiffs alleged that American policy violated their rights to life and liberty, as well as their due process rights, by allowing "dangerous levels" of heat-trapping pollution.

The group was not deterred when met with a dismissal in January 2020; the court acknowledged the plaintiffs had sufficiently demonstrated they sustained real harms and that the defendants had been reasonably accused but further held that the judicial system was ill-equipped to grant their request for relief due to the complexity of the suit's claims.

The following month, Our Children's Trust filed a petition to have the case reheard, and years of litigation followed. In May 2024, a federal appeals court struck down the lawsuit at the request of the Biden administration, per The Guardian. Our Children's Trust founder Julia Olson decried it as a "tragic and unjust ruling."

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Yet again, the plaintiffs requested a rehearing, ultimately petitioning the Supreme Court in December 2024. In March 2025, the Court "denied [the] youth plaintiffs' petition for writ of certiorari," according to Columbia's case tracker.

KLCC Public Radio of Oregon indicated the ruling "effectively end[ed]" Juliana v. United States, but a defiant Olson said she and the young activists believed their efforts were more pressing than ever before.

"Now is not a time to sit back," Olson told KLCC. "Now is a time to stand up and not be scared, but to embrace democracy and be there with our youth, because they are going to live with all of this."

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

She stuck to her word. On September 23, Inside Climate News reported, the group and its attorneys brought their case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, headquartered in Washington, D.C.

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The IACHR reviews matters related to human rights violations and is empowered to both refer cases to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and to litigate them. In a September 25 press release, Juliana plaintiff Levi Draheim was quoted on the group's latest action.

"For over 50 years, the U.S. government has knowingly endangered our lives by driving the fossil fuel system that is destroying our climate. This is not neglect  it is deliberate harm," Draheim said.

Our Children's Trust global strategy deputy director Kelly Matheson spoke to Inside Climate News about why the group and law firm refused to abandon their quest.

"The advisory opinions have come out and basically said that this behavior by the U.S. has been a violation of existing law. It's been a violation of international human rights law. It's been a violation of customary international law," she began.

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"So what the government has been doing for five decades is illegal," Matheson concluded.

In addition to requesting the IACHR visit the U.S. to witness the alleged rights violations, the plaintiffs asked the Commission, per the release, "to declare the case admissible, issue urgent precautionary measures, and consider the case's merits given its seriousness."

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
On October 16, First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva visited Europes largest pediatric hospital, Bambino Gesu.

The First Vice-President familiarized herself with the hospitals molecular genetics and clinical diagnostics laboratories.

President of Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital Tiziano Onesti provided Mehriban Aliyeva with detailed information about the laboratories.

Located in Rome and recognized as an extraterritorial institution of the Holy See, Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital was founded in 1869 by the Salviati family and initially operated as a private facility. It is among the first pediatric hospitals in Italy.

It was highlighted that although the hospital is financed by the Italian state and operates as a public healthcare institution, it remains under the jurisdiction of the Holy See and is directly accountable to it. In 2006, Bambino Gesu was accredited by the Joint Commission International as an academic hospital and is now recognized as Europes largest childrens hospital and research center.

The San Paolo branch of the hospital serves as the main hub for its large research laboratories, equipped with state-of-the-art technologies for genetic and cellular research. The branch also includes a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility where advanced treatment methods are applied. Clinical diagnoses are cross-verified with genetic analyses, enabling the implementation of personalized medical approaches through metabolic research.

On September 10 of this year, a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation was signed between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Holy Sees Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital.

This partnership will make a significant contribution to the development of research in rare diseases, molecular genetics, clinical diagnostics, and related fields in Azerbaijan. It will provide Azerbaijani scientists and researchers with the opportunity to gain experience in advanced scientific methods and to conduct research in laboratories equipped with cutting-edge technologies. As a result, a cadre of specialists capable of carrying out independent scientific studies in these areas will be established in Azerbaijan, along with the creation of new laboratories meeting international standards. Furthermore, the cooperation envisions the participation of Azerbaijani healthcare professionals in training and exchange programs.
US President Donald Trump discussed his administration's approach to international diplomacy, his record on global conflicts, and upcoming meetings with world leaders, highlighting efforts to restart negotiations with Moscow. On his record with international wars, Trump said, "We have now done (resolved) 8 wars, and we will make this number 9..." His remarks framed his broader approach to global peace initiatives. Turning to diplomatic engagements, he noted, "In two weeks or so... Marco Rubio will be meeting with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov... It was a very productive phone call (with Russian President Putin). I will be meeting with him and we will make a determination." Trump also outlined plans with Ukraine, saying, "Tomorrow I will be meeting with (Ukrainian) President Zelenskyy and tell him about the call... The two of them have a terrible relationship..." He made the remarks while speaking from the Oval Office. Earlier on Thursday, Trump confirmed a productive telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote, "I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, and it was a very productive one." He added, "President Putin congratulated me and the United States on the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East, something that, he said, has been dreamed of for centuries." Trump expressed optimism, noting, "I actually believe that the Success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the War with Russia/Ukraine." Highlighting personal diplomacy, Trump noted Putin's appreciation for First Lady Melania Trump's work with children. "President Putin thanked the First Lady, Melania, for her involvement with children. He was very appreciative, and said that this will continue," he wrote. Trade between the US and Russia was also discussed during the call. "We also spent a great deal of time talking about Trade between Russia and the United States when the War with Ukraine is over," Trump said, indicating post-conflict economic planning. Outlining next steps, Trump wrote, "At the conclusion of the call, we agreed that there will be a meeting of our High Level Advisors, next week. The United States' initial meetings will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, together with various other people, to be designated. A meeting location is to be determined." Trump also mentioned plans for a direct meeting with Putin, saying, "President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end." The US President confirmed that he would meet Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to discuss the call and other matters. "President Zelenskyy and I will be meeting tomorrow, in the Oval Office, where we will discuss my conversation with President Putin, and much more. I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation," Trump wrote. The call comes ahead of Trump's scheduled meeting with Zelenskyy at the White House, highlighting US efforts to revive stalled negotiations with Moscow. Over the weekend, Trump told Zelenskyy that he might give Russia an ultimatum: engage seriously in peace talks, or the US could provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles to strengthen its offensive against Russia. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, he said, "I might have to speak to Russia, to be honest with you, about Tomahawks. Do they want to have Tomahawks going in their direction? I don't think so. I think I might speak to Russia about that, in all fairness. I told that to President Zelenskyy, because Tomahawks are a new step of aggression." As part of a strategic shift to revive negotiations after the Alaska summit between Trump and Putin failed to produce a peace agreement, the US has increased intelligence sharing with Ukraine, including targeting information deeper inside Russian territory, CNN reported. Zelenskyy is expected to press Trump for additional long-range weapons capable of striking targets inside Russia when he meets the US President at the White House on Friday. Trump has indicated openness to the idea in recent days, reflecting a shift in his approach to the war since the Alaska summit, CNN noted. (ANI)
One simple question separates the intellectually honest from partisan hacks: Does the morality of repulsive behavior depend on the politics of the perpetrator?

If your primary defense of reprehensible conduct within your own political camp is to point to an equivalent, or slightly worse offense from the opposition, you are engaged in the exhausting, soul-crushing exercise of whataboutism.

More importantly, youre failing the most basic moral test of public life.

'Sickening' politically-relative ethics run amok

This past week gave us a perfect, sickening, split-screen example of politically relative ethics.

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On one side, we have the fallout from leaked Telegram chats revealing a cesspool of racism, antisemitism, misogyny and political violence among leaders in various state Young Republican chapters.

The thousands of pages of chats, reported by Politico, contained everything from racial slurs to jokes about the Holocaust. One prominent member, Peter Giunta, allegedly wrote that "everyone that votes no is going to the gas chamber." Another members equally vile reply followed: "Can we fix the showers? Gas chambers don't fit the Hitler aesthetic."

Horrific comments from both sides deserve condemnation and disqualification

As the father of five young men with developing brains, I am no stranger to young people saying horrible things to shock peers and test the bounds of acceptable behavior. Thats precisely why the horrific comments should be roundly and publicly condemned. More importantly, those involved should suffer the natural consequences for their choices. That should include not having a seat at the table in shaping the future of the Republican Party.

On the other side of the screen, Virginias Democratic nominee for Attorney General, Jay Jones, has been forced to apologize for 2022 texts where he mused about political murder and expressed violent fantasies about a rivals family. In an exchange with a Republican delegate, Jones created a scenario involving two bullets and three peopleformer Virginia Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert, Adolf Hitler, and Pol Potconcluding, "Gilbert gets two bullets to the head."

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When challenged by the Republican delegate about his rhetoric, Jones allegedly justified his position by stating, "Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy." And later, concerning the Speakers children, he allegedly hoped the Speaker's wife would watch them die in her arms because Gilbert and his wife were "breeding little fascists."

Lets be clear: Joness rhetoric, which extends to wishing harm on a rival's children as a policy tool, is disqualifyingly malevolent and demonstrates a mindset unfit for the states top prosecutor. The Young Republicans chatswith their celebration of Hitler, racist slurs and rape jokesare morally repugnant and should result in immediate expulsion from the party apparatus. Both actions are heinous, and any rational person should condemn both immediately and unequivocally.

Political sensibilities should not dictate what's right and wrong

Enter the moral shrinkage.

When the Young Republican chats were exposed, prominent figures, including Vice President J.D. Vance, immediately shifted the spotlight to Jones. Vance, dismissing the racist, antisemitic and violent fantasies as a mere college group chat, argued that the Jones texts were "far worse," adding, "I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence.

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This is the poison pill of modern politics. Vances calculation is simple: If I condemn the Young Republicans, I lose some political capital. If I use their scandal to attack the other side, I gain political points. Its a cynical maneuver that ensures the floor of acceptable political behavior continues to drop through the basement.

The Young Republicans themselves quickly adopted this tactic, with some of the participants apologizing while simultaneously trying to skirt accountability by claiming the leaked messages may have been "deceptively doctored" or were "sourced by way of extortion." This is the predictable dance of the cornered partisan: attack the messenger, deflect and diminish the severity of the offense.

When challenged by the Virginia Democratic Party to call for the Young Republicans implicated in the text scandal to step down from their positions, gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears provided a master class response: Easy, they absolutely must step down. She then followed with, Now its your turn, Abigail, challenging her Democratic opponent to ask Jones to withdraw.

Earle-Sears demonstrates that we need not wait for a Virginia Democrat to call for Joness withdrawal before we hold the next generation of aspiring GOP leaders accountable. Right and wrong are not and should not be dependent on our political sensibilities. Our republic will not long endure a morally relative people.

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Political power is fleeting, but character isnt.

It follows us wherever we go. If our primary defense of poor character is that the other side exhibits boorish character too, then we are actively reinforcing the cultural rot we claim to oppose.

Our republic depends on a modicum of integrity that transcends party lines. When we lose that, we lose everything.

Cameron Smith, columnist for The Tennessean and the USA TODAY Network Tennessee

USA TODAY Network Tennessee Columnist Cameron Smith is a Memphis-born, Brentwood-raised recovering political attorney raising four boys in Nolensville, Tennessee, with his particularly patient wife, Justine. Direct outrage or agreement to smith.david.cameron@gmail.com or @DCameronSmith on Twitter. Agree or disagree? Send a letter to the editor to letters@tennessean.com

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: The Young Republicans, Jay Jones and the politics of right and wrong
By Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) -New Zealand is reimposing sanctions on Iran due to concerns about Iran's non-compliance with its nuclear obligations, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement on Friday.

The statement said the reimposition of United Nations sanctions is a result of Iran not complying with the terms of the internationally recognised Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action which was signed in 2015, and will take effect on October 18.

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The announcement comes after Britain, France and Germany also reimposed the U.N. sanctions citing Iranian breaches, and after Australia in August accused Iran of directing two antisemitic arson attacks in the cities of Sydney and Melbourne and gave Tehran's ambassador seven days to leave the country.

The sanctions introduce a range of restrictions including an asset freeze and travel bans for sanctioned persons, import and export bans on certain nuclear and military goods, and a duty on New Zealanders to exercise vigilance in dealings with Iran, it added.

This reimposition of U.N.-mandated sanctions reflects the international communitys deep concerns about Irans non-compliance with its nuclear obligations and unjustifiable levels of uranium enrichment activity, Peters said.

New Zealand has consistently supported diplomatic efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons from any source. We strongly encourage Iran to re-engage in negotiations and resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

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Peters said New Zealand will also be introducing a compulsory registration scheme for New Zealanders who intend to do business with Iran, which comes into effect on February 1, 2026.

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived at the White House on Friday to plead to Donald Trump for Tomahawk missiles, but the surprise announcement that the U.S. president will meet with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Budapest could dim the Ukrainian leader's chances of securing the long-range weapons.

Friday's meeting with Ukraine's Zelenskiy was scheduled to be a low-key lunch in a cabinet meeting room as opposed to a public gathering in the Oval Office.

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Trump announced the summit with Putin on Thursday after a more than two-hour phone conversation with the Russian leader about Russia's war in Ukraine, which he said was productive.

It was unclear what Putin had told Trump that prompted him to agree to the meeting, as their August summit in Alaska ended early with no major breakthrough.

"My whole life, I've made deals," Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday. "I think we're going to have this one done, hopefully soon."

The Kremlin said much needed to be decided and that the summit might take place "a little later" than within the two-week period mentioned by Trump.

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Trump's conciliatory tone after the call with Putin raised questions over the near-term likelihood of assistance to Ukraine and reignited European fears of a deal that suits Moscow. A spokesperson for the European Union said it welcomed the talks if they could help bring peace to Ukraine.

WAR HAS INTENSIFIED

The U.S. president, who has campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, is eager to add to the list of conflicts he says he has been instrumental in ending.

More than three and a half years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has ground out some territorial gains this year, but Ukraine's top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Thursday that the Russian offensive had failed.

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Putin this month said his forces had taken almost 5,000 square kilometres (1,930 square miles) of land in Ukraine in 2025 - equivalent to adding 1% of Ukraine's territory to the nearly 20% already held.

Both sides have also escalated attacks on each other's energy systems, and Russian drones and jets have strayed into NATO countries.

The White House had seemed in recent days to be increasingly frustrated with Putin and leaning toward granting Zelenskiy fresh support, including the Tomahawk missiles that Ukrainians say would help them inflict more damage to Russia's war machine.

"We need them, too," Trump said of the missiles on Thursday in his remarks to reporters after his call with Putin.

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Zelenskiy, who has had an up-and-down relationship with Trump, said Putin, who pressed ahead with assaults on Ukraine after meeting with Trump in Alaska, was again playing for time.

"We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he wrote on X.

Ukrainians held out little hope for Zelenskiy's talks with Trump. "We have already gone through this, and we have not seen any tangible results," said Olena Puchilo, 54, a social worker from Mykolaiv, adding that there was still room for miracles.

ANALYSTS SEE TALKS AS A DELAYING TACTIC

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Putin's move was meant to make the U.S. transfer of such weapons less likely, said Max Bergmann, a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"It does seem that Putin's outreach is perhaps designed to thwart the potential transfer of Tomahawks to Ukraine, so Putin is wanting to put that back in the box," Bergmann said. "It strikes me as sort of a stalling tactic."

Mykola Bielieskov, a senior analyst at Come Back Alive, a Ukrainian non-governmental organization that is a major procurer of military equipment for the Ukrainian armed forces, said Tomahawk missiles would level a playing field that is tipped toward Russia, but that they would not be a silver bullet.

"We don't expect Russia to crumble after one, two or three successful strikes," Bielieskov said. "But it's about pressure, constant pressure. It's about disrupting the military-industrial complex."

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Since taking office in January, Trump has regularly threatened action against Russia, only to delay those steps after talks with Putin.

"The chances of moving toward a ceasefire by pushing Russia to get serious seem to have diminished," said Dan Fried, a former State Department official.

During Thursday's call, Putin told Trump that supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would harm the peace process and damage U.S.-Russia ties, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters. Trump confirmed Putin had opposed such a transfer.

"What do you think he's going to say, 'Please sell Tomahawks?'" Trump joked with reporters. "No, he doesn't want" Tomahawks given to Ukraine, Trump added, calling them a "vicious weapon".

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Olena Harmash in Kyiv, Cassel Bryan-Low and Tom Balmforth in London, Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, Bhargav Acharya in Toronto, Anita Komuves in Budapest and Anastasia Lyrchikova in Moscow; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Rod Nickel)
By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump will discuss the possible supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday but the surprise announcement of a new U.S.-Russian summit cast doubt over the prospect.

Trump said on Thursday he may meet Russian President Vladimir Putin within the next two weeks in Budapest after a more than two-hour phone conversation about Russia's war in Ukraine that he said was productive.

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"My whole life, I've made deals," Trump told reporters later at the White House. "I think we're going to have this one done, hopefully soon."

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he would brief Zelenskiy on the Russia talks in the Oval Office on Friday.

Trump's conciliatory tone after the call with Putin raised questions over the near-term likelihood of assistance to Ukraine and reignited European fears of U.S. capitulation to Moscow.

The U.S. president, who has campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, is eager to add to the list of conflicts he says he has been instrumental in ending.

Advertisement Advertisement

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WAR HAS INTENSIFIED

More than three and a half years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has ground out some territorial gains this year.

Putin earlier this month said his forces had taken almost 5,000 square kilometres (1,930 square miles) of land in Ukraine in 2025 - equivalent to adding 1% of Ukraine's territory to the nearly 20% already held.

Both sides have also escalated attacks on each other's energy systems and Russian drones and jets have strayed into NATO countries.

The White House had seemed in recent days to be leaning toward granting Zelenskiy fresh support and increasingly frustrated with Putin.

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The new meeting, which Trump said would likely occur in the next two weeks, follows his consideration of providing Ukraine with long-range Tomahawks missiles.

"We need them, too," Trump said of the missiles on Thursday in his remarks to reporters after his call with Putin.

The weapons are widely seen in Ukraine as a gamechanger that would help it escalate attacks on Russian energy systems far from the border that have already caused significant damage.

Zelenskiy, who has had an up-and-down relationship with Trump, said Putin, who pressed ahead with assaults on Ukraine after meeting with Trump in Alaska in August, was again playing for time.

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"We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he wrote on X.

ANALYSTS SEE TALKS AS A DELAYING TACTIC

Putin's move was meant to make the U.S. transfer of such weapons less likely, said Max Bergmann, a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"It does seem that Putin's outreach is perhaps designed to thwart the potential transfer of Tomahawks to Ukraine, so Putin is wanting to put that back in the box," Bergmann said. "It strikes me as sort of a stalling tactic."

Mykola Bielieskov, a senior analyst at Come Back Alive, a Ukrainian non-governmental organization that is a major procurer of military equipment for the Ukrainian armed forces, said Tomahawk missiles would level a playing field that is tipped toward Russia, but that they would not be a silver bullet.

Advertisement Advertisement

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"We don't expect Russia to crumble after one, two or three successful strikes," Bielieskov said. "But it's about pressure, constant pressure. Its about disrupting the military industrial complex."

Since taking office in January, Trump has regularly threatened action against Russia, only to delay those steps after talks with Putin.

"The chances of moving toward a ceasefire by pushing Russia to get serious seem to have diminished," said Dan Fried, a former State Department official.

During Thursday's call, Putin told Trump that supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would harm the peace process and damage U.S.-Russia ties, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters. Trump confirmed Putin had opposed such a transfer.

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"What do you think he's going to say, 'Please sell Tomahawks?'" Trump joked with reporters. "No, he doesn't want" Tomahawks given to Ukraine, Trump added, calling them a "vicious weapon."

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by by Cassel Bryan-Low and Tom Balmforth in London, Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, Bhargav Acharya in Toronto, Anita Komuves in Budapest and Anastasia Lyrchikova in Moscow; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Jon Boyle)
By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump will discuss the possible supply of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday but the surprise announcement of a new U.S.-Russian summit cast doubt over the prospect.

Trump said on Thursday he may meet Russian President Vladimir Putin within the next two weeks in Budapest after a more than two-hour phone conversation about Russia's war in Ukraine that he said was productive.

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"My whole life, I've made deals," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I think we're going to have this one done, hopefully soon." He said he would brief Zelenskiy on the Russia talks in the Oval Office on Friday.

Trump's conciliatory tone after the call with Putin raised questions over the near-term likelihood of assistance to Ukraine and reignited European fears of a deal that suits Moscow.

The Kremlin confirmed the summit plan but said much needed to be decided and that it might take place "a little later".

WAR HAS INTENSIFIED

The U.S. president, who has campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, is eager to add to the list of conflicts he says he has been instrumental in ending.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than three and a half years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has ground out some territorial gains this year, but Ukraine's top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Thursday that the Russian offensive had failed.

Putin earlier this month said his forces had taken almost 5,000 square kilometres (1,930 square miles) of land in Ukraine in 2025 - equivalent to adding 1% of Ukraine's territory to the nearly 20% already held.

Both sides have also escalated attacks on each other's energy systems and Russian drones and jets have strayed into NATO countries.

The White House had seemed in recent days to be increasingly frustrated with Putin and leaning toward granting Zelenskiy fresh support, including the Tomahawk missiles that Ukrainians say would help them inflict more damage to Russia's war machine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We need them, too," Trump said of the missiles on Thursday in his remarks to reporters after his call with Putin.

Zelenskiy, who has had an up-and-down relationship with Trump, said Putin, who pressed ahead with assaults on Ukraine after meeting with Trump in Alaska in August, was again playing for time.

"We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he wrote on X.

Ukrainians held out little hope for Zelenskiy's talks with Trump. "We have already gone through this, and we have not seen any tangible results," said Olena Puchilo, 54, a social worker from Mykolaiv, adding that there was still room for 'miracles'.

Advertisement Advertisement

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ANALYSTS SEE TALKS AS A DELAYING TACTIC

Putin's move was meant to make the U.S. transfer of such weapons less likely, said Max Bergmann, a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"It does seem that Putin's outreach is perhaps designed to thwart the potential transfer of Tomahawks to Ukraine, so Putin is wanting to put that back in the box," Bergmann said. "It strikes me as sort of a stalling tactic."

Mykola Bielieskov, a senior analyst at Come Back Alive, a Ukrainian non-governmental organization that is a major procurer of military equipment for the Ukrainian armed forces, said Tomahawk missiles would level a playing field that is tipped toward Russia, but that they would not be a silver bullet.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We don't expect Russia to crumble after one, two or three successful strikes," Bielieskov said. "But it's about pressure, constant pressure. It's about disrupting the military-industrial complex."

Since taking office in January, Trump has regularly threatened action against Russia, only to delay those steps after talks with Putin.

"The chances of moving toward a ceasefire by pushing Russia to get serious seem to have diminished," said Dan Fried, a former State Department official.

During Thursday's call, Putin told Trump that supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would harm the peace process and damage U.S.-Russia ties, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters. Trump confirmed Putin had opposed such a transfer.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"What do you think he's going to say, 'Please sell Tomahawks?'" Trump joked with reporters. "No, he doesn't want" Tomahawks given to Ukraine, Trump added, calling them a "vicious weapon".

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Olena Harmash in Kyiv, Cassel Bryan-Low and Tom Balmforth in London, Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, Bhargav Acharya in Toronto, Anita Komuves in Budapest and Anastasia Lyrchikova in Moscow; editing by Philippa Fletcher, Jon Boyle and Gareth Jones)
By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Volodymyr Zelenskiy will ask Donald Trump for Tomahawk missiles on Friday but the surprise announcement that the U.S. President will meet with Vladimir Putin in Budapest appeared to dim the Ukrainian president's chance of securing the long-range weapons.

Trump announced the summit after a more than two-hour phone conversation with Putin about Russia's war in Ukraine on Thursday, which he said was productive.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was unclear what Putin had told Trump that prompted him to agree to the meeting, as their August summit in Alaska ended early with no major breakthrough.

"My whole life, I've made deals," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I think we're going to have this one done, hopefully soon."

The Kremlin said much needed to be decided and that the summit might take place "a little later" than within the two-week period mentioned by Trump.

Friday's meeting with Zelenskiy was scheduled to be a relatively low-key lunch in a cabinet meeting room as opposed to a public gathering in the Oval Office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump's conciliatory tone after the call with Putin raised questions over the near-term likelihood of assistance to Ukraine and reignited European fears of a deal that suits Moscow. A spokesperson for the European Union said it welcomed the talks if they could help bring peace to Ukraine.

WAR HAS INTENSIFIED

The U.S. president, who has campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, is eager to add to the list of conflicts he says he has been instrumental in ending.

More than three and a half years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has ground out some territorial gains this year, but Ukraine's top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Thursday that the Russian offensive had failed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Putin earlier this month said his forces had taken almost 5,000 square kilometres (1,930 square miles) of land in Ukraine in 2025 - equivalent to adding 1% of Ukraine's territory to the nearly 20% already held.

Both sides have also escalated attacks on each other's energy systems and Russian drones and jets have strayed into NATO countries.

The White House had seemed in recent days to be increasingly frustrated with Putin and leaning toward granting Zelenskiy fresh support, including the Tomahawk missiles that Ukrainians say would help them inflict more damage to Russia's war machine.

"We need them, too," Trump said of the missiles on Thursday in his remarks to reporters after his call with Putin.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Zelenskiy, who has had an up-and-down relationship with Trump, said Putin, who pressed ahead with assaults on Ukraine after meeting with Trump in Alaska, was again playing for time.

"We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he wrote on X.

Ukrainians held out little hope for Zelenskiy's talks with Trump. "We have already gone through this, and we have not seen any tangible results," said Olena Puchilo, 54, a social worker from Mykolaiv, adding that there was still room for miracles.

ANALYSTS SEE TALKS AS A DELAYING TACTIC

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Putin's move was meant to make the U.S. transfer of such weapons less likely, said Max Bergmann, a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"It does seem that Putin's outreach is perhaps designed to thwart the potential transfer of Tomahawks to Ukraine, so Putin is wanting to put that back in the box," Bergmann said. "It strikes me as sort of a stalling tactic."

Mykola Bielieskov, a senior analyst at Come Back Alive, a Ukrainian non-governmental organization that is a major procurer of military equipment for the Ukrainian armed forces, said Tomahawk missiles would level a playing field that is tipped toward Russia, but that they would not be a silver bullet.

"We don't expect Russia to crumble after one, two or three successful strikes," Bielieskov said. "But it's about pressure, constant pressure. It's about disrupting the military-industrial complex."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since taking office in January, Trump has regularly threatened action against Russia, only to delay those steps after talks with Putin.

"The chances of moving toward a ceasefire by pushing Russia to get serious seem to have diminished," said Dan Fried, a former State Department official.

During Thursday's call, Putin told Trump that supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would harm the peace process and damage U.S.-Russia ties, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters. Trump confirmed Putin had opposed such a transfer.

"What do you think he's going to say, 'Please sell Tomahawks?'" Trump joked with reporters. "No, he doesn't want" Tomahawks given to Ukraine, Trump added, calling them a "vicious weapon".

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Olena Harmash in Kyiv, Cassel Bryan-Low and Tom Balmforth in London, Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, Bhargav Acharya in Toronto, Anita Komuves in Budapest and Anastasia Lyrchikova in Moscow; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Jon Boyle)
By Jeff Mason and Nandita Bose

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the White House on Friday to plead to Donald Trump for Tomahawk missiles, but the U.S. president's focus on his next meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Budapest raised the possibility the Ukrainian leader may head home empty-handed.

Upon greeting Zelenskiy outside the White House, Trump nodded when asked by a reporter if he thought he could convince Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

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Prior to the private lunch meeting with Zelenskiy, Trump said the two leaders would discuss his call the previous day with Putin.

"Things are coming along pretty well," Trump told reporters.

Zelenskiy noted how difficult it has been to try and secure a ceasefire. "We want this. Putin doesn't want (it)," he said.

'WE NEED TOMAHAWKS'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, and Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, sat on the president's side of the table.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine has thousands of drones, but needs missiles. We don't have Tomahawks, that's why we need Tomahawks.

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Trump responded: "We're going to be talking about Tomahawks," Trump said. "We'd much rather have them not need Tomahawks."

He portrayed himself as a mediator and reiterated his belief that both sides seek a peace deal.

"I think President Zelenskiy wants it done, and I think President Putin wants it done. Now all they have to do is get along a little bit," Trump said.

Trump announced the summit with Putin on Thursday after a more than two-hour phone conversation with the Russian leader about Russia's war in Ukraine, which he said was productive.

It was unclear what Putin had told Trump that prompted him to agree to the meeting, as their August summit in Alaska ended early with no major breakthrough.

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The Kremlin said much needed to be decided and that the summit might take place "a little later" than within the two-week period mentioned by Trump.

Trump's conciliatory tone after the call with Putin raised questions over the near-term likelihood of assistance to Ukraine and reignited European fears of a deal that suits Moscow. A spokesperson for the European Union said it welcomed the talks if they could help bring peace to Ukraine.

But the president also expressed affection for Zelenskiy, at one point praising him for sporting a dark suit jacket after he was knocked earlier this year for visiting the White House without one.

"I think he looks beautiful in his jacket," Trump said. "I hope people notice ... it's actually very stylish. I like it."

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WAR HAS INTENSIFIED

The U.S. president, who has campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, is eager to add to the list of conflicts he says he has been instrumental in ending.

More than three and a half years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has ground out some territorial gains this year, but Ukraine's top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Thursday that the Russian offensive had failed.

Putin this month said his forces had taken almost 5,000 square kilometres (1,930 square miles) of land in Ukraine in 2025 - equivalent to adding 1% of Ukraine's territory to the nearly 20% already held.

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Both sides have also escalated attacks on each other's energy systems, and Russian drones and jets have strayed into NATO countries.

The White House had seemed in recent days to be increasingly frustrated with Putin and leaning toward granting Zelenskiy fresh support, including the Tomahawk missiles that Ukrainians say would help them inflict more damage to Russia's war machine.

Zelenskiy, who has had an up-and-down relationship with Trump, said Putin, who pressed ahead with assaults on Ukraine after meeting with Trump in Alaska, was again playing for time.

"We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he wrote on X.

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Ukrainians held out little hope for Zelenskiy's talks with Trump. "We have already gone through this, and we have not seen any tangible results," said Olena Puchilo, 54, a social worker from Mykolaiv, adding that there was still room for miracles.

ANALYSTS SEE TALKS AS A DELAYING TACTIC

Putin's move was meant to make the U.S. transfer of such weapons less likely, said Max Bergmann, a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"It does seem that Putin's outreach is perhaps designed to thwart the potential transfer of Tomahawks to Ukraine, so Putin is wanting to put that back in the box," Bergmann said. "It strikes me as sort of a stalling tactic."

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Mykola Bielieskov, a senior analyst at Come Back Alive, a Ukrainian non-governmental organization that is a major procurer of military equipment for the Ukrainian armed forces, said Tomahawk missiles would level a playing field that is tipped toward Russia, but that they would not be a silver bullet.

"We don't expect Russia to crumble after one, two or three successful strikes," Bielieskov said. "But it's about pressure, constant pressure. It's about disrupting the military-industrial complex."

Since taking office in January, Trump has regularly threatened action against Russia, only to delay those steps after talks with Putin.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason, Nandita Bose and Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Olena Harmash in Kyiv, Cassel Bryan-Low and Tom Balmforth in London, Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, Bhargav Acharya in Toronto, Anita Komuves in Budapest and Anastasia Lyrchikova in Moscow; writing by James Oliphant; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Rod Nickel)
By Nandita Bose and Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump appeared cool on Friday on the prospect of sending long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, suggesting to counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a White House meeting that they may not be necessary if he can broker a peace deal.

Zelenskiy came to Washington looking for arms to bolster his country's forces in Ukraine's three-year-old conflict with Russia, but Trump frequently highlighted his peace summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a matter of weeks, as Trump and Zelenskiy spoke with reporters.

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That meeting hastily came together on Thursday, making clear that Trump remains intent on brokering a peace deal and taking the air out of Zelenskiy's pitch for the missiles.

Prior to his private lunch meeting with Zelenskiy, Trump said the two leaders would discuss his call the previous day with Putin.

"Things are coming along pretty well," Trump told reporters.

Zelenskiy noted how difficult it has been to try and secure a ceasefire. "We want this. Putin doesn't want (it)," he said.

The Ukrainian leader was frank, telling Trump that Ukraine has thousands of drones ready for an offensive against Russian targets, but needs American missiles.

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We don't have Tomahawks, that's why we need Tomahawks, he said.

Trump responded: "We're going to be talking about Tomahawks," Trump said. "We'd much rather have them not need Tomahawks."

He instead portrayed himself as a mediator between the two warring forces, despite the fact that Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

"I think President Zelenskiy wants it done, and I think President Putin wants it done. Now all they have to do is get along a little bit," Trump said.

BACK TO THE TABLE

It was unclear what Putin had told Trump that prompted him to agree to the meeting, as their August summit in Alaska ended early with no major breakthrough.

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The Kremlin said much needed to be decided and that the summit might take place "a little later" than within the two-week period mentioned by Trump.

Trump's conciliatory tone after the call with Putin raised questions over the near-term likelihood of assistance to Ukraine and reignited European fears of a deal that suits Moscow. A spokesperson for the European Union said it welcomed the talks if they could help bring peace to Ukraine.

But the president also expressed affection for Zelenskiy, at one point praising him for sporting a dark suit jacket after he was knocked earlier this year for visiting the White House without one.

"I think he looks beautiful in his jacket," Trump said. "I hope people notice ... it's actually very stylish. I like it."

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WAR HAS INTENSIFIED

The U.S. president, who has campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, is eager to add to the list of conflicts he says he has been instrumental in ending.

More than three and a half years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has ground out some territorial gains this year, but Ukraine's top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Thursday that the Russian offensive had failed.

Putin this month said his forces had taken almost 5,000 square kilometres (1,930 square miles) of land in Ukraine in 2025 - equivalent to adding 1% of Ukraine's territory to the nearly 20% already held.

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Both sides have also escalated attacks on each other's energy systems, and Russian drones and jets have strayed into NATO countries.

ANALYSTS SEE TALKS AS A DELAYING TACTIC

The White House had seemed in recent days to be increasingly frustrated with Putin and leaning toward granting Zelenskiy fresh support, including the Tomahawk missiles that Ukrainians say would help them inflict more damage to Russia's war machine.

The debate within the Trump administration over whether to provide the missiles is not entirely new, according to several U.S. and Ukrainian officials. Several officials emphasized before Trump's meeting with Zelenskiy that no decision had been made, and opinions differed on how Trump would ultimately decide the matter.

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Putin's move was meant to make the U.S. transfer of such weapons less likely, said Max Bergmann, a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"It does seem that Putin's outreach is perhaps designed to thwart the potential transfer of Tomahawks to Ukraine, so Putin is wanting to put that back in the box," Bergmann said. "It strikes me as sort of a stalling tactic."

Mykola Bielieskov, a senior analyst at Come Back Alive, a Ukrainian non-governmental organization that is a major procurer of military equipment for the Ukrainian armed forces, said Tomahawk missiles would level a playing field that is tipped toward Russia, but that they would not be a silver bullet.

"We don't expect Russia to crumble after one, two or three successful strikes," Bielieskov said. "But it's about pressure, constant pressure. It's about disrupting the military-industrial complex."

(Reporting by Jeff Mason, Nandita Bose, Gram Slattery and Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Olena Harmash in Kyiv, Cassel Bryan-Low and Tom Balmforth in London, Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, Bhargav Acharya in Toronto, Anita Komuves in Budapest and Anastasia Lyrchikova in Moscow; writing by James Oliphant; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Rod Nickel)
Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Donald Trump began discussing Ukraine's defense against Russia Friday afternoon at the White House.

The two presidents are meeting to discuss a possible allocation of long-range Tomahawk missiles and other weapons to help Ukraine in its defense against Russia, according to NBC News.

Trump also is expected to discuss his Thursday phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin while meeting with Zelensky.

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The White House visit is Zelensky's third since Trump became president in January and is the first to discuss the possible deployment of weaponry capable of striking deep inside Russia and targeting that nation's energy infrastructure, The HIll reported.

Trump and Putin agreed to a tentative summit in Budapest, Hungary, sometime in the near future.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and President Donald Trump shake hands after a joint news conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15. Trump and Putin were expected to hold another meeting in Hungary. File Photo by Bob Strong/UPI

Zelensky said Moscow was "rushing" to resume negotiations after Trump suggested Monday that he was thinking of sending the ball into Russia's court by threatening to send Ukraine the missiles unless the war was brought to a conclusion.

"We hope that the momentum of curbing terror and war, which worked in the Middle East, will help end the Russian war against Ukraine," Zelensky wrote in a post on X.

Enabling Ukraine to obtain long-range Tomahawk missiles tops the Friday afternoon's meeting agenda between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Donald Trump at the White House. File photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI

"Putin is definitely not braver than Hamas or any other terrorist. The language of force and justice will definitely work against Russia as well. We already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue, just hearing about 'Tomahawks,'" he added.

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However, Trump appeared to back away from the Tomahawk issue following a call with Putin on Thursday, saying he had concerns about running down U.S. stocks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Donald Trump are discussing a possible deployment of land-based Tomahawk missile systems to Ukraine to assist in its defense against Russia during a Friday afternoon meeting at the White House. File Photo by Scott Howe/Department of Defense/UPI

"We need them too ... so I don't know what we can do about that," Trump said.

The lunchtime Oval Office meeting comes a day after Trump hailed "great progress" made during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky participates in a bilateral lunch with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Friday. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI

Delegations from both sides were due to meet next week to prepare for a summit between the two leaders in Hungary.

The contact, the first direct communication with Putin since August, was initiated by Moscow, two days after Trump said he was considering supplying Kyiv with Tomahawk missiles.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky (foreground) participates in a bilateral lunch with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Friday. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI

The missiles have a 1,500-mile range, which would enable Ukraine to strike Moscow and St. Petersburg.

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On Thursday, Zelensky met with representatives of U.S. defense and energy companies, including Raytheon, which makes the Tomahawks, and Lockheed Martin.

He said they discussed ramping up the supply of air defense systems, the Patriot missile system in particular, Raytheon's production capacity, cooperation to strengthen Ukraine's air defense and long-range capabilities, and the prospects for Ukrainian-American joint production.

Ukraine's energy resilience was the main topic of discussion with the energy firms in the face of an increasing Russian tactical focus on hitting Ukraine's energy infrastructure as winter approaches.

"Now, as Russia is betting on terror against our energy sector and carrying out daily strikes, we are working to ensure Ukraine's resilience," Zelensky said.
United States President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, following a phone conversation between the two leaders. The planned meeting comes ahead of Trump's scheduled discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, focusing on arms and ongoing conflict resolution. "President Putin and I will...meet in an agreed upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115384956858741387 Trump described his recent conversation with Putin as "very productive" and highlighted that the "success in the Middle East" could aid efforts to advance negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. The US President also touched upon economic discussions, stating that he and Putin had spent "a great deal of time talking about Trade between Russia and the United States." He further revealed that a high-level meeting involving US and Russian advisors is scheduled for next week. In addition, Trump spoke about his upcoming meeting with Zelenskyy at the Oval Office, noting that they would discuss the outcomes of his conversation with Putin. He described Thursday's discussions as having made "great progress" in Ukraine-related talks. Trump and Putin previously met in Alaska in August, continuing a series of high-level engagements between the two leaders in recent months. Earlier on Thursday, Trump held a "lengthy" call with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his meeting with Zelenskyy on Friday. He said in a post on Truth Social, "I am speaking to President Putin now. The conversation is ongoing, a lengthy one, and I will report the contents, as will President Putin, at its conclusion. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump's planned meetings with Putin in Budapest and Zelenskyy at the White House follow a series of high-level engagements, as he continues efforts to advance dialogue and seek progress toward ending the Ukraine conflict. (ANI)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday.

Zelensky hopes to secure approval from the United States for the sale of US long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, which could allow Ukraine to take a more offensive role in repelling the Russian invasion.

Zelensky also hopes that the momentum gained after Trump's ceasefire deal between the Palestinian militant organization Hamas and Israel in the Gaza war could give fresh impetus to negotiations to end the Russian war in Ukraine.

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"We expect that the momentum of curbing terror and war that succeeded in the Middle East will help to end Russia's war against Ukraine," Zelensky posted on X.

"[Russian President Vladimir] Putin is certainly no braver than Hamas or any other terrorist. The language of strength and justice will inevitably work against Russia as well.

"We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks."

Whether Zelensky can secure Tomahawks for Ukraine remains unclear.

The day before their meeting, Trump spoke with Putin by phone and said he wants to meet the Russian president in Budapest "probably over the next two weeks."

It is unclear whether Ukraine could play any role in a summit.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Ahead of his upcoming meeting with President Trump on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he met with Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright and various American energy and defense companies on Thursday.

Zelensky shared a series of posts on the social platform X, where he talked about meeting with Wright and several executives and CEOs of various companies, including Bechtel, GE Vernova, Westinghouse Electric Company, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.

During my meeting with Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy Chris Wright, we discussed in detail energy capacities and potential projects for partnership in the energy sector, Zelensky wrote in one post. I spoke about Russias strikes on Ukraines energy system and the need to restore the affected facilities as quickly as possible.

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One focus of the meetings was prospects for joint initiatives in oil, gas, and nuclear energy. Ukraine has rich but largely untapped reserves of critical minerals used in everything from electric batteries to weapons and airplanes.

But Ukraine was also inquiring about how the companies could help its fight against Russia. While the Trump administration has opposed additional funding of Ukraines military, it has encouraged NATO countries to purchase weapons from U.S. manufacturers to supply Kyiv.

The meeting with Lockheed Martin was to discuss our prospects for cooperation and ways to strengthen Ukraines protection against Russian aggression, another post read. This included an outline for Ukraines specific needs for air defense systems, such as F-16 fighter jets and compatible missiles.

Zelensky met with Raytheon representatives focused on Ukraines battlefield situation and Russias intensified attacks on our people and civilian infrastructure, Zelensky wrote in a separate post.

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We discussed Raytheons production capacity, potential avenues for our cooperation to strengthen Ukraines air defense and long-range capabilities, and the prospects for Ukrainian-American joint production, Zelensky continued. Solutions to enhance the protection of lives in Ukraine exist, and we are working at all levels to ensure their realization.

On Thursday, Russian drones and missiles struck Ukrainian energy facilities, then targeted emergency crews and engineers trying to repair the power grid, Zelensky said on Telegram.

Zelenskys meetings come after Trump suggested he is not ready to give Zelensky Tomahawk long-range missiles.

We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too, Trump said. We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean we cant deplete our country.

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Trumps remarks came after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which included discussion of potential trade deals once the war ends.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

The U.S. and Ukrainian leaders held their sixth meeting since Trump's return to office in January, speaking in a closed-door session at the White House for over two hours.

The leaders discussed providing Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine but have agreed not to comment on those talks publicly, Zelensky said.

Trump said he hoped to end the war without Tomahawks but was potentially open to a deal with Kyiv involving the exchange of missiles for Ukrainian drones.

Zelensky called the conversation "productive" and said the top priority was securing a ceasefire. He said he was "realistic" about Ukraine's chances of getting Tomahawks.

Trump said both Russia and Ukraine should end the war "right now at the battle line."

Trump plans to meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest for bilateral talks. He said he will be "in touch" with Zelensky, who will not participate directly.

President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the White House on Oct. 17 for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, amid growing speculation that Washington could authorize the delivery of Tomahawk long-range missiles to Ukraine.

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The two leaders fielded questions from reporters during a bilateral lunch before holding closed-door talks for over two hours.

Before meeting with Zelensky privately, Trump said he hoped Tomahawk missiles won't be needed in peace efforts  though he did not rule out supplying the long-range weapons to Ukraine.

"You know, we need Tomahawks and we need a lot of other weapons that we're sending to Ukraine... Hopefully, we'll be able to get the war over without thinking about Tomahawks," he said.

Zelensky announced in a briefing after the meeting that he and Trump discussed the provision of long-range weapons, but agreed not to comment publicly on the matter at this time. He said securing a ceasefire was the top priority and that Ukraine is counting on Trump's "pressure on Putin to stop this war."

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Axios, citing Ukrainian sources familiar with the discussions, reported that the two-and-a-half hour meeting was tense, at times getting "emotional."

"Nobody shouted, but Trump was tough," one source described the meeting to Axios.

In a post on Truth Social after his meeting with Zelensky, Trump said "it is time to stop the killing, and make a deal." He later told reporters he wanted Ukraine and Russia to freeze the war along the current battle lines.

The meeting  the sixth since Trump's return to office  comes one day after Trump's phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and their announcement of a planned summit in Hungary.

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Following his session with Trump, Zelensky held a conference call with several European leaders, including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

A map showing Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine as of 2025. (The Kyiv Independent)

Warm words, few promises

Zelensky and Trump offered praise for each other's leadership at the start of their joint briefing.

Trump even complimented Zelensky's jacket  a pointed reference to their disastrous Oval Office meeting in February, where one of Trump's complaints was Zelensky's lack of suit.

"(Zelensky) looks beautiful in his jacket," Trump said on Oct. 17. "I hope people notice ... it's actually very stylish."

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The U.S. president also spoke highly of Zelensky's character and their positive relationship.

"It's an honor to be with a very strong leader, a man who has been through a lot, and a man who I've gotten to know very well, and we've gotten along really very well," Trump told reporters.

Zelensky expressed cautious optimism about the prospects for ending Russia's war against Ukraine, emphasizing both the urgency of peace and Ukraine's recent battlefield successes.

"We understand that Putin is not ready. I think (he's) not ready, but I'm confident that with your help, we can stop this war," Zelensky said. "We see that they don't have successful steps on the battlefield, and it's good. I think that their army is weak now, and a lot of losses there."

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Going into the meeting with Trump, the Ukrainian delegation hoped the U.S. was prepared for more decisive action against Russia. After speaking with Zelensky in New York on Sept. 23, Trump said Ukraine, with European support, can reclaim all Russian-occupied territories  a remark that fueled speculation about a shift in U.S. policy.

Zelensky then said he held what he called "productive" phone calls with Trump on Oct. 11 and 12, focusing on air defenses and long-range strike capabilities. Trump said on Oct. 15 that Ukraine wants to "go offensive," without providing details, and that he would decide whether to approve such a plan after meeting Zelensky in Washington.

After their talks on Oct. 17, Zelensky said the conversation with Trump was "productive" while Trump described it as "interesting" and "cordial." Despite the leaders' warm tone, the meeting ended with no concrete promises.

Read also: What to expect from Zelensky-Trump meeting as Ukraine hopes for Tomahawks

Tomahawks

Trump did not commit to Tomahawks for Ukraine, telling reporters ahead of the closed-door meeting that the U.S. needs to maintain its own supply of the missiles. But he also signaled openness to a weapons deal with Kyiv that could involve U.S.-made missiles and Ukrainian drones.

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Zelensky suggested that Washington's provision of Tomahawks could be part of a mutually beneficial defense partnership, in which Kyiv could help the U.S. gain an edge in drone technology.

"If you want to target a military goal, you need thousands of drones," Zelensky said.

"It goes together with such missiles (as Tomahawks). ... United States has Tomahawks and other missiles, very strong missiles, but they can have our thousands of drones. That's where we can work together."

Trump said he was open to a weapons deal with Ukraine.

"They make a very good drone," he said.

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Before traveling to the U.S., Zelensky said that part of the agenda for the trip included talks on Kyiv's so-called "Mega Deal"  a major agreement on the purchase of American weapons  and a "Drone Deal," a plan to sell Ukrainian unmanned systems to the U.S. The deal was initially earmarked to be worth up to $90 billion.

Kyiv has repeatedly stressed the need to reinforce its ability to target Russian military sites and energy infrastructure with long-range weapons, aiming to increase the economic costs of Moscow's war while strengthening its own air defense network against Russian strikes on Ukraine's power grid.

The potential delivery of Tomahawks, which can strike targets between 1,600 and 2,500 kilometers (1,0001,600 miles) away, would dramatically alter Ukraine's long-range strike capability.

Zelensky reportedly showed Trump a map of possible targets to hit inside Russia during their White House meeting, a member of the Ukrainian delegation told the Agence France-Presse.

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Read also: Ukraines new ambassador to US Olha Stefanishyna: I will concentrate all efforts on ending the war, providing defense aid (Interview)

'Escalation' claims

Russia has responded to the threat of Tomahawks with dire warnings and saber-rattling  a tactic that appears to make an impact on Trump.

The Kremlin's foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, said that the Putin directly raised the matter during his recent phone call with Trump.

"Vladimir Putin reiterated his point that Tomahawks would not change the situation on the battlefield but would cause significant harm to relations between (Russia and the U.S.)," he said.

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Putin has warned that transferring Tomahawks to Kyiv would represent a "qualitatively new stage of escalation."

Trump himself parroted this point during his Oct. 17 meeting with Zelensky.

"They're a very powerful weapon, but they're a very dangerous weapon," he told reporters in their briefing. "And it could mean big, you know, escalation. It could mean lot of bad things can happen. Tomahawks are a big deal."

Zelensky told reporters after the meeting that he discussed Tomahawk missiles with Trump, but would not comment on the details of those talks.

"We spoke about also about long-range (missiles) of course. And I want not to make statements about it. We decided that we don't speak about it because ... United States doesn't want escalation," Zelensky said.

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Asked whether he was more or less optimistic about Ukraine getting Tomahawks after speaking with Trump, Zelensky said he was "realistic."

What's next for Trump and Putin

While Zelensky told reporters outright that Putin was "scared of Tomahawks," Trump did not credit the threat of Tomahawk missiles for bringing Putin back to the negotiating table.

"I don't know what's bringing him  I think he wants to make a deal, that's all," Trump said. "I can't tell you what's bringing him."

Trump, who has been hesitant to impose any material consequences on Russia in his push for a peace deal, claimed that both Zelensky and Putin were ready to end the war  but personal animosty between the leaders has delayed the process.

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"I think President Zelensky wants it done and I think President Putin wants it done," said.

"Now all they have to do is get along a little bit."

Trump's comments on Truth Social after the meeting were also directed at Zelensky and Putin, urging both leaders to "stop the killing." Instead of threatening Russia with consequences for prolonging and escalating the war, he called for Kyiv and Moscow to "stop where they are."

"They should stop where they are. Let both claim victory, let history decide! No more shooting, no more death, no more vast and unsustainable sums of money spent," he wrote.

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In remarks to reporters later that evening, Trump reiterated his call for an immediate end to the war and said Ukraine and Russia should stop the fighting along the current line of contact.

"In my opinion, they should stop the war immediately. You go by the battle line, wherever it is, otherwise it's too complicated, you'll never be able to figure it out," he said.

"You stop at the battle line, and both sides should go home, go to their families, stop the killing, and that should be it. Stop right now at the battle line. I told that to President Zelensky, I told it to President Putin."

Russia currently occupies around one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.

Trump's planned summit with Putin in Budapest would be the second meeting between U.S. and Russian leaders since 2022, raising questions in Kyiv and Europe about how Trump's diplomacy could alter the course of the war.

The U.S. president said the meeting with Putin would "most likely be a double one."

"It'll be a double meeting, but we will have the president, Zelensky, in touch. There's a lot of bad blood between the two presidents," the U.S. president added, without elaborating.

A source at the Presidential Office told the Kyiv Independent that Zelensky's team was not aware of any plans for a call between Putin and Trump ahead of the White House meeting.

"(Trump's) entire tactic is to end the war. So the main thing is that the tactic works," the source said.

Sources familiar with the Trump-Putin call told CNN that during the conversation, the U.S. president did not rule out the possibility of sending the requested missiles to Ukraine.

Trump and Putin last spoke on Aug. 18, after Trump's meetings with Zelensky and European leaders. The U.S. president said he was arranging a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents.

By inviting Zelensky to meet in Moscow, Putin effectively declined direct talks with the Ukrainian leader. Zelensky has repeatedly said he is willing to meet Putin on neutral ground. In his press conference after the White House meeting, he said he was ready to hold talks in a bilateral or trilateral format.

Trump and Putin also met in Alaska on Aug. 15 to discuss prospects for a peace settlement and bilateral cooperation  their first meeting since Trump returned to office in January. Despite the talks, no progress has been made toward ending the war.

Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources, reported that the Alaska summit convinced Putin he could intensify air strikes on Ukraine without facing major pushback from Washington.

Since then, Russia has increased its attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, and various drone sightings have been reported throughout Europe, with some officials indicating these might be Russian provocations.

As the meeting ended in Washington, air raid alarms once again sounded throughout Ukraine in response to waves of Russian drones. Explosions have been reported in multiple cities, including Cherkasy, Poltava, and Kharkiv, at the time of publication.

Read also: Editorial: President Trump, dont fall for Putins bullsh*t  again

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The idea of a tunnel between Siberia in Russia and Alaska in the United States, proposed by Moscow, was met with little enthusiasm from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday.

"I'm not happy with this," the Ukrainian leader said in response to a direct question from US President Donald Trump in front of journalists in Washington after the two met. Trump had earlier described the project as interesting.

After a telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump, Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev wrote on Thursday of a "Putin-Trump tunnel" connecting Eurasia and the US beneath the Bering Strait.

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Addressing the drilling company owned by tech billionaire and X owner Elon Musk, he estimated the potential costs at less than $8 billion.

The idea of such a railway connection is more than 100 years old, but has been rejected several times due to the immense costs and the complete lack of transport infrastructure in the polar regions.

Trump is mediating between Moscow and Kiev to end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in 2022.

Zelensky has been seeking new support during his visit to Washington, especially long-range missiles from the US.
Volodymyr Zelensky suggested Ukraine could exchange drones for US Tomahawk missiles during his White House meeting with Donald Trump on Friday.

The Ukrainian president spoke during a press conference in the cabinet room as the leaders met for the second time this year at the White House, eight months after their disastrous encounter in February.

The tone was markedly different as Mr Trump praised Mr Zelensky for his strength as a leader  and choice of dress  before questions turned to the possible provision of long-range missiles, called into doubt in the wake of Mr Trumps call with Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

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Mr Trump insisted he would rather end the war and avoid having to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, but didnt reject the idea outright. He also acknowledged the possibility he was being played by Mr Putin.

Trump and Zelensky and their respective delegations receive questions from the press (AFP/Getty)

Later on, he acknowledged the impact American weapons have had in Ukraines defence, telling reporters: I think that [Mr Putin] should have won the war in a week, before outlining the value of US aid.

Mr Trump insisted throughout the gathering that he believed both Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky wanted to end the war, eyeing up the chance to end a ninth conflict during his presidency.

The US leader took a diplomatic tone throughout, telling reporters he thought both were doing a great job when asked whether Mr Putin or Mr Zelensky was doing a better job of negotiating.

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He avoided a question on whether Ukraine could get back all of its territory, after suggesting it could earlier this year.

You never know, he said. War is very interesting. You never know, do you?

Mr Zelensky was careful not to ask too much of his counterpart, but did suggest that Ukraine could trade the coveted cruise missiles for Ukrainian drones when Mr Trump said he hoped to end the war without having to send Ukraine more weapons.

Trump stressed throughout that he would rather end the war than give Ukraine missiles, but did not reject the idea outright (AP)

Mr Trump insisted that the US needs to take care of its own stockpiles, including Tomahawks, before sending them abroad.

Mr Zelensky, asking politely to interject, said there was an array of support in demand, and said he wanted to work with Mr Trump to both secure Ukraines needs and strengthen US production.

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Mr Zelensky pointed out that Ukraine has "thousands" of highly advanced drones developed during the war and suggested that Ukraine could trade that home-grown technology in exchange for the Tomahawks.

Asked by a reporter whether he'd be interested in such a deal, Mr Trump replied: We are  yeah, we would. We build our own drones, but we also buy drones from others, and they [Ukraine] make a very good drone.

But Mr Trump reiterated that he would still rather end the war and later warned that sending them to Ukraine could be interpreted as an escalation.

The proposal to make a deal with Mr Trump over continued US support was one of the few times Mr Zelensky spoke up during the press conference.

Trump gestures to the press as he welcomes Zelensky to the White House (AP)

The supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine had been in focus ahead of Fridays summit. The cruise missiles would bolster Ukraines ability to hit deep into Russia.

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Before the meeting, Mr Trump suggested he may be open to providing Ukraine with Tomahawks. After the call with Mr Putin, however, he started to stress the USs own needs.

Mr Trump was asked on Friday whether he was concerned that Mr Putin was trying to buy more time to prolong the war.

Yeah I am, Mr Trump replied. But Ive been played all my life by the best of them  so its possible.

He added: I think Im pretty good at this stuff. I think he wants to make a deal. Ive made eight of them. Im going to make a ninth.

Mr Trump also referred to the looming summit with Mr Putin in Hungary, announced after Thursdays call. A date has still not been set.

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He said he imagined the meeting in Budapest as a double meeting without Mr Zelensky, as we want to make it comfortable for everybody.

Mr Trump said that the call with Mr Putin would be on Fridays agenda, and that the topic of sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would come up as well.

Colonel Philip Ingram, a former British Army officer and intelligence expert, told The Independent that the provision of Tomahawks would have two values to Ukraine.

They are very, very accurate and have a stealth better than most other missiles in the Ukrainian arsenal, he said.

But more importantly, the political value would be in sending a very clear message to Putin that the US is committed to Ukraine and angry at Russia.
Russia has launched a fresh, heavy bombardment against Ukraines energy facilities, deploying hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, authorities confirmed on Thursday.

The assault comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky prepares for a White House meeting with President Donald Trump, where he is set to request more American-made air defences and long-range missiles.

The latest barrage plunged eight Ukrainian regions into darkness, according to Ukrenergo, the national energy operator.

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DTEK, Ukraines largest private energy firm, reported power cuts in the capital, Kyiv, and was forced to halt natural gas extraction in the central Poltava region. State-owned Naftogaz noted this marked the sixth time this month that its natural gas infrastructure had sustained damage.

President Zelensky stated that Russia launched over 300 drones and 37 missiles overnight.

He accused Moscow of deploying cluster munitions and deliberately targeting the same sites repeatedly to strike emergency and repair crews.

"This fall, the Russians are using every single day to strike our energy infrastructure," Zelenskyy posted on Telegram.

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The nation's power grid has remained a primary target for Russia since its full-scale invasion over three years ago.

These attacks typically intensify as winter approaches, a tactic Ukrainian officials describe as "weaponising winter." Russia, however, maintains that its strikes are exclusively aimed at targets of military significance.

Ukraine seeks air defenses and attack missiles

Eight Ukrainian regions experienced blackouts after the barrage by Russia, Ukraines national energy operator, Ukrenergo said (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

Ukrainian forces have resisted Russias bigger and better-equipped army, limiting it to a grinding war of attrition along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line snaking through eastern and southern regions.

But Ukraine, which is almost the size of Texas, is hard to defend from the air in its entirety, and Kyiv officials are seeking more Western help to fend against aerial attacks and strike back at Russia.

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Zelensky was expected to arrive in the United States on Thursday, ahead of his Oval Office meeting with Trump on Friday.

Ukraine is seeking cruise missiles, air defense systems and joint drone production agreements from the United States, Kyiv officials say. Zelensky also wants tougher international economic sanctions on Moscow.

The visit comes amid signs that Trump is leaning toward stepping up pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to break the deadlock in US-led peace efforts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prepared to ask President Donald Trump at a White House meeting for more American-made air defenses and long-range missiles (AFP via Getty Images)

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday in Brussels that if Russia wont budge from its objections and refuses to negotiate a peace deal, Washington will take the steps necessary to impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression.

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Also, Trump said Wednesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally assured him that his country would stop buying Russian oil. That would deny Moscow income it needs to keep fighting in Ukraine.

Washington has hesitated over providing Ukraine with long-range missiles, such as Tomahawks, out of concern that such a step could escalate the war and deepen tensions between the United States and Russia.

But Trump has been frustrated by his inability to force an end to the war in Ukraine and has expressed impatience with Putin, whom he increasingly describes as the primary obstacle to a resolution.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, said in an assessment published late Wednesday that sending Tomahawks to Ukraine would not escalate the war and would only mirror Russias own use of  long-range cruise missiles against Ukraine.

Ukraine engages with American defense companies

Russia has continued to target Ukraines energy and transport infrastructure (Associated Press)

Meanwhile, Ukraines Economy Ministry said Thursday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with US company Bell Textron Inc. to cooperate in aviation technology.

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The Fort Worth, Texas-based aerospace and defense company will open an office in Ukraine and establish a center for assembly and testing, while exchanging know-how and training Ukrainians in the United States, according to a ministry statement.

Ukraine, unsure what it can expect from Western allies, is keen to develop its own arms industry.

On Wednesday, a Ukrainian government delegation met during a US visit with prominent American weapons manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived at the White House to meet with his American counterpart Donald Trump.

Source: a live broadcast from the scene, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Trump welcomed Zelenskyy on the White House steps, after which the two leaders exchanged a few words.

Asked whether the US president could persuade Russian ruler Vladimir Putin to end the war against Ukraine, both Trump and Zelenskyy nodded.

Background:

Zelenskyy arrived in Washington on 16 October and held a series of meetings with representatives of US defence companies, including the manufacturer of the Patriot missile system.

Regarding his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy said he hopes that "the momentum of curbing terror and war that succeeded in the Middle East will help to end Russia's war against Ukraine".

Axios reported that the Ukrainian president was surprised by news of Trump's latest conversation with the Kremlin leader and the agreement to hold a meeting in Hungary.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is planning to press President Trump not only for long range Tomahawk missiles and upgraded air defense capabilities, but also for increased intelligence sharing to help his forces inflict more damage on Russia's energy sector.

A Ukrainian and a U.S. lawmaker told CBS News that Kyiv wants to purchase equipment to upgrade its existing weapons systems, including for the F-16 jets it already possesses. On Thursday, Zelenskyy also met with executives from defense firm Lockheed Martin about the F-16 aircraft, as well as missiles. He also met with Raytheon, which makes Patriot missile systems, about potential joint manufacturing.

Energy supply is the less conventional weapon to be discussed Friday, and it's a key interest for Mr. Trump. CBS News confirmed the U.S. has been aiding Ukraine through intelligence support in its efforts to hit Russian energy supplies, according to sources familiar with the U.S. efforts. Energy is the main source of income for Moscow's war chest.

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Ahead of the cold winter months, Ukraine and Russia have been targeting each other's energy sector to deprive  or at least make more costly  the supply of heat and electricity. The Ukrainian government says that Russia has attacked the infrastructure at Naftogaz, the largest gas and oil company in Ukraine, six times this month as part of its campaign.

During his Washington visit this week, Zelenskyy had meetings with U.S. energy company executives that he said had been proposed by President Trump himself. He posted on social media videos of discussions with those executives and can be heard speaking in English about liquified natural gas terminals.

Zelenskyy also met with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and said that they discussed the Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy and the need to restore the facilities that were damaged in the attacks.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report on Oct. 1 that Mr. Trump had recently signed off on allowing U.S. intelligence and the Pentagon to aid Kyiv with strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. Last week, the Financial Times reported that U.S. intelligence shared with Kyiv had indeed already enabled strikes on important Russian energy assets far beyond the frontline.

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That targeting indicates a more aggressive posture by the Trump administration than its rhetoric would indicate.

Asked about the Financial Times' reporting, House Intelligence Ranking Member Jim Himes, Democrat of Connecticut, told "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that the Ukrainian attacks on refineries had reduced Russia's ability to produce gasoline and other products by almost 20%.

Himes, a member of the Gang of 8, the congressional leaders who are privy to sensitive classified information, said that despite Trump's often friendly rhetoric toward Russia, his actions had not necessarily matched up.

"His rhetoric has always been skeptical of the Ukrainians and bizarrely friendly to Vladimir Putin. I'm telling you that his actions to date have been insufficient, by the way, just as Biden's actions were insufficient, but they haven't been consistent with this very skeptical rhetoric," Himes said on "Face the Nation."

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Energy analyst Kevin Book of ClearView Energy, who confirmed that 20% damage figure to CBS News, tallied at least 18 Russian refineries that have been hit by at least one Ukrainian drone strike, affecting nearly half of Russian distillation capacity. This has reduced Russia's ability to export refined products and has contributed to gasoline shortages within Russia.

The pain is clearly being felt by Moscow. On Sept. 30, the Russian government also announced an extension of its temporary ban on gasoline exports through the end of the year. Diesel, marine fuel and other gas oils were also banned.

Mr. Trump has been mulling whether to provide long-range weapons like Tomahawks to Ukraine, which is a step former President Joe Biden did not take. Both presidents have had concerns that strikes deep inside Russian territory that are facilitated by U.S. equipment would be perceived as escalatory and trigger a Russian response that could potentially draw in the U.S. or other NATO members.

Trump indicated to reporters on Thursday that he may not provide Tomahawks: "We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean, we can't deplete for our country. So, you know, they're very vital, they're very powerful. They're very accurate, they're very good, but we need them too."

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In the meantime, Ukraine's own offensive drone technology has rapidly developed, enabling it to strike targets well inside the Russian territorial borders. Some of the hits on energy installations have been carried out by drones, according to Bloomberg News.

A lawmaker familiar with developing Ukraine policy told CBS News that Ukraine's offensive drone technology is a potential game changer. Ukraine does not need U.S. permission to use drones it has produced to strike Russia, but it does need U.S. permission to strike into Russia with U.S.-provided weapons. The Trump administration's decision to provide long-range targeting intelligence would allow for increased effectiveness of the Ukrainian drones, which would make it less vital for the U.S. to provide weapons for the same purpose.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday that it is finally time to move in the next 30 days on the secondary sanctions bill that would further reduce Russia's ability to sell oil to buyers like India, China, and others. The bill has overwhelming bipartisan support, and a veto-proof majority, so, if it makes it to Mr. Trump's desk, he would have to sign it into law.

There is also a second bill Congress being considered in the coming days that would designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism for the crime of kidnapping of Ukrainian children, which could trigger further financial penalties. Republican Senators Katie Britt and Lindsay Graham as well as Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Dick Blumenthal are co-sponsoring the measure.

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Last week, first lady Melania Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin had personally responded to her advocacy on behalf of Ukrainian children by promising to discuss future releases of children. Yale University investigators estimate that at least 35,000 Ukrainian children have been taken into Russia, and the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Putin's arrest, given his direct role in the scheme.

The Trump administration is hoping that the increased economic and military pressure will jumpstart the stalled diplomatic track. On Thursday, President Trump said he expected to meet again soon with Putin, perhaps in Budapest, Hungary.

Ukraine remains skeptical of Putin's intentions. Ukraine's new ambassador to the U.S., Olga Stefanishyna, said that the massive overnight missile strike by Russia hours before Presidents Putin and Trump spoke by phone Thursday exposes "Moscow's real attitude toward peace."

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US President Donald Trump downplayed the possibility of long-range missile transfers to Ukraine in his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.

Were going to be talking about Tomahawks, and would much rather have them not need Tomahawks, Trump said before the two sides met for a bilateral lunch. Hopefully well be able to get the war over with without thinking about Tomahawks.

Later, Trump appeared to depart the White House without taking questions.

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Washington has recently appeared to grow more amenable to resuming military backing for Kyivs push to repel Russias invasion. Those hopes have likely been undermined, however, by Trumps announcement that he will hold talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

On multiple occasions this year, The New York Times wrote, Mr. Trump has come right to the edge of imposing penalties on Russia or giving powerful new military aid to Ukraine, only to speak with Mr. Putin and raise hopes for a diplomatic solution  so far with little to show for it.

Putin is likely hoping for a repeat of Anchorage in Budapest, an Atlantic Council analyst told The Wall Street Journal.
The meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ended after lasting more than two hours.

Source: Reuters; Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne

Details: Reuters reported that Zelenskyy had left the White House.

An Ukrainska Pravda source said the meeting lasted more than two hours, longer than initially planned.

Update: Later, Suspilne reported that Zelenskyy was making a phone call to European leaders following his meeting with Trump.

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A source within the Ukrainian delegation said it was a group call, though the list of participants was not yet known.

Background:

On 17 October, a bilateral meeting in the format of an official lunch was held at the White House between Zelenskyy and Trump.

It was earlier reported that one of the key topics of the conversation between the two leaders would be the possible provision of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

Following his conversation with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Trump said that the Russian ruler "didn't like" the idea of Tomahawk missiles being supplied to Ukraine.

Before the lunch, Zelenskyy said he would propose a deal to the US president under which the US would supply Ukraine Tomahawk cruise missiles in exchange for Ukrainian drones.

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Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney on Thursday met Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty in Delhi to discuss bilateral ties and regional developments. After the meeting, Sahney said, "Today, we had called upon the Foreign Minister of Egypt... Egypt and India are old friends... We appreciated Egypt's role in hosting the peace settlement between Israel and Hamas..." He also emphasised the economic potential between the two countries, stating, "On the trade and economic front, there's a big potential between the two countries..." Sahney further expressed gratitude for Egypt's support on security matters, noting, "We thanked him for his support of India and especially for his understanding of India's position on Pakistan, because India has zero tolerance for any cross-border terrorism." This meeting occurred in the broader context of India-Egypt relations, which were further highlighted by the inaugural India-Egypt Strategic Dialogue. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar co-chaired the dialogue with his Egyptian counterpart, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, on Thursday, marking a new phase in the deepening partnership between the two nations. In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Delighted to co-chair the inaugural India-Egypt Strategic Dialogue with my counterpart FM Dr. Badr Abdelatty." He noted that the meeting "appreciated the intensification of our collaboration, since establishment of India-Egypt Strategic Partnership in 2023." Jaishankar further said, "Discussed furthering our cooperation across political, economic, defence, maritime and counterterrorism domains." Highlighting emerging areas of engagement, he added, "And new opportunities in startups, cyber & AI, space and fintech." He also mentioned that both sides "shared views on developments in West Asia and India's support to efforts towards just and durable peace in the region." The dialogue, held in New Delhi, represents a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations that have seen renewed momentum since the elevation of ties to a strategic partnership last year. The meeting was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, who arrived earlier in the day on a two-day visit to India, underscoring the importance both sides attach to this dialogue. Earlier, Abdelatty met Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to explore trade and investment opportunities, reflecting the growing economic dimension of the relationship. During his remarks at the dialogue, Jaishankar described the meeting as "a milestone" in India-Egypt relations, noting that since the elevation of ties to a strategic partnership in 2023, cooperation has expanded across multiple domains. "Our meeting for the first India-Egypt Strategic Dialogue is a milestone in our ties. Since the elevation of our relationship to a strategic partnership in 2023, we have seen an intensification of cooperation in various domains. Our deliberations today provide an opportunity to take stock and set direction to realise the visions of our leaders," Jaishankar said. He also expressed appreciation for Egypt's solidarity following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, recalling the exchange between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi soon after the incident. "I would also like to place on record our deep appreciation for the solidarity that your government and you personally displayed in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Prime Minister Modi and President Sisi spoke to each other at that time," he said. Turning to developments in the Middle East, Jaishankar commended Egypt's leadership role in advancing peace efforts in Gaza. "We meet at a time when the international situation is complex and volatile. Let me take the opportunity to appreciate the contribution of Egypt and the leadership of President Sisi in realising the Gaza peace plan. Prime Minister Modi appreciated President Sisi's invitation to the Sharm al-Sheikh Summit for Peace. Minister KV Singh represented us. We sincerely hope that the summit and its understandings will pave the way for a better future. India will continue to strongly support all efforts towards a durable and just peace in the region," he said. Reiterating India's consistent stance, Jaishankar underscored New Delhi's support for a two-state solution and its ongoing development cooperation with Palestine. "India has consistently supported a two-state solution. We have significant development cooperation with Palestine and are committed to enhancing capacity building, human resource development, and strengthening Palestinian institutions," he said. He further emphasized that India and Egypt share a common outlook on empowering the Global South and upholding national independence in global affairs. "Excellency, India and Egypt share a commitment to the progress of the Global South and the strengthening of the independence and freedom of choice of nations and world affairs," he added. In his opening remarks, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said the dialogue reflected the strong commitment between the two leaders since the signing of the strategic partnership agreement in 2023. "We have this first India-Egypt strategic dialogue. This is a testament to the commitments by our two leaders since we signed the strategic partnership agreement in June 2023... We have a long-standing relationship. These relationships are bound by history, geography, and shared interests, but we have to do more and more for the benefits of our two great peoples," Abdelatty said. He underlined the shared principles of both nations and the need to deepen economic collaboration. "We are sharing a lot of principles of freedom, self-determination, justice, coexistence, and multilateralism. We need to understand more and more the vast capabilities you have in your economy, as well as the excellent opportunities we have in our economy. And we have to encourage our business communities in order to explore the hidden opportunities for doing more and more business based on a win-win situation," he said. Abdelatty also highlighted his meetings with Indian business leaders, adding, "Today, the whole day, I met with the CEOs and members of executive boards of different companies, either who are investing in Egypt or planning to invest in Egypt." According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the visit provided an opportunity to review progress in implementing the India-Egypt Strategic Partnership and to exchange views on key regional and global developments. Abdelatty will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, October 17, at his residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, before concluding his visit and departing from India around 4:20 pm. (ANI)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he would propose a deal to the US president under which the US would supply Ukraine Tomahawk cruise missiles in exchange for Ukrainian drones.

Source: Zelenskyy during his meeting with Trump at the White House on 17 October, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The US president, when asked about the possibility of providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, said that they are also needed by American forces, so he will discuss the matter with Zelenskyy.

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Zelenskyy said that Russia's war against Ukraine is "another technological war", in which Tomahawks can be used alongside "thousands of drones".

Quote from Zelenskyy: "That is why we need Tomahawks. But the United States has very strong production, and the United States has Tomahawks and other missiles, very strong missiles. But they can have our thousands of drones. That is where we can work together, where we can strengthen American production."

Details: When a journalist asked for clarification on whether this refers to exchanging Tomahawk missiles for Ukrainian drones, Zelenskyy confirmed. "We have a proposition with our drones," he added.

Trump in turn said that the US would be interested in Ukrainian drones.

Background:

It was earlier reported that one of the key topics of the conversation between Trump and Zelenskyy would be the possible provision of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

After his Thursday call with Vladimir Putin, Trump said the Kremlin leader "didn't like" the idea of Ukraine receiving Tomahawk missiles.

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Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, has said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is ready to meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin in any country in the world except Russia and Belarus.

Source: Yermak in an interview with Axios

Details: According to Yermak, during one of his recent conversations with Donald Trump, Zelenskyy said he was prepared to meet Putin anywhere in the world, in any format, except in Russia or Belarus. Meanwhile, the Kremlin leader continues to reject such meetings.

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Axios also quoted Zelenskyy as saying that Russia has recently been trying to return to peace talks: "We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks."

Background: In early September, Putin indicated he was not planning to travel anywhere to meet Zelenskyy and was only willing to hold talks in Moscow.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to discuss air defence, long-range weapons and urgent energy assistance during his meeting with US President Donald Trump on Friday 17 October.

Source: Bloomberg, citing its sources

Details: In return, Ukraine is expected to propose a technological partnership on drone production, including the manufacture of Ukrainian-made drones in the United States or Europe for subsequent export to meet the needs of the US military.

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Quote from Ukraine's Ambassador to the US Olha Stefanishyna: "We have launched negotiations on a unique technology-sharing agreement that would give the US access to Ukraine's cutting-edge drone technologies.

This partnership is not only a strategic advantage for Ukraine but also a real contribution to US and allied security globally."

More details: Bloomberg's sources have said that US and Ukrainian officials have also discussed the potential export of US liquefied natural gas to help meet Ukraine's energy needs following Russian strikes.

In addition, Ukraine plans to offer the United States access to its gas transit system for exporting energy supplies to Slovakia and Hungary, two countries still dependent on Russian imports.

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Background: On 17 October, Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with the possible delivery of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine among the main topics for discussion.

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USPresident Donald Trump will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House today as he hopes to close in on another peace agreement  one thats so far eluded him.

The leaders will discuss Tomahawk missiles, after Trump suggested hed provide Ukraine with the weapons if Russian President Vladimir Putin doesnt move to end the war.

Also on the agenda: Trumps Thursday call with Putin, during which the US and Russia agreed to have high-level advisers meet next week, followed by a Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest at an undecided date.

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The Trump-Putin summit this summer in Alaska didnt bring an end to the war, but Trump is still approaching todays meeting with optimism after brokering a peace deal between Israel and Hamas  although hes also been inching towards backing harsher punishments for Russia in a deals absence.
Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani both opened Thursdays New York mayoral debate by saying a future headline about their first year in office would celebrate lowering costs for New Yorkers.

The next 50 minutes of the debate  aired on NBC New York and Telemundo New York, in partnership with Politico  turned into an all-out brawl over issues including crime, the war in Gaza and President Donald Trump as the candidates tore into one another in deeply personal ways.

During one back-and-forth focused on which candidate has the right experience for the job, Mamdani, a state assemblyman, blasted Cuomo, the former governor, for his handling of nursing homes during the Covid pandemic. Cuomo, who resigned from office amid allegations of sexual harassment, which he denies, had just said the mayorship was no job for on-the-job training.

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Mamdani said: What I dont have in experience, I make up for in integrity. And what you dont have in integrity, you could never make up for in experience.

Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, and Cuomo, running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary in June, were joined onstage by Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, with the three clashing over how to handle the police department and mental health calls, the education system, taxes and the business climate in New York City.

Mamdani, a self-described Democratic socialist, enters the stretch run of the election with a commanding lead, though Cuomo has closed some ground since Mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the contest.

Trump has sought to influence the outcome of the race and has repeatedly threatened to withhold federal funding from New York should Mamdani win the contest next month. And the presidents influence in New York was a central discussion of the debate.

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Each candidate was asked when he had last spoken with Trump, with Cuomo saying he believed it was after the attempt on Trumps life in Pennsylvania last year. Sliwa said it had been many years, while Mamdani said he never has never spoken to Trump.

But Mamdani did express willingness to work with Trump to lower costs  before he attacked Cuomo over reports that he had discussed the race with Trump.

I dont need the presidents assistance, Mamdani said. And what Id tell the president is if he ever wants to come for New Yorkers in the way that he has been, hes going to have to get through me as the next mayor of the city.

Cuomo said he never had such a conversation with Trump and talked up past bloody battles with him during Covid.

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Id like to avoid them, Cuomo said.

Following the debate, NBC News asked Mamdani what he would say to New Yorkers concerned that Trump will follow through on threats to punish the city by withholding additional federal funding should the state assemblyman win next month.

I think what were seeing right now is that Donald Trump is making a threat every day that he wakes up, Mamdani said. Hes making a threat to suspend funding to the city, like the $18 billion in infrastructure grants hes already made good on, threats to suspend more than $50 million because we refuse to give up our trans students, or $80 million because we actually wanted to take care of every person in the city, regardless of their status. I would actually fight each of those threats, not treat them as law because they come out of his mouth.

He pointed to legal battles in California, saying that for every dollar they spent on legal fees, they retrieved more than $30,000 in federal funds that would have been stripped of them.

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Approached by NBC News minutes earlier, Cuomo was emphatic when asked if the president would move forward with his threats no matter who wins next month.

No, Cuomo said. No!

During the debate, Mamdani also attacked Cuomo for not taking a strong enough line in defending state Attorney General Letitia James, who was recently indicted on federal charges after Trump had called for her prosecution.

I said political weaponization of the justice system is wrong, Cuomo said. Both sides do it. Its wrong when Donald Trump does it. Its wrong when they did it to [James] Comey. Its wrong when Comey did it to Hillary Clinton.

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Sliwa cut in and said New Yorkers will suffer if either Cuomo or Mamdani takes on Trump.

Look, you can be tough, but you cant be tough if its going to cost people desperately needed federal funds, Sliwa said. Zohran Mamdani, the president has already said its going to take $7 billion out of the budget right from the start if youre elected mayor. People are going to suffer in this city, people who need those federal funds. What I would do is sit and negotiate.

While Sliwa sought his openings in the debate, Mamdani and Cuomo were the main event, often ignoring his jibes  except to agree when he was attacking the other candidate.

Democratic divides

Meanwhile, Mamdani and Cuomo battled over who is a real Democrat, too. Mamdani said voters who believe there is no difference between the Democratic and Republican parties should vote for Cuomo, while voters who want a mayor to stand up to Trump and his donors should back him.

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Cuomo then said Mamdani isnt a Democrat, focusing on his membership in the Democratic Socialists of America, and accused him of not voting for Kamala Harris last fall. (Mamdani said voters should leave their presidential primary ballots blank if they disagreed with then-President Joe Bidens handling of the war in Gaza.)

If you want to look for me on the ballot, youll find me as the Democrat, Mamdani said.

The war in Gaza took up a significant part of the debate. Mamdani has accused Israel of carrying out a genocide and in a Fox News interview Wednesday, he declined to say whether Hamas should forfeit its weapons following the recent ceasefire agreement.

Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms. Im proud to be one of the first elected officials in the state who called for a ceasefire, and calling for a ceasefire means ceasing fire, he said. That means all parties have to cease fire and put down their weapons.

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And the reason that we call for that is not only for the end of the genocide, but also an unimpeded access of humanitarian aid, Mamdani said. I, like many New Yorkers, am hopeful that this ceasefire will hold.

Cuomo responded that Mamdani is refusing to denounce Hamas and separately said he was speaking in code with his answer  and that code signaled that Israel does not have a right to exist as a Jewish state. Mamdani responded that Cuomo was acting as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus legal defense team during the course of this genocide.

He added that conversations with Jewish New Yorkers had led him to discourage using the phrase globalize the intifada, a phrase he said he does not use.

And what Im looking to do as the first Muslim mayor of this city is to ensure that we bring every New Yorker together, Jewish New Yorkers, Muslim New Yorkers, every single person that calls the city home. They understand they wont just be protected, but they will belong, he said.

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Cuomo attacked Mamdani for not explicitly denouncing the phrase.

He is a divisive personality across the board, Cuomo said.

Handling crime and costs

On crime, Mamdani said he had spoken to police officers to apologize for past anti-police postings, and he said he is not running on those ideas, attacking Cuomo for not focusing on his actual plans. Cuomo said that Mamdani doesnt like the police and thats why he wont hire more police.

When everyone else says we need more police, Cuomo said, he wants to use social workers on domestic violence calls, which are very dangerous, and hes told you what he thinks. He thinks the police are racist, wicked, corrupt and a threat to public safety.

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Mamdani said that as a state assemblyman, he learned that to deliver justice means to also deliver safety, and that means leading a city where you recognize the bravery of the men and women who join the NYPD and put their lives on the line.

It means representing the Muslims who were illegally surveilled in my district and the Black and brown New Yorkers who have been victims of police brutality, he said.

The second half of the debate featured more discussion about the cost of living and affordability. Each candidate was asked what he paid in groceries and rent: $2,300 for Mamdani, $3,900 for Sliwa and $7,800 for Cuomo.

Cuomo was deeply critical of Mamdanis plans for affordable housing and free bus service, while he talked up his own experience as governor and secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

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Mamdani said: I just have to say its been an hour and 20 minutes of this debate, and we havent heard Gov. Cuomo say the word affordability. Thats why he lost the primary.

Mamdani criticized Cuomo for having the support of billionaire hedge fund executive Bill Ackman, to which Cuomo said, There are a lot of New Yorkers who support me, and there are a lot of Jewish New Yorkers who support me because they think youre antisemitic.

So its not about Trump or Republicans, Cuomo said. Its about you.

The two candidates did have one point of agreement when they were asked to identify the best-ever mayor of New York City. Both shouted out Fiorello LaGuardia.

We agree, Mamdani said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Zohran Mamdanis artist wife Rama Duwaji was spotted teaching a ceramics class in a trendy Brooklyn neighborhood Thursday night  while her socialist husband was trading barbs during the New York City mayoral debate.

Duwaji, 28, skipped out on supporting her hubby during the debate and instead spent the evening instructing a workshop on ceramic tile design at a buzzy new Levantine bistro called Huda in East Williamsburg, according to photos obtained by The Post.

The $95-a-ticket workshop began at 5 p.m. and ended at 7:30 p.m.  a half hour after Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa took to the debate stage.

Rama Duwaji, wife of NYC Mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani teaching an art class at Huda New Levantine Bistro in Williamsburg on Thursday evening during the mayoral debate. LP Media

Duwaji is seen smiling while teaching the class Thursday night. LP Media

Photos show Duwaji, dressed in black with gold jewelry, standing in front of a projected image of different swatches of underglaze combinations used to paint ceramics.

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The workshop was set to focus on fruit iconography with damascene tile design, where participants would design their own ceramic tiles to take home, according to the event page.

Across the East River, her 33-year-old husband was fighting his way through pointed jabs from ex-Gov. Cuomo, while skirting tough questions.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, left, and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participate in a mayoral debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. AP

Duwaji was scheduled to lead the Thursday class  part of a four-week workshop series taught by different creatives  ahead of the debate, according to a schedule on the restaurants Instagram. Its unclear how far in advance it was planned compared to the debate night scheduling.

Meanwhile, Sliwas wife was in attendance at the debate hosted at NBCs 30 Rock, while Cuomo is divorced.

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Mamdani and Duwaji first met on Hinge in 2021. Duwaji is Texas-born with Syrian descent and works as both a ceramist and illustrator, who has had recent illustrations published in outlets like New York Magazine.

They just held an extravagant wedding in July, tying the knot after four years of dating.

The couple lives together in Astoria, Queens, in a rent-stabilized apartment.
New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani criticized former New York governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday for not visiting enough mosques during his time in office.

It took Andrew Cuomo being beaten by a Muslim candidate in the Democratic primary for him to set foot in a mosque, said Mamdani during a live debate against Cuomo. He had more than ten years and he couldnt name a single mosque at the last debate we had that he visited.

Mamdani continued, What Muslims want in this city is what every community wants and deserves. They want equality and they want respect, and it took me to get you to even see those Muslims as part of this city, and that frankly is something that is shameful and is why so many New Yorkers have lost faith in this politics.

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After Cuomo protested, Ive worked with the Muslim community for many, many years, Mamdani asked, Name a single mosque you went to while you were the governor. Can you name a single mosque you went to in ten years?

Before you were ever here, before you were even in state government, I worked with the Muslim community, responded Cuomo. Imams presided over state of the states. We worked in religious working groups, tolerance groups, anti-Semitic groups, etcetera.

You couldnt visit a mosque, Mamdani concluded.

The former New York governor campaigned at a mosque for the first time in his race last month.

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Cuomo and Mamdani repeatedly traded jabs during the heated debate on Thursday, with Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa at one point teaming up against Cuomo.

Watch above via NBC 4 New York.

The post Zohran Mamdani Criticizes Andrew Cuomo For Not Visiting Enough Mosques: Name a Single Mosque first appeared on Mediaite.
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Andrew Cuomo is set to unleash a barrage of attacks on Zohran Mamdani during the first mayoral debate of the New York City general election Thursday  as the political veteran tries to catch up to the front-runner.

The former governor will likely try to jump-start his struggling, second-place campaign by pouncing on the far-left Democratic nominee, including over his pro-prostitution stance and his controversial photo posing with an anti-LBGTQ Uganda official, pundits said.

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Cuomo will be working feverishly to throw Mamdani off balance and expose him as the radical he says he is, said Andrew Kirtzman, a longtime communications strategist.

But I have yet to see Mamdani get tripped up on anything significant this campaign  hes phenomenally fast on his feet.

But Cuomo, the thrice-elected Democratic governor who resigned in 2021 while facing various scandals, will have to walk a political tightrope.

Pundits said Cuomo is likely to attack Mamdani (above) over his photo with an anti-LGBTQ Uganda official, among other things. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

In order to win over still-undecided voters and turn around his political comeback bid, Cuomo will need to balance launching his offensive while not coming off as an arrogant blowhard, experts said.

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Mamdani, a Queens lawmaker first elected to the state Assembly in 2020, will appear on the dais at the iconic 30 Rockefeller Center studios in a much different position than during the Democratic primary debates when he was a relative unknown.

Since he shockingly won the nomination in June, trouncing lifelong politician Cuomo, the proud socialist has surged in the polls, maintaining a healthy double-digit lead over the other candidates.

But he hasnt cracked 50% of support of New Yorkers in any survey  as Cuomo, now running as an independent, saw an injection of backers since Mayor Eric Adams finally abandoned his longshot re-election bid late last month.

Experts said Cuomo will have to balance his attacks during the debate with not coming off as an arrogant blowhard. Paul Martinka

One political insider said the ex-gov needs to find a new hit that resonates with voters, adding they expect Cuomo to home in on the controversial July photo of Mamdani with Rebecca Kadaga, who pushed a draconian law while in office in Uganda that allowed for severe penalties against gay people in the country.

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Cuomo and Mamdani will be sharing the stage with beret-wearing GOP firebrand Curtis Sliwa  whose years of on-air experience as a radio host will allow him to get in plenty of pithy zingers.

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A potential alliance between Cuomo and the Republican nominee could rattle Mamdani, politicos opined.

Something to watch for is can Curtis and Cuomo coordinate  intentionally or unintentionally  and put Mamdani on his back feet, the insider said.

Cuomo and Sliwa could rattle Mamdani, politicos opined. Robert Miller

Curtis is a good debater, and hes got some good one-liners, they added. But if its just a slugfest between the three, its not going to move the needle.

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Other pundits also said they believe the political sparring will do little to change voters minds  but that the debate will make for some good TV.

Candidate impressions are set. So the debates probably wont move the polls, said longtime Democratic strategist Ken Frydman.

But they will be good political theater, Frydman said. Cuomo will jab Mamdani, the socialist, Israel-hater, whos old friends with an anti-gay politician in Uganda. Mamdani will counterpunch with Cuomos COVID failure and sexual harassment allegations.

Despite his commanding lead in the polls, Mamdani has yet to crack 50% of support from New Yorkers in any survey. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Viewers should note that NBC will carry only the first hour on cable before switching over to a three-hour block of Law & Order at 8 p.m.

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To continue watching the debate between the candidates vying to run the largest city in the country, New Yorkers will have to shift to a digital stream.

When and where is the debate taking place?

The debate will start at 7 p.m. Thursday and will be hosted at 30 Rockefeller Center studios.

The debate will be held at NBC headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York. Christopher Sadowski

It is hosted by NBC 4 New York/WNBC, Telemundo 47/WNJU and Politico New York.

How to watch the debate:

The first hour of the debate will be broadcast on cable on NBC and Telemundo. If you dont have cable or a TV antenna, DIRECTV is a great option with a free trial.

At 8 p.m., it will air on NBCs digital streaming service only. Politico and the Campaign Finance Board will also stream the full debate.

Who is participating?

Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani

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Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa

Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo

Will there be another debate?

Yes. There will be a second debate at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22, on NY1.

Will there be an audience?

No. NBC will not have a studio audience or any journalists in the crowd, similar to how it structured the debate during the primary.

What do the polls say?

The most recent survey had Mamdani in first with 46%, Cuomo in second with 33% and Sliwa in third with 15%. Roughly 14% of voters remain undecided, according to the Quinnipiac University poll released last week.
Mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani has gone from backbencher in the state Legislature to being on the verge of leading the Big Apple in a matter of months after a dominating campaign.

The 33-year-old Queens assemblyman clinched the Democratic mayoral nomination after wiping out a series of establishment pols  including ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo  in the June primary.

The proud socialist is now polling ahead of his foes in the Nov. 4 election, leading up to the two debates in the general race set for Oct. 16 and Oct. 22.

Mamdani clinched the Democratic Mayoral nomination following a heated primary. James Keivom

Heres what you need to know about the insurgent candidate whose far-left positions have some watchers breaking out in sweat.

What to know about his upbringing and family

Mamdani was born in Uganda  a nation in east Africa  and moved to the Upper West Side with his parents when he was around 7 years old.

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His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a Columbia University professor and his mother, Mira Nair, is a famed filmmaker.

Mamdani was born in Uganda and moved the the Upper West Side when he was 7 years old. Getty Images

A practicing Muslim of South Asian descent, Mamdani holds dual US-Uganda citizenship. He became a naturalized American citizen in 2018.

What to know about his education

Mamdani attended the posh Bank Street School for Children, a private K-8 school before earning a diploma from the prestigious Bronx High School of Science, one of nine specialized high schools run by the city Department of Education.

Mamdani attended the prestigious Bronx High School of Science before going to Bowdoin College where he got his Bachelors Degree. NY Post

He graduated in 2014 from Bowdoin College, a liberal arts school in Maine, earning a Bachelors Degree in Africana Studies. He co-founded the schools chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine.

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Mamdani faced heat earlier this year when it emerged that he had checked both Asian and African-American when applying to Columbia university, which did not accept him.

What to know about his career prior to running for NYC mayor

Mamdani doesnt have a long resume  but it does include a surprising rap career.

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His brief stint as rapper Young Cardamom and Mr. Cardamom includes releasing a single, Nani, in 2019 and working as a music supervisor on a 2016 Disney movie, Queen of Katwe, directed by his mom.

Mamdani had a brief stint as a rapper under the name Young Cardamom. YouTube/Mr. Cardamom

He worked as a foreclosure prevention counselor with a Queens advocacy group before getting more involved in politics. He was campaign manager for Ross Barkans failed 2018 bid for state Senate and field organizer the following year for Tiffany Caban in the Queens district attorney race.

Mamdani was elected to the state Legislature in 2020, repping the 36th Assembly District that includes Astoria and Ditmars-Steinway in Queens. He won re-election in 2022 and 2024.

What to know about his wife

Mamdani wooed his artist wife Rama Duwaji, 28, after the two met on the dating app Hinge in 2021, according to the New York Times.

He met his wife, Rama Duwaji, on Hinge in 2021. Instagram/Le Marche des Fleurs

New York Citys possible future first lady was born in Texas and is of Syrian descent, the Times reported. She is an animator and illustrator whose works were recently published in New York Magazine.

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The couple tied the knot in a civil ceremony in February and held an extravagant wedding celebration in Uganda in July. They live in Astoria, Queens.

What to know about his political views and campaign promises

The card-carrying Democratic Socialist of America member holds various left-wing positions and his campaign has been focused on affordability.

Mamdani is a card-carrying member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Instagram/@zohrankmamdani

Mamdani has called himself a democratic socialist, which, according to the national DSA organization, is someone who fights for reforms today that will weaken the power of corporations and increase the power of working people within a capitalist society.

What is his campaign platform?

Mamdanis platform includes pledges to provide free buses, universal childcare and city-run grocery stores.

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He has proposed paying for his estimated $10 billion plans by raising taxes on the wealthiest individuals and corporations, but he would need the green light from Albany lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul.

What has he said about defunding the police?

In the past, Mamdani called to defund the NYPD. As he launched his mayoral campaign, he backed off that controversial position.

Mamdani backed off his previous statements calling for the defunding of the NYPD once he launched his mayoral campaign. Paul Martinka

His public safety platform includes creating a new Department of Community Safety with outreach workers responding to mental health and other non-violent calls instead of the NYPD.

While he slammed the NYPD during the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement, Mamdani ultimately issued an apology to cops on Wednesday.

What has he said about rising antisemitism and Israel and Gaza?

Mamdani has faced heat for his stance on the war between Israel and Hamas that started after the terror group attacked the Jewish state on Oct. 7, 2023.

He has vowed to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters New York City. AFP via Getty Images

He has repeatedly accused Israel of a genocide and war crimes, and said that, as mayor, he would order the NYPD to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he came to New York City.

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He also doesnt believe criticism of Israel equates with antisemitism  in contrast with the Eric Adams administration.

What has he said about billionaires and white neighborhoods?

He has said he doesnt think billionaires should exist. NY Post

Mamdanis platform on his website states he would jack up property taxes on richer and whiter neighborhoods, though he has insisted his proposal is not driven by race and instead on inequalities between areas.

He has said he doesnt think billionaires should exist.

What has he said about NYC rent?

Mamdanis wants to freeze rent for the approximately 2.4 million New Yorkers who live in rent-stabilized apartments.

In order to do that, he would need the nine-member Rent Guidelines Board, all of whom are appointed by the mayor, to be in agreement with his thinking.
Yes we can. Of all the speeches given by Barack Obama, it was his address to a primary crowd in New Hampshire in 2008 that we remember most clearly. He was an unknown, an upstart senator for Illinois, challenging the candidate the entire Democratic National Committee (DNC) establishment had thrown itself behind. He had little experience, an unconventional background, and a roster of radical-sounding policies. But he sounded like the future.

We tend to remember Obama now for his style rather than his substance. In power, he governed perfectly in line with the Democratic mainstream, his more hard-edged positions appearing quaint when compared to our polarised present. The election of Donald Trump in 2016 seemed to suggest the vision of Americas future that Obama symbolised was nothing but an apparition. But might there be another chance or, to put it more bluntly, a more fitting candidate to be the change?

Zohran Mamdani is used to being compared to Obama. Its got something to do with the way he talks, somewhere between TV-ready slick and earnestness. Its also there in the way his very presence ages the political figures around him, as was evident during last nights New York City mayoral debate. You could see the future again on stage, lumped between two guys re-litigating the Clinton years.

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Even the trajectory of his rise fits the Obama playbook. His outsider bid for the Democratic nomination in New York City seemed like a bad joke. Ideological allies cautioned against it, the DNC largely ignored it  until it suddenly became too late to stop. Nobody had prepared for this. Mamdani wasnt stage managed. This was the real deal, and the Democratic establishment was just going to have to lump it.

L-R: New York mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa and Zohran Mamdani debate in New York on Thursday - Angelina Katsanis/ 2025 Bloomberg Finance LP

And lump it they did. The smart power-players of the Obama era have begun to rally around Mamdani. David Axelrod swung by his campaign office. Patrick Gaspard helped start friendly dialogues with DNC insiders. First-term strategy guru Jeffrey Lerner even joined the campaign team. Obama gave him a call to congratulate him on his success. The old guard are signalling that, in an age of acute crisis for their party, theyre willing to give way to the new.

But Mamdani is not following that time-honoured tradition of Left-leaning politicians once they get a little bit of establishment attention: selling out. Something more interesting is happening, and it could have major implications for who will lead the Democratic ticket in 2028.

Its hard to spot a political realignment when youre at the top; its even harder when youre one of the people who stand to lose out from it. Andrew Cuomo has been a terrible candidate. His career ought to have ended when he stepped down as governor of New York amid allegations of sexual harassment. The temptation to dismiss Mamdanis victory as a lucky fluke was overwhelming.

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His policies are obviously insane. Mamdanis opponents thought it would be enough to point to his plans for state-run bodegas, for replacing cops with therapists, and for spending tens of millions of dollars on sexual reassignment surgeries for teenagers. Its a little like how establishment Republicans thought it sufficient in 2016 to repeat Donald Trumps policies  a border wall? That Mexico would pay for?  and trust that primary voters would instinctively side with their sensible, measured alternatives. But the more they attacked the guy, the more popular he seemed to become, and the more he doubled down on his positions. Something similar has been happening with Mamdani.

The Democrats have never really had their Trump moment. Bernie Sanders tried, failed, and failed again. The humiliation of 2024 seemed to suggest a Right-ward shift in America at large, and so the party decided they just had to redouble their efforts to promote moderates. But voters seem to have little appetite for moderates. They may not all be winning yet, but as the electorate continues to sharply polarise, the future of the Democrats might well belong to the Left-wing radicals. It is the yes we can radicalism that provides the energised base of Mamdani with hope for the future.

Donald Trump was pure reaction, a backlash to the hollowness of the Obama years. He wouldnt be afraid to smash things, offend people, profane the politically sacred. Mamdani is reaction, too: now everything has been ripped up, a new kind of popular Leftism can be born.

Democrats wont have to pretend to care about the deficit. Their base doesnt care, and neither do the majority of voters. They want free stuff and political bloodsports. When Republicans go low, they want to go lower. Keep it up, Zohran: you havent won yet, but youre already the future of America.

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Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, met former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday. The two leaders exchanged views on further cementing the India-UK economic partnership. In a post on X on Thursday, Goyal wrote, "It was a pleasure to meet former UK Prime Minister @RishiSunak and exchange views on further strengthening the India-UK economic partnership." https://x.com/PiyushGoyal/status/1978838898357711222 As part of the 'Know BJP' initiative, Party National President and Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda, met with the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, in New Delhi on Thursday, a press release by the BJP said. Welcoming Sunak to India, Nadda said his tenure as Prime Minister infused new warmth and momentum into India-UK relations. He appreciated Sunak's leadership in advancing negotiations for the India-UK Free Trade Agreement. According to the press release, JP Nadda shared insights into the BJP's organisational strength and its people-centric approach to governance and political engagement. He highlighted the 'Know BJP' initiative as a platform to enhance international understanding, encourage exchange of ideas, and strengthen ties with political parties and leaders around the world. He emphasised how, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, technology is enhancing healthcare delivery at the grassroots level in India through innovations in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. He also extended heartfelt Diwali greetings to Rishi Sunak and his family. His visit comes shortly after the visit of United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer to India, which concluded on October 9 with a comprehensive list of 12 key outcomes. During Starmer's visit, New Delhi and London convened the inaugural meeting of the reconstituted India-UK CEO Forum. They also agreed to reset the India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), which will support the implementation of the CETA and drive economic growth and job creation in both countries. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated that India and the UK remain global leaders in financial technology (fintech), as trade and services between the two nations have more than doubled over the past four years. Addressing the Global Fintech Fest at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai, Starmer said that the trade agreement between India and the UK provides a launchpad to advance fintech partnerships further. He invited Indian companies to engage in business with the UK while hoping that Britain would become India's partner of choice in finance and fintech. (ANI)
NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's platform includes tax hikes on the city's wealthiest.

Mamdani said during Thursday's debate that CEOs will come to NYC if the city is affordable.

Affordability will attract the workers CEOs need to run their companies, the candidate said.

Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic frontrunner for the New York City mayoral race, said affordability is the key to attracting more tech CEOs to the city.

During the first debate of the campaign on Thursday evening, candidates were asked how they would convince tech leaders who are concerned about increased corporate taxes to build their companies in NYC, instead of a city like Dallas.

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It's an especially relevant question for Mamdani, the democratic socialist candidate. His platform includes raising taxes on the city's most profitable corporations and wealthiest residents to fund public services like transportation and childcare.

Mamdani didn't address his tax hike proposals in his answer, but instead leaned on his affordability agenda and said CEOs will come if prospective employees can afford to live in the city.

Angelina Katsanis-Pool/Getty Images

"We are going to make this city more affordable, so the workers who want to work at those companies can actually be able to do so," the candidate said. "And we're going to ensure that this city continues to be one where we see businesses opening and also stay open."

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary held in June, was instead asked how he would persuade CEOs not to move their businesses out of New York due to the high cost of living.

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Cuomo said he would start by telling business executives that he understood their frustration.

"I understand that the far left has been raising taxes and making businesses feel like the enemy. We get it. That's gone," Cuomo said.

"We're not socialists. It didn't work in Venezuela, didn't work in Cuba, didn't work here. We know that we have to work with businesses," he added.

Cuomo was New York's governor from 2011 to 2021. He stepped down from the position after he was accused of sexual harassment.

Several times during the debate, Mamdani was pushed to reconcile his progressive agenda  which includes rent freezes and tax hikes  with the prospect of leading a city that is known as the financial capital of the world.

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"New York City is the global headquarters of the finance industry," Melissa Russo, a New York-based journalist and one of the moderators of Thursday's debate, said. "How would you be the mayor of Wall Street and the DSA?"

Mamdani said he wants to generate wealth for all New York residents and that the current system has pushed the city toward its current poverty rate.

The candidate said small business owners and the workers are being "pushed out by corporate greed, by private equity, and by the politics that refused to fight for them."

Behind closed doors, Mamdani has engaged with some of the city's tech elites. In July, the candidate participated in a fireside chat in Midtown Manhattan that had about 200 startup founders and venture capitalists in attendance, Business Insider's Melia Russell reported.

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Some attendees said they were struck by Mamdani's pragmatism.

"He's engaging even though he knows that many people in the room don't agree with a number of his positions," venture capitalist Kevin Ryan, who moderated the fireside chat, told Business Insider. "I will give him credit for reaching out."

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Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi and Lieutenant General Marek Arkadiusz Sokolowski, General Commander of the Polish Armed Forces, held a detailed discussion on enhancing defence cooperation on the sidelines of the United Nations Troop Contributing Countries Chiefs' Conclave (UNTCC) in New Delhi. In a post on X on Friday, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) of the Indian Army stated that the discussions centred on strengthening defence ties, promoting military exchanges, and enhancing coordination in UN peacekeeping efforts. "On the sidelines of #UNTCC2025, #GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS, engaged in a productive discussion with Lieutenant General Marek Arkadiusz Sokolowski, General Commander of the Polish Armed Forces. The interaction underscored the shared commitment to deepen defence cooperation, foster military exchanges and strengthen coordination in UN peacekeeping efforts," the ADGPI posted. https://x.com/adgpi/status/1978981892298018845 During the UNTCC hosted by India, leaders of the armed forces from across the world shared the challenges in the complex evolving global security environment and how countries can strengthen cooperation and carry forward the noble mission of global peace. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that India stands firm in upholding the "rules-based order" of the world even as some nations "violate and undermine" international rules." Nations realised that for the development, growth and prosperity, peace is essential. India was a founding signatory of the UN charter. It reflected India's own philosophy of 'Vasudhev Kutumbhkam', which teaches us that the world is one family," he said. Earlier on Tuesday, COAS General Dwivedi underscored, "Hosting this conference in India is not only a privilege but also a reaffirmation of our shared determination to strengthen cooperation and carry forward the noble mission of global peace. It also reflects the Indian ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbukam- the word is one family and that of Vishwa Bandhu- India as a friend to all". New Delhi hosted the UNTCC Chiefs Conclave from October 14 to 16, 2025, bringing together senior military leadership of over 30 nations. (ANI)
Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi interacted with General Alemshet Degife Balcha, Chief of Land Force & Military Advisor of Ethiopia, on the sidelines of the UNTCC Conclave and held discussions on enhancing defence cooperation along with capacity-building. In a post on X on Friday, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) of the Indian Army stated that the meeting between the leaders reflected the shared commitment to fostering stronger defence ties and enhancing cooperation in training, peacekeeping and defence capacity-building. "On the sidelines of #UNTCC2025, #GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS, interacted with General Alemshet Degife Balcha, Chief of Land Force & Military Advisor, Ethiopia. The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in training, peacekeeping and defence capacity-building. The meeting reflected the shared commitment of both nations towards fostering stronger defence ties and promoting regional peace and stability through multilateral engagement." https://x.com/adgpi/status/1979011293052047467 At the UNTCC Chiefs' Conclave on Tuesday, Gen Alemshet Degife, Cdr-in-Chief, Land Force, Ethiopia, noted the current global security threats. He said, "the contemporary global security environment is increasingly complex and dynamic. Challenges such as asymmetric warfare, terrorism, violent extremism, cyber threats, regional instability and humanitarian crisis demand not only courage and professionalism, but also enhanced collaboration and unity of purpose among troop contributing countries." During the UNTCC hosted by India, leaders of the armed forces from across the world shared the challenges in the complex evolving global security environment and how countries can strengthen cooperation and carry forward the noble mission of global peace. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that India stands firm in upholding the "rules-based order" of the world even as some nations "violate and undermine" international rules." Nations realised that for the development, growth and prosperity, peace is essential. India was a founding signatory of the UN charter. It reflected India's own philosophy of 'Vasudhev Kutumbhkam', which teaches us that the world is one family," he said. Earlier on Tuesday, COAS General Dwivedi underscored, "Hosting this conference in India is not only a privilege but also a reaffirmation of our shared determination to strengthen cooperation and carry forward the noble mission of global peace. It also reflects the Indian ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbukam- the word is one family and that of Vishwa Bandhu- India as a friend to all". New Delhi hosted the UNTCC Chiefs Conclave from October 14 to 16, 2025, bringing together senior military leadership of over 30 nations. (ANI)
European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has welcomed the agreement on European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), which will see EUR1.5 billion towards strengthening European defence industry and supporting Ukraine. The presidency of the Council and negotiators from the European Parliament (EP) reached a provisional agreement on the EDIP- which is a dedicated financing programme for defence worth EUR1.5 billion for the period 2025-2027, the official website of the Council of the EU and the European Council noted. EDIP is set to boost the EU's defence readiness by enhancing the competitiveness and also aims to support defence industrial cooperation with Ukraine and Ukrainian companies via dedicated Ukraine Support Instrument, with a view to its future integration into the EDTIB. In a post on X, Ursula von der Leyen said, "I welcome the agreement on the European Defence Industry Programme. EUR1.5 billion to strengthen Europe's defence industry. Support Ukraine. And ensure we are defence-ready by 2030, in line with our 'Preserving Peace' roadmap. Because when we invest in readiness, we invest in peace. Congratulations to @eu2025dk for seeing this crucial programme through." https://x.com/vonderleyen/status/1978906621653725299 Notably, of the total budget, the provisional agreement earmarks EUR300 million for the Ukraine Support Instrument. The Council and the European Parliament agreed that the cost of components originating outside the EU and associated countries (EEA states) should not exceed 35 per cent of the estimated cost of the components of the end product, thereby striking a balance between the European preference principle and cooperation with partner countries to the benefit of European industry. Signficantly, the provisional agreement becomes the first ever EU security of supply regime in the area of defence, designed to ensure timely and reliable access to defence products and components during crises, the website noted. Through the EDIP, the EU is establishing a European military sales mechanism that will offer, among several other features-- a centralised catalogue of defence products and will facilitate the delivery of defence products, amplifying demand at EU level and increasing the competitiveness of the European defence industry on the international market. It also provides the possibility to establish 'pools' of defence products to allow for a swift delivery of equipment. The development comes on the heels of the proposal tabled in March 2024 for a regulation establishing the EDIP. It builds on the Versailles declaration, which was adopted in March 2022, where EU leaders had agreed to invest more and better on defence, while boosting the European defence industry and reducing strategic dependencies, the official website observed. It further noted that in march 2025, the European Commission presented the ReArm Europe plan which paves the way for a massive defence investment surge in Europe, making up to EUR800 billion of additional defence spending possible in the coming years. (ANI)
"It is fantastic news that US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have spoken again, and even more fantastic that they will soon meet in Budapest," Peter Szijarto, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Facebook..

Szijjarto said on X in an English post identical to the Facebook entry: "The road to peace leads through negotiations. War cannot be solved on the battlefield."



Orban: Budapest summit 'on the agenda'



A summit in Budapest on ending the war in Ukraine is still on the agenda, Viktor Orban said on Friday, after meeting US President Donald Trump. But it is not known when the meeting would be held, Orban added.



The prime minister said both the US and Hungarian governments were determined to continue efforts to forge peace. Hungary is offering its know-how with a view to helping end the war in Ukraine, he added.



Ukraine crisis - Trump and Putin to meet in Budapest



US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Budapest, Trump announced on Thursday after consulting with Putin by phone.



On Truth Social, Trump called the meeting very productive, adding they agreed on Budapest as the location of further high-level US-Russian preparatory talks.



Orban: We're ready for planned meeting between US, Russian presidents



The planned meeting between the American and Russian presidents is great news for the peace-loving people of the world, Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote on X on Thursday. "We are ready!"



US President Donald Trump earlier announced on Truth Social he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest.



Orban: Europe must negotiate with Russia



Europe should negotiate with Russia and try to reach an agreement, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in connection with the Russia-Ukraine war at a plenary meeting of the Hungarian Standing Conference (MAERT) in Budapest.



Orban said the most pressing issue in European politics today, and the one that most affected the countries of the Carpathian Basin, was the question of war and peace. "It is more acute than it has been at any time in the past three years," he added.



He said the risk of Europe entering the conflict was greater now than at any other point since the start of the war.



Hungarys counter-proposal, he said, was negotiation. He said Europe should negotiate independently with the Russians and not wait for a position to be "derived" from the Russian-American agreement.



Orban said that though Ukraine was a key issue of an agreement, it was not the most important issue. A new European security system should be built, arms issues should be clarified, the size of countries' armies should be determined, and a treaty should be concluded on this, he said.



He called for a system for monitoring these agreements, noting that several countries have terminated their previous arms agreements.



Meanwhile, Orban: Ukraine 'infiltrates' politics, economy



Ukraine has taken an "adversarial" position against Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Thursday, adding that "the Ukrainians have deeply infiltrated Hungary's politics and economy."



Speaking at a plenary session of the Permanent Hungarian Conference (MAERT) in Budapest, Orban said Ukraine's "adversarial" attitude "does not leave Ukraine's ethnic Hungarian minority unaffected".



The prime minister noted that over 10 million Ukrainian nationals had fled their country, adding that "some of them on a certain assignment".



Those people could "build strong connections in all areas from the media to the economy, aimed at changing Hungary's current sovereigntist foreign policy," Orban said. He added, however, that "in a reversed situation we could do the same, if in a bit more elegant manner."



Ukraine has an interest in involving as many European countries in the war as possible, which is "a matter of life or death" for that country, Orban said, but added "we should still remain calm."



Meanwhile, Orban said the Hungarian government supported the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia with all its might, adding that ethnic Hungarians could rely on Hungary in all respects.



Orban: War stifling European economic development



The war between Russia and Ukraine is stifling and blocking European economic development, Prime Minister Viktor Orrban told a plenary session of the Hungarian Standing Conference (MAERT) in Budapest on Thursday, adding that if the war were to end, economic growth would triple within a very short time.



Orban said Ukraine's resistance on the front lines so far had been "a fantastic success and a heroic achievement", but warned that despite all this, Ukraine has lost a fifth of its territory, its economy was in ruins, and without EU funds, the Ukrainian economy could not function.



"We are paying" for Ukrainian pensions, salaries, the armed forces, and the purchase of military equipment, he said, noting that the US is selling weapons that Europe is buying for hundreds of billions of dollars and then sending to Ukraine. Orban said the result was that the European economy was stagnating due to "the atmosphere and politics of war", and "as long as there is war, it cannot begin to grow".



He added, at the same time, that if the war could be ended with peace or even a ceasefire, economic growth would "at least triple in a very short time", giving Hungary a 3 percent growth rate.



The problems and existing weaknesses of the Hungarian economy, he said, were not structural in nature, but fundamentally cyclical and related to the war. This was another strong reason why the Hungarian government must persevere with its peace policy opposing the war, he added.



MTI Stock Photo - for illustrative purposes only



Source: MTI  Hungarys national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.



Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.



XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com

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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Brazil's Vice President Geraldo Alckmin on Friday here in the national capital, where the leaders discussed the potential for enhancing cooperation across areas such as trade, energy and connectivity, among others. In a post on X, EAM said, "A pleasure meeting @geraldoalckmin, Vice-President and Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services of Brazil. Discussed the potential for greater cooperation in trade, investment, energy, connectivity, health and technology." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1979055033325965770 On Thursday, Brazilian Vice President and Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services, Geraldo Alckmin, met with Vice President CP Radhakrishnan in New Delhi as part of his official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between India and Brazil. After the meeting, the Vice President's office said that both leaders expressed optimism about strengthening trade and economic ties." The two leaders expressed optimism about strengthening trade and economic ties. They discussed enhancing energy cooperation, deepening partnerships in pharmaceuticals and defence, boosting research investments, improving connectivity, and collaborating in emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence and digitilisation," Office of the Vice President posted on X. Alckmin, who arrived in India on Wednesday, is holding a series of high-level meetings to deepen ties in trade, industry, energy, and strategic cooperation. In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "Adding momentum to the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership." On Wednesday, Alckmin met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, where both sides emphasised the strategic importance of defence and security cooperation. Singh said defence collaboration is one of the five key pillars of India-Brazil relations. Alckmin's visit follows the sixth India-Brazil Strategic Dialogue, held in New Delhi on October 3, led by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Brazil's Ambassador Celso Luis Nunes Amorim. The discussions covered cooperation in defence, energy, critical minerals, health, and pharmaceuticals, along with coordination in multilateral platforms such as BRICS, IBSA, and the upcoming COP-30 climate summit in Brazil next month. Economic engagement remains a major focus of the visit. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Brazil in July, both nations agreed to raise bilateral trade to USD 20 billion within five years. Vice President Alckmin's visit is expected to deepen the India-Brazil partnership further and pave the way for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's state visit to India next year, continuing the implementation of the roadmap set during the Modi-Lula summit in July. (ANI)
Discount chain Lidl has launched a mobile grocery store designed to bring basic food products directly to small rural communities, chairwoman Zita Szlavikovics announced at a press conference held at the companys Ecser logistics centre.

Starting 17 October a specially converted minibus will tour 48 villages across Hungary until mid-November, reaching 28,000 people.



Lidl will offer a selection of over 80 products, including fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy items, dry goods, canned and frozen foods, at the same prices as brick-and-mortar stores.



The mobile unit will make a stop at several locations each day and serve customers for a few hours before moving on to the next village, Szlavikovics said, adding that the project is a unique Hungarian innovation. If successful, the company plans to continue and expand the programme in the spring.



Lidl currently operates 216 stores nationwide, serving approximately 3.5 million customers daily.



Photo courtesy: Lidl



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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he was saddened by the death of 14 people at the hands of terrorists in Assam.
Delhi Traffic Police on Monday issued an advisory suggesting people to avoid some routes. The Delhi Traffic Police said that four borders including Singhu, Auchandi, Piao Maniyari and Mangesh are closed for traffic. NH 44 will also remain closed and traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK road.
"Well-reputed Indian companies are coming out to a destination like Egypt, assessing the possibilities here favourably. I think this says a lot about our companies and your credibility as an investment destination. I see a world of possibilities here," said Jaishankar.
The counsel for the petitioner stated that the present issue has been pending for a long time The counsel also said the government has set a timeline of two years for building the toilets The absence of separate public toilets for transgenders makes them prone to sexual assault and harassment, the petitioner said
Ahead of his meeting on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House, US President Donald Trump said that his country cannot deplete its own stockpile of Tomahawk cruise missiles by supplying them to Ukraine. Following an hour-long telephone call with Putin in which "great progress" was made, Trump said that the two leaders will meet in Hungary in the coming few weeks. "President Putin and I will...meet in an agreed-upon location, Budapest, Hungary," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump and Putin had previously met in Alaska. Kremlin aide said that Trump proposed a meeting in Budapest and Putin "immediately supported" the idea. The US President noted that the issue of supplying US Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine was discussed in the call. "We need Tomahawks for the US too. We have a lot of them, but we need them," he said as cited by a report in TASS. "I mean, we can't deplete for our country. So, you know, they're very vital, they're very powerful, they're very accurate, they're very good, but we need them too, so I don't know what we can do about that," Trump was cited as saying by the Rusian state media. Kremlin aide Ushakov told reporters that Putin had raised the issue of a possible supply of Tomahawks to Ukraine in his call with Trump on Thursday. He stressed that Putin told Trump the Tomahawks would not change the situation on the battlefield, but would harm US-Russian relations and the chance to move forward in the peace process. Zelensky has repeatedly asked the US to increase supplies of missiles for Patriot systems and to transfer Tomahawk missiles to Kiev. Last week, the US president has stated that before making a final decision on Tomahawk missiles, he should most likely discuss it with the Russian president. Tomahawk missiles have a range of up to 1,500 miles, putting even Moscow easily within Ukraine's reach. TASS reported that the Trump-Putin call was the eighth between the two leaders since the beginning of this year. According to Trump, top advisers of both the countries would meet next week to discuss the situation in Ukraine, with the US represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Kremlin aide Ushakov said that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will speak to Rubio in the coming days to start working on the summit. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump has urged member countries to vote against a proposal to impose what it calls the world's "first global carbon tax," aimed at curbing shipping pollution by moving them away from fossil fuels to greener energy options. "The United States will NOT stand for this Global Green New Scam Tax on Shipping," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. The US President's remarks come ahead of a vote by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London on adopting a Net-Zero Framework (NZF) -a policy that would impose a global tax on shipping emissions to reduce carbon output. The IMO is the United Nations specialised agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships. IMO's work supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals. "I am outraged that the International Maritime Organization is voting in London this week to pass a global Carbon Tax. The United States will NOT stand for this Global Green New Scam Tax on Shipping, and will not adhere to it in any way, shape, or form. We will not tolerate increased prices on American Consumers OR, the creation of a Green New Scam Bureaucracy to spend YOUR money on their Green dreams. Stand with the United States, and vote NO in London tomorrow! " Trump posted on Truth Social. Shipping accounts for nearly three per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the IMO. India is among the 63 countries that in April this year agreed to the draft of the proposal, which, if adopted, will enter into effect from 2028. It aims for net-zero emissions by 2050 through a global fuel standard and a pricing mechanism. On October 16, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X that the US would be a "hard NO" on the IMO measures and called on other nations to stand alongside the United States. Rubio linked his post to a Wall Street Journal article that said the plan is an attempt by "climate-obsessed politicians to entrench their agenda before voters in democracies can kill it." In a statement issued last week, Rubio along with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the proposal would be "disastrous" for industry and raise the price of goods for consumers. They warned countries who vote for it with possible sanctions such as "commercial penalties," additional port fees and potential visa restrictions among other measures.. "The NZF proposal poses significant risks to the global economy and subjects not just Americans, but all IMO member states to an unsanctioned global tax regime that levies punitive and regressive financial penalties, which could be avoided," the statement read. In order to be adopted, the framework needs the backing of two-thirds of 108 voting IMO members who belong to a long-standing international convention for the prevention of pollution from ships, known as MARPOL. Trump has often criticised climate policies including those advocating green energy like wind and solar energy. In his remarks at the UN General Assembly, the US President had described climate change as the "greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world" and dismissed global efforts to tackle it as misguided. (ANI)
By the end of this year, the Agbend-Kalale bridge across the Araz River will be ready. The construction of the entire border and customs infrastructure on this section of the Azerbaijani-Iranian border will be completed before the Novruz holiday. This means that we will have an alternative to air travel to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic for the spring days. We will be able to visit our relatives and friends in Nakhchivan on the new highway. In the future, the western regions of Azerbaijan and the NAR will be connected by a railway, which is being built along the same route.

The Iranian side is currently completing its part of the bridge. Azerbaijan completed the work long ago. The road bridge from Agbenda to Kalale is 374 meters long and 27.6 meters wide. It includes four traffic lanes, two safety lanes and dividing lanes, as well as pedestrian paths about 3 meters wide on each side. Iran is also working on widening the road from the Agbend-Kalale Bridge to the city of Julfa. Due to the complexity of the terrain, several bridges and tunnels will be built on this site. These works, according to the Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Iran, Farzane Sadegh, are planned to be completed within the next one to two years.

At a recent meeting of the delegations of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev called the Araz Corridor a unique infrastructure project. The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the new route will be a branch of the North-South, West-East and Middle Corridors.

The agreements that have already been reached between Azerbaijan and Iran in terms of the development of international corridors are fundamental. These projects connect not only the cardinal directions, but, first of all, our two countries. Work is underway on the development of the North-South MTK, the construction of the Astara cargo terminal and a new automobile and pedestrian bridge over the Astarachay River continues. The Agbend-Kalale bridge and road are of particular importance for Azerbaijan, as well as for Iran. Iran will benefit enormously from the opening of these communications. Becoming part of the East-West corridor has been a long-standing dream of the Iranian side, and now it will be able to fulfill it. The opening of this road will allow Iran to enter the wider world after the commissioning of the Agband-Jabrail-Agdam-Yevlakh-Georgia and Agband-Lachin-Kalbajar-Ganja-Georgia highways.

It all started on March 11, 2022, when a historic document was signed in Baku that dramatically changed the agenda of discussions around the fate of regional communications. The governments of the two countries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the creation of new communication links between the East Zangezur Economic Region and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through the territory of Iran. The signed memorandum can be safely called another geostrategic victory of Azerbaijan, the result of the well-thought-out policy of President Ilham Aliyev and his broad view of the future of the country and the region.

This decision came as a big surprise to everyone. Few people could have imagined that Azerbaijan would so masterfully solve the problem of communication with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic after Armenia actually refused to allow it to travel through Zangezur. Azerbaijan needed a road to NAR, and it could not wait for Yerevan to come to its senses. Therefore, during the 15th meeting of the State Commission for Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran in the economic, Trade and humanitarian spheres, a historic agreement was concluded between the governments of Azerbaijan and Iran. The document provides for the construction of a railway line, a multi-lane highway, power transmission lines, digital communications, etc. on the territory of Iran about 5 km south of the Armenian-Iranian border. In a sense, the Araz corridor is a mirror image of the "Trump Route," as the Zangezur Corridor became known after the meeting in Washington on August 8. But the road through Iran is not an alternative to the road through Armenia. Each of the projects has its own characteristics and its own tasks.

It should be noted that although the agreement on the Araz Corridor was reached three years ago, it was only after the new President of Iran, Masoud Peseshkian, took office that the process began to move forward. Prior to this, the project was delayed under various pretexts. In January of this year, Iran's Deputy Minister of Security and Law Enforcement, Ali Akbar Pourjamshidian, said at a meeting with officials that no organization has the right to interfere with the implementation of the Araz Corridor. "Any mistake in the implementation of this key project can lead to serious consequences," he said. According to Tasnim, the Deputy Minister announced the priority acceleration of the construction of the Agbend-Kalale bridge, the Kalale border terminal and the implementation of the Araz corridor.

Representatives of the East Azerbaijan province's leadership told reporters earlier that officials' disregard for the Araz corridor has become a problem in recent years. It was stressed that a careless attitude towards this important project could lead to Iran's isolation, given its strategic proximity to Azerbaijan, Turkey and Armenia. Interestingly, reasonable concerns have been openly expressed that if the Zangezur Corridor (now TPIPP) is built earlier, Iran risks remaining outside regional transport routes, as neighboring countries will be able to use alternative corridors, including through Armenian territory, which will reduce the need for transit through Iran.

After the election of Masoud Pezeshkian as president, Iran began talking about the unique possibilities of the corridor in the face of increasing competition for transport routes. The Iranian media emphasized that the Araz corridor will become part of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor connecting Russia, China, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Iran and Turkey with Eastern Europe and England. The commissioning of the Araz transit corridor and the Kalale border terminal will open up new prospects for export growth and strengthening economic activity in the region. In addition, the early construction of a 60-kilometer railway parallel to the Iranian section of the Araz automobile corridor, Iranian officials are confident, will make it possible to complete the North-South railway without completing the problematic Rasht-Astara road. Iran's railways will be able to integrate into the railway networks of the former Soviet Union, which will bring great benefits to the country.

All the conclusions that the Iranian side has reached today have been made in Azerbaijan for a long time. Baku has repeatedly pointed out to its neighbors the benefits that Iran receives from the implementation of Azerbaijan's initiatives. The Azerbaijani side does not pursue any dark goals and does not build insidious plans against its neighbors, but offers mutually beneficial cooperation.

As part of the automotive segment of the international North-South transport corridor, the Agbend-Kalale Bridge is indispensable. The Rasht-Astara road is critically important for the railway segment. Although Iranian officials think that it will be possible to do without it. Within the framework of the trilateral meeting in Baku, the delegations of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia visited the Iranian side of the border to see how things are going on in the Astara-Rasht section.

There is a contractual framework between the parties. In December last year, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on cooperation in the development of transit cargo transportation through the ITC. In September 2022, Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran signed the Baku Declaration on the Development of the International North-South Transport Corridor. On October 13, 2025, representatives of the governments of the three countries adopted a Communique providing for the creation of a working group to prepare an Action Plan in connection with the need to increase traffic volumes to 15 million tons and ensure continuous growth in cargo flows.

There are never too many roads. Roads are never superfluous. They connect people and countries, forming a kind of "lymphatic network" of the planet. Whoever builds roads is working for the future. Azerbaijan offers its neighbors to build it together.
COAS General Upendra Dwivedi met Lieutenant General Kayanja Muhanga, Commander Land Forces, Uganda and held discussions towards enhancing defence cooperation through joint training, professional military education and institutional exchanges. In details shared by the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) of the Indian Army, it was noted, "On the sidelines of #UNTCC2025, General Upendra Dwivedi, #COAS, engaged in a productive interaction with Lieutenant General Kayanja Muhanga, Commander Land Forces, Uganda. The discussions centred on enhancing defence cooperation through joint training, professional military education and institutional exchanges. Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening the partnership under the UN peacekeeping framework and advancing mutual learning for achieving excellence." https://x.com/adgpi/status/1979082412245291473 The meeting between the leaders comes shortly after Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh held talks with Odongo Jeje Abubakar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda, on Thursday to expand partnership across all domains. Singh said that both countries enjoy warm ties based on mutual respect.In a post on X, he said, "Delighted to meet H.E. Mr. Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda. India and Uganda enjoy warm relations grounded in historical ties and mutual respect. We held productive discussions on strengthening and expanding our partnership across multiple dimensions--including trade, defence, development cooperation, and capacity building." India and Uganda have historic ties. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had noted in a previous statement that the relations between India and Uganda, over the years, have acquired a greater depth and breadth in areas such as political, defence, economic, commercial, cultural, education, health and tourism to name a few. The meeting between the two leaders came on the sidelines when New Delhi hosted the UNTCC Chiefs Conclave from October 14 to 16, 2025, bringing together senior military leadership of over 30 nations. During the UNTCC hosted by India, leaders of the armed forces from across the world shared the challenges in the complex evolving global security environment and how countries can strengthen cooperation and carry forward the noble mission of global peace. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that India stands firm in upholding the "rules-based order" of the world, even as some nations "violate and undermine" international rules. "Nations realised that for the development, growth and prosperity, peace is essential. India was a founding signatory of the UN charter. It reflected India's own philosophy of 'Vasudhev Kutumbhkam', which teaches us that the world is one family," he said. Earlier on Tuesday, COAS General Dwivedi underscored, "Hosting this conference in India is not only a privilege but also a reaffirmation of our shared determination to strengthen cooperation and carry forward the noble mission of global peace. It also reflects the Indian ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbukam- the word is one family and that of Vishwa Bandhu- India as a friend to all". (ANI)
Ottawa [Canada], October 17 (ANI) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai, the imprisoned Hong Kong democracy advocate and founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily, highlighting growing tensions between Ottawa and Beijing over human rights abuses. Carney's remarks reflect Canada's deep concern for press freedom and humanitarian principles amid China's tightening grip on dissent in Hong Kong, as reported by The Epoch Times. According to The Epoch Times, speaking in Etobicoke, Ontario, on October 16, Carney stated that Canada's appeal was rooted in "humanitarian grounds" and its commitment to freedom of expression, which he emphasised must extend to Hong Kong. Lai, aged 77, has been incarcerated since 2020 under Beijing's draconian national security law, facing charges of sedition and collusion with foreign forces. The Chinese government accused Lai of promoting so-called "anti-China" activities aimed at destabilising the region. Lai, who suffers from diabetes, has endured harsh confinement conditions for nearly five years and faces the possibility of a life sentence, numerous Canadian human rights organisations including the Canadian Coalition on Human Rights in China and the Toronto Association for Democracy in China have repeatedly urged Ottawa to grant Lai honorary Canadian citizenship and press for his release, citing his family's Canadian ties. When questioned about offering citizenship, Carney stressed that Canada's priority is protecting its own citizens but affirmed that his government would continue advocating for Lai's freedom. He also mentioned that Canada was reassessing its economic exposure to China, particularly amid escalating trade disputes involving tariffs on agricultural exports and electric vehicles. Carney referenced his September 23 meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, describing it as "constructive but cautious." China's retaliatory tariffs against Canadian goods have further strained relations, even as Foreign Minister Anita Anand visits China to discuss bilateral ties, as cited by The Epoch Times. Carney's call aligns with mounting international criticism of China's suppression of journalists and activists. Lai's imprisonment stands as a stark symbol of Beijing's deepening authoritarianism and its systematic dismantling of Hong Kong's promised freedoms, as reported by The Epoch Times. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr Badr Abdelatty and said the relationship between the two countries is growing from strength to strength. PM Modi described Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as "a friend" and conveyed deep appreciation for his crucial role in the Gaza Peace Agreement. "Pleased to receive Foreign Minister of Egypt, Dr. Badr Abdelatty. Conveyed deep appreciation for my friend, President Sisi, for his crucial role in the Gaza Peace Agreement. India-Egypt Strategic Partnership continues to grow from strength to strength for the benefit of our people, our shared region and the humanity," PM Modi said in a post on X. Abdelatty is on a two-day visit to India. He held talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday. He co-chaired the India-Egypt Strategic Dialogue with Jaishankar. Describing the dialogue as "a milestone," Jaishankar said it provided both nations with a platform to review progress and set future goals. "Our meeting for the first India-Egypt Strategic Dialogue is a milestone in our ties. Since the elevation of our relationship to a strategic partnership in 2023, we have seen an intensification of cooperation in various domains," he said. The discussions focused on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, defence, renewable energy, and digital innovation. Both sides also exchanged views on regional and global developments, including stability in West Asia and promoting the voice of the Global South. Jaishankar underlined that India and Egypt share a "commitment to the progress of the Global South and to strengthening the independence and freedom of choice of nations in world affairs." He also appreciated Egypt's solidarity following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, noting that PM Modi and President Sisi had spoken soon after the incident. Abdelatty said the first strategic dialogue reflected the shared vision of both leaders to unlock the full potential of the partnership. "This is a testament to the commitments by our two leaders since we signed the strategic partnership agreement in June 2023. We have a long-standing relationship bound by history, geography, and shared interests, but we must do more for the benefit of our two great peoples," he said. Calling for closer economic engagement, Abdelatty said both nations must explore opportunities for joint ventures and trade. "We must encourage our business communities to explore the vast capabilities in both economies and build a win-win partnership," he added. Earlier in the day, the Egyptian minister met Indian business leaders and CEOs who are investing in Egypt or exploring opportunities there. (ANI)
Nepal's Interim Government Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Friday held a high-level diplomatic briefing one month after the formation of the government at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In her briefing, the interim prime minister assured the diplomats that the Himalayan Nation is steadily returning to normalcy, as the government intensifies efforts to restore stability, promote transparency, and combat corruption. "The situation in Nepal is gradually returning to normalcy. As a testament to the resilience of our people. We would greatly appreciate your support in sharing this positive message with the wider international community. Excellencies, we would deeply appreciate the understanding, cooperation, and friendship that your governments and missions have extended towards Nepal and the Nepali people," Karki said in her briefing. The Prime Minister also briefed diplomats on the latest update regarding the overall situation in Nepal and informed diplomats about the upcoming elections to the House of Representatives, scheduled for March 5, 2026. "Heads of the diplomatic missions and representatives of various countries were briefed about the formation of the incumbent government, the political condition of the nation, and the priorities of this government by the Prime Minister. This was a diplomatic briefing, and she mainly focused on the major responsibility of this government --the election, among others. In that regard, she also focused on diplomatic relations and foreign policy. This is her first (diplomatic) briefing, and she did it in the capacity of foreign minister," Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri, the Joint Secretary at the Foreign Ministry, told ANI following the briefing. Karki, who is working with her eight-member interim cabinet, has been highlighting the successful commission of the March 5 election as her primary aim and would exit immediately after the new lower house commences. Karki came into power following the Gen-Z revolution, which removed communist KP Sharma Oli from power. At least 75 people were killed in two days of violence. The Gen Z protestors had hit the streets demanding political accountability, an end to entrenched corruption, and the reversal of a controversial social media ban. The protests, primarily driven by students and young citizens, rapidly escalated into the bloodiest day since the 2006 pro-democracy movement. On September 8 alone, at least 21 protestors--mostly students under the age of 30 were killed. The following day saw 39 more deaths, including 15 from severe burns, while an additional 14 fatalities were recorded over the next ten days. To date, the death toll stands at 75. With the parliament dissolved and elections scheduled for March next year, Nepal now faces a turbulent political transition. (ANI)
A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan on Friday evening, marking the fourth quake to hit the country in less than a month and the second quake to hit the country in less than 12 hours. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the tremor occurred 47 km north-northwest of Khandud at 12:15 UTC (5:45 pm IST) at a depth of 43 km. No immediate damage or casualties were reported from Afghanistan. Earlier in the day, an earthquake of magnitude 4.3 struck Afghanistan, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). The quake occurred at 5:23 am (IST) with its epicentre located at latitude 34.57 degrees North and longitude 70.66 degrees East, at a depth of 10 kilometres. The tremors were felt in parts of eastern Afghanistan, including regions near the border with Pakistan. Earlier, on October 5, a 4.1 magnitude earthquake had struck the country. As per the NCS, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 180km. In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 4.1, On: 06/10/2025 20:12:21 IST, Lat: 36.64 N, Long: 70.88 E, Depth: 180 Km, Location: Afghanistan." Earlier on September 28, another earthquake of magnitude 3.9 struck the region at a shallow depth of 10km, making is susceptible to aftershocks. In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 3.9, On: 28/09/2025 04:16:13 IST, Lat: 34.62 N, Long: 70.84 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Afghanistan." Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes. This is because the seismic waves from shallow earthquakes have a shorter distance to travel to the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking and potentially more damage to structures, as well as greater casualties. On September 18, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, reaffirmed India's commitment to promote peace, stability and development in the country. Addressing the UN Security Council quarterly briefing on Afghanistan, Ambassador Parvathaneni emphasised India's priorities to provide humanitarian assistance and implement capacity-building initiatives for the Afghan people."We believe in the utmost importance of international and regional consensus and cooperation on key issues concerning Afghanistan and actively engage with all relevant parties to promote peace, stability and development in the country," Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said. "India's immediate priorities in Afghanistan include provision of humanitarian assistance and implementation of capacity-building initiatives for the Afghan people," he added. He also reaffirmed India's commitment to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Ambassador Parvathaneni expressed gratitude to Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Roza Otunbayeva, for her briefing. (ANI) Around the same time, a separate 5.7-magnitude earthquake was reported in northern Pakistan, near the Afghan border region. According to India's National Centre for Seismology, the tremor struck at 5:45:06 pm (IST) at a depth of 10 km, with coordinates 36.61degrees North latitude and 72.87 degrees East longitude. https://x.com/NCS_Earthquake/status/1979168588008235417 The shallow depth made the quake perceptible across parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with reports of tremors coming in from Islamabad, Swat, and Chitral. Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India lie in one of the most seismically active zones in the world, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. The region frequently experiences moderate to strong earthquakes, often felt across borders due to the proximity of fault lines. Authorities in Afghanistan and Pakistan have not yet reported any casualties or infrastructure damage as assessments are still underway. (ANI)
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on Friday said discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi included the longstanding fishermen's issue, describing it as "ongoing" and "sensitive" while stressing the need to protect livelihoods on both sides. Speaking to ANI after her meeting with PM Modi, Amarasuriya said, "That is an ongoing issue and something that needs to be discussed. We need to protect the livelihoods of our fishermen as well, but we understand that that's a sensitive issue and we will continue to talk about it." Amarasuriya said her meeting with the Indian Prime Minister was "very good" and covered several areas of mutual cooperation. "We discussed how we can continue to maintain the good relations that we have established. He asked me about my visit to India and what I have done, and we are going to meet again this evening. So it was a good conversation," she said. Highlighting India's support for Sri Lanka's education sector, she added, "We already have many collaborations underway. There's been support from India for infrastructure development in education. However, we also discussed the possibility of forming more institutional collaborations. And he gave me quite a few ideas, Prime Minister Modi, about the education reforms that are going on here. We discussed our respective policies." Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was glad to welcome Amarasuriya, noting that their discussions spanned multiple sectors. In a post on X, he said, "Glad to welcome Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ms. Harini Amarasuriya. Our discussions covered a broad range of areas, including education, women's empowerment, innovation, development cooperation and welfare of our fishermen. As close neighbours, our cooperation holds immense importance for the prosperity of our two peoples as well as the shared region." On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met the visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. In a post on X, he said, "Pleased to meet PM Harini Amarasuriya of Sri Lanka this morning in Delhi. Discussed India's continued support to Sri Lanka and strengthening our cooperation in education & capacity building." During her maiden visit to India as Prime Minister, Amarasuriya said her objective was to "further increase and strengthen our (India-Sri Lanka) relationship." She also visited Hindu College in New Delhi, where she once studied, and interacted with students. "It is lovely to be back. It is lovely to see the current students. I become so hopeful when I see them," she told ANI. In her address at the University of Delhi, she called for transforming political culture by eliminating corruption and nepotism while urging citizens not to turn away from politics. "Let's change what we don't like about politics -- the cultures of some political parties, the corruption, the nepotism, the distance from normal, ordinary citizens. Let's change that, but don't reject politics, because without politics, you won't be able to change the world, and that's what we have to do," Amarasuriya said. She also lauded India's progress in digital governance, calling it "an excellent example" of how technology can make governments more accountable and transparent. "I think India has done that amazingly well. The digitalisation of governance systems is transforming the public sector," she added. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Sri Lankan counterpart Harini Amarasuriya and discussed education, women's empowerment, innovation, development cooperation, and the welfare of fishermen. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Glad to welcome Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Harini Amarasuriya. Our discussions covered a broad range of areas, including education, women's empowerment, innovation, development cooperation and welfare of our fishermen. As close neighbours, our cooperation holds immense importance for the prosperity of our two peoples as well as the shared region." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1979136554074304660 On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and discussed ways to bolster cooperation between the two countries. In a post on X, Jaishankar said, "Pleased to meet PM Harini Amarasuriya of Sri Lanka this morning in Delhi. Discussed India's continued support to Sri Lanka and strengthening our cooperation in education & capacity building." Speaking to ANI about the purpose of her visit, Prime Minister Amarasuriya said it was aimed at "further increasing and strengthening our (India-Sri Lanka) relationship." The Sri Lankan leader, who is on her maiden visit to India as Prime Minister, also visited Hindu College in New Delhi, where she once studied. During her interaction with students, she reflected on her time at the institution and expressed optimism about the country's youth, saying, "It is lovely to be back. It is lovely to see the current students. I become so hopeful when I see them." Addressing students at the University of Delhi, Amarasuriya called for transforming political culture by rooting out corruption and nepotism while encouraging young citizens to remain engaged in politics. "Let's change what we don't like about politics, the cultures of some political parties, the corruption, the nepotism, the distance from normal, ordinary citizens. Let's change that, but don't reject politics, because without politics, you won't be able to change the world, and that's what we have to do," she said. She also praised India's progress in digital governance, calling it an example for other countries to follow. "I think India has done that amazingly well. The digitalisation of governance systems is transforming the public sector. I think India is actually an excellent example of how digitalisation can lead to more accountable governments, more accessible, transparent systems," Amarasuriya added. (ANI)
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said that three Bangladeshi nationals who died in Tripura earlier this week were armed smugglers who had illegally crossed into Indian territory and attacked local villagers. In response to media queries regarding the incident, MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement, "We have noted that an incident in Tripura leading to the death of three Bangladesh smugglers took place on October 15, 2025, about 3 kms inside Indian territory." He added, "A group of three miscreants from Bangladesh crossed the international border and attempted to steal cattle from Bidyabil village in Indian territory. They attacked and injured local villagers with iron dahs and knives, and killed one villager, even as other villagers arrived and resisted the attackers." According to the MEA, authorities rushed to the scene where two smugglers were found dead, while the third succumbed to his injuries in hospital the following day. "The mortal remains of all three have been handed over to the Bangladesh side. Police have also registered a case," MEA added. The spokesperson further emphasised that the incident highlighted the importance of cross-border cooperation. "This incident underscores the need for Bangladesh to undertake necessary measures to uphold the sanctity of the International Boundary and support the construction of fencing where needed to prevent cross-border crimes and smuggling," he stated. Following the MEA's clarification, the Government of Bangladesh issued a statement strongly protesting the deaths, calling the act "brutal" and "unacceptable," and urging India to launch a transparent investigation. "This heinous act is an unacceptable and grave violation of human rights and the rule of law. The Government of Bangladesh expresses its serious concern over this deplorable incident and calls upon the Government of India to conduct an immediate, impartial, and transparent investigation into the incident and make sincere efforts to prevent the recurrence of such inhumane acts. The perpetrators must be identified and brought to justice," the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said. Dhaka also underscored that "all individuals, irrespective of their nationality, are entitled to the full protection of their human rights, regardless of which side of the border they may inadvertently find themselves in." The three Bangladeshi nationals were reportedly killed on October 15 in Tripura's Bidyabil village near the India-Bangladesh border. (ANI)
In a major push to strengthen India-Brazil relations, Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin led a high-level delegation during a three-day visit to India, acting on the directive of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is slated to visit in February 2026. Addressing a press conference, Alckmin highlighted the burgeoning economic ties, with both nations witnessing a surge in investments from Indian and Brazilian enterprises. Bilateral trade, which stood at USD 12 billion last year, is on track to reach USD 15 billion by the end of 2025, with an ambitious goal of USD 20 billion in the near term. "We are committed to expanding preferential tariff lines in the coming months to drive this growth," Alckmin stated. The delegation signed two pivotal decrees: an investment facilitation agreement and a pact to eliminate double taxation, ensuring greater legal certainty for businesses. In a significant move, Alckmin announced the introduction of a business eVisa starting next week, to be facilitated by Brazil's embassy and consulate in India, aimed at easing business travel. He also underscored opportunities in Brazil's universal healthcare system, expressing keen interest in collaborating with India's pharmaceutical sector to advance vaccine and drug production. Energy cooperation emerged as a key focus, with Brazil's Petrobras signing a deal to supply 6 million barrels of oil to India in exchange for importing diesel. Alckmin invited Indian companies to participate in two newly opened oil exploration blocks, leveraging Brazil's expertise in deep-sea oil extraction. In the aerospace and defence sector, Brazilian firm Embraer inaugurated an office in New Delhi and signed a cooperation agreement with Mahindra for defence and aeronautics. Alckmin noted that Embraer's KC390 multimission aircraft, widely used in Brazil, is being explored for local production in India, signalling deeper industrial ties. Emphasising the shared democratic values of both nations, Alckmin said, "Brazil and India are partners in multilateralism and free trade through BRICS, which stands for inclusive growth, not opposition." He highlighted Brazil's 16% agricultural growth, adding, "We don't seek to compete with India, a global agricultural leader, but to complement each other's strengths." He also expressed hope for a direct flight between India and Brasilia to boost connectivity, calling it "a shared dream." The visit saw robust exchanges between Indian and Brazilian business delegations, laying the groundwork for a dynamic partnership. "This is just the beginning of a new chapter in India-Brazil collaboration," Alckmin concluded, reaffirming both nations' commitment to mutual prosperity. (ANI)
The UK government on Thursday strongly condemned reports of violence and persecution faced by Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, pledging continued engagement with Dhaka's interim government to ensure the protection of human rights and religious freedom. The statement came after a discussion at the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Hindus, where a report by Insight UK detailed alleged persecution, oppression, and killings of Hindus in Bangladesh. The report highlighted instances of temples being destroyed and properties burnt down, sometimes with families trapped inside their homes. Bangladeshi Hindus are facing a dire situation following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024, Raising the issue in Parliament, British MP Bob Blackman called for government action to safeguard minorities in Bangladesh "who are suffering from severe oppression." He said, "Next week Hindu's Sikh Jain will be celebrating Diwali followed by Hindu's new year. Unfortunately in Bangaldesh that's not the case, on Tuesday at all party parlimentray group for Bristish Hindus we received a Report from Insight Uk talking about the perscuation of Hindus in Bangladesh. They persecuted, oppressed and killed. Their temples are destroyed and thier properties are being literally burnt down with members of the household in it. So, could we have a statement from a Government minister on what action we are going to take to safeguard minorities in Bangladesh when they are suffering from severe oppression? " In an X post, Bob wrote, "Diwali is a time of celebration, where light triumphs over darkness. However, Hindu's in Bangladesh will not be celebrating. They face persecution, violence, and the destruction of their temples and homes. I've called on the Govt to take action on this." In response, a government minister said, "We strongly condemn all instances of hate and violence directed towards minority religious communities, and we have been and we are actively engaged with addressing the humanitarian situation in Bangladesh and supporting the interim government to support a peaceful democratic transition." Reaffirming the UK's commitment to defending human rights globally, the minister added, "We are deeply committed to the protection and freedom of religion, and if there is a point at which a statement is appropriate, the government will bring forward one. There will be opportunities for debate." The remarks come as Hindu, Sikh, and Jain communities around the world prepare to celebrate Diwali and the Hindu New Year next week. (ANI)
By Qabil Ashirov



Baku and Tabriz are exploring the establishment of a sister city partnership aimed at strengthening cultural and economic ties between the two cities.

Mayor of Tabriz Yaghoub Houshyar made the remarks while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the 3rd National Urban Forum of Azerbaijan (NUFA3).

He noted that Baku has already been declared a sister city with many capitals and major urban centers around the world, adding that a similar partnership with Tabriz is also possible.

The idea of establishing a sister city relationship between Baku and Tabriz has been discussed before, Houshyar said. We hope that concrete steps will be taken in this direction in the near future. Based on the agreement between our heads of state, cultural weeks will be organized in three cities  one in Tabriz and another in Baku.

The mayor emphasized that organizing such cultural events will contribute to the expansion of social and cultural ties between the two cities. The first of these events is planned to be held next year.

Speaking further, Houshyar noted that entrepreneurs from Tabriz are showing strong interest in participating in the reconstruction and development efforts in Azerbaijans Garabagh region.

There is already coordination in this area, and broader participation is possible in the future, he said. It is natural for Tabriz-based businesses to be involved in Garabaghs rehabilitation, education, and infrastructure projects, and this initiative is supported at the state level.

The mayor concluded that such cooperation would not only foster city-level partnerships but also deepen the friendship and understanding between the peoples of Azerbaijan and Iran.
US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) reiterated his repeated assertion of having "solved" eight global conflicts, including the May escalation between India and Pakistan, while expressing confidence in achieving success in ending the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which he described as his "number nine". During a bilateral lunch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House, Trump claimed credit for defusing tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations. "I solved eight wars. Go to Rwanda and the Congo, talk about India and Pakistan... Look at all of the wars that we solved," Trump said. "The Prime Minister of Pakistan said I saved millions of lives... Look at Pakistan and India as an example. That would have been a bad one. Two nuclear nations," he added. Trump's comments on the India-Pakistan conflict refer to the escalation in May following India's Operation Sindoor, a series of precision strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. He further criticised past US administrations for starting wars rather than ending them, saying, "To the best of my knowledge, we've never had a president who solved one war. Not one war. Bush started a war. A lot of them started a war. They didn't settle it. But I saved tens of millions of lives." Trump had been repeating his claims of playing a key role in helping de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan on the basis that trade and tariffs were instrumental for the US in preventing the conflicts. India has consistently refuted the claims made by the US President, reiterating its long-standing position that any issues with Pakistan, including those related to Jammu and Kashmir, are to be resolved bilaterally between the two countries. Turning to the ongoing war in Ukraine with Moscow, Trump expressed confidence in his ability to broker peace. "This will be number nine... We are going to have success with this (Ukraine) war," he said, adding, "That's an easy one for me to solve if I have to solve it." Trump also commented on the current conflict involving Pakistan and Afghanistan, suggesting it could be resolved quickly under his leadership, though he acknowledged his primary responsibility remains running the United States. "I love solving wars... You know why? I like stopping people from being killed, and I've saved millions and millions of lives," he stated. Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy came following the US President's hour-long telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin in which "great progress" was made. Trump also said that the two leaders will meet in Hungary in the coming few weeks. "President Putin and I will...meet in an agreed-upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' war between Russia and Ukraine to an end," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. (ANI)
OSAKA, Oct 17 (News On Japan) - A new one-stop support center for victims of sexual crimes and violence called 'With You Osaka' will begin operations on October 20th in Osaka City.

The center, located in Sumiyoshi Ward, is designed to provide comprehensive support for victims, including facilities such as showers and freezers for storing evidence. Until now, the Osaka Sexual Violence Relief Center SACHICO, a non-profit organization, had been offering similar services at a private hospital. However, due to a shortage of doctors and the difficulty of maintaining cooperation, the prefectural government has decided to relocate and operate the service as a commissioned project at the new facility.

With You Osaka will offer 24-hour telephone counseling and medical examinations by obstetricians and gynecologists. Depending on the nature of the consultation, the center will also coordinate with about 40 medical institutions across the prefecture to provide further support. Operations are scheduled to begin on October 20th.

Source: KTV NEWS
Morocco and Russia agree on the fact that international law and principles cannot be interpreted in a way that halts the progress towards a resolution for the Moroccan Sahara issue, said, on Thursday in Moscow, Moroccan Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita.

Speaking at a press conference following talks with his Russian peer, Sergey Lavrov, Bourita said this meeting provided an opportunity to discuss regional and international issues, foremost among them the Moroccan Sahara issue.

We agree that solutions must be in line with international law and principles, and that these same principles cannot be exploited or interpreted in a way that halts the progress towards solutions, Bourita stressed.

The Moroccan top diplomat, recalling that Russia holds the presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of October, which is to address this issue, said that it is now time to take into account the momentum this issue is gaining at the international level, thanks to the impetus provided by HM King Mohammed VI and the changes in the positions of several countries.

Russia is a key player in this issue, as a member of the Group of Friends of the Sahara and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and currently holds the rotating presidency of thie Council, Bourita insisted, adding that discussions on this subject between Morocco and Russia will continue in the coming days.

He emphasized, in the same vein, that Morocco considers Russia to be an active and important player on the international stage as a permanent member of the Security Council with influence on several international issues and matters, noting that the dialogue between our two countries will have positive results.

This is a dialogue that is not against anyone, but a dialogue to strengthen regional peace and stability, he said.

Bourita noted that Russia and Morocco play a role in the Arab region and Africa, adding that dialogue between the two countries is likely to bring their views closer together and strengthen stability in both regions.

For his part, the Russian foreign minister said that the two countries share the position that these international principles must not be interpreted selectively () but must be applied and respected in their entirety and interdependence.
The United Nations has condemned Madagascars latest military coup, calling for a swift return to constitutional order following the swearing-in of Colonel Michael Randrianirina as interim president.

The move comes after weeks of youth-led protests over power and water shortages that killed at least 22 people and injured over 100. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, through his spokesman, denounced the unconstitutional change of government and backed the African Unions suspension of Madagascar from all its activities. He urged Malagasy stakeholders, especially the youth, to address the root causes of instability and reaffirmed the UNs commitment to restoring peace alongside partners like the AU and SADC.

Randrianirina, head of the elite CAPSAT unit that turned against ousted President Andry Rajoelina, pledged a civilian-led transition with elections in 1824 months. He appeared in a civilian suit during his swearing-in  an apparent bid to signal legitimacy and distance the move from a military dictatorship. Rajoelina, impeached for desertion of duty, fled the country amid security concerns, reportedly flying to Dubai via Reunion. His camp has condemned the court-backed transition as illegal.

This marks Madagascars third military takeover since independence in 1960, in a country where over 80% live in poverty. International observers, including France, have urged full civilian participation in the transition and warned against further destabilization. As political tensions simmer, Madagascar stands at a crossroads  between authoritarian relapse and the promise of reform led by its mobilized youth.
Morocco has turned its pharmaceutical sector into a strategic lever for health sovereignty and economic growth, said on Thursday in Istanbul, the Secretary of State in charge of Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira.

Speaking during a panel held part of the 5th Turkiye-Africa Business and Economic Forum, Hejira emphasized that the Kingdom has undertaken an ambitious industrial policy for two decades, turning the pharmaceutical sector into the second chemical activity in the country.

Moroccos pharmaceutical industry exports have experienced a strong momentum, going from MAD 1.1 billion in 2020 to MAD 1.5 billion in 2024, an average annual growth of +8%, he pointed out.

In Africa, Morocco has strengthened its share of the export market, going from 6% in 2011 to 11% in 2024, becoming the 4th biggest African exporting country of pharmaceutical products.

He noted that the Kingdom counts more than 60 industrial units that produce in accordance with European and American standards, covering 70% of national needs and exporting towards more than 40 countries in Africa, Europe and the MENA region, for a total revenue that exceeds MAD 13.7 billion.

Touching on cooperation avenues between Turkiye and Africa, Hejira said that the African health market is experiencing a rapid expansion, while the challenges of dependence on imports, market fragmentation, and the absence of regulatory integration remain important.

The official assured that Turkiye-Africa cooperation offers a pragmatic and structuring response to these challenges, based on four priority areas. These are the creation of joint industrial platforms to meet market needs, research and development partnerships between Turkish, Moroccan, and African laboratories, the strengthening of pharmaceutical logistics, relying on infrastructure such as Tanger Med, Casablanca, and the future Dakhla Atlantic port, as well as joint financing and investment mechanisms.

He indicated that these actions could be carried by public-private partnerships and supported by an institutional framework that promotes the transfer of know-how, mutual recognition of certifications and the facilitation of market access.

In this context, the official reaffirmed Moroccos full openness to work with Turkiye and African partners to build an integrated, resilient and innovative African pharmaceutical industry, strengthen common health sovereignty and turn health into a driver of sustainable development in the continent.
The dynamics of integrated and sustainable development in Moroccos southern provinces were highlighted during a session part of the Global Youth Leadership Forum (GYLF) held in Santander, northern Spain October 12-17.

The session, under the theme Morocco, Gateway to Africa: Dakhla and the Southern Provinces of the Kingdom as an Example, showcased the economic, social, and infrastructural progress achieved in these regions.

During the session, Nourdine Mouati, Director of GYLF Africa in Spain, emphasized the depth of the historical, religious, political, and economic ties uniting Morocco and the African continent, recalling that the Kingdom stands as a model of stability, prosperity, and South-South cooperation.

He also highlighted the role of the Moroccan Sahara regions in strengthening economic relations with African countries, noting that Dakhla is poised to become a major logistics and trade hub linking Morocco to West Africa.

Meanwhile, Fatima Bekkar, President of the Sahara Horizons organization and member of the Dakhla Council, underscored the progress made under the New Development Model for the Southern Provinces, citing key projects such as the Dakhla Atlantic Port, a 1,650-hectare logistics zone, a 5,000-hectare integrated agricultural project, and the upcoming Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences.

She also noted that Dakhla now hosts around twenty African consulates, reflecting the Kingdoms continental influence, and announced that the upcoming GYLF Africa Forum will be held in the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region.
Morocco issued a strong and unequivocal call to the international community to protect and advance the gains achieved in womens rights, amid mounting challenges and setbacks across several regions of the world.

Speaking at the opening of the 11th edition of the Glion Human Rights Dialogue, Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Omar Zniber, warned against the resurgence of anti-rights movements, regressive legislation, and entrenched inequalities, underlining the need for urgent and collective action.

We must resist all attempts to roll back the rights of women and girls, whether justified in the name of tradition, religion, or political expediency, he said.

Gender equality must not remain a promise on paper but a lived realityfor everyone, everywhere, he emphasized.

The Moroccan diplomat highlighted the importance Morocco attaches to multilateral engagement, reflected in its continued commitment within the UN Human Rights Council, notably through the launch of the Advisory Council on Gender Equality during Moroccos presidency of the Council.

He further announced that the Group of Francophone Countries in Geneva, chaired by Morocco for the 20252026 term, will sustain this momentum by placing gender equality at the core of its agenda.

On the national front, Zniber reaffirmed Moroccos comprehensive legal and institutional framework to promote equality and combat violence against women. He cited, among other milestones, the Marrakech Declaration (2020), recognized by UN Women as one of the worlds most effective models for supporting survivors of gender-based violence.

Moreover, womens political and economic participation continues to grow steadily, with a record number of women elected to Parliament and regional councils, as well as increased support for womens entrepreneurship and rural women.

The ambassador called on all states to reinforce mechanisms for implementing human rights at the national level, boost funding for gender equality initiatives, and ensure that feminist organizations and women human rights defenders have the space and resources to act effectively.

This is a time for determination, not retreat. The future of womens rights depends on our ability to turn our commitments into tangible, transformative actions, he insisted.

Morocco, Zniber assured, will continue to share its best practices and actively contribute to the emergence of a more effective, fair, and reality-based multilateral system that responds to the needs of women and girls worldwide.

Jointly organized by Morocco, China, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, UN Women, and the Universal Rights Group (URG), in partnership with the Permanent Missions of Thailand and Mexico, the Glion Dialogue brings together representatives of states, the United Nations, and civil society to explore ways of revitalizing global momentum toward gender equality and womens empowerment.

This years high-level meeting coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA)a landmark framework for the advancement of womens and girls rights.
Low-cost airline EasyJet has announced plans to establish in Marrakesh its first-ever base in Africa. With three aircraft based in the Red City, the company will offer its clients a permanent, year-round operation, serving 24 European destinations starting spring 2026.

In the first year, easyJet will offer a record 4 million seats to and from Morocco, building on its history of transporting around 20 million passengers since entering the market in 2006.

The low-cost company will also launch four new connections in summer 2026, bringing the total to 46 routes to the North African Kingdom. New flights will connect Hamburg, Lille, and Strasbourg to Marrakech, and Geneva to Tangier.

The move will help create hundreds of job opportunities in tourism and related sectors, supporting Moroccos growing demand for leisure and business travel.

Morocco is the fastest-growing market outside Europe for EasyJet which is enhancing its presence in the country in line with the partnership sealed with the Moroccan National Tourism Office.

EasyJets CEO, Kenton Jarvis, described the move as historic, emphasizing Moroccos role as a key market where the airline is already the largest carrier from the UK and Switzerland.

The companys expansion aims to provide more affordable connectivity between Europe and Moroccos cultural hubs, unlocking capacity at busy European airports and boosting tourism. This aligns with Moroccos push to attract more visitors amid rising competition from other international carriers.
U.S. senior Presidential advisor Massad Boulos has said that Washington will open a US consulate in the Moroccan Saharan city of Dakhla, a diplomatic move confirming American recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara.

In an interview broadcast Thursday by Al Sharq TV Channel, Mr. Boulos commended the historic and crystal-clear speech made by King Mohammed VI during latest Throne Day, highlighting the fraternal relationship with the Algerian people and state.

He also described the royal speech as a historical statement, voicing Moroccos readiness to finding a consensual and lasting solution to the five-decade Sahara conflict. Boulos remarks come two weeks ahead of the UN Security Council meeting scheduled on the Sahara.

He also cited his latest visit to Algeria and meeting with President Abdelmajid Tebboune, saying the Algerians say they want lasting resolution of the Sahara issue and normalization of relations with neighboring Morocco.

His statement exposes the hypocrisy and misleading rhetoric of the Algerian rulers. Behind the scene, they seek normalization of relations with Rabat, but in front of their public opinion, they maintain anti-Moroccan propaganda and adherence to positions defying even Washingtons supportive stand of Moroccos territorial integrity.
Russia lauded the role played by King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, an offshoot of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OCI), to peacefully resolve the Palestinian issue.

Morocco traditionally plays an important role in supporting the efforts to reach a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue, Russian minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, said during a joint press conference with his Moroccan peer, Nasser Bourita, following their meeting in Moscow, on Thursday.

We emphasize the role of His Majesty King Mohammed VI as Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee of the OIC, he said.

Touching on developments in the Middle East, the head of Russian diplomacy expressed his satisfaction of the successful start of the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the exchange of hostages and prisoners.

In this respect, he underlined the importance of strictly complying with the commitments of this agreement, taking into account in particular the results of the Peace Summit held on October 13 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

The truce and ceasefire in Gaza must be sustainable in order to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered and reconstruction work to begin, Lavrov said.

He also considered it important to resume the political settlement process as soon as possible on the basis of UN resolutions, which provide for the creation of an independent Palestinian state, living side by side with the State of Israel in peace and security.
Russian minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, reiterated, on Thursday in Moscow, the firm determination of Russia and Morocco to continue working together to further strengthen the traditionally friendly ties, trust, and strategic partnership between the two countries.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita after their talks, Lavrov said they had discussed trade and economic exchanges.

We have a mutual interest in increasing the volume of trade and seeking areas for reciprocal investment, he said, adding that the two sides agreed that the potential for practical cooperation in these areas is far from exhausted.

Regarding the 8th session of the Morocco-Russia Intergovernmental Joint Commission, set to be co-chaired on Friday by Bourita and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Patrushev, the head of Russian diplomacy said that he expects good results.

We have noted with satisfaction the high level of interaction in a whole range of other areas, Lavrov said, citing in particular the education sector, with 4,250 Moroccan students currently studying in Russia.

We have stable and trusting contacts between our foreign ministries, particularly at the UN, but also at other international platforms, including the Russia-Africa and Russia-League of Arab States forums, he said, emphasizing that the Memorandum of Understanding that has just been signed on the creation of a Russian-Moroccan Working Committee between the foreign ministries will strengthen interaction and coordination between the two parties in the interests of deepening the strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Morocco.

Lavrov pointed out that the next year will mark the tenth anniversary of the Joint Declaration adopted at the highest level on the deepening of the strategic partnership, noting that this anniversary will be marked by a series of events, including exchanges of visits between sectoral departments and intensified contacts between parliamentarians, in addition to the organization of Russian Culture Days in Morocco.
Morocco and Russia signed on Friday in Moscow a new cooperation agreement on fisheries, which stands in for the previous agreement, expired on December, 31, 2024.

The agreement was signed by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Russias Head of the Federal Agency for Fishery Ilya Shestakov on the sidelines of the 8th session of the MoroccoRussia Intergovernmental Joint Commission, co-chaired by Bourita and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Patrushev.

The new four-year agreement establishes a legal framework and practical terms allowing Russian ships to operate in the Moroccan Atlantic waters, in line with the Moroccan regulations in force.

The agreement sets an annual fishing share not to exceed by vessels, strictly regulates authorized fishing zones along the entire Moroccan Atlantic coast, as well as the biological rest periods established in the concerned zones for the preservation of fish stocks.

In line with the Kingdoms environmental commitments, the agreement emphasizes the safeguarding of the marine ecosystem, the prevention of overfishing, and the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

It also provides for reinforced scientific and technical cooperation between Moroccos National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH) and its Russian counterpart, through joint training and follow-up programs for the marine ecosystem and the fisheries resources.

Economically, the agreement is set to contribute to the momentum of Moroccos fishing sector, generating direct benefits for the economy both nationally and in the regions concerned.

It particularly promotes employment for Moroccan seafarers on board Russian vessels, and the development of related activities, notably in the southern ports of the Kingdom, thereby consolidating their role as regional economic hubs.

Furthermore, the agreement provides for cooperation in maritime training, with the award of scholarships and internships to Moroccan students and executives in specialized Russian institutions, with a view of strengthening national skills in this area.

This new cooperation agreement reflects the joint willingness of both countries to pursue a mutually beneficial cooperation that is responsible and concerned about safeguarding marine resources and environments, at the service of sustainable development and close historical relations between both countries in the field of fisheries.
After decades of stalemate, the contours of a settlement of the Sahara issue are being defined in a way that corrects colonial prejudice suffered by Morocco, a nation divided into different occupation zones.

In a closed-door briefing to the UN Security Council on October 10th, Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary-Generals personal envoy, acknowledged what has become undeniable: Moroccos autonomy plan, tabled in 2007, is now the only realistic and politically feasible on the table. Meanwhile, Algeria and its Polisario proxies continue to stick to obsolete referendum option.

The shift is stark. Washington, Paris and London openly back Rabats proposal, calling it realistic and pragmatic. The US, which recognized Moroccan sovereignty in 2020, has doubled down, steering the drafting of this months Security Council resolution.

Even Moscow and Beijing are signaling openness to a political solution anchored in autonomy.

Morocco, after ending the conflict militarily by foiling hit-and-run guerilla warfare tactics sponsored by Algiers, is now close to a diplomatic close of this artificial dispute. It has deepened ties with the Security Council permanent member states, underscoring its growing diplomatic influence. Three out of five backed the autonomy plan outrightly, while Russia and China gave positive feedbacks ahead of a Security Council resolution expected by the end of the month to renew the UN mission mandate in the Sahara territory.

Algeria, by contrast, clings to an obsolete script. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune recently vowed never to abandon the Polisario Front, the separatist movement it arms, funds and shelters. His insistence on a referendum, long dismissed as unworkable, betrays a rigidity that blocks progress.

Worse, Algerias swelling defense budget, now $25bn, raises fears of escalation in a region already fragile. Staffan de Mistura warned that militarization risks tipping a frozen conflict into open confrontation.

The envoys prescription is clear: Algiers must help the Polisario prioritize the political track, according to leaks of his briefing by Moroccan and international media.

That means abandoning maximalist demands and engaging in direct talks with Morocco, Mauritania and the UN before years end. The alternative, he cautions, is diplomatic paralysis and the spectre of renewed war.

De Mistura urged the renewal of the UN mission in the Sahara even in reduced form, warning that a pullout would create a dangerous vacuum.

As the World aligns behind realism, Morocco offers autonomy as a framework for compromise; Algeria offers only obstruction.
Malawi reiterated on Friday its constant position in favor of Moroccos territorial integrity and sovereignty over its entire territory, including the Sahara region.

This position was expressed by the new Malawian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. George Thapatula Chaponda, during a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita.

Chaponda also welcomed the growing international consensus and the momentum led by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in favor of the autonomy plan presented by the Kingdom.

In this regard, he reaffirmed the support of Malawi to this plan, describing it as the only credible and realistic solution to the resolution of this issue.

The Malawian top diplomat further welcomed the efforts of the United Nations as the exclusive framework for achieving a solution.

The two Ministers reiterated their determination to set a strategic course to strengthen multisectoral cooperation between both countries, relying on established diplomatic representations, including the Consulate General of Malawi in Laayoune, operational since December 2023. This dynamic seeks to bring the bilateral relations into line with the aspirations of the two Heads of State.
49 items in this article 28 items on sale! Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photo: Retailer

The first commercially printed Advent calendars mightve had Bible verses, but todays are nondenominational and have broadened to include just about anything, from jars of Bonne Maman orange marmalade to American Girl doll parts. While the traditional Advent starts the fourth Sunday before Christmas, you wont find many Advent calendars left by the end of November anymore  at least, not the kind on wish lists mailed to Santa. This year, theyve arrived earlier than any year I can remember. If there were ever a time not to dillydally, its right now. Some of the calendars weve written about in earlier iterations of this post are already sold out online, including Anthropologies and Sephoras. But there are plenty more to consider. Here, I rounded up all the years best Advent calendars, including the Aesop Abode (its countdown is in odd numbers) to Dossiers with designer-perfume dupes. Ill be updating this guide regularly as the holidays roll around, so check back soon  and be sure to check out our guide to the best beauty Advent calendars to buy before they sell out, too.

Update on November 29, 2025

We checked prices and stock for every Advent calendars in this guide. Some have sold out since our last update, while others are on sale for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Most should arrive before the 12 days of Christmas begin, but not all will arrive before December 1.

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Best of Dermstore: 12 Days of Beauty $300 $300 All the products in Dermstores limited-edition 12 Days of Beauty are full size, from Paulas Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid and 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant to SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight. At $300, its a great value for anyone whos figuring out their skin-care routine. $300 at Dermstore Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Bloomingdales 25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar $244 $325 now 25% off $244 This is modeled after the 59th Street store, and Id liken what youll find inside to the Bloomingdales skin-care counter, with a SK-II facial treatment essence, Shiseido serum, and Augustinus Bader eye patches. $244 at Bloomingdale's Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Bloomingdales 12 Day Fragrance Advent Calendar $125 For the Fragrantica-review reader, theres Bloomingdales fragrance calendar. It has deluxe sizes of Byredos Bal dAfrique, Bond No. 9s Tribeca, and Maison Margielas Replica by the Fireplace. (Its better to know how Ex Nihilos Fleur Narcotique smells before paying $245 for a 1.7-ounce bottle.) $125 at Bloomingdale's Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Lush 29 High Street Advent Calendar $190 $190 From the home of the bath bomb comes the 29 High Street Advent Calendar. (Thats named after what fragrances every Lush shop, the 29 High Street Perfume.) Inside is a mix of exclusive bath bombs (Honey Butterbear, Christmas Tortoise ) and others available year-round and during the holidays (Ginger Tom, Catch Me If You Can ). $190 at Lush.com Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Voluspa Heritage 12-Day Advent Calendar $175 You cant do better than Voluspa when it comes to a drugstore candle. Even when the candle isnt burning, I find that you get strong wafts of fragrance from the wax itself, and the scent really fills a room once its been lit, says writer Dominique Pariso. Every 2.5-ounce votive (in Crushed Candy Cane, French Cade Lavender, Santal Vanille, Goji Tarocco Orange, and Noble Fir Garland) inside its Heritage Advent Calendar has a 25-hour burn time. $175 at Revolve Clothing Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Olive and June Christmas Calendar $75 $75 Olive & June gained something of a reputation for its crazy-long wear time, according to Denton-Hurst. Behind every day of its Christmas calendar is either a quick-dry polish, a special-edition shade, or another tool for a manicure (like a buffer or nail-art sticker sheets). $75 at Olive and June Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Manucurist All That Glitters! Advent Calendar $139 $139 As our contributor Jolie De Feis says, I can only assume the reason more people arent talking about Manucurist is the same reason I waited so long to try it  the Instagram ads seemed way too good to be true. But Manucurist nail polish actually wears like gel, she says. Included is everything you need for a Manucurist manicure: polishes from its Green and Active lines and nail-care tools like files (one for shaping and another for buffing) and wooden sticks (to push back cuticles). $139 at Manucurist Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. House of OPIcing Mini Advent Calendar $50 Each nail polish has a merry-themed name such as Ginger Snapped and Spread the Cherry. Plus, they feature OPIs fast-drying formula (not to mention, you get base and top coats). $50 at OPI Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Jo Malone Advent Calendar $495 $495 Jo Malones calendar reminds me of a Mondrian painting. Each drawer has a Jo Malone product, whether thats a wood-sage and sea-salt hand wash or a pine-and-eucalyptus candle. The included orange-bitters cologne smells like a pomander  festive in a Victorian way, not a Hallmark way, says our senior editor Ailbhe Malone. It makes me want to yowl, You there, boy! What day is it? from my bedroom window to a snowy street below. (Why, its Christmas Day! Id shout back.) $495 at Neiman Marcus Buy $495 at Saks Fifth Avenue Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Tea Forte Warming Joy Herbal Advent Calendar $70 $70 In Tea Fortes herbal tea assortment, theres apricot amaretto, blueberry merlot, Belgian mint, and ginger lemongrass blends. Or a collaboration with The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) has cherry blossom, cucumber mint, and raspberry nectar blends. $70 at Tea Forte Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Whittard Hot Chocolate Advent Calendar $120 $120 I like Whittards hot chocolate more than Swiss Misss! This is 24 days of its hot chocolate (Whittard recommends stirring them in hot milk or making an ice-cold milkshake), including sticky toffee, hazelnut, cookies and cream, and salted caramel flavors. $120 at Macy's Buy $120 at Food52 Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Williams-Sonoma Christmas Popcorn Advent Calendar $160 $160 For the popcorn snob: Included here are kernels of the sweet baby blue, mushroom, and hull-less varieties, plus salted-caramel, French toast, buttery jalapeno, and dill-pickle seasonings for a marathon movie night. $160 at Williams Sonoma Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Williams Sonoma Holiday Advent Calendar: 24 Days of Baking Cookies $80 $80 December is cookie baking month, and this calendar (which reveals different cutters, stencils, and piping bags each day), makes the whole process even more celebratory. $80 at Williams Sonoma Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Uncommon Goods Stitch a Day Advent Embroidery Calendar $45 $45 Dont worry, there are easy instructions for a sewer to stitch every day from the first to the 25th of December. Be it a candy cane, snow glove, or a Santa hat. $45 at Uncommon Goods Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. National Geographic 2025 Outer Space Advent Calendar $11 $30 now 63% off $11 For the kid whos in the middle of a Mercury hyperfixation, courtesy of National Geographic: 24 days of space-themed activities, with everything youd need to paint models of the planets in our solar system and excavate a genuine pyrite (or fools gold) specimen. And they can use glow-in-the-dark stickers to form the constellations Canis Major, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, and Orion. $11 at Amazon Buy $11 at Amazon Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. National Geographic 2025 Dinosaur Advent Calendar $15 $25 now 40% off $15 Another rather educational calendar from National Geographic, this comes with 13 dinosaur figurines (including a stegosaurus and velociraptor) and 11 activities from painting rocks to making suncatchers. They can play Indiana Jones while inspecting a replica tooth from a Tyrannosaurus rex. $15 at Amazon Buy $15 at Amazon Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. KiwiCo Mechanical Ornaments Advent Calendar $50 $50 Known for making well-designed STEM subscription boxes, Kiwicos buildable mechanical ornaments are an introduction to simple mechanisms, including levers, gears and linkages for kids ages 5 and up. $50 at KiwiCo Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Crocs Holiday Advent Calendar 2025 $50 $50 Included are 26 different Jibbitz for no more plain Crocs. $50 at Crocs Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Build-A-Bear 2025 Advent Calendar $39 $39 Cheaper than most Build-A-Bears is the Build-A-Bear Advent calendar, with six mini-plushes and 19 pieces of clothing and accessories for them to play dress-up. $39 at Build-A-Bear Workshop Buy

Saved View Want to be emailed when products youve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Barbie Advent Calendar with Doll & 24 Surprise Accessories $40 $40 On the first day of this Barbie-themed calendar, you receive a pink-haired doll, and for the next 23 days, you get accessories for her to be a princess, a mermaid, or a fairy, like a tail and clip-on wings. $40 at Walmart Buy

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The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States rose this week, according to new data that Baker Hughes published on Friday.

The total rig count in the US rose this week to 548, according to Baker Hughes, down 37 from this same time last year.

The number of active oil stayed the same in the reporting period, according to the data, at 418. Year over year, this represents a 64-rig decline. The number of gas rigs rose by 1 to 121 active rigs, which is 22 over this time last year. The miscellaneous rig count stayed the same at 9.

Despite the sluggish drilling activity for new wells, the latest EIA data showed that weekly U.S. crude oil production continues to rise. In the week ending October 10, crude oil production rose to 13.636 million bpd from 13.629 million bpd. Average weekly oil production in the United States is now at the highest point ever.

Primary Visions Frac Spread Count, an estimate of the number of crews completing wells, slipped to 175 from 179 in the week prior, which is down 26 this year.

The number of active drilling rigs in the Permian Basin rose by 1 to 251 this week, which is 53 rigs under year-ago levels. The count in the Eagle Ford stayed the same at 44, which is 5 fewer than this same time last year.

By 12:44 p.m. ET, the WTI benchmark had fallen $0.05 per barrel (-0.09%) on the day at $57.41, a figure that is $1.50 under the level from this time last week. The Brent benchmark was trading essentially flat on Friday at $61.06.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Major utilities in the Southeast project substantial increases in electrical load, largely attributed to data centers, which is translating into higher energy bills for consumers, sparking an energy affordability crisis.

The rapid growth of data centers, fueled by the artificial intelligence boom, is leading to a bipartisan backlash in local communities across the United States due to their significant impact on energy prices and land use.

It is said that in times of great division, a common enemy can be a force for unification. And that common enemy has arrived, in the form of energy-sucking data centers and their wholesale attack on energy prices. As the artificial intelligence boom continues to pick up speed, massive data center projects are being greenlit left and right, and the communities expected to foot the bill for this expansion are starting to fight back  even if it means reaching across the aisle.

While political debates over data centers are not yet cropping up at the federal level or even the state level, it has become a hot-button issue in local politics, particularly in the Southeast of the country, where data centers are popping up like mushrooms. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis reports that in Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia, data centers are responsible for 65% to more than 85% of projected load growth for utilities. Accordingly, major utilities in these states, plus North Carolina, project that they will collectively add 32,600 MW of electrical load over the next 15 years.

A recent analysis from McKinsey projects that global energy demand from data centers will likely shoot up by between 19 and 22 percent annually through 2030, reaching a total annual demand of 171 to 219 gigawatts. This contrasts with the current demand of 60 GW, raising the potential for a significant supply deficit, McKinsey reported in October, 2024. To avoid a deficit, at least twice the data center capacity built since 2000 would have to be built in less than a quarter of the time, the report went on to say.

Someone has to pay for all that additional energy consumption. And it wont be the tech companies who are behind the omnipresence of AI integration. It will come at the expense of higher energy bills for consumers who source their energy from grids feeding data centers, whether they benefit from AI or not.

"We are witnessing a massive transfer of wealth from residential utility customers to large corporationsdata centers and large utilities and their corporate parents, which profit from building additional energy infrastructure," Maryland People's Counsel David Lapp recently told Business Insider earlier this year. "Utility regulation is failing to protect residential customers, contributing to an energy affordability crisis.

And that affordability crisis is now leading to bilateral opposition to the greenlighting of new data center projects across the nation. Reporting from the sidelines of a debate in suburban Virginia county, Semafor noted that the opposing candidates could at least agree on one thing:

I think we should, personally, block all future data centers, Patrick Harders, the Republican county board candidate, was quoted by Semafor. His Democratic opponent George Stewart agreed, saying that the crushing and overwhelming weight of data centers amounts to a crisis, and an unjust one at that, with massive corporations offloading their expenses onto local constituents.

Data centers arent just eating up more and more of consumers paychecks, theyre also snapping up massive tracts of land. In Indiana, local residents recently won out in a battle against Google, which wanted to convert more than 450 acres in the Indianapolis suburb into a sprawling data center campus. When a lawyer representing Google confirmed at a September public meeting that the company was pulling its data center proposal, cheers erupted from sign-waving residents, NPR reports. Similar stories are unfolding all across the country.

As data centers receive increasing pushback in the United States, developers are increasingly looking to Latin America to host their data center development projects, effectively outsourcing the issue to nations with even more limited resources.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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While not abandoning neutrality, these engagements suggest a potential role for Kazakhstan in facilitating peace talks and a broader effort by Ukraine to strengthen ties with Central Asian nations.

This shift is evident in recent high-level meetings between Kazakh and Uzbek officials and their Ukrainian counterparts, signaling a desire for more independent foreign policy.

Central Asian states, particularly Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, are moving away from strict neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine war by engaging more openly with Ukrainian leaders.

Central Asian neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine war is undergoing a not-so-subtle shift. Neutrality for Central Asian states during the first three-plus years of the conflict meant keeping Russia happy by keeping Kyiv at arms length. But now, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are showing greater willingness to openly engage with Ukrainian leaders.

On September 23 at the UN General Assembly, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev became the first Central Asian leader since the start of the war in 2022 to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Three days later, also in New York, Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov met with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha. The countries top diplomats last met it 2021.

All of this speaks to the fact that, if we take Uzbekistan for example, it is striving to express a more firmly independent position regardless of the very serious pressure applied by Russia, said Farhod Tolipov, the director of Knowledge Caravan, a Tashkent-based think tank.

At the same time, the meetings bear no indications Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan plan to abandon neutrality or openly defy the Kremlin.

Some experts believe Tokayev may be trying to position Kazakhstan as a facilitator of peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials. This meeting might be a turning point for Kazakhstan as a visible negotiator at the global level, Nurbolat Nyshanbayev, a foreign policy expert at TuranUniversity in Almaty, said, referring to the Tokayev-Zelensky meeting.

In a Fox News interview after meeting Tokayev, Zelensky said he would be open to talks with Putin in various countries, including Kazakhstan.

Though not a mediator, Kazakhstan nonetheless would be ready, if the need arose, to provide friendly services as a place for negotiations and meetings on all levels, Tokayev said in response to Zelenskys statements, Kazakhstans Tengri news reported.

Tokayevs discussions with Zelensky, per the official Akorda readout, focused on economic and humanitarian cooperation. Zelensky shared his view on the situation in Ukraine, and Tokayev told the Ukrainian leader that diplomatic work must continue to search for paths toward an end to the conflict, according to the Kazakh readout.

The Ukrainian side went further in its account of the meeting, saying in a readout that the pair discussed peace efforts in depth and that Tokayev assured of Kazakhstans full support for Ukraine and stressed the importance of achieving peace as soon as possible.

Nyshanbayev also believes the two leaders talked about Ukrainian drone attacks on Caspian Pipeline Consortium infrastructure in Russia. The CPC route carries 80 percent of Kazakh oil to Europe. A Ukrainian drone strike on September 24 caused damage to CPC facilities at Novorossiysk, a key oil export terminal.

Since the start of the conflict, Tokayev has been perhaps the Central Asian leader most willing to pursue neutral policies that displease the Kremlin. For example, in June 2022, the Kazakh president asserted that Astana would not recognize the Moscow-backed separatists in the Donbas region of Ukraine. Even so, Kazakhstan has come under suspicion in the past for serving as a back door for sanctions-busting imports by Russia.

Officials and observers in Uzbekistan have been a bit more candid about Tashkents stepped up engagement with Ukraine. Uzbekistan is always looking to maximize trade and investment opportunities, Saidov, the Uzbek foreign minister, stated on his Telegram channel.

Uzbekistan and other Central Asian states neutral stance on the war, like their abstentions or absences in UN votes, has been criticized as tilting toward Moscow, said Tolipov, the think-tank expert.

To smooth out a little this slant  we probably needed to create this image or this message with the New York meeting, he told Eurasianet.

Uzbekistan has distanced itself from Russia in other ways. In recent months, Tashkent has cracked down on Uzbek mercenaries who have signed up to fight for Russia in Ukraine. In the most recent prosecution, a man convicted of mercenary activity and another offense received a three-year prison sentence in mid-October. Meanwhile a crackdown on Central Asian labor migrants by Russian authorities and repeated incidents of violence and xenophobia against Uzbeks in Russia has emerged as a major point of tension in Uzbek-Russian relations.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is intent on seizing the diplomatic opportunity to improve ties with Central Asian states, underscored by the establishment of a new section devoted to the region within Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

[The war] should create stronger relations between Central Asia and Ukraine, Nyshanbayev said. There [were] historical relations post-Soviet states style, but I think now is the time for just state-to-state sovereign relations between Ukraine and other countries with a new vision.

By Alexander Thompson via Eurasianet.org

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State-owned Chinese oil giant CNPC continues to produce and export oil from a newly expanded oilfield in Niger despite ongoing disputes with the local authorities, Reuters reported on Friday, quoting sources familiar with the situation.

CNPC set foot in Niger in the early 2000s, developed the Agadem oilfield there, built a refinery in southern Niger and a pipeline to a port in Benin. The Chinese oil giant, which has invested over $5 billion in Nigers oil industry so far, started production at the Agadem oilfield in 2011, at a rate of 20,000 barrels per day (bpd).

The fields capacity has been recently increased to 90,000 bpd.

CNPC continues to export Nigerien crude via Benin, and total export sales have reached $2 billion, according to Reuters sources.

The crude production and exports continue despite the dispute with the military junta, which took power in a 2023 coup that ousted the elected President, Mohamed Bazoum.

The military junta leader, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, was sworn in in March 2025 as Nigers President for a transitional period of five years.

The junta seeks to exert more control over Nigers natural resources. Niger is estimated to hold significant oil reserves, as well as deposits of uranium, gold, and coal.

The military leadership, however, expelled Chinese expatriates earlier this year and insists that CNPC hire more local workers who are to account for 80% of the workforce at CNPC-led projects in Niger. Currently, the share of Nigerien workers at CNPCs oil facilities in the country is below 30%.

The new regime also wants CNPC to bridge the gap in pay between local workers and Chinese expatriates.

Despite the dispute and ongoing talks, crude from the Agadem oilfield continues to flow to the local Soraz refinery and to Benin for exports on the international market, according to Reuters sources.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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A decade-long effort to make the shipping industry the first to adopt binding international emissions targets has fallen apartthis time not over science or technology, but timing and cost. The breakdown leaves oil demand from marine fuels largely untouched for now, a relief to refiners and traders watching for signs of a forced pivot toward costly biofuels or ammonia blends.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) meeting in London this week was meant to finalize a framework first agreed in April, setting out how shipowners would transition to cleaner fuels starting in 2028. Instead, the session ended abruptly after a motion led by Saudi Arabiato delay talks by a yearpassed by a narrow margin. The result: no deal, and no clear path forward.

The now-stalled framework would have required shipowners to gradually cut the carbon intensity of their fleets or face penalties, a move broadly welcomed by the industry as a way to create global consistency. The IMO had estimated that shipping emissionsabout 3% of the global totalcould climb by as much as 150% by mid-century without action. The agency has long been more comfortable writing rules about ballast water and bridge safety than carbon math, so pushing a climate mandate this far was already a stretch for the famously cautious body.

Industry players had hoped a unified standard would bring predictability to long-term investment decisions. Industry needs clarity to be able to make the investments, said Thomas Kazakos, secretary-general of the International Chamber of Shipping, after the vote.

Instead, the collapse leaves uncertainty hanging over a sector responsible for moving 90% of global goodsand which has struggled to decarbonize due to cost and fuel availability. The economics remain stubborn: marine diesel is still far cheaper and more energy-dense than emerging alternatives like ammonia or methanol.

While environmental groups called the delay a blow to climate progress, many in the sector say the pause might allow time to refine the framework and ensure compliance mechanisms dont create trade distortions or consumer price shocks.

Still, with the next round of talks not scheduled until April, the original 2028 implementation timeline looks increasingly out of reach.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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India hasnt requested refiners to cut imports of Russian crude oil and no cuts have been seen for the already placed nominations for loadings in November, Indian industry sources told Reuters on Friday, after the U.S. claimed refiners had stared to reduce Russian supply.

U.S.-Indian talks in Washington this week were productive and Indian refiners are already halving crude oil imports from Russia, a White House official told Reuters on Thursday.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that India had agreed to cut imports of Russian crude oil.

According to the U.S. President, Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that Indian refiners would stop buying Russian crude "within a short period of time".

Despite the U.S. claim that Indian refiners are already cutting imports from Russia by 50%, unspecified Indian industry sources told Reuters that any potential cuts could be shown in volumes for December and January crude imports as the refiners have already booked the cargo loadings for November and part of the loadings for December.

Russian oil imports account for about a third of all crude arrivals in India, which has significantly boosted Russian crude buying in the past three years.

Some refiners in India have started to prepare to reduce their purchases of Russian crude, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing unnamed sources in the know. The sources said the reduction would be gradual.

Officially, India on Thursday neither confirmed nor denied that it would indeed cut or halt imports of Russian crude.

In response to comments on India's energy sourcing, Randhir Jaiswal, an official spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, said India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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The biggest refinery in the Midwest, BPs Whiting facility, had multiple units offline on Friday, market sources told Reuters, quoting data from energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie.

The refinery was also actively flaring early on Friday, according to one of Reuters sources.

The Whiting, Indiana refinery experienced a fire that was put out and was actively flaring with alarms heard in vicinity last night, Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said on Friday.

The still unknown issue at Whiting occurs two months after the massive 440,000-barrel-per-day refinery was forced into flaring in the middle of August following severe thunderstorms that dumped heavy rain across northwest Indiana, flooding the site and surrounding neighborhoods.

The refinery returned to normal operations about a week later, at the end of August.

The Whiting refinery, perched on the southern edge of Lake Michigan just outside Chicago, is critical to regional fuel supply, producing gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel for much of the Midwest. Any disruption at Whiting, which is BPs biggest refinery anywhere in the world, typically ripples quickly into regional fuel markets, where inventories are already leaner than normal this summer.

The disruption this time happens after a large fire at Chevrons El Segundo refinery in California in early October forced units offline and threatens regional supply in the West.

Commenting on the El Segundo refinery incident, GasBuddys De Haan said at the time that While OPEC again agreed over the weekend to boost oil production for November, the real story for motorists has been regional variation  especially in areas served by Californias supply system.

Though the damage from the fire appears limited, the West Coast is likely to see prices climb, while most other areas can expect relative stability or slight declines, De Haan wrote on X.

The national average gasoline price is nearing the below $3 per gallon mark as the U.S. benchmark oil price, WTI Crude, fell below $60 per barrel last week, De Haan said early this week.

By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com

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U.S. LNG developer NextDecade Corporation has decided to invest $6.7 billion in the expansion of its Rio Grande LNG facility in Texas in another boost to Americas LNG export capacity in the coming years.

NextDecade has just announced a positive final investment decision (FID) on Train 5 at Rio Grande LNG, closed financial transactions to fully fund Train 5 and related infrastructure, and issued full notice to proceed to Bechtel Energy for Train 5.

Project costs for Train 5 and related infrastructure are expected to total approximately $6.7 billion, including engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) costs, owners costs, contingencies, financing fees and interest during construction.

Train 5 has expected LNG production capacity of about 6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), bringing the total expected LNG production capacity under construction at Rio Grande LNG to approximately 30 MTPA.

Train 5 is commercially supported by 4.5 MTPA of 20-year LNG sales agreements with JERA, EQT Corporation, and ConocoPhillips. The guaranteed substantial completion date for Train 5, as well as the date of first commercial delivery (DFCD) under the Train 5 LNG sales deals, is anticipated in the first half of 2031, NextDecade said.

Just last month, the company announced a positive FID on Train 4 at Rio Grande.

This year, U.S. LNG developers have been encouraged by the Trump Administrations reversal of the Biden Administrations pause on new LNG project approvals and are taking advantage of the market and regulatory tailwinds to approve investments in new projects.

So far this year, Australias Woodside has announced the FID for the Louisiana LNG project and plans to start production in 2029. Venture Global in July took FID and successfully closed the $15.1 billion project financing for the first phase of the companys third project, CP2 LNG (CP2), together with the associated CP Express Pipeline. And top U.S. exporter Cheniere has made a positive FID for the Corpus Christi Midscale Trains 8 & 9 and Debottlenecking Project.

More projects are expected to take FID this year and in the coming years, amid a growing pipeline of proposals.

In the near term, the U.S. is set to add 5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in LNG export capacity in 2025 and 2026 alone, as Plaquemines LNG and Corpus Christi LNG Stage 3 projects come online, the Energy Information Administration said in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook last week.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Despite this weeks UK sanctions on the only Chinese terminal importing LNG from Russias Arctic LNG 2 project, a new cargo arrived in China from the Russian plant that is under sanctions from the United States and other Western countries.

The Arctic Mulan tanker carrying fuel from Arctic LNG 2 arrived at the Beihai LNG import in China on Friday, vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg showed.

The cargo is the first Chinese import of sanctioned Russian LNG since the UK sanctioned on Wednesday seven specialized LNG tankers and the Chinese Beihai LNG terminal. Beihai has been importing LNG from Arctic LNG 2  the severely disrupted flagship Russian LNG project, sanctioned by the UK in February 2024, and by the U.S. and the EU in the same year.

At least another LNG cargo is en route to the Chinese terminal and is expected to arrive after November 13, when the wind-down period in the UK sanctions ends, per the tanker-tracking data monitored by Bloomberg.

The continued Russia-China trade from Arctic LNG 2, which began this summer, suggests that Russia and China appear unfazed by sanctions on the project or the Chinese import terminal.

China is estimated to have received at least ten LNG cargoes from Arctic LNG 2 as Beijing and Moscow appear bolder in defying U.S. and other Western sanctions on Russias energy exports.

Arctic LNG 2, operated by Russian energy firm Novatek, had struggled for more than a year to find buyers after the Western sanctions were imposed last year.

But the project roared back to life in August, in a sign that Russia is done waiting and is now sending off loaded LNG cargoes, which could be testing the Trump Administrations willingness to sanction Russias LNG customers in China.

All exports from Arctic LNG 2 have been shipped to China, after China stopped buying U.S. LNG amid the two countries trade spat.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The worlds biggest oilfield services provider, SLB (NYSE: SLB), on Friday reported higher-than-expected earnings for the third quarter as revenue from its North American business jumped by 17% from the second quarter and by 14% from a year earlier.

SLB booked adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.69 for the third quarter, lower than the second quarter of 2025 and the third quarter of 2024, but beating the analyst consensus estimate of $0.66 in the Wall Street Journal.

North American revenue jumped for the third quarter of 2025, also thanks to two months of contribution from the acquisition of the ChampionX businesses, SLB said in a statement. The ChampionX businesses contributed revenue of $579 million to SLB, consisting of $387 million in North America and $171 million in the international markets.

But pro forma revenue, assuming that ChampionX was acquired on January 1, 2024, showed that North America revenue would have dropped by 5%, on the back of the divestiture of the APS project in Canada, coupled with a sharp decline in U.S. land drilling activity, partially offset by growth in data center solutions, SLB said.

While SLBs reported North American revenue rose by double digits to $1.93 billion, international revenue was flat quarter-on-quarter and dropped by 7% year-over-year.

Yet, SLB sees international revenue as the key driver of solid results going forward.

Looking ahead, it is more likely that the international markets will lead an activity rebound when supply and demand rebalance, supported by sustained investment for oil capacity, gas expansion projects and a constructive outlook for deepwater, SLBs chief executive officer Olivier Le Peuch said.

International markets  while facing challenges in some regions  are demonstrating resilience, with several countries across the Middle East and Asia continuing to show robust growth, the executive added.

Looking ahead, we expect OPEC+ production releases to support investment across many countries where SLB is well established.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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By Taxpayers Association of Oregon

OregonWatchdog.com

Giovanni Spirea, a 29-year-old Italian man living unlawfully in Oregon, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for his involvement in a substantial multi-state criminal operation. This conspiracy resulted in the theft of over $2.4 million in benefits targeted at low-income and food-insecure individuals and families.

In addition to his prison sentence, Spirea was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $61,874.32. According to court documents, from August 2023 to October 2024, he and his co-conspirators utilized electronic skimming devices to unlawfully access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. They encoded the stolen data onto cloned Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards and fraudulently used these cards to make purchases.

Spirea was known to share the compromised account details with other members of the organization, which led to the acquisition of large quantities of items such as infant formula, energy drinks, and other SNAP-eligible nonperishable food products. These purchases occurred at grocery stores across Oregon, Washington, and California, as well as through websites that provided curbside pickup options.

Throughout the conspiracy, the group reportedly secured more than 120,000 pounds of goods, which were stored in various residential properties and storage units in Oregon and Washington. These items were then packaged and transported to California using private vehicles and commercial carriers. The stolen goods, valued at more than $2.4 million, were subsequently sold on the black market.

On October 9, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted Spirea along with sixteen co-conspirators on 16 counts, including Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Unauthorized Use of Access Devices. Spirea pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge on July 30, 2025.
" " States that invest in their students see higher average test scores. Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock

The states with the best public schools don't just have bragging rights. A strong public school system can shape a child's future and even boost property values.

Education outcomes hinge on factors like school funding, teacher pay, class sizes, and how well students do on standardized tests like the SAT, ACT, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), aka the Nation's Report Card.
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An undisturbed burial at the North Tombs Cemetery containing three individuals (Inds. 1167, 1168, and 1169). Credit: Dabbs and Stevens 2025

The plague of Akhetaten has long been cited as a possible explanation for the mysterious abandonment of ancient Egypt's short-lived capital city. However, a comprehensive new archaeological analysis by researchers Dr. Gretchen Dabbs and Dr. Anna Stevens, published in the American Journal of Archaeology, analyzed the evidence for this plague and suggests it may never have affected Akhetaten at all.

Akhetaten, today known as Amarna, was built during the reign of Akhenaten, formerly known as Amonhotep IV. The pharaoh is known for his worship of a single deity, namely the sun god Aten.

In a possible attempt to distance himself from the old religion, he constructed a new royal residence and capital of the Egyptian kingdom called Akhetaten. However, the new capital was not occupied for long, lasting around 20 years before its near complete abandonment shortly after Akhenaten's death.

It has been postulated that Akhenaten's odd decisions during his reign and the rapid abandonment of the city may be attributed to an epidemic. Evidence of this epidemic comes mainly from textual sources. This is in part because archaeological evidence for epidemics is notoriously difficult to identify.

Among the textual evidence are Hittite plague prayers which claim an epidemic in the Hittite empire brought in by Egyptian war captives, as well as a cache of letters from Amarna that indicate the presence of a disease outbreak at Meggido, Byblos, and Sumur.

Critically, however, none of these textual sources indicate an epidemic in Akhetaten specifically. It is thus that Dr. Dabbs and Dr. Stevens conducted a systematic archaeological and bioarchaeological analysis of the city and its surrounding cemeteries to determine if a plague ever affected Akhetaten.

"This work reaches beyond Egyptological sources and focuses specifically on data from Amarna. Recent work in archaeology and bioarcheology has created a sort of scaffold of expectations for a city affected by an epidemic through the study of cities and cemeteries where epidemic diseases were historically recorded. We have been able to take these expectations and compare what we see at Amarna to what is expected of an epidemic city/cemetery," explains Dr. Dabbs.

"These studies showed epidemic disease affected all kinds of systems, from building and maintaining structures to burial patterns to demography and beyond.

"We pulled information from all of these different lines of evidence at Amarna to compare what we know from Amarna, using textual, archaeological, and bioarchaeological data, to what we would expect to see if the city was impacted by an epidemic disease with substantial mortality. And over and over, what we actually see doesn't fit the expected models."

Surrounding the city of Akhetaten are various cemeteries, including four intended for the general populace: the South Tombs, the North Cliffs, North Desert, and North Tombs Cemeteries, which contained between 11,350 and 12,950 burials. Excavations between 2005 and 2022 yielded 889 interments, which formed part of the current study.

It was found that while skeletal remains showed stress markers including low adult stature, spinal trauma, linear enamel hypoplasia (dental growth interruptions), and degenerative joint disease, these reflected economic and social hardships rather than epidemic disease.

Disease markers were generally rare, with tuberculosis only identified in seven individuals. Most bodies, which were not embalmed, were interred with grave goods, textiles, and mat coffins. In addition, burial positions were not generally disorderly or unusual, suggesting burial was not a hasty process, as may be expected if an epidemic caused a large death toll.

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The most striking change, which may indicate an epidemic, was the unusually high number of multiple burials. However, demographic patterns suggested cultural intentionality, particularly the frequent pairing of adult females with children, indicating a culturally driven motivation for multiple burials rather than crisis management.

Crucially, paleodemographic modeling demonstrated that the total number of interments fell within the expected ranges, given the city's population. Life expectancy and time of occupation, which would unlikely be the case in the event of an epidemic.

Finally, the city's abandonment pattern does not fit an epidemic scenario, as it seems to have been systematically abandoned with orderly collection of possessions and continued, albeit lower, occupation, even after Akhenaten's death. Given this information, it is unlikely Akhetaten experienced an epidemic during Akhenaten's reign.

Though Dr. Dabbs explains why the theory may have persisted for as long as it did: "This is one of those cases where something makes logical sense if you don't look at it too critically. To be fair, though, until very recently, the data to critically assess the presence of an epidemic at Amarna were not available.

"Egyptological sources provide lots of different connections between Amarna and scary words like 'plague' and/or epidemic. Multiple Amarna Letters mention plague. The Hittite Plague Prayers connect an extreme mortality/disease event with the Egyptians. Members of the Royal family died at Amarna. Amenhotep III built a lot of statues to Sekhmet, a goddess of disease and pestilence in ancient Egypt.

"It creates this network of circumstantial evidence that links Amarna and Akhenaten/the Royal family with disease from, largely, textual records written in and about other places and/or times Once the seed of that connection was planted, it became a 'fact' through repetition."

Dr. Dabbs also clarifies that while an epidemic could not be established in Akhetaten, this does not mean the Hittite epidemic did not occur. "The Hittite plague prayers could be an honest reflection of what happened in the Hittite kingdom. It is also possible that the source of the outbreak was a group of Egyptian prisoners.

"One of the points we wanted to emphasize with this article was that we must be careful in using data from temporally and geographically distinct locales to make arguments specific to Amarna, or any ancient location."

Written for you by our author Sandee Oster, edited by Lisa Lock, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Eganthis article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you.

More information: Gretchen R. Dabbs et al, Mortality Crisis at Akhetaten? Amarna and the Bioarchaeology of the Late Bronze Age Mediterranean Epidemic, American Journal of Archaeology (2025). DOI: 10.1086/736705

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Entomologists from the Biology Centre CAS during fieldwork in southern Europe. Credit: Jana Liparova, Biology Centre CAS

For most visitors, the Mediterranean is a symbol of summer and sun-scorched landscapes. In reality, however, it harbors one of the world's greatest natural treasures. It is home to tens of thousands of plant and animal species, many of which occur nowhere else on Earth.

Although it is often believed that the original Mediterranean landscape was covered with dense forests, a new, exceptionally large-scale study by entomologists from the Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences (BC CAS) and the University of South Bohemia (USB) shows the opposite: the true Mediterranean jewels are found in open, mosaic-like landscapes shaped for millennia by both people and animals. If these places become overgrown by new forests or occupied by buildings, hundreds of unique species will disappear with them.

The true Mediterranean landscape was shaped by people and grazing animals

The Mediterranean belongs among the global biodiversity hotspotsit hosts about 30,000 species of vascular plants, including 13,000 so-called endemics that are found nowhere else in the world (for comparison, the Czech Republic hosts about 3,000 vascular plants, 50 of them endemic). The Mediterranean Basin also represents a cradle of human civilization, affected by humans since ancient times. It is still disputed how the Mediterranean habitats would look without human influence, and how to efficiently conserve them.

"Originally, the habitats of Mediterranean endemics weren't maintained by ancient farmers, but by large herbivorous mammals, as elsewhere in the world," says Martin Konvicka from the Institute of Entomology, BC CAS, and the Faculty of Science, USB. "Shortly after their extirpation, Mediterranean habitatsessentially open savannaswere maintained by pastoralists and farmers, and this continued until the modern era," he explains.

The question of the original Mediterranean landscape already intrigued the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who believed that the pristine state of the region was covered with woodlandsan assumption that has persisted to this day. It continues to affect environmental policy, protected areas design, and even placements of new major investments, including renewable energy projects.

However, naturalists often disagree, arguing that unique Mediterranean flora, as well as birds, reptiles, small mammals or butterflies mainly depend on open, non-forested habitats. These are now disappearing at an alarming rate as local people move to cities, traditional land use declines, and the landscape becomes overgrown with new woodland.

Moth study reveals loss of unique species as open habitats vanish

A team of scientists and students from the Institute of Entomology, BC CAS, and the Faculty of Science, USB, led by Konvicka and Jana Slancarova Liparova, sought to answer this long-standing question. In their extraordinarily extensive research, recently published in the journal Biological Conservation, they focused on a remarkably diverse group of macro-mothsa group seven times richer in species than butterflies in Europe.

A light trap used for collecting moths, July 2013, Greece. Credit: Jana Liparova, Biology Centre CAS

Forest encroachment  formerly open habitat now covered by dense woodland, Greece. Credit: Jana Liparova, Biology Centre CAS

Site in North Macedonia, where sheep and goats are still seen grazing the vegetation. Credit: Jana Liparova, Biology Centre CAS

The research was conducted in an area between the southernmost tip of mainland Greece, Bulgaria, and North Macedonia, covering 150 sites that differed in the degree of forest encroachment: grazed grasslands, sparse shrublands, and dense forests. Over two years, the researchers visited each site five times, collecting exactly 42,136 individual moths belonging to 641 species. The first author of the study, Michal Zapletal, spent almost six years processing this material.

The study revealed that all three landscape typesgrazed grasslands, sparse shrublands, and closed forestshosted a similar number of species, but their composition differed significantly. "Moths inhabiting small Mediterranean ranges prevail in the sparse shrublands and grasslands, while closed forests were inhabited mainly by species characteristic for Central Europe, whose ranges extend far to the north and east," says Slancarova Liparova. She adds that moths typical of the Mediterranean Basin depend on open habitats, maintained for millennia through traditional land use practices.

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"The current southern Europe is undergoing climatic cooling, as it is succumbing to woodlands and the unique southern species are being replaced by widely distributed species from more northern latitudes," emphasizes Konvicka. Well-intended environmental policies are not helping, either.

"All across southern Europe, we are witnessing a boom of solar and wind power plants, often located to the most valuable open sites," notes Alena Bartonova, another co-author of the study.

To preserve the unique biodiversity of the Mediterranean, it is essential to protect and maintain traditionally managed open landscapesgrazed grasslands and sparse shrublandswhich have, for thousands of years, created and supported the life of this extraordinary region.

More information: Michal Zapletal et al, Hyperdiverse insect group indicates forest encroachment a threat to the Mediterranean biodiversity hot-spot, Biological Conservation (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111529 Journal information: Biological Conservation
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Eels and their products used for species identification in this study. Credit: Photo by Professor Kenzo Kaifu and Research Fellow Hiromi Shiraishi, Chuo University

Professor Kenzo Kaifu and Research Fellow Hiromi Shiraishi of Chuo University, together with Professor Yu-Shan Han of National Taiwan University, conducted the world's first quantitative study to reveal the global consumption structure of freshwater eels (genus Anguilla).

The research team combined DNA barcoding of eel productspurchased from retail stores and restaurants worldwidewith production and trade statistics to estimate species composition at the global level. Their findings were published in Scientific Reports on August 15, 2025.

Fishery resources are vital to humanity but are inherently vulnerable as they depend on natural ecosystems. Strong demand in certain regions can lead to overexploitation of resources elsewhere, creating serious global management challenges.

Freshwater eels (Anguilla spp.), comprising 16 species worldwide, are among the most valuable fishery resources. Glass eels for aquaculture fetch extremely high prices in international trade, which has led to poaching, smuggling, and other illegal activities. Of the 12 Anguilla species assessed by the IUCN, 10 are listed as threatened or near threatened due to habitat degradation, overfishing, climate change, and disease.

Demand shifts between species and regions in response to declines and trade restrictionsfor example, decreased catches of Japanese glass eels increased demand for European eels, and once European eels were listed under CITES, demand shifted again toward Southeast Asia and the Americas.

A short video introducing the study is available at this link. Credit: Professor Kenzo Kaifu, Chuo University

Although DNA barcoding enables precise identification of eel species in processed products, global-scale consumption patterns could not be determined without integrating this with distribution volumes. This study is the first to reveal, on a worldwide scale, "which eel species are being consumed, and where."

Between 2023 and 2025, 282 eel samples were collected from retail outlets and restaurants in 26 cities across 11 countries/regions. DNA barcoding revealed four species: American eel (Anguilla rostrata), Japanese eel (A. japonica), European eel (A. anguilla), and Indonesian shortfin eel (A. bicolor).

When weighted by national distribution volumes estimated from production and trade statistics, the results showed:

According to FAO statistics: American eel 75.3%, Japanese eel 18.0%, European eel 6.7%, Indonesian shortfin eel 0.02%.

According to "Informal Consultation" Statistics from East Asia: American eel 52.7%, Japanese eel 43.5%, European eel 3.6%, Indonesian shortfin eel 0.2%.

Regardless of the data source (FAO or the Informal Consultation), over 99% of global consumption consisted of three threatened species (American, Japanese, and European eels), with the American eel being the most consumed species worldwide. East Asia emerged as the global center of eel consumption, driven by cultural preferences and purchasing power. For more information about the Informal Consultation, please see the text box on the next page.

National eel distribution volumes The upper map is based on FAO statistics, while the lower map is based on figures reported by the East Asian "Informal Consultation" statistics. The two datasets differ greatly in reported aquaculture production from China, resulting in different country rankings for distribution volumes. Note that the colours representing distribution volumes vary between the two maps. Grey indicates countries/regions with no available data. Regardless of the data source, East Asia accounts for the majority of global eel distribution. Credit: Created by Professor Kenzo Kaifu and Research Fellow Hiromi Shiraishi, Chuo University

Species composition of eels consumed worldwide The left chart is based on FAO statistics, and the right chart is based on unofficial regional statistics. In both cases, the most widely consumed eel is the American eel, followed by the Japanese eel and the European eel. For the European eel, estimates were adjusted by accounting for consumption within Europe. Credit: Created by Professor Kenzo Kaifu and Research Fellow Hiromi Shiraishi, Chuo University

Sampling locations and species composition by country Green dots indicate the cities where eel samples were collected. The pie charts show the species composition in 11 countries/regions: [Navy blue] American eel, [Green] European eel, [Red] Japanese eel, [Light blue] Indonesian shortfin eel. European eels were detected only in Japan and China, while Indonesian shortfin eels were found only in Hong Kong. The "Whole samples" chart in the lower left shows the simple species composition without weighting by distribution volume. The reason why European eels were not detected in Europe is that only products prepared in the Japanese style, such as sushi and kabayaki, were sampled. This sampling bias was mitigated by assuming that eel production in countries where European eels are distributed consisted of European eel, and incorporating this assumption into the subsequent calculations. Credit: Created by Professor Kenzo Kaifu and Research Fellow Hiromi Shiraishi, Chuo University

The Informal Consultation, formally named the Informal Consultation on International Cooperation for Conservation and Management of Japanese Eel Stock and Other Relevant Eel Species, is composed of China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

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Each year, governments, eel farmers, and experts meet to collect and publish data on eel catches and aquaculture production. Although these are "official" statistics reported by governments, the aquaculture production figures published by the Informal Consultation differ greatly from those released by the FAO. This discrepancy makes it difficult to accurately understand the reality of global eel consumption.

This study is the first to provide a quantitative picture of global eel consumption by species. It highlights that the vast majority of eels consumed worldwide belong to threatened species, while also exposing serious inconsistencies in production and trade statistics.

The findings demonstrate the urgent need to improve the accuracy of global aquaculture and trade data and suggest that sustainable use of eel resources is currently extremely difficult. Future work should expand monitoring to underrepresented regions and species while addressing weaknesses in data reporting systems.

More information: Kenzo Kaifu et al, Global consumption of threatened freshwater eels revealed by integrating DNA barcoding, production data, and trade statistics, Scientific Reports (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-15458-y Journal information: Scientific Reports
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Map of the Tucson Basin showing location of sampled wells in alluvial basin-fill (green shading), major ephemeral and intermittent washes, mountain blocks (red shading with thick black outline), and modern 25-m water table elevation contours (black lines). Credit: Water Resources Research (2025). DOI: 10.1029/2024wr037606

A study led by University of Arizona researchers shows that decades of groundwater pumping by humans has depleted Tucson-area aquifers far more than natural climate variation. Published in the journal Water Resources Research, the study provides the first multi-millennial reconstruction for the region that places human impacts on groundwater into long-term context.

"This is the first time we've been able to get a record of the water table through time," said Jennifer McIntosh, senior author and the Thomas Meixner Endowed Chair of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences in the College of Science.

Since the climactic period known as the Last Glacial Maximumabout 20,000 years agoprecipitation has continuously recharged the aquifer under Tucson, the study concluded. During dry climate periods, less precipitation seeped back into the aquifer, and the water table dropped by as much as 105 feet (32 meters), compared with the levels in wetter periods.

However, modern pumping from the mid-20th century to present day caused twice the drawdown of the water table compared with natural climate fluctuations.

"It really underscores the impact that humans can have on the environment in a short time," said first author and recent U of A doctoral graduate Chandler Noyes.

Prior to this study, information on recharge rates between the Last Glacial Maximum and the mid-Holoceneabout 6,000 years agowas limited, McIntosh said. The researchers filled knowledge gaps by analyzing the blend of water under the Tucson Basin, the desert valley surrounding the city.

Fossil waterprecipitation that entered an aquifer over 12,000 years agois naturally mixed with water that recharged the groundwater hundreds to thousands of years ago and some that dates to recent years.

In order to reconstruct the age and recharge history of water in the Tucson Basin, the research team identified chemical and isotopic markers that entered the water either through the atmosphere or via aquifer sediments.

While these naturally occurring substances provide clues to a water sample's source and age, the water is from a mix of different times, and mathematical models are needed to untangle the overlapping markers.

The team used mathematical models integrating multiple markers to reconstruct groundwater ages, recharge rates and water table depths over thousands of years. Combining these markers also provided data to infer past climate conditions, including air temperatures and precipitation patterns.

"The water we drink carries this record of what happened with climate in the Tucson Basin," McIntosh said, adding that these new techniques for linking climate and hydrology could be applied to aquifers around the world.

Noyes said the study's results can help water resource managers anticipate how aquifers might react to future changes, whether natural or driven by humans.

"These methods provide more complete groundwater ages and an understanding of how groundwater levels respond to climate change," he said.

Tucson residents began pumping groundwater heavily around the 1940s to support irrigated farming and a rapidly growing population, according to a U of A report. For decades, signs of overdraft and well failures have increased in an environment offering little restriction.

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The 1980 Groundwater Management Act established formal controls and introduced sustainability measures. In 1992, the Central Arizona Project began delivering Colorado River water to Tucson.

"Today, about half of the water from our taps comes from local groundwater, and the other half from the Colorado River," McIntosh said.

Local conservation efforts, in combination with the statewide measures, have helped many of Tucson's wells partially rebound from heavy usage during the 20th century. However, McIntosh added, the study's results indicate that while the aquifer is somewhat renewable, recharge is slow and limited, and climate continues to play a key role in the region's long-term water availability.

"Even if we were to go back to the end of the last ice age, when it was much colder and wetter in the Tucson Basin, we could not recover the amount of groundwater that we've removed," McIntosh said.

"Even a really wet climate wouldn't save us," indicating that no natural return to wetter conditions could restore the volume of water that has been lost to pumping.

One promising trend is the city of Tucson's recent adoption of the One Water 2100 plan, McIntosh said. Among other initiatives, the plan calls for continuing and expanding use of treated effluent, including releasing the recycled wastewater into the Santa Cruz River, where it seeps into the ground and helps recharge the aquifer.

"We can enhance recharge by adding more water," she said. "One way of doing that is releasing our treated effluent in those locations where we know there is modern recharge, providing the highest potential of that water making it to the water table."

More information: Chandler Noyes et al, Variations in Groundwater Recharge and Water Table Elevations Across the Holocene in a SemiArid Alluvial Basin, Water Resources Research (2025). DOI: 10.1029/2024wr037606 Journal information: Water Resources Research
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Credit: Journal of Colloid and Interface Science (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2025.139019

New research led by Flinders University has shed light on one of chemistry's big mysteries by describing how simple salts exist near the surface of liquid solvents.

In a new international collaborative study, experts have used a technique called "ion scattering spectroscopy" on a range of solvents to understand the interface between air and water droplets in the atmosphere.

Dr. Gunther Andersson, professor of chemical physics and nanotechnology at Flinders University, says the new technique goes a long way to describing how ions form simple salts present in the outer layer of dissolved solvents, for example in common table salt, (sodium chloride) (Na+ and Cl- of NaCl).

The article, "Ion specificity at solvent surfaces: concentration depth profiles of monovalent inorganic ions," published in Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, paves the way for further inroads into understanding key processes in the environment.

"This has been an unresolved question for decades, and this study is an important step forward in understanding chemical reactions in the atmosphere where water droplets meet air, the reactions which are relevant for the environment," says lead author Professor Andersson, from the Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology at the College of Science and Engineering.

"Ion scattering spectroscopy in a simplified way can be described as playing billiards with atoms where the billiard balls (atoms) have different masses from across the entire periodic table.

"There is no other method which can comprehensively investigate this problem."

First author Dr. Anand Kumar, a CSIRO Early Research Career Postdoctoral Fellow now working at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, says the research team is now hoping to use the method to investigate how this applies to water, the most important solvent.

"We are establishing a scale for solvents based on surface tension to gauge, and hopefully predict in future, which ions will go to outer layers and which will not," says Dr. Kumar.

"In this scale, water lies at the other end and we will test with further investigation of how this scale manifests for water."

In the latest study, neutral impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy was used to directly measure concentration depth profiles of monovalent inorganic ions (Cl, Br, I, Na+, K+, and Cs+) in solution on four nonaqueous solventspropylene carbonate (PC), benzyl alcohol (BA), glycerol and formamide (FA).

More information: Anand Kumar et al, Ion specificity at solvent surfaces: concentration depth profiles of monovalent inorganic ions, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2025.139019
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Brazilian sailor Tamara Klink poses on her sailboat 'Sardinha 2' as she completed her trip through the Northwest Passage.

Brazilian navigator Tamara Klink told AFP she encountered "very little" sea ice on her solo sail through the Northwest Passagea rare feat that would have been impossible without an icebreaker ship three decades ago.

In September, the 28-year-old became the second woman and the first Latin American to complete the perilous Arctic journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, which has only become possible due to melting ice caused by climate change.

"I only found ice on 9% of the way which is very little," Klink told AFP after returning from the 6,500-kilometer (4,000-mile) voyage between Greenland and Alaska.

"By talking to scientists, by talking to local people, especially hunters, Inuit hunters and Inuit fishermen, I understand that this very little amount of ice that I found is part of a general trend of having less and less sea ice every year."

According to the United Nations, global temperatures in 2024 were the hottest on record, surpassing 1.5C above pre-industrial levels for the first time.

"This is part of a trend that will be very difficult to reverse if we don't act with bold decisions, if we don't make courageous choices in this decade," she said, referring to the climate crisis.

Next month, Brazil will host the 30th edition of annual UN global climate talks which began at a time when the majority of ships needed icebreaker assistance or specialized hulls to navigate the Northwest Passage.

Brazilian sailor and author Tamara Klink says the lack of sea ice seen during her voyage is a wake-up call about climate change.

"With global warming, now the sea ice is melting during summertime... so smaller boats are able to pass and smaller crew are able to do this long trip," said Klink.

Tamara is the daughter of celebrated Brazilian explorer Amyr Klink, the first and only person to row solo across the South Atlantic Ocean.

'The sea doesn't care if I am female'

Klink said her father's long absences while at sea first drew her to the water.

"I was 12 years old when I asked my father to help me to start sailing alone and my father said that if I wanted to do that, he would help me with zero boats, with zero advice," she said.

"My father had all the answers and he had all the tools, but by telling me he would not help me, he gave me the right to make mistakes and to learn how to be who I became."

Klink's first solo sailing adventure took her from Norway to Brazil in 2021 in a tiny boat she bought "for the price of a bicycle."

Brazilian sailor Tamara Klink travels in the remote western region of Nunavut, Canada, near the Beaufort Sea.

She then spent eight months of winter in Greenland, her boat stuck in the ice, between 2023 and 2024.

In July, she began the two-month journey through the Northwest Passage.

Klink is only the 14th person to make the solo voyage, according to her team.

"When I'm at sea, in my boat, I know that my gender does not matter. The sea doesn't care if I'm female or male, if I'm old or young, if I'm strong or weak, if I'm there or if I'm not there anymore."

 2025 AFP
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Credit: Visual Tag Mx from Pexels

A wave of proposed social media bans for young people has swept the globe recently, fueled by mounting concern about the apparent harm the likes of TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat can cause to vulnerable minds.

Australia was the first to announce restrictions on people under 16 having a social media account. New Zealand may soon follow, and Denmark's prime minister recently declared her country would ban social media for under-15s, accusing mobile phones and social networks of "stealing our children's childhood."

The moves are part of a growing international trend: the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Pakistan and the United States are now considering or implementing similar restrictions, often requiring parental consent or digital ID verification.

At first glance, these policies appear to be about protecting young people from mental health harm, explicit content and addictive design. But beneath the language of safety lies something else: a shift in cultural values.

The bans reflect a kind of moral turn, one that risks reviving conservative notions that predate the internet. Might we be entering a new Victorian era of the internet, where the digital lives of young people are reshaped not just by regulation but by a reassertion of moral control?

Policing moral decline

The Victorian era was marked by rigid social codes, modest dress and formal communication. Public behavior was tightly regulated, and schools were seen as key sites for socializing children into gender and class hierarchies.

Today, we see echoes of this in the way "digital wellness" is framed. Screen-time apps, detox retreats and "dumb" phones are marketed as tools for cultivating a "healthy" digital lifeoften with moral undertones. The ideal user is calm, focused and restrained. The impulsive, distracted or emotionally expressive user is pathologized.

This framing is especially evident in the work of Jonathan Haidt, psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation, a central text in the age-restriction movement. Haidt argues that social media accelerates performative behavior and emotional dysregulation in young people.

Viewed this way, youth digital life involves declining psychological resilience, rising polarization and the erosion of shared civic values, rather than being a symptom of complex developmental or technological shifts. This has helped popularize the idea that social media is not just harmful but corrupting.

Yet the data behind these claims is contested. Critics have pointed out that Haidt's conclusions often rely on correlational studies and selective interpretations.

For example, while some research links heavy social media use to anxiety and depression, other studies suggest the effects are modest and vary widely depending on context, platform and individual differences.

What's missing from much of the debate is a recognition of young people's agency, or their ability to navigate online spaces intelligently, creatively and socially.

Indeed, youth digital life is not just about passive consumption. It's a site of literacy, expression and connection. Platforms such as TikTok and YouTube have fostered a renaissance of oral and visual communication.

Young people stitch together memes, remix videos and engage in rapid-fire editing to produce new forms of storytelling. These are not signs of decline but evolving literacies. To regulate youth access without acknowledging these skills risks suppressing the new in favor of preserving the familiar.

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Regulate platforms, not young people

This is where the Victorian metaphor becomes useful. Just as Victorian norms sought to maintain a particular social order, today's age restrictions risk enforcing a narrow vision of what digital life should look like.

On the surface, terms such as "brain rot" appear to convey the harm of excessive internet use. But in practice, they're often used by teenagers to laugh about and resist the pressures of 24/7 hustle culture.

But concerns about young people's digital habits seem rooted in a fear of cognitive differencethe idea that some users are too impulsive, too irrational, too deviant.

Young people are often cast as unable to communicate properly, hiding behind screens, avoiding phone calls. But these changing habits reflect broader shifts in how we relate to technology. The expectation to be always available, always responsive, ties us to our devices in ways that make switching off genuinely difficult.

Age restrictions may address some symptoms, but they don't tackle the underlying design of platforms that are built to keep us scrolling, sharing and generating data.

If society and governments are serious about protecting young people, perhaps the better strategy is to regulate the digital platforms. Legal scholar Eric Goldman calls the age-restriction approach a "segregate and suppress" strategyone that punishes youth rather than holding platforms accountable.

We would never ban children from playgrounds, but we do expect those spaces to be safe. Where are the safety barriers for digital spaces? Where is the duty of care from digital platforms?

The popularity of social media bans suggests a resurgence of conservative values in our digital lives. But protection should not come at the cost of autonomy, creativity or expression.

For many, the internet has become a moral battleground where values around attention, communication and identity are fiercely contested. But it is also a social infrastructure, one that young people are already shaping through new literacies and forms of expression.

Shielding them from it risks suppressing the very skills and voices that could help us build a better digital future.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The 85th orbital launch from the Space Coast in 2025 also marked a milestone for SpaceX with the 500th successful landing of a Falcon 9 rocket booster.

The early Thursday morning launch came as the workhorse rocket for Elon Musk's company lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:27 a.m. Eastern time carrying 28 more Starlink satellites into space.

The first-stage booster made its third flight with a recovery landing downrange on its droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic.

It marked SpaceX's 130th Falcon 9 launch of the year, including 80 from its Space Coast launch pads at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral with the other 50 from California. It has also flown its in-development Starship and Super Heavy on five suborbital launch attempts from Texas this year.

The company managed its first successful Falcon 9 landing in 2015, five years after the rocket's debut.

It has also managed 19 other booster landings from its Falcon Heavy rockets, which are essentially three Falcon 9 rockets strapped together.

Most landings occur on the company's droneships about 400 miles from the coast, with twoA Shortfall of Gravitas and Just Read the Instructionsbased in Florida that sail out of Port Canaveral. A third, Of Course I Still Love You, is stationed in California.

Its land recoveries have been at Canaveral's Landing Zones 1 and 2, but the company is building out new rocket recovery pads with the goal of bringing the rocket boosters back to the same launch complex from where they launched.

The Federal Aviation Administration has already given SpaceX the green light for that at Canaveral's SLC 40 along with an approval to increase Falcon 9 launches there to up to 120 per year. A similar request is in the works at KSC where SpaceX seeks to increase Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches to 36 per year.

SpaceX is also in the midst of constructing Starship launch towers at both KSC's Launch Complex 39-A and at Canaveral's Space Launch Complex 37, which was home to United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy until its final mission last year. Those two launch sites await the completion of a pair of environmental impact statements before they could get FAA approval for use.

2025 Orlando Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Government of Cozumel working on island companies renting tourism vehicles without documentation

Cozumel, Q.R.  The government of Cozumel is working to establish protocols to address companies renting vehicles without documentation. The islands tourism department says they are aware of the growing number of cases of tourists being stopped in undocumented rental vehicles.

When stopped at roadside checks, tourists often face problems when they learn they are driving a vehicle without the proper documentation. On Wednesday, Cozumel Mayor Jose Luis Chacon held a meeting with representatives of business chambers, the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council, as well as public safety, traffic and mobility authorities.

The goal, he reported, was to establish protocols and lines of action to effectively address the problems arising from the use of rented vehicles without proper documentation.

Head of the Cozumel Tourism Department, Jose Elias Farah Ceh, highlighted President Chacons mandate to implement comprehensive actions that will allow tourists to have a better experience when traveling with rental vehicles on the island.

During the meeting at the Tourism Directorate office, the growing number of cases in which visitors rent vehicles from companies operating outside the law was discussed.

These companies illegally profit from motorcycles and car rentals without the required documentation. This causes inconvenience for visitors when they are inspected at checkpoints set up by agents from the Quintana Roo Mobility Institute (Imoveqroo) or the Municipal Public Safety and Transit Directorate.

Among the proposals put forward, he highlighted the creation of a bilingual information campaign on social and local media, clearly explaining the reasons for these inspections, their benefits and the importance of renting vehicles from established agencies.

It was also proposed to strengthen the presence of the Tourist Assistance and Protection Center (CAPTA) at checkpoints in order to provide immediate support and guidance to visitors.

A tourist with a bad experience shares it on social media and with their friends and family, so its crucial to take care of every detail of their visit, said Jose Elias Farah.
Secretary of Tourism to deliver results of Tulums diagnostic visit next week

Tulum, Q.R.  Federal and state officials met Thursday with dozens of local workers to discuss the tourism crisis in Tulum. Mexicos Secretary of Tourism, Josefina Rodriguez Zamora, Governor Mara Lezama and Senator Eugenio Segura Vazquez, were some of those who attended.

More than 50 people attended the Thursday meeting regarding Tulums tourism crisis.

Officials listened to citizens, entrepreneurs, service providers, hotel managers, taxi drivers and artisans who were also part of the 50-plus person meeting. After talks, government officials toured Jaguar Park, checking beach access and the overall tourist experience.

Regarding the Thursday meeting, Tulum Mayor Diego Castanon Trejo said we coordinated efforts to consolidate a tourism model with shared prosperity, generating well-being for workers in the sector, for those who visit us, and, above all, for the families who make Tulum a source of pride in Quintana Roo.

During the meeting, we exchanged strategies to strengthen the local economy, guarantee public and orderly access to the beaches, diversify our tourism offering and advance a more efficient and sustainable transportation system.

From January to September, Tulum welcomed more than 1,224,000 tourists, with an average occupancy rate of 69 percent, figures that reflect the confidence, dynamism, and strength of our destination.

Government officials toured Jaguar Park after the meeting.

We also addressed actions related to sargassum, security, and tourism promotion, reaffirming our commitment to continue promoting balanced development that always places citizens at the center of decisions.

We will continue working with dialogue, coordination and vision so that the prosperity generated by tourism translates into real well-being for all. We will continue moving forward alongside the 2030 Tourism Master Plan, with a humanistic vision that unites the public, social, private and academic sectors.

After touring Jaguar National Park, Josefina Rodriguez said that Tulum tourism is a priority in the federal governments tourism strategy. During a message to the media, representatives of the tourism sector said the goal is to comprehensively address the destinations issues.

Josefina Rodriguez, left, said a diagnostic report will be delivered next week.

Rodriguez stated that what is currently happening in Tulum is a result of a series of factors accumulated over time derived from the dynamics of tourism in the area. She said that the results of the diagnostic visit will be announced next week, as well as priority actions to improve the Tulums tourism.
Hamas said they're committed to upholding the terms of the ceasefire agreement. (PHOTO: ABDOLRAHMAN RASHAD/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Hamas has reaffirmed its commitment to the US-brokered ceasefire agreement that brought an end to its war with Israel, saying it remains dedicated to returning the bodies of hostages still buried under the ruins of Gaza. The group appealed for help to locate the 19 missing hostages, whose remains are believed to be trapped beneath the rubble alongside many Palestinian victims. In response, Turkey has dispatched a team of specialists to assist in the search.

Under the ceasefire deal spearheaded by US President Donald Trump, Hamas has so far released 20 surviving hostages and handed over the remains of nine out of 28 known deceased hostages, along with one additional body that Israel later confirmed was not that of a hostage. The agreement was part of a broader effort to secure humanitarian relief and de-escalate tensions between the two sides.

On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his pledge to "secure the return of all hostages", following warnings from his defence minister that Israel "will resume fighting" if Hamas fails to uphold its commitments.

Later that day, Hamas released a statement emphasising "its commitment to the agreement and its implementation, including its keenness to hand over all remaining corpses". The group added that the process "may require some time, as some of these corpses were buried in tunnels destroyed by the occupation, while others remain under the rubble of buildings it bombed and demolished".

President Trump urged patience regarding the retrieval efforts, noting that Hamas was "actually digging" for the remains of hostages. However, he later voiced frustration with the groups behaviour since the ceasefire, and warned, "If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them."

For more on the situation in Gaza, read here.
Reuters: Please could the Foreign Ministry confirm whether China will send representatives to a ceremonial signing of a peace deal between Cambodia and Thailand at an October 26-28 ASEAN meeting in Malaysia? Politico reports President Donald Trump requested Chinese officials be excluded from the event.



Lin Jian: China supports Cambodia and Thailand in properly handling and resolving border disputes through dialogue and consultation and supports Malaysia in playing its role as ASEANs rotating chair. Cambodia and Thailand are and will always be each others neighbors. China hopes Cambodia and Thailand will engage in equal-footed consultation in a spirit of mutual understanding and accommodation, and work in the same direction to seek a lasting solution that is acceptable to both sides. Since the conflict began, China has actively promoted talks for peace in its own way. China has and will continue to play a constructive role for rebuilding trust, cementing the ceasefire, and peacefully settling the dispute between Cambodia and Thailand.

NHK: Former Japanese Prime Minister Murayama Tomiichi passed away. Can I have the Foreign Ministrys comment?



Lin Jian: China expresses deep condolences over the passing of former Prime Minister Murayama Tomiichi. Our hearts go out to his family.

Mr. Murayama is an old and dear friend of the Chinese people and long committed to China-Japan friendship. In May 1995, then Prime Minister Murayama visited Lugou Bridge and the Museum of the War of Chinese Peoples Resistance Against Japanese Aggression during his visit to China, and wrote down the words face up to history and pray for friendship and ever-lasting peace between Japan and China. On August 15 of the same year, which marked the 50th anniversary of Japans announcement of unconditional surrender, then Prime Minister Murayama issued a statement on the historical issues, making a profound reflection on Japans colonial rule and aggression and expressing apologies to the victim countries of the war. He is a statesman with a strong sense of justice, and his contribution to enhancing China-Japan friendship will forever be remembered.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The Murayama Statement embodies the solemn statement and commitment of the Japanese government to the people of victim countries in Asia and the international community on Japans history of aggression and colonial rule. The statement should be honored in good faith. We hope Japan will face up to and reflect on its history of aggression, keep to the path of peaceful development, win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community with concrete actions, and work with China in the same direction to build a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship that meets the demands of the new era.

RIA Novosti: RIA Novosti correspondent Ivan Zuev was killed on assignment in a Ukrainian drone strike in the Zaporizhzhia region. Can I have the Foreign Ministrys comment on that?



Lin Jian: We noted the report. We express condolences over the tragic incident and our hearts go out to his family. China opposes violence against journalists and strongly calls for concrete efforts of protecting the safety of news workers and preventing such tragedies from happening again. China always believes that dialogue and negotiation is the only viable way out of the Ukraine crisis. We hope parties will work for the political settlement of the crisis and jointly deescalate the situation.

AFP: U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday that he will meet with President Putin of Russia in coming weeks for talks hosted by Hungary. This announcement was just before he meets with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine today in Washington. How does Chinas Foreign Ministry view these discussions?



Lin Jian: China supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis. We are glad to see that Russia and the U.S. maintain engagement, improve bilateral relations, and promote the political settlement of the crisis.

Bloomberg: The UK has decided to put off a decision on Chinas embassy until December 10. Also, Britain has requested to revamp its own embassy here. Would you like to comment on either one of these two issues?



Lin Jian: China expresses strong concern and opposition to the UKs latest decision on the new Chinese embassy project, which has been put off by the UK for seven years. In the recent rounds of communication between the two sides for the early approval of the project, China has shown utmost sincerity and patience. The UK has shown a total lack of the spirit of contract, credibility and ethics, and has repeatedly put off the approval of the project citing various excuses and linked the project with other issues, constantly complicating and politicizing the matter. That goes entirely against the UKs commitments and previous remarks about improving China-UK relations. We once again call on the UK to fulfill its obligation and honor its commitments at once, otherwise the consequences arising therefrom shall be borne by the UK side.

Kyodo News: Today marks the first day of the autumn festival of Japans Yasukuni Shrine. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Liberal Democratic Party head Sanae Takaichi didnt visit the shrine, but Ishiba sent a masakaki offering to the shrine in his name as Prime Minister, and Takaichi made a monetary offering using her own funds. Whats Chinas comment?



Lin Jian: The Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarists responsible for the war of aggression. The place honors 14 convicted Class-A war criminals with grave responsibilities for the war crimes committed during that war of aggression. China is firmly against Japans latest negative moves related to the Yasukuni Shrine and has lodged serious protests.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. To view and treat history correctly is an important prerequisite for Japans post-war return to the international community. It is the political foundation of Japans relations with neighboring countries, and more importantly, a yardstick for Japans commitment to peaceful development. We urge Japan to face squarely and reflect on its history of aggression, be prudent on historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine, make a clean break with militarism, stick to the path of peaceful development, and earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community through real actions.

Reuters: The European and U.S. auto associations have warned of supply chain disruptions stemming from the Dutch government announcing it had taken control of Nexperia. Is the Chinese government talking to its Dutch counterparts to resolve this?



Lin Jian: Weve responded to relevant questions. Chinese competent authorities further made clear our position yesterday. Let me stress again that China opposes overstretching the concept of national security and taking discriminatory practices targeting companies of particular countries. Relevant countries need to correct the wrongdoings, uphold the spirit of contract and market principles, and stop disrupting global industrial and supply chains. China will firmly defend its legitimate and lawful rights and interests.

Beijing Youth Daily: According to the statistics released by the National Immigration Administration yesterday, the number of foreigners entering China visa-free in the third quarter rose by around 50 percent year-on-year. Since the beginning of this year, China travel has been a trend that is full of vigor and increasingly popular among foreigners. Whats your comment?



Lin Jian: The latest statistics show that in the third quarter, over seven million foreigners entered China visa-free, accounting for 72.2 percent of foreign travelers and up by 48.3 percent year-on-year. A quick visit to scenic spots gives way to diverse immersive experiences. Foreign friends get to see first-hand the Chinese peoples contemporary life, and enjoy the beautiful landscape and hustle and bustle in the country. A true China with its multiple facets and progress unfolds before their eyes. More foreign friends now have a better understanding of China through traveling in the country, and this is very much the result of Chinas high-standard opening up. Well continue to implement facilitation measures and offer better services to welcome more foreign friends to visit China.
On October 16, 2025, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations on the 80th anniversary of its founding.

Xi Jinping noted that the FAO has played an important role in ensuring global food security, promoting rural development and the transformation of food systems, and improving the living standards of people in various countries.

Xi Jinping emphasized that the Chinese government attaches great importance to food security, remains self-reliant in ensuring the food supply for over 1.4 billion people, and provides assistance to countries in need within its capacity, contributing China's strength to safeguarding global food security. China will, as always, support the FAO in playing an important role in the international food and agriculture sector. China is ready to join hands with the international community to implement the Global Development Initiative, advance the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and make new and greater contributions to improving the well-being of people of all countries.

The FAO was established on October 16, 1945, and China is one of its founding members.
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On the night of April 28, 2024, rain thrashed along FM 2989, a six-mile, two-lane road in Walker County, Texas. Save for lightning that revealed the roadside trees, the road was pitch black. Jaquila Goodman, her fiance Sylvester Degrate, and their 4-year-old daughter were driving northwest from Huntsville to Madisonville. Their daughter would stay with Goodmans father while the couple went to work. The trip, usually a half-hour, was made very slow by the storm.

Throughout the area, swollen creeks overflowed, spilling onto roadways and flooding basements of homes and businesses. Winds splintered trees and downed power lines. Earlier in the day tornadoes spun through surrounding counties, tossing cars, lifting roofs, and destroying a mobile home, whose resident died a few days later from injuries.

Degrate had turned down FM 2989 as an alternate route. Earlier that night, they were driving along Route 247 but had to stop in the middle of the increasingly flooded road. We ran right into it, Goodman told me via email. No signs, no cones, nothing. She told her fiance to turn around. Degrate crept the car in reverse, while saying, Im trying to be real safe because I know this road is real thin. Shortly afterward, Goodman noticed a car on the side of the road, and what looked like a dirt ditch. Or so she thought.

Then they dropped. Nose-dived, Goodman told a local reporter. It felt like a bottomless pit. The familys car fell into a sinkhole.

Hours of rain had collapsed FM 2989 into a rapidly expanding hole. Their car crashed into the bottom, deploying the airbags and smashing the windshield. Water quickly gushed into their car. Goodman pulled her daughter out of her seat; she and Degrate popped their seat belts. The front doors were sucked closed from the pressure. They only had seconds to escape. Degrate punched the windshield, bloodying his hand, but the cracked glass wouldnt budge. He rushed into the back seat and somehow managed to get a door open, and the family barely escaped.

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The other stranded motorists helped them out of the sinkhole. Firefighters and EMTs soon arrived, but the road was quickly collapsing, expanding the sinkhole to over 30 feet deep and 20 feet wide. Goodman told me they could see and hear the road getting eaten away by the rapids while climbing across a ladder to the roadside. She suffered a broken kneecap and multiple injuries to her neck and back. Degrate broke orbital bones in both of his eyes.

Goodmans ordeal wasnt the first mess on FM 2989. The route was made impassable in previous years due to flooding of Bedias Creek, which curled under the roadway. The local volunteer fire department would make water rescues in the area year-round, at all hours of the night. Their advice for motorists was simple: Turn around and dont drown.

There is no national plan for sinkholes, says George Veni, a hydrogeologist who spent 16 years as the executive director of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute. The United States Geological Survey has determined sinkholes cost a minimum of $300 million [a] year just in road damage in the USA. Veni cautions that the USGS figure is rather conservative; certain states combine sinkhole damage with other repairs. His best guess: The total is over $1 billion of losses each year.

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Thats nearly the cost of annual tornado damage in America. Sinkholes, Veni explains, are dispersed over time and throughout the country. Scattered losses accumulate, but sinkholes dont capture national attention: Fires and floods happen at one time and place where their magnitude is seen. The magnitude of sinkholes remains generally hidden.

New Jersey started imploding the day after Christmas in 2024. A sinkhole spanning 40 feet wide and just as deep opened on Interstate 80 in Morris County. Traffic was routed onto smaller roads, which remained congested for months while affected lanes were shut down. Local businesses lost revenue. Nearby residents feared that the sinkhole was causing structural damage in their homes.

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More sinkholes opened in the coming months. The New Jersey Department of Transportation officially called one of the sinkholes a significant voidthe most existentially accurate description of my beloved home state. The cause of these sinkholes? Collapsed mineshafts, long since abandoned.

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Interstate 80, completed in 1966, was built over a spate of mines in the area. North Jersey is covered with abandoned mines near major roadways and buildings. There are 588 abandoned mines in the state, many dating back to the early 1800s. The older the mine, the greater the chance of collapse, according to Veni.

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Veni spent years running NCKRIs annual sinkhole conference, a multidisciplinary examination of the engineering and environmental impacts of karst, a type of terrain formed over thousands of years from the chemical process of rain collecting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it falls. That weak carbonic acid ultimately soaks into the soil, full of carbon dioxide.

Hes made it his lifes work to educate the public. About 20 percent of the worlds land surface and 25 percent of the USA is karst, he says. Karst areas are typically characterized by caves, underground streams, and sinkholes. The sinkholes fall into two general categories: solution and collapse. The former are good sinkholes: About 700 million people worldwide depend on karst aquifers as their sole or primary source of water, including many millions in the USA, Veni says. The problem is collapse sinkholes, which cause damage, injury, and death.

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I asked Veni about the incident with Goodmans family. Although he didnt investigate that case in person, I shared photos of the site with him. He concluded that most likely the sinkhole was the result of an induced collapse. At the site of the collapse, a culverta drain-like tunnelhad been installed so surface water could flow below the road from one side to the other. A hole might have formed in the culvert from rust, age, damage, or other causes, leading water to seep from the soil fill into the culvert, weakening the structure.

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Often sinkholes that appear in roads arise from how those roads are constructed. Water typically runs off roads into drainage ditches. Over time, that water soaks down, finds a hole in the bedrock, drains away the soil too, and the road collapses.

After several months of disruption and frustration, the I-80 sinkhole was fixed, and the lanes reopened in June. Yet the problems continue elsewhere in my state. In August, heavy rains caused a drainage pipe to collapse on Route 38 in Burlington County, resulting in a sinkhole. Our road troubles arent merely a punchline; theyre a sign of a greater American infrastructure problem.

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Across America, sinkholes are exposing how our infrastructure is crumbling in distinct ways, particular to how each state has built over former economic foundations. There are nearly half a million abandoned mines across America. An abandoned mine doesnt automatically lead to a sinkhole, of course; Veni notes that the risk depends on the mine and the geologic conditions of the area.

Yet other causes of sinkholes are even more widespread. In Texas, a sinkhole around a former oil well in McCamey has grown 200 feet wide and 40 feet deep. The Daisetta sinkhole opened in 2008, swallowing oil tanks, trees, telephone poles and several cars, according to a report in the Dallas Morning News. The sinkhole grew to 900 feet wide and 260 feet deep before stabilizing but began expanding again in 2023.

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Sinkholes abound in Florida. The Villages, which had a population and development boom, have been prone to sinkholes in recent years. In 2013, a sinkhole in Seffner opened beneath a family home, killing one resident.

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Veni blames the fluctuating water table of the Floridan aquifer for the high rate of sinkholes in the state. Drought periods bring the water table into the bedrock, which is later raised through significant rain. As the cycle continues, the washing down of the soil eventually creates a cave, and a hole opens. Venis research work in Florida revealed that induced sinkholes were 11 times more likely to occur in urban areas, suggesting that developed locations are far more likely to have sinkholes than untouched spaces.

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Sinkholes on roadways pose obvious risks, but sinkholes in urban and suburban areas threaten telecommunications and electrical infrastructures, as well as water mains and gas pipelines. States like Florida that are most affected by sinkholes have attempted to be proactive in addressing their infrastructure problems, but Veni tells me that such assessments can only predict the risk to a particular area.

The most effective approach takes time, collaboration, effort, and, of course, a lot of money. Veni says it starts with a hydrogeologic assessment of a property. Most private and public clients want to save money and only pay for one geophysical tool, but experts say that multiple tests are needed. Only drillingwhich is costly and disruptivereveals the truth about a sites susceptibility to collapse. Veni warns: Remember that most sinkholes are cover-collapse sinkholes, and next weeks rain may start to produce a cavity in a year or two where today there is no evidence that a sinkhole will occur there.

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When a sinkhole opens on a roadway, the repair process takes several months. Crews need to test the roads base, which includes drilling and grouting of smaller holes and voids in the surrounding area. Then they excavate the sinkhole down to the rock base and layer the open area with stone, gravel, and other fill, followed by a concrete slab. Fill and soil are compacted onto the slab and topped with several layers of asphalt.

Theres some hope for mitigating sinkholes, especially in areas of new construction or road reconstruction. For highways, one method Veni notes is building a net of cables into sections of roads where the risk of collapse is higher to prevent vehicles from falling into a hole during an abrupt collapse. Dynamic compaction is another approach. A crane lifts and then repeatedly drops a heavy weight onto the ground, a method Venis says will collapse any soil caves that may be forming and compact the soil to make it resistant to water seeping through it. And there is hope for earlier detection: Researchers at the University of Cambridge and Penn State are testing how embedded fiber-optic cables can help monitor roadways as a warning system.

A year and a half later, Goodman and her family are still recovering. The hospital bills continue. They are still seeking a lawyer to take on their case. Mentally were still struggling. My fiance needs glasses. My neck, back, knee constantly hurt. Goodman is thankful for the help that shes received, but the sinkhole has completely disrupted her life. And the lives of those she loves.

My daughter still has a mark across her eyebrow, Goodman says, and still tells everyone to be careful of the ditch.
And now, once again, I bid my hideous progeny go forth and prosper, wrote Mary Shelley in the introduction to the 1831 edition of her 1818 novel Frankenstein. In the years since the books publication, the monster at the center of that Gothic bestseller has ventured forth countless more times from his creators unholy lair, prospering in the form of film adaptations, comic books, sketch-show parodies, and Halloween-costume impersonations. Shelleys story has become one of the foundational myths of modernity: The tale of the arrogant scientist Victor Frankenstein and his nameless and tragic creation was written amid the upheaval of the Industrial Revolution, but it seems to retain its metaphorical power through every technological advance that has come since. The advent of the railroads, the harnessing of electrical power, the invention of the automobile, the airplane, the computer, and, in the 21st century, artificial intelligence could all stand in as handy real-world symbols of the struggle between scientific progress and the human connectionsto nature, to our own best selves, and to other peoplethat progress threatens to imperil.

Guillermo del Toro has dreamed of telling his own version of the Frankenstein story since he was too young to conceive of being a filmmaker. He has described seeing the 1931 adaptation of Frankenstein, directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff as the creature, as one of the formative moments of his early childhood. Throughout del Toros career, the stories hes told have shared characteristics with Frankenstein: Fantasy tales like Pans Labyrinth, the Hellboy movies, and The Shape of Water explored the relationship between human characters and the magical or monstrous beings they encounter, while Crimson Peak and Nightmare Alley leaned into Gothic-style melodrama and sumptuously macabre set and costume design.

Del Toros grand-scale yet deeply personal retelling of the Frankenstein myth is a kind of omnibus edition that contains elements from many previous versions: not only parts of the novel that are usually left out of filmed adaptations, but homages to Whales Frankenstein and its sequel Bride of Frankenstein, nods to the campy Frankenstein series from Britains low-budget Hammer Film Productions in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, and a creature design inspired by Bernie Wrightsons celebrated illustrations in a 1983 edition of Shelleys book.

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Like the novel, del Toros Frankenstein starts with a frame story set in the Arctic. A ship on an expedition to the North Pole gets frozen into the sea ice, and as the crew attempts to free the ship by breaking up the ice around it, an explosion in the distance draws their attention. When a team is sent to investigate, they find a badly injured man next to a flaming tent and a team of sled dogs. This turns out to be Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), who, once brought back to the ship and warmed by a fire in the captains quarters, unfolds his story to the ships Danish commander, Capt. Anderson (Lars Mikkelsen). Midway through, the films perspective will shift to that of the creature, who informs us of events that his creator was not present to witness.

Victors story begins with an extended flashback to his childhood, spent in baronial splendor on a lavish estate with a controlling and abusive father (Charles Dance), a famed doctor who insists his son (played as a young teen by Christian Convery) follow in his footsteps by pursuing a career in the natural sciences. Victors loving but frail mother is played by Mia Goth, who will return in a much larger role in the movies second half. When she dies giving birth to his younger brother, Victor swears vengeance on God, determining that he will make it his lifes work to conquer death itself.

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Flashing forward to 1855, we find an adult Victor lecturing at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. He demonstrates his early working model for a plan to use electricity to reanimate dead human tissue. The results, though still primitive, are both gruesomely successful and, to the august and bewigged members of the society, shockingly obscene. Victor withdraws to pursue his research in secret, but hes soon approached by a wealthy would-be patron, the arms dealer Herr Harlander (Christoph Waltz). Harlander promises to underwrite the spooky castle-tower laboratory of Victors dreams, nominally for science but in fact for sinister motives yet to be disclosed.

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Elordi brings the familiar archetype new shades that previous screen renditions havent explored.

Del Toro appears to have changed the historical period of the novel from the early to the mid-19th century in part so as to set the story against the backdrop of the Crimean War, a choice that adds a new dimension of evil to Victors depraved quest. Instead of gathering the body parts for his patched-together life form from graveyards and morgues, this Dr. Frankenstein seeks them principally on the fields of recent battles, making for a grisly montage that may be too much for the gore-averse viewer. But del Toros camera (the cinematographer is Nightmare Alleys Dan Laustsen) finds genuine beauty in the meticulously flayed corpses in Frankensteins lab. The directors passion for the intricate symmetries of the human anatomical system rivals the doctors own, and these scenes of research and experimentation, backed by Alexandre Desplats richly orchestrated symphonic score, make for one of the movies most satisfying stretches. The look of the lab in which the monster is created, part of the phenomenal set design by Tamara Deverell, borrows heavily from Whales Frankenstein, with its lightning-activated megabattery and bandage-wrapped monster laid out on a table. (In a touch of the Christian symbolism that del Toro, unsubtly and characteristically, sprinkles through the film, this time the creature is strapped to a gurney that resembles a cross.)

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Its a solid hour into this two-hour-and-29-minute-long movie before the hulking form on that gurney is unveiled to the viewer, and damned if it isnt Jacob Elordi, the lanky Australian heartthrob who recently played Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppolas Priscilla and is set to appear as Heathcliff in Emerald Fennells Wuthering Heights. When I first heard about this casting, I feared that Elordi would be wrong for the part. Though the actors 65 frame does fit Shelleys description of the creatures gigantic stature, Frankensteins monster is generally pictured more as a lumbering golem than as a graceful dreamboat. But as it turns out, both Elordis physique and temperament suit the role perfectly, bringing the familiar archetype new shades that previous screen renditions havent explored. His monster is, like Shelleys, a hero of the Romantic era, longing for companionship and transcendence. Where Karloffs lovable but cognitively challenged creature got no further than smiling when he looked at a daisy, Elordis (like Shelleys) is out there teaching himself to read and becoming a devotee of Miltons Paradise Lost.

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The character of Victor is just as gorgeously interpreted. Isaac plays him with a kind of nihilistic rock-star flair, aided by Kate Hawleys spectacular and at times wittily anachronistic costume design: plaid pants, billowing neck ruffles, scarlet gloves. But del Toros script does Victor a disservice by giving the adult version of the character too few chances to revisit the insecurity and loneliness that drove him in his youth. Every moment we spend with Isaacs Victor, he is more or less in the same state of fevered obsession with his hellish ambition: For the first half of the movie, to create life from death, and for the second half, to find and destroy the being his experiments have brought about. Even for the brief stretch in which he appears to be falling for his brothers fiancee Elizabeth (Mia Goth again), Victor remains imperious, controlling, and rigid, treating everyone (but the monster especially) with cold disdain. Del Toros intention here seems to be to trace the characters emotional remoteness back to the familial trauma passed on from his childhood. But if were meant to regard Victor with as much antipathy as we did his jerk of a father, the late scenes where the scientist and his creation finally come face-to-face lose much of their emotional power.

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This Frankenstein seems designed to be a moody steampunk melodrama as much as it is a horror movie. There are no real scares in the traditional everyone-in-the-audience-screams-at-once sense, only a prevailing aura of melancholy and dread. Yet the overall effect is not bleak or stark but almost overwhelmingly lavish. Del Toros primary interest is less in plot than in color, texture, atmosphere, and tone. Over and over, shapes and images seen in one scene recur in different forms later on. The waxen anatomical figures Victor is fascinated by as a child become flesh-and-blood cadavers in his lab. The insects that Elizabeth studies and draws are suggested by the patterns and fabrics of her wildly luxuriant outfits: acid-green silks and iridescent jewel-toned veils, always worn with a bright-red cross that links her back to Victors permanently crimson-clad mother. Goth made her name as an art-house scream queen in Ti Wests X trilogy, and her air of self-possession, along with her gentle confidence upon first approaching the monster, sets her apart from earlier and less independent Elizabeths. But she, too, is not given a lot to do other than look like a pre-Raphaelite vision in a series of eye-popping getups, a task she acquits herself of admirably.

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Though I was consistently dazzled by the care and craft with which Frankenstein was made, including the many practical effects done with miniature sets and, for the sailing sequences, a full-size reproduction of a whaling ship mounted on a giant gimbal, I found myself entering into the films dramatic world mainly when Elordis monster was on-screen. The actor has said he studied the Japanese theater form Butoh in preparing for the role, and at times his balletic movements resemble those of the actor Doug Jones, who has long played the prosthetic-augmented monsters in del Toros films: the amphibious sidekick Abe Sapien in the Hellboy movies, the horrifying Pale Man in Pans Labyrinth, the river-dwelling love interest in The Shape of Water. Elordis movements are elegant but also somehow childlike. When the monster observes any expression of affection, like an old man patting his granddaughters head, he reenacts the gesture on himself as a way of experiencing the love he never found in the world. Its a motif that could easily have turned sentimental, but the actor performs it with such simplicity and truth that its heartbreaking anew each time.

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This Frankenstein speaks the language of old-style Hollywood spectacle rather than of the contemporary creature feature, and I wonder if fans of the genre who dont share del Toros passion for its cultural history will relate to the movies romantic sensibility and ultimately tragic conclusion. One feature of this versions monster thats unusual if not unique is that, to his own despair, he can never be killed. Over the course of the movie, he is stabbed, drowned, shot with a blunderbuss, and blown up with a stick of dynamite, yet he emerges from the fray with his wounds already healing, physically if not spiritually ready to press onward. Frankenstein itself is a similarly indestructible property. Del Toro has made a version of the story thats indelible, but not definitive. If the lush beauty and soulful yearning of this one is not what you wanted from an adaptation, sit tight and another will soon come lumbering into view.
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The Supreme Courts evident commitment to eviscerating what remains of the Voting Rights Act appears certain to hand an electoral bonanza to Republicans. If the Republican-appointed justices end federal protections for minority representation, as they sounded eager to do during Wednesdays arguments in Callais v. Louisiana, Southern states can quickly gerrymander Black and brown communities into oblivion. The resulting maps will hand white voters almost total control over these states congressional maps, producing a net gain of 15 to 19 GOP seats in the House of Representatives. As the New York Times Nate Cohn explains, the VRAs demise could put the House out of reach for Democrats outside of a rare blue wave election.

Republicans near-permanent House majority, however, is not inevitableeven if SCOTUS does deliver a death blow to minority voting rights. Thats because the courts decision would also allow blue states to draw more efficient Democratic gerrymanders, redrawing current majority-minority districts to maximize the partys electoral advantage. Freed from the VRAs constraints, states like New York, New Jersey, and Illinois could move more Democratic voters out of deep-blue districts into red and purple districts, eliminating more than a dozen Republican seats in the House.

Such a strategy would require painful trade-offs: Congress could become even less diverse, since racial minorities in blue states would have fewer opportunities to elect the representatives of their choice. And the number of truly competitive House elections would shrink even more, further eroding democratic accountability. The net effect, though, would be a substantial boost for the Democratic Party that could offset many of the gains that Republicans are poised to reap. The result may not be a Republican-dominated House so much as a Congress with far fewer members of coloran outcome that the justices bent on destroying the Voting Rights Act blithely dismissed on Wednesday.

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In truth, a broad ruling in Callais could leave blue states with no other option than to redraw their majority-minority districts. The Republican-appointed justices seem eager to rule that the Constitution bars states (and courts) from using race as a factor when drawing congressional maps. This holding would effectively gut Section 2 of the VRA, which guarantees fair representation to racial minorities.

The impact of this decision would be devastating for Democrats in the South: Many left-leaning congressional districts in this region were drawn solely to comply with the VRA; once the law is dismantled, red states could eliminate these districts to create more safe GOP seats. Gov. Ron DeSantis, for instance, has already suggested that Florida will undertake mid-decade redistricting if the Supreme Court kneecaps the VRA and speculated that several other states will too. The new maps would ruthlessly dilute the votes of racial minorities to give white Republican voters control over more seats.

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But there is a flip side: Red states arent the only ones with majority-minority districts; blue states have long drawn them as well, out of good-faith compliance with the VRA. Democratic legislatures typically create these districts to ensure that racial minorities have a fair shot at electing candidates of their choice. That approach prevents lawmakers from drawing more efficient gerrymandersthat is, maps that distribute voters in ways that maximally increase Democrats electoral advantage. For decades, the Democratic Party has accepted this trade-off: stronger representation for racial minorities, and a more diverse congressional delegation, at the cost of fewer House seats overall.

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Without an operative VRA, though, blue states would have no obligation to maintain these majority-minority districts. In fact, they might have to redraw them: If Callais comes out as expected, these districts may now constitute an unlawful racial gerrymander, and voters could sue to invalidate them in court. Either way, by choice or by necessity, Democratic legislatures could then unpack their majority-minority districts. That means re-sorting racial minorities into whiter districts to more efficiently convert Democratic votes into House seats. The resulting maps would largely deny these populations the opportunity to elect their preferred representatives, since they would lack a majority in most (if not all) districts. This could seriously diminish minority representation in Congress. But these maps would also more effectively dilute Republican votes, ensuring that Democrats win more seats on balance.

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Consider New York. The states 26 House seats are currently split between 19 Democrats and seven Republicans. That includes many majority-minority districts in and around New York City. (Depending on how theyre defined, New York has about 10 such districts.) Currently, to comply with the VRA, the legislature has grouped many minority neighborhoodsso-called communities of interestin districts together. But since nonwhite voters are disproportionately Democratic, that produces wasted votes: ballots cast in excess of what the Democrat needs to win. If the legislature unpacked these districts by dispersing minorities into areas now dominated by white Republicans, it could enact a map that gives Democrats 24 House seats and Republicans just two. Thats a five-seat pickup for Democrats.

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Similar opportunities await the party in New Jersey, whose House delegation is split between nine Democrats and three Republicans. The state has about five majority-minority districts. If nonwhite voters were redistributed more efficiently, Democrats could likely pick up one or two more seats. Illinois currently sends 14 Democrats and three Republicans to the House, but as data scientist Zachary Donnini has shown, unpacking the states five majority-minority districts could wipe out its three GOP representatives. Democrats would then hold all 17 seats. In Maryland and Nevada, redrawing multiple VRA-compliant districts could knock off each states lone GOP congressman.

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Together, these gerrymanders could give Democrats 12 more seats in the House. That doesnt even include California, which is on the brink of handing Democrats five more seats through a ballot measure called Proposition 50. California Democrats devised this new map to counteract Texas Republicans mid-decade redistricting ambush, but it still sacrifices electoral efficiency to preserve VRA-compliant districts. After Callais, California could enact an even more aggressive gerrymander that awards Democrats several more seats.

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There are, of course, obstacles to all of these plans. Right now, New York and New Jersey give primary redistricting authority to bipartisan commissions that (in theory) may not favor one party over another. But California does the same, and Gov. Gavin Newsom is attempting to find a way around it. There is plenty of time for both New York and New Jersey to alter their constitutions in time for the 2028 elections, when Callais full force will likely be felt. Nevadas Republican governor would likely reject any new gerrymander, so voters would need to oust him in 2026 or give the Legislature a Democratic supermajority that could override his veto. In short, the barriers to a new gerrymander after Callais arent insurmountable in any of these states. Democrats just need to be as resolute and strategic as Republicans have been in their decadeslong assault on the Voting Rights Act.

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There is, alas, no way around two unfortunate consequences of this plan: The number of competitive elections will dwindle, and nonwhite representation will almost certainly fall. Majority-minority districts have long driven diversity in the House, as the VRA intended, and their decline would likely deny Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans the federal representation they deserve. And blue states efforts to preserve these seats have, in turn, produced more evenly divided districts elsewhere, giving voters a meaningful choice at a time when competitive races are vanishing.

It will not be blue states fault, though, when the Supreme Court guts the Voting Rights Act. The question will be how best to respond to the judicial destruction of a landmark civil rights statute that did more to advance multiracial democracy than any other law in history. They can strive to uphold its spirit by fighting a losing battle for minority representation. Or they can exploit its wreckage to build a new map of power.
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September was another brutal month for gun violence in America. Mass shootings and politically motivated violence dominated headlines. Amid the noise of outrage and panic, a quieter shift was occurring within the gun-violence prevention movement.

On Sept. 2, Everytown for Gun Safety, an organization funded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg, announced a new firearms training initiative called Train SMART. Everytowns website describes a program created by veterans who bring the militarys proven principles of firearms training, safety, and responsibility to the civilian market. It promises accessible, affordable preparation for new and current gun owners who want to protect their families or to hunt and shoot recreationally.

At first glance, Train SMART may seem like a pragmatic move in a country with more than 400 million firearms distributed (unevenly) among roughly 30 percent of adults. Maybe, the thinking goes, if gun ownership isnt going away, the next best thing is to make it safer. For decades, hard-line gun rights organizations have dominated many large-scale training offerings, increasingly promoting an absolutist, deregulated vision of gun ownership while largely ignoring vital principles of safety and suicide prevention. By contrast, Train SMARTs marketing emphasizes exercises on de-escalation and secure storage, topics particularly important for gun owners who are interested in self- and family defense.

But for many of Everytowns original supporters, especially survivors of gun violence, this move feels like a profound betrayal. Train SMART represents a major shift in focus at Everytown, founded in 2013 following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Newtown, Connecticut. Originally, the organization defined itself by a simple, evidence-based premise: Fewer guns in fewer hands means fewer deaths. Through its grassroots partners in its two major subsidiary groups, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, Everytown built a massive movement grounded in public grief, unyielding advocacy, and public healthcentered research. It quickly became the largest, most highly resourced organization in the effort to reduce gun violence. Its expanding network of volunteersmost of them parents, educators, and survivorsshowed up in state houses and school board meetings across the country, advocating for commonsense firearm regulations designed to save lives. These voices insisted that our gun-violence epidemic could not be solved with more guns. Now these same supporters are watching the movements flagship organization enter the gun training business.

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The launch of Train SMART signals not just a tactical pivot but a philosophical one. It suggests that Everytown has moved from a regulatory stance to one of cautious participation. Firearms training programs already exist in abundance, and many include in-depth safety instruction. This is especially true since 2020, when many people flocked to gun shops during a time of pandemic-related anxiety, economic chaos, and political polarization. Everytown presents its approach as a necessary intervention, insisting that Train SMART centers safety needs that are often missing from other programs. But in practice, this initiative blurs the once bright line between those working to prevent gun violence and those who profitdirectly or indirectlyfrom the normalization of civilian gun ownership.

As Everytown repositions itself closer to a gun-ownership model of responsible use, it rejects the strong correlation between more guns and more gun deaths. Firearm injuries are the leading cause of death among children and teens in the United States. According to decades of public health research, introducing more firearms into homes, even with safety training, raises the risk of unintentional shootings, domestic violence homicides, and suicide. In fact, existing research suggests that firearm safety training does not improve secure-storage practices or reduce gun deaths.

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Many of Everytowns most committed allies are those who have experienced gun violence in their communities: parents who lost children, spouses who lost partners, students who lost friends, towns devastated by mass shootings. For them, Everytowns pivot signals that the group believes that guns are, after all, the solution to gun violence. Andy Parker, who lost his 24-year-old daughter to a shooting that took place on live television, writes on his Substack, Andys Fight, that Everytown has pour[ed] millions into weapons training programs while treating survivors as props and expendable assets. His grief, long a catalyst for activism, has curdled into disillusionment. Its about whether the billions behind Everytown will ever be used to honor the dead, protect the living, and fight for the change survivors have begged for. He concludes, Right now, the answer is clear: theyre failing.

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Similar reactions have spread within Everytowns ranks. Skye Thietten, a former Michigan Everytown Be SMART leader and longtime Moms Demand Action volunteer, described her initial response as one of shock and deep disappointment. After eight years with the group, she says, she will no longer put in [the] time for an organization that supports investment of any kind in the gun industry. For Thietten, gun-violence prevention means educating the public on how and why guns do not make any average individual or community safer and advocating for reforms that save lives, instead of encouraging gun ownership.

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Everytown leadership markets Train SMART as a solution to decades of political gridlock on gun-violence prevention. After years of political stagnation, even under Democratic presidents, federal gun-violence prevention remains ever so rare and under attack in our current political climate. In the first few days of his administration, President Donald Trump gutted the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and cut grant funding allocated by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first major federal gun-reform legislation signed into law in nearly 30 years.

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Deregulatory policies like permitless or constitutional carry and stand your ground laws have spread to a majority of the states, and the Trump administration threatens to adopt national reciprocity to ensure that all states abide by the lowest regulatory denominator when it comes to civilian gun carry. Given this deregulatory backdrop, Everytowns leadership may imagine Train SMART as a way to reach gun owners where they are by emphasizing secure storage and responsibility rather than restriction. But the optics are hard to ignore. In a political climate where gun rights rhetoric dominates our national landscape and Republicans openly mock gun-free zones, Train SMART looks less like bridge building and more like appeasement. It suggests that Everytown has internalized the self-defeating logic of an increasingly mainstream gun rights movement: that gun ownership is inevitable, that our safety can and should be individualized, and that resistance is futile.

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Above all, the shift to gun training risks alienating the very people who gave Everytown its moral authority at its founding: survivors. These were the people whose faces and personal experiences amplified the statistics, whose stories helped shift public opinion in favor of universal background checks, red flag laws, and secure-storage policies. For many of them, Train SMART feels like a retreat from the organizations original focus on prevention, a signal that their grief must make room for the popular but unsupported claim that guns save lives.

The pivot to training could prove lucrative. Train SMARTs online courses range in price from $20 for a one-and-a-half-hour course on gun safety rules, secure storage, [and] what to look for in a gun to $100 to learn safety and marksmanship. In its shift toward firearm instruction, Everytown is identifying potentially profitable new markets within the very industry it was created to confront, treating gun training as both an honest cause and a source of revenue.

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Sandy and Lonnie Phillips founded Survivors Empowered after Sandys daughter Jessi was killed in a 2012 shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. They share a dim view of Train SMART. If you cant defeat your opponent, they commented, then you might as well work alongside them or do what they do. Nobody is doing that better than Everytown.

Parker sees the issue in moral terms. When a survivor stands at a podium with Everytowns logo behind them, they believe theyre fighting for change, he said. But if that same logo now represents a gun training program, what does it stand for?
At Arka Jain University, it doesnt just teach media, it nurtures truth-seekers, change makers, and storytellers who shape the conscience of a nation

communication to media entrepreneurship and film studies and production. Training for traditional folk media for community mobilization and rural development and development communication is one of the key focuses.The Journalism Department is headed by Dr Rahul Amin as Head and Assistant Dean of Humanities, having international teaching experience with Bayan College, affiliated with Purdue University, USA, along with four faculties of which two are globally experienced trainers.The faculty integrate theoretical principles with practical application and skills development for employability, guiding students through projects, field research and work immersion. Every student has a personal mentor guiding his/her academic, career, and emotional growth, ensuring nobody gets left behind.With Apple iMac workstations, Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Pro Tools, and Audacity, the department provides sophisticated digital media labs for video, audio, podcast and broadcast production. A dedicated podcast and broadcast studio and two student-led media platforms AJUTV and AJU RADIO TARANG provide real-time industry simulation experiences.For skilling students for Print media, the department trains students to publish the department newsletter The Impression as part of curricula project every year. The use of a digital ERP system streamlines academic management, from attendance to assignment and projects submissions.The universitys curriculum is deeply skill-oriented, offering over 15 industry-relevant competencies in media alone. Students are encouraged to pursue freelancing, content creation, podcasting, cinematography and digital storytelling, setting the foundation for future entrepreneurs in the communication space.Mandatory internships, guest lectures by media professionals, and field visits are integral to the curriculum. Industry experts contribute to syllabi design and delivery, ensuring real-time relevance. Students frequently visit media houses and PR agencies in Jamshedpur, learning first-hand about media operations, ethics, and innovation.Education at Arka Jain University is made accessible through structured scholarships for economically weaker students, particularly those from tribal and rural backgrounds. By removing financial barriers, the university ensures that no deserving student is denied the opportunity to pursue their passion.Arka Jain University has forged strategic partnerships with digital marketing firms, local media houses, and national literary organizations. One of its proud affiliations is with the International Literary and Journalistic Organization, Nandini Sahitya and Pat-Chakro, Dhaka, which recognized the department as a Centre of Excellence in media education.It is not merely responding to change, its anticipating it. The student-made documentary of the department won national recognition, finishing among the top three in a 2022 competition that screened more than 200 films. The alumni have also been placed in major media outlets as well as pursuing higher studies and research in various parts of India. Several have cleared the UGC NET exam, setting new academic benchmarks for the institution.The departments primary mission is to enhance media literacy and produce media professionals across the region. It aspires to produce journalists who are not just storytellers but also constitutional torchbearers. The roadmap includes deeper international collaborations, more postgraduate offerings, interdisciplinary research, and expanded industry tie-ups.As Dr Rahul affirms, Our students are being shaped not just as professionals, but as change-makers rooted in regional pride and global awareness. In a world where communication shapes perception and perception shapes reality, Arka Jain University is nurturing the next generation of media professionals and communicators with empathy, skills and purpose.
Southwind Chaska brings a three-race winning spell to her Breeders Crown elimination, the first of two $34,250 splits for freshman trotting fillies on Friday, Oct. 17 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Two starts ago, she captured a division of the Bluegrass Stakes at The Red Mile in 1:51.4, making her the fastest rookie trotting filly this season. That clocking is tied for the fifth fastest by a two-year-old female trotter in history.

Southwind Chaska is the 2-1 second choice in her elimination. She will leave from post three with Tim Tetrick driving for trainer Jim Oscarsson, whose Oscarsson Racing Stable Inc. of Delray Beach, Fla. co-owns the filly with John Cummins of Lexington, Ky. The daughter of Tactical Landing-Southwind Chai has hit the board in all eight of her races this season, with six victories, and she has banked $327,299.

Shes done a good job this year, Oscarsson said. When I started to train her in Florida, she was nice. She never did anything wrong; she just followed everybody and did her work. Its the same now when she trains, she just does whatever we ask. But shes a different horse when she races. Shes a little lazy when I train her, but when she comes up behind the gate, shes a real racehorse.

Southwind Chaska is a head from being undefeated in her past five starts dating back to Aug. 29. After a second-place finish in the New Jersey Classic on Sept. 5 at The Meadowlands, she won a division of the Kindergarten Classic Series at The Big M followed by two triumphs at The Red Mile. She captured her Bluegrass start in 1:51.4 and a week later scored in 1:52.1 in a division of the International Stallion Stakes.

Both races (at The Red Mile) were very good, Oscarsson said. I was impressed. I didnt know if she would go so fast two weeks in a row. But she did it, and afterwards, she was great. Shes a strong horse.

Southwind Chaska was purchased for $20,270 at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

I like Tactical Landing, and she had Chapter Seven (as the sire of) the dam, Oscarsson said. She was not so big, but she looked strong. Everything looked good with her, in my opinion. I liked her from the first time I saw her.

Oscarsson drove Southwind Chaska in her only qualifier, in June, and then handed the lines to Tetrick for her races.

Tim liked her directly, Oscarsson said. Im happy. Hes handled her very well and taken care of her, nice trips and everything.

I think she has a good mentality. She knows what to do and she likes to race. Tim can do whatever he wants with her. If you go behind a helmet, she can go very fast when she comes out; she likes that. But she is a complete horse, she can go anywhere.

Twenty rookie trotting fillies were entered in the Breeders Crown, and 19 will compete in the eliminations, with the top four finishers from each elim plus the fifth-place finisher with the highest earnings as calculated by Standardbred Canada advancing to join Atlantic Summer in the final. Atlantic Summer, as the winner of the Jim Doherty Memorial (Grade 1), went directly to the final.

To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park // Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT).

(Hambletonian Society; photo of Southwind Chaska winning on Sept. 26)
China's tech-empowered grain farming bolsters food security

Xinhua) 08:13, October 17, 2025

HARBIN, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- As China marked World Food Day on Thursday, fleets of crawler harvesters cut through fields in the country's major grain-producing areas, racing to gather a bountiful harvest as growers battled weather challenges that threatened to spoil crops.

Powered drying facilities for harvested corns are seen in Dezhou City, east China's Shandong Province, Oct. 9, 2025. (Photo by Zhao Huhao/Xinhua)

In east China's Shandong Province, farmers have deployed a variety of measures to secure the autumn harvest, tackling challenges brought about by persistent rainfall.

In Wenshang, a major agricultural county in Shandong, 65 professional mechanical drying facilities are operating at full throttle to dry harvested corn and reduce grain losses from mold.

As of October, 38 grain drying centers have been set up in the county, with a daily drying capacity of 9,500 tonnes, increased nearly fivefold compared with that of 2020, ensuring a bountiful autumn harvest.

In China, scientific field management and modern agricultural infrastructure have helped to inject new vitality into farming and soil protection. Technology has helped growers overcome various challenges throughout the entire farming process.

Unmanned harvesters operate at a farm in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

On a plot of a cooperative farm in Boli County, Qitaihe City, in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, large harvesters move back and forth along rows of plump soybean plants.

"The cooperative has deployed over 70 large harvesters to speed up the harvesting work, with the goal of completing it this week," said Shan Qingdong, director of the cooperative.

This year, the cooperative planted more than 4,666.7 hectares of corn and soybeans. Shan added that higher-than-usual temperatures helped the crops mature earlier than in previous years and contributed to overall stronger growth.

The cooperative introduced modern plant protection methods this year, including drone aerial spraying and dense planting techniques, which are expected to significantly boost soybean production, according to Shan.

The planting techniques he referred to, along with integrated water and fertilizer irrigation technology, are scientific farming methods promoted by the Heilongjiang provincial government, with the respective techniques already covering roughly 4.5 million hectares and 267,000 hectares of grain fields in the province.

Nationwide, there are more than 66.7 million hectares of high-standard farmland, where the fertility of the soil has been well preserved with technological advancement and scientific farm management.

A technician observes the traits of rice seeds at a laboratory of Shenyang Agricultural University in northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Yang Qing)

Nowadays, Chinese grain growers are increasingly adopting new high-yield varieties. In a 34.2-hectare experimental field operated by Shenyang Agricultural University in northeast China's Liaoning Province, six high-yield super rice varieties are being cultivated as demonstrations for farmers to evaluate and select.

"I often visit the experimental field to learn about the crops and see which variety is best to choose," said Zhu Shiyong, a veteran rice farmer who runs the Shenyang Nonghe Family Farm. Last year, his field achieved a per-hectare rice yield of 11,250 kg.

During the grain harvesting season, Shenyang, capital of Liaoning, hosted the annual "seed selection contest," where 54 new rice varieties developed by agricultural research institutions such as Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences were cultivated in a demonstration field. Farmers can compare them in terms of yield, quality and rice tasting.

The country's self-reliance in food supply for its 1.4 billion people serves as its commitment to stabilizing global food markets, echoing the World Food Day initiative promoted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which aims at improving the security and sustainability of global food systems.

The 2025 theme, "Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future," is calling for global collaboration in creating a peaceful, sustainable, prosperous and food-secure future, according to the FAO.

In 2024, China's grain output exceeded 700 million tonnes for the first time. Science is playing an increasingly pivotal role in this remarkable stability, with agricultural technology now contributing more than 63 percent.

Local employees display rice seedlings at the Nigerian Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center in Abuja, Nigeria, Sept. 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

While ensuring its own food security, China has shared its agricultural development experience with the world.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China has established 24 agricultural technology demonstration centers in Africa, boosting crop yields in those areas by an average of 30 to 60 percent and contributing Chinese wisdom to global agricultural modernization.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Mr Big Spender, the fastest two-year-old trotter this season, will aim to add to his strong rookie resume on Friday, Oct. 17 in his Breeders Crown elimination at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The colt heads to his elim, the first of two $34,250 divisions for the freshman trotting males, off a 1:51.2 victory in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes on Sept. 25 at The Red Mile. That time is the fastest of the year for a rookie trotter and tied for the second-quickest ever by a two-year-old trotting male.

Mr Big Spender is the 9-5 morning-line favourite in his elimination. Mike Wilder will drive the son of Captain Corey-Reilly K for trainer Norm Parker and owners Bart and Todd Brice of Indiana, Pa. The colt has hit the board in eight of 10 races, winning six and earning $264,190. His only finishes outside the top three came when he went off stride, including in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Final on Sept. 5. But he rebounded a week later with a third-place effort in the Peter Haughton Memorial before uncorking his near-record mile in the Bluegrass.

Every race, even when he made the breaks, I didnt get down on the horse because hed always answered for us, Parker said. He raced really well in the Haughton. Mike was careful because hed made the break the week before, but in the end we knew he was gaining on them at the wire, so we felt really good. We drew bad in the Bluegrass (post eight), but he went an awesome race.

In the Bluegrass, Mr Big Spender was a parked-out third in a :26.3 opening quarter, got the lead on the way to a :54.4 half, ended up in the pocket going to three-quarters in 1:23.3, and then battled between rivals in the stretch to get up for a nose triumph over Nix Nacken.

It reaffirmed to me that he really is the horse I think he is because he fought so hard in the stretch, Parker said. So, that was impressive. We won in 1:51.2, but there were four horses right across the track with us. It was like any one of those horses could have won the race, and we happened to be the one that got our nose in front.

Im proud of him, and it leads us to this week. The speed is there. The time only shows you can do it, but it doesnt make you any different than a lot of the other horses. Theyre all there. Each week is a new week. But hes a pretty special horse to be able to do it, thats what it comes down to. And Im even more proud of his consistency. Six wins is a lot of wins and there werent any easy races. Hes answered when weve asked him, and Im hopeful for another similar-type race (Friday).

Mr Big Spender was a $77,027 purchase at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

The Brices have horses out of this whole family, so thats why we bought him, Parker said. From the time we broke him, he was always a levelheaded, easy horse to be around, and that was a pleasure.

Parker will be making his first trip to a Breeders Crown since 2018, and everyone involved with Mr Big Spender is looking forward to the experience.

Im anxious and excited, Parker said. Ive been able to race in some of these races at times, but maybe never had the feeling that I have now where you have a horse you feel like has a good chance. Youre going up there with the idea that its not hopefully to pick up pieces, youre hopefully going up there to do some good.

Thats where you want to be. Thats what you buy them for. I know the Brice brothers are really excited. Everybody in the barn is excited. Were all happy. Its fun. Thats what we work for. Were going to give it our best shot.

Fourteen two-year-old male trotters were entered in the Breeders Crown, and 13 will compete in the eliminations. The top four finishers from each elim plus the fifth-place finisher with the highest earnings as calculated by Standardbred Canada will advance to join Apex in the $700,000 USD final on Oct. 24 at Mohawk. Apex, as the winner of the Peter Haughton Memorial (Grade 1), went directly to the final.

All of the Breeders Crown eliminations for two-year-olds will be held Friday at Woodbine Mohawk Park, with the elims for horses ages three and up taking place Saturday. Racing begins at 6:35 p.m. both nights.

To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park // Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT).

(Hambletonian Society; photo of Mr Big Spender winning on Aug. 2)
Driver Marcus Miller reached a major milestone on Thursday, Oct. 16 at Harrahs Hoosier Park, notching his 5,000th career driving victory during a four-win performance on the 14-race program.

After winning the first race on the program with Tickertape Hanover ($5, 1:50.2), Miller reached the 10th race just one away from the milestone as he hopped in the bike behind the John Kay-trained Cowboy Cool. Leaving from post four, Cowboy Cool settled in the fourth position early while Salty Robyn N (Trace Tetrick) cut first-half fractions of :27.3 and :56.3. Miller wheeled the 4-1 Cowboy Cool first-over moving into the far turn, and the gelding pulled alongside the leader at three-quarters in 1:26. Cowboy Cool put away Salty Robyn N turning for home before facing one final challenge to his outside from Marshall Zhukov (Atlee Bender). Cowboy Cool held that rival at bay by a half-length to win in 1:54, and Miller raised five fingers in celebration at the wire.

Wins 5,001 and 5,002 for Miller came later in the program with bomber Er Bethany ($89.20, 1:56.3) in Race 12 and heavy favourite Gigis Dream ($2.60, 1:51.4) in the finale.

An Illinois native, the 36-year-old Miller has raced in many different jurisdictions throughout his career, but he recently returned to his Midwest roots and has called Hoosier Park home in 2025. Since making his debut in 2004, Miller has made it stick in every driving colony he has joined, with $3 million campaigns in 14 of the last 15 years in the sulky. Millers best year from an earnings perspective came in 2016, a season in which his steers earned $5.4 million and he notched a win in the Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Pace with Someomensomewhere for his father, Erv.

Marcus and Erv Miller are set to make the trek to Woodbine Mohawk Park this weekend in search of their second Breeders Crown win as a duo, teaming up with three-year-old filly pacer Unreasonable. She heads into her elimination fresh off a 1:47.4 score in the $334,722 Garnsey Memorial at The Red Mile with Marcus in the bike.

In 2025, Marcus Miller has already amassed 273 victories, his best year since 2022. Miller has been a force to be reckoned with in his first full-time season at Hoosier Park, currently sitting third in the drivers' standings with 202 wins. Only Trace Tetrick (291) and John De Long (227) are ahead of him.

Racing continues at Harrahs Hoosier Park on Friday with a 14-race program featuring seven total divisions of the Pegasus Stakes for all four divisions of three-year-olds sprinkled throughout the card. On To Norway, in search of his 18th consecutive victory, will headline the Pegasus splits. The Friday program gets underway at a special late post time of 6:30 p.m. due to day two of the Midwest Standard Horse Sale taking place at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

(Hoosier Park)
Conversion of Firms and LLPs into Companies: Understanding the tax nuances under the Income-tax Act

Converting a partnership firm or LLP into a company is often seen as a natural step in a businesss growth journey. While the process appears straightforward from a corporate law standpoint, the income-tax implications can get difficult. Whether such conversion is a tax-neutral succession or a transfer giving rise to capital gains depends on how conditions are met and how the transaction is implemented.

1. The Legal Framework  Section 47(xiii) and Its Rationale

Section 47(xiii) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 exempts from capital gains any transfer of capital assets or intangible assets by a firm (or LLP) to a company upon conversion, provided certain conditions are fulfilled. Prescribed conditions under Section 47(xiii) are:

1. all the assets and liabilities of the firm relating to the business immediately before the succession become the assets and liabilities of the company;

2. all the partners of the firm immediately before the succession become the shareholders of the company in the same proportion in which their capital accounts stood in the books of the firm on the date of the succession;

3. the partners of the firm do not receive any consideration or benefit, directly or indirectly, in any form or manner, other than by way of allotment of shares in the company; and

4. the aggregate of the shareholding in the company of the partners of the firm is not less than fifty per cent of the total voting power in the company and their shareholding continues to be as such for a period of five years from the date of the succession;

If the above conditions are satisfied, the conversion is not regarded as a transfer for capital gains purposes.

The legislative intent  as explained in the Memorandum to the Finance (No. 2) Bill, 1998 was to encourage genuine business reorganisations and facilitate corporatization of firms without a tax burden, and not merely devices to secure tax advantage.

2. The Concept of Statutory Vesting  When Conversion isnt a Transfer at All

A true conversion under Chapter XXI of the Companies Act, 2013 (or Part IX of the 1956 Act) operates through statutory vesting, which means all assets and liabilities of the firm or LLP automatically vest in the new company without any conveyance deed or separate transfer. Courts have likened this to a mere  change of cloak : the entity continues in another legal form.

One of the most important and widely quoted judicial pronouncement is the decision of Bombay High Court in the matter of CIT v. Texspin Engg. & Mfg. Works [2003] 263 ITR 345. In this judgement, Bombay HC held that where a Firm is succeeded by a company in the business, the transaction shall not be treated as a transfer, although the judgment was related to a tax year prior to the insertion of clause (xiii) in section 47.

The reasoning is simple  there is no two-party transaction, no consideration and no extinguishment of rights; it is a continuation of the same business under a new legal wrapper. Thus, even if a taxpayer does not specifically invoke section 47(xiii), the transaction may still getaway with tax liability because, in substance, there is no transfer to begin with.

3. What Happens if the Conditions Are Breached?

The immunity under section 47(xiii) is not unconditional. Section 47A(3) provides a clawback mechanism: if any of the conditions under section 47(xiii) (especially the 50% shareholding continuity for five years) are breached, the exemption availed is withdrawn. The profits or gains that were not taxed earlier are then deemed to be the income of the successor company in the year of breach. However, the tax will be levied on the successor company and not on the erstwhile firm or its partners.

However, if the original conversion was a true statutory vesting (not a transfer at all), courts have held that the clawback does not operate, because no capital gains had ever arisen in the first place. A notable judgment was announced by Bombay High Court in the matter of CIT v. Umicore Finance Luxembourg [2016] 76 taxmann.com 32, wherein despite non-fulfilment of conditions of section 47(xiii), the Honble Court held that conversion of firm into company did not amount to transfer at all.

4. Computation of Capital Gains  If Conversion is taxable

If the conversion does not qualify under section 47(xiii) (say, due to non-fulfilment of conditions or a non-statutory mode of transfer), the firm or LLP may be liable to capital gains tax. The computation then depends on the factual structure:

Sale consideration: In the absence of actual consideration, courts have repeatedly held that the full value of consideration cannot be substituted by market value. The allotment of shares to partners in exchange for their capital accounts is not consideration to the firm. However, if cash or other benefits are distributed, or if the transaction is structured as a slump sale, fair market value (FMV) principles under section 50B or rule 11UAE may apply.

Cost of acquisition: The original cost or the written down value (WDV) of assets in the firms books is taken as cost.

Revalued assets: Pre-conversion revaluation and crediting the difference to partners accounts can create exposure under section 45(4) (tax on distribution of assets) if those balances are paid out or adjusted before conversion. However, the decision of Ahmedabad ITAT in case of Vishal Engineering and Galvanizers [ITA No. 2316/Ahd/2014] affirms the position that for invoking section 45(4) of the Income-tax Act, a distribution of capital asset of the firm on dissolution thereof is necessary. It impliedly confirms that the conversion of a firm into a company only results in vesting of property and may not tantamount to transfer, and thus, is not liable for capital gains tax.

In essence, conversions carried out strictly at book value are typically safe, whereas revaluation or partner withdrawals before conversion can complicate the tax position.

5. Characterization and Period of Holding

Where the conversion is tax-neutral, the company inherits both the cost of acquisition and period of holding of the assets from the predecessor firm under section 49(1)(iii)(a) and Explanation 1(b) to section 2(42A). Thus, if the firm held the assets for more than 36 months, any future sale by the company would result in long-term capital gain.

For partners, the shares received are new assets, and their holding period starts from the date of allotment. Any gain on sale of those shares will be computed separately when sold.

6. Whether Partners can also be taxed?

This has been a matter of debate, but judicial consensus and legislative intent both favour non-taxability. In Umicore Finance and Texspin, it was held that partners do not become richer on conversion  the worth of the shares allotted to the erstwhile partners do not distinct from the interest of the partners in the extinct firm when quantified in terms of money.

In fact, taxing partners would contradict the policy objective behind section 47(xiii), which mirrors section 47(xiv) (exemption for proprietorship conversions). Both provisions were introduced together to promote corporatisation of existing businesses.

7. LLPs  Same Logic, Same Comfort

Though section 47(xiii) specifically refers to firms, courts and the CBDT have recognised that the same rationale extends to LLPs converting into companies. The conversion process under section 366 of the Companies Act, 2013 operates through similar statutory vesting. Therefore, if all assets and liabilities vest by operation of law and no consideration passes, the tax position remains identical. The recent Mumbai ITAT ruling in ISC Specialty Chemicals LLP v. ITO [ITA No. 457/Mum/2025] has also reaffirmed this position.

8. Practical and Litigation Considerations

While the legal position is well-settled, the following practical issues often invite scrutiny:

Pre-conversion revaluation or distributions: Revaluing assets or distributing reserves to partners before conversion may indicate value extraction and setback exemption

Allotment mismatch: Shares must be allotted in the exact proportion of partners capital accounts (including both fixed and current capital)

Loss carry-forward: Unabsorbed losses and depreciation can be carried forward by the successor company only if the conversion satisfies section 47(xiii) and section 72A(6)

Procedural aspects: Separate PAN/TAN, separate return filings for the pre and post conversion periods and apportionment of depreciation for the year of conversion are necessary

GAAR exposure: If the conversion is followed by immediate merger, sale or distribution, authorities may invoke GAAR or treat it as colourable restructuring

9. Key Judicial Pillars

CIT v. Texspin Engineering & Mfg. Works (Bom HC)  Statutory vesting is not a transfer; no capital gains arise

Umicore Finance Luxembourg (Bom HC)  Partners receive no benefit; exemption available

CADD Centre v. ACIT (Mad HC) [383 ITR 258]  No transfer of assets; section 45(4) inapplicable

United Fish Nets (AP HC) [(2015) 372 ITR 67]  Reinforces non-taxability on conversion

ISC Specialty Chemicals LLP  LLP to company conversion under section 366 also not a transfer; no capital gain arises and conversion at book value meant that the full value of consideration equaled the cost of acquisition, rendering Section 48 (computation) unworkable

10. Conclusion

In essence, conversion of a firm or LLP into a company, when executed through statutory vesting under Chapter XXI and satisfying the four conditions of section 47(xiii) is a tax-neutral reorganization. It just represents continuity of the same business and not a transaction of transfer or sale. Breach of conditions may attract tax only in the hands of the successor company under section 47A(3), not the partners.
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In this image taken from a video, Australias eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant speaks to reporters in Gold Coast, Australia, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. Credit: Australian Broadcasting Corporation via AP

The Australian government has begun a public education campaign with tips on how to wean children off social media ahead of a world-first national 16-year age limit taking effect in December.

Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Friday that information on her agency's website, esafety.gov.au, explained the new laws and how to navigate them.

Starting Dec. 10, platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube could be fined up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) if they don't take reasonable steps to prevent Australians younger than 16 from holding accounts.

Messages raising awareness will also be shared starting Sunday across digital channels, television, radio and billboards.

"We want children to have childhoods. We want parents to have peace of mind and we want young peopleyoung Australiansto have three more years to learn who they are before platforms assume who they are," Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters, referring to the current de facto 13-year age limit for social media accounts based on U.S. privacy legislation.

The Australian age restrictions have already proved polarizing, with some experts warning the changes will harm as well as protect children. More than 140 Australian and international academics signed an open letter to the government last year opposing a social media age limit as "too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively."

14-year-old Henry, right, and Angel, 15, use their phones to view social media in Sydney, on Nov. 8, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File

Despite that warning, the laws passed with resounding support last year. The platforms had a year to figure out how to comply without foolproof technology available to verify ages.

Inman Grant said the social media age restriction would be a "very monumental event for a lot of young people."

Her agency offered checklists and conversation starters about ways to make the transition, such as following an online influencer through a website rather than a social media account, she said.

"How do we start weaning them from social media now so it isn't a shock on Dec. 10? How do we help them download their archives and their memories and how do we make sure that they're in touch with friends and are aware of mental health support if they're feeling down when they're not tethered to their phones over the holiday period?" she added.

Australia's move is being watched closely by countries that share concerns about social media impacts on young children.

A young girl uses her phone while sitting on a bench in Sydney, on Nov. 8, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File

Denmark's Ambassador to Australia Ingrid Dahl-Madsen said her government would use its current presidency of the Council of the European Union to push the agenda of protecting children from social media harms.

"This is something that is a global challenge and we are all looking at how we can manage it best and we are looking to Australia and we will be looking at what Australia does," Dahl-Madsen told Australian Broadcasting Corp. in Melbourne on Monday.

"It's so important that Australia and Demark and the EUwe share lessons, we compare experiences and we can push forward hopefully practical progress on this," she added. It was about "protecting our children in this digital world that is increasingly complicated."

The Danish government last week proposed legislating an age limit of 15. But Dahl-Madsen said Denmark would consider letting parents exempt their children who were 13-14. Australia has no similar exemption.

 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Dr. Geri Gillespy, Microsoft industry advisor, right, speaks with attendees during a Microsoft AI skilling event, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in San Antonio. Credit: AP Photo/Darren Abate

On a scorching hot Saturday in San Antonio, dozens of teachers traded a day off for a glimpse of the future. The topic of the day's workshop: enhancing instruction with artificial intelligence.

After marveling as AI graded classwork instantly and turned lesson plans into podcasts or online storybooks, one high school English teacher raised a concern that was on the minds of many: "Are we going to be replaced with AI?"

That remains to be seen. But for the nation's 4 million teachers to stay relevant and help students use the technology wisely, teachers unions have forged an unlikely partnership with the world's largest technology companies. The two groups don't always see eye to eye but say they share a common goal: training the future workforce of America.

Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic are providing millions of dollars for AI training to the American Federation of Teachers, the country's second-largest teachers union. In exchange, the tech companies have an opportunity to make inroads into schools and win over students in the race for AI dominance.

AFT President Randi Weingarten said skepticism guided her negotiations, but the tech industry has something schools lack: deep pockets.

"There is no one else who is helping us with this. That's why we felt we needed to work with the largest corporations in the world," Weingarten said. "We went to them  they didn't come to us."

Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith speaks about the company's initiative to increase access to AI software and training for teachers and students across Washington on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 at the company's headquarters in Redmond, Wash. Credit: AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio

Weingarten first met with Microsoft President and Vice Chairman Brad Smith in 2023 to discuss a partnership. She later reached out to OpenAI to pursue an "agnostic" approach that means any company's AI tools could be used in a training session.

Under the arrangement announced in July, Microsoft is contributing $12.5 million to AFT over five years. OpenAI is providing $8 million in funding and $2 million in technical resources, and Anthropic has offered $500,000.

Tech money will build an AI training hub for teachers

With the money, AFT is planning to build an AI training hub in New York City that will offer virtual and in-person workshops for teachers. The goal is to open at least two more hubs and train 400,000 teachers over the next five years.

The National Education Association, the country's largest teachers union, announced its own partnership with Microsoft last month. The company has provided a $325,000 grant to help the NEA develop AI trainings in the form of "microcredentials"  online trainings open to the union's 3 million members, said Daaiyah Bilal, NEA's senior director of education policy. The goal is to train at least 10,000 members this school year.

"We tailored our partnership very surgically," Bilal said. "We are very mindful of what a technology company stands to gain by spreading information about the products they develop."

Natalie Cone, head of OpenAI Forum, center, speaks with attendees during a Microsoft AI skilling event, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in San Antonio. Credit: AP Photo/Darren Abate

Both unions set similar terms: Educators, not the private funders, would design and lead trainings that include AI tools from multiple companies. The unions own the intellectual property for the trainings, which cover safety and privacy concerns alongside AI skills.

The Trump administration has encouraged the private investment, recently creating an AI Education Task Force as part of an effort to achieve "global dominance in artificial intelligence." The federal government urged tech companies and other organizations to foot the bill. So far, more than 100 companies have signed up.

Tech companies see opportunities in education beyond training teachers. Microsoft unveiled a $4 billion initiative for AI training, research and the gifting of its AI tools to teachers and students. It includes the AFT grant and a program that will give all school districts and community colleges in Washington, Microsoft's home state, free access to Microsoft CoPilot tools. Google says it will commit $1 billion for AI education and job training programs, including free access to its Gemini for Education platform for U.S. high schools.

Several recent studies have found that AI use in schools is rapidly increasing but training and guidance are lagging.

The industry offers resources that can help scale AI literacy efforts quickly. But educators should ensure any partnership focuses on what's best for teachers and students, said Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education.

"These are private initiatives, and they are run by companies that have a stake," Lake said.

Northside American Federation of Teachers President Melina Espiritu-Azocar, right, speaks with middle school teacher Celeste Simone during a Microsoft AI skilling event, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in San Antonio. Credit: AP Photo/Darren Abate

Microsoft's Brad Smith agrees that teachers should have a "healthy dose of skepticism" about the role of tech companies.

"While it's easy to see the benefits right now, we should always be mindful of the potential for unintended consequences," Smith said in an interview, pointing to concerns such as AI's possible impact on critical thinking. "We have to be careful. It's early days."

Teachers see new possibilities

At the San Antonio AFT training, about 50 educators turned up for the three-hour workshop for teachers in the Northside Independent School District. It is the city's largest, employing about 7,000 teachers.

The day started with a pep talk.

"We all know, when we talk about AI, teachers say, 'Nah, I'm not doing that,'" trainer Kathleen Torregrossa told the room. "But we are preparing kids for the future. That is our primary job. And AI, like it or not, is part of our world."

Kathleen Torregrossa, Ed.D, rear, lectures during a Microsoft AI skilling event, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in San Antonio. Credit: AP Photo/Darren Abate

Attendees generated lesson plans using ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, Microsoft CoPilot and two AI tools designed for schools, Khanmingo and Colorin Colorado.

Gabriela Aguirre, a 1st grade dual language teacher, repeatedly used the word "amazing" to describe what she saw.

"It can save you so much time," she said, and add visual flair to lessons. She walked away with a plan to use AI tools to make illustrated flashcards in English and Spanish to teach vocabulary.

"With all the video games, the cellphones you have to compete against, the kids are always saying, 'I'm bored.' Everything is boring," Aguirre said. "If you can find ways to engage them with new technology, you've just got to do that."

Middle school teacher Celeste Simone said there is no turning back to how she taught before.

As a teacher for English language learners, Simone can now ask AI tools to generate pictures alongside vocabulary words and create illustrated storybooks that use students' names as characters. She can take a difficult reading passage and ask a chatbot to translate it into Spanish, Pashto or other languages. And she can ask AI to rewrite difficult passages at any grade level to match her students' reading levels. All in a matter of seconds.

"I can give my students access to things that never existed before," Simone said. "As a teacher, once you've used it and see how helpful it is, I don't think I could go back to the way I did things before."

 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Major AI companies are utilizing user conversations for training purposes, raising significant privacy concerns and underscoring the need for more transparent policies.

Last month, Anthropic made a quiet change to its terms of service for customers: Conversations you have with its AI chatbot, Claude, will be used for training its large language model by default, unless you opt out.

Anthropic is not alone in adopting this policy. A recent study of frontier developers' privacy policies found that six leading U.S. companies feed user inputs back into their models to improve capabilities and win market share. Some give consumers the choice to opt out, while others do not.

Given this trend, should users of AI-powered chat systems worry about their privacy? "Absolutely yes," says Jennifer King, privacy and data policy fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, and lead author of the study posted to the arXiv preprint server.

"If you share sensitive information in a dialog with ChatGPT, Gemini, or other frontier models, it may be collected and used for training, even if it's in a separate file that you uploaded during the conversation."

King and her team of Stanford scholars examined AI developers' privacy policies and identified several causes for concern, including long data retention periods, training on children's data, and a general lack of transparency and accountability in developers' privacy practices. In light of these findings, consumers should think twice about the information they share in AI chat conversations and, whenever possible, affirmatively opt out of having their data used for training.

The history of privacy policies

As a communication tool, the internet-era privacy policy that's now being applied to AI chats is deeply flawed. Typically written in convoluted legal language, these documents are difficult for consumers to read and understand. Yet, we have to agree to them if we want to visit websites, query search engines, and interact with large language models (LLMs).

In the last five years, AI developers have been scraping massive amounts of information from the public internet to train their models, a process that can inadvertently pull personal information into their datasets.

"We have hundreds of millions of people interacting with AI chatbots, which are collecting personal data for training, and almost no research has been conducted to examine the privacy practices for these emerging tools," King explains.

In the United States, she adds, privacy protections for personal data collected by or shared with LLM developers are complicated by a patchwork of state-level laws and a lack of federal regulation.

In an effort to help close this research gap, the Stanford team compared the privacy policies of six U.S. companies: Amazon (Nova), Anthropic (Claude), Google (Gemini), Meta (Meta AI), Microsoft (Copilot), and OpenAI (ChatGPT). They analyzed a web of documents for each LLM, including its published privacy policies, linked subpolicies, and associated FAQs and guidance accessible from the chat interfaces, for a total of 28 lengthy documents.

To evaluate these policies, the researchers followed a methodology used by the California Consumer Privacy Act, as it is the most comprehensive privacy law in the United States, and all six frontier developers are required to comply with it. For each company, the researchers analyzed language in the documentation to discern how the stated policies address three questions:

Are user inputs to chatbots used to train or improve LLMs? What sources and categories of personal consumer data are collected, stored, and processed to train or improve LLMs? What are the users' options for opting into or out of having their chats used for training?

Blurred boundaries

The scholars found all six companies employ users' chat data by default to train their models, and some developers keep this information in their systems indefinitely. Some, but not all, of the companies state that they de-identify personal information before using it for training purposes. And some developers allow humans to review users' chat transcripts for model training purposes.

In the case of multiproduct companies, such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon, user interactions also routinely get merged with information gleaned from other products consumers use on those platformssearch queries, sales/purchases, social media engagement, and the like.

These practices can become problematic when, for example, users share personal biometric and health data without considering the implications. Here's a realistic scenario: Imagine asking an LLM for dinner ideas. Maybe you specify that you want low-sugar or heart-friendly recipes. The chatbot can draw inferences from that input, and the algorithm may decide that you fit a classification as a health-vulnerable individual.

"This determination drips its way through the developer's ecosystem. You start seeing ads for medications, and it's easy to see how this information could end up in the hands of an insurance company. The effects cascade over time," King explains.

Another red flag the researchers discovered concerns the privacy of children: Developers' practices vary in this regard, but most are not taking steps to remove children's input from their data collection and model training processes. Google announced earlier this year that it would train its models on data from teenagers, if they opt in.

By contrast, Anthropic says it does not collect children's data nor allow users under the age of 18 to create accounts, although it does not require age verification. And Microsoft says it collects data from children under 18, but does not use it to build language models. All of these practices raise consent issues, as children cannot legally consent to the collection and use of their data.

Privacy-preserving AI

Across the board, the Stanford scholars observed that developers' privacy policies lack essential information about their practices. They recommend policymakers and developers address data privacy challenges posed by LLM-powered chatbots through comprehensive federal privacy regulation, affirmative opt-in for model training, and filtering personal information from chat inputs by default.

"As a society, we need to weigh whether the potential gains in AI capabilities from training on chat data are worth the considerable loss of consumer privacy. And we need to promote innovation in privacy-preserving AI, so that user privacy isn't an afterthought," King concludes.

More information: Jennifer King et al, User Privacy and Large Language Models: An Analysis of Frontier Developers' Privacy Policies, arXiv (2025). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2509.05382 Journal information: arXiv
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Transparent UVA health care. UVA radiation in sunlight can penetrate deep into the skin and cause long-term risks to skin health. Kim and team developed a fully transparent sensor that reacts to sunlight and allows real-time monitoring of UVA exposure on the skin. The device offers the potential for integration into wearable items, such as glasses or patches, providing continuous skin protection in daily life. By selectively detecting UVA while remaining nearly invisible, the technology provides opportunities for personalized skin care and everyday health monitoring. Credit: Jnnovation Studio

Scientists in South Korea have unveiled a transparent, wearable sensor that monitors a user's exposure to ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation in real-time. The technology could help prevent sunburn and long-term skin damage that can cause cancer.

Ultraviolet radiation is released naturally by the sun and artificially by tanning beds. The problem with overexposure is that the rays can penetrate deep into the skin and damage DNA, potentially causing cells to grow out of control and leading to cancer. In many countries, the majority of skin cancer cases are linked to this type of overexposure.

While wearing long clothes and hats and applying sunscreen provides valuable protection, the researchers wanted a simple device to alert wearers when exposure reached a certain level. Current sensors often lack the ability to track UVA and are opaque, which makes them uncomfortable and difficult to use in wearable tech like smart glasses.

In their study, published in the journal Science Advances, the researchers describe how they built their sensor layer by layer, starting with a piece of glass. On top of this transparent base, they stacked layers of oxide semiconductors that were also see-through and only reacted to UVA light. For the electrical connections, the team used a transparent indium tin oxide film, ensuring the finished device was nearly invisible and could be easily incorporated into wearables.

To make the sensor a functional monitor, the researchers hooked it up to a small circuit board. This had an amplifier to boost faint UVA signals and a Bluetooth chip to send exposure data straight to a user's phone.

Successful prototype

The research team tested their prototype extensively in natural sunlight on sunny and cloudy days, and the readings reliably matched professional UV monitoring equipment. Data was wirelessly sent to a user's phone, where it calculated their accumulated UVA dose and sent a real-time warning when exposure reached 80% of the required amount to cause sunburn.

"This health care device, integrated with a smartphone, demonstrates its potential as a practical approach to prevent risks associated with prolonged UV exposure," wrote the researchers in their paper.

The device is not yet consumer-ready. Although it has successfully passed laboratory and initial outdoor tests, the team notes that further work is needed before it becomes publicly available. This includes long-term field testing and user studies to confirm the device can survive daily use. The researchers also want to make the entire system smaller so it can be comfortably integrated into wearables such as glasses, smartwatches, and skin patches.

Written for you by our author Paul Arnold, edited by Gaby Clark, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Eganthis article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You'll get an ad-free account as a thank-you.

More information: Yu Bin Kim et al, Transparent UVA photodetectors based on oxide semiconductors for real-time wearable skin protection monitoring, Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aea7218 Journal information: Science Advances

 2025 Science X Network
Her Excellency Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland, presenting her Letters of Credence to Governor General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Her Excellency Dame Susan Dougan, GCMG, OBE.

The Government and people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines extend a warm welcome to Her Excellency Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland, who presented her Letters of Credence to Her Excellency Dame Susan Dougan, GCMG, OBE, Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, on Friday, October 10, 2025.





During her official visit, Ambassador Byrne Nason held courtesy meetings with Dr. the Honourable Ralph E. Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Honourable Dr. Godwin Friday, Leader of the Opposition; and Mr. Glen Beache, Chief Executive Officer of Invest SVG.





The exchanges underscored the cordial and cooperative relations shared between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Ireland. Both sides reaffirmed their mutual commitment to advancing dialogue and deepening collaboration in areas of shared priority, including education, sustainable development, and economic partnership.




Credit Unions across St. Vincent and the Grenadines are joining millions of members worldwide to celebrate International Credit Union (ICU) Week, which runs from October 12 to 18, 2025, under the global theme "Co-operation for a Prosperous World . This years observance is of special significance as it coincides with the International Year of Co-operatives (IYC 2025), declared by the United Nations to highlight the vital role co-operatives play in building inclusive, equitable, and sustainable societies.





Throughout the week, the SVG Co-operative League and its affiliates will host a variety of activities showcasing the strength and community spirit of the co-operative movement. The celebrations began on Sunday, October 12, with religious observances held in churches across the country.





Commemorations will continue with a series of media features celebrating co-operative impact. Members, staff, and volunteers will share their stories across radio, television, and social media, highlighting how co-operatives have touched lives and strengthened communities.





On Thursday, October 16, International Credit Union Day will be celebrated by each credit union in its own unique way, recognizing milestones, honoring pioneers, and expressing appreciation to members for their continued trust and support.





The celebrations will culminate on Friday, October 17, with the National Credit Union and Co-operative Exhibition at the Kingstown Post Office Car Park. This event will showcase the products and services of the nations credit unions and co-operatives, demonstrating their vital role in promoting financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and community development across St. Vincent and the Grenadines.





For over seventy years, credit unions and co-operatives have been a cornerstone of national development, promoting financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and social upliftment. With a combined membership exceeding 82,000 Vincentians and savings of more than EC $680 million, the credit union movement continues to demonstrate the power of "people helping people.





The SVG Co-operative League extends warm appreciation to all members, volunteers, and supporters, and invites the public to participate in the weeks activities as we celebrate unity, resilience, and shared prosperity through co-operation.
rime Minster Dr. Ralph Gonsalves expressed regret that his government had not moved faster on the Little Tokyo project.

The delayed clean up of the bus terminal in Kingstown, commonly referred to as Little Tokyo has been blamed on internal bickering among civil servants.





Camillo Gonsalves, Finance Minister, had announced back in 2023 plans for the compensation of vendors who occupy the present facility to allow for the demolition of the structures within the bus terminal.





Gonsalves said then that the estimated cost for the project was EC$3.1 million.





In addition, Benarva Browne  Minister of Urban Development, Seaports etc said that design plans were underway for the development of the bus terminal.





However, on October 13, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves told members of the press that he had regretted that his government had not moved "faster on the Little Tokyo project.





According to the prime minister, there were two sets of people who came up with their own design.





But deciding on whose design was better proved problematic with both sides bickering between themselves about whose design was the better option.





"And they were arguing for months and months on end whose one is this...until finally they have come to some conclusion, Gonsalves said.





He added however that he did not really want to begin the clean up of the bus terminal project just yet saying that there was already so much going on.





January 2026, granted that his government got the validation at the polls, was the proposed start date for the project, Gonsalves told members of the media.





There was already some funding available, he said, for the implementation of the project with funding coming from the ALBA Bank.
According to Carl James, CEO of SVG Port Authority, The Modern Port Operating Company (MPOC) will be responsible for the operations of the Modern Port when it becomes operational.

A new entity, the Modern Port Operating Company (MPOC) will oversee the day-to-day operations of the modern port facility when it becomes operational.





The new entity was officially established on October 13 following the passing of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority (Restructuring) Bill which was debated in Parliament on September 29.





This means that the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority (SVGPA) will now become a regulatory body for all the ports across the country.





According to Carl James, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the SVGPA, the Port Authority which has overseen both the regulation and operation of the ports is now shifting into the position as the independent port regulator and will be responsible for the oversight and implementation of policies.





He explained the reason for the change saying that having a clear separation between the regulator and operator introduces clearer accountability.





And it was a best practice and a model that is employed around the world.





"Today we are entering into a new era defined by technology, efficiency and global competitiveness, James said during a press briefing.





He added that this latest development marked the start of a major transformation in how trade, logistics and maritime services are managed in the country.





James said that the transition was ongoing.





"And we will be working closely with all stakeholders to ensure a smooth, coordinated process that maintains safety, continuity and service reliability, he continued.





As part of the mandate, MPOC will manage the cargo terminal and the other operations at the modern port facility which es expected to become operational on October 25.





The new company will also oversee the schooner operations at the existing port, the cruise ship facility, the ferry terminal, the commercial parking facility and all the other smaller ports throughout the entire country.





Regarding current employees, James said that they will be transferred to the new operating company with their full accrued rights, benefits and entitlements intact, inclusive of seniority and pension.





"They have undergone a lot of training and upskilling, the CEO said.





Senator Benarva Browne, Minister of Urban Development, Energy, Seaports etc. said that the opening of the modern port and the establishment of MPOC represented one of the most transformative milestones in the countrys maritime history.





"On September 29, we went to Parliament and passed the port restructuring Bill, which seek to establish MPOC which would oversee the daily operations, I would like to stress that this is a 100 percent government owned company, Browne said.





She gave some insight into the future plans of the port project which is expected to include the relocation of the Grenadines wharf and the schooner facilities.





"Which will make way for an urban renaissance where we can then make way for the development of hotels, cultural centres, shopping, eateries for both locals and visitors alike, Browne said.





She added that there is the proposed expansion of the cruise ship terminal, which presently has its challenges and inefficiencies.
The Finalists in the Lions Club South Public Speaking Competition 2025.

The finalists of this years Secondary Schools Public Speaking competition are getting ready for the showdown scheduled for the Kingstown Methodist Church Hall, Thursday October 30.





The winner takes the Michael De Freitas Challenge Trophy along with other prizes.





Those selected are: Sophia DeRiggs from the St. Joseph Convent Kingstown; Joshua Samuel: Mountain View Adventist Academy; JQuan Edwards: Thomas Saunders Secondary School; Serenity Joseph, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Girls High School; Isaiah Toney: St. Vincent and the Grenadines Boys Grammar School, and Braxton Lewis: North Union Secondary School.





They progressed after preliminary rounds which wound up last week Friday.





This Public Speaking platform serves as a valuable learning tool and participants have progressed up their professional scale as a result.





Students received their topics and other instructions for the clash when they met with Lions coordinator Michael John earlier this week.





This competition has been taking place before political independence on October 27, 1979. It is sponsored by the telecommunications company Flow, and endorsed by the Ministry of Education.





Students make three appearances for an Assigned Topic, a Prepared delivery and an Impromptu presentation.
Pole Yard residents will be relocate to three different sites as there is no location large enough to fit them all.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has admitted that the government is finding it difficult to find an area to accommodate all the residents of Pole Yard.





Instead, the prime minister said that the residents will be relocated to three different sites.





He was at the time speaking of the proposed modern city at Arnos Vale during a press briefing on October 13.





This latest announcement however comes after Curtis King, Minister of Education and Parliamentary Representative for East St. George, of which the Arnos Vale community is part of, said that a piece of land had been identified to facilitate the relocation of the residents of Pole Yard after government announced that the informal settlement would have to be relocated to facilitate the construction of the Acute Hospital.





King was at the time speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Acute Hospital on October 26, 2024.





He said then that it had taken the government some time to identify an appropriate piece of land to facilitate the relocation.





King followed up then by saying that government was in advanced stages of preparation.





"In fact, we are looking now at having in place the infrastructure so that we can facilitate the relocation of our residents from that community, King said then.





Neither King nor Gonsalves disclosed where the Pole Yard residents would be relocated to.
The government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines officially opened the Union Island Ferry Terminal and Market on Friday, October 11th, 2025, a project made possible through a public-private partnership, with the Gumbolimbo Group.





Delivering marks at the opening ceremony, Minister of Urban Development, Energy, Seaports, Grenadines Affairs, and Local Government, Benarva Browne, described the event as more than just a ceremony, calling it a celebration of renewal, resilience, and community pride noting that after the destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl on July 1st last year, many residents wondered how quickly life could return to normal.





"But as we see today, the spirit of union has been proven unbreakable. Together, we have turned recovery into opportunity, hardship into hope. On behalf of the government and the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, I express profound gratitude to our partners, the Gumbolimbo team and Ian Wace.





"Your support went far beyond emergency relief. You stood with us in faith and in friendship to help us to rebuild this essential community hub and many others," said Browne about the investors.





She said that the partnership demonstrated what can happen when compassion meets collaboration.





"Today, we stand before a facility that reflects our shared belief in the Grenadine resilience, dignity and progress. This facility, both a market and a ferry terminal, is the beating heart of Union Island's economic and social life. Our vendors will trade their goods in a clean, organized and hurricane resistant environment. Visitors and travelers will pass through a modern terminal that reflects the warm and welcoming spirit of this island," the minister noted.





"This project represents our government's commitment to build back better with improved design standards, inclusive spaces that serve both locals and visitors alike. It provides relief intended to give every vendor time to recover, set up their stalls properly and reinvest in their small businesses without financial strain. We want you to focus on rebuilding your lives and restocking thrive. This is how we ensure that development remains people-centered and compassionate," said Browne.





She further thanked the people of Union Island for their patience, perseverance and pride. "This facility belongs to you. Cherish it, use it, let it be a place of growth and connections for generations to come. And so, as we cut this ribbon today, let it remind us that even the fiercest storm cannot break the Vincentian spirit which continues to rise".





Hurricane Beryl, a powerful category 4 system, left a trail of damage across Union Island, and other Southern Grenadines islands, severely impacting infrastructure, homes, and the local economy.





In a show of support for local livelihoods, Minister Browne announced that vendors operating in the new facility will not be required to pay rent until January 2026.





CEO of Gumbolimbo Group, Ian Wace, was also present at the ceremony and expressed pride in being part of the islands rebuilding journey. Wace is credited for investing a substantial amount to rebuild Southern Grenadines following the passage of Hurricane Beryl. He said that the task was endless but it was the right thing to do.





"It was endless, but the point is that I came here because ultimately, I realized it was the right thing to do. It was the right thing to come and do something for everybody here, to provide a resource, to provide a team, to really help you. And I ask for nothing, nothing in return. This is a gift. It's a gift to all of you at a time when you really needed that gift. But if you give me the gift, it is the gift to use these places, to use them well and to respect yourselves," said Wace about his objective for his investment.





"Obviously, I want to thank the Romanian team that came with me, and John and Jessica, who came with me. The Romanian team came on the 17th of July last year, and they've worked incessantly since then. And John and Jessica, I think, came on the beginning of September that year as well. And again, they have been tireless in pursuit of the opportunities around and about," said the billionaire investor, adding that the facility took 50 days to build.





"From 6:30 in the morning until 7 o'clock at night, 7 days a week for you, together, and that's love," said Wace as he thanked the Prime Minister for inviting him to Union Island.





Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves was also on hand to deliver remarks. He used the occasion to expressed thanks to all those involved in the project.
Jacob Elordi experienced "moments of great anguish" amid shooting Frankenstein.

Jacob Elordi lost weight for the film

The 28-year-old actor was required to lose a significant amount of weight in a relatively short period of time in order to star in the Guillermo del Toro-directed movie, and Jacob admits that his efforts to a real toll on him.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times newspaper, Jacob shared: "My brain was kind of all over the place.

"I had these moments of great anguish at around 3 a.m. in the morning. Id wake and my body was in such pain. And I just realised that it was a blessing with Frankenstein coming up, because I could articulate these feelings, this suffering."

Jacob was a late addition to the film's cast. However, the actor joked that he's perfectly suited to the role of Frankenstein's monster.

He quipped: "Someone had written after my first film, The only thing this plank of wood could play is Frankensteins Creature. Get him off my screen!'"

Jacob actually feels that he was destined to play the part of Frankenstein's monster.

He explained: "It came from some other place.

"It felt like a growth, like a cancer in my stomach that told me that I had to play this thing. Ive heard stories about this from actors, and when you hear them, you kind of go, Sure, you were meant to play this thing. But I really feel like I was."

Meanwhile, Jacob previously confessed to sleeping in his car before landing a role on Euphoria.

The actor admitted that he was running out of money before he secured a part on the hit HBO show.

Jacob told GQ magazine: "I wasn't booking jobs. I think I had  I don't know, $400 or $800 left in my bank account  and Euphoria was my last audition before I went home for a little while to make some money and recuperate."

Jacob was even living in his career when he auditioned for the show.

He said: "My car was like a hoarder's, stacked with boxes and coat hangers and things."
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PROMISES KEPT: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar shares a friendly bounce with Balchan John, one of more than a hundred recipients who received their land leases during part two of the Caroni lease-distribution ceremony yesterday, at the Diplomatic Centre in St Anns. At centre is Energy Minister and Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal. Photo: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK
Olivia Culpo has suffered a "little bit of an identity crisis" since giving birth.

Olivia Culpo has suffered an identity crisis

The 33-year-old model and her husband Christian McCaffrey welcomed their daughter Colette into the world in July, and Olivia has admitted to battling self-doubts over recent months.

Speaking on The Squeeze podcast, Olivia shared: "There's totally a shift.

"Whether or not you want there to be or not, you have somebody that's physically dependent on you. So, I'm not going to sugarcoat it: Yeah, it's scary."

Olivia has been career-focused for many years, and she worries how she'll balance motherhood and her modelling career.

She said: "I'm just kind of a worry wart that way, like I'm very ambitious."

Olivia married Christian in 2024, and she feels fortunate to have such a supportive influence in her life.

The model explained: "I'm so grateful that I have my husband because while I'm totally working and I'm doing everything in my power to keep working and I'm so happy to have the opportunities that I have. Let's say they all went away - would I have the same ability [without his support] 10, 12, 15, 20 years ago to light that fire up my butt when I have somebody who really needs me, which is my baby? No. And I would choose my baby 10 times over obviously."

Olivia admits to relishing the challenges of motherhood.

She said: "It's been so fun.

"Every day is so different and I'm really just trying to sit in because I know it goes by so fast. Everybody says these are the days that go by quicker than you could have ever imagined."

Olivia previously admitted that her pregnancy proved just how much she needs her own mother.

The model - who announced her pregnancy back in March - explained that her mom has been hugely supportive of her over recent months.

Olivia told People: "I feel like I have a lot of respect for my mom and one thing that I realised through this experience of becoming a mom is actually how much I've needed my mom, which I didn't anticipate.

"She's just been so helpful to me, especially in the beginning of my pregnancy. That was really tough. It's just kind of an interesting thing, and I'm just so grateful to her.

"It's just an ironic thought that you need your mom the most when you're about to become a mom. That's just genuinely how I felt."
Arizonas regents were to meet in private session with University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella to discuss the White House compact, while Garimella said he was working together with faculty, students, state lawmakers, university presidents across the country and Gov. Katie Hobbs office on a decision.

The Board of Regents, which oversees the states three public universities, including the UA, scheduled a virtual executive session for late Friday to discuss possible legal advice and federal matters and to review assignments with Garimella.

The executive session comes two days before the White Houses Monday, Oct. 20 deadline for nine universities, including the UA  the first invited to sign its higher education compact  to give limited, targeted feedback, although the White House has said the document is largely in final form. There is a Nov. 21 deadline to sign the compact.

In an interview with the Arizona Daily Star on Thursday, Garimella said he was unsure what the White House wants by the Monday deadline, and he was trying to figure that out.

We are grateful for all the feedback were getting, Garimella said. He said UA administrators are engaged in many, many conversations with faculty, staff, students, etc. and are tracking all the feedback coming in, but no decisions have been made.

UA spokesperson Mitch Zak declined to answer the Stars follow-up questions on whether the UA was considering a conversation in person or over the phone to give feedback to the White House, since Garimella said they were unsure about the need for a written response.

Nationally, four of the nine universities had rejected the White House deal, as the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Southern California announced Thursday they will not sign it, joining previous rejections by Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The president of a fifth university, Dartmouth, has said she cannot support the compact but hasnt formally rejected it. Regents in Texas have expressed enthusiasm about the compact, while presidents of the other universities have said theyre still deciding.

According to the compact, universities may gain priority access to federal money if they commit to 10 pages of rules proposed by the White House, including: banning the use of race or gender in hiring and admissions, freezing tuition for five years, capping international undergrad enrollment at 15%, changing or abolishing units that criticize conservative ideologies, and banning university employees from speaking about any societal or political event unless it directly impacts the university.

There is strong opposition to the compact from faculty and student government leaders at the UA and from the Tucson City Council and the Pima County Board of Supervisors, who have passed resolutions urging Garimella not to sign. Opponents say signing would sacrifice academic freedom, that the compact is risky because any violation would result in a loss of all federal funding for a year, and cite other concerns.

Most recently, the Associated Students of the University of Arizonas senate passed a resolution Wednesday in opposition to signing the compact, with 17 votes in favor, one against and one in abstention. This was done in solidarity with more than 18 student organizations, several student groups said in social media posts.

Penns president, J. Larry Jameson, and USCs interim president, Beong-Soo Kim, told their university committees in separate announcements Thursday that they informed the White House they wont sign the compact, the New York Times reported.

We are concerned that even though the compact would be voluntary, tying research benefits to it would, over time, undermine the same values of free inquiry and academic excellence that the compact seeks to promote, Kim wrote in a notice to USCs campus.

Jameson said he told White House officials that for Penn, the compact has areas of existing alignment as well as substantive concerns.
Snoop Dogg has stressed that he is an ally of the LGBTQ+ community.

Snoop Dogg is showing his support for the LGBTQ+ community

The 53-year-old rapper was criticised earlier this year after stating that he was "scared" to take his grandkids to the cinema after being taken by surprise by a same-sex relationship in the 2022 Pixar movie Lightyear but has now expressed his support by partnering with GLAAD in support of Spirit Day, an LGBTQ+ youth anti-bullying initiative.

In conversation with The Voice star Jeremy Beloate - who identifies as queer and was on Snoop's team in the series - the Drop It Like It's Hot rapper said: "It's a beautiful thing that kids can have parents of all walks and be shown love, to be taught what love is... being able to have parents from all walks of life, whether it be two fathers, two mothers, whatever it is, love is the key."

Snoop and Jeremy have collaborated on a new song called Love Is Love, which will feature in the star's animated children's YouTube series Doggyland, and he explained that he wanted to tell youngsters that love comes in several forms.

He said: "At the end of the day, it's all about love - that's what we're teachin' the kids with Love Is Love.

"Partnering with GLAAD just felt right, because spreading love and respect for everybody is what real gangstas do. We're showin' the next generation that kindness is cool, inclusion is powerful, and love always wins."

Snoop faced a backlash after questioning why astronaut Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba) had a child with her wife in Lightyear, a movie that also featured Disney Pixar's first same-sex kiss.

He said on the It's Giving podcast in August: "(The kids) are like, 'She had a baby  with another woman.' Well, my grandson, in the middle of the movie is like, 'Papa Snoop? How she have a baby with a woman? Shes a woman!'"

Snoop added: "Oh s***, I didnt come in for this s***. I just came to watch the goddamn movie.

"They just said, 'She and she had a baby  theyre both women. How does she have a baby?'

"It f***** me up. Im like, scared to go to the movies.

"Yall throwing me in the middle of s*** that I dont have an answer for it threw me for a loop.

"Im like, 'What part of the movie was this? These are kids. We have to show that at this age? Theyre going to ask questions. I dont have the answer."

The Gin and Juice hitmaker later confessed that he is "not perfect" and is willing to learn from the controversy.

He commented beneath a video from Hollywood Unlocked about his remarks: "I was just caught off guard and had no answer for my grandsons.

"All my gay friends [know] whats up. They been calling me with love. My bad for not knowing the answers for a 6-year-old. Teach me how to learn. I'm not perfect.(sic)"
HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha chaired a meeting on Thursday to discuss the draft decree on assigning tasks, placing orders and selecting Vietnamese organisations and enterprises to provide railway industrial services and goods.

According to the report by the Ministry of Construction, the draft decree aims to establish a legal framework that gradually forms core enterprises to lay the foundation for the domestic railway industrys development, creating a production supply chain for railway industrial products and goods.

This will lead to the gradual mastery of technology to create nationally recognised railway products.

The draft decree introduces new provisions that, for the first time, regulate tasks assigned under the 2025 Railway Law and relevant resolutions of the National Assembly.

It seeks to address practical challenges, such as the lack of regulations on assigning tasks and placing orders for railway industrial goods and services using budget funds, other than regular expenditures.

The draft decree has revised and improved the criteria for selecting suppliers to ensure that enterprises with real capabilities are chosen. These enterprises must be able to access advanced railway technology, play a leading role in the domestic industry, participate deeply in the supply chain, and gradually master technology to build a national brand in the railway sector.

The criteria include financial capacity, facilities, human resources, experience in carrying out tasks, and product quality.

Notably, smaller enterprises are allowed to participate in some components of the railway industrial goods and services, acting as auxiliary partners. This will form the foundation for the development of a local industrial support chain, boosting the overall development of the Vietnamese railway industry.

The draft also outlines procedures for assigning tasks and placing orders, and specifies the responsibilities of both the agencies placing the orders and the suppliers.

Concluding the meeting, Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha emphasised that the highest goal was to form an independent, self-reliant railway industry capable of mastering the value chain and core technology.

The development strategy should be clearly framed in line with the guidance of the Party and State on the development of key industries, particularly mechanical engineering, design and integrated technology.

The Deputy PM urged that the product list and core value chain be clearly defined, focusing on key railway sectors. Priority should be given to developing high-speed rail, as mastering this area will automatically lead to mastery over lower sectors.

The State needed to order previously unavailable products and technologies, leading to a breakthrough in domestic production capacity, noted the Deputy PM.

Enterprises involved must have clear technology transfer plans, commit to increasing the localisation ratio over time, have research institutes, engineers, design and manufacturing capabilities, and meet international technical standards, he added.

They should also be able to organise production ecosystems with a network of suppliers, demonstrating their ability to link and organise a synchronised production chain.

The government must ensure a stable consumption market for ordered products and provide exceptional support policies for enterprises to research, transfer technology, train human resources, and develop research institutes.

Additionally, an evaluation council should be established to select enterprises, and the criteria and product lists must be transparent and legally sound in task assignment.

On the ordering mechanism, the Deputy PM confirmed that the State, not local authorities or private investors, was the ordering entity. However, this was a new, complex issue with no precedent, and its scope of application should be limited to sectors that were not yet developed to avoid overextension, he noted.

Ministries and agencies should develop specific roadmaps, implement model projects, and refine legal frameworks and registration procedures. The focus should be on concrete, practical products with high applicability.  VNS
HA NOI  A workshop to gather feedback on the draft law on artificial intelligence (AI) took place in Ha Noi on Wednesday, attracting numerous experts, scholars, lawyers, journalists, and representatives from the business community.

The event was co-organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the National Assembly (NA)s Committee on Science, Technology and Environment, and the Ministry of Science and Technology,

Opening the workshop, Tran Van Khai, deputy head of the NA committee, noted that AI has been identified as one of Viet Nams national priority technologies, playing a key role in digital transformation and the knowledge-based economy. Viet Nam aims to become one of the leading countries in Southeast Asia in AI research and development.

The rapid AI development poses many legal, moral, and safety challenges, requiring an appropriate legal corridor. Given this, an AI law is of critical importance to creating a legal cornerstone for promoting AI research, development, and governance in a safe and responsible manner, he went on.

The draft AI law has been developed on the principle of sustainable, transparent, and responsible development, Khai said.

In his co-opening remarks, au Anh Tuan, VCCI Vice Secretary-General and Director of the Legal Affairs Department, said the business community highly values the scientific and open-minded approach taken in drafting the law despite the short preparation time. Many of its key aspects are aligned with international standards, such as risk-based management, controlled testing mechanisms, human rights, and ethical safeguards.

Tuan expressed hope that the draft will ensure flexibility and adaptability to avoid rigidity that could hinder innovation. He also called for simplifying administrative procedures, streamlining registration and disclosure processes, and strengthening investment in data infrastructure and computing capacity to reduce dependence on external systems.

In addition, he highlighted the importance of clearly defining legal liability, insurance mechanisms, and risk-sharing frameworks while drawing on international experience yet maintaining Viet Nams distinct regulatory characteristics.

From a technical perspective, Tran Vu Ha Minh, chief advisor for responsible AI at FPT Software, shared that a recent survey by the National Institute for Digital Technologies and Digital Transformation identified data  the foundational element of all AI systems  as one of the major bottlenecks in Viet Nams current AI development.

Minh recommended that as it is still in the early stages of building and applying AI, the country has a unique opportunity to design its AI systems with strong governance and compliance standards from the outset.

She further suggested the need for guidelines on responsible digital transformation, ensuring compliance with ethical and technical standards from the initial implementation stages. For high-risk or key AI projects, detailed policies, regulations, and technical standards should be established so that businesses can confidently move forward without concerns about legal or technical barriers.

The most important is to provide training for and improve AI-related awareness from grassroots to high-level leaders, equip SMEs with necessary knowledge, and organise in-depth refresher courses for senior managers, data engineers, and technology legal experts, she added.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam has affirmed its growing position on the global 5G technology map after Viettel High Tech, a subsidiary of the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group, was honoured by Gartner for its role in commercialising 5G technology.

At the Open RAN Connect 2025 international conference in Ha Noi on October 15, Viettel High Tech was named by Gartner as a 'Niche Player' for its pioneering role in developing and commercialising 5G Open Radio Access Network (RAN) technology using ASIC chipsets.

With its proven capability in deploying large-scale 5G technology both in Viet Nam and across the region, Viettel High Tech is the only enterprise in Southeast Asia to receive such recognition in Gartners Magic Quadrant for CSP 5G RAN Infrastructure Solutions 2025 report.

The achievement affirms Viet Nams growing position in mastering new-generation telecommunications infrastructure.

Founded in 1979, Gartner is a leading global research and advisory firm with over 2,000 researchers and consultants serving more than 15,600 enterprise clients in over 100 countries and territories. Its Magic Quadrant report is a globally respected assessment that provides an overview of the capabilities of 5G RAN infrastructure suppliers, evaluating them independently on two key criteria: completeness of vision and ability to execute.

The 'Make in Viet Nam' 5G ecosystem is fully developed by Viettel, covering every stage from research and design to manufacturing. Its 5G equipment has been widely deployed, serving tens of millions of users on Viettels core network (EPC and 5G Core).

The groups infrastructure also includes millions of optical and Wi-Fi access devices, thousands of transmission systems, an online charging system (OCS) supporting over 190 million global subscribers, and an IMS high-quality voice system catering to more than 50 million users.

Speaking at the event, Nguyen Khac Lich, director general of the Department of Information Technology Industry under the Ministry of Science and Technology, emphasised that 5G equipment is a strategic national technology product.

Since 2019, the ministry has set a target for Viet Nam to master the design, research and production of 5G equipment as a symbol of technological self-reliance. Viettels adoption of the Open RAN approach reflects a strategic mindset of independence, technological openness, and proactive integration - demonstrating that Vietnamese engineers are capable of mastering some of the worlds most advanced technologies and bringing 'Make in Viet Nam' products to global markets.

Viettels 5G devices, designed to meet international open standards, have already reached markets such as India, the UAE and Turkiye. In 2025, the company plans to deploy 2,500 additional 5G stations in several provinces and cities while expanding its international footprint.

Nguyen Minh Quang, general director of Viettel High Tech, described Gartners recognition as a historic milestone, laying a solid foundation for Viettel to expand its global technology ecosystem.

After more than a decade of investment in research and the development of national telecommunications and digital infrastructure, Viettels efforts have been acknowledged worldwide. This success, he said, will help Viet Nam strengthen its mastery of strategic technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain and semiconductors.

The Open RAN Connect 2025 international conference was co-hosted by Viettel High Tech and Qualcomm, a leading US technology corporation. The 2024 edition drew significant attention when Viettel announced the commercial launch of its Open RAN (O-RAN) 5G Network, featuring key equipment developed in-house.

Open RAN Connect 2025 gathered representatives from international and domestic telecommunications enterprises, research institutions and technology organisations to discuss pathways for expanding Open RAN commercialisation towards efficient and sustainable digital infrastructure.

The event underscored Viet Nams emergence as one of the new global centres of the Open RAN movement and a testament to the pioneering role of Viet Namese enterprises in shaping the telecommunications networks of the future.  VNA/VNS
SINGAPORE  Vietjet highlighted its strong commitment to gender equality and sustainable growth during the 2025 Women in Aviation International  Singapore Chapter (WAI-SG) Gala Dinner, an event that gathered over 300 aviation leaders and professionals from around the world.

The high-profile event was attended by Sun Xueling, Singapores Senior Minister of State for Transport and National Development, who joined industry experts in recognising organisations that are advancing inclusivity in aviation.

Ho Ngoc Yen Phuong, member of the Board of Directors, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Vietjet, emphasised the airlines active measures to ensure equal opportunities for women across all areas of aviation  not just in the cockpit but also in technical, operational and financial roles.

We dont just talk about gender equality  we live it. At Vietjet, we believe that empowering women is essential to achieving longterm, sustainable growth, she said.

Founded by Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Southeast Asias first selfmade female billionaire, Vietjet is widely regarded as a symbol of womens leadership in aviation. According to its 2023 reports, women represent approximately 40 per cent of Vietjets workforce, while nearly 30 of management or leadership positions are held by women  figures that place the carrier among those with relatively high female leadership ratios in the region.

Under the theme 'Pioneering the Skys Future,' WAISG promotes programmes that empower and connect the next generation of female leaders working toward a more inclusive, innovative and sustainable aviation industry in the AsiaPacific region

An international recognition

Vietjet has won the title of 'Asias Leading Airline-Customer Experience 2025' at the prestigious World Travel Awards (WTA) ceremony held in Hong Kong, reaffirming its position as one of Asias leading new-age carriers.

This years event gathered global leaders and experts from the aviation, tourism and hospitality sectors to celebrate excellence in travel. Widely regarded as one of the worlds most respected honours in the industry, the World Travel Awards recognise outstanding achievements through votes cast by industry professionals and travellers worldwide.

Graham E. Cooke, Founder of World Travel Awards, said Vietjet continues to set the benchmark for customer service in the aviation sector and added: I am delighted that both the travel trade and the public have acknowledged this excellence by voting it Asia's Leading Airline-Customer Experience 2025.

Nguyen Thanh Son, managing director of Vietjet, said: We are truly honoured to be recognised by the World Travel Awards for the third consecutive year. This accolade is a heartfelt tribute to the hundreds of millions of passengers and the entire Vietjet team who have trusted, supported and worked tirelessly to deliver exceptional flying experiences. Vietjet will keep expanding its global network to offer modern, comfortable and inspiring journeys.

Vietjet continues to elevate its passenger experience through innovation, introducing a range of new products and services. The airline also celebrates local cultures with themed activities during major festivals like Chuseok (South Korea), Holi and Diwali (India) and the Mid-Autumn Festival across various Asian countries.  VNS
HA NOI  Indigo Airlines is set to lift spirits and connect cultures with a direct flight from Ha Noi to New Delhi, launching on December 20, operating seven times a week with modern Airbus A321neo aircraft. This milestone significantly shortens the distance between two of Asia's most illustrious civilisations and bolsters two-way tourism.

The inaugural flight marks not just a new route but a symbol of friendship and co-operation between Viet Nam and India. With a flight time of just over four hours, Vietnamese tourists can easily reach the heart of India, while Indian travellers can access Ha Noi, the gateway to Indochina.

According to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism, the number of Indian tourists visiting Viet Nam is projected to increase by nearly 300 per cent in 2024 compared to pre-COVID-19 levels.

On average, Indian tourist arrivals grow by 35 per cent annually, particularly in popular destinations like a Nang, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Ha Noi and HCM City. Conversely, Vietnamese tourists are increasingly drawn to Indias rich heritage, including the Taj Mahal, the sacred Ganges River, yoga, Bollywood and vibrant festivals. This new direct flight will save time and costs, providing a significant boost to tourism co-operation.

New Delhi is a captivating city where ancient and modern cultures converge. Vietnamese visitors can explore iconic sites such as the Red Fort, Lotus Temple, Humayuns Tomb and India Gate. The bustling Chandni Chowk market offers a taste of local street food while Khan Market serves as a shopping haven. From New Delhi, tourists can easily visit the Taj Mahal, Jaipur and Varanasi, a spiritual centre.

Viet Nam is becoming a favoured destination for Indian travellers thanks to its diverse landscapes, rich culture and affordability. From the historic charm of Ha Noi and the romance of Hoi An to the vibrant energy of a Nang and the allure of Phu Quoc, Viet Nam offers a unique blend of tradition and modernity. The culinary delights, including pho, bun cha and egg coffee, leave a lasting impression on Indian tourists.

The Ha Noi  New Delhi route is not only about tourism, it opens doors for comprehensive co-operation in economics, investment, education and technology. As two of Asia's most dynamic economies, Viet Nam and India can leverage this route for enhanced trade and bilateral investment.

The launch of this route marks a significant step in regional aviation connectivity, enabling a journey from the heritage of Thang Long  Ha Noi to the mystical temples of New Delhi, and from Ha Long Bay to the Taj Mahal, all within a few hours. This is more than just a flight; it represents a journey of friendship and integration.  VNS
TOKYO - An international symposium on the cultural industry, which is considered a strategic driver for sustainable development, opened in Tokyo on October 17.

Held by the Vietnam Federation of UNESCO Associations, the event marked another milestone in strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of culture and creativity. Experts from Viet Nam and Japan emphasised the growing importance of the cultural industry as both a foundation and a driver for sustainable growth.

The event saw the participation of Professor Yuji Suzuki, President of the National Federation of UNESCO Associations of Japan and Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Federation of UNESCO Clubs and Associations; Nguyen Le Hang, Deputy Secretary-General of the Vietnam Federation of UNESCO Associations and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Ngay Nay (Today) Magazine, along with researchers, business leaders, and members of the Vietnamese community in Japan.

Addressing the event, Hang underscored that the event represented the continued collaboration between the UNESCO federations of Viet Nam and Japan, both committed to advancing the organisations' values.

She stressed that Viet Nam views culture as not only a goal but also a vital force for national development. The Tokyo symposium extends this perspective internationally, promoting partnerships in the creative economy, Hang said.

She also highlighted the complementarity between the two countries - Japans advanced creative industries and Viet Nams rich cultural heritage undergoing rapid digital transformation. Their cooperation will help balance cultural preservation with innovation.

Talking with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporters, Professor Suzuki described culture as a way of life, shaped by social, regional, and religious contexts. He emphasised Japans approach to cultural education, which begins at the elementary level and encourages respect for diversity.

Suzuki added that both Japan and Viet Nam hold unique cultural values that contribute to humanitys shared heritage, as recognised by UNESCO. Promoting awareness of these distinct yet interconnected identities is essential for fostering mutual understanding and sustainable cultural development, he said.

Nguyen Huy Quang, Director of Van Show Arts JSC, shared that Viet Nams cultural industry has made significant progress in recent years, with large-scale productions attracting global audiences and boosting tourism.

He expressed his hope for deeper cooperation with UNESCO associations in both countries to expand creative and cultural exchange.

Two thematic discussions during the symposium brought together artists, entrepreneurs, and Vietnamese representatives in Japan to share insights and propose strategies for future collaboration. - VNA
Brendan Frasers new film Rental Family helped him confront long-held feelings of insecurity.

Brendan Frasers new film Rental Family helped him confront long-held feelings of insecurity

Describing the project as a turning point in his relationship with his own self-belief, the Oscar-winning actor, 56, spoke at a question and answer session in London following a screening of the film.

Brendan told the audience: I struggle with insecurity, and to make this film, it reminded me that Im good enough, and I always was all along. Why am I giving myself such a hard time? Its there.

His comments came at the end of a wide-ranging and emotional discussion about the films themes of isolation, identity and belonging.

Rental Family follows Frasers character, Philip Vanderplug, an outsider living in Tokyo who becomes entangled in Japans rental family industry  a business where people hire actors to pose as relatives or companions.

The film is directed and co-written by Hikari who said the story grew from an unexpected discovery during the pandemic.

She said: My co-writer Stephen Blahut was randomly looking for a job in Tokyo, and he found a job such as rental family.

Im Japanese. I know nothing about the rental family business.

She added: Pandemic really gave us distance. Theres not really much of a connection in between.

Takehiro Kira, who plays a workaholic struggling with loneliness in the movie, said his performance drew on personal memories of isolation.

He added: I went to the States when I was 15, and I spent many days, and Christmas nights, sitting all by myself in the room, like Philip was sitting on the bed.

When I saw the film for the first time, that was a scene that made me cry.

Actress Mari Yamamoto said her experiences as a child moving between Japan and the UK shaped her portrayal of a former actor searching for purpose.

She added: I moved to the U.K. from Japan when I was 5 and spent three years there, and then became completely bilingual. Thought I was British, and then went back to Japan again, and I found myself still apologetic.

People want connection, but they feel meaning in being useful to somebody. And I think thats what really drives her.

Brendan also used the London event to praise his young co-star Shannon Gorman, calling her a genuine article despite this being her first film.

He said: She has an ability to express herself with an emotional bandwidth that is astonishing.

Veteran Japanese actor Akira Emoto, who plays an elderly man confronting memory loss and mortality in the film, reflected on its themes through a translator.

He said the role was about finding richness in life even within solitude, adding: Loneliness, is it something bad? I believe its not necessarily a bad thing, its not necessarily a negative thing.

The production, which was delayed by the pandemic and industry strikes, took five years to complete before filming finally began in Tokyo.

Rental Family will continues its international festival run through autumn.
HA NOI  The Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence will continue to study and expand the scale, form and geographical scope of Viet Nams participation in UN peacekeeping operations, said Deputy Minister of National Defence, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien.

The Ministry of National Defence on Thursday (October 16) held a conference in Ha Noi to review the term of duty of Engineering Team No. 3 and Level-2 Field Hospital No. 6 at United Nations peacekeeping missions.

The Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, in September 2024, deployed Level-2 Field Hospital No. 6, consisting of sixty-three service members, to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and Engineering Team No. 3, with 184 members to the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

Both units have now completed their missions and returned home safely.

Praising the achievements of the two units, Chien commended the soldiers for their outstanding performance and absolute safety.

You have excelled in community engagement and spread the image of the blue berets of Vietnamese peacekeepers, further enhancing the reputation of the Uncle Hos soldiers on the international stage, Chien said at the meeting.

UN mission commanders highly valued our strict discipline, professionalism and expertise. I believe these are significant successes of the two unit-level formations we have deployed.

In the coming period, the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence will continue to study and expand the scale, form and geographical scope of Viet Nams participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

This is a humanitarian and consistent policy within our foreign affairs strategy, he said.

Recently, on behalf of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence, I reported to the Politburo and sought guidance on expanding five types of units: a mechanised infantry, a signal (communications), a military police or military prosecution, an airfield support, and a multi-role transport helicopter.

The general urged Engineering Team No. 3, Level-2 Field Hospital No. 6 and individual members to continue promoting their experience and sense of responsibility, spreading the image of Vietnamese 'blue beret' soldiers and remaining ready to fulfil all assigned missions.

Relevant agencies and units were asked to ensure proper policies, job placements and training for personnel returning from missions, as well as to prepare high-quality forces for the 20252030 period.

The Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations was tasked with coordinating with relevant agencies to receive personnel from the two units, working closely with the Army Corps of Engineers, the Military Medical Academy and Military Hospital 175 to train and equip rotating forces.

The department will also monitor UN missions developments and promptly advise the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence on issues related to Viet Nams participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

During their term, Engineering Team No. 3 successfully completed over 300km of main supply road upgrades and repairs, each road 20-24m wide, allowing heavy vehicles to travel safely at 80-90km per hour.

The unit also applied K-31 soil stabilisation technology to reinforce a 27,215-sq.m airfield, effectively preventing dust and water accumulation  an innovation highly praised by the UN mission.

Additionally, the team built two large workshops within three months  ahead of schedule  and developed high-quality smart barracks for UN peacekeepers.

They also conducted over 200 heavy vehicle recovery operations, cleared congested routes and assisted with mission logistics.

Meanwhile, Level-2 Field Hospital No. 6 delivered excellent medical services, admitting and treating 2,650 patients, including UN staff and local residents, ensuring absolute medical safety.

The hospital successfully handled many complex cases, notably the reattachment surgery of a nearly severed finger on a Pakistani peacekeeper, whose full recovery was commended by the UN Mission Commander and Sector Commander and reported at UN Headquarters.

With its professionalism and dedication, Level-2 Field Hospital No. 6 became a trusted medical facility for UN staff, local authorities and residents.

It was authorised to treat difficult cases in-house, conducted 6,585 physiotherapy sessions, enhanced the reputation of traditional Vietnamese medicine and effectively implemented preventive measures against malaria, monkeypox and cholera outbreaks.  VNS
HA NOI  The Viet Nam-USA Society needs continuing to play its pivotal role in strengthening people-to-people ties, a cornerstone of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and the United States, turning mutual understanding and empathy into strategic trust.

Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) President Phan Anh Son, expressed his hope while he made the remarks on Thursday evening at the Ho Guom Theatre during a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Viet Nam-America Friendship Association (October 17, 1945  October 17, 2025).

The event was jointly organised by VUFO and the Viet Nam-USA Society in a formal and celebratory setting.

Son also expressed his wish for the Viet Nam-USA Society to expand its network of friends and fields of cooperation, not only in humanitarian activities and war consequence remediation, but also in education, culture, science, innovation, trade, the environment and sustainable development.

He emphasised the need to spread the model of Viet Nam-US reconciliation, from former adversaries to comprehensive partners as Party General Secretary To Lam has affirmed Over the past 30 years, we have together created a model in international relations.

This is a powerful message we can share with the world, Son added, that sincerity, tolerance and the aspiration for peace can transform confrontation into cooperation, sorrow into trust and former foes into Comprehensive Strategic Partners.

Recalling the associations origins, Son said that 80 years ago, shortly after Viet Nam gained independence, President Ho Chi Minh directed the establishment of the Viet Nam-America Friendship Association with the sincere wish that the two peoples work together for peace and progress.

In the early 1990s, the Viet Nam-USA Society was reconstituted on the basis of the original Viet Nam-America Friendship Association and the Viet Nam Committee for Solidarity with the American People, becoming a member of VUFO.

Together with hundreds of American partners through people-to-people channels, it contributed to the landmark event of 1995, the establishment of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and the United States.

Since then, VUFO and the Viet Nam-USA Society have jointly organised thousands of people-to-people exchanges, welcoming US parliamentarians, veterans, scholars, businesspeople and youth delegations to Viet Nam, and conducting programmes in culture, education, humanitarian work, scientific cooperation and post-war recovery.

Each of these activities, large or small, has carried deep meaning of building trust, narrowing differences, connecting hearts and turning friendship between the two peoples into the firm foundation of Viet Nam-US relations, Son said.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh, President of the Viet Nam-USA Society, said that this years anniversary is especially significant, 80 years of Viet Nams independence and 30 years of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and the United States.

Our joy is therefore multiplied, he said.

Looking back over eight decades, he observed, the Viet Nam-US relationship has overcome many historical ups and downs to reach unprecedented heights, from wartime adversaries to normalisation, and now to Comprehensive Strategic Partners, the highest level of partnership Viet Nam maintains with any nation.

The foundation, he added, opens new opportunities for both countries in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and green transition, while deepening existing cooperation in economics, education, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, war legacy remediation and regional and global collaboration.

At the same time, Vinh said that new challenges are emerging, requiring both sides to engage in dialogue and work together in the spirit of mutual understanding, cooperation and shared benefit.

He also expressed his confidence that the bilateral relationship will continue to grow stronger, building on the achievements of the past 30 years.

The Viet Nam-USA Society will continue striving to enhance its role in people-to-people diplomacy and contribute meaningfully to bilateral relation, he said.

Speaking to the press on the sidelines, Nguyen Hai Giang, Vice President of the Viet Nam-USA Society and Editor-in-Chief of Viet Nam-US Magazine, said that the enduring strength of bilateral ties since 1945 rests first and foremost on the mutual understanding and compassion between the two peoples.

People in both countries have taken the time to learn about each others culture and have shared genuine affection and respect, creating a bond that benefits both sides, he said.

Giang also highlighted the cultural significance of the evenings concert, noting that while many Vietnamese art troupes have performed in the United States and vice versa, it was the first time that the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, the very famous orchestra in the US, had come to Viet Nam, led by conductor Austin Chanu, one of Americas leading maestros.

The artists spoke to us with warmth and a sincere love for Viet Nam and its people, he said. They told us they hope to return many more times.

The event was also attended by Vu Hai Ha, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the National Assembly Party Committee, along with representatives from ministries, agencies, the Viet Nam-USA Society, research institutes, universities and businesses.

From the US side, participants included representatives of American enterprises, associations, NGOs and individuals who are long-standing partners of VUFO.

As part of the celebrations, the audience enjoyed a special symphony concert titled Connecting Viet NamUS Melodies, featuring renowned artists from both countries.

The Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Austin Chanu, performed classic pieces such as The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II, Titanic Suite, In a Persian Market, Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, and Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland.

Vietnamese stars including Tung Duong, Duong uc Hai and clarinettist Tran Khanh Quang also took the stage, offering a powerful symbol of artistic connection and friendship between the two nations. Cellist inh Hoai Xuan serves as the programmes artistic advisor. VNS
CAN THO  The Investigation Police Agency has initiated legal proceedings in a criminal case involving the forgery of seals and documents at Can Tho City Dermatology Hospital.

The announcement was made by Colonel Nguyen Thanh Binh, Deputy Director of the Can Tho City Police, during a press conference held by the municipal People's Committee on Thursday.

On May 21, the Can Tho Municipal Police Investigation Agency received a report from the city's Department of Health regarding suspected forgery of seals and documents at the Can Tho City Dermatology Hospital.

The case centers on 12 cosmetic product announcement certificates believed to contain forged signatures and seals of the Drug Administration of Viet Nam (DAV), under the Ministry of Health.

These certificates are linked to HeCa Trading One Member Co., Ltd., located at No. 590/B2, Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, Nhieu Loc Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. The company is directed by Nguyen Thi Ha Phuong.

Following an inspection, police concluded that the case showed signs of criminal activity and, on June 30, issued Decision No. 198/Q-CSKT to initiate legal proceedings under Clause 3, Article 341 of the Penal Code.

Authorities are currently conducting further investigation and legal clarification in accordance with Vietnamese law.

In March this year, the Can Tho Department of Health issued a conclusion on the complaints against Director of the Can Tho Dermatology Hospital, in which the inspection said many complaints were valid.

Among eight complaints, five complaints were true, one complaint was false, and two complaints were partially true.

Regarding the use of cosmetics, the conclusion pointed out that the hospital imported and used 12 cosmetic products from the HeCa Company without receiving product announcement receipt from the DAV.

These products included brands such as DC Gel, MRS Bright, FAA gel, MRS Hair, HL gel, MRS Lift, Vitamin C 20 per cent, MRS Face, MD Hair, MD Bright, MD Lift Solution and Hyaluronic Acid.

The Can Tho Dermatology Hospital purchased the above cosmetic products for hospital use but did not thoroughly review the legal documentation related to the product announcement receipt issued by the DAV.

According to the municipal Department of Health, the purchase of cosmetics from the HeCa Company which had forged Product Announcement Certificates was assessed as very difficult to detect by the hospital's professional staff.

Related to violations at the hospital, the Inspection Committee of the Can Tho Party Committee is considering discipline for those involved.  VNS
QUANG TRI  The Border Guard Command of Quang Tri Province and the Military Command of Savannakhet Province (Laos) have jointly organised a border protection exercise aimed at preventing illegal migration and cross-border movements along the Viet NamLaos border.

The simulated scenario involved around 40 ethnic minority households with 150 members in Vietnam who were incited by hostile elements to migrate illegally through areas under the management of Thuan, Lao Bao International Border Gate, and Thanh Border Guard Stations of Quang Tri Province. The area lies opposite Sepon and Noong districts of Savannakhet province, Laos. The group was said to have brought their children and belongings with the intent of freely crossing the border.

To respond to the situation, the two sides set up a joint command post at Lao Bao International Border Gate Station, directing relevant Vietnamese border posts and Lao border units to coordinate with local authorities in establishing checkpoints along the border. The forces also launched communication campaigns to raise awareness among residents about the deceptive plots of instigators and encourage them to return home and stabilise their lives.

According to the organisers, the exercise was successfully implemented in accordance with the set objectives and scenarios, ensuring safety throughout. It also provided both sides with valuable experience in managing and protecting the shared border.

Major General Vo Tien Nghi, Deputy Commander of the Viet Nam Border Guard, commended the coordination and operation of the joint mechanism, which he said reflected the real situation on the ground and complied with each countrys policies and legal frameworks. The exercise, he added, laid an important foundation for the two sides to further enhance cooperation in maintaining a secure and well-managed border.

Colonel Amphan Xayyasoubat, Deputy Director of the Border Guard Department under the General Staff of the Lao Peoples Army, emphasised that the Vietnamese Border Guards timely support and sharing of practical experience had contributed significantly to strengthening the Lao Border Guard Force. The exercise, he said, not only helped improve the forces capacity to meet new tasks but also reinforced the peaceful, stable, and friendly border, further deepening the special solidarity and friendship between Viet Nam and Laos.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Friday adopted a resolution to adjust the personal income tax (PIT) deduction rates, applicable from the 2026 tax period, with final settlement in the first quarter of 2027.

In its proposal, the Government mentioned two options. In the first one, with a projected cumulative CPI increase of 21.24 per cent from 2020 to 2025, the deduction for taxpayers will rise from VN11 million (more than $417) per month to about VN13.3 million, and from VN4.4 million to VN5.3 million per month per dependent. This would reduce State budget revenue by about VN12 trillion per year.

In the second one, adjustment will base on per capita income and GDP growth.

These indicators increased by approximately 4042 per cent since 2020, according to the National Statistics Office. Under this plan, the deduction for taxpayers would increase to around VN15.5 million per month, and to VN6.2 million per month per dependent. A taxpayer earning VN17 million per month would not owe PIT after standard deductions and insurance contributions. This option would reduce state revenue by about VN21 trillion per year.

Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen uc Chi stated most opinions supported option 2, as it reflects real income growth and economic development.

The Government proposed that the resolution take effect upon signing and apply from the 2026 tax period.

The NA Standing Committee agreed with the Governments proposal and officially adopted the resolution on PIT deductions. It also passed a resolution on environmental protection tax rates for fuels in 2026.

Also on Friday, as part of its 50th session, the NA Standing Committee reviewed the draft amended Investment Law.

Deputy Finance Minister Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc presented the proposal, which includes seven chapters, 60 articles, and four appendices. The draft amends 33 articles, removes 17, retains 25, adds two new ones, and restructures content for clarity.

Key principles include shifting from pre-approval to post-approval management, enhancing oversight, and reducing administrative burden.

Particularly, the bill includes the removal of removing 21 conditional business sectors deemed unnecessary such as accounting services and tax procedures.

The law is proposed to take effect from January 1, 2026, to promptly address current investment hurdles.

Chairman of the NA Economic and Financial Committee Phan Van Mai emphasised support for the legal framework overhaul but called for deeper assessment of potential risks, especially the proposal to remove all NA authority over investment policy approval. He also urged careful review of amendments involving the Railway Law and asset transfers, and recommended retaining only essential conditional sectors.

Concerns were raised over foreign investors forming businesses before being licensed, which could raise issues with capital transfer or tax evasion. Oversight mechanisms must be clarified to align with Politburo Resolution No 50-NQ/TW on selective and high-quality foreign investment.

During discussion, Standing Committee members stressed the laws wide scope and significant impact on Viet Nams investment environment and reform efforts.

In conclusion, NA Vice Chairman Vu Hong Thanh requested the Government to refine the draft based on three guiding principles - removing bottlenecks, ensuring a consistent and stable legal framework; enhancing decentralisation, cutting unnecessary procedures and barriers, and ensuring constitutional and legal consistency, in harmony with related laws.

Also in the session, the NA Standing Committee approved budget allocation and investment plans for 2025 using surplus revenue from 20222023 and merged public investment plans for post-merger localities. VNA/VNS
HA NOI  Party congresses at all levels have been successfully organised across the nation, a crucial step towards the 14th National Party Congress, according to a conclusion from the Politburo and the Secretariat signed by Politburo member and Permanent Member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Tran Cam Tu on October 17.

The Politburo and Secretariat stated that the Party congresses for the 20252030 tenure were held in line with the set plans and requirements outlined in the Politburos Directive 45-CT/TW dated April 14, 2025, as well as other instructions and guidelines from the Party Central Committee.

They requested all Party Committees and organisations to promptly consolidate and arrange leadership and administration positions, ensuring the apparatuss stability. They must focus on implementing the resolutions of their respective congresses, issuing action programmes with concrete projects and tasks that can be carried out immediately, and launching emulation movements to enhance confidence across the Party organisations as the new tenure begins.

The conclusion ordered the effective collection of feedback from National Assembly (NA) deputies and the public on the draft documents for the upcoming 14th National Party Congress. The Party Central Committees Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation was assigned to intensify communications about the new and core contents of the drafts, and create favourable conditions for the public to give opinions.

The Party Committees of the NA, the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), and central organisations are responsible for directing the NA, the VFF, socio-political organisations, mass associations, people from all walks of life, intellectuals, and overseas Vietnamese communities to actively contribute to national development policies.

Besides, the Party Central Committee's Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation, in coordination with competent agencies, must strengthen communications on the results and significance of all-level Party congresses, and counter wrongful and hostile viewpoints exploiting public feedback to distort Party and State policies in a timely manner. Relevant agencies were also urged to combat harmful and divisive information, protect internal political security and state secrets, and strictly handle violations.

Meanwhile, the Party Central Committees Organisation Commission was tasked with advising about a conference reviewing the organisation of the congresses of provincial-level Party organisations and those under the Party Central Committee. At the same time, it must continue the appointment of personnel to the localities where they were not born in as instructed by the Politburo and the Secretariat, ensuring prompt apparatus and leadership stabilisation, as well as effective implementation of Party congress resolutions.

The Party Central Committees Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation was also directed to advise the Politburo about the issuance of a regulation on political and ideological work, thus concretising the Partys key missions as stated in its Statute, Platform, and Resolution. A report on the issue must be submitted to the Politburo in November.  VNS
HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung received a delegation from the GermanyVietnam Friendship Association (DVG) led by its President Rolf Schulze in Ha Noi on October 17, appreciating the German peoples enduring support for Viet Nam and the contributions by German friendship associations.

The Deputy PM noted with pleasure that the Viet NamGermany Strategic Partnership has seen positive and substantive development in recent years, across all areas including politicsdiplomacy, economy, education, and sciencetechnology, as well as new fields such as environmental protection, climate change response, renewable energy, green transition, and digital transformation.

He underlined that people-to-people diplomacy plays a foundational role in promoting comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. The achievements of their Strategic Partnership are partly attributable to Schulzes efforts  particularly during his tenure as German Ambassador to Viet Nam, when he actively promoted the establishment of this important partnership in October 2011.

To further advance bilateral relations, Dung suggested increasing delegation exchanges at all levels, especially high-level visits, and accelerating efforts to upgrade bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

In trade and investment, the host welcomed the German Governments proposal for the federal parliaments ratification of the EUVietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), expected in early 2026.

He encouraged stronger direct cooperation, especially investment links, between German states and enterprises with their Vietnamese counterparts, in such fields as supporting industries, renewable energy, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and green, digital and circular economy.

The Deputy PM also emphasised the importance of making science and technology cooperation a key pillar of bilateral relations in the coming period, focusing on priority areas such as innovation, artificial intelligence, green hydrogen, biotechnology, nanotechnology, semiconductors, and quantum technology.

Reaffirming that Vietnamese agencies always support German partners and friendship organisations, Dung called on the DVG to continue promoting its strengths and expanding development cooperation projects in Viet Nam, thereby contributing further to the relationship between the two nations.

Established in 1991 to strengthen relations between Germany and Viet Nam, the DVG has a number of chapters and working groups across Germany. It has worked closely with the Vietnamese Embassy there and organised various activities helping nurture bilateral ties. In 2025, the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.  VNS
NGHE AN  A health consultation, medical examination and gift-giving programme was organised on Thursday to support people in overcoming typhoon aftermath.

The programme was held by the Viet Nam Young Physicians Association, in coordination with the Ministry of Health and the Nghe An Provincial Youth Union.

The activity aims to encourage residents in the typhoon's epicentre to overcome difficulties and stabilise their lives after suffering severe impacts from the Bualoi and Matmo typhoons.

More than 50 doctors, pharmacists and medical volunteers from central and local hospitals directly participated in medical examinations, health consultations and free medicine distribution to 1,000 people, with priority given to poor households, families with great contribution to the nation, pregnant women, the elderly and children.

In his speech at the programme, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan acknowledged and highly praised the pioneering and compassionate spirit of the young physicians, emphasising the profound humanitarian meaning of the programme.

"Todays actions not only bring medicines, equipment and gifts but also spread the spirit of mutual support, helping people gain more faith and strength to rise after natural disasters," he said.

Besides general medical examinations, the programme offered specialties in internal medicine, gastroenterology, cardiology, ophthalmology, dermatology, otorhinolaryngology, along with nutrition counseling and disease prevention after typhoon.

In addition, the team gave 1,000 gifts as well as basic medical equipment to two commune health stations, including ultrasound devices, blood pressure monitors, electrocardiogram machines and medicine cabinets.

They also partially supported severely affected households with total fund exceeding VN730 million (US$27,700) from sponsors.

Their support created valuable connecting medical ethics and humanity to areas still facing many hardships.

The activity in Nghe An Province is the starting point in the series Young Physicians for Community Health  Joining Hands to Overcome Consequences of Natural Disasters launched by the Viet Nam Young Physicians Association.

Through this series, the association hopes to continue spreading solidarity spirit and the health sectors responsibility towards community health, especially in difficult areas.  VNS
TRA VINH - Vietnam News Agency's southern branch signed a collaboration agreement with Tra Vinh University on October 16 in Tra Vinh Province on brand promotion and facilitating international co-operation.

The two sides will work together on disseminating policies on developing education, innovation, start ups and technology; promoting the university and strengthening its international communication; and organising conferences and training sessions.

Nguyen Quoc Tuan, director of Vietnam News Agency's (VNA) southern branch, said that VNA has more than 60 products, including a wide range of publications in 10 different languages, and is working with over 40 news agency from around the world.

VNA also has two printing companies, which can provide printing services for diplomas, yearbooks, monthly magazines, scientific journals, student handbooks or promotional publications.

Furthermore, it is capable of organising training classes for journalism skills, multimedia communication, photography, media crisis management and brand management for students and staff.

Therefore, VNA can greatly aid Tra Vinh University in international promotion and publicising scientific research.

Associate Professor, Dr. Diep Thanh Tung, vice rector of Tra Vinh University, said that VNAs southern branch has been a trusted partner for the university over the last few years, and that this agreement signing marked a new stage in the two sides partnership, with new co-operation opportunities.

Tra Vinh University offers 50 undergraduate majors, 27 master's programmes and 10 doctoral programs with more than 20,000 students from 40 provinces and cities across the country.

It has established cooperative relationships with more than 100 educational partners from 18 countries, affirming its position as a leading multidisciplinary training and research centre in the Mekong Delta region.  VNS
PARIS The French Research Institute on East Asia (IFRAE) and the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilisations (INALCO) co-hosted a workshop titled What system of innovation in Viet Nam? in Paris on October 16, bringing together academics, policymakers, and business representatives to discuss pathways for Viet Nams innovation-driven growth.

The event formed part of the FranceViet Nam Year of Innovation, an initiative launched by the French Embassy in Viet Nam in collaboration with research institutions and the Vietnam Innovation Network in Europe (VINEU).

The high-level academic forum aimed to explore directions for building an innovation system tailored to Viet Nams development needs in the coming decades.

In his opening remarks, Professor Michel Blanchard, the programme coordinator, said Viet Nam faces the challenge of escaping the middle-income trap as it strives to become a high-income economy by 2045. To achieve this goal, he said, innovation must serve as the central driver of growth.

Jean-Philippe Eglinger, initiator of the FranceViet Nam Year of Innovation, said the symposium sought to provide an overview of Viet Nams innovation ecosystem, particularly since the government launched the national startup support initiative, Programme 844, in 2016.

The event, he noted, offered an opportunity for experts, entrepreneurs, and students from both countries to exchange experiences and discuss innovation models suited to Viet Nams context, contributing to its goal of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a developed nation by 2045.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France inh Toan Thang praised the initiative as a strategically significant event, given Viet Nams efforts to transform its growth model. Science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation are key breakthroughs, and main engines for renewing Viet Nams development model toward sustainability, he said.

The ambassador underscored Frances role as a technological power and a comprehensive strategic partner of Viet Nam, highlighting broad cooperation potential in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, civil nuclear energy, high-speed rail, clean energy, aerospace, high-tech agriculture, and advanced medicine.

He also stressed Frances important contribution to training high-quality human resources for Viet Nam through scholarships, dual-degree programmes, and joint research projects.

In his presentation, Professor Blanchard analysed Viet Nams macroeconomic landscape, noting its reliance on manufacturing and assembly in electronics with limited domestic value added. He said that while this model spurred early export-led growth, Viet Nam needs to shift toward more knowledge- and technology-intensive industries, investing in productivity and innovation to overcome the middle-income trap.

Blanchard highlighted Viet Nams strong political will, emphasising that innovation is viewed not only as a science and technology task but as a nationwide endeavour. He suggested that Viet Nam could learn from Frances experience in fostering publicprivate collaboration among universities, research institutes, and businesses to build a comprehensive innovation ecosystem.

The workshop concluded with lively exchanges between scholars and the FrenchVietnamese business community on technological trends, digital transformation, and bilateral cooperation in innovation.

Participants agreed that innovation is not only an inevitable trend but also a defining imperative of the era, the foundation for green growth, sustainable development, and Viet Nams stronger position in global value chains. VNA/VNS
Prince Andrew has confirmed he will relinquish all of his royal titles including Duke of York.

Prince Andrew has confirmed he will relinquish all of his royal titles including Duke of York

The disgraced 65-year-old, who has been mired in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal for years, made the announcement in a statement released on Friday (17.10.25), hours after reports he had held talks with King Charles about giving them up.

He said: In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.

I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

Charles is reportedly glad with the outcome.

Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, 65, were given their titles Duke and Duchess of York on their wedding day in 1986  and she will also drop her Duchess title.

Andrew remains Duke of York but the title will not be used and

he will not attend family celebrations for Christmas at Sandringham, according to The Sun.

Despite handing his royal titles back he will remain at Royal Lodge as he has a cast iron tenancy until 2078.

It follows a series of damaging revelations about Andrews continued contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Sun on Sunday reported the Duke of York was found to have lied about cutting ties with the disgraced financier, after an email surfaced in which he told Epstein: We are in this together.

The message, dated 29 February 2011, came just one day after the now-infamous photograph of Andrew with Virginia Giuffre was made public.

According to The Telegraph, the King met with his brother at Buckingham Palace earlier this week, after which Andrew agreed to give up his remaining royal titles.

Sources told the newspaper palace aides had reached tipping point and believed the monarchy had no choice but to act following the latest disclosures about Epstein.

The decision marks the most severe action yet taken against Andrew, who was stripped of his military titles, royal patronages and HRH style by Queen Elizabeth II in January 2022 after a US judge ruled he must face a civil sexual assault case brought by Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre.

Andrew later settled the case for an undisclosed sum without admitting liability and has consistently denied having sex with her.

Virginia, who died by suicide in April aged 41, is making posthumous claims in her forthcoming autobiography Nobodys Girl, alleging she was trafficked to Andrew by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell as a teenager.

In the book, due to be released on 21 October, she reportedly writes Andrew viewed their encounters as his birth right and said thank you to her in a clipped British accent.

Virginia also claims Maxwell told her the morning after the alleged encounter: You did well, the prince had fun.

Earlier this year, Andrew was also linked to a separate controversy involving alleged contact with a Chinese spy.

Leaked documents from 2019 showed that he had met with Chinese officials, including Yang Tengbo, and sought to use his royal connections to raise 2.4 billion for an international technology initiative.

Security sources later described the relationship as a potential threat to national security.
HA NOI  Viet Nam is moving to ban all investment and business activities related to electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products in a bid to protect public health and tighten control over emerging addictive substances.

The proposal was discussed at the 50th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Friday, as lawmakers reviewed the revised Investment Law  a key piece of legislation to streamline investment procedures and update the list of conditional and prohibited business sectors.

Presenting the draft, Deputy Minister of Finance, Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, said the new law would simplify project approval requirements and narrow the scope of projects requiring prior investment consent.

Under the proposal, only projects involving sensitive sectors, such as seaports, airports, telecommunications, publishing and journalism, or those with significant environmental impact or national security implications, would require approval.

A notable addition to the draft is the ban on investment and business in electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco, in line with Resolution 173 adopted by the National Assembly in November 2024.

The resolution calls for a nationwide prohibition on the production, trade, import, storage, transportation and use of these products, as well as other substances that cause addiction or harm to human health.

The draft law also proposes removing 21 business sectors currently classified as conditional, including accounting and tax service activities, which no longer meet the criteria set out in Article 7 of the existing Investment Law.

The changes reflect a shift from 'pre-licensing control' to a 'post-check' mechanism, intended to make market access easier while maintaining effective oversight.

Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the National Assemblys Economic and Financial Committee, welcomed the reform efforts but urged further streamlining of business conditions.

He stressed that only those justified by constitutional grounds, such as national defence, security, public order, morality and community health, should remain. He also proposed the development of clear metrics for assessing regulatory quality and transparency on compliance costs.

Mai recommended the Government consider limited exceptions for production solely intended for export or for specialised purposes such as scientific research, testing, medical use or national defence.

In response, Deputy Minister of Finance Ngoc said his ministry would coordinate with the Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies to review the proposal carefully, ensuring it is practical and effective before submission to the Government.

Concluding the session, National Assembly Vice Chairman Vu Hong Thanh said the revised law must remove regulatory bottlenecks, provide a stable and consistent legal framework and promote decentralisation and administrative reform.

He emphasised that the law must align with the Constitution, other related legislation and Viet Nams international commitments.

If approved, the measure would represent Viet Nams strongest action to date against new forms of tobacco, reinforcing its stance on public health protection amid a global surge in vaping and heated tobacco use.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam has been an active contributor to the regional labour and employment, experts heard at a workshop on the matter in the current context of ASEAN integration on Friday morning.

The event aims to update the progress of activities during the 2021-25 period, review the development of the ASEAN labour work plan for 2026-30, and discuss priorities and proposed activities for Viet Nam as the pioneer in ASEAN labour cooperation during the next five years. This is part of preparations for the ASEAN Senior Labour Officials Meeting (SLOM).

In her opening remarks, Dr Ha Thi Minh uc, deputy director general of the Department of International Cooperation (under the Ministry of Home Affairs  MoHA), said that the ministry and relevant departments are actively involved in developing a new work plan to carry out ASEANs master plan and strategic plan toward 2035.

During the process of developing strategic plans for all three politic, economic and socio-cultural pillars of the ASEAN Community, there has been close consultation with relevant ministries and sectors through specialised channels.

The MoHA, as the coordinating agency for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), has consolidated the priorities and aspirations of various ministries and sectors into the regional plan.

During the workshop, delegates reviewed the ASEAN Labour Ministers Work Programme (ALM-WP) for 2021-25, which outlines strategic goals and activities to build a cohesive and prosperous ASEAN Community.

The programmes objective is to improve the quality of life for ASEAN citizens by developing a highly competitive workforce engaged in safe and decent work, said Phan Nhat Minh, a specialist for labour cooperation through the ASEAN Labour Ministers channel. The aim is to create a cohesive ASCC that is inclusive, sustainable, resilient and dynamic.

Between 2021 and 2025, Viet Nam has played a leading role in significant activities, including acting as the coordinator for several strategic areas.

Viet Nam has led the implementation and monitoring of ASEAN guidelines on gender mainstreaming in labour and employment policies to promote decent work for all.

Another notable initiative led by Viet Nam is the comparative study of laws and policies on managing migrant labour in ASEAN (2020), focusing on professions covered under the eight ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs).

Additionally, Viet Nam spearheaded a 2022 study on female migrant workers in ASEAN member states, examining migration channels, regional and international standards on labour migration and gender equality, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also provided best practices and recommendations tailored to each country.

Viet Nam has also partnered with other ASEAN countries on projects such as the Labour Market Information System (LMIS), co-led with Indonesia and the Philippines. This project aims to help ASEAN countries develop evidence-based employment and skills policies.

The three countries also works with the Republic of Koreas Research Institute for Professional Education and Training (KRIVET) to enhance the competitiveness of ASEANs human resources through responsive vocational training programmes.

Addressing the workshop via video call, Carl Rookie O. Daquio, a senior official from the ASEANs Labour and Civil Service Division, presented updates on the development of the ALM-WP for 2026-30, with activities proposed by ASEAN member states across various specialised sectors.

Representatives from the Vietnamese MoHAs international cooperation department summarised Viet nams priorities, including digital transformation, green transition, and international integration plans to align with regional programmes.

They also discussed Viet Nams key activities for 2026-30 related to the ALM-WP and proposed Viet Nam-led initiatives.  VNS
HA NOI  The implementation of welfare and social security policies for elderly people has achieved positive results with a number of vibrant activities organised.

That was the message from Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long who is also Chairman of the Viet Nam National Committee on the Elderly.

He was speaking at a meeting on Friday to review the implementation of tasks made by the committee in the first nine months of 2025.

Over the past nine months, the State Budget has allocated nearly VN6.4 trillion (US$255 million) for social and retirement allowances," Long said.

"These figures demonstrate the growing concern of the Party, the State, and society for older persons.

The Politburos Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW on breakthrough measures to improve public health includes detailed provisions on population and ageing policies.

In addition, the Government has issued Decree No 176 guiding the implementation of the Law on Social Insurance and Decree No 188 on the Law on Health Insurance, along with several major national programmes and strategies such as the National Strategy on the Elderly, the Development Plan for Intergenerational Self-Help Clubs and initiatives on green and digital transformation.

These efforts demonstrate strong institutional implementation of the Party and States policies for older persons, said Long.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong told the meeting that caring for older persons had been implemented comprehensively across multiple areas.

Policies for older people have covered welfare, healthcare, culture, sports, transport, law and spiritual life, improving overall living quality and promoting the role of the elderly, Huong said.

According to the deputy minister, more than 14.1 million senior citizens hold health insurance cards, 225,000 continue to participate in voluntary social insurance and millions receive social and retirement allowances.

Around 80 per cent have health records and more than 100 hospitals nationwide now have geriatric departments, tens of thousands of hospital beds and medical staff, along with tens of thousands of volunteers.

In terms of spiritual life, the elderly receive discounts on entry tickets to attractions and cinemas and actively participate in cultural and sporting movements.

There are nearly 80,000 cultural clubs with more than three million members and over 9,000 intergenerational self-help clubs with more than 330,000 participants.

However, Viet Nam has entered an ageing population phase - from 9.5 million older people in 2014 to an estimated 16.5 million in 2025 - and is projected to become an ageing society by 2036.

Population ageing poses major challenges in healthcare, welfare, labour, and community services, while living conditions for some older persons, especially in remote and mountainous areas, remain difficult, Huong said.

Truong Xuan Cu, Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam Association of the Elderly, said the work is based on three pillars of protection, care and promotion.

Viet Nams population is ageing rapidly, requiring proactive adaptation in the new era.

Regarding care, there are currently about 500 facilities providing services for 12,000 older people, which is still a modest number.

For the promotion pillar, the 'silver economy' - referring to economic activities, products and services developed to meet older persons needs - is gaining attention in many countries.

Cu suggested that the Government should develop a strategy for the 'silver economy' and adopt policies encouraging the development of care facilities for older people.

For the coming period, Deputy PM Long urged a fundamental shift in policy mindset, focusing on both care and empowerment for older persons.

Ministries, sectors and localities should soon issue action plans to implement approved programmes and strategies.

On policy incentives for private investment in elderly care facilities, he requested relevant ministries to conduct studies and incorporate specific quantitative provisions, particularly regarding land and tax policies.

The Ministry of Health has been tasked with reviewing and strengthening the national geriatric hospital network, beginning with an assessment of the current system to be completed by the first quarter of 2026.

Long also directed the Viet Nam Association of the Elderly to coordinate with the Viet Nam Fatherland Front in reviewing and assessing the Partys directives and resolutions on elderly affairs, and welcomed the plan to host a national conference on the 'silver economy'.

The Ministry of Construction should integrate elderly housing policies into social housing programmes while the Ministry of Science and Technology should work with relevant agencies to support older people in digital transformation and entrepreneurship initiatives. VNS
HA NOI _ National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with female full-time deputies, officials, and members from the Party organisations subordinate to the NA Party Committee in Ha Noi on October 17, ahead of the 95th anniversary of the Vietnam Womens Union (VWU) on October 20, praising their contributions to the legislatures 80-year legacy.

Reflecting on Viet Nams progress since oi Moi (renewal) began nearly four decades ago, the top legislator highlighted the nations economic ascent, with GDP nearing US$510 billion, ranking 32nd globally and fourth in ASEAN.

Per capita GDP is projected to exceed US$5,000, placing Viet Nam in the upper-middle-income category. He also noted the countrys recent re-election to the United Nations Human Rights Council as evidence of its growing global stature.

According to him, the 15th NA includes 151 female deputies, accounting for 30.27 per cent of all lawmakers, a relatively high share. He commended their sharpness, creativity, dedication, and commitment to advancing womens progress, building happy and modern families, and driving national prosperity.

With a heavy legislative agenda for the rest of 2025, including preparations for the 10th session, Chairman Man urged female deputies, officials, and Party members to uphold the proud traditions of Vietnamese women, leveraging their brainpower, responsibility, enthusiasm, talent, and mettle to improve the legislatures operation efficiency.

He called on women in NA bodies to lead in digital transformation, innovation, research, and technology adoption, spearheading Viet Nams Digital Literacy for All movement.

They were also urged to thoroughly follow 10 focal orientations and tasks set by Party General Secretary To Lam for the Vietnamese womens movement for 20252035, with a vision toward 2045, as announced at the VWUs fifth Patriotic Emulation Congress.

The Party Committee, Standing Committee, and other bodies of the NA will continue with all possible support for women to maximise their potential, excel in their duties, and further contribute to the legislatures activities, he asserted. _ VNS
The UNESCO Global Geopark ong Van Karst Plateau, located in Tuyen Quang Province, has been honoured as Asias Leading Cultural Destination 2025 by the World Travel Awards (WTA).

The accolade was presented at the WTA Asia & Oceania Awards Ceremony on October 13 in Hong Kong, recognising destinations that excel in preserving indigenous culture, promoting sustainable tourism and protecting natural ecosystems.

This prestigious award marks a significant milestone for the region, affirming its vision for culturally rich and environmentally responsible tourism. It also serves as a catalyst for Tuyen Quang to strengthen regional partnerships, enhance tourism offerings and elevate its profile across Asia and beyond.

Previously, the ong Van Karst Plateau received WTA recognition for two consecutive years: Asias Leading Emerging Tourism Destination 2023 and Asias Leading Cultural Destination 2024. In 2010, it became Viet Nams first UNESCO Global Geopark and the second in Southeast Asia.

Spanning over 2,350 square kilometres, the geopark features more than 70 per cent limestone terrain, with dramatic landscapes of soaring peaks and deep gorges. Highlights include Mac Vac, the highest summit at 1,971 metres, and Tu San Gorge, Southeast Asias deepest canyon, with cliff walls plunging over 700 metres.

Geologically, the plateau dates back to the Cambrian period, around 550 million years ago, and has undergone seven distinct geological eras. Visitors can explore fossil sites, stratigraphy, karst formations, caves and fault lines that reveal Earths ancient history, including evidence of two major mass extinction events: the Late Devonian (364 million years ago) and the Permian-Triassic (251 million years ago), the latter wiping out 90 per cent of marine species.

Beyond its geological significance, ong Van is a biodiversity hotspot. It hosts two nature reserves  Du Gia and Khau Ca  home to conifers, native birds and the elusive southern serow. The region supports 289 species of vascular plants across 83 families, and over 170 animal species, including 17 mammals, 2 birds, and 8 reptiles listed in Viet Nams Red Data Book.

Its most iconic inhabitant is the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus), one of five primate species endemic to Viet Nam. Once thought extinct, it was rediscovered in the early 1990s and now survives only in Ha Giang (now part of Tuyen Quang following the recent administrative merger), with an estimated population of just 200. It is among the worlds 25 most endangered primates, classified as Critically Endangered by both the IUCN and Viet Nam.

Culturally, the plateau is home to over 250,000 people from 17 ethnic groups, including the Mong, Na Chi, Pu Peo, Lo Lo, Nung, Hoa, and Giay. Each group contributes unique traditions and festivals, such as the Khau Vai Love Market, the Gau Tao Festival, the Pu Peo Forest Spirit Worship, and the Dao peoples Sac Ceremony.

Once a remote and rugged highland, ong Van has transformed into a vibrant tourism hub. Its cultural landmarks, like the Lung Cu Flagpole, Vuong Family Mansion, ong Van Ancient Town, Tu San Gorge, and Ma Pi Leng Pass, have become signature attractions.

Visitors can also enjoy ethnic villages like Nam am, Pa Vi and Lo Lo Chai, as well as eco-resorts such as Lang Mong-Quan Ba and Papiu-Bac Me, alongside distinctive local cuisine and natural agricultural products.

UNESCO reaffirmed ong Vans Global Geopark status in 2014 and 2019, and most recently in 2023, during its 10th International Conference in Morocco, marking the third consecutive recognition of the regions outstanding achievements. VNS
HA NOI  Ha Noi boasts a vast suburban area brimming with potential for diverse tourism development, including craft villages, cultural and spiritual experiences, ecological adventures and immersive activities.

The city is actively implementing innovative strategies to elevate suburban tourism, positioning it as a vital new growth driver.

Tourism in Ha Noi is experiencing a robust resurgence, surpassing pre-pandemic levels in visitor numbers and total revenue from tourism-related services. However, the reality is that many tourist spots in the city centre are nearing their capacity, particularly during holidays and Tet, which can lead to overcrowding and challenges in maintaining quality customer service. In contrast, Ha Noi's suburban areas remain ripe for exploration and development.

One notable region is the Son Nam cultural area in southern Ha Noi, rich in heritage and craft villages, including Quat ong for embroidery, ong Cuu and Ha Thai for lacquerware, Hong Van for bonsai and Van Tu for sewing crafts. The area is also home to significant historical sites like the Nguyen Trai Temple and Cuu Village, which features hundreds of ancient houses.

The southwest of the city showcases further treasures with craft villages such as Quang Phu Cau, known for incense sticks, and Phu Vinh, renowned for rattan and bamboo weaving. This area also has notable pagodas like Huong, Boi Khe and Tram Gian, making it a cultural hotspot.

Tourism experts highlight the immense potential of Ha Nois suburbs in several areas: cultural and spiritual tourism, craft village tours, eco-resort experiences and agricultural tourism - all ripe for exploration and development.

New motivations for growth

Tich Loc Commune, a prominent flower-growing area in Ha Noi's suburbs, was recognised as a Ha Noi Craft Village in 2022, with its flower cultivation spanning approximately 100ha. The local government is committed to expanding this area to 140ha. Previously, farmers focused on selling finished flowers and ornamental plants, but now many households in Tich Giang 1, 2, and 3 villages have embraced eco-tourism and experiential tourism models, significantly boosting their economic returns.

Phung Quang Thang, the Permanent Vice President of the Viet Nam Tourism Association, notes that Tich Loc can connect to various tourist destinations in the old Phuc Tho District, such as Hat Mon Temple National Monument and other routes along Highway 32, including uong Lam ancient village and Thay Pagoda.

With its diverse connections, Tich Giang has the potential to become a vibrant attraction, drawing both domestic and international tourists, with opportunities for day trips and longer tours.

In the southern region, attractions like the Noi Binh a communal house and Quang Phu Cau incense stick craft village are featured on the 'South Thang Long Heritage Road'.

Ha Noi recently unveiled a second tourist route, Nam Thang Long, spotlighting Ha Thai lacquer village.

Tran Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of the Ha Noi Department of Tourism, emphasises that the craft villages along these routes possess high aesthetic value, making them appealing to tourists. By linking craft villages with other attractions, Ha Noi aims to create compelling packages targeted at the international market.

While many destinations are being explored, eco-tourism sites such as Thien Son - Suoi Nga and Khoang Xanh - Suoi Tien are innovating their offerings. Once primarily focused on sightseeing, these areas now feature adventure sports, kayaking, camping and wellness services, appealing to both domestic and international visitors seeking unique experiences.

ang Huong Giang, Director of the Ha Noi Department of Tourism, highlights the suburbs advantages in developing spiritual, resort, and rural tourism - especially as the inner city approaches capacity. Planning tourism clusters that integrate culture, agriculture, and ecology is vital for enhancing visitor stays and spending.

Traditional suburban attractions like Bat Trang pottery and uong Lam ancient village are continuously refreshed, offering tourists a variety of experiences.

Despite the richness of suburban tourism, significant barriers remain. The lack of systematic investment hinders the transformation of resources into attractive offerings. Many nationally recognised relics see visitor traffic only during specific festivals, while craft villages often depend solely on production and sales, failing to attract tourists.

To overcome these challenges, a collaborative mechanism across sectors is essential. Cao Thi Ngoc Lan, Standing Vice President of the Viet Nam Tourism Association, advocates for improved regional links to create diverse tour chains that integrate the inner city with suburban and neighboring province attractions. Additionally, leveraging digital communication through social media, promotional videos, and virtual tours can enhance outreach.

Tran Trung Hieu acknowledges that while community and experiential tourism models exist in suburban areas, expanding their scale and improving service quality is crucial. Developing nature-oriented activities like trekking and mountain biking can offer diverse options for adventure-seeking tourists.

Nguyen Tien at, CEO of AZA Travel, emphasises that Ha Noi should concentrate on specific areas, particularly building craft villages and agricultural tourism products while ensuring strong connections with the inner city for effective tour and route development.

However, the current transportation infrastructure linking suburban attractions is often inadequate, with narrow roads and limited parking, which can diminish the visitor experience. Additionally, accommodation and food services often lack variety and professionalism, posing challenges for meeting the diverse needs of tourists.

Promotion and advertising of new products are fragmented and the potential of social media and digital technology remains untapped. Strengthening collaboration among local authorities, tourism associations, and businesses is crucial for establishing a cohesive brand for Ha Noi's suburban tourism.

To awaken the potential of suburban tourism, Ha Noi must accelerate efforts to upgrade traffic and drainage infrastructure in rural areas and enhance tourism facilities in key areas. Supporting local communities in training human resources and promoting the unique features of the region will create the necessary conditions for sustained tourism growth. VNS
DHAKA  Air pollution has emerged as the second leading cause of death among children under five globally, with Bangladesh among the worst affected, according to a new report by international research group Zero Carbon Analytics (ZCA).

The report, titled Structural Dependencies Perpetuate Disproportionate Childhood Health Burden from Air Pollution, published on Wednesday reveals that more than a quarter of all deaths in this age group are linked to polluted air. In Bangladesh alone, over 19,000 children under five died in 2021 due to air pollution  averaging nearly two deaths every hour.

Children in least developed countries face a 94 times higher risk of dying from air pollution compared to those in developed nations, the study found. Researchers attributed this disparity to entrenched fossil fuel dependence, pollution-intensive infrastructure, and institutional inertia.

Air pollution is one of the biggest threats to childrens health in Bangladesh and across the world today, said Dr Sajid Hossain Khan, a physician at the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest & Hospital. Clean air is as essential as clean water. To ensure our children survive, grow up healthy, and thrive, we must take decisive action now.

The report highlights emissions from brick kilns, coal power plants, household cooking, and vehicle exhaust as major contributors to Bangladeshs air pollution crisis. Rapid urbanisation, driven by climate migration, has intensified brick kiln-based construction, releasing fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that significantly increases the risk of pneumonia among children.

Bangladesh also ranks lowest in Asia for access to clean cooking technologies. Smoke from burning wood, dung, and coal continues to poison indoor environments, severely affecting pregnant women and young children. Mothers using high-polluting fuels face a 2.6 times higher risk of giving birth to low-weight babies, while newborns in polluted homes are four times more likely to die.

Children aged 3 to 5 exposed to fumes from solid fuels face a 47 per cent higher risk of delayed cognitive development, the report warns.

One of the strongest vaccines we can give a child is clean air, said Nigerian pediatrician Dr Zainab Yaro, quoted in the report. When a child struggles to breathe, it is not just a health issue  it is a form of social and environmental injustice.

The study also draws attention to global financing disparities. Between 2018 and 2022, the world spent an average of $593 billion annually on fossil fuel subsidies, while less than one percent of that amount was directed toward combating air pollution.

Lead researcher Joanne Bentley-McKune stated, Air pollution is not just an environmental issue  it is now a question of justice. Children are dying because of energy and economic systems they did not create.

The report recommends upgrading brick kiln technology and transitioning to clean cookstoves, which could prevent over 16,000 child deaths annually in Bangladesh. It calls for urgent climate action and a shift to renewable energy to protect childrens health and secure the nations future.  THE DAILY STAR/ANN
HA NOI  The Cambodian Task Force Against Online Scams said authorities had detained 3,455 individuals since operations began on June 27.

According to a statement released on October 15, raids targeted 92 sites across 18 cities and provinces out of the countrys total 25. The arrested suspects include nationals from 20 countries.

Dozens of alleged ringleaders have already been sent to court for prosecution, while most of the remaining foreign suspects are being deported to their home countries.

This large-scale operation marks an unprecedented step by Cambodia to dismantle high-tech fraud networks, aiming to preserve public security, order, and social safety. VNA/VNS
On October 16, UOB (United Overseas Bank) hosted the Gateway to ASEAN Conference at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. In its fourth year, the annual gathering of regional business leaders brought together more than 1,000 attendees in-person and online.

This years conference addressed the strategic role that ASEAN plays as companies reconfigure their supply chains in response to global trade tensions.

Wee Ee Cheong, deputy chairman and CEO of UOB

Wee Ee Cheong, deputy chairman and CEO of UOB, said that ASEAN is one of the worlds fastest growing economies, powered by a large and young population and a rising middle class. It is being driven by consumer demand, the rise of the digital and green economies, and strategic connectivity to key global markets, supported by free trade agreements.

In a multipolar world, ASEAN is more relevant than ever. Supply chain rewiring is creating new opportunities. Investments are flowing from the rest of the world to ASEAN for production and market access, he said. Geopolitical tensions and tariffs are pushing ASEAN towards greater integration. The momentum is encouraging.

Recent moves by ASEAN governments to accelerate market integration include strengthening the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (to boost intra-ASEAN trade flows from the current levels of under 30 per cent); advancing the Digital Economic Framework Agreement to unlock the regions digital economy potential, valued at $2 trillion by 2030; and deepening energy collaboration through the ASEAN Power Grid. For example, Singapore plans to import 6GW of renewable energy from neighbouring countries.

We need to continue to lower non-tariff barriers to improve the ease of doing business and make the region more competitive and attractive for investment. We need pro-innovation policies to support emerging ASEAN enterprises, he emphasised.

According to UNCTAD's World Investment Report, ASEAN remains a top foreign direct investment (FDI) destination with over $225 billion in investments in 2024. Investments are projected to rise to $370 billion by 2030. China-ASEAN and intra-ASEAN trade exceeds $1.5 trillion, and is growing, a trend that is expected to continue.

Beyond manufacturing, ASEAN is also emerging as a storage, fulfilment, and distribution powerhouse.

Regional hubs are drawing significant investor interest. For example, Thailands Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), a special economic zone in eastern Thailand, and Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone are magnets for high-end manufacturing and logistics investments.

Sector clusters are taking shape. Electronics and EV makers are concentrating in Thailand, while Malaysia is becoming the centre for semiconductors assembly, testing, and packaging.

Singapore continues to attract big-ticket investments due to its stability and probusiness policies. In recent years, Chinese companies have been increasing their investments in ASEAN to diversify their production, sourcing, and markets.

No doubt, competition from Chinese companies will heighten. But we see a winning formula: ASEAN companies must partner smartly to complement strengths and thrive in this diverse market, the CEO said.

He said that many businesses want to be part of the growing ASEAN story. However, doing business in ASEAN can also be complex, with its diverse languages, cultures, and regulations.

It requires local insight and trusted partnerships. UOB has an edge, with a network of FDI advisory centres in key cities, and strategic MoUs with government agencies and industry associations across the region.

We are well-placed to support businesses in entering new markets and navigating ground complexities, Cheong said.

In the past five years, UOB has doubled down on efforts to bring in new FDI that meet strategic priorities of the region. The companies that UOB has supported have pledged to invest over $38.6 billion, which will translate into creating almost 300,000 job opportunities in the various markets.

Beyond that, we are working with strategic partners to enable more local small- and medium-sized enterprises to be part of the supply chain, which will create more job opportunities locally, he said.

For example, as an early mover in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, we have facilitated companies to invest S$3.3 billion in the SEZ since 2024, he said.

UOB has achieved strong growth in its cross-border business across ASEAN and Greater China as companies move supply chains to the region. As companies reconfigure their supply chains, UOB has seen increased demand for trade and Financial Supply Chain Management (FSCM) financing, digital payments and collections solutions.

To enhance supply chain connectivity and working capital efficiency, UOB has developed industry-leading solutions incorporating sector insights. Through a dedicated FSCM management team and streamlined credit onboarding, the bank is able to onboard suppliers at scale, including deep-tier suppliers beyond direct partners. With financing extended further into their ecosystems, corporates can benefit from improved business continuity and competitiveness.

Vietnam proposes cooperation initiatives at China-ASEAN construction meeting A delegation from Vietnam's Ministry of Construction (MoC) led by Deputy Minister Nguyen Tuong Van participated in the 2025 China-ASEAN Ministerial Roundtable on Construction in Guangxi province on September 15.

Vietnam attends China-ASEAN ministerial roundtable on AI Vietnam is keen on expanding cooperation in training and developing AI talent, as well as promoting research and academic exchange between Vietnamese institutions and global partners.
As a company that has grown hand in hand with Vietnam, Saigon Beer  Alcohol  Beverage Corporation (SABECO) continues to uphold its corporate social responsibility through concrete actions that contribute to the wellbeing and sustainable development of Vietnamese communities.

In light of the natural disasters, SABECO has made adjustments to its 'Legacy Night' event series, including the cancellation of the event in Khanh Hoa and the scaling down of activities in Hanoi, dedicating all resources to aid storm-affected regions. Through Vietnam Fatherland Front's (VFF) Post-Storm Recovery Fund, SABECOs contributions will be allocated to support families in need, rebuild homes and essential public infrastructure, and help communities regain stability and restore their livelihoods.

Meanwhile, the 'Legacy on the Move' offering will continue its journey across Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh, Nghe An, and Hanoi, maintaining engagement with local communities while integrating empathy-driven initiatives to support disaster recovery. In Nghe An, one of the hardest-hit provinces, SABECO representatives will join hands with VFF on the ground to deliver aid and encouragement to affected households.

"SABECO's 150-year journey has been shaped by the strength, unity, and enduring spirit of the Vietnamese people. As the nation comes together to recover from the recent floods, our hearts go out to all those affected, " said Lester Tan, general director of SABECO. "We stand with those who are working tirelessly to rebuild homes and restore hope. While the natural disasters have posed challenges to our business, we remain steadfast in taking meaningful and timely action. This is how we honour the Vietnamese spirit  one that rises with resilience, rebuilds with courage, and thrives together towards a brighter, stronger future."

Vu Van Tien, member of the Presidium and head of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of VFF, said, "We appreciate SABECOs meaningful gesture in joining with VFF to assist communities recovering from the recent storms. VFF will work closely with SABECO to ensure timely and effective delivery of support to affected localities."

SABECO is aiming for recovery and rebuilding efforts to be carried out promptly, with the goal of providing both practical assistance and moral encouragement to residents in the hardest-hit areas. At the same time, the company is working with relevant organisations to provide care and support for its employees and their families living in affected provinces.

Through these collective efforts, SABECO aims to honour both its heritage and the enduring Vietnamese spirit of resilience and solidarity reflected in its '150 Years of Living Legacy' campaign. Beyond long-term projects to enhance community wellbeing, the brewer has consistently supported people affected by natural disasters and pandemics. These actions underscore SABECOs enduring commitment to grow alongside the Vietnamese people through meaningful initiatives that strengthen communities and promote a sustainable future.

With 150 years of brewing heritage, SABECO stands as one of Vietnams leading beverage companies. Blending tradition with innovation, it continues to evolve as a forward-looking enterprise shaping the future of Vietnams beverage industry. The company operates 25 breweries and 11 trading subsidiaries nationwide, supported by an extensive distribution network and a strong portfolio led by its flagship brands  Bia Saigon (Lager, Chill, Special, Gold, Export, and Export Premium) and 333 (including 333 and 333 Pilsner).

SABECOs commitment to quality goes beyond brewing excellence. It encompasses brand prestige, commercial innovation, and corporate credibility. The company has garnered multiple international accolades, including top honours at the 2024 World Beer Awards and the International Beer Cup. Underscoring its standing in the regional business landscape, SABECO was named among the Top 500 companies in Southeast Asia by Fortune magazine in 2024, recognising its business excellence, growth, and integrity.

The brewing giant is also active in advancing comprehensive environmental, social, and governance initiatives. From environmental protection and encouraging active balanced lifestyles to empowering communities and delivering long-term impact, the company is committed to generating positive values for its shareholders, employees, and communities while contributing to Vietnams sustainable development.

With quality, heritage, and innovation at its heart, SABECO continues to embody Vietnams brewing excellence  a proud symbol of craftsmanship that grows stronger and reaches further with each generation.
Prince Andrew is reportedly preparing to relinquish all of his royal titles including Duke of York.

Prince Andrew is reportedly preparing to relinquish all of his royal titles including Duke of York

The alleged move  reported by The Daily Telegraph on Friday (17.10.25) evening comes after King Charles, 76, and senior aides at Buckingham Palace were said to have started considering all options over the scandal-mired royals future within the monarchy.

It follows a series of damaging revelations about Andrews continued contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Sun on Sunday reported the Duke of York was found to have lied about cutting ties with the disgraced financier, after an email surfaced in which he told Epstein: We are in this together.

The message, dated 29 February 2011, came just one day after the now-infamous photograph of Andrew with Virginia Giuffre was made public.

According to The Telegraph, the King met with his brother at Buckingham Palace earlier this week, after which Andrew agreed to give up his remaining royal titles.

His ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, 65, is also expected to relinquish her title and be known once again as Sarah Ferguson. Andrew will retain his birth title as a prince but will surrender his membership of the Order of the Garter.

Sources told the newspaper palace aides had reached tipping point and believed the monarchy had no choice but to act following the latest disclosures.

One source told The Sun about the kings alleged plans to strip Andrew of his remaining royal titles: Considering all options is exactly what is happening. There is a feeling that something must be done. Discussions are taking place. Options are being considered.

The decision marks the most severe action yet taken against Andrew, who was stripped of his military titles, royal patronages and HRH style by Queen Elizabeth II in January 2022 after a US judge ruled he must face a civil sexual assault case brought by Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre.

Andrew later settled the case for an undisclosed sum without admitting liability and has consistently denied having sex with her.

Virginia, who died by suicide in April aged 41, is making posthumous claims in her forthcoming autobiography Nobodys Girl, alleging she was trafficked to Andrew by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell as a teenager.

In the book, due to be released on 21 October, she reportedly writes Andrew viewed their encounters as his birth right and said thank you to her in a clipped British accent.

Virginia also claims Maxwell told her the morning after the alleged encounter: You did well, the prince had fun.

Earlier this year, Andrew was also linked to a separate controversy involving alleged contact with a Chinese spy.

Leaked documents from 2019 showed that he had met with Chinese officials, including Yang Tengbo, and sought to use his royal connections to raise 2.4 billion for an international technology initiative.

Security sources later described the relationship as a potential threat to national security.
Helen Lederer got through John Cleese's Fawlty Towers - The Play by eating spuds.

Helen Lederer at the 2025 Best Heroes Awards

The 71-year-old comedienne-and-actress says it was "a lot" playing Mrs. Richards - the hard-of-hearing guest of the titular hotel who refuses to switch on her hearing aid - "eight times a week" at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, from June 24 to September 13.

Helen exclusively told BANG Showbiz at the 2025 Best Heroes Awards, sponsored by DFS: "Eight times a week at my age on the West End was interesting.

"It was a lot. But I discovered the potato shop opposite the stage door and managed to eat potatoes from the spud shop."

John - who played the inept Basil Fawlty, the manager of the titular Torquay, Devon-based hotel in the much-loved 1970s BBC sitcom - adapted the play.

And Helen said it was a joy to work with the 85-year-old comedy legend.

She added: "[The play] was wonderful. It was wonderful working with John Cleese. How could you turn that job down?"

Now that Fawlty Towers - The Play - which aired on U+GOLD in September - has ended, Helen is focusing on touring her memoir Not That Im Bitter at a series of literary festivals across the country.

The Absolutely Fabulous actress is also working hard to get female comedy writers published.

Helen said: "Im touring my memoir Not That Im Bitter, so Im going to all sorts of literary festivals, and Im doing Comedy Women in Print, which is my prize to enable witty women writers to become published.

"So that is happening at the moment!"

Looking ahead to the future, the former Hollyoaks star wants to front a travel TV series.

Helen revealed: "I want to do a travel TV programme, but I think Rylan [Clark] might be booked. Ill have to find somebody else."

The Horrid Henry: The Movie actress was one of many celebrity guests who attended the 2025 Best Heroes Awards, sponsored by DFS, held at The Waldorf Hilton, Aldwych, London, on October 16.

The event - created by Best magazine - celebrates ordinary people who have done extraordinary things in unthinkable circumstances.

And Helen believes there is a "potential hero" in everyone.

Asked if there has been a time in her life when an unsung hero has come to her rescue or helped her, the actress said: "I think theres a potential hero in all of us. Its like the parable of the good Samaritan.

"I think more of us are good than not good, but we dont know how were going to behave until a situation presents itself.

"So tonight will be very emotional because well see the best coming out - literally Best magazine - and the best coming out individuals with all sorts of challenges to overcome."
Hatred towards minorities becoming frighteningly common in Wales

Hatred towards minority groups is becoming frighteningly commonplace and acceptable to some in Welsh society, a Plaid Cymru Senedd member warned.

Sioned Williams cautioned Wales faces deep divisions fomented by hatred whether rooted in racism, religious intolerance, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia or ableism.

She told the Senedd: What is frightening to me is that denying or justifying hatred towards people in Wales is now so commonplace and acceptable to some in our society.

Its a frightening time for minorities and people who are seen by some as legitimate targets, either for physical attacks, online attacks or political attacks.

Ms Williams, the partys shadow social justice secretary, reiterated Plaid Cymrus calls for powers over justice and policing to be fully devolved to Wales.

We cant tackle hate, which is growing, with our hands tied behind our backs, she said.

Lasting harm

The former journalist pointed to a stream of hostile comments on a Welsh Government anti-hate campaign advert on Facebook as evidence of deep and widening divisions.

Her comments came in response to an October 14 statement by Jane Hutt, the social justice secretary, who acknowledged a worrying rise in hatred and division in recent years.

Marking national hate crime awareness week, Ms Hutt told the Senedd the Welsh Governments stance is unequivocal  hate and prejudice have no place in Wales.

The minister expressed particular concerns about a 30% rise in religious hate crime in Wales compared with last year, which followed on from a 21% increase.

She said: Some trivialise hate crime as mere name calling. We must remind the public that hate crime is motivated by prejudice, it causes lasting harm and undermines cohesion.

Wild west

She told the Senedd: Social media and tech companies must do more to protect users from harm. We continue to work with Ofcom to understand how new powers will protect people.

Altaf Hussain, the Conservatives shadow social justice secretary, contrasted an overall 5% increase in hate crimes in Wales with a 5% fall across England and Wales.

The surgeon-turned-Senedd member warned of wild west online communities fuelling peoples isolation, fear of others and driving hatred.

But he cautioned of a potential chilling effect on free speech and argued failing to tackle illegal immigration does little to foster community cohesion.

Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds warned online hate and misinformation is increasing, saying: Many of us are targets and the political language we use is absolutely critical.

Poisoness

Ms Hutt told the Senedd the Welsh Government will set up an expert group, chaired by equality campaigner Gaynor Legall, following a committee inquiry into social cohesion.

Jenny Rathbone, who chairs the Senedds equality committee, applauded the ministers rapid response in accepting the reports first recommendation within four working days.

She told Sened members: We are in a very, very difficult situation at the moment and it can only get worse as we move towards a highly contested election next May.

I think the conversation Im sure many of us had with a senior policeman today tells us that this is not going to be easy.

Her Labour colleague John Griffiths agreed, reminding politicians of their responsibilities given the fevered and, at times, poisonous atmosphere surrounding political debate.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter
North Wales man loses 150,000 in fake Bitcoin investment scam

A North Wales man has lost 150,000 in a fake Bitcoin investment scam after responding to what appeared to be a genuine social media advert.

Officers from North Wales Police Cyber Crime Unit said the victim had been browsing a popular social media site when he saw a link promoting cryptocurrency investment.

Having recently lost his wife and wanting to create an inheritance for his children, he decided to invest a modest amount.

However, police said that was just the beginning of what became a large-scale fraud.

Fraudsters had paid for fake online adverts that looked professional and convincing.

Once the man clicked the link, the communication quickly moved to phone calls, where scammers built a rapport and encouraged him to invest small amounts.

They gave him access to what appeared to be an online portfolio showing his investment growing rapidly, but this was a fake website.

The apparent profits were not real and when the man later tried to withdraw some of his funds, he was told he needed to pay a series of fees first.

Each time he paid, the scammers invented new charges under names such as anti-money laundering, liquidity validation, and faster payment bureau fees.

Police said the fraudsters used convincing emails and phone calls to keep up the pressure, persuading the victim that paying the fees would unlock his money.

In total, the man lost 150,000, including 40,000 borrowed through loans.

Officers said the scammers even told him to tell the bank the loans were for home improvements to avoid suspicion.

A North Wales Police Cyber Crime spokesperson said: Once a victim starts paying the fees, its difficult to stop and give up on whats already been sent to the fraudster.

Psychologically, nobody believes they will fall for fraud  and nobody wants to give up on large sums theyve been told are theirs if they just pay a little more.

Police are urging the public to be cautious about any cryptocurrency investment opportunities found online, especially those promoted through social media adverts.

They are also reminding people to always tell banks the true reason for any loan application, as this helps financial institutions spot potential fraud before its too late.

Never invest in Bitcoin or cryptocurrency without doing your research and comparing providers, the police spokesperson added.

And always tell your bank the genuine reason for applying for a loan  thats one of the key ways they protect customers from scams.
Traditional town centre business model is dead, claims ex-minister

A former minister warned the traditional business model for Welsh town centres is dead, dismissing magic bullets such as free parking and abolishing business rates.

Labours Lee Waters argued the economic reality of online and out-of-town shopping means a new purpose must be found for struggling high streets.

Mr Waters described town centre regeneration as a gnarly, knotty problem, with economics at its heart, during a debate in the Senedd on October 15.

Warning of an unfair, unlevel playing field, he told the Senedd: The business model of the town centre that we all grew up with is dead.

The former transport minister said the business model has been enormously disrupted by supermarkets, out-of-town shopping, online retail and the pandemic.

Complex tapestry

Mr Waters warned of little evidence to support free parking which would take revenue from councils and fail to address the 25% of people who do not have access to a car.

The world as we knew it has gone, he said. And simply abolishing business rates or providing free car parking is not going to bring it back. Its a far more complex tapestry we require and Im afraid our rather glib debate on these things is getting us nowhere.

But the fix is much more complex and involves far more partners in a granular way.

The Labour politician, who is standing down in May, said it is much cheaper for a business to build out of town than to redevelop a town centre property.

He also explained how housing trends have changed the social and economic fabric of town centres, leaving them to cater to a different demographic.

Calling for a long-term plan, including the public and private sectors, Mr Waters raised an example of disjointed government leading to a college in Bangor moving out of town.

Plugging holes

The debate was tabled by Plaid Cymrus Luke Fletcher, who painted a similarly bleak picture of high streets with vacant retail units, shuttered shopfronts and boarded-up windows.

He warned government schemes were merely plugging holes, not rebuilding foundations, with Wales having the second highest rate of vacant shops in the UK.

The shadow economy secretary argued the real issue was ownership, calling for a community right to buy to tackle the problem of absentee landlords.

Plaid Cymrus motion called for a comprehensive strategy for town-centre regeneration, preferential business rates, long-term funding and a law on right to buy powers.

Delyth Jewell, the partys deputy Senedd leader, said: These buildings tell the stories of our past. It is a covenant with our past that is being corroded with these closures.

Fantasies

The Conservatives Joel James warned Labour policies have driven businesses on high streets to extinction, with high business rates amounting to economic punishment.

He argued throwing money at regeneration projects is useless without first fixing the underlying business environment to ensure competition can thrive.

Mr James criticised the anti-business, anti-growth motion and its focus on local ownership, warning Plaid Cymrus financial fantasies offer no hope for high-street businesses.

He told the Senedd the Conservatives would scrap rates for all small businesses and improve access to free car parking in town centres.

Labour backbencher Mike Hedges agreed with Plaid Cymrus calls for a right to buy, saying: The community right to buy is proven, popular and politically effective. We need to have it in Wales and we need to have it now.

Prosperity

Jayne Bryant, Wales local government secretary, pointed to 100m delivered through the transforming towns programme since 2022, with another 57m on the way.

Ms Bryant, whose responsibilities include regeneration, told the Senedd an empty property enforcement fund has been set up to help bring vacant buildings back into use.

She said the Welsh Government is providing 335m in rates relief this year, which includes 78m for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses.

Ms Bryant explained a town centre first principle has been embedded for planning decisions on where to locate public services such as colleges and health hubs.

The minister added that a commission  set up to explore local ownership models  is set to present its recommendations next month which will inform the introduction of a right to buy. Her goal, she said, is to bring pride, purpose and prosperity back to the heart of our towns.

At the end of the debate, Plaid Cymrus original motion was voted down before ministers amended version  which supported the existing strategy  was narrowly passed, 24-23.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter
Wrexham supermarket colleague shares breast cancer story to raise awareness

A Wrexham supermarket employee has spoken about how the Asda Tickled Pink awareness campaign led to her early breast cancer diagnosis.

Elaine, who works at the store on Holt Road, said she found a small lump underneath her right breast after seeing information posters around the Wrexham supermarket.

Asdas Tickled Pink campaign, now in its 29th year, supports breast cancer charities across the UK through awareness drives and fundraising in stores.

After visiting her GP, she was referred for a scan and later diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. During her wait for diagnosis, she said the skin around the lump changed colour  a key warning sign.

Elaine said one of the hardest parts was telling her children, as her daughter was preparing for her GCSE exams at the time.

Colleagues at the store came together to support her, raising 800 for a wig and scarf after she lost her hair during treatment. One co-workers son even completed a sponsored swim to help raise money.

Elaine has now been cancer-free for two years and has shared her story to encourage others to check themselves regularly.

The stores community champion, Mary, said: Elaine told me that when she talks about it, she feels like shes talking about someone else and not herself.

But her story really shows the importance of regular checks.

Her journey has been a long and painful one  thankfully she is here to tell her story.
Richard Blackwood thinks EastEnders' viewers should not have had to wait three years to find out Vincent Hubbard had died.

Richard Blackwood at the 2025 Best Heroes Awards

The 52-year-old actor's character left Albert Square under mysterious circumstances in 2018, when Vincent fell into a trap set up by hard man Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), crime boss Aidan Maguire (Patrick Bergin) and corrupt cop DCI Alsworth (Nik Drake).

Viewers last saw Vincent in the back of a car and held at gunpoint by DCI Alsworth, who was seemingly about to kill him before the pair drove out of Walford together in the vehicle.

After three years of fans desperately wanting to find out if Vincent was dead or alive, in 2021, they eventually found out that he had been killed by Aidan's henchmen in 2018.

Asked at the 2025 Best Heroes Awards, sponsored by DFS, if EastEnders' then-writers could have handled Vincent's exit storyline better, Richard exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I think more for the audience. Im thick-skinned, Im OK with the decisions they made. I have no bad blood with EastEnders.

"But the audience, because I hear the audience always say, Is Vincent coming back? And I always say, I dont know. So I think more for the audience than myself."

After Vincent - who was married to Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) - arrived in Albert Square in 2015, he had many dramatic storylines.

This includes his foster sister Donna Yates' (Lisa Hammond's) asking him to be the father of her child as a donor - but after several attempts, she never fell pregnant - and it sparked a complicated situation with Kim and her family.

Even though Vincent is dead, Richard - who was in a place where he did not know how much more he could get out of his character at the time EastEnders' then-bosses decided to stop the character in 2018 - has suggested the idea of his alter ego being alive to make a shock return to Albert Square one day.

He said: "I watch it, and I go, Maybe one day, Vincent will come back in there.

"I would never say never."
Representatives from the state of New Mexico and Mexico celebrate the opening of New Mexico's new economic development and tourism office in the World Trade Center in Mexico City.

Though relations between the United States and Mexico have been strained during the Trump administration, New Mexico state officials say the relationship between the Land of Enchantment and its neighbor across the border is as strong as ever.

This month, the state of New Mexico opened a new economic development and tourism office in the World Trade Center in Mexico City, in the hopes of facilitating trade, tourism and economic collaboration between New Mexico and Mexico, New Mexico Economic Development Department officials said.

Were just reinforcing that that relationship hasnt changed between New Mexico and Mexico, state Economic Development Secretary Black said. In fact, we see it as a growing opportunity for our economy.

The office will help facilitate trade between New Mexico and Mexico and foster new opportunities, Black said.

In addition to tourism and cultural exchanges, the office will help students from New Mexico travel across the border for academic opportunities, and will recruit students from Mexico to study at New Mexicos public universities, according to Black.

We think that theres great opportunities for both cultural and educational exchange, Black said.

New Mexicos other foreign economic development office is in Taiwan, according to EDD officials.

The support from both sides of the border for the initiative has been unprecedented, said Patricia Pinzon, the Consul of Mexico in Albuquerque.

Mexican and New Mexican officials signed a letter of intent Oct. 7 in Mexico City, affirming the two governments wishes to develop cross-border ties.

Mexico is the states largest export market, according to federal trade data. New Mexico exported $7 billion in goods to Mexico last year, accounting for 58% of the states total exports.

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Mexico is the first trading partner of New Mexico, and not only at the commercial or economic level. We are extremely united in many ways, she said.

The team did not encounter any difficulties at the federal level when opening the Mexico City office, Pinzon said.

We are very happy to work with this state that is so, so welcoming of Mexico and so immigrant-friendly, she said.
China Southern Airlines launches direct air route between Beijing, Doha

Xinhua) 08:51, October 17, 2025

DOHA, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- A China Southern Airlines inaugural flight from Beijing landed smoothly at Hamad International Airport in Doha on Thursday, marking the launch of a direct Beijing-Doha route by the Chinese carrier.

"The launch of Beijing-Doha route injects new vitality into our mutually-beneficial cooperation. It will further help promote trade, cultural exchange, and travel between our two countries," Chinese Ambassador to Qatar Cao Xiaolin said at the celebration ceremony.

According to the ambassador, rapid progress has been made in China-Qatar cooperation in the field of aviation over past years, with a steady rise in both the number and frequency of direct flights between the two countries.

Wang Yanchao, general manager of China Southern Airlines' Doha office, said the opening of the direct route would not only offer travelers more convenient choices, but also further promote China-Qatar friendship and cooperation as well as economic and cultural exchanges.

"Today marks a new step in strengthening ties between Qatar and China ... This direct route brings us closer and increases access between our nations," said Hamad Al Khater, chief operating officer of Hamad International Airport.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Nestle, the world's largest packaged food company, has announced it will lay off 16,000 workers globally over the next two years.

The decision comes as new CEO Philipp Navratil pushes forward an aggressive plan to cut costs and boost growth after a challenging year for the company.

The layoffs will affect 12,000 white-collar jobs, with another 4,000 cuts across other departments.

The move is part of Nestle's updated goal to save 3 billion Swiss francs (about $3.14 billion) by the end of 2027, up from its earlier savings target of 2.5 billion francs, CNBC reported.

"We are transforming how we work," Navratil said in a LinkedIn post. "We are evolving and will simplify our organization and automate our processes."

Nestle has not yet shared exactly how automation will be used, but the company said the changes go beyond simply replacing jobs with AI.

Other large companies, especially in tech, have also turned to automation to cut costs, with over 17,000 job losses this year tied directly to artificial intelligence, according to recent reports.

Navratil, who took over as CEO just a month ago, said Nestle needs to "do more and move faster" to keep up with competitors.

He stressed the company will focus on investing in areas with the highest potential and building a performance-driven culture. "Winning is rewarded," he said.

Boycott works. Keep boycotting until all these companies are shut down. Go on https://t.co/tnD6JseXQA  Abubaker Abed (@AbubakerAbedW) October 16, 2025

Nestle Shares Jump 9.3% After Layoff News

The layoffs follow a difficult period for Nestle. Former CEO Laurent Freixe was removed in September after an internal investigation found he had violated company policy by engaging in a romantic relationship with a subordinate.

His predecessor, Ulf Mark Schneider, stepped down amid concerns over poor performance.

Despite leadership turmoil, Nestle showed signs of recovery in the third quarter of 2025.

According to FoxBusiness, the company reported 4.3% organic growth, with real internal growth  which includes product mix and volume  up 1.5%. However, its China operations continue to struggle, pulling down overall results.

Shares of Nestle rose 9.3% following the job cut announcement, lifting the broader European food and beverage sector.

Navratil, who previously led Nestle's Nespresso unit, said his leadership will be focused on execution and value creation. "As Nestle moves forward, we will be rigorous in our approach to resource allocation," he said.

The job cuts are expected to take place gradually through 2026 and 2027.

Originally published on vcpost.com
Robert Petkoff and the company of the 2025 touring production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Photo by Matthew Murphy, courtesy of "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"

Jay Armstrong Johnson, Arianna Rosario and the company of the 2025 touring production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Photo by Matthew Murphy, courtesy of "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"

Jahi Kearse, Arianna Rosario, Andrew Brewer, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Robert Petkoff and Danny Burgos in the 2025 touring proudction of Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Photo by Matthew Murphy, courtesy of "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"

The company of the 2025 touring production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Photo by Matthew Murphy, courtesy of "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"

Jahi Kearse, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Danny Burgos and the company of the 2025 touring production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Photo by Matthew Murphy, courtesy of "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"

The company of the 2025 touring production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Photo by Matthew Murphy, courtesy of "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"

Moulin Rouge! The Musical Moulin Rouge! The Musical WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, Wednesday, Oct. 22, and Thursday, Oct. 23; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m Saturday, Oct. 25; 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26 WHERE: Popejoy Hall, University of New Mexico campus HOW MUCH: $84$172 at popejoypresents.com

Danny Burgos Courtesy of "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"

Moulin Rouge! The Musical is a true Broadway spectacle, full of glitz and glitter.

Its very larger-than-life. Glitter everywhere, Danny Burgos, who plays Santiago in the current touring production, said. I take glitter home with me every night after the show.

Moulin Rouge!, which is based on the 2001 Baz Luhrmann film of the same name, opens at Popejoy on Tuesday, Oct. 21. Fans of the film, Burgos said, will appreciate the adaptation.

Baz and the entire creative team were able to take what we know and love from Baz Luhrmanns films and translate it so beautifully to the stage without losing any of that grandness, he said. I always tell people, youre gonna come into the theater expecting one thing and leave being like, Wow, I didnt know that they could do it like that.

The musical numbers are medleys of hit songs from different eras, and they have been updated to include new music since the film came out.

I think its remarkable that they were able to take that story and just add new pop songs to infuse it with the music of today, Burgos said.

Not everyone in the audience will know every song, but most people, regardless of age or musical taste, will recognize songs that they like.

My stepdad was the biggest success story, Burgos said. He is not a musical theater-goer at all. But the Duke has a great song called Sympathy for the Duke, and its (based on) Sympathy for the Devil (by the Rolling Stones). Hes a big classic rock buff, so when he heard that song, he was like, No way!

The genre-spanning score weaves together artists as diverse as Cab Calloway, Bob Dylan, Madonna, Outkast, the White Stripes and Sia.

There are 70-plus songs in our show, and some are sampled for as little as ten seconds, Burgos said. And they all lead to a progression in the story.

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The story itself is quite simple.

It is, at its core, a very simple love story that we know and love, Burgos said. Boy likes girl. Boy cant have the girl. Boy goes for the girl anyway.

Set in fin-de-siecle Paris, Moulin Rouge! centers on a group of artists and bohemians in the neighborhood of Montmartre, famous at the time for its active nightlife and high concentration of artist studios. Burgos character, Santiago, is an Argentinian tango dancer.

You dont get much of his backstory, but in my brain, Santiago has left Argentina and come to Paris, because at this point, in 1899, if you wanted to be an artist, there was no better place to do it than Paris, Burgos said.

The director, Alex Timbers, and associate director, Matt DiCarlo, told Burgos that he and the other three leads each embody one of the four bohemian qualities, which are truth, beauty, freedom and love.

My word is beauty, but that is not physical beauty, Burgos said. Its the beauty of the time, the beauty that you can relay through art. So, I use my body (as a dancer) to communicate how much I love this time period, this art form and the people around me.

And Burgos said he plays Santiago slightly bigger than he normally acts to suit the musicals grand spectacle.

I mean, my character, Santiago, is a swashbuckler, the greatest tango dancer in Paris, a gigolo, he said. And when you think about the way Baz Luhrmann builds the world, larger than life actually does serve you here. To be loud and fast and almost a caricature actually suits this world. To be too small, if youre giving me Noel Coward or Shakespeare acting, thats just not the right thing. To be too small would actually make you stick out more than to lean in and just really invest in being larger than life.
The paper aims to inform the industry about CDC, to encourage engagement and innovation. It brings together detailed research and insight into CDC scheme design. It explores how employers and members perceive CDC, what can be learned from international experience, and the investment strategies that will be required to support CDCs success in the UK. The analysis from the leading pensions and financial services consultancy reveals strong appetite from pension savers to embrace innovation if it leads to better retirement outcomes. It also shows that employer sentiment indicates a clear willingness to explore CDC to deliver better value, improve retirement outcomes, and align pension provision with broader workforce strategies. The firm is calling for Government and industry leaders to actively support the development of diverse CDC models, ensuring they are scalable, inclusive and fit for the future. Now is the time to move from discussion to delivery, CDC must be prioritised in tackling pension inadequacy across the UK. Commenting on the need for the pensions industry to embrace the development of CDC Pensions Schemes, Paul Waters, Head of DC Markets at Hymans Robertson, said: CDC is not just a technical innovation, its a meaningful opportunity to improve retirement outcomes for millions of people across the UK. CDC schemes deliver pensions in a way that improves adequacy and the analysis published in our latest report reinforces that view. Support for CDC is not just from members but from employers too. There is a clear appetite for change. Members are pragmatic, they understand that CDC involves trade-offs, such as occasional income fluctuations or generational differences, but they are willing to accept these if it means a more secure retirement income. Employers are increasingly open to risk-sharing models, recognising that CDC can offer better outcomes without placing undue burden on their organisations. One type of CDC scheme will not be right for every employer, which is why we are advocating for a diverse ecosystem of CDC designs, including whole of life, decumulation only, single-employer, multi-employer and sector-based schemes. That diversity will be essential to making CDC scalable, inclusive and adaptable to different needs. The Governments support of multi-employer CDC is a welcome step, but it must be followed by commitment and clear leadership. Government backing, whether through promotion or direct provision, would significantly boost confidence in CDC among savers. We urge the industry to prioritise CDC as part of a broader strategy to tackle pension inadequacy. Ultimately, CDC is about strengthening the social contract between generations. Its about giving people a better chance of a decent retirement while ensuring the system remains fair and resilient, this can be done through thoughtful design, transparent communication and collaborative delivery. Now is the time to move from discussion to delivery, CDC must be prioritised in tackling pension inadequacy across the UK. If we get this right, CDC could become a cornerstone of UK pension provision for decades to come.


210 Naxalites Lay Down Arms in Chhattisgarh's Jagdalpur, Hold Constitution as Symbol of Surrender 2

In a significant blow to Left-Wing Extremism, as many as 210 Naxalites, including a Central Committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist), surrendered before police and paramilitary forces in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, on Friday. The surrender ceremony took place in the presence of senior security officials and tribal community leaders.

The Naxalites, holding copies of the Indian Constitution as a symbol of their return to the democratic fold, also handed over 153 weapons  including 19 AK-47 rifles, 17 self-loading rifles, 23 INSAS rifles, one INSAS light machine gun (LMG), 36 .303 rifles, four carbines, and 11 barrel grenade launchers (BGL).

The surrendered group included one Central Committee member, four members of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DSZC), 21 divisional committee members, and 61 area committee members, according to officials. Tribal leaders welcomed them with flowers, symbolizing their reintegration into mainstream society.

Photographs from the event showed police officers, paramilitary personnel, and community representatives standing together with the surrendered cadres in a display of reconciliation and peace.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who also serves as Home Minister, are expected to address a press conference regarding the development.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has consistently emphasized the governments commitment to eradicating Naxalism, particularly in the Bastar region, by March 31, 2026. Earlier this week, Shah announced that Abujhmarh and North Bastar  two of the worst-affected regions  have been declared free from Naxal terror, reiterating that while surrendering rebels are welcome back into society, those persisting with violence will face decisive action.
Bombay HC Upholds Herbal Hookah Rights, Warns State Against Unlawful Raids 2

The Bombay High Court has reiterated that serving herbal or tobacco-free hookahs is permissible, provided there is no violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA). Reaffirming its 2019 order, the court warned the Maharashtra government against arbitrary police action and directed that authorities must act strictly as per law.

A division bench of Justices Riyaz Chagla and Farhan Dubash stated that authorities can conduct searches only if a complaint is received. If any tobacco substance is found in the hookah parlour, then they can take action against those persons, the bench observed.

The court disposed of a series of petitions filed by restaurant owners who alleged that police continued to raid establishments serving herbal hookahs, despite the 2019 ruling. The petitioners said the raids were causing financial losses and disruptions to their businesses.

The petitioners are not prohibited from running restaurants or serving hookah that does not contain tobacco or nicotine, the bench clarified, adding that authorities shall strictly act under the provisions of COTPA.

The court took note of the state governments affidavit and emphasized that only police officers of the rank of Assistant Police Inspector or above are authorized to take action under COTPA. It further stated that any parlour found serving drugs or narcotics will face action under relevant laws.

The petitioners, represented by advocates Rajendra Rathod and Dhruv B. Jain, had approached the court after the state home department issued a circular on June 6, 2025, calling for strict action against illegal hookah parlours. They argued that the directive should not apply to businesses serving only herbal hookahs.

Concluding the matter, the bench said, As long as the petitioners comply with COTPA and do not serve any prohibited substance, no action can be taken against them, and directed the state to circulate the order to all concerned authorities.
Mumbai Court Denies Bail to Alleged Mithi River Scam 'Mastermind' Ketan Kadam 2

A Mumbai court has once again denied bail to Ketan Kadam, the alleged middleman and CEO of Virgo Specialties Pvt Ltd, accused in the 65-crore Mithi River desilting contract scam. The court noted that Kadam had direct involvement in the conspiracy linked to the large-scale civic corruption case.

Additional Sessions Judge N. G. Shukla rejected Kadams second bail plea on October 14, with the detailed order made public on October 16. The accused had sought bail after the police filed a chargesheet in the case.

While dismissing the plea, the court stated, It is a settled position of law that filing of the chargesheet would strengthen the allegations against the accused.

According to the prosecution, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) awarded multiple desilting contracts for the Mithi River between 2019 and 2024 through tenders. Kadam allegedly colluded with BMC officials and contractors to manipulate tender conditions, compelling bidders to hire machines from his company. The court order emphasized that the agreements were created only to manage the money trail received from the bidders, pointing to Kadams central role in the scam.
The restaurants name is laid in tile at the entrance during the grand opening of Raising Canes, 1116 S. University Ave. in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com

Louisiana-based chicken finger chain Raising Canes plans to continue expanding this year.

USA TODAY reports the restaurant chain is on track to open 100 new locations by the end of 2025, and seven of those are slated for this month.

The October East Coast expansion advances the Brands broader goal of owning and operating over 1,600 Restaurants nationwide and becoming a top 10 U.S. Restaurant Brand by the end of the decade, Raising Canes representatives told the outlet.

According to the chain, this months openings include:

Oct. 2 - 1455 Boston Post Road, Milford, Connecticut

Oct. 7 - 1151 N. Dupont Highway, Dover, Delaware

Oct. 7 - 63 South Court Street, Athens, Ohio

Oct. 21 - 17195 Miramar Parkway, Miramar, Florida

Oct. 21 - 722 7th Street NW, Washington, DC

Oct. 22 - 70-28 Austin Street, Forest Hills, New York

Oct. 28 - 75 Buckland Street, Manchester, Connecticut

The company has also recently announced plans to open locations in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham starting next year.

These will be the states third and fourth locations, following the existing storefronts in Mobile and on campus at The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Founded in Baton Rouge, La., in 1996, Raising Canes has more than 800 restaurants around the country.
Birmingham police investigate an Oct. 17, 2025, shooting at Pull-A-Part on 27th Avenue North. (Carol Robinson)

An investigation is underway after a morning shooting at a north Birmingham auto parts business.

The shooting happened about 10:15 a.m. Friday at Pull-A-Part used auto parts at 3520 27th Ave. North off Vanderbilt Road.

Few details have been released yet but police radio communications said the victim was found bleeding from his side.

He was taken to UAB Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Multiple officers and detectives responded to the scene. Police marked several shell casings in an area outside the main office.

A man and a woman fled the scene after the shooting and are being sought.

This story will be updated if more information becomes available.
The abbot of St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman has stepped down after six years, effective immediately due to health reasons, the monastery announced Friday.

Abbot Marcus J. Voss had served as the spiritual leader of the monastery since he was elected in 2019 at age 75.

Voss led a group of about 30 monks that runs a prep school, a retreat center and the popular tourist stop Ave Marie Grotto.

He succeeded Abbot Cletus Meagher, who retired in 2019.

Voss entered the abbey as a novice monk in 1963. At that time, there were 80 to 85 monks who led parishes all over the Southeast.

The monks have overseen operations of Ave Maria Grotto, one of the most visited sites in Alabama, since it opened in 1934.

Ave Maria Grotto was created by Brother Joseph Zoettl, a monk at the abbey, featuring 125 replicas of famous religious shrines from around the world, including miniatures of Jerusalem, Rome and biblical scenes. Zoettl made the miniatures from cement, shells, ceramic tiles, cold cream jars, colored glass, costume jewelry and marbles.

Ave Maria Grotto brings in thousands of visitors from all over the country, Voss said.

St. Bernard Abbey long ago was home to a college that closed in 1979. In 1984, a preparatory school opened for grades 7-12, and is still going strong. Students can choose a boarding option and live on campus.

Many of the students score high on tests and earn full scholarships for college, Voss said. The education focuses on book learning more than internet searches, he said. The 50,000-book library remains the centerpiece of the school.

Among a faculty of 24, four monks teach subjects such as math, Latin, English and theology, while the other teachers are non-clergy.

Voss had previously served as headmaster from 1986-92, president from 1992-2012 and then development director before he became abbot.

Since the mid-1980s, the abbey has also run a retreat center for spiritual retreats and conference meetings.

Still, the main job of a monastery remains monks in prayer.

The monks gather for public prayer four times a day, in the morning from about 6 a.m. to 7 a.m.; at noon for about 15 minutes; and then an evening prayer following the 5 p.m. Mass in the abbey church; and a night prayer of about 15 minutes at bedtime. The monks also are encouraged to pray on their own during the day.

Brother Brendan Seipel, the prior of St. Bernard Abbey, has been appointed as temporary administrator. The abbey is affiliated with the Order of St. Benedict.
The new Disney+ series "Hypnosis", starring Suzy and Kim Seon Ho, has apparently scrapped its Chinese filming schedule and is looking for alternative locations, industry sources said.

According to OSEN on October 15, the crew initially scheduled filming some scenes in Shanghai this month, given that some of the story unfolds in the city. However, unexpected reasons have led to cancellation of all the foreign shoots, and the production will concentrate on local shooting within South Korea instead.

In wake of OSEN's sole story, a Disney+ spokesperson gave a statement explaining the situation. The official continued, "The filming location was still under review  nothing had been finalized yet, and it's difficult to confirm future shooting sites."

Although Disney+ didn't offer more clarification, Koreaboo mentioned that the unexpected alteration might be attributed to the recent controversy involving another Disney+ original series titled Polaris. The drama starring Jun Ji Hyun created outrage among Chinese netizens for a line uttered by her character, Seo Moon Joo: "Why does China prefer war? A nuclear bomb could fall on the border zone."

As reported by Koreaboo, this comment upset numerous Chinese viewers, who accused the show of exaggerating and distorting the country's image. The situation spilled over into calls for boycotting Jun Ji Hyun, with news that a number of brands had supposedly dropped her from their Chinese websites. However, her agency later denied those reports.

With the Polaris controversy still open, "Hypnosis" has been said to become the latest Disney+ show to encounter difficulties. Directed by Han Jae Rim, whose work includes The King, Emergency Declaration, and The 8 Show, the drama traces the life of artist Yoon Yi Ho (Kim Seon Ho), who depicts a reclusive woman named Song Jung Hwa (Suzy) in 1935 Gyeongseong.

Industry sources indicate that the production's change of location will push back the shoot schedule but reiterate that the project is still in active development.

"Hypnosis" is now scheduled for release on Disney+ in 2026.
Latisha Southward was placed on suicide watch for three nights in an Alabama jail, wearing a garment that did not cover her body. There, guards sexually harassed her, she claims in a lawsuit.

Southward was in jail in Lauderdale County between April 16 and May 5 of this year. Despite not being suicidal or threatening suicide, she was placed on suicide watch in a turtle suit, a blanket-like outfit inmates wear if they are suicidal.

The turtle suit was insufficient covering to prevent Plaintiffs breasts and genitals from being visible to male corrections officers, trustees, and other males in the jail, the lawsuit says.

It alleges that Correctional Officer Isaiah Neloms forced Southward to expose herself to gratify him sexually during the three nights he was on duty.

Stand still, open your legs so I can see ...., a complaint in the lawsuit, first filed in July, alleges he told her when he came to her cell with another inmate to mop a leak from a running toilet.

The Lauderdale Sheriffs Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment. AL.coms attempts to reach Officer Neloms were not successful.

According to the suit, Southward was not allowed to make a phone call from the jail. She alleges Neloms told her she could make a call if she bent over and showed him her genitals.

Plaintiff resisted but finally felt she had no choice but to comply, her suit states.

Southward was in jail on charges of chemical endangerment to a child, for exposing a child to methamphetamine, and for assault, burglary and domestic violence.

The lawsuit alleges Neloms came to Southwards cell every 15 minutes to tell her to show him her genitals while she sat on the cold, wet floor. He told her he would let her make calls, take a shower or get off suicide watch if she would show him, the suit claims.

When Plaintiff complied, Neloms would rub his groin through his pants, lick his lips, and make sounds.

The lawsuit names Neloms and a second night shift officer, McDaniel. McDaniel, the suit claims, failed to intervene after Southward repeatedly reported she was being harassed.

Neloms is no longer employed at the jail, according to an employee there who spoke with AL.com
An Alabama man has been charged in the rape of woman in Tuscaloosa that happened more than 15 years ago.

Stacey Deangelo Martin, now 39, has been indicted on first-degree rape, authorities announced Friday.

The investigation began in March 2020 when a woman reported that she had been sexually assaulted by two men she met at a bar called the Southern Gentlemans Club, which at the time was in the 7000 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard.

The victim had just met the suspects that night and did not know them, said Tuscaloosa County Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy.

Investigators at the time were not able to develop any suspect, but they recovered DNA that was verified to be from two separate men.

Kennedy said the violent crimes unit was notified over the summer that one of the DNA profiles had been matched to Martin who had been arrested in in July in Tuscaloosa County on unrelated drug charges.

The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences maintains a database of certain arrestees and convicted offenders DNA to be used in the investigation and prosecution of crimes.

Investigators began working the case again and this month indicted Martin on the rape charge. He was 25 at the time of the assault.

He was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail Thursday and remains held without bond. His arraignment is set for December.

Kennedy said the second assailant has not been identified.

It was clear at the time of the offense (March 2010) that he and the unidentified suspect knew and were familiar with each other, Kennedy said.

The second suspect was described as an older Black male, possibly 35-50 years old.

The Violent Crimes Unit maintains a dedicated group of investigators who specialize in both child and adult sex crimes, Kennedy said. In addition to working with victims daily and investigating current cases, they also continuously review unsolved cases from the past.

Anyone who believes they have information that may help identify this second suspect is urged to contact the VCU at 205- 464-8690.
As solicitor general for Alabama, Edmund LaCour helped the Alabama Legislature defy the federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, in order to dilute Black voting power. Now Donald Trump wants him on the federal bench. AP

This is an opinion column.

The truth matters. Those who arent truthful before Congress should be punished.

Or at least, thats what U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said earlier this month, when the Senate Judiciary Committee met to approve Alabama Solicitor General Edmund LaCour to the federal bench.

The rule of law requires truthfulness before Congress and this bodys constitutional oversight role demands it, Grassley, R-Iowa, said.

In a more truth-centered world, LaCour might have been sweating, but Grasley wasnt talking about him. Rather, Grassley was talking about former FBI Director James Comey, who had been indicted on perjury charges the day before.

Likewise, other Senators on the Judiciary Committee took turns offering their opinions of the prior days events before passing LaCour and four other nominees to the full Senate 

Without any further comments about LaCours testimony.

Without any further inquiry into whether LaCour had told the truth when testifying before them weeks earlier.

The truth matters, it seems, except when it doesnt.

When LaCour testified before the committee in September, Sen. Dick Durbin peppered him with a few tepid questions. Durbin, D-Illinois, asked LaCour about his involvement in Alabamas fight against a court-ordered congressional redistricting and whether LaCour had helped the state defy the federal courts.

LaCour said the state had not defied the courts.

When it comes to defiance of court orders, I dont think any court order has been defied in that case, LaCour said.

That might be what LaCour thinks, but it doesnt seem to be what the judges who handled the case thought, said out loud or wrote in subsequent court orders.

Take, for instance, U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer, one of two Trump appointees on the three-judge panel that blistered LaCour in an August 2023 court hearing.

So, Mr. LaCour, what I hear you saying is the State of Alabama deliberately chose to disregard our instructions to draw two majority-black districts or one where minority candidates could be chosen, Moorer said then.

LaCour began to mutter something about the Legislatures position when Moorer bore down harder.

I am not asking you your position, Moorer interrupted. Did they or did they not? Did they disregard it? Did they deliberately disregard it or not?

At this point in the case, Alabama  with LaCour as its lawyer  had already lost once before this same three-judge panel. The state had already appealed and lost again before the U. S. Supreme Court. It had been ordered to draw a second district where Black voters would stand a chance of electing a candidate of their choosing. Instead  with LaCours help  the state drew another map with only one such district.

In the 2023 hearing, LaCour said that following the courts order and the Constitution was not possible.

Only, it was possible  after the judges appointed a special master who drew the congressional map Alabama uses today.

But the issue here wasnt whether LaCour had merely represented a stubborn client. Testimony in the case revealed that LaCour had gone further  helping the Legislature to draw its maps and inserting legalistic talking points called legislative findings into the legislation.

Before the Senate committee, Durbin asked LaCour about this, too.

Again, LaCour was less than forthcoming.

There is some evidence that came out during litigation that state lawyers were advising state officials on issues of state law, which is something that the Attorney Generals office in Alabama and in many states do with pending legislation, LaCour told the Senate committee.

Lets take that apart one piece at a time.

Some evidence was testimony from the two Alabama lawmakers who chaired the Alabama redistricting committee  state Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, and state Sen. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro.

Pringle testified under oath that LaCour had helped draw the maps.

He was in the room across from me in reapportionment working on maps, Pringle testified when asked how he had known LaCour was involved.

Likewise, Livingston testified that LaCour had given them the legislative findings to include in the legislation. Pringle and Livingston said they didnt know what those legislative findings were for.

But someone else figured it out  the three federal judges handling the case.

Before the Senate committee, LaCour portrayed his involvement as customary and not unusual for the attorney generals office to do.

But the federal judges didnt buy it.

Lawyers advising lawmakers might not be unusual, the judges wrote.

But the last-minute, unsolicited arrival of these legislative findings forecloses any assertion that in real time, as the Legislature drafted its plans, there was anything ordinary or usual about the process, the three judges said in a court order last May. Whatever else this sequence of events tells us, it leaves precious little doubt that the Legislature intentionally chose not to satisfy the remedial requirements found in our order.

In other words, the way the lawmakers adopted LaCours talking points made it clear to them that the Legislature had intentionally disregarded its court order.

The judges said they tried to give the state the benefit of the doubt, but LaCours legislative findings had made that impossible.

Quite simply, these legislative findings made it impossible to achieve what federal law required, they wrote in the order. When a legislature both purposefully refuses to satisfy the remedial requirements unambiguously found in a federal court order and then intentionally takes steps to make them mathematically impossible to satisfy, reality overwhelms the presumption of good faith.

Good faith, like the truth, used to matter. Only not so much to Congress.

Instead, Alabamas senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville endorsed LaCour without a hint of hesitation or misgiving. Britt, who serves on the committee, got to voice her support more than once.

As a fellow native of the Wiregrass, obviously the entire region is proud to see you serve, Britt said.

Lets be clear. Alabama attempted to dilute the voting strength of Black citizens. When federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, ordered the state to knock it off, Alabama kept at it anyway. It did so in an attempt to gut what was left of the Voting Rights Act  a law passed in reaction to Alabamas historic mistreatment of Black voters. And one of the architects of that plan to gut that law was LaCour, who at best misrepresented the facts of that case to a politically pliant committee.

And now that man could soon be a federal judge  because those men and women on that committee dont care about the truth.

Heck, they dont even care about being lied to.

Just ask LaCour.

Correction: A previous version of this column reported LaCour had been included in an en bloc mass approval of Trump nominees. LaCour and other Alabama appointments to the federal bench were not included in that bloc and will be considered individually as soon as next week.
Britain's Prince Andrew and Prince Edward attend the state funeral and burial of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in London, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. (Hannah Mckay/Pool Photo via AP) AP AP

Virginia Giuffres upcoming memoir is revealing new details about her alleged encounters with Britains Prince Andrew.

In an excerpt from her posthumously published book, Nobodys Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, describes her first interaction with Andrew in 2001.

Giuffre recounts meeting the Duke of York at Ghislaine Maxwells London townhouse in March of that year, when she was 17 and Andrew was 41.

According to the excerpts obtained by The Times of London, Giuffre says she was initially excited when Maxwell  who was later found guilty of recruiting victims for sex offender Jeffrey Epstein  told her that she would be meeting the prince. She writes in the book about feeling like Cinderella.

However, when Andrew arrived, Guiffre claims Maxwell enlisted the prince to play a game where he was asked to guess the girls age, which she says he guessed correctly.

My daughters (Eugenie and Beatrice) are just a little younger than you, the royal allegedly told her at the time.

Later that night, Guiffre claims she and the royal had sex in the bathroom at Maxwells home. Reflecting on the encounter, Giuffre writes that in the years since, she thought a lot about how he behaved, saying that while he was friendly enough, he acted entitled  as if he believed having sex with her was his birthright.

Giuffre also claims that Epstein, whom she was allegedly introduced to while working at Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, paid her $15,000 to have sex with multiple people on his private island, including himself and the man the tabloids called Randy Andy.

In 2022, Prince Andrew ultimately reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre on a lawsuit in which she accused of him of sexual abuse. The settlement included a statement in which Andrew expressed regret for his association with Epstein, though he continued to deny any wrongdoing.

It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years. Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others, the statement read. He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.

Giuffres upcoming memoir was reportedly completed a year ago, with her saying that she wanted it published, even in the event of her death.

Nobodys Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice is set to be released on Oct. 21.

_____

2025 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A judge this week dismissed a misdemeanor charge against a small town court worker caught on video brandishing a gun outside city hall after a clash with a resident.

Tanilya Jackson, the court magistrate in Tarrant, was charged in April with possession of a having firearm inside a public building, a violation of state code.

Jefferson County District Judge Tanita Cain dismissed the case in an order signed on Wednesday in a simple one sentence order.

Jacksons attorney, Emory Mauldin, declined to comment when reached by AL.com on Friday.

The charges stemmed from an altercation in traffic court between Jackson and another woman on March 28.

Raven Shearer, who was in court for a traffic ticket, was arrested for disorderly conduct, but the conflict continued outside when she returned to get her car and words were exchanged with Jackson, who pulled a gun from her purse.

You think you got it going on with that gun, b****, Shearer shouted on the video.

Jackson, who was walking to her car with her son, instructed him to go back into the building after taking the gun from her handbag.

Lets go, Jackson said, standing alone while holding the weapon in one hand and a cellphone in the other.

Charges were then pressed by Jefferson County District Court Magistrate after Tarrant Police learned about the security camera video.

The exchange on March 28 is one of several dramatic interactions caught on cameras from both inside and outside city hall in Tarrant.

The town of about 6,000 people is just northeast of Birmingham has become known for its political turmoil where the outgoing mayor, members of the city council and residents spar regularly during council meetings on live broadcast.

Surveillance cameras mounted in offices throughout the Tarrant City Hall have also chronicled political arguments, personnel disputes and even a punch delivered by a longtime councilman against the mayor in 2022.
The mayor of Montgomery says the county should pay for the majority of the cost to help save a struggling hospital in the city.

Montgomery TV station WSFA reported that Mayor Steven Reed vetoed a resolution passed unanimously by the city council to support Jackson Hospital.

In a statement on Thursday, Reed said that under state law, its the county thats responsible for hospital and indigent care.

Therefore, we believe its appropriate for the County to have the majority stake in any future financing the mayor said.

But the county said it does provide indigent care through the Montgomery County Health Facility, fulfilling its legal obligation.

County commission chairman Doug Singleton told AL.com that the county is voting next week on a funding resolution for the hospital that could provide $10 million if passed.

But Reed wants the county to provide 60% of the funding, which would amount to $15 million, and the city would then provide the remaining 40% of the $25 million the hospital needs from local governments.

Singleton said the county and the city have split development funding 60-40 for at least 40 years, with the city taking the majority share because their budget is nearly three times the size of ours.

The chairman added that they are moving forward with the vote on providing 40% of the needed funding regardless of the mayors veto.

I dont want to now start negotiating every time we try to work together when weve already had this agreement in place all these years, Singleton said.

Jackson Hospital filed for bankruptcy in February after defaulting on $60 million in bonds four months earlier.

The council voted unanimously on Oct. 7 to enter into an agreement to provide support for the struggling hospital.

At the time, council president Cornelius Calhoun said that the city is willing to take the lead in the fight to save the hospital, but they will also need to negotiate with the county and surrounding communities that rely on Jackson.

This is not a burden just for the citizens of Montgomery to bear, Calhoun said last week.

Though the details of the agreement were not shared during the meeting, Singleton told AL.com that the council agreed to providing $15 million.

The hospital, one of three in Montgomery, has about 2,100 employees and has been in operation for almost 80 years.

Officials say that the hospital will need a $50 million grant from the state, county and city and an additional $50 million from the federal government in infrastructure funding to make deferred changes, such as upgrades to its NICU, trauma and cancer facilities. It also needs to make other changes, such as shoring up its nursing workforce.

We are not walking away from the table; we are insisting on a transparent process that clearly defines how public dollars will be used and what services Jackson Hospital will provide in return  including trauma care, indigent care, and other health services, the mayor said Thursday.

According to testimony at a bankruptcy hearing this week, hospital officials hope the money from the federal government could be pulled from the Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion fund that was passed in the big, beautiful bill in July.

The Montgomery mayor said he is still committed to supporting Jackson Hospital.

We are not withdrawing support from Jackson Hospital. We are insisting on accountability, fairness, and partnership  for the good of our residents and the integrity of public resources, Reed said.

However, the mayor added that he has not yet seen a written commitment from the state regarding their funding, though hes been in communication with the governors office.

We encourage anyone with questions about the States role to contact our local legislative delegation for further clarification, Reeds statement said.

According to Singleton, the state will only come to the table once the city and county agree on financing.

The local people have to step up first, he said.

This story was updated to include comments from Montgomery County Commission Chairman Doug Singleton.
LONDON (AP)  Prince Andrew said Friday he is giving up his royal title of the Duke of York after his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein returned to the headlines.

The younger brother of King Charles III said he and the royal family had decided the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family, Prince Andrew said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace.

The statement said:

In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me."

The announcement comes as excerpts have been published of an upcoming posthumous memoir from Virginia Giufffre, who has alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and had sex with Andrew when she was 17.

READ MORE: Epstein victim said Prince Andrew told her: My daughters are just a little younger than you
Neffeteria Nikki Henderson was found shot to death Oct. 7, 2025, inside her Lincoln home. (Carol Robinson)

Authorities are asking for the publics help in the investigation into the shooting death of a Lincoln woman.

Neffeteria Nikki Henderson was found dead at her home on Thomaston Road on Oct. 7.

Hendersons husband made the discovery about 3:15 p.m. that Tuesday.

Talladega County Coroner Shaddix Murphy said Henderson had sustained a gunshot wound to the chest.

Additional details have not been released, and no arrests have been made.

Crime Stoppers 215-Stop on Thursday announced a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Anyone with information is asked to call Lincoln police investigators at 205-763-4070 or 205-763-4061. Tipsters can also call 334-215-STOP (7867) or submit a tip online at P3Tips.com.
Food assistance for 112,000 Alabama women, babies the shutdowns most important casualty, health officer says

State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said Thursday there is no clear path to sustain a program that helps feed about 112,000 women and small children in Alabama and that is in limbo because of the political standoff in Washington.

The state is not receiving funds for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, because of the federal government shutdown.

The firing of thousands of federal employees, one consequence of the shutdown, has made it harder for ADPH, which gets most of its money from the federal government, to get answers about programs like WIC, Harris said.

WIC is a supplemental nutrition program for pregnant women, breastfeeding women, women who had a baby in the last six months, infants, and children under 5.

This Alabama river beloved by kayakers and swimmers is being poisoned with toxic metals, lawsuit claims

The Black Warrior Riverkeeper filed a lawsuit on Thursday, Oct. 16, against PB Services LLC for violating the Clean Water Act at Bessie Mine and Locust Fork Red Rock in Jefferson County.

PB Services operates the red rock mining and iron ore waste reclamation facility in Adamsville that also conducts dry processing of the materials it mines and reclaims.

The lawsuit alleges violations of the permit holders limits on the discharge of cadmium, manganese, selenium, thallium, total suspended solids, and toxicity.

It also alleges discharging pollution without a permit, since PB Services failed to renew its pollution permit for more than two years, and that PB Services has not performed required sampling of its pollution discharges.

The Locust Fork is home to a wide array of aquatic species and is frequented by many for kayaking, canoeing, swimming, fishing, boating, enjoying nature, the Black Warrior Riverkeeper notes in its lawsuit.

Heres why Alabama airports are refusing a request from Homeland Security

Alabamas major airports are not showing an informational video featuring the federal director of homeland security that many in the industry have shelved over concerns that it veers into partisan politics rather than traveler safety.

Airport officials in Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile told AL.com that the video is not airing on their monitors.

Major airports nationwide have largely rebuffed requests to play the video, which features Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Noem in her video blames Democrats for the federal government shutdown. Democrats and Republicans in Congress have wrangled over details in the budget and extensions in the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.

Airport checkpoints often include videos, sometimes those from government officials, but those videos are not normally political in nature.

Noems video has raised questions about whether airing it is legal or if it violates the Hatch Act. The federal law prohibits federal employees from using their position for partisan activities. The president himself is exempt from the law.

The podcast
Diego the jaguar went on full-time exhibit in his new habitat on Oct. 17, 2025. (Photo by Greg Garrison/AL.com) ggarrison@al.com

Visitors to the Birmingham Zoo might be spotting something new and spotted this weekend.

Diego, a male jaguar, has arrived at the Birmingham Zoo and is adjusting to his new outdoor habitat outfitted with a running waterfall in the Primates/South America Building. He went on permanent exhibit in his habitat on Friday, Oct. 17.

Diego replaces Khan, the previous jaguar, who went to the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida, as part of the breeding program in the Jaguar Species Survival Plan.

Diego arrived in Birmingham on August 25 from the Memphis Zoo. Since arriving in Birmingham, Diego has been settling into his indoor and outdoor habitats while building relationships with the zoo keepers. His newly enhanced outdoor habitat features the waterfall, new landscaping, and dynamic climbing structures that give him plenty of room to explore, prowl, and perch.

Born on Jan. 24, 2017, Diego has already made a name for himself, having successfully fathered cubs and contributed to the long-term future of the species. Diego was at the Elmwood Park Zoo before arriving at the Memphis Zoo in 2018. He fathered two cubs at the Memphis Zoo.

We are delighted to welcome Diego to the Birmingham Zoo, said Chris Pfefferkorn, President and CEO of the Birmingham Zoo. Diego has been enjoying his enhanced habitat and we look forward to our guests meeting him at the Birmingham Zoo, said Pfefferkorn. We are also pleased to report Khan is doing well at the Brevard Zoo and introductions to a future mate are going well. Hopefully he will father cubs in the future as AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) continues to help protect the jaguar species. Our mission is inspiring passion to conserve the natural world and these jaguars are definitely helping us do that.

Jaguars are native to South America and are the third largest cat in the world. There are around 173,000 jaguars left in the world today with most of these big cats being found in the Amazon rainforest. In the wild, jaguars can live up to 12 to 15 years. With the expertise of animal care professionals, they can live up to 20 years or longer. Jaguars are a Near Threatened species with a decreasing population. They are under threat from growing demand for their fur, teeth, and claws.
A courtesy meeting between Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe, Minister of Trade of Sri Lanka and Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director General of International Labour Organization

Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe, Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development paid a courtesy call on Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director General of the International Labour Organization on 16 October 2025 at the ILO Office, on the margins of the Fifth Review of the Trade Policies and Practices of Sri Lanka, which is being held from 15-17 October 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.
USDA Wildlife Specialist Jay Myers inthis file photo throws bait during day three of the week-long operation to drop rabies vaccination packets over 600 square miles of Autauga and Elmore Counties.

As the U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to distribute bait packets containing an oral rabies vaccine across Alabama, some pet owners are concerned about their furry friends eating the bait.

One woman in a Vestavia Hills Facebook group posted this week that her 11-month-old puppy found and chewed up over 20 of the packets when she had her outside in the morning.

The owner said that the puppy began foaming at the mouth but was cleared by her vet after being examined.

State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Dee Jones told AL.com Friday that while 20 is an unusually large amount for an animal to ingest, the packets are generally not harmful to pets if consumed.

Im not sure how the dog got 20 packets, he said.

But at some point, yeah, I mean that many packets could be some obstruction problem, you know, even though most of the time they vomit it back up.

But that would be an enormous number and thats certainly not indicative of the normal calls we get, he continued.

Like most of the time its two or three or less than five packets.

After more than a decade of taking calls for pets who have consumed the packets, Jones said this was the first report he had seen where a dog consumed more than 10.

But he asserted that it would likely take more than even 20 of the packets to cause any long-term effects.

Certainly, there is an attractant on the vaccine on these sachet packets, he said.

It is fish meal, which can cause some gastrointestinal issues. So, I think you should expect vomiting and diarrhea.

He added, if it went on for more than 24 hours, I would very much consider taking the pet to the veterinarian to just be on the safe side.

He said that the U.S. has been running these rabies bait drops for roughly 20 years across 17 states, and all research within that time has confirmed that the vaccine is not harmful to domestic pets.

He added that the packets do not cause rabies in animals, nor will they protect an unvaccinated pet against rabies. So, owners should keep their pet on its regular vaccine schedule even if it ingests one of the baits.

Jones said the states federal wildlife partners typically only drop baits in a specific area once a year, and the attractant dissolves over a short period of time.

So, he said pet owners should supervise their pets outside for the next few weeks if theyre worried about ingestion but added that the baits wont last or be attractive to cats and dogs for very long.

While the baits have also proven to be non-harmful to cats, Jones said he had never received a call for a cat ingesting one.

If owners are concerned about their pet being exposed to the packets, Jones advised them to call the number listed on the bait and report it.

We are always interested in exposures, he said.

If theres anything beyond the vomiting and diarrhea, we do report that back to wildlife services and onto the vaccine manufacturer and so forth.
Jefferson County Commission Chamber at the courthouse in downtown Birmingham, Ala. Joseph D. Bryant

A federal appeals court has put the brakes on new district lines for Alabamas most populous county that could have dramatically changed its political leadership.

Commission district lines for Jefferson County will remain the same for at least another term after a federal appeals court paused another judges order to re-draw maps.

The ruling Thursday from the federal 11th Circuit Court of Appeals represented a win for the current county Commission while dashing immediate hopes of activists seeking to redraw lines and potentially reshape the countys political leadership.

U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala in September ruled that the Jefferson County Commission violated the rights of Black voters by stuffing them into two districts based on race and must draw a new map for its five districts. She ordered leaders to draw new maps for the five commission districts.

However, the victory for activists is dashed for now by the ruling from a panel of judges who paused Haikalas order for immediate action.

That means the current map with three majority White and heavily Republican districts and two largely Black and Democratic districts will remain the same for the 2026 commission election.

We appreciate the 11th Circuit understanding our concerns and granting a stay, Jefferson County Attorney Theo Lawson said. We look forward to presenting out position.

The judges in a two to one decision ruled that the plaintiffs waited too long to file their challenge to the current district lines and agreed with county that there was not enough time to draft new lines.

The appeals court ruling concluded that  the plaintiffs have unduly delayed bringing their complaint. The Commission adopted the 2021 plan in November 2021, and the plaintiffs then waited more than 17 months to bring these suits. The plaintiffs delay, on its own, is sufficient to warrant a stay.

A coalition of plaintiffs in the McClure v. Jefferson County Commission case argued that the Jefferson County Commissions current five-district map illegally packed Black voters into two districts and unfairly diluted their influence elsewhere.

It looks like the Jefferson County Commission will do anything they can to avoid their responsibility of utilizing a map that provides fair representation for all of us in the county, not just a chosen few, said Cara McClure, founder and executive director of Faith and Works Statewide Civic Engagement Collective. The commission can conjure procedural hurdles all day, but they cannot delay justice when it comes knocking. Its high time Black voters had an equal say in our local government.

If it ultimately survives a pending appeal Haikalas ruling in Birmingham could shift political power in Alabamas largest county by flipping its commission from majority Republican to Democrat. But if will be at least four years if any change occurs.

Plaintiffs remain hopeful in spite of the courts stay. They also criticize the public expense associated with hiring out of state lawyers to fight their push for new maps.

The Eleventh Circuit has not yet addressed the merits of the District Courts underlying decision, said Birmingham attorney Richard Rice, who represents 11 plaintiffs in the combined case. Many voters are calling for transparency, requesting the disclosure of expenses related to the ongoing litigation, and demanding that the commission withdraw the appeal and collaborate with the plaintiffs to create a remedial map ahead of the November 3, 2026, election cycle.

Attorneys for Jefferson County had defended the map as legal and a continuation of lines that were drawn as the result of a 1986 consent decree that created two majority Black districts. The latest map, they said, included minor adjustments needed to make district populations even and other changes for the convenience of voters. County attorneys also previously argued that district line changes could have been based on political preference, which is legal, but not race.

The next race for Jefferson County Commission is in 2026 beginning with party primaries in May. The general election is in November.
Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., speaks in the Oval Office of the White House as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and President Donald Trump listen, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) AP

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced changes that he said would make fertility treatments, including in-vitro fertilization, more affordable for families by lowering costs for the drugs used and expanding insurance coverage.

The president thanked Alabama U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, who joined him for the White House news conference, for bringing the issue to his attention.

That came after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling in 2024 caused in-vitro fertilization clinics in the state to temporarily pause services.

Trump announced Thursday that EMD Serono, a leading maker of the drugs used in fertility treatments, will substantially reduce the cost of those medications sold in the United States.

The president announced changes that he said would result in companies offering insurance coverage specifically for fertility.

Were here today to announce a historic victory for American women, mothers and families, Trump said.

The actions I will outline this afternoon will dramatically slash the cost of IVF and the treatment and many of the most common fertility drugs for countless millions of Americans. Prices are going way down, way, way down.

Alongside President Trump, Ive been proud to lead the charge in the Senate to help parents start and grow their families, Britt posted on social media.

We celebrate another incredible milestone, as President Trump delivers huge wins for families struggling with infertility. The Trump Administration is the most pro-family administration in history.

Along with Britt, Trump thanked Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Libby Horne, senior vice president at EMD Serono, for helping to bring about the changes.

For years, American couples struggling with infertility have faced crushing costs in their quest to start a family, Trump said.

Alongside President Trump, Ive been proud to lead the charge in the Senate to help parents start and grow their families.



Today, we celebrate another incredible milestone, as President Trump delivers huge wins for families struggling with infertility. The Trump Administration pic.twitter.com/KLrJsHy7cK  Katie Britt (@KatieBrittforAL) October 16, 2025

And IVF is among the most expensive treatments of all. A single round of IVF in the United States can cost up to $25,000, can actually go a lot higher than that.

And many couples require multiple rounds for a successful pregnancy. A major reason for these high prices is the excessive cost of the drugs involved.

Trump said the high costs are a main reason that employers generally do not offer insurance coverage for IVF.

Were also taking historic steps to vastly expand access to insurance coverage for fertility care, including IVF, something that, as you know, was not covered, Trump said.

The president said he expects employers to begin offering insurance coverage for infertility and encouraged them to do so, just as they do for vision and dental insurance.

This will make all fertility care, including IVF, far more affordable and accessible, Trump said.

And by providing coverage at every step of the way, it will reduce the number of people who ultimately need to resort to IFV because couples will be able to identify and address problems early.

The result will be healthier pregnancies, healthier babies, and many more beautiful American children.

In February 2024, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos stored by IVF clinics had the legal status of children for purposes of the states wrongful death of a minor law.

The ruling came in lawsuits filed by three couples whose frozen embryos were accidentally destroyed at the Center for Reproductive Medicine in Mobile.

IVF providers and families flocked to Montgomery to urge the Legislature to address the issue.

Lawmakers quickly passed a bill intended to give clinics immunity, and most services resumed.

I will say Katie was great, Trump said Thursday.

As you know, shes a great senator from Alabama. Shes the first one that told me about this. I had not known too much about it. And we worked very rapidly together. Didnt we, though? We had everything passed in Alabama, then took care of it and passed it. Within a week. Everything was done. Really. It was something.

So I want to thank Katie Britt. Theres no deeper happiness and joy of raising children. And now millions of Americans struggling with infertility will have a new chance to share the greatest experience of them all.
There will be a higher probability for warmer-than-average weather for all of Alabama during the winter months (December, January and February). Climate Prediction Center

Meteorological winter begins in only 45 days.

What should Alabama expect?

No forecast is 100 percent accurate this far out, but there are overriding trends that could provide clues about the upcoming season.

NOAA has released its winter outlook, and the climate phenomenon La Nina could be a player in the weather from December through at least February.

And possibly beyond into severe weather season.

Meteorological winter is made up of the months of December, January and February.

Those are typically Alabamas coldest months, but they can also bring bouts of severe weather.

NOAAs Climate Prediction Center says La Nina will be an influence on the weather over the winter.

La Nina starts with cooler-than-average ocean waters in the Pacific off the coast of South America. Those cooler waters can spawn changes in the climate patterns worldwide, including in Alabama:

La Nina is expected to influence the weather in Alabama over the winter. NWS/NOAA

Each La Nina is different, but typically they bring warmer and drier conditions for Alabama over the winter.

With that in mind, NOAAs Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a higher probability (40 to 50 percent) of above-average temperatures for south Alabama for December through February.

The rest of the state has slightly lower odds (33 to 40 percent) of warmer temperatures.

What about precipitation?

The precipitation outlook for the winter months suggests Alabamas recent dry stretch could continue:

North and central parts of Alabama will have equal chances for above-average or below-average precipitation over the winter. However, parts of south Alabama will have higher odds of drier-than average weather. CPC

Areas in dark brown in the map above, including southeast Alabama, have a 50 to 60 percent probability of having below-average precipitation from December through February.

The rest of south Alabama will have a 40-50 percent chance for drier-than-average weather.

The rest of the state will have equal chances for above-average or below-average precipitation, according to forecasters.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham weighed in on the winter outlook, saying that La Nina could influence Alabamas weather pattern.

According to the weather service, La Nina can bring more variation in the location of areas of high pressure and low pressure and typically shifts storm-system tracks more to the north.

But the question will be: How strong will this La Nina be?

The weather service said right now forecasters are leaning toward this La Nina being on the weaker side, which could mute some of its typical effects.

However, for Alabama La Nina typically means drier weather, the weather service said, which means ongoing drought conditions could continue or get worse through the winter.

But what about snow? Will there be any chance?

The weather service said that when looking at past La Nina winters and snowfall, there were several years that had measurable snow. Though there were more years without snow than snow.

Looking beyond the winter months, the weather service said that a continued presence of La Nina may mean a more interesting severe weather season.
Earlier this week, hundreds of controversial messages from a group chat comprised of young Republican leaders were leaked. They contained sexist, antisemitic and violent remarks.

Politico published on Tuesday hundreds of messages from a Telegram chat used by leaders of Young Republican chapters in several states, including New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont.

Several officials across the country have taken action against those involved. The Kansas Young Republicans was dissolved by the state GOP after the report surfaced. In New York, State Assemblymember Mike Reilly fired Peter Giunta, the individual who allegedly created the group chat, from his role as chief of staff.

However, not all officials have reacted in the same way. Vice President JD Vance has come to their defense, arguing that he does not want to live in a country "where a kid telling a very offensive, stupid joke is cause to ruin their lives."

Appearing on "The Charlie Kirk Show," Vance said that the public should not take decisive action against those involved. He added that society in the United States needs to stop punishing people for things said on the internet.

"They tell edgy, offensive jokes, like, that's what kids do," Vance said, as reported by NBC News. "And I really don't want us to grow up in a country where a kid telling a stupid joke  telling a very offensive, stupid joke  is cause to ruin their lives. And at some point we're all going to have to say enough of this BS, we're not going to allow the worst moment in a 21-year-old's group chat to ruin a kid's life for the rest of time. That's just not OK."

The messages reportedly included racial slurs targeting Black and Latino individuals, praise of Adolf Hitler and jokes about sending opponents to gas chambers.

While some of those identified declined to comment or questioned the way the messages were obtained, others issued apologies.

Giunta said he was "so sorry to those offended by the insensitive and inexcusable language found within the more than 28,000 messages of a private group chat that I created during my campaign to lead the Young Republicans."

"While I take complete responsibility, I have had no way of verifying their accuracy and am deeply concerned that the message logs in question may have been deceptively doctored," he added.

As NBC News noted, this is not the first time Vance has used such rhetoric. In February, he advocated for rehiring a federal employee who resigned after making controversial social media posts supporting racism and eugenics.

Heres my view:



I obviously disagree with some of Elezs posts, but I dont think stupid social media activity should ruin a kids life.



We shouldnt reward journalists who try to destroy people. Ever.



So I say bring him back.



If hes a bad dude or a terrible member of https://t.co/OgG6Z3hKPE  JD Vance (@JDVance) February 7, 2025

Although Vance's remarks suggest a degree of solidarity with those involved in the group chat leak, recent actions by the Trump administration reveal inconsistencies in how some Republicans define free and protected speech.

Following Kirk's assassination last month, Vance and other Republican leaders called for people who celebrated his death to be fired or otherwise punished.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of State confirmed that it had revoked the visas of six foreign nationals who publicly celebrated Kirk's murder.

In a statement posted on its official X account, the State Department said, "The United States has no obligation to host foreigners who wish death upon Americans." The agency added that it "will continue identifying visa holders who celebrated the heinous murder of Charlie Kirk," stating that such individuals "are not welcome in the United States."

Among those affected was Serena Luciano, an Argentine student living in Chicago, who wrote on Facebook that Kirk "dedicated his life to spreading racist, xenophobic, and misogynistic rhetoric" and "deserves to burn in hell." Her post gained attention from conservative figures and U.S. officials, leading to the revocation of her student visa, as reported by La Tercera.

Other sanctioned individuals include citizens of South Africa, Germany, Brazil, Paraguay and Mexico. According to the State Department, their posts either mocked Kirk's death or justified it on ideological grounds.

Originally published on Latin Times
Weve recently talked about how AT&T settled a court case to pay millions to users after data breaches it suffered. Well, thats not the only tech settlement case out there. There are actually 4 big tech settlement payments that you may be eligible for in 2025, and folks over at Mashable were kind enough to round them up.

4 tech companies are sending out billions in settlement payouts

In this article, well list all four possibilities, as some of you may not even be aware that you could be owed money. Well kick things off with AT&T and work our way down the list.

AT&T

AT&T has recently settled a court case over several data breaches that happened between 2019 and 2024. If youre an AT&T customer, you may be entitled to some of the $177 million settlement. AT&T will be paying out up to $7,500 per customer, depending on how affected you were by the breaches.

The company said that it will contact customers between August and October regarding the whole ordeal. If you havent been contacted yet, you will be soon, though you can check things out for yourself. Check out the website devoted to the settlement. Youll find all the necessary details there.

Amazon

The second in line, in no specific order, is Amazon. This is a much bigger settlement in comparison, as Amazon agreed to pay $1.5 billion to 35 million customers. Why? Well, over alleged deceptive practices regarding Prime membership.

If you signed up to be a Prime member between 2019 and 2025, and did that by using one of the challenged enrollment flows, you could be eligible to get a payment from Amazon. Some customers will get automatically paid, while others will need to send their claims form.

Anthropic

Anthropic also agreed to pay $1.5 billion, just like Amazon, but for an entirely different purpose. Anthropic will be paying the money to authors over allegations it used their work to train its AI model.

One thing worth noting is that the judge in this case has expressed reservations about the settlement, so things may still change.

Facebook

The deadline for claim submissions in the Facebook case was back in 2023. So you cannot do it for this one anymore, but Facebook did start paying out settlements related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal last month. So if you sent in a claim, you could be getting some cash soon, if you havent already.
Samsung just dropped $773 million on new machines to compete with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company or TSMC.

This is a huge deal, actually. Samsung hasnt really spent a lot of money improving their chipmaking machines for a while. But reports out of Korea say that they have spent about $773 million on the most advanced chipmaking machines. These machines come from ASML which is based in the Netherlands. Why is Samsung dropping this kind of cash? Obviously, it wants to better compete in the 2nm space.

These two, yes, only two, machines that Samsung has purchased are expected to be delivered by the middle of next year. And Samsung views this as a critical investment for ensuring that Samsung Semi is competitive around the world.

This is also Samsungs first acqusition of high NA EUV machines intended for mass production of 2nm chips.

Samsung doesnt want a repeat of 3nm

Samsung really stumbled when it came to the 3nm process, and it doesnt want to repeat that. So it is prioritizing advanced processes at 2nm and below.

Last year, Jinman Han took over as head of Samsungs foundry division and instructed his team to prioritize 2nm-based chip production. Samsung is going to be deploying these machines at its 2nm foundry lines were the Exynos 2600 is currently being manufactured. This is also likely the equipment that will be used to manufacture Teslas 2nm AI chips. Tesla and Samsung signed a $16.5 billion agreement for these chips back in July.

Currently, TSMC is the foundry that every company wants to use for their chips. Apple, Google, Qualcomm and MediaTek are all using TSMC to manufacture their current 3nm chips used in their devices. With Google having made the jump to TSMC this year for the Tensor G5. Though, Google will use TSMC again for the Tensor G6, its possible that it could jump back to Samsung after, for 2nm.
Ulefone has made an appearance on the 138th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair. This is Ulefones inaugural participation at the Canton Fair, actually.

Ulefone makes its first appearance at the Canton Fair

Ulefone did this to show its commitment to expanding its global footprint by showcasing a new generation of high-end, durable devices. By the way, the Canton Fair has been around since 1957.

The first phase kicked off on October 15, and its dedicated to Electronics, Appliances, and Machinery. At the fair, Ulefone showed off its products, of course.

The Ulefone Armor 29 series is definitely worth highlighting, especially the Armor 29 Pro Thermal. It comes with a 1,000-lumen LED light and a dual screen setup. It also has a thermal imaging setup. On top of that, a huge 21,200 battery is included.

Ulefone also highlighted its Armor Pad 5 series of rugged tablets. Those tablets include a 24,200mAh battery, and the Armor Pad 5 Ultra is the most powerful of all. It integrates an ultra-bright DLP projector and high-res night vision cameras.

The company brought a bunch of products, including its budget RugKing device

The RugKing series is currently a single phone, but its a budget rugged device. It comes with IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810H certifications. If you need an affordable, but very tough device, this is it.

Those are just some highlights from the Canton Fair. Ulefone has plenty more products to show off there. Ulefone is also extending invitations to all international distributors, buyers, and media partners to visit them at Booth 7.1A35 in Hall 7.1. Ulefones senior international team will be present throughout the exhibition in order to facilitate strategic discussions on regional distribution agreements, tailored enterprise solutions, and the companys forward-looking product roadmap.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot insists British record signing Alexander Isaks season starts now as he believes the striker has finally reached a level where he will be fully effective.

The 125million transfer has played just 313 minutes over six appearances, scoring just once in a Carabao Cup win over Southampton, since his move from Newcastle on deadline day as the club sought to ease him into life at Anfield after he missed the whole of pre-season.

Isak has played an additional minutes 198 minutes for Sweden, although in two full World Cup qualifiers over the international break he failed to find the net against Kosovo or Switzerland.

However, ahead of the visit of arch-rivals Manchester United, Slot said the 26-year-old was now ready to go.

I think now he has had his five, six weeks of pre-season which is normal for every player, especially if you have been out for three or four months, said the Dutchman.

Fitness-wise he is close to the level he should be and we can judge him in a fair way from now on.

I know how this industry works, if he plays there (Sweden) twice and doesnt score thats not what youre hoping for, of course.

Liverpools Alexander Isak is ready to go, according to his boss (Adam Davy/PA)

You are hoping if they go to the national team they score goals like Cody (Gakpo) did, like Virgil (van Dijk) did, like Dominik (Szoboszlai) did, like (Alexis) Mac Allister did but he didnt.

His pre-season has maybe finished now, he has played a few games 70, 80, 90 minutes so lets see where he is in the upcoming weeks.

Isak is not the only player who has struggled over the early part of the season.

Even before they lost three games in a week, a number of Slots squad had been under-performing, including the likes of midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah.

The former is another who has been affected by a lack of full fitness but, after scoring twice in Argentinas friendly win over Venezuela, Slot hopes he is back to his best.

One thing is clear is that he missed out on a lot, unfortunately. He went out (injured) immediately after we won the league and we were expecting him to be back for the start of pre-season, which he wasnt, added the head coach.

That led to the fact he wasnt able to play three times in a row, so he went in-out, in-out 60 minutes, 45 minutes, and that is never an ideal scenario for a player.

But like all the others he is a player who has experienced so much already in his career he will be back at the level he wants and the level I want from him.

Mohamed Salah was scrutinised for his defensive contribution against Chelsea (Adam Davy/PA)

Salah, whose return of four goals in 10 games is below his expected high levels, also scored twice as Egypt secured World Cup qualification against Djibouti, but he has come in for scrutiny for his all-round contribution, particularly defensively against Chelsea, who targeted Liverpools right side.

I heard the comments from Marc Cucurella and saw how they scored the 2-1, but I can also show you the five or six moments where Mo could have made the difference for us, Slot added.

If that had happened, we would have had the conversation like we did last season where he made the difference so many times for us. If that doesnt happen then there are probably comments like this.
Australian suspect Darcy Francesco Jenson (C), 27, one of three men accused of murder over the shooting of Australian citizens, is escorted back to a prison after being questioned by prosecutors in Badung, Bali, on October 15, 2025 (AFP via Getty Images)

Three Australians accused of fatally shooting a fellow countryman in Bali are facing the prospect of the death penalty after being charged with premeditated murder.

Darcy Francesco Jenson, 27, Mevlut Coskun, 22, and Tupou Pasa I Midolmore, 26, are accused of planning and executing the killing of Zivan Radmanovic, according to Badung police chief Arif Batubara.

We have officially handed over the suspects and evidence to prosecutors today, Mr Arif said on Wednesday, according to the Jakarta Post.

Sutrisno Margi Utama, the head of the Badung prosecutors office, said the three Australians will be charged for premeditated murder and for the illegal possession of firearms. "The suspects will remain in detention at Kerobokan Prison while awaiting trial, he added.

Radmanovic, a 32-year-old from Melbourne, was killed just after midnight on 13 June at a villa near Munggu Beach in Balis Badung district. A second man, a 34-year-old from Melbourne, was beaten up.

Police earlier said they had detained two suspects, but further investigation led police to arrest a third man who allegedly helped them prepare the killing.

Witnesses at the villa told investigators that two gunmen arrived on a scooter at the villa around midnight. Radmanovic was shot in a bathroom of his room, where police found 17 bullet casings and two intact bullets.

The crime scene investigation and surveillance cameras showed that the two suspects were the shooters, Bali police chief Daniel Adityajaya told reporters. The third suspect helped the others by buying a hammer used to break down the villa door, renting two cars and three motorcycles and buying ferry and bus tickets to flee the island, he added.

Radmanovics wife, Gourdeas Jazmyn, 30, told police that she suddenly woke up when she heard her husband screaming. She cowered under a blanket when she heard multiple gunshots.

She later found her husbands body and the other injured Australian, whose wife also testified to seeing the attackers.

One of the suspects was caught at Jakartas Soekarno Hatta international airport on 16 June, and the following day the other two were arrested with the help of Interpol, in Singapore and Cambodia, and sent back to Indonesia.

Police have not yet revealed a motive for the shooting. If convicted of premeditated murder, the three could potentially face the death penalty under Indonesian law.
Banks have sometimes missed opportunities to help break the spell of romance scams, according to the City regulator.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it had seen examples of banks going to significant lengths to protect those at risk of romance fraud.

But the regulator also uncovered some missed chances to prevent scams.

City of London Police figures suggest more than 106 million was reported lost to romance fraud in the UK in the 2024/25 financial year, with a 9% annual increase in romance fraud reports. It is estimated that, on average, victims lost 11,222 each.

Victims are tricked into sending money to fraudsters who create false romantic relationships or friendships. More than eight in 10 (85%) cases examined by the FCA started online, particularly through social media and dating websites, suggesting platforms have a critical role to play in preventing fraud and reducing harm, the regulator said.

Losses in confirmed romance fraud cases assessed by the FCA ranged from 100 to 428,249.

In its romance fraud review, the FCA set out measures that banks and other payment firms could take to protect their customers  such as better detection and monitoring systems, staff training, early identification of signs of vulnerability, and compassionate aftercare.

The regulator said firms can have difficulty stepping in because victims may be reluctant to accept they are being defrauded. In nearly half (42%) of the cases the FCA reviewed, victims did not disclose the true reason for making a payment when asked.

A key area of improvement is for firms to ensure their staff are trained to spot red flags and critically probe customer explanations, the regulator said. It added that this was not consistent across all firms.

In 15% of the cases reviewed, customers had previously been victims of fraud while banking with the same firm, highlighting the need for tailored protections and ongoing monitoring, the regulator said.

In a quarter (25%) of cases, victims were coerced into getting funds from various sources, including new loans, borrowing from friends and family or liquidating their personal assets.

The regulator identified cases where victims were left in a financially vulnerable situation, with one entering an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA).

In one case in the FCAs review, someone made 403 payments to a fraudster over the course of a year, resulting in losses of more than 72,000.

Another case involved a victim telling bank staff they intended to send cryptocurrency payments to Iraq, claiming it was the only method accepted by their partner in the military.

But it said many firms were providing a high level of support, occasionally exceeding the FCAs expectations, through compassionate and tailored engagement.

Steve Smart, executive director of enforcement and market oversight at the FCA, said: Romance fraud is a vicious crime. All too often it is the vulnerable that fall victim. The impact  financially and personally  can be devastating.

We recognise the challenge banks and payment firms have in combating this complex crime and this review aims to help them stay one step ahead of the criminals.

We also all need to be on guard so we can protect ourselves and loved ones by recognising the romance fraud red flags.

The FCA said it saw positive examples of banks and payment firms going above and beyond. One firm made 11 calls over a six-week period to support a victim, demonstrating a commitment to breaking the fraudsters hold and restoring customer confidence, the regulator said.

Another responded with care to a victim who had recently divorced and was supporting a child undergoing cancer treatment, it said. They proceeded to closely monitor the victims account.

Highlighting red flags of romance fraud, the FCA said alarm bells should ring if a person who you have only dealt with online asks for money or suggests investments.

Asking for lots of personal information is another potential warning sign.

People can use image checkers to see if the photo of the person they believe they are talking to has been taken from elsewhere.

People should report scams to the police and their bank or building society. Speaking to the account provider as soon as possible may help it to claw back any losses and prevent further payments going out.

Michelle Pilsworth, head of fraud and complaints, Santander UK, said: Since January, weve seen nearly 5.5 million stolen by scammers through romance fraud alone.

These criminals will invest time in building an emotional connection, before asking for money theyll claim is needed for food, medical treatment, or an investment opportunity. Were also increasingly seeing them asking for gift cards.

The lengths these scammers go to, to earn a consumers trust, make these one of the most distressing scams, leaving people feeling emotional and financially vulnerable.

At Santander, we have a dedicated break the spell team, a specialist fraud prevention unit that works with customers who are being manipulated by scammers, particularly in cases of romance scams.

In the first six months of this year, the team stopped scammers stealing a further 3.5 million from our customers.

Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director, Lloyds, said: Taking advantage of people who are looking for love and companionship, fraudsters play with victims emotions when they could be at their most vulnerable.

Whilst they can be convincing, its easy to spot some of the most obvious mistakes these scammers can make. Always take a step back and ask yourself if what they are telling you sounds believable.

Never in any circumstances, send money to someone youve met online. No good relationship starts off in this way, and there arent many valid reasons in 2025 why someone cant speak to you on the phone.

If you have an older person in your life that is active online, make sure to educate them as best you can on the risks and signs of potential fraudsters looking to take advantage of them.

Pat Hurley, ombudsman director at the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), said: Over the past year alone, weve received hundreds of complaints about romance scams, often involving scammers deceiving victims and gaining their trust using different online platforms like dating sites and gaming apps.

Its important that people understand that there is no shame in falling victim to a romance scam. People dont need to feel embarrassed, there is help available.

Nick Sharp, deputy director for fraud at the National Crime Agency, said: Romance fraud affects people not only financially, but also emotionally, with victims often finding it challenging to contemplate that someone they thought they could trust was not what they thought.

This makes it one of the most harmful types of fraud that victims face and all the more important that all industries take every opportunity to identify such frauds and develop a victim-centred approach.

Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: Banks and payment providers are on the front line to protect their customers from sending money to fraudsters, so its good to see the FCA setting out clear expectations for how these firms should protect their customers.

The regulator must not hesitate to take action against any firms falling short.

A UK Finance spokesperson said: Banks are committed to protecting their customers from romance fraud  they invest significant sums and have teams that are trained to spot warning signs.

The FCAs review highlights that a lot of good work is done to keep people safe and prevent this awful crime from taking place.

Firms will take on board the FCAs findings and look to make any improvements needed to keep even more people safe.

The spokesperson added: We need social media and dating sites to take much greater action to address the problem that begins on their platforms.

To stay safe, its important to be open and honest with your bank when they ask you questions regarding your payments.

And we encourage everyone to follow the advice of the Take Five To Stop Fraud campaign and contact your bank if you are concerned about being a victim of fraud.
Marc Benioff delivers the keynote address at the start of the Dreamforce conference in San Francisco. Photograph: Jessica Christian/AP

Marc Benioff, the billionaire CEO of Salesforce and owner of Time magazine, apologized on Friday for saying he supported Donald Trump sending national guard troops to San Francisco.

Benioff, who has been facing intensifying backlash in California, said in a post that after he listened closely to my fellow San Franciscans and our local officials  I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco.

He said his earlier comments came from an abundance of caution around his companys major annual conference called Dreamforce, which took place this week. I sincerely apologize for the concern it caused. Its my firm belief that our city makes the most progress when we all work together in a spirit of partnership.

The executive of the cloud-based software firm had expressed support for the federal deployment in an interview with the New York Times last week, saying: We dont have enough cops, so if they can be cops, Im all for it. The newspaper said he had made clear he avidly supported President Trump.

The comments sparked an uproar, with critics noting longstanding federal law widely bans the domestic deployment of troops for criminal law enforcement duties.

Benioffs pro-Trump remarks also suggested a sharp turn from his previous support of liberal policies. During Trumps first administration, he was outspoken about wealth inequality, backing a 2018 local ballot measure to tax large corporations in San Francisco to increase funding for homeless services. He called out other billionaires for hoarding their wealth in a Guardian interview at the time and criticized opponents of the measure, saying: Youre either for the homeless or youre for yourself.

The CEO mostly lives in Hawaii now, according to the New York Times.

He walked back his comments days after Trump suggested San Francisco could be the next target for federal troops deployment. California and city leaders have said the intervention was not welcome or necessary, and immigrants rights groups said they were bracing for a possible increase in raids, arrests and detentions.

Related: San Francisco opposes authoritarian crackdown as Trump threatens to send troops

Benioff said in last weeks interview that he believed San Francisco needed 1,000 more officers added to its 1,500-size force. During his conference, he said, there would be cops on every corner  how it used to be.

Trump has repeatedly used false and exaggerated claims about out-of-control crime to justify federal crackdowns in liberal cities, which have attracted mass protests met with aggressive law enforcement responses.

Speaking to the FBI director on Wednesday, the president said: Im going to be strongly recommending, at the request of government officials  that you start looking at San Francisco  one of our great cities 10 years ago, 15 years ago, and now its a mess  Every American deserves to live in a community where theyre not afraid of being mugged, murdered, robbed, raped, assaulted or shot.

Californias governor, Gavin Newsom, responded by noting he was San Franciscos mayor 15 years ago when Trump said the city was great, and saying the city had seen a 45% drop in homicides and 40% in robberies this year, compared with 2019.

The citys mayor and law enforcement leaders also touted declining crime and increasing police recruitment earlier this week, with the district attorney saying local leaders have this issue under control.
The UKs borders chief was unable to answer when asked by MPs to name any way in which Brexit has helped control our borders.

Martin Hewitt, the new border security commander, said he did not immediately have an answer to the question.

The pro-Brexit campaign promised that the UK could take back control of its borders, but since then the number of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats has not decreased.

As the number of crossings hit a record high last month, US president Donald Trump even advised Sir Keir Starmer to call out the military.

Border security commander Martin Hewitt rejected the idea it was a fools errand to go after smuggling gangs (PA)

Mr Hewitt, who has been in post for a year, told MPs on the Commons home affairs committee that the number of arrivals on dangerous small boats was frustrating and really challenging.

More than 36,000 people have made the perilous journey so far this year, around a third higher than at the same point in 2024.

Asked if there were any examples where Brexit has helped the UK control our borders, helped you do your job, or helped us reduce the issue of undocumented migrants, both he and Rob Jones, director general of the National Crime Agency, who was also giving evidence to the committee, were stumped.

After a long pause, Mr Hewitt told MPs: Certainly not immediately.

He went on to tell the committee, I will ponder on that, and said he would write to them with any answer.

Paul Kohler, the Lib Dem MP who asked the question, told Mr Hewitt he was not surprised by his answer.

Mr Hewitt did tell MPs, however, that he saw the potential in the governments proposed digital ID cards, which it wants to use to tackle illegal working and deter migrants from coming to the UK.

He said: There is no doubt that having an ability to make it significantly harder for somebody to work illegally is absolutely key. But the concept of a digital ID that makes it even harder for somebody to be in a position to try and work, I think, potentially has an advantage.

I think its going to be really important, and I know that there is a consultation process thats going to work through how that could work and add value to the work that were doing.

A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: As the border security commander made clear himself, Brexits list of helpful achievements is precisely zero items long. We doubt this will be the last time Farage and Reform are proved wrong. Its time the public knew about it.

Mr Hewitt was appointed as the UKs first border security commander last September, as part of a shake-up when the new Labour government came to power.
French star Calandagan tests his powers against Ombudsman and Delacroix in what promises to be an epic renewal of the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Francis-Henri Graffards raider has already proven his liking for the Berkshire circuit by winning the King Edward VII Stakes last season and the King George this term, as well as finishing a close second to the now-retired Anmaat in this race 12 months ago.

Having been kept fresh since his King George triumph in late July, connections are confident of another bold showing in the Champions Day showpiece.

Nemone Routh, French racing manager for the Aga Khan Studs, said: Its a wonderful race, were very happy that its being run on good ground and were very happy with his draw (stall seven) because last year he was drawn one and it didnt really suit him. He broke poorly, Mickael (Barzalona) had to ride him to get a position on that inner track and it didnt work out.

Were very happy with where he is. I suppose the question mark is over the trip as he hasnt run over a mile and a quarter since he ran in the Champion Stakes a year ago, but we think hes a versatile horse, hes in great form, we know he likes Ascot and hes very reliable  he always runs a good race.

Well just have to see how he sits in this field. Were certainly not counting our chickens before the eggs have hatched, but hes been our flagbearer this year and it should be a really exciting race  I think its good for the sport.

Calandagan sits second in most markets for the Champion Stakes, sandwiched in between Ombudsman and Delacroix, who will meet for the third time this season with the score one apiece.

Ombudsman winning the Juddmonte International at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

The Aidan OBrien-trained Delacroix was the narrow victor in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown in early July, but John and Thady Gosdens Ombudsman emphatically turned the tables in the Juddmonte International at York the following month and he is the favourite to confirm his superiority.

William Buick will be aboard the latter and told the Godolphin website: Ombudsman had a nice rest after York, where he showed everyone what he could do.

I have ridden him at home and he appears to be in great form. I think the likely ground conditions are going to help everybody and its a great race to be part of.

Since his York defeat, Delacroix has bounced back to winning ways in the Irish Champion Stakes and now bids to become only the seventh horse to complete the Champion Stakes double.

Delacroix (second left) chases down Ombudsman in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown (Chris Radburn/PA)

Everything has gone great since Leopardstown, weve been happy with everything since, said OBrien.

Its a massive days racing and where everybody wants to be. Ascot is an incredible place, weve got an incredible race on and its going to be lovely ground, so I think everybody is looking forward to it.

On renewing his rivalry with Ombudsman, the Ballydoyle handler added: Thats what everybody does it for, I know thats what our lads do it for and thats what we all want to see  the best horses meeting on the big days all the time and races being as competitive and as fair as possible.

Andrew Balding runs the fast-improving Almeric, winner of each of his three starts since finishing fourth on his debut, as well as Fox Legacy, who followed up victory in the John Smiths Cup at York with an emphatic success in a conditions race at Goodwood in early August.

It was frustrating because he (Almeric) won the Feilden Stakes in April but then he got an injury which meant we missed the French Derby, which was his target and a shame, said the Kingsclere handler.

I thought he looked good on his comeback at Ayr, but this is in at the deep end. Im sure he will be capable of mixing it at the top level in time, but whether that is on Saturday well find out.

Of Fox Legacy, he added: I think this horse has really found his feet, he had had a couple of races really close together and thought we would keep him fresh for this race.

We thought it might cut up but its as deep a Champion Stakes as we have seen in years. The plan has kind of backfired and were 25-1 rather than say 10-1, but hes a capable horse who will give his best.

First Look after his victory in France (PA)

The Andre Fabre-trained First Look won the Prix Dollar on Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp a fortnight ago and was supplemented on Monday.

Richard Brown, racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing, said: Weve had to supplement him and its obviously a phenomenal race. Its going to be difficult, but well find out how good he is.

If hes within two or three lengths of the winner, if thats finishing in mid-division or wherever, then we know were in great shape for next year.

Hes a gelding and we dont need to protect him, hes won his last three starts, but we know this is a completely different league.
China threatened Britain with consequences if the Government does not give approval for a new mega-embassy in London.

Beijing hit out after Communities Secretary Steve Reed delayed a decision on the controversial development at the Royal Mint Court site in Tower Hamlets from October 21 to December 10.

The plans for the embassy have sparked a huge row (Peoples Republic of China)

The ruling by the Government over the embassy row was put back in the midst of the huge China spy storm centred on Parliament.

In Beijing, Chinas foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told of grave concern and strong dissatisfaction at the delay.

He stressed that Britain must immediately fulfill its obligations and honour its commitments, otherwise the British side shall bear all consequences.

He accused the UK of showing disregard for contractual spirit, acting in bad faith and without integrity over the stand-off on the vast new embassy which could cost 750 million.

Concerns have been raised that the sprawling diplomatic development would allow the Chinese to monitor underground cables serving the City of London to gain huge amounts of valuable and confidential data.

Downing Street said it did not "recognise" Chinese claims of "assurances" or "commitments" over Beijing's application to build the new embassy in London.

Asked about the statements by China's Foreign Ministry, a Downing Street spokesman said: "We do not recognise any claims of assurances, and I can't explain the statement they've set out, I wouldn't be able to speak on behalf of the Chinese embassy.

"Protecting the UK's national security is our first duty.

"In terms of the planning process, as set out yesterday, this is a decision that is independent of the rest of Government.

"It would therefore not be appropriate for me to comment further on cases before MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) ministers. "

The new deadline for Housing and Planning Secretary Steve Reed to take the decision on the embassy is December 10 (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

Mr Reed said he expected to see the full, unredacted plans for the proposed Chinese embassy before making a decision on whether to approve it.

Asked if the security risk posed by China would be a factor in the decision, he told Times Radio: Speaking in general terms, because I cant comment on that particular application, then, yes, this Government recognises that China poses a threat to national security and we see that from various cyber attacks and cyber incidents that have happened.

Pressed on whether the Government was prepared to put the economic benefits of a relationship with China ahead of security concerns, he said: National security is paramount...we would never compromise national security.

Drawings of the site originally submitted as part of the planning process contained blacked-out areas, fuelling suspicions from China hawks that Beijing intends to use the site as a base for large-scale espionage activities.

Plans for the embassy were previously rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022, with the Chinese opting not to appeal.

However, Beijing resubmitted the application a fortnight after Sir Keir Starmers election victory last year, seemingly believing Labour may be more receptive to the application, and the plans were called in so ministers would make the final decision.

The looming decision on the embassy comes as the Crown Prosecution Service and the Government faced continued pressure over their handling of the collapsed Chinese spying case.

Christopher Berry, left, and Christopher Cash both denied passing secrets to China (PA) (PA Wire)

Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson is facing growing questions from MPs over why the CPS dropped the case against parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash and academic Christopher Berry last month after failing to get stronger language from the Government over the threat posed by China.

Both men, who deny wrongdoing, had been accused of passing secrets to China.

The Government has faced accusations from the Tories that it scuppered the case so as not to harm economic and diplomatic relations with Beijing.

Sir Keir has strongly rejected the claim and took the highly unusual step of publishing three witness statements for the case from the Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Collins, with the first giving startling details of the accusations against Mr Berry and Mr Cash.
Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Titian are to go on display in Scotland for the first time.

More than 80 drawings by 57 different artists will be on show in The Kings Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh from Friday.

Drawings by Leonardo, Michelangelo and Titian are among 45 works on display in Scotland for the first time as part of the Drawing The Italian Renaissance exhibition.

It explores the variety of drawings in this period, from preparatory studies for paintings and altarpieces to designs for sculpture and elaborate drawings which were made as gifts.

Exhibition project manager Lara Drew takes a closer look at a chalk, brush and ink sketch by Bernardino Campi (Jane Barlow/PA)

Lauren Porter, curator of the exhibition, said: This is a remarkable opportunity to share so many of the Italian Renaissance drawings from the Royal Collection, with over half being shown in Scotland for the first time.

As works on paper cannot be permanently displayed for conservation reasons, this exhibition offers a rare opportunity for visitors to view these drawings up close, giving a unique insight into the minds of the great artists who made them.

One of the highlights is an example of one of Leonardos anatomical studies drawn from a real-life dissection.

On display for the first time in Scotland is his study of a male torso in pen and ink, which was likely drawn from a wax model made by the artist.

The distorted and tormented face of a grotesque mask sketched by Michelangelo contrasts with the classical features of Leonardos red and black chalk drawing of a curly-haired young man which is displayed nearby.

Artist in residence Dette Allmark takes inspiration from the sketches on display (Jane Barlow/PA)

The opening of the exhibition in Edinburgh comes after a critically acclaimed show in London.

After almost 120 hours of conservation work by Royal Collection Trust conservators ahead of the London exhibition, Bernardino Campis cartoon for an altarpiece of the Virgin and Child is also on show for the first time in Scotland.

The cartoon, a large-scale drawing made of four pieces of paper joined together, was originally used to transfer the drawing on to a paintings surface.

The Kings Gallery is also hosting its first artist residency, in collaboration with Edinburgh College of Art.

Edinburgh-based artists Phoebe Leach and Dette Allmark, both alumni of the school, will respond to the masterpieces on display by drawing in the gallery throughout the exhibition.

Their creations will form a changing display for visitors, who are encouraged to take inspiration and try drawing themselves, with materials freely available.
Virginia Giuffre revealed in a posthumous memoir that she endured nightmares of greedy, heaving men on top of me, years after she said she was sexually exploited by Jeffrey Epstein and his affiliates.

Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, had alleged that she was the victim of sex trafficking and that Prince Andrew was among Epsteins circle of connections.

In a new memoir to be released next week, she wrote that she was still haunted by trauma almost 20 years later, while in hospital with Covid, according to excerpts obtained by The Sun.

All feelings of sadness and shame overtook me. I was sick of the nightmares; greedy, heaving men on top of me, men whose faces I recognized and would never forget. I felt hollowed out, she wrote. Giuffre did not identify the men in the extracts published.

Virginia Giuffre (C) was infamously pictured with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell when she was younger (PA Media)

Her book, Nobodys Girl, describes alleged abuse after she said she was recruited by pedophile financier Epsteins former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, as a massage therapist.

The memoir calls Epstein a master manipulator and describes three instances in which she alleges Prince Andrew had sex with her. Without any admission of liability, the prince reached a financial settlement with Giuffre in 2022 and has always vehemently denied wrongdoing.

Giuffre wrote that she struggled with thoughts of suicide years later and had attempted to take her own life twice before, according to The Sun. She described concerns over the stress and worry she felt she brought into the lives of her husband and children.

Giuffre died at the age of 41, six months after completing the book, which is co-written with author Amy Wallace. During the memoir she also claimed that Epstein had made threats against her family, and that she lost a child after becoming pregnant by one of her alleged abusers.

We know where your brother goes to school, Epstein was alleged to have told her, according to an extract published by The Guardian. You must never tell a soul what goes on in this house.

Virginia Giuffre died aged 41 in April 2025 (PA Media)

In that extract, she recounted the day Maxwell took her to meet Prince Andrew who, she said, correctly guessed that she was 17 at the time.

It describes Giuffre going to the Tramp nightclub with Andrew and adds: He was sort of a bumbling dancer, and I remember he sweated profusely.

She said that Maxwell told her, When we get home, you are to do for him what you do for Jeffrey. She claimed she later ran Andrew a bath before they had sex.

The book states: He was friendly enough, but still entitled  as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright.

In an interview with the BBCs Emily Maitlis in November 2019, Andrew denied claims that he slept with Giuffre, saying: I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened. I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.

Andrew claimed in his interview that he had a medical condition in 2001, after suffering an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands War when he was shot at, that meant he did not sweat.

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

Giuffre met British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000 while working as a locker room attendant at Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort.

She said Maxwell offered her an interview to train as a massage therapist and claimed the socialite gave her instructions on how to massage Epstein at his home in Palm Beach while he was naked. Giuffre claimed that the job interview soon turned into years of abuse.

Maxwell was later found guilty of recruiting and trafficking young girls for Epstein to abuse. Epstein was found dead in his prison cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges at a facility in New York in 2019.

Nobodys Girl: A Memoir Of Surviving Abuse And Fighting For Justice is released on Tuesday.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Estrange has the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes in her sights at Ascot on Saturday as an alternative autumn target.

The grey, who is owned by Cheveley Park Stud and trained by David OMeara, was due to run in the Prix de lArc de Triomphe before an unsatisfactory scope scuppered that plan at a late stage.

Frustrations were increased as the Arc was run on Estranges favoured soft ground, whereas her Ascot effort will take place on a far faster surface after a dry autumn.

Chris Richardson, Cheveley Parks managing director, said: David seems happy with her now. Obviously it was disappointing to miss the ground on Arc day and we havent had any rain here, but I think it will be good autumn ground and that will be fine.

Well take our chance. Drawn in stall one of 10 wasnt ideal perhaps, but there we go. Shes in good form, so lets see what happens.

All being well, she stays in training next year.

Andrew Balding and Juddmontes Kalpana did line up in the Arc earlier in the month, finishing seventh after a luckless passage through the contest when forced to race wide in a big field.

She has taken the race in her stride, however, and there are positives to take from the performance ahead of Ascot.

Barry Mahon, racing manager to the owner-breeder, said: Andrew is happy with her, he said she came out of the Arc in good shape.

I think the feeling was that being drawn 10, she just got caught four wide the whole way and she covered a lot more ground than we needed to. The first, second and third home were drawn one, two and three and weve seen historically its a big advantage if you can get an easy run around the inside.

She ran a good race, her sectionals for the last three furlongs were good and she just probably covered a lot more ground than the first three home.

Theres only 10 declared so its not the biggest of fields and we know shes a course and distance winner and obviously she ran that big race in the King George there as well, so she likes the track.

If the Arc hasnt left its mark, wed be hopeful she can put up a bold showing again.

Juddmonte will also run Latakia in the race, a Francis-Henri Graffard-trained filly last seen finishing fifth in the Prix de Royallieu.

Mahon said of the chestnut: Shes very unexposed and we probably didnt get her true running in the Royallieu because of the ground.

Shes a top-of-the-ground filly, all her form is on faster ground, we rolled the dice and she ran very respectably to be fair to her, but the jockey felt she didnt have the same kick on soft ground.

Were back on a better surface on Saturday and hopefully shes able to give a good account of herself as well. With fillies at this time of year, you just dont know when theyre improving and where their ceiling is, so it will be nice to see her in a good ground, competitive Group One.

Paddy Twomeys One Look will travel over from Ireland for the contest in good form having finished a close third in the Prix de lOpera.

Richard Brown, racing manager to owners Wathnan Racing, said: She ran a great race in the Prix de lOpera and another 50 yards and she would have won.

Were unsure if she will stay a mile and a half. Shes not bred to but looking at her run style, I definitely think she has got every chance.

Obviously it is a deep race but shes going to have a long winter off and were happy to let her take her chance while Paddy says shes in the form of her life.

Another Irish challenger is Aidan OBriens Bedtime Story, a filly bidding to return to form after a seventh-placed run in the Royallieu.

We took a chance going to France and it was probably the wrong thing  we stretched her out too far and the ground was a little bit churned up, the trainer said.

We could have gone to the Vermeille and with the benefit of hindsight maybe we should, but she seems to have come back from France well and I suppose the big factors are going back to a mile and a half and the fact the ground is going to be nice.

Shes a filly with a lot of ability and were looking forward to seeing what she can do.

OBrien also runs Ballet Slippers in the race, with Owen Burrows Waardah and John and Thady Gosdens Danielle  first and second respectively in the Lillie Langtry  both entered alongside Graffards Quisisana and Joseph OBriens Wemighttakedlongway.
John Bolton leaves the Maryland courthouse after pleading not guilty to charges of mishandling classified material on Friday. Photograph: Alex Kent/Getty Images

John Bolton, the former national security adviser to Donald Trump in his first term, pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges relating to diary-like notes he shared that contained top secret information with relatives and stored classified documents at his home.

Bolton did not comment to reporters as he walked into the courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, where he surrendered to authorities and made an initial appearance before US magistrate judge Timothy Sullivan on the 18-count indictment filed against him.

Bolton earlier called the case the latest effort by the president to target his political enemies and his lawyer, Abbe Lowell, portrayed the matter as an attempt to punish his client for taking notes for a 2020 behind-the-scenes memoir The Room Where It Happened, which was critical of Trump and angered the administration.

Related: Ex-Trump adviser John Bolton indicted on charges of mishandling classified information

Now, I have become the latest target in weaponizing the justice department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts, Bolton said in a statement.

But even though Bolton departed as national security adviser on bitter terms with Trump, the indictment was filed by career prosecutors in the US attorneys office in Maryland and described how Bolton sent notes about his day-to-day activities over personal email accounts.

The indictment also laid out how Boltons email accounts were hacked by a foreign state actor believed to be Iran that gained access to the notes after he left government service, and how Bolton later printed the notes and kept them with classified-marked documents in his home.

The justice department pursues Espionage Act cases in the event of so-called aggregating factors: willful mishandling of classified information, vast quantities of classified information to support an inference of misconduct, disloyalty to the US and obstruction.

Bolton took detailed notes documenting his day-to-day meetings, activities and briefings. Frequently, Bolton handwrote these notes on yellow notepads throughout his day at the White House complex or in other secure locations, and then later re-wrote his notes in a word processing document, the indictment said.

Related: Trumps retribution campaign: who has the president targeted so far besides John Bolton?

The indictment added that Bolton used a group chat to send notes and documents containing top secret information while he was national security adviser to two unnamed people who did not have security clearances and are believed to be his wife and daughter.

Shortly before Boltons book was published, the previous Trump administration sued to delay its release, citing a classification review. The justice department also opened a criminal investigation into whether Bolton mishandled classified information by disclosing certain details in the book.

The Biden justice department initially dropped the lawsuit and grand jury investigation in 2021. They later reopened the investigation as the US intelligence community learned more about Boltons emails through a foreign spy service, according to people familiar with the matter.

Earlier this year, John Ratcliffe, the CIA director, conferred with Kash Patel, the FBI director, about Boltons emails and how they appeared to have been transcriptions of classified material. The briefing appeared to spur renewed interest in investigating Bolton, the people familiar with the matter said.
Prince Andrew will put all his titles in abeyance - Reuters/Toby Melville

Prince Andrew has agreed with the King to stop using his titles, including the Duke of York, saying he had always put my duty to my family and country first.

The development, first revealed by The Telegraph, followed a string of new scandals concerning the Royals relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and his relationship with an alleged Chinese spy.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, Prince Andrew said: In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal family.

I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

With His Majestys agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.

His decision to put all of his titles in abeyance was prompted by huge pressure from the King. The Prince will also give up his membership of the Order of the Garter. The Prince had also already agreed to put his HRH title in abeyance and his role as Counsellor of State is inactive as he is not a working royal.

His ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, will also relinquish her title and will simply be known as Sarah Ferguson.

Sarah, Duchess of York, will also lose her title - Jordan Pettitt/AFP via Getty

The decision was taken in close consultation with the King and the Prince of Wales, it is understood.

The King was said to be glad at the outcome.

The announcement, on Buckingham Palace headed paper, was titled: A statement from Prince Andrew as the change came in with immediate effect.

It would previously have been attributed to the Duke of York.

Palace aides stressed that he remains the son of Elizabeth II and that therefore the title of Prince will still be used, in accordance with Letters Patent issued in 1917 by George V which were updated by the late Queen in 2012.

The titles of his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, are also unaffected.

'

Meanwhile, the Prince will continue to live at the family home, Royal Lodge in Windsor.

Palace efforts to force him out failed because of a watertight lease agreement with the Crown Estate that does not expire until 2078.

Both Prince Andrew and Ms Ferguson had already been told they were not welcome to join the family at Sandringham this Christmas.

The agreement was made following high level meetings at Buckingham Palace as aides finally reached tipping point.

After days of yet more revelations that threatened the reputation of the monarchy, the King was finally prepared to press the nuclear button.

Until now, the palace had resisted taking such punitive action but felt its hand had finally been forced.

Aides are aware that there are likely to be far more revelations to come concerning Prince Andrews relationship with Epstein, the late paedophile and financier.

The change in tack also came after The Telegraph revealed on Thursday that the Prince had held meetings with Cai Qi, the top Chinese official at the centre of the Beijing spy case, on at least three occasions from 2018 to 2019. He also invited him to Buckingham Palace for lunch in 2018.

Just days previously, leaked emails showed that Prince Andrew stayed in touch with Epstein longer than he had claimed, raising questions about what else he may have lied about.

He said in his Newsnight interview in 2019 that he had cut off contact with Epstein in December 2010. But just days after a photograph was published in 2011 showing Prince Andrew with his arm around Virginia Giuffre, the late sex trafficking victim, he contacted Epstein to express concerns for his welfare, adding that they were in this together

The picture of the Duke with his arm around Virginia Giuffre was released in 2011

Mr Cai, who was at the heart of the collapsed spy case and one of the most senior members of the Chinese Communist Party, is a close ally of Xi Jinping, Chinas president.

He is understood to be the final recipient of sensitive information allegedly passed to China by Christopher Berry and Christopher Cash, the two British nationals accused of spying for Beijing.

The revelations concerning his relationship with Prince Andrew emerged just months after it emerged that Prince Andrew had forged a close friendship with Yang Tengbo, a suspected Chinese spy who inserted himself into the highest circles of the British establishment.

A High Court judge ruled that Mr Yang had formed an unusual degree of trust with the Prince, having been invited to the royals birthday party in 2020 and having helped set up the Chinese branch of Prince Andrews Pitch@Palace initiative.

Prince Andrew met Mr Cai at least three times in both London and Beijing during the time period when Mr Berry and Mr Cash are alleged to have been recruited by China for espionage.

Prince Andrew with Cai Qi in 2018 - Imago / Alamy Stock Photo

Just days ago, royal aides were suggesting that they had done all they could to punish the errant Prince, with the removal of his titles considered a step too far, despite public support for the move.

Prince Andrew has already been stripped of his military titles and charity affiliations and is banned from using his much cherished HRH honorific.
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee and current frontrunner for New York City mayor, faced off with Andrew Cuomo, the former New York governor now running as an independent, and Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate, at the first New York mayoral election debate on Thursday night.

Here are some key takeaways from the evening.

Trumps threats to New York City loomed large

The Republican presidents threats to New York City dominated plenty of conversation during the debate.

In response to the first question, which asked candidates to provide a headline on their legacy as mayor, Mamdani answered: Mamdani continues to take on Trump, delivers on affordability.

All three candidates agreed they would not support Trump sending the national guard to the city. Mamdani repeated his assertions that he is the best candidate to stand up to Donald Trump and actually deliver, while Cuomo argued that Trump would try to take over the city and become Mayor Trump if Mamdani wins. Sliwa suggested it was better not to be tough with the president or risk goading him.

Related: Mamdani, Cuomo and Sliwa spar in New York mayoral debate

Mamdani forcefully criticized Trumps deportation efforts, but echoed his opponents by saying he would work with the president if elected.

All three candidates were asked about the last time they spoke with Trump. Sliwa said that the last time spoke with Trump was many years ago when he was praising him for saving the annual Veterans Day parade. Mamdani said that he had never spoken with Trump, while Cuomo said that he believed he had spoken to him after the assassination attempt on the then presidential candidate last year.

However, in August, the New York Times reported that Trump had recently spoken directly with Cuomo about the mayors race. On the debate stage on Thursday, Cuomo denied the report.

Two main weaknesses were under fire: Cuomos character and Mamdanis inexperience

Cuomo started the night by attacking Mamdani, calling him too unqualified and inexperienced to lead New York City.

This is no job for on-the-job training, Cuomo said. If you look at the failed mayors, theyre ones that have no management experience.

Mamdani, the 33-year-old state assembly member from Queens who is a self-described democratic socialist, pushed back on Cuomo and cited his years in the New York state assembly as well as his lived experience in New York City.

Mamdani touted himself as someone who has actually paid rent in the city and who has had to wait for a bus that never came, someone who actually buys his groceries in this city.

Cuomo shot back: What the assemblyman said is he has no experience.

Mamdani fired back: What I dont have in experience, I make up for in integrity, and what you dont have in integrity, you could never make up for in experience.

Tensions rose around Israel and the ceasefire in Gaza

The candidates sparred over Israel and Gaza, with Mamdani once again facing questions about his past remarks on Israel. Cuomo tried to demand Mamdani denounce Hamas, prompting Mamdani to say: Of course I believe that [Hamas] should lay down their arms  All parties have to cease fire and put down their weapons.

Mamdani also said that since the primary, he had learned through conversations with Jewish New Yorkers more about antisemitism and how the phrase globalize the intifada could be hurtful.

Cuomo repeated his usual attack lines on Mamdani, suggesting he was a danger to Jewish New Yorkers while Mamdani called out Cuomo for failing to visit mosques.

After Cuomo was previously lambasted for being unable to name a mosque he visited as governor, Mamdani noted that the former governor had visited a single one and said on Thursday: It took Andrew Cuomo being beaten by a Muslim candidate [in the primary] to set foot in a mosque.

Sliwa attempted to stand out, sans red beret

Sliwa, the Republican nominee and founder of the Guardian Angels, spent much of the night taking shots at both Mamdani and Cuomo. He dismissed Mamdanis plans and ideas as fantasies, mocked Cuomo for losing the Democratic primary and went after the former governor over allegations of sexual harassment.

Positioning himself as an outsider, Sliwa tried to distance himself from the political establishment.

Thank God Im not a professional politician, because they have helped create this crime crisis in the city that we face, he said at one point.

When Cuomo argued that he was the only candidate on stage who could handle Trump, Sliwa responded: You think youre the toughest guy alive. You lost your own primary.

In another fiery moment from Sliwa during a discussion on policing, Sliwa said to Cuomo of his father: I knew Mario Cuomo. You are no Mario Cuomo, Andrew Cuomo.

Mamdani evades having to endorse Kathy Hochul

When the three candidates were asked if they supported the re-election campaign of New Yorks Democratic governor, Kathy Hochul, none of them raised their hands.

Mamdanis response was notable, as the governor has publicly endorsed him for mayor.

Im focusing on November, and I appreciate her support, and I appreciate her work, the Democratic nominee said.
Families protest outside St Stephen's Primary School, near the roundabout (Supplied)

Dozens of concerned parents and residents gathered outside a primary school in southwest London on Friday to protest what they describe as dangerously inadequate road safety measures following a near-tragic incident involving a mother and her three children.

The protest took place near the A316 at Margarets Roundabout in Twickenham, where a driver fell asleep at the wheel and crashed through roadside barriers in January last year, narrowly missing mother Rosie Greaves and her children aged one, four, and seven at the time.

Days later, the mother was horrified to find debris in her youngest childs pushchair.

"The man's eyes were closed, there was no swerving to avoid us. It was pure chance that we weren't completely mowed down and there was less than a metre in it, she previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Protest near the roundabout today (Supplied)

She said that if the incident had been a one-off, it might have been dismissed as a freak accident. However, with the barriers frequently out of action, she believes its only a matter of time before someone is killed  and with the location outside a primary school, that person is likely to be a child.

Campaigners are demanding urgent improvements to pedestrian safety near the school. They were joined by local MP Munira Wilson, London Assembly Member Gareth Roberts, and several councillors.

Residents say their concerns have been dismissed by Transport for London (TfL) for years and criticised a total lack of urgency from City Hall.

Children holding banners at the protest (Supplied)

There have been close-call incidents where individuals, including young children and parents, have narrowly avoided being struck by a vehicle. It is only a matter of time before a tragic accident occurs, Elizabeth Bachour, headteacher at St Stephens Primary school said.

Among the key concerns are unsafe pedestrian crossings  with reports that children walking to St Stephens Primary School cannot cross safely in the time allowed  as well as drivers ignoring the 30mph speed limit and frequent red-light jumping.

Despite assurances from TfL, parents say school warning signs remain missing, and no new signage has been installed since the start of term. Existing roadside barriers, they add, offer little protection for pedestrians caught in the middle of the roundabout.

Families come together for the protest (Supplied)

Richmond Council has reportedly offered to fund physical separation between cycle lanes and pedestrian areas, but residents claim TfL continues to stall.

Local councillor Kate Mansfield said: Safety cannot be an afterthought. Residents have spoken with one voice. We need concrete timelines and real action now.

More than 2,500 residents have signed a petition calling for urgent safety measures to be installed, including the implementation of a segregated cycle lane, a review of the barriers and clearer timelines for crossings.

Children holding banners at the protest (Supplied)

Leader of Richmond Council Gareth Roberts said: Residents have absolutely had enough of being repeatedly fobbed off. This roundabout is clearly dangerous. Weve already had some horrible near misses. Its an accident waiting to happen, so this total lack of urgency and action weve seen from City Hall is just inexplicable.

The Mayor and TfL have had years to fix this  the delays and excuses have got to stop before someone gets seriously hurt or even killed here.

A TfL spokesperson said: We are working with Richmond to improve safety and have already made significant changes to improve safety in the area.

These include traffic signal retiming at St. Margarets roundabout, speed limit reductions to the west of St. Margarets roundabout and significant safety improvements at the London Road junction with the A316.

Keeping everyone travelling in the capital safely is our top priority and were determined to ensure that changes to Londons roads ensure safety is improved. Throughout the capital, we use a data-led approach to reducing danger and targeting investment in safety.

We continue to monitor roads across the borough and regularly meet with local communities and their representatives to discuss proposed changes.
Nigel Farage has labelled Vladimir Putin a very bad dude in an apparent bid to counter accusations regarding his trustworthiness on Britains national security.

The Reform UK leader also backed shooting down Russian jets entering Nato airspace and supported the use of frozen Russian assets to assist Ukraine.

This declaration comes as his party climbs in the polls, prompting rivals to question his and Reform UKs stance on Moscow.

Opponents have highlighted Mr Farages previous admission of admiring the Russian president as an operator, but not as a human being, to suggest weakness towards Russia.

But seeking to toughen his line on Thursday, he told Bloombergs The Mishal Husain Show: Clearly, Putin is not a rational man.

The idea that Im soft on this is just nonsense.

He also said: Obviously, Putin is a very bad dude.

I was really hoping that Trump would bring Putin to heel, that some kind of compromise could be struck, as its just been recently struck with Gaza and Israel. Clearly, that is not going to happen.

Farage says he supports the use of frozen Russian assets to assist Ukraine (PA)

Reform has come under pressure after Nathan Gill, the partys former leader in Wales, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in exchange for making pro-Russian statements while he was a member of the European Parliament.

We had a bad apple in this bloke? Yes, Mr Farage said, adding: I believe, 100 per cent, with all my heart, theres nobody else.

Asked what he would do if Russian jets crossed into allied airspace, Mr Farage said: Gotta shoot them down.

He said frozen Russian assets should be used to provide loans for Ukraine if theyre there through illegal means.

The Clacton MP said that, in the event of a ceasefire, he could support the presence of British troops in Ukraine as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force if he became prime minister.

It comes after defence secretary John Healey warned last month that Mr Farage could not be trusted with Britains national security, accusing him and his party of looking up to Mr Putin.

I dont think Nigel Farage or his party can be trusted with national security, the cabinet minister said.
Brussels, Belgium (PANA) - Recognising the vital role that ordinary citizens can play in preventing abuse, the European Council has approved conclusions calling for greater efforts to empower bystanders to help combat violence against women and domestic violence
Connections of Field Of Gold are optimistic he is ready enough to get the job done on his return from injury in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Following a narrow defeat in the 2000 Guineas, the grey son of Kingman went on to establish himself as the seasons star three-year-old miler with breathtaking victories in the Irish Guineas and the St Jamess Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

John and Thady Gosdens charge returned lame following a shock defeat in Goodwoods Sussex Stakes in July, ruling him out of several late summer targets, but he is reportedly back on-song ahead of his Qipco Champions Day comeback.

SUPERSTAR! FIELD OF GOLD ROUTS THEM IN THE ST JAMESS PALACE STAKES! #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/ENbnZHKAZk  At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 17, 2025

I think were all looking forward to seeing him back, said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owner-breeders Juddmonte.

Hes obviously not run since Goodwood, but the positive to that is hes a fresh horse, hes had a break and hes coming back into it fresh and well. I think both John and Thady are happy his fitness is where he needs to be, so hopefully hes ready enough to get the job done.

He has no problem with the track and the ground will be nice. Its obviously a straight mile rather than the round mile he won over in the St Jamess Palace, but he won the Irish Guineas and the Craven over a straight mile and ran well in the Guineas at Newmarket, so I dont think a straight mile holds any great worries.

Few would begrudge Richard Hannons Rosallion an overdue day in the sun having been beaten a nose in the Queen Anne, a neck in the Sussex and a short head in the Prix du Moulin this season, while the Karl Burke-trained Fallen Angel has won her last three starts at Group One level against her own sex and now has another try against the boys.

James Doyle on Fallen Angel after winning the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket (Joe Giddens/PA)

Richard Brown, racing adviser to owners Wathnan Racing, said: Shes in top form and she put a kilogram on for winning the Sun Chariot remarkably, I just couldnt believe it when Karl told me that.

Shes come out of Newmarket in great nick and has taken her form to the next level. Shes won her last three for us, all Group Ones, and shes a real flagbearer for Wathnan now who were excited to see run on Champions Day.

Taking on the boys is a huge ask and any time you race against colts its a big task for a filly, but especially when the ones you are taking on are the likes of Field Of Gold, Rosallion, Docklands and Never So Brave.

Whether she will be good enough I dont know, but what you do know is she will certainly run a brave race and if she gets into a battle, shell knuckle down and give it her best as she always does.

Never So Brave has also won his last three races for Andrew Balding, who also saddles the supplemented Park Stakes winner Marvelman.

Never So Brave has done nothing wrong this year. He won a Group One last time over seven furlongs and hes a high-class horse who deserves his chance in this race, said the Kingsclere handler.

We were very impressed with Marvelman in the Park Stakes at Doncaster, he has always threatened to be a high-class horse and I think he really is developing into that.

French raider Facteur Cheval has filled the runner-up spot in the last two editions of the QEII and returns in a bid to make it third time lucky.

Trainer Jerome Reynier (left) poses for a photo with Facteur Cheval at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Trainer Jerome Reynier said: Facteur Cheval ran a while ago, back at Royal Ascot in June and he was very tired afterwards, he lost a lot of condition too.

We gave him a lot of time during the summer, because he runs so well fresh we thought it would be a good idea to go straight for the QEII, where he has run so well for the past two years.

Clearly there are some very good horses in the race and hes an outsider, but he was able to show the world he was the best when he won at a big price in Dubai.

The Lion In Winter has not fulfilled expectations so far this season, having been tried over a variety of distances, but Aidan OBrien feels he could outrun his odds on Saturday.

Aidan OBrien is hopeful The Lion In Winter can outrun his odds in the QEII (Niall Carson/PA)

He said: When we made the decision to go to the Derby he had to have a run, so we went to the Dante but he wasnt ready for that, and then we went to the Derby and he didnt stay.

From there we viewed him as a miler, he went to Deauville and ran a lovely race (third in Prix Jean Prat) and then he went back to Deauville (10th in Prix Jacques le Marois) and it was a bit of a non-event that day, so we kind of put a line through that run altogether.

He ran a great race the last day in Longchamp (third in Prix du Moulin) and we think hes gone the right way since.

It hasnt been straightforward and there have been twists and turns but thats not unusual and were happy with where he is for Saturday.
George Russell believes most drivers on the Formula One grid would want to be in his Mercedes seat next season.

The 27-year-old signed a new multi-year contract this week after protracted negotiations and persistent rumours linking four-time world champion Max Verstappen with the team.

Mercedes announced their driver line-up until the end of next season, with Russells team-mate Kimi Antonelli locked in until the end of 2026.

That potentially leaves the door ajar for Verstappen to be targeted again for 2027, with many believing Mercedes are well-placed to boast the strongest engine for the sports new regulations next season.

The Russonelli era continues  A message from Kimi and George to all the fans  pic.twitter.com/z0X0X8YF78  Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) October 16, 2025

Russell is confident he is in the best place possible and believes he may hold the most coveted seat in F1.

I think if every single seat was available right now and I could choose any single seat to race for the 2026 season I would choose Mercedes, Russell said.

I think a number of drivers would do so as well.

Nobody can foresee whats going to happen in the future and Im sure there are going to be big uncertainties and unknowns going into next year and surprises, good and bad.

Verstappen has been persistently linked with Mercedes (AP Photo/John Locher)

But you can only make a decision based on the information you have in the moment and with all the info I have, Im super happy.

I think theres a lot of expectations upon next year but its a very exciting year and theres nowhere else I would wish to be.

Russell has been one of the star performers on the grid this season and his new deal came off the back of victory in Singapore a fortnight ago.

He comes into this weekends United States Grand Prix 36 points adrift of third-placed Verstappen in the driver standings.

Ready to ride in Austin  @IWC pic.twitter.com/jYmgY51XqY  Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) October 16, 2025

Russell reiterated his stance that he would relish the chance to test himself alongside the Dutchman if that situation occurred.

Thats never really been a concern of mine and I have 100 per cent belief in my abilities and I would relish that chance to go alongside him, he added.

I want to go up against the best in the world and when I joined the team being team-mates with Lewis (Hamilton), that felt like a tall order for anybody and at that point, people deemed Lewis as untouchable the same way as today, people deem Max as untouchable.

Meanwhile, American Tim Mayer has abandoned his bid to run for the FIA presidency but hit out at the election process.

The election is over, but our campaign is not. Tim Mayer may not be on the ballot, but FIA Forward continues committed to reform, transparency, and listening to every Member Club.  Read more: https://t.co/AwejabYSjk#FIAForward #DemocracyMatters #SportAndMobility #Integrity pic.twitter.com/kUV8H3SoH0  FIA Forward (@fiaforward) October 17, 2025

Incumbent Mohammed ben Sulayem is set to be unchallenged as rules dictate that candidates must nominate a vice-president from each of the FIAs six global regions.

There is only one potential candidate in South America  Bernie Ecclestones wife Fabiana, who supports Ben Sulayem.

There is no choice. There will be no vote between ideas, no contest of visions, no test of leadership, Mayer said.

There will be only one candidate and thats not democracy  thats the illusion of democracy.
Members of a security unit in Gaza. Some in the territory oppose Hamass new rough justice, but others support it as a way to keep chaos at bay. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

Throughout Israels two-year war in Gaza, aid officials working in the territory avoided naming Hamas in conversations they suspected might be intercepted, instead referring to the militant Islamist group as the de facto authority.

This careful euphemism for Hamas, which violently seized power in 2007, captured an important truth. Though the group was a less obvious presence in the last months of the conflict, in the absence of any alternative, it remained the closest the increasingly devastated territory had to a ruler.

Its administrative officials continued to be key interlocutors for humanitarian organisations. Its armed police units hunted looters, armed gangs, clans who challenged its authority, the more outspoken critics among ordinary Palestinians and militia groups backed by Israel.

This campaign now appears to have become a priority for Hamas  and it requires weapons, which Hamas is supposed to relinquish if the current ceasefire deal reached last week is to harden into anything resembling a durable peace.

For Hamas, there are now new priorities, and they do not involve giving up guns. Senior officials have already made this clear, as have some involved in the tortuous negotiations under way on the second phase of Donald Trumps 20-point plan for peace. Instead, the group has moved fast to assert its authority across the 47% of Gaza to which the population of 2.3 million hungry, weak and traumatised people are confined now that the Israeli military has withdrawn from its previous positions.

Related: I can breathe again: Israels Zikim beach open for first time since 7 October attack

In recent days, there have been skirmishes, shootings and a public execution of seven unidentified traitors and collaborators in Zeitoun, a ruined neighbourhood to the east of Gaza City. Though the group may not be able to deter enemies, rivals and ordinary criminals through the certainty of punishment, it clearly believes it can do so through spectacular, terrifying armed violence.

This may appal onlookers, but not necessarily all of those whose lives have been blighted by the collapse in rule of law and social order in Gaza during the conflict.

Some undoubtedly oppose the new rough justice. You cant correct one mistake with another, an activist in central Gaza told the BBC. Executions without fair trial are a crime. May God guide our people.

But Najla Jundiya, from the central town of Deir al-Balah, said she supported the new Hamas campaign.

I wont hide it  I am very worried about the chaos currently happening in Gaza and I strongly encourage the measures taken against thieves and those causing chaos until a responsible government takes over to maintain safety and security, the 36-year-old told the Guardian.

One reason for the anarchy is that Israel refused to outline any alternative government to Hamas throughout the conflict and has blocked any role there for the Palestinian Authority, which exercises partial authority over parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Despite Israeli efforts to promote armed gangs as a counterweight to Hamas on the ground, the result is a vacuum which Hamas can now fill.

When you have a complete and total destruction of a society, the ones who can maintain some sort of monopoly of violence will rule  Hamas has been by far the most successful in terms of deploying force and getting violence under control, said H A Hellyer, an expert at Londons RUSI and the Center for American Progress in Washington.

Related: Israel and Hamas trade blame over truce violations as tensions rise over return of hostages bodies

The importance to Hamas of its current effort to eliminate rivals was underlined by comments made by Trump last week suggesting Hamas had been given a green light to use force to prevent bad things happening. This could only have come about if Qatar or another trusted interlocutor had passed on to the US a specific request from Hamas to be allowed to continue its crackdown. Almost simultaneously, however, Trump said: If [Hamas] dont disarm, we will disarm them. And it will happen quickly and perhaps violently. He escalated that threat late on Thursday, saying: If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them.

Trumps plan calls for the establishment of a transitional administration staffed by politically unaligned Palestinian technocrats under international oversight. It also specifies that Hamas and other armed factions in Gaza will be excluded from the future governance of Palestinian territories. There is no agreed timeline for any of this. In fact, there is no agreement at all.

The most likely scenario is that Hamas surrenders its minimal remaining stocks of heavier offensive weapons that could target Israel, but refuses to handover the kind of lighter arms that will allow it to crush any opposition to its rule. This falls short of what Trump  and Israel  demand, but may be sufficient.

As for the exclusion from future governance, these recent days are likely to prove decisive. Hamas may well give up any formal role in Gaza, but is very likely to remain the de facto authority for the foreseeable future.
Hollywood actress Jennifer Lawrence said she was asked to dance naked after being challenged to do interpretative dance lessons with Robert Pattinson for a film role.

The US movie star, 35, known for The Hunger Games and Passengers, stars alongside Pattinson, 39, in black comedy-drama Die My Love.

She told The Graham Norton Show: Lynne Ramsay, the director, challenged us during rehearsals  Robert and I had to do interpretative dance lessons together.

Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson with director Lynne Ramsay at a photocall for Die My Love during the Cannes Film Festival (PA)

We both embarrass quite easily, and we didnt really know each other so it was totally humiliating.

Then on the first day of filming she asked whether we remembered what we did and asked if we would do it naked!

When everyone on the sofa questioned her about it, she joked: Should I have said no? You all seem quite shocked.

Asked if it was strange coming back to acting after a hiatus, the Oscar-winner said: I needed some time out, I worked all through my 20s. I was at peace with the possibility of not being able to get back, but I thought it would be fine.

Jennifer Lawrence during filming for the Graham Norton Show (Matt Crossick Media Assignments/PA)

Lawrence, who won the best actress Academy Award for Silver Linings Playbook in 2012, plays a woman experiencing postpartum psychosis in the film, which is released in cinemas on November 7.

She was joined on the BBC chat show by Bruce Springsteen and actor Jeremy Allen White, who portrays the US rock star in a movie about the creation of his 1982 album Nebraska.

Springsteen, 76, said of the filming process: I was on set a lot. I felt really guilty about that because not only did Jeremy have to play me, but he had to play me while I am sitting right there watching him.

He was incredibly tolerant and generous of me for which I am grateful. I had a great time.

Bruce Springsteen, Jeremy Allen White, Jennifer Lawrence, Tessa Thompson and Florence Welch with host Graham Norton (Matt Crossick Media Assignments/PA)

White, 34, said of playing the rock legend: There was a lot of prep. It was tough.

I am such an admirer of Bruce so it took a long time to accept I could do it.

It was daunting and I had scary days but I trained six times a week for six months so I could sound a bit like Bruce.

The rasp came naturally after singing the songs over and over and over again.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, in cinemas from October 24, also stars Succession actor Jeremy Strong and Adolescences Stephen Graham.

Also interviewed is US actress Tessa Thompson, with Florence Welch performing her new song Everybody Scream with her band Florence And The Machine.

The Graham Norton Show is on BBC One on Friday from 10.40pm.
US TV star Jimmy Fallon was treated to some Highlands hospitality as Scottish soldiers hosted him for a special dinner during his holiday in Royal Deeside.

A chance encounter led to the Kings royal guards inviting The Tonight Shows host into their officers mess for dinner in Ballater, Aberdeenshire.

The actor had been touring the grounds of Balmoral Castle this week when one of the soldiers recognised him and invited him to their barracks.

Jimmy Fallon with soldiers from 5Scots as he visited Victoria Barracks, Ballater (5Scots/PA)

Fallon was greeted with kilts and bagpipes by soldiers from 5th Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland (5Scots) and signed the visitors book at Victoria Barracks in the village  a longstanding tradition for guests of honour.

The evening began with a formal welcome to the camp by the commanding officer, second in command and company sergeant major.

He then saw a small ceremonial guard of soldiers rehearsing for the Kings departure.

Fallon was then shown some of the equipment the soldiers use before the formal dinner, where he was served a traditional Scottish starter  a venison Scotch egg rather than the usual sausage.

He also heard a short talk by Lieutenant Samoilys on the regimental colours.

Major Thomas Blair, commanding officer of 5Scots, said: What started as a chance meeting near Balmoral turned into a brilliant evening.

Its not every day you get to meet a Hollywood A-lister, and we were delighted to welcome him to Scotland  in true Scots style.

Pictures taken by the regiment show a kilted Fallon sitting around the dinner table in the officers mess, as well as his signature in the visitors book.

Jimmy Fallons signature in the visitor book at Victoria Barracks, Ballater (5Scots/PA)

Within 5Scots, Balaklava company has a number of ceremonial roles in Scotland and forms the royal guard at Balmoral.

The infantry company welcomed the King to Balmoral when he arrived for his summer residence earlier this year.

Fallon rose to fame as a cast member on the comedy sketch series Saturday Night Live before becoming the host of a late night talk show.

The creator of Saturday Night Live, Lorne Michaels, hopes to bring a version of the show to the UK on Sky.

Fallon recently offered some advice to up-and-coming comedians who may star on the UK show.

He told Deadline: Dont think about the next move, or if you are going to be a movie star from this.

Dont treat it as a launching pad, treat it as the end game.
US TV star Jimmy Fallon was treated to some Highlands hospitality during his holiday in Royal Deeside.

The actor had been touring the grounds of Balmoral Castle this week when one of the soldiers recognised him and invited him to their barracks.

The chance encounter led to the Kings royal guards inviting The Tonight Shows host into their officers mess for dinner in Ballater, Aberdeenshire.

Fallon was greeted with kilts and bagpipes by soldiers from the 5th Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland (5Scots) and signed the visitors book at Victoria Barracks in the village  a longstanding tradition for guests of honour.

The evening began with a formal welcome to the camp by the commanding officer, second in command and company sergeant major.

He then saw a small ceremonial guard of soldiers rehearsing for the Kings departure.

Jimmy Fallon and soldiers from 5 Scots during his visit to Victoria Barracks, Ballater (5 Scots/PA)

Fallon was then shown some of the equipment the soldiers use before the formal dinner, where he was served a traditional Scottish starter  a venison Scotch egg rather than the usual sausage.

He also heard a short talk by Lieutenant Samoilys on the regimental colours.

Major Thomas Blair, commanding officer of 5Scots, said: What started as a chance meeting near Balmoral turned into a brilliant evening.

Its not every day you get to meet a Hollywood A-lister, and we were delighted to welcome him to Scotland  in true Scots style.

Pictures taken by the regiment show a kilted Fallon sitting around the dinner table in the officers mess, as well as his signature in the visitors book.

Fallon's signature in the visitor book at Victoria Barracks (5 Scots/PA)

Within 5Scots, Balaklava company has a number of ceremonial roles in Scotland and forms the royal guard at Balmoral.

The infantry company welcomed the King to Balmoral when he arrived for his summer residence earlier this year.

Fallon rose to fame as a cast member on the comedy sketch series Saturday Night Live before becoming the host of a late-night talk show.

The creator of Saturday Night Live, Lorne Michaels, hopes to bring a version of the show to the UK on Sky.

Fallon recently offered some advice to up-and-coming comedians who may star on the UK show.

He told Deadline: Dont think about the next move, or if you are going to be a movie star from this.

Dont treat it as a launching pad, treat it as the end game.
The King will become the first British monarch to pray publicly with the Pope since the Reformation 500 years ago during a state visit to the Holy See next week.

The King and Queen will meet the new pontiff Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace, his official residence, next Thursday during their trip to Vatican City.

In a highly significant moment in relations between the Catholic Church and Church of England, of which His Majesty is Supreme Governor, the King and Queen and the Pope will attend a special ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel celebrating the ongoing work towards unity and cooperation among different Christian churches.

The decision for the King and Pope to pray together during the service will be the first time a monarch and the pontiff have joined together in this type of moment of reflection in the 500 years since the Reformation when, in 1534, King Henry VIII declared himself as head of the Church of England and broke from the papal authority of the Rome Catholic Church.

In another historic step, the King will be made "Royal Confrater" of the Abbey of St Paul's Outside the Walls.

The abbot of the community and the archpriest of the basilica wished to confer the title and received the Pope's approval to do so. To mark the occasion a special seat has been made decorated with the King's coat of arms.

Read more:

King Charles pays tribute to Pope Francis

King and Queen meet Pope Francis at the Vatican

The King will use it during the service, after which it will remain in the apse of the basilica for future use by His Majesty and his heirs and successors.

English Kings had a particular link with The Papal Basilica of St Paul's Outside the Walls until the Reformation. It is also known as the Papal Basilica where reconciliation, ecumenism and relationships across the Christian faith are celebrated.

A spokesperson for the Church of England said: "The royal confrater title, whilst it confers no duties or obligations on the King, and makes no changes whatsoever to the formal, constitutional and ecclesiastical position of His Majesty as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, it is a tribute to his majesty and his own work over many decades to find common ground between faiths and to bring people together."

The trip comes during the Catholic Church's 2025 Jubilee year. Held traditionally every 25 years, "Pilgrims of Hope" is the theme of this jubilee.

The visit will also reflect the joint commitment from both Pope Leo and the King to protect nature and their shared concern for the environment. The service at the Sistine Chapel will have the theme of "Care for Creation" and they will attend a meeting on sustainability.

A spokesperson from the Foreign Office said: "At a time of growing instability and conflict, the UK's relationship with the Holy See is more important than ever. The Holy See is a key international actor.

"We work with the Holy See to promote human dignity, to promote peace and combat climate change... so His Majesty's visit will strengthen the UK's relationship with this crucial and influential global partner."

Read more on Sky News:

Vatican must do more to help sexual abuse victims

Pope Leo's revealing birthday interview

Only in 1961 did Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch since the Reformation to make an official visit to the Holy See.

In April of this year, a royal visit had to be cancelled due to the ill health of Pope Francis, but both the King and Queen did meet him privately while on a trip to Rome. It is understood Pope Leo and the King have been actively engaged in how this reorganised visit will look and the themes it will cover.
King Charles is set to make history during his state visit to the Vatican, becoming the first British monarch since the Reformation to pray at a public service with the Pope.

The Supreme Governor of the Church of England will join Pope Leo XIV, head of the Catholic Church, to pray during an ecumenical service in the famous Sistine Chapel, a symbolic moment of the continuing dialogue between their two churches.

The two-day visit to the Holy See, the government of the Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican, is understood to be deeply significant for the King, who will also celebrate the Papal Jubilee, an event held every 25 years.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said about the trip planned for next Wednesday and Thursday with the Queen: The visit will mark Their Majesties first meeting with Pope Leo XIV since his election in May 2025.

The visit will also mark a significant moment in relations between the Catholic Church and Church of England, of which His Majesty is Supreme Governor, recognising the ecumenical work they have undertaken and reflecting the Jubilee years theme of walking together as Pilgrims of Hope.

This will be the first state visit, since the Reformation, where the Pope and the Monarch will pray together in an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel, and the first time the monarch will have attended a service in St Pauls Outside the Walls, a church with a historic connection to the English Crown.

Pope Leo XIV in St Peters Square at the Vatican (AP)

The King and Queen were due to make a state visit to the Holy See in April, but the health problems of Pope Francis meant the trip was postponed, although the couple did privately meet the pontiff, who died later that month.

Charles is also being recognised for the British monarchys historic association with the Papal Basilica of St Pauls Outside the Walls in Rome, the seat of a Benedictine Abbey, and will be made Royal Confrater of the abbey.

In centuries past, monarchs provided for the upkeep of the tomb of St Peter, the first pontiff, at the basilica.

King Henry VIII famously broke ties with Rome and established the Church of England, and during the following centuries, relations between the English state and the papacy were marked by mutual distrust, said a Church of England spokesperson.

The ecumenical movement, a drive towards worldwide Christian unity which began early in the 20th century, has seen Anglicans and Roman Catholics working towards this goal.

The spokesperson said: The recognition of His Majesty with the Royal Confrater title, happens in that context  following more than a hundred years of deeper and warmer relations between the United Kingdom and the Vatican, and between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church.

King Charles III (PA)

They added: So the Royal Confrater title, whilst it confers no duties or obligations on the King and makes no changes whatsoever to the formal constitutional and ecclesiastical position of His Majesty as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, is a tribute to His Majesty and to his own work over many decades to find common ground between faiths and to bring people together.

It is intended as an ecumenical gesture of hospitality that bears witness to the historic ties between what is now the United Kingdom and the basilica, and celebrates the deep and warm friendship between the two churches.

Britains head of state was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer early last year and is continuing with his regular treatment programme, believed to be a weekly session.

The King and Queen will be greeted by Pope Leo in his official residence, the Apostolic Palace, and afterwards, when Camilla tours the Pauline Chapel, home to Michelangelos frescoes of St Peter and St Paul, Charles will meet Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy Sees Secretary of State.

Charles, Camilla and the Pope will then attend the special ecumenical service, where they will pray, which is focused on the theme of Care for Creation, reflecting the pontiff and the Kings commitment to protecting nature and concern for the environment.

Charles and Camilla during a private meeting with Pope Francis in Rome on April 9 (PA)

These themes will also be reflected when the two heads of state later join a meeting on sustainability, in the palaces Sala Regia.

The King and Queen will later attend a service at the Basilica of St Pauls Outside the Walls where a special seat has been created for Charles which will remain at the place of worship for use by his successors.

The state visit will end with the King attending a reception at the Pontifical Beda College, a seminary training priests from across the Commonwealth, and the Queen will meet six Catholic Sisters from the International Union of Superiors General, working around the world at a grassroots level to support female empowerment, through a range of activities from a girls education programme to tackling human trafficking.

A Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson: At a time of global instability and conflict, the UKs relationship with the Holy See is more important than ever  and this historic state visit will be a key moment to strengthen this relationship.

They added: The Catholic Church is the largest denomination of the worlds largest religion; it is the worlds largest non-state education provider, educating 68 million students worldwide, and delivers a quarter of the worlds healthcare.

His Majestys visit will therefore strengthen the UKs relationship with this crucial and influential partner, helping to deliver on the Governments priorities  from promoting peace and security around the world to working with our international partners to tackle climate change.
Kremlin proposes 70-mile Putin-Trump unity tunnel linking the US and Russia  built by Elon Musk

A Kremlin envoy has proposed a Putin-Trump rail tunnel between eastern Russia and the US state of Alaska to symbolise unity, even suggesting that it could be built by billionaire Elon Musk.

Kirill Dmitriev, Moscows special envoy on international economic and investment cooperation and a key negotiator in Ukraine peace talks, suggested the project could be completed within eight years by Musks Boring Company, at a cost of $8bn (6bn). This could be funded by Moscow and international partners, he added.

He envisaged the 70-mile rail and cargo link beneath the Bering Strait could unlock joint exploration of natural resources.

A graphic shared by Kirill Dmitriev of the proposed project (Kirill Dmitriev/X)

Elon Musk, imagine connecting the US and Russia, the Americas and Afro-Eurasia, with the Putin-Trump Tunnel - a 70-mile link symbolising unity, he wrote in a series of posts on X on Thursday.

Traditional costs are [over] $65bn, but the Boring Company's tech could reduce it to [under] $8bn. Let's build a future together!

He added: This mega-project will connect continents and make the Boring Company the most exciting infrastructure innovator ever!

.@elonmusk, imagine connecting the US and Russia, the Americas and the Afro-Eurasia with the Putin-Trump Tunnel - a 70-mile link symbolizing unity. Traditional costs are $65B+, but @boringcompany's tech could reduce it to <$8B. Let's build a future together!   https://t.co/boCVb8xqjl pic.twitter.com/QXmTYAduqm  Kirill Dmitriev (@kadmitriev) October 16, 2025

Musk does not appear to have responded to the proposal.

Dmitriev floated the tunnel idea shortly after Russian president Vladimir Putin spoke to Mr Trump on the phone and agreed to meet in Hungary in the coming weeks to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

The Bering Strait, which is 51 miles wide at its narrowest point, separates Russias Chukotka region from Alaska. The idea to link the two countries is nothing new  it dates back at least 150 years, with various projects drawn up but never implemented. Dmitrievs suggestion came in response to recently released US congressional documents on the late president John F Kennedy, which revealed a proposal for a World Peace Bridge between Alaska and Siberia.

A man of many hats, Mr Dmitriev is the head of Russias RDIF sovereign wealth fund and Mr Putins emissary of choice to court better relations with the US.

He shared a graphic of his proposed Kennedy-Khrushchev World Peace Bridge showing the route the new tunnel could take between Chukotka and Alaska, but he did not specify whether he had discussed his idea with Russian or American officials or explain how sanctions might affect the project.

RDIF has already invested in and built the first-ever Russia-China railroad bridge. The time has come to do more and connect the continents for the first time in human history. The time has come to connect Russia and the US, he said.

Mr Trump has not commented on the proposal.
Laurence Foxs libel claim after he was called a racist on social media is set to face a retrial, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

In a decision on Friday, Lord Justice Warby said that the tweets caused serious harm to his reputation and his libel claim should be reconsidered at a retrial.

It comes after the actor, who is now a right-wing political activist, lost his recent libel appeal over social media posts where he called two people paedophiles in a row over Black History Month.

Mr Fox was sued by now-Stonewall chief executive Simon Blake and drag artist Crystal over the exchange on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Mr Fox, 47, called Mr Blake and the former RuPauls Drag Race contestant, whose real name is Colin Seymour, paedophiles in an exchange about a decision by Sainsburys to mark Black History Month in October 2020.

Mr Fox called for a boycott of the supermarket and was called a racist by the men, as well as broadcaster Nicola Thorp, before he responded with the paedophile tweets, which led to the libel claims.

Simon Blake (left), Nicola Thorp and Colin Seymour (right) attending the trial in November 2023 (PA)

During the trial, Mr Seymour, who is Canadian, said he had faced overwhelming and distressing abuse after the tweet, while Mr Blake said the false suggestion that all gay men were paedophiles was a trope as old as the hills.

In two judgments in 2024, Mrs Justice Collins Rice ruled in favour of Mr Blake and Mr Seymour, and said Mr Fox should pay them 90,000 each in damages.

The judge dismissed Mr Foxs counterclaims against them and Ms Thorp over tweets accusing him of racism.

Mr Fox then challenged this decision at the Court of Appeal in London, where his lawyers described the previous judges decision as plainly wrong.

Patrick Green KC, for Mr Fox, said in written submissions that the judgment which found Mr Fox had libelled the men should be quashed because of errors of approach by the judge, including over whether Mr Blake and Mr Seymour were caused serious harm.

The barrister added that Mrs Justice Collins Rice had wrongly decided damages for the men, who, with Ms Thorp, opposed the appeal.

Fox had made the remarks in a dispute over Black History Month in October 2020 (PA)

He said that in one of her rulings, the judge ignores the actual words used, or their all-important context.

Adrienne Page KC, for Mr Blake, Mr Seymour and Ms Thorp, said in written submissions that Mr Foxs appeal was lacking in merit.

She later said: Whichever way one looks at it, the judge was fully entitled to reach the factual conclusions that she did on the serious, real-world, reputational impact of the appellants tweets, for the reasons which she gave.

There was nothing wrong with her analysis in fact or law.

After very careful and conscientious evaluation, the judge was, unsurprisingly, not persuaded of this on the facts.

And in a decision on Friday, Lord Justice Dingemans, Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing and Lord Justice Warby ruled in Mr Foxs favour on his counterclaims and the level of damages.

Lord Justice Warby said that the amount of damages Mr Fox was ordered to pay to Mr Blake and Mr Seymour was manifestly excessive, halving both sums to 45,000.

Lord Justice Warby said: I am acutely aware of the need for this court to respect the function of the trial judge, and show due restraint.

Having reflected on the arguments and revisited the written materials presented to us I have however concluded that the judges approach was in some respects wrong in law in ways that are material to the outcome.

The Court of Appeal judge dismissed Mr Foxs bid to overturn the finding that he had libelled Mr Blake and Mr Seymour.
E-Commerce delivery platform now serves 60 markets coast-to-coast

NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Veho, the most customer-centric e-commerce delivery platform in the U.S., today announced that e-commerce brands can now give their customers the benefit of a Veho-backed delivery in three more markets: Ann Arbor, Michigan; Akron, Ohio; and Greensboro / Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

As a result of this expansion, Veho now serves 128 million Americans across 60 markets nationwide, with delivery capacity significantly expanded ahead of the peak shopping season.

Veho, the customer-centric e-commerce delivery platform, has expanded in Ann Arbor, MI; Akron, OH; and Greensboro, NC. Post this

Veho is different from traditional shipping providers because of its obsession with using technology to deliver a great customer experience  and how this improves e-commerce brands' bottom lines. Veho's signature service offering gets parcels in consumers' hands within 1-3 days, with industry-leading on-time performance and customer satisfaction scores. Consumers using Veho can provide precise delivery instructions  even a photo of exactly where they want a parcel left, delighting customers while reducing problems like lost or stolen packages by 94%.

"When Veho expands in a new market, it's because leading e-commerce brands demand it. We started 2025 with service in 46 major American metropolitan areas, and we're on track to end the year with service in 60," said Deborah Surrette, Veho's Chief Commercial Officer. "Veho offers e-commerce brands reliability, cost competitiveness, and the ability to provide their customers a great delivery experience, and we're excited to bring that to the people of Ann Arbor, Akron and Greensboro/Winston-Salem."

Since soft-launching service in Greensboro and Winston-Salem, North Carolina in February, the market quickly grew, with over 10,000 parcels being delivered per week. Growth like this is what has driven Veho to significantly increase its parcel injection, sortation and distribution capacity in the Southeast, including a 5X increase in the capacity of its regional hub outside Atlanta.

In launching service in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Veho is expanding upon the coverage it launched last year in Detroit . Already, Veho is enabling the delivery of thousands of e-commerce deliveries in the area each week.

Veho's platform in Akron, Ohio launched two weeks ago and thousands of deliveries are already occurring each week.

These market launches build upon a year of geographic expansion for Veho including in Southern California , New York City , St. Louis, Cleveland and Pittsburgh , as well as Richmond and Louisville . This growth has fueled a doubling of the parcel volume being delivered through Veho's network year-to-date.

Photos of Veho's technology, operations and coverage map can be downloaded here .

About Veho

Veho is a technology-powered e-commerce delivery platform designed for brands that care about their customers' post-purchase experience. Through its interconnected delivery network and proprietary software, Veho enables faster, more reliable, and customer-centric delivery at a competitive cost. Powering e-commerce shipments in more than 50 markets and reaching over 120 million consumers, Veho helps leading brands like Macy's, Lululemon, Sephora, and HelloFresh transform delivery from a cost center into a growth driver. Learn more at shipveho.com .

Media Contact:

Evan Wagner

Director of Communications, Veho

[email protected]

SOURCE Veho
Laurence Foxs libel claim after he was called a racist on social media is set to face a retrial, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

The actor-turned-activist was successfully sued by now-Stonewall chief executive Simon Blake and drag artist Crystal over a row on social media platform X.

Mr Fox, 47, called Mr Blake and the former RuPauls Drag Race contestant, whose real name is Colin Seymour, paedophiles in an exchange about a decision by Sainsburys to mark Black History Month in October 2020.

Mr Fox called for a boycott of the supermarket and was called a racist by the men, as well as by broadcaster Nicola Thorp, before he responded with the paedophile tweets which led to the libel claims.

Simon Blake (left), Nicola Thorp and Colin Seymour (right) (Lucy North/PA)

In two judgments in 2024, Mrs Justice Collins Rice ruled in favour of Mr Blake and Mr Seymour, and said Mr Fox should pay them 90,000 each in damages.

The judge dismissed Mr Foxs counter-claims against them and Ms Thorp over tweets accusing him of racism.

Mr Fox challenged this decision at the Court of Appeal in London, where his lawyers described the previous judges decision as plainly wrong.

And in a decision on Friday, Lord Justice Dingemans, Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing and Lord Justice Warby ruled in Mr Foxs favour on his counter-claims and the level of damages.

Lord Justice Warby said that the tweets describing Mr Fox as a racist caused serious harm to his reputation and his libel claim should be reconsidered at a retrial.

He also reduced the amount of damages Mr Fox was ordered to pay to Mr Blake and Mr Seymour to 45,000, with Lord Justice Dingemans describing the previous sums as manifestly excessive.

Lord Justice Warby said: I am acutely aware of the need for this court to respect the function of the trial judge, and show due restraint.

Having reflected on the arguments and revisited the written materials presented to us I have however concluded that the judges approach was in some respects wrong in law in ways that are material to the outcome.

The Court of Appeal judge dismissed Mr Foxs bid to overturn the finding that he had libelled Mr Blake and Mr Seymour.

Following the decision, Mr Fox said in a video posted on X: This has been a long and sometimes very dark five years.

I believe, and I continue to believe from the bottom of my heart, this is a fight worth fighting.

We dont want to live in a country where conversations and careers are destroyed and shut down by that most appalling of slurs.

I hope now, in fact I know now, that people will think twice before making that horrible allegation again.

I was cancelled entirely from the job I love, and I still love and I hope to do again, overnight, so I am so grateful for this outcome and I hope it plays a part in putting free speech exactly back where it belongs, at the cornerstone of any free society.
Crime statistics released by the Metropolitan Police have shed light on which parts of London have recorded the highest levels of crime in 2025 so far.

According to the latest data, there have been a total of 692,579 offences recorded by the Met Police officers across the capital between January and September of this year.

Whereas theft remains the most commonly recorded crime of 2025, other prominent crimes include violence against another person, violence, and public order offences.

There were also over 35,567 instances of burglary, 20,922 sexual offences, and 4,541 cases of possession of a weapon.

While these numbers may appear high, they actually mark a 1.1% decrease from the previous 12 months and a 4.4% drop in September alone compared to August.

Whats more, among a population of roughly 10 million inhabitants, these numbers make up less than 7% of the capitals total population.

The figures also vary depending on different parts of London, with some boroughs recording higher levels of offences compared to others.

So here are the London areas have recorded the highest numbers of crimes across the first nine months of this year:

1. Westminster

Ciara loves running past Big Ben and Buckingham Palace (Shutterstock / Sergii Figurnyi)

Home to the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square and various popular shops and retailers, Westminster is a tourist hotspot where tens of thousands of people cross through every single day.

Given its populous nature as well as regular policing, this may explain why Westminster recorded the highest levels of offences so far this year.

Westminster has seen 61,734 incidents of crime since January with the common crime being theft with 37,504 incidents.

Violence was next on the list with 8,353, alongside 1,954 drug offences in this time and 2,546 cases of robbery.

2. Camden

Aerial view of Camden (supplied)

Camden is another area frequently visited by tourists, and ranked second on the Met Polices list with 30,845 incidents. Another place that boasts countless markets, shops, bars and tourist attractions, it should come as no surprise what type of offence ranked highest here too.

The most commonly reported offence in the area was theft with 15,252 reports, as well as 5,415 incidents of violence and 746 reports of sexual offences.

3. Newham

Newham ranks third on the list (Google Maps)

Newham is in third place, with 29,995 reported incidents of crime.

Located near Canary Wharf in East London, the most common types of crime recorded here include theft, violence and drug offences.

4. Southwark

Three people were treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation (LFB)

Heading south of the river, Southwark is in fourth spot with 29,832 reports of crime since January.

Again, the most common crime reported was theft with 11,862 reports. There were also 6,744 reports of violence against a person in that time, 1,552 drug offences, 1,546 public order offences and 1,455 reports of arson and criminal damage.

5. Lambeth

Lambeth Bridge is undergoing a set of upgrades to improve cyclists' safety (Transport for London)

Lambeth is the fifth most criminally active borough, according to the data, with 28,561 crime incidents.

Theft again was the most commonly reported crime, closely followed by violence against a person with 7,104 reports.
Manchester United wants the government to fully support its development plans for a new Old Trafford stadium and ensure the project delivers wider regional regeneration.

Chief operating officer Collette Roche has been talking up the economic and cultural benefits which could be achieved as part of the clubs plans.

United have ambitious designs beyond the ground itself, but first need to acquire a piece of privately-owned land near the Stretford End  something which may ultimately attract political intervention by way of a compulsory purchase order.

Manchester United announced plans to replace Old Trafford with a new 100,000-seater stadium in March (Foster + Partners/PA handout)

Speaking to the We Built This City podcast, Roche said: Its not just a Manchester United vision. Its a vision for the region. Its a vision for Trafford and its a vision for Manchester, and thats why Andy Burnham (Mayor of Greater Manchester) and Trafford Council are really keen to work with us.

Theres no point building the best and biggest stadium in the UK and it being on an island where you cant get to it because the transport links arent there, or people cant come on a non-match day or local businesses cant be part of.

So our ask of the government is that they support, not the stadium build, but support the infrastructure and the regeneration of the area.

And when weve looked at it really closely, it actually ticks so many boxes for the government around their growth strategy. So its very easy for us to use this as a catalyst to help deliver the government plans.

She added: Its very early in the journey, but its an amazing opportunity that weve got, not just for Manchester United, but for the region.

Whilst well build a stadium thats great for our team and for the club and our fans, its so much more than that.

Its become a regional project and probably will be one of the biggest in Europe. As such, its bigger than us at Manchester United. So, we needed to get support and work with a lot of stakeholders across Manchester and central government.
A widespread power failure across Malaysia left thousands without electricity on Wednesday afternoon, forcing office workers in one of the countrys tallest skyscrapers to climb down hundreds of flights of stairs.

Videos shared online showed employees evacuating The Exchange 106  Malaysias fourth-tallest building  after the lights went out on 15 October. Some workers used torches to navigate the stairwells of the 445m-high tower, located in Kuala Lumpurs Tun Razak Exchange financial district.

The footage, set to dramatic music, drew amused reactions online, with several users joking it had turned into an impromptu workout time.

Suddenly weight loss time and then on the bottom floor.... The lights are on, commented a person.

I walked to the 5th floor and suddenly there was electricity.., wrote a user.

Still want to be an advanced country? joked another user.

Workers walk down a flight of stairs as lifts stop working in one of the tallest buildings in Malaysia (Brian Lee/Facebook)

The blackout disrupted power in parts of the Klang Valley, which includes the capital Kuala Lumpur and surrounding cities, as well as Johor Bahru in southern Malaysia. The national utility company Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) said the outage was triggered by a lightning strike at the Edra Power Plant in the coastal state of Melaka.

We appreciate your patience and regret any inconvenience caused, TNB said in a statement on Facebook, adding that technical teams were deployed to restore electricity in stages. The company later confirmed that full power was reinstated by 5.54pm.

According to Malaysian media, key commercial hubs such as Mid Valley Megamall, Pavilion Damansara Heights, and the TRX complex were also plunged into darkness. Traffic in parts of Kuala Lumpur slowed as signals stopped working, while reports of power loss extended to other regions including Kluang, Tampin, Ipoh, Kuantan, and Sendayan.

The Exchange 106, which has 106 floors, is ranked 23rd among the worlds tallest buildings by the US-based Council on Vertical Urbanism. The buildings developers describe it as a beacon visible for miles around, a symbol of a nation on the rise.
Sir Delius, who had been favourite for the Melbourne Cup, has been ruled out of the Flemington showpiece on veterinary advice.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the four-year-old had also been due to run in the Cox Plate but will have to miss the rest of the Spring Carnival.

Formerly trained in France by Jean-Claude Rouget where he was known as Delius, he had won his last two races at Group One level.

A statement on www.racingvictoria.com.au read: In accordance with the conditions of the Lexus Melbourne Cup, Sir Delius was presented this week at the University of Melbourne Equine Centre in Werribee for a compulsory Computed Tomography (CT) scan of its distal limbs.

CT scan results are reviewed by an independent panel of diagnostic imaging specialists which comprises representatives from Australia, UK and USA. Three members are nominated to review the scans for each horse independent of one another.

The nominated panel members reported to RV Veterinary Services that the CT scan results for Sir Delius indicated that the horse is currently at heightened risk of injury.

In line with protocols, the Waterhouse-Bott team were allowed to send him for a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan which can help determine the status of an area of concern.

The statement went on: Having reviewed the PET scan results alongside the CT scan results, the panel members have advised RV Veterinary Services that they remain of the view that Sir Delius is currently at heightened risk of injury.

Following advice from RV Veterinary Services in relation to the specialist opinions from the imaging panel, RV Stewards have stood down Sir Delius from competing in the remainder of the 2025 Spring Racing Carnival. The Stewards have appraised the connections of the key information that they relied upon in making their decision.
A pile of wood used to make pellets at the Drax Biomass facility in Gloster, Mississippi, in 2024. Photograph: Gerald Herbert/AP

Residents of a small Mississippi town are suing Drax Biomass after the company won a permit to become a major source of hazardous air pollution at a local wood pellet production plant.

The subsidiary of the FTSE 250 energy company was previously denied permission to increase emissions in the 900-person town of Gloster, Mississippi, after local residents warned that they had already suffered serious adverse health consequences because of the operation.

But in a reversal of the April decision, the Mississippi department of environmental quality (MDEQ) permit board on Wednesday granted Draxs Amite county wood pellet production facility a permit.

The plant in Gloster converts trees sourced from southern US states into wooden pellets, which are burned as biomass fuel in Draxs huge power station in Selby, North Yorkshire, England.

Drax is expected to receive more than 10bn in UK renewable energy subsidies between 2012 and 2027 for its biomass generation, according to the thinktank Ember, despite criticism from green groups and climate scientists which claim that the wood it uses to manufacture biomass pellets is not sustainably sourced.

The company was found to have supplied inaccurate data relating to its sourcing of biomass, leading to a 25m ($33m) fine which was paid to the UK energy regulator. The company is currently being investigated by the UKs Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and lawmakers in the UK have been reviewing the billions in renewables subsidies the North Yorkshire plant receives.

The new lawsuit against Drax alleges that the Amite county facility  which shares a fence line with the larger community  has unlawfully exposed locals to excessive levels of chemicals and pollutants. It says those in turn have coated peoples homes and put them at greater risk of diseases such as cancer and respiratory illness.

This case is about holding a multibillion-dollar foreign corporation accountable for poisoning a small Mississippi community, said Letitia Johnson, an attorney at Singleton Schreiber, which filed the lawsuit.

Residents of Glosters predominantly Black, low-income town have reported feeling dizzy, getting headaches and otherwise feeling unwell since the facility opened a decade ago, and they have expressed concern that any plans for increased emissions could worsen respiratory illnesses, heart disease and other health issues linked to the pollutants.

The UK government has previously been accused of funding environmental racism through the subsidies to Drax.

You got dust falling all night, said Jimmy Brown, who lives less than a mile from the plant, the conservation outlet Mongabay reported. You got constant noise from the plant. You got odor. You got truck traffic [carrying tons of trees and chipped wood] all day, every day. Thats what a lot of people dont understand. Its nonstop.

The approval came despite the sites previous standards violations, which resulted in a $250,000 fine last year for releasing over 50% more harmful pollutants than allowed and a $2.5m penalty in 2020 for underestimating volatile organic compound outputs over several years.

After the permit decision this week in Mississippi, a Drax spokesperson said the company was pleased that the [permit board] has listened to the clear recommendations of its own technical staff, and the voices of Gloster community leaders, local businesses and a large number of our neighbors in Gloster.

In a statement, Drax Biomass said it was aware of the lawsuit and while it could not comment on ongoing legal matters it would strive to be a good neighbour in our communities and to support their wellbeing and prosperity.

In a recent letter to Mississippis governor, Tate Reeves, and the MDEQ permit board, 85 advocacy organizations expressed concern at the effect Draxs manufacturing has had on Glosters residents and urged steps to ensure they can breathe clean, safe air.

From young children with asthma who are unable to play outside, to elderly residents reliant on costly breathing treatments, it is clear that Gloster is a community in crisis, the organizations wrote.

Those who can afford to leave are doing so, they added, while those who remain are left to suffer worsening health.
Reality TV star Molly-Mae Hague has said a remark she made about everyone having the same 24 hours in a day led to hateful comments and death threats.

In the second series of her show, Molly-Mae: Behind It All, the influencer and businesswoman, 26, who found fame on ITV dating show Love Island, discusses the backlash that followed her appearance in a 2022 episode of the Diary Of A CEO podcast.

She also speaks about the furore after she said in a YouTube video that she had not done one social fun thing in the summer, with fans pointing out she had been to Dubai and Wimbledon.

In episode two of the Prime Video series, she says: I was so frustrated with myself when I saw the comments about me saying, Im going to get to the end of this summer and not have had any fun.

And I can completely understand why people had a problem with what I said. The days where the nations turned against you, theyre not the best days.

She added: I get really frustrated with myself when Ive said something that I think I could have worded better. I hate letting people down.

Its really embarrassing, and I just do my best to put on a brave face and look and act professional.

Reflecting on her comments in 2022, Hague said she has accepted and realised that what she said was wrong.

I have never spoken about that 24 hours scandal. I was so disappointed in myself that Id made that mistake, she said.

Twitter was huge at that time and I was trending for weeks.

I genuinely meant no malice or anything in that comment. I felt like Id upset so many people that I needed to hold my hands up, because Ive accepted and realised that that was wrong.

To get so angry and to leave such hateful comments, send death threats, like, whos got that level of anger inside of them? Some of the things Ive read, sent in my inbox, is just absolutely wild. It would make you just really shocked to see.

After a short clip from the interview went viral on Twitter, now X, Hague was described by some on the social media platform as tone deaf and Thatcherite.

At the time Hagues representatives addressed the controversy in a statement that said: This part of the interview was discussing time efficiency relating to success.

Molly refers to a quote which says, We all have the same 24 hours in a day as Beyonce. She was discussing her own experience and how she can resonate with this specific quote.

Her opinion on if you want something enough you can work hard to achieve it is how she keeps determined with her own work to achieve more in her own life. Molly is not commenting on anyone elses life or personal situation. She can only speak of her own experience.

Episodes one to three of Molly-Mae: Behind It All series two launch exclusively on Prime Video on October 18. The last three episodes will be out in early 2026.
How the murder of an ice-cream seller from Florida embodies a hidden war on the West Bank

For two and a half hours, Sayfollah was left to die with no medical assistance, struggling to breathe, blood filling his lungs, and his body broken after being brutally beaten by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

The 20-year-old, a dual US citizen who runs an ice cream shop in Florida, was only meant to be visiting family and friends in the village of Al-Mazraa ash-Sharqiya, north of Ramallah, for the summer.

On 11 July, his family say a gang of armed settlers attacked him and his relatives as they stood on their own land.

Despite the fact that Sayf  as he is known  was in a critical condition, the Palestinian ambulance called to rescue him was blocked by Israeli security forces, according to his younger brother Mohammed, who was trying to help.

In a panic as Sayfs face began to turn blue, Mohammed called their father, Kamel Musallet, who was over 10,000km away in Tampa and powerless to do anything.

Saif died exactly four minutes before the ambulance reached him and before he was finally  and futilely  placed on a stretcher.

They tried CPR, they tried everything, but it was just too late, Kamel tells The Independent, his voice cracking as he opens up for the first time about that moment his son was beaten to death.

Sayf (centre) stands with his father Kamel (right) in one of the last photos taken before he was beaten to death by settlers (Bel Trew/The Independent)

According to medical reports, Sayf was hit on his back, on the shoulders, he had head injuries  possibly made by rods. He lost all ability to breathe properly, and his heart stopped for lack of oxygen.

Mohammed, a softly-spoken teenager standing near the spot where the attack happened, says he is still haunted by that moment, kneeling helplessly by his older brothers side.

He had blood in his mouth, he was throwing up, he had bruises all over his back, legs, everywhere. He couldnt talk. He couldnt reply. Then he went blue, he adds, before trailing off.

I started to call my dad, everyone I knew, just to do something. No one could reach us, not even the ambulance. I couldnt do anything by myself. I was praying for someone to come help.

Sayfollah is among nearly 1,000 people  four of them US citizens  that Israeli forces or settlers have killed in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023.

In fact, the death toll is so high that multiple international and Israeli rights groups say it is the bloodiest period the area has witnessed since Israel first occupied the land in 1967, over 60 years ago.

The fear is that despite a fragile ceasefire holding in Gaza, it will not be applicable here. Donald Trumps 20-point peace plan does not even mention the West Bank.

And despite the US president declaring a new dawn of peace in the Middle East during a visit to Israel this week, he failed to mention the US citizens killed by Israeli forces and settlers or those held in Israels prisons.

Kamel Musallet prays by his sons grave in the West Bank (Bel Trew/The Independent)

Israel has repeatedly denied that its forces have violated international law, and has blamed the uptick in violence on Palestinian attacks on Israeli citizens: since October 2023, UN data shows 41 Israelis have been killed in the West Bank, including 23 soldiers.

The Israeli military said its soldiers operate to prevent violent incidents perpetrated by Israeli civilians in the [West Bank] area, and it is their duty to protect all residents  both Israelis and Palestinians.

It declined to comment in detail on Sayfs murder, saying an investigation is pending.

But the US did get involved.

The hardest thing that a father can ever do is to put his son in the ground

Kamel Musallet

Its ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, visited his family and personally vowed to investigate the matter and find the perpetrator, calling it a terrorist act, Kamel says.

But the family say so far nothing has been done. In desperation, Kamel travelled to Washington DC in September to petition the Trump administration for help, enlisting the support of members of Congress, including Pramila Jayapal, Chuy Garcia, Rashida Tlaib, Mark Pocan and Lateefah Simon.

Together they held a joint press conference on Capitol Hill demanding answers for Sayf, and also other US citizens killed, including Aysenur Eygi, a Turkish American woman who was shot and killed by Israeli military forces during a protest against illegal Israeli settlements near Nablus last September.

At the gathering, Jayapal said there was absolutely no forward movement on any accountability, no US-led investigation and no insistence that the United States protect at a minimum our own US citizens against Israeli government forces.

The Independent reached out to the State Department but has yet to receive a reply.

Back in the occupied West Bank, the family say they have received no information from the Israeli authorities either.

For Kamel, he cannot stop thinking about the last phone call he had with his son, who told him he had met a woman he wanted to marry. Kamel says his mind is also trapped on the horror of that day.

I was in shock. I just fell to my knees and froze, he says. The hardest thing that a father can ever do is to put his son in the ground.

Sayf, 20, an American from Tampa, was beaten to death by settlers in July (Courtesy of the Musallet family)

Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza in the 1967 six-day war, an occupation which the International Court of Justice has deemed illegal and is in defiance of the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood.

Since then, Israel has built and expanded its settlements to such an extent that the West Bank is now home to over 500,000 Israeli settlers.

Surrounded by these ever-expanding settler outposts, towns and even cities  illegal under international law  are 3 million Palestinians who live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited autonomy in scattered enclaves.

For years there has been violence, but nothing as bloody as the period since Hamass deadly attacks on 7 October in southern Israel and Israels devastating bombardment of Gaza, which a UN enquiry has since concluded is a genocide.

Israel plans to cut the West Bank in half

Israeli forces have stormed and emptied four refugee camps  Jenin, Nur Shams, Tulkarm and Fara  forcibly displacing more than 40,000 people in February.

The settlers, meanwhile, have been armed by the state and recruited into what Israel has called regional defence units, which international, Israeli and Palestinian rights groups say have been getting bolder and more violent every day.

Foreign countries, among them the UK, are so alarmed by the surge in violence, they have even imposed sanctions on individual settlers.

A Palestinian man runs across a hill as he tries to chase off Israeli settlers in the village of Sinjil  which is near where Sayf was killed  in the occupied West Bank in July 2025 (AFP/Getty)

There are deep concerns now of further bloodshed and even annexation after the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his extreme-right cabinet last month approved a major settlement project, E1, just outside Jerusalem.

Rights groups say it will cut the West Bank in half and further sever it from East Jerusalem, making it virtually impossible to establish a viable Palestinian state.

In fact, Netanyahus extreme-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has even boasted the E1 plan would bury the idea of Palestinian statehood and has separately released his own maps annexing more than 80 per cent of the occupied West Bank, a plan he says will take maximum land with minimum Palestinians on it.

The situation is so dire that the UN commission of inquiry concluded last month that Israel has demonstrated a clear intent to forcibly transfer Palestinians, expand Israeli Jewish civilian presence and annex the entirety of the West Bank.

Shai Parnes from Israeli rights group BTselem said that since 2023, the Israeli military not only protects and supports violent settler behaviour, but the settlers themselves have access to state-supplied weapons, and are actually part of the army now.

They get total impunity. Before, these attacks happened at night, they were bothered to wear masks. Now they dont even care if its in broad daylight without any face covers, he adds.

Settler violence caught on camera

In some instances, they do not seem to care that they are caught live on camera.

This happened in July in Umm al-Khair, which is part of Masafer Yatta, in the south of the occupied West Bank, where the plight of Palestinian communities and the relentless attacks they face from settlers was featured in Oscar-winning film No Other Land.

There, Awdah Hathaleen, 31, a Palestinian activist who worked on the documentary, actually filmed his own murder.

It was 28 July, just a few weeks after Sayf had been killed.

In the harrowing mobile phone footage, shared with The Independent, it is clear that the father of three is a good 50 metres away and behind a wire fence, partially draped with tarpaulin.

This was confirmed by multiple eyewitnesses and family members who pinpointed Awdahs pool of blood, which remains on the ground at the spot where he fell.

In the video, settler Yinon Levi, who is sanctioned by the UK and the European Union, is seen waving a gun at a group of Palestinian residents, as he accompanies a bulldozer which had just injured other Palestinians present.

The Biden administration had sanctioned Levi for violence in the community in early 2024. But those sanctions were lifted by an executive order signed by Trump early on in his presidency, which also removed Levis name, among others, from the US Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.

In the clip, Levi, who is screaming, is seen cocking his gun, pointing and shooting directly at Awdah, who falls to the ground.

Awdahs cousin Ahmed, 30, who was a witness, says that earlier the settlers from the nearby settlement Carmel, which butts up against their village, drove across their land with a bulldozer and ignored the Palestinian residents who told them it was forbidden.

Ahmed says he was hit by the bulldozers massive multi-tonne claw, injuring his head and shoulder, wounds he was still suffering from. Then, as the situation escalated, Levi turned and shot Awdah, even though he was nowhere near the crowds.

Awdahs injury was fatal, he continues, sitting next to the dried pool of blood. We called for an ambulance. Even though the Israeli ambulance was only two minutes away and could have arrived, it didnt. Still, Awdahs wounds were critical and deadly. About an hour and a half later, we were informed that Awdah had been martyred.

BTselem says that Levi was put under house arrest, but that was lifted a few days later, on 1 August. On 4 August, he was once again filmed invading Umm al-Khair land, accompanied by another armed settler, unimpeded.

Awdahs brother Khalil says the Israelis, meanwhile, arrested multiple members of his community and withheld Awdahs body for 11 days.

When the body was finally released, Israeli forces temporarily turned the area into a closed military zone so no one could enter to attend the funeral.

Its impossible to describe how we feel, he says, his voice faltering.

Awdahs cousin Ahmed, injured from the attack, sits next to the dried pool of blood where his relative was shot dead by settlers in the West Bank (Bel Trew)

In late August, families in Umm al-Khair said seven new settler caravans installed themselves directly next to residents homes.

Later, the settlers also cut the communitys water supply, further undermining access to basic services. Levi himself appeared with a bulldozer, cutting the electricity line. Residents said armed soldiers and settlers cut down 120 olive trees ahead of the harvest, and destroyed fences.

The shooter is not in jail, he can do whatever he likes  Eitan Peleg, lawyer

Eitan Peleg, an Israeli lawyer representing Awdahs family, says in this atmosphere of impunity, they have little hope of securing justice: The shooter is not in jail, he is not in house custody, he can do whatever he likes.

The last 20 years of investigations like this one end up with nobody found guilty.

The Independent asked the Israeli military (IDF) about the accusations of violence. It said the Israeli military mission was to ensure the security of all residents in the area and to act to prevent terrorism and activities that endanger the citizens of the State of Israel, as well as to protect both Israelis and Palestinians.

It declined to directly comment on the killing of Awdah and instead directed inquiries to the police, adding that In instances where soldiers fail to comply with IDF orders, the incidents are thoroughly investigated, and disciplinary measures are taken accordingly.

The Independent reached out to the spokesperson for the Mount Hebron Regional Council, an Israeli body that administers settlements in the area, but was told they were not interested in speaking to British media.

Yishai Fleisher, an Israeli settler leader and activist, said accusations of a surge in violence by settlers were antisemitic.

Whats obvious to me is the Jews are victims of jihadist violence. And sometimes violence meets violence, he said.

He also attacked British sanctions against settlers, including Levi, accusing the British government of being under the mental control of jihadist thinking.

Back in Al-Mazraa ash-Sharqiya, Safallahs family have still had no updates about their sons killing, and no time to mourn him, as they are fighting a second nightmare: the continued detention of Saifs youngest cousin, a now 16-year-old boy also called Mohammed.

Mohammed, 16, was arrested in an Israeli military dawn raid on his home and has been held without charge or trial, with no contact with his family (Courtesy of Mohammeds family)

In February, Israeli soldiers stormed the family home in the middle of the night, blindfolded and took Mohammed, who was then just 15, for allegedly throwing stones  something the family vehemently deny.

Mohammeds family  who, like Sayfs, also have US citizenship  have been unable to see the teenager, who turned 16 behind bars in Israels notorious Megiddo Prison, where many minors are held.

Thousands of teenagers detained without charge

Despite being a child, Mohammed is among more than 3,500 Palestinians being held in Israeli administrative detention, which can be indefinitely renewed and means he has not been charged or sent to trial.

According to Israeli rights group HaMoked, 87 per cent of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons are held without charge or trial  rights groups have said it amounts to arbitrary detention.

The Israeli Prison Service has denied allegations of violations of human rights in the past, saying that it operates under the law.

All prisoners are detained according to the law. All basic rights required are fully applied by professionally trained prison guards, it said in a statement.

But Mohammed, a teenage school boy, has been barred from family visits and phone calls and has since been moved to Israels notorious Ofer prison, where The Independent revealed evidence showing multiple instances of torture, abuses, sexual violence, deaths in detention and medical neglect.

Mohammeds father, Zaher, said US embassy officials have managed to see him briefly and told them that Mohammed, who was already small for his age, has lost significant amounts of weight and has been suffering from scabies.

The family had hoped he might be included in a hostage exchange swap in the latest truce, but he was not included on the lists.

Kamel stands next to his sons grave after he was beaten to death by settlers in the occupied West Bank (Bel Trew)

Kamel has also been petitioning the US government for any assistance or answers  for either the killing or the jailing  to no avail.

Weve sent emails. We spoke to the embassy, we have tried to speak out everywhere. Were going through so much as a family, my son getting murdered, my nephew at prison at 15 for allegedly throwing a rock. And the US has done nothing, he says in desperation, as he stands by his sons grave, a Palestinian flag waving in the wind.

Kamel says there is still no movement on Saifs case either, he explains, adding that with armed settlers around, they fear for their lives.

As a father, you always think youre going to grow old, your sons going to get married, hell have kids and then hell put you in the ground when you die. You never imagine this, he says, his hand on his sons plaque.

I dont want to see this ever happen again. I dont want any more fathers to put their sons in the ground. And so my message is we need justice.

We need the settlers to finally stop somehow stop terrorising us, stop taking lands, stop the killing. I worry that the world will stay silent.
Downing Street has pledged action to resolve the ban on fans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv attending next months Europa League game at Aston Villa, as it emerged the Government was warned of the proposals last week.

Discussions are happening at pace, across Government to overturn the ban on visiting supporters attending the match at Villa Park on November 6, No 10 has said.

Authorities in Birmingham are facing mounting pressure to overturn the ban, with the Government stepping in on Thursday evening.

However, ministers face fresh questions after the UK Football Policing Unit said the Home Office was briefed last week that restrictions on visiting fans could be among the measures taken to police the fixture.

Senior officers at the unit backed the ban, saying it was important that we respect and support the structures in place for making these decisions.

It is understood the Home Office was briefed that a ban was being considered, but no decision had been taken and the Home Secretary was not informed of the final decision until it was made public on Thursday night.

Conversations aimed at overturning the ban include Home Office offers of support to police in Birmingham, and a phone call between Communities Secretary Steve Reed and Birmingham City Council.

Meanwhile, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is meeting officials to discuss what more can be done to try to find a way through to resolve this, and what more can be done to allow fans to attend the game safely, a No 10 spokesman said.

He added: You can expect to hear further updates today. I wont pre-empt the conversations, but these are happening at pace, across Government, with all the relevant groups to find a way to resolve this.

The Prime Minister has been angered by the decision, the spokesman also said, adding: While of course this is an operational decision, we are perfectly entitled to speak out on fundamental principles of fairness like this.

He said: The Prime Minister will do everything in his power to give Jewish communities the security they deserve and, as he has made clear, we think this is the wrong decision.

The Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match was classified high risk by West Midlands Police based on current intelligence and previous incidents.

Aston Villa have been informed that away fans will not be allowed to attend next months home Europa League match against Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv due to safety concerns (Nick Potts/PA)

The force pointed to violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi in Amsterdam.

Birminghams safety advisory group (SAG), which brings together the council and police force, has faced widespread criticism from across the political spectrum for its decision to implement the ban.

The West Midlands police and crime commissioner Simon Foster called for Birmingham council officials and West Midlands Police to review the decision.

The review would determine whether or not this decision and recommendation is appropriate, necessary, justified, reasonable and a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim, he said.

Labour mayor of the West Midlands Richard Parker suggested the Government could finance the policing costs should the ban be overturned.

He wrote on social media: Whilst I respect West Midlands Police, if the Government are willing to support in terms of resource then there should be a review of the decision that has been made.

Aston Villa can confirm the club has been informed that no away fans may attend the UEFA Europa League match with Maccabi Tel Aviv.  Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) October 16, 2025

Emily Damari, a British-Israeli who was held captive by Hamas for more than a year before being released in January, and who supports Maccabi and Tottenham, was among those who criticised the ban.

She said: I do wonder what exactly has become of UK society. This is like putting a big sign on the outside of a stadium saying: No Jews allowed.

What has become of the UK where blatant antisemitism has become the norm? What a sad world we are living in.

Andrew Fox, honorary president of Aston Villas Jewish Villans supporters club, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme the decision to ban fans of the Israeli side is a political message rather than a safety message and there was no evidence of Maccabis fans being particularly violent.

UEFA, which runs the Europa League, urged UK authorities to make sure Maccabi fans could attend the fixture.

Maccabi chief executive Jack Angelides said he did not want to take security issues lightly but told the BBC the team has travelled to places such as Turkey, where he said the sentiment is not so kind towards Israeli teams, but the police were out in force and there were no incidents.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch urged the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister to get involved if the police did not reverse its decision to ban Maccabi supporters.

She said the Prime Minister needs to show he has got a backbone and isnt so weak that he will just allow Jewish people to be terrorised here.

The chair of the Culture Media and Sport select committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage, has written to the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police asking for an explanation of the decision.

The move to prevent away fans from attending next months match at Villa Park is extremely concerning and is at odds with the principle that football in this country is for everyone, Dinenage said.

The police need to be open about how and why they reached the decision that a ban was the only way of guaranteeing public safety, and whether there is a route to reversing what is a deeply regrettable situation.
Working wonders: Crystal Palace have gone from strength to strength under the management of Oliver Glasner (Nigel French/PA Wire)

Defence is the best form of attack for Crystal Palace as they look to scale new heights under Oliver Glasner.

From winning the FA Cup to a club-record 19-game unbeaten run, Glasner has transformed Palace by making them hard to defeat and devastating in transition.

Setting up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, Palaces success is built on solid defensive foundations, with captain Marc Guehi the centrepiece of the Eagles backline.

So crucial is Guehi to Palace that a Deadline Day move to Liverpool was vetoed at the 11th hour because the club could not find a suitable replacement.

The England international lines up alongside Maxence Lacroix and Chris Richards, and together the trio have kept 11 clean sheets since the start of last season. Palace have registered 15 shutouts overall in that time, the third-highest tally in the Premier League.

Glasner, though, does not just want his backline to sit in and defend; they are also a key attacking component.

Since the start of last season, Palace have scored 60 Premier League goals, with 34 of those either scored or assisted by a defender.

Marc Guehi celebrates scoring Crystal Palaces second goal in their early season win over Aston Villa (Getty Images)

Right wing-back Daniel Munoz, for example, is central to Palaces energetic performances. The Colombian has contributed 17 goals and assists since the start of last season, while still managing to complete the most tackles of any Premier League player last term.

Academy graduate Tyrick Mitchell is less comfortable going forward on the opposite flank but has begun to show signs of development, as evidenced by his sweetly-struck volley away to West Ham last month - a move Mitchell said Palace had practiced on the training ground.

The 26-year-old has worked hard on improving offensively, with summer signing and understudy Borna Sosa an accomplished crosser of the ball.

Mitchell, who has played every Premier League minute so far this season, has received the ninth-most progressive passes of any player in the Premier League, showcasing his willingness to get into attacking positions.

He also ranks first for tackles won and fourth for crosses into the penalty area. Its clear why, from both a defensive and offensive standpoint, he is so well-trusted by Glasner.

Set-pieces also play a big role for Palace - they scored the highest percentage of goals from corners taken last season - and this is where Glasner looks to Lacroix, Guehi and Richards to make a difference in the opposition box.

Palaces proficiency from corners, in particular, is a far cry from the team Glasner inherited in February 2024.

As of February 28 2024, Palace had failed to score from 195 successive corners; a little over a year-and-a-half on, they are statistically the most efficient team in the Premier League from them.

By building a backline that is proficient in the air - Richards, Lacroix and Guehi are all among the top 20 players in the Premier League for aerial duels won this season - Glasner has made every set play an opportunity to score.

Glasner has made every set-piece an opportunity to score

Whether thats from corners, throw-ins or free-kicks, Palace are alive in the first and second phases.

Their ability from set-pieces somewhat hides their inefficiency elsewhere; while they lead the league for dead-ball passes resulting in a shot, they sit 11th for the same metric from open play.

It was this inefficiency in front of goal that led Everton to end their unbeaten run in dramatic fashion at the Hill Dickinson Stadium earlier this month.

However, a stoppage-time defeat and an international break have given Palace an opportunity to reset after a whirlwind 18 months. Focusing on the solid foundations that got them to this stage will be key.
In a press conference, the President called on US employers to expand healthcare benefits to include IVF

HOUSTON, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Inception Fertility, North America's largest provider of fertility services, commends the Trump administration for its policy proposal to make in vitro fertilization (IVF) more accessible.

In his press conference, President Trump announced the development of new rules permitting employers to offer supplemental fertility care benefits, similar to dental or vision coverage, and also announced the launch of a program reducing the costs of fertility medication through most favored nation pricing  measures critical in helping more Americans access the care they need to build families.

"Financial barriers remain one of the biggest reasons patients don't move forward with treatment. That's why expanding access to care has become just as important for leaders in this space as advancing the technologies that help those same patients," says TJ Farnsworth, Founder and CEO of Inception Fertility. "We commend President Trump for being the first President to prioritize this issue and take meaningful action to expand accessibility to family building treatments."

Farnsworth is also the Founder and President of the Fertility Providers Alliance, an organization of fertility clinic networks, independent fertility clinics, and fertility specialists committed to supporting the activities of fertility care providers by promoting innovation, cooperation, and collective action. Together with Inception Fertility, the FPA has made protecting and expanding IVF a main priority, working with White House officials and policymakers to ensure fertility care remains accessible and supported at the national level.

Infertility affects one in six couples, and the average cost of an IVF cycle can start at $15,000. Data shows that nearly 60% of U.S. employers still do not offer fertility benefits to employers, even as research shows that nearly 90% of employees would consider moving to companies that offer fertility benefits. In addition, the cost of fertility medication can represent upwards of 20% of the total out of pocket costs for treatment and medication.

Because policy changes can take months or even years, those who have been diagnosed with infertility, or are experiencing challenges in building their families, are encouraged not to delay seeking care. A reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist (REI) can help identify the underlying cause of infertility, and often times, patients who do work with an REI go on to conceive without needing IVF. For patients who do need advanced treatment options, there are financing options available.

About Inception Fertility

Inception Fertility (Inception) is a family of fertility brands committed to helping patients build their own families. Built by patients for patients, Inception's purpose is to achieve the highest bar in experience, science and medicine in an effort to enhance each patient's experience and achieve better outcomes.

Inception's medical experts are leading pioneers in fertility care. Our doctors are some of the first to use breakthrough assisted reproductive technologies (ART)  including in vitro fertilization (IVF), preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and fertility preservation services  and they continue to lead the industry by building on these technologies by through development, research and thought leadership.

Through its growing family of national organizations  which includes The Prelude Network, the fastest-growing network of fertility clinics and largest provider of comprehensive fertility services in North America; MyEggBank, one of the largest frozen donor egg banks in North America; BUNDL Fertility, a multi-cycle fertility service bundling program; HavenCryo, a long-term reproductive preservation and storage solution provider and NutraBloom, a premium lifestyle brand with expertly formulated supplements to support individuals' health and wellness goals for preconception  Inception is working to deliver on its promise to push the envelope of what is possible for exceeding patient expectations.

About The Prelude Network

The Prelude Network  (Prelude), the fastest-growing network of fertility clinics and largest provider of comprehensive fertility services in North America, is the clinic network of Inception Fertility   a family of fertility brands that touches every part of the fertility journey, including diagnostics and treatment to financial accessibility.

Each clinic, as part of Prelude, is committed to delivering the highest level of personalized fertility care by the nation's leading reproductive endocrinologists, embryologists and practitioners by focusing on an excellence in science, medicine and the patient experience. The growing Prelude Network has more than 90 total locations nationwide, offering a wide range of fertility services including egg freezing, IVF, genetic testing, LGBTQ+ fertility options, and egg/embryo storage, among others.

Those clinics within Prelude include Aspire Fertility Austin (Texas); Aspire Fertility Dallas (Texas); Aspire Fertility McAllen (Texas); Aspire Fertility San Antonio (Texas); Aspire Houston Fertility Institute (Texas); Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago (Illinois); Center for Reproductive Medicine (Florida); Indiana Fertility Institute (Indiana); IVFMD (Florida); Main Line Fertility (Pennsylvania); NYU Langone Fertility Center (New York); NYU Langone RSNY (New York); Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (Canada); Pacific Fertility Center (California); Regional Fertility Program (Canada); Reproductive Biology Associates (Georgia); Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey (New Jersey); Tennessee Fertility Institute (Tennessee), and The Reproductive Medicine Group (Florida).

Media Contact:

Mia Humphreys

239-297-6592

[email protected]

SOURCE Inception Fertility
Otters, beavers and dormice are among the threatened wildlife that could be put at risk by new planning proposals, green groups have warned.

Senior ministers have pointed the finger at species such as bats, spiders and snails for holding up development of new housing and key infrastructure, and have proposed changes in planning rules they claim will work for growth and nature. As part of the proposed plans, developers could pay a levy for their impacts on nature.

A report from the Wildlife and Countryside Link (WCL) coalition of 90 nature organisations has warned of a black hole in evidence that the proposals to make developers pay a fee, rather than follow existing rules to protect wildlife, would work for many species.

Under the governments Planning and Infrastructure Bill, new environmental development plans would allow schemes that could harm legally protected sites or wildlife to pay a nature restoration levy to enable the habitat or species to be improved overall at a strategic scale.

The government has highlighted the district level licensing approach for great crested newts, which speeds up building schemes by replacing old measures to catch, count and move the amphibians with a faster system that charges developers for the creation of new high-quality habitat.

However, the report from WCL said that currently, great crested newts are the only species for which the strategic approach has been proven to be effective.

The conservationists warn that, without rigorous evidence and effective field trials, the shift away from the current approach of site-level safeguards to prevent and minimise harm to protected species could pose a serious risk to already declining wildlife and wild animal welfare.

New plans would allow schemes that could harm legally protected sites or wildlife to pay a nature restoration levy to enable the habitat to be improved overall at a strategic scale (ZSL/PA)

It puts a whole host of British species, including hazel dormice, otters, barn owls, grey seals, Atlantic salmon, badgers, hedgehogs, rare fungi and plants, and even recently reintroduced beavers, potentially at risk, they argue.

For some species, such as those that are confined to a handful of sites, are territorial or cannot easily move, it is unlikely the approach would work, while for many, including widespread but declining species, there is patchy or insufficient evidence on whether it could be successful, they said.

The report highlights the potential risk to protected species, such as:

Hazel dormice, which have seen numbers fall by 70 per cent since 2000, have fragmented populations and require well-connected hedgerows, woodland and scrub to survive;

Otters, which require extensive unpolluted river systems, and are highly territorial and difficult to relocate.

Barn owls, which are dependent on open countryside and barns for breeding and have suffered habitat loss and a lack of suitable nesting sites due to the conversion of old buildings.

Lizard orchids, flowers that only grow in certain areas and are hard to translocate due to their complex relationship with fungi and other soil organisms.

Beavers, which have been recently reintroduced, with government backing for wider-scale releases, but could be in scope for compensation measures that may undermine their populations and long-term recovery.

Wildlife can need specific conditions that take decades or centuries to form, the report said, warning roosts, territories, and habitat structures cannot simply be moved to a spreadsheet and restored later.

The conservationists called for a precautionary approach and said the new process should not be applied to species without rigorous scientific evidence.

Beavers are another species at risk (Rhiannon Law/Nature Scot)

It should be avoided entirely for a defined list of irreplaceable habitats; the rules must prioritise avoiding harm before mitigating it; and more robust, site-specific data on what wildlife is there must be gathered before environmental development plans are applied, the report urges.

Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: When it comes to protected species, theres a gaping black hole in evidence. If applied to the wrong wildlife, the new approach could accelerate decline from chronic to catastrophic.

Government has rightly promised to follow the best scientific evidence, but detailed processes are needed to ensure the new system cant be abused for profit or political convenience.

Were calling for a transparent scientific process, a strict precautionary approach, and real-world data to ensure wildlife cant be swept under a concrete carpet in the name of growth.

Becky Pullinger, head of land use planning at The Wildlife Trusts, said: The Planning and Infrastructure Bill threatens a huge shake-up of the regulations that protect wildlife and poses a significant risk.

Scientific evidence should be the bedrock of any planning process, and if the strength of this is undermined, there will be serious consequences for nature and the wild places that communities take pride in; species such as hazel dormice, otter and barn owl could all be impacted.

It is possible for new development and nature recovery to go hand in hand, and so we implore government to work with peers to ensure that the protection of nature is at the forefront of the new legislation.

A government spokesperson said: We completely reject these claims. The design of the Nature Restoration Fund has been carefully considered and will deliver more for nature, not less. Through our Planning and Infrastructure Bill we will create a win-win for the economy and nature, so we can build the infrastructure and 1.5 million homes the country desperately needs.
Activist group Palestine Action has been allowed to challenge the Home Office in court over its proscription as a terrorist organisation, after the Court of Appeal dismissed a Home Office appeal.

The direct action group was banned by the government after several of its members were accused of breaking into an Oxfordshire RAF base to spray-paint military planes.

Formed in 2020, Palestine Action has conducted a series of direct action protests over the past five years, largely against arms manufacturers operating in the UK and selling weapons to Israel.

Unveiling the intention to ban the group following the incident on 23 June, former home secretary Yvette Cooper said it was the latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action.

Pro-Palestinian activists are accused of breaking into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire (Palestine Action)

Proscription has branded the group a terrorist organisation and made it illegal to become a member of Palestine Action or solicit support for it.

Co-founder of the group Huda Ammori had sought to challenge the governments decision, with her lawyers arguing that the ban breaches the right to free speech and is gagging legitimate protest.

Around 2,000 people have been arrested on suspicion of publicly showing support for Palestine Action since it was banned.

Building cases against all of the protesters is placing a big burden on counterterrorism officers, said Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police commissioner.

Almost 500 were hauled away by officers for holding placards declaring I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action at the most recent demonstration in Trafalgar Square earlier this month.

In a summary of the Court of Appeals decision dismissing the Home Offices appeal, the Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr said: An application to deproscribe, with right of appeal to POAC (the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission) was not intended to be a means of challenging the initial decision.

She added: Judicial review would be a quicker means of challenging the order proscribing Palestine Action than applying to deproscribe.

What else has Palestine Action done in the past?

Palestine Action was established on 30 July 2020 after a group of activists broke into and spray-painted the interior of Elbit Systems UK headquarters in London.

The defence contractor has continued to be the main target of Palestine Actions protests since its formation. Based in Israel, Elbit Systems is the countrys largest weapons manufacturer. It supplies the majority of the drones and land-based equipment used by the Israeli military.

In the UK, Elbit has multiple UK subsidiaries which operate across 16 sites across the country, with 680 employees. Its latest site is a manufacturing and development facility in Bristol, opened in 2023.

On 19 May 2021, four members of Palestine Action dressed in boiler suits climbed onto the roof of an Elbit-owned drone factory in Leicester.

The action was taken in response to a period of unrest in May of that year, in which 256 Palestinians and 17 Israelis were killed.

Home secretary Yvette Cooper announced the decision to proscribe Palestine Action in June (House of Commons)

Similar occupations have been carried out at Elbit-owned sites in Bristol, Oldham and Tamworth.

In April 2024, the group targeted Somerset County Hall, a Grade II-listed building owned by Somerset Council, by splashing it with red paint. This was in response to the local authority leasing a building to Elbit near Bristol.

This site was targeted by Palestine Action for the 17th time in March 2025, with four of the groups members using a cherry picker to damage the building. One used a sledgehammer on a rope to smash windows, while others spray-painted the building.

In June 2025, four activists allegedly part of the group are accused of damaging two planes at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire by using repurposed fire extinguishers to spray red paint into their turbine engines and cause further damage with crowbars.

Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) said the four had been charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage. Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the incident, saying it was a protest against the UK's support of Israel's war in Gaza.
Poisoned water and shattered grid: Gaza left in environmental freefall after war, report says

Gazas water, sanitation, and energy systems are on the brink of a total collapse after nearly two years of war. As residents begin returning following a ceasefire, the regions environmental damage could make its recovery impossible without urgent action, a new report warns.

Analysts said Gazas ecosystems have been devastated by bombardments, almost entirely ruining croplands and water systems, leaving two million people at continuous risk of a humanitarian crisis.

Thousands of displaced Gazans began returning to what is left of their homes after a ceasefire was announced this week between Israel and Hamas. However, the study released by the Arava Institute on Wednesday estimated that 69 per cent of Gazas infrastructure has been damaged. It warned that environmental degradation now threatens public health, food security, and regional stability.

As malnutrition rates surged to 10 times their pre-conflict levels, satellite imagery showed approximately 80 per cent of all croplands in Gaza had been either damaged or destroyed by March 2025, the report said.

Intensive military activities, such as the movement of heavy machinery, compacts, erodes, and depletes fertile topsoil, making it difficult for vegetation to grow, the report said.

It added that this devastation of fertile land is of serious detriment to the regions ability to feed itself.

Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip (AP)

Gazas environment is in freefall  poisoned water, ruined croplands and a shattered power grid are pushing the territory to the brink, said Dr David Lehrer, the Arava Institutes director of applied environmental diplomacy.

What we are witnessing is not just a humanitarian catastrophe but an ecological collapse that threatens the very possibility of recovery.

The report said local Israeli security measures in Gazas coastal waters have rendered fishing activities virtually impossible since the onset of the conflict, killing 120 fishermen and forcing many to fish perilously close to the coast.

In a statement to The Independent, the Israeli military claimed the State of Israel has allowed the operation of water lines supplying millions of liters daily to the Gaza Strip. Accordingly, three water lines to Gaza have continued functioning throughout the war.

As for the maritime arena, it said security restrictions have been imposed on the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip following Hamass use of naval assets, including fishing boats, during the October 7 attack.

In line with the decision of the political leadership, these restrictions remain in effect due to the ongoing and significant threats Hamas continues to pose from the maritime domain. The area has been designated as a combat zone, and the civilian population in Gaza has been informed of the restrictions, it added.

The report added that 93 per cent of households now faced water insecurity, with per-person availability dropping to 8.4 litres a day  well below the World Health Organisations emergency minimum of 15 litres.

All wastewater treatment plants have stopped functioning, forcing raw sewage into makeshift lagoons that threaten to overflow into streets to peoples houses, and could seep into the shared coastal aquifer, the territorys main groundwater source.

Almost half of households report sewage or stagnant water within 10m of their shelters, increasing the risk of cholera and other waterborne disease outbreaks that could spread beyond Gazas borders.

Electricity generation capacity has also fallen by over 80 per cent, and power outages last up to 22 hours a day. Fossil fuel generators, particularly diesel, remain the primary source of electricity for humanitarian operations in Gaza, due to Gazas collapsed central power grid.

Displaced Palestinians gather to collect water from a truck at a makeshift camp in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip (AP)

The Arava Institutes report proposed a phased, community-led strategy for rebuilding Gazas essential systems, beginning with localised, off-grid water, energy and food networks.

Its absorptive phase focuses on immediate humanitarian needs such as emergency shelter and water access. The adaptive phase emphasises decentralised power and wastewater treatment, while the transformative phase calls for restoring ecosystems, embedding climate resilience into urban planning, and creating joint regional governance mechanisms for shared resources.

Technologies already piloted in Gaza include solar-powered microgrids, biofiltration wastewater systems, atmospheric water generators and construction materials made from recycled rubble known as GreenCake blocks.

US President Donald Trump speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Knesset, Israels parliament in Jerusalem (Getty)

The reports release comes days after a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump ended two years of war between Israel and Hamas. World leaders meeting in Egypt this week hailed the truce as a first step toward Gazas reconstruction, though key details  including how the territory will be governed  remain unresolved.

The World Bank, the United Nations and the European Union estimated earlier this year that the cost of rebuilding Gaza would be about $53bn. Wealthy Arab states are expected to help with that cost; however, the roadmap remains unclear, with the biggest challenge lying not only in construction but in restoring basic services and public trust. The Arava Institutes authors said environmental recovery must also be treated as integral to that process, not as an afterthought.

Waiting for politics to catch up is not an option, Dr Lehrer said. Recovery must start now, with community-driven solutions that can restore the land, water and air.

The report urges governments, international donors and aid agencies to align funding with locally led approaches, warning that rebuilding damaged infrastructure without addressing contamination and ecosystem collapse would leave Gaza trapped in a cycle of crisis.
US cops mistook Indian migrants Opium perfume for drugs and threw him into an ICE jail. It changed his life forever

A knockoff bottle of Yves Saint Laurents Opium perfume landed an Indian immigrant in handcuffs and into an Arkansas jail cell where he allegedly spent the next three days without food or rest, standing beside a pile of stinking human faeces.

Kapil Raghu, 28, was pulled over by Benton police officers one day in May this year, and what started as a routine traffic stop quickly escalated into a nightmare for him. The officers found Opium in his cars centre console and despite Raghu pleading that it was perfume he had purchased at a gas station, he was charged with possession of a narcotic substance.

What kind of policing is this? Raghu, a food delivery driver, recalls thinking to himself at the time.

He tells The Independent his mind raced as he struggled to understand how having a perfume can be illegal in any part of the world?

I told them nine times, its just perfume, its cologne. But they werent ready to listen, he said.

Police took him to the Saline County detention centre where he faced three days of dehumanising behaviour, he alleges.

Raghus troubles were compounded by his immigration status. He was on an expired visa and had hired an attorney to file the necessary paperwork on time. According to his current legal team, that attorney failed to submit the documents before the deadline. As a result, when his arrest brought his visa status to light, Raghu was transferred to a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Louisiana.

His lawyer, Mike Laux, alleges that there was an element of racial profiling that was afoot in Benton on that afternoon.

If he had been an immigrant from a country like Norway or Switzerland  somewhere associated with a Caucasian demographic, he might not have faced the same charges, he tells The Independent.

Kapil should never have been pulled over in the first place, he says. So the problem really was rogue officers on that first line of the criminal justice system. They should have taken their blinders off, and done some basic police work  like unscrewing the cap or smelling the bottle.

The Independent has reached out to the Benton Police Department for a statement.

Kapil Raghu with his wife Ashley Mays (Kapil Raghu and Ashley Mays)

By the time the results from the Arkansas State Crime Lab proved what Raghu had been saying all along  that the bottle contained nothing more than perfume  the damage was done. He had spent several days in jail, lost his job and been placed in immigration custody.

When they took me to the Saline County jail, they put me in the holding cell. At first, they put me with 20 people, and it is a very tiny little room, Raghu recalls his first jail tryst. Then they moved me to another cell after taking my DNA and fingerprints and everything. We were eight people, and right next to me, there was human faeces. You are kind of dying with that smell. Its not normal for any human being and that is why I kept standing all three nights. In between, I used to sit down for an hour or so.

He alleges that despite his request for vegetarian food, he was given meals he couldnt eat.

They were feeding me like non-vegetarian food. I tried to convey my message to all of them that I am a vegetarian and can only eat vegetarian food. But they said, Its your privilege. Whatever you are getting, you have to consume it. So I kept passing on my food plates to other people.

After three harrowing nights in the Saline County jail, he was taken to an ICE facility in Louisiana, the Winn Correctional Center.

He describes it as a terrifying experience. I was very much scared and fearful because when you hear about the Louisiana detention camp, it is not a good camp compared to others, he tells The Independent.

They put all kinds of chains and shackles, he adds. I was thinking like I was trying to do everything the right way, legally came here, legally married.

He remembers thinking: I havent done anything bad to the community, and I am not even a threat to society. Why is it happening with me?

A knockoff Opium perfume bottle led to Kapil Raghus arrest and detention at an ICE facility in Louisiana (Kapil Raghu and Ashley Mays)

Raghu and his wife, Ashley Mays, say they paid the retainer fee to his last immigration lawyer but never received a refund even though he failed to submit the paperwork on time.

Raghu arrived in the US on a B-2 tourist visa in May 2024 which expired later that year. He initially came to meet Mays  they had been dating online and offline since 2022. Mays had been to Winnipeg, Canada, where Raghu was an international student, as well as to his hometown in northern Indias Chandigarh.

My visa was to expire in November, but the attorney didnt file the paperwork on time, he says.

Raghu, however, stayed back in the US to pursue his relationship with Mays. They married in April this year.

Before his detention, Raghu was leading a regular life: working jobs and being a doting stepfather to Mays daughter.

Raghu was finally granted bond and released from ICE custody in early June  shortly after laboratory tests confirmed that the Opium bottle contained nothing more than perfume.

His legal options have narrowed since his detention. In the past, he would have been able to apply for immigration relief and a work permit simultaneously. Now, because Raghu is in active deportation proceedings, he must wait until his family-based visa is approved  a process that could take years.

The uncertainty has weighed heavily on the couple. Since Raghu cannot work legally, his wife has taken up three jobs to sustain the family.

Mays has since set up a GoFundMe page for donations to help the family through.

This has been one of the most painful experiences of our lives. He was eventually released on bond, but now he cannot legally work for the next four years while his case moves through the court system. That means our family is struggling to stay afloat, she says on the page.

He spent weeks behind bars, away from his family, stripped of his dignity, and treated like a criminal when his only crime was overstaying a visa while we worked on his case.

Laux, a civil rights lawyer, says: The real issue starts with the Benton Police Department, their recklessness set into motion a series of events that led to the detention out of state.

Earlier this month, Raghu appealed to ICE, in writing, to use its prosecutorial discretion to dismiss the punitive proceedings and restore his visa status so that he can work and earn money for his family.

In a statement to The Independent, the Department of Homeland Securitys assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that President Trump and Secretary Noem are committed to restoring integrity to the visa program and ensuring it is not abused to allow aliens a permanent one-way ticket to remain in the US.
Prince Andrew has relinquished all of his remaining titles, including the Duke of York, after discussions with his brother, King Charles.

Prince Andrew has been under pressure for a long time over his association with paedophile financierJeffrey Epstein and his sex trafficker girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.

Here is how that friendship led to the princes disgrace and downfall.

1990s

Andrew previously told BBC Newsnight he first met Epstein through his girlfriend back in 1999.

In March 2011, the princes then-private secretary Alastair Watson, who spent nine years in the role, wrote to The Times newspaper saying Andrew met Epstein in the early 1990s.

Andrew later said he saw Epstein infrequently, adding probably no more than only once or twice a year.

During Maxwells sex trafficking trial, jurors hear Andrew flew on Epsteins private plane with a 14-year-old girl in the mid 1990s.

2000

Andrew and Maxwell are seen on holiday with Epstein at Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.

Epstein and Maxwell attend a party at Windsor Castle hosted by Queen Elizabeth II to mark Andrews 40th birthday, the Princess Royals 50th, the Queen Mothers 100th and Princess Margarets 70th.

Flight records from May show him confirmed as a passenger on Epsteins private plane.

2001

Virginia Giuffre claims to have had sex with Andrew three times, including one orgy, with the first encounter allegedly taking place in Maxwells London townhouse.

Ms Giuffre also claimed to have had sex with Andrew at Epsteins New York flat and at an orgy on his private island Little St James in the Caribbean.

Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell (DOJ)

2008

Epstein admits prostituting minors and is sentenced to 18 months in prison.

2009

Epsteins former housekeeper Juan Alessi testifies that Andrew had daily massages at the paedophiles Florida home.

2010

Epstein is released from jail. Andrew is photographed with Epstein in New Yorks Central Park.

Footage emerges years later, reportedly shot on December 6 2010, showing him inside Epsteins Manhattan mansion, from where he is seen looking out from a large door of the property waving a woman goodbye after Epstein leaves to get into a chauffeur-driven car.

2011

Andrew quits his role as UK trade envoy after the fallout from the Central Park photos.

In February, he tells Epstein we are in this together despite later claiming he broke off all contact with the paedophile in December 2010.

Ms Giuffre reportedly hands the photograph of her with Andrew to the FBI.

2015

Buckingham Palace denies Andrew has committed any impropriety after he is named in US court documents related to Epstein.

A woman, later named in reports as Ms Giuffre, alleges in papers filed in Florida that she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17, which is under the age of consent in the state.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Andrew, in his first public engagement since he was embroiled in the allegations, responds by saying: I just wish to reiterate, and to reaffirm, the statements that have already been made on my behalf by Buckingham Palace.

In January, Andrew is reported to have sent an email to Maxwell asking for help in dealing with Ms Giuffre.

2016

As part of her civil suit against Maxwell, Ms Giuffre testifies that Epstein paid her 15,000 dollars (11,180)to have sex with Andrew.

Ms Giuffre also testified about a sexual encounter with Andrew in the bath of Maxwells home in 2001, saying: He was adorning my young body, particularly my feet, caressing my toes and licking my arches.

2019

Newly released legal documents show that Johanna Sjoberg, another alleged Epstein victim, claimed Andrew touched her breast while sitting on a couch inside the US billionaires Manhattan apartment in 2001.

Buckingham Palace said the allegations are categorically untrue.

Epstein is found dead in his jail cell on August 10, having killed himself after being charged with sex trafficking.

Epstein is found dead in his jail cell in 2019 (PA Media)

Later that month, a pilot on Epsteins private jet, David Rodgers, claims Andrew was a passenger on past flights with the financier and Ms Giuffre.

Mr Rodgers said in a testimony released in August that Epstein, Andrew and the-then 17-year-old travelled to the US Virgin Islands on April 11 2001.

Buckingham Palace describes the evidence statement as having a number of inconsistencies and said that Andrew was on a different continent in some cases.

Following Epsteins death, a statement from the palace says that Andrew is appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epsteins alleged crimes.

Breaking his silence on the issue for the first time since 2015, Andrew then releases a statement on August 24 saying: At no stage during the limited time I spent with him (Epstein) did I see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction.

In November, BBC Newsnight reveals Andrew has spoken about his relationship with Epstein in a no holds barred interview.

In the interview Andrew said he had no recollection of ever meeting Ms Giuffre and added he could not have had sex with her in March 2001 because he was at Pizza Express with his daughter Beatrice on the day in question.

He added he did not regret his friendship with the sex offender but admitted he should not have gone to see him in New York in 2010 to break off their friendship.

The television sit-down was widely criticised and dubbed a car crash, with commentators questioning Andrews responses and condemning his unsympathetic tone for victims and seeming lack of remorse over the friendship.

Four days after the interview, the then Duke of York released a statement confirming he was stepping back from public duties for the foreseeable future with permission from Queen Elizabeth II.

Andrew also said he deeply sympathised with all of Epsteins victims and added he was willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.

Andrew said he did not regret his friendship with Epstein (PA Wire)

In December, Ms Giuffre implores the British public to stand up beside me to help me fight this fight and not accept this as being OK, in clips released ahead of a BBC Panorama interview.

2020

In January, a US prosecutor claims Andrew has provided zero co-operation over the Epstein sex trafficking inquiry.

Speaking at a news conference outside Epsteins New York mansion, US attorney Geoffrey Berman said Andrews lawyers had been contacted by prosecutors and the FBI who requested to interview him as part of the investigation.

Ms Giuffre, writing on social media a few days later, urges Andrew to do the right thing and talk to FBI investigators.

In June, Andrews lawyers said he offered to assist the US department of justice on at least three occasions this year in its investigation into Epstein.

Just a few hours later, prosecutor Mr Berman  who was leading the investigation into Epstein at the time  said Andrew had yet again sought to falsely portray himself to the public as eager and willing to co-operate although he has repeatedly declined requests to schedule an interview.

Speaking in a documentary, Ms Giuffre claims Andrew played a guessing game about her age and compared her with his daughters during the alleged March 2001 encounter at Maxwells home.

A former Epstein employee tells a Netflix documentary he saw Andrew frolicking with a topless Ms Giuffre in a pool on the paedophiles island.

2021

Virginia Giuffre died in April 2025 (BBC Panorama/PA)

In August, Ms Giuffre starts legal action against Andrew, saying it was past the time for him to be held to account for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager.

Lawyers for Ms Giuffre filed a civil suit seeking unspecified damages at a federal court in New York, where documents claim she was lent out for sexual purposes by Epstein, including while she was still a minor under US law.

Andrew is named as the only defendant in the 15-page suit, brought under New York states Child Victims Act, though Epstein and Maxwell are mentioned frequently throughout.

In December, Maxwell is convicted in a New York court of helping Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls.

2022

In January, a US judge rules the civil case against Andrew can go ahead, in what is a huge blow for the royal whose lawyer had argued that it should be thrown out.

Andrews status as a member of the royal family is left in tatters after Queen Elizabeth II strips him of his honorary military roles and he gives up his HRH style in a dramatic fallout from his civil sex case.

He is also stripped of his remaining royal patronages.

The development came after more than 150 veterans joined forces to express their outrage, writing to the late Queen to demand the removal of the honorary military positions.

Buckingham Palace says in a statement that Andrew will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.

In February, court documents show Andrew and Ms Giuffre have reached a settlement in principle in the civil sex claim.

The documents show Andrew will make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffres charity in support of victims rights, and has pledged to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.

Commentators say that while he at last appears to have got the tone and language right, it is unlikely he will ever return to public royal life, with one branding him reputationally toast.

Calls are renewed for him to lose his dukedom after he pays millions of pounds to a woman he claims never to have met.

2024

Allegations against Andrew resurface in unsealed documents as part of Ms Giuffres civil claim against Maxwell  with claims such as him being involved in sex tapes, as well as resurfaced allegations of his participation in an underage orgy.

2025

Ms Giuffre dies aged 41 in April.

Buckingham Palace announces Andrew will stop using his titles and honours, including the Duke of York.
Prince Andrew giving up his last remaining roles and titles (PA Wire)

King Charles has stripped Andrew of his Prince and Duke of York titles after weeks of pressure from the public to act over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Buckingham Palace considers that there have been serious lapses of judgment from Andrew after further allegations of sexual abuse were detailed in Virginia Giuffres memoir last week. Andrew strenousouly has denied all allegations.

He has also been evicted from the Royal Lodge and will move to a property on the Sandringham Estate.

What titles has he formally been lost?

Andrew will no longer have his Prince or Duke of York title, and will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, effectively having the status of a commoner.

He was born with his prince title and given the title of the Duke of York by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, on the morning of his wedding. It was a title for which the Queen had a great personal affection, being the one held by her beloved father, King George VI, before he acceded the throne.

A statement from the palace on Thursday said: His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.

These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.

Andre relinquished his dukedom earlier this month (PA Archive)

Which titles did he relinquish earlier this month?

Earlier this month, Andrew was forced to relinquish the use of his duke title - the highest rank in the British peerage - amid the long-running fallout of the Epstein scandal. Up until Thursday, he still retained the title, but was unable to use it.

He also had to give up his knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO), and his Garter role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

The disgraced prince was also no longer using his other subsidiary titles that were given to him on his wedding day - the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh.

In a statement at the time, he said: "I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

"With His Majesty's agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.

Prince Andrew was given his Duke of York title when he married Sarah Ferguson in 1986 (PA Wire)

Which titles did he lose in 2022?

While Andrew has now relinquished and been stripped of his last remaining titles and honours, he first ceased some of his titles in 2022.

He stopped using the style of His Royal Highness (HRH) in an official capacity in January 2022, amid a civil case with Mrs Giuffre, which he eventually paid millions to settle.

All of Andrews military titles and royal patronages were also returned to his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, including Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, which is one of the highest infantry regiments in the British Army, and he lost most of his charity affiliations.

Often touted to be the Queens favourite child, he was stripped of more than 12 military titles in total, including overseas honorary titles such as colonel-in-chief of The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada, and colonel-in-chief of the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment.

Andrew is no longer a Knight of the Order of the Garter and will not take part in its procession and private service (PA Wire)

Andrew stepped down from public life in 2019 after a disastrous interview on Newsnight, in which he said he "did not regret" his friendship with Mr Epstein, who had trafficked Ms Giuffre.

He announced at the time he would be stepping back from public duties for the foreseeable future.

Sarah Ferguson, his ex-wife, whas also relinquished her title as the Duchess of York, while the titles of his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, will remain active.

The stripping of Andrews last remaining titles and honours comes after weeks of pressure to act over Andrew's relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

An extract of Virginia Giuffre's memoir was released last week, in which Ms Giuffre, who was the central figure in the downfall of Mr Epstein, laid out new details about the prince. She claimed that Andrew believed having sex with her was his birthright.

Prince Andrew has always vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
A Stand Up To Racism counter-protest outside the Cladhan Hotel (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

Demonstrators and activists will take to central London this weekend, in what has become a regular occurrence on the streets of the capital in recent months.

This weekend, protests against digital IDs and racism, Islamaphobia and anti-refugee hatred are taking place in the capital, as well as an event to show solidarity with people living in Palestine.

According to Amnesty International: The UKs fundamental rights to peaceful protest are rapidly disappearing as police forces begin to use the vast range of new anti-protest powers. However, some Brits continue to mobilise whenever they can, in vast numbers, to raise awareness of crucial issues.

Heres what you need to know about the action and demonstrations scheduled for London this weekend.

Here are the protests this weekend

Saturday, December 13

Dont let the far right divide us at Christmas, Downing Street, 1pm

Stand Up To Racism has organised a protest outside Downing Street on Saturday.

The organisation says: Tommy Robinson and his Unite the Kingdom far right outfit are coming to London to spread racism, Islamophobia and anti-refugee hatred. Hes cynically using the slogan put the Christ back into Christmas.

London is one community and we wont be divided. Join us to show solidarity with refugees, migrants & all those Robinson tries to intimidate and to bear witness to the far rights actions on the day.

Voices for Palestine, Parliament Square, 5pm

Palestine Forum in Britain (PFB) is hosting an event in solidarity with the Palestinian people on Saturday afternoon.

The event will include speeches, prayers from multi-faith leaders and songs for Palestine.

PFB says: Bring your flags and candles as we call for justice, peace, and humanity.

No to Digital ID, BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London, W1A 1AA, 1.30pm

The Workers Party of Britain is holding a protest against the introduction of digital IDs.

The Prime Minister announced in September that a digital ID system would be introduced in 2029 and would be mandatory for people working in the UK as part of a bid to tackle illegal migration.
Putins mini-coup in the White House has beaten Zelensky to the punch with Trump

Vladimir Putin has pulled off a mini-coup in the White House, driven a painful wedge into the European Union, and is repairing his reputation as an indicted war criminal  all in one phone call.

In a couple of weeks, he will get the red-carpet treatment again, this time as a guest of Hungarys Victor Orban, a leading light of the wannabe dictator club, to hold meetings with Donald Trump, no fan of democratic institutions himself.

He will swagger into Europe untroubled by the International Criminal Court indictments against him for war crimes in Ukraine, and as he stands gazing at Budapests golden Danube riverfront, he will breathe in the irony of the moment.

The former KGB officer managed to get hold of Trump on the phone before his meeting with Zelensky at the White House on Friday, and bend the US president back to his will.

I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, and it was a very productive one, Trump said on social media. President Putin congratulated me and the United States on the Great Accomplishment of Peace in the Middle East.

Donald Trump spoke to Vladimir Putin for two hours before Volodymyr Zelesnky arrived in the US (Getty)

Then he revealed how easily he was manipulated by Putin, who told him that peace in the Middle East was something that, he said, has been dreamed of for centuries. I actually believe that the Success in the Middle East will help in our negotiation in attaining an end to the war with Russia/Ukraine.

Trump has not helped negotiate peace in the Middle East. He has been part of a ceasefire agreement that is barely holding but was, critically, at a moment when Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had won his war against Hamas  with American weapons.

Putin is keen to make sure that Ukraine is always seen by Trump as the loser and that the US is not tempted to give Kyiv any extra help.

He managed to do just that over the blower.

As he draws in the Budapest air, hell reflect that 26 years ago in the same city, Britain, Russia, the US and Ukraine agreed to protect Kyivs independence in return for it giving up its vast nuclear arsenal.

And that he invaded Ukraine in 2014, annexed the Crimea soon after, and waged a war against Kyiv that for eight years was deliberately and publicly denied the protection and help it needed to see off the Kremlin  by the UK and the US.

Through this period, Russia also campaigned against the European Union. The EU had absorbed newly minted democracies from the wreckage of the Soviet empire and Warsaw Pact in eastern Europe  offering Russias citizens a vision of what freedom looked like.

Putin hated it.

He also hated Ukraines revolution that threw off Moscows control over its neighbour in 2013.

He has argued his whole political life that Ukraine is a Russian land  and ignored Moscows vile history here, which includes the deliberate starvation of 3-7 million people in the Holodomor of the 1930s.

Zelensky arrives in the US to meet Donald Trump (X/@ZelenskyyUa)

Ukraine is no natural colony of Russia, but it has lots of Russian speakers who are very glad they dont live under Putin and are on track for EU membership, they hope to join Nato, and have democracy and a free press.

Putin is accused of new war crimes over the mass abduction of Ukrainian children and the murder of civilians on the outskirts of Kyiv.

Hungarys foreign minister has said that even though his country is a (reluctant and leaving) member of the ICC, arrangements will be made to make sure that Putin doesnt get cuffed on arrival.

We will ensure that he enters Hungary, has successful negotiations here, and then returns home, Peter Szijjarto said.

We will receive [Putin] with respect, host him, and provide the conditions for him to negotiate with the American president, he added.

These talks are over Ukraine. But Zelensky will not be there.

He is not part of the Putin gang of proto-dictators who dont like the EU.

Orbans Hungary has been criticised by the EU for the drift away from liberal democracy there. The country is also the EUs biggest importer of Russian fossil fuels  paying Moscow 416m (362m) last August alone, which Putin no doubt put towards the war against Ukraine.

Trump meets Victor Orban in 2019 (Getty)

Orban is an enthusiast of Brexit. So are Trump and Putin. Anything that weakens European economic and political ties is good news for the Kremlin.

This explains his keen support over the years for what the Soviets used to call useful idiots like Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson, and Frances right-wing Le Pen dynasty, who all campaigned against the EU.

But it is over Ukraine where true colours are being shown.

Over the last month or so, it had appeared that Trump had shifted away from his vocally pro-Putin stand on Moscows invasion.

He had previously insisted that Ukraine was losing and would have to cede territory. Trump tried to make sure of that by ending US support for Ukraines defence, and caused Kyiv to stumble in its fight against Russia and many tens of thousands of casualties with an elongation of the war.

But he recently indicated, after painstaking diplomacy from Zelensky, that he thought Russia a paper tiger and that he would consider selling Tomahawk missiles to European nations for use by Ukraine. He has also been looking at boosting Ukraines air defences.

Zelensky went to lunch with Trump at the White House to plead for this help.

But as his delegation was already on the ground, talking to American arms suppliers, Putin got through on the red phone to the Oval Office and changed Trumps agenda with spymaster purrs.
Rachel Reeves is planning to restrict disabled peoples access to cars through the benefits system in a bid to save 1bn, it has emerged.

The chancellor is reportedly considering reforming the Motability scheme in a bid to save money and boost public confidence in the welfare system.

She is said to be ready to axe tax breaks worth around 1bn each year in next months Budget, cutting an exemption which lets cars leased under the scheme avoid paying VAT or insurance premium tax.

And, in another change, luxury cars including Mercedes and BMWs could be removed from the scheme, The Times reports.

It comes as the chancellor has been warned by the Institute for Fiscal Studies that she needs to find at least 22bn of tax hikes or spending cuts in her November Budget in order to avoid a financial groundhog day.

The Motability scheme provides cars to around 815,000 users, including around 40,000 luxury vehicles. It is open to people who claim a qualifying mobility allowance, most commonly through the personal independence payment (PIP).

But it has come under fire in recent months, and formed a major part of Kemi Badenochs speech at the Conservative Party conference, with critics claiming online sickfluencers are teaching people to game the system in order to claim free cars.

In her speech in Manchester, Ms Badenoch said: Those cars are not for people with ADHD.

Rachel Reeves needs to find 22bn to plug the UKs growing debt (PA)

While her shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said: Millions are getting benefits for anxiety and ADHD, along with a free Motability car.

TikTok videos tell you how  and some people even pay for VIP services to boost their chances of a successful benefits claim.

Disability groups slammed the proposed changes, saying they would make life more expensive for those with serious health conditions.

But sources told The Times the changes are about fairness, not simply cost-cutting. One pointed out that the Motability Foundation, which oversees the scheme, paid its chief executive 658,000 last year, while it made a 748m profit in 2023. That fell to a 565m loss last year.

It currently costs taxpayers 2.8bn, and sees a portion of a claimants disability benefits spent on a new car.

Emma Vogelmann, co-chief executive of the Transport for All disability group, said public transport is often unusable for disabled people, with broken pavements and non-existent bus routes.

Kemi Badenoch attacked the scheme in her Tory conference speech (PA)

A Motability car changes that  it allows us to work, shop, and do the school run. Scaling back the scheme would lock disabled people away from daily life. Does the chancellor want to take away our freedom? she said.

Meanwhile, charity Scope warned the changes could heap extra costs onto disabled people all over Britain.

Restricting eligibility to Motability could hit disabled people on lower incomes hard, strategy director James Taylor told The Independent.

Reform UK has also attacked the Motability scheme, with policy head Zia Yusuf saying spending on the scheme has spiralled out of control.

The Motability schemes were designed to support those with genuine, life-limiting disabilities, and many of those exploiting these schemes are not even physically disabled. Targeted support must only go to those who truly need it, he said.

The former head of Motability at the Department for Work and Pensions, Matt Ryder, has also called on the chancellor to reassess whether the subsidies given to the scheme are giving genuine value for money.

A Treasury spokesperson said: We do not comment on speculation around changes to tax outside of fiscal events.
Raila Odinga, then leader of the opposition and part of the National Super Alliance coalition, in Nairobi in 2018. Photograph: Thomas Mukoya/Reuters

Raila Odinga, who has died aged 80, was the prime minister of Kenya from 2008 until 2013 and a longtime leading member of his countrys opposition.

A man who was both divisive and revered, he came from an aristocratic political lineage. His father, Oginga Odinga, had been a leading figure in the movement for independence from Britain in 1963 and served as vice-president to the countrys first president, Jomo Kenyatta, who begat his own lineage. It was Kenyattas son, Uhuru, who defeated Raila Odinga in the 2017 presidential elections.

Odinga contested the presidency five times  1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, 2022  losing each time and citing fraud on each occasion. The best known of these occasions was in 2007 when he was defeated by Mwai Kibaki. Both candidates, however, had prepared for loss or challenge against victory by forming militias that were unleashed after the result was announced. This marked the most violent episode in Kenyas independent political history.

There were grounds for expecting at least a close race. Polling by US groups had suggested an Odinga victory. But the violence reached such intensity that the African Union dispatched the former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan to act as mediator. Annan moved with speed, asking all other would-be mediators to leave, and promising indictments before the international criminal court for all those who continued to encourage violence.

Annan also instituted a procedure that was later copied by Thabo Mbeki in the equally controversial 2008 Zimbabwe elections  the insertion of the defeated presidential candidate into the role of prime minister. In Zimbabwe that was Morgan Tsvangirai and in Kenya Raila Odinga  even though both men had some, even if disputed, claim to the presidency. Both accepted the prime ministership and Odinga came to work ostensibly closely with Kibaki.

If violence in 2007 was a conspicuous demerit to both men, Odingas acceptance of a secondary position was seen as a mark of grace and a desire to spare the Kenyan people from further chaos. The unrest was not repeated, even though Odinga lost subsequent presidential elections. For Annan, and later for Mbeki, it seemed the principle of inclusivity was greater than the principle of honest and open democratic choice. If, as had been remarked, politics in Kenya was about whose turn it was to eat, the outcome in 2007 was a place at the table for all.

This had some resonance in the country. Odinga was a member of the Luo ethnic group. Kibaki was from the Kikuyu group  long politically dominant. Fierce rivalry existed between the two factions. To achieve at least a degree of top-table membership for both was a real breakthrough.

Odinga was born in Maseno, Kisumu District, the son of Mary Juma and Oginga Odinga. He was educated at Maranda high school, from where his father despatched him in the 1960s to East Germany to study at the Herder Institute, part of the University of Leipzig. He then studied mechanical engineering at what is now the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg before returning to Kenya, where he taught the subject at the University of Nairobi.

Always religious, he became a born-again Christian and was fiercely opposed to homosexuality. But he was also an admirer of progressive forces and rebels elsewhere. In 1973 Odinga married Ida Anyango Ayoo. Of their four children, one son was named after Fidel Castro and a daughter after Winnie Mandela.

Odinga was arrested several times in the 80s and early 90s when the country was under one-party rule. Multiparty politics from 1992 gave him his chance to participate in the countrys affairs without fear of detention.

After his period in office as prime minister came to an end, Odinga travelled the world giving lectures on democracy, but without ever seeking seriously to undermine those who had defeated him. From 2018 to 2023 he served in a senior position, high representative for infrastructure development, in the African Union.

After the fractious presidential elections in 2017, Odinga and Kenyatta ceremonially shook hands in what came to be seen as a symbolic moment dubbed the beginning of building bridges.

Odinga left behind a 1,040-page autobiography, but the assessment of his life and career await the perspective of time. Certainly it should be said that the politics of Kenya by the time of his death had become far calmer and more measured than when he first entered the political realm, and in this he played a part.

Odinga is survived by his wife and three of their children, Rosemary, Raila and Winnie. His son Fidel predeceased him.

 Raila Amolo Odinga, politician, born 7 January 1945; died 15 October 2025

 This article was amended on 20 October 2025 to clarify details of Raila Odingas academic background. An earlier version suggested that Odinga had limited academic success; however, he studied mechanical engineering in Magdeburg, before teaching the subject at the University of Nairobi.
PHOENIX, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Supreme Court of the United States was the site of Dwight D. Opperman Foundation's 41st Annual Devitt Award last night, as Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. opened the ceremony, honoring Senior United States District Judge of the U.S. District of Columbia, John Deacon Bates.

Judge John D. Bates Honored as the 2025 Recipient of the Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award. Post this Julie Opperman, 2025 Devitt Award honoree, Judge John D. Bates, and Devitt Award Chairman, Justice Amy Coney Barrett at the Supreme Court of the United States on October 16, 2025.

The Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award was established by Dwight D. Opperman (1923-2013), the legendary former Chairman and President of West Publishing Company, who gave us WestLaw, the premier legal information services provider. In addition to his most innovative contributions to the legal and judicial community, Mr. Opperman was its most dedicated and unrivaled philanthropist. Forty-three years ago, he established an award that would recognize, celebrate and honor, "The unsung heroes of our great American judiciary," he would often say. The Devitt Award became the unrivaled crowning recognition bestowed upon an Article III federal judge who has served with tremendous distinction.

Every Justice on the Supreme Court has participated in the Devitt Award, and nearly all of them have Chaired the Selection Committee which is comprised of Judges from the lower courts. Justice Amy Coney Barrett served as Chairman of the 2024-2025 term, along with Judge John Lee and Judge Dabney Friedrich.

In selecting Judge Bates, Justice Barrett said that since joining the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Judge Bates has shouldered responsibilities of great consequence. He led the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, directing the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and serving in important roles within the Judicial Conference. Before presenting the award to him, Justice Barrett said, "In each, you have strengthened the judiciary through your sound judgement and principled leadership."

The Chief Justice said to Judge Bates, "You are a most worthy recipient." He added, "Before your appointment to the District Court in 2001, you served the country with distinction as a soldier and a government lawyer. For the past quarter century, you have been a model trial judge. And for almost that entire time, you have taken on a series of important leadership posts within the federal judiciary, including as Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, Presiding Judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and Chair of both the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules and the Standing Committee on the Rules of Practice and Procedure."

Chief Justice Roberts ended by affirming, "Each time I have called upon you to incur these significant extra burdens on top of your regular caseload, you have accepted enthusiastically and discharged your important responsibilities superbly."

Judge Bates said, "Prior recipients of the Devitt Award represent the very best of the Third Branch, and I am truly humbled to be included with those outstanding judges."

Matthew Umhofer, President of the Dwight D. Opperman Foundation, noted that during his lifetime, Dwight Opperman believed deeply that the judiciary was critical to upholding democracy and justice. He said, "Judge Bates has lived out that same belief, and his distinguished career is a testament to his dedication to the judicial craft."

Julie Opperman, speaking after The Chief Justice, said, "The Dwight D. Opperman Foundation remains dedicated in support of our judiciary and excellence in leadership. We are pleased to continue the tradition of presenting the highest honor in the nation to exceptional federal judges, with the very much appreciated support of the Supreme Court, and with the unwavering guidance of Chief Justice Roberts."

The private ceremony conducted in the Courtroom, was followed by a reception in the East and West Conference Rooms, and a formal dinner in the Great Hall for 100 invited guests, representing the judicial and legal community elite, as well as prominent Washington establishment figures. Luke Fraiser's American Pops Orchestra performed and the national anthem was sung by the distinguished baritone, Chris Rhodovi.

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Dwight D. Opperman Foundation
Education publisher Pearson has revealed a spike in sales for its virtual schools, while it said more teachers were using its AI tool to create exams.

The London-listed company reported underlying sales growth of 4% over the third quarter, compared with the same period last year.

This was partly driven by a 17% surge in its virtual learning division, with enrolments jumping by 13% for the 2025-26 academic year.

Pearson runs full-time online schools for students in the US through to virtual courses or part-time online learning.

AI study tools are embedded into learning materials for the virtual schools, such as providing students with explanations if they get a test question wrong.

The business said it has growing evidence that students achieve higher grades when using AI to study.

It also reported increased usage among teachers of its AI assessment tool, which creates exam questions using the technology.

By more than halving the time needed to create custom student assessments, the tool enables teachers to spend more time on meaningful student interactions, the company said.

Elsewhere, Pearson reported a 1% decline in sales for its higher education arm amid challenging trading conditions among the university and college student market.

Omar Abbosh, Pearsons chief executive, said: Pearson delivered another quarter of good progress, with accelerated sales growth in Q3 (third quarter), and robust performance across our businesses.

Our teams continue to execute against our strategic priorities, leading on the application of innovative technologies and growing our enterprise customer footprint.
Manchester City will be without key midfielder Rodri for Saturdays Premier League clash with Everton.

The Ballon dOr winner limped out of Citys victory over Brentford in their last match before the recent international break after just 21 minutes with a thigh injury.

It is the latest setback to have been suffered by the Spaniard, who missed most of last season following knee surgery.

Rodri was injured in the meeting with Brentford (Steven Paston/PA)

He has completed the full 90 minutes for City on just two occasions this term.

Manager Pep Guardiola said at a press conference: He is not ready for tomorrow.

Asked how long the 29-year-old could be out for, Guardiola said: I dont know.

Jack Grealish, who has made a big impression since joining Everton on loan from City, is not permitted to face his parent club at the Etihad Stadium this weekend.

The England international appears to have been rejuvenated by the move having fallen down the pecking order at City over the past two seasons.

The impact has been massive since day one, admitted Guardiola when asked about Grealishs form. Hes started playing minutes and minutes and this is what he wanted.

The pre-season we had with him  and hes a lovely guy  but for different reasons he didnt play much minutes. Hes back to real business, hes playing every game.

Grealish has impressed for Everton but cannot face parent club City this weekend (Nigel French/PA)

Guardiola has not spoken to Grealish since he completed his switch to the Toffees in August.

Hopefully tomorrow, if he comes to Etihad, we can see him, said the Spaniard.

Guardiola teased that he would have liked to see Grealish play in the game.

He said: Its the rules. If I become a CEO or president running a big institution in England maybe I would change it.

If they would play, it would be nice. If they dont play, its because of the rules. To be honest, I dont have an opinion.

Former City performance analyst Carles Planchart said recently he feels Guardiola needs a break to regenerate after more than nine years at City.

Guardiola said: Hes right  but in 2035, I will start to think about it!

Guardiola is determined to lead City back to the top after their four-year reign as champions was ended by Liverpool during an underwhelming 2024/25 season.

He said: We want to arrive in the last stages of the competitions being close. This is the target I have.

I see things that we are doing much, much, much better than last season. In every game, we are a little bit better and better. That may give me the energy.

That is not the job done, its completely unfinished business, and thats why Im here.
Little Nell beneath a carving of the Virgin Mary - Bridgeman

I looked at the illustration (above) next to a very favourable review in The Spectator of Soft, a brief history of sentimentality by Ferdinand Mount. It was, suitably enough, an engraving of Little Nell dead in bed, her grandfather kneeling beside it. What surprised me were the details above the bed.

On the bedhead was a relief carving of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus on her lap, and on one side a winged angel. On the other side were figures which may well be shepherds. Even more surprising was an inscription on the wall: Sancta Maria ora pro me  Holy Mary, pray for me.

I remembered nothing in The Old Curiosity Shop to warrant these details. Nor did I recognise the illustrator. The engraving came from the Bridgeman art library, which gives no information about the illustrator.

So I turned to the illustration that accompanied The Old Curiosity Shop when it first appeared, in instalments. Most of the engravings were by Hablot K Browne, who had adopted the pseudonym Phiz (to match Dickenss Boz). But, for January 1841, the pictures of Little Nell and her grandfathers strange ruin of a house, the church next to it and her deathbed were by George Cattermole, who had become a friend of Dickens.

Cattermole had contributed illustrations for John Brittons Cathedral Antiquities of England (14 volumes, 1814-35), called one of the greatest glories of British book design. But Britton was always in debt, as Cattermole later came to be.

His architectural fancies in The Old Curiosity Shop are deeply carved and crocketed confections of crumbling Decorated stonework, with old stone knights in church and old suits of armour indoors. In the deathbed scene, captioned At rest, I saw what I hadnt noticed before in my old copy of the novel: the Virgin Mary above the dead childs head.

Ive since seen it referred to as a carving on the bedhead. But Dickens had written of her little bed. What Cattermole shows is the bed pushed up at the head-end against a surviving bit of medieval stone carving. Unlike the later engraving that it no doubt inspired, Cattermoles illustration depicts no angel or any other distinct figure, only Mary with her Child on her lap under a Gothic arch and nodding stone canopy.

In the wall beside the carving is a little window and on the sill an hourglass (for death, no doubt). Dickens tells the reader vaguely of a dwelling in a vaulted chamber once nobly ornamented by cunning architects, and still retaining, in its beautiful groined roof and rich stone tracery, choice remnants of its ancient splendour.

There were fragments of rich carving from old monkish stalls. To him, such antiquities spoke of decay, the rotten beam, the sinking arch, the sapped and mouldering wall.

Three years later, Dickens wrote from Italy to his friend John Forster of a dream hed had of a spirit who wore a blue drapery as the Madonna might in a picture by Raphael. He knew it was Mary Hogarth, his sister-in-law, who had died in 1837.

Dickens in his dream felt compelled to ask: What is the True religion? Perhaps, he continued the Roman Catholic is the best? Perhaps it makes one think of God oftener. The spirit replied: For you it is the best! Then he woke up, tears running down his face.

He accounted for the dream by there being a great altar in his bedroom, and a mark where a picture had hung, making him wonder what face had appeared in it. After the dream, told immediately to his wife, he certainly made no move towards the Roman Catholic religion.
US star Sofia Richie Grainge has announced she is expecting another baby with her husband Elliot Grainge.

The 27-year-old, who is the daughter of singing superstar Lionel Richie, and Grainge welcomed their first child, a daughter named Eloise Samantha Grainge, on May 20 2024.

Richie Grainge shared a photo of her baby bump to Instagram on Friday and wrote On my way to launch these babies alongside an emoji of a baby and the tag of her fashion label SRG Atelier.

High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens commented Yessss back to back babyyyyy.

The official account for lingerie retailer Victorias Secret also offered a congratulatory message.

Richie Grainge, who married her record executive husband in a lavish French ceremony in April 2023, announced her first pregnancy at the end of January 2024.

She said she took a pregnancy test when she landed back in Los Angeles ahead of an Ed Sheeran concert  before sending her husband out to buy more tests when it came back faintly positive.

I found out very, very early, she previously told British Vogue magazine.
Jerome Reyniers Lazzat is bidding to return to winning form as he reappears at the scene of his former Ascot glory in the Qipco British Champions Sprint.

The French-trained four-year-old contested the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in June, triumphing over the Japanese contender Satono Reve under owner Wathnan Racings retained rider James Doyle.

He has been seen twice since that victory, once when narrowly missing out in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville and then when fifth in the Sprint Cup at Haydock.

Reynier said: Lazzat has had a busy campaign and at Royal Ascot he was unreal. He was very good that day.

He had a very tough battle against the Japanese contender and they beat the course record, I was a bit scared that race was going to be a bit tough on him but mentally and physically he was still the same.

We were aiming for the Prix Maurice de Gheest and we were quite disappointed to be beaten, but Sajir that day was very good and if you take him out of the race, it would be have a very good battle with Woodshauna.

At Haydock he ran a good race but he was drawn in the middle and there was a big draw bias to the outside, he wasnt beaten too far but he was always under pressure and thats not the way he is usually.

This time he seems spot on and we can only be hopeful with him because hes working so well and he looks great.

Hes fit, hes happy and now he needs to show the world he is the best European sprinter on Saturday.

When Lazzat finished fifth in the Sprint Cup there were two Wathnan-owned horses ahead of him, with the James Fanshawe-trained Kind Of Blue second and Andrew Baldings Flora Of Bermuda in third.

Both line up at Ascot for their respective trainers, with Balding saying of his contender: Shes drawn in stall one so we just hope there is a draw bias to the far side which can help her.

It doesnt give us many options with what we do from there. Shes been placed in three or four Group Ones now and been unlucky in a few, she really deserves to have her day in the sunshine and I would love to think it could be Saturday.

Richard Brown, racing manager to the owner, added of last years winner Kind Of Blue: They say hes in the form of his life at home and absolutely bouncing. He was impressive in this last year and we really hope he can run a big race.

Mick Applebys Big Mojo was the Sprint Cup winner at Haydock, and he rolls the dice at Ascot from stall 20.

The ground is looking good for us but whether were drawn on the right side or not, I dont know, the trainer said.

Weve just got to hope it will favour the stands side.

Hes in great order and all has been good since Haydock, so hes going there well. If anything is to hold him back, I think it will be the draw.

Tom (Marquand) is back on board and missed out at Haydock but hopefully he can get the win on him this time, he gets on really well with him. Hopefully we can get some luck.

Appleby feels victory in the race would endow Big Mojo with a similarly exalted reputation as his former speedy stablemate Big Evs, who was four times a Group winner over five furlongs.

He added: I think if he wins this he steps out of Big Evs shadow. Big Mojo is a bit more versatile than Big Mojo who was all five furlongs, whereas Mojo can go five or six and is probably a bit better at six.

Hes going to stay in training next season and hopefully he gets the job done Saturday, but I think he will improve again next year.

William Haggas Montassib, fifth in the race last season, tries his luck again with Kevin Ryans Inisherin and Tim Easterbys 2023 winner Art Power other notable contenders in a field of 19.
Thread Of Gold takes the next step in his career in the Mongey Communications Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

After impressing on debut over seven furlongs at the Curragh in August, the Willie Mullins-trained colt was bought by Team Valor and regular partner Gary Barber, with the son of Ghaiyyath now moving up in distance and company for the Group Three contest.

I visited Willie a week ago and watched the horse work and he couldnt look any better, said Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor International.

You just wonder going up from seven furlongs to nine furlongs and also moving up in company will it be too much too soon, I just hope hes as good as Willie thinks he is.

He was very impressive on debut and running again over seven furlongs may be a little short for him based on how he ran and his pedigree suggests he should want further.

It will be very interesting and hes a very easy, straightforward high-class animal and we cant wait to see him run.

Thread Of Golds main threat will come from Aidan OBriens clearcut Galway scorer Piazza San Marco, a son of St Marks Basilica out of an American Pharoah mare, while the Ballydoyle team are also represented by Christmas Day and Port Of Spain.

The OBrien family hold all the aces in the other Group Three on the card, with Goffs Million winner Dorset set to be a warm order in the Killavullan Stakes.

Daytona has banked plenty of experience at a high level banked and will also represent OBrien senior, while son Joseph OBrien saddles Yaupon De Replay  winner of the Listed Blenheim Stakes on debut  and Spangled Sands.

Also catching the eye on the card is the debut of Druids Glen in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. The son of Frankel is out of dual Group One-winner Quiet Reflection and is a brother to last years champion two-year-old filly Lake Victoria.
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
National guard troops at the Ice Broadview facility in Chicago. Photograph: Jeenah Moon/Reuters

The Trump administration on Friday asked the US supreme court to permit the deployment of national guard troops to Illinois, as the president pushes to expand the domestic use of the military in a growing number of Democratic-led cities.

In an emergency filing, the justice department urged the court to overturn a lower court ruling that halted the deployment of several hundred national guard troops to the Chicago area. The district judge had raised doubts about the administrations justification for sending troops, questioning its explanation in light of local conditions.

A federal appeals court upheld the lower courts decision on Thursday, keeping the deployment on hold while the legal challenge proceeds.

Late on Friday evening, US district judge Sara Ellis ordered federal officers to use body cameras. Ellis said those officers trained and equipped with body-worn cameras must turn them on while conducting immigration enforcement activity, including during interactions with the public.

The new measure follows her earlier temporary restraining order requiring federal immigration officers to give warnings before using anti-riot weapons like tear gas and to wear visible identification.

Ellis also said she wants representatives from federal immigration agencies to appear at a hearing on Monday to answer her questions about how her order  in effect until 6 November  is being implemented.

D John Sauer, the solicitor general representing the administration, wrote in the new filing that federal agents have repeatedly been threatened and assaulted in Chicago and the suburb of Broadview, where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detention facility is located.

Trump has already sent national guard units to Chicago and Portland, following earlier deployments to Los Angeles, Memphis, and Washington DC. The president has argued that military intervention is needed to curb unrest and bolster immigration enforcement.

Trump and his supporters have portrayed these cities as dangerous and overwhelmed by violent demonstrations, framing the militarys role as essential to restoring order.

Democratic officials have pushed back sharply, saying the presidents claims are greatly exaggerated and politically motivated. They accuse Trump of misusing his authority to punish opponents.

Judges have also voiced skepticism about the administrations depiction of events. Local leaders say protests over immigration enforcement have been mostly small and peaceful, contradicting Trumps characterization of war zone conditions.

A recent report from the Guardian revealed that US military veterans increasingly face arrest and injury amid protests over Trumps deportation campaign and his push to deploy national guard members to an increasing number of American cities.

At the center of the dispute is Trumps use of a federal statute allowing the president to federalize the national guard only in cases of rebellion or when unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States. The administration insists that the troops are necessary to protect federal property and officers from protesters.

Earlier this month, the administration federalized 300 members of the Illinois national guard and ordered additional Texas national guard troops into the state.

As local leaders condemned the move, Trump escalated his rhetoric, calling on 8 October for the arrest of Chicagos mayor and the Illinois governor, both Democrats, accusing them of failing to safeguard immigration officers.

Illinois and Chicago jointly sued the administration to stop the deployment. On 9 October, district Judge April Perry, appointed by Joe Biden, issued a temporary injunction blocking the order.

Meanwhile in Chicago, at least 11 people were taken into custody outside the Broadview Ice detention center following heated confrontations between Illinois state police and protesters.
Santos was sentenced to seven years in prison in April for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft - Alex Brandon/Associated Press

George Santos, the disgraced former Republican congressman, will be released from prison after Donald Trump commuted his sentence.

Santos was convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and sentenced to a seven-year jail term in April.

In a post on Truth Social announcing the commutation, Mr Trump said Santos was a rogue who had been horribly mistreated and would be released immediately.

George Santos was somewhat of a rogue, but there are many rogues throughout our Country that arent forced to serve seven years in prison, Mr Trump wrote.

George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated. Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck George, have a great life!

Santos, a fierce supporter of Mr Trump, was expelled from Congress in 2023 after multiple investigations revealed he had fabricated substantial parts of his life story and defrauded donors of tens of thousands of dollars.

When Santos was first elected in 2022  having flipped a Democratic district in New York  he was considered a rising star as the first openly gay Republican to defeat an incumbent.

However, his downfall began just weeks later when an investigation by The New York Times found he had lied on his CV about working on Wall Street and having a university degree.

From there, his web of lies unravelled further.

Santos was accused of fleecing $3,000 (2,230) from a fund he had set up for a homeless US Navy veterans sick dog in 2016.

He also falsely claimed to be Jewish and to have ancestors who fled the Holocaust, and later denied making the statement after records showed it was untrue.

Another of his bizarre claims was that he had been a volleyball star at university.

His expulsion from Congress came a month after the release of a scathing report by the US House of Representativess ethics committee which found overwhelming evidence of misconduct and intent to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy.

Santos on the day he was ousted from Congress in 2023 - Bloomberg

The report claimed he had misused campaign contributions for personal expenses, including botox, subscriptions to OnlyFans and holidays in Las Vegas and The Hamptons.

Accusing the committee of a smear campaign, following the vote to expel him Santos said: Why would I want to stay here? To hell with this place.

He became only the third American to be ejected from Congress since the Civil War.

Santos pleaded guilty to 23 federal charges in August 2024 alleging he had lied on claims for unemployment benefits, laundered campaign funds for personal use and stolen more than $44,000 using credit cards from donors.

He was ordered at the time to pay $374,000 in restitution, but the commutation stipulated that Santos would no longer have to pay any damages to his victims.

Although the disgraced politician had said earlier this year that he would not ask Mr Trump for a pardon, he wrote a regular column in a local Long Island newspaper detailing his life behind bars since the start of his sentence in July, which he called hell on earth.

His final submission, entitled, a passionate plea to President Trump, appealed to the US president to give him a second chance.

Mr. President, I have nowhere else to turn, he wrote on Oct 13.

You have always been a man of second chances, a leader who believes in redemption and renewal. I am asking you now, from the depths of my heart, to extend that same belief to me.

The column referenced an interview Mr Trump had done with Newsmax in August, where he did not rule out pardoning Santos.

Nobodys talked to me about it, Mr Trump said.

He lied like hell. And I didnt know him, but he was 100 per cent for Trump.

Hes shown remorse. Its time to correct this injustice

Although he apologised in court for his unethical and guilty crimes, in the months following he sought to profit off his notoriety by flogging personalised videos on Cameo and launching a podcast called Pants on Fire, comparing the media attention surrounding the debut to Princess Dianas visit to New York City in 1989.

Still, there was growing sentiment among Republicans that his punishment was too harsh.

In August, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a congresswoman for Georgia, sent a letter to the US Department of Justice appealing for his release, and characterised Santoss sentence as excessive and a grave injustice.

Without providing evidence, Ms Greene said there were other members of Congress who had committed far worse offences than Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges.

George Santos has taken responsibility. Hes shown remorse. Its time to correct this injustice, Ms Greene wrote in an X post accompanying the letter.

After Mr Trumps announcement, Ms Greene wrote on X: THANK YOU President Trump for releasing George Santos!! He was unfairly treated and put in solitary confinement, which is torture!!
President Donald Trump swore live on air during a high-stakes meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

Trump was taking questions from reporters during Fridays meeting and was asked about tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro when he dropped the expletive.

He has offered everything, Trump said, referring to Maduro. You know why? Because he doesn't want to f*** around with the United States.

After using the swear word, Trump swiftly brought the press conference to a close.

Broadcasters apologized to viewers for the presidents language.

After using the swear word, Trump swiftly brought the press conference to a close and broadcasters apologized to viewers for the presidents language (REUTERS)

As the camera panned out from Trump, Vice President JD Vance broke into a smile and laughed at what just happened.

Pro-Trump accounts on X commended the president for his potty mouth.

President Trump using the F Bomb.he means business, said one MAGA supporter.

A well placed F bomb is an art and President Trump knows how to use it, added MAGA influencer Link Lauren.

LOL Trump dropping the F bomb. Liberals heads are spinning. I love it! another MAGA account posted.

Others were less impressed.

Grandpa trump comes off crass in trying to look tough for the press, someone said, while another called it immature.

As the camera panned out from Trump, Vice President JD Vance broke into a smile and appeared to laugh. (Fox News/X)

In June, Trump lashed out with the same language after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran he announced earlier appeared to break down.

We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they dont know what the f*** theyre doing, a frustrated Trump told reporters at the White House as he departed for a NATO summit in the Netherlands.

Trumps language became more expletive in his third presidential campaign, according to analysis by The New York Times. In 2024, Trump cursed in public more than 1,700 times, according to the newspaper.

In 2016, Trump told his supporters, Were gonna have businesses that used to be in New Hampshire that are now in Mexico. Come back to New Hampshire, and you can tell them to go f*** themselves.

Fridays outburst was prompted by a question about what more Venezuelas Maduro could do to ease tensions with the U.S. after the Trump administration escalated the military campaign against the leaders regime this week.

Trump claimed Wednesday that he authorized CIA operations on Venezuelas soil because Venezuela emptied their prisons into the United States of America and flooded the country with drugs.

Last month, the administration declared the U.S. is formally engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels that the president has labeled unlawful combatants, according to a confidential notice to members of Congress.
World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 opens in China's Fujian

Xinhua) 08:57, October 17, 2025

Participants visit the World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Oct. 16, 2025. The World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 opened on Thursday in Fuzhou. (Xinhua/Zhou Yi)

Participants take photos of exhibits at the World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Oct. 16, 2025. The World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 opened on Thursday in Fuzhou. (Xinhua/Zhou Yi)

Participants visit the World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Oct. 16, 2025. The World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 opened on Thursday in Fuzhou. (Xinhua/Zhou Yi)

This photo taken on Oct. 16, 2025 shows the opening ceremony of the World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. The World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 opened on Thursday in Fuzhou. (Xinhua/Zhou Yi)

Participants visit an exhibition area of offshore wind power equipment at the World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Oct. 16, 2025. The World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 opened on Thursday in Fuzhou. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

Participants visit the World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Oct. 16, 2025. The World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 opened on Thursday in Fuzhou. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

Participants view a cruise ship model at the World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, on Oct. 16, 2025. The World Maritime Equipment Conference 2025 opened on Thursday in Fuzhou. (Xinhua/Zhou Yi)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
A massive LEGO vault arrives in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, challenging players nationwide to crack the code, uncover hidden prizes and celebrate the universes that define modern gaming

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The LEGO Group is unleashing LEGO Code Break, an epic quest that unites gaming fandoms like never before. From Oct. 16-18, players nationwide will race to uncover a secret code inspired by beloved gaming universes and unlock a massive vault packed with legendary prizes. The hunt begins at LEGO.com/CodeBreak, where hidden clues await discovery across Minecraft, Fortnite and Sonic the Hedgehog content.

Gaming fans take part in the LEGO Code Break activation in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, Thursday, October 16, 2025. The experience bridges virtual and real-world play as part of the LEGO Group's rich gaming legacy during TwitchCon  the gaming industrys premiere event. (AP Photo/Sandy Huffaker)

LEGO Code Break bridges virtual and real-world play with an unforgettable challenge rooted in fan-favorite gaming universes, celebrating the gaming community in an experience only the LEGO Group can build. This quest empowers fans to build upon their passions long after consoles are powered down  just like LEGO gaming sets.

"The LEGO Group has built a rich gaming legacy that unlocks adventures and universes in brick form," said Beth McKenna, Head of U.S. Marketing at the LEGO Group. "With LEGO Code Break, we're combining that history with the live, hands-on experience our brand is also well-known for, to prove that gaming culture thrives when digital and real-world play come together."

How LEGO Code Break Works

The quest begins Oct. 16 when a massive mystery vault is revealed in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. From Oct. 16-18, fans across the U.S. are invited to uncover four hidden numbers, characters or symbols that form the secret code to unlock the vault in San Diego's Gaslamp Park. The mission: help real-life gaming experts uncover the code by Oct. 19. Once the vault is opened, fans will have 36 hours to visit LEGO.com/CodeBreak and enter the code that was used to open the vault for their chance to claim the ultimate grand prize inside.

The journey unfolds on LEGO.com/CodeBreak and LEGO social channels. Keep a close eye on gaming creators Andre Rebelo (TypicalGamer), Alex Kushelevskiy (FORMULA) and Jess Adel (JustJesss) as their content just might hold the key! Watch for hidden letters, symbols and numbers in content celebrating iconic games like Minecraft, Fortnite and Sonic the Hedgehog.

Legendary Prizes Await

Once the vault is opened, one sweepstakes entrant will claim the vault's legendary contents. The vault unlocks every gamer's dreama coveted grand prize with sets that turn beloved virtual worlds into buildable, displayable collector's items. Prizes include LEGO gaming sets and everything needed to build the ultimate gaming sanctuary.

By joining in on the search for the vault code, fans cement their place in LEGO gaming legacy, taking part in a first-of-a-kind event for the brand during the gaming industry's most premiere event.

Real-World Experience in San Diego

As TwitchCon transforms San Diego into gaming's cultural epicenter, fans can visit the LEGO Code Break experience in Gaslamp Park. Here, fans can inspect the massive Code Break vault for themselves, build and take home a mini LEGO gaming controller, explore a stunning collection of LEGO sets displayed in custom gaming cases and snap photos with larger-than-life builds of iconic video game characters. The on-site experience will be open to the public from Oct. 16-18, 12-8 p.m. Can fans uncover the code before Oct. 19? The countdown is on!

Bringing Virtual Worlds to Life

LEGO gaming sets let fans build, display and play within their favorite video game universes, turning virtual adventures into hands-on creativity. From bespoke worlds in Minecraft, to epic battles in Fortnite and fast-paced scenes with Sonic the Hedgehog, each LEGO set lets gamers physically construct and celebrate the digital worlds they've spent countless hours exploring.

For more information about LEGO Code Break, and to follow the quest, visit LEGO.com/CodeBreak.

About the LEGO Group

The LEGO Group's mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine. The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which mean "Play Well". Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. Its products are now sold in more than 130 countries worldwide. For more information: www.LEGO.com. LEGO, the LEGO logo and the Minifigure are trademarks and/or copyrights of the LEGO Group. 2025 The LEGO Group. All rights reserved.

SOURCE The LEGO Group
President Donald Trump falsely claimed that the U.S. has never had a president that solved one war, as he spoke to reporters ahead of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky arrived at the White House on Friday to discuss strengthening U.S. support for Kyiv amid Russias war in Ukraine. Trump also announced Thursday he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary.

Trump made the false claim about his predecessors while in the White House Cabinet Room, shortly before kicking off talks with the Ukrainian leader.

Every time I solve one, they said, Sir, if you solve one more, you're going to be known as a peacekeeper, Trump said. To the best of my knowledge, we've never had a president that solved one war, not one war. Bush started a war. A lot of them start wars, but they don't solve the wars.

The Independent has contacted the White House for comment on Trumps remarks.

President Donald Trump falsely claimed the U.S. has never had a president that solved one war (REUTERS)

There are several U.S. presidents whose administrations have played a key role in ending conflicts. This list includes, but is not limited to:

President Theodore Roosevelt, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for having negotiated peace in the Russo-Japanese War.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who sought an end to the Korean War. An armistice was signed in July 1953, seven months after his inauguration.

President Abraham Lincoln, who was commander-in-chief when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865. This marked the most significant surrender in the conflict. Lincolns successor, President Andrew Johnson, then formally ended the war in 1866. Grant also served as president from 1869 to 1877.

President Harry S. Truman, who worked with Great Britain and China during World War II to issue the Potsdam Declaration, which demanded Japans unconditional surrender. When Japan did not accept, Truman authorized the use of the atomic bomb. The U.S. bombed Japan twice, and the nation surrendered afterward, effectively ending World War II.

President Theodore Roosevelt introduces Russian and Japanese delegates at the Portsmouth Peace Conference. There, Roosevelt played a key role in negotiating peace and later won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts (Getty Images)

Before making this claim about former U.S. presidents, Trump boasted that he had ended eight wars and complained he did not win a Nobel Peace Prize for any of them.

Look at all of the wars that we solve, and every time I solve one, they say, If you solve the next one, you're going to get the Nobel Prize, he said. I didn't get a Nobel Prize.

Trump and his allies campaigned for him to win a Nobel Peace Prize earlier this month after he announced the first phase of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. When the prestigious award instead went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung accused the Nobel committee of placing politics over peace.

President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives, he wrote on X. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.

Machado went on to dedicate her award to Trump.
The UK is set for a miserable weekend ahead after the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning in Northern Ireland for Sunday.

Heavy rain will hit the whole of Northern Ireland on Saturday night, before it gradually clears to the east on Sunday morning, the Met Office said.

According to the forecaster, the rain will be heaviest in the South East. Around 20 to 30mm of rain is expected to accumulate widely, while 60 to 100 mm could build up over the Mournes up to the early hours of Sunday morning.

The warning is in place from midnight on Sunday to midday.

Flooding of some homes and businesses is likely, as well as interruptions to power supplies and other services. The Met Office also said journey times will be affected due to spray and flooding on roads.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning in Northern Ireland for Sunday (Met Office)

The rest of the UK is in for a mixed bag this weekend, but Saturday is set to feel brighter. Met Office meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer said: Well definitely see the best of any sunshine, as we have seen, in probably eastern areas.

Its hard to say exactly where well see the sunniest spells but it might just feel a bit brighter than weve seen recently.

She warned it could still be a cloudy day for many, but with a few more breaks in the cloud on Saturday compared to what weve seen recently.

A damp start is in store for Sunday in most places (PA Wire)

Ms Glaisyer said there will probably be quite a damp start to Sunday with most places likely to see rain throughout the day and windier conditions as well.

She continued: That weather front clears through later Sunday and then were into a generally quite changeable setup as we head into the early part of next week  sunny spells, heavy blustery showers, perhaps merging into some longer spells of rain, and its a kind of similar setup throughout much of the week.

A phenomenon known as anticyclonic gloom  brought about by an anticyclone or high-pressure system settled over the country  has caused the grey conditions this week, according to the forecaster.

It occurs when air sinks towards the ground under high pressure, trapping a thin layer of moisture or low cloud close to the surface which the October sun cannot break through.

UK five-day weather forecast

Tonight

Remaining settled albeit rather cloudy overnight with further light drizzle in places. Feeling chilly beneath clear skies in Scotland with patchy fog forming by dawn. Breezier in the far West.

Saturday

Cloudy for many with any brighter breaks short-lived, as a veil of high cloud spills from the West. Becoming breezier for all later, with rain moving into the far West.

Sunday to Tuesday

Unsettled and breezy, with rain spreading eastwards through Sunday, prolonged and heavy in places. Further blustery showers from Monday, some thundery, though a few sunny spells too. Temperatures near normal.
Black Hawk helicopters fly off the coast of Venezuela

Venezuela doesnt want to f--- around with the United States, Donald Trump said on Friday.

The president told reporters that Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, had made sweeping concessions to the US after Mr Trump said he was considering ground strikes against Venezuela.

Mr Trump has repeatedly accused Venezuela of being a hub for the trafficking of fentanyl to the US. In October, he declared the US was in an armed conflict with drug cartels to legitimise military strikes on drug boats. Four such strikes have been carried out to date.

Last year, he refused to recognise Mr Maduros victory in the presidential elections.

Earlier this week, Venezuelan officials floated a plan in which Mr Maduro would leave office with Delcy Rodriguez, his vice-president, completing his term. But this was rejected by Washington.

The US launched another strike on an alleged drug boat on Thursday

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, Mr Trump said: He has offered everything, youre right. You know why? Because he doesnt want to f around with the United States, Mr Trump said.

Mr Maduro has been in Mr Trumps crosshairs for years, well before he began launching military operations against Venezuelan boats.

The US military carried out a provocative military training exercise 90 miles off the coast of Venezuela in the latest act of sabre-rattling by the Trump administration.

A day after the US president confirmed he had authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela and that he was weighing up the options for a land operation, the Washington Post reported that an Army Special Operations aviation unit conducted helicopter flights close to the coast.

Alongside this, it was reported that at least two B-52 bombers flew from Louisiana and spent several hours in international airspace near Venezuela on Wednesday.

An unnamed US official told the Washington Post the helicopters were involved in training exercises that could be used should the president decide to intensify his show of force with Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelas leader.

The US military has already hit at least five boats from Venezuela, which it claims were carrying illegal narcotics in international waters, and killed at least 27 people. Critics say the administration has yet to provide details to support the claim, while others have questioned their legality.

The latest attack, which took place on Thursday, left two to three survivors, according to Fox News. A US helicopter rescued two survivors who are being held on a Navy ship, Reuters reported.

The president of Colombia said at least one of its citizens was killed in a US attack, while Trinidad and Tobago said it is investigating whether two of its citizens were killed. The US continues to claim it has only targeted Venezuelan narco-terrorists.

Earlier this month, Mr Trump said the US was in an armed conflict with drug cartels that would provide broader legal protections for his actions.

In August, the US department of justice offered a $50m reward for information leading to Mr Maduros arrest.

Maria Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize - FEDERICO PARRA/AFP

Among those who have supported the strikes on the vessels is Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader, widely believed to have won last years election in her country, but whose results were disputed by Mr Maduro, who has held onto power.

Last week, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which she accepted on behalf of the Venezuelan people while also giving credit to Mr Trump.

Ms Machado, who has been in hiding since last year, has confirmed she is coordinating with the Trump administration for what would happen on the ground in Venezuela if it were to help oust Mr Maduro.

She has also supported the strikes on the drug boats, telling CNN: In the case of Maduro and his criminal narco-terrorism structure, [it] is [supported] through drug trafficking, gold trafficking, arms trafficking, even human trafficking, and we need to cut those flows from coming in.

Mr Trump secured a term running on a campaign that promised a hardline immigration agenda. He said he would deport huge numbers of undocumented migrants.

Since returning to office he has sent home thousands of people and ended what was known as temporary protected status for around 350,000 Venezuelans in the US. Several thousand have been flown back to Venezuela.
A veteran Marine was found shot dead after working an Uber shift. Now three teens have been arrested

Three teenage boys in Texas have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of an Uber driver and Marine Corps Veteran last month.

A 15-year-old boy was arrested on October 9 and charged with capital murder after 28-year-old Quoc Jake Nguyen was found shot to death along a Harris County road on September 4, officials said Thursday.

The two others, ages 13 and 14, were arrested Thursday and charged with tampering with evidence.

The teens allegedly shot Nguyen, stole his vehicle and belongings, and fled. Deputies first thought they were responding to a hit-and-run, but the case quickly turned when they noticed a gunshot wound. Investigators believe Nguyens body was dragged to the spot where he and his car were discovered.

All three teens are now in the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center.

Marine veteran and Uber driver Quoc Jake Nguyen, 28, was shot dead in Harris County while finishing a September shift (Harris County Sheriff's Office)

Tragic and senseless, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a news release. Our condolences go out to Jakes friends and family. Outstanding work by Harris County Sheriff's Office Detectives, VCAT, DPS, and all team members involved.

Nguyens brother Matthew told Fox 26 Houston that Jake was driving for Uber to support his mother and sister. The second oldest of five siblings, Jake was studying to become an EMT after his family immigrated from Vietnam to Houston.

"At the time he was driving that night, he had a rideshare from Uber," Matthew Nguyen told the outlet days after Jakes death. "He picked up one customer and dropped him off downtown. After that, he still had some people in the car. Uber confirmed thats the last time they heard from him."

"I had just spoken to him on Tuesday, and he sounded like he finally figured some stuff out. Then we get a call on Friday and this is the case, Matthew Nguyen added.

Nguyens brother said he was driving for Uber to support his mother and sister (GoFundMe)

An Uber spokesperson prevously told Fox 26, This is a devastating tragedy, and our thoughts are with the drivers family and friends. We are in touch with law enforcement and are cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation.

The Independent has contacted Uber for comment.
The Thai-Cambodian border. Cambodia has accused Thailand of psychological warfare along a disputed border. Photograph: Narong Sangnak/EPA

Cambodias former leader Hun Sen has complained about Thailand broadcasting ghost-like sounds across a disputed border, while the countrys human rights commission has accused its neighbour of engaging in psychological warfare, despite both countries agreeing to a ceasefire in July.

Posting on Facebook, Hun Sen, 73, who now serves as Cambodias powerful senate president, said Cambodias human rights commission had complained to the United Nations about the intense, high-pitched noises.

Sen shared a letter dated 11 October from the commission addressed to the UNs high commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk, outlining what it said was a grave violation of human rights involving the use of disturbing sounds as a form of psychological intimidation and harassment along the Thai-Cambodian border.

The Cambodian human rights commission said it had received credible reports from authorities and affected civilians in villages along the border indicating that Thai military units were broadcasting haunting sounds resembling wailing ghosts through loudspeakers followed by sounds of aircraft engine noises throughout the night.

The commission said the unnerving audio that lasted for prolonged periods had disrupted sleep, provoked anxiety and caused physical discomfort, and threatened to escalate tensions between the neighbouring countries.

The Thai government has been approached for comment.

Hun Sen, whose son Hun Manet was named Cambodian prime minister in 2023, also posted a statement from the countrys foreign minister who raised the issue with Malaysia, which helped broker the ceasefire.

Thailand and Cambodia agreed to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire after talks in Malaysia in July, which were intended to halt the worst fighting between the neighbouring countries in more than a decade.

At least 38 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced by fighting that erupted on the countries shared border. The conflict came after months or retaliatory actions including Cambodia banning the import of Thai films and fruit, and a Thai protester throwing fish sauce of a portrait of Hun Sen.

The ceasefire was announced after US president Donald Trump said he had called both countries and warned that trade negotiations would be paused until the fighting ceased.

Trump is expected to oversee a formal peace deal between Cambodia and Thailand on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in Malaysia later this month.

The pushback against the alleged ghost-like broadcasts come as Thailand has accused Cambodia of laying new mines along the border, Reuters has reported. Landmine detonations, which have maimed at least six Thai soldiers since July, triggered the clashes between the two nations.

Cambodia denies the accusations and says Thai soldiers stepped on ordnances planted during a decades-long civil war that left it as one of the worlds most heavily mined countries.
When President Donald Trump announced plans for yet another sit-down with Russian president Vladimir Putin following a Thursday phone call between the two leaders, it looked like yet another sign that Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky was in for a rough ride when he visited the White House Friday.

Just eight months ago, the Ukrainian president and his delegation were unceremoniously ushered out of the West Wing after an unprecedented Oval Office shouting match that included scolding the wartime leader on his choice of clothing and his supposed ingratitude for the billions Washington has provided in defense aid and financial assistance since Russian troops invaded his country three years earlier.

At the time, Trump berated Zelensky, whod come to Washington to press for yet more assistance to repel Moscows forces from his land, about how the Ukrainian leader was risking World War Three by keeping up a fight that he played no role in starting.

It looked as if Trumps new administration was dead set on pulling the plug on Americas support for Kyiv.

But February seems like forever ago now.

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky once got into a shouting match in the White House. But the mood on Friday was vastly different. (REUTERS)

Zelensky flew to Washington Thursday for meetings with some of Trump's cabinet and multiple American defense contractors before spending the night at the president's official guest house across from the White House. When he arrived at the West Wing the next day, he was greeted by a smiling president whose mood appeared to have been buoyed by his previous Oval Office guest, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.

He and his delegation proceeded to the Cabinet Room, where with cameras rolling Trump introduced Zelensky in glowing terms once reserved for the autocratic leaders he admires  including Putin.

"It's an honor to be with a very strong leader, a man who has been through a lot," Trump said.

He added that Zelensky was "a man who I've gotten to know very well" and noted that they had "gotten along really very well" in recent months.

"President Zelensky of Ukraine has endured a lot  I mean, he really has," Trump continued. "He's endured a lot, and we've endured it with him."

Trump even went so far as to praise the more businesslike wardrobe the Ukrainian leader has adopted since that February disaster, telling reporters that Zelensky "looks beautiful" in the tie-less dark suit and shirt he was wearing and calling his outfit "very stylish."

Zelensky had come to Washington to ask Trump for U.S.-built Tomahawk missiles  small, pilotless aircraft that can fly upwards of 1,000 miles before striking targets with incredible precision.

With cameras rolling, Trump praised Zelensky and continued to push for Russia to end the conflict with Ukraine (REUTERS)

Ukraines armed forces are desperate for the American-made weapons because they would give Kyiv the ability to strike deep into Russian territory  as far as Moscow or beyond. The missiles would permit Ukraine to retaliate against Russias myriad attacks against civilian targets, brazen strikes often carried out with the Russian-built equivalent.

Trump, who has been mostly unwilling to take any action that would be viewed as increasing American involvement in the nearly four-year-old conflict, acknowledged to reporters that providing Ukraine with them long-range weapons would be an escalation, but he said the matter would be discussed nonetheless.

He also repeatedly claimed that Putin, in his estimation, still wants to end the war, and said he and the Russian leader had went through a lot of details during their two-hour phone call this week.

The president did not say he would be providing Ukraine with the cruise missiles Zelensky has sought. He also stressed that the U.S. needs to have adequate stockpiles for its own use.

But even as he didnt say yes, he did not say no, either.

Trump even appeared warm to the idea of allowing Kyiv access to the weapons in exchange for Ukrainian-built drone technology developed by the countrys homegrown defense sector (AP)

Trump even appeared warm to the idea of allowing Kyiv access to the weapons in exchange for Ukrainian-built drone technology developed by the countrys homegrown defense sector  technology that has often allowed Ukrainian forces to punch well above their weight against Russias massive military machine.

With a hint of admiration in his voice, Trump hinted at an interest in such a weapons swap and said the Ukrainians make a very good drone.

As the question-and-answer session continued, the president still pressed on with his assertion that Putin wants to end the war he started without provocation. Trump said he hoped his planned summit in Budapest would make it unnecessary for any provision of Tomahawks to Kyiv.

But he also conceded that there is a possibility he is being played by the Russian leader, who, according to the Financial Times, spent a large part of their August meeting in Alaska engaging in a rambling historical discursion that left Trump infuriated to the point of raising his voice multiple times and eventually cutting the planned summit program short.

Meanwhile, The Independent understands that Zelensky came to Washington ready to engage Trump with a map-laden presentation showing the American leader exactly how the Tomahawks could be used to inflict terrible blows on the Russian war machine and the Russian oil sector.

The president, according to aides, likes maps. And the more time he spends with Zelensky, the more he appears to like him, too.

Zelensky might not get his Tomahawks today. But little by little, hes winning Trumps respect and making him feel like a trusted friend.

And if Trump feels as if Putin is playing him when they meet again in Budapest, theres no telling what benefits Zelensky could reap from that breach.
Over 90% of the outdoor facilities for teenagers in the UK are either a fenced pitch, a skatepark or a pump track and these are on average 90% used by boys and young men. Photograph: Alamy

John Harris is right to suggest that youth clubs tackle the issues of loneliness, phone addiction and isolation increasingly affecting young people (Britains youth clubs have been quietly decimated. Whats most revealing is that few seem to care, 12 October).

I see this every day in my role as CEO of the youth charity OnSide. Whether its watching a teenager celebrating with their youth worker after scaling the climbing wall or proudly sharing a meal theyve cooked in the centres kitchen with their friends, our network of youth clubs  known as youth zones  build the real-life connections and social skills that teenagers need to thrive.

Austerity led to the closure of hundreds of youth clubs and the loss of thousands of youth workers, which devastated communities. Our experience of building a network of 16 youth zones, supporting 50,000 young people a year, has shown us that government funding alone is not enough to replace what was lost.

Instead, our model brings together public investment, philanthropy and business support, alongside hundreds of volunteers, to create a sustainable and growing network. In the next 18 months well open another six youth zones in towns including Grimsby, Crewe and Barnsley. As Harris argues, youth clubs arent a faded throwback, theyre essential parts of a community.

Jamie Masraff

CEO, OnSide

 John Harris is right to draw attention to the unacknowledged importance of youth clubs and the damage done by austerity. Anyone who works with teenagers will know that one thing they want in their lives is a third space, a place which is neither home nor school where they are in charge of their own time. How can we expect them to grow up if we dont give them a place where they can practise being autonomous adults?

But its also worth saying that, because these are staffed and managed spaces, cuts to youth clubs have a particular impact on teenage girls. The only other third spaces available to teenagers are outdoors and unmoderated, which means that all too often they end up being dominated by boys. Over 90% of the outdoor facilities for teenagers in the UK are either a fenced pitch, a skatepark or a pump track and these are on average 90% used by boys and young men.

Girls tell me and other researchers over and over again that they hate the bedroom culture but they have nowhere else to go. So yes, we do need to invest a lot more in youth clubs, but we also need to build better public spaces that are safe and welcoming for all teenagers.

Susannah Walker

Frome, Somerset

 Young people are becoming adults amid a mental health crisis, growing economic inactivity, and social isolation and division. How to address these problems? Evidence shows that youth work is key. Youth clubs and trained youth workers reach young people in ways that formal education, with a rigid curriculum and exam focus, cannot. The UK has the Scouts and the Guides, but the uniformed movements are not right for everyone. The starting point of skilled, professional youth workers is to listen to children, understanding their complex lives and context.

At youth clubs, teens turned off by school learning can explore creativity, ideas and skills at their own pace or set their own agenda. The government and local councils need to see them as a precious generative resource, not an economic drain.

Vivienne Jackson

Walthamstow, London

 Almost everything John Harris writes about youth clubs could also be said about Sure Start childrens centres, which were crushed under George Osbornes austerity boot. The need for connection that he refers to is our universal evolutionary heritage, something that well-funded councils can restore. What we now have is the privatisation of childhood and youth, a lonely and miserable condition.

Dr Sebastian Kraemer

London

 Have an opinion on anything youve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy will head to the White House on Friday for a crucial meeting with Donald Trump, hours after the US president said he had agreed to another summit with Vladimir Putin in Budapest after a very productive call.

The possible supply of US Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine is expected to top the agenda during the Ukrainian presidents visit. Trump has repeatedly hinted in recent weeks that he may deliver Tomahawks, which would give Kyiv its longest-range weapon yet that would be capable of striking Moscow with accurate, destructive munitions.

However, Trumps conciliatory tone after the call with Putin left in question the likelihood of immediate assistance to Ukraine and reignited European fears of US capitulation to Moscow.

Trump said Putin didnt like it when he raised the possibility during their call of giving Ukraine Tomahawks  which have a range of up to 1,500 miles (2,415km)  but then appeared to cast doubt on whether Zelenskyy would actually get the American-made arm, saying the US could not deplete its own supply.

We need them too, so I dont know what we can do about that, Trump said.

The US president, fresh from brokering a peace deal in Gaza, has signalled he is eager to build on the momentum of that diplomatic victory by increasing pressure on Moscow to end Vladimir Putins full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth year.

On the eve of Zelenskyys visit, Trump said he was planning to meet Putin in the Hungarian capital on a date still to be determined in an effort to end the war. They previously met in Alaska in August, which did not produce a diplomatic breakthrough.

In the past, Trump has set deadlines for Moscow and vowed to impose crippling sanctions on Russias economy, only to back down. He has frequently softened his stance after speaking to or meeting Putin.

While supplying Tomahawks, the idea of which has already annoyed the Kremlin, would be symbolically significant, they are only available in relatively small numbers, estimated by some experts at 20 to 50 missiles.

Twice over the weekend, Trump and Zelenskyy spoke by phone in what the Ukrainian president described as productive talks  a stunning reversal from Februarys White House dressing-down that had laid bare the rift between the two leaders.

Tomahawks were first used in combat in 1991 and are normally launched from ships and submarines, which Ukraine does not have. They cost an estimated $1.3m (1m) each and have a range that puts Moscow well within reach, as well as offering far greater destructive power than long-range drones.

There is also a relatively new land-launched variant, the Typhon, more obviously suitable for Ukraine, but the launchers are in short supply. The US army is known only to have two, although another launcher, the X-Mav, which is considered more mobile than the Typhon, was demonstrated this week.

Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, said: My understanding is that US doesnt have a lot of Tomahawks. There are launchers that can launch them from the ground, but the military doesnt have many of them.

Pavel Luzin, an independent Russian military analyst, said: The Typhon system itself is new, still being produced for the US military. And its not just a launcher  it includes transport and reloading vehicles as well as a dedicated command post.

In recent weeks, the Trump administration also authorised the sharing of US intelligence to help Ukraine carry out precision strikes on Russias oil refineries using domestically produced drones and US-supplied Atacms missiles. These attacks have led to fuel shortages and a sharp rise in gasoline prices across Russia.

Politicians and experts believe the cruise missiles could reinforce that strategy, though the missiles are generally considered most effective if launched in salvoes, which would be difficult with limited numbers.

On Tuesday, Radek Sikorski, the Polish foreign minister, argued they could be particularly effective because Russias size makes air defence coverage difficult. The Institute for the Study of War estimates that there are 1,900 Russian military targets within range of the longer 1,500-mile plus Tomahawk variant.

Related: Russian drone incursion tactically stupid and counterproductive says Polish minister

The key question, however, is whether Trump is dangling the prospect of supplying Tomahawks to pressure Putin, while remaining unwilling to take a step that could bring the US closer to direct confrontation with a leader he still calls a close friend.

The Kremlin hassaid Ukraines reliance on Washington for training, logistics and targeting intelligence to operate Tomahawks would draw the US into the war on a scale not seen before, undoing the progress Moscow claims to have made with the Trump administration.

As he arrived in Washington on Thursday, Zelenskyy said Moscow was rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks.

Some in Moscow said the Kremlin saw Trumps talk of Tomahawks as little more than a negotiating gambit to pressure Putin  a move they said was unlikely to faze the Russian president.

Russia sees it as bluff from a bullshit artist in chief  the threat is not credible as there are no practical ways to do it in meaningful numbers. Russia will shrug it off, said Vladimir Frolov, a former Russian diplomat.

Still, the Kremlin has in recent days issued its strongest warnings to Trump since he assumed office  a striking shift in tone for Moscow, where many had expected Washington to help secure a Ukraine settlement favourable towards Russia.

Putin last week warned the US against supplying Tomahawks, saying their transfer would mark a qualitatively new stage of escalation.

On Thursday, the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov struck a similar note, telling the state-run Radio Mayak that the delivery of the cruise missiles to Ukraine could lead to a qualitatively new level of escalation in the conflict, adding: It would be a very serious new step in that direction.

A former senior Russian defence official said Moscow was less worried about the impact of Tomahawks on the battlefield than about what delivery of the weapons would symbolise.

Moscow doesnt believe Tomahawks will dramatically change the situation on the ground, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

But it would be the clearest sign yet that Putin is losing Trump  and that is deeply concerning for them. Their delivery would cross a red line, after which Trump could feel emboldened to expand US arms supplies to Ukraine.
Venice, now and visualised. Composite: Back Market

Artists have created visualisations of the impact of the climate crisis on some of the worlds most recognisable landscapes, in a project to highlight the environmental effects of tech consumption.

Venice in Italy, the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland, Iguazu Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil, and the Seine River in Paris were among the locations used to explore to potential impacts of the climate crisis by the end of the century. The results are on display at an exhibition in London.

Interactive

Mark Maslin, a professor of earth system science at University College London, used climate modelling to examine the low-end and top-end damage at each location. His findings were interpreted by a group of artists for the show at the Last Shot Gallery by Back Market. The artistic works are not intended to be taken as literal predictions of what will happen in these locations, but to raise awareness of the threat posed by climate breakdown.

Maslin said the environmental impact of tech consumption was estimated to account for 6% of the human-driven climate crisis; double that of the aviation industry.

There is a lack of awareness that all the gadgets people are using and replacing are contributing to overconsumption, huge pollution and climate change, he said. We are trying to raise that awareness. I dont think people using their phone every single day have any idea of its impact on the planet.

Interactive

The climate damage caused by fast tech stems from the mining of materials such as tantalum, cobalt and tin  a process with serious social and environmental repercussions  and the disposal of e-waste, which releases harmful greenhouse gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide, when incinerated or pollutes soil and water with toxic chemicals from improper landfill disposal.

He said legislation to curb built-in obsolescence was being introduced by the EU, including rules for universal chargers rather than the plethora of wires and plugs that piled up in peoples homes.

Tech companies are pushing back, accusing the bloc and other legislators of interfering in the free market. The EU adopted a directive in June 2024 that mandates repairs for a wider range of products, extends legal guarantees and prohibits manufacturers from blocking third-party parts.

Interactive

The UK has had regulations since 2021 that apply to certain appliances, but there are concerns over their effectiveness.

Luke Forshaw, the head of brand and marketing at Back Market, a global marketplace dedicated to refurbished technology that produced the exhibition with Maslin, said: Our research shows that while people recognise the changes happening around them, too many still dont see how their everyday choices, particularly around tech, connect to the bigger picture.

Interactive

In 2022, a record 62m tonnes of electronic waste was produced, making it one of the worlds fastest-growing waste streams. According to Forshaw, there has never been a more critical moment to rethink our relationship with technology and choose longevity over landfill. Making sustainable options more affordable, accessible and transparent is key to bridging that gap, he said.

Five ways you can reduce carbon emissions

Find a piece of tech you are comfortable with and keep it. Remember that your mobile phone contains precious materials that should be reused rather than thrown away. Sell your old phones and devices to reputable reuse shops or via peer-to-peer sales. Keep your phone battery at between 20-80% for optimal life. Keep your device clean and remove dust from charging ports.
(Reuters) - American Electric Power has secured a $1.6 billion loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy to upgrade nearly 5,000 miles of transmission lines across five states, the utility said on Oct. 16, as demand surges from power-hungry data centers.

AEP Transmission will upgrade power lines in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma and West Virginia, primarily to support data centers, artificial intelligence and manufacturing.

Power consumption is expected to hit record highs in 2025 and 2026, driven by a surge in demand from data centers needed to run artificial intelligence technologies, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

"AEP is experiencing growth in energy demand that has not been seen in a generation  the funds we will save through this program enable us to make additional investments," said CEO Bill Fehrman.

More: AEP Ohio's data center charge plan may proceed after PUCO nixes appeal

Customers have committed to business expansions that will require an additional 24 gigawatts of electricity by the end of the decade, the utility said.

Nearly 100 miles of transmission lines across Ohio and Oklahoma will be the first to be supported by the loan guarantee.

AEP had received the conditional loan from former President Joe Bidens administration. The loan stands to benefit customers in states that President Donald Trump won in last year's election.

But despite Trump's declaring an "energy emergency" on his first day of his second term, his administration is not approving all grid loans.

In July, the DOE canceled a $4.9 billion loan guarantee for the Grain Belt Express transmission project initiated by Biden, after opposition from farmers. It was meant to send power from wind and solar arrays in Kansas to Midwestern and Eastern cities.

AEP said this year it was considering adding $10 billion to its $54 billion five-year capital plan to meet higher demand.

The utility serves about 5.6 million customers in 11 states, and possesses the largest electric transmission system in the United States.

(Reporting by Pooja Menon in Bengaluru and Timothy Gardner in Washington. Editing by Sahal Muhammed and Mark Potter)

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: AEP secures $1.6B loan to help upgrade power lines for data centers
Cohen was recognized by Goldman Sachs as one of the Most Exceptional Entrepreneurs, following Doral Renewables' breakthrough year, which included securing over $1.5b in project financing and a major Power Purchase Agreement

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 17, 2025/PRNewswire/ -- This week, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) recognized Doral Renewables' CEO, Nick Cohen, as one of the Most Exceptional Entrepreneurs of 2025 at its Builders and Innovators Summit in Healdsburg, California.

Goldman Sachs selected leaders from multiple industries to be honored at the two-day event. Cohen's selection follows a series of major milestones accomplished by Doral Renewables, including a $1.5b financial close for the remaining phases of its 1.3 GW Mammoth Solar project in Indiana, a Power Purchase Agreement for its 430 MW Cold Creek Solar project in Texas, a $100M Letter of Credit Facility closing and a $30M Tax Equity investment for the Great Bend Solar project in Ohio. In addition, the company announced a major partnership with the American Farmland Trust to expand its energy production and agriculture co-location efforts across its pipeline, a practice called agrivoltaics .

"I am honored to be recognized by Goldman Sachs for our company's efforts to drive energy dominance by injecting a large capacity of reliable, affordable energy into the grid, all while driving economic prosperity in our communities and supporting the return of heritage farming to family farms", said Cohen. "Joining a terrific group of leaders and visionaries and Goldman Sachs's discussion of the next growth engines of our economy is an opportunity I cherish and for which I am thankful. I am very optimistic for what's to come and excited to contribute my part".

"We are pleased to recognize Nick Cohen as one of the most exceptional entrepreneurs of 2025," said David Solomon, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs. "The Doral Renewables team has not only built a successful enterprise, they are redefining industry paradigms. This year's Summit has brought together many of the best business minds to talk about harnessing the full potential of AI and building the next generation of businesses."

In its 14th year, Goldman's Builders and Innovators Summit remains the must-attend event for Founders and CEOs of high-growth companies. Previous honorees have gone on to lead multi-billion dollar companies, both in the private and public markets. In addition to honoring the most exceptional entrepreneurs each year, the Summit consists of general sessions and clinics led by seasoned entrepreneurs, academics and business leaders as well as resident scholars.

About Doral Renewables

Doral Renewables is a Philadelphia-based developer, owner, and operator of renewable energy assets throughout the United States. Our solar and storage development portfolio comprises nearly 18 GW, which includes 400 MW currently in operation and 950 MW under construction. Doral Renewables operates in 21 states and across seven electricity markets. With a strong focus on community engagement, we aim to integrate agrivoltaics practices throughout our pipeline, creating additional opportunities for farming communities. We have secured nearly $3 billion in long-term wholesale power purchase agreements with U.S. customers. Our team of global partners includes the Doral Group (TASE: DORL), Migdal Group (TASE: MGDL), Clean Air Generation, APG, and Apollo Funds. Learn more at doral-llc.com.

About Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs is a leading global financial institution that delivers a broad range of financial services to a large and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world.

SOURCE Doral Renewables LLC
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, sits before a meeting with President Donald Trump, from right, Vice President JD Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump on Friday called on Kyiv and Moscow to stop where they are and end their brutal war following a lengthy White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump's frustration with the conflict has surfaced repeatedly in the nine months since he returned to office, but with his latest comments he edged back in the direction of pressing Ukraine to give up on retaking land it has lost to Russia.

Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts, Trump said in a Truth Social post not long after hosting Zelenskyy and his team for more than two hours of talks. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!

Later, soon after arriving in Florida, where he's spending the weekend, Trump urged both sides to stop the war immediately and implied that Moscow keep territory its taken from Kyiv.

You go by the battle line wherever it is  otherwise it's too complicated, Trump told reporters. "You stop at the battle line and both sides should go home, go to their families, stop the killing, and that should be it.

The comments amounted to another shift in position on the war by Trump. In recent weeks, he had shown growing impatience with Russian President Vladimir Putin and expressed greater openness to helping Ukraine win the war.

After meeting with Zelenskyy in New York on the sidelines of the annual U.N. General Assembly last month, Trump even said he believed the Ukrainians could win back all the the territory they had lost to Russia since Putin launched the February 2022 invasion. That was a dramatic shift for Trump, who had previously insisted that Kyiv would have to concede land lost to Russia to end the war.

Zelenskyy after Friday's meeting said it was time for a ceasefire and negotiations. He sidestepped directly answering a question about Trump nudging Ukraine to give up land.

The president is right we have to stop where we are, and then to speak, Zelenskyy said when asked by reporters about Trumps social media post, which he hadn't seen.

Another change in tone

Trump's tone on the war shifted after he held a lengthy phone call with Putin on Thursday and announced that he planned to meet with the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, in the coming weeks.

The president also signaled to Zelenskyy on Friday that he's leaning against selling him long-range Tomahawk missiles, weaponry that the Ukrainians believe could be a game changer in helping prod Putin to the negotiating table.

Zelenskyy at the start of the White House talks said he had a proposition in which Ukraine could provide the United States with its advanced drones, while Washington would sell Kyiv the Tomahawk cruise missiles.

But Trump said he was hesitant to tap into the U.S. supply, a turnabout after days of suggesting he was seriously weighing sending the missiles to help Ukraine beat back Russia's invasion.

I have an obligation also to make sure that were completely stocked up as a country, because you never know whats going to happen in war and peace, Trump said. We'd much rather have them not need Tomahawks. We'd much rather have the war be over to be honest.

In an interview with Kristen Welker of NBCs Meet the Press, Zelenskyy suggested the door was not closed.

Its good that President Trump didnt say no, but for today, didnt say yes, he said.

Zelenskyy also said we need Tomahawks because its very difficult just to operate only with Ukrainian drones.

Trump's latest rhetoric on Tomahawks was certainly disappointing to the Ukrainians. In recent days, Trump had shown an openness to selling Ukraine the Tomahawks, even as Putin warned that such a move would further strain the U.S.-Russian relationship.

Why Tomahawks?

But following Thursdays call with Putin, Trump began downplaying the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles (1,600 kilometers.)

Zelenskyy had been seeking the Tomahawks, which would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory and target key military sites, energy facilities and critical infrastructure. Zelenskyy has argued that the potential for such strikes would help compel Putin to take Trumps calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.

Putin warned Trump during the call that supplying Kyiv with the Tomahawks wont change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries, according to Yuri Ushakov, Putins foreign policy adviser.

It was the fifth face-to-face meeting for Trump and Zelenskyy since the Republican returned to office in January,

The president said Friday it was to be determined if Zelenskyy would be involved in the upcoming talks in Hungary  suggesting a double meeting with the warring countries' leaders was likely the most workable option for productive negotiations.

These two leaders do not like each other, and we want to make it comfortable for everybody, Trump added.

But Zelenskyy told reporters that the animus toward Putin is not about feelings.

They attacked us, so they are an enemy for us. They dont intend to stop," Zelenskyy added. "So they are an enemy. It is not about someone just hating someone else. Although, undoubtedly, we hate the enemy. Undoubtedly.

Trump, going back to his 2024 campaign, insisted he would quickly end the war, but his peace efforts appeared to stall following a diplomatic blitz in August, when he held a summit with Putin in Alaska and a White House meeting with Zelenskyy and European allies.

Trump emerged from those meetings certain he was on track to arranging direct talks between Zelenskyy and Putin. But the Russian leader hasnt shown any interest in meeting with Zelenskyy and Moscow has only intensified its bombardment of Ukraine.

Asked Friday if he was concerned that Putin was stringing him along, Trump acknowledged it was a possibility but said he was confident he could handle the Russian leader.

Ive been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well," Trump said. He added, I think Im pretty good at this stuff."

___

Megerian reported from West Palm Beach, Fla. AP writer Susie Blann in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed reporting.
By David Lawder and Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday gave specific marching orders for the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to take tougher stances on China's state-driven economic practices as part of his push to get the global lenders to refocus on their core missions.

In a statement to the IMF's steering committee, Bessent said the crisis lender should strengthen its country surveillance activities with "objectivity and evenhandedness." He also said the World Bank should end its support for China and shift resources to countries with greater needs.

"The IMF should not shy away from asking difficult questions, more clearly highlighting internal and external imbalances, deepening its understanding of how industrial policies in large economies such as China contribute to those imbalances, explaining their potential harmful spillovers, and recommending appropriate corrective actions," Bessent said in the statement to the International Monetary and Financial Committee.

Successive U.S. administrations, including that of President Donald Trump, have blamed China's state-led economic practices and export-led growth model for building up excess manufacturing capacity that is flooding the world with cheap goods and contributing to trade imbalances. China argues that its success in sectors such as electric vehicles is due to innovation, not government support.

U.S. and Chinese officials are locked in a bitter dispute over China's new rare earths export restrictions, Trump's tariffs, and new U.S. port fees for Chinese-built, -owned and -flagged ships that could lead to additional 100% U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports on November 1.

The U.S. Treasury chief, who manages the dominant U.S. shareholdings in the IMF and World Bank, first called in April for the two institutions to focus more scrutiny on China, but his latest statement goes into more detail. He ordered the IMF to embrace stronger surveillance of imbalances including China's in a forthcoming comprehensive review of its surveillance policies, last updated in 2021.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told reporters after a meeting of the steering committee that the global lender was already working to sharpen its surveillance, "digging deeper" into the issue of global imbalances, and reviewing the conditionality for lending programs.

"I came out of the meeting room with a sense of encouragement (of) our staff, but also with a long list of homework," she said.

NO DEBT 'PIGGY BANK'

Bessent also included veiled references to China in criticizing the IMF for letting "recalcitrant creditors off the hook too easily" in debt restructuring negotiations for debt-burdened developing countries. China, the world's largest bilateral lender, delayed the debt restructurings of Chad, Zambia and Sri Lanka by initially insisting that multilateral development banks also take losses.

Without naming China directly, Bessent said these situations worsened liquidity and economic stress on debtor countries.

"In these situations, IMF programs cannot be effective if there are creditor countries within the membership that are exacerbating the very liquidity stress that IMF programs seek to address," Bessent said. "Furthermore, IMF resources must not be considered as a piggy bank to repay creditor countries that made a bad bet but refuse to take the loss."

The IMF's strategy chief, Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, said on Wednesday that the U.S. and China, despite their trade differences, are both continuing to work on developing country debt issues through the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable.

Georgieva said she agreed it was urgent to work on debt issues, adding that the IMF planned to use its "good offices" to ensure better coordination among creditors and debtors.

WORLD BANK CHIDED ON CHINA, ENERGY POLICY

Bessent said the World Bank should increase emphasis on its "graduation" policies to wean countries off its support and make them self-sufficient.

"This must include ending support for China and shifting staff and administrative resources to countries where development needs are most acute," he said.

The Treasury chief also took aim at China in the World Bank's project procurement activities, urging the bank to "curb anti-competitive procurement practices by state-owned enterprises" and ban those that "do not operate on a commercial basis."

In line with the Trump administration's policies opposing green energy subsidies, Bessent also said the World Bank should eliminate a 2023 pledge to devote 45% of its annual financing to climate-related projects and called for an "all-of-the-above" energy financing approach for gas, oil and coal.

The World Bank's board in June agreed to end a longstanding ban on funding nuclear energy projects in developing countries, but has not yet reached agreement on whether it should engage in funding the production of natural gas.

Given China's stranglehold on supply chains for rare earths and other critical minerals, Bessent also called on the World Bank to boost financing in the sector.

"We welcome the steps the Bank is taking to devise a critical minerals strategy, and expect it to emphasize investments and technical assistance to promote diversified and resilient supply chains."

(Reporting by David Lawder and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Paul Simao)
graham platner,maine,senate,susan collins,senate,violence (Photo by DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images)

Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner once urged violence as a tool for social change in a now-deleted Reddit post, according to Politico.

Platner, a former Marine and oyster farmer, wrote in 2018 that an armed working class is a requirement for economic justice and suggested that those who expect to fight fascism without a good semi-automatic rifle should do some reading of history, the outlet reported. (RELATED: 77-Year-Old Democrat Jumps In Race To Unseat Republican  But First Must Beat Bernie-Backed Oyster Farmer)

Platner did not dispute his authorship of the posts but renounced his past rhetoric in a statement to Politico.

As I told CNN, I was fucking around on the internet at a time when I felt lost and very disillusioned with our government who sent me overseas to watch my friends die, Platner said. I made dumb jokes and picked fights. But of course Im not a socialist. Im a small business owner, a Marine Corps veteran, and a retired shitposter.

CNN first reported Thursday that Platner participated in the subreddit r/SocialistRA, along with other left-wing forums. Many of his posts date back roughly five years and appeared under the Reddit username P-Hustle, where he called police all bastards, described himself as a communist, and said rural white Americans were racist and stupid.

Platner deleted the posts in August, the same month he launched his Senate campaign, saying he wanted to distance himself from what he described as a darker period in his life.

After Platner launched his Senate campaign, The New York Times described him as a political novice focused on improving life for Maines working class and challenging Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins.

His past posts suggest a far more left-wing worldview than his campaigns initial image. Platner has hired Democratic strategist Morris Katz, who also works with New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, the outlet reported.

Platners ties to prominent left-wing consultants raise questions about his appeal to independent voters. His first campaign ad was produced by Fight Agency, a Democratic media firm that has worked with figures including Mamdani, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Platners senior advisor, Joe Calvello, previously worked for Hillary Clinton, Sanders, Planned Parenthood and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
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Spoiler alert: The following contains details from Netflixs documentary The Perfect Neighbor (in select theaters now, streaming Oct. 17).

Netflixs latest true-crime documentary exposes the evil that could lurk next door. The Perfect Neighbor chronicles the events leading to the June 2023 shooting death of Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old mother of four, by her neighbor, Susan Lorincz.

After Lorincz moved into a rental house in Ocala, Florida, about 40 miles south of Gainesville, she began calling 911 to complain about kids in the neighborhood, claiming that they were too loud and trespassing on her property. Officers would dutifully come to investigate while recording with their body cameras; that footage makes up most of the 98-minute documentary. After checking things out, police on the scene usually assessed the kids behavior as that of typical children.

But Lorinczs behavior as a 58-year-old adult at the time of the shooting was far more troubling. Despite declaring herself like, the perfect neighbor, Lorincz, who is white, allegedly cursed at the neighborhood children and called them "slaves." When detectives asked about her use of a racial slur, she admits, It couldve slipped out. (The local kids in question were of various races; Owens and her children were Black.)

I was always taught (using racial epithets) meant that you were just being unlawful, dirty, she says. I dont know, generally not being pleasant.

At times, Lorincz and Owens exchanged heated words. On Feb 25, 2022, for example, Lorincz told officers that Owens had thrown a No Trespassing sign at her, which Owens denied at the time.

Owens is described in the documentary as a devoted mom, Someone who sacrificed for their children to have private school, football lessons, gymnastics, dance, everything.

Ajike Owens was fatally shot by her neighbor on June 2, 2023 in Ocala, Florida.

Why did Susan Lorincz kill Ajike Owens?

In the documentary, Owens son Israel tells an officer that on June 2, 2023, he went across the street to retrieve his tablet. He says Lorincz had his tablet, and he directed her to put it down.

She put it down and then tried to throw ... roller skates at me, he says. Israel then sought the help of his older brother Isaac. Lorincz called them both jacka----, Israel says. So I got my mother. She kept on banging on the door. (Lorincz) shot her.

Calling 911 for the second time after a first complaint minutes earlier, Lorincz reports shooting Owens.

Pamela Dias, mom of Ajike Owens, comforts her granddaughter Afrika at a remembrance for Owens June 8, 2023 at the Immerse Church of Ocala.

In her call, she tells the operator she believed Owens was going to kill me when she arrived at her home.

I didnt know what to do, Lorincz says between panicked breaths. I grabbed my gun, and I shot at the door.

A bullet from Lorinczs .380-caliber gun went through her front door and struck Owens in the right side of her chest. Owens was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Susan Lorincz resists arrest: I dont care, kill me

While being questioned days later on June 6, 2023, Lorincz says she declined to speak to Owens on the night in question and directed her to go away. She says there was silence followed by Owens pounding on her door. Lorincz estimates that it was about 10 minutes from the time she hung up with 911 the first time until Owens came to her house to confront her. But according to call logs, only two minutes passed from the end of the first call and placing of the second.

In the reality of things you had just disconnected, Detective Ryan Stith says in the interrogation footage. Within two minutes, a shot was fired through that door. Neither Stith nor Detective Daniel Pinder, who joined Stith for questioning, are able to make sense of Lorinczs actions in that time frame. Stith informs Lorincz shes being charged with manslaughter.

When they try to arrest Lorincz, she repeatedly refuses to cooperate.

Im sorry, I cant do this, she offers.

What youre saying and doing right now is not reasonable, Pinder tells her. This is why were in this position here, Susan, is because the decisions you make are not reasonable.

He tells her: Theres no changing this. Theres no stopping it. She replies, I dont care, kill me. She eventually relents and is taken for booking.

Susan Lorincz breaks down during her sentencing hearing on Nov. 25, 2024 at the Marion County Judicial Center in Ocala, Florida.

Susan Lorinczs trial and conviction

Opening arguments began on Aug. 13, 2024. Days later, on Aug. 16, 2024, a jury debated for less than three hours before convicting Lorincz of manslaughter. As the verdict was revealed, Owens mother, Pamela Dias expressed her gratitude.

"Oh, God. Thank you. Thank you," she said. Outside the courthouse, Dias said she was "very pleased with the jury, the prosecution, the verdict of guilty."

Owens' family said they hoped Lorincz would be sentenced to 30 years, the maximum. She was ultimately sentenced to 25 years on Nov. 25, 2024, and is serving her time at Homestead Correctional Institution in South Florida.

Contributing: Austin L. Miller, USA TODAY Network

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Perfect Neighbor revisits death of Ajike Owens. A look at the case
Over 11 years of satellite data reveal that Earths magnetic field is reshaping. (CREDIT: Shutterstock)

More than a decade of satellite monitoring has mapped Earths magnetic field as it subtly altered between 2014 and 2025  and what scientists have learned is remarkable. The South Atlantic Anomaly, a weak region, is expanding, the north magnetic pole is moving towards Siberia, and the unseen shield that protects life against solar and cosmic radiation is evolving at a rate never recorded before.

After a Global Force

The Earths magnetic field is similar to a huge, constantly changing bubble that shields the planet by deflecting charged particles and radiation from the Sun. Its created far below our feet in a sea of molten iron that churns around in the outer core some 1,800 miles down. When the liquid metal moves, electric currents result, which produce the magnetic field.

Since 2013, the European Space Agencys Swarm mission  a trio of satellites known by the nicknames Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie  has been tracking this hidden force with greater precision than ever before. Each of the three spacecraft tracks both direction and magnitude of the magnetic field enveloping the planet, helping scientists to break down signals that reach not only from the core but also from the crust, oceans, ionosphere, and magnetosphere.

South Atlantic Anomaly 2025 compared to 2014. (CREDIT: ESA (Data source: Finlay, C.C. et al., 2025))

Through employing only Swarm data and not combining several satellite sources, scientists ensured the record to be reliable in space and time. Their research builds an uninterrupted image of the manner in which the Earths core field evolved over the past eleven years.

The Expanding Weak Zone

One of the researchs most astonishing discoveries is above the South Atlantic Ocean. There, in the region called the South Atlantic Anomaly, the magnetic field is unusually weak  a region where satellites can be hit with excess radiation that occasionally leads to failures or even temporary shutdowns.

Since 2014, the region of weak field has grown by nearly two million square miles  about half the size of continental Europe. The weakest field throughout the region has dropped over 330 nanoteslas, and the affected region now covers nearly one percent of Earths surface.

Chris Finlay, professor of geomagnetism at Denmarks Technical University and senior author of the study, states that the South Atlantic Anomaly is not a single unit. Its changing differently towards Africa than it is near South America, he says. Theres something strange going on in this region thats causing the field to reduce in a more deeper way..

Swarm is ESAs first constellation of Earth observation satellites designed to measure the magnetic signals from Earths core, mantle, crust, oceans, ionosphere and magnetosphere, providing data that will allow scientists to study the complexities of our protective magnetic field. (CREDIT: ESA/AOES Medialab)

Underlying that area, Swarms measurements show enigmatic reverse flux patches where magnetic field lines abruptly dip back into Earths interior instead of bending outward. A reversed zone has migrated westward under Africa in recent years, likely fueling the current decline in field strength there.

A Tug-of-War in the North

Whereas the South Atlantic is weakening, a drama is being enacted in the Northern Hemisphere. Two strong magnetic regions  one located over Canada and the other over Siberia  are engaged in what scientists call a magnetic tug-of-war.

During the last decade, the Canadian sector has lost strength and diminished by approximately 0.65 percent of Earths surface area  approximately Indias size. The Siberian sector, on the other hand, has gained power by approximately 0.42 percent, an area roughly the size of Greenland. The changing balance goes some way to explaining why the North Magnetic Pole has been moving so swiftly towards Siberia in recent years.

When youre trying to understand Earths magnetic field, you should know its not a simple bar magnet, Finlay added. Its only with the satellites like Swarm that we can get an idea of how dynamic and complex it is.

Changes in strong magnetic field over Canada and Siberia. (CREDIT: ESA (Data source: Finlay, C.C. et al., 2025))

Peering Beneath the Surface

To observe why these transformations appear as they do on the surface, researchers looked deeper  to the boundary between Earths outer liquid core and solid mantle, around 1,800 miles beneath the earths surface. There, massive currents of molten iron generate magnetic patterns that change and evolve with time.

From 2014 to 2025, the big magnetic features under Africa moved west, and the ones under Siberia and Alaska moved south and west. Some of them got stronger, some of them got weaker. These deep movements ripple out and slowly alter the magnetic field we sense near the surface.

The Swarm data show that nearly all of the variation you can quantify at Earths surface  more than 99 percent of it  can be explained by core-scale motion. They are driven by powerful buoyancy forces, rotation, and magnetohydrodynamic waves that churn in the liquid metal.

Why It Matters

Changes in Earths magnetic field can be far-reaching, although they appear unreal. Compasses and navigation devices depend on it. Satellites exposed to more radiation in regions where the field is weak can become infested with bugs or even be irreparably damaged. Even space travelers in orbit around our planet depend on this magnetic shield for protection against nasty solar storms.

Magnetic Field Intensity (F) at Earths surface in the northern polar region (a) in Epoch 2014.0 and (b) in Epoch 2025.0. Units are nanoTesla (nT) Presented in an Azimuthal Nearside Perspective projection. (CREDIT: Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors)

South Atlantic Anomaly is already known to space organizations as a threat. Spacecraft passing over the region are more likely to be corrupted with data or experience equipment failure, leading to radiation-hardened equipment being designed and shutdown planning when crossing the zone.

The Mission That Keeps Watching

ESAs Swarm mission, which began in late 2013 within the agencys FutureEO programme, was planned for four years but remains active. The satellites currently offer the longest continuous record of magnetic field measurements ever made from space.

Due to the long timeseries of Swarm, we can actually see the big picture of our dynamic planet, said ESAs Swarm Mission Manager Anja Stromme. The satellites are all healthy and providing us with excellent data, so hopefully we can keep this record going way beyond 2030..

Scientists will employ the growing Swarm data to more rigorously test computer models known as geodynamo models  digital replicas of the molten cores movement. They may eventually forecast how the field will evolve decades in the future, as meteorologists forecast the atmosphere.

Evolution of the South Atlantic weak field region in terms of the area contained within contours of magnetic field Intensity (F) at Earths surface between 2014.0 and 2025.0. (CREDIT: Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors)

Practical Implications of the Research

An improved knowledge of the alteration of Earths magnetic field will better protect satellites, power lines, and navigation systems that rely on magnetic data. Monitoring weaknesses like the South Atlantic Anomaly might lead to more efficient spacecraft construction and safer flights into space.

For scientists, these findings give them a broader view into the hidden machinery of Earths interior.

By comparing Swarms magnetic recording with computer simulations of fluid-dynamics, researchers can uncover how liquid iron flows within the core  and how that movement drives the magnetic field that sustains life on Earth.

Research findings are available online in the journal Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors.

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By Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The head of the World Trade Organization said she is urging the U.S. and China to de-escalate trade tensions, warning that a decoupling by the world's two largest economies could reduce global economic output by 7% over the longer term.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told Reuters in an interview the global trade body was extremely concerned about the latest spike in U.S.-China trade tensions and had spoken with officials from both countries to encourage more dialogue.

"We're obviously worried at any escalation of U.S.-China tensions," she said, noting the two sides had backed away from their first tariff escalation earlier this year, averting more serious consequences and she hoped that would happen again.

"Similarly, we are really hoping that the two sides will come together and they will de-escalate, because any U.S.-China tensions and U.S.-China decoupling (would) have implications not just for the two biggest economies in the world, but also for the rest of the world," she said.

Both sides, Okonjo-Iweala said, understand the importance of good relations, given the implications for the global economy and other countries.

Any kind of decoupling that divides the world into two trading blocs would result in "significant global GDP losses in the longer term - up to 7% global GDP losses and double-digit welfare losses for developing countries," she said.

ESCALATING TENSIONS REMAIN 'SERIOUS RISK'

The WTO last week sharply lowered its 2026 forecast for global merchandise trade volume growth to 0.5% from its previous estimate of 1.8% growth in August, citing expected delayed impacts from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. It raised its forecast for global goods trade growth to 2.4% for 2025.

Those forecasts were issued before the relative calm of recent months was shattered last week when China imposed new export controls on rare earth metals needed for the technology sector, and Trump responded by imposing new 100% duties on Chinese imports starting next month.

Okonjo-Iweala said she told officials from the Group of 20 major economies on Wednesday evening that there could be no global financial stability without global trade stability.

"Pressures on the system have not eased and may intensify," she told the group. "The full effects of recent tariffs are still to be felt. Trade diversion is fueling protectionist sentiment elsewhere. And escalating tensions between the United States and China remain a serious risk."

Okonjo-Iweala said most WTO members had refrained from joining in the tariff war, and 72% of global trade was still following WTO rules despite a series of bilateral trade deals signed by the U.S. with other countries.

The rules-based multilateral system was proving resilient despite the most severe policy shock in eight decades, she said.

But Okonjo-Iweala said organizations like the WTO should use the current multilateralism crisis to undertake long-sought reforms and make the global trade body more flexible and efficient, and able to take advantage of new trade opportunities in digital trade, services and green trade.

"There's absolutely no doubt that there are global problems that cannot be solved by any one country alone, and you will need global cooperation to do it, and that's where multilateralism will still be very, very relevant," she said. "But to make sure that the organizations are really appreciated, we have to reform, and at the WTO, we are ready to work on this."

Okonjo-Iweala said she had a good meeting on Wednesday with Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Joseph Barloon, who was confirmed last week as the U.S. ambassador to the WTO.

She said she was very appreciative that the U.S. had removed the WTO from its list of planned spending cuts to international organizations, and efforts were underway to settle U.S. arrears to the trade body.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Paul Simao)
Holding up the national flag with Islami (Photo credit should read SAIF DAHLAH/AFP via Getty Images)

Federal prosecutors claim a man who partook in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel gained legal status in the U.S. after lying on a visa application, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday.

The suspect, 33-year-old Mahmoud Amin Yaqub al-Muhtadi, is accused of belonging to a paramilitary faction in Gaza that took part in the Hamas assault, which killed over 1,200 people, including Americans, and saw roughly 250 hostages dragged into Gaza. Al-Muhtadi allegedly helped organize armed fighters and entered Israel after the first wave of Hamas militants crossed the border, according to the 44-page complaint filed on Oct. 6 in the Western District of Louisiana.

Court records describe al-Muhtadi as an operative for the National Resistance Brigades, the militant wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine that fought alongside Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack.

Evidence shows that on the morning of October 7, 2023, Al-Muhtadi learned about the Hamas invasion, armed himself, gathered others, and crossed into Israel with the intention of assisting in Hamass terrorist attack, according to the complaint signed by FBI Supervisory Special Agent Alexandria M. Thoman ODonnell. (RELATED: Dems Share Spotlight With Radical Hamas Apologists At Conference: Never Ever Condemn Palestinian Resistance)

Criminal Complaint by melissanewsham

Al-Muhtadi exchanged several calls and messages during the morning of Oct. 7, telling another fighter to get ready and instructing others to bring the rifles and a bulletproof vest, according to the FBI. Investigators also say that his phone connected to an Israeli cell tower near a kibbutz where more than 60 civilians were killed.

Prosecutors say that al-Muhtadi applied for and received a U.S. immigrant visa using false information. Al-Muhtadi allegedly lied on an immigration visa application filed in Cairo, denying any involvement with militant groups or terrorist activity, according to the complaint.

The application, submitted under the name Mahmoud Almuhtadi, indicated he was born in Gaza and lived there until March 2024.

The complaint says al-Muhtadi later lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Lafayette, Louisiana, where he appeared to be working in car repairs or food services. FBI agents also discovered photos on his social media showing him posing with a Glock handgun alongside his children. He entered the U.S. through Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Sept. 12, 2024, the complaint states.

The FBI did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundations request for comment.

Al-Muhtadi is expected to appear before Magistrate Judge David J. Ayo for an initial hearing on Friday.

The case is part of a Justice Department task force launched in March to identify and prosecute individuals linked to the Oct. 7 massacre, according to the complaint.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporters byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
An Ecuadoran judge was killed Thursday while walking his children to school, and a professional soccer player was shot and wounded in the latest attacks attributed to criminal gang activity in the South American country.

Police said a gunman on a motorbike opened fire on judge Marcos Mendoza in the coastal town of Montecristi in Ecuador's Manabi province, plagued by drug cartels.

Provincial police chief Colonel Giovanni Naranjo told reporters the Los Lobos gang  designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States  was suspected of the attack.

At least 15 judges or prosecutors have been killed in Ecuador since 2022, according to Human Rights Watch.

The Ecuadoran Judges' Association said Mendoza's "shocking" murder shined a light on the "vulnerability" of the country's judges, writing on social media: "Without judicial security, no justice is possible."

They "face pressure, threats, and risks every day for carrying out their duties with independence and courage," it added.

Also Thursday, Ecuadoran soccer player Bryan "Cuco" Angulo, who has played for several Latin American clubs and for his country, was shot in the foot when attending a training session.

Police said two assailants were arrested, while Angulo's club, Liga de Portoviejo, said in a social media post that several of its players "have received threats" ahead of a match against rivals Buhos ULRV on Friday.

Playing football in Ecuador can be deadly, with match-fixing mafias part of a global criminal empire that earns gangs some $1.7 trillion per year, according to a recent United Nations estimate.

Experts say gangs target second-division teams in Ecuador, where players are more susceptible due to their comparatively lower salaries.

Last year, police arrested a woman at one of Angulo's homes and found a surveillance system there that had allegedly been used by criminal gangs.

"We do not rule out that the attack is related," Manabi police chief Giovanni Naranjo said.

Ecuador, once considered one of Latin America's safest nations, has seen a dramatic surge in violence in recent years.

Strategically located between Colombia and Peru, two of the world's largest cocaine producers, it has become a major transit hub for narcotics.

President Daniel Noboa has deployed troops to combat the violence  to little effect.

In the first half of this year, homicides in Ecuador increased by 47% compared to the same period in 2024, according to the national Observatory of Organized Crime.

Earlier this week, authorities in Ecuador reported two attacks that left 14 people dead and 17 wounded, with some of the victims showing signs of torture.

Also this week, two explosions rocked different parts of Ecuador, less than 24 hours after a vehicle exploded in a port city in the South American country and left one person dead.

Interior Minister John Reimberg accused the Los Lobos gang and dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a now-defunct Colombian guerrilla movement with ties to the gang, of being behind the blasts.

Police officers stand guard at the site where a vehicle exploded outside a shopping mall, as a second vehicle containing explosives was found nearby, but did not detonate and was immediately neutralized, according to Ecuador's Interior Minister John Reimberg, in Guayaquil, Ecuador October 14, 2025. / Credit: Vicente Gaibor Del Pino / REUTERS

Criminal gang violence continues unabated following the recapture in June of the country's biggest drug lord, Adolfo Macias after his escape from a maximum-security prison in 2024. In July, the Ecuadoran government extradited Macias to the United States, where he faces multiple drug trafficking and firearms charges.

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Apple TV+ Rebecca Miller and Martin Scorsese in 'Mr. Scorsese'

NEED TO KNOW

Director Rebecca Miller looks back on spending time on Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York set, years before she profiled the filmmaker in her new documentary Mr. Scorsese

"His attitude was not somebody who was complacent at all," Miller says of the director, who had already been making movies for more than 25 years before Gangs of New York's troubled production

Mr. Scorsese is streaming on Apple TV Oct. 17

One of Rebecca Miller's first interactions with the subject of her new documentary, Martin Scorsese, came on the set of one of his most tumultuous movie productions.

When filmmaker Miller, 63, spoke with PEOPLE recently about her new five-part Apple TV documentary series Mr. Scorsese, she said that while she does not remember exactly when she met the legendary filmmaker, 82, she does recall watching him grapple with the chaos of a major blockbuster Hollywood film on the set of 2002's Gangs of New York.



"I was very rarely on set, but I was there this one day," Miller tells PEOPLE. (The director has been married to Daniel Day-Lewis, who starred in Gangs of New York, since 1996, and they share two sons.) "They were shooting a big battle scene. I remember that was the first time I feel like I really met Marty because he was was so openly anxious about how the scene was gonna go and how he was shooting it, and if it was the right way."

"And I was just thinking, 'This is Martin Scorsese, and he is still so alive and so young,' " she adds. "His attitude was not somebody who was complacent at all. It was just vivid, and I remember that very well."

Apple TV+ Martin Scorsese on the set of 'Gangs of New York'

In Mr. Scorsese's fifth episode, Scorsese himself reflects on the difficulties of making Gangs of New York. Most notably, the since-disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein, whose company Miramax distributed the movie, tried to wield significantly more control over the film's budget and runtime than Scorsese was comfortable with giving him.

"I definitely remember the friction and tension hearing about that with Weinstein, definitely," Miller says, when asked what she recalls from spending time on the Gangs of New York set. "[I remember Martin] trying to get what he needed and just that it was just all on such a titanic scale."



"It was like what happens on every film to a degree, maybe, but everybody was a giant, and so it was like a bunch of giants with giant money, so everything was immense," Miller adds. "It was memorable and the greatness of the film, I think, is in part because of that."

Miller's new documentary on Scorsese's life and career captures everything from his childhood in New York City's Lower Manhattan  where Gangs of New York takes place in the mid 1800s  to his various collaborations (six and counting) with Leonardo DiCaprio, which began with Gangs. It's also a reflection of her own friendship with Scorsese, who Miller says gave her advice and notes beginning with her 2002 movie Personal Velocity and continued to follow her career as a filmmaker.



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.

Miramax Cameron Diaz and Daniel Day-Lewis in 2002's 'Gangs of New York'

"He was aware of my work, and later I found out he was reading my novels," Miller says. "When it came time to think about who I would like my next subject of a documentary to be, I was talking to my producing partner and he was saying, 'Who would you want to explore for that?' And the first person that came to mind was Martin Scorsese."



Mr. Scorsese begins streaming on Apple TV Oct. 17.



Read the original article on People
BURLESON, Texas, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sagora Senior Living is proud to announce the addition of Wilshire Senior Living in Burleson, Texas, to its impressive and growing portfolio of senior living communities across the nation. With this addition, Sagora Senior Living now owns and operates 95 communities in 10 states, continuing its mission of providing exceptional care and a resident-first experience.

Wilshire Senior Living Wilshire Senior Living Fully Stocked Fishing Pond

Wilshire Senior Living offers a full continuum of care, including Cottages, Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care, designed to support every stage of senior living. Residents enjoy the freedom to live safely and comfortably in their own private studios, apartments, or single-level cottagesall within a beautiful, welcoming environment.

In addition to comfortable accommodations, residents benefit from a variety of personal services such as housekeeping, chef-prepared meals, maintenance, and laundry services, ensuring a stress-free lifestyle. The community also offers exceptional amenities, including a fully stocked fishing pond, whirlpool tub, full-service beauty salon and barber, and spacious outdoor patios and courtyards perfect for socializing or relaxing.

At Sagora Senior Living, we live by a resident-first philosophy, and we are thrilled to bring our compassionate care, engaging lifestyle programs, and dedicated team to the residents of Wilshire Senior Living. Our goal is to create a community where every resident feels at home, valued, and supported.

For residents in Memory Care, Sagora offers its signature Pathways Memory Care Program, a specialized approach tailored to each resident's needs and designed to provide comfort, dignity, and engagement every day. Meanwhile, all residents can enjoy Sagora's renowned Dining with G.R.A.C.E. programming, an acronym for Great food, Respect, Atmosphere, Chef-prepared, and Every mealoffering a restaurant-style dining experience that nourishes both body and soul.

Life at Wilshire Senior Living is vibrant and fulfilling, with a full calendar of outings, events, and activities that promote connection, creativity, and joy. From community celebrations to local excursions, every day is an opportunity to live life to the fullest.

For more information about Wilshire Senior Living in Burleson, TX, please visit WilshireSeniorLiving.com or call 817.252.4007. Sagora Senior Living looks forward to serving the Burleson community and welcoming new residents to their beautiful new home at Wilshire Senior Living.

SOURCE Sagora Senior Living
Two loaded baked potatoes on a plate sit next to a bowl of sour cream and chives - VGV MEDIA/Shutterstock

Melty cheese, salty bacon, lush sour cream, and starchy potatoes come together to make a delectable flavor combination. While there is no denying the allure of a loaded baked potato, they do take a decent chunk of time to prep, bake, and chop each ingredient separately. To enjoy all these mouthwatering flavors in less time, try making Mississippi Mud Potatoes. These delicious spuds are baked in one casserole dish, making the cooking (and cleanup process) a breeze. This state-named food begins with diced potatoes, which you'll toss into a casserole dish. If chopping up fresh ones sounds like a hassle, consider using a bag of frozen cubed potatoes as a shortcut. Then you'll fold in some mayonnaise to achieve a creamy texture that somehow ends up as muddy as the Mississippi River. However, you could try whole-fat Greek yogurt for some extra protein and tang, or a combination of the two for a balanced mix.

From there, you'll sprinkle in some spices for extra flavor. Mississippi Mud Potatoes typically rely on salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder  but the final choice is yours. Incorporate spices like warm, smoky paprika or spicy, earthy chili powder for a subtle zing. Another delish idea  stir in some powdered Ranch dressing to incorporate a buttermilk, herby, and garlicky flair that complements the creaminess perfectly.

Read more: Mistakes You Should Avoid When Cooking Potatoes In An Air Fryer

More unique ways to amplify Mississippi-style potatoes

Baked potato casserole with bacon and fresh herbs - LS92/Shutterstock

After the saucy, seasoned mayo coats the spuds, you'll stir in some veggies like chopped onion and minced garlic for an extra boost of savory flavors. However, other vegetables work too. If you want a spicy kick, try adding thinly sliced jalapenos. For a mild southwest crunch, red bell peppers work, or make the potatoes feel elevated by incorporating diced shallots for an umami flair.

And of course, what would a loaded potato be without bacon and cheese? That's why Mississippi Mud Potatoes often require stirring in crispy chopped bacon and sharp cheddar to mimic the illustrious baked variety. While the cheese and bacon feel like non-negotiables, you can also add one of these many unique potato toppings to make the dish even heartier. Chicken breast? Sliced avocado? Yes, please!

Feel free to customize the type of cheese you toss in. Start by knowing your cheeses, so you make a well-rounded choice. Cheddar is a safe, sharp pick; pepperjack adds a bit of creamy heat; Monterey jack melts superbly with a deliciously buttery taste, and Gouda imparts a slight sweetness that can't be beaten. Once baked (when the potatoes are fork-tender and the cheese has melted), top it off with zesty green onions for that classic baked potato topping flavor with a fraction of the effort.

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Read the original article on Food Republic.
PROVIDENCE  The Providence City Council is urging the Rhode Island Judiciary to provide virtual court hearings in the city due to the increased presence of immigration officers around courthouses in Rhode Island and throughout the country.

Recognizing that Providence is a "city of immigrants," the City Council passed a resolution Oct. 16 on a 13-0 vote calling for the use of remote court hearings to allow people to get due process and their day in court without the threat of being detained by ICE.

The increased presence of immigration enforcement in or near courthouses has caused fear and uncertainty among residents, discouraging individuals from attending hearings, accessing the legal processes necessary to assert their rights, complying with court orders, or seeking lawful immigration relief, the council resolved.

People attending court hearings are fulfilling their legal obligations, and fear of immigration enforcement undermines due process and the principle that courts should be open and accessible, the resolution continued.

Flyers handed out by RISD students and staff within the Deportation Defense Network offer information about ICE's presence outside Rhode Island courthouses.

The resolution comes amid the City Councils push to further limit Providence police assistance in U.S. Immigrations Customs & Enforcement activity and apprehension in the city amid Presidential Donald Trumps effort to crack down on illegal immigration.

How will it work?

The City Council directed the Municipal Court of Providence and the Probate Court of Providence to offer accommodations for remote hearings if requested, when possible, beginning Nov. 1. The council asked, too, that the Providence Housing Court, under Mayor Brett P. Smiley's direction, also guarantee accommodations for virtual hearings.

The Providence City Council affirms that access to the courts is fundamental to the fair administration of justice and no resident should be deterred from fulfilling legal obligations out of fear of immigration enforcement, the resolution reads.

Councilman Miguel Sanchez acknowledged that while the council has no authority over state courts, it can implement virtual remedies in the municipal courts.

"We're also leading by example," Sanchez said, adding "What we're seeing is a lot of families being torn apart ... a lot of trauma."

Changing immigration enforcement landscape

On Jan. 21, the day after Trump took office for his second term, ICE issued a directive allowing agents to conduct civil immigration enforcement actions in or around courthouses when authorities have credible information that a targeted alien will be present, and its not precluded by state law. The guidance specifies that actions take place discreetly in non-public areas in collaboration with court security.

The policy was a shift from that of President Joe Biden, which limited detentions near courthouses to circumstances in which the person posed a national security threat or imminent risk. Trump also rescinded Biden-era protections in sensitive locations, such as schools, churches and hospitals.

Advocates: 20+ detained

The Deportation Defense Network recently estimated that more than 20 people have been taken into custody by ICE outside state courthouses in Providence, Newport and at the traffic tribunal in Cranston since July.

Over the last month, volunteers have been patrolling the streets near Rhode Island courthouses in Providence every weekday on the lookout for ICE agents. They distribute information about the Deportation Defense Line at 401-675-1414 to report ICE sightings, as well as the presence of immigration officers nearby.

Increased technology amid the pandemic

The City Council looked to measures the Rhode Island Judiciary implemented during the COVID pandemic to protect public health and continue court operations, including the expansion of remote access to hearings.

The councils resolution emphasized the Rhode Island Supreme Courts 2021 order permitting courts to conduct hearings remotely at the discretion of the court or upon a partys request during the pandemic.

Remote hearings, the council said, increase access to justice, reduce unnecessary in-person exposure, and can minimize the chilling effects of immigration enforcement on court participation.

"If we're doing it during the pandemic, we can do it now," Councilwoman Althea Graves said in addressing the resolution.

Lexi Kriss, spokeswoman for the judiciary, noted that some hearings continue to be conducted virtually.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some courts within the unified judiciary offered remote hearings, while others maintained in-person calendars with appropriate precautions. Currently, some court calendars are held in a virtual format; for example, the Family Courts child support calendars are held primarily virtually. Most other matters which implicate constitutional and due process concerns are held in person. A decision to grant a request for a virtual hearing is within the discretion of the presiding judicial officer, Kriss said in an email.

Kriss said the Judiciary continues to monitor the situation.

This story has been updated with new information.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: ICE presence at RI courthouses has PVD Council urging remote hearings
The Trump administration filed an emergency stay request Friday with the Supreme Court to undo a lower court order blocking the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago.

"This Court should stay the district courts October 9 injunction in its entirety," the filing, written by Solicitor General John Sauer, said.

Sauer argued the injunction "impinges on the Presidents authority and needlessly endangers federal personnel and property."

Scott Olson/Getty Images - PHOTO: Members of the Texas National Guard carry rifles and riot shields at an army reserve training facility on October 07, 2025 in Elwood, Illinois.

He said the Supreme Court should weigh in now "so that the National Guard may perform its protective function while any further litigation is ongoing. Given the pressing risk of violence, this Court should also grant an immediate administrative stay pending consideration of the present application."

Appeals court declines to lift order blocking Trump from deploying National Guard in Illinois, finding scant evidence of 'rebellion'

On Thursday, a three-judge panel on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals said the Trump administration's decision to deploy National Guard troops was a "likely violation" of the Tenth Amendment, which reserves certain powers to the states.

The panel, which includes a judge appointed by Trump, and presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, also found that the Trump administration was "unlikely to succeed" in proving that there is a "rebellion" against the authority of the U.S. government or that the president is unable to execute the law with regular forces.

Will Dunham/Reuters, Files - PHOTO: The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, June 1, 2024.

A temporary restraining order blocking the deployment of the Guard remains in effect through Oct. 23. U.S. District Judge April Perry has scheduled a hearing for Oct. 22 to determine whether to extend the temporary order.

As of last week, there were about 200 federalized National Guard troops from Texas and 14 from California currently in Illinois, according to a declaration from a U.S. Army official. Another 300 Guardsmen from Illinois have been mobilized by the president over the objections of Gov. JB Pritzker .

President Donald Trump has said Guard troops are needed for crime prevention in Chicago, which he has described as a "war zone."
Federal agents clash with anti-I.C.E. protesters at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building on Oct. 12, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. Credit - Mathieu LewisRolland/Getty Images

For months, the White House and federal agencies have drawn outrage from critics for social media posts promoting President Trumps immigration agenda. Some of the posts deploy jokes or memes. Others use language or images seen as racist dog whistles. This week, the Department of Homeland Security drew pushback for a post that was just one word: remigrate.

The term, which has been embraced among Trumps MAGA base, has a fraught history in Europe, where it has ties to white nationalism and has been seen as a euphemism for ethnic cleansing.

The short post on X was followed by a link to a government site promoting self-deportation.

Where remigration came from

The term remigration has traditionally been used in Europe to refer to the mass deportation of non-white immigrants. It has been used by right-winged politicians such as Austrias Herbert Kickl and Germanys Alice Weidel of the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The term has also been popularized by the Austrian, millennial far-right influencer Martin Sellner.

In Europe, it's an established part of the linguistic toolbox of white supremacy, Nicholas J. Cull, a professor of communication at the University of Southern California, tells TIME.

The use of the term in Germany and Austria has been a trademark of recent anti-immigration campaigns. Protests across Germany were sparked last year after it was alleged that AfD party members and far-right Austrians were plotting to deport thousands of migrants, causing mass pro-democracy demonstrations.

When asked for comment on its post from Tuesday, Tricia McLaughlin, a Homeland Security spokesperson, responded in an email, Is the English language too difficult for you? The message was followed by a Collins English Dictionary definition of the word remigrate.

The DHS post seems to be a nod to the efforts of the State Department to create an Office of Remigration, the plans for which were rolled out through a proposal in May that called for an overhaul of the agency that would cut a series of programs and reduce domestic staffing. The details of the plan are outlined in a 136-page document that the State Department sent to six Congressional Committees. The document says the Office of Remigration will actively facilitate the voluntary return of migrants to their country of origin or legal status.

This year, Trump has embraced the term and used it multiple times on social media. America was invaded and occupied. I am reversing the Invasion. Its called Remigration, he said in one Truth Social post from June.

Everybody can hear what this means, Cull says of the DHS post. It's a clear escalation in the language around issues of migration.

A string of similar rhetoric

The departments use of the word and the baggage it carries follows a pattern of posts by Trump and Administration officials that appear to disfavor certain groups living in the U.S. and promote Trumps mass deportation campaign.

In August, the Administration was accused of quoting a white supremacists in a DHS post for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recruiting. The department wrote the caption, which way, American man? which was argued to reference Which Way, Western Man, a 1978 book by the white supremacists William Gayley Simpson, who was a supporter of Hitler.

In other posts, the agency depicts an old Morgan Weistling painting of a white family with the caption, remember your homelands heritage, while misnaming the painting.

Other posts call Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) applicants to defend your culture! One post shows a photo of the Capitol circa 1943 with the caption, we can return.

Also this week, the U.S. Border Patrol posted, and then later deleted, an Instagram reel this week that used an antisemitic slur from the Michael Jackson song "They Don't Care About Us, which was condemned by Jewish groups when the song was released in 1995, prompting Jackson to update the song.

"Jew me, sue me, Everybody, do me, Kick me, k*ke me, Don't you black or white me, the lyrics go in the video, which, unlike certain streaming services that have blurred out the offensive language, were not edited out by the agency.

This is, unfortunately, part of how extreme politics works, that it tries to find ordinary ways to describe horrible and morally abhorrent things, Cull says.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
The US government appears on paper to be assembling parts for a regime change in Venezuela.

 The US military has been firing on what it says are drug-trafficking boats tied to Venezuela.

 President Donald Trump acknowledged authorizing covert CIA operations in the South American country.

 Theres a US Navy buildup in the Caribbean, but in a strange development, on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the sudden departure of the commander overseeing them, Adm. Alvin Holsey.

 The Venezuelan opposition leader and recent Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado has endorsed US military intervention, including during an interview with CNNs Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday.

Why do you want your countrys future to be decided by US military intervention? Amanpour asked.

Machado was barred from running for office by Venezuelas longtime strongman leader Nicolas Maduro, whose brutal rule has caused a mass exodus of millions of emigrants from the country, including to the US. His 2024 reelection was widely dismissed as illegitimate.

Regime change was already mandated in absolutely unfair conditions that we won (the election), Machado told Amanpour. Machado has dedicated her Nobel Prize to Trump.

Trump cites two main reasons for his actions against Venezuela.

Number one, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America, he said at the White House on Wednesday, repeating the canard that has motivated his anti-immigration policies.

He also mentioned the allegation that Venezuelas government is complicit in drug trafficking, something also alleged by Machado.

Recipe for disaster

While the Venezuelan opposition might see hope in US military intervention, anyone who has paid much attention to the history of the CIA in Latin America will be extremely skeptical.

I talked to Tim Weiner, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of multiple histories of the CIA, including, recently, The Mission, about the CIA in the 21st century.

Weiner noted that what when Trump acknowledged he had authorized CIA covert action in Venezuela, it undercut the covert part of any action.

He also pointed to the firing in May of Mike Collins, a longtime intelligence professional who was acting head of the National Intelligence Counsel, which had written an intelligence assessment that undercut the administrations argument linking the Tren de Aragua gang to Maduros regime, a link that is key to Trumps invocation of the 1789 Alien Enemies Act as a tool to more quickly deport some Venezuelans in the US without due process.

Those are two ingredients in a recipe for disaster, Weiner said. The third ingredient is that the history of CIA-backed regime change is not a happy one, not just in Latin America, but throughout the world.

The dark history of the CIA and regime change

Then-Cuban President Fidel Castro speaks at Conventions Palace in Havana, Cuba, on April 11, 2005. - Ismael Francisco/AFP/Getty Images/File

If Trump or the US government were trying to use the CIA to effect regime change, that would be ignoring both the intelligence and the history, Weiner said, offering two examples that warn against American involvement in regime change in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Fidel Castro survived covert action under presidents from (Dwight D.) Eisenhower onward and outlived them all, he said, pointing to the most obvious failure.

The successes, for example, in Guatemala, ushered in dictatorships and led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, Weiner said.

The last time the US went after a Latin American strongman on drug charges

Supporters of intervention in Venezuela have pointed to the US invasion of Panama as a model for a potential US intervention in Venezuela.

And by the way, the guy who was running Panama in that moment was a drug trafficker, said David Smolansky, another Venezuelan opposition leader, during an interview with Amanpour last week.

US troops move through Panama City in early December 20, 1989 after President George H.W. Bush ordered US forces to intervene in Panama and apprehend strongman General Manuel Noriega. - AFP/Getty Images

The US invaded Panama in 1989 to arrest its leader, Gen. Manuel Noriega, on drug trafficking and other charges, and to protect a large US expat community there. The invasion, which included paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division parachuting into the country, led to the eventual arrest of Noriega after he hid in the Vatican embassy there. Noriega became the first foreign head of state convicted in US court in 1992 and was in US prison until his extradition to France in 2010.

The US had clear interests in Panama because of the Panama Canal, which Trump has recently mused about retaking. But at the time the US arrested Noriega under President George H.W. Bush, the US maintained a large military base in Panama. It has no such presence in Venezuela.

Noriega also used to work for the CIA

Another important thing to know about Noriega: He was for years on the payroll of the CIA, a fact that taints the eventual US operation against him. So does the collateral damage the invasion caused.

Unfortunately, American bombers killed hundreds of civilians in the process of extricating a former CIA, DEA, asset, from power, Weiner told me.

Panama declared the day of the invasion, December 20, as a national day of mourning in 2019.

A Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) oil pumpjack on Lake Maracaibo in Cabimas, Zulia state, Venezuela, on November 17, 2023. - Gaby Oraa/Bloomberg/Getty Images/File

More than a narcotics state, Venezuela is an oil state

Venezuela also has strategic importance because of its natural resource wealth. Thats why, despite allegations that it is a passthrough for drugs entering the US, it has never been the originator of a major drug trade.

Venezuela has one of the largest oil reserves in the world. They have the largest gold reserves in Latin America. So theres never been a need for them to develop a native drug-producing industry, said Juan Sebastian Gonzalez, who was the Western Hemisphere senior director on the National Security Council during the Biden administration, during an interview with Amanpour last week.

Does this sound familiar?

A country rich in natural resources where the US government does not like its leader. Americans could easily look back to the flawed intelligence presented in the leadup to the US invasion of Iraq. Except the Trump administration has not offered public intelligence to back up its claims.

Gonzalez told Amanpour there are multiple armed groups, including cartels, that control different parts of Venezuela. This would complicate any regime-change effort and could potentially spill out to other countries.

I think any sort of US intervention, especially having boots on the ground, is something that would be a cause celebre for every illegal armed group that has been fighting in Colombia and other parts of the hemisphere for over half a century. So, its easier said than done.

But Trump would not directly say if he thinks the CIA has the authority to take out Maduro.

Wouldnt it be a ridiculous question for me to answer? he said, after confirming he had authorized covert operations.

The buildup of naval vessels in the Caribbean is disproportionate to any drug operation, according to Gonzalez.

So, this really looks, walks and talks like a regime-change preparation, he told Amanpour.

Saying the quiet part out loud

Harvard Law School professor Jack Goldsmith wrote, in a long X post about the questionable legal authority for authorizing CIA action in Venezuela, that there is more wiggle room to authorize CIA action than military action, at least under US law.

Whats interesting here is Trumps decision to talk about it.

As he often does when he is breaking law or norms, he acts openly and without shame or concern, Goldsmith wrote. It is a very effective method for defanging the public impact of law and normsat least in the short run.

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President Trump Holds Press Conference With FBI Director Kash Patel (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump warned Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro on Friday that he doesnt want to f*ck around with the U.S.

Maduro offered the Trump administration a dominant stake in Venezuelas oil and other natural resources in exchange for easing tensions in the Caribbean, where the U.S. military has launched missiles onto drug boats en route to the mainland. After Trump refused Maduros offer, he told a reporter on Friday that Maduro made the offer because he is too intimidated to put up a fight with the U.S.

[Maduro] has offered everything. He has offered everything, youre right. You know why? Because he doesnt want to fuck around with the United States, Trump said.

WATCH:

The Trump administration also reportedly authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, which could include Maduro and his administration. Trump authorized military actions on narco-terrorist drug boats off the coast of Venezuela, which have been said to be tied to several designated terrorist organizations. (RELATED: Trump Admin May Have Eyes On New Regime Change War)

The U.S. continued strikes on the narco-terrorist vessels has led to 27 deaths. The military killed six people aboard a ship off of the coast of Venezuela on Tuesday that was associated with narcoterrorist networks.

Trump rejected all diplomatic outreach to Venezuela on Oct. 6 and ordered Special Envoy Richard Grenell to stop all outreach, Reuters reported. The administration declared they are in an armed conflict with drug cartels and informed Congress on the matter in early October.

The Senate attempted to block Trumps use of kinetic force in the Caribbean in an Oct. 8 vote, including Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who voted with Democrats. Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman crossed party lines by voting with the majority of Republicans to permit the use of force in the Caribbean.

More than 70% of Americans support the Trump administrations strikes against the narco-terrorist ships, according to a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll from Oct. 7.

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An American tourist was killed and another person was seriously injured on Wednesday morning during a knife attack in Portugal, police said.

A 23-year-old suspected of the stabbings has been arrested, police said.

The attack happened in the seaside town of Cascais, west of the capital.

"One of the tourists died at the scene and the other suffered serious injuries to the face and arm," a Portuguese police spokesman told AFP.

The two victims were not immediately identified, but the tourist who died was 35 years old, police said. The surviving tourist, a 33-year-old, was taken to a hospital in Lisbon, according to a police statement.

The stabbing occurred after a "trivial" verbal altercation, Portugal Judicial Police said in a statement. The suspect then got a knife from his car and stabbed the two victims, according to police. The suspect "quickly fled the scene" before eventually being apprehended, police said.

Sneak peek: My Uncle Joe's Murder

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EDITORS NOTE: Global Perspectives is a CNN editorial and live event series exploring the dynamic economies at the frontlines of global transformation. The first Global Perspectives live event, taking place in London on November 3, 2025, will explore Africas role in a changing world, featuring expert analysis from leaders, CEOs, and innovators.

One of the fastest ways to fly from Nairobi, Kenya, to Marrakech, Morocco, is via Paris, France.

Despite being on the same continent, around 3,700 miles miles apart, the two destinations have no direct flights.

Its not just these two metropolises: many of the continents capitals and largest cities have no direct flights, or very limited schedules, which often means travelers end up making multiple layovers, typically in Europe or the Middle East.

The biggest challenge is market access, in the context of allowing airlines to move passengers freely in and out of the African cities without the restrictions that currently exist, says Raphael Kuuchi, consulting director of government, legal and industry affairs at the African Airlines Association (AFRAA).

The continents aviation sector largely operates on bilateral air service agreements, contracts made between individual countries that restrict which airlines can operate specific routes.

Many groups, including AFRAA, are trying to move the continent toward a single aviation market, like the European Union (EU), which allows any EU airline to operate any route within the territory, and removes restrictions on operations like pricing and frequency, provided airports have slots available.

In addition to lack of connectivity, Africas aviation sector is plagued with high costs, infrastructure challenges, regulatory constraints and safety concerns, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The region needs more investment in infrastructure, safety oversight and regional hubs: the African Development Bank estimates a $25 billion funding gap by 2040.

Africas aviation sector was estimated to support $75 billion in economic activity and 8.1 million jobs, according to the IATA. But the continent accounts for just 2% of air travelers worldwide  a huge opportunity for growth.

A 2021 report from the IATA predicts that liberalized markets could create more than half a million jobs in Africa, and add nearly $4 billion to its GDP.

Africa is one of the fastest-growing markets when it comes to aviation, says Kuuchi, adding that there are now coordinated efforts between organizations including the African Union, AFRAA and the African Civil Aviation Commission to ensure that our citizens are able to move about much more freely and cost effectively.

A slow take off

In Europe, flights within the continent account for two-thirds of routes, but in Africa, intra-continental flights make up just 21%.

Part of the problem is economies of scale, says Kirby Gordon, chief marketing officer for FlySafair, one of the continents leading low-cost carriers and the second largest by seat capacity.

The reality is, air travel in Africa is still really, really, really tiny compared to the rest of the world, says Gordon. Were the largest Boeing (737) operator in Africa, and weve got 37 aircraft  compared to Southwest, which is a portion of the North American market, and theyve got, like, 800.

FlySafair launched in South Africa 2014, and today has nine domestic and five international routes.

The five intra-African routes theyve established are well-trodden, and align with major tourism spots, like Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, or business hubs, like Windhoek, Namibia.

When it comes to looking at intra-African travel, a number of routes can still be quite thin, theyre still sort of in a developmental phase, says Gordon.

FlySafair is one of the continent's biggest airlines by seat capacity. - Darren Stewart/Gallo Images/Getty Images

Many of the city pairs in Africa, the daily average passenger throughput is below 100 seats, says AFRAAs Kuuchi. If you have an airline operating on such a route, and the minimum size of your aircraft is probably a 737, which has over 120 seats, it might not be economically viable for you to operate that route.

This low demand drives prices up, as do higher operational costs  including jet fuel prices, infrastructural inefficiencies and airport taxes, says Somas Appavou, IATAs regional director for external affairs in Africa. While globally, airlines make around $7 per passenger, in Africa, its just $1, he says, adding: This is basically what is not allowing aviation to have the proper take off in in Africa.

Many African states treat aviation as a cash cow, burdening the sector with high taxes and excessive fees, Appavou says, adding that these policies are shortsighted: Aviation is an enabler; taxing aviation itself will not bring you what it could in terms of contribution to your GDP and job creation.

While lower fares would help, price is not the only barrier, says Gordon: When it actually comes to that leisure market, which is a significant part of what (FlySafair does), you need to make sure that your population has the means.

In 2024, Africas average GDP per capita was around $2,885, according to data from the World Bank, compared to the global average of $13,664, leaving air travel out of reach for many people on the continent.

While there are many factors working against Africas aviation sector, getting an open skies solution in place would be such a game changer, says Gordon. Because of our scale, the whole industry is really quite fragile, and it really needs every opportunity in order to really be able to grow and thrive as best that it possibly can.

Sky-high ambitions

A flagship African Union initiative, the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), launched in 2018 to improve intra-African air travel. So far, 38 countries  including Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Rwanda  have signed the commitment.

An Emirates Boeing 777-200 aircraft on the tarmac at Cairo International Airport, Africa's busiest airport. - Amir Makar/AFP/Getty Images

Kenya's aviation sector is one of the largest on the continent. - Simon Maina/AFP/Getty Images

However, implementation has been uneven, says Kuuchi. SAATM has drafted regulations, including rules around continental competition and consumer protection, which are now being shared country-to-country in a pilot implementation project to introduce the framework to aviation stakeholders.

This is yielding very good results, says Kuuchi. In the last four years we have seen 108 new routes developed.

Alignment of visa policies between nations could also boost travel. SAATM is encouraging nations to adopt visa-free initiatives for African nations, or e-visas and visas on arrival, to promote free movement on the continent, says Kuuchi.

Currently, only Benin, Rwanda, Seychelles, The Gambia and Ghana allow visa-free entry to all African passport holders, but Kuuchi says more nations are beginning to relax their visa policies.

Some countries are already flying high with their aviation ambitions, says the IATAs Appavou, highlighting Ethiopia and Rwanda: Aviation is a pillar of their economic development strategy, and it is very clear both nations have been investing massively in infrastructure, including airports.

An Ethiopian Airlines plane on the runway in Cape Town, South Africa. The airline is the biggest on the continent by seat capacity. - Peter Titmuss/UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Ethiopian Airlines  one of the continents oldest airlines, and its largest by seat capacity  has outgrown its current home at Addis Ababas Bole Airport, and is now seeking investors to support its $10 billion mega airport, which it says will be the largest on the continent and will initially host 60 million passengers.

RwandAir, although newer, is making bold moves in the market. It began operations a little over two decades ago, and serves 17 routes in Africa, and five internationally including London, Paris and Dubai.

Rwanda has been highly committed to the SAATM initiative, implementing measures like visa-on-arrival. Its new $2 billion airport is slated to open next year.

Developing those airports into major hubs on the continent has boosted investment, trade and tourism, says Appavou, adding that East Africa  which includes Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda  is generally better connected, as the region exports a high number of perishable goods, which require fast, frequent and reliable connectivity.

Morocco has invested heavily in aviation, including an expansion of its International Marrakesh Menara Airport. - EyesWideOpen/Getty Images

The EU is also supporting the continents single aviation market ambitions with financial and technical assistance, says Javier Nino Perez, the ambassador of the European Union to the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa.

A 5 million ($5.8 million) program has been running for four years, providing expertise from the EU Aviation Safety Agency, and this program is being renewed with an additional 10 million ($11.6 million), extending support through 2030.

Based on the 30 years of experience we have with the EU single market, were fully aware that air connectivity is existential, because it is an engine for trade, it creates jobs, it creates business, says Perez.

Theres still a way to go, though. Ongoing conflicts are a challenge for the region, and competing priorities  including food security, climate change and universal energy access  often mean the aviation sector is overlooked.

Despite the challenges, Perez is optimistic for the sectors future, and believes its one of the most significant elements of Africas future political, trade and operational integration as a continent.

Appavou agrees. He emphasizes the huge geographical scale of Africa  comparing flying the continent north-to-south as the same as traveling from New York to Istanbul, and east-to-west as going from Paris to Mumbai  is as much of a challenge as it is an opportunity, and change isnt going to happen overnight.

Regional blocs  like the East African Community, or ECOWAS, a collection of 15 nations in West Africa  already have economic and trade deals in place, making it easier to form open-sky aviation agreements, which can then be scaled to the continent, he says.

When governments actually see aviation as a strategic enabler, the results go beyond the runway, says Appavou. It really has a multiplying effect.

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A U.S. Dollar note is seen in this June 22, 2017 illustration photo. REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration

By David Lawder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. budget deficit shrank by $41 billion to $1.775 trillion in the 2025 fiscal year as an increase in revenue from President Donald Trump's tariffs and cuts to education spending helped offset higher outlays on healthcare and retirement programs and interest on the debt, the Treasury Department said on Thursday.

The results for the year ended September 30, which include nearly nine months of Trump's second term in the White House, compared to a $1.817 trillion deficit in fiscal 2024. It was the first time the annual deficit had fallen since 2022, when the unwinding of COVID-19 relief programs brought spending down.

The smaller deficit was aided by a record $195 billion in net customs receipts for the fiscal year, an increase of $118 billion from the prior year as new Trump tariffs rolled in.

Customs receipts in September reached a new record high of $29.7 billion, but the pace of increase slowed from August, when $29.5 billion was collected. Customs receipts were $7.3 billion in September 2024.

But this powerful new revenue source was partly offset by a $79 billion reduction in gross corporate tax collections for fiscal 2025, to $486 billion. About $45 billion of that reduction occurred in September, reflecting implementation of full capital equipment expensing and research deductions made retroactive to January 1 in the spending and tax-cut bill passed by the Republican-controlled Congress in July.

Total receipts for fiscal 2025 were a record $5.235 trillion, up $317 billion, or 6%, from fiscal 2024, largely driven by increases in withheld and non-withheld individual tax collections.

Fiscal 2025 outlays also were a record at $7.01 trillion, up $275 billion, or 4%, from the prior year.

A U.S. Treasury official said the department calculated an estimated deficit-to-GDP ratio of 5.9% for fiscal 2025, compared to an actual fiscal 2024 ratio of 6.3%. The official declined to say what GDP estimate was used to calculate the ratio. Data on third-quarter GDP, which would be close out the 2025 fiscal year, has been delayed by the partial U.S. government shutdown.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that he wants to bring the ratio down to the 3% range by boosting economic growth and cutting or constraining spending.

Budget analysts said the number released on Thursday showed little progress toward that goal.

"Most of the fiscal policy changes are simply replacing tax revenue and spending with other sources without lowering the deficit," said Kent Smetters, director of the University of Pennsylvania's Penn Wharton Budget Model analysis group. "So, we are still very much on an unsustainable path."

TREASURY REPORTS SURPLUS FOR SEPTEMBER

For the 2025 fiscal year's final month of September, the Treasury reported a record surplus of $198 billion, up $118 billion, or 147%, from the same month in the prior year. September is often a month of surplus due to quarterly tax filing deadlines for companies and individuals.

Receipts last month were up $17 billion, or 3%, to $544 billion, while outlays were down $101 billion, or 23%, to $346 billion.

The latest monthly surplus was boosted by a $131 billion cut to the Department of Education budget that was mandated in the recent spending and tax bill. For September, the education outlays were $123 billion lower than in September 2024.

For the full 2025 fiscal year, the Department of Education suffered the biggest cut in outlays, down $233 billion, or 87% from the prior year to just $35 billion.

That cut and the higher customs receipts masked continued increases in outlays for the Social Security retirement plan, the Medicare and Medicaid healthcare programs and interest on the U.S. federal debt.

The interest expenditure reached a record $1.216 trillion for the full fiscal year, up $83 billion, or 7%, from fiscal 2024, making it the second-largest expenditure item after Social Security. Expenses for that program reached $1.647 trillion, up $127 billion, or 8%, from the prior fiscal year.

"There's good news that the tariffs are generating higher revenue, but all major categories of spending are higher with mandatory spending and interest significantly so. The fundamentals remain deeply troubling," said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

(Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Paul Simao)
Ryan Preston Dahl, Benjamin M. Rhode, and Natasha Hwangpo to join Latham's premier Restructuring & Special Situations and Liability Management Practices





The arrival of the team follows the addition earlier this year of Ray C. Schrock, Andrew Parlen, Candace Arthur, Alexander Welch, and John Sobolewski

NEW YORK and CHICAGO, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Latham & Watkins LLP1 is pleased to announce that three prominent restructuring partners  Ryan Preston Dahl, Benjamin M. Rhode, and Natasha Hwangpo  will join the firm. The highly accomplished partners bring a wealth of experience advising on complex business restructuring, bankruptcy, and insolvency solutions, as well as cutting-edge liability management transactions.

The additions of Dahl, Rhode, and Hwangpo follow the arrivals earlier this year of preeminent practitioners Ray C. Schrock, Andrew Parlen, Candace Arthur, Alexander Welch, and John Sobolewski. The team joining the firm marks another major milestone in Latham's development of the world's premier restructuring practice.

The partners represent public and private companies, financial institutions, private equity funds, portfolio companies, investors, and creditors in US and international special situations, out-of-court restructurings and distressed acquisitions, and in-court chapter 11 processes through prepackaged, prearranged, and traditional restructurings, as well as in complex liability management exercises. The partners' experience spans virtually every industry sector, including healthcare, technology, automotive, logistics, retail, media, gaming, manufacturing, professional services, food services, and financial services.

Rich Trobman, Chair and Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins, said: "Ryan, Ben and Natasha are incredible lawyers, and their arrival further demonstrates our commitment to seeking out difference makers who embrace our foundational values and commitment to excellence. We are delighted to welcome them to the firm, as we continue to build the absolute best restructuring team in the world. The group's tremendous experience and personal drive seamlessly align with our unique capabilities to advise clients on their most sophisticated restructuring and liability management matters, and will accelerate our growth in this space."

"Ryan is widely recognized as one of the foremost practitioners in the field and has built a venerable restructuring practice that is highly competitive," said Ray C. Schrock, Global Chair of Latham's Restructuring & Special Situations Practice. "Ryan's expertise is deep, spanning debtor, sponsor, and creditor mandates around the globe. Ben and Natasha likewise have earned stellar reputations for their significant experience, market profile, and client relationships. Our preeminent practice continues to grow and is sought after for consequential debtor- and creditor-side matters across industries, and the arrival of Ryan, Ben, and Natasha underscores our commitment to building the world's number one restructuring and liability management practice, now and for years to come."

"Ryan, Ben, and Natasha are outstanding additions to our team, and their mix of expertise is a perfect fit for our restructuring and liability management practices," said Andrew Parlen, US Chair of Latham's Restructuring & Special Situations Practice. "These talented restructuring partners share our commitment to client service and fierce determination to succeed."

Marc Jaffe, Managing Partner of Latham's New York office, said: "I'm thrilled to welcome Ryan, Ben, and Natasha to the firm. They bring extensive relationships with major public and private companies, sponsors, investors, and creditors, and they are well known for their commercial savvy, technical mastery, and formidable track record. We are particularly excited about the synergy between their experience and our market-leading private equity, private credit, hybrid capital, and liability management capabilities, as well as our broad public company practice."

"These three partners are incredibly experienced in high-stakes matters and advise on the issues top of mind for boards and executives," said Mary Rose Alexander, Managing Partner of Latham's Chicago office. "We are the only firm with true breadth and depth across products and markets to handle today's most cutting-edge restructuring matters. Ryan, Ben, and Natasha bring additional firepower to our platform in Chicago, New York, and globally, and I'm pleased to welcome them to the firm."

Dahl will join Latham in New York and Chicago. He received his JD from The University of Chicago Law School and BA from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Rhode will join the Chicago office. He received his JD from Cornell Law School and BS from Clarkson University. Hwangpo will join the New York office. She received her JD from Columbia Law School, MSc from The London School of Economics & Political Science, and BA from University of California, Berkeley.

About Latham & Watkins ( lw.com )

Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world's largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.

Notes to Editors

1Latham & Watkins operates worldwide as a limited liability partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (USA) with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in France, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and as an affiliated partnership conducting the practice in Japan. Latham & Watkins operates in Israel through a limited liability company, in South Korea as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office, and in Saudi Arabia through a limited liability company.

Contacts

Rich Trobman, Chair and Managing Partner, +1.212.906.1200

Marc Jaffe, New York Office Managing Partner, + 1.212.906.1281

Ray C. Schrock, Global Chair, Restructuring & Special Situations Practice, +1.212.906.1285

Andrew Parlen, US Chair, Restructuring & Special Situations Practice, +1.212.906.1296

Mary Rose Alexander, Chicago Office Managing Partner, +1.312.876.7672

SOURCE Latham & Watkins LLP
A U.S. Congressman from Ohio says a photo in his Capitol Hill office of an American flag altered with a swastika image was a "ruse" someone used in an attempt to discredit him and other Republican leaders.

Rep. Dave Taylor is a conservative Republican representing Ohio's 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In an emailed statement Oct. 16, Taylor, whose district includes Clermont and other southern Ohio counties, said multiple Republican lawmakers were "targeted" with the flags, altered to include the Nazi symbol.

Rep. Dave Taylor said his and other congressional offices were "targeted" with American flags that were altered to include swastikas.

"New details have emerged from a coordinated investigation into the vile symbol that appeared in my office," Taylor's statement read. "Numerous Republican offices have confirmed that they were targeted by an unidentified group or individual who distributed American flags bearing a similar symbol, which were initially indistinguishable from an ordinary American flag to the naked eye. My office was among those that were subjected to this ruse."

In photos shared on social media by left-leaning Ohio politics blogger D.J. Byrnes and with Politico, the flag was displayed behind the desk of Taylor's legislative correspondent Angelo Elia. The photo was a screengrab captured during a video call with Elia, according to Byrnes' social media post.

A friend in DC had a Zoom call with Congressman Dave Taylors office today



Taylors legislative correspondent, Angelo Elia, had what can only be described as an American swastika flag prominently displayed in his background. pic.twitter.com/zFn3QowS0c  The Rooster (@rooster_ohio) October 15, 2025

In his statement, Taylor did not say Elia was still employed in his office.

"After a full-scale internal investigation, I am confident that no employee of this office would knowingly display such a despicable image, and the flag in question was taken down immediately upon the discovery of the obscured symbol it bore," the statement read. "As Ive said previously, I unequivocally condemn hate in any form and continue to collaborate with Capitol Police and the Committee on House Administration to uncover additional details in this investigation."

Taylor's office initially called the flag 'vandalism'

Taylor's office sent an email press statement on Wednesday, Oct. 15, responding to "vandalism" and a "vile and deeply inappropriate symbol" at his office. Around 10 minutes later, the photo of the altered American flag appeared online.

In his Thursday statement, Taylor said the flag was at first "indistinguishable" from any ordinary American flag. The Enquirer asked Taylor's spokesperson to send a photo or video of the flag that shows how it appeared differently than what was seen in the social media post. The Enquirer also asked what other lawmakers found the flag in their office. Taylor's spokesperson did not immediately respond to those emails.

Who is Rep. Dave Taylor?

Taylor won a crowded Republican primary last year and went on to succeed former Rep. Brad Wenstrup to represent Ohio's 2nd Congressional District. He began his first term in January.

Raised in Amelia, Ohio, Taylor also runs his family's concrete company, Sardinia Ready Mix.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio congressman says Republicans were 'targeted' with swastika flags
Signage for a job fair is seen on 5th Avenue after the release of the jobs report in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., September 3, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

By Lucia Mutikani

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The number of Americans filing new applications for jobless benefits fell last week, economists at JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs estimated on Thursday, but lackluster hiring has left many on unemployment rolls.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped to a seasonally adjusted 217,000 for the week ending October 11 from 235,000 the prior week, they calculated.

A U.S. government shutdown, now in its third week due to a political standoff between Republicans and Democrats in Washington, has halted the collection, processing and publishing of official economic data.

States have, however, continued to collect the claims data and submit it to the Labor Department's database, which remains accessible. Economists have been using the unadjusted claims data to make estimates using seasonal adjustment factors that the government published earlier this year. Claims data was unavailable for Arizona, Massachusetts, Nevada and Tennessee.

"Our estimates assume that initial claims for Tennessee, Massachusetts, Arizona and Nevada - which didn't appear in today's DOL data - were in line with the latest published numbers," Goldman Sachs said in a note. "We obtain a range between 211,000 and 225,000 using the lowest and highest levels for claims in these states this year."

The Labor Department follows a similar practice to make estimates for states that are unable to provide data on time.

"The latest jobless claims look quite decent, and suggest layoffs remain low with movement in the unemployment rate," said Abiel Reinhart, an economist at JPMorgan.

Claims data have become a key for Federal Reserve officials trying to assess the health of the labor market ahead of their October 28-29 policy meeting.

BOTH LAYOFFS AND HIRING REMAIN LOW

Fed Chair Jerome Powell said this week "available evidence suggests that both layoffs and hiring remain low, and that both households' perceptions of job availability and firms' perceptions of hiring difficulty continue their downward trajectories."

Unemployment claims have remained within their pre-government shutdown range. They have not shown large spikes, despite the shutdown pushing thousands of federal contractors out of work.

Federal workers, hundreds of thousands of whom have been furloughed, file for claims under a separate program. Data for the program was not immediately available.

The labor market remains stuck in a "no hire" and "no fire" state, economists say. The U.S. central bank's Beige Book report on Wednesday described demand for labor as "generally muted" in recent weeks.

A Bank of America Institute survey on Thursday found signs of a slowdown in the small business labor market. Its alternative hiring indicator based on Bank of America small business payments data decreased in September. It also noted business applications with planned wages, viewed as a signal of real job creation, have dropped below pre-pandemic norms.

Small businesses have been the main driver of job growth. Economists say President Donald Trump's trade and immigration policies, and the growing popularity of artificial intelligence have cut demand for workers and labor supply.

The number of people receiving unemployment benefits after an initial week of aid, a proxy for hiring, was unchanged at a seasonally adjusted 1.927 million during the week ending October 4, JPMorgan estimated. Goldman Sachs put its estimate of these so-called continuing claims at 1.917 million.

The unemployment rate increased to nearly a four-year high of 4.3% in August, and the elevated continuing claims suggest no improvement.

(Reporting By Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Jamie Freed)
Cambodias senate president Hun Sen has accused Thailand of broadcasting high-pitched ghost sounds along the disputed border after the countrys human rights commission urged the UN to investigate what it described as psychological warfare.

Hun Sen, the former prime minister, said Cambodias human rights commission had written to the UN to investigate the intense, high-pitched noises that were causing anxiety and discomfort among people living near the border.

Pre-recorded and high-decibel sounds of ghosts, wailing children, howling dogs, rattling chains, and roaring helicopters have been blasted through loudspeakers at night since 10 October, according to human rights organisations.

It comes after Cambodia and Thailand agreed to a ceasefire along their disputed border following talks in Malaysia in July, ending the worst border clashes between the two armies in a decade that killed nearly 40 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.

On Thursday, Mr Hun Sen shared a letter dated 11 October from the commission to the UN high commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk.

Thai police with shields standing next to barbed wire in a disputed area along the Cambodia-Thailand border in Sa Kaeo province (Royal Thai Army)

The letter said the tactic was a grave violation of human rights involving the use of disturbing sounds as a form of psychological intimidation and harassment along the border between the two countries.

These sounds, described as intense, high-pitched noises lasting for prolonged periods, have disrupted sleep, provoked anxiety and caused physical discomfort among residents, including women, children, the elderly, the sick and persons with disabilities, it said.

Mr Hun Sen said he had spoken with Malaysias deputy prime minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to inform him about the alleged noise campaign.

He expressed his gratitude to Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim for helping to broker the ceasefire, but said the situation along the border remained tense.

Thai army and police (bottom) facing Cambodian people in a disputed area along the Cambodia-Thailand border, as seen from Sa Kaeo province (Royal Thai Army)

Child Rights Coalition Cambodia said the relentless noise campaign by Thailand is having an adverse impact on childrens mental health, leading to symptoms of trauma and anxiety.

First, it affects childrens mental health. When there is noise  especially frightening and unsafe sounds  it disrupts their sleep. Loud and scary noises often cause children to have nightmares and panic attacks at night, Yan Lay, executive director of the organisation said.

These disruptions also impact childrens daily education. Many are afraid to go to school in the morning or evening. When they are scared, they cannot focus on their studies, he added.

Kannawat Pongpaibulwech, a self-proclaimed Thai crusader and influencer, has claimed responsibility for blasting the loud sounds along the border, according to The Nation, with the permission of the Thai Army overseeing border security.

He said his aim was to drive out Cambodian settlers encroaching into Thai territory, according to the report.

The five days of clashes in July saw both sides trade artillery fire and air strikes along contested stretches of their 817km border. It was their deadliest border conflict in more than a decade.

The violence began at a flashpoint near the ancient Ta Moan Thom temple in Thailands Surin province, and quickly spread to other disputed areas. Cambodian officials accused Thailand of launching air strikes and dropping bombs on roads inside its territory.

A truce, brokered by Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, was reached on 28 July after US president Donald Trump said he had spoken to the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia.
Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, who is overseeing the U.S. militarys strikes against boats in the Caribbean that the Trump administration argues are smuggling drugs into the country, will retire at the end of the year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday.

Holsey, a four-star admiral who is the commander of U.S. Southern Command (Southcom), will retire at the end of 2025, less than a year after assuming the post in November last year. It is unclear why the admiral is leaving now.

On behalf of the Department of War, we extend our deepest gratitude to Admiral Alvin Holsey for his more than 37 years of distinguished service to our nation as he plans to retire at years end, Hegseth said in a post on the social platform X. A native of Fort Valley, Georgia, Admiral Holsey has exemplified the highest standards of naval leadership since his commissioning through the NROTC program at Morehouse College in 1988.

Throughout his careerfrom commanding helicopter squadrons to leading Carrier Strike Group One and standing up the International Maritime Security ConstructAdmiral Holsey has demonstrated unwavering commitment to mission, people, and nation, the Defense secretary said. His tenure as Military Deputy Commander and now Commander of United States Southern Command reflects a legacy of operational excellence and strategic vision.

The admiral will retire from the U.S. Navy effective on Dec. 12, Holsey said in a message that was shared with The Hill.

The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation and will continue to do so, Holsey said. I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe.

Southcom oversees all operations in Central and South America. The Department of Defense (DOD) will be without a top commander as the Trump administration is launching strikes against vessels off the coast of Venezuela that are allegedly smuggling narcotics.

Currently, there are about 10,000 U.S. forces backing counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean, a DOD official told The Hill on Thursday.

Most of the troops are stationed in Puerto Rico, while others are on ships. The Navy has eight ships in the Caribbean and one submarine.

The U.S. military has conducted five strikes against boats off the coast of Venezuela, which the administration says are trafficking illegal drugs, killing at least 27 people.

On Wednesday, the president appeared to confirm that he authorized the CIA to conduct operations in Venezuela.

I authorized for two reasons really, number one they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America, they came in through the border, President Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.

Holsey becomes the latest top military official to step down in recent weeks. Gen. Thomas Bussiere, a top Air Force commander, announced earlier this month that he would retire for personal and family reasons. The head of U.S. Special Operations Command, Gen. Bryan Fenton, retired from his post in early October.

Holsey, who earned a masters degree in management from Troy State University in 1995, served as the deputy chief of naval personnel at the Navy Personnel Command from 2021 to 2022. Before becoming the commander of Southcom, Holsey was the commands military deputy commander.

It is unclear who will replace Holsey.

The Department thanks Admiral Holsey for his decades of service to our country, and we wish him and his family continued success and fulfillment in the years ahead, Hegseth said on Thursday.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
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When Sen. Josh Hawley (RMo.) clashed with a Boeing attorney at a committee hearing earlier this month, he was clearly picking sides in an ongoing fight between the company and thousands of striking workers at a Missouri factory.

But Hawley wasn't just borrowing the labor union's rhetoric as he criticized Boeing's CEO's pay and demanded "fairness" for the workers. As a result of that hearing, Hawley has directly (if perhaps incidentally) empowered labor unions in New York and California, who will find friendlier turf for labor disputes while the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) continues to lack a quorum.

Here's why: New York and California have recently created state-level entities that are meant to serve the same purpose as the NLRB, which was created in 1935 to adjudicate disputes between unions and employers. The creation of those state-level entities has been backed by labor unions as a way to "circumvent" the Trump administration's expected appointment of less labor-friendly members to the NLRB, as Politico explained last month.

It's not clear whether those states can legally do that, and the NLRB has already sued New York on the grounds that a state-level labor board undermines the "core jurisdiction" of the federal board.

For now, the laws authorizing the New York and California boards allow those entities to operate only while the NLRB is inactivewhich it currently is, because it does not have enough members.

That's where Hawley enters the picture.

Scott Mayer, the Boeing attorney who drew Hawley's ire at that October 3 hearing, was one of three people picked by President Donald Trump to fill vacancies on the NLRB. At the hearing, Mayer reminded Hawley that he was not sitting before the Senate as a representative of Boeing and pointed out that both the company and the striking workers were negotiating towards a new contract.

That didn't slow Hawley down. Hawley pushed for a "fair" resolution to the labor dispute between Boeing and members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents workers at a factory in Missouri that produces fighter jets.

"With 3,000-plus members of residents in my state on strike, unable to work, unable to get health care, while your CEO is getting paid $30-some million," Hawley said, while tag-teaming Mayer with Sen. Bernie Sanders (IVt.).

A week later, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted to confirm two of Trump's NLRB nominees. Mayer's nomination was tabled.

Without that seat filled, the NLRB still lacks a quorumand, as a result, the labor boards in New York and California have power.

Of course, blocking Mayer's appointment to the board is within Hawley's authority as a senator and a member of that key committee. Still, exercising that authority has opened Hawley to criticism.

"Hawley is definitely trying to help unions," Sean Higgins, a research fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a free market think tank, told Reason via email.

Higgins attributes Hawley's recent actions to politics rather than policymaking. By aligning with unions, Hawley thinks he can "peel them away from the Democrats. Or at least put them in play politically."

Hawley's office did not return requests for comment.

It's true that the Trump era has brought a shift in union politics and potentially created an opportunity for Republicans to exploit. But if there is a lesson to be gleaned from Trump's success with rank-and-file union members, it seems to be that Republicans can peel those voters away by speaking directly to them on a cultural level, rather than by echoing labor union talking points. Trump didn't win by promising union bosses that he'd appoint friendly bureaucrats in key positions, after all. Quite the opposite.

Politics aside, the policy consequences of Hawley's tiff with Mayer seem clear: labor unions in New York and California have more power to flexat least until those entities are ruled illegal by the courts or until the NLRB gets a quorum again.

That sort of ad hoc federalism might be preferable to having a single federal entity setting labor law for everyonealthough Higgins, no fan of the NLRB, also warns that it could create labor law chaos and lots of headaches for employers operating in multiple states. Any positive, federalist outcomes for workers would hinge on the NLRB being permanently shut down by Congress. Otherwise, it would simply come back into power when the next labor-friendly administration takes over.

In some ways, this fight over the NLRB mirrors the concurrent battle over the ongoing government shut down. In both cases, the temporary hobbling of federal authority is not actually reducing the size or power that the government has over anyonebut is merely channeling that power through new directions.

In Hawley's case, he is channeling that power in an unusual way: Away from Trump's hand-picked nominee and towards blue-state labor unions.

The post How Josh Hawley Is Empowering Unions in New York and California appeared first on Reason.com.
In 2025, that spirit was truly tested. Just days before opening, an unexpected fire severely damaged the iconic Orbyz Mainstage, raising serious concerns about whether the event could proceed. With crews already on site and attendees from around the world on the way, the challenge was immense.

PIXELSCREEN.eu, Tomorrowland's trusted production company, took the lead in on-site coordination and visual recovery. Backed by INFiLED's technical expertise and other suppliers, the team worked efficiently to minimize visual disruption and preserve the festival's immersive atmosphere.

This story is not about one company - it's about what happens when a production community refuses to let the music stop. From emergency reconstruction to visual continuity, and from the Mainstage to other immersive venues, everyone played a part. This is how Tomorrowland 2025 became unity in action.

Rebuilding the Heart of the Festival

The Orbyz Mainstage at Tomorrowland 2025 was envisioned as a cosmic glacier - towering over 50 m tall and 140 m wide, with glowing surfaces and crystalline forms that defined the festival's visual centerpiece.

During a final pyrotechnic rehearsal, flames erupted within the structure. Fortunately, no one was injured, but nearly 75% of the Mainstage was destroyed - yet cancellation was never an option. Organizers released a statement mourning the loss of "a living, breathing world" while reaffirming their commitment to press on.

PIXELSCREEN.eu immediately coordinated recovery efforts. As CEO Frank Verstraeten later recalled, "The original Mainstage was destroyed by fire, and we had less than 24 hours to rebuild. This was only possible with equipment that was extremely reliable and could be installed very quickly."

Within a very tight window, on-site teams reassembled a clean, modern substitute Mainstage - 8 m high and 70 m wide - using nearly 700 LED cabinets. The rebuild required logistical precision and technical flexibility, supported by features such as:

Magnesium-alloy frames provide rigidity and stability for precise, repeatable setup.

Magnet-assisted assembly enables quick, effortless installation.

Positioning pins ensure fast, accurate alignment.

Fast-lock system allows one-hand operation for instant locking.

AR Series touring carts offer robust storage and transport, in single or double-stack sizes, fitting standard trucks.

Hundreds of panels went up within hours. The installation, paired with NovaStar's COEX 5G control system, which supports 5G signal transmission, allowed the control crew to adjust visual output to fit the improvised stage layout, keeping everything running smoothly. Though simpler in form, the rebuilt stage still delivered full sensory impact - vibrant screens, synced lighting, and powerful sound - proving Tomorrowland's spirit remained undimmed.

Beyond the Mainstage  Visual Continuity Across the Festival

Even as crews worked tirelessly on Orbyz, dozens of stages across the festival continued delivering immersive experiences powered by LED visuals and tight execution.

Freedom Stage

The Freedom Stage was among the most technically ambitious. Known for its vast enclosed design, the 2025 edition featured the "Floating Sky" - a kinetic LED ceiling installation that shifted shape and light above the crowd. Built using INFiLED's lightweight and transparent AMT panels featuring 70% transparency and a triangular module layout, the structure delivered layered visuals while allowing stage lighting, wind, and sound to pass through. The result was a mesmerizing, space-like ambiance that transformed continuously throughout each set.

The Great Library

A recently redesigned domed venue, The Great Library used curved LED screens integrated along its arches and backdrop to display animated visuals and live camera feeds. Built with INFiLED's AR panels - capable of 10 cabinet curvature - the installation wrapped seamlessly around the dome, creating an intimate and cinematic atmosphere.

CORE Stage

Tucked into Tomorrowland's forested area, the CORE stage returned in 2025 with a distinctive visual identity - a large, split-face screen centerpiece surrounded by natural scenery. The immersive design offered a meditative counterpoint to the adrenaline-fueled main areas.

This widespread deployment underscored the role LED visuals played - not as mere decoration, but as a binding agent across Tomorrowland's production fabric. Throughout the weekends, the show never paused - and the visual magic never faded.

A Triumph of Unity

"PIXELSCREEN.eu has been exclusively providing all video screens for Tomorrowland for 22 years, non-stop," said Frank Verstraeten.

Tomorrowland 2025 will be remembered not for the fire, but for how the event came together. In a very short time, engineers, crews, designers, and planners rebuilt what months had built, proving that unity and shared purpose can overcome any disruption.

"Unite Forever" - that wasn't just words on a screen. In 2025, it became living proof.

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Microsoft, which is no stranger to antitrust accusations, is being sued for allegedly manipulating AI prices via its investment in OpenAI.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in the US District court in the Northern District of California, argues that Microsoft has used its OpenAI influence to vastly increase AI prices.

ChatGPT prices were inflated since the services inception, with price levels reaching an eye-popping 100 to 200 times competitors prices on a per-token basis amidst a February 2025 price war, the filing said. A secretive agreement struck between OpenAI and Microsoft early in OpenAIs development allowed Microsoft to control the supply of compute to its horizontal competitors products. It used an exclusivity clause to restrict OpenAIs product output, and to impose a priceor, conversely, output and qualityfloor on its competitor OpenAIs ChatGPT products.

Contacted by sister publication Computerworld, Microsoft declined to address the lawsuits specific details, but did say in an email, while we are still reviewing the details of the complaint, we believe that our OpenAI partnership promotes competition, innovation, and responsible AI development.

Industry observers were skeptical that the litigation would have much of an impact, given the large number of major companies selling AI, including Google, Amazon, and Anthropic, that are presumably beyond Microsofts direct influence.

Taps into policy concerns

Abhishek Singh, a partner at the Everest Group, said that the litigation might encourage regulatory efforts, but that he doubts it would have any direct impact on Microsoft.
After scaling NEOM and other infrastructure, Saudi authorities plan to develop Islam's holy city. The King Salman Gate project was unveiled this week, covering 12 million square metres and provide 300,000 jobs over 10 years. Commercial, cultural, and residential spaces are also planned. But there are also critics.

Riyadh (AsiaNews)  The US$ 500 billion NEOM project has been shelved or scaled back. Launched in 2017, its aim was to build a mega-urban hub with industrial zones and tourist resorts, part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030, a plan to diversify the countrys economy and reduce its dependence on crude oil. Now the focus is on Makkah.

To this end, Saudi authorities announced yesterday a massive multiple-purpose project around the Grand Mosque in Islam's holy city, which involves the construction of tall towers near the holy site for prayer, accommodation, and hospitality.

Named King Salman Gate in honour of the reigning monarch, the new urban development area was officially launched on Wednesday and is expected to cover more than some 12 million square metres.

The project is designed to offer "residential, hospitality, commercial, and cultural experiences with capacity for around 900,000 indoor and outdoor prayer spaces," highlighting its religious purpose.

Computer-generated projections show towers of various heights overlooking the Grand Mosque, with doves of peace flying in the air.

A video released by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, showcases the unique features of the development, with towering skyscrapers dominating the prayer area and pilgrims facing the Kaaba.

In this place, hearts unite and share living moments full of delight. For within each moment, a story unfolds, bound by a common reverence and rituals to uphold, a narrator says in the video. Rooted in heritage, its essence prevails, tempered with whispers of peace, inviting you to exhale. A celebration of culture, old and new.

The King Salman Gate project will be developed by RUA AlHaram AlMakki Co, also part of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, and is expected to generate up to 300,000 jobs over the next decade, but there are no further details on the overall cost and construction timeline.

What is certain is that the plan appears to go against the grain of Riyadh's latest announcements of scaling back megaprojects launched, starting with NEOM, due to escalating costs and declining oil revenues.

It is also significant that the expansion project involves Makkah and Madinah, the two most important cities, along with Jerusalem, in Islam.

In this regard, the kingdom expects to welcome over 30 million foreign pilgrims annually to the two cities by 2030, combining religion, business and tourism.

Unlike other ambitious projects aimed at foreign tourists, such as The Line and Sindalah, Riyadh is aware that Makkah and Madinah will always attract international religious visitors.

Traditionally, the two cities are the object of two pilgrimages: Hajj (which every Muslim is required to perform at least once in their lifetime at a specific time) and Umrah, the lesser pilgrimage that can be performed at any time of the year.

Over the past few years, Saudi Arabia has relaxed visa requirements around Umrah and visiting has become more affordable for pilgrims from the global south.

The new expansion is not without controversies and concerns, particularly due to the apparent size of some of the new buildings.

The Royal Clock Tower, inaugurated in Makkah in 2012 next to the Grand Mosque, is the fourth-tallest building in the world, but has been criticised by some believers for its enormous size, which dwarfs the Kaaba.

The presence of luxury apartments and shops is also criticised because they would ultimately overshadow the religious element of the pilgrimages.

The Saudi government has also been criticised for destroying the Ajyad Fortress, an Ottoman-era citadel, to make way for the tower.

This year, the kingdom updated rules to allow foreigners to purchase property in specific areas in Riyadh and Jeddah, with "special requirements" for homeownership in Makkah and Madinah.

It is also allowing non-Saudis to invest in local, publicly traded companies that own properties in Makkah and Madinah, again with the aim of attracting international investment.

New tax rules went into effect in August and should stimulate the development of real estate projects.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

In June, MPs in Bishkek  in a decision kept secret for two months  decriminalised the offence of marrying multiple wives. When parliament reopened, President Zaparov referred the measure back for review, calling it humiliating. But polygamy remains a far from rare practice, with unions registered only in mosques, even by prominent figures.

Bishkek (AsiaNews) - In recent months, there has been much debate in Kyrgyzstan about the possible legalisation of polygamy, after MPs in the Zogorku Kenes approved a package of amendments to the Criminal Code in June, before closing for the summer recess, including the removal of criminal liability for additional wives.

This decision was only made public two months later, when President Sadyr Zaparov postponed the bill until the reopening of parliament, stating that polygamy humiliates women and violates the rights of children. The affair provoked very passionate reactions, as it is a recurring theme throughout Central Asia, where the practice of having a second wife is still widespread, despite formal prohibitions.

The Attorney General and the Human Rights Ombudsman also contested the abolition of the penalty for polygamy, along with several other state institutions and social structures. MPs attempted to justify themselves by stating that the issue had not actually been discussed in parliament and that the amendment had appeared in the document after the vote.

For the time being, therefore, Article 176 of the Code remains in force, according to which cohabitation with two or more wives under the sole financial responsibility of the husband is punishable by fines and community service.

Polygamy remains a common practice in Kyrgyzstan, even among well-known families. In 2017, the then Grand Mufti of the country, Chubak Zalilov, publicly acknowledged that he had taken a second wife, and businessman Askar Salymbekov also spoke about his double marriage, as did the former human rights ombudsman, Tursunbaj Bakir uulu, who stated that if the wife is ill or unable to bear children, there is no need to divorce, but with her consent, a second wife can be taken, who will not only be a wife, but will become the sister of the first.

Similar situations occasionally come to light among politicians, such as former President Kurmanbek Bakiev, who during his term in office from 2005 to 2010 was officially married to First Lady Tatiana Bakieva, who accompanied him to all official meetings, while his children were entrusted to his second wife Nuzgul Tolomuseva, with whom he fled to Belarus after the overthrow of his regime, where he still resides.

Based on these trends, even at the highest levels, violations of the rule of monogamy are not usually reported to the police even by first and second wives against subsequent wives, as human rights activists claim, and there are no notable cases of punishment under Article 176. Yet, according to Mukhajo Abduraupova, an activist from Os, dozens of women privately seek help to cope with unbearable polygamous cohabitation.

As Mukhajo recounts, the man enjoys himself with one wife and then with another, keeping all the property in his name and celebrating Muslim marriages in the mosque, then denying the existence of multiple marriages to the police and hiding behind religious rituals.

The previous wives are often marginalised and humiliated within the family, and are often left in conditions of absolute poverty. Obviously, there are no official statistics on the prevalence of polygamy throughout Central Asia, where all five countries de jure recognise only one marriage, that registered by the municipal registry offices.

Subsequent unions are blessed with the Muslim nikah, which has no legal value, but there are still several thousand in each Central Asian country.

Multiple marriages are often the result of labour migration, with wives living in two or more countries where the husband goes to support them all (when he can) together with their children, who are therefore deprived of many rights.

Official wives often put up with these situations in order not to lose their social status, because divorce would result in total marginalisation, with serious consequences for their livelihood.
This morning Leo XIV received at the Apostolic Palace a group of Russian Catholics in Rome for their Jubilee pilgrimage. He invited them to light the fire of Christian love" and warm the most hardened hearts in a world brutalised by war. With charity and hope, a "new world" can be built from the ruins. The icon of the Salus Populi Romani is "the sign of the Holy Year.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  Pope Leo XIV met with a group of Russian Catholic pilgrims this morning at the Apostolic Palace for the Jubilee pilgrimage.

In his address, he told them: May your families, your parish and diocesan communities provide an example of love, fraternity, solidarity and mutual respect for all the people among whom you live, work and study. In this way, the fire of Christian love can be kindled, capable of warming even the most hardened hearts.

For the pontiff, the eternal city is "a symbol of human existence in which the ruins of past experiences, anxieties, uncertainties and worries are intertwined with the faith that grows every day and becomes active in charity, and with the hope that does not disappoint and encourages us because even on ruins, despite sin and enmity, the Lord can build a new world and renewed life.

From this perspective, basilicas, churches, and monasteries become tangible signs of a living faith, rooted in peoples hearts, capable of transforming consciences and motivating them to do good.

For Leo, words of hope, love, brotherhood, and solidarity to the Russian pilgrims, are capable of transforming consciences and motivating them to do good and build a new world on the ruins of past experiences:

The pontiff did not directly mention the war that the Kremlin launched against Ukraine over three years ago, even if his words resonate as a call for peace, to work for good, to rediscover the "tangible signs of a living faith" that can be a source of transformation.

The signs include The sacred buildings of Rome [ that] evoke the spiritual reality: that through the sacrament of Baptism we too are like living stones  built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Pt 2:5).

These timely reminders come while diplomats are working toward a new meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump, following a two-hour phone call the two had yesterday.

The date of the summit is still uncertain, but it will be held in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, following the one in Alaska on 15 August, which failed to put a stop to Russias war against Ukraine.

During the meeting with Russian pilgrims, the pontiff also noted that thousands of people walk[. . .] the streets of the Eternal City to cross the Holy Door, to pause at the tombs of the Apostles and the Martyrs, and to fill their hearts with hope along the many paths of faith that cross Rome.

Your presence is part of the journey of the many generations who have wanted to visit these places, where the heart of the Christian soul beats, where the events of faith [. . .] are intertwined with the concerns and commitments of daily life.

[E]ach one of us is a living stone in the edifice of the Church, he told the Russian pilgrims, adding that almost a year has passed since Pope Francis blessed the icon of the Salus Populi Romani and gave it to your local Church. This gift has become the sign of the Holy Year.

May the pilgrimage of this Icon in the Catholic dioceses of Russia be a source of comfort for you and for your families, especially the sick and the suffering. May it also be an invitation to draw hope from that encounter with God through prayer, the reading of the Holy Scripture, help for those in need and words of consolation. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Queen of Peace, who always goes before us in the pilgrimage of faith and hope, sustain you on the journey of your vocation and of Christian life!

After this Jubilee pilgrimage, you will return to your country and you will be called upon to continue the journey of Christian life, pastors and faithful together, said Leo, who invited those present to recite the Our Father in Russian.

In Russia the Catholic Church represents a small minority with an estimated 800,000 members, 0.1-0.6 per cent of the total population, while 90 per cent of the 350-strong clergy come from abroad with six ecclesiastical districts.

The four Latin dioceses (Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Diocese of St Clement in Saratov, Diocese of the Transfiguration in Novosibirsk, Diocese of St Joseph in Irkutsk) are the largest in the world in terms of landmass, with two in Europe and two in Siberia.

The other two sees, a Latin Apostolic Prefecture and a Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate, have been vacant since the 1950s and are run by apostolic administrators.

Since 2007, Mgr Paolo Pezzi, from Italy, has been the Archbishop of Moscow.

(Pictures from Vatican media)
by fr. Tomas Ravaioli *

During the canonisations on 19 October, Pope Leo XIV will proclaim the first saint of this Oceanic country: a lay catechist, husband and father, who died a martyr for defending Christian marriage. Vice-postulator Fr Ravaioli reflects on the relevance of this figure today: He fought against corruption. He tells us what it really means to proclaim oneself a Christian.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Among the new saints that Pope Leo XIV will proclaim on 19 October - World Mission Day - there is one who is very important for Oceania: Peter To Rot (1912-1945) will become the first saint of Papua New Guinea. A lay catechist, husband and father, he died a martyr for defending marriage while the Japanese occupation forces promoted polygamy to ingratiate themselves with the local tribes.

For his canonisation, in addition to the bishops, about a hundred people from Papua New Guinea and a few dozen from other countries have arrived in Rome. On 20 October, the day after the ceremony, they will be received in audience by Pope Leo XIV, while in the evening the Cardinal Archbishop of Port Moresby, John Ribat, will preside over the first Mass in honour of the new saint in Rome. In Papua New Guinea, the official celebrations in honour of the first local saint will then be held in Rabaul from 11 to 14 December.

But what does this figure represent for Papua New Guinea today? Below we publish a reflection on this theme by Fr. Tomas Ravaioli, missionary of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, vice-postulator of the cause for the beatification of Peter To Rot.

That Papua New Guinea is a young nation is no secret to anyone: just a few days ago, on September 16, our nation turned only 50 years old. And, providentially, this same year this young nation will have its first saint. I use the word providentially because those things that for us may seem like coincidences are not so for God: You have ordered all things by measure, number, and weight (Wis 11:20) says the Bible, and nothing escapes his infinite wisdom. If God wanted to give us our first saint in the very same year that our nation turns 50, there is a reason for it.

What is the relevance of this canonization for our nation? We could list many facts and benefits that this canonization brings to our country, but let us limit ourselves to the most important ones:

1) Saint Peter To Rot teaches us that God must have absolute priority.

In recent months there have been great debates in our country about whether or not it was convenient to declare Papua New Guinea a Christian nation. The discussions have been endless. And in the end, what truly makes our nation Christian is not a political declaration or a nice document signed by members of Parliament, but the consistency of life of its citizens: if we are Christians, we must behave as such. It is an inconsistency (and I would even dare say a blasphemy) to call oneself Christian and then forget the commandments that teach us not to steal, not to lie, not to kill, etc.

To Rot, instead, teaches us to be consistent with our faith and to put God as the true priority in our lives, even if that costs us our lives.

In the Acts of the Apostles we are told that the Jews, led by the High Priest and the Sanhedrin, wanted to stop the preaching of the apostles, and strongly ordered them not to speak anymore about the Lord Jesus. And it was Peter who, speaking on behalf of all the apostles, answered without fear: We must obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29) Nineteen hundred years later, in another corner of the world, another man named Peter would say similar words: They have taken away our priests, but they cannot forbid us to be Catholics and to live and die as such. Im your catechist, and I will do my duty even if it costs me my life.

Yes, to obey God rather than men, and to place Gods law as a priority in our lives, is part of the Christian life: whoever does not put God as a priority is not truly Christian. Jesus taught us in word and deed that it is necessary to be faithful until the end, until the last day of our lives, and only then will we obtain the eternal reward. In a world in which many call themselves Christians but live like true pagans without law, the life of To Rot teaches us that God must come first and above all. He used to repeat this phrase: Gods work is all and everything. And while in prison, he said: I have to fulfil my duty as a Church witness to Jesus Christ. And also: Oh, well, they are going to kill me because of my religion.

2) St Peter To Rot teaches us that holiness is possible in any state of life.

To Rot shows us that everyone, no matter the state of life in which we find ourselves, can attain holiness. Holiness is not a luxury reserved for a few, but a necessity for all members of the Church. Everyone, absolutely everyone, is called to be holy. But as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.

Sometimes, when we think of the saints, it may seem that holiness is an almost unattainable ideal for us. The vast majority of saints whose feasts we celebrate in the liturgy were people who did great things and great deeds for God: they were great Doctors of the Church, or Popes, or martyrs, or missionaries in distant lands, or kings and sometimes it is difficult to imitate them, because we are far from being any of those. However, To Rot shows us that we can be saints in any situation in which we find ourselves. He was neither a priest, nor a missionary, nor a king, nor a Doctor of the Church, nor any such thing: he was an ordinary man, married, father of three children, who lived in a humble haus morota with his young wife Paula.

And yet, though ordinary, Peter was extraordinary. He was extraordinary for his faith, for the consistency of his life, and for his strength in facing difficulties for the love of Christ. The day before To Rot was killed, chief Anton Tata had the chance to see him for the last time. Later, he wrote: Later on, in prison, I had a man-to-man talk with To Rot who said: I am here because of those who break their marriage vows, and because of those who do not want to see Gods work go forward. Thats it. I shall die. You go back to care for the people. I said that he should try to bribe the police for his freedom. He replied: Put that out of your mind. They have already condemned me to death.

3) Lastly, St Peter To Rot encourages us in our difficulties.

It is well known that, despite having celebrated 50 years as a country, Papua New Guinea is still very behind when it comes to health, education, infrastructure, and other basic needs. I live in Goroka, and just recently, during the weekend of the Goroka Show when the city was full of tourists, Goroka experienced all kinds of hardships.

These are hardships we live with daily: practically no running water, constant power outages (sometimes up to four in a day!), telephone lines (despite high rates) never working, etc., the hospital had no medicines, and going out to celebrate on the streets was dangerous and inadvisable. Meanwhile, we saw on TV how in Port Moresby shows were being held that must have cost millions of kina. A real pity: while some were dancing in POM, people were thirsty and without power and medicine in Goroka.

And this is just one example. We know how much our people suffer in the most remote villages or in the bush. Basic needs are not met, and our children, youth, and elderly live as best they can, trying to survive in the most dignified way possible.

What does this have to do with Peter To Rot? It has to do with the fact that Peter To Rot was one of us: he also knew injustice, corruption, hunger, thirst, and the lack of basic services. And yet, with his strength of spirit and his spiritual fortitude, he was able to overcome it all.

Let us remember that he was unjustly imprisoned, and his Japanese guards treated him in the worst possible way. Let us remember that To Rot spent days without food in prison, and was severely beaten by the wardens. Let us remember that he too was a victim of lies, injustice, and corruption. That is why his example encourages us in our own struggles and in our own moments of difficulty and discouragement.

Let us end this article with the testimony of his wife, Paula Ia Varpit: Two days before his death, I paid my husband one of my regular visits. He asked me to bring him a razor, a loin-cloth and his catechists crucifix, which he had hidden in a suitcase containing song-sheets. I arrived at the prison on the next day, earlier than usual, bringing with me the things he had asked for. I brought my two children with me. I also cooked for him, a chicken with some yams. To Rot appeared to have lost his appetite, and I was feeling somewhat uneasy, as he had not explained why he wanted the things he had asked her to bring from home. Expressing my fears, I begged To Rot to give up the catechists way of life, and to take up, instead, a quiet, withdrawn style of living. To Rot had replied: Dont you worry about that. It is my duty to die for God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and for my people. Then he made the sign of the cross. He showed no sign of fear or grief. We sat together for a long time, and then To Rot urged me to take the children home.

This was the last meeting between Peter and Paula. A few hours later, the good catechist would shed his blood out of love for Christ, watering our land forever.

* Missionary of the Institute of the Incarnate Word in Papua New Guinea, vice-postulator of the cause for beatification of Peter To Rot
by Arundathie Abeysinghe

Seven out of every 100 couples on the island are related by blood. The figure drops to 4% among Sinhalese and Muslims, but reaches almost 25% among Tamils. Among the most sensitive diseases is thalassaemia, present in 50% of children born to blood relatives among the Tamils. The defence of the land and ancestral traditions fuel marriages within the family.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - Sri Lanka is facing a silent but no less worrying genetic problem linked to the fact that about seven out of every 100 married couples are blood relatives (primarily cousins) or close relatives. Among the Sinhalese and Muslims, the percentage is about 4%. But among the Tamils, the figure is significantly higher, affecting almost one in four couples. Many families have children with beta thalassaemia (-thalassaemia) and, among these, 15% of parents are related by blood. In the Tamil community, the number of patients with thalassaemia is 50%.

Consanguineous marriages are common in some ethnic groups or populations for social, economic or cultural reasons; however, this practice also carries a higher risk of transmitting genetic diseases to offspring, as related individuals are more likely to be carriers of the same recessive genetic mutations.

Several universities on the island recently conducted a survey collecting data on more than 8,000 marriages, which found that about seven out of 100 couples are consanguineous, with 4% among Sinhalese and Muslims and up to 25% among Tamils. The research revealed that most families have children with thalassaemia, a serious hereditary blood disorder. Although marriages between cousins are not a widespread problem at the national level, this practice is more deeply rooted in some communities and carries several socio-health risks.

Although most children born to cousins are healthy, if there are cases of this rare blood disorder in the community, the risks increase with each generation. Children with this disease need regular blood transfusions throughout their lives and also require expensive medication to prevent damage to their heart and liver.

Apeksha Samarasinghe and Gihan Athukorala, doctors and scholars, explain to AsiaNews that the single gene disorder prevalent in Sri Lanka is thalassaemia and there are about 2,000 patients affected by this serious disease in the country. Consanguineous marriages, they say, play a significant role in transmission in many communities. This is a hereditary blood disorder in which the body produces reduced amounts of haemoglobin, leading to anaemia, fatigue, weakness and pale skin. The severity of the problem, they point out, ranges from mild to severe, the latter often requiring regular blood transfusions.

Complications, the academics warn, can also include growth retardation, bone problems, many facial changes, liver and gallbladder problems, enlarged kidneys, enlarged spleen, diabetes, hypothyroidism and heart problems. Thalassaemia mainly occurs together with the destruction of a large number of red blood cells. This causes the spleen to become larger and work harder than usual. An enlarged spleen, they conclude, can worsen anaemia. It can also reduce the life of red blood cells received in a transfusion.

Senaka Dissanayaka, Nishsnthi Wijerathna and Anuruddha Jayamanna, civil registry officials, explain that marriage between close relatives is mainly based on land, especially that inherited from ancestors. People in rural areas, they continue, "are of the opinion that if an outsider marries their son or daughter, the land will be inherited by outsiders. Therefore, marriages between cousins will keep the property within the family. When the inheritance is shared among close relatives through marriages within the family circle, disputes over land will be avoided. Most families in rural areas know each other's background. Therefore, parents feel more secure choosing a partner from among their relatives, especially for their daughters." Added to this is the fact that in the North and East, due to decades of ethnic conflict, social networks have been reduced and families have often turned to cousins because the number of suitable partners was limited, warn Senaka, Nishsnthi and Anuruddha.

Some scholars believe that there is a higher likelihood of birth defects and developmental delays among families who marry between cousins. Although some are convinced that cousin marriages should be completely banned by law in order to prevent the transmission of such serious problems, bans only create silence, secrecy and resentment, rather than permanent solutions.
Today's headlines: After a two-hour phone call, Trump ready to meet Putin in Hungary for peace in Ukraine; Israel and Hamas exchange accusations over violations of the truce and the return of deceased hostages; Gold smuggling is on the rise on the eve of two key festivals in India ; Seoul develops first organ donation plan based on cessation of heartbeat; Ankara rejects accusations of deporting Christian foreigners.

JAPAN

Former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama died today at the age of 101. In office from 30 June 1994 to 11 January 1996, during his term he had to deal with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in the west of the country and the devastating sarin gas attack by the Aum Shinrikyo religious sect on the Tokyo subway. However, he is best remembered for being the first senior Japanese official to apologise on 15 August 1995, on the 50th anniversary of the end of the war, for the atrocities committed by Japan during the Second World War.

RUSSIA - UNITED STATES

US President Donald Trump announced yesterday on Truth Social that he will meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, to try to end the war in Ukraine. The announcement comes at the end of a two-hour phone call between the two leaders, with the date of the summit still uncertain. It will also be preceded in the coming days by talks between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The White House will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tomorrow and says it is convinced that a face-to-face meeting between the leaders of Kiev and Moscow remains possible.

ISRAEL - GAZA - LEBANON

Israel is preparing to reopen the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt for goods and people, but there is still no official date. The delay is due to the exchange of mutual accusations with Hamas over ceasefire violations and a dispute over the return of the bodies of deceased hostages. The militants are having difficulty locating and recovering the bodies, but the peace plan remains intact, although issues regarding disarmament and the future governance of the Strip remain unresolved. In addition, on 14 September, but the news has only just emerged, Israeli prison guards allegedly beat Marwan Barghouti, the most important Palestinian political prisoner in Israeli jails, until he lost consciousness. Finally, at least one person was killed and seven wounded in a series of Israeli bombings yesterday on southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.

INDIA

Gold smuggling has increased recently, on the eve of several major holidays and in response to rising prices and a supply crisis in the world's second-largest purchaser of the precious metal. In the recent past, the government had cut the import tax from 15% last year to 6%; However, this was not enough to stop trafficking on the eve of the Dhanteras and Diwali festivals, when buying gold is considered auspicious, while prices have risen by 67% this year.

SOUTH KOREA

The Ministry of Health yesterday announced the first national plan for organ donation after the heart stops beating. This reform aims to address the growing imbalance between demand and donation rates: nearly 55,000 people are on the waiting list for a transplant in South Korea, where the average wait is four years and, in some cases, up to eight years for a kidney, while 8.5 people die every day on average before receiving a transplant. At present, the system depends on brain-dead donors, and the number is steadily declining: from 478 in 2020 to 397 in 2024, while the number of patients waiting has risen from 43,182 to 54,789.

TURKEY

Ankara rejects accusations that it has deported foreign citizens belonging to Christian communities, calling the claims baseless and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign to target Turkey. For the authorities, the narrative undermines the image of a nation that is home to some 180,000 Christians and 20,000 Jews, with 435 churches, monasteries and synagogues scattered throughout the country.

INDONESIA

The army killed 14 Papuan fighters in an operation to liberate a village from separatist control in one of the poorest regions of the country, despite its underground riches, including natural gas, copper and gold. The Free Papua Movement has been fighting for independence since the area came under Jakarta's control, with a UN-supervised vote, after Dutch colonial rule. According to the separatists, there were 15 victims, including three fighters and 12 civilians.

KAZAKHSTAN

Three large power plants for heating will be built in Kazakhstan in Semej, Koksetau and Ust-Kamenogorsk, initially designed with the Russians, but which will instead be financed entirely by Chinese investors. The change follows the signing of an agreement in Beijing between the project representatives, which are now being finalised and are expected to cost 134 billion tenge, approximately 120 million.
HOUSTON, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: WES) ("WES" or the "Partnership") announced that the board of directors of its general partner declared a quarterly cash distribution of $0.910 per unit for the third quarter of 2025, or $3.64 per unit on an annualized basis, which is in-line with the prior quarter's distribution. WES's third-quarter 2025 distribution is payable on November 14, 2025, to unitholders of record at the close of business on October 31, 2025.

The Partnership plans to report its third-quarter 2025 results after market close on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Management will host a conference call on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. Central (9:00 a.m. Eastern) to discuss the Partnership's quarterly results. Participants are encouraged to dial into the conference call ten to fifteen minutes before the scheduled start time to avoid any delays entering the call. The full text of the release announcing the results will be available on the Partnership's website at www.westernmidstream.com.

Third-Quarter 2025 Results

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

8:00 a.m. Central (9:00 a.m. Eastern)

Dial-in number: 800-836-8184

International dial-in number: 646-357-8785

To participate in WES's scheduled third-quarter earnings call, please refer to the above-listed dial-in information. To access the live audio webcast of the conference call, please visit the investor relations section of the Partnership's website at www.westernmidstream.com. A replay of the conference call will also be available on the website following the call.

ABOUT WESTERN MIDSTREAM

Western Midstream Partners, LP ("WES") is a master limited partnership formed to develop, acquire, own, and operate midstream assets. With midstream assets located in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, WES is engaged in the business of gathering, compressing, treating, processing, and transporting natural gas; gathering, stabilizing, and transporting condensate, natural-gas liquids, and crude oil; and gathering and disposing of produced water for its customers. In its capacity as a natural-gas processor, WES also buys and sells natural gas, natural-gas liquids, and condensate on behalf of itself and its customers under certain gas processing contracts. A substantial majority of WES's cash flows are protected from direct exposure to commodity price volatility through fee-based contracts.

For more information about WES, please visit www.westernmidstream.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. WES and its general partner believe that their expectations are based on reasonable assumptions. No assurance, however, can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other expectations expressed in this news release. These factors include our ability to meet distribution expectations and financial guidance; our ability to safely and efficiently operate WES's assets; the supply of, demand for, and price of oil, natural gas, NGLs, and related products or services; our ability to meet projected in-service dates for capital-growth projects; construction costs or capital expenditures exceeding estimated or budgeted costs or expenditures; and the other factors described in the "Risk Factors" section of WES's most-recent Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other public filings and press releases. WES undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Note regarding Non-United States Investors: This release is intended to be a qualified notice under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1446-4(b) and 1.1446(f)-4. Brokers and nominees should treat one hundred percent (100.0%) of Western Midstream Partners, LP's distributions to non-U.S. investors as being attributable to income that is effectively connected with a United States trade or business. Accordingly, Western Midstream Partners, LP's distributions to non-U.S. investors are subject to federal income tax withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Furthermore, one hundred percent (100.0%) of Western Midstream Partners, LP's distributions to non-U.S. investors is in excess of cumulative net income for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446(f)-4(c)(iii). Brokers and nominees are treated as withholding agents responsible for withholding on distributions received by them on behalf of non-U.S. investors. The CUSIP number of Western Midstream Partners, LP's common units is 958669 103.

WESTERN MIDSTREAM CONTACTS

Daniel Jenkins

Director, Investor Relations

[email protected]

866-512-3523

Rhianna Disch

Manager, Investor Relations

[email protected]

866-512-3523

SOURCE Western Midstream Partners, LP
17 October 2025 15:51 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

The Baku Military Court continued the trial on October 17 in the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of Armenia, with the hearing proceeding to the stage of document examination, Azernews reports.

The reviewed documents included materials based on interviews with various media outlets, public statements, and social media posts by the accused individuals  Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, David Babayan, and others. These materials reportedly contained calls inciting ethnic, national, and religious hostility, as well as statements directed against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan. They also included messages interpreted as calls for war and terrorism.

It was emphasized that, following Armenias military aggression, the ongoing trial concerns Armenian citizens charged with crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, genocide, and the preparation and execution of a war of aggression. The defendants also face accusations of terrorism, financing terrorism, and attempting to seize or retain power by force, among other serious crimes.
17 October 2025 23:07 (UTC+04:00)

The open court hearing session for criminal cases against citizens of the Republic of Armenia, including Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanian, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others, who are accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimesincluding the preparation and conduct of aggressive war, genocide, violation of the laws and customs of waras well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power, and numerous other crimes resulting from Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan, continued on October 17.

The court session was held at the Baku Military Court, chaired by Judge Zeynal Aghayev, with the panel consisting of Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova). Each accused individual was provided with an interpreter in their native language, as well as legal representatives for their defense.

The session was attended by the accused persons, their defenders, a portion of the victims, their legal heirs and representatives, as well as prosecutors defending the state prosecution.

Judge Z. Aghayev stated that a group of people had applied to the court, noting that they would not be able to participate in the court proceedings for compelling reasons, and that their statements to the preliminary investigation should be examined in the trial.

No one objected to the subsequent examination of their statements from the preliminary investigation.

Z. Aghayev mentioned that those statements would be announced during subsequent sessions.

Afterwards, the trial continued with the announcement of documents.

The court proceedings reviewed the documents based on the interviews of accused Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, Davit Ishkhanian, and others to a number of internet resources, their statements and opinions expressed during the meetings, as well as the posts made on their social media accounts.

According to the documents, those interviews, statements, speeches, and posts featured calls, spreading ethnic, national, and religious hostility between the peoples, and against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan, other criminal information, as well as incitements to war and terrorism.

Following the announcement of the documents, the presiding judge gave the floor to the accused to hear their views on the documents.

Accused L.Mnatsakanyan requested to re-examine his interview with the Armenian journalist on the Jidir Duzu plain.

Nasir Bayramov, Head of the Department for Defense of State Prosecution at the Prosecutor Generals Office, said that the interview had already been screened at one of the previous court hearings, during the interrogation of the accused, and that Levon Mnatsakanyan answered the questions from the state prosecutors about it.

He emphasized that when the interview was reviewed during the previous hearing, Levon Mnatsakanyan expressed his opinions on the parts he disagreed with, which was also reflected in the minutes of the hearing. The public prosecutor added that there was no need to re-examine that evidence and requested the court to take the above into account.

Subsequently, Judge Zeynal Aghayev announced the part of the minutes of the hearing where the mentioned video interview was presented, and where Levon Mnatsakanyan raised his objection.

Then, the defendant D. Ishkhanyan filed an appeal, claiming he had been given the opportunity to view the video recording of the interview with former Deputy Minister of Defense of Armenia Manvel Grigoryan.

It should be noted that at the previous court hearing, D. Ishkhanyan had requested that the video recording to be loaded to the tablet provided to the defendants.

D. Ishkhanyan also requested to familiarize himself with a copy of a secret document signed by Kamo Vardanyan, the deputy chief of staff of the army of the so-called regime.

A copy of the order was presented to the accused for familiarization.

Additionally, the defendants Davit Ishkhanyan and David Babayan stated that they did not agree with many of the details indicated in the announced documents.

Defendant A. Ghukasyan requested the court to provide conditions for him to express his opinion on the announced documents at the next court hearing.

Judge Zeynal Aghayev stated that the request would be taken into account.

The court proceedings will continue on October 20.

Fifteen defendants of Armenian origin are accused in the criminal case concerning numerous crimes committed during the aggressive war waged by the Armenian state - including the aforementioned criminal association - on the territory of Azerbaijan, in violation of domestic and international legal norms. These crimes were committed for the purpose of military aggression against Azerbaijan and were carried out under the direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, officials of its state institutions, its armed forces, and illegal armed formations, through their written and verbal orders, instructions, and guidelines; material, technical, and personnel support; centralized management; as well as under strict control and under the leadership and direct or indirect participation of Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Musheghi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan, and others.

The following individuals - Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi Arshaviri Ghukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan, David Azatini Manukyan, David Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit Nelsoni Allahverdiyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, and Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan - are being charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan: Article 100 (planning, preparing, initiating, and waging a war of aggression); Article 102 (attacking persons or organizations enjoying international protection); Article 103 (genocide); Article 105 (extermination of the population); Article 106 (enslavement); Article 107 (deportation or forced displacement of population); Article 109 (persecution); Article 110 (enforced disappearance of persons); Article 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law); Article 113 (torture); Article 114 (mercenary service); Article 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare); Article 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict); Article 118 (military robbery); Article 120 (intentional murder); Article 192 (illegal entrepreneurship); Article 214 (terrorism); Article 214-1 (financing terrorism); Article 218 (creation of a criminal organization); Article 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, and possession of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and devices); Article 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security); Article 277 (assassination of a state official or public figure); Article 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state); Article 279 (creation of armed groups not provided for by law); and additional articles.
17 October 2025 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

The 3rd National Urban Forum of Azerbaijan (NUFA3), held under the theme Towards Climate-Resilient and Healthy Cities: Regional Partnerships and Innovative Solutions, represents far more than a conventional gathering of urban planning experts. Held for the first time in Khankendi - a city once at the heart of decades-long conflict - this Forum embodies the strategic transformation, national resilience, and emerging global role of Azerbaijan in sustainable urban development.

Khankendi as a metaphor for victory and vision - The decision to host NUFA3 in Khankendi, in the heart of the recently liberated territories, is itself a powerful geopolitical and cultural message. As President Ilham Aliyev declared in his opening address:The city that endured occupation for many years is now a symbol of peace, restoration, and revival.

The Forum is not only a technical dialogue on planning but also a public statement of territorial sovereignty and the rapid pace of post-conflict reconstruction. Khankendi now symbolizes both military victory and development capacity, reflecting Azerbaijans determination to rebuild from ruins and redefine the regions future.

Following Azerbaijans decisive victory in the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020, the government launched one of the most ambitious reconstruction efforts in these areas. The scale is historic:

13,600 km of territory is being master-planned.

Master plans for 8 cities and 90 villages approved.

300,000+ residents will return to these areas in the near future.

60,000 people already live, work, or study in the liberated areas under the Great Return program.

President Aliyev highlighted this momentum:

Following three decades of occupation, Azerbaijani territories were left devastated... Today, Azerbaijan is implementing large-scale construction and reconstruction projects in Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur.

Notably, the development is not just physical; it is strategic, sustainable, and forward-looking. With smart city and smart village concepts, green energy zones of up to 10,000 MW capacity, and modern infrastructure such as roads, airports, and railways, Azerbaijan is not just restoring what was lost - it is reimagining it.

Held in partnership with UN-Habitat, NUFA3 attracted over 400 representatives from more than 60 countries, underscoring Azerbaijans growing legitimacy in international urban policy. Executive Director Anaclaudia Rossbach praised both the organization of the forum and Azerbaijans proactive urban agenda, particularly its financial support to UN-Habitat and its commitment to integrating climate resilience into development strategies. She emphasized the significance of COP29, noting that Azerbaijan successfully brought together the climate agenda and urbanization efforts, setting a precedent for holistic and sustainable policy planning.

The Forum also marked a critical step in Azerbaijans broader global engagement, following the successful hosting of COP29 and leading up to the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), scheduled to take place in Baku in 2026. During high-level discussions, both Azerbaijani officials and UN-Habitat leadership expressed confidence in Azerbaijans capacity to host WUF13 at the highest level, building on its strong track record of international cooperation.

President Aliyev noted: The decision to hold the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku in 2026 stands as clear evidence of Azerbaijans contribution to international urbanization processes and the trust it has earned as a reliable partner.

This move solidifies Azerbaijans pivot from conflict recovery to global urban leadership, leveraging its experience to become a model for post-conflict sustainable development.

The emphasis on urban development is not just domestic policy - it is now a cornerstone of Azerbaijans diplomatic identity. The strategic alignment between urban renewal, climate diplomacy, and economic reintegration gives Azerbaijan a unique platform to: Showcase resilience in the face of destruction; Promote regional peace through inclusive infrastructure; Position itself as a global leader in climate-resilient reconstruction.

Urban planning is a priority area in Azerbaijans national development strategy, President Aliyev affirmed. The approaches adopted in urban planning and urbanization have contributed to economic sustainability, socioeconomic well-being, and adaptation to climate change. 

The countrys model intertwines restoration, sustainability, and return - with infrastructure leading the way for human reintegration and economic activation.The 3rd National Urban Forum in Khankendi marks a critical turning point for Azerbaijan. It is a demonstration of capacity, commitment, and coordination - three pillars essential for any country seeking to emerge from prolonged conflict and step onto the global stage with confidence.

By placing Khankendi at the center of its national urban narrative, Azerbaijan is not only reclaiming its lands but also redefining its legacy, transforming sites of suffering into hubs of progress. With WUF13 on the horizon, Azerbaijan is set to amplify its urban transformation as a model of sustainable recovery, where peace, planning, and people intersect.
17 October 2025 13:59 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

Past misunderstandings between Azerbaijan and France have been resolved, said President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev as he received the credentials of the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Azerbaijan, Sophie Lagoutte.

This announcement comes at a crucial moment. As we have highlighted during the EPC Summit earlier this month, the event served as a clear signal of a turning point in AzerbaijanFrance relations. The developments we are now witnessing confirm that prediction: the prospects for bilateral cooperation are becoming clearer, and both sides appear ready to focus on pragmatic, mutually beneficial engagement.

Azerbaijan has long shaped its foreign relations based on international law and shared interests. Tensions with France had emerged in previous years, largely due to certain French politicians biased approach to the ArmeniaAzerbaijan conflict, as well as Frances broader geopolitical posture. French officials, in turn, insisted their policy was neutral. However, states do not have permanent friends or enemiesthey have strategic partners and rivals with whom they interact according to interests. Today, France seems to have abandoned its previous destructive approach toward Azerbaijan, and Baku has responded in kind, signalling a new phase of constructive diplomacy.

Still, the economic ties between the two nations mostly held. Between January and August, Azerbaijan exported roughly $46.3 million in goods to France, while importing about $159.4 million in return. These figures closely mirror those of prior years, making clear that despite political disagreements, the practical trade relationship remained resilient. One clear indication that the previous tensions were largely political and somewhat superficial (without minimising their importance) is the continued ability of French companies and entrepreneurs to operate freely in Azerbaijan. Today, around 60 French companies are active in the country. Even a brief look back shows that France has played a pioneering role in Azerbaijans energy sector, most notably, the French company TotalEnergies was the first to develop offshore gas production in Azerbaijan.

Frances earlier support for Yerevan, however, had been driven primarily by its own interests, but it is increasingly evident that ignoring Baku would now be a missed opportunity. With regional dynamics shifting and the South Caucasus gaining geopolitical attention, renewed engagement offers tangible benefits for both sides.

The significance of this shift is also visible in the reactions of the Armenian diaspora, which has launched a series of envious and fear-driven campaigns online, some even targeting our own publications. Such reactions highlight how consequential this new dynamic has become. Azerbaijans growing role as an indispensable player in regional and Eurasian affairs is undeniable.

Now, France, under mounting domestic pressure, is itself at a crossroads. The country is experiencing what many observers call its most severe political crisis in seventy years. Soaring energy and food prices, slowing GDP, high debt, and rising social unrest have created broad public discontent and frequent strikes.

President Macrons authority has been challenged from within and without. He recently reappointed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who had just resigned amid cabinet disputesand yet even that change has done little to restore stability. The new cabinet faces the threat of a no-confidence vote, and critics from both opposition parties and internal circles have called for early presidential elections. Polls show that 68% of French citizens believe the government is out of touch with society, and 54% believe Macron has lost the ability to form a stable administration.

In this turbulent environment, Macron has sought to deflect blame. During a visit to Egypt for ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, he sharply criticised French opposition parties for intensifying the political crisis. The message was unmistakable: domestic dissent must not derail foreign policy.

Against that backdrop, Macron does not want to be left out of the South Caucasus. France has strategic interests in the region, especially regarding Armenia. Weakening his legitimacy at home could push him to secure influence abroad before his position weakens further. Engaging more constructively with Azerbaijan now is one such move.

While France may not be the France of old, Paris still retains the capacity to influence complex regions through careful strategic and economic moves. The key question now is whether this engagement will be sustained, and what it could mean for the stability and prosperity of the South Caucasus. Thanks to the foresight signalled during the EPC Summit, we can already see that AzerbaijanFrance relations are entering a promising new chapter.
17 October 2025 11:17 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) and the World Bank have exchanged views on expanding long-term cooperation in support of sustainable development goals.

Azernews reports that the discussion took place during a working visit by CBA Chairman Taleh Kazimov to Washington, D.C., where he met with Antonella Bassani, Vice President of the World Bank for the Europe and Central Asia region.

During the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction with ongoing collaboration, particularly in ensuring macroeconomic stability and enhancing financial inclusion in Azerbaijan. They also reviewed the initiatives and projects outlined in the new Country Partnership Framework for Azerbaijan.

Additionally, the two officials discussed prospects for broadening cooperation in the long-term to further support sustainable development objectives.
17 October 2025 19:13 (UTC+04:00)

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From January to September 2025, Azerbaijan exported oil products derived from crude oil and bituminous rocks to India valued at $53.5 million, with a volume of 107,500 tons, Azernews reports, citing the State Customs Committee. According to information, this represents a significant decline compared to the same period last year, with the value decreasing by...

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17 October 2025 19:44 (UTC+04:00)

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In JanuaryAugust 2025, Azerbaijan exported 20.923 million kWh of electricity to the Islamic Republic of Iran, Azernews reports, citing the State Statistics Committee. Revenue from these exports totaled...

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17 October 2025 13:12 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Turkmenistan Culture Days have come to an end in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

The closing ceremony took place in Ganja. The event was jointly organized by the Culture Ministries of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

The final concert celebrated the long-standing cultural and friendly relations between the two nations, with the goal of further enhancing the bonds between their peoples.

The program included performances by artists from both Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. People's Artists of Turkmenistan, along with folklore and ethnographic groups, expressed the spirit of unity and camaraderie through their performances.

Azerbaijan was represented by People's Artists Gulyanag and Gulyaz Mammadova, Honored Workers of Culture Mehpara Jafarova, Rustam Jafarov, Sahri Aliyeva, and the Goygol State Song and Dance Ensemble.

Turkmenistan's contributions came from Jemal Saparova, Bahar Annayeva, Maya Orazberdiyeva, Kerven Yovbasarov, Rustam Hallyyev, and the "Dokmachylar" folklore and ethnographic ensemble, who delivered a memorable stage performance.

Through their collaborative performances, the artists from both nations symbolized the friendship and cultural connection between them.

The Turkmenistan Culture Days took place in Baku and Ganja. A large delegation of cultural figures and artists from the brotherly country visited Azerbaijan for the occasion.

The event featured a rich program including a broad presentation of Turkmen music, decorative and applied arts, museum exhibitions, culinary masterpieces, and literary presentations.

The opening of the exhibition titled "Arkhadag: The Pillar of Turkmen National Heritage" took place at the Heydar Aliyev Center.

The event was attended by Azerbaijan Culture Minister Adil Karimli, Deputy Minister of Culture of Turkmenistan Nursahat Shirimov, members of parliament, representatives of the diplomatic corps, cultural and scientific figures from both countries, and other guests.

The Turkmen national costumes for both men and women, as well as samples of weaving and decorative-applied arts such as carpets and palaz (traditional rugs), were showcased as part of the exhibition.

The exhibition also featured photographs depicting historical figures of the brotherly nation, as well as ancient cultural landmarks and images reflecting modern developments.

Moreover, the Turkmenistan Literature Corner opened at the Azerbaijan National Library.

During the event, the significance of literary ties between the two countries was emphasized. Topics such as translation and publication of literary works in Azerbaijani and Turkmen, as well as prospects for further cooperation in the humanitarian field, were discussed.

Furthermore, Turkmen national cuisine was presented at Seaside Boulevard, followed by a spectacular gala concert that featured breathtaking performances by both Turkmen and Azerbaijani artists.
Partnership preserves WhippleWood's team, leadership, and high-touch client experience while adding the scale and technology of Money Forward Partners

DENVER, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- WhippleWood CPAs PC ("WhippleWood") today announced that it has joined Money Forward Partners, a people-first, technology-forward accounting platform. The partnership enhances WhippleWood's ability to deliver proactive, value-added service while keeping the same staff, same leaders, and the same day-to-day client relationships that have defined the firm for decades.

"At WhippleWood, our clients count on a responsive team that knows their business," said Richard "Rick" Whipple, CEO of WhippleWood CPAs PC. "By joining Money Forward Partners, we're pairing that personal commitment with the tools, analytics, and automation that help us anticipate needs, turn work faster, and deepen our expert advicewithout changing the people or principles our clients trust."

"WhippleWood embodies what we mean by a 'Group-Join'a partnership of equals focused on elevating client outcomes," said Sandy Kimura, CEO of Money Forward Partners. "We'll invest in service-enhancing technology while WhippleWood's local Colorado leadership continues running the day-to-day. Clients should expect the same team and the same high barnow with more resources behind them."

Money Forward Partners' Vision

Money Forward Partners is building a next-generation accounting platform that brings together deep client relationships and smart automationhelping firms work smarter, respond faster, and deliver greater value. Backed by Japan-based Money Forward, Inc. (TSE: 3994), the team's mission is to combine human connection with cutting-edge productivity to redefine how accounting firms operate.

The long-term roadmap is clear: standardize processes, modernize the tech stack, and develop proprietary softwarethen scale by partnering with like-minded firms nationwide. As AI and workflow automation reshape the industry, the vision is to free local experts to spend more time advising clients while repetitive tasks are automated or handled by specialized resources.

What Clients Can Expect

Continuity of Team and Leadership: All WhippleWood professionals are staying, and senior leaders continue to manage daily operations and client engagements. No changes to your core contacts.

ServiceOnly Better: Money Forward Partners will help streamline workflows and introduce practical AI and automation so WhippleWood teams can spend more time advising and less time on repetitive tasks.

Same Commitment, Expanded Capabilities: Clients will continue to receive the full suite of tax, CAS, assurance, and advisory servicesnow supported by the scale, tooling, and best practices of Money Forward Partners.

A Note to Fellow CPA Firms

If you're a firm that wants to preserve culture, elevate client experience, and modernize your tech stackwithout sacrificing local leadershipMoney Forward Partners would like to talk. Confidential inquiries: Sandy Kimura at [email protected].

About WhippleWood CPAs PC

WhippleWood CPAs PC is a Denver-based accounting firm serving middle-market businesses with tax, client accounting services, assurance, and advisory solutions. The firm is recognized for hands-on partner engagement, low client churn, and a people-first culture that emphasizes proactive advice and long-term relationships. All professionals remain with the firm as part of this partnership.

About Money Forward Partners

Money Forward Partners is building a people-first, technology-enhanced accounting platform in the United States. Backed by Money Forward, Inc. (TSE: 3994)a leading Japan-based fintech and SaaS companythe platform combines human connection and automation to boost firm productivity and service quality.

Contacts

Client & Firm Inquiries:

Sandy Kimura  [email protected]

Richard "Rick" Whipple [email protected]

Press:

Inquiries  [email protected]

SOURCE Money Forward Partners
16 October 2025 17:50 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

The Art Has No Borders International Watercolor Festival has kicked off at Khatai Arts Center in Baku, Azernews reports.

The event began with a welcome speech by the director of the Khatai Arts Center, Zahid Avazov, who greeted the festival participants and guests.

Following him, speeches were given by Panah Imanov, head of the executive power of the Khatai district; Atanur Dogan, chairman of the International Watercolor Society; People's Artists Arif Huseynov and Sirus Mirzazadeh; Asad Guliyev, employee of the National Museum of Arts of Azerbaijan; Mehrihan Alisheva, artist and festival organizer; Sabina Iskandar, representative of the International Watercolor Society in Azerbaijan; Elminaz Gahramanova, representative of the International Watercolor Society "Art for Healing" in Azerbaijan; co-chairman of this organization, Rahim Ibrahimov, and others.

Festival participants were presented with gifts, awards, and certificates.

In addition to Azerbaijani artists, watercolor masters from foreign countries also participated in the event. They showcased their works created for children with special needs and conducted creative performances. The festival also featured works by children in need of special attention.

The festival will conclude on October 16 at 18:00 with a joint exhibition of local and foreign artists at the Vajiha Samadova Exhibition Hall of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan.

The goal of the festival is to demonstrate the healing power of art, support the creative potential of children and youth with special needs, facilitate their integration into society, and awaken interest in art.

The festival motto is the following: The world is beautiful with colors! Let's unite our different worlds through the power of art! Through the Art Has No Borders Festival, lets create works together and share our creativity!

The event organizers are confident that the festival will help children with special needs to spend their free time in an interesting and beneficial way, while also increasing public interest in the watercolor genre.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az.
17 October 2025 14:47 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

During her visit to the United States, the Director of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, Dr. Amina Melikova, has held meetings with the heads of various leading museums and cultural institutions, Azernews reports, citing the Carpet Museum.

During her meeting with Ms. Marilyn Jackson, President and CEO of the American Alliance of Museums, Dr. Melikova provided detailed information about the rich traditions of Azerbaijani carpet art, the history of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, its current activities, international relations, and future projects. She also spoke about the museums inclusive project  tactile carpets designed for visitors with visual impairments. This innovative initiative sparked great interest in Ms. Jackson. In turn, Ms. Jackson shared information about the activities of the American Alliance of Museums, which has 3,400 members, the current trends in the museum field in the United States, and possible directions for cooperation. She also invited the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum to take part in the next conference of the American Alliance of Museums.

Amina Melikova also met with Ms. Kate Seelye, Vice President for Arts and Culture at the Middle East Institute, and Ms. Lyne Sneige, Director of the Institutes Arts and Culture Center. The parties discussed how the carpet-weaving heritage can serve as a source of inspiration for contemporary artists, as well as opportunities for experience exchange, exhibition organization, and other forms of collaboration.

The next meeting took place at the George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum with its director, Dr. John Wetenhall. The museum director informed Dr. Melikova about the new permanent exhibition and the museum library, and spoke about recent projects carried out together with students. The parties also exchanged views on the rare Azerbaijani carpets and embroideries preserved in the collection of the Textile Museum, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

At the end of the meeting, Amina Melikova presented the exquisite publications of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum as a gift to the rich library of the Textile Museum.

Such meetings are of particular importance for the international promotion of Azerbaijani culture and the creation of new opportunities for cooperation in the museum field.
17 October 2025 17:53 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

On this historic day, the Azerbaijan National Library has presented a virtual exhibition titled "October 17  Fuzuli City Day" as well as a traditional book exhibition of the same name for its users, Azernews reports.

The virtual exhibition features official documents, photos, and information about Fuzuli city, as well as the restoration and reconstruction work carried out there.

The exhibition also showcases books, articles, and other materials held in the National Library's collection, reflecting the successful implementation of the Great Return to Fuzuli, the Patriotic War, and the Great Victory. These materials are presented in both Azerbaijani and foreign languages.

You can explore the virtual exhibition using the following link.

The traditional exhibition, on the other hand, displays books in Azerbaijani and various other languages about the history of Fuzuli city, its toponyms, ancient historical and cultural monuments, the 44-day Patriotic War, the glorious victory, the heroes who made history, and the soldiers, officers, and martyrs who gave their lives for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

October 17 marks the fifth anniversary of Fuzuli City's liberation from Armenian occupation during the Second Garabagh War, commemorated as Fuzuli City Day.

President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree on July 31, 2023, declaring October 17 as Fuzuli City Day, to be celebrated annually.

The operation in Fuzuli was a pivotal battle on the southeastern front during the 2020 conflict. Azerbaijani forces broke through multiple Armenian defensive lines, leading to a large-scale retreat of Armenian troops.

On October 17, 2020, alongside the liberation of Fuzuli city, the Azerbaijani Army also freed seven nearby villages: Gochahmadli, Chiman, Juvarli, Pirahmadli, Musabayli, Ishigli, and Dadali.
17 October 2025 15:22 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

bp is honoured to join the people of Azerbaijan in celebrating the 140th anniversary of the birth of Uzeyir bey Hajibeyli  a towering figure in the history of Azerbaijani culture, the founder of the nations classical music and professional school of composition, author of the first Azerbaijani opera, and a distinguished educator, playwright and publicist, Azernews reports.

To mark this remarkable occasion, bp has published a special set of books showcasing the great composers invaluable legacy.

The project reflects bps continual commitment to supporting efforts that promote Azerbaijans cultural heritage and celebrate the rich history and artistic achievements of the nation.

bp hosted an event yesterday to unveil the publications and present a concert programme featuring Hajibeylis masterpieces The new publications include:

A collection of Uzeyir Hajibeylis unpublished works, compiled in two separate books;

A photo album capturing moments from his life and creative journey;

A comprehensive guidebook to the Uzeyir Hajibeyli House Museum in Baku.

Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, bps vice president for the Caspian region: It is a great honour for us to present these books in tribute to Uzeyir Hajibeylis extraordinary legacy and his invaluable contribution to Azerbaijans national music. His compositions, infused with national rhythms and coloured with international tones, created with deep artistic mastery and emotional depth, continue to inspire audiences both in Azerbaijan and around the world.

We hope these publications serve as a lasting recognition of his contributions and his timeless influence  not only as a composer, but also as a scholar and publicist whose legacy will continue to shape generations.

The project was implemented by Azernashr with a total cost of 127,560 AZN ($75,035). This covered both the development and printing of the new publications, as well as the organization of the concert event.
17 October 2025 11:08 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

At the instruction of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ilham Aliyev, the leadership of the Ministry of Defense has inspected the logistical support and combat readiness level of Azerbaijani Army units, Azernews reports.

According to the Ministry of Defense, senior officials visited commando military units and other formations to assess the quality of improvements made to the social and living conditions of servicemen and to review the organization of military service.

Following the inspection, Minister of Defense, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, gave additional instructions to responsible officers regarding winter preparedness, further improvement of service and living conditions in military units, enhancement of combat capability, seasonal maintenance of weapons and equipment, and the continuity of logistical support.

Highly praising the combat and moral-psychological readiness of the personnel, the minister met with servicemen to discuss issues of their interest.

During the meeting, Minister Hasanov spoke about the successful reforms implemented in the field of army building under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. He noted that the Presidents resolute defense of Azerbaijans national interests at high-level international events has further strengthened the countrys reputation and influence on the global stage. The minister also conveyed to the personnel the key directives set by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief for the Azerbaijani Army.

Later, Minister Hasanov instructed officers to ensure strict adherence to discipline and safety regulations, promote healthy interpersonal relations within the ranks, and pay special attention to the health and well-being of the personnel.

Colonel General Hasanov emphasized the importance of maintaining constant oversight of troop organization, keeping all types of logistical support under close attention, and strengthening control over the observance of safety rules. He issued concrete directives to the command staff to that effect.
17 October 2025 13:37 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

Baku and Tabriz are exploring the establishment of a sister city partnership aimed at strengthening cultural and economic ties between the two cities, Azernews reports.

Mayor of Tabriz Yaghoub Houshyar made the remarks while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the 3rd National Urban Forum of Azerbaijan (NUFA3).

He noted that Baku has already been declared a sister city with many capitals and major urban centers around the world, adding that a similar partnership with Tabriz is also possible.

The idea of establishing a sister city relationship between Baku and Tabriz has been discussed before, Houshyar said. We hope that concrete steps will be taken in this direction in the near future. Based on the agreement between our heads of state, cultural weeks will be organized in three cities  one in Tabriz and another in Baku.

The mayor emphasized that organizing such cultural events will contribute to the expansion of social and cultural ties between the two cities. The first of these events is planned to be held next year.

Speaking further, Houshyar noted that entrepreneurs from Tabriz are showing strong interest in participating in the reconstruction and development efforts in Azerbaijans Garabagh region.

There is already coordination in this area, and broader participation is possible in the future, he said. It is natural for Tabriz-based businesses to be involved in Garabaghs rehabilitation, education, and infrastructure projects, and this initiative is supported at the state level.

The mayor concluded that such cooperation would not only foster city-level partnerships but also deepen the friendship and understanding between the peoples of Azerbaijan and Iran.
17 October 2025 18:22 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan has taken a major step in enhancing its engagement within the Developing Eight Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8), following the discussions held between President Ilham Aliyev and the D-8 Secretary-General during their meeting in Baku on March 4, 2025, Azernews reports.

For the first time, Azerbaijan is celebrating D-8 Week, a series of high-level events bringing together representatives from member countries to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors. The program features the establishment of three new centers in Azerbaijan  the D-8 Energy and Climate Center, the D-8 Media Excellence Center, and the D-8 Transport Excellence Center.

Throughout the week, Baku is hosting official meetings involving D-8 member states, including the organizations first-ever informal retreat of D-8 Commissioners and the High-Level Dialogue on Climate and Cities. These discussions aim to explore institutional reforms to transform D-8 into a stronger economic bloc while expanding the organizations agenda to include new areas such as climate resilience, urban planning, and media cooperation.

Azerbaijan became a member of the D-8 in December 2024, following the organizations summit in Cairo  becoming the first country to join since the blocs foundation 27 years ago. The D-8 now includes Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Malaysia. Egypt currently holds the D-8 Chairmanship, which will be handed over to Indonesia for a two-year term starting January 1, 2026.

The High-Level Dialogue on Climate and Cities, hosted under Azerbaijans COP29 Presidency, has brought together D-8 Ministers of Climate and Urban Development, D-8 Commissioners, and leaders from major cities across the D-8 region. Many of these participants had previously attended Azerbaijans Third National Urban Forum, reinforcing continuity in global dialogue on sustainable urbanization and environmental action.

Through these initiatives, Azerbaijan demonstrates its growing role as a bridge between developing economies, positioning itself as a regional hub for sustainable energy, climate innovation, and SouthSouth cooperation.
17 October 2025 20:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

Saudi Arabia and the United States are planning to finalize a military cooperation agreement in November, which would designate any attack on the Kingdom as a direct threat to "peace and security" in the region, Azernews reports.

The deal is expected to be formalized during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud's upcoming visit to the United States next month.

A senior White House official told the press that "negotiations are currently underway to sign some form of agreement during the Crown Princes visit," though "the specific details have yet to be finalized."

This potential agreement reflects the growing strategic partnership between the two countries amid increasing regional tensions. Analysts believe it could signal a deeper U.S. commitment to Saudi Arabias defense, especially in light of recent threats from regional actors and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

Experts also suggest that the pact might include enhanced intelligence sharing, joint military exercises, and cooperation on emerging technologies, including cybersecurity and missile defense systems.

The announcement comes at a crucial time as both nations seek to strengthen their alliance in the face of shifting geopolitical dynamics and evolving security challenges.
17 October 2025 22:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

Hyundai Motor is accelerating efforts to diversify its sales networks with tailored market strategies for China and India, amid ongoing global uncertainties  including the potential imposition of auto tariffs in the United States, Azernews reports, citing Korean media.

Beijing Hyundai Motor Company (BHMC), Hyundais joint venture in China, began taking preorders on Thursday for its new compact electric SUV, the Elexio, according to industry sources.

Similar in size to the Kia EV5, the Elexio measures 4.615 meters (about 15.1 feet) in length and 1.875 meters (6.15 feet) in width. It is powered by lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries supplied by Chinese automaker BYD, offering an impressive maximum range of 722 kilometers (449 miles) on a single charge, based on Chinese certification standards.

The Elexio was developed and manufactured entirely in China. It features design elements tailored specifically for Chinese consumers  notably incorporating the number eight, a symbol of good luck in China, into its daytime running lights. The interior boasts a large 27-inch wide infotainment display, catering to local preferences for advanced in-car technology.

Beijing Hyundai priced the Elexio between 130,000 yuan ($18,240) and 150,000 yuan, roughly matching the local price of the Kia EV5, which stands at 149,800 yuan.

The company plans to launch six China-exclusive electric vehicles by 2027, starting with a new compact electric sedan next year, as part of a localization strategy aimed at reclaiming lost market share.

China remains the worlds largest auto market, with 31.44 million vehicles sold last year  nearly double the 15.9 million units sold in the United States.

However, Hyundai Motor Groups sales in China have plummeted since the 2017 THAAD missile defense controversy, with combined sales of Hyundai and Kia dropping to just 204,573 units last year, accounting for a mere 0.65 percent market share. This contrasts sharply with 2016, before the fallout, when the group sold 1.14 million units and held nearly 4 percent of the market.

Hyundai likely believes that recovering even half of its pre-THAAD market share would translate into over 600,000 units sold annually, said Cho Chuel, senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade. However, local startups have flooded the market with sub-premium EVs, so competition will be intense.

Hyundai is also doubling down on its India operations. On Wednesday, the company held an investor day in Mumbai, announcing plans to invest $5.1 billion in India by 2030.

This investment will be directed toward modernizing local production facilities and boosting R&D for market-specific models. Hyundai aims to launch eight hybrid SUVs and five electric vehicles by 2030.

In 2027, Hyundai will introduce an India-exclusive Genesis model to tap into the countrys rapidly growing premium car segment. The company plans to expand production capacity by leveraging its plants in Pune (250,000 units annually), Chennai (760,000 units), and Kias Anantapur plant (350,000 units), targeting a combined annual capacity of 1.4 million vehicles within a few years.

To spearhead this effort, Hyundai will appoint Tarun Garg, currently COO of Hyundai India, as its new CEO starting in January  marking the first Indian national to hold the position since the subsidiary was founded in 1996.

India was the worlds third-largest auto market last year, with 5.23 million vehicles sold. Hyundai sold about 610,000 units, capturing an 11.6 percent market share. The company aims to increase this share to 15 percent by 2030.

Theres no need to chase market share blindly. Sustainable, profitable growth is more important, said Hyundai Motor President Jose Munoz during the India investor day.

The plan is to respond to Indias expanding premium auto market with Genesis, said Kwon Yong-joo, professor of automotive transport design at Kookmin University.

Meanwhile, Hyundai also opened an experiential showroom in Tokyo earlier this month. It plans to target Japans compact EV segment with its small electric vehicle Casper, marketed locally as the Inster. However, Hyundais presence in Japan remains minimal  only 759 units were sold from January to September this year.

With rising uncertainty in the U.S. market, Hyundai is working to reduce its reliance on American sales by strengthening its networks in Asia and other regions, said Lee Hang-koo, adviser at the Korea Automotive Technology Institute. However, increased local production in key markets like the U.S., China, and India may affect output at domestic plants.
17 October 2025 23:32 (UTC+04:00)

King Charles is reportedly considering stripping his brother Prince Andrew of his royal title amid renewed interest surrounding Andrew's connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The King, 76, is "considering all options," a royal source told The Times, with one possible move being to remove Andrew's title as the Duke of York.

Removing a royal title would require an act of parliament, but the move could receive support from the government and the public with King Charles' backing, the outlet reports. The Times, citing the royal source, added that there is hope that Prince Andrew would voluntarily give up the dukedom before being forced.

Another possibility is that King Charles could remove his brother's role as a knight of the prestigious Order of the Garter, per The Times.

According to The Times, there is "concern" and "anxiety" within the royal household after the revelations about Andrews connections to Epstein as well as a Chinese Communist Party official involved in a spy scandal.

PEOPLE has reached out to Buckingham Palace and Prince Andrew for comment.

Prince Andrew, 65, stepped back from his public royal role in 2019 following his bombshell interview with the BBC regarding his ties to Epstein, saying in a statement that he asked then-Queen Elizabeth, his mother, and she gave her permission.

In January 2022, the Queen stripped her second son of his military titles and patronages after a judge rejected his attempt to have Virginia Giuffres sexual assault lawsuit against him dismissed. However, he kept his Duke of York title and other honors, including being a knight of the Order of the Garter, and continued to join the royals at family events such as holiday church outings.

The Duke of York has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and in February 2022, settled with Giuffre  who died by suicide earlier this year  out of court for an undisclosed sum.

Prince Andrew's relationship with Epstein  who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal conspiracy and sex trafficking charges  had renewed interest in recent weeks, as a newly surfaced email from 2011 reportedly showed Andrew telling disgraced financier, "It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it." The email was sent one day after the infamous picture of the prince with his arm around Giuffre was published.

The email message from Andrew to Epstein also appeared to prove that the pair were in contact after the royal said that he had cut ties with him. The King's brother told BBC Newsnights Emily Maitlis that he had visited Epstein in New York in December 2010 to end their association in person.

The revelation of Andrew's email comes only weeks after another email  published by The Sun and The Mail on Sunday on Sept. 20  in which his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, sent Epstein praising him as "a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family." That 2011 email was sent after she had said in an interview that she regretted accepting money from him and vowed not to contact him again. As a result, several charities cut ties with Ferguson.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Prince Andrew was given the title of the Duke of York by Queen Elizabeth upon his marriage to Sarah in 1986. The title is typically given to the second son of the reigning British monarch.

Since stepping back from public royal duties, he has retained his title as the Duke of York and kept his place in the line of succession to the throne, which is currently eighth behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markles two children.
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Not that long ago, California was in the news for wildfires that burned up thousands of home in Los Angeles, and their government's incompetent preparations for such events that caused much of the loss. Now, the state is in the news because Governor Newsome wants to gerrymander its congressional seats to favor Democrats. Their congressional map is already highly gerrymandered, but he just wanted to gerrymander it more.

Where Newsome wants to spend money shows where his priorities lie. While spending a whopping $250 million on his gerrymandering crusade, Newsome has vetoed a fire prevention bill passed by the Democrat majority legislature, objecting that "it cost too much". The bill would have cost tens of millions per year, much less than the $250 million for his gerrymandering project, but could potentially save hundreds of BILLIONS in wildfire damage.

Those are just the warped priorities of a power driven Democrat politician.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/10/16/newsom-vetoes-fire-prevention-bill-citing-cost-while-spending-250m-on-gerrymandering/
California has been issuing Commercial Drivers Licenses allowing holders to operate 18 wheeler trucks on the highways to illegal aliens, in violation of federal policy. One such driver, who could barely speak English or read road signs caused a crash on the Florida Turnpike that killed three Florida citizens.

Now Florida's Attorney General is taking action. He has filed a lawsuit against the states of California and Washington for issuing those licenses. The suit has been filed in the US Supreme Court which has original jurisdiction over lawsuits between states. It seeks injunctive relief against both states.

As "sanctuary states", California and Washington do not ask about citizenship or immigration status to CDL applicants.

https://www.overdriveonline.com/regulations/article/15769574/florida-sues-california-washington-for-issuing-cdls-to-illegal-alien-harjinder-singh

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is withholding $40 million from the state of California for its refusal to obey federal rules on requiring proficiency in the English language for issuance of CDL truck driving licenses.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/10/16/u-s-transportation-secretary-withholds-40-million-california-ignoring-english-proficiency-rules-truckers/
REVEALED | Belfast International Airport left with just one officer on duty following passenger rage incident

Criminal Justice Inspectorate report has warned of gaps in security and wants to see improvements

Passenger rage incident at Belfast International Airport just hours after damning inspection report

Allison Morris Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 07:16

Just one airport police officer was left to guard Belfast International Airport passenger terminal on Tuesday after an incident involving a rowdy traveller.
Inquest told green light was 'unequivocally on' when Glengormley mum crossed and was hit by lorry

Stormont department to look into improvements at the scene of collision that killed Anne Brown

General view of the Antrim Road in Glengormley

Gabrielle Swan Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 07:27

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has promised to look into further improvements to a Co Antrim puffin crossing after a fatal collision in which a mother-of-three died, an inquest has heard.
SC States new residence hall tentatively will sit at the corner of Buckley and Naylor Streets across from Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. Rendering by Little Diversified Architectural Consultants.

The university recently received the states approval to borrow money for the facilitys construction and Truth Halls renovation.

The first level schematic for the new residence hall. ORANGEBURG, S.C.  South Carolina State University is moving ahead with plans for a new 500-bed residence hall, the next

step in the universitys sweeping campus renewal.

This residence hall will be a vibrant, student-centered environment that supports both living and learning, SC State President Alexander Conyers said. The design incorporates the amenities students expect for modern campus residency.

Most importantly, the building also will incorporate modern safety elements, including advanced access controls, integrated camera coverage and secure entry points for residents and guests, Conyers said.

This week, the university received the states permission to use federal bonds to finance the $50 million complex. The 88,700-square-foot building will include a fitness room, computer lab, study area and a small canteen and refreshment area.

Designed by Little Diversified Architectural Consultants, the residence hall tentatively will sit at the corner of Buckley and Naylor Streets across from Oliver C. Dawson Stadium and adjacent to Mitchell Hall. Construction is expected to start in spring 2026 with an estimated opening date in fall 2027. AJAX Construction will build the facility.

The new residence hall will go a long way toward alleviating the housing crunch at SC State, Conyers said. Over the last four years, we have seen tremendous enrollment growth, reaching approximately 3,600 students this fall. Most of our students prefer to live in SC State housing, so the demand exceeds our current capacity.

SC State has roughly 1,660 beds on the campus and 800 beds in off-campus spaces leased by the SC State Housing Foundation. By adding 500 beds in the new residence hall in 2027 and restoring Sojourner Truth Hall with 400 beds in 2026, SC State will gain roughly 900 beds.

Sojourner Truth Hall renovation

This week, the state also authorized SC State to borrow $10 million to complete the budget for Truths renovation. With $10 million in state funding and $5 million in federal funding already in place, the projects overall budget is $25 million.

Constructed in 1972, the 14-story tower encompasses 135,851 square feet. The existing elevator and fire alarm system are original to the building. The renovation will include new fire suppression and alarm systems, an elevator upgrade, HVAC improvements, a new roof, paint, flooring, and code updates. The buildings lobby, bathrooms and bedrooms will all be improved.

Out of an abundance of caution, SC State stopped using upper floors in 2015 because of limited firetruck access, limiting occupancy to 132 students. This fall, the university took the entire building offline to begin the renovation.

With all 14 floors in use and fire suppression systems in place, the project will ensure the safety of all students housed in Truth. After renovations, the administration expects to house 400 first-year students in the residence hall, helping SC State meet housing demand and support continued enrollment growth.

New privately owned student apartment projects also are in the works near the SC State campus, which will offer upperclassmen more options for off-campus residency.

A campus transformation

The housing projects are among more than $200 million in major campus construction projects in various phases of development at SC State:

Construction is underway at the center of campus on a new 94,000-square-foot academic building funded by a $54.7 million state appropriation. The facility was designed by Evoke Studios, the firm behind SC States Engineering and Computer Science Complex. Harper General Contractors is managing construction.

Paragon Builders have commenced construction behind Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on the $1.7 million first phase of SC States wellness center initiative. SC State expects completion by the years end.

With $30.3 million in state funding, SC State will replace the Miller F. Whittaker Library with a new library near Leroy Davis Hall. Evoke Studios is providing design services. Thompson Turner Construction will manage construction.

A $20 million expansion will add 40,000 square feet, including and a new cafeteria, to the recently renovated Kirkland W. Green Student Center. The project is in the design phase with Coast Architects. Thompson Turner will manage construction. SC State expects work to begin in the first quarter of 2026 and to open the expanded facility in fall 2027.

SC State has been awarded $13 million in state funding to renovate Nance Hall, which will become the home of the College of Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences. Compass 5 Partners, a Labella Company, is providing architectural services. SC State expects work to begin in fall 2026 and to open the remodeled building in fall 2027.

With $13 million in federal funds and a $2.6 million state match, SC State expects to start construction on the University Transportation Center in 2026.

In addition to the developments on the main campus, SC States Public Service and Agriculture Division (PSA) is also expanding its statewide footprint. At Camp Harry E. Daniels in Elloree, the university is developing a new limnology research center focused on freshwater science, aquatic ecosystems and environmental stewardship. Additional facilities are also in the works to support research, demonstration and community outreach.

PSA is also enhancing facilities at its research and demonstration farm in Olar, which plays a key role in agricultural innovation, student training and support for South Carolinas farmers.
Some of my listeners have turned to me to champion a cause that I don't think we have any need for
Jim Lynagh was killed during the ambush on Loughgall RUC station in 1987

Jim Lynagh (inset) and the scene of the ambush at Loughgall.

Unionists have branded the launch of a Jim Lynagh Winter School in Co Fermanagh as a sickening celebration of a legacy of IRA bloodshed and misery.

Lynagh  one of the terror groups most ruthless figures  was killed during the ambush on Loughgall RUC station in 1987.

Adverts have appeared online for an event named in his honour, which appears to be organised by the Peadar ODonnell Socialist Republican Forum.

According to adverts, the event is scheduled to take place on Saturday at the former St Eugene's school near Lisnaskea.

It is billed as involving talks about republicanism in the Tyrone, Fermanagh and the border counties, past, present and future and Palestine, Ireland and the Black and Tans: imperialism past, present and future.

One states: Be part of a powerful day of thought-provoking discussion, history and political reflection, rooted in the legacy of struggle and looking towards the future.

The event includes conversations with Tommy McKearney, who is a former hunger striker.

Jim Lynagh (inset) and the scene of the ambush at Loughgall.

News Catch Up - Friday 17th October

Lynagh was a senior figure in the IRAs east Tyrone Brigade.

He was one of eight IRA men killed by the SAS as they were mounting a gun and bomb attack on Loughgall RUC station on May 8 1987.

Anthony Hughes, a civilian who was travelling through the village in a car at the time, was also shot dead.

Over the last three decades, Lynagh has become a celebrated figure in Irish republican circles.

Victor Warrington, a UUP councillor in Fermanagh, said this weekends event was nothing short of disgraceful.

Hosting such an event in a disused primary school outside Lisnaskea is as cynical as it is offensive, turning what was once a place of learning into a lesson for terrorism, he said.

Jim Lynagh and his gang werent heroes, freedom fighters or patriots. They were unrepentant killers whose only legacy is one of bloodshed and misery.

He added: This so-called school is nothing more than an attempt to airbrush history and romanticise terrorism.

"Its a propaganda exercise dressed up as education, and the people of south Fermanagh arent fooled.

As someone born in Rosslea, I know full well what republican terrorism really meant for our communities. It wasnt liberation they were after; it was annihilation. Their campaign was one of pure sectarian hatred, a calculated attempt at genocide against anyone who didnt bow to their warped ideology.

Its sickening that in 2025, some still think its acceptable to glorify murderers and rewrite the past.

"No amount of spin will change the truth: these men were terrorists, not teachers, and the only lesson they leave behind is one of shame and destruction.

The Fermanagh-South Tyrone TUV branch also condemned the event.

Jim Lynagh was the face of evil and a sectarian murderer who killed not to save Ireland from the Brits but to destroy his Protestants neighbours," it said.

The Peadar ODonnell Socialist Republican Forum was contacted.

Earlier this year the TUV lodged a formal complaint against a Sinn Fein council chair who was pictured attending a commemoration event for Jim Lynagh.

Eugene McConnell, the chair of Mid Ulster District Council, was pictured at the event standing behind a banner for Oglach Jim Lynagh Cumann, Clogher in April.

At the time Sinn Fein said: Everyone has the right to remember their dead with dignity and respect.
Brothers of William McKinney arrive at Belfast Crown Court for day four of Bloody Sunday murder trial

A death threat made against a man whose brother was murdered on Bloody Sunday has been condemned as sickening.

Mickey McKinney met with police on October 9  during the trial of Soldier F who is accused with the murder of his brother William  to discuss the incident.

SDLP MP Colum Eastwood said the entire community is disgusted by the threat.

Its hard to imagine the kind of sick person who would see victims and their families campaigning for justice following the murder of their loved ones and decide to threaten to kill them, he said.

Mickey McKinney is a good man fighting alongside his family and the families of all those killed or injured on Bloody Sunday for justice.

"It is sickening that theyve been subjected to this in the middle of the trial of Soldier F.

William McKinney who was shot and killed on Bloody Sunday

The Foyle representative vowed to continue standing with those affected by the events of Bloody Sunday.

Alongside political and civic leaders across our city from every background, Ive stood with these families for decades in their campaign for justice, Mr Eastwood said.

The people of Derry will be with them every step of the way and I know that people from every community will be disgusted at these threats.

A PSNI spokesperson said: We do not discuss the security of individuals and no inference should be drawn from this.

However, if we receive information that a persons life may be at risk, we will inform them accordingly. We never ignore anything which may put an individual at risk.

Bloody Sunday victim William McKinney's brothers attending the trial of Soldier F on Monday. Pic: Alan Lewis

Thirteen people were shot dead by the Parachute Regiment at a civil rights demonstration in the Bogside area of the city in January 1972.

The judge in the trial of the veteran (known as Soldier F) accused of murdering two people that day is due to deliver his verdict next week following a five week non-jury trial at Belfast Crown Court.

The defendant is also accused of five counts of attempted murder.

He denies all charges against him.
Irelands interstate case against the UK Government on legacy matters should be dropped immediately, Northern Irelands deputy First Minister has said.

Emma Little-Pengelly made the assertion after Taoiseach Micheal Martin said dropping the case is on the agenda of negotiations between the two governments in dealing with legacy issues in Northern Ireland.

The UK Government has put forward new legislation aimed at dealing with the legacy of the Northern Ireland conflict, which has been welcomed by Dublin following extensive engagement.

The original Legacy Act brought by the last Conservative government was opposed by victims groups and political parties in Northern Ireland, and it led the Irish Government to launch an interstate legal case against the UK, claiming it breached the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Emma Little-Pengelly speaks during a press conference following the meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mr Martin has welcomed progress on the matter, telling reporters on Friday that there had been significant improvement on the old legislation.

He said the new proposals meet a lot of the concerns articulated by victims groups.

Meanwhile, Tanaiste Simon Harris said it would almost be disrespectful to unionists to drop the case before the new legislation passes through the House of Commons.

Asked if the Irish Government would drop its case as a confidence-building measure for unionists, Mr Martin said: Thats all on the agenda in terms of the negotiations that have taken place.

Speaking to reporters at the North South Ministerial Council at Farmleigh House in Dublin on Friday, he said: The whole context is to have an agreed position between the Irish Government and the British Government in respect of legacy.

Weve achieved that, and we have to bring in legislation as well. The UK Government has published its legislation, so were making very good progress.

Mr Martin said that the unionist community will see evidence in the Irish Government co-operating with various inquiries and requests for information  including the memorandum of understanding with the Omagh Bombing Inquiry.

Micheal Martin said he anticipated the outcome of engagement with the UK Government will be a positive one (Brian Lawless/PA)

He said: That will probably be more significant in terms of unionist confidence in the position of the Irish Government.

However, on repeated questioning about dropping the case, Mr Martin said he anticipated the outcome of engagement with the UK Government will be a positive one.

However, Ms Little-Pengelly said unionists believe the interstate case should never have been taken in the first place.

Its not and should never have been up to the Irish Government to be holding the feet of the British Government to the fire under the threat of a continuance of an interstate case.

We believe that the interstate case should never have been taken in the first place.

I think it has caused a huge amount of upset for many people, particularly the unionist community.

She added: Whenever there is a move by the UK Government, particularly around issues about veterans. You see the Irish Government move in relation to the interstate case.

I believe it should be dropped immediately. I think that the UK Government has had a wide-ranging discussion on a number of actions and legacy legislation has been dropped.

Responding to her comments, Mr Harris said: At the very heart of the interstate case was highlighting the need to have a human-rights compliant and ECHR-compliant legacy infrastructure.

Simon Harris speaks during a press conference (Brian Lawless/PA)

What we now have is a joint framework agreement that, if translated into legislation, could bring us there but we dont currently have that until the legislation passes the House of Commons and thats what were working through in good faith.

Mr Harris said the two governments were moving in a very good direction but said it was no surprise around the Irish Governments sequencing around dropping the case.

Id actually say very respectfully to unionist colleagues, it would almost be disrespectful if the Irish Government was to presume the outcome of the House of Commons deliberation on the legislation.

He added: Were actually being respectful to the process that the British Government and British Parliament will now undertake.

What Id also say is weve already started to take steps to fulfil our applications under the joint partnership agreement.

Ministers from both sides of the border discussed a range of issues including emergency planning, business promotion and gender-based violence at the council.

The 30th plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council, a body set up after the Good Friday Agreement, was held at Farmleigh House in Dublin.

It brings together ministers from the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive twice a year.

Ministers also attended a dinner on Thursday evening.
Catherine Connolly said she had no control over who she met while on a 2018 visit to Syria in which she encountered pro-Assad figures.

In a broadcast presidential debate with Ms Connolly on Friday, Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys also said she did her best for a constituent despite voting against an inquiry into the circumstances of her sons death.

The two candidates were questioned on a series of controversies during a Morning Ireland debate on RTE Radio One, a week out from the vote on October 24.

The latest opinion poll put Ms Connolly on 38% and Ms Humphreys trailing on 20%, with a large amount of undecideds still to play for.

Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin remains on the ballot paper and his votes will be counted as usual, despite the former GAA manager declaring he was no longer contesting the race.

Fine Gael presidential candidate Heather Humphreys (Brian Lawless/PA)

The Irish Times reported on Friday that one of the men Ms Connolly met in Syria was a leader of a group charged with killing Palestinians in a refugee camp.

Asked if she was aware of this, Ms Connolly said: No, I wasnt.

I went to Syria on a fact-finding mission. The first port of call was the Palestinian refugee camp outside Damascus.

We were to go to Beirut, but we joined the group later, and the group had gone to a Palestinian refugee camp outside of Beirut.

We went from Beirut to Damascus on a trip, a fact-finding trip  we met different groups.

She added: You have no control when you go to a country like that as to who will come into Your presence or not.

Thats no endorsement of the regime. Im on record for condemning the regime, I did not meet with (then-president Bashar) Assad.

Ms Connolly said she went to deepen her understanding of the experiences of the Palestinian refugees and discovered that the camp was utterly destroyed.

She insisted that she had met Palestinians who spoke to us as openly as they could within a dictatorship.

The family of Shane OFarrell (Niall Carson/PA)

During the same radio programme, Ms Humphreys reiterated that she did her best for her constituent Lucia OFarrell.

Ms OFarrell has been been critical of the former ministers level of support for her campaign for justice for her late son Shane, who was hit by a car driven by a man who should have been in jail.

Ms Humphreys said she made representations to justice ministers at the time and added: I made representations on her behalf. Im sorry that she says I didnt do enough. Im sorry if thats the case. I really am, but I did my best.

Pressed on why she did not support a vote for a public inquiry, Ms Humphreys said she voted with the Government.

There was reason behind that. I dont know exactly the detail of it.

Her party leader Simon Harris said Ms Humphreys campaign is growing day by day as he rejected a suggestion she was doomed.

Speaking to reporters at the North South Ministerial Council in Dublin, the Tanaiste added: I think a lot of people are thinking this through very carefully, and I think they might be saying: Well, if I dont agree with every single one of their views, who is most closely aligned with my views?

And thats very much why were in the space of asking middle Ireland to lend us their vote.

He also recalled the 2011 election when Sean Gallagher was ultimately unsuccessful after leading in the opinion polls.

Tanaiste Simon Harris (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mr Gallagher received damages and an apology from RTE over an issue late in that campaign where a false tweet was raised during a live TV debate.

Asked if he was waiting for a Gallagher-level surprise to come, Mr Harris did not answer directly and instead said every presidential election is different, adding: Almost 50% of the electorate are not yet sure in terms of either candidate.

Fianna Fail leader and Taoiseach Micheal Martin maintained its all to play for with one week to go ahead of polling day, as he reiterated his support for the Fine Gael candidate.

Asked about Ms Humphrey trailing in opinion polls, he said: Polls dont determine elections  the real poll is on next week.

Mr Martin faced internal disquiet about the process to select Mr Gavin as the Fianna Fail candidate, which resurfaced after he dropped out of the race when it emerged he owed a former tenant thousands of euro.

Asked about former party leader Bertie Ahern saying he had been let down by Fianna Fail leadership for not supporting his ambitions, Mr Martin said: I received no call from Bertie at any stage in advance of that, but these are matters that I can elaborate in greater detail in terms of the review that the Fianna file party will undertake.

Pressed on the fact that Mr Ahern had contacted the partys national executive several times, Mr Martin said the matter would be examined under the review.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris, greet First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly (Brian Lawless/PA)

Dropping Irelands interstate case against the UK is on the agenda of negotiations between the two governments in dealing with legacy issues in Northern Ireland, the Taoiseach has said.

The UK Government has put forward new legislation aimed at dealing with the legacy of the Northern Ireland conflict, which has been welcomed by Dublin following extensive engagement.

The original Legacy Act brought by the last Conservative government was opposed by victims groups and political parties in Northern Ireland, and it led the Irish government to launch an interstate legal case against the UK, claiming it breached the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has welcomed progress on the matter, telling reporters on Friday that there had been significant improvement on the old legislation.

He said the new proposals meet a lot of the concerns articulated by victims groups.

Speaking to reporters at the North-South Ministerial Council on Friday, he said: It is important, I think its a moment in time when we can get over the line a comprehensive legacy framework. Weve been a long time working on this.

The Irish Government and the British Government are working in harmony on the matter.

Asked if the Irish Government would drop its case as a confidence-building measure for unionists, he said: Thats all on the agenda in terms of the negotiations that have taken place.

The whole context is to have an agreed position between the Irish Government and the British Government in respect of legacy.

Weve achieved that, and we have to bring in legislation as well. The UK Government has published its legislation, so were making very good progress.

Mr Harris said the Irish Government is still analysing the UK Governments legacy legislation but found it encouraging.

At a first read, it does seem to be true to the Joint Framework Agreement between the two governments.

On the proposal for the UK Government to bring in digital ID cards, Mr Harris said: Theres a long way to go on this. The British Government has a proposal, again, interestingly, its opposed by many parties in Northern Ireland for many different reasons.

Im obviously very conscious that anything to do with identity and an identity card and Northern Ireland is extraordinarily sensitive and Ive had an initial conversation with (Northern Ireland Secretary) Hilary Benn on this.

Ministers from both sides of the border are discussing a range of issues including emergency planning, business promotion and gender-based violence at the council.

The 30th plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council, a body set up after the Good Friday Agreement, was held at Farmleigh House in Dublin.

It brings together ministers from the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive twice a year.

The Northern Ireland Executive delegation was led by First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

Ministers also attended a dinner on Thursday evening.
Ministers from both sides of the border will discuss co-operation on emergency planning, business promotion and gender-based violence at a major meeting on Friday.

The 30th plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council, a body set up after the Good Friday Agreement, will take place at Farmleigh House.

It brings together ministers from the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive twice a year.

First Minister Michelle ONeill (left) and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly at Stormont Castle, Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA)

The Northern Ireland Executive delegation will be led by First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

The Dublin delegation will be led by Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who said it was an opportunity to discuss areas of shared focus and ambition.

Ministers also attended a shared dinner on Thursday evening.

Mr Martin said the plenary session will be the first opportunity for a collective cross-government and cross-border discussion on emergency planning and preparedness.

He said: Weather events and other emergencies recognise no borders and further co-operation in this area will be important going forward.

The meeting is also an opportunity to return to discussions from previous plenaries that remain pertinent, including promoting joint opportunities for business and trade on this island and much further afield, and tackling gender-based violence together.

Finally, I look forward to being updated by all ministers on North South co-operation under their portfolios, ranging from day-to-day cross-border engagement to major infrastructure projects  all of which contribute to realising the full potential of our shared island.

Tanaiste and foreign affairs minister Simon Harris said: These are important meetings, first and foremost from a work perspective and in terms of the impetus they give to North South co-operation in the different areas, but also on a more human level.

As elected representatives on this island, it is important, as we discuss matters of common interest to the people we represent, that we also take time to get to know each other better, to understand each others perspectives a little more.

Occasions such as this afford us such opportunities, and it is important that we grasp them.
The Taoiseach has said his meeting with former Syrian president Bashar Assad was very different to presidential candidate Catherine Connollys trip to the country nine years later.

Ms Connolly said she had no control over who she met while on her 2018 visit to Syria in which she encountered pro-Assad figures.

The Irish Times reported on Friday that one of the men Ms Connolly met in Syria was a leader of a group charged with killing Palestinians in a refugee camp.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin (Brian Lawless/PA)

Asked if she was aware of this, Ms Connolly said: No, I wasnt.

Speaking during a debate on RTEs Morning Ireland, she said: I went to Syria on a fact-finding mission. The first port of call was the Palestinian refugee camp outside Damascus.

We were to go to Beirut, but we joined the group later, and the group had gone to a Palestinian refugee camp outside of Beirut.

We went from Beirut to Damascus on a trip, a fact-finding trip  we met different groups.

Ms Connolly added: You have no control when you go to a country like that as to who will come into your presence or not.

Thats no endorsement of the regime. Im on record for condemning the regime, I did not meet with (then-president) Assad.

The independent candidate said she went to deepen her understanding of the experiences of the Palestinian refugees and discovered that the camp was utterly destroyed.

She insisted that she had met Palestinians who spoke to us as openly as they could within a dictatorship.

Ms Connolly has also noted that Mr Martin directly engaged with Mr Assad in 2009.

At a press conference on Friday, Mr Martin defended that meeting, saying: I think my visit was a much earlier phase back in 2009, on the advice of Department of Foreign Affairs officials at the time, because it was a wider Middle East visit to do with the peace process and Palestine.

He said Syria had been involved in discussions with Israel and Turkey at the time.

On Ms Connollys trip, Mr Martin said the context of her visit was much, much different.

He said she had met people who had been involved in the persecution of Palestinians.

Mr Martin said: Clearly no advanced research went into that, it seems to me from what Ive hard.

At the same press conference, Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said it was very unfair for Ms Connolly to conflate her trip to Mr Martins.

Tanaiste Simon Harris (Brian Lawless/PA)

He said she had suggested she was on a humanitarian mission but it had since emerged she was in the presence of war criminals.

Mr Harris added: Its also emerged in recent days that she didnt fund the trip, we the Irish people did, and therefore I think full transparency and breakdown of the costs is important in relation to that.

On the Syria trip as well as her engagement with Oireachtas officials about an access pass for a woman convicted of a firearm offence, Mr Harris said: Theres a lot of things that the deputy is kind of considering.

She gets asked a difficult question, she considers it  with a week left (until the election), it would be useful if her considerations could come to a conclusion.

In the presidential debate with Ms Connolly on Friday, Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys also said she did her best for a constituent despite voting against an inquiry into the circumstances of her sons death.

The family of Shane OFarrell (Niall Carson/PA)

Lucia OFarrell has been critical of the former ministers level of support for her campaign for justice for her late son Shane, who was hit by a car driven by a man who should have been in jail.

Ms Humphreys said she made representations to justice ministers at the time and added: I made representations on her behalf. Im sorry that she says I didnt do enough. Im sorry if thats the case. I really am, but I did my best.

Pressed on why she did not support a vote for a public inquiry, Ms Humphreys said she voted with the Government.

She said: There was reason behind that. I dont know exactly the detail of it.

Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys (Brian Lawless/PA)

The two candidates were questioned on a series of controversies during a Morning Ireland debate on RTE Radio One, a week out from the vote on October 24.

The latest opinion poll put Ms Connolly on 38% and Ms Humphreys trailing on 20%, with a large amount of undecideds still to play for.

Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin remains on the ballot paper and his votes will be counted as usual, despite the former GAA manager declaring he was no longer contesting the race.

Mr Harris said Ms Humphreys campaign is growing day by day as he rejected a suggestion she was doomed.

Fianna Fail leader and Taoiseach Micheal Martin speaks to former taoiseach Bertie Ahern (Niall Carson/PA)

Mr Martin maintained its all to play for with one week to go ahead of polling day, as he reiterated his support for the Fine Gael candidate.

The party leader faced internal disquiet about the process to select Mr Gavin as the Fianna Fail candidate, which resurfaced after he dropped out of the race when it emerged he owed a former tenant thousands of euros.

Asked about former party leader Bertie Ahern saying he had been let down by Fianna Fail leadership for not supporting his ambitions, Mr Martin said: I received no call from Bertie at any stage in advance of that, but these are matters that I can elaborate in greater detail in terms of the review that the Fianna Fail party will undertake.

Pressed on the fact that Mr Ahern had contacted the partys national executive several times, Mr Martin said the matter would be examined under the review.
Politicians should be prepared to talk about what a unified Ireland would look like, Irish deputy premier Simon Harris has said.

The Tanaiste was commenting after his Fine Gael partys candidate for the Irish presidency, Heather Humphreys, suggested unification could involve the retention of a devolved parliament at Stormont.

Ms Humphreys insisted that people in Northern Ireland who have a British identity had nothing to fear from constitutional change, as the Presbyterian from Co Monaghan highlighted her own experience as part of a minority community in the Republic of Ireland.

Her remarks came on the same morning that political leaders from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland gathered in Dublin for a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council.

Tanaiste Simon Harris, Taoiseach Micheal Martin, First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle ONeill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly at the North South Ministerial Council (Brian Lawless/PA)

At a post-meeting press conference, Mr Harris, Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Stormont First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little- Pengelly were asked about Ms Humphreys suggestion.

The Tanaiste said: I think what Heather was doing today was showing a sophisticated understanding of the fact that these conversations, when they need to happen, that they need to consider all of these things.

And Ive heard other politicians talk about these things as well. You know, youve got to be willing to talk about what a new Ireland would look like, and I think thats what Heather was doing.

But we also need to be very honest about what the role of the president is and what the role of the president isnt.

And the president of Ireland wont decide when there is or isnt a referendum  thats a matter for the Secretary of State of the British Government, and the president of Ireland wont decide government policy.

But what the president of Ireland can do, and weve seen people do this very well  weve seen (former president) Mary McAleese do it extraordinarily well  is use their office, use their power, their soft power, to facilitate conversations, to bring people together, to promote reconciliation, to prompt and spark debates, to visit communities, to listen.

And I, of course, believe that Heather is eminently and uniquely qualified to do that in the years ahead.

Mr Martin was not drawn on the issue of retaining a devolved Stormont post-unification. He said his immediate focus was on reconciling people across the island.

Reconciliation involves a lot of hard work and, in my view, we should focus on connecting and reconciling people from different communities, different traditions, north and south, and creating a far more natural, seamless interaction between peoples. And that is easier said than done, he said.

The Taoiseach added: My agenda is really how do we share the island together in a pragmatic and effective way that benefits people, the people who live on the island.

Ms ONeill said she welcomed that the question of Irish unity was at the heart of the presidential debate.

I think thats only a healthy thing, she said. I think more and more people are entering into the conversation.

The Sinn Fein vice president added: My call, I suppose, in terms of the Irish governments role here, is that the planning needs to happen, the preparation needs to happen, and I really want to see that happen at pace. And I think that will be crucially important.

DUP deputy First Minister Ms Little-Pengelly insisted there was no momentum towards constitutional change.

I think there are so many issues that we need to tackle, around health, around education, around growing our economy, she said.

I do believe that we better serve the people of Northern Ireland by focusing on those issues that really impact on them, day in and day out, week in and week out. Thats what I am about.

I dont see any momentum towards the abolition of Northern Ireland. I dont think any of the figures or the statistics play that out.

I think that people are attempting to build that momentum. But Im not going to be distracted by that. Im going to focus on delivering for Northern Ireland and making Northern Ireland the very strongest it can be.

The issue of reunification and accommodating unionists within any new Ireland was debated between Ms Humphreys and rival independent candidate Catherine Connolly on an election debate on RTE Radio One on Friday morning.

You could be talking about devolved government in Northern Ireland as part of an overall Irish solution, Ms Humphreys said when asked how a British identity would be reflected within a united Ireland.

Those are all conversations that we have to have. And theres no point in pre-empting anything before you go in, you talk to people.

The first thing we have to do is build trust. If we dont have trust, we have nothing. So we have to build trust. We have to deepen understanding.

And I can see that very clearly  theres still a lot of misunderstanding out there, so we have to deepen that understanding, build trust and work together, because I believe that we must unite people first, as John Hume (former SDLP leader) said, and that is so, so important.

And I feel Im very well placed to bring that conversation forward and to bring and work on it, to work towards a united Ireland.

Independent candidate Catherine Connolly (Brian Lawless/PA)

Ms Humphreys said that if elected, she would make sure the presidents residence at Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin would be a safe place for unionists to come and outline their concerns.

She said she would also seek to facilitate conversations between unionists and nationalists.

Galway TD Ms Connolly said a reunified Ireland would have to respect and value differences.

I will do that as president in as much as I can, she added.

Ms Connolly said the Irish government was not doing enough to examine the issues around unification as she claimed a report on constitutional change compiled by a parliamentary committee in Dublin had been left sitting on a shelf.

My vision as president will be to reach out to communities on all sides, she said.

Ive visited Northern Ireland repeatedly, I visited different communities.

I will facilitate open forums in relation to listening and building on the work thats ongoing. Its really important, the meticulous, methodical work that is ongoing by civic organisations on the ground.

Whats lacking is a government response. There was a cross-party committee that reported last year. That report is sitting on a shelf.

That committee asked the government to prepare a green paper to outline the issues and outline the direction for a united Ireland.

That hasnt happened unfortunately.
Veteran communicator to lead integrated brand, media and digital strategy for South Carolina State University

ORANGEBURG, S.C.  South Carolina State University has appointed Sam Watson as executive director of Strategic Communications & Marketing.

Watson will oversee the universitys executive communications, brand strategy, media relations, marketing campaigns, merchandising, social media, digital imaging, website management, and radio operations.

Under the leadership of President Alexander Conyers, Watson will partner with campus leaders to align messaging with enrollment, advancement, academic and student success priorities. He also will work with General Counsel Nashiba Boyd to ensure consistent, accurate and timely communications related to legal, policy and public information matters.

Sam brings seasoned judgment, creative energy and a deep understanding of our mission, Conyers said. His extensive media experience, management successes and record of communications excellence make him the right choice to elevate Strategic Communications and Marketing to new heights.

His leadership will help us share SC States story with clarity and impact, reaching local, national and international audiences, strengthening our visibility, and advancing our reputation as a leading public teaching and research institution, Conyers said.

Having joined SC State in February 2021 as public information officer, Watson has served as director of University Relations since July 2022. During his tenure leading university communications, Watson has strengthened SC States public relations and media engagement strategy, resulting in significant national visibility and consistent positive coverage across major outlets. He also guided the redevelopment of the universitys website, working closely with academic and administrative units to create content that highlights SC States programs, achievements and impact.

Im truly grateful for the confidence President Conyers has placed in me, Watson said. Its an honor to share the story of this remarkable university and the people who make it so special. SC State has momentum, purpose and pride, and Im excited to be part of the team driving that forward. We have an outstanding team of communications professionals who effectively contribute to that effort every day.

Before arriving at SC State, Watson built a 35-year career in journalism, serving as a photographer, reporter and editor for newspapers in Tennessee. He concluded that chapter as managing editor of a daily publication, where he oversaw newsroom operations and guided coverage of community, state and national issues.

A Kingsport, Tennessee, native, Watson earned a Bachelor of Science in English/journalism from Tennessee Technological University in 1988.
Rachel Reeves will set out her plans when she delivers the Autumn budget next month (PA)

Emergency bailouts of councils on the brink of financial failure have become normalised in a broken system of funding, Rachel Reeves has been warned.

Ahead of the Autumn budget, the Local Government Association (LGA) stressed that councils are at the heart of every national priority but said they cannot help deliver growth and reform to public services, or improve life chances, without sustainable resources.

The LGAs letter to the Chancellor highlights that 29 councils, including nearly one in six of all authorities with responsibility for social care, required the Government to approve exceptional financial support agreements this year.

This was an increase on the 18 councils which required support through the relaxation of financial frameworks last year  a rise the LGA said is a clear warning sign of systemic failure.

The support process enables struggling councils to borrow, sell assets or increase council tax above national limits to keep essential services running.

Overall, 42 councils have accessed more than 5 billion through exceptional support since its introduction in 2020/21, with many using it for multiple years.

The letter said: Arguably this arrangement is no longer exceptional. Instead, the use of borrowing or the application of capital receipts have become normalised as a means for funding councils day-to-day spend on vital services such as childrens social care.

This is clearly not a sustainable financial model.

The LGA said the current financial support arrangements should be reviewed to ascertain whether they are achieving the objective of supporting councils in returning to financial sustainability.

LGA chairwoman Louise Gittins said: Council costs and demand for services are soaring  especially in childrens and adult social care, homelessness, and Send home-to-school transport  leaving significant potential overspends this year.

The consequences are visible everywhere. Fewer neighbourhood services, reduced investment in prevention, and growing pressure on those who rely most on local support.

When a system relies on emergency bailouts to function, it is fundamentally broken.

The countrys success depends on places like Barnsley, Buckinghamshire, Cambridge, and Cumberland being able to thrive. Councils have the legitimacy, local knowledge and ambition to make that happen. But they need a fair financial foundation to stand on.

If the Government is serious about growth, public service reform and opportunity for all, it must start with councils  because when councils succeed, the country succeeds.

The letter detailed how public service reform with a focus on prevention and genuine devolution, and utilising technology to drive productivity and efficiency, are critical to reducing demand for acute services.

But LGA analysis shows financial pressure facing many councils in England remain stark and worsening, with risk of substantial budget overspends in 2025/26 across adult social care, childrens social care and homelessness services.

It found that despite increased budgets, between 2022/23 and 2024/25, councils overspent annually on average by 5% on adult social care, 14% on childrens social care, 25% on home-to-school transport for children with special educational needs and disability (Send) and 52% on homelessness.

In 2025/26, there were steep rises in planned budgets with increases of 9% for adult social care, 10% for childrens social care and 39% for homelessness.

Data for councils spending across these three services indicates that 2025/26 budgets are already under pressure, with clear potential for overspends in line with the previous three years, the LGA said.

This would lead to councils being forced into emergency measures such as in-year cuts to other services and drawing on depleting reserves to balance their books, it added.

The LGA welcomed the Governments plans to reform local government finance, including a guarantee of multi-year settlements, a move away from ring-fenced grants and reducing reliance on competitive bidding.

It also said the Chancellor should ensure the implementation of fair funding reforms, which are expected to adjust formulas used to allocate government grants and prioritise deprived areas, and that they must include robust transitional arrangements to protect the sustainability of all councils.

The LGA also highlighted the need to address an estimated 5 billion deficit in Send budgets.

While councils are legally required to set a balanced budget each year, these cumulative overspends are permitted under a special arrangement.

The LGA welcomed an announcement that councils can continue to keep these deficits off their main balance sheets until 2028/29 as helpful.

But it warned that in the absence of a long-term solution, these deficits are still an existential threat for a number of councils.

This is because these deficits are financed by cash, meaning councils incur substantial cash flow costs, primarily due to lost interest.

In addition, councils that are forced to supplement their cash flow with borrowing incur an additional interest burden.

The LGA estimates that the forecast deficit of 5 billion in 2025/26 will result in councils losing 200 million in unearned income alone.

Writing this accumulated burden off as part of the wider Send reforms would give councils and schools the chance to focus on improving provision rather than firefighting finances, the LGA said.

It also called on the Chancellor to ensure the Government covers the cost of local government reorganisation, which will see two-tier areas replaced by single unitary authorities.

Commons Public Account Committee chairman Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has said the wholesale reorganisation of local government at a time of financial strain on councils risks turning existing financial problems into far larger ones.

Liberal Democrats local government spokeswoman Zoe Franklin said: Many councils are being crippled with spiralling costs from Send to adult social care.

The sticking plaster effect simply wont do, and to truly help local government they (the Government) should urgently get on with reforming social care, and work on a cross-party basis to ensure the broken Send system works better for children and their families.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: Were turning the tide on decades of underfunding in councils in England so we can give people the high-quality public services they deserve.

Weve made 69 billion available this year for councils  a 6.8% increase in cash terms  and will go further by fixing an outdated funding system so that money goes to places that need it most, and introducing multi-year finance settlements to give councils stability.
Men with a BRCA mutation should be given prostate cancer screening, researchers say (Alamy/PA)

Men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations should be given annual prostate cancer screening checks, leading scientists have said.

Experts at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London said men with these mutations are at such high risk of the disease they would benefit from screening.

The team has been working to understand who is at highest risk of the disease, and who could therefore benefit from targeted checks.

The UK National Screening Committee is reviewing the evidence for a prostate cancer screening programme following calls for all men  or those at highest risk  to have annual tests.

At present, there is no national screening programme owing to concerns the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is not reliable enough and can lead to men undergoing invasive tests and being treated for cancers that will not harm them.

However, it is known that BRCA gene mutations are linked to a higher chance of developing prostate cancer at a younger age and in a more aggressive form.

Of 100 men with a BRCA2 variant, for example, between 21 and 35 of them will develop prostate cancer before the age of 80, research has found.

Back in 2019, the ICR team said men with BRCA2 mutations have such a high risk of aggressive prostate cancers that they should be offered annual PSA testing.

Now, their latest study findings, presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Berlin, suggest men with BRCA1 mutations should also be offered an annual PSA test.

The Impact study, which is funded by Cancer Research UK, the ICR and others, assessed the potential benefits of PSA testing in men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations at 65 centres in 20 different countries around the world.

It found that men with the BRCA1 genetic fault were more than three times as likely to have aggressive prostate cancers compared with people without the fault.

The study found there was no difference in age of diagnosis, or the risk of developing prostate cancer, for BRCA1 carriers compared with non-carriers.

The new results also point to the risk of prostate cancer in BRCA2 carriers being more than double than in non-carriers, from 1.4% to 3.1%.

Meanwhile, the average age of diagnosis is 60 for carriers, compared with 65 for non-carriers.

The ICR team said that while more accurate prostate cancer tests  such as a saliva test to detect genetic risk of cancer  are being trialled, targeted screening using a PSA test for those at highest risk could significantly improve early detection of the disease.

The scientists are also calling for guidance to be updated so that both BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers can receive annual PSA testing.

Ros Eeles, professor of oncogenetics at the ICR, who led the study, said: Our research shows that men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations face a significantly higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

Until more accurate diagnostic tests become available, targeted PSA screening in this high-risk group could detect these cancers earlier, when treatment is more effective.

We are urging regulatory bodies to act on the evidence and update current guidance so that all men from 40 years with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation are offered annual PSA testing.

We are expecting an update to this guidance soon, and we hope to see the inclusion of BRCA carriers in any targeted screening programme, to give these men more control over their health and improve timely diagnosis.

The study offered annual PSA testing to more than 3,000 men for five years.

When looking at more widespread population screening, scientists and charities seem to be divided on the issue.

Evidence suggests PSA levels can rise for many reasons, including simple infections, and 75% of people with a raised PSA do not have prostate cancer.

A raised level can mean men are referred for unnecessary biopsies or MRI, or treated for tumours that may never cause harm.

The PSA test can also miss aggressive cancer. Evidence suggests around 15% of people with a normal result may actually have prostate cancer.

Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: These exciting findings confirm that annual PSA blood tests would enable men with the BRCA gene variant to find aggressive prostate cancers at an earlier, curable stage. Its important evidence that men at the highest risk of this disease would benefit from screening.

Three years ago, Prostate Cancer UK submitted evidence to the UK National Screening Committee that made the case for screening men with a family history of prostate cancer and black men  we await their decision.

Were proud that Prostate Cancer UK has funded Professor Eeles work for many years  and that she is now one of the lead researchers on our 42m Transform screening trial, which will find the missing evidence and new tests needed to build a safe and effective screening programme for all men.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn is being urged to show solidarity with Palestine by opposing the Rosebank oil development (James Manning/PA)

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn is being urged to oppose the Rosebank oil development, as campaigners claimed drilling there could contribute to the ongoing oppression of Palestinians.

With Mr Flynn having been an outspoken critic of Israeli attacks on Gaza, pro-Palestinian campaigners insist the SNP MP must follow this stance with equally strong opposition to the development of the Rosebank field, which lies some 80 miles west of Shetland.

They have joined with human rights and climate organisations to write to the SNP Westminster leader on the issue.

A coalition of 69 Scottish and UK-wide organisations, including the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Amnesty International UK and Justice and Peace Scotland, praise him for opposing the genocide committed in Gaza.

But the letter states that one of Rosebanks owners, Ithica Energy, is majority-owned by the Israeli fuel conglomerate Delek Group, which could receive nearly a quarter of a billion pounds more in revenue from the field if the project gets the green light..

As a result, the campaigners said that profits from an oil project in Scotlands waters could financially benefit a company linked to human rights violations against Palestinians.

The letter to Mr Flynn said: It cannot be morally right for Scotland to allow our natural resources to become a revenue stream for a company operating in illegal Occupied Palestinian Territories and which supports the Israeli military.

We therefore appeal to you to build on your commendable solidarity with Palestine, by raising this issue with the Prime Minister and publicly opposing the development of the Rosebank oil field.

It comes in the wake of plans to develop the site  which is the UKs largest untapped oil field, containing up to an estimated 300 million barrels of oil  being resubmitted.

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Equinor, which owns an 80% majority stake in the oil field, confirmed earlier this week it had submitted a scope 3 assessment  setting out all associated greenhouse gas emissions for the project, in compliance with new guidelines from UK authorities.

Dave Black of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said: Stephen Flynn has rightly spoken out against the genocide in Gaza by the Israeli government and pressed the UK Government into stronger action on Palestine.

We have a responsibility in Scotland to make sure that we are doing everything we can to defend the rights of Palestinians.

Stopping the flow of money from the North Sea to a company that is contributing to their ongoing oppression has to be part of that effort.

Mr Black added: We are therefore appealing to the SNPs leader in Westminster to raise these concerns with the Prime Minister and stand with us in opposing the development of the Rosebank oil field.

Andrew Smith, of Justice and Peace Scotland, said: Israels expansion of settlements across the West Bank is contributing to making life even more unbearable for Palestinians.

We must ensure that we, in Scotland, are not complicit by allowing our oil and gas to bankroll companies that are contributing to this suffering.

Scotlands politicians have a chance to show real leadership and solidarity with Palestine by opposing Rosebank.

Lauren MacDonald, a lead campaigner with the Stop Rosebank group, said: The fact that Rosebank could funnel hundreds of millions of pounds to a company linked to human rights abuses in Palestine makes it even clearer why this project should never go ahead.

It is already a climate disaster, while doing next to nothing for the UK as its mainly oil for export  but worse, it would be a human rights disaster too.

Stephen Flynn must extend the commendable leadership he has shown on Palestine to opposing this toxic project.

It is indefensible that a company that is supporting the Israeli military should be financially benefiting from North Sea resources.

Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay was also clear that the Rosebank development should be robustly opposed.

She insisted: There is no case for this oil field to be explored, it is climate-wrecking.

We need to see the SNP being strong on this, there are certain personalities in the SNP that would like to see them roll back.

But we are clear that this cannot go forward for the planet.

The SNP has been contacted for comment.
A TikTok influencer who murdered her mothers lover and his friend in a high-speed car chase should have her sentence reduced as it is wholly disproportionate, the Court of Appeal has been told.

Mahek Bukhari was jailed for a minimum of 31 years in September 2023 for her involvement in the murders of Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin in February 2022, with her mother, Ansreen, also convicted and imprisoned for at least 26 years.

Two others were also convicted of the murders, with a further three found guilty of two counts of manslaughter.

Their trial at Leicester Crown Court heard that the murders followed Ansreens unsuccessful attempts to break off her affair with Mr Hussain.

Mr Hussain had threatened to release sexually explicit material he had of Ansreen if she did not pay him the 3,000 he claimed to have spent on her during their tryst, jurors heard.

Prosecutors claimed Mr Hussain and Mr Ijazuddin, both 21 and from Banbury in Oxfordshire, were lured to one last meeting with the Bukharis in a Tesco car park in Hamilton, Leicester, under the pretence of returning the money.

But the Bukharis and others ambushed the pair, chasing Mr Ijazuddins Skoda along the A46 in Leicester in two vehicles and deliberately ramming them off the road, the trial heard.

At the Court of Appeal on Friday, barristers for Mahek said her sentence should be reduced as it did not reflect that Mr Hussain had demonstrated controlling behaviour towards her mother in the hours before the killing.

Christopher Millington KC, for Mahek, who was 24 at the time of her sentencing, said Mr Hussain threatened to release the sexually explicit material, which was the end of a very long series of threatening messages.

This had a very direct evidential bearing on the Bukharis decision to travel to Leicester to meet Mr Hussain, Mr Millington said.

Bukhari was jailed in September 2023 (Leicestershire Police/PA)

He said: None of this, we submit, was reflected in the fixing of the minimum term as it should have been.

Mr Millington also said that the killing was heat of the moment, rather than cold-blooded murder.

He continued: There was a plan, but it was not a plan to kill Saqib, or anyone else.

It plainly involved the real possibility of violence, beating up perhaps, it was never considered to be a plan to kill or cause really serious bodily injury.

Mr Millington told the hearing in London that Maheks age and lack of maturity also should have led to a shorter sentence.

He concluded: One has been left with a term that is wholly disproportionate.

After the car chase began, Mr Hussain told police in a 999 call moments before his death that his and Mr Ijazuddins car was being rammed off the road by assailants.

Analysis by forensic collision investigators showed that one of the cars involved in the chase reached speeds of up to 100mph.

Sentencing, Judge Timothy Spencer KC said Maheks tawdry fame as a social media influencer made her utterly selfobsessed and oblivious to the damage you do.

Collingwood Thompson KC, for the Crown Prosecution Service, acknowledged at the hearing on Friday that blackmail by Mr Hussain undoubtedly existed and was relevant, but said the sentence should not be reduced.

He said: The fact is that the appellant did contemplate with her mother going to the police, and if they had gone to the police, none of this would have happened.

A conscious decision was made not to go to the police and deal with it in that way, and deal with it another way.

He concluded: This was a tough sentence, but it was not manifestly excessive.

Lord Justice Warby, Mr Justice Lavender and Judge Sylvia De Bertodano will give their judgment in writing at a later date.
Israel awaits in total the return of the bodies of 28 hostages (Leo Correa/AP)

Hamas brought out bulldozers to dig for the remains of dead hostages on Friday as it sought to shore up its tenuous ceasefire with Israel, saying it was committed to the terms of the deal, including the handover of bodies.

The militant groups statement followed a warning from US President Donald Trump that he would green-light Israel to resume the war if Hamas did not live up to its end of the deal and return all hostages bodies, totalling 28.

So far in the past days, it has handed over the remains of nine, along with a 10th body that Israel said was not that of a hostage.

People on a beach in southern Israel, with buildings destroyed during Israeli ground and air operations in the northern Gaza Strip in the background (Leo Correa/AP)

In its statement, Hamas said some hostages remains were in tunnels or buildings that were later destroyed by Israel, and heavy machinery was required to dig through rubble to retrieve them.

It blamed Israel for the delay, saying it had not allowed any new bulldozers into the Gaza Strip.

Most heavy equipment in Gaza was destroyed during the war, leaving only a limited amount as Palestinians try to clear massive amounts of rubble across the territory.

On Friday, two bulldozers ploughed up pits in the earth as Hamas searched for hostages remains in Hamad City, a complex of apartment towers in the city of Khan Younis.

US President Donald Trump warned Hamas he would green-light Israel to resume the war if the militant group did not return all of the hostages bodies (John McDonnell/AP)

Israeli forces repeatedly bombarded the towers during the war, toppling some, and troops conducted a week-long raid there in March 2024, fighting militants.

In a follow-up statement on Friday, Hamas urged mediators to increase the flow of aid into Gaza, expedite the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and start the reconstruction process, especially for homes, hospitals and schools.

It also called for work to start immediately on setting up a committee of independents who will run the Gaza Strip and for Israeli troops to continue pulling back from agreed-upon areas.

The ceasefire plan introduced by Mr Trump had called for all hostages  living and dead  to be handed over by a deadline that expired on Monday.

But under the deal, if that did not happen, Hamas was to share information about deceased hostages and try to hand them over as soon as possible.

Mourners in a funeral procession for a dead hostage in Rishon Lezion, Israel, on Friday (Francisco Seco/AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel will not compromise and demanded that Hamas fulfil the requirements laid out in the ceasefire deal about the return of hostages bodies.

Hamas has sought to assure the US through intermediaries that it is working to return dead hostages. American officials say retrieval of the bodies is hampered by the scope of the devastation, coupled with the presence of dangerous, unexploded ordnance.

The militant group has also told mediators that some bodies are in areas controlled by Israeli troops.

At a news conference with his German counterpart in Ankara, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan expressed concerns that Israel might use Hamass lack of equipment to recover bodies as a pretext to resume hostilities.

Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages on Monday. In exchange, Israel freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

In Israel, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum  which groups many families of hostages  said they would continue holding weekly rallies until all remains were returned.

Buildings destroyed during Israeli ground and air operations in the northern Gaza Strip (Leo Correa/AP)

Israel has also returned to Gaza the bodies of 90 Palestinians for burial. Israel is expected to turn over more bodies, although officials have not said how many are in its custody or how many will be returned.

A Palestinian forensics team examining the remains said some of the bodies showed signs of mistreatment.

Israels campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians, according to the health ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government in the territory.

The ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts.

Thousands more people are missing, according to the Red Cross.

In the October 7 2023 attack on Israel, militants killed around 1,200 people and took some 250 hostage.
A Red Cross vehicle arrives at the site where members of the Hamas militant group work on searching for bodies of hostages in an area in Hamad City, Khan Younis (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

Hamas has announced plans to hand over the remains of an additional hostage after the militant group brought out bulldozers in Gaza to dig for remains in a bid to shore up a tenuous ceasefire with Israel.

The Hamas armed wing, known as the Qassam Brigades, did not say whose remains will be handed over  only that they were pulled out earlier in the day  or where they would be handed over.

The statement from the Qassam Brigades said the remains are of an occupation prisoner, suggesting they belonged to an Israeli rather than one of the hostages of several other nationalities also taken by Hamas.

Hamas has said it is committed to the terms of the ceasefire deal, including the handover of bodies.

The effort to find bodies followed a warning from US President Donald Trump that he would clear Israel to resume the war if Hamas does not live up to its end of the deal and return all 28 hostages bodies.

Palestinians watch members of the Hamas militant group searching for bodies in Hamad City, Khan Younis (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

So far it has handed over the remains of nine, along with a 10th body that Israel said was not that of a hostage.

In its statement, Hamas said some hostages remains were in tunnels or buildings that were destroyed by Israel, and that heavy machinery is required to dig through rubble to retrieve them. It blamed Israel for the delay, saying it had not allowed any new bulldozers into the Gaza Strip.

Most heavy equipment in Gaza was destroyed during the war, leaving only a limited amount as Palestinians try to clear massive amounts of rubble.

On Friday, two bulldozers ploughed up pits in the earth as Hamas searched for hostages remains in Hamad City, a complex of apartment towers in the city of Khan Younis. Israeli forces repeatedly bombarded the towers during the war, toppling some, and troops conducted a week-long raid there in March 2024.

Hamas urged mediators to increase the flow of aid into Gaza, expedite the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and start reconstruction. It also called for work to start immediately on setting up a committee of Palestinian independents who will run the Gaza Strip and for Israeli troops to continue pulling back from agreed areas.

The ceasefire plan introduced by Mr Trump had called for all hostages  living and dead  to be handed over by a deadline that expired on Monday. If that did not happen, Hamas was to share information about dead hostages and try to hand them over as soon as possible.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will not compromise and demanded that Hamas fulfil the requirements laid out in the ceasefire.

Benjamin Netanyahu (Evan Vucci/AP)

Hamas has assured the US that it is working to return dead hostages. American officials say retrieval of the bodies is hampered by the scope of the devastation, coupled with the presence of unexploded ordnance.

The militant group has also told mediators that some bodies are in areas controlled by Israeli troops.

Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages on Monday. In exchange, Israel freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

In Israel, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said it will continue holding weekly rallies until all remains are returned.

Israel has also returned to Gaza the bodies of 90 Palestinians for burial. Israel is expected to turn over more bodies, though officials have not said how many are in its custody or how many will be returned.

A Palestinian forensics team examining the remains said some of the bodies showed signs of mistreatment.

Israels campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government in the territory. The ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. Thousands more people are missing, according to the Red Cross.

In the attack on Israel on October 7 2023, militants killed around 1,200 people and took 250 hostage.

Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages on Monday (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

France said it is working with the UK and the US to propose a UN resolution in the coming days that would provide a framework for an international force for Gaza.

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux told a news conference that Arab countries want a UN mandate for the force. Arab countries are expected to be among those contributing troops to the force, which will oversee Egyptian-trained Palestinian police.

Mr Confavreux said details on funding, equipment and which countries will participate still need to be worked out.

The UN says the flow of aid remains constrained because of continued closures of crossings and restrictions on aid groups.

UN tracking of its own aid trucks into Gaza shows 339 trucks have been offloaded for distribution since the ceasefire began a week ago. Under the agreement, 600 humanitarian aid trucks would be allowed to enter Gaza daily.

Crossings were closed on Monday and Tuesday for the exchange of hostages and prisoners and a Jewish holiday.

Cogat, the Israeli defence body overseeing aid in Gaza, reported 950 trucks  including commercial trucks and bilateral deliveries  crossing on Thursday and 716 on Wednesday, according to the UN office for the co-ordination of humanitarian aid.

Tom Fletcher, who heads that office, said UN humanitarian teams are executing a 60-day plan to massively scale up aid, but he warned that the challenges ahead are immense and urged the opening of more crossings to allow more aid and workers into Gaza.
Hungarys nationalist prime minister Viktor Orban has celebrated his countrys status as the host of upcoming talks between US President Donald Trump and Russias Vladimir Putin, a meeting where the two leaders are expected to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine.

Mr Trump announced his second meeting this year with Mr Putin on Thursday, a day before he was sitting down with Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

A date for the meeting has not been set, but Mr Trump said it would take place in Hungarys capital, Budapest, and suggested it could happen in about two weeks.

Speaking to state radio on Friday, Mr Orban, a close ally of Mr Trump and considered Mr Putins closest partner in the European Union, suggested that his long-standing opposition to the West supplying Ukraine with military and financial aid for its defence against Russias invasion had played a role in making Budapest the site of the talks.

Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held, primarily because Hungary is almost the only pro-peace country, Mr Orban said.

For three years, we have been the only country that has consistently, openly, loudly and actively advocated for peace.

Mr Orban, who has often taken an adversarial stance toward Ukraine and Mr Zelensky, has consistently portrayed his position as pro-peace, while casting as warmongers his European partners who favour assisting Kyiv in its defence.

A trip to Budapest for Russian President Vladimir Putin would require him flying through the airspace of several Nato member countries (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

Yet Mr Orbans critics view Hungarys position as favouring the aggressor in the war and splintering European unity in the face of Russian threats.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Hungary, a Nato member, has refused to supply Ukraine with weapons or allow their transfer across its borders.

Mr Orban has threatened to veto certain EU sanctions against Moscow and held up the blocs adoption of major funding packages to Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Hungary has actively resisted weaning off of Russian fossil fuels that help fund Moscows war, and, in contrast to almost all of the EUs other 26 countries, has even increased its supplies since the 2022 invasion.

The meeting in Budapest comes after Mr Trump failed to secure an agreement to end the war in Ukraine during an August meeting with Mr Putin in Alaska.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is considered Vladimir Putins closest partner in the European Union (Armando Franca/AP)

Falling short of his campaign pledge to quickly stop the bloodshed, Mr Trump rolled out the red carpet for the man who started it.

A trip to Budapest for Mr Putin would require him flying through the airspace of several Nato member countries, a potential complicating factor in organising the meeting.

Yet, while Mr Putins assets have been frozen by the EU, he is not subject to a travel ban in Europe. Russian planes are banned from entering the bloc, but member countries are permitted to allow certain flights in.

Hungary is also a signatory to the International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, Netherlands, which in 2023 issued an arrest warrant for Mr Putin for war crimes.

As a signatory, Mr Orbans government would be required to arrest Mr Putin if he set foot on Hungarian soil.

But Mr Orban said in April that his country would begin the process of withdrawing from the court after he gave red-carpet treatment in Budapest to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also faced an ICC warrant on suspicion of crimes against humanity, which he denies.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto said that Hungarys government would welcome Mr Putin, and that it did not require approval from any institutions or allies to host the Russian president.

We assure him that he will be able to enter Hungary, have a successful negotiation and then return home, Mr Szijjarto said.

There is no need for any consultation with anyone. We are a sovereign country.

Budapest hosting the Trump-Putin meeting also holds symbolic significance: It was in the Hungarian capital in 1994 that the US, the UK and Russia granted Ukraine assurances of sovereignty and territorial integrity in exchange for Kyiv giving up its nuclear weapons.

Yet for many Ukrainians, the Budapest Memorandum has become a symbol of promises that carried no weight after Moscow shredded the agreement first with the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and then with the full-scale invasion in 2022.

On Friday, Mr Orban said he had spoken to Mr Trump on Thursday evening and would speak directly with Mr Putin on Friday morning.
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were meeting at the White House on Friday (Evan Vucci/AP)

US President Donald Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for talks at the White House on Friday, with the US leader signalling he is not ready to agree to sell Kyiv a long-range missile system that the Ukrainians say they desperately need.

Mr Zelensky gets his one-on-one with Mr Trump a day after the US president and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a lengthy phone call to discuss the conflict.

In recent days, Mr Trump had shown an openness to selling Ukraine long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, even as Mr Putin warned that such a move would further strain the US-Russian relationship.

But following Thursdays call with Mr Putin, Mr Trump appeared to downplay the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles (1,600km).

We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too, Mr Trump said.

We have a lot of them, but we need them. I mean, we cant deplete our country.

Mr Zelensky had been seeking the weapons that would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory and target key military sites, energy facilities and critical infrastructure.

Volodymyr Zelensky, pictured, was meeting Donald Trump a day after the US president and Vladimir Putin held a lengthy phone call to discuss the conflict (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)

He has argued that such strikes would help compel Mr Putin to take Mr Trumps calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.

But Mr Putin warned Mr Trump during the call that supplying Kyiv with the Tomahawks wont change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries, according to Yuri Ushakov, Mr Putins foreign policy adviser.

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said that talk of providing Tomahawks had already served a purpose by pushing Mr Putin into talks.

The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace, Mr Sybiha said on X on Thursday.

Ukrainian officials have also indicated that Mr Zelensky plans to appeal to Mr Trumps economic interests by aiming to discuss the possibility of energy deals with the US.

Mr Zelensky is looking to offer to store American liquefied natural gas in Ukraines gas storage facilities, which would allow for American presence in the European energy market.

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He previewed the strategy on Thursday in meetings with energy secretary Chris Wright and the heads of American energy companies, leading him to post on X that it is important to restore Ukraines energy infrastructure after Russian attacks and expand the presence of American businesses in Ukraine.

It will be the fourth face-to-face meeting for Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky since the Republican returned to office in January, and their second in less than a month.

Mr Trump announced following Thursdays call with Mr Putin that he would soon meet with the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss ways to end the war.

The two also agreed that their senior aides, including secretary of state Marco Rubio, would meet next week at an unspecified location.

Fresh from brokering a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, Mr Trump has said finding an endgame to the war in Ukraine is now his top foreign policy priority and has expressed new confidence about the prospects of getting it done.
Donald Trump has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky he is leaning against selling long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv, but offered optimism that the war is moving towards an end that would mitigate a need for the powerful weapon.

Mr Zelensky at the start of the White House talks said he had a proposition in which Ukraine could provide the US with its advanced drones, while Washington would sell Kyiv the long-range cruise missiles that Ukrainian officials say they need to motivate Russian President Vladmir Putin to get serious about peace talks.

But Mr Trump said he was hesitant to tap into the US Tomahawk supply, a turnabout after days of suggesting he was seriously considering sending the missiles to help Ukraine beat back Russias invasion.

I have an obligation also to make sure that were completely stocked up as a country, because you never know whats going to happen in war and peace, the US president said.

He added: Wed much rather have them not need Tomahawks. Wed much rather have the war be over, to be honest.

After the meeting, he called on Kyiv and Moscow to stop where they are and end the war.

Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts, he wrote on social media. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!

Mr Zelensky told reporters after the meeting that it was time for a ceasefire and negotiations, but appeared to stop short of embracing Mr Trumps call for an immediate end to the war.

The president is right, we have to stop where we are, and then to speak, Mr Zelensky said.

Mr Zelensky and his senior aides met Mr Trump and his team over lunch, a day after the US leader and Mr Putin held a lengthy phone call to discuss the conflict.

A Tomahawk cruise missile (Alamy/PA)

The Ukrainian president congratulated Mr Trump over last weeks ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza and said the US leader now has momentum to stop the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

President Trump now has a big chance to finish this war, Mr Zelensky added.

Mr Trumps shifting rhetoric on Tomahawks is disappointing to the Ukrainians. In recent days, he had shown an openness to selling Ukraine the Tomahawks, even as Mr Putin warned that such a move would further strain the US-Russian relationship.

But after Thursdays call with Mr Putin, Mr Trump began downplaying the prospects of Ukraine getting the missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles.

Mr Zelensky had been seeking the Tomahawks, which would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory and target key military sites, energy facilities and critical infrastructure. He has argued that the potential for such strikes would help compel Mr Putin to take Mr Trumps calls for direct negotiations to end the war more seriously.

The Russian leader warned Mr Trump that supplying Kyiv with the Tomahawks wont change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries, according to Yuri Ushakov, Mr Putins foreign policy adviser.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo/AP)

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said that talk of providing Tomahawks had already served a purpose by pushing Mr Putin into talks. The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace, Mr Sybiha said.

Mr Zelensky also used Fridays meeting to discuss the possibility of energy deals with the US.

He was expected to offer to store American liquefied natural gas in Ukraines gas storage facilities, which would allow for an American presence in the European energy market.

Mr Zelensky previewed the strategy on Thursday in meetings with energy secretary Chris Wright and the heads of American energy companies, saying it is important to restore Ukraines energy infrastructure after Russian attacks and expand the presence of American businesses in Ukraine.

It is the fourth face-to-face meeting for Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky since the Republican returned to office in January, and their second in less than a month.

Mr Trump announced on Thursday after his call with Mr Putin that he would soon meet the Russian leader in Budapest to discuss ways to end the war.

The US president said on Friday that it was to be determined if Mr Zelensky would be involved in the talks in Hungary, suggesting a double meeting with the warring countries leaders is the most workable option for productive negotiations.

These two leaders do not like each other, and we want to make it comfortable for everybody, Mr Trump added.
Why are some hardline Christians so keen to be allowed to smack kids? NI law is outrageous

Apparently they believe that parents have a God-given right to wield authority over their children, which can include physical chastisement: what the Christian Institute calls a loving smack

Fionola Meredith Fri 17 Oct 2025 at 08:04

When are we going to stop legally hitting kids in Northern Ireland? Its outrageous that the law continues to provide for it.